6) Act Structure & Mission Path (12 core missions)#

Each mission: Setup • Scenes • Objectives • Twists • Outcomes • Milestone • IP Hooks

ACT I — The Bell & The Knife (L1–3)#

M1. The Cathedral’s Shadow

• Setup: Ration riots outside Greyspire Cathedral. A relic shard hums in the bell tower crypt.

• Scenes: Crowd control → Crypt delve → Follower ambush.

• Objectives: Prevent stampede; secure shard; expose a pain‑salon.

• Twists: The shard hums louder when blood is spilled.

• Outcomes: +1 Church favor or +1 Conclave favor depending on shard custody; Follower Heresy +1.

• Milestone: L2.

• IP Hooks: Flashback—why you trust/distrust clergy.

M2. Masks in the Mire

• Setup: Prince Vek brokers antivenin for moot safety.

• Scenes: Poisoned banquet → Dome duel (champion) → Scarecrow path escape.

• Objectives: Win duel or outwit; secure treaty.

• Twists: The antivenin is made from Nabour flora.

• Outcomes: +1 Mire favor; name a Follower cell.

• Milestone: L3.

• IP Hooks: Raise the Stakes—a hostage reveals a Conclave pin.

M3. Forge at the Gate

• Setup: Duke Rost moves siege engines “for practice.”

• Scenes: Infiltrate foundry → find blood‑kiln → choose sabotage or expose.

• Objectives: Stop mass rite inside the kiln.

• Twists: A Naraki oracle is complicit.

• Outcomes: If saved, Narakar moderates; if burned, War Exhaustion later starts at +1.

• Milestone: L3+ gear boon.

• IP Hooks: Twist the Knife—your ally’s parent runs the kiln.

ACT II — The Cursed Island (L3–6)#

M4. Ketran Sea Lane

• Setup: Commodore Ket Aran opens a lane to Nabour.

• Scenes: Dock bribes → Chain boom at dusk → Pirate probe.

• Objectives: Launch convoy; choose mercenary contract tier (your Nabour tables: route length/profit/success & betrayal risks).

• Twists: A refugee child carries a relic fragment.

• Outcomes: Nabour clock starts; Trade favor banked for later siege.

• Milestone: L4.

• IP Hooks: Foreshadowing Tag—odd lightning in the east.

M5. Four Kingdoms, One Roar (on Nabour)

• Setup: The Beast’s seasonal shocks; choose allies (Vale/Sands/Urr/Ash).

• Scenes: Navigate pollen fields or blizzards/ash rivers/storm center; Lorian’s Lament Note #1–2 clues.

• Objectives: Secure unique resources (elixir, ore, heat‑tempered steel, storm amber) for crown leverage.

• Twists: Magma Cult wants to “feed” the Beast.

• Outcomes: Resource tags for Act III (siege supplies or coronation gifts).

• Milestone: L5.

• IP Hooks: Flashback—a legend of Lorian told to a PC as a child.

M6. Lorian’s Lament (Major Quest)

• Setup: Gather the four Notes (use your quest beats; cliffs of Urr, ash houses, Lustrous Spire, Whispering Woods).

• Scenes: Each Note encounters; final grove with phantom stag.

• Objective: Reassemble the melody; craft Lorian’s Lute.

• Twists: The Conclave offers to copy the Lute “for safety.”

• Outcomes: Gain Lute (calm minions/creatures, limited). Beast clock ‑1 when played at right place/time.

• Milestone: L6.

• IP Hooks: Twist the Knife—someone you love begs you to end Lorian forever.

ACT III — War of Two Lights (L6–8)#

M7. Siege of Furnace Gate

• Setup: War ignites; Narakar’s city under attack or leading it (depends on Act I).

• Scenes: Night escalade → Smash trebuchets → Fire in streets.

• Objectives: Break siege or lift it; protect civilians.

• Twists: Black Taoe sighted on the wrong rampart.

• Outcomes: Choose Church or Conclave supply boon in aftermath; War Exhaustion +1.

• Milestone: L7.

M8. The Bone‑Vault

• Setup: University vault rings at midnight—relic resonance.

• Scenes: Catacombs → “Bone gongs” puzzle → Follower rite attempt.

• Objectives: Prevent rift; decide to give vault to Church or Conclave.

• Twists: The ringing transmits a Follower cipher the PCs can reuse later.

• Outcomes: +2 favor with side you aid; Heresy +1 if you keep the vault yourselves.

• Milestone: L7–8.

M9. Eagle Pass

• Setup: Cavalry vs engines in a mountain choke.

• Scenes: Avalanches; narrow switchbacks; desperate parley.

• Objectives: Save evacuees; crown‑envoy duel.

• Twists: A second Black Taoe sighting—decoy?

• Outcomes: If evac saved, War Exhaustion ‑1; if not, +1.

• Milestone: L8.

ACT IV — The Anointing (L8–10)#

M10. The Two Coronations

• Setup: Both rites set same day: Cathedral & Relic ring.

• Scenes (you decide order):

  1. Procession ambush (Followers)

  2. Smuggled relic under the altar (Conclave)

  3. Cathedral balcony debate (Church)

• Objectives: Ensure one rite completes—or reconcile both at cost.

• Twists: Ezible appears to say: “You still have a choice.”

• Outcomes: Church Crown (stability, duties) or Relic Crown (might, schism risk) or Twin‑Light Compromise (hard road, miracles possible).

• Milestone: L9.

M11. The Black Taoe

• Setup: The lost war‑banner awakens.

• Scenes: Vault heist → street pursuit → rampart duel under storm.

• Objectives: Claim Taoe or destroy it—or let a rival fly it.

• Twists: The Taoe whispers commands like a general.

• Outcomes: If you keep it, gain Cursed (LS) option; if you burn it, Followers Heresy ‑1.

• Milestone: L9.

M12. The Crown’s First Decree

• Setup: Epilogue mission as policy play.

• Scenes: Bread, law, tithes, amnesties, relic policy.

• Objective: Define the realm’s first 3 laws.

• Twists: Nabour envoy arrives with a sealed plea: “Do not forget us.”

• Outcomes: These laws seed the next era.

• Milestone: L10 (campaign end).