CCC-AETHER-01-02 - The Heir of Orcus Verse II - Adventure Primer

Oct 6, 2026

Upload by Kurz

Adventure Primer for “The Heir of Orcus: Verse II,” building on the choices made in Verse I. The party begins deep in the Temple of Orcus beneath the Bloodmuck Swamp, where factions aligned with the Knights of Holy Judgment, the Cult of Zariel, or Chaos seek to rescue Ser Vindictus or recover her body. The adventure spans two episodes, includes a Call to Action, and presents player-facing hooks and faction selection guidance, including NPC introductions and conditional appearances based on prior play.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages29

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Adventure Primer

Background

Episodes

Episode 1: Doomed (Call to Action)

Episode 2: The Heir of Orcus

Adventure Hooks

Choosing a Side

Knights of Holy Judgment

Cult of Zariel

Chaos

CREDITS Lead Designer: Anthony Joyce Editing: Jay Africa D&D Adventurers League Guildmaster: Chris Lindsay Art Director & Graphic Design: Joaquin Reymundo “Dsurion”Comic Art: James Gifford D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Bill Benham, Amy, Dzura, Alan Patrick, Travis Woodall, Lysa Chen, Claire Hoffman, & Greg Marks Playtesters (In Alphabetical Order): Avery Adams, Anthony Dunn, Cory Flagg, Rob Froberg, Jerry Lovin, Rory McDonough, Alain Pham, Jose Soto, Michael Sullivan DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. ©2018 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. Adventure Primer This adventure builds off the choices made in The Heir of Orcus: Verse I. It is highly recommended that characters play The Heir of Orcus: Verse II after Verse I. Otherwise the DM narrates how the characters came to find the Temple of Orcus. Background “Deep in the Temple of Orcus, lies a creature of unspeakable evil. It is said that his Heir dwells in that lair so beware for all who enter may never return!” –Verse II The characters begin the adventure in the TEMPLE OF ORCUS deep beneath the BLOODMUCK SWAMP in the region of THAR, aligned either with the KNIGHTS OF HOLY JUDGMENT the CULT OF ZARIEL, or CHAOS. All factions want to rescue SER VINDICTUS or, if she is dead, recover her body. No one knows what happened to Ser Vindictus and her failed raid over 100 years ago. It is up to the characters to brave the hordes of Orcus, enter the Temple of Orcus, and uncover the fate of Ser Vindictus. Episodes The adventure has two episodes and takes approximately four hours to play. The episodes are introduced by a Call to Action Episode. If you are planning to play the entire adventure at once, you only need to introduce the Call to Action once. However, if you plan to play them over several sessions, you are advised to revisit the Call to Action each time you play. 􀁸 Episode 1: Doomed (Call to Action). The party begins its journey into the Temple of Orcus. They need to make their way past several large groups of enemies to enter the UNHOLY PLACE and UNHOLY OF UNHOLIES. Characters complete Main Objective A upon completing this Episode. 􀁸 Episode 2: The Heir of Orcus. The party goes deep into the Temple, confronts the Heir of Orcus, and uncovers the unfortunate fate of Ser Vindictus, after which they make a daring escape with the body of Ser Vindictus. Characters complete Main Objective B upon completing this Episode. Adventure Hooks Players can come up with the best story hooks that intimately build upon their characters’ backstories. Ask the players why their characters are going to rescue Ser Vindictus, a lost angel of Tyr. Is it for nefarious or noble purposes? Choosing a Side The characters’ choices and actions will cause them to“choose a side” during this adventure. If they played The Heir of Orcus: Verse I, they have already chosen aside. If the characters did not play Verse I, or cannot decide whom they want to align with, then the DM decides. Below is a description of the three sides: Knights of Holy Judgment. The Knights of Holy Judgment want

FAQs

How is Verse II connected to Verse I?

Verse II builds off the choices made in The Heir of Orcus: Verse I. It is recommended to play Verse II after Verse I, otherwise the DM narrates how the characters reach the Temple of Orcus.

What is the main goal of the factions in the adventure?

All factions want to rescue Ser Vindictus or, if she is dead, recover her body. Players also must brave the hordes of Orcus and uncover what happened to her during a failed raid over 100 years ago.

How long is the adventure and how is it structured?

The adventure has two episodes and takes about four hours to play. A Call to Action Episode introduces the episodes, and it should be revisited if played over several sessions.

How do players choose between the sides during the adventure?

The characters’ actions determine which side they choose. If the group already played Verse I, they have chosen a side; otherwise, the DM decides based on the described alignment options and their goals.

Oct 6, 2026

Upload by Kurz