What if Sauron had won? In the world of Aryth, the dark god Izrador has conquered everything. His orc legions patrol the roads, his priests enforce worship, and magic is forbidden to all but his servants. Hope is a crime, rebellion means death, and the resistance fights a war it cannot win — yet fights on anyway. Your party are the last sparks of defiance in a world drowned in shadow, waging a guerrilla war against an enemy who has already won.
Story Arcs
Life Under Shadow
The party navigates daily life under Izrador's occupation. They witness atrocities, make impossible choices, and connect with the underground resistance. Every act of defiance risks everything.
The Spark of Rebellion
The resistance has a plan: recover an ancient artifact that could weaken Izrador's power. The party undertakes a dangerous mission deep into enemy territory, building alliances with elves, dwarves, and the desperate.
Against the Shadow
With the artifact recovered, the resistance launches its most ambitious operation. The party leads a strike against one of Izrador's seats of power, knowing that even success cannot end the Shadow — only weaken it enough for hope to survive.
Session Outlines
These outlines are for planning reference only. Actual sessions are not created by the template.
Under the Shadow
The party lives in an occupied village. Daily humiliations under orc patrols, mandatory worship of Izrador, and the constant fear of being reported by neighbors. When a friend is arrested for possessing a forbidden book, the party must decide: rescue them and risk exposure, or do nothing and survive another day.
The Underground
Contact with the resistance. The party is recruited into a cell that operates through dead drops, coded messages, and safe houses. Their first mission: smuggle a shipment of food to a starving elven community hidden in the forest. The punishment for being caught is death — for the party and everyone they know.
The Legate's Visit
A Legate — one of Izrador's dark priests — arrives to investigate rumors of resistance activity. The party must maintain their cover while protecting the cell. The Legate has magical means of detection. A traitor within the village adds another layer of danger.
The Price of Defiance
The resistance cell is compromised. The party must flee, fight, or sacrifice themselves to protect others. A desperate escape through the countryside, hunted by orcs and dark magic. They reach a hidden resistance stronghold but the cost is heavy — friends and safe havens are lost.
The Resistance Council
At the stronghold, the party meets the resistance leadership. Representatives of the free elves, dwarven holdouts, and human rebels debate strategy. A captured Legate has revealed the location of an ancient artifact — a remnant of the old gods that could disrupt Izrador's power in the region. The party is chosen for the retrieval mission.
Through Enemy Lines
The artifact is in a temple deep in orc-controlled territory. The party must travel through occupied lands, evading patrols, passing through checkpoints with forged papers, and relying on a network of sympathizers. Every encounter risks detection.
The Elven Refuge
The party reaches a hidden elven community in an ancient forest. The elves are the last remnants of a proud civilization, living in the canopy and fighting a slow retreat. They can guide the party to the temple but demand help first: an orc warband has found their location and must be dealt with.
The Forbidden Temple
A dungeon crawl through a temple of the old gods, now desecrated and trapped by Izrador's servants. Dark magic wards every passage, and undead guardians patrol the halls. The artifact lies in the deepest sanctum, still glowing with divine light that burns the darkness.
The Long Road Back
With the artifact in hand, the party must return to the resistance stronghold. Izrador's forces have been alerted and the hunt intensifies. A running series of encounters — ambushes, river crossings, and narrow escapes — test the party's endurance and ingenuity.
Preparing the Strike
The resistance plans an assault on a Legate's fortress — a regional seat of Izrador's power. The artifact can weaken the fortress's dark magic defenses, but the timing must be perfect. The party helps plan the operation, recruit fighters, and prepare for the most dangerous mission of their lives.
The Battle for Hope
The assault begins. The party leads a team to infiltrate the fortress while the resistance creates diversions. Inside, they must activate the artifact, disable the dark magic defenses, and fight through Izrador's elite guards. The battle is desperate — the resistance is outnumbered and outmatched.
A Light in the Dark
The artifact activates, disrupting Izrador's power in the region. The fortress falls — a stunning victory for the resistance. But the Shadow is vast and this is only one fortress. The campaign ends not with triumph but with the most precious gift of all in Midnight: hope. The party has proven that Izrador can be hurt — and that is enough to keep fighting.
NPCs
Valira Ashwood
Human · Resistance Cell Leader
A former schoolteacher who became a resistance fighter when her school was burned for teaching forbidden history. Calm under pressure and ruthlessly practical about survival. She runs the party's cell with efficiency born of necessity. She has already lost two previous cells to betrayal.
Durgaz the Deserter
Orc · Orc Rebel
A rare orc who has turned against Izrador. Disgusted by the atrocities committed by his people, he deserted and now serves the resistance as a scout and infiltrator. He is distrusted by many humans and elves but his knowledge of orc military tactics is invaluable. He knows he will be killed if captured — by his own people.
Aelindra Starweave
Elf · Elven Elder
The leader of the hidden elven community. She remembers the time before Izrador's victory and carries the grief of centuries of decline. Her magic is among the strongest remaining in the free peoples, but she hoards it carefully. She is wise, sorrowful, and fiercely protective of her people.
Legate Mordecai
Human · Dark Priest of Izrador
The Legate who visits the party's village. A former priest of the old gods who converted to survive and found that power agreed with him. He is intelligent, perceptive, and enjoys the fear he inspires. He suspects resistance activity but lacks proof — for now.
Ironhand Thordak
Dwarf · Dwarven Resistance Commander
A dwarven warrior from the last free hold who has been fighting the Shadow for decades. His right hand was replaced with an iron prosthetic after an injury. He commands the resistance's military forces with grim determination. He does not believe they can win — but he fights anyway because it is right.
Whisper
Halfling · Smuggler and Information Runner
A halfling who moves through the occupied lands like a ghost. She carries messages between resistance cells, smuggles supplies, and knows every hidden path in the region. Small, quiet, and easy to overlook — exactly as she prefers. She has never been caught, and the orcs do not know she exists.
The Shard Bearer
Unknown · Mysterious Resistance Ally
A hooded figure who appears to the party at critical moments, providing guidance and occasionally intervention. They carry a shard of divine power that shields them from Izrador's detection. Their identity and origins are mysterious — they may be the last avatar of a dead god.
Locations
Thornwall Village
An occupied village of perhaps two hundred souls, living under the boot of an orc garrison. The people are farmers, craftsmen, and the broken remnants of what was once a thriving community. Mandatory Izrador worship twice daily, curfew after dark, and all weapons confiscated. This is home — and it is a prison.
The Whisperwood
An ancient forest where the last free elves hide in the canopy. The trees themselves seem to resist Izrador's influence — the forest is darker and wilder than it should be, and orc patrols that enter often do not return. The elves maintain their community through magic and desperate determination.
The Fortress of Lament
A Legate's fortress built on the ruins of an old temple. Dark magic radiates from its stone walls, and the suffering of prisoners held within feeds Izrador's power. The fortress guards a region of territory and serves as a base for orc patrols. Its fall would free thousands.
The Temple of the Lost Gods
A hidden temple to the old gods, sealed and trapped by Izrador's servants to prevent anyone from accessing its power. The temple is underground, its entrance concealed by centuries of growth. Inside, divine artifacts still hold power — and undead guardians ensure no one reaches them.
The Resistance Stronghold
A hidden base in a series of mountain caves, accessible only through a narrow defile that can be defended by a handful. Here, the resistance leadership meets, plans operations, and shelters those too compromised to remain in the occupied lands. It is cramped, cold, and the most free place in the world.
The Occupied Road
The main road through the region, patrolled by orc warbands and Legate enforcers. Checkpoints every few miles demand identification papers. Traveling openly is dangerous; traveling off-road is slower but essential for the resistance. The roadside is lined with the bodies of those who defied the Shadow.
Quests
Build the Cell
Establish a functioning resistance cell in the occupied village. Recruit trustworthy members, set up communication channels, and create safe houses — all without attracting the attention of the orc garrison or Legate.
Smuggle the Supplies
The hidden elven community is starving. Smuggle food and medicine through orc-controlled territory without being caught. The route is long, dangerous, and watched.
Recover the Artifact
An ancient divine artifact lies in a desecrated temple deep in enemy territory. Retrieve it to give the resistance a weapon against Izrador's dark magic. The journey there and back is as dangerous as the temple itself.
Expose the Traitor
Someone in the resistance is feeding information to the Legates. Find the traitor before they can compromise the stronghold. Suspicion falls on several people, and paranoia threatens to tear the resistance apart.
Strike the Fortress
Lead the assault on the Fortress of Lament. Coordinate the resistance's forces, infiltrate the fortress, activate the artifact, and destroy the regional seat of Izrador's power. A victory that proves the Shadow can bleed.
Encounters
Orc Patrol
An orc patrol discovers the party during a smuggling run. The party must fight, flee, or talk their way out. Killing the patrol buys time but brings reprisals on nearby villages.
Legate's Interrogation
The Legate confronts the party with suspicions. A social encounter where the wrong word means death. If combat erupts, the Legate wields dark divine magic.
Forest Ambush
An orc warband that has tracked the elven community attacks. The party fights alongside elven archers in the canopy, using the terrain to offset the orcs' superior numbers.
Temple Guardians
Undead servants of Izrador guard the desecrated temple. They are former priests of the old gods, raised in mockery of their faith. The divine artifact's proximity weakens them.
Fortress Assault
The final battle inside the Fortress of Lament. Dark magic, elite orc guards, and the Legate commander all stand between the party and victory.
Factions
The Free Resistance
Chaotic Good
A coalition of humans, elves, dwarves, and others who fight Izrador's occupation through guerrilla warfare, smuggling, and sabotage. They are few, poorly equipped, and constantly hunted — but they refuse to submit. Each member knows capture means death.
The Shadow's Legions
Lawful Evil
Izrador's occupying force: orc warbands, goblin scouts, human traitors, and the dreaded Legates — dark priests who wield Izrador's divine power. They control every road, village, and city. Their numbers are overwhelming and their master is a god.
The Free Elves
Neutral Good
The remnants of elven civilization, hiding in ancient forests and fighting a slow retreat. They possess the greatest magical knowledge remaining in the free peoples but are too few to wage open war. Their bitterness toward humans — who they blame for failing to stop Izrador — complicates alliance.
The Dwarven Holds
Lawful Neutral
Dwarven fortresses sealed against the Shadow, the last bastions that have never fallen. They provide weapons and shelter to the resistance but refuse to commit their warriors to open battle, believing the war is already lost. Their forges still produce the finest weapons in the world.
Recommended Characters
Pre-built characters designed for this campaign setting. Create them separately from the character templates page.
Aelindra Silverbranch
Elf · Ranger · Level 4
A wood elf resistance fighter who has waged guerrilla war against Izrador's forces for decades. Aelindra leads a band of partisans from the deep forest, striking at orc patrols and supply lines before melting back into the wilderness that is her greatest weapon.
Corwin Ashen
Human · Rogue · Level 4
A human smuggler who runs contraband through Izrador's checkpoints using a network of safe houses and bribes. Corwin moves people, weapons, and forbidden knowledge through the occupied lands, staying alive by being too useful for any faction to kill.
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