The Broken Crown: System-Agnostic 9 Session Kingmaking Campaign with DnD Battlemaps (it's Foundry VTT Modules, Printable Battlemaps & Campaign Sourcebook .PDF to Be Released August 2025 to Members)

Embark on a treacherous quest through the shattered remnants of a once-mighty kingdom in this gripping 9-session D&D campaign, complete with detailed battlemaps. Your adventure begins at Elmat’s trading post, the last bastion of order in the lawless Brokenlands, where whispers of a divine artifact—the Crown of Unity—draw you into a perilous hunt.Long ago the crown was shattered into three pieces, plunging the kingdom into chaos. Now, tales speak of the fragments resurfacing, each held by a ruthless bandit lord: the Burial Lord, the Lord of Underdeep, and the Rotblood Prince.

From the moment you step into the trading post, danger looms. A mysterious figure, Kursk, offers maps and secrets to guide your pursuit of the crown’s pieces, but there appears to be more to him than meets the eye. As you venture into bandit-infested forests, cursed swamps, and forgotten dwarven ruins, you’ll face bloodthirsty marauders, undead horrors, and elven assassins wielding twisted magic.

In the shadow of the ancient City of Unity, a final revelation awaits—one that could heal the Brokenlands or unleash a tyrant’s vision of order. Will you restore the Crown of Unity to rebuild a broken realm, or uncover the sinister cost of its divine power?

Adventure, betrayal, and divine retribution beckon in the Quest for the Crown of Unity!

All the maps for this system-agnostic kingmaking DnD campaign are available as Foundry VTT modules, print-formatted files with grids, as well as .JPEGs you can import into other VTTs. Subscribe for access, and to let me know that you want more campaigns!

Campaign Hook:

60x40 Attacked Forest Stronghold Trading Post (Free VTT Resolution Map)

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The players find themselves at Elmat’s trading post, the last remnant of civilization in the battered Brokenlands, built on the last highway which comes east and on the brink of the bandit controlled forests, caverns and cursed swamplands that make up the rest of the broken kingdom.

The players have all heard the story that has brought them here for their own reasons.

Long ago, this kingdom stood as an icon of unity between the races of man, dwarf and elves. Ruled by a benevolent king who wore the crown of unity, a powerful divine artifact said to be given to the king by a god who wished him to rule for eternity, the crown would signify the rightful ruler of the kingdom.

But… as the story goes the pact between man, elves, and dwarves faltered, through their vices not even the benevolent king could keep the kingdom together. The Crown of Unity was shattered into three pieces and lost. The kingdom fell into chaos with many of the free peoples fleeing with those foolhardy enough to stay having to deal with desperate groups of bandits and marauders.

In recent years however, tales have come out of the Brokenlands, tales, glimpses of the three pieces of the Crown of Unity, each claimed by a new owner—one of humankind, one of elvenkind, and one of dwarvenkind—each as ruthless and bloodthirsty as those who tore the kingdom asunder long ago.

The players are greeted at the gate by a guard who is standing on the palisade walls and questions them as to their intentions. Whether they tell the truth about their desire to collect the pieces of the Crown of Unity, or lie about being merchants or something else doesn’t matter as the guard will let them in as it becomes clear they don’t have any involvement with the bandits of the Brokenlands. However, if they do mention their desire to collect the pieces of the Crown of Unity the guard will sigh deeply and tell them “it is a fool's errand, many an adventurer has come this way to try and none come back. The bandit lords of the Brokenlands and not to be taken lightly.”

Inside the compound the players find their way into the tavern where a homely woman named Jenna is serving another gentleman at the bar. She greets them and asks what they’ll have. They offer a couple types of ales, a small variety of meals and not much more as guests are rare out here. Although she does mention that if they need any supplies her husband Elmat can help them out at the other building. They get regular shipments from merchant caravans taking the highway to elsewhere.

The gentleman at the bar eyes the players up and down, an ale in his hand. When they approach, he introduces himself as Kursk. Dressed in a gentleman’s suit with a masterwork rapier at his hip, he wears a faintly glowing ring on his left hand. Players with the ability to detect magic will sense that Kursk carries various magical items, including those with transmutation properties.

Kursk asks if the players are by chance here in search of the pieces of the crown of unity? If they’re truthful, Kursk approves, explaining he is also here for that reason but it hasn’t gone quite as planned. He’s been planning an expedition since the first tales came out about pieces of the crown being found, he’s not a fighter you see and hired other adventurers to do the hard work, with great pay mind you, but they abandoned him at the first hiccup.

He’s hesitant but with little choice of new recruits he asks if the players might be interested in a business arrangement? He explains he’s had scouts create complex maps of the Brokenlands, at least as far as are useful and he has obtained the location of two of the three bandit lords strongholds where presumably two of the pieces are.

In addition he says he has a rare tome which details the Crown of Unity in unparalleled detail. He further explains that over the years many counter-fit crown pieces have shown up throughout the neighboring kingdoms, some sold for great fortunes only for it to come out later that the piece was a forgery, he will guarantee this is not the case if you give him the chance.

He says he’s willing to offer this information and his knowledge of the crown from his years preparing for this expedition up as part of the deal but also include pay with bonuses for each piece of the crown collected for him. In return if the players should collect all three pieces of the crown, he shall have it, with the dream of rebuilding the kingdom. It’s not all selfless he explains, the taxes alone generated by setting up the kingdom should see him increase his wealth ten fold within a decade due to all the natural resources provided by the Brokenlands.

On the other-hand, he’s a reasonable businessman and if the players refuse his first deal he offers an alternative, if the players should recover the crown and keep it, instead the players can pay him a reasonable fee for his role in its recovery. Perhaps paid over a decade?

If the players still refuse, he says he’ll be here for a couple more weeks if they change their mind but after that depending on circumstances he may have to head back to the neighboring city.

Interrupting the conversation, yelling from outside the tavern draws the players attention and when investigated the first player to leave tavern is potentially hit (roll for it) by a flaming arrow which was errantly shot over the trading post walls. One guard shouts to open the gate while returning fire at an unseen force attacking the tradingpost, while two other guards scramble to open the gate.

Running up the trading post palisade the players see more than half a dozen human bandits in shaggy leather armor with bows shooting at a small caravan speedily heading into the trading post.

The caravan gets inside but not before a few of the bandits make it in too.

Whether the players repel the attack from the walls or deal with the bandits who breached the gate, the threat is eventually neutralized with the guards wiping their brows, one of them saying that it was unusual for bandits to come up this far. The caravan owner, a young foolish looking man, turns to the players while sitting on his caravan front seat breathing heavily in shock. He stutters, saying that he thought for sure some of the arrows were going to get him in the back, before face planting on the ground, two arrows deeply wedged in his back.

The guards run up to him but it’s too late, he’s dead. The guards explain that these lands are harsh and that the merchants' goods are forfeit and will default to the ownership of the tradingpost. However because of the players assistance the players are welcome to some of the supplies before that happens. Protesting players are silenced by one of the guards, explaining that they better get used to the reality of being in the Brokenlands as those acting high and mighty find themselves dead quickly.

Kursk appears after the fight is over, grimacing over the dead caravan master explaining that he saw them fight from the tavern. If the players refused either of his deals earlier he increases his offered amounts saying he is impressed and convinced that you’re right for the job!

Notes: If the players ask for more information about the history of the Brokenlands and the Crown of Unity, it is noted that there are very few records that have remained intact and beyond the fact people know of the Crown of Unity, no records tell of how it was created or even when. In addition the founding of the kingdom is a complete mystery with all records of its founding and the years proceeding it for a time being completely erased from written record.

Session 2:

Multi-Level 40x30 Staglords Temple Bandit Hideout (Free VTT Resolution Map)

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When the players finally sit down with Kursk, he shows them his maps, pointing out an outpost run by the human bandit leader, known as the Burial Lord. While he knows the location of the Burial Lord’s stronghold, he advises against a direct assault, suggesting they first tackle his smaller outposts. The Burial Lord’s outpost is the closest to the trading post and, given the recent attack, may pose the greatest immediate threat.

Scouts report that the outpost surrounds an old temple with a palisade at its entrance. No other entry points were noted. When the players arrive, they find the temple as described, but only one guard stands atop the palisade, distractedly sipping from an ale bottle.

If the players kill the guard and enter the temple, they encounter fewer than half a dozen bandits, visibly shocked by their arrival. One bandit bolts through a left-hand door, slamming it behind him. The remaining bandits draw swords and engage the players. While the other bandits draw swords to match the players. After they’re defeated, if the players go through the left hand door they find a room with four ancient statues in a square burial room, the middle contains a dark pool of blood like liquid but the bandit isn’t anywhere to be seen. Suddenly a humanoid form with antlers made of blood rises from the pool.

It declares that the players trespass in a temple dedicated to the Burial Lord and have spilled his followers’ blood. It demands restitution: they must spill their own blood or have him spill it for them. When the players refuse, the blood-formed burial lord nods before saying “very well then.” before assailing the players.

When defeated the form dissolves into the blood it came from. If the players look around the room they notice one of the tombs askew, inside is the bandit who fled. He’s a coward who will do and say anything to live.

In the lower levels of the temple the players find a large pile of bones within a central room, once again a form comes into shape, the same form as before but this time made of bone. The burial lord says “It is tiresome and pointless, I have dealt with many like you before, those who fail to see that which is beyond their immediate vision, to wish change upon things they do not understand”. Once again The Burial Lord assails the players until his bone form is destroyed.

Making their way to the final room the players find a dishevelled man chained to a wall. He doesn’t look up as you enter but as you close the distance he meets your eyes. Breathing weakly he rejoices that you’re not the bandits. He asks you to release him, explaining that he’s an adventurer named Kazzack that was captured some months ago, he doesn’t know why the bandits kept him alive as the half of his group were killed on the spot but he’s looking forward to getting out of here, he explains he’ll need a hand walking as he's so weak but promises to make up for it however he can if the players will help him return to the trading post.

However, when exiting the temple's palisade, perceptive players might notice shadows in the forest in the distance before three arrows strike the man in the chest, instantly killing him. His assailants are faster than regular folk and are hard to pin down due to their stealth. Inspecting the arrows, the players notice they appear to be of elven make but they are made of a black twisted wood, with red feathers at the end.

Notes: Kazzack is one of the adventurers previously hired by Kursk and what Kazzack told you may be the “hiccup” he was referring to during your first conversation.

If Kazzack somehow manages to survive, either due to players perceiving the three assailants before they shoot and guarding Kazzack, so they can’t hurt him or by some magical means. Kazzack returns with them to the trading post, Kursk is surprised and a little mad to see him alive explaining that his family was sent a small payout due to his “death” and Kursk supposes he won’t be getting that money back!

Kazzack on the other hand isn’t mad at him, he knew what he was getting into and was paid well for it. Kazzack gives a small smile before retiring to a common room to rest for a few days before taking the next caravan out of the Brokenlands. On his trip, shortly after leaving the trading post his caravan is ambushed by the same elven assassins and he is killed before reaching the city.

Later on, Elmet or Jenna might mention that they received news that the caravan on the way to the next city carrying Kazzack was ambushed and he was killed. The caravan with the news reported the arrows made of a black wood twisted wood, with red feathers at the end.

Notes: If the players ask about the other bandit lords, Kursk explains that the dwarven lord known as the Lord of Underdeep is equally as dangerous as the burial lord but is unlikely to interfere in their plans for the moment. He’s known to use the extensive tunnels and highways underground to send out raiding parties which reach as far as the neighboring kingdoms.

For the elven bandit lord known as the Rotblood Prince, Kursk suggests he is by far the most powerful and should not be toyed with, until they’re ready of course. Further explaining that he dwells within the cursed rotblood swamp and commands an army of rotblood ghouls, humanoids that are neither alive nor dead but have been warped by the rituals of the rotblood elven into being creatures of unwavering servitude.

Session 3:

Multi-Level 60x40 Burial Lord's Barrow Stronghold (Free VTT Resolution Map)

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Kursk explains that the next target will be the burial lords stronghold which according to the scouts is located in an ancient burial mound two days' travel away. Kursk doesn’t have much more information than that but wishes you luck and that you return speedily with the first piece of the crown of unity!

Arriving at the burial tomb the players may hear howling in the distance and at the top of the burial mound’s cliff they’re ambushed by a group of undead wolves. Once inside the burial mound they find winding stairs which continue deeper into the earth, ruined corridors and caverns with bandits ready to fight to the death. After the players make it past the areas where the bandits have been living they encounter undead bandits before finally making their way to the final cavern.

The players find the burial lord upon a throne above them, to one side is a white dire-wolf and to the other a black undead dire-wolf. The Burial Lord is wearing shamanic leathers with animal bones weaved into his clothes and armor, wielding a gnarly battleaxe. On his head he wears a piece of the crown of unity intermingled with bones and staghorns but it’s clear to perceptive players that something is off and the staghorns are actually growing out of his head.

The burial lord is unmoving and in a gruff voice, he speaks: “You make a dire mistake. Balance must be maintained, just as life and death must be.” He gestures to his wolves. “You bring nothing but death, and with it, you will bring death to all.” He whistles, and the dire wolves attack. The Burial Lord wields nature, healing, and death magic, along with curses and hexes, but is also a formidable melee combatant.

Before dying he spits blood on to the floor, saying that the foolish tip the scale without understanding the consequences and consequences there will be…

Returning to the trading post Kursk is ecstatic to see the first piece of the crown of unity, no matter which deal the players made. He asks to see it, drawing out a jeweler's eyepiece. He inspects it roughly, his delight growing over time. Elated he determines it is in fact a real piece of the crown! If the players made the deal to give him the crown pieces, he pays them for it as agreed. If on the other hand the players made the deal to keep the crown themselves. Kursk tries to get them to leave the crown piece with him on their next excursion explaining that if they did unfortunately die, it would be bad news for one of the other bandit lords to get their hands on a second piece of the crown. Whatever the players decide he will continue to try and persuade them to leave the crown piece with him.

Session 4:

60x20 Bandits Tollbridge Dwarven City Entranced (Free VTT Resolution Map)

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When the players are ready Kursk gives them the next step. He explains that the Lord of Underdeep is the next target, unfortunately he’s quite dug in, literally, the dwarven lords stronghold is located within the ruins of one of the dwarven townships which is located underground. In addition the town is four days travel by the old highway or more than triple that through the thick forest and the only known entrance is a bridge which is guarded by the lords bandits and heavily fortified, due to this fact Kursk has no more intel on what may await the players once they enter the dwarven ruins.

Upon arriving the players find the bridge as described with a small palisade at the front reinforced with iron bars. It’s only guarded by half a dozen dwarven bandits, with two of them appearing to have imp familiars and wielding otherworldly magic. Perceptive characters might notice a weakness at the base of the bridge which would allow those stealthy enough to climb up beyond the palisade should they wade through the river below.

Through whatever means when the players have dealt with the bandits they may continue deeper into the earth to confront the Lord of Underdeep.

Session 5:

60x40 Dwarven Ruins Demonic Gateway (Free VTT Resolution Map)

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The tunnel continues on for ten minutes but eventually the players arrive at the ruins of the dwarven town, there are a couple of tunnels they can take but either way they soon encounter resistance, small camps of bandits on the streets or inside some of the repurposed ruined homes.

Travelling deeper they find a central cavern, embers rising from a demonic liquid with wailing forms within. In the centre is a demonic sigil glowing brightly which when approached by the players a deep voice resonates from the sigil, a shadowy demonic form appearing, it questions the players to their presence wishing to know who sent them, keenly aware the only reason they would be here, instead of his dwarven underlings is in search of a piece of the crown of unity. The demon tries to get the players to question their loyalty to whoever they’re working for, saying there is more to play in the Brokenlands than many want to believe.

The demon offers them a deal, since the players disposed of its previous dwarven stock of bandits, they could replace them. In return the demon says it will let them live. In addition, if the players bring the demon the other two pieces of the crown it will allow them to have it. Of course the demon continues the players will do as the demon demands at all times. A scroll burns into existence in front of the sigil with standard demonic text, the demon sternly admonishing them to sign.

When they refuse, the demon sighs, lamenting that they’ve complicated its task, before summoning a roaring large bipedal demon from a portal which attacks the players. In addition several smaller demons may be portaled in to make the fight more difficult.

The demon in the sigil watches commenting gleefully as the large demon attacks the players but his voice turns to anger when it is clear it's going to lose. The demon in the sigil rages before disappearing, allowing the piece of the crown of unity to be collected from the floor where the glowing sigil used to be.

Notes: If the players ask about the Lord of Underdeep, that he was no longer required and in the end was left wanting and so was removed from his position, permanently. If the players ask why the demon is being so honest, it further explains that it has no reason to lie as the players will either be joining it soon or be dead.

Session 6:

60x40 Seven Seas Prisoner Work Camp (Subscriber Only Map, This is a Low-Resolution Sample)

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On the player's way back to the trading post they are ambushed along the highway by the same assassins that killed Kazzick. Elven archers hiding in the shadows, this time however they are accompanied by three groups of human and dwarven rotblood ghouls, dressed in ragged leather armor, covered in blood red boils and tumors, wielding filthy scimitars. The rotblood ghouls fight with all disregard for their lives, doing as their elven masters command.

This time the elven archers do not flee but fight to the death. A closer inspection of their bodies shows that they have some type of corruption that pulses through their veins despite their perfect pale skin. Players with magical knowledge may be able to discover that it appears to be of magical origin, perhaps a curse.

Returning to the trading post it’s raining, Kursk is waiting inside the tavern, pacing back and forth, he's again excited to see the players or angry, it’s kind of hard to tell, he's almost manic, his eyes dark and baggy like he hasn’t slept in days. He asks to see the third.. second piece of the crown of unity. If the players question him about his behavior, he says he hasn’t been sleeping well, assuming that the players had died but he’s more than ready to inspect the crown piece to see its authenticity.

If the players hand him the piece of the crown of unity and he has the other piece from the Burial Lord because the players left it with him. He starts laughing and almost crying, pulling out both pieces into his hands. Thank you, friends! He exclaims, exceptional work, for your assistance in this matter when the time comes you all shall all be offered a place at my side, I am after all a generous lord. And with that his disguise disperses revealing him as the Rotblood Prince of the rotbloods, the same corruption pulsing through his veins as the elven archers but he looks sickly, he is wearing a flowing blood red robe and a crown of twisted thorns.

If the players try to attack him, he teleports a short distance before summoning a wall of red energy segmenting the tavern between the players and the Rotblood Prince. Please he says, there's no need for anymore violence, It’s over, It’s finally over. Before vanishing in a red flash with a shockwave.

Noticing the commotion Jenna and Elmat come running, confused as to where Kursk went, they ask what happened. They’re shocked, Kursk was the Rotblood Prince this whole time and they had no idea.

Notes: if Kursk has not managed to get his hands on the two pieces of crown of unity from the players he bides his time. Instead, greeting them within the tavern, he suggests the player's next target is the elven Rotblood Prince within the rotblood swamp. Of course his intent is to either find where the players are hiding the pieces in the meantime or should the players take the pieces with them, to just kill them when they arrive. After all, now with the other two bandit lords dead the scales are tipped and he no longer has to worry about being attacked from multiple sides. The only thing keeping him in check has been removed and he can now send his full forces to eliminate the players if that is what is required for him to gain the crown.

Session 7:

60x40 Bloodrot Elven Forest Outpost (Subscriber Only Map, This is a Low-Resolution Sample)

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The players are invited into the tavern to decide their next move, Elmat, no adventurer despite his dangerous life as the trading post’s caretaker, insists the Rotblood Prince can only have fled to the Rotblood Swamp. God knows what he intends, but the players need to stop him, if the crown is anything like the tales tell, it’s not just a symbol of the right to rule the Brokenlands but carries a divine right and who knows what that means if he reforges the crown.

Elmat shows the players a map of the region pointing at the location of the rotblood swamp. He says he’s sorry he can’t help further and that the players will just have to search the area until they find the Rotblood Princes stronghold but time is of the essence!

The swamp is three days' travel away if they use the old highway for a portion of the trip or five days if travelling through forest all the way. When the players make it to the swamp it’s not long before they feel like they’re being watched. The place is eerily quiet with little life. The blood like water bubbles noxious and the trees weep red sap.

Eventually the players come across what looks to be an elven outpost made in a tree but there are several small groups of rotblood ghouls patrolling around in small groups. Stealth killing the rotblood ghouls will ensure the other guards in the outpost don’t hear what is coming otherwise there is a chance they end up exiting the outpost to see what's going on. The outpost is homed to a few archers but also one heavily armoured elf in full plate like armor made from weeping bark wielding an axe and a tower shield.

Once dealt with the players find a rudimentary path which leads to the rotblood stronghold.

Session 8:

60x20 Bloodrot Eggs Elven Treetop Walkway (Subscriber Only Map, This is a Low-Resolution Sample)

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When the players arrive at the stronghold they find stairs which take them up into the tree tops, at one point this looks to have been a town, maybe even beautiful, now the homes lie in ruins, weeping sap down the sides of the accursed trees that live in this swamp. The players make their way deeper into the town, finally encountering resistance at a more intact portion of the town. Red glow bulbs pulse with light above while several elven archers fire at the players as they advance. More heavily armored elves take the front, wearing the same full-plate-like armor as the elf at the outpost.

When the elves have been dealt with the players make their way into the interior of a tree, depending on how the players are doing rotblood ghouls might climb up from the three pits within the tree to fight the players otherwise the players may continue unabated.

Reaching the final platform the players find the Rotblood Prince standing in front of a large glowing crystal, below the platform are what looks like pulsing cocoons, each with a kidnapped human or dwarf in the process of being turned into a rotblood ghouls.

The Rotblood Prince chuckles nervously when he sees the players, he’s holding the three pieces of the crown in his hand.“It… it doesn’t work,” he stammers, panicking. “We can make a deal! I know how to fix the crown! I’ve lived hundreds of years. My father, Elanon, saw the fall. He told me how the crown was forged when I was a boy! I know how to reforge it—I just… can’t do it myself.”

“But you, you must spare me!” He continues “Spare me and I will tell you the secret of the crown, you shall have the pieces! I… I helped you, without me you would have never collected the other pieces”. He further explains if allowed, that his desire for the crown was always only with his people in mind. The curse began when the crown was broken so he believed that when it was reforged perhaps the one who wielded it could lift the curse.

He was born when the Rotblood swamp was the beautiful Emerald Forest, but grew up during the destruction that came after the crown was broken. He saw first hand the toll the curse took on his people, the suffering it caused in those who used to be in harmony with the natural world and now could only look on in anguish at the corrupted form the forest had taken. Many took their own lives and those who tried to flee the swamp withered and died. Those left became hardened, and he became willing to do whatever was needed to save the Emerald Forest and his people and so he took on the mantle of the Rotblood Prince.

If the players agree to let the Rotblood Prince live, he does in fact keep his word, he explains that the crown was forged upon the tower of unity within the city of unity. Now obviously ruined, but he believes taking the crown to the top of the tower will allow the players to reform it.

If the players ask why he can’t reforge it himself, he explains with regret that he can not stray too far from the swamp for too long or he shall wither and die. It is the curse his people have suffered since the fall. The city is out of his reach. It was not something he could leave to chance, he had to be the one to reforge the crown… He believed… he had believed that he could reforge the crown without the tower. But he has lost and now his life and that of his people lie with you…

If the players say he must pay for what he has done and for all his ilk have slain over the years and those he’s kidnapped and turning into rotblood ghouls, he laughs exacerbated exclaiming that the majority of those turned are the very human and dwarven bandits the players have spent the last month killing! If anything he should be thanked for his contribution for keeping the Brokenlands safer from those other monsters. That he has only done what is necessary and that while some innocents might have been killed it is in no way close compared to the suffering of the rotblood elves!

If the players instead decide to kill the Rotblood Prince, he screams “May the swamp swallow you as it has my people!” Before the crystal begins to pulse and the rotblood cocoons below begin to squirm and burst.

The Rotblood Prince lashes out with spells while teleporting short distances as a reaction to being attacked. Meanwhile, rotblood ghouls climb the trees up to the platform attacking the players from other angles. In addition, smashing the giant red crystal causes all the rotblood ghouls to die suddenly.

When dealing a killing blow to the Rotblood Prince, he falls to the ground, with a tear in his eye, almost non-respondent he mutters, perhaps I will finally see the emerald forests again afterall…

Notes: The one notable magical item the Rotblood Prince has is the Ring of the elven council, this ring is what allows him to teleport short distances when attacked but much more powerfully allows him to teleport back to the Rotblood swamp elven council halls and is what he used to escape the tavern. The ring however cannot teleport anywhere else.

Session 9:

Multi-Level 60x40 City of Unity Tower Ruins (Subscriber Only Map, This is a Low-Resolution Sample)

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If the players spared the Rotblood Prince they may head right to the city of unity otherwise, they’ll most likely head back to the trading post. Elmat and Jenna are there waiting and are relieved to see them. Especially with all the pieces of the crown of unity. When you explain what happened at the swamp they go silent in thought. Elmat asks the players to wait while he goes into the storage building. He comes back with an old tome covered in dust which he blows off.

He says the tome came from the city of unity and has just sat in storage for even before he was the trading posts caretaker, over twenty years ago. Inside the tome are some references to the crown and the kingdom but nothing that goes as far back as the founding of the kingdom or the creation of the crown of unity. What it does mention in relation to the crown is the tower of unity. The tallest structure in the city, it sits in the centre as a beacon and emblem of the ruler of the crown of unity. Elmat suggests that perhaps that would be a good first option to investigate, otherwise perhaps some of the larger cities nearby may have libraries that have more information but taking the crown pieces to such a place could prove dangerous as anyone with a wish for power who discovers the players have them would put a price on the players heads.

The city is a couple weeks away in the centre of the Brokenlands. When the players arrive they find it dead and quiet, the city oddly even after all this time has not scummed to nature. With the tower of unity so tall the players find it in no time, although it takes them some time to make their way through all the ruins in the city to arrive at its base.

Making their way into the tower’s hall at the base they find an elevator powered by gears and to all surprise it still functions taking the players to near the top. Taking one of three staircases to the top takes awhile but when they arrive at the top they find a bronze inlaid sigil in the stone. Whoever is holding the pieces of the crown of unity feels a pull on them as they get closer to the sigil, almost like they’re being pulled towards the center of the sigil. If the player gets too close to the sigil the pull increases until they can no longer hold them back. The pieces snap together hovering in the center of the tower, before a bright light descends from the heavens blinding the players momentarily.

Then under the crown a large golden body begins to form from the head down. When the golden energy reaches the toes the energy fades revealing a large naked human man wearing the crown. He opens his eyes to reveal the golden energy within.

I have returned, he says, examining his new body. He looks up at the player who held the crown pieces, raising his hand towards them with his grip open. The player is dragged off the ground as if from some invisible force and into the grip of the being, the player's throat in his hands.

Where is Elanon? The being asks, If the players respond that he’s dead, that he’s been dead for a long time. The being drops the player before walking towards one of the tower's parapets looking out into the distance. He says in an unfeeling voice “do you know how he died?” If the players respond that they don’t know, the being says that he was most likely lucky then, as if he had been around Elanon would have suffered one hundred deaths under his hand.

If the players ask what is going on, the being explains that “it was Elanon and his elven brothers who shattered the crown. For a race that lives as long as they do, they didn’t have vision, they were not willing to do what is necessary to bring peace and unity to all. Look what they have brought upon my kingdom, he waves his hand across the horizon” showcasing the ruins of the city. The being continues “I give a gift to you mortals, I have come to set everything right, to bring about unity, some resist this, but as I have done before what I will do again, some do not wish to be united, but they shall be united nevertheless, it is my purpose. I must start again due to the interference of the elves, but they have been punished for their arrogance.” at this the being looks far out into the distance towards the rotblood swamp.

“You have come to help me bring about this unity, yes?” The being finally asks the players.

If the players say no that’s not what they signed up for, the being sighs sadly “It is like before then, I must begin with death, so there may be life” before attacking the players. The being fights simply with fists but is incredibly strong, throwing punches, grappling and threatening to throw players off the roof of the tower. In addition he can use his invisible force to grab players from a distance bringing them into range of his melee attacks.

The being is largely immune to damage himself and can only be defeated by breaking the crown which after being restored glows with a powerful yellow hue. Instead of simply breaking the crown into three pieces this time the crown is utterly destroyed falling into hundreds of small pieces which go lifeless on the ground leaving no sign of the being of light. In the distance, perceptive players might notice that the rotblood swamp is changing back to its original non-cursed form, The Emerald Forest.

Returning to the trading post Elmat and Jenna are astonished at what you tell them. But ask what you intend to do next, the crown may be destroyed but with the bandits gone perhaps there is hope anyway. Maybe it’s finally time for the Brokenlands to heal and for new blood to come to build in townships.

If the players aren’t interested in taking this role of building up the Brokenlands a new, either directly through ruling or non-directly through helping a new ruler, Elmat and Jenna decide they’re going to send some missives out and in time, the Brokenlands do indeed see an influx of new explorers ready to tame its wild forests. The trading post grows to be the size of a small village in the span of half a year and over time more townships spring up, harvesting the wealth of natural resources that the Brokenlands have.

GM’s notes: If the Rotblood Prince is still alive by the end of the fight with the being, when the curse is lifted, he too is cured and goes on to become an important, caring and helpful figure within the Brokenlands, he goes above and beyond to make up for his past even if it was clouded with the curse that the being had put upon him and the elven peoples for banishing him in the past.

If the Rotblood Prince is ever asked what happened to his father Elanon, he says much like many of his fellow elves his father ended his own life after the curse. In retrospect, the Rotblood Prince now believes he did it not because of the curse but because of the guilt he felt at knowing he was responsible for it with his role in destroying the Crown of Unity regardless of it was the right thing to do.

If the Rotblood Prince is asked about where he got his piece of the Crown of Unity, he explains that his father gifted him his piece of the broken Crown of Unity but the others were always out of reach, stories sprung up over the years about the location of the other pieces but they always led to dead ends, then over time the rise and fall of many a bandit lord and even bandit kings who managed to unite some of the Brokenlands but ultimately were killed and replaced and yet still no signs of the other pieces, until almost like a miracle, the humans and the dwarves found the other pieces… at the same time. The Rotblood Prince is skeptical about the coincidence and believes that perhaps there is something or someone else involved who had an alternative motive for the Crown of Unity.

If the players decide to join the being, he begins by targeting small townships, those who choose to follow him live and those who don’t he commands you to kill. He puts in strict laws for the people to follow to have them live virtuous lives and those who fail are swiftly and harshly punished. As time goes on the being grows stronger and stronger able to spread his word far and wide and with the players as his enforcers it will surely only be but a time till he brings the entire world under the banner of unity.

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