A strangely delivered advertisement has led you to a sage named Demetrios. He needs a rare component to complete a desperately needed potion. The journey to retrieve it will take you through a large, unexplored swamp to a ruined keep, the former headquarters of a vile cult that once claimed the lives of many innocent youths.
GRAB IT RIGHT HERE. This blog post picks up right from here on the blog.
This is a fantastic "Old School Renaissance" (OSR) mashup. These modules span different worlds (Greyhawk and Mystara), but they share a gritty, "borderlands" atmosphere that makes them easy to weave into a cohesive Tier 1 and Tier 2 campaign (Levels 1–10).
Here is a campaign framework titled "The Shadow of the Iron Crown."
The Campaign Hook: The Blackened Marches
The campaign is set in a remote frontier province. The central conflict involves a rising tide of organized goblinoids and a secret cult seeking the alchemical secrets of a long-dead wizard, Baltron.
Phase 1: The Frontier Awakening (Levels 1-3)
Primary Module: T1: The Village of Hommlet
Secondary Module: B2: The Keep on the Borderlands
The Setup: The party arrives in Hommlet. Instead of the Moathouse being a standalone ruin, it is an outpost for the "Caves of Chaos."
The Connection: The "Newcomers" in Hommlet are actually agents from the Keep on the Borderlands, looking for mercenaries to help clear the trade routes to the east.
The Twist: While clearing the Caves of Chaos, the party finds a map hidden in the Priest of Evil’s chambers. The map points further into the wilderness toward a "Black Lake" (setting up Baltron's Beacon).
Phase 2: Into the Wilds (Levels 3-5)
Primary Module: B10: Night's Dark Terror
The Transition: As the party leaves the Keep to investigate the map, they are swept into the plot of Night's Dark Terror. They encounter the besieged Sukiskyn homestead.
The Integration: The Iron Ring slavers from B10 are revealed to be the primary suppliers of "test subjects" for a mysterious beacon burning in the marshes.
The Journey: Use the sprawling wilderness map of B10 to bridge the distance between the Keep and the Great Marsh. The search for the "Lost Valley" in B10 runs parallel to the search for Baltron’s tower.
Phase 3: The Beacon’s Call (Levels 5-8)
Primary Module: I7: Baltron's Beacon
The Convergence: The party reaches the Great Marsh. By this point, they have defeated the Iron Ring (from B10), only to realize the "Master" they served was actually using the stolen gold and slaves to fund the restoration of Baltron’s Beacon.
The Goal: The party must infiltrate the tower to stop a ritual. Baltron’s alchemical secrets are being used to create "Perfected" goblinoids—explaining why the monsters in the earlier modules were so organized and well-equipped.
The Climax: The "Beacon" isn't just a light; it’s a planar rift or a communication device. The final boss of I7 reveals a larger threat (perhaps a return of the Temple of Elemental Evil or a connection to the Hutaakan from B10).
Campaign Structure Overview
| Level | Module | Main Threat | Key Location |
| 1-2 | T1: Hommlet | Lareth the Beautiful | The Moathouse |
| 2-3 | B2: The Keep | The Cult of Chaos | The Caves of Chaos |
| 3-5 | B10: Night's Dark Terror | The Iron Ring Slavers | Sukiskyn / The Rivers |
| 6-8 | I7: Baltron's Beacon | Alchemical Horrors | The Great Marsh / The Tower |
Integration Tips for the DM
The MacGuffin: Introduce "Alchemical Components" early. In The Moathouse (T1), let the players find strange, glowing vials labeled with a sigil they later see again in Baltron’s Beacon.
The Faction: Make the Iron Ring (from B10) the connective tissue. They are the "muscle" for the Cult of Chaos (B2) and the "suppliers" for the Alchemists (I7).
The Map: Treat the map provided in B10: Night's Dark Terror as your "Master Map." Place the Village of Hommlet on the western edge and Baltron's Beacon in the marshes to the east.
To tie these disparate modules together, you need an NPC who feels like a peer to the players but possesses "forbidden" knowledge that drives the plot forward.
Meet Kaelen Voss, a disgraced apprentice with a foot in both the world of law and the world of shadow.
NPC Profile: Kaelen Voss
Role: The "Knowledge Bridge" / Reluctant Guide
Appearance: Wiry, wearing a faded traveler’s cloak over a stained alchemist’s apron. He carries a heavy, locked leather satchel that he refuses to let anyone touch.
Personality: Nervous, intellectually arrogant but physically cowardly. He speaks in riddles about "The Great Distillation" and "The Light in the Marsh."
How Kaelen Connects the Campaign
1. The Meeting (Village of Hommlet)
The party finds Kaelen in the Welcome Wench Tavern. He isn't there for adventure; he’s hiding. He was an apprentice to a wizard in the "East" (Baltron) but fled when he realized his master was experimenting on living creatures. He has a map of the Moathouse, claiming it contains a "stabilizing agent" he needs to keep a certain poison from killing him.
2. The Revelation (The Keep on the Borderlands)
Once the Moathouse is cleared, Kaelen admits he didn't just flee his master—he stole something. He reveals a shimmering, lead-lined vial (a sample of Baltron’s Alchemical Light). He tells the party that agents of the Iron Ring are hunting him. He suggests the party head to the Keep to seek sanctuary with the local Castellan, only to find the Keep is already being infiltrated by the same cultists.
3. The Catalyst (Night’s Dark Terror)
While traveling through the wilderness of B10, Kaelen is kidnapped by the Iron Ring during the siege of Sukiskyn. This shifts the party's motivation from "exploration" to "rescue." Kaelen knows the secret paths through the rivers and woods that lead toward the "Lost Valley," making him an essential asset for the players to recover.
4. The Final Payoff (Baltron’s Beacon)
By the time the party reaches the Great Marsh, Kaelen is either a trusted ally or a tragic figure the party is trying to save from his former master. He provides the "Key" to entering the Beacon—a specific alchemical formula—but he also serves as a warning: he represents what happens to those who get too close to Baltron's power.
Kaelen’s "Hidden Truths" (Hooks to Drop)
As the party levels up, Kaelen can reveal these bits of lore to keep them moving:
Level 2: "The Moathouse wasn't a fortress; it was a collection point for ingredients."
Level 4: "The Iron Ring doesn't just want slaves for labor; they want 'fuel' for the Beacon."
Level 6: "Baltron isn't trying to light the marsh; he's trying to call something through the light."
DM Tip: Using Kaelen in Combat
Kaelen should not be a powerhouse. Give him 3rd-level Wizard/Alchemist stats. He uses his turn to throw "Flash Powder" (blinds enemies) or "Grease" to help the party, but he always stays in the back. His value is his Lore, not his damage output.
To make Kaelen Voss useful but not a "party leader," this stat block focuses on utility, crowd control, and alchemical flavor. He scales as a CR 2 creature, making him a helpful ally in the early modules (Hommlet and The Keep) and a character who requires protection in the later, more dangerous areas (Night's Dark Terror and Baltron's Beacon).
Kaelen Voss
Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral Good
Armor Class: 13 (Leather Apron)
Hit Points: 31 ($7d8$)
Speed: 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 11 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 11 (+0) |
Saving Throws: Int +5, Wis +3
Skills: Arcana +5, History +5, Investigation +5, Medicine +3
Senses: Passive Perception 11
Languages: Common, Draconic, Gnomish
Challenge: 2 (450 XP)
Alchemical Satchel. Kaelen carries a bag of volatile reagents. As long as he has his satchel, he can use his "Experimental Flasks" action. If the satchel is lost or destroyed, he can only use his Dagger.
Fleeing Apprentice. Kaelen has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened by creatures of CR 5 or higher (representing his habit of running away from his former master’s horrors).
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Experimental Flasks. Kaelen throws a flask at a point he can see within 30 feet. Roll a $d6$ to determine the effect:
Flash Powder: Each creature within 5 feet of the point must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be Blinded until the end of its next turn.
Sticky Resin: The area within a 5-foot radius of the point becomes Difficult Terrain for 1 minute.
Noxious Fumes: A 10-foot cube of green gas appears. Any creature that starts its turn there must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned until the start of its next turn.
Acid Burst: Each creature within 5 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) acid damage.
Chilling Vapor: A burst of cold hit a single creature. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or have its speed reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
Unstable Fire: A target must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) fire damage.
Bonus Actions
Quick Sip (3/Day). Kaelen drinks a restorative tonic. He regains 5 (1d + 1) hit points.
Playing Kaelen in your Campaign
In Combat: Kaelen is a "Tactical Coward." He will use Sticky Resin to block a doorway or Flash Powder to help a player Disengage. He never moves toward the frontline.
Roleplay Hook: He is obsessed with the "I7" location (Baltron's Beacon). Whenever the party finds a weird potion or magical residue in the Moathouse or the Caves of Chaos, he will insist on "analyzing" it, usually muttering about how his old master did it better (and more dangerously).
Kaelen’s satchel isn't just a bag of bombs; it’s a portable laboratory filled with the "failed" experiments and stolen prototypes he took when he fled the Beacon. These items provide unique utility that can help the party survive the high-lethality traps and ambushes found in The Keep on the Borderlands and Night's Dark Terror.
Alchemical Curiosities from Kaelen’s Satchel
| Item | Name | Effect & Usage |
| 1 | The Ever-Warm Cinder | A small, fist-sized coal encased in lead-glass. It emits a soft orange glow and constant heat. It can boil a gallon of water in 10 minutes or keep a 10-foot tent warm in freezing weather without smoke. |
| 2 | "Mist-Eater" Salts | A jar of blue crystals. When tossed into the air, they dissolve and clear any non-magical fog or smoke in a 20-foot radius for 1 hour. (Invaluable for the Great Marsh in I7). |
| 3 | Liquid Silence | A vial of thick, silver mercury. When rubbed on a pair of boots or a door hinge, it grants Advantage on Stealth checks involving sound for 10 minutes. However, the treated object turns permanently pitch-black. |
| 4 | The Homunculus Eye | A preserved eye floating in a jar of yellow bile. Once per day, Kaelen can "tune" the eye to a person. The eye will twitch and point toward that person as long as they are within 1 mile. (Great for tracking Iron Ring kidnappers). |
| 5 | Universal Solvent (Unstable) | A potent acid that can dissolve any non-magical adhesive or lock. Risk: Roll a $d20$. On a 1, it releases a plume of toxic gas that deals $1d10$ poison damage to the user. |
How to Distribute These
Don't give the party all five at once. Instead, have Kaelen "discover" them in his satchel as the party reaches specific milestones:
The Cinder: Give this early in Hommlet to build trust—it’s a "comfort" item.
The Mist-Eater Salts: Reveal these when the party enters the Great Marsh (I7), showing that Kaelen has been preparing for this specific environment.
The Homunculus Eye: Use this as a plot device in Night's Dark Terror (B10) to help the players track the Iron Ring back to their hideout.
Kaelen’s ledger is a mess of frantic shorthand, alchemical formulas, and paranoid sketches. He shares these entries only when the party has proven their competence, usually after a "boss" fight in each module.
Journal Entry 1: Regarding the Moathouse (Hommlet)
"Found the residue of the 'Golden Distillate' in the lower levels today. My former master, Baltron, always spoke of the Moathouse as the 'Kidney of the Realm'—a place where the dregs of the world filter through. The 'Master' here (Lareth) is a peacock, but he is sending more than just gold to the East. He is sending souls. Why does the Beacon need souls? Light is usually fueled by oil, not essence. I fear the Beacon isn't meant to illuminate the marsh; it’s meant to burn a hole in the sky."
Journal Entry 2: Regarding the Caves (The Keep)
"The 'Cult of Chaos' is a misnomer. There is too much order in these caves. The goblins, the orcs, the gnolls—they aren't just raiding; they are harvesting. I saw a crate in the Priest’s quarters stamped with the 'Iron Ring' sigil. Inside were vials of the same stabilizing agent I use for my flasks, but of a much higher purity. If the Keep falls, the borderlands become a slaughterhouse. Baltron is building an army of 'Perfected'—creatures whose blood has been replaced by alchemical fire. We are running out of time."
Journal Entry 3: Regarding the Iron Ring (Night's Dark Terror)
"The Iron Ring slavers are more than just kidnappers; they are the logistics branch of a nightmare. They aren't taking prisoners to sell in distant markets—they are taking them to the Great Marsh. I overheard a captive mention the 'Lost Valley.' If Baltron has found the ancient Hutaakan secrets hidden there, he won't just have an army; he’ll have the power to rewrite the laws of biology. The Beacon is almost at full resonance. When the light turns from white to violet, the Great Distillation begins."
How to use these in-game:
The Secret: The "Great Distillation" is Baltron's plan to melt down the life force of the frontier to create a "Philosopher’s Stone" that can grant him immortality or godhood.
The Climax: These entries provide the "why" behind the "what." By the time the players reach I7: Baltron's Beacon, they aren't just stopping a wizard in a tower; they are stopping a bio-alchemical apocalypse they've been tracking across four different modules.
This final handout is designed to be found on Baltron’s Alchemical Lectern at the very top of the Beacon. It should be presented as a single, scorched piece of vellum, written in a hand far more stable and terrifyingly confident than Kaelen’s.
The Final Revelation: "The Great Work"
To my successors or my executioners,
You see a tower; I see a needle. You see a marsh; I see a petri dish.
For decades, the frontier has bled. Every skirmish in the Moathouse, every life snuffed out in the Caves of Chaos, and every slave broken by the Iron Ring has been a necessary ingredient. Life is a crude, messy thing. To achieve the Perfected State, one must boil away the dross of morality and the weakness of the flesh.
The Beacon is now attuned. The resonance from the Lost Valley has provided the final frequency. When the violet light touches the horizon, the "Great Distillation" will commence.
All life within the Borderlands—the villagers of Hommlet, the soldiers of the Keep, the beasts of the wood—shall be rendered down into their base essence. Their suffering is the heat; their souls are the reagent. From the ashes of this province, I shall forge a single, perfect drop of Ichor Immortalis.
If you stand before me now, you are merely the last few grains of sand to be filtered.
Step into the light. Become part of something greater.
— B.
DM Mechanics for the Final Encounter
To make this revelation feel mechanical and high-stakes during the boss fight with Baltron:
The Violet Pulse: At the start of every round, the Beacon pulses. Every creature not behind total cover must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution Save or take $1d6$ necrotic damage as their life force begins to "distill."
The Ichor Golems: Baltron has several glass vats in the room. If a PC or NPC dies during the fight, their essence is instantly sucked into a vat, spawning an Ichor Golem (use Flesh Golem stats, but it deals Acid damage) on the next round.
Kaelen’s Choice: If Kaelen is present, he can attempt to "Reverse the Distillation" using his satchel. This requires 3 rounds of concentration and a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If he succeeds, the violet light turns white, healing the party for $2d10$ HP and stunning Baltron for one round.
Campaign Epilogue
If the party defeats Baltron and stops the Beacon:
The Heroes of the Frontier: They are recognized by the Castellan of the Keep and the Elders of Hommlet as the saviors of the entire region.
Kaelen’s Future: Does he take over the tower to use the alchemy for good, or does he burn the journals and retire to a quiet life in Hommlet?
If the party manages to defeat Baltron and stop the Great Distillation, they shouldn't just find gold. They should recover the "Successes" of his lifelong obsession—items that blur the line between science and magic.
Here are three unique artifacts found within the ruins of the Beacon.
1. The Heart of the Beacon (Wondrous Item, Rare)
This is the pulsing, violet gemstone that focused the tower's energy. It has been dimmed but still hums with potential.
Property: While holding the gem, you can use an action to cast Detect Magic or Detect Poison and Disease at will.
The Great Lens: Once per day, you can hold the gem to your eye and speak a command word. For 1 minute, you gain Truesight out to 30 feet, but you take $1d4$ psychic damage at the end of each of your turns as the violet light sears your mind.
Lore: It is a "Soul-Sieve," capable of seeing the fundamental components of any object or creature.
2. The Philosopher’s Crucible (Wondrous Item, Rare)
A heavy, blackened iron pot etched with silver runes that remain cold to the touch even when placed over a fire.
Alchemical Transmutation: During a long rest, you can place 50gp worth of mundane metal (iron, copper, lead) into the crucible along with a drop of your own blood. By morning, the metal has transformed into a Potion of Greater Healing or a Philter of Love.
The Cost: Using the crucible in this way reduces your maximum Hit Points by $1d4$. This reduction lasts until you finish a long rest without using the crucible.
Lore: Baltron used this to "distill" his servants' vitality into physical drafts.
3. The Vellum of Form-Shifting (Artifact/Scroll, Very Rare)
A single sheet of skin-like parchment that seems to ripple when looked at from the corner of the eye.
Unstable Evolution: As an action, you can press this vellum against your chest. Your body warps into a monstrous, "perfected" form for 1 hour. You gain the following benefits:
Your Strength score becomes 19.
You grow claws that deal $1d8$ slashing damage.
You gain resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage from non-magical attacks.
The Risk: When the effect ends, you must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you gain one level of Exhaustion and your appearance remains slightly "warped" (discolored eyes, hardened skin) for $1d4$ days.
Lore: This was Baltron’s blueprint for his "Perfected" army.
Closing the Campaign
With Baltron defeated, the "Shadow of the Iron Crown" is lifted. The trade routes between The Keep and Hommlet are safe, and the Iron Ring has lost its primary benefactor.
Next Steps:
Would you like a brief Epilogue describing how the different factions (the Church of St. Cuthbert in Hommlet, the Castellan, etc.) react to the party's success?
Or would you like a "Level 10+ Hook" in case the players want to continue their adventure into a higher-tier module?
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