Hold the Wall

The Red Wall • Aiden • Wistful Dark
☠ Difficult
🛡 Defense
▦ Wall

Adventure Description

Aiden's Wall has stood for centuries against the Hollow Queen's hordes, unwavering. When a routine inspection of its Spell Engines showed it beginning to fail, however, an emergency task force is gathered. The party must take a stand with The Red Blades against the "children" of the Queen, while quick efforts are made to secure the wall.

Starting the Adventure

"Tension grips every Red Blade officer as you walk the wall's frigid upper corridors. Rugged and frosted windows give you the faintest view over the desolate tundra beyond the wall where twisted cities and demonic forces lie in the mist. The weight of Aiden's task falls on you as you stand atop this miles-long, cold-iron wall - ever buzzing with the churn of the Mana Barrier engines below. As the briefing room doors open, you see Commander Vashaan, as cold as the stone beneath her, leaning over an arcane device."

The party might question why they are there. As it is a high-ranking adventure, maybe they were noted in the area and asked to aid directly. Or were even the ones that discovered the failing engines, on behalf of the Helical Archive. Make the Red Blades formidable and scary but equally match respect for the party.

Make Juk's Sunblade something for the party to protect with the Wall, as it directly holds back the lesser demons.

Important Characters

Commander Vashaan — Elf, Female, ??? (Oppressor)
Commander of the Red Blades, this fearsome and ruthless sentinel has stood against the horde since the Calamity itself.
"Donning the most wicked crimson Superheavy Armor in the Outer World, it'd be easy to mistake Vashaan as the conqueror were tables turned."
Captain Juk — Tenebrate, Male, 32 (Proudhound)
Captain Juk has been assigned as the Star Gem Bearer for the party's mission.
"Not a hair is out of place on the Captain's crimson uniform. Resolute determination is all on his face, staring over the wall."
The Red Wall

Suggested Story

Set the scene, have the party shown into the strategy chamber to speak with the Commander, then continue:

Sputtering Engines
  • Vashaan briefs the party: the Massive Spell Engines will undergo rapid repairs while the Red Blades and them defend.
  • Shutting down the Mana Barrier will draw every demon within miles - the wall needs defenders during this exposed window.
  • She introduces Captain Juk as their envoy and to protect the Sunblade dearly.
Descent
  • Commander Vashaan leads them to the massive grated elevator, warning that power loss during repairs will trap them below until completion. Below stands 5 Squads of Red Blades.
  • The elevator lands, the buzz of the Engines cease, and thundering footsteps approach. From the mist, the party faces a Shadow Sorceress with 6 Malignant Echoes.
  • At all times, dozens of Blighted Demons are 1 Area outside combat - kept back by Juk's Sunblade.
Standing Ground
  • As the hordes advance, they are clustered around siege-breaking colossi called Marbled Gohma. The Squads split to tackle one each, including one left for the party. The engineers estimate repairs will take 10 Turns.
  • Every 2 Turns, roll a D20 for each Squad:
    • A Squad's outcome depends on it hitting 3 Successes or Failures first, where a Success is a 10+.
    • PCs can aid other Squads with Abilities/Actions to give the roll an Edge.
    • Failed Squads reduce the Wall's Hearts by 2.
  • After 10 Turns, the buzz of the Engines resume and the Wall lights once more. The lifts will raise in 2 more Turns so the party must go!
Key Locations

Briefing Room

"A wall of ruined blades adorns the wall of this place, likely belonging to lost Blades. A simple Star Gem embedded in the ceiling provides warmth against the frost."

Brutalist and practical, this briefing room holds an arcane device in the center, showcasing concentrations of Dark Mana within a wide range of the wall.

While the wall itself is clear as yet, signs of forces building in the nearby City of Corpses has Vashaan on edge.

The Red Wall

"One could only assume it is made entirely of Shade Iron by how ominous this massive plated wall looks set against frozen mountains."

Spanning miles of frozen wasteland, the Red Wall boasts a Defense Rating of 20 and 20 Hearts. The Spell Engines generate a constant Mana Barrier - but repairing them means deactivating that protection entirely.

Unfortunately, they also power the lifts which means that there is no escape until the repairs are complete...or the wall falls.

Secrets & Clues

  1. Evacuation orders should have reached nearby villages by now, but Vashaan knows the roads are slow and the settlements are scattered.
  2. A recent inner-rank betrayal by one of 'Her Beloved' has left the Red Blades sorely lacking in numbers.
  3. Each squad has a dedicated Star Gem Bearer within the Red Blades, spaced out due to scarcity of the gems.
  4. These repurposed Akenian Spell Engines require master-level engineers to service - no one else understands their complexity.
  5. The City of Corpses, Cauldron, was once the forward operating ground of the Red Blades before being wiped out early in the 4th Aeon.
  6. Star Gem Bearers are a necessary role, as without them, the hordes of lesser demons would overrun even the greatest warrior.
Marbled Gohma Inspiration

Quest Resolution

✦ Rewards

On success, Sunblade is offered to the party, a treasured blade reserved for the highest ranks of the Red Blades. Free quarters and meals are provided for as long as the party stays.

⚔ Outstanding Success

If all Squads are saved, Vashaan will offer the party a Red Blades Insignia, a powerful icon of status throughout the Wistful Dark.

Sunblade [Master Weapon]
Made of Sun Gold. Absorbs sunlight, storing up to a week's worth while unsheathed; emits light like a Star Gem. Expel all stored sunlight (min. 1 day) for +1 Damage.
1 Slot · 4 Gems · Made by Yan Kodiac
Rank 8-9 Adventure
Lower Rank: Reduce the Shadow Sorceress' stats and lessen the Mooks.
Higher Rank: Add debuff/support Mooks alongside the Marbled Gohma or reduce the Wall's Hearts.
PC Starting Coin: 1200C

Sources & Adversaries

Storybeats & layout inspired from Creatures of the Deep by One-Shot Wonders.
Story, mechanics, setting, characters, and vibes reworked to fit BREAK!!'s universe.

  • Blighted Demons: Source, pg. 372
  • Marbled Gohma by VictorSeven (Homebrew)
  • Malignant Echo by Atyai (Homebrew)
  • Shadow Sorceress by Yan Kodiac (Homebrew)

Art Vibeboard

The Red Wall
"The Red Wall"
Art by Full Metal Alchemist
Marbled Gohma Inspiration
"Marbled Gohma Inspiration"
Art by Nintendo
Malignant Echo Inspiration
"Malignant Echo Inspiration"
Art by DaSaurian
Aiden Inspiration
"Aiden Inspiration"
Artist Unknown
Hollow Queen's Children
"Hollow Queen's Children"
Art by Oliver Odmark
Red Blade Inspiration
"Red Blade Inspiration"
Art by Nick Bray