ZHDMnotes

## Zero Hour

### **Overview**

The root of the **Zero Hour scenario** is repelling an all-around ill-timed undead invasion coordinated by the Doommasters, followers of Beshaba, the goddess of bad luck. The followers sparked persistent vortices (like portals) to Shadowfell, the demiplane of decay and death.

Waiting in the demiplane was an army of ghouls, ghasts, and dusk beasts that had been assembled by shadow demons at the behest of the Doommasters. This horde of monsters, including at least one unplanned Nighthaunt, immediately rushed the vortices to wreak havoc on the other side.

The vortices were created in basements within North Point, often after murdering the residents. As they're not standard portals, weren't caught by the mythallar's wards.

There is an extensive subterranean maintenance network under the city, making it possible for creatures who have emerged from the vortices to traverse the length of the city.

Unknown to the Doommasters are a platoon of Shadovar assassins, who noted the undead army, figured out the rough plan – and are now hijacking it. The Shadovar, survivors from a southern cloister when Shade was still afloat, are using the opportunity for access and chaos to attack the Marquis. They will not hesitate to kill the Doommasters or any of their assembled army that gets in the way.

### **Background**

The Doommasters, the most-known order of Beshaba, had heard that the Stonehearth Marquisate was drifting away from deity worship in general, and was especially hostile to the darker side including Shar, Bhaal and, of course, Beshaba. While there were little tokens to ward off bad luck, actual Beshaba clergy weren't just unwelcome, they were *illegal* in the Marquisate.

There was plenty of religious freedom in the lands, right up to the point that the clergy actively committed extortion against their subjects as a matter of standard practice. Adding insult to injury, in the post-Time of Troubles divine silence, an intermediate deity like Beshaba received zero attention in the realm.

The Doommasters set out to teach the Marquisate a lesson. It was two decades in the making, and timing (for them) couldn't have been better. While it was unknown *exactly* what Stonehearth was doing with their massive military staging, the Beshaba followers knew they could roll a bomb right into the middle of the plans.

The plan was to unleash a shadow war on North Point, then sell themselves to the neighbors as the key to stop this kind of thing from happening. Essentially, extortion. Given that the re-rise of Bhaal had taken place in Baldur's Gate just recently, this seemed like the perfect follow-up.

### **Right now...**

Just as the Arms of Stonehearth are staging their next major operation, preparing to take the Troll Hills fightto the next level, the Navy has called for a sky watch over North Point – something not done in the area for more than a decade.

The sudden fear of a threat from above could be anything, but rumor is it might be Hoondarrh, the ancient red dragon that’s been terrorizing the Sword Coast for centuries. With the troops already massed in North Point, that could mean a decade of planning is out the window.