Chains on Caucasus

A storm-climb to the titan's iron crag.

Style: High-altitude rescue with a moral branch, for 6 level-8 PCs across 3 rugged encounters.
Win: Break, loosen, or sanctify the chains so Prometheus' suffering no longer feeds the eagle-cult.
Lose: The cult keeps the wound open and turns stolen divine fire into a beacon for tyrants.
Maguffin: Kindling Nail · Ally: Io the Wind-Lost · QG: Dione of the Ash Lantern

"Bring no crown to the mountain. Bring a hand that can open and a blade that can choose not to cut."

Major Beats

Dione frames the mission as rescue, then admits rescue has consequences.
The mountain tests strength, mercy, and patience before blades matter.
The cult believes pain is a renewable holy resource.
Prometheus asks what kind of freedom mortals are ready to defend.

Difficulty

Tier	Adjust
As Written ★	6 PCs · APL 11
Library Standard	6 PCs · APL 8 — Reduce boss HP ~25–30% and save DCs −1; remove 1–2 minions per wave; allow one free short-rest beat after Enc. 1.
Easier	APL 9–10: use Library Standard, then Favor/track win −1 or boss HP −10%.
Harder	APL 12–13: boss HP +25%; add a lieutenant; no free rest.

ENC 1 — The Climb of Stolen Sparks

Skill / Medium · ~45 min · Three switchback ledges, rope bridge, ash-snow chute, and a ruined shepherd shrine.

Group climb: 6 successes before 3 failures at DC 15 using Athletics, Survival, Nature, or Medicine.
Failure costs hit dice from cold and thin air, then draws a Crag Harpy Bloodcaller.
The Kindling Nail anchors one impossible crossing for automatic progress.
Recruit Io by rescuing her from a bloodsong lure or accepting her warning about the chains.

ENC 2 — The Cult of the Open Wound

Medium · ~55 min · Wind tents, spark vats, chained giant pen, altar crane, and cliff paths on two elevations.

Stealth or parley can disable two spark vats before combat begins.
Each intact vat lets a zealot add 7 fire damage once; Medicine or Religion DC 16 spoils a vat.
The Chainbound Giant attacks everyone until its pain brand is broken or the altar crane is dropped.
Io identifies which zealot carries the rite-key if treated as a person, not an omen.

ENC 3 — Prometheus Beneath the Eagle

Hard · ~70 min · Central shackle dais, Prometheus' ledge, eagle perches, chain winches, and storm gaps.

Three chain seals require actions and DC 16 checks; each seal changes the moral outcome.
The Kindling Nail decides the finish: free him, loosen torment, or consecrate the wound closed.
At initiative 20 the eagle dives; disabling perches or calming it with Animal Handling DC 16 redirects the strike.
Win by ending the rite and escaping divine attention; killing Aetos is optional and not sufficient.

STAT BLOCKS

Io the Wind-Lost - AC 14/HP 71 - safe ledge omen
Eagle-Cult Zealot - AC 15/HP 72 - pull spear near cliffs
Crag Harpy Bloodcaller - AC 14/HP 90 - cliff-edge bloodsong
Chainbound Giant - AC 17/HP 148 - iron sweep bruiser
Aetos - AC 18/HP 196 - woundfire rite boss

Maguffin

Kindling Nail

Can anchor a rope, calm divine fire, or grant advantage on one Athletics check during the climb.
Wedged into the central shackle, it lets the party free, loosen, or consecrate the chains.

NPC / ALLY

Dione of the Ash Lantern

She wants the cult stopped before they sell Promethean pain as miracle-fire.
Prometheus must not be killed; his death would not end the fire, only scatter it uncontrolled.

Io the Wind-Lost

Recruit Enc. 1: Save her from harpies without demanding her prophecy, or share water and listen to her warning.
AC 14 · HP 71 · Gore of wind +7 to hit, 13 piercing; can reveal a safe ledge once per encounter.

Remember

Break, loosen, or sanctify the chains so Prometheus' suffering no longer feeds the eagle-cult.

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