Burning Steps

The sky turns clouded with an orange reddish tint in the sky, the ground is grey with soot. Off in the distance is a large mountain that pierces the sky. There is no sign of life around, after walking for a few hours they come across a hut covered in soot it has a red canvas roof, inside a crude stone floor with a cooking pot the mummified remains of 2 orcs lay inside, they have grey dry skin that hangs off the skeletons.

---

Pushing up further into the burning steps they can see a fork in the road a sign post blows in the wind, they can see a mountain directly in front of them, all though this one seems dwarfed by the Blackrock which is still visible a few days hike from the current location. The smaller mountain has a large stone gate that has been carved into it.
The sign post has The Smugglers Pass, and Black rock mountain on it.

While standing at the crossroads the party will be ambushed by 5 malnourished looking orcs, if they speak to them/ feed them. They will learn that inside they deserted the blackrock orcs as things inside have taken a turn for the worse, multiple choices have left the clan divided, first of all the leader Mar’Gun formed an alliance with the Salamanders in the lower depths of the mountain, and they are attempting to summon Smolderon from the Fire Lands, then after they went upwards and started worshiping with a black dragon called Nandier an elder dragon who has been eating orcs as offerings and has been using Goblin scientists who have experimenting on Orges.

They will talk about how they are heading to the Hinterlands to an old Troll city Jintha’Alor that has been claimed by the Monster races of Azeroth. Ever since the trolls there left those who don’t belong in either the Alliance or the Horde have all moved and settled there to live a peaceful life.

---

The Smugglers Pass - Badlands
In the east of the Burning steps a small mountain pass can be seen heading up and over the mountains towards The Badlands, heading through takes 2 days worth of travel 4 days with a cart, once per day it takes a surval check to see how well they hand the cart on an 8 or below the kart will fall off the edge, a dex save of 10 will be needed to stop them from falling 50 foot, as finally start to head down the see dry orange land around them the ground has the floor has sand that stains the cloth as it’s walked on.

---

Blackrock Spire

The air is uncomfortably dry, a giant mountain stands piercing the clouds above, lava flows down the side into a lava river on ground level, a massive bridge leads up to an archway carved into the side of the mountain as the part heads closer towards the door the heat gets so intense any metal objects they have on them start to get uncomfortably warm. They head down a large corridor about 70ft high and 20ft wide an intense orange glow comes from the end of a corridor, as they step out in a circular area, a pool of lava sits dead centre about 200ft down, 3 giant dwarven statues are placed equally apart each one holding a large chain holding up a large piece of rock that is suspended above the pool of lava. The path way curves up to the left and down to the right.

Center building

Awkwardly placed over the pool of lava is a large boulder with 3 chains holding it above the lava pool, the chains run about 140ft to the rock, climbing over the chain takes a dex check DC, 6 for every 20ft (7 Checks), 3 fails and the player slips into the lava (2d10 per round).

On the other end is a small building stepping inside first person in has to make a Dex 14 save as a crude rope trap triggers dragging the player up 20ft to the ceiling of the room the player is incpasitated a ogre strings into action, grabbing his club.

^{Page 237}

The rest of the room contains a small chest, inside is a key & 70 gold.


Upper Path

The path curves upwards on a steep hill towards a large archway, heading down the corridor about 10 minutes the path continues straight but a 2nd path off to the right. Heading right down about 30 meters a doorway is guarded by 2 orc guards, the door is large and iron, a key hole is in the door, behind the door is a room with 2 doors on the end of the room.

Right Door: A ballista trap deals 2d10 damage.
Left Door: Behind the left door is a larger room sitting inside with 2 guards is Mar’Gun chieftain of the Blackrock orcs.

Heading straight down the path for another 200 meters, a small green orb sits on a pedestal with angelic wings either side of the orb, placing a hand on the orb that teleports the players into a dark room with an identical orb in it. The room has a thin corridor that leads towards a large doorway, an ominous glow comes from the end of the corridor, inside the room is 4 goblins and a core hound.

Once they leave the room, they come across *Shadow Door Puzzle*

Shadow Door puzzle - the room has a door dead centre if the room, opening it does nothing they can walk through it, hitting it will summon 1d4 shadows, tracks can be seen heading down a dark corridor. there is a magical darkness down the south corridor, at the end is 4 kolbolts that has a light cannon Con 14 or be blinded. Using the cannon on the door will now allow it to be opened and leads into the final room.

Nandier’s Lair

Top of the mountain a landing sits looking over the Burning Steps, in the distance you can see the lush green of Elwynn Forest and Stormwind city the air is thin and hard to breath, across the room sits a man with grey skin wearing fine linen clothes, he sits on a throne. “Have you been sent up as this month's gift?”

^{Adult Black Dragon
Page 88
Loot 2000g plus dragon chart}

Lower Path

Heading deeper down the path the heat from the lava pit gets more and more intense the path curls down towards almost ground level with the lava, at the end of the path is a large stone door with a crystal key hole, it’s a magic door that needs a special key, the crystal key can be bought from either the magic shop in stormwind or from Karazhan.
Grate Room

Once the door is opened the room has a boulder in it and a large metal door, there are 3 metal grates on the floor standing on the plate that will deal 1d12 fire damage, if all plates are pushed down using a medium creatures weight it will open the stone door.

Smolderon’s Lair

The party find themselves in a large room inside there are many lava pits as they step in the only sound is the hiss of steam being released from air bubbles popping. At about half way down the path way heading in a large rumble can be felt as one of the pools erupts a flaming being takes shape in front of the party.