Combat — Courtyard of Passage – The Shattered Veil

Area TH1 — Courtyard of Passage

The courtyard is a scene of impossible battle. Threshold Guardians — psychopomps bound to the structure — fight desperately against waves of corrupted echoes pouring from a widening tear. The Guardians are losing. As the party enters, a Guardian (a morrigna named Veyl) calls to them:

"Mortals! The Chamber! The shard must not — "

She is cut down by a Veilbreaker's Champion — an echo empowered by Keth-Veyr's direct will.

Tactical Situation: This is a severe encounter with an environmental twist. The tear in the courtyard expands by 5 feet each round. Any creature within 10 feet of the tear at the start of its turn must succeed at a DC 22 Will save or be pulled 10 feet toward it (falling into the Gray, which is fatal without planar travel magic).

Reinforcements: On round 3, 2 surviving Threshold Guardians (level 3) join the fight on the party's side, evening the odds.

Severe encounter

1× Veilbreaker's Champion (level 5) + 4× Corrupted Echo (level 3)

Environmental hazard: Expanding tear pulls creatures toward the Gray.

Reinforcements (Round 3): 2× Threshold Guardian (level 3) join the party's side.

Total XP: 200 (Severe for level 5 party, reduced to Moderate with reinforcements)