Test of Mettle was the seventh adventure released for the Blackwheel Company Faction Adventure to be run as part of the Xen'drik Expeditions campaign.
Synopsis[]
While enjoying a game of three-dragon ante, the PCs are interrupted by a familiar face, Sergeant Skyne Tragar. The sergeant tells the PCs about the secret dragonshard outpost of Annex under attack by Cabal forces. Their mission is to hold the outpost until reinforcements arrive.
Before they leave, the PCs are sent to the Arclight division to receive special items to help them accomplish their mission.
Due to the loss of two airships, the Company is forced to charter a merchant vessel, the Ka-Ching to transport the PCs to the combat zone around Annex. General Ogdin orders the PCs to destroy the merchant vessel after the drop to preserve the secret location of Annex. The PCs face a moral dilemma in following this order to take innocent lives.
The PCs drop into the battle at the pivotal moment when the Cabal battering-ram unit smashes into the outpost's main gate under cover of demonic artillery. The defenders are pinned down and unable to defend against the battering ram brigade unless the PCs can take out Captain Kazoo and his crack Cabal artillery unit.
Once the PCs defeat Captain Kazoo, they are welcomed into the outpost for a well-deserved rest. Unfortunately, the Cabal sends their tactical strike force against the PCs while they sleep to strike at the heart of the outpost's best forces. The PCs are abducted by the bar'glura and taken to the prisoner area of the Cabal encampment. While here, the PCs learn of the secret of the Cabal siege force—a man-sized Khyber dragonshard has risen from the depths of Xen'drik. These dragonshards are the focus of the summoning.
Armed with this new information and after completing their rest to regain their spells, the PCs assault the secret Cabal summoning chambers.
After they deal with the caves' guardians and disrupt one of the summoning rituals, it looks like it will be the PCs last stand just outside Annex. But help suddenly arrives.
If the PCs did not destroy the Ka-Ching, Captain Loo and his crew rescue the PCs. Otherwise, Sergeant Kren lazes a path back to the outpost for the PCs to retreat. Sergeant Kren falls covering the PCs retreat.
Though the PCs are back inside the outpost, the relentless Cabal forces continue to hammer away at the gates and walls. The gate collapses and the stream of Cabal forces pour into the outpost. Just when all seems lost, Lt. General Pilgrim and his forces arrive to beat back the Cabal forces and Annex is saved thanks largely to the efforts of the PCs holding the line until help arrives.