RF00 Road to Frosthaven - Intro and Rules

Requirements: The Merchant Flees (Party) or The Dead Invide (Party) COMPLETE
Goal: Read it all Author: Steve Rodrigue

A Word From the Author

I discovered Gloomhaven only a few
months ago. Shame on me! I do really
enjoy the universe Isaac Childres
created. Not only the games, but races,
the locations and the intricate details
that make Gloomhaven unique. I toyed
with the idea of creating custom
content for the game for a while and I
did not want to create one more class,
there is already a ton of dedicated fans
that are making a lot of original design
for ours to enjoy. So, I taught that
making a mini campaign that could be
playing as a standalone or as an
expansion to Gloomhaven would be
something I could do and would love to
play myself. I present you Road to
Frosthaven and I hope you'll enjoy it as
much I enjoyed making it.
Steve Rodrigue (Montreal, Canada)
steve.rodrigue@gmail.com
Design Principles
This campaign does not require any
external components beside this
This mini campaign minimizes Scenario book, a pen and paper to track
Gloomhaven spoilers. It is your progress.
recommended starting it only after
your party has completed The
Merchant Flees or The Dead Invade
Gloomhaven Party Achievement.
This mini campaign has been designed Being
following the "Random Dungeons" replayable, this campaign contains new
principles. party achievements to unlock and keep
track of.
This mini campaign does not interfere
with anything within Gloomhaven
campaign.
This mini campaign does not contain
rewards that would be different than
rewards received by doing random
dungeons.
by themselves if they want or not to campaign. Running out of ration mean
apply those optional rewards. starvation and the end of your
adventure. When starting this
You don't need to create new party or campaign, a party must set it's rations
characters to play this mini campaign. to a value based on the following table:
You can bring along existing characters
and parties.
Easy - 4 Rations
Normal - 3 Rations
Nothing prevents you from creating a
Hard - 2 Rations
dedicated party to do this mini-
Very Hard - 1 Ration
campaign. If you do so, the players
choose Gloomhaven prosperity level
In the campaign Scenarios, you'll find
and character creation conditions by
treasure chest scattered around the field
themselves.
that will contain ration as rewards.
Rations prevents starvation within your
This mini campaign is not linear to
party. One ration is deducted from the
encourage replayability.
total of ration at the very beginning of a
scenario. When ration(s) are awarded
This mini campaign introduces new
or found during a scenario, they are
scenario mechanics for diversity, fun
only collected if the scenario has been
and to (hopefully) encourage outside of
successful (similar to battle goals check
the box thinking.
marks).
Mini Campaign Specific Rules In most scenarios of this mini
campaign, "Ration" is listed in the
scenario requirements. When that is
the case, your Ration count must be
higher than zero (0) to start the
scenario. In other word, a ration is
required to begin that scenario.
Road to Frosthaven Party
Achievements Starvation
Beside deciding the difficulty level, a
branched and therefore
party must choose to adjust this mini
Dripping Water
Chirping birds
Echoes of the mountains
Appease souls
The Annoying Merchant
Silenced Cannons

This mini campaign contains optional Ration - new resource

rewards that players could decide to
A party must always have ration(s) in
apply or not. The players should choose
its possession to progress in this

Maps:
Log (x1) Boulder Bush (x1) Treasure
A4a (x1) Tile (x1)

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campaign difficulty by applying normal
or permanent death (perma-death)
starvation. Starvation occurs whenever
your Ration counter drops to zero (0):
you can't move on to the next scenario.
If the party can't collect new rations
AND successfully finish that scenario,
perma-death will ensue. The party
must restart the campaign from the
first scenario.
Campaign Prelude
City Event Card
The Sleeping Lion has always been a
good place to relax and also to find new

Normal Starvation Play through

In this mode, when a party ever gets
starved (can't proceed to the next
scenario or no ration is available), the
party must replay the last scenario to
get at least 1 ration back. Here is an
example of gameplay in normal party
starvation:
Party has 2 rations.
Party starts Scenario X. Ration is
reduced by 1, now: 1.
Party finds 1 ration loot in the scenario.
The scenario is a success.
At the end of the scenario, the party
add 1 ration. Now 2 rations are
available.
Party starts Scenario Y. Ration is
reduced by 1: now 1.
Party does not collect rations in this
scenario.
Party moves on to the Scenario Z.
Rations reduced by 1, now: 0.
The party must collect a ration in this
scenario not to starve. The party will
repeat this scenario if necessary to
collect at least 1 ration.
Perma-Death starvation
In this mode, if a party ever gets
starved (can't proceed to the next
scenario, because there is no ration
available), the campaign is LOST. The
party must restart the whole mini
campaign from the first scenario (RF01)
and reset their ration count. Here is an
example of gameplay with perma-death
party starvation:
Party has 2 rations.
Party starts Scenario X. Rations is
reduced by 1, now: 1.
Party loot a ration in the scenario. The dedicated City Event card that could be "Fair enough." Answered the Aesther.
scenario is a success.
Party adds 1 ration, now 2 is available. Gloomhaven City Event Deck. I someone in seconds because of their
Scenario Y starts, 1 ration is deducted. already wrote the prelude with that in long lives experience. This particular
Now 1 ration available.
The party fails to collect rations, but when The Marchent Flees OR The hundreds of parties like yours over
successfully complete the scenario.
Scenario Z starts, the last ration is be unlocked.
consumed. Ration is now at ZERO (0).
business. When you saw an Aesther
entering, you knew he was not there to
recommendations only drink or eat. You watched him as
he scanned the place for a couple of
Integrate this mini campaign into your minutes before approaching your table.
existing Gloomhaven campaign as an
expansion. All XP and gold received In a disinterested voice (typical to
should be just tracked as usual. This fan Aesther), he started to talk to you.
made mini campaign those not provide
broken reward nor influence what is You look like a fine group of
going on in the main Gloomhaven mercenaries. You look you could
story line. As mentioned earlier, handle a task I can't do alone. You look
optional rewards will be clearly like fellows I could trust. Could I?
identified and it's up to the player(s) to
decide to apply them or not. Choose A: You're trustworthy. Listen
to the Aesther.
Still, it is recommended playing this Choose B: How an Aesther could be
mini campaign from start to finish this arrogant. Ignore him.
without returning to Gloomhaven. The
campaign is built like a journey your
party embark in. A
How to start this mini
Read Road to Frosthaven introduction
(next section of this document).
campaign? (Remove the card from the game.)
If you play this mini campaign with a
new party dedicated to it, there are no B
prerequisites to start this mini-
campaign. You don't even look at the Aesther.
You tell him you're not interested at
If you want to start to play this mini the moment.
campaign as an expansion of your (Move card to the bottom.)
current Gloomhaven experience
(existing parties within a Gloomhaven
Campaign), it is highly recommended Campaign Introduction
to start it after The Merchant Flees OR Without hesitation and being a bit
The Dead Invade party achievement upset by the Aesther attitude, you
has been completed. This will prevent quickly jumped in:
minor spoilers. In this situation, while Our group could be trusted! We fight
your party visit Gloomhaven, read the together and we get the jobs done. We
campaign prelude and introduction commit ourselves to values we share. If
(next sections of this document) like the proposition is interesting, we will
you would read any city event card. consider it. But, don't be a fool or you
could regret it.
Note from the author: I may create a
printed and shuffled into the You knew that an Aesther can gauge
mind. The card would be shuffled in Aesther may have already encountered
Dead Invade party achievement would centuries! The Aesther sits down and
take a look at each of you for a couple
of seconds. Those Aesthers having
some much time makes them often

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looks like they act very slowly when in
fact they take the time to process a lot
of information they could. Those dark,
profound eyes are always fascinating.
The Aesther is now ready to talk.
Aesther rarely show emotions. He
immediately stands up and tells you to
meet him at the Gloomhaven northern
gate once you have packed for the
journey.

"My name is Trond, I've been assigned Let your voyage begins...
a task that takes all my energy, all my
powers and most of my time. In fact, at
this exact moment, I'm struggling to New Location:
contain the forces of the other planes
Nature is Metal (RF01)
I'm carrying.

A few weeks ago, a group of us felt Revisions and updates

something was not going well in this
To keep this document clean and easier
plane: your plane. We investigated and
to read and print, most updates and
felt many realities before arriving to a
revisions will be published on Board
conclusion. Something bad is in
Game Geek thread. Only major
preparation in a cold place north of
changes will be listed here.
here. All the planes are distorting
around a city called Frosthaven.
https://boardgamegeek.com/
thread/2472341/road-frosthaven-fan-
My group would like to investigate
made-mini-campaign
more of these disturbances, more of
these anomalies. To do so, I've been
assigned to transport our collective 2020-07-25 - Initial release (BETA)
summoning forces close to this region
to unleash them and pursue our Initial release for beta testing and to
investigation. gather feedback.
Balancing may not be correct.
Containing all this energy takes most Storylines may not be polished and
of mine. I can't risk going to the north could contain errors.
alone without a group that would
protect me against dangers. You know
2020-07-26
that Aesther don't attach too much
importance to gold and possessions,
Updated Ration rules explanations.
having very long lives make these futile
Refactored this document (RF00) for
and all our richness reside into our long
clarity.
life experiences through all the planes.
Grammar errors and proof reading was
done on RF01 to RF03.
We will surely let you keep anything
RF05, RF06, RF14: Minor changes to
we would find during our journey and
text.
we would be for a long time in your
debt. We can promise any reasonable
demand would be granted by us in the 2020-08-17
future. Would you help me carry my
mission on the Road to Frosthaven?" Proof-reading on all scenarios has been
done once.
Your group takes a moment to look at There was a missing section in this
each other and recover from the rulebook, I added it back. Oops!
hypnotic plea the Aesther just made.
You know your party is on board, you
2020-08-21
know that Aesthers would not make
such demand if it would not be of very
RF01, RF03: Raised difficulty following
high importance. You also know that
more play test.
gaining trust of Aesthers means a
lifelong bound something that is rare.

"Trond, we accept. We will protect

you."

Trond's face did not even change,

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