Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ICEWIHD DALE.
RIME OF THE FROSTMAIDEN™
CONTENTS
Welcome to the Far North ....................... 4 Chapter S: Au.ril's Abode ..................... 196 lcewind Kobold Zombie .....................297
About This Book.......................................... 5 Running This Chapter ............................ 197 Kobold Vampire Spawn ......................297
Adventure Summary .................................. 6 Sea of Moving Ice .................................... 197 Living Spells ............................................. 298
Running the Adventure .............................. 6 Island of Solstice ..................................... 198 Living Bigby's Hand ............................298
Character Creation .................................... 13 Grimskalle ................................................203 Living Blade of Disaster .....................299
Tests of the Frostmaiden Scorecard . 208 Living Demiplane.................................299
Chapter 1: Ten-Towns ............................. 16 Magen ........................................................ 300
Wrapping Up............................................. 213
Running This Chapter.............................. 17 Demos Magen ...................................... 300
Ten-Towns Overview................................. 18 Chapter 6: Caves of Hunger ................ 214 Calvan Magen ....................................... 301
Cold Open.................................................... 21 Running This Cbapter............................ 215 Hypnos Magen ......................................301
Starting Quest: Cold-Hearted Killer ..... 22 Race to rhe Glacier.................................. 215 Mimic..........................................................302
Starting Quest: Nature Spirits ............... 25 Opening the Way ..................................... 216 Spitting Mimic ......................................302
Bremen ......................................................... 27 Into the Caves of Hunger ....................... 216 Mind Flayers ............................................. 302
Lake Monster .......................................... 28 Wrapping Up ............................................. 229 Gnome Ceremorph ..............................303
Bryn Shander ............................................. 32 Chapter 7: Doom ofYthryn .................230 Gnome Squidling .................................303
FoamingMugs ........................................ 34 Running This Chapter............................ 231 Mountain Goat ........................................ 304
Caer-Dineval ............................................... 37 Necropolis of Ythryn ............................... 232 Reghcd Nomads ...................................... 304
Black Swords .......................................... 38 Dealing with the Arcane Gunvald Halraggson ...........................305
Caer-Konig .................................................. 46 Brotherhood ..........................................259 jarund Elkhardt ....................................305
The Unseen ............................................. 47 Auril's Wrath ............................................. 260 Bjornhild Solvigsdottir ...................... 306
Dougan's Hole ............................................ 53 Summoning the Tarrasque ...................260 lsarr Kronenstrom ..............................307
Holed Up .................................................. 53 Reindeer ....................................................307
Epilogue .................................................... 261
Easthaven .................................................... 59 Seal ............................................................ 308
What Secrets Remain ............................ 261
Toil and Trouble ..................................... 62 Snow Golem ............................................ 308
Summer ls Coming.................................261
Town Hall Capers .................................. 67 Snowy Owlbear....................................... 309
Wimer Everlasting ..................................262
Good Mead .................................................. 72 Sperm Whale .......................................... 309
Year of Chilled Marrow..........................262
The Mead Must Flow ............................ 73 Tomb Tapper............................................. 310
l..onelywood ................................................ 79 App. A: lcewind Dale Trinkets...........263 Verbeeg ...................................................... 311
The White Moose ................................... 80 App. B: Character Sec.rets...................264 Verbeeg Longstrider ........................... 311
Targos........................................................... 86 Verbceg Marauder ............................... 311
App. C: Creatures...................................268
Mountain CILmb...................................... 87 Walruses .................................................... 312
Arcane Brotherhood ...............................268
Termalaine .................................................. 93 Walrus .................................................... 312
Avarice .................................................... 270
A Beautiful Mine .................................... 94 Giant Walrus ......................................... 312
Dzaan's Simulacrum...........................271
Chapter 2: lcewind Dale ...................... 100 Nass Lantomir's Ghost. ......................272 Yeti .............................................................. 313
Running This Chapter............................ 101 Vellynne Harpell................................... 274 Yeti Tyk~ ................................................. 313
Wilderness Encounters.......................... 105 Auril the Frostmaiden ............................ 274 App. D: Maglc .......................................... 314
Places of Interest... .................................. 113 First Form.............................................. 275 Magic Items............................................... 314
Angajuk's Bell ....................................... 114 Second Form......................................... 277 Books.......................................................... 317
Black Cabin ........................................... 116 Third Form ............................................278 Wizard Spells ........................................... 318
Cackling Chasm ................................... 121 Brain in ajar ............................................. 279
Cave of the Berserkers ....................... 124 Chardalyn Berserker ............................. 280 App. E: Rime of the Frostmaiden ..... 319
Dark Duchess ....................................... 127 Chardalyn Dragon ................................... 281 Afterword ................................................. 320
Id Ascendant.......................................... 132 Chwinga .....................................................282
jarlmoot .................................................. 137 Coldlight Walker. .................................... 284 The following D&D books provided text
Karkolohk .............................................. 140 Crag Cat .....................................................285 and inspiration:
Lost Spire of Netheril ......................... 145 Duergar ...................................................... 285 Carroll, Bart and others. Lost Laboratory of
Reghed Tribe Camp ............................ 152 Duergar Hammerer.............................286 Kwalish. 2018.
Revel's End ............................................ 154 Duergar Mind Master .........................286 Greenwood, Ed and Tim Beach. Pages from
Skytower Shelter ................................. 161 Xardorok Sunblight .............................287 the Mages. 1995.
Wyrmdoom Crag .................................. 166 Fox.............................................................. 288 James, Brian R. and Ed Greenwood. The
Grand History ofthe Realms. 2007.
Chapter 3: Sunbllght ............................. 170 Frost Druid............................................... 288 Perkins, Christopher. Storm King's
Running This Chapter............................ 171 Frost Giant Skeleton ...............................289 Thunder. 2016.
Finding the Fortress ............................... 172 Gnoll Vampire ..........................................290 Perkins, Christopher, Will Doyle, and Steve
Xardorok's Fortress ................................ 173 Goliaths...................................................... 291 Winter. Tomb ofAnnihilation. 2017.
Fortress Fallout ....................................... 185 Goliath Warrior ....................................292 Perkins, Christopher and others. Woter-
Goliath Werebear................................. 293 deep: Dungeon ofthe Mod Mage. 2018.
Chapter 4: Destruction's Light .......... 186
Hare ............................................................ 294 Salvatore, R.A., Jeffrey Ludwig, James Wy-
Running This Chapter............................ 187
IceTroll ...................................................... 294 att, and Matthew Sernett. Legacy ofthe
Return to Ten-Towns .............................. 187
Knucklehead Trout.................................. 295 Crystal Shard. 2013.
Dragon Scourge ....................................... 188 slade with Jim Butler. Netheril: Empire of
Ko bolds ...................................................... 296
Showdown!................................................ 190 Magic. 1996.
lcewind Kobold .....................................296
Vellynne's Quest....................................... 194
3
WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH
ORTH OF THE SPINE OF THE WORLD AND gathers enough of it, Xardorok plans to construct a char-
CHAPTER l: TEN-TOWNS
For 1st- to 4th-level characters
Adventure quests prompt our intrepid heroes to visit the
many settlements of Ten-Towns and lend a helping hand.
CHAPTER 3: SuNBLICHT
For characters of4th or 5th level
A duergar tyrant is building a chardalyn dragon to
destroy Ten-Towns. The characters learn of
this plot and try to thwart it.
If a player agrees to take control of a friendly NPC. ldlO bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as
provide that player with a copy of the NPC's stat block, much damage on a successful one.
along with any roleplaying notes you deem important, When an avalanche stops. the snow settles and buries
and warn the player that you might retake custody of the creatures in it. A creature buried in this way is blinded
NPC at some future point. As the adventure progresses, and restrained and has total cover. Tbe creature gains
it might become apparent that the player is unable to one level of exhaustion for every 5 minutes it spends
manage the NPC effectively, or you might need more buried in the snow. It can try to dig itself free as an ac-
influence over the N PC's actions and behavior. Either tion, breaking the surface and ending the blinded and
scenario justifies you retaking control of the NPC. restrained conditions on itself with a successful DC
15 Strength (Athletics) check. A creature that fails this
WILDERN ESS S U RVIVAL check three times can't attempt to dig itself out again.
The following rules come into play as the characters A creature that is not restrained or incapacitated can
explore Ten-Towns and embark on adventures to the icy, spend 1 minute freeing another creature buried in the
windy, hellishly cold reaches oflcewind Dale. snow. Once free, that creature is no longer blinded or
restrained by the avalanche.
AVALANC H ES
The following rules can be used for rockslides as well as B LIZZARDS
avalanches. The blizzards that ravage lcewind Dale and harry trav-
An avalanche is a mass of snow and debris falling elers on the mountain pass are reflections of Auril's
rapidly down a mountainside. A typical avalanche is 300 self-imposed isolation. A blizzard in Icewind Dale typi-
feet wide, 150 feet long. and 30 feet thick. Creatures cally lasts 2d4 hours, and whenever the characters are
in the path of an avalanche can avoid it or escape it if caught in one, the following rules apply until it ends.
they're close to its edge, but outrunning one is almost A blizzard's howling wind limits hearing to a range of
impossible. 100 feet and imposes disadvantage on ranged weapon
When an avalanche occurs. all nearby creatures must attack rolls. It also imposes disadvantage on Wisdom
roll initiative. Twice each round, on initiative counts 10 (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. The wind ex-
and 0, the avalanche travels 300 feet until it can travel tinguishes open flames, disperses fog, erases tracks in
no more. When an avalanche moves, any creature in its the snow, and makes flying by nonmagical means nearly
space moves along with it and falls prone, and the crea- impossible. A creature falls at the end of its tum if it is
ture must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw, taking flying by nonmagical means and can't hover.
STARTING TOWN
dlO Town Town's Starting Quest
Bremen "Lake Monster" (page 28), in which the characters hunt for a monster terrorizing Bremen's fishers.
2 Bryn Shander "Foaming Mugs" (page 34), in which the characters search for a missing supply of iron ingots.
3 Caer-Dineval "Black Swords" (page 38), in which the characters confront devil-worshiping cultists in a clifftop castle
4 Caer-Konig "The Unseen" (page 47), in which the characters solve the mystery behind a number of petty thefts.
s Oougan's Hole "Holed Up" (page 53), in which the characters cross paths with a pair of winter wolves and rescue two
missing youngsters.
6 East haven "Toil and Trouble" (page 62), in which the characters search for missing fishers in a hag's lair.
7 Good Mead "The Mead Must Flow" (page 73), in which the characters retrieve several stolen casks of honey mead.
8 Lonelywood "The White Moose" (page 80), in which the characters hunt an evil white moose that is terrorizing local
hunters and loggers.
9 Targos "Mountain Climb" (page 87), in which the characters search for an expedition that went missing on the
slopes of Kelvin's Cairn.
10 Termalaine "A Beautiful Mine" (page 94), in which the characters go looking for trouble in a nearby gem mine.
CHAPTE.R l I TEN-TOWNS
17
choose Bryn Shander; it's the most cosmopolitan set- The quests in this chapter are designed to get the
tlement in Jcewind Dale, and it has all the amenities a characters exploring Ten-Towns and the nearby wil-
fledgling party of adventurers could hope for. derness, while quests that take them into the farthest
reaches of Icewind Dale are saved for chapter 2. It's up
TEN-TOWNS QUESTS to the players whether to complete a particular quest or
This chapter presents two starting quests ("Cold- not; the adventure doesn't assume that they'll complete
Hearted Killer" and "Nature Spirits'") that lhe charac- them all, but completing at least five of this chapter's
ters can get at the stare of the adventure, regardless of quests advances characters to 4th level (see "Characrer
which town serves as their starting point. Every town Advancement" below).
has its own quest as well. as noted in lhe Starting Town
TEN-TOWNS RUMORS
table. Once you choose a starting quest, the other start-
ing quests go unused. "Cold-Hearted Killer'" has the pe>- If the characters complete a town's quest and aren't sure
tential for combat, while "Nature Spirits~ presents a fun where to go next, inform the players that their charac-
quest without the danger. ters have heard rumors of trouble in a neighboring town,
then roll on the Ten-Towns Rumors table to determine
what they've heard. Roll again if the characters have al-
TEN-TOWN S RUMORS
ready completed the quest associated with that town.
dl O Ru mor
In Bremen, fishers are being terrorized by a monster CHARACTER ADVANCEM ENT
that lives in Maer Dualdon. Strange that none of the In this chapter, level advancement is handled as follows:
other towns on that lake have been harangued by the
• The characters advance to 2nd level after completing
monster. their first quest in this chapter.
2 In Bryn $hander, some dwarves will pay good money • They advance to 3rd level after completing three
to anyone who can find a lost shipment for them. quests in this chapter and advance to 4th level after
In Caer-Dineval, no one has seen the town speaker completing five quests in this chapter.
for a long time. Locals say Speaker Crannoc has Once the characters reach 4th level, they no long gain
fallen 111, but sinister figures have been seen entering levels by completing the quests in this chapter. Even so,
and leaving the castle at odd hours. completing more than the required number of quests
4 In Caer-Konig, local establishments are beset by van· can improve their standing in Ten-Towns (see ~Reputa
dais and thieves that skulk about unseen. The town tion in Ten-Towns" below), and they still collect the other
speaker, a dragonborn named Trovus, could really rewards for completing those quests.
use some help catching the interlopers.
REPUTATION IN TEN-TOWNS
5 In Dougan's Hole, people live m fear of winter As the characters complete the quests in this chapter,
wolves that haunt the outskirts of the town. As big their reputation in Ten-Towns begins to spread. For bet-
as horses they are, and smarter than normal wolves. ter or worse, they become known to the people of Ten-
6 In Easthaven, they caught an evil wizard who killed Towns- some of whom regard them as saviors, while
some adventurers. The town militia plans to burn others fear their boldness, envy their power, or covet the
the wizard at the stake. I hear the captain of the wealth they've amassed. Fame in Icewind Dale is always
guard is looking for adventurers to help with another a double-edged sword.
task that may or may not be related. The adventuring party's reputation in Ten-Towns
improves as the characters gain levels, with the follow-
7 In Good Mead, the town speaker was recently killed
ing results:
by a nine-foot-tall giant. Rumor has it the giant stole
a shipment of honey mead, without which a handful When the characters reach 3rd level, they begin to
of taverns in Ten-Towns might go dry! earn a healthy measure of respect from Ten-Towners
who know of their exploits.
8 In Lonelywood, beware the dreaded white moose!
• When the characters reach 4th level, they are given
It attacks loggers and trappers on sight, and the
a hero's welcome in the towns they've helped but are
town's best hunters can't seem to catch or kill the given the cold shoulder in towns they've ignored. They
beast. They could probably use some help. also learn about new adventure opportunities outside
9 In Targos, a band of adventurers is planning an Ten-Towns, as described in chapter 2.
expedition up the side of Kelvin's Cairn, hoping to
find Oyaminartok, a goliath lycanthrope who can TE N-TOWN S OVERVIEW
transform into a polar bear. If you hurry, you might
Ten-Towns didn't spring up overnight. It started from
be able to 1oin the expedition! humble beginnings four centuries ago. Immigrants from
10 In Termalaine, Speaker Masthew has closed one of all over FaerOn came here in search of escape or adven-
the town's lucrative gem mines. Apparently, a gang ture and built a modest trade post atop the hill where
ofkobolds crept into the mine and endangered some Bryn Shander now stands. One by one, settlements
miners. Anyone who clears out the mine can expect sprung up on the shores of Maer Dualdon, Lac Dinne-
to be well compensated. shere, and Redwaters. The ever-present threat of ores
SNOWSHOES
Snowshoes reduce the likelihood of their wearer getting
stuck in the deep snow.
AXE BEAKS
An axe beak's splayed toes allow it to run across snow,
and it can carry as much weight as a mule. A domesti-
cated axe beak can be purchased in Ten-Towns for 50
gp. See appendix A of the Monster Manual for the aJCe
beak's stat block.
MAGIC IN TEN-TOWNS
WINTER SURVIVAL GEAR
Characters hoping to procure powerful magic items or
Any item listed in the equipment chapter of the Play- the services of a high-level spellcaster in Ten-Towns are
er's Handbook can be bought in Ten-Towns, including out of luck. At best, they might be able to find common
fishing tackle and sleds. The larger the town, the more magic items for sale, or a friendly druid, priest, or mage
likely it is to have the item. who can cast spells on their behalf. For every hundred
The Winter Survival Gear table provides costs for cold people in a town, there's one such individual living
weather clothing, crampons, and snowshoes, which can among them.
be added to the list of things that characters can buy in Magic items and magical services available in Ten-
Ten-Towns. Towns are summarized below. If an item or spell is not
covered here, assume there is no friendly NPC who can
WINTER SURVIVAL GEAR sell or cast it.
Item Cost Weight Common magic items cost 100 gp each where they're
available. except for common potions (such as potions of
Clothing, cold weather 10 gp s lb. healing), which can be had for 50 gp.
Crampons (2) 2 gp 1/4 lb. A friendly spellcaster wiJI charge 25 gp for a 1st-level
Snowshoes 2gp 4 lb. spell, 50 gp for one that uses a 2nd-level spell slot, or
150 gp for one that uses a 3rd-level spelJ slot, plus the
COLD WEATHER CLOTHING cost of any expensive material components.
This outfit consists of a heavy fur coat or cloak over lay-
ers of wool clothing. as well as a fur-lined hat or hood, SNOWFLAKE RATINGS
goggles, and fur-lined leather boots and gloves.
This chapter uses a three-snowflake rating system to
As long as cold weather clothing remains dry. its
help you quickly differentiate the settlements of Ten-
wearer automatically succeeds on saving throws
Towns. Each town is rated in terms of its friendliness.
against the effects of extreme cold (see "Extreme
the services it offers. and its comfort. The more snow-
Cold," page 11).
flakes, the better the rating.
Friendliness. Residents in a three-snowflake town
are friendly and helpful, by and large. Conversely, a
one-snownake town is full of unhelpful, unfriendly folk.
A two-snowflake town has both.
20
CKAPTER l I TEN -TOWNS
S er vices. A three-snowflake town is where charac- COUNCIL OF SPEAKERS
t ~:.are most likely to find the services they need. A Each town is an independent settlement that elects a
t\\o-snowflake town has a much narrower selectjon. leader, or speaker, to represent its interests at meetings
Characters will have trouble getting any sort of service of the Council of Speakers, which are infrequent and take
a one-snowflake town. place at the Council Hall in Bryn Shander. These meetings
Comfort. Characters can find decent food and drink, are called to discuss matters of shared interest and to set-
, well as warm beds, in a three-snowflake town. A tle disputes between towns.
t\\o-snowflake town might have a small tavern plus an
111 n with drafly rooms to rent. A one-snowflake town Humanoid. Bryn Shander, Easthaven, and Targos hold
might have a cold shed or attic where characters can lotteries the afternoon before the new moon. The
crash for the night, and that's about it. unlucky person whose name is drawn is sacrificed at
rughtfall. The ill-fated soul is stripped bare and either
SACRI FI CES TO AURI L lied to a post or sent into the tundra to die. Accusa-
Th · desperate people of Ten-Towns, hoping to appease tions of rigged lotteries arc common but usually not
Auril so that summer can return to Icewind Dale, make acted upon.
-..acrifices to the Frostmaiden on nights of the new Food. Smaller towns that can't afford to give up people
moon. This is a new practice that started a little over give up their food instead. A day's catch of knuckle-
a year ago, when it became clear that Auril was angry head trout is strung up on wooden racks a mile out-
and summer would not be returning anytime soon. The side town, to be claimed by yeti and other creatures
town speakers (see the ·'Council of Speakers"' sidebar) that embody Auril's wrath.
ha\'C unanimously agreed to honor these practices, Warmth. Towns that can't bring themselves to give up
which they consider necessary evils, but would end their people or their food forsake warmth for a light.
them in a heartbeat if Auril were to be appeased or dealt No fires are lit between dusk and dawn, forcing locals
'"ith in some other way. to share body heat for warmth. Anyone who dares to
The nature of the sacrifices varies from town to town, light a fi re is savagely beaten.
but usually takes one of three forms:
CHAPTER l I TEN-TOWNS 21
Mountain Goliaths. Goliaths who hail from the Spine of
COLD OPEN the World know of two rival golia1h settlements in the
Before beginning the adventure, give your players a mountains, Skytower Shelter and Wyrmdoom Crag
chance to decide how their characters wound up in rce- (both described in chapter 2). A goliath character who
wind Dale, what their relationships are to one another, hails from one of these settlements would be familiar
and what circumstances brought them together. Once with its inhabitants, as well as their longstanding feud
the players are ready to gel under way, use the following with goliaths from the rival settlement.
boxed text to summarize the situation: Valley Dwarves. Shield dwarves and other charac·
ters who hail from the Dwarven Valley at the foot of
Kelvin's Cairn would know that this valley contains
lcewind Dale has become trapped in a perpetual winter sprawling iron mines and cave complexes inhabited
Ferocious blizzards make the mountain pass through by shield dwarves of the Battlehammer clan and
the Spine of the World exceedingly treacherous, and this their allies.
land has not fe lt the warmth of the sun in over two years.
In fact, the sun no longer appears above the mountains, STARTING QUEST:
not even in what should be the height of summer. In this
COLD-HEARTED KILLER
frozen tundra, darkness and bitter cold reign as king and
"Cold-Hearted Killer" is one of two quests designed
queen. Most dale residents blame Auril the Frostmaiden,
to kick off the adventure. The characters can get this
the god of winter's wrath. The shimmering aurora quest regardless of which town is the adventure's
that weaves across the sky each night 1s said to be her starting point.
doing-a potent spell that keeps the sun at bay. The characters receive trus quest from Hlin Trollbane,
Dalefo1k live in a scattering of settlements known a retired bounty hunter who has been stalking a serial
killer ever since she found a connection between three
as Ten-Towns. The drop-off in caravans coming from
murders and a small trading company called Torg's.
the south and travel between settlements in this Hlin hires the characters to apprehend her suspect and
never-ending winter has left everyone feeling isolated. dole out some cold, swift justice by quietly disposing of
Although each town has resolved to appease the Frost· him if they believe he's guilty. This quest is no murder
maiden with sacrifices of one kind or another, no respite mystery: it's a hunt.
from winter's fury seems forthcoming For adventurers
GETTING THE QUEST
such as yourselves, Ten-Towns 1s a place to test one's
mettle and, in the spirit of heroes who have come before, To begin this quest, read the following boxed cext to
the players:
leave one's mark on this frigid , blighted land.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
22
handaxe instead of a longsword and shortsword. Plying
her profession earned her a few too many enemies up
and down the Sword Coast, which is why she wound up
in lcewind Dale.
Out of boredom and a sense of moral decency, Hlin
has taken it upon herself to investigate the recent
murders because no one else- not even the Council of
Speakers-can be bothered. Hlin is studying the char-
acters closely, trying to decide if they're worth her time.
Ultimately, she takes the chance and draws them into
conversation. asking them to help her take down her
c nly suspect: a man named Sephek Kaltro. Here's what
-.he knows about Sephek and the victims:
CHAPTER l I TEN-TOWNS
23
FINDING TORG's SEPHEK KALTRO
You can randomly determine the location of the mer- Sepbek Kaltro (see the accompanying stat block) is a
chant company by rolling a dlO and consulting the well-built man in his thirties. He has an olive complex-
Starting Town table (page 17). Roll again if the result ion. dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, and no facial
is the adventure's starting town. Conversely, you can or body hair. He is dressed in a stylish vest with match-
forgo the roll and pick a town you like. Bremen (page ing pants and boots, similar in style to those worn by
27) and Dougan·s Hole (page 53) are good choices mariners of the southern Sword Coasc. but wears no
because they're smaJl and isolated. armor or cold weather clothing and doesn"t appear to be
The characters can either visit towns one by one until armed. His most striking feature is his eyes. which are
they find Torg's, or they can try to get a sol id lead before as blue as a frozen lake.
setting out. Any character who spends an hour talking The best way to deal with Sephek is to confront him
to townsfolk can make a DC 17 Charisma (Investigation) while he's separated from Torrga and her other cronies.
check at the end of that hour. On a successful check. the Sephek stays close to Torrga during business hours.
character finds someone who knows Torrga Icevein's Once activity drops off, Torrga shuts down her operation
travel plans and is willing to share that information for for the rest of the day, puts the dogs in a kennel and the
a small bribe (at least 5 gp or nonperishable goods of sleds in a secure shed, and pays for the team's lodgings.
equal value). Armed with that information, the charac- After Torrga retires for the night. Sephek is free to do
ters can travel to the town by the most expeditious route. as he pleases until the following morning. If he happens
10 be in Bryn Shander, East haven, or Targos, he stalks
TORRGA lCEVEIN AND HER CARAVAN his next murder victim. If he's elsewhere, he spends Lhe
The Torg·s caravan consists of three heavily laden dog- night drinking and carousing, then falls asleep for a few
sleds, each one pulled by six friendly sled dogs. One sled hours, preferably in an unheated place such as a barn or
carries provisions and supplies for Torrga, her team, an abandoned cottage.
and her dogs. lt Ries a flag bearing the company's em- When asked about his odd style of dress, Sephek
blem. a gold wolf's paw on a black field. The other rwo Kaltro claims that he was born on the holiday of Mid-
sleds transport goods for sale, including cut wood, flint winter and that the Frostmaiden's blessing protects him
and tinder, flasks or whale oil. blankets, furs, rations. from the cold. In truth, Sephek was not born during
bottles of wine. casks of cheap ale, fake medicines, and Midwinter. He was a mariner whose ship sank off the
vials of poison (used primarily for killing vermin). coast of Auril's island a few months ago. He swam to the
Torg's is an outdoor shop. Goods are unpacked and island but nearly froze to death. As bis life was fading.
displayed in crates. with small canopies to keep the the spirit of a frost druid beholden to Auril possessed
snow off them. Most of Torrga's goods are stolen or him. The winter spirit cannibalized Sephek's spirit and
fenced, and she sells them for double the normal price. is using him as a living vessel to do the Frostmaiden's
She has a protection racket that earns her a little coin work. The spiric can't leave Sephek's body: if Sephek
on the side, and she also commits murders for profit on dies. the winter spirit is destroyed along witb him.
the sly. One of the larger sacks on Torrga's sled contains Auril inspired Sephek to travel to Ten.Towns and of-
the frozen corpse of a male half-elf in his thirties with fer his services to Torrga Icevein. As Hlin suspects, he
a stab wound in his chest. The half-elf had a bounty on has been killing Ten-Towners who pay off low-ranking
his head and came to Icewind Dale to disappear. Torrga town officials to exclude their names from the lotteries
found him and killed him with Sephek's help. Once she's in Bryn Shander, Easthaven, and Targos. Because he's
sold off her goods in Ten-Towns, she plans to deliver the doing the Frostmaiden's work, the spirit inside Sephek
corpse to Luskan and collect the 125 gp bounty. doesn't care about getting caught, and he isn't shy about
Torrga is a neutral evil shield dwarf bandit captain admitting his guilt. He considers surrendering only be-
with darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, resistance to cause it buys time for him to escape and commit more
poison damage, and advantage on saving throws against murders. In combat, he wields a magical sword and
being poisoned. While Torg's is open for business, she magical daggers made of ice that be can conjure at wil I.
keeps her employees close to her. She employs Sephek These weapons melt and break like icicles in the hands
Kaltro as a bodyguard and pays four others (neutral evil of other creatures.
human bandits) to drive and protect the other two sleds.
Torrga is interested only in profits, turns a blind eye to CONCLUDING THE QUEST
Sephek's murderous escapades, and tries to help him as After finding and slaying Sephek, the characters can re-
best she can without endangering her own life. turn to Hlin and collect their 100 gp reward. If they don't
Treasure. Torrga keeps her proceeds in a smaJI, have evidence to prove chat Sephek is dead, Hlin is will-
locked iron strongbox, which she hides in a satchel. She ing to take them at their word. If the ice-dagger murders
wears the key to the strongbox around her neck. A char- stop, she'll know her trust was not misplaced. Failure to
acter with thieves' tools can use an action to try to pick stop Sephek allows him lo continue slaying Ten-Town-
the strongbox's lock, doing so with a successful DC 20 ers who cheat Auril the Frostmaiden. These murders
Dexterity check. The box contains 92 gp, 76 sp, 125 cp, occur irregularly, and only in towns visited by Torg's.
and seven gemstones worth 10 gp each. Tf the characters capture Sephek and deliver him
to the authorities, they stop the murders but lose
t'le reward offered by Hlin, who isn't satisfied with GETTING THE QUEST
L 'latoutcome.
lfTorrga Tcevein survives but has reason to believe the Begin this quest by reading the following boxed text to
characters slew her bodyguard, she pressures certain the players:
Ten-Towners not to do business with them. At some
I
ater point, the characters might find themselves unable A bundled-up figure walks briskly up to you. "Well met!
to buy something they need or denied lodging at a local
mn because the merchant or proprietor doesn't want to
earn Torrga's everlasting enmity.
STARTING QUEST:
You lot seem like you're looking for work. Or trouble. You
wouldn't be standing around in this cold otherwise."
CHAPTER l I TEN-TOWNS
25
search herself, but she's nervous about venturing out snow in a clearing. A dinner plate with branches and
into the extreme cold and bas other research-related pinecones arrayed on it is placed between them, and
chores to attend to. one chwinga is sitting at the edge of the plate while the
two others are moving a fork and a knife as if lo cut and
ELUSI VE ELEME NTALS eat the "food."
There are no chwingas in the adventurers' starting When the characters enter the clearing, the chwin-
town, but each time they visit another town in lcewind gas look up at them with interest. The one not holding
Dale, there's a cumulative 25 percent chance of chwin- a piece of cutlery starts moving its hands, mimicking
gas being present. Searching a town for chwingas eating while looking up at the characters and making
doesn't take long if the characters use the lantern of welcoming gestures.
tracking, since the towns are small and compact. If a character indulges in the game of pretend that is
If the characters ask the residents of a town about being played out. such as by silting down and joining the
chwinga sightings, people seem dismissive of the notion dinner, the cbwingas become excited and start inspect-
of elementals living among them. The occasional fisher ing the character in detail. After this. the chwinga that
reeking of dwarven ale might recall seeing •·a tiny figure wasn't holding any cutlery begins following the char-
riding a fox through town" but can't remember where or acter, remaining with that individual for up to a tenday,
when the sighting occurred. leaving the other cbwingas behind. When the cbwinga fi.
nally parts company with the character, assuming it has
THIEVES IN THE WI N D been well treated, it bestows a supernatural charm upon
When the characters find a town that has chwingas liv- the character (see "Supernatural Gifts" in the Dungeon
ing in or near it, the Harne in the lantern of tracking (ele- Master's Guide for more information). The charm can be
mentals) turns green as they approach the edge of town, any one of the following:
whereupon they spot a bundled-up figure- a human • A charm ofanimal conjuring, a charm of heroism, or
commoner named Elva- stomping out of a snow-cov- a charm of vitality, all of which are described in the
ered cottage. Upon seeing the adventurers, she starts Dungeon Masters Guide.
yelling at the wind and warning the characters to watch One of the charms described in the "New Chwinga
out for the curses it brings. According to Elva, trickster Charms" section in appendix C (see page 283).
spirits have been opening her windows, sending horri-
The chwingas remain docile unless a character acts
ble chills through her home, and knocking over her cups
aggressively toward them, whereupon they try to hide in
and plates. Some of her cutlery has even gone missing.
nearby rocks, plants, or snowdrifts. They won't come out
Characters who inspect the windows of Elva's cottage
until they no longer feel threatened by the humanoids
can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
in their presence. Clever players might devise creative
On a success. they find wee tracks leading away from
ways to lure the chwingas out of hiding, perhaps by
a snowy windowsill of the cottage toward a nearby
doing something odd to gain their attention (such as
thicket. A character who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom
engaging in a snowball fight or dancing in the snow). As
(Survival) check can discern three individual sets of tiny
the DM, you determine the success of such efforts.
footprints. Some of the footprints have a thin furrow
in the snow alongside them, as if something was being
C ONC LU DI NG THE Q UEST
dragged behind the creatures.
Jfthe characters return with a live chwinga, Dannika
PLAYING H OUSE pays their promised reward of 25 gp, and they get to
By following the tracks, a character with a passive Wis- keep the lantern of tracking. If the characters brought
dom (Perception) score of 13 or higher can pick up the a chwinga back without having to restrain or harm it,
sound of movement from behind the conifers, where Dannika provides them with an additional 25 gp for
three chwinga.s (see appendix C) are playing atop the their outstanding service.
CHAPTER 1 I T&N-TOWNS
BREMEN
Founded by dwarf prospectors, the sleepy town of
Bremen sits on the west bank of Maer Dualdon, at the
mouth of the Shaengarne River. Bremen"s harbor bas
frozen, requiring local fishers to haul their boats across
the ice to put them in the lake. Visitors who lack a boat
can reach Bremen only by crossing the river, which is
mostly frozen over. Targos, Termalaine, and Lonely-
wood are all visible from the docks on clear days.
lf Auril's everlasting winter has one benefit, it's that
·he hardy folk of Bremen are spared the seasonal floods
·hat normally threaten the town in early summer. That's
not to say that the long nights, frigid air, and howling
!>lizzards provide any comfort. They don't.
Twice in the past two months, residents of Bremen
have had to mount search parties for their town speaker
.and oldest living resident, Dorbulgruf Shalescar, and
·wice they've found him wandering the frozen s hores of
·be Shacngarne in heavy furs, with no memory of how
he got there. Dorbulgruf, old even by dwarf standards.
sn't long for this world. Many locals fear the same
1s true of the town itself, if Auril's brutal winter does
not abate.
BREMEN IN A NUTSHELL
Friendliness *** Se rvices* Comfort ~*
.\vailable Quest. "Lake Monster." page 28.
BURIED TREASURES
Population. 150.
Lead er. Speaker Dorbulgruf Shalescar (lawful good Inn
shield dwarf commoner) speaks for the townsfolk. This inn caters to treasure-seekers, specifically ones
Age has addled his mind, and his vacant-eyed stare is who pan for treasure along the riverbank in warmer
often mistaken for unflappable calmness. weather. During the winter, this establishment has
"ilitia. Bremen can muster up to 25 soldiers (use the few, if any, visitors. The middle-aged innkeeper, Cora
tribal warrior stat block) and 2 veterans. Mulphoon (neutral good human commoner), treats her
Heraldry. A gold circle on a white field, with a horizon- guests like royalty while trying to conceal the fact that
tal blue band extending to the left under the circle. she is barely making ends meet.
and a flaring blue triangle opening away from the Cora's Loss. Cora is eager to please and apologizes at
circle on the right. The gold circle represents treasure the slightest provocation if she thinks the characters are
found in the wake of loca l floods, the blue band is the not pleased with her service. She explains briefly that
Shaengarne River, the blue triangle is Maer Dualdon, her adult son and only child, Huarwar, used to help with
and the white field represents snow. the chores until two months ago. If the characters ask
Sacrifice to Auril. Warmth (see page 21). Cora for more information, she says that her son had
Rivals. Lonelywood, Targos, Tcrmalaine. joined a search party to find Speaker Shalescar after
be went missing during a blizzard one afternoon. The
OVER LAND TRAVEL speaker was brought back safe and sound, but Huarwar
Heavy snow has obliterated a trail that once guided got separated from the others and didn't find his way
travelers to Targos. Adventurers determined to make home until the following morning. He had frostbite and
the journey on foot can reach Targos in 2 hours. Using could barely walk.
mounts or dogsleds can reduce this travel time by as Over the next few days, Huarwar displayed a mean-
much as 50 percent. ness toward his mother chat was uncharacteristic. The
change in his demeanor started after Cora found what
LOCATIONS I N B REMEN looked like a shard of black ice in her son's room. Huar-
war snatched it away and threatened his mother with
Bremen doesn't have much co seduce or comfort the bodily harm if she touched it again.
''eary traveler, but the following locations marked on The next day, lwo tieftings (a male and a female) ar-
map 1.1 are likely to attract adventurers. rived at the inn and offered Huarwar sanctuary in their
casUe. He left with them willingly, taking the shard with
him and telling his mother that he would never return.
The tieflings wore amulets that looked much like the
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
,, ... .. ~? .. ·~··~
LAKE MONSTER
The characters can gain this quest shortly after they
arrive in Bremen or if they start the adventure there.
The quest stans near the docks, where the characters
come upon a shield dwarf who mistakes them for fish-
ers looking for work. Any interaction with the dwarf
is interrupted by a half-elf who claims that a monster
living in Maer Dualdon has been attacking and sinking
fishing boats. The half-elf is a local researcher who has
collected accounts from witnesses of these attacks and
concluded that it's some kind of unusual beast.
Characters who search for the lake monster discover
that it's an awakened plesiosaurus. A frost druid (see ap-
pendix C) recently cast an awaken spell on the creature,
granting it an Intelligence of 10 and the ability to com-
municate in che Common tongue. In return, the druid
. expects the plesiosaurus to attack fishing boats from
I• Bremen, thus depriving the fishers of their livelihood
. and ultimately forcing the villagers to leave. The plesio-
' saurus feels obliged to heed the druid's wishes, for fear
of losing this magical gift of sentience. Consequently, it
attacks anyone from Bremen who fishes in its domain.
GETT I NG T H E QUEST
100
ers to pull their rowboats up onto the ice. Standing be-
tween a pai r of boats is a stout humanoid in cold weather
•/ ot:I:=:11!_2111:5o==::::ts~eet clothing. A gray hood hides most of the humanoid's face,
but you can make out a wide nose and a long, frosty
MAP u: BREMEN
beard. The stout figure stamps their feet, spots you, and
waves you over.
shard in Huarwar's possession. Cora misses her son "Good, you're here. Get to it, ingrates! Those fish ain't
terribly and she hopes he is still alive. She recalls that
gonna catch themselves!"
one of the tiel:lings mentioned a castle, and she knows
that there are only two castles in Teo-Towns: an intact
one in Caer-Dineval and a ruined one in Caer-Konig. The speaker is Grynsk Berylbore, a shield dwarf (com-
The characters might encounter Huarwar in the keep at mon er) who owns the pair of rowboats tied to the docks.
Caer-Dineval (see "Black Swords," page 38). The gunwale of one of the boats has what looks like a
large bite taken out of it, but both vessels are seaworthy.
FIVE-TAVERN CENTER
Grynsk has been waiting an hour for some fishers he
Five unaffiliated taverns hired the night before to arrive. [n fact, those fishers
Five taverns stand in a semicircle around a central yard bave decided not to bother showing up, having weighed
in the heart of Bremen. As the story goes. five brothers what Grynsk offered to pay them against the danger of
originally intended to build a tavern together, but each the lake monster. Grynsk was drunk when he hired the
bad assumed he would be the one to run the business. fishers and doesn't remember their faces; he assumes
Since none of the brothers would work for the others. the characters are his new employees, and he's quick
each built his own tavern, and they aJl compete for about setting them to work.Uthe characters ignore him
customers. or walk away, he yells profanities after them but doesn't
The five taverns are called Stones, Even Keel, the Riv- pursue them.
er's Mouth, the Grumpy Moose, and the Black-Bearded Characters who approach Grynsk can see that his
Brother. The taverns are old and poorly maintained. boats bear the names Burly Ram and Pronged Goat.
Characters who hang out in the taverns are likely to The latter one sports the curious bite mark. Grynsk re-
hear a rumor or two, which you can determine by rolling minds the characters of what he calls "the agreed-upon
on lhe Ten-Towns Rumors table (page 18). price" of 5 cp for each trout they catch and scolds them
for having already wasted precious trout-catching time.
lf the characters explain that they aren't his employ-
ees, Grynsk frowns and repeats that the salary he's of-
fering is 5 cp per caught trout, and "time is better spent
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
glin' than yappin'." He also grumbles in Dwarvish neither male nor female and requests to be referred to
>out the characters being stupid and needlessly rude. as "they" or by name in conversation. Tali speaks with a
If rhe characters ask about the damage to the Pronged soft voice and tends to go on longwinded tangents about
G(iat. Grynsk gives them a dismissive wave of the hand. the fauna that live in Icewind Dale.
When Tali heard reports of a creature in Maer Dual-
don that was attacking che Bremen fishing parties. the
Don't you see? Bloody ice everywhere. Last crew were half-elf decided to investigate and found that boats from
apparently born with pits for eyes. because they sailed Bremen were the only vessels to suffer these attacks.
r ght into a damned ice floe! I ain't gotten around to re- After deducing this, Tali began frequenting the docks to
pairin' the gunwale yet, but she floats just fine." warn any uninformed people looking to venture out onto
the lake about the danger waiting there.
Descriptions of the monster vary wildly; some wit-
A <'haracter who succeeds on a DC 11 Wisdom (Insight) nesses say it's the size of an ox, while others say it's
heck can tell that Grynsk is lying. rr he is pressured closer lo the size of a house. Some say the monster
about the validity of his story, Grynsk becomes annoyed might be a whale or a large fish, and others describe it
and tells the characters to get off his docks if all they as more lizard-like in appearance, wiLh scaly skin and
\\ant to do is ask stupid questions. a long neck. If the characters ask about Grynsk's dam·
In truth, the lake monster took a bite out of the aged boat. Tali explains that it was actually found adrift,
Pronged Goat and caused its crew to fall into the icy wa- its crew presumably lost to the lake monster.
ter where they drowned. The damaged boat was found Being a researcher. Tali would like to better under-
b} fishers the next day. drifting crewless in the near stand the monster. which has only recently become a
frozen water. threat. "Perhaps this unending winter has affected its
eating babies or demeanor in some way," speculates
Tu r COMES ON THE SCENE the half-elf.
Rrgardless of how the characters' dealings with Grynsk
play out, they are joined by another figure before they
and the dwarf pan company. "Tali hands you a notebook. "I can't offer you much other
than my gratitude, but if you're going out on the lake,
You hear footsteps approaching on the creaky dock. An· please write down any information you learn about the
other figure covered head to toe in cold weather clothing nature of this monster. lfwe know what's out there, the
has joined you. The figure wags a gloved finger at the people of Bremen would be much safer for it. And, well,
frosty-bearded dwarf. "You have no honor, Berylbore!n 1t bears the potential to be awfully interesting."
the newcomer yells, pulling down a woolen muffler to
reveal a pale, half-e lven face. "You're sending these Inno- Tali asks the characters to record everything they can
cent people to their deaths. And for what, a few fish?" perceive about the creature if they spot it, including its
"Pay no mind to this rambling fool!" says Grynsk. size, physical attributes. and general nature. Tali also
makes it clear that few people have survived an encoun-
"Did you tell them about the monster?" retorts the
ter with the monster and encourages the characters to
half-elf. be careful.
UNSAFE WATERS
Grynsk curses the half-elf in Dwarvish before turning
to the characters and yelling, "Get to work!" He then The characters have the use of Grynsk's two rowboats
~comps away out of earshot, not eager to hear what the (see the MRowboat Statistics" sidebar). The damaged
half-elf might have to say but still interested in keeping one has 36 hit points instead of 50. Three sets of fishing
an eye on his boats. tackle are stashed in the center of each boat.
After Grynsk leaves the area. the half-elf approaches The lake is covered in ice floes, which make travel
the characters sheepishly. dangerous. As the characters row out from Bremen.
their boats must steer around ld4 + 1 ice floes. Any
character who tries to steer a boat around an ice floe
"I'm getting the feeling Grynsk doesn't like me very must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom check, adding their
much. Or anyone who steps between him and the gold proficiency bonus to the roll if they're proficient with wa-
swimming in this lake. I'm Tali. I'm studying the local ter vehicles. On a failed check, the boat hits the ice floe
animal life here in lcewind Dale. I just couldn't stay silent and takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
and watch another crew fall victim to the monster of
ROWBOAT STATISTICS
Maer Dualdon."
A rowboat has a speed of l lh miles per hour and can hold
up to four Medium creatures and their gear. An undam-
Tali is a neutral good half-elf researcher (scout) who aged rowboat has AC 11 and 50 hit points. A rowboat
is in lcewind Dale to study how changes in climate reduced to 0 hit points in the water sinks over the course
of ld4 rounds.
alter the nature of the anjrnal wildJife. Tali presents as
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
29
I
c~using your boat
l
FALLING IN THE WATER Ri pples disrupt the surfa.ce of the lake,
Any character who falls into the lake is subject to the to bob from side to side A large mass glides through the
effects of frigid water (see "Frigid Water,'' page 11).
Even after the character gets out of the frigid water, the dark water below you.
effects persist until the wet clothing is dried oul or re-
placed with warm, dry clothing. A character who succeeds on a DC 13 lntelligence {Na-
ture) check can identify the creature as a plesiosaurus.
WATER DEPTH
The creature recognizes boats from Bremen but does
Once the characters are away from the shore, you can
not attack indiscriminately, trying to gauge the strength
randomly determine the lake's depth in any given loca-
and determination of the crew before deciding what to
tion by rolling a d20 and multiplying the die roll by 10
do. Roll on the Plesiosaurus Behavior table to determine
feet. Conversely, you can just assume the lake is 100 feet
how it acts. After behaving as described in the table. the
deep where the characters are.
plesiosaurus departs unless the characters do some-
thing that holds its attention. Once it departs. it doesn't
SC O UTI NG THE LA~
return until a roll on the Lake Events table indicates
The characters can use fishing tackle to try to catch another encounter with the creature.
some fish while they're searching for the lake monster The plesiosaurus prefers to dine on fish, not people.
(see "Fishing for Knucklehead Trout," page 11). Characters knocked into the lake are more likely to
ff the characters are out on the lake in a boat, roll on freeze to death or sink to the bottom than be eaten. If a
the Lake Events table at the end of each hour to deter- character harms the plesiosaurus. it reacts in kind.
mine what occurs next.
PLESIOSAURUS BEHAVIOR
LAKE EVENTS
d6 Behavior
d20 Lake Event The plesiosaurus breaches the water with its fins and
1-10 The lake is still and quiet for the next hour. A fine splashes water into nearby boats. It swims to the
time for some fishing. bottom of the lake 1f attacked.
11-12 The characters spot a rowboat from Lonelywood or 2 The plesiosaurus rams a boat from beneath. (If
Termalaine. It has ld4 fis hers (commoners) aboard the characters have more than one boat, randomly
and keeps its distance. The fishers are antisocial determine which one the monster rams.) The boat
but nonthreatening. They fish in the vicinity for the takes 3d6 + 4 bludgeoning damage, and any char·
better part of an hour, then head back toward Lone· acter standing in the boat must succeed on a DC 12
lywood with their catch. Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. A character who
13 The characters encounter a keelboat flying the fails this check by S or more is knocked overboard
Targos flag. It has ld6 fishers (commoners} and a and fal ls into the frigid water.
captain (scout) aboard. They don't believe the lake 3 The plesiosaurus surfaces 10 feet away from a boat
monster is real and try to badger the characters into and takes a bite out of it, using its 10-foot reach. (If
fishing elsewhere. They use trawling nets t o fish in the characters have multiple boats, randomly deter·
the vicinity for the better part of an hour, then head mine which boat the monster bites.) The boat takes
back toward Targos with their catch. 3d6 + 4 piercing damage.
14 A cold wind blows across the lake for the next hour. 4 The plesiosaurus tries to capsize a boat. (If the
The lake's normally still waters become choppy. Un· characters have multiple boats, randomly determine
til the wind abates, ability checks made to steer the which boat the monster tries to capsize.) Have the
boat and fish for trout have disadvantage, as do sav· characters in the boat make a DC 12 Strength (Ath·
ing throws against the effects of extreme cold. letics) group check. If the group check succeeds, the
15 A knucklehead trout (see appendix C} leaps out of boat doesn't capsize. If the group check fails, the
the lake. makes a tail atta ck against one random boat capsizes, and every creature in it falls into the
character in the boat, and dives back into the frigid frigid water.
water. A character with a passive Wisdom (Percep· S- 6 The plesiosaurus leaves without so much as a hel lo.
tion) score of 13 or higher is not surprised by the
fish and can use its reaction to make an opportu nity TALK I NG TO THE PL.ESIOSAURUS
attack against it or try to grapple the fish as 1t dives Although the plesiosaurus gives no indication that it's
back into the water. intelligent and can speak, the characters might try to
16- 20 The awakened plesiosaurus makes its presence talk to it regardless. While the monster is underwater,
known. Run the "Clever Beast" encounter. it can hear the characters only if they scream at the top
of their lungs and it's close by. Conversely, a message
cantrip or similar magic can be used to get the plesio-
C LEVER B EAST
saurus's attention. The creature is curious to hear what
When a roll on the Lake Events table indicates that the the characters have to say:
lake monster takes an interest in the characters. read:
CHAPTER 1 TEN-TOWNS
30
The plesiosaurus is afraid to stop what it's doing
I I
A reptilian head at the end of a long, slender neck rises because it fears the druid might take away the gifc that
out of the cold, dark water. The creature gazes at you in· has been bestowed upon it. A character can convince
tently and says, in Common, "I'm listening." the plesiosaurus that its awakening is permanent with a
successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If this
check succeeds, the plesiosaurus promises not to attack
A character who converses with the plesiosaurus and any fishers from the villages anymore.
succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check can
safely conclude that it's the beneficiary of a druid's ATTACKING THE PLESl OSAURUS
awaken spell, and that the effect is permanent. If the characters attack the plesiosaurus, it dives below
The plesiosaurus answers straightforward questions the surface of the water and remains submerged as it
and knows the following information: attacks the characters' boats from below. If it ever drops
below half its hit points, it disengages from the battle
·1 used to just swim around the lake and eat fish."
and dives deeper, leaving the combat.
MThe human who gave me this gift is named Ravisin
and claimed to serve the Frostmaiden. Ravisin said I B ACK TO B RE MEN!
must do my part to help the Frostmaiden, who wants
the people of Bremen to suffer." When the characters make it back to Bremen's docks,
·1 don't want to be a stupid beast again." (The plesio· Grynsk shows up soon thereafter, eager to see how
saurus doesn't know enough about druidic magic to many knucklehead trout they caught. He honors his
know that its awakening is permanent.) agreement, paying 5 cp per fish.
Tali is also eager to see the characters. If any of the
A character must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma characters took notes about the lake monster and hand
(Per!>uasion) check to convince the plesiosaurus to talk their research over, Tali gives the party a spell scroll
more about the purpose of its attacks. The plesiosaurus of animal friendship and a pouch containing 5 gp as
reveals that Ravisin instructed it to spread fear among thanks. then heads toward Buried Treasures to pore
the town's fishers. The plesiosaurus doesn't know where over the characters' notes. The characters can hear Tali
Ravisin came from or where she is now. Characters mumble the words "interesting," "fascinating," and "re·
who undertake "The White Moose" (see page 80), the markable" in Elvish as they walk away.
quest associated with Lonelywood, might encounter her lf the characters didn't take any notes, Tali's hopes are
later. lf one or more characters mock or threaten it, the dashed, and no reward is forlhcoming.
11lesiosaurus grows angry and tries to capsize their boat.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
31
BRYN SHANDER
The first stop for most visitors to Icewind Dale is Bryn
Shander, a walled town perched atop a cold, lonely,
wind-lashed hill. Bright lanterns suspended over narrow
streets twist in the wind and add flecks of color to the
town's otherwise drab surroundings.
The friendliness in this settlement bas dwindled of
late. Auril's unyielding winter has greatly reduced the
number of visitors to Bryn Shander, and local trade is
suffering for it, eating away at the locals' sense of humor
and goodwill. Still, there is no safer place in lcewind
Dale to spend coin or spend the night.
The walls of the town stand some 30 feet high and are
defined by two concentric rings of upright wooden poles,
the gap between them filled with dirt and rubble. The
outer ring of poles rises above the top of the wall, pro-
viding a rampart for defenders stationed on the wood-
planked wa lkway. The wall's hinged gates are 15 feet
tall and can be barred from the inside with iron-banded
wood beams. These gates are closed when it's dark out-
side- which is to say more often than not.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
33
in 01' Bitey's gullet, though Scramsax won't let anyone GETTI NG T HE QUEST
even handle the fish unless he's well compensated. and
unless the deed can be done without ruining his trophy. Three frostbiuen shield dwarves approach the charac-
(The ring, if you decide it's here, is stuck in the fish's ters at the Northlook or in the._snow-covered street:
throat and can be retrieved without surgery.)
Three stocky figures bundled in cold weather garb stum·
FOAMING MUGS ble toward you They have snowshoes slung over their
The characters can pickup this quest if they start the backs and ice picks fastened to their belts, and two of
adventure in Bryn Shander or shortly after they arrive in them have thick beards The third holds up a gloved hand
town.1L begins when the characters learn about a group
and says, through a thick wool scarf in a raspy voice,
of shield dwarves who were forced to abandon a sled
loaded with iron ingots, which they were transponing "Well met! I'm Hruna, and these are my friends, Korux
from the mines at the base of Kelvin's Cairn. The ingots and Storn. We need help, and you look capable."
belong to the Battlehammer clan and are stamped with
the clan's iconic symbol, a foaming mug. The dwarves
ask the characters to retrieve the sled and deliver the The three dwarves work in a mine located in the valley
ingots safely to Blackiron Blades, for which each char- at the base of Kelvin's Cairn. This mine is owned and
acter will receive a gemstone as payment. Characters operated by Clan Battlehammer. and it provides most of
who complete this quest also earn a 10 percent discount the iron for the smithies in Ten-Towns.
on goods bought at Blackiron Blades a little thank-you The dwarves wear cold weather clothing. Only their
from the establishment's grateful owner. eyes are visible. Treat them as commoners who speak
Complications arise when goblins find the sled before Common and Dwarvish; being dwarves, they have dark-
the characters do. The characters must either fight the vision ouc to a range of 60 feet and resistance to poison
goblins or finagle the ingots from them using guile or damage The.} carry ice picks (ld4 piercing damage)
stealth. To further complicate matters, the goblins have instead of clubs. Each dwarf is briefly described below:
a wagon pulled by hungry polar bears. The bears aren't • Hruna speaks for the group in a voice made raspy by
fussy about what they eat, so clever characters might years of smoking. She has lost her right ear and two
think to turn them against the goblins. fin~ers to frostbite.
CHAPTER l TEN-TOWNS
35
enemies within 60 feet of lhe wagon, she orders the Freeing the Bears. A character who succeeds on a
two goblins inside the wagon to shoot arrows al these DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check can approach
enemies through gaps in the wagon's walls. These two the polar bears without aggravating them and use an
goblins have three-quarters cover. action to free one of them from its harness. On a failed
If five or more goblins are killed, or if lzobai is killed check, both bears are hostile toward that character for
or captured, the remaining goblins a re will ing to nego- the rest of the encounter. A freed polar bear does not
tiate a truce. though it's up to the characters co initiate attack the character who released it. but all other crea-
the negotiations. The goblins are prepared to give up the tures on the battlefield are fair game. It would sooner
iron ingots in exchange for their lives and freedom. eat a goblin than anything else, given how badly the gob-
The prolonged winter has made the goblins as miser- lins have treated the bears. The goblins run away from a
able as everyone else in lcewind Dale. If the characters freed polar bear as fast as they can.
act kindly toward the goblins, by offering them a blanket Treasure. lzobai carries two potions ofanimal friend-
or some other gift, the goblins give up the sled and the ship and a sealskin pouch containing 13 sp, 25 cp. and a
ingots and allow the characters to be on their way. The bone whistle (1 sp). The other goblins each carry ld6 cp
gobl ins hail from the fortress of Karkolohk (see page in sealskin pouches.
140). Their job is to scour the tundra for food and trea-
sure. as well as creatures to enslave, but they are cold CONCLUDING T H E Q UEST
and eager to return home. Three hundred iron ingots are wrapped in thick burlap
lzobai fights only in self-defense. If defeat seems in- and tightly secured to the sled with leather straps. Each
evitable, she uses her torch to set fire to the wagon and ingot weighs 2 pounds and is stamped with the foaming
flees into the tundra with her hawk, her treasure (see be- mug symbol of the Battlehammer clan. Each ingot is
low), and any goblins in the vehicle. The wagon contains worth 5 sp to a blacksmith.
goblin beds made of straw; they ignite quickly, turning Once the ingots are returned to Hruna and then
the vehicle into a raging inferno by the start of lzobai's delivered to Blackiron Blades in Bryn Shander, the
next turn. characters receive their promised rewards, including
the 10 percent discount on goods they buy at the shop
afterward.
CAER-DINEVAL
In generations past, travelers to Caer Dineval had to
follow the rocky shore of Lac Dinneshere until after
se\eral hours they spied a small fortress (the "caer"
for which the town is named) jutting up from the
prominence where it overlooks the lake. A ferry out
1f Easthaven made the arduous trek unnecessary for
merchants and other travelers, but the ferry was dis-
:onti nued two months ago, cutting off Caer-Dineval
and its eastward neighbor, Caer-Konig) from the rest of
Ten-Towns except by the overland route. Town residents
are furious that the ferry service has stopped, mainly be-
cause they have not received deliveries of mead from the
· :>wn of Good Mead, and the taverns have run dry.
.\s if things weren't bad enough, the town's harbor has
frozen over, and the town's speaker, Crannoc Siever, has
taken to his bed and is apparently too sick to make pub-
lic appearances or press the Council of Speakers to get
the ferry from Easthaven running again.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
37
spirits, which might explain why locals don't frequent
the place as much as they used to. The proprietor, a rug-
ged middle-aged man named Roark (lawful good human
commoner), blames the cursed winter and the closing
of the East haven ferry for his business woes. Although
he has spare rooms with empty beds, he claims to have
no available guest accommodations. If adventurers are
looking for a place to rest, he suggests that they try
the Caer. Roark can't guarantee that Speaker Crannoc
Siever's attendants will welcome them with open arms,
given how sick the speaker has been of late.
Roark and some of his patrons know something is
amiss in the castle. but they refrain from talking about
it. Roark figures that if he steers adventurers toward lhe
castle, they'll figure out what's going on by themselves.
BLACK SWORDS
The characters don't get this quest in the customary
way, which is to say that the residents of Caer-Dineval
aren't counting on adventurers to help them. The quesl
falls into the party's lap if the characters decide to visit
the Caer. Here are a couple reasons why the characters
might go there:
Looking for a good nighfs rest in Caer-Dineval, the
characters are directed to the castle by Roark or some
other NPC.
• A sad story told by Cora Mulphoon, the proprietor of
100 the Buried Treasures inn in Bremen (see page 27),
..
' •· o I 2~0 soo might spur the characters into searching the castle for
her missing son, Huarwar.
t:I::::11 -.t:::::::::il feet
Crannoc Siever. the town speaker, resides in the
castle and is also a prisoner. Devil-worshiping cultists
calling themselves the Knights of the Black Sword have
human settlers from other parts of the dale who banded taken over and confined Crannoc to his quarters while
together. The victors claimed the castle and its lands. spreading stories about the speaker's ill health to con-
and those with families brought them here to settle. ceal their presence and restrict access to the castle. The
Their descendants live here to this day and keep alive cultists keep the speaker alive in case they need him to
the memory of their ancestors' deeds. make a public appearance. They can also use him as a
Today, the keep is the residence of the town speaker, hostage if the Ten-Towners take up arms against them.
Crannoc Siever, who recently made the mistake of open- These devil worshipers keep a low profile while seeking
ing his doors to the Knights of the Black Sword. This out new members to join their ranks.
group consists of people from all walks of life who owe
their lives to the archdevil Levistus (see «Black Swords" K N IGH TS OF T H E B LACK SWORD
below for detailed descriptions of the castle and the cult The Knights of the Black Sword are a secret society of
of Levistus). cultists devoted to Levistus, the archdevil who rules Sty-
DlNEv's REST
gia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells. from the confines
of an ice prison from which he cannot escape.
Closed inn
Most of the cultists are lcewind Dale natives who
At the south end of town is Caer-Dineval's inn, a drafty would have perished in the wilderness had Levistus
old building with boarded-up windows and a crooked not intervened on their behalf. The cultists' stories are
weathervane shaped like a rearing dragon. The place all the same: the archdevil reached out to them in their
has been out of business for almost a year. minds as they were freezing to death, offering a second
Six d uergar hide inside the ramshackle inn and re- chance at Life in exchange for their absolute devotion.
main out of sight until Xardorok's chardalyn dragon After they agreed to folJow Levistus, a pale glow caught
attacks the town (see chapter 4). their eye in the snow nearby, leading to the discovery of
a sword-shaped amulet of chardalyn. Each of these am-
THE UPHILL CLIMB
ulets has an inner radiance that provides warmth and
Tavern aid, protecting its wearer against the cold while guiding
This tavern is situated northwest of the Caer, where it of- them safely back to civilization. Once its wearer reaches
fers a spectacular view of the lake and the frozen docks. Ten-Towns. the talisman loses its inner radiance, yet
The Climb serves hot chowder but is all out of beer and the cuJtists keep their amulets as signs of their devotion
CHAPTER l I TEN-TOWNS
A dogsled is stored here, along with the dogs' har- C5. ARMORY
·.esses and reins. In the middle of this small room is a rack of twenty
Kennel Boy. Sleeping among the dogs is an eight- spears, and resting against the back wall is an unlocked
; ear-old Ca lishite youth named Alassar Sulmander wooden chesl containing six flasks of a lchemist's fire.
neutral human noncombatant). He was found stowing Hanging from hooks on the walls are eight longbows
,o·,\·ay inside a crate of supplies thal was delivered lo the and eight quivers. Each quiver holds fifty arrows.
castle over a month ago and now does menial chores
·.Jr the cultists. Alassar knows the layout of the castle CG. GATEHOUSE
·evels 1 and 2), and he can be coerced or bribed into This chamber is equipped with a system of wheels that
clping the characters. He can move about the castle raises the portcullises and opens the outer sets of doors.
1rhout drawing suspicion. In the middle of the floor are murder holes through
which arrows can be shot or alchemist's fire can be
C4. GUARD TOWERS poured. The south wall has a row of five arrow slits
The lower level of each tower contains three cu ltists at built into it.
·"'SL. The furnishings on this level include six wooden Two wooden cots covered with furs are in the north-
.Jts with furs and matching footlockers (where the cuJt- east corner of the room. Of the two cult fanatics sta-
"'lS keep their cold weather clothing). A copper brazier tioned here, one stands guard while the other sleeps.
foll of hot coals is situated in the middle of the room. These individuals are briefly described below:
f'rotruding from the brazier's base is a bellows that can
be pumped to reheat the dying coals. Huarwar Mulphoon is a brooding, pessimistic human
.\wooden staircase hugs the outer wall as it climbs 10 in his late twenties, the son of Cora Mulphoon (see
!le second level, which is unfurnished. Gusts of wind "Buried Treasures.'" page 27).
::uer through the arrow slits on this level. • Fel Suparra is a tieB.iog. She has darkvision oul to
Northwest Tower. This tower has two additional fea- a range of 60 feet and resistance to fire damage. As
.;res on its ground level: a stone trapdoor in the floor, Huarwar's friend and mentor, she's the one most
lxneath which is a ladder that descends to area C16, responsible for tearing him away from his mother and
and a secret passage lo the speaker's office (area C9). pushing him up through the ranks of the cult.
The secret door is spotted automatically by any charac-
ter who examines that section of wall.
CHAPTER l I TEN-TOWNS
.p
Mere knows about the cult's allegiance to Levistus
and its animus toward the duergar. Mere has also met
the albino tielling wizard who has made a lair for herself
in the cistern (area C22).
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
Cll. KITCHEN
The two goats are harmless and will eat just about any-
thing. The cook, a human named Karou Salafan (neu-
tral good human commoner), was not replaced by the
o.ltists because he knows fifty different ways to cook
_nd prepare knucklehead trout. Although he has some
~nowledge about the affairs of the keep, he doesn't want
..; know about any shady business, so he keeps his head
down and his lips shut lightly.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
43
I
Squatting in the far corner of the room is a pale man Cl7. COLD STORAGE
wearing a nightgown. He has an unkempt beard and
seems hard at work filling a chamber pot. "Perfect tim-
ing," he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
A wooden ladder clings to the west wall, held in place C20. SHRINE TO LEVISTUS
with iron brackets. The ladder descends twelve feet to a
hall made of mortared stone lit and heated by four sput· Frost covers the floor of this dark, fifteen-foot-square
tering torches. Extending from the east end of the hall is room To your left and right are narrow tunnels, and
a water-filled cistern. A small rowboat is tied off near the across from the entrance stands an eight-foot-tall pillar of
water's edge. ice with a horned, pale-skinned, humanoid figure trapped
inside it. The pillar 1s wrapped rn black chains, and the
A 5-foot-wide, 8-foot-high passage in the north wall wall behind it is covered with brown fungus.
leads to area Cl7. For more information about the cis-
tern and the rowboat, see area Cl8.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
44
figure in the pillar is a wooden mannequin painted C24. PRISO'JERS
dressed to resemble the archdevil Levistus. The After the cultists took over the castle, they trapped most
I
nnequin was encased in ice, which was chiseled into of the servant~ in this area.
ptllar shape and wrapped in chains. The ice is kept
en at all times by the 10-foot-square patch of brown
growing on the wall behind it (see "Brown Mold"
the Dunaeon Master's Guide). Any creature that
ches the pillar of ice is close enough to the brown
to be harmed by it.
Any character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence
IA five-foot-wide, eight·foOt·high tunnel leads to a dark,
cold room that reeks of filth.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
+5
GAER-KONIG
The white, snow-covered slopes of Kelvin's Cairo loom
large behind this quiet lakeside town. Caer-Konig
started as a camp for a group of mountaineers from the
northern Moonsea region. As the camp grew, a wooden
palisade was added to discourage raiders. Later came
the stone castle of Caer-Konig. Alas, neither the palisade
nor the castle fared well; both fell to ores before falling
into ruin.
Caer-Konig as it is known today consists of terraced
rows of houses that recede from the shore of Lac Din-
neshere like the tiers of an amphitheater. The harbor is
frozen, its docks skewed and broken by the shifting ice.
Buried under the snow on the slopes above the last row
of houses are the ruins of the Caer that gave the town
its name a reminder to the people of Caer-Konig that
nothing lasts in this corner of the world.
Travel to and from this remote town was expedited by
the ferry that ran out of Easthaven, but with the ferry
shut down, Caer-Konig is completely cut off by moun-
tains, lake, and snow. Forced to live on what they can
haul out of the iced-over lake, the people of Caer-Konig
are bitter and angry. They believe that the restofTen-
Towns has abandoned them. The only thing that keeps
the townsfolk from leaving is the beer at the local tav-
ern, which never seems to run out.
As if things weren't bad enough, the town has suffered O VER LAND TRAVEL
several mysterious break-ins recently, with no evidence
of the intruders except dwarven boot cracks in the snow A three-mile-long, snow-covered path links Caer-Konig
leading north. Since there are no known settlements to che neighboring town of Caer-Dineval. Characters on
in that direction, the townsfolk assume that Auril's foot can walk this path in 2 hours: mounts and dogsleds
everlasting winter has taken its toll on the dwarves of can shorten this time by as much as 50 percent.
Kelvin's Cairn, forcing them to come down from the
mountain in search of food or beer. In truth, the town is
LO CATIONS I N GAER- K ONI G
beset by invisible duergar searching for chardalyo. The following locations are marked on map 1.5.
The town speaker, a heavy-drinking dragonborn
named Travus, patrols al night to keep an eye out for HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER
trouble. In his inebriated state, however, Trovus is prone Tavern
to wandering out onto the icy lake or passing out on the This tavern owes its popularity to the free half-pints of
ramshackle docks, and he a lmost never remembers bis ale that the proprietor, Eglendar "Glen" Korr (neutral
nightly patrols once his head clears. good half-elf commoner), keeps on the table by the front
door. He presses one into the hand of every person who
G AER- KO N I G IN A N UTSHELL stops by (the hook), which compels most of them to stay
------- to order seconds and thirds (the line). The "sinker'' part
Friendliness ** S ervices** Comfort ***
of the tavern's name refers both to the last drink call of
Available Ques t. "The Unseen," page 47.
the night and when locals challenge visitors to a drink-
Population. 150.
ing contest to the last drink that sends a losing contes-
Leader. Speaker Trovus (neutral good silver dragon- tant under the table.
born veteran), a retired adventurer, represents the Glen gets his ale from the dwarves who live in the
town. Travus won over his fellow townsfolk with his valley at the foot of Kelvin's Cairo, and be paysjarthra
brawn and good humor, though he's too blunt to be a the dwarf (see -Frozen far Expeditions" below) to fetch
good politician and drinks too much. it for him.
Militia. Caer-Konig can muster up to 25 soldiers (use
the tribal warrior stat block) and 2 veterans. FROZENFAR EXPEDITIONS
Heraldry. A white fish silhouette rising from the center Adventuring oucfitter
bottom of a dark blue field, which has a white border
Run by a seasoned ranger named Atenas Swift (neutral
on all sides but its bottom. The fish signifies the local
good human scout). this shop seUs adventuring gear.
fishing trade, and the broken border represents the
snow and the harbor surrounding the town. Atcached to the c.hop is a locked wooden shed where
Sacrifice to Auril. Food (see page 21). Atenas stores a pair of dogsleds and a kennel where he
Rivals. Caer-Dineval, Easthaven. keeps a dozen he.11thy sled dogs (use the wolf stat block
10 represent them) ':>1x dog:. are enough to puU each
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
sled. Helping Atenas run Lhe shop is an experienced
mc•untain guide namedjarthra Farzassh (lawful good
;hield dwarf scout). The two have an excellent rapport,
mixed with some competitive ribbing.
Age has caught up with Atenas. He can feel the cold in
... JOints and ventures out less frequently than he once
J 'fowadays. he prefers to stay indoors while offering
r•hra's services as a wilderness guide.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
49
Characters who succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity hit points move behind lhe chokepoint (area 05), leaving
(Stealth) check can approach the stronghold undetected the ogre zombie to cover their retreat if it comes to that.
by hugging the north cliff and moving behind the bunker Well. The well descends 10 feet to an underground
and below the openings of the overlook. Once they reach cistern. The sides of the well are icy and require climb-
the mouth of the frozen river, they can crawl through the ing gear or magic to scale.
culvert (which leads under area 02) or quietJy approach
the main entrance withoul being detected. 03. OVERLOOK
O UTPO ST L OCATIONS
The door opens into a large, nea rl y empty room. Snow
The duergar outpost was not built witb the intention of
has drifted into the corners, and frost covers the stone
being aesthetically pleasing or welcoming to strangers.
There is no interior lighting, since the duergar rely on walls. Three barred openings overlook the snow-covered
dark vision to see. The walls and entryways are all 10 grounds outside the stronghold.
feet high, allowing duergar that have grown to Large
size to move around easily.
Unless she has cause to leave the overlook and raise
The following locations are keyed to map 1.6.
the drawbridge in area 02. a duerga r named Urthhild
01. BUNKER stands guard here. stamping her feet to fight off the cold.
Barred Openings. Vertica l iron bars spaced 6 inches
apart are embedded in the stone frames of three 5-foot·
I I
This stone bunker stands fifteen feet tal l. The rough tall rectangular openings. As an action, a character can
edges of its construction 1nd1cate that it was cut from a try to bend the bars to create an opening big enough for
single piece of stone. a Small creature to squeeze through, doing so with a
successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check.
02. M AIN KEEP The armory holds equipment used by the duergar. in-
The outer doors aren't locked. but they are heavy. cluding two suits of scale mail sized for dwarves, two
As an action. a character can pull the doors open by steel shields. three war picks. nine javelins. two climb·
succeeding on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. A er's kits, and four mess kits.
30-foot-deep pit just inside these doors is spanned by a UnderAround Tunnel. This 5-foot-high tunnel is 20
20-foot-square wooden drawbridge that can be raised by feet underground and has a 20-foot-long ladder at each
a simple pulJ-chain mechanism in times of danger. end. The ladder at the south end climbs to area 01.
05. CHOKEPOINT
This hall is devoid of decoration. A frozen we ll stands
hear a ha llway to the east, and three iron cages are
A long room, divided in the middle by two open door·
pushed against one wall. One contains a malodorous
ogre with rotting. half.frozen skin and an empty right eye
socket. It howls in despair at the sight of you. Another
cage holds a pair of nervous goats. The third cage is
empty. Leaning against a wall near the cages is a wooden
I ways, stands empty. In the far southwest corner, an iron
lever sticks out of the wall.
CHAPTER 1 f TEN-TOWNS
50
aith the spikes. Creatures can see through the gaps
~·een the spikes. but the gaps aren't big enough for
Brother,
a character to slip through. The barriers of spikes grant You will find me on the frozen ferry in Easthaven. From
ree quarters cover to creatures behind them. Each this new base, the search fo r chardalyn continues. Long
...-1er has AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison may our father reign over this dark land!
p,.,ychic damage.
Ourth
Ob. COMMANDER'S QUARTERS
The characters can visit the ferry or give Durth's letter
A stone-carved bed and desk occupy this drab room.
to che authorities in Easthaven and Jet them deal with
him (see .. Easthaven." page 58, for more information).
Atop the desk are several shards of dark crystal, as
Ro/eplaying Ni/dar. Nildar's main goal is to please
well as a crumpled-up piece of paper and a burlap sack his father, whose obsession with chardalyn he shares.
draped over a glowing object that emits colored light that When he's not leading raids. Nildar spends most of his
shifts from blue to green to red. time examining goods stolen from Caer-Konig and else-
where. The shards on the table include several pieces of
ordinary tinted glass and three dagger-sized pieces of
"the characters made it through area 05 without get- chardalyn (see the sidebar on page 6). With a suc-
tuu. into a fight. they catch Nildar Sunblight. a duergar. cessful DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check, a character
seated at the desk, studying bis collection of glassy can determine that the chardalyn. despite its crystalline
shards. I le attacks the characters when they enter. composition, is malleable. making it an ideal raw mate-
The glowing object on the desk is a magic lantern, rial for those who can fash ion items from the substance.
'9.itich Nildar has covered with a burlap sack to dull its No other properties can be discerned with an ability
::-hr. The lantern is the one that was stolen from the check. These chardalyn fragments contain no magic and
Northern Light in Caer-Konig. It shifts in color from are safe to handle.
blue to green to red but has no other magical properties. Defeatins Nildar. If the characters capture Nildar and
The crumpled-up piece of paper on the desk bears a try to talk to him, he snarls and threatens the characters
message from Nilda r's older brother. Durth. written in in Dwarvish:
charcoal and in Dwarvisb. The letter reads as follows:
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
51
The barred opening in the northeast corner is similar to
the ones in area 03.
The three cells along the west wall are empty at pres-
ent. Each of the five cells along the south wall holds one
prisoner. formerly a Ten-Towner or a Reghed nomad
who was abducted and killed by the duergar. Using the
animating spores of a myconid sovereign, the duergar
have turned these dead humans into five spore servants
(as described in the "Myconids"' entry in the Monscer
Manual) covered with fungal growths. The spore ser-
vants emerge from their cells to attack intruders who
enter the room. They use the tribal war rior stat block,
with these changes:
• The spore servants are unaligned plants with a walk-
ing speed of 20 feet. They have blindsight out to a
range of 30 feet and are blind beyond this radius. They
can't be blinded, charmed, frightened, or paralyzed.
• They have an Intelligence of 2 (- 4), a Wisdom of 6
(-2), and a Charisma of 1 ( 5).
They lose the Pack Tactics trait and all languages they
once knew.
"My father 1s more powerful than any of you filthy crea- Each of the northern rooms has one duergar sleeping
tures could imagine You don't understand the glory of it, in it. The two duergar are brothers named Ruvik and
the power found in the ice. None of you do. But you will Skorn. If the characters move around without making
learn soon enough when my father unleashes his terror
any loud noises. the duergar stay asleep. If awakened,
they attack the intruders. The duergar sleep in their ar-
upon Ten-Towns! Your doom soars on dragon's wings!"
mor, keeping their shields and weapons within reach.
Treasure. The crates and most of the sacks contain
lf the characters let Nildar go or if he escapes, he leaves basic supplies, including blankets. rations, hempen
the outpost using the ogre zombie and dogsled in area rope, and other equipment. One small sack holds the
02; if that's no longer an option, he flees on foot. He re- stolen valuables from Caer-Konig: twenty-five pearls
turns to his father's fortress in the mountains (see chap- carved into decorative beads (5 gp each). Another sack
ter 3), swearing revenge on the characters and vowing to contains three daggers. a set ofwoodcarver's tools, a set
inflict great pain on them if their paths cross again. of navigator's tools, fishing tackle. and a potion ofheal-
Treasure. Characters who toss the room find a small ing hidden in a leather pouch along with 73 sp.
coin purse stuffed into Nildar's bedroll. The purse con-
tains 24 gp and 17 sp. CONCLUDI NG THE QUEST
When the characters return to the Northern Light, they
07. SPORE SERVANTS find Trovus passed out in a padded armchair while Allie
and Cori go about their work. If the characters tell Allie
about the duergar outpost, she admits to knowing noth-
This chamber appears to be a cellblock lined with stone
ing about duergar and is disturbed to learn that they can
doors that have small, barred windows set into them
1urn invisible and grow themselves to ogre size!
at dwarf's-eye height. Snow and wind enter the room If the characters retrieved the inn's lantern, Allie of-
through a barred window in the northeast corner that fers them a few flagons of ale as a reward. She has pre-
looks out toward the snow-covered bunker that guards pared rooms for them, even if they didn't bring back the
the main entrance. lantern. Allie can also help the characters return other
stolen goods to their proper owners in Caer-Konig.
CHAPTER l I TEN-TOWNS
52
DouGAN's HoLE
Dougan's Hole is the smallest and most insular of the
ten towns. Its residents aren't fond of visitors, and in-
eeding has caused the population to dwindle in recent
t-ears. It also has given rise to often-seen physical de-
rmities. including but not limited to small. misshapen
cars and slightly pointed teeth.
The town is a small cluster of dwellings perched on
e c-dge of Redwaters chat is too small to support any
mdustry not even scrimshaw. Ice has buckled the
oner of its two piers, rendering the dock unsafe. The
nger pier has two icebound keelboats tethered to it,
though they're immobile because Auril's winter has
rozen the surface of the lake for hundreds of yards
around them. Local fishers have hauled their smaller
boo.ts onto the shore and resorted to cutting holes in the
ICC 10 catch knucklehead trout, which they depend on for
rvival. Visitors to Dougan's Hole are often struck by
!'.he "eriness of dark, humanoid shapes out on the ice, re-
ining silent and still as the wind howls around them.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
53
. . ..-, ..
its wolf problem. Speaker Durmoot 1s stubborn to a
~· I
fault. She firmly believes that the missing teenagers
DOUGAN'S HOLE are dead, and she's not about to give food to the winter
wolves when her own people barely have enough to feed
themselves. She lets the characters deal with the winter
wolves as they see fit but offers no assistance.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
55
L2. FLENSING CHAMBER Garagai built the cage to hold Norsu when the mam-
moth was younger. Now it holds Silja and Finn Dejarr
(neutral good human commoners), who are de-
A sour stench of decay fills your nostrils. Lying on the ice- scribed below:
packed ground 1s the frozen corpse of a whale, crudely
Silja is a spindly girl with pointy teeth. Snow clings to
butchered. Beside it is a blade in the shape of a paring
the ends of her long braids. She is ready to do what-
knife the size of a longsword. ever it takes to gel back to her mother in Dougan's
Hole. Of the two siblings, she is the more proactive.
• Finn has a piebald face flanked by small, malformed
Garagai used this room to carve up whales and harvest
their oil. ears. He is examining the brackets that hold together
the slats of the cage to find a way to break them. His
Treasure. An alcove west of the carcass contains a
hands are frostbitten, and his teeth chatter uncon-
6-foot-long, 5-foot-wide, 5-foot-tall stone chest half bur-
trollably.
ied under ice. A character must spend l hour chipping
away the ice before the chest can be opened. It contains The cage's metal slats are widely spaced, but not
more giant-sized tools used for !lensing, as well as a enough for the teenagers to slip between them. The slats
scrimshaw goat small enough to fit in a character's are made of metal, and the cold makes them hard to ma-
band. The scrimshaw goac is worth 25 gp. nipulate. Applying heat to che slats makes them pliable,
whereupon a character can use an action to try to pull
L3. CAGED TOWNSFOLK two of the slats farther apart so that the slender Silja
and Finn can slip through. accomplishing this feat with
a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
A huge, slatted animal cage, with a locked gate attached
The lock on the cage's gate can be picked by a charac-
to 1t by rusty hinges, stands against the west wall of this ter using thieves' tools. An attempt takes 1 minute and
chamber. Trapped inside the cage are two shivering hu· succeeds on a DC 15 Dexterity check. Opening the gate
mans in cold weather clothing. They look fearfully at you. causes its large. rusty hinges to squeal loudly unless a
flask of oil is used to lubricate them first. If Norsu is still
alive, the mammoth hears the squealing and makes its
way from area LS to this area, determined to kill inter-
lopers on sight.
CHAPTER I I Tl!.N-TOWNS
L?. ENTRANCE CORRIDOR
The mammoth stares down at you with hate in its eyes.
"You are to blame for all of this!" It then lowers its head
This passageway is choked with ice. Above you, icicles
are densely clustered, their points sharp as daggers.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
57
The adventurers who slew Garagai took his greataxe L8. WHALE OIL STORAGE
as a trophy as well as hjs other personal possessions, A remorhaz has burrowed a tunnel into this room. The
leaving nothing of value on the hacked-up corpse. tunnel runs underneath the southern wall, providing an
Ice Throne. The symbol carved into the throne is the alternate entrance into the lodge.
Giant rune for "ice," as any character who succeeds on A foul scent pervades the room, which contains five
a DC 15 lntelligence (Arcana) check can ascertain. A barrels of whale oil. An intact barrel of whale oil weighs
detect magic spell reveals an aura of conjuration magic 500 pounds and can be sold in Ten-Towns for 50 gp.
around the rune. which empowers the throne. A crea- Treasure. The remorhaz is long gone, but characters
ture that sits in the throne becomes aware of its magical who explore its tunnel find a strange, frosced white res-
nature and can use an action while seated in the throne idue smeared across a 5-foot section of wall-enough
to summon a blizzard, which takes I minute to form. to fill a small bottle. This rare secretion is called thrym;
The blizzard engulfs the lodge, extends 1 mile from it in remorhazes are known to exude small quantities of it
all directions, and lasts for 8 hours. This property of the shortly before they give birth. Alchemists use thrym
throne recharges after a tenday. to craft potions ofresistance (cold} and other useful
If the ice throne is destroyed. it ceases to be magical. concoctions. A bottle of thrym sells for 250 gp. Any
The throne has AC 13; 80 hit points: resistance to pierc- character who is proficient with alchemist's supplies can
ing and slashing damage: immunity to cold, poison, and examine this residue and determine its true nature with
psychic damage; and vulnerability to fire damage. a successful DC lJ Intelligence (Arcana) check.
L6. WAR ROOM
SNEAKING OUT
With Silja and Finn in tow. the characters can try lo
A massive table hewn from a single block of ice stands sneak out of the lodge. As long as they keep quiet and
in the middle ofth1s cold chamber. surrounded by avoid the central chamber (area LS), they won"t incur the
chairs also made of ice. Many of the chairs are chipped wrath of the awakened mammoth. However, they must
and cracked. also deal with the two winter wolves lurking outside.
The remorhaz tunnel in area L8 provides an alternate
escape route, since the wolves aren't watching that exit.
Garagai and other frost giants once gathered around The trip back to Dougan's Hole can be uneventful, or
the table to discuss various matters. Lying on the floor you can roll for a random encounter using the Wilder-
under the table is a 1-foot-taU stone statuette of a spindly ness Encounters rules (see page 105). If the winter
creature that the characters recognize as che image of wolves are still alive, they attack the party as soon
a chwinga (see appendix C) if they've seen one before. as the random encounter ends, before the characters
Jn fact, the statuette is an actual chwinga that turned to have a chance to rest. Killing one wolf triggers the
stone when it died. Its killers are still in the room, hid- self-preservation instinct in its brother, causing it to Hee.
ing behind chairs: three lcewind kobolds (see appendjx
C) named Holgi, Snorp, and Zilbo. They assumed the CONCLUDING THE Q,UEST
lodge was unoccupied and did not expect to find Norsu If they escape the lodge and survive the journey home,
and the winter wolves dwelling inside. The chwinga Silja and Finn are reunited with their mother, Hilda,
startled them, so they killed it. When the characters who has been sick with worry but is overjoyed to see
enter this area, the kobolds cower behind chairs and pe- them alive.
tition the characters for help in escaping the lodge. If the
characters oblige, the kobolds stay with the characters TREASURE
until they're outdoors, whereupon the kobolds ejther Hilda married her older brother. who was a hunter. He
pare company with their saviors or remain with the char- passed away a few years ago but left behind some magic
acters for food and protection (al your discretion). boots he won from a wayward adventurer he bested in
a drinking contest. If one or both of her children are re-
I
L7. 1
GARAGAl S BEDROLL turned safely, Hilda gives the characters her husband's
boots of the winter/ands as a thank-you.
I I
E..i::.tway stretches between Easthaven and Bryn Easthaven's ferry, a keelboat, is trapped in the ice at the
nc.ier Snow-covered paths branching off this road end of a wooden dock. A small cabin is situated towa rd
tc Cacr-Dineval and Good Mead. Travel times in
the aft end of the hull.
Overland Travel from Easthaven table assume that
ractl'rs are on foot: mounts and dogsleds can shorten
sc time::. by as much as 50 percent. When the lake isn't frozen, this keelboat cransports
people and cargo to the towns of Caer-Oineval and
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
59
Caer-Konig for a modest fee. But the boat and much to this fortress is marked on Durth's map aboard
of Easthaven's harbor is t rapped in ice, and Speaker the ferry.)
Waylen has declared that ferry service must cease until • Xardorok's fortress has a forge powered by the
the ice thaws- which, given AuriJ's temperament, seems still-beating heart of a red dragon. In this forge, Xar-
unlikely to happen soon. The ferry's liefling owner and dorok is crafting a dragon made of chardalyn, with
operator, Scython, spends his idle time at the Wet Trout which he plans to destroy Ten-Towns. The chardalyn
(described below). In Scython's absence, the ferry has dragon is close to being finished.
become a base of operations for a duergar mind mas- • Xardorok has another son, Nildar, who commands a
ter (see appendix C) named Durth Sunblight. He and secret outpost on the northeast side of Kelvin's Cairn
three other duergar named Klaska, Ossyl, and Zublorr (see "The Unseen," page 47).
are using the ferry's aft cabin as a lair, but only Durth is
present when the characters first arrive at the ferry. The THE WET TROUT
other duergar are searching Eastbaven for chardalyn. Popular tavern
The duergar are cautious enough to turn invisible The Wet Trout, located near the docks. is the largest and
while moving through town and on the docks. but not loudest tavern in Easthaven, known for its ribald atmo-
smart enough to cover the tracks they make in the snow. sphere and rumor-mongering. A great chimney squarely
Characters who search for tracks on the snow-covered in the building's center has hearths on either side to
dock and succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check warm the tavern's two common rooms. The tavern's cur-
can discern ld4 distinct sets of dwarven boot prints rent owner and proprietor is Nymetra Myskyn, a chaotic
leading to and from the ferry. These tracks were made neutral dragonborn berserker of white dragon ances-
within the past 24 hours. try. Although she can be crusty and full of complaints.
Aft Cabin. The ice covering the cabin door has been Nymetra is not discouraged by the Everlasting Rime,
chipped away, and the door is not locked. The space is which she regards as a test of Ten-Towns' mettle. An un-
roughly 10 feet square and contains four sleeping bags, apologetic worshiper of AuriJ. she supports Easthaven's
packs of stolen rations, and a rolled-up map of Icewind attempts to appease the Frostmaiden with sacrifices
Dale that marks the location of every Ten-Towns set- (see "Sacrifices to Auril.~ page 21).
tlement, as well as the locations of the duergar outpost Scython. One of the Wet Trout's regular patrons is
near Kelvin's Cairn (see page 49) and Sunblight, the Scython, a neutral good tiefling bandit captain who
fortress hidden in the mountains (described in chap- owns a small house a few blocks away. Scython is also
ter 3). All of the place names on the map are written the owner and operator ofEasthaven's ferry. A talkative.
in Owarvish. happy-go-lucky fellow, he knows rumors that might
Lurking in the cabin is Ourth Sunblight. He knows interest the characters. Roll three times on che Ten-
when someone else boards the ship by the creaking of Towns Rumors table (page 18) to determine what
the deck. As a precaution, he turns invisible and stands Scython knows.
in an empty corner at the back of the cabin. If an in- Although he's well informed, Scython doesn't know
truder detects him or tries to steal his map, he attacks. about the duergar stowing away aboard his ship (see
If he's reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, he shrinks to "Easthaven Ferry" above).
Tiny size and flees through a 4-inch-diameter rathole,
exiting outside the ship 5 feet above the frozen harbor
and 5 feet away from the dock. If he escapes, Ourth re-
turns to his father's fortress in the mountains (see chap-
ter 3), abandoning his duergar companions.
Developmen t. Durth's companions have been scour-
ing Easthaven for chardalyn. Their latest search has
borne no fruit. and they return to the ferry 30 minutes
after the characters board it. These three duergar attack
any non-duergar they encounter onboard the vessel.
rr they find Ourlh's dead body or no signs of him at all
aboard the ferry, they abandon the ship and don't re-
turn to it.
rr the characters capture Durth, he warns his captors
that he's the son of Xardorok Sunblight, who will soon
claim Icewind Dale as his kingdom, and it would be un-
wise for them to earn the wrath of so powerful a fig-
ure. Ourth doesn't give up any other information.
His companions are similarly tight-lipped; how-
ever, threats to Durth's life or the clever use
of a suggestion spell or similar magic can
persuade one or more them to reveal
the following additional information:
• Xardorok has a fortress hidden
in the mountains. (The route
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
60
EASTHAVEN
..
• ·J '.
1 9· (ASTHAVfN
THE WHITE LADY INN White Lady can help. Aren't you curious to hear what
she has to say?"
Lf one or more characters are present when the seance
Thi-. musty old inn is named after a local legend known begins, read:
tl'ie White Lady-a ghost rumored to walk on Lac
Dm·1eshere, haunting the spot where her rich husband
· wned. Rinaldo (lawful good Strongheart halfiing Smoke from burning incense clouds the room. Multicol·
commoner), a self-styled bard kept around to entertain ored lamps and silks are hung from the rafters, and the
... rs. is fond of plucking his fiddle while recounting light from several candles illuminates a circle of uncom-
ale: that the White Lady's husband was a miser who
fortable-looking guests sitting cross-legged on the Aoor.
· his treasure in a heavy, locked chest that never
his side. Perhaps it was this heavy chest, suggests Rinaldo pushes back the sleeves of his robe, raises his
aldo, that capsized his boat and sent the man to hands, closes his eyes, and intones, "Lady who watches
-.unken. grave, or perhaps it was the fright of seeing from the lake, come to us 1n our darkest hour! Tell us
dead wife that caused him to capsize the boat and what you've seen[" After a moment of silence, thick frost
wn. Either way. Rinaldo is certain that the man's
forms on the inside of the room's windows, turning them
"!'eds~re lies at the bottom of the lake, waiting for some
!1"ep1d explorer to find it. The inn's sullen, elderly opaque, and the candles go out one by one.
~rietor, Bartaban (neutral good human commoner),
" leard the halfling's rambling far too often to be hu- Rinaldo senses that the White Lady's spirit is close and
-ed by it.
~rges the characters to reach out to it. Ask the players
seance. Rinaldo is planning to conduct a seance in a m turn what their characters say or do. The characters
" room of the inn and has invited half a dozen other who try to help Rinaldo must make a DC 12 Charisma
e-.ts (commoners) to join him. Characters who spend (Persuasion) group check. If the group check fails, the
Jr more nights at the inn are invited by Rinaldo to White Lady's spirit manifests as a poltergeist and at-
his seance. If the characters decline. Rinaldo is dis- tacks the party, frightening away the other participants.
:;poinced and tries to get them to change their minds by This poltergeist uses the specter stat block, with the
~:mg. MWe live in dark times. Perhaps the spirit of the
CHAPTER l I TEN-TOWNS
61
changes outlined in the "Variant: Poltergeist'' sidebar
that appears with it in the Monster Manual. TOIL A N D TROU BLE
If the group check succeeds, Rinaldo can sense that The quest in Easthaven begins at the same time as the
the spirit is receptive and urges the characters to ask it burning of the Red Wizard. Dzaan. who is described
questions. The spirit replies truthfully by tracing short. in the ··Arcane Brotherhood'' section of appendix C.
two- to five-word answers on the room's frosted win- Whether the characters are starting the adventure io
dows. If doing that becomes too cumbersome, the spirit Easthaven or have just arrived. they are present during
uses Rinaldo as a vessel to whisper the answers. ff the Dzaan·s fiery execution. They're too late to save Dzaan.
spirit doesn't know an answer or thinks a question is but they might encounter a magical copy of him again in
foolish, it shatters a window instead. Once it answers chapter 2 (see "Lost Spire of Netheril.- page 145).
three questions, the spirit departs. and Rinaldo can't try The captain of Easthaven's militia, lmdra Arlaggath.
to summon it again until he finishes a long rest. takes notice of the characters during the burning and
Here's what the White Lady knows about the recent offers them a quest. Some fishers have gone missing on
happenings around Lac Dinneshere: Lac Dinneshere, and she wants the characters to take a
• The castle in Caer-Dineval has become a base for a boat and search for them. She knows where the fishers
devil-worshiping cult. like to fish and urges the characters to search that part
• Gray-skinned dwarves have been stal king the of the lake first. If they heed lmdra's advice, they find the
streets of Easthaven, Caer-Dineval, and Caer-Konig fishers' boats pulled up on the ice within short walking
while invisible. Their intentions aren"t good. They distance from a frozen cave previously bidden under
hide aboard the town ferry (see "Easthaven Ferry" snow and ice. This cave, the characters soon discover, is
above) and in the ruins of Dioev's Rest (see "Dinev's the lair of a hag named Maud Chiselbone.
Rest." page 38). Characters who explore the cave complex find the
• A magic cauldron is hidden in some frozen, lakeside bodies of the fishers, as well as Maud's cauldron of
caves. The cauldron is guarded by an evil hag named plenty (see appendix 0). The cauldron is a stunning dis-
Maud Chiselbone and can conjure enough stew to covery and a welcome one for the people of Ten-Towns,
feed a starving Lown indefinitely (see "Toil and Trou- if the characters choose to part with it. If news of the
ble" below). cauldron spreads, the characters will quickly find them-
selves the center of attention as various towns strive to
The White Lady doesn't remember the details of her obtain it. With no end to winter in sight. the cauldron
own death or the fate of her lost love. Once her spirit de- might be the last thing standing between one town's sur-
parts, the frost on the windows dissipates. vival and another's extinction.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
lick clean the bones of her ~guests." The four fishers
THE SEARCH B EGINS
from Easlbaven are her latest victims.
Much of Lac Dinneshere is covered with ice. Only the
hardiest anglers venture out to fish for knucklehead FEATURES OF T H E CAVES
trout. To wrangle such a catch, fishers must drag their The caves have the following recurring features:
boats across the ice to open water and wait patiently out Moaning Wind. The howling wind that blows through
on the lake in the freezing cold for hours at a time. To the caves sounds Like a moaning crone, which is
fend off the chill, they often bring bottles of ale to keep bone-chilling enough to deter most would-be explor-
warm. Imbibing too much is dangerous, for it makes ers. The wind blows out candles and other small
the anglers more susceptible to being pulled overboard flames but is otherwise harmless.
by stubborn knuckleheads. Too much ale also leads to Ice Everywher e. Slippery ice covers every wal1, ceiling,
foolhardy decisions. Such was the fate of four old an- and floor (see "Slippery Ice" in the Dungeon Master's
glers from Easthaven, who abandoned their trusty boat, Guide). Characters with crampons strapped to their
Bunch o' Knuckleheads, to follow a tantalizing scent boots can traverse the ice without impediment.
emanating from the mouth of a lakeside cave. Inside, High Ceilings. The caves have 50-foot-high ceilings.
they encountered a hag named Maud Cbiselbone and The tunnels connecting the caves are 30 feet high.
a spicy concoction she prepared using her cauldron of Moonligh t. Infrequent. naturally occurring breaks in
plenty. Maud took the opportunity to season her stew the ceiling allow moonlight into the caves, causing ar-
with the ale-soaked anglers before adding their bones to eas of the complex to be dimly lit on clear nights.
her growing collection.
AREAS O F T H E C AU LDRON C AVE S
ABANDONED ROWBOAT
The characters find the Bunch o' Knuckleheads along The following locations are keyed to map 1.10.
the coast:
U l. CAVE MOUTH S
The characters must climb icy cliffs to reach the three
A rowboat bobs untethered in the water amid some small northernmost caves, which are above water level. No
ice floes, not fa r from the eighty-foot-high cliffs that abut ability check is required to do so, given the abundant
the shoreline. The mo uths of four caves dot the snowy handholds and footholds on the cliffs.
Water used to flow out of the southernmost tunnel and
cliffside. One of these caves is at water level, and the
feed into the lake. That water is now frozen solid. creat-
others are elevated twenty to thirty feet above the frozen ing a floor of ice several feel thick. The fishers entered
lake. The wind tearing through these icy caves sounds the cave complex by this route, as evidenced by tracks
like moan ing. in the snow that clings to the ice. With a successful DC
10 Wisdom (Survival) check, the characters can follow
these four sets of human tracks as far as area U7, where
Characters who search the abandoned rowboat find four they disappear. The fishers made it all the way to area
oars, four sets of fishing tackle, and a dozen empty bot- U9, where they met their doom.
tles lying in it. Characters can also see faint tracks on
the ice leading from the boat to the southernmost cave, U2. D IRE WOLF D EN
which is where the four missing anglers went. The spicy A hungry dire wolf haunts this dark cave, the uneven
scent that lured the fishers into the cave is not present floor of which is strewn with animal and humanoid
when the characters arrive. bones. Unless the characters offer it fresh meat, the
As the characters conclude their search of the rowboat dire wolf attacks them_ It's too mean-tempered to be
and make their way toward the caves, two harpies fly befriended. The wolf bas no trouble scrambling up or
over the coastline. Like many creatures in this region, down the 20-foot-high wall at the mouth of its den.
the harpies are starving and eager for anything they can
I
eat. 1f one is killed, the other flees. U3. CAVE D RAWINGS
I
THE CAU LDRON C AVES
This cave has ancient, stick·figure drawings carved into
A cave network extends into the snow-swept cliffs along
its northern wa ll.
the shore of Lac Dinneshere. This complex once con-
tained a sacred hot spring where elderly frost giants
came to end their lives in a drowning ritual. Now, the A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence
waters have frozen over. (History) check can correctly interpret the carvings,
The caves have long been home to a lake hag named which show frost giants wading up a river lo a cav-
Maud Chiselbone. Maud has amassed a collection of ern that contains a hot spring. in which they drown
bones and trinkets taken from wayward explorers who themselves.
blundered into her lair. Maud once shared her caves
with two sisters, but the coven had a falling out. The U4. M OANING CAVERN
bones of Maud's dead sisters are among those on dis- The cave is empty except for three ice-covered pillars
play in her home. Maud is always hungry and likes to composed of mineral depo!:>its.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
MAP I 10 CAULDRON CAVES
US. ICY BRIDGE shrill laugh, dread sunk its teeth in me. Ye gods, that
A natural stone bridge spans the frozen river 20 feet horrible cackle! I shall leave these caves in the morn-
rlow. The top of the bridge is covered with a slippery, ing and never return.~
-v glaze. Crossing the bridge safely requires a success-
.JJ DC 10 Dexterity {Acrobatics) check. A creature that
U7. WATERFALL
.ils the check faUs off the bridge and lands prone on the The river used to tumble over a small waterfall in this
fruzen river below, taking 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage area, following the current west toward Lac Dinneshere.
from the fall. The waterfalJ now takes the form of a 10-foot-tall sheet
of ice that can be climbed with a successful DC lO
:.;G. OLD CAMP Strength {Athletics) check. The ice is thin, however, and
easily broken: the first creature of Medium size or larger
to fail the check causes the ice to crack and fall, releas-
~his cave contains an abandoned campsite. ing a dormant water weird. Afcer the ice breaks, enough
ice remains that characters can still climb it, but the DC
of the check increases to 15.
C·1aracters who search the charred remains of the Lodged in the rocks behind the waterfall arc items
.mpfire can find three torn-out pages, only partially that were caught in the river, including an explor-
urned, from a journal written in Dwarvish. er's pack and a miner's pick. After the water weird
Written on the loose pages are an anonymous dwarf's is released and dealt with, these items can be safely
m;isings about the cave complex. Characters who exam- recovered.
m .... the pages find a couple of noteworthy passages:
• -These caves are sacred to the frost giants. The carv- U8. SACRED SPRING
ings on the wall suggest that the giants came here to An underground river once spilled into a pool in this
drown themselves. Did they use the hot spring as a area, filling it with steaming mineral water and over-
">acrificial poolr 8owing to the west. The river and the pool are now fro-
*The wind truly sounds like a wailing woman. One zen and will remain so until the Everlasting Rime ends.
could easily go mad in this place." On clear nights, moonlight shines through an opening
"I think there's someone living in these caves. Shortly in the ceiling and illuminates the pool. The minerals in
after discovering the hot spring, I heard what sounded the ice have turned it a cloudy. bright blue. Entombed in
like a granny singing. When the song ended with a the ice are the remains of four frost giants, the faint out-
lines of their forms barely visible.
CHAPT.ER 1 I T£N-TOWNS
65
U9. OssuARY UlO. CAULDRON OF PLENTY
This cave is higher in elevation than the tunnels leading The lake hag. Maud Chiselbone (use the sea hag scat
to it. but it's easily reached by climbing one of two flights block). and her w ill-o'-wisp companion await charac-
of crudely carved stairs. ters in the middle of this cave. Maud stands between
On clear nights. moonlight enters the cave through her cauldron of plenty (see appendix D) and a stone
natural fissures in the ceiling. Fresh blood paints the block atop whic'h she butchers whatever meat is des-
icy noor, indicating that one or more creatures were tined for her stew. Heaped around this block are rusty
butchered here recently. (This is where the fishers from hatchets and the flayed corpses of the four fishers from
Easthavcn met their end.) More obvious than the blood Easthavcn. The will o'-wisp is normally invisible when
are all the bones: knucklehead trout spines. humanoid its light is extinguished. but it brightens when it wants
skeletons in pieces, and bones of small ani mals and intruders to behold Maud's true, hideous form.
birds, along with scraps of clothing and armor and a few Maud disguises herself as a decrepit old woman. In
rusty weapons. this form, she wears tattered furs to stave offtbe cold. In
Sitting among the bones in the middle of the cave is a her natural form, Maud has sickly grayish-purple flesh,
frost giant sk eleton (see appendix C) pa rtially encased bulging eyes that seldom blink, and stringy black hair
in ice. It remains inanimate until it takes damage or interwoven with fingerbones. If her disguise is pierced
until an intruder enters the ossuary. Instead of rolling or the characters threaten her. Maud summons the frost
initiative for it. have it act on initiative count 1. The skel- giant skeleton m area U9 to fight on her behalf. but it
eton spends its first two curns in combat doing nothing takes two rounds to arrive. If the skeleton is destroyed,
other than breaking out of the ice and getting to its feet. Maud assumes her true form and takes on the charac·
which gives the characters time to Bee or get in a few ters herself. She won't give up her lair or the magic caul-
hits before the skeleton attacks. dron without a fight.
This creature killed the fishers from Easthaveo. and If she is reduced to 9 hit pomts or fewer, Maud tries to
Maud is the only one who can control it. The skeleton make a deal. She agrees to surrender the cauldron and
tries to kill anyone else who enters chis cave and pur- promises to deliver a chest filled with gold coins that lies
sues fleeing prey as far as it can without leaving the in the muck at the bottom of Lac Dinneshere. If the deal
cave complex. is struck and the characters release her as promised,
Maud returns to the lake to make good on her end of the
bargain. As she departs, she tells the characters to wait
in the caves until midnight, then head north along the
shore for a mile. If they follow her instructions, they find
C ONCLUDING T H E Q UEST
Laptain Arlaggnlh is saddened by the news that the
missing fishers are dead, yet eager to hear a full account
f tht> characters· visit co the Cauldron Caves.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
jail (area Tl8). the Zhents remove the cauldron from If too much time has passed to track the duergar, the
the Town Hall, lash it to the axe beak with rope, and characters have no way to know where they went-just
toss the keys 10 the jail cells into a snowbank. The axe as well, given the perils of the duergar fortress. A search
beak is strong enough to drag the cauldron through of the East haven ferry yields no clues. as the duer-
the snow behind it as the Zhents lead it back to Targos. gar took all their belongings (including Durth's map)
The Zhents don't stop until the cauldron is delivered to with them.
Speaker Naerth Maxildanarr at the Luskan Arms (see
page 86). Any tracks they make in the snow are oblit- DEVELOPMENT
erated after ld4 hours by blowing wind. Although they Unless they happen to be inside or near the Town Hall
are lawful evil, the Zhents have strict orders not to kill when the duergar arrive, the characters won't know
anyone. Enemies they reduce to 0 hit points are knocked about the lhefl until word reaches their ears the follow-
unconscious rather than slain. ing day, when Speaker Waylen asks them to find the
thieves and return the missing fragments of cbardalyn,
DEVELOPMENT so that he can lock them up with the other pieces that
Characters at the Town Hall can attempt to thwart the the thieves left behind. Waylen is willing to pay 50 gp for
robbery. If no characters are present during the robbery, each stolen fragment that is returned to him.Uthe char·
the theft becomes apparent when the characters return acters aren't already aware of the properties of charda-
to the Town Hall to close the deal with Speaker Waylen. lyn, Waylen warns them about the demonic magic suf-
Tf they arrive in the early hours of the morning, they fusing the crystal and urges them not to come in direct
hear loud banging coming from the dungeon. where the contact with any of the fragments.
speaker and his guards are locked up. Otherwise. they Characters who are determined to find the stolen char-
arrive to find Captain Arlaggath and a small retinue of dalyn fragments can question Easthaven's townsfolk to
town guards trying co break open the cell doors. see if anyone saw suspicious activity on the night of the
Speaker Waylen is stung by Prudence's betrayal, as robbery. Any character who spends an hour knocking
she worked closely with him for nearly three years. He on doors and inquiring about town can make a DC 14
had no idea she worked for the Zhentarim. If the char- Charisma (Investigation) check at the end of that hour.
acters don't know where the Zhents took the cauldron, On a failed check, no useful information is obtained.
Waylen recalls that Prudence offhandedly mentioned If the check succeeds, the character is urged to speak
having family in Targos. (Her "family" is the Zhentarim.) with Scython. the tiefling ferryman, who spends most
He suggests they search for the cauldron there. Charac- of his free time in a tavern called the Wet Trout. Scy-
ters can find Prudence Tarkwold at the Luskan Arms, thon is widely regarded as a font of useful information.
where she has a private room to herself. As for the caul- Although he doesn't know anything about the duergar
dron, Speaker Maxildanarr has it and won't give it up or the stolen chardalyn, be knows several rumors that
without a fight. might steer the characters in new directions (see "The
Wet Trout," page 60). Once the characters are 4th
THE C H A RDALYN C A PER level. the adventure steers them toward the duergar for-
The duergar hiding aboard the Easthaven ferry attack tress in chapter 3. where the stolen chardalyn fragments
the Town Hall in the dead of night, determined to steal can be found (see area X26 on page 180).
pieces of a ship's figurehead made of chardalyn. This
theft occurs while most townsfolk, including Speaker E ASTH AVEN T OWN H ALL
Waylen, are asleep in their homes. For more informa- Lnformation about Easthaven's Town Hall is provided
tion about the duergar and what they know, see the here, along with a map. You can use map 1.11 to repre-
"Easthaven Ferry" section (page 59). sent other town halls in Ten-Towns. as needed.
Easthaven's Town Hall is a two-story, wattle-and-daub
0UERGAR THIEVES building where townsfolk come to renew licenses, pay
If he's still alive, Ourth Sunblight, a duer gar mind fines, settle petty claims. file complaints, and gather to
master (see appendix C), leads three duergar named discuss important issues. The flag of East haven Butters
Klaska, Ossyl, and Zublorr to the Town Hall under the atop a cupola on the Town Hall's steeply pitched rooftop.
cover of night, making their way inside through the All above-ground levels have wooden noors, with
north entrance. Barring the characters' intervention, framed oil paintings by local artists mounted above
the duergar use their weapons to shatter the chardalyn the wainscoting. The doors on these levels are made of
figurehead in area T6. The guards in area Tl 7 interrupt sturdy wood and have no locks. though the outermost
the duergar but are no match for them. After killing the doors can be barred from within. The dungeon level
guards with their war picks, the duergar finish breaking is hewn out of solid rock and has sturdy iron doors
apart the figurehead. throughout. Low-burning lanterns hang from iron brack-
Each duergar carries one sack that can hold up to ets or the rafters, dimly lighting all interior locations.
five 20-pound fragments of chardalyn. After filling their The following locations are keyed to map 1.11.
sacks, the duergar exit the Town Hall and travel to their
hidden fortress in the mountains (described in chapter
3). Any tracks left by the duergar are obliterated after
ld4 hours by blowing wind.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
68
MAP 1 11 EASTMllVEN TowN H11u
Tl. RECEPTION HALL The speaker's chair has Easthaven's heraldry worked
into its backrest, whereas the other chairs don't.
A secret door in the northwest corner is concealed
This chamber is decorated with oil patntings dep1cttng behind a tapestry depicting a snow-capped mountain. It
life in Easthaven, including a large painting of the town swings open into area Tl. Any character who searches
itself on the north wall. Mounted on the south wall is the wall for secret doors finds it automatically.
a five-foot-long, stuffed knucklehead trout. Its wooden T4. COAT CLOSET
plaque bears an engraved copper plate that reads, in This is the speaker's personal coat closet. A full set of
Common, "Big Knuck, caught by Easthaven fishers cold weather clothing is stored in the wooden trunk.
1 during the summer of 1479 DR."
T5. PRIVY
This room contains a toilet, a bucket and mop, a simple
A secret door in the northeast corner is partially con- wash basin, and a towel rack.
cealed behind a tall, slender oil painting of fishing boats
on Lac Dinaeshere. lt pulls open to reveal the speaker's T6. CRARDALYN FIGUREHEAD
office (area T3) beyond. Any character who searches the Provided the duergar haven't destroyed it, a startling
wall for secret doors finds it automatically. discovery awaits characters in this room:
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
Gg
lf the figurehead is intact and the characters partici- If the ghost is reduced to 0 hit points, it fades away
pated in Rinaldo's seance (see page 61), they see with a scream as the White Lady's spirit is forced back
something else as well: to the lake. where it remains thereafter.
CHAPTER l I TEN-TOWNS
73
The ogre killed all five humans with its greatclub If the characters don't have the fox or choose not to
and then headed for home. Characters can follow its let it go. the chwinga follows them all the way to the ver-
tracks in the snow without a check. A successful DC becg lair. if permitted to do so. but won't venture inside.
12 Wisdom (Survival) check identifies these tracks as
belonging to a Large giant. Following these tracks leads VERBEEG L A IR
the characters on a path through the woods until, after 8
The lair's caves and tunnels have rough, 20-foot-high
hours, they come upon the verbeeg's lair.
ceilings covered with large icicles. The noors arc some-
THE Fox AND THE CIIWINCA what uneven but not rough enough to be difficult terrain.
The characters have one encounter while they follow the The verbceg, named Duhg, needs light to see, which is
ogre's trail. A chwinga (see appendix C) pops out of the why he keeps a bonfire lit in area V3 and carries a torch
snow and hurls a wee snowball at the lead character in when he visits the darker corners of his lair.
the party's marching order. Once it has the party's atten- The following locations arc keyed to map 1.13.
tion, it capers atop the snow.
Vl. THREE ENTRANCES
If the characters rescued the fox from Pef Moryn, lhe
The ogre's tracks lead characters to a frozen stream,
animal bolts toward the chwinga if it's allowed to do so.
then along it to the vcrbeeg's lair:
The chwinga bows before the fox and offers it a frozen
berry. which the fox gobbles up. After that. the cbwinga
and the fox become fast friends. The chwinga mounts The trail culminates at a rocky hillside with pines growing
the fox, bestows a charm ofanimal conjuring or one around its base. Set into the hill are three caves.
of the new charms described in appendix C (see ~New
The frozen creek emerges from the west cave, which
Chwinga Charms," page 283) upon the character it
has a low-hanging mouth.
hit with the snowball, and rides off on the fox's back.
(For more information on charms, see "Supernatural The center cave-an eight-foot-high passage hewn
Gifts" in the Dungeon Master's Guide.) The characters from the rock is moderately blocked by a tight stand of
can interrupt this scene if they want; the cbwinga won't conifers and two massive fallen logs.
bestow its supernatural charm, however, if events unfold The northeast cave has a big, yawning mouth, and
any differently.
Aickers of light emanate from within. The tracks of your
quarry head through this entrance.
Characters can enter the verbeeg lair through any of If the characters make a lot of noise, the ogre comes
these paths. If they take the time to examine the hillside running from area VS and the verbeeg marauder (see
to the east more thoroughly, they find a fourth cave en appendix C) approaches from area V9. bmh arriving
trance (area V2). at the same time. They try to kill intruders on sight.
If more than two intruders are visible, the verbeeg
V2. MAIN ENTRANCE whistles for the cave bear. which arrives 3 rounds Later
from area V7.
If it's close enough to the bonfire, the verbecg can
Half-submerged in the icy mire are the bones, skull, and
use bis action to try to shove a creature into the Rames
tusks of a long-dead mammoth. Beyond these remains is (see UShoving a Creature" in the combat chapter of che
a yawning cave mouth. Player's Handbook). Any creature that encers the bonfire
for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes
JO (3d6) fire damage. It also catches fire as it leaves the
This route leads to the firelit cave (area V3) and the re
bonfire's space. taking 3 (ld6) fire damage at the starts
fuse pil (area V4).
of each of its turns until an action is used to put out the
V3. FIRELIT CAVE flames engulfing it.
This cavern is slightly sunken. as all tunnels leading to Characters in a position to harm the verbeeg's goats
it slope down gradually.
and sheep (see "Animals" below) can use an action to
threaten one or more of these animals and, with a sue
cessful DC lO Charisma (Intimidation) check, cause the
A bonfire in the middle of this cave keeps it lit and rela· verbccg to cease hostilities and call off the ogre and the
tively warm. The scent of roasting meat fi lls the air as a cave bear. Under such pressure, the verbeeg is willing to
hunk of meat on a spit drips juices into the fire. Goats let intruders leave the lair without further incident, pro
vided the animals in the pen are not harmed or taken.
and sheep are held in a spacious animal pen enclosed by
' One crace is packed with straw. which the verbeeg
a crude wooden fence. Other features of the cave include feeds to the goats and sheep. The other contains ten
a wooden cart with a broken wheel, two old crates, and large torches, which the verbeeg made out of wood and
two barrels. pitch. The barrels are half.filled with salt and pepper.
which the verbeeg uses to season his meat.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
75
Animals. The livestock pen holds seven goats and six discourage the cave bear from rooting through them.
sheep, all in healthy condition. Use the goat stat block Lowering a basket by using its mechanism requires an
for each sheep, with these changes: action. The baskets contain sheep shears, milk pails,
bristle brushes, and several bags of grain and oats sto-
• A sheep is a Small beast with 3 (ld6) hit points and a
len from caravans on the Eastway_ One of the baskets,
walking speed of 30 feet.
determined randomly, contains the verbeeg's treasure
• It lacks the Charge feature and any effective attacks,
(see "Treasure" below).
giving it a challenge rating of 0 (O XP).
Casks ofHoney Mead. One of the three casks is
The verbeeg acquired his livestock by robbing travel- empty, the verbeeg and ogre having shared its contents:
ers on the East way. He considers these beasts his trea- each of the other two holds 20 galJons of honey mead.
sured pets and has given names to all of them. He has Each full cask weighs 200 pounds.
trained the ogre and the cave bear not to attack them. Treasure. The verbeeg's treasure basket holds 72 sp,
What'.s Gookin;? The meat roasting on the spit is a 344 cp, a translucent pink moss agate gemstone (10 gp),
piece of what used to be Artin Glanhig, a shield dwarf a healer's kit, a huming trap, and a small rabbit-skin bag
lumberjack from Bryn Shander who crossed paths with containing ten si lvered sling stones.
the verbeeg. A small bundle near a log by the fire con-
tains Arlin's battleaxe and his thick leather boots. The V6. FROZEN STREAM
verbeeg is fashioning a small knife he can use to care-
fully unstitch the boots and reuse the leather.
To the north along the frozen stream, the tunnel splits,
V4. REFUSE PJT with one way continuing north and the other veering
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
·he spell is cast. Before the statue can be touched, the is sitting cross-legged in the tunnel, a lit corch on the
·haracters must dig through a foot of ice to reach it. fioor nearby. The verbeeg is sharpening a stone knife
The statue blesses the pool, such that any creature he found in the old tomb. Duhg plans to use this knife to
·hat drinks from it gains the benefit of a greater resto- unstitch the dwarven boots in area V3. Leaning against
ration spell. This magic is suppressed while the pool a wall, within easy reach, is Duhg's spear.
~frozen. A given creature can gain the pool's benefit
'"Inly once. V10. ANCIENT TOMB
CHAPTER 1 I T.EN-TOWNS
77
Treasure. Clutched in the chieftain's left hand is a conc<'rn 1f the characters left one or both of the verbeeg
pearl ofpower. In her right hand is a +1 wand of the war alive. ~fter all. what's lo stop them from terrorizing the
mage. A curse befalls any creature that removes either town a(!a1n">
magic item or any of the chieftain's remains from the
burial niche. Until the curse ends on it. the creature is NEw Tow~ S PEAKER
haunted by phantasmal nightmares whenever it takes a As the characters are recuperating from their adventure
long rest and gains no benefit from that rest. Replacing or plannini:? their next excursion, a local cask maker
the stolen object ends the curse. as does a remove curse named 011\cssa Untapoor (neutral good human com-
spell or similar magic. moner) approaches the party leader. if there is one. lf no
character has assumed that role. Ohvessa approaches
AFFAIRS OF THE HEART the character with highest Charisma score:
As the characters exit the verbeeg lair. read:
A middle-aged woman approaches you and removes her
A verbeeg strides through the snow, approaching the thick wool scarf so that she can speak clearly. "My name
mouth of the cave. Her misshapen face bears a too- 1s Ol1vessa, and I make the casks for the mead. Some
wide smile. She clutches a spear in one hand while friends of mine don' t want Shandar Froth to become our
using her other arm to cradle a wicker basket filled with next town speaker. They say he's untrustworthy. I don't
bits of shiny metal. "Duhg?" she shouts in Common. know him that well, but I've been urged to run against
"You home?" him. I have no interest in the speakership, but you seem
to be a good leader, and this town could use one. What
do you say?"
Gahg. a ve rbeeg marauder (see appendix C). has ar-
rived for a romantic encounter with Duhg. Gahg has
brought along some fragments of metal that she hopes Olivessa is ready and willing to throw her support
wilt impress Duhg. who had been planning to give Gahg behind any character who runs in the election for the
a cask of hon<'y mead. speakership, and since she's a leading candidate herself.
Tfthe characters try to stop Gahg from entering her support carries weight. Her opponent. Shandar
Duhg's lair, Gahg becomes alarmed. then enraged. She Froth (neutral shield dwarf commoner). doesn·t like this
drops the wicker basket and attacks the characters. turn of events. After accusing the characters of having
afraid that something terrible has happened to Duhg. no stake in Good "1ead's future. he leaves town for a day
Tf the characters run away. Gahg checks on Duhg to to get help (sec ~zhcntarim Intervention~ below).
make sure he is unharmed. allowing the party a head A character who spends at least 1 hour making
start back to Good "1ead. If the characters run back into inquiries throughout town can learn the following
the verbeeg lair and try to hide, Gahg searches for them information about the two leading candidates for the
after locating Duhg. speakership:
rr only one verbceg survives contact with the char-
acters, it won't rest until it has revenge for the death Olivess::i has deep roots in Good Mead. He r family
of its potential mate. A vcrbeeg is smart enough not to has lived in the town since its founding. She's quite
act rashly against the party, but it might vent its fury by reserved and doesn't have any family of her own. She
launching more hit-and-run attacks on Good Mead. lives alone in the house closest to the Shrine of the
Flaming Sword.
GAHG'S BASKET OF BITS Shandar has lived in Good Mead for a few yea rs and
The metal fragments gathered by Gahg are pieces of is popular among the town's loggers. He can be a bully
a futuristic weapon that was jettisoned from the cargo and a blowhard, but there's nothing he wouldn't do for
hold of an illithid nautiloid before the spaceship crashed his friends. He lives with five other loggers in a small
(see page 132). Gahg witnessed the crash. which house on the west side of town.
looked like a cornet streaking across the sky. then found Zhentarim Intervention. Shandar is under the thumb
the weapon·s wreckage and took some of it. A character of Naerth Maxildanarr. the speaker ofTargos. Faced
who examines the fragments and succeeds on a DC 20 with the possibility of losing the election. Shandar
Intelligence (Arcana) check realizes that the metal is not makes the 8-hour hike to Targos to warn aerth and
something one could expect to find on this world. then promptly returns home. A day later. eight human
Treasure. The metal bits are worth a total of 75 gp to thugs storm the mead hall in cold weather clothing.
a tinkerer or blacksmith. Before the characters can intervene. Shandar and his
fellow loggers confront 1he thugs and kick them out of
CONCLUDING THE QUEST town with their tails between their legs. The whole inci-
Once the characters find the two remaining casks of dent is orchestrated to make Shandar into a local hero.
honey mead. they'll need to figure out a way to haul Characters who capture and interrogate one or more of
them back to Good Mead. After they solve that prob- the thugs learn that Naerth Maxildanarr hired them.
lem, they have a safe trip back to town. The townsfolk If the characters fai l to expose the deception, Shandar
are happy to see the stolen mead returned but express is elected town speaker, giving the Zhentarirn a political
foothold in Good M€'acl.
LONELYWOOD IN A NUTSHELL
Friendliness .., t: * Services ** Comfort ** value their privacy and are much less inclined towel-
Available Quest. "The White Moose." page 80. come strangers into their meager dwellings.
Population. 100. The following locations are marked on map 1.14.
Leader. Speaker Nimsy I luddlc (lawful good strong-
heart halfling commoner) speaks for the townsfolk. THE HAPPY SCRIMSHANDER
Ever since the local inn closed its doors, Nimsy has Shop
opened her heated attic to visitors looking for a place This little shop facing the docks sells the tools of the
to crash for the night. She bakes hatning-shaped scrimshander's trade: needles and knives in a wide
cookies and brings them to meetings of the Council array of shapes and sizes, inks in a rainbow of colors,
of Speakers. and wax used to seal an engraving when it's done. The
'1.ilitia. Lonelywood can muster up to 50 soldiers (use shop's owner is a doughy spinster of few words named
the tribal warrior stat block) and 4 veterans. friskree Harrowhill (retired neutra l human assassin).
Heraldry. Two narrow white triangles, one descend- She doesn't talk about her shady past except co speak
ing from the center top. the other rising from center fondly of people she once knew who have since died.
bottom. almost meet on a forest-green field. The top
triangle represents an icicle, denoting Lonelywood's THE LUC KY LIAR
northerly localion; the bottom triangle is an ivory Tavern
horn, representing the town's scrimshaw trade. Fishers and woodcutters gather here in the evenings to
Sacrifice to Auril. Food (see page 21). weave tall tales the more outrageous and embellished.
Rivals. Bremen, Targos. Termalaine. the better. From time to time, patrons whose tongues
have been loosened by drink let slip valuable or dan-
OVERLAND TRAVEL gerous secrets. Characters who loiter in the tavern are
.\three-mile-long snow-covered path conneccs Lonely- likely to hear a rumor or two. which you can determine
wood to Termalaine. Characters on foot can walk this by rolling on the Ten Towns Rumors table (page 18).
path in 2 hours; mounts and dogsleds can shonen this Tbe tavern's raven-haired barkeep, Danae Xotal (law-
· 1me by as much as 50 percem. ful evil human spy). files away these secrets as she goes
about her serving work with quiet circumspection. Her
LOCATIONS IN LONELYWOOD secret is that she's a Thayan agent working for Szass
Lonelywood has no inns or other places for visitors to Tam, the most powerful lich in Thay. Danae was planced
rest. except for the town speaker's house, which has a in lcewind Dale years ago lo watch for enemies of Szass
spacious. heated attic that can accommodate characters Tam who might seek refuge in Ten-Towns. No one else
looking for a night's rest. Other residents of Lonelywood in Ten-Towns knows her secret, and those she has
marked as enemies in the past have quietly vanished.
CffAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
81
W OLF PAC K If the <'haracH•r., watch the location for an hour or more
A pack of I d4 + 4 wo lves descends upon the party. from a ..,afc di.,tanl'e away. they see the awakened white
If thrrr or more \.\Olves are killed. the surviving moos e (c,cc the accompanying stat block) emerge from
wolves fft'<' under rht• hilbidc. '>land in the moon diaJ. and sniff the
air for a few minuccs before ambling back toward Lone-
FINDING THE ELVEN TOMB lprnoct to continut• its reign of terror. If the characters
explore the elven tomb without delay. they encounter the
The elv<'n tomb li<'s on a hghtlv wooded slope. An an- mooc,c• in ar<'a E6.
cient moon dial 1s II<> ccnt<>rp1ec<' \haracters can find
the tomb if they follow th<' trarkc, ofa beast such as the ELV E N TOMB LO CATIONS
white moose. Ancient elv<'n magu· triekc; all aberracions.
fiends. giants. humanoidc;. and undc;id into verring away Tht> follm.. mQ; loC'auons are keyed 10 map 1.15. Areas
from th<' s1tr without th<' slightest inkling that they've Et through ES are outside: areas E6 through E9 are
been magically m1sd1rected und<'rgrouncl
When the characters come w1thm sight of the elven
tomb, read:
El. ELF STATUES
STR
19 (+4)
DEX
11 (+O)
ACTIO NS
Multiottock. The moose makes two attacks: one with its ant- The brazier 1s 11dhered to the marble floor and can't
lers and one with its hooves bt> budgrcl
Whrn n pmrcont'. a 1w1p;. a feather. and a -;evt>red
Antlers. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft .. one target. humanoid hand arc> pl11ced in thr brazier and se1 on fir<·
Hit.· 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. (srt· arra E4), a <>fiver name> quickly consumes the bra
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. z1rr'c; <'Ontents and continues to burn for a t<'nday. Th1s
Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage. fir<' g<'nC'ratc>~ h<>at and ltflhl c>q11ivalcnt to that of a camp
fir<' anrl C'an't bP c>xtin{lui<>h<'d
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
Characters who peer through the western bole can see a ES. While ib frame is lit. the mirror functions like an
dark, sunken chamber (area E6) beyond. ordinary crystal ball. Currently, the mirror is attuned
A persistent magical effect beats the face of the moon to the white moose. which uses it to locate hunters and
dial, ensuring that the lunar symbols remain clear of loggers it is familiar with. After clearing the snow cov-
snow. The symbols depicl a full moon to the north, a ering the moon dial, the frost druid uses a moonbeam
new moon to the south, and various waxing and waning spell to light lhe full moon symbol on the moon dial's
phases of the moon in between. face, activaling the mirror so 1he moose can use it. If the
Whenever the moon is in the sky over Icewind Dale, moose dies or another creature attunes to the mirror.
the crystal gnomon projects a triangle of moonlight the moose's attunement ends.
onto the moon dial's face, its tip lighting the symbol that The mirror is held to the wall with sovereign glue and
matches the moon's current phase. This occurs even if can't be removed without shattering it. Once broken, the
the moon is not visible in the sky. mirror's magic is gone forever.
Any character who studies che lunar symbols sees tiny
inscriptions in Elvish around the full moon symbol (the E8. FIRST TOMB OF THE HALF-MOON
white circle to the north) and the two half-moon symbols The stone door to this tomb is engraved with a white
located on the west and east sides of the dial, but not semicircle (1he symbol of a half-moon), with its rounded
the other partial moon symbols or new moon symbol edge facing toward the right. The door is locked from
(the black circle to the south). The inscriptions translate the outside unless the light of the gnomon or a moon-
as follows: beam spell illuminates one of the half-moon symbols
on the moon dial in area ES. A knock spell or similar
Full Moon Inscription. ,;Gaze upon your own face and
magic also opens the door. It pushes open easily from
have seven questions answered." The magic mirror in
the inside.
area E7 is activated for as long as 1he light of the gno-
mon or a moonbeam spell illuminates this symbol.
Half-Moon Inscription. "Unlock the tombs of the half This circular chamber has an intricately carved, domed
moon." While the light of the gnomon or a moonbeam ceiling twenty feet high. A beam of light shines down
spell illuminates either of the half-moon symbols on from the top of the dome, illuminating a rectangular
the moon dial's face, the doors to areas EB and E9 can
be opened. stone sarcophagus.
£6. BARROW
The Light that shines down upon the sarcophagus is a
The spacious chamber tucked under the hill is strewn
minor magical effect tba1 can be dispelled.
with bones and holds the sleeping forms of several
The sarcophagus's 350-pound lid can be Lifted or
harmless animals (foxes, hares, goats, owls. wolf pups,
pushed aside. Inside the sarcophagus is the withered
and young bears) that share Lhe space peacefully. T he
white moose makes its lair among these creatures as
well when it's not out terrorizing Ten-Towners. If lhe
characters didn't wait outside to encounter the awak-
ened white moose (see the stat block on page 82).
it fights them here, which startles and scares away the
other animals. If the frost druid in area E9 hears sounds
of battle in this room, she remains where she is, prefer-
ring to make a final stand there.
Statues. Jn addition to the animals. this area contains
three white marble statues of elves that are identical
to the ones outside, except that the wind has not worn
away the detail in their faces and they don't stand on pil-
lars. All three are facing east. toward the nearest wall.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
TARGOS
Like Bryn Sha11dt·1. Targos ts encircled by a wooden
wall which helps lo protcu lht' town agamst ores and
other threats from tht• wilderness. The wall extends out
mto the: lakt t.Tt'a1111g a safe harbor for the town's boats
But now Auril's long winter has frozen the water in the
harbor. and many of Targos's boats are trapped in the
ice rl'>ht·r., mu:.t drag their smaller vesseh across the
ice ro get to the unfrozen lake beyond the harbor walls.
Almost all the towns m lcewind Oale make their living
off the lat...es. but nowhere is that fact more e" ident than
111 fargos I ht' town has always had the biggest fishing
fleet and the biggest fii.hing industry. and everything
that goes on here revolves around hauling the knuckle-
head lrout out of Macr Oualdon. Auril's endless winter
make., the work lrnrdcr. but it get:. done nonet heless.
Naerth Maxildanarr, a former rogue ofLuskan. moved
to Targos a couple of years ago, look up residence ia the:
Luskan Arms. and :.µread around a lot of gold. earning
lht loyalty of many local fishers. His cordial. down 10
earth demeanor co11t1 ibuted to hii. swift rise to power.
enabling him tu 1eplatt a town .,peaker who was well
liked but didn't wa111 thejob anymore. A'I:> the most
::.en1or n·pn·scntallH of the Zhentarim in feo-Town'I:>.
Naerth is dete1 m111ed w turn lcew1nd Dale into a trade
hub for lilt' Black et work He ha'I:> a dozen or more OVERLAND TRAVEL FROM TARGOS
Zhentarim ,,pies throughout Ten To\H1s that be uses to
To Travel Time
good effe<:t d1spo::.i11g ol ..,uspected Harper spies and
convmcing bu.,incss O\\llcr,. to buy fish from Targo'I:> in- Bremen (no trail) 3 hours
'>ltad of from 01ht·1 '>Ou recs. Bryn Shander 2 hours
Termalaine 4 hours
TARGOS IN A NUTSHELL
Frie ndliness '" * S e rvices ** * Comfort ** LOCATIONS IN TARGOS
Available Quest. 'Mou11tmn Climb" page 87. I he lollo""1ng loca11u11s marked on map 1 16 are likely
Population. I 000 to aurao charc1ucrs during their stay m Targos.
Leaders. ':>pt'aker Naerth Maxildanarr (lawful evil hu
man s py) is 'l:>l'Clctl; a Zhc11ta1 irn agent. who won the THE LUSKAN ARMS
speakership bccau::.e of hb populari1y with the fishers . Jnn (and the town speaker's residence)
Naerth is eagc1 to secure <I Zhentarim stranglehold The Luskan Arms 1s the oldes1 public house in Ten-
on trade in lccwind Dale. A £hent mercenary named Town!>, establ1!:>hcd back when Bryn Shander was still
Skath (lawful evil liefling vete ran) who is loyal to JUsl "the ca111p on lhc hill" and Luskan was a thriving
Naenh lead'::> the town's militia c11y Many of tht· traders v.ho cam<. to Targos Ill those
Militia. I argo'I:> can 111ustc1 up to 200 soldiers (use the days hailed from Luskan. '>0 the Luskan Arm::. was
tribal warrior stat blo('k) and 16 vete rans. built to look likt· an inn that might be found in the City
He ra ldry. A ::.1ngl<: sailtd black shiµ (facing to the right) of Sails As a rc::.ull. much of the decor is nearly two
on a light blu{' fidd rcµrc::.cnung the town's pride in hundred; ears old reflecting Luskan as 1t was in the
11s fishing fleet year::. before lb ded111e fhe inn has sturdy walls bur
Sacrifice to Auril. l lumanoid (see pagt 21) ronLn floorboard::.. and draf1::. come up into the common
Rivals. Bremen Lorwlywood. Termala1n1.. room lrom the cellar I he pla<.:e is also infested with
rats. \.\ h1t:h -,rurry bet\veen the walls at all hours of rhe
OVERLAND TRAVEL n1gh1. I ht proµrn:tor Oweun farsenel (neutral human
A '>110\\ toH:rcd path connelh largo:. to Bryn Shander commone r). i'> a qu1tl balding man who has sunk imo a
A '>llllllar path .,,veeµs around the eas1 side of Maer deep depn·.,..,1on, fearing that summer will never relUrn
Dualdon and kads to lermalaine. Tr.t\cl ume::. in rhe to lcewmd Dalt
Overland Tr.a\d from Targos table assume tha1 charac- I he largt''>t guest suite 111 the Lui.kan Arms is occu-
ters are on foot mounts and dogsleds can shorten Lhese pied b;. the tO\.\-n speakt>r Naerth Maxildanarr, who
times by as much as 50 pt:rtent. like~ ilw inn be<.:ausc II reminds him of home and is
There is no t•asy way to 1 t•at·h Bremen b.r land. since a great plan· to meet v1'>1tOr'> Laged in his room are
heavy snow has wiped out the trail that once led to iL thrct ftying s nakes that he uses to deliver messages to
his spic:-
86
CHAPTl':R I I TEN ·TO WNS
THREE FLAGS SAILING MOUNTAIN CLIMB
fan·rn ·1 he charac wrs can pit k up th•'> quest if the} :::.tart the
hshcrs comc... hcrc after a long day for a bowl of stew achentu1 c.. 111 lat gos or short I} alter cht) arrive in town
and a quick pim befon· !wading to bed The atmosphere It begins when lht·y '>Ct.. a ~kd dog running ch rough the
is !>Ubducd: tht> fi'>hers art· cold and tired and unsure su eet. 1 he dog belo11gcd lo Ganel Vdryn, a wildt:ruess
about lcew1nd Ualc::'., futu1e The tavern is run by a guide who led a s111all expedition up Kelvin's Cairn. lhc
plump, gray haired widow namt'd Ethen Yarbroul (neu- dog is agitatcd a11d tries tu lead che characters to Gar-
tral good human commone r ), better known a::. "Ma." ret's house. Ga r ret\ hu..,ba11d, Keegan, is alarn1ed to see
She fu.,ses over thl' fii:.her!> as if tht:y were her children the dog without its ma::.1t·1 and fears for Carrc..t's life. He
(. haractcrs who hang oul in the tavern are likely lo asks tht:' characlt'l"> to head wward Kelvin's Cairn find
hear a rumo1 or two, which }OU can determine by rolling Garret, and -,cc him -.atdy bad. to largos.
on the fen Towni:. Rumor-. tab!<: (page 18).
GETTING THE QUEST
T'RIGLIO
&em:ral '>tore
I righo take'> its name from one of che chame}s that As you trudge through town, snow crunching underneath
the fisher'> ol Targos '>ing when they are hard at work· your feet, you hear the bark of a dog over the whistle of
Tng lei: uh. lad!>. <Ill 'ui!>t upon the /inc1 Trig lee oh. the wind. A wolf-sized sled dog with light gray fur runs
lad~. an' brmg jUll fislu.rs m "The store's proprietor
toward you, dragging a broken leather harness behind it.
1-.jesun Hunrac... (n<:utral good human commoner ). a
-.earl'( ro\" hkc ft>llow who tished the lakc until his left
hand \\>US cru'>hed in .1 collb1011 with a boat from Ter The dog (u'>t:' 1hl wolf stat block). whose name is Boy
maliline I he only 1tU1l'> hc... doc-.n't sell are fishing and has dc<irly broken Itel ol 11;.. ~led and ts friendly. lL rack
'>ailing supplies. 111 Tar~O'>, such goods are supplied by les th<: neart.~::.t C'ha1 aut·r and \.\.h1mpt:rs as it licks that
:::.penalty 1..rnflers illld merchants All othe1 common eharac-ter's fa( t• Then . using every communi<:ation tac·
gt·.ir. including fish111g poles and snow'>hot:s, can be tic at ih dispo-,al 11 irtes 10 lead 1ht' party to its master's
buught here. hou">e a few blocks ilWa}. grabbmg a charactt:r by the
boot-.1rnp and lu~ging tlw 1·haractt•1 in chc.. dtrectton 1t
\.I.ants !Ill (J<ll ty tu go.
CHAPTER\ I TEN-TOWNS
Keegan didn't meet the adventurers who hired Garret,
so he doesn't know how many there are. At this point in
TARGOS the conversation, Keegan asks the characters to find his
missing husband:
~
•I
TARGOS TO GAER-KONIG
Sticking to trails and roads, the characters can safely
reach Caer-Konig in 14~ hours on fool. The trip be-
MllP 1.1 6 · T11RGOS
gins with a 3-mile jaunt to Bryn Shander, continues
with an exhausting 23-mile journey to Caer-Dineval,
If the characters follow the dog, it leads them to the and ends with a 3-mile hike around Lac Dinneshere to
front door of a modest dwelling. The dog barks and Caer-Konig. Characters can reduce the total travel time
scratches at the door. Keegan Velryn (neutral good hu- to 7 hours if they use dogsleds.
man commoner). a handsome man in his thirties, opens As the characters pass through Bryn Shander,
the door, and the dog races inside. When Keegan sees Caer-Dineval, and Caer-Konig, they can pick up each
the characters instead of bis husband, his smile fades as town's starting quest if they haven't gotten them already.
he urges the characters to come inside, where he gives Atenas Swift, the owner of Frozenfar Expeditions in
each of them a cup of warm cider and shares the follow- Caer-Konig, tells the characters that Garret showed up
ing information: with three well-armed companions (a male goliatb, a
female lightfoot halfling, and a female tielling), helped
them buy climbing gear and camping supplies, and then
"I was born in Ten-Towns, but my husband cam e from headed to the Hook, Line, and Sinker (the locaJ tavern)
a wealthy family in Neverwinter. Garret didn't care for for drinks, with plans to get a good night's rest at the
city life. When I met him, he was working as a guide. He Northern Light (the locaJ ion). The proprietors of these
establishments have no complaints about Garrett and
loves the outdoors, and he lives to climb mountains.
his retinue. who looked tired and didn't talk much.
"A few days ago, Garret was hired by some adventure rs If the party doesn't have anyone who's good at track-
to lead them up the slopes of Kelvin's Cairn. Garret's ing, the characters can hireJarthra Farzassh (see "Fro-
plan was to take the adventurers to Caer-Konig, the town zenfar Expeditions," page 46) as a guide.
at the foot of Kelvin's Cairn. Afte r they acquired some
T ARGOS TO KELVIN'S CAIRN
climbing gear from the -0utfitter there, he was to lead
By crossing open tundra, the characters can travel di-
them up the mountain. Garret took six dogs and a sled rectly from Targos to Kelvin's Cairn, covering 12 miles
with him. Boy, here, was Garret's favorite. Raised him in 24 hours on foot. They can halve the travel time if
from a pup. Boy wou ld never leave Garret's side un less they use dogsleds.
something terrible had happened." When the characters reach the halfway point in lheir
journey, they come across a potential obstacle. Use the
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
88
MAP' 17: KELV IN'S CA IRN
Random Wilderness Encounters" section in chapter 2 successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) group check. If
o determine the nature of the encounter and if it occurs the group check fails, they can repeat it after another 8
Juring a blizzard. hours of looking.
As the characters pass through the Dwarven Valley,
BASE CAMP
·hey might (if the weather is clear) see evidence of dwarf
,rtivity, such as tracks that lead up to tunnels carved
'.'ltO the valley's slopes. Several hundred shield dwarves You see two tents pitched in the snow near an icy out-
live in subterranean halls that connect to these m ines, cropping that acts as a natural windbreaker. Between t he
ut they rarely venture to the surface nowadays except
tents is an overturned sled. Still harnessed to the sled are
· , forage and hunt. Characters can find refuge among
ie dwarves, who are civil if not friendly, but must leave five howling dogs.
v.1thin a day or two, since the dwarves have little food to
s:iare and are too busy to entertain guests for any longer
Garret's dog, Boy, tore free of its harness and ran
lh:1n that. Characters who have completed the uFoarning
back to Targos to get help, leaving the other five sled
Mugs" quest (see page 34), however, have earned
dogs (use the wolf stat block) behind. The dogs are
the dwarves' favor and are welcome to stay as long as
friendly, cold, hungry, and miserable. If the characters
the\ like. release them. the dogs run back to the nearest town to
CLIMBING KELVIN'S CAIRN seek shelter.
Under the sled are two small crates. One is empty,
.tap 1.17 shows the route that Garret's expedition took and it appears that the dogs broke into it and ate the
Kelvin's Cairn. It leads not to the topmost peak of the provisions that were contained within; the other is not in
mountain. but to the summit of one of its spurs. the dogs' reach and contains enough rations to feed four
Before they can follow their quarry up Kelvin's Cairn. people for three days.
, ·haracters must locate Garret's base camp at the S tarting the Ascent. The wind has obliterated the
of the mountain.Jarthra Farzassh can lead them tracks made by Garret's expedition, but characters can
re. since she recommended the location to Garret discern the likeliest route the climbers took. This route
ore his expedition left Caer-Konig. Garret's sled dog is marked on map 1.17, and characters who follow it ex-
::an also lead characters straight to the base camp. With- perience the following sequence of encounters.
help of any sort, the characters can spend 8 hours lf Boy is with the party, the dog can lead the charac-
rt hing for the camp on their own, finding it with a ters to Garret (see "Fallen Climber," page 90).
CHAPT.E'R I I TEN-TOWNS
89
MOUNTAIN GOATS dctcrmmed pany member K.110\-.n to ft'n Towner.. as
"Hunter:-. of Me11 thl crag cat& tJught Garret'» scent
but failed tu rt Jt h him before tht characters showed up
The howling wind, blowing snow, and slippery ice make L harac te1.., wll h passive Wisdom (Perception) scores of
the climb treacherous. Ahead, you see four mountain J7 or h1glwr an· not surprised by I he rrng cats. If on<.'
goats perched on a large rock formation around which Lrag cat dit''> till' other one disengages from melee com
you must navigate. bat and lrJe!> to flu down the mountain on its next turn
Devel opment. Assuming be sun1ws thl. encoun
ter with the u.1g tats, Garret make-. it known that he
The four mounta in goats (set applndix C) art· indiffcr wa1115 to hnd tlw other member-. of the expedition and
cnt towa1 d tht characters and bleat loud I)' as the party assume& (eorret ti.>) that they're still up the mountarn.
draw"i ncar. l lw guat"i turn hostilt• if tlw characters He aims lo li11d I hem but can be p( rsuaded to return to
attack them Targos if the 1 haracters restore all hi& lost h ie points and
\O\\ co 5eard1 for the three mi!>sing members on his be
AVALANCHE half Garrt'l dc'>cribes the missing explorers as follows
Mokingo C.rowhng Bear Akannath1. a male guhath
Hundreds offeet up the mountain, you come to a glisten· warrior determined to find Oyaminarcok <111d test his
ing white expanse of packed snow. As you get about half· mettle against her
Perilou Fbhfinge1, a female ligh1foot hallling followc1
way across it, you hear a loud crack from higher up the
of Yondalla (hnlRing god of fertility and procection)
mountain, followed by a rumbling noise as the ground and Mokingo\ stal\>\art compa111on
starts to shake It's an avalanche! Astrix, a kmc1lc uefling who mumble., and swears a
lot (Garret doesn't kno"' what her story i»)
The party hnc.b 1tsdf 111 the path of an avalanche (see PERILOUS CLIMB
''Avalanches," page 10) The avalanlhc b 200 feet At this point, tht• characters must tigiag their way up
wide. 100 feet long. and 30 ft'cl dl'cp the mountuin, clinging to narrow ledge!> and scaling
To run this event first determint tht marching order ic} cliffs. 1 o pa'>-. all these obstacles. the party must
of th t party am! ho\>\ far apart tht chnracters are. As make thn·< '>UCI cssful DC 10 Strlnl!th (Athletics) group
';ume that the rearmost party membt•r i<t direclly below checks. If a group check fails. the party \>\asces 1 hour
tht' avalanche \>\hit h means that r har.1ner must mow at making no prug1 css and each part) ntt-mber who failed
lt·ast 100 feet to gt t t lear of the avalanthe's path. Nt·xt, the check gams one leve l of exhausuon
have all p.1rty nwrnbcrs roll i111tiat1H'.
The avalandw starts 500 feet abovt the pany and FROZEN CAVE
swt•eps down to the base o( the mountain 1,000 feet be A <'haraLtc1 with lhc: Litclest Yell sci rl'I (set.. appendix 13)
loY. The aval<111t l1t move» 300 let't on 1niliat1ve count I0 can really shme in this encounter
and another JOO ft t't on initia11w coum 0
T'ERMALAINE IN A NUTSHELL
Frie ndliness *** Services *~~ Comfort *** LOCATIONS IN TERMALAINE
Available Quest. "A Beautiful Mine,.. page 94. The following locations are marked on map 1.18.
P opulation. 600.
Leader. Oarus Masthew (lawful good half-ore scout) THE BLUE CLAM
was declared speaker after a close and contentious Dockside tavern
election. The child of half-ore adventurers, he was ad- The fishers ofTermalaine typically finish their days
opted by Shaelen Masthew, the previous speaker, who here, seated on benches near one of the building's long
retired from her leadership role but still lives in Ter- hearths to warm their feet while they fill their bellies
malaine. Oarus is bright, with a sharp sense of humor. with spiced chowder. Beautiful works of scrimshaw are
but he has political enemies in town and lacks the full hung on the walls.
support of the town militia. Vernon Braig (neutral good half-ore commoner), the
Militia. Termalaine can muster up to 50 soldiers (use Blue Clam's owner and chef, knows some of the hunters
the tribal warrior stat block) and 4 veterans. and trappers in Lonelywood, and occasionally a sled
Heraldry. The open-mouthed head of a fish at the bot- comes down the north trail with a sack of hares or a
tom of a sky-blue field, its jaws parted as it swallows haunch of moose. courtesy of one of Vernon's friends.
a large rose-pink oval. The oval is a tourmaline, sym- On those nights, the Blue Clam's hearths are full of
bolic of the town's gem mining. roasting meat. and the patrons stay later and sing
Sacrifice to Auril. Warmth (see page 21 ). louder. enjoying the good times while they last.
RjvaJs . Bremen, Lonelywood, Targos. Characters who loiter in the tavern are likely to hear a
rumor or two, which you can determine by rolling on the
OVERLAND TRAVEL Ten-Towns Rumors table (page 18).
Snow-covered paths connect Termalaine to Lonelywood
THE EASTSIDE
and Targos, its closest neighbors. Travel times in the
Overland Travel from Termalaine table assume that Inn
t.haracters are on foot; mounts and dogsleds can shorten The Eastside is where most visitors in town stay. What
these times by as much as 50 percent. looks from the outside like separate houses turns out to
be a single structure with rooms connected by under-
OVERLAND TRAVEL FROM TERMALAINE ground passages, with cozy guest accommodations in
Travel Time
the cellar.
To
The innkeeper is Marta Peskryk (lawful good human
Lonelywood 2 hours commoner), a willowy teenager who spends much of
Targos 4 hours her time tending to her bedridden father, Clyde, a retired
fisherman and noncombatant. As she performs her daily
chores, Marta sings the following song to herself:
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
93
A BEAUTIFUL MINE
The charac1i-r-. ran pick up this quest if they start the
advi>ntun• in Ti>rmalatne or shortly after they arrive
in town. ,\c; rhr_v trudgt> lhrough the streets. they see a
young boy "'lllndinl? on a box. yelling about various local
happeninJ{s, including the recent evacuation ofworkerc;
from a nt•arby min<' that hac; heen overrun by kobolds.
A rPward of 50 ~P 1s offered to anyone who can rid che
mine Of thP pi>sky draj:!onlmg&.
When th<' r.harartcrc; 1nvest1gat<'. they discover chat all
is not what ii srcmc; Thf' kohold lrader has been pos
ses-.,ed hy a J!host. and a grell has infiltrated the mine.
<;etting thr koboldc; on i>dge. The characters can either
try to parlry w11h lh<> koholds and get them to leave
the minr prarrfully. or Ihey ran rid Ten-Towns of their
presenrf' pl'rm;mrntly and try to dral with the grell on
their own
A MINOR ISSUE
Darmo Mazlu, a human boy. stand<> on a box and
yells ou1 lhe latrst nrws to passersby, most of whom
ignore him:
I
miner frll down tht• rt'n tral .:;haft which 1s dl"ep Racks holding picks and hammers are nailed to the walls
011gh that ht'- body wo11ld nevrr lw found of this small cavern. The floor 1s covered with rock dust
Ont" pi<'rr of information that Oaru.., fatlo:; to mention and tracks.
th.1t he ordrrPd thr town m1litrn to dear out the mine
r• r days ago. l h<• m1ltt1a refust•cl to rkal with thf'
ohkm for what amount.., to pol11u.:al rrasonc;. Senior Any character who cx<1m11wc;, thr trarks and sucercrls
c•rs 111 rahoots with ~pcakrr NaC'rth Maxildanarr on a DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) chcrk irlentifirs reptilian
1 argos arf' rll'terminf'cl In nu..,t MasthC'w ac; town footprints mingled with human traC'ks, as well as a set
1k1'r ancl repl;i1·1• hun with ont' of ihrir own in a of tracks thal look likr I hey belong to a pair of giant ro
' 1al f'lf'rlton. 1 hry'rc ronvmrrd that thf' closing of dents. The reptilian (kobold) trarks fan out. leading to
mint· and thr n ·..,11lting economic wors will turn areas M2. M3. and M4 Thi' rodent (giant rat) trackb lead
-,1h1·w·., pohuc;il <;upportcr'> <1g<1111st him. to area M2, and from then• to area M3.
CHAPll'R I I TEN-TOWNS
<l)
M I NIN G D IS COVER IES
d100 Discovery
01-80 Nothing
81-95 Pebble-sized tourmaline (1 gp)
96-99 Acorn-sized tourmaline, flawed (10 gp)
00 Acorn-sized tourmaline, unflawed (100 gp)
I I
that are clinging to the underside of the walkway. The mechanism creaks as the bucket lift descends to the
ese kobolds, named Scorp and Thwip, are using saws floor of a small cave where two dusty tunnels lead in op·
weaken the wooden struts so that the walkway will
posite directions.
llapse if a creature weighing more than two kobolds
~ to stand on it. These kobolds need another day to
-nplete their sabotage; until then. the walkway is safe. Characters who search for tracks in the dust and suc-
The characters can't hear the kobolds, but if they look ceed on a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check can deter-
underneath the plan ks, they can see the kobolds work- mine that a lot of kobold foot traffic leads to and comes
~ away cheerily. If a kobold takes damage while cling- from the west, and a single set of kobold footprints leads
to the underside of the walkway, it loses its grip and to the east. (The kobold who wandered in that direction
s down the shaft to its death. never returned.)
1b BUCKET LIFT M8. GRELL LAIR
A wooden pulley system has been constructed around A hole in the west side of this chamber opens into the
a arge hole in the Aoor. A bucket big enough to hold a central shaft, letting in the sound of the waterfall. The
manoid is held up by thick rope. Three alcoves next to floor in the north end of the cave is five feet higher than
e lift contain wooden boards and mining equipment. in the south end, with a rocky ridge separating them and
a slope on either side leading to the top of the ridge. The
hucket lift is used for hoisting miners and ore be- walls above the ridge gleam with gem deposits.
n levels 1 and 2. It's controlled by using a crank
e the bucket or the crank on the side of the pulley
cm. The bucket can hold one Medium creature or Floating near the 15-foot-high ceiling is a grell. A char-
Small creatures at a time. It runs from here to area acter who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
97
16 or higher notices the grell. If more than one charac- end of the ~c\'ered rope w11h a o;;urcessfu l DC 15 Dexter·
ter enters Lhe cavern , the grell won"t attack and tries to ity savim! thro\\. thu-. averun!! certain death.
stay bidden. If Lhe characters leave the cave, it follows
thPm, always staying at least 30 feet away. When an op- MIL KOBOLD Tu~.:\ELS
portunity to auack a lone party member presents itself,
the gre!J swoops in and tries to paralyze its prey. then
Lurking 1n this dusty tunnel are three skittish kobolds.
hauls its catch back here to be devoured. After it feeds. it
drops the remains of its victim down the cenlral shaft. One of them carries a threadbare satchel and wears a
Treasure. If a character using a miner's pick spends fake pair of dragon wings made of thin wood and tattered
an hour chipping away at the walls above the ridge. roll white cloth This kobold 1mmed1ately raises its hands in
percentile dice and consult the Mining Discoveries table surrender, saying 1n Common, "We mean you no harm.
(see area M2) to determine what. if anything. is found. Please don't hurt us."
M9. HUNGRY KOBOLDS
Two of these three lcewind kobolds (see appendix C)
A table and chairs are set up in this area to create a are nervous bodyguards named Vou and Zurk. The one
wf'anng the fake wings and doing the talking is Trex.
space for the miners to take breaks. On top of the table,
the leader of the group. If one or both of the kobolds
two kobolds are poking a giant rat with their javelins to from area M9 fled from there. they lurk deeper inside
make sure it's dead. The kobolds screech loudly as they the tunnel behind Trex and his bodyguards.
notice you. Trex is possessed by a ghost, though the characters
won"t know this until the ghost shows itself (see "Janth's
Ghost"' below). Speaking in flu ent Common, Trex ex·
Two Icewind kob olds (see appendix C) named Grek plains Lhat he and his fellow kobolds sought refuge
and Smol rush to attack when thf' cha racters ent~r the in the mine after being chased out of the foothills of
cave. If either one is injured, they immediately have a Kelvin"s Cairn hy a yeti. Thr miners got scared a nd ran
change of heart and flee through the tunnel to the north off before Trex could explain that the kobolds meant no
that lf'.ads to level 3. harm. As long as Trex is possessed by the ghost. he has
an impressive vocabulary and speaks only Common.
MlO. UNDER DARK SHAFT, LEVEL 3
II the characters engage Trex in conversation, hr
makes a proposition:
The tunnel's downward slope ends where it opens onto
the center shaft. A wooden walkway extends from this "The everlasting winter has made the wilderness unsafe
opening and then runs westward to another tunnel in the for my kind, and the preternatural cold dulls our wits.
rock. In front of you, a large bucket like the one you saw Please, we only want a place to stay so we can keep out of
earlier dangles from a taut rope that stretches southward this horrible weather. We can work, and we won't cause
across the shaft and is connected to another wooden trouble. Termalaine would be richer for having us."
platform 15 feet away.
CH.APT.ER l I TEN-TOWNS
98
janth's ghost can be laid to rest by destroying the
satchel- its last connection to the \taterial Plane. The
ghost otherwise remains as close to thP satchel as pos
sible. ff the satchel is taken from Trex and disc-arded,
the ghost forsakes its current host and remain!> near the
satc-hel , hoping to possess someone l"lse.
lfTrex is killed. the ghost appears in an unoc-rnpied
space within 5 feet of the kobold's body. On its next curn.
the ghost tries to possess one of the rharactcrs prefer
ably one who can take up its satchel.
CHAPTER l I Tt::N-TOW"IS
99
lCEWIND DALE
10 4
CHAPTER 2 I fCEWIND DAL..E
RANDOM W I L D ERNESS ENCOUNTERS
WILDERN ESS E NC O U NT ERS
d20 Encounter Difficulty
As the adventurers explore lcewind Dale, they might
come upon friendly, indifferent, or hostile creatures in Yeti Varies
lhe wild. Such encounters can create suspense, rein- 2 Goliath werebear Easy
force the perilous nature of the setting, or create fun 3 Crag cats Easy
roleplaying opportunities. 4 Coldlight walker Medium
You decide if and when random encounters occur. Use s Ice troll Hard
them judiciously. One or two per game session is usu- 6 Frost druid and friends Medium
ally enough.
7 Chardalyn berserkers Hard
If you're not sure how often to schedule random en-
counters in a 24-hour period, you can leave it to chance 8 Frost giant riding a mammoth Deadly
by rolling a d8 and consulting the Number of Wilder- 9 Battlehammer dwarves Easy
ness Encounters table. 10 Arveiaturace (ancient white dragon) Deadly
11 Snowy owlbear Easy
NUMBER OF WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS 12 Gnolls Medium
d8 Number of Encounters 13 Ores of the Many-Arrows tribe Hard
One encounter In the morning (dawn to noon) 14 Goliath party Medium
2 One encounter in the afternoon (noon to dusk) 15 Chwinga Easy
3 One encounter in the evening (dusk to midnight) 16 Awakened beast Easy
4 One encounter at night (midnight to dawn) 17 lcewind kobolds Easy
5-6 Two encounters; roll a d4 on this table to determine 18 Humans Easy
when each encounter occurs 19 Herd of beasts Easy
7-8 No random encounter 20 Perytons Medium
Al. FROZE!'; P I ER
A rowboat is stuck in the ice. lrapped against a 10-foot-
long wooden pier. The pier is ice-glazed and slippery.
The characters don't need the boat. since lhey can sim-
ply walk across the ice to reach Angajuk's Bell (area A3).
Anga once lived in this small stone cabin near the pier,
which made il convenient for her to visit Angajuk. The
place has been vacant for decades.
Thick rime coats every surface and object inside the
cabin. including a bed draped in a thick knit blanket.
Beside the bed, a small hearth holds a precious store of
firewood. The firewood is infested with worms that have
MAP 2 .2 : ANGAJUK 'S 6 HL
eaten away at the tender parts of the wood, but it's safe
to burn. There is enough wood to fuel a nightly fire for
three days, and it is stored in six bundles that weigh 30
ANGAJUK' s BELL pounds each.
Swimming in the frigid waters is the legendary Angajuk,
an old awakened sperm whale with a boat on its back. A3. BELL
Most sperm whales live to be seventy years old. but A I-foot-diameter copper bell dangles from a 10-foot-tall
Angajuk has been plying the waters of the Sea of Mov- wooden pole altached to this short wooden pier. The belJ
ing Ice for two hundred years. Throughout its life, the comes with a rope and clapper. Ringing the bell soon
whale has faced its share of trouble, including near-fatal attracts three giant vultures, who think that the sound
encounters with AuriJ's roe, which left scars along the signals mealtime or the presence of prey. They attack
whale's pectoral fins and body. unless the characters offer meat to satisfy them.
Angajuk is famous among Ten-Towners. Most people Anglfiuk Arrives. ll takes 30 minutes for Angajuk
leave it alone, knowing that the whale is the benefi- the sperm whale (see appendix C) to arrive after the
ciary of powerful magic, but uncaring hunters see the bell is rung, accompanied by ld4 harmless narwhals or
whale as a source of ambergris, which is a valuable dolphins. Angajuk has an Intelligence of lO and speaks
commodity. Common. Its deep, resonant voice carries a slight echo.
Angajuk was once the companion of a druid named Once the whale appears, characters must persuade it
Anga, who cast an awaken spell on Angajuk to give the to be of service (see wEarning Angajuk's Trust~ below).
whale sentience and intelligence. Not much is known Otherwise. it submerges and departs after a few min-
about Anga, but those who befriend Angajuk can learn utes. If che whale is befriended and the characters com-
about its beloved companion. municate their desired destination to it, Angajuk takes
Characters might learn about Angajuk by overhearing them where they want to go provided the location is on
a rumor in Ten-Towns (see 'Tall Tales in Ten-Towns,~ or in the Sea of Moving lee. The awakened whale knows
page 101) or by agreeing to help a whale oil merchant the location of the Frost maiden's island and. despite
(see "Whale Oil Acquisition." page 103). Angajuk is some close encounters with Auril's roe, is willing to
one of the safest ways to get to Auril's island. because travel there.
the sperm whale can travel beneath the water's surface, Angajuk's boat can hold up to eight Medium creatures
avoiding Auril's spies. When the whale is submerged, and their gear, and up lo 1,000 pounds of cargo.
a magic bubble surrounds the boat to protect those
riding in it.
APPROACHI NG T HE CABIN
The Black Cabin has two stone chimneys chat rise sev-
eral feet above its sagging roofiine. The rest of the lodge
is made of rolling wood. The stilts that elevate the struc-
ture are 20 feet tall. and characters who walk under-
neath the old building can tell chat its wooden floors are
in poor condition, perhap~ even in danger of collapse in
one location (see area B4).
Ifs clear to anyone surveying the Black Cabin that
part of the ridge it rests on fell away some time ago, a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save.
leaving the westernmost section of the building hanging the creature drops 20 feet straight down into the snow,
over the gorge. All of the cabin's doors are closed and taking 1 bludgeoning damage from the cushioned fall
unlocked. and its windows are big enough for characters and landing prone. On a failed save, the creature slides
lo climb through. down the collapsing walkway to the west and plunges
into the gorge, taking 49 (14d6) bludgeoning damage
BLACK C ABI N LOCATIONS from the hard fall and landing prone.
The following locations are keyed to map 2.3. B3. WOR KSHOP
Bl. OUTHOUSE
This wooden outhouse is half-buried in snow. Charac·
ters who clear a path to the door and peer inside find a
I Frost covers every surface of this abandoned workshop. I
stack of discarded notes and blueprints, which Macrea-
dus used as toilet paper. The workshop contains a set of smith's tools and a set of
tinker's tools spread across a wooden table along with
B2. WOODEN WALKWAY some twisted bits of metal.
Both entrances to the cabin are off this rickety, A bookcase against the north wall bas a family of
snow-covered walkway. the steps and boards of which harmless squirrels living in it. (The squirrels come and
crackle and creak underfoot. go through a tiny hole in the floor near one of the cabin's
There's a 4-foot-wide gap in the walkway that char- stilts.) Apart from some scraps of paper and other detri-
acters can easily leap across without making an ability tus that the squirrels have collected, the bookshelf holds
check. But the walkway west of the gap (outside the door nothing of interest.
to area B4) collapses if more than 150 pounds of weight
are placed on any 5-foot section of it. Any creature on
the section of walkway when it collapses must make
l
T
The scent of wine fills this room, which contains four lcewind Dale.
frost-covered barrels. The werebear doesn't know the history of the Black
Cabin or anything about the strange goings·on there. How·
ever, it likes to keep an eye on the place, if only to make
Macreadus was a heavy drinker, and the barrels contain sure evil creatures aren't hiding there. After helping the
his supply of Sweetberry Summer Wine. Any character characters, the werebear offers to serve as a guide for up
proficient with brewer's supplies knows that this wine to seven days, though it avoids Ten.Towns.
comes from a vineyard in the Dessarin Valley, hundreds
of miles to the south. The extreme cold has caused the
wine to freeze.
J ..~~~j~~~~
/./~~ l~n;t ~I 7~n;t~ J~
_.i'.a~
7LAr.,...r~ro-~~~O-~lll[M
u~~d~~~k~rnu~~
7~d1Jr#<~~Ne4#.H#~~~~
#jo-p.J~~~~"".t..%#~4'
~~~///~tJ~47foyr~~M;,,e_
~r~#~~~~7r~
~%~j~~~J,;r~k#j
~~J~,~~7r~kr
~~~~~~-t~Jnuu/ek7~
~~~~~~~r
~
I
the east. As the characters emerge from the cabin, read:
the mountains can't drown out the inhuman cackling that
echoes tn the chasm's depths.
Zl. CAVE MOUTH Thirty feet below the surface, a shelf of rock surrounds
the chasm's gaping maw, its cracked sides riddled with
caves and festooned with sharp rocks. Farther down
At the south end of the chasm, humanoid skulls are
in the chasm, you see dead gnolls impaled on some of
stacked on either side of a cave mouth that contains icy
these fang-like protrusions.
steps descending into the rock. Blood has been used to
Manic laughter echoes through the chasm as you look
draw crude symbols on the skulls.
around, the sound ricocheting off' the walls that make its
origin impossible to pinpoint.
The skulls belong lo humans, dwarves, goblins, goliaths,
and ores. The symbol on each skull looks like a three-
headed Rail. Any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Chyzka, the fang of Yeenogbu, encourages internal
Intelligence (Religion) check recognizes it as the symbol fighting whenever it senses the pack might turn against
ofYeenoghu, the demon lord of gnolls. it. The dead gnolls seen throughout the chasm were
victims of either these squabbles or their own careless-
Z2. FEASTING CAVE ness. Although the ledge that allows access to the vari-
ous caves is slick with ice, cautious characters can move
on it without falling.
Crude steps lead down to a frigid, ten-foot-high cave Every loud noise in the chasm can be heard in the sur-
filled with a putrid stench. The mostly broken bones of rounding caves. and vice versa. Characters who make
humanoids and animals lay scattered on the icy floor enough noise to attract the attention of the gnolls can
amid bits of metal and torn strips of leather. hear them coming by their manic laughter. The Cackling
Chasm Roster provides a summary of these denizens
and the areas they originate in. When Chyzka sees in-
The gnolls gather here to eat when there's food truders, it barks orders to the other gnolls, after which
to be had. there's an awkward pause as the subordinate gnolls
give the characters expectant looks. Any character who
ZS. 1
CHYZKA S CAVE
I
has been folded around a pile of coins the gnolls lifted Z7. STOREROOM
from their victims, creating a makeshift bundle that
I
holds 21 gp, 56 sp, and 117 cp.
The fishing pole is unremarkable, but a hook of Rotten crates and torn sacks are strewn across the floor
fisher's delight (see appendix D) is tied to the end of it. of this eight-foot-high, mostly empty chamber.
Chyzka took the pole from an Easthaven fi sher named
Nabira Moarskull after s laying her.
The gnolls often take food supplies from slaughtered
Z6. SLEEPING CAVE travelers headed to and from Ten-Towns. These supplies
are brought here to be consumed. All that remains are
the containers used to transport them.
l I
The strong scent of dirty fur fills this dark, ten-foot-high
cave. The stone Aoor has deep ridges where hundreds of Z8. CAGED BERSERKER
I I
human in hide armor paces back and forth. His mur-
Gaunt, shivering gnolls huddle around a sputtering fire,
derous eyes lock onto any sort of movement he notices,
cackling incessantly.
and he clutches a javelin made of a black, crystalline
substance. The skin on his hands and face is black from
At night, this cave holds twelve gnolls. That number frostbite, and his lips are chapped and bleeding from
drops to six during the day as half the gnolls leave the the cold.
chasm to hunt for food. The gnolls huddle together for
warmth. All of them are hungry and emaciated.
Q6. SLAUGHTERHOUSE
I
Q5. FROSTMALDEN S FIRE
1
Shallow trenches carved into the sto ne floor are fil led
with snowpack. Clean haunches of meat are nestled in
Hundreds of icicles cling to the twelve-foot-high ceiling these trenches.
of th is frost-rimed chamber, which is bathed in f1ickering
blue light. The light's source is a blue flame crackling in Treasure. Eighty pounds of fresh meat are stored
a stone brazier that stands against the far wall. The white here. The meat, which comes from various beasts
smoke that rises above it coalesces every few seconds such as polar bears and elk, is safe to cook and eat.
into the form of a woman, but the image is fleeting.
The characters can sell the meat in Ten-Towns for 5 sp
per pound.
A detect magic spell reveals a powerful aura of abjura- Q8. LIVING QUARTERS
tion magic around the 3-foot-high stone brazier. which This 10-foot-high, frost-rimed chamber lies beyond
rises naturally from the Boor and is therefore not a dis- a 10-foot-deep fissure. A frost-covered wooden plank
crete object. It can't be moved or damaged, and its mag- spans the gap in the more trafficked tunnel that leads to
ical flame can't be smothered or put out with water. Any this area. Four sleeping pallets covered in furs lie on th•
creature that comes into direct contact with the fire for floor near the northwest wall. A wooden pail is used as ..
the first lime on a turn takes 10 (3d6) cold damage. chamber pol, and it is currently empty.
02. FORECASTLE
The hull, rigging, and masts of the ship arc covered in
a layer of ice. From the waterline of the vessel, it's a 10-
foot climb to get to the main deck. The sides of the hull Deep grooves have been gouged into the deck on the
are slippery and can't be climbed without using magic forecastle. The railing on the port side of the vessel is
or climbing gear. broken and slightly bowed, as if an immense weight had
The ice around the Dark Duchess is thick, and there is
been resting on top of it
no risk of the characters breaking through it.
APPROACHING THE SHIP When Arveiaturace climbs onto the Dark Duchess,
When the characters get within 15 feet of the ship, read: she does so from the forecastle. Examination of the
deck reveals that the dragon's weight has pushed
You hear loud thumping and creaking coming from in- down and cracked the wooden planks and gunwales in
many places.
side the hold, followed by the guttural snarls of some
creature. The ship 1s not as abandoned as 1t appeared!
I
rum supply before abandoning ship.
into these barrels to create makeshift sleeping quarters.
Two similar but upright barrels appear untouched.
chaotic neutral gnome ceremorph (sec appendix C) is The black sphere contains the charred remains of a fist-
equipped with two nonmagical items: sized crystal that cou ld propel the nautiloid through the
Laser Pistol. Rules for laser pistols appear in the Dun- air and across space. The crystal cracked and imploded
during the crash. Until a replacement is found. the ship
geon Master's Guide. This weapon can fire 33 shots
is grounded. The gnome ceremorphs think they can
before its energy cell is drained. After its last shot is
use a psi crystal as a temporary fix, but they're not sure
expended, the weapon becomes inoperable. The en-
ergy cell can't be removed or recharged. where to find one.
Psi Crystal Detector. This black metal box is the size of N7. BRIDGE
a bar of soap. ll emits an audible clicking noise when a
psi crystal is within 5 miles of it. The closer the object
gets to the psi crystal. the more rapid the clicks. Suspended from the ceiling of this high-domed chamber
A character who tries to help Dredavex with the life is a complex lattice ofbioluminescent jellyfish that use
support system can make a DC 25 Intelligence (Arcana) the glowing tips of their tendrils to form constellations. A
check after studying the alien technology for at least 1 high-backed chair with short armrests capped with spar-
hour. On a successful check, the character devises a kly blue crystal orbs tilts up toward the display.
solution that enables the life support system lo remain
A panel on the starboard wall lies open, exposing a
operational for an additional 24 hours.
pulsing tendril of flesh embedded with crystal shards.
NG. PROPULSION ROOM
Ooo f .1 Hl
( D E/.ITM R u N EJ ( M OU NTA I N RuNEJ A large oak chest with silver fittings stands against the
wall directly opposite the double doors. A gold key sticks
out of the chest's built-in lock.
The chest is 10 feet long, 5 feel wide. and 6 feet tall, with
a half-barrel-shaped lid. It is stuck to the floor and can't
be moved. The gold key in the lock is not the key that un-
locks the chest, and it can be safely removed. (The real
key is in area JS.) After the key is pulled out, a character
Liv can use thieves' tools to try to pick the lock, doing so
(l1 FE R u NE) with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. A knock spell
or similar magic also opens the chest.
Exit Portal. Turning the gold key in the lock doesn't
unlock the chest but instead conjures a 10-foot-square
doorway through which areajl can be seen. The door-
way appears on the north wall. above the chest. Any
creature that passes through this doorway is teleporced
to an unoccupied space withinjarlmoot's circle of
thrones. A swarm of r avens then descends upon that
•
creature and attacks it. Enough ravens are circling
Jarlmoot to create four such swarms.
VINO WVRM The portal is one-way only: it can't be seen or entered
( W 1NO R u N EJ ( DRA GON RUNE) from areajl. The portal closes automatically after 10
minutes, causing the gold key to turn back to its original
I
Through the blowing snow, you see a frost giant with
mates, whom he didn't particularly like anyway, Spellix
long white hair stride toward you. In her hands, she adopted the name given to him by the goblins and spent
gras ps an icy chain with an anvil bolted to one end ofit. the next several months engineering ways to improve
their standard of living. Long after the other members
of the caravan had been eaten, Yarb-Gnock became the
The frost giant, Gromin'gorn, is hostile and has noble new chief after the previous one choked to death on a
blood in her icy veins. She has come to Jarlmoot to be mountain goat tongue. By then, Yarb-Gnock had already
tested by the spirits of her ancestors. Only by passing drawn up plans to build a fortress in the mountains.
this test can she hope to lead her tribe. If one of the Karkolohk, the Gnomish word for "home," became the
characters is openly carrying the horn of blasting from goblin tribe's dream of a better future.
area J4, Gromin'gorn tries to claim it for herself, believ- As the goblins were finishing construction of their
ing this is the test her ancestors have set before her. new home, everlasting winter descended upon Icewind
Instead of a greataxe, Gromin'gorn wields a 10-foot· Dale. Fewer caravans made their way through the
long chain with an anvil bolted to the end of it. lo her mountain pass, forcing ChiefYarb-Gnock to send goblin
hands, it deals 25 (3dl2 + 6) bludgeoning damage on a wagons far and wide in search of food and resources.
hit. She can make two attacks with it as an action.
A fiery brazier casts its flickering light on the thirty-foot· K4. ARCHER PLATFORM
high, spiked ramparts that frame the main gate. Four These wooden platforms creak and i;?roan underfoot.
Each or them has two gobl in~ m cold \\eathcr clothing
goblins peer down from these ramparts, two per side.
and two wolves statiom.:d atop 1t.
The gate is twenty feet tall and fashioned out of cross- lf an alarm sound~. thl' ~obhns bt•gm looking for tar-
hatched pieces of wood that have been lashed together. g{'t~ on the ground to p1l k off" ith th< 1r shortbows. LI
A heavy chain and padlock seals the gate from the inside. tht> en<"my moves to a locauon 1h1' ~obi ins can't see, they
mount the wolves and mo\e to another archer platform.
Six goblins shiver and stamp their feet atop the ram- K5. MAIN BATTLE PLATFORM
parts, trying to keep warm. They are a chany bunch,
making jokes at one another's expense. Each rampart
has a wooden ladder leading up to it. This thirty-foot-tall wooden watchtower 1s connected to
A character who wants to approach the gate unde· the snowy ridges on either stde of 1t by wooden bridges.
tected must succeed on a DC 9 Dexcerity (Stealth) Hanging off it are a pair of empty iron cages, and dan·
check. rr multiple party members are attempting the gling underneath the tower's raised platform is a nine-
same thing, have them make a group check instead. A foot·tal l, golem-like construct with a helm-shaped head.
character next to the gate can use an action to reach
through it and try to pick the frozen padlock using This humanoid contraption is attached to an arrange-
thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexter- ment of ropes and pulleys that make it look like a giant
ity check. The courtyard warden (see area K3) carries marionette.
the key to the lock.
A Small character can try to squeeze under the gate or
between its wooden bars, doing so with a successful DC When announcements or rallying cries need to be made,
20 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. the top of this tower is where C'hi<"fYarb Gnock stands
to address the goblin tribe. No goblins are on it cur-
K3. COURTYARD rently, although it sees a fair amount of traffic. A rickety
wooden ladder runs from the platform to the ground.
The underside of the plat form is rigged with a system
Two rickety wooden bridges loom over this area at or ropes and pulleys that the goblins can use to hoist up
heights of thirty feet and fifty feet, respectively. The anything heavier than a goblin, and the top of the plat-
higher bridge is missing a large section of its middle, and form has snow-covered hatches built into it that can be
what remains of that structure doesn't look safe. lifted away to get at the rigging underneath.
Dangling Con struct. The construct dangling be-
Two iron cages hang from beams that extend south·
neath the platform is a s hield gu ardia n that survived
east off the lower bridge. One of the cages twirls on its the fall ofYthryn, although it& master did not. It was
heavy iron chain as a flurry of black-feathered ravens heavily damaged in the crash; consequently, its bit point
tear into the flesh of the desolate creature caged within. maximum is reduced to 80. To activate and control the
Underneath the bridge is a worg with a rider on its back. shield guardian, the chararters need its amulet, which
The rider, swathed in cold weather clothing, appears is inside an ancient tower that broke away when Ythryo
came down and crashed in the tundra (see '·Lost Spire
to be a rather fat goblin. North and west of the higher of Netheril," page 145). They also need to operate the
bridge, resting in the snow, are three large, wooden goblins' system of pulleys and ropes to lower it to the
cages, currently empty. ground; figuring out how the system works requires a
successful DC 15 rmelligence check.
The shield guardian was built by a Netherese wizard
The wooden cages were built to hold the polar bears and is nearly two thousand years old. Carved into its
that pull the goblins' wagons. massive forearms is the wizard's personal sigil. After
The goblin riding the worg is Snubsuk, the courtyard the wizard's tower crashed, the guardian lefl the spire
warden. His job is to lock and unlock the main gate at to go find help but got buried in an avalanche. it eveotu·
area K2. The worg charges toward intruders. causing ally shut down. Centuries later. a band or goblins dug it
Snubsuk to tumble off the worg's back and fall prone out and hauled it back to Karkolohk. Unfortunately for
in the snow. Snubsuk is a coward and flees when sepa- them, the guardian could not be reactivated. After some
rated from his mount, making his way to the top of area thought, ChiefYarb-Gnock decided to dangle it from this
KS. Snubsuk carries the key to che main gate, dangling platform, using ropes and pulleys like puppet strings to
from a chain manacled to his left wrist. make the guardian appear animate and terrifying. This
Bridges and Cages. The center of the SO-foot-high construct must have been a lively sighc to behold at one
bridge collapsed a few days ago. The goblins used the point, but the aura of menace surrounding it quickly
debris to light fires and haven't fixed the bridge yet. The faded, and the goblins lost all interest in it.
30 foot high bridge is intact and unguarded. One of the
I
rock gnome or expose him. She's leaning toward the K8. GOBLIN HUTS
former. since she's not sure the goblins will pick her as
I
their new leader ifYarb-Gnock dies.
Ramshackle huts cling precariously to the rock face, their
K7. WALK OF DOOM rope ladders swaying with every gust of wind.
A twenty-foot-long wooden walkway clings to the edge of These huts are secured to the rock face with stilts. Each
a precipice. Its spiked railings are adorned with ribbons hut is 15 to 20 feet above the path of wooden planks
that runs the length of the ledge below them. The huts'
of shredded cloth and goblin skulls
interiors are lined with animal pelts and 1hick strips of
LO ST S PIRE O V ERVIEW Most of the books in this library have been destroyed by
In addition to showing the four levels of the spire. map 1ime and neglect. The group of adventurers Dzaan hired
2.10 depicts a side view of the spire in its original state to help him search the spire removed all the books they
and a cross-section showing its current state: broken, considered valuablt', including spcl lbooks. They left be-
mostly buried, and upside down. hind a few that might interest certain characters:
The spire's constant features are summarized below: Magical Wonders of Netheril. This book is a collection
Everything Is Upside Down. Every traversable location of interviews with Netherese archmages. who discuss
shown on map 2.10 is upside down. To get around. the their studies of ancient elven magic and the creation
characters have to walk on ceilings and climb over the of mythaflars (sec appendix 0). The book includes
tops of doorways. Furnishings that weren't securely sketches of such devices.
bolted to the walls or floor lie in disarray, or in shards, Mysteri<'s of the Phaerimm. This book sheds light on
on the ceiling. the phaerimm telepathic. funnel-shaped monscers of
Illumination. All rooms. corridors. and staircases malevolent intellect that lurk in the Underdark-and
are lit by continual flame spells cast in sconces. The include!> disturbing sketches of them.
flames <>till point toward the ceiling. betraying their Wizards in the Hollow. The birth of the Netherese
magica I nature. They give off no heat. empire is chronicled 1n this otherwise dull. plodding
Room and D oor H eig hts. All rooms and passageways story about the lives of three Netherese wizards.
are 12 feet high. with flat ceilings and floors unless Tunnel Down. A rough-hewn tunnel against the north
the text says otherwise. All doorways are 8 feet high wall leads down to area P6 on level 2.
and arched: being upside down turns them into con·
cave, 4 foot·high barriers that must be surmounted to P4. UPSIDE- D OWN WORKSHOP
get from one room to another).
Tunnel s. The shield guardian punched holes through
This room contains shattered and 1umbled equipment,
the floor and gouged out tunnels in some places
during its escape from the spire. Characters can use much of it near two heavy wooden worktables- one on
these openings to move between levels, but they'll its side, the other upside down.
need ropes or magic to ascend or descend safely.
Characters who search through the wreckage find an P6. U PSIDE-D OWN L ABO RATORY
iron key that unlocks lhc metal chest in area PS.
P5. UPSIDE-DOWN P OTION STORAGE This room contains two metal cages, both badly dam·
aged. Nearby, two roughly dug tunnels-one in the
The floor of this room is covered with shards of glass, ceiling and one in the Aoor-lead to other areas. Narrow
frozen pools of spilled fluids, and the wreckage of two windows along the bowed outer wall afford you a glimpse
cabinets. In a niche in the far corner of the room, a metal of the earth into which this structure impaled itself.
chest is bolted to the ceiling. Its lid is locked.
The metal cages got knocked around a lot duri ng the
crash and fall apart easily. One of them holds the cara-
The key to the chest can be found in area P4. A charac-
pace of an insect-like person. A character who examines
ter using thieves' tools can pick the chest's lock with a
this object and succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Na-
successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
ture) check can identify it as coming from a thri-kreen.
Treasure. Characters who open the upside-down
Tunnels Up an d Down. Rough-hewn tunnels in
chest must be careful not to let its contents fall out. The
the middle of the room lead up to area P3 and down
chest contains four potions of resistance (one each of
to area Pll.
acid. cold. fire. and force). If no precautions are taken,
the potions tumble out of the opened chest and shatter P7. UPSIDE-DOWN APPRENTICES' STUDY
on the floor, becoming useless. Any character under·
neath the chest can try to catch a falling potion using a
free hand, doing so with a successful DC 10 Dexterity An upside-down table sits in the middle of this room,
saving throw. and books are scattered around it. Clinging to the bowed
outer wall is an upside-down fireplace. Along that same
wall is a window with nothing but hard-packed earth
beyond it.
I
A stone altar is attached to the ceiling of this other· tegrating mattress. Mounted to the north wall is a tall,
GENERAL LAYOU T
Map 2.11 depicts a typical Reghcd camp, which con-
sists of an inner circle of large tents called the chiefs
circle and an outer ring of smaller tents called the
warriors' circle. Scattered among these tents are
campfires around which members of the clan like to
gather. The tents are crude yet sturdy structures with
wooden frames and walls made of layered bark and
animal hides. A large tent can accommodate up to e ight
adults, and a smaller tent can provide shelter for up to
five adults.
The tents in the inner circle house the clan's chieftain
(or its king or queen), as well as other important tribe
members such as its shaman, its most honored hunter,
its greatest warrior, and the tribe's children.
The tents in the outer circle house the clan's remain-
ing members, which include crafters, weaponsmiths,
and sled drivers. Sled dogs also sleep in these tents.
Many of the camp's hunters and warriors prefer to
sleep under the open sky, protected from the cold by
thick fur blankets and the heat of the campfires.
CH I EFTAIN'S TENT
One of the larger tents is set aside for the chieftain (or
king or queen), with an extra bedroll near the entrance
for the chieftain's bodyguard. A low table is set up in this MAP 2 .11· REGHED TRtBE CAMP
tent, which is heated by lamps burning whale oil and
decorated with bunting trophies.
preferring lo spend their idle hours doing as little as
S H AMAN'S TENT possible. Telling familiar stories and inventing new ones
Another large tent is occupied by the shaman, who that glorify the nomads' outlook on life are common
keeps a large collection of medicinal herbs. pastimes (see the "Reghed Stories" sidebar), as is sharp-
Treasure. In addition to the medicinal herbs. the ening weapons.
shaman's tent contains ld4 pot.ions of healing in plain Food is critical, of course, and certain beasts of the
wooden vials sealed with corks made of animal fat, as tundra are staples among the Reghed tribes. Knuck-
well as a spell scroll of lesser restoration (or some other lehead trout and seals are often prepared for eating
1st- or 2nd-level spell from the druid spell list). very near the scene of the kill, filleted or chopped and
generally eaten raw. Reindeer meat, on the other hand,
LIFE IN A REGHED CAMP must be cooked before consumption. Reindeer also
--- provide the Reghed tribes with sinew, bone, and hide,
The Reghed nomads eke out a meager existence on all of which are used in the manufacture of weapons
the desolate tundra of lcewind Dale, yet this is a life to and armor.
which they are accustomed. Auril's everlasting winter
has made hunting and travel more challenging. to be
RECHED STORIES
sure, but the tribes are weathering these difficult times
Reghed nomads pass the time by sharing stories that rein-
by rationing their food and letting nothing go to waste.
force their values, which are as follows:
If anything, the Frostmaiden's cruelty has hardened the
nomads' determination lo survive. By following herds • The tribe is one spirit, always on the move. As the tribe
for their food and occasionally restocking on wood, the goes, so goes the spirit of the tribe.
Reghed can get by without relying on trade. They shun • For the tribe to survive, its members must all work
together and help one another. No member gets
Ten-Towns and expect to prevail long after those feeble
left behind.
lights of civilization have been snuffed out. • The land respects strength alone. The strong flourish,
A Reghed camp is a somber and subdued place,
except for the barking of sled dogs and the sounds of
children playing in the snow. The warriors and hunters
...
and the weak perish.
..
like to conserve their strength for when it's needed,
S3. OVERLOOK
M AP 2 13 5 KvTO Wf R SHELTER
This twelve-foot-high cave has a crackling fire in its
center and walls lined with hunting trophies, includ·
Roleplayins Arn. Arn has no patience for attempts at ing the skulls and pelts of various mountain-dwelling
diplomacy and meets aggression with aggression. If the
creatures. Seated by the fire is a wizened goliath with
characters don't have one or more Skytower goliachs
among them. the only way they can gee past Arn is to long white hair. A yeti fur cloak 1s draped over her
give him something hr wants. If the characters ask him stooped shoulders, and a tiger-sized feline with white fur
what he wants, hr tC'llS them: crouches beside her.
The goliath thinks for a moment, then points toward a This cave is where Arn spends time with his family,
neighboring mountain to the northeast. "Bring me the namely his husb<lnd. I la rad Cloudstrider Akannalhi (a
white cloak of Ogolai, the chieftain ofWyrmdoom Crag." goliath warrior). and I larad's rlderly mother. Kaniaka
Stormcrow Akannathi (a blind noncombatant). Each of
them has private quarters off the main cave. where they
If Arn ic; asked why the Skytower and Wyrmdoom goli- keep their bedrolls.
aths don•t get along. h<' says: If the charactC'rs fought their way to this cave by kill·
1ng other goli<lths. Harad is awake and attacks them,
"'ince the fallen goliaths are his blood. Otherwise. Harad
"Many summers ago, the children ofSkytower chal· 1s asleep in his bedroll whilr Kaniaka sits by the fire.
lenged the children ofWyrmdoom to a game of goat-ball. staring al it sightlessly. with a domesticated crag cat
One of the children ofWyrmdoom, angered at being (see append" C) by her c;1de. The cat protects Kaniaka
knocked off her perch, threw the ball at one of our grif· but otherwise' takes no aggressive actions.
fons and struck 11 in the head. It wounded her in return. Kan1aka·.,, hearing is sharp enough to distinguish the
heavy footfalls of goliaths from those of smaller folk.
The game was called off. Days later, hunters from Wyrm·
She 1s susp1< 1ous of strangers JUSt as other members of
doom climbed our mountain and slew the griffon in its her rlan arc. hut al her age. c;hr frels compelled to listen
nest-a grave insult. We have been at war ever since." to whal they have to say. Sh<' would very much like to
sec· an f'nd 10 thf' connirt with tht> Wyrmdoom goliaths
1f c;urh" lhing 1s possihl<'
GRIFFON TAMINC
The chutr 1s 5 feet in diameter and leads to area 56.
Runestone. This engraved stone is one of two sacred Goliaths of the Akannathi clan can learn to raise and tame
griffons using secrets passed down through the genera-
s tones in S kylowe r S hellf' r (the oth<-r is in area S 7). The
tions. The clan's griffon trainer, Rahi, shares these secrets
goliaths pray ne:i\t to it when they '>eek clarity of mind with clan members who show great wisdom. The gol1aths
and spirit. The scripture on the runestone, written in don't ride the griffons: rather, they train them to hunt like
Dwarv1sh. tells a story aboUL the v1<;1on and lead<>rship falcons. The griffons are taught to respond to gol1ath whis-
fo und among lhe great predato r hirds of lcewind Dale. tles and never stray too far from their masters.
A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transm utation A goliath character who earns Rah l's respect can be
magic around the runrstone. Any humanoid creature taught the secrets of griffon taming over a period of 1
that pray-, or medttat<>:. next to thr runestone for at least year, during which time the character is entrusted to watch
I hour gains a ru nrstone die. a cl6. Once within the next over and protect a single griffon egg and, when 1t hatches,
24 hours. it can roll the die and add the num he r rolled the emergent griffon youngling. At the end of the year, if
the griffon is still alive. the character must make a DC 1S
to one Wisdom chrC'k or Chari<;ma C'heck it ma kes. It
Wisdom (Animal Handling) check, with advantage if the
can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use character accepts Rah i's guidance. If the check fails, the
the runcstone die. but must drc1de before the OM says character is unable to tame the griffon. If the check suc-
whethC'r the roll sucC'eeds or fa ils. Once the runestonc ceeds, the character tames the griffon and bonds with it
die is rolled. it is lost. and the humanoid can't gai n a n- for life. Control of the griffon can be given to the goliath's
other from this runestonc for 10 days player at this time.
Modify the griffon stat block as follows to account for
S6. 0RIFFONS' CAVE the young griffon's development:
The floor of th is cave 1s 15 feet hrneath the floor of area • At birth, the griffon is Tiny and has S (1 d4 + 3) hit
SS. A 5 foot-diametrr, 5 foot-Ion ~ chute with rarved foot points, a flying speed of 40 feet, and a Strength score
holds c>xtrnds upward from the ceding of this C'ave. of 2. It has a +0 bonus to hit on its attacks and deals 1
piercing damage with its beak and 1 slashing damage
with its claws. Its challenge rating 1s 0 (10 XP).
This fifteen.foot-high cave contains four griffon nests: • After 1 year, the griffon is Small and has 13 (2d6 + 6) hit
three clustered in the midd le of the cave and one to the points and a Strength score of 8. It has a+ 1 bonus to hit
north. The northernmost nest contains a fu ll-grown on its attacks and deals 2 (1d4) piercing damage with
its beak and 2 (ld4) slashing damage with its claws. Its
griffon that appears to be sound asleep. The wind s tirs challenge rating is 1/4 (SO XP).
the sleeping griffon 's feathers as it e nters through a wide • After 2 years, the griffon is Medium and has 32 (Sd6
opening 1n the north wall, beyond which you can see + l S) hit points and a Strength score of 12. It has a +3
bonus to hit on its attacks and deals 4 (1 d6 ... 1) piercing
mountain peaks a nd storm clouds. Sitting on the edge of
damage with its beak and 6 (2d4 + 1) slashing damage
this o pening is a goliath who is talking gently to a griffon with its claws. Its challenge rating 1s l (200 XP).
youngling that leans against her. • After 3 years, the griffon is fully grown and tame enough
"Come no closer," warns t he gol1ath. "This youngling is to be ridden as a mount.
afraid to fly, and his mother is trying to get some rest."
I
When the goliaths spot you, they stop cheering. The
I
SUMMIT OF THE CHIEFS
competition ends as the two goliaths let their rocks tum- Arn will agree to meet Ogolai on neutral ground, but
ble to the floor, and all nine goliaths glare at you. only if Kaniaka (see area 54) urges him to do so. Ogolai
will agree to meet Arn on neutral ground, but only if the
characters heal the wounded aarakocra at Wyrmdoom
Two goliaths were competing in a test of strength to Crag (see area W6 on page 169). Both chieftains in-
see who could hold their arms up the longest under the tend to bring an entourage of goliath warriors with them
weight of the rocks. Unless the characters are accompa- to the meeting, and it takes some additional diplomacy-
nied by a member of the Akannathi clan, the goliaths try and perhaps a Charisma (Persuasion) check or two- to
to frighten away the interlopers, attacking them if they convince them to keep their delegations small.
refuse to leave. A clever character can win over the goli-
aths by challenging and beating one or more of them in NEGOTIATIONS
a rock-holding contest. The contest plays out as follows: Characters who bring Arn and Ogolai together still have
their work cut out for them: neither chieftain is ready to
• Each participant is given a pair of heavy rocks and
forgive and forget the events that created the division
must hold one in each hand while keeping their arms
between them. lf one or more characters don't mediate
parallel to the floor.
the conversation, the meeting ends with each chieftain
• At the end of each minute, each participant must
walking away in disgust at the other's unwillingness to
succeed on a Strength (Athletics) check to keep their
accept blame. Allow the players time to devise a strategy
arms raised. The DC starts at 5 and increases by 5 at
for ending the impasse. Three possible solutions are
the end of each minute thereafter. On a failed check,
the participant drops their arms and is out of the presented below:
game. lf the last two participants fail at the same time, The characters urge the chieftains, for the good of
the contest ends in a tie. lcewind Dale, to unite against a common foe (such as
Auril the Frostmaiden. Arveiaturace the White Wyrm,
Any character who wins a rock-holding contest earns
or Xardorok Sunblight). Goliath warriors from both
the respect of the goliaths in this cave. That respect can
clans, working as allies, might learn to forget the past
grow into friendship, provided the characters have done
and forge a brighter future for all goliaths.
nothing that would turn the goliaths against them.
l
to leave the Underdark and carve out a kingdom for him- duergar fortress, slay this evil warlord, and destroy his
self on the surface terrible weapon?"
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER If the c:haracter!> .wrept this quest. the ..,peaker pro-
Characters who lt'arn of Xardorok's plot to forge a vides them with a map of le t'wind Dale that marks the
dragon of chardalyn and unleash tt upon Ten-Towns location of the duergar fortress. as '>hown on map 2.1
might decide to launch a preemptive strike on Xar- (page 113) For the benefit of your players, you can
dorok's fortre!>s. Thie; chapter describes the fortress of point to the fortress's local1011 using tlw poster map of
Sunblight in detail, in the t•vent the adventurers decide Icewind Oale.
to attack it. Bui the characters an· in for a surprise: by If the characters ask w speak with the captured
the time they arrive. Xardorok has a lready finished his duerga1. the 'ipeakcr inforuts them that che duergar wa5
construct and ~et it loose, leaving the charactt:rs with an put to death following tht' interrogation, lo keep him
agonit.iug ded~ion: pres~ tht.> atlack against the duergar escaping and warning his kin tr lht! characters insist on
fortress, or intercept the dragon in Tt:n-Towns. If they seeing the duergar, the speaket lakes them to a cellar
choose the latter course'. skip over this chapter for now where the body is being kept. Any characcer who casts a
and proceed with chapter 4. speak with dead spell on the dead duergar can \alidate
The characters are more likely to survive an invasion the information that the speaker has already imparted.
of Xardorok':, fonress if the.> are at least 4th level. Char The speaker has little to offer the characteri. as
acters of lower level can succeed if they takt: frequent recompeni.e beyond hospitalit) and friendship. Lf che
rest& or have an edge. '>UCh as plent} of healing magic.. or character.., insist on a more tangible rc\\ard the speaker
allies to back them up sl'O\\.ls apologize!> for misjudging them and lets them
go about their business. Their rcpurauon takes a blo"
SPEAKER'S QUEST 1f the} declrne to help Regardlcs& of chc.. meeung s
lf the characters latk incentive to confront Xardorok in outcome the ..,peakcr·~ next task I'> to prepare the set-
his fortress. either because they didn't encounter his tlement fo1 what will surely be thl fight ot its life 111 the
sons in chapter l or becaust· thl' duergar threac hasn"t event that X.irdorok'& construct attacks Ten Towns.
impacted them yet, you can hme one of the speakers in
Ten Towns invite thc•m LO a private meet mg. The speaker
would know the characteri. by reputation, if nothing
else. At this meeting. the '>Pt'<1ke1 presents the following
information·
CHAPTER 3 I SUr-.'BLlCHT
TROUBLE IN THE FORTRESS FINDING THE FORTRESS
The following sections describe what the characters a re The characters can find a map aboard the Easthaven
up against in this chapter. ferry that shows the location ofXardorok's fortress.
They obtain a similar map if they accept the speaker's
XARDOROK'S PARANOIA quest presented earlier in this chapter. If the characters
Xardorok's obsession with chardalyn is a form of mad- fail to obtain the map, they can use magic to compel a
ness that has consumed the duergar warlock. to the captured duergar to divulge the location of the fortress.
extent that he will stop at nothing to obtain all of it. Xar-
dorok prizes chardalyn more than he loves his sons and APPROACHING THE FORTRESS
his clan, which has alienated his closest advisors and
To get to Xardorok's fortress, the characters need to
forced them to question their blind obedience to him.
negotiate the Spine of the World. Use the rules in the
Prolonged contact with malevolent magic suffusing
"Mountain Travel" section (see page 11) to simulate
the chardalyn has made Xardorok extraordinarily para-
the perils of getting around in the peaks.
noid. He keeps his two sons, Durth and Nildar, as far
away from him as possible, sending them on dangerous
missions to acquire more chardalyn in and around Beyond the snowy foothills, low-lying clouds obscure
Ten-Towns, fearing that they might usurp his throne the Icy peaks of the gargantuan mountains that form the
otherwise. Xardorok rewards his subjects for spying
Spine of the World. Eventually, you get above the clouds
on one another and uncovering plots against him. The
duergar closest to him are aware of the changes in his and behold a sheer mountain wall rising more than a
demeanor, but they lack the courage to stand up to him. hundred feet before you. Carved high on the wall are
A few have learned to capitalize on his paranoia. gaining rows of arrow slits with lights burning behind them and
Xardorok's favor by fabricating evidence of coups or- clanking sounds issuing from them. A narrow staircase
chestrated by their rivals.
hewn from the rock leads up along one side of the wall.
THE MuzCARDT CONSPIRACY
Grandolpha Muzgardt, the grand dame of the Muzgardt The steps leading up to it are barely 5 feel wide and
duergar clan, has recencly arrived at the fortress after climb 150 feet to a frost-covered shelf that adjoins the
being invited here by Xardorok. The Muzgardts are main entrance (area Xl).
based in Gracklstugh, a duergar city in the Underdark.
They mass-produce and distribute a filthy duergar ale DIFFICULT DECISION
made from mushrooms. Xardorok has been eager to As the characters begin their ascent, read:
take a fourth wife and has had his eye on Grandolpha
Muzgardt for many years. He asked Grandolpba to his
fortress to give her a gift-a pseudodragon made of char- From high above comes a loud grinding noise as large
daJyn (a pseudo-pseudodragon, if you will)-and make sheets of ice break off the fortress walls and tumble
her an offer she can't refuse. Once he conquers lcewind down the mountainside. Suddenly, great doors of ice pre-
Dale, he wants the Muzgardts to control the ale trade viously hidden under snow stand open more than three
throughout his sun less surface kingdom.
hundred feet above you, and from between them flies a
Grandolpha, for her part, is too canny and jaded to
fall for Xardorok's blunt attempt at seduction. She has huge dragon made of dark ice. Its eyes glow with a bright
begun plotting with disenfranchised advisors and war- golden light as It lets out a terrible roar, hurls itself into
riors in his ranks to overthrow him when the moment the air, and glides away from the fortress. then turns and
is right. Ironically, despite his paranoia. Xardorok is too heads north toward Ten-Towns.
blinded by his admiration for Grandolpha to foresee her
treachery. ln Grandolpha, the characters might find an
unlikely (if temporary) ally. The chardalyn dragon (see appendix C) exits the for-
tress by climbing up a shaft that leads from the forge
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT level to the fortress's summit. The doors at the top of
In this chapter, characters can advance to 6th level and the shaft remain open until the dragon returns or un-
no farther. Level advancement is handled as follows: til someone closes them by using the levers in areas
Xl3 and XIS.
• The characters gain a level if they defeat Xardorok The dragon stays at least 250 feet away Crom the party
Sunblight. and does not pay any attention to the characters as it
• The characters gain a level if they accomplish any flies off on its mission to destroy Ten-Towns. Given the
two of the following feats: find the chardaJyn dragon's dragon's impressive Hying speed, it's unlikely that the
flight plan in area X4, free the myconid sovereign characters will be able to catch up to it.
in area Xl 9, or destroy the heart of the red dragon The characters must now make a big decision: do they
in area X24. assault Xardorok's fortress as planned or follow the
dragon back to Ten-Towns? If they continue their climb
to the fortress, continue with the next section: if they
pursue the dragon, move on to chapter 4.
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBUGHT
173
5-foot-diametc>r tunnel that leads 10 a '-tmilar door block- (Religion) che<'k An 111dentauon m the c;tatueue·s ba!:>e
ing entrv 111 ·1rc>a X4 Q ability chc:>ck ,., needed to find holds the key that unlocks the iron trunk in Xardorok's
either secret door from inside the lUnnrl bedchamber. The characters ran find the kry if someone
lifts the c;taturttt' and looks undernf'ath it.
X4. XARDOROK' s WAR RooM Anyone other than Xardorok who touches the stalll
ette of Deep Duerra must make a DC 16 Wisdom savm~
throw. takm~ 18 (4d8) psychic damage on a failed save.
This rectangular room has two sets of double doors, one
or half ac, much clamage on a succec;sful one. Along
to the north and the other to the south A brazier of glow- with the psych11 cfamagc comf's a terrible sensation of
ing-hot coals stands in each corner. In the middle of the havmg one's bra111 dcvourrd by an ill it hid. Once this
room is a low stone table, on the top of wh ich 1s drawn effect has on·um•cl, the statuette:> can be handlecl safely.
an illustration that looks something like a map. Anyone who kt·eps the chardalyn c:;tatuclle on their
person for mor<.' than I hour gainc; a random form of
111defin1te madrn•ss (see "Madnesc:;" in the Dungeon Mas ·
Closer in-.pN'lion of the drawing rrvt•al<., that its ao ac ters Guide)
curate dep1c110n of fro-Towns anrl th environ<;. Mounted Iron Trunk. The iron trunk 1"> bolted to the floor. A
to the top '1f" th111 iron stand on thE' table 1<; a 6-111ch-tall character u<.,111g thieves' tools can uc;e an action to try
dragon figuruw r ;in·NI out of chardalyn a m1n1aturc> to pick the lork. doing o;;o with a c.uc<'essful DC 20 Dex
version of Xardorok s chardalyn dragon, its w111gs out terity check. A knock spell or 5imilar magic also opens
'>trctched. f!H' figurine's stand is attached by an iron rod ihe trunk
to a groove carved 11110 the table allowintt the figurine:> lo The trunk <'Onta1ns Xardorok's pC'rsonal posses<;ions
move acro<;c.. thl' mnp from one settlement to anothE'r If (see ~Treasurf'" brlow). and it is trapped If all its con
a lc\'er on thr we'>t "-Jclc of the tabk. 1c. pulled. the dragon tents are removc.>d. hidden spnnl{s ra1c:;c the trunk's false
fi~urine 'flies on•r TC'n Towns on II"- prec;;e1 course. bottom to rtsf' .-..lightly. at which po111t the c;;tone visage
!\nv character who pays close auenuon can dic:;cern the above the bed op<'ns itc; mouth and belches a cloud of
flight path of Xardorok"s chardalyn drngon (see chapter poisonous gas large enough lo fill the room. Tbe gas
1 for details). hangs in the air for IQ mi nu tee;;, then dissipates. Any
Dragon Figurine. The chardalyn figurine can be crcarure that c:;iarts its turn in the cloud must make a
broken off ns c;tand A s an an obJeCI 11 1s wonh 50 gp. DC 14 Constitution saving throw, tak111g 22 (4d10) POI
Anyone who kcrp-. 11 on their per...on for more than l c;on damage on a failed save. or half as much dama~e on
hour ga111-. a random form of indefimtr madness (see a successfu I one
Madnt>"" 1n the Dunf?eon 1\ifastcr\ Gwde). Treasure. The iron trunk contams a pair of dwarven
S ecre t Door. A character who "<'arches the walls for c:;andals carved out of obsidian (250 gp), a quilted smok-
secret doors :-ind sucrecds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Percep- ing jacket siud for a dwarf and <;ewn with fifty gem·
t ion) check findc; c;uch a door behind the brazier in the c;tones (500 gp), a malachite beard comb set with seven
c;;outhwest cornrr Thie; 5-foot-wide. 10 foot-tall stone rf'd garnets (750 gp). a hookah mack of platinum and
door sw1n~" 11110 a 5-foot-diamet<>r tunnel that leads star sapphm• (2.500 gp). and a rolled up leather scroll
to a c;;im1lar door block111g entry to .irea X3. o ability with the following sequence of numbers written on 1t
check is ncrd<>d 10 find either st>cret door from inside m Dwarvish
the tunnel
1-3-6 2-5-2 9.7.5 4-3 4
X5. XARDOROK'S QUARTERS 8 -2-7 563 7-1-4 2-9 9
CHAPTER 3 I SUN8LICHT
171
CHAPTER 3 I SUN BLIGHT
175
An invisible duergar named Dreck huddles in the south-
west corner, trying to avoid detection. Despite his effort,
any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception)
score of 14 or higher notices lhe duergar's cold breath.
Dreck has secretly pledged his allegiance to Grandolpha
Muzgardt, for he longs to be rid of Xardorok Sunblight
and now sees the characters as instruments of Xar-
dorok's demise. He fights only in self-defense.
Elevator. A box-shaped iron elevator car constantly
goes up and down the shaft, stopping for 1 minute on
each floor and taking 1 minute to move from one level to
the next. A collapsing iron gate on the west side of the
cage slides open when the car arrives at this level from
above or below. The lO-foot-wide stone shaft climbs 100
feet to area Xl3 and descends 100 feet to area X22.
Lever. Moving the iron lever on the west waJJ opens
and closes the fortress's outer doors (see area Xl).
Winch. Turning the iron winch on the west wall raises
and lowers the portcullis between areas Xl and X2.
GRANDOLPHA MUZGARDT Until recently, this room was the office of Xardorok's
Medium humanoid (dwarf), lawful evil captain of the guard, who has been accused of plotting a
coup and is being tortured in area X34.
Armor Class 9
Hit Points 59 (7d8 + 28) X8. PRIVATE DINING HALL
Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Three braziers heaped with glowing-hot coals illuminate
14 (+2) 9 (-1) 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) and heat this long hall. At the eastern end is a hexagonal
Damage Resistances poison stone table surrounded by six stone chairs. Seated in the
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13 chair facing the door is a haggard old duergar with long
languages Common, Dwarvlsh, Undercommon black hair streaked with ribbons of white and fingernails
Challenge 2 (450 XP) like shards of iron. She is devouring a hearty buffet of
Duergar Resilience. Grandolpha has advantage on saving cooked meats, mushrooms, and strange Underdark fare.
throws against poison, spells, and illusions, as well as to resist Lurking next to her 1s a small mechanical dragon made of
being charmed or paralyzed. a shiny black substance.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics}. Grandolpha's innate speJlcasting Hunched over a hot stove in the west side of the
ability 1s Wisdom (spell save DC 13). She can innately cast the room are three duergar cooks. At the sight of you, they
following spells, requiring no material components: drop their utensils and reach for their weapons, but
At will: druidcraft, mending, poison spray (see "Actions" below) the old duergar says something in Dwarvish that keeps
3/day each: detect magic, enlarge/reduce (self only).faerie fire. them at bay.
invisibility (self only), polymorph, stoneskin (self only)
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, Grandolpha has dis·
advantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) Xardorok and his sons dine here. occasionally joined
checks that rely on sight. by guests. In attendance today is Xardorok's paramour,
Grandolpha Muzgardt (see the accompanying stat
ACTIONS block). The three duergar cooks are Grandolpha's
Poison Spray (Contrip). Grandolpha extends her hand toward a loyal bodyguards. The chardalyn dragonet next co
creature she can see within 10 feet of her and projects a puff of Grandolpha is a gift from Xardorok; it's a lawful evil
noxious gas from her palm. The creature must succeed on a DC construct that understands Draconic and Dwarvish
13 Constitution saving throw or take 13 (2dl2) poison damage. but can't speak. It otherwise has the statistics of a
pseudodragon.
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLICHT
After telling her bodyguards to stand down, Gran- XlO. DuRTH's QUARTERS
dolpha invites the characters to join her for dinner.
The main course is a cooked intellect devourer. its
brain-body stewing in its own juices. The characters
can partake of the feast that Grandolpha's guards have
prepared, but the food has a thin layer of ash covering it
that spoils the taste. Grandolpha doesn't seem to mind,
though. She also offers the characters a vile Muzgardt
IThis dark chamber contains a plain stone bed. a stone
trunk, and four unlit braziers.
CHAPTER 3 I SUN8LIGHT
177
The training dummies arc harmless; they have been dis- Xl4. WORKSHOP
membered and sewn back together numerous times.
Touching one of the suits of armor or dealing damage
to any of them causes all four to animate (use the ani- This messy workshop 1s heated and illuminated by bra-
m ated armor stat block to repre!>ent them). They attack ziers of glowing-hot coals in the corners. The room is
all other creatures in the room, which they can't leave furnished with stone tables and cabinets. In the middle
of their own volition. If there- are no other creatures in of the room, surrounded by tw isted bits of meta l, is a
the room that they can attack on their turn, the suits of
half-finis hed exos keletal construct like the ones yo u en-
armor deactivate and revert to their inanimate state.
Ele vator. A box-shaped iron elevator car constantly countered in the room you came from.
goes up and down the shaft, stopping for 1 minute on
each floor and taking 1 minute to move from one level to
This room contains two due rgar mf'chanics (one male.
tht' next. A collapsing iron gate on the west side of the
one female). both of whom turn 1nv1s1hle as soon as they
cage slides open when the car arrives at this level from
hear sounds of combat in area X13. They try to remain
above or below. The I0-foot wide stone shaft climbs 100
hidden and fight only in self cldt•n-,e.
feet to area X 15 and descends I00 feet to area X30.
Treasure. Characters who search the workshop find
two sets of smith's tools and a 'H't of tinker's tools.
ICE GATE LEVEL
The uppermost level of the fortress C'Ontains the mech- Xl5. EASTERN GEAR ROOM
anism that operates the ice gate enormous doors Tht' following boxed text assume!> th<' characters enter
through which Xardorok's chardalyn dragon comes and this area by coming up the elevator. If they enter by the
goes. These doors are carved out of thick ire and have north tunnel. adjust the boxed text accordingly:
hinged iron clamps holding them in place. When the
doors are open, they allow access to a 30-foot-wide verti-
Ascending the elevator shaft deposits you in the middle
cal shaft that descends 220 feet to area X26.
of a large room with machinery filling the western half.
Xl3 . WESTERN GEAR ROOM A duergar stands in the southwest corner next to a
The following boxed text assumes the characters enter lever that juts out of the west wall Braziers heaped with
this art'a by coming up the el<'vator. If they enter by the
hot coals do litt le to offset the cold air blowing into the
north tunnel. adjust rhe boxed text accordingly:
room thro ugh arrow s lits in the south wa ll.
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLlGHT
characters challenge the duergar. the two enlarged ones X18 . GUARDED CORRIDOR
remove the sack covering the umber hulk's head and Between two sets of double doors is a corridor wich a
release the creature. after which all four duergar turn dozen arrow sli1s along its walls. Four duergar guards
invisible. The infuriated umber hulk sees the characters ar<' stationed in the hallways to either side (two per loca-
and attacks them. lf the characters c;lay the umber hulk, tion). In addition to cheir normal weapons. these duergar
the duergar attack them. carry heavy crossbows (+2 to hit) that deal 5 (ldlO)
To the Underdark. A 10-foot-wide. miles-long tunnel piercing damage on a hit.
connects Xardorok's fortress to vast caverns and subter-
ranean lakes under the Spine of the World. Exploration X 19. CHARDALYN THRONE
of the Underdark is beyond the scope of this adventure. If Xardorok Sunblight (sec append ix C) is encountered
h<'rt>. he's sitting on his thront>. Describe him as a soot-
Xl7. 0 U ERGAR MINES stained. gray-bea rded duergar with a jagged black crown
on his brow and a spiky black gauntlet on one hand. His
crown and gauntlet are made of chardalyn.
I I
Rich veins of iron ore run thro.ugh the walls of this cav-
ern. Narrow tunnels are cut deep into the rock. Here and
The ceiling of this hall arches to a height of thirty feet.
there lie stacks of mining equipment.
Stone steps lead up to a semicircular dais against the
south wall. Atop the dais is a misshapen throne crudely
These mines provide the ducrgar with all the iron ore carved out of black crystal. Small, crackling Aames burn
they need to fashion tools. wrapons, exoskeletons for
in braziers that occupy the room's corners.
hammerers. and other items. They use the excavated
ston<' for furniture and other structures. Currently, there Slumped near the east wall is a tall, bipedal fungus
are no duergarworking in the mines. creature. luminous spores Aoat 1n the air around it. A
Characters who explore the mines come across savage, white-furred biped has torn off one of the crea-
thrt>e rust monsters scroungmg for iron ore. The rus1 ture's arms and is holding it while four other white-furred
monsters. which came up from the Underdark. attack
bipeds covered with fungal growths try to capture the
anyone wearing metal armor or carrying metal shields
or weapons. Aoating spores in jugs.
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLICHT
Xardorok's garrison includes several quaggoth thralls. A Unless they were drawn to area X19 by sounds of com-
little over a tenday ago. a quaggoth thonot named Krob bat there, two duergar stand against the west wall,
helped the duergar capture a myconid sovereign in the watching the doors to area X22. These duergar have
Underdark. The sovereign's name is Pleurota. With Xar- secretly pledged their loyalty to Grandolpha Muzgardt
dorok's consent, Krob is harvesting Pleurota's animat- (see "The Muzgardt Conspiracy," page 172) and try to
ing spores and using them lo turn dead quaggoths into thwart Xardorok at every turn. They allow characters to
spore servants. When the myconid sovereign became pass through the room unmolested and are 50 percent
uncooperative, Krob tore off one of its arms. likely to know Xardorok's current whereabouts.
Tho not Krob uses the quaggoth stat block with the
modifications noted in the "Variant: Quaggoth Thonot" X22. WESTERN ELEVATOR
sidebar in the Monster Manual. He is joined in this room
I I
by four quaggoth spore serva nts. Krob and the spore
The elevator shaft terminates in this room. A large stone
servants fight to the death. If Krob dies, one of the spore
wheel next to the iron cage turns constantly.
servants uses its next action to pour its jug of spores
over Krob's corpse. turning it into a new spore servant.
Sounds of combat here bring reinforcements from Elevator Shaft. The 10-foot-widc stone shaft ascends
area Xl8 (four duergar) and area X20 (four quaggoths). 100 feet to area X6 and 200 feel to area X13.
All the duergar. including Xardorok if he's present, use
En large before joining the fight. If defeat seems likely. X23. OUTER GATE
Xardorok retreats to area X22 and uses the elevator to A 15-foot-high. 10-foot-wide iron gate is set into a
make his way toward area X8, where he hopes to enlist 20-foot-high, 15-foot-wide wall that separates area X16
the aid of Grandolpha Muzgardt, unaware of her true from area X24. The gate has a bulky padlock on its east-
intentions. GrandoJpha goes along with Xardorok but ern side. The duergar forewoman (see area X25) carries
won't aid him in a fight, allowing the characters to kill the iron key to the padlock. A character with thieves'
him. If Xardorok is gravely wounded and GrandoJpha tools can use an action to try to pick the lock, doing so
can kill him without putting herself in harm's way, she with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. The check
seizes lhe opportunity. is made with disadvantage if the character must reach
Throne. Prolonged contact with Xardorok's chardalyn through the gate from area Xl6 to get at the Jock. A
throne can warp one's mind. A creature that remains in knock spell or similar magic also opens the padlock.
contact with the throne for l hour gains a random form Any attempt to breach the gale alerts the guards atop
of indefinite madness (see ''Madness" in the Dungeon the watchtowers in the forge (areas X24- X26).
Master's Guide). If this madness isn't cured within 24
hours. it becomes permanent. Only a wish spell or di- X24-X26. FORGE
vine intervention can end the permanent madness.
Treasure. Each quaggoth spore servant has a jug con-
taining enough of Pleurota's animating spores to turn Smoke fills this warm cavern, which has a ceiling that
one fresh corpse into a spore servant (as described in ranges from forty feet high down to twenty feet high
the "Myconids" entry in the Monster Manual). along the south wall. The source of the smoke and heat
is a ten-foot·tall stone forge shaped like a pyramid with
X20. QUAGGOTH DEN
its peak sheared off. Ripples of heat and flashes of fire·
light spew from t he top of the forge, which emits a deep,
I
This dark, filthy room is strewn with bones. It contains pulsating heartbeat. A five-foot-deep trough extends east
ten crude beds made of moss and clumps of fur. Loud from the forge, with rows of black anvils on either side of
mechanical noises come from behind the west wall. the depression.
Overlooking the forge are four twenty-foot-tall guard
Unless they are drawn to area X19 by sounds of combat towers with gray-skinned dwarves standing behind their
there, four quaggoths gnaw on bones in this room and low battlements. Stone stairs provide access to the tops
attack intruders on sight. The quaggoths follow Thonot of the two towers nearest the forge.
Krob who, in turn, obeys Xardorok Sunblight.
South of the forge is an enormous, five-foot-tall iron
The noises heard coming from behind the west wall
originate from the elevator located in area X22. platform fitted with cranes and clamps, with short
flights of iron stai rs leading to the top of the platform.
X2J. TREACHEROUS GUARDS Surrounding it is a clean-up crew consisting of a female
duergar with a horn and six hulking bipeds, their white
This room contains braziers of glowing-hot coals in the fur stained with soot. They are tossing scraps into a
northwest corner and the southwest corner. Loud me· cylindrical container. In the twenty-foot-high ceiling
chanical noises come from behind the double door in the above this bin is a wide, rectangular hole.
middle of the east wall.
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLIGHT
180
This encounter area is made up of several smaller loca- A fight here brings reinforcements from area X28:
tions within sight of one another. Area X24 is the forge three duergar hammerers (see appendix C).
itself. Area X25 is the iron platform where Xardorok's lf defeat seems likely, Xardorok retreats and makes
chardalyn dragon was assembled. Area X26 is the bot- his final stand in Deep Duerra's temple (area X29).
tom of the shaft that the dragon uses to move up and out X24. Forte. Any creature that touches the forge for
of the fortress. In addition, four guard towers ringed by the first time on a turn or starts its turn in contact with
3-foot-higb stone battlements look out over the area. the forge takes 10 (3d6) fire damage.
If Xardorok Sunblight (see appendix C) is here, he is Characters who get close enough to peer through the
standing atop the assembly platform (area X25), barking vents in the side of the forge can see that it contains a
orders at the clean-up crew. Describe Xardorok as a large, beating heart. A successful DC 15 Intelligence
soot-stained. gray-bearded duergar with ajagged black (Arcana) check reveals that the heart belongs to a red
crown on bis brow and a spiky black gauntlet on one dragon and is clearly kept aLive by magic. The forge
band. His crown and gauntlet are made of chardalyn. grants the heart three-quarters cover. The heart is a
The clean-up crew consists of the duergar fore- Large object with AC 13, 27 hit points, vulnerability to
woman, Thontara, and six quaggoths. Thontara carries cold damage. and immunity to fire and psychic damage.
a horn that she uses as a loudspeaker; the iron key that The heart stops beating when reduced to 0 hit points,
unlocks the outer gate (area X23) is hidden inside a com- rendering the forge inoperable.
partment in the heel of her left boot. X25. Assembly Platform. Underneath the platform is
Three guards are stationed atop each tower-twelve a 5-fool-bigh crawlspace.
duergar in total. One guard on each lower is secretly X26. Vertical Shaft. The shaft ascends 200 feet to the
loyal to Grandolpha Muzgardt (see MThe Muzgardt Con- doors that make up the ice gate, which are open unless
spiracy," page 172). If the characters engage in battle the characters closed them in areas X13 and XIS. The
with Xardorok and appear to be winning, these duergar characters need magic or climbing gear to scale the
help by attacking the other duergar on their respective shaft's rough-hewn walls. Below the shaft is a 5-foot-tall,
platforms; ifXardorok appears to be winning, these du- 10-foot·diameter cylindrical bin. It contains dozens of
ergar stay out of the fight. The remaining duergar hurl fragments left over from the construction of the char-
javelins at foes from atop the towers. growing to Large dalyn dragon. Any chardalyo fragments stolen from the
size and switching to their war picks if forced into me- Easthaven town ball are here as well (see ~The Charda-
Iee combat. lyn Caper," page 68).
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLIGHT
X27. GIANT LIZARD PENS Pekoe but can't tell what. The doppelganger tries to
acquire some cold weather clothing and remains with
the party until it reaches Tcn·TO\\ ns. Once there, it slips
I
This corridor 1s lined with six arched cells, each sealed away and adopts a new disguise. The doppelganger
off with a latched iron gate. Housed in each cell is a big won't harm the characters unless they give it reason to.
lizard fitted with riding gear. j The loud banging comes from an unarmed goliath
warrior named Kapanuk Talltree Thuunlakalaga. Af-
ter becoming separated from his hunting party during
The six gia nt lizards kept here are used by the duergar a blizzard, Kapanuk was ambushed by duergar and
as mounts and pack animals. They are hostile coward brought to the fortress for interrogation. Since he knows
non-duergar but can't attack through the closed gaces. nothing about Ten-Towns. Kapanuk was of little use to
The gates are latched shut, but not locked. his captors.
If released, Kapanuk tries to acquire some weapons
X28. DUNGEON
and armor. He also invites the characters to return
Unless chey are drawn to the forge by sounds of combat with him to Wyrmdoom Crag. where his kin will give
there, three duergar hammer ers (see appendix C) are them thl' heroes' fea:.t they deo;crve. I le shows no of-
spaced equidistantly a long this corridor. Their job is to fense if the characters dedirw the invitation, but if they
prevent prisoners from escaping. but they attack anyone accept and arc ready to leave. Kapanuk guides them
outside the cells whom they don't recognize. through the mountains to his home (see "Wyrmdoom
Crag," page 166).
I I
This dark corridor has narrow iron doors along the north You can add additional prisoners to the cellblock,
at your discretion. The remaining cells are other-
wall and two similar doors at each end. An iron crossbar
wise empty.
seals each door.
X29. DEEP DUERRA'S TEMPLE
When one or more characters enter the room with the
If the ducrgar hammerers have been defeated or lured
statue, read:
elsewhere, add:
I
Inside this room, you can hear loud mechanical noises
I
loud banging from one cell causes the bar on its door to
that seem to come from behind the south wall.
tremble in its brackets. From another cell comes a gentle
Standing in the middle of the room, facing the double
tapping sound.
door to the north, 1s a seven-foot-tall statue of a female
duergar in a scale mail robe. The top of its head above
After its bar is removed, each iron door pulls open to the eyes has been sheared off. making a space for a stone
reveal a cramped cell with no furnishings.
brazier that gives off a flickering flame. Chained to the
The tapping comes from the cell of a doppelganger
that was caught trying to infiltrate the fortress. This statue's pedestal is an emaciated, malformed creature
creature takes the form of a scrawny human in a dircy with rubbery, purplish.gray flesh, a bulbous head with a
loincloth named Pekoe Quint. "Pekoe" claims to be a metal plate bolted to it, and sinister eyes.
trapper from Dougan's llole and has the small, mal·
formed ears and pointy teeth typical of that town's
inbred stock. Pekoe says that the duergar abducted lf Xardorok S unblight (see appendix C) is here, he
him and asked him a lot of questions about his is kneeling before the statue and calling on Deep Du-
town·s defenses. erra (speaking in Dwarvish) to grant him the power to
The doppelgangcr knows the settlements ofTen- conquer his foes. Describe him as a soot-stained, gray-
Towns well enough to pass for a Ten-Towner. Any char- bearded ducrgar with a jagged black crown on bis brow
acter who doubts Pekoe's story can make a Wisdom and a spiky black gauntlet on one hand. His crown and
(Insight) check: if the character's check resuh is higher gauntlet arc made of chardalyn.
than the doppelganger's Charisma (Deception) check While in this temple. Xardorok has the following addi-
result, rhe character senses that something is off about tional trait:
Psychic Conquest. Xardorok deals an extra 5 (ldlO) psychic
D EEP D UERRA damage to any creature he hits with a weapon attack, and he
Deep Duerra 1s a lawful evil god of conquest and psionic regains a number of hit points equal to the amount of psychic
power. Her symbol is a mind flayer skull. damage dealt.
According to legend, Deep Duerra stole the power of psi
from the mind flayers and gifted 1t to her people. Her com· A character who succeeds on a DC 20 lnteUigence
mand of psionic power was so great that she dominated a (Religion) check recognizes the statue as a depiction of
mind flayer colony and turned the ill1thids into her slaves. Deep Duerra (see the "Deep Duerra.. sidebar). Dwarves
Inspired by her mythic deeds, her priests are devoted to have advantage on this check. The flame rising from
finding and annihilating mind flayer colonies or turning the statue's head symbolizes Deep Duerra's destructive,
mind flayers into their thralls. all-consuming mind. If a creature uses an action to
CHAPTER 3 I SUNllLICllT
extinguish this fire, Xardorok to ...es his Psychic Con-
quest trait.
The creature chained 10 the ~tatut•s base is a mind
ftaye r with 9 hit points and no armor (AC 11). Klondorn.
the duergar priest (sec arl'a X31 ). has amputated its
face-tentacles and removt·d the part of its brain that
enables the mind flayer 10 u..,e its psionic powers. Con-
sequently. 11 has no innate ..,pdlcasting abilities and no
effective attacks. lt retains its Magic Resistance and its
telepathy. howewr Its challenge rating is 0 (0 XP).
The mind Hayer doesn't expect sympathy from the
characters and shies away from them. If the characters
question it, the mind Hayer shares the following informa-
tion with one of them telepathically:
The mind flayer'!> name is F'yorl. It was captured by
the duergar in tht: Underdark.
This room is a temple dedicated to Deep Duerra,
a duergar god of conquest and psionics. Xardorok
comes here to pray and draws strength from the si.at-
ue's flame.
The temple's priest, Klonclorn. resides in the room to
the southeast (area X31).
Northwest and Northeast Rooms. The temple
is Hanked by L-shapcd rooms co the northwest and
northeast. The northwest room contains heaps of cold
weather clothing and a dozen pairs of snowshoes. The
northeast room contains piles of weapons, including
siJ< war picks. nine warhammers, a dozen javelins. ten KcoNDO~N
I
room contains nothing of value.
I
This room is filled with stacks of granite tablets. Behind
them lurks a long-bearded duergar wearing black robes X32. TRAPPED HALL
and a tall black miter.
I
Two sets of double doors frame a short corridor. Bolted
Klondorn. che duergar prie'>l of Deep Duerra and Xar- to the walls are a dozen black boxes, each one meas uring
dorok's trusted advisor. 1!:. in fact a barbed devil. The eight feet tall and one foot wide, that give off a low hum.
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBUGHT
Operating a lever in area X36 deactivates the trap in Describe Xardorok as a soot-stained. gray-bearded du-
this hall. which can't be disabled by any other means. ergar with a jagged black crown on his brow and a spiky
Any creature that enters the hall for rhe first time on black gauntlet on one hand. His crown and gauntlet are
a turn or starts its tum in the hall is struck by bolts of made of chardalyn.
lightning that leap from the boxes and must make a DC The mind masters want ll1eir prisoner to identify
15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) lightning others involved in the coup against Xardorok. Nefrun
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a is refusing to cooperate and is not guilty of the crimes
successful one. leveled against her. She suspects Klondorn, the high
priest of Deep Duerra (see area X31). has turned Xar·
X33. LOWER B A RRAC KS dorok against her. If she is released, Nefrun intends to
The characters hear deep voices speaking Dwarvish demonstrate her loyalty to Xardorok. If that means be-
and Undercommon as they approach this area. traying her liberators. Nefrun does so without question.
Nefrun's gear. including her armors and weapons. is on
the floor next to the chair.
Six duergar sit on stools around three hexagonal tables in
Xardorok won't fight to the death in this area. instead,
the middle of this hall, with a copper keg atop each one. he uses the secret door (see below) to retreat to area
Braziers heaped with glowing-hot coals provide light and X30 and uses the elevator there to make his way toward
heat. Through the smoky haze, you count nine doors em· area X8, where he plans to join forces with Grandolpha
bedded in the north, west, and east walls. Muzgardt. Grandolpha goes along with Xardorok but
won't aid him in a fight, allowing the characters to kill
him. If Xardorok is gravely wounded and Grandolpha
Fifreen duergar guards occupy this area-six relaxing can kill him without putting herself in harm's way, she
in the main hall and nine more resting in the smaller seizes the opportunity.
rooms attached to it. Ten of the duergar have secretly Iron Sarcophagi. The closed, upright sarcophagi
pledged their loyalty to Grandolpha Muzgardt (see ~The are iron maidens. The room contains ten of these de-
Muzgardt Conspiracy;• page 172). If the characters vices, each one with spikes lining the interior of its lid.
claim to be on Grandolpha's side. the ducrgar that sup- A Small or Medium creature shackled inside an iron
port her turn against their kin. If the characters let these maiden takes 11 {2dl0) piercing damage when the lid
duergar fight among themselves, five duergar survive snaps shut. The creature takes this damage again at the
the battle, all of them loyal to Grandolpha. They are start of each of its turns uni ii it is released. A creature
willing to help the characters s lay Xardorok, but any can use an action to try to break out of an iron maiden,
alliance they make with the characters ends with Xar· doing so with a successful DC 20 Strength check.
dorok's death. S ecret Door. A character who searches the walls for
Copper Kegs. The three kegs contain Clan secret doors and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Per-
Muzgardt's finest mushroom brew, Darklake Stout, ception) check finds such a door in the west wall. This
which only a duergar could find palarable. 5-foot-wide. 10-foot-tall stone door swings into a 5-foot-
Quarters. Each of the smaller rooms has three stone wide tunnel that leads to a similar door blocking entry
bunkbeds protruding from its walls. to area X29.
Torture Closet. The small room to the south contains
X34. TORTURE CHAMBER an array of torture devices. including whips, mallets,
Characters who approach this chamber hear screams of barbed scourges, spiked chains, branding irons, hooks.
agony coming from inside. thumbscrews, pliers, and shears.
The unarmed and unarmored duergar shackled to the This bedchamber is set aside for honored guests and is
chair is Nefrun. the former captain of the guard. She has currently being used by Grandolpha Muzgardt, whom
7 hit points remaining. Her torturers are two duergar the characters encounter in area XS. The yeti hide on
mind masters (see appendix C) wearing black hoods. her bed is a gift from Xardorok. The kegs contain Dark-
If Xardorok Sunblight (see appendix C) is encoun- lake Stout, Clan Muzgardt's finest mushroom ale. which
rered here, he's overseeing the torture of Nefrun. Grandolpha brought with her from the Gnderdark. She
who has been implicated in a plot to assassinate him. keeps no valuables here. and both chests are empty.
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLIGHT
X36. DUERGAR HAMMERERS which grows in the Underdark. Each gourd can be
sold to a cavernkecper in Ten-Towns for lO gp.
Ch est 2 holds a gold mask shaped like the visage of a
Two featureless stone pillars support the vaulted ceiling male drow (750 gp). lying on a bed of 350 gp.
of this unlit chamber. East of the pillars, a duergar en· Chest 3 contains a silver chalice shaped in the like-
cased in an exoskeletal construct stands before a lowered ness of a spider and inlaid with eight obsidian eyes
(250 gp).
iron portcullis. A similar creature stands in an alcove to
Chest 4 holds a bundled-up gray spider-silk robe sewn
the north, its squeaky pincers clenching and unclenching with darkmantle eyes, wrapped inside which is a
in nervous anticipation. wandofweb.
A stone lever juts out of the back wall of an alcove to Chest 5 contains a folded piwafwi-a dark spider-silk
the south. cloak made by drow. This item has the properties of a
cloak ofelven kind but loses its magic if it's exposed to
sunlight for 1 hour without interruption.
The two duerga r hammere rs (appendix C) attack any- Ch est 6 holds an amber headdress set with three large
one they don't recognize. purple pearls (2,500 gp).
Iron Portcullis. When the characters move close to Ch est 7 contains a 2-foot-tall stone statuette of De-
the portcullis, they can see thal embedded in the north mogorgon that weighs 50 pounds. Anyone who looks
wall next to it is a 1-foot-square chardalyn plaque with into Lhe statue's eyes must succeed on a DC 14 Cha-
an oversized, hand-shaped indentation on its face. The risma saving throw or contract a random form of
plaque can't be removed from the wall. If the fingers and short-term madness (see "Madness" in the Dungeon
palm ofXardorok's gauntlet are placed in the indenta- Master's Guide). A creature can be affected only once
tion, the portcullis rises into the ceiling, allowing access by the statue, after which it becomes immune to
to area X37. The portculLis can also be raised with a the effect.
knock spell or similar magic. Brute force, in the form Chest 8 houses an inanimate svirfneblin skeleton en-
of a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check, a lso crusted with yellow mold (see "Dungeon Hazards" in
works- but circumventing the locking mechanism in the Dungeon Master's Guide). The mold releases its
this way causes the portcullises in area X37 to fall, seal- spores as soon as the chest's lid is opened. Embedded
ing off that room's eight alcoves. in one of the skull's eye sockets is a false eye made of
Stone Lever. Pulling down the lever in the south moonstone (75 gp).
alcove deactivates the trap in area X32. making
that tunnel safe to traverse. Raising the lever reacti- FORTRESS FALLOUT
vates the trap.
The chardalyn dragon won't return to Xardorok's for-
X37. TREASURE VAULT tress until it has destroyed Ten-Towns (see the next
The characters can see into this room through the bars chapter). IfXardorok is alive and his forge is intact when
of the portcullis that blocks its entrance: the dragon returns, Xardorok begins repairing it. The
dragon regains ld6 hit points at the end of each hour
of repair work. If Xardorok is slain or the red dragon's
I
This unlit room contains four alcoves on the north wall heart in the forge is destroyed, the chardalyn dragon
and four on the south wall. Inside each alcove Is an can't be repaired.
iron chest. After returning to the fortress, the dragon remafas
there until such time as Xardorok needs it to cause more
devastation. and certainly not before Xardorok's duergar
The pointed teeth of a raised iron portcullis jut from the scouts have assessed the damage to Ten-Towns.
ceiling of each alcove. These barriers fall and lock into Xardorok's demise spells the doom of the Sun blight
place if the characters physically forced open the port- clan if neither of his sons are alive to take command. If
cullis that seals the vault's entrance. Placing the lingers Grandolpha Muzgardt outlives Xardorok, she absorbs
and palm ofXardorok's gauntlet in the hand-shaped the remnants of the Sunblight clan into her own and has
indentation in area X36 causes all the lowered portcul- Xardorok's surviving sons executed. The Muzgardt clan
lises in Lhis room to rise. A portcullis can also be raised takes over Xardorok's fortress but has no immediate
with a knock spell or similar magic. designs against Ten-Towns or lcewind Dale. If the char-
Iron Chests. Each chest has a built-in combination acters were instrumental in helping Grandolpha capture
lock with three tumblers that bear tiny Dwarvish runes the fortress, she allows them to keep any treasures they
representing numeral!> from 1 to 9. Xardorok keeps the found in the fortress but insists that they leave at once.
combinations for these chests in his quarters (area XS). 1f Xardorok and Grandolpha are both still alive when
A character using thieves' tools can spend 1 minute the characters depart the fortress, the division among
trying to disable the lock, doing so with a successful DC the two duergar clans continues to deepen, but no im-
20 Dexterity check. A knock spell or similar magic also mediate effort is made to unseat Xardorok. Grandolpha
opens a chest. Here are the chests' descriptions: is content to bide her time, betraying Xardorok only af-
Chest 1 contains a dozen stoppered gourds. each hold- ter some setback leaves him weak and vulnerable.
ing a pint of a fiercely hot liquor made from fire lichen,
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLlGHT
D ESTRUCTION'S LIGHT
11
DESTROYING THE DRAGON NPC SUPPORT
When the dragon drops to 0 hir poi ms, read: Ten-Towners are happy 10 let adventurers fight the
dragon while they flee for their lives. If the characters
The dragon makes a horrific grinding noise as it begins are the ones who need saving, you can have one or more
courageous NPCs help them.
to shudder and crumble to pieces. As its great bulk
crashes into the snow, jagged shards of black crystal Ay HELPFUL TEN-TOWNERS
off in all directions. If a character ends up in a tight spot. you can have a
friendly N PC act immediately before the character in
the initiative ord<'r. This NPC can help the imperiled
The dragon leaves behind hundreds of chardalyn frag- character in one of the following ways:
ments, some as big as a wagon wheel and others as
small as a coffin nail. If the characters know the effects • The NPC uses the Help action to assist the character.
of chardalyn tainted by evil magic. they'll want to warn • If the character is dying, the NPC stabilizes them or
Ten-Towncrs 10 avoid the fragments. carries them to a safer location.
The NPC moves close enough to the dragon to provide
WEATHER CONDITIONS a distraction. allowing the character to move to a safer
location or use a class feature thac relies on an ally be-
The dragon begins its attacks under dark. clear skies. ing near the dragon (such as Sneak Attack).
That changes shortly after it leaves Termalaine, its sixth
target. for that's when a wint<'r storm sweeps down from WHAT CAN VELLYNNE Do?
the Rcghed Glacier and engulfs Ten-Towns. The storm Vellynne Harpell's survival is important for the story
hangs over Ten-Towns for 24 hours before petering out. to continue forward. She fighcs alongside the party but
If the characters ronfrom the dragon in Lonelywood, does not participate in any foolhardy acts of heroism.
Bremen, Targos. or Bryn Shander, they must also con- During encounters with the dragon, Vellynne can't
tend with strong wind and heavy snowfall (for rules, see drop below I hit point. If she is reduced to 1 hit point,
"Strong Wind .. and "Heavy Precipitation" in the Dun- she either retreats lo somewhere safe or uses her next
geon Master's Guide). ThC' dragon ignores these effects. action to cast vampiric touch, draining the life force of
having been built by Xardorok to ovC'rcome such debili- her nearest kobold minion (or some other poor fool) to
tating weather. ensure her own survival.
I
that contains all the information she knows. or have one INVISIBLE DUERGAR
of her kobold minions communicate the information
I
necessary to keep the adventure on track.
Something unseen is making footprints in the snow, and
OTHER THINGS those footprints are getting closer!
CHARACTERS CAN Do
Characters who can't harm the dragon (or choose A duergar is using its Invisibility trait to get close
not to) can find plenty of other things to distract them enough to the character to make an attack, but the snow
during the dragon's attack. lf a player is having trouble betrays its presence, giving the character the chance to
figuring out what their character can or shouJd do, you act first.
can use the Town in Chaos table to introduce an urgent When the duergar gets within striking distance, it
development for the character to deal with. Before the attacks and becomes visible. Following its initial at-
character moves or acts on its turn, roll on the table or tack, it uses an action to increase its size, then presses
choose a development you think might spur the charac- its attack.
ter into action.
MALEVOLENT TOWNSFOLK
TOWN IN CHAOS
d20 Development Unrecognizable figures in cold weather clothing advance
1-3 Building collapse until they form a line twenty feet away from you. Each
4-6 Enlarged duergar one clutches a hand axe threateningly. One of them
7-9 Invisible duergar points a gloved finger at you and shouts, "Kill that
10-14 Malevolent townsfolk one firstl"
15-16 Thieves
17-18 Trapped beast
The character is singled out by ld4 + 2 commoners
19-20 Walking wounded who have become corrupted by lhe chardalyn dragon's
Malevolent Presence. Each one wields a handaxe that
BUILDING COLLAPSE deals 3 {ld6) slashing damage on a hit. These townsfolk
act on the same initiative count.
Rather than make saving throws for the commoners
A damaged building collapses twenty feet away from
to end the effect of the dragon's Malevolent Presence on
you. The noise of crashing walls and shattered timbers them, roll a d6 at the end of each of their turns. On a 6,
fades, replaced by the screams of people trapped in the the townsfolk regain their senses and cease to be hostile
wreckage. as the dragon's hold over them ends.
THIEVES
There are ld4 + 1 people trapped in the collapsed bujld-
ing. All of them are commoners suffering from broken
bones, lacerations, and concussjons, and half of them The chaos has brought out the worst in some Ten-Town·
(rounded down) are at 0 hit points and dying; the rest ers. About twenty feet away, you see two thugs in cold
have l hit point each. weather clothing beating up an old woman and stealing
A character can rush to the building and use an action her food.
to try to pull a Ten-Towner out of the wreckage, doing
so with a successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check,
whereupon the character can try to stabilize a dying
commoner or use healing magic to restore their hit
points and remove their injuries.
J_
The two thugs are neutral evil humans. and the old WALKING WOUNDED
woman is a commoner with 1 hit point remaining. A
character can use an action to try to make the thugs
A Ten-Towner in torn cold weather clothing stumbles into
drop the woman's food and run away, doing so with a
successful DC 12 Charisma (lmimidation) check. A thug view, falls in the snow, and gets back up. From twenty
that takes any damage also runs away. feet away, you can see that the person is leaving a trail of
blood in the snow.
TRAPPED BEAST
URlL THE FROSTMAIOEN HAS RETREATED TO drift about. For that reason, the island doesn't appear on
a floating Island of ice and snow and lurncd maps of the Sea of Moving lee.
a skull-shaped forlress formerly occupied
by frost giants into her abode. Her presence GETTI NG TO THE I SLAN D
makes the island the most frigid place in The characters can reach AuriJ's island in any of the
the Far North. The cold is unbearable for many visitors, following ways:
whose corpses become part of the island's frozen decor.
Ideally, the characlers should be 7th level when they • Hitch a ride on Angajuk, the awakened sperm whale
visit the island, although there's nothing stopping them (see "Angajuk's Bell," page 114).
from exploring it at lower levels. They might visit the • Travel to Revel's End (see page 154) and book
island for either of the following reasons: passage on a ship bringing supplies or convicts to
the prison.
Vellynne Harpell, a member of the Arcane Brother- Ask the Akannathi goliaths (see "Skytower Shelter,"
hood, invites the characters to join her on an expedi- page 161) to loan them some trained griffons and
tion to the island (see chapter 4 for more information). then fly to the island on the griffons' backs.
• The characters come to the island on their own, hop-
ing to put an end to lcewind Dale's everlasting winter. V1A ANGAJ UK THE SPERM WHALE
The characters can get directions to the pier where
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER Angajuk can be summoned and befriended. Vellynne
Be sure to review the ''Auril the Frost maiden" section in Harpell knows the location of Angajuk's pier: if she's
appendix C before running this chapter, since Auril is no wilh the party, she proposes that they spend a night
ordinary villain. in lhe town of Bremen and set out to Angajuk's pier in
The characters can locate and obtain both The Codicil the morning.
of White and Vellynne Harpel l's stolen professor orb Angajuk can travel up to 25 miles a day but takes a
without confronting the Frostmaiden. But if the charac- leisurely, meandering route to Auril's island, resulting in
ters want to end the Everlasting Rime right here, right a three-day journey. The whale is submerged for most of
now, they can do so by slaying Iskra, the Frostmaiden's the trip, allowing the characters to see what life is like
roe {without which Auril can't cast her nightly spell that in the frigid depths. Like a tour guide, the whale takes
keeps the sun at bay), or by facing Auril in battle and de- its passengers within sight of spectacular underwater
feating all lhree of the Frostmaiden's forms sequentially. attractions, including shipwrecks, storm giant castles.
and cyclopean ruins from the bygone empire of giants
CHARACTER A DVANCE MENT known as Ostoria.
After delivering the characters safely to the island, An-
In this chapter, level advancement is handJed as follows: gajuk is willing to circle the island until the characters
• The characters gain a level if they deslroy all three of are ready to leave, provided they don't make the whale
Auril's forms. wait for too long. Aurifs roe poses a threat co Angajuk,
• The characlers gain a Level if they slay Iskra the roe. so the whale surfaces only when it must.
• If they are 7th level or lower. the characters gain
V I A SH I P FROM REVEL'S END
a level when they discover the ·Rime of the Frost-
maiden" poem in The Codicil of ~'\-bite. The prison of Revel's End has easy access to the Sea of
Moving fee. On the downside, captains who are brave
enough to take their ships into the Sea of Moving Ice
SEA OF MOVING !CE expect to be well compensated: characters can expect to
Titanic icebergs bob in a churning black sea of unknown pay 1,000 gp or more for a one-way trip to Auril's island,
depth, crashing into one another v. ith destructive re- or five times that amount if they expect the ship lo wait
sults. Floating amid these mountain-. of ice. shrouded for them and take them back to Revel's End.
by mist, is Auril's island. Using sheer force of will, the One such captain is Sharlasta Stormsword, a re-
Frostmaiden can anchor the island or cause it to slowly tired pirate (lawful evil human bandit captafa) who
commands the Ravenous, a sailing ship with a crew of
ISLAND OF SOLSTICE Frost giants fashioned this dock out of ice and built it to
endure, yet sections of it have broken away and fallen
The island of Solstice is shaped like a snowflake, with into the sea. Because the dock was scaled for frost giant
six jagged arms that protrude out into the sea. It's a longships, characters approaching by water must climb
windswept place made primarily of snow and ice. to reach the lop of it. Those without magic or climbing
gear can do so with a successful DC 15 Strength (Ath-
PREPARIN G F OR A RRIVA L letics) check.
Regardless of the means by which the characters travel At the back of the dock. giant-sized steps climb to the
to the island, assume that they arrive near the ruined top of the 50-foot-high cliffs. A 20-foot-wide path made
dock on the island·s southeast arm. This puts them on from bricks of ice leads from the dock to the fortress of
the far side of the island from where the wizard Nass Grimskalle, as shown on map 5.1.
Lantomir met her doom. An ice mephit named Sopo is perched at the top of
Read or paraphrase the foUowing boxed text to the the ice stairs and is willing to serve as a guide for new
players, whether the characters approach the island by arrivals, not out of kindness but to alJeviate its boredom.
sea or air: 1f the characters approach by air, Sopo intercepts them.
Characters who speak Aquan or Auran can communi-
cate with Sopo verbally; if there's no one in the party
DunGEOnlm1
The passageway leads to an anvil-shaped room with This chamber contains a dead female frost giant encased
a door set into the far wall. Flanking the door are in a solid block of ice carved to resemble a standing sar·
bas.reliefs of two fema le frost giants holding greataxes. cophagus. The block of ice is twenty-five feet tall, twelve
Runes are carved into the door's surface. feet wide, and ten feet thick. Behind the entombed giant,
embedded in the north wall, is a door made of ice.
The ceiling is carved in the scowling visage of a male
The runes on the door, written in the Dwarvish script,
frost giant with an icy beard.
read as follows:
Ln ice and blood, our folk are born.
To our great queen, we raise our horn. The frost giant entombed in the block of ice is Queen
We'll fight and plunder in the morn. Vassavicken. Characters who succeed on a DC 15 lntel·
To Vassavicken. we are sworn. ligence (Religion) guess correctly that the visage looking
down on the quc<'n is a representation ofThrym. the evil
Gl2. SKELETAL GUARDS god of frost giants.
Trap. A character can reach Vassavicken's corpse
by chipping away the ice that encases her, but Thrym
This chamber has another door set into the far wall. will not stand for such an act of defilement. ff enough
Standing on either side of the door is a frost giant skele· ice is chipped away or melted to expose any portion of
ton wielding a rusty anchor The pinpricks of light in their Vassavicken's corpse to the air. Thrym's visage opens
eye sockets brighten as they register your presence. its mouth and breathes a cloud of magical cold energy
that fills the entire room. sealing Vassavicken's corpse
in ice once more. Any creature in the room when Thrym
The weapons of these two frost giant skeletons deal breathes must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving
bludgeoning damage instead of slashing damage. They throw. taking 44 (8d10) cold damage on a failed save, or
otherwise use the stat block in appendix C. They attack half as much damage on a successful one. Thrym's vis·
any creatures they see and pursue fleeing prey into Gl 1 age is impervious to damage from spells and weapons.
but no farther.
CHAPTER 5 I AURJJ..'S ABODE
Door to Area Gl4. This door is stuck. A creature can Door to Area G18. Carved into the lintel above this door
use an action to try to pull open the door, doing so with is the word "Isolation" in Common.
a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. Door to Area G19. The lintel above this door bas
partially broken ofT. destroying some of the inscrip-
G14-. VASSAVICKEN 1
S AXE tion carved into il. What's left reads "--ervation~
in Common.
I I
Leaning against the back wall of this room 1s a formida· There are four Tests of the Frostmaiden: the Test of
ble weapon: a giant-sized greataxe, its steel head resting Cruelty in area G16. the Test of Endurance in area Gl7,
on the icy Aoor. the Test of isolation in area Gl8. and the Test of Preser-
vation in area Gl9.
Each test begins by opening a door marked with the
Treasure. The greataxe is Vassavicken·s berserker symbol of Auril. When that happens, all the participants
axe, which adjusts in size to match whoever attunes to it. in the test are teleported to the location where the test
When found, it's 15 feet tall and weighs 650 pounds. If a takes place. lfVellynne Harpell is with the party, she is
character attunes to the axe. it shrinks to a size befitting willing to participate in the tests and counts as a party
its new wielder. member if the characters allow her to accompany them.
When a test ends, use the Tests of the Frostmaiden
Gl5. TESTS OF THE FROSTMAIDEN Scorecard to keep track of which party members passed
The first time the characters enter one of these cham- the test by putting a checkmark to the right of each of
bers, read: their names in the appropriate column. This scorecard
will help you determine whether the vault door in area
G20 can be opened or not. It is strictly a tool for DM
The walls of this oddly shaped room are etched with elab-
record-keeping and not meant to be shared with the
orate panoramas of winter scenes. Set into the back wall players. Permission is granted to photocopy this score-
is a door inscribed with a large snowflake. A single word card for home game use.
is carved into the lintel above it. The tests can be taken in any order. Each party mem-
ber can take a particular test only once; a party member
who tries to take a test a second time is not teleported.
Characters who succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence (Re-
ligion) check correctly surmise that the snowflake 016. TEST OF CRUELTY
inscribed on the door is the Frostmaiden's holy symbol. Opening the door to this empty room causes everyone
The word carved above the door depends on which area in the nearest room marked G15 oo the map to disap-
lies on the other side: pear. These creatures find themselves whisked away to
Door to Area G16. Carved into the lintel above this door a Reghed camp in the frozen tundra of lcewind Dale.
is the word "Cruelty" in Common. When one or more of the characters are transporred
Door to Area G17. Part of the lintel has broken off, but here, read:
characters can still make out the word "Endurance~
carved into it in Common.
I
"Auril has blessed us!" she shouts to every other warrior when the nomads return. Characters fail the Test of Iso-
in earshot. "The Frostmaiden has sent emissaries to lation by dying or by preventing Bjornhild from launch-
watch our camp while we complete our mission!" ing her raid.
S/aad Host. If a character has the Slaad Host secret
(see appendix B) and hasn't already gotten rid of the
If the characters ask Bjornhild to elaborate. she tells slaad tadpole gestating inside them, having the tadpole
them that she's planning lo attack a nearby Elk Tribe burst out of the character's chest at some point during
camp and steal Lheir rood. She's taking every member this test would be a surprising development.
of her camp with her, hoping that overwhelming num- The Test Ends. After the Tiger nomads return to
bers will make the unsuspecting Elk tribesfolk give up their camp triumphant. everyone with a glowing symbol
without a fight. She asks the characters to stay behind of Auril hovering above their head is teleported back
and watch over her camp until she returns. Bjornhild to Grimskalle, appearing in the room marked Gl8
expects to be back in a day or two, although fate has on the map.
other plans.
ff one of the characters has the Reghed Heir secret G19. TEST OF PRESERVATION
(see appendix B), now is a good time to deal with that. lt Opening the door to this empty room causes everyone in
could certainly complicate matters, depending on bow the rooms marked G15 on the map to disappear. These
the character chooses to interact with Bjornhild. creatures find themselves whisked away lo a Reghed
The obvious course of action the characters can take camp in the frozen tundra of lcewind Dale. When one or
is to wait until Bjornhild returns from her raid. As il more of the characters are transported here, read:
turns out, the raid is more successful than anticipated;
The passage leads to an anvil-shaped room with a door Arranged about th ts room are three tablets of ice, each
set into the far wall. Flanking the door are bas-reliefs ten feet tall, seven feet wide. and one foot thick. They sit
of two male frost giants that have been defaced, their upright in stands that are also carved from ice. Script has
features chipped away. Newer carvings above the door been chiseled into the surface of each tablet. Another
depict the glowering heads of an owl, a wolf, and a goat. door stands in the middle of the far wall.
The heads carved above the door represent Auril's first The inscriptions on the four ice tablets, in Common,
form (see appendix C). lf anyone enters the room, add: spell out the tenets of Auril's faith:
Cr uelty. "Compassion makes you vulnerable. Let cru-
I
A disembodied voice says, "This way is shut to all but elty be the knife that keeps your enemies at bay."
those who pass the tests of cruelty, endurance, isolation, Endurance. "Exist as long as you can, by whatever
means you can. Only by enduring can you outlast your
and preservation."
enemies."
Isolation. "In solitude you can understand and har-
Whenever one or more characters enter this area, use ness your full potential. Depending on others makes
the Tests of the Frostmaiden scorecard on page 208 you weak."
to help you remember who among them passed the Pres ervation. "Every flake of snow is unique, and that
Frostmaiden's tests (areas Gl6 through Gl9}. The door which is unique must be preserved."
to area G21 swings open on its own if each of the four Each tablet is a Large object with AC 13, 25 hit points,
tests was passed by at least one individual in the room. and immunity to cold, poison, and psychic damage. With
For example, an individual that passed all four tests a successful DC 15 Strength check, a character can
can open the door by entering the room, as can four knock a tablet off its stand, causing it to shatter on the
individuals that each passed a different test. The door is floor. Reducing a tablet to 0 hit points also shatters it.
otherwise unopenable, indestructible, and impassable. Shattering a tablet reJeases a hostile spirit of elemental
Any spell cast with the intent of bypassing the door fails air (use the invis ible stalker stat block) bound inside
and is wasted. it. This spirit tries to kill whoever released it. The spirit
Worshipers ofAuril. If the characters failed enough disappears if it succeeds or if it's reduced to 0 hit points.
of the Frostmaiden's tests to make it impossible for
them to open the door, all hope of breaching the vault G22. CHAMBER OF THE CoorciL
is not lost. You can have fate smiJe upon them with the
arrival of three frost druids (see appendix C) who have
visited the island previously and have already passed This chamber has a domed ceiling engraved with a giant
their own variations of the Frostmaiden's tests. These snowAake. Two caryatids depicting a towering woman
druids have the darkvision spell prepared instead of stand on either side of a door in the south wal l. In the
animal messenger. They flew to Grimskalle in owl form midd le of the room Is a five-foot-tall, claw-shaped lectern
and entered the fortress in human form, using their with a white-covered book resting on it.
darkvision spells to see in the dark. The druids' names
are Faash, Gildreban, and Siovakis.
T he druids have returned Lo the island because they The caryatids flanking the south doorway depict Auril
intend to read The Codicil of White (see area G22) and in her second form (see appendix C). Both are harmless
draw inspiration from it. If one or more of them are al- carvings but noticeably cold to the touch.
lowed into area G20, the door to area G2 1 swings open Treasure. The book on the lectern is The Codicil
on its own. If the druids reach area G22 and are aware of White (see appendix D). No wards or creatures are
of the characters' presence. the druids seize The Codicil guarding it. Jf she's still with the party, Vellynne Harpell
of White and try to escape with it, to keep it from falling is eager to claim the book, if onJy co add the frost li.ngers
into the hands of Auril's enemies. spell (see appendix D) to her spellbook. If it's present in
In combat, the druids like to pelt enemies with ice a host body. Nass Lantomir's ghost is laid to rest as soon
storm spells or use their conjure animals spells to sum- as its host picks up or grasps the book.
mon polar bears (one bear per casting of the spell). The A character who spends at least 10 minutes poring
polar bears act on their own initiative count and fight over The Codicil of White learns that the poem in its
alongside their summoners. pages. ''Rime of the Frostmaiden" (see appendix E), is
an incantation that can be used to unlock Auril's secrets,
including ones buried deep under the glaciaJ ice. This,
Vellyn ne says. is exactly what the characters need to
reach the lost city ofYthryn under the Reghed Glacier.
Once the characters have the poem or a transcription of
it, they don't need the rest of the book.
l Beyond the door is a small room filled with mist. Chunks ] if the characters defeat Auril.
of broken ice cover the floor.
FALL OF GRIMSKALLE
When her final form is reduced to 0 hit points, Auril
Characters who examine the broken ice on the floor emits a death-howl that causes the two uppermost floors
can see that they are fragments of three lifelike human of Grimskalle (the battlement level and the palace level,
ice sculptures- the remains of unworthy devotees who as shown on map 5.2) to crack and begin to coUapse.
failed to receive Auril's blessing (see below). Creatures have 1 minute to escape these levels of the
AuriJ's BlessinA. If she's alive. Auril becomes aware fortress before they are crushed to death by icy rubble.
of any creature that enters this room. If a character Grimskalle's entry level (areas Gl through G6) and dun-
who has the Midwinter Child secret (see appendix. B) geon level (areas GlO through G23) remain intact and
or a character who passed all four of Auril's tests en- accessible after the collapse.
ters the room, the Frostmaiden contacts the character
telepathically and asks, "Will you court death to receive END I NG THE EVERLASTING RIME
my blessing?'' She makes this offer to a character once
---
Destroying all three of Auril's forms or slaying the roe
only. A character who agrees to receive Aurifs blessing allows the sun to once more climb above the mountains.
must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw. On
It takes a while for Icewind Dale to return to its natural
a failed save, the character is petrified, becoming an ice climate, but life becomes a bit easier as the frigid tem-
statue instead of a stone one. On a successful save, the peratures rise to a bearable cold.
character gains the blessing ofthe Frostmaiden, which
If she survives but her roe is killed, Auril broods in
Auril can rescind at any time while she's alive. This her fortress, unaccustomed to being thwarted by mor-
blessing otherwise adheres to the rules for blessings as
tals. Since she is ageless and time is on her side, she
described in the Dungeon Master's Guide: sets about finding another roe lhat she can raise from
Blessing ofthe Frostmaiden. Your eyes become as cold as ice. a hatchling lo serve her. Years, decades, or centuries
You gain immunity to cold damage. In addition, you can cast might pass before she's ready to cast her spell over lce-
the cone ofcold spell (save DC l 5) once. You regain the ability wind Dale again.
to cast this spell when you finish a long rest.
21 6
CH.APTER 6 I CAVES OF HUNCER
Ice Slides. As remorhazes burrow through ice, the beat TEKELi-LI
radiating from rheir bodies smooths out the sides of
the tunnels behind them to a glass-like finish. Many Of all the creatures that claim the Caves of Hunger as
of these passages are severely sloped, creating ice their lair, perhaps the most fearsome is Tekeli-li, a gnoll
slides. Descending an ice slide is easy; climbing one vampire (see appendix C).
is another matter. A character needs crampons or When they cracked open the Reghed Glacier, the
other climbing gear to ascend one of these slippery characters unsealed the glacial prison holdfog Tekeli-li.
passages. After decades of captivity and starvation. the vampire
is once again free to leave the caves and haunt lcewind
PROFESSOR SKANT Dale. First, however, it plans to feed. The vampire is the
If the characters have Professor Skant with them, the only wandering monster that the characters encounter
professor orb can provide educational commentary on in the Caves of Hunger, and they are likely to encounter
certain features found in the Caves of Hunger, as noted it more than once as they descend deeper into the caves.
in the text, provided the orb is in a position where it can VeUynne Harpell's professor orb, Professor Skant, is
view its surroundings. an expert on vampires and vampirism. Once it becomes
aware of Tekeli-li, the professor orb shares the vampire's
PsYcmc HAUNTINGS known weaknesses with the characters.
The Caves of Hunger have a way of capturing and hold- The party should meet Tekeli-li several times. The
ing on to psychic trauma. In certain locations, the text vampire's strategy is to drain the party's resources, then
will ask you to check for a psychic haunting, in which retreat and recover before attacking again. IfTekeli-li
case roll a d20 and consult the Psychic Haunting table ever takes more than 20 damage during an encounter.
to determine if the area contains a haunting. £f one is the vampire turns to mist and withdraws to a safe loca-
present, its image or its effect can't leave the cave in tion in the dungeon. Even when the vampire is not im-
which it's encountered. mediately present, its cackling laughter echoes through
the caves sporadically.
P SYC HIC H AUNTINGS You can stage an encounter with Tekeli-li anywhere
dl2 Haunting you like. If you're not sure where it might be or how it
should behave, roll a d6 and consult the Tekeli-li's Lo-
A man wanders around In the cavern. His fingers
cation table. The table determines where the vampire is
are black with frostbite, and his mouth is agape in a first encountered. If the vampire withdraws, roU again
silent scream. Although he appears real, the man is on the table to determine where it goes (roll again if the
no more substantial than a phantom and does not result indicates no change in its location).
respond to any interaction. If the characters have not encountered the vampire by
2 One party member (determined randomly) hears a the time they reach area H36. it attacks them there.
stream of whispers. The character can't make out
1
what's being said but can hear their name men- TEICELl - Ll S LOCATION
tioned now and then. The whispers can't be tracked d6 Location
to a source. Area H6. As the characters make their way through
3 Each party member sees their companions' Aesh area HS or H7, Tekeli-li exits the ruined tower in
wither as black worms crawl out of their ears, mist form, assumes its Large hyena form, and
noses, and mouths. The effect is illusory, harmless, attacks.
and Aeeting. 2 Area H12. Tekeli-li waits for the encounter with the
4 One party member (determined randomly) hears shadows in area Hll to conclude before attacking
footsteps behind them when they move. When they the party in its Large hyena form.
stand still, the party member can feel hot breath 3 Area Hl9. Tekeli-li waits for the characters in its
against the back of their neck. The effect is illusory lair and emerges from the northernmost cave in its
and harmless. gnoll form when they enter.
5 Each party member detects a familiar scent in this 4 Area H23. Tekeli-li is in mist form, hiding inside
cavern that reminds them of some tragic or fear- the steam rising from the pool. If the remorhazes
ful event in their past. The scent does not have a In the pool attack the party, Tekeli·li joins the fight
source. on the second round of combat after assuming its
6 One party member (determined randomly) sees a gnoll form.
dark, hulking shape moving through the wall, ceil· 5 Area H32. Tekeli-li lurks here in its gnoll form and
ing, or Aoor, as though it were swimming through attacks the characters as soon as they enter. Its
the ice. The effect is illusory, harmless, and Aeeting. keen smell cancels out the sight-based disadvan-
7-12 No haunting. tage imposed by this location.
6 Area H36. Tekeli-li lurks among the trees in its
Large hyena form . The dryad refuses to emerge
from her tree while the vampire is in her grove.
l
H2. CRASHED SKYCOACH in area 1-117.
l
professor orb offers the following commentary: Embedded in the east wall is a glittering stone tower that
appears to have crashed through the ceiling long ago.
lPeering into this ten·foot·htgh cavern, you come face to ] with his newfound treasures but perished from exhaus-
face with an army of small, misshapen Ice sculptures. tion and cold, rising as a wraith. The wraith seeks the
destruction of all who enter its chamber. If successfully
curned or reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, the wraith
Add the following if th~ character.., haven"t confronted retreats to the icy cyst that contains Orakareth's frozen
the kobold vampire spawn in area H 17: remains. passing through the interposing walls of ice to
reach it. There. it fights to the bitter end.
l
The walls of ice that separace the smaller cysts from
l
An incessant yipping noise fills the cave, originating from the larger cave are thick enough to be opaque, but char-
a tunnel in the south wall that contains a rough-hewn acters can break through them. Each 5-foot-square,
staircase leading down into darkness. 1-foot-thicksection of wall has AC 13, 18 hit points, vul-
nerability to fire damage, and immunity to cold. poison,
and psychic damage.
Crammed into this cave are twenty 3-foot-tall ice sculp- Treasure. Beyond three walls of ice, in the northern-
tures that the kobold vampire spawn have made to star- most cyst, is the frost-covered skeleton ofDrakareth,
tle and frighten intruders. Each statue is carved in the clad in a manlle of spell resistance and surrounded by
vague likeness of a kobold, which a character can dis- the rotted remains of six ancient, leather-bound spell-
cern with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check. books that are no longer legible and a cracked crystal
Each ice sculpture is a Small object that weighs ball that is no longer magical. Clucched in the dead
roughly 40 pounds and has AC 13, 5 hit points, vulnera· mage's hands is a staff ofcharming fashioned out of
bility to bludgeoning and fire damage, and immunity to chardalyn suffused with evil Netherese magic.
cold, pobon. and psychic damage. Smashing any of the Anyone who attunes to Orakareth's staff gains the
sculptures alerts the kobold vampire spawn in area H17. following flaw, which supersedes any conflicting person-
ality trait: '"l like to give orders and expect co be obeyed."
Hl5. DRAKARETH'S DOOM
This flaw lasts until the attunement ends.
This location consists of multiple areas:
• An empty cave to the northeast has a 20-foot-high H16. ICE CAVE
domed ceiling, naturally formed stairs leading up to Although this cave is empty, it might contain a psychic
area 1111. and a narrow tunnel leading east toward haunting (see ·'Psychic Hauntings," page 217).
areas H 16 and H22. This ice cave has a 25-foot-high, domed ceiling fes-
A cave to the southwest has an uneven ceiling that tooned with icicles. A rough-hewn staircase leads up
ranges in height from 15 to 30 feet. A wraith named to area 1114, and an opening in the middle of the south
Drakarcth haunts this cave, northwest of which are wall breaches a tunnel connecting arras HlS and H22.
three cysts blocked off by thick walls of ice. The north- Slaad Host. If one of the characters has the Slaad
ernmost cyst contains Orakareth's earthly remains Host secret (see appendix B) and the slaad tadpole
and treasure (see "Treasure" below). hasn't been born or destroyed yet, it bursts from the
character's chest in this cavern.
When one or more characters enter the wraith's
cave, read: H17. DEN OF THE VAMPIRE SPAWN
l
A deep sigh issues from the darkness. A voice steeped
in malevolence and hatred whispers to you in a language
reminiscent of Elvish.
fessor Skant can translate if necessary. Its words are senses and know when living creatures are nearby.
as follows: They use their Spider Climb trait to cling to the walls
and pounce on the first character to enter cheir lair. The
vampires fight until two or more of their number are
"Cursed be those who gaze upon the horror that
slain. whereupon the rest retreat to area H19 to make
Drakareth has become. Such promise wasted, lost in their final stand. Professor Skant recognizes the crea·
this cold sepulcher! Where were you centuries years ago lure as vampires and knows their weaknesses.
when he was in the prime oflife? Where were you when Aside from the vampires, the cave is empty. The
the frigid darkness consumed him? You are no good 20-foot-high cf'iling is festooned with icicles.
Stench of Death. A tunnel to the south contains a
to Drakareth now! Nothing remains of him but frozen
staircase that leads down to area 11 19. The stench of
bones, ancient treasures, and me." death grows st rongcr as one descends chese stairs.
I l
This dead-end cave contains a half dozen mounds of
snow that rise up and assume vaguely bipedel forms. A frost giant named Vlagomir was walking across the
Wide smiles appear on their otherwise featureless heads. glacier when Ythryn fell to its doom. The giant was
crushed to death as the Netherese city plunged into a
deep crevasse and became buried under tons of ice.
These creatures are six snow golems (see appendix C). Characters can reach the giant's corpse by chipping
They are hostile toward all trespassers but don't pursue through 2 feet of ice. ff they do so, lhey discover that the
intruders beyond the confines of the three caves that giant had nothing of value. The scratch marks in the ice
comprise area H 18. were made by kobold vampire spawn who sought to feed
on the corpse but quickly tired of digging through the
Hl9. DEN OF DEATH
solid ice.
I
H22.
H28 . DROW OUTPOST Frost-covered stone steps descend from the stone plat-
form to the icy floor in the cavern's northernmost sec-
tion, as showa on map 6.1.
Much of this building has collapsed, but the front room Auril the Frostmaiden has transformed ten of the ici-
is intact-and also free of ice and frost. The remnants cles that cling to the ceiling into creatures resembling
of smashed furnishings suggest that the room once
piercers. They use the piercer stat block. have immunity
to cold damage. aad deal 10 (3d6) piercing damage plus
served as a wizard's workshop. Atop a splintered table is
JO (3d6) cold damage on a hit. The drow in areas H27
a brimstone cube small enough to ho ld in one hand. The and H28 arc aware of the ice piercers. having seen them
air around the cube ripples, as it seems to be putting out creep along the ceiling, and do their best to avoid them.
enough dry heat to warm the room.
H30. VLAGOMlR'S SPARK
l l
Master's Guide): Crouching in the middle of the cavern is a gaunt gnoll
Vlagomir's Spark. You gain 1 foot of height every hour and with ravenous eyes and the foul stench of the grave com·
become proportionately heavier until you stand 21 feet tall and mg from it. The creature does not cast a reflection.
weigh 7,700 pounds. When you are 9 feet tall, your Strength be·
comes 19 unless it is already higher. For every 3 additional feet
of height you gain, your Strength increases by 1, to a maximum Ranged attack rolls made in this cave have disadvantage
of23. Armor and clothing you are wearing and weapons you are because of the disorienting reflections. If Tekeli-li is
carrying magically increase In size to match your growth. If you here, the gnoll vampire (see appendix C) uses its Fright-
are the recipient of a greater restoration spell or similar magic, ful Cackle first, then targets enemies with its Sickening
this charm vanishes from you, and you Immediately shrink back Gaze until one or more them closes to melee range. See
to normal size. along with any armor, clothing, and weapons in the "Tekeli-li"' section earlier in this chapter for more of
your possession.
Tekeli-li's tactics.
H3l. THING IN THE !CE
S laad Host. If one of the character~ has the Slaad
Host secret (see appendix B) and the slaad tadpole
hasn"t been born or destroyed yet. it bursts from the
A flat sheet of cloudy ice forms one wall of this forty· character's chest when the character enters this cavern.
foot-high cavern. Something dark and humungous shifts
H33. WATCHE R IN TH E WALLS
behind the wall, its tentacles waving unimpeded. You
become aware you are not alone inside your mind. Some-
how, this horror from another world has wormed its way This fifteen-foot-high, U-shaped cavern appears empty at
first glance, but a sudden tapping draws your attention
inside you
to the west wall. within which 1s trapped a black-robed
figure with a golden visage.
Something beyond mortal comprehension exists par-
tially inside the wall of ice and partially within some
distant, horrific demiplane. As this otherworldly entity A mummy dressed in a tattered black robe and wearing
peers into the cavern, visitors risk losing their sanity to a golden face mask is trapped in the western wall and
its influence. has no way to free itself from the ice. The mummy was
Any creature that comes within 20 feet of the wall of created by Nethcrese priests to serve as a lore-keeper
ice is targeted by a dominate monster spell (save DC 15). in Ythryn.
The entity can concentrate on up to ten such spells at The section of ice that traps the mummy has AC 13,
once. Any creature that successfully saves against the 22 hit points. vulnerability to fire damage. and immunity
spell resists it and can't be targeted by this effect again. to cold. poison, and psychic damage. If the wall is re-
On a failed save. the creature stands perfectly still and duced to 0 hit points. the mummy is released and makes
does nothing while the alien entity probes its mind for its way to area H39 and from there to the library in
I hour. If a creature remains under the spell's effect for Ythryn (area Y9 in chapter 7). It ignores the character~
the full duration, it must make a DC 15 Intelligence sav- unless they interfere with it.
ing throw at the end of the hour. taking 44 (8d10) psy- Treasure. The mummy's golrlen mask (750 gp) is a
chic damage on a failed save. or half as much damage Netherese art object.
on a successful one. Whether tht• save succeeds or fails,
a creature subjected to the hour-long probe also gains a H34. CrTY D EBRIS
randomly determined form of long·term madness. deter- This cave might contain a psychic haunting (see ''Psy-
I
mined by rolling on the Long-Term Madness table in the chic Hauntings." page 217).
Dungeon Master's Guide.
I
The ice wall has AC 13. vulnerabilit) to fire damage,
and immunity to cold. poison, and ps)chic damage. If Large pieces of stone jut from the twenty.foot-high ceil·
the wall takes 50 points of damage or more. large cracks mg of this empty cavern.
form along its surface. and the ahen entit\ withdraws
into its distant demiplane. neH:r to return .\sit with-
draws, its dominate monster <>pell-. end.
I
On the floor in the middle of this fifteen-foot-high cave is the Dungeon Master's Guide). Determine the charm ran·
an eight-foot cube of smooth, grayish-green stone that is domly by rolling a d20 and consulting the Purple Pear
Charms table. This charm must vanish from a creature
free of frost.
before it can gain any more charms by eating purple
pears. A creature chat eats three or more purple pears
The stone cube is a spitting mimic (see appendix C). within 1 hour is poisoned for 24 hours thereafter and
Anything that touches the mimic automatically adheres suffers painful cramps until the condition ends.
to it, and a Huge or smaller creature adhered to the
mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC 16). The mimic PURPLE PEAR CHARMS
sprouts pseudopods and attacks if it is touched, harmed, d20 Supernatural Charm
or otherwise disturbed. 1-2 Charm of Druidcraft. This charm allows you to cast
H36. FROZEN GROVE the druidcraft cantrip as an action, no components
If the characters make it this far and haven't yet faced required. Once used three times, this charm van·
Tekeli-li, the gnoll vampire (see appendix C) confronts 1shes from you.
them here in its Large hyena form. 3-5 Charm ofVicious Mockery. This charm allows you to
cast the vicious mockery cantrip (5th-level version;
save DC 15) as an action. Once used three times,
A grove of frost-covered trees fills this fifty-foot-high
this charm vanishes from you.
cavern, the floor of which is a mixture of earth and ice. By
6-8 Charm of Invisibility. This charm allows you to cast
some magic or miracle, the trees are alive, their canopies
the invisibility spell as an action, no components re·
thick with frosty leaves, their branches bearing purple quired. Once used three times, this charm vanishes
pears that hang like ornaments. A low wall, broken in from you.
several places, threads its way through the grove, which 9-11 Charm of Sending. This charm allows you to cast the
is surrounded by six exits. sending spell as an action, no components required.
Once used, this charm vanishes from you.
This grove of pear trees was enchanted by Netherese 12-14 Charm ofCure Wounds. This charm allows you to
arcanists to endure high altitude and harsh weather. cast the cure wounds spell (3rd-level version) as an
That magic has enabled the trees to thrive even in these action, no components required. Your spellcasting
icy caverns. Essential to the grove's survival is a dryad ability for this charm is Wisdom. Once used, this
named Hathowyn, who resides in the southernmost charm vanishes from you.
tree. If the dryad dies, the trees die ldJO days later. Cen- 15-17 Charm of Lightning Bolt. This charm allows you
turies of isolation have made Hathowyn lonely, and the to cast the lightning bolt spell (save DC 15) as an
dryad hungers for conversation and companionship. action, no components required. Once used, this
lfTekeli-li is present, Hathowyn remains hidden in
charm vanishes from you.
her tree until the gnoll vampire leaves or is destroyed.
Tekeli-li bas never seen the dryad and is unaware of her 18-19 Charm of Purplemancy. This charm allows you
presence. If given the chance, Hathowyn tries to engage to cast the faerie fire spell (violet light only; save
the characters in conversation, speaking Elvish or Syl- DC 15) as a bonus action instead of an action, no
van. She hopes to keep them in the grove for as long as components required. Once used three times, this
possible. If the characters try to leave, Hathowyn tries charm vanishes from you.
to charm one of them into staying and keeping her com· 20 Charm of Restoration. This charm has 6 charges.
pany. The dryad knows the following information: You can use an action to expend some of its
• Netherese magic binds the dryad to the grove and charges to cast one of the following spells: greater
keeps the trees alive. restoration (4 charges) or lesser restoration (2
• The pears hanging from the trees are magically charges). Once all its charges have been expended,
delicious. this charm vanishes from you.
• Three dark elves have passed through the dryad's
grove on multiple occasions, coming and going
through the southwest and southeast passages
THRY!I. RE<;TS I THE SILENT OEPTllS OF THE 1he demilicb holds out hope that other ctherese wiz-
Reghed Glacier. lee encloses the enclave on ards will come to its rescue. unaware that the Empire
all sides. yet the magic imbued in its stone- of Netheril no longer exists. Though it has been trapped
work shields ii from utter destruction. Yth- in Ythryn under the ice for centuries, the demilich has a
ryn is now a corpse city- a tomb for those very poor sense of how much lime has passed.
who perished here and a death trap for those who dare When confronted by new arrivals, the demilich
to explore its ruined. glaciated halls. assumes they are rescuers from another Netherese
enclave and watches ro see what they do. The demilich
has no means of communication and can't be contacted
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER telepathically, so it judges new arrivals in silence. Char-
Before running your first game session in the necropo- acters who observe lriolarthas and succeed on a DC 13
lis, review the .. lriolarthas the Demilich" and "The Fall Wisdom (Insight) check can ascenain that the demiHch
of Ythryn'' sections below, as well as the "Dea ling with is watching them closely to see how they react to their
the Arcane Brotherhood" and "Auril's Wrath" sections at surroundings. If the demilicb concludes, based on its
the end of the chapter. observations. that lht" characters are not a rescue team
from another Netherese enclave, it tries to destroy them
C H A RACT E R ADVANCEMENT before they can steal any of Ythryn's secrets. The same
Ideally. the characters are 9th level when they first ar- is true of invasive N PCs such as members of the Arcane
rive at Ythryn. You decide how quickly they advance in Brotherhood. A party can fool the demilich into think-
level. Treat the following as suggestions: ing they belong in Ythryn by succeeding on a DC 13
Charisma (Deception) group check. If the group check
The characters gain a level after overcoming the chal-
is successful, lriolarthas believes the party is what it
lenges of all eight towers of magic (areas Y4. Y7. Yll,
pretends to be; on a failed group check. the demilich
Yl8. Y20. Y22. Y24, and Y26).
St"es through the party's deception and becomes hostile
• The characters gain a level when they reach lriolar-
toward rhe characters. 1f the demilich thinks that the
lhas's study (area YI 9q).
characters are rescuers. given how they appear and
• The characters gain a level if they accomplish some-
act, it fo llows them around until something happens to
thing extraordinary, such as destroying I riolarthas
the demilich. all I hree of Auril's forms, or the obelisk change its mind.
Although it lacks the means to communicate, the
in area Y21.
demilich dimly recalls the circumstances that led to its
If you follow the suggestions above. the characters present situation.
could be as high as 12th level by the adventure's conclu-
sion- an important consideration if you intend to con- T HE F ALL OF YTHRYN
tinue the campaign beyond this adventure.
After using the Ythryn mythallar (see appendix D) to
lift the enclave ofYthryn into the sky, lriolarthas and
lRIO LARTHA S T HE DEMILIC H
his apprentices traveled to the frozen north in search
lriolarthas, once a powerful lich and before that a hu- of relics of Ostoria, a bygone empire of magic-wielding
man wizard of Netheril. exists today as a dem11ich that giants that waged war against the dragons forty thou-
haunts the ruins ofYthryn. lriolarthas endures as a de- sand years earlier. After many fruitless excavations.
teriorating skull that drifts about the necropolis in lonely they found a large stone spindle bearing strange sigils
despair. Wispy symbols of the eight schools of magic at the bottom of the Sea of Moving lee and brought it
form above it and quickly dissipate. back to Ythryn for study in the fa ll of 343 DR, the Year
A demilich is what becomes of a lich that neglects lo of Chilled Marrow. Du ring one of their experiments,
feed souls into its phylactery. and lriolanhas's phylac- something went wrong a fiash of power from the spin-
tery has been empty for near!) two thousand years. bur- dle caused the Ychr}n mythallar to shut down. which in
ied under rhe rubble of Ythryn far from the dcmilich's turn caused the city to fall out of the sky and crash into
reach. Having lost its body and ns spclka-;ting abilities, th~ ice below.
The hovering hands are four living Bigby's hands (see Each window in the auditorium depicts a wizard
appendix C) that attack any other creature that en· casting a spell from one of the eight schools of magic.
ters the room.
YI I. TOWER OF DIVTNATIO N
The walls of this thin tower are etched with intricate de-
signs of hands and eyes. Silver light flickers from a high
w•ndow, above which a large, carved eye animates and
blinks. Part of the tower's roof 1s missing.
A detect magic spell cast here reveals an aura of divina- Medium beast, unaligned
tion magic. When the characters reach the top floor of
the spire, read: Armor Class 11
Hit Points 5 (ld8 + 1)
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
large gashes in the roof allow you to see the dark,
icicle-festooned roof of the great ice cavern beyond. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Silver light emanates from a three-foot-diameter glass 6(-2) 12 (+l) 12 (+l) 10 (+O) 10 (+O) 4 (-3)
ACTIONS
Huge chunks of the walls have broken off in here. and
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit , reach 5 ft., one target.
the inscription bearing the divination passage from the
Hit: 3 (ld4 + 1) piercing damage.
Rite of the Arcane Octad is missing.
With a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check,
a character recalls that a crystal ball filled with eyes is On a failed save, the creature takes 10 (3d6) piercing
the symbol of Savras, god of divination. damage as one of its eyes is magically plucked from its
Orb ofDivination. T he stone plinth upon which the socket and teleported inside the orb (see ··1 njuries.. in
orb rests is engraved with in!>tructions written in Dra- the Dungeon Master's Guide for rules on losing an eye).
conic: "Ask and we shall find." To use the orb. one must If asked for the whereabouts of the missing wall en-
place one's hands on it and speak the name of an object graving needed to complete the Rite of the Arcane Octad
or a person. If the target exists on the same plane of ex- (see page 234), the orb provides a vision of where it fell
istence as the orb, the character touching the orb expe- inside the observatory (area Y15). The orb is magically
riences a vivid vision of the target's location and knows anchored to this chamber and cannot be removed or de-
how far away it is and in what direction. Such insight. stroyed. The only limit to how many Limes it can be used
however, comes with a risk: a creature that receives a is how many eyeballs the party has remaining.
vision must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw.
The stone well is 100 feet deep and lined with slippery
Silken drapes hang from the walls of this storefront, their
ice and frost, making it impossible to negotiate without
climbing gear or magic. Months before Ythryn's fall, a surfaces swirling with illusory images of dragon's fire
circle of mages known as the Telepathic Pentacle tried and twinkling star fields. A group of emotionless figures
to fuse their minds together to become a conjoined tele- stand guard outside, looking for all the world like fro-
pathic force. The procedure went terribly wrong, and zen statues.
their bodies and minds melded into a single monstrosity.
lriolarthas imprisoned the thing in this empty well so
that its latent telepathic powers could be tapped by the Six d emos m agen (see appendix C) guard the entrance
city's elite. A short obituary is engraved around the lip of to this store. They attack anyone who tries to steal the
the well in Draconic: "Herein lie the immortal remains silks on display (see "Treasure" below) but otherwise let
of the Telepathic Pentacle. Sit, meditate, and learn." strangers explore the store.
ThlnA in the Well. A gibbering, five.headed aberration Inside the store, five galvan magen (see appendix C)
lies in a semiconscious state at the bottom of the well. watch over rest of the merchandise. More of the magic
The warped faces of the Telepathic Pentacle strain at silk hangs in long drapes throughout the interior. after
the ends of its thick, undulating necks. The monster being spun by four phase spiders that lurk in the hall's
uses the hydra stat block. except that it has a climbing rafters. The spiders are enchanted to produce sorcery
speed of 30 feet. silk, a material with illusions woven into it that was
The monster shudders awake if a lighc source pene- fashioned into robes for Ythryn's elite. Characters who
trates more than 80 feet into the well, or if a creature enter the store spot the spiders immediately. The spi-
sitting on one of the benches awakens it (see below). ders defend themselves if attacked but are otherwise
Meditation Benches . By sitting on these crystal nonthreatening.
benches and meditating, citizens ofYthryn could join Jn the center of the interior, crystal mannequins
their minds with the Telepathic Pentacle, gaining in- draped in finery encircle an empty pedestal. If a creature
sights about their past and future. A creature that sits steps onto che pedestal, an illusion of a magnificently
on the bench can, after 1 minute of meditation, gain one dressed human flickers to life before them and intro-
clue from the Ythryn Lore table (page 235) by making duces itself as Silksmith Mixyll. The illusion welcomes
a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check. Uthe check the guest to its emporium and explains the robe-making
fails by 5 or more. the creature's wayward thoughts process. As it speaks, the phase spiders descend silently
awaken the thing in the well. A creature can gain only and use their legs to take the creature's measurements
one insight from the well per day, and only while the before spinning the creature a tailor-made robe. As the
monster is alive. robe is being fashioned. Mixyll urges its guest to "imag-
ine any image your heart desires." The spiders can, in
Yl3. BAZAAR OF THE BIZARRE the 10 minutes it takes to create the robe, spin any illu-
sory design or effect into the garment. On completion,
A large market hall sits at one end of this plaza, its four they drape the robe over the creature's shoulders and
ascend back to their lair. Each guest can gain this bene-
broken towers leaning inward. Faded pennants hang fit only once.
above the entrance, frozen stiff. A loud clatter resounds Treasure. A silk robe spun by the spiders is worth
from within the hall. 250 gp. lf the characters ransack the store. they find ten
other silk robes (250 gp each) that are on display and
weren't damaged when the city crashed.
This market hall once sold relics of arcane wonder.
Now, its interior is a warren of mangled shop fronts Yl5. OBSERVATORY
crushed by chunks of ice and stone. Most of the wares
have become worthless. and everything else has been
destroyed by a headless iron golem that is presently This conical tower is held relatively upright by a ring of
rampaging around inside the building. arched buttresses. Expressionless humanoid figures
Without its head. the golem has the following changes stand in silence around it. The roof has a large, ragged
to its statistics: hole in it where something large smashed through .
• The golem has 150 hit points (ics hit point maximum).
It has a challenge rating of 10 (5,900 XP).
• It is blinded and deafened, giving it disadvantage on Three galvan mage n. three demos magen, and one
all its attack rolls, and it can't use its Poison Breath. bypnos magen stand guard outside the observatory
doorway and attacks as soon as the door ceases to be an slaad encountered on the tower's ground floor escaped
obstacle. This slaad is hostile toward all other creatures from its cell and rampaged through the observatory. The
and can't be reasoned with. Arch-Astronomer, who became infected by the slaad's
Once inside, the characters can ascend the tower to its chaos phage. ordered her surviving apprentices to seal
uppermost floor: her inside the tower with the monster. In the years. de-
cades, and centuries since, she has managed to keep the
blue slaad from escaping through the hole in the roof.
A large telescope dominates a thirty-foot-diameter circu· The Arch-Astronomer, now a gr een slaad, is madly
lar chamber at the top of the tower. Gazing into the tele· fiddling with the telescope, hoping to reverse its power
scope's eyepiece is a hulking, frog-like biped in wizard's so that it can project itself out of the tower to some
robes that pays you no mind as it mumbles to itself. faraway place where it can find happiness, but it has
no hope of success. If the characters interrupt the
Adamantine shields cover the observatory's windows.
Arch-Astronomer, it tries to frighten them away by
A large chunk of stone from another building has crashed baring its teeth and claws. lf they touch the telescope
through the roof and embedded itself in the Aoo r like or damage it further. the slaad goes crazy and attacks
a jagged stone knife. This intruding fragment bears a them. If they merely want to read the inscription on the
strange inscription on one side. wall fragment that crashed through the roof, the slaad
leaves chem alone.
Inscription. The chunk of wall from the Tower of Div-
ination (area Yl 1) bears the following inscription in Dra-
conic: "Third, a burnt palm loosens the tongue. Shed a
secret about yourself for all to hear." This is a passage
from the Rite of the Arcane Octad (see page 234).
Yl6. MENAGERIE Yl7. THEATER
An immense dome looms before you, its crystal roof The roof of this domed building 1s wrecked and open to
marred by a web of cracks Through the gaps in the build· the elements. Inside is a theater wrth a large stage, seat-
in g's shell, and on the other side of the open entrance· ing for more than one hundred, and a backstage area.
way, you see a strange landscape of miniaturized natural Icicles hang from its sagging balconies, and rime-frosted
features. masks leer and grin from its fractured walls.
This building's entrance lies unattended. Ythryn·s A wooden writing desk sits in a backstage room,
mages would visit here to conjure up one-of·a-kind wrapped in chains and padlocked. A character using
pets. Small-scale versions of natural habitats were thieves' tools can try to pick the lock as an action, do-
constructed lhroughout the park: miniature mountain ing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. In a
ranges, deserts. and forested streams. all now draped leather-bound folder in one of the desk drawers are five
in ice. At the heart of this mixture of landscapes stands scripts for a play called A Blasphemy of Kings. The play
the machine that brought the menagerie's creatures into tells the story of five siblings, each expecting to claim
existence. the throne of their late father. As the protagonists try to
Chimeric Creator. This device is a IO-foot-diameter prove their worth, it is revealed that they're all in fact
iron wheel on its side. held above the ground by a metal dead, having perished alongside their father in the cata·
brace, with eight barrel-sized. egg-shaped open contain- clysmic event that destroyed their kingdom.
ers attached to the outer ends of its spokes. The appara- Cursed Play. Each script has a different cover
tus has a bronze control panel with a lever next to it. A showing a humanoid figure that represents one of the
character who spends at least 1 minute examining the siblings: the Martyr (with a noose around its neck), the
device can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check. Traitor (with a knife held behind its back), the Bewitched
On a successful check. the charaC'ter gains an under- (with a fairy whispering in its ear). the Haunted (with a
standing of how to use it without knowing its purpose. demonic shadow terrorizing it), and the Fool (perform-
To operate the device. 80 hit points of blood must be ing a handstand). Each of the five scripts is cursed. Any-
distributed evenly between its eight containers. Once one who spends an hour reading a script must succeed
the blood is properly deposited, pulling a lever causes on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become cursed. A
the wheel to spin. The blood disappears I minute later, creature cursed in this way is gripped by a sudden feel -
the wheel stops, and a creature crawls out of one of the ing of impending doom. Each of the five scripts imparts
containers. This creature is loyal to whoever pulled the a different curse, which can be ended by a remove curse
lever. Determine the creature by rolling a d6 and con- spell or similar magic:
sulting the Chimeric Creations table. Martyr's Script. All attacks against the cursed charac-
The chimeric creator needs 8 hours to recharge before ter are made with advantage.
it can be used again. A gauge on the device indicates Traitor's S cript. The cursed character can't per-
how long it will take to recharge. form any action that would directly benefit one of
their allies.
CHIMERIC CREATIONS
Bewitched's Script. The cursed character hears the
d6 Creature voice of an imaginary fey creature whispering in their
A weasel with glowing eyes that emit bright light out ear. Whenever presented with a choice. the character
In a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 must randomly determine what action to take.
feet Hauoted's Script. A shadowy fiend plagues the cursed
character's dreams (or trances in the case of an elf).
2 A hare (see appendix C) with feathered wings and a
denying that character the benefits of a long rest.
Hying speed of 30 feet
Fool's Script. The cursed character has disadvamage
3 A baboon with a bite attack that deals an extra 3 on all ability checks.
(ld6) poison damage on a hit
4 A cat with antennae that grant 11 blindsight and trem- Yl8. TOWER OF NECROMANCY
orsense out to a range of 60 feet
5 A rat with gills, iridescent scales, and the ability to The remains of a toppled tower lie scattered around you.
breathe air and water
Its fractured base, protruding from the ground like a bro·
6 A fox (see appendix C) with fur that changes color to
ken tooth, is teeming with crawling gray hands.
match its surroundings, giving 1t advantage on Dex-
terity (Stealth) checks
A detect magic spell cast here reveals an aura of nec-
romantic magic. Two hundred crawling claws are
tirelessly but ineffectively trying to excavate the tower's
ruins, brick by brick. Anyone who disrupts this effort
is attacked by 2d6 claws. Deep under the rubble, the
Soon after the characters enter this area. an entity You ascend into an oval hall glittering with frost. Carv·
called Everlast makes its presence known. Everlast is
ings decorate the walls. and long icicles hang from the
a living spell bound to the spire. It can manifest in the
image of any humanoid species or gender but defaults to ceiling. A ten-foot-radius dome of translucent ice en-
the form described below: closes the area around the shaft from which you emerge.
At the far end of the hall, two blade-shaped patches of
pitch darkness hover in the air to either side of a double
Suddenly, the crystals brighten as rays of energy burst
door. A glowing green crystal roughly the size of a human
forth one by one to converge in the center of the room.
fist is set into the arch above the doorway.
As more of the rays intersect, a translucent figure comes
into view where their light converges: a bald man wearing
a long, purple gown. His face breaks into a smile as he A hemispherical wall of force, its outside coated with a
sees you. thin layer of ice, covers the shaft leading down to area
Yl9j. This barrier was created by a wall of force spell
and is maintained by the glowing green crystal set above
Everlast speaks the same language as any creature that the doorway (see "Green Crystal~ below). As long as this
converses with it. He can't attack or be damaged, and he crystal is glowing, the wall of force can't be dispelled.
can't be dispelled. Two living blades of disaste r (see appendix C) guard
Iriolarthas created Everlast to aid him and his appren- the double door that blocks the way to area Y191. The
tices in their doomed mission to restore Ythryn from blades attack intruders that move in range of their blind-
ruin. In the years since its creation, Everlast has seen sight (30 feet), an.d the blades can pass right through the
lriolarthas crumble into dust and his apprentices trans- wall of force.
form into nothics. With nothing to do except uphold his Green Crystal. This glowing crystal sustains the
standing orders, Everlast has become hopelessly bored. wall of force but has become loose in its stone fixture.
The characters are the first new faces he has seen for Whenever a loud noise is made inside the chamber, the
centuries, and he immediately warms to them. Ever- loose crystal Bickers. Tremendously loud noises, such as
last's standing orders are as follows: those made by a thunderwave spell or a horn of blasting,
Assist in the city's restoration. cause the crystal to go out for ld6 rounds, during which
• Do not reveal the city's secrets to outsiders. time the wall of force is suppressed. The first time this
happens, the ice that coats the dome collapses.
Everlast can manjfest anywhere inside the spire and A character within reach of the crystal can use an
can move instantaneously between locations within it. action to pry it from its fixture, which causes the crystal
If the characters express interest in restoring Ythryn lo go dark for good, ending the wall of force. Destroying
to its former glory, he laments, "Many powerful minds the crystal has the same effect. The crystal is a Tiny.
have tried." If the characters mention Veneranda's plan 1-pound object with AC 13. 4 hit points, and immunity to
to use lriolarthas·s staff ofpower and the obelisk. Ever- poison and psychic damage.
last cautions them by saying, "That might be unwise, for
the obelisk was damaged in the crash. Iriolarthas was Yl9L. TESTING CHAMBER
unable to repair it.,. Uthe characters ask Everlast how The following boxed text assumes that the characters
to reach lriolarthas's study, he says he can·l help them, look through the doorway from area Yl 9k. If they arrive
saying...My orders prevent me from revealing the city's from the south, modify the text accordingly:
secrets to outsiders."
Energy Crystals. The crystals embedded in the
niches are used to project Everlast's illusory form Lining the far wall of this hall are eight doors, each
throughout the spire. Each crystal is a Tiny object with marked with a different arcane symbol On the wall above
AC 8, 3 hit points. and immunity to poison and psychic them is etched an inscription in Draconic.
damage. If more than half of the crystals are removed or
destroyed. Everlast ceases to exist.
S ecre t Door. This hatch is mounted in the ceiling, 30 A magical trap (marked Ton map 7.3) fills the 10-foot-
feet above the floor, and can be spotted from the floor square area immediately south of the double door to
only with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) area Yl 9k and triggers whenever a creature that is nei-
check. Knocking on the hatch causes it to swing open. ther a construct nor undead enters the area for the first
I
Y20. TOWER OF EVOCATION
Y21. OBELISK
A detect magic spell cas1 here reveals an aura of illusion
magic. This magic makes the eyes carved into the tower
A sixty-foot·tall obelisk of black stone, its surface covered appear to follow those who approach the structure.
in arcane runes, projects from the ground. A thin crack Characters who enter the tower find the mist inside as
has formed on one side, stretching from the obelisk's well. Haunting sounds fill the air: heartbeats, sobbing,
base to its middle. and ragged, gasping breaths.
As the party advances, the mists around the charac-
ters manifest into illusions of their worst rears, and each
Before Ythryn crashed, lriolarthas relied on this obelisk character becomes the target of a phantasmal killer
as a precautionary measure in case Ythryn experienced spell cast at 8th level (save DC 17). Characters who sur·
a catastrophe. It was one of a few rare Netherese ar· vive the experience emerge together in the tower's upper
tifacts that could rewind time (see the "Secret of the chamber, which is free of mist.
Obelisks" sidebar). It was damaged during Ythryn's fail Chamber o f IJJusion. The tower's uppermost chamber
and, despite Jriolarthas's best efforts. the demilich could is 30 feet square and lit by purple continual flame spells
not repair it. Characters who learn about the obelisk in in wall sconces. An inscription written on the walls in
Jriolarthas's study (area Yl9q) know how to activate it Draconic reads "Sixth, show thy face to the sky." This is
(see "Activating the Obelisk" below). illusory script masquerading as a passage from the Rite
A character who examines the obelisk and succeeds of the Arcane Octad (see page 234). Ir the characters
on a DC 10 lntelligence (Arcana) check recognizes that leave after acquiring only this information. they hear
the magic runes inscribed on the obelisk represent all the faint laughter or Ythryn's High lllusionist, Ajamar,
eight schools of magic. If the check result exceeds the trailing behind them as they exit the tower. The real pas-
DC by 5 or more. the character also identifies runes sage is revealed when the illusory script is successfully
relating to chronomancy. the art of magically manipu- dispelled (DC 17) or examined by someone who has
lating time. truesight. It reads "Sixth, hide thyself behind a mask."
Activating the Obelisk. If the characters retrieved
I riolartbas's staff ofpower and Veneranda is with them, Y23. YTHRYN MYTHALLAR
she insists that the staff be used to activate the dormant This enormous artifact is enclosed within the force field
obelisk. Any character who succeeds on a DC 20 Intel- surrounding the Spire of lriolarlhas. To reach it, a char-
ligence (Arcana) check can verify that this task is not acter must first perform the Rite of the Arcane Octad
beyond the staff's power, although it would take at least (see page 234) to lower the force field.
half of the staff's charges to accomplish. Ir a creature at-
tuned to the s taff uses an action to expend 10 or more of SECRET OF THE OBELISKS
its charges while touching the staff to the obelisk, power In this adventure, we learn the secret of the obelisks that
surges rrom the staff and triggers the following devastat- have appeared in other fifth edition adventures published
ing events: by Wizards of the Coast, including Tomb ofAnnihilation
and Waterdeep; Dungeon ofthe Mad Mage.
The staff splits in hair, triggering its Retributive Strike The first group of these magical obelisks was crafted by
property (see the staff's description in the Dungeon a secret society of spellcasters called the Weavers. These
Master's Guide). obelisks could alter reality on a grand scale, sending a re-
Any creature within 120 feet of the obelisk that isn't gion or an entire world back to an earlier time (effectively
killed by the staff's explosion becomes lO years erasing part of history) . The obelisks were constructed to
younger. Creatures whose age is reduced to 0 by this counteract the effects of calamitous spells and cataclys-
effect wink out of existence. leaving behind the items mic events.
they were wearing or carrying. An evil wizard named Vecna stole one such obelisk and
used it to erase the obelisk's creators from existence.
The obelisk disintegrates. as do other obelisks like it
Vecna also stole the knowledge needed to create new
throughout the world. but not before hurling the entire
ones. That knowledge later came into the possession of
planet into the past, to a time prior lo the fall of Ythryn Netherese wizards, who built stmilar obelisks of their own.
(see "Year of Chilled Marrow." page 262). They believed that if some catastrophe destroyed their em·
pire, these obelisks could help restore 1t. Unfortunately for
them, most of the obelisks built to protect Netheril were
stolen or otherwise lost over time, as were records of their
purpose and information about how to activate them.
Creatures in the dome gain a ll)fog speed of 30 feet and This enormous, boot-shaped structure is capped with
can hover. The corpses of a dozen i\etherese appren- three pipes that resemble the arteries of a titanic heart.
tices hover around this area. with their hands on their Tall doors open into the structure's dark interior.
knees and their eyes closed. Characters who adopt this
position can meditate by succeeding on a DC 12 Wis-
dom check. While meditating. a character can cast the Old posters are plastered to the OUler walls of this mu-
project image spell (save DC 15). The spell lasts for 1 sic hall. Anyone who can read the Draconic script can
hour, and a character can perform the meditation once translate the poster closest to the entrance: "Experience
per day. To leave the dome, a character must stand at the Netherese Esoteric Orchestra's masterwork, The
the top of one of the four shafts. to be transported down Dark Between the Stars!"' A character who succeeds on
in a manner similar to how they arrived. a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check knows this legend-
ary piece of music, as does any bard in the party. If the
Y26. TOWER OF TRANSMUTATION characters enter the music hall, read:
I
A tower rises before you, straight as an arrow. A faint This grand music hall is aglitter with ice. and the floor
light shines from in the spire's highest window, and hair- underfoot is strewn with the crystal shards of fallen chan-
line cracks creep up its wal ls like ivy. de liers. The frozen corpses of the audience lie strewn
among the tiered seats, their expressions frozen in rap·
turous adulation. On the stage, cadaverous mus1c1ans
The cracks covering the outside of the tower were
caused during the crash, when the magic protecting the slump over their shattered instruments.
tower strained to keep ii from collapsing.
Describe the interior of the tower as follows:
The Netherese Esoteric Orchestra was midway through
its crowning performance when Ythryn fell from the
The tower's interior walls are sculpted with impressions sky. Determined to finish, the musicians played on as
of humanoid forms pressing out from within-clawing the city hurtled to the ground, but Ythryn crashed before
they could finish. Deprived of the opportunity to com-
hands and howling faces, captured in stone forever
plete their grand finale. the orchestra's troublt>d spirits
haunt the hall.
As Ythryn was about to fall out of the sky, High Trans- A conductor's bacon rests on a lectern at the front
muter Metaltra used a true polymorph spell to transform of the stage. If a character grasps the baton, the hall
herself into something she thought would survive the echoes with the sounds of instruments being tuned.
city's destruction: an adamantine statue. An hour later. and a spectral orchestra materializes from out of the
when the spell should have ended, nothing happened. corpses onstage. The ghostly musicians hold their
Through no fault of her own, she had become a statue instruments and stare expectantly at their conductor.
permanently. Only a wish spell can restore her, and then These spirits can't be turned or harmed in any way.
only briefly as she ages centuries in a matter of seconds. Conducting the Orchestra. To conduct the orchestra
Characters who climb to the tower's peak find the through the end of their final symphony, a character
statue of Metaltra lying in a corner. The statue depicts a must succeed on three consecutive DC 15 Charisma
woman in a wizard's robe, posed as if she is completing (Performance) checks made l minute apart. A character
a spell. As her statue was being thrown about during the who knows The Dark Between the Stars gains advan-
crash, it damaged part of an inscription on one wall. tage on each check.
Inscription. The damaged inscription is a passage On the first successful check, the orchestra launches
from the Rite of the Arcane Octad (see page 234). into a hauntingly beautiful performance. If the next
Written in Draconic, it reads "Eighth, stand firm in thy check succeeds, listeners experience a falling sensa-
circle of death and consume - ." The missing word. tion in the pits of their stomachs, mirroring Ythryn's
destroyed by Metaltra's statue, is "poison." Characters downward plunge, as the music reaches a crescendo.
who search the room for stone fragments can't find the If the third and final check succeeds, the conductor
pieces they need to identify the missing word, but cast- brings the piece to a satisfying close as the sound of
ing a mending camrip on the wall repairs the damage ghostly applause rises from the audience and phantas-
and reconstructs the missing word. If the characters mal black roses rain down on the musicians. who face
don't have access to the mending cantrip, a divina- the audience and bow before fading into the afterlife. A
tion spell or similar magic can be used to learn the character who successfully conducts the orchestra gaiJ.1s
missing word. inspiration.
Skydock Spire stands 120 feet tall, and cbe glass cham-
ber magically floats 30 feet above it. The chamber slowly
rotates clockwise. The tower and the chamber are aU
that remain of a much larger fadlity that served princi-
paJly as n dock for flying ships.
Characters who enter the lower see a staircase coiling
around its interior walls. From atop the ruined roof,
a character using rope can make a successful DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check as an action to catch onto
the rotating chamber, which is a 40-foot-diameter room
made of glass that offers a panoramic vie'W of the city.
This chamber once served as an opulent and intimate
meeting place for the upper echelons of Ythryn's society.
Now it lies in ruin, with entrances lying open and the
furnishings inside smashed.
Treasure. Characters who sift through the debris
on the Hoor of the chamber find a miniature Netberese
skycoach in a bottle (750 gp) and a nonmagical wand (a
possible spellcasting focus) made of chardalyn (see the
sidebar on page 6). h is suffused with evil magic.
While grasping the wand, one feels an urge Lo inflict ter-
rible harm upon others, but the urge is easily resisted.
Prolonged custody of the wand might have a more detri-
mental effect, at your discretion.
Y29. MUSEUM
VELLYNNE'S FALL
Iriolarthas and His Apprentices. Characters who If the characters part ways with Vellynne for any rea-
proceed farther into the upper floor can see the mu- son, she tries to explore Ythryn alone and contracts the
seum's domed ceiling, which is still intact and a sight arcane blight (see page 233). The next time the charac-
to behold. lt depicts a powerful mage standing on a ters see her, she is either partially or fully transformed
balcony of the enclave's central spire. addressing a sea into a nothic.
of Netherese citizens below, who stare up at the figure,
AVARICE 'S A RRIVAL
cheering. This is an image of lriolarthas at the height
of his power, magically preserved in stained glass that
----
Avarice (see appendix C) follows the characters through
glows with its own arcane Light. Eight large portraits the Caves of Hunger to Ythryn. killing any PCs they
adorn the walls beneath the dome, depicting lriolar- left behind to guard the caves. The albino tiefling wiz-
thas's eight apprentices. known as the Wizards of the ard is joined by her two gargoyles, her rave n familiar,
Ebon Star. The portraits hang 20 feet above the ground. twenty cult fanatics (members of the Knights of the
and a frost-covered plaque is fixed to 1he wall just be- Black Sword). and ten roped mountain goats (see
neath each one. The faces in the portraits are depicted appendix C) that the cultists use for food and to set off
as looking up toward their master, Iriolanhas. with traps. lf Huarwar Mulphoon and Fel Suparra are alive.
expressions of respect. Characters who clear the ice they are among the cult fanatics (see area C6 on page
from the plaques can learn their names: High Abjurer 41 for more information about these NPCs).
Taruth, High Conjurer Damorith, High Diviner Apius, The Knights of the Black Sword speak Common and
High Necromancer Cadavix, High Evokcr Zadu1us, Infernal, and they have the following additional trait:
J ligh Illusionist Ajamar, High Enchanter Ivira, and High
Icy Doom. When the cultist dies, its corpse freezes for 9 days,
Transmuter Meraltra. during which time it can't be thawed, harmed by fire, animated,
or raised from the dead.
D
EPENDING ON THI! CHARACTERS' ACTIONS
and the whims of the dice gods, this adven- weather returns to lcewind Dale. The sun again rises
ture has several possible endings. Likely above the horizon. and as temperatures improve, Hora
conclusions are discussed below, though and fauna begin to recover. Depending on how they
others are certainly possible. fared against the chardalyn dragon in chapter 4, the
people of Ten-Towns can look forward to warmer times
WHAT SECRETS REMAIN once more.
Auril's death is temporary, for a god who has mortal
Allow time at the end of the adventure for players to
worshipers can't truly die. When the Frostmaiden is
reveal any character secrets that have not come to light.
resurrected on the next winter solstice. she has all her
Some players will want lo keep their characters' secrets
divine power. But her inclination is to retreat from the
buried. For the others, work with them to figure out the
world and not allow herself to be imperiled by mortals
best way for the characters' secrets to bear fruit. For
once more. The characters won't have to deal with her
example, a character who has the Ring Hunter secret
again in their lifetimes unless they continue meddling in
might still be searching for the signet ring that secures
her followers' affairs.
their inheritance: perhaps che ring is discovered during
The characters can help Ten-Towners rebuild their
a celebratory dinner in Ten-Towns. when the character
settlements in the wake of the chardalyn dragon's
cuts open their pan-fried knucklehead trout and the ring
rampage and the floods. If the dragon bas not yet been
unceremoniously spills out!
defeated. finding and destroying it should be a priority.
Until its master sends it on another rampage, it lurks
SUMMER Is COMING inside the forge where it was created (see chapter 3).
Slaying Auril or her roe prevents che Frostmaiden from Characters who help rebuild Ten-Towns might be
casting her nightly spell, ending her everlasting winter. asked to take up the mantle of speaker in one or more
The characters can also counteract the Frostmaiden's communities, replacing leaders who were killed during
everlasting winter by using the Ythryn mythal/ar to ef- the adventure. If he survived. Speaker Naerth Max-
fect a change in the weather, though any such attempt ildanarr ofTargos opposes the characters' political
inevitably leads to a confrontation with Auril and her ascendance, since they represent a threat to Zhentarim
faithful. Only by slaying Auril can the characters de- control of the region; without a power base of his own,
prive her followers of their god-granted spells and their however, Naerth can do little to stop them.
will to fight.
Necalli, a couatl shapechanged into the form of an
WINTER EVERLASTING aarakocra, doesn'L remember" h) it was bound to the
If the characters don't stop Auril, her everlasting winter obelisk or by whom. It knows only that it is free of its
becomes unendurable to most of Icewind Dale's inhabi- obligation to the obelisk':. builders. le does its best to
tants. The hostile climate and che scarcity of food force convince the characters that the obelisk is gone forever.
indigenous creatures to migrate southward or die. As along with nearly two thousand )Cars of history. Necalli
go the reindeer, so go the Reghed tribesfolk. 1n time, can administer healinl! to wounded characters, after
even the lakes freeze solid, depriving Ten-Towners of which 1t assumes its 1rue form and departs. It takes no
the knucklehead trout upon which their survival de- action that miJ;tht harm another creature.
pends. Within a year or two, Icewind Dale becomes a Ythryn is now a Ooating. living city under Lhe rule of
gods-forsaken wasteland as cold as Stygia. The bitter the lich lriolarthas and his apprentices. the Wizards of
cold allows Levistus to open portals between Icewind the Arcane Star (eight evil a rchmages). Almost every
Dale and the sixth layer of the ine Hells. from which other inhabitant of the city is either a Netherese mage
come forth ice devils under the archdevil's command. or a green-skinned magcn (described in appendix C).
Knights of the Black Sword who survive to see these When not partaking in their studies and revels. the
events come to pass try to maintain a foothold in the re- Netherese focus their efforts on finding ruins of Ostoria,
gion, though they are opposed by duergar at every turn. the ancient empire of giants. Tt is toward this supreme
The ice devils help clear the way for the duergar. who goal that all of the city's resources are directed.
aren't going anywhere unless the characters kill Xar- The obelisk is gone, erased from history, leaving the
dorok Sunblighl and put an end to his line. Once Ten- characters stranded. They are now stuck in -343 DR.
Towns is no longer a threat to his supremacy, Xardorok If the characters warn 1riolarthas about the fate that
does his utmost to conquer the rest of Icewind Dale. U awaits Ythryn and recount the circumstances leading to
left unchecked, the duergar become a controlling power its fall, Lhe lich takes steps to ensure that hiscory does
in the region. The ice devils, once subservient to Levis- not repeat iLself, including but not limited to keeping
tus. are dragooned by Asmodeus into helping the duer- Ostorian relics away from the Ythryn mythallar. ln ex-
gar turn che Par North into a vassal kingdom secretly change for their information, Triolarthas gives the char-
under the sway of the Nine Hells. acters a skycoach to expedite their departure from the
city. Characters who Hee rather than allow themselves
YEAR OF CHILLED MARROW to be detained can commandeer a skycoach and plot a
lf the characters use lriolarthas's staff ofpower to acti- course away from the city. A skycoach has the statistics
vate the obelisk in Ythryn, they inadvertently reset the of an airship (see the Dungeon Master's Guide). but its
world to a time predating the fall ofYthryn and che end magic wanes quickly unless it's recharged using magic
of Netheril. The obelisk has sent them back to the spring foreign to the characters. Soon, the skycoach struggles
of -343 DR. the Year of Chilled Marrow, six months to remain aloft. forcing the characters to set down and
prior to the catastrophe that causes Ythryn's fall and salvage what they can from the vessel.
another four years before Netheril's demise. The charac- To put it mildly, the characters have a whole new
ters find themselves high in the sky over lcewiod Dale. world to explore. Ten-Towns doesn't exist in this time-
Use the following boxed text to set the scene: line, nor do most of the cities along the Sword Coast
that characters might recognize. Many tribes ofReghed
nomads prowl lcewind Dale, while Uthgardt tribes de-
The obelisk is gone, leaving an indentation in the ground scended from Netherese claim vast tracts of untamed
where it once stood. In its place is an aarakocra with bril· land south of the Spine of the World, kept in check by
llantly colored plumage. Using telepathy, it reaches out to marauding monsters. The Empire of Netheril controls
the lush, temperate lands doomed to become the desert
each of you 1n turn and introduces itself as Necalli. "I am
of Anauroch. The town of Illusk {still centuries away
released from a duty long forgotten," it says. "The world from becoming Luskan) surrounds the brooding Host-
has rolled back more than fifteen hundred years. Now, tower of the Arcane. Characters hoping to visit some
history can be rewritten." past version of Waterdeep or Neverwinter find nothing
The city 1s no longer trapped deep beneath the Reghed but unsettled land surrounded by the remnants of the
el\'en kingdom of fllefarn. Humans won't begin farming
Glacier. Instead, it drifts among the clouds, its spires and
the plateau above Deepwater Harbor (the future site
other structures agleam and undamaged. A skycoach of Waterdeep) or building the settlement of Eigersstor
glides overhead, bathing you briefly in its shadow before {later renamed Neverwinter) for another three centuries.
making its way toward the city's glass-enclosed skydock. To run a campaign set in this earlier time frame. you
Weaving between the city's spires are boulevards tra- will need to delve into earlier products tied to the For-
versed by tall humans of noble bearing in wizardly robes, gotten Realms to get the lay of the land circa - 343 DR.
Of course, once the characters move beyond the strong-
many of them accompanied by hairless, green-skinned
holds of civilization, the Realms of the past is very much
humanoids that serve as their valets and bodyguards. like the Realms of the present a land of mystery, with
Some take note of your presence, while others gawk at old ruins and lost dungeons waiting to be explored. Only
the empty space where the obelisk once stood. now the characters are poised to witness the inevitable
fall of Netheril, or find a way to stop it.
EPILOGUE
APPENDIX A:
lCEWIND DALE TRINKETS
ICEWIND DALE TRINKETS
d100 Trinket d100 Trinket
01-04 A small wooden figurine of a yawning walrus, 49-52 A sewing box that smells of old wood and has three
painted in red and black spools of blue thread inside
05-08 A pair of scrimshaw cufflinks with an image of a 53-56 A scrimshaw-handled ink pen with black run ic de-
fisherman on a boat engraved on them signs along its length
09-12 A small iron key with a frayed blue and gold cord 57-60 A brooch made from a small insect encased in
tied to it amber
13-16 A small illustrated book of Northlander myths that 61-64 A scrimshaw pepper shaker etched with the letter W
has pages missing 65-68 An old, wooden-handled ice pick stained with blood
17-20 A damaged scrimshaw cameo depicting a merfolk that won't wash off
21- 24 A stone from a burial cairn with a tiny Dwarvish 69-72 A fabric doll bearing an angry expression
rune carved into it 73-76 A set of wind chimes made from seashells
25-28 A ripped cloth sail with a symbol you don't 77-80 A beautiful silver tin that, when opened, emits the
recognize smell of rotting fish
29- 32 An Ulu knife with a scrimshaw handle 81-84 A bloodstained dreamcatcher made from fishing
33-36 A Jar containing an unidentifiable, sweet, sticky line, gold wire, and snowy owlbear feathers
substance 85-88 A figurine of a polar bear made of ice that never
37-40 A delicate glass ball painted with snowAakes, melts
capped by a metal loop with a tiny hook attached 89-92 A snow globe that doesn't need to be shaken
to it 93- 96 A piece of sea glass shaped like a unicorn's horn
41-44 An expedition log with missing pages and a pressed 97-00 A dark blue scarf that gets lighter in shade the
flower used as a bookmark higher the altitude of the wearer
45- 48 An owl figurine carved from whalebone
.·-;..YJ
· i ,.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
268
AvARICE, "ER RAVU.I F4MILIAR, AND H(A GARGOYLES
APP.ENDIX C I CR..EATURES
tundra (see ~LosL Spire of Netheril." page 145), and
Dzaan went out of his way to eliminate anyone who
knew of it. including the adventurers who found it and
several Ten-Towners with whom they had spoken. After
turning the tower into his secret base, Dzaan visited
East haven to gather supplies. Although he took the pre-
AVARICE caution of adopting a magical disguise, members of the
Medium humanoid (tiejling), lawful evil local militia recognized Dzaan by the way he walked
and spoke. They captured him, gagged him, confiscated
Armor Class 13 (1 6 with mage armor) his spellbook, and condemned him to death.
Hit Points 8 4 (l3d8 + 26) The characters have no opportunity to speak with
Speed 30 ft.
Dzaan. They first encounter him in Easrhaven, tied to
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
a stake and engulfed in flames (see "Toil and Trouble.~
8 (-1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 10 (+O) 9 (-1) page 62). The Ten-Towners enjoy the execution while
it lasts. After warming themselves by the fire, they leave
Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +3 Dzaan's ashes to be scattered by the wind.
Skills Arcana +6, Hist o ry +6 Dzaan's Simulacrum. Unbeknownst to his execu-
Damage Resistances cold (granted by staffoffrost), fi re tioners, Dzaan had used a spell scroll of simulacrum to
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal, Ore, Yeti
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) DZAAN'S SIMULACRUM
Mt d1um conslruu, lawful evil
Icy Doom. When Avarice dies. her corpse freezes for 9 days,
during which time it can' t be thawed, harmed by fire , animated, Armor Class 10
or raised from the dead. Hit Points 24 (half of 9d8 + 9)
Speed 30 ft.
Special Equipment. Avarice wields a staffoffrost with 10
charges (see "Actions" below).
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Spe/lcosting. Ava rice is a 10th-level spellcaster. Her s pellcast- 10 (+O) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)
ing ability is Intel ligence (spel l save DC 14; +6 to hit with spell
attacks). She has the following wizard spells prepared: Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +3
Skills Arcana +S, Dece ption +4, History +5
Cantnps (at will): fire bolt (see "Actions" below), mage hand, Senses passive Perception 11
message, minor illusion, prestidigitation languages Abyssal, Common, Giant, Infernal
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, moge armor, magic missile Challenge l (200 XP)
2nd level (3 slots): flaming sphere, knock, scorching ray
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell,fireball,fly Spel/costing. The simulacrum is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its
4th level (3 slots): banishment.fire shield spellcast1ng ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit
5th level (2 slots): Bigby's hand, Rory's telepathic bond with spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared:
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
0-i.AAN !\ND H I S WI G HT BODYGUARD , K<!INTAAS
create a copy of himself. This simulacrum dwells in the Companion. Because they're so despised throughout
sunken Nctherese spire, waiting for its creator to return. FaerGo, Red Wizards often adopt disguises and rarely
The simulacrum, which looks and acts like Dzaan, travc>I abroad without an escort. They generally favor un-
has half of Ozaan's hit points and can't regain expended dead servants and bodyguards. since they find that un-
spell slots. ll has wasted its 3rd-level spell slots trying deacl tend to be more obedient than tbe living. Ozaan's
to reach Dzaan with sending spells. to no avail, and has bodyguard is a Thayan wight named Krintaas. When
expended other spell slots to help it survive the perils of Dzaaa returned to Easthaven, he ordered his compan
the spire. It uses its remaining spell slots sparingly. ion lo stay with the simulacrum and watch over it and
The sunken Netherese tower contains a special room the buried Netherese spire.
that can transform the simulacrum into a real person-
or any magical illusion into the real thing, for that mat- NASS L ANTOMIR
ter. lf this change occurs, the simulacrum effectively be- Nass Lantomir was an apprentice of Zelenn the White,
comes a clone of Dzaan, authentic in every way. Ozaan's one of five archmages \\ho oversee the Arcane Broth-
stat block and abilities change as follows: erhood. Nass and Zelcnn's relationship started off well,
• He has spell slots appropriate for a 9th-level wizard but in recent years it has become painfully obvious to
(four 1st-level spell slots, three 2nd- through 4th-level Zelcno that Nass has been slow to master the arcane
spell slots, and one Sch-level spell slot), but he lacks tradition of divination. Zelenn's suggestion that Nass
a spellbook and therefore can't change his list of pre- leave the llosttower of the Arcane and gain experience
pared spells. abroad left Nass feeling unwanted. After much thought,
• If he finishes a long rest, he has the following addi- however, Nass came around to the idea. She could put
tional spell slots. which allow him to cast the indi- her magic to the lest and carve out a name for herself.
cated spells: As she was prt>paring to leave the Hosttower, ass
overheard her master talking to another wizard about a
3rd level (3 slots): fireball, sending, slow
covert experution to Icewind Dale being undertaken to
4th level (3 slots): arcane eye, confusion
seek out long-lost magic from a bygone empire. Rather
5th level (1 slot): animate objects
than carry out her original plan, Nass followed her fel-
His hit point maximum becomes 49 (9d8 + 9), and his low wizards to lcewind Dale. She caught up 10 them in
challenge rating becomes 2 (450 XP). His challenge Bryn Shander and made her presence known, claiming
rating becomes 4 (1,100 XP) if he finishes a long rest she was sent by her master to aid the experution with
and regains his expended spells. her divinations. Egos and frayed nerves caused the
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
group to split up shortly thereafter. with each wizard de-
termined to succeed alone.
One night while the others slept, Nass stole a profes-
sor orb (see appendix D) from one of her fellow wizards,
Vellynne Harpel!. Two ofVellynne's kobold companions
witnessed the theft, and Nass killed them with Melf's
acid arrow spells before fleeing with the orb.
Nass Red Ten-Towns and headed toward the Sea of
Moving Ice, hoping to find a tome called The Codicil of
White, a book of magic and lore composed by servants
of Auril the Frostmaiden. The Arcane Brotherhood
believes that th is book tells how to reach a lost city of
magic entombed in the ice. Before she could obtain the
book, Nass perished. She now exists as a ghost, unable
to rest until she finds the book. Characters who come
upon Nass's frozen remains also find her spellbook and
the orb she stole from Vellynne.
Familiar. Nass's magical familia r, a white arctic wea-
sel acclimated to cold weather named Zelennor, watches
over the wizard's frozen remains. It uses the wease l
stat block in the Monster Manual but is a fey instead of
a beast. lfZelennor is reduced to 0 hit points, Nass's
ghost is unable to cast the find familiar spell in order to
get it back.
NASS LANTOMIR'S GHOST Etherealness. The ghost enters the Ethereal Plane from the
Medium undead, neutral evil Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane
while it 1s in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can't af-
Armor Class 11 fect or be affected by anything on the other plane.
Hit Points 45 (10d8)
Horrifying Visage. Each non-undead creature within 60 feet
Speed 0 ft. , fly 40 ft. (hover)
of the ghost that can see it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom
STR DEX saving throw or be frightened for l minute. If the save fails by
CON INT WIS CHA
7 (-2) 13 (+l) 10 (+O) Sor more, the target also ages ld4 x 10 years. A frightened tar-
17 (+3) 12 (+l) 17 (+3)
get can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, ending the frightened condition on itself on a success. Jf the
piercing, and slashing damage that isn't magical target's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it. the
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison target is immune to this ghost's Horrifying Visage for the next
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, 24 hours. The aging effect can be reversed by a greater resto-
grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained ration spell, but only if it is cast within 24 hours.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Ore
Possession (Recharge 6). One humanoid that the ghost can see
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) within S feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving
throw or be possessed by the ghost; the ghost then disappears,
Ethereal Sight. The ghost can see 60 feet into the Ethereal and the target is incapacitated and loses control of its body.
Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa. The ghost now controls the body but doesn't deprive the target
of awareness. The ghost can't be targeted by any attack, spell,
Incorporeal Movement. The ghost can move through other or other effect, except ones that turn undead, and it retains its
creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to
(ldlO) force damage ifit ends its turn inside an object. being charmed and frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed
target's statistics, but doesn 't gain access to the target's knowl-
Spel/casting. The ghost 1s a 6th-level spellcaster. Its spellcast-
edge, class features , or proficiencies.
ing ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14). The ghost has the
following wizard spells prepared: The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points,
the ghost ends it as a bonus action, or the ghost is turned or
Cantrips (at will): mage hand, message, prestidigitation, forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell. When
ray offrost the possession ends, the ghost reappears in an unoccupied
l st level (4 slots): detect magic, thunderwove space within 5 feet of the body. The target is immune to this
2nd level (3 slots): - ghost's Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell throw or after the possession ends.
ACTIONS
Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach S ft.,
one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) necrotic damage.
APPENDTX 0 I CREATURES
272
Spel/castins. As a ghost, Nass can cast the spells she Vellynne brought a family heirloom with her to Ice-
prepared prior to her death-except that the ghost can't wind Dale: a professor orb (see appendix D) that she
cast spells thac require material components, which refers to by its proper name. Professor Skant. This orb
limits its options. Its list of prepared spells shows only has knowledge about Netheril that cou ld be important
those spells it can cast. Although it has no 2nd-level if Vellynne locares the lost Netherese city buried under
spells available. the ghost can use its 2nd-level spell the Reghed Glacier. The orb was recently stolen by Nass
slots to cast upgraded versions of the thunderwave spell. Lantomir, one of Vellynne's rivals in the Arcane Broth-
Spe/Jbook. The wooden covers of Nass's spellbook erhood. Vellynne intends to get il back before resuming
are bound in nothic hide, and silver clasps hold the book her quest to find Ythryn.
shut. Nass's personal sigiJ is inscribed on the spine, Companion s. Since arriving in lcewind Dale, Vel-
which also bears the title Lantomir's Traveling Libram. lynne has secured the services of six lcewind kobolds
The tome contains the following spells: clairvoyance, (~ee page 296) that act as her valets and guides. Two
cloud of daggers, counterspell, detect magic, detect of rhem were killed by a Melfs acid arrow spell (cast by
thoughts, find familiar, Me/rs acid arrow, Tenser's float- Vellynne's rival. Nass Lantomir), but Vellynne animated
ing disk, and thunderwave. their corpses, turning them inro zombies.
If she is wounded, Vellynne can cast vampiric
VELLYNNE HARPELL touch and use the spell to regain hit points at the ko-
Vellynne Harpel! is a member of the prestigious Harpell bolds' expense.
family, based in the town ofLongsaddle. Cold and dis- Familiar. \'ellynne's familiar is a snowy owl, which
passionate, she took to magic only a decade ago in her the,., izard uses as a scout. It uses the owl stat block in
late forties and is skilled in the arcane tradition of necro- the \fonscer Manual but is a celestial instead of a beast.
mancy. She has a lifelong struggle a nervous disorder Spellbook. Vellynnc's spellbook has black leather cov-
that manifests as trembling. It can affect her balance er:. around pages of ragged parchment, all wrapped in a
and her stride. but she has learned to cast her spells un- crimc;on sash. The necromancer's personal sigil is writ-
impeded by it. ten in ~oat's blood on the title page. The tome contains
Despite her firm grasp of the dark art.:;, ">he would 1he spells \"cllynne has prepared plus the following ad-
not have been admitted into the Arc,1ne Brotherhood ditional spells: bestow curse, blindness,,deafness. false
without her famil~ ··onnection... -a fact that sticks life. find familiar, magic weapon, polymorph, protection
in her craw. from eiil and good, remove curse, shield, and Tenser's
floati11.tJ disk.
APP£NDIX CI C REATURES
AURIL THE FROSTMAIDEN
Auril 1he Frost maiden is a neutral evil lesser god of cold
indifference who embodies winter's cruelty. (For infor-
mation on what defines a lesser god, see the "Divine
Rank~ sidebar in the Dungeon Master's Guide.) Auril's
beloved ice grasps all things in her clutches, preserving
them against the ravages of time. She hoards beauty in
all forms, from art objects and Oowers to skiJled arti·
VELLYNNE HARPELL sans and their wondrous works, freezing them in magi-
Medium humanoid (human), neutral cal ice for her pleasure alone.
Auril was aligned with the gods Talos, Umberlee,
Arm or Class 13 (bracers of defense)
and Ma lar. Together they wrought terrible destruction,
Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27)
Speed 20 ft.
inspiring fear that compelled tribute to hold their power
at bay. Umberlee, queen of the wrathful sea, grew to
STR DEX CO N INT WIS CHA despise the enduring nature of the ice and snow Auril
10 (+O) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 18 {+4) 15 {+2) 13 (+1) created. Umberlee seethed when Auril's frigid cold
transformed her chaotic, unpredictable tides into rigid.
Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 motionless sheets of ice. Umberlee brought Talos and
Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Malar into an alliance against Auril, who retreated to
Senses passive Perception 12 the coldest corner of Toril 10 escape their fury.
Languages Common, Oraconic, Dwarvish, Elvish, Ore After a world-shaking event known as the Sundering.
Challenge 4 (l,100 XP)
most of the gods withdrew from Tori!. leaving mortals to
govern their own fates without the gods· medd.Hng, but
Special Equipment. Vellynne wears bracers ofdefense and car·
ries a wand of magic missiles (see ~Actions" below). the Frostmaiden could not stay away for long. Auril re·
turned 10 her icy realm in the far north and. after a time,
Spellcasting. Vellynne is an 8th-level spellcaster. Her spellcast· plunged it into frigid darkness using her magic.
mg ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell Casting such great magic night after night while also
attacks). She has the following wizard spells prepared: granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril
Cantnps (at will): chill touch (see "Actions" below), light, mage weak and vulnerable. In her selfinflicted weakened
hand, message, prestidigitation state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact
1st level (4 slots): comprehend languages, detect magic, ray of with other creatures that can harm her.
sickness, Tasha's hideous laughter Auril's worship('rS know beller than to disturb her
2nd level (3 slots): darkvision, hold person. ray ofenfeeblement self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards b.ave cut off
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, Leomund's tiny hut, vampiric lcewind Dale from the rest of the world, and a shroud of
touch (see "Actions" below) mist conceals her island in the Sea of Moving lee.
4th level (2 slots): arcane eye, blight
ACTIONS
ROLEPLAYING AURIL
Vampiric Touch (3rd-Level Spell; Requires a Spell Slot). Melee Portraying a deity, even a lesser god such as AuriJ the
Spell A ttack:~ 6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) Frost maiden. can be daunting. For roleplaying pur·
necrotic damage, and Vellynne regains hit points equ al to half poses, the following suggestions might prove b.elpful:
the necrotic damage dealt. lfVellynne casts this spell using a • So long as she has mortal worshipers. Auril can't trulj
spell slot of 4th level or higher, the necrotic damage increases die (although the characters can rid the world of her
by ld6 for each slot level above 3rd. for a 1ime). Thus. she has no reason ro capitulate to
Chill Touch (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 120 mortals' demands. As the embodiment of wincer's cru-
ft .. one creature. Hit: 9 (2d8) necrotic damage, and the target elty, she is incapable of showing mercy or compassion.
can't regain hit points until the start ofVellynne's nextturn. Play her as a supremely cold and unfeeling entity.
• Have Auril speak only when necessary. The less she
Wand of Magic Missiles. While hold mg this wand, Vellynne can talks. 1he less risk you have of unintentionally demys·
expend 1 or more of its 7 charges to cast the magic missife spell
tifying her in the eyes of your players. Let her actions,
from it. She can expend 1 charge to cast the 1st-level version of
not her words. define her.
the spell. She can increase the spell slot level by one for each
additional charge she expends.
• Lesser gods in lhe D&D multiverse are extremely
The wand regains ld6 + l expended charges dai ly at dawn. If powerful and arrogant, but also fallible and blind co
the wand's last charge is expended, roll a d20; on a 1, the wand their own flaws. It's appropriate for Auril to act as
cr umb les into ashes and is destroyed. though she's invinrible while underestimating her
mortal <'ncmil'S, l'ven in her rurrent weakened state.
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
274
LAIR A CTIONS
Auril dwells on Solstice, a frozen island hidden among
the titanic ic<>bergs in the Sea or Moving Ice. Few crea-
tures know or this island. let alone bow to reach it. See
chapter 5 for information about the regional effects thac
encompass the island.
While she's on the island, the Frostmaiden can take
one of the following lair actions on initiative count 20
(losing initiative ties):
• Auril instantly knows the locations and health of all
other creatures on the island. She knows how much
damage each of these creatures has taken, how many
levels of exhaustion they have. and what conditions
are affecting them currently.
• Auril instantly teleports to any location on the island.
ff the space she chooses as her destination is already
occupied, Auril appears in the closest unoccupied
space to it instead.
Auril telepathically communicates with any number
of creatures al once, provided they're all on the island.
This effect lasts until Auril stops concentrating on it
(as if concentrating on a spell) or until she leaves the
island or uses a different lair action.
At will: chromatic orb (cold orb only; see "Actions" below). de·
AURIL (FIRST FORM) tect magic, misty step
Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
2/day each: control weather, detect thoughts, ice storm
Armor Class 13 Legendary Resistance (2/Day in This Form). If Auril fails a sav·
Hit Points 95 (10d8 + 50) ing throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
Magic Resistance. Auril has advantage on saving throws
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA aga inst spells and other magical effects.
14 (+2) 16 (+3) 21 (+5) 24 (+7) 26 (+8) 28 (+9) Unusual Nature. Auril doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +12 A CTION S
Skills Deception +13, Insight +12, Intimidation +13,
Perception +16 Multiottack. Auril attacks twice with her talons.
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Hit: 7 (ld8 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (ld6) cold damage.
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned Touch of Frost . Melee Spell Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Senses da rkvision 120 ft., truesight 120 ft., passive creature. Hit: 13 (3d8) cold damage, and the target can't take
Perception 26 reactions until the start of its next turn.
Languages all, telepathy 1,000 ft.
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Chromatic Orb. Ranged Spell Attack: +13 to hit, range 90 ft.,
one creature. Hit: 13 (3d8) cold damage.
Divine Being. Auril can't be surprised and can't be changed
into another form against her will L EG ENDA RY A CTIO N S
Auril can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
Divine Rejuvenation. When Auril drops to 0 hit points, her body
below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
turns to slush and melts away. Aunl instantly reappears in her
and only at the end of another creature's turn. Auril regains
second form, 1n an unoccupied space within 60 feet of where
s pent lege ndary actions at the start of her turn.
her first form disappeared. Her 1n1t1ative count doesn't change.
Talons. Auril attacks once with her talons.
Innate Spel/casting. Auril's innate spellcasting ability 1s Cha-
Teleport. Auril teleports to an unoccupied space she can see
risma (s pell save DC 21, +13 to hit with spell attacks). She
within 30 feet of her.
can innately cast the following spells, requiring no materia l Touch of Frost (Costs 2 Actions). Auri l uses Touch of Frost.
components:
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
275
AURIL'S THREE FORMS SECOND FORM
Auril's second form, known to her worshipers as Lady
In her current weakened state, Auril can assume three
lcekiss or the Brittle Maiden, is that of a 10-foot-taU
different forms. To destroy her, heroes must reduce each
woman of fearsome aspect made entirely of ice and
of her forms to O hit points one after another. After she's
frost. Her eyes burn with a cold blue light, and a thin
defeated in her third and final form, Auril dies. As long
cloak of mist forms around her. Blades of ice grow out of
as she has mortal followers who worship her, however,
her body at odd angles, breaking off before they get too
Auril is reborn at full strength during the next winter
long. When she moves, her body crackles.
solstice, with divine power far beyond what is reflected
ln this form, Auril creates weapons of ice with which
in the stat blocks presented here.
to combat foes. These weapons are supernaturally re-
After finishing a long rest, Auril regains any of her
silient until Auril discards them, whereupon they break
forms that were destroyed, provided at least one form
and melt like normal ice.
survives. When she transitions from one form to an-
other, she loses all the traits and actions of the old form THIRD FORM
and gains those of the new form. Auril's third form, called Winter's Womb or the Queen of
A stat block is given for each of Auril's three forms. Frozen Tears by her most ardent followers, is a 3-foot-di-
These descriptions do not reflect Auril at full power, but ameter ice diamond containing the god's divine spark.
rather Auril as she is encountered in this adventure. The diamond has facets and a sharp point at the bottom.
FIRST FORM
lt hovers in the air. radiating intense cold all around it.
When Auril speaks, her voice seems to emanate from
Jn her first form. Auril appears as a hunched, 7-foot-taU
the heart of the diamond.
biped with the head of a snowy owl, black talons. cloven
If Auril is killed in her third and final form, she is
hooves. and grayish-white wolf fur covering her body
dead until the next winter solstice. While she is dead,
from the neck down. Protruding from her feathery owl's
her mortal worshipers lose their god-granted spells and
head is a pair of curved goat horns. A cloak and cowl
abilities.
made of pristine white snow conceals much of her tri-
partite form, which her worshipers refer to as the Cold
Crone. This cloak can transform into a pair of owl's
wings when Auril sees fit.
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
Cone ofCold (Recharges ofter a Short or Long Rest). Auril
AURIL (SECOND FORM) causes a magical blast of cold air to erupt from her hand. Each
Large elemenla/, neutral evil
creature in a 60-foot cone must make a DC 21 Constitution sav-
Armor Class 16 (natural armor) ing throw, taking 36 (8d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half
Hit Points 136 (13dl0 + 65} as much damage on a successful one.
Speed 30 ft. Create Ice Mephit (3/Day). Auril breaks off an icicle from her
body and hurls it into an unoccupied space she can see within
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 feet of her, where it magically transforms into an ice meph1t
16 (+3) 16 (+3) 21 (+S) 24 (+7) 26 (+8) 28 (+9}
(see its entry in the Monster Manual). The mephit acts immedi-
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +12 ately after Auril in the initiative order and obeys her commands.
Skills Deception +13, Insight +12, Intimidation +13, Ice Stasis (Recharge S- 6). Auril magically creates a gem-sized
Perception +16 ice crystal that hovers in a space within 5 feet of her. Auril then
Damage Vulnerabilities fire targets a creature she can see within 60 feet of the crystal. The
Damage Immunities cold, poison target must succeed on a DC 21 Charisma saving throw or be-
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, come trapped in the crystal, which is immovable. If the saving
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned
throw succeeds, the crystal shatters and nothing else happens.
Senses darkvision 120 ft., truesight 120 ft., passive
A creature trapped in the crystal is stunned, has total cover
Perception 26
Languages all, telepathy 1,000 ft. against attacks and other effects outside the crystal, and takes
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) 21 (6d6) cold damage at the start of each of its turns. The crea-
ture can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
Divine Being. Auril can't be surprised and can't be changed freeing itself on a success. The creature is also freed if the crys-
into another form against her will. tal is destroyed, which is a Tiny object with AC 18, 9 hit points,
and immunity to all damage except fire damage. The freed
Divine Rejuvenation. When Auril drops to 0 hit points, her creature appears in an unoccupied space of its choice within 30
body collapses into shards of ice, whereupon Auril instantly feet of the shattered crystal.
reappears in her third form, in an unoccupied space within 60
feet of where her second form was destroyed. Her initiative LEGENDARY A CTIONS
count doesn't change. Auril can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
Legendary Resistance (2/Doy in This Form). If Auril fails a sav- below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
ing throw, she can choose to succeed instead. and only at the end of another creature's turn. Auril regains
spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
Magic Resistance. Auril has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects Attack. Auril makes one weapon attack.
Ice Flurry (Costs 2 Actions). Each creature within 30 feet of
Unusual Nature. Auril doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. Auril takes 5 (2d4) piercing damage from swirling ice, and
nonmagical, open flames in that area are extinguished.
ACTIONS Splinter (Costs 3 Actions). Auril uses Create Ice Mephit or
Multiottoclc. Auril attacks twice with her Ice mornings tar or causes one to ice mephit she can see within 60 feet of her to
hurls three ice darts. explode and die. A mephit that dies in this way does not use
its Death Burst. Instead, each creature within 10 feet of the
Ice Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., exploding mephit must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving
one target. Hit: 7 (ld8 + 3) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) throw, taking 13 (3d8) piercing damage on a failed saving
cold damage throw, and half as much damage on a successful one.
Ice Dort. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 20/60 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (ld6)
cold damage
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
Magic Resistance. Auril has advantage on saving throws
AURIL (THIRD FORM) against spells and other magical effects
Small elemental, neutral evil
Unusual Nature. Auril doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 136 (16d6 + 80) ACTIONS
Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
Multiattack. Auril uses Polar Ray twice
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Polar Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +13 to hit, range 120 ft., one
1 (-5) 12 (+1) 21 (+S) 24 (+7) 26 (+8) 28 (+9) target. Hit: 14 (4d6) cold damage.
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +12 Blizzard Veil. Auril creates a magical blizzard in a
Skills Deception+13, Insight +12, Intimidation +13, 30-foot-radius sphere centered on herself. The area within the
Perception +16 sphere is heavily obscured, and the sphere moves with Auril.
Damage Vulnerabilities thunder The effect lasts until Auril drops to 0 hit points in this form,
Damage Immunities cold, poison until she chooses to end the effect (no action required). or until
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, her concentration is broken (as if concentrating on a spell)
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), truesight LEGENDARY ACTIONS
120 ft., passive Perception 26
Auril can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
languages all, telepathy 1,000 ft.
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature's turn. Auril regains
Divine Being. Auril can't be surprised and can't be changed spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
into another form against her will. Polar Ray. Auril uses Polar Ray.
Intensify Aura (Costs 2 Actions). Auril's Frigid Aura deals an
Divine Resurrection. When Auril drops to 0 hit points, her crys·
extra 10 cold damage until the end of her next turn.
talline form shatters and her divine spark vanishes. She is dead
Blinding Gleam (Costs 2 Actions). Auril's form Rares with a blue
until the next winter solstice, when she reappears at full health light. Each creature that can see Auril and is within 10 feet
in a cold, remote location of her choosing. of her must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be
Frigid Aura. So long as Auril has at least 1 hit point in this blinded by Auril's magical gleam for 1 minute. The blinded
form, each creature within 10 feet of her takes 10 cold damage creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
at the start of each of her turns. turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
BRAIN IN AJAR
Small 1mdead, any alignment
Detect Sentience. The brain can sense the presence and loca·
tion of any creature within 300 feet of it that has an Intelligence
of 3 or higher, regardless of interposing barriers, unless the
creature is protected by a mind blank spell.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
279
CHARDALYN BERSERKER
Chardalyn berserkers a re Reghed nomads who wield
weapons made of charda lyn, specifically ones suffused
with demon ic magic (see the sidebar on page 6).
This exposure has transformed them into fiends. They
shed their heavier protective clothing and embrace the
frigid cold, a llowing frostbite to ravage the exposed
parts of their bodies, with only their faith in the Frost-
maiden keeping them alive.
Chardalyn Weapons. A chardalyn berserker wields
one or more weapons made wholly or partly out of
chardalyn that has been tainted by demonic magic.
Battleaxes, flails, javelins, and spears are favored weap-
ons, though other weapons a re possible.
A character who claims one or more of these weapons
can be corrupted by them. Each day at dawn, roll a d6
for each such weapon in the character's possession. On
a roll of 1, the character must succeed on a DC 13 Cha-
risma saving throw or become an evil NPC under the
DM's control, unless the character is evil already. This
alignment change can be undone by any magic that ends
a curse, but after ten days, il can be reversed only by a
wish spell or divine intervention.
A creature wounded by one of these chardalyn weap-
CHARDALYN BERSERKER ons can feel a sudden sickness creep over them, but it
Medium fiend, chaotic evil passes quickly.
Chardalyn Madness. Prolonged contact with the
Armor Class 13 (hide armor) demonic magic imprinted on the chardalyn has afflicted
Hit Points 90 (l 2d8 + 36) the berserker with a form of madness, causing the ber-
Speed 30 ft.
serker to believe that its weapons are conduits through
which it can speak to a demon lord or other dark power,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+l) 17 (+3) 9 (- 1) 9 (-1)
as well as channel its rage. Jf the berserker's madness is
11 (+O)
cured using magic that removes the effects of madness,
Skills Survival +4 the berserker loses its Chardalyn Madness trait but
Senses passive Perception 10 retains its chaotic evil alignment and other qualities.
Languages any one language (usually Common) Further exposure to the demonic magic causes the ber-
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) serker's madness to return, however.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
Huge 'onstruct, chaotic evil Multiattack. The dragon uses its Malevolent Presence. It
then makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) tail. If the dragon isn't flying, it can also make one attack with
Hit Points 147 (14dl2 + 56) its wings.
Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack:+11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage.
24 (+7) 11 {+O) 19 (+4 10 (...O) 10 (+O) 3 (-4)
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: -+-11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Saving Throws Str +11, Con +8 Hit: 18 (2dl0 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Damage Resistances radiant: bludgeoning, piercing, and Wings. Me/ee Weapon Attack:+11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one tar·
slashing that is nonmagical get. Hn: 12 (2d4 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, Malevolent Presence. Any creature with an Inteliigence of 4 or
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned more that is within 30 feet of the dragon must succeed on a
Senses darkvis1on 120 ft .. pass1"e Perception 10 DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by it for l minute.
Languages the languages known by its creator A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's
saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the crea-
Immutable Form. The dragon as immune to any spell or effect ture is immune to the dragon's Malevolent Presence for the
that would alter its form next 24 hours.
Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on saving throws A creature charmed in this way fixates on another creature
against spells and other mag1ca effec-..s or object that the dragon mentally chooses and must, on
each of its turns, move as close as it can to that target and
Siege Monster. The dragon dea s doub e damage to obiects and use its action to make a melee attack against it. If the dragon
structures. doesn't choose a target, the charmed creature can act normally
Unusual Nature. The dragon doesn t re<:uire a r, food, drink, on its turn.
or sleep, and it gains no beneiit from fin sh Ojl a short or Radiant Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales a ray of
long rest. radiant energy in a l20·foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each crea-
ture in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw,
taking 31 (7d8) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as
much damage on a successful one.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
CHWINGA
r;ny elemental, neutral
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 5 (2d4)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
Charm of Cold Resistance. This charm allows you
CHWINGAS IN lCEWIND DALE
to give yourself rc..,1..,tance to cold damage as an action.
Chwingas first appeared in the published adventure This benefit lasts for 24 hours, after which the charm
Tomb ofAnnihilation as creatures indigenous to the vanishes from you.
tropical peninsula of Chuh. 'h spirits of the elements, Charm of Snowball Strike. This charm has 5
however, they range far and wide. Large numbers of charges. As a bonus action, you can expend l of the
them came lo Icewind Dale with immigrants from Chult charm's charges lo create a magical snowball in your
and made new homes for Lhemselves in and around Ten hand and throw it. You must have a hand free to hold
Towns. Those that remained near civilization adopted the snowball. or the charge is wasted. The snowball is
the garb of their humanoid neighbors. creating minia- a magic ranged weapon with which you are proficient.
ture coats for themselves. They can sometimes be seen rt has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60
riding on arctic foxes or snowshoe hares. Others wan- feet. it deals ld4 cold damage on a hit, and it scores a
dered into the tundra, changing their coloration to blend critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. lf you score a critical hit
in with their surroundings. with the snowball, the target is blinded until the end of
Exposure to Auril's nightly aurora and the unnatural its next turn. The snowball vanishes immediately after
blizzards she creates can cause chwingas to behave un- you hit or miss with it, or at the end of your turn if you
predictably, even insanely. don't throw it. Once all its charges have been expended.
this charm vanishes from you.
NEW CHWINGA CHARMS Charm of the Jee Troll. This charm allows you to use
This section describes several new charms that chwin- your reaction when you take cold damage to reduce the
gas living in lcewind Dale or other cold regions can be- damage to 0. You regain a number of hit points equal to
stow using their Magical Gift action. half the cold damage you would have taken. Once you do
Charm of Biting Cold. This charm has 3 charges. As so, the charm vanishes from you.
a bonus action. you can expend I of the charm's charges Charm of the Snow Walker. This charm has 3
to wreache your weapon attacks wiLh biting cold for 1 charges. As an action, you can expend 1 of the charm's
minute. Until this effect ends. you deal an extra ld6 cold charges lo gain the following benefits for 24 hours:
damage when you hit with a melee or ranged weapon
attack. Once all its charges have been expended, this You and your allies within 15 feet of you ignore diffi-
charm vanishes from you. cult terrain caused by snow or ice.
Charm of Bounty. This chJrm has 3 charges. As an • You can see through areas heavily obscured by snow
action, you can expend 1 of 1he charm's charges to cast to a distance of 60 feet.
the create food and water spt:ll. requiring no compo- • You are immune to the effects of extreme cold, as de-
nents. Once all its charges ha\e been expended, this scribed in the Dungeon Master's Guide (though you
charm vanishes from you. gain no protection from cold damage).
Once all its charges have been expended, this charm
vanishes from you.
Charm ofthe Traveler's H aven. This charm has 3
charges. As an action, you can expend l of the charm's
charges to cast the Lcomund's tiny hut spell, no com-
ponents required. Once all its charges have been ex-
pended, this charm vanishes from you.
COLDLIGHT WALKER
Some humanoids who died from extreme cold but
whose spirits languish in the mortal world become cold-
light walkers, burning with frigid fury at the meaning-
lessness of life. Their frostbitten corpses emit a spectral
light so intense that mortal eyes can barely stand to
look at them. They typically wear the clothing in which
they died.
God-Spawned Horrors. Gods that personify winter
create coldlight walkers as embodiments of winter's
wrath. These hateful spirits that were denied passage
to lhc afterlife are preserved in their current forms to
remind the living how fragile life can be.
When a coldlight walker dies, its light goes out. leav-
ing behind a frozen, inanimate corpse that can never be
raised from the dead.
COLDLIGHT WALKER
Medium undead, chaotic evil
ACTIONS
Multiattaclc. The walker makes two attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack.· +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar-
get. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6)
cold damage.
Cold Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +3 to hit, range 60 ft., one tar·
get. Hit: 25 (4d10 + 3) cold damage.
CRAG CAT
The creature referred to in North lander lore as the
Hunter of Men is a sure-footed predator that can be
found anywhere except the deep forest. preferring to
patrol ledges and cliffs in the mountains. Its cry re-
sembles a human scream of terror. rt often elicits such
sounds from its victims, for it prefers human flesh to all
other fare.
Crag cats blend in with their surroundings. During
winter, their fur turns white to blend in with the snow. At
other times of the year, their fur is gray, enabling them
to bide among the rocks more easily.
The crag cat knows its territory and often attacks
when its prey is asleep, exhausted, or otherwise weak-
ened. Although crag cats are typically encountered
singly, they can be found in family groups of two parents
and ld4 Small noncombatant cubs in the spring, or in
hungry packs in severe winter weather.
CRAG CAT
Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 34 (4dl0 + 12)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
APPENDIX C I CltEATUUS
DUERGAR MIND MASTER
The feared duergar mind maMers usually operate as
spies. both inside and beyond a duergar stronghold.
Their psionically augmented abilities enable them to see
1hrough illusion'> wi1h ease and shrink down to minia-
1ur<" size to spy on 1heir targets.
OUERGAR HAMMERER
DUERGAR MIND MASTER
Medium humanoid (dwarf), lawful evil
ACTIONS
XARDOROK SuNBLIGHT
Medium humanoid (dworl ..eful ~ Multiattack. Xardorok attacks twice with a weapon or casts
eldritch blast twice.
Armor Class 16 (chain mail)
Spiked Gauntlet. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Hit Points 93 (lld8 · 44)
one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage, or 8 (2d4 + 3)
Speed 25 ft.
piercing damage while Xardorok is enlarged.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Eldritch Blast (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range
16 (+3) 11 (+O) 18 (+4) 12 (...1) 13 (+l) 18 (+4)
120 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (ldlO + 4) force damage.
Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7 Enlarge (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute,
Skills Arcana +4, Deception +7, lnt1midat1on +7 Xardorok magically increases in size, along with anything he is
Damage Resistances poison wearing or carrying. While enlarged, Xardorok is Large, doubles
Senses darkvision 120 ft , passive Perception 11 his damage dice on Strength-based weapon attacks (included
Languages Dwarv1sh, Undercommon in his attacks), and makes Strength checks and Strength saving
Challenge 5 (1.800 XP) throws with advantage. lfXardorok lacks the room to become
Large, he attains the maximum size possible in the space
Duergar Resilience. Xardorok has advantage on saving throws available.
against poison, spells, and 1ll us1ons, as well as to resist being
charmed or paralyzed. ln11isibility (Recharge 4- 6). Xardorok magically turns invisible
until he attacks, he casts a spell, he uses his Enlarge, or his
Innate Spel/casting. Xardorok s innate spe• casting ability is concentration is broken (as 1f concentrating on a spell). Any
Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). He equipment Xardorok wears or carries is invisible with him.
can innately cast the following spells , requiring no material
components: REACTIONS
At will: eldritch blast (see "Actions" below), mage hand Hellish Rebuke (2/Day). When Xardorok is damaged by a crea-
1/day each: hold person, suggestion ture within 60 feet of him that he can see. the creature that
Sunlight Sensiti11ity. While in sunlight, Xardorok has disadvan- damaged him is engulfed in hellish flames and must make a
tage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 16 (3d10) fire damage on
a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
that rely on sight.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
Fox
The white arctic foxes of Icewind Dale live in burrows
and are acclimated to cold weather. They prowl the out-
skirts of Ten-Towns and nearby forests for food, bunting
hares or stealing fish. These timid creatures avoid con-
tact with humanoids, but they are sometimes used as
mounts by chwingas (see page 282).
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
288
FROST DRUID
Frost druids are solitary defenders of nature and the
natural enemies of civilization in the North. They seek
to preserve the arctic wilderness by destroying outsid-
ers who cross their path. Each patrols its territory in the
guise of an arctic fox. a mountain goat, a snowy owl, or
a wolf, reverting to human form only when it attacks.
Clever ambushers, they use hallucinatory terrain spells
to create illusory snowdrifts under which they can hide,
or to obscure pools covered by thin ice through which
others might fall.
Awakened Companions. A frost druid is often ac-
companied by one or more beasts, shrubs, or evergreen
trees that it has made sentient using the awaken spell.
These druids favor polar bears and reindeer (use the elk
stat block in the Monster Manual) as companions, and
such creatures typically share the druid's disposition.
Ice Sickle. A frost druid can carve a sickle out of ice,
requiring a total of 24 hours for the work. Bitter cold
courses through this weapon while it's in the druid's
hands. lfthe druid dies, the ice sickle melts away. The
weapon is otherwise identical to a normal sickle.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The skeleton ma es two greataxe attacks.
Creotaxe. Melee Weapon Atto:L +9 to h :, reach 10 ft., one tar-
get. Hit: 25 (3d12 + 6) slu n,g damage
Freezing Stare. The skeleton ta gets one creature it can see
within 60 feet of 1t. The target must suc:c:eed O" a DC 13 Con-
stitution saving throw or ta;.;e 35 10d6 cod damage and be
paralyzed until the end of :s nm
APPENDIX 0 I CREATURES
While in hyena form, the vampire can't speak, and its walking
speed is SO feet. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are
unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but noth-
ing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
While in mist form, the vampire can't take any actions, speak,
or manipulate ob1ects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 20
feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature's space and
stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist
can do so without squeezing, and it can't pass through water. It
has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving
throws, and it is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the
damage it takes from sunlight.
Unusual Nature. The vampire doesn't require air.
Vampire Weaknesses. The vampire has the following flaws:
Enraged by Celestial. If it hears words of Celestial spoken, the
vampire must try to attack the source of those s poken words
on its next turn. If these words come from multiple sources
and from opposite directions, the vampire is restrained.
Otherwise, it moves to attack what it perceives to be the clos-
est source.
Repulsed by Perfume. The vampire has disadvantage on melee
attack rolls made against any creature wearing perfume or
carrying an open container of it.
Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven
into the vampire's heart while the vampire is incapacitated,
the vampire 1s paralyzed until the stake is removed.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire takes 20 radiant damage
when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has
disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
GNOLL VAMPIRE ACTION S
Medium undead (shapechanger). chaotic evil
Multiattack (Vampire Form Only). The vampire makes two at-
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) tacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Hit Points 93 (lld8 + 44)
Speed 30 ft. Bite (Hyena or Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8
to hit, reach S ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing dam·
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA age plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage. The target's hit point max-
20 (+5) 18 (+4) 20 (+4) 6 (-2) 12 (+l) 9 (-1) imum is reduced by an amou nt equal to the necrotic damage
taken, and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount.
Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +7 The reduction lasts until the target fin ishes a long rest. The tar·
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and get dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.
slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11 Claws (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weopon Attack: +8 to hit,
languages Abyssal, Gnoll reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d4 + 5) slashing damage.
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Frightful Cackle (Hyena or Vampire Form Only). The vampire
emits a bone-chilling cackle. Each creature of the vampire's
Keen Smell. The vampire has advantage on Wisdom (Percep- choice that 1s within 120 feet of the vampire and can hear its
tion) checks that rely on smell.
cackle must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be-
Rampage. When it reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a me· come frightened for l minute. A creature can repeat the saving
lee attack on its turn, the vampire can take a bonus action to throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself
move up to half its speed and make a bite attack. on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the ef·
feet ends for it, the creature 1s immune to the vampire's Fright·
Regeneration. The vampire regains 10 hit points at the start of ful Cackle for the next 24 hours.
its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight. If the
vampire takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this Sickening Gaze (Hyena or Vampire Form Only). The vampire
trait doesn't function at the start of its next turn. targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet of it. If the tar-
get can see the vampire, the target must succeed on a DC 15
Shapechanger. If the vampire isn't in sunlight, it can use its Constitution saving throw against this magic or be poisoned
action to polymorph into a Large hyena or a Medium cloud of fo r 24 hours. A creature whose saving throw is successful is
mist, or back into its true form. immune to this vampire's Sickening Gaze for 24 hours.
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
GOLIATHS
Ac the highest mountain peaks-far above the slopes
where trees grow, where the air is thin and the frigid
winds howl-dwell the reclusive goliaths. Few other folk
can truthfully claim to have seen a goliath, and fewer
still to have forged a friendship with one.
Goliaths love to compete and keep score, counting up
GNOLL V A MPIRE their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to com-
When a gnoll's ravenous hunger is so great that it craves pare to what others have done. Goliaths love to win, but
flesh and blood even after death, it can rise as a vampire they see defeat as an incentive to improve their skills.
to continue its feeding frenzy. Above all else, every goliath is driven to outdo their past
A gnoll vampire is a savage predator that feeds on the performance, taking greater and greater risks. As a re-
blood of the living. It cackles maniacally when it catches sult, few goliaths live to see old age.
the scent of its prey and quickly moves in for the kill,
tearing away flesh with its claws. gorging on meat and GOLIATH NAMES
blood. and leaving nothing behind but bones, gristle,
Every goliath has three names: a birth name assigned
and the victim's blood-spattered belongings.
by the newborn's mother and father, a nickname as-
Gnoll vampires are indiscriminate feeders that pre-
signed by the tribal chief, and a family or clan name.
fer the flesh and blood of humanoids. including other
gnolls. Their noses can't stand the scent of perfumes. Birth Names: Aukan. Eglath, Gae-Al. Gauthak, Ilikan.
and their ears can't abide words spoken aloud in Keothi, Kuori, Lo-Kag, Manneo, Maveith, Nalla,
Celestial. They don't cast reflections in mirrors unless Orilo, Paavu, Pethani, Thalai, Thotham, Uthal,
they want to. Vaunea, Vimak
Unlike normal vamp1rec;;, gnoll vampires don't have Nickna mes: Bearkiller. Dawncaller, Fearless. Flint-
coffins where they re~t. and they have no such places finder, Horncarver, Keeneye, Lonehunter. Long-
to return lo when their corporeal bodies arc destroyed. leaper, Rootsmasher, Steadyhand, Threadtwister,
They are undeterred by runnin~ water, and they can Twice-Orphaned, Twistedlimb, Wordpainter
enter residences wnhout im·itacion. When a gnoll vam- Clan Names: Akannathi, Anakalathai. Elanithino, Gath-
pire needs to travel quickl~. it adopts the form of a giant, akanathi. Kalagiano, Katho-Olavi, Kolae-Gileana,
emaciated hyena. When it want., to catch its prey by sur- Ogolakanu, Thuliaga, Thunukalathi, Thuunlakalaga
prise, it takes the form of a cloud of mist. After it feeds
on a victim's blood. ii'> mist form takes on a crimson hue GOLIATH P LAYER CHARACTERS
for an hour or so before its colorlessness returns. With your consent, any player in your game can play a
goliath character. A goliath native to Icewind Dale can
TEKELl·LI AND THE CAVES OF HUNGER be a member of the Skytower (Akannathi) clan, the
Wyrmdoom {Thuunlakalaga) clan, or another goliath
clan that you and the player create together.
A goliatb character has the following traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score
increases by 2, and your Constitution score in-
creases by 1.
Age. Goliaths have Life spans comparable to humans.
They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually Live
less than a century.
Size. Goliaths stand between 7 and 8 feet tall
and weigh between 280 and 340 pounds. Your size
is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Natural Athlete. You have proficiency in the Ath-
letics skill.
Stone's Endurance. You can focus yourself to occa-
sionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you
maiden" to create a
lngly release the s
can use your reaction to roll a dl2. Add your Constitu-
cher. For more ,,.• ...,..._,,.,,, tion modifier to the number rolled and reduce the dam-
of Hunger see age by that total. After you use this trait, you can't use it
again until you finish a short or long rest.
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
Powerful Bulld. You count as one size larger when
determining your carrying capacity and the weight you
can push. drag, or lift.
Mountain Born. You have resistance to cold damage.
You·re also acclimated to high altitude, including eleva-
tions above 20,000 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Giant.
GOLIATH WARRIOR
Medium humanoid (golia th), any alignment
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The goliath makes two attacks with its greataxe or
hurls two javelins.
REACTIONS
Stone's Endurance (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).
When the goliath takes damage, it reduces the damage taken
by 9 (ldl 2 + 3).
G OLIATH WEREBEAR
Goliath legends speak of a creature that prowls the far
reaches of lcewind Dale, known as Oyaminartok the
Winter Walker. She can take the form of either a polar
bear or a hulking, bipedal shape obscured by wind and
blowing snow. Elders invoke her name to keep young go-
liaths from wandering too far from home before they're
ready. Adult goliaths sometimes encounter this legend-
ary individual in their travels to the far-flung corners of
the dale. If they flee like cowards, Oyaminartok laughs
and lets them go to wander in obscurity. U they chal-
lenge Oyaminartok co a fight, the Winter Walker smiles
and tests their mettle. Those who impress her with their
fighting skills are bitten and become goliath werebears
tbemselves-goliaths who carry Oyaminartok's curse
of lycanthropy. Contrary to myth, Oyaminartok is not safest routes across the tundra, and they can help guide
a monster but a force of good in the region, and she travelers through the Sea of Moving lee and across its
passes her curse only lo goliaths whose hearts are pure. ever-shifting ice floes. These polar werebears attack evil
Oyaminartok and others of her kind try to help crea· in the wilderness, but they steer clear of camps and set-
tu res they come across. for the weather and the geog- tlements. Fire is Oyaminartok's bane, and thus she and
raphy of Icewind Dale can be brutal. They know the her kind are wary around hearths and open names.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
ICE TROLL
HARE lee trolls have all the meanness and hunger of common
Snowshoe hares are gentle herbivores that live in bur- trolls. Their hearts radiate extreme cold, to the detri-
rows throughout lcewind Dale. They have shorter ears ment of other nearby creatures.
than other hares and are acclimated to cold weather. Ice Troll Hearts. An ice troll's heart remains cold
even after the troll's destruction. As long as the troll
can't regenerate, its heart can be safely removed from
HARE its remains, handled, and kept. An ice troll's heart, once
Tiny beast, unaligned removed, becomes a harmless Tiny object with AC 13, 4
hit points, and immunity to all damage except fire dam-
Armor Class 13 age. For the next 24 hours. the heart has the following
Hit Points 1 (ld4 - 1) magical properties:
Speed 20 ft., burrow S ft.
• A creature that eats the heart gains the ability to re-
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA generate for the next 24 hours, regaining 5 hit points
1 (-5) 17 (+3) 9 (-1) 2 (-4) 11 (+O) 4 (-3) at the start of each of its turns. If the creature takes
acid or fire damage. this trait doesn"t function at the
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +S start of its next turn. The creature dies only if it starts
Senses passive Perception 12 its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Languages -
• If buried in the ground under a foot or more of earth,
Challenge 0 (0 XP)
the heart melts away and summons a blizzard like
Escape. The hare can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide ac tion that created by the control weather spell. It takes 10
as a bonus action on each of its turns. minutes for the heart to melt and the blizzard to form.
The blizzard lasts for 8 hours.
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
294
• A hag or similar creature can perform a ritual that
turns the heart into a ma!!teal tah man that acts like
a patch of brown mold see tlic- Drmjeon \.laster's
Guide). This effect last-. wru the heart is destroyed.
• A creature proficient" th alchenust'!> supplies can
squeeze enough residual flu d out of the heart to
mix with other alchemical redients, creating one
potion ofresistance cold). I 1 hour to create
this potion.
ICE TROLL
Lorge g1an1, choot1c e111
Bite. Me/ee Weapon A::o + ~ U> • reach S fi., one target. Hit: Water Breathing. The trout can breathe only underwater.
7 (ld6 + 4) p1erong damcge p:::s 9 (2dS cod damage.
ACTI O N S
Bite. Melee Weapon Atlack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target .
Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing dama ge.
Toil. Me/ee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft .. one target. Hit:
4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
295
KOBOLDS !CEWIND KOBOLD
Kobolds can be found anywhere dragons are known Small humanoid (kobold), any alignment
to dwell, and those that live in the mountains and hills
of Icewind Dale are among the hardiest of their kind. Armor Class 14 (hide armor)
Drawn to the north by a desire to find and serve white Hit Points 9 (2d6 + 2)
dragons. these kobolds adapted as best they can to the Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
hostile climate. Their sensitive eyes appreciate sunless
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
days and long, dark nights. They use wooden javelins as 7 (-2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 8 (- 1) 8 (-1) 8 (-1)
tools to test the snow ahead of them.
Kobolds native to lcewind Dale frequently wander into Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +3
Ten-Towns to escape the dreadful cold, hoping to trade Skills Perception +l, Stealth +4, Survival +1
what few skills they have for some warm soup and shel- Senses darkvision 60 ft. , passive Perception 11
ter. The people of Ten-Towns, accustomed to the pres- Languages Common, Draconic
ence of strange outlanders, allow these kobolds to dwell Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
among them for the most part. When the kobolds don't
feel safe, they acquire heavy winter clothing and dis- Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll
guise themselves as humans by standing on one anoth- against a creature if at least one of the kobold's allies is with in 5
feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
er's shoulders. Three kobolds in cold weather gear can
pass themselves off as a clumsy human with a success- Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kobold has disadvan-
ful group Charisma (Deception) check, the DC of which tage on attack rolls , as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks
equals the onlooker's Wisdom (Insight) check result. that rely on sight.
The necromancer Vellynne Harpell has lcewind kobold Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
guides in her employ, including a pair that died and were range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage.
turned into zombies using animate dead spells. The cold j avelin. Me/ee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +O to hit, reach 5 ft. or
climate helps to preserve their dead flesh. range 30/120 ft., one target. Hi1: 1 (1d6 - 2) piercing damage.
APPENDJX C I CREATURES
lCEWIND KOBOLD ZOMBIE
Small undead, neutral evil
from holy water, this trait doesn't fu nction at the start of its
KOBOLD VAMPIRE SPAWN next t urn.
Small undead, neutral evll
Unusual Nature. The vampire doesn't req uire air.
Armor Class 14
Vampire Weaknesses. The vampi re has the following flaws:
Hit Points 39 (6d6 + 18}
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Forbiddance. The vampire can't enter a residence without an
invitation from one of the occupants.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Harmed by Running Water. The vampire takes 20 acid damage
10 (+0) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 8 (-1) 8 (-1) 8 (-1) when it starts its turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. The vampire is destroyed if a piercing
Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +1 weapon made of wood is driven into its heart while it is inca-
Skills Perception +1, Stealth +6 pacitated in its resting place.
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire takes 20 radiant damage
slashing from nonmagical attacks when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 3 (700 XP) A CTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Pack Tact ics. The vampire has advantage on an attack roll
Hit: 6 (ld4 + 4} piercing damage plus 5 (2d4} necrotic damage.
against a creature 1f at least one of the vampire's allies is within
The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal
S feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire regains hit
Regeneration. The vampire regains 10 hit points at the start points equal to that amount. The red uction lasts until the tar·
of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or get fi nishes a long rest. The target dies if its hit point maxim um
ru nning water. If the vampire takes radiant damage or damage is reduced to 0.
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
297
LIVING SPELLS L I V I NG BIGBY's H A N D
Areas of wild magic and sites that have been ravaged A living Bigby's hand is a Large, hovering hand of shim-
by powerful eldritch forces can give rise to spell effects mering, translucent force. It often serves as a guardian,
that become living beings. These so-called living spells attacking creatures that cross its path while remaining
haunt the places where they were created, subsisting on loyal to its caster.
ambient magical energy.
LIVING BIGBY'S HAND Magic Resistance. The living spell has advantage on saving
Large conslruct, unaligned throws against spells and other mag ical effects.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
LIVING DEMIPLANE
LIVI N G BLA DE O F DISA STE R Medium construct, unaligned
A living demiplane is a demiplane spell that has become Damage Immunities poison
vaguely self-aware. It is a shadowy rectangle, 5 feet wide Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, charmed, exhaustion,
and 10 feet high, which creeps along flat, solid surfaces frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone,
and groans softly when it moves. restrained, stunned, unconscious
When a living demiplane encounters a creature Senses darkvision 60 ft .• passive Perception 10
small enough co fit through its doorway. it tries to pull Languages-
that creature into itself, then deposits the victim in an Challenge 0 (0 XP)
exlradimensional chamber.
Dimensional Form. The living spell can enter another creature's
space and vice versa, and it can move through a space as nar-
row as 1 inch wide without squeezing. The living spell can't
LIVING BLADE OF DISASTER detach from a solid surface, such as a wall, ceiling, or floor. If
Small 'onsiruct. chaotic evil
it has no surface to attach to, the living spell is destroyed (see
Armor Class 14 (natural armor) "Planar Destruction" below).
Hit Points 67 (9d6 -1 36) Extradimensional Chamber. When the living spell enters an-
Speed 0 ft ., fly 30 ft. (hover) other creature's space (or vice ve rsa) for the fi rst time on a
turn, the other creature must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity sav·
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ing th row or be pulled into the living spell's extradimensional
10 (+0) 16 (+3) 19 (+4) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)
space, an unfurnished stone chamber 30 feet in every dimen-
sion. A creature too big to fit in this space succeeds on the
Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical attacks saving throw automatically. Creatures in the chamber never
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion, grappled, run out of breathable air. Magic that enables transit between
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, restrained, unconscious planes, such as plane shift, can be used to escape the chamber,
Senses darkvisio n 60 ft., passive Perception 10 which has no exits otherwise.
Languages - Creatures trapped inside the extradimensional chamber can't
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) see, target, or deal damage to the living spell; however, they
can damage the room around them. Each 5-foot-square sec-
Magk Resistance. The living spell has advantage on saving tion of ceiling, wall, and floor in the chamber has AC 17, 50 hit
throws against spells and other magical effects points, immunity to poison and psychic damage, and immunity
to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that is nonmag·
Unfettered. The living spell can move through any barrier, even ical. If any section is reduced to 0 hit points, the living spell and
a wall of magical force. its chamber are destroyed (see "Planar Destruction" below).
Unusual Nature. The living spell doesn't require air, food, Magi' Resistance. The living spell has advantage on saving
drink, or sleep. throws against spells and other magical effects.
A CTION S Planar Destru, tion. The living spell is destroyed when it or a
Force Blade. Melee Spell Attack: -6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar- 5-foot-square section of its extradimensional chamber is re-
get. Hit: 26 (4d12) force damage, unless the living spell rolled duced to 0 hit points, or when the living spell has no surface to
an 18 or higher on the d20 for the attack, in which case the at- attach to. When the living spell is destroyed, the contents of its
tack is a cri tical hit that deals 78 (12dl2) force damage instead. extradimensional chamber are expelled, appearing as close to
the living spell's previous location as possible. Each expelled
REACTION S creature appears in a randomly determined unoccupied space,
along with whatever 1t 1s wearing or carrying.
Preemptive Strike. The living spell makes a melee attack
against a creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the Unusual Nature. The living spell doesn't require air, food,
living spell. drink, or sleep.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
299
MAGEN
Magen are magical, humanlike beings created by a wiz- Medium construct, unaligned
ard spell (see the create magen spell in appendix D) or
by other arcane methods. Armor Class 16 (chain mail)
Though magen look like humanoids with green skin, Hit Points 51 (6d8 + 24)
they are constructs. When one is wounded, its blood Speed 30 ft.
is seen to have the color and consistency of mercury.
They exist purely through magical means. When one STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
is killed, its body disappears in a burst of harmless fire 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 10 (+O) 10 (+O) 7 (-2)
and a cloud of smoke that quickly dissipates.
Damage Immunities poison
Masical Servants. Magen make ideal servants. At Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
creation, each is instilled with an instinct to protect paralyzed, poisoned
itself and its creator, and it follows its creator's instruc- Senses passive Perception 10
tions without hesitation. When its task is complete. a Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't
magen stands immobile and silent until its creator gives speak
it new orders. Challenge 2 (450 XP)
DEMO S M AGEN Fiery End. If the magen dies, its body disintegrates in a harm·
less burst of fire and smoke, leaving behind anything it was
Demos magen wear armor, wield weapons, and typi- wearing or carrying.
cally serve as guards.
Magic Resistance. The magen has advantage on saving throws
GALVAN MAGEN against spells and other magica l effects.
Galvan magen can fly. They also store static electricity, Unusual Nature. The magen doesn't require air, food,
which they discharge as lightning bolts. drink , or sleep.
Hypnos magen are telepathic and use their power of Multiattack. The magen makes two melee attacks .
suggestion to control others. Their creators use them to Creatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
force enemies to withdraw or surrender. target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage.
A hypnos magen carries no weapons, relying entirely
on its psychic abilities to manipulate and harm other Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320
ft., one target. Hit: 6 (ld8 + 2) piercing damage.
creatures.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
300
GALVAN MAGEN
Medium construct uf1o ·,, i
HYPNOS MAGEN
Medium conslruct, unoligned
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 68 (8d8 + 32) Armor Class 12
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft (hover) Hit Points 34 (4d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+O) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 10 (+O) 7 (-2) INT WIS CHA
STR DEX CON
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 10 (+O) 7 (-2)
Damage Immunities lightning, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, Damage Immunities poison
paralyzed, poisoned Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
Senses passive Perception 10 paralyzed, poisoned
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't Senses passive Perception 10
speak Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't
Challenge 3 (700 XP) speak, telepathy 30 ft.
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Fiery End. If the magen dies, its body disintegrates in a harm·
less burst of fire and smoke, leaving behind anything it was Fiery End. If the magen dies, its body disintegrates in a harm-
wearing or carrying. less burst of fire and smoke, leaving behind anything it was
Magic Resistance. The magen has advantage on saving throws wearing or carrying.
against spells and other magical effects. Magic Resistance. The magen has advantage on saving throws
Unusual Nature. The magen doesn't require air, food, against spells and other magical effects.
drink, or sleep. Unusual Nature. The magen doesn't require air, food, drink, or
sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattock. The magen makes two Shocking Touch attacks. ACTIONS
Shocking Touch. Melee Spell Attack: ..-6 to hit, reach 5 ft., Psychic lash. The magen's eyes glow silver as it targets one
one target (the magen has advantage on the attack roll if the creature that it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must
target 1s weanng armor made of metal). Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) light- succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or take 11 (2dl0)
ning damage. psychic damage.
Static Dischorge (Recharge S-6). The magen discharges a light- Suggestion. The magen casts the suggestion spell (save DC
ning bolt in a 60-foot line that 1s 5 feet wide. Each creature in 12), requiring no material components. The target must be a
that line must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw (with disad- creature that the magen can communicate with telepathically.
vantage if the creature 1s wearing armor made of metal), taking If it succeeds on its saving throw, the target is immune to this
22 (4dl0) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much magen's suggestion spell for the next 24 hours. The magen's
damage on a successful one. spellcasting ability is Intelligence.
APPENDIX 0 I CREATURES
301
MIMIC
Mimics are shape-shifting monsters described in the
Monster Manual. The variant presented here is a partic-
ularly large and voracious specimen-the result of Neth-
erese experiments on ordinary mimics- that spits acid.
SPITTING MIMIC
Large monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral
Skills Stealth +7
Damage Immunities acid
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkv1sion 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages -
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
APPENDIX CI OREATURSS
302
GNOME SQUI DLING
-------
When the process of turning a ~nome into a mind flayer
goes horribly awry. the resuh is a gnome squidling-a
deformed mind flayer with weak. spindly limbs and over-
sized tentacles. It relies on levitation to keep its body
aloft and uses its tentacles like legs. to propel it along
whatever surface it's floating above. Most mind flayers
destroy squidlings on sight. so it's rare to see one or
more of these creatures.
Squid lings eat brains for sustenance. just like other
mind flayers do, and they don't care where the brains
come from.
GNOME CEREMORPH
Small aberration, any alignment
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
REGHED NOMADS
Reghed nomads are the children of the Reghed Glacier.
as suggested by their name. They are people of the wild,
as revealed by their tribal names the Elk, the Tiger.
the Wolf, the Bear. They are the tribes of lcewind Dale,
proud and strong, bound to ancient traditions that have
kept them alive through countless harsh winters. The
Reghed wear heavy furs as well as gloves, boots, and
masks made of animal hide, to protect themselves from
the bitter cold.
Although they originally descended from humans
who were predominantly blue-eyed and fair-haired, the
Reghed tribes have assimilated other folk, adding new
blood to their dwindling ranks. There used to be more
than four Reghed tribes, but the others have all dis-
banded over the past century, with many of their former
members settling in Ten-Towns and abandoning their
traditional ways.
The Reghed tribes rely on a nomadic lifestyle to sur-
vive, as they follow herds of reindeer a long the route of
the animals' annual migration. When they make camp,
the tribesfolk live in large, round tents made of deerskin
and supported by wooden shafts. (See map 2.11 on page
153 for a typical Reghed camp configuration.)
The Monster Manual has stat blocks that can repre-
MOUNTAIN GOAT sent most members of a Reghed tribe, as shown in the
Mountain goats are found throughout the Spine of the Reghed Tribesfolk table.
World and on the slopes of Kelvin's Cairn. their thick fur
REGHED TRIBESFOLIC
and layers of body fat protecting them from the extreme
cold. They are expert climbers, able to leap and bound Role Stat Block
up sheer slopes. Hunter or warrior Tribal warrior with Survival +4; speaks
Mountain goats are territorial but easily placated with Common
offerings of food. Their stubbornness makes them diffi- Shaman Druid with Survival +4; speaks Common
cult to domesticate.
and Druidic
Clan chieftain or Gladiator with hide armor instead of
MOUNTAIN GOAT great warrior studded leather an d Surviva l +5; speaks
Medium beast, unallgned Common
Armor Class 11
TRI BE OF THE B EAR
Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft. Internal strife has splintered what remains of the Bear
Tribe today. The turmoil began shortly after a ba nd of
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Bear Tribe hunters recovered pieces of chardalyn from
14 (+2) 12 (+l) 14 (+2) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 5 (-3) the frozen corpses of several dwarves. Oblivious to the
demonic magic suffusing the crystal, tribe members
Senses passive Perception 10
used the shards to fashion heads for their spears and
Languages -
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
axes. Contact with the crystal corrupted these warriors
over time, turning them into chardalyn berserkers (see
Charge. If the goat moves at least 20 feet straight toward a page 280). Their cruelty forced the king to banish them
target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the from the tribe. These outcasts have since begun raiding
target takes an extra 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage. If the target Bear Tribe camps for sacrifices. which they offer up to
is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw Auril to gain the Frostmaiden's favor.
or be knocked prone.
KING GUNVALD HALRAGGSON
Sure-Footed. The goat has advantage on Strength and Dexterity The thirty-year-old Bear King cuts an impressive figure
saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone. and is renowned for his size and strength. He tries to be
ACTIONS
honorable, but he is often merciless and doesn't change
his mind easily. He has trouble relating to Ten-Towners,
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach S ft., one ta rget. so he avoids them. His perspective on townsfolk might
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
Krnc j ARU ND E LKH A RDT
The Elk King isjarund Elkhardt, a terse yet thoughtful
change if they helped him de. . trO} the chardalyn ber-
giant of a man who is nearly fifty years old- ancient
serkers who have turned against their O\\.'TI.
by tribal standards. He has led the Elk Tribe for over
Gunvald has had three "ives in !>b:: years, each of
half his life, and age has made him cautious. He has
whom died while she was pregnant. His advisors fear
seen other kings and queens rise and fall. has made
that the gods have cursed Gum'Clld and the entire tribe.
war with friends and peace with his enemies, and has
Jn truth, the king's doting shaman. Ulkora. lusts for him
led warriors he knew as babes to their deaths in bat-
and surreptitiously poisoned hb \\i\ es. In time, Ulkora
tle. The strain of his long years of rule is etched on his
hopes Gunvald will turn his lo'liing C)e toward her and
weather-worn face.
allow her to bear his true hcir. lfGum-ald were to learn
jarund's late son, Jarund Twice-Born, was killed al-
the truth, he would put Ulkora to death.
most a decade ago while trying to bring down a cave
bear, leavingjarund without an heir. He has failed to
TRIBE O F THE E L K
produce another child with his wife, Wynneth, and his
Of the four remaining Reghed tribes. the Tribe of the mistress, Froya, so the future of his royal line remains
Elk is the largest and the most colerant of outsiders. It's ·uncertain.
also the tribe of the hero Wulfgar. son of Beornegar. Auril's unyielding winter concernsjarund deeply, and
Members of the Elk Tribe view che people ofTen- he often turns to his shaman, Mjenir, for guidance. The
Towns as "tame folk," who are ill bred and iU equipped king respects the shaman's understanding of gods and
for life in £cewind Dale. The tribe keeps its distance spirits, and the fact that both men have lost their sons
Crom Ten.Towns to avoid misunderstandings. since the serves to strengthen the bond between them. Mjenir
appearance of Elk Tribe hunten. near Ten.Towns has believes that the only way to break Auril's spell is to
been known to panic Ten-Towners who (jve in constant slay the goddess in her home, butjarund believes that
fear of attack. his warriors aren't strong enough to accomplish that
task alone.
GUNVALD HALRAGGSON
Medium humanoid (human). neutral
jARUND ELKHARDT
Medium humanoid (human). neutral
Armor Class 13 (hide armor, shield)
Hit Points 76 (9d8 + 36)
Armor Class 14 (hide armor, shield)
Speed 30 ft.
Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32)
INT WIS CHA Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON
20 (+5) 8 (-1) 18 (+4) 9 (-1) 10 (+O) 16 (+3)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 10 (+O) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 18 (+4)
Skills Athletics +8, In timidation +6, Survival +3
Senses passive Perception 10
Saving Throws Con +5, Wis +5
languages Common Skills Athletics +7, Intimidation +7, Survival +S
Challenge 5 (l ,800 XP)
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Dwarvish
Indomitable (3/Day). Gunvald can reroll a saving throw he fails.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
He must use the new roll.
Menacing Blows (1fTurn). Gunvald deals an extra 6 (ld12) dam- Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when
age when he hits a target with a weapon attack. If the target is jarund hits with It (included in the attack).
a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or
be frightened until the start of Gunvald's next turn. ACTIONS
Multiattack. )arund makes three melee attacks.
Second Wind (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). As a bo-
nus action, Gunvald can regain 15 hit points. Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, or 15 (ZdlO + 4)
ACTION S bludgeoning damage when used with two hands.
Multiattack. Gunvald makes three melee attacks. Shield. Melee Weapon Attock: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. I• •
Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach S ft., one tar- Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and Jarund pushes the '~ •
get. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage, or 10 (ldlO + 5) slashing target 5 feet away from him 1f it's Large or smaller. Jarund then
damage when used with two hands, plus 6 (ldl2) slashing enters the space vacated by the target. If the target is pushed to
damage ifGunvald uses Menacing Blows. within 5 feet of a creature friendly to jarund, that creature can
make an attack against the target as a reaction.
Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/120
ft., one target. Hit: 8 (ld6 + 5) piercing damage, plus 6 (ldl2) Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft . or
piercing damage if Gunvald uses Menacing Blows. range 30/120 ft .. one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.
• APPENDIX C I Clll!:ATURES
•
QUEEN 8 J ORNMILO 50LYIGS00TTIR ANO MER
SABER TOOTMEO T1GEoR, GRAY~
TRIBE OF THE WOLF Creatoxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach S ft., one tar-
get. Hit: 10 {l dl2 + 4) slashing damage, plus 11 (2dl0) cold
The Wolf Tribe is Lhe smallest of the four remaining damage if Bjornhild uses Auril 's Blessing.
Reghed tribes, and even its most optimistic members
don't think it will survive much longer under its current Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach S ft. or
leadership. To swell its ranks, chieftains have reso rted range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) piercing damage,
to bringing outsiders into the fold , including outcasts or 8 (ld8 + 4) piercing damage if used with two hands to make
from Ten-Towns, disenfranchised members of other a melee attack, plus 11 (2dl0) cold damage if Bjornhild uses
Auril's Blessing.
Reghed tribes, and even goblinoids.
APPENDIX CI CREATURE.S
306
RF.C»<EO MUNfERS OF TMf FOUR TRIBES
!SARR KRONENSTROM
Medium humanoid (human), chaotic evil ISARR KRONENSTROM
The Wolf Tribe has been without a king or queen for
Armor Class 1S (hide armor)
years. Its most powerful chieftain, lsarr Kronenstrom,
Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36)
Speed 30 ft. is a psychotic brute who worships Matar the Beast Lord.
He hunts Ten-Towners for sport, bathes in their blood,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA and strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies. Several
16 (+3) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) members of Isarr's clan have deserted him or been
killed off, but the few that remain are fiercely loyal. They
Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +6, Perception +S, Stealth +6, believe. incorrectly. that he's the Chosen of Malar.
Survival +S Although lsarr calls himself the Wolf King, few orh-
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 ers in the Wolf Tribe support him in that claim, but the
languages Common
other Wolf clan chieftains are too weak and disorga·
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
nized to challenge him.
Blood Frenzy. lsarr has advantage on melee attack rolls against
any creature that doesn't have all its hit points. REINDEER
Indomitable (3/Day). lsarr can reroll a saving throw he fai ls. He To ensu re that they don't starve in the winter, the
must use the new roll. Reghe d nomads of lcewind Dale follow the migration
routes of reindeer herds and are mindful not to deplete
Keen Hearing and Smell. lsarr has advantage on Wisdom (Per· lhe herds to the poim where the beasts can no longer
ception) checks that rely on hearing or smell flourish or defend themselves against other natural
predators.
A CTIO N S
The average adult reindeer is 5 feet tall at the shoulder
Multiattack. lsarr makes three melee attacks. and we ighs 250 pounds. Both male and fe male reindeer
Sickle. Melee Weapon Attack. +6 to hit, reach S ft., one target. have antlers. though a male's antlers are larger.
Hit: S (ld4 + 3) piercing damage, plus 13 (2d 1 2) piercing dam· Game Statistics. A reindeer u ses the elk stat block
age if the target has no allies 1t can see within 10 feet of it. in the Monster Manual. It is acclimated to cold weather.
Roughly one in s ix reindeer in lcewind Dale has a rare
Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack- +6 to hit, range magical trait: glow-in-the-dark antlers that emit dim
100/400 ft.. one target. Hit: 8 (ldlO ~ 3) piercing damage.
light out to a range of 10 feet.
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
SNOWGOLEM
Medium construct, unaligned
SEAL
The seals native to the Sea of Moving Ice often beach Armor Class 8
themselves on ice floes and rocky shores. They are accli- Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12)
mated to the cold weather and feed primarily on small Speed 10 ft.
fish, squid, and clams. Seal pups have yellowish-white
fur, which turns silvery gray as they enter adulthood. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) l (-5) 6 (-2) l (-5)
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Snowball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +Oto hit, range 60 ft., one
Hit: l piercing damage. target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) cold damage.
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
SNOWY 0WLBEAR
A snowy owlbear combines the physical features
of a snowy owl and a polar bear. When nm asleep
or hibernating, it galumphs across the icy tundra in
search of food.
Game Statistics. The snowy owlbear uses the owl-
bear stat block in the Monster Manual. lo addition, it
has a swimming speed of 30 feet and is acclimated to
cold weather.
SPE RM W HAL E
Sperm whales are toothed aquatic mammals that can
grow to be up to 70 feet long. Their natural predators
include whalers and feUow leviathans. such as dragon
turtles and krakens.
Keen Hearing. The whale has advantage on Wisdom (Percep- Tail. Me/ee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit , reach 15 ft., one target.
tion) checks that rely on hearing Hit: 18 (3d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage, or 37 (6d6 + 16) blud-
geoning damage if the target 1s an object.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
TOMB TAPPER
The Netherese arcanists who created these crea1ures
called 1hem "thaluud." which means "faceless." Wrought
from the fusion of magic and elemental earth, each of
these sexless, hairless warriors stands 15 to 21 feet tall
and possesses a lust for magic. an inherited memory
(composed of recollections from the souls sacrificed
in their creation), and an insane hatred for nonhuman
spellcasting creatures. Tomb tapper~ can djg lhrough
earth and rock with their claws or use their metaJ
sledgehammers to shatter rock when needed. They
absorb water through their skin and crush rock with
their jaws to extract mineral sustenance. They can also
digest iron from blood and marrow, if mineral-rich rock
is unavailable.
The Netherese sent the thaluud into the Underdark
to exter minate their enemies. most notably the
magic-devouring, funne l shaped creatures known as
phaeri mm. Other creatures targeted by the thaJuud
include mind flayers, derro, drow, and duergar. Tomb
tappers communicate with one another by means of a
humming sound created by skin vibrations.
Seekers ofMagic. Tomb tappers received their collo
quial name from their habit of burrowing into the depths
to plunder tombs, temples, and caves in search of magic
i1cms, which they bear off. They usually try to seize
magic from beings that they encounter.
Magic is sacred to tomb tappers. T hey don't use any
magic items they acquire, instead choosing to protect
and venerate such items. Tappers spend their long lives
in the search for the source of all magic, which they
believe to be hidden deep in 1he Unclerdark. They are
in awe of earth elementals. believing that they come di-
rectly from this source. and are reluctant to attack them
APPENDIX CI CREATURES
"!10
VERB EEG
Verbceg are giants that resemble oversized humans
with gangly limbs and elongated faces. Some have other
features that give them a fcar..,ome aspect.
Verbecg craft their own armor and weapons. They
prefer thrown spears above all other weapons. and a
verbceg usually has several spears for that purpose.
Marauders. Verbceg conduct themselves like brig
ands, robbing people they come across in the wild. If
food is scarce. they kill lhose same people and eat them.
They prefer to dwell in forlorn places, often sharing ter-
ritory with hill giants and ogres. It's not unusual to find
a gang of hill giants and ogres led by a verbeeg, s ince
verbeeg are much smarter than their brutish cousins.
Verbeeg also enjoy the company of mammalian beasts
and allow bears. wolves, worgs. and other predators
to lair with them. They catch and keep horses, mules,
sheep, goats, and cattle for food and trade.
Longstriders. Some verbeeg worship gods of nature
and help defend the natural world. These even tempered
verbeeg are called longstriders and are blessed with in-
nate spellcasting abilities.
VERBEEG LONGSTRIDER
Lorge giant, neutral
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
311
WALRUSES
Walruses are bulky marine mammals that favor arctic
climates and communicate by grunting and roaring. A
typical adult specimen weighs at least 2,000 pounds.
Humans hunt them for their meat, fat, skin, bones,
and tusks.
Giant Walrus. Giant walruses are enormous, GrANTWALRus
ill-tempered creatures as big as elephants. A typical Huge beast, unaligned
adult specimen weighs at least 12,000 pounds.
Armor Class 9
Hit Points 85 (9dl2 + 27)
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
WALRUS
Large beast, unaligned
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 9 (-1) 16 (+3} 3 (- 4) 11 {+0} 4 (-3)
Armor Class 9
Hit Points 22 (3dl0 + 6)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Speed 20 ft. , swim 40 ft.
Languages -
Challenge 4 (l,100 XP)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 9 (-1) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 11 (+O} 4 {- 3)
Hold Breath. The walrus can hold its breath for 30 minutes.
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages - A CTION S
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Multiattack. The walrus makes two attacks: one with its body
Aop and one with its tusks.
Hold Breath. The walrus can hold its breath for 10 minutes.
Body Flop. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit , reach 5 ft., one tar-
ACTION S get. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Tusks. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target. Tusks. Melee Weapon Atlack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target.
Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) piercing damage.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
YETI YETI TYKE
The yeti and the abominable yeti are described in the Small monstrosity, chaotic evil
Monster Manual. This entry provides game information
for yeti tykes. which people seldom encounter. Adult Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
yetis are very protective of their young. keeping them Hit Points 9 (2d6 + 2)
hidden from the rest of the world. A yeti tyke is between Speed 20 ft ., climb 20 ft.
1 and 7 years old.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Yeti tykes are as volatile and mean as their parents,
their fearsomeness diminished only by their size. Stand- 10 (+O) 11 (+O) 12 (+l) 6 (-2) 8 (-1) s (-3)
ing 3 feet tall on average. they like to bully creatures of
Damage Immunities cold
their height or smaller. But they are easily intimidated Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
by bigger and stronger creatures. A cowed yeti tyke can Languages understands Yeti but can't speak
be controlled, at least for a while. but raising one to be Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
anything other than a savage. flesh-eating predator is
incredibly difficult (thou~h not impossible). Keen Smell. The yeti has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on smell.
Snow Camouflage. The yeti has advantage on Dexterity
(Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.
ACT IO N S
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach S ft., one target.
Hit: 2 (ld4) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) cold damage.
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
APPENDIX D: MAGIC
This appendix describes the new magic items, spell- water to fill at least a 10-foot cube. At the end of each
books. and spells found in this adventure. uninterrupted hour of immersion, roll a d6. On a 6, a
floppy. 6-inch long magical fish appears on the end of
MAGIC ITEMS th<' hook. The color and properties of the conjured fish
New magic items found in this adventure are presented are determined by rolling on the Hook of Fisher's De
below in alphabetical order. light table. Once the hook conjures a fish, it can't do so
again until the next dawn.
ABRACADABRUS
Wondrous item. very rare HOOK OF FISHER'S DELIGHT
APPENDIX 0 I MAG I C
LANTERN OF TRACKIN G
dlO Creature Type dlO Creature Type
1 Aberrations 6 Fe)
2 Celestials 1 fiends
3 Constructs 8 Cants
4 Dragons 9 Monstrosities
5 Elementals 0 Undead
PROFESSOR ORB
Wondrous it<·m. rare·
A professor orb b J '>mooth S110und ... ph{·rc of smoky
gray quartz aboul till' -.ize of a grapdru11. Cloc;e exam
ination rewals two or more pmpn k ... of <,ilvt'r light com-
ing from deep in<;tdt tlw "Ph re
The orb is st•nttt'llt and ha th pcr,.,onaltty of a
scholar. Its alignnwnt ,., dl tennanl'd h) rollin~ on the
alignment iaule rn llw .. Scnll<'nt !aek ltl'rn~" S('('tion
in the Dungeon Mw-.11-r·, Cu1d Reg.1rdlcs-; of its align·
ment, the orb has an h11elhgen e of lS .ind Wi~dom and
Charisma scort'~ dt·tt·1 manl'd b) rolling Jd6 for each
ability. The orb "'Jl('ak-., read and undt:r~tand~ four lan-
guages, and ll can <,t't' "11d hear norm.illy out to a range
of 60 feet. Unlikt 1110..,t other ent1en1 item~ the orb has
no goals of its o~n .md cant uuuate a conflict with the
creature in po~St".,-.ion of 11
The orb has <.xu•n-.1\e knm\ledge of lour narrow aca
demic subject'>. \\ lwn makmg an lncelligt'nce check to Psi CRYSTAL PROPERTIES
recall lore from an) of lb an a of experti'>e. the orb has
Intelligence Range of Light
a -9 bonus to it~ roll (mcludmg tb lntelli~ence modifier).
Score Telepathy Intensity
In addition to th~ kt10\\lcdgc tt po"-"'<''>scs, the orb can
cast the magc· hancl l',111tnp at \\ 111. It use..., the spell only 3-7 15 feet Dim light out to a range of 5 feet
to transport 1helf It-. "pelka...ung ab1ltt} 1s lntelh~ence. 8 11 30 feet Bright light 111 a 5 foot radius
Professor Sl<ant. I he profe,,or urb owned by Vel and dim light for an add1t1onal
lynne Harpell and ....1olc11 b) ~ ........ L.amomir calls itself 5 feet
Professor Skanl It i.., la\\ tut good. and it ha..., a Wisdom 60 feet Bright light in a 10-foot radius
12-15
of 11 and a Charisma of C) It ... peak,., ilntl read~ Com
and dim light for an additional
mon, Draconic, Eh i-.h. aml Lorn ...-. (the dead language of
10 feet
the Empire of Nt'lhcril) Prol!' ... -.or ~kant is a chauerbox
16 or higher 120 feet Bright light In a 15 foot radius
and assumes all h11111anoicb un dund<>rhcads. When
elaborating on its Hrt'a" of 1·xp1•1 l1"<', it adopts an unin- and dim light for an additional
tentionally patroni7111g torn•. It ha ... the following four 15 feet
areas of cxpertbc•:
The history of Ncthtril (<..,t:e thl' "Fate of Nctheril'" SCROLL OF TARRASQUE SUMMONING
sidebar on pag<' 232) Scroll. legend<ir>
Vampirism and tlw trait... of\ampirc!> Using an action to read the scroll cau<;es the tarrasque
• Rituab ~urroundtn~ the m.1king, bouling. and drink- (see the crt•ature's entry in the Monster Manual) to
ing of Elverquis<,l (a rare. ruby rnlorcd ch en liquor appear in an unoccup1t>d space you lan see within I
distilled from ~un.,hint• and rare ,,,urnmt·r fruits) mile of you. The tarrasque disappears when it drops
The tarra.sque ('>CC 1h1• \fom,rer Manual) tu 0 hit pomh and is hostile toward all neatures other
than nself
PSI CRYSTAL
Wondrous item. uncommon (requires attunement bj a SCROLL OF THE COMET
creature with an lntt·llig<'nce ,.,core ofJ or highn) Scroll. legendary
This crystal grant<, you telepathy for as long as you re- By using an action to read the scroll. you cause a l'omet
main attuned to it 5ct the introcluc 11on of the Monster to fall from the sky and crash to the ground at a point
Manual for rules 011 huw thb tdepathy works. The crys- you can sN• up to I mile away from you You must be
tal also glow'> with a purplish inner light while you are outdoor<, when you ust• lhc scroll, or nothing happens
auuned to it. The h111.ht•r your intclligt•ncc, the greater and the '>Croll is wasted.
the light's inwnsity and tlw greater the range of the te-
lepathy (sec tht' Psi Crystnl Properlirs table).
APPENDIX D I MAGI C
The comet creates a 50-foot-deep, 500-foot-radius cra- The Ythryn mytha//ar is a relatively small device a
ter on impact. Any creature in that radius must make a mere 50 feet in diameter. To attune to this mythallar,
DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 30d10 force dam- a creature must finish a short rest within 30 feet of
age on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage it, meditating on the mythallar. Up to eight creatures
on a successful one. All structures in the crater are de- can be attuned to it at one time; otherwise, the Ythryn
stroyed, as are all nonmagical objects that aren't being mythallar follows the attunement rules in the Dungeon
worn or held. Master's Guide. If a ninth creature tries to attune to the
mythallar, nothing happens.
THERMAL CUBE AU creatures attuned to the Ythryn mythallar can
Wondrous item, common sense when the device is being used. A creature attuned
This 3-inch cube of solid brimstone generates enough to the device can use any of its properties, but only if all
dry heat to keep the temperature within 15 feet of it at other creatures attuned to the device agree to allow it.
95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). The Ythryn mythallar's properties are as follows:
• While you're on the same plane of existence as the
YTHRYN MYTHALLAR
Ythryn mythallar. you can use an action to cause it to
Wondrous item, leaendary (requires attunement by a Oy in any direction you choose at a speed of 30 feet.
spellcaster) AJI matter within 500 feet of the device moves with it.
A mythallar looks like an enormous crystaJ ball held The Ythryn mythallar and all structures held aloft by it
in an ornate cradle. The globe sheds bright light in a hover in place when not in motion.
300-foot radius and dim light for an additional 300 feet. As an action. you can cause one magic item you are
The globe draws magic from the Weave that can be har- holding within 30 feet of the Ythryn mythallar to
nessed for various purposes. For example, Netherese immediately regain all its expended charges or uses.
mages used mythallars to keep their cities aloft and em- A magic item recharged in this manner can't be re-
power their magic items. The bigger the mythallar. the charged by the Ythryn mythallar again until after the
more magic it can hold. The largest mythallars are 150 item regains expended charges or uses on its own.
feet in diameter.
B O OKS
Two books are described in this section. Characters can
find The Codicil of White in Auril's abode (see chapter
5) and The Incantations oflriolarthas in the Netherese
necropolis hidden under the Reghed Glacier (see
chapter 7).
APPENDIX D I MAGI C
317
11h level arcane eye. bam..,hment. bliAht. dimension CREATE MAGEN
door. Evard'<; black trnt;1c/<'<;, phantasmal killer 7th lnel transmutation
S1h level. Bigby"r; hand. rloudkill. dominate person. pla
Casting Time: 1 hour
nar binding. scrying, telckinrsis
Range: Touch
61 h level. create undracl. disint<•/jratr, Alobe of invulnrra
Components: V. S. M (a vial of qu1c k'>ilver worth 500
bility. move earth, Otto'.<; irr<'si<;tibl<' dance
gp nnd a life-sized human doll. holh of which the spell
7th level: create magrn,• finger of death, prismatic
consumes. and an intrical<" crysial rod worth at least
spray. teleport
1.500 gp tha1 is nol consumrd)
8th lrvcl: dcmiplane, dominatt> monster. mind blank.
Duration: Instantaneous
pnw<'r word stun
9th lrvcL blade of disaster,• power word kill Whtie ca~ting the spell. you place a vial of quicksilver in
the chec;t of a life-sized human doll stuffed with asb or
'Described in this chapter
du'>t. You then stitch up the doll and drip your blood on
WIZA RD SPELLS 11. At the end of the casting. you tap the doll with a crys
tal rod. tran'>forming it imo a magen clmhed in whatever
CharaC"ters who obtain The Cochcil of White from Aunrs 1he doll was wearing. The- lypc or magen is chosen by
abode or The Incantations of /rrolarthas in Ythryn can you during the casting or the '>pell See appendix c for
clisrovrr one or more of the following wizard spells. different kinds of magen and tht>ir statisLics.
When the magen appears. your hil point maximu m
B LADE OF D ISASTER
decreases by an amount t>qual lo t he magen's challenge
9th lcv<'I conjuration rating (minimum reduction of I) Only a wish spell can
Casting Time : 1 bonus action undo this reduction to your hi1 point maximum.
Range: 60 feet Any magen you create w11h thi., '>prll obeys your com-
Compon ents: V. S mands withouL question
Duration: Concemration. up to l minute
FROST FINGERS
You r.reate a blade shaped planar rirt about 3 feel long /.,,1 /c1e/ emcarion
man unoccupied space you ran '>re within range. The
blade la!>ts for the duration. Wht'n you ( asl this spell. Cas ting Time: 1 action
you ran make up to two melee '-pell allarks wiLh the Range: Self (15-fooL cone)
blaclr. carh one against a r.reature, loose objert. or struc Components: V, S
tun' within 5 feet of the bladr. On a h1l. the target takes Duration: Tnslantaneous
4d 12 force damage. This all<1rk score'> a rritical hit if Frcc1ing cold blasts from your fingertips in a 15-foot
the numbt>r on the d20 is 18 or higlwr On a crnical hit. conr Each creaLUre in that .irc·a must make a Constitu-
the bladt· deals an extra 8d 12 forct' darnagt' (for a cotal tion saving throw. taking 2d8 rolcl damage on a failed
of I 2d I 2 force damage). save. or half as much damage• on a successful one.
As a bonus action on your turn. you can move the 1 he cold freezes nonmagical hquicls in che area that
blade up to 30 feet lo an unoccup1<"d !>pact> you can aren't being worn or earned
see and then make up to two rnelee '>pt>ll attacks At Higher Levels. When you ca'>t th1s spell using a
wilh it again. '>prll slot of 2nd level or higher, 1lw damage increases by
The blade can harmlessly pass 1hrough any barrier. I d8 for c•ach slot level above bt.
including a wall of force.
APPENDIX D I MAGIC
APPENDIX E:
RIME OF THE FROSTMAIDEN
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ISBN: 971.0· 7&69-669S-l
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Svg Retail: US 549.95 CAN $65.95
Printtd in USA C7167000