Originally featured in Dungeon #159 (4e) October 2008
For five characters of 2nd level.
The adventure is set in the FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting near the town of Loudwater in the Gray Vale. This adventure is designed to work well with the sample adventures found in Chapter 1 of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide (4e).
In particular, this adventure makes an excellent sequel to Barrow of the Ogre King, which introduces Loudwater and the surrounding area along with several NPCs who would make ideal patrons for sending the PCs on this adventure. However, it is not necessary for the characters to have visited Loudwater previously.
Disclaimers
This is a 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons® fan adaptation of the adventure "Menace of the Icy Spire" written by Sean Molley.
Where possible, I have tried to preserve as much of the original adventure content, mechanics, and structure by changing as little as necessary. This is by no means a perfect one-to-one conversion from 4th to 5th edition and imbalances may be present. Run at your own risk!
Good rolls on your prawns. — Lonney
All original material in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons
Credits
✦ "Menace of the Icy Spire" 4e adventure created by Sean Molley
✦ Forgotten Realms Setting created by Ed Greenwood
✦ GM Binder Styling Reference created by Rhaenon
✦ Advanced GM Binder Styling Reference created by Raspilicious
✦ Unearthed Arcana Resources created by r/UnearthedArcana
Image Credits
✦ Original adventure illustrations by Rob Alexander, Ben Wootten, and Ron Lemen
✦ Original adventure cartography by Kyle Hunter
Additional Imagery Used
Acknowledgements
✦ Additional content adapted from the adventure The Lost Mine of Phandelver (2014) by Christopher Perkins and Richard Baker.
✦ Special thanks to the GM Binder Discord for their help with formatting.
Contents
Introduction
This book is written for the Dungeon Master. It contains a complete Dungeons & Dragons adventure, as well as descriptions for every creature and magic item that appears in the adventure. It also introduces the world of the Forgotten Realms, one of the game's most enduring settings, and it teaches you how to run a D&D game.
Running the Adventure
Menace of the Icy Spire is an adventure for five characters of 2nd level. During the course of the adventure, the characters will advance to 3rd level. The adventure is set within the Gray Vale, a short distance from the The High Forest in the Sword Coast region of the Forgotten Realms setting. The Sword Coast is part of the North—a vast realm of free settlements surrounded by wilderness and adventure. You don't need to be a Forgotten Realms expert to run the adventure; everything you need to know about the setting is contained in this book.
If this is your first time running a D&D adventure, read "The Dungeon Master" section; it will help you better understand your role and responsibilities.
The "Background" section tells you everything you need to know to set up the adventure. The "Overview" section describes how the adventure is expected to run and gives you a broad sense of what the player characters should be doing at any given time.
The Dungeon Master
The Dungeon Master (DM) has a special role in the Dungeons & Dragons game.
The DM is a referee. When it's not clear what ought to happen next, the DM decides how to apply the rules and keep the story going.
The DM is a narrator. The DM sets the pace of the story and presents the various challenges and encounters the players must overcome. The DM is the players' interface to the D&D world, as well as the one who reads (and sometimes also writes) the adventure and describes what happens in response to the characters' actions.
The DM plays monsters. The DM plays the monsters and villains the adventurers battle against, choosing their actions and rolling dice for their attacks. The DM also plays the part of all the other characters the players meet in the course of their adventures, like the prisoner in the goblin lair or the innkeeper in town.
Who should be the DM for your gaming group? Whoever wants to be! The person who has the most drive to pull a group together and start up a game often ends up being the DM by default, but that doesn't have to be the case.
Although the DM controls the monsters and villains in the adventure, the relationship between the players and the DM isn't adversarial. The DM's job is to challenge the characters with interesting encounters and tests, keep the game moving, and apply the rules fairly.
The most important thing to remember about being a good DM is that the rules are a tool to help you have a good time. The rules aren't in charge. You're the DM—you're in charge of the game. Guide the play experience and the use of the rules so that everybody has fun.
Many players of Dungeons & Dragons find that being the DM is the best part of the game. With the information in this adventure, you'll be prepared to take on that role for your group.
Rules to Game By
As the Dungeon Master, you are the final authority when it comes to rules questions or disputes. Here are some guidelines to help you arbitrate issues as they come up.
When in doubt, make it up! It's better to keep the game moving than to get bogged down in the rules.
It's not a competition. The DM isn't competing against the player characters. You're there to run the monsters, referee the rules, and keep the story moving.
It's a shared story. It's the group's story, so let the players contribute to the outcome through the actions of their characters. Dungeons & Dragons is about imagination and coming together to tell a story as a group. Let the players participate in the storytelling.
Be consistent. If you decide that a rule works a certain way in one session, make sure it works that way the next time it comes into play.
Make sure everyone is involved. Ensure every character has a chance to shine. If some players are reluctant to speak up, remember to ask them what their characters are doing.
Be fair. Use your powers as Dungeon Master only for good. Treat the rules and the players in a fair and impartial manner.
Pay attention. Make sure you look around the table occasionally to see if the game is going well. If everyone seems to be having fun, relax and keep going. If the fun is waning, it might be time for a break, or you can try to liven things up.
Improvising Ability Checks
The adventure often tells you what ability checks characters might try in a certain situation and the Difficulty Class (DC) of those checks. Sometimes adventurers try things that the adventure can't possibly anticipate. It's up to you to decide whether their attempts are successful. If it seems like anyone should have an easy time doing it, don't ask for an ability check; just tell the player what happens. Likewise, if there's no way anyone could accomplish the task, just tell the player it doesn't work.
Otherwise, answer these three simple questions:
- What kind of ability check?
- How hard is it?
- What's the result?
Use the descriptions of the ability scores and their associated skills in the rulebook to help you decide what kind of ability check to use. Then determine how hard the task is so that you can set the DC for the check. The higher the DC, the more difficult the task. The easiest way to set a DC is to decide whether the task's difficulty is easy, moderate, or hard, and use these three DCs:
- Easy (DC 10). An easy task requires a minimal level of competence or a modicum of luck to accomplish.
- Moderate (DC 15). A moderate task requires a slightly higher level of competence to accomplish. A character with a combination of natural aptitude and specialized training can accomplish a moderate task more often than not.
- Hard (DC 20). Hard tasks include any effort that is beyond the capabilities of most people without aid or exceptional ability.
Even with aptitude and training, a character needs some amount of luck—or a lot of specialized training—to pull off a hard task.
The outcome of a successful check is usually easy to determine: the character succeeds at whatever he or she set out to accomplish, within reason. It's usually equally easy to figure out what happens when a character fails a check: the character simply doesn't succeed.
Glossary
The adventure uses terms that might be unfamiliar to you. A few of these terms are described here. For descriptions of rules-specific terms, see the rulebook.
Characters. This term refers to the adventurers run by the players. They are the protagonists in any D&D adventure. A group of characters or adventurers is called a party.
Nonplayer Characters (NPCs). This term refers to characters run by the DM. How an NPC behaves is dictated by the adventure and by the DM.
Boxed Text. At various places, the adventure presents descriptive text that's meant to be read or paraphrased aloud to players. This read-aloud text is offset in boxes. Boxed text is most commonly used to describe rooms or present bits of scripted dialogue.
Stat Block. Any monster or NPC that is likely to be involved in combat requires game statistics so that the DM can run it effectively. These statistics are presented in a format called a statistics block, or stat block. You'll find the stat blocks needed for this adventure in appendix B.
Tenday. In the Forgotten Realms, a week is ten days long and called a tenday. Each month consists of three tendays—thirty days total.
Magic Items and Monsters
Whenever the text refers to a magic item, its name is presented in italic type. For a description of the item and its magical properties, see appendix A.
Similarly, whenever the adventure text presents a creature's name in bold type, that's a visual cue directing you to the creature's game statistics in appendix B.
Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used in this adventure:
| Abbreviation | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| DC = Difficulty Class | XP = experience points |
| gp = gold piece(s) | pp = platinum piece(s) |
| sp = silver piece(s) | ep = electrum piece(s) |
| cp = copper piece(s) |
Roleplaying and Inspiration
One of the things that you can do as the DM is reward players for roleplaying their characters well.
Each of the characters included in this set has two personality traits (one positive and one negative), an ideal, a bond, and a flaw. These elements can make the character easier and more fun to roleplay. Personality traits provide a glimpse into the character's likes, dislikes, accomplishments, fears, attitude, or mannerisms. An ideal is something that the character believes in or strives for above all else. A character's bond represents a connection to a person, place, or event in the world—someone the character cares about, a place the holds a special connection, or a treasured possession. A flaw is a characteristic that someone else can exploit to bring the character to ruin or cause the character to act against his or her best interests.
When a player roleplays a negative personality trait or gives in to the drawbacks presented by a bond or flaw, you can give that player one inspiration as a reward. A player with inspiration can use it in a situation where his or her character's personality traits, ideal, or bond relate to what's happening. Spending inspiration gives the character advantage on one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw.
A character can have only one inspiration at a time.
When starting the adventure, take a few minutes to do the following:
- Encourage the players to introduce their characters to each other if they haven't done so already. Ask them to explain what class they are and to briefly describe what their character looks like.
- Ask the players to explain how their characters came to be involved in a particular hook for this adventure. Let the players concoct their own stories. If a player is hard-pressed to think of anything, suggest something simple. For example, they've been travelling together as a group already and that they came across the Town of Loudwater on their travels. This exercise is a great opportunity for the players to contribute to the adventure's backstory.
- Ask the players to give you the party's marching order and how their characters are traveling. Who's in front, and who's bringing up the rear?
The Forgotten Realms
Just like a fantasy novel or movie, an adventure is set in a larger world. In fact, the world can be anything that the DM and players can imagine. It could be a swords-and-sorcery setting at the dawn of civilization, where barbarians battle evil sorcerers, or a post-apocalyptic fantasy where elves and dwarves wield magic amid the wreckage of a technological civilization. Most D&D settings are somewhere between those two extremes: worlds of medieval high fantasy with knights and castles, as well as elven cities, dwarven mines, and fearsome monsters.
The world of the Forgotten Realms is one such setting, and that's where the story in this adventure takes place. In the Realms, knights dare the crypts of the fallen dwarf kings of Delzoun, seeking glory and treasure. Rogues prowl the dark alleyways of teeming cities such as Neverwinter and Baldur's Gate. Clerics in the service of gods wield mace and spell, questing against the terrifying powers that threaten the land. Wizards plunder the ruins of the fallen Netherese empire, delving into secrets too dark for the light of day. Dragons, giants, demons, and unimaginable abominations lurk in dungeons, caverns, ruined cities, and the vast wild places of the world.
On the roads and rivers of the Realms travel minstrels and peddlers, merchants and guards, soldiers, sailors, and steel-hearted adventurers carrying tales of strange, glorious, faraway places. Good maps and clear trails can take even an inexperienced youth with dreams of glory far across the world. Thousands of restless would-be heroes from backcountry farmsteads and sleepy villages arrive in Neverwinter and the other great cities every year in search of wealth and renown.
Known roads may be well traveled, but they aren't necessarily safe. Fell magic, deadly monsters, and cruel local rulers are all perils that you face when you travel in the Forgotten Realms. Even farms and freeholds within a day's walk of a city can fall prey to monsters, and no place is safe from the sudden wrath of a dragon.
The regional map shows just a tiny part of this vast world, in a region called the Sword Coast. This is a region of adventure, where daring souls delve into the wreckage of ancient strongholds and explore ruins of long-lost cultures. Amid a wilderness of jagged, snow-capped peaks, alpine forests, lawlessness, and monsters, the coast holds the greatest bastions of civilization, including the coastal city of Neverwinter.
Background
About 30 years ago, a dwarf warlock named Draigdurroch came to the Gray Vale. Draigdurroch was part of a cabal of warlocks, and his particular research dealt with the creation of new types of eldritch pacts. He believed that the Dire Wood contained a particularly potent source of untapped energy—the remains of a failed deity. Thousands of years before the Spellplague, a Netherese city called Karse stood in the area, and the demigod Karsus was its patron. Karsus tried and failed to ascend to full godhood, dying in the process, and his city (along with the rest of the ancient Empire of Netheril) fell not long thereafter. Draigdurroch’s research suggested that the petrified remains of Karsus yet lie beneath the forest’s heart. Draigdurroch hoped that he could tap into the latent energy that Karsus had accumulated and use it to power his new pact. The dwarf warlock built a tower about a mile outside the Dire Wood and began his experiments in earnest.
Draigdurroch’s hunch turned out to be correct. A powerful nexus of magical energy is beneath the heart of the Dire Wood. However, the fey spirits who dwell within the Dire Wood have long been aware of how dangerous the remnants of Karsus could be if the demigod’s power fell into the wrong hands. They have appointed themselves as guardians to ensure that no one tampers with the failed deity’s resting place. When Draigdurroch’s efforts began to bear fruit and the dwarf warlock drew upon the latent echoes of Karsus’s power to form a dark pact, the fey approached him and warned him to cease his meddling. The warlock was confident in his powers and ignored the warning. For his temerity, the fey punished him. Draigdurroch was imprisoned within the Feywild and his tower was sealed in a block of magic ice as a warning to others. The fey set a powerful gemstone holding a spirit of winter to act as the keystone holding the icy barrier.
The ritual enacted by the fey was designed to have a limited area of effect—Draigdurroch’s tower was encased in ice, but the surrounding lands were not supposed to be affected. Unfortunately, such a powerful spell cannot go unnoticed forever. Draigdurroch’s tower contains several small rifts to the Elemental Chaos that he had created as part of his arcane research. Recently, a group of ice warriors discovered one of these rifts when they were drawn by the strength of the cold energy emanating from the gemstone. They have taken up residence in Draigdurroch’s tower, finding it a most hospitable environment thanks to the perpetual layer of ice. The warriors have begun to modify the ritual that the fey created, increasing its power and spreading the effects of the magical frost over a larger area. If they are not stopped, a permanent winter will come to the entire Gray Vale.
Overview
This adventure occurs after Midsummer but before the end of Highsun. Over the last several weeks, temperatures in the Gray Vale have been dropping to levels that would not normally occur until after Highharvesttide. Things have not become too dangerous for travelers yet, but to all indications, winter is coming several months early. If that occurs, the crops will freeze and die before they are ready to be harvested, putting the entire area’s food supply at risk. The PCs can find precious little information in Loudwater. However, some local woodsfolk report that the cold temperatures appear to be more pronounced in the area of the Dire Wood. Rumors even tell of blizzards in broad daylight! Some claim it is the work of evil faeries, but the town’s leaders believe that a more likely source of the problem is Draigdurroch Tower. No one has seen or heard from Draigdurroch in 30 years, and the tower’s cursed history is well known. The PCs can find a reasonably detailed map of the area and set out to investigate the tower.
The adventurers’ first challenge is the magically altered weather. The ice warriors have manipulated the magic of the fey gemstone and have created a powerful snowstorm to shroud the area around the tower. The PCs must overcome a skill challenge to navigate the treacherous wintry hazards. Their success or failure on this challenge determines whether they are in a favorable position when they are ambushed by goblins during a break in the storm. These goblins have been frost-touched by the corrupted fey magic, giving them some unusual characteristics.
After defeating the frost goblins and overcoming the storm, the PCs arrive at the tower, which is a three-story structure carved with images of fiends and devils (in honor of Draigdurroch’s original infernal pact). The cocoon of ice is still intact, so the PCs need to find a way to break through before they can enter the tower. When they do, however, they trigger some of the tower’s original defenses, since some of the carvings and statues animate and attack. Inside the tower, the PCs discover that everything is perfectly preserved, as if the warlock had just stepped out an hour ago. Frost covers every surface, but the furnishings and contents of the tower are intact. The ice warriors attack from all sides in a running battle that spans two floors of the tower.
The PCs must deal not only with the main group of warriors inside the tower, but also with reinforcements who are coming from the Elemental Chaos through small rifts in the fireplaces.
Once the warriors have been dealt with, the PCs can ascend to Draigdurroch’s study, where they find his research notes and rituals, along with a few traps that he left to protect his belongings from intruders. Here they discover the truth about the warlock’s efforts to tap into the power of the failed deity Karsus. This provides a way for you to introduce The Fiend pact warlock (PHB p109) to your campaign if you are so inclined. The PCs can also learn that Draigdurroch was part of a larger cabal of warlocks, so his research might not have ended when the fey cursed him and sealed the tower.
At the top of the tower, the PCs discover the true source of the unnatural weather. The ritual of winter is feeding on itself and growing more powerful by the day. The only way to stop it is to destroy the gemstone that acts as the focus for the ritual. However, when the adventurers attempt to interfere with the gemstone, its guardian creature emerges and attacks.
On their way back to Loudwater, the PCs encounter weak chillborn zombies, recently animated by the corrupted winter magic. This is an optional encounter that allows you to introduce another adventure location of your own devising for follow-up adventures. It can safely be omitted, or you could move it to the first part of the adventure—either before or after the goblin ambush.
Adventure Hooks
The adventure assumes that the PCs are either based in Loudwater or have come to the town for some reason. The primary hook is that the PCs are asked to investigate the unnatural weather before it becomes a serious problem. The PCs might already be known to some or all the prominent citizens of Loudwater, but even if this is their first visit to the town, they are still the obvious choice to investigate the early onset of winter. For more information about Loudwater, see Loudwater (Forgotten Realms Wiki).
The local farmers are petitioning Lady Moonfire, the civic leader of Loudwater, and Brother Griffon, the head of the temple of Silvanus, to find out what’s going on. Suspicion naturally fell upon evil magic, as it usually does in these sorts of cases, which led to the involvement of Curuvar the Brazen, Loudwater’s resident wizard. Any or all these three could ask or hire the PCs to help.
Lady Moonfire: As Loudwater’s civic leader, the half-elf Lady Moonfire is responsible for the town’s protection. She has been getting an earful from the local farmers, who are concerned about the early onset of winter. If the harvest fails, then the entire Gray Vale will have a lean winter.
As a warlock, Lady Moonfire has long been interested in Draigdurroch Tower for her own purposes. She knows everything in the Adventure Background up to the point where Draigdurroch disappeared. She did not know the dwarf personally, but he was reputed to own quite a collection of magic tomes. Thus, in addition to hiring the PCs to determine if the tower is indeed the source of the early winter, Lady Moonfire also asks them to bring her any ritual books or othermagic tomes that they discover.
Read the following
"We would be in your debt if you find the source of this unnatural winter,” says Lady Moonfire. “If things continue as they have, the crops will die in the fields and Loudwater’s next Deadwinter Day will be a lot more than symbolic. I suggest you start by investigating Draigdurroch Tower, near the Dire Wood."
"Considering the tower’s history, I can’t imagine it’s just a coincidence. I’m sure that Curuvar can tell you more. Honestly, 30 years is far too long to wait— someone should explore that tower anyway. I’m sure it will be a grand adventure!"
Curuvar the Brazen: Loudwater’s resident wizard is a middle-aged human who is normally suspicious of strangers. However, Curuvar is under a lot of pressure to do something about the change in the weather, since it is “obviously” being caused by evil magic. He is not the adventuring type, and his own efforts to discover the source of the problem from afar have borne little fruit. Despite that, he has ascertained that a powerful magical aura definitely emanates from the area near the Dire Wood. Like Lady Moonfire, Curuvar is interested in Draigdurroch Tower and asks the PCs to bring him anything they discover that might pertain to the warlock’s arcane research.
Read the following
"By Mystra’s lost spell, I’m certain that the tower must be connected to this somehow. Nobody knows what that dwarf Draigdurroch was researching or what triggered the calamity that encased his tower in magic ice, but any time powerful magic is involved, these things have a way of spiraling out of control. It appears the Dire Wood is drawing a lot of attention these days. Even if the tower isn’t the source of the problem, perhaps you can find a clue among the warlock’s notes or possessions. It’s high time someone investigated all the ancient secrets in this area."
Brother Griffon: The head of the local temple of Silvanus, Brother Griffon is a stout human of Uthgardt descent. Although winter is a natural part of the cycle of the seasons and therefore not a bad thing in and of itself, its early arrival is clearly a perversion of the natural order and as such it is of grave concern to the Forest Father. The balance between the seasons must be preserved. Brother Griffon can introduce the PCs to either Lady Moonfire or Curuvar the Brazen if necessary.
Rumors and Stories: The PCs could get involved in Loudwater’s troubles through any of the various local residents who have encountered the effects of the unnatural weather. An evening spent in the Green Tankard yields all sorts of rumors and wild speculation. Farmers are worried about their crops, which might freeze in the fields before the harvest comes in; woodsfolk tell stories of freak snowstorms occurring in the middle of the day and then vanishing as if they were never there; hunters spread tales of strange blueskinned goblins lurking around the outskirts of the Dire Wood. Everyone has a pet theory about what or who is behind the problems, but mainly, the common folk are just worried.
Travel Interrupted: If the PCs have no ties to Loudwater and you just want to use the tower as a stand-alone adventure site, you could consider starting the adventure with the PCs traveling through the Gray Vale on unrelated business, when suddenly they are struck by the powerful magical blizzard. Because of the corrupted fey magic, every attempt that the PCs make to free themselves of the storm leads them around in circles, back toward Draigdurroch Tower. The only way for the PCs to escape the trap they are caught in is to make their way to the tower and find out what is causing the unnatural weather.
Town of Loudwater
Loudwater, called the City of Grottos, was a city that sat on the confluence of the Delimbiyr and Greyflow rivers in the Delimbiyr Vale. It was a picturesque garden city home to a pleasant and thriving cosmopolitan community of humans, half-elves, elves, and many other races. It was also the home of Mielikki's chosen, the Green Regents and their Scions, and thanks to their efforts the city served as the very image of her faith.
| Key | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Town Gates |
| 2 | South Square |
| 3 | Garwan's Curiosities |
| 4 | Starra's Knives |
| 5 | Green Tankard Tavern |
| 6 | Loudwater General |
| 7 | Stables |
| 8 | Loudwater Smithy |
| 9 | Loudwater Apothecary |
| 10 | Partol Headquarters |
| 11 | Tenements and Homes |
| 12 | Temple of Silvanus |
| 13 | Docks Gate |
| 14 | Docks |
| 15 | Fisher's Friend Pub |
| 16 | Manor House |
| 17 | Run-Down Tenement |
PART 1
Although nobody currently living in town has ever been to the tower, many have a good idea of its approximate location about a mile east of the edge of the Dire Wood. It’s less than a day’s travel to reach the tower from Loudwater, so the PCs should not need to make camp along the way. However, given the situation, they might want to prepare for cold weather. Loudwater has a general store and an apothecary who can supply all the basics. The PCs might also think to cast the Endure Elements ritual on themselves, or ask either Lady Moonfire or Curuvar the Brazen to cast it for them.
The Blizzard
As the PCs depart Loudwater, read the following:
The Gray Vale is beautiful in the late summer, although a pronounced chill in the air even during what should be the hottest part of the day indicates that something is definitely amiss with the weather. The first few hours of your journey pass uneventfully, but as you travel through the High Forest, the temperature drops steadily and a sharp wind carries with it the promise of winter, even though the leaves have not even begun their annual autumn change.
More time passes, until finally the sight of the stark white wood of the albino trees that mark the boundary of the Dire Wood informs you that Draigdurroch Tower should be within a few miles of here. However, none of the landmarks indicated on your map are visible for reference. The horizon is shrouded by a blanket of solid white. A cold fog appears to issue from the very heart of the dark forest and snowflakes begin to fall from the steel-grey sky. The way ahead is quickly obscured, as is the way you have just come.
The Quests
While on this adventure, the PCs can try to fulfill two quests. The minor one could be accomplished as the PCs seek to fulfill the major one regarding the weather issue.
Major Quest—Fix the Weather
Discover the source of the unnatural early onset of winter and remove it so that the seasons return to normal. Lady Moonfire rewards the PCs 500 gp on behalf of the grateful citizens of Loudwater for completing this quest.Reward: 625 XP and 500 gp.
Minor Quest—Find Draigdurroch’s Research
Bring Draigdurroch’s ritual books and his research notes to either Lady Moonfire or Curuvar the Brazen. Either NPC is willing to pay up to 100 gp for these items.Reward: 125 XP per character, plus 100 gp per item retrieved.
The storm’s intensity continues to rise minute by minute until the PCs are caught in the middle of a full-on blizzard. To find their way through the driving snow, they must succeed on a skill challenge.
The PCs must survive the harsh conditions while staying on the right path to reach Draigdurroch Tower. They use their skills and knowledge to choose the right direction and protect themselves against the storm’s hazards.
Because the storm is in some sense attacking the characters as they travel, this challenge proceeds in hours. Each PC must attempt an Endurance check every hour, and each PC can also attempt one other check during each hour. The challenge ends when the PCs achieve either 8 successes or 3 failures.
Skill Challenge: The Blizzard
XP 375
Read the following
The snow comes at you so fast that it both blocks sight and somehow threatens to mesmerize you with its chaotic patterns. A deep chill pervades the area, as well. Can you find your way through this storm to your destination?
Complexity 3 (requires 8 successes before 3 failures).
Primary Skills Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History,
Investigation, Nature, Perception.
Other Abilities/Skills Constitution, Medicine.
Victory If the PCs succeed, they find their way through the
storm, losing no additional health, and they emerge in a
favourable position before the goblin ambush.
Defeat If the PCs fail, they still survive the storm, but each
character loses 2 hit dice to represent the beating they take
from the blizzard, and they are in an unfavourable position
when then goblins attack.
Acrobatics DC 10 (1 success, no maximum). A failure with
this skill costs the character 1 hit dice. The PC helps guide
the party over hazards such as icy patches of ground and
through sudden gusts of wind that would otherwise knock
party members off their feet.
Arcana DC 15 (1 success, no maximum). The first time a
character earns a success with this skill, he or she also
recognizes the fey nature of the magic, which opens up the
use of the Investigation skill (see below). The PC senses
the direction from which the arcane energy powering the
storm flow and can work backward from the flows of magic
to get a sense of the tower’s location.
Athletics DC 10 (1 success, no maximum). A failure with this
skill costs the character 1 healing surge. The PC helps
force a way through the storm using brute strength
—breaking a path through a snow drift, moving fallen trees
or jumping over them, and so forth. History DC 10 (1 success, no maximum). The PC recalls a
specific detail about the location of Draigdurroch Tower or
discovers a unique landmark that helps orient the group to
its location and guides them along the right track.
Investigation DC 10 (1 success, no maximum). This skill
cannot be used until it has been unlocked by a successful
Arcana check. Because this storm is partially the result of
fey magic, some of its effects are illusory. A PC who
succeeds on an Insight check recognizes some of these
illusions and can help the group avoid traveling in circles,
prevent them from choosing paths that look safe but are
dangerous, and so forth.
Medicine DC 10 (0 successes, but can restore a hit dice). A
character who has not attempted to use another skill (other
than a Constitution save) during a turn can attempt a
Medicine check if another character fails a skill check that
would cause the loss of a hit dice. If the Medicine check is
successful, the other character does not lose a hit dice, but
Blizzards
The blizzards that ravage Icewind Dale and harry travelers on the mountain pass are reflections of Auril's self-imposed isolation. A blizzard in Icewind Dale typically lasts 2d4 hours, and whenever the characters are caught in one, the following rules apply until it ends.
A blizzard's howling wind limits hearing to a range of 100 feet and imposes disadvantage on ranged weapon attack rolls. It also imposes disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. The wind extinguishes open flames, disperses fog, erases tracks in the snow, and makes flying by nonmagical means nearly impossible. A creature falls at the end of its turn if it is flying by nonmagical means and can't hover.
Visibility in a blizzard is reduced to 30 feet. Creatures without goggles or other eye protection have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight due to blowing snow.
Any creature that is concentrating on a spell in a blizzard must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the end of its turn or lose its concentration on the spell unless the creature is sheltered against the elements (for example, in an igloo).
that character’s failure still counts against the overall skill
challenge. The Medicine check does not count as either a
success or a failure against the challenge. The PC helps
another deal with the extreme weather conditions.
Perception DC 15 (1 success, no maximum). The PC relies
on keen senses to look for safe paths, avoid hazards, spot
gaps in the swirling storm, and otherwise help guide the
group through the storm.
Survival DC 5 (1 success, no maximum). The PC relies on
knowledge of the area, an ability to study terrain, an innate
sense of direction, and wilderness survival skills to help
lead the group through the blizzard.
Developements
As the unnatural blizzard subsides, the PCs can see that the area surrounding the tower for several miles is covered with ice and snow, a preview of the fate that awaits the rest of the Gray Vale. Visibility is limited, but they can make out a stark grey silhouette on the horizon some distance away. They still have a few hours of daylight left, and even if they lost hit dice to the blizzard and make camp, it’s clear that doing so is risky, since another, stronger storm could come along at any moment. The best course of action is to proceed to the tower. (If they turn back to Loudwater at any point, they have to overcome another blizzard as they try to retrace their steps to the tower, and each storm’s intensity is greater than the last one, increasing the DCs of all the skill checks by 1.)
Frost Goblin Ambush
Encounter (975 XP)
Although the ice warriors have manipulated the original ritual, the fundamental magic creating these unnatural snowstorms is still that of the Feywild, and as such it works in unexpected and mysterious ways. A few days ago, a tribe of local goblins was caught in one of the sudden blizzards. Although many of the goblins died, those who survived the storm were subtly altered, becoming frost-touched. Their skin gained a bluish tint and they found themselves well adapted to their new environment.
As the PCs draw nearer to the tower, they reach an area where several hills come together with dangerous ice between them. This is an ideal spot for an ambush, and the frost goblins are waiting.
Set-up
A group of frost-touched goblins has set up an ambush in this location. Depending on how they fared in the skill challenge, the PCs come into the area in a more or less favorable position. If the PCs succeeded on the challenge, they set up in the area marked “A” on the map. If the PCs failed the challenge, they set up in the area marked “B” instead.
In addition, this encounter also includes an area of treacherous ice.
The goblins are positioned at a higher elevation, as shown on the map. Ramps of packed snow lead up the hills in a few places, but the terrain favors the goblins. If none of the PCs succeeds on a Perception check, the goblins gain a surprise round. The goblins are all crouching down and have the advantage of elevation.
- 3 frost goblin sharpshooters (S)
- 8 frost goblin cutters (C)
- 1 frost goblin hexer (H)
Perception Check
DC varies: (Active or passive, as appropriate; opposed by a goblin’s Stealth check, and it has a +5 bonus.) A goblin is crouching down above you.
Nature Check (Proficient Only) DC 16: These goblins appear different from normal. Their blue skin is highly unusual, and the fact that they are not dressed for the cold weather indicates that they have somehow adapted to the unnatural winter. They are probably resistant to cold.
When the goblins attack, read:
A mass of goblins leap up from the hills on both sides of you. Most of them brandish javelins and crude short swords, but a few of them wear better armor and carry crossbows. From the highest vantage point, another goblin clad in robes waves a rod and makes arcane gestures.
Tactics
The terrain favors ranged combat and the frost goblin cutters start out by tossing javelins rather than rushing into melee. They engage anybody who tries to climb up the sides of the hills, allowing the sharpshooters to remain free. The hexer uses its freezing cloud to create a patch of difficult terrain, hopefully slowing some of the PCs down so that they are exposed to more ranged attacks. The goblins’ ice walk ability allows them to ignore the effect. The hexer uses its freezing hex and icebound hex to slow down any PCs who appear to be leading the attack. It tries to keep at least one cutter near it so that it can use its lead from the rear ability if anyone targets it with a ranged attack.
Hazard: Treacherous Ice
XP 100
A slick sheet of ice creates a hazardous obstacle.
Hazard: This sheet of ice fills a 20-foot square of ground, turning it into difficult terrain. Creatures with the ice walk ability are not affected by the treacherous ice.
Perception
No check is necessary to notice the ice.
Additional Skills: Nature or Survival
✦ DC 15: The character identifies the area as one of treacherous ice.
Trigger
A creature is affected by the treacherous ice when it enters, begins its turn in, or stands up from prone on a square of treacherous ice.
Save: Dexterity
When a creature is affected by the treacherous ice it must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage and falls prone. If the creature is already prone, it takes no damage but its turn ends immediately.
Countermeasures
✦ With a DC 10 Acrobatics check, a character can move into a square of treacherous ice without risk of falling.
✦ With a DC 15 Acrobatics check, a character can move into a square of treacherous ice without risk of falling and move at their normal speed by sliding across the ice.
Features of the Area
Illumination: The light varies based on the time of day.
Hills: The hills are at +10 foot and +20 foot elevation as indicated on the map. Ramps of packed snow lead up the sides of the hills in a few places; these are considered normal terrain. A character can also try to climb the sides of the hills, which are icy and slippery. A successful DC 10 Athletics check allows a character to climb at half speed (so it would cost 4 squares of movement to climb up the side of a 10-foot tall hill).
Ice Slick: The 20-foot square area indicated on the map is hindering terrain. Characters moving through this area are subjected to attacks by the treacherous ice (see its statistics block for details). The goblins all have the ice walk ability and can ignore the treacherous ice.
Treasure: The goblins have a total of 50 gp among them, along with two potions of minor healing. The hexer carries a Rod of Frost.
PART 2
Once they have dealt with the frost goblins, the PCs can reach Draigdurroch Tower without further incident. Show the players the illustration of the tower on page 13 and read the following:
Draigdurroch Tower is encased from top to bottom in a shimmering cocoon of pure ice. The sunlight is reflected in all directions by the angled planes of the frozen barrier, which climbs to a single peak in the air at the top of the tower and widens as it plunges to ground level. A palpable sensation of bitter cold emanates from the tower and its icy prison.
Through the imperfect mirror formed by the ice, you can see that the exterior stone of the tower has been carved into a massive series of sculptures and reliefs depicting various devils in flight. It is as if a huge swirling column of fiends had erupted from deep within the earth and was being pulled into the heavens. Their mouths are open, though whether they are laughing or screaming is hard to tell.
A circular stone walkway winds around the tower’s base, and squat statues of leering devils of all sorts line both sides of this path. The cobblestones are frozen over and look slippery. The tower’s only obvious entrance is a single door at its base, but a foot-thick sheet of solid ice stands in your way.
Several things happen in this encounter. First, the PCs must come up with a way to breach the ice so that they can reach the door. (They can search around the tower in hopes of finding another entrance, but there is none.) The PCs have a number of ways they can break through the ice. They can use brute force, they can use various spell (those that deal fire damage could be especially effective), and perhaps they can even use their skills (such as making Perception checks to
look for weak points in the ice). The ice is intended as a thematic barrier, not a meaningful obstacle. The 10-foot section in front of the door is an object with an AC of 4, has 40 hit points, is resistant to cold damage, and vulnerable to fire damage. Chopping out this portion of the ice does not cause the rest of the cocoon to collapse.
Tower Guardians
Encounter (700 XP)
In the process of clearing their way to the door, the PCs also break the ice away from several sections of the carved exterior of the tower. This is important because as soon as the PCs touch the tower in any fashion (most likely to open the door), the guardians animate and attack.
The door is locked with the Arcane Lock spell, requiring a successful DC 16 Thieves' Tools or Strength check, or the successful application of the Knock spell, to open. The Arcane Lock is keyed only to Draigdurroch, and he’s not around to open the door for visitors. Of course, the various uninvited guests (first the fey and now the ice warriors) have had their own ways of getting into the tower and have not needed to make use of the door.
Set-up
The tower’s guardians do not attack until the PCs interact directly with the tower (their instructions are to guard the tower, and the icy cocoon is not part of the tower). The most likely trigger is after the PCs have cleared the ice away from the front door and attempt to open (or break down) the door.
A character who suspects that some of the statues are guardians and studies them closely can try to identify the iron defenders before combat starts. If the characters attack the guardians directly, they activate even if the PCs have not interfered with the tower. However, if PCs have not broken the ice, then the clay guardian cannot reach them because it is initially on the inside of the frozen barrier.
- 1 tower clay scout
- 4 tower iron defenders
Perception Check DC 15: Not all these statues are merely statues!
When the guardians attack, read:
One of the devils carved into the side of the tower suddenly turns its head toward you. Ice breaks from its stone wings as it takes flight. Several of the squat toadlike statues along the sides of the path also shudder and shake off the frost that coats them.
Tactics
All the homunculi have the guard area ability and the area they are guarding is the tower. This gives the tower clay scout a bonus to attack rolls, and the tower iron defenders a bonus to all defenses, within 5 squares of the tower. However, they are not limited to engaging creatures only within that radius. The tower clay scout is reasonably intelligent and attempts to engage ranged attackers, relying on its mind touch and limited invisibility to protect it from reprisals. The tower iron defenders are less intelligent and go after the nearest enemy.
Features of the Area
Illumination: The light varies based on the time of day.
Path: The frozen cobblestones are slippery. Squares on the path are treated as difficult terrain. A creature that attempts to run or charge across these squares must succeed on a DC 10 Acrobatics check or fall prone, ending its move action.
Statues: The statues that do not animate are normal stone statues. They are depictions of squat, toadlike devils, about 4 feet high. Squares containingstatues are treated as difficult terrain, and the statues can provide cover to a Medium or smaller creature that crouches or falls prone behind them.
Features of the Tower
Unless noted otherwise, areas in the tower have the following features.
Illumination: The tower is filled with magic light sources that are often placed in disturbing locations (such as the eyes or other parts of devil statues). The ice that coats every surface reflects and amplifies this ambient light, so the entire interior of the tower is brightly illuminated.
Ceilings: Ceilings are 12 feet high. The center atrium that spans the first and second floors is 24 feet high from top to bottom.
Doors: The first floor of the tower has lightweight wooden interior doors that open easily (Strength check DC 10) and do not have locks. Other doors are stronger (Strength check DC 15) and have locks (DC 19 Theives' Tools to open).
Floors: The tower is made of stone throughout it. Every surface is coated with a thin layer of frost, but this does not impede movement.
Walls: All the tower’s walls are made of stone that is about a foot thick. They have a break DC of 35. The icy surface outside the tower is nearly impossible to climb (Athletics DC 30) and deals 1d6 cold damage per round to anyone touching it with bare skin.
Windows: The tower has dozens of cunningly created “windows,” but they don’t let any light into the building. Rather, they serve as a way for those inside the tower to observe the outside. Throughout the tower, statues of devils stand and squat against the walls in various places. Many of these statues have eyes that appear to gleam ever so slightly (DC 15 Perception to notice). The gleam comes from small glass lenses that are placed in the eye sockets. These sockets open onto thin stone tubes containing a cunning system of mirrors. These tubes lead to the open mouths of some of the carvings on the outside of the tower. In essence, anyone who is adjacent to an exterior-facing interior wall can find an opening to peer through to see the outside of the tower on the same side, as if the wall is not there. This grants line of sight, but not line of effect, from the inside of the tower to the outside the tower to any character looking through these periscopelike openings.
Inside the Tower: First Floor
Once the PCs enter the tower, they find that the conditions inside are not much better than those outside, except that the howling wind and driving snow mercifully cease. The temperature remains below freezing, and a thin layer of frost covers every surface inside the tower. (This rime is not thick enough to cause the floors to become slippery, however, so the PCs can walk around inside the tower without having to make Acrobatics checks.)
Everything is perfectly preserved, other than being frozen solid. The magic ice has so thoroughly pervaded every object in the tower that most things are extremely fragile (as if they had been dipped in liquid nitrogen). Wood and stone are largely unharmed, but cloth and metal have become so brittle that they shatter with any sort of rough handling.
T1. Foyer
Draigdurroch was not terribly creative when it came to his decorating scheme. The interior of the tower continues the theme established by the carvings and statues outside.
Doorways lead to the banquet hall and sitting room, while an open two-story atrium with staircases on either side opens out directly in front of the foyer.
T2. Atrium / Stairway
Three closed doors lead from the atrium to the back half of the tower. Reversed staircases lead up from this area to the second floor. When the PCs move into this area, they might draw the attention of the ice warriors, triggering the tactical encounter. However, if the PCs choose to explore the entire ground floor before they go up the stairs, the warriors hold their attack, hoping to catch the PCs when they have split up a bit and some of them are in different rooms.
T3. Banquet Hall
Draigdurroch rarely had guests, but he did occasionally entertain other members of his cabal. The banquet hall runs the length of the tower, with fireplaces on either end. The main table is large enough to seat ten comfortably. The place settings are utilitarian and are of no particular value.
The two fireplaces in this room are filled with frozen blue flames; ice warriors can use both of them to enter from the Elemental Chaos.
T4. Sitting Room
This is a small sitting room with a low table and several comfortable chairs. Long bookshelves line the walls. They are filled with treatises on the Nine Hells and the various devil lords who dwell within, with a particular focus on Asmodeus. A number of books also cover the history of ancient Netheril (the original empire, not its current incarnation). Like everything else in the tower, the books are frozen, but the pages can be turned carefully. If a character takes the time to study these books, a successful DC 20 History check reveals that Draigdurroch had a particular interest in one specific Netherese city named Karse. The location of Karse appears to have been somewhere in the current area that is covered by the Dire Wood.
The fireplace in this room is filled with frozen blue flames and the ice warriors can use it to enter from the Elemental Chaos.
Treasure: On one of the bookshelves is a delicate sculpture made of crystal depicting Asmodeus. To the right collector, this item is worth 260 gold pieces. However, the PCs must be careful to handle the item so that it does not shatter.
T5. Servants' Room
Draigdurroch hated to interrupt his work to focus on the mundane details of life, so he had a pair of live-in servants. When the warlock was dragged off to the Feywild, nobody noticed the two elderly humans hiding fearfully in their beds. When the ritual of ice was enacted and the tower froze solid, the two servants were killed instantly and their preserved corpses remain in this room, hiding under the sheets with terrified looks on their faces. They died 30 years ago, so they are long past the reach of the Raise Dead ritual, although the PCs could use the Speak with Dead ritual to interrogate the corpses (but they would have to thaw the bodies out first: their jaws are frozen shut).
T6. Kitchen
The kitchen is basic, but it contains all the implements that one would expect to find. Draigdurroch had a taste for pickled eels. Several glass jars of frozen eels are sitting on the counter. The PCs might be distracted by these bizarre delicacies for a moment, thinking they are perhaps some sort of preserved devil-spawn or mind flayer tadpoles, but they are just mundane eels.
T7. Larder
The larder is well stocked and contains enough food to feed three people for several months. Everything has a 30-year case of freezer burn, however, so it would be inedible even if it were somehow thawed out.
Ice Warriors
Encounter (900 XP)
When the fey came for Draigdurroch, he was completely unprepared and the struggle was over quickly. The ice warriors have no care for the mundane furnishings of the tower and so have left them undisturbed. The overall effect is that the tower appears lived-in, as if it were suspended in a single moment of time. Even the fireplaces still have frozen blue flames within them (these are important, because they act as portals to the Elemental Chaos).
Set-up
This encounter can span multiple locations, with combatants on both the first and second floors of the tower. The positions indicated on the map show where the ice warriors are located when the PCs first enter the tower. However, the warriors might engage the PCs from different positions depending on how the situation unfolds.
The four fireplaces on the first floor of the tower are conduits to the Elemental Chaos, and additional ice warrior reinforcements come through these portals until the PCs disable or destroy them.
In addition, any number of ice warrior shardlings (minions) can enter the battlefield through the four fireplace portals, beginning in the second round of combat. (The XP budget for this encounter assumes that the PCs have to fight at least 8 shardlings.) There are none in the tower when the PCs first arrive, so they are not shown on the map.
- 1 ice warrior frostling (F)
- 2 ice warrior icicle hurlers (H)
- 2 ice warrior raiders (R)
When the warriors attack, read:
A featureless creature made entirely of translucent blue ice stomps forward. It wears heavy armor and carries a huge maul-shaped chunk of frozen ice. Behind it, a more slender version of the same creature creates long, sharp missiles of ice, ready to throw. Yet another version of the same basic creature, this one wielding a wicked blade of glistening ice, glides across the floor, jagged shards of ice crystallizing out of thin air all around it.
Arcana Check (Proficient Only) DC 16: These creatures are ice warriors, denizens of the Elemental Chaos who seek to turn the world into a frigid wasteland. They must have been drawn here by the icy tomb of Draigdurroch Tower.
Tactics
This encounter can be overwhelming if all the ice warriors engage the PCs at the same time. A better way to run this encounter is as a series of waves, splitting the warriors up into two or more smaller groups. The warriors are initially on the second floor, so the PCs probably cannot perceive them. If a PC comes up the stairs, then the warriors attack, which most likely leads that PC to retreat, and the warriors come forward. The raiders and the frostlings descend the stairs, while the hurlers take advantage of the open atrium to launch ranged attacks at any character they can see. Meanwhile, the shardlings begin coming out of the fireplace portals.
If the frostling has the element of surprise or if it can catch a group of PCs together, it uses its icy burst. It is equally effective as a ranged or melee combatant so it adjusts its position and tactics to try to give its allies the maximum benefit of its icy aura.
The raiders try to focus on a single PC so that they can receive the benefit of their extra cold damage (the first maul hit slows the PC, allowing subsequent hits to benefit from the extra damage).
The icicle hurlers are extremely dangerous because of their double attack ability. They can choose the size of their hail storm attack, so they do not hesitate to use it whenever it is recharged.
The ice warriors pursue the PCs anywhere within the tower. They break off their attack only if all the PCs leave the tower. Given enough time (at least a day) they can draw reinforcements from the Elemental Chaos to replenish their numbers.
Features of the Area
Illumination: Bright light.
Portals: The PCs can recognize the frozen flames in each fireplace as being magically active with a successful DC 15 Arcana check. A DC 20 check result recognizes that the fireplaces are small portals to the Elemental Chaos. The rifts are large enough for Medium creatures to pass through (although if the PCs go through, they will die, since they are probably completely unprepared to survive in the Elemental Chaos). Even if the PCs don’t recognize what the portals can do beforehand, they can figure it out once the ice warrior shardlings start coming through it. During the first round of combat, four shardlings enter the first floor, one through each portal. Each portal has a recharge of 5–6. At the start of each new round of combat, roll a d6 for every active portal (the same way you would roll to see if a creature’s powers recharge). Those portals that recharge trigger the arrival of another shardling from that portal. When the PCs close a portal, it does not change the recharge frequency of the other portals. However, if there are ever 8 shardlings on the map at the start of a round, none of the portals recharge that round.
To close a portal, the PCs can destroy it by brute force (each portal has AC and Reflex defenses of 5, Fortitude defense 10, immunity to attacks that target Will, resist 5 all, and 30 hit points).
They can also close a portal by means of Arcana checks (attacking the magical auras that keep the gate open) or Thievery checks (treating the portals as magic traps). Only a character who is trained in the skill can attempt these checks. It requires a total of 4 successes with either Arcana or Thievery to close a portal. A DC 11 check result counts as one success and also suppresses the portal for 1 round (meaning that portal definitely does not recharge on the next round). For every 5 points by which the character’s check result exceeds 11, he or she scores an additional success (meaning that a check result of 26 can close a portal in a single round).
Tables: There are various tables and other similar pieces of furniture indicated on the map (most notably in the banquet room). With a successful DC 10 Athletics check, a creature can hop up on a table as part of normal movement; otherwise it takes an extra square of movement to clamber up. A creature standing atop a table has combat advantage against foes of its size or smaller. However, because everything in the tower is coated with a thin layer of ice, the creature must succeed on a DC 20 Acrobatics check at the end of its turn to avoid slipping and falling off. If the check fails, that creature lands prone in a randomly determined square adjacent to the table—even one occupied by another creature.
Bookshelves: These are 10 feet high and crammed with books. They block movement, line of effect, and line of sight. As a standard action, a creature can push over a bookshelf with a successful DC 25 Strength check. A fallen shelf covers an area 2 squares on a side. Any creature in a square the shelf falls in is subject to a melee attack: +7 vs. Reflex; 3d6 damage, and the target is grabbed until escape (DC 15). A fallen shelf creates difficult terrain in the squares it covers. Summoning Circle: A character standing within the summoning circle on the second floor can feel a powerful eldritch force. Any attacks made using powers that have the arcane keyword gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls while the attacker is standing in the circle. The warriors cannot benefit from this effect.
Treasure: When the ice warriors are defeated, their equipment melts away (since it is made of ice). However, one of the mauls carried by the raiders is an actual weapon, and the PCs can claim this +1 frost maul.
Inside the Tower: Second Floor
If the PCs have not already drawn the ice warriors’ notice while exploring the first floor of the tower, they encounter the elemental creatures once they ascend to the second floor. The entire level is taken up by a huge laboratory. No interior walls are on this level, although tall bookcases do block off an area on one side. Along the other walls one can find an alchemical workbench, a table covered with bits and pieces of warlock implements and infernal carvings, and some crates and barrels containing various magic and alchemical supplies. Carved into the floor on the northern side is a large summoning circle inlaid with silver. A successful DC 20 Arcana check can determine that the runes and sigils are attuned to the Nine Hells.
The staircases run up and down between the first and second floors of the tower. The atrium spans both levels, with a decorative railing around its edge on the second floor to prevent people from falling over. However, the railing is not sturdy; any character who is bull rushed or pushed over the edge receives a +2 bonus to his saving throw to avoid the fall, but the railing breaks free if the character fails the saving throw and falls.
Although the tower is clearly three stories high when observed from the outside, there is no obvious way to reach the third floor from the second floor. The trick is that there is a section of floor in the southeast corner (shown on the map) that acts like a Tenser’s Floating Disk. A character who stands on any of the appropriate squares feels the palpable plane of force beneath his or her feet. A successful DC 15 Arcana check allows a character to realize the nature of this disk and how to command it. Unlike a regular Tenser’s Floating Disk, this platform can be commanded to move up and down only, and it moves only along its prescribed path. It requires a move action to command the disk to ascend or descend, and the disk takes a full 6 seconds to complete its movement (an additional safeguard that Draigdurroch included in case anyone was ever pursuing him through his own tower).
Treasure: Among the few unspoiled alchemical components, the PCs can discover three vials of alchemist’s frost (see the Adventurer’s Vault supplement for details). If you don’t have that book or don’t want to give out that specific item, then the PCs find 210 gold pieces worth of miscellaneous alchemical and ritual components that they can sell or keep for their own use.
Inside the Tower: Third Floor
The third floor of the tower houses Draigdurroch’s research library, personal study, and living quarters. It also contains a few traps that he placed in the event that anyone ever attempted to ransack his belongings. The ice warriors have no interest in Draigdurroch’s possessions, so they use this floor only as a means to venture back and forth to the roof of the tower, where they have been modifying the gemstone that controls the magical ritual.
T8. Library
This is where Draigdurroch kept his collection of ritual books and the notes from his magical research. The bookshelves are all magically warded and the books have been protected from the effects of the frost that permeates nearly everything else in the tower. A great many books fill the shelves, and it should take some time for someone to study them all.
The details on Draigdurroch’s contact with the remaining fragments of the failed deity Karsus indicate that he was working on forging a new type of pact that would draw upon the echoes of the demigod’s lingering spite and rage to create effects of dark magic. A warlock character who spends several months studying these notes and attempting to recreate Draigdurroch’s research can, if you allow it, change an eldritch pact to the Fiend described in the PHB pg105.
Draigdurroch did not leave his library completely defenseless, however. The reading desk has two light fixtures that hold small jets of everburning flame. Whenever anyone other than Draigdurroch touches any of the books in the library, the trap activates and attacks, shooting jets of fire at intruders.
T9. Master’s Quarters
Draigdurroch’s personal living space continues the devilish theme that has been established elsewhere in the tower. Unlike the furnishings found on the lower floors, everything in this room is of the highest quality. Unfortunately, the fine silks and other expensive materials have been damaged by 30 years of endless frost. Tapestries hang from the walls. Their flowing folds are stiff and brittle; if a character handles them too roughly, they crack and fall apart.
Behind one of the tapestries is a secret door (DC 15 Perception to notice) that leads into the study. This door was once sealed with the Arcane Lock ritual, but the ice warriors have broken that ward and the door now opens easily once it is discovered.
T10. Study
Draigdurroch’s study is surprisingly free of ornamentation. A heavy wooden desk dominates the room, with a single chair. There are no obvious exits.
The desk is warded, and this magic protects its contents from the everpresent frost. The magic also wards the desk against outside interference, and the glyph activates and attacks if thePCs disturb it without first detecting and disabling the trap.
Trap: Glyph of Warding
XP 375
An explosion erupts from the desk in a burst of silver-tinged green light.
Trap: A magical glyph wards the warlock's desk, ready to explode with arcane fury when the trap is triggered.
Perception
✦ DC 15: The character notices the glyph.
Additional Skill: Arcana
✦ DC 15: The character spots the glyph and grants advantage on attempts to disable it.
Trigger
When a creature tries to open the desk drawer (which would include searching the desk in general without first checking for traps), the glyph explodes. The papers in the warlock's desk are destroyed if the trap is triggered.
Attack
Ranged spell attack: +5 to hit, range 20 ft. cube. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) fire damage.
Countermeasures
✦ An adjacent character can disable the trap with a DC 15 Arcana or Thieves' Tools check.
If the trap is not triggered, inside the desk, the PCs find Draigdurroch’s journal. The entries begin with his arrival in the area, the construction of his tower in honor of Asmodeus, his theory that the ruins of the Netherese city of Karse lie beneath the Dire Wood, his early contact with the scattered fragments of the dead god Karsus, and his efforts to forge an eldritch pact with Karsus. He makes a passing note that the “ridiculous faeries” who live in the Dire Wood sent an emissary with a warning not to tamper with the demigod. Draigdurroch’s response was to blast the emissary to cinders. “Let them feel the fire of Asmodeus, and soon the fury of Karsus as well,” he writes in the final entry of his journal, with obviously misplaced self-satisfaction. “They claim that they will punish me for my actions if I do not heed their warnings. THEY will punish ME? How laughable!”
Another levitation platform, identical to the one between the second floor and the third floor, operates between this room and the roof of the tower.
PART 3
Read the following:
The top of the tower presents a bizarre scene that is strangely beautiful in its own way. The view of the surrounding area is refracted and twisted in spectacular fashion, as if you are standing inside a gigantic prism looking out. Floating several feet above the exact center point of the tower, forming the keystone at the apex of the icy cocoon, is a perfect sapphire, easily the size of a man’s clenched fist.
Above the gemstone, the ice that sheathes the tower draws together into a single point about 20 feet in the air. All around this jutting finger, the air appears to harden into ice and snow, swirling away in all directions as it is propelled by a vicious wind. The clouds above the tower appear to draw energy from the gem, filling them with the pure essence of a winter storm.
The wind whips across the roof of the tower on the inside as well, with each chilling gust accompanied by a pulse of energy that erupts from the sapphire’s heart. The gem’s otherwise flawless surface appears to have been marred by scratches or runes that glow with their own white energy.
Investigation reveals that these scratches are in the Barazhad script of the Primordial language and it can be surmised with a successful DC 15 Arcana check that they were made by the ice warriors to corrupt the gem’s power. This gem is undoubtedly the source of the unnatural weather phenomena.
Winter's Heart
Encounter (750 XP)
Setup
This encounter takes place when the PCs first interact with the gemstone at the top of the tower. The spirit of winter contained within comes forth from the gemstone to defend it. Show the players the illustration on page ??? depicting the gem and its guardian.
- Spirit of Winter (W)
When the PCs trigger the gemstone, read:
The gemstone pulses with blue light and a wave of energy knocks you back. A thin stream of white mist issues forth from the center of the sapphire, coalescing into the form of a massive, thickly muscled, white-furred monster. Thick mist rolls off the creature’s hide, congealing the air into heavy frost that clings to everything nearby. The creature roars, and in its howl you can hear the pure elemental fury at the heart of a raging blizzard. The sapphire continues to crackle with energy, the blue light pulsing rhythmically, as if it were the beating of the very heart of winter.
Tactics
The spirit of winter focuses its attacks on whoever is closest to (or dealing the most damage to) it. Perhaps the most dangerous tactic available to the spirit of winter is to try and position itself so that its freezing burst includes one or more characters who are within 2 squares of the tower’s edge. A fall from the top of the tower deals 16 (3d10) bludgeoning damage.
The spirit of winter does not pursue PCs who use the levitation platform to retreat back into the tower. However, if the PCs completely disengage, the spirit of winter goes back inside the gemstone, where it gains regeneration 10, meaning that it needs only 2 minutes to become fully healed. (The spirit of winter cannot use this tactic as long as there are PC combatants on the roof of the tower.)
Features of the Area
Illumination: Bright light.
Rubble: The indicated squares on the map are filled with broken shards of ice and stone. These squares are treated as difficult terrain.
Choke Frost: This light, white mist congeals into thick ice as creatures or other sources of heat move through it. Each square of choke frost, it counts as difficult terrain.
Development
Once the PCs have defeated the spirit of winter, the magical prison of ice shatters and collapses.
Read the following:
The spirit of winter clutches at its chest and howls in agony. A spiderweb of tiny cracks spreads across the sapphire’s surface. Moments later, the next pulse of blue energy surges forward from the gemstone, but its structure is no longer able to contain the elemental forces. The sapphire explodes, tiny shards scattering in all directions. The spirit of winter’s form wavers and blurs and then it collapses into itself in a cloud of white mist.
The icy walls that surround Draigdurroch Tower begin to shudder and tremble. With a great roar, like the sound of a gigantic waterfall made of glass, huge chunks of ice begin breaking apart from the frozen cocoon and falling to the ground below, where they shatter. Within a few seconds, the entire barrier has splintered and collapsed.
The sky above the tower begins to grow lighter as the gray clouds scatter and disperse. The swirling snow stops falling and the howling of the chill wind falls silent for the first time since you set foot in the Dire Wood. The world appears suddenly peaceful, as if nature recognizes that its proper course has been restored.
After they have destroyed the gemstone and broken the fey curse, the PCs can rest in the tower if they wish, although it takes many days before the frozen surfaces return to a normal temperature, so sleeping inside the tower feels like sleeping inside a meat locker. The bitter wind and raging storms outside cease immediately when the gem is destroyed, and the outside temperature returns to normal within a few days. Of course, it takes some time for all the accumulated snow and ice that has built up in the region near the tower to melt, and as that happens, the area remains dangerous.
Concluding the Adventure
Word of the PCs’ success precedes their return to Loudwater, since the change in the weather and the rising temperatures are noticed immediately by everyone in the area. The local farmers are extremely grateful and the PCs never again have to buy their own drinks at the Green Tankard. Lady Moonfire throws a huge party in their honor, and Brother Griffon offers them the blessings of Silvanus as well.
Curuvar the Brazen wants to pick their brains about everything they learned—in particular, he asks if the PCs found Draigdurroch’s body at the tower. Upon learning that they did not, he speculates that the warlock might have been taken into the Feywild. Regardless, Curuvar warns the PCs that although they have done Loudwater a great service, the fey of the Dire Wood have a different view of the world than mortals do, and they are not likely to be pleased by the PCs’ having undone their handiwork, even though it was for a good cause. The PCs might well receive a visit from the fey, asking them to justify their actions or face the same punishment as Draigdurroch did.
A number of seeds for future adventures suggest themselves here. The PCs might have to perform some tasks to placate the fey of the Dire Wood, or perhaps they might travel to the ruins of Karse in an attempt to learn whether Draigdurroch made contact with a dead god from ancient Netheril. The cabal of warlocks of which Draigdurroch was a
member is still active in the world, and they might serve as allies or enemies of the PCs in the future. Certainly they would be interested in continuing Draigdurroch’s research if they have the opportunity, and the only way to stop them might be for the PCs to find a way to destroy the remains of Karsus. The consequences of this adventure don’t all need to be revealed immediately; for example, when the PCs reach the paragon tier, the cabal might try to hire or trick them into entering the Feywild in an attempt to rescue Draigdurroch from his imprisonment.
If you are planning to run these characters through the FORGOTTEN REALMS mega-adventure Scepter Tower of Spellgard, you could set that up by putting some information and rumors about Lady Saharel among Draigdurroch’s research notes. Perhaps the warlock was thinking about trying to find Lady Saharel himself, or perhaps he learned about her in the course of his studies of the ancient Netherese Empire, since she was alive during those days.
Appendix A: Magic Items
Every adventure holds the promise—but not a guarantee—of finding one or more magic items. Menace of the Icy Spire contains an assortment of magic items that hints at the wider variety of magic items waiting to be found in the worlds of D&D. See the Dungeon Master's Guide for many more items.
Using a Magic Item
A magic item's description explains how the item works. Handling a magic item is enough to give a character a sense that something is extraordinary about the item. Casting the identify spell on the item then reveals its properties. Alternatively, a character can concentrate on the item during a short rest, while being in physical contact with the item. At the end of the rest, the character learns the item's properties. Potions are an exception; a little taste is enough to tell the taster what the potion does.
Certain magic items require the user to attune to them before their magical properties can be used. Attuning to a magic item requires that you spend a short rest concentrating on it (this can't be the same short rest used to learn an item's properties). Dependning on the nature of the item, you can use this concentration can take the form of prayers, weapon practice, or meditation. In any case, the concentration period must be uninterrupted. Once you are attuned to an item, you can use its magical properties.
An item can be attuned to only one creature at a time. A creature can be attuned to no more than three magic items at any given time, and you can attune yourself to only one item during a short rest.
Your attunement to an item ends if it has been more than 100 feet away from you for 24 hours or if you die. You can also voluntarily end your attunement to an items with another short rest.
Item Descriptions
+1 Armour
The most basic form of magic armour is a superb product of physical and magical craft. You have a +1 bonus to your Armour Class while wearing this armour.
A suit of +1 armour never rusts or deteriorates, and it magically resizes to fit its wearer.
+1 Weapon
Magic weapons are unmistakeably finer in quality than their ordinary counterparts. You have a +1 bonus to the attack rolls and damage rolls you make with this weapon.
Some +1 weapons (swords in particular) have additional properties, such as shedding light.
Potion of Minor Healing
When you drink this potion, you regain 2d4 + 2 hit points.
Rod of Frost
Rod, uncommon (requires attunement)
This rod is 2‑foot-long and made of transparent glassteel and iron bands. The rod has 3 charges and regains all its expended charges daily at dawn.
While holding this rod, you can use an action to expend 1 of the rod's charges to cast ray of frost.
Spell Scroll
A spell scroll bears the words of a single spell, written in a mystical cipher. If the spell if on your class' spell list, you can use an action to read the scroll and cast its spell without having to provide any of the spell's components. Otherwise, the scroll is unintelligible.
If the spell is on your class' spell list but of a higher level than you can normally cast, you must make an ability check using your spellcasting ability to determine whether you cast it successfully. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a failed check, the spell disappears from the scroll with no other effect.
Once the spell is cast, the words on the scroll fade and the scroll itself crumbles to dust.
Appendix B: Monsters
This section contains stat blocks and short descriptions for the creatures that appear in Menace of the Icy Spire.
Statistics
A creature's stat block provides the essential information that you, as the DM, need to run the creature.
Size
Each creature takes up a different amount of space. The Size Categories table shows how muhc space a creature of a particular size controls in combat. Objects sometimes use the same size categories.
Size Categories
| Size | Space | Squares |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny | 2½ bt 2½ ft. | ¼ by ¼ square |
| Small | 5 by 5 ft. | 1 by 1 sqaure |
| Medium | 5 by 5 ft. | 1 by 1 square |
| Large | 10 by 10 ft. | 2 by 2 squares |
| Huge | 15 by 15 ft. | 3 by 3 squares |
| Gargantuan | 20 by 20 ft. or larger | 4 by 4 squares+ |
Space
A creature's space is the area in feet that it effectively controls in combat, not an expression of its physical dimensions. A typical medium creature isn't 5 feet wide, for example, but it does control a space that wide. If a Medium Hobgoblin stands in a 5-foot-wide doorway, other creatyures can't get through unless the hobgoblin lets them.
Squeezing into a Smaller Space
A creature can squeeze through a space large enough for a creature one size smaller than itself. When squeezing through a space, a creature must spend 1 extra foot for every foot it moves there, and the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and Dexterity saving throws. Also, attack roll against it have advantage.
Type
A creature's type speaks to its fundamental nature. The following types of monsters can be encountered in this adventure
Constructs Made, not born, some are programmed by their
creators to follow a simple set of instructions, while others
are imbued with sentience and capable of independent
thought. Golems are the iconic constructs. Many creatures
native to the outer plane of Mechanus, such as modrons,
are constructs shaped from the raw material of the plane
by the will of more powerful creatures.
Elementals. Creatures native to the elemental planes.
Some creatures of this type are little more than animate
masses of their respective elements, including the
creatures simply called elementals. Others have biological
forms infused with elemental energy. The races of genies,
including djinn and efreet, form the most important
civilizations on the elemental planes. Other elemental
creatures include azers, invisible stalkers, and water
weirds.
Fey. Magical creatures closely tied to the forces of nature.
They dwell in twilight groves and misty forests. In some
worlds, they are closely tied to the Feywild, also called the
Plane of Faerie. Some are also found in the Outer Planes,
particularly the planes of Arborea and the Beastlands. Fey
include dryads, pixies, and satyrs.
Humanoids. The main peoples of the D&D world, both
civilized and savage, including humans and a tremendous
variety of other species. They have language and culture,
few if any innate magical abilities (though most humanoids
can learn spellcasting), and a bipedal form. The most
common humanoid races are the ones most suitable as
player characters: humans, dwarves, elves, and halflings.
Almost as numerous but far more savage and brutal, and
almost uniformly evil, are the races of goblinoids
(goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears), orcs, gnolls, lizardfolk,
and kobolds.
Alignment
A creature's alignment provides a clue to its disposition. For example, a chaotic evil creature might be difficult to reason with and might attack characters on sight, whereas a neutral creature might be willing to negotiate. Alignment indicates whether a creature leans toward law or chaos and good or evil or whether a creature is neutral.
Any Alignment. Some creatures, such as the commoner, can have any alignment. In other words, you choose the creature's alignment. Depending on the creature, its alignment entry might indicate a tendency or aversion toward law, chaos, good, or evil.
Unaligned. Many creatures of low intelligence have no comprehension of law or chaos, good or evil. They don't make moral or ethical choices, but rather act on instinct. These creatures are unaligned, which means they don't have an alignment.
Armour class
A creature that wears armour or carries a shield has an AC that takes its armour, sheild, and Dexterity into account. Otherwise, a creature's AC is based on its Dexterity modifier and any natural armour or supernatural resilience it might possess.
If a creature wears armour or carries a shield, the kind of armour it wears or shield it carries is noted in parentheses after its AC value.
Hit Points
A creature usually dies or is destroyed when its hit points drop to 0.
Bloodied
The term bloodied is used to refer to a creature whose hit points have been reduced below half of their maximum. For example, if a creature has 10 maximum hit points and is reduced to below 5 hit points (4 or fewer) then it is considered bloodied.
Speed
A creature's speed tells you how far it can move on its turn.
All creatures have a walking speed; creatures that have no from of ground-based locomotion have a speed of 0 feet. Many of the creatures herein have one or more additional movement modes.
Climb. A creature that has a climbing speed can use all or part of its movement to move on vertical surfaces. The creature doesn't need to spend extra movement to climb.
Fly. A creature that has a flying speed can use its movement to fly. If a flying creature is knocked prone, has its speed reduced to 0, or is otherwise deprived of the ability to move, it falls unless it can hover or is being held aloft by magic, such as the fly spell.
Swim. A creature that has a swimming speed doesn't need to spend extra movement to swim.
Ability Scores
Every creature has six ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) and corresponding modifiers.
Saving Throws
The Saving Throws entry is reserved for creatures that are particularly adept at resisting certain kinds of effects.
Skills
The Skills entry is reserved for creatures that are proficient in one or more skills. For example, a creature that is very perceptive and stealthy might have higher-than-normal bonuses to Wisdom (Perception) and Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Skills in a monster's stat block are shown with the total modifier—the monster's ability modifier plus its proficiency bonus. If a monster's stat block says "Stealth +6", roll a d20 and add 6 when the monster makes an ability check using Stealth.
Amrour, Weapon, and Tool Proficiencies
Assume that a creature is proficient with its armour, weapons, and tools. If you swap out a creature's armour and weapons, you must decide whether the creature is proficient with its new equipment.
Vulnerabilities, Resistances, and Immunities
Some creatures have vulnerability, resistance, or immunity to certain types of damage. Additionally, some creatures are immune to certain conditions and other game effects. These immunities are also noted here.
Senses
The senses entry notes a creatrue's passive Wisdom (Perception) score, as well as any special senses the creature might have, such as the following senses.
Blindsight. A creature with blindsight can perceive its surroundings without having to rely on sight, within a specific radius.
Darkvision. A creature with darkvision can see in the dark within a specific radius. The creature can see in dim light within the radius as if it were bright light, and in darkness ad if it were dim light. The creature can't discern colour in the darkness, only shades of grey.
Truesight. A creature with truesight can see in normal and magical darkness, see invisible creatures and objects, automatically detect visual illusions and succeed on saving throws against them, and perceive the original form of a shapechanger or a creature that is transformed by magic. Furthermore, the creature can see into the Ethereal plane.
Challenge
An appropriately equipped and well-rested party of four adventurers should be able to defeat a creature that has a challenge rating equal to their level without suffering any casualties.
Monsters that are significantly weaker that 1st-level characters have challenge ratings lower than 1.
Experience Points (XP)
The number of experience points a creature is worth is based on its Challenge. Typically, XP is awarded for defeating the monster.
Traits
Traits are special characteristics of the creature that are likely to be relevant in a combat encounter.
Actions
When a creature takes its action, it can choose from the options in the "Actions" section of its stat block.
Melee and Ranged attacks
The most common actions that a creature will take in combat are melee and ranged attacks. These can be spell attacks or weapon attacks, where the "weapon" might be a manufactured item or a natural weapon, such as a claw.
Hit. Any damage or other effects that occur as a result of an attack hitting a target are described here. As the DM, you have the option of taking the average damage or rolling the damage; for this reason, both the average damage and the die expression are presented. For example, a monster might deal 4 (1d8) slashing damage with its longsword. That notation means you can have the monster deal 4 damage or you can roll 1d8 to determine the damage.
Reactions
If a creature can do something unusual with its reaction, that information is contained here. Most creatures do not have special reactions, in which case this section is absent.
Limited Usage
Some special abilities—whether they are traits, actions, or reactions—have restrictionson the number of times they can be used.
X/Day. The notation "X/Day" means a special ability can be used a certain number of times and that a monster must finish a long rest to use it again.
Recharge X-Y. The notation "Recharge X-Y" means a monster can use a special ability once and that the ability then has a random chance of recharging during each subsequent round of combat. At the start of each of the monster's turns, roll a d6. If the roll is one of the numbers in the recharge notation, the monster regains the use of the special ability. The ability also recharges when the monster finishes a short or long rest.
For example, "Recharge 6" means a monster can use the special ability once. Then, at the start of the monster's turn, it regains the use of that ability if it rolls a 6 on a d6.
Monster Descriptions
The monsters appearing in the adventure are presented in this section in alphabetical order.
Frost Goblin Sharpshooter
Small Humanoid (Goblinoid), Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 15 (leather armour)
- Hit Points 7 (2d6)
- Speed 30 ft., (ice walk)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) 8 (-1)
- Skills Stealth +6
- Damage Resistances cold
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 9
- Languages Common, Goblin
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Nimble Escape. The goblin can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
Sniper. When a frost goblin sharpshooter makes a ranged attack from hiding and misses, it is still considered to be hiding.
Combat Advantage. The frost goblin sharpshooter deals an extra 1d6 damage against any target it has combat advantage against.
Actions
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Reactions
Goblin Tactics. When missed by a melee attack the frost goblin sharpshooter can move 5 ft.
Equipment
leather armor, short sword, hand crossbow with 20 bolts
Frost Goblin Cutter
Small Humanoid (Goblinoid), Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 15 (leather armour)
- Hit Points 5 (2d6 - 2)
- Speed 30 ft., (ice walk)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 8 (-1) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) 8 (-1)
- Skills Stealth +5
- Damage Resistances cold
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 9
- Languages Common, Goblin
- Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Nimble Escape. The goblin can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
Actions
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage.
Javelin. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Equipment
leather armor, short sword, 5 javelins in sheaf
Frost Goblin Hexer
Small Humanoid (Goblinoid), Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 14 (mage armor)
- Hit Points 10 (3d6)
- Speed 30 ft., (ice walk)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 8(-1)
- Skills Stealth +7
- Damage Resistances cold
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 9
- Languages Common, Goblin
- Challenge 2 (450 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Nimble Escape. The goblin can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
Body of Ice. Any creature that hits the frost goblin hexer with a melee attack must make a DC 10 dexterity saving throw. On a failed save the the creature falls under the effect of the Slow spell until the start of their next turn.
Actions
Hexer Rod. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
Freezing Hex. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 50 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 1) cold damage, the target must succeed on a strength saving throw or speed is halved. The hexed target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Icebound Hex. (Recharge 5-6) Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 50 ft., one target. Hit: target takes 11 (3d6 + 1) cold damage if it moves during its turn.
Freezing Cloud. Range 50 ft., the frost goblin hexer targets a point on the ground within range and creates a 15-foot cube of white, freezing cloud centered on that point. The ground in that area becomes difficult terrain (creatures with the ice walk ability can ignore this effect) and lasts until the end of the goblin hexer's next turn. As a bonus action the frost goblin hexer can sustain the cloud until the end of it's next turn and move it up to 25ft within range.
Reactions
Incite Bravery. When an ally within 50 ft. uses goblin tactics, the targeted ally can move an additional 10 ft. and make an attack.
Goblin Tactics. When missed by a melee attack the frost goblin hexer can move 5 ft.
Lead from the Rear. When targeted by a ranged attack the frost goblin hexer can change the attack’s target to an adjacent ally with a CR of 1 or lower.
Equipment
leather robes, rod of frost
Ice Warrior Icicle Hurler
Medium Elemental, Chaotic Evil
- Armor Class 15 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 32 (7d8 + 1)
- Speed 30 ft. (ice walk)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)
- Skills Perception +8
- Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning, fire
- Damage Immunities disease, poison
- Condition Immunities poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 15
- Languages Primordial
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Maul. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) cold damage and the target's speed is halved until the start of the ice warrior icicle hurler's next turn.
Flying Icicle. Ranged weapon attack: +6 to hit, range 25/50 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) cold damage
Icicle Storm. (Recharge 5-6) Range 100 ft., a hail of hard icicles pound the ground in a 20-foot-radius, 20-foot high cylinder centered on a point within range. Each creature in the cylinder must make a dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 6 (1d10 + 1) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Ice Warrior Raider
Medium Elemental, Chaotic Evil
- Armor Class 17 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 42 (9d8 + 2)
- Speed 30 ft. (ice walk)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1)
- Skills Perception +1
- Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning, fire
- Damage Immunities disease, poison
- Condition Immunities poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 15
- Languages Primordial
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Slam. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) cold damage.
Ice Embrace. Range Touch, the ice warrior raider touches a creature it can see within range and immoblises them in ice. The touched creature must succeed on a DC 11 constitution saving throw or its speed becomes zero. The immobilised target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Equipment
maul
Ice Warrior Shardling
Medium Elemental, Chaotic Evil
- Armor Class 16 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 1 (1d4 - 1)
- Speed 30 ft. (ice walk)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
- Skills Perception +1
- Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning, fire
- Damage Immunities disease, poison
- Condition Immunities poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 15
- Languages Primordial
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Ice Shard. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) cold damage.
Ice Bolt. Ranged weapon attack: +4 to hit, range 25/50 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) cold damage.
Ice Warrior Frostling
Medium Elemental, Chaotic Evil
- Armor Class 18 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 54 (12d8)
- Speed 30 ft. (ice walk)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 22 (+6)
- Skills Intimidate +13
- Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning, fire
- Damage Immunities disease, poison
- Condition Immunities poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 15
- Languages Primordial
- Challenge 2 (450 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Icy Aura. Not active while bloodied. 20-foot-radius, any creature within the aura without the ice walk ability has their speed halved.
Actions
Ice Shard. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) cold damage.
Freezing Shot. Ranged weapon attack: +4 to hit, range 50 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) cold damage and target's speed is halved until the start of the ice warrior frostling's next turn.
Icy Burst. (Recharge 4-6) An explosion of freezing ice crystals emanate from the ice warrior frostling in a 15-foot cube. Each creature in the cube must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A creature and has their speed reduced to zero until the start of the ice warrior frostling's next turn and takes 9 (1d10 + 4) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Spirit of Winter
Large Fey, Unaligned
- Armor Class 18 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 250 (20d20 + 40)
- Speed 30 ft. (ice walk)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
- Saving Throws +5
- Skills Athletics +15, Perception +7
- Damage Resistances cold
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 12
- Languages Telepathy
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Choke Frost Aura. Not active while bloodied. 20-foot-radius, any creature that starts its turn in or enters the aura without the ice walk ability has their speed halved.
Gem Bound. The spirit of winter is bound to the frost gem. Attacking either damages the spirit of winter, and when the spirit of winter reaches 0 hit points or fewer, the gem is also destroyed. The gem’s defenses are identical to the spirit of winter’s, and the gem has resistance all types of damage except fire.
Actions
Multiattack. The spirit of winter makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee weapon attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) cold damage (plus an extra 3 (1d6) cold damage if within the Choke Frost Aura).
Blast of Cold. Ranged weapon attack: +7 to hit, range 50 ft. from the frost gem; two targets. Hit: 9 (2d8 + 1) cold damage.
Freezing Burst. (Recharge 6) An burst of sub-zero energy emanates from the spirit of winter in a 20-foot cube. Each creature in the cube takes 7 (1d6 + 4) cold damage and must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. A creature is pushed away from the spirit of winter by 10-feet and is knocked prone failed save, or is pushed 5-feet away and is not knocked prone on a successful one.
Bloodied Burst. When the spirit of winter is first bloodied, its freezing burst recharges and the spirit of winter uses it immediately.
Tower Clay Scout
Small Construct, Unaligned
- Armor Class 17 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 31 (5d10 + 4)
- Speed 30 ft., fly 15 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 18 (+4)
- Skills Stealth +8
- Damage Immunities acid, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks that aren't adamantine
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 9
- Languages understands the languages of its creator (Common) but can't speak
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Guard Area. The tower clay scout gains a +4 bonus to attack rolls against targets within 50 ft. of the tower.
Limited Invisibility. The tower clay scout is invisible to stunned creatures.
Actions
Multiattack. The tower clay scout makes two bite attacks.
Bite. Melee weapon attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) poison damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Mind Touch. The tower clay scout targets a creature it can see within 50 feet of it. The target must make a DC 10 Wisom saving throw. On a failed save the target takes 6 (1d6 + 3) psychic damage and becomes stunned. The stunned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Reactions
Redirect. When hit with a melee attack the tower clay scout redirects the attack to target a different creature adjacent to the tower clay scout instead (as chosen by the clay scout).
Tower Iron Defender
Medium Construct, Neutral
- Armor Class 17 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 30 (4d8 + 12)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 8 (-1) 11 (0) 7 (-2)
- Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
- Languages understands the languages of its creator (Common) but can't speak
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Keen Senses. The defender has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Telepathic Bond. While the defender is on the same plane of existence as its master, it can magically convey what it senses to its master, and the two can communicate telepathically.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or take an extra 3 (1d6) piercing damage and be grappled (escape DC 13). The defender can have only one creature grappled in this way at a time.
Menace
of the
Icy Spire
New to Loudwater, the heroes learn of a tower locked in ice in the nearby wilderness. Traveling there, they discover that the tower’s master left many surprises behind for the unwary.
“MENACE OF THE ICY SPIRE” is a DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® adventure for five characters of 2nd level. The adventure is set in the FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting near the town of Loudwater in the Gray Vale.
Based on the 4th edition adventure written by SEAN MOLLEY and edited by CHRIS YOUNGS.
Original illustrations by ROB ALEXANDER, BEN WOOTTEN, and RON LEMEN.
Original cartography by KYLE HUNTER.
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast.
©Wizards of the Coast LLC.