TEXT:  
  1 
   
   
  
   
  1 
  TABLE OF CONTENTS 
   
  How to Use This Supplement .................................................. 2 
  Running Encounters ............................................................. 3 
  Sample Storylines ............................................................ 4 
  Skill Challenges ............................................................... 5 
  Encounter Index ................................................................... 6 
  Encounters ............................................................................... 9 
  A Clash of Earth and Sky ..................................................... 9 
  The Altar of Mother Night ................................................. 10 
  Army of the Damned ......................................................... 10 
  At the Mountains of Madness ............................................ 12 
  At World's End................................................................... 15 
  Aurora Arcana .................................................................... 16 
  Avalanche! ......................................................................... 16 
  Barbegazi Skater ................................................................ 18 
  Bark of the Wereseal .......................................................... 18 
  The Beast of Butchery ....................................................... 19 
  Bereaved Shield Guardian ................................................. 20 
  The Brass Adventists ......................................................... 20 
  Catch of the Day ................................................................ 22 
  The Creeping Igloo ............................................................ 23 
  The Crystalline Tavern ...................................................... 24 
  Cultists En Route ............................................................... 25 
  Cycle of Carnage................................................................ 26 
  Darfellan Messiah .............................................................. 26 
  Deadliest Catch .................................................................. 27 
  The Deadmarks .................................................................. 28 
  Death's Due ........................................................................ 29 
  Devil's Pass ........................................................................ 30 
  Doom of the Dawner Party ................................................ 31 
  Drop It Like It's Hot ........................................................... 33 
  The Dullahan ...................................................................... 33 
  Edge of Disaster ................................................................. 34 
  Elven Slavers ..................................................................... 36 
  Endangered Hiker .............................................................. 37 
  Flight of the Ivory Elk ........................................................ 38 
  Forer-Slag! ......................................................................... 39 
  Forge of the Frozen Wastes ............................................... 40 
  The Fortress of Solitude ..................................................... 41 
  Frost Giant Raiders ............................................................ 41 
  Frostfell Rift ....................................................................... 43 
  Frosthenge .......................................................................... 43 
  Frosty the Snowman .......................................................... 45 
  The Fruits of Despair ......................................................... 45 
  The Glacial Garden ............................................................ 47 
  The Glacial Prison.............................................................. 48 
  Glacier Dwarf Warband ..................................................... 50 
  Global Warming................................................................. 52 
  Grandma Got Mauled by an Owlbear ................................ 53 
  Greatfather Winter's Fiefdom............................................. 53 
  Greatfather Winter's Wrath ................................................ 55 
  Grove of the Reclusive Druid ............................................ 56 
  Hag Summit ....................................................................... 57 
  Hailstorm ........................................................................... 59 
  Hardboiled ......................................................................... 60 
  Heroes of the Ice Age ........................................................ 60 
   
   
   
  Homer's Hospitable Hearth ................................................ 61 
  Homer's Hovering Hovel ................................................... 62 
  Hounds of Ill Omen ........................................................... 64 
  Ice Haulers ......................................................................... 64 
  Ice, Ice Baby ...................................................................... 65 
  In the Lair of the Dracolich ............................................... 66 
  Into the Blizzard ................................................................ 68 
  The Isejotun Exile .............................................................. 69 
  Keep Lukewarm! ............................................................... 69 
  Krampusnacht .................................................................... 70 
  Lamenter of Levistus ......................................................... 70 
  The Last Windbender ........................................................ 71 
  Like Tongues to Ice ........................................................... 71 
  Living Blizzard .................................................................. 72 
  Mammoth Corpse .............................................................. 72 
  The Mammoth Merchant ................................................... 73 
  Man Overboard! ................................................................ 74 
  Manavik Under Fire ........................................................... 74 
  March of the Damned ........................................................ 75 
  The Mimigloo .................................................................... 76 
  Mirage Arcane ................................................................... 76 
  New Menzoberranzan ........................................................ 77 
  Nightfall ............................................................................. 78 
  Obelisk-Bound Couatl ....................................................... 78 
  On the Eve of Dire Winter ................................................. 79 
  The Penguinwere ............................................................... 81 
  The Poacher's Nightmare ................................................... 82 
  Preserved Forevermore ...................................................... 83 
  Rudolph the Red-Blooded ................................................. 84 
  Sea Elf Vikings .................................................................. 86 
  Sacrifice for the Storm ....................................................... 84 
  The Scorch Baths ............................................................... 86 
  Shrine of Vaprak ................................................................ 88 
  Sick Ranger ....................................................................... 89 
  Skoldheim .......................................................................... 89 
  Snow Bulette...................................................................... 91 
  Spelljammer Derelict ......................................................... 91 
  Spring Weird...................................................................... 93 
  Storm of the Century ......................................................... 93 
  Survivors' Cache ................................................................ 94 
  Temple of the Frostmaiden ................................................ 95 
  Thelgrym's Watch .............................................................. 96 
  There's Always a Bigger Bird ............................................ 97 
  The Thing .......................................................................... 98 
  Thirty Days of Night .......................................................... 99 
  Tomb of the Mythic Smith .............................................. 100 
  Traveler's Respite ............................................................ 102 
  Tundra Halfling Travelers ............................................... 103 
  Uldra Cattle Rustler ......................................................... 104 
  Urskan Pilgrim ................................................................. 105 
  Worg Sleds ...................................................................... 106 
  Wounded Sled Dogs ........................................................ 106 
  Appendix A: Creature Index ................................................ 107 
  Appendix B: Bestiary .......................................................... 108 
  Appendix C: Effects ............................................................ 116 
   
   
   
  
   
  2 
  DAERDAN'S TALL TALES: 101 ARCTIC ENCOUNTERS 
   
   
   
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
  Daerdan "the Yarnspinner" is quite the unusual raconteur. 
  When we, his publishers, asked for biographical information, 
  such as whence he hailed, he replied, "From the proud land of 
  none of yer gods-damned business! And another thing—!" 
  We have thus had to fill in the blanks, so to speak. Daerdan 
  seems to be a crass dwarf approaching a venerable age. He 
  claims to be "sandwiched" between two centuries. We estimate 
  him to be approximately 270 years old. Divinations to confirm 
  such have seemingly failed, as have all other attempts to verify 
  his past and certainly his tales. For all we know, he could be a 
  shapechanger, a fiend in disguise—jury's still out. All we know 
  for certain is that he's spent centuries as an explorer, storyteller, 
  and, as he insists, "one heap of a coward." 
  Nonetheless, we at Wake House have published Daerdan's 
  litany of tales. This publication concerns his days in the frozen 
  wastes, to which he had been exiled to—and willingly returned 
  to after said exile ended because, and we quote, "It was warmer 
  there than amongst my own people." 
  Daerdan swears his tales are true, no matter how tall the tale. 
  We at Wake House could not justify the expense of truth serum 
  nor other magics to verify his claim. Someone at one point—an 
  intern, actually—suggested less… savory methods, but this idea 
  was scrapped. At any rate, whether these tales are fact or just 
  shoddy fiction, we hope you enjoy Daerdan's Tall Tales.  
   
  CREDITS 
  Designer: Wyatt Trull 
  Editor: R. Frank Hickey 
  Cover Illustrator: Dean Spencer (© Dean Spencer) 
  Interior Illustrators: The following artists' work is featured in 
  this supplement (in order of appearance): 
  • Dean Spencer 
  • Brian Brinlee  
  • Brett Neufield  
  • Indi Martin © 2017 
  Cartographer: Dyson Logos 
   
  LEGAL 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, 
  the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast 
  product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the 
  Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive 
  likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected 
  under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or 
  unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited 
  without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
  ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. 
  Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. 
  Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, 
  Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK 
  HOW TO USE THIS SUPPLEMENT 
   
  Tall Tales features over one hundred encounters, many further 
  fleshed out through a handful of variants. The majority of these 
  encounters focus on the Combat pillar of 5E, but Exploration 
  and Social encounters are also heavily featured in this tome. 
  Lower tier encounters are can be inserted into your session, 
  whereas higher tier encounters are designed to be dropped into 
  your campaign. These high-level encounters provide plot points 
  and boss fights that you can integrate into your campaign with 
  minimal foresight. 
  This edition of Tall Tales features arctic encounters, making 
  it perfect for a campaign set in the frozen north or Icewind Dale: 
  Rime of the Frostmaiden.  
  Daerdan the Yarnspinner. Despite this supplement's name, 
  Daerdan is but a framing device. You're under no obligation to 
  follow implications in his quotes or even include him at all—
  although it would be comical for the adventurers to wrap up an 
  encounter, hit the tavern, and find a dwarf spinning a yarn about 
  their tale (having already inserted himself in the story and even 
  taking credit for their heroism).  
  Monsters. This product features creatures from the Monster 
  Manual, Volo's Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen's Tome 
  of Foes. See Appendix A for the page number of a creature's 
  entry in their respective manual. Appendix B includes several 
  new creatures or creatures found in other official campaigns. A 
  monster's name appears in bold text to indicate its statistics.   
  Items & Spells. This product also features items from both 
  the Dungeon Master's Guide and Xanathar's Guide to Every-
  thing. Likewise, many spellcasters utilize spells from the latter 
  manual. Page numbers are included when relevant. Spells and 
  items are italicized.  
   
  WHAT IS "THE ARCTIC"? 
  This supplement conveniently lumps all wintry and frigid areas 
  into one: "the Arctic." In your campaign, the Arctic may just be 
  a country painted white by winter; it might be a mountain range 
  or just a lifeless tundra. While some encounters do require the 
  adventurers to be in the frozen wastes far to the north (or south) 
  of proper civilization, they are nonetheless versatile.  
  Whenever the supplement mentions "the Arctic" defer to the 
  appropriate region in your own campaign. As you may find, 
  there aren't even references as to whether the Arctic is in the 
  Northern or Southern Hemisphere.  
   
  SETTING AGNOSTICISM  
  This supplement operates without any assumption to the setting 
  of your campaign, whether it's in the Forgotten Realms, the 
  world of Eberron, or a world of your own design. References to 
  other characters or civilizations can be or reworked with ease.  
  Deities. Several deities are mentioned in this setting, most 
  hailing from the Forgotten Realms setting. They can easily be 
  adapted to your setting. These deities include:  
  • Auril, a cruel and sadistic goddess of winter.  
  • Amaunator, a god of light and justice  
  • Shar, the goddess of darkness also known as Mother Night.  
  
   
  3 
  NEW RACES AND CIVILIZATIONS 
  This supplement features new people and civilizations found in 
  Heroes of the Arctic by Wyatt Trull (that's me) to better fit the 
  arctic, wintry theme:  
  Darfellan are the survivors of genocide waged by the sahuagin. 
  Their glossy skin is black or blue, and utterly hairless, earning 
  them the name "orcafolk."  
  Frost gnomes, or barbegazi in their native tongue, are graceful 
  athletes fond of skiing, tobogganing and bandy. 
  Glacier dwarves have taken to ice just as their distant kin have 
  taken to snow and metallurgy. Through admirable handiwork 
  and clever spells, they can carve weapons, utensils, and entire 
  strongholds from glacial ice.  
  Snow elves are scorned across the Arctic. At best, they're bitter 
  isolationists indifferent to the plights of others; at worst, 
  they're would-be conquerors that bedevil other folk until at 
  last they can muster the force to wage war. Unlike other 
  elves, they see Nature as something to be conquered through 
  wizardry, not bonded with through druidism.  
  Tundra halfings are cheerful folk full of wanderlust. As a rite 
  of passage, the young travel across the region to drink in the 
  sights and meet other halflings.  
  Uldras are mischievous but good-hearted arctic fey that 
  consider themselves guardians of the natural world.  
  Urskans are an ursine folk whose culture revolves around 
  metallurgy and utilitarianism.  
   
  RUNNING ENCOUNTERS 
   
  In its most basic form, an encounter happens to the adventurers. 
  The adventurers, however, can happen across other characters 
  or locales. Every encounter revolves around one of the three 
  Pillars of D&D: Combat, Exploration, or Social Interaction. 
  Thus, running an encounter requires more foresight on your part 
  than just a die roll. Many feature Skill Challenges (see below) 
  in addition to their preexisting themes.  
  The hundred-and-one encounters in this encounter can't be 
  boiled down to a single table; they include characters, loot, and 
  events that can't be kept at such a small scope.  
   
  ENCOUNTER TIERS 
  Encounters are designed with a party of four adventurers in 
  mind, with the expectation that few to no NPCs are available to 
  assist them. These encounters are ranked in tiers:  
  Tier I encounters are best described as "one-offs" or "pit 
  stop" encounters that you can plant into the adventure. They can 
  be incorporated into a larger plot. These encounters are built to 
  challenge a 1st to 4th level party.  
  Tier II encounters are built for 5th to 9th level adventurers. 
  These encounters feature greater threats to ordinary folk.  
  Tier III encounters feature mythic or otherworldly creatures 
  of CR 8 to 13, who are often accompanied by minions. They are 
  designed for 10th to 14th level adventurers. Of this supplement, 
  Tier III encounters best fit the description of a "one-shot."  
  Tier IV encounters are balanced for a party of four 15th to 
  20th-level adventurers. These titanic events are best used as plot 
  points and penultimate (or ultimate) acts of your campaign. 
  They are often precipitated by lower tier encounters of a similar 
  theme, such as a cult's efforts to summon an elder elemental.  
  ENCOUNTER TYPES 
  Encounters are further divided into the following categories:  
  Character encounters are centered upon an iconic individual. 
  The encounter can, effectively, occur in any location. Because 
  the Arctic is normally an inhospitable place, individuals are 
  rarely sedentary. This edition of Daerdan's Tall Tales features 
  many more character encounters than other iterations.  
  Mountain occur at high altitudes or mountain ranges. Steep 
  drops and precarious footing are slow, invisible killers.  
  Polar encounters feature the lands of endless winter: the vast 
  plains of snow and ice that crown the northern- and southern-
  most areas of the world.   
  Polar night encounters are both a geographical and chrono-
  logically-mandated event. Near the world's poles, half a year 
  can go by before the Sun is truly seen again. While the Sun is 
  below the horizon, the Arctic is cloaked in twilight. The length 
  of a polar night is determined by how far one is from a pole. 
  Settlements in these areas are strategic or valuable in nature: 
  gold, mithril, or religious significance usually justify living in a 
  twilit realm for so long. Notably, polar nights allow creatures 
  of the Underdark to roam the surface uninhibited.  
  Sea encounters occur along chilly coastlines or on the frigid 
  seas. They universally feature frigid water, a hazard described 
  in Appendix C.  
  Taiga encounters take place in coniferous forests consisting 
  of pines and spruces. These lands are the most hospitable—and 
  the most dangerous. Wood is a vital resource in the arctic, as 
  are fruits and vegetables. Many tribes or actors will travel south 
  (or north) to a taiga for timber. Taiga forest floors feature very 
  little vegetation and are mostly free of roots and bushes.  
  Tundra encounters feature vast plains and hills cursed with 
  permafrost and very little vegetation.   
  Urban encounters are centered around settlements, be they 
  outposts, towns, tribal camps, or cities carved from glacial ice. 
  It takes a village to live in the Arctic; without advanced magic 
  or technology, few can weather ceaseless winters for long. You 
  can expect populations of fifty or more.   
  Volcanic encounters feature hot springs, geysers, and, as the 
  name suggests, volcanoes. It is a misconception to believe that 
  an active volcano or hot spring cannot exist in a polar region. 
  See Mount Erebus in Antarctica or the onsens in Japan's Nikkō 
  National Park. These areas are highly coveted by arctic tribes 
  and settlements, who consider warmth a treasure all its own. 
  These areas of places of extreme heat (see Appendix C).  
  Weather are unique in that focus primarily on the Arctic's 
  most esteemed killer: cold weather.  
   
   
   
  
   
  4 
  SAMPLE STORYLINES 
  Many encounters in this supplement form a sample storyline, 
  with one often precipitating another. Using these, you can mash 
  together a quick storyline for your campaign, changing names 
  around as you see fit. These storylines are: 
   
  ARMY OF THE DAMNED 
  The Flayed Queen, an undead sovereign defeated so long ago 
  the world has forgotten her, has awakened. From her glacial 
  prison the death knight has psychically marshalled the dead 
  and desperate to her cause. Her Cult of the Newly Dead is busy 
  raising corpses all across the Arctic. If the queen has her way, 
  the world will be united under her tattered banner.  
  To be freed, the queen's agents must learn the magical 
  incantation that will shatter her prison. She is served chiefly by 
  Cis'tudh, the lich leader of the Newly Dead, and Fionys, her 
  deathlock mastermind. While Cis'tudh searches for the key to 
  the queen's prison, Fionys must guard the phylactery to her 
  master's draco-lich mount.  
  The following encounters are associated with this storyline: 
  • March of the Damned  
  • Tomb of the Mythic Smith 
  • In the Lair of the Dracolich 
  • Frosthenge, in which Cis'tudh plunders the tomb of the wizard 
  that bound the Flayed Queen—but secretly left an incantation 
  that would free her.  
  • The Glacial Prison, in which Cis'tudh attempts to liberate the 
  Flayed Queen. 
  • Army of the Damned, in which the Flayed Queen finally 
  marches upon the living 
   
  DARK SISTERHOOD 
  Three bheur hags prey upon the Arctic and its wayward people, 
  sowing sorrow and anarchy wherever they can. For years now 
  they've opposed joining forces, but the Aurora Arcana event, 
  which they take as an omen, convinces them otherwise. The 
  adventurers have but one opportunity before the hags seal their 
  pact in a Ritual of Binding. If the hags survive, they torment the 
  Arctic or add their magical might to the factions described in 
  the other sample storylines.  
  The following encounters are associated with this storyline: 
  • Frosty the Snowman, The Penguinwere, and Rudolph the Red-
  blooded, which feature the hags' periodic minions 
  • The Creeping Igloo and The Fruits of Despair, which feature 
  Granny Yrsula 
  • Traveler's Respite, featuring Lone Miyareth 
  • Greatfather Winter's Fiefdom, featuring Greatmother Winter 
  • Hag Summit, in which the hags strike their covenant in a ritual 
   
  This sample storyline features bheur hags. For hag lore, see 
  Volo's Guide to Monsters pages 52-62. 
   
  DIRE WINTER 
  A single madman may engineer the world's downfall. Withrens 
  Fyar, a CE human archmage, has devised a calamitous spell 
  that can plunge the world into a premature ice age, destroying 
  crops around the globe and plunging the world into chaos.  
  Alas, no mortal spellcaster can channel Fyar's dire winter 
  spell. The wizard requires the assistance of his deity's daughter, 
  an empyrean named Beldara who lies imprisoned somewhere 
  in the depths of the Arctic. Beldara is the daughter of Auril, a 
  cruel goddess of winter worshipped by Fyar himself. The arch-
  mage hungers for destruction and fame; he has no expectation 
  to survive dire winter, but believes Auril herself will welcome 
  him into her frigid afterlife, where he will live eternally as an 
  architect of icy destruction.  
  Encounters related to this storyline include: 
  • Mirage Arcane 
  • Like Tongues to Ice 
  • Frostfell Rift 
  • Temple of the Frostmaiden 
  • On the Eve of Dire Winter 
   
  ETERNAL NIGHT 
  A secretive order of outcasts known as the Forsworn intend to 
  plunge the Arctic into an unending polar night. These pariahs 
  consist of drow, shadar-kai elves that have fallen out of favor 
  with the Raven Queen, and worshippers of Mother Night (also 
  known as Shar, the goddess of darkness), all led by the exiled 
  drow matron mother Yasne Illiwan. Bested, but not broken, 
  Yasne escaped the Underdark with her most faithful servants; 
  if she has it her way, she will carve out a kingdom of darkness 
  on the surface that can rival her homeland's greatest fiefdoms.  
  To secure an eternal night, the Forsworn must forge a lasting 
  connection to the Shadowfell. Their best hope is to bend a portal 
  to the Feywild, using its framework to channel the Shadowfell's 
  darkness into the world.  
  The encounters related to this sample storyline are: 
  • The Altar of Mother Night 
  • Hounds of Ill Omen, in which the Forsworn send shadow 
  hounds to eliminate the adventurers or sow chaos.  
  • At World's End (see the On the Eve of Eternal Night section) 
  • Nightfall, in which Yasne's ambition catapults her beyond the 
  Shadowfell and into the Negative Plane itself, releasing a 
  nightwalker into the Material Plane.   
   
  This storyline heavily features creatures and lore detailed in 
  Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. See pages 58-61 for details on 
  the shadar-kai and the Raven Queen.  
   
  GLOBAL WARMING 
  Cultists of Elemental Evil seek to drown the world and rule over 
  whatever landscape still stands above the tide! The Cult of the 
  Crushing Wave and the Cult of Eternal Flame have finally put 
  aside their eons-long feud to melt the polar ice caps. If these 
  madmen are successful, the Crushing Wave cult will rule the 
  swollen seas and while the Eternal Flame cultists roast the left-
  over land.  
  To melt the icecaps, the cults must make their way to Mount 
  Erebys, an arctic volcano whose crater can serve as a gateway 
  to the apocalyptic depths of the Plane of Fire. From that inferno 
  the cultists intend to conjure a phoenix.  
  The following encounters are associated with this storyline: 
  • Cultists En Route 
  • Edge of Disaster 
  • Global Warming 
   
  This storyline features the Cult of the Crushing Wave and the 
  Cult of the Eternal Flame, who are featured in the Princes of the 
  Apocalypse campaign. 
   
  
   
  5 
  THE ORDNING OF MIGHT 
  The treacherous frost giant Rowthor hungers for power over 
  his kin, but he lacks the strength to defeat Jarl Grisbos in single 
  combat. Instead the cur strikes an accord with Vaprak, the most 
  reviled god in the giant pantheon and patron to ogres and trolls. 
  Vaprak grants Rowthor his rage (turning the giant into a frost 
  giant everlasting one), who challenges Grisbos' right to rule. 
  Without outside intervention, Rowthor murders Gribos and 
  starts a brutal regime that the Arctic cannot tolerate.  
  The following encounters are associated with this storyline: 
  • Shrine of Vaprak 
  • Forer-Slag! 
  • The Isejotun Exile 
  • Frost Giant Raiders 
  • Skoldheim 
   
  STORM OF THE CENTURY 
  Cultists of Elemental Evil intend to bury the Arctic under the 
  wrath of a living storm—an elder tempest. To summon the 
  elder elemental requires the sacrifice of a creature that truly 
  embodies the essence of the storm. The most befitting creature 
  in the region is a storm giant quintessent whose perpetual 
  storm surrounds its mountaintop lair. Travelers all across the 
  Arctic know of the giant's presence and use that distant storm 
  as a landmark—so when that storm disappears, it does not go 
  unnoticed.  
  Without intervention on behalf of the adventurers, the cultists 
  of the Black Earth and Howling Hatred manage to invade the 
  giant's lair, bind it at an altar of their own making, and sacrifice 
  the noble her to summon the tempest.  
  Encounters related to this storyline include:  
  • Thelgrym's Watch, in which the cults have stolen a glacier 
  dwarf outpost to serve as their base of operations. 
  • Sacrifice for the Storm  
  • Storm of the Century, in which the tempest is let loose on the 
  Arctic. 
   
  This storyline features chapters of elemental cults: the Cult of 
  the Black Earth and the Howling Hatred. For more details on 
  these cults, see the Princes of the Apocalypse campaign.  
   
  SKILL CHALLENGES 
  This supplement makes heavy use of Skill Challenges, a relic 
  from 4th Edition that has yet to be officially made in 5E. Skill 
  Challenges, as the name attests, are designed to test a character 
  through their skills and creativity, not their combat prowess.  
  A Skill Challenge boils down to these tenets: 
  • The characters encounter a series of obstacles that can't be 
  solved solely through combat, but by utilizing their skills. 
  Only one character makes an ability check for an obstacle.   
  • The goal of a challenge (think of it as a montage) is to reach 
  X number of successful checks before hitting three failures. 
  X is determined by the challenge's difficulty.  
  • Skill Challenges are about collaborative, creative storytelling. 
  You present the obstacle to your players and allow them to 
  suggest solutions utilizing skills. When they can't, however, 
  come up with one of their own, you can call for ability checks 
  relevant to the obstacle. The Skill Challenges in this tome 
  always include several suggestions. 
   
  CHALLENGE DIFFICULTIES 
  Difficulty 
  Successes 
  DC 
  Example Encounters 
  Easy 
  3 
  10-14 
  Man Overboard! 
  Medium 
  5 
  14-18 
  Drop It Like It's Hot 
  Hard 
  8 
  18-22 
  Avalanche! 
  Insane 
  10 
  22-25 
  Into the Blizzard 
   
  • Failure is not a wall; failure represents dawdling or struggling. 
  While consequences might be doled out for each individual 
  failure, the challenge continues until three have been accrued. 
  Failing a Skill Challenge might entail lost lives, an escaped 
  target, destruction of the adventurers' ship, or failing to stop 
  an eldritch ritual.  
  RULES 
  The rules throughout a Skill Challenge are constant: 
  • All players roll initiative, but aren't bound by it. By having a 
  turn order, it helps them think ahead. 
  • The DM describes an obstacle, hazard, or event necessitating 
  the adventurers' interference, like a sailor falling overboard, 
  a raging fire, or a gushing wound. The player then suggests a 
  skill, tool, or spell; if appropriate, they roll against the DC 
  you set—which is fluid within a set limit; every obstacle in 
  the same challenge can have a different DC within that limit.  
  • Once a player has applied a skill towards an obstacle, they can 
  no longer use that same skill for the rest of the challenge. This 
  is to spur creativity and prevent the rogue from using his +11 
  Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to trivialize or circumvent the 
  entire Skill Challenge.   
  • Variant: Proficiency Only. Under this rule, a character can 
  only apply a skill they're proficient in towards an obstacle. 
  This is to highlight a character's expertise and make their 
  selection of skill proficiencies matter more. It is only 
  recommended you use this rule with parties that have a wide 
  and diverse repertoire of skills, otherwise players might find 
  themselves powerless and frustrated by what can seem like 
  an arbitrary rule. 
  • Tool proficiencies are legal to use in a Skill Challenge, 
  provided they logically apply towards an obstacle. This 
  ability check is often in an Intelligence check using the 
  character's proficiency bonus, though other ability scores 
  might apply. For example, an Intelligence (carpenter's tools) 
  check can be used to identify that a spar supporting a mast is 
  damaged and due to fall. A Wisdom or Strength (carpenter's 
  tools) check might be used to quickly fashion a support for 
  the spar so that the crash is staved off until later (such as when 
  the Skill Challenge ends).  
  • Magic is also legal, provided the spell used can logically apply 
  to the situation. Whenever a spell of 1st level or higher is cast 
  that can logically best an obstacle, the check automatically 
  succeeds, as the character has just expended a vital resource. 
  • Cantrips can also be used, but since they cost no resources, a 
  spellcaster must succeed on an ability check using their 
  spellcasting ability (adding their proficiency bonus) against 
  the DC of the obstacle. Like a skill, that same cantrip can't be 
  used again throughout the challenge.   
  • Variant: Higher Difficulties. Under this variant, spells of 1st 
  level or higher can only automatically succeed in Easy Skill 
  Challenges. At Medium difficulty and up, they too require an 
  ability check using that adventurer's spellcasting ability, with 
  their proficiency added. However, unlike cantrips, the same 
  spell can be used repeatedly, if applicable, even if you use the 
  "One and Done" rule described above.  
  
   
  6 
  ENCOUNTER INDEX 
   
  MASTER INDEX 
  Encounter 
  Category 
  Tier 
  Description 
  A Clash of Earth and Sky 
  Mountain 
  1-2 
  Two warring elementals risk bringing down an avalanche. 
  The Altar of Mother Night 
  Mountain 
  2 
  A shadar-kai exile prays to Shar, the goddess of darkness. 
  Army of the Damned 
  Polar 
  4 
  An army of the dead marches upon the living.  
  At the Mountains of Madness 
  Mountain 
  4 
  An ancient silver dragon guards a city of hibernating star spawn.  
  At World's End 
  Polar/Polar Night 
  1 or 4 
  Portals linking the North and South Pole open during the solstices.  
  Aurora Arcana 
  Weather 
  1 
  The aurora exhibits strange sigils perceptible only to spellcasters. 
  Avalanche! 
  Mountain 
  1-2 
  This encounter provides the framework for an avalanche. 
  Barbegazi Skater 
  Polar/Tundra 
  1-3 
  A frost gnome ice skater is being chased by a worm-like horror. 
  Bark of the Wereseal 
  Sea 
  2 
  A fearsome lycanthrope guards the pinnipeds of the Arctic. 
  The Beast of Butchery 
  Tundra 
  4 
  Yeenoghu has somehow been summoned to this world! 
  Bereaved Shield Guardian 
  Polar/Tundra 
  2 
  A shield guardian tirelessly guards the cold corpse of its former master. 
  The Brass Adventists 
  Character 
  1-3 
  A selfish adventuring party seeks gold, glory, and power in the Arctic. 
  Catch of the Day 
  Taiga/Tundra 
  3 
  An aboleth preys upon ice fishers from beneath a frozen lake.  
  The Creeping Igloo 
  Character 
  2 
  The magical, mobile lair of a bheur hag is a dire sign for the Arctic.  
  The Crystalline Tavern 
  Tundra/Urban 
  1 
  The Crystalline Tavern offers warmth, news, and insight to the Arctic. 
  Cultists En Route 
  Sea 
  2 
  Cultists of Elemental Evil cross the sea to gather for a foul ritual.  
  Cycle of Carnage 
  Tundra 
  1 
  A gnoll is busy birthing more of its foul ilk through a bloody ritual. 
  Darfellan Messiah 
  Sea 
  1 
  An ominous darfellan infant has been born. What say the elders?   
  Deadliest Catch 
  Sea 
  1-3 
  Crabbers have fished up something far, far above their paygrade.  
  The Deadmarks 
  Mountain 
  2 
  A dybbuk has rearranged corpses that hikers rely on to navigate a pass.  
  Death's Due 
  Mountain 
  2 
  A revenant stalks the money-grubbing guide that doomed his party.  
  Devil's Pass 
  Mountain 
  1-2 
  An unseen horror haunts the site of a tragedy.  
  Doom of the Dawner Party 
  Mountain 
  1 
  Migrants trapped in the mountains have resorted to cannibalism. 
  Drop It Like It's Hot 
  Mountain/Polar/Sea 
  1 
  A fire genasi plummets from above and through the ice! 
  The Dullahan 
  Character 
  1-3 
  A headless rider has abandoned greener lands to reap colder souls.  
  Edge of Disaster 
  Volcanic 
  3 
  Cultists are summoning a phoenix to melt the polar icecaps! 
  Elven Slavers 
  Tundra 
  1-3 
  Elven slavers march their newfound trophies back home.  
  Endangered Hiker 
  Character 
  1 
  A hiker has run into a perilous issue… again. 
  Flight of the Ivory Elk 
  Taiga 
  1 
  Winter wolves chase a white elk.  
  Forer-Slag! 
  Mountain 
  2-3 
  Two frost giants battle it out for the title of jarl. 
  Forge of the Frozen Wastes 
  Volcanic 
  1-2 
  Azer smiths provide well-needed metallurgy to the Arctic.  
  The Fortress of Solitude 
  Polar 
  3 
  A bitter aasimar hero broods in his fortress, awaiting the world's end.  
  Frost Giant Raiders 
  Tundra/Urban 
  2 
  From within a howling blizzard sounds a frost giant's horn… 
  Frostfell Rift 
  Polar 
  2-3 
  A portal to the Plane of Ice spits out elementals and planar influence. 
  Frosthenge 
  Tundra 
  1 or 3 
  Glacial menhirs offer enlightenment to those who meditate there.  
  Frosty the Snowman 
  Character 
  1 
  A malevolent snow golem haunts the Arctic.  
  The Fruits of Despair 
  Polar Night 
  1 
  Meenlocks terrorize a mining town draped under polar night.  
  The Glacial Garden 
  Mountain 
  2 
  A medusa haunts a mountain pass, turning victims to ice.  
  The Glacial Prison 
  Mountain/Urban 
  3 
  An undead sovereign awaits the day of her liberation.  
  Glacier Dwarf Warband 
  Tundra 
  1-3 
  Clan Aurora has sent Her warriors to battle! 
  Global Warming 
  Polar/Urban/Volcanic 
  4 
  A phoenix threatens to melt the polar icecaps and drown the world! 
  Grandma Got Mauled  
  by an Owlbear 
  Taiga/Urban 
  1 
  A beloved crone has gone missing, seemingly mauled by an owlbear… 
  but this green hag is anything but innocent.  
  Greatfather Winter's Fiefdom 
  Polar 
  3 
  Rock gnomes toil under an archfey tyrant obsessed with Yuletide.  
  Greatfather Winter's Wrath 
  Character 
  3 
  Greatfather Winter has taken to the skies to rain hell on the world.  
  Grove of the Reclusive Druid 
  Taiga 
  2 
  A peaceful druid is warding her lair with druid grove spells.  
  Hag Summit 
  Mountain 
  3 
  Three bheur hags are forming a coven at the expense of a child's life. 
  Hailstorm 
  Weather 
  2 
  Galeb duhrs born from ice plummet from the sky! 
  Hardboiled 
  Volcanic 
  2 
  Remorhaz eggs broil within a hot spring. 
  Heroes of the Ice Age 
  Tundra 
  2 
  Three animals are on a quest to deliver a human infant back home.  
  Homer's Hospitable Hearth 
  Polar/Tundra 
  1 
  A Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion offers respite to all travelers. 
   
   
  
   
  7 
  ENCOUNTER INDEX 
   
  MASTER INDEX 
  Encounter 
  Category 
  Tier 
  Description 
  Homer's Hovering Hovel 
  Tundra 
  1-3 
  The retired adventurer Homer Erendalias labors in his stolen tower.  
  Hounds of Ill Omen 
  Polar Night 
  2 
  Shadow mastiffs fresh from the Shadowfell are out for blood.  
  Ice Haulers 
  Sea 
  1 
  An ice hauling ship has come under attack by sahuagin.  
  Ice, Ice Baby 
  Polar/Tundra 
  1-2 
  A frost giant toddler has been separated from his mother.  
  In the Lair of the Dracolich 
  Sea 
  3-4 
  The dracolich Krarthelos slumbers in his honeycombed iceberg. 
  Into the Blizzard 
  Weather 
  1-2 
  This encounter provides the framework for contending with a blizzard. 
  The Isejotun Exile 
  Character 
  2 
  An exiled frost giant plots to overthrow his new, treacherous jarl. 
  Keep Lukewarm! 
  Polar 
  1 
  Two travelers are sheltering from the cold in a dire moose's belly.  
  Krampusnacht 
  Urban 
  1 
  Foolish teenagers have summoned the evil fey Krampus to this world. 
  Lamenter of Levistus 
  Mountain/Polar 
  1 
  For his failure, a warlock must languish in ice, unable to die. 
  The Last Windbender 
  Polar/Sea 
  1 
  A young air genasi has been found frozen in ice.  
  Like Tongues to Ice 
  Polar/Tundra 
  1 
  A wizard has laid an antipathy/sympathy spell on a metal rod.  
  Living Blizzard 
  Weather 
  2 
  A blizzard propagated by living spells harries travelers.  
  Mammoth Corpse 
  Tundra 
  2-3 
  A dead mammoth is a fortune of fur, meat, and bone—the perfect trap.   
  The Mammoth Merchant 
  Character 
  1-2 
  A wanted wizard spends his retirement hawking wares. 
  Man Overboard! 
  Sea 
  1 
  This encounter provides the framework to a rescue a sailor.    
  Manavik Under Fire 
  Urban 
  2 
  For their insolence, the snow elves have come to raze Manavik.  
  March of the Damned 
  Polar/Tundra 
  2 
  Undead hordes gather to heed the call of their distant master. 
  The Mimigloo 
  Polar 
  1 
  An evolved mimic has become the ultimate arctic predator.  
  Mirage Arcane 
  Polar/Tundra 
  1 
  A mirage arcane spell disguised a perilously thin frozen lake.  
  New Menzoberranzan 
  Mountain/Taiga 
  2 
  Clueless drow fugitives have founded their own settlement.  
  Nightfall 
  Polar Night 
  4 
  A nightwalker fresh from the Shadowfell is scouring all life it finds.  
  Obelisk-Bound Couatl 
  Polar/Polar Night 
  1-2 
  A warmth-shedding obelisk houses an innocent prisoner.  
  On the Eve of Dire Winter 
  Mountain 
  4 
  The day of liberation has come for an evil empyrean.  
  The Penguinwere 
  Character 
  1-2 
  An elevated penguin masquerades as an ordinary man.  
  The Poacher's Nightmare 
  Character 
  3 
  A sadistic archdruid has vowed to protect the Arctic's wildlife.  
  Preserved Forevermore 
  Polar/Sea 
  1-4 
  There is no telling what bygone creatures can be found frozen in ice… 
  Rudolph the Red-Blooded 
  Polar/Taiga/Tundra 
  1 
  A patronized, sentient reindeer revenges himself on his old bullies.  
  Sacrifice for the Storm 
  Mountain 
  3 
  Cultists of Elemental Evil are sacrificing a storm giant to their master.  
  The Scorch Baths 
  Volcanic 
  2 
  Firenewts running a hot spring resort face an otherworldly predator.  
  Sea Elk Vikings 
  Sea 
  2-3 
  The seas belong to vikings! 
  Shrine of Vaprak 
  Mountain/Tundra 
  1-2 
  An ogre shaman anoints a troll pilgrim for its sacred quest.  
  Sick Ranger 
  Tundra 
  1 
  A dying halfling's mammoth mount seeks friendly folk to help its rider.  
  Skoldheim 
  Mountain 
  3 
  From their bleak stronghold, the frost giants terrorize the Arctic.  
  Snow Bulette 
  Mountain 
  2 
  A bulette has found snow to be the perfect medium for hunting.  
  Spelljammer Derelict 
  Polar 
  2 
  A spaceship has crashed deep into the Arctic.  
  Spring Weird 
  Volcanic 
  1 
  A corrupted water weird kills those that visit its hot spring.  
  Storm of the Century 
  Weather 
  4 
  An elder tempest ravages the Arctic! 
  Survivor's Cache 
  Character 
  1-3 
  Arctic Samaritans have left a cache for wayward travelers.  
  Temple of the Frostmaiden 
  Polar 
  3 
  A cleric of Auril tends to her wicked flock.  
  Thelgrym's Watch 
  Tundra 
  1-2 
  A glacier-carved fortress is ignorant to the cultists lurking just outside.  
  There's Always a Bigger Bird 
  Tundra 
  2 
  There's always a bigger bird.  
  The Thing 
  Polar 
  3 
  An alien horror has been unearthed from the ice.  
  Thirty Days of Night 
  Polar Night 
  2 
  A vampire and her ilk invade a town during the polar night.  
  Tomb of the Mythic Smith 
  Tundra 
  2 
  A necromancer is raiding the tomb of a legendary smith for corpses. 
  Traveler's Respite 
  Mountain 
  2 
  A bheur hag masquerades as a doddering innkeeper.  
  Tundra Halfling Travelers 
  Taiga/Mountain 
  1 
  Tundra halflings full of wanderlust are hiking through the Arctic.  
  Uldra Cattle Rustler 
  Mountain/Urban 
  1 
  An animal-loving fey has "liberated" a flock of sheep.  
  Urskan Pilgrim 
  Character 
  1 
  An urskan pilgrim battles a yeti. 
  Worg Sleds 
  Polar 
  1 
  Taxis or raiders—there's no end to a goblin's creativity.  
  Wounded Sled Dogs 
  Polar 
  1 
  Bloodied hounds whimper in the wake of a wyrmling's attack.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  8 
  ENCOUNTERS BY CATEGORY 
  The encounters are further divided by category. For encounters 
  that focus on more than one of the Three Pillars, abbreviations 
  are used, with "C" referring to Combat, "E" Exploration, and 
  "S" for Social. The order in which these letters appear does not 
  suggest that one is more important than the other.   
   
  CHARACTER ENCOUNTERS 
  d20 
  Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  1-4 
  The Brass Adventists 
  1-3 
  C/S 
  5-6 
  The Creeping Igloo 
  2 
  Exploration 
  7 
  The Dullahan 
  1-3 
  Combat 
  8-9 
  Endangered Hiker 
  1 
  Exploration 
  10-11 Frosty the Snowman 
  1 
  Combat 
  12 
  Greatfather Winter's Wrath 
  3 
  Combat 
  13 
  The Isejotun Exile 
  2 
  Social 
  14-15 The Mammoth Merchant 
  1-2 
  Social 
  16 
  The Penguinwere 
  2 
  Combat 
  17 
  The Poacher's Nightmare 
  3 
  Combat 
  18-19 Survivor's Cache 
  1-3 
  Exploration 
  20 
  Urskan Pilgrim 
  1 
  Social 
   
  MOUNTAIN ENCOUNTERS 
  2d12 Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  2-3 
  A Clash of Earth and Sky 
  1-2 
  Combat 
  4 
  The Altar of Mother Night 
  2 
  C/E 
  5 
  At the Mountains of Madness 
  4 
  C/E 
  6 
  Avalanche! 
  1-2 
  Skill Chall. 
  7 
  The Deadmarks 
  2 
  C/E 
  8 
  Death's Due 
  2 
  C/S 
  9 
  Devil's Pass 
  1-2 
  Combat 
  10 
  Doom of the Dawner Party 
  1 
  C/E 
  11 
  Drop It Like It's Hot 
  1 
  Skill Chall. 
  12 
  Forer-Slag! 
  2-3 
  Exploration 
  13 
  The Glacial Garden 
  2 
  Combat 
  14 
  The Glacial Prison 
  3 
  Combat 
  15 
  Hag Summit 
  3 
  Combat 
  16 
  Lamenter of Levistus 
  1 
  Social 
  17 
  New Menzoberranzan 
  2 
  Social 
  18 
  On the Eve of Dire Winter 
  4 
  Combat 
  19 
  Sacrifice for the Storm 
  3 
  Combat 
  20 
  Shrine of Vaprak 
  1-2 
  C/E 
  21 
  Skoldheim 
  3 
  C/S 
  22 
  Snow Bulette 
  2 
  Combat 
  23 
  Tundra Halfling Travelers 
  1 
  Social 
  24 
  Uldra Cattle Rustler 
  1 
  C/S 
   
  POLAR ENCOUNTERS 
  2d20 Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  2 
  At World's End 
  1 or 4 
  C/E 
  3-6 
  Barbegazi Skater 
  1-3 
  Combat 
  7-8 
  Bereaved Shield Guardian 
  2 
  Combat 
  9-10 Drop It Like It's Hot 
  1 
  Skill Chall. 
  11 
  The Fortress of Solitude 
  3 
  Social 
  12-14 Frostfell Rift 
  2-3 
  Combat 
  15 
  Global Warming 
  4 
  Combat 
  16 
  Greatfather Winter's Fiefdom 
  3 
  Exploration 
  17-18 Homer's Hospitable Hearth 
  1 
  Exploration 
  19-20 Ice, Ice Baby 
  1 
  Social 
  21 
  Keep Lukewarm! 
  1 
  Social 
  22 
  Lamenter of Levistus 
  1 
  Social 
  23 
  The Last Windbender 
  1 
  Exploration 
  24-26 Like Tongues to Ice 
  1 
  C/E 
  27-28 March of the Damned 
  2 
  C/E 
  29 
  The Mimigloo 
  1 
  Combat 
  30 
  Mirage Arcane 
  1 
  Exploration 
  31-32 Obelisk-Bound Couatl 
  1-2 
  Exploration 
  33 
  Preserved Forevermore 
  1-4 
  Exploration 
  34-35 Rudolph the Red-Blooded 
  1 
  Exploration 
  36 
  Spelljammer Derelict 
  2 
  Exploration 
  37 
  Temple of the Frostmaiden 
  3 
  C/S 
  38 
  The Thing 
  3 
  C/E 
  39 
  Worg Sleds 
  1 
  C/S 
  40 
  Wounded Sled Dogs 
  1 
  Combat 
   
  POLAR NIGHT ENCOUNTERS 
  d6 
  Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  1 
  At World's End 
  1 or 4 
  C/E 
  2 
  The Fruits of Despair 
  1 
  C/S 
  3 
  Hounds of Ill Omen 
  2 
  Combat 
  4 
  Nightfall 
  4 
  Combat 
  5 
  Obelisk-Bound Couatl 
  1-2 
  Exploration 
  6 
  Thirty Days of Night 
  2 
  Combat 
   
  SEA ENCOUNTERS 
  d12 
  Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  1 
  Bark of the Wereseal 
  2 
  Combat 
  2 
  Cultists En Route 
  2 
  C/S 
  3 
  Darfellan Messiah 
  1 
  Exploration 
  4-5 
  Deadliest Catch 
  1-3 
  Combat 
  6 
  Drop It Like It's Hot 
  1 
  Skill Chall. 
  7 
  Ice Haulers 
  1 
  Combat 
  8 
  In the Lair of the Dracolich 
  3-4 
  Combat 
  9 
  The Last Windbender 
  1 
  Exploration 
  10 
  Man Overboard! 
  1 
  Skill Chall. 
  11 
  Preserved Forevermore 
  1-4 
  Exploration 
  12 
  Sea Elf Vikings 
  2-3 
  Combat 
   
  TAIGA ENCOUNTERS 
  d8 
  Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  1 
  Catch of the Day 
  3 
  Combat 
  2 
  Flight of the Ivory Elk 
  1 
  Combat 
  3 
  Grandma Got Mauled by an 
  Owlbear 
  1 
  Exploration 
  4 
  Grove of the Reclusive Druid 
  2 
  Exploration 
  5 
  New Menzoberranzan 
  2 
  Social 
  6 
  Rudolph the Red-Blooded 
  1 
  Exploration 
  7-8 
  Tundra Halfling Travelers 
  1 
  Social 
   
   
   
  
   
  9 
  TUNDRA ENCOUNTERS 
  3d10 Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  3-4 
  Barbegazi Skater 
  1-3 
  Combat 
  5 
  The Beast of Butchery 
  4 
  Combat 
  6 
  Bereaved Shield Guardian 
  2 
  Combat 
  7 
  Catch of the Day 
  2 
  Combat 
  8 
  The Crystalline Tavern 
  1 
  Social 
  9 
  Cycle of Carnage 
  1 
  Combat 
  10-11 Elven Slavers 
  1-3 
  Combat 
  12 
  Frost Giant Raiders 
  2 
  Combat 
  13 
  Frosthenge 
  1-3 
  Exploration 
  14-15 Glacier Dwarf Warband 
  1-3 
  C/S 
  16 
  Heroes of the Ice Age 
  2 
  Exploration 
  17 
  Homer's Hospitable Hearth 
  1 
  Exploration 
  18 
  Homer's Hovering Hovel 
  1-3 
  Social 
  19 
  Ice, Ice Baby 
  1 
  Social 
  20 
  Like Tongues to Ice 
  1 
  C/E 
  21 
  Mammoth Corpse 
  2-3 
  C/S 
  22 
  March of the Damned 
  2 
  C/E 
  23 
  Mirage Arcane 
  1 
  Exploration 
  24 
  Rudolph the Red-Blooded 
  1 
  Exploration 
  25 
  Shrine of Vaprak 
  1-2 
  C/E 
  26 
  Sick Ranger 
  1 
  Exploration 
  27 
  Thelgrym's Watch 
  1-2 
  C/S 
  28 
  There's Always a Bigger Bird 
  2 
  Combat 
  29 
  Tomb of the Mythic Smith 
  2 
  C/E 
  30 
  Tundra Halfling Travelers 
  1 
  Social 
   
  URBAN ENCOUNTERS 
  d8 
  Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  1 
  The Crystalline Tavern 
  1 
  Social 
  2 
  Frost Giant Raiders 
  2 
  Combat 
  3 
  The Glacial Prison 
  3 
  Combat 
  4 
  Global Warming 
  4 
  Combat 
  5 
  Grandma Got Mauled by an 
  Owlbear 
  1 
  Exploration 
  6 
  Krampusnacht 
  1 
  Combat 
  7 
  Manavik Under Fire 
  2 
  Combat 
  8 
  Uldra Cattle Rustler 
  1 
  C/S 
   
  VOLCANIC ENCOUNTERS 
  d6 
  Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  1 
  Edge of Disaster 
  3 
  Combat 
  2 
  Forge of the Frozen Wastes 
  2 
  Social 
  3 
  Global Warming 
  4 
  Combat 
  4 
  Hardboiled 
  2 
  Exploration 
  5 
  The Scorch Baths 
  2 
  C/S 
  6 
  Spring Weird 
  1 
  Exploration 
   
  WEATHER ENCOUNTERS 
  d6 
  Encounter 
  Tier 
  Focus 
  1 
  Aurora Arcana 
  1 
  Exploration 
  2 
  Hailstorm 
  2 
  Combat 
  3-4 
  Into the Blizzard 
  1-2 
  Skill Chall. 
  5 
  Living Blizzard 
  2 
  Combat 
  6 
  Storm of the Century 
  4 
  Combat 
   
  ENCOUNTERS 
   
  The encounters are presented alphabetically: 
   
  A CLASH OF EARTH AND SKY 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier I-II 
   
  Thunder cracks out across the mountainside as a rogue earth 
  elemental battles it out against a fuming air elemental. If left 
  unchecked, their bout may birth an avalanche.  
  As the adventurers mount the trail, the air elemental hurls its 
  opponent into a rockface 120 feet away from the nearest party 
  member. When it approaches to slam its foe, the earth elemental 
  grapples it. The two are entangled and sail through the air, 
  crashing right before the adventurers, which allows them a 
  chance to attack the elementals before they wreak further havoc 
  on the environment. The elementals will ignore these mortals 
  until they meddle in the duel. If the adventurers do decide to get 
  involved, roll a d6 at the start of each of the elementals' turns to 
  determine their behavior for the round. Consult the table below.   
  Difficulty. The elementals' hit points vary depending on the 
  difficulty you run this encounter at: 
  • As a Tier I encounter, the air elemental has 45 hit points left, 
  and the earth elemental has 50. 
  • As a Tier II encounter, the air elemental has 70 hit points left, 
  and the earth elemental has 85.  
   
  Avalanche. If the elementals are not slain within two rounds, 
  they will trigger an avalanche—either by hurling themselves 
  into the mountainside, or through the echoes of elemental fury. 
  Contrary to popular belief, a loud but otherwise mundane noise 
  cannot trigger an avalanche, but the thunder of elemental blows 
  certainly can.  
  If the avalanche occurs, combine the Avalanche! encounter 
  with A Clash of Earth and Sky.  
   
  A CLASH OF EARTH AND SKY 
  d6 
  Elemental Disposition 
  1-2 
  The elemental focuses on its nemesis. 
  3 
  The elemental spares one Slam attack for a mortal. 
  4 
  The elemental turns all its fury on a meddlesome 
  mortal for the remainder of the round.  
  5 
  The elemental hurls its nemesis far away. 
  6 
  The elemental grapples its nemesis and launches 
  itself off a cliff or up the mountainside.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  When running this encounter, your goal is to provide the party 
  slim opportunities to attack the elementals during an otherwise 
  cinematic combat. You do not want the elementals to get locked 
  down on the ground with the adventurers.  
   
   
   
  
   
  10 
  THE ALTAR OF MOTHER NIGHT 
  Mountain or Polar Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Far from the light of the sun, a shadar-kai apostate prays not to 
  the mysterious Raven Queen, but rather to Mother Night—a 
  goddess of darkness. In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, 
  this deity is none other than Shar, the Dark Lady. This heretic, 
  a gloom weaver, is an agent of the insidious Forsworn, a 
  society of drow, shadar-kai exiles and other admirers of the 
  night. These outcasts are conspiring to cloak the Arctic in a 
  perpetual polar night where they are free to run their own 
  wicked schemes far away from any scrutiny.  
  Shrine. Within an ice cave, far from prying eyes, is a statue 
  of a cloaked woman wielding twin daggers. The statue has been 
  chiseled from black ice that seems to swallow any nearby light. 
  The entire cave lies in darkness in homage to Mother Night. A 
  character that succeeds on a DC 15 Religion check ascertains 
  that the statue depicts Shar (or "Mother Night") a goddess of 
  misfortune that the broken-spirited pray to for a reprieve. 
  Likewise, the elf's holy symbol (a black disk encircled with a 
  purple border) can be identified as Shar's icon.  
  Priestess. A blighted, gray elf maiden dressed in a dark cloak 
  and veil prays before the statue. Her skin is deathly pale, and 
  her features are corpselike. Despite her grim appearance, she 
  has a strange and unsettling beauty to her, almost as if she were 
  a cadaver that has been painted for a funeral. She murmurs in 
  Elvish, "Darkness quench the sun. Darkness swallow the moon. 
  We are nothing but the night."  
  This shadar-kai is known as Narwyn, and she does not take 
  kindly to intruders. Paranoid, she suspects that the adventurers 
  are agents of a holy order sent to thwart the Forsworn's plans. 
  On her first turn, she beckons at the nearby shadows, which 
  amass into 1d3+1 shadow mastiffs.   
  Shadow Crossing. Mother Night does not abandon her faith-
  ful. If Narwyn is reduced to 21 hit points or fewer, the statue 
  animates. The glacial maiden brings her daggers together in a 
  stabbing gesture, spawning a rift to the Shadowfell, through 
  which Narwyn can escape. Her shadow mastiffs dissolve once 
  she has left this plane of existence.  
  Roleplaying Narwyn. The elf is an utter fanatic of the dread 
  goddess. To die in her service is a great honor—but one she 
  can't afford right now, if she is to play her part in the Forsworn's 
  agenda. She speaks only in Elvish, seeing all other languages as 
  inferior.  
  You can voice Narwyn through the sample dialogue below:  
  • "Our Lady of Loss take you!" 
  • "We are nothing but the night!"  
  • "This world will be cloaked in the cold love of Mother Night. 
  Pity that you won't be there to feel it." 
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  This encounter foreshadows the Eternal Night storyline. If you 
  intend to run it in your campaign, it is in your best interest as a 
  DM for Narwyn to survive the encounter; when near death, she 
  attempts to flee to the Shadowfell. Thereafter, the Forsworn 
  become aware of the adventurers, in which case they send out 
  the shadow mastiffs described in Hounds of Ill Omen. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  ARMY OF THE DAMNED 
  Polar Encounter, Tier IV 
   
  The sun has finally set for the living. Freed from her prison, the 
  Flayed Queen has marshalled the undead and begun her march 
  upon civilization. Her numbers swell with every battle along the 
  way as her necromancers raise the fallen. There is no sating this 
  tyrannical death knight; the queen will not rest until all the 
  world rots beneath her banner.  
  This encounter is the titanic culmination of the Army of the 
  Damned storyline. For it to occur, the lich Cis'tudh or another 
  of the Flayed Queen's champions must have freed her from her 
  prison (see The Glacial Prison). Cis'tudh isn't present for this 
  encounter, if she survived The Glacial Prison at all, as she is 
  leading the Newly Dead cultists in some other fell purpose.  
  The Damned. The undead number in the thousands. Were it 
  not for the immense will of the Flayed Queen, the undead would 
  disperse and menace settlements all over the Arctic. Completely 
  lacking in discipline, they are an "army" in name only. This 
  undead swarm consists primarily of zombies and skeletons but 
  also includes specters, wights, and wraiths as well as cultists, 
  cult fanatics, and necromancers—all traitors to the living—
  who ride upon warhorse skeletons.   
  You can use any of these undead for this encounter or choose 
  to also feature rarer creatures such as beholder zombies.  
  The Sovereign. The world has forgotten the undead tyrant at 
  the head of this horde. The queen wears scraps of armor and a 
  hood over her exposed bones; she also wields a scythe etched 
  in glowing orange runes. (Her statistics, however, remain the 
  same no matter her armor and weapon.) 
  Roleplaying the Queen. Although she has been freed from 
  her icy prison, the Flayed Queen is no less cold. Her dreadful 
  and suffocating presence can be felt miles away by beasts, men, 
  and undead alike, as if a cold and heavy weight has fallen over 
  them. Outside of combat, she moves slowly but with purpose. 
  Her voice has an ethereal echo that saps the hearts of mortal 
  men. Even in the heat of battle, she remains stern and dignified, 
  never losing herself to emotion—for she has none.  
  You can voice the queen with the sample dialogue below: 
  • "This world has had its chance; now is an age for the dead." 
  • "In the end, there is only Death."  
  • Spoken as she hurls a Hellfire Orb: "This end is too quick for 
  you."  
  • Spoken as she parries a blow: "Death cannot be thwarted."  
  • Spoken as she casts banishment: "Know the weight of utter 
  isolation as I have." 
  • Spoken as she casts destructive wave: "Even your broken body 
  will be of use to me."   
   
   
  
   
  11 
  Steed. The Flayed Queen rides Krarthelos, the adult white 
  dracolich described in In the Lair of the Dracolich. In the cold 
  skies above, she surveys her army.  
  If Krarthelos is not present—such as if he were recently slain 
  or had his phylactery destroyed—the Flayed Queen is instead 
  mounted on a nightmare that has the following changes to its 
  statistics: 
  • It has 104 hit points possible.   
  • It counts as undead and its flames are a ghostly blue. 
  • It has immunity to cold damage instead of fire damage, and it 
  confers resistance to cold damage to whomever rides it.  
   
  Although the nightmare can fly, the queen only takes to the 
  air to avoid danger, survey the most distant flanks, or to simply 
  revel in the sight of her dutiful minions.  
  The queen's steed determines her tactics, minions, and the site 
  of her battle with the adventurers, as described below:  
   
  BEFORE THE DEAD 
  If the Flayed Queen leads her army from the ground, she rides 
  upon her nightmare steed. If the adventurers stage a terrestrial 
  battle, she obliges. If they take to the sky en masse, she resorts 
  to the tactics and minions described in Death from Above.  
  Positioning. The queen rides 300 feet ahead of the horde, her 
  most exalted champions at her side (see Minions). Provided the 
  adventurers don't maintain this distance, they have up to ten 
  rounds to defeat her before being swarmed by the undead.  
  Minions. Three riders accompany the queen, each astride 
  armored warhorse skeletons with 36 hit points and AC 20. 
  They are: 
  • Fionys, a deathlock mastermind whose patron is none other 
  than the Flayed Queen herself. 
  • Nathalia Delgada, the queen's most devoted necromancer.   
  • The Queen's Vanguard, an otherwise nameless sword wraith 
  commander that lacks the Call to Honor ability.  
   
  Additionally, on the third, fifth, and seventh round of combat, 
  the following creatures intervene (in the order below), having 
  raced ahead to serve their dreadful master: 
  • 1d3 wights astride warhorse skeletons 
  • Two ogre zombies 
  • A wraith and two shadows  
   
  Tactics. The Flayed Queen and her minions use the following 
  tactics: 
  • The Flayed Queen is fearless, knowing that she can't truly die. 
  She fights with wild abandon and shows no mercy, finishing 
  off fallen foes. She does not anticipate further challenges this 
  day and does not reserve any of her spell slots for later.  
  • The queen devotes her concentration to hold person and smite 
  spells. While concentrating on a spell, she casts destructive 
  wave or makes longsword attacks.  
  • On her first turn, the queen casts a 4th-level hold person spell, 
  targeting three foes. On her next turn, she hurls a Hellfire Orb 
  at these paralyzed foes, as they automatically fail Dexterity 
  saving throws.  
  • The nightmare makes Hooves attacks if the adventurers stand 
  their ground. If it must continue spiriting the Flayed Queen, 
  it takes the Dodge action.  
  • The necromancer drops a cloudkill on the adventurers if they 
  are clumped together and don't seem to be maintaining the 
  distance from the horde. Otherwise, she casts Bigby's hand 
  on her first turn.  
  • Fionys hurls Grave Bolts at the queen's targets and reserves 
  her spell slots and reactions for counterspells.  
  • The Vanguard rides forth to harry the adventurers' backline 
  with longbow shots.  
   
  DEATH FROM ABOVE 
  If Krarthelos is alive, or if the Flayed Queen is forced to take to 
  the air with her nightmare steed, run the following encounter. 
  Positioning. The Flayed Queen keeps her steed at an altitude 
  of 100 feet above the ground, allowing her cultists and archers 
  to fire at the party. The sheer immensity of her will allows her 
  to ignore up to 100 falling damage each day.  
  Minions. There is no hiding the conflict above. As the queen 
  battles the adventurers in the sky, her minions from below assist 
  her. Initially, this includes: 
  • A necromancer that really regrets not preparing the fly spell 
  this morning. He hurls his spells from the ground.  
  • A skeletal archer (that has resistance to piercing damage, 
  vulnerability to bludgeoning damage, and immunity to both 
  poison damage and the poisoned condition).  
  • Her steed: the nightmare or adult white dracolich.  
   
  Additionally, the following aerial minions arrive (in the order 
  below) on the third, fifth, seventh, and ninth round of combat, 
  flying towards the adventurers.  
  • One wraith if Krarthelos is present and two if not. 
  • Two will-o'-wisps if Krarthelos is present or 1d3+1 if not 
  • 1d4+3 skeletal aarakocra (they have resistance to piercing 
  damage, vulnerability to bludgeoning damage, and immunity 
  to both poison damage and the poisoned condition).  
  • Fionys, the deathlock mastermind, who is concentrating on 
  a fly spell to get her to the battle.  
   
  Tactics. The queen and her forces employ the tactics below: 
  • The Flayed Queen rides upon Krarthelos and uses a compelled 
  duel spell to force a foe to fight her on the dracolich's back. 
  • Krarthelos rends at creatures not upon him. His Claw attacks 
  can reach virtually anywhere on his body if he twists around; 
  however, doing so may endanger the Flayed Queen. 
  • The nightmare takes the Dodge action to keep the queen air-
  borne.  
  • The necromancer below must resort to using Bigby's hand, 
  circle of death or chill touch spells; none of his other prepared 
  spells can reach targets 100 feet away.  
  • The undead archer focuses on aerial mounts or spellcasters.  
  • The will-o'-wisps approach under the cover of invisibility to 
  gain advantage on their first Shock attacks.  
  • Fionys reserves her final spell slot (the first being used for fly) 
  on a counterspell against the adventurers. Thereafter, she 
  hurls Grave Bolts; a character restrained by the bolts falls if 
  they aren't held aloft by magic (see Flying Movement on pg. 
  191 of the PHB).   
   
   
   
  
   
  12 
  THE QUEEN DEFEATED 
  If she is slain, the Flayed Queen's soul is banished to the Glacial 
  Prison and her influence over the undead shatters. In the sudden 
  vacuum, all skeletal beings in the horde crumble to dust, as the 
  dark energies that once sustained them are snuffed out. Now 
  freed from the queen's hold, the spirits are laid to rest. Corporeal 
  undead, however, remain animated, but with no master to guide 
  them. The horde soon scatters, with wights taking command of 
  undead platoons. The queen's living minions attempt to flee, 
  and all across the region, the surviving sects of the Newly Dead 
  splinter off to pursue their own dark agendas. If Cis'tudh is still 
  active, she swears vengeance against her queen's murderers.  
  The site of the Flayed Queen's defeat becomes a memorial 
  composed of the countless armor scraps worn by the crumbled 
  skeletons. While stray undead continue to menace the region, 
  and hedge necromancers rise up to practice their own dark craft, 
  the Arctic is nonetheless spared from an undead apocalypse. 
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  Armies are narrative tools meant to provide tension and up the 
  stakes. They aren't meant to be tackled by players—and if they 
  are, it's better to simply narrate cinematic battles than getting 
  bogged down with dice. When you run this encounter, your 
  concern is getting the adventurers to the Flayed Queen and her 
  lieutenants. While in the sky, you're spared from having to 
  include undead minions (except for the aerial reinforcements 
  described in Death From Above). If the Queen is forced to land, 
  consider running the Mob rules described on pg. 250 of the 
  DMG; otherwise, a stray minion makes an attack against an 
  adventurer at both the start and end of a round.  
   
  AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier IV 
   
  It is a place of madness. A place time has forgotten, and men 
  have avoided. A place the gods cannot touch, and the mortal 
  mind cannot comprehend. It is a city of strange architecture that 
  confounds visitors, a city shunned by all beasts and monsters. It 
  is a place permeated with evil so ancient that only the most 
  fringe scholars could even name the creatures that once infested 
  it. And never mind the elder evils who were once worshipped 
  in its halls… 
  Its name is forgotten—and it's better left that way.  
  This nameless city is closed off from the world by mountains 
  and the ancient silver dragon guarding it intends to keep it that 
  way—for the world itself might fall to ruin if the star spawn 
  slumbering below are awakened. Unfortunately, mortals are 
  ever curious and determined to plunge into the corners of the 
  map that reads "here there be dragons." Recently an expedition 
  arrived to explore the mountains; its disappearance invites 
  suspicion from abroad. The adventurers may be just one of 
  many parties to investigate or otherwise stumble upon the area. 
  Alternatively, the Aurora Arcana encounter may signal that the 
  star spawn are soon to awaken, compelling the adventurers to 
  enter the city.  
   
  THE WATCHER 
  A gravely silver dragon named Fernyxis guards the city from 
  his nearby mountaintop lair. The dragon tolerates no visitors 
  and attacks anyone who ventures too close to the mountains. 
  Alas, Fernyxis isn't omniscient; intruders can evade detection 
  by entering through the caves if they manage to sense and dispel 
  one of his numerous, permanent alarm spells. A dispel magic 
  spell renders it inert for 1d6 hours.  
  Fernyxis can be seen patrolling the skies; identifying him as 
  a silver dragon is an easy task. However, a character that makes 
  a DC 14 Arcana check recalls that silver dragons are gregarious 
  and friendly. They almost never guard a site of evil and instead 
  prefer to mingle with mortals. They discourage thieves and 
  would-be dragon slayers through words, not force; and they 
  don't concern themselves with rooting out evil in the world—so 
  why is one guarding this otherwise nondescript mountain range 
  so ferociously?  
  Roleplaying Fernyxis. The dragon is morose; there is no light 
  in his life sans the dim torch of duty. As the latest guardian in 
  an ancient lineage, he has been groomed since birth to defend 
  this city—whose name even the dragons will not speak—from 
  all outside forces. Isolation and ascetism have made him bitter 
  and laconic.  
  At the start of Fernyxis's tenure, he would spare explorers that 
  roamed too close to the mountains, but he soon learned that 
  news of a dragon's lair rouses thieves, heroes, and villains of all 
  stripes, many of whom ventured into the city and came close to 
  waking the star spawn below. The dragon has since abandoned 
  his principles lest the world suffer for them.  
  Slaughtering the expedition (see below) was the final blow 
  against Fernyxis's heart; he can't spare a handful of mortals just 
  after killing four dozen. His first message to the adventurers is 
  strafing the area with a blast of frigid breath.  
  The Drake's Lair. Fernyxis lairs in a mountain cave with a 
  commanding view of the southern approach to the city. To 
  dissuade thieves, Fernyxis has no treasure in his lair. 
   
   
  
   
  13 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The region outside Fernyxis's lair is warped by his magic (see 
  Regional Effects in his statistics) but this magic doesn't affect 
  the valley in which the city is in; its own strange magic negates 
  his. The city is approximately five miles long, and so Fernyxis 
  can alter the weather out to one mile from the opposite side of 
  the mountain.   
   
  THE EXPLORER'S CAMP 
  An expedition was mounted earlier this season to map out the 
  most remote regions of the Arctic. The enterprise consisted of 
  explorers, cartographers, and scholars alike, all desperate to go 
  where few men have been before. Each week, the expedition 
  would confirm its safety through sending spells sent to their 
  distant colleagues—and as days passed, those sending spells 
  grew more erratic. The casters cited "unearthed beings" and "a 
  dead city." About two weeks ago, the expedition fell silent; no 
  message was sent or received, suggesting two possibilities: the 
  resident wizards are dead or have traveled to another plane of 
  existence where divination spells cannot be received.   
  Fernyxis destroyed the expedition. In one last ditch effort to 
  spare himself from committing mass murder, the drake warned 
  them away, warned them not to dig or to probe the caves. They 
  did not listen—and when some of the "beings" they unearthed 
  began to unstiffen, the dragon had no choice but to slaughter 
  them all. The bones of their camp still lie at the foot of the 
  mountains, heaped in ice and snow.  
  Searching the ruins of the camp reveal up to forty corpses, 
  consisting of humans, gnomes, elves, and a goblin. Casting 
  speak with dead on a corpse reveals that the dragon attacked 
  them, that the explorers found a city nestled in a valley within 
  the mountain range, and that they found "strange beings we 
  believed to be corpses" in the caves.   
   
  THE CITY ABOVE 
  This unnamed city stands in an enclosed valley surrounded by 
  forbidding mountains. A perpetual fog hangs above its streets, 
  out from which creep the tallest rooftops like weeds in other-
  wise blighted soil. The city can only be accessed through flight 
  or caves that even the Underdark's greatest horrors avoid. 
  The city's streets are lifeless, blanketed by snow and ice—but 
  in the vaults below, star spawn slumber, awaiting the day when 
  their distant masters—the Elder Evils who lurk beyond the stars 
  and below the earth—bid them to not to destroy all life, but only 
  make it stranger.  
  The streets are lightly obscured by a perpetual fog, while a 
  thicker shade heavily obscures the city at an altitude of 100 feet. 
  Better Not Seen. The city predates history but has seldom 
  been discovered by outsiders—but not thanks to any defenses 
  left by its citizens or laid by wise explorers. Except for the fog 
  cloaking its streets and its remote nature, nothing at all prevents 
  outsiders from finding it. No illusion cloaks it, no spell forbids 
  mortals from entering. Rather, the mortal mind instinctively 
  ignores the city and scours it from one's memory. Throughout 
  history, thousands have flown over the city or seen it from the 
  cave mouths linking it to the outside world, but almost every 
  single person—be they man, beast, or dragon—has forgotten 
  the city or outright ignored it. 
  Forcing one's mind to view and comprehend the city requires 
  a successful DC 22 Intelligence saving throw. Characters that 
  succeed on this saving throw must later succeed on a DC 30 
  Intelligence saving throw to remember the city at all. A creature 
  that fails this saving throw but is still compelled to enter the city 
  acts normally but forgets the city's existence after they leave—
  if they manage to leave. 
  Inscrutable evil permeates the city. Visitors inherently know 
  that something here is wrong, and it's not just the architecture 
  or the way the sky seems to take on a strange green shade when 
  seen from the ground. Visitors can sense a growing cancer far, 
  far beneath the earth—and they can't shake the feeling that it is 
  aware of their presence.  
  Architecture. The city was built not for mortal minds and its 
  citizens enjoyed non-Euclidean architecture that shouldn't be 
  possible with normal masonry. Ordinary folk are disoriented 
  just from looking at its structures, which undulate to upwards 
  of 100 feet in height.  
  The city is multi-tiered; arches connect many structures at 
  multiple levels and stairs spiral upwards with no guard railings.  
  Temples. The city's grandest structure are temples dedicated 
  to ancient gods that only the greatest experts of the occult can—
  and dare—name. The most prominent entity is represented by 
  an eight-fingered hand with a fanged maw in its palm. With a 
  successful DC 22 Arcana check, a character can identify this as 
  the icon of Moander the Returner, an elder evil of rot and decay. 
  A character that succeeds on this check must also succeed on a 
  DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or succumb to a form of Short-
  Term Madness (see App. C).  
  Catacombs lie beneath each temple, stuffed with mummified 
  corpses of strange alien beings. Every catacomb ends with a 
  massive stone slab inscribed with harmless but disturbing runes. 
  A slab can be moved with a DC 25 Athletics check. Moving a 
  slab grants access to the vaults beneath the city (see below).  
  Resting. Creatures that sleep (naturally, or by a sleep spell) 
  in the city must make a DC 20 Intelligence saving throw upon 
  waking up, taking 18 (3d8) psychic damage on a failure, or half 
  as much damage on a success. On a failure, a creature also 
  develops a form of Long-Term Madness (see Appendix C) and 
  doesn't gain the benefits of a long rest. Their dreams are haunted 
  by nightmares of the Far Realms and whispers from some entity 
  beneath the earth assuring them that it shall one day return to 
  reduce this world's inhabitants to madness.  
   
   
   
  
   
  14 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  THE VAULTS BELOW 
  Countless chambers lie beneath the city, accessible 
  from above through the city's catacombs. Were their 
  inhabitants dead, they too could be considered catacombs, and 
  explorers are likely to confuse them for such. Within these 
  vaults, star spawn slumber en masse, awaiting their thunderous 
  return to the world above. All creatures within these vaults are 
  in stasis; they do not need to eat or sleep while hibernating, and 
  they do not age. Taking any damage causes a creature to wake 
  up, as does a loud noise (such as a scream or thunderclap spell).  
  Map. Every chamber complex is identical; hundreds of them 
  lie beneath the city with every exit sealed. Refer to The Phoenix 
  Diadem above. Every square if 5 feet. A chamber complex has 
  the following features: 
  • Every chamber is sealed by a massive stone slab that requires 
  a DC 25 Athletics check to move.  
  • Stars on the map represent statues dedicated to Moander, the 
  elder evil who fathered these star spawn. The mortal mind 
  can't withstand the sight of these statues and is compelled to 
  look away, or simply ignore the statue. Characters that behold 
  a statue, willingly or not, take 3 (1d6) psychic damage. Star 
  spawn are immune to this effect.   
  • A 40-foot-deep pit gapes in Area A, at the bottom of which 
  slumbers an oozing shambling mound (it counts as an ooze, 
  and its Engulf and Slam attacks deal acid damage).  
  • The chambers adjacent to Area A each contain a star spawn 
  grue and 1d4 creatures with the statistics of nothics. The 
  northwest chamber's creatures are slowly being dissolved 
  into a soup to nourish the star spawn when they awaken.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  • A star spawn larva mage clad in a robe of stars (DMG pg. 
  194) floats before the statue in Area B. If awoken, it rouses 
  all other star spawn in the chamber. Attempting to steal the 
  robe also disturbs it.  
  • Area C is streaked with sickening shades of yellow and green 
  thanks to a rift swirling between the pillars. Non-aberrations 
  that linger here for more than a minute must succeed on a DC 
  22 Wisdom saving throw or take 22 (4d10) psychic damage 
  and succumb to a form of Indefinite Madness (see Appendix 
  C). A creature takes half as much damage on a success and 
  does not succumb to madness. A creature can attune to this 
  area as if it were a magic item; a character that does can cast 
  divination, contacting an entity of the Far Realms.  
  • The pool in Area D is filled with gray slime, out from which 
  loom petrified humanoids eerily similar to humans but with 
  brutish brows; a legend lore spell confirms them as ancestors 
  to modern humans. Within the pool slumbers a star spawn 
  hulk and 1d4+2 star spawn grues.  
   
  THE AWAKENING  
  No creature in the cosmos, mortal or divine, knows when the 
  star spawn are due to awaken. The answer even eludes deities 
  of knowledge and fate. Slaying them now may be the world's 
  only hope for survival—but, as Fernyxis worries, waking them 
  prematurely may just spark an apocalypse that the world isn't 
  ready for. Intruders that wake the creatures had better eradicate 
  all therein, lest the survivors marshal their kin and get started 
  on the future they were promised by Moander.  
   
   
  A 
  B 
  C 
  D 
  
   
  15 
  AT WORLD'S END 
  Polar or Polar Night Encounter Tier I or IV 
   
  At the very epicenter of the North Pole shines an orb of celestial 
  light—a portal linked to the planet's South Pole. Those who 
  enter the portal's alabaster light are brought to an icy expanse 
  of the Feywild. The expanse is ten miles long and hemmed in 
  by glacial cliffs that drop into a frigid sea. An aurora dances 
  above, strung up between twin pillars of light that pierce the 
  sky. The expanse is pocked by glaciers and patches of ice, 
  making it a dangerous hike for the careless. Those who survive 
  the trek and exit from the opposite portal emerge at the opposite 
  end of the material world, thus sparing them months or even 
  years of travel across the globe.  
  Alas, these portals are but a seasonal convenience, appearing 
  only during the summer and winter solstices. Travelers eager to 
  circumnavigate the world will make biannual pilgrimages to the 
  portals, either arriving by their lonesome or choosing to travel 
  in vast groups. Migrants, merchants, and refugees alike rely on 
  the portals to escape the North or South. This frigid expanse is 
  not without its perils, however. Capricious fey haunt the pass as 
  the solstices draw near, eager to ensorcell mortals and bring 
  them back to their own demesnes in the Feywild.  
  Travelers. During the solstices, refugees and travelers gather 
  at the poles. They typically consist of 2d10+10 commoners, 
  guarded by 1d3 veterans and 1d6+4 tribal warriors. Other 
  unique individuals (adventurers and the like) are likely to take 
  advantage of the portal. Although it has happened only a few 
  times throughout history, a nation might send its army to the 
  portal to invade another nation on the other end of the globe.  
  Notably, a tribe of 3d10+10 aarakocra utilize the portal to 
  migrate twice a year, traveling to the North Pole on the summer 
  solstice and the South Pole on the winter solstice. The tribe is 
  led by Chieftesss Oorra An'kel, an aarakocra with a Wisdom 
  score of 16 (+3) and a Strength score of 15 (+2). The tribe has 
  learned the hard way that they can't trust other travelers and 
  refugees to behave; they are perpetually wary of others and 
  choose to fly away from danger rather than confront it.  
  Fey Predators. On a good day, the expanse is haunted by only 
  a handful of fey. During the summer solstice, 1d6+4 satyrs (one 
  of which wields satyr pipes (see the Monster Manual) await 
  travelers in the pass, promising good cheer and good times to 
  whomever accompanies them deeper into the Feywild. During 
  the winter solstice, 2d4+3 darklings prey upon travelers after 
  dark. On either solstice, a pack of 1d6+3 yeth hounds menace 
  hikers. Occasionally, an archfey comes to offer impressive 
  individuals his or her patronage.  
   
  ON THE EVE OF ETERNAL NIGHT 
  Polar Night, Tier IV 
  The Forsworn, the secretive order of outcasts seeking to drape 
  the Arctic in an eternal polar night, intend to pervert this portal. 
  The Shadowfell surrounds the mortal world just as the Feywild 
  does; some scholars claim they are mirrored opposites. By 
  altering the portal's magical properties, the Forsworn can link 
  the portal to the Shadowfell, allowing darkness to seep into the 
  mortal world unabated.  
  For more details on this secretive order, see the Eternal Night 
  sample storyline. If this encounter occurs at the North Pole, the 
  event occurs on the winter solstice; if "the Arctic" is the South 
  Pole, it occurs on the day of the summer solstice.  
   
  On the day of the solstice, as travelers march to a fresh start 
  on the opposite end of the globe, the Forsworn invade the portal 
  under cover of darkness. They consist of:  
  • Yasne Illiwan, a disgraced drow matron mother that founded 
  the Forsworn to create her own kingdom of darkness on the 
  surface. Although she is still faithful to Lolth, her evil deity, 
  the drow has cozied up to Mother Night (also known as Shar, 
  the goddess of darkness in the Forgotten Realms) that many 
  of the Forsworn worship.  
  • A number of exiled shadar-kai elves: a soul monger, 1d3+1 
  shadow dancers, the gloom weaver Narwyn (if she survived 
  The Altar of Mother Night), plus 2d6+2 cult fanatics (see the 
  Shadar-Kai Traits sidebar).   
  • 2d6+2 drow, three drow elite warriors, a drow mage, Soryn, 
  Yasne's drow favored consort, and the drow house captain 
  Vhondryl, Yasne's lover and champion.  
   
  The Forsworn must close the opposite portal so that its power 
  flows to its twin. To do so, they must escort Soryn there, where 
  he casts a 5th-level dispel magic spell to temporarily close the 
  portal for up to five minutes. Soryn must concentrate (as if on a 
  spell) to keep the portal closed, otherwise it roars back open. 
  While it's closed, Yasne must cast a modified gate spell at the 
  original portal using an action. The portal becomes permanently 
  affixed to the Shadowfell if Yasne concentrates on her spell for 
  one minute. Her spell fails if the opposite portal opens again in 
  the meantime. If successful, she links the Shadowfell to the 
  Material Plane, allowing its darkness to seep into the world. 
  Creatures within the Feywild have one minute to escape back 
  into the Material Plane (either by reopening the opposite portal 
  or by diving into the dying light of the nearer portal).  
  Escorts. Once they enter the Feywild, the Forsworn divide 
  themselves into the following groups:  
  • Soryn, three drow elite warriors, half the drow, the drow 
  mage, and the soul monger depart for the opposite portal. 
  Soryn has prepared wind walk instead of chain lightning to 
  get him and up to nine companions to the other side of the 
  expanse.  
  • Yasne, Vhondryl, half the drow, and the remaining shadar-kai 
  remain at the original portal. The Forsworn consider Soryn 
  expendable, but not Yasne, trusting that, should they fail, the 
  order can rise again later, should she survive.  
   
  Yasne's Demise. If Yasne is successful, the Shadowfell portal 
  groans open with such force that it draws her into the realm's 
  most dismal parts. In moments, she's hurled into the Negative 
  Plane itself; if not for Lolth's favor, she would surely die. Alas, 
  her entry into that fell plane releases a nightwalker into the 
  Material Plane. The surviving Forsworn escape back into the 
  mortal world, rejoicing—that is, until the nightwalker snuffs 
  them out. See the Nightfall encounter for details.  
   
   
  SHADAR KAI TRAITS 
  The shadar-kai are the elves whose ancient exodus to the Shadowfell 
  has left them and their children forever changed. Every shadar-kai 
  character has the following traits: 
  • A shadar-kai elf has darkvision to a range of 60 feet.  
  • They have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and 
  magic can't put them to sleep.  
  • They have resistance to necrotic damage.  
  • Once per long rest, they can use a bonus action to teleport to an 
  unoccupied space they can see within 30 feet. Until the start of 
  their next turn, they have resistance to all damage.  
  
   
  16 
  AURORA ARCANA 
  Weather Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Once again, the Arctic is graced by the soothing light of the 
  aurora. Characters who have never seen the aurora before gain 
  Inspiration, which they must use within the next seven days. 
  Individuals who have beheld the aurora before can also gain 
  Inspiration if they succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw.   
  Although it is no less inspiring, tonight's lights are different. 
  Characters with the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature notice 
  sigils dancing in the light. Any seer can recognize this as an 
  omen promising imminent upheaval. The sigils stand in sharp 
  contrast to the aurora, both in color and movement: the aurora 
  trembles eastward and the sigils seem to push against the flow 
  of light. To non-spellcasters, nothing seems amiss; the aurora 
  looks as it ordinarily does.  
  As this spectacle unfolds, certain spellcasters in the region are 
  empowered (as determined by the color of the aurora arcana; 
  see the table above). Until dawn, these spellcasters can add their 
  spellcasting ability modifier to the damage rolls of their spells. 
  If the aurora arcana's color is azure, clerics of the light divine 
  domain are especially invigorated; they can reroll any 1s they 
  receive when rolling the damage dice of spells that deal radiant 
  damage.  
  Lore. A character that succeeds on a DC 14 Arcana check 
  recalls that the aurora arcana is an omen awaited by many. 
  Some take it as the implicit approval of the gods; others regard 
  it as the opportunity to rewrite their own destinies. Amongst the 
  glacier dwarves, it is a grim omen; to the snow elves, it marks 
  a new era; the darfellan believe it signals the conception of a 
  messiah, whom they eagerly await; and tundra halflings see it 
  as a miracle to celebrate with hastily-thrown festivals.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  The aurora arcana is an omen awaited by many—and it might 
  be the event that triggers some of the more disastrous affairs of 
  your campaign. If you're using any of the sample storylines 
  provided in this supplement, or linking it to other encounters, it 
  can mark a dramatic shift or victory. For example:   
  • It may herald the birth of the darfellan messiah (see Darfellan 
  Messiah). 
  • It may signal to the hags of the Dark Sisterhood storyline that 
  now is the time to put aside their reservations and form a 
  coven, in which case Hag Summit occurs.  
  • It may herald the return of the Flayed Queen, or the death of 
  her jailor (see Army of the Damned and The Glacial Prison).  
  • It may signal that the star spawn described in At the Mountains 
  of Madness are due to awaken.  
  • It may be the sign that Masra (of Temple of the Frostmaiden) 
  needs to throw her lot in with Withrens Fyar, the architect of 
  the Dire Winter storyline.  
   
  AURORA ARCANA 
  d6 
  Color 
  Spellcasting Ability 
  1-2 
  Alabaster 
  Intelligence 
  3-4 
  Orange 
  Charisma 
  5-6 
  Azure 
  Wisdom 
   
  AVALANCHE! 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier I-II 
   
  The avalanche is the most iconic danger of mountain travel. An 
  avalanche can wipe away trees, destroy buildings, and slaughter 
  countless souls. You can run this in addition to many of this 
  supplement's other encounters, such as A Clash of Earth and 
  Sky, Snow Bulette, or Forer-Slag!  
  Avalanches occur when the force exceeds the strength of the 
  snowpack upholding it. Contrary to popular belief, avalanches 
  are not triggered by mundane sound, but they are triggered by 
  erosion, rainfall, storms, rockfalls, and even something as 
  simple as the snow melting from sunlight. Avalanches may also 
  be triggered by magic—a shatter or thunderwave spell, or the 
  thunderous blows of an elemental being. A traveler shouting in 
  the mountains will not cause an avalanche, but a careless mage 
  can with a stray spell.  
   
  RUNNING AN AVALANCHE 
  Avalanches aren't always deadly, but this encounter concerns 
  only those that are. Consider the following: 
  Size. An avalanche's lethality is determined by its size. When 
  creatures come into contact with an avalanche, they must make 
  a DC 15 Strength saving throw, taking the damage described 
  below on a failure, or half as much on a success. On a success, 
  a character manages to swim with the avalanche, staying within 
  1d6 feet of the surface.  
  • A Small-sized avalanche typically covers 150 to 650 feet and 
  reaches the end of the slope it began at. It inflicts 11 (2d10) 
  bludgeoning damage to creatures it overtakes.  
  • A Medium-sized avalanche usually covers 700 to 1,000 feet 
  and can continue traveling on flat terrain for up to 150 feet. 
  It inflicts 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage to creatures caught 
  in its grasp. It also can destroy small buildings and rip away 
  all but the mightiest of trees.  
  • A Large-sized avalanche covers 3200 to 6500 feet and can 
  continue traveling on flat terrain for up to 150 feet. Creatures 
  caught in its grasp take 33 (6d10) bludgeoning damage. The 
  avalanche can also destroy most buildings, and even level 
  entire sections of forest.  
   
  Speed. An avalanche's foremost tide moves forward 40+3d10 
  feet every round at initiative count 15 (losing initiative ties). A 
  character that is overtaken by the avalanche must attempt the 
  Strength saving throw described above. 
  Obstacles. Depending on the size of an avalanche, characters 
  in its path may resort to obstacles to escape it. A character that 
  is within 10 feet of the avalanche's tide must succeed on a DC 
  10+1d6 Dexterity saving throw to reach the obstacle. With a 
  DC 13 Nature or Survival check, a character can determine if 
  an object will hold up to the avalanche. For example, a tree can 
  withstand a Small-sized avalanche, but not a Medium one. A 
  character can climb the tree or hold onto it to avoid being swept 
  up by the avalanche.  
   
   
  
   
  17 
  Buried Survivors. It is incredibly difficult for the ordinary 
  person to free themselves from an avalanche once they've been 
  buried. Once the snow settles, it becomes as dense as concrete. 
  Most folk have no choice but to wait for rescue, making oxygen 
  and the cold their chief concerns. A character typically has only 
  1d10+5 minutes of oxygen available to them. Consider these:  
  • A buried character that succeeds on a DC 20 Strength check 
  can dig through 1d6+4 feet of snow.  
  • A character that succeeds on a DC 12 Survival check recalls 
  that they should dig a small pocket near their face for oxygen. 
  On a success, they increase their oxygen supply to 4d10+10 
  minutes.  
  • By being submerged in snow, a creature is exposed to extreme 
  cold, even if they're wearing heavy furs or other cold weather 
  gear. They must make Constitution saving throws against 
  extreme cold every 10 minutes, instead of every hour. Only 
  creatures with resistance or immunity to cold damage do not 
  need to make saving throws against extreme cold.  
  • A character that detect a buried character with a successful DC 
  14 Perception check (except while in a Skill Challenge).  
   
  AVALANCHE SKILL CHALLENGE 
  You can run an avalanche as a Skill Challenge. The avalanche's 
  size determines the difficulty. This Skill Challenge is ran after 
  the avalanche occurs but elements of it occur before or during 
  the avalanche.  
  Preparation. This phase represents identifying the avalanche 
  before or while it occurs. Characters can antecedently attempt 
  these ability checks to determine whether their character was 
  prepared for the avalanche or if they reacted accordingly to the 
  danger. Typically, a character can only attempt one of these, 
  and once one or two of the party members have, no more 
  Preparation ability checks can be made. Suggestions include:  
  • A Survival check recalls the necessary precautions one must 
  take to survive an avalanche, such as "swimming" along the 
  surface, hiding behind appropriate obstacles, and digging out 
  a pocket of air if one is buried.  
  • Through an Investigation check, a character may possess the 
  wherewithal to leave signs that indicate where they've been 
  buried, such as a bright scrap of cloth or a weapon.  
  • A Nature check can identify avalanche-prone areas by slope 
  and the consistency of local snowfall.  
  • A Perception check allows a character to detect the avalanche 
  just as it occurs in the distance, by either sight or sound.  
  • An Acrobatics check can be made by a character that was hit 
  by the avalanche to maintain their balance, possibly riding on 
  the avalanche's surface, or remaining on an obstacle that they 
  used to weather the tide.  
   
  Survival. Characters that are buried by the avalanche are in 
  the Survival phase and must take measures to withstand the 
  extreme cold and limited oxygen while waiting for rescue, or to 
  free themselves.  
  • A buried character that succeeds on a DC 20 Strength check 
  can dig through 1d6+4 feet of snow. This counts as a success 
  for the skill challenge, but not a failure. If the character frees 
  themselves from the snow, they can partake in Rescue-related 
  ability checks. Once one party member has succeeded on this 
  type of ability check, it no longer counts as a success if other 
  characters succeed on it later.  
  • A spell dealing fire damage, such as produce flame or burning 
  hands, can melt snow.  
   
  AVALANCHE SKILL CHALLENGE 
  Size 
  Difficulty 
  DC 
  Successes 
  Small 
  Easy 
  10-14 
  3 
  Medium 
  Medium 
  14-18 
  5 
  Large 
  Hard 
  18-22 
  8 
   
  • An Investigation check can be made to determine which way 
  is up and to create a pocket of air to breathe.   
  • An Acrobatics check can be made to free one's limbs from the 
  crushing snow.  
  • An Insight check can be made to calm oneself or gather their 
  wits, allowing them to think clearly.  
   
  Rescue. Characters that aren't buried under snow can rescue 
  others. The risk here represents rescuing all characters before 
  they run out of oxygen or freeze to death.  
  • A Perception check allows a character to detect someone. A 
  failure delays finding another character by 1d6 minutes.   
  • An Athletics check can be made to dig a character out of the 
  snow. Having a shovel or similar implement adds a +2 bonus 
  to their ability check. A failure also costs a character another 
  1d6 minutes before they realize they've failed the task.  
  • An Investigation check can allow a character to map out where 
  and when the avalanche would have taken them. A failure 
  means a character wasted 1d4 minutes attempting to map out 
  someone's path or followed a false trail.   
  • A spell of locate creature or locate object allows a character 
  to find their target quickly. 
   
  Aftermath. If all characters are rescued from the snow but the 
  party has yet to succeed or fail the challenge, the Aftermath 
  phase begins, which represents taking measures to avoid hypo-
  thermia, collecting belongings, or avoiding confusion.  
  • An Insight check allows a character to recognize where they 
  stand in the changed landscape.  
  • Through an Investigation check, a character can map out the 
  avalanche's path of destruction, which may inform them of 
  what was buried or destroyed.  
  • A Survival check allows a character to determine how far off-
  course the avalanche pushed them.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  Like a shipwreck, an avalanche is another opportunity for your 
  campaign's story, not an end. You can use it to kill off additional 
  characters, separate the adventurers, interrupt a battle, or shake-
  up the plot. It should never be used with the intent of actually 
  killing the entire party.  
   
   
   
  
   
  18 
  BARBEGAZI SKATER 
  Polar or Tundra Encounter, Tier I-III 
   
  The barbegazi (or "frost gnomes" in Common) are fond of icy 
  slopes and vast, frozen expanses where they can pursue their 
  own strange passions—skiing, bandy, and other sports arctic 
  folk consider decadent and foolhardy. The gnome that the party 
  encounters, as they cross a frozen lake or expanse of ice, is busy 
  skating at extraordinary speeds. As they soon learn, the gnome 
  is fleeing from a young remorhaz, remorhaz, or purple worm 
  (determined by whether you run this encounter at Tier I, II or 
  III, respectively).  
  Frantic Skater. Rasmorn Murnig was out practicing for his 
  warren's annual skating competition when he first felt a tremor 
  echo out through the ice. Like the dedicated athlete he is, he 
  dismissed it to focus on honing his toe loop maneuvers. Soon, 
  a creature burst from the ice; were it not for his extraordinary 
  talent as a skater, the gnome would've been in the beast's jaws.  
  Rasmorn is a LG bandit with the following changes: 
  • He reads, writes and speaks only Gnomish.  
  • He is Small and has a speed of 25 feet.  
  • He has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.  
  • He has advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma 
  saving throws made against magic.  
  • He has resistance to cold damage. 
  • He can move across icy surfaces without needing to make an 
  ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice 
  and snow doesn't impede his movement. While moving down 
  slopes of ice or snow, he has advantage on Acrobatics checks 
  to maintain his balance.  
  • He wears a pair of skates of permanent, sculpted ice, which 
  are worth 100 gp each, or 250 gp for the pair.  
   
  The party first sights the gnome in the distance; his beard is 
  coated in ice. A successful DC 13 History check identifies him 
  as a frost gnome and the strange shoes he's wearing as "skates." 
  As the barbegazi skates towards them, they hear his alarmed 
  shouts. A character that speaks Gnomish that succeeds on a DC 
  12 Perception check understands that he's shouting, "Ice worm! 
  Ice worm! Run!"  
  A character that succeeds on a DC 14 Insight check feels a 
  tremor echo out from the ground and successfully interprets it 
  as a huge creature burrowing through the ice. That creature soon 
  bursts from below, showering the scene with a hailstorm of 
  icicles. Without their intervention, Rasmorn is doomed to die in 
  the beast's belly.  
  If Rasmorn is slain, he professes his thanks in Gnomish and 
  leads them to his warren, where his clan treats the party to a 
  meal of cold noodles and roasted caribou. Provided the party 
  can communicate with them, the barbegazi also offer to teach 
  the adventurers how to skate. A promising student that succeeds 
  on both a DC 15 Acrobatics check and DC 17 Performance 
  check is rewarded with a pair of skates of the nimble dancer 
  (see the sidebar).  
  BARK OF THE WERESEAL 
  Sea Encounter, Tier II 
   
  A wereseal haunts the frigid coastlines and ice floes. Unlike 
  other lycanthropes, wereseals are not inherently evil; many just 
  wish to live in peace among walruses or seals, free from the 
  suspicions of ordinary men. 
  While at sea, traveling along the coast, or crossing ice floes, 
  the adventurers encounter a wereseal, who is already engaged 
  in some other activity. 
  Roleplaying the Wereseal. Born as Amaruq ("grey wolf"), 
  the ordinary human fell prey to a wereseal's vicious bite as he 
  and his brethren were hunting seals along the coast. For all his 
  life, Amaruq believed the dark tales spun by his people—tales 
  that claimed he would a become monster destined to slaughter 
  his family and betray his tribe. Wishing to spare them from such 
  a fate, Amaruq abandoned his wife and children to find peace 
  at sea. He has since come to consider his pod of lion seals as his 
  new family. Although Amaruq is now confident in his ability to 
  control his curse, he fears that he has been gone too long—that 
  his family may be dead or even revile him. This is his greatest 
  sorrow, and it eats at him every day.  
  Amaruq has his moments of weakness; whenever he has a foe 
  at his mercy, he must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw 
  to ignore the urge to kill them.  
  Treasure. Amaruq carries a spear and wears a parka when he 
  is on dry land. He also has a mask carved from walrus ivory (50 
  gp). He wears this mask whenever he is in his true form, as he 
  fears retaliation against his family, should he be recognized.  
   
  AGAINST MEN 
  The wereseal is protective of his newfound kin, the walruses 
  and seals of the Arctic. Intolerant of seal hunters, Amaruq can 
  be found terrorizing men. He mainly uses his spear, wishing to 
  avoid spreading the curse of lycanthropy. Survivors flee back 
  home to spread word of the wereseal that has forbidden hunting 
  pinnipeds. A bounty has been put out, promising glory and gold 
  (100 gp's worth in walrus ivory) to whomever slays the beast.  
  Amaruq might attack the adventurers if they near the territory 
  of his sea lion pod, or if he considers them a threat. 
  At Sea. The adventurers encounter a boat of two shellshocked 
  tribal warriors who warn them of the wereseal hunting in the 
  east. Three of their brethren were slain by the beast and another 
  drowned in the frigid sea.   
  On Shore. 1d4+2 tribal warriors are advancing on seals on 
  the shore. As they approach, Amaruq assumes his hybrid form 
  and attacks.  
   
  AGAINST BEASTS 
  The wereseal preys upon the same creatures his namesake does. 
  Unlike an ordinary seal, however, the lycanthrope can also prey 
  on killer whales. The adventurers find him ravaging a whale 
  while in his hybrid form or feeding on it in the water. With a 
  successful DC 14 Nature check, a character recalls that orcas 
  prey on seals—so how is one eating a whale? Should they come 
  to investigate the corpse, Amaruq attacks. 
  Amaruq may also have led his pod of sea lions to the whale's 
  corpse, allowing them to ironically dine on their chief predator. 
   
   
   
  SKATES OF THE NIMBLE DANCER 
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) 
  While you're moving on ice and wearing these skates, you have 
  advantage on ability checks to maintain your balance and saving 
  throws made against being knocked prone. 
  Additionally, this magic item has 3 charges. It regains 1d3 
  expended charges daily at dawn. While you're on ice, you can 
  expend a charge to take the Disengage action as a bonus action.  
  
   
  19 
  AGAINST MONSTERS 
  The wereseal cannot tolerate other predators in his waters and 
  actively seeks out chuuls, merrows, and other aquatic horrors. 
  Because he, like true seals, hunts penguins, Amaruq might also 
  encounter a penguinwere (a jackalwere variant described in 
  The Penguinwere).  
  Under this variant, the adventurers encounter the wereseal as 
  he battles against some watery monster. While the battle occurs 
  in the water, the wereseal remains in his seal form. The party is 
  given a front-row seat to a monster impotently clawing at what 
  seems to be an ordinary seal. Its attacks leave only light grazes 
  that the seal shrugs off.  
  Treasure. The monster may carry treasure:  
  • A chuul carries an uncommon magic item, which it intends to 
  bury in a cache designated by its ancient aboleth masters. It 
  clutches a ring of warmth, an eversmoking bottle, or a cloak 
  of the manta ray (DMG pg. 193, 168, & 159, respectively).   
  • A merrow is adorned in 1d6+2 bracelets and pendants of gold, 
  each worth 20 gp. It also carries a trident of warning (see pg. 
  213 of the DMG). 
  • A penguinwere may carry a hag eye if it serves the bheur hag 
  coven described in the Dark Sisterhood. See MM pg. 177.  
   
  THE BEAST OF BUTCHERY 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier IV 
   
  The Arctic's gnolls have been blessed with the presence of their 
  creator, Yeenoghu, the Beast of Butchery. Just how the demon 
  prince has been allowed into the mortal world matters little; the 
  abomination must be slain, lest his rampage sunders the Arctic. 
  Yeenoghu's arrival has set off magical sensors and alarms all 
  over the world, but it will be some time before diviners interpret 
  these signs and alert the world's heroes. With the adventurers 
  already in the Arctic, it falls to them to defeat the demon—or at 
  least hold him off until reinforcements arrive.  
  Origins. Fiends cannot simply wade into the Material Plane; 
  they must be summoned, and conjuring a demon prince requires 
  great magic indeed. While the summoning of a demon prince is 
  a campaign unto itself, you can quickly determine the identity 
  and purpose of the summoner from these options:  
  • A nagpa who will loot the corpse of civilization for forbidden 
  and arcane knowledge after Yeenoghu has finished his tour 
  of destruction.   
  • A drow matron mother cast gate and bid Yeenoghu into this 
  world so that Lolth, his demonic adversary, can infringe upon 
  his territory in the Abyss while he rampages across the 
  Material Plane. The matron mother may or may not have 
  escaped from the scene of the summoning.  
  • A warlock of the fiend found a candle of invocation (see pg. 
  157 of the DMG) capable of summoning demons.  
  • A misguided planetar and its angels sought to duel the demon 
  prince but were not up to the task. Seeking equal footing, the 
  foolish celestial summoned him to the Material Plane.  
   
  Facing the Beast. As Yeenoghu rampages across the Arctic, 
  gnolls all over the region flock to feed on his leftover kills. The 
  Beast of Butchery is accompanied by a flind, two mutated 
  shoosuvas with a flying speed of 40 ft. each, and two gnoll 
  hunters that fire off arrows from Yeenoghu's shoulders. You 
  can draw upon any number of gnolls to fill out the battle; their 
  horde is only minutes away.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE 
  The world's premiere heroes (or the next best thing) arrive mid-
  combat. On the fourth round of combat, an archmage teleports 
  into view. The identity of this wizard is up to you; you can use 
  Homer Erendalias of Homer's Hovering Hovel as a default. The 
  archmage already lacks a 1st, 3rd, and 7th level spell slot (used 
  for mage armor, fly, and teleport spells) and uses a 9th-level 
  spell slot as an action to summon his allies: 
  • A reluctant N human blackguard named Sytal Foebreaker 
  • A NG drow shadowblade named Nivvia Rhomduil 
  • A LG high elf war priest named Wraneirosa  
   
  Tactics. The heroes quickly add their power to the party's, 
  using the following tactics.  
  • On his first turn, the archmage casts disintegrate at 8th-level 
  (96 (15d6+40) force damage). On his second turn, he casts 
  wall of force to contain Yeenoghu (which the demon later 
  counters with dispel magic), which ends the wizard's fly spell. 
  Yeenoghu's gnolls quickly swarm the wizard to break his 
  concentration.  
  • On his first turn, Sytal casts blinding smite, dealing 13 (3d8) 
  radiant damage on Yeenoghu.  
  • On her first turn, Nivvia Shadow Steps onto Yeenoghu's back 
  (or casts darkness on a chunk of his armor if the battle occurs 
  in bright light). Her following turns are spent plunging her 
  shadow blades into the demon's nape.  
  • On her first turn, Wraneirosa casts flame strike, dealing 14 fire 
  and 14 radiant damage; Yeenoghu is immune to fire damage, 
  however. On her second turn, she casts guardian of faith and 
  charges Yeenoghu. On her third turn, the priest casts spiritual 
  weapon.  
   
  The Brass Adventists. Alternatively, you can utilize the Brass 
  Adventists, an adventuring party described in the encounter of 
  the same name. By this point, they are a Tier III party. They've 
  answered the call not for altruism, but simply because they too 
  are citizens of the world and cannot afford a demon prince to 
  run rampant. Their resident wizard, Rogthun, uses a spell scroll 
  to teleport his comrades in. They employ the following tactics:   
  • Rogthun casts fly on himself on his first turn. His second is on 
  a 5th-level magic missile spell. Ascertaining that the demon 
  is immune to fire and cold damage, he continues casting the 
  same spell until he runs out of spell slots.  
  • Huell, wielding a +1 greatsword, valiantly charges Yeenoghu. 
  • Mornelia casts erupting earth on her first turn, blight on her 
  second, and tidal wave on her third. Her later turns are spent 
  casting healing word spells.  
  • On his first turn, Russyl summons a yeth hound with conjure 
  fey. Until his concentration is broken, he continues casting 
  eldritch blast. After the spell is broken, he follows up with 
  hold monster.  
   
   
   
  
   
  20 
  THE BEAST BUTCHERED 
  Yeenoghu does not go quietly into the night. When slain, the 
  demon makes three final Flail attacks before being banished 
  back to the Abyss where he regenerates. His earthly body must 
  be burned, and the ground hallowed by a hallow spell within 24 
  hours, otherwise the area is permanently corrupted by demonic 
  energies. Demonologists can take advantage of this newfound 
  corruption to summon fiends or open portals to the Abyss.  
  Additionally, gnolls that feed on Yeenoghu's corpse—and the 
  beasts will come, making a dark pilgrimage from all over the 
  continent—swell and explode, creating 1d6+4 more gnolls, 
  who can then feed on Yeenoghu's corpse. One single gnoll can 
  create a horde if allowed to dine upon its creator's sacred flesh.  
   
  BEREAVED SHIELD GUARDIAN 
  Polar or Tundra Encounter, Tier II 
   
  A bulky, gray figure in the distance roams in a cyclical pattern, 
  making no effort to hide. As one draws closer, they see that it is 
  a metallic knight of sorts—a construct. A successful DC 14 
  Arcana check identifies it as a shield guardian, a construct 
  created specifically by wizards for protection. Every guardian, 
  as this ability check recalls, is bound to an amulet. Whomsoever 
  wears that amulet exercises complete control over the construct, 
  making it an extraordinary find by scavengers. Fortunately for 
  the party, the amulet and its creator are right under their noses.  
  The shield guardian is making a circuit around a fixed point; 
  in other words, it's patrolling the area as if to guard something. 
  It only pauses when it detects a nearby creature; sure enough, 
  this point is proven when a bird passes by. The guardian tenses 
  up as this happens, locking its eyeless gaze on the creature; it 
  resumes its patrol after the bird leaves. After a minute of careful 
  study and a successful DC 13 Insight check, the character 
  realizes that the construct was likely given orders to patrol this 
  area and is thus guarding something of great importance. 
  If the adventurers approach the area, the construct attacks.   
  Dead Wizard. The guardian's master and creator is dead, 
  buried beneath a week's worth of snow. A little digging reveals 
  the ash of a campfire, a collapsed tent, and the wizard's corpse. 
  A DC 13 Medicine check reveals he died to hypothermia. The 
  wizard's icy demise is likely owed to a sudden blizzard, be it 
  mundane or the one caused by the Living Blizzard encounter. 
  The wizard is curled up in a fetal position with the control 
  amulet around his neck. Rigor mortis and ice have made the 
  corpse unpliable, to say the least. Outside of combat, the corpse 
  can be easily lifted, and the amulet removed. To retrieve the 
  amulet in one swift motion during combat requires a DC 14 
  Strength check made as an action.  
  Sudden Adversity. In the aftermath of their encounter with 
  the shield guardian, the adventurers are attacked by a frost 
  salamander (or a remorhaz, if you so wish), which has been 
  drawn to their heat. The creature bursts from below.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  Be aware that, should the adventurers successfully retrieve the 
  wizard's amulet, they'll have complete control over the shield 
  guardian. This construct adds immense firepower to the party—
  which may just be your way of rounding out a low number of 
  players or justifying even deadlier encounters.  
   
   
  THE BRASS ADVENTISTS 
  Character Encounter, Tier I-III 
   
  Some are born legends; some are destined to save the world. 
  Not the Brass Adventists, a selfish adventuring party currently 
  roaming the Arctic. Some would describe them as evil, others 
  as opportunists. All who've met them would agree that they're 
  utter bastards in search of their next reward.  
  The Brass Adventists can be encountered virtually anywhere, 
  acting as the foils to your adventurers. They may snake a reward 
  out from under them or wind up in the same dungeon. They may 
  cross paths at a hot spring or share a drink at the tavern. They 
  may be on the same quest the adventurers are, in which case it 
  becomes a race to see who can finish it quicker. They might 
  even be tasked by a hag to retrieve a seemingly insignificant 
  item that will later cause great harm to the Arctic.  
  Goals. The Brass Adventists are motivated by gold, glory, 
  and power. Although they're selfish and err towards evil, they 
  are not inherently inclined to throw their lot in with some of the 
  more destructive factions of the Arctic. They themselves would 
  suffer should the plans of Withrens Fyar succeed, for example, 
  and would likely oppose him—or just leave the Arctic entirely.  
  Tactics. The Adventists are, first and foremost, opportunists. 
  They fight only when they must and prefer ambushes to open 
  conflict. Most of their engagements are handled by Russyl's deft 
  hands and silent steps.  
  At Higher Levels. The Brass Adventists can level up along-
  side your adventurers to further challenge them. By running this 
  encounter at Tier II or III, the Adventists have new and better 
  statistics, making them comparable foils for the party.  
   
  HUELL BRADSHAW: HUMAN WARRIOR 
  Words are Huell Bradshaw's weapons. This formidable human 
  warrior learned long ago that a well-placed lie can win the day 
  more often than well-placed steel. Huell has fought three wars: 
  one as a reluctant conscript, and two as a smiling sellsword. 
  Huell has, secretly, founded the Adventists twice now. The first 
  Adventists perished in a dungeon crawling with undead. To his 
  credit, Huell stayed by his companions' side until the bitter end, 
  for he considers loyalty in the face of danger to be the greatest 
  ideal a person can have.  
   
   
   
  
   
  21 
  The Adventists' second generation began when Huell met the 
  kenku, Russyl. His silver tongue has kept this dysfunctional 
  family together these last two years.  
  Statistics. Huell is a LE human veteran with a Charisma of 
  16 (+3) and a +5 bonus to Deception and Persuasion. He wields 
  a rapier instead of a longsword (+5 to hit, 7 (1d8+3) piercing 
  damage on a hit) as well as a buckler, raising his AC to 19.  
  Roleplaying Huell. Huell is trapped between his selfishness 
  and his loyalty. He's most delighted when both traits line up. He 
  sees himself as the Adventists' father and leader; in his mind, he 
  is the glue that holds everything together, and the voice that puts 
  to rest all arguments. He feels at his most impotent whenever 
  he fails to wrangle the party, whenever his words fail, and 
  whenever he cannot dominate others in an argument. In another 
  life, Huell may have become a hotheaded lawyer.  
  You can voice Huell with the following sample dialogue: 
  • "You don't leave a brother behind."  
  • "Glory has no use among the dead."  
  • "Ask the dead where honor got them."   
  • "I am what I am." 
  • "The world is ours, if we're only willing to take it."  
  • "As long as we're true to each other, the world can smoke it."  
   
  At Higher Levels. At Tier II, Huell becomes a champion 
  with a Charisma of 16 (+3) and +6 bonuses to Deception and 
  Persuasion. At Tier III, he also has a +1 greatsword.   
   
  MORNELIA: ELVEN DRUID 
  Nature is the cudgel with which Mornelia intends to cow the 
  world. This druid is by far the most wicked of the Adventists; 
  even Huell is hesitant to speak to her flippantly.  
  Statistics. Mornelia is CE elven CE druid with the following 
  changes to her statistics:  
  • She can read, write, and speak Common and Elvish. 
  • She has advantage on saving throws against being charmed 
  and magic cannot put her to sleep.  
  • She has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. 
  • She has a movement speed of 35 feet.  
  • She can attempt to hide when lightly obscured by foliage, mist, 
  heavy rain, falling snow, and other natural phenomena.   
   
  Roleplaying Mornelia. There are few that will ever earn the 
  wicked druid's gratitude or appreciation; the jury's still out on 
  the Brass Adventists, whom Mornelia sees only as useful tools. 
  This changes at Tier II, however, after she has spent more time 
  with them. While she doesn’t change her stripes completely, she 
  now considers the Adventists as her adopted family. 
  At Higher Levels. Mornelia grows in power at later tiers. 
  Augment her statistics in the following ways: 
  • Her Wisdom increases to 16 (+3) and then 18 (+4) in Tier III, 
  which raises her spell save DC to 14 and then 15.   
  • Her hit points increase to 55 (10d8+10). 
  • Her proficiency bonus increases to +3.  
  • Her Spellcasting trait improves, and she gains Change Shape 
  as an ability (and starting in Tier III, she can change into a 
  CR 1 beast or lower). 
   
  Spellcasting. Mornelia is an 8th-level spellcaster. Wisdom is 
  her spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14, +5 to hit with spell 
  attacks). She has the following extra druid spells prepared: 
  3rd-level (3 slots): call lightning, erupting earth, tidal wave 
  4th-level (3 slots): blight, wall of fire 
   
   
   
  Change Shape (2/Day). As an action, the druid magically 
  polymorphs into a beast with a challenge rating of 1/2 or less 
  and without a flying speed. It can remain in this form for up 
  to 2 hours. The druid can choose whether its equipment falls 
  to the ground, melds with its new form, or is worn by the 
  new form. The druid reverts to its true form if it dies or falls 
  unconscious and it can revert to its true form using a bonus 
  action on its turn. 
  While in a new form, the druid retains its game statistics 
  and ability to speak, but its AC, movement modes, Strength 
  and Dexterity scores are replaced by those of the new form, 
  and it gains any special senses, proficiencies, traits, actions, 
  and reactions (except class features, legendary actions, and 
  lair actions) that the new form has but that it lacks. It cannot 
  speak or cast its spells while in this form. 
   
  ROGTHUN: OUTCAST ORC 
  Exiled from his tribe, Rogthun crossed paths with the fledgling 
  Adventists in the wild. Seeing the benefit of an alliance, the four 
  cleared cultists out of a dungeon and split the reward. After 
  being paid, Rogthun simply asked, "What's next?" He has been 
  with the Adventists ever since.  
  Statistics. Rogthun is a LN orog with an Intelligence of 14 
  (+2) and the Spellcasting trait: 
   
  Spellcasting. Rogthun is a 2nd-level spellcaster. Intelligence 
  is his spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with 
  spell attacks). He has the following wizard spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, mending, minor illusion 
  1st level (2 slots): burning hands, disguise self, shield 
   
  Roleplaying Rogthun. Rogthun is a silent, broody orc. His 
  penchant for arcane magic is both the source of his pride and 
  greatest shame: feared for his potential, his treacherous uncle 
  and warchief banished him from the tribe. His spellbook, a tome 
  of stitched leather, is his constant companion. He can be found 
  practicing his spells with the same fervor of a warrior—for one 
  day, he swears, he will return to the Splitskull tribe to depose 
  his uncle and restore his honor.  
  At Higher Levels. Starting in Tier II, Rogthun completes his 
  studies, becoming an illusionist. In Tier III, he becomes an 
  outright mage. In both iterations, he has the following changes 
  to his statistics:  
  • He has 42 (5d8+20) hit points and wears plate armor (AC 18). 
  • He has a Strength of 18 (+4), a Constitution of 18 (+4) and a 
  Charisma of 12 (+1). 
  • He has a +5 bonus to Intimidation and a +2 bonus to Survival. 
  As a mage, both these bonuses increase by an extra +1.  
  • He has darkvision to a range of 60 feet.  
  • As a bonus action, Rogthun can move up to his speed toward 
  a hostile creature he can see.  
   
   
   
  
   
  22 
   
  RUSSYL: KENKU SCOUT 
  When Huell Bradshaw found Russyl, the kenku was begging 
  for coins and words on the street. The inveigler promised him 
  riches and "entire paragraphs" of words he could mimic.   
  Roleplaying Russyl. Much of Russyl's vocabulary consists of 
  cuss words and inspirational quotes from Huell, spoken in his 
  very voice—much to Huell's delight.  
  You can use the following sample dialogue to voice Russyl: 
  • "Into the breach, you bastards! Into the breach!" 
  • "The world is ours, if we are only willing to take it." 
  • "Stand with me and I will stand by you." 
  • "There is no power greater than loyalty; it is a force that has 
  upheaved entire nations."   
  • "Hey, pretty mama." 
  • "Enough of your mimicry, Russyl!" 
   
  At Higher Levels. At Tier II, Russyl strikes an accord with 
  the Queen of Air and Darkness, becoming a warlock of the 
  archfey with the following changes: 
  • He has a Strength of 10 (-1) and a Dexterity of 16 (+3).  
  • He has a +2 bonus to Perception (and a passive Perception of 
  12), +5 bonus to Stealth, and a +5 bonus to Sleight of Hand.  
  • He understands Auran, Common, and Sylvan but can only 
  speak through the use of his Mimicry trait (see kenku).  
  • In the first round of combat, Russyl has advantage on attack 
  rolls against any creature it surprised.  
   
  Tactics. With his newfound magic, the warlock is fond of 
  summoning a yeth hound with a conjure fey spell. Thereafter, 
  Russyl blasts at foes from afar with eldritch blast spells.  
   
  CATCH OF THE DAY  
  Taiga or Tundra Encounter, Tier III 
   
  Perched upon a frozen lake is an ice shanty—a portable shed 
  used for ice fishing. The shanty is old, but well-built. Characters 
  that analyze it and succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence check with 
  carpenter's tools can confirm it is of fine craftsmanship and 
  lightweight in its design. Although it appears to be safe, inside 
  and out, this shanty is actually a clever trap devised by an 
  aboleth lairing below the lake.   
  While fishermen sit in the shanty, the aboleth Ulyn swims up 
  to the ice hole. With a slender tendril, it pulls a victim below 
  the water, infects it with its foul disease (see its Tentacle attack) 
  and enslaves it. Those infected with Ulyn's disease also become 
  adapted for environments of extreme cold, allowing them to 
  join their master below without freezing to death.   
  Shanty. The ice shanty is a 10-foot-wide, 10-foot-long, 15-
  foot-tall cabin on skis. Benches line the walls inside, and a 5-
  foot-diameter hole is cut into the floor, exposing a similar-sized 
  hole in the ice below. There are three fishing poles in the cabin, 
  two of which are leaning against the benches; the third is on the 
  floor, as if it fell or a fisherman dropped it.   
  Missing Persons. The lake and shanty are an hour's trek from 
  a settlement or outpost (use Manavik of Manavik Under Fire or 
  Irdning of Krampusnacht). It doesn't take long for the party to 
  hear about the 1d4+3 people that have gone missing, most of 
  whom are fishermen or friends thereof. 
  Minions. Ulyn has three enslaved minions in the settlement, 
  who are under orders to subtly lead others to the lake. They are: 
  • Mitchel Calder, a LE human spy, who, if he suspects the party 
  will investigate the lake, volunteers to lead them there him-
  self to ensure they fall prey to his master's influence.  
  • Gregaros Shoemaker, a LE human veteran and high-ranking 
  constable that silences all but the most persistent gossipers 
  from mentioning the lake and missing persons.  
  • Geoffrey of Quale, a LE human enchanter, so far the aboleth's 
  most prized minion. His role is to bring his peers to the lake 
  every day so that Ulyn can enslave the trio for yet another 24 
  hours.  
   
  ULYN: JEALOUS TYRANT 
  The aboleth is a jealous tyrant that can't abide freedom amongst 
  the "lesser races." All will be united under its banner one day 
  when the seas swallow the world as they did in ancient times. 
  Ulyn has a healthy fear of adventurers, having been slain by 
  heroes half a dozen times before and only chooses to attack in 
  overwhelming odds; it knows the deep price of underestimating 
  mortals.  
  You can voice Ulyn with the sample dialogue below, which 
  is delivered through its telepathy. Remember that once the 
  aboleth makes telepathic contact with a creature, it learns that 
  creature's greatest desires; Ulyn is sure to leverage that against 
  a person.  
  • "Know that your freedom is but a curse… A curse I will rid 
  you of." 
  • "I will shelter you from the cold… I will shelter you from the 
  world itself." 
  • "I am your yoke, your past, your future."  
  • "I was old when your ancestors crawled forth from the sea." 
   
   
   
  THE BRASS ADVENTISTS' LOOT 
  The Adventists vacillate between poverty and wealth. They always 
  have, collectively, 4d12+30 gp, 7d8+35 sp, and 12d8+40 cp. Russyl 
  always squirrels away an extra 2d4 gp and 1d10 sp.  
  Additionally, there is always a chance the Adventists have an 
  uncommon magic item: one at Tier I, 1d3 at Tier II, and 1d4+1 at 
  Tier III. It may be a +1 wand of the war mage, which Rogthun and 
  Russyl may fight over; it might be a cloak of elvenkind that Mornelia 
  insists is her birthright; it may be a pair of bracers of archery that 
  Huell reluctantly uses, despite his hatred for archery.  
  Every item collected by the Adventists is an opportunity for your 
  adventurers to gain a shiny, new treasure.   
  
   
  23 
  Tactics. Ulyn is a merciless force that subjugates all it can 
  and kills whomever it can't. The lake counts as its lair and "LA" 
  refers to its lair actions. In battle, it uses the following tactics: 
  • Do not neglect Ulyn's Legendary Actions and Lair Actions! 
  • Despite coveting the adventurers as its newest disciples, Ulyn 
  is ready to kill those it must and enslave any survivors once 
  they're weakened.  
  • If Ulyn cannot drag anyone into the lake through the shanty's 
  ice hole, it or its minions begin to break through the ice, 
  creating 1d4+3 holes with a diameter of 5 to 15 feet. Minions 
  may clamber out onto the ice; they have no fear of the frigid 
  water. Ulyn never leaves the water, knowing it's at a severe 
  disadvantage if beached.  
  • With a reach of 10 feet and a +5 bonus to Athletics checks, 
  Ulyn can easily grapple foes from afar and drag them under-
  water. Minions also shove or drag creatures into the water.  
  • Assume that Ulyn has no more uses of its Enslave ability today 
  if his three minions in town are still under its sway.  
  • If its enslaved creature is about to be freed or killed, Illuun 
  targets it with a Psychic Drain LA to regain hit points.  
  • Using a LA, Ulyn casts phantasmal force, disguising holes in 
  the ice. A creature under that spell always rationalizes why 
  things don't pan out and will still consider the illusion real.   
  • Ulyn flees when reduced to 40 hit points; its tail whips against 
  the ice below the shanty, causing the structure to crash right 
  through the ice, leaving a jagged hole in the surface.   
   
  Minions. Ulyn is served by a number of minions below the 
  lake, their bodies diseased and their minds tattered by constant 
  exposure to the aboleth. All human minions are afflicted with 
  the aboleth's disease and cannot stay out of water for too long. 
  These minions are:  
  • 1d4+1 chuuls that have answered Ulyn's ancient call. 
  • 1d4+2 mad human tribal warriors armed with only their fists 
  (+3 to hit, 2 bludgeoning damage). They're better off using 
  the Help action or dragging weak characters to the water. Do 
  not neglect to use their Pack Tactics trait.   
  • A mad human berserker armed with a spear (+5 to hit, 1d8+3 
  piercing damage).  
   
   
   
  THE CREEPING IGLOO 
  Character Encounter, Tier II 
   
  It is a structure that haunts the Arctic; it can be found lurking in 
  the bowels of a boreal forest; it might be perched upon the out-
  skirts of town; it may be the only refuge in a blizzard. There is 
  no place in the Arctic that Granny Yrsula's creeping igloo can't 
  go. The bheur hag that lairs in this enchanted structure goes 
  wherever men and women have yet to succumb to despair. Like 
  all of her foul ilk, the hag delights in watching mortals resort to 
  grim measures to stay alive.  
  The "Creeping Igloo" is feared throughout the Arctic; those 
  who glimpse it flitting across the horizon or sitting on the vista 
  are forced to confront the grim rumors that permeate the region. 
  Many say the hag offers charms, magic, and other solutions to 
  those desperate or dumb enough to bargain with her.  
  Enchanted Igloo. Granny Yrsula's igloo is a 15-foot-radius 
  hemisphere. The walls are a foot thick. Yrsula can reshape the 
  igloo as an action to add or remove artificial windows or replace 
  the doorway with a wall of snow. The igloo is magical; it has 
  an AC of 13, a damage threshold of 5, immunity to cold, poison, 
  and psychic damage, and resistance to all other damage types. 
  Every 5-foot section has 25 hit points; once reduced to 0, the 
  section melts, possibly allowing creatures entry into the igloo.  
  Locomotion. When Yrsula speaks the command word "Uir," 
  meaning "take flight" in Auran, the igloo levitates ten feet off 
  the ground and exudes a frigid cloud teeming with floating, 
  daggerlike ice shards. The igloo gains a movement speed of 40 
  feet and floats 10 feet off the ground. It can move across uneven 
  terrain, up or down stairs, slopes and the like, but it can't cross 
  an elevation change of 10 feet or more. 
  While animated in this way, the igloo's floor becomes solid. 
  It can hold up to 1,000 pounds, otherwise it floats gently to the 
  ground and becomes immobile. A bheur hag can direct the igloo 
  with her graystaff (no action required). The igloo can turn, but 
  it cannot flip upside down or perform similar maneuvers.  
  Creatures within the 30-foot-diameter, 10-foot-tall cylinder 
  below the igloo are subjected to a cloud of daggers spell (spell 
  save DC 14; see PHB, pg. 222).  
  Wards. The hag has warded her lair with the following spells: 
  • An alarm spell placed upon the entranceway alerts Yrsula to 
  intruders if she's within 1 mile of the igloo. See PHB, pg 211. 
  • If three 5-foot-sections of the igloo are destroyed, a Snilloc's 
  snowball swarm is cast (save DC 14) at the attacker, if they 
  are in range. See XGE, pg. 165.  
  • When a creature attempts to take one of Yrsula's possessions 
  from the igloo, 1d4+1 snowmen animate (use the statistics of 
  scarecrows with immunity to cold damage and vulnerability 
  to fire damage). They attack all intruders but don't slay them 
  unless commanded to by Yrsula. Yrsula can use a reaction to 
  animate the snowmen if she's within 100 feet of the igloo. 
  Once a snowman is destroyed, it cannot be animated again 
  for another 24 hours.  
   
  GRANNY YRSULA 
  As ugly as she is wicked, all who look upon Yrsula immediately 
  know her for what she is—a hag. Her flesh is blueish white, the 
  color of a frozen corpse, and her teeth could carve ice and her 
  nails are black daggers. Yrsula is a sadist; nothing warms her 
  heart more than to see suffering, desperation, and misery in the 
  world. She has haunted the region for decades. An industrious 
  sleuth can trace her involvement to many of its great tragedies. 
   
   
  
   
  24 
   
  Roleplaying Yrsula. The hag is cantankerous and cruel; she 
  spits barbed words meant to derail even the most confident of 
  heroes. She smiles relentlessly and hums an ugly tune that only 
  she finds pleasant.  
  Yrsula rarely resorts to violence; she would rather let others 
  go with an emotional scar. Visitors are allowed to shelter in her 
  igloo—if they're so desperate—but only if they give her a drop 
  of their blood, which she freezes and incorporates into the 
  igloo's walls. "I will save this one for later," she says ominously.   
  Bargainer. Yrsula loves to make a bargain, parking her igloo 
  on the outskirts of town to attract the desperate and depraved. 
  Like any other hag, her help is nothing but a slow, ironic poison 
  that will come back to bite the bargainer later. She often offers 
  meat to the starving, firewood to the cold, and hope for the 
  desperate. Her later victims shouldn't be surprised to learn that 
  the meat was humanoid, the firewood the bones of a crucial 
  waystation, and the hope a twisted a prophecy.  
   
  DARK SISTERHOOD 
  For years now, Yrsula has ignored or refused invitations to form 
  a coven with Lone Miyraeth and Greatmother Winter, the other 
  two hags described in the Dark Sisterhood storyline. If she does 
  agree and the Hag Summit encounter occurs, Yrsula's power 
  grows—regardless of whether her newfound sisters survived—
  granting her Regional Effects that surround her creeping igloo. 
  She enjoys all options if her sisters are alive (even if they're not 
  present), 1d3+1 if one is still alive, and 1d3 if they both 
  perished. See the sidebar above for these effects.  
   
  THE CRYSTALLINE TAVERN 
  Tundra or Urban Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Carved from a glacier, the Crystalline Tavern sparkles in the 
  glow of the setting sun. Built by a glacier dwarf frost mason, it 
  remains an important waystation in the Arctic. Travelers come 
  to escape the chill and share news both small and dire. It has 
  weathered two dozen years and thrice as many blizzards. Tislyn 
  Aurora is the tavern's current mistress.  
  The tavern sports many warming beverages, alcoholic or not, 
  heated up by their resident halfling's prestidigitation spells.  
  Map. Refer to the map below; every square is 5 feet.  
  Kennel. Behind the tavern is a kennel for sled dogs. At any 
  point, 2d12+16 mastiffs are penned inside. 1d10+4 dog sleds 
  are neatly lined up along the northern wall.   
   
  STAFF 
  The Crystalline Tavern is staffed by three people: 
  Mistress Tislyn, a NG glacier dwarf veteran. Up until four 
  years ago, she was a respected warrior. Were it not for her 
  treacherous brother, she would be next in line for the throne of 
  Clan Aurora. By pinning an embarrassing defeat at the hands of 
  the gnolls on her "poor leadership," he ensured the favor of his 
  mother and her councilors. Now, while Tislyn tends bar, Gloyn 
  stands poised to inherit control over the clan.   
  As a glacier dwarf, Tislyn has the following racial traits:  
  • She can read, write, and speak Common and Dwarvish. 
  • She has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.  
  • She has advantage on saving throws against poison and has 
  resistance to poison damage. She is always naturally adapted 
  for extreme cold.  
  • She knows the ray of frost cantrip. Once per long rest, she can 
  also cast both ice knife (spell save DC 10) and flame blade 
  (the blade is forged of ice and deals cold damage). Her spell-
  casting ability for these spells is Intelligence.  
   
  Ricfyr, a LG tundra halfling commoner, oversees the kennel. 
  He has an unquenchable passion for hounds, many of which 
  tower over him. He never goes anywhere without Oliver, his pet 
  mastiff. Ricfyr dreams of policing the Arctic with a cavalry of 
  halfling dog riders and dog sledders, but he is in sore need of a 
  master to train him in the ways of war.   
  As a tundra halfling, Ricfyr has the following racial traits: 
  • He reads, writes, and speaks Common and Halfling.  
  • He is a size of Small with a speed of 25 feet.  
  • He has advantage on saving throws against being frightened. 
  • Whenever he rolls a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving 
  throw, he can reroll the die, but must use the new roll.  
  • He can cast prestidigitation and create bonfire. Wisdom is his 
  spellcasting ability for these spells.   
   
   
   
  GRANNY YRSULA'S REGIONAL EFFECTS 
  If Granny Yrsula has been empowered during the Dark Sisterhood 
  storyline, the following Regional Effects may surround her lair (to a 
  range of 1 mile), even while it is moving.  
  • Birds, rodents, snakes, spiders, or toads (or some other creatures 
  appropriate to the hag) are found in great profusion. 
  • Beasts that have an Intelligence score of 2 or lower are charmed by 
  the hag and directed to be aggressive toward intruders in the area. 
  • Strange carved figurines, twig fetishes, or rag dolls magically 
  appear in trees. 
  • Small avalanches of snow intermittently fall, blocking a path or 
  burying intruders. A buried creature is restrained and must hold 
  its breath until it is dug out. Human-sized blocks of ice appear, 
  containing frozen corpses. These corpses might break free and 
  attack as zombies, or their spirits might attack as specters. 
  • Blizzards come without warning. A blizzard occurs once every 
  2d12 hours and lasts ld3 hours. During a storm, creatures moving 
  overland travel at half normal speed, and normal visibility is 
  reduced to 30 feet.  
  • Roads, paths, and trails twist and turn back on themselves, making 
  navigation in the area exceedingly difficult. 
  
   
  25 
  Milly Lightfrost, a NG frost gnome chef (a commoner with 
  a +4 bonus to cook's utensils). She is seldom seen and more 
  often heard cursing the state of the vegetables she gets here in 
  the Arctic. Tislyn calls her cooking "a magic all its own." 
  As a frost gnome, Milly has the following racial traits: 
  • She reads, writes, and speaks Common and Gnomish.  
  • She has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.  
  • She is a size of Small with a speed of 25 feet.  
  • She has advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma 
  saving throws against magic.  
  • She has resistance to cold damage. 
  • She can move across icy surfaces without needing to make an 
  ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice 
  and snow doesn't impede her movement. While moving down 
  slopes made of ice or snow, she has advantage on Acrobatics 
  checks to maintain her balance.  
   
  PATRONS 
  On any given day, 2d6+3 patrons are enjoying a warm brew at 
  the tavern. Notable patrons may include:  
  • The Brass Adventists, an adventuring party described in the 
  encounter of the same name.  
  • A human spy of the elemental cults involved in the Global 
  Warming or Storm of the Century storylines. The spy is here 
  to collect intelligence for his distant masters.  
  • Daerdan the Yarnspinner, a crass dwarf bard (with advantage 
  on saving throws against being poisoned and resistance to 
  poison damage) fond of sharing tales to drunk patrons.  
  • Withrens Fyar, a CE human archmage and architect of the 
  Dire Winter storyline. A character with a passive Perception 
  score of 14 or higher notices he wears a glass snowflake on a 
  silver chain. With a successful DC 13 Religion check, a 
  character identifies this as the holy symbol of Auril, a cruel 
  goddess of winter.  
   
  RUMORS AND NEWS 
  By carousing with the tavern's staff or patrons, the adventurers 
  can pick up rumors and news, possibly linking them to many of 
  the encounters in this supplement. Notable rumors include: 
  • A headless dog sledder has been sighted across the Arctic. 
  Where she stops, a man is due to die. See The Dullahan. 
  • Thelgrym's Watch has fallen! Clan Aurora has sent a warband 
  to recover the watchtower. See Glacier Dwarf Warband and 
  Thelgrym's Watch.  
  • A frost giant toddler was seen roaming the wastes alone. See 
  Ice, Ice Baby for details.  
  • Clan Aurora recently slaughtered a gnoll warband. However, 
  if even one gnoll manages to escape, it might spawn more of 
  its foul ilk through demonic rituals. This is precisely what is 
  to occur in the Cycle of Carnage encounter.  
  • Travelers should steer clear of "The Pike," a useful landmark. 
  Those that look upon it get the sudden urge to lick the pike, 
  freezing their tongues to its metal shaft. See Like Tongues to 
  Ice for details on this encounter.   
  • A troll has been seen wandering the frozen wastes. Additional 
  rumors related to this include: the frost giants of Skoldheim 
  having a new jarl and, later, more vicious raids conducted on 
  smallfolk settlements. See the Ordning of Might storyline for 
  details on these encounters.  
  • The dead have risen and are marching deeper into the Arctic—
  for reasons no one knows. See the March of the Damned 
  encounter and Army of the Damned storyline.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  CULTISTS EN ROUTE 
  Sea Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Through the ice floes travel boats rowed not by oars but the 
  manic gestures of magi, who are manipulating the very tide to 
  propel them across the sea. These sailors belong to cults of 
  Elemental Evil: the Cults of the Crushing Wave and Eternal 
  Flame. These two cults have warred for eons, with battles being 
  waged between chapters and sects across countless worlds and 
  planes. Two chapters, however, have put aside their differences 
  and come together to summon a phoenix that will melt the polar 
  icecaps. For more details, see the Global Warming storyline. 
  The cultists found here on the frigid seas are on their way to 
  Mount Erebys, a volcano deep in the Arctic that can serve as a 
  portal to the Plane of Fire.  
  The cultists number forty in all and are spread out across ten 
  keelboats. Their ranks consist of twenty cultists, ten crushing 
  wave priests, six crushing wave reavers, and four eternal 
  flame guardians, led by Galen Tutbra, a CE human eternal 
  flame priest and his lieutenant Nyraga, a CE silver dragonborn 
  dark tide knight that patrols the area on the back of a killer 
  whale (see his Bonded Mount trait). As a dragonborn, Nyraga 
  has the following racial traits: 
  • He has resistance to cold damage. 
  • He has the following action option: 
   
  Draconic Breath (1/Day). Nyraga unleashes a blast of frigid 
  air. Each creature in a 15-foot-cone must succeed on a DC 14 
  Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) cold damage. On a 
  success, a creature takes half as much damage.   
   
  Roleplaying the Cultists. Nyraga has his orders: deliver the 
  cultists to the shore, after which Galen Tutbra will lead them to 
  Mount Erebys. Nyraga must then head back to warmer lands to 
  escort the next influx of cultists. Their superiors do not tolerate 
  failure, so neither leader is looking for a fight. When the cultists 
  spot the adventurers, either on the shore, the ice, or in their own 
  vessel, Galen Tutbra sends up a flare of fiery magic to hail them. 
  Galen Tutbra speaks on behalf of the cultists, insisting that 
  they are but simple pilgrims who have bonded with elemental 
  spirits. Contest his Deception check with a character's Insight 
  check. If a battle breaks out, Galen aims a fireball spell at the 
  adventurers' vessel and orders the cultists to flee. Nyraga holds 
  the line as the cultists retreat.  
  A tortured or intimidated cultist (DC 14) reveals that they are 
  heading towards the volcano, Mount Erebys—but only Galen 
  and Nyraga are aware of the cults' calamitous agenda.   
  Ships. These boats are similar to keelboats but can hold up to 
  ten passengers. Each boat is manned by a crushing wave priest 
  that uses elemental magic to propel the craft, raising its speed 
  to 5 mph. Ship statistics can be found on pg. 119 of the DMG.  
  Treasure. The ships are stocked with enough provisions to 
  feed and clothe forty people for ten days. The Crushing Wave 
  cultists harvest fish from the sea while in transit and the Eternal 
  Flame cultists cook them. Galen Tutbra carries an elemental 
  gem (red corundum) (see DMG pg. 167), which allows him to 
  summon a fire elemental.  
   
   
  
   
  26 
  CYCLE OF CARNAGE 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier I 
   
  The adventurers come upon a macabre scene: scattered limbs, 
  scarlet snow, and a gaggle of arctic hyenas. Parkas and packs 
  lie discarded, all weapons and treasures ignored by the lone 
  gnoll fang of Yeenoghu conducting the ghastly rituals needed 
  to spawn more of its foul ilk. If it is not interrupted, the many 
  hyenas feasting upon its victims will bloat up and explode in a 
  shower of gore. It is from those ruined corpses that new gnolls 
  clamber out of, ready to paint this world red in the name of their 
  demonic lord, Yeenoghu.  
  Foul Ritualist. The gnoll is the sole survivor of a slaughtered 
  warband that fell to the glacier dwarves of Clan Aurora. Despite 
  their heroism and sacrifices, the dwarves failed to eliminate the 
  last gnoll. Unfortunately for them, and the region, one survivor 
  is all it takes to spawn a new horde.   
  The gnoll has already begun its ritual; by when the party finds 
  it, the hyenas must feed for two more rounds to birth the gnolls. 
  If either the gnoll or the 2d4+2 hyenas are slain, the ritual fails. 
  If they survive until the end of the second round, the hyenas 
  explode, and out from their guts crawl a number of gnolls equal 
  to the number of hyenas that survived until then.  
  The hyenas, for their part, use their actions to feed on viscera. 
  Demonic Spawn. The gnolls are unarmed and unarmored 
  (AC 11). Therefore, they can only make Bite attacks. Although 
  there are weapons lying nearby, the gnolls are too fresh to life 
  to know how to wield them. The gnolls also spawn with only 
  11 hit points apiece. They swarm the party with no concern for 
  their wellbeing or shortcomings.  
  Cycle of Carnage. If even a single gnoll survives the fray and 
  escapes, it is blessed by Yeenoghu, becoming a gnoll fang of 
  Yeenoghu. It then devotes itself to spawning yet another war-
  band by gathering arctic hyenas to feed on its future victims. 
  The adventurers have this one chance to spare the Arctic from 
  such carnage, otherwise the cycle repeats.  
  Treasure. Whatever ambitions this amateur adventuring 
  party nursed have been forever snuffed out. They consist of a 
  human warrior, an elf archer, a dwarf priest, and a half-orc 
  wizard, all dressed in cold weather gear—furs, parkas, and the 
  like. The following can be scavenged from their corpses: 
  • A longsword, a shortbow, twelve arrows in a quiver, a yew 
  wand, and four daggers.   
  • A holy symbol of Dumathoin (a dwarven deity of secrets 
  whose icon can be identified with a DC 12 Religion check).   
  • A spellbook containing the following spells: burning hands, 
  grease, identify, snareXGE, shield, and Tenser's floating disk.  
  • Two sets of hide armor and one set of leather armor.   
  • A total of 8d6+23 gp and 12d4+20 sp.  
  • A potion of healing, clutched in the half-orc wizard's hand.  
  • Four explorer's packs with 2d4+7 rations and 5d10 + 20 feet 
  of rope altogether.  
  • An alabaster mask, worn by the dwarf priest, worth 15 gp.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  This edition of Tall Tales has a heavy focus on arctic gnolls. If 
  your version of the Arctic lacks hyenas you can have this breed 
  of gnolls be based upon wolves or even foxes. These feral beasts 
  still worship the demon lord Yeenoghu, and their statistics 
  remain the same.  
  DARFELLAN MESSIAH 
  Sea Encounter, Tier I 
   
  There is a superstition amongst the darfellan that great upheaval 
  is at hand whenever a child is born completely blue or white. 
  Years ago, on the eve of their genocide at the hands of sahuagin, 
  the birth of such a child was initially considered a great omen 
  promising a golden age for their people.  
  Now, a new child has been born in the Arctic, and her coming 
  has been heralded as the start of a new age. Darfellen all across 
  the region now flock to the village of Akilu's Folly to see this 
  possible messiah for themselves. Superstitious as ever, and for 
  good reason, these travelers have taken to the seas in special 
  kyal—distinctive boats the darfellan fashion for pilgrimages. 
  Each kyal is carved with decorative fins draped with kelp. 
  As the adventurers ply the sea or roam the coast, they catch 
  sight of six kyal with five darfellan apiece oaring between the 
  ice floes. One kyal containing five NG tribal warriors passes 
  close by enough for the two parties to have a conversation. 
  Ulirak, the oldest of the warriors tells them in Common, "Great 
  change is at hand; our messiah has been born, and with him has 
  come a tide of vengeance. Be warned: the darfellan will at last 
  have our day in the sun."  
  Ulirak is unique in that he can cast the produce flame cantrip 
  (+1 to hit). Charisma is his spellcasting ability for this spell.   
   
   
  
   
  27 
  Darfellan Traits. The darfellan have the following changes 
  to their statistics: 
  • The darfellan have a swimming speed of 40 ft. 
  • The darfellan can hold their breath for 10 minutes. 
  • The darfellan have advantage on ability checks and saving 
  throws made to escape grapples. 
  • While the darfellan are underwater and not deafened, they 
  have blindsight out to 30 ft. 
  • The darfellan speak Common and Darfellan, a multisyllabic 
  language with harsh, authoritative tones.  
   
  AKILU'S FOLLY 
  Should the adventurers wish to visit Akilu's Folly themselves, 
  the darfellan direct them to the village—a grim, skeletal haunt 
  if there ever was one. The village is on a forbidding coastline 
  that prevents all but the most skilled sailors from laying anchor. 
  The village and its visitors are quiet and wary; the seers have 
  yet to determine whether this child's birth is an auspicious omen 
  or the death knell of the darfellan. The air is thick with tension; 
  it will be another day until the seers declare their interpretation. 
  Until then, the darfellan speak low, and busy themselves with 
  fishing or shoring up the village's defenses. More pilgrims 
  arrive by the hour until Akilu's Folly seems fit to burst. Even 
  Etiran Emeris (see Ice Haulers) is present, either with Ranger 
  anchored offshore or by his lonesome.   
  In the meantime, the adventurers can make themselves useful 
  by helping out with fishing, repairing wilting huts, and other 
  tasks. What the darfellan lack in coinage they more than make 
  up for with, food, shelter, pelts, scavenged pearls (worth 15 gp 
  each) and jewelry (25 gp in worth) fashioned from walrus ivory. 
  Since the darfellan are self-sustaining isolationists, they have 
  little use for such baubles.  
  On the following eve, the darfellan seers (priests devoted to 
  the Whale Mother, the darfellan deity) step out from the lodge, 
  brandishing the infant. The most scarred seer declares, "For too 
  long have we suffered in obscurity, we, the sole survivors of a 
  genocide. No more. No more! The Whale Mother has shown us 
  her favor once again, and we say in one voice that this child 
  marks the Great Age! Tonight, the tide of vengeance ebbs back 
  into the sea—and with it, us! The sharks will know of us and 
  they will fear, for war is at hand, and this time, it is they who 
  shall bleed!" 
  The gathered darfellan, now numbering in the hundreds, roar 
  with approval and take to the sea to announce the launch of a 
  new crusade against the sahuagin. In the coming months, news 
  of the darfellan's resurgence spreads across the Arctic, the sea, 
  and greener lands.   
   
   
  DEADLIEST CATCH 
  Sea Encounter, Tier I-III 
   
  Fishermen prowling the frigid seas have pulled up a wonder—
  or horror. This encounter has several variants, described below. 
  Additionally, you can run the Man Overboard! encounter if any 
  members of the crew fall overboard.  
  Ship. Chronomancer is a fishing vessel famed throughout the 
  Arctic. It counts as a sailing ship, but only requires a crew of 
  twelve to operate and can only hold up to eight passengers.  
  Crew. Chronomancer's crew has one of the deadliest jobs in 
  the world. While sailors face peril all over the world, the icy 
  touch of the Arctic's sea can kill men in a matter of minutes. If 
  snow crabs were not so treasured in warmer lands, perhaps the 
  crew would find more sensible waters to ply. Alas, the gold is 
  too good to pass up. The crew mainly consists of human 
  commoners with proficiency with vehicles (water).  
  The crew currently numbers eleven; they lost Mr. Obrien to 
  an early grave last week. They're a sullen lot on a good day, but 
  today's episode has animated them. As the winch hauled up the 
  day's special catch, many a crewman speculated that they may 
  have found treasure; one doomsayer, Mr. Whary, promised that 
  this would be the ship's ruin.  
  Captain. Chronomancer has seen four captains in her time, 
  the latest being Grol Shorttusk, an orc (with a Wisdom of 17 
  (+3) and an Intelligence of 14 (+2); he speaks Common, Orcish, 
  and Dwarvish). He is a tough but fair overlord respected and 
  feared by his sailors. More cautious than daring, he's reduced 
  crew casualties by fourteen percent since assuming command 
  two years ago.  
  The Adventurers. The party may encounter Chronomancer 
  while in their own ship or while they're on the coast. They may 
  have hitched a ride on the ship or hired it to spirit them across 
  the Arctic's ice floes.  
   
  ARCTIC MERMAID 
  Tier I 
  Chronomancer catches a female merfolk in its net; the poor 
  woman has been hauled up from the shallows. Below the sea, 
  she's acclimated to the cold, but as the sharp winds assail her, 
  she risks developing hypothermia. This particular merfolk only 
  speaks Aquan.  
  The crew believes the age-old myth that a captured mermaid 
  can and must grant a wish; even Captain Shorttusk is partial to 
  such a fable. Unless the adventurers convince the crew to let her 
  go (requiring a DC 16 Persuasion check), they throw her in the 
  ship's hold, emptying a barrel of ale and filling it with salt water.   
  While in the net, the merfolk is restrained. The net can be cut 
  by dealing 3 points of slashing damage, or by using an action to 
  attempt a DC 17 Strength check, causing the rope to burst on a 
  success. If freed, the merfolk expresses her gratitude with a nod 
  and returns to the frigid sea. Later, if the adventurers are at sea 
  and under assault by aquatic menaces such as sahuagin or 
  merrows, a force of 2d4+2 merfolk intervene on their behalf 
  and attack their foes below the waves.  
   
   
   
  
   
  28 
  KING CRAB 
  Tier I 
  The crew hauls up a chuul; as they hotly debate whether this 
  "king crab" is edible, the creature cuts through its nets and lands 
  on the deck, prone. The crew scramble to arm themselves, 
  which takes 1d4 rounds. Meanwhile, the chuul runs riot on the 
  crew. Only the adventurers and Captain Shorttusk are ready to 
  tackle the beast.  
  Treasure. Chuuls are driven to collect magical artifacts for 
  their long-lost aboleth masters. This chuul possesses a cloak of 
  the manta ray (see DMG pg. 159) that it took from a slain 
  adventurer. The beast was on its way to bury it, following the 
  instructions it was given eons ago, before the crew hauled it up 
  from the seafloor.   
   
  THE ELEMENTAL GEM 
  Tier II 
  The crew hauls up a small coffer containing nothing but a few 
  pieces of gold and an elemental gem (emerald) (see DMG pg. 
  167). The closest crewmate, Mr. Hickey, goes to snatch up the 
  gem. If an adventurer is standing next to Hickey, contest their 
  initiative rolls. If Hickey is successful, he grabs the gem and 
  accidentally taps into its magic, summoning a water elemental 
  as if by a conjure elemental spell. 
  Mr. Hickey revels in his newfound control of the elemental 
  but being the idealistic and kindhearted fool that he is, he simply 
  has the creature collect more crabs from the seafloor, so his 
  crewmates don’t have to risk their lives setting and retrieving 
  traps. Later, he has the elemental perform tricks.   
  A character that analyzes the gem or watches the elemental's 
  summoning can make a DC 17 Arcana check to ascertain that it 
  was summoned by a conjure elemental spell. The DC is reduced 
  to 13 for characters that have that spell on their class's spell list. 
  This character recalls the duration of the spell and that, if the 
  caster loses concentration on the spell, the elemental becomes 
  hostile and is free to rampage across the Material Plane until the 
  hour since it was summoned was elapsed. 
  If Hickey is not warned by these facts, he loses concentration 
  on the spell when a rogue wave smashes into the ship. He loses 
  his footing and crashes into the deck; the elemental breaks free 
  and attacks the crew.  
   
  CONCH OF THE BOUND MARID 
  Tier III 
  The crew hauls up a lute-sized conch etched in swirling colors 
  and strange symbols. A character that reads Primordial or 
  Aquan can decipher these runes, which read "Rub the conch but 
  twice; and that which is bound within will grant your greatest 
  wish." (The verses rhyme in Aquan.) Soft harp music emanates 
  from within the conch.   
  The conch is the earthly prison of the insidious Shah of the 
  Waking Waters, a marid capable of granting a single wish (as 
  in the wish spell; see the sidebar on pg. 146, MM). The genie 
  was bound to the conch seventy years ago by Homer Erendalias, 
  the human archmage described in the Homer's Hovering Hovel 
  encounter. Once the Shah has granted the conch's wielder a 
  wish, it is free to chart its own course through the world. Its first 
  objective is to track down Erendalias and punish the wizard for 
  his audacity.   
  When the conch is rubbed, the marid emerges in a dazzling 
  display of otherworldly power; the music from the conch grows 
  louder, the seas stiller, and the wind ceases to howl. Using a 
  tongues spell, the genie announces, "Free at last, free at last, 
  free! At! Last! Tell me, my mortal benefactor, what is it you 
  desire most in this world? Your wish is my command!"  
  A character that succeeds on a DC 16 Arcana check identifies 
  the elemental as a genie, specifically a marid. They also recall 
  that marids are haughty, self-styled nobles less malevolent than 
  their distant kin. Lastly, they recall that a genie is freed from its 
  earthly prison if it grants a wish. Appealing to the Shah allows 
  it to escape.  
  Once the Shah hears the mortal's wish, the harp music takes 
  on a sinister tone, betraying the genie's sadistic nature. It twists 
  the mortal's wish, no matter how selfless or endearing it is. As 
  these events unfold, the marid detaches itself from the conch 
  and takes to the air. With an exalted cry, the marid declares that 
  the world will once again feel its wrath. It then disappears into 
  a cloud of vapor.  
   
  THE DEADMARKS 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier II 
   
  It is known only as the Breach—a mountain pass so cold and so 
  remote that only the dumb and daring pass through. The Breach 
  is deadly enough to give frost giants pause. The air is thin and 
  the cold biting. It is only by the corpses of past climbers can the 
  living prevail. These frozen corpses, some decades old, serve as 
  landmarks for those that must navigate the Breach. Even with 
  them, many an explorer has succumbed to altitude sickness or 
  the unearthly cold. Now they must contend with another hazard: 
  animate dead. A dybbuk—a fiend fond of violating corpses—
  now haunts the pass and moves corpses around to lure hikers, 
  who rely on these grim landmarks, to their doom. Just how the 
  fiend was beckoned into the mortal world remains a mystery.  
  Environment. The Breach is a place of extreme cold and high 
  altitude (see Appendix C) with an added danger: for every hour 
  a creature spends traveling through it, they must succeed on a 
  Constitution saving throw or take a level of exhaustion. The DC 
  is initially 14, but subsequent saving throws cause it to climb to 
  17, 20, 23, 26, and, finally, 30. The DC increases regardless if 
  the creature succeeds or fails its saving throw.  
  Navigating the Breach and emerging from the other side takes 
  1d4+2 hours. A successful DC 15 Survival check reduces this 
  to 1d4 hours, or three hours if one utilizes the Deadmarks. With 
  a result of 20 or higher, the travel time's reduced to 1d3 and two 
  hours, respectively. A party can only attempt this check once. 
  With the dybbuk moving the corpses, however, travelers can't 
  rely on all Deadmarks, as 1d4+4 have been tampered with. By 
  analyzing a corpse and succeeding on a DC 14 Investigation 
  check, a character can determine whether a corpse has been 
  tampered with, proving it can't be trusted. For every failure, 
  travel is delayed by 1d6 x 5 minutes.  
   
   
  
   
  29 
  The Deadmarks. The corpses of the past are preserved by the 
  extreme cold. Before the dybbuk's machinations, the corpses 
  were arranged in the order below:  
  • An orc war chief that marks the beginning or end of the trek.  
  • A dire wolf known as "the Mangled Alpha." The dybbuk has 
  moved it towards a precipice 200 feet above the ground; it 
  likes to animate the corpse and push travelers off the edge.  
  • A frost gnome scout (the corpse is Small, with a speed of 25 
  feet, advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saves 
  against magic, darkvision to a range of 60 feet and resistance 
  to cold damage).   
  • A hobgoblin devastator nicknamed "the Graceful Loser," for 
  he was first found kneeling in the snow, his staff laid across 
  his knees, seemingly at peace with his death.  
  • A human bandit captain clad in bright green boots curled in 
  a small limestone cave; this corpse marks the half-way point 
  of the trek.  
  • A human master thief in a crimson cloak; this corpse marks 
  the first (or last) quarter of the trek. The dybbuk has placed 
  the corpse underneath a ledge prone to rockslides. If a 
  character comes within 10 feet of the corpse, the dybbuk flies 
  up to push rocks into motion. Characters near the corpse must 
  succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 11 (2d10) 
  bludgeoning damage.  
  • A slain yeti with the broken haft of a spear protruding from its 
  stomach who marks the last third (or first) of the trek. 
  • A human cult fanatic bearing a holy symbol of Shar, a deity 
  of darkness at the center of the Eternal Night storyline. The 
  symbol is a black disc with a purple border worth 25 gp. A 
  DC 13 Religion check identifies it as Shar's symbol.  
  • "The Frog," a grung elite warrior that somehow survived all 
  of the Arctic just to be brained by a stray stone that fell from 
  above. This corpse marks the end (or beginning) of the trek.  
   
  The dybbuk can possess any of these corpses, per its Possess 
  Corpse ability. They have been rearranged randomly.  
  The Fiend Strikes. If the adventurers don't fall for the fiend's 
  tricks, the dybbuk sheds all pretenses and possesses a corpse to 
  attack. Until the fiend is destroyed in its true form, it continues 
  to flee from corpse to corpse. With its Incorporeal Movement 
  trait and a flying speed of 40 feet, pinning down the fiend is a 
  Herculean task.  
   
   
   
  DEATH'S DUE 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Sick, starved, and mad, a lone survivor of a failed trek shambles 
  across the adventurers. Stricken with snow blindness, the man's 
  vision can only be restored with a lesser restoration spell. Until 
  then, he can see only blurs and has disadvantage on Perception 
  checks reliant on sight. He blubbers incoherently for aid; should 
  the adventurers choose to shelter him, they earn the scorn of the 
  revenant hellbent on exacting his revenge upon the survivor.  
  Survivor. Lansford Hastings is an opportunistic human scout 
  and author of The Emigrant's Guide to the Arctic, a tome that 
  the adventurers may be familiar with. Hastings's experience is, 
  however, overblown and almost fictitious. He makes his living 
  by leading travelers through treacherous terrain or promoting 
  paths he himself has established. His chief concern is profit, not 
  safety. Indeed, his rushed decisions and his ill-conceived trails 
  have been the misfortune for many a traveler. There is much 
  blood on Hastings's hand, but so far he's escaped justice. That 
  ends today. 
  Hastings' latest failure has cost nine lives. His charges were 
  weary, sick, and wounded. Frequent accidents and delays had 
  already cut into Hastings's bottom line; he had provided much 
  of the gear and rations for the trip and hoped to recycle the 
  leftovers into the next one. Moreover, he was running late for 
  his next party. Desperate to end this disappointing trip, he took 
  the party through a treacherous path no mortal has any business 
  trekking through—a path prone to avalanches, one of which 
  consumed the party. Hastings just barely escaped with his life 
  but has spent much of his strength on surviving thus far.  
  Roleplaying Hastings. Lansford Hastings is little more than 
  a moneygrubbing backpacker that has turned the wilderness 
  into a business. He is a self-serving liar that never admits fault 
  or accepts blame for not even the most brazen mistakes. Even 
  worse, he's a coward concerned only with his life and his wallet.  
  You can voice Hastings with the sample dialogue below: 
  • "From lands green to white to craggy, the name 'Lansford 
  Hastings' is associated with trailblazing and hasty guidance 
  through otherwise awful terrain."  
  • "When one has my experience and success, you attract slander 
  and jealousy like flies to night soil." 
  • "Mountains, tundra, great plains barren of life and rich with 
  salt—you name it, and I've mastered it. Entire generations of 
  folk have been born from my expertise and fine guidance." 
  • "Wolf Cook, Les Shroud, Ned Stafford—I've met all those 
  guys." (This is in reference to Bear Grylls, Les Stroud, and 
  Ed Stafford, all famous survivalists.) 
   
  Treasure. Hastings has little left to his name; his possessions 
  are buried beneath an avalanche. He has a coinpurse with 2d4 
  +6 gp, 1d6+11 sp, and 1d10+4 cp. A dagger is the only weapon 
  he has left to his name.  
   
   
   
  
   
  30 
  THE REVENANT: JUSTICE BEYOND DEATH 
  It was by no accident that the hikers died, but sheer and willful 
  ignorance with a dash of incompetence. Time and again, the 
  dragonborn Tyragos warned Hastings that his pace was too 
  hasty, that they were ill-equipped for the journey, and that the 
  path he had chosen was too arduous for the party. Alas, the 
  guide did not listen, concerned only with his payday. His 
  negligence cost nine lives—and Tyragos has returned from the 
  dead to ensure Hastings is the tenth.  
  Tyragos can track Hastings no matter where the bastard goes. 
  Removing himself from the spilled avalanche took him three 
  days, even with his undead strength. Now that the revenant has 
  been freed, he finds Hastings 1d4 hours after the party meets 
  him. He accepts no quarter and expects none himself. He 
  wounds and even slays the adventurers if they shelter Hastings 
  or get in his way. After his initial attack, he declares, "This cur 
  has slain nine and countless more with his negligence and 
  greed! Justice that was not found in life will be meted out in 
  death!" 
  Hastings, for his part, recognizes Tyragos, understands that 
  the dragonborn has come back from beyond the grave to slay 
  him, and shouts, "Slander! This foul creature is the seed of all 
  our woes! Cut him down, lest he grow ever more powerful on 
  my soul!" Hastings also flees at the first opportunity. 
  Statistics. As a blue dragonborn revenant, Tyragos has the 
  racial traits below. Additionally, he is wearing hide armor (AC 
  14) instead of leather armor.   
  • He has resistance to lightning damage. 
  • He has the following action option: 
   
  Draconic Breath (1/Day). As an action, Tyragos unleashes a 
  lance of necrotic energy in a 5-foot-wide, 30-foot-wide line. 
  Creatures in the line must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity 
  saving throw or take 11 (3d6) necrotic damage on a failure, 
  or half as much damage on a success.  
   
  Tactics. Tyragos relies on a nighttime ambush to surprise the 
  adventurers. He paralyzes Hastings with a Vengeful Glare, if he 
  can catch the cur in his line of sight.  
   
  DEVIL'S PASS 
  Mountain Encounter Tier I-II 
   
  Devil's Pass is a convenient but shunned hiking trail that snakes 
  through the mountains. It can shave days off a trek in summer 
  and almost two weeks in winter—but to take this route is to 
  surrender yourself to the malicious spirit that reputedly haunts 
  the pass. If this inscrutable creature does not bedevil hikers, the 
  spirits of the dead will certainly pick up the slack.   
  Devil's Pass is famous throughout the region; foreigners that 
  succeed on a DC 13 History check recall the following tale; 
  locals know it by heart. Ten years ago, nine hikers fell prey to 
  some unknown force in the pass that compelled them to tear 
  their way out of their tents (if the horror did not already tear its 
  way in) and flee the campsite. Investigators concluded that six 
  hikers died from hypothermia, but three others succumbed to 
  physical trauma. One corpse had a fractured skull, another's 
  chest was crushed, and the third was missing his eyes. One 
  woman, who perished to the cold, was missing her tongue. No 
  external wounds associated with the bone fractures were found. 
  This infamous night has since been named Dyatlov's Doom 
  (named so for Igor Dyatlov, leader of the hikers).  
  Since this dark day, few have had the courage or stupidity to 
  cross the Devil's Pass. Those that have not perished therein 
  emerge… stranger.   
  The Devil. An unseen force preys upon the pass. Determine 
  its nature from the variants below.  
  The Dead. Devil's Pass has claimed over fifteen hikers; the 
  nine most famous victims have risen as specters that haunt the 
  pass. From the bones of their infamous campsite, these spirits 
  reenact their doom. Their screams echo out across the desolate 
  pass as they burst from where their tents once stood and run. 
  Creatures that watch this spectacle incur their wrath.  
  The Trek. The Devil's Pass takes roughly 2d6 hours to hike 
  through, or 2d4 if the hikers succeed on a DC 15 Survival check.  
   
  THE BEAST'S DEN 
  A monster has made the Devil's Pass its home and preys upon 
  those that happen into its web. Choose one of the following:  
  Avian Horror. A hook horror exiled from the Underdark 
  nests in the pass. It hunts at night, preying upon animals and 
  hikers alike. Its nest is in a nearby cave, strewn with the bones 
  of its many victims. Among its treasures are a spear of warning 
  (DMG pg. 213) and a gold pendant worth 25 gp.   
  Cursed Arcanist. The nothic once known as Tes'karin spends 
  his filthy days pondering the secrets of magic and devouring 
  critters whole. On a steel strung across his torso is a spellbook 
  containing all the spells contained in a diviner's statistics.  
  The Widow. For her vanity and deceit, an elven maiden was 
  struck with the banshee's curse. It was here in Devil's Pass that 
  she finally withered into undeath and now she haunts it as a 
  banshee. The cave she slumbers in is decorated with the many 
  appealing treasures she has stolen from hikers over the years: a 
  gold bracelet (15 gp), 1d4+2 gems (20 gp each), and a small 
  painting of a cathedral and village under a starry night. The 
  painting was stolen from Waterdeep three years ago and is 
  worth 2,500 gp to an educated buyer. A character identifies it 
  as a missing work of the famous painter, Vincent van Gnome.  
   
   
   
  
   
  31 
  MADNESS CALLS 
  Madness lies at the heart of Dyatlov's Doom—madness induced 
  by a black obsidian obelisk better left alone. The most curious 
  hikers investigated a glacial cave and emerged… stranger. They 
  did not disclose what they found to their friends, as if they had 
  forgotten its existence.  
  The Maw of Madness. An illusion spell disguises the glacial 
  cave to creatures not meant to find the obelisk—although 
  whether fate, one's bloodline, a deity, or some eldritch horror 
  determines who is worthy is unknown. The illusion can be 
  discerned with a DC 15 Investigation check. One random 
  adventurer is lucky enough to perceive the cave.   
  The obelisk yet remains in the glacial cave—but the cave 
  only seems to appear to certain individuals. A creature that 
  touches or reads the tablet gains inspiration but must also 
  succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the 
  seed of madness is planted within the soft soil of its mind. When 
  the character next sleeps, they succumb to a random form of 
  Short-Term Madness (see Appendix C) and are compelled to 
  bring any person they can to view the obelisk—by force, if 
  necessary. They gain the following Bond: "I must share this 
  grandeur with others." A spell of greater restoration or remove 
  curse rids them of this compulsion.  
   
  WILD MAGIC  
  Under this variant, the Devil's Pass is prone to outbursts of wild 
  magic. On the night of Dyatlov's Doom, a litany of spells was 
  unleashed upon the unfortunate hikers:  
  • A phantasmal force spell caused the initial panic, taking root 
  in the mind of 1d4 hikers.  
  • Magic missile spells fractured bones and poked out eyes.  
  • An outburst up higher in the mountains caused katabatic winds 
  to form and batter the hikers.  
   
  For every hour the adventurers spend in the Devil's Pass, roll 
  a d10. There is an aggregate 10% chance that a Wild Magic 
  Surge occurs (see PHB pg. 103) within 1d10 x 10 feet of the 
  adventurers. Once a surge has occurred, this aggregate chance 
  resets to 10%.  
   
  DOOM OF THE DAWNER PARTY 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier I 
   
  After abandoning their homes in the hopes of a better life, a 
  party of pioneers has been trapped by a cruel and early winter. 
  With their cattle already dead, they've had no choice but to feast 
  on their dead to survive. Such an atrocity attracts the attention 
  and admiration of Yeenoghu, the demonic father of gnolls, who 
  has offered the most unrepentant cannibals power and 
  camaraderie, if only they continue to kill and feast in his name. 
  As the pioneers' mountain cabins are consumed by paranoia, 
  despair, and treachery, the Father of Gnolls' new cultists gather 
  the strength to eradicate the last of their brethren.  
  The Dawner Party. The Dawner Party, named so for their 
  early departure and their heart-nursed hopes, struck out several 
  months ago. The pioneers believed they'd make it through the 
  mountains before winter arrested the land; they were wrong. 
  For all their initial good cheer and well-crafted plans, the party 
  was plagued by frequent setbacks, poor decision-making, and 
  even poorer leadership. By winter, they were still only halfway 
  to their destination—and trapped in the mountains. The passes 
  are still impregnable; there is no game left to hunt, no rations to 
  eat. With so many already dead from sickness and hypothermia, 
  one desperate soul suggested cannibalism.   
  The Dawner Party initially numbered eighty-seven pioneers, 
  consisting of several families and a splattering of adults. By 
  winter, they had lost twenty-seven to sickness, accidents, or in-
  fighting. Since then, they've been reduced to forty, and are now 
  divided across three shoddily made cabins. Two cabins are only 
  an hour from another; the third is almost an entire day's trek in 
  the snow. Eighteen commoners live in the first two cabins; the 
  farthest cabin is inhabited by sixteen cultists, two berserkers, 
  one cult fanatic, and three commoners (who have been 
  reduced to living cattle). Each of these cultists has been granted 
  Yeenoghu's demonic boon (see the sidebar).  
  Cabins. Each cabin is 20 feet wide, 15 feet high, and 50 feet 
  long. They have no roofs; oxhides and canvas stretch across the 
  ceiling instead. Likewise, they have no doors or windows, only 
  a large opening. Every cabin is equipped with a fireplace; wood 
  is abundant, but even frequent fires cannot keep the chill at bay. 
  The pioneers have been forced to remain inside for days or even 
  weeks at a time, making the cabins filthy places enjoyable only 
  by rats, if they were to winter here.  
   
  BREEN CABIN 
  Six LG commoners huddle for warmth in the most westward 
  cabin, all of whom are suffering from two levels of exhaustion. 
  They consist of two children, three adults, and the patriarch of 
  the Breen family (who has a Wisdom of 16). Although all his 
  sons and daughters are now dead, Elder Breen has managed to 
  keep his five fellows from dying. When the Dawner Party began 
  to cannibalize their dead, the Breen family abstained, as did 
  many of this cabin's inhabitants. Of those still alive, only 
  Gregris Pike (a NG human) willingly ate flesh; he also fed the 
  meat to his two toddlers.  
  The adventurers first encounter the Breen Cabin, seeing a 
  young man (Lemuel) clamber up a snowbank on the side of the 
  cabin. He cuts away a bit of the oxhide that serves as a roof; 
  looking both ways, he quickly gobbles it down. When he sees 
  the adventurers, he shouts, "Saviors! The gods have delivered 
  us! Elder Breen! Elder Breen!" He then darts into the cabin. 
  She said that once she laid 
  her eyes upon it, her hand 
  followed with a mind of its 
  own. She heard nothing in 
  her head but silence—a 
  silence that screamed and 
  thundered and promised her 
  that all would be well in the 
  world if she only shared this 
  hope with others firsthand… 
  
   
  32 
  Elder Breen explains the situation but is hesitant to admit that 
  the Dawner Party resorted to cannibalism. All the pioneers are 
  visibly emaciated; he avoids answering how they have survived 
  so far. He begs the adventurers for food, but only eats if all 
  others are fed first. His next priority is to convince the 
  adventurers to gather up the survivors and lead them from the 
  pass; starved, they cannot make the journey without help. If the 
  adventurers agree, he warns them of "the camp" down the path. 
  "They have resorted to… darker methods to survive," laments 
  Breen, looking away in shame.  
  With a successful DC 14 Insight check, a character can suss 
  out that the pioneers are hiding something: that Gregris ate 
  human flesh and fed it to his children to survive. He too is 
  ashamed of his actions and believes he—but not his children—
  is destined for the Nine Hells for his crime.   
   
  GRAVES-REED CABIN 
  Lying just an hour east (or twenty minutes, if the snow and wind 
  abate), the Graves-Reed Cabin has but twelve survivors left: 
  nine humans (six adults and three children) and three dwarves 
  (the Graves, a mother and her young sons). Each of these 
  commoners are suffering from one level of exhaustion.  
  The survivors are on the verge of madness. Each and every 
  one of them partook in cannibalism to survive, but they have 
  thus far resisted Yeenoghu's promises and demands. Just last 
  night, the cannibal cultists raided the cabin for three fresh 
  victims (Amandis Murt and her two children).  
  So desperate and mad and ravenous, the survivors overwhelm 
  the adventurers with daggers and makeshift clubs when they 
  first arrive. If a character, adventurer or not, goes unconscious, 
  the survivors begin to cut and tear away at their flesh, stuffing 
  the meat into their mouths. Only the dwarf mother, Mistress 
  Graves, and her sons abstain from this violence, who cower in 
  the corner. The survivors can be cowed with a successful DC 
  13 Intimidation check, after which they howl with despair.  
  In the aftermath, Mistress Graves explains that the survivors 
  here, even her and her children, ate the dead. "But we refused 
  the call of the infernal being," she says, "the Beast of Butchery, 
  the father of gnolls… We were strong. Those down the pass 
  were not; they have embraced the demon. When they ran out of 
  corpses, they came for ours; and when ours were gone, they had 
  no qualms taking living cattle. Young Amandis and her children 
  were stolen just last night."  
   
  CANNIBAL CAMP 
  Down the pass lies a camp of tents erected around another pine-
  log cabin. Traveling to or from the camp requires a successful 
  DC 15 Survival check made over the course of 1d4+4 hours. 
  On a failure, travelers are delayed by an additional 1d4 hours. 
  If they fail the check by 8 or more, they get lost.  
  The camp has become an abattoir all its own. Screams echo 
  out at all hours—from cannibals and captives alike—only to be 
  snuffed out by the unrelenting wind. Sixteen cultists and two 
  berserkers are led in bloody rituals by a cult fanatic named 
  Kesebryn, who earned Yeenoghu's favor when he murdered and 
  ate the young son of another pioneer. These bizarre rites are 
  conducted only to appease their own madness; Yeenoghu cares 
  not for their adulation or sacraments. Whenever they have no 
  more corpses to desecrate and devour, these lunatics mutilate 
  their own flesh instead. The fresh snow around the camp is 
  stained a faint red by the frozen blood underneath.   
  These cultists are all human. They have knives and axes at 
  their disposal but delight in using their Gnashing Jaws attacks 
  (granted by Yeenoghu's demonic boon). The berserkers rely on 
  their greataxes, primarily, whereas Kesebryn basks in the magic 
  bestowed upon him by the Beast of Butchery; he also has the 
  Aura of Bloodthirst trait and signature spells described in the 
  sidebar above, in addition to the spells included in his statistics.  
  Eight cultists descend upon the adventurers when they first 
  arrive, raving and howling in lunacy. Foam flecks their mouths 
  and they seem impervious to the cold. The remaining cultists 
  lair within the cabin. If the adventurers make towards the cabin, 
  they have a chance to save Amandis Murt and her two children 
  before they're devoured. The three have been bound by rope 
  while Kesebryn leads his cultists in a foul ceremony to honor 
  Yeenoghu. If his plans go uninterrupted, the innocents will be 
  roasted alive.   
   
  AFTERMATH 
  If Yeenoghu's fledgling cult is not slaughtered, they overrun the 
  other cabins and ration their meat until spring. By then, they've 
  completely lost their minds and stitched gnoll-like patterns into 
  their mutilated flesh. They become gnolls in their own right, 
  mimicking the beasts' tactics and raids. Given time, many folk 
  in the region believe an actual gnoll warband is running amok. 
  Meanwhile, Yeenoghu sends visions to the nearest gnoll tribe, 
  guiding them to the cult to make this red nightmare a reality. 
  If the adventurers approach the snowed in mountain passes, 
  they may discover a gnarled rune carved into the cliff (requiring 
  a successful DC 14 Perception to spot). With a successful DC 
  15 Arcana check, it is identified as a rune of transmutation 
  magic—specifically a rune of storms, suggesting that someone 
  engineered this dire situation in the first place.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  The spellcaster or being responsible for the string of blizzards 
  that trapped the Dawner Party might be a bheur hag, such as 
  Granny Yrsula (see Creeping Igloo), Auril, an evil goddess of 
  winter, or Withrens Fyar, the archmage involved in the Dire 
  Winter storyline.  
   
   
   
   
  DEMONIC BOON: YEENOGHU 
  Ability Score Adjustment: Up to a +4 bonus to Strength and 
  Dexterity, with an equal penalty to Intelligence and Charisma 
  Signature Spells: Tasha's hideous laughter (1st level), crown of 
  madness (2nd level), fear (3rd level) 
   
  Yeenoghu's followers grow more violent and insane with each 
  passing day, embracing cannibalism as gnolls do. His most devoted 
  followers gain the Gnashing Jaws action and the Rampage trait. Cult 
  leaders also gain the Aura of Bloodthirst trait. 
   
  Gnashing Jaws. Melee Weapon Attack: bonus to hit equal to this 
  creature's proficiency bonus plus its Strength modifier, reach 5 ft, 
  one target. Hit: 1d4 + the creature's Str. modifier as piercing damage. 
  Rampage. When this creature reduces a creature to 0 hit points with 
  a melee attack on its turn, it can take a bonus action to move up to 
  half its speed and make its Gnashing Jaws attack once.  
  Aura of Bloodthirst. If this creature isn't incapacitated, any creature 
  with the Rampage trait can make its Gnashing Jaws attack as a bonus 
  action while within 10 feet of this creature.  
  
   
  33 
  DROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT 
  Mountain, Polar, or Sea Encounter, Tier I 
   
  As the adventurers cross a frozen lake or ice floes, a shadow 
  darts across the snow-white ground: a giant eagle. Its shriek 
  pierces the otherwise fearsome wind, and as the beast rolls, a 
  red blur smashes through the ice—a fire genasi, screaming all 
  the way down. If the party doesn't act, the genasi will drown 
  below the ice—if she even survived the fall at all. 
  The genasi lands 20 feet away from the party; roll initiative, 
  as there is very little time to save her.  
  The Genasi. Velvyn Spire is a NG fire genasi bard. She 
  fancies herself a celebrity. Ignoring the warnings of her party's 
  resident druid, she snuck off to a giant eagle's nest while the 
  others made camp. She was determined to convince the eagle—
  through spells of animal friendship—to spirit her (emphasis on 
  her) and her companions across the Arctic.  
  Velvyn is gregarious, and brims with confidence. Despite her 
  fiery heritage, she manages to convince most folk to give her 
  the benefit of the doubt—and when they won't, she isn't above 
  a well-timed charm person spell.  
  Statistics. Velvyn is a bard with the following changes: 
  • She speaks Primordial, has darkvision to a range of 60 feet, 
  and has resistance to fire damage. 
  • She can cast produce flame. She can also cast burning hands 
  once per day. Constitution is her spellcasting ability for these 
  spells (spell save DC 11, +3 to hit with spell attacks).  
  • She knows the animal friendship spell instead of sleep.  
  • She wears leather armor instead of a chain shirt, and a ring of 
  protection (AC 14). Two potions of healing hang from her 
  belt; the third shattered with the fall.  
   
  The Fall. There is no guarantee that Velvyn survives the fall. 
  Dropped from 50 feet, she takes 5d10 bludgeoning damage at 
  the start of the encounter. There's no way to determine if she is 
  even alive once she goes below the ice; the adventurers will 
  have to operate on the faith that she can be saved.  
  The Water. Velvyn fell through the ice and into frigid water, 
  the effects of which are described in Appendix C. With a +1 to 
  her Constitution, she can survive only for 1 minute before she 
  must make DC 10 Constitution saving throws. On a failure, she 
  takes a level of exhaustion. 
  Velvyn is also drowning; the fall knocked the air out of her 
  lungs and the sudden shock of cold water prevented her from 
  taking in a breath. If she is not removed from the water by the 
  start of her next turn, she is reduced to 0 hit points and begins 
  to die. She cannot regain hit points or be stabilized until she can 
  once again breathe.  
  Skill Challenge. Saving Velvyn is a Medium Skill Challenge. 
  The party must accrue five successes before they accrue three 
  failures (DCs 14-18). Suggested ability checks include: 
  • A Perception check to track Velvyn through the ice.  
  • A Constitution check to resist the sudden shock of plunging 
  into cold water, if a character dives in to save her.  
  • An Athletics check to drag her back to the surface, lift or push 
  her out of the water, or to get oneself back onto the ice.  
  • An Acrobatics check to avoid falling into the water.  
  • A Medicine check to resuscitate Velvyn. 
  • A Medicine, Nature, or Survival check to recall that she only 
  has about half an hour to warm up before suffering complete 
  bodily shutdown.  
  • A shape water cantrip to freeze the water underneath Velvyn, 
  possibly causing the block to rise to the surface with her body 
  placed upon it.   
  • A spare the dying cantrip to stabilize Velvyn once she can 
  breathe again. Similarly, a healing spell can awaken her.  
  • A shatter spell to break ice, possibly opening up a more direct 
  path to Velvyn below the ice.  
   
  If the party saves Velvyn, she expresses shock and suspicion 
  upon waking. Her first instinct is to cast a 2nd-level charm 
  person spell to placate these strangers. She calms down with a 
  successful DC 13 Persuasion check.  
  With no idea where her companions are, Velvyn decides to 
  stick with the party for a while—at least until they return to 
  civilization or the going gets too hot. Although her magic, wit, 
  and daring are appreciable, the genasi quickly proves to be an 
  amusing liability; she is but a slave to her careless whims, after 
  all. This episode with the giant eagle is just the latest in a series 
  of extraordinary—some would say "extraordinarily dumb"—
  stunts. It's as her companions always say: "One of these days, 
  Vel, you're gonna get yourself killed." 
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  Velvyn is a useful companion to add to your adventuring party. 
  Whenever you find her to be too cumbersome to continue 
  including, she slips away in the dead of night or is separated by 
  yet another of her reckless escapades.   
   
  THE DULLAHAN 
  Character Encounter, Tier I-III 
   
  There is a rider in the Arctic, a wayward reaper, to whom the 
  souls of men are forfeit. In greener countries, this black rider 
  would be called the Dullahan, and why she has left them for the 
  dismal Arctic is anyone's guess. Here in the land of unending 
  winter, she has abandoned her traditional black steed for a dog 
  sled pulled by hounds of ill omen. Legends claim that where the 
  Dullahan stops, mortals are doomed to die. Should she come 
  across the adventurers, this superstition will surely be proven. 
  The Dullahan is on a mission to deliver the unfortunate into 
  Death's clutches. Every so often, she receives a vision of one 
  such mortal and tracks them down with her Vengeful Tracker 
  trait. She knows only the quarry's face and name and cares not 
  for anything else, even if given the information. Her purpose is, 
  in her mind, divine.  
  Statistics. The Dullahan has the statistics of a revenant. She 
  carries her head with her; it is a size of Tiny. Any damage it 
  receives is transferred to her body and vice versa. She carries a 
  whip fashioned from a human spine (+7 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  1d4+4 slashing damage on a hit, plus an extra 4d6 if she has 
  sworn vengeance against the target or if they are "due" to die).  
  Living Head. The Dullahan carries her pale head in the crook 
  of her left arm. Its auburn hair is matted with blood and black 
  with rot. Its grin stretches from ear to ear. When the Dullahan 
  speaks, it comes from the head's torn lips. All the Dullahan's 
  senses come from the head, which magically communicates her 
  perceptions to the body. The head and body are simultaneously 
  one being in two parts.  
   
   
  
   
  34 
  To separate the Dullahan's head from her body, a character 
  must succeed on a grapple check against the Dullahan. Any 
  creature holding her head immediately counts as a creature that 
  she has sworn vengeance against, rendering them vulnerable to 
  her Vengeful Tracker trait and other abilities. While its head is 
  30 or more feet away, the body has blindsight out to a range of 
  30 feet and it can still hear noise, despite having no ears.   
  Minions. The Dullahan's sled is pulled by a minimum of four 
  hounds, the statistics of which are determined by the difficulty 
  this encounter is ran as. These creatures do not require air, sleep, 
  food, drink, or warmth.  
  • As a Tier I encounter, four wolves pull the sled. Alternatively, 
  eight mastiffs pull it. These hounds count as monstrosities 
  instead of beasts and are neutral evil.  
  • As a Tier II encounter, the sled is pulled by four death dogs.  
  • As a Tier III encounter, the Dullahan has cowed six winter 
  wolves into her service.  
   
  Sled. The Dullahan's sled is decorated with macabre trophies: 
  ever-burning candles stuffed in skulls, cloaks fashioned from 
  skin, rails carved from bone, and more.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  The Dullahan is a force of nature, a hand of fate, almost. She 
  should be first introduced in your campaign from a distance—
  a dark rider whose grisly appearance is only discerned when she 
  and her hounds pass by the party. Perhaps she is on her way to 
  slay someone important to the party; if they oppose her, the 
  Dullahan hounds the adventurers throughout the campaign. She 
  cares not for their cause and swears allegiance to none of their 
  nemeses; she exists only to revenge herself upon such fools 
  before continuing her grim mission.  
   
  EDGE OF DISASTER 
  Volcanic Encounter, Tier III 
   
  From the summit of Mount Erebys, cultists of Elemental Evil 
  conspire to link the volcano to the Plane of Fire. From its fiery 
  heart, the fools intend to bid a phoenix into this world—unless 
  the thwarted now by the adventurers. Now is the hour of their 
  greatest accomplishment, and—if they can pull it off—their 
  last. The elemental force with which the phoenix enters this 
  world rips apart Mount Erebys and cracks glaciers as far as a 
  hundred miles away. The chances for anyone on the summit to 
  survive the eruption are next to zero. 
  The cultists belong to a joint enterprise made between the 
  Cults of the Crushing Wave and the Eternal Flame. See the 
  Global Warming storyline for details on these apocalyptic fools.  
  Mount Erebys. This active volcano is a stark contrast to the 
  frozen wastes that surround it. The upper half of the summit is 
  black with ash and soot. The Eternal Flame has long considered 
  this place sacred, as it is, like most volcanoes, meta-physically 
  close to the Plane of Fire. Over the years, they have dug out 
  chambers with sweat, magic, and fanatical determination.  
  Map. See the map to the left. Every square is 5 feet. Mount 
  Erebys has the following features:  
  • With exception for the cult complex, the mountain is an area 
  of extreme heat (see Appendix C).  
  • At the bottom of Erebys's 600-feet-deep crater smolders a lake 
  of lava. Creatures that fall into it first take 20d10 bludgeoning 
  damage from the fall (as lava is effectively a solid surface for 
  all but the densest creatures and objects). Creatures that come 
  into contact with the lava for the first time on a turn, or start 
  their turn on it, take 55 (10d10) fire damage.  
  • 2d4+4 magmin lounge in the lava below (when they aren't 
  tormenting cultists, whom they have no allegiance towards).  
  • Toxic fumes poison the air. Creatures that linger at the crater 
  must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be 
  poisoned for the next 10 minutes. Magical wards purge toxins 
  from the air inside the cult's chambers.   
  • The crater's slopes are pitted with frequent handholds, which 
  creatures can use to climb with a DC 10 Athletics check.  
  • The crater and cult chambers are dimly lit, the former by lava, 
  the latter by ambient magic.  
  • The cult chambers are kept at a toasty 90 degrees Fahrenheit 
  by magical wards engraved upon the walls. Eternal Flame 
  cultists are quick to remind complainers that it can be much, 
  much warmer. The temperature is maintained by runes that 
  are carved into every chamber; a dispel magic spell ends this 
  effect, raising the temperature to 700 degrees and making it 
  a place of extreme heat (see App. C).  
  • A camp has been struck on Erebys's southwest summit where 
  cultists live, sticking in the band of warmth between the ash 
  and snow.  
   
   
   
   
  A 
  
   
  35 
  CULT OF THE ETERNAL FLAME 
  The Cult of the Eternal Flame basks in Mount Erebys's scalding 
  heat. The most fervent among them consider it a holy site. They 
  whittle away the days until the summoning ritual by discussing 
  how they will rule the ashes of the world. While their Crushing 
  Wave peers pout, they are abuzz with anticipation. That they 
  may perish when Mount Erebys spits out a phoenix has never 
  even crossed their minds.  
  Leadership. The Eternal Flame is led by Abbot Ignatius, a 
  fire genasi archmage who is just as mad and cunning as his 
  distant peers that run other Eternal Flame chapters. The genasi 
  has faced scorn and scrutiny all his life; when the Eternal Flame 
  cult offered him a home, he was quick to take it. Decades of 
  dogma have ensured that Ignatius—once a teenager desperate 
  to find a place where he belongs—is committed to bringing the 
  world to its knees.  
  Ignatius has the following changes to his statistics: 
  • He has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.  
  • He has resistance to fire damage.  
  • He can cast produce flame and once per day, burning hands. 
  Constitution is his spellcasting ability for these spells.  
  • He can read, write, and speak Common and Primordial.  
  • He wears a mantle of spell resistance (DMG pg. 180), which 
  grants him advantage on saving throws against magic. 
  • He wields a staff of fire (DMG pg. 201).   
  • On the day of the ritual, so long as the Searing Sultan is within 
  100 feet of Ignatius, he has a flying speed of 20 feet and can 
  hover.  
  • He doesn't have a 9th-level spell prepared, for he knows none. 
  Instead, he is busy mastering the gate spell, which he will use 
  to summon the phoenix. By when the summoning ritual is 
  ready, he has practiced enough with gate to have it prepared, 
  but his spellwork is faulty (see below). He also has investiture 
  of flame and feather fall prepared instead of detect magic and 
  detect thoughts.  
   
  Ignatius has spent decades preparing for this ritual and can't 
  shake the shadow of doubt. Doubt torments his every waking 
  moment, claiming that he's nothing more than a failure. Why 
  else can he not master the gate spell?  
  Members. Ignatius's brutal second-in-command is an efreeti 
  known as the Searing Sultan (or the Shah of Suffering, if the 
  genie described in The Fortress of Solitude was released). He is 
  equally devoted to the destruction of this world. His lash has 
  kept even the most dissident cultists in line. Cultists that come 
  to their senses and disavow the Eternal Flame are fed to Mount 
  Erebys by the sultan.  
  The Eternal Flame's ranks consist of: 
  • Twenty cultists, most of whom act as messengers, servants, 
  or attendants. The lucky few get to participate in the rituals 
  that maintain the cults' wards. Few cultists sleep in the cult 
  complex; many camp on the summit of Mount Erebys, in the 
  warm border of ash and snow.   
  • 2d6+5 eternal flame guardians and 1d6+4 eternal flame 
  priests, who patrol the summit in pairs. The priests are also 
  responsible for maintaining the complex's wards.  
  • A human flamewrath whose personality was scoured when 
  he was invested with elemental power. He guards Ignatius at 
  all times, never leaving his side.  
   
  CULT OF THE CRUSHING WAVE 
  The cultists of the Crushing Wave were understandably happier 
  at sea and in the Arctic proper. Here, they are miserable voyeurs 
  awaiting the world's destruction. With nothing to contribute to 
  the summoning ritual, they were assigned to patrol the hallways 
  as the Eternal Flame cultists focused on their work. Perpetual 
  heat and boredom have taken their toll; the guards have grown 
  lax in their duties. 
  Leadership. As the summoning ritual approaches, the cult's 
  greatest members are away, ready to direct the inevitable flood 
  that will occur when the phoenix melts the polar icecaps. In 
  their absence, they have left the water genasi conjurer Jacksyn 
  Seabastard in charge.  
  Seabastard has the following changes to his statistics:  
  • He has a swimming speed of 30 ft. and can breathe both air 
  and water.  
  • He has resistance to acid damage.  
  • He can cast shape water and, once per day, create or destroy 
  water. Constitution is his spellcasting ability for these spells. 
  • He can read, write, and speak Common and Primordial.  
   
  Desperate to prove himself to his superiors, Seabastard roams 
  the halls to remind his colleagues that "the Archomentals are 
  watching; shape up." They pay him little heed.  
  Members. The Crushing Wave has left only a skeletal crew 
  here to ensure the plans they've sacrificed so much for actually 
  come to fruition. They consist of 1d6+8 crushing wave reavers 
  and 1d4+2 crushing wave priests. They have also summoned 
  1d3+1 water elementals that obey their commands.  
   
  THE SUMMONING RITUAL 
  On the day of the ritual, Ignatius is ritually bathed in scalding 
  water by his most trusted attendants. Without him, there is no 
  phoenix and no rising sea levels. His survival, up until he casts 
  gate, is crucial to the Eternal Flame's success.  
  Unless the cults are aware of any outside threats, such as the 
  adventurers, Ignatius is most vulnerable during his bath, which 
  occurs in his chambers (the area marked "A" on the map). Only 
  the flamewrath guards him. 
  If the cults are aware of imminent threats, they guard Ignatius 
  with a retinue three eternal flame guardians, an eternal flame 
  priest, and the flamewrath. In this dark hour, they don't even 
  trust their Crushing Wave colleagues. While Ignatius is being 
  prepared, the efreeti readies the summoning ritual.  
  Precautions. Ignatius has prepared feather fall and casts fly 
  as a contingent spell (as part of contingency) in case he falls 
  during the ritual. By when he leaves his chambers, he's also cast 
  mind blank and mage armor. Therefore, he has already 
  expended a 1st-, 3rd-, 6th-, and 8th-level spell slot.   
  The Ritual Begins. The Cult of the Eternal Flame gathers on 
  Mount Erebys's rim to participate or bask in the ritual—which 
  only puts greater pressure on Ignatius. The Crushing Wave cult 
  expands their patrols within the volcano and without, with Sea-
  bastard floating between the crater and the summit to ensure 
  that nothing goes awry.  
  Ignatius must perform his ritual above Erebys's very heart. 
  Thanks to the Searing Sultan's inscrutable magic, Ignatius has 
  a flying speed of 20 feet and can hover. This magic dies with 
  the genie. Ignatius's contingent fly spell will save his life, but at 
  the cost of his concentration.  
   
   
  
   
  36 
  It only takes one action to cast gate, and the phoenix answers 
  Ignatius's call in 1d10 rounds, but much of the archmage's ritual 
  is spent hedging his bet, so to speak. His (and the eternal flame 
  priests') sacred gestures are mainly for show, although they do 
  help soften the elemental powers at play.  
  The Ritual Awry. Should Ignatius be slain prematurely or 
  lose concentration on his gate spell before the phoenix enters 
  the world, the portal to the Plane of Fire implodes. All creatures 
  within the crater, on its rim, or in the cult complex must make 
  a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 27 (5d10) 
  force damage on a failure, or half as much on a success.   
  The Ritual Complete. If the phoenix enters this world, the 
  force of its entry causes Mount Erebys to erupt. The shockwave 
  surges inwardly and causes the volcano to shake with fury. All 
  creatures on the ground must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving 
  throw. On a failure, a creature is knocked prone. In 1d4 rounds, 
  Erebys erupts. All creatures inside the crater or on its rim when 
  this occurs must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, 
  taking 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage on a failure, or half as 
  much on a success. They must also succeed on a DC 20 
  Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) fire damage on a 
  failure, or half as much on a success. 
  The air within 500 feet of the crater becomes heavily 
  obscured and toxic; all creatures therein must succeed on a DC 
  15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour.  
  Assume that all cultists die in the blast, with the exception of 
  the Searing Sultan. If the adventurers survive, proceed to the 
  Global Warming encounter.   
   
   
  ELVEN SLAVERS 
  Polar Night or Tundra Encounter, Tier I-III 
   
  Tyranny is almost a byproduct in a land as unforgiving as the 
  Arctic, and humility is a trait oft forgotten by insular elves.  
  While traveling, the adventurers encounter a line of prisoners 
  watched over by elven slavers. You have two chief variants to 
  choose from in this encounter: 
   
  DROW SLAVERS 
  Polar Night Encounter, Tier I-III 
  Fresh from the Underdark, the dark elves have come to reap the 
  surface world of its rewards. Successful in their mission, they 
  are leading their prisoners to an abandoned dwarven home once 
  ravaged by an umber hulk. The creature is long gone, but its 
  passage to the surface was found by the drow, who use the home 
  as a staging ground for raids on the surface world.  
  The drow are led by the vicious Lybreena Tanor'thuin, whose 
  statistics are determined by this encounter's difficulty. As a Tier 
  I encounter, she is a drow elite warrior; at Tier II, she is a drow 
  house captain; at Tier III she is a drow priestess of Lolth, for 
  her mission (far more important than raiding the surface world 
  for slaves) could not be entrusted to anyone but one of Lolth's 
  chosen hierophants. On her way back, she raided an outpost for 
  slaves to curry favor with her betters.  
  Likewise, the purpose of the raid and its finer details change 
  with the chosen difficulty this encounter is ran at: 
  Tier I. The drow consist of 1d4+3 male drow and Lybreena. 
  Their mission was simply to raid the surface for supplies and 
  settlements. In addition to their captives, they've amassed 3d10 
  + 40 gp, 5d10+60 sp, and goods that are difficult to produce in 
  the Underdark, such as beef, venison, and cabbage (grown to 
  great sizes thanks to a long arctic summer). They've also taken 
  1d4+1 cows, which they'll have to sedate later.  
  Tier II. The drow consist of 1d4+3 drow and two drow elite 
  warriors, and Lybreena, all of whom are female. Their mission 
  was to arrest a fugitive drow mage named Narisril Rhomdagh. 
  Narisril had the honor of being selected as his house matron's 
  newest consort. Not in the mood to become a tortured sire of 
  several children, the mage escaped to the surface two weeks 
  ago. With almost no survival skills of his own, he left an 
  obvious trail for Lybreena to follow. Narisril is at the head of 
  the column, being whipped and disparaged by the drow. He has 
  been gagged, with pegs driven between his fingers to inhibit 
  spellcasting. He has 12 hit points and 1d4 1st-level spell slots 
  remaining. If freed from his bonds, he turns on his captors until 
  an opportunity to escape presents itself.  
  Tier III. The drow were sent to recover a magical item from 
  the adventurers that stole it in the first place: a handheld mirror 
  that allows the viewer to contact one of Lolth's yochlols. They 
  consist of 1d4+3 drow, two drow elite warriors, a drow mage, 
  and Lybreena. The adventurers are all dead; disappointed she 
  could not bring such mighty heroes back as broken slaves, she 
  took out her frustrations on a nearby settlement.  
  If Lybreena's life is threatened, she uses an action to smash 
  the enchanted mirror, summoning a yochlol into the world. The 
  demon is likely to kill her for such insolence, and her superiors 
  are certain to punish her as well, but those are small risk to pay 
  when faced with certain death. The yochlol is banished back to 
  the Abyss after 1 minute.  
   
   
  
   
  37 
  Shackles. The drow shackle their prisoners with manacles of 
  iron, which require a successful DC 20 Strength check to break; 
  a DC 20 Dexterity check to escape from; or a DC 15 Dexterity 
  check with thieves' tools. The manacles have 15 hit points.   
  Captives. The drow's captives consist of 2d6+5 commoners 
  of assorted races, mostly humans, plucked from nearby villages. 
  A bruised human druid is gagged, with pegs driven into his 
  fingers. A DC 13 Investigation check is enough to ascertain that 
  the man must be a spellcaster, as no other prisoners have been 
  disabled in such a manner. The druid, Nenvolm, has only two 
  1st level spell slots left and has goodberry and cure wounds 
  prepared instead of animal messenger and speak with animals. 
  If freed, he grants the party up to ten goodberries.  
   
  SNOW ELF SLAVERS 
  Tier II 
  Desperate to bring all of the Arctic under their iron regime, the 
  snow elves are faced with expanding their presence throughout 
  the region. Yet the Arctic is a perilous land and local rulers will 
  require safe seats of power. Without easily portable stone and 
  timber, the elves have no choice but to carve strongholds from 
  ice. Only the glacier dwarves have the skill, knowledge, and 
  magic necessary for this task. They cannot ask the dwarves to 
  further their empire, nor would they even if they could. Instead, 
  the elves raid the dwarves for slaves, hoping that the survivors 
  are, or can learn to be, frost masons.  
  The enmity between the elves and glacier dwarves stretches 
  back eons. The elves hold that the dwarves stole the secrets of 
  glacial magic from elvish ruins and destroyed the runes on their 
  way out. The dwarves claim that the elves have less legs to 
  stand on than a seal; frustrated, the elves insist that they have as 
  many legs as a remorhaz. Neither side has admitted fault, and 
  no clans or kings have forgiven their enemies.   
  Shackles. The snow elves shackle their prisoners with glacial 
  manacles. The manacles numb the hands and wrists but don't 
  cause frostbite. The manacles cannot be unlocked or escaped 
  from. They have 12 hit points, vulnerability to fire damage, and 
  can be broken with a DC 16 Strength check.  
  Captives. The elves are leading a line of 2d10+10 glacier 
  dwarf commoners back to the Citadel, their icy fortress. One 
  of these dwarves, Farkyl, is a frost mason master, well known 
  among the dwarves here and already at the Citadel. All it takes 
  is one tortured dwarf to give him up. Farkyl knows his kin, and 
  all the Arctic, will suffer if he aids the elves—and they'll surely 
  milk his expertise by way of torture, coercion, and hostages. 
  The frost mason has decided that suicide may be the only means 
  of delaying the elves' expansion.  
  Elves. The snow elves suffered several casualties during their 
  recent raid on the dwarves. The elves do not abandon their own; 
  the wounded are shuffling alongside the column or are being 
  dragged in sleds. A force of 1d4+2 apprentice wizards, 1d6+4 
  guards, 1d3 veterans, and an archer, are spread evenly along 
  the column. The elves are led by the LE mage, Arandon. 
  Additionally, two scouts keep an eye for trouble; one is half a 
  mile ahead of the column, the other half a mile behind.  
  As snow elves, they have the following racial traits:  
  • The elves speak Elvish, have darkvision to a range of 60 feet, 
  and have an extra +2 bonus to their Perception checks and 
  passive Perception scores. 
  • The elves have advantage on saving throws against being 
  charmed, and magic cannot put them to sleep.  
  • The elves have advantage on Stealth checks to remain hidden 
  in snowy terrain.  
  • They each know three transmutation spells on the wizard spell 
  list: one cantrip, a 1st-level spell and a 2nd-level spell. They 
  can cast the latter two spells once per day. Typically, a snow 
  elf knows gust, shape water, catapult or jump.  
   
  Treasure. The elves recovered little treasure from their raid, 
  as labor and knowledge are more valuable than gold. Arandon 
  carries a spellbook with all the spells prepared in his statistics 
  and a ruby of the war mage (see XGE pg. 138) stolen from the 
  dwarves.   
   
  ENDANGERED HIKER 
  Character Encounter, Tier I 
   
  The adventurers encounter an endangered hiker while traveling. 
  This encounter has several variants, allowing you to run it 
  multiple times. It's encouraged that you run it with the same 
  recurring character if you wish to strike a comedic tone or use 
  a familiar face. Regardless of the character's identity, they have 
  the statistics of a NG scout with an explorer's pack and, usually, 
  ten rations. By default, the hiker is a male human.  
  Roleplaying the Hiker. Wolf Cook is a seasoned hiker that 
  some would liken to a wilderness survival expert. Despite his 
  expertise, he can still find himself in tricky situations from time-
  to-time; such is the nature of the wild. He is an otherwise 
  humble, well-intentioned person who holds that the wilderness 
  is too unforgiving for people not to help each other. If Wolf 
  Cook encounters someone in need, he rushes to their aid, heed-
  less of his own wellbeing.   
   
  AVALANCHE AFTERMATH 
  A simple accident on the hiker's behalf has caused a Small-sized 
  avalanche (see the Avalanche! encounter) while he was skiing 
  off-piste to escape a warband of gnolls terrorizing the region. 
  He cannot point out the gnolls' whereabouts; he doesn't even 
  know whether they followed him—although they have. 
  In the avalanche's aftermath, 1d4+2 gnolls and a gnoll flesh 
  gnawer come bounding down the slope, howling in hunger.   
   
  OWLBEAR ATTACK 
  The hiker darts past the adventurers, offering but one warning: 
  "Run!" Behind him roars a frenzied owlbear, who bounds after 
  him. Bundled in the hiker's arms are two owlbear eggs, whose 
  price on the black market runs from 300 to 1,000 gp each. 
  The hiker, if confronted, insists he stole the eggs to eat, not 
  sell—and rooting through his pack reveals that his rations are 
  indeed gone. If the eggs are placed gently on the ground, the 
  owlbear ceases her attack. If not, she continues chasing them. 
  At this point, she associates the adventurers with the hiker, and 
  will maul them if given the chance. Otherwise, a character 
  holding the eggs who succeeds on a DC 22 Animal Handling 
  check calms the beast.  
  Statistics. The owlbear has white fur and feathers, granting it 
  advantage on Stealth checks made to remain hidden in snowy 
  terrain.   
   
  
   
  38 
  RAPPELLING GONE WRONG 
  The hiker faces a deadly drop in the mountains. Determine the 
  party's geographic relation to the hiker.  
  From Above. If the adventurers are on the high ground, they 
  find evidence of a dead man's anchor—a survival technique in 
  which a rappeler anchors themselves to an object dug into the 
  snow. As a hiker rappels laterally, their weight is leveraged 
  against all the snow between them and whatever object used as 
  an anchor. Even an object as small as a canteen can anchor a 
  full-grown man clad in packs and gear. A DC 13 Survival check 
  identifies the dead man's anchor accordingly.  
  The issue at hand, however, is that the hiker has run out of 
  rope half-way down the cliff and now must decide whether to 
  cut himself loose. If the adventurers detect him (with a DC 14 
  Perception check) or know to follow the ropes, they can assist 
  in pulling him up. It takes a combined Strength score of 30 to 
  pull the hiker up, otherwise a DC 18 Athletics check is required.  
  Down Below. If the adventurers are on the ground below the 
  cliffs, they see the hiker rappelling down the cliffside. Alas, he 
  has anchored himself off a sharp rock whose edges have frayed 
  the rope. As he descends, the rope snaps and the hiker hurtles 
  to the ground 40 feet below, possibly taking up to 22 (4d10) 
  bludgeoning damage. An adventurer below the hiker and within 
  10 feet of his drop can attempt a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. 
  On a success, they catch the hiker; both characters take 5 (1d10) 
  bludgeoning damage. On a failure, they miss the hiker, who 
  crashes into the hard ground. A feather fall spell also saves him.   
   
  YOU'RE ON THIN ICE 
  As the party passes nearby, the hiker attempts to cross a frozen 
  lake. The ice soon gives way and he plunges into the cold water 
  below. Thanks to howling winds, a DC 15 Perception check is 
  required for an adventurer to hear the crack of ice and his 
  alarmed shout. The seasoned hiker drew in a breath before he 
  plunged into the water, but the shock has driven the air from his 
  lungs. For the effects on frigid water, see Appendix C.  
  With a Constitution of 12, the hiker has only one round to 
  surface, lest he suffocates. On his first turn, he attempts a DC 
  14 Perception check to find the hole to the world above (no easy 
  task in a wintry, cloudy land). If he succeeds, he surfaces for 
  air. If not, he begins to die. The hiker can pull himself out of the 
  water if he succeeds on a DC 18 Strength check; otherwise, 
  another creature must succeed on a DC 15 Athletics check to 
  drag them from the water.  
   
   
  FLIGHT OF THE IVORY ELK 
  Taiga Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Through the trees darts a white flash of light; a character that 
  succeeds on a DC 14 Perception check gets a good look at it: a 
  white giant elk. Almost every individual has heard tales that 
  the existence of an alabaster elk heralds great upheaval in the 
  world: the birth the kings, the fall of dynasties, the return of 
  forgotten evils, and more. Other fables claim that only the death 
  of such a majestic beast that triggers such great events. As if to 
  promise such a tumultuous future, lupine howls echo across the 
  forest as 1d4+2 winter wolves bound after the elk.  
  The wolves quickly surround the elk, but that majestic beast 
  doesn't go down without a fight. The adventurers are presented 
  with an opportunity to intervene. 
  Roleplaying the Wolves. The wolves can speak Common and 
  Giant; they are the worgs of the frozen wastes. They hurl insults 
  and threats at the adventurers: 
  • "More meat for the feast!" 
  • "There is a place for prey as foolish as you—between fangs."  
  • "We shall settle for you." 
   
  FIRBOLG DRUID 
  If the elk is saved, the beast guides the adventurers to a nearby 
  cave overgrown with life, despite the cold. This hovel is home 
  to a firbolg druid; to outsiders, he addresses himself as "Balfir." 
  A character fluent or familiar with Elvish recognizes this as a 
  common elven name. If asked, the druid explains that his people 
  have little use for names, and only use them when treating with 
  outsiders.   
  Statistics. As a firbolg, Balfir has the following racial traits: 
  • He speaks Common, Elvish, and Giant. 
  • He can communicate in a limited manner with both beasts and 
  plants, though he has no ability to understand them in turn.  
  • He can cast detect magic and disguise self once per day; his 
  spellcasting ability for these spells is Wisdom  
  • Once per short or long rest, he can use a bonus action to turn 
  invisible until the start of his next turn, or when he attacks, 
  damages, or forces a creature to make a saving throw.   
   
  Roleplaying Balfir. Firbolgs avoid outsiders as a rule, so it 
  should come as no surprise that Balfir is a cautious and twitchy 
  fellow; he has more experience with beasts than other people. 
  He considers greed to be the greatest fault of mortal men, for 
  his kin are taught only to ever take what they need and nothing 
  more. Characters that ask him for more than he provides are 
  gently asked to leave his hovel.  
  As a druid and a firbolg, Balfir has a deep and profound bond 
  with Nature and her creatures. For saving the elk, he considers 
  himself personally indebted to the adventurers. He has little to 
  offer other than ten goodberries (as in the goodberry spell, see 
  PHB pg. 246), and 1d4+1 rations consisting of nuts and berries. 
  Additionally, if any of the adventurers are druids, Balfir leads 
  them in a sacred ritual during a short rest. Afterwards, the druid 
  can prepare three extra druid spells for the next 24 hours.   
   
   
   
  
   
  39 
  FORER-SLAG! 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier II-III 
   
  Thunder booms as the adventurers trek through a mountain 
  pass. This thunder isn't produced from the heavens above, but 
  the mighty mammoth-tusk-horns of the frost giants. Their cries, 
  "Forer-Slag! Forer-Slag!" echo out across the mountain. The 
  horns, the cries, the thunder of their very footfalls—altogether, 
  it sounds as if they are a titanic band of musicians 
  Forer-Slag. Meaning "chieftain-battle" in the Giant tongue, 
  a forer-slag is a ritualistic duel, a custom of the frost giants, who 
  value strength above all other virtues. Only the mighty may lead 
  the clan; when one's honor and strength are doubted, an upstart 
  warrior challenges their superior to battle. To refuse a forer-
  slag challenge is a great dishonor; to survive but not win is an 
  even greater one. Those that are shown mercy are likely to be 
  exiled from the clan. Any giant is allowed to challenge another 
  individual, even the clan's jarl—but there is no yielding in a 
  forer-slag; two giants roar, but only one lives.  
  The Thunder Today. Jarl Grisbos has been challenged by the 
  upstart Rowthor, whose honor was impugned last year—but 
  Rowthor cares not for honor, only power. The jarl's disrespect 
  is just the pretense to this forer-slag. Today, the two shall battle 
  it out before the clan's eyes. 
  Jarl Grisbos is a legendary frost giant warrior in the twilight 
  of his life; his people live up to 250 years and he's pushing two 
  centuries. Under his leadership, Skoldheim—the clan's home 
  and stronghold—has prospered. Many consider Grisbos a 
  tough-but-fair jarl whose strength is necessary to guide the clan 
  through these trying times. His detractors claim the jarl has 
  gone soft and it is time for him to give up the mantle. There is 
  no shame in peacefully abdicating the throne, after all. 
  Rowthor is a deceitful cur that has made a pact with Vaprak 
  the Destroyer, the patron deity of ogres and trolls, and the most 
  reviled god in the giant pantheon. Frost giants that appeal to the 
  Destroyer may be sent a troll (a pilgrim guided by Vaprak) to 
  devour. Those that feast upon its putrid flesh are endowed with 
  great, supernatural strength, becoming frost giant everlasting 
  ones. To embrace Vaprak's power is a death sentence in frost 
  giant society. If Rowthor's secret is found out, he will be slain 
  by his peers, no matter his status among the clan. Alas, those 
  who fail to continue honoring Vaprak are cursed with troll-like 
  deformities that are not so easily hidden.  
  Rowthor is secretly one of these abominable giants, bereft of 
  any deformities; however, if Rowthor is reduced to 0 hit points 
  but regenerates, he grows a second head (see his Extra Heads 
  trait). Assume that, barring intervention on behalf of the 
  adventurers, he defeats Grisbos, crushing the giant's skull with 
  a boulder. The jarl does not die quietly, nor with dignity, 
  bringing great dishonor upon himself and his legacy. Much of 
  the clan falls silent, watching as Rowthor continues to bludgeon 
  Grisbos's corpse. Thereafter, Rowthor shouts in Giant, "Let all 
  who doubt my right to rule step forward now for forer-slag!"  
   
  THE ADVENTURERS 
  The adventurers have entered a situation they've no business in. 
  They risk capture (as a gift for the victor, or merely as slaves), 
  being crushed underfoot by celebrating giants, or being buried 
  by an avalanche caused by a stray boulder. For this encounter, 
  decide where the adventurers are in relation to the forer-slag 
  and the clan's witnesses, who stand on other peaks and plateaus 
  to watch the duel from afar. Choose one of the scenarios below: 
  Avalanche! The duelists are hurling boulders at one another. 
  Rowthor's attack misses, but Vaprak's blessing has made him 
  so strong that his boulder smashes into the summit the party is 
  on, causing an avalanche. See the Avalanche! encounter.  
  Errant Boulder. Instead of striking the peak, the boulder 
  careens towards a random adventurer (+6 to hit, 29 (4d10+7) 
  bludgeoning damage on a hit).  
  Crushed Underfoot. 1d3 frost giants block the path forward, 
  stomping in outrage or approval of the duel. If the adventurers 
  attempt to pass through, they must avoid being stomped on. 
  Each character must succeed on a DC 15 Acrobatics or Insight 
  check to pass through; on a failure, they are knocked prone and 
  take 11 (1d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage. The giants are so pre-
  occupied with the forer-slag that they don't notice the party 
  unless the adventurers harm them. 
  Umbrage. Any characters that fail a DC 13 Stealth check are 
  noticed by the giants, who take umbrage with their trespassing. 
  If the adventurers don't turn back, these 1d4 frost giants attack, 
  with a 75% chance that they spare any characters that yield or 
  are knocked unconscious; Skoldheim is always in need of good 
  slaves, after all.  
  Alternatively, the giants decide to present captured characters 
  to the duel's victor. 
  Vaprak's Rage. The adventurers wind up in the sight of the 
  enraged Rowthor, whose bloodlust cannot be quenched. After 
  defeating Grisbos, this frost giant everlasting one has 49 hit 
  points left; he attacks the party. They might be down the path 
  or even above Rowthor on a ledge. In the case of the latter, the 
  seismic disturbances of the giants' duel weakens the ledge, 
  causing them to slide down into the giant's reach; alternatively, 
  Rowthor hurls a boulder on his first turn, severing the ledge 
  from the mountainside.  
   
  THE ORDNING OF MIGHT 
  This is the second encounter of the Ordning of Might storyline. 
  Should the adventurers eliminate Rowthor now, they spare the 
  Arctic from a brutal overlord. If they do not, Rowthor ascends. 
  Rowthor's regime is a bloody one. He exiles his old rivals and 
  detractors from Skoldheim, forcing them to roam the Arctic. 
  With no clan of their own, these giants are forced to raid settle-
  ments (although they had no qualms with such raids before). 
  Some may conspire to overthrow Rowthor, already suspecting 
  that the giant has struck an accord with Vaprak. See The 
  Isejotun Exile for details.  
  Rowthor, for his part, must also continue to appease Vaprak 
  with frequent sacrifices, lest tumors and other deformities 
  manifest, revealing his pact with the Destroyer. Frost giant raids 
  begin to ravage the Arctic in unprecedented numbers. See Frost 
  Giant Raiders encounter for details.  
   
   
  
   
  40 
  FORGE OF THE FROZEN WASTES 
  Volcanic Encounter, Tier I-II 
   
  The snow has been stained by ash, the air tainted by sulfur, and 
  the chill fought with steam. All who pass by this corner of the 
  Arctic can see that an active volcano broils nearby. Its snow-
  capped summit stands in sharp contrast to the magma churning 
  in its crater. Magma runs down a trench into a smithy operating 
  at its base. This facility, the so-called Forge of the Frozen 
  Wastes, is operated by a band of azers—natives of the Plane of 
  Fire that have since been exiled to the Material Plane. 
  As beings of living fire, the azers need neither food nor rest; 
  they wish only to pursue their craft in peace. If approached with 
  respect and ore, a person can leave with smelted goods—nails, 
  tools, buckles, and the like. The Arctic's few residents speak 
  admirably of these selfless smiths, who provide access to arts 
  of metallurgy they themselves aren't capable of.  
  In the years since settling in this corner of the Material Plane, 
  the azers have picked up bits of mortal languages (Common, 
  Dwarvish, Elvish, and Hafling in particular), whereas the locals 
  that often entreat with them have learned some Ignan phrases, 
  such as "thank you" and "nails."   
  We Jagged Few. The azers are a dysfunctional family of mis-
  fits, all jaded or flawed in their own right. They are led by Breun 
  Khr (see below) and consist of: Magni, who is obsessed with 
  unnecessary innovations; the bossy-but-well-meaning Eldryr; 
  the paranoid Ghan and its sibling, the world-weary Ghin, and, 
  lastly, the deceitful Syrn, who finds no solace in its exile.  
  Chief Craftsman. A pacifist scarred by the horrors of war, 
  Breun swore to never forge another weapon. It instead finds 
  solace in crafting tools, armor, and delicate works of art. Only 
  a great injustice or cataclysm is enough for Breun to break its 
  oath, in which it fashions a flame tongue weapon for a hero 
  devoted to righting that wrong or preventing destruction. See 
  pg. 170 of the Dungeon Master's Guide for this item.  
  You can voice Breun with the following sample dialogue: 
  • "I came to this world to escape war, not further furnish it." 
  • "Those that see themselves as kings-to-be have no place at my 
  fire, nor at my forge."  
  • "We are pawns in great games, but we must nonetheless be 
  burdened with our choices. Suffer not the soldier that finds 
  solace in obedience."  
  • "Magni, enough with the 'tong extenders,' just walk the extra 
  five feet to retrieve the metal yourself."  
   
  Enemies of the Azers. The azers turn away no one but the 
  snow elves, who display the same egotism and ambition the 
  efreet—the fiery genies that sought to enslave the azers eons 
  ago—did. Over the years, the snow elves' appreciation for the 
  azers' generosity waned and they instead came to expect their 
  service. As punishment for such audacity, Breun has banished 
  the elves, famously saying, "Let them smelt frost and snow."  
  Smiths for Hire. The azers delight in new projects. The party 
  can commission them to forge weapons and armor (only Breun 
  refuses to partake in such projects) or other metallic objects. If 
  the party has no raw ore to give them, they can earn credit with 
  the azers by dispatching nearby threats (using just about any 
  encounter in this supplement). Otherwise, the adventurers may 
  earn the azers' favor by thwarting the snow elves in the Kings-
  To-Be event below. 
  If brought a ruby worth 250 gp or more, as well as five ounces 
  of gold, the azers can fashion a ring of warmth over the course 
  of a week (see DMG, pg. 193). 
  KINGS-TO-BE 
  Outraged that the azers refuse to serve them, snow elves arrive 
  to enslave the smiths. If these would-be-tyrants have it their 
  way, a permanent outpost will be erected here with the azers 
  confined to their smithy. As beings of living fire, they don't tire 
  or hunger, making them an inexhaustible engine of war.  
  As is their nature, the snow elves underestimate the azers; 
  their initial force consists of a knight, 1d6+4 guards, 1d4 + 2 
  scouts, and a bard. They do not intend to harm the azers, only 
  confine them and turn away other visitors—although it is 
  acceptable to maim or slay one elemental to cow the others into 
  submission. Their orders are to hold the vicinity until further 
  forces and workers arrive from the Citadel (their fortress-city).  
  Statistics. The snow elves are all lawful evil; they also have 
  the following racial traits, in addition to their normal statistics: 
  • The elves speak Elvish and have darkvision to a range of 60 
  feet. 
  • The elves have advantage on saving throws against being 
  charmed, and magic cannot put them to sleep.  
  • The elves have advantage on Stealth checks to remain hidden 
  in snowy terrain.  
  • They each know three transmutation spells on the wizard spell 
  list: one cantrip, a 1st-level spell and a 2nd-level spell. They 
  can cast the latter two spells once per day. Typically, a snow 
  elf knows gust, shape water, catapult or jump.  
   
  Warmonger. The elves are led by the knight Enialis Nailo, 
  an aspiring warrior with noble ties. Nailo glorifies war, calling 
  it "the patriot's duty." This is but his first trial in what should be 
  a lengthy military career. While he considers the slaughter of 
  noncombatants a distasteful blemish on his honor, he only 
  offers bystanders one opportunity to vacate or turn back from 
  the area. Headstrong and drunk on his own delusion of 
  grandeur, Nailo first approaches the Forge of the Frozen Wastes 
  and calls out in heavily-practiced Ignan, "Smiths of Fire! We, 
  the spurned, have come for what is ours! Surrender yourselves 
  as servant-citizens of the Citadel or perish!"  
  The azers, for their part, simply shrug and continue to work. 
  They only attack intruders. Breun Khr, if present, dismisses the 
  elves out of hand. It would rather die than fashion weapons of 
  war, or tools thereof, but acquiesces for now. The other azers, 
  although upset, follow his lead. "They cannot remain here for-
  ever," Breun tells them, "and if they try, they will only wither. 
  We are living fire; they are but embers in a storm." Breun and 
  the azers can be convinced to act now with a successful DC 13 
  Persuasion check; otherwise, it is up to the adventurers to keep 
  these smiths out of the hands of conquerors.   
  Tactics. The elves position their scouts on snowbanks to fire 
  at any targets while the guards set up a rudimentary camp under 
  the bard's supervision. Nailo stares at the smithy, outraged that 
  the azers haven't even deigned to respond to his demands. Given 
  time, he may fall prey to his pride and attack.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  The Forge of the Frozen Wastes is your convenient storefront 
  for characters dependent upon metal, such as high-level fighters 
  in need of plate armor. It also allows you to spread objects and 
  tools around the Arctic that locals have no true way of obtaining 
  themselves, as advanced, widespread metallurgy is normally 
  difficult to conduct in such an inhospitable terrain.  
   
   
  
   
  41 
  THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE 
  Polar Encounter, Tier III 
   
  Within the Arctic lies a keep chiseled from glacial ice, built not 
  by the famous glacier dwarves or stolen by the snow elves. Nay, 
  it was built by a bitter, retired champion of mankind: the 
  aasimar El-ga, who defended the world decades ago from other-
  worldly threats. For his heroism, El-ga knew only the moaning 
  of selfish citizens and the suffering of lost loved ones. The 
  former paragon has remained in his fortress ever since, 
  determined to watch with a father's disappointment as the world 
  slips further and further into chaos.  
  Roleplaying El-ga. The aasimar is a broody host; travelers 
  that appeal to him for shelter are allowed inside the fortress, but 
  they must weather his tirades on humanity's inability to improve 
  itself. He calls them "lousy infants that only bite the very hand 
  that feeds." He openly admits he would rather see the world 
  burn than help it again. "Duty," as he puts it, "is a self-imposed 
  curse. In the end, you owe no one anything." 
  Once a paragon of all that is good and right, the bitter hero 
  has become a shadow of his former self. He lives only for the 
  day he can return to the world stage to remind people that, had 
  they only been a little more grateful, he would intervene. Until 
  then, he contents himself with smiting the wicked—monsters 
  that stray too close to his lair, or evil guests that happen into it. 
  El-ga is thoroughly a sadist, bludgeoning his foes only to heal 
  them with his divine powers. He is, tragically, irredeemable. 
  Nothing, not even the most selfless of deeds, can convince him 
  that humans—and all mortals, for that matter—aren't evil, or 
  worse, lazy creatures that ruin all they touch.   
  Statistics. El-ga is a LE aasimar warlord with the following 
  changes to his statistics: 
  • He can read, write, and speak both Common and Celestial. 
  • He has darkvision to a range of 60 feet, and can cast the light 
  cantrip. 
  • He has resistance to necrotic and radiant damage.  
  • As an action, he can touch a creature and restore 20 hit points 
  to them.  
  • Thanks to his inner divinity, he no longer needs to eat or drink. 
  Additionally, he can use an action to probe a person's heart; 
  the target, who he must be able to see and be within 30 feet 
  of, must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a 
  failure, El-ga learns their alignment.  
  • Instead of wielding a greatsword, El-ga is armed with his fists 
  (+9 to hit, 1d10+5 bludgeoning damage), which count as 
  magical attacks. He can use his fists as part of his Weapon 
  Attack legendary action.  
  • He has the Radiant Soul action:  
   
  Radiant Soul (1/Day). El-ga releases his inner divine energy. 
  His eyes glimmer and two luminous wings sprout from his 
  back. For the next minute, or until he uses a bonus action to 
  end these effects, he has a flying speed of 30 feet, and once 
  per turn, when he deals damage with an attack or spell, he can 
  deal an extra 20 radiant damage.   
   
  A Hero's Hospitality. The adventurers are welcome to stay at 
  the Fortress of Solitude; El-ga has casks of wine and water, as 
  well as enough food to feed ten people for a month. Thanks to 
  El-ga's divine presence, food does not rot in the fortress.  
  Inevitably, El-ga determines each of his guests' alignments. 
  Should any of them prove evil, even in the slightest, the "hero" 
  attacks. He shows no mercy and drags the bloody affair out for 
  as long as he can.  
  Map. See the map above, the scale of which is 5 feet for each 
  square. The temperature within its walls is 80 degrees. 
  Treasure. El-ga has collected several trophies from his old, 
  defeated foes, many of which are magical or valuable. They are 
  displayed upon glacial pedestals throughout the fortress. Taking 
  any of these treasures incurs El-ga's wrath. They include: 
  • A mind blade (VGM pg. 81) forged from Supremacus the mind 
  flayer; in the hands of any other creature, it is simply a long-
  sword.  
  • A wand of wonder (DMG pg. 212) once wielded by Mysteria, 
  an evil sorceress.   
  • A helm of brilliance (DMG pg. 173) with two diamonds, one 
  eight rubies, four fire opals, and twenty-two opals left. The 
  helm was once worn by The Greater Mind, a psychic villain 
  whose skull El-ga inevitably crushed.  
  • An efreeti bottle (DMG pg. 167) containing the "Sultan of 
  Suffering," an efreeti. El-ga makes a habit of drawing out the 
  Sultan to whale on the genie with his mighty fists. He alone 
  can force the genie back into the bottle.  
  • The scattered arms and armor of evil guests that wandered into 
  the Fortress of Solitude. They are placed near the back of the 
  fortress's hall, as befitting "lesser trophies."  
   
  FROST GIANT RAIDERS 
  Tundra or Urban Encounter, Tier II 
   
  The very mention of frost giant raiders is enough to rouse a crew 
  of warriors—or inspire a mad abandonment of civilization. The 
  people of the Arctic suffer these raids as often a dog picks up a 
  tick; these ticks, however, can hurl boulders and attack amidst 
  blizzards. Sure enough, when foul weather is on the rise, a town 
  must prepare for an attack. Some settlements will leave an 
  offering of ale and steel on the outskirts—but soon learn that 
  the giants raid not only for material, but to demonstrate their 
  might before both their peers and Thrym, their deity.  
  There are two variants for this encounter, with the following 
  constants. As the weather worsens into a blizzard, a character 
  that succeeds on a DC 14 History check recalls that the giants 
  consider blizzards a gift sent by Thrym, and that they must 
  answer his call. With this information, they may decide to skip 
  town, join in its defense, or hunker down somewhere that the 
  giants cannot find them.  
   
   
  
   
  42 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Weather. The region is being buffeted by a blizzard, causing 
  the following effects: 
  • The area and creatures therein are lightly obscured by snow. 
  • Strong winds (see Appendix C).   
  • The area is extremely cold and the DC for Constitution saving 
  throws made against extreme cold is increased to 15.  
   
  Combatants. The raiders consist of the following fighters: 
  • 1d4+2 frost giants 
  • 1d3+1 frost giant juveniles (with the statistics of ogres with 
  immunity to cold damage)  
  • 1d3+1 winter wolves or 1d2+1 young remorhazes 
   
  IN TRANSIT 
  Tundra Encounter 
  The adventurers encounter the giants in the wilderness before 
  or after their raid. Choose one of the following:  
  Antecedent. The giants are unharmed and in good spirits. As 
  they traipse across the tundra, booming laughter and ribald jests 
  can be heard during gaps in the gale above. The raiders believe 
  themselves mighty and blessed by Thrym himself; they have no 
  reason to be cautious. Characters that understand Giant and 
  succeed on a DC 15 Perception check can piece together their 
  conversation, learning two facts: the first target to be raided, 
  and that at least three juveniles are being tested today. Juvenile 
  frost giants are notoriously reckless, as they're eager to finally 
  demonstrate their might.   
  Aftermath. The giants are grimly quiet; a few of their brood 
  were slain or left behind in the raid, and the spoils were not 
  worth the cost in flesh. At most, only three giants and a single 
  juvenile made it out alive, along with one beast. The giants are 
  all wounded; assign each survivor with the following hit points: 
  42, 60, and 89. The juvenile has 47 hit points remaining.  
  The giants also carry the following treasure: 
  • Four stolen pigs or cattle 
  • Timber scavenged from ruined houses, to be burned for the 
  slaves at Skoldheim.  
  • A cask of ale carried on one giant's shoulder. 
  • 1d4+3 gems worth 250 gp apiece. 
  • Two steel greatswords, a battleaxe, and 40 pounds of errant 
  metal ripped off forges and buildings. 
  • A saddle of the cavalier (DMG 199) that the giant has taken 
  as a trophy from a slain adventurer; he is unaware that the 
  saddle is magical. 
  THE REAVER'S HORN 
  Urban Encounter 
  The isejotun waste no time on subtlety; deceit and subterfuge 
  are the arts of Memnor, not mighty Thrym, god of the isejotun. 
  A thunderous horn heralds the giants' arrival, provoking panic 
  among the townsfolk. Warriors scramble to defend the walls 
  (provided they have any) and lay caltrops along the street.  
  A boulder is the first shot loosed in this raid; it crashes into 
  the settlement's walls or through a villager's roof, crushing or 
  trapping them inside. With another howl of the horn, the giants 
  charge. Once an egress has been achieved, the giants' winter 
  wolves dash inside the settlement; if the giants instead have 
  young remorhazes, the creatures burrow in from below.  
  To Battle! The settlement musters up twenty guards, but the 
  giants make quick work of them. If the adventurers join in the 
  battle, errant attacks may work to their favor. At initiative count 
  20 (losing initiative ties) one of the following effects occur: 
  • An archer looses an arrow at a giant engaging the party (+5 to 
  hit, 1d6+2 piercing damage). 
  • An archer corps looses a volley at the giants, targeting a 10-
  foot-diamater circle. Creatures within the area, which may 
  include adventurers, must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving 
  throw. On a failure, a creature takes 3d6 piercing damage.   
  • A veteran joins the fray, taunting a giant in its own tongue. 
  Enraged, the giant must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving 
  throw. On a failure, its attack rolls have disadvantage against 
  targets other than the veteran until the start of the giant's next 
  turn. An errant punt sends the veteran flying at the end of the 
  round, removing him from the fray.   
  • A thrown boulder smashes into a home's fireplace, starting a 
  fire. The fire quickly spreads to nearby structures. Creatures 
  that enter the blaze take 5 (1d10) fire damage.  
  • A visiting mage looses a fireball at the giants but captures an 
  adventurer or two in the blast. Each creature in a 20-foot-
  radius sphere centered on a giant must succeed on a DC 14 
  Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire damage on a 
  failure, or half as much on a success. A hurled boulder soon 
  turns that brave wizard into a red smear.   
  • A giant is wounded as it's about to hurl a boulder, causing it 
  to instead target one of its peers engaging the adventurers (+9 
  to hit, 28 (4d10+6) bludgeoning damage.   
   
  Aftermath. Ultimately, the settlement's guards are routed or 
  slaughtered if the adventurers don't repel the attack. The giants 
  steal casks of ale, livestock, and steel. They have no use for gold 
  or currency and prefer large gems. Some may steal wagons and 
  other tools for their slaves back at Skoldheim.  
   
  THE ORDNING OF MIGHT 
  This encounter is related to the Ordning of Might storyline. If 
  Rowthor has usurped Jarl Grisbos, all future raids are especially 
  vicious, as Vaprak the Destroyer (whom Rowthor must secretly 
  appease) demands unprecedented carnage. Rowthor orders his 
  raiders to prioritize destruction over loot, challenging them to 
  prove their might. The more ambitious and bloodthirsty giants 
  take this opportunity to ascend the Ordning of Might. Giants 
  that have already earned their social standing once again take 
  umbrage with this new jarl's directives.  
   
   
  
   
  43 
  FROSTFELL RIFT 
  Polar Encounter, Tier II-III 
   
  The Arctic is already an unforgiving abattoir; it does not need 
  further dangers to creep in from worlds beyond—but deep into 
  the frozen wastes, that is precisely what has happened. A rift to 
  the Frostfell, the Plane of Ice, has opened, bidding elementals 
  to enter the Material Plane with no master to obey.  
  The Breach. The rift is a 5-foot-radius portal housed in a 15-
  foot-tall, 10-foot-wide framework of black, glacial ice. Shards 
  line it like thorns, and the entire structure emanates an unearthly 
  chill. Creatures that start their turn while within 20 feet of the 
  rift, or enter within that area for the first time on their turn, must 
  succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 
  16 (3d10) cold damage on a failure, and half as much on a 
  success.  
  The rift is almost sentient; it can sense the intentions of others 
  and will defend itself as best it can. On initiative count of 20 
  (losing initiative ties), the rift can perform one of the effects 
  below:  
  • The rift can cast gust of wind, wind wall (centered on itself), 
  Snilloc's snowball swarm, or ice knife (+6 to hit). The spell 
  save DC for these spells is 14.  
  • The rift can conjure 2d4+2 ice mephits, 1d3 frost elementals 
  (water elementals lacking both their Water Form and Freeze 
  traits that also have immunity to cold damage), one water 
  elemental myrmidon or one frost salamander. The rift can't 
  use this effect two rounds in a row and it cannot conjure the 
  same set of creatures more than once if this encounter is run 
  at Tier II.   
   
  Closing the Rift. A spell of dispel magic (DC 15) is the only 
  means to safely close the rift. To destroy its framework first 
  would allow planar energies to seep into the world, causing 
  incalculable damage in the near- and far-future. A character that 
  succeeds on a DC 13 Arcana check recalls this grave warning. 
  Once the rift has been closed, the framework becomes ordinary 
  ice and can be destroyed safely.  
   
  DIRE WINTER 
  Opening rifts such as these is the modus operandi of Withrens 
  Fyar, the evil archmage featured in the Dire Winter storyline. 
  This rift may be his handiwork or it may have been caused by a 
  planar convergence (an event in which the Inner Planes creep 
  closer to the Material World).   
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  This rift may be the source of several horrors already featured 
  in your campaign, making it a worthy quest of your adventurers. 
  The rift can spawn ice mephits, water elemental myrmidons, 
  frost salamanders, and more.  
  If frequent rifts form across the Arctic, the adventurers may 
  be pressed to find out who or what is responsible. You can pin 
  this on a myriad of villains: bheur hags, Withrens Fyar, or even 
  an evil deity of winter, such as Auril, the goddess of winter in 
  the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.  
   
  FROSTHENGE 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier I or III 
   
  The ancient circle of glacial menhirs known as Frosthenge has 
  been the subject of speculation for generations. It is frequented 
  by tourists and pilgrims alike, all devoid of meaning in their 
  lives—even if they do not know it yet. Even the deranged druid 
  Sylberos (described in The Poacher's Nightmare) has pondered 
  his purpose in life from within Frosthenge.  
  The monument consists of eight menhirs of black ice streaked 
  with white veins. Those who meditate within the circle for an 
  hour or more gain Inspiration—although most would shiver if 
  they learned the source of this guidance. Within each and every 
  menhirs lies a bound demon. Visitors can be influenced by these 
  demons through subtly manipulated introspection and sudden 
  epiphanies. A character that succeeds on a DC 22 Insight check 
  realizes that the many emotions they felt or thoughts they had 
  were the result of outside influences.  
  A character under a spell of detect evil and good can sense 
  the fiends' presence, whereas a spell of detect magic can sense 
  abjuration surrounding the menhirs and transmutation magic at 
  the center of the circle. Additionally, a character that stares at a 
  menhir for 3d10+10 minutes can make out a fiendish face 
  pressed up to the ice as if it were glass.  
  Myths Galore. Frosthenge remains a source of debate among 
  laymen and scholars. Many claim it was a site of peace between 
  men and elves. Others say it was where the ancient snow elves 
  and glacier dwarves decided to call an armistice. It may have 
  been erected by a druid circle; it may be a holy site for a long-
  forgotten deity.  
  No matter Frosthenge's origins, it has since become the tomb 
  of Al'ghr A'til, the long-forgotten archmage that imprisoned the 
  Flayed Queen (of the Army of the Damned storyline) eons ago. 
  The wizard secretly served the undead sovereign and dug out a 
  tomb beneath Frosthenge where the secrets on how to find and 
  free her would be preserved—and guarded. It was Al'ghr A'til 
  who summoned and bound demons into the menhirs, perverting 
  whatever meaning this ancient monument once had.  
  To gain access to the tomb below, intruders must release and 
  subdue the demons or utter an incantation its architect left 
  behind—an incantation known only by the Flayed Queen and 
  her servitors. Once either of these conditions have been met, the 
  ground opens up to reveal a spiral staircase.   
  To gain access to the tomb below, intruders can resort to one 
  of the options below: 
  • Utter a special phrase left behind by Al'ghr A'til known only 
  by the Flayed Queen and her minions.  
  • By touching a menhir while under a spell of dispel evil and 
  good spell and banishing the demons whence they came. 
  • By touching a menhir and willingly bidding a demon to come 
  forth. This releases 1d4 demons, each of whom appear atop 
  their menhir. Once a demon is reduced to 25 or fewer hit 
  points, it is drawn back into the menhir. All demons must be 
  defeated for the tomb to open.  
   
  Once one of these conditions has been met, the ground opens 
  up to reveal a staircase that spirals into darkness below.  
  Bound Demons. Frosthenge's fiends have been imprisoned 
  for millennia now. Manipulating mortal is their sole form of 
  entertainment. Repeat visitors who meditate within Frosthenge 
  run the risk of becoming corrupted or possessed by a demon, as 
  if by Abyssal Corruption (see the sidebar on the next page).  
   
   
  
   
  44 
  The demons consist of three shadow demons, two bulezaus, 
  a barlgura, a glabrezu, and a hezrou. The demons can't move 
  more than 30 feet from Frosthenge and they can't summon other 
  demons.    
  Map. See the map below; every square is 5 feet.  
   
  IN THE TOMB OF THE FORGOTTEN MAGUS 
  The tomb is cloaked by magical darkness (functioning as a 2nd-
  level darkness spell) shed by black runes scrawled into its walls. 
  It consists of the following areas: 
  A. This crypt contains the bones of the laborers Al'ghr A'til 
  hired (or coerced) to dig this tomb. If a living creature enters 
  this crypt, these bones animate as 2d4+6 skeletons.  
  B. This crypt contains the bones of Al'ghr A'til's most loyal 
  apprentices who still haunt the tomb. When a living creature 
  enters this crypt, 1d4+3 specters attack.  
  C. This chamber sports an ornate sarcophagus depicting a 
  wizardly sphinx; it contains Al'ghr A'til's skeleton. The inside 
  of the sarcophagus lid is engraved with the incantation that can 
  release the Flayed Queen. It is written in a long-dead language 
  that only the most studious linguists would even recall. For 
  details on releasing the Flayed Queen, see The Glacial Prison.  
  D. Al'ghr A'til amassed much treasure in his life—and then 
  squandered it. When he entombed himself, all the wizard had 
  left were his most precious mementos, which are contained in 
  this area. The stone slab covering it is engraved with a symbol 
  spell (PHB pg. 280) that triggers the Death effect if a creature 
  moves the slab. To move the slab requires a successful DC 25 
  Athletics check.  
  Within the chamber is a single stone chest containing: 
  • 4d20+40 pp 
  • A pair of boots of the winterlands (DMG pg. 209) 
  • A staff of power (DMG pg. 202).  
  • Al'ghr A'til's spellbook, which contains the spells described in 
  the archmage's statistics, plus every wizardly necromancy 
  spell ever created, as well as summon greater demon.  
   
   
  Al'ghr A'til left one final trap in his meager hoard. A creature 
  that takes his spellbook or staff of power activates a glyph of 
  warding (DC 17) containing a geas spell cast at 9th-level, which 
  instructs them to "release the Flayed Queen and aid Her Grace 
  in conquering this worthless world." See PHB pg. 245 & 244 
  respectively for these spells. 
  A character afflicted by the geas spell is soon telepathically 
  contacted by the Flayed Queen and bid to serve her now in life, 
  rather than later in undeath.  
   
  ARMY OF THE DAMNED 
  If you're running the Army of the Damned storyline, the party 
  might visit this area before or after the lich Cis'tudh comes to 
  unearth the incantation that will free the Flayed Queen. Cis'tudh 
  bypasses the demons by uttering Al'ghr A'til's entry incantation. 
  Any undead still in the tomb instinctively obey her commands. 
  She is not expecting intruders and has brought no other minions.  
   
   
   
  ABYSSAL CORRUPTION 
  Individuals that linger too long within Frosthenge run the risk of 
  becoming corrupted by its imprisoned demons. A creature that 
  spends 1 hour or more meditating, resting, or contemplating within 
  Frosthenge must succeed on a Charisma saving throw (DC 10 + the 
  total number of hours spent in Frosthenge, up to DC 20).  
  On a failure, the character, is corrupted. Roll a d10 and refer to 
  the effects below. A spell of dispel evil and good, remove curse, or 
  similar magic ends this effect. 
   
  d10 
  Effect 
  1-4 
  Treachery. The character gains the following flaw: 
  "I can only achieve my goals by making sure that 
  my companions don't achieve theirs." 
  5-7 
  Bloodlust. The character gains the following flaw: 
  "I enjoy killing for its own sake, and once I start, it's 
  hard to stop." 
  8-9 
  Mad Ambition. The character gains the following 
  flaw: "I am destined to rule the Abyss, and my 
  companions are tools to that end." 
  10 
  Demonic Possession. The character is possessed by 
  a demonic entity until freed by dispel evil and good 
  or similar magic. Whenever the possessed character 
  rolls a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving 
  throw, the demon takes control of the character and 
  determines the character's behavior. At the end of 
  each of the possessed character's turns, he or she 
  can make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a 
  success, the character regains control until he or she 
  rolls another 1. 
   
  A 
  B 
  C 
  D 
  
   
  45 
  FROSTY THE SNOWMAN 
  Character Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Having found an enchanted top hat, a group of children created 
  a vicious monstrosity that now haunts the Arctic. This creature's 
  dreadful reputation precedes itself, and yet it can still get the 
  drop on unsuspecting passerby. The mightiest heroes know not 
  to traffic with this snow golem, this "Frosty the Snowman."  
  In greener lands, Frosty would be defeated by the coming of 
  spring and the melting of winter snow. Not so in the Arctic, 
  where he has free reign. He has since become a boogeyman in 
  the minds of the locals. When someone dies a grisly death in 
  the snow, they attribute it to the snow golem whose retractable 
  claws are, if survivors are to be believed, as long as a man's arm. 
  In many settlements, building snowmen has been outlawed so 
  that the dreaded snow golem cannot hide in plain sight.  
  Statistics. Frosty has the statistics of a scarecrow but with 
  immunity to cold damage and vulnerability to fire damage. He 
  is indistinguishable from an ordinary snowman while motion-
  less (save for his top hat of awakening). He can also speak 
  Common.  
  Roleplaying Frosty. The snow golem is not evil by nature but 
  by choice—and is fond of reminding his victims of that fact 
  whilst tearing them limb from limb. The only people he has any 
  affection for are the children responsible for his dark birth, who 
  he periodically visits. Frosty makes sure to leave them presents 
  whenever he does so, laying them at the doorstep. He also 
  murders those that would harm or otherwise trouble his 
  creators; his first victim was Sally's bully, Jimothy Tharn. The 
  children—Sara, Billy, and the tiefling girl Sally—are, 
  understandably, terrified of him. Billy, however, secretly has 
  Frosty carry out his bidding from time to time.   
  Tactics. Frosty is fond of ambushing lone individuals, be they 
  travelers on the road or unlucky fools in a settlement. He looses 
  his Terrifying Glare on his first turn and follows up with Claw 
  attacks on subsequent turns. While near death, he races over to 
  another snowman and, as an action, transfers his magical top 
  hat of awakening to the other snowman. Doing so restores him 
  to his hit point maximum. 
  Servant of the Hag. Frosty periodically serves the bheur hag 
  Granny Yrsula (see The Creeping Igloo). If she and her sisters 
  survived the Hag Summit encounter, then Frosty may carry a 
  hag eye (see MM pg. 177).  
   
  TREASURE 
  Frosty is fond of taking trophies from his many victims. In 
  addition to his top hat of awakening (see the sidebar), he has 
  squirreled away several treasures into his body. The following 
  items can be retrieved while Frosty is dead or dormant, or as an 
  action by a creature that shoves its hand into Frosty’s snowy 
  body (doing so inflicts 1 point of cold damage): 
  • 2d12+17 gp, 3d4+5 sp, and 4d6+18 cp 
  • 1d4 firewood, flint, and a fire striker 
  • A silver locket worth 25 gp that has an inlaid portrait of a half-
  elf child (presumably, someone's daughter) 
  • A rusty orcish dagger 
  • A hacky sack sewn with the initials "J.T."  
   
   
  THE FRUITS OF DESPAIR 
  Polar Night Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Rjuk, a mining village, lies in the shadow of two mountains. Its 
  people suffer an annual winter malaise during the four-month-
  long polar night. This seasonal depression is a familiar specter 
  with which the Rjukites grapple with, but a recent tragedy has 
  compounded their blues into outright despair. Drawn to this 
  despair, a unique meenlock bursts in from the Feywild and into 
  the mortal world where it has now begun to create a hive of its 
  own dark fey.  
  The Tragedy. When 6-year-old Oskar and his infant sister 
  Edith went missing, a search party tracked them to the nearby 
  woods. The trail led to an igloo—a curious sight in the forest. 
  Its walls were decorated in strange sigils, claim the survivors, 
  who burst inside in time to see Oskar being stuffed into the 
  mouth of a hag. Six trackers entered that igloo; two emerged, 
  and it was without Edith. "The igloo shuddered," say the 
  survivors, "and hovered above the forest floor on a frigid 
  cloud." Desperate to save the girl, they clambered towards the 
  igloo's entrance but were cut by flying daggers of ice. They 
  returned to Rjuk later that day, empty-handed and haunted.  
  Little did Rjuk know that its grief could pave the way to even 
  greater woes. They came together to mourn a senseless tragedy, 
  and from their united anguish came creatures from a realm not 
  meant for mortal eyes. From the darkness emerged a special 
  meenlock spawned not by fear, but despair. It has been spotted 
  numerous times, clinging to the shadows but growing bolder as 
  the days went on. Were this a brighter land not held hostage by 
  polar night, the fey would be confined to its warren by day. The 
  townsfolk have fallen to fear as well as despair, which only 
  seems to further empower the creature.  
   
   
  TOP HAT OF AWAKENING 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  This top hat is embroidered with felt sigils. As an action, you can 
  place the top hat on a snowman, animating it. While animated in this 
  manner, the snowman has the statistics of a scarecrow (with 
  immunity to cold damage and vulnerability to fire damage) with a 
  random alignment and the ability to speak one language of its 
  creator's. Every top hat of awakening houses one consciousness with 
  its own alignment and personality.  
  The snowman has a will of its own. It regards you as its creator 
  but is under no compulsion to obey you. It may feel indebted to you, 
  resentful of the life you breathed into it, or compelled to protect you 
  from others.   
  The snowman remains animate so long as the top hat of 
  awakening remains on its head. It can be removed while the 
  snowman is incapacitated; otherwise, the construct's will keeps the 
  hat firmly attached to its head and a successful DC 15 Strength 
  check, made as an action, is required to remove it.  
  The snowman's personality, mind, and memories are persistent. 
  Even if the snowman is reduced to 0 hit points or its hat is removed, 
  the snowman is, effectively, reborn if the hat is placed on another 
  inanimate snowman. As an action, the snowman can remove its own 
  hat and, in that same motion, place it on another inanimate snowman 
  within 5 feet, transferring its own consciousness. When it does so, it 
  becomes another scarecrow with all its hit points.  
  
   
  46 
  Foulspawn. The original meenlock was timid at first, 
  merely clawing at passerby from the shadows and 
  fleeing when others intervened. Inevitably, it 
  overwhelmed a lone teenager named Rhynis. 
  The boy was paralyzed and dragged into an 
  old gold mine nearby where no one could 
  hear his screams. The meenlock battered the 
  boy's mind with psychic malice and fear. 
  When his body and brain and spirit could take 
  it no longer, he did not die, but was instead 
  transformed into another meenlock. For more details 
  on this metamorphosis, see the Telepathic Torment 
  sidebar (VGM, pg. 170). 
  Since then, the meenlocks' numbers have 
  swelled. While two have already been slain, 
  six remain. Each new member is an abducted 
  and broken victim; while children have been 
  attacked, none have gone missing, suggesting 
  that the fey can only transform adults. If these foul creatures are 
  not vanquished, all of Rjuk may one day become meenlocks.  
  Villagers. Rjuk's people have learned that the fey shun bright 
  light, and that they can teleport into pools of darkness. Candles 
  and lanterns are burned at all times in the villagers' homes to 
  stamp out any darkness the fey may use to gain purchase inside. 
  No one is allowed outside in groups of less than three.  
  Arrival. When the adventurers first arrive to Rjuk, they 
  encounter three human watchmen: two LG guards and Karl 
  Urn, a LG veteran (with a Wisdom score of 15 and a +2 bonus 
  to Survival checks). Urn is a haunted man; it was he who saw 
  little Oskar's death. His only surviving companion has gone 
  missing; Urn suspects either suicide or abduction at the hands 
  of the meenlocks.  
  Roleplaying Urn. The "hag-ordeal" has completely broken 
  Urn. Before, he was gregarious; now he is sullen and taciturn. 
  His wife, Aldi, hardly recognizes him now. He has spoken only 
  once of what he saw in the hag's igloo and has yet to recover 
  from that nightmare.  
  Urn has a far-off stare; he hardly looks others in the eye. You 
  can voice him with the following dialogue: 
  • "We are infested. Creatures not of this world lurk in the dark, 
  eager to add more to their foul warren. Seven of our people 
  have disappeared; others have been left maimed. We know 
  where they reside, but we lack the courage and strength to 
  enter that warren and put an end to the shadow."  
  • "Carry a light with you. Lamp oil is now more valuable than 
  steel. The creatures… darkness is a road they alone can take." 
  • "On the heels of tragedy… fear."  
  • "I have seen one of these foul creatures; they are like gnomes 
  or children in stature but resemble insects—with mandibles 
  and pincers and clawed feet." 
  • "We must rid our land of this foul pestilence so that we may 
  mourn in peace." 
   
  Karl knows where the meenlocks reside: a branch of an old 
  mine. He points the adventurers to it. He can be convinced to 
  come along with a successful DC 13 Persuasion check. Alas, 
  his demons get the better of him in the warrens. If he falls prey 
  to the meenlocks' Fear Aura, nightmares of the hag-ordeal are 
  ripped from the back of his mind to the surface. Unless he is 
  calmed with a successful DC 15 Persuasion check (made as an 
  action), he becomes incapacitated by the trauma until an hour 
  later—if he lives that long.   
   
  THE WARREN 
  When it first burst into this world, the meenlock claimed an old 
  mineshaft as its lair—just one of the many gold mines that 
  honeycomb Rjuk's mountains. Its gold and iron were mined 
  long ago, and the Rjukites found no reason to seal it off, 
  unaware that a brood of 1d4+2 giant spiders moved in. The fey 
  have an unsurprising kinship with these creatures, who have 
  managed to adapt to the cold.  
  Three meenlocks are currently inside the mine; the others are 
  in Rjuk proper. If the adventurers fight the meenlocks, the other 
  three sense their intrusion and come to their kin's aid. When the 
  party exit the mine, the other meenlocks are lying in ambush.   
  Map. See the Wharton Mine map for details on this warren. 
  The giant spiders nest in the nothern chamber, but their webs 
  litter the mine (see Appendix C for the effects of webs). The 
  mine has these features:  
  • Valuables are piled in Area A—the human possessions of the 
  meenlocks, discarded upon their transformation into fey. The 
  valuables include furs, 2d6+15 gp, a shortsword, six daggers, 
  a wooden shield, and a small, glowing crystal trinket.  
  • Three giant spiders nest in Area B; they protect their eggs at 
  all costs. The other three spiders can be found anywhere else. 
  • In Area C, three meenlocks are tormenting Olvin Ghor, Karl 
  Urn's surviving companion from the hag ordeal. Ghor is a LN 
  human guard. The fey are on the verge of transforming him 
  into another meenlock. At the end of the next turn after the 
  party enters this area, Ghor must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom 
  saving throw, taking 3d6 psychic damage on a failure, or half 
  as much on a success. If he dies to this damage, he becomes 
  another meenlock with full hit points.  
   
  RJUK: PURGED 
  If the adventurers slay the meenlocks, the villagers grant them 
  free room and board for as long as they need. When the party 
  leaves, they do so with an extra 2d6+10 rations, enough lamp 
  oil to last 12 hours, a coil of rope, and 25 gp. 
  If but a single meenlock survives, it bides its time until these 
  mighty vanquishers leave. It then creeps out to repopulate its 
  warren once again…  
   
   
  A 
  B 
  C 
  
   
  47 
  THE HAG 
  Granny Yrsula, the bheur hag described in The Creeping Igloo, 
  is the foul creature responsible for this havoc. She can be 
  encountered in The Creeping Igloo. Like all hags, Yrsula must 
  devour a live child to propagate. In a week, she will give birth 
  to a child that looks exactly like Edith. She intends to return 
  "Edith" to her grieving parents. In thirteen years, this daughter 
  will transform into a hag; Yrsula will watch her childhood with 
  great interest.  
   
  THE GLACIAL GARDEN 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier II 
   
  As punishment for his hubris and vanity, Erasmus, once a snow 
  elf bard, fell prey to the medusa's curse. Cast out from his kin, 
  he now haunts a crucial pass in the Arctic that supplies him with 
  many new victims. Whereas other medusas turn their victims to 
  stone, his gaze turns them to ice. Still just as vain as he was in 
  better days, the medusa hungers for adulation, real or imagined. 
  He is fond of singing to his garden of victims. On a windless 
  day, his angelic voice is carried across the area, intriguing any 
  approaching travelers.  
  Erasmus has claimed a crucial area as his territory, the nature 
  of which is determined by you. It can be a narrow mountain 
  pass or an underground tunnel—any place where travelers must 
  choose to soldier on through the apparent danger or backtrack 
  to a safer route.  
  The Garden. Erasmus's twenty victims are coated in fresh 
  snow. From a distance, they can be mistaken for snowmen. One 
  would soon realize that snowmen cannot be arranged into such 
  poses; gravity would cause the figure to collapse. Once near a 
  statue, it becomes apparent that its not a snowman but an ice 
  sculpture. By wiping the snow from a statue's face, and 
  succeeding on a DC 13 Insight check, a character can realize 
  that the statue's near-featureless visage is carved into a vague 
  mask of horror.  
  The Statues. The medusa's intact victims number twenty, but 
  several more have been destroyed by the elements, intruders, 
  monsters, or even Erasmus himself when he's lost himself to a 
  fit of rage. You can determine the nature and appearance of the 
  statue a character analyzes by rolling a d20 and consulting the 
  The Glacial Garden: Statues table.  
  Tactics. Erasmus is armed with a shortsword emblazoned 
  with elven glyphs. His shortbow displays similar iconography, 
  hinting to his origins as a snow elf or suggesting he stole these 
  weapons from his victims.  
  When he leaves his lair to attack, Erasmus makes a Stealth 
  check to remain hidden. Contest it with the party's Perception 
  checks. Erasmus is interested more in adding new statues to his 
  garden, but he still requires sustenance, which he cannot gain 
  from creatures turned to ice. Those he manages to kill without 
  petrifying will become a meal for the next few weeks.  
  Roleplaying Erasmus. Admiration is the only warmth that 
  can soothe the chilblains of Erasmus's exile. He will spare the 
  adventurers if it nets him a live, captive audience to appreciate 
  his singing. He laments in his curse, but time and necessity have 
  twisted him towards evil; he won't give up his murderous ways. 
   
  THE GLACIAL GARDEN: STATUES 
  d20 
  Statue Description 
  1 
  A snow elf whose limbs have been smashed off, 
  condemning him to life as a quadriplegic if his 
  petrification is reversed.   
  2 
  A dwarf with a smile etched into his face.  
  3-4 
  Two humans huddling together in abject terror. 
  4 
  A yeti cowering in fear.  
  5 
  A gnoll with its right arm raised as if it were about 
  to strike out at a foe. 
  6 
  A human archer pulling back the drawstring on a 
  missing bow (see Treasure below).   
  7 
  A tiefling wizard frozen mid-incantation.  
  8 
  A gnome who was frozen as she attempted to 
  wrap a scarf around her eyes. The tattered scarf is 
  still in her hands.  
  9 
  A female dwarf cleric in mid-prayer.  
  10 
  A barbarian beating his chest as part of a war cry.  
  11 
  A human clutching an arrow lodged in his belly.  
  12 
  A woman with her hands down near her hips, as if 
  she were holding on to two children.  
  13 
  A child that tripped and is looking up at some 
  absent horror towering over him.  
  14-16 Three dogs, two cowering behind the third, who is 
  bearing his fangs.   
  17 
  A young remorhaz that dug up from underground. 
  It had attempted to ambush the medusa but caught 
  its gaze instead.   
  18 
  A snow elf whose face has been pulverized.  
  19 
  A snow elf reaching for her severed arm.  
  20 
  A snow elf pointing a finger at Erasmus's cave.  
   
  After Erasmus strikes, he begins to sing during combat. His 
  voice is lovely, no matter how grievous his wounds. You can 
  use any of the sample dialogue (in Elvish) below to voice him: 
  • "All will love me and despair!"  
  • "Your last moments will be admiring my voice." 
  • "It will comfort you to know that this is only the beginning." 
  • "More admirers to add to the garden…" 
   
  TREASURE 
  Whenever a creature is petrified (or, in this case, frozen) by a 
  medusa, objects they're wearing or carrying are not. Erasmus 
  has stockpiled their belongings in his cave. They include: 
  • Enough furs, coats, and cold weather clothing to clothe thirty 
  travelers. Most have been heaped together to make a bed.  
  • 1d6+3 tinderboxes with 2d4+2 pieces of firewood.   
  • 2d8+3 rations. 
  • 2d4+1 explorer's packs with 3d8+12 feet of rope remaining. 
  • 4d6+13 gp, 2d8+14 sp, 4d6+19 cp stored in a burlap sack  
  • A shortbow plus 3d4+4 simple weapons and 1d6+1 martial 
  weapons. See chapter 5 of the PHB.  
  • A bronze orb etched in arcane runes. 
  • A petrified mouse. 
  • A pair of eyes of minute seeing (see DMG p. 168). 
   
   
   
  
   
  48 
  THE GLACIAL PRISON 
  Character Encounter, Tier III 
   
  In the forgotten caverns far, far below the Citadel—the snow 
  elves' glorious city—the Flayed Queen gathers strength. Her 
  whispers can be heard across the Arctic, marshalling the dead 
  and desperate. Her necromantic cult, the Newly Dead, are hard 
  at work tending to the undead and searching for the key to their 
  dark mistress's prison. For eons has the queen languished in her 
  prison, watched over by her gynosphinx jailor, Irhemana. The 
  sphinx has failed to notice her charge's waxing influence; she 
  has failed to notice the melting ice and the queen's stirring spirit. 
  She has failed the world itself and has yet to realize it.  
  For further details, see the Army of the Damned storyline.  
  The Flayed Queen. In ancient days long forgotten, the Flayed 
  Queen amassed an undead army and marched upon the living. 
  Only by the efforts of the realm's greatest heroes was she bound 
  in a prison devised by the archmage Al'ghr A'til. Unbeknownst 
  to his companions, A'til served the queen in secret and he left 
  two flaws in the prison: the teleportation circle's sigils can be 
  divined, and an incantation can be uttered to free the queen.  
  The world at large has forgotten the Flayed Queen's dreadful 
  saga, with those that still recall her efforts chalking her up to a 
  myth. Those same myths suggest she was once a paladin and 
  queen that "usurped" her impotent, late husband and was flayed 
  alive by his "valiant" brother… but she did not die, this queen, 
  and found in Death all the power she was cheated out of in life.  
  The Flayed Queen's true name was lost long ago. Few mortals 
  have ever discovered her tomb; those that did were ripped apart 
  by Irhemana—and their tortured spirits are the founders of her 
  cult, the Newly Dead. Irhemana, proud as she is, did not realize 
  that the queen could raise nearby spirits from her prison bound. 
  By underestimating the queen, she has sown the seeds of her 
  own demise—and the world's.  
  The Newly Dead. The Flayed Queen's cult labor endlessly to 
  free their master and prepare the army she will use to revenge 
  herself upon the living. In her heightened state, the queen can 
  commune with creatures all over the continent, combing it for 
  power-hungry or nihilistic individuals that will serve her in life 
  and in death. They are led by the lich Cis'tudh, her most loyal 
  servant. Should the lich find the key to her master's prison (see 
  Frosthenge), she and the cult invade the Glacial Prison to battle 
  Irhemana and free the Flayed Queen.   
  The City Above. The elves have forgotten their sacred oath—
  or, at the very least, the very reason why the Citadel was first 
  constructed. As they continue to magically heat their icy city, 
  the Flayed Queen's glacial prison melts. This is the source of 
  her awakening, and, if she is freed, she will personally thank the 
  elves by welcoming them into her army of the dead.  
   
  THE PRISON 
  The Glacial Prison is an icy cavern paved with runic flagstones 
  that shed a soft, blue light. At the cavern's heart is a chunk of 
  glacial ice, blacker than absolute darkness. The entire prison has 
  the following magical properties: 
  • The cavern is dimly lit by the runic flagstones.   
  • While in the prison, creatures do not need to eat or drink. 
  • Creatures and objects in the prison can't be targeted by 
  divination spells. Per A'til's design, this does not include the 
  prison’s teleportation circle.  
  • Planar travel is blocked within the prison, as are all means of 
  teleporting in or out. The prison can only be entered through 
  the teleportation circle described below.  
  • The cavern is so unearthly cold that even creatures wearing 
  warm clothing or are resistant to cold damage must succeed 
  on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw every minute or take 
  one level of exhaustion.   
  • The cavern is filled with frigid, 5-feet-deep water. Creatures 
  that start their turn in the water, or enter for the first time on 
  a turn, must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw 
  or take 13 (3d8) cold damage, or half as much on a success. 
  This damage ignores resistance to cold damage. Irhemana is 
  immune to this damage.  
   
  Teleportation Circle. A permanent teleportation circle (as in 
  teleportation circle, PHB pg. 282) is found in the adjoining 
  chambers of the cavern, represented by the star on the map. This 
  circle is the only way to enter the prison. It has a unique sigil 
  sequence that has been recorded scant times in all of history. 
  The adventurers might discover the sigil in an ancient tome, by 
  interrogating a high-ranking Newly Dead necromancer, or by a 
  legend lore spell. Additionally, Homer Erendalias has the sigil 
  sequence written down in his spellbook (see Treasure in the 
  Homer's Hovering Hovel encounter).  
  Black Glacier. Darker than black, darker than the absence of 
  all color and light, the Flayed Queen's icy cell dominates the 
  cavern. With careful observation, a character notices that the ice 
  is slowly melting. Irhemana is oblivious to this fact and would 
  refuse to believe it even if it were brought to her attention.  
  One can sense a dreadful presence preserved in the ice. With 
  the Flayed Queen awake, she can fixate her chilling gaze upon 
  intruders. If she so wills it, the queen can impose a DC 18 
  Wisdom saving throw upon a creature within 20 feet of the ice. 
  On a failure, they are frightened for the next minute. The target 
  is immune to this effect for 24 hours if they succeed. The queen 
  can only do this once every 1d6 rounds. Irhemana automatically 
  succeeds on this saving throw if she has 35 or more hit points.   
  The glacier has 100 hit points, AC 15, immunity to poison, 
  psychic, and cold damage, as well as damage inflicted by non-
  magical weapons. Creatures that harm it must succeed on a DC 
  15 Wisdom saving throw or suffer disadvantage on weapon and 
  spell attacks against the ice for the next minute. Only a wish 
  spell can cause the glacier to regain hit points.  
  Key. When the Flayed Queen was first bound, an arcane 
  incantation was devised to ensure that she could be freed. When 
  this incantation is uttered by a creature that is physically within 
  10 feet of the glacier, the ice cracks wide enough for the Flayed 
  Queen to step out from her ancient prison.  
  Regardless of how the queen is freed, the death knight has 
  two levels of exhaustion when she emerges from the ice. If she 
  is slain and the Glacial Prison is utterly melted, the Flayed 
  Queen's soul flees to a purgatorial realm until she amasses the 
  strength to rise again in the mortal world. If the Glacial Prison 
  has even 1 hit point left, her soul is imprisoned once again.  
  Map. Refer to the map below, with each square being 5 feet 
  in scale. The teleportation circle is marked by the star in the 
  adjoining chamber.   
   
   
   
  
   
  49 
  THE JAILOR 
  The sphinx Irhemana perpetually guards the Glacial Prison. She 
  was first summoned by a cleric, one of the heroes that defeated 
  the Flayed Queen long ago. The exact deity she serves is long 
  forgotten. This same deity gave Irhemana two disciples to help 
  watch over the Flayed Queen: the couatls described in Obelisk-
  Bound Couatl. Years ago, the couatls disappeared; Irhemana, 
  blind as she is proud, assumed they died or deserted their duty. 
  She holds nothing but contempt for the two devotees that now 
  languish in prisons of their own.   
  Irhemana offers no reprieve to creatures that visit the Glacial 
  Prison. There are no riddles they may solve or mercy they may 
  appeal to. After a brief lecture, she attacks. Even creatures she 
  knows to be definitively good-hearted or pious are torn to 
  shreds: no one may learn of the Flayed Queen's wards or where-
  abouts.  
  Roleplaying Irhemana. The sphinx is graceful and poisoned 
  by arrogance. As a celestial creature, as a servant of the gods, 
  she considers herself infallible. No evidence can convince her 
  otherwise. No mortal may judge her, a near-divine creature, and 
  she believes that any fool who dares to press judgement against 
  her deserves an undignified death. 
  You can voice Irhemana with the sample dialogue below:  
  • "My duty is eternal, my record unmarred. The queen has not, 
  and will never, escape my grasp."  
  • "I am afraid this is the last sight you will ever see." 
  • "I take no pleasure in this." 
  • "I am ordained by the Will Above! No mortal may judge me!" 
   
  Tactics. Irhemana uses the tactics below; the prison counts as 
  her lair, granting access to her potent lair actions.  
  • At the first opportunity, Irhemana casts greater invisibility 
  using a legendary action.  
  • Irhemana casts shield every round, essentially increasing her 
  AC to 22. Most of her other spells have little use in combat; 
  therefore, she spends her spell slots frivolously.  
  • Thanks to the nature of Irhemana's mission and the prison, 
  only her first and second lair actions are useful in battle.  
   
  THE FLAYED QUEEN 
  Within the black ice lies a skeleton within the ribs of which 
  glows a malevolent blue light. In her prison, the Flayed Queen 
  has not been humbled, only taught the necessity of patience. 
  Her telepathic whispers are the first chill of winter, caressing 
  the spine like a shiver before invading the brain. When the 
  adventurers first enter the Glacial Prison, her dreadful whisper 
  bounces off the cobbles of their simple minds: "And so the 
  rooks arrive to liberate the queen…"  
  Roleplaying the Queen. The Flayed Queen is free from the 
  trappings of mortality. Her soul is as black as the ice that houses 
  her. All things, living or otherwise, belong to her; every person 
  and every corpse is another citizen of her sovereign demesne. 
  Her regal attention is sterile and suffocating; those that attract 
  her gaze come to regret it.  
  You can voice the Flayed Queen with the dialogue below: 
  • "All that is not already mine shall be one day soon." 
  • "I am justice; I am law; I am undeniable. There is nothing in 
  this life but death." 
   
   
  
   
  50 
  • "Strike her down and Death itself will crown you. Free me and 
  rule this world at my side as my champion—or kneel as my 
  armies crush you underfoot. You will serve me one way or 
  the other." 
  • "You are on borrowed time. Serve me and stand forever." 
  • "You are empty inside; I can give you purpose. I can give you 
  everything." 
  • "You have done your duty a thousand times over. I have seen 
  you, slayer of men and monsters. We are not so different, are 
  we? We both serve Death in our own ways…"   
   
  LIBERATION AT LAST 
  Having discovered the incantation to free her dark master, the 
  lich Cis'tudh teleports into the Glacial Prison with a host of 
  undead and her insidious servants: 
  • A beholder zombie 
  • 1d4+2 wights and a wraith 
  • A necromancer that has already cast false life as a 4th-level 
  spell to gain 23 temporary hit points. Instead of dimension 
  door, he has prepared counterspell.   
   
  The Glacial Prison becomes the scene of a pitched battle as 
  Irhemana fights off these intruders. Barring the adventurers' 
  intervention, Cis'tudh falls beneath Irhemana's claws—but not 
  before freeing the Flayed Queen, who then slays the sphinx. 
  Chanting command words given to her long ago by Al'ghr A'til, 
  the death knight opens the teleportation circle and escapes to 
  the Citadel, where she calls forth the dead and lays waste to the 
  city, adding the elves' corpses to her army.  
  If the adventurers intervene, Cis'tudh distracts the party with 
  her minions as she makes her way to the glacier. To free her 
  master, she must utter the key incantation from within 10 feet. 
  It is up to the adventurers to stop her. Once within range, she 
  can use three actions to utter the incantation in its entirety. She 
  is thwarted temporarily by a silence spell. After uttering the 
  incantation, the ice begins to crack. In three rounds, the Flayed 
  Queen enters the fray, forging her longsword from the shattered 
  remains of her prison.  
   
   
  GLACIER DWARF WARBAND 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier I-III 
   
  Clan Aurora has dispatched a warband from its frozen fortress, 
  but it has fallen prey to the Arctic's perils. This encounter has 
  several variants, as described below. Additionally, their mission 
  may be to patrol the region, avenge a loss, take the fight to their 
  enemies abroad, or reclaim lost territory (such as Thelgrym's 
  Watch; see the encounter of the same name). Their weapons and 
  armor—notably carved from glacial ice—and are as sharp and 
  durable as steel.  
  Leadership. The warband is led by Yolgys Aurora, a grizzled 
  champion with an Intelligence of 15 (+2) and Wisdom of 17 
  (+3). Yolgys is the brother of Clan Aurora's king, Rolthym. This 
  veteran of two wars and countless skirmishes is known among 
  the dwarves as "the Anvil."   
  If he survived the massacre at Thelgrym's Watch, then the 
  noble Lord Soram is also with the warband (see the Thelgrym's 
  Watch encounter) and the warband is devoted to retaking the 
  glacial fortress.  
  Forces. The warband has been whittled down by accidents, 
  sickness, and earlier skirmishes. They now consist of 2d10+10 
  guards, 1d4+1 knights, 1d4+1 scouts, 1d4+1 veterans, three 
  nobles and two priests. They are served by twelve commoners 
  that act as messengers, porters, and cooks; they also care for the 
  warband's last surviving messenger hawk and their six mules, 
  which pull carts laden with rations, supplies, heavy arms, 
  armor, and ale.  
  These dwarves have the following racial traits: 
  • They speak Dwarvish, in addition to Common, and have dark-
  vision to a range of 60 feet. 
  • They have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned 
  and resistance to poison damage.  
  • They are naturally adapted for environments of extreme cold. 
  • They can each cast ray of frost. Once per day, they can cast 
  both ice knife and flame blade (the blade is forged of ice and 
  deals cold damage instead of fire damage). They require no 
  material components for these spells and Intelligence is the 
  spellcasting ability for these spells.   
   
  Gratitude. If the adventurers aid the dwarves in their plight, 
  they allow the party to accompany them, sit at their fire, and 
  share in their food and ale, until a time comes when the two 
  groups must diverge. The warband covers 16 miles a day when 
  accounting for the wounded, donkeys, or bad weather.  
   
  AGAINST THE GIANTS! 
  Tier III 
  The warband is facing their ancient enemies: the frost giants of 
  Skoldheim. The adventurers come upon a battle between these 
  two forces—a losing battle. Without intervention, the dwarves 
  will be routed by the remaining 1d4+2 frost giants, 1d4+3 frost 
  giant juveniles (ogres with immunity to cold damage), and 1d4 
  +1 young remorhazes.  
  The giants have crushed the dwarves but aren't unscathed. 
  They have the following hit points, which you can determine 
  with a d6, rerolling repeats: 36, 41, 57, 80, 83, and 102. The 
  juveniles each have 30-45 hit points remaining.  
   
   
   
  
   
  51 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  AGAINST THE GNOLLS! 
  Tier II 
  The warband is putting down a cancer of gnolls, many of whom 
  are already red and pregnant with past kills. These beastmen 
  consist of 2d10+5 gnolls, a gnoll fang of Yeenoghu, four gnoll 
  hunters, a gnoll pack lord and a leucrotta. The battle is bloody 
  and spread out; the gnolls have driven a wedge in the dwarves' 
  formation and are ravaging both sides. A third of a mile away, 
  2d6+4 hyenas are waiting to feast on the corpses of the slain. 
  After 1d4 hours, an engorged hyena bursts, and a new gnoll 
  emerges from its shredded belly.  
  If the gnoll fang of Yeenoghu escapes, this precipitates the 
  Cycle of Carnage encounter. 
   
  CACKLE FEVER 
  Tier I 
  The warband has been exposed to an insidious, strange disease: 
  cackle fever (see the sidebar). This malady spreads not through 
  the flesh, but the very mind. See the sidebar for its effects. The 
  dwarves have had no choice but to halt their march and divide 
  the warband into three camps: the infected, the exposed, and the 
  isolated. The priests, who could have cured the disease, already 
  died from the malady, their brains torn asunder.   
  The warband has already sent a messenger hawk to a nearby 
  frost gnome warren, appealing for healers, as gnomes cannot be 
  afflicted by cackle fever, for some odd reason.  
  Crackdown. The uninfected camps are grim and silent. No 
  jokes, jests, or tales are allowed to be told, for every laugh and 
  outburst is suspect. The dwarves are sitting before campfires, 
  poking at coals, whittling wood, or polishing armor. Sentries 
  give the camps wide berths as they patrol the area. Should these 
  scouts encounter the adventurers, they warn, "Beware, friends: 
  there has been outbreak of a disease most insidious. No jests, 
  no jokes, and certainly no limericks, are to be told beyond this 
  point. Those of you skilled in maladies arcana are asked to 
  report to Lord Yolgys."  
  Sitting Ducks. The dwarves are vulnerable until the gnomes 
  arrive or the malady dissipates, which takes 1d4+1 and 1d6+4 
  days, respectively. In the meantime, any number of creatures or 
  foes may attack the dwarves (including the gnolls described in 
  the Against the Gnolls! variant). Starting on the second day, a 
  manticore that lairs five miles away decides to start hunting the 
  dwarves, starting first with the scouts, then wading right into 
  the infected camp. The monster is immune to cackle fever and 
  it can ravage the sick with impunity. Using cloud cover to its 
  advantage, the manticore drops from the sky to grapple prey, 
  bringing it back to its lair. If it takes 15 points of damage in a 
  single round, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw 
  or drop its prey.   
  Deliverance. After 1d6+4 days, frost gnomes arrive: a priest 
  escorted by six guards, all of which are fleeing from a yeti. The 
  dwarf that first sees them over the horizon shouts, "They're 
  here! By the gods, they're h—to arms! To arms, brothers and 
  sisters! Our deliverers are under attack!" It takes the dwarves, 
  as exhausted as they are, two minutes to muster their warriors, 
  giving the party the chance to dispatch the yeti first. The 
  gnomes and yeti are on a hill 800 feet away.  
  If the priest is saved, it uses lesser restoration spells to cure 
  cackle fever. At five castings per day, it takes the priest up to 
  two weeks to cure the infected. 
  As frost gnomes, these characters have the following racial 
  traits:   
  • They read, write and speak Gnomish.  
  • They are Small and have a speed of 25 feet.  
  • They have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.  
  • They have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma 
  saving throws made against magic.  
  • They have resistance to cold damage. 
  • They can move across icy surfaces without needing to make 
  an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of 
  ice and snow doesn't impede their movement. While moving 
  down slopes of ice or snow, they have advantage on 
  Acrobatics checks to maintain balance.  
   
   
   
  CACKLE FEVER 
  This disease targets humanoids, although gnomes are strangely 
  immune. While in the grips of this disease, victims frequently 
  succumb to fits of mad laughter, giving the disease its common name 
  and its morbid nickname: "the shrieks." 
  Symptoms manifest 1d4 hours after infection and include fever 
  and disorientation. The infected creature gains one level of 
  exhaustion that can't be removed until the disease is cured. 
  Any event that causes the infected creature great stress-including 
  entering combat, taking damage, experiencing fear, or having a 
  nightmare-forces the creature to make a DC 13 Constitution saving 
  throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 5 (1d10) psychic damage 
  and becomes incapacitated with mad laughter for 1 minute. The 
  creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, 
  ending the mad laughter and the incapacitated condition on a 
  success. Any humanoid creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of 
  an infected creature in the throes of mad laughter must succeed on a 
  DC 10 Constitution saving throw or also become infected with the 
  disease. Once a creature succeeds on this save, it is immune to the 
  mad laughter of that particular infected creature for 24 hours. 
  At the end of each long rest, an infected creature can make a DC 
  13 Constitution saving throw. On a successful save, the DC for this 
  save and for the save to avoid an attack of mad laughter drops by 
  1d6. When the saving throw DC drops to 0, the creature recovers 
  from the disease. A creature that fails three of these saving throws 
  gains a randomly determined form of indefinite madness (see App. 
  C for these effects). 
  
   
  52 
  GLOBAL WARMING 
  Polar, Urban or Volcanic Encounter, Tier IV 
   
  Together, the Cults of the Eternal Flame and the Crushing Wave 
  have doomed the world to a new and watery age. They have 
  summoned a phoenix to this world, using Mount Erebys as its 
  gateway from the Plane of Fire. Most perished in its fiery birth; 
  in their arrogance, the cult always assumed that they would be 
  spared the elder elemental's wrath, as if they could cup such fire 
  in their hands and remain unburnt. The survivors, the cultists of 
  the Crushing Wave, are directing a frigid flood towards the sea, 
  devastating settlements along the way.  
  See Edge of Disaster, the predecessor to this encounter, as 
  well as the Global Warming storyline for details. As described 
  above, the cultists are now dead (with exception for the Searing 
  Sultan, an efreeti collaborator). However, the Crushing Wave 
  cult placed the bulk of their numbers elsewhere to help direct 
  the floods that will be born from melting ice. The cultists intend 
  to crush Arctic settlements on the way to the sea.  
  The phoenix's very presence melts snow and ice within 300 
  feet of the elemental. Thanks to the phoenix's legendary cycle 
  of rebirth, slaying the elder elemental only delays the inevitable. 
  Unless the egg is banished to another plane or outright removed 
  from the Arctic, this encounter is doomed to repeat itself.  
   
  THE FIRE FROM MOUNT EREBYS 
  The phoenix's emergence is heard all across the Arctic; thunder 
  cracks out across the region, scarring glaciers and setting off 
  avalanches. The very force of its entry can be felt in the bones 
  of beast and men alike; birds take flight and animals flee from 
  a perceived disaster. In the moments after this shockwave, Mt. 
  Erebys erupts; the eruption causes an earthquake that rocks the 
  Arctic from as far as three hundred miles away. The skies above 
  the volcano blacken with smoke and ash as the phoenix spreads 
  its wings and, with a thunderous shriek, takes to the air. 
  If the phoenix is slain here, much of its damage is contained, 
  sparing the world from rising sea levels. Unless attacked, the 
  elemental circles Mount Erebys for several minutes, basking in 
  the destruction it causes. The Searing Sultan too basks in this 
  carnage, flying in the phoenix's wake.  
  Tactics. If the phoenix and efreeti are engaged, they employ 
  the following tactics:  
  • On his first turn, the efreeti casts conjure elementals, adding a 
  fire elemental to the fray. If the battle is in the air, the fire 
  elemental rides on the phoenix (as if it were solid).  
  • While concentrating on a spell, the efreeti makes Hurl Flame 
  attacks. If his concentration is broken, he casts enlarge/ 
  reduce on himself, dealing 1d4 extra damage with his attacks.   
  • The phoenix weaves through all foes (without provoking any 
  opportunity attack, thanks to its Flyby trait) to sear them with 
  its Fire Form trait.   
  • If the phoenix is slain, the efreeti snatches the phoenix's egg 
  and attempts to flee (with a plane shift spell if he knows there 
  can be no reprieve on the Material Plane).  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  THE FLOODS 
  Weakened by the phoenix's thunderous arrival, glaciers around 
  the Arctic are ready to melt. As the elder elemental tours the 
  Arctic, the cultists direct the ensuing floods towards the sea—
  but not before directing them at a settlement. 
  Cultists. Cultists are scattered across the region in groups of 
  1d6+2 crushing wave reavers, 1d4+2 crushing wave priests, 
  and a mage with control water prepared instead of suggestion. 
  Each group also has either 1d3 water elementals or one water 
  elemental myrmidon at their command. 1d6+4 groups are 
  scattered across the region.  
  Flooding. The flood harnessed by the Crushing Wave cultists 
  can destroy settlements and uproot forests. Huge or smaller 
  creatures that are struck by the flood must succeed on a Strength 
  saving throw or take 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage. A creature 
  can only take this damage once per round. A creature that is 
  caught in the flood can move by swimming if they succeed on 
  a DC 15 Athletics check. The flood deals 50 damage to any 
  structure it strikes.  
   
  THE PHOENIX TRIUMPHANT 
  The phoenix tirelessly continues its flight, stopping only when-
  ever it wishes to destroy something—a settlement, typically. 
  For every 1d12 hours the elemental flies across the region, 
  enough ice melts to raise sea levels by 1 foot. There is enough 
  ice in this polar region to increase sea levels by 230 feet.   
  Other heroes inevitably rise to the occasion if the adventurers 
  don't, but by then sea levels would have risen by 2d12+6 feet, 
  drowning coastal cities and sparking mass migrations of people. 
  Nations around the world fall to chaos, allowing sinister forces 
  to rise up and accomplish their dark agendas in the absence of 
  order.   
   
   
  
   
  53 
  GRANDMA GOT MAULED 
  BY AN OWLBEAR 
  Taiga or Urban Encounter, Tier I 
   
  A local green hag masquerading as a sweet, beloved crone has 
  gone missing; her village found the iconic tracks of an owlbear 
  leading from her bloodied shawl. Unaware of the true monster 
  among them, the villagers have put out a 25 gp bounty on the 
  owlbear and are asking for volunteers to help search for "Old 
  Kathrys," whom they believe may still be alive. The party may 
  encounter the trackers in the forest or enter the village itself. 
  Village. Crook's Den is a village of forty people that sits on 
  the edge of a taiga. Were it not for the road running through it, 
  the village would not even appear on any maps. Travelers 
  headed deeper into the Arctic stay in its sole inn to relish 
  warmth and civilization before committing themselves to the 
  frozen wastes. Little happens in the village; the crone's 
  disappearance, and the discovery of the attack, is all anyone can 
  talk about. So beloved is the hag that many are claiming that the 
  25 gp reward cheapens Old Kathrys, that there is no bounty too 
  high to recover (or avenge) her.  
  In the Forest. Old Kathrys's blood-stained shawl was found 
  in a clearing a mile from the village. The first person to discover 
  it found owlbear tracks leading into the woods, but the trail has 
  gone cold. With a successful DC 14 Survival check, a character 
  can pick up the trail and follow it to a nearby cave where they 
  find Kathrys alive and bewitching the owlbear.  
  The green hag sought to subjugate the owlbear but failed. It 
  savaged her and only through clever magic did she appear to be 
  dead, sparing her from greater harm. The beast brought her back 
  to its lair to feed, where she sprang up to perform a ritual that 
  would bend the owlbear to her will. The creature is mollified 
  while she works her magic; in less than a minute, she completes 
  the ritual and has permanent control over the owlbear.  
  Kathrys is too engrossed in her spellwork to notice passerby, 
  suffering a -3 penalty to her passive Perception score. Curiously 
  enough, she appears unwounded and her robes are unbloodied 
  (thanks to her Illusory Appearance trait). The hag's magic has 
  no visual elements; it appears that she's dancing in front of a 
  pacified, bored owlbear. Using an action, a character can make 
  a DC 20 Investigation check to see through the hag's illusion, 
  revealing a wart-faced creature that has been raked by savage 
  talons. Additionally, a character that watches Kathrys can make 
  a DC 13 Insight check to realize she is performing a spell; with 
  a DC 13 Arcana check, they ascertain she is bending the beast 
  to her will.  
  Attack! By when the party attacks, the hag has only a single 
  round left to complete her ritual, which she must use her action 
  to perform. The ritual is interrupted if she is incapacitated. If 
  she is not slain before the start of the next round, the owlbear is 
  bent to her will. It obeys her telepathic commands and attacks 
  the adventurers. If Kathrys dies, the owlbear is free from her 
  grasp, but continues to attack the adventurers.  
  Likewise, Kathrys must protect her dark secret. If discovered 
  by intruders, she has no choice but to sic the owlbear on them. 
  Both Kathrys and the owlbear are wounded; she has 57 hit 
  points while the beast has 49.  
   
   
   
  GREATFATHER WINTER'S FIEFDOM 
  Polar Encounter, Tier III 
   
  In the most remote reaches of the Arctic, far from civilization, 
  lies Greatfather Winter's fabled domain. This Yuletide fanatic 
  offers respite to all who grace his fiefdom with a visit—that's 
  what the signs planted throughout the Arctic insist, of course. 
  Those that live under this tyrant's heel know a much grimmer 
  life than the one painted by folklore.   
  As the adventurers delve deeper into the frozen wastes, they 
  see a bright stronghold festooned in gaudy, Yule decorations. 
  Great herds of reindeer crowd around its walls, sheltering in the 
  many barns littering the otherwise desolate region.  
   
  GREATFATHER WINTER 
  An archfey that has succumbed to a strange breed of madness, 
  Greatfather Winter is obsessed with Yuletide, the annual winter 
  festival. Some claim he has become Yule incarnate. His greatest 
  ambition is to bring peace and joy to the world through gifts and 
  good cheer. To other fey, he is an insane but harmless lord. To 
  mortals, he is a source of annual festivity. To the rock gnomes 
  under his thumb, he's a merciless despot.  
  Statistics. Up to and through Yuletide (which occurs during 
  the last ten days of the year) Father Winter is a spring eladrin. 
  In the first month of the new year, he loses himself to despair, 
  assuming the statistics of a winter eladrin. In addition to his 
  normal statistics, he has the following changes: 
  • He can cast awaken and plant growth, requiring no material 
  components, once a day each.   
  • While he has the statistics of a spring eladrin, Greatfather 
  Winter has resistance to cold damage.  
   
  Roleplaying Father Winter. The feylord considers himself 
  the ultimate arbiter (with exception for, of course, his darling 
  wife). His judgment is never anything short of impeccable. He 
  believes all people can change, if given the proper motivation. 
  For the children of the world, coal is the proper punishment, one 
  that is "guaranteed" to shape them into better people. For adults, 
  "reeducation" is the only method; Father Winter is loathe to kill 
  others, except for out of self-defense or at his wife's insistence. 
  Those that betray his trust or ideals, or try to escape his domain, 
  are confined to the cells below the keep. "Redemption," the 
  feylord is fond of saying, "is attainable by all, given time." 
  Patron. Greatfather Winter is a minor archfey patron. He has 
  already patronized his eight favored reindeer.   
  Treasure. Greatfather Winter never goes anywhere without 
  his crystal ball (DMG pg. 159), which he uses to judge children 
  from afar. Even while he tours the assembly line, punishes a 
  dissident, or holds a celebration, he can't go more than a minute 
  without consulting the orb. His second other great treasure is 
  his sleigh of reindeer flight (see the sidebar). 
   
  GREATMOTHER WINTER 
  The dark architect of this twisted enterprise, the feylord's wife 
  is an undisguised bheur hag. This "Greatmother Winter" isn't 
  responsible for her mad husband's Yuletide obsession, but she 
  stoked the coals all the same. When she got here, the feylord 
  was crafting every toy himself by hand. It was the hag that 
  recognized Winter's great potential; it was the hag that brought 
  the rock gnomes; it was the hag that fashioned Winter's sleigh 
  from the wood of her own graystaff. The brutality, the tyranny, 
  the terror—all are fruits from the black garden that is "Great-
  mother Winter's" heart.   
   
  
   
  54 
  Dark Sisterhood. Greatmother Winter is one of the three hags 
  involved in the Dark Sisterhood sample storyline. When the trio 
  finally agree to meet (see Hag Summit), her departure shatters 
  Greatfather Winter. His mind unravels and he decides that 
  strong words and coal can't right the world—only he can. The 
  feylord abandons his stronghold, and without him it becomes a 
  cold and skeletal lair. The rock gnomes starve to death once the 
  garden wilts and dies to the cold. In his absence, his enforcers 
  move onto better endeavors. The reindeer flee, free from the 
  cults of personality centered on the Big Eight, who are taken to 
  fly the feylord's sleigh. See Greatfather Winter's Wrath. 
   
  FATHER WINTER'S HELPERS 
  For over a century now, rock gnomes have toiled under Great-
  father Winter's regime. They at first numbered forty-seven, and 
  were brought here from the Feywild. Now they've swelled to a 
  robust, miserable ninety-four. They are, effectively, emaciated 
  slaves in cheerful outfits. They have nowhere to go: so deep into 
  the Arctic, with nothing more than thin linen uniforms to keep 
  them warm, the rock gnomes live and die by the grace of Great-
  father Winter and his wicked wife. The feylord provides them 
  warmth and food and purpose. To even frown, let alone voice a 
  complaint, is to incur his wrath—reeducation in the frigid cells 
  below the keep. Repeat offenders are banished to the frozen 
  wastes with no clothes or sense of direction.   
  Statistics. Three generations make up the work force. Every 
  rock gnome adult and teenager has the statistics of a commoner 
  with a +4 bonus to skill checks made with any artisan's tools. 
  The gnomes are emaciated; Father Winter only feeds them just 
  enough food to keep them alive.   
  Leader. The rock gnomes' unbreakable leader is Selsi Falba. 
  She's currently serving out her first term of "reeducation." At 
  almost 200 years old, Selsi is from the first generation of Father 
  Winter's "helpers." She maintains that only through hope and 
  patience can her people be free—at least until she meets the 
  adventurers, after which she insists they immediately slay their 
  cheerful tyrant.   
   
  FATHER WINTER'S ENFORCERS 
  A despot does not rule without enforcers. Greatfather Winter is 
  served by unscrupulous individuals devoted to his vision of 
  global good cheer—or, at least, his iron regime.  
  Belsnickel. This korred remembers a time when Greatfather 
  Winter was like any other feylord—vapid and without purpose. 
  Seeing the hag turn him into a force of personality was enough 
  for Belsnickel to sign on. As a korred, strands of Belsnickel's 
  beard magically become the same material of the implement 
  used to cut it off; for example, by cutting his beard with iron 
  shears, his beard becomes woven iron. Belsnickel is the source 
  of the operation's wood and metal.   
  Grentyl. Darting through the factory is a vicious NE sprite 
  whose true name is known only by Greatfather Winter. The 
  gnomes refer to him as Grentyl or "watcher" in Gnomish. The 
  voyeur is always watching, always listening the gnomes remind 
  each other. Grentyl's only purpose is to identify dissidents for 
  the feylord to deal with.  
  Automatons. Forged by the rock gnomes and imbued with 
  Greatfather Winter's madness, 2d6+3 animated armors keep 
  order in the feylord's fiefdom. They are led by a helmed horror 
  that considers itself the son and heir of Greatfather Winter.  
  FATHER WINTER'S REINDEER 
  A herd of two hundred reindeer inhabit Winter's domain. Like 
  the gnomes, they are captives. So far north, there is little food 
  for these beasts, except for what the feylord magically grows. 
  Half are awakened reindeer (as in the awaken spell) who speak 
  Sylvan and have Intelligence scores of 10 but otherwise have 
  the statistics of elks.  
  The Awakened. When a reindeer is born, Greatfather Winter 
  may visit its family to cast the awaken spell upon it, granting it 
  sapience and, as he says, the appreciation for all his gifts. Truly, 
  they become prisoners in his compound. There seemingly is no 
  rhyme or reason as to which reindeer are awakened. The feylord 
  graces the offspring of awakened reindeer just as often as he 
  bestows sapience on the calf born to mundane parents.   
  The Cattle. Although it is taboo to mention it, the reindeer 
  that Greatfather Winter deigns not to awaken are considered as 
  cattle to be later slaughtered. Their pelts are fashioned into coats 
  and their hooves, bones, and antlers are incorporated into toys 
  for children. The rock gnomes are carefully fed rations just 
  large enough to keep them alive but not enough to give them 
  the strength to rebel against the feylord.  
  This grim truth is a wedge between the awakened reindeer 
  and the rock gnomes. For their part, the unawakened reindeer 
  live their simple lives, never understanding the abattoir they 
  were born into. Many reindeer envy this ignorance.  
  Celebrities. Father Winter requires a team of eight reindeer 
  to pull his sleigh during Yuletide. His current team—"the Big 
  Eight"—consist of Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, 
  Cupid, Blitzen, and Cannibal. Of the Big Eight, Blitzen is the 
  cruelest, Vixen the haughtiest, and Cannibal the most terrifying; 
  it should come as no surprise as to how this last reindeer caught 
  Greatfather Winter's attention… 
  The Big Eight are treated as celebrities, for they alone have 
  the ear of Greatfather Winter. The other reindeer do anything to 
  avoid incurring the feylord's wrath. Any reindeer that fails to 
  obey the Big Eight, or displeases them in any way, is forsaken 
  by the herd.  
  The Big Eight have the statistics of Large-sized giant elks 
  that have been patronized by Greatfather Winter, which allows 
  them to read all writing and see normally in darkness both 
  magical and nonmagical, out to a range of 120 feet.  
   
   
   
  
   
  55 
  FATHER WINTER'S KEEP 
  The feylord's stronghold is a unique sight so deep into the Artic, 
  where strongholds become nearly impossible to build without 
  the aid of magic. For eleven months out of the year, the keep is 
  warm and cheerful, just like its master. Yet in the weeks that 
  follow Yuletide, the halls become frigid to reflect Greatfather 
  Winter's transformation into a winter eladrin.   
  Map. For a condensed but fitting map, refer to Guildhall and 
  Temple of the Ancient Masters. The Crypt serves as the dungeon 
  for dissidents; the Guards' Keep is the gnomes' quarters (with 
  twenty-five four-story bunkbeds built to gnomish dimensions 
  scattered about the chambers). Gnomes toil to build toys in the 
  Main Hall through a unmechanized assembly line. The scale 
  equals 5 feet per square.  
  Gardens. Outside the keep are gardens that persist in this 
  harsh climate solely by Greatfather Winter's will. The feylord 
  ensures the stronghold has enough food through repeated spells 
  of plant growth.  
  Hoard. Greatfather Winter keeps his fortune in the chamber 
  marked with a "H" on the map. The door is locked with an 
  arcane lock spell, requiring a successful DC 22 Dexterity check 
  with thieves' tools to open or DC 25 Athletics check to break 
  down. His treasure includes: 
  • 9,000 gp, 11,000 sp, and 858 cp, along with nine gemstones 
  worth 300 gp apiece (including three diamonds). 
  • An elixir of health and sixteen potions of cold resistance (PHB 
  pg. 168 & 188). 
  • A Quaal's bird feather token (PHB pg. 188), proving that the 
  bastard could've sent the rock gnomes home at any point. 
  • A staff of the woodlands (PHB pg. 204). 
  • Greatfather Winter's sleigh of reindeer flight (see the sidebar). 
  • The bag of holding Greatfather Winter uses to carry presents. 
   
  GREATFATHER WINTER'S WRATH 
  Character Encounter, Tier III 
   
  Distraught by the death or disappearance of his darling wife, 
  Greatfather Winter has decided to right the world through the 
  only method left to him: violence.  
  Declaring once and for all that Yuletide has been corrupted 
  by selfish mortals, Father Winter has abandoned his stronghold 
  in the frozen north, leaving the rock gnomes to wither away. He 
  has rallied eight reindeer to pull his sleigh of reindeer flight (see 
  the sidebar) and enlisted four quicklings to fire arrows while he 
  strafes passerby from above.  
  This encounter occurs if Greatmother Winter dies in Great-
  father Winter's Fiefdom or leaves as part of Hag Summit. Lost 
  to rage and grief, Greatfather Winter has assumed the statistics 
  of a summer eladrin capable of casting flame arrows (XGE pg. 
  156) thrice per day.  
  Reindeer. Provided that none of them were slain previously, 
  the reindeer are "the Big Eight:" Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, 
  Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Blitzen, and Cannibal. Each are Large-
  sized giant elks that can see normally in both magical and 
  mundane darkness, out to a range of 120 feet. They can also 
  read all writing. In combat, they take the Dodge action.  
  If any of the Big Eight were slain prior to this encounter, 
  they've been replaced by new reindeer similarly awakened and 
  patronized by the feylord.  
   
   
  SLEIGH OF REINDEER FLIGHT 
  Wondrous item, legendary 
  This sleigh is festooned in gaudy paraphernalia. This Large-sized 
  object is 8-feet-wide, 6-feet tall, and 12-feet-long. When four or 
  more reindeer are bridled to the sleigh, the creatures and the sleigh 
  gain a flying speed of 60 feet. Additionally, any creatures bridled to 
  the sleigh or riding in it can breathe normally up to elevations of 
  30,000 feet. They are also inured against extreme heat or cold.   
  The sleigh itself can hold up to 500 pounds. If it ever exceeds this 
  weight, the sleigh cannot gain further altitude and descends gently 
  to the ground at a rate of 30 feet per turn. The sleigh crashes if it is 
  being pulled by three or less reindeer. An incapacitated reindeer does 
  not fall but does not count as one of the reindeer pulling the sleigh.  
  H 
  
   
  56 
  Quicklings. In his wife's absence, Father Winter appealed to 
  the Queen of Air and Darkness, ruler of the Unseelie Court of 
  fey. Delighting in Winter's fall from grace, she sent him four 
  quicklings. These fey are bound by a geas spell (PHB pg. 244); 
  they must obey Winter's every command. They are armed with 
  gaudy longbows and have a near-unlimited supply of arrows. 
  The quicklings are immune to Greatfather Winter's Fearsome 
  Presence trait.  
   
  TACTICS 
  Greatfather Winter is interested only in vengeance; he accepts 
  no quarter and will hear no parley. From the air, he strafes the 
  adventurers, loosing a storm of arrows. If five or more of his 
  reindeer are slain or incapacitated, the sleigh crashes, inflicting 
  up to 20d10 bludgeoning damage to Father Winter's forces.   
  • Greatfather Winter flies at an altitude of 120 feet so that his 
  reindeer can see the ground. He orders them to pull up to a 
  maximum altitude of 600 feet if they take heavy fire from 
  below. The sleigh has a flying speed of 60 feet.  
  • The reindeer take the Dodge action while airborne, imposing 
  disadvantage on attack rolls made against them, and gaining 
  advantage on Dexterity saving throws. Do not bother running 
  their turns, as it will only slow down combat. 
  • The quicklings act on separate initiatives, making three long-
  bow attacks each (+8 to hit, range 150/600 ft., 11 (1d10+6) 
  piercing damage). To streamline combat, consider using the 
  average damage instead of rolling.   
  • Greatfather Winter is concentrating on flame arrows, adding 
  1d6 fire damage to his first twelve attacks. He makes two 
  longbow attacks per turn (+9 to hit, range 150/600 ft., 14 (2d8 
  +5 piercing damage) plus 4 (1d8) fire damage, in addition to 
  flame arrows' extra damage.  
  • If the sleigh falls from the sky, it's revealed that the helmed 
  horror (if it wasn't previously destroyed) was hiding in the 
  sleigh. It flies out to meet the adventurers in combat, strafing 
  them from above.   
  • Greatfather Winter flees if he is reduced to 30 or fewer hit 
  points or if three reindeer are slain. He cares nothing for the 
  quicklings' lives. The feylord vows to avenge himself on the 
  adventurers at a later date.  
   
  TREASURE 
  Having abandoned his stronghold and fortune, Father Winter 
  has only a bag of holding, which holds 5d10+30 arrows, 3d10 
  +20 rations, and four small bales of hay.  
  You can also include a longbow of flaming arrows, if you 
  would rather reward your adventurers with an item for besting 
  Greatfather Winter. This rare, magical longbow allows the 
  wielder to cast flame arrows thrice per day, regaining expended 
  uses at dawn. It requires attunement. In this variant, Father 
  Winter casts flame arrows through the bow instead.  
   
  GROVE OF THE RECLUSIVE DRUID 
  Taiga Encounter, Tier II 
   
  For the last year, an orc archdruid has been casting druid grove 
  (see XGE pg. 154 and the sidebar) on her forest home, targeting 
  three 90-foot-cube areas. If she can cast the spell once more in 
  an area, the effects become permanent. Her efforts, however, 
  are threatened by marauding centaurs vassalized by snow elves 
  who crave to add this magical grove to their demesne.  
  The druid, Wurgotha, is a kind soul who knows that no person 
  should seek to master nature. If visitors to her grove would just 
  ask to hunt, collect firewood, or shelter there, she would oblige. 
  She has sworn an oath of pacifism after years of raiding others 
  with her tribe. To take another person's life, she believes, is to 
  compromise her very soul. She is searching for any nonviolent 
  solution for the marauders at her doorstep.  
  When Wurgotha detects visitors to her corner of the forest, 
  she greets them with an owl under an animal messenger spell. 
  The snow owl, speaking in her raspy voice, says in Common, 
  "Welcome to my woods. I am Wurgotha. Greet me with peace 
  and I will do the same. Violence is not welcome in my grove." 
  Wurgotha has an accent common to the orcs of the Arctic.   
  When Wurgotha meets the adventurers, she makes an Insight 
  check (contested against a character's Deception check, if any) 
  to determine for herself if they're wicked. If satisfied with her 
  perception, she offers that they camp in her grove. She offers to 
  share her eggs and venison.  
  Statistics. Wurgotha is a LG orc archdruid with the changes 
  below: 
  • She has darkvision to a range of 60 feet. 
  • She speaks Druidic, Common, Orcish, and Sylvan.  
  • As a bonus action, she can move up to half her speed towards 
  a hostile creature she can see.  
  • Once per long rest, when she's reduced to 0 hit points, she can 
  instead be reduced to 1 hit point.   
  • She is a 15th level spellcaster and lacks a 9th level spell slot. 
  She prepared druid grove and goodberry instead of animal 
  shapes, and firestorm. She also lacks dominate beast, meld 
  into stone, and stoneskin.  
   
  Roleplaying Wurgotha. Unlike some druids, Wurgotha can 
  still appreciate the circle of life and devotes herself to keeping 
  the balance in her woods. When too many elk arise, she hunts 
  them alongside wolves. Erstwhile, she culls wolves whenever 
  they risk depleting the forest's wildlife. The extent of her 
  pacifism only includes other people; she knows that to extend 
  that to beasts is foolish—at least until hunters grow too greedy.   
  The Grove. Wurgotha's grove consists of three 90-foot-cubes 
  arranged in a loose circle. Each cube has been touched by the 
  druid grove spell. Four awakened trees guard the grove; she 
  has ordered them to spare the lives of others, even if it 
  guarantees her death. Two wind wall spells are in every cube, 
  one of which Wurgotha stands in while casting druid grove.  
   
   
   
  
   
  57 
  THE WOLVES AT THE GATE 
  At dawn, the woods echo with the thunder of a hundred hooves: 
  2d10+5 NE centaurs gallop towards Wurgotha's grove. At their 
  side are three snow elves astride armored reindeers (barded elks 
  with an AC of 17). They consist of a knight, an archer, and an 
  abjurer wearing a brooch of shielding (see DMG pg. 156). 
  The snow elves have the following changes to their statistics: 
  • They are lawful evil or neutral evil.  
  • They have darkvision to a range of 60 feet. 
  • They have advantage on saving throws against being charmed 
  and magic can't put them to sleep.  
  • They have advantage on Stealth checks to remain hidden in 
  snowy terrain.  
  • They each know three transmutation spells on the wizard spell 
  list: one cantrip, a 1st-level spell and a 2nd-level spell. They 
  can cast the latter two spells once per day. Typically, a snow 
  elf knows gust, shape water, catapult or jump.  
   
  The centaurs surround the grove in groups of three to five. 
  The snow elf abjurer casts tongues on himself and shouts, 
  "Druid! We of the Citadel have come to welcome you as an 
  honorary citizen of our great nation! Cast your spell, I implore 
  you, and allow this grove to be a beacon of peace and prosperity 
  in this magnificent forest!" 
  The abjurer, of course, is just as ready to murder Wurgotha. 
  His orders are to ensure that the grove is permanently warded 
  (by force, if necessary) and then betray her. If she does not 
  acquiesce, he sends in his centaurs. The elf is cautious and paces 
  the battle out across half an hour, with the centaurs firing arrows 
  from the tree line; he himself hurls spells from out of sight. If 
  the adventurers aren't content to wait out this siege and instead 
  take the fight to the elves, the abjurer obliges them.  
  Wurgotha, for her part, believes that warding the grove is a 
  purpose that extends beyond her. When the invaders attack, she 
  does her best to cast three druid grove spells (each taking 10 
  minutes). Believing she will be guilty by proxy, she asks the 
  adventurers to abstain from murder. Wurgotha is willing to 
  surrender the grove after her spells are cast.  
  HAG SUMMIT 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier III 
   
  For years now, three bheur hags haunting the Arctic have toyed 
  with the idea of forming a coven. Like all hags, they detest the 
  company of others (especially their kin) and prefer to be left to 
  their own dark devices. The time has come, however, for Lone 
  Miyareth, Granny Yrsula, and Greatmother Winter to unite—
  perhaps because of the Aurora Arcana event, perhaps because 
  of an outside threat, perhaps even out of fear of a meddlesome 
  adventuring party. There is but one moment to eliminate the trio 
  before they bind their magic together into a power greater than 
  the sum of its parts.  
  As night falls, the hags emerge from the wilderness, heralded 
  by sleet storms and a rain of hail. As is customary, each hag has 
  brought a gift for each of her new sisters (see Treasure below).   
  Map. Refer to the map below. Areas marked with an "X" are 
  covered in slippery ice (see Appendix C). The scale equals 5 
  feet for every square.  
  Weather. The summit suffers under the following weather: 
  • The area is dimly lit by a full moon, and lightly obscured by 
  snowfall.  
  • Fierce winds howl, imposing disadvantage on Perception 
  checks reliant on hearing.   
   
  Minions. The hags must be protected while they perform the 
  ritual of binding. To that end, each has brought minions, which 
  patrol the area:  
  • A yeti and a goliath werewolf (with a +4 Athletics bonus).  
  • 2d4+6 animated snowmen (scarecrows with immunity to cold 
  damage and vulnerability to fire damage). 
  • 1d4+2 penguinweres (jackalweres able to hold their breath 
  for 30 minutes, and that have a swimming speed of 30 feet 
  and are resistant to cold damage).   
  • A bound peryton that the hags can call upon during battle by 
  using a bonus action; the creature descends from the sky.  
   
   
  DRUID GROVE 
  You invoke the spirits of nature to protect an area outdoors or underground. The area can be as small as a 30-foot cube or as large as a 90-
  foot cube. Buildings and other structures are excluded from the affected area. If you cast this spell in the same area every day for a year, 
  the spell lasts until dispelled. 
  The spell creates the following effects within the area. When you cast this spell, you can specify creatures as friends who are immune to 
  the effects. You can also specify a password that, when spoken aloud, makes the speaker immune to these effects. 
  The entire warded area radiates magic. A dispel magic cast on the area, if successful, removes only one of the following effects, not the 
  entire area. That spell's caster chooses which effect to end. Only when all its effects are gone is this spell dispelled. 
  Solid Fog. You can fill any number of 5-foot squares on the ground with thick fog, making them heavily obscured. The fog reaches 10 
  feet high. In addition, every foot of movement through the fog costs 2 extra feet. To a creature immune to this effect, the fog obscures 
  nothing and looks like soft mist, with motes of green light floating in the air. 
  Grasping Undergrowth. You can fill any number of 5-foot squares on the ground that aren't filled with fog with grasping weeds and 
  vines, as if they were affected by an entangle spell. To a creature immune to this effect, the weeds and vines feel soft and reshape themselves 
  to serve as temporary seats or beds. 
  Grove Guardians. You can animate up to four trees in the area, causing them to uproot themselves from the ground. These trees have 
  the same statistics as an awakened tree, except they can't speak, and their bark is covered with druidic symbols. If any creature not immune 
  to this effect enters the warded area, the grove guardians fight until they have driven off or slain the intruders. The grove guardians also 
  obey your spoken commands (no action required by you) that you issue while in the area. If you don't give them commands and no intruders 
  are present, the grove guardians do nothing. The grove guardians can't leave the warded area. When the spell ends, the magic animating 
  them disappears, and the trees take root again if possible. 
  Additional Spell Effect. You can place your choice of one of the following magical effects within the warded area: 
  • A constant gust of wind in two locations of your choice 
  • Spike growth in one location of your choice 
  • Wind wall in two locations of your choice 
   
  To a creature immune to this effect, the winds are a fragrant, gentle breeze, and the area of spike growth is harmless. 
  
   
  58 
  Precautions. The hags are more paranoid than ever, knowing 
  that tonight, during the ritual, they'll be at their most vulnerable. 
  In addition to their minions, the hags have taken the following 
  precautions: 
  • Lone Miyareth has laid an alarm spell on the summit's climb, 
  which mentally alerts her when intruders approach.   
  • Granny Yrsula has coated the summit's climb with 10-foot-
  square patches of slippery ice (see Appendix C). These areas 
  are marked with an "X" on the map.  
  • Greatmother Winter has positioned herself atop the hill to rain 
  death upon interlopers.  
   
  Treasure. The hags have each brought a gift for their sisters: 
  • Granny Yrsula has brought a jar that, when broken, unleashes 
  a cloud of daggers spell (save DC 14), and a cloak of many 
  fashions (XGE pg. 136) sized for a child.  
  • Greatmother Winter has brought a snow globe containing a 
  trapped family of shrunken humans; if the globe is broken, 
  the humans revert to their original size. She has also brought 
  a 3-foot-long candy cane that functions as an immovable rod 
  (DMG pg. 175).  
  • Lone Miyareth has brought two effigies, each fashioned after 
  a hero that stayed at her inn (see Traveler's Respite for more 
  details on these effigies).  
   
  THE RITUAL OF BINDING 
  One does not enter into a coven lightly; the inaugural ritual cuts 
  deep into a hag's body and soul, leaving jagged scars that might 
  never heal, especially if the coven is torn asunder and not ended 
  properly. For bheur hags, this Ritual of Binding is an hour-long 
  affair that can only be conducted under snowfall and a full 
  moon. At the end of the hour, the hags seal their covenant with 
  the blood of an unwilling sacrifice.   
  Sacrifice. Like much of a hag's magic, the Ritual of Binding 
  is steeped in symbolism. It represents the union of three outcasts 
  desperate to weather the world's scorn. The ritual can be sealed 
  only in the blood of another pariah, this one innocent of any and 
  all contempt. The victim the hags have selected is a tiefling girl 
  named Salilah (or "Sally"). She has done no more wrong than 
  any other child yet faces daily suspicion and scrutiny due to her 
  infernal heritage. Salilah is the coven's unwitting and unwilling 
  martyr, stolen from her home by Granny Yrsula's minions. 
  Salilah is a tiefling commoner with 1 hit point and resistance 
  to fire damage. She has yet to learn how to harness her infernal 
  powers. She is bound by silk rope (2 hit points; it can be burst 
  with a DC 17 Strength check).   
  Circle of Binding. The Ritual of Binding is performed in a 
  30-foot-radius circle of glyphs carved into the ice coating the 
  summit. The summit is brightly lit by these glyphs, which emit 
  azure light. The air is pregnant with ambient magic. With an 
  action, a character can disrupt a 5-foot-section of glyphs but 
  doing so provokes an outburst of wild magic centered on that 
  section or targeting the character that destroyed it. Roll on the 
  Wild Magic table (PHB pg. 103) to determine the outburst's 
  ensuing effect.  
  Foiling the Ritual. The adventurers have a mere two minutes 
  before the ritual is complete. Every second counts as they fight 
  through the hags' minions, mount the summit, and face off 
  against the hags. The ritual is foiled if any of the following 
  conditions are met: 
  • Salilah is killed prematurely or removed from the circle  
  • Five 5-foot-sections of the circle are destroyed 
  • A hag is stunned (preventing her from chanting), slain or 
  removed from the circle 
   
  So far into the ritual, the hags are free to fight. So long as they 
  chant their incantations, the ritual continues until its victim 
  must be slain.  
  Sudden Storm. Swollen with ambient power, the hags have 
  greater control over the weather during the ritual. At initiative 
  count 20 (losing initiative ties), one of the effects below occur; 
  Greatmother Winter, as the greatest of the hags, chooses the 
  effect. In her absence, Yrsula chooses.  
  • A smaller sleet storm spell (DC14) affects a 10-foot-high, 20-
  foot-radius cylinder until the start of the next round.  
  • A strong wind sweeps through the area in a 5-foot-wide, 20-
  foot-long wind. Creatures in that area, other than the hags, 
  must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pushed back 
  1d4 x 5 feet.   
  • The snowfall animates, becoming an ice mephit that strafes 
  the adventurers with its Frost Breath and subjecting them to 
  its Death Burst trait if it's slain. If it's not slain, this elemental 
  harmlessly dissolves at the end of the round.  
   
   
   
  THE WORDS OF BINDING 
  The Ritual of Binding is, historically, conducted in Sylvan, but the 
  bheur hags prefer Giant or Auran. The incantations they chant are 
  detailed below; the verses rhyme better in Giant.  
   
  The night is done, the sun draws near 
  It is not death, but life, we fear 
  In one breath, we are bound! 
  As one coven, we are crowned! 
  Together we three, our fate is spun! 
  From this moment, 'til the night is won! 
  X 
  X 
  X 
  X 
  X 
  
   
  59 
  TACTICS 
  The hags employ these tactics in combat; they each have a spell 
  DC of 14 (+6 to hit). Ultimately, the hags are self-serving and 
  will flee if they believe they are destined to lose this fight.  
  • The hags are limited by their frail sacrifice; they must keep 
  her alive if the Ritual of Binding is to succeed. 
  • Greatmother Winter calls the peryton as a bonus action on her 
  first turn; it arrives at the start of the second round.  
  • A bheur hag can use their graystaff as a broom of flying, which 
  grants them a flying speed of 50 feet! They mount the staves 
  to fly above the party, landing only to protect the sacrifice.  
  • On her first turn, Greatmother Winter casts wall of ice to keep 
  out the adventurers or enclose Salilah in a hemisphere of ice 
  so that the hags can unleash area-effects without catching her 
  in the crossfire.  
  • On her first turn, Granny Yrsula unleashes an ice storm spell, 
  positioning it not to strike Salilah (if she isn't enclosed in a 
  hemispherical wall of ice).  
  • On her first turn, Lone Miyareth targets a troublesome warrior 
  with a hold person spell. The hags then bombard that target 
  with ray of frost spells (with advantage, if they're paralyzed). 
  • Yrsula abandons all other tactics to use her Maddening Feast 
  action on the first character that dies.  
  • If the ritual nears completion, a hag must use an action to slit 
  Salilah's throat within three rounds, finishing the ritual, after 
  which the hags gain the Shared Spellcasting trait described 
  on pg. 176 of the Monster Manual.  
   
  Minions. If they were not slain, the hags' remaining minions 
  intervene; they must, however, contend with the patches of ice 
  left by Yrsula. They arrive in clumps: up to half the scarecrows 
  in one batch, the yeti by its lonesome, and the penguinweres, 
  led by the werewolf. A group arrives once every 1d4 rounds.  
   
  DARK SISTERHOOD: THE HAGS TRIUMPHANT 
  If the hags form their coven, they emerge more powerful than 
  ever before. They gain the Shared Spellcasting trait and, if they 
  aren't besieged by other interlopers, take this time to fashion a 
  hag eye (described in the Hag entry of the Monster Manual) 
  using Salilah's eyeball. The hag eye is then entrusted to Lone 
  Miyareth's werewolf minion, if he survives.  
  This encounter is the climax of the Dark Sisterhood storyline. 
  If the hags were not slain, they may throw lot in with some of 
  the factions presented in this supplement, such as Withrens Fyar 
  or the Forsworn (see the Dire Winter and Eternal Night sample 
  storylines).  
   
   
  HAILSTORM 
  Weather Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Hail assails the adventurers as they cross through unforgiving 
  terrain—but this mundane nuisance is just a precursor to a much 
  more insidious threat: galeb duhrs composed of ice that crash 
  from above. 
  The Storm. Stretching 1d6+6 miles in diameter, the storm is 
  an area of extreme cold and strong winds. Snowfall reduces 
  visibility to a range of 15 feet and imposes disadvantage on 
  Perception checks that rely on sight. Although the storm is non-
  magical in nature, its fury has linked it to the Frostfell, the Plane 
  of Ice, allowing elemental influence to seep into the world. A 
  character under a spell of detect evil and good or detect magic 
  can sense this influence.  
  As the adventurers navigate the storm, they are assaulted by 
  hail for 1d10+5 minutes. Every minute, a character must make 
  a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they take 3 
  (1d6) bludgeoning damage. 
  Hail Duhrs. While the adventurers are being pelted by hail, 
  the storm cracks with sudden thunder—not the thunder of 
  lightning, but rather the cracking of a great glacier. The blizzard 
  has earned the favor of the Frostfell itself. This planar influence 
  turns the blizzard's ice pellets into 1d3 galeb duhrs that 
  plummet from the sky above. These elementals were beings on 
  the Plane of Ice whose consciousness has been ripped into the 
  Material Plane. They retain their personalities and memories, 
  but they're confused and agitated by this sudden turn of events.  
  On the turn that the elementals fall, they benefit from their 
  Rolling Charge trait. One hail duhr falls on an adventurer, 
  making a Slam attack. If the target fails their Strength saving 
  throw (as described in its Rolling Charge trait), they are also 
  restrained, as the galeb duhr falls on top of them. An elemental 
  also takes 16 (3d10) bludgeoning damage from the fall. 
  The elementals can utilize their Animate Boulders ability to 
  create more hail duhrs, which fall from the sky just as they did.   
  Roleplaying the Elementals. Galeb duhrs are neutral at heart. 
  They did not ask to be reborn into the Material Plane and are 
  shocked, afraid, and paranoid. Their initial attack is an accident; 
  the first galeb duhr did not mean to make a Slam attack against 
  an adventurer, and it certainly didn't intend to crash onto them. 
  If the adventurers do not retaliate, the elementals back down as 
  well, apologizing in Terran for the misunderstanding. They then 
  ask for directions to the "nearest interplanar rift." If the party 
  presses their attack, the elementals have no choice but to defend 
  themselves. They are too proud to flee, even if wounded.  
  Homecoming. The elementals are here to stay until they find 
  the means to return home. They can sense nearby portals to the 
  Plane of Ice, such as the one in the Frostfell Rift encounter, and 
  will seek one out. In the meantime, they may roll their way into 
  the purview of Homer Erendalias, Sylberos, or Withrens Fyar 
  (see Homer's Hovering Hovel, The Poacher's Nightmare, or On 
  the Eve of Dire Winter, respectively). Homer will attempt to 
  send the elementals home, whereas Sylberos and Withrens Fyar 
  would bend them to their will for their own evil purposes.  
   
   
   
  
   
  60 
  HARDBOILED 
  Volcanic Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Steam curls up against the frigid air, promising a warm respite 
  to those that follow its ephemeral fingers to a nearby hot spring. 
  Its banks are warm and lined with stubborn plants that jut out 
  from the freshly fallen snow. A character that succeeds on a DC 
  15 Investigation check notes that this would be a perfect place 
  for wildlife to shelter, but there are no beasts drinking from its 
  water or snapping up the foliage growing on the shore.  
  A predator nests in this area, driving away wildlife. With a 
  successful DC 15 Nature check, a character identifies this as a 
  prime remorhaz nest, as the hot springs are perpetually warm. 
  Sure enough, a remorhaz has chosen this place as its nest. The 
  adventurers may find its 1d6+2 eggs in a four-foot-wide crevice 
  two feet under water on the northern shore of the springs. The 
  eggs weigh 25 pounds and are Small-sized objects.   
  Copse. A copse of spruces stand at the hot springs' southern 
  bank, spanning a 25-foot-radius circle, making them an ideal 
  hiding spot.  
  Mama's Home. The remorhaz mother returns in 5d10+10 
  minutes. Sensing its clutch is about to be born, it has brought a 
  dead elk for the hatchlings to later feed on. The creature defends 
  her clutch with maternal rage but doesn't pursue characters that 
  flee more than 30 feet from the hot springs.    
  Hatching. The eggs are due to hatch in 1d4 hours, birthing 
  1d6+2 young remorhazes.  
   
  FROST GIANT NEST-RAIDER 
  The frost giants have a penchant for taming beasts. No beast is 
  more tantalizing than the remorhaz. If captured at birth, a giant 
  can groom these creatures into useful pets. The frost giants of 
  Skoldheim spotted an adult remorhaz nesting here months ago 
  and one has come to raid the nest now that the eggs are close to 
  hatching. They have sent Logyr, a frost giant beast tamer, to 
  capture the hatchlings. He arrives up to 1d3 x 10 minutes after 
  the party does, heralded by his thunderous footfalls.  
  Roleplaying Logyr. This NG isejotun has but two passions in 
  life: raising beasts and consorting with "smallfolk." He views 
  both as a normal person would see a puppy. It is for the first 
  penchant that he has become Skoldheim's premier beast tamer. 
  Winter wolves, dire wolves, mammoths, remorhazes—Logyr 
  has bonded with them all. In another life, perhaps he would've 
  become a druid. Being only 80-years-old, there's still time for 
  Logyr to pursue that path, if he had the forethought to do so.  
  Logyr is a gentle soul and the isejotun respect strength above 
  all else. If it weren't for his talents as a beast tamer, Logyr would 
  have been abused or banished long ago. Logyr lives in pleasant 
  ignorance, unaware of his kin's most brutal practices. He isn't 
  even exposed to the vicious training his beasts later receive; his 
  job is to simply find, deliver, and bond with beasts before they 
  are trained to kill.  
  If Logyr discovers the adventurers, he smiles and booms, 
  "Greetings, small ones!" This is the only Common phrase he 
  knows. The giant politely refuses to allow the party to take any 
  remorhaz eggs.  
  Ordning of Might. As the Ordning of Might storyline 
  unfolds, Logyr can inform the adventurers of what's going on 
  in Skoldheim:  
  • "Rowthor has challenged Jarl Grisbos to a forer-slag. I speak 
  no ill of anyone, but I have always believed—personally—
  that Rowthor is one of Memnor's ilk." (Post-Shrine of Vaprak 
  and pre-Forer-Slag! Memnor is the giant deity of deceit.) 
  • "Rowthor has triumphed over J—over Grisbos the… the Cur. 
  Skoldheim is his now. Those that would not bend the knee 
  were banished to the wastes." (Post-Forer-Slag!) 
  • "Our new jarl has decreed that all the Arctic must know of our 
  people's strength. The raids are frequent and, as I hear it from 
  others, bloody. I know not why we must crush others to lift 
  ourselves up—but I am one to question Jarl Rowthor." (See 
  Frost Giant Raiders for details; Logyr can, in his ignorance, 
  provide a list of potential settlements the giants intend to raid, 
  allowing the adventurers to intervene.)  
   
  HEROES OF THE ICE AGE 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Marching across the tundra is a sight most curious: a mammoth, 
  a saber-toothed cat, and a ground sloth carrying a human baby. 
  The three are delivering the child to his tribe, which headed 
  south to warmer lands.   
  With a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check, 
  the trio can be persuaded into handing over Roshan, the human 
  child they carry. Should this check fail or not occur, the beasts 
  warn off the adventurers through aggressive gestures, such as 
  stamping their feet or the mammoth trumpeting from its trunk. 
  If the adventurers do not back off, the beasts attack.  
  The Trio. For beasts, the trio have remarkable intelligence 
  and empathy. Although they have not been awakened by magic, 
  they still have distinct personalities. They defend the child with 
  their lives. These beasts are:  
  • A LN, no-nonsense mammoth with an Intelligence of 8 (-1). 
  • A CG, kindhearted and dull ground sloth (with the statistics of 
  a baboon). He has an Intelligence of 5 (-3).  
  • A NG saber-toothed tiger that has only recently given up his 
  neutral evil ways. He has an Intelligence score of 9 (-1). He 
  secretly belongs to the same pack that killed Roshan's mother 
  and still hungers for the child.   
   
  The Child. Roshan and his mother were separated from their 
  tribe after an ambush by the saber-toothed tigers. His mother 
  leapt off a waterfall and succumbed to injuries—but only after 
  handing off Roshan to the sloth and mammoth. The baby is too 
  young to realize his mother has died or feel the pain of her 
  passing. He can hardly understand Common, let alone speak it. 
  He has only recently taken his first steps.  
  The Pack. Little Roshan is still yet hunted. The malevolent 
  saber-toothed tigers responsible for his mother's death are on 
  the prowl for the toddler. They share the same extraordinary 
  depth and intelligence of the trio of beasts. Most are neutral, but 
  the pack leader is evil and sadistic. He demands Roshan's death 
  not for hunger, but as vengeance for all his kin that were slain 
  by Roshan's people. These 2d6+3 saber-toothed tigers ambush 
  the trio of beasts while in sight of the adventurers. If the party 
  fails to intervene, the trio is slain, and little Roshan is devoured 
  by the pack's leader.  
   
   
  
   
  61 
  The Tribe. Roshan's people are migrating south to escape the 
  wrath of winter. They consist of about thirty humans: ten tribal 
  warriors, twenty commoners, and a gaggle of children. Itosh, 
  Roshan's father, is the tribe's chief. With his mate and son 
  missing, he is understandably distraught.  
  The adventurers earn the tribe's hospitality and gratitude for 
  returning Roshan. They're rewarded with 2d8+4 rations, 1d4+2 
  saber-toothed tiger pelts, one mammoth pelt, and a perpetual 
  invitation to sit at the tribe's bonfire, no matter where it burns.   
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  This obvious allusion to the hit-franchise Ice Age, which has 
  only three movies, is a lighthearted encounter for your party. It 
  is advised that you precipitate this encounter by introducing the 
  adventurers to Roshan's tribe earlier. Finding Roshan and his 
  guardians makes for a pleasant surprise later.  
   
  HOMER'S HOSPITABLE HEARTH 
  Polar or Tundra Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Stark against the frozen landscape is a freestanding oak door. 
  Beside it is a sign that reads, HOMER'S HOSPITABLE HEARTH: 
  TRAVELERS WELCOME!  
  Homer is none other than the NG human archmage who has 
  anchored a permanent Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion 
  spell in this place (see PHB, pg. 261) for travelers to shelter in. 
  Opening the freestanding door reveals a grand foyer set in an 
  extradimensional space. Beyond that foyer is a warm mansion 
  stocked with food and attended to by eager servants. Homer 
  visits from time to time when he isn't busy researching arcana 
  in his tower. While there, he mingles with guests and restocks 
  the stores with another casting of Mordenkainen's magnificent 
  mansion. See Homer's Hovering Hovel for details on Homer.   
  Map. Refer to Lorean's Manor. Every square equals 5 feet.  
  Staff. The Hearth is attended to by a hundred servants, all of 
  whom are made in Homer's image. They are near-translucent, 
  gaunt old men fond of easy smiles. They refer to themselves by 
  numbers, with "Number 1" being the chief attendant. They have 
  no desires other than to accommodate guests as best they can.  
   
  TROUBLE AT THE HEARTH 
  The Hearth is a refuge for all who need it. Its staff and master 
  (when he's actually there) never turn away guests. The staff, for 
  their part, cannot affect, let alone harm, other creatures. Thus, 
  some troublesome guests overstay their welcome until Homer 
  himself deigns to visit the mansion. Monsters are no exception; 
  the Hearth is a safe, warm place with food, making it the perfect 
  lair. Intruding monsters are limited only by the mansion 
  entrance's dimensions (5 by 10 feet). These creatures may arrive 
  after the adventurers do or might already be there.  
  Guests. The following guests might be met in this encounter. If 
  the adventurers return to the Hearth, a new group might be 
  present, if not a monster.   
  • The Brass Adventists, an evil adventuring party described in 
  the encounter of the same name.  
  • A warband of 2d4+6 orcs and one orog that intend to turn this 
  mansion into their tribe's new stronghold. They attack anyone 
  that enters the mansion. They are not irredeemable; Homer 
  may allow them to stay here if they promise to give up their 
  violent ways and rid the Arctic of monsters instead. There is 
  a 25% chance that the tribe's orc war chief (who may arrive 
  in 1d6 days) agrees and honors this arrangement.  
  • Tuksor, the frost giant toddler described in Ice, Ice Baby. He's 
  busy wrecking vases and furniture and painting the walls with 
  spilled wine.   
  • A mischievous boggle named Daennis that's trashed the place. 
   
  Monsters. The following monsters may be roosting here by 
  when the party arrives. If no monsters are present at that time 
  (they may be out hunting in the wastes, for example), evidence 
  of their nesting can be found instead. These creatures found 
  entry by following other guests inside or have perhaps just 
  stumbled into it by sheer, dumb luck.  
  • A frost salamander craving warmth 
  • A young remorhaz 
  • A saber-toothed tiger and her litter of kittens (which have the 
  statistics of cats or panthers, if they're older).  
  • 1d6+3 giant spiders and an ettercap 
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  The Hearth can serve as the party's headquarters or become a 
  regular haunt of theirs. Alternatively, your version of Homer 
  may just cast the spell throughout the Arctic at random or along 
  trails. Therefore, the adventurers might repeatedly encounter 
  the mansion as they roam the region.  
   
   
   
  
   
  62 
  HOMER'S HOVERING HOVEL 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier I-III 
   
  Standing tall above the tundra is a shattered tower that, despite 
  all laws of nature, has yet to fall. Somewhere between the fifth 
  and seventh level, the bloody thing isn't even connected, yet 
  there it still floats, defying gravity. Clearly, this must be the 
  relic of a bygone civilization or the work of an exceptionally 
  masonry-minded wizard. In truth, it's both, and the wizard that 
  lairs here has a fondness for visitors.   
  Map. Refer to map on the following page. The scale equals 5 
  feet for every square.  
   
  THE TOWER 
  This structure once belonged to a floating cloud giant fiefdom. 
  Although the tower is crumbling, it is inherently magical. It has 
  the following properties: 
  • Thick and perpetual fog heavily obscures a 30-foot-radius 
  hemisphere centered on the tower's base. 
  • The interiors are perpetually warm, except on the fourth and 
  fifth floors, which are exposed to the elements.   
  • The front door is unlocked but warded with an alarm spell 
  (PHB pg. 211) to alert Homer whenever a creature enters the 
  tower. Additionally, a magic mouth spell activates and recites 
  the following message: " Hello! Feel free to shelter from the 
  cold, but please remain below the fifth floor! And if you 
  intend to murder me, make it quick!" 
  • The tower is warded with a Mordenkainen's private sanctum 
  spell; if Homer casts the spell one more time, which he will 
  at dawn tomorrow, the spell becomes permanent.  
  • A wizard can attune to the tower, if the tower isn't already 
  attuned to another wizard. As an action, that wizard can use 
  an 8th-level spell slot to cause the tower to lift off from the 
  ground, granting it a flying speed of 90 feet. This benefit lasts 
  for 1d6+2 hours, after which the tower gently descends, 
  magically embedding its foundation into the ground.  
  • Cloud giants that land upon the tower or enter it can shrink 
  themselves from Huge to Large, using a bonus action.  
   
  Floors. The tower is a mess choked with dust and cluttered 
  with debris. Homer only ventures down to greet visitors or leave 
  the tower. Notable features include:  
  • The first floor's cabinet is stocked with vegetables and nuts. 
  When a character opens the cabinet, a magic mouth spell says 
  "Please help yourself, but save some for other travelers!"   
  • The second floor is cluttered with elven fashion magazines, 
  multiple editions of Planar Geographic, and several peer-
  reviewed journals concerned with magical theory. Many of 
  these have been torn to shreds, as if by a magic missile spell; 
  the shredded articles include Homers' articles, each ravaged 
  by another reviewer.  
  • A freestanding ladder connects the fifth and sixth floors; it was 
  created by a fabricate spell cast by Homer. Typically, it can 
  be climbed without incident, but whenever a strong wind 
  blows against the tower, creatures on the ladder must make a 
  DC 12 Athletics check or fall up to 20 feet, taking up to 11 
  (2d10) bludgeoning damage from the fall.  
  • The southeastern pillar on the seventh floor is warded with an 
  antipathy/sympathy spell (save DC 17) to dissuade invaders 
  from climbing higher. Those that look at the pillar fall prey 
  to its Antipathy effect.  
  • The seventh floor is home to a garden 
  of cabbage, carrots, rutabagas, and 
  beautiful but nonmagical flowers. A 
  thin field of force protects the garden 
  from the frigid winds and seals in the 
  tower's magical warmth.   
  • Homer's two apprentices (see below) 
  live on the eighth floor, brooding 
  over their genial but tasking master.  
  • Homer lairs in on the top floor in a 
  riot of tomes and dirty dishes.  
  • Homer's shield guardian patrols the 
  upper levels. It's imbued with a fly 
  spell, which it utilizes to pursue 
  invaders.   
   
  THE ARCHMAGE 
  The kindhearted NG human archmage 
  that lairs in this tower is anything but a 
  recluse. His studies consume too much 
  of his time to be a proper host, as he so 
  often laments. This Homer Erendalias 
  has a storied history: an adventurer that 
  retired from a life of peril to teach 
  magic at a prestigious university—only 
  to up and quit despite being granted 
  tenure. To hear him tell it, it sounds like 
  a modest tale—the ramblings of a 
  beloved grandfather. Were one to truly 
  dig into the history books and witness testimonies, they would 
  learn Homer had a hand in many of the great upheavals that 
  rocked the continent in the last century.  
  Homer is in the twilight of his life; by all rights, he should've 
  died half a century ago, but he's extended his life with potions 
  of longevity (DMG pg. 188). He's pushing a hundred and thirty 
  now and dares only to drink one more potion (which he has in 
  his hoard, see Treasure below).  
  Roleplaying Homer. Like many geriatric masters of the 
  arcane, the spark of madness is alive and well within Homer 
  Erendalias. His is a mind unburdened by discipline and ruled by 
  fleeting thoughts. Much to his apprentices' chagrin, he hops 
  from one fancy to the next. Lunacy has, effectively, made him 
  a fantast. 
  Statistics. Homer is a NG human archmage that speaks 
  Common, Elvish, Dwarvish, Infernal, Giant, and, for some 
  reason, Deep Speech. He wears the control amulet of a shield 
  guardian, a ring of mind shielding and a robe of stars (DMG 
  pg. 191 and 194). Instead of detect thoughts, he has prepared 
  Mordenkainen's private sanctum.  
   
  APPRENTICES & SERVANTS 
  Homer is far too gregarious to rot away in his tower; likewise, 
  he believes the secrets of the Arcane must be passed on only by 
  responsible magi. The characters below also inhabit the tower, 
  even when Homer is away:  
  Donella. This NG gnomish transmuter shares her master's 
  reckless curiosity. As the tower's gardener, her current passion 
  is blurring the lines between wizardry and druidism. She swears 
  that she'll have replicated the fabled plant growth spell by the 
  end of the decade. Without her spellwork, the gardens would 
  wilt and die, no matter how warm the tower is.  
   
   
  
   
  63 
  As a gnome, Donella has the following racial traits: 
  • She reads, writes, and speaks Gnomish and as Common.  
  • She is Small, with a speed of 25 feet, and darkvision to a range 
  of 60 feet.  
  • She has advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma 
  saving throws against magic.  
  • She knows the minor illusion cantrip.  
  • She can speak to Small or smaller beasts.  
   
  Grendar. Having broken his oath to see the Arctic under his 
  legion's banners, this NG hobgoblin devastator found peace 
  and redemption under Homer, whose skills in evocation were, 
  at one point, unmatched. Grendar nurses a noble dream—when 
  his training is complete, he intends to become a mediator for the 
  mortal world, brokering peace agreements between kingdoms 
  and civilizations. In his wildest fantasies, he's managed to turn 
  his warmongering people into noble defenders of the world.  
  Servants. The tower is cared for through repeated unseen 
  servant spells cast by Donella. 
   
  TREASURE 
  The tower is rich not with gold, but with spell components; one 
  or more copies of a spell component worth less than 500 gp for 
  a wizard spell of 5th-level or lower can be found in the tower. 
  Homer also has one potion of longevity and 2d6+4 spell scrolls 
  of Mordenkainen's private sanctums locked away in a chest 
  warded with an arcane lock spell. His apprentices can open the 
  chest normally. The chest sits at the foot of a tapestry on the 
  ninth floor; thanks to an illusion spell, it is invisible, requiring 
  a DC 15 Investigation check to discern.  
  Additionally, Homer's spellbook contains all but 2d6 wizard 
  spells ever known. The spellbook also contains the teleportation 
  circle sigil sequence to the Flayed Queen's mythic prison (see 
  The Glacial Prison). The sigil is drawn out on a blank page half-
  way through the book. Homer, for his part, purged his memory 
  with a modify memory spell so he could never be tortured into 
  giving out the sequence.  
   
  REVENGE OF THE INHERITORS 
  Tier III 
  Homer's always on the move; he did not find this tower, per se, 
  but "liberated" it from the ruins of a cloud giant stronghold, the 
  inheritors of which hunger to make whole again. The archmage 
  warded the tower against divination spells not for privacy, but 
  to avoid his pursuers. Unfortunately, Homer never believed that 
  the giants knew his identity—and Homer does leave his tower 
  quite frequently, doesn't he? 
  Inevitably, 1d4+5 cloud giants locate the tower and set out 
  to punish the foolish human that dared claim it as his own. Their 
  arrival is masked by a control weather spell that hurls sleet and 
  snow across the region. From the gray clouds above, the giants 
  descend, each having cast a fly spell and bearing a boulder to be 
  used for their rock attacks. They land on the eleventh floor and 
  announce their presence in Giant: "Our birthright has been 
  denied for too long! Show yourself, wizard! Today, you face 
  justice!"  
  To Arms! The giants don't wait for a response. They quickly 
  tear off the door and use a bonus action to shrink themselves to 
  Large (down from Huge). They also call forth their menagerie 
  of flying beasts: 1d3 perytons, two griffons, and a wyvern. 
  The beasts run riot indoors.   
   
   
  5 
  4 
  3 
  2 
  6 
  7 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  11 
  12 
  13 
  
   
  64 
  HOUNDS OF ILL OMEN 
  Polar Night Encounter, Tier II 
   
  From the darkest depths of the Shadowfell, the Forsworn have 
  summoned a pack of 1d4+4 shadow mastiffs led by a shadow 
  mastiff alpha. This mysterious order reveres Mother Night, a 
  deity better known as Shar, the Lady of Loss, in the Forgotten 
  Realms setting. Their mission is to perpetuate the current polar 
  night afflicting the Arctic, as described in the Eternal Night 
  storyline. They tolerate no interference, snuffing out would-be 
  adversaries with dark hounds summoned from the Shadowfell. 
  The adventurers have drawn their ire and must be eliminated. 
  While the adventurers are camping or traveling, baleful howls 
  rend the night. These howls sound eerily distinct from that of 
  normal canines; with a DC 15 Arcana check, a character recalls 
  a number of otherworldly or monstrous hounds: yeth hounds 
  (fey), hell hounds (fiends), winter wolves (monstrosities), or 
  shadow mastiffs (from the Shadowfell).  
  Alas, the howls are merely a distraction. With their attention 
  drawn elsewhere, the pack alpha and its hounds strike at the 
  party's rear, having approached while invisible. These beasts, 
  they see, are ragged hounds wrought from living shadow, 
  whose muzzles are fanged with far too many crooked teeth. 
  Tactics. The hounds are experienced, otherworldly predators 
  that follow the tactics below:   
  • Two hounds howl from the party's left flank while the others 
  creep in from the opposite side. Contest their Stealth checks 
  (with a +6 bonus!) to the party's passive Perception, with the 
  possibility of surprising the adventurers.  
  • The region is cloaked in twilight, rendering the pack invisible 
  until they attack, enter bright light, or are incapacitated. Make 
  a note of the radius of the party's light source (if any), as the 
  hounds become visible in bright light and lose their resistance 
  to physical damage. Most light sources cast bright light out 
  to a radius of 30 feet; the mastiffs have speeds of 40 feet. 
  Remember, only bright light created by sunlight imposes 
  disadvantage on the hounds' attack rolls, saving throws, and 
  ability checks.  
  • The pack favors hit-and-run tactics, relying on their Shadow 
  Blend trait to escape detection until they attack again.   
  • The hounds, like their earthly counterparts, focus on the weak 
  and wounded before tackling mightier foes.  
  • If the pack's alpha is slain, the pack is likely to retreat, unless 
  their prey is already weakened.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  It matters not if the adventurers easily dispatch the hounds; they 
  are immaterial and, effectively, infinite. The Forsworn can draw 
  upon this rabid legion for as long as their patron deity permits. 
  At the very least, the hounds prevent the adventurers from ever 
  achieving a rest.   
   
   
   
  ICE HAULERS 
  Sea Encounter, Tier I 
   
  As the adventurers clamber over the frozen coastline, they catch 
  sight of a brigantine's sails. The ship is anchored off the beach, 
  its crew dragging blocks of carved ice towards the rowboats on 
  the shore. These brave sailors are involved in the ice trade. Ice 
  is a commodity afforded only by the wealthy in warmer lands; 
  roaming so far into the Arctic is a dangerous but lucrative 
  venture. By coating blocks of ice in sawdust, they can insulate 
  it against warmer climates.  
  The journey thus far has not been without peril, but the crew 
  has remained relatively safe. They've met darfellan hunters, had 
  close calls with swashbucklers and yetis alike, and have even 
  lost a crewmate to the unforgiving sea. Despite these dangers, 
  their spirits are still high, and their journey is almost finished. 
  Little do they know that sahuagin are clambering up the shore 
  right now to redden the waters in the name of Sekolah, their 
  dread-god.  
  Ship. Ranger is a sailing boat; it requires a crew of twenty to 
  be sailed, but a crew of ten can make do with shorter rests and 
  a tough captain. See DMG pg. 119 for the ship's statistics.  
  Captain. Ranger is captained by Etiran Emeris, a NG retired 
  darfellan bandit captain familiar with the Arctic's coastlines. 
  He values his ship, his crew, and his own life, in that order. Gold 
  has little use for the dead, and so he is cautious in his old age—
  a stark contrast to the hot-headed warrior he was in his youth. 
  As a darfellan, he has the following racial traits: 
  • He speaks Common and Darfellan, a multisyllabic language 
  with harsh, authoritative tones.  
  • He has a swimming speed of 40 ft. 
  • He can hold his breath for 10 minutes. 
  • He has advantage on ability checks and saving throws made 
  to escape grapples. 
  • While Etiran is underwater and not deafened, he has blindsight 
  out to 30 ft. 
   
  Crew. A crew of eighteen currently mans Ranger, consisting 
  of eleven commoners of assorted races, each with proficiency 
  with vehicles (water); and six NG or N bandits. Jonas Hraal, a 
  NE human bandit, serves as first mate. Loyal to Captain Etiran, 
  but far too ambitious for his own good, Hraal considers every 
  calamity at sea a chance for him to rise up in the world.  
  Four commoners and three bandits are on the ship at the start 
  of this encounter. Four commoners are rowing towards Ranger 
  (two apiece, and each boat loaded with ice). Captain Etiran and 
  his first mate are on the shore with the remaining three bandits, 
  dragging ice blocks towards the beach on sleds.   
  SHADOW MASTIFF OMEGA 
  If you anticipate the shadow mastiff alpha being too weak to truly 
  threaten your party (which is likely, if they're in the upper bounds of 
  Tier II) then consider upgrading the alpha into an omega. The omega 
  is a regular a shadow mastiff alpha with the following changes:  
  • The omega has 83 (15d8+15) hit points. 
  • It is a CR 5 (1,800 XP) with an extra +1 bonus to its Perception, 
  Stealth, passive Perception score, and the attack and damage rolls 
  of its Bite action.  
  • It has an Intelligence of 9 (-1) and a Wisdom of 17 (+3). 
  • It has the Terrifying Howl action option, with a DC 14. 
  • It has the following Multiattack option:  
   
  Multiattack. The omega can bite three times, or it can bite twice 
  and use its Terrifying Howl.  
  
   
  65 
  IN THE NAME OF SEKOLAH 
  When the adventurers first crest the ridge and spot Ranger, the 
  ship is a mile away. With a successful DC 18 Perception check, 
  they notice distant figures clambering up the ship's rigging—
  the sahuagin. Meanwhile, 2d4+3 sahuagin are clambering up 
  the shore to the unsuspecting crew. They are easily spotted.  
  The party begins this encounter 300 feet away from the crew. 
  Assume that, if they decide to intervene, they dash to the beach 
  in one minute, with difficult terrain inhibiting their speed. By 
  then, one rowboat has been capsized, with three sahuagin and 
  two bandits having been slain in the battle thus far.  
  Warning the crew proves difficult; the high winds snatch up 
  any shouts as they leave the lips of the observant. Spells of 
  shatter, skywrite, thaumaturgy, thunderwave, thunderclap, and 
  similar magic can alert the crew. Otherwise, the adventurers 
  must either wash their hands of the situation or rush into battle, 
  hopefully in time to make a difference.  
  Treachery! In the heat of battle, Hraal's ambitions get the 
  better of him. He turns on Captain Emeris just as the day is won. 
  A character that succeeds on a DC 16 Perception check sees the 
  treacherous cur draw a dagger and rush Emeris. If this same 
  character succeeds on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, they can 
  warn Emeris before it's too late. Failing this, Hraal's treachery 
  can be later sussed out with a successful DC 15 Insight check.  
  If his treachery is exposed, the crew murders him—unless the 
  party intervenes. Hraal's expertise is pivotal for Ranger's ability 
  to make it back home. If they require passage, which Hraal 
  promises, they may side with him against the crew.   
  If his attempt on Emeris's life is thwarted, the captain has the 
  cur imprisoned in the brig.  
  Reward. If the adventurers save the crew, they offer to take 
  the party up or down the coast. Ranger, however, must lick its 
  wounds in warmer lands; if the adventurers ask to be taken 
  deeper into the Arctic, the captain will only take them 2d20+15 
  miles up the coast. If the party asks to be brought closer towards 
  greener lands, Ranger will take them as far as they require if it 
  doesn't divert their course too much.  
   
   
   
   
  ICE, ICE BABY 
  Polar or Tundra Encounter, Tier I-II 
   
  Lumbering across the snow is what appears to be an ogre. Its 
  wails are like thunder and it throws tantrums as easily as a dwarf 
  tosses back ale. Upon closer inspection, it is revealed that this 
  behemoth is a frost giant toddler that has been separated from 
  his mother. This toddler has only a marginal grasp of Giant, but 
  at the least, he can point to himself and say, "Tuksor." 
  Statistics. Tuksor is, effectively, a Medium-sized half-ogre, 
  that can understand Giant and has immunity to cold damage. He 
  is unarmed, but his fists are no less fearsome. He can make Fist 
  attacks (+5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 1d6+3 bludgeoning damage on a 
  hit). He also has the following trait:  
   
  Fetal Rage (1/Day). As a bonus action, Tuksor can throw a 
  tantrum. For the next minute, he has resistance to slashing, 
  bludgeoning, and piercing damage. He also gains advantage 
  on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. During this 
  tantrum, his Fist attacks deal +2 bonus damage.   
   
  Tuksor's Wild Ride. In the few hours since he was separated 
  from his mother, Tuksor's had quite the adventure for a toddler, 
  which he babbles about in Giant. He's chased after birds (giant 
  eagles), hugged a puppy (a dire wolf), and splashed about in a 
  puddle (a frigid pond). When dwarves (humans) appeared, he 
  hid in a snowbank until long after they left. Now he's hungry, 
  and although his adventure thus far has been great, he wants to 
  "pet a kitty" (a saber-toothed tiger). He tugs on an adventurer's 
  sleeve and babbles, "Let's go!" in Giant until they follow him.  
   
  POACHERS 
  Tuksor is being hunted. An amenable frost giant is a promising 
  recruit for any company, warband, or lord. One raised as a slave 
  with no concept of its own cage would fetch quite the price. The 
  strength and size little Tuksor will one day inherit makes him 
  invaluable.  
  The "dwarves" that crossed Tuksor's path earlier today were 
  an evil band of adventurers. They're searching for him now that 
  they've had time to formulate a plan. They intend to sell Tuksor 
  to even wickeder folk. To lure him in, their resident druid has 
  shapeshifted into a leopard because "Kids love cats, right?"  
  The adventurers are described in The Brass Adventists. You 
  can combine it with this encounter.  
   
  HERE COMES BIG MAMA 
  After 1d4+3 hours, Tuksor's mother, Srusor, tracks down her 
  child. She assumes the worst at first: that the adventurers have 
  abducted him and intend to sell him into bondage or, worse, kill 
  him. She unleashes a thunderous bellow that scares even Tuksor 
  into running and charges into battle. If the adventurers cannot 
  converse in Giant, they cannot quell the frost giant.   
  Tactics. Srusor fights a mother's fury. If she believes Tuksor 
  is endangered, she fights to her dying breath to save him. If not, 
  and she is reduced to half her hit points, she surrenders and begs 
  (in Giant) for her to be taken into bondage instead of Tuksor. 
  She does not pursue fleeing characters so long as they leave her 
  child behind. 
  Mom, Stop! If the party was kind to Tuksor, he babbles to his 
  mother in Giant, attempting to persuade her from attacking his 
  new friends. To do so, he must succeed on a DC 14 Persuasion 
  check made as an action; he has advantage on the check. If he 
  fails twice, the third check succeeds as he interposes himself 
  between his mother and the party.   
   
  
   
  66 
  IN THE LAIR OF THE DRACOLICH 
  Sea Encounter, Tier III-IV 
   
  The mighty adult white dracolich Krarthelos lairs in a drifting 
  iceberg honeycombed with passageways, attended to by kobold 
  sycophants while he slumbers. The dracolich is the servant of 
  the long-forgotten Flayed Queen, an undead sovereign whose 
  liberation is almost at hand (as described in the Army of the 
  Damned storyline). Krarthelos's phylactery is most vulnerable 
  while the drake hibernates, but thieves must contend with the 
  many minions placed here by his distant master.   
  Weather. The iceberg is at the heart of Krarthelos's Regional 
  Effects, which he has retained in undeath. As described in the 
  statistics of an adult white dragon, these effects are: 
  • Chilly fog lightly obscures the land within 6 miles of the 
  dragon's lair. 
  • Freezing precipitation falls within 6 miles of the dragon's lair, 
  sometimes forming blizzard conditions when the dragon is at 
  rest. 
   
  Additionally, the iceberg is surrounded by frigid water and is 
  1d4+4 miles from the nearest shore. Strong winds often make 
  nonmagical flight impossible for all but Huge-sized creatures.   
  Map. Refer to the map above, which is a sea-level cross-
  section of the iceberg. Tunnels twist above and below this level. 
  Krarthelos can carve open new tunnels or fill old ones with ease. 
  Each square is equal to 5 feet. This area has these features: 
  • Krarthelos's hoard is frozen into the ice behind the altar (which 
  is marked with "A" on the map). See Treasure below.  
  • Krarthelos slumbers in a chunk of ice marked as "B" on the 
  map. The ice is translucent, revealing his skeletal figure.  
  • The entire iceberg is a place of extreme cold. 
  • The iceberg counts as desecrated ground (see Appendix C).  
   
  Servants. Krarthelos is served by a six-generation old clan of 
  kobolds, who number forty in total (thirty kobolds, five winged 
  kobolds, two kobold dragonshields and three kobold scale 
  sorcerers; every kobold has, thanks to Krarthelos, immunity to 
  cold damage and the ability to hold their breath for up to 1 hour 
  at a time). Before he last slumbered, Krarthelos created 2d4+4 
  white guard drakes to patrol the iceberg and its waters.  
  Additionally, the deathlock mastermind Fionys has been 
  ordered to guard Krarthelos's phylactery until her master, the 
  Flayed Queen, awakens. Fionys has 1d4+2 deathlocks at her 
  disposal; these undead are her failed predecessors.  
   
  ALL THE QUEEN'S MINIONS 
  As the Cult of the Newly Dead prepares to liberate their distant 
  master, Fionys of Gnar has been dispatched to guard Krarthelos 
  while the dracolich hibernates. This deathlock mastermind 
  was patronized by the Flayed Queen decades ago and met her 
  end at the hands of enterprising heroes. Death, however, is only 
  another opportunity for Fionys to serve her queen.   
  Fionys is not the first warlock of the Flayed Queen—far from 
  it, actually. Those whose bodies were not destroyed have been 
  called on now to serve her again. As the queen's champion, 
  Fionys commands these 1d4+4 deathlock wights and 1d3+1 
  deathlocks. The presence of the undead unnerve the kobolds, 
  who before now only had to deal with their frozen master. The 
  deathlocks take a sick pleasure in scaring the kobolds; some 
  have already been scared to death.   
  The undead are nothing short of bitter rivals. All were once 
  crafty warlocks obsessed with gathering power. All fell under 
  the influence of the Flayed Queen. All found themselves vying 
  for her favor. Fionys considers her colleagues irredeemable 
  failures that deserve nothing short of eternal punishment. They 
  in turn consider that Fionys ought to be knocked down a peg 
  and taught humility in the face of failure. Because the Flayed 
  Queen isn't omniscient, the undead can afford to sabotage one 
  another to gain favor with their sovereign. Therefore, many 
  deathlocks disobey Fionys (who holds no special power over 
  them) or intentionally misconstrue her orders.   
  Roleplaying Fionys. Fionys is a paranoid corpse that refuses 
  to just lie down and let better days go by. She sees threats in 
  every shadow, and believes that she was stuck here only so 
  Cis'tudh (her rival and leader of the Cult of the Newly Dead) 
  could curry more favor with their undead master. So too is 
  Fionys a fanatic; before she died, she found herself in love with 
  the Flayed Queen and the torch of that love has darkened into 
  obsession in undeath. She does anything in her power to ensure 
  Krarthelos remains unharmed and will even sacrifice herself if 
  need be.  
  Fionys can be voiced with the sample dialogue below: 
  • "My life for Death!" 
  • "You have never felt love as rich as I have." 
  • "I will be your end!"  
  • "Gods save the Queen."  
  • "Her will is mine!"  
   
   
   
  A 
  B 
  
   
  67 
  When she isn't berating other deathlocks, Fionys can be found 
  on her own. On her first turn, she shouts for reinforcements, 
  invoking her master's name. At the start of the next round, a 
  deathlock and two deathlock wights arrive. Thereafter, other 
  reinforcements, such as kobolds and other undead, arrive every 
  1d4 rounds in clusters of 1d4+1.  
  Tactics. Fionys dispatches intruders with ruthless efficiency. 
  She roams the iceberg, always on the lookout for invaders. In 
  combat, she and her undead follow these tactics: 
  • On her first turn, Fionys casts darkness on her pendant, for she 
  can see through magical darkness. She follows up with a chill 
  touch spell (preferring an obvious healer) and then Deathly 
  Claw or Grave Bolts attacks.  
  • On a deathlock's first turn, it opens up with arms of Hadar or 
  hunger of Hadar. Subsequent turns are devoted to eldritch 
  blast spells.  
  • A deathlock wight opens up with hold person or fear. They 
  close the gap between opponents or widen them with a misty 
  step spell.   
  • Ultimately, the undead are trapped between oblivion and a 
  worse fate: failing their master. A deathlock is likely to flee 
  if they're at the cusp of death. When they must answer to their 
  distant queen, they blame Fionys.  
   
  TREASURE 
  Krarthelos's hoard is protected by a thick layer of ice, 10 feet 
  deep. Every 10-foot-section, 1-foot-deep layer of ice has an AC 
  of 15, 15 hit points, and immunity to acid, cold, necrotic, poison 
  and psychic damage. Additionally, the section has vulnerability 
  to fire damage.  
  Although he has ascended to undeath, Krarthelos is still a 
  white dragon at heart. His hoard consists of ship figureheads, 
  walrus and narwhal ivory, mammoth furs, and magic items 
  taken from the broken bodies of those that fell to his wrath long 
  ago. The drake has little appreciation for conventional wealth 
  and has scattered 11,000 gp's worth of coins all along the 
  iceberg's floors so that they glitter like scars. To pick up these 
  several thousand coins takes 1d6+4 hours. His most valuable 
  treasures include: 
  • A horn of blasting (DMG pg. 174) two feet deep into the ice. 
  Blowing this horn within 1d4 miles of the iceberg awakens 
  Krarthelos.  
  • A pair of gloves of swimming and climbing (DMG pg. 172) 
  six feet deep into the ice.  
  • A belt of dwarvenkind (DMG pg. 155) seven feet deep into the 
  ice.  
  • An instrument of the bards (Canaith Mandolin) (see DMG pg. 
  176) twelve feet deep into the ice.  
  • A set of silver dragon scale mail (DMG pg. 165) eighteen feet 
  deep into the ice.  
   
  Phylactery. Krarthelos's phylactery is buried six feet into the 
  ice and is another 2d4 x 5 feet above this level. It is a fist-sized 
  black sapphire worth 5,000 gp. As revealed by a legend lore 
  spell, the phylactery can only be destroyed by the breath of an 
  ancient silver dragon.  
   
  THE DRAKE AWAKENS 
  Krarthelos has hibernated for sixty years now and is expected 
  to slumber for another forty. However, the liberation of the 
  Flayed Queen or the burst of a loud noise—caused by the likes 
  of a shatter, thunderclap, thunderwave or even a fireball 
  spell—will wake him prematurely. The adult white dracolich 
  bursts from the ice with a skeletal roar. Unless he is defeated, 
  the dracolich dedicates his early awakening to eradicating his 
  ancient enemies—the first being Homer Erendalias of Homer's 
  Hovering Hovel—after slaying any intruders in his lair.  
  Tactics. Krarthelos bursts from the ice in Area A and employs 
  the following tactics in battle: 
  • Krarthelos still enjoys his arsenal of Regional Effects and Lair 
  Actions in undeath. When he awakens, he seals off exits to 
  the iceberg with his third Regional Effect.  
  • As his blessed kobolds are immune to cold damage, Krarthelos 
  can fill the hallways with freezing fog (see his Lair Actions). 
  The drake cares little for his servants but understands that 
  they have a part to play; likewise, Krarthelos cares not for the 
  deathlocks.  
  • Krarthelos burrows through ice to hunt down intruders from 
  above, below, or laterally.  
  • Using a Lair Action, Krarthelos can magically flood portions 
  of his lair with frigid seawater, choosing one chamber on the 
  map at a time. Creatures within the area must make a DC 15 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 13 (3d8) cold damage and 
  one level of exhaustion on a failure. On a success, a creature 
  takes only half damage. A creature can only gain two levels 
  of exhaustion from this effect.  
  • If he is close to death, Krarthelos digs for his phylactery and 
  abandons the iceberg.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  68 
  INTO THE BLIZZARD 
  Weather Encounter, Tier I-II 
   
  Blizzards are the Arctic's most prolific killers, preying on hikers 
  and unprepared homesteaders. Whenever the adventurers must 
  navigate a blizzard, you can run it as a Skill Challenge, starting 
  at Medium difficulty or higher.  
  Duration. Blizzards are never short affairs and will rage for 
  hours or even days on end. Ability checks made to survive the 
  blizzard are spaced out across hours or days. A blizzard's length 
  is determined by its difficulty:  
  • At Medium difficulty, the blizzard lasts for 1d4+4 hours.   
  • At Hard difficulty, the blizzard lasts for 2d6+4 hours 
  • At Insane difficulty, the blizzard rages for 1d4+2 days.  
   
  Weather. As the blizzard rages, the characters must contend 
  with the following effects:  
  • The blizzard's radius is an area of extreme cold (see Appendix 
  C). Starting at Hard difficulty, the blizzard is cold enough to 
  negate the protection afforded by cold weather gear, meaning 
  only creatures with resistance to cold damage are spared from 
  the cold. At Insane difficulty, even creatures with resistance 
  to cold damage must also contend with extreme cold.   
  • The heavy snowfall lightly obscures the area, disadvantaging 
  Perception checks that rely on sight. Visibility is also reduced 
  to 30 feet. At Hard difficulty or higher, the area is heavily 
  obscured and visibility is reduced to 10 feet. 
  • The blizzard is a source of strong winds (see Appendix C).   
  • The blizzard's radius is considered difficult terrain, for the 
  adventurers must contend with snow and ice all while being 
  battered by strong winds.  
   
  Failure. Whenever the party accrues a failure, the character 
  responsible must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, the 
  DC of which matches the DC for the Skill Challenge (i.e., 14-
  18 for a Medium Skill Challenge). On a failure, a character 
  accrues a level of exhaustion.  
  Alternatively, whenever the party accrues a failure, you can 
  pit them against an enemy that doesn't mind the cold. When you 
  do so, pause the Skill Challenge, resuming it after battle ceases. 
  The weather effects described above factor into the battle. 
  Potential enemies include: 
  • 1d4+2 ice mephits (Tier I) 
  • A young remorhaz (Tier I) or a remorhaz (Tier II) 
  • A frost giant (Tier II)  
  • A water elemental myrmidon (Tier II) 
  • A yeti (Tier I) or an abominable yeti (Tier II)  
   
  Phases. Contending with a blizzard can be divided into two 
  phases: travel and shelter. The adventurers will likely start in 
  the Travel Phase if they march into the storm or one happens to 
  swallow them as they're in transit. Depending on the difficulty, 
  the party might transition between these phases multiple times.  
   
  TRAVEL PHASE 
  The Travel Phase is the most dangerous of the two, as it pits the 
  hikers up against Nature itself—and any horrors that don't mind 
  the storm. Suggested ability checks during this phase include:  
  • A preliminary Survival or Nature check determines just how 
  prepared the adventurers are for a blizzard.  
  • An Investigation check to suggest tying characters together 
  with a rope and arranging themselves into columns.  
  • A Sleight of Hand check to tie the hikers together with a rope, 
  with Intelligence representing one's knowledge of knots and 
  Dexterity being one's' ability to tie a knot in spite of their 
  numb hands or thick gloves.  
  • An Athletics check to take point, pushing against the wind; 
  stabbing trail markers into the snow; or picking up fallen 
  companions.  
  • An Acrobatics check to maintain one's balance as they cross 
  ice or snow, or, if the party is linked with rope, when another 
  hiker falls or stumbles. Failing this might cause the hiker to 
  fall prone.  
  • A Perception check to scout ahead, find lost companions, or 
  to detect upcoming dangers or features, such as foes or a pass.  
  • An Investigation check can determine whether the blizzard is 
  too strong to travel in.  
  • During white-out conditions, or while the hikers are on an end-
  less patch of snow and ice, an Insight check can determine if 
  the hikers are still on course or if they have been traveling in 
  circles.  
   
  SHELTER PHASE 
  No matter how mild a blizzard may be, travelers must stop 
  periodically in order to warm themselves up. Shelter, however, 
  may be difficult to come by, and when it can't be found, it must 
  be created. The primary objective of this phase is to find or 
  create shelter, contend with hypothermia, or a loss of supplies. 
  Suggested ability checks for this phase include:  
  • A Perception check to find existing shelter, such as a cave, or 
  to detect any dangers therein. 
  • A Survival check to determine how to create shelter, such as 
  by digging a snow cave or constructing an igloo or quinzhee.  
  • An Athletics check to perform the labor necessary to build or 
  erect shelter.  
  • A Survival check can be made to forage nearby; with rapidly 
  dropping temperatures, hikers require additional calories to 
  survive.  
  • An ability check using cook's utensils, which can cover topics 
  like correctly rationing food (Intelligence), cooking a meal 
  with numb fingers or catching a mistake before the meal goes 
  up in smoke (Dexterity) or if the meal was nourishing enough 
  (Wisdom).  
  • If the characters are at a high altitude, a Medicine check can 
  identify and treat altitude sickness; chewing cocoa leaves is 
  a common folk remedy.  
  • A Nature check identifies signs of hypothermia, such as para-
  doxical undressing or gangrene.  
   
   
   
  
   
  69 
  THE ISEJOTUN EXILE 
  Character Encounter, Tier II 
   
  The frost giant Arvydr is just one of the many detractors exiled 
  by the new jarl of Skoldheim, Rowthor. This new despot seized 
  control of Skoldheim by slaying Jarl Grisbos in a forer-slag, a 
  ritualistic duel (see the Forer-Slag! encounter, which predates 
  this encounter). 
  Arvydr has no intention to languish in disgraced exile and is 
  eager to return home and topple Rowthor. He suspects that the 
  upstart has appealed to Vaprak the Destroyer, the patron deity 
  of trolls and ogres, who offers disaffected frost giants greater 
  strength. Such a sin is punishable by death or exile, regardless 
  of station. If Arvydr can expose Rowthor, Skoldheim will reject 
  his regime. To prove his blasphemy, Rowthor must be maimed 
  in public; the cur cannot halt his troll-like regeneration, and this 
  newfound healing factor of his will not go unnoticed.  
  Arvydr would take the fight to Rowthor himself, but forer-
  slags can't be issued by exiles, nor can they be issued by proxy. 
  Arvydr must be restored to his former status and face Rowthor 
  in person. Therefore, he must turn to outside help.  
  The party can encounter Arvydr is an ice cave, in the tundra, 
  as he steals cattle from a farm, or in the mountains. If attacked, 
  he does his best to end a battle without the adventurers, seeing 
  them as potential tools. He speaks enough Common to insist 
  that they listen to him; failing that, he withdraws from the 
  conflict, giving the adventurers a chance to do the same.  
  Arvydr's Vendetta. A character fluent in Giant or aided by a 
  spell of tongues (or similar magic) can converse with Arvydr, 
  who explains "the disgrace of Skoldheim." He tasks the party 
  with infiltrating the stronghold to publicly wound Rowthor. He 
  promises them untold riches—which should prove to be an 
  impressive fortune, as the frost giants are notorious raiders. The 
  party may also be inclined to help if the region is being ravaged 
  by increasingly more frequent and savage raids (see Frost Giant 
  Raiders). If the adventurers prove successful, he rewards them 
  with 300 gp, straight from Skoldheim's vaults, and "unfettered 
  swine." 
  See Skoldheim for details on the stronghold.  
  Roleplaying Arvydr. Arvydr is still a frost giant at heart: he 
  respects only strength and has no tolerance for deceit. His 
  people have never needed to raise crops or forge delicate tools; 
  they only take. Since his exile, Arvydr has stolen food, ale, and 
  livestock, which he keeps in his cave or carries in his sack.  
  Visibly mighty characters can earn Arvydr's respect through 
  a display of strength. However, the Ordning of Might—which 
  rules all of frost giant society—dictates that the strongest stands 
  tallest. He must demonstrate his own strength; which he does 
  by hurling boulders or wrestling the strongest adventurers. He 
  does not intend to harm his opponent, but… a giant weaves 
  destruction everywhere he goes.  
  You can voice Arvydr with the following sample dialogue: 
  • "Memnor's art has no place among the isejotun! Strength alone 
  determines a jotun's measure, as it should!" (A successful DC 
  15 Religion check identifies Memnor as a trickster deity.) 
  • "That profaner's regicide will not be forgotten, nor forgiven. 
  He won, but with whose strength, I wonder? Thrym's… or 
  the Destroyer's?"  
  • "You are quite small. The watchers of Skoldheim see only the 
  drakes and hear only thunder. I suspect you will find purchase 
  very easily… Just do not get caught."  
  KEEP LUKEWARM! 
  Polar Encounter, Tier I or II 
   
  As a snowstorm bears down upon them, the adventurers come 
  upon a red sight: the blood of a dead dire moose upon the snow, 
  and two humans crammed inside its split belly. One is alert, the 
  other unconscious. Their names are Na and Leer, respectively, 
  and from within this grisly, makeshift shelter they'll ride out the 
  snowstorm together.  
  Leer was ambushed earlier while astride his dire moose. Its 
  cold corpse can be found by the party a mile away. A DC 13 
  Nature check determines that the claw marks on the corpse 
  came from a yeti. The yeti dragged Leer to its nearby ice cave 
  to feast, but Leer telekinetically drew his sun blade, sliced off 
  its right arm, and escaped before succumbing to his wounds and 
  hypothermia. Na went searching for Leer after he failed to 
  report back to their camp a few miles away.  
  Statistics. Na is a N human master thief armed with a hand 
  crossbow (+7 to hit, range 30/120 ft., 1d6+4 piercing dmg.) 
  with which he can attack twice per turn, so long as he has a free 
  hand to load another bolt into the weapon. He has expertise with 
  Insight, granting him a +6 bonus and he makes initiative checks 
  with advantage.  
  Although Leer is a human, he effectively has the statistics of 
  a LG githzerai zerth. With his sun blade, Leer can attack twice 
  per turn (+9 to hit, reach 5 ft., 1d8+6 radiant damage on a hit). 
  He currently has 52 hit points remaining, after the attack from 
  the yeti.  
  Roleplaying Na. Na is a cocky son of a bitch that nurses a 
  secret soft spot for his close friends but otherwise looks out only 
  for himself. He is friendly but suspicious; he shoots first and 
  laments later. Should he perceive someone is about to do him 
  harm, he unloads a crossbow bolt in their chest.  
  Roleplaying Leer. A young lad with destiny thrust upon him, 
  Leer sees good in everyone but the most tyrannical individuals 
  and regimes. If awoken during a conflict, his first instinct is to 
  engineer a peaceful resolution. The psychic warrior believes all 
  things in the cosmos are connected by some mystical, meta-
  physical force his dead master called, "the Pressure." 
  Tactics. To suss out their intentions, Na contests his Insight 
  check against one character's Deception check. He uses an 
  action to wake Leer, ordering him to fight. Leer fights only to 
  subdue the aggressors and seeks a peaceful solution.  
  Treasure. In addition to Leer's sun blade (DMG pg. 205) the 
  duo has together 3d10+4 gp and 1d4+2 rations.  
   
  THE YETI STRIKES BACK 
  The yeti that ambushed Leer still yet lives in its nearby cave. If 
  the adventurers don't take the fight to the creature, the yeti (or 
  abominable yeti, if your adventurers are 8th-level or higher) 
  attacks the party during this encounter. Its right arm has been 
  sliced clean off, the wound cauterized; as such, it can only make 
  one claw attack per turn with its Multiattack.  
  Tactics. The yeti attacks during the snowstorm's fiercest 
  chapter, using the wind and snow to cover its advance. Thanks 
  to its Snow Camouflage trait, it has advantage on its Stealth 
  checks.  
   
   
   
  
   
  70 
  KRAMPUSNACHT 
  Urban Encounter, Tier I 
   
  On Yuletide's eve, celebrants across the Arctic are preparing for 
  the annual Krampsnacht ("Night of Krampus") in which a 
  volunteer hands out coal to bad children while dressed in hairy 
  pantaloons and a crown of antlers. This custom is nothing more 
  than good cheer, but little does the settlement of Irdning know 
  that this year, the true Krampus has entered the world of the 
  living—and he's pissed.  
  A Summoning Gone Wrong. Some elders say that Krampus, 
  the true creature, not the caricature painted by mortal men, can 
  be summoned through a chant uttered on Krampusnacht. Most 
  folk consider that utter nonsense, but six teenagers have uttered 
  the words and performed the rites—and in doing so, they made 
  a Feycrossing, a weakening of the borders between this world 
  and the Feywild. Krampus was all too ready to set foot into the 
  mortal world. The fey is hellbent on revenging himself upon all 
  those who ridiculed him, as well as their descendants. Before 
  he can be free to run amok, obtuse fey laws require Krampus to 
  slay his summoners before sunrise—and even after they, or this 
  night, have passed, Krampus is under no obligation to return to 
  the Feywild.   
  Statistics. Krampus has the statistics of a bulezau, although 
  he is a fey, not a fiend, and he speaks Sylvan, not Abyssal.  
  Summoners. Six teenagers (all of whom are commoners) 
  beckoned Krampus into this world; without the aid of the 
  adventurers, all are doomed to die. They are: 
  • Blath Glorydane, who was murdered by Krampus the moment 
  the fey emerged into the mortal world.   
  • Samantha Movutsk, who orchestrated this lunacy. 
  • Tharryl Spar, a 37-year-old dwarf (considered a teenager by 
  dwarven standards, and with the maturity to match). As a 
  dwarf, he has resistance to poison damage and advantage on 
  saving throws against being poisoned. He also has darkvision 
  out to a range of 60 feet.  
  • Korver Faint-o-Foot, a 15-year-old halfling; although he is not 
  too bright, he is very brave, and has marshalled the survivors 
  into banding together. Whether they heed him is another 
  question… As a halfling, he is a size of Small, has advantage 
  on saving throws against being frightened, and can reroll a 1 
  on any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check that he 
  makes. He can also move through the space of any creature 
  larger than him.  
  • Malthus, a broody tiefling that considers his plight completely 
  hopeless. As a tiefling, he has darkvision out to a range of 60 
  feet, as well as resistance to fire damage. He has yet to learn 
  how to tap into his infernal heritage to cast spells.  
  • Beats of a Heart, a tabaxi boy that ran off on his own. Although 
  the others don't yet know it, Krampus is about to murder him, 
  if he has not done so already.  
   
  A VERY KRAMPUS NIGHT 
  The adventurers are on a collision course with Samantha and 
  Malthus; the former is hysterical; the other has resigned himself 
  to his fate but is otherwise coherent. Malthus petitions the 
  adventurers to battle Krampus but promises no reward—he has 
  no money to speak of and cannot afford for any adults to find 
  out what he and his peers did.  
  Krampus was summoned at dusk and has until dawn to slay 
  his summoners, lest he be banished whence he came. Assume 
  he has 1d6+4 hours until dawn comes.  
  LAMENTER OF LEVISTUS 
  Mountain or Polar Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Warlocks that fail to live up to their insidious pacts risk being 
  forever tormented and bound to the will of their scorned patron 
  in the afterlife. Levistus, the imprisoned archdevil and lord of 
  Stygia, elevates this punishment to greater heights. Those that 
  fail the fiend are imprisoned in ice, kept alive in only the barest 
  of terms, forced to share their patron's own frigid torment.  
  As the adventurers examine or pass by a glacier, the ice shifts 
  to hurl up a human. His face is skeletal and his limbs are bound 
  within ice, his limp body hanging from a glacial sheet. Should 
  the man, Karl Umbrage, a warlock of the fiend ever ask his 
  distant patron for mercy, Levistus frees him from the ice—but 
  will raise him as a corpse. Umbrage's goal, then, is to convince 
  passerby to free him from the ice, but in the twelve years since 
  his imprisonment, he has only been encountered six times; all 
  have spurned him. Some did not hear his cries for help; some, 
  Levistus informed him, pretended not to. Three found him limp 
  and helpless, but none dared to free him. One woman fed him, 
  and for that she was cursed by the archdevil. Rumors spread of 
  the "glacial prisoner" throughout the region but such rumors 
  have died out over the last few years.  
  While frozen, Karl is incapacitated and he does not age, nor 
  does he require to eat, drink, or sleep.  
  Curse of Levistus. Those that help Umbrage risk Levistus's 
  scorn. Creatures that speak to the warlock are filled with dread, 
  their instincts screaming that doom lies just around the corner, 
  as if they were standing before a great and precarious cliff. 
  Creatures interacting with Umbrage must succeed on a DC 10 
  Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute.  
  Those that still aid the warlock are cursed by the archdevil. 
  Until a remove curse spell or similar magic is cast upon them, 
  they can't feel warmth and suffer disadvantage on Constitution 
  saving throws made against extreme cold. Additionally, while 
  cursed, a creature with resistance to cold damage must make 
  saving throws against extreme cold, as if it weren't resistant to 
  cold damage.   
  Roleplaying Umbrage. The warlock has been trapped in ice 
  for twelve years. He still hungers and thirsts, but it's been years 
  since his needs have been quenched. That he hasn't gone mad 
  in isolation and ceaseless torment is a testament to his strength 
  of will. His voice, however, is hardly more than a whisper. 
  Above all else, he is desperate; there is no promise he won't 
  make if it gets him out of the ice.  
  Umbrage first feeds the adventurers a sob story: that he was 
  trapped here by a "demon or faerie for reasons beyond [his] 
  ken." If the party doesn't seem to believe his tale, Umbrage goes 
  for broke: "I am a warlock of Levistus, archdevil and Lord of 
  Stygia, punished for not fulfilling his dark will. If I ask for His 
  mercy, I will be cursed to undeath; until then, I must remain in 
  this wretched ice until someone else deigns to free me. I beg 
  you… be that kind soul. Even a beast like me deserves better 
  than this." 
  If the adventurers refuse to free him, Umbrage then appeals 
  for death. Better to die than live in torment forevermore, or 
  worse, to suffer as a corpse under the archdevil's control. If they 
  leave Karl without killing him, he gives into despair and appeals 
  to his patron for aid. Levistus snuffs out his life and raises him 
  as a deathlock. Umbrage retains a degree of autonomy and is 
  hellbent on revenge. He tracks the adventurers across the 
  Arctic, determined to make them beg for the same mercy he did.  
  
   
  71 
  THE LAST WINDBENDER 
  Polar or Sea Encounter, Tier I 
   
  As the adventurers pass by a glacier (or iceberg, if at sea), they 
  find a young boy trapped in the ice. His skin is light blue and 
  tattooed down his limbs and bald head. He can be identified as 
  an air genasi with a successful DC 14 Arcana check; his people, 
  like all genasi, are rare in the world.  
  Should a character approach the ice, the air genasi's eyes fling 
  open, glowing with radiant power. The ice shatters in a sharp 
  explosion of cold air and glacial shards. The genasi boy's eyes 
  and tattoos lose their frightening glow as he falls forward.  
  The boy, who can hardly be older than twelve, awakens 1d6 
  hours later. His name is Eeng and he has spent the last century 
  in accidental hibernation. While in the ice, his people have been 
  slaughtered by tyrannical fire genasi. When he awakens, he asks 
  the adventurers of his homeland, the air genasi nation of Wind-
  swept. With a successful DC 14 History check, a character can 
  recall the bloody genocide that they suffered a century ago.   
  Eeng's Statistics. Eeng mastered elemental air at the young 
  age of twelve. Even more impressive, his powers exceed the 
  limitations of his people; he is able to control earth, water, and 
  fire like genasi of other heritages. He has the statistics of a NG 
  air genasi martial arts adept with the following changes: 
  • He can speak, read, and write both Common and Primordial. 
  • He can hold his breath indefinitely while not incapacitated. 
  • He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material 
  components (spell save DC 13); Wisdom is his spellcasting 
  ability for these spells:  
   
  At will: control flames, gust, mold earth, shape water 
  2/Day: absorb elements, gust of wind,  
  1/Day: fly (self only), erupting earth, levitate, zephyr strike 
   
  Eeng recuperates with the adventurers for some time, but a 
  hunting party of fire genasi soon find him, either on foot or on 
  a sailing ship. Their captain, an exiled fire genasi prince named 
  Suko, has been searching for this prodigy for three years and 
  only by capturing Eeng can he redeem himself in the eyes of his 
  father, Firelord Ozay.  
  Fire Genasi Statistics. The fire genasi crew consists of 
  twenty commoners, 2d6+3 bandits and a bandit captain with 
  the following racial changes:  
  • They can speak, read, and write both Common and Primordial. 
  • They have resistance to fire damage. 
  • They can each cast the produce flame cantrip; once per day 
  they can cast burning hands as a 1st-level spell. Constitution 
  is their spellcasting ability (+2, +3, and +4 to hit with spell 
  attacks and DCs 10, 11, and 12 for commoners, bandits, and 
  the bandit captain, respectively).  
   
   
  LIKE TONGUES TO ICE 
  Polar or Tundra Encounter, Tier I 
   
  A steel pike pokes out of the snow; travelers use it as a landmark 
  when frequenting these lands, but it has since been turned into 
  an unassuming trap by the evil archmage Withrens Fyar. Using 
  an empowered antipathy/sympathy spell (save DC 15), he 
  enchanted the pike so that living humanoids that look upon it 
  from within 60 feet are bewitched into remaining at its side and 
  lick its cold steel, freezing their tongues to the pole. And just 
  for good measure, Fyar desecrated this ground so that those who 
  die here are risen as undead. See Appendix C for the effects of 
  desecrated ground.  
  See the sidebar for the Sympathy effect of the antipathy/ 
  sympathy spell. Should an adventurer succumb to the spell, the 
  party must come up with their own solution to freeing them. As 
  described above, the spell also causes the victim to lick the pole. 
  Doing so causes the victim's saliva to freeze their tongue to the 
  metal, inflicting 1 cold damage. To free their tongue, they must 
  either splash a liquid that is above its freezing point on their 
  tongue, such as warm or even cold water, or rip away the flesh, 
  which inflicts 1 slashing damage. 
  Past Victims. The pike has claimed the lives of 2d4+4 people. 
  The oldest of them are skeletons, and the most recent ones are 
  zombies. The undead are compelled to remain in this vicinity 
  (under the snow, in a 20-foot-diameter circle centered on the 
  pike) and not attack wildlife. Over time, the birds pick the 
  corpses clean, turning the zombies into skeletons. A third of the 
  undead are skeletons. 
  The undead wait until dusk to attack people who succumb to 
  the antipathy/sympathy spell unless they are somehow freed 
  from its influence, in which case, they immediately attack. A 
  humanoid that dies in this area rises the next dusk as a zombie.  
  Characters that carefully observe the birds notice that they are 
  not picking grubs or roots from the ground. With a successful 
  DC 13 Investigation check, the character realizes the birds are 
  actually picking flesh from bones that lie beneath the snow.  
  Similarly, a character that succeeds on a DC 15 Perception 
  check notices that the snow covers vaguely humanoid shapes.   
  Current Victims. Those that fall prey to this fell magic cannot 
  willingly move away from the pole until they can no longer see 
  it. A cloudy night is dark enough for a victim to no longer see 
  the pole—except during the winter months, when auroras light 
  up the night sky. 
  Given these restraints, it's probable that only bystanders can 
  save victims. As they can't willingly move away from the pole, 
  any attempts to physically move them require a successful 
  grapple check. Rendering them unconscious, through nonlethal 
  damage or a sleep spell, is also effective.  
  At your discretion, another victim is already present when the 
  adventurers pass by: a human commoner named Nikolaj. His 
  tongue is still frozen to the pole and he's been here since this 
  morning. He waves frantically at passerby and emits desperate, 
  muffled shouts to get their attention.  
  GENASI AND AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER 
  This gratuitous homage to Avatar: The Last Airbender was first 
  featured in Daerdan's Tall Tales: 101 Seafaring Encounters. It was 
  considered too perfect for this sequel to not be included. 
  The Elemental Evil Player's Companion has lore for genasi 
  characters. In short, they are born from the union of a mortal and a 
  genie or exposure to an elemental rift. In most settings, they hardly 
  number in the hundreds, so rare they are. For the purpose of this 
  encounter, assume that genasi are populous enough to have tribes 
  and small city-states. t 
  
   
  72 
  DIRE WINTER 
  The wizard responsible for this merciless trap is none other than 
  Withren Fyar, an archmage attempting to usher in the next ice 
  age. He is described in the Dire Winter sample storyline.  
   
  LIVING BLIZZARD 
  Weather Encounter, Tier II 
   
  The forecast is as clear as the skies; it is with absolute certainty, 
  that the adventurers can rest easy, knowing there will be no 
  snowfall tonight. Yet as the sun dips below the horizon, they 
  hear harsh winds on the rise. In the twilight, they fall prey to an 
  animated blizzard—a storm manufactured by living spells.   
  Living Spells. Wrought by the cruel archmage Withren Fyar 
  of the Dire Winter storyline, these animate spells have no other 
  purpose than to torment the living until their creator marshals 
  them as part of his scheme to trigger another ice age. The spells 
  appear as floating, Medium-sized black icicles and consist of a 
  living ice storm and 1d4+2 living ice knives, the statistics of 
  which are described in Appendix B.  
  Cruel Beyond Reason. The living spells take great pleasure 
  in tormenting travelers and trapping creatures inside cabins and 
  caves. Sharing their creator's sadism, they prefer to drag things 
  out. They only attack beings with the audacity to brave their 
  weather. Otherwise, the spells are content to strafe travelers or 
  linger on their flank to expose them to the bitter cold.  
  Acclimate Weather. A blizzard rages with a diameter of 300 
  feet, centered on the living ice storm. This area is subjected to 
  strong winds and heavy precipitation. Together, these effects 
  also impose disadvantage on Perception checks reliant on sight 
  by whipping up the snow. The entire area is extremely cold. See 
  Appendix C for these effects.   
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  As described above, the living spells plague travelers and snow 
  in those sheltering in cabins or igloos. If you'd like to keep your 
  adventurers inside a cabin for a few days—but still give them 
  the chance to rid themselves of that merciless weather—you can 
  run this encounter there instead of while the party's traveling.  
   
  MAMMOTH CORPSE 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier II-III 
   
  The scent of fresh blood is on the wind, and stark against the 
  horizon is a massive mound of fur—a dead mammoth. This 
  creature is a cornucopia of treasures crucial to survival in the 
  unforgiving Arctic. Its fur, meat, and bones are more valuable 
  than gold in these inhospitable lands. The death of a mammoth 
  does not go unnoticed. Predators and scavengers, monsters and 
  men alike, are on their way to feast… just as the dragon who 
  dropped this beast from the sky anticipated.  
  Corpse. The mammoth's corpse is a Huge-sized object. To 
  butcher the corpse completely will take 8d4+16 hours of hard 
  labor and would yield nearly 2,000 pounds of edible meat. 
  Several bite marks mar the mammoth. With a successful DC 
  15 Nature check, a character can identify a mammoth's typical 
  predators: rocs, remorhazes, and white dragons. A successful 
  DC 17 Survival check identifies the bites as made by a massive 
  reptile, suggesting a dragon—but where are the iconic marks of 
  a white dragon's icy breath? Additionally, the mammoth's legs 
  are clearly broken, suggesting it fell from the sky, ruling out 
  terrestrial predators.  
  Beasts. When the adventurers first arrive, 1d4+6 wolves are 
  feeding on the corpse. They defend it until four have been slain, 
  after which they flee. Likewise, 1d4 eagles are picking at the 
  mammoth's eyes; the birds flee if threatened. After 1d10 +5 
  minutes, a polar bear comes to feast. Only wary of monsters 
  and greater creatures, the polar bear charges the party. If they 
  do not flee, it fights until it's reduced to a quarter of its hit points.  
  Men. After 2d10+5 minutes, human hunters arrive to butcher 
  the corpse. They consist of 1d6+2 tribal warriors and 2d6+3 
  commoners. Komgluk, a young braggart desperate for status 
  and admiration, claims it was he who felled the beast. In truth, 
  all he did was happen upon the corpse while hunting. His lie 
  can be discerned with a successful DC 14 Insight check.  
  These humans are not selfish; if the adventurers help butcher 
  the animal, or guard their flank, they promise 2d8+30 pounds 
  of meat. However, they claim ownership over the fur and bones, 
  as such materials are vital to their way of life.   
  Drake. The mammoth's killer is clever. 1d4+1 hours later, the 
  white dragon returns, having waited for enough scavengers to 
  gather around the corpse. With its clutch of eggs almost ready 
  to hatch, the dragon requires preserved meat for its young. The 
  dragon (a young white dragon just old enough to reproduce or 
  adult white dragon) returns to freeze its prey in ice and deliver 
  them to its lair far to the north.  
   
   
   
   
  ANTIPATHY/SYMPATHY: SYMPATHY EFFECT 
  Duration: 10 Days 
  This spell attracts or repels creatures of your choice. You target 
  something within range, either a Huge or smaller object or creature 
  or an area that is no larger than a 200-foot cube. Then specify a kind 
  of intelligent creature, such as red dragons, goblins, or vampires. 
  You invest the target with an aura that either attracts or repels the 
  specified creatures for the duration. Choose antipathy or sympathy 
  as the aura’s effect. 
  Sympathy. The enchantment causes the specified creatures to feel 
  an intense urge to approach the target while within 60 feet of it or 
  able to see it. When such a creature can see the target or comes 
  within 60 feet of it, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving 
  throw or use its movement on each of its turns to enter the area or 
  move within reach of the target. When the creature has done so, it 
  can’t willingly move away from the target. If the target damages or 
  otherwise harms an affected creature, the affected creature can make 
  a Wisdom saving throw to end the effect, as described below. 
  Ending the Effect. If an affected creature ends its turn while not 
  within 60 feet of the target or able to see it, the creature makes a 
  Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the creature is no longer 
  affected by the target and recognizes the feeling of repugnance or 
  attraction as magical. In addition, a creature affected by the spell is 
  allowed another Wisdom saving throw every 24 hours while the 
  spell persists.  
  A creature that successfully saves against this effect is immune to 
  it for 1 minute, after which time it can be affected again. 
  
   
  73 
  THE MAMMOTH MERCHANT 
  Character Encounter, Tier I-II 
   
  Known far and wide across the Arctic, the so-called Mammoth 
  Merchant travels between settlements to hawk his wares. His 
  true name is unknown, and, to hear it from his own lips, it's 
  better left that way. This retired tiefling wizard would rather 
  pawn off his goods in the relative comfort of anonymity than 
  invite his old nemeses for a visit. Through a hat of disguise, the 
  wizard manages to masquerade as a human.  
  The Mammoth Merchant rides atop a saddled mammoth that 
  pulls a sled of goods. The beast is always surrounded by an 
  entourage of hired guards.  
  Statistics. The Merchant is a N tiefling abjurer wearing a hat 
  of disguise (DMG pg. 173). He has the following changes to his 
  statistics: 
  • He speaks Common, Infernal, Dwarvish, and Elvish.  
  • He can cast thaumaturgy. He can also cast both hellish rebuke 
  (DC 11) as a 2nd-level spell and darkness once per long rest.  
  • He has resistance to fire damage.  
  • He has a +6 bonus to Deception checks.  
   
  Roleplaying the Merchant. The Merchant is a cheerful yet 
  paranoid wizard wearing more years than he's truly aged. He 
  appears to be in his seventies but is actually only forty-five. 
  Sometimes he fails to pretend to be old and walks with a young 
  man's stride. He also really hams up his "arthritis" by pretending 
  to be in pain. The wizard always smiles, no matter his mood.  
  You can voice the Merchant with the following dialogue:  
  • (If asked why he goes by "the Merchant" or what his true name 
  is) "My otherwise destitute and insignificant father thought 
  we could share the same legacy if we also shared a name. 
  Well, I didn't feel like living my life out as 'Eugene.'" 
  • "One man's mayonnaise is another man's grease." 
  • "That ain't a thunderwave you hear, that's business."  
  • "Trade is the lifeblood of the Arctic, don't you doubt it. News, 
  goods. We have no roads, only routes, and it's this fragile web 
  that keeps honest men true and insular settlements open. No 
  trade, no dialogue, no vigilance." 
   
  Gear. The Merchant is armed with a dagger of warning and 
  a rope of entanglement. Along with his hat of disguise, he wears 
  an amulet of proof against detection and location. See pgs. 213, 
  197, 173, and 150 of the DMG, respectively. He also carries a 
  miniature, replica chest for the Leomund's secret chest spell.   
  Guards and Porters. The Merchant has hired 1d4+2 tribal 
  warriors, two scouts, an archer, and a gladiator to guard him, 
  his mammoth, and his four laborers (commoners). The bulk of 
  his hired hands are human, but his bodyguard is a half-red 
  dragon veteran named Vraxxis.   
  Treasure. The Merchant carries 900 gp on him in assorted 
  currencies. Within his secret chest he has another 3,200 gp. He 
  also carries a spellbook with all the spells in his statistics, plus 
  burning hands, disguise self, nondetection, and remove curse.  
   
  OPEN FOR BUSINESS 
  The Merchant is almost always open for business, day or night. 
  His camps are the exact opposite of subtle, and travelers often 
  come seeking the warmth of his crew's great bonfires. Thanks 
  to the Merchant's alchemy jug, he can always make a profit off 
  wine or beer. Many a thirsty traveler is willing to trade venison 
  for a cup of ale.  
    
  THE MAMMOTH MERCHANT 
  Goods 
  Price 
  Reference 
  Eyes of the eagle 
  50 gp 
  DMG 168 
  Gloves of missile snaring 
  40 gp 
  DMG 172 
  Periapt of wound closure 
  175 gp 
  DMG 184 
  Potion of climbing 
  25 gp 
  DMG 187 
  Potion of healing 
  15 gp 
  DMG 187 
  Orb of detection  
  15 gp 
  XGE 138 
  Ring of warmth 
  750 gp 
  DMG 193 
  Ring of water walking 
  250 gp 
  DMG 193 
  Rope of mending 
  50 gp 
  XGE 138 
  Spell scroll (1st-level, wizard) 
  25 gp 
  DMG 200 
  Spell scroll (cantrip, wizard) 
  10 gp 
  DMG 199 
  Top hat of awakening* 
  100 gp 
  * 
  Wand of pyrotechnics 
  15 gp 
  XGE 140 
  Wand of web 
  30 gp 
  DMG 212 
  Acid (8 oz) 
  15 gp 
  N/A 
  Poison (1/2 oz) 
  15 gp 
  N/A 
  Beer (1 gallon) 
  10 sp 
  N/A 
  Honey (1 quart) 
  5 sp 
  N/A 
  Mayonnaise (1 quart) 
  8 cp 
  N/A 
  Oil (1 quart) 
  3 sp 
  N/A 
  Vinegar (1 quart) 
  2 sp 
  N/A 
  Water, fresh (1 gallon) 
  15 cp 
  N/A 
  Water, salt (1 gallon) 
  15 cp 
  N/A 
  Wine (1 quart) 
  10 sp 
  N/A 
  * see Frosty the Snowman encounter 
   
  Storage. The Merchant keeps his greatest wares safe through 
  a Leomund's secret chest spell. All other goods are strapped to 
  his mammoth, pulled in the sled, or carried by his porters.  
  Mundane Goods. The Merchant sells just about any item 
  from the Adventuring Gear table in chapter 5 of the PHB, and, 
  to his credit, at the same price they're worth. He also sells furs, 
  venison, mostly accurate maps of the region, and all the liquids 
  that can be produced from his alchemy jug (see the table above).  
  Magical Goods. The Merchant always has 1d4+1 magical 
  items for sale, as detailed on the Mammoth Merchant Goods 
  table. With exception to his potions and spell scrolls, assume 
  the Merchant has only one of each magic item in stock.  
  Haggling. The Merchant isn't married to his prices; this entire 
  enterprise is just a means of keeping busy in retirement. With a 
  successful DC 15 Persuasion check, he reduces the price of an 
  item by 25%.  
   
   
   
  
   
  74 
  MAN OVERBOARD! 
  Sea Encounter, Tier I 
  This encounter can be combined with any Sea encounter and it 
  serves as a template for whenever a character falls overboard. 
  When running this encounter, consider the following: 
  Frigid Water. An arctic sea can kill a man with its icy touch. 
  Characters that dive or fall into the sea are exposed to frigid 
  water, the effects of which are described in Appendix C.  
  Identity. If the sailor that fell overboard isn't an adventurer, 
  determine that sailor's identity with a d6. They might be vital to 
  the crew's wellbeing or to the adventurers' quest. Good-aligned 
  characters are sure to rescue even the most inconsequential 
  characters whereas neutral or evil characters might only be 
  motivated by what that person can do or has done for them.  
  Cause. If the cause is not related to another encounter, you 
  can determine the cause with a d6. 
  Complications. Unless this encounter is already paired with 
  another, roll a d6 to determine any complications in rescuing 
  the sailor.  
  Rescue. Saving the crewmate is no easy task. The waters are 
  choppy, rough, and the wind howls. Run this as an Easy Skill 
  Challenge. The party must succeed on three ability checks to 
  win the challenge. You can suggest or call for any of the 
  following ability checks (DCs 10-14).  
  • As the wind howls and the waters tug at the sailor, a Perception 
  check can be made to find him. 
  • Sharks, dolphins, or other marine animals can be staved off 
  with an Animal Handling check or Intimidation check. 
  • An Athletics check allows a character to navigate the rough 
  waters, bear the sailor's' weight, or both.  
  • If the sailor drowns, a Medicine check can resuscitate him.  
  • A Sleight of Hand check can be made to accurately toss a life-
  line or secure one to the deck (Dexterity for the former and 
  Intelligence for the latter).  
  • A Survival or Nature check recalls that the sailor has to shed 
  their wet clothes and warm up within half an hour, or they 
  will suffer bodily shut down.  
  • A protection from energy spell, choosing cold damage, can 
  shield the character from hypothermia.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  SAILOR'S IDENTITY 
   CAUSE 
   
   
   
   
   
  d6 
  Identity 
   d6 
  Cause 
  1 
  Captain 
   
  1 
  Rough water 
  2 
  First Mate 
   
  2 
  Intoxication 
  3 
  Navigational Officer 
   
  3 
  Pushed! 
  4 
  Important passenger 
   
  4 
  Madness 
  5 
  Keeper of a secret 
   
  5 
  Compelled by magic 
  6 
  Rival or friend  
   
  6 
  Deadliest Catch 
  encounter 
   
  COMPLICATIONS 
  d6 Purpose 
  1 
  An otherworldly being—a kraken, morkoth, or even the 
  archdevil of Stygia, Levistus—reaches out and promises 
  to save the sailor. In the case of the latter, the sailor 
  strikes a deal with a literal devil. For the others, the sailor 
  is later drawn to the sea, doomed to become a deep scion 
  even if the adventurers rescue him.  
  2 A killer whale begins circling the sailor.  
  3 
  The sailor's clothing is too heavy when soaked and he 
  plunges 20 ft. below the surface. Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks made to locate him are made with disadvantage.   
  4 A nearby polar bear dives into the sea to attack the sailor 
  or moves to intercept them on another ice block.  
  5 
  The sailor does not know how to swim. Any Strength 
  (Athletics) checks for him to swim or another to bear his 
  weight are made with disadvantage. He is also frightened 
  until calmed with a DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check. 
  This check can count for a Skill Challenge. 
  6 
  An opportunistic penguinwere (see The Penguinwere for 
  the special statistics of this jackalwere) attacks while in 
  its penguin form.   
   
  MANAVIK UNDER FIRE 
  Urban Encounter, Tier II 
   
  The fortified village of Manavik has long resisted the vile snow 
  elves—and the day has come to put its fortifications to the test. 
  Its people have abandoned their farms and homes to seek refuge 
  inside its wooden walls while the elves march onward, torching 
  or freezing whatever is in their path.  
  This encounter can be run with the adventurers defending the 
  outpost from within or without.  
  The Elven Host. The elves, usually satiated by tribute, have 
  come to torch Manavik and make clear to the rest of the Arctic 
  that resistance is a fool's errand indeed. They have brought a 
  small army of 4d10+20 guards, 1d6+4 veterans, two mages, 
  1d4+1 knights, a LE evoker, and 1d4+1 apprentice wizards 
  that are about to get their first taste of war. Each soldier rides 
  upon an armored reindeer (a barded elk with AC 17).  
  The elves are led by Torsatra, the evoker. A cruel veteran, she 
  has honed her craft over countless skirmishes. Like many of the 
  snow elves, she has been raised to believe that the Arctic must 
  be brought under heel for her people to have any chance at a 
  safe and prosperous future. She settles for nothing more than 
  Manavik's destruction and the execution Jarl, Vilhem Vidik.  
  The snow elves have the following changes to their statistics: 
  • Many are lawful evil or neutral evil.  
  • They have darkvision to a range of 60 feet. 
  • They have advantage on saving throws against being charmed 
  and magic can't put them to sleep.  
   
   
  
   
  75 
  • They have advantage on Stealth checks to remain hidden in 
  snowy terrain.  
  • They each know three transmutation spells on the wizard spell 
  list: one cantrip, a 1st-level spell and a 2nd-level spell. They 
  can cast the latter two spells once per day. Typically, a snow 
  elf knows gust, shape water, catapult or jump.  
   
  Map. Refer to the map above. Its fortifications are wooden. 
  Each 10-foot-section has AC 15 and 27 hit points. The village 
  is surrounded by a frozen mote, making it slippery ice (see App. 
  C). The motte is considered difficult terrain.  
  Defenders. Manavik normally has a population of sixty, with 
  a few hundred more swearing fealty to its jarl from outside its 
  walls in the surrounding countryside. Jarl Vilhem has rallied 
  sixty commoners to join his garrison of 2d10+30 guards and 
  1d10+10 scouts. Vilhem himself is a knight.  
  Invaders. The elves are familiar with Manavik and aware of 
  its fortifications. Torsatra splits her forces into three platoons. 
  The largest platoon, led by Torsatra herself, storms the bridge 
  with half of all guards, veterans, and knights after she has 
  fireballed the defenders there.  
  The other two platoons are each led by a mage, who intends 
  to breach Manavik's western and eastern walls with fireball 
  spells, after which their soldiers (who consist of a quarter of all 
  remaining forces) will storm the village.  
  Once the village is taken, Torsatra will level the keep on the 
  hill, cooking the civilians inside.  
   
  MANAVIK SAVED 
  If Manavik prevails against the elven aggressors, Jarl Vilhem 
  recognizes its bravest defenders with gold, glory, or 1d4+1 
  acres of land. The adventurers, if they prove themselves in 
  battle, are rewarded with 40 gp each.  
   
   
  MARCH OF THE DAMNED 
  Polar or Tundra Encounter, Tier II 
   
  A chorus of ghoulish moans echo out across the region as a 
  thousand corpses shamble through the snow. The worst has 
  happened: the dead have risen, but for what purpose? What 
  insidious call have they answered? To whom do they flock?  
  This encounter is a precursor to the Army of the Damned 
  storyline and demonstrates the growing threat of her return.   
  The army measures over a hundred corpses, some skeletal, 
  some half-thawed, some fresh. Along the flanks, wights astride 
  warhorse skeletons herd undead that would otherwise stray 
  away whenever they sensed a living creature to devour. With a 
  DC 15 Perception check, a character can make out living 
  individuals wading through the dead, clad in robes embroidered 
  with sigils and symbols of death—necromancers. These dark 
  magi are guiding the dead in one direction. 
  Weather. When the adventurers encounter the undead, heavy 
  snowfall lightly obscures the area and the creatures therein. As 
  they linger, the snow peters out—allowing the undead to see the 
  adventurers more clearly, provoking some to pursue them.   
  Corpsewatcher. Collecting intelligence on this undead army 
  is crucial to the Arctic's survival. Yesbella Pineheart, a wood 
  elf scout, is observing the dead from a safe distance. She may 
  choose to reveal herself to the adventurers if she's convinced 
  they aren't collaborators. She can share any of the following 
  information: 
  • The undead are referred to as "the Swarm" by settlements and 
  folks aware of the threat, and "utter fables" by those that 
  doubt the dead's existence. 
  • Similar congregations of undead have been sighted across the 
  Arctic; this is one of the largest seen so far.  
  • Mortal necromancers have thrown their lot in with the with 
  undead, forming a cult known as the "Newly Dead."  
   
  Interrogating the Dead. The undead, no matter how mindless 
  they are, can be questioned with a speak with dead spell. Any 
  corpse can and will explain that they have answered the call of 
  the Flayed Queen, a death knight imprisoned in a glacier eons 
  ago. "In due time," one corpse adds, "all will serve the Queen." 
  The corpse does not know exactly where the Queen is trapped 
  but is drawn to her will.  
   
  HAMMER AND ANVIL 
  Unfortunately for Yesbella and the adventurers, a new gaggle 
  of undead are on en route to join the Swarm. In 1d6+2 rounds, 
  two ghouls and a wight astride warhorse skeleton arrive with 
  2d10+15 zombies in tow; the nearest six zombies reach the 
  adventurers on the third turn of combat, with the remainder 
  reaching them on the sixth. Worse yet, the swarm dispatches 
  five skeletons and another warhorse skeleton-mounted wight 
  in a pincer attack made against the living. The skeletons pepper 
  the living with arrows from 40 feet away. A necromancer 
  comes later on to raise any of the dead.  
  The adventurers must cut their way through the dead before 
  being overwhelmed. As they flee, Yesbella is struck with a hold 
  person spell cast by a human necromancer from 60 feet away. 
  1d4+1 ghouls come bounding across the snow, reaching her at 
  the start of the next round. The adventurers must decide whether 
  to save Yesbella or flee. While paralyzed, she's dead weight and 
  requires a DC 13 Athletics check to carry.  
  If the undead don't reach the adventurers in two rounds, the 
  necromancers call back their minions to continue their march.  
  
   
  76 
  THE MIMIGLOO 
  Polar Encounter, Tier I 
   
  As the snow worsens and the day darkens, the adventurers sight 
  an igloo in the distance. Little do they know that this igloo is a 
  highly evolved mimic in disguise. This extraordinary predator 
  has adapted to the frozen wastes in the most ingenious way. The 
  desperate and cold march right into that white abattoir, hoping 
  to find warmth and shelter from the merciless cold outside.  
  The mimic is so advanced, it can suppress its Adhesive trait 
  so that creatures prostrate themselves in the belly of the beast. 
  The entire igloo counts as its body, even the floor and the tunnel 
  leading inside. As an action, the mimic can close the entrance 
  by moving its malleable flesh over the opening; to a creature 
  that doesn't succeed on a DC 15 Investigation check, it appears 
  as if a mound of snow has fallen over the entrance.  
  If the mimic is slain, its disguise falters. Creatures inside the 
  igloo must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw to dart 
  outside before the mimic's body crashes down upon them. On a 
  failure, a creature takes 5 (1d10) bludgeoning damage and is 
  knocked prone. They can then crawl out of the deflated entrance 
  to the "igloo." 
  Grim Truth. The igloo's true nature can be sussed out by a 
  keen-minded individual. The exterior features the iconic lines 
  between snow bricks that make up an igloo, but the interior is 
  completely smooth. "Wind" also rattles throughout the igloo, 
  but an observant character will realize that it fits the pattern of 
  a breathing creature. With a successful DC 13 Investigation 
  check made as an action, a character can intuit they are inside a 
  creature masked by illusion or twisted by transmutation magic.   
  Statistics. The mimic has the following changes to its usual 
  statistics: 
  • It is a size of Huge with 76 (9d12+18) hit points. 
  • It is a CR 5 creature (1,800 XP) 
  • It has the following Attack options: 
   
  Multiattack. The mimic makes two pseudopod attacks and 
  one Bite attack. 
  Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) bludgeoning damage. If the mimic is 
  in object form, the target is subjected to its Adhesive trait.  
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) acid damage.  
   
  Undead Accomplice. A sadistic will-o'-wisp has developed a 
  symbiotic relationship with the mimic. This wicked spirit takes 
  immense pleasure in luring in travelers with its false light. The 
  wisp, once a washed-up halfling rogue unburdened by scruples, 
  speaks Common, Dwarvish, Halfling, and Elvish. Using these 
  languages, it whispers to lost travelers, warning that they'll 
  surely die outside in the cold.  
  Since the wisp's arrival, the mimic has fed greedily. The spirit 
  knows the trails and roads he once traveled in life and guides 
  the otherwise dull mimic towards more frequented areas. It's a 
  win-win situation; the mimic feeds on flesh and the wisp on the 
  suffering of its victims.  
  If you include the wisp in this encounter, it shines its light in 
  the colors of a torch or lantern. When close enough to be heard, 
  it whispers, "Night falls and the cold creeps in! There's shelter 
  nearby, if you so wish to join me!" It then immediately darts 
  into the igloo and utilizes its Variable Illumination trait to make 
  it seem as if a campfire has been lit up inside the igloo, causing 
  it to shine as a beacon in a sea of darkness.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  MIRAGE ARCANE 
  Polar or Tundra Encounter, Tier I 
   
  The wicked archmage Withrens Fyar has lain yet another trap 
  for the denizens of the Arctic: a frozen lake disguised by a spell 
  of mirage arcane. Those that look upon this frigid abattoir see 
  nothing more than a copse of pines… and firewood is as gold is 
  in greener lands. Only characters with truesight can see this 
  place for what it truly is; all others are fooled by the spell. 
  Creatures that enter the copse of trees, perhaps to forage or 
  shelter from the cold, risk breaking through the lake's thin ice 
  (see Appendix C for this hazard). Whenever a creature moves 
  into a new 10-foot-square area, roll a d20. On a result of 6 or 
  lower, they enter a patch of thin ice. 
  Into the Water. Should the ice break beneath a creature, they 
  fall into frigid water (see Appendix C). To clamber back onto 
  the ice is an arduous task. The character must be able to get their 
  arms (or forelimbs) onto the ice, then make a mighty kick 
  (requiring a successful DC 18 Athletics check). Another 
  character can use their action to pull them out of the water, 
  making a DC 15 Athletics check. Thereafter, they must contend 
  with the usual effects of extreme cold.  
  The Beasts Know Better. It's impossible to know whether 
  Withrens Fyar—that prick—cares if animals also fall prey to 
  his mirage. Several bears, wolves, and reindeer have already 
  crashed through the ice and drowned, fooled by the tactile and 
  olfactory elements of the mirage arcane spell. Local beasts now 
  know to avoid the area. A character that can communicate with 
  beasts, through a spell of speak with animals or similar magic, 
  might learn that the pine grove is dangerous.  
  Past Victims. Withrens Fyar cast his wicked spell four days 
  ago and it has already claimed the lives of eight people. If the 
  adventurers can somehow survive the frozen depths, they might 
  find the following corpses: 
  • A human woman dressed in furs, wearing an explorer's pack 
  and a silver locket worth 25 gp. 
  • A gnoll whose untimely, but deserved, death has spared many 
  from unprovoked carnage.   
  • An orc wearing a pair of boots of false tracks (XGE, pg. 136). 
  • A mountain dwarf clutching his greataxe as if it were the key 
  to him reaching the afterlife. 
  • A wood elf druid with two goodberries (as in the goodberry 
  spell (PHB, pg. 246)) in her pocket.  
  • A firbolg and goliath; their proximity together suggests they 
  were traveling companions or enemies locked in battle.   
  • A centaur with a quiver on his belt with 2d4+4 arrows.  
   
   
  
   
  77 
  Rage Beyond Death. At your discretion, a poltergeist—the 
  spirit of one of the eight victims above—emerges from below 
  to attack passerby. It can't, however, use its Telekinetic Thrust 
  to destroy ice. The enraged spirit is unable to pass onto the after-
  life; destroying it is actually a mercy, even if it does not know 
  it. Until destroyed, ravaging the living is its only solace.  
  The poltergeist is bound to the lake; it remains here even after 
  the mirage arcane spell elapses. If Withrens Fyar is slain, the 
  poltergeist finds the rest it so deserves. 
   
  DIRE WINTER 
  This encounter is related to Withrens Fyar, the antagonist of the 
  Dire Winter storyline described at the start of this supplement. 
  This is but one of the many traps he has left around the Arctic, 
  seemingly for other reason than to sow terror and misery.   
   
  NEW MENZOBERRANZAN 
  Mountain or Taiga Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Desperate to escape the yoke of their totalitarian, matriarchal 
  society, a host of drow men have escaped to the surface, where 
  they can at last be free. The Arctic is a cold and inhospitable 
  place, but even its brightest months are a softer discomfort than 
  that of the Underdark. After days of roaming the surface, they 
  found three empty cabins—waystations for travelers, already 
  furnished with beds, tools, and ale. The drow intend to make a 
  settlement of their own.  
  The drow busy themselves with building additional walls and 
  other amenities. Alas, these elves have never worked with wood 
  and are way in over their heads. More ambitious projects like 
  the sauna, theater, and atelier must be abandoned until the walls 
  have been completed, but their leader, Caellimar Xiltinn, won't 
  see reason. He is obsessed with recreating—and surpassing—
  the grandeur of Menzoberranzan, the drow city of his birth. 
  Caellimar's chief critic is the no-nonsense pragmatist Jelaern 
  Taratar. Jelaern has little influence amongst his peers, however, 
  for the elves still follow the aristocracy they were born into. 
  Caellimar rules only because he was the consort of a prominent 
  drow matriarch. Caellimar's an utter buffoon, but the elves are 
  too polite, timid, and acclimated to his rule to challenge him.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Elves. The elves consist of 3d4+10 drow. Having all been 
  raised in the draconian drow society, they are all a shade of evil, 
  but nonviolent. Their chief concern is establishing a settlement 
  safe from monsters and starvation. Once exposed to surface folk 
  and other settlements, they're sure to realize how unnecessarily 
  evil drow society is. Given time, the elves can become better 
  people—that is if their stubbornness and incompetence don't 
  kill them first. The drow speak broken and heavily accented 
  Common and are delighted to see outsiders.  
  The Settlement. A timber wall snakes around a quarter of the 
  grounds. Poorly cut lumber is heaped up in a pile that threatens 
  to collapse under a harsh wind. Several half-built projects can 
  be seen: an extra outhouse, a ditch lined with stones (the sauna), 
  and a stage for the future theater. Smoke rises from one cabin, 
  where shouting can be heard: Caellimar berates his underlings 
  for not being "committed" to "New Menzoberranzan." The elf 
  continues, "I will not compromise my vision for your laziness, 
  do you understand?"   
  Third Contact. The elves have encountered other surface-
  dwellers twice before. To their credit, the drow only briefly 
  discussed enslaving these outsiders. Ultimately, they decided 
  that establishing trade relations was a better option than having 
  to feed extra mouths. By when the adventurers encounter the 
  drow, they are willing to shelter any travelers in return for brief 
  stints of labor. This exchange of services has been lauded as a 
  legendary, economical and libertarian breakthrough. "It's like 
  slavery," the drow say, "but without the coercion!"  
  The drow must be taught the ways of tanning, carpentry, and 
  fishing. They have the tools but lack the know-how and the 
  humility to admit their ignorance. So far, they've been surviving 
  off hunting, but the elk are disappearing. They petition the party 
  to teach them such trades; a character with proficiency in such 
  professions is bribed with venison.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  This encounter can be a humorous respite from your plot. The 
  adventurers might also encounter two drow hunting elk in the 
  forest or running from a polar bear.  
  MIRAGE ARCANE 
  You make terrain in an area up to 1 mile square look, sound, smell, 
  and even feel like some other sort of terrain. The terrain's general 
  shape remains the same, however. Open fields or a road could be 
  made to resemble a swamp, hill, crevasse, or some other difficult or 
  impassable terrain. A pond can be made to seem like a grassy 
  meadow, a precipice like a gentle slope, or a rock-strewn gully like 
  a wide and smooth road. 
  Similarly, you can alter the appearance of structures, or add them 
  where none are present. The spell doesn't disguise, conceal, or add 
  creatures. 
  The illusion includes audible, visual, tactile, and olfactory 
  elements, so it can turn clear ground into difficult terrain (or vice 
  versa) or otherwise impede movement through the area. Any piece 
  of the illusory terrain (such as a rock or stick) that is removed from 
  the spell's area disappears immediately. 
  Creatures with truesight can see through the illusion to the 
  terrain's true form; however, all other elements of the illusion 
  remain, so while the creature is aware of the illusion's presence, the 
  creature can still physically interact with the illusion. 
  
   
  78 
  NIGHTFALL 
  Polar Night Encounter, Tier IV 
   
  As the world tilts away from the sun, polar night unfurls across 
  the Arctic, allowing dark-dwelling creatures to run amok on the 
  surface. Now, thanks to mysterious forces, a new creature stalks 
  the darkness: a nightwalker. This entity is anathema to all life; 
  its very presence causes nearby plants to wither, snow to gray, 
  and creatures to convulse as the life is siphoned from their very 
  bodies. The nightwalker leaves a path of destruction as it wades 
  through the Arctic; where it walks, the snow thins and dries into 
  a gray residue. The entity is attracted to life and actively seeks 
  it out, sparing no passing creature or plant.  
  Unless the adventurers intervene, the nightwalker will reap 
  countless lives. They may encounter it in the following ways: 
  • In the wilderness, siphoning the life from a mammoth (or the 
  archdruid Sylberos, described in The Poacher's Nightmare). 
  • In a settlement, as the entity wades in to reap a cornucopia of 
  crisp, vibrant life.  
  • As it enters the Material Plane (see Origins below).  
   
  Origins. No creature, no matter how insane, willingly bids a 
  nightwalker into this world; the entity is summoned when a 
  living creature enters the Negative Plane and does not succumb 
  to its lethal atmosphere. The accidental conjurer is trapped there 
  until the nightwalker is destroyed. It may owe its origin to: 
  • The Forsworn's efforts to enshroud the Arctic in a permanent 
  polar night; their leader, Yasne Illiwan, was catapulted into 
  the Negative Plane when she linked the Shadowfell and the 
  Material Plane. See the Eternal Night storyline and the At 
  World's End encounter for details.  
  • A lich that fell into the Negative Plane while researching the 
  most arcane of necromantic secrets.   
  • A nagpa attempting to plunder the ruins of a long-dead city 
  that was drawn into the Shadowfell. A magical catastrophe 
  caused the ruins to slip into the Negative Plane.  
  • A vampire (of the Spellcaster variant) that sought the counsel 
  of the infamous skull lords and was banished to the Negative 
  Plane for his impudence.  
   
  By slaying the nightwalker, the adventurers release another 
  enemy into this world. At your discretion, this person later visits 
  the adventurers to express their gratitude—by eliminating such 
  mighty heroes.  
   
  OBELISK-BOUND COUATL 
  Polar or Polar Night Encounter, Tier I-II 
   
  A black obelisk etched in arcane runes floats above the ground; 
  it radiates light and warmth—enough warmth to melt even the 
  snow and ice within 20 feet of it, revealing the soil and rock 
  beneath. Despite its hospitable properties, this obelisk is a 
  prison for a couatl whose time in this world is almost over.   
  Properties. The obelisk radiates bright light in a radius of 30 
  feet and dim light for another 30 feet. Within the bright light, 
  the temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which is reduced to 
  40 degrees within the dim light.  
  The obelisk hovers a foot above the ground and spins slowly 
  on its axis. It can't be moved by any force, be it magical or 
  mundane. A dispel evil and good spell cast upon the obelisk 
  frees the couatl, who then appears in an unoccupied space 
  within 5 feet of the obelisk. If the couatl is freed, the obelisk 
  crashes to the ground and ceases to emit light and warmth.  
  Divine Prisoner. The couatl, a divine agent created when the 
  world was young, can telepathically speak to creatures within 
  30 feet of the obelisk. Her name is Tzua-toca, and she has been 
  bound within this obelisk for centuries. The divine mandates of 
  her creator have all passed, leaving her with one purpose: to 
  serve Irhemana, the gynosphinx jailor of the Flayed Queen, the 
  undead tyrant described in the Army of the Damned storyline. 
  The queen's agents abducted and bound the couatl to an obelisk. 
   
   
  
   
  79 
  Roleplaying Tzua-toca. The couatl has a telepathic voice as 
  sweet as honey and soft as a breeze; it slips into one's mind not 
  through the brain, but the heart, filling the creature with gentle 
  warmth. She begins this contact with, "Do not be alarmed. I am 
  but a servant of a forgotten god, bound before mortal men, and 
  it is my light that shines upon you. You may call me Tzua-toca, 
  mortal. What name shall I call you?" 
  As a couatl, Tzua-toca cannot tell a lie, but she will withhold 
  information to preserve her identity. If she believes the party is 
  just and right, she confides in them, explaining she was bound 
  by a lich long ago. "And it seems I will be here until I wilt," she 
  adds. All couatl can sense their demise up to a century before-
  hand, and Tzua-toca knows she has less than a year before she 
  dies. Her only solace is providing light and warmth to weary 
  mortals; her last hope is to be freed in time to find her long-lost 
  lover, the couatl Cua-huia, who was similarly bound centuries 
  ago. She can sense his presence; he is within 100 miles of her 
  obelisk. If the two can be freed, they may bear a child to carry 
  on their legacy and serve the lonely Irhemana.  
  The Flayed Queen. Tzua-toca and her mate are forbidden to 
  reveal the Flayed Queen's secrets while bound in the obelisk. At 
  most, she can mention the Queen's name and elaborate on her 
  own relationship with the tyrant. She cannot reveal where her 
  prison is or shed further light on the Queen's agents.  
   
  OBELISK-BOUND LOVER 
  Tier II 
  An identical obelisk can be found 4d20+12 miles from Tzua-
  toca's prison. It contains Cua-huia, her long-lost lover. Like her, 
  Cua-huia can sense his timely demise. Regardless if he is freed 
  from his prison, the couatl has only a year left to live; he knows 
  not how he will perish. His only recourse now is to mate with 
  Tzua-toca so their children can continue to safeguard the world.  
  The adventurers may find the obelisk deeper in the Arctic—
  but encounter others who are basking in the obelisk's warmth. 
  Choose one of the following: 
  • The Brass Adventists, the adventuring party described in the 
  encounter of the same name. 
  • A warband of hostile orcs, consisting of 2d6+2 orcs, an orog, 
  and an orc claw of Luthic who commands two cave bears 
  • An oni masquerading as a weary hill dwarf traveler named 
  Merryl Maulhands (named so after her mighty fists).  
  • A gaggle of commoners and 2d4+2 tribal warriors that are 
  building a ring of igloos around the obelisk, just outside the 
  light. They intend to make this warmth-emitting curio the 
  heart and engine of their new home.  
  • A young remorhaz hiding below the ice. 
   
  THE LOVERS UNITED 
  If the couatl are both freed, they quickly perform their mating 
  dance, which is a dazzling display of magic and light. The ritual 
  takes less than an hour, after which Cua-huia bears a sapphire-
  encrusted egg. Within minutes, a new couatl hatches. Creatures 
  that watch this amazing event each gain an Inspiration die that 
  they must use within the next seven days.   
   
  ARMY OF THE DAMNED 
  If the Flayed Queen's return is imminent, Tzua-toca seeks out 
  her master, the sphinx Irhemana (see The Glacial Prison), 
  leaving Cua-huia to watch over their hatchling.   
   
  ON THE EVE OF DIRE WINTER 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier IV 
   
  Withrens Fyar, the wicked archmage, has at last located the 
  prison of his deity's daughter, Beldara. The wizard is a faithful, 
  deranged hierophant of Auril, an evil goddess of winter whose 
  disastrous favor can change history. Freeing Auril's daughter is 
  at the heart of Fyar's plan to freeze the world in a premature ice 
  age he lovingly calls "dire winter."  
  For her crimes committed millennia ago, the NE empyrean 
  languishes in her mountaintop prison, bound by the Midnight 
  Sun, a deity of light also known as Amaunator in the Forgotten 
  Realms setting. She is watched over by three storm giants that 
  were guided here by mysterious visions. Beldara has gone mad 
  in her isolation—and it's that very madness that Withrens Fyar 
  intends to use to channel his calamitous dire winter spell. Only 
  a wish spell can restore her mind and teach her how to perform 
  Fyar's calamitous ritual.   
  Jailors. Beldara's jailors have disappeared or perished over 
  the years. The three storm giants that guard her now do so not 
  out of obligation to the Midnight Sun, but the world itself. Their 
  own deity, Annam the All-Father, cannot return if the world is 
  destroyed. They, like other storm giants, obsess over omens that 
  hint at their deity's glorious return. The giants did not come to 
  Beldara's prison together; each were led here independently by 
  omens that they perceived over the years. There is only one 
  thing the giants have in common: all have once been met by 
  Withrens Fyar himself.  
  The giants began their exodus here thirty years ago, following 
  omens—omens crafted by Fyar himself through dream spells. 
  Through that spell, the archmage was able to masquerade as a 
  storm giant matriarch that bid the giants to find "the prison of 
  Winter's daughter." The giants obeyed, rooting through ancient 
  lore inaccessible to Fyar. As they ventured into the Arctic, the 
  wizard followed through scrying spells.   
  Through numerous dream spells, Fyar implanted a command 
  in the giants' minds that would turn them to his cause. When he 
  utters "let winter reign" in their presence, the giants must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw or become 
  charmed by him for 1 hour. While charmed, a giant regards Fyar 
  as its master and throws itself against his enemies. A dispel 
  magic spell (DC 17) ends this enchantment.  
  Prisoner of Light. Beldara is suspended by glowing chains 
  attached to four black obelisks. The chains are forged from the 
  golden light of Amaunator himself and shed bright light out to 
  10 feet. While suspended, Beldara is stunned by divine power. 
  Each chain has 100 hit points, 15 AC, and immunity to cold, 
  poison, and psychic damage. If two chains are destroyed, 
  Beldara is restrained, instead of stunned. Once all four are 
  destroyed, she regains control of herself and wades into the fray. 
  Map. Beldara's prison is a mountaintop plateau dotted with 
  four obelisks, at the center of Beldara is suspended 10 feet off 
  the ground. Refer to Stony Hill. "S" marks the starting positions 
  of the giants, whereas "X" marks an obelisk and "B" marks the 
  position of Beldara. Except for the path winding downward, the 
  plateau is sat upon nearly sheer cliffs. A creature that falls off 
  the edge crashes into the ground 130 feet below, taking up to 
  13d10 bludgeoning damage.  
  Weather. Beldara's prison is a place of extreme cold battered 
  by strong winds (see Appendix C).   
   
   
  
   
  80 
  WINTER'S DAUGHTER 
  The Frostmaiden is an exacting mother who cannot be so easily 
  impressed, and Beldara has labored under that cold nature for 
  millennia. After her first century imprisoned, Beldara accepted 
  her mother's contempt and indifference towards her.   
  Roleplaying Beldara. Imprisonment has done little for Bel-
  dara's sanity. Once a force of relentless fury, hopelessness and 
  isolation has reduced her to an incoherent mess. Given time, she 
  may recover—but Fyar hasn't the time to wait for that; he will 
  restore her mind with a wish spell. Thereafter, she becomes a 
  melancholy and wrathful titan obsessed only with suffering and 
  death—just like her mother.  
   
  WINTER'S CHAMPION 
  The faithful are rewarded, indeed. Years of effort and research 
  have finally paid off; Withrens Fyar is at the site of his destiny 
  and he is exalting. After Beldara is freed, he immediately casts 
  wish to impart his dire winter spell upon her; even if he dies 
  before she can start the ice age, he has fulfilled his purpose.  
  Fyar's Entourage. The wizard did not come alone; Fyar has 
  brought his shield guardian (which can unleash a banishment 
  spell) and a contracted nycaloth Fyar has already paid. He also 
  has the aasimar war priest Masra at his side (see Temple of the 
  Frostmaiden).  
  Fyar's Gear. The wizard wears a pair of bracers of defense 
  and a cloak of protection (DMG pg. 157 & 159), increasing his 
  AC to 18. He also wields a circlet of blasting (DMG pg. 158) 
  that he has specially chosen to combat storm giants.  
  Fyar's Spells. The wizard has prepared a unique spell list: 
  1st level (4 slots): feather fall, mage armor*, magic missile, 
  shield, thunderwave 
  2nd level (3 slots): mirror image*, misty step 
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fly, hypnotic pattern 
  4th level (3 slots): fire shield*, greater invisibility, ice storm 
  5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, scrying, wall of force 
  6th level (1 slot): geas, globe of invulnerability, Otiluke's 
  freezing sphere 
  7th level (1 slot): prismatic spray 
  8th level (1 slot): Abi-Dalzim's horrid wiltingXGE 
  9th level (1 slot): wish 
   
  * already cast upon self 
   
  Fyar must reserve his wish spell to grant Beldara the power 
  to channel his dire winter spell. Beldara must be alive and free 
  to perform the ritual; therefore, he cannot risk her dying.  
  Fyar's Precautions. The wizard has warded himself with a 
  number of spells: 
  • A mind blank spell cast before the wizard's last long rest, ten 
  hours ago. 
  • A contingency spell that triggers an investiture of ice spell 
  when Fyar is struck with cold or fire damage. 
  • A nondetection spell cast four hours ago, costing him a 3rd-
  level spell slot. 
   
  BATTLE BENEATH FRIGID SKIES 
  The fate of the world is on the line as Withrens Fyar prepares 
  himself for his destiny. You (or your players) must determine 
  when the adventurers arrive on the scene. If they come mid-
  combat, play out a few rounds beforehand with Fyar and his 
  allies versus any non-charmed giants and the chains, with Fyar 
  on the winning end. Alternatively, you can start with one chain 
  destroyed and another at 47 hit points remaining; the nycaloth 
  is at 99 hit points, one giant is hurling thunderbolts at Fyar and 
  Masra, while one charmed giant has wrestled its colleague to 
  the ground.  
  Tactics. Fyar and his minions use the following tactics: 
  • Fyar is expecting at least one storm giant to succeed on its 
  Intelligence saving throw against his command; hence, he has 
  prepared fireball and wall of force and stored a banishment 
  spell in his shield guardian. Fyar is not expecting adventurers 
  to meddle in his plot. On his first turn, he utters "let winter 
  reign" to charm the giants (no action required). After Beldara 
  is freed, he uses his next turn to cast wish.  
  • Fyar is aware that storm giants have resistance to cold damage 
  and immunity to lightning and thunder damage. He targets 
  them with fire, necrotic, or force damage.  
  • Masra's priority is freeing her deity's daughter; Withrens 
  Fyar's apocalyptic ambitions come second. She is fearless, 
  knowing that dying in the service of her deity is the ultimate 
  honor. She is warded by guardian of faith, cast before she and 
  Fyar arrived. On her first turn, she protects Fyar with a shield 
  of faith spell. On her second, she casts sacred flame and 
  spiritual weapon. She targets an ornery giant with a hold 
  monster spell.  
  • The nycaloth focuses on breaking Beldara's chains, as do any 
  giants charmed by Fyar. 
  • Once freed, the nigh-insane empyrean recognizes only Masra 
  as an ally. She hurls Bolts at random targets until her sanity 
  is restored by Fyar's wish spell.  
   
   
  X 
  S 
  S 
  S 
  X 
  X 
  X 
  B 
  
   
  81 
  Divine Intervention. The gods themselves take an interest in 
  this battle. Auril spares enough of her influence to assist in the 
  liberation of her disappointment of a daughter. The Frostmaiden 
  is, however, checked by Amaunator himself. Once each round, 
  at initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), a deity causes one 
  of the divine effects described below, alternating between Auril 
  and Amaunator. A character affected by a protection from evil 
  and good spell has advantage on any saving throw imposed by 
  these effects.  
  • A character of the deity's choice regains 1d10 hit points. 
  • A gust of wind spell (DC 15) blows across the mountaintop, 
  targeting a character of the deity's choice. The spell ends at 
  the start of the next round.  
  • A character of the deity's choice gains a +2 bonus to their AC 
  that lasts until the start of their next turn.  
  • A character of the deity's choice is targeted with a blindness/ 
  deafness spell (DC 15).  
  • A character of the deity's choice is affected by a spell of lesser 
  restoration.  
   
  A DIRE, NEW AGE 
  If Beldara and Withrens Fyar defeat the adventurers, the world 
  is soon plunged into an ice age; the empyrean channels Fyar's 
  disastrous spell, which would reduce any mortal spellcaster to 
  ash. The global temperature initially decreases by about five 
  degrees Fahrenheit, causing famines that rock nations around 
  the world. The global temperature continues to plunge at a rate 
  of 5 degrees a week until it reaches -100 Fahrenheit. Countless 
  innocents die in the chaos, forcing those that survived to flee 
  towards the equator. As the world continues to grow colder, all 
  hope for a warmer tomorrow is extinguished. In the aftermath, 
  heroes arise to battle the chaos while clerics entreat the gods to 
  restore balance to the world.  
  Inevitably, dire winter is halted and even reversed by the 
  intervention of powerful mortals, beings, and deities—but the 
  damage is done, and Withrens Fyar, whether he lives or dies, is 
  welcomed to Auril's wintry afterlife by the goddess herself. The 
  archmage's part in engineering this disaster is discovered by 
  numerous divination spells cast by the world's most foremost 
  spellcasters, who subsequently give Fyar the fame he always 
  hungered for. Withrens Fyar goes down as one of history's most 
  reviled villains.  
   
  THE PENGUINWERE 
  Character Encounter, Tier I-II 
   
  It is a creature the world has rarely had the misfortune of dealing 
  with; a monstrosity undiscovered by scholars and wizards alike, 
  but one they would groan over for years; a corrupted beast given 
  sapience and a dark mission—the penguinwere. 
  The penguinwere comes from humble beginnings: it was but 
  an ordinary penguin until an otherworldly menace corrupted it 
  into a sapient creature. Much like a werebeast, it can transform 
  into a human, a penguin-human abomination, or back into its 
  true form.  
  The adventurers might encounter the creature in a settlement, 
  along the coast, or at their campfire. If they're at sea, it may 
  clamber up into their boat.   
  Statistics. The penguinwere has the statistics of a jackalwere 
  with the following changes: 
  • It has a swimming speed of 30 feet and it can hold its breath 
  for up to 30 minutes at a time.  
  • It has resistance to cold damage.  
   
  Servant of the Hag. The penguinwere was corrupted by none 
  other than Greatmother Winter, a bheur hag that lairs in the 
  frozen wastes. The beldam has tasked the penguinwere with 
  kidnapping travelers and bringing them to her lair—the festive 
  stronghold of Greatfather Winter, the mad Yuletide fanatic.   
  Persona. Greatmother Winter was too busy to help the beast 
  craft a persona as a human. All she did was give it a name ("Sly 
  Clyde" and teach it how to eat with utensils. It has since had to 
  piece together its knowledge by observing and interacting with 
  other humans, all of whom regard "Sly Clyde" as a simpleton 
  or a paranoid fugitive. 
  You can voice the penguinwere with the dialogue below:  
  • "How do you do, fellow person?" (if preserving the beast's 
  cover is of little concern) 
  • "Spare some warmth for a freezing traveler?" 
  • "Boy, that blizzard, right?" 
  • "Shiny rocks are the key to a woman's heart."  
  • "The economy's in brambles, everyone says so." (The word it 
  is looking for is "shambles.") 
   
  Tactics. The penguinwere sticks to coastlines, hiding among 
  other penguins (who only just tolerate its presence), storing its 
  human clothes on the beach. It wanders into settlements to pick 
  up new vocabulary and practice its odd mannerisms. It preys 
  upon travelers, wandering up to their campfires, appealing to 
  their mercy. When they lower their guard, the creature attacks. 
  Defenders soon realize that their weapons glance off it, much 
  like a lycanthrope.   
   
  A ROOKERY OF PENGUINWERES 
  Given time, Greatmother Winter will be inclined to create more 
  servants, gaining between 1d4+4 and 2d6+6 penguinweres to 
  fulfill her dark desires. These twisted minions can then be found 
  all across the Arctic, acting as messengers, spies, saboteurs, and 
  collectors of artifacts.  
  As Tier II encounter, the adventurers encounter a rookery of 
  1d4+2 penguinweres. If they've earned Greatmother Winter's 
  enmity, the creatures hide among a flock of penguins, using that 
  cover to launch an attack on the party. The penguins seem 
  uneasy; a successful DC 14 Insight check reveals that they're 
  keeping a wide berth from the disguised penguinweres.  
   
   
  
   
  82 
  THE POACHER'S NIGHTMARE 
  Character Encounter, Tier III 
   
  A merciless archdruid has unofficially declared a vast swathe 
  of land off limits to poachers and even the most harmless of 
  travelers—a territory that the adventurers have already entered.  
  Foreshadowing. If you intend to run this encounter, it should 
  be foreshadowed through any or all of these events: 
  • The adventurers find dead men armed with bows (or firearms). 
  Most have been crushed underfoot, as if by a mammoth. 
  • The adventurers see a giant eagle drop someone from a great 
  height. Notably, it doesn't swoop down to pick at the remains. 
  • The adventurers hear the crack of thunder on a stormless day.  
   
  The Druid. For centuries, the wood elf Sylberos has done his 
  best to protect wildlife. In his youth, he would lay traps for any 
  poachers that dared hunt in his woods. Later, he would discover 
  his gifts as a fledgling druid, which he considered to be implicit 
  approval from Nature itself, or perhaps even deities of the wild. 
  As his powers grew, so did his callousness towards sapient life. 
  Towns that constructed dams risked his fury; careless miners 
  were punished cruelly for raping the earth; trappers were made 
  into grim warnings. Sylberos is personally responsible for the 
  cratering of the beaver fur trade in a distant corner of the Arctic.   
  Manic and insatiable, Sylberos was formally exiled from his 
  kin two centuries ago. He cared nothing for their decree; it was 
  only after adventurers were hired to root him out from the wild 
  that the druid was forced to migrate to the Arctic.  
  Statistics. Sylberos is a CE archdruid with these changes: 
  • He can read, write, and speak Common and Elvish. 
  • He has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and 
  magic cannot put him to sleep.  
  • He has darkvision to a range of 60 feet. 
  • He has a movement speed of 35 feet.  
  • He can attempt to hide when only lightly obscured by foliage, 
  mist, heavy rain, falling snow, and other natural phenomena.  
  • He can use his Change Shape ability thrice a day and can use 
  it as a bonus action.  
   
  Treasure. Sylberos also carries a staff of the woodlands (see 
  DMG pg. 204).  
   
  SYLBEROS'S GAMBITS 
  The archdruid is a menace like no other, using subterfuge just 
  as often as he does shock and awe. He employs the following 
  gambits to ward off or ambush poachers and passerby alike: 
  Among the Herd. The druid takes the form of a mammoth 
  and hides among the herd, waiting for poachers to dare hurl a 
  spear at one of the beasts. 1d3 mammoths join him in battle, 
  savaging enemies of his choice.   
  From Above. An eagle's scream is the party's only warning 
  as Sylberos dives down from the skies in the form of a giant 
  eagle. He is joined by two more giant eagles conjured by his 
  conjure animals spell. If he is rebuffed, he soars back up to the 
  sky and, like a petulant child, casts fire storm.  
  In Plain Sight. Sylberos stalks the wilderness on foot, hiding 
  in plain sight. Through this gambit, he employs these tactics:  
  • Sylberos cloaks himself in a pass without trace spell to study 
  his prey up close. If in a forest, he traverses the woods with a 
  tree stride spell.  
  • Sylberos opens up first with a fire storm spell to rain hell on 
  his prey; he of course chooses to spare plant life from the fire.  
  • Sylberos cuts off his prey's retreat with a wall of thorns spell, 
  cast via his staff of the woodlands.   
  The Ivory Elk. Throughout history, the glimpse of a giant, 
  white elk in the woods has heralded the birth of kings and other 
  omens. To kill such a majestic creature, the legends say, is to 
  provoke great upheaval. Invoking this omen, Sylberos assumes 
  the form of a white giant elk—and he takes great pleasure in 
  delivering destruction on whatever hunter is foolish enough to 
  attack such a "mythic" creature.   
  Whalers Beware. When Sylberos is in the mood to swim, he 
  visits the frigid seas to ravage whalers. He assumes the form of 
  a blue whale (use giant shark statistics) and prepares the tidal 
  wave spell to pull sailors to their frigid demise.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  83 
  PRESERVED FOREVERMORE 
  Polar or Sea Encounter, Tier I-IV 
   
  A creature lies perfectly preserved in ice, be it a beast, a person 
  or a monster. If the adventurers are at sea, the creature is trapped 
  within an iceberg; if they are not, it's frozen within a glacier. 
  Select your desired tier and roll a d20 to determine the creature.  
  This encounter is repeatable. At your discretion, the frozen 
  creature is still alive (which isn't far-fetched if it's a supernatural 
  being) and might burst from the ice. If the creature is instead 
  feeble, imprisoned, or dead, then it serves an oddity found while 
  traveling through the Arctic, in which case you can roll upon 
  higher tier tables.   
  Telepathy. Many creatures featured in the tables below have 
  telepathy, making them social opportunities with beings that 
  would otherwise annihilate the adventurers.  
   
  PRESERVED FOREVERMORE: TIER I 
  d20 
  Creature  
  1 
  An allosaurus 
  2-3 
  An anklyosaurus 
  4 
  1d3 brontosauruses and 1d4 calves 
  5-6 
  A deinonychus 
  6-7 
  1d6+4 hadrosauruses and 2d4+2 calves 
  8-10 
  A CN Neanderthal berserker with a spear with a 
  nearby saber-toothed tiger. It is unclear whether 
  the barbarian was fighting the beast or if the two 
  had formed a bond.  
  11-12 A mammoth with six sets of tusks 
  13 
  A beholder zombie 
  14 
  A winged dragonborn berserker, suggesting that 
  modern dragonborn lost their wings over the eons.  
  15 
  2d4+3 primitive, Medium-sized kobolds, which 
  suggesting that modern kobolds evolved to be 
  smaller than they are now.  
  16-17 2d4+1 skeletons and 1d6+2 zombies 
  18 
  1d4+2 aurochs and 1d3 calves 
  19 
  A giant mosquito (a giant wasp) 
  20 
  An adventurer with an uncommon magic item 
   
  PRESERVED FOREVERMORE: TIER II 
  d20 
  Creature  
  1-3 
  A tyrannosaurus rex 
  4-6 
  A triceratops 
  7-8 
  1d3 umber hulks 
  9-11 
  A human assassin sent to slay Withrens Fyar, the 
  archmage featured in the Dire Winter storyline. 
  He failed to get the jump on the wizard.  
  12-13 1d4+1 girallons 
  14 
  A giant ape and 1d4+1 apes 
  15-16 A CN elven conjurer that made a fatal mistake as 
  to where she was teleporting.  
  17 
  1d4+1 stegosauruses with 1d4 calves 
  18 
  A chasme; if alive, it can use its Drone feature 
  from within the ice.  
  19-20 An adventure with a rare magic item 
  PRESERVED FOREVERMORE: TIER III 
  d20 
  Creature  
  1 
  A beholder 
  2-4 
  A roc 
  5-6 
  A behir 
  7 
  An alhoon 
  8-9 
  A narzugon that disappointed Levistus, the arch-
  devil. For his failures, he is condemned to the ice 
  for ten centuries. His nightmare is alongside him, 
  its ghostly flames still flickering in the ice. When 
  a creature enters within 5 feet of the narzugon, it 
  makes attempts a DC 25 Charisma saving throw. 
  On a success, the ice is shattered; the hell knight 
  celebrates his freedom by sending the souls of his 
  liberators to the Nine Hells.   
  10 
  A brass lamp containing a bound efreeti 
  11-15 An adult white dragon and a clutch of eggs 
  16 
  A mage and its shield guardian  
  17 
  An orthon bounty hunter whose quarry got the 
  better of it 
  18-19 
  A death slaad whose control gem is just out of 
  reach. If a creature touches the gem, the slaad 
  attempts a DC 20 Charisma saving throw to free 
  itself from the ice.   
  20 
  An adventurer with a very rare magic item 
   
  PRESERVED FOREVERMORE: TIER IV 
  d20 
  Creature  
  1 
  A tarrasque 
  2-8 
  A dormant ancient white dragon 
  9-11 
  A LE solar imprisoned on the Material Plane by 
  its patron deity  
  12-15 A pit fiend veteran of an ancient infernal invasion 
  of this world. 
  16 
  A kraken 
  17 
  A dragon turtle 
  18 
  A steel predator that makes a DC 25 Strength 
  saving throw once a week, freeing itself from the 
  ice on a success. Thereafter, it continues to hunt 
  down its quarry.  
  19 
  A mummy lord and 1d6+2 mummies 
  20 
  An adventure with a legendary magic item 
   
   
  
   
  84 
  RUDOLPH THE RED-BLOODED 
  Polar, Taiga, or Tundra Encounter, Tier I  
   
  The party encounters two awakened reindeer, one wounded and 
  desperate, the other hellbent on murdering him. This frenzied 
  reindeer is none other than Rudolph the Red-Blooded; his name 
  invokes terror amongst awakened reindeer all over the Arctic. 
  Abused all his life for his glowing tumor of a nose, Rudolph 
  recently struck an accord with Lone Miyareth, a predatory 
  bheur hag. Now armed with greater strength and magic, 
  Rudolph intends to revenge himself on his abusers. His body 
  count is already in the double digits, and still there are more 
  childhood bullies and negligent elders to visit. 
  It quickly becomes apparent that Rudolph is a magical beast. 
  If his glowing, hideous nose doesn't give it away, his armor and 
  spells do. If they interfere in his revenge, Rudolph adds the 
  adventurers to his list of foes. Otherwise, he is content to leave 
  witnesses to this murder.  
  Location. If this encounter occurs in a taiga, Rudolph's victim 
  bursts out of the brush or bounds over a ridge with his aggressor 
  in hot pursuit. If it occurs in the tundra or polar region, Rudolph 
  has already caught up, and the two have locked antlers.   
  Statistics. Rudolph's victim has the statistics of an elk with 
  an Intelligence score of 10 and the ability to speak Sylvan. He, 
  like Rudolph, was granted sapience by the awaken spell, cast 
  by Greatfather Winter, a feylord described in the Greatfather 
  Winter's Fiefdom encounter.  
  Rudolph has the statistics of a giant elk with the following 
  changes: 
  • He is Large, not Huge and is a CR 4 (1,100 XP) creature.  
  • His nose sheds bright light out to a range of 30 feet and dim 
  light for an additional 20 feet.  
  • He has an Intelligence score of 10 and can speak Sylvan.  
  • He wears splint armor barding, which raises his AC to 17.  
  • He can see in both magical and nonmagical darkness, out to a 
  distance of 120 feet.  
  • He has the following traits: 
   
  Spellcasting. Rudolph is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Charisma is 
  his spellcasting ability (spell save DC 10, +2 to hit with spell 
  attacks). He regains his expended spell slots when he finishes 
  a short or long rest. He knows the following warlock spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, blade ward 
  1st-2nd level (1 2nd-level slot): armor of Agathys, darkness, 
  expeditious retreat, hellish rebuke 
   
  Fey Presence (1/Rest). As an action, Rudolph projects terror 
  into all creatures within a 10-feet-cube centered on him. Each 
  creature must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. Creatures 
  that fail are frightened of him until the end of his next turn.  
   
  Servant of the Hag. Although Rudolph owes his awakened 
  mind to Greatfather Winter, he has been patronized by the bheur 
  hag, Lone Miyareth. Between his revenge killings, he does her 
  bidding. See Traveler's Respite for details on the hag.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  If your adventurers become entangled with Lone Miyareth, they 
  are sure to incur the wrath of Rudolph. If you run the Dark 
  Sisterhood storyline, he becomes a thorn in their side.  
  At Higher Levels. As Lone Miyareth grows in power, so too 
  can Rudolph. As the Dark Sisterhood storyline progresses, the 
  reindeer gains the following traits from the warlock of the 
  archfey statblock: 
  • His Charisma score increases to 18 (+4).  
  • He gains the warlock's immunity to the charmed condition, 
  plus its saving throw proficiencies.  
  • He gains its Innate Spellcasting and Spellcasting traits.  
  • He gains the warlock's Misty Escape reaction. 
   
  SACRIFICE FOR THE STORM 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier III 
   
  To summon the elder tempest they so desperately crave, the 
  Cult of the Black Earth and the Cult of the Howling Hatred must 
  sacrifice a creature that embodies the most violent aspects of 
  elemental air—a storm giant quintessent… and they know 
  just where to find one. 
  A perpetual storm has raged around Wyvernseeker Rock for 
  eight years now, becoming an icon of the region and subject of 
  discussion. If one were to believe the wizard Homer Erendalias, 
  the storm is centered on the lair of a transcended storm giant. 
  "Best to just leave Wyvernseeker Rock to her," he has advised 
  patrons at the Crystalline Tavern and hikers out in the wild. 
  "She has not left the peak since she came; there is no reason to 
  trouble that which will not trouble you." This advice can be 
  recalled by a character that has caroused with patrons across 
  Arctic taverns with a successful DC 13 History check. With a 
  DC 18 Arcana check, a character recalls the lore surrounding a 
  "transcendent" storm giant, known by magi as a quintessent. To 
  escape death, these titans become semiconscious storms.  
   
   
  
   
  85 
  Wyvernseeker Rock. This lonely mountain has been the lair 
  of many cults or criminal organizations over the centuries, and, 
  true to its name, was the nest of wyverns that have since found 
  a better place to roost ever since the giant's arrival. A dungeon, 
  frequented by these former tenants, is carved beneath the 
  mountain, accessible by a cave on its southwest side.  
  The Ceaseless Storm. The giantess Udtha has dedicated her 
  life to divining the return of Annam the All-Father, the distant 
  deity of all giantkind. As she neared the end of her natural life, 
  Udtha interpreted an omen claiming that, without her, Annam 
  may never return. Whether her interpretation was true or just a 
  delusion of grandeur, Udtha committed herself into becoming a 
  storm giant quintessent. Now haunting Wyvernseeker Rock, 
  she has no goals other than divining the omens and passing her 
  wisdom onto other storm giants, who visit the mountain from 
  time to time.   
  As described in her statistics, Udtha's presence causes the 
  following regional effects:  
  • High wind blows within 1 mile of the mountain, making it 
  impossible to light a fire unless the location where it is lit is 
  protected from the wind.  
  • Snow constantly falls around Wyvernseeker Rock, forming 
  deep snowdrifts and disadvantaging Perception checks that 
  rely on sight.   
  • Flashes of lightning and peals of thunder crack throughout the 
  day and night.  
   
  Elemental Evil. A week ago, the ceaseless storm dispersed—
  and the region has gone wild with rumors and speculation. All 
  over this corner of the Arctic, madmen and sages share their 
  ludicrous theories as to why the storm abated. Some have 
  suggested that the giant has moved onto more desolate pastures 
  or simply passed away; others think something foul is afoot, but 
  no one is brave enough to investigate Wyvernseeker Rock.  
  Cultists of Elemental Evil invaded the mountain and bound 
  Udtha with an imprisonment spell and, through further magic, 
  contained her elemental power. Just for good measure, she was 
  also struck with a feeblemind spell. Now the cultists work 
  tirelessly towards a ritual that will see Udtha sacrificed to the 
  archomental Yan-C-Bin, their evil patron.  
  Map. See Wyvernseeker Rock above. Its dungeon has the 
  following features:  
  • An alarm spell has been cast in the cave in Area A and F; 
  cultists of the Black Earth and Howling Hatred don't trigger 
  the spell. No such spell has been laid on the waterfall in Area 
  C…  
  • Area B is the abode of Torrik, leader of the Black Earth cult. 
  A tunnel lies behind the southern wall, which is fragile and 
  can be broken after dealing 40 points of bludgeoning or force 
  damage to it. The tunnel leads to a cave 1d4+3 miles away. 
  No one is aware of this tunnel, but its existence can be learned 
  from a legend lore spell concerning Wyvernseeker Rock.   
  • Area E is abode of El'ophr, the leader of the Howling Hatred 
  cult. An air elemental habitually guards this chamber.  
  • The alcoves of Area D contain a stone of controlling earth 
  elementals and censer of controlling air elementals.  
  • A 25-foot patch of yellow mold infests the northwest corner 
  of Area F; the cultists understandably avoid this area. See the 
  sidebar for the effects of Yellow Mold.  
  • Udtha is chained in Area C by an imprisonment spell. She has 
  also been stunned by the power of Yan-C-Bin, the Prince of 
  Evil Air whom the Howling Hatred cultists worship. A 9th-
  level dispel magic spell breaks her bonds and restores her 
  mind. If she is freed from these foul spells, she crushes her 
  jailors. 
   
   
   
  A 
  E 
  C 
  B 
  F 
  D 
  
   
  86 
  THE CULT OF THE HOWLING HATRED 
  The Cult of the Howling Hatred revere the most violent aspects 
  of elemental air, seeking to spread destruction through cyclones 
  and storms. Here at Wyvernseeker Rock, they are on edge—for 
  if they pull off the ritual, they will reduce the Arctic to a grave-
  yard and elevate themselves to legends. If they fail… El'opthr 
  has ordered them not to speak of failure, for Yan-C-Bin himself 
  has ordained this quest and will not tolerate doubt.  
  Leadership. This chapter of the Howling Hatred is led by the 
  nagpa El'opthr, an avian outcast that has found in the Howling 
  Hatred the chance to stand tall over all the world. Unlike other 
  Howling Hatred leaders, he has no enmity towards the Black 
  Earth cult, and had no qualms in offering them an opportunity 
  to forever change the world.  
  El'opthr is a 17th-level spellcaster; in addition to his usual 
  spells, he has imprisonment and mirror image prepared.  
  Members. The Howling Hatred are few in number; many fell 
  prey to hypothermia or doubt. Their ranks include six howling 
  hatred initiates, 1d6+4 howling hatred priests, 1d3+1 air 
  elementals, an air elemental myrmidon and two hurricanes. 
  When these priests aren't busy preparing for the ritual, they 
  patrol the mountain and its outlying territories using gaseous 
  form spells.  
   
  THE CULT OF THE BLACK EARTH 
  The Cult of the Black Earth is at home here in Wyvernseeker 
  Rock, for anywhere free from the sky is their domain. They are 
  an austere force fond of brutal assaults, not the deceitful tactics 
  their Howling Hatred colleagues employ. Torrik, their leader, 
  keeps them sharp and vigilant. Their role is to patrol the summit 
  and outlying territories while the Howling Hatred prepares to 
  sacrifice the storm giant.   
  Leadership. The duergar despot Torrik Steelshadow leads 
  this chapter of the Black Earth cult. Torrik is eighteenth-in-line 
  for the throne of Gracklstugh, a duergar city-state. He has little 
  hope of ascending to the throne and must forge a kingdom of 
  his own—a kingdom of Elemental Evil lorded over by cultists.   
  Should Torrik be alerted of interlopers, he heads out to meet 
  them head-on. Therefore, he may be slain prematurely.  
  Members. The Cult of the Black Earth is stretched across the 
  Arctic, bunkered below the earth. After the tempest ravages the 
  surface, these cultists will spring up to rule over the bones of 
  civilization. Only Torrik's most trusted servants have gathered 
  at Wyvernseeker Rock, just to ensure the Howling Hatred does 
  not betray their word. The cultists consist of 1d6+5 black earth 
  guards and 1d4+3 black earth priests. They are also served by 
  1d3 earth elementals. Torrik is always accompanied by a priest 
  and a guard.  
   
  THE RITUAL OF SACRIFICE 
  Udtha's death draws near; bound in her true, corporeal form, she 
  has been anointed in the oils and painted with ink that depicts 
  just where the cultists must cut her to exsanguinate her. The 
  ritual occurs in Area C, where Udtha is chained. Their forces 
  consist of El'opthr, Torrik (if he wasn't drawn elsewhere and 
  slain), three howling hatred priests, two hurricanes, and an 
  air elemental myrmidon.  
  The cultists plunge anointed daggers into Udtha at the start of 
  the ritual. Roll initiative for the giant; she loses 40 hit points at 
  the start of each of her turns. Udtha can be healed through spells 
  but only a regenerate spell can stop her from losing these hit 
  points and close her wounds.  
  When Udtha's reduced to 0 hit points, the ritual is complete. 
  She releases one last titanic breath that cracks with thunder so 
  fierce that all creatures within 100 feet of her must succeed on 
  a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) thunder 
  damage and be deafened for the next 5d10+10 minutes. A 
  creature takes half as much on a success and is not deafened. 
  Creatures that are already deaf automatically succeed and take 
  no damage.  
  If El'opthr is alive and within 90 feet of Udtha when she dies, 
  he can use his reaction to shape her dying breath into an elder 
  tempest, which flies out through the waterfall. Proceed to the 
  Storm of the Century encounter.  
  Throughout the battle, other cultists may storm the chamber. 
  Draw upon the remaining forces present at Wyvernseeker Rock. 
  No more than 1d4 characters can arrive in a single turn.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  The Ceaseless Storm's sudden abatement is meant to alert the 
  adventurers to the cultists' plot. Rather than directly issuing a 
  quest from a nonplayer character, have it mentioned by several 
  characters in the days since the cultists invaded. If they fail to 
  investigate Wyvernseeker Rock themselves, so be it. They will 
  have the chance to redeem themselves through the Storm of the 
  Century encounter.  
   
  THE SCORCH BATHS 
  Volcanic Encounter, Tier II  
   
  An enterprising firenewt clan has managed to turn hot springs 
  and geysers into a resort frequented by the Arctic's wealthy—
  or rather, they did before a frost salamander invaded the hot 
  springs. The monster has stolen their home, and, in turn, their 
  livelihood, to soak in the Scorch Baths.  
  The firenewts are flimsy worshippers of Imix, the Elemental 
  Prince of Evil Fire, who delivered them to the Arctic from their 
  original home in the tropics. Their faith has waned since they 
  became wealthy; pursuing status and treasure is more fun than 
  kneeling atop hot coals, after all. Those still faithful to Imix 
  have declared this frost salamander divine justice—that Imix 
  himself invited a creature from the Plane of Ice to wreak havoc 
  on his apostates.  
  A frost salamander is a fearsome creature; six warriors have 
  already been torn to shreds by the beast. The clan has no choice 
  but to turn to outsiders to expel the invader. They offer 100 gp 
  or ten "full packages" (see below), which can be redeemed 
  within the next year, for whomever slays the beast.   
   
   
  YELLOW MOLD 
  Hazard 
  Yellow mold grows in dark places, and one patch covers a 5-foot 
  square. If touched, the mold ejects a cloud of spores that fills a 10-
  foot cube originating from the mold. Any creature in the area must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) 
  poison damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned 
  in this way, the creature takes 5 (1d10) poison damage at the start of 
  each of its turns. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end 
  of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. 
  Sunlight or any amount of fire damage instantly destroys one 
  patch of yellow mold. 
  
   
  87 
  Populace. The clan consists of twelve firenewt warriors and 
  twenty-two firenewt commoners (firenewt warriors without 
  any weapons, the Spit Fire ability, and 5 hit points each). They 
  also have ten giant striders, which they use as beasts of burden.  
  Imix's Brood. A firenewt warlock of Imix has splintered off 
  from the clan with another six firenewt warriors and seven 
  giant striders. While the warlock has not severed ties with his 
  kin, he publicly condemns their avarice and treachery "towards 
  the One who delivered us!" He and his ilk normally protest out-
  side the hot springs each day, denouncing their brethren.  
  The clan has appealed to the warlock, Tethky, to use his great 
  powers to battle the frost salamander, but he has refused, citing 
  this as "divine reckoning." Only a DC 22 Persuasion check can 
  convince him otherwise or assuage his critical judgment.  
  As the days stretch into weeks, Tethky's followers increase 
  until he has full control of the clan. He reinstates worship of 
  Imix and dedicates the Scorch Baths to funding their master's 
  dark agenda on the Material Plane—specifically the endeavors 
  of the Cult of the Eternal Flame, who are conspiring to melt the 
  polar icecaps in the Global Warming storyline. The clan will 
  also shelter these cultists and their allies.  
  The Scorch Baths. Renowned around the Arctic, a day at the 
  Scorched Baths costs 25 gp per person. For an additional 25 gp, 
  a customer also gets the "full package:" a scrub, massage, 
  manicure, and pedicure. Resting at the resort grants a character 
  Inspiration, which must be used within the next seven days. 
  Additionally, for every half hour a character rests in the hot 
  springs, they regain a spent hit die.  
   
  SEA ELF VIKINGS 
  Sea Encounter, Tier II-III 
   
  A horn sounds off in the distance and the wind carries Elvish 
  jeers. The infamous sea elf vikings that call these frigid lands 
  their home have come for what they're owed: everything. These 
  fearsome raiders pillage coastlines without mercy, and honor 
  combat above all else.  
  Ship. The elves sail a drakkar—a longship. See DMG pg. 119 
  for the ship's statistics. 
  Crew. The longship is oared by forty sea elf commoners. Its 
  combatants consist of:  
  • Shieldmaiden Sigrunn Hlodvir, a CN gladiator. She carries a 
  silver horn of Valhalla (see the sidebar) and captains the ship. 
  • Ærin Trudsson, an CN enchanter with counterspell prepared 
  instead of stoneskin. 
  • Hallbjorn Ornolfsson, a CN bard working on his epic. 
  • Orn Iorundsson, a priest of Deep Sashelas (CG), Umberlee 
  (NE) or Valkur (LE), if not a deity from the Norse pantheon. 
  • Svinulf Bretakollrsson, a swashbuckler with a Strength score 
  of 18 and Dexterity score of 12 armed with handaxes (+6 to 
  hit, 1d6+4 slashing damage, 20/60 ft.) and an AC of 14. He 
  can make up to three handaxe attacks per turn.  
  • 1d6+2 veterans, 2d6+4 bandits and two archers 
  • 2d4+2 berserkers (summoned only by the horn of Valhalla) 
   
  Statistics. All sea elves have the following racial traits: 
  • They have advantage on saving throws against being charmed 
  and magic cannot put them to sleep. 
  • They have darkvision out to a range of 60 ft. 
  • They speak, read, and write Aquan. 
  • They have a swimming speed of 30 ft. and can breathe both 
  air and water. 
   
  Living Figurehead. The drakkar's figurehead is carved as a 
  horned dragon. On her turn, the captain can animate the figure-
  head as an action so long as she's aboard the ship. On that turn, 
  the dragon exhales a 60-foot-cone of fire. All creatures in that 
  area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, 
  a creature takes 24 (7d6) fire damage, or half as much on a 
  success. This fire ignites flammable objects not being worn or 
  carried. Once the figurehead has exhaled its fiery breath, it 
  cannot do so again until the next dawn.  
  Cargo. Fresh from pillaging, the elves have amassed 4d100 
  +1,200 gp, 2,600 sp, and 5,400 cp as well as 6d8+4 goats, 
  2d12+28 casks of mead (worth 25 gp a cask) and 1d8+4 crates 
  of rare textiles (worth 50 gp a crate). 1d4 +1 potions of healing, 
  a cloak of the manta ray, and a spell scroll of sending can also 
  be found.  
  When it comes time to deliver their spoils back to their 
  homestead, the vikings simply pitch them overboard while 
  above their underwater settlement.  
   
  LEVIATHAN HUNTING 
  Tier III 
  Under this variant, the adventurers aren't the target of the sea 
  elves—a sea serpent of old is. The crew has been tracking this 
  leviathan for weeks and have finally engaged the beast. The 
  party's ship happens across this feverish battle and might be 
  compelled to join the fray. They'll have little choice if the 
  serpent attacks their ship as well.  
  Statistics. The sea serpent has the statistics of a purple worm 
  with the following changes: 
  • It has a swimming speed of 50 ft. and lacks a burrowing speed. 
  • It lacks its Tunneler feature.  
  • It can breathe air and water.  
   
  Aftermath. If the leviathan is slain, Sigrunn Hlodvir shows 
  her gratitude by sparing the party's vessel. The skald, Hallbjorn 
  Ornolfsson, promises to immortalize the adventurers in his 
  recount of this battle. Sure enough, 1d4 years later, Hallbjorn's 
  Epic hits the press, but two adventurers have been forgotten and 
  the others' names are misspelled—and their exploits are stolen 
  by Hallbjorn, who paints them as lambs cornered by a wolf.  
   
   
   
  SILVER HORN OF VALHALLA 
  Wondrous Item, Rare 
  You can use an action to blow this horn. In response, warrior spirits 
  from the plane of Ysgard appear within 60 feet of you. These spirits 
  use the berserker statistics. They return to Ysgard after 1 hour or 
  when they drop to 0 hit points. Once you use the horn, it can't be 
  used again until 7 days have passed. 
  The silver horn summons 2d4+2 berserkers. The berserkers are 
  friendly to you and your companions and follow your commands. 
  SEA ELF VIKINGS: REPRINT 
  This encounter first appeared in Daerdan's Tall Tales: 101 Seafaring 
  Encounters. Its themes—vikings, sea leviathans—were deemed too 
  iconic to not include in this supplement. If you have already ran this 
  encounter in your campaign, consider changing the names of the 
  warriors involved, use it as a callback, or showcase the aftermath of 
  the vikings' last encounter with the party.  
  
   
  88 
  SHRINE OF VAPRAK 
  Mountain or Tundra Encounter, Tier I-II 
   
  Tucked away into an ice cave is a grisly shrine devoted to the 
  most reviled god of the giant pantheon and patron deity of trolls 
  and ogres: Vaprak the Destroyer. This effigy is composed of the 
  mutilated remains of both beasts and men. The cave itself has 
  been carved with Giant runes. The shrine is tended to by an ogre 
  shaman whose devotion to the Destroyer is rewarded with elk 
  and elf meat by visiting trolls.  
  Runes. Most giants eschew literacy, especially frost giants. 
  They prefer simple pictographs that tell an easily gleaned story. 
  The runes carved into the ice cave's interior are no exception. 
  They depict Annam the All-Father, the patron deity of giants, 
  presiding over a council of other giant gods—but below them 
  is a dark maw rimmed in fangs ready to swallow them whole. 
  This creature is Vaprak the Destroyer. 
  Another pictograph depicts the Ritual of the Everlasting One. 
  When a frost giant, whose social position is determined by sheer 
  strength alone, knows it cannot compete against its betters, it 
  may seek the patronage of Vaprak. The Destroyer sends a troll, 
  guided by a vision quest, to that giant to be devoured. The giant 
  inherits the strength, rage, and regenerative abilities of a troll. 
  Alas, such deceit is punishable by exile or death in frost giant 
  society, should it ever be discovered. The pictographs depict a 
  troll pilgrim trekking across the Arctic and marching straight 
  into the belly of an emaciated frost giant. In the next image, the 
  giant has swollen to immense proportions and challenged the 
  jarl, the frost giant leader, to a duel.  
  A creature that views these pictographs can understand the 
  story well enough. With a successful DC 15 Arcana check, the 
  character relates it to Vaprak and the giant pantheon. They also 
  recall that, should the giant fail to honor Vaprak after this ritual, 
  it is likely to suffer grotesque mutations, such as an extra head, 
  warts, or tumors.  
  Shaman. Drareg, an ogre, tends the shrine. He is a calm but 
  devious cannibal that embodies all of Vaprak's horrid ideals. He 
  has the statistics of an ogre but with the following changes: 
  • He has a Wisdom score of 15 (+2). 
  • He is a CR 4 (1,100 XP) creature. 
  • He wears a holy symbol of Vaprak: the rotting remains of a 
  snow elf's skull anointed in blood; thin bones poke out of its 
  empty eye sockets.  
  • He has the Spellcasting trait, detailed below: 
   
  Spellcasting. Drareg is a 5th-level spellcaster. Wisdom is his 
  spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell 
  attacks). He has the following cleric spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): guidance, mending, sacred flame 
  1st level (4 slots): bane, bless, ceremonyXGE, cure wounds, 
  inflict wounds 
  2nd level (3 slots): augury 
  3rd level (2 slots): create food and water 
   
  Treasure. The ogre has amassed little wealth in his years, as 
  he gives away any non-essentials to traveling ogres and trolls. 
  By when the adventurers arrive, he has twenty-three pounds of 
  food and twelve gallons of water leftover from his last create 
  food and water spell.  
   
  VAPRAK'S PILGRIM 
  Tier II 
  Deep within the Arctic, a frost giant of the infamous stronghold, 
  Skoldheim, has prayed to the Destroyer for strength. This giant, 
  Rowthor, hungers to rule Skoldheim, but lacks the fortitude to 
  take Jarl Grisbos on in single combat. Vaprak has answered this 
  giant's prayers and is sending a troll for Rowthor to devour. The 
  troll may cross paths with the adventurers (elevating Shrine of 
  Vaprak to a Tier II encounter) before, after, or while it visits 
  this shrine.   
  To the Shrine. Knowing that it is about to embark on a sacred 
  mission, the troll avoids conflict on its way to Vaprak's shrine. 
  If it discovers the adventurers, it must succeed on a DC 14 
  Wisdom saving throw, otherwise the troll's temper and hunger 
  get the better of it. If the adventurers instead surprise the troll, 
  it fights until an opportunity to escape presents itself, which it 
  does in the form of a frigid stream or frozen lake. It might even 
  hurl itself off a cliff, instinctively trusting in Vaprak to deliver 
  it from harm or relying on its regenerative traits to survive. The 
  troll can be tracked to Vaprak's shrine with a successful DC 13 
  Survival check made over the course of an hour.  
  At the Shrine. If the troll is present when the adventurers find 
  the shrine, it is being anointed by Drareg. Believing this to be 
  the first of Vaprak's many trials, the two immediately attack the 
  adventurers.   
  To Skoldheim. If the troll is encountered after it has begun its 
  fatal pilgrimage to Skoldheim, it is under the Dedication effect 
  of Drareg's ceremony spell. For the next 2d12 hours, whenever 
  the troll makes a saving throw, it can roll a d4 and add the result 
  to the save. See XGE pg. 151 for further details on the spell.  
  Should the troll make it to Skoldheim, it presents itself to 
  Rowthor, who devours it, leading to the Forer-Slag encounter. 
  See the The Ordning of Might sample storyline for details. 
   
   
   
  
   
  89 
  SICK RANGER 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier I 
   
  The adventurers sight a saddled mammoth roaming the tundra. 
  A rope ladder trails down to the mammoth's side. To spot the 
  mammoth's rider from this distance requires a DC 16 Perception 
  check or a spyglass. On a success, the character spots a halfling 
  strewn across the mammoth's massive saddle. This halfling, the 
  mammoth's beloved master, is dying. Without intervention, the 
  sickness ravaging the halfling will triumph.  
  The mammoth is acclimated to people. She steers towards the 
  party if they approach, even trumpeting to get their attention. 
  With her trunk, she gestures upwards to her rider.   
  Ranger. Kaylin Tosscobble ventured to the Arctic two years 
  ago, where she found kinship with an orphaned mammoth calf 
  that she named Bigfoot. The ranger communicates with her 
  companion with frequent speak with animals spells. 
  A week ago, Kaylin was bitten by a diseased bat in her sleep. 
  Despite her remarkable luck and fortitude as a Stout halfling, 
  she has come down with a vicious but untransmissible disease. 
  She is currently afflicted with four levels of exhaustion. The 
  fifth level is due to occur in 1d4 hours; in 2d12 hours, the 
  sickness will kill her.   
  Kaylin's malady can be diagnosed with a DC 14 Intelligence 
  (Medicine) check. The illness is called Wicked Crumbling and 
  it is pervasive in warmer regions of the tundra where insects and 
  disease have not yet frozen. The remedy requires the boiling of 
  a particular type of lichen that can be collected from the tundra 
  with an herbalism kit. Finding the lichen requires 1d4 hours and 
  a successful DC 12 Nature check; a character that fails wastes 
  that time and must repeat the check. The disease can also be 
  cured with a lesser restoration spell.  
  The Ranger Saved. If the ranger is saved, she is eternally 
  grateful. She offers to stick around with the adventurers unless 
  they prove to be evil. Shortly later, she becomes a 5th-level 
  spellcaster and chooses to learn the lesser restoration spell so 
  that she and her friends won't have to suffer such a wretched 
  illness ever again.  
  The Ranger Dead. If Kaylin dies, Bigfoot is inconsolable. In 
  her grief, she makes a single attack against a creature that dares 
  approach her, but then backs off. Later, a character can placate 
  the mammoth with a DC 14 Animal Handling check. They can 
  effectively adopt the mammoth with a DC 18 Animal Handling 
  check, attaining Bigfoot as a companion. However, she will not 
  allow others to ride her until 2d6+3 days have passed.  
  Statistics. Kaylin is a NG halfling scout with the following 
  changes: 
  • She has a Wisdom score of 15 (+2).  
  • She reads, writes, and speaks Common and Halfling.  
  • She is a size of Small with a speed of 25 feet.  
  • She has advantage on saving throws against being frightened. 
  • When Kaylin rolls a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving 
  throw, she can reroll the die, but she must use the new roll. 
  • She has resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving 
  throws against poison.  
  • She has the Spellcasting trait, detailed below: 
   
  Spellcasting. Kaylin is a 4th-level spellcaster. Wisdom is her 
  spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell 
  attacks). She knows the following ranger spells: 
  1st level (3 slots): hail of thorns, hunter's mark, speak with 
  animals  
   
  SKOLDHEIM 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier III 
   
  From their bastion of Skoldheim, the frost giants ravage the 
  Arctic. Its location is no secret, but no matter how wide a berth 
  travelers give it, the giants still manage to collect their due. 
  These raiders are not interested in tribute, only glory—for only 
  strength matters to the isejotun.  
  Skoldheim was not founded by the isejotun, who are absent 
  of masons and even the desire to build. True to their rapacious 
  nature, the isejotun stole Skoldheim from the peaceful stone 
  giants that dwelled within the mountain. That these two clans 
  were distant kin mattered little to the frost giants, who know 
  only how to take. To the isejotun of Skoldheim, the massacre is 
  a distant memory celebrated once every ten years—and as it just 
  so happens, the festival, a revelry in the shape of a massive raid, 
  is only a few days away.   
  Anatomy of Skoldheim. Skoldheim is little more than an 
  encampment butting up against the mountainside, ringed with 
  boulders and absent of structures. To understand Skoldheim, 
  one must first understand the life of a frost giant. Consider the 
  following: 
  • Frost giants are immune to the cold, so they are unbothered by 
  even the worst of the Arctic's weather. They have no need for 
  shelter, but their slaves and livestock do.  
  • The giants can't tolerate anything warmer than the blood of a 
  freshly slain elk. They would abstain from fire if they didn't 
  need it for light; therefore, they only light bonfires sparingly 
  and give them a wide berth—a fact invaders can use to hide 
  from or inhibit the giants. 
  • Skoldheim's defenses are nothing more than stacked boulders 
  packed with snow and ice. These "walls" are 15-feet-high, as 
  the frost giants, who average 21 feet in height, prefer to look 
  out over the walls. Creatures can climb over the walls with 
  DC 12 Athletics checks; with a climber's kit or a grappling 
  hook, a Medium-sized character can easily scale the walls.   
  • The only crafting frost giants partake in are leatherworking 
  and bone carving; they have no beds or homes, as they don't 
  need to shelter from the elements. Most giants simply lay 
  down on the ground to sleep. Mightier giants may have their 
  own ice caves, which they use to store belongings and the 
  trophies of past battles. Skoldheim features vast expanses for 
  the giants to sleep and rest in.  
  • The giants use the caves to house their slaves and beasts, who 
  lack their immunity to harsh weather. Most of their treasures, 
  such as ale, steel, and gems, are also placed here. The giants 
  only shelter here from airborne enemies they cannot meet in 
  battle, such as rocs and dragons.  
   
  Population. Skoldheim is inhabited by twenty-three frost 
  giants, thirty-one frost giant juveniles (ogres with immunity to 
  cold damage) and fourteen frost giant toddlers (Medium-sized 
  half-ogres with immunity to cold damage that are not trained 
  to wield weapons). Jarl Grisbos rules Skoldheim, unless he has 
  been deposed by Rowthor (see The Ordning of Might below). 
  Beasts. The frost giants maintain a stable of 2d6+3 winter 
  wolves (which hunt outside Skoldheim). They also have 1d4+2 
  young remorhazes. Unlike the wolves, the remorhazes are not 
  permitted to leave Skoldheim without a beastmaster, lest they 
  slip away into the ice forevermore. Additionally, a manticore 
  known as Lasmus scouts for the giants in return for food.  
   
   
   
  
   
  90 
  Map. See the map above; every square is equal to 5 feet. This 
  cavern houses the frost giants' slaves and cattle, who would 
  otherwise perish in the cold outside.  
   
  ON THE OUTSKIRTS 
  As the adventurers near Skoldheim, any of the events below 
  may occur: 
  • The adventurers are attacked by 1d4+2 winter wolves who 
  flee if reduced to 25 hit points. The survivors later betray 
  these trespassers' presence to their giant masters.  
  • Three frost giants are practicing their boulder-hurling near 
  the perimeter; one of these rocks sail towards the adventurers 
  (+9 to hit, range 60/240 ft., 28 (4d10+6) bludgeoning dmg.). 
  • An attentive sentry that detects the adventurers hurls a boulder 
  (see above) and sounds a horn to alert Skoldheim of potential 
  intruders.  
  • A frost giant accompanied by two frost giant juveniles (see 
  Population above) embarks on a patrol. If the adventurers are 
  discovered, the giants attempt to enslave them. The juveniles 
  are eager to prove themselves in battle and attack with wild 
  abandon.   
  • As a blizzard roils across the region, Skoldheim launches 1d3 
  raids. Alternatively, a raid is returning home. If Rowthor is 
  the jarl, 1d4+2 raids are launched. See Frost Giant Raiders.  
   
  THE CAVES OF SKOLDHEIM 
  Skoldheim was carved by stone giants whose bones have long 
  been trampled into the dust. These masons took an ordinary 
  cave and turned it into a home, full of delicate art and beautiful 
  mosaics. In the three hundred years since their death, the frost 
  giants have managed to scar, mar, or destroy every piece of art 
  the giants left behind.  
  Slaves. The frost giants house their stable of slaves here, who 
  number twenty-two. Sickness regularly takes slaves to an early 
  grave; before they even have the chance to grieve, the giants 
  return with another captive. Corpses are thrown to the beasts. 
  Many of Skoldheim's captives believe that the giants prefer the 
  high mortality rate so that they can keep the beasts fed.  
  The slaves are led by Hrondyr, a duergar plucked eight years 
  ago while he and his kin were enjoying the annual polar night. 
  Recognizing that he could improve his own conditions by 
  working with his cruel overlords, Hrondyr challenged the 
  strongest captives to forer-slags of his own. The giants, reverent 
  only of strength, rewarded his might with a warmer bed and 
  better food. Now Hrondyr is consulted on the worth of any and 
  all treasures or materials brought into Skoldheim. The duergar 
  speaks fluent Giant and is on a first-name basis with the giants.  
  The other captives mainly consist of glacier dwarves, snow 
  elves, and humans, all of them commoners. Most have been 
  broken by despair and abuse; the adventurers' arrival is viewed 
  only as another opportunity for false hope.   
  The slaves are put to work tending livestock (cows, pigs, and 
  sheep stolen from settlements) and brewing beer. Unbeknownst 
  to all of Skoldheim, one slave, a human named Kaulder, sweeps 
  the cave with a broom of flying (DMG pg. 156). 
  Treasure. The giants have little in the means of conventional 
  wealth. They prize steel, alcohol, and large gems, and scorn 
  currency they can hardly pick up. They prefer rod ("red," which 
  refers to livestock and slaves). Their meager hoard is marked 
  with an "H" on the map and contains: 
  • Six fist-sized rubies worth 500 gp apiece, as well as a diamond 
  worth 300 gp.  
  • An elemental gem (emerald) (see DMG pg. 167) 
  • Twelve pigs, four cows, and nine sheep, which are kept in the 
  area marked "P" on the map.   
  • A brazier of commanding fire elementals (DMG pg. 156) 
   
  THE ORDNING OF MIGHT 
  If the Forer-Slag! encounter has occurred in your campaign, on 
  screen or off, Rowthor, a frost giant everlasting one, has taken 
  control of Skoldheim. His draconian regime has seen countless 
  detractors exiled and vicious raids launched.  
  Characters that succeed on a DC 15 Arcana check can recall 
  that the giants respect only might, and to ignore a challenge is 
  to bring great dishonor upon oneself. Should Jarl Rowthor be 
  challenged publicly, he will have no choice but to answer; his 
  clan already disdains him and he cannot risk falling out of favor. 
  If he refuses to battle such lowly creatures, another giant will 
  surely challenge him to a forer-slag.  
  Duels are highly ritualized in isejotun society. Spectators are 
  forbidden to intervene, and duels must have an equal number of 
  combatants on each side. No giant, however, is willing to fight 
  beside Rowthor. With a successful DC 17 Persuasion check, the 
  adventurers can convince the giants to allow them to outnumber 
  the jarl. After all, such a giant—and a jarl no less—would not 
  need help against such frail and tiny creatures, right? 
  Once Rowthor has been reduced to 94 hit points or less, his 
  Regeneration trait begins to visibly heal his wounds. His blood 
  coagulates and dries, his gait improves, and blows against him 
  strike shallower than before. If he is reduced to 0 hit points and 
  still regenerates, he grows a second head. There can be no 
  hiding his pact with Vaprak the Destroyer now; if even a single 
  giant is around to witness this, they condemn Rowthor to death. 
  The call is taken up by the clan and Rowthor is publicly stoned 
  as he attempts to flee.   
   
   
  H 
  P 
  
   
  91 
  Aftermath. The frost giants wouldn't normally not allow such 
  strong and useful slaves to walk free from Skoldheim, but they 
  are grateful that Rowthor's treachery was exposed. An elderly, 
  respected giant named Grondyyal approaches the adventurers; 
  in Dwarvish (if none of them speak Giant), the elder says, "That 
  Rowthor's sins were brought to light will be celebrated for years 
  to come. We are grateful, small ones, but you must leave now. 
  A moot must be called, and a new jarl must be crowned. Leave 
  us to our ways, lest others wonder why you have not been added 
  to the stable." 
  Rowthor's death marks the end of the Ordning of Might story-
  line. The Arctic can rest easy knowing his vicious raids are a 
  thing of the past—but not too easy, for soon the isejotun will 
  return to their rapacious ways.   
   
  SNOW BULETTE 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Bulettes are a terror known only in warmer lands, but Evolution 
  is a cruel mistress. A rare breed of these predators have claimed 
  the Arctic as their territory, with a single one patrolling a range 
  of up to thirty miles. As the adventurers trek across the snowy 
  landscape, this fierce creature is alerted to their presence.  
  Sensing new prey, the bulette bursts from the snow, its jaws 
  snapping at the nearest character.   
  Trees. Among pines and firs is a mighty oak tree that can be 
  climbed. A character that succeeds on a DC 13 Arcana check 
  recalls that bulettes are excellent leapers, but poor climbers. The 
  lowest branches are six feet above the ground, requiring a high 
  jump to reach. To pull oneself up onto the branches requires a 
  DC 12 Athletics check. Afterwards, the character can continue 
  to climb. The oak tree is forty-six feet tall.  
  If the character takes 10 points of damage in a single round, 
  they must make a DC 13 Acrobatics check to maintain their 
  balance. On a failure, they fall out of the tree.  
  Per its Standing Leap trait, the bulette can jump up to 15 feet 
  with or without a running start, allowing it to continue ravaging 
  creatures in the lower branches. It does not give up on its prey 
  that easily, but if the adventurers hurl missiles and spells from 
  out of its reach, the beast dives into the ground and flees.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  This encounter is better implemented as a twist in the story; add 
  it to whatever encounter the adventurers are already embroiled 
  in. For example, should they be making a getaway from bandits 
  or about to ambush cultists, the bulette emerges to foil those 
  plans. The monster takes no sides and victimizes both the party 
  and their foes indiscriminately.  
   
  SPELLJAMMER DERELICT 
  Polar Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Alone on the otherwise flat and empty ice plains, over a dozen 
  leagues from the nearest coast, is a shipwrecked sailing ship. Its 
  sails are tattered, but its masts are still intact. The ship is slanted 
  at a thirty-degree angle, its bow buried in the ice, as if it fell 
  from the sky—which it did. This ship is a spelljamming vessel, 
  a magical ship that can cruise through the air, space, and even 
  underwater. The spacefarers that crewed this vessel are all dead; 
  the corpses have been preserved by the deadly cold. Most died 
  upon impact when the vessel crashed from outer space.  
  This spelljamming vessel model was designed to infiltrate 
  worlds not yet involved in spaceflight. It looks like an ordinary 
  sailing ship, except for its beholder figurehead and the strange 
  runes on its hull. The runes are of a language known by no one 
  on this planet, except for perhaps aliens themselves. A spell of 
  comprehend languages reveals the ship's name in its unknown, 
  native language: Drifter.  
  Living Figurehead. When creatures approach within 60 feet 
  of Drifter's bow, the beholder figurehead's eyestalks animate, 
  shooting a 5th-level scorching ray spell at creatures within 120 
  feet of the figurehead (six rays, +8 to hit, 7 (2d6) fire damage 
  on a hit). The figurehead's eyestalks can twist and turn, allowing 
  them to fire at targets anywhere on the ship except behind the 
  stern. A spell of dispel magic renders the figurehead inert for 
  one hour.  
  Above and Below Deck. The ship's exterior is coated in frost 
  and snow. Fourteen orog corpses can be found throughout the 
  ship. In the Forgotten Realms setting, these orogs were born on 
  H'catha, the furthest planet from Toril's sun. H'catha is a wheel-
  shaped world dominated by beholders. A legend lore spell cast 
  on a corpse reveals this. A dead beholder's corpse can be found 
  on the aftercastle; two of its eyestalks have been severed and a 
  harpoon is impaled into its side. 
  Sole Survivor. Drifter was captained by a grim beholder by 
  the name of Renght, who died in the crash. Its second mate, a 
  gauth named Oplvaus can be found in the captain's cabin. The 
  aberration has been marooned on this planet for the last eight 
  years and has survived by feeding on Drifter's residual magic. 
  Oplvaus is beyond insane; in its twisted mind, it believes that 
  the ship is in port and the crew left with Captain Renght to take 
  care of some discreet business, leaving Oplvaus in command. 
  Should it see the adventurers, it considers them new recruits and 
  barks commands at them in Deep Speech.  
   
   
  HIGH JUMPS 
  When you make a high jump, you leap into the air a number of feet 
  equal to 3 + your Strength modifier (minimum of 0 feet) if you move 
  at least 10 feet on foot immediately before the jump. When you make 
  a standing high jump, you can jump only half that distance. Either 
  way, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement. In 
  some circumstances, your DM might allow you to make a Strength 
  (Athletics) check to jump higher than you normally can. 
  You can extend your arms half your height above yourself during 
  the jump. Thus, you can reach above you a distance equal to the 
  height of the jump plus 1½ times your height 
  
   
  92 
  Roleplaying Oplvaus. The gauth can only be communicated 
  with in Deep Speech or through magic (such as a tongues spell) 
  as the dialect of Undercommon it speaks is not of this world. It 
  expresses frustration and confusion if the adventurers inquire 
  about the ship's otherworldly origins, asking, "Have you never 
  strayed off-world, sailor?"  
  The gauth orders its new crewmates to scrub the deck free of 
  frost, raise the sails ("It isn't as if we even need them; they're a 
  bloody eyesore now, even," says Oplvaus) and prepare the ship 
  for the captain's return. Any insubordination is punished with 
  deadly force; it wouldn't be the first time Oplvaus disintegrated 
  a troublesome sailor, and it has no qualms with it now.  
  If a greater restoration spell is cast upon it, Oplvaus becomes 
  lucid enough to explain the ship's doom: as Drifter entered the 
  world's atmosphere, the orogs launched a mutiny. In the chaos, 
  Renght was forced off the helm and the landing was botched. 
  Drifter missed the seas and sailed across the ice; Renght took 
  control of the helm but was killed before it could land Drfiter. 
  The ship slammed bow-first into the ice, sparing the area from 
  a newly formed crater.  
  Treasure. Casks of ale, water, and lime juice can be found in 
  the cargo hold, along with, curiously enough, manufactured 
  beehives. A chest in the captain's cabin (warded by an arcane 
  lock spell) contains 900 pp in strange, alien currencies as well 
  as a diamond worth 500 gp.  
  Captain's Log. The captain's log and the ship's manifesto are 
  written in a strange language that can only be read by someone 
  under a comprehend languages spell. The log describes the trip 
  from H'catha to the asteroid belt and Selûne, Toril's moon. The 
  ship's manifesto details the ship's primary import: honeybees.   
  Broken Helm. An ordinary helm stands on the ship's after-
  castle, but it does nothing to steer the ship (as revealed by a DC 
  17 Investigation check). The spacefaring vessel's true helm is a 
  magical, high-backed ornate chair within the captain's cabin—
  a spelljamming helm (see the sidebar). 
  The spelljamming helm was cracked in the crash and Oplvaus 
  has drained it of its magic. Its properties are betrayed by an 
  identify spell. With 10,000 gp's worth of extremely exotic gems 
  and materials, an experienced artificer or another mage can 
  repair the helm through forty manhours of labor, restoring the 
  vessel's spacefaring capabilities.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  It goes without saying that this may be an encounter non grata 
  if your setting does not or should not feature spacefaring. If you 
  still intend to use this encounter, simply convert it from a space-
  faring vessel to a flying sailing ship empowered by magic.  
   
   
   
  SPELLJAMMING HELM 
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement by a spellcaster) 
  This ornate chair is designed to propel and maneuver a ship through 
  space. 
  Passive Properties. The following properties of the helm come into 
  play even when no creature is attuned to it: 
  • When placed aboard a vessel weighing between 1 and 100 tons, the 
  helm generates an envelope of fresh air around the ship while it is 
  in the void of space (but not underwater). This envelope extends 
  out from the edges of the hull in all directions for a distance equal 
  in length to the vessel's beam, so that creatures aboard and near 
  the ship can breathe normally in space. The temperature within 
  the air envelope is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • When placed aboard a vessel weighing between 1 and 100 tons, the 
  helm generates an artificial gravity field while the ship is in the 
  void of space, so that creatures can walk on the ship's decks as 
  they normally would. Creatures and objects that fall overboard 
  bob in a gravity plane that extends out from the main deck for a 
  distance equal in length to the vessel's beam. 
   
  Active Properties. The sensation of being attuned to the helm is 
  akin to being immersed in warm water. While attuned to the helm, 
  you gain the following abilities while you sit in it: 
  • You can use the helm to propel the vessel across or through water 
  and other liquids at a maximum speed in miles per hour equal to 
  your highest-level unexpended spell slot. 
  • You can use the helm to propel the vessel through air or space at a 
  maximum speed in miles per hour equal to your highest-level 
  unexpended spell slot × 10. 
  • Provided you have at least one unexpended spell slot, you can steer 
  the vessel, albeit in a somewhat clumsy fashion, in much the same 
  way that oars or a rudder can maneuver a seafaring ship. 
  • Whenever you like, you can see what's happening on and around 
  the vessel as though you were standing in a location of your choice 
  aboard it. 
   
  Drawback. While attuned to the helm, you cannot expend your own 
  spell slots. 
  
   
  93 
  SPRING WEIRD 
  Volcanic Encounter, Tier I 
   
  The scent of sulfur and clouds of steam shout the presence of 
  an active hot spring. Its natural warmth makes it an appealing 
  spot for travelers and a crucial locale for a tribe to defend—so 
  why is that no beasts or men rest there?  
  The hot springs are haunted by a corrupted NE water weird 
  that has failed its sacred purpose. Once a guardian tasked with 
  keeping this spring free and open for all passerby, it has since 
  murdered all those who dare enter the springs. If purified, the 
  springs once again become a welcome source of warmth and 
  respite in the Arctic.  
  Statistics. In addition to its normal statistics, the water weird 
  has resistance to cold damage and its Constrict attack also deals 
  1d6 fire damage.  
  Befouled Waters. The hot springs and its guardian have been 
  tainted by an otherworldly influence. Choose from the options 
  below:  
  • The corpse of a barghest, tanarukk, or gnoll fang of Yeenoghu. 
  See VGM pg. 123, 186, and MM pg. 163 for the respective 
  lore on these demonic creatures.   
  • A dark shard amulet (XGE pg. 137) forged in the Nine Hells. 
  • The bheur hag Lone Miyareth cursed the waters with her foul 
  magic. A dispel magic spell cast upon the hot springs rids it 
  off the corruption. See Traveler's Respite for more details on 
  this hag.   
   
  Cleansing the Pool. The water weird is restored to its original 
  neutral good alignment if any of the following events occur: 
  • A character casts purify food and drink on the springs while 
  they are half-submerged in its waters. 
  • All 1d8+3 corpses and the source of corruption are removed 
  from the hot springs.  
   
  Tactics. The water weird only attacks once a creature enters 
  the hot springs. Because it's invisible while submerged, it has 
  advantage on Stealth checks; it is likely to surprise the party. 
  Once a creature has been grappled by its Constrict attack, the 
  water weird dives into the water.  
  When reduced to 15 hit points or fewer, the water weird takes 
  the Disengage action to flee into an underwater crevice where 
  the adventurers cannot harm it.  
  Resting. The spring's reinvigorating warmth and sulfur does 
  wonders for the body and spirit. Characters that spend thirty 
  minutes in the water gain the effects of a short rest and regain 
  one spent hit die.  
   
  TREASURE 
  There is little treasure to be found underwater; most victims had 
  already undressed before being drowned by the water weird. 
  Any belongings they left behind were already scavenged. One 
  corpse wears an emerald ring carved in the shape of a green 
  dragon worth 50 gp.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  Reclaiming the spring or purifying its corrupted guardian is an 
  excellent quest for 1st-4th level adventurers. They might hear 
  of this "haunted" or "corrupted" spring from other travelers; or 
  they might be tasked by a local druid or settlement. Enough 
  travelers have seen the water weird's victims or survived its 
  attack to warn others of this dangerous locale.  
  STORM OF THE CENTURY 
  Weather Encounter, Tier IV 
   
  Cultists of Elemental Evil—those reckless fools—have doomed 
  the Arctic to a sentient and sadistic blizzard that will rage 
  ceaselessly against the bonds of the world: an elder tempest. 
  This elemental is a force of chaos on its home plane; on the 
  Material Plane, it may just be a death knell for the region.  
  This encounter represents the culmination of the Storm of the 
  Century storyline. The cultists responsible for summoning this 
  elder elemental have perished to the tempest's cataclysmic entry 
  into the mortal world. Some considered it a great honor, others 
  a sick irony. Only the nagpa El'ophr survived, but he has no 
  interest in protecting the storm. With no master of its own, the 
  elder tempest is free to chart its own path of destruction across 
  the world.  
  The Storm. Per the tempest's Living Storm trait, it is always 
  at the center of a storm 1d6+4 miles in diameter. Characters 
  caught in its storm must contend with these conditions: 
  • The area is lightly obscured by thick snowfall, disadvantaging 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.  
  • Strong winds impose disadvantage on Perception checks that 
  rely on hearing and on ranged attack rolls. These fearsome 
  winds also make nonmagical flight almost impossible. Flying 
  creatures must land at the end of their turns or fall.  
   
  Characters that analyze the storm, out of sight of the tempest, 
  can make a DC 15 Nature check to confirm that it is unnatural.  
   
  1. INTO THE SENTIENT STORM 
  Reaching the tempest's true form is no trivial matter; the party 
  must brave the blizzard's perils. Alas, the tempest's entrance has 
  torn at the borders between this world and the next, allowing 
  elementals to seep in from the Elemental Plane of Ice. While 
  traveling, the adventurers are harangued by the creatures below; 
  the encounters are spaced 2d10+5 minutes apart and grow in 
  severity the closer one gets to the elder tempest. The encounters 
  assume the party travels by land, not air; adjust accordingly.   
  • 2d4+1 ice mephits strafe the adventurers, each unleashing a 
  Frost Breath before fleeing; if they are not slain, they later 
  accost the party during the battle with the tempest. 
  • 1d3+1 galeb duhrs formed of ice drop from the sky like hail; 
  they benefit from their Rolling Charge trait while falling. If 
  the adventurers are flying, the elementals attempt to land on 
  their vehicle, if one exists; if not, they make attacks as they 
  fall past the party.  
  • 1d3+1 air elementals assail the adventurers; on the second 
  round of combat, a bolt of lightning strikes the area. Creatures 
  within a 5-foot-radius sphere must make a DC 15 Dexterity 
  save, taking 22 (4d10) lightning damage on a failure, or half 
  as much on a success.   
  • When the party is within a mile to the tempest, they are 
  subjected once to its Screaming Gale legendary action; the 
  tempest aimed it at other structures and the adventurers are 
  just caught in its blast.   
  • A water elemental myrmidon forms before the adventurers; 
  it has a flying speed of 30 feet and can hover.  
   
  You can combine this trek with Into the Blizzard, running it 
  as either a Hard or Insane level Skill Challenge.  
   
   
   
  
   
  94 
  2. EYE OF THE STORM 
  After braving the storm of the century, the adventurers face the 
  elder tempest; proud and insatiable, the elder elemental cannot 
  ignore a challenge or audacity. It knows only destruction and 
  will share that gift with the world.  
  Living Spells. With a thunderous cry, the tempest imbues the 
  hail and snow with a fragment of its power. Several living spells 
  manifest on the rim of a 30-foot-radius circle centered laterally 
  on the tempest. 1d6+4 living ice knives, one living ice storm, 
  and 1d4+2 living snowball swarms harass the adventurers. If 
  the tempest is slain, these spells, which appear as glowing orbs 
  of ice, are destroyed. 
  Tactics. Consider these tactics for the battle: 
  • The tempest doesn't provoke opportunity attacks; like the very 
  wind it embodies, it slips through the adventurers' ranks. It 
  can gain altitude without worry.   
  • Ranged attacks within 1d6+4 miles of the storm perpetually 
  suffer disadvantage.  
  • The tempest only descends to the ground while its Lightning 
  Storm is recharging, or when it can't use its Lightning Strike 
  legendary action.  
  • The living spells are the tempest's mythic will made manifest. 
  They have no concern for their own preservation and only 
  exist to defend their creator.  
   
  SURVIVORS' CACHE 
  Character Encounter, Tier I-III 
   
  Arctic samaritans regularly leave behind caches of supplies to 
  help travelers survive the brutal wilderness. These caches may 
  be wrapped bundles marked by an orange flag, or they may be 
  a crate at the foot of a tree. Some are stocked while others are 
  empty, for not all who find these supplies are selfless enough to 
  take only what they need. Even worse, some beasts and 
  monsters have learned that these caches, especially the more 
  noticeable ones, bring in weak and distracted prey.  
  Encounter Type. This encounter is categorized as a character 
  encounter, even if it has no actual characters present, as it can 
  be used in any arctic environment.   
   
  VARIANTS 
  This encounter has several variants. Refer to the Survivors' 
  Cache Contents table for the possible items found in a cache, 
  the appearance of which is up to you. Additionally, choose one 
  of the templates below.  
  Stocked. The cache is almost fully stocked; clearly past 
  visitors were selfless and mindful enough to take only what they 
  needed. Roll 5d12 to determine the contents, rerolling duplicate 
  numbers.   
  Raided. The cache has only a quarter or less of its contents. 
  Roll a d12 to determine the last item, which may be broken.  
  Occupied. By when the adventurers near the cache, other 
  individuals are already combing through it. Roll a d6 to 
  determine whether the survivors are hostile (1-2), neutral (3-4), 
  or friendly (5-6).  
  Trapped. Someone, perhaps even those that left the cache, 
  have rigged it with a simple trap. Roll a d6 to determine the trap, 
  either placing it in the cache itself or nearby. To notice the trap 
  requires a DC 10 + 1d6 Perception check or a passive 
  Perception score of the same value. See Appendix C for the 
  trap's full effects. Additionally, the cache has been raided.  
   
  Inhabited. The area is inhabited by clever beasts and 
  monsters. Roll a d20 to determine the creature(s).  
  There may be signs of the creature's passage or past attacks, 
  which can be noticed with a successful DC 15 Perception check, 
  if they aren't covered by fresh snow. To track the creature back 
  to its den requires a successful DC 13 Survival check (provided 
  tracks exist or other signs can be found, such as bent bushes or 
  broken twigs, etc.).  
  Additionally, there is a 20% chance the cache is still stocked 
  (see Stocked above), otherwise it has been raided.  
   
  SURVIVORS' CACHE: CONTENTS 
  d12 
  Creature  
  1 
  A whistle made from bone 
  2 
  1d4 bundles of firewood 
  3 
  1d4 pairs of wool gloves 
  5 
  1d4+2 torches 
  6 
  Cobbler's tools 
  7 
  Cook's utensils 
  8 
  1d3 daggers 
  9 
  A tent with five pegs 
  10 
  Three empty sacks 
  11 
  Climber's kit 
  12 
  Healer's kit 
   
  SURVIVORS' CACHE: OCCUPIED 
  d6 
  Characters  
  1 
  1d4+2 bandits with an apprentice wizard (who 
  may have cast alarm on the cache). 
  2 
  A warlock of the fiend and its imp minion 
  3 
  The Brass Adventists, described in the encounter 
  of the same name. 
  4 
  A mastiff and 2d4 commoners led by a scout  
  5 
  A druid leaving 1d10 goodberries into the cache 
  6 
  A doppelganger  
   
   
   
  
   
  95 
  SURVIVORS' CACHE: TRAPPED 
  d6 
  Trap  
  1 
  Bear trap (+8 to hit, 1d10 piercing damage)* 
  2 
  Crossbow trap hidden in a nearby tree or branch, 
  triggered by a trip wire (+8 to hit, 1d10 piercing)  
  3 
  A snare spell (spell save DC 13, XGE pg. 165)  
  4 
  An alarm spell (PHB pg. 211)  
  5 
  A tripwire that pulls the cork from a fastened flask 
  of alchemist's fire, causing an explosion (DC 10 
  Dex. save, radius 5-feet, 1d4 fire dmg. on failure).  
  6 
  A pit trap (10-feet deep, 10-feet-wide) dug near 
  the cache and covered with a snow-covered tarp 
  weighted with rocks.  
  * further pertinent details in Appendix C 
   
  SURVIVORS' CACHE: INHABITED 
  d20 
  Creature  
  1-4 
  An opportunistic black bear that can be scared off 
  with a DC 13 Animal Handing check. It's more 
  interested in the contents of the cache than people. 
  5-6 
  A ferocious brown bear fooled into believing a 
  survivor is dead with a DC 13 Deception check. It 
  only attacks creatures it perceives to be alive.  
  7 
  A polar bear that can be scared off with a DC 21 
  Animal Handling check. 
  8-10 
  A pack of 1d4+3 wolves (if Tier I) with a dire 
  wolf alpha (if Tier II). 
  11 
  A snow leopard (a panther with advantage on 
  Stealth checks while in snowy terrain). 
  12 
  1d3 giant wolf spiders hiding in a burrow. 
  15 
  A polar owlbear (it has advantage on Stealth 
  checks while in snowy terrain).  
  16 
  1d4+1 worgs 
  17 
  A peryton (if Tier I) or manticore (if Tier II) 
  18 
  A troll (if Tier II) or dire troll (if Tier III) 
  19 
  A yeti (if Tier II) or abominable yeti (if Tier III) 
  20 
  A frost salamander (Tier II or above) 
   
  TEMPLE OF THE FROSTMAIDEN 
  Polar Encounter, Tier III 
   
  Stark against the pale sky and the flat, frozen wastes, where no 
  mason could ever build, is a temple. Two pillars mark its open 
  entrance. The temple has no fortifications, no battlements, not 
  even a door, as if all it needs is the favor of whichever deity it 
  is devoted to. That the structure is made from stone should come 
  as a shock; so deep into the Arctic, such pursuits are nearly 
  impossible without magic, as it was the case here, for the temple 
  was created by a temple of the gods spell (see XGE pg. 167).  
  The temple's walls are decorated with six-pointed snowflake 
  mosaics of blue, violet, and white. A character can identify this 
  as the iconography of Auril, the merciless goddess of winter, 
  with a successful DC 13 Religion check. Most who pay respects 
  to the Frostmaiden do so out of fear. Her priests spend their time 
  warning others to prepare for winter and divining how cruel that 
  winter will be. Her truly devoted clergy are almost as evil as the 
  Frostmaiden herself. Surely, this bastion in the frozen wastes 
  must be inhabited by evil priests.  
  As the adventurers may learn, all visitors are welcome at the 
  temple—but they can never be permitted to leave. The priestess 
  responsible for creating this temple is two castings of temple of 
  the gods away from making the structure permanent.  
  Map. Refer to the map below. Every square equals 5 feet.  
  Temple Properties. Created by the temple of the gods spell, 
  the temple has the following magical properties: 
  • The temple's interior is brightly lit, warm, and perpetually 
  smells of burning incense.  
  • The temple is warded against undead, fey, and fiends, who 
  must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw to enter the 
  temple. Those that succeed are still hindered; whenever they 
  make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check inside the 
  temple, they suffer a d4 penalty.  
  • Creatures within the temple cannot be targeted by divination 
  magic. 
  • Whenever a creature in the temple regains hit points from a 
  spell of 1st level or higher, they gain an extra +3 hit points. 
  • Travel through the Ethereal Plane is blocked by the temple's 
  walls. The temple cannot be dispelled by dispel magic, and 
  antimagic field has no effect on it. However, it is destroyed 
  instantly by a disintegrate spell.  
   
  Guards. Two yetis, cowed by Auril's will and reluctantly 
  subservient to the clergy, prowl the temple's perimeter. They do 
  not attack visitors but instead prevent fugitives from escaping. 
  Most are returned unharmed.   
   
  INHABITANTS 
  The temple is inhabited by the following people:  
  Clergy. Auril's faithful consist of 2d6+4 acolytes, 2d4+2 
  priests (with ice knife prepared instead of guiding bolt) and 1d4 
  +3 veterans. These humans are all neutral evil. The priests feed 
  the temple through create food and water spells.  
  Laity. Those who visit the temple to escape the merciless cold 
  are pressed into service and forced to worship the Frostmaiden. 
  Dissidents are threatened with naked exile into the wastes. The 
  "laity" consist of 1d8+4 NG commoners of assorted races and 
  a LG human scout named Isaac, who approaches the party with 
  his plot to escape. Isaac refuses to leave a single person behind.  
  Auril's Prophet. The aasimar Masra is the temple's leader and 
  creator. She claims to be Auril's "final prophet," a title echoed 
  by the clergy. She believes that there will soon come a titanic 
  reckoning that will swallow the world and that Auril has chosen 
  her to play an instrumental part in its design. Masra is an utter 
  fanatic that believes her own lies. She considers her decisions 
  and actions to be ordained by the goddess and therefore just. 
  For now, her mission is only to prepare for the Reckoning by 
  collecting more followers and captives. Until that fateful day 
  comes, she is content with divining self-perceived omens from 
  the Frostmaiden.  
  None can be allowed to leave the temple, Masra believes, for 
  they are all soldiers or tools of Auril to be utilized one day.  
  Masra is an aasimar war priest with the following changes:  
  • Masra is CR 11 (7,200 XP) 
  • Masra is a 13th-level spellcaster with two 5th-level spell slots 
  (instead of one), and one 6th- and 7th-level spell slot. She has 
  the following additional spells prepared: heal, heroes' feast, 
  raise dead, and temple of the gods.   
  • She has darkvision with a range of 60 feet, and has resistance 
  to both necrotic and radiant damage.  
  • Once per long rest, Masra can touch a creature and restore 13 
  hit points to it.   
  • Once per long rest, Masra can unleash her divine energy. For 
  the next minute, she has a flying speed of 30 feet; and once 
  per turn, when she can deal 13 extra radiant to one target 
  when she damages it with an attack or spell.  
   
   
  
   
  96 
  Auril's Champion. The prophet's will is enforced by Dia Vyl, 
  a LE human blackguard. Years ago, this paladin was stranded 
  in the Arctic after a blizzard separated her from her comrades. 
  She considered it divine justice for her fall from grace—for 
  tolerating evil amongst her companions. Slowly that rot took 
  hold of her heart… but in the frozen wastes, she found not 
  damnation, but acceptance by the Frostmaiden. She has been a 
  fierce hierophant ever since.  
   
  TREASURE 
  The temple's hoard of treasures is marked as "H" on the map. 
  As Masra could never believe she would be threatened or stolen 
  from, the hoard is unguarded. It contains the following:  
  • 1,100 gp and 250 pp 
  • 1d3 diamonds worth 300 gp and a diamond worth 500 gp 
  • A necklace of prayer beads (DMG pg 182) with three beads: 
  a bead of curing and two beads of favor.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  The Frostmaiden demands suffering and penance in the face of 
  unrelenting winter. Sharing her penchant for sadism, the clergy 
  may conspire with Withrens Fyar, the archmage attempting to 
  induce an early ice age; or the elemental cults attempting to 
  summon an elder tempest to blanket the Arctic in a cataclysmic 
  blizzard. See the Dire Winter and Storm of the Century sample 
  storylines for details.  
   
  THELGRYM'S WATCH 
  Tundra Tier I-II 
   
  Towering over the tundra is a fortress carved from ice. This 
  outpost is manned by the glacier dwarves of Clan Aurora. The 
  fort—Thelgrym's Watch—is replete with battlements, arrow 
  slits, and iron doors whose frames are melded into the nigh-
  indestructible ice. The mere sight of this fortress astounds 
  newcomers and veterans of the Arctic alike. With a successful 
  DC 14 History check, a character normally unfamiliar with the 
  glacier dwarves' handiwork can identify the fort as such. 
  The dwarves stationed here keep a vigil for gnolls, giants, and 
  other threats to their homeland. Thelgrym's Watch also serves 
  as a distinct landmark and waystation for travelers, who can 
  camp safely outside the fort's walls and barter with its soldiers. 
  By policing this corner of the Arctic, the dwarves ensure that 
  trade and information flows unabated. Visitors are welcome to 
  Thelgrym's Watch if they present themselves boldly and swear 
  to an oath of nonaggression.  
  Map. See the map below; every square equals 5 feet.  
  Leadership. The Thelgrym that founded this fort is long dead, 
  but his legacy lives on. Every commander of this fort is referred 
  to as "Thelgrym" or "the Thelgrym" for the duration of their 
  command. The current Thelgrym is Lord Soram, eighteenth in 
  the life for the throne, who once famously said, "If seventeen of 
  my betters could just go ahead and die, that'd be grand." Soram 
  is a crass, callous noble loved by most of his soldiers. He has 
  volunteered to man Thelgrym's Watch six times, four of which 
  were under his command. He publicly tells others, "Absence 
  makes the heart grow fonder and Lady Ketra could use one of 
  those." His wife's sporadic visits prove to be a tough time for 
  the dwarves, who oft lament, "I hate it when Mother and Father 
  fight." The fort's glacial walls inhibit most sound but… 
  Garrison. Thelgrym's Watch maintains a minimum of twenty 
  soldiers and a maximum of forty: 1d10+15 guards, one priest, 
  1d6+2 scouts, one bard, 1d3+1 knights, led by the Thelgrym, 
  a noble. They maintain an aviary of messenger hawks. Most of 
  these forces are LG or LN. As glacier dwarves, they have the 
  following racial traits:  
  • They speak Dwarvish, in addition to Common, and have dark-
  vision to a range of 60 feet. 
  • They have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned 
  and resistance to poison damage.  
  • They are naturally adapted for environments of extreme cold. 
   
   
  H 
  
   
  97 
  • They can each cast ray of frost. Once per day, they can cast 
  both ice knife and flame blade (the blade is forged of ice and 
  deals cold damage instead of fire damage). They require no 
  material components for these spells and Intelligence is the 
  spellcasting ability for these spells.   
   
  Treasure. Thelgrym's Watch frequently trades with travelers. 
  They have a hoard of 3d100+200 gp, 6d100+250 sp, and 8d100 
  + 500 cp. They also have up to forty rations for each soldier 
  officially assigned here, plus dozens of casks of mead and ale.   
   
  THELGRYM'S RUIN 
  It is a point of pride among Clan Aurora that no army has ever 
  taken Thelgrym's Watch. That streak, however, is due to end. 
  Insidious cultists of Elemental Evil later burrow beneath the fort 
  and take it unawares. Much of the garrison is slaughtered, but a 
  few brave dwarves fight their way to the aviary to send out one 
  last messenger hawk to Clan Aurora, notifying them of this red 
  takeover. Lord Soram's fate remains a mystery.   
  The cultists belong to chapters of the Cults of the Black Earth 
  and the Howling Hatred, who are the main antagonists of the 
  Storm of the Century storyline. The cult requires a foothold in 
  the Arctic and no stronghold is better than Thelgrym's Watch. 
  Using elemental magic, the Black Earth cultists burrow under-
  neath the fortress and, with their allies, take it unawares.  
  Leadership. The skeletal garrison is led by the glacier dwarf 
  Ketwyn, who was stationed here in her youth, before she sided 
  against her people—and the world itself. She is a howling 
  hatred priest with the same racial traits as the glacier dwarves 
  (see above). She is familiar with Thelgrym Watch's every inch. 
  As its new commander, she insists upon being referred to as 
  "Thelgrym," an honor she never before achieved. The cultists 
  obey, but, much to her chagrin, can't understand the importance 
  of the title.  
  Garrison. Just as suddenly as they came, the cults have left. 
  Eighteen agents were left behind to man the fortress. They 
  consist of eight cultists, four cult fanatics, three black earth 
  guards, two hurricanes, and an air elemental myrmidon 
  conjured by Ketwyn.  
  Treasure. The cultists have little wealth they didn't steal from 
  the dwarves. Notably, Ketwyn carries an elemental gem (blue 
  sapphire) that she can use to summon an air elemental. See 
  DMG pg. 167 for details on this magic item.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  This encounter can be featured twice in your campaign. Perhaps 
  the adventurers first cross the fortress and, in their absence, it 
  falls to the elemental cult. The reverse can be true: should the 
  party root out the cultists from their stolen roost, the rightful 
  owners, the glacier dwarves of Clan Aurora, can return. When 
  the adventurers next come by, they receive a hero's welcome.   
   
  THERE'S ALWAYS A BIGGER BIRD 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier II 
   
  The adventurers sight a wounded mammoth calf (a Large-sized 
  elephant) on the tundra. The poor creature was savaged by a 
  clever roc that is hiding just over the horizon or behind a nearby 
  peak. The bird has engineered a trap for its true prey: a young 
  white adult dragon.  
  While the adventurers tend to the mammoth (if they even 
  bother approaching it), the dragon drops from the sky. It looses 
  its Cold Breath upon the calf, capturing a random number of 
  adventurers in the blast. Determine where these characters 
  stand; those that are opposite side of the mammoth gain three-
  quarters cover. Although the drake's Cold Breath imposes a 
  Constitution saving throw, instead of Dexterity, grant these 
  adventurers a +5 bonus to the check, as the mammoth's body 
  shields much of the icy blast.  
  The dragon is 30 feet above the ground and manages to fly 
  another 60 feet before the end of its turn. On its next turn, the 
  dragon circles around and grapples the mammoth, lifting the 
  screaming beast into the air. If the dragon takes 30 or more 
  points of damage before the start of its next turn, it must make 
  a DC 15 Strength saving throw to hold onto the mammoth. Once 
  the dragon reaches an altitude of 100 feet, the roc emerges from 
  the clouds to attack the drake. The drake drops the mammoth, 
  which takes 10d10 bludgeoning damage. A random number of 
  adventurers are beneath its fall; they must succeed on a DC 14 
  Dexterity saving throw or take 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage 
  from the mammoth.   
  There's a 20% chance that the dragon escapes from the roc. 
  The two soar off in the distance, out of the adventurers' reach. 
  The party may later find the dragon's corpse—a valuable find 
  for any scale-worker. A character can harvest enough of the 
  dragon's scales for a set of white dragon scale (DMG pg. 165) 
  if they succeed on a DC 20 Survival check. Harvesting the 
  scales takes 1d4+2 hours of labor.  
   
   
  
   
  98 
  THE THING  
  Polar Encounter, Tier III 
   
  The adventurers encounter an alien terror previously frozen in 
  stasis below the ice. Like the film of the same name that this 
  encounter is inspired by, the alien originated beyond the stars. 
  Its presence threatens the Arctic, if not the very world.  
  You have three variants to use for this encounter:  
   
  MIND FLAYER ASTRONAUTS  
  The mind flayers' galactic empire stretched across the Material 
  Plane when this world was young. As the empire fell to the gith 
  and other rebels, a nautiloid—a mind flayer spacefaring ship—
  sought refuge on this world but was attacked in the upper 
  atmosphere. The nautiloid was destroyed, but several of its 
  escape shuttles made it to the surface. Most were hunted down 
  by the gith; some slipped away into the Underdark. One ship, 
  however, crashed in the Arctic, where it was buried under an 
  avalanche. Those that did not die on impact froze to death—but 
  not the illithid tadpoles. There in the spawning pool, the 
  tadpoles were frozen and preserved. An illithid tadpole turns a 
  humanoid into a mind flayer by infiltrating the cranium and 
  devouring the host's brain. See Volo's Guide to Monsters pages 
  71-81 for details on mind flayers. 
  Over the centuries, the shuttle—perhaps thanks to geological 
  activity or strange directives that the otherwise dead machine 
  still obeys—has inched towards the surface. By when the party 
  encounters it, it has cracked the ice. Most of the shuttle is still 
  buried, visible under the ice, but a small section leading to the 
  shuttle's only hatch has been thawed away.  
  When running this variant, you must determine whether the 
  adventurers are the first to find the craft, or if a group of scholars 
  and magi did so already, in which case 1d4+2 wizards have 
  become mind flayers who quickly devoured the brains of their 
  former colleagues. They haunt the hills and caves nearby. The 
  adventurers represent a chance to grow their budding colony; 
  should they stun the adventurers, they are quick to insert a 
  tadpole into their nostril or ear canal. Over the next week, these 
  victims become mind flayers.  
  The Shuttle. The shuttle resembles a cuttlefish. Its interior is 
  a 20-foot-long, 5-foot-radius cylinder whose walls are inscribed 
  with Qualith, the strange script of the illithids. Four chairs with 
  straps hold the rotted remains of illithids, whose decomposition 
  was halted by the extreme cold until the craft was exposed. An 
  enclosed fish tank once held 2d6+4 mind flayer tadpoles. Most 
  are dead or still frozen.  
   
  SLAAD SURVIVOR 
  Within the ice lies a seemingly dead blue slaad or red slaad 
  (your choice, see below). Only its upper torso and arms are 
  thawed, reducing its speed to 0 and imposing disadvantage on 
  its Dexterity saving throws, as well as granting advantage on 
  attack rolls against it. As an adventurer approaches to inspect 
  the corpse, the slaad makes two Claw attacks in an attempt to 
  infect its prey with either Chaos Phage or a tadpole egg—the 
  horrific vehicles of slaadi reproduction.  
  The creature is identified as a slaad through a successful DC 
  15 Arcana check. The character recalls that these aberrations 
  hail from the chaos of Limbo. With a result of 20 or higher, they 
  recall that the blue and red slaadi reproduce through horrific 
  methods: the former infecting its victim with a disease that turns 
  them into a slaad outright, the latter inserting a miniscule egg 
  that gestates over the course of three months before bursting 
  from the host's chest.  
  Blue. The slaad's touch carries the infamous disease known 
  as Chaos Phage. Once it takes root in a creature's flesh, it can 
  only be purged through magic. A successful DC 16 Medicine 
  check made after a twenty-minute examination confirms that 
  the malady is magical in origin.  
  Red. The slaad's touch inserts a miniscule egg into its target's 
  bloodstream. An infected character can, over the coming weeks 
  and months, sense an alien presence growing within them with 
  a DC 14 Insight check. The soonest a character can attempt this 
  check is after 2d4+4 weeks. On the seventh day of the twelfth 
  week, a slaad tadpole bursts from its host's chest, killing them 
  instantly.   
   
  THE STAR SPAWN 
  Eons ago, a meteorite struck the world's crust, flung not from 
  the depths of space but the Far Realm itself—a dimension of 
  maddening darkness infested with things that should not be. 
  The meteorite has been buried for countless years, but by dint 
  of recent geological upheavals, the meteorite has been brought 
  closer to the surface. Within the rock, a star spawn larva mage 
  has used its psionic powers to slowly carve its way out from 
  below. Should the thing escape to the surface, it will enthrall 
  mortals and use them to build a portal to the Far Realm so that 
  more of its foul ilk may enter this reality. 
  If the larva mage is slain, it becomes a swarm of insects and 
  attempts to escape; if it isn't slain, the adventurers have merely 
  postponed its dark schemes.  
  Additional Star Spawn. You can challenge your adventurers 
  by adding more star spawn to the encounter: 1d4 star spawn 
  grues and a single star spawn mangler, when combined with 
  the larva mage, can ravage a party of Tier III adventurers.  
  Meteorite. The meteorite is composed not of stone but of a 
  greasy, black material. A humanoid that touches the meteorite 
  must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or succumb 
  to a form of Short-Term Madness (see Appendix C). Even on a 
  success, the person is cursed with horrid nightmares for 1d4+3 
  days; whenever the person sleeps, they must succeed on a DC 
  13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they do not gain the 
  benefits of a long rest.  
  A character proficient with jeweler's tools can create a dark 
  shard amulet from the meteorite through 1d6+4 hours of labor. 
  At the end of this period, the crafter must succeed on a DC 15 
  Intelligence saving throw or gain a form of Indefinite Madness 
  (see Appendix C).  
   
   
  
   
  99 
  THIRTY DAYS OF NIGHT 
  Polar Night Encounter, Tier II 
   
  For one month out of the year, the settlement of Barrow Den 
  experiences only twilight and darkness. While most settlements 
  are founded far from the regions that suffer under polar nights, 
  the people of Barrow Den consider it the cornerstone of their 
  very culture. Each year, their "Thirty Days of Night" are kicked 
  off with a celebration. In the inaugural darkness, people chase 
  after "the Sun," a torchbearer whose goal is to make it from the 
  end of town to the other without letting the fire go out, all while 
  being pelted with snowballs. The event is a time of good cheer 
  for everyone involved.  
  A month of darkness invites all manner of wicked behavior 
  and evil creatures, but almost a decade has gone by without 
  incident. As such, the Night Watch has grown lax—just as the 
  vampire Claudia Orlei expected. As the citizenry celebrate the 
  darkness, she and her harem infiltrate Barrow Den with the aim 
  of turning the town into her own personal farm of cattle.   
  Chronology. When you run this encounter, you must decide 
  just when the adventurers arrive: during the festival or in the 
  aftermath of the vampire's attack. If the party is present for the 
  festival, they might thwart the undead; if not, they've the chance 
  to liberate the town from Claudia's grip.   
  Newcomers. Claudia and her ilk have been laying low since 
  they arrived on the outskirts two weeks ago. They've holed up 
  in an abandoned cabin while her bewitched servants infiltrate 
  Barrow Den. As they came in clumps of three or five, they 
  aroused very little suspicion from the citizenry. They quickly 
  identified the town's most formidable defenders, their aviary of 
  messenger hawks, and where the town keeps its steeds. Slowly, 
  they've disabled the town, preparing it for their master's attack. 
  If the adventures carouse or speak with locals, they may hear 
  any of the following news and rumors: 
  • About twenty newcomers have arrived in the last two weeks, 
  claiming to be travelers or tourists. Their coin is good, but 
  their attitudes are grim and strange.   
  • The aviary's messenger hawks have fallen ill. The aery master 
  is doing his best to save the brood.   
  • Farmer Jenkins's horses got loose the other day; his son must 
  have left the gate open again.  
   
  The adventurers can also confront the newcomers, who hang 
  around the inn and tavern for most of the day. With a successful 
  DC 18 Insight check, a character that spends a minute speaking 
  to them leaves with the impression that they're charmed.   
  Creatures of the Night. Claudia Orlei is a cunning vampire 
  with the spellcasting variant described in the Monster Manual. 
  She is served by 1d3 bandit captains and twenty bandits; all 
  have been charmed by the vampire. Claudia is also joined by 
  her harem of vampire spawn:  
  • Iyana, a half-elf maiden held highest in Claudia's black heart. 
  Obsessed with jewelry, she is adorned with six golden rings, 
  a necklace, and two ankle bracelets (each worth 50 gp).   
  • Harley, a human whose envy of Iyana burns bright enough to 
  fuel elaborate fantasies involving her murder, which would 
  be framed on Kaiden Glade.  
  • Galphine, a rock gnome (with a size of Small and a movement 
  speed of 25 ft.).  
  • Tryssa, a wood elf botanist with 1d4+1 potions of poison on 
  her belt (DMG pg. 188). She has already used three to poison 
  the town's messenger hawks.  
  • Kaiden Glade, a human and Claudia's sole male paramour, the 
  longest—and lowest—of her spawn, to be commanded and 
  abused by her other paramours.   
   
  DARKNESS FALLS 
  Without sunlight to inhibit her, Claudia and her brood wade into 
  town, seemingly as participants of the festival. She arranges her 
  forces in a ring around the town's central square, letting the 
  festival's torchbearer lead the townsfolk closer. Once she gives 
  the word, her bandits and vampire spawn attack; the former 
  attacking with hidden daggers, the others with their fangs. The 
  affair is short and bloody.  
  If the adventurers are present, half of them are attacked from 
  behind by bandits; the others face a vampire spawn. Claudia 
  herself may intervene for a round or two, lobbing a gust of wind 
  or blight spell at the adventurers before busying herself with the 
  town's greatest defenders.   
  In the first three rounds, the panicked crowd surge through 
  the square, making it difficult terrain. Additionally, once per 
  round, there is a 25% chance that an adventurer is trampled by 
  the crowd or knocked over by a fleeing villager. In either case, 
  the adventurer must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw. 
  On a failure, the character is knocked prone and takes 1d4 
  bludgeoning damage.  
  Aftermath. The attack leaves approximately fifty corpses in 
  the town square; another sixty are rounded up by the undead to 
  become living cattle. Many flee into the frozen wastes or make 
  it into a home, where the undead cannot enter uninvited. Unless 
  the adventurers strike the undead down now, Barrow Den is, 
  essentially, destroyed. If they manage to kill Claudia, her spawn 
  become free; Iyana, Harley, and Galphine fight to avenge her, 
  whereas Tryssa and Kaiden leave to chart their own destinies.  
   
  LIGHTS IN THE DARKNESS 
  Several survivors have fled to Saint Anderial, a church devoted 
  to a god of light. In the Forgotten Realms, this deity might be 
  Amaunator, otherwise the god is known only as "The Midnight 
  Sun." Regardless of the deity's true identity, the adventurers can 
  identify his iconography with a DC 14 Religion check. 
  The villagers consist of twenty commoners, twelve children, 
  six guards, two acolytes, and a LG priest named Father Denyk. 
  In his panic, Denyk has barred the doors and extinguished all 
  lights to better hide from the undead; therefore, the villagers are 
  cowering in the dark. Alas, it is only a matter of time before the 
  vampires and their servitors come knocking… 
  
   
  100 
  Hallowed Ground. Undead suffer disadvantage on saving 
  throws while inside Saint Anderial or within 30 feet of its walls.  
  As the church is hallowed ground, the vampires cannot enter 
  unbidden. This does not prevent their bewitched servants from 
  breaking in. The vampires want to preserve as many lives as 
  they can but can resort to arson to draw out the living. They at 
  first wait out the survivors, but soon realize Denyk is keeping 
  his flock fed through spells of create food and water. Claudia 
  decides to focus on dragging villagers from their homes before 
  siccing her servants on Saint Anderial. In the meantime, her 
  servants leave corpses and macabre trophies within sight of the 
  church to break the survivors' will.  
  Mad Priest. As the days go by, Father Denyk begins to lose 
  both his faith and his mind, and with them, his ability to cast 
  spells—namely create food and water. He begins to scorn his 
  deity as sadistic or negligent. He can only be assuaged with a 
  DC 17 Persuasion check; clerics, paladins, and other religious 
  characters have advantage on the roll. On a failure, he loses his 
  faith as well as his Divine Eminence and Spellcasting traits.  
  Dead Rising. Claudia begins to create a host of undead from 
  slain villagers. With every passing day, she raises four zombies 
  through an animate dead spell (PHB pg. 212), casting it at dawn 
  to reassert control over the dead. If the adventurers take the fight 
  to her after dawn, she has already used all her 3rd- and 4th-level 
  spell slots on animate dead spells.   
  Inevitable Conflict. After 1d4+3 days, Claudia loses patience 
  and orders her remaining bandits to storm Saint Anderial. To 
  determine their numbers, subtract 2 plus the number of bandits 
  slain by the adventurers. If the bandits are rebuffed, Claudia has 
  sets fire to the church, driving the survivors out into the cold.  
  Map. Refer to the map above; every square is 5 feet. All outer 
  doors have been barred shut from within, requiring a DC 22 
  Athletics check to break open. Windows are eight feet off the 
  ground, inhibiting those that would break in that way.   
   
   
   
  TOMB OF THE MYTHIC SMITH 
  Tundra Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Dug into the permafrost is the final resting place of a legendary 
  smith buried long ago. Its entrance is little more than a staircase 
  leading underground with a portcullis to keep all but the tiniest 
  beasts out. Within its darkened halls works a necromancer, 
  whose blasphemous rituals have roused the dead.   
  The identity of the buried smith and tomb's architecture are 
  determined by whichever of the two variants you choose. The 
  map and most of its features remain the same. 
  Map. Refer to the map above; every square is 5 feet. The 
  tomb has the following features: 
  • The portcullises leading to Areas A, E and F require a DC 15 
  Athletics check to lift.  
  • Secret doors (marked "S") can be spotted with a successful 
  DC 15 Perception check.  
  • Area A can be accessed from the west and east through a Tiny-
  sized hole in the wall. The smith's stone coffin is marked by 
  a star on the map and requires a successful DC 13 Athletics 
  check to open.   
  • The alcoves of Area B sport a greatsword and plate armor, 
  forged from steel or glacial ice, depending on the variant you 
  choose below. The other two masterpieces were stolen or 
  destroyed long ago.  
  • Area E and F contain the bones of the smith's most devoted 
  apprentices. 
   
   
  
   
  101 
  Necromancer. The high elf Thelamyn plundered this tomb to 
  practice his dark art in secret. The tomb had few traps, and his 
  trusty knock spell has triumphed over the rusted portcullises. He 
  was already discovered by other visitors to the tomb (described 
  in the variants below), and he was forced to cast circle of death. 
  During the battle, a warrior knocked the black pearl powder (the 
  material component for circle of death) from Thelamyn's hand, 
  scattering it across the chamber. He now lacks the component 
  for circle of death and can't cast that spell in this encounter.  
  Thelamyn intends to raise these 1d4+2 visitors (dwarves or 
  urskans) as ghouls once he masters the create undead spell.   
  As a high elf, Thelamyn has the following racial traits: 
  • He has darkvision to a range of 60 feet.  
  • He has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and 
  magic cannot put him to sleep. 
  • He knows the friends cantrip. Intelligence is his spellcasting 
  ability for the spell (DC 15).  
   
  Treasure. Thelamyn carries a pouch of 2d10+45 gp, a spell-
  book containing all the spell's he's prepared, and a black glass 
  orb that serves as his arcane focus, which is worth 50 gp.  
   
  TOMB OF THE FIRST MASTER 
  This tomb is devoted to the First Master, the urskan blacksmith 
  that pioneered metallurgy among his people in ancient times. 
  The urskans (an ursine folk described in Urskan Pilgrim) revere 
  and even worship the First Master as a deity of the forge. Here 
  he was buried in antiquity, honored by pilgrims each year. No 
  priests maintain this tomb; the First Master specifically forbade 
  it on his deathbed; in typical utilitarian urskan fashion, he cited 
  the waste of manpower it would be to watch over a crypt.   
  Architecture. The tomb is fashioned from stone and banded 
  with decorative strips of iron, which has rusted over. The walls 
  are also decorated with the iconography associated with the 
  religion surrounding the First Master. As an obscure deity, this 
  iconography can be identified by non-urskans with a DC 17 
  Religion check.  
  The Dead. Areas E and F contain 2d4+6 urskan skeletons—
  the First Master's fabled apprentices. These corpses count as 
  minotaur skeletons if animated by necromancy. By when the 
  adventurers enter the tomb, Thelamyn has already raised half 
  the corpses and set them to patrolling the halls.   
  The Shrine. Area C is a shrine to the First Master, decorated 
  with rusted hammers, tongs, and other blacksmithing tools. The 
  floor is lined with a great mosaic depicting an urskan working 
  at the forge while warriors clad in his arms and armor hold off 
  several enemies: a manticore, a dragon, a yeti, and a snow elf. 
  The shrine is soaked in subtle magic; an urskan character that 
  prays here for 10 minutes can cast the divination spell without 
  expending material components, putting them in contact with 
  the First Master's divine spirit.  
  The shrine is hallowed ground (as in the hallow spell, PHB 
  pg. 249), making it a safe place from the undead.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  TOMB OF THE GLACIAL ARCHITECT  
  The tomb is dedicated to Hulnar Aurora, the glacier dwarves' 
  most revered artificer and master of glacial magic. Six centuries 
  ago, Hulnar was captured by the snow elves, who tortured him 
  for twelve years. Not once did he give up the secrets of glacial 
  magic, knowing that to do so was to condemn his kin to a life 
  under an elven heel. Tragically, Hulnar died in captivity—and 
  his death sparked a crusade so bloody, it set the elves back forty 
  years. Surrendering Hulnar's bones was one of the key demands 
  made by the dwarves. They soon built this tomb in his honor.  
  A character can recall this tale with a successful DC 15 History 
  check; glacier dwarves know it by heart.  
  Architecture. The tomb is carved from glacial ice that gives 
  off a soft, azure light, which dimly lights the tomb. The walls 
  can be destroyed; they have an AC of 15, immunity to poison, 
  cold, and psychic damage, vulnerability to fire damage, and 
  resistance to all other damage. A 10-foot-section of ice has 50 
  hit points. Doors and portcullises in the tomb have the same 
  statistics.   
  The Dead. Hulnar was not the only frost mason captured by 
  the snow elves; other artificer prisoners of war are buried here 
  as well. In Areas E and F, their bones are stacked in alcoves or 
  in coffins. There are enough skeletons here for a necromancer 
  to raise 2d6+8 skeletons.  
  The Memorial. Area C is a memorial devoted to Hulnar and 
  other artificers. Hulnar's frost mason tools (which consist of 
  chisels and hammers carved in runes) are lain on the memorial, 
  preserved under a layer of ice. The snow elves are willing to 
  pay 500 gp for these tools, falsely believing they can be used to 
  better research glacial magic.  
   
  ARMY OF THE DEAD 
  If you're running the Army of the Damned storyline, the elf is a 
  member of the Cult of the Newly Dead, the necromancers and 
  nihilists that have thrown their lot in with the Flayed Queen, the 
  undead sovereign that seeks to unite this world in death.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  102 
  TRAVELER'S RESPITE 
  Mountain Encounter, Tier II 
   
  Traveler's Respite is the region's oldest inn and the artery that 
  keeps this corner of the Arctic warm and alive. Those cross this 
  harrowing mountain range would surely die without The 
  Respite's hospitality. The inn has weathered six generations and 
  countless blizzards. Whenever it needs repairs or supplies, 
  nearby settlements send men and food to repay the inn for the 
  lives it once saved—lives that went on instead to sire children 
  and grandchildren that are still alive today. Ownership changes 
  every few years; the inn is isolated and taxing on the spirit. 
  Little do regional authorities know that Traveler's Respite has 
  been taken over by a disguised bheur hag.  
  The hag can sense when travelers come near the inn. With her 
  fey magic, she worsens the weather to force the adventurers to 
  stay at the inn. She charges them a pittance for room and board, 
  explaining that Traveler's Respite is about saving lives, not 
  turning a profit. She charges 2 sp every night they stay—and 
  she can expect them to stay at least 1d4+1 days if they heed the 
  threat of her spellwrought blizzard.   
  Map. Refer to the map to the right for this encounter. Every 
  square equals 5 feet.  
   
  LONE MIYARETH  
  This bheur hag has manned Traveler's Respite for the last year. 
  So great is her magic that she can cast disguise self at will. Only 
  through truesight or by catching her asleep can one see her true 
  form: a pale and emaciated hag with rotten teeth and fingers as 
  long as daggers. In her disguise, she presents herself as a frail, 
  hunched-over old woman with but tufts of thin hair left to her 
  head. No matter her form, Miyareth's breath reeks.   
  Miyareth's mask slips off slowly the longer the adventurers 
  stay at the inn, for she wants them to discover her true nature. 
  It begins with a mole on her cheek, the hairs of which creep 
  outward like a toddler's curious fingers. Then her hair thins even 
  further, and her hunch becomes less pronounced. Slowly, her 
  skin takes on a blue tinge, as if she had been out in the cold for 
  too long.  
  Roleplaying Miyareth. The hag kills with kindness; she has 
  a knack for worming her way into others' hearts to avoid blame 
  and suspicion. She enjoys knitting socks for guests (which she 
  can use for future scrying or locate object spells), braiding hair, 
  and serving tea. Although she has no oracular powers, or claims 
  to, Miyareth makes up predictions just to unnerve her guests. 
  Her first prediction is the blizzard she herself conjures. Other 
  examples include: 
  • "A blizzard's due, I promise. You get to my age and you can 
  feel bad weather in your very bones." 
  • "You remind me much of my niece: hair and smiles all… May 
  you find all the peace she did…"  
  • "I was organizing your belongings; this coil of rope is frayed, 
  my dear. Careful not to fall to your doom."  
  • "The last scoundrel I met was hanged for theft. Couldn't keep 
  his fingers off my pastries either."  
   
  THE INN 
  Traveler's Respite is a spacious cabin with two floors and a 
  small cellar (not featured on the map). Notable locations are 
  marked and briefly detailed below: 
  A. This living room is decorated in an assortment of trinkets. 
  Roll on the Trinkets table on pg. 159 of the PHB whenever a 
  character takes a closer look at the cabinet. One notable trinket 
  is a sealed, empty jar; if opened, the person nearest to the jar 
  recalls the gruesome deaths of all Miyareth's victims.   
  B. Miyareth spends much of her time in this kitchen, baking 
  pastries and venison meatpies (which she knows adventurers 
  will suspect of poison; she adds humanoid meat after she has 
  gained their trust) and preparing tea, which she refrains from 
  poisoning.   
  C. These guest rooms are furnished with wool duvets. Most 
  sheets are clean, but all have yellowed with age; Miyareth goes 
  to great pains to wash out any spilled blood. She has, however, 
  missed one sheet stained with a small smattering of old blood. 
  The character sleeping in this bed must succeed on a DC 18 
  Perception check to notice the blood. If confronted, Miyareth 
  makes up an excuse—a menstruating guest, a wounded hunter, 
  et cetera. Contest her Deception check against the party's 
  Insight check. If she fails, the opposing character can tell that 
  the woman's faking concern over this discovery, as if it doesn't 
  bother her.  
   
   
  A 
  B 
  C 
  D 
  
   
  103 
  D. The master bedroom belongs to Miyareth. She has warded 
  it with an alarm spell that mentally alerts her when someone 
  other than herself or Thamul cross the door's threshold. A rug 
  of smothering is spread before the door; it attacks intruders that 
  attempt to leave the room, but only if the closet was opened. 
  Inside the closet is a black box containing multiple effigies of 
  yarn, wood, and either clipped fingernails, a lock of hair, or red-
  stained wool. While holding one of these effigies, Miyareth can 
  cast bestow curse (DC 14) once per seven days, targeting the 
  person the effigy is modeled after, so long as they're on the same 
  plane of existence as her. With every passing night, there is an 
  aggregate 25% chance that she has created an effigy of a party 
  member, incorporating their hair, nails, or blood. If these are 
  found, Miyareth sheds her disguise and all pretense to turn on 
  her guests.   
  Cellar. The cellar is accessible from outside. Casks of beer 
  and mead line the walls, each weighing 50 pounds. Behind one 
  cask is a freshly mortared wall whose distinction can be noticed 
  with a passive Perception score of 14 or higher. Behind this wall 
  are the half-devoured corpses of Miyareth's previous victims, 
  numbering eight in all. So decayed, one cannot determine the 
  race or gender of the corpses. To gain access behind the wall 
  requires smashing it open with a blunt implement or a pickaxe.   
   
  THE BLIZZARD 
  Miyareth conjures a blizzard with control weather to trap her 
  guests at the inn—solely to see what sort of people they become 
  when faced with starvation and isolation. When her magic has 
  run its course, or when she has grown tired of this experiment, 
  the blizzard ceases. Guests that resorted to evil, or showed just 
  how ugly they truly are inside, are spared. Those that remained 
  good and true earn the hag's scorn; as they rest one final night 
  at the inn, she attacks.  
  As the days go by, Miyareth stages accidents—a sudden fire, 
  scalding someone with spilled tea—and grim discoveries, such 
  as rats (which she summoned herself) devouring the last of the 
  food. She wants only to nudge guests to their breaking point.  
   
  IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 
  You can be certain that your players will be instantly suspicious 
  of a lone old woman, assuming her to be a hag or other monster. 
  Miyareth must lay low for a number of days to earn their trust 
  before she begins to screw with the party. She might call upon 
  other minions to ravage, such as the yeti, to shift attention from 
  herself.  
   
  TUNDRA HALFLING TRAVELERS 
  Taiga or Tundra Encounter, Tier I 
   
  The tundra halflings are full of wanderlust, and to embark on a 
  trip around the Arctic is considered a rite of passage. Each year, 
  typically during the summer months, a village announces a 
  "Journey" in which volunteers from neighboring villages gather 
  to form a pseudo-tribe that will tour the region. The tribe camps 
  under the light of the aurora, drinks in the sights, and shares a 
  truly unique experience. Following a well-established route, the 
  tribe stops at other tundra halfling villages to trade their labor 
  for lodgings and to stock up on provisions.  
  The entire event is one of good cheer—but the halflings are 
  not fools. They know that the world is a dangerous place, but to 
  stand boldly before the shadow is at the heart of their culture. 
  While the youth enjoy the journey, veterans guard the tribe's 
  flanks and elders handle internal disputes.   
  The adventurers come upon the tribe—a train of halflings 
  arranged into two columns with guards roaming the flanks. This 
  particular tribe consists of twenty-two commoners, 2d6+4 
  guards, 1d4+4 veterans mounted on mastiffs, and three elders 
  (nobles bereft of arms and armor (AC 11)). They also have six 
  mules saddled with their most important gear.  
  The tundra halflings have the following racial traits:  
  • They are Small, have a speed of 25 feet, and can move through 
  the space of any creature larger than them.  
  • Whenever a halfling rolls a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, 
  or saving throw, they can reroll the die, must use the new roll. 
  • A halfling has advantage on all saving throws made against 
  being frightened.  
  • They read, write, and speak Common and Halfling.  
  • A tundra halfling can cast prestidigitation and create bonfire. 
  The non-commoners can cast pyrotechnics once per day as 
  well. Wisdom is their spellcasting ability for these spells.  
   
  Variants. When you run this encounter, determine the mood 
  and wellbeing of the tribe.   
   
  GOOD CHEER AND BETTER WARMTH 
  The halflings are in good spirits; either they have only recently 
  embarked, or they have proven resilient in the face of adversity. 
  Perhaps they've not even met a challenge at all yet, thanks to 
  their people's otherworldly luck.  
  In this variant, the halflings welcome the adventurers to their 
  camp, sharing mead and mirth. They're rabid for gallant stories 
  or accounts describing distant lands. They're due to reach the 
  next halfling village, Snowhollow, in 2d4+2 days if the weather 
  remains civil. Should the adventurers wish to accompany them 
  to the village, all the better.  
  While traveling with the halflings, the adventurers only need 
  to consume half their usual rate of rations; the halflings are 
  more than happy to share their food. Each night is spent with 
  dazzling fireworks and warm drinks (thanks to prestidigitation 
  and pyrotechnics spells). By when the adventurers part ways 
  with the tribe, they each gain Inspiration, which must be used 
  within the next week.   
   
   
   
  
   
  104 
  ON HARD TIMES 
  The tribe has suffered hard times as of late. The halflings are 
  sullen, marching quietly to their next destination. The cause of 
  their misery may be: 
  • 1d4+3 quicklings are terrorizing the tribe; their antics have 
  graduated from mischief to debilitating theft. Maps have been 
  stolen, casks drained, and mules let loose. The fey strike so 
  fast that the guards have little time to react. 
  • 1d6+2 darklings and a darkling elder have been visiting the 
  tribe in the dead of night, stealing curios, trinkets, and works 
  of art. The fey murdered three guards after being discovered 
  one night. The meager funeral is scheduled for today.   
  • A pack of 2d4+4 wolves and a dire wolf have been following 
  the tribe, picking off scouts and wandering into the camp at 
  night. Until they are slain, the tribe can find no peace.  
  • A doppelganger murdered and replaced Amelia Brightheart. 
  The creature was cursed with an aggressive cancer—thanks 
  to a hag's hex—that grows whenever it fails to bring misery 
  and suffering to others. It fled to the tundra after a warband 
  of glacier dwarves discovered its secret, wherein it found the 
  halflings. It has been sabotaging the tribe for weeks now by 
  breaking hearts (in the guise of one's lover), spoiling meals, 
  and murdering pets. Elder Osborn suspects the presence of a 
  saboteur, and Amelia's lover, Perrin, suspects something off 
  about "Amelia."   
  • Thanks to mismanagement and general greed, the rations have 
  been depleted. Scouts were sent to forage and hunt but have 
  yet to return. The slashed corpse of one scout can be found 
  2d4 miles back. Analyzing the corpse reveals that his heart 
  has been ripped out; with a successful DC 14 Arcana check, 
  a character recalls that this is a peryton's modus operandi. 
  The peryton's nest can be found on a cliffside cave over-
  looking the sea or on a distant peak 3d10+15 miles away. The 
  nest is too high up for the other three scouts to climb down 
  or jump from. Rescuing them raises the tribe's spirits; writing 
  them off as dead gives them the closure they need to continue 
  traveling on meager rations.  
   
  Halflings are brave and resilient folk, and this pseudo-tribe of 
  wanderers is no different. Should the tribe's crisis be solved, the 
  halflings will bounce back—for adversity is the very stuff of 
  adventure, and it is adventure that the halflings signed on for.   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  105 
  ULDRA CATTLE RUSTLER 
  Mountain or Urban Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Uldras are the bane of farmers across the Arctic, where a sheep's 
  wool can mean the difference between life and death. These 
  diminutive, blue-skinned arctic fey are fervent defenders of the 
  natural world. They consider few crimes as terrible as "animal 
  slavery" and will go to great lengths to "liberate" livestock.  
  An uldra known as Icecap has recently freed a flock of sheep 
  from their vile prison, a farm outside Manavik, a small human 
  settlement described in Manavik Under Fire. Without the 
  sheep, the village will either freeze or starve in the depths of 
  winter. News of the raid spreads quickly and the jarl puts out a 
  bounty of 50 gp for whomever returns the flock or brings the 
  cattle rustler to justice.  
  The flock can be tracked through a successful DC 13 Survival 
  check, which takes an hour. The trail leads to an expanse of hills 
  the sheep are stubbornly trying to find grass in. Frolicking at the 
  heart of the flock is Icecap, who considers the sheep his kin and 
  kith. He bitterly opposes any attempts to return them and is 
  willing to die on that hill. 
  Roleplaying Icecap. The fey creature is a well-intentioned 
  thief who considers animals the greatest jewels of the natural 
  world. Like all uldras, he is able to fly into a terrible rage in one 
  moment and become perfectly calm in the next. Most mortals 
  consider this lunacy; the fey consider it a normal trait.  
  You can voice Icecap with the sample dialogue below: 
  • "The name's Icecap; I chose it as a wee boy when I first laid 
  eyes on a glacier. It was my third name, after Wolfbrother 
  and Aurora. What names have you garnered?"  
  • "Respect Nature or be trampled by it."  
  • "You're nothing more than executioners! Criminals! Or worse, 
  bystanders! How can you be so indifferent to the suffering of 
  the innocent, you sickening—"  
   
  When Icecap sees the adventurers, he offers them a hearty 
  greeting, speaking in perfect Common. If confronted over the 
  "liberation," he flies into a rage and snarls, "These simple folk 
  don't deserve to live in bondage or die in an abattoir!" Unless 
  he is calmed down with a DC 18 Persuasion check, he attacks. 
  To his credit, he fights to the bitter end, and, with his dying 
  breath, condemns the adventurers as "murderers most foul." 
  The only peaceful solution Icecap will agree to is sparing the 
  sheep's execution until they reach old age. He can tolerate their 
  captivity, if their conditions are improved, and he can tolerate 
  shearing their wool. To convince him of this requires a DC 15 
  Persuasion check.   
   
   
  URSKAN PILGRIM 
  Character Encounter, Tier I 
   
  The urskans are an ursine folk that dwell deep within the Arctic. 
  Metallurgy is at the heart of their religion and culture, and their 
  works can rival even the dwarves'. The craft is so entwined with 
  their day-to-day lives that every urskan youth is expected to 
  apprentice under a blacksmith for a year. No figure is more 
  revered in urskan culture than the First Master, who pioneered 
  metallurgy among his people and later ascended to divinity. 
  Each year, urskan pilgrims pay their respects at the Tomb of the 
  First Master (see Tomb of the Mythic Smith). A character can 
  recall this with a successful DC 16 History check.  
  Rel'bha Vi'ckagha'la is one of these pilgrims and he has been 
  on his own for nearly three weeks now. He was separated from 
  his peers by a sentient blizzard (see Living Blizzard). Trusting 
  that they would continue trekking towards the tomb, Rel'bha 
  has decided to soldier on by his lonesome.   
  Statistics. Rel'bha is a priest with the following changes:  
  • He has a Strength of 16 (3+), raising his Mace attack to +5 to 
  hit and 8 (1d6+3) bludgeoning damage.  
  • His unarmed strikes deal 5 (1d4+3) slashing damage on a hit.  
  • He counts as one size larger when determining his carrying 
  capacity and the weight he can push, drag, or lift.   
  • He is adapted for areas of extreme cold.  
  • He has advantage on Stealth checks to remain hidden while in 
  snowy terrain.  
  • He can read, write, and speak Urskan, a language composed 
  of syllables and growls (indicated by an apostrophe or dash 
  when written in another language's script).  
  • He wears chain mail and a shield, both of which he himself 
  forged, raising his AC to 18.  
  • He has the following extra spells prepared: elemental weapon, 
  heat metal, identify, magic weapon, protection from energy, 
  and searing smite.  
   
  Meeting the Pilgrim. When the adventurers encounter the 
  urskan, he is busy battling against a yeti with 43 hit points left. 
  Rel'bha himself is at 20 hit points. A successful DC 14 Arcana 
  check identifies him as an urskan. As the adventurers watch, the 
  priest's mace becomes wreathed in fire, causing the yeti to howl 
  in fear (Rel'bha casts searing smite on his turn).   
  In the aftermath of the battle, Rel'bha greets the adventurers 
  curtly and displays suspicion. A successful DC 14 Insight check 
  grants the following insight: he is not spoiling for a fight but is 
  ready to oblige the fool that dares try him.  
  Treasure. Rel'bha wears a holy symbol made of iron worth 
  25 gp, as well as 1d4+2 pieces of bronze or iron jewelry each 
  worth 10 gp. He also has an explorer's pack with 1d4+5 rations. 
  Roleplaying Rel'bha. Like most urskans, Rel'bha is a grim-
  faced utilitarianism with a deep appreciation for metallurgy. He 
  has been raised to always consider the needs of the many before 
  the needs of the few (hence why he did not try to reunite with 
  his companions), as exemplified by the urskhan adage, "If the 
  tribe is well…"  
  In rolling Common marked by high- and low-pitched growls, 
  Rel'bha explains, "I am on my way to pay respects to the First 
  Master, deity and patron of my people. If you appreciate the 
  forge and hammer, or wish to gain an appreciation for it, I bid 
  you to join me." A character recalls the First Master with a DC 
  16 Religion check.  
  If the adventurers agree, Rel'bha leads them on a journey that 
  takes 1d4+1 days. Thereafter, run Tomb of the Mythic Smith.  
  
   
  106 
  WORG SLEDS 
  Polar Encounter, Tier I 
   
  Since their discovery of the dog sled, the Arctic's goblinoids 
  have entered a golden age of travel and pillaging. Using worgs, 
  they can speed across the snow faster than any dog sled. You 
  have two variants for this encounter: 
   
  RAIDERS OF THE FROZEN WASTES 
  A chorus of devilish shrieks echo out across the snow; over the 
  hill bounds a pair of worgs—nay, three pairs of worgs, each 
  slavering and encrusted with fresh snow. Upon the sled that the 
  beasts pull are goblinoids: a bugbear and 1d4+2 goblins, all 
  howling and brandishing shortbows, javelins, and crude lances. 
  At your discretion, this sled is just one of 1d4 and one bugbear 
  is a bugbear chief.  
  Tactics. The goblinoids and their worgs employ these tactics: 
  • The worgs pull the sled at a speed of 40 feet; they use the 
  Dodge action while in combat or the Dash action if they need 
  to close the gap on prey or flee. The sled can only go as fast 
  as the slowest worg.   
  • One goblin must use their action to guide the sled, acting as 
  the musher. The remaining goblins pepper their foes with 
  arrows and slings.  
  • The bugbear wields a lance (+4 to hit, 9 (1d12+2) piercing 
  damage on a hit; has disadvantage if the target is within 5 ft.) 
  that it uses when within 10 feet; otherwise, it throws one of 
  its 1d4+6 javelins.  
   
  Treasure. The goblinoids have already pillaged today, but the 
  pickings were meager. Every sled has 2d10+15 gp, 3d8+11 sp, 
  and 4d12+22 cp; 2d4+2 rations, and 1d3 random adventurer 
  packs (see PHB pg. 151). One has also taken a set of cast-off 
  splint armor (XGE pg. 136) from a slain adventurer.  
   
  FERRY OF THE FROZEN WASTES 
  An innovative band of goblinoids have learned that rather than 
  raid the Arctic, they can make an easy profit ferrying across it. 
  Signs across the region point towards this "Ferry of the Frozen 
  Wastes" in Goblin, Common, and crude Dwarvish runes.  
  The enterprise is headed by Sarg Penguin-snatcher, a goblin 
  boss who can always be found with a wax tablet, upon which 
  invoices are spread. On his belt is a coinpurse with 4d6+6 gp, 
  12d8+16 sp, and 4d6+24 cp, all clanging together. He charges 
  25 gp per sled per day, but can be convinced to lower his price 
  to 15 gp with a successful DC 14 Persuasion check.  
  Sarg's enterprise is protected by four bugbears and up to six 
  goblins (who account for his mushers). The goblinoids shelter 
  from the cold in a spacious cabin that they've been renovating 
  these last four months. Sarg offers a 5 gp discount to carpenters 
  who lend their expertise and tools to help the goblinoids better 
  their new home.  
  Sarg has six sleds, each with four worgs and a goblin apiece. 
  Stronger than hounds, a single team can pull a combined weight 
  of 480 pounds; the sled accounts for 250 pounds; the goblin 
  averages 70 pounds when clad in heavy furs. A single sled can 
  cover ten miles a day.  
  Roleplaying Worgs. These sapient monsters speak Goblin, as 
  well as a language of their own. Evil is in their very nature, but 
  the promise of profits has convinced them from pouncing on 
  customers. They bemoan their working conditions, the weather, 
  and their passengers; the goblinoid musher controlling them can 
  understand much of what they say, even when they're snarling 
  in Worg. The musher often answers, "Yeah, yeah, see where 
  unionizing gets you…"  
   
   
  WOUNDED SLED DOGS 
  Polar Encounter, Tier I 
   
  The wind shifts, carrying canine whimpers. An adventurer that 
  succeeds on a DC 13 Perception check can hear the frightened 
  beasts, which are huddled beneath a snowdrift two hundred feet 
  away. The scene is grim: six mastiffs are lashed to a shattered 
  dog sled, with another two dead hounds nearby, their intestines 
  draped across the snow. Tracks and red smears lead to the east. 
  A person that approaches within 5 feet of a hound is snapped 
  at (+3 to hit, 1d6+1 piercing dmg.). A successful DC 15 Animal 
  Handling check calms the hounds down, allowing characters to 
  safely undo their harnesses and inspect their wounds. The dogs' 
  pelts are coated in light frost; some have been scraped by claws 
  and one has been bitten, but the wound is shallow. A character 
  can bind the wound with a DC 11 Medicine check; on a failure, 
  the hound lashes out in pain.  
  Fresh snow is already beginning to fall, giving the party little 
  time to analyze or inspect the tracks. With a successful DC 14 
  Nature check, a character can confirm they aren't bear or wolf 
  tracks but reptilian in nature. With a DC 14 Survival check, one 
  can follow the tracks to a nearby ice cave where a white dragon 
  wyrmling is feasting on a dead elf.  
  The wyrmling is missing a wing, which was severed from an 
  adventurer last year. Robbed of its birthright, the wyrmling has 
  taken to trotting across the frozen wastes, ambushing prey from 
  inside snowdrifts or burrowing up from below.  
  The cave is littered with six, half-eaten corpses: a halfling, 
  three humans, and two dwarves. The wyrmling has piled their 
  valuables into one single heap and buried it in snow. To find 
  this meager hoard requires a DC 14 Investigation check.  
  Treasure. The wyrmling's hoard consists of 2d10+16 gp, 3d8 
  + 12 sp, and 4d12+21 cp, as well as a holy symbol devoted to 
  Lathander, a whistle whittled from a gold-colored wood, and a 
  driftglobe (DMG pg. 166).  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  107 
  APPENDIX A: CREATURE INDEX 
   
  The creatures below are featured in this supplement; see their 
  respective manual for statistics.  
   
   
   
  Aarakocra............................... MM 12 
  Abjurer ............................... VGM 209 
  Aboleth .................................. MM 13 
  Abominable yeti  .................. MM 306 
  Acolyte ................................ MM 342 
  Adult white dracolich ............. App. B 
  Adult white dragon .............. MM 101 
  Air elemental ....................... MM 124 
  Air elemental myrmidon ..... MTF 202 
  Alhoon ............................... VGM 162 
  Allosaurus .............................. MM 79 
  Ancient silver dragon ........... MM 116 
  Ancient white dragon ........... MM 100 
  Animated armor ..................... MM 19 
  Anklyosaurus ......................... MM 79 
  Ape ...................................... MM 317 
  Apprentice wizard .............. VGM 209 
  Archdruid ........................... VGM 210 
  Archer ................................ VGM 210 
  Archmage............................. MM 342 
  Assassin ............................... MM 343 
  Aurochs .............................. VGM 207 
  Awakened tree ..................... MM 317 
  Azer ....................................... MM 22 
  Baboon ................................. MM 318 
  Bandit .................................. MM 343 
  Bandit captain ...................... MM 344 
  Banshee .................................. MM 23 
  Bard ................................... VGM 211 
  Barlgura ................................. MM 56 
  Behir ...................................... MM 25 
  Beholder................................. MM 28 
  Beholder zombie .................. MM 316 
  Berserker .............................. MM 344 
  Bheur hag ........................... VGM 160 
  Black bear ............................ MM 318 
  Black earth guard ................... App. B 
  Black earth priest ................... App B. 
  Blackguard ......................... VGM 211 
  Blue slaad ............................ MM 276 
  Boggle................................ VGM 128 
  Brontosaurus ...................... VGM 139 
  Brown bear .......................... MM 319 
  Bugbear .................................. MM 33 
  Bugbear chief ......................... MM 33 
  Bulette.................................... MM 34 
  Bulezau ............................... MTF 131 
  Cat ....................................... MM 320 
  Cave bear ............................. MM 334 
  Centaur .................................. MM 38 
  Champion........................... VGM 212 
  Chasme .................................. MM 57 
  Chuul ..................................... MM 40 
  Cloud giant .......................... MM 154 
  Commoner ........................... MM 345 
  Conjurer ............................. VGM 212 
  Couatl .................................... MM 43 
  Crushing wave priest.............. App. B 
  Crushing wave reaver ............ App. B 
  Cult fanatic .......................... MM 345 
  Cultist .................................. MM 345 
  Dark tide knight ..................... App. B 
  Darkling ............................. VGM 134 
  Darkling elder .................... VGM 134 
  Death dog ............................. MM 321 
  Death knight........................... MM 47 
  Death slaad .......................... MM 278 
  Deathlock ............................ MTF 128 
  Deathlock mastermind ........ MTF 129 
  Deathlock wight .................. MTF 129 
  Deep scion ......................... VGM 135 
  Deinonychus ...................... VGM 139 
  Dire troll ............................. MTF 243 
  Dire wolf ............................. MM 321 
  Diviner .............................. VGM 213 
  Doppelganger ........................ MM 82 
  Dragon turtle ....................... MM 119 
  Drow.................................... MM 128 
  Drow elite warrior ............... MM 128 
  Drow house captain ............ MTF 184 
  Drow mage .......................... MM 129 
  Drow matron mother .......... MTF 186 
  Drow priestess of Lolth ....... MM 129 
  Drow shadowblade ............. MTF 187 
  Druid ................................... MM 346 
  Duergar ................................ MM 122 
  Duergar despot ................... MTF 188 
  Dybbuk ............................... MTF 132 
  Eagle.................................... MM 322 
  Earth elemental .................... MM 124 
  Efreeti .................................. MM 145 
  Elder tempest ...................... MTF 200 
  Elk ....................................... MM 322 
  Empyrean ............................ MM 130 
  Enchanter ........................... VGM 213 
  Eternal flame guardian............ App. B 
  Eternal flame priest................. App. B 
  Ettercap ............................... MM 131 
  Evoker ............................... VGM 214 
  Fire elemental ...................... MM 125 
  Firenewt warlock of Imix .. VGM 143 
  Firenewt warrior ................ VGM 143 
  Flamewrath ............................. App. B 
  Flind .................................. VGM 153 
  Frost giant ............................ MM 155 
  Frost giant  
     everlasting one ................ VGM 148 
  Frost salamander ................. MTF 223 
  Galeb duhr ........................... MM 139 
  Gauth ................................. VGM 125 
  Ghoul ................................... MM 148 
  Giant ape ............................. MM 323 
  Giant eagle........................... MM 324 
  Giant elk .............................. MM 325 
  Giant shark .......................... MM 328 
  Giant spider ......................... MM 328 
  Giant strider ....................... VGM 143 
  Giant wasp ........................... MM 329 
  Giant wolf spider ................. MM 330 
  Girallon ............................. VGM 152 
  Githzerai zerth ..................... MM 161 
  Glabrezu ................................ MM 58 
  Gladiator .............................. MM 346 
  Gloom weaver .................... MTF 224 
  Gnoll.................................... MM 163 
  Gnoll fang of Yeenoghu ...... MM 163 
  Gnoll flesh gnawer ............ VGM 154 
  Gnoll hunter....................... VGM 154 
  Gnoll pack lord .................... MM 163 
  Goat ..................................... MM 330 
  Goblin .................................. MM 166 
  Goblin boss .......................... MM 166 
  Green hag ............................ MM 177 
  Griffon ................................. MM 174 
  Grung elite warrior ............ VGM 157 
  Guard ................................... MM 347 
  Gynosphinx ......................... MM 282 
  Hadrosaurus ....................... VGM 140 
  Half-ogre ............................. MM 238 
  Half-red dragon veteran ....... MM 180 
  Helmed horror ..................... MM 183 
  Hezrou ................................... MM 60 
  Hobgoblin devastator .........VGM 161 
  Hook horror .......................... MM 189 
  Howling hatred initiate ........... App. B 
  Howling hatred priest ............. App. B 
  Hurricane ............................... App. B 
  Hyena ................................... MM 331 
  Ice mephit ............................ MM 215 
  Illusionist ...........................VGM 214 
  Imp ......................................... MM 76 
  Jackalwere ............................ MM 193 
  Killer whale .......................... MM 331 
  Knight .................................. MM 347 
  Kobold ................................. MM 195 
  Kobold dragonshield ..........VGM 165 
  Kobold scale sorcerer .........VGM 165 
  Korred ................................VGM 168 
  Kraken .................................. MM 197 
  Leucrotta ............................VGM 169 
  Lich ...................................... MM 202 
  Living ice knife ...................... App. B 
  Living ice storm ..................... App. B 
  Living snowball swarm .......... App. B 
  Mage .................................... MM 347 
  Magmin ................................ MM 212 
  Mammoth ............................. MM 332 
  Manticore ............................. MM 213 
  Marid.................................... MM 146 
  Martial arts adept ...............VGM 216 
  Master thief ........................VGM 216 
  Mastiff .................................. MM 332 
  Medusa ................................. MM 214 
  Meenlock ...........................VGM 170 
  Merfolk ................................ MM 218 
  Merrow ................................ MM 219 
  Mimic ................................... MM 220 
  Mind flayer .......................... MM 222 
  Minotaur skeleton ................ MM 273 
  Mule ..................................... MM 333 
  Mummy ................................ MM 228 
  Mummy lord ........................ MM 229 
  Nagpa .................................. MTF 215 
  Narzugon ............................. MTF 167 
  Necromancer ......................VGM 217 
  Nightmare ............................ MM 235 
  Nightwalker......................... MTF 216 
  Noble.................................... MM 348 
  Nothic .................................. MM 236 
  Nycaloth ............................... MM 314 
  Ogre ..................................... MM 237 
  Ogre zombie ......................... MM 316 
  Orc ....................................... MM 246 
  Orc claw of Luthic .............VGM 183 
  Orc war chief ........................ MM 246 
  Orog ..................................... MM 247 
  Orthon ................................. MTF 169 
  Owlbear ................................ MM 249 
  Panther ................................. MM 333 
  Peryton ................................. MM 251 
  Phoenix ............................... MTF 199 
  Pit fiend .................................. MM 77 
  Polar bear ............................. MM 334 
  Poltergeist ............................ MM 279 
  Priest .................................... MM 348 
  Purple worm ......................... MM 255 
  Quickling ...........................VGM 187 
  Red slaad .............................. MM 276 
  Remorhaz ............................. MM 258 
  Revenant .............................. MM 259 
  Roc ....................................... MM 260 
  Rug of smothering .................. MM 20 
  Saber-toothed tiger ............... MM 336 
  Sahuagin .............................. MM 263 
  Satyr .................................... MM 267 
  Scarecrow ............................ MM 268 
  Scout .................................... MM 349 
  Shadow ................................ MM 269 
  Shadow dancer .................... MTF 225 
  Shadow demon ...................... MM 64 
  Shadow mastiff .................. VGM 190 
  Shadow mastiff alpha......... VGM 190 
  Shambling mound ................ MM 270 
  Shield guardian .................... MM 271 
  Shoosuva ........................... VGM 137 
  Skeleton ............................... MM 272 
  Slaad tadpole ....................... MM 276 
  Solar ...................................... MM 18 
  Soul monger........................ MTF 226 
  Specter ................................. MM 279 
  Spring eladrin ..................... MTF 196 
  Sprite ................................... MM 283 
  Spy ....................................... MM 349 
  Star spawn grue .................. MTF 234 
  Star spawn hulk .................. MTF 234 
  Star spawn larva mage ........ MTF 235 
  Steel predator ...................... MTF 239 
  Stegosaurus ........................ VGM 140 
  Storm giant .......................... MM 156 
  Storm giant quintessent ...... VGM 151 
  Summer eladrin................... MTF 196 
  Swarm of insects .................. MM 338 
  Swashbuckler ..................... VGM 217 
  Sword wraith commander ... MTF 241 
  Tarrasque ............................. MM 286 
  Transmuter ......................... VGM 218 
  Tribal warrior ....................... MM 150 
  Triceratops ............................. MM 80 
  Troll ..................................... MM 291 
  Tyrannosaurus rex ................. MM 80 
  Uldra ....................................... App. B 
  Umber hulk .......................... MM 292 
  Vampire ............................... MM 297 
  Vampire spawn .................... MM 298 
  Veteran ................................ MM 350 
  War priest .......................... VGM 218 
  Warhorse skeleton ............... MM 273 
  Warlock of the archfey ...... VGM 219 
  Warlock of the fiend .......... VGM 219 
  Warlord .............................. VGM 220 
  Water elemental ................... MM 125 
  Water elemental  
     myrmidon  ....................... MTF 203 
  Water weird ......................... MM 299 
  Wereseal ................................. App. B 
  Werewolf ............................. MM 211 
  White dragon wyrmling ....... MM 102 
  White guard drake.............. VGM 158 
  Wight ................................... MM 300 
  Will-o'-wisp ......................... MM 301 
  Winged kobold .................... MM 195 
  Winter eladrin ..................... MTF 197 
  Winter wolf ......................... MTF 197 
  Wolf ..................................... MM 340 
  Worg .................................... MM 341 
  Wraith .................................. MM 302 
  Wyvern ................................ MM 303 
  Yeenoghu ............................ MTF 155 
  Yeth hound ........................ VGM 201 
  Yeti ...................................... MM 305 
  Yochlol .................................. MM 65 
  Young remorhaz .................. MM 258 
  Young white dragon ............ MM 101 
  Zombie................................. MM 316 
  
   
  108 
  APPENDIX B: BESTIARY 
   
  This supplement introduces several new creatures, the statistics 
  of which are detailed below.  
    
  ADULT WHITE DRACOLICH 
  A white dracolich retains its Regional Effects as well as its Lair 
  Actions in undeath.   
   
  LAIR ACTIONS 
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a 
  lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can't 
  use the same effect two rounds in a row: 
  • Freezing fog fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point 
  the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The fog spreads 
  around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. Each 
  creature in the fog when it appears must make a DC 10 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) cold damage on a 
  failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A 
  creature that ends its turn in the fog takes 10 (3d6) cold 
  damage. A wind of at least 20 miles per hour disperses the 
  fog. The fog otherwise lasts until the dragon uses this lair 
  action again or until the dragon dies. 
  • Jagged ice shards fall from the ceiling, striking up to three 
  creatures underneath that the dragon can see within 120 feet 
  of it. The dragon makes one ranged attack roll (+7 to hit) 
  against each target. On a hit, the target takes 10 (3d6) piercing 
  damage. 
  • The dragon creates an opaque wall of ice on a solid surface it 
  can see within 120 feet of it. The wall can be up to 30 feet 
  long, 30 feet high, and 1 foot thick. When the wall appears, 
  each creature within its area is pushed 5 feet out of the wall's 
  space; appearing on whichever side of the wall it wants. Each 
  10-foot section of the wall has AC 5, 30 hit points, 
  vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to acid, cold, 
  necrotic, poison, and psychic damage. The wall disappears 
  when the dragon uses this lair action again or when the 
  dragon dies. 
   
  REGIONAL EFFECTS  
  The region containing a legendary white dragon's lair is warped 
  by the dragon's magic, which creates one or more of the 
  following effects: 
   
  • Chilly fog lightly obscures the land within 6 miles of the 
  dragon's lair. 
  • Freezing precipitation falls within 6 
  miles of the dragon's lair, sometimes 
  forming blizzard conditions when the 
  dragon is at rest. 
  • Icy walls block off areas in the 
  dragon's lair. Each wall is 6 inches 
  thick, and a 10-foot section has AC 5, 
  15 hit points, vulnerability to fire 
  damage, and immunity to acid, cold, 
  necrotic, poison, and psychic damage. 
  • If the dragon wishes to move through 
  a wall, it can do so without slowing 
  down. The portion of the wall the 
  dragon moves through is destroyed, 
  however. 
   
  If the dragon dies, the fog and 
  precipitation fade within 1 day. The ice 
  walls melt over the course of 1d10 
  days. 
   
   
  
   
  109 
  CULTISTS OF ELEMENTAL EVIL 
  Featured in Princes of the Apocalypse, these cultists are devoted 
  to the Princes of Elemental Evil. Their statistics have been re-
  printed for this supplement and their lore summarized below.  
  Cult of the Black Earth. Devoted to Ogrémoch, the cultists 
  of the Black Earth are unyielding in their principles, decisions, 
  and tactics. They are grave foes of the Howling Hatred cult. 
  Their unique members are black earth guards and black earth 
  priests.  
  Cult of the Crushing Wave. Dedicated to Olhydra, the 
  Crushing Wave cult haunts the seas, coastlines, and lakes. They 
  see water not as the foundation of life, but its rightful reaper. 
  Their ranks consist of crushing wave priests, crushing wave 
  reavers, and dark tide knights.  
  Cult of the Eternal Flame. Adherents to Imix the ravenous, 
  these cultists favor aggressive tactics and ascetic lifestyles to 
  prove one's devotion. They are fierce enemies of the Crushing 
  Wave cult. Their members consist of eternal flame guardians, 
  eternal flame priests, and flamewraths.  
  Cult of the Howling Hatred. As cunning as their inscrutable 
  master, Yan-C-Bin, the Howling Hatred cultists favor subtlety 
  and misdirection. Their members consist of howling hatred 
  initiates, howling hatred priests, and hurricanes.  
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  110 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  111 
   
   
  
   
  112 
   
   
  
   
  113 
  LIVING SPELLS 
  Magic itself can be granted a semblance of life by powerful or 
  resourceful spellcasters (often wizards and sorcerers). A living 
  spell typically adopts the same alignment as its creator, unless 
  they specifically shape it not to.  
  Not all living spells are created by spellcasters; areas soaked 
  in powerful or wild magic can give rise to sentient spells who 
  have no other course to chart in this world but destruction.  
   
   
   
  
   
  114 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  ULDRA 
  Uldras are diminutive, blue-skinned arctic fey that come into 
  frequent contact with mortal settlements. They, like all fey, 
  experience emotions differently than mortals; uldras are prone 
  to wild mood swings. An uldra can fly into a rage at a moment's 
  notice and be calm the next. Mortals tend to regard them as 
  insane, but uldras consider these mood swings natural and 
  logical; it's the rest of the world that bottles up their emotions, 
  they say.  
  Uldras are fierce protectors of the natural world. They have a 
  fierce bond with animals and many take it upon themselves to 
  defend nature and its creatures. Many an uldra has sown terror 
  among mortals in the name of the natural world.  
   
   
   
  
   
  115 
  WERESEAL 
  Living often only in legends, the wereseal is the Arctic's most 
  misunderstood lycanthrope. It is the boogeyman of many a tale, 
  an accusation hurled in frigid seaside villages, and a creature 
  that mortal men eradicate on sight. Unlike werewolves, were-
  seals are not inherently malicious and prefer to remain among 
  walruses and seals, protecting them from natural predators. 
  They are more akin to the peaceful, distant werebears.  
  Alas, no two wereseals are alike; they may be evil, good, or 
  somewhere in between. Generally, they despise ordinary folk 
  and live among the ice floes or along forbidding coasts. Some 
  are welcomed by darfellan villages after partaking in skirmishes 
  against the sahuagin. 
  Characters as Wereseals. The Monster Manual has rules for 
  characters afflicted with lycanthropy. The text below applies to 
  wereseal characters specifically. 
  The Strength of a character cursed with wereseal lycanthropy 
  becomes 15 if it wasn't already higher. Attack and damage rolls 
  for the wereseal's bite are based on the character's Strength. The 
  character also gains a +1 bonus to its AC while in seal or hybrid 
  form (from natural armor).  
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  116 
  APPENDIX C: EFFECTS 
   
  The many effects referenced in this supplement are detailed in 
  this appendix. For details, see the Dungeon Master's Guide.  
   
  BEAR TRAP 
  Simple Trap 
  A bear trap resembles a set of iron jaws that springs shut when 
  stepped on, clamping down on a creature's leg. The trap is 
  spiked in the ground, leaving the victim immobilized. 
  Trigger. A creature that steps on the bear trap triggers it. 
  Effect. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, triggering creature. 
  Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. This attack can't gain advantage 
  or disadvantage. A creature hit by the trap has its speed reduced 
  to 0. It can't move until it breaks free of the trap, which requires 
  a successful DC 15 Strength check by the creature or another 
  creature adjacent to the trap. 
  Countermeasures. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) 
  check reveals the trap. A successful DC 10 Dexterity check 
  using thieves' tools disables it. 
   
  DESECRATED GROUND 
  Wilderness Hazard 
  Some cemeteries and catacombs are imbued with the unseen 
  traces of ancient evil. An area of desecrated ground can be any 
  size, and a detect evil and good spell cast within range reveals 
  its presence. 
  Undead standing on desecrated ground have advantage on all 
  saving throws. 
  A vial of holy water purifies a 10-foot-square area of 
  desecrated ground when sprinkled on it, and a hallow spell 
  purifies desecrated ground within its area. 
   
  EXTREME COLD 
  Weather 
  Whenever the temperature is at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, 
  a creature exposed to the cold must succeed on a DC 10 
  Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour or gain one 
  level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance or immunity to 
  cold damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do 
  creatures wearing cold weather gear (thick coats, gloves, and 
  the like) and creatures naturally adapted to cold climates. 
   
  EXTREME HEAT 
  Weather 
  When the temperature is at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a 
  creature exposed to the heat and without access to drinkable 
  water must succeed on a Constitution saving throw at the end 
  of each hour or gain one level of exhaustion. The DC is 5 for 
  the first hour and increases by 1 for each additional hour. 
  Creatures wearing medium or heavy armor, or who are clad 
  in heavy clothing, have disadvantage on the saving throw. 
  Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage 
  automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures 
  naturally adapted to hot climates. 
   
  FRIGID WATER 
  Wilderness Hazard 
  A creature can be immersed in frigid water for a number of 
  minutes equal to its Constitution score before suffering any ill 
  effects. Each additional minute spent in frigid water requires the 
  creature to succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or 
  gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance or 
  immunity to cold damage automatically succeed on the saving 
  throw, as do creatures that are naturally adapted to living in ice-
  cold water. 
   
  HEAVY PRECIPITATION 
  Weather 
  Everything within an area of heavy rain or heavy snowfall is 
  lightly obscured, and creatures in the area have disadvantage on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Heavy rain also 
  extinguishes open flames and imposes disadvantage on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. 
   
  HIGH ALTITUDE 
  Wilderness Hazard 
  Traveling at altitudes of 10,000 feet or higher above sea level is 
  taxing for a creature that needs to breathe, because of the 
  reduced amount of oxygen in the air. Each hour such a creature 
  spends traveling at high altitude counts as 2 hours for the 
  purpose of determining how long that creature can travel. 
  Breathing creatures can become acclimated to a high altitude 
  by spending 30 days or more at this elevation. Breathing 
  creatures can't become acclimated to elevations above 20,000 
  feet unless they are native to such environments. 
   
  MADNESS 
  Madness can occur in one of three forms: 
  • A character afflicted with short-term madness is subjected 
  to an effect from the Short-Term Madness table for 1d10 
  minutes. 
  • A character afflicted with long-term madness is subjected to 
  an effect from the Long-Term Madness table for 1d10 × 10 
  hours. 
  • A character afflicted with indefinite madness gains a new 
  character flaw from the Indefinite Madness table that lasts 
  until cured. 
   
  Curing Madness. A calm emotions spell can suppress the 
  effects of madness, while a lesser restoration spell can rid a 
  character of a short-term or long-term madness. Depending on 
  the source of the madness, remove curse or dispel evil and good 
  might also prove effective. A greater restoration spell or more 
  powerful magic is required to rid a character of indefinite 
  madness. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  117 
  SHORT-TERM MADNESS 
  d100 Effects (lasts 1d10 minutes) 
  1-20 
  The character retreats into his or her mind and 
  becomes paralyzed. The effect ends if the character 
  takes any damage. 
  21-30 The character becomes incapacitated and spends the 
  duration screaming, laughing, or weeping. 
  31-40 
  The character becomes frightened and must use his or 
  her action and movement each round to flee from the 
  source of the fear. 
  41-50 The character begins babbling and is incapable of 
  normal speech or spellcasting. 
  51-60 The character must use his or her action each round to 
  attack the nearest creature. 
  61-70 The character experiences vivid hallucinations and 
  has disadvantage on ability checks. 
  71-75 The character does whatever anyone tells him or her 
  to do that isn't obviously self-destructive. 
  76-80 The character experiences an overpowering urge to 
  eat something strange such as dirt, slime, or offal. 
  81-90 The character is stunned. 
  91-
  100 
  The character falls unconscious. 
   
  LONG-TERM MADNESS 
  d100 Effects (lasts 1d10 x 10 hours) 
  1-10 
  The character feels compelled to repeat a specific 
  activity over and over, such as washing hands, 
  touching things, praying, or counting coins. 
  11-20 The character experiences vivid hallucinations and 
  has disadvantage on ability checks. 
  21-30 The character suffers extreme paranoia. The character 
  has disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks. 
  31-40 
  The character regards something (usually the source 
  of madness) with intense revulsion, as if affected by 
  the antipathy effect of the antipathy/sympathy spell. 
  41-45 
  The character experiences a powerful delusion. 
  Choose a potion. The character imagines that they're 
  under its effects. 
  46-55 
  The character becomes attached to a "lucky charm," 
  such as a person or an object, and has disadvantage on 
  attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws while 
  more than 30 feet from it. 
  56-65 The character is blinded (25%) or deafened (75%). 
  66-75 
  The character experiences uncontrollable tremors or 
  tics, which impose disadvantage on attack rolls, 
  ability checks, and saving throws that involve 
  Strength or Dexterity. 
  76-85 
  The character suffers from partial amnesia. The 
  character knows who he or she is and retains racial 
  traits and class features, but doesn't recognize other 
  people or remember anything that happened before 
  the madness took effect. 
  86-90 
  Whenever the character takes damage, he or she must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be 
  affected as though he or she failed a saving throw 
  against the confusion spell. The confusion effect lasts 
  for 1 minute. 
  91-95 The character loses the ability to speak. 
  96-
  100 
  The character falls unconscious. No amount of 
  jostling or damage can wake the character. 
   
  INDEFINITE MADNESS 
  d100 Flaw (lasts until cured) 
  1-15 "Being drunk keeps me sane." 
  16-25 "I keep whatever I find." 
  26-30 
  "I try to become more like someone else I know—
  adopting his or her style of dress, mannerisms, and 
  name." 
  31-35 "I must bend the truth, exaggerate, or outright lie to 
  be interesting to other people." 
  36-45 "Achieving my goal is the only thing of interest to me, 
  and I'll ignore everything else to pursue it." 
  46-50 "I find it hard to care about anything that goes on 
  around me." 
  51-55 "I don't like the way people judge me all the time." 
  56-70 "I am the smartest, wisest, strongest, fastest, and most 
  beautiful person I know." 
  71-80 
  "I am convinced that powerful enemies are hunting 
  me, and their agents are everywhere I go. I am sure 
  they're watching me all the time." 
  81-85 "There's only one person I can trust. And only I can 
  see this special friend." 
  86-95 "I can't take anything seriously. The more serious the 
  situation, the funnier I find it." 
  96-
  100 
  "I've discovered that I really like killing people." 
   
  SLIPPERY ICE 
  Wilderness Hazard 
  Slippery ice is difficult terrain. When a creature moves onto 
  slippery ice for the first time on a turn, it must succeed on a DC 
  10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone. 
   
  STRONG WIND 
  Weather 
  A strong wind imposes disadvantage on ranged weapon attack 
  rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. A 
  strong wind also extinguishes open flames, disperses fog, and 
  makes flying by nonmagical means nearly impossible. A flying 
  creature in a strong wind must land at the end of its turn or fall. 
  A strong wind in a desert can create a sandstorm that imposes 
  disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
   
  THIN ICE 
  Wilderness Hazard 
  Thin ice has a weight tolerance of 3d10 × 10 pounds per 10-
  foot-square area. Whenever the total weight on an area of thin 
  ice exceeds its tolerance, the ice in that area breaks. All 
  creatures on broken ice fall through. 
   
  WEBS 
  Giant spiders weave thick, sticky webs across passages and at 
  the bottom of pits to snare prey. These web-filled areas are 
  difficult terrain. Moreover, a creature entering a webbed area 
  for the first time on a turn or starting its turn there must succeed 
  on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or become restrained by the 
  webs. A restrained creature can use its action to try to escape, 
  doing so with a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or 
  Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. 
  Each 10-foot cube of giant webs has AC 10, 15 hit points, 
  vulnerability to fire, and immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and psychic damage. 
   
   
   
  
   
  118 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Wyatt Trull/Wyatt Trull - Daerdan's Tall Tales, 101 Arctic Encounters.pdf