D&D 5E - Icewind Dale - Rime of The Frostmaiden

ICEWIHD DALE~
RIME OF THE FROSTMAIDEN™

CREDITS
Story Creator & Lead Writer: Christopher Perkins Senior Producer: Dan Tovar
Writing Team: Stacey Allan , Bill Benham , H.H. Carlan , Celeste Producers: Bill Benham, Robert Hawkey, Lea Heleotis
Conowitch, Dan Dillon, Will Doyle, Mikayla Ebel, Anne Project Engineer: Cynda Callaway
Gregersen , Chad Quandt, Morrigan Robbins, Ashley Warren Imaging Technicians: Sven Bolen, Carmen Cheung, Kevin Yee
Rules Development: Jeremy Crawford , Dan Dillon, Ben Petrisor, Art Administrator: David Gershman
Taymoor Rehman Prepress Specialist: Jefferson Dunlap
World Building: john Francis Daley, Crystal Frasier, Jonathan Franchise & Global Brand Strategy: Nathan Stewart
Goldstein , Ed Greenwood , Amanda Hamon, Adam Lee, Executive Producer: Ray Winninger
Ari Levitch, Mike Mearls , Christopher Perkins , Jessica Price, Director of licensing & Publishing: Liz Schuh
R.A. Salvatore, Kate Welch , Shawn Wood Licensing Manager: Hilary Ross
Editor: Kim Mohan Marketing & Communications: Bart Carroll , Pelham Greene,
Shauna Narciso, Em i Tanj i, Greg Tito, Anna Vo
Art Director: Kate Irwin
Product Marketing Manager: Chris Lindsay
Senior Graphic Designer: Trish Yochum
Brand Manager: Shelly Mazzanoble
Graphic Designer: Trystan Falcone
Editorial Assistance: Orion D. Black
Cover Illustrators: Hydro74, Tyler Jacobson
Interior Illustrators: Mark Behm , Eric Belisle, Zoltan Boros, Special Thanks: Holly Barbacovi , Jason Barbacovi , Bianca
Christopher Burdett, Paul Scott Canavan , Sidharth Bickford, Cassidy Borger, Chris Cocks , Tony Craven, Jonathan
Chaturvedi, Jedd Chevrier, David Rene Christensen , Cruz, Soren Danielson, Jonathan Doran, Eugene Evans , jay
CoupleOfKooks , Nikki Dawes , Axel Defois, Olga Drebas, Gellerman , Chad Gokey, Andrew Harasymiw, Emily Johnson ,
jesper Ejsing, Jason A. Engle, Caroline Gariba , Lars Grant- Omega " Critical Bard " Jones , Ty Koebernick, Erin Kramer,
West, Leesha Hannigan, Sam Keiser, Julian Kok, O lly Lawson , Dan LaValby, Randy Len ius , Joshua Mendenhall, Connor
Titus Lunter, Andrew Mar, Marcela Medeiros , Robson Miller, Glen Miller, Nick Mitchell , Tim O ' Hara, Michele
M iche l, Scott Murphy, Irina Nordsol , Stephen Oakley, Rob in Picard , Bob Pursley, Jeff Rebbeck, Bill Rose, David Schwartz,
O lausson , Claudio Pozas, Livia Prima , April Prime, David Rebecca A. Smith , Jayson Thiry, and the hundreds of play-
Sladek, Craig j Spearing, Brian Va leza , Svetl in Velinov, testers who helped make th is adventure more fun
Richard Whitters , Shawn Wood , Zuzanna Wuzyk
Cartographers: Stacey Allan , Will Doyle, Mike Schley
Disclaimer: The windswept tundra of lcewind Dale is the true test of one's mettle. Here, it's
Concept Art Director: Shawn Wood survival of the fittest! Don't be fooled by t he reindeer with glow-in-the-dark antlers and the
Concept Illustrators: Olga Drebas , Titus Lunter, April Prime, tasty knucklehead trout (inclu ding the f riendlier, more northerly Canucklehead varie ty).
lcewin d Dale is th e f rostbitt en en d of the wo rld. You can't spelf dice without ice, my friend,
Chris Rahn , Jenn Ravenna , Richard Whitters, Shawn Wood, and the Frostm aiden is not some demon prince, vam pire, lich, beholder crime ford, or arch-
Kiera n Yanner devil. She's a god-a nd a co ld-hearted one at th ot.
ON THE COVER ON THE ALT-COVER

Auril the Frostmaiden claims her latest vi ct im in Tyler Hydro74 shows the doom of Ten -Towns: Auril th e Frostmaiden ,
Jacobson 's chill ingly macabre cover illustration . On the back, the god of winter's wrath . Adorn ing the back cover is the Frost-
an elementa l spirit called a chwinga comes out to play. maiden 's holy symbol.
620C7867000001 EN
ISBN: 978-0 -7869-6698-l
First Printing: August 2020
987654321
CE:
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erty treaties. Any reprod uction or unauthorized use of the materials con tained herein o r artwork contained herein is prohibited without the e1.press ..-r tten. permission of Wizards of
the Coast.
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2
CONTENTS
Welcome to the Far North ....................... 4 Chapter S: Auril's Abode ..................... 196 Icewind Kobold Zombie ..................... 297
About This Book .......................................... 5 Running This Chapter. ........................... 197 Kobold Vampire Spawn ......................297
Adventure Summary .................................. 6 Sea of Moving Ice .................................... 197 Living Spells ............................................. 298
Running the Adventure .............................. 6 Island of Solstice ..................................... 198 Living Bigby's Hand ............................ 298
Character Creation .................................... 13 Grimskalle ................................................203 Living Blade of Disaster ..................... 299
Chapter 1: Ten-Towns ............................. 16 Tests of the Frostmaiden Scorecard . 208 Living Demiplane ................................. 299
Running This Chapter. ............................. 17 Wrapping Up ............................................. 213 Magen ........................................................ 300
Ten-Towns Overview................................. 18 Chapter 6: Caves of Hunger ................ 214 Demos Magen ...................................... 300
Cold Open .................................................... 21 Running This Chapter ............................ 215 Galvan Magen ....................................... 301
Starting Quest: Cold-Hearted Killer ..... 22 Race to the Glacier. ................................. 215 Hypnos Magen ...................................... 301
Starting Quest: Nature Spirits ............... 25 Opening the Way ..................................... 216 Mimic ..........................................................302
Bremen ......................................................... 27 Into the Caves of Hunger ....................... 216 Spitting Mimic ...................................... 302
Lake Monster .......................................... 28 Wrapping Up .............................................229 Mind Flayers .............................................302
Bryn Shander ............................................. 32 Gnome Ceremorph .............................. 303
Chapter 7: Doom ofYthryn ................. 230 Gnome Squidling ................................. 303
Foaming Mugs ........................................ 34 Running This Chapter. ........................... 231
Caer-Dineval ............................................... 37 Mountain Goat ........................................ 304
Necropolis ofYthryn ...............................232 Reghed Nomads ...................................... 304
Black Swords .......................................... 38 Dealing with the Arcane Gunvald Halraggson ........................... 305
Caer-Konig ·················································· 46 Brotherhood .......................................... 259
Jarund Elkhardt .................................... 305
The Unseen ............................................. 47 Auril's Wrath ............................................. 260
Bjornhild Solvigsdottir ...................... 306
Douga n's Hole ············... ·.········· .. ················ 53 Summoning the Tarrasque ................... 260
Holed Up .................................................. 53 Isarr Kronenstrom .............................. 307
Easthaven ... ................................................. 59 Epilogue .................................................... 261 Reindeer .................................................... 307
Toil and Trouble ..................................... 62 What Secrets Remain ............................ 261 Seal ............................................................ 308
Town Hall Capers .................................. 67 Summer Is Coming ................................. 261 Snow Golem ............................................ 308
Good Mead .................................................. 72 Winter Everlasting .................................. 262 Snowy Owlbear....................................... 309
The Mead Must Flow ............................ 73 Year of Chilled Marrow .......................... 262 Sperm Whale .......................................... 309
Lonelywood ................................................ 79 App. A: Icewind Dale Trinkets...........263 Tomb Tapper ............................................. 310
Verbeeg ...................................................... 311
The White Moose ................................... 8 0 App. B: Character Secrets ................... 264
Targos ........................................................... 86 Verbeeg Longstrider ........................... 311
Mountain Climb ...................................... 87 App. C: Creatures ................................... 268 Verbeeg Marauder .................. ............. 311
Termalaine .................................................. 93 Arcane Brotherhood ............................... 268 Walruses .................................................... 312
A Beautiful Mine ............................ ........ 94 Avarice .................................................... 270 Walrus .................................................... 312
Dzaan's Simulacrum ........................... 271 Giant Walrus ......................................... 312
Chapter 2: Icewind Dale ...................... 100 Nass Lantomir's Ghost.. ..................... 272 Yeti .............................................................. 313
Running This Chapter. ...... ..................... 101 Vellynne Harpell... ................................ 274 Yeti Tyk~············· .................................... 313
Wilderness Encounters .......................... 105 Auril the Frostmaiden ............................ 274
Places of Interest... .................................. 113 App. D: Magic .......................................... 314
FirS t Form .............................................. 275 Magic Items ............................................... 314
Angajuk's Bell ....................................... 114
Second Form ......................................... 277 Books .......................................................... 317
Black Cabin ........................................... 116
Third Form ............................................ 278 Wizard Spells ........................................... 318
Cackling Chasm ................................... 121 Brain in aJar ............................................. 279
Cave of the Berserkers ....................... 124 Chardalyn Berserker ............................. 280 App. E: Rime of the Frostmaiden ..... 319
Dark Duchess ....................................... 127 Chardalyn Dragon ................................... 281 Afterword ................................................. 320
Id Ascendant.......................................... 132 Chwinga ..................................................... 282
Jarlmoot .............................. .................... 137 Coldlight Walker. ..................... ............... 284 The following D&D books provided text
Karkolohk .............................................. 140 Crag Cat ..................................................... 285 and inspiration:
Lost Spire of Netheril ......................... 145 Duergar ...................................................... 285 Carroll , Bart and others . Lost Laboratory of
Reghed Tribe Camp ............................ 152 Duergar Hammerer ............................. 286 Kwalish. 2018.
Revel's End ............................................ 154 Duergar Mind Master ......................... 286 Greenwood , Ed and Tim Beach . Pages from
Skytower Shelter ................................. 161 Xardorok Sunblight .............................287 the Mages . 1995.
Wyrmdoom Crag .................................. 166 Fox .............................................................. 288 James , Brian R. and Ed Greenwood . The
Chapter 3: Sunblight ............................. 170 Frost Druid ............................................... 288 Grand History ofthe Realms. 2007.
Running This Chapter. ........................... 171 Frost Giant Skeleton ............................... 289 Perkins, Christopher. Storm King's
Finding the Fortress ............................... 172
Thunder. 2016.
Gnoll Vampire .......................................... 290
Perkins, Christopher, Will Doyle, and Steve
Xardorok's Fortress ................................ 173 Goliaths ...................................................... 291
Winter. Tomb ofAnnihilation. 2017.
Fortress Fallout ....................................... 185 Goliath Warrior ............................. ....... 292 Perkins, Christopher and others. Water-
Chapter 4: Destruction's Light .......... 186 Goliath Werebear ................................. 293 deep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage . 2018.
Running This Chapter. ................. .......... 187 Hare ............................................................ 294 Salvatore, R.A., Jeffrey Ludwig, James Wy-
Return to Ten-Towns .............................. 187 Ice Troll ...................................................... 294 att, and Matthew Sernett. Legacy of the
Dragon Scourge ....................................... 188 Knucklehead Trout. ................................. 295 Crystal Shard. 2013 .
Showdown! ................................................ 190 Kobolds ................................................. ..... 296 slade with Jim Butler. Netheril: Empire of
Vellynne's Quest ....................................... 194 Icewind Kobold ..................................... 296 Magic. 1996.
3
WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH
ORTH OF THE SPINE OF THE WORLD AND gathers enough of it, Xardorok plans to construct a char-
west of the towering Reghed Glacier is a dalyn dragon and unleash it upon Ten-Towns.
frigid expanse few dare to explore, let alone Despite Auril's blizzards and other deterrents, visitors
inhabit. This icy land of windswept tundra still come and go. Among the recent arrivals are four
recently became locked in a perpetual, dark wizards of the Arcane Brotherhood, a powerful society
winter without reprieve. Auril the Frostmaiden, the di- of spellcasters based in Luskan. They've come chasing
vine embodiment of winter's fury, has withdrawn to this rumors of a lost city buried under the Reghed Glacier-a
cold corner of the world to live among mortals. Further, fragment of the long-gone Empire of Netheril, whose
she has cast a terrible spell over Icewind Dale, to the wizards wielded magic that terrified the gods. Netherese
detriment of most of its denizens. magic has a way of attracting power-hungry wizards, as
Each night before midnight, Auril takes to the sky members of the Arcane Brotherhood often are. The cit-
on the back of a white roe and weaves her spell, which ies of Netheril floated among the clouds, making them
manifests as a shimmering curtain of light- a beautiful almost impervious to assault for centuries. Then, nearly
aurora that illuminates the night sky and fades before two thousand years ago, this floating city crashed during
dawn. This powerful magic prevents the next day's the fall of the empire, and no one has found or explored
sun from rising above the horizon, turning midday into it since. It is, arguably, Icewind Dale's greatest secret-a
twilight and trapping Icewind Dale in winter's dark em- necropolis of Netherese wizards and the magic they left
brace, with no sunlight or warmth to melt the snow and behind. What survived the crash is anyone's guess, but
ice. Each casting of the spell leaves the Frostmaiden we're about to find out!
weakened, with just enough divine power left to barri-
cade the mountain pass with blizzards and churn the ABOUT THIS BOOK
Sea of Moving Ice with blistering winds. Such measures
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden is a DUNGEONS
discourage travelers from approaching or leaving Ice-
& DRAGONS adventure optimized for four to six charac-
wind Dale, further isolating the region. Icewind Dale
ters. The player characters are the heroes ·o f the story;
has thus been trapped in a different reality from the
this book describes the villains and monsters the heroes
rest of the world, for though the sun never rises over the
must overcome and the locations they must explore to
dale, it continues to rise everywhere else.
bring the adventure to a successful conclusion.
The people of Icewind Dale know Auril's wrath when
This book presents Icewind Dale as a self-contained
they feel it, and they have a name for the unending win-
campaign setting in which you can base adventures
ter she has inflicted on them. They call it the Everlasting
of your own. All pertinent details about the setting are
Rime. No one understands why the Frostmaiden has im-
covered here, with room left to add new locations and
posed her will in this way or why the other gods refuse
villains of your own design.
to challenge her. This prolonged winter, which has gone
on for more than two years, threatens to doom not just
the flickering lights of civilization known as Ten-Towns TENDAYS AND DALERECKONINC
but also the indigenous flora and fauna that need sun- In the Forgotten Rea lms setting, a week is ten days long
light and the change of seasons to survive. and is referred to as a tenday. There are three tendays per
month and twelve months in a year. For more information
Not all creatures are discouraged by what has trans-
on t he calendar of the Forgotten Realms, see "The Calen-
pired north of the Spine of the World. The long nights dar of Harptos" sidebar in the Dungeon Master's Guide.
and sunless days are a blessing to Xardorok Sunblight, Dalereckoning (DR) is the most common year mea-
a duergar who longs to carve out a domain for himself surement. This adventure is assumed to take place in the
on the surface and enslave the people of Ten-Towns in winter of 1489 DR or later. The exact date is not important.
the process. Already, he has taken advantage of Auril's The happenings in this book occur more than a century
magic and raised a fortress amid the dark shadows of after the even ts chronicled in R.A. Salvatore's novel The
the mountains. From here, his underlings strike out Crystal Shard, wh ich introduced the drow hero Drizzt
across the tundra in search of chardalyn- a crystalline Do'Urden to the hardy folk of lcewind Dale.
substance known to exist only in Icewind Dale. Once he

5
wonder. It crashed long ago but still exists, buried under
ADVENTURE SUMMARY the Reghed Glacier on the eastern edge of Icewind Dale.
A duergar despot forging a dragon out of chardalyn. A This frozen necropolis holds the remnants of some
lost city of magic entombed in a glacier. A frozen wilder- of the most powerful spellcasters in the history of the
ness trapped in Auril's grip. These three plot elements , Realms, including a Netherese demilich. It also contains
woven together, form this adventure. a mythallar (described in appendix D), a magic item that
can raise an entire city into the air and alter the weather
DUERGAR DESPOT
in a fifty-mile radius. The characters can use this device
The Reghed nomads who stalk the tundra and the to counteract Auril's spell and free Icewind Dale from
Ten-Towners who keep civilization alive are so con- her Everlasting Rime.
cerned with day-to-day survival that they typically pay Four members of the Arcane Brotherhood (a cabal of
little heed to the evil forces gathering on the fringes of wizards who act like Wild West gunslingers) have come
Icewind Da le. Adventurers a re much better equipped to to Icewind Dale in search of the lost Netherese enclave,
deal with s uch threats, particularly in the dead of winter. hoping to unearth its secrets. Whether the characters
One recent arrival in the area is Xardorok Sunblight, a choose to aid or oppose these wizards is up to them, but
duergar warlock formerly of the Underdark. His patron, one thing is certain: the Arcane Brotherhood won't let a
Deep Duerra, has urged Xardorok to fulfill his destiny band of adventurers stand between them and the magic
a nd become the first duergar to rule a kingdom on the that waits to be found in the doomed, sepulchral ruin.
s urface. Icewind Dale is cold, dark, and heartlessly
cruel-the perfect realm for Xardorok to claim as des- AuRrL's EVERLASTING RIME
pot. Unbeknownst to Xardorok, however, it is not Deep Auril's decision to live among mortals is explained in
Duerra guiding his actions but the archdevil Asmodeus appendix C. What the characters discover in the course
in the guise of Deep Duerra. In Xardorok, the Lord of of the adventure is that she's unhappy and craves isola-
the Nine Hells has found an eager and petty tyrant. tion. Her nightly quest to hold the sun at bay stems from
To achieve his goal , Xardorok is scouring the land for a need to preserve the beauty of things by freezing them.
chardalyn, which he is forging into a dragon that he will There is no way to reason with a being so bereft of com-
send to destroy Ten-Towns. His sons, Durth and Nildar, passion as Auril, but in her weakened state, she can be
lead teams of duergar on quests to retrieve more of this defeated or forced to reckon with her cruel indifference
dark-colored crystal for their grasping, despotic father. toward life.
Anyone who hopes to reach the Netherese city buried
NETHERESE NECROPOLIS
in the ice must first visit Auril's island and obtain The
The wizards of bygone Netheril wielded magic that Codicil of White , a book compiled by the Frostmaiden's
could reshape the world. They used such magic to raise most ardent followers. The tome contains a magical
their cities into the sky. The city of Ythryn was one such incantation written as a poem. This poem has the power
to crack the Reghed Glacier, opening a path from the
CHARDALYN surface to the buried Netherese city ofYthryn.
More than a hundred years prior to this adventure, a
wizard named Akar Kessel found an artifact suffused with O THE R QUESTS
demonic magic called Crenshinibon (better known as the Chapters 1 and 2 are structured around quests, some
Crystal Shard) and used it to erect a great black tower in of which touch on the major story arcs of the adven-
lcewind Dale. When this tower was destroyed, the magic
ture while others merely show off other cool aspects of
used to create it fused with the surrounding ice to form
the setting.
what is now known as chardalyn: a nonmagical, crystalline
substance as strong as metal, though considerably easier In chapter 1, the adventurers undertake quests that
to work with than steel. In the years since, more deposits lead them from one Ten-Towns settlement to another.
of chardalyn have been found across lcewind Dale. Like Each town has a problem, and the adventurers get re-
the Crystal Shard, these deposits tend to be suffused with wards for helping.
demonic magic. Prolonged contact with chardalyn that In chapter 2, rumors spur the adventurers to leave the
has become suffused with demonic magic can warp a cold comfort of Ten-Towns and explore the fringes of
creature's mind, causing madness that usually fades away Icewind Dale, where dangers dwell.
once the contact is broken.
Chardalyn is cold to the touch and readily accepts magi-
cal enchantment, making it an ideal substance for wands, RUNNING THE ADVENTURE
staffs, and other magic items. A chardalyn object suffused To run the adventure, you need the fifth edition core
with the magic of the Upper Planes is considered a conse- rulebooks (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's
crated object, while a chardalyn object suffused with the Guide, and Monster Manual).
magic of the Lower Planes is considered a desecrated ob-
ject; both can be identified as such using a detect evil and
good spell or similar magic. Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read
Long before Akar Kessel left his mark on lcewind Dale,
aloud or paraphrased for the players when their charac-
Netherese wizards created their own chardalyn. Many
items made from this dark-colored crystal can be found in ters first arrive at a location or under a specific circum-
the ruins of ancient Netherese enclaves. stance, as described in the text.

6
The Monster Manual contains stat blocks for most of the You can omit details that are not readily visible (such as
creatures encountered in this adventure. The rest can secret doors and other hidden features) until the charac-
be found in appendix C. ters are able to detect and interact with them.
When a creature's name appears in bold type, that's Slopes and Staircases. On all interior maps, an ar-
a visual cue pointing you to its stat block as a way of row on a slope or staircase always points in the ascend-
saying, "Hey, DM, you better get this creature's stat ing direction.
block ready. You're going to need it." If the stat block
appears in appendix C of this adventure, the text tells POSTER MAP
you so; otherwise, you can find the stat block in the Mon- The double-sided poster map is meant to be shared with
ster Manual. the players. One side of the poster map shows lcewind
Spells and equipment mentioned in the adventure are Dale, including Ten-Towns and other sites and features
described in the Player's Handbook. Magic items are in the region that are common knowledge. The reverse
described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, unless the side has player-friendly maps of the ten settlements that
adventure's text direct you to an item's description in comprise Ten-Towns, with prominent locations called
appendix D. out in each town for the players' benefit.
USING THE MAPS THE FORGOTTEN REALMS

This book contains a number of interior maps and a The world of the Forgotten Realms is one of high fan-
fold-out, double-sided poster map. These elements are tasy, populated by elves, dwarves, halflings, humans,
further described below. and other folk. In the Realms, knights dare to seek out
the crypts of the fallen dwarf kings of Delzoun, looking
INTERIOR MAPS for glory and treasure. Rogues prowl the dark alleyways
Maps that appear in this book are for the DM's eyes of teeming cities such as Neverwinter and Baldur's Gate.
only. As the characters explore locations on a given map, Clerics wield mace and spell in the service of their gods,
you can redraw portions of the map on graph paper, a questing against the terrifying powers that threaten the
wet-erase mat, or other surface to help your players vi- land. Wizards plunder the ruins of the fallen Netherese
sualize locations that might have unusual shapes or fea- empire, delving into secrets too dark for the light of day.
tures. Your hand-drawn maps need not be faithful to the Bards sing of kings, queens, tyrants, and heroes who
originals, and you can alter a map's features as you see died long ago.
fit. Nor do your maps need to be painstakingly rendered.

7
On the roads and rivers of the Realms travel minstrels aided by a necromancer named Vellynne Harpell, who
and peddlers, merchants and guards, soldiers and sail- helps steer them toward the discovery of a lost Neth-
ors. Steel-hearted adventurers from backcountry farm- erese enclave entombed in the Reghed Glacier.
steads and sleepy villages follow tales that take them In chapter 5, Vellynne asks the characters to accom-
to strange, glorious, faraway places. Good maps and pany her to Auril's island in the Sea of Moving Ice to
clear trails can carry even an inexperienced youth with recover two items: an orb stolen by a rival and a book
dreams of glory far across the world, but these paths are titled The Codicil of White. The orb has useful magical
never safe. Fell magic and deadly monsters are among properties, while the book contains a magical poem that
the perils one faces when traveling in the Realms. Even can create a passage through the Reghed Glacier.
farms and freeholds within a day's walk of a city can fall Chapter 6 describes the Caves of Hunger, a network
prey to monsters, and no place is safe from the sudden of ice tunnels and caves within the Reghed Glacier
wrath of a dragon. itself. The characters must navigate these treacherous
Icewind Dale, featured in this adventure, is located passageways to reach the frozen Netherese city, which
in a region called the Far North, which is dominated is described in chapter 7. The party's exploration is in-
by the Spine of the World, a range of skyscraping, terrupted by an albino tiefling villain who wants all the
snow-covered peaks. These extend toward the Sword city's magical secrets for herself.
Coast, which forms the western edge of the great conti-
nent of Faerfin and stretches southward for thousands DISSECTING THE ADVENTURE
of miles. Ships and roads lead southbound travelers to a You can dissect this adventure and use pieces of it
number of bustling ports along the Sword Coast, includ- rather than the whole thing. Nothing in this adventure is
ing the following strongholds of civilization: too sacred to tamper with and repurpose to serve your
• Luskan, the City of Sails, is home to pirates as well as own needs.
the Hosttower of the Arcane (headquarters of the Ar- Most of the locations described in this book can be
cane Brotherhood, which is described in appendix C). used as stand-alone adventure sites. With a little effort
• Neverwinter, the City of Skilled Hands, is slowly being and a few name changes, you can take these adventure
rebuilt after it was nearly destroyed by the eruption of locations out of Icewind Dale and transplant them into
Mount Hotenow. other campaign worlds, including your own.
• Waterdeep, the City of Splendors, is a seaside metrop- Take the duergar fortress in chapter 3, for example.
olis where people from all walks of life gather behind You could set the fortress in the Yatil Mountains of
high walls. Oerth, the Ironroot Mountains of Khorvaire, the Flotket
Alps of Wildemount, or some other mountain range
ADVENTURE FLOW while preserving the plot elements. You can also strip
out the story about an evil duergar building a dragon
The accompanying adventure flowchart visualizes the
construct and have the duergar doing something else
narrative flow of the adventure, which includes chapters
instead. Alternatively, you could jettison everything but
that focus on places of interest (chapters 1 and 2) and
the map of the fortress , populating it with new creatures
chapters that focus on plot (chapters 3 through 7).
that better suit your campaign. Sometimes a good map
Chapter 1 introduces quests that prompt the char-
is·all a DM needs!
acters to explore Ten-Towns, with an additional quest
waiting for them in each town they visit. These quests
RUNNING NPC PARTY MEMBERS
take no more than one or two game sessions each
to complete. Nonplayer characters (NPCs) are normally controlled
Chapter 2 describes several interesting locations by the DM. However, there are times in this adventure
on the fringes of Icewind Dale, including some future when a friendly NPC might join the party for one or
threats to Ten-Towns. The characters are drawn to these more game sessions. If roleplaying that NPC becomes a
locations by rumors or quests. These sites are ancillary burden to you, see if one of your players is willing to run
to the main story but help bring the harsh land of Ice- the NPC as a secondary character.
wind Dale to life.
The adventure kicks off in earnest with chapter 3, as HORROR IN THE FAR NORTH
the characters try to beard Xardorok Sunblight in his Parts of this adventure play out like scenes in a horror
lair. Chapter 3 describes the duergar's fortress. Unfor- movie. As the DM, you need to handle the horror respon-
tunately, the characters arrive too late to stop him from sibly. Although the events of the adventure should make
unleashing a dragon made of chardalyn. The characters characters feel stressed and anxious, your players should
face a difficult choice: continue storming Xardorok's be relaxed and having fun. Before running the adventure,
stronghold or return to Ten-Towns to fight the dragon. have a candid out-of-game conversation with your players
The battle with Xardorok's dragon forms the crux of about hard and soft limits on what topics can be broached
in-game. Your players might have phobias and triggers
chapter 4. Since the dragon is a mobile threat, the char-
you might not unaware of. Any topic or theme that makes
acters might have to face it more than once as it ravages a player feel unsafe should be avoided. If a topic or theme
one settlement after another. The Ten-Towners have no makes one or more players nervous but they give you
hope of defeating the dragon on their own, so here's a consent to include it in-game, incorporate it with care.
chance for the characters to become true heroes of Ice- Be ready to move away from such topics and themes
wind Dale. As they battle the dragon, the characters are quickly, however.
WELCOME TO T H E FAR NORTH

8
ADVENTURE FLOWCHART
CHAPTER l: TEN-TOWNS
For 1st- to 4th-level characters
Adventure quests prompt our intrepid heroes to visit the
many settlements of Ten-Towns and lend a helping hand.
CHAPTER 2: lCEWIND DALE

For characters of 4th level and higher
Tall tales lead the characters to adventure locations
on the fringes of Icewind Dale.
CHAPTER 3: SUNBLIGHT
For characters of 4th or 5th level
A duergar tyrant is building a chardalyn dragon to
destroy Ten-Towns. The characters learn of
this plot and try to thwart it.
CHAPTER 4: DESTRUCTION'S LIGHT

For 6th-level characters
After Xardorok Sunblight unleashes his dragon, the
characters must stop it before it destroys Ten-Towns.
CHAPTER 5: AuRIL's ABODE

Characters travel to the frigid island of
Solstice in search of a lost orb, a book, and
perhaps the Frostmaiden herself.
CHAPTER 6: CAVES OF HUNGER

Armed with the "Rime of the Frostmaiden,"
the characters crack open the Reghed Glacier,
unsealing a dungeon of ice.
CHAPTER 7: DOOM OF YTHRYN

For characters of 9th level or higher
After surviving the Caves of Hunger, the
characters enter the necropolis of Ythryn
in search of ancient Netherese magic.

9
TH E YETI OF lcEWIN D DALE LIKE TO STALK
T HEI R PREY IN RAG I NG SL l "Z.'ZARDS .
If a player agrees to take control of a friendly NPC, ldlO bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as
provide that player with a copy of the NPC's stat block, much damage on a successful one.
along with any roleplaying notes you deem important, When an avalanche stops, the snow settles and buries
and warn the player that you might retake custody of the creatures in it. A creature buried in this way is blinded
NPC at some future point. As the adventure progresses, and restrained and has total cover. The creature gains
it might become apparent that the player is unable to one level of exhaustion for every 5 minutes it spends
manage the NPC effectively, or you might need more buried in the snow. It can try to dig itself free as an ac-
influence over the NPC's actions and behavior. Either tion, breaking the surface and ending the blinded and
scenario justifies you retaking control of the NPC. restrained conditions on itself with a successful DC
15 Strength (Athletics) check. A creature that fails this
WILDERNESS SURVIVAL check three times can't attempt to dig itself out again.
The following rules come into play as the characters A creature that is not restrained or incapacitated can
explore Ten-Towns and embark on adventures to the icy, spend 1 minute freeing another creature buried in the
windy, hellishly cold reaches of Icewind Dale. snow. Once free, that creature is no longer blinded or
restrained by the avalanche.
AVALANCHES
BLIZZARDS
The following rules can be used for rockslides as well as
avalanches. The blizzards that ravage Icewind Dale and harry trav-
An avalanche is a mass of snow and debris falling elers on the mountain pass are reflections of Auril's
rapidly down a mountainside. A typical avalanche is 300 self-imposed isolation. A blizzard in Icewind Dale typi-
feet wide, 150 feet long, and 30 feet thick. Creatures cally lasts 2d4 hours, and whenever the characters are
in the path of an avalanche can avoid it or escape it if caught in one, the following rules apply until it ends.
they're close to its edge, but outrunning one is almost A blizzard's howling wind limits hearing to a range of
impossible. 100 feet and imposes disadvantage on ranged weapon
When an avalanche occurs, all nearby creatures must attack rolls. It also imposes disadvantage on Wisdom
roll initiative. Twice each round, on initiative counts 10 (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. The wind ex-
and 0, the avalanche travels 300 feet until it can travel tinguishes open flames , disperses fog, erases tracks in
no more. When an avalanche moves, any creature in its the snow, and makes flying by nonmagical means nearly
space moves along with it and falls prone, and the crea- impossible. A creature falls at the end of its turn if it is
ture must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw, taking flying by nonmagical means and can't hover.

IO
Visibility in a blizzard is reduced to 30 feet. Creatures a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the fish's
without goggles or other eye protection have disadvan- Strength check to pull it out of the water. The trout has
tage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight advantage on its check. If the character fails the check,
due to blowing snow. the trout escapes. A character who fails the check by
Any creature that is concentrating on a spell in a 5 or more must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving
blizzard must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be pulled into the frigid water (see "Frigid Wa-
throw at the end of its turn or lose its concentration on ter" below). A character who is pulled out of the water
the spell unless the creature is sheltered against the ele- is dripping wet and continues to suffer the effects of the
ments (for example, in an igloo). frigid water until the wet clothes are taken off and re-
Veering OITCourse. It's easy to veer off course while placed with dry ones.
traveling through a blizzard, and it's also easy for party
members to become separated from one another, which FRIGID WATER
is why the wisest course of action is to stay put and wait Rules for frigid water appear in the Dungeon Master's
for the blizzard to pass. Guide but are repeated here for your convenience.
If the characters travel during a blizzard, have the A creature can be immersed in frigid water for a num-
players designate one party member as the navigator. ber of minutes equal to its Constitution score before
At the end of each hour of travel through the blizzard, suffering any ill effects. Each additional minute spent in
the DM makes a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check on frigid water requires the creature to succeed on a DC
behalf of the navigator. On a successful check, the party 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of ex-
stays on course. On a failed check, the party wanders haustion. Creatures with resistance or immunity to cold
off course, putting its members no closer to their des- damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as
tination than they were at the start of that hour. If the do creatures that are naturally adapted to living in ice-
check fails by 5 or more and the party members aren't cold water.
tied together, one randomly determined party member
ILLUMINATION
becomes lost in the blizzard and separated from the
others. If the group tries to reunite with its missing So long as the Everlasting Rime lasts, natural light
member, have the party members (including the missing in Icewind Dale is never brighter than dim. In normal
one) make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) group check at (non-blizzard) conditions, twilight extends from 10 a.m.
the end of each hour. If this group check succeeds, the to 2 p.m. Icewind Dale is otherwise dark until Auril's au-
missing party member is found, but no progress is made rora or the full moon appears in the night sky.
toward reaching the group's intended destination that
OVERLAND TRAVEL
hour. The group check can be repeated after each hour
The fastest way to travel across the tundra is by dogsled
spent searching for the missing party member.
(see "Getting Around Ten-Towns," page 20). But
EXTREME COLD dogs are expensive and require food, water, and shelter.
Rules for extreme cold appear in the Dungeon Master's Unless they have more equipment than they can carry,
Guide but are repeated here for your convenience. adventurers are better off traveling on foot.
A creature exposed to the cold must succeed on a DC The speed that characters can travel across Icewind
10 Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour or Dale's rough, snowy tundra is given in the Overland
gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance Travel table. Travel is less time-consuming on the snowy
or immunity to cold damage automatically succeed on roads and trails that connect the settlements of Ten-
the saving throw, as do creatures wearing cold weather Towns, as discussed in chapter 1.
clothing (thick coats, gloves, and the like) and creatures
naturally adapted to cold climates, such as reindeer and OVERLAND TRAVEL
snowy owlbears. Method ofTravel Distance per Hour
Temperatures. During Auril's everlasting winter, the Dogsled l mile
average temperature in Icewind Dale is -49 degrees On foot, with snowshoes 1/2 mile
Fahrenheit (-45 degrees Celsius). Wind chill can lower
On foot, without snowshoes 1/4 mile
these temperatures by as much as 80 degrees.
FISHING FOR KNUCKLEHEAD TROUT MOUNTAIN TRAVEL

To fish for knucklehead trout on the lakes of Icewind Navigating the Spine of the World or the slopes of
Dale, a character needs fishing tackle and a rowboat. Kelvin's Cairn is particularly arduous because of the
The former costs 4 gp (per the Player's Handbook), unforgiving mountain terrain. At the end of each hour,
while the latter can be bought for 50 gp or rented for 2 the character or NPC leading the expedition must make
gp per day. A character can fish on the ice instead of a a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. On a successful
boat, in which case a saw or similar tool is needed to cut check, the hour's journey was not hindered by weather
a fishing hole through the ice. or terrain. On a failed check, the party comes to an im-
At the end of each hour spent fishing on the lake, passe and must backtrack, which costs an extra hour
the character must make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) of travel. If the check fails by 5 or more, the party is
check. A failed check indicates no fish is caught during caught in an avalanche as it backtracks. The avalanche
that hour. If the check succeeds, the character hooks a starts 2d6 x 100 feet above the characters (see "Ava-
knucklehead trout (see appendix C) and must make lanches," page 10).

II
PRONUNCIATIONS
Name Pronunciation Description
Aerix Vokototh AIR-ix VOH-kuh-toth Chieftain's son and member of the Reghed Tribe of the Wolf
Angajuk AWN-gah-jook Awakened sperm whale with a boat strapped to its back
Arn Akannathi ARN ah-kah-NAH-thee Chief of the Akannathi goliath tribe of Skytower Shelter
Arveiaturace ar-vay-AH-chur-us Ancient white dragon known as the White Wyrm
Auril oh-REEL Lesser god that embodies winter's endurance and cruelty
Bjornhild Solvigsdottir bee-YORN-hild SOAL-vigs-daw-ter Queen of the Reghed Tribe of the Tiger
Caer-Dineval kair-DIN-eh-vawl Small fishing town on the shore of Lac Dinneshere
Caer-Konig kair-KOH-nig Small fishing town on the shore of Lac Dinneshere
Chardalyn CHAR-dah-lin A dark crystalline substance that can be forged
Chwinga chuh-WI NG-gah Tiny, sometimes helpful elemental spirit
Chyzka CHIZ-kah Gnoll fang ofYeenoghu that lairs in the Cackling Chasm
Crannoc Siever CRAN-ock SEE-ver Human town speaker of Caer-Dineval
Dorbulgruf Shalescar DOR-bull-gruff SHAYL-scar Dwarf town speaker of Bremen
Dredavex Sinfiz DRED-ah-vex SIN -fizz Gnome ceremorph (illithid) aboard the Id Ascendant
Drizzt Do'Urden DRIZT doh-UR-den Legendary drow hero known throughout lcewind Dale
Duergar DEW-ur-gar or DWAIR-gar Evil , gray-skinned dwarves that dwell in the Underdark
Dzaan duh-ZAWN Red Wizard ofThay and member of the Arcane Brotherhood
Grandolpha Muzgardt gran-DOLL-fah MUZZ-gart Duergar matron of the Muzgardt clan
Grimskalle grim-SKAW-lah Frost giant fortress inhabited by Auril the Frostmaiden
Grynsk Berylbore GRINSK BEAR-ill-bor Grizzled dwarf and boat owner in Bremen
Gunvald Halraggson GOON-vald hawl-ROG-sun King of the Reghed Tribe of the Bear
Hengar Aesnvaard HEN-gar ACE-en-vard Human champion of the Reghed Tribe of the Elk
Hethyl Arkorran HETH-ill AR-kor-ann Venerable dwarf seer and cultist of Levistus
lmdra Arlaggath IM-draw AR-lah-gath Half-elf captain of the town militia in Easthaven
lriolarthas ear-ee-oh-LAR-thas Demilich ofYthryn
lsarr Kronenstrom EYE-sar CROW-nen-strom Psychotic would-be king of the Reghed Tribe of the Wolf
Jarund Elkhardt yah-ROOND ELK-hart King of the Reghed Tribe of the Elk
Kapanuk Thuunlakalaga KAH-pah-nook THOON -lock-ah-law-gah Goliath imprisoned in the duergar fortress of Sun blight
Karkolohk KAR-koh-loak Goblin fortress
Krintaas KRIN-tass Dzaan's wight bodyguard
Lac Dinneshere lack DIN-eh-sheer The shallowest of three large lakes in lcewind Dale
Macreadus mah-KREE-dus Human cleric of Lathander living in the Black Cabin
Maer Dualdon mair dew-AWL-dun One of the three large lakes in lcewind Dale
Mjenir meh-YEN-eer Human shaman of the Reghed Tribe of the Elk
Naerth Maxildanarr NAIRTH max-ill-DAN-ar Human town speaker ofTargos
Nass Lantomir NASS LAN-tuh-meer Ghost and former member of the Arcane Brotherhood
Netheril NETH-eh-ril Bygone human empire ruled by powerful archmages
Ogolai Thuunlakalaga OH-guh-lye THOON-lock-ah-law-gah Chief of the Akannathi goliath tribe ofWyrmdoom Crag
Oyaminartok oh-yaw-meh-NAR-tock Legendary goliath polar werebear
Reggaryarva reh-gar-YAR-vah Deceased frost giant jarl whose spirit haunts Jarlmoot
Scrivenscry SKRIV-in-scry Arcanaloth in Ythryn
Scython SIGH-thawn Tiefling owner of the Easthaven ferry
Sephek Kaltro SEH-fek KAWL-troh Cold-blooded killer and Torrga lcevein's bodyguard
Sopo SAW-poh Ice mephit
Tekeli-li teck-ah-LEE-lee Gnoll vampire that haunts the Caves of Hunger
Vaelish Gant VAY-lish GANT Human mage serving a life sentence in Revel's End
Vellynne Harpel! vuh-LI N har-PELL Human mage and member of the Arcane Brotherhood
Vorryn Q'uuol VOR-inn KEW-awl Gnome ceremorph (illithid) aboard the Id Ascendant
Xardorok Sunblight ZAR-dor-rock SUN-blight Duergar tyrant who aims to conquer lcewind Dale
Yilsebek Dalambra YIL-suh-beck duh-LAHM-bruh Drow mage in the Caves of Hunger
Yselm Bloodfang YEE-selm BLUD-fang Human frost druid guide
Ythryn EETH-rin Netherese necropolis buried under the Reghed Glacier

12
The Mountain Travel table shows how fast the charac-
ters can move through the mountains on foot or by dog- CHARACTER CREATION
sled. Even in the best of cases, a journey in the moun- Before starting the adventure, consider spending your
tains takes twice as long as one of the same distance first game session helping your players create charac-
across the tundra. ters. Were the characters born and raised in Icewind
Dale, or do they hail from distant lands? How long have
MOUNTAIN TRAVEL they known each other? What secrets are they hiding?
Method ofTravel Distance per Hour The following sections can help you answer these
questions.
Dogsled 1/2 mile
On foot , with snowshoes 1/4 mile CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS
On foot, without snowshoes 1/8 mile
The Player's Handbook contains character backgrounds
that are well suited for this adventure. If your players
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE are having trouble fleshing out their characters' back-
The Pronunciations table on the facing page shows how grounds with details about Icewind Dale, share the sug-
to pronounce many of the non-English names that ap- gestions from the Character Hooks Tied to Backgrounds
pear in this adventure. table with them.
CHARACTER HOOKS TIED TO BACKGROUNDS

Background Character Hook
Acolyte Auril the Frostmaiden, the god of winter's fury, has cast an evil spell over lcewind Dale. You can bring hope and
faith to the people of Ten-Towns or, even better, free them from winter's cold embrace in the name of your god.
Charlatan Your cons and deceptions nearly got the better of you. You needed to disappear for a while, and lcewind Dale
was the perfect place to do so. Nothing could prepare you for the cold and the dark desolation, but at least
there's money to be made.
Criminal You are wanted for crimes in the cities of Luskan and Mirabar, but no one will think to look for you in Ten-Towns,
the cold heart of lcewind Dale. Thankfully, nobody in Ten-Towns cares who you are-or what you've done.
Entertainer You came to lcewind Dale three years ago seeking inspiration for a new song or poem, drawn by tales of the
land 's harsh beauty and the legendary exploits of Drizzt Do' Urden. Since then, Auril the Frostmaiden has cast an
evil spell over the dale, preventing you from returning home.
Folk Hero Your name is synonymous with heroism throughout Ten-Towns. Did you save a fisher who fell into the ice, scare
away a yeti armed with only a fishing pole and a basket, or beat a drunk goliath at arm wrestling?
Guild Artisan You came to lcewind Dale to start a business . Your shop was doing well until Auril the Frostmaiden cast her evil
spell to banish the sun. Now, businesses throughout Ten-Towns are suffering, yours included. To avoid hardship,
you might need to supplement your income.
Hermit You've never felt at ease in civilized society, and there's no place farther from the trappings of civilization than
lcewind Dale. This is a land without pretense, and the people ofTen-Towns pay you little mind. To them, you're
just another silly old fool.
Noble Your wealthy grandfather or grandmother sent you to lcewind Dale to learn a hard lesson. Perhaps the cruel in-
difference of this frozen land will prepare you for the cruel indifference ofWaterdeep's politics.
Outlander You're a child of the icy wilderness, born and raised in one of the Reghed tribes. Imagine, after following herds of
migrating reindeer your whole life, getting a taste of what life in Ten-Towns has to offer.
Sage You came to lcewind Dale in search of ruins and artifacts left behind by the giants who ruled the ancient empire
of Ostoria. To find even one Ostorian relic would fulfill a lifelong dream and make your rivals back home green
with envy.
Sailor You've sailed ships up and down the Sword Coast, but a shipwreck made you reevaluate your life choices. Two
years ago, you headed north, bought a house and a fishing boat in Ten-Towns, and became a fisher. You were
told that the summers here are beautiful, but you have yet to see one.
Soldier You are a soldier of Ten-Towns, trained to fight ores and other threats lurking in the Spine of the World moun-
tains . Auril the Frostmaiden has cast an evil spell over lcewind Dale, and you struggle to see how your soldier's
training can save this land from so terrible a doom . Still, you are not about to give up on the people ofTen-
Towns .
Urchin Because you grew up in Ten-Towns, your familiarity with the residents makes you useful to Harper spies and
Zhentarim bounty hunters who are looking for criminals and other ne'er-do-wells hiding in your midst. Ratting
out these newcomers keeps coin in your pockets.
WELCOME TO THE FAR NO RT H

13
Drizzt Fan. This harmless secret comes with no
GOLIATH PLAYER CHARACTERS
strings attached and is a nod to R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt
All the character races presented in the Player's Hand- novels, which were among the first works to bring Ice-
book are well suited for this adventure, as are goliaths- wind Dale to life.
tall, strong folk who live in the mountains. Appendix C Elusive Paramour. This secret is another nod to the
includes a description of goliaths and their traits, if you Drizzt novels, setting up a situation like the one faced
want to allow them in your game. by Regis the halfling. At a time of your choosing, you
can have the disgruntled pasha's assassin, an invisible
STARTING E UIPMENT stalker, show up to menace the character.
All characters begin the adventure with a free set of cold Escaped Prisoner. The character with this secret
weather clothing in addition to the starting equipment knows the location of the crashed nautiloid in chapter 2
they receive from their class and background choices. (see page 132) and can lead the party to it. The trauma
See "Winter Survival Gear," page 20, for more infor- of being held captive by the illithids prevents the char-
mation about cold weather clothing. acter from remembering events prior to the crash. A
greater restoration spell removes this trauma, allowing
TRINKETS the character to remember details about the illithids as
Appendix A provides a table of trinkets appropriate well as the other prisoners aboard the nautiloid when it
for characters who start their adventuring careers in crashed (a bulette and two carrion crawlers).
Icewind Dale. A player whose character has a trinket Littlest Yeti. If the party happens upon one or more
can roll on this table instead of the Trinkets table in the yetis in the course of the adventure, this secret might
Player's Handbook. reveal itself. You can also rule that yeti tykes (see appen-
dix C) are friendly toward this character by default.
CHARACTER SECRETS Midwinter Child. This is one of the more useful se-
Appendix B contains secrets that you can photocopy, cut crets, since the character possessing it is immune to the
out, and share with players in your home game. While effects of extreme cold. Also, the player might decide
the players are creating their characters, decide whether that their character is sympathetic toward Auril because
you want each party member to have a secret or not. of the gift she has bestowed. If the party succeeds in
The secrets are designed to foment mistrust among killing Auril, the benefits of this secret are lost.
party members, creating an atmosphere of suspicion Old Flame. This secret comes to light when the player
and paranoia that is appropriate for the setting. chooses the character's secret lover. Since the onus falls
Determine each character's secret by having that on the player to choose this NPC, the lover can change
character's player draw a random card from the deck. If each time you run this adventure with a different group
a player doesn't like the secret they've drawn, or if the of characters. This secret can also be used to turn an
secret is a bad fit for the character, let the player discard NPC foe into a potential ally, at your discretion.
the first draw and pick another card. Each character Ore Stone. The spirit summoned by the stone belongs
gets one secret to start with. Some of the secrets are to a fierce ore war chief named Vokarr the Eye biter,
benign, others not so much. who was killed by dwarves. This spirit looks like a liv-
If you're running the adventure for a group that loves ing, breathing ore. It speaks Common and Ore.
the idea of characters who have secrets, you can allow Ow/bear Whisperer. If the character uses this secret
each player to draw twice instead of once, creating a to change an owlbear's attitude to friendly, the owlbear
party with a disturbing number of skeletons in their can become the character's companion and protector,
closets. If you want to make it possible for more than and you can run the owlbear as an NPC.
one character to have the same secret, replace each card Pirate Cannibal. The character with this secret
in the deck before the next player draws. knows the location of the Dark Duchess in chapter 2
Some players will guard their characters' secrets for (see page 127) and can lead the party to it. The charac-
the entire campaign, never sharing them. Other players ter would also know the ship's layout.
will wait for the perfect occasion to reveal their charac- Reghed Heir. More information about Queen Bjorn-
ters' secrets. Don't be surprised if a player decides to hild Solvigsdottir and the Tiger Tribe can be found in
reveal their character's secret right away. appendix C. Bjornhild would hardly recognize her dis-
carded offspring, but any character who presents them-
USING SECRETS selves as such will be attacked at once. Bjornhild has no
The following suggestions are offered to help you make love for her would-be heir, seeing that character only as
the most out of the secrets in appendix B. a rival and a sacrifice to Auril.
Alagondar Scion. At some point, Lord Dagult Never- Reincarnation. Allow the player to flesh out the de-
ember might send a lone assassin-a nameless, mid- tails of the character's life prior to being reincarnated,
dle-aged woman with a shaved head and a hook for a and try to imagine how that back story might tie into
right hand-to kill the character who has this secret. some part of the adventure. Some of the races listed in
Doppelganger. This character can imitate specific the reincarnate spell's table go by different names in
NPCs and even other player characters. If this charac- the Realms, as noted in the Forgotten Realms Races
ter's secret becomes widely known, the people of Ten- table. If the player wants to randomly determine the
Towns will almost certainly try to kill or drive away the character's cause of death, let them roll on the How I
character out of fear. Died table.

FORGOTTEN REALMS RACES Ring Hunter. You might decide that the lost ring
sought by this character is lodged inside 01' Bitey (see
Race Realms Version
page 33). Otherwise, the character can try to fish
Dwarf, hill Dwarf, gold
it out of Maer Dualdon (see "Fishing for Knucklehead
Dwarf, mountain Dwarf, shield Trout," page 11). Each time a party member cuts
Elf, high Elf, moon or sun open a trout pulled from this lake, there's a 1 percent
Elf, wood Elf, wild or wood chance that the fish has the signet ring lodged inside it.
Halfling, stout Halfling, strongheart Runaway Author. Worshipers of Asmodeus send
three bearded devils (whose fiendish features are
cloaked by cold weather clothing) to kill the character
How I DIED
who has this secret. If the characters visit Caer-Dineval,
d20 How I Died the Knights of the Black Sword (see page 38), as fol-
1-3 I was killed in an avalanche. lowers of Levistus rather than Asmodeus, might warn
4-5 I was murdered by goblins in the mountains after the characters that an attack on one of them is imminent
they ambushed my caravan. and even offer sanctuary in Caer-Dineval's keep.
6-8 I got mauled to death by a yeti.
Slaad Host. The exact timing of the slaad tadpole's
birth is deliberately left vague, although there are a few
9-10 A white dragon attacked my caravan, and I was
places in the adventure where the text suggests that the
slain by its freezing breath weapon.
emergence might occur then and there. See the slaadi
11-13 I was pulled into a freezing lake by a knucklehead entry in the Monster Manual for more information about
trout and drowned before I could be rescued. red slaad eggs and slaad tadpoles. Any magic that can
14-16 A lottery was recently held in Targos to see who cure a disease can end this threat, provided the cure is
would be sacrificed to the Frostmaiden. I was the administered before the slaad tadpole bursts from the
unlucky one . I died of exposure after being stripped character's chest.
down and cast into a snowstorm. Spy. Harpers assigned to Icewind Dale can't rely
on much support from the organization, so they are
17-18 I was killed in Ten-Towns by a lookalike-a doppel-
expected to look after themselves. Beldora, the charac-
ganger, I presume.
ter's Harper contact in Bryn Shander, is a chaotic good
19-20 I was killed by a white moose outside Ten-Towns. human spy who can help steer the adventure by sharing
rumors and providing helpful advice.
WELCOME T O T H E FAR NORTH

15
1
TEN-TOWNS
IKE THE FAMOUS DROW DRIZZT Do'URDEN,

many people who come to Ten-Towns are
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER
outcasts, fugitives, or pariahs in search of Getting off on the right foot is important. If you follow
a place where they can be tolerated, if not these steps, you should be all right:
accepted. Some came here determined to • Before starting the adventure, read the rest of this
make their fortunes. Others come for the solitude, or section and the "Ten-Towns Overview" that follows it.
to escape notice and stay out of the reach of the law of A description of each town appears later in this chap-
the southern cities. Today, four hundred years after the ter, but you don't need to commit all ten settlements to
formation of Ten-Towns, most folk are here because they memory before running this part of the adventure.
were born here, grew up here, and expect to die here. • Determine the town in which the adventure begins
They're fishers, loggers, miners, hunters, trappers, fur- (see "Starting Town" below) and read the description
riers, and traders accustomed to the harsh climate, the of that town.
slow pace, and the isolation. Like the hardy lichens and • Once the players have their characters, backgrounds,
determined reindeer of the tundra, residents endure and and secrets sorted out, kick off the adventure by read-
do what's needed to survive. ing the boxed text in the "Cold Open" section.
lcewind Dale has few trees, so lumber is cut from the • Give the players a starting quest (either "Cold-Hearted
slopes of the Spine of the World or the depths of the Killer" or "Nature Spirits"), or use the quest that's
Lonelywood Forest. Stone from the hills and valleys sur- tied to the adventure's starting town (as shown in the
rounding Kelvin's Cairn supplements wood as a build- Starting Town table).
ing material in Ten-Towns. Homes have sharply pitched Whenever the characters arrive at another town for
roofs to prevent snow from accumulating on them. the first time, review the nutshell description of that
The people of Ten-Towns wear layers of woolen cloth- town and give the characters the quest tied to that set-
ing often topped off with fur cloaks. Under these heavy tlement (as shown in the Starting Town table).
clothes and cloaks, one resident looks very much the
same as another. Outdoors, it's hard to tell the people of STARTING TOWN
Ten-Towns apart-and easy for clever monsters to hide
Choose one of the ten towns as the starting point for
in their midst.
the adventure. It doesn't matter which one, so pick your
favorite or roll randomly using the Starting Town table.
If you can't decide and don't want to leave it to chance,
STARTING TOWN
dlO Town Town's Starting Quest
Bremen "Lake Monster" (page 28), in which the characters hunt for a monster terrorizing Bremen's fishers.
2 Bryn Shander "Foaming Mugs" (page 34), in which the characters search for a missing supply of iron ingots.
3 Caer-Dineval "Black Swords" (page 38), in which the characters confront devil-worshiping cultists in a clifftop castle.
4 Caer-Konig "The Unseen" (page 47). in which the characters solve the mystery behind a number of petty thefts.
5 Dougan's Hole "Holed Up" (page 53), in which the characters cross paths with a pair of winter wolves and rescue two
missing youngsters.
6 Easthaven "Toil and Trouble" (page 62), in which the characters search for missing fishers in a hag's lair.
7 Good Mead "The Mead Must Flow" (page 73), in which the characters retrieve several stolen casks of honey mead.
8 Lonelywood "The White Moose" (page 80), in which the characters hunt an evil white moose that is terrorizing local
hunters and loggers.
9 Targos "Mountain Climb" (page 87), in which the characters search for an expedition that went missing on the
slopes of Kelvin's Cairn.
10 Termalaine "A Beautiful Mine" (page 94), in which the characters go looking for trouble in a nearby gem mine.
CHAPTER I I TEN-TOWNS
17
choose Bryn Shander; it's the most cosmopolitan set- The quests in this chapter are designed to get the
tlement in Icewind Dale, and it has all the amenities a characters exploring Ten-Towns and the nearby wil-
fledgling party of adventurers could hope for. derness, while quests that take them into the farthest
reaches of Icewind Dale are saved for chapter 2. It's up
TEN-TOWNS Q ,U ESTS to the players whether to complete a particular quest or
This chapter presents two starting quests ("Cold- not; the adventure doesn't assume that they'll complete
Hearted Killer" and "Nature Spirits") that the charac- them all, but completing at least five of this chapter's
ters can get at the start of the adventure, regardless of quests advances characters to 4th level (see "Character
which town serves as their starting point. Every town Advancement" below).
has its own quest as well, as noted in the Starting Town
TEN-TOWNS RUMORS
table. Once you choose a starting quest, the other start-
If the characters complete a town's quest and aren't sure
ing quests go unused. "Cold-Hearted Killer" has the po-
where to go next, inform the players that their charac-
tential for combat, while "Nature Spirits" presents a fun
ters have heard rumors of trouble in a neighboring town,
quest without the danger.
then roll on the Ten-Towns Rumors table to determine
what they've heard. Roll again if the characters have al-
TEN-TOWNS RUMORS
ready completed the quest associated with that town.
dlO Rumor
In Bremen, fishers are being terrorized by a monster CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT
that lives in Maer Dualdon. Strange that none of the In this chapter, level advancement is handled as follows:
other towns on that lake have been harangued by the
The characters advance to 2nd level after completing
monster. their first quest in this chapter.
2 In Bryn Shander, some dwarves will pay good money • They advance to 3rd level after completing three
to anyone who can find a lost shipment for them. quests in this chapter and advance to 4th level after
3 In Caer-Dineval, no one has seen the town speaker completing five quests in this chapter.
for a long time. Locals say Speaker Crannoc has Once the characters reach 4th level, they no long gain
fallen ill, but sinister figures have been seen entering levels by completing the quests in this chapter. Even so,
and leaving the castle at odd hours. completing more than the required number of quests
4 In Caer-Konig, local establishments are beset by van- can improve their standing in Ten-Towns (see "Reputa-
dals and thieves that skulk about unseen . The town tion in Ten-Towns" below), and they still collect the other
speaker, a dragon born named Trovus, could really rewards for completing those quests.
use some help catching the interlopers.
REPUTATION IN TEN-TOWNS
5 In Dougan's Hole, people live in fear of winter As the characters complete the quests in this chapter,
wolves that haunt the outskirts of the town. As big their reputation in Ten-Towns begins to spread. For bet-
as horses they are, and smarter than normal wolves. ter or worse, they become known to the people of Ten-
6 In Easthaven, they caught an evil wizard who killed Towns-some of whom regard them as saviors, while
some adventurers. The town militia plans to burn others fear their boldness, envy their power, or covet the
the wizard at the stake. I hear the captain of the wealth they've amassed. Fame in Icewind Dale is always
guard is looking for adventurers to help with another a double-edged sword.
task that may or may not be related. The adventuring party's reputation in Ten-Towns
improves as the characters gain levels, with the follow-
7 In Good Mead, the town speaker was recently killed
ing results:
by a nine-foot-tall giant. Rumor has it the giant stole
a shipment of honey mead, without which a handful • When the characters reach 3rd level, they begin to
of taverns in Ten-Towns might go dry! earn a healthy measure of respect from Ten-Towners
who know of their exploits.
8 In Lonelywood, beware the dreaded white moose!
When the characters reach 4th level, they are given
It attacks loggers and trappers on sight, and the
a hero's welcome in the towns they've helped but are
town's best hunters can't seem to catch or kill the given the cold shoulder in towns they've ignored. They
beast. They could probably use some help. also learn about new adventure opportunities outside
9 In Targos, a band of adventurers is planning an Ten-Towns, as described in chapter 2.
expedition up the side of Kelvin's Cairn, hoping to
find Oyaminartok, a goliath lycanthrope who can TEN-TOWNS OVERVIEW
transform into a polar bear. If you hurry, you might
Ten-Towns didn't spring up overnight. It started from
be able to join the expedition! humble beginnings four centuries ago. Immigrants from
10 In Termalaine, Speaker Masthew has closed one of all over FaerO.n came here in search of escape or adven-
the town's lucrative gem mines. Apparently, a gang ture and built a modest trade post atop the hill where
ofkobolds crept into the mine and endangered some Bryn Shander now stands. One by one, settlements
miners . Anyone who clears out the mine can expect sprung up on the shores of Maer Dualdon, Lac Dinne-
to be well compensated. shere, and Redwaters. The ever-present threat of ores
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
r8
and other monsters compelled the poorly defended lake- of the lakes. Redwaters, the shallowest lake, almost
side towns to turn Bryn Shander from a modest hilltop completely freezes in winter, making the fishing there
trading post into a walled town capable of defending all difficult. Lac Dinneshere catches the worst of the winds
Ten-Towners if and when the worst comes. blowing off the Reghed Glacier to the east and thus has
Most of the towns contain trace evidence of the im- the roughest waters. Small thermal vents at the bottom
migrant cultures that birthed them. This evidence is of these lakes keep them from freezing completely, even
carved into houses, statues, and other fixtures. For ex- in the coldest winters.
ample, the dinosaur carvings on the older buildings of Ten-Towns fishing boats are simple affairs. The small-
Good Mead remind folk that many of its original settlers est are rowboats and single-masted skiffs that require
were Chultan. careful handling to avoid capsizing. Larger, twin-masted
Residents of Ten-Towns tend to remain indoors when cogs and keelboats with single decks handle the wind
they're not working, since it's so frightfully cold outside, and waves better. These ships fly the flags of their towns
which gives each settlement a deathly quiet aspect. Most and provide fish for the whole community, not for any
people who venture outdoors are bundled up in so much individual fisher.
cold weather clothing as to be barely recognizable, and When thick ice covers the lakes, many fishers stay to
they don't stand around long enough for the cold wind to the shelters of their homes and hearths, but the most
get the better of them. dedicated or desperate cut holes in the ice and dangle
Auril's winter spell has caused the population of Ten- their lines down in hopes of tempting hungry trout.
Towns to dwindle and has heightened rivalries that have
immered for years, turning neighboring towns against FUEL SOURCES
one another as competition for resources becomes The folk ofTen-Towns don't have a lot of options when it
increasingly intense. The alliance of Ten-Towns won't comes to keeping warm . People from Good Mead , Lone-
hold if the mounting tribalism continues to threaten the lywood , and Termalaine burn wood salvaged from nearby
common good. forests to heat their houses. In the other towns of lcewind
Dale, wood is too precious a commodity to burn, so whale
LIFE OFF THE LAKES oil is used in lamps and small stoves around which towns-
folk huddle for warmth.
~ost of the ten towns except Bryn Shander are built Ten-Towners buy their wha le oi l from whalers who live on
on the shores of three big lakes. The largest population the shores of the Sea of Moving Ice. Whaling is thus a lu-
of knucklehead trout is in Maer Dualdon, the deepest crative (if inherently dangerous) business in lcewind Dale.
19
CRAMPONS
A crampon is a metal plate with spikes that is strapped
to the sole of a boot. A creature wearing crampons can't
fall prone while moving across slippery ice.
SNOWSHOES
Snowshoes reduce the likelihood of their wearer getting
stuck in the deep snow.
GETTING AROUND TEN-TOWNS

Most Ten-Towners travel from town to town on foot.
Those who need to transport more goods than they can
carry use wooden sleds pulled by dogs or domesticated
axe beaks as pack animals. Such things can be bought
and sold in every Ten-Towns settlement.
DOGSLEDS
An empty sled costs 20 gp, weighs 300 pounds, and has
room at the back for one driver. A sled dog (use the wolf
stat block in appendix A of the Monster Manual) costs
50 gp and can pull 360 pounds.
Sled dogs must take a short rest after pulling a sled
for 1 hour; otherwise, they gain one level of exhaustion.
AXE BEAKS
An axe beak's splayed toes allow it to run across snow,
and it can carry as much weight as a mule. A domesti-
cated axe beak can be purchased in Ten-Towns for 50
gp. See appendix A of the Monster Manual for the axe
beak's stat block.
MAGIC IN TEN-TOWNS
WINTER SURVIVAL GEAR Characters hoping to procure powerful magic items or
Any item listed in the equipment chapter of the Play- the services of a high-level spellcaster in Ten-Towns are
er's Handbook can be bought in Ten-Towns, including out of luck. At best, they might be able to find common
fishing tackle and sleds. The larger the town, the more magic items for sale, or a friendly druid, priest, or mage
likely it is to have the item. who can cast spells on their behalf. For every hundred
The Winter Survival Gear table provides costs for cold people in a town, there's one such individual living
weather clothing, crampons, and snowshoes, which can among them.
be added to the list of things that characters can buy in Magic items and magical services available in Ten-
Ten-Towns. Towns are summarized below. If an item or spell is not
covered here, assume there is no friendly NPC who can
WINTER SURVIVAL GEAR sell or cast it.
Common magic items cost 100 gp each where they're
Item Cost Weight
available, except for common potions (such as potions of
Clothing, cold weather 10 gp s lb. healing), which can be had for 50 gp.
Crampons (2) 2 gp 1/4 lb. A friendly spellcaster will charge 25 gp for a 1st-level
Snowshoes 2 gp 4 lb. spell, 50 gp for one that uses a 2nd-level spell slot, or
150 gp for one that uses a 3rd-level spell slot, plus the
COLD WEATHER CLOTHING cost of any expensive material components.
This outfit consists of a heavy fur coat or cloak over lay-
ers of wool clothing, as well as a fur-lined hat or hood, SNOWFLAKE RATINGS
goggles, and fur-lined leather boots and gloves. This chapter uses a three-snowflake rating system to
As long as cold weather clothing remains dry, its help you quickly differentiate the settlements of Ten-
wearer automatically succeeds on saving throws Towns. Each town is rated in terms of its friendliness,
against the effects of extreme cold (see "Extreme the services it offers, and its comfort. The more snow-
Cold," page 11). flakes, the better the rating.
Friendliness. Residents in a three-snowflake town
are friendly and helpful, by and large. Conversely, a
one-snowflake town is full of unhelpful, unfriendly folk.
A two-snowflake town has both.
20
Services. A three-snowflake town is where charac-
COUNCIL OF SPEAKERS
·ers are most likely to find the services they need. A
Each town is an independent settlement that elect s a
wo-snowflake town has a much narrower selection.
leader, or speaker, to represent its interests at meeti ngs
Characters will have trouble getting any sort of service
of the Council of Speakers, which are infrequent and take
in a one-snowflake town. place at the Counci l Hall in Bryn $hander. These meetings
Comfort. Characters can find decent food and drink, are called to discuss matters of shared interest and to set-
a well as warm beds, in a three-snowflake town. A tle disputes between towns.
vo-snowflake town might have a small tavern plus an
·nn with drafty rooms to rent. A one-snowflake town
Humanoid. Bryn Shander, Easthaven, and Targos hold
might have a cold shed or attic where characters can
lotteries the afternoon before the new moon. The
-rash for the night, and that's about it.
unlucky person whose name is drawn is sacrificed at
nightfall. The ill-fated soul is stripped bare and either
ACRIFICES TO AURIL
tied to a post or sent into the tundra to die. Accusa-
The desperate people of Ten-Towns, hoping to appease tions of rigged lotteries are common but usually not
Auril so that summer can return to Icewind Dale, make acted upon.
sacrifices to the Frostmaiden on nights of the new Food. Smaller towns that can't afford to give up people
moon. This is a new practice that started a little over give up their food instead. A day's catch of knuckle-
a year ago, when it became clear that Auril was angry head trout is strung up on wooden racks a mile out-
and summer would not be returning anytime soon. The side town, to be claimed by yeti and other creatures
own speakers (see the "Council of Speakers" sidebar) that embody Auril's wrath.
have unanimously agreed to honor these practices, Warmth. Towns that can't bring themselves to give up
-hich they consider necessary evils, but would end their people or their food forsake warmth for a night.
them in a heartbeat if Auril were to be appeased or dealt No fires are lit between dusk and dawn, forcing locals
.vith in some other way. to share body heat for warmth. Anyone who dares to
The nature of the sacrifices varies from town to town, light a fire is savagely beaten.
but usually takes one of three forms:
CHA PTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS

21
Mountain Goliaths. Goliaths who hail from the Spine of
COLD OPEN the World know of two rival goliath settlements in the
Before beginning the adventure, give your players a mountains, Skytower Shelter and Wyrmdoom Crag
chance to decide how their characters wound up in Ice- (both described in chapter 2). A goliath character who
wind Dale, what their relationships are to one another, hails from one of these settlements would be familiar
and what circumstances brought them together. Once with its inhabitants, as well as their longstanding feud
the players are ready to get under way, use the following with goliaths from the rival settlement.
boxed text to summarize the situation: Valley Dwarves. Shield dwarves and other charac-
ters who hail from the Dwarven Valley at the foot of
Kelvin's Cairn would know that this valley contains
lcewind Dale has become trapped in a perpetual winter.
sprawling iron mines and cave complexes inhabited
Ferocious blizzards make the mountain pass through by shield dwarves of the Battlehammer clan and
the Spine of the World exceedingly treacherous, and this their allies.
land has not felt the warmth of the sun in over two years.
In fact, the sun no longer appears above the mountains, STARTING QUEST:
not even in what should be the height of summer. In this
COLD-HEARTED KILLER
frozen tundra, darkness and bitter cold reign as king and
"Cold-Hearted Killer" is one of two quests designed
queen. Most dale residents blame Auril the Frostmaiden ,
to kick off the adventure. The characters can get this
the god of winter's wrath. The shimmering aurora quest regardless of which town is the adventure's
that weaves across the sky each night is said to be her starting point.
doing-a potent spell that keeps the sun at bay. The characters receive this quest from Hlin Trollbane,
Dalefolk live in a scattering of settlements known a retired bounty hunter who has been stalking a serial
killer ever since she found a connection between three
as Ten-Towns. The drop-off in caravans coming from
murders and a small trading company called Torg's.
the south and travel between settlements in this Hlin hires the characters to apprehend her suspect and
never-ending winter has left everyone feeling isolated. dole out some cold, swift justice by quietly disposing of
Although each town has resolved to appease the Frost- him if they believe he's guilty. This quest is no murder
maiden with sacrifices of one kind or another, no respite mystery; it's a hunt.
from winter's fury seems forthcoming. For adventurers
GETTING THE UEST
such as yourselves, Ten-Towns is a place to test one's
To begin this quest, read the following boxed text to
mettle and, in the spirit of heroes who have come before,
the players:
leave one's mark on this frigid, blighted land.
just another gruesome day in Ten-Towns: howling wind ,

Having set the stage, you can now describe the adven-
bitter cold, foul tempers, and snowdrifts big enough to
ture's starting town using the information presented
later in this chapter, and the poster map includes a map bury a herd of moose. But today the local tavern is abuzz
of the starting town that you can share with the players. with news about a series of recent killings . Before the
The characters would be aware of the town's general murders, the only question on everyone's mind was,
layout and key features. "Will summer ever return to lcewind Dale?" Now the
question is, "Will I be the killer's next victim?" Nothing
lCEWIND DALE KNOWLEDGE
breeds fear and paranoia like a murderer with no face .
Assume that your party of adventurers is familiar with Three cold-blooded murders have been committed in
Icewind Dale's geography and landmarks, as shown on
the past month: a halfling trapper in Easthaven, a human
the poster map, as well as the names and locations of
the settlements that comprise Ten-Towns. Characters shipbuilder in Targos, and, three days ago, a dwarf glass-
from Icewind Dale know the following additional infor- blower in Bryn Shander. Each victim was found with a
mation, depending on where they grew up: dagger of ice through the heart.
Ten-Towners. Characters who have spent some time in What's the connection? The drunken lot huddled in
Ten-Towns know the names of important residents, the tavern offers no credible ideas, but sitting apart from
such as the speaker of each town, as well as the them is an elderly shield dwarf with a nasty scar across
information in each town's nutshell description (as
her nose who looks like she has something worth know-
presented later in this chapter). They also know the
names of the four tribes of Reghed nomads described ing. She's been smoking her pipe and eyeing you ever
in appendix C. since you walked in.
Reghed Nomads. Any characters raised among the
Reghed nomads recognize members of their own
Hlin Trollbane, a neutral good shield dwarf, is a retired
tribe, as well as the names and reputations of promi-
bounty hunter with finely honed survival instincts. She
nent members of other tribes (see appendix C).
is an unarmored veteran who wields a battleaxe and
CHAPTER l I TEN-TOWNS
handaxe instead of a longsword and shortsword. Plying
her profession earned her a few too many enemies up
and down the Sword Coast, which is why she wound up
in Icewind Dale.
Out of boredom and a sense of moral decency, Hlin
has taken it upon herself to investigate the recent
murders because no one else-not even the Council of
Speakers-can be bothered. Hlin is studying the char-
acters closely, trying to decide if they're worth her time.
Ultimately, she takes the chance and draws them into
conversation, asking them to help her take down her
only suspect: a man named Sephek Kaltro. Here's what
he knows about Sephek and the victims:
"Sephek Kaltro works for a small traveling merchant

company called Torg's, owned and operated by a shady
dwarf named Torrga lcevein. In other words, Sephek
gets around. He's charming. Makes friends easily. He's
also Torrga's bodyguard, so I'm guessing he's good
with a blade.
"His victims come from the only three towns that
sacrifice people to the Frostmaiden on nights of the new
moon. This is what passes for civilized behavior in Ice-
wind Dale. Maybe the victims found a way to keep their
names out of the drawings and Sephek found out they
were cheating, so he killed them. Maybe, just maybe, Medium undead, neutral evil
Sephek is doing the Frostmaiden's work.
"I followed Torg's for a tenday as it moved from town Armor Class 12
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
to town. Quite the devious little enterprise, but that's not
Speed 30 ft.
my concern. What struck me is how comfortable Sephek
altro looked in this weather. No coat, no scarf, no STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
gloves. It was like the cold couldn't touch him. Kiss of the 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 18 (+4)
Frostmaiden, indeed. Skills Perception +5, Survival +5
"I will pay you a hundred gold pieces to apprehend Damage Immunities cold
Sephek Kaltro, ascertain his guilt, and deal with him, Condition Immunities charmed , frightened
Senses passive Perception 15
preferably without involving the authorities. When the Languages Common
ob is done, return to me to collect your money." Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. Sephek can innately cast misty step up to

For the benefit of characters who are new to Ten- three times per day, requiring no components . His innate spell-
Towns, Hlin can explain that certain settlements (Bryn casting ability is Charisma .
-hander, Easthaven, and Targos) are making humanoid
: crifices to Auril, holding lotteries to determine who Cold Regeneration. If the temperature around him is 0 degrees
Fahrenheit or lower, Sephek regains 5 hit points at the start of
~et sacrificed on nights of the new moon (see "Sacri-
his turn . lfhe takes fire damage, this trait doesn 't function at
ces to Auril," page 21).
the start ofSephek's next turn. Sephek dies only ifhe starts his
If Hlin's theory is true and Sephek Kaltro is killing
turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Ten-Towners who cheat their way out of becoming sacri-
- es to Auril, it's likely the Frostmaiden will use him to ACTIONS
· II again. Hlin is too old and frail to apprehend Sephek
Multiattack. Sephe k attacks twice with a weapon.
herself, but she has more gold than she needs, so she
res the characters to do her work. Ice Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
The challenge begins with finding Sephek Kaltro, target. Hit: 7 (ld8 + 3) slashing damage , or 8 (ldl0 + 3) slash-
nee Torg's moves around a lot. Hlin doesn't know if ing damage if Sephek uses the weapon with two hands , plus 5
- phek is acting alone or has the support of Torrga (2d4) cold damage.
evein, so she advises the characters to isolate Sephek Ice Dagger. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit , reach 5 ft . or
and dispose of him quietly, if such action is called for. range 20/60 ft. , one target. Hit: 5 (1 d4 + 3) piercing damage
plus 5 (2d4) cold damage.
23
FINDING TORG'S SEPHEK KALTRO
Sephek Kaltro (see the accompanying stat block) is a
You can randomly determine the location of the mer-
well-built man in his thirties. He has an olive complex-
chant company by rolling a dlO and consulting the
ion, dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, and no facial
Starting Town table (page 17). Roll again if the result
or body hair. He is dressed in a stylish vest with match-
is the adventure's starting town. Conversely, you can
ing pants and boots, similar in style to those worn by
forgo the roll and pick a town you like. Bremen (page
mariners of the southern Sword Coast, but wears no
27) and Dougan's Hole (page 53) are good choices
armor or cold weather clothing and doesn't appear to be
because they're small and isolated.
armed. His most striking feature is his eyes, which are
The characters can either visit towns one by one until
as blue as a frozen lake.
they find Torg's, or they can try to get a solid lead before
The best way to deal with Sephek is to confront him
setting out. Any character who spends an hour talking
while he's separated from Torrga and her other cronies.
to townsfolk can make a DC 17 Charisma (Investigation)
Sephek stays close to Torrga during business hours.
check at the end of that hour. On a successful check, the
Once activity drops off, Torrga shuts down her operation
character finds someone who knows Torrga Icevein's
for the rest of the day, puts the dogs in a kennel and the
travel plans and is willing to share that information for
sleds in a secure shed, and pays for the team's lodgings.
a small bribe (at least 5 gp or nonperishable goods of
After Torrga retires for the night, Sephek is free to do
equal value). Armed with that information, the charac-
as he pleases until the following morning. If he happens
ters can travel to the town by the most expeditious route.
to be in Bryn Shander, Easthaven, or Targos, he stalks
TORRGA lCEVEIN AND HER CARAVAN his next murder victim. If he's elsewhere, he spends the
The Torg's caravan consists of three heavily laden dog- night drinking and carousing, then falls asleep for a few
sleds, each one pulled by six friendly sled dogs. One sled hours, preferably in an unheated place such as a barn or
carries provisions and supplies for Torrga, her team, an abandoned cottage.
and her dogs. It flies a flag bearing the company's em- When asked about his odd style of dress, Sephek
blem, a gold wolf's paw on a black field. The other two Kaltro claims that he was born on the holiday of Mid-
sleds transport goods for sale, including cut wood, flint winter and that the Frostmaiden's blessing protects him
and tinder, flasks of whale oil, blankets, furs, rations, from the cold. In truth, Sephek was not born during
bottles of wine, casks of cheap ale, fake medicines, and Midwinter. He was a mariner whose ship sank off the
vials of poison (used primarily for killing vermin). coast of Auril's island a few months ago. He swam to the
Torg's is an outdoor shop. Goods are unpacked and island but nearly froze to death. As his life was fading,
displayed in crates, with small canopies to keep the the spirit of a frost druid beholden to Auril possessed
snow off them. Most of Torrga's goods are stolen or him. The winter spirit cannibalized Sephek's spirit and
fenced, and she sells them for double the normal price. is using him as a living vessel to do the Frostmaiden's
She has a protection racket that earns her a little coin work. The spirit can't leave Sephek's body; if Sephek
on the side, and she also commits murders for profit on dies, the winter spirit is destroyed along with him.
the sly. One of the larger sacks on Torrga's sled contains Auril inspired Sephek to travel to Ten-Towns and of-
the frozen corpse of a male half-elf in his thirties with fer his services to Torrga Icevein. As Hlin suspects, he
a stab wound in his chest. The half-elf had a bounty on has been killing Ten-Towners who pay off low-ranking
his head and came to Icewind Dale to disappear. Torrga town officials to exclude their names from the lotteries
found him and killed him with Sephek's help. Once she's in Bryn Shander, Easthaven, and Targos. Because he's
sold off her goods in Ten-Towns, she plans to deliver the doing the Frostmaiden's work, the spirit inside Sephek
corpse to Luskan and collect the 125 gp bounty. doesn't care about getting caught, and he isn't shy about
Torrga is a neutral evil shield dwarf bandit captain admitting his guilt. He considers surrendering only be-
with darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, resistance to cause it buys time for him to escape and commit more
poison damage, and advantage on saving throws against murders. In combat, he wields a magical sword and
being poisoned. While Torg's is open for business, she magical daggers made of ice that he can conjure at will.
keeps her employees close to her. She employs Sephek These weapons melt and break like icicles in the hands
Kaltro as a bodyguard and pays four others (neutral evil of other creatures.
human bandits) to drive and protect the other two sleds.
Torrga is interested only in profits, turns a blind eye to CONCLUDING THE UEST
Sephek's murderous escapades, and tries to help him as After finding and slaying Sephek, the characters can re-
best she can without endangering her own life. turn to Hlin and collect their 100 gp reward. If they don't
Treasure. Torrga keeps her proceeds in a small, have evidence to prove that Sephek is dead, Hlin is will-
locked iron strongbox, which she hides in a satchel. She ing to take them at their word. If the ice-dagger murders
wears the key to the strongbox around her neck. A char- stop, she'll know her trust was not misplaced. Failure to
acter with thieves' tools can use an action to try to pick stop Sephek allows him to continue slaying Ten-Town-
the strongbox's lock, doing so with a successful DC 20 ers who cheat Auril the Frostmaiden. These murders
Dexterity check. The box contains 92 gp, 76 sp, 125 cp, occur irregularly, and only in towns visited by Torg's.
and seven gemstones worth 10 gp each. If the characters capture Sephek and deliver him
to the authorities, they stop the murders but lose
24
C HW I N G AS P L AY HO US E IN THE SNOW.
the reward offered by Hlin, who isn't satisfied with GETTING THE UEST
that outcome.
If Torrga Icevein survives but has reason to believe the Begin this quest by reading the following boxed text to
characters slew her bodyguard, she pressures certain the players:
Ten-Towners not to do business with them. At some
I
later point, the characters might find themselves unable A bundled-up figure walks briskly up to you. "Well met!
to buy something they need or denied lodging at a local
You lot seem like you're looking for work. Or trouble. You
inn because the merchant or proprietor doesn't want to
earn Torrga's everlasting enmity. wouldn't be standing around in this cold otherwise."
STARTING QUEST: The speaker is Dannika Graysteel (lawful neutral half-

elf acolyte), a scholar who thinks that wee elemental
ATURE SPIRITS spirits known as chwingas might be the key to improv-
This is the second of two quests designed to kick off ing Icewind Dale's climate. Since chwingas are known
the adventure. It prompts the characters to explore the to inhabit Ten-Towns and have some ability to alter
various locales in Ten-Towns, where they can pick up their natural surroundings, Dannika thinks she can
other quests. learn a lot by studying one up close. For the characters'
At the start of this quest, the characters are ap- services, Dannika is offering the group 25 gp as well as
proached by a young spellcaster named Dannika a lantern of tracking (elementals) that can help locate
Graysteel. A new resident of Ten-Towns, she's trying to chwingas. She says she'll be at the local tavern each eve-
fi nd a way to alter the climate in Icewind Dale. She hires ning, so the characters should have no trouble finding
them to locate and capture a chwinga, several of which her once the job is completed. If the characters accept
she believes are located in and around Ten-Towns. her quest, Dannika gives them her lantern (see appendix
Although she provides the characters with a magical D) and explains how it works. She then tells them she's
means to locate chwingas, it's up to them to figure out a been looking all over town and hasn't found any chwin-
way to capture one or convince it to help Dannika with gas. She suggests the characters might have better luck
her experiments. in one of the other settlements. She could continue the
CHAPTER 1 I TEN -TOWNS

25
search herself, but she's nervous about venturing out snow in a clearing. A dinner plate with branches and
into the extreme cold and has other research-related pinecones arrayed on it is placed between them, and
chores to attend to. one chwinga is sitting at the edge of the plate while the
two others are moving a fork and a knife as if to cut and
ELUSIVE ELEMENTALS eat the "food."
There are no chwingas in the adventurers' starting When the characters enter the clearing, the chwin-
town, but each time they visit another town in Icewind gas look up at them with interest. The one not holding
Dale, there's a cumulative 25 percent chance of chwin- a piece of cutlery starts moving its hands, mimicking
gas being present. Searching a town for chwingas eating while looking up at the characters and making
doesn't take long if the characters use the lantern of welcoming gestures.
tracking, since the towns are small and compact. If a character indulges in the game of pretend that is
If the characters ask the residents of a town about being played out, such as by sitting down and joining the
chwinga sightings, people seem dismissive of the notion dinner, the chwingas become excited and start inspect-
of elementals living among them. The occasional fisher ing the character in detail. After this, the chwinga that
reeking of dwarven ale might recall seeing "a tiny figure wasn't holding any cutlery begins following the char-
riding a fox through town" but can't remember where or acter, remaining with that individual for up to a tenday,
when the sighting occurred. leaving the other chwingas behind. When the chwinga fi-
nally parts company with the character, assuming it has
THIEVES IN THE WIND been well treated, it bestows a supernatural charm upon
When the characters find a town that has chwingas liv- the character (see "Supernatural Gifts" in the Dungeon
ing in or near it, the flame in the lantern of tracking (ele- Master's Guide for more information). The charm can be
mentals) turns green as they approach the edge of town, any one of the following:
whereupon they spot a bundled-up figure-a human • A charm of animal conjuring, a charm of heroism, or
commoner named Elva-stomping out of a snow-cov- a charm of vitality, all of which are described in the
ered cottage. Upon seeing the adventurers, she starts Dungeon Master's Guide.
yelling at the wind and warning the characters to watch • One of the charms described in the "New Chwinga
out for the curses it brings. According to Elva, trickster Charms" section in appendix C (see page 283).
spirits have been opening her windows, sending horri-
ble chills through her home, and knocking over her cups The chwingas remain docile unless a character acts
and plates. Some of her cutlery has even gone missing. aggressively toward them, whereupon they try to hide in
Characters who inspect the windows of Elva's cottage nearby rocks, plants, or snowdrifts. They won't come out
can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check. until they no longer feel threatened by the humanoids
On a success, they find wee tracks leading away from in their presence. Clever players might devise creative
a snowy windowsill of the cottage toward a nearby ways to lure the chwingas out of hiding, perhaps by
thicket. A character who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom doing something odd to gain their attention (such as
(Survival) check can discern three individual sets of tiny engaging in a snowball fight or dancing in the snow). As
footprints. Some of the footprints have a thin furrow the DM, you determine the success of such efforts.
in the snow alongside them, as if something was being
dragged behind the creatures.
CONCLUDING THE UEST
If the characters return with a live chwinga, Dannika
PLAYING HOUSE pays their promised reward of 25 gp, and they get to
By following the tracks, a character with a passive Wis- keep the lantern of tracking. If the characters brought
dom (Perception) score of 13 or higher can pick up the a chwinga back without having to restrain or harm it,
sound of movement from behind the conifers, where Dannika provides them with an additional 25 gp for
three chwingas (see appendix C) are playing atop the their outstanding service.
BREMEN
Founded by dwarf prospectors, the sleepy town of
Bremen sits on the west bank of Maer Dualdon, at the
mouth of the Shaengarne River. Bremen's harbor has
frozen, requiring local fishers to haul their boats across
the ice to put them in the lake. Visitors who lack a boat
can reach Bremen only by crossing the river, which is
mostly frozen over. Targos, Termalaine, and Lonely-
wood are all visible from the docks on clear days.
If Auril's everlasting winter has one benefit, it's that
the hardy folk of Bremen are spared the seasonal floods
that normally threaten the town in early summer. That's
not to say that the long nights, frigid air, and howling
blizzards provide any comfort. They don't.
Twice in the past two months, residents of Bremen
have had to mount search parties for their town speaker
and oldest living resident, Dorbulgruf Shalescar, and
twice they've found him wandering the frozen shores of
the Shaengarne in heavy furs , with no memory of how
he got there. Dorbulgruf, old even by dwarf standards,
· n't long for this world. Many locals fear the same
is true of the town itself, if Auril's brutal winter does
not abate.
BREMEN IN A NUTSHELL
Friendliness *** Services * Comfort **
Available Quest. "Lake Monster," page 28.
Population. 150. BURIED TREASURES
Leader. Speaker Dorbulgruf Shalescar (lawful good Inn
shield dwarf commoner) speaks for the townsfolk. This inn caters to treasure-seekers, specifically ones
Age has addled his mind, and his vacant-eyed stare is who pan for treasure along the riverbank in warmer
often mistaken for unflappable calmness. weather. During the winter, this establishment has
Militia. Bremen can muster up to 25 soldiers (use the few, if any, visitors. The middle-aged innkeeper, Cora
tribal warrior stat block) and 2 veterans. Mulphoon (neutral good human commoner), treats her
Heraldry. A gold circle on a white field, with a horizon- guests like royalty while trying to conceal the fact that
tal blue band extending to the left under the circle, she is barely making ends meet.
and a flaring blue triangle opening away from the Cora's Loss. Cora is eager to please and apologizes at
circle on the right. The gold circle represents treasure the slightest provocation if she thinks the characters are
found in the wake of local floods, the blue band is the not pleased with her service. She explains briefly that
Shaengarne River, the blue triangle is Maer Dualdon, her adult son and only child, Huarwar, used to help with
and the white field represents snow. the chores until two months ago. If the characters ask
Sacrifice to Auril. Warmth (see page 21). Cora for more information, she says that her son had
Rivals. Lonelywood, Targos, Termalaine. joined a search party to find Speaker Shalescar after
he went missing during a blizzard one afternoon. The
OVERLAND TRAVEL speaker was brought back safe and sound, but Huarwar
Heavy snow has obliterated a trail that once guided got separated from the others and didn't find his way
travelers to Targos. Adventurers determined to make home until the following morning. He had frostbite and
the journey on foot can reach Targos in 2 hours. Using could barely walk.
mounts or dogsleds can reduce this travel time by as Over the next few days, Huarwar displayed a mean-
much as 50 percent. ness toward his mother that was uncharacteristic. The
change in his demeanor started after Cora found what
LOCATIONS IN BREMEN looked like a shard of black ice in her son's room. Huar-
-------------
Bremen doesn't have much to seduce or comfort the
war snatched it away and threatened his mother with
bodily harm if she touched it again.
veary traveler, but the following locations marked on
The next day, two tieflings (a male and a female) ar-
map 1.1 are likely to attract adventurers.
rived at the inn and offered Huarwar sanctuary in their
castle. He left with them willingly, taking the shard with
him and telling his mother that he would never return.
The tieflings wore amulets that looked much like the
;,: LAKE MONSTER
The characters can gain this quest shortly after they
arrive in Bremen or if they start the adventure there.
The quest starts near the docks, where the characters
come upon a shield dwarf who mistakes them for fish-
ers looking for work. Any interaction with the dwarf
is interrupted by a half-elf who claims that a monster
living in Maer Dualdon has been attacking and sinking
fishing boats. The half-elf is a local researcher who has
collected accounts from witnesses of these attacks and
concluded that it's some kind of unusual beast.
Characters who search for the lake monster discover
that it's an awakened plesiosaurus. A frost druid (see ap-
pendix C) recently cast an awaken spell on the creature,
granting it an Intelligence of 10 and the ability to com-
municate in the Common tongue. In return, the druid
expects the plesiosaurus to attack fishing boats from
Bremen, thus depriving the fishers of their livelihood
and ultimately forcing the villagers to leave. The plesio-
saurus feels obliged to heed the druid's wishes, for fear
of losing this magical gift of sentience. Consequently, it
attacks anyone from Bremen who fishes in its domain.
GETTING THE UEST
The lake around the creaky docks is frozen, forcing fish-

ers to pull their rowboats up onto the ice. Standing be-
500 tween a pair of boats is a stout humanoid in cold weather
I reet clothing. A gray hood hides most of the humanoid's face,
but you can make out a wide nose and a long, frosty
M AP 1.1 : B REMEN beard. The stout figure stamps their feet, spots you, and
waves you over.
shard in Huarwar's possession. Cora misses her son "Good , you're here . Get to it, ingrates! Those fish ain't
terribly and she hopes he is still alive. She recalls that
gonna catch themselves!"
one of the tieflings mentioned a castle, and she knows
that there are only two castles in Ten-Towns: an intact
one in Caer-Dineval and a ruined one in Caer-Konig. The speaker is Grynsk Berylbore, a shield dwarf (com-
The characters might encounter Huarwar in the keep at moner) who owns the pair of rowboats tied to the docks.
Caer-Dineval (see "Black Swords," page 38). The gunwale of one of the boats has what looks like a
large bite taken out of it, but both vessels are seaworthy.
FIVE-TAVERN CENTER
Grynsk has been waiting an hour for some fishers he
Five unaffiliated taverns hired the night before to arrive. In fact, those fishers
Five taverns stand in a semicircle around a central yard have decided not to bother showing up, having weighed
in the heart of Bremen. As the story goes, five brothers what Grynsk offered to pay them against the danger of
originally intended to build a tavern together, but each the lake monster. Grynsk was drunk when he hired the
had assumed he would be the one to run the business. fishers and doesn't remember their faces ; he assumes
Since none of the brothers would work for the others, the characters are his new employees, and he's quick
each built his own tavern, and they all compete for about setting them to work. If the characters ignore him
customers. or walk away, he yells profanities after them but doesn't
The five taverns are called Stones, Even Keel , the Riv- pursue them.
er's Mouth, the Grumpy Moose, and the Black-Bearded Characters who approach Grynsk can see that his
Brother. The taverns are old and poorly maintained. boats bear the names Burly Ram and Pronged Goat.
Characters who hang out in the taverns are likely to The latter one sports the curious bite mark. Grynsk re-
hear a rumor or two, which you can determine by rolling minds the characters of what he calls "the agreed-upon
on the Ten-Towns Rumors table (page 18). price" of 5 cp for each trout they catch and scolds them
for having already wasted precious trout-catching time.
If the characters explain that they aren't his employ-
ees, Grynsk frowns and repeats that the salary he's of-
fering is 5 cp per caught trout, and "time is better spent
nglin' than yappin'." He also grumbles in Dwarvish neither male nor female and requests to be referred to
bout the characters being stupid and needlessly rude. as "they" or by name in conversation. Tali speaks with a
If the characters ask about the damage to the Pronged soft voice and tends to go on longwinded tangents about
JOat, Grynsk gives them a dismissive wave of the hand. the fauna that live in Icewind Dale.
When Tali heard reports of a creature in Maer Dual-
don that was attacking the Bremen fishing parties, the
· Don't you see? Bloody ice everywhere. Last crew were
half-elf decided to investigate and found that boats from
apparent ly born with pits for eyes, because they sa iled Bremen were the only vessels to suffer these attacks.
right into a damned ice floe! I ain't gotten around to re- After deducing this, Tali began frequenting the docks to
pairin' the gunwa le yet, but she floats just fine." warn any uninformed people looking to venture out onto
the lake about the danger waiting there.
Descriptions of the monster vary wildly; some wit-
.\ character who succeeds on a DC 11 Wisdom (Insight) nesses say it's the size of an ox, while others say it's
heck can tell that Grynsk is lying. If he is pressured closer to the size of a house. Some say the monster
bout the validity of his story, Grynsk becomes annoyed might be a whale or a large fish, and others describe it
and tells the characters to get off his docks if all they as more lizard-like in appearance, with scaly skin and
·ant to do is ask stupid questions. a long neck. If the characters ask about Grynsk's dam-
In truth, the lake monster took a bite out of the aged boat, Tali explains that it was actually found adrift,
Pronged Goat and caused its crew to fall into the icy waits crew presumably lost to the lake monster.
er, where they drowned. The damaged boat was found Being a researcher, Tali would like to better under-
by fishers the next day, drifting crewless in the near stand the monster, which has only recently become a
rozen water. threat. "Perhaps this unending winter has affected its
eating habits or demeanor in some way," speculates
TA LI COMES ON THE SCENE the half-elf.
Regardless of how the characters' dealings with Grynsk
play out, they are joined by another figure before they
and the dwarf part company. "Tali hands you a notebook. "I can't offer you much other
than my gratitude, but if you're going out on the lake,
You hear footsteps approaching on the creaky dock. An- please write down any information you learn about the
other figure covered head to toe in cold weather clothing nature of this monster. If we know what's out there, the
has joined you. The figure wags a gloved finger at the people of Bremen would be much safer for it. And, well,
frosty- bearded dwarf. "You have no honor, Berylbore!" it bears the potential to be awfully interesting."
the newcomer yells, pulling down a woolen muffler to
revea l a pale, half-elven face. "You're sending these inno- Tali asks the characters to record everything they can
cent people to their deaths. And for what, a few fish?" perceive about the creature if they spot it, including its
"Pay no mind to this rambling fool!" says Grynsk . size, physical attributes, and general nature. Tali also
makes it clear that few people have survived an encoun-
"Did you tell them about the monster?" retorts the
ter with the monster and encourages the characters to
half-elf. be careful.
UNSAFE WATERS
Grynsk curses the half-elf in Dwarvish before turning
to the characters and yelling, "Get to work!" He then The characters have the use of Grynsk's two rowboats
stomps away out of earshot, not eager to hear what the (see the "Rowboat Statistics" sidebar). The damaged
half-elf might have to say but still interested in keeping one has 36 hit points instead of 50. Three sets of fishing
an eye on his boats. tackle are stashed in the center of each boat.
After Grynsk leaves the area, the half-elf approaches The lake is covered in ice floes, which make travel
the characters sheepishly. dangerous. As the characters row out from Bremen,
their boats must steer around ld4 + 1 ice floes. Any
character who tries to steer a boat around an ice floe
"I'm getting the feeling Grynsk doesn't like me very must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom check, adding their
much. Or anyone who steps between him and the gold proficiency bonus to the roll if they're proficient with wa-
swimming in this lake. I'm Tali. I'm studying the local ter vehicles. On a failed check, the boat hits the ice floe
animal life here in lcewind Dale. I just couldn't stay silent and takes ld6 bludgeoning damage.
and watch another crew fall victim to the monster of
ROWBOAT STATISTICS
Maer Dualdon."
A rowboat has a s peed of 1½ mi les per hour and can hold
up to fo ur Medium creatu res and their gear. An undam-
Tali is a neutral good half-elf researcher (scout) who aged rowboat has AC 11 and 50 hit points. A rowboat
is in Icewind Dale to study how changes in climate reduced to O hit points in the water sinks over th e course
of ld4 rounds.
alter the nature of the animal wildlife. Tali presents as
CHAPTER l I TEN -TOWNS

29
FALLING IN THE WATER
Ripples disrupt the surface of the lake, causing your boat
Any character who falls into the lake is subject to the
to bob from side to side. A large mass glides through the
effects of frigid water (see "Frigid Water," page 11).
Even after the character gets out of the frigid water, the dark water below you.
effects persist until the wet clothing is dried out or re-
placed with warm, dry clothing.
A character who succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Na-
WATER DEPTH ture) check can identify the creature as a plesiosaurus.
Once the characters are away from the shore, you can The creature recognizes boats from Bremen but does
randomly determine the lake's depth in any given loca- not attack indiscriminately, trying to gauge the strength
tion by rolling a d20 and multiplying the die roll by 10 and determination of the crew before deciding what to
feet. Conversely, you can just assume the lake is 100 feet do. Roll on the Plesiosaurus Behavior table to determine
deep where the characters are. how it acts. After behaving as described in the table, the
plesiosaurus departs unless the characters do some-
SCOUTING THE LAKE thing that holds its attention. Once it departs, it doesn't
return until a roll on the Lake Events table indicates
The characters can use fishing tackle to try to catch another encounter with the creature.
some fish while they're searching for the lake monster The plesiosaurus prefers to dine on fish, not people.
(see "Fishing for Knucklehead Trout," page 11). Characters knocked into the lake are more likely to
If the characters are out on the lake in a boat, roll on freeze to death or sink to the bottom than be eaten. If a
the Lake Events table at the end of each hour to deter- character harms the plesiosaurus, it reacts in kind.
mine what occurs next.
PLESIOSAURUS BEHAVIOR
LAKE EVENTS
d6 Behavior
d20 Lake Event
The plesiosaurus breaches the water with its fins and
1-10 The lake is still and quiet for the next hour. A fine
splashes water into nearby boats. It swims to the
time for some fishing.
bottom of the lake if attacked.
11-12 The characters spot a rowboat from Lonelywood or
2 The plesiosaurus rams a boat from beneath. (If
Termalaine. It has ld4 fishers (commoners) aboard
the characters have more than one boat, randomly
and keeps its distance. The fishers are antisocial
determine which one the monster rams.) The boat
but nonthreatening. They fish in the vicinity for the
takes 3d6 + 4 bludgeoning damage, and any char-
better part of an hour, then head back toward Lone-
acter standing in the boat must succeed on a DC 12
lywood with their catch.
Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. A character who
13 The characters encounter a keelboat flying the
fails this check by 5 or more is knocked overboard
Targos flag. It has ld6 fishers (commoners) and a
and falls into the frigid water.
captain (scout) aboard. They don't believe the lake
3 The plesiosaurus surfaces 10 feet away from a boat
monster is real and try to badger the characters into
and takes a bite out of it, using its 10-foot reach. (If
fishing elsewhere. They use trawling nets to fish in
the characters have multiple boats, randomly deter-
the vicinity for the better part of an hour, then head
mine which boat the monster bites.) The boat takes
back toward Targos with their catch.
3d6 + 4 piercing damage.
14 A cold wind blows across the lake for the next hour.
4 The plesiosaurus tries to capsize a boat. (If the
The lake's normally still waters become choppy. Un-
characters have multiple boats, randomly determine
til the wind abates, ability checks made to steer the
which boat the monster tries to capsize.) Have the
boat and fish for trout have disadvantage, as do sav-
characters in the boat make a DC 12 Strength (Ath-
ing throws against the effects of extreme cold .
letics) group check. If the group check succeeds, the
15 A knucklehead trout (see appendix C) leaps out of
boat doesn't capsize. If the group check fails, the
the lake, makes a tail attack against one random
boat capsizes, and every creature in it falls into the
character in the boat, and dives back into the frigid
frigid water.
water. A character with a passive Wisdom (Percep-
5-6 The plesiosaurus leaves without so much as a hello.
tion) score of 13 or higher is not surprised by the
fish and can use its reaction to make an opportunity
TALKING TO THE PLESIOSAURUS
attack against it or try to grapple the fish as it dives Although the plesiosaurus gives no indication that it's
back into the water. intelligent and can speak, the characters might try to
16-20 The awakened plesiosaurus makes its presence talk to it regardless. While the monster is underwater,
known. Run the "Clever Beast" encounter. it can hear the characters only if they scream at the top
of their lungs and it's close by. Conversely, a message
CLEVER BEAST cantrip or similar magic can be used to get the plesio-
saurus's attention. The creature is curious to hear what
When a roll on the Lake Events table indicates that the the characters have to say:
lake monster takes an interest in the characters, read:
The plesiosaurus is afraid to stop what it's doing
A reptilian head at the end of a long, slender neck rises because it fears the druid might take away the gift that
out of the cold, dark water. The creature gazes at you in- has been bestowed upon it. A character can convince
tently and says, in Common, "I'm listening." the plesiosaurus that its awakening is permanent with a
successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If this
check succeeds, the plesiosaurus promises not to attack
A character who converses with the plesiosaurus and any fishers from the villages anymore.
ucceeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check can
safely conclude that it's the beneficiary of a druid's ATTACKING THE PLESIOSAURUS
awaken spell, and that the effect is permanent. If the characters attack the plesiosaurus, it dives below
The plesiosaurus answers straightforward questions the surface of the water and remains submerged as it
a nd knows the following information: attacks the characters' boats from below. If it ever drops
"I used to just swim around the lake and eat fish." below half its hit points, it disengages from the battle
"The human who gave me this gift is named Ravisin and dives deeper, leaving the combat.
and claimed to serve the Frostmaiden. Ravisin said I
must do my part to help the Frostmaiden, who wants
BACK TO BREMEN!
the people of Bremen to suffer." When the characters make it back to Bremen's docks,
"I don't want to be a stupid beast again." (The plesio- Grynsk shows up soon thereafter, eager to see how
saurus doesn't know enough about druidic magic to many knucklehead trout they caught. He honors his
know that its awakening is permanent.) agreement, paying 5 cp per fish.
Tali is also eager to see the characters. If any of the
A character must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma
characters took notes about the lake monster and hand
Persuasion) check to convince the plesiosaurus to talk
their research over, Tali gives the party a spell scroll
more about the purpose of its attacks. The plesiosaurus
of animal friendship and a pouch containing 5 gp as
reveals that Ravisin instructed it to spread fear among
thanks, then heads toward Buried Treasures to pore
the town's fishers. The plesiosaurus doesn't know where
over the characters' notes. The characters can hear Tali
Ravisin came from or where she is now. Characters
mumble the words "interesting," "fascinating," and "re-
who undertake "The White Moose" (see page 80), the
markable" in Elvish as they walk away.
quest associated with Lonelywood, might encounter her
If the characters didn't take any notes, Tali's hopes are
later. If one or more characters mock or threaten it, the
dashed, and no reward is forthcoming.
plesiosaurus grows angry and tries to capsize their boat.
31
BRYN SHANDER
The first stop for most visitors to Icewind Dale is Bryn
Shander, a walled town perched atop a cold, lonely,
wind-lashed hill. Bright lanterns suspended over narrow
streets twist in the wind and add flecks of color to the
town's otherwise drab surroundings.
The friendliness in this settlement has dwindled of
late. Auril's unyielding winter has greatly reduced the
number of visitors to Bryn Shander, and local trade is
suffering for it, eating away at the locals' sense of humor
and goodwill. Still, there is no safer place in Icewind
Dale to spend coin or spend the night.
The walls of the town stand some 30 feet high and are
defined by two concentric rings of upright wooden poles,
the gap between them filled with dirt and rubble. The
outer ring of poles rises above the top of the wall, pro-
viding a rampart for defenders stationed on the wood-
planked walkway. The wall's hinged gates are 15 feet
tall and can be barred from the inside with iron-banded
wood beams. These gates are closed when it's dark out-
side-which is to say more often than not.
BRYN SHANDER IN A NUTSHELL

Friendliness *** Services *** Comfort *** LOCATIONS IN BRYN SHANDER
Available Quest. "Foaming Mugs," page 34. The following locations marked on map 1.2 are just a
Population. 1,200. few of the places the characters might visit during their
Leaders. Speaker Duvessa Shane (lawful good human stay in Bryn Shander.
noble) speaks for the townsfolk. Though relatively
BLACKIRON BLADES
young, Duvessa is the head of the Council of Speak-
ers. Sheriff Markham Southwell (lawful good human
Smithy and outfitter
veteran) commands the militia. This combination shop and smithy stands just north of
Militia. Bryn Shander can muster up to 250 soldiers the main square. Garn the Hammer (lawful good shield
(use the tribal warrior stat block) and 20 veterans. dwarf commoner) manufactures the cheapest blades
Heraldry. Black antlers above a vertical shaft of golden in Ten-Towns, while his sister Elza (lawful good shield
wheat on a white field , signifying the town's strength dwarf commoner) sells adventuring supplies-including
and prosperity on the vast, snowy tundra. rations, cold weather gear, ice picks, and snowshoes- to
Sacrifice to Auril. Humanoid (see page 21). fortune-seekers. Most of the veteran sellswords in Ten-
Rivalries. None. Towns disdain Garn's smithcraft, due to the uninspiring
quality of his work.Jokes told about hapless newcomers
OVERLAND TRAVEL to Icewind Dale often end with the line "an' 'e was carry-
ing a Blackiron blade, to boot!"
Bryn Shander is connected to Easthaven by the East-
way, a snow-covered road. In addition, there are snowy HOUSE OF THE MORNINGLORD
paths to Caer-Dineval, Good Mead, Targos, and Terma-
Shrine ofAmaunator (god of the sun)
laine. Travel times in the Overland Travel from Bryn
Shander table assume that characters are on foot; Located near Bryn Shander's northeast market square,
mounts and dogsleds can shorten these times by as this modest converted house serves as a gathering place
much as 50 percent. for worshipers of Amaunator, a god of the sun known
to take both male and female forms. A retired human
OVERLAND TRAVEL FROM BRYN SHANDER adventurer named Mishann (neutral good priest of Am-
aunator) runs the shrine and aspires to see the sun re-
To Travel Time
gain its rightful place in the sky over Icewind Dale. She
Caer-Dineval 10½ hours calls Amaunator "the Morninglord," a name that south-
Easthaven 7½ hours erners use to describe Lathander, a god of the dawn and
Good Mead 6 hours rebirth. Mishann views Lathander as a usurper of Am-
Targos 2 hours aunator's light and doesn't like it when people confuse
Termalaine 6 hours the two deities.
Copper Knobberknocker. Mishann rents her attic
to a pessimistic rock gnome tinkerer named Copper
Knobberknocker (chaotic good rock gnome acolyte
of Lathander), who begrudgingly helps with services
32
and chores. The two argue incessantly. Copper walks OJ' Bitey. Stuffed and mounted on a plaque above the
ound in a fuzzy suit and hood that he made himself; hearth in the common room is a battle-scarred knuckle-
·though it's quite warm, it makes him look like a head trout named 01' Bitey, who pulled many a fisher
'"Cldy bear. into the icy depths of Maer Dualdon before it was finally
If the characters talk to Copper, he tells them he's caught by a human rogue named Kintyre and her com-
u rried about a friend named Macreadus, who is panion, a human druid who called himself the Maverick.
nducting research at an old cabin in the wilderness They hauled 01' Bitey to the Northlook in the hope of
:: e "Black Cabin," page 116). He says that if the having it cooked for them, but Scramsax bought it from
haracters find themselves nearby, he would appreciate them and had it stuffed instead. Years later, some prank-
· if they looked in on Macreadus, who's trying to build a ster wizard cast a spell on the stuffed fish so that it turns
vice that could end the Frostmaiden's eternal winter and snaps at any creature that comes within 5 feet of it.
and return summer to Icewind Dale. Occasionally, seemingly at random, 01' Bitey sings the
following verse instead:
~HE NORTHLOOK
__'ln and tavern There's a place I like to go
Farther up the river's flow;
... he orthlook is the establishment most frequented by Where it is, I do not know;
me rcenaries and adventurers, and as such it's the row- Must be under all that snow.
iest and most dangerous place to stay in Bryn Shander.
• the same time, its taproom is the best spot in all of If a character has the Ring Hunter secret (see appen-
~en-Towns to get leads on profitable ventures, along dix B), the signet ring that the character s eeks might be
·ith the latest news and rumors.
Characters who hang out in the tavern are likely to
hear a rumor or two, which you can determine by rolling
on the Ten-Towns Rumors table (page 18).
The inn's proprietor, a retired sellsword named
- ra msax (neutral human veteran), knows full well
· e cycles of an adventurer's life. He often cuts a break
r customers who are between jobs, allowing them to
· ay here on credit and then presenting them with a bill
mflated by interest charges to be reckoned with as soon
they make their next payday. Those who don't settle
ei r accounts discover that the old mercenary still
ows how to handle a blade, and that he doesn't take
'ater" for an answer.
C HAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
33
MAP 1. 2 : BRYN 5HANOER
in 01' Bitey's gullet, though Scramsax won't let anyone GETTING THE UEST
even handle the fish unless he's well compensated, and
unless the deed can be done without ruining his trophy. Three frostbitten shield dwarves approach the charac-
(The ring, if you decide it's here, is stuck in the fish's ters at the Northlook or in th~ow-covered street:
throat and can be retrieved without surgery.)
Three stocky figures bundled in cold weather garb stum-
FOAMING MUGS ble toward you. They have snowshoes slung over their
The characters can pick up this quest if they start the backs and ice picks fastened to their belts, and two of
adventure in Bryn Shander or shortly after they arrive in them have thick beards. The third holds up a gloved hand
town. It begins when the characters learn about a group
and says, through a thick wool scarf in a raspy voice,
of shield dwarves who were forced to abandon a sled
loaded with iron ingots, which they were transporting "Well met! I'm Hruna, and these are my friends, Korux
from the mines at the base of Kelvin's Cairn. The ingots and Stern. We need help, and you look capable."
belong to the Battlehammer clan and are stamped with
the clan's iconic symbol, a foaming mug. The dwarves
ask the characters to retrieve the sled and deliver the The three dwarves work in a mine located in the valley
ingots safely to Blackiron Blades, for which each char- at the base of Kelvin's Cairn. This mine is owned and
acter will receive a gemstone as payment. Characters operated by Clan Battlehammer, and it provides most of
who complete this quest also earn a 10 percent discount the iron for the smithies in Ten-Towns.
on goods bought at Blackiron Blades-a little thank-you The dwarves wear cold weather clothing. Only their
from the establishment's grateful owner. eyes are visible. Treat them as commoners who speak
Complications arise when goblins find the sled before Common and Dwarvish; being dwarves, they have dark-
the characters do. The characters must either fight the vision out to a range of 60 feet and resistance to poison
goblins or finagle the ingots from them using guile or damage. They carry ice picks (ld4 piercing damage)
stealth. To further complicate matters, the goblins have instead of clubs. Each dwarf is briefly described below:
a wagon pulled by hungry polar bears. The bears aren't • Hruna speaks for the group in a voice made raspy by
fussy about what they eat, so clever characters might years of smoking. She has lost her right ear and two
think to turn them against the goblins. fingers to frostbite.
34
Korux stares in silence and doesn't talk much. He has veer off course-or worse, they could become separated
lost three fingers, two toes, and his nose to frostbite. (see "Blizzards," page 10).
Storn has a terrible fear of white dragons and glances
nervously up at the sky as though he's expecting one O oBoK's REMAINS
to swoop down at any minute. When the characters arrive at the location where the
dwarves were forced to abandon their sled, read:
If the characters are interested in hearing what Hruna
has to say, she presents the quest:
You crest a snow-covered ridge and see a frozen, dis-
membered corpse in the gully in front of you. Snow
"We're the survivors of a group of dwarves tasked with
covers some of the gory bits, but the headless torso and
delivering a sled of iron ingots to Bryn Shander. A yeti
severed limbs are visible. You see tracks in the snow all
surprised us and killed a member of our group. The rest
around the corpse, and the telltale grooves in the snow
of us fled as the yeti tore Oobok limb from limb. Now
left behind by a sled that has been hauled away.
we need someone to go back and get the sled for us. As
payment, we offer each of you a gemstone worth fifty
gold pieces. The friendship of the dwarves of lcewind The corpse belongs to Oobok the dwarf. The yeti that
Dale can also be a boon in these harsh times. You'll need killed him ate his arms and most of his internal organs
before leaving with poor Oobok's severed head. Both
snowshoes to make the trip in good time."
Oobok's tracks and the yeti's tracks were erased by the
wind. The tracks that are present were left by goblins.
If the characters slay the dwarves and take the pouch Characters who inspect the tracks around the corpse
of gemstones that Hruna carries on her person (see can, with a successful DC 10 Survival (Wisdom) check,
-Treasure" below), witnesses report them to the town determine that they are fresh (made in the past hour)
militia, leading\to their arrest unless they flee Bryn and belong to a half-dozen Small humanoids wearing
hander at one\ snowshoes. The tracks lead south. Characters who fol-
Korux can cover the expense of equipping the party low them for a half-hour catch up to the goblins, who are
with snowshoes if the characters are too cheap to pay hindered by the sled they're hauling.
for the snowshoes themselves.
If the characters refuse the quest, the dwarves leave GOB LINS
n a huff and do not trouble the party again. They spend When the characters find the goblins, read:
a couple days searching in vain for others to help them
before returning home. The creatures you've been following appear to be goblins,
TREASU R E based on their stature. All six of them groan, grunt, and
Hruna carries a sealskin pouch that holds six blood- curse loudly as they haul the bulky sled toward what ap-
tones (50 gp each). Korux carries 15 gp in a yeti fur- pears to be a twenty-foot-tall wagon parked in the snow.
lined leather pouch. Storn carries a rusty iron lock (3 Harnessed to this conveyance are two roaring polar bears
p) as a good luck charm; he lost the key that opens it. th~don11ookhappf
SEARCH FOR THE SLED
If the characters agree to complete this quest, Hruna These goblins were rolling across the tundra when their
points them in the direction they must travel-straight advance scout, a trained hawk, spotted the abandoned
toward Kelvin's Cairn. The sled lies halfway between sled. The one-eared goblin boss, Izobai, sent six gob-
Bryn Shander and Kelvin's Cairn, in the middle of lins forth to seize the sled and its cargo, while she and
the tundra. two goblins stayed behind to guard the wagon and keep
an eye on the two polar bears that pull it.
BLIZ ZA RD At the start of the encounter, the characters are 120
When the characters get within a couple miles of the feet behind the sled, and the goblins' wagon is 120 feet
led, a blizzard sweeps down from the north and en- farther still. The goblins hauling the sled are too dis-
gulfs them: tracted to notice they're being followed, so the charac-
ters have surprise.
The sled weighs 300 pounds, and the iron ingots add
A blizzard descends on you, reducing visibility to twenty another 600 pounds of weight to it. A single goblin can
feet. Kelvin's Cairn vanishes from view as the blowing push or drag 240 pounds, so it takes at least four of
snow and howling wind engulf you. them to move the sled. If they come under attack, the
goblins take cover behind the sled and retaliate with
ranged attacks. On the goblins' first turn in combat,
Ask the players what their characters do during the one of them blows a horn to alert Izobai, who climbs
blizzard, which lasts for 2d4 hours. They can stop and to the roof of the wagon with a lit torch in one hand
wait for the blizzard to pass, or they can press on. If they and her hooded hawk perched on her other arm. From
don't stop and wait, they could lose their bearings and this perch, she watches the battle unfold. If she spots
35
enemies within 60 feet of the wagon, she orders the Freeing the Bears. A character who succeeds on a
two goblins inside the wagon to shoot arrows at these DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check can approach
enemies through gaps in the wagon's walls. These two the polar bears without aggravating them and use an
goblins have three-quarters cover. action to free one of them from its harness. On a failed
If five or more goblins are killed, or if Izobai is killed check, both bears are hostile toward that character for
or captured, the remaining goblins are willing to nego- the rest of the encounter. A freed polar bear does not
tiate a truce, though it's up to the characters to initiate attack the character who released it, but all other crea-
the negotiations. The goblins are prepared to give up the tures on the battlefield are fair game. It would sooner
iron ingots in exchange for their lives and freedom. eat a goblin than anything else, given how badly the gob-
The prolonged winter has made the goblins as miser- lins have treated the bears. The goblins run away from a
able as everyone else in Icewind Dale. If the characters freed polar bear as fast as they can.
act kindly toward the goblins, by offering them a blanket Treasure. Izobai carries two potions of animal friend-
or some other gift, the goblins give up the sled and the ship and a sealskin pouch containing 13 sp, 25 cp, and a
ingots and allow the characters to be on their way. The bone whistle (1 sp). The other goblins each carry ld6 cp
goblins hail from the fortress of Karkolohk (see page in sealskin pouches.
140). Their job is to scour the tundra for food and trea-
sure, as well as creatures to enslave, but they are cold CONCLUDING THE UEST
and eager to return home. Three hundred iron ingots are wrapped in thick burlap
lzobai fights only in self-defense. If defeat seems in- and tightly secured to the sled with leather straps. Each
evitable, she uses her torch to set fire to the wagon and ingot weighs 2 pounds and is stamped with the foaming
flees into the tundra with her hawk, her treasure (see be- mug symbol of the Battlehammer clan. Each ingot is
low), and any goblins in the vehicle. The wagon contains worth 5 sp to a blacksmith.
goblin beds made of straw; they ignite quickly, turning Once the ingots are returned to Hruna and then
the vehicle into a raging inferno by the start of Izobai's delivered to Blackiron Blades in Bryn Shander, the
next turn. characters receive their promised rewards, including
the 10 percent discount on goods they buy at the shop
afterward.
CAER-DINEVAL
In generations past, travelers to Caer-Dineval had to
follow the rocky shore of Lac Dinneshere until after
everal hours they spied a small fortress (the "caer"
for which the town is named) jutting up from the
prominence where it overlooks the lake. A ferry out
of Easthaven made the arduous trek unnecessary for
merchants and other travelers, but the ferry was dis-
continued two months ago, cutting off Caer-Dineval
and its eastward neighbor, Caer-Konig) from the rest of
Ten-Towns except by the overland route. Town residents
are furious that the ferry service has stopped, mainly be-
cause they have not received deliveries of mead from the
town of Good Mead, and the taverns have run dry.
As if things weren't bad enough, the town's harbor has
frozen over, and the town's speaker, Crannoc Siever, has
ta ken to his bed and is apparently too sick to make pub-
lic appearances or press the Council of Speakers to get
the ferry from Easthaven running again.
CAER-DINEVAL IN A NUTSHELL
Friendliness ** Services * Comfort *
Available Quest. "Black Swords," page 38.
Population. 100.
Leader. Speaker Crannoc Siever (lawful neutral hu- and the ruined watchtower at the mouth of the frozen
man commoner) speaks for the townsfolk. Known harbor. Most of the town's buildings, which date back
as a bully who shouts and uses ,theatrics to make his to the town's Cormyrean founders, line the path that
point, he has reportedly been ill for months and rarely winds down the steep slope from the Caer to the harbor,
makes public appearances nowadays. whose docks are perched on the rocky shore. Notewor-
Militia. Caer-Dineval can muster up to 25 soldiers (use thy places in town are marked on map 1.3, and map 1.4
the tribal warrior stat block) and 2 veterans. shows the floor plan of the Caer.
Heraldry. A crenellated stone watchtower (three mer-
THE GAER
Ions, two crenellations) on a dark blue field , with a
horizontal red fish facing right beneath the tower, Castle residence of the town speaker
representing the town's vigilance, harbor, and proud This small castle was built over four hundred years ago
fishing tradition. by the Dinev family from Cormyr, before Ten-Towns
Sacrifice to Auril. Food (see page 21). existed as anything more than a few scattered camps
Rivals. Caer-Konig, Easthaven. of explorers living off the land. The Dinevs hoped to
claim sovereignty over the unsettled lands of Icewind
OVERLAND TRAVEL Dale. When the castle, dubbed Caer-Dineval, was com-
A snow-covered path leads from Caer-Dineval to the pleted, the workers and their families settled in the
Eastway. Other paths lead to Caer-Konig and Good outbuildings they had constructed farther down the
~ead. Travel times in the Overland Travel from cliff, along with the families of the retainers the Dinevs
Caer-Dineval table assume that characters are on foot; had brought with them. Over the next few years, many
mounts and dogsleds can shorten these times by as explorers in the region came to see the Caer for them-
much as 50 percent. selves, and some built cottages in the shadow of its
walls. No sooner had the small town taken hold than
OVERLAND TRAVEL FROM CAER-DINEVAL
marauding ores swept down from the tundra to put it
to the torch. The town's residents tried to take refuge in
To Travel Time
the castle, but the Dinevs, alarmed by the size of the ore
Bryn Shander 10½ hours horde, barred the gates and refused to open them. The
Caer-Konig 2 hours ores fell upon the stranded people and slaughtered them
Easthaven 9 hours to the last one. The Dinevs survived the initial assault,
Good Mead 8 hours but not the siege that followed . After three weeks of be-
ing confined in the Caer, the Dinevs were so weakened
by hunger that they were unable to resist when the ores
LOCATIONS IN CAER-DINEVAL
scaled the castle walls. Thus, the Dinev family's brief
Whether arriving "by land or by lac," visitors are im- rule in Icewind Dale came to a bloody end.
mediately confronted by the fortifications for which the The Caer remained in the ores' possession for several
town is famous: its clifftop fortress, known as the Caer, years, until they were driven out by a small army of
37
•
spirits, which might explain why locals don't frequent
.
. :, · I'
:,;\ _ · CAER-DINEVAL
./t
-
,!
. ::r·;1~
' {,'~-- the place as much as they used to. The proprietor, a rug-
ged middle-aged man named Roark (lawful good human
commoner), blames the cursed winter and the closing
\c . ':-} ; ; •
---~-••.' ~:/,J. -~~
•• "'·. - . ; • ; . --~-S:,«•
.- .--·:-J/11.11'
,i
~';i£t>.: :. ,. "f.,#1,;~/
.,·_. ; .;i:,f ;:--
; ,~;,;-;.'~
- -: ·_~-·.'~; :~·
--":':rhe
_-.,. ._:,•:UP.hill
., .
of the Easthaven ferry for his business woes. Although
he has spare rooms with empty beds, he claims to have
no available guest accommodations. If adventurers are
•· · _;..;.,/ _~--::
. l,f'
-,_ ,,.;: __: \ ..
.,.. . -- , .....
Nt1)
,·
=··~:-:~
• •~ !,,,...;1.~. •. r-·.,,.· . .
i
•. ;
• climb
·r·
,,·· looking for a place to rest, he suggests that they try
:? -:::.,
~ ~ . -::-
•: • the Caer. Roark can't guarantee that Speaker Crannoc
·. ,,/:·· ~·i _,. .·· .~_;;~;. . :?it~:·.. '.•
,.I, .~ ,_;,. . . _,. ,:" ,:. - .. , . . , . .
I; •:~·-.. •. Siever's attendants will welcome them with open arms,

.'':. r-·,t" :•"'·-~-"'- __- . •'-:'")~~~ ·_-;f;h~•Caer given how sick the speaker has been of late.
Roark and some of his patrons know something is
amiss in the castle, but they refrain from talking about
it. Roark figures that if he steers adventurers toward the
castle, they'll figure out what's going on by themselves.
BLACK SWORDS
The characters don't get this quest in the customary
. ( . way, which is to say that the residents of Caer-Dineval
aren't counting on adventurers to help them. The quest
i )' ' falls into the party's lap if the characters decide to visit
.\ ( .
the Caer. Here are a couple reasons why the characters
might go there:
• Looking for a good night's rest in Caer-Dineval, the
characters are directed to the castle by Roark or some
other NPC.
A sad story told by Cora Mulphoon, the proprietor of
100 the Buried Treasures inn in Bremen (see page 27),
0 250 500 might spur the characters into searching the castle for
her missing son, Huarwar.
t::::•111lt:::==:::1I feet
Crannoc Siever, the town speaker, resides in the
MAP 1.3: CAER· D IN E VAL
castle and is also a prisoner. Devil-worshiping cultists
calling themselves the Knights of the Black Sword have
human settlers from other parts of the dale who banded taken over and confined Crannoc to his quarters while
together. The victors claimed the castle and its lands, spreading stories about the speaker's ill health to con-
and those with families brought them here to settle. ceal their presence and restrict access to the castle. The
Their descendants live here to this day and keep alive cultists keep the speaker alive in case they need him to
the memory of their ancestors' deeds. make a public appearance. They can also use him as a
Today, the keep is the residence of the town speaker, hostage if the Ten-Towners take up arms against them.
Crannoc Siever, who recently made the mistake of open- These devil worshipers keep a low profile while seeking
ing his doors to the Knights of the Black Sword. This out new members to join their ranks.
group consists of people from all walks of life who owe
their lives to the archdevil Levistus (see "Black Swords" KNIGHTS OF THE BLACK SWORD
below for detailed descriptions of the castle and the cult The Knights of the Black Sword are a secret society of
of Levistus). cultists devoted to Levistus, the archdevil who rules Sty-
gia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from the confines
DrnEv's REST
of an ice prison from which he cannot escape.
Closed inn
Most of the cultists are Icewind Dale natives who
At the south end of town is Caer-Dineval's inn, a drafty would have perished in the wilderness had Levistus
old building with boarded-up windows and a crooked not intervened on their behalf. The cultists' stories are
weathervane shaped like a rearing dragon. The place all the same: the archdevil reached out to them in their
has been out of business for almost a year. minds as they were freezing to death, offering a second
Six duergar hide inside the ramshackle inn and re- chance at life in exchange for their absolute devotion.
main out of sight until Xardorok's chardalyn dragon After they agreed to follow Levistus, a pale glow caught
attacks the town (see chapter 4). their eye in the snow nearby, leading to the discovery of
a sword-shaped amulet of chardalyn. Each of these am-
TuE UPHILL CLIMB
ulets has an inner radiance that provides warmth and
Tavern aid, protecting its wearer against the cold while guiding
This tavern is situated northwest of the Caer, where it of- them safely back to civilization. Once its wearer reaches
fers a spectacular view of the lake and the frozen docks. Ten-Towns, the talisman loses its inner radiance, yet
The Climb serves hot chowder but is all out of beer and the cultists keep their amulets as signs of their devotion
C HAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS
the archduke of Stygia (see the "Cha rdalyn Amu- Icy Doom. When th e cu ltist dies, its corpse freezes for 9 days,
., sidebar). during which time it can't be thawed, harmed by fi re, ani mated ,
The Knights of the Black Sword have members or raised from the dead.
attered throughout Ten-Towns. They welcome new
CULT BEHAVIOR
members and answer to Levistus, who s peaks to them
nfrequently using a powerful form of cross-planar te- The Knights of the Black Sword take orders from Le-
pathy. Levistus has recently called upon them to help vistus, who speaks to them telepathically. The contact
another of their master's disciples- an albino tiefling is one-way only, although a vainglorious tiefling cult
·izard named Avarice- achieve her goals. Even though fanatic named Kadroth falsely claims to have the arch-
·hey find her demanding and difficult to live with, they devil's ear.
dare not defy her. The cultists shun contact with outsiders and, posing
Levistus has warned the Knights of the Black Sword as members of Speaker Crannoc's staff, turn away all
hat duergar are plotting the destruction of Ten-Towns. visitors to the castle. If the time is right, however, they
He believes the duergar are acting on behalf of Asmo- welcome the characters with open arms. That time
deus, the Lord of the Hells and his infernal jailer, but
has not shared this information with the cult. The cult's CHARDALYN AMULETS
ldest living member, Hethyl (a peg-legged shield dwarf The chardalyn amulets worn by the Knights of the Black
~-ho has lost her right foot to frostb ite), hates duergar Sword have been corrupted by the magic of Levistus. A
a most dwarves do. She has convinced the other cult detect evil and good spell or similar magic reveals that the
members to fo rge alliances with anyone willing to op- amulets are desecrated objects.
Each day at dawn , roll a d6 for each chardalyn amulet in
pose the duergar, including stray bands of adventurers.
a character's possession. On a roll of 1, the character must
The Caer serves as the cult's headquarters. T he succeed on a DC 10 Charisma saving th row or become
cult's presence is the worst-kept secret in Caer-Dineval, lawful evil, unless the character has that alignment already.
though few locals ever speak of it. Take the character's player as ide to describe how the player
should roleplay the new alignment. A lawfu l evil character
GAME STATISTICS craves power and tries to exert control over others, by
The Knights of the Black Sword are lawful evil cultists being either cruel or manipulative.
and cult fanatics who speak Common and Infernal. The alignment change can be undone by any magic that
They have the following additional trait: ends a curse, but after nine days, it can be reversed only by
a wish spell or divine intervention .
39
comes when Levistus instructs the cultists, in no uncer- keep provide three-quarters cover to those standing
tain terms, to form an alliance with the party. For that to behind them.
happen, one of the following statements must be true: Most of the castle is lit by torches regardless of the
• One of the characters has the Runaway Author secret time of day. Doors inside the castle aren't locked unless
(see appendix B). the text states otherwise.
• The characters found and killed the group of duergar CASTLE DEFENDERS
hiding in Dinev's Rest (see page 38).
The castle's relatively small size makes it possible for
• The characters meddled in the affairs of Nildar Sun-
one cult member to sound the alarm simply by yelling.
blight (see "The Unseen," page 47) or his older
If an alarm is raised, the following cult members are
brother, Durth (see chapter 2).
tasked with defending the castle:
Once the cultists are told that the characters' goals
• Twelve cultists of various races and genders, who nor-
align with theirs, they will do everything in their power
mally reside on the ground floors of the guard towers
to make the characters feel safe and happy, short of
(area C4).
giving up their stronghold and their leverage over
• Two cult fanatics (a human named Huarwar Mul-
Speaker Crannoc.
phoon and a tiefling named Fel Suparra), who nor-
Levistus tells the cultists to terminate the alliance if
mally guard the gatehouse (area C6).
one of the following events comes to pass:
• The characters attack any member of the cult other CAER LOCATIONS
than Kadroth, whom Levistus secretly despises. The following locations are keyed to map 1.4.
• The characters harm Avarice, the albino tiefling
wizard, or inhibit her efforts to plunder the lost city Cl. MAIN GATE
ofYthryn. Two lowered iron portcullises and two sets of closed
• The characters give up their fight against the duergar wooden doors seal off the castle. The gatehouse (area
menace threatening Ten-Towns. C6) holds the mechanisms that raise and lower the
portcullises as well as open and close both sets of
GETTING INTO THE CASTLE
doors. Knock spells and similar magic can bypass these
The characters need not wait for an invitation to enter barriers, which otherwise require siege engines to
the castle. They can make their way inside using any force open.
number of stratagems, including the following: Gate Guards. Characters who stand outside the main
• The characters can ambush one or more cultists as gate and announce their arrival can speak to the guards
they leave the castle on cult business, then use the in the gatehouse. Unless Levistus has told them to do
cultists' amulets and garb to fashion disguises for otherwise, they deny the characters entry, declaring
themselves. that "Speaker Crannoc Siever is too sick to entertain
• With the aid of climbing gear or magic, the characters guests!" If the characters claim to have one or more
can scale the castle walls seen or unseen. healers among them, the guards respond, "Speaker
• The characters can use a charm person spell or simi- Crannoc Siever has no need for your heathen rituals!"
lar magic to convince a cultist to let them inside.
C2. SNOWY COURTYARD
APPROACHING THE CAER
When the characters first approach the castle, read: Footprints in the snow lead to various doors along this
courtyard's perimeter, including a tall double door to
A sturdy, stone castle devoid of warmth and ostenta- the keep, with its unwelcoming row of arrow slits and
tion squats atop the cliffs overlooking the town and the barred windows on the upper floor. To the east of the
frozen harbor. Warding the castle entrance are thick, double door is a small, single-story building with a
battle-hardened wooden doors. Four cylindrical guard slanted, snow-covered roof. West of the double door are
towers have wind-worn flags bearing the town's heraldry two unused merchant stalls with torn canopies. Tucked
fluttering above their tiled, conical roofs. These towers under some icy stairs in the northwest corner is a slen-
are connected by icy battlements and parapets. Atop the der wooden hut with a crescent moon carved into its
castle walls and within the guard towers, torches flicker. flimsy door.
GENERAL FEATURES The hut is an outhouse, currently empty. Many tracks

The snow-covered ground outside the castle is 10 feet lead to and from it.
lower than the castle's courtyard. Thus, the battlements
and parapets that top the outer walls appear 20 feet C3. KENNEL AND SLED STORAGE
high from the outside and are 10 feet high on the inside. Six friendly sled dogs (use the wolf statistics) are
Icy stone steps at either end of the courtyard climb to housed inside this kennel. They bark loudly whenever
the tops of these walls, which are unmanned. Arrow someone approaches within 10 feet of the door. The
slits in the outer walls of the guard towers and central cultists can hear the barking but choose to ignore it.
A dogsled is stored here, along with the dogs' har- C5. ARMORY
nesses and reins. In the middle of this small room is a rack of twenty
Kennel Boy. Sleeping among the dogs is an eight- spears, and resting against the back wall is an unlocked
_·ear-old Calishite youth named Alassar Sulmander wooden chest containing six flasks of alchemist's fire.
neutral human noncombatant). He was found stowing Hanging from hooks on the walls are eight longbows
away inside a crate of supplies that was delivered to the and eight quivers. Each quiver holds fifty arrows.
castle over a month ago and now does menial chores
or the cultists. Alassar knows the layout of the castle C6. GATEHOUSE
levels 1 and 2), and he can be coerced or bribed into This chamber is equipped with a system of wheels that
helping the characters. He can move about the castle raises the portcullises and opens the outer sets of doors.
·.\'ithout drawing suspicion. In the middle of the floor are murder holes through
which arrows can be shot or alchemist's fire can be
C4 . GUARD TOWERS poured. The south wall has a row of five arrow slits
The lower level of each tower contains three cultists at built into it.
rest. The furnishings on this level include six wooden Two wooden cots covered with furs are in the north-
~ots with furs and matching footlockers (where the cult- east corner of the room. Of the two cult fanatics sta-
ts keep their cold weather clothing). A copper brazier tioned here, one stands guard while the other sleeps.
ull of hot coals is situated in the middle of the room. These individuals are briefly described below:
Protruding from the brazier's base is a bellows that can
:>e pumped to reheat the dying coals. • Huarwar Mulphoon is a brooding, pessimistic human
A wooden staircase hugs the outer wall as it climbs to in his late twenties, the son of Cora Mulphoon (see
Jle second level, which is unfurnished. Gusts of wind "Buried Treasures," page 27).
nter through the arrow slits on this level. , Fe! Suparra is a tiefling. She has darkvision out to
Northwest Tower. This tower has two additional fea- a range of 60 feet and resistance to fire damage. As
·ures on its ground level: a stone trapdoor in the floor, Huarwar's friend and mentor, she's the one most
neath which is a ladder that descends to area C16, responsible for tearing him away from his mother and
•nd a secret passage to the speaker's office (area C9). pushing him up through the ranks of the cult.
The secret door is spotted automatically by any charac-
er who examines that section of wall.
41
Mere knows about the cult's allegiance to Levistus
and its animus toward the duergar. Mere has also met
the albino tiefling wizard who has made a lair for herself
in the cistern (area C22).
C8 . SPEAKER'S DEN
This well-appointed sitting room is where Crannoc
Siever used to meet with visitors, whether distinguished
guests or concerned townsfolk. Comfortable furnish-
ings abound, and the cultists keep a fire burning in
the hearth.
Standing outside the door to the speaker's office
(area C9) is a sadistic little klutz (human cultist) named
Thoob, whose job is to serve at Kadroth's beck and call.
It's a mostly thankless role that comes with a mountain
of verbal abuse. The only time Thoob feels rewarded
is when Kadroth orders him to relay instructions to
another cultist, in effect empowering Thoob to boss
around others in Kadroth's name.
C9. SPEAKER'S OFFICE

Kadroth is a paunchy, lawful evil tiefling cult fanatic
who has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet and re-
sistance to fire damage. From this usurped office, he
coordinates all cult activities in Ten-Towns. It's a role he
carved out for himself by asserting that he's tight with
Levistus. He rules the roost by sheer force of personal-
ity, though it chafes him that Hethyl Arkorran (see area
C13) has more respect and influence within the cult.
Kadroth doesn't involve Avarice (see area C21) in cult
affairs because he fears her spellcasting ability and her
connection to the Arcane Brotherhood. She could take
over the cult anytime she wanted, and Kadroth doesn't
C7. GREAT HALL want to give her any reason to do so.
The double door leading to the courtyard (area C2) can For all his political machinations, Kadroth is a vision-
be sealed shut with a huge crossbar. It takes an action to ary who has so far made the cult stronger through his
slide the crossbar into place or retract it. actions and decisions. He spends hours behind his desk,
staring into the burning fireplace and drawing inspira-
tion from its crackling flames. The slightest disturbance
This once-grand hall is dimly lit by chandeliers that are
upsets him.
missing most of their candles. Three long tables in the
Kadroth appreciates the wisdom of maintaining the
center of the hall are littered with dirty dishes, which a illusion that Speaker Crannoc Siever is still in charge,
young tiefling servant is slowly collecting. if only to keep Caer-Dineval's townsfolk from becoming
A stone staircase ascends to a pair of twenty-foot- restless. Thus, when necessary, Kadroth has the town
high balconies that hug the walls. On the north landing, speaker brought to his office to sign official documents.
Ring ofKeys. In addition to his weapons and cult
directly across from the main entrance, hangs a banner
regalia, Kadroth carries a ring of keys that can lock or
depicting the town's heraldry: a stone watchtower on a unlock every interior door in the castle.
dark blue field, with a horizontal red fish facing to the
right under the tower. ClO. SERVANTS' QUARTERS
This room is for servants to rest, bathe, and clean their
uniforms, and the furnishings reflect as much. After tak-
The servant is a fourteen-year-old tiefling noncombatant ing over the castle, the cultists imprisoned most of the
named Mere, whom Kadroth found begging for food in speaker's servants (in area C24) because they couldn't
Bryn Shand er. Mere is frightened of Kadroth and would be trusted, retaining only the cook (see area Cll).
like to get out from under his thumb but can't figure out Mere, the cult's tiefling servant (see area C7), sleeps
how. The servant knows the layout of all levels of the here as well.
castle but can't be coerced or bribed into helping the Supplies. Against the west wall are three crates of
characters until Kadroth is no longer a concern. Mere torches next to a large, stacked pile of cut wood.
can move about the castle without drawing too much
suspicion but trembles in Kadroth's presence.
42
Cll. KITCHEN
This kitchen reeks of fish. It is furnished with stone ov-

ens, a fireplace for roasting skewers of meat and boiling
soups, and wood-block countertops. A portly cook busies
himself at a table while a kettle belches steam over a fire
in the hearth. A kennel by the door holds a pair of goats.
The two goats are harmless and will eat just about any-
Jling. The cook, a human named Karou Salafan (neu-
J"al good human commoner), was not replaced by the
~u1tists because he knows fifty different ways to cook
and prepare knucklehead trout. Although he has some
,mowledge about the affairs of the keep, he doesn't want
·o know about any shady business, so he keeps his head
own and his lips shut tightly.
Cl2. KADROTH's BEDCHAMBER

.\ large, gilded mirror covering most of the east wall is
. -hat made Kadroth want this room for himself. Other
"urnishings include an ornately carved wooden table
and chair, where Kadroth takes his meals. Kadroth's
lack cat, Touche, is the chamber's sole occupant,
alt hough Mere (see area C7) routinely checks on the fire
·o make sure the room stays warm.
Cl3. SOOTHSAYER'S ROOM

11ETH VL ARK O RRIIN
A chilly draft wafts through this bedroom despite a

roaring fire in the hearth. Bundled under a thick quilt Xardorok Sunblight, a duergar warlord, will conquer
and seated in a squat rocking chair in front of the fire is Icewind Dale unless the characters defeat him.
a venerable dwarf with a wooden peg where her right
• Xardorok has a fortress on the surface, hidden in
the Spine of the World. It contains, among other
foot should be. Next to her, on a small table, is a plate of
things, a forge powered by the still-beating heart of a
food . "I've been dreading this moment," she says. red dragon.
• Xardorok has a plan for the systematic destruction of
Ten-Towns, which the characters can discover if they
The shield dwarf in the rocking chair is Hethyl Arkor-
search his fortress.
:an, a noncombatant. She is the cult's soothsayer and
• The characters will die if they face Xardorok too soon.
ldest member-too old, in fact, to harm anyone. On the
They must test their mettle against the horrors that
;>late next to her is a knucklehead trout fillet topped with
haunt the farthest reaches of Icewind Dale before they
=-oat's milk. Hethyl won't touch it, because she's sick to
can hope to survive the perils of Xardorok's fortress.
eath of trout.
Hethyl is a heartless creature-not cruel out of spite, Cl4 . SPEAKER'S BEDCHAMBER
t blunt in a mean, uncaring way. She doesn't hide the
JUt h or mince words, and she knows her soul is going
·o the Nine Hells when she dies. She also sees glimpses This room is immaculately furnished . It has all the trap-
the future, which means she's rarely shocked by pings of a royal bedchamber, including a soft bed, warm
-hat happens around her. These revelations have kept quilts, elegant tapestries, and a gilded chamber pot. Bars
· he cultists one step ahead of their enemies for a long
over the windows dispel the air of luxury somewhat, as
· me, but Hethyl's health is failing, and there's nothing
hat can be done for her given her age. She considers does the guard standing just inside the door.
•adroth a worthy leader but lost his respect when she
· Id him that Levistus hates his guts. Kadroth has tried
A human cultist named Yajath has the unenviable task
ard to forget that conversation and looks forward to the
of guarding Speaker Siever and making sure he doesn't
ay when Hethyl drops dead.
leave this room. Once the characters deal with Yajath,
Hethyl has foreseen her doom. She dies of natural
they can reckon with the town speaker:
auses immediately after sharing the following informa-
. on with the characters:
C HAPTER 1 I TEN - TOWN S

43
Cl7. COLD STORAGE
Squatting in the far corner of the room is a pale man
wearing a nightgown. He has an unkempt beard and
seems hard at work filling a chamber pot. "Perfect tim-
ing," he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Speaker Crannoc Siever (lawful neutral human com-

l This room is empty except for four sheet-wrapped bodies
lying side by side on the floor.
The bodies are the remains of four cultists (three hu-

]
moner), a 49-year-old unmarried man, has been under mans and a halfling) who were killed by the speaker's
house arrest for the past two weeks. Although he's not guards during the hostile takeover of the castle. The
the picture of good health, he's not deathly ill, as the ground is too frozen to bury them, so they're being kept
cult's propaganda would have others believe. The only here in cold storage.
time Crannoc is permitted to leave this room is when Old furniture used to be kept here, but it has long
Kadroth needs him to sign paperwork in area C9. since been smashed to kindling and burned for heat.
The cultists slew the speaker's guards but are keeping
Cl8. WEST CISTERN
his servants alive. Crannoc has been warned to behave
himself, lest his servants pay the ultimate price. He
doesn't know where the servants are being held, but he Stone steps descend into the icy water that partially
knows the cook is still making meals. He suspects the
floods this twenty-foot-wide, arched tunnel, which con-
rest are being kept in the cistern under the castle.
Crannoc won't be happy until he regains control of the tinues eastward into darkness . The roof arches twelve
castle and his captors are punished for their crimes. He feet above the water, which is eight feet deep. The row-
has little to say about his captors, since they don't share boat tethered at the water's edge looks safe to use.
information with him:
• His captors arrived under false pretenses, claiming to Any character who gives the frigid water more than a
be neutral arbiters employed by the Council of Speak- passing glance can see swollen, half-frozen bodies near
ers to help Caer-Dineval resolve its fishing disputes the bottom, weighed down by their chain shirts. There
with Easthaven and Caer-Konig. are six human corpses and six dwarf corpses in all- the
• The one calling the shots is a tiefling named Kadroth, remains of the castle guards killed by the cultists.
who answers to someone named Levistus. A 5-foot-wide, 8-foot-high passage cuts into the north
wall 20 feet beyond the rowboat, leading to area C19. A
Cl5. OLD LIBRARY
similar passage farther east leads south to area C20.
Eastern Door. At the eastern end of the cistern is a
This room was set on fire years ago and never repaired. 10-foot-square, 2-foot-thick, half-submerged slab of blue
Evidence remains of floor-to-ceiling shelves along the marble that blocks access to area C23. This slab is far
enough away that characters won't see it with torches
walls. A draft issues from a darkened fireplace, stirring
or darkvision unless they move farther into the cistern.
the cobwebs around it. The lever that lowers and raises this gate is in area C22.
The gate can also be opened with a knock spell or sim-
ilar magic.
Caer-Dineval's founders, the Dinev family, brought with
them an extensive collection of rare books. That collec-
Rowboat. This boat comes with two oars and can
tion, stored here, was burned by ores when the castle hold two Medium characters plus their gear.
was sacked many years ago. The room has not been Cl9. STORAGE
used since.
Characters can use the rowboat to reach this area, the
Cl6. UNDER THE CASTLE floor of which is above the water level in the cistern
(area C18). A harmless rat chews through the corner
If characters peer down through the open trapdoor in
of a sack of grain lying on the floor. This room is other-
the northwest guard tower, read:
wise empty.
A wooden ladder clings to the west wall, held in place C20. SHRINE TO LEVISTUS
with iron brackets. The ladder descends twelve feet to a
hall made of mortared stone lit and heated by four sput- Frost covers the floor of this dark, fifteen-foot-square
tering torches. Extending from the east end of the hall is room . To your left and right are narrow tunnels, and
a water-filled cistern. A small rowboat is tied off near the across from the entrance stands an eight-foot-tall pillar of
water's edge. ice with a horned, pale-skinned, humanoid figure trapped
inside it. The pillar is wrapped in black chains , and the
A 5-foot-wide, 8-foot-high passage in the north wall wall behind it is covered with brown fungus.
leads to area Cl 7. For more information about the cis-
tern and the rowboat, see area C18.
44
figure in the pillar is a wooden mannequin painted C 2 4. PRI SO ERS
dressed to resemble the archdevil Levistus. The After the cultists took over the castle, they trapped most
nnequin was encased in ice, which was chiseled into of the servants in this area.
illar shape and wrapped in chains. The ice is kept
zen at all times by the IO-foot-square patch of brown
Id growing on the wall behind it (see "Brown Mold"
he Dungeon Master's Guide). Any creature that
hes the pillar of ice is close enough to the brown
d to be harmed by it.
.\ny character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence
l A five-foot-wide, eight-foot-high tunnel leads to a dark,
cold room that reeks of filth .
Five of the speaker's servants (unarmed human com-

]
ligion) check can guess, correctly, that the cultists moners) have been trapped here by the cult for the past
th is frozen, chain-wrapped effigy as an altar. two weeks. All of them are malnourished, since the cult-
ists feed them only once every few days. The servants
21. AVARICE 'S QUARTERS are briefly described below:
Lanthis Alderdusk is Speaker Crannoc's 64-year-old
,s room is the private quarters of an albino tiefling who assistant, notary, and scribe. He's feisty and spry
for his age.
s s at a small desk in the dark, writing in a book with
Elprekt Norbrav is the effete, tall, skeletally thin,
ite leather covers. An ink-black crow perches on one of
55-year-old butler.
er horns and seems to read along with her scrivening. Mylbara Norbrav is Elprekt's stout, 45-year-old wife
th out taking her eyes off the page, she says to you, and the speaker's Dwarvish translator.
Tam Sharf, a mute, 30-year-old petty thief wanted for a
murder in Luskan, is the speaker's housemaid.
Dassir Ravenscar is the speaker's shy, 25-year-old
·her furnishings in this former storeroom include a dogkeeper.
d rug, a narrow bed, and a freestanding mirror in a
These servants have decided to mount a prison break.
'X>den frame, none of which are remarkable.
When they hear the blue stone slab open in area C23,
The albino tiefling is a member of the Arcane Brother-
they hide. If the characters make their identities known
:,od named Avarice (see appendix C). The raven is her
before entering the room, the servants come forward
iliar, Skelm. Levistus sent a telepathic message to
and plead with the characters to free them. Otherwise,
arice, urging her not to antagonize a certain party of
the servants try to ambush the first character to enter
venturers until they've helped her reach her goal: the
the room. They roll initiative as a group and make one
_·t etherese city of Ythryn. Realizing that the charac-
grapple attempt only, with advantage on the d20 roll.
are the ones Levistus warned her about, she tries to
(Apply no modifiers to the roll.) If they fail to grapple the
as hospitable as possible but won't discuss why she's
character, they scurry to the far corners of the room and
re or what she's after.
huddle in defeat.
If she no longer feels safe in the castle, Avarice leaves
1thout a fight. (There are plenty of other places in Ten-
OUTCOME: DARK ALLIANCE
wns where she can make herself comfortable.)
Avarice's two gargoyles, Gargle and Gurgle, are not Characters who forge a friendly relationship with the
esent. She recently sent them to spy on her wizardly Knights of the Black Sword can use the Caer as a base
· ·als. Avarice can speak to her gargoyles telepathically, of operations, coming and going for as long as this dark
· anks to her Rary's telepathic bond spell, and orders alliance lasts. The northeast guard tower is set aside for
· em back to the castle as soon as the characters con- them to stay in. Avarice tries to minimize her contact
ront her. If the characters slay or capture Avarice, the with the party during this time; meanwhile, her gar-
.,,argoyles attack them as they leave the keep. goyles take shifts atop the southwest guard tower, from
Treasure. Avarice keeps her staff of frost within easy where they can watch the characters come and go.
'"each. When she's not writing in her spellbook, she
~ icks it in a fur-lined satchel. See Avarice's description OUTCOME: ROUTING THE CULTISTS
n appendix C for more information about the spellbook. If the characters rout the cultists and release Speaker
Crannoc Siever, the speaker asks them to call out the
C2 2 . IRON LEV ER
town militia so that the castle can be refortified. Hence-
This unlit room is empty except for an iron lever that forth, the speaker lets the characters rest at the castle
protrudes from an iron plate embedded in the north whenever they need to. His home is their home, so to
·all. This lever raises and lowers the blue marble slab speak. Characters will quickly learn that the speaker is
that seals off area C23. a blowhard and firebrand who enjoys living like a king
behind his castle walls.
C2 3. EAST CISTERN
Without their leaders, Kadroth and Hethyl, the
The dark cistern continues for another 40 feet beyond
Knights of the Black Sword are rudderless until Avarice
the blue marble slab. The water in this part of the cis-
finally steps up to fill the power vacuum. The characters
ern is thankfully free of half-frozen corpses. A narrow
are doomed to cross paths with the cultists again in
un nel carved into the north wall leads to area C24.
chapter 8.
45
GAER-KONIG
The white, snow-covered slopes of Kelvin's Cairn loom
large behind this quiet lakeside town. Caer-Konig
started as a camp for a group of mountaineers from the
northern Moonsea region. As the camp grew, a wooden
palisade was added to discourage raiders. Later came
the stone castle of Caer-Konig. Alas, neither the palisade
nor the castle fared well; both fell to ores before falling
into ruin.
Caer-Konig as it is known today consists of terraced
rows of houses that recede from the shore of Lac Din-
neshere like the tiers of an amphitheater. The harbor is
frozen, its docks skewed and broken by the shifting ice.
Buried under the snow on the slopes above the last row
of houses are the ruins of the Caer that gave the town
its name-a reminder to the people of Caer-Konig that
nothing lasts in this corner of the world.
Travel to and from this remote town was expedited by
the ferry that ran out of Easthaven, but with the ferry
shut down, Caer-Konig is completely cut off by moun-
tains, lake, and snow. Forced to live on what they can
haul out of the iced-over lake, the people of Caer-Konig
are bitter and angry. They believe that the rest of Ten-
Towns has abandoned them. The only thing that keeps
the townsfolk from leaving is the beer at the local tav-
ern, which never seems to run out.
As if things weren't bad enough, the town has suffered OVERLAND TRAVEL
several mysterious break-ins recently, with no evidence
A three-mile-long, snow-covered path links Caer-Konig
of the intruders except dwarven boot tracks in the snow
to the neighboring town of Caer-Dineval. Characters on
leading north. Since there are no known settlements
foot can walk this path in 2 hours; mounts and dogsleds
in that direction, the townsfolk assume that Auril's
can shorten this time by as much as 50 percent.
everlasting winter has taken its toll on the dwarves of
Kelvin's Cairn, forcing them to come down from the
LOCATIONS IN GAER-KONIG
mountain in search of food or beer. In truth, the town is
beset by invisible duergar searching for chardalyn. The following locations are marked on map 1.5.
The town speaker, a heavy-drinking dragonborn
HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER
named Trovus, patrols at night to keep an eye out for
trouble. In his inebriated state, however, Trovus is prone Tavern
to wandering out onto the icy lake or passing out on the This tavern owes its popularity to the free half-pints of
ramshackle docks, and he almost never remembers his ale that the proprietor, Eglendar "Glen" Korr (neutral
nightly patrols once his head clears. good half-elf commoner), keeps on the table by the front
door. He presses one into the hand of every person who
GAER-KONIG IN A NUTSHELL stops by (the hook), which compels most of them to stay
Friendliness ** Services ** Comfort *** to order seconds and thirds (the line). The "sinker" part
of the tavern's name refers both to the last drink call of
Available Quest. "The Unseen," page 47. the night and-when locals challenge visitors to a drink-
Population. 150. ing contest-to the last drink that sends a losing contes-
Leader. Speaker Trovus (neutral good silver dragon- tant under the table.
born veteran), a retired adventurer, represents the Glen gets his ale from the dwarves who live in the
town. Trovus won over his fellow townsfolk with his valley at the foot of Kelvin's Cairn, and he pays Jarthra
brawn and good humor, though he's too blunt to be a the dwarf (see "Frozenfar Expeditions" below) to fetch
good politician and drinks too much. it for him.
Militia. Caer-Konig can muster up to 25 soldiers (use
the tribal warrior stat block) and 2 veterans. FROZENFAR EXPEDITIONS
Heraldry. A white fish silhouette rising from the center Adventuring outfitter
bottom of a dark blue field, which has a white border
Run by a seasoned ranger named Atenas Swift (neutral
on all sides but its bottom. The fish signifies the local
good human scout), this shop sells adventuring gear.
fishing trade, and the broken border represents the
Attached to the shop is a locked wooden shed where
snow and the harbor surrounding the town.
Atenas stores a pair of dogsleds and a kennel where he
Sacrifice to Auril. Food (see page 21).
keeps a dozen healthy sled dogs (use the wolf stat block
Rivals. Caer-Dineval, Easthaven.
to repre ent them). Six dogs are enough to pull each
· led. Helping Atenas run the shop is an experienced
mountain guide namedJarthra Farzassh (lawful good
hield dwarf scout). The two have an excellent rapport,
:nixed with some competitive ribbing.
Age has caught up with Atenas. He can feel the cold in
· joints and ventures out less frequently than he once
.lid. Nowadays, he prefers to stay indoors while offering
. arthra's services as a wilderness guide.
T HE NORTHERN LIGHT
nn
.,.he inn gets its name from a magic lantern that once
.ung above the front door. An invisible duergar stole
· recently, depriving the establishment of some of
· charm.
The inn is kept by the Shorard sisters (neutral good
uman commoners). The younger, Allie, is lithe and
harming; she greets guests and does all the cleaning.
he older, Cori, is stout and scowling; she sees to the
nn's provisioning and handles all the cooking. The
ters cast baleful glances at one another and bicker
hind closed doors, but nothing ever comes of their
·euds, as evidenced by the fact that they've been running
· e inn together for more than a decade.
L'ac Di~neshere
THE UNSEEN
.,.he characters can pick up this quest if they start the
adventure in Caer-Konig or when they arrive in town. It 100
gins as the characters enter the quiet village, which is
ing tormented by invisible thieves.
o 2~0 soo
1
t::I::11.-.1:::::::::::::11 feet
Led by Xardorok Sunblight's younger son, Nildar, in-
. ible duergar are searching Caer-Konig for chardalyn,
ri nging whatever interesting things they find back to MAP 1.5: CI\ER·KONIG
eir outpost on the side of Kelvin's Cairn. It's up to the
ha racters whether they help the people of Caer-Konig He has no recollection of how he ended up in the snow
-e tore their stolen valuables, or confront the duergar pile or why he was outside drinking in the first place.
: r their own personal gain. If he's asked about the thieves, Trovus takes a deep
breath, trying to suppress his hiccups, before explaining
GETTING THE UEST the situation:
The town sits quietly at the foot of Kelvin's Cairn. A "The town has had some thievery troubles. No one's
few bundled-up people shuffle between snow-battered seen anything, really. Just the other nigh t, the lantern
houses, keeping the ir heads down , barely bothering to over at the Northern Light was stolen. Cori won't let me
give you a look as you walk past them . hear the end of it because I haven't been able to find
A pile of snow stirs as you pass it, and someone hid- those responsible. Not yet, anyway. But I have a knack for
den beneath it suddenly stands. The figure looks around this stuff."
and yells, "Who goes there? Is it thieves? Have I found
th ose creeping bastards?" If he's not stopped, Trovus starts a long speech about
When he pulls down the scarf covering his face , you the adventures he went on in his younger days. His sto-
see it is a silver dragon born holding onto an empty wine ries include one where he kicked a half-ogre into a river
Dottle as if it was a weapon . He belches, grins at you, and and watched it float away while it yelled profanities at
him. Another tells of the time he tricked a group of ko-
says, "Pardon my manners . Bit jittery with all the thieving
bolds into believing he was a dragon in humanoid form.
going on. I'm Trovus, the town speaker." If the characters ask about the missing lantern, he
offers to take them to the local inn so they can talk to
the Shorard sisters, who run the establishment. He
,.,..rovus (neutral good silver dragon born veteran) spends
seems less bothered by the cold than anyone else in the
most of his days drinking and reminiscing about his
settlement, due to his silver dragon heritage. As they
:gone adventuring days. He's been patrolling at night
walk, Trovus talks about what has been taken from
king for thieves, but after yet another night of heavy
Caer-Konig over the past three nights:
ri nking, he passed out in the snow after a few hours.
C H APTER 1 I TEN - TOWN S
47
• A color-switching magic lantern, taken from The woman, Allie, is one of the Shorard sisters (neutral
the local inn good human commoners), who own the inn. The other
• A pair of goats, stolen from the local tavern owner, Cori, is working in the kitchen. Allie settles Tro-
A small sack of pearls carved into decorative beads, vus into a chair before approaching the characters.
gone missing from the stores of Frozenfar Expeditions She confirms that the town has been experiencing
break-ins and robberies lately, but no one has witnessed
If the characters inquire about a reward for dealing
a potential culprit. The only clue is a set of tracks lead-
with the thieves, Trovus explains that the town doesn't
ing in the direction of Kelvin's Cairn. Allie thinks the
have the coin to pay someone to investigate the matter.
tracks were made by dwarves who live in the valley
Most of the valuables in the village have disappeared
at the base of Kelvin's Cairn. She suspects that the
already, so there's little left to use as compensation.
endless winter has made the dwarves desperate for
HELPFUL SISTERS food and ale, though she can't explain why the dwarves
would steal the inn's lantern and other valuables. Allie
Trovus leads the characters through Caer-Konig to is also surprised that no one in Caer-Konig has seen or
the Northern Light on the eastern edge of town. An heard the dwarves, remarking that "A quiet dwarf is an
empty hook, meant to carry a lantern, hangs above the oxymoron."
inn's entrance. Any interaction with Allie is interrupted when Cori
exits the kitchen:
The inn appears to be mostly empty. A young woman
looks up as you enter, gives Trovus a chastising smile, The door to the kitchen swings open as a stern-looking
and says, "Did you fall asleep outside again? I'm telling woman enters holding a steaming bowl of soup. She
you, Trovus , one day you're going to have to stop relying places the bowl down in front ofTrovus and says , "No
on the kindness of strangers." dwarf did this. Someone would have spotted 'em. Caught
The woman then opens a door into what looks like a 'em . No, there's something more going on. Besides,
kitchen and calls out , "Heat up something for Trovus. what use do hungry dwarves have for a lantern?"
He's been out 'patrolling' again ."
If the characters ask Cori for details, she explains that

the magic lantern that used to decorate the outside of
CHAPTER 1 I TEN - TOWNS

ir inn doesn't do anything useful other than light up
APPROAC HIN G THE OUTPOST
area with different colors.
· asked about a reward for dealing with the thieves, The duergar outpost, a recent addition to the foothills
isters say they have little coin, but they can provide north of Kelvin's Cairn, was carved out of a hillside.
xi and comfortable beds in exchange for the party's Although the duergar are based mainly in Xardorok's
p. They'll even throw in a few flagons of beer if the mountain fortress (described in chapter 3), they come
racters can bring their magic lantern back to the inn. to this outpost to resupply and rest before searching
the characters accept the quest, Allie takes them to nearby settlements for chardalyn.
back of the inn, where faint footprints lead toward When the characters find the duergar outpost, read:
vin's Cairn. If they refuse the quest, Caer-Konig
tinues to be tormented by invisible thieves until the
A blocky stronghold bereft of warmth or charm juts out
rga r stop searching the town for chardalyn.
of a hillside in a rough crescent shape. Only part of its
GETTING A DOGSLED construction is visible; the rest is buried in the stone.
·he characters are interested in following the sus- A large double door of stone serves as the
10us tracks, the Shorard sisters suggest they visit main entrance. The terrain leading to it is a gently
zenfar Expeditions and secure a dogsled before set-
upward-sloping plain covered with fresh snow. A stream
out on their adventure. If the characters do so, they
over thatJarthra, the mountain guide at Frozenfar used to flow out of a barred culvert northeast of the main
peditions, is willing to accompany the characters for entrance, but the waterway has frozen . Two other barred
:mall fee of 10 gp per day of travel.Jarthra has advan- openings can be seen along the stronghold's northern
-e on Wisdom (Survival) checks made in the vicinity wall. Anyone positioned behind these openings would
Kelvin's Cairn. have an unobstructed view of the hillside.
FO LLOWING THE TRACKS Closer to you, separated from the rest of the strong-
hold, is a snow-covered stone bunker perforated by ar-
e tracks leading away from the inn have been partly
row slits.
ed with blowing snow, making them appear as small
pressions. Once the characters get about 50 feet away
~om the inn and its outbuildings, they discover that the Two duergar watch for approaching intruders. One is
racks have been completely obscured. stationed in the bunker (area 01), the other in the over-
If the characters wait until morning to set out, they look (area 03). These duergar are tired and bored, but
nd a set of fresh footprints left behind by a lone duer- they notice characters who are so incautious as to carry
ar scout. This duergar didn't enter any buildings, but light sources or otherwise announce their presence.
· mply looked around the village before leaving close to If the overlook duergar sees what she perceives to
rning. Following the footprints leads to a different set be a threat, she sounds the alarm as she runs down to
tracks, which were made by an ogre zombie pulling the main entrance (area 02) to pull up the drawbridge,
dogsled. These new tracks begin where the duergar taking 2 rounds to do so. The duergar in the bunker is
-~cks end, a quarter-mile outside of town. (The ogre armed with a heavy crossbow (ldlO piercing damage)
zombie waited all night for the duergar to return. The and takes pot shots at visible threats.
uerga r hopped onto the dogsled before ordering the
re zombie to march.) Any character who examines
ROLEPLAYINC THE DUERCAR
·hese tracks and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Sur-
When the characters arrive, the outpost contains five duer-
1val) check identifies the creature tracks as belonging
gar (including Nildar), who behave as described here.
·o an ogre. The characters can follow these fresh tracks, Before entering combat, these duergar use their Enlarge
-hich head toward the mountain and then veer toward trait to increase their size. If a duergar is caught alone by
·he duergar outpost hidden in the northeastern foothills a group of foes, it calls out for help before turning invisi-
of Kelvin's Cairn. ble. When backup arrives , it uses its Enlarge and rejoins
Once the characters get within a mile of the outpost, the fight.
rhey discover that the wind has erased the tracks they've These duergar won't negotiate, and they refuse to sur-
been following, making it difficult for them to find the render. If the characters capture and interrogate a duergar,
exact destination. For every hour the characters spend a successful DC 14 Charisma (Intimidation) check can
earching the foothills, have them make a DC 15 Wis- convince the prisoner to divulge the following information:
dom (Survival) group check.Jarthra contributes to this • Nildar Sunblight commands the outpost.
<1roup check, if she's present, and has advantage on her • Nildar is searching Ten-Towns for chardalyn on behalf of
roll. If the group check succeeds, the characters find his father, Xardorok Sunblight, who commands a much
the outpost. If the group check fails, they didn't find the larger fortress in the mountains. Xardorok is obsessed
with chardalyn and is forging a dragon out of it.
outpost during that hour but can try again. If they fail
• The outpost was built close to Kelvin's Cairn for a rea-
rwo of these group checks in a row, the characters have
son. Once Ten-Towns is destroyed , the duergar plan to
a random encounter in the wilderness, possibly during a use this outpost as a staging area for a raid against the
blizzard (see "Wilderness Encounters," page 105). mines in the Dwarven Valley.
49
Characters who succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity hit points move behind the chokepoint (area 05), leaving
(Stealth) check can approach the stronghold undetected the ogre zombie to cover their retreat if it comes to that.
by hugging the north cliff and moving behind the bunker Well. The well descends 10 feet to an underground
and below the openings of the overlook. Once they reach cistern. The sides of the well are icy and require climb-
the mouth of the frozen river, they can crawl through the ing gear or magic to scale.
culvert (which leads under area 02) or quietly approach
the main entrance without being detected. 03 . OVERLOOK
OUTPOST LOCATIONS
The door opens into a large, nearly empty room. Snow
The duergar outpost was not built with the intention of has drifted into the corners, and frost covers the stone
being aesthetically pleasing or welcoming to strangers.
walls. Three barred openings overlook the snow-covered
There is no interior lighting, since the duergar rely on
grounds outside the stronghold.
darkvision to see. The walls and entryways are all 10
feet high, allowing duergar that have grown to Large
size to move around easily. Unless she has cause to leave the overlook and raise
The following locations are keyed to map 1.6. the drawbridge in area 02, a duergar named Urthhild
stands guard here, stamping her feet to fight off the cold.
01. BUNKER
Barred Openings. Vertical iron bars spaced 6 inches
apart are embedded in the stone frames of three 5-foot-
This stone bunker stands fifteen feet tall. The rough tall rectangular openings. As an action, a character can
edges of its construction indicate that it was cut from a try to bend the bars to create an opening big enough for
a Small creature to squeeze through, doing so with a
single piece of stone.
successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check.
A duergar named Brojk stands guard in the bunker and 04. ARMORY
shoots his heavy crossbow through the arrow slits at

any creatures he sees. He carries this crossbow in addi- Piles of equipment are pushed against the walls of this
tion to his regular weapons.
room. In the southern end of the chamber, an open hatch
Underground Tunnel. This 5-foot-high tunnel is 20
feet underground and has a 20-foot-long ladder at each reveals a route leading underground.
end. The ladder at the north end leads up to area 04.
The armory holds equipment used by the duergar, in-
02. MAIN KEEP
cluding two suits of scale mail sized for dwarves, two
The outer doors aren't locked, but they are heavy.
steel shields, three war picks, nine javelins, two climb-
As an action, a character can pull the doors open by
er's kits, and four mess kits.
succeeding on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. A
Underground Tunnel. This 5-foot-high tunnel is 20
30-foot-deep pit just inside these doors is spanned by a
feet underground and has a 20-foot-long ladder at each
20-foot-square wooden drawbridge that can be raised by
end. The ladder at the south end climbs to area 01.
a simple pull-chain mechanism in times of danger.
05. CHOKEPOINT
This hall is devoid of decoration . A frozen well stands
hear a hallway to the east, and three iron cages are A long room, divided in the middle by two open door-
pushed against one wall. One contains a malodorous ways, stands empty. In the far southwest corner, an iron
ogre with rotting, half-frozen skin and an empty right eye lever sticks out of the wall.
socket. It howls in despair at the sight of you. Another
cage holds a pair of nervous goats. The third cage is
Nildar (see area 06) investigates any loud noises in this
empty. Leaning against a wall near the cages is a wooden
area. Once summoned, he stands next to the lever and
dogsled with ice clinging to it. waits for one or more intruders to move into the choke-
point, whereupon he moves the lever to trigger a trap.
Trap. When the lever is pulled, iron spikes spring out
The two goats were stolen from Caer-Konig, and the
from the floor and ceiling to form barriers across each
duergar plan to eat them. The duergar use the ogre
doorway. A creature in either opening must succeed on
zombie to pull their dogsled. The zombie has been en-
a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) pierc-
slaved and browbeaten by the duergar and does as they
ing damage from the spikes and be restrained until
command. Inside its cage, it can do no harm to anyone.
the spikes are retracted or the barrier is destroyed.
If they haven't already done so, the duergar from the
The spikes can be retracted only by pulling the lever a
bunker (area 01) and the overlook (area 03) run down
second time.
to release the ogre zombie from its cage and attack in-
This trap is designed to isolate a single enemy in the
truders who breach this hall. The zombie sides with the
western part of the room, blocking it from its allies
duergar in any fight. Duergar that fall below half their
50
· h the spikes. Creatures can see through the gaps
·ween the spikes, but the gaps aren't big enough for Brother,
-haracter to slip through. The barriers of spikes grant You will find me on the frozen ferry in Easthaven. From
,ee-quarters cover to creatures behind them. Each this new base, the search for chardalyn continues. Long
rrier has AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison may our father reign over this dark land!
d psychic damage.
Durth
06 . COMMANDER' S QUA RTERS
The characters can visit the ferry or give Durth's letter
:. stone-carved bed and desk occupy this drab room. to the authorities in Easthaven and let them deal with
him (see "Easthaven," page 58, for more information).
op the desk are several shards of dark crystal, as
Roleplaying Nildar. Nildar's main goal is to please
veil as a crumpled-up piece of paper and a burlap sack his father, whose obsession with chardalyn he shares.
draped over a glowing object that emits colored light that When he's not leading raids, Nildar spends most of his
shifts from blue to green to red . time examining goods stolen from Caer-Konig and else-
where. The shards on the table include several pieces of
ordinary tinted glass and three dagger-sized pieces of
I the characters made it through area 05 without get- chardalyn (see the sidebar on page 6). With a suc-
ng into a fight, they catch Nildar Sunblight, a duergar, cessful DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check, a character
ated at the desk, studying his collection of glassy can determine that the chardalyn, despite its crystalline
· ards. He attacks the characters when they enter. composition, is malleable, making it an ideal raw mate-
The glowing object on the desk is a magic lantern, rial for those who can fashion items from the substance.
hich Nildar has covered with a burlap sack to dull its No other properties can be discerned with an ability
aht. The lantern is the one that was stolen from the check. These chardalyn fragments contain no magic and
orthern Light in Caer-Konig. It shifts in color from are safe to handle.
ue to green to red but has no other magical properties. Defeating Nildar. If the characters capture Nildar and
The crumpled-up piece of paper on the desk bears a try to talk to him, he snarls and threatens the characters
'":lessage from Nildar's older brother, Durth, written in in Dwarvish:
ha rcoal and in Dwarvish. The letter reads as follows:
51
The barred opening in the northeast corner is similar to
the ones in area 03.
The three cells along the west wall are empty at pres-
ent. Each of the five cells along the south wall holds one
prisoner, form erly a Ten-Towner or a Reghed nomad
who was abducted and killed by the duergar. Using the
animating spores of a myconid sovereign, the duergar
have turned these dead humans into five spore servants
(as described in the "Myconids" entry in the Monster
Manual ) covered with fungal growths. The spore ser-
vants emerge from their cells to attack intruders who
enter the room. They use the tribal warrior stat block,
with these changes:
The spore servants are unaligned plants with a walk-
ing speed of 20 feet. They have blindsight out to a
range of 30 feet and are blind beyond this radius. They
can't be blinded, charmed, frightened , or paralyzed.
They have an Intelligence of 2 (- 4), a Wisdom of 6
(- 2), and a Charisma of 1 (- 5).
• They lose the Pack Tactics trait and all languages they
once knew.
08. DU ERGAR QUARTERS
Small rooms flank a central common area where crates

and sacks are stashed against the west wall. The doors
of the two southern rooms are open, and each room is
empty except for a tattered bedroll and a chair. From
N1L DA R SuNBL I GHT behind the closed doors of the northern rooms , you hear
the faint sound of snoring.
"My father is more powerful than any of you filthy crea- Each of the northern rooms has one duergar sleeping
tures could imagine. You don 't understand the glory of it, in it. The two duergar are brothers named Ruvik and
the power found in the ice . None of you do. But you will Skorn. If the characters move around without making
any loud noises, the duergar stay asleep. If awakened,
learn soon enough when my father unleashes his terror
they attack the intruders. The duergar sleep in their ar-
upon Ten -Towns! Your doom soars on dragon's wings!"
mor, keeping their shields and weapons within reach.
Treasure. The crates and most of the sacks contain
If the characters let Nildar go or if he escapes, he leaves basic supplies, including blankets, rations, hempen
the outpost using the ogre zombie and dogsled in area rope, and other equipment. One small sack holds the
02; if that's no longer an option, he flees on foot. He re- stolen valuables from Caer-Konig: twenty-five pearls
turns to his father's fortress in the mountains (see chap- carved into decorative beads (5 gp each). Another sack
ter 3), swearing revenge on the characters and vowing to contains three daggers, a set of wood carver's tools, a set
inflict great pain on them if their paths cross again. of navigator's tools, fishing tackle, and a potion of heal-
Treasure. Characters who toss the room find a small ing hidden in a leather pouch along with 73 sp.
coin purse stuffed into Nildar's bedroll. The purse con-
tains 24 gp and 17 sp. CONCLUDING THE UEST
When the characters return to the Northern Light, they
07. SPORE SERVANTS find Trovus passed out in a padded armchair while Allie
and Cori go about their work. If the characters tell Allie
about the duergar outpost, she admits to knowing noth-
This chamber appears to be a cellblock lined with stone
ing about duergar and is disturbed to learn that they can
doors that have small, barred windows set into them turn invisible and grow themselves to ogre size!
at dwarf's-eye height. Snow and wind enter the room If the characters retrieved the inn's lantern, Allie of-
through a barred window in the northeast corner that fers them a few flagons of ale as a reward. She has pre-
looks out toward the snow-covered bunker that guards pared rooms for them, even if they didn't bring back the
the main entrance.
lantern. Allie can also help the characters return other
stolen goods to their proper owners in Caer-Konig.
CHAPTE R 1 I TEN-TOWNS
52
DOUGAN'S HOLE
Dougan's Hole is the smallest and most insular of the
n towns. Its residents aren't fond of visitors, and in-
reeding has caused the population to dwindle in recent
ars. It also has given rise to often-seen physical de-
.. rmities, including but not limited to small, misshapen
ars and slightly pointed teeth.
The town is a small cluster of dwellings perched on
e edge of Red waters that is too small to support any
,dustry- not even scrimshaw. Ice has buckled the
orter of its two piers, rendering the dock unsafe. The
nger pier has two icebound keelboats tethered to it,
ough they're immobile because Auril's winter has
·'."ozen the surface of the lake for hundreds of yards
rou nd them. Local fishers have hauled their smaller
ts onto the shore and resorted to cutting holes in the
e to catch knucklehead trout, which they depend on for
Tvival. Visitors to Dougan's Hole are often struck by
e eeriness of dark, humanoid shapes out on the ice, re-
aining silent and still as the wind howls around them.
1
D ouGAN S HOLE IN A NUTSHELL
Friendliness * Services * Comfort *
~able Quest. "Holed Up," page 53.
Population. 50.
Dougan Dubrace, first happened upon this fishing spot.
Leader. Speaker Edgra Durmoot (neutral human
Scholars have tried to research the origin of the struc-
scout), a plainspoken trapper getting on in years,
ture's name, but all they have found are allusions to a
peaks for the townsfolk. She seldom attends meet-
creature named Thruun in the oldest legends of the
ngs of the Council of Speakers.
northern folk. Some speculate that Thruun was a god,
Militia. Dougan's Hole can muster up to 12 soldiers (use
while others believe it's a destructive elemental spirit
·he tribal warrior stat block) and 1 veteran.
bound to this location by ancient druidic magic.
Heraldry. A gray, pillar-like monolith set against a sky-
. Jue field above two crossed silver fish, their scaly
bodies forming an X, with their heads at upper left HOLED UP
and upper right. The monolith signifies local mystery, Two winter wolves are extorting the people of Dou-
. ·hi le the fish represent the bounty of Redwaters. gan's Hole for food and treasure on behalf of a woolly
crifice to Auril. Warmth (see page 21). mammoth named Norsu. Years ago, a frost druid cast
· al. Good Mead. an awaken spell on the mammoth. Last year, a group of
adventurers killed Garagai, the mammoth's frost giant
OVERLAND TRAVEL master. Norsu has never recovered from the loss and,
ix-mile-long, snow-covered path connects Dougan's to this day, watches over its master's frozen corpse, un-
e to the neighboring town of Good Mead. Characters willing to leave its side. The winter wolves, who served
foot can walk this path in 4 hours; mounts and dog- Garagai as faithful friends, look after the mammoth.
Pd can shorten this time by as much as 50 percent. Although Norsu feeds on plants, not meat, it delights in
killing humanoids to avenge Garagai's death. Slaying
1
0C ATI0N IN D0UGAN S HOLE the mammoth is a tall order, so characters would be
wise to flee from Norsu or try to reason with it.
e following location marked on map 1.7 can't help but Norsu and the winter wolves reside in an ice lodge
,act the attention of new arrivals. built by Garagai. The wolves try to entice the characters
into the lodge, knowing that Norsu will enjoy the exer-
.E T Y STONES OF THRUUN
cise of killing them. Held captive in the lodge are Silja
'angle of megaliths
and Finn Dejarr, two teenaged siblings from Dougan's
only truly interesting feature in Dougan's Hole is Hole who have been missing for the past four days and
ring of megaliths known as the Twenty Stones of are presumed dead. The wolves are holding the siblings
un. Standing at the southern edge of town, nine- in a cage and feeding them raw meat to keep them alive
n of these crudely fashioned granite menhirs are until Dougan's Hole pays a ransom for their safe return.
nged in a rough triangle, with a single stone at the Characters lured to the ice lodge by the wolves or hired
ation's center. No one knows who built this struc- by Speaker Durmoot to find the missing teenagers can
e or why; the townsfolk maintain that the stones were try to rescue Silja and Finn from the frost giant's lodge
e when the town's founder, a Chondathan named and see them safely back to town.
53
its wolf problem. Speaker Durmoot is stubborn to a
fault. She firmly believes that the missing teenagers
are dead, and she's not about to give food to the winter
wolves when her own people barely have enough to feed
themselves. She lets the characters deal with the winter
wolves as they see fit but offers no assistance.
Goon WOLF, BAD WOLF

When the characters first approach the outskirts of
Dougan's Hole or shortly after they first leave town, they
encounter two winter wolves named Koran and Kanan.
Here's how the encounter plays out:
• Koran acts as the "good" wolf while his brother plays
the "bad" wolf. This act has worked before on the
dim-witted locals; the wolves assume the characters
will be fooled just as easily.
Koran approaches the characters, limping on one
back leg and whimpering like a pitiful dog, making
himself as unthreatening as possible. Kanan remains
nearby but out of sight. Any character who succeeds
on a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check sees through Ko-
ran's ruse, noticing how the wolf sometimes forgets
which leg he's supposedly limping on.
• Koran claims that he was routinely kicked by his
master, a mean old frost giant named Garagai. Koran
also says that Garagai kidnapped two townsfolk and
is holding them prisoner in his lodge more than half a
day's walk west of town. Koran wants to help the char-
acters free the prisoners, to get back at Garagai for his
500 abuse. If the characters believe this story, Koran leads
I feet them to the lodge while Kanan follows their tracks
and their scent, remaining out of sight.
MAP 1.7: DouGAN's lioLE • If Koran is unable to convince the characters to follow
it back to the frost giant's lodge, Kanan steps in and
plays the "bad" wolf, baring his fangs and threatening
GETTING THE UEST
to eat the characters unless they change their minds.
If Dougan's Hole is the starting town for this adven- Kanan pretends to be upset about the abuse Garagai
ture, the characters already know some of what's go- inflicted on Koran. "He'll think twice before he hurts
ing on. Read: one of us again," Kanan says with a growl. As earlier,
a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check allows a
character to ascertain that the wolf is lying.
Dougan's Hole is beset by winter wolves that stalk the
outskirts of town. If the wolves can't trick or scare the characters into
"Don't know how many, but them wolves are big as
accompanying them to the frost giant's lodge thirteen
miles west of Dougan's Hole, they drop their act and try
horses!" says a local with small, misshapen ears.
to appeal to the characters' consciences. "It's awfully
"They know words an' got a mighty vocab'lary!" says cold in that lodge," says Koran, to which his brother
another with pointed teeth. adds, "They won't suffer much longer. It's only a matter
"By Thruun's Stones, they caught fair Sil and her lovely of time before Garagai skins and eats them." The wolves
brother Finn th' other day," says a third, who bears more then bolt away, heading toward the lodge and leaving
tracks that the characters can follow, if they choose not
than a passing resemblance to the other two.
to accompany the wolves.
A fourth who looks like their sister chimes in. "Dang
winter wolves say they ain't givin' 'em back till the town CROSSING THE TUNDRA
coughs up a king's ransom in food and gold. This town The wilderness around Dougan's Hole is a frozen tun-
barely got enough to feed its own, and there ain't no dra. Snow falls frequently, adding to the snowpack and
gold . Ain't no one allowed to leave town. Dem wolves erasing tracks. There is a 50 percent chance that the
vow to kill anyone who tries!" characters get caught in a blizzard on the way to the
lodge (see "Blizzards," page 10). If Kanan and Koran
are with the party, they protect the characters from the
The townsfolk urge characters to meet with Speaker worst of the storm, using their bodies to shield the char-
Edgra Durmoot before trying to help the town with
54
acters until it passes. The wolves' presence also pre- characters enter the lodge and free the prisoners. Char-
·ents the characters from getting lost or separated. acters who suspect treachery can, with a successful DC
Also crossing the tundra are a pack of ld6 + 1 wolves, 15 Wisdom (Insight) check, tell that the wolves are lying
prowling the white in search of food. Characters who about Garagai- the frost giant is in fact inside the lodge.
make a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Nature) check Are they afraid to face their master, perhaps, or is there
note that the wolves are gaunt from starvation. If the another reason why the wolves won't enter the lodge?
.vinter wolves are with the party, Kanan and Koran No ability check can answer this question; the charac-
"'rowl and bare their teeth, which deters the pack from ters must find out for themselves! In truth, the winter
approaching closer. wolves expect Norsu to slaughter the characters, but in
case that doesn't happen, they remain outside to attack
APPROACHING THE LODGE any characters who try to flee. (Specifically, the wolves
\'hen the characters approach the lodge, read: wait in area Ll, east of the lodge's main entrance.) If one
wolf is slain, the other flees to avoid a similar fate.
Jutting up out of the vast tundra is a towering edifice LODGE LOCATIONS

built entirely of ice. The domed structure is easily three The ice lodge was where Garagai lived and entertained
times the height and width of any building found in other frost giants. Although not a jar!, Garagai held a
Ten-Towns . respected position among the frost giants of the Far
North. Everything in the lodge is built for giants and
therefore quite large. The ceilings inside soar to a height
The lodge has three tall openings on the east side. On of 30 feet.
·he southern side of the building is a tunnel left behind The following locations are keyed to map 1.8.
y a remorhaz that raided the lodge's food stores. Char-
ac ters spot this tunnel if they circle the lodge looking for LL EXTERIOR
ther entrances. The characters approach the lodge from the east and
If Koran and Kanan are with the characters or have have three entrances to choose from. These entrances
arrived ahead of them, the two winter wolves sniff the lead to areas L2, L3, and L4, respectively. If the winter
air and inform the characters that Garagai isn't home. wolves are present, they gently nudge the characters to-
The wolves offer to stand guard outside while the ward the tunnel leading to area L4.
C HAPTER I I TEN - TOWNS

55
L2. FLENSING CHAMBER Garagai built the cage to hold Norsu when the mam-
moth was younger. Now it holds Silja and Finn Dejarr
(neutral good human commoners), who are de-
A sour stench of decay fills your nostrils. Lying on the ice- scribed below:
packed ground is the frozen corpse of a whale , crudely • Silja is a spindly girl with pointy teeth. Snow clings to
butchered. Beside it is a blade in the shape of a paring the ends of her long braids. She is ready to do what-
knife the size of a longsword . ever it takes to get back to her mother in Dougan's
Hole. Of the two siblings, she is the more proactive.
• Finn has a piebald face flanked by small, malformed
Garagai used this room to carve up whales and harvest ears. He is examining the brackets that hold together
their oil. the slats of the cage to find a way to break them. His
Treasure. An alcove west of the carcass contains a hands are frostbitten, and his teeth chatter uncon-
6-foot-long, 5-foot-wide, 5-foot-tall stone chest half bur- trollably.
ied under ice. A character must spend 1 hour chipping
away the ice before the chest can be opened. It contains The cage's metal slats are widely spaced, but not
more giant-sized tools used for flensing, as well as a enough for the teenagers to slip between them. The slats
scrimshaw goat small enough to fit in a character's are made of metal, and the cold makes them hard to ma-
hand. The scrimshaw goat is worth 25 gp. nipulate. Applying heat to the slats makes them pliable,
whereupon a character can use an action to try to pull
L3. CAGED TOWNSFOLK two of the slats farther apart so that the slender Silja
and Finn can slip through, accomplishing this feat with
a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
A huge, slatted animal cage, with a locked gate attached The lock on the cage's gate can be picked by a charac-
to it by rusty hinges, stands against the west wall of this ter using thieves' tools. An attempt takes 1 minute and
chamber. Trapped inside the cage are two shivering hu- succeeds on a DC 15 Dexterity check. Opening the gate
mans in cold weather clothing. They look fearfully at you. causes its large, rusty hinges to squeal loudly unless a
flask of oil is used to lubricate them first. If Norsu is still
alive, the mammoth hears the squealing and makes its
way from area LS to this area, determined to kill inter-
lopers on sight.
CH APTER 1 I T EN-TOWNS
4- . ENTRANCE CORRIDOR
The mammoth stares down at you with hate in its eyes.
"You are to blame for all of this!" It then lowers its head
ni s passageway is choked with ice. Above you, icicles
a•e densely clustered, their points sharp as daggers.
haracter can move through the ice-choked tunnel

I and assumes a threatening posture.
This chamber is where Garagai would lounge with

Norsu at his side and greet visiting frost giants. Cursed
·etly by succeeding on a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) with sentience, the awakened neutral evil mammoth
eek. On a failed check, the noise alerts the mammoth grieves for its dead master. It has an Intelligence of 10
area LS. and speaks Common.
To Norsu, the characters' mere presence desecrates
5. GARAGAr 's ICY TOMB Garagai's tomb, and the mammoth reacts by trying to
gore them with its tusks and crush them underfoot.
Any character who can act before Norsu takes its first
- .,,s oval chamber with high walls of glittering ice resem-
turn in combat can use an action to attempt to calm the
: es a sepulcher. The frozen , hacked-up corpse of a frost mammoth before it attacks. A character who claims
~ ant lies on the floor, entombed in translucent ice, and to be Garagai's friend can calm the mammoth with a
m ing next to it is a woolly mammoth. successful DC 12 Charisma (Deception) check, while
ot far from the mammoth, carved from a single block a character who vows to avenge Garagai's death can
• ce, is a giant-sized throne atop a circular dais. Chis-
calm the mammoth with a successful DC 12 Charisma
(Persuasion) check. If calmed, Norsu allows characters
e ed into the throne's backrest is a large rune.
to honor Garagai by performing a prayer over his frozen
corpse or leaving a gift, but otherwise expects the char-
e awakened mammoth is aware of the characters' acters to withdraw from its presence so it can mourn
sence, add: in private. If the characters fail to calm Norsu or flee
from it, the mammoth charges after them. Overcome by
inconsolable rage, it pursues prey beyond the confines
of the lodge but doesn't go farther than 100 feet before
turning back and rejoining its dead master.
C H A PTER I I TE N-TOWN S
57
The adventurers who slew Garagai took his greataxe L8 . WHALE OIL STORAGE
as a trophy as well as his other personal possessions, A remorhaz has burrowed a tunnel into this room. The
leaving nothing of value on the hacked-up corpse. tunnel runs underneath the southern wall, providing an
Ice Throne. The symbol carved into the throne is the alternate entrance into the lodge.
Giant rune for "ice," as any character who succeeds on A foul scent pervades the room, which contains five
a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check can ascertain. A barrels of whale oil. An intact barrel of whale oil weighs
detect magic spell reveals an aura of conjuration magic 500 pounds and can be sold in Ten-Towns for 50 gp.
around the rune, which empowers the throne. A crea- Treasure. The remorhaz is long gone, but characters
ture that sits in the throne becomes aware of its magical who explore its tunnel find a strange, frosted white res-
nature and can use an action while seated in the throne idue smeared across a 5-foot section of wall- enough
to summon a blizzard, which takes 1 minute to form. to fill a small bottle. This rare secretion is called thrym;
The blizzard engulfs the lodge, extends 1 mile from it in remorhazes are known to exude small quantities of it
all directions, and lasts for 8 hours. This property of the shortly before they give birth. Alchemists use thrym
throne recharges after a tenday. to craft potions of resistance (cold) and other useful
If the ice throne is destroyed, it ceases to be magical. concoctions. A bottle of thrym sells for 250 gp. Any
The throne has AC 13; 80 hit points; resistance to pierc- character who is proficient with alchemist's supplies can
ing and slashing damage; immunity to cold, poison, and examine this residue and determine its true nature with
psychic damage; and vulnerability to fire damage. a successful DC 11 Intelligence (Arcana) check.
L6. WAR ROOM
SNEAKING OUT
With Silja and Finn in tow, the characters can try to
A massive table hewn from a single block of ice stands sneak out of the lodge. As long as they keep quiet and
in the middle of this cold chamber, surrounded by avoid the central chamber (area LS), they won't incur the
chairs also made of ice. Many of the chairs are chipped wrath of the awakened mammoth. However, they must
also deal with the two winter wolves lurking outside.
and cracked.
The remorhaz tunnel in area L8 provides an alternate
escape route, since the wolves aren't watching that exit.
Garagai and other frost giants once gathered around The trip back to Dougan's Hole can be uneventful, or
the table to discuss various matters. Lying on the floor you can roll for a random encounter using the Wilder-
under the table is a 1-foot-tall stone statuette of a spindly ness Encounters rules (see page 105). If the winter
creature that the characters recognize as the image of wolves are still alive, they attack the party as soon
a chwinga (see appendix C) if they've seen one before. as the random encounter ends, before the characters
In fact, the statuette is an actual chwinga that turned to have a chance to rest. Killing one wolf triggers the
stone when it died. Its killers are still in the room, hid- self-preservation instinct in its brother, causing it to flee.
ing behind chairs: three lcewind kobolds (see appendix
C) named Holgi, Snorp, and Zilbo. They assumed the CONCLUDING THE UEST
lodge was unoccupied and did not expect to find Norsu If they escape the lodge and survive the journey home,
and the winter wolves dwelling inside. The chwinga Silja and Finn are reunited with their mother, Hilda,
startled them, so they killed it. When the characters who has been sick with worry but is overjoyed to see
enter this area, the kobolds cower behind chairs and pe- them alive.
tition the characters for help in escaping the lodge. If the
characters oblige, the kobolds stay with the characters TREASURE
until they're outdoors, whereupon the kobolds either Hilda married her older brother, who was a hunter. He
part company with their saviors or remain with the char- passed away a few years ago but left behind some magic
acters for food and protection (at your discretion). boots he won from a wayward adventurer he bested in
a drinking contest. If one or both of her children are re-
I
L7. GARAGAI's BEDROLL turned safely, Hilda gives the characters her husband's
boots of the winterlands as a thank-you.
IThe only furniture in this cavernous chamber is a big fur

bedroll. The fur is matted and musty.
Garagai used to sleep here. The room is now

unoccupied.
58
EASTHAVEN
'alking into Easthaven is like stepping into Icewind
~ale's past- the place is a Jiving example of the boom-
. wn way of life that gripped all of Ten-Towns centuries
<10. In the generations since, as other towns have set-
ed into a predictable pattern of existence, Easthaven
a continued to grow and reinvent itself. After the East-
ay was paved, Easthaven evolved into a frontier trad-
- · paradise, fueling the jealousy of its neighbors.
Easthaven's founders were thieves from the Duchy
. Cape Velen, on a peninsula far to the south. They
fused to kowtow to a powerful thieves' guild and were
nven out. To this day, Easthaven honors its shady
unders by declaring pickpocketing legal within the
rn limits- which explains the "Watch thy pouch!"
_ns posted in various local establishments.
Duergar have infiltrated the town of late, scouring
thaven and the surrounding tundra for chardalyn
gments to bring back to their hidden mountain
ronghold. The leader of these duergar is Durth Sun-
ht, the oldest living son of Xardorok Sunblight.
rth and his gang have turned the frozen Easthaven
rry into a temporary base. Using their innate invisibil-
. co move about unseen, the duergar betray their pres-
e only by the footprints they leave in the snow.
.\nother occurrence of note is the recent capture of a OVERLAND TRAVEL FROM EASTHAVEN
d Wizard of Thay who has been found guilty of killing
To Travel Time
andful of dale-folk he had hired for an expedition.
aker Danneth Waylen has issued a decree that the Bryn Shander 7½ hours
zard be tied to a stake and burned alive-an event that Caer-Dineval 9 hours
l of Easthaven residents are looking forward to. Good Mead 4½ hours
A STHAVEN IN A NUTSHELL LOCATIONS IN EASTHAVEN

Friendliness ** Services *** Comfort *** The following locations, marked on map 1.9, are a few
· able Quest. "Toil and Trouble," page 62. of the places the characters might visit during their time
Population. 750. in Easthaven. Another important location- Easthaven's
1-ders. Speaker Danneth Waylen (chaotic good Town Hall- is described later, in the "Town Hall Ca-
Jman commoner), respected for his humility and pers" section (page 67).
rth rightness. Captain lmdra Arlaggath (lawful good
EASTHAVEN FERRY
:ilf-elf veteran) commands the town's militia.
· 'tia. Easthaven can muster up to 150 soldiers (use Ferry service (halted)
e tribal warrior stat block) and 12 veterans. A letter found in a secret duergar outpost (see "The Un-
dry. A snowflake at the top center of a steel-gray seen," page 47) might lead the characters to this loca-
Id, above a horizontal brown field that forms the left- tion. Delivering the letter to Speaker Waylen or Captain
nd base, and a dark blue field that forms the right- Arlaggath prompts these NPCs to meet and determine
and base; where they meet is a thin white tower. The an appropriate course of action. Together, they ask the
wn field represents the Eastway, the tower rep- characters to search the ferry and slay any duergar they
- ents the town, and the blue field is Lac Dinneshere. encounter aboard it. If the characters request backup,
· ce to Auril. Humanoid (see page 21). Captain Arlaggath accompanies them.
· als. Caer-Dineval, Caer-Konig. Use the following boxed text to describe the ferry to
the players:
0 . ERLAND TRAVEL
Eastway stretches between Easthaven and Bryn Easthaven's ferry, a keel boat, is trapped in the ice at the
nder. Snow-covered paths branching off this road
end of a wooden dock. A small cabin is situated toward
·o Caer-Dineval and Good Mead. Travel times in
verland Travel from Easthaven table assume that the aft end of the hull.
cters are on foot; mounts and dogsleds can shorten
times by as much as 50 percent. When the lake isn't frozen, this keelboat transports
people and cargo to the towns of Caer-Dineval and
CHAPTE R l I TEN-TOWNS
59
Caer-Konig for a modest fee. But the boat and much to this fortress is marked on Durth's map aboard
of Easthaven's harbor is trapped in ice, and Speaker the ferry.)
Waylen has declared that ferry service must cease until Xardorok's fortress has a forge powered by the
the ice thaws-which, given Auril's temperament, seems still-beating heart of a red dragon. In this forge, Xar-
unlikely to happen soon. The ferry's tiefling owner and dorok is crafting a dragon made of chardalyn, with
operator, Scython, spends his idle time at the Wet Trout which he plans to destroy Ten-Towns. The chardalyn
(described below). In Scython's absence, the ferry has dragon is close to being finished.
become a base of operations for a duergar mind mas- • Xardorok has another son, Nildar, who commands a
ter (see appendix C) named Durth Sunblight. He and secret outpost on the northeast side of Kelvin's Cairn
three other duergar named Klaska, Ossyl, and Zublorr (see "The Unseen," page 47).
are using the ferry's aft cabin as a lair, but only Durth is
present when the characters first arrive at the ferry. The THE WET TROUT
other duergar are searching Easthaven for chardalyn. Popular tavern
The duergar are cautious enough to turn invisible The Wet Trout, located near the docks, is the largest and
while moving through town and on the docks, but not loudest tavern in Easthaven, known for its ribald atmo-
smart enough to cover the tracks they make in the snow. sphere and rumor-mongering. A great chimney squarely
Characters who search for tracks on the snow-covered in the building's center has hearths on either side to
dock and succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check warm the tavern's two common rooms. The tavern's cur-
can discern ld4 distinct sets of dwarven boot prints rent owner and proprietor is Nymetra Myskyn, a chaotic
leading to and from the ferry. These tracks were made neutral dragon born berserker of white dragon ances-
within the past 24 hours. try. Although she can be crusty and full of complaints,
Mt Cabin. The ice covering the cabin door has been Nymetra is not discouraged by the Everlasting Rime,
chipped away, and the door is not locked. The space is which she regards as a test of Ten-Towns' mettle. An un-
roughly 10 feet square and contains four sleeping bags, apologetic worshiper of Auril, she supports Easthaven's
packs of stolen rations, and a rolled-up map of Icewind attempts to appease the Frostmaiden with sacrifices
Dale that marks the location of every Ten-Towns set- (see "Sacrifices to Auril," page 21).
tlement, as well as the locations of the duergar outpost Scython. One of the Wet Trout's regular patrons is
near Kelvin's Cairn (see page 49) and Sunblight, the Scython, a neutral good tiefling bandit captain who
fortress hidden in the mountains (described in chap- owns a small house a few blocks away. Scython is also
ter 3). All of the place names on the map are written the owner and operator of Easthaven's ferry. A talkative,
in Dwarvish. happy-go-lucky fellow, he knows rumors that might
Lurking in the cabin is Durth Sunblight. He knows interest the characters. Roll three times on the Ten-
when someone else boards the ship by the creaking of Towns Rumors table (page 18) to determine what
the deck. As a precaution, he turns invisible and stands Scython knows.
in an empty corner at the back of the cabin. If an in- Although he's well informed, Scython doesn't know
truder detects him or tries to steal his map, he attacks. about the duergar stowing away aboard his ship (see
If he's reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, he shrinks to "Easthaven Ferry" above).
Tiny size and flees through a 4-inch-diameter rathole,
exiting outside the ship 5 feet above the frozen harbor
and 5 feet away from the dock. If he escapes, Durth re-
turns to his father's fortress in the mountains (see chap-
ter 3), abandoning his duergar companions.
Development. Durth's companions have been scour-
ing Easthaven for chardalyn. Their latest search has
borne no fruit, and they return to the ferry 30 minutes
after the characters board it. These three duergar attack
any non-duergar they encounter onboard the vessel.
If they find Durth's dead body or no signs of him at all
aboard the ferry, they abandon the ship and don't re-
turn to it.
If the characters capture Durth, he warns his captors
that he's the son of Xardorok Sunblight, who will soon
claim Icewind Dale as his kingdom, and it would be un-
wise for them to earn the wrath of so powerful a fig-
ure. Durth doesn't give up any other information.
His companions are similarly tight-lipped; how-
ever, threats to Durth's life or the clever use
of a suggestion spell or similar magic can
persuade one or more them to reveal
the following additional information:
• Xardorok has a fortress hidden
in the mountains. (The route
60
E ASTHAVEN
HE WHITE LADY INN White Lady can help. Aren't you curious to hear what
she has to say?"
If one or more characters are present when the seance
musty old inn is named after a local legend known
begins, read:
_ ·he White Lady-a ghost rumored to walk on Lac
~ nneshere, haunting the spot where her rich husband
rowned. Rinaldo (lawful good strongheart halfling Smoke from burning incense clouds the room. Multicol-
commoner), a self-styled bard kept around to entertain ored lamps and silks are hung from the rafters, and the
ts, is fond of plucking his fiddle while recounting light from several candles illuminates a circle of uncom-
- tale: that the White Lady's husband was a miser who
fortable-looking guests sitting cross-legged on the floor.
pt his treasure in a heavy, locked chest that never
· · his side. Perhaps it was this heavy chest, suggests Rinaldo pushes back the sleeves of his robe, raises his
naldo, that capsized his boat and sent the man to hands, closes his eyes, and intones, "Lady who watches
unken grave, or perhaps it was the fright of seeing from the lake, come to us in our darkest hour! Tell us
: dead wife that caused him to capsize the boat and what you 've seen! " After a moment of silence, thick frost
wn. Either way, Rinaldo is certain that the man's
forms on the inside of the room's windows, turning them
asure lies at the bottom of the lake, waiting for some
·repid explorer to find it. The inn's sullen, elderly opaque, and the candles go out one by one.
prietor, Bartaban (neutral good human commoner),
- heard the halfling's rambling far too often to be hu- Rinaldo senses that the White Lady's spirit is close and
red by it. urges the characters to reach out to it. Ask the players
Seance. Rinaldo is planning to conduct a seance in a in turn what their characters say or do. The characters
k room of the inn and has invited half a dozen other who try to help Rinaldo must make a DC 12 Charisma
ts (commoners) to join him. Characters who spend (Persuasion) group check. If the group check fails , the
or more nights at the inn are invited by Rinaldo to White Lady's spirit manifests as a poltergeist and at-
!I. his seance. If the characters decline, Rinaldo is dis-
tacks the party, frightening away the other participants.
~inted and tries to get them to change their minds by This poltergeist uses the specter stat block, with the
mg, "We live in dark times. Perhaps the spirit of the
61
changes outlined in the "Variant: Poltergeist" sidebar
that appears with it in the Monster Manual. TOIL AND TROUBLE
If the group check succeeds, Rinaldo can sense that The quest in Easthaven begins at the same time as the
the spirit is receptive and urges the characters to ask it burning of the Red Wizard, Dzaan, who is described
questions. The spirit replies truthfully by tracing short, in the "Arcane Brotherhood" section of appendix C.
two- to five-word answers on the room's frosted win- Whether the characters are starting the adventure in
dows. If doing that becomes too cumbersome, the spirit Easthaven or have just arrived, they are present during
uses Rinaldo as a vessel to whisper the answers. If the Dzaan's fiery execution. They're too late to save Dzaan,
spirit doesn't know an answer or thinks a question is but they might encounter a magical copy of him again in
foolish, it shatters a window instead. Once it answers chapter 2 (see "Lost Spire of Netheril," page 145).
three questions, the spirit departs, and Rinaldo can't try The captain of Easthaven's militia, lmdra Arlaggath,
to summon it again until he finishes a long rest. takes notice of the characters during the burning and
Here's what the White Lady knows about the recent offers them a quest. Some fishers have gone missing on
happenings around Lac Dinneshere: Lac Dinneshere, and she wants the characters to take a
boat and search for them. She knows where the fishers
• The castle in Caer-Dineval has become a base for a
like to fish and urges the characters to search that part
devil-worshiping cult.
of the lake first. If they heed Imdra's advice, they find the
• Gray-skinned dwarves have been stalking the
fishers' boats pulled up on the ice within short walking
streets of Easthaven, Caer-Dineval, and Caer-Konig
distance from a frozen cave previously hidden under
while invisible. Their intentions aren't good. They
snow and ice. This cave, the characters soon discover, is
hide aboard the town ferry (see "Easthaven Ferry"
the lair of a hag named Maud Chiselbone.
above) and in the ruins of Dinev's Rest (see "Dinev's
Characters who explore the cave complex find the
Rest," page 38).
bodies of the fishers, as well as Maud's cauldron of
A magic cauldron is hidden in some frozen, lakeside
plenty (see appendix D). The cauldron is a stunning dis-
caves. The cauldron is guarded by an evil hag named
covery and a welcome one for the people of Ten-Towns,
Maud Chiselbone and can conjure enough stew to
if the characters choose to part with it. If news of the
feed a starving town indefinitely (see "Toil and Trou-
cauldron spreads, the characters will quickly find them-
ble" below).
selves the center of attention as various towns strive to
The White Lady doesn't remember the details of her obtain it. With no end to winter in sight, the cauldron
own death or the fate of her lost love. Once her spirit de- might be the last thing standing between one town's sur-
parts, the frost on the windows dissipates. vival and another's extinction.
RINA L D O THE HALFLI N G LEADS A SEANCE TO CONTACT THE

PU BLIC EXECUTION GETTING THE UEST
Events begin to unfold when the characters find them- Captain Arlaggath asks about the characters' home-
,elves in the vicinity as Dzaan's execution takes place: towns and reasons for being in Easthaven before asking
if they can assist in an investigation. If they express in-
terest, she shares the following information:
A crowd has gathered in front of the Town Hall to watch
the public execution of Dzaan, a human wizard who,
despite efforts to disguise himself, was recognized and "Four fishers went missing on Lac Dinneshere a tenday
arrested for the crimes he has inflicted upon dale-folk. ago. The coastline is hard to sail along because of the ice
floes, but savvy anglers prefer it-there are fewer com-
He has been bound to a stake and gagged. Members of
peting fishers from the other lake towns there. We need
the militia use torches to light the straw tucked around
someone to scout the coastline and search for them."
his feet. Fanned by the wind, the fire catches quickly.
Dzaan does not struggle or scream as he is quickly en-
gulfed in flames. Bundled-up spectators move closer to If the characters need a boat, they can borrow one from
he human bonfire, eager to feel its warmth. the angler docks and drag it across the ice to the open
water. A rowboat can hold up to four Medium charac-
ters, while a single-masted skiff can hold up to eight. A
-,. woman bedecked in a tailored coat and a fur hat ap- skiff requires at least one crew member who has profi-
roaches the characters as people huddle around the ciency with water vehicles.
burning wizard. She introduces herself as lmdra Arlag- If the characters request a reward for their services,
_ath, captain of Easthaven's militia. Captain Arlaggath Captain Arlaggath says she's not authorized to give one.
awful good half-elf veteran) speaks curtly but is not But she did confiscate two items from Dzaan that might
nfriendly. If any of the characters ask about Dzaan, she interest the characters: a spell scroll of fireball in a cop-
·ells them that he coldly murdered some adventurers per tube and a gray bag of tricks. They can have one or
·ho had aided the people of Icewind Dale in the past; the other if they find the missing fishers.
1s public execution isn't an act of vengeance but is
-neant to deter others from engaging in similar behavior.
THE SEARCH BEGINS lick clean the bones of her "guests." The four fishers
from Easthaven are her latest victims.
Much of Lac Dinneshere is covered with ice. Only the
hardiest anglers venture out to fish for knucklehead FEATURES OF THE CAVES
trout. To wrangle such a catch, fishers must drag their The caves have the following recurring features:
boats across the ice to open water and wait patiently out
Moaning Wind. The howling wind that blows through
on the lake in the freezing cold for hours at a time. To
the caves sounds like a moaning crone, which is
fend off the chill, they often bring bottles of ale to keep
bone-chilling enough to deter most would-be explor-
warm. Imbibing too much is dangerous, for it makes
ers. The wind blows out candles and other small
the anglers more susceptible to being pulled overboard
flames but is otherwise harmless.
by stubborn knuckleheads. Too much ale also leads to
Ice Everywhere. Slippery ice covers every wall, ceiling,
foolhardy decisions. Such was the fate of four old an-
and floor (see "Slippery Ice" in the Dungeon Master's
glers from Easthaven, who abandoned their trusty boat,
Guide). Characters with crampons strapped to their
Bunch o' Knuckleheads, to follow a tantalizing scent
boots can traverse the ice without impediment.
emanating from the mouth of a lakeside cave. Inside,
High Ceilings. The caves have SO-foot-high ceilings.
they encountered a hag named Maud Chiselbone and
The tunnels connecting the caves are 30 feet high.
a spicy concoction she prepared using her cauldron of
Moonlight. Infrequent, naturally occurring breaks in
plenty. Maud took the opportunity to season her stew
the ceiling allow moonlight into the caves, causing ar-
with the ale-soaked anglers before adding their bones to
eas of the complex to be dimly lit on clear nights.
her growing collection.
ABANDONED ROWBOAT AREAS OF THE CAULDRON CAVES

The characters find the Bunch o' Knuckleheads along The following locations are keyed to map 1.10.
the coast:
Ul. CAVE MOUTHS
The characters must climb icy cliffs to reach the three
A rowboat bobs untethered in the water amid some small northernmost caves, which are above water level. No
ice floes, not far from the eighty-foot-high cliffs that abut ability check is required to do so, given the abundant
the shoreline. The mouths of four caves dot the snowy handholds and footholds on the cliffs.
cliffside. One of these caves is at water level, and the Water used to flow out of the southernmost tunnel and
feed into the lake. That water is now frozen solid, creat-
others are elevated twenty to thirty feet above the frozen
ing a floor of ice several feet thick. The fishers entered
lake. The wind tearing through these icy caves sounds the cave complex by this route, as evidenced by tracks
like moaning. in the snow that clings to the ice. With a successful DC
10 Wisdom (Survival) check, the characters can follow
these four sets of human tracks as far as area U7, where
Characters who search the abandoned rowboat find four they disappear. The fishers made it all the way to area
oars, four sets of fishing tackle, and a dozen empty bot- U9, where they met their doom.
tles lying in it. Characters can also see faint tracks on
the ice leading from the boat to the southernmost cave, U2. DIRE WOLF DEN
which is where the four missing anglers went. The spicy A hungry dire wolf haunts this dark cave, the uneven
scent that lured the fishers into the cave is not present floor of which is strewn with animal and humanoid
when the characters arrive. bones. Unless the characters offer it fresh meat, the
As the characters conclude their search of the rowboat dire wolf attacks them. It's too mean-tempered to be
and make their way toward the caves, two harpies fly befriended. The wolf has no trouble scrambling up or
over the coastline. Like many creatures in this region, down the 20-foot-high wall at the mouth of its den.
the harpies are starving and eager for anything they can
I
eat. If one is killed, the other flees. U3. CAVE DRAWINGS
THE CAULDRON CAVES

A cave network extends into the snow-swept cliffs along
the shore of Lac Dinneshere. This complex once con-
tained a sacred hot spring where elderly frost giants
came to end their lives in a drowning ritual. Now, the
waters have frozen over.
IThis cave has ancient, stick-figure drawings carved into
its northern wall.
A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence

(History) check can correctly interpret the carvings,
The caves have long been home to a lake hag named which show frost giants wading up a river to a cav-
Maud Chiselbone. Maud has amassed a collection of ern that contains a hot spring, in which they drown
bones and trinkets taken from wayward explorers who themselves.
blundered into her lair. Maud once shared her caves
with two sisters, but the coven had a falling out. The U4. MOANING CAVERN
bones of Maud's dead sisters are among those on dis- The cave is empty except for three ice-covered pillars
play in her home. Maud is always hungry and likes to composed of mineral deposits.
T5. ICY BRIDGE shrill laugh, dread sunk its teeth in me. Ye gods, that
.\ natural stone bridge spans the frozen river 20 feet horrible cackle! I shall leave these caves in the morn-
low. The top of the bridge is covered with a slippery, ing and never return."
y glaze. Crossing the bridge safely requires a success-
' ul DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. A creature that
U7. WATERFALL
The river used to tumble over a small waterfall in this
'ails the check falls off the bridge and lands prone on the
area, following the current west toward Lac Dinneshere.
'rozen river below, taking 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage
The waterfall now takes the form of a 10-foot-tall sheet
_rom the fall.
of ice that can be climbed with a successful DC 10
6. OLD CAMP Strength (Athletics) check. The ice is thin, however, and
easily broken: the first creature of Medium size or larger
to fail the check causes the ice to crack and fall, releas-
This cave contains an abandoned campsite.
I ing a dormant water weird. After the ice breaks, enough
ice remains that characters can still climb it, but the DC
of the check increases to 15.
haracters who search the charred remains of the Lodged in the rocks behind the waterfall are items
ampfire can find three torn-out pages, only partially that were caught in the river, including an explor-
urned, from a journal written in Dwarvish. er's pack and a miner's pick. After the water weird
Written on the loose pages are an anonymous dwarf's is released and dealt with, these items can be safely
'Ilusings about the cave complex. Characters who exam- recovered.
ne the pages find a couple of noteworthy passages:
"These caves are sacred to the frost giants. The carv- U8. SACRED SPRING
ings on the wall suggest that the giants came here to An underground river once spilled into a pool in this
drown themselves. Did they use the hot spring as a area, filling it with steaming mineral water and over-
acrificial pool?" flowing to the west. The river and the pool are now fro-
"The wind truly sounds like a wailing woman. One zen and will remain so until the Everlasting Rime ends.
could easily go mad in this place." On clear nights, moonlight shines through an opening
"I think there's someone living in these caves. Shortly in the ceiling and illuminates the pool. The minerals in
after discovering the hot spring, I heard what sounded the ice have turned it a cloudy, bright blue. Entombed in
like a granny singing. When the song ended with a the ice are the remains of four frost giants, the faint out-
lines of their forms barely visible.
CHAPTER l I TEN - TOWNS

U9. OSSUARY UIO. CAULDRON OF PLENTY
This cave is higher in elevation than the tunnels leading The lake hag, Maud Chiselbone (use the sea hag stat
to it, but it's easily reached by climbing one of two flights block), and her will-o'-wisp companion await charac-
of crudely carved stairs. ters in the middle of this cave. Maud stands between
On clear nights, moonlight enters the cave through her cauldron of plenty (see appendix D) and a stone
natural fissures in the ceiling. Fresh blood paints the block atop which she butchers whatever meat is des-
icy floor, indicating that one or more creatures were tined for her stew. Heaped around this block are rusty
butchered here recently. (This is where the fishers from hatchets and the flayed corpses of the four fishers from
Easthaven met their end.) More obvious than the blood Easthaven. The will-o'-wisp is normally invisible when
are all the bones: knucklehead trout spines, humanoid its light is extinguished, but it brightens when it wants
skeletons in pieces, and bones of small animals and intruders to behold Maud's true, hideous form.
birds, along with scraps of clothing and armor and a few Maud disguises herself as a decrepit old woman. In
rusty weapons. this form, she wears tattered furs to stave off the cold. In
Sitting among the bones in the middle of the cave is a her natural form, Maud has sickly grayish-purple flesh ,
frost giant skeleton (see appendix C) partially encased bulging eyes that seldom blink, and stringy black hair
in ice. It remains inanimate until it takes damage or interwoven with fingerbones. If her disguise is pierced
until an intruder enters the ossuary. Instead of rolling or the characters threaten her, Maud summons the frost
initiative for it, have it act on initiative count 1. The skel- giant skeleton in area U9 to fight on her behalf, but it
eton spends its first two turns in combat doing nothing takes two rounds to arrive. If the skeleton is destroyed,
other than breaking out of the ice and getting to its feet, Maud assumes her true form and takes on the charac-
which gives the characters time to flee or get in a few ters herself. She won't give up her lair or the magic caul-
hits before the skeleton attacks. dron without a fight.
This creature killed the fishers from Easthaven, and If she is reduced to 9 hit points or fewer, Maud tries to
Maud is the only one who can control it. The skeleton make a deal. She agrees to surrender the cauldron and
tries to kill anyone else who enters this cave and pur- promises to deliver a chest filled with gold coins that lies
sues fleeing prey as far as it can without leaving the in the muck at the bottom of Lac Dinneshere. If the deal
cave complex. is struck and the characters release her as promised,
Maud returns to the lake to make good on her end of the
bargain. As she departs, she tells the characters to wait
in the caves until midnight, then head north along the
shore for a mile. If they follow her instructions, they find
66
a waterlogged wooden chest on the icy shore, its lock
broken off. See "Treasure" below for information on the
chest's contents.
Treasure. The piping-hot stew created by the caul-
dron of plenty is too bland for Maud's tastes, so she has
added skinned meat and fresh human organs to the lat-
est batch. Characters who examine the stew see lumps
of flesh and organs floating in the spicy broth. Charac-
ters will need to dump the stew before trying to move
the cauldron. Even empty, the cauldron requires some
effort to transport, given its awkward size.
If the cauldron is hauled back to Ten-Towns and its
magical properties become known, the characters won't
have trouble finding an interested buyer for it (see "Con-
cluding the Quest" and "Town Hall Capers" below).
The chest that Maud pulls from the depths of Lac Din-
neshere contains 600 gp. Buried under the gold coins
are four crawling claws that leap out and attack if the
gold is removed, dumped, or otherwise disturbed.
CONCLUDING THE QUEST

Captain Arlaggath is saddened by the news that the
missing fishers are dead, yet eager to hear a full account
of the characters' visit to the Cauldron Caves.
CLAIMING THE REWARD

Having completed their quest, the characters are en-
titled to either the spell scroll of fireball or the gray
bag of tricks, both of which Captain Arlaggath has in
5 PE A~ E R 0ANNETH WAYLEN
her custody.
ELLING THE CAULDRON

Characters who try to sell the cauldron of plenty in Any character who barters with Danneth and suc-
Easthaven get more than they bargained for (see "Town ceeds on a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check can
Hall Capers" below). convince him to sweeten the deal, in which case he of-
fers up to ten 500 gp gemstones. If the characters accept
his offer, Danneth needs 48 hours to call in some debts
TOWN HALL CAPERS and acquire the gems, during which time he insists that
Easthaven's Town Hall is the setting for two possible the cauldron remain in East haven's Town Hall, under
apers, one involving the theft of the cauldron of plenty guard in area Tl 7. The characters can either let four
and the other involving the theft of a ship's figurehead members of town militia (tribal warriors) watch over
-nade of chardalyn. These capers occur under the fol- the cauldron, or they can protect it themselves. Danneth
owing conditions: is satisfied either way.
If the characters try to sell the cauldron of plenty in
Easthaven, run "The Cauldron Caper." ZHENTARIM THIEVES
If the characters haven't dealt with the duergar threat News of the cauldron reaches Speaker Naerth Max-
aboard Easthaven's ferry and aren't likely to do so, run ildanarr of Targos within a day, thanks to a Zhentarim
.. The Chardalyn Caper." spy named Prudence Tarkwold, who works as a clerk
in Easthaven's Town Hall and owns a small cottage
You can run one caper or the other, or use both of nearby (where she keeps a flying snake that serves
·hem at different times in the adventure. her as a messenger). After Prudence notifies him of the
cauldron, Naerth sets into motion a plan to steal it. He
THE CAULDRON CAPER dispatches three human thugs in cold weather clothing
; the characters bring the cauldron of plenty to to meet with Prudence at the Town Hall as night falls.
Ea thaven and its properties become known to Captain These thugs bring with them a domesticated axe beak,
.\rlaggath or other townsfolk, word gets around that the which they tie to a wooden post outside the Town Hall's
haracters possess a magic item that could help feed north entrance.
e hungry in Ten-Towns. This news quickly reaches Barring the characters' intervention, the Zhents cor-
peaker Danneth Waylen, who invites the characters to ner Speaker Waylen in his office (area T3) and use him
private meeting at the Town Hall. During this meeting, as a hostage to force the guards watching the cauldron
Danneth tries to buy the cauldron, offering five 500 gp to drop their weapons and surrender without a fight.
_ mstones for it. No one else in Easthaven will pay more After locking Speaker Waylen and the guards in the
r it or bid against him.
jail (area T18), the Zhents remove the cauldron from If too much time has passed to track the duergar, the
the Town Hall, lash it to the axe beak with rope, and characters have no way to know where they went-just
toss the keys to the jail cells into a snowbank. The axe as well, given the perils of the duergar fortress. A search
beak is strong enough to drag the cauldron through of the Easthaven ferry yields no clues, as the duer-
the snow behind it as the Zhents lead it back to Targos. gar took all their belongings (including Durth's map)
The Zhents don't stop until the cauldron is delivered to with them.
Speaker Naerth Maxildanarr at the Luskan Arms (see
page 86). Any tracks they make in the snow are oblit- DEVELOPMENT
erated after ld4 hours by blowing wind. Although they Unless they happen to be inside or near the Town Hall
are lawful evil, the Zhents have strict orders not to kill when the duergar arrive, the characters won't know
anyone. Enemies they reduce to O hit points are knocked about the theft until word reaches their ears the follow-
unconscious rather than slain. ing day, when Speaker Waylen asks them to find the
thieves and return the missing fragments of chardalyn,
DEVELOPMENT so that he can lock them up with the other pieces that
Characters at the Town Hall can attempt to thwart the the thieves left behind. Waylen is willing to pay 50 gp for
robbery. If no characters are present during the robbery, each stolen fragment that is returned to him. If the char-
the theft becomes apparent when the characters return acters aren't already aware of the properties of charda-
to the Town Hall to close the deal with Speaker Waylen. lyn, Waylen warns them about the demonic magic suf-
If they arrive in the early hours of the morning, they fusing the crystal and urges them not to come in direct
hear loud banging coming from the dungeon, where the contact with any of the fragments.
speaker and his guards are locked up. Otherwise, they Characters who are determined to find the stolen char-
arrive to find Captain Arlaggath and a small retinue of dalyn fragments can question Easthaven's townsfolk to
town guards trying to break open the cell doors. see if anyone saw suspicious activity on the night of the
Speaker Waylen is stung by Prudence's betrayal, as robbery. Any character who spends an hour knocking
she worked closely with him for nearly three years. He on doors and inquiring about town can make a DC 14
had no idea she worked for the Zhentarim. If the char- Charisma (Investigation) check at the end of that hour.
acters don't know where the Zhents took the cauldron, On a failed check, no useful information is obtained.
Waylen recalls that Prudence offhandedly mentioned If the check succeeds, the character is urged to speak
having family in Targos. (Her "family" is the Zhentarim.) with Scython, the tiefling ferryman, who spends most
He suggests they search for the cauldron there. Charac- of his free time in a tavern called the Wet Trout. Scy-
ters can find Prudence Tarkwold at the Luskan Arms, thon is widely regarded as a font of useful information.
where she has a private room to herself. As for the caul- Although he doesn't know anything about the duergar
dron, Speaker Maxildanarr has it and won't give it up or the stolen chardalyn, he knows several rumors that
without a fight. might steer the characters in new directions (see "The
Wet Trout," page 60). Once the characters are 4th
THE CHARDALYN CAPER level, the adventure steers them toward the duergar for-
The duergar hiding aboard the Easthaven ferry attack tress in chapter 3, where the stolen chardalyn fragments
the Town Hall in the dead of night, determined to steal can be found (see area X26 on page 180).
pieces of a ship's figurehead made of chardalyn. This
theft occurs while most townsfolk, including Speaker EASTHAVEN TOWN HALL
Waylen, are asleep in their homes. For more informa- Information about Easthaven's Town Hall is provided
tion about the duergar and what they know, see the here, along with a map. You can use map 1.11 to repre-
"Easthaven Ferry" section (page 59). sent other town halls in Ten-Towns, as needed.
Easthaven's Town Hall is a two-story, wattle-and-daub
DUERGAR THIEVES building where townsfolk come to renew licenses, pay
If he's still alive, Durth Sunblight, a duergar mind fines, settle petty claims, file complaints, and gather to
master (see appendix C), leads three duergar named discuss important issues. The flag of Easthaven flutters
Klaska, Ossyl, and Zublorr to the Town Hall under the atop a cupola on the Town Hall's steeply pitched rooftop.
cover of night, making their way inside through the All above-ground levels have wooden floors , with
north entrance. Barring the characters' intervention, framed oil paintings by local artists mounted above
the duergar use their weapons to shatter the chardalyn the wainscoting. The doors on these levels are made of
figurehead in area T6. The guards in area Tl 7 interrupt sturdy wood and have no locks, though the outermost
the duergar but are no match for them. After killing the doors can be barred from within. The dungeon level
guards with their war picks, the duergar finish breaking is hewn out of solid rock and has sturdy iron doors
apart the figurehead. throughout. Low-burning lanterns hang from iron brack-
Each duergar carries one sack that can hold up to ets or the rafters, dimly lighting all interior locations.
five 20-pound fragments of chardalyn. After filling their The following locations are keyed to map 1.11.
sacks, the duergar exit the Town Hall and travel to their
hidden fortress in the mountains (described in chapter
3). Any tracks left by the duergar are obliterated after
ld4 hours by blowing wind.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN - TOWN S

68
Tl. RECEPTION HALL The speaker's chair has Easthaven's heraldry worked
into its backrest, whereas the other chairs don't.
A secret door in the northwest corner is concealed
This chamber is decorated with oil paintings depicting behind a tapestry depicting a snow-capped mountain. It
life in Easthaven, including a large painting of the town swings open into area Tl. Any character who searches
itself on the north wall. Mounted on the south wall is the wall for secret doors finds it automatically.
a five-foot-long, stuffed knucklehead trout. Its wooden T4. COAT CLOSET
plaque bears an engraved copper plate that reads, in This is the speaker's personal coat closet. A full set of
Common, "Big Knuck, caught by Easthaven fishers cold weather clothing is stored in the wooden trunk.
during the summer of 1479 DR."
T5. PRIVY
This room contains a toilet, a bucket and mop, a simple
A secret door in the northeast corner is partially con- wash basin, and a towel rack.
cealed behind a tall, slender oil painting of fishing boats
on Lac Dinneshere. It pulls open to reveal the speaker's T6. CHARDALYN FIGUREHEAD
office (area T3) beyond. Any character who searches the Provided the duergar haven't destroyed it, a startling
wall for secret doors finds it automatically. discovery awaits characters in this room:
T2. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

Low-burning lanterns cast a gentle glow upon a tall,
This room contains rows of desks and filing cabinets. A
few overstuffed lounge chairs are set aside for visitors. black object in the center of this room. Although one
could easily mistake it for a statue, this object is actually
T3. SPEAKER'S OFFICE
the figurehead of a ship and is carved in the likeness of
a winged demon. The demon-shaped figurehead stands
Tapestries and painted landscapes decorate this room, in eight feet tall. Shards of wood jut out of the demon's
the middle of which is a large table surrounded by high- back at the points where the figurehead once attached to
backed wooden chairs. the hull of a ship.

69
If the figurehead is intact and the characters partici- If the ghost is reduced to O hit points, it fades away
pated in Rinaldo's seance (see page 61), they see with a scream as the White Lady's spirit is forced back
something else as well: to the lake, where it remains thereafter.
T7. CHAIR STORAGE

Lashed to the figurehead with rope is a scrawny woman Stacked neatly against the walls of this room are dozens
who is dripping wet. Her long, white hair hangs over her of wooden chairs used for town meetings.
face, obscuring it.
T8. RECORDS ROOM
This room contains records for the town, stored in
Other features of the room include a wooden staircase boxes that lean haphazardly against the walls.
that climbs to a balcony, mounted atop which is a small
crane with a manual winch, and a staircase that leads T9. EVENT VENUE
down to the dungeon (see area T16). This room is used for parties and other special events. It
Demonic Figurehead. Characters familiar with contains wooden tables and chairs, and colorful stream-
chardalyn can tell that the figurehead is made of the ers hang from the rafters. A curtained window looks
substance. Those who succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence down on area T6.
(History) check realize that the figurehead depicts Errtu,
TlO. SMALL CLAIMS COURT
a balor demon that terrorized lcewind Dale over a cen-
tury ago. Characters who grew up in lcewind Dale have Residents of Easthaven come here to settle claims
advantage on this check. The figurehead is a Large ob- for petty crimes. Rows of wooden chairs face a large,
ject with AC 13, a damage threshold of 5, 50 hit points, cloth-covered table, behind which the speaker sits while
and immunity to poison and psychic damage. It weighs presiding over small claims court cases. Next to this ta-
1,000 pounds. ble is a small writing desk for the court clerk.
A band of adventurers used a telekinesis spell to raise
Tll. FISHING PERMITS
the figurehead from the depths of Lac Dinneshere a few
months ago and hauled it to Easthaven, hoping for a
reward. What they got was hardly worth the effort, and Three desks stand side-by-side in the room, the backs
Speaker Waylen doesn't know what else to do with the of their chairs facing the outside wall. Pinned to the east
figurehead except store it here, out of the public eye. He
wall is a large, hand-drawn map framed with old fishing
fears the figurehead is tainted by demonic magic and
has warned his staff not to touch it. A detect evil and poles. One of the poles is rigged with a lime green fish-
good spell or similar magic reveals that it's a desecrated ing lure carved to resemble a tiny flumph.
object. Any creature that comes into contact with it must
succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or gain the
Easthaven fishers come here to apply for and renew
following flaw, which supersedes any conflicting person-
their fishing permits. The map on the east wall shows
ality trait: "l suspect most Ten-Towners are members of
Lac Dinneshere, with boundaries to mark the fishing
a secret cult devoted to the Frostmaiden." This paranoia
territories of Easthaven, Caer-Dineval, and Caer-Konig.
can be ended on a creature by any spell that removes a
curse. Prolonged contact with the figurehead might have Tl2. EMPLOYEE BREAKROOM
other ill effects, at your discretion.
This room contains several cozy chairs, a snack cabinet,
White Lady ofLac Dinneshere. What looks like a and a wooden staircase leading up to area T14.
woman tied to the figurehead is actually the White Lady
of Lac Dinneshere, which manifests here as a chaotic Tl3. SUPPLY CLOSET
evil ghost. If the characters keep their distance, the Supplies and provisions are stored on wooden shelves
woman begins sobbing. If the characters leave without that line the walls of this room.
confronting the woman and return later, the ghost is
gone (along with the ropes that seemed to bind it). Tl4. TOWN LIBRARY
The White Lady rarely manifests on land, and her Easthaven's meager library contains a mostly unre-
ghost can be seen only by those who dared to summon markable collection of books stored in dusty bookcases.
it (as the characters did when they participated in Rinal- Other furnishings include padded chairs and footstools.
do's seance). lf one or more characters come within 5 Wooden stairs lead down to area Tl 2.
feet of the ghost, it throws back its head to reveal a bare Treasure. Characters who spend at least 10 minutes
skull with a rictus grin, catching characters by surprise searching the bookshelves discover a worn book with
with its Horrifying Visage. Once the ghost's true nature a red leather cover and yellow pages. The edges of the
is revealed, the ropes binding it to the figurehead fade pages are stained with dry blood. The writing inside
away as it attacks the nearest character. lf the ghost is suggests the book is nothing more than a poetry anthol-
reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, it tries to possess a ogy. However, it's actually the spellbook of a Red Wizard
character on its next turn. A possessed host will attempt of Thay named Dzaan. The book's true contents are
to leave the Town Hall by the northern exit and drown hidden by an illusory script spell that ends 5 days after
itself in Lac Dinneshere by walking out onto the ice until Dzaan's execution (see "Public Execution," page 63).
it breaks, attacking anyone who gets in its way.
After the book was confiscated by a member of the Tl 7. JAILERS ' ROOM
town militia, it was brought to the Town Hall, where a Unless they have been called away by a disturbance
clerk saw fit to place it in this library for safe keeping. elsewhere, four guards (tribal warriors) sit around a
Casting dispel magic on the book ends the illusory script circular wooden table, playing Three-Dragon Ante with
pell placed upon it. When the illusory script spell ends, a well-worn deck of cards. Characters who listen at the
the book's true contents are revealed. It contains the fol- door before entering can hear these soldiers complain-
lowing spells: animate objects, arcane eye, arcane lock, ing about the cold and wondering when the next lottery
blur, confusion, conjure elemental, detect magic, dis- will be held (see "Sacrifices to Auril," page 21). One
guise self, fireball, hallucinatory terrain, illusory script, of the guards carries a ring of eight iron keys; these keys
invisibility, knock, levitate, magic missile, major image, unlock the cell doors in area T18.
mirror image, mislead, phantasmal force, phantasmal
killer, seeming, sending, silent image, and slow. Tl8. JAIL
Individuals arrested for crimes in Easthaven are de-
Tl5. OFFICE AND STORAGE SPACE tained here. Each cell sports a locked iron door with
Residents of East haven can rent out these small rooms a 5-inch-square, iron-shuttered window built into it so
for personal storage or office use. Of the six available that guards can peer into the cell without opening the
rooms, only two are currently in use; the rest are empty. door. One of the guards in area Tl 7 carries the keys that
The first room in use contains several storage crates unlock all the cell doors. The doors are too sturdy for
and barrels. If the characters investigate further, they the characters to force open using brute strength alone,
discover all these containers are empty. but a character with thieves' tools can use an action to
The second room in use has been converted into a attempt to pick a door's lock from the outside, doing so
cozy office. Two overstuffed chairs and a wooden desk with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
are crammed into the space. Inside the desk's unlocked
drawer is a half-finished romance novel titled Lost in Tl9. INTERROGATION ROOM
Lavender Orbs. Prisoners are brought here when Speaker Waylen has
a mind to question them. The room contains a sturdy
T l6. STAIRS TO THE DUNGEON oak chair fitted with iron manacles, a mop, and a
tone stairs covered with wooden planks lead down to wooden bucket.
•he dungeon, which is hewn out of solid rock.
7r
Goon MEAD
Founded by immigrants from Chult and the Vilhon
Reach, Good Mead is nestled between Redwaters and
a nearby evergreen forest. The town's squat dwellings,
adorned with carvings of dinosaurs and serpents, are
overshadowed by the two-story structure of the mead
hall, its eaves carved and painted to resemble wyverns.
As honey is the key ingredient in mead, the town literally
buzzes with the droning of bees.
Every tavern in Icewind Dale is accustomed to re-
ceiving regular mead deliveries, and the town can't
produce or deliver its mead fast enough. All deliveries
have halted temporarily, though- because a verbeeg
marauder (see appendix C) emerged from the forest
three days ago a nd stole three casks of mead that
were being loaded onto a dogsled for transport to Bryn
Shander. Kendrick Rielsbarrow, the town speaker and a
giant of a man in his own right, stood his ground against
the verbeeg and didn't fare well. After skewering Ken-
drick with its spear, the verbeeg grabbed the casks and
disappeared whence he came. T he other residents of
Good Mead tried to save Kendrick, to no avail; his body
lies in a local shrine. Five members of the militia went
after the verbeeg but haven't returned.
Goon MEAD IN A NUTSHELL

Friendliness ** Services * Comfort **
Available Quest. "The Mead Must Flow," page 73. M EA D H ALL
Population. 100. Purveyor of Good Mead's honey wine
Leader. None. Speaker Kendrick Rielsbarrow was Four decades ago, this mead hall put an end to the
killed by a verbeeg, leaving the town leaderless. town's dependence on knucklehead trout fishing with
Militia. Good Mead can muster up to 20 soldiers (use its famous honey wine, which quickly became popular
the tribal warrior stat block) and 2 veterans. throughout Ten-Towns.
Heraldry. A dark brown drinking mug made of a cut-off The mead hall has a large, fire-heated space dedicated
section of horn, with an antler handle added, upright to bee husbandry and the nurturing of beehives. The
and centered on a white field, representing the town's droning bees can be heard throughout the town, though
mead exports and its cold, snowy climate. most residents are so accustomed to the buzzing that
Sacrifice to Auril. Warmth (see page 21). they pay it no mind .
Rivals . Caer-Dineval, Caer-Konig.
ELECTING A NEW TOWN SPEAKER
OVERLAND TRAVEL
Good Mead also needs a new leader, and two locals have
A path connects Good Mead to the Eastway, crosses the emerged as contenders to replace Kendrick Rielsbarrow
snow-covered road , and continues to Caer-Dineval. An- as town speaker. It will take a week or two for the town to
other snowy path leads to Dougan's Hole. Travel times plan an election. One candidate is a red-bearded shield
in the Overland Travel from Good Mead table assume dwarf logger named Shandar Froth , and the other is
O livessa Untapoor, a m iddle-aged woman who descends
that characters are on foot; mounts and dogsleds can
from the town 's Chultan founders and who ma kes casks to
shorten these times by as much as 50 percent.
ho ld Good Mead 's famous brew.
Sha ndar is wanted by the authorit ies in Mirabar for the
OVERLAND TRAVEL FROM GooD MEAD murder of another dwarf. Zhentarim agents located Shan-
To Travel Time dar a few years back and are blackmailing him into serving
as their eyes and ears in town . Once a month , Shanda r
Bryn Shand er 6 hou rs
travels to Targos to brief Naerth Maxildanarr, its spea ker,
Cae r-D in eval 8 ho urs on everything that has transpired of late in Good Mead .
Do uga n's Hol e 4 ho urs Ol ivessa doesn 't want to be town speaker, but her
Easthaven 41h miles fr iends are pushing her to assume the role for the good
of the town . She would be delighted to see someone else
step up to challenge Shandar for the speakersh ip.
LOCATIONS IN Goon MEAD For more information on Olivessa and Shandar, see the
The following prominent locations are marked " New Town Speaker" section on page 78.
on map 1.12.
72
SHRINE OF THE FLAMING SWORD
Shrine of Tempus (god of war)
This vacant building stands on the lakeshore and has
a crow-haunted steeple protruding from its peak. Un-
like the mead hall, which is well cared for, the shrine's
painted icons of the god of war wielding a flaming
sword are chipped and faded, and its spacious interior
stands mostly empty except for a long table on which
rests a body covered with a blanket. The body is that of
Speaker Kendrick Rielsbarrow, a giant of a man in his
forties. He died from three stab wounds to the chest.
The shrine was built over a century ago, when the
town's rivalry with Dougan's Hole raged so fiercely
that the lake, a frequent battlefield, became known as
Redwaters. For a time thereafter, nearly all residents of
Good Mead paid homage to Tempus. Today, the shrine's
relevance has dwindled to the point where it's mainly
used just for town gatherings.
THE MEAD MUST FLOW

Taverns throughout Ten-Towns depend on deliveries of
honey mead to satisfy their customers, and Good Mead
needs the coin. Two days ago, a verbeeg (see appendix
C) stole three casks of mead as they were being loaded
onto a dogsled. When the town speaker tried to prevent
the theft, the verbeeg killed him. The townsfolk want re-
venge, but more important, they want their mead back!
If the characters undertake this quest, they must track
the verbeeg to his lair, which he shares with a dopey
ogre, some stolen livestock, and a sleepy brown bear. To
complicate matters, the verbeeg's romantic interest-
another verbeeg-arrives as the characters are leaving.
How the characters learn of the town's travails de- MAP 1.12 : Gooo MEAD
pends on whether the adventure began in Good Mead

or not. If Good Mead is the starting town for the ad-
venture, the characters know all the information in the Good Mead's militia, their skulls and chests stove in. He
"Good Mead" section (page 72), which you can read came straight home to alert the town.
to the players. If Good Mead is not the starting town for The characters can't convince Fef to return to the
the adventure, characters become aware of the town's bodies, but they can follow his tracks through the snow
misfortunes when one or more locals put them up for easily enough.
the night. The fox (see appendix C) in Fef's trap is rattled but un-
injured. If the characters want to buy it, Fef will sell it to
GETTING THE UEST them for no less than 1 gp. Although it's a wild animal, it
remains docile while held. If the characters keep the fox
If the characters offer to retrieve the stolen casks, the with them, they will find it helpful in the next scene.
locals can't reward them with much more than free
lodging and drink for a tenday. If the characters accept CARNAGE IN THE WOODS
these terms, various townsfolk can point in the direction
the verbeeg went after stealing the casks. Characters who follow Fef Moryn's trail eventually come
As the characters make their way to the edge of the to the grisly scene the trapper spoke of:
forest, read:
Deep in the woods, amid the snow-covered pines, you
A figure in cold weather clothing lurches out of the discover the remains of the five militia members, who
woods into plain view, running as fast as he can through look like they were clubbed to death. New-fallen snow
the deep snow. Slung over his back are a pair of animal has already begun to settle on their corpses.
traps, one of which appears to contain a panicked fox.
These five people pursued the verbeeg for a while and
The figure is Fef Moryn (chaotic good human scout), then fell prey to the verbeeg's ogre buddy, who stayed
a trapper. He was out in the woods checking his traps behind in the woods rather than trying to keep up with
when he came upon a grisly scene: five members of the verbeeg.
73
The ogre killed all five humans with its greatclub If the characters don't have the fox or choose not to
and then headed for home. Characters can follow its let it go, the chwinga follows them all the way to the ver-
tracks in the snow without a check. A successful DC beeg lair, if permitted to do so, but won't venture inside.
12 Wisdom (Survival) check identifies these tracks as
belonging to a Large giant. Following these tracks leads VERBEEG LAIR
the characters on a path through the woods until, after 8 The lair's caves and tunnels have rough, 20-foot-high
hours, they come upon the verbeeg's lair. ceilings covered with large icicles. The floors are some-
what uneven but not rough enough to be difficult terrain.
THE Fox AND THE CHWINGA
The verbeeg, named Duhg, needs light to see, which is
The characters have one encounter while they follow the
why he keeps a bonfire lit in area V3 and carries a torch
ogre's trail. A chwinga (see appendix C) pops out of the
when he visits the darker corners of his lair.
snow and hurls a wee snowball at the lead character in
The following locations are keyed to map 1.13.
the party's marching order. Once it has the party's atten-
tion, it capers atop the snow. Vl. THREE ENTRANCES
If the characters rescued the fox from Fef Moryn, the The ogre's tracks lead characters to a frozen stream,
animal bolts toward the chwinga if it's allowed to do so. then along it to the verbeeg's lair:
The chwinga bows before the fox and offers it a frozen
berry, which the fox gobbles up. After that, the chwinga
and the fox become fast friends. The chwinga mounts The trail culminates at a rocky hillside with pines growing
the fox, bestows a charm of animal conjuring or one around its base. Set into the hill are three caves.
of the new charms described in appendix C (see "New The frozen creek emerges from the west cave, which
Chwinga Charms," page 283) upon the character it
has a low-hanging mouth.
hit with the snowball, and rides off on the fox's back.
(For more information on charms, see "Supernatural The center cave-an eight-foot-high passage hewn
Gifts" in the Dungeon Master's Guide.) The characters from the rock-is moderately blocked by a tight stand of
can interrupt this scene if they want; the chwinga won't conifers and two massive fallen logs.
bestow its supernatural charm, however, if events unfold The northeast cave has a big, yawning mouth, and
any differently.
flickers of light emanate from within. The tracks of your
quarry head through this entrance.
74
MAP 1. 13: V E RB EEG LAIR
Characters can enter the verbeeg lair through any of If the characters make a lot of noise, the ogre comes
these paths. If they take the time to examine the hillside running from area VS and the verbeeg marauder (see
to the east more thoroughly, they find a fourth cave en- appendix C) approaches from area V9, both arriving
trance (area V2). at the same time. They try to kill intruders on sight.
If more than two intruders are visible, the verbeeg
V2. MAIN ENTRANCE whistles for the cave bear, which arrives 3 rounds later
from area V7.
If it's close enough to the bonfire, the verbeeg can
Half-submerged in the icy mire are the bones, skull, and
use his action to try to shove a creature into the flames
tusks of a long-dead mammoth. Beyond these remains is (see "Shoving a Creature" in the combat chapter of the
a yawning cave mouth. Player's Handbook). Any creature that enters the bonfire
for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes
10 (3d6) fire damage. It also catches fire as it leaves the
This route leads to the firelit cave (area V3) and the re-
bonfire's space, taking 3 (ld6) fire damage at the starts
fuse pit (area V4).
of each of its turns until an action is used to put out the
V3. FIRELIT CAVE flames engulfing it.
This cavern is slightly sunken, as all tunnels leading to Characters in a position to harm the verbeeg's goats
it slope down gradually. and sheep (see "Animals" below) can use an action to
threaten one or more of these animals and, with a suc-
cessful DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check, cause the
A bonfire in the middle of this cave keeps it lit and rela- verbeeg to cease hostilities and call off the ogre and the
tively warm. The scent of roasting meat fills the air as a cave bear. Under such pressure, the verbeeg is willing to
hunk of meat on a spit drips juices into the fire. Goats let intruders leave the lair without further incident, pro-
vided the animals in the pen are not harmed or taken.
and sheep are held in a spacious animal pen enclosed by
One crate is packed with straw, which the verbeeg
a crude wooden fence. Other features of the cave include feeds to the goats and sheep. The other contains ten
a wooden cart with a broken wheel, two old crates, and large torches, which the verbeeg made out of wood and
two barrels. pitch. The barrels are half-filled with salt and _pepper,
which the verbeeg uses to season his meat.
75
Animals. The livestock pen holds seven goats and six discourage the cave bear from rooting through them.
sheep, all in healthy condition. Use the goat stat block Lowering a basket by using its mechanism requires an
for each sheep, with these changes: action. The baskets contain sheep shears, milk pails,
, A sheep is a Small beast with 3 (ld6) hit points and a bristle brushes, and several bags of grain and oats sto-
len from caravans on the Eastway. One of the baskets,
walking speed of 30 feet.
determined randomly, contains the verbeeg's treasure
It lacks the Charge feature and any effective attacks,
(see "Treasure" below).
giving it a challenge rating of O (0 XP).
Casks ofHoney Mead. One of the three casks is
The verbeeg acquired his livestock by robbing travel- empty, the verbeeg and ogre having shared its contents;
ers on the Eastway. He considers these beasts his trea- each of the other two holds 20 gallons of honey mead.
sured pets and has given names to all of them. He has Each full cask weighs 200 pounds.
trained the ogre and the cave bear not to attack them. Treasure. The verbeeg's treasure basket holds 72 sp,
What's Cooking? The meat roasting on the spit is a 344 cp, a translucent pink moss agate gemstone (10 gp),
piece of what used to be Art in Glanhig, a shield dwarf a healer's kit, a hunting trap, and a small rabbit-skin bag
lumberjack from Bryn Shander who crossed paths with containing ten silvered sling stones.
the verbeeg. A small bundle near a log by the fire con-
tains Artin's battleaxe and his thick leather boots. The V6. FROZEN STREAM
verbeeg is fashioning a small knife he can use to care-
fully unstitch the boots and reuse the leather.
To the north along the frozen stream, the tunnel splits,
V4. REFUSE PIT with one way continuing north and the other veering
east. The stream follows the dark northward tunnel. Light
l This dead-end cavern has a crudely excavated, ten-foot- ] from a distant fire is visible in the eastern tunnel.
wide pit in the middle of the floor.
Characters who follow the frozen stream to the north
arrive at area V7. Those who venture eastward come
The verbeeg and the ogre dug this refuse pit, which is
to area V9.
20 feet deep and filled to a depth of 5 feet with bones,
trash, and filth. V7. CAVE BEAR'S LAIR
V5. STOLEN MEAD CASKS

If the ogre has been drawn to area V3 by activity there, The frozen stream ends at a seven-foot-deep frozen pool
omit the opening paragraph of the following boxed text: at the back of a dark cave. Trapped beneath the pool's
ice is a stone statue of a smiling young man, naked
A heavy snore comes from a fat, battle-scarred ogre except for a well-placed oak leaf, with his face turned
sitting with its back against the west wall, its chin on its tow a rd the sky.
chest. A thin stream of drool trails from its mouth onto
its bloodstained leather loincloth . On the floor at its feet
If the cave bear has not been summoned elsewhere
is a bloody greatclub with tufts of hair and bits of metal by the verbeeg, it sleeps in the western niche of this
stuck in it. chamber until it detects intruders. It has brown fur and
Suspended from the ceiling of this chamber by a series darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. It otherwise uses
of ropes and pulleys are six baskets . Clustered near the the polar bear stat block. A character who succeeds on
a DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) check can sneak around in
south wall are three wooden casks carved with Good
the cave without waking the bear, but only in the dark.
Mead's heraldic symbol: a drinking mug made of a cut- A light source bright enough to illuminate the bear also
off section of horn , with an antler handle added, upright wakes it. The bear, whose name is Yogobor, is hungry
and centered. and hostile. But if it is reduced to 20 hit points or fewer
and the verbeeg is nowhere in sight, the bear tries to flee
for its life.
The ogre can never remember its name, so the verbeeg The bear's niche contains the gnawed skull and bones
calls it "Friend." It has fully recovered from its fight with of a shield dwarf named Artin Glanhig (see area V3).
the town militia. Any character who succeeds on a DC 8 Statue of Silvanus. The statue in the frozen pool,
Dexterity (Stealth) check can creep around in the cave crafted using stone shape spells, is an outcrop extend-
without waking the ogre. The character must repeat the ing from the pool's rocky bottom. Any character who
check after disturbing an object in the cave, such as a succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Religion) check rec-
hanging basket or a cask of mead. ognizes it as a depiction of Silvanus, a god of nature;
If awakened, the ogre grabs its greatclub and attacks, the oak leaf is his holy symbol. The statue radiates an
shouting, "ME FRIEND!" aura of abjuration magic when scrutinized with a detect
The verbeeg rigged the system that supports the bas- magic spell. An identify spell can reveal its magical na-
kets to keep the ogre from tripping over them and to ture, but only if the caster is touching the statue when
the spell is cast. Before the statue can be touched, the is sitting cross-legged in the tunnel, a lit torch on the
characters must dig through a foot of ice to reach it. floor nearby. The verbeeg is sharpening a stone knife
The statue blesses the pool, such that any creature he found in the old tomb. Duhg plans to use this knife to
that drinks from it gains the benefit of a greater resto- unstitch the dwarven boots in area V3. Leaning against
ration spell. This magic is suppressed while the pool a wall, within easy reach, is Duhg's spear.
is frozen. A given creature can gain the pool's benefit
only once. VlO . ANCIENT TOMB
V8. BURIAL NICHES

Carved steps on the south side climb five feet to this ten-
l
foot-high, fifteen-foot-square room, which has narrow,
This eight-foot-high , five-foot-wide passage has a dozen natural exits in the east and west walls. In the middle of
burial niches carved into its walls. the room is a rectangular stone block seven feet long,
four feet wide, and three feet tall. Pictographs on the
An ancient human tribe carved a tomb out of the hillside walls of the chamber tell a tale of one tribe's journey
to house the bones of their chieftain, whose remains are through mighty mountains and across a perilous tundra .
housed in area VlO. Each burial niche in this tunnel is 2
fee t wide, 2 feet tall, and 5 feet deep. The bones of war-
riors were placed here to guard the way to the chieftain's A tribal chieftain was laid to rest here in ancient times.
tomb. Animals have savaged the bones, leaving nothing The pictographs illustrate how the chieftain led her tribe
but a couple of skulls and carved stone knives behind. to settle in lcewind Dale, how they fought off terrible
monsters to claim their land, and how they found peace
V9. DUHG ls HERE in their new home. Characters who study the artwork
A natural tunnel bisects a ring-shaped excavation in can pick out an image of the chieftain wielding a wand
this area, which was once an additional burial chamber. and casting a destructive spell.
. iches cut in the north end of the outer ring hold noth- It takes a combined Strength of 50 to move the block.
ing of interest. Revealed beneath it is a shallow niche in the floor that
Duhg the verbeeg marauder (see appendix C) is here holds the bones of a female human, her tribal garb re-
if he hasn't been encountered somewhere else. Duhg duced to dust and tatters.
CHAPTER l I TE N -TOWNS
77
Treasure. Clutched in the chieftain's left hand is a concern if the characters left one or both of the verbeeg
pearl of power. In her right hand is a +l wand of the war alive. After all, what's to stop them from terrorizing the
mage. A curse befalls a ny creature that removes either town again?
magic item or any of the chieftain's remains from the
burial niche. Until the curse ends on it, the creature is NEW TOWN SPEAKER
haunted by phantasmal nightmares whenever it takes a As the characters are recuperating from their adventure
long rest and gains no benefit from that rest. Replacing or planning their next excursion, a local cask maker
the stolen object ends the curse, as does a remove curse named Olivessa Untapoor (neutral good human com-
spell or similar magic. moner) approaches the party leader, if there is one. If no
character has assumed that role, Olivessa approaches
AFFAIRS OF THE HEART the character with highest Charisma score:
As the characters exit the verbeeg lair, read:
A middle-aged woman approaches you and removes her
A verbeeg strides through the snow, approaching the thick wool scarf so that she can speak clearly. "My name
mouth of the cave. Her misshapen face bears a too- is Olivessa, and I make the casks for the mead. Some
wide smile. She clutches a spear in one hand while friends of mine don't want Shandar Froth to become our
using her other arm to cradle a wicker basket filled with next town speaker. They say he's untrustworthy. I don 't
bits of shiny metal. "Duhg?" she shouts in Common. know him that well, but I've been urged to run against
"You home?" him . I have no interest in the speakership, but you seem
to be a good leader, and this town could use one. What
do you say?"
Gahg, a verbeeg marauder (see appendix C), has ar-
rived for a romantic encounter with Duhg. Gahg has
brought along some fragments of metal that she hopes Olivessa is ready and willing to throw her support
will impress Duhg, who had been planning to give Gahg behind any character who runs in the election for the
a cask of honey mead. speakership, and since she's a leading candidate herself,
If the characters try to stop Gahg from entering her support carries weight. Her opponent, Shandar
Duhg's lair, Gahg becomes alarmed, then enraged. She Froth (neutral shield dwarf commoner), doesn't like this
drops the wicker basket and attacks the characters, turn of events. After accusing the characters of having
afraid that something terrible has happened to Duhg. no stake in Good Mead's future , he leaves town for a day
If the characters run away, Gahg checks on Duhg to to get help (see "Zhentarim Intervention" below).
make sure he is unharmed, allowing the party a head A character who spends at least 1 hour making
start back to Good Mead. If the characters run back into inquiries throughout town can learn the following
the verbeeg lair and try to hide, Gahg searches for them information about the two leading candidates for the
after locating Duhg. speakership:
If only one verbeeg survives contact with the char-
Olivessa has deep roots in Good Mead. Her family
acters, it won't rest until it has revenge for the death
has lived in the town since its founding. She's quite
of its potential mate. A verbeeg is smart enough not to
reserved and doesn't have any family of her own. She
act rashly against the party, but it might vent its fury by
lives alone in the house closest to the Shrine of the
launching more hit-and-run attacks on Good Mead.
Flaming Sword.
GAHG's BASKET OF BITS Shandar has lived in Good Mead for a few years and
The metal fragments gathered by Gahg are pieces of is popular among the town's loggers. He can be a bully
a futuristic weapon that was jettisoned from the cargo and a blowhard , but there's nothing he wouldn't do for
hold of an illithid nautiloid before the spaceship crashed his friends. He lives with five other loggers in a small
(see page 132). Gahg witnessed the crash, which house on the west side of town.
looked like a comet streaking across the sky, then found Zhentarim Intervention. Shandar is under the thumb
the weapon's wreckage and took some of it. A character of Naerth Maxildanarr, the speaker of Targos. Faced
who examines the fragments and succeeds on a DC 20 with the possibility of losing the election, Shandar
Intelligence (Arcana) check realizes that the metal is not makes the 8-hour hike to Targos to warn Naerth and
something one could expect to find on this world. then promptly returns home. A day later, eight human
Treasure. The metal bits are worth a total of 75 gp to thugs storm the mead hall in cold weather clothing.
a tinkerer or blacksmith. Before the characters can intervene, Shandar and his
fellow loggers confront the thugs and kick them out of
CONCLUDING THE ~ S.:!:__ _ _ town with their tails between their legs. The whole inci-
Once the characters find the two remaining casks of dent is orchestrated to make Shandar into a local hero.
honey mead, they'll need to figure out a way to haul Characters who capture and interrogate one or more of
them back to Good Mead. After they solve that prob- the thugs learn that Naerth Maxildanarr hired them.
lem, they have a safe trip back to town. The townsfolk If the characters fail to expose the deception, Shandar
are happy to see the stolen mead returned but express is elected town speaker, giving the Zhentarim a political
foothold in Good Mead.
L ONELYWOOD
~ounded by a Sembian family from Urmlaspyr, Lone-
-·wood is a quiet town of loggers, fishers, and scrim-
anders scratching out a living on the edge of the
orld. The town's oldest buildings and docks bear carv-
ngs of dragons, lions, and goats that pay deference to
e family's crest, which featured a chimera.
Roughly half of Lonelywood's able-bodied residents
~awl the lake for knucklehead trout, while most of the
hers spend their days in the forest felling and hewing
he trees that are used to construct boats and buildings.
onelywood's timber is taken by cart to be sold in other
ettlements, Termalaine and Targos in particular.
For as long as Ten-Towns has existed, Lonelywood
as attracted the region's shadiest element, from unre-
~ ntant thieves to cold-hearted killers. The thick forest
l()ming behind it conceals the dark and sordid dealings
·hat sometimes transpire there. Despite its attraction
·o criminals and miscreants, Lonelywood is not a place
vhere folk murder each other in the streets. The reali-
ies of survival demand that the residents live and work
ogether, and not dwell on history. A visitor can make
'T!any friends here but would be wise not to drudge up
-he dark deeds of anyone's past in this small town.
LONELYW00D IN A NUTSHELL
Friendliness *** Services ** Comfort **
value their privacy and are much less inclined towel-
Available Quest. "The White Moose," page 80. come strangers into their meager dwellings.
Population. 100. The following locations are marked on map 1.14.
Leader. Speaker Nimsy Huddle (lawful good strong-
heart halfling commoner) speaks for the townsfolk. THE HAPPY SCRIMSHANDER
Ever since the local inn closed its doors, Nimsy has Shop
opened her heated attic to visitors looking for a place This little shop facing the docks sells the tools of the
to crash for the night. She bakes halfling-shaped scrimshander's trade: needles and knives in a wide
cookies and brings them to meetings of the Council array of shapes and sizes, inks in a rainbow of colors,
of Speakers. and wax used to seal an engraving when it's done. The
Militia. Lonelywood can muster up to 50 soldiers (use shop's owner is a doughy spinster of few words named
the tribal warrior stat block) and 4 veterans. Iriskree Harrowhill (retired neutral human assassin).
Heraldry. Two narrow white triangles, one descend- She doesn't talk about her shady past except to speak
ing from the center top, the other rising from center fondly of people she once knew who have since died .
bottom, almost meet on a forest-green field. The top
triangle represents an icicle, denoting Lonelywood's THE LUCKY LIAR
northerly location ; the bottom triangle is an ivory Tavern
horn , representing the town's scrimshaw trade.
Fishers and woodcutters gather here in the evenings to
Sacrifice to Auril. Food (see page 21).
weave tall tales- the more outrageous and embellished,
Rivals. Bremen, Targos, Termalaine.
the better. From time to time, patrons whose tongues
have been loosened by drink let slip valuable or dan-
OVERLAND TRAVEL
gerous secrets. Characters who loiter in the tavern are
A three-mile-long snow-covered path connects Lonely- likely to hear a rumor or two, which you can determine
wood to Termalaine. Characters on foot can walk this by rolling on the Ten-Towns Rumors table (page 18).
path in 2 hours; mounts and dogsleds can shorten this The tavern's raven-haired barkeep, Danae Xotal (law-
time by as much as 50 percent. ful evil human spy), files away these secrets as she goes
about her serving work with quiet circumspection. Her
LOCATIONS IN L0NELYW00D secret is that she's a Thayan agent working for Szass
Lonelywood has no inns or other places for visitors to Tam, the most powerful lich in Thay. Danae was planted
rest, except for the town speaker's house, which has a in Icewind Dale years ago to watch for enemies of Szass
spacious, heated attic that can accommodate characters Tam who might seek refuge in Ten-Towns. No one else
looking for a night's rest. Other residents of Lonelywood in Ten-Towns knows her secret, and those she has
marked as enemies in the past have quietly vanished.
79
Speaker Huddle tries to seduce the characters with
~ LoNELVW
a basket of halfling-shaped cookies, hoping they'll join
the hunt fo r the white moose. If the characters turn her
down, Speaker Huddle sweetens the deal with coin .
.,{ / The white moose is an awakened beast that serves
::J The Lu!=
/
Liar
Ravisin, the same evil frost druid who awakened the ple-
siosaurus in Maer Dualdon (see "Lake Monster," page
28). This druid has cast awaken spells on several
beasts, gifting them with human-level intelligence and
the ability to speak, and uses them to spy on settlements
and terrorize their inhabitants. Ravisin has taken refuge
in an elven tomb in the woods and won't rest until the
forest is free of loggers. Simply killing the white moose
will not solve Lonelywood's problem; to end the threat to
Lonelywood and other towns, the characters must stop
the druid from awakening more beasts and using them
to harm Ten-Towners.
GETTING THE UEST

If the characters aren't staying in Nimsy Huddle's attic,
they are summoned to the town speaker's home by one
of her children-a cheery little halfling named Scoop.
Ramsh~ckle
When the characters pay Speaker Huddle a visit, read:
Nimsy Huddle, the town speaker, tempts you with freshly

baked, halfling-shaped cookies . Her house was clearly
built for humans, but most of the furniture is sized for
100 halflings, with a few big chairs for visitors of taller stock.
0
I
I 250
I
500
I feet
Four halfling children scamper from room to room and
climb a ladder up to the loft, chasing one another with
wooden swords, while a fire crackles in the hearth in
MA P 1.14: LONELVWOOO
Speaker Huddle's cluttered kitchen.
"Our loggers are being terrorized by a white moose,"
RAMSHACKLE says Speaker Huddle, "and the beast has eluded the
Closed inn hunters we've sent to kill it. We depend on the forest for
This aptly named building-which used to be the only our survival. I wouldn't be a very good town speaker if I
inn in town-closed after its last owner, a retired sawyer let a dumb moose get the better ofus. Will you help?"
named DeGrootz, hanged himself in the common room
two years ago. Some locals believe that DeGrootz's
hanging was staged to conceal his murder at the hands If the characters demand more than tasty treats as an
of some old "friends" of his. Townsfolk are currently incentive, Speaker Huddle is willing to pay them 100
using the vacant building for lumber storage, but anyone gp for the moose's head, though she can be talked up to
interested in refurbishing and reopening the old inn is 125 gp with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion)
welcome to try. check. She suggests that the characters can sell the
moose's carcass to a local butcher for 10 gp. If the char-
THE WHITE MOOSE acters want the pot sweetened further, Speaker Huddle
says she can offer them Ramshackle (the closed inn) as
A white moose is attacking loggers in the forest near
an investment property, to do with what they will. "Of
Lonelywood. The town's logging industry is essential
course," she adds with a smile, "if our hunters get the
to the growth and survival of Ten-Towns, and Speaker
Nimsy Huddle has assured the other speakers that moose first, the rewards will be theirs!"
Lonelywood's "moose problem" will be dealt with in
TRACKING THE MOOSE
short order. Hunters have been dispatched to kill the
moose, but it has eluded them so far. From what the To find the white moose, the characters must venture
hunters have seen, their prey is smarter than the aver- into the forest and search for the beast's tracks in the
age moose, and its white hide makes it hard to spot in snow. Any character who spends an hour searching
the snow. What they don't know is that the moose is us- for moose tracks and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom
ing a magic mirror as a scrying device to show it where (Survival) check finds a set of them. If the characters
its enemies are. follow these tracks, roll a d6. On a 6, the tracks lead to
the elven tomb, where the white moose can be found.
CHAPTE R 1 I TEN -TOWNS

80
On any other roll, the tracks lead to an ordinary moose There is only one banshee haunting the forest. If it's
use the giant goat stat block) that's encountered after destroyed, it re-forms after 24 hours in a random loca-
ld4 hours. This moose poses no threat if the characters tion in the forest, damned to its eternal exile.
eave it alone. After each encounter with an ordinary
moose, the characters can repeat their search for BROWN BEAR(S)
moose tracks and, upon finding some, make another A hungry brown bear is pulling some low branches off
d6 roll to determine if the tracks belong to the elusive a tree and gnawing on them when it sees the party and
vhite moose. moves toward the group in search of tastier food. A char-
After every three hours the characters spend in the acter can use an action to try to frighten away the bear,
fo rest, check for a random encounter using the Lonely- doing so with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimi-
wood Forest Encounters table. dation) check. If the characters kill this bear, the next
brown bear encounter (if this result comes up again) is
LONELYWOOD FOREST ENCOUNTERS with the bear's mate and ld4 cubs (noncombatants).
d20 Encounter
CHWINGAS
1-10 No encounter As the characters navigate the woods or stop to rest, ld4
11-12 Banshee chwingas (see appendix C) take an interest in them.
13-14 Brown bear(s)
15-16 Chwingas
Fox AND HARE
The characters spot an arctic fox patiently stalking a
17-18 Fox and hare
snowshoe hare (see appendix C for both creatures' stat
19-20 Wolf pack blocks). If the characters leave the animals alone, roll
a d6 to determine what happens next. On an odd roll,
BA NSHEE the hare escapes from the fox; on an even roll, the fox
This banshee is the spectral remnant of a female elf catches the hare and takes it back to its lair.
.varrior who was banished for a selfish, evil act. It wields Characters can interrupt the fox's hunt and speak to
a spectral longbow that shoots phantom arrows. This either animal using magic or an ability that facilitates
·eapon has the range of a standard longbow and is used communication with small beasts. Speaking to the fox
o make ranged spell attacks; it otherwise functions like prompts the hare to flee, and vice versa. A friendly ani-
·he banshee's Corrupting Touch. mal can lead the characters to the white moose's tracks
in the snow after ld4 hours.
81
WOLF PACK If the characters watch the location for an hour or more
A pack of l d4 + 4 wolves descends upon the party. from a safe dista nce away, they see the awakened white
If three or more wolves are killed, the s urviving moose (see the accompanying stat block) emerge from
wolves fl ee. under the hi llside, s tand in the moon dial , a nd s niff the
air for a few m inutes before ambling back toward Lone-
FINDING THE ELVEN TOMB lywood to continue its reign of terror. If the characters
explore the elven tomb without delay, they encounter the
T he elven tomb lies on a lightly wooded slope. An an- moose in area E 6.
cient moon dial is its centerpiece. Ch aracters can find
the tomb if they follow the tracks of a beast s uch as the ELVEN TOMB LOCATIONS
white moose. Ancient elven magic tricks a ll aberrations,
fiends, gia nts, hum anoids, and undead into veering away The fo llowing locations are keyed to map l .l 5. Areas
from the site without the s lightest inklin g th at they"ve El th rough E S are outside; areas E 6 th rough E9 are
been magically misdirected. undergro und.
When the cha racters come within sight of the elven
El. ELF STATUES
tomb, read:
Six elevated , white marble statues arranged in a line de-

The tracks lead to a large, circular indentation in a snowy
pict slender, robed figures facing northward . The engrav-
hillside . Rising from the middle of this circle is a trian-
ing on their faces has been worn away by the wind , but
gular gnomon of beautifully carved crystal that stands
pointed ears make the statues identifiable as elves .
twenty feet tall. A ten-foot-high berm hugging the circle's
eastern edge has evergreens growing around and atop
it , sheltering what looks like a sarcophagus buried under Each s tatue is life-s ized, depicting an elf s ta ndin g rigidly
snow and enclosed by a half-circle of pale blue crystal atop a 7-foot-high cylindrical base of wind-worn granite.
(A seventh s tatue s tands alone atop the northern tip of
pillars . North of the berm is a delicately carved gazebo
area E 4 , facing south . Three more s tatues, un seen from
made of marble, and south of the berm is a row of out- thi s vantage point, a re located under the hill in a rea E6.)
ward-facing, white marble statues atop granite pillars . A detect m agic s pell or simila r magic reveals a n aura of
abjura tion magic a round each s tatue.
If all ten statues are toppled, the magica l effect that di-
AWAKENED WHITE MOOSE rects the intruders away from the tomb end s (see "Find-
Large beast, neutral evil ing the Elven Tomb" above). Toppl ing a s tatue requ ires a
combined Strength of 25.
Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 68 (8dl0 + 24) E2 . BARROW ENTRANCE
Speed 40 ft .
STR
19 (+4)
DEX
11 (+0)

Languages Druidic
CON
16 (+3)
INT
10 (+0)
WIS
12 (+l)
CHA
6 (-2)
I Embedded in the hillside south of the circular indenta-
tion is a stone door with no visible handles or hinges .
T he door is snu g and ai rtight. It can be opened only

I
Challenge 3 (700 XP) fro m the inside (by a creature in area E6) or by usi ng a
knock spell or sim il ar magic.
Charge. If the moose moves at least 20 feet straight toward a
target and then hits it with an antlers attack on the same turn , E3. MARBLE GAZEBO
the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage. If the
target is a creature , it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving
throw or be knocked prone. In the middle of the gazebo sits an unlit stone brazier,
its bowl twenty inches in diameter. The brazier is full of
Sure-Footed. The moose has advantage on Strength and
Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would snow and pine needles that the winds have swept away
knock it prone . from the gazebo's polished marble floor.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The moose makes two attacks: one with its ant- The brazier is adhered to the ma rble floo r a nd ca n't
lers and one with its hooves. be budged.
When a pinecone, a twig, a feather, a nd a severed
Antlers. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target. humanoid ha nd are placed in the brazier a nd set on fire
Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. (see a rea E 4), a silver fl ame qu ickly consumes the bra-
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target. zier's contents and continues to burn for a tend ay. This
Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage. fire generates heat a nd li ght equiva lent to th at of a camp-
fi re and can't be extin gui s hed .
CHAPTER 1 I TEN - TOWN

E4. SARCOPHAGUS AND CRYSTAL PILLARS If the mummy receives conflicting orders , it fo llows
whichever command it deems the most sensible, al-
though its Intelligence score of 6 means that it can
Atop the eastern berm , a gran ite sarcophagus rests in make bad choices. Sahnar speaks Common and Elvish.
a half-c ircle defined by five crystal pillars . Clearing the The mummy knows how the moon dial functions (see
snow off the lid reveal s an engraving of a braz ie r. Yo u area ES) but knows nothing about the tomb's current
also notice a carving near the top of each pil lar; from
inhabitants, Ten-Towns , or the present state of affairs in
lcewind Dale, since it has been sealed up for hundreds
north to south , these images depict a twig, a pinecone, a
of years. If the characters return to Ten-Towns with
flame , a feathe r, and a humanoid hand . Sahnar in tow, they will need to disguise the elf mummy
to keep it from frightening the townsfolk.
The magic and materials used to preserve the m ummy
The sarcophagus can't be opened unti l a twig, a pine-
have the effect of making it smell like pumpkin spice.
one. a feather, and a severed humanoid ha nd are
placed in the brazier in the gazebo (area £3) and set E5. MOON DIAL
ablaze. The lid of the sarcophagus can be opened as
long as that fire burns; otherwise, no spell and no
amount of force can open it. Characters who don't have Rising from the center of the circular depression is a tall ,
a pinecone, a twig. or a feather can find these items in t riangular, cryst al gnomon - a device one typ ically finds
the nearby woods. The severed ha nd is a trickier get but in the middle of a sundial. It is thic k near the base and
needn't come from a living humanoid (a dead crawling
narrows to a sharp po int at the top . The snow around the
claw woul d do).
Once the brazier is fu nction ing, the heavy lid can be gnomon has melted away, revea ling a circle of symbols
lifted or pushed aside. It weighs 500 pounds . carved into the stone around it. The symbols depict
The sarcophagus holds Sa hna r, a moon elf mummy phas es of the moon , suggesting that the circular depres -
that animates as soon as the lid no longer prevents it sion is not a sund ia l, but a moon dial.
'rom sitting up. T his mummy is chaotic good and accli-
Someth ing has punched a rough hole in the wall in the
mated to cold weather. It follows the commands of its
northwest edge of the depression, creating a dark open -
'iberators until it is reduced to O hit points, whereupon it
rumbles to dust. ing that leads under the hill.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN-TOWN
Characters who peer through the western hole can see a ES. While its frame is lit, the mirror functions like an
dark, sunken chamber (area E6) beyond. ordinary crystal ball. Currently, the mirror is attuned
A persistent magical effect heats the face of the moon to the white moose, which uses it to locate hunters and
dial, ensuring that the lunar symbols remain clear of loggers it is familiar with. After clearing the snow cov-
snow. The symbols depict a full moon to the north, a ering the moon dial, the frost druid uses a moonbeam
new moon to the south, and various waxing and waning spell to light the full moon symbol on the moon dial's
phases of the moon in between. face, activating the mirror so the moose can use it. If the
Whenever the moon is in the sky over Icewind Dale, moose dies or another creature attunes to the mirror,
the crystal gnomon projects a triangle of moonlight the moose's attunement ends.
onto the moon dial's face, its tip lighting the symbol that The mirror is held to the wall with sovereign glue and
matches the moon's current phase. This occurs even if can't be removed without shattering it. Once broken, the
the moon is not visible in the sky. mirror's magic is gone forever.
Any character who studies the lunar symbols sees tiny
inscriptions in Elvish around the full moon symbol (the E8. FIRST TOMB OF THE HALF- MOON
white circle to the north) and the two half-moon symbols The stone door to this tomb is engraved with a white
located on the west and east sides of the dial, but not semicircle (the symbol of a half-moon), with its rounded
the other partial moon symbols or new moon symbol edge facing toward the right. The door is locked from
(the black circle to the south). The inscriptions translate the outside unless the light of the gnomon or a moon-
as follows: beam spell illuminates one of the half-moon symbols
on the moon dial in area ES. A knock spell or similar
Full Moon Inscription. "Gaze upon your own face and
magic also opens the door. It pushes open easily from
have seven questions answered." The magic mirror in
the inside.
area E7 is activated for as long as the light of the gno-
mon or a moonbeam spell illuminates this symbol.
Half-Moon Inscription. "Unlock the tombs of the half This circular chamber has an intricately carved, domed
moon." While the light of the gnomon or a moonbeam ceiling twenty feet high. A beam of light shines down
spell illuminates either of the half-moon symbols on from the top of the dome, illuminating a rectangular
the moon dial's face, the doors to areas ES and E9 can
stone sarcophagus.
be opened.
E6. BARROW
The light that shines down upon the sarcophagus is a
The spacious chamber tucked under the hill is strewn
minor magical effect that can be dispelled.
with bones and holds the sleeping forms of several
The sarcophagus's 3S0-pound lid can be lifted or
harmless animals (foxes, hares, goats, owls, wolf pups,
pushed aside. Inside the sarcophagus is the withered
and young bears) that share the space peacefully. The
white moose makes its lair among these creatures as
well when it's not out terrorizing Ten-Towners. If the
characters didn't wait outside to encounter the awak-
ened white moose (see the stat block on page 82),
it fights them here, which startles and scares away the
other animals. If the frost druid in area E9 hears sounds
of battle in this room, she remains where she is, prefer-
ring to make a final stand there.
Statues. In addition to the animals, this area contains
three white marble statues of elves that are identical
to the ones outside, except that the wind has not worn
away the detail in their faces and they don't stand on pil-
lars. All three are facing east, toward the nearest wall.
E7. MIRROR OF THE FULL MOON
The underground passage narrows before ending at a

wall upon which is mounted an oval mirror seven feet tall
and half as wide, encircled by a decorative stone frame.
The mirror's stone frame glows with silvery, scintillating

light as long as the moon dial's light or a moonbeam
spell is illuminating the symbol of the full moon in area
corpse of an elf in tattered robes. As the sarcophagus
is opened, the rush of air disturbs the cadaver's robes,
which have mostly crumbled to dust. The sarcophagus
also contains the following items:
An unstrung bow
Six silvered arrowheads
A wooden cup with a winged fish etched into the side
E9. SECOND TOMB OF THE HALF-MOON

The stone door to this tomb is engraved with a white
emicircle (the symbol of a half-moon), with its rounded
dge facing toward the left.
The door is locked from the outside unless the light
f the gnomon or a moonbeam spell illuminates one
f the half-moon symbols on the moon dial in area ES.
c\ knock spell or similar magic also opens the door. It
pushes open easily from the inside.
This circular chamber has an intricately carved domed

ceiling twenty feet high. A beam of light shines down
from the top of the dome, illuminating a rectangular
stone sarcophagus . Someone has turned this tomb into
iving quarters, as evidenced by a rack of drying herbs
and an unfurled bedroll behind the sarcophagus.
The light that shines down on the sarcophagus is a mi-

'.lor magical effect that can be dispelled. RAVISIN AND AN AWAKENED SHRUB
When she hears the door open, Ravisin the frost
druid (see appendix C) ducks behind the sarcophagus.
Hidden alongside her is an awakened shrub (a berry • Ravisin used moonbeam spells to trigger the moon
ush) that follows Ravisin everywhere, in case the druid dial , enabling the white moose to scry on loggers and
_ets hungry and wants some berries to munch on. Eat- hunters by using the magic mirror in area E7.
-ig the berries has stained the druid's teeth blue.
The druid climbs onto the sarcophagus when charac- Sarcophagus. The contents of an herbalism kit are
rs enter the tomb and shouts, in Common, "Ten-Towns spread across the top of the sarcophagus, which the
ill be destroyed- if not by my hand, then by the Frost- druid uses as a worktable. The sarcophagus lid weighs
aiden's!" The druid then attacks, fighting to the death. 350 pounds, and moving it aside causes the tomb to fill
a character who has the Doppelganger secret (see with a horrible stench of decay.
pendix B) fails their saving throw against the druid's The sarcophagus contains the rotting corpse of Ravi-
oonbeam spell, remember that the spell reveals the sin's twin sister, Vurnis. Any character who examines
aracter's true (doppelganger) form. the corpse and succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine)
\ hen she is reduced to O hit points, Ravisin uses her check determines that her death occurred months ago,
t. gasping breath to say, "My beasts will avenge us! " but the cold has slowed the decomposition of the body.
A.wakened Shrub. The awakened shrub is terrified A speak with dead spell cast on the corpse reveals that
· Ravisin and doubly frightened of fire. It fights only in Vurnis was killed by hunters near Lonelywood.
·r-defense. Growing on its branches are 2d20 tasty Treasure. Tucked under Vurnis's corpse is a shark-
rries, which it allows characters to pick if they let it skin pouch that contains two potions in crystal vials: a
... The shrub speaks Common and can share the fol- potion of resistance (radiant) and a potion of vitality.
·ing information once the frost druid is dealt with:
COMPLETING THE UEST
• Ravi sin blamed Ten-Towners for the death of her twin
i ter, also a frost druid. (The shrub doesn't know how Once they slay the awakened white moose, the charac-
c r when Ravisin's sister died.) Ravisin hides her sisters can return to Lonelywood with proof of the moose's
er's corpse in the sarcophagus. demise. After every three hours the characters spend in
• Ravisin awakened many beasts and plants through- the forest, check for a random encounter using the Lone-
<ut Icewind Dale. Some of them, such as the white lywood Forest Encounters table (page 81).
oose, are of an evil bent. Others aren't. Ravisin often If Ravisin the frost druid is not dealt with, Lonely-
mplained about the scruples of the plesiosaurus wood is doomed to experience more of the same harass-
e awa kened in Maer Dualdon (see "Lake Mon- ment from newly awakened beasts such as polar bears,
er." page 28). woolly rhinoceroses, and saber-toothed tigers.
85
TARGOS
Like Bryn Shander, Targos is encircled by a wooden
wall , which helps to protect the town against ores and
other threats from the wilderness. The wall extends out
into the lake, creating a safe harbor for the town's boats.
But now Auril's long winter has frozen the water in the
harbor, and many ofTargos's boats are trapped in the
ice. Fishers must drag their smaller vessels across the
ice to get to the unfrozen lake beyond the harbor walls.
Almost all the towns in lcewind Dale make their living
off the lakes, but nowhere is that fact more evident than
in Targos. The town has always had the biggest fishing
fleet and the biggest fishing industry, and everything
that goes on here revolves around hauling the knuckle-
head trout out of Maer Dualdon. Auril's endless winter
makes the work harder, but it gets done nonetheless.
Naerth Maxildanarr, a former rogue of Luskan , moved
to Targos a couple of years ago, took up residence in the
Luskan Arms, and spread around a lot of gold , earning
the loyalty of many local fishers. His cordial, down-to-
earth demeanor contributed to his swift rise to power,
enabling him to replace a town speaker who was well
liked but didn't want the job anymore. As the most
senior representative of the Zhentarim in Ten-Towns,
Naerth is determined to turn lcewind Dale into a trade
hub for the Black Network. He has a dozen or more OVERLAND TRAVEL FROM TARGOS
Zhentarim spies throughout Ten-Towns that he uses to
To Travel Time
good effect, disposing of suspected Harper spies and
convincing business owners to buy fish from Targos in- Bremen (no trail) 3 hours
stead of from other sources. Bryn Shander 2 hours
Termalaine 4 hours
TARGOS IN A NUTSHELL
Friendliness ** Services *** Comfort ** LOCATIONS IN TARGOS
Available Quest. "Mountain Climb," page 87. The following locations marked on map 1.16 are likely
Population. 1,000. to attract characters during their stay in Targos.
Leaders. Speaker Naerth Maxildanarr (lawful evil hu-
THE LUSKAN ARMS
man spy) is secretly a Zhentarim agent, who won the
speakership because of his popularity with the fishers. Inn (and the town speaker's residence)
Naerth is eager to secure a Zhentarim stranglehold The Luskan Arms is the oldest public house in Ten-
on trade in Icewind Dale. A Zhent mercenary named Towns, established back when Bryn Shander was still
Ska th (lawful evil tiefling veteran) who is loyal to just "the camp on the hill" and Luskan was a thriving
Naerth leads the town's militia. city. Many of the traders who came to Targos in those
Militia. Targos can muster up to 200 soldiers (use the days hailed from Luskan, so the Luskan Arms was
tribal warrior stat block) and 16 veterans. built to look like an inn that might be found in the City
Heraldry. A single-sailed, black ship (facing to the right) of Sails. As a result, much of the decor is nearly two
on a light blue field , representing the town's pride in hundred years old , reflecting Luskan as it was in the
its fishing fleet. years before its decline. The inn has sturdy walls but
Sacrifice to Auril. Humanoid (see page 21). rotten floorboards , and drafts come up into the common
Rivals. Bremen, Lonelywood , Termalaine. room from the cellar. The place is also infested with
rats, which scurry between the walls at all hours of the
OVERLAND TRAVEL night. The proprietor, Owenn Tarsenel (neutral human
A snow-covered path connects Targos to Bryn Shander. commoner), is a quiet, balding man who has sunk into a
A similar path sweeps around the east side of Maer deep depression, fearing that summer will never return
Dualdon and leads to Termalaine. Travel times in the to lcewind Dale.
Overland Travel from Targos table assume that charac- The largest guest suite in the Luskan Arms is occu-
ters are on foot; mounts and dogsleds can shorten these pied by the town speaker, Naerth Maxildanarr, who
times by as much as 50 percent. likes the inn because it reminds him of home and is
There is no easy way to reach Bremen by land , since a great place to meet visitors. Caged in his room are
heavy snow has wiped out the trail that once led to it. three flying snakes that he uses to deliver messages to
his spies.
CHAPTER 1 I TEN -TOWNS

86
THREE FLAGS SAILING
Tavern
MOUNTAIN CLIMB
The characters can pick up this quest if they start the
Fishers come here after a long day for a bowl of stew
adventure in Targos or shortly after they arrive in town .
and a quick pint before heading to bed. The atmosphere
It begins when they see a sled dog running through the
is subdued; the fishers are cold and tired and unsure
street. The dog belonged to Garret Velryn, a wilderness
about Icewind Dale's future . The tavern is run by a
guide who led a small expedition up Kelvin's Cairn. The
plump, gray-haired widow named Ethen Yarbroul (neu-
dog is agitated and tries to lead the characters to Gar-
tral good human commoner), better known as "Ma."
ret's house. Garret's husband , Keegan , is alarmed to see
She fusses over the fishers as if they were her children.
the dog without its master and fears for Garret's life. He
Characters who hang out in the tavern are likely to
asks the characters to head toward Kelvin's Cairn, find
hear a rumor or two, which you can determine by rolling
Garret, and see him safely back to Targos.
on the Ten-Towns Rumors table (page 18).
TRIGLIO
GETTING THE
=--...,s.....::
U_E__S_T_ _ _ _ _ _ __
General store
Triglio takes its name from one of the chanteys that As you trudge through town, snow crunching underneath
the fishers of Targos sing when they are hard at work: your feet, you hear the bark of a dog over the whistle of
·•Trig-lee-oh, lads, an ' 'oist upon the line/ Trig-lee-oh,
the wind. A wolf-sized sled dog with light gray fur runs
lads. an ' bring yon fishers in." The store's proprietor
is Jestin Hunrae (neutral good human commoner), a toward you, dragging a broken leather harness beh ind it.
scarecrow-like fellow who fished the lake until his left
hand was crushed in a collision with a boat from Ter-
The dog (use the wolf stat block), whose nam is Boy,
malaine. The only items he doesn't sell are fishing and
has clearly broken free of its sled and is friendly. It tack-
sailing supplies; in Targos, such goods are supplied by
les the nearest character and whimpers as it licks that
specialty crafters and merchants. All other common
character's face . Then, using every communication tac-
gear, including fishing poles and snowshoes, can be
tic at its disposal, it tries to lead the party to its master's
bought here.
house a few blocks away, grabbing a character by the
bootstrap and tugging the character in the direction it
wants the party to go.

Keegan did n't meet the adventurers who hired Garret,
so he doesn"t know how many there are. At this point in
TARGOS the conversation, Keegan asks the characters to find his
missing husband:
"It's a lot to ask, but could I persuade you to go up there

and find Garret and his companions? I don't have money,
but the proprietor of the Luskan Arms is a friend of mine.
I could get you some free rooms at the inn. I'm also a
scrimshander by trade and can give you some of my art-
work. It's not worth much, I confess."
Keegan has a lot of faith in Garret's survival skills,

which is why he honestly believes Garret might still be
alive. If the characters accept this quest, Keegan sug-
gests they visit Frozenfar Expeditions in Caer-Konig
(see page 46), which is likely the last place anyone
would have seen Garret before he went up the moun-
tain. If the characters want to take Boy with them, Kee-
gan won't protest.
OURNEY TO KELVIN'S CAIRN

The characters can either travel to Caer-Konig first, then
go west toward Kelvin's Cairn, or they can head straight
to the mountain by cutting across the open tundra and
passing through the Dwarven Valley. Both options are
discussed below.
TARGOS TO GAER-KONIG
Sticking to trails and roads, the characters can safely
reach Caer-Konig in 14½ hours on foot. The trip be-
MAP 1.1 G: TAR GOS
gins with a 3-mile jaunt to Bryn Shander, continues
with an exhausting 23-mile journey to Caer-Dineval,
If the characters follow the dog, it leads them to the and ends with a 3-mile hike around Lac Dinneshere to
front door of a modest dwelling. The dog barks and Caer-Konig. Characters can reduce the total travel time
scratches at the door. Keegan Velryn (neutral good hu- to 7 hours if they use dogsleds.
man commoner), a handsome man in his thirties, opens As the characters pass through Bryn Shander,
the door, and the dog races inside. When Keegan sees Caer-Dineval, and Caer-Konig, they can pick up each
the characters instead of his husband , his smile fades as town's starting quest if they haven't gotten them already.
he urges the characters to come inside, where he gives Atenas Swift, the owner of Frozenfar Expeditions in
each of them a cup of warm cider and shares the follow- Caer-Konig, tells the characters that Garret showed up
ing information: with three well-armed companions (a male goliath, a
female lightfoot halfling, and a female tiefling), helped
them buy climbing gear and camping supplies, and then
"I was born in Ten-Towns, but my husband came from headed to the Hook, Line, and Sinker (the local tavern)
a wealthy family in Neverwinter. Garret didn't care for for drinks, with plans to get a good night's rest at the
city life. When I met him, he was working as a guide. He Northern Light (the local inn). The proprietors of these
establishments have no complaints about Garrett and
loves the outdoors, and he lives to climb mountains.
his retinue, who looked tired and didn't talk much.
"A few days ago, Garret was hired by some adventurers If the party doesn't have anyone who's good at track-
to lead them up the slopes of Kelvin's Cairn. Garret's ing, the characters can hireJarthra Farzassh (see "Fro-
plan was to take the adventurers to Caer-Konig, the town zenfar Expeditions," page 46) as a guide.
at the foot of Kelvin's Cairn. After they acquired some
TARGOS TO KELVIN'S CAIRN
climbing gear from the outfitter there, he was to lead
By crossing open tundra, the characters can travel di-
them up the mountain. Garret took six dogs and a sled rectly from Targos to Kelvin's Cairn, covering 12 miles
with him . Boy, here, was Garret's favorite . Raised him in 24 hours on foot. They can halve the travel time if
from a pup. Boy would never leave Garret's side unless they use dogsleds.
something terrible had happened." When the characters reach the halfway point in their
journey, they come across a potential obstacle. Use the

88
·Random Wilderness Encounters" section in chapter 2 successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) group check. If
co determine the nature of the encounter and if it occurs the group check fails, they can repeat it after another 8
during a blizzard. hours of looking.
As the characters pass through the Dwarven Valley,
·hey might (if the weather is clear) see evidence of dwarf BASE CAMP
activity, such as tracks that lead up to tunnels carved
nto the valley's slopes. Several hundred shield dwarves You see two tents pitched in the snow near an icy out-
ive in subterranean halls that connect to these mines,
cropping that acts as a natural windbreaker. Between the
ut they rarely venture to the surface nowadays except
·o forage and hunt. Characters can find refuge among tents is an overturned sled . Still harnessed to the sled are
·he dwarves, who are civil if not friendly, but must leave five howling dogs.
·ithin a day or two, since the dwarves have little food to
_pare and are too busy to entertain guests for any longer
an that. Characters who have completed the "Foaming Garret's dog, Boy, tore free of its harness and ran
ugs" quest (see page 34), however, have earned back to Targos to get help, leaving the other five sled
e dwarves' favor and are welcome to stay as long as dogs (use the wolf stat block) behind. The dogs are
ey like. friendly, cold, hungry, and miserable. If the characters
release them, the dogs run back to the nearest town to
C LIMBING KELVIN'S CAIRN seek shelter.
Under the sled are two small crates. One is empty,
ap 1.17 shows the route that Garret's expedition took and it appears that the dogs broke into it and ate the
Kelvin's Cairn. It leads not to the topmost peak of the provisions that were contained within; the other is not in
untain, but to the summit of one of its spurs. the dogs' reach and contains enough rations to feed four
Before they can follow their quarry up Kelvin's Cairn, people for three days.
characters must locate Garret's base camp at the Starting the Ascent. The wind has obliterated the
of the mountain. Jarthra Farzassh can lead them tracks made by Garret's expedition, but characters can
re, since she recommended the location to Garret discern the likeliest route the climbers took. This route
'ore his expedition left Caer-Konig. Garret's sled dog is marked on map 1.17, and characters who follow it ex-
'.l a lso lead characters straight to the base camp. With-
perience the following sequence of encounters .
. help of any sort, the characters can spend 8 hours If Boy is with the party, the dog can lead the charac-
rching for the camp on their own, finding it with a ters to Garret (see "Fallen Climber," page 90).
89
MOUNTAIN GOATS determined party member. Known to Ten-Towners as
"Hunters of Men ," the crag cats caught Garret's scent
but failed to reach him before th e characters showed up.
The howling wind, blowing snow, and slippery ice make Characters with passive Wisdom (Perception) scores of
the climb treacherous. Ahead , you see four mountain 17 or highe r are not s urprised by the crag cats. If one
goats perched on a large rock formation around which crag cat dies, the other one disengages from melee com-
bat and tries to fl ee down the mountain on its next turn.
you must navigate.
Development. Assuming he s urvives the encoun-
ter with the crag cats, Garret makes it known that he
The four mountain goats (see appendix C) are indiffer- wa nts to find the other members of the expedition and
ent toward the characters and bleat loudly as the party assumes (correctly) that they're still up the mountain .
draws nea r. The goats turn hostile if the characters He aims to find them but ca n be persuaded to return to
attack them. Targos if the characters restore all his los t hit points and
vow to search for the three missing members on his be-
AVALANCHE half. Garret describes the missing explorers as follows:
, Mokingo Growling Bear Akannathi, a male goliath
Hundreds offeet up the mountain , you come to a glisten- warrior determined to find Oyaminartok and test his
ing white expanse of packed snow. As you get about half-
mettle against her
Perilou Fishfinger, a female lightfoot halfling follower
way across it, you hear a loud crack from higher up the
of Yondalla (halfling god of fertility and protection)
mountain, followed by a rumbling noise as the ground and Mokingo's stalwart companion
starts to shake. It's an avalanche! As trix, a female tiefling who mumbles and swears a
lot (Garret doesn't know what her story is)
The party find s itself in the path of a n avalanche (see PERILOUS CLIMB
"Ava la nches," page 10). The avalanche is 200 feet At this point, the characters mus t zigzag their way up
wide, 100 feet long, and 30 feet deep. the mountain, clinging to narrow ledges and scaling
To run this event, first determine the marching order icy cliffs. To pass all these obstacles , the party mus t
of the party a nd how far apart the characters are. As- make three s uccessful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) group
sume that the rea rmost party member is directly below checks. If a group check fails, the party wastes 1 hour
the avalanche , which mea ns that character mus t move at making no progress, and each party member who failed
least 100 feet to get clear of the avala nche's path . Next, the check gains one level of exhaustion.
have a ll party members roll initiative.
The avalanche s tar ts 500 feet above the party and FROZEN CAVE
sweeps down to the base of the mountain 1,000 feet be- A character with the Littlest Yeti secret (see appendix B)
low. The avalanche moves 300 feet on initiative count 10 ca n really s hine in this encounter.
a nd another 300 feet on initiative count 0.
FALLEN CLIMBER Up ahead on your left is a fifteen-foot-high, ten-foot-wide

cave mouth. There's blood on the snow some distance
from the cave entrance.
You reach a steep, snow-covered incline dotted with jag-
ged rocks. Lying facedown in the snow, barely conscious,
is a humanoid in bloodstained cold weather clothing. The blood marks the area where Garret's expedition
was ambushed by a male yeti that was hidden under a
s nowdrift nea r the cave entrance. It lunged at Garret ,
The figure in the s now is Ga rret Velryn (neutral good raking him with its claws and biting into his s houlder.
huma n scout), a rugged, bea rded man in his prime. He Mokingo the goliath came to Garret's defe nse but didn't
has one level of exhaustion and 6 hit points remaining. las t long. P erilou hid in the cave as Astrix fl ed up the
In addition to hi s weapons, he carries a climber's kit. mountain . The ye ti pursued Garret some distance down
His other eq uipment is lost. If the characters have Boy th mountain before abandoning the chase and return-
with them , the dog and Garret become inseparable. ing to the cave.
lf the characters tend to hi s wounds, Garret comes The cave is home to a m ated pair of yetis a nd their
around and tell s the m that a yeti s urprised him and child , a yeti tyke (see appendix C). Mother and child
his compan ions higher up the mountain. He lured the are both ins ide; the father is out hunting but returns
yeti away from th others a nd got it to chase him down s hortly with a fresh kill. The cave's interior is shown
the mounta in . T he ye ti wounded him seriou sly, but he on map 1.17.
escaped with hi s life when the mons ter stopped fol- Fl. Chasm. This cave has a 20-foot-high , concave
lowing him . roof. Mos t of the floor has fallen away, forming a chasm
Hunters ofMen . As the characters tend to Garret, 80 feet deep. All that's left of the floor is a rocky ledge
two crag cats (see appendix C) move to within 20 feet of connected to area F2 by a natural stone bridge that's
the party and attack , each one pouncing on a randomly sa fe to cross. A I-foot-thick s heet of ice span s the south-

90
··rn part of the chasm. Characters can walk across this the entrance to a tunnel. In the passageway is a short
e to avoid area F2 and go directly to area F3. flight of steps that ascend to the south.
A character can also try to collapse the ice sheet by This cave contains a strange sight: a female adult yeti
dea ling damage to it. The ice sheet has AC 13, 30 hit watching her child, a yeti tyke (see appendix C), as it
ints, and immunity to cold, psychic, and poison dam- plays with a lightfoot halfling dressed in cold weather
.ige; if reduced to O hit points, the ice sheet fractures clothing and curled up in the fetal position. The halfling
.ind falls into the chasm. Any creature standing on the is Perilou Fishfinger (neutral good lightfoot halfling ac-
e sheet when it begins to collapse must make a DC olyte ofYondalla). The yeti tyke is knocking her around
16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed check, the crea- like a ball, and it's clear from her cries that Perilou is
ure falls into the chasm, taking 28 (8d6) bludgeoning still alive. She has three levels of exhaustion but is oth-
amage and landing prone. On a success, the creature erwise unharmed .
unges and leaps to land on one side of the chasm or the The appearance of intruders terrifies the yeti tyke,
cher (its choice) and doesn't fall. which crawls up onto its mother's back to get away from
F2. Trophies. The floor of this 10-foot-high tunnel them. The mother lets out a roar, hoping to scare off the
~trewn with the bones ofMokingo Growling Bear, intruders without a fight. She won't endanger herself or
hose dead body was dragged here. Bits of flesh still her child by attacking the characters if they also refrain
.mg to the bones. The head has been ripped from its from combat and get it across to her that they've come to
oulders, gnawed , and stuffed in a niche dug out of rescue the halfling.
e wall. Amid the goliath's bones are torn bits of hide Perilou thanks her rescuers but is sad to have wit-
rmor, a greataxe, and the skulls and bones of three nessed the death of her goliath friend , Mokingo. She
ountain goats. Seven other crude niches in the walls doesn't know what became of her other companion ,
Id the frozen heads of humanoids previously decapi- Astrix (see ''Ruined Camp" below), and would love to
aced by the yetis. One belongs to a dwarf named Oobok answer that question before returning to Ten-Towns.
e '"Foam ing Mugs," page 34). Another belongs to a Perilou stays with the characters until they return to
.\·arf named Barthoom, who was killed farther up the Ten-Towns, then parts ways with them after deciding
ountain a month ago (see "Ruined Camp," page 92). that her adventuring days are over.
F3. Yeti Den. The floor of this cave is 5 feet higher Against one wall , hidden under the shattered remains
an in area F2 , and it has an uneven ceiling that ranges of a dogsled , is a mess kit, an explorer's pack, and
height from 10 to 20 feet. The floor drops off sharply enough blood-spattered heavy clothing to make two cold
che south , forming a 10-foot-high ledge that overlooks weather outfits.
CH PT£R l I TE -TO
91
Development. As the characters leave the yeti cave, Blue Boots. A shield dwarf explorer named Barthoom
the male adult yeti returns home with a dead mountain Hammerhome climbed to this great height and made
goat tucked under one arm. Under normal circum- camp here a month ago, only to be killed and decapi-
stances, the male yeti is hostile, but a character with tated by a yeti. The half-buried tent is his. Characters
the Littlest Yeti secret (see appendix B) can improve the who tug on his blue leather boots can pull Barthoom's
yeti's attitude. If no one has this secret but the charac- headless body from the snowbank. Characters who
ters have the yeti tyke with them, they can trade the tyke search the dwarf's body find an empty wineskin, a half-
for safe passage up or down the mountain. eaten block of goat's cheese, and a miner's pick.
Treasure. Characters who search Astrix's body find
RUINED CAMP a potion of invisibility and a leather-bound spellbook,
which contains the following wizard spells: alter self,
cloud of daggers, comprehend languages, detect magic,
You come to the edge of a vast and deep crevasse, with
expeditious retreat, scorching ray, shield, suggestion,
nowhere to go but down. A collapsed tent lies half-buried and Tenser's floating disk.
in the snow near the precipice. Jutting out of a nearby
snowbank is a pair of blue leather boots . Next to this CONCLUDING THE_ .:;;.-,.,UEST
_ _________
grim display, a figure in cold weather clothing sits in the The trip back to Targos can be as fraught or as unevent-
snow, her knees pulled in tight to her chest. Horns pro- ful as you wish. If the characters take the more direct
trude from underneath the figure's fur-lined hood . but dangerous route across the open tundra, they have
at least one random encounter in the wilderness (see
"Wilderness Encounters," page 105).
The figure seated in the snow is Astrix, a tiefling wizard. Keegan and Garret are happy to be reunited. The
She is dead-frozen solid with her teeth clenched and characters still receive their promised reward if Gar-
her eyes staring at the blue boots sticking out of the ret dies, but only if they deliver his body to Keegan for
snow. She escaped immediate death at the hands of the a proper burial. Part of their reward is a wooden box
yeti but, in her panic, fled up the mountain rather than containing four scrimshaw figurines worth 10 gp each:
down it. Unwilling to approach the yeti cave again too a spouting whale, a smiling fox, a pair of dancing hares,
soon, Astrix took refuge here. The sight of the boots and a walrus with the words "BIG LOVE" carved into it.
made her sink into utter despair, until the elements fi-
nally claimed her.
92
TERMALAINE
Founded by Calishite settlers who appreciated beauty,
Termalaine is widely regarded as the most picturesque
town in Icewind Dale, spreading out from the shore of
Maer Dualdon and bordered on the north and west by
tall pines. Its buildings incorporate carvings of wizards,
homunculi, tigers, and smiling djinn.
For most visitors, the enchantment of the town is
dispelled as soon as they feel the icy claws and teeth of
the cold wind sweeping down from the north, shearing
through their layers of clothing. Termalaine was built
in the path of this dreadful gale, which continues well
past the town to harry fishers on the southern half
of the lake.
In addition to fishers, shipbuilders, and scrim-
shanders, Termalaine is home to miners who harvest
gemstones from a cavern complex set into a low hill
north and east of the settlement. Their efforts are
hampered by creatures from the Underdark that occa-
sionally find their way up into the mine. Whenever such
creatures are discovered, the mine is sealed off and the
townsfolk wait until a band of sellswords or adventurers
can be hired to clear it out.
TERMALAINE IN A NUTSHELL
Friendliness *** Services** Comfort *** LOCATIONS IN TERMALAINE
Available Quest. "A Beautiful Mine," page 94. The following locations are marked on map 1.18.
Population. 600.
Leader. Oarus Masthew (lawful good half-ore scout) THE BLUE CLAM
was declared speaker after a close and contentious Dockside tavern
election. The child of half-ore adventurers, he was ad- The fishers of Termalaine typically finish their days
opted by Shaelen Masthew, the previous speaker, who here, seated on benches near one of the building's long
retired from her leadership role but still lives in Ter- hearths to warm their feet while they fill their bellies
malaine. Oarus is bright, with a sharp sense of humor, with spiced chowder. Beautiful works of scrimshaw are
but he has political enemies in town and lacks the full hung on the walls.
support of the town militia. Vernon Braig (neutral good half-ore commoner), the
Militia. Termalaine can muster up to 50 soldiers (use Blue Clam's owner and chef, knows some of the hunters
the tribal warrior stat block) and 4 veterans. and trappers in Lonelywood, and occasionally a sled
Heraldry. The open-mouthed head of a fish at the bot- comes down the north trail with a sack of hares or a
tom of a sky-blue field, its jaws parted as it swallows haunch of moose, courtesy of one of Vernon's friends.
a large rose-pink oval. The oval is a tourmaline, sym- On those nights, the Blue Clam's hearths are full of
bolic of the town's gem mining. roasting meat, and the patrons stay later and sing
Sacrifice to Auril. Warmth (see page 21). louder, enjoying the good times while they last.
Rivals. Bremen, Lonelywood, Targos. Characters who loiter in the tavern are likely to hear a
rumor or two, which you can determine by rolling on the
OVERLAND TRAVEL Ten-Towns Rumors table (page 18).
Snow-covered paths connect Termalaine to Lonelywood
THE EASTSIDE
and Targos, its closest neighbors. Travel times in the
Overland Travel from Termalaine table assume that Inn
characters are on foot; mounts and dogsleds can shorten The Eastside is where most visitors in town stay. What
these times by as much as 50 percent. looks from the outside like separate houses turns out to
be a single structure with rooms connected by under-
OVERLAND TRAVEL FROM TERMALAINE ground passages, with cozy guest accommodations in
To Travel Time the cellar.
The innkeeper is Marta Peskryk (lawful good human
Lonelywood 2 hours
commoner), a willowy teenager who spends much of
Targos 4 hours
her time tending to her bedridden father, Clyde, a retired
fisherman and noncombatant. As she performs her daily
chores, Marta sings the following song to herself:

93
A BEAUTIFUL MINE
The characters can pick up this quest if they start the
adventure in Termalaine or shortly after they arrive
in town . As they trudge through the streets, they see a
young boy standing on a box, yelling about various local
happenings, including the recent evacuation of workers
from a nearby mine that has been overrun by kobolds.
A reward of 50 gp is offered to anyone who can rid the
mine of the pesky dragonlings.
When the characters investigate, they discover that all
is not what it seems. The kobold leader has been pos-
sessed by a ghost, and a grell has infiltrated the mine,
setting the kobolds on edge. The characters can either
try to parley with the kobolds and get them to leave
the mine peacefully. or they can rid Ten-Towns of their
presence permanently and try to deal with the grell on
their own.
A MINOR ISSUE
Darmo Mazlu , a human boy, stands on a box and
yells out the latest news to passersby, most of whom
ignore him:
A boy wrapped in heavy winter clothes shouts the news

of the day as people pass by. When you approach, the
boy cries, "The gemstone mine is closed because of
monsters! Speaker Masthew is offering fifty gold to any-
1000
one who clears it out!"
, eet
If the characters express interest, Darmo tells them

MA P 1.1 8 . T E R M A LI\ INE
they can find the town speaker, Oarus Masthew, at the
Ahead of winter·s wind she came-

The lovely woman with no name;
Draped in a fur-lined cloak of red.
To the icy lake she fled; R I N G OF WARMTH
The wind pursued her all the same-

As sure as night she's dead.
If asked about the song, Marta recounts the following
tale. Fifty years ago, a mysterious woman in a fur-lined
red cloak stopped at the Eastside on her way to Lone-
lywood . Because the woman was alone and frightened ,
the innkeepers- a pair of retired adventurers who
happened to be Marta's grandparents- tried to console
her. The woman gave them a ring as payment for their
hospitality. Not long afterward, a howling wind burst
into the inn and tossed the woman about like a rag doll.
The innkeepers intervened, giving the woman time to
escape. The evil wind battered Marta's grandparents
unconscious before resuming its hunt. That was the last
anyone saw of the woman.
Treasure. Marta wears the mysterious woman's ring
(which she has inherited) around her neck on a chain.
It is a ring of warmth , and Marta will part with it only if
she can be convinced that it can help bring an end to the
wintry curse that besets Icewind Dale.
C HAPT£R. l I T.E -TOW

94
Blue Clam. The boy also has some information about MINE FEATURES
the mine, including its location . He doesn't know much The mine's meandering tunnels have 7-foot-high ceil-
about the history or the particulars of the mine. but ings. Wider areas tend to have higher ceilings, the aver-
he knows it's importa nt for Termalarne a nd its closing age being 12 feet. The mine has no light sources.
means a significant loss of income. The most prominent feature of the mine is a wide
The characters can make the ha lf-hour trek to the vertical shaft that descends thousands of feet into the
min e without vis iting Oarus , or they ca n go to the tavern Underdark. This s ha ft predates th e mine, and efforts to
to see the s pea ker. If the characters decide to ignore the sea l it off have been uns uccessful. It was by thi s route
quest, the min e remains closed for several weeks before that the grell invaded the mine in search of food.
•he kobolds mysteriously vanis h, enabling the miners to
ret urn . After the mine reopens. it is n't lon g before work- CAPTURED KOBOLDS
·r sta rt disappearing one by one- victi ms of the grell. Characters who capture a kobold in th e min e ca n, with-
out an ability check, lea rn some or all of the following
GETTING THE QUEST inform ation in the course of an interrogation:
\'he n the ch aracters a rrive at the Blue Clam , read: "Trex led us here. He has wings like dragon!"
"Trex smart! He speaks like human who knows a lot.
He don't s pea k Dragon no more."
Outside the tavern, you see two bundled-up humanoids
''Trex says miners want th eir mine back. Trex wants
talking to one another. When they see you, one waves to
something better in return ."
you in a friendly manner, then says, "You seem entirely "Trex says we be safer in town . There's food in town! "
too prepared for trouble. Are you here about the mine?"
MINE LOCATIONS
he town s peaker, Oarus Masthew (lawful good half-ore The following locations are keyed to map 1.19. The mine
eteran), expl ai ns that a group of kobolds crept into the is made up of three levels, the deepest of which is level
me a few days ago, entering from th e surfa e a nd forc- 3. The boxed text in these locations assumes the charac-
g the min ers to abandon thei r jobs. No one was killed , ters ca n see what 's around them.
t the kobolds a re too da ngerous for the miners to dea l
Ml. TOOL ROOM
·1th. He also reveals that a human miner we nt mi ssing
Rough-hewn steps descend 60 feet before ending just
few days before th e kobolds s howed up, prompting
north of this chamber.
he r miners to fear that a monster mu st have crawled
fro m the Underdark. Oarus thinks it's possible that
, miner fell down the central s ha ft , which is deep Racks holding picks and hammers are nailed to the walls
ough th at hi body would never be found . of this small cavern . The floor is covered with rock dust
nne piece of information that Oarus fa ils to mention
and tracks.
•hat he ordered the town militi a to clear out the mine
rpe days ago. The militia refu ed to deal with the
~ •ble m for wh at amounts to political reasons . Senior Any character who examines the tracks a nd s ucceeds
c-ers in ca hoots with Speaker Naerth Maxi ldanarr on a DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check ide ntifies re ptilian
Ta rgos a re determined to oust Ma th ew as town footprints mingled with human tracks, as well as a set
, a ker and re place him with one of their own in a of tracks that look like they belong to a pair of giant ro-
·c-1al Plection. They're convinced that the closi ng of de nts. The re ptilian (kobold) tracks fan out, leading to
min e a nd the resulting economic woes will turn a reas M2 , M3, and M4. The rodent (giant rat) tracks lead
thew·s politica l supporters against him. to area M2 , a nd from there to a rea M3.
PPROACHING THE MINE M2. GEM DEPOSITS

, entrance to the mine is in the woods northeast of
,n The cha rac ters ca n follow a trail from Termalaine The floor in the east end of this dusty cave is five feet
d he there in 30 minutes. When they a rrive, the area
higher than in the west end, with a rocky ridge separating
rnd the opening appears devoid of life:
the two areas except for slopes on either side. Picks and
shovels lean against the ridge. Small gem deposits in the
e entrance to the gem mine is an open tunnel in a hill-
ridge and the walls of the cave gleam seductively.
de. Empty carts are parked near the entrance, next to
,ch a crude wooden sign has been propped up. Writ-
en on the sign in charcoal are the words "Kobolds only!"
Treasure. If a character us ing a miner's pick s pends
an hour chipping away at the walls, roll percentile dice
and consult the Mining Discoveries table to determine
what, if anything, the character unea rths. The tourma-
words a re written in more elaborate calligraphy lines found in the mine are transluce nt gemstones that
wou ld be expected from a kobold . come in different colors, including pale green, blue,
pink, red, brown , and black.
CHAPTER I I TEN - TOWN

9'i
MINING DISCOVERIES
dlOO Discovery
01-80 Nothing
81-95 Pebble-sized tourmaline (l gp)
96-99 Acorn-sized tourmaline, flawed (10 gp)
00 Acorn -sized tourmaline, unflawed (100 gp)
M3. RIVER CAVERN

Characters hear the sound of rushing water as they
approach this cave.
An underground river flows through the far side of this

cavern, which is supported by a natural stone pillar near
the water's edge. Between you and the river are two hal-
fling-sized gray rodents with long tails and beady eyes.
They rush to attack as soon as you notice them.
The two giant rats are aggressive, giving chase if the

characters run away.
Underground River. Thermal vents keep this river
of fresh water from freezing. The river exits the cave
through a 2½-foot-wide fissure in the south wall, gaining
speed as it moves through the narrow passage toward
area MS. Any Medium or smaller creature that wades
into this fissure or starts its turn there must succeed on
a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or be swept away by the
current and dropped into the shaft that plunges thou-
sands of feet into the Underdark. Such a fall is fatal.
M4. PROCESSING ROOM

The floor of the western tunnel from area Ml is 7 feet
higher than the floor of the cavern it leads to. The ledge
can be easily climbed in either direction. Use the boxed
text to describe the cave's other features:
Benches and tables are set up as workspaces where min-

ers clean any gemstones they find. Gravel and pebbles
are strewn on the ground . Scattered across the floor are a
few hammers, picks, and broken lanterns.
The miners were forced to leave this area in a hurry

when the kobolds showed up and drove them out.
Treasure. If the characters search the cave, they find
a small figurine of a dog carved out of rock, with two
pebble-sized tourmalines for eyes. It was made by a
miner while on break. The figurine is worth 10 gp.
M5. UNDERDARK SHAFT, LEVEL 1
Wooden planks and struts form a walkway along the wall

of a seemingly bottomless vertical shaft. A narrow water-
fall cascades down the northeast wall, and the sound of
rushing water is loud in the confined space.
Characters using darkvision or a light source brighter

than a candle can see more walkways attached to the
rthwest side of the shaft 30 feet farther down. Be- M7, 15 feet farther down, and back again. It takes 1 min-
ause of the loud waterfall, characters must yell if they ute for the bucket to be lowered or raised.
ant to communicate with each other while in this area.
Kobold Saboteurs. The cascading water drowns out M7. BUCKET LIFT LANDING
e noise made by two lcewind kobolds (see appendix
that are clinging to the underside of the walkway.
The mechanism creaks as the bucket lift descends to the
hese kobolds, named Scorp and Thwip, are using saws
floor of a small cave where two dusty tunnels lead in op-
weaken the wooden struts so that the walkway will
Uapse if a creature weighing more than two kobolds posite directions.
--ies to stand on it. These kobolds need another day to
mplete their sabotage; until then, the walkway is safe.
Characters who search for tracks in the dust and suc-
The characters can't hear the kobolds, but if they look
ceed on a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check can deter-
'lderneath the planks, they can see the kobolds work-
mine that a lot of kobold foot traffic leads to and comes
- away cheerily. If a kobold takes damage while cling-
from the west, and a single set of kobold footprints leads
g to the underside of the walkway, it loses its grip and
to the east. (The kobold who wandered in that direction
down the shaft to its death.
never returned.)
6. BUCKET LIFT
M8. GRELL LAIR
wooden pulley system has been constructed around

A hole in the west side of this chamber opens into the
• arge hole in the floor. A bucket big enough to hold a
central shaft, letting in the sound of the waterfall. The
.. manoid is held up by thick rope. Three alcoves next to
floor in the north end of the cave is five feet higher than
e lift contain wooden boards and mining equipment.
in the south end, with a rocky ridge separating them and
a slope on either side leading to the top of the ridge. The
bucket lift is used for hoisting miners and ore he- walls above the ridge gleam with gem deposits.
n levels 1 and 2. It's controlled by using a crank
e the bucket or the crank on the side of the pulley
·em. The bucket can hold one Medium creature or Floating near the 15-foot-high ceiling is a grell. A char-
mall creatures at a time. It runs from here to area acter who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of
97
16 or higher notices the grell. Tf more tha n one charac- end of the evered rope with a uccessful DC 15 Dexter-
te r enters the cavern , th e grell won't attack a nd tries to ity saving throw. thu, a\·ertmg certai n death.
s tay hidden. If the characters leave the cave, it follows
th em, always staying at least 30 feet away. When an op- Mll. K OBOLD Tu.·. EL
portunity to attack a lon e party member presents itself,
th e grell swoops in and tri es to paralyze its prey, then
Lurkin g in this dusty tunn el are three skittish kobolds.
hauls its catch back here to be devoured. After it feeds, it
drops th e remains of its victim down the central shaft. One of th e m carries a threadbare satchel and wears a
Treasure. If a character using a miner's pick spends fake pair of dra gon win gs made of thin wood and tattered
an hour chipping away at the walls above the ridge, roll white cloth. Thi s ko bold immediately raises its hands in
percentile dice a nd consult the Minin g Discoveries table surrender, sayin g 1n Common , "We mean you no harm .
(see a rea M2) to determ ine what, if a nything, is found . Please do n't hurt us."
M9. HUNGRY KOBOLDS
Two of these three Icewind kobolds (see append ix C)
A table and chairs are set up in this area to create a are nervous bodygua rds named Vott a nd Zurk. The one
wear ing the fake wi ngs a nd doin g the talking is Trex,
space for the miners to take breaks. On top of the table,
the leader of the group. If one or both of the kobolds
two kobolds are poking a giant rat with their javelins to fro m area M9 fl ed from there, th ey lurk deep er inside
make sure it's dead. The kobolds screech loudly as they th e tunnel behind Trex a nd his bodyguard s.
notice you. Trex is possessed by a ghost, th ough the characters
won't know this until the ghost s hows itself (see "Ja nth's
Ghost" below). Spea kin g in flu ent Common, Trex ex-
Two Icewind kobolds (see append ix C) na med Grek plains that he and his fellow kobolds sought refuge
a nd S mol ru s h to attack when the cha racters enter the in the mine a fter bei ng chased out of th e foothills of
cave. If either one is injured, they immedi ately have a Kelvin's Cairn by a yeti. The miners got scared and ran
chan ge of heart and fl ee throu gh the tunnel to the north off before Trex could explai n that the kobolds meant no
that leads to level 3. harm . As long as Trex is possessed by the ghost. he has
an impressive vocabulary and s pea ks only Common.
MlO . UNDERDARK SHAFT, LEVEL 3 If the characters en gage Trex in conversation , he
makes a pro position:
The tunnel 's downward slope ends where it opens onto
the center shaft. A wooden walkway extends from this "The everlasting winter has made the wilderness unsafe
opening and then runs westward to another tunnel in the for my kind, and the preternatura l cold dulls our wits .
rock . In front of you , a large bucket like the one you saw Please , we only want a place to stay so we can keep out of
earlier dangles from a taut rope that stretches southward this horrible weather. We can work, and we won 't cause
across the shaft and is connected to another wooden trouble. Termalaine would be richer for having us ."
platform 15 feet away.
Any ch aracter who s ucceeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (In-

Lookin g down , the characters see nothing but darkness. sight) check can tell that Trex is lyi ng. The ghost con-
Ch aracters using darkvision or a light source brighter trolling Trex wants safe access to Term ala ine so that
tha n a candle can see, if they look up, the underside of it can possess someone more powerful and influenti al
the wa lkway in area MS (on level 1). lf the characters th an a kobold.
failed to notice the two kobolds clinging to the underside If the ch aracters agree to ta ke the kobolds in the mine
of the upper s tructure earlier, they s pot the little sabo- back to Termalaine, the kobolds act as thei r a llies.
te urs from this 30-foot-lower vantage poin t. Janth's Ghost. In life, Ja nth Alowa r was a ne utral
Bucket Shuttle. This rope-a nd-pulley mecha nis m human sage who devoted h imself by cataloguing the
is used to tra nsport miners and ore between the two flora oficewind Dale. He and his guide were killed a nd
platforms . A crank mounted to each platform allows decapi tated by a yeti in the foot hills of Kelvin's Cairn
the bucket to be s huttled fr om one s id e to the other. A two yea rs ago, a nd hi s restless s pirit has lingered. The
person inside the bucket can fo rgo th e cranks and pull kobolds happened upon the ghost while searching for
th emselves across by tugging on the s uspension rope. helter during a blizzard , allowing it to possess Trex
T he bucket is large enough to hold one Medium creature without the other kobolds' knowledge.
or two S mall creatures. It ta kes 1 round for the bucket The threadbare satchel carried by Trex once belonged
to cross the gap between the platfor ms . to Janth. It contains clumps of moss, lichen, and shrub-
Dealing 5 acid , fire, or slashin g damage to the rope bery gathered fro m the foothills of Kelvi n's Cai rn and
causes it to s nap. If the rope is cut, the bucket a nd its the s urroundin g tund ra. None of the sa mples are valu-
contents fa ll down the s haft, likely gone fo rever. A ch ar- able, but the ghost is very possessive of the collection
acter in th e bucket wh en the rope breaks can grab one and won't give up its satchel without a fight.
98
Janth's ghost can be laid to rest by destroying the
satchel- its last connection to the Material Plane. The
ghost otherwise remains as close to the satchel as pos-
sible. If the satchel is taken from Trex and discarded,
the ghost forsakes its current host and remains near the
satchel, hoping to possess someone else.
If Trex is killed, the ghost appears in an unoccupied
space within 5 feet of the kobold's body. On its next turn,
the ghost tries to possess one of the characters- prefer-
ably one who can take up its satchel.
Ml 2. FOSSILIZED SKULL AND PSI CRYSTAL
A fossilized skull partially juts out of the east wall of this

small cave, five feet off the ground. The skull has larger
than normal eye sockets, a curious ridge between the
eyes, nothing that would pass for a nose, and four small
holes where one would expect to see teeth.
The skull embedded in the wall is that of a mind flayer

that came up from the Underdark thousands of years
ago. How it became lodged in the stone is anyone's
guess. Any character who examines the skull and suc-
ceeds on a DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check concludes
that it came from a mind flayer. Any attempt to pry the
skull from the stone causes it to shatter and fall away,
revealing a crystal shard where the illithid's brain would
have been.
Treasure. The crystal shard lodged inside the fossil -
ized mind flayer skull is a psi crystal (see appendix D).
The psychic trauma that the mind flayer endured when
it died caused the crystal to form in its mind. A charac-
ter can use a miner's pick to pry loose the psi crystal. RETURNING TO TERMALAINE
A character who attunes to this psi crystal gains a
form of indefinite madness (see the Indefinite Madness If the characters return to Speaker Masthew and tell
table in the Dungeon Master's Guide). Determine the him the mine is cleared of monsters, he thanks them
result secretly, then convey this information only to the profusely and explains that he must inspect the mine to
character's player. The madness does not end until the verify its safety before they can be paid. He encourages
character is no longer attuned to the psi crystal. While the characters to spend a few days in Termalaine while
the madness lasts, the character can hear a repeating he conducts the investigation.
telepathic distress signal put out by an illithid ship that If there are no more kobolds in the mine and the grell
crashed in the mountains and track the signal to its has likewise been dealt with, Oarus returns to the char-
source (see "Id Ascendant," page 132). The only way to acters the next day and pays them 50 gp for their ser-
block the signal is by ending the character's attunement vices. If Trex is still in the mine and Janth's ghost wasn't
to the psi crystal. laid to rest, Oarus returns to Termalaine possessed by
the ghost. If the kobolds are gone but the grell remains,
Ml3. GEODE WORKFACE Oarus is killed by the grell and doesn't return , leaving
the town without a speaker. If the grell is still in the
mine when it reopens, a handful of local miners disap-
Sparkling geodes greet you as you enter this cavern. The pear over the next few days before the decision is made
gems are partially exposed in places, sticking out from to close the mine for good.
the walls like glassy shards. The floor rises near the east- ff the characters bring the kobolds to Termalaine,
ern wall, leaving a natural ridge with stone ramps leading Oarus is initially hesitant to let them stay in the town.
After hearing about their willingness to work. he de-
upward on either end.
cides to give them a chance and offers them menial jobs.
The kobolds, eager to prove themselves, tum out to be
Treasure. A character using a miner's pick who good workers. The townsfolk tease them at first, but
spends an hour chipping away at the walls can remove eventually the kobolds win them over. Janth's ghost, if it
an intact geode worth 10 gp. Up to fifty intact geodes hasn't been laid to rest, finds someone else to possess,
can be acquired in this way. causing Trex to revert to his skittish, much less intelli-
gent self.

99
ICEWIND DALE
ATABATJC WINDS SWEEP DOWN FROM THE CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT

Reghed Glacier, ceaselessly battering any-
thing that dares to grow or breathe in Icewind Although this chapter is designed for characters of 4th
Dale. Without fail, these winds find their way level or higher, some of its random encounters and
through every chink and crack, every open- locations are more dangerous than others. The char-
ing in the warmest furs, every tent flap, every roof and acters might need to run away and regroup, or take
board of the strongest homes, draining away any hint short or long rests between encounters, if they're going
of warmth. to survive.
The sun, held down below the horizon by the Frost- In this chapter, you decide how quickly the charac-
maiden's magic, offers no respite from winter's fury. ters advance in level. Treat the following as recom-
The days are twilit, the nights dark. As Auril casts her mendations:
nightly spell, a curtain of light weaves across the starry • The characters gain a level after spending two or
ky to keep the dawn at bay- an aurora that portends an three game sessions exploring Icewind Dale.
everlasting winter. Storms bring driving hail and sleet The characters gain a level for neutralizing the threats
that leaves everything coated in a sheath of ice. Snow in two or three of the dangerous locations described
piles in deep drifts and blocks all trails leading south in this chapter.
to warmer lands. The ice cliffs of the Reghed Glacier The characters gain a level if they accomplish an
rise in the east like prison walls, while the snow-capped extraordinary feat, such as ending the feud between
peaks of the Spine of the World loom to the south. North the goliath clans of Skytower Shelter and Wyrmdoom
and west, the Sea of Moving Ice churns icebergs and Crag, or surviving a close encounter with Arveiatu-
floes in a deadly tumult, like winter grinding its teeth in race the White Wyrm.
a nticipation of its next freezing assault.
Once the characters reach 7th level, they should no
Trapped in winter's cold embrace, nomadic humans
long gain levels by exploring locations or surviving ran-
follow herds of reindeer through their migrations, while
dom encounters in this chapter. Instead, direct them to
others dare the treacherous waters of the Sea of Mov-
the locations described in chapters 5 through 7.
ing Ice in search of fish, seals, walruses, and whales to
s ustain them. Dwarves dig into the earth to seek shelter
TALL TALES IN TEN-TOWNS
and mine for iron. Meanwhile, folk descended from
foolhardy and treasure-mad immigrants eke out meager By the time the characters reach 3rd level, they have
lives in Ten-Towns, which can barely hold back the wind, garnered enough of a reputation that NPCs in Ten-
let alone marauding ores, giants, and fierce tundra yeti. Towns will share tall tales with them. When the player
Despite the unnatural cold and other dangers, people characters are ready to explore more of Icewind Dale,
till brave the journey to reach this harsh winterscape, use the Tall Tales in Ten-Towns table to entice them.
searching for opportunity and adventure. You can either choose which tales to share with the
players, or you can ask each player to roll once on the ta-
ble. Let the players decide which tales (if any) they want
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER to investigate.
This chapter takes the adventure beyond Ten-Towns into
the far reaches of Icewind Dale, to places the adventur-
ers might visit as they investigate tall tales or undertake
quests. These adventure locations are scattered across
Icewind Dale, as shown on map 2.1 (page 113). Also
marked on this map are the remote locations featured in
chapters 3, 6, and 7.
CHAPTER 2 I ICEWIND DALE

101
TALL TALES IN TEN-TOWNS
d20 Tale
1-2 "They say the Frostmaiden lives on a misty isle hidden among the bergs 1
strange whale with a boat on its back that swims in those frigid waters. I be e 1s and is! You can catch
the whale at Angajuk's Bell, an old anchorage, but you must ring the bell a ca I it." (See "Angajuk's
Bell," page 114.)
3- 4 "There's this old black cabin that 's been around forever. No one knows w o t>u •
about it. Some say it 's haunted , but there's a gnome in Bryn Shander who ca a· ag,ca experiments are being
performed there. The gnome's name is Copper, and you 'll find him at the o se o· e orr>mg1ord" (See "House of the
Morninglord ," page 32 , and "Black Cabin ," page 116.)
5-6 "Nabira Moarskull, an Easthaven fisher, owned an enchanted fishhook that cou d catc magical fish. While she and her
friends were out on the ice one day, a pair of filthy gnolls attacked them . They illed abira and stole her fishing pole
and hook. Hunters from Easthaven tracked the gnolls to an icy rift in the ground b t ere too scared to go farther." (See
"Cackling Chasm," page 121.)
7- 8 "Head northwest out of Bremen , an ' you 'll see a pirate ship frozen in th e ice ess than a qu arter mile from shore. No one's
sure where it came from , but it's not goin ' anywhere so long as this dark winter asts I bet its hold 1s full o' treasure! " (See
"Dark Duchess ," page 127.)
9-10 "Did you see the weird comet that fell out of the sky a week ago? It went down in the mountains south of Ten-Towns, not
too far away. Since then, some folk have been receiving mental messages in a language they can't make out. I think the
comet might have something to do with that, and I bet you could find it easily enough , even in this weather." (See "Id As-
cendant," page 132.)
11 - 12 "Frost giants ruled this land long ago. Their leaders, the jarls, would meet atop a hill to the west to settle disputes . Their
thrones still rest on that hill." (See "Jarlmoot," page 137.)
13-14 "Goblin scavengers prowl the tundra on the backs of wolves or in wagons. They also like to ambush travelers on the Ten
Trail on this side of the mountain pass. Well, a group of trappers found the goblins' fortress in the mountains. Someone
should go there and wreck it." (See "Karkolohk," page 140.)
15 - 16 "Did you hear what happened to that evil wizard in Easthaven? They tied him to a stake and lit him on fire 1Why? 'Cause he
hired some Ten -Towners to help him find a buried tower, then killed 'em to keep its location secret. Well, one of 'em told
me where the tower's at! I wouldn 't go myself, but maybe it's somethin ' you 'd like to explore." (See "Lost Spire of Neth -
eril," page 145.)
17 "If you're looking for something hidden in lcewind Dale, the people you should talk to are the Reghed nomads. They know
every inch of this land and all its secrets. The tricky part is finding them. They tend to follow the reindeer herds." (See
"Reghed Tribe Camp," page 152.)
18 "I keep telling everyone the Everlasting Rime isn't the Frostmaiden 's doing. It's actually the Arcane Brotherhood , plotting
another takeover of Ten -Towns I A wizard who was burned at the stake in Easthaven admitted to being one of them , and he
said there are other Arcane Brotherhood wizards lurking among us. Vaelish Gant is behind it all, no doubt. The scoundrel
is locked away in Revel 's End, but that doesn 't make him any less dangerous . Someone should find out what he knows! "
(See "Revel's End ," page 154.)
19-20 "We don't see goliaths much around here, but there are two feuding clans in the Spine of the World. I bet if someone
from Ten-Towns were to help them put aside their differences, all the goliaths would benefit. I'd sure like to meet a goliath
someday!" (See "Skytower Shelter," page 161, and "Wyrmdoom Crag," page 166.)
l CEWIND DALE QUESTS gp incentive. Although this quest cannot be completed,
because the ship's crew left behind no rum or other
nstead of enticing players with the tall tales in the alcoholic beverage for the characters to purloin, other
'.1revious section, you can use any or all of the following treasures aboard the ship far surpass what the tavern-
:iuests to entice characters into exploring the locations keepers of Bremen could offer as a reward, so the quest
escribed in this chapter. is not without merit.
HALE OIL ACQ.UISITION DISTRESS SIGNAL
fogajuk's Bell quest (see page 114) Id Ascendant quest (see page 132)
Ten-Towners need whale oil to keep their stoves and The characters are approached by four psychically sen-
amps lit, and most of that oil comes from whale hunt- sitive Ten-Towners (human commoners) who have been
r on the Sea of Moving Ice, which has grown more kept awake by a telepathic distress signal that it seems
empestuous and difficult to navigate in recent months. only they can hear. They were drawn together by this
Helkajaggerath (half-elf commoner), a whale oil mer- common experience. They don't understand the mes-
hant in Bryn Shander. hires the characters to serve as sage (which is in Deep Speech) but know the direction
er bodyguards as she travel to Angajuk's Bell and rings it's coming from . They offer the characters 250 gp to
·he bell to summon the whale. There, they must help her investigate the source of the signal and silence it, if only
· rsuade the awakened sperm whale to ferry them to so they can get a good night's sleep. These Ten-Towners
·he whalers camped on the ice floes of the Sea of Mov- are briefly described below:
ng Ice so that Belka can buy as many casks of whale oil
.a she can. Vedda Starsprit, a stocky, paranoid, 30-year-old trap-
Each cask of whale oil weighs 50 pounds and costs 25 per with exotropia
.:p. Helka has 300 gp, which is enough to buy six casks Nars Beldrun, a tall , heavyset, 33-year-old shipwright
f whale oil and to pay the characters 150 gp for their from Targos who complains about everything
elp getting the casks safely back to Bryn Shander. She • Telvaster Hangingbell, a 25-year-old man from a well-
xpects the entire expedition to last a tenday, assuming off merchant family in Neverwinter, looking to escape
ngajuk cooperates. Helka cautions the characters not his responsibilities
· tell Angajuk what's in the casks, since the truth might Kaska Lang, a 30-year-old author writing a mystery
p et the whale. Her plan is to tell Angajuk that the novel about a series of fictional murders in Ten-Towns
asks contain fish oil , not whale oil.
YSELM'SWAY
PROVISIONS FOR MACREADUS Jar/moot quest (see page 137)
Black Cabin quest (see page 116) Yselm Blood fang, a human frost druid (see appendix
opper Knobberknocker, a gnome acolyte of Lathander C), is a former Reghed nomad of the Tiger Tribe who
_taying at the House of the Morninglord in Bryn gave up the nomadic lifestyle and settled in Ten-Towns
hander (see page 32), is worried about his friend, three years ago, before Auril's everlasting winter beset
. lacreadus, who's trying to build a device that can end lcewind Dale. A secret Auril worshiper, Yselm is known
he Everlasting Rime and return summer to Icewind throughout Ten-Towns as a skilled wilderness guide.
Dale. Copper asks the characters to bring provisions to She recently encountered an avatar of the Frost maid-
lacreadus at the Black Cabin and make sure he's all en- a female figure made of snow- that commanded her
~1ght. Because the gnome has paid for the provisions, he to find the characters and lead them to their doom. To
an't offer a reward; however, Mishann, the priest who that end, Yselm approaches the characters and claims
runs the House of the Morninglord, offers free healing to be looking for work . She tells them aboutJarlmoot
·o those who complete Copper's quest and return . ("a circle of giant thrones on a haunted hilltop") and
offers to lead them there for 25 gp. '·On nights of the full
G OLL HEADS moon," she adds, ''the spirit of Reggaryarva, jar! of jarls,
ackling Chasm quest (see page 121) will open his treasure vault to anyone who defeats his
champion."
Travus, the dragonborn speaker ofCaer-Konig, consid-
Yselm knows the way toJarlmoot but doesn't help the
ers gnolls to be a clear and present danger to his town .
characters fight any threats they encounter on the way,
He knows that a group of these savage predators has
nor will she enter the circle of thrones or assist in the
·aken refuge in the Cackling Chasm and offers the char-
battle against Reggaryarva's champion. If the characters
acters 10 gp for each gnoll head they bring back to him .
overcome the challenges posed by Reggaryarva, Yselm
ZERO RUM betrays and attacks them. A winter wolf sent by the
Dark Duchess quest (see page 127) Frostmaiden joins the fray on Yselm's side. Both villains
fight to the death.
The tavernkeepers of Five-Tavern Center in Bremen are
moaning their dwindling supplies of ale and spirits, PEACE OUT
ut they've heard rumors of a pirate ship stuck in the Karkolohk quest (see page 140)
e off the coast- and where there's a pirate ship, there
A goblin messenger from Karkolohk was recently
might be rum! The tavern keepers hire the characters to
captured in Bryn Shander and found to be carrying a
arch the ship's hold and bring back any alcoholic bev-
declaration of peace from Chief Yarb-Gnock, addressed
rages they find , offering to pay a fair price plus a 150

to Speaker Duvessa Shane. Yarb-Gnock would like BEHI D B A RS
Speaker Shane to send delegates to Karkolohk to con- Revel's End quest (see page 154)
duct "treaty negotiations." Sherriff Markham Southwell
Duvessa hane, the speaker of Bryn Shander, is wor-
doesn't believe a word ofYarb-Gnock's message and of-
ried about rumors that the Arcane Brotherhood has
fers a reward of 300 gp for the goblin chieftain's head.
sent operatives to Ten-Towns. She suspects that Vaelish
Upon arriving at Karkolohk, the characters discover
Gant, an Arcane Brotherhood wizard incarcerated at
that the declaration of peace is either a genuine attempt
Revel's End, might have information to share. Duvessa
to end hostilities with Ten-Towns, or a desperate ploy
asks the characters to question Gant and find out what
by Yarb-Gnock to lure adventurers to Karkolohk to that
he knows about Arcane Brotherhood activity in Ten-
they can help him escape. As the DM, you get to deter-
Towns, offering a reward of 250 gp if they obtain useful
mine Yarb-Gnock's true intentions (see "Gnome Diplo-
information. She also gives the party a signed letter
macy," page 141, for more information).
notifying Gant that, in exchange for his cooperation,
HUNT FOR THE RED YETI Duvessa will petition the Lords' Alliance for a reduction
Lost Spire of Netheril quest (see page 145) in Gant's sentence. If the characters get nothing out of
the prisoner, Duvessa asks them to inform the prison
Yeti are growing bold and striking closer to Ten-Towns warden that the Arcane Brotherhood might be plotting
than ever before, going so far as to venture onto frozen a jailbreak to free Gant. While there are no indications
lakes to attack ice fishers . Local merchants who earn a that a jailbreak is imminent, Duvessa avails herself of
living selling yeti hides and meat are offering up to 100 this opportunity to make Gant's life worse.
gp for every dead yeti brought back to Ten-Towns.
A hunter named Mylbor Tafferac (neutral evil human A GOLIATH PROBLEM
gladiator with Survival +7) has been scouring the Skytower Shelter quest (see page 161)
tundra for the Red Yeti-a yeti so terrifying and cruel
Kwan the Monolith Akannathi, a goliath warrior (see
that its fur is stained red with the blood of its kills. One
appendix C), left Skytower Shelter on a quest to find
night at a tavern, Mylbor bets the characters 300 gp that
Oyaminartok but ended up in Ten-Towns, where she
he'll find and kill the Red Yeti before they can. If the
indulged her addiction to games of chance. She recently
characters take the bet, the contest sparks excitement
dishonored herself by resorting to thievery to cover her
in taverns across Ten-Towns, leading to all sorts of
gambling debts. Now she wants to atone. She asks the
side-betting.
characters to help her return to Skytower Shelter and
The characters' search for the Red Yeti leads to the
convince Arn, chieftain of the Akannathi clan, to put
accidental discovery of the Lost Spire of Netheri\. Only
aside grievances and unite the goliaths of Skytower
after the characters explore the lost spire and return to
Shelter and Wyrmdoom Crag toward a common pur-
Ten-Towns do they discover the Red Yeti is dead- found
pose: bringing an end to the Frostmaiden's everlasting
and killed by the incomparable Mylbor Tafferac.
winter. Kwan has a stolen figurine of wondrous power
WOLF TRIBE CANNIBALS (silver raven) that she offers the characters as a reward
Reghed Tribe Camp quest (see page 152) for their help.
After several furriers and trappers disappear without a DRAGON BONE STEW
trace, a representative of the Wolf Tribe named AIuka Wyrmdoom Crag quest (see page 166)
(chaotic good werewolf in human form) comes to Ten-
Dannika Graysteel, a scholar whom the characters
Towns with a warning: a Wolf Tribe camp under the
might know from an earlier quest (see "Starting Quest:
command of an evil chieftain named Sangra Grisgir is
Nature Spirits," page 25), asks the characters to
resorting to cannibalism to survive. The furriers and
bring her some white dragon bones. Dannika has ac-
trappers are merely the camp's latest victims, and more
quired a recipe for a magical stew that imparts the same
disappearances are likely to occur unless the cannibals
benefit as a potion of resistance (cold). She thinks she
are dealt with. Aluka gives directions to the camp, but
can make a good supply of the stew if she gets enough
she can't risk an all-out war within her tribe, hence her
bones, which are the last ingredients she needs. Dan-
decision to let Ten-Towns and the characters deal with
nika has heard rumors that the bones of a white dragon
the problem.
can be found on a mountainside near Wyrmdoom Crag,
The Wolf Tribe cannibals have eaten all their sled
and she suggests the characters travel there and be-
dogs and their elderly. Even the children have been
seech the goliaths of the crag to part with a few of the
forced to resort to cannibalism to survive. If the char-
bones. Dannika will give her first batch of stew to the
acters act quickly, they can save the life of a lightfoot
characters for free (the equivalent of one potion each) if
halfling trapper (commoner) named Honeybee Little-
they help her.
bucket, who has managed to stay alive by convincing
Although the recipe is genuine, Dannika doesn't
the Wolf tribesfolk that she can catch snowshoe hares
realize that consuming dragon bone stew also causes
for them to eat. So far, Honeybee's traps have caught
madness, inflicting upon those who drink it the greed
nothing, and her time (and Chief Grisgir's patience) is
and paranoia of a dragon, which can be cured only by a
quickly running out.
greater restoration spell or similar magic.
CHAPTER 2 I TCEWIND DALE

l04
RANDOM WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS
WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS
d20 Encounter Difficulty
As the adventurers explore Icewind Dale, they might
Yeti Varies
come upon friendly, indifferent, or hostile creatures in
the wild. Such encounters can create suspense, rein- 2 Goliath werebear Easy
force the perilous nature of the setting, or create fun 3 Crag cats Easy
roleplaying opportunities. 4 Coldlight walker Medium
You decide if and when random encounters occur. Use 5 Ice troll Hard
them judiciously. One or two per game session is usu- 6 Frost druid and friends Medium
ally enough.
7 Chardalyn berserkers Hard
If you're not sure how often to schedule random en-
counters in a 24-hour period, you can leave it to chance 8 Frost giant riding a mammoth Deadly
by rolling a d8 and consulting the Number of Wilder- 9 Battlehammer dwarves Easy

ness Encounters table. 10 Arveiaturace (ancient white dragon) Deadly
11 Snowy owlbear Easy
NUMBER OF WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS 12 Gnolls Medium
d8 Number of Encounters 13 Ores of the Many-Arrows tribe Hard
One encounter in the morning (dawn to noon) 14 Goliath party Medium
2 One encounter in the afternoon (noon to dusk) 15 Chwinga Easy
3 One encounter in the evening (dusk to midnight) 16 Awakened beast Easy
4 One encounter at night (midnight to dawn) 17 lcewind kobolds Easy
5-6 Two encounters; roll a d4 on this table to determine 18 Humans Easy
when each encounter occurs 19 Herd of beasts Easy
7-8 No random encounter 20 Perytons Medium
RUNNING WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS ARVEIATURACE

Known to Ten-Towners as the White Wyrm, Arveia-
When you're ready to stage an encounter in the wilder-
turace is an ancient white dragon that lairs atop the
ness, roll two 20-sided dice of different colors. The first
Reghed Glacier. She remains the most fearsome preda-
d20 is the encounter die; the second d20 is the blizzard
tor in Icewind Dale, although age has clouded her eyes
die. Use them as follows:
with cataracts, limiting the range of her vision to 60 feet.
Roll the encounter die and consult the Random Wil- Her blindsight, hearing, and sense of smell are undimin-
derness Encounters table to determine what the char- ished, however. Fortunately for the residents of the dale,
acters come across. she prefers the taste of reindeer, walrus, and polar bear
Roll the blizzard die and add 1. If this total is higher flesh to that of humanoids. The dragon has·a healthy
than the encounter die roll, the encounter takes place respect for humanoids and has never threatened Ten-
during a blizzard (see "Blizzards," page 10). The Towns directly, though it wouldn't take much to provoke
blizzard starts ld4 hours before the encounter is trig- her into doing so.
gered and ends ld4 hours after it is resolved. At one time, Arveiaturace served a wizard named
The Random Wilderness Encounters table is struc- Meltharond, whose frozen corpse remains strapped to
tured so that certain monsters are more likely to be a saddle on the dragon's back. Arveiaturace has never
encountered in a blizzard than others. For example, at acknowledged his death and still speaks to his body as
the two extremes, yetis are always encountered in a bliz- if he were alive. He was, while he lived, her only friend
zard, whereas perytons almost never are. and confidant.
Some the random encounters are designed to test the Running the Encounter. If this encounter takes
characters in battle, while others encourage roleplaying. place during a blizzard, the dragon is buried under
All of them paint a picture of Icewind Dale as a harsh heavy snow, waiting out the storm with her outstretched
realm full of a wide variety of creatures struggling to wings lying flat at her sides. Her rider is visible above
survive. An encounter's difficulty-noted as Easy, Me- the surface, looking like a frozen , desiccated corpse
dium, Hard , or Deadly in the Difficulty column of the sitting in the snow. If the characters are close enough to
Random Wilderness Encounters table- assumes the touch the corpse, they're already on the dragon's back.
characters are 4th, 5th, or 6th level. It's okay for some If they attack or otherwise disturb Meltharond's corpse,
encounters to be easy and others to be hard or deadly. the dragon tries to shake them off. Each creature on
Easy encounters build players' confidence; hard and the dragon's back when she rises out of the snow must
deadly encounters force players to weigh their charac- succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone
ters' options and think outside the box. If the characters in an unoccupied space on the ground within 5 feet of
find themselves in a tough spot, give the players time to her. The blizzard's wind keeps her from flying, so the
try to find a way out of it, encourage them to be creative, characters' best hope of survival is to run away and lose
and award inspiration when appropriate. themselves in the storm.

105
f-lRV E IAT URACE THE W HITE W YRM AND 11ER MYSTERIOUS RIDER
If this e ncounter doesn't occur during a blizzard, The awakened beast that the characters encounter
the characters see Arveiaturace in the sky or on the is smart enough to stay out of harm's way. If the beast
ground . If she's on the ground, she's eating a polar bear is a dangerous predator such as a bear, tiger, or wolf,
or a herd of reindeer that she has killed with her breath it keeps its distance from the adventuring party so as
weapon . If this encounter occurs on the Sea of Moving not to provoke the characters into attacking it. If it is
Ice, the characters see the dragon erupt from the water harmed, the awakened beast retreats to a safe distance.
nearby with a dead walrus in her mouth; then she flies If it's cornered and doesn't like its chances of survival, it
back to the Reghed Glacier to devour her meal. As long bargains or pleads for its life. An awakened beast knows
as the characters keep their distance, the White Wyrm its territory well and can point characters to nearby lo-
ignores them . cations of interest, food sources, or safe places to rest in
exchange for its safety.
AWAKENED BEAST An awakened beast can be persuaded to help the
The frost druids of Icewind Dale use awaken spells to characters, and perhaps even join the party for a time.
imbue native beasts with an Intelligence score of 10 and Convincing a neutral awakened beast to travel with
the ability to speak Common or Druidic. The druids use the party requires an offering of food or shelter accom-
these awakened beasts as spies and messengers. Roll a panied by a successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion)
d8 and consult the Awakened Beast Encounter table to group check. If the group check succeeds, the beast re-
determine what kind of awakened beast the characters mains with the party for 24 hours, after which the char-
e ncounter. acters can repeat the group check to extend the duration
Running the Encounter. An awakened beast looks another 24 hours. An evil awakened beast accepts any
the same as its normal counterpart, except for a hint or offer to join the party (no check required), hoping to
gleam of intelligence in its eyes. It can be neutral or evil, gather more information about the characters or lead
at your discre tion . An awakened beast's task is to spy them into a trap.
on the characte rs and ascertain where they might be If asked to give its name, the awakened beast either
headed , then report back to its master- the frost druid comes up with a name on the fly or adopts a suggested
who awakened it. This druid might be nearby or many name that it likes. If you're having trouble coming up
miles away (your choice). For more information about with a voice for the awakened beast, try mimicking the
frost druids, see appendix C. speech of a cartoon character or a famous actor.

I06
AWAKENED BEAST ENCOUNTER within 100 feet of it are engulfed in swirling snow and
teleported to the icy path that leads to the Cave of the
d8 Awakened Beast
Berserkers (see page 124). There is no saving throw to
Polar bear
resist this teleportation effect.
2 Arctic fox (see appendix C)
3 Snowshoe hare (see appendix C) CHWINGA
4 Snowy owl Chwingas are elemental spirits that mean no harm.
5 Reindeer (use the elk stat block) with glow-in-the- They adapt quickly to almost any natural setting and
occasionally offer supernatural gifts to those they glom
dark antlers that emit dim light in a 10-foot radius
onto. But a blizzard can drive a chwinga insane, causing
6 Woolly rhinoceros
it to behave unpredictably until the blizzard passes.
7 Saber-toothed tiger The characters encounter a chwinga (see appendix
8 Wolf C) that makes its presence known by springing out of
a snowdrift or appearing from behind a frozen bush. It
BATTLEHAMMER DWARVES looks like a spindly, snow-white doll wearing a decora-
The shield dwarves of Clan Battlehammer have iron tive mask. In its tiny hands it holds a frozen berry, which
mines throughout the valley that extends from the base it offers to the characters.
of Kelvin's Cairn. The characters cross paths with a Running the Encounter. If the chwinga is sane, the
group of ld6 + 2 shield dwarf prospectors or fishers frozen berry is a harmless gift- a friendly offering with
wearing cold weather clothing, goggles, and snowshoes. a sweet taste. If the chwinga is insane, the frozen berry
The dwarves also have backpacks to hold their bedrolls, is bitter, and a character who eats it takes 1 poison dam-
mess kits, and rations. They carry fishing tackle or age and must succeed on a DC 8 Constitution saving
miner's picks, as appropriate. The dwarves are head- throw or be poisoned for the next hour.
ing home with a sleigh loaded with rock samples (if If this isn't the characters' first random encounter with
they're prospectors) or a rack of knucklehead trout (if a chwinga in Icewind Dale, you can substitute another
they're fishers). gift for the frozen berry, such as a handful of snowflakes
Running the Encounter. The dwarves are eager that won't melt for 24 hours or a beautifully carved
to get back to the valley and indifferent toward adven- icicle that melts like normal ice. If the chwinga is mad,
turers. A character can shift the dwarves' attitude to it might blow the snowflakes into a character's eyes to
friend ly by speaking to them in Dwarvish. Although the cause temporary blindness or stab a character with the
dwarves are grim, which is understandable given the icicle for 1 piercing damage.
inclement weather, they're neither violent nor spoiling After imparting its gift, a sane chwinga behaves as
for a fight. described in appendix C. An insane chwinga disappears
If a stat block becomes necessary, the dwarves are into the snow, then follows the characters and tries to
lawful good scouts, with these changes: steal little objects weighing 1 pound or less from them.
(Stolen items are then hidden in the snow and probably
Dwarf Traits: They have a walking speed of 25 feet
lost.) Whenever it tries to steal something from a charac-
and darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. They speak
ter, a chwinga must make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand)
Common and Dwarvish. They have advantage on
check. If the check result exceeds the character's pas-
saving throws against poison and resistance against
sive Wisdom (Perception) score, the chwinga snatches
poison damage.
the item and disappears without the theft being noticed.
They wield handaxes and light crossbows instead of
On a failed check, the character catches the chwinga in
shortswords and longbows.
the act, foiling the theft, whereupon the chwinga tries to
Here are some dwarf names, in case you need them: hide or flee. If it escapes, it keeps coming back to hurl
Bevris, Bolhild, Darrak, Dworic, Fallthra, Gardain, tiny snowballs at the character who thwarted it.
Harbek, Holst,Jarana, Kalanor, Morgrail, Nora, Nordak,
Olunt, and Ulf. COLDLIGHT WALKER
In the dark gloom of winter, this coldlight walker (see
CHARDALYN BERSERKERS appendix C) stands out like a beacon. Characters can
The characters encounter ld4 + 1 chardalyn berserk- see its light long before they can discern its form. The
ers (see appendix C), their flesh ravaged by frostbite. walker doesn't care that its light betrays its presence. As
Obsession with chardalyn has made these humans soon as it detects the characters, it closes in for the kill.
psychotic. They go wherever Auril's cruel winds guide Running the Encounter. The coldlight walker is the
them, crave violence, and fight to the bitter end. undead remnant of a Reghed nomad or the shambling
The berserkers retain vestiges of their former lives, in- corpse of an unfortunate Ten-Towner who was cast na-
cluding the thick clothing they wore as Reghed nomads, ked into the tundra as a sacrifice to Auril and perished
but their garments are torn and in need of repair. from exposure (see "Sacrifices to Auril," page 21).
Frostmaiden's Ring. One berserker wears a magic If this encounter takes place during a blizzard,
ring made of ice on one finger. The characters notice the characters experience the added terror of the
this ring if they search the dead berserker for treasure. Frostmaiden's whisper on the wind, telling them, "This
Inscribed on it is a tiny, six-pointed snowflake- the is the doom that awaits you all. This is the fate of any
Frostmaiden's symbol. If the ring is taken from the who dare to claim what is mine. Behold the final light."
dead berserker, the ring disappears and all creatures

107
FROST GIANT RIOI N G A MAMMOT H
CRAG CATS druid's awaken spell. These awakened beasts and plants
Roll a d4 to determine how many crag cats (see appen- serve as the druid's companions and spies, and they
dix C) the characters encounter. During a blizzard, the share the druid's evil disposition. Roll a d4 and consult
crag cats rely on their hearing and sense of smell to the Frost Druid Friends table to determine each crea-
track the characters while staying outside their prey's ture, or just roll once and assume all the creatures are
range of visibility. the same kind of beast or plant. (It's okay if multiples of
Running the Encounter. Make one Dexterity (Stealth) the same kind of creature are present, since the druid
check for all the crag cats involved in the encounter and might favor a certain kind of beast or plant.)
compare the result to the passive (Wisdom) Perception Running the Encounter. The frost druid aims to
scores of the party. Any character whose score equals kill the characters or send them scurrying back to Ten-
or exceeds the crag cats' check result is not surprised Towns. If the druid is killed or captured, its awakened
when the cats attack. companions behave as intelligent humans would when
If one or two crag cats are encountered, they stalk faced with the loss of their leader: either their morale
the characters but keep their distance, hoping to pick off breaks and they flee, or they become enraged and fight
individuals who becomes separated from the rest of the to the bitter end.
party. These crag cats aren't brave or foolish enough to One of the frost druid's prepared spells is moonbeam,
attack a group that outnumbers them. which can reveal the true form of any character who has
If three or four crag cats are encountered, their num- the Doppelganger secret (see appendix B).
bers embolden them. They attack the adventuring party
like a well-coordinated pack, focusing their attacks on FROST DRUID FRIENDS
the party member who looks the weakest and least ar- d4 Encounter
mored. If two or more crag cats die, the others retreat. Awakened tree (coniferous only)
2 Awakened mountain goat (see appendix C)
FROST DRUID AND FRIENDS
A frost druid (see appendix C) approaches the charac- 3 Awakened reindeer (use the elk stat block) with glow-
ters in the form of a mountain goat or a snowy owl. The in-the-dark antlers that emit dim light in a 10-foot
frost druid, who is human and can be of any gender, is radius
joined by three creatures that are beneficiaries of the 4 Awakened walrus (see appendix C)

108
FROST GIANT RIDING A MAMMOTH Running the Encounter. These goliaths are either
Even a raging blizzard can't conceal the presence of a members of the Akannathi clan from Skytower Shelter
frost giant riding a mammoth, as the earth rumbles (see page 161) or members of the Thuunlakalaga clan
and trembles with every one of the mammoth's heavy from Wyrmdoom Crag (see page 166). The Skytower
footfalls. goliaths are indifferent toward the characters, but the
Running the Encounter. The frost giant has come Wyrmdoom goliaths are friendly.
down from the Spine of the World mountains to hunt for The goliaths might be involved in a quest, a scavenger
wild game on the tundra or on the shores of the Sea of hunt, or an elaborate dare. They might also be looking
Moving Ice. If the characters hide in the snow and keep for Oyaminartok (see the "Goliaths" entry in appendix
their distance, the giant and its mount continue unim- C) or searching for a friend who got separated from
peded, and the encounter ends without bloodshed. them in a blizzard. They won't attack characters out of
Characters who confront the giant and the mammoth hand, but Wyrmdoom goliaths might challenge one or
are in for the fight of their lives, for the evil giant is more characters to an athletic contest. If the characters
happy to claim their heads as trophies as well as their accept this challenge, roll on the Athletic Contests ta-
treasures. In addition to its greataxe, the giant carries ble to determine what game the goliaths propose. The
a large net that it uses to catch walruses and seals, as goliaths are mostly interested in bragging rights, but
well as an enormous lance made from a sharpened they're open to other possible rewards. For example, the
mast that it uses to spear creatures while it is mounted. characters might propose that the losing team carry the
This lance deals 25 (3d12 + 6) piercing damage in the winning team's gear for a day.
giant's hands.
A character who speaks Giant can use an action to try ATHLETIC CONTESTS
to change the frost giant's attitude from hostile to indif- d4 Contest
ferent, either by offering it treasure worth at least 1,000 Tug o' War. Two teams grip opposite ends of a
gp or by convincing it that the party is on a quest that SO-foot-long rope: the goliaths on one side, the ad-
would benefit frost giants in some way. For example,
venturing party on the other. The teams need not
the frost giant considers Arveiaturace (see page 105) a
have the same number of members, and the goliaths
natural enemy and might spare adventurers who claim
have no objection to being outnumbered. If the
to be hunting the great white dragon. The giant might
also allow characters to pass unmolested if they claim to sum of the characters' combined Strength scores
be on a quest for the spirits ofJarlmoot (see page 137). is higher than the sum of the goliaths' combined
Changing the giant's attitude in this way requires a Strength scores, the characters win the tug o' war. If
successful DC 17 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) the sums are the same, the contest ends in a draw.
check in addition to a sufficient bribe or a convincing Otherwise, the goliaths win.
tory. If the check fails, subsequent checks made by the 2 Hand Standing. Each participant must do a hand-
characters to change its attitude have disadvantage. stand and hold that position for as long as possible.
The contest ends when the majority of one team
GNOLLS
Ravenous and horrifying are the gnolls that prowl Ice- can't hold their handstands and either give up or fall
wind Dale. Only their small numbers keep them from over. Resolve the contest using DC 10 Strength (Ath-
ravaging Ten-Towns, gutting its residents, and wearing letics) group checks: each team repeats the group
their torn-out ribcages as hats. The characters encoun- check until one team fails it.
ter a hungry pack of ld4 + 3 gnolls. They cackle with 3 Shrub Pulling. Two frozen shrubs of roughly equal
glee as they move in for the kill. size are located nearby, and each team picks a cham-
These gnolls come from the Cackling Chasm (see pion. Whichever champion uproots their shrub first
page 121), which provides them with shelter. Gnolls wins the contest for their team. The champions make
that are captured can lead the characters back to their
one or more simultaneous DC 20 Strength (Athlet-
lair, where they hope to gang up on the characters after
ics) checks; the first one to succeed wins. If both
luring them there.
succeed at the same time, the one who rolled the
Running the Encounter. The gnolls are forced to
range far and wide in search of food. Their hunger over- highest uproots their shrub first. If both succeed and
rides their reason, such that they fight until being cap- their rolls are the same, the contest ends in a draw.
tured or killed. Any element of surprise the gnolls might 4 Boulder Roll. Two 10-foot-diameter boulders are dug
gain by attacking the characters during a blizzard is lost up, and a finish line is drawn in the snow SO feet
because the creatures can't contain their excitement. away from them. The first team to roll its boulder
Their anticipatory cackling betrays them. across the finish line wins. Resolve the contest with
a series of simultaneous DC l S Strength (Athletics)
GOLIATH PARTY
group checks. With each successful check, a team
The characters come across four goliath warriors (see
rolls its boulder 10 feet closer to the finish line.
appendix C). They stride through the snow in single file,
paced about 10 feet apart.

109
,,,. :J
, ,,
- ' I•
., .·, .,
}
REINDEER fiERD
.
GOLIATH WEREBEAR HERD OF BEASTS
The characters encounter a goliath werebear (see The characters come across a herd of beasts that
appendix C) in polar bear form, galumphing through is struggling to survive the endless winter. In clear
the snow, belly-surfing down a snowy hill, or breaking weather, the characters can spot a herd from hundreds
through the ice on a frozen pond to catch a fish. If this of feet away, even in the dark. If encountered in a bliz-
encounter occurs during a blizzard , the characters zard , the beasts are hunkered down in the snow and
might come upon the bear in a cave or other shelter. The harder to see. To determine what kind of herd is encoun-
werebear is either Oyaminartok herself (see the "Goli- tered, roll a d6 and consult either the Sea of Moving Ice
aths" entry in appendix C) or one of her kin. Herds table or the Tundra Herds table, as appropriate.
Running the Encounter. If the characters look like Running the Encounter. At the start of the encounter,
they need help, the werebear assumes hybrid form and the herd is indifferent toward the characters and poses
greets them in a friendly manner. It has no clothing or no threat to them. If the characters threaten the herd,
manufactured weapons nearby, so it prefers its hybrid a single bull might attack them while the rest of the
form over its true goliath form. herd flees.
The werebear is happy to render assistance with no Ten-Towners and Reghed nomads oppose the mass
strings attached, serving as a wilderness guide until it slaughter of beast herds, since healthy herds are critical
feels like the characters can get by on their own. If the to the survival of other species. If the characters are of a
characters insist on repaying its kindness, the werebear mind to slaughter beasts indiscriminately, NPCs travel-
urges them to seek out and destroy the chardalyn ber- ing with them might remind them of this fact.
serkers in their lair (see "Cave of the Berserkers," page Wherever large herds are encountered, characters can
124). The werebear understands how chardalyn can expect to find humans as well. Hunters in canoes pur-
become corrupted by demonic magic and sees the ber- sue herds of killer whales, seals, and walruses on the
serkers as irredeemable victims of this corruption. Put- Sea of Moving Ice, while trappers, furriers , and Reghed
ting the berserkers out of their misery will help make nomads follow herds on land . After the characters en-
Icewind Dale a safer place. counter a herd, you can stage a subsequent encounter
with a group of these humans (see "Humans" in the next
section).

IIO
SEA OF MOVING lcE HER DS Characters with the Outlander background have
advantage on abili ty checks to improve the attitudes of
d6 Herd
hunters or Reghed nomads. Before any s uch check can
3d6 killer whales be made, however. a cha racter must give the hunters or
2- 4 6d6 seals (see appendix C) nom ads something of use (provision s or pipeweed, for
5-6 4d6 walruses (see ap pendix C) example) or honor them or their chieftain with a gift.
If the characters change the attitude of a group of
TUNDRA HERDS Reghed nomads from indifferent to fr iend ly, the nomads
invite the party to their nea rest ca mps ite (see "Reghed
d6 Herd
Tribe Camp," page 152), where the nom ads provide
1-2 4d 6 elk food , drink , a nd s helter.
3- 4 3d6 mammoths
5-6 5d6 reindeer (use the elk stat block); one out of every REGHED TRIBES
six has glow-in-the-d a rk antlers that emit d im light in d20 Tri be Starting Attitude
a 10-foot rad iu s. 1-5 Bear Ind iffere nt
6- 13 Elk Indifferent
HUMANS
14-17 Tige r Hostile
To withstand the extremely cold temperatures a nd
18- 20 Wolf Hostile
vicious winds, humans of the Far North must wrap
themselves in cold weather clothing, exposing as little
of their fl esh to th e elem ents as possible. They must also ICE TROLL
contend with mon s trous threats unique to this realm . A hostile ice troll (see a ppendix C) wa nders the da rk
lf this encounter takes place in the tundra. the char- tundra in sea rch of prey.
acters come across a scouting party of 1d6 + 4 Reghed Running the Encounter. The troll lacks guile a nd
nom ads (tribal warriors of the Bear, Elk, Tiger. or Wolf ta kes no precautions as it lumbers towa rd what it
tribe) or a s imilarly sized group of tra ppers a nd furriers assum es will be a n easy kill, undaunted by blizza rd
(scouts) out of Ten-Towns. If the characters a re on the conditions a nd hungry enough to ris k wh atever fire the
S ea of Moving Ice. they encounter a pa rty of ld6 + 4 cha racters hurl in its direction .
hunters (tribal warriors) on an ice floe or in canoes,
lCEWIND KOBOLDS
hunting sea ls, walruses , or wha les .
This encounter is with 2d4 Icewind kobolds (see ap-
If yo u need impromptu names for these NPC , pu II
pendix C). Th ey are either looking for a white dragon to
from the foll owing list: Affra , Alif, Amina. Brynja r, Chen,
wors hip or marching towa rd Ten-Towns, hoping to find
E remon. Hekili , His hi, Iona , Ka maka ni, Koamalu ,
food and s helter.
Ling, Ma rgrath, Marrak , Nawra, Noboru . Omolara,
Running the Encounter. If this encounter takes pl ace
Otili a, Qu a n. Sal adin, Shatha, Sigurd , Stalvin , Udo,
during a bli zzard , the kobolds are huddled a round a
and Yn gvild .
s mall. s puttering campfire in side a hastily bui lt igloo.
Running the Encounter. Friendly trappers and
Otherwi se, the kobolds are trud gin g through the s now,
furri ers from Ten-Town s are ha ppy to s hare the follow-
bundled in s hoddy cloa ks made from s titched-together
in g tidbits :
weasel pelts a nd using their javelins to help them negoti-
• "Perytons s woop down from the mountains to hunt. If ate the fro zen ground ahead of them.
you catch sight of one, hide under the s now and hope If th ey're los t, the kobolds mi ght ask th e cha racters
it didn't see you ." for directions. If outnumbered and threat ned , they
• "If you eat the heart of an ice troll. you'll ga in offer paym ent in exchange for sa fe passage. Other-
the troirs power for a day. But you mus t eat th e wise. they try to rob th e characters of their provisions
whole hea rt." and treasure.
"Wa nna know the safest way to explore the S ea of Treas ure . Each kobold ca rries a pouch conta ining
Moving k e? Vi sit Angajuk's Bell on the coast and 5 s p and 5 cp. The kobolds hope these coins will be
catch the ride of a lifetime!"' enough to a ppease the drago n they seek to serve or to
• "If you see a cloa ked elf wi th charcoal-colored s kin , pay for food and s helter in Ten-Town s. At your discre-
purple eye , and a pair of glea ming sci mitars, for the tion , one of the kobold s might also be holdin g a p otion of
love of Sun e, don't attack 'im! '' hea ling or some oth er common magic item.
Hunters, though territoria l, tend to be indifferent to-
ORCS OF THE MANY- ARROWS TRIBE
ward s trangers. They trad e with folk from the mainland
Of the ore tribes living in th e mounta ins . the most pow-
on occasion but prefer to be left a lone oth erwise.
erful by far is the Many-Arrows tribe . At va riou s times
If the characters encounter Reghed nomads, deter-
in recent hi s tory, the great chiefta ins of thi s tribe have
mine which tribe the nomads belong to and their initial
grown powerful enough to unite the ores under the
attitude towa rd the cha racters by rolling on the Reghed
Many-Arrows ba nner. S ome of these leade rs have led
Tribe ta ble. You can m a ke a hos tile encounter with
the ores through times of great peace. whi le oth ers have
Reghed nomads tougher by adding more powerful tribe
used their power to conquer and destroy in the name of
members to th e group (see the "Regh ed Nomads" sec-
Gruumsh , the ore god of slaughter.
tion in a ppendix C).

III
This encounter is with an ore war chief, who leads a PERYT0NS
hunting party that includes an ore eye of Gruumsh, six Two perytons-a mated pair-have come down from the
ores, and a half-ogre. Painted in dry blood on the eye Spine of the World mountains to hunt. They're looking
of Gruumsh's shield is the symbol of the Many-Arrows to rip out the heart of a humanoid and take it back to
tribe: a crude skull impaled by three arrows. their nest, where the female peryton must consume the
Running the Encounter. These ores have come down heart to reproduce.
from the mountains in search of food to feed themselves Running the Encounter. The perytons' keen eyesight
and other members of their tribe. Given the scarcity enables them to spot prey from great heights, while the
of food sources, they regard wayward travelers as fair dark sky makes them harder to see. Characters who
game. Those they kill or capture are hauled back to the have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or lower
mountains as meat to feed the tribe. are surprised when the perytons attack.
Despite their hunger and desperation, these ores As an action, a peryton can rip out the heart of a dead
can be reasoned with. Their initial attitude toward the humanoid within 5 feet of it. Once they obtain such a
characters is hostile, but any character can try to come prize, the perytons disengage from battle and return to
to terms with them by offering the ores something they their nest. The perytons won't break off their attack until
can't get by simply killing the characters and taking they get a heart.
their stuff. This includes, but isn't limited to, a song
written to honor the chieftain of the Many-Arrows tribe, SNOWY OWLBEAR
a drawing of Gruumsh (the ore god of slaughter) killing A snowy owlbear combines the features of a snowy owl
Corell on (the head of the elven pantheon), or directions and a polar bear (see appendix C). This specimen is a
to an alternative food source. Characters who speak Ore ferocious, full-grown adult. Blizzards and cold weather
while conducting the negotiation have advantage on abil- don't concern it. Only a character who has the Owlbear
ity checks made to improve the ores' attitude toward the Whisperer secret (see appendix B) can befriend it.
party, as does a character with the Ore Stone secret who Running the Encounter. The snowy owlbear is hun-
uses the stone to summon an ore spirit. Characters who gry enough to kill and eat humanoids, though it prefers
speak Elvish or Dwarvish during the negotiation have fish and the flesh of hares, foxes, walruses, seals, and
disadvantage on such checks. If a worthy offering is pack animals such as mules and axe beaks. If the char-
made as part of the negotiation, the DC of ability checks acters toss food at it, the owlbear eats that food before
made to improve the ores' attitude is 15; otherwise, chasing after more elusive prey.
the DC is 20.

II2
J JK;;j ,"' 1'· ' . ), bi!' ,
j
ICEWIND DALE
If a character coaxes the owlbear into becoming the Running the Encounter. To determine which party
party mascot, you can tax the characters in gold to members are surprised, have each character make a
keep their pet fed and happy. The cost of feeding the Wisdom (Perception) check contested by the yetis' Dex-
owlbear is 9 gp per day, which is based on it eating the terity (Stealth) check. Characters can use their passive
equivalent of three pigs (the Player's Handbook values a Wisdom (Perception) scores instead of making the
pig at 3 gp). check. If multiple yetis are present, make one check-
with adva ntage- for all of them.
YETI After gorging themselves on the humanoids they kill,
This encounter always occurs during a blizzard. Roll adult yetis and abominable yetis like to bite off the vic-
a d6 and consult the Yeti Encounter table to determine tims' heads and keep them as trophies.
what the characters encounter, or choose an encounter
that you like.
PLACES OF INTEREST
Y ETI ENCOUNTER
The remainder of this chapter describes places of in-
d6 Encounter Difficulty terest throughout Icewind Dale. Map 2.1 notes their
1-3 l d4 yeti Medium locations, although you can move them elsewhere to
4-5 1 abominable yeti Hard suit the needs of your campaign. Although characters
6 1 yeti tyke (see append ix C) Easy can stumble upon a location accidentally while traveling
overland, they are more likely to be guided to a location
by a tall tale (see the Tall Tales in Ten-Towns table on
Yetis and abominable yetis like to hide under the snow
page 102) or a quest.
with only their pale blue eyes visible. They have advan-
The adventure locations that follow are balanced for
tage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide because
characters of at least 4th level. Lower-level characters
of their Snow Camouflage ability, and their keen sense
can survive the encounters in these locations if they're
of smell lets them detect prey they can't see through the
cautious and manage their resources well, although
blowing snow.
they should be prepared to flee or hide when they find
If the characters encounter a yeti tyke, assume it ei-
themselves out of their depth. Characters of 6th level or
ther ran away from home or got separated from its par-
higher will face few real challenges, but you can soften
ents and is lost in the blizzard. See appendix C for more
them up and deplete their resources by staging random
information to help you roleplay this monster.
encounters as they travel to and from a given location.

II3
Angajuk periodically visits an anchorage off the
ANGAJUK'S-BEtlJ coastline. a rocky arch formed by the action of tidal
waters, and can be summoned there by ringing a bell
attached to the pier. Thick ice covers this rock forma-
tion, extending all the way to the shore. On the shore
nearby is Anga's old stone cabin, which has weathered
time's passage.
ANGAJUK'S BELL LOCATIONS

-------
Al. FROZEN PIER

A rowboat is stuck in the ice, trapped against a 10-foot-
long wooden pier. The pier is ice-glazed and slippery.
The characters don't need the boat, since they can sim-
ply walk across the ice to reach Angajuk's Bell (area A3).
A2 . STONE CABIN
A small, domed cabin faces the bay. A bloated door cov-
I ered in ice and dormant barnacles hangs slightly ajar on

rusted hinges.
Anga once lived in this small stone cabin near the pier,
which made it convenient for her to visit Angajuk. The
place has been vacant for decades.
Thick rime coats every surface and object inside the
cabin, including a bed draped in a thick knit blanket.
Beside the bed, a small hearth holds a precious store of
firewood. The firewood is infested with worms that have
MAP 2 . 2 : AN GAJUK'S BELL
eaten away at the tender parts of the wood, but it's safe
to burn. There is enough wood to fuel a nightly fire for
three days, and it is stored in six bundles that weigh 30
ANGAJUK'S BELL pounds each.
Swimming in the frigid waters is the legendary Angajuk,
an old awakened sperm whale with a boat on its back. A3. BELL
Most sperm whales live to be seventy years old, but A 1-foot-diameter copper bell dangles from a 10-foot-tall
Angajuk has been plying the waters of the Sea of Mov- wooden pole attached to this short wooden pier. The bell
ing Ice for two hundred years. Throughout its life, the comes with a rope and clapper. Ringing the bell soon
whale has faced its share of trouble, including near-fatal attracts three giant vultures, who think that the sound
encounters with Auril's roe, which left scars along the signals mealtime or the presence of prey. They attack
whale's pectoral fins and body. unless the characters offer meat to satisfy them.
Angajuk is famous among Ten-Towners. Most people Angajuk Arrives. It takes 30 minutes for Angajuk
leave it alone, knowing that the whale is the benefi- the sperm whale (see appendix C) to arrive after the
ciary of powerful magic, but uncaring hunters see the bell is rung, accompanied by ld4 harmless narwhals or
whale as a source of ambergris, which is a valuable dolphins. Angajuk has an Intelligence of 10 and speaks
commodity. Common. Its deep, resonant voice carries a slight echo.
Angajuk was once the companion of a druid named Once the whale appears, characters must persuade it
Anga, who cast an awaken spell on Angajuk to give the to be of service (see "Earning Angajuk's Trust" below).
whale sentience and intelligence. Not much is known Otherwise, it submerges and departs after a few min-
about Anga, but those who befriend Angajuk can learn utes. If the whale is befriended and the characters com-
about its beloved companion. municate their desired destination to it, Angajuk takes
Characters might learn about Angajuk by overhearing them where they want to go provided the location is on
a rumor in Ten-Towns (see "Tall Tales in Ten-Towns," or in the Sea of Moving Ice. The awakened whale knows
page 101) or by agreeing to help a whale oil merchant the location of the Frostmaiden's island and, despite
(see "Whale Oil Acquisition," page 103). Angajuk is some close encounters with Auril's roe, is willing to
one of the safest ways to get to Auril's island, because travel there.
the sperm whale can travel beneath the water's surface, Angajuk's boat can hold up to eight Medium creatures
avoiding Auril's spies. When the whale is submerged, and their gear, and up to 1,000 pounds of cargo.
a magic bubble surrounds the boat to protect those
riding in it.

II4
Angajuk's Bubble. To ensure safe transport and to Fending Off Hunters. If the characters are having trou-
partake in undersea research, Anga designed a boat ble finding another way to earn Angajuk's trust, use
and strapped it to Angajuk's back. As the whale sub- the "Whale Hunt" encounter below. Defending the
merges, a bubble appears around the boat, enabling whale against these hunters earns its trust.
its passengers to breathe comfortably underwater.
Creatures in the boat can exit the bubble whenever they WHALE HUNT
want, but nothing can pass through the bubble from out- This is an optional encounter you can use to help the
side it. The bubble is magical but can't be dispelled. characters earn Angajuk's trust.
Hunters from distant Waterdeep have come to the
A4. HOLE IN THE ICE
Sea of Moving Ice to harvest ambergris, a precious sub-
When summoned, Angajuk surfaces through this hole in
stance formed in sperm whales' stomachs and typically
the ice, expels a gush of seawater from its blowhole, and
harvested from a dead whale's remains. Although it
settles itself at a height that enables people to climb up
smells foul when initially exposed to air, the scent grows
and into the boat attached to its back.
sweet over time. As such, ambergris is popular among
perfumers as well as mages who use the greasy sub-
EARNING ANGAJUK'S TRUST _ _ __
stance in various arcane rituals. The raw form of amber-
Earning passage on the whale's back requires more gris is a waxy lump approximately 2 feet long.
than just ringing the bell. Characters must earn Anga-
juk's trust and can do so in any of the following ways: THE WHALE HUNTERS
Five whale hunters (neutral evil human thugs) were
Offering an Octopus. Angajuk says it would be happy to
staying at the Black-Bearded Brother, a tavern in Bre-
provide transportation if the characters catch an octo-
men, when they learned about Angajuk's Bell. The
pus for it to eat. Octopi can be caught by fishing off the
hunters arrive shortly after the characters but before the
pier, but any hint of light deters them. Use the fishing
whale's arrival. They wear cold weather clothing and
rules (page 11), only replace the knucklehead trout
have brought four casks of oil with them. They intend to
with an octopus.
pour the oil through the hole in the ice, contaminating
Befriending Its Comrades. Angajuk lives alongside
the water around Angajuk's Bell and poisoning the crea-
other sea creatures, including narwhals and dolphins.
tures in it.
The characters can lure one of these creatures to the
The leader of the hunters, an older gray-haired man
surface with an offering of food (such as a fish) and
namedJendren Uruth, tries to recruit the characters, of-
befriend it with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Animal
fering each of them an equal share of "the take." Jendren
Handling) check, which pleases Angajuk.
is not an honest man, but his fight is against Angajuk, SPIRIT OF MACREADUS
not a well-armed party of adventurers. If the characters From the Border Ethereal, the restless spirit of
stand between him and his prey, however,Jendren tries Macreadus can observe happenings in and around the
to intimidate them into leaving Angajuk's Bell. Scaring cabin, but it can't manifest physically on the Material
him off requires a successful DC 17 Charisma (Intimi- Plane. Characters can see the restless spirit of Macrea-
dation) group check, since he's dead set on getting his dus and interact with it only if they cross over to the Bor-
ambergris. If the party's group check succeeds, Jendren der Ethereal, which is what happens to someone who
and his fellow hunters withdraw, only to return 24 dies in the cabin (see "Dying in the Black Cabin" below).
hours later. In the Border Ethereal, the spirit of Macreadus mani-
If the characters fail to keep the hunters from execut- fests as a giant, floating, spectral head with fire burning
ing their plan, the oil poisons and muddies the water in its eyes. Arrogant in life, Macreadus remains so in
for 4 days. After a day of contamination, several dead death. He's snappy and egotistical, blaming everything
knucklehead trout float to the surface. However, much but himself for his failure. He welcomes the company of
to the hunters' dismay, the sperm whale avoids the area others, but anyone who questions his motives or mocks
even after the bell is rung. (For as long as the water is his invention quickly loses his favor. He spent months
poisoned, Angajuk realizes this and cannot be sum- locked away in the cabin, building the Summer Star
moned.) While waiting for the whale, the hunters camp so he could end the Everlasting Rime, becoming more
out on the pier or in Anga's cabin. After three more days, and more desperate to see it through. He had hoped to
they conclude that the poison didn't work and that the make a name for himself and win Lathander's praise- is
whale needs to be lured to the surface with bait. The that so wrong?
desperate hunters try to capture a character to use for If the characters try to finish his work, Macreadus
this purpose and, if successful, bind and lower the char- helps as much as his bodiless form allows. To lay his
acter into the water as a lure. Angajuk rises just long spirit to rest, the characters must fix his creation's de-
enough to fling the lure out of the water, sending the sign flaw and then activate it, all within the confines of
character sprawling across the ice, before submerging the Black Cabin, where Macreadus can observe the re-
and leaving the area, denying the hunters their prize. sults. Once he sees the device working as intended, his
Jendren's death breaks the morale of the other hunt- spirit departs to the afterlife.
ers, who head back to Bremen in defeat.
DYING IN THE BLACK CABIN
BLACK CABIN If a creature with an Intelligence of 3 or higher dies
inside the Black Cabin, its spirit (if it has one) leaves its
Characters might be drawn to this location by a tale
body and assumes a spectral form on the Border Ethe-
told in Ten-Towns (see the Tall Tales in Ten-Towns table
real until the creature is brought back from the dead.
on page 102) or by a desire to help a gnome in Bryn
This is what happened to Macreadus, and the same fate
Shander (see "Provisions for Macreadus," page 103),
awaits characters who perish in the cabin.
or they might happen upon the Black Cabin while cross-
If a character dies in the cabin and its spirit manifests
ing the open tundra.
in the Border Ethereal, the player can choose the form
the spirit takes. It might look like a spectral image of the
SECRET OF THE BLACK CABIN
dead character, or it might be something bizarre like a
The Black Cabin was built by a ranger of the Far North ghostly crow or a blob of ectoplasmic energy.
long before the founding of Ten-Towns. When he Regardless of the form it takes, the spirit is not a crea-
moved on, the lodge became a refuge for others seek- ture and can't be harmed or turned. It can't make attack
ing sanctuary from the wind sweeping down from the rolls and doesn't make saving throws, and conditions
Reghed Glacier. don't apply to it. It can't cast spells or attune to magic
Six months ago, Macreadus, a sage and devout items. Creatures on the Material Plane can't see the
follower of Lathander (god of the dawn and rebirth), spirit without some ability or magic that lets them gaze
formed a plan to end Auril's everlasting winter. He holed into the Border Ethereal. A spirit in the Border Ethe-
up in the Black Cabin, where he spent all his time as- real can't speak to creatures on the Material Plane, or
sembling a weather-controlling magical device called vice versa.
the Summer Star, using knowledge he gleaned from The spirit can do the following and nothing else:
a book about Netherese artifacts. Macreadus's device
, The spirit can move through the Border Ethereal. It
was similar in design to a mythallar (see appendix D),
has a flying speed of 30 feet, and it can hover. It can
but much smaller. Unfortunately for him, it had a seri-
pass through solid surfaces that are visible on the
ous design flaw. When Macreadus tried to use it three
Material Plane to explore closed-off parts of the cabin;
days ago, it malfunctioned, incinerating both him and
it is bound to the cabin, however, and can't move more
his book. Characters who search the cabin can find the
than 30 feet away from it.
sage's charred skeleton and his deadly creation.
• The spirit can make ability checks based on Dexterity,
Since the mishap, Macreadus's restless spirit has
Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma only. It applies no
lingered in the Border Ethereal, unwilling to depart
modifiers to these checks.
until its work is complete. (For more information on the
, As an action, the spirit can attempt to exert up to 5
Border Ethereal, see the "Ethereal Plane" section in the
pounds of force on a creature or object no more than 5
Dungeon Master's Guide.)
feet away from it in the Material Plane, doing so with

n6
a successful DC 10 Charisma check. The spirit might
use this ability to move a tiny object, write a message
on a frosty or sooty surface, operate a simple tool, or
tap someone on the shoulder, but the force isn't strong
enough to cause harm to a creature.
The spirit can see other spirits in the Border Ethereal
(including the spirit of Macreadus) and speak to them.
The spirit knows the languages it knew in life.
APPROACHING THE CABIN
Perched on the edge of a snowy ridge above a gorge is a

black lodge on wooden stilts. Whatever path might have
led to this ramshackle retreat lies buried under snow.
Icy steps climb to a snow-covered walkway that
clings to the south side of the structure. The building's
slumped posture and sagging, snow-covered roof,
coupled with the broken windows and loose, flapping
shutters, suggest utter abandonment. Large snowdrifts
huddle around the rotting stilts and engulf a nearby
woodshed and outhouse. Only the wind visits this sinis-
ter place.
The Black Cabin has two stone chimneys that rise sev-
eral feet above its sagging roofline. The rest of the lodge
is made of rotting wood. The stilts that elevate the struc-
ture are 20 feet tall, and characters who walk under-
neath the old building can tell that its wooden floors are
in poor condition, perhaps even in danger of collapse in MAP 2 .3 : BLACK CABIN
one location (see area B4).

It's clear to anyone surveying the Black Cabin that
part of the ridge it rests on fell away some time ago, a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save,
leaving the westernmost section of the building hanging the creature drops 20 feet straight down into the snow,
over the gorge. All of the cabin's doors are closed and taking 1 bludgeoning damage from the cushioned fall
unlocked, and its windows are big enough for characters and landing prone. On a failed save, the creature slides
to climb through. down the collapsing walkway to the west and plunges
into the gorge, taking 49 (14d6) bludgeoning damage
BLACK CABIN LOCATIONS from the hard fall and landing prone.
B3. WORKSHOP
Bl. OUTHOUSE
This wooden outhouse is half-buried in snow. Charac-
ters who clear a path to the door and peer inside find a
stack of discarded notes and blueprints, which Macrea-
I Frost covers every surface of this abandoned workshop. I
dus used as toilet paper. The workshop contains a set of smith's tools and a set of
tinker's tools spread across a wooden table along with
B2_ WOODEN WALKWAY some twisted bits of metal.
Both entrances to the cabin are off this rickety, A bookcase against the north wall has a family of
snow-covered walkway, the steps and boards of which harmless squirrels living in it. (The squirrels come and
crackle and creak underfoot. go through a tiny hole in the floor near one of the cabin's
There's a 4-foot-wide gap in the walkway that char- stilts.) Apart from some scraps of paper and other detri-
acters can easily leap across without making an ability tus that the squirrels have collected, the bookshelf holds
check. But the walkway west of the gap (outside the door nothing of interest.
to area B4) collapses if more than 150 pounds of weight
are placed on any 5-foot section of it. Any creature on
the section of walkway when it collapses must make
CHAPTER 2 I !CEWIND DALE

rr7
amulet's pendant and chain are made of gold, and the
pendant bears the symbol of two hands cupping the sun.
Summer Star. This magic item looks like a
6-inch-diameter gyroscope featuring two scorched rings
inlaid with runes and a dense chunk of coal at its core.
The Summer Star has lost its luster but not its magic.
A detect magic spell or similar magic reveals a weak,
residual aura of transmutation magic surrounding it.
The first time a creature picks up the Summer Star,
its core glows with a golden radiance as bright as a
candle flame. Unless the creature drops the device
immediately, the light suddenly blossoms, becoming a
IO-foot-radius sphere of incinerating golden radiance
centered on the device. Each creature in the sphere
must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking
90 (lOdlO + 35) radiant damage on a failed save, or half
as much damage on a successful one. If this effect re-
duces a creature to O hit points and there is damage re-
maining, the creature is turned to ashes if the remaining
damage equals or exceeds its hit point maximum. Once
the explosion is triggered, the Summer Star becomes
SUMMER STAR inoperable and safe to handle.
A character killed by the Summer Star becomes an
ethereal spirit bound to the Black Cabin (see "Dying in
the Black Cabin," page 116). Don't fret if this happens
to one or more characters; as spirits, they can figure out
a way back to the realm of the living.
B4. MAIN ROOM Once the Summer Star discharges its residual magic,
the characters-both the material and the ethereal
This room contains lingering smells of burnt wood and ones-can safely analyze and fix the device so that it
functions as Macreadus intended. The steps to be fol-
flesh. You also catch the faint odor of wine. Snow has
lowed are summarized below:
fallen through holes in the roof, then been pushed into
Step 1: Identify the Item. Any creature or spirit that
corners by stiff winds blowing through broken windows.
studies the runes on the device's rings and succeeds
The walls and furniture are scorched black, including on a DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check ascertains that
a table with the charred remains of a book on it. Next the device was designed to control the weather. An
to the table, on the floor amid several broken wine identify spell reveals the same, and Macreadus's spirit
bottles, is a mostly incinerated skeleton and a round, can freely divulge this information to other spirits. A
frost-covered object about six inches in diameter. character who has Macreadus's blueprints from the
laboratory (area B6) can use them to gain advantage
on the check.
The important features of this room are the charred Step 2: Analyze the Problem. The device has a design
book, the partially incinerated skeleton on the floor, flaw, obviously. Macreadus has concluded that the de-
and the round object lying nearby (the Summer Star, vice's rings are unable to contain the magical energy
described below). There's also a hidden hazard in this that the core puts out. A third ring must be attached
area: a weakened section of floor. to the device, and this new ring must have runes like
Charred Book. Nothing remains of this tome except those that appear on the other two rings. A charac-
ashes and a badly burned spine, upon which characters ter who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Insight)
can discern the letters ETHER. It's obvious that these check comes to this conclusion. The check is made
letters were part of a much longer title, which happens with advantage if the character witnessed the device
to be: Magical Wonders of Netheril. Characters can find malfunction.
an intact copy of this book in the Lost Spire of Netheril Step 3: Fix the Design Flaw. To craft a third ring, a
(see page 145). quarter-pound of metal must be melted down in a fire
Skeleton and Treasure. Enough of the charred and recast using smith's tools. then inscribed with
skeleton remains to suggest (without needing an ability runes by someone with a steady hand-that is, a char-
check) that it belongs to a male human (Macreadus, acter who succeeds on a DC 15 Dexterity (Arcana)
though the characters won't know this right away). check. Using tinker's tools provides advantage on the
Little remains of his clothing, but a character who sifts check. Finally, the device mu t be modified to accom-
through the charred bones and ashes finds an amulet of modate the third ring, using either smith's tools or
health that Macreadus used as a holy symbol. It shows tinker's tools. The modification process can be com-
no signs of damage, hinting at its magical nature. The pleted in a few hours.

ll 8
Step 4: Activate the Item. A character must attune to
Despite its inability to partake of the libations, the
the modified Summer Star to use it. While holding the
spirit of Macreadus reacts poorly toward characters who
device, the attuned character can use an action to cast
thaw and drink this private stash.
the control weather spell from it, without the need
for the character or the Summer Star to be outdoors. B6. LABORATORY
After the spell is cast, the Summer Star ceases to be
magical. The spell lasts for the duration or until the
character's concentration ends. This room contains a fireplace an d two empty book-
Macreadus knows what must be done to fix the device cases. Tacked to the walls and strewn across the floo r are
but can't activate the item because he's dead. If no one frost-covered blueprints. Facedown on the floor next to
can attune to the modified Summer Star because everyone of the blueprints is a tiny man made of clay.
one in the party is dead and trapped as a spirit in the
Border Ethereal, nothing more can be done with the de-
vice until someone else comes along who can attune to Any character who examines the clay figure and s uc-
it. Fortunately for the characters, they don't have long to ceeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check ascertains
wait before someone arrives (see the "Werebear Visitor" that it is a dead homunculus. This was Macreadus's
sidebar). Characters in spirit form can convince the new magical assistant, Blare. It died when its master died.
arrival to do what they cannot, perhaps by writing mes- Any character proficient in Arcana can study the
sages in the snow, or on a section of wall or floor using blueprints and conclude that they show different exper-
ash from a nearby fireplace. imental designs for a weather-controlling magic device.
Macreadus's spirit can finally rest after it witnesses One of these designs resembles a gyroscope and closely
the activation of the new and improved Summer Star. resembles the object found in area B4.
As it departs, the party receives a special blessing from
B7. ABANDONED BEDROOM
Lathander. Any party member who died within the
past 24 hours is instantly restored to life at full health,
regardless of how the character died. In addition, each A stiff wind blows th rough the broken window in the east
character who helped lay Macreadus's spirit to rest
wall, causing the tatte red gray curtains to bi llow an d flap
gains a blessing of the Morninglord (described below).
like angry ghosts . Snow covers a bed and much of t he
For rules on blessings, see "Supernatural Gifts" in the
Dungeon Master's Guide. surroundi ng floor.
Blessing of the Morninglord. You gain 10 temporary hit points

each day at dawn . This room is unfit for habitation and hasn't been used it
Weak Floor. The section of floor shown on map 2.3 in a long time.
has weakened over time and gives way if 150 pounds or B8. MACREADUS'S BEDROOM
more of weight crosses it. Any creature standing on the
floor when it collapses must make a DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw. On a failed save, the creature falls to the Wooden planks have been nailed over the broken window
bottom of the gorge directly below this section of the of this room to hol d out the wind. Furnish ings include
cabin, taking 49 (14d6) bludgeoning damage and land-
a saggy double bed and a bookcase containing some
ing prone. On a successful save, the creature grabs hold
folded clothes, a few blank sheets of parchment, and a
of the edge of the remaining floor and is hanging from
it. The creature can use an action to try to pull itself up, set of calligrapher's sup plies. Next to the bookcase is a
doing so with a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) soot-stained hearth, wherein a scrol l lies ami d the ashes.
check, while another creature within reach can use the
Help action to assist. A hanging creature can repeat the
check until it succeeds, but if a check fails by 5 or more,
the creature lets go and falls. WEREBEAR VISITOR
If the characters are stuck and need help dea li ng with the
I
B5. SwEETBERRY SUMMER WINE challenges of the Black Cabin , have a goliath werebear (see
append ix C) arrive unexpectedly. Th is new arrival cou ld
I
be Oyam inartok herself, if she's still alive and roam ing
The scent of wine fills this room, which contains four lcewind Dale.
frost-covered barrels. The werebea r doesn 't know the history of the Black
Cabin or anything about the strange goings-on there. How-
ever, it likes to keep an eye on the place, if only to ma ke
Macreadus was a heavy drinker, and the barrels contain sure evil creatures aren 't hiding there. After helping the
his supply of Sweetberry Summer Wine. Any character characters, the werebear offers to serve as a gu ide for up
proficient with brewer's supplies knows that this wine to seven days, though it avoids Ten-Towns .
comes from a vineyard in the Dessarin Valley, hundreds
of miles to the south. The extreme cold has caused the
wine to freeze.

II9
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l ~~~~7~,7~7~di##
i -~~'TsH-'T~r4'~~~4'~~
U~~~~~k~r~~
7~~~e4#,He~d~~
Af~~~~~nu,,k¼~
~r~~ 4n~~-
~r~~~~r~
_o / ¼ ~ ~ ~ ~ J r & & k M
~~J~~r~kr
~~~~~~Jnuuk~~
~~~~~~r
~

120
Macreadus had a rock gnome assistant named Copper,
but the two had a falling out. One morning, after a bitter CACKLING CHASM
argument the night before, Copper decided to return A chasm in the foothills of the Spine of the World moun-
to Ten-Towns. He snuck out while Macreadus was still tains gets its name from the cackling gnolls that take
asleep, leaving behind a letter that Macreadus angrily shelter inside it. Most who hear the maniacal cackles
threw into the hearth after reading it. know well enough to stay away. The gnolls of the Cack-
Copper's Letter. The scroll is stained with soot but ling Chasm are emaciated and hungry, their laughing
remains intact, since Macreadus never got around to brought on by crazed starvation.
burning it. Characters who retrieve it can read Copper's The characters might visit this location after hearing
message, which is written in Common: a tale about a murdered fisher and her magic fishing
pole (see "Tall Tales in Ten-Towns," page 101) or after
agreeing to undertake a quest for the town speaker of
Macreadus,
Caer-Konig (see "Gnoll Heads," page 103). A gnoll
I've had enough of this damned, relentless cold. I feel captured in the wilderness can also lead the characters
it creep into my bones, my head, my heart. I'm heading here (see "Wilderness Encounters," page 105).
back to Ten-Towns for a decent meal and a warm bed. I
fear this endless winter has numbed your mind, and any
TALE OF GNOLL BETRAYAL
tinkerer worth their chains can see the Summer Star is a After a gnoll fang ofYeenoghu murders its prey, any
fool's errand. Maybe without me here to incessantly com- hyena that feasts on the kill is transformed into a full-
grown gnoll. The gnolls of the Cackling Chasm, like all
plain to, you'll finally snap out of your obsession.
gnolls, were born in this fashion. But a rift has formed
If you truly insist on dedicating your remaining days to between the creator and its creations. The fang ofYee-
this doomed project, might I suggest that three is better noghu, Chyzka, is being blamed for the pack's recent
than two. I considered telling you before, but you were misfortunes. It led the gnolls to Icewind Dale, prom-
particularly rude about the dinner I made last night. ising abundant food. What the gnolls got instead was
an unending winter and barely enough nourishment to
May the light of the Morninglord protect you,
sustain them. The gnolls are forced to resort to canni-
Copper balism to survive when food is scarce, and the pack has
no hyenas to replenish its dwindling numbers. Because
When the characters find Copper's letter, give your play- Chyzka lacks the ability to sustain the pack and create
ers a copy of the handout on the facing page. more gnolls, its usefulness has come to an end.
Copper made it back to Ten-Towns, eventually find- The other gnolls are too afraid of Chyzka to challenge
ing his way to the House of the Morninglord in Bryn it directly (it is, after all, one ofYeenoghu's chosen).
Shander (see page 32). The gnolls are, however, willing to stand idly by while
the characters take care of Chyzka for them. Once the
FROSTMAIDEN'S REVENGE fang of Yeenoghu is dead, the gnolls will allow Chyzka's
slayers to leave the chasm unmolested while they dine
The Frostmaiden is aware when someone uses the on Chyzka's remains. The characters' actions give them
Summer Star to cast the control weather spell. She re- a window of time to take what they want and flee the
sponds by sending a coldlight walker (see appendix C) chasm before the remaining gnolls turn against them.
and three ice mephits to kill the characters and anyone
else at the Black Cabin. If the party is 6th level or higher, APPROACHING THE CHASM
add another coldlight walker to the attacking force. If
the characters have a goliath werebear on their side, add
a third coldlight walker and two more ice mephits. A yawning chasm ahead of you threatens to devour you
The attacking force approaches the Black Cabin from
as if it were a giant, icy maw. The wind sweeping through
I
the east. As the characters emerge from the cabin, read:
the mountains can't drown out the inhuman cackling that
echoes in the chasm's depths.
I Bright light shines from the east-a cold, hateful light-

and seems to be getting closer.
The coldlight walkers are made from the frozen corpses

Characters who look over the edge of the icy chasm
can see stony projections resembling teeth, as well as
a ledge 30 feet down. (A wider ledge 100 feet down is
of Ten-Towners who were banished to the tundra as probably initially beyond the range of the characters'
sacrifices to the Frostmaiden (see "Sacrifices to Auril," light sources and darkvision.)
page 21). The ice mephits descend from the darkened A search of the surrounding area reveals a cave mouth
sky to provide aerial support, using their fog cloud spells near the south end of the chasm (area Zl). Within the
to engulf enemy spellcasters or to obscure the approach- cave mouth are steps leading down to area Z2, which
ing coldlight walkers. These monsters always do the leads to the uppermost ledge of the chasm. Alternatively,
Frostmaiden's bidding and fight until destroyed. If the characters can use magic or climbing gear to lower
characters flee the cabin, the coldlight walkers and ice themselves down into the chasm.
mephits pursue.

121
Most of the bones have been broken to enable the
gnolls to get to the marrow inside them. Past feasts
include elk, reindeer, moose, foxes, wolves, and human-
oids. Some of the bones belong to gnolls who fell prey to
cannibalism.
The four gnolls in area Z3 move here to investigate
any loud noises. They don't attack intruders right away,
however, except in self-defense (see "Tale of Gnoll Be-
trayal," page 121).
Treasure. Characters who search the cave for trea-
sure find a leather pouch beneath a pile of broken bones.
The pouch belonged to a human furrier whom the gnolls
murdered in the tundra and dragged back to the chasm
to be eaten. The pouch contains 4 gp, 14 sp, 21 cp, and a
random trinket. Roll on the Icewind Dale Trinkets table
in appendix A to determine what trinket is found.
Z3. SHRINE TO YEENOGHU
A crude stone altar with a mountain goat's bloody head

resting atop it dominates this eight-foot-high cave.
The floor around the altar is littered with gnawed ani-
mal bones .
Unless they were drawn to area Z2, four gnolls are

crouched before the altar, weighing the ramifications of
licking the flesh off the goat's skull, which is meant to
CHY"l:KI\ THE GNOLL FANG OF YEENOGHU
be an offering to the demon lord Yeenoghu. These hun-
gry gnolls don't attack intruders right away, except in
self-defense (see "Tale of Gnoll Betrayal," page 121).
CACKLING CHASM LOCATIONS Z4. FROZEN RIFT
Zl. CAVE MOUTH Thirty feet below the surface, a shelf of rock surrounds
the chasm's gaping maw, its cracked sides riddled with
caves and festooned with sharp rocks. Farther down
At the south end of the chasm , humanoid skulls are
in the chasm, you see dead gnolls impaled on some of
stacked on either side of a cave mouth that contains icy
these fang-like protrusions.
steps descending into the rock. Blood has been used to
Manic laughter echoes through the chasm as you look
draw crude symbols on the skulls.
around, the sound ricocheting off the walls that make its
origin impossible to pinpoint.
The skulls belong to humans, dwarves, goblins, goliaths,
and ores. The symbol on each skull looks like a three-
headed flail. Any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Chyzka, the fang ofYeenoghu, encourages internal
Intelligence (Religion) check recognizes it as the symbol fighting whenever it senses the pack might turn against
ofYeenoghu, the demon lord of gnolls. it. The dead gnolls seen throughout the chasm were
victims of either these squabbles or their own careless-
Z2. FEASTING CAVE ness. Although the ledge that allows access to the vari-
ous caves is slick with ice, cautious characters can move
on it without falling.
Crude steps lead down to a frigid, ten-foot-high cave
Every loud noise in the chasm can be heard in the sur-
filled with a putrid stench. The mostly broken bones of rounding caves, and vice versa. Characters who make
humanoids and animals lay scattered on the icy floor enough noise to attract the attention of the gnolls can
amid bits of metal and torn strips of leather. hear them coming by their manic laughter. The Cackling
Chasm Roster provides a summary of these denizens
and the areas they originate in. When Chyzka sees in-
The gnolls gather here to eat when there's food truders, it barks orders to the other gnolls, after which
to be had. there's an awkward pause as the subordinate gnolls
give the characters expectant looks. Any character who
CHAPTER 2 J ICEWIND DALE

122
succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check can ascer-
tain that these gnolls have lost faith in their leader and
would be delighted to see Chyzka fall.
CACKLING CHASM ROSTER

Area Occupants
Z3 4 gnolls
ZS l gnoll fang ofYeenoghu (Chyzka)
ZG 12 gnolls during the day, 6 gnolls at night
Z5 . CHYZKA's CAVE
Painted in blood on the walls of this eight-foot-high cave

are pictographs of a towering monster with sharp teeth
that wields what looks like a three-headed flail. Packs of
hyenas feed on the corpses in its wake. A small fire crack-
les near the south wall, filling the cave with smoke. Cook-
ing above the fire is a small green fish, while behind the
fire, leaning against the south wall, is a blood-encrusted
spear and a fishing pole.
Chyzka, a gnoll fang ofYeenoghu, is resting here un-

less a disturbance has summoned it elsewhere. The
bloody paintings on the wall show the demon lord Yee-
noghu and his brood.
The cave is littered with pieces of dirty cloth and
moldy hides, all taken from prey. The spear leaning
against the south wall is nonmagical but has a silvered
tip stained red with blood. Though the spear has its
uses, Chyzka prefers to attack with its claws and teeth.
Treasure. Next to the fire, a bloodstained bolt of cloth
I
has been folded around a pile of coins the gnolls lifted Z7. STOREROOM
from their victims, creating a makeshift bundle that
holds 21 gp, 56 sp, and 117 cp.
The fishing pole is unremarkable, but a hook of
fisher's delight (see appendix D) is tied to the end of it.
Chyzka took the pole from an Easthaven fisher named
abira Moarskull after slaying her.
IRotten crates and torn sacks are strewn across the floor
of this eight-foot-high, mostly empty chamber.
The gnolls often take food supplies from slaughtered

Z6. SLEEPING CAVE travelers headed to and from Ten-Towns. These supplies
are brought here to be consumed. All that remains are
the containers used to transport them.
The strong scent of dirty fur fills this dark, ten-foot-high
cave. The stone floor has deep ridges where hundreds of Z8. CAGED BERSERKER
clawed feet have scratched it.
Situated atop the ledge is a cage made of thick timber
If the gnolls in this cave have not been drawn out, add: beams with a bolted iron door and iron fittings. The cage
is five feet on a side and seven feet tall. Inside it, a male
I I
human in hide armor paces back and forth. His mur-
Gaunt, shivering gnolls huddle around a sputtering fire,
derous eyes lock onto any sort of movement he notices,
cackling incessantly.
and he clutches a javelin made of a black, crystalline
substance. The skin on his hands and face is black from
At night, this cave holds twelve gnolls. That number frostbite, and his lips are chapped and bleeding from
drops to six during the day as half the gnolls leave the
the cold.
chasm to hunt for food. The gnolls huddle together for
warmth. All of them are hungry and emaciated.

123
The man in the cage is a nameless chardalyn ber-
serker (see appendix C) with 60 hit points remaining. CAVE OF THE BERSERKERS
The gnolls captured him almost by accident. He ven- A group of human berserkers that has splintered off
tured into the chasm a few days ago and brutally at- from the Tribe of the Bear uses this cliffside cave as a
tacked any gnoll he encountered. One gnoll climbed atop refuge. Exposure to chardalyn tainted by demonic magic
the cage to get away from him. As the berserker started has deprived them of their humanity.
to climb after it, he was pushed from behind by another Here are some ways in which the characters might
gnoll and locked in the cage. The gnolls are keeping him learn about this place:
confined until he grows weak enough that they dare to , A tale in Ten-Towns spurs the characters to visit the
open the cage to kill and eat him. The bolt on the door cave (see "Tall Tales in Ten-Towns," page 101).
can't be reached by someone trapped in the cage. • A ring taken off a dead berserker (see "Chardalyn
During the skirmish, the berserker lost his chardalyn Berserkers," page 107) teleports the characters
flail and two chardalyn javelins, all of which fell into the to area Ql.
chasm. He still has one javelin left. The berserker tries A goliath werebear encountered in the wild (see "Go-
to grapple any character he can reach through the bars; liath Werebear," page 110) or King Gunvald Hal-
if he succeeds, he tries to stab the grappled character raggson of the Bear Tribe (see the "Reghed Nomads"
with his javelin on his next turn. If he is released, the section in appendix C) urges the characters to rid the
berserker attacks the nearest creature without fear or cave of its evil inhabitants.
remorse. Efforts to parlay with the berserker are met
with hateful silence. STORY OF THE CAVE
LEAVING THE CHASM This cavern complex was hollowed out by dwarf pros-
pectors and miners looking for precious gems and
Once the characters get what they came for, there's little metals. That effort bore no fruit, and the cave was
reason to stay. In fact, characters who stay too long run abandoned. The Tribe of the Bear later used it as a
the risk of encountering six gnolls returning from a shelter until the chardalyn berserkers forced them to
hunt. There's a 20 percent chance that the gnolls have abandon it.
brought food with them, such as a dead mountain goat The berserkers worship the Frostmaiden and no
or crag cat, in which case the gnolls gather in area 22 longer consider themselves members of the Bear tribe.
(along with any other gnolls left alive in the chasm) to They allow frostbite to ravage their faces and bodies to
feast on the fresh kill. prove their devotion. As a reward for their fealty and
If the characters turn the gnolls' animus toward their willingness to suffer the cold, the Frostmaiden
Chyzka to their advantage, they can come and go with- gave these mad servants a stone brazier that emits a
out having to kill every gnoll in the chasm. Even so, cold, blue flame. As long as the flame burns, the berserk-
any gnolls they leave alive remain a potential threat to ers can't be killed inside their lair (see area Q5).
Ten-Towns. The berserkers share their cave with two white
dragon wyrmlings, which hatched from eggs that the
REAL ADVENTURE HOOK
berserkers stole from within a glacial rift. The berserk-
If the characters retrieve the hook of fisher's delight,
ers share their food with the wyrmlings, which guard
they might decide to keep it, or they might try returning
the cave while the berserkers are out hunting.
it to Nabira Moarskull's family in Easthaven. Nabira
left behind an adult son and daughter, both of whom
CAVE LOCATIONS
have families of their own. One of Nabira's grandchil-
dren, Ahmi, is celebrating a birthday soon, but Nabira's The cave's chambers and tunnels were hewn from solid
death has dampened the child's mood. Ahmi would rock by dwarves long ago. The berserkers carry torches
be delighted to receive the fishing hook as a gift, if the to see where they're going. Characters without darkvi-
characters are willing to part with it. Ahmi's family can sion must rely on their own light sources as well.
scrape together 50 gp to buy it, if the characters insist The following locations are keyed to map 2.5.
on a monetary reward.
Ql. lcYPATH
An elevated causeway covered with snow winds toward
the mouth of the berserkers' cave. Tracks in the snow
clearly indicate that at least four humans have come and
gone from the cave since the last blizzard. On either side
of the causeway is a steep slope that plunges 20 feet into
a snowy ravine.
Waste Chute. Characters who examine the cliff face
for other possible entrances can, with a successful DC
10 Wisdom (Perception) check, spot an opening in the
cliff near the bottom of the ravine east of the winding
causeway. This hole is one end of a chute that, once it
enters the rock, ascends steeply to area Q4.

r2 4
•
Q2 . BEAR'S HEAD these eggshells and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence
(Nature) check concludes that they are white dragon
eggs that hatched about three years ago.
Built around the mouth of the cave is a ramshackle Any loud noise here, which could be from the opening
wooden portico crudely shaped like a bear's head with its of either gate or the rattling of chains, alerts the two
mouth agape. The tunnel beyond it is dark. white dragon wyrmlings in area Q4. One confronts
intruders head-on while the other descends the chute in
area Q4 and swoops in from behind.
The portico is sturdier than it looks. It has AC 15, 75 hit
points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Q4. WASTE CHUTE
Characters who damage the portico make enough noise
to attract the two white dragon wyrmlings in area Q4.
I
This eight-foot-high cave is unfurnished and unlit. A hole
One makes its way through area Q3 to confront intrud-
ers head-on while the other descends the chute in area in the southwest corner is the mouth of an open chute
Q4 and attacks from behind. that reeks of blood and filth.
The wyrmlings don't pursue prey that flees the cave.
Instead, they roost atop snowy outcroppings above the
entrance and keep watch for several hours before retir- If they have not been lured elsewhere, two white dragon
ing to their lair (area Q4) to rest. wyrmlings named Gelym and Tyzar curl up together in
the eastern part of the cave. They attack any creature
Q3. EGGSHELLS IN CELLS that enters their den.
Characters who pass through the bear's head portico The stone chute is 25 feet long, roughly hewn, and
step onto an icy ramp that ascends 5 feet to a 20-foot- steeply angled. It empties into the ravine outside and
high chamber festooned with icicles. A naturally formed requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check
pillar supports the chamber's domed roof. to ascend or descend without magic or climbing gear;
Two alcoves set into the north wall are fitted with a character who fails this check by 5 or more slips and
rusty iron gates. Their chains, padlocks, and keys lie tumbles into the ravine, landing in soft snow. Gore from
discarded on the floor outside them. Inside each cell are the slaughterhouse (area Q6), not to mention human
frag ments of the shell of a bluish-white egg that must've waste, is routinely dumped down the chute, which is
been as large as a halfling. Any character who examines stained with blood and filth.

I25
Casting dispel magic on the fire snuffs it out for 1
hour, after which the fire reignites on its own. Using a
stone shape spell to alter the brazier's shape puts out the
fire for good.
As long as the brazier's cold fire burns, chardalyn ber-
serkers inside the cave (areas Q3 through· QB , and the
tunnels and chutes that attach to them) can't drop below
1 hit point. No other creatures gain this benefit. Charac-
ters who fight the berserkers inside their lair see them
shake off damage that would normally kill them.
The berserkers are aware of the fire's benefit, as evi-
denced by the rictus grins that cross their faces when in-
truders realize the berserkers are seemingly unkillable.
The berserkers don't automatically sense when the fire
has been put out, however.
Q6.SLAUGHTERHOUSE
The ice in this cave is stained pink and red with the blood
of numerous kills. In the center of the room, beside a
stone tray of butcher's tools , is the flayed husk of an
owlbear's skeleton that has been skinned, gutted, and
stripped of meat.
Along one wall, metal hooks pierce the ice. A large
man in blood-drenched hide armor hangs carcasses from
these hooks to bleed out. His face and limbs are black-
ened by frostbite, and he seems to be absent a nose.
A nameless chardalyn berserker (see appendix C) has

MhP 2.5: ChvE o , THE BER SERKERS just finished butchering a snowy owlbear that was lured
into the cave and killed. The berserker grabs its weap-
ons (which are always within easy reach) and attacks
Treasure. The wyrmlings have begun collecting
intruders on sight. If the flame in area QS is burning, the
treasures and stashing them in a small pile against the
berserker can't drop below 1 hit point unless he's lured
east wall. Their paltry hoard consists of 96 sp, 331 cp,
outside the cave.
a stitched leather wallet containing a complete set of
thieves' tools, a cracked spyglass (250 gp), and a spell Q7. MEAT STORAGE
scroll of knock.
Q5. FROSTMAIDEN'S FIRE Shallow trenches carved into the stone floor are filled
with snowpack. Clean haunches of meat are nestled in
Hundreds of icicles cling to the twelve-foot-high ceiling these trenches.
of this frost-rimed chamber, which is bathed in flickering
blue light. The light's source is a blue flame crackling in Treasure. Eighty pounds of fresh meat are stored
a stone brazier that stands against the far wall. The white here. The meat, which comes from various beasts
smoke that rises above it coalesces every few seconds such as polar bears and elk, is safe to cook and eat.
into the form of a woman, but the image is fleeting. The characters can sell the meat in Ten-Towns for 5 sp
per pound.
A detect magic spell reveals a powerful aura of abjura- Q8. LIVING QUARTERS
tion magic around the 3-foot-high stone brazier, which This 10-foot-high, frost-rimed chamber lies beyond
rises naturally from the floor and is therefore not a dis- a 10-foot-deep fissure. A frost-covered wooden plank
crete object. It can't be moved or damaged, and its mag- spans the gap in the more trafficked tunnel that leads to
ical flame can't be smothered or put out with water. Any this area. Four sleeping pallets covered in furs lie on the
creature that comes into direct contact with the fire for floor near the northwest wall. A wooden pail is used as a
the first time on a turn takes 10 (3d6) cold damage. chamber pot, and it is currently empty.

126
An ice troll (see appendix C) was chasing a herd of seals
RETURNING BERSERKERS
when it spotted the abandoned ship and crept across the
After the characters have a chance to explore the cave ice to explore it, hoping to find something tasty inside. It
and as they are preparing to leave it, three chardalyn spooked some kobolds in the hold and chased them into
berserkers (see appendix C) return to the cave with a cabin. The kobolds were able to barricade the door,
the carcass of a slain peryton. One berserker leads and the troll is trying to break through it to get at them.
the way while the other two carry the dead peryton be- Characters can surprise the troll if they remain quiet
tween them. as they make their way into the ship's hold (area D9).
As the characters emerge from the cave, they see the Climbing onto the ship and moving through it without
berserkers on the causeway. More important, the ber- alerting the troll requires a successful DC 12 Dexterity
serkers see them unless the characters took precautions (Stealth) check. If a character fails this check, the troll
to leave the cave in a stealthy manner. The berserkers hears the character's footsteps or the creaking of the
gain no benefit from the Frostmaiden's fire (see area Q5) deck and realizes there's an easier meal to be had.
while they're on the causeway, so they try to get inside
the cave, attacking anyone in their way. If the fire has DARK DUCHESS LOCATIONS
been put out, the berserkers won't know that until one of
them is killed inside the cave.
Ceilings of the lower decks are 10 feet high, and all
doors are 7 feet tall and made of sturdy wood.
DARK DUCHESS
The ancient white dragon Arveiaturace (see page 105) Dl. MAIN DECK
has placed some of her hoard in an abandoned ship
called the Dark Duchess. This Luskan pirate vessel got
The wooden boards on the main deck are cracked from
stuck in the Sea of Moving Ice some months ago, near
frost. A large hole in the deck exposes a part of the hold
where the dragon likes to fish and hunt.
Having remained aboard the icebound hulk after be- to the sky. The planks around the hole are marred with
ing deserted by his crew, Captain Rudolph Bluemoon deep grooves, as if heavy claws had dug into them.
still watches over his riches even in death. A character
who has the Pirate Cannibal secret (see appendix B)
might want to return to this site to claim Captain Blue- To reach the hold, Arveiaturace had to break apart
moon's treasure. Characters might also be drawn to this a large portion of the deck, creating a gaping hole. A
site by a tall tale (see "Tall Tales in Ten-Towns," page character who examines the marks around the hole
101) or a desire to help the tavernkeepers of Bremen and succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) check can
(see "Zero Rum," page 103). correctly surmise that a single enormous creature did
all the damage. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the
FROZEN SHIPWRECK character can confirm that the marks were made by a
dragon's claws.
The Dark Duchess is hundreds of yards from shore, Entering the Captain's Cabin. The door to area D8 is
trapped in thick ice. When the characters get close covered in a thick layer of ice, which the characters need
enough to see it, read: to remove if they want to get inside. Using a miner's
pick or similar tool, a character can chip away at the ice,
The Sea of Moving Ice stretches out before you, a fea- breaking through it after 1 hour. (The more characters
who help, the more quickly the ice is removed.) The
tureless, frozen desert. Ahead, the smooth white surface
noise is loud enough to attract the ice troll in area D9.
is interrupted by a towering ship, its exterior covered
If the characters melt away the ice using fire, doing so
in frost. takes twice as much time but doesn't attract the troll.
D2. FORECASTLE
The hull, rigging, and masts of the ship are covered in
a layer of ice. From the waterline of the vessel, it's a 10-
foot climb to get to the main deck. The sides of the hull Deep grooves have been gouged into the deck on the
are slippery and can't be climbed without using magic forecastle. The railing on the port side of the vessel is
or climbing gear. broken and slightly bowed, as if an immense weight had
The ice around the Dark Duchess is thick, and there is
been resting on top of it.
no risk of the characters breaking through it.
APPROACHING THE SHIP

When Arveiaturace climbs onto the Dark Duchess,
When the characters get within 15 feet of the ship, read: she does so from the forecastle. Examination of the
deck reveals that the dragon's weight has pushed
You hear loud thumping and creaking coming from in- down and cracked the wooden planks and gunwales in
many places.
side the hold, followed by the guttural snarls of some
creature. The ship is not as abandoned as it appeared!

127
1 square = 5 feet
D3. AFT CASTLE D6. CHART ROOM

Ice coats the captain's wheel. There's nothing else of
interest here.
As the door comes open, a light breeze emerges from
D4 . SURGEON'S CABIN this room. Pieces of parchment and paper flutter on the
floor. A large, detailed map of the Sword Coast takes up
In this narrow cabin, shelves and containers are scat- most of one wall.
tered on the floor amid piles of dirty bandages. Small
clusters of dried leaves have frozen to the floor in places. This room contains two useful maps: the 6-foot-wide,
A disheveled, frost-covered bed is tucked in an alcove 6-foot tall map of the Sword Coast hanging on the wall
under a wooden staircase. and a map of Icewind Dale stored in a map case that lies
on the floor. A thorough search of the room also yields a
set of navigator's tools.
The surgeon's cabin has been searched by the kobolds
living in the Dark Duchess, but they overlooked some D7. STORAGE
items that might interest the characters. Under the bed
are three vials of antitoxin, a healer's kit, and a vial of
The foremost cabin holds two rime-covered barrels, lying
holy water.
next to which is a rat that obviously perished from the
D5. FIRST MATE ' S CABIN cold. Mooring ropes and fishing nets hang from hooks
A frost-covered bed is shoved into one corner under a along the back wall.
wooden staircase. The rest of the cabin is empty.
Nonperishable goods were stored in this cabin. The

crew took a lot of supplies when they abandoned ship,
but some equipment remains. The ropes and nets are
salvageable, as are the contents of the barrels.
Barrels. The characters must use a crowbar or sim-
ilar tool to pry open a frozen barrel. The first barrel

128
contains a hooded lantern, three flasks of oil, five bars of Inside the chest is a wooden partition that divides the
lime soap, and three sets of manacles. The second bar- interior into two halves. One side is empty except for a
rel holds ten torches. dozen wine-stained corks. (This is where the captain
kept his bottles of wine.) The other side contains 150 gp,
D8. CAPTAIN'S CABIN 520 sp, a small gold bracelet (25 gp), a large gold brace-
let (250 gp), and a gray bag of tricks.
The aft castle is taken up by one spacious cabin. Frost D9. HOLD
covers every surface and furnishing. Unless the characters lure it elsewhere, a frustrated
A human corpse is slumped against the port-side wall, ice troll (see appendix C) stands at the bottom of the
its left arm draped across part of a heavy chest that's wooden stairs leading down from the main deck. It is
tucked in an alcove under a staircase. The skeleton wears trying to claw through the door that leads to area Dl2.
The troll can't be reasoned with. After disposing of it,
a jacket and a wide-brimmed hat that hides most of its
the characters can survey the contents of the hold:
skull. Under its right arm is a captain's journal. The floor
is strewn with empty wine bottles.
The ship's hold contains heaps of snow and four tied-
down jolly boats covered with rime. In the forward star-
The kobolds have not set foot inside this cabin; in fact, board corner rests a large pile of treasure covered with
no one has been here since the crew abandoned ship.
ice. Standing next to the hoard, frozen with its maw open
The corpse is all that remains of Captain Rudolph Blue-
moon, who stayed behind to watch over the ship and his in a roar, is a white feline creature sheathed in ice.
ill-gotten booty. He ran out of provisions and starved
before freezing to death. Affixed to the captain's hat is
The creature frozen next to the treasure pile is a crag
a badge that forms a curious symbol: a red eel wrapped
cat (see appendix C) that was killed by Arveiaturace's
around a gold trident. Characters who succeed on a DC
breath weapon and placed here as a trophy.
15 Intelligence (History) check recognize this as one
Treasure. Arveiaturace's treasure pile is buried un-
of the symbols of Ship Suljack, a powerful faction in
der four thick, translucent layers of ice produced by the
Luskan that engages in piracy. Captain Bluemoon was a
dragon's cold breath. It doesn't represent Arveiaturace's
member of this faction.
entire hoard, merely the small portion she chose to
In the captain's inside jacket pocket, the characters
bring aboard the Dark Duchess. Characters can see the
find a key with its head fashioned in the form of a rat's
treasure under the topmost layer of ice, and each layer
skull. This key unlocks the captain's chest (see "Trea-
of ice takes 1 hour to get through using a miner's pick
sure" below).
or similar tool and twice as long using fire. Chipping or
The wine bottles have labels that read "Sweetberry
melting away each ice layer frees up the treasure under
Summer Wine." The bottles' corks are not to be seen
that layer:
(though the characters can find them inside the captain's
treasure chest). First Layer. Under the first layer of ice are 72 gp, 181
Captain's Journal. Bluemoon's journal chronicles the sp, 352 cp, and two pearls (100 gp each).
exploits of the Dark Duchess but says little about the Second Layer. Small art objects and gems lie under the
man in charge. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 second layer of ice. The characters find nine tattered
Intelligence (History) check knows a story or two about pieces of indigo fabric lined with gold thread (25 gp
Captain Bluemoon. This is a great opportunity to allow each), three pieces of quartz (50 gp each), a single
the player of that character to make up a credible story; aquamarine cracked down the center (250 gp), and a
if the player accepts the challenge, award inspiration to scrimshaw figurine of an archer etched with magical
that player's character. The character also recalls that script. This figurine functions like a spell scroll of re-
Captain Bluemoon was a cruel, cunning individual who move curse, then turns to dust after its magic is spent.
ruled his ship through fear instead of respect. He had Third Layer. The third layer of ice covers 221 gp, a
many enemies and few friends. 1-foot-tall marble statuette of a griffon with gold inlay
The captain's final journal entry reads: (250 gp), a black pearl (500 gp), a peridot carved in
the shape of a leaf (300 gp), a driftglobe, and a quiver
ofEhlonna.
"That damned white dragon is back, circling above me Fourth Layer. The fourth layer of ice shields the big-
like a vulture. I reckon she could carry this ship back to gest, heaviest items and the treasure the dragon
Luskan were she of a mind to. To die from starvation, bit- values the most: a 3-foot-diameter ceremonial bronze
ter cold, or a dragon? Choices, choices." bowl inlaid with carnelians (1,000 gp), seven garnets
(100 gp each), a suit of mithral armor (chain mail), and
a near-perfect replica of the Wand of Orcus that emits
Treasure. The chest is frozen shut. Before the key can green light from the skull at its tip. Any character who
be used to unlock it, the characters must scrape off the tries to attune to this Wand of Orcus realizes it's a
ice and frost, which takes about 10 minutes. They can fake, though it does emit magical light comparable to
also use a torch or other source of heat to melt the frost that created by a continual flame spell.
in the same amount of time.

129
DlO. GALLEY symbol. The characters can reassemble the symbol by
putting the planks together properly. The image is a cir-
cle, contained within which is the smiling face of a drow
This cabin has been thoroughly ransacked. Dishes are who wears an eye patch and a purple, wide-brimmed
strewn across the floor, and a galley table in the middle hat accented with a colorful feather plume. Elvish script
of the room has pots and ladles hanging above it. Tied to around the circumference reads, "The Best Rum from
Your Friends at One-Eyed Jax!"
a low cupboard against the starboard wall is a thin goat.
It lifts its head and bleats at you, shuffling toward you Dl2. WATER STORAGE
until its rope grows taut, stopping its advance. The door to this cabin has been weakened by the ice
troll's claws and sits loosely in its frame . The kobolds
have slid a heavy wooden bar across the inside of the
The crew took most of the food from this galley before door to keep it shut for now. The characters must break
abandoning ship, and the kobolds found and ate what- down the door to enter the cabin, since the kobolds have
ever scraps were left behind, sharing their meager no intention of letting them in. The door has AC 15, 5 hit
findings with the goat, which the kobolds use as a pack points remaining, and immunity to poison and psychic
animal. The ice troll hasn't yet detected the goat. The damage. As an action, a character can shoulder or kick
kobolds keep it here so the dragon doesn't eat it. open the door with a successful DC 20 Strength check.
Dll. RUM STORAGE
A key is jammed into the lock of this door- left there in The floor of this cabin is icy. Lying on their sides are two
haste by the crew members who plundered the ship's empty, open barrels. Hides and furs have been pushed
I
rum supply before abandoning ship.
into these barrels to create makeshift sleeping quarters.
Two similar but upright barrels appear untouched.
IThis cabin is empty except for a smashed wooden crate

lying on the frost-covered floor.
Someone who takes the time to study this detritus no-

Four Icewind kobolds (see appendix C) hide behind the
barrels and hurl their javelins at the first creature to en-
ter the room. After they throw their javelins, the kobolds
tices that some of the planks display parts of a painted are weaponless. They worship Arveiaturace and do the

dragon's bidding. They don't know when she'll return The characters are no match for the dragon. If
next, but she always does. they need a distraction to facilitate their escape,
The upright barrels hold frozen , fresh water. The ko- Meltharond's corpse could fall out of its saddle. This
bolds turned the empty barrels into sleeping hovels. causes the dragon to break off her attack at once and
check to make sure the dead wizard is undamaged. The
ARVEIATURACE ARRIVES dragon can't put Meltharond's corpse back in its saddle
--------
Arv e iat u race, an ancient white dragon whose vision is without help. If there any kobolds are nearby, they can
hampered by cataracts, carries the body of her former assist; otherwise, Arveiaturace promises to spare the
master, the wizard Meltharond, in a saddle on her back characters' lives if they lend a helping hand. Someone
(see "Arveiaturace," page 105, for more information). who makes a successful Wisdom (Insight) check con-
The dragon is out hunting when the characters first tested by the dragon's Charisma (Deception) check
arrive at the Dark Duchess, but she checks on the ship discerns that she has no intention of keeping her prom-
regularly to make sure her hoard is undisturbed. At ise. If the characters simply bolt, Arveiaturace does not
the end of each hour the characters spend in the Dark pursue them, afraid to leave Meltharond's side. Once the
Duchess, there is a 20 percent chance that Arveiaturace characters are beyond her field of vision, the somewhat
returns to the ship. Because she can see only out to a dim dragon remembers that she's big enough to scoop
range of 60 feet, the dragon must get close to the ship to up Meltharond with one claw; she does so- gently-and
examine it. flies back to her lair atop the Reghed Glacier.
If the characters are below decks when the White
TINJONG THE VERBEEG
Wyrm arrives, use the following boxed text to describe
If the characters are unable to stand against or escape
her arrival:
from Arveiaturace, help arrives in the form of a verbeeg
longstrider (see appendix C) named Tinjong, who lives
Over the howling wind, you hear the flapping of titanic in a seaside cave about a mile away.
wings followed by the cracking of ice under the weight
of something immense. A loud snort accompanies the A nine-foot-tall giant in thick walrus hide armor bounds
sound of claws scraping against ice-glazed timbers. across the ice with surprising speed and grace despite
The voice of what could only be a truly immense her gangly, misshapen limbs. Although her narrow face is
dragon fills the bowels of the ship. "I smell warm flesh hard to see under the fur-lined hood of her frost-covered
and hear the panic of beating hearts. Ready your spells, cloak, it's clear that the left side of her face sags much
Meltharond! We have uninvited guests." lower than the right. As the giant draws near, she skids
to a stop, rests her greatclub on one broad shoulder, and
If one or more characters are topside, use the following says, "Need any help?"
boxed text instead:
Tinjong avoids the Dark Duchess because she knows
A great white dragon descends from the sky, beating its the White Wyrm frequents it. If the characters accept
wings furiously to slow its descent. A dark, humanoid her offer, Tinjong uses her fog cloud spell to obscure
them, then tries to lead everyone beyond Arveiaturace's
figure is mounted on the dragon's back.
range of sight, which is 60 feet.
Tinjong worships Silvanus (god of nature) and has no
If the characters hide and don't make a lot of noise, agenda. She tries to be helpful while asking for nothing
Arveiaturace climbs aboard the vessel from the fore- in return, and she carries nothing of value. Although she
castle and begins to make her way toward the hold. has no interest in becoming a permanent member of the
No matter where the characters are on the ship, they party, Tinjong is willing to accompany the characters to
hear Arveiaturace board it, as her massive form makes Auril's island if their aim is to confront the Frostmaiden
the entire vessel shake and the ice around it crack. If and end her everlasting winter, claiming that's what Sil-
Arveiaturace notices the characters, she immediately vanus would want her to do.
says to the rider on her back, "We know how to deal Tinjong's Cave. If the characters need a place to rest
with thieves, don't we Meltharond?" She then attacks. and recuperate, Tinjong leads them to her cave over-
If she doesn't notice the characters, she makes her way looking the sea. It contains no furnishings, but there are
to her hoard, inspects the hold to make sure nothing is plenty of furs for warmth and enough wood and oil to
out of place, and leaves the ship to find and eat a tasty start a fire. A chwinga shares the cave with Tinjong but
walrus. If she sees that the hoard has been disturbed, spends most of its time hiding in a rock. It emerges to
the dragon looks around the ship to see if the thieves greet Tinjong when she returns, however. The chwinga
left tracks and follows any she finds, calling out to likes music and bestows a supernatural charm (see
Meltharond to ready his spells. If she suspects that in- "New Chwinga Charms," page 283) upon the first char-
truders are still aboard the vessel but hiding in places acter who spends at least 1 hour playing music for it.
she can't reach, she breaks through walls to get at them.

the gem mine near Termalaine (see "A Beautiful Mine,"
In ASCENDANT page 94). in which case the gnome ceremorphs would
Stories about a comet crashing in the mountains (see be very interested in acquiring it.
"Tall Tales in Ten-Towns," page 101) or a quest con- Complicating matters is the damage done by the crash
cerning a telepathic message (see "Distress Signal," to the nautiloid's life s upport system, for once this sys-
page 103) might bring adventurers to this location, as tem shuts down, the illithids are at risk of freezing to
might a character who has the Escaped Prisoner secret death. If the s hutdown occurs before they acquire a psi
(see appendix B). crystal, the gnome ceremorphs' back-up plan is to acti-
vate the nautiloid's self-destruct system (see area N7)
NAUTILOID DOWN before abandoning ship and making their way toward
Seven days ago, spacefaring mind flayers hoping to Ten-Towns with the gnome squidlings in tow.
capture some interesting species for study crashed their
ROLEPLAYING THE GNOME CEREMORPHS
ship- a nautiloid called the Id Ascendant- while trying
Vorryn and Dredavex want to leave Icewind Dale and
to fly it through a blizzard. The ship's cocaptains, Vorryn
return to the stars they call home with their squidling
Q'uuol and Dredavex Sinfiz, are chaotic neutral gnome
brood mates and a couple of interesting new creations
ceremorphs, which are smaller-than-normal mind flay-
or discoveries. They retain their gnomish curiosity and
ers spawned from gnome hosts. Their crew consists of
love of tinkering, now blended with the illithids' drive
three gnome squidlings named Rin, Rix, and Zglarrd.
for control and experimentation. They are delighted
See the "Mind Flayers" entry in appendix C for more in-
to meet visitors who are willing to help them acquire
formation about gnome ceremorphs and squidlings.
a psi crystal or, failing that, help them and the gnome
The illithids are stuck unless they can find a psi crys-
squidlings infiltrate Ten-Towns. In exchange, the gnome
tal (see appendix D) to jump-start the ship's propulsion
ceremorphs are willing to part with their laser pistols
system. Vorryn and Dredavex are expending consider-
and the magic items in area N9.
able effort to keep their ship functional and thus cannot
If the characters want to search for a psi crystal, Dre-
conduct the search themselves. They also can't trust the
davex gives them a handheld box that emits a clicking
moronic squidlings to accomplish such a delicate task.
noise while a psi crystal is within 5 miles of it (see area
For these reasons, the gnome ceremorphs need help.
NS). The ceremorphs tell the characters that psi crys-
They have built a device that can detect the presence
tals are most often found in places where mind flayers
of psi crystals in a 5-mile radius but haven't found any.
have lived.
The characters might have harvested a psi crystal from
Unlike most mind flayers, who prefer to communicate APPROACHING THE NAUTILOID
using telepathy, Vorryn and Dredavex prefer to speak
aloud in Gnomish or Undercommon, with an accent best
described as "gooey." Vorryn is persnickety and exasper- As you trudge deeper into a mountain valley, an eerie
ated most of the time but also has a dry sense of humor. glow betrays the monstrous outline of something stupen-
Dredavex is industrious and likes to ease tension by tell- dous and ominous. It looks like a cephalopod with slimy,
ing crude jokes it has learned from eating goblin brains. ropey tentacles as thick as tree trunks that has tried and
If they or any of the gnome squidlings are threatened,
failed to bury its immense bulk in the snow.
the ceremorphs react with deadly intent; otherwise, they
shun combat.
Two carrion crawlers, Vorryn's trained pets, scuttle
ROLEPLAYING THE GNOME SQUIDLINGS
through the snow near the ship. Characters who have
The gnome squidlings have a blind hunger for brains
passive Wisdom (Perception) scores of 11 or higher are
that often overrides their common sense. Beyond such
not surprised when the creatures attack.
base hunger, the gnome squidlings don't know what they
Characters paralyzed by the crawlers' tentacles are
want. They have the reasoning and emotional control of
dragged toward the nautiloid. The crawlers' intent is not
toddlers blended with the guile of bored housecats.
to eat the characters, but to deliver them to Vorryn for
Rin, Rix, and Zglarrd make squelching and keening
questioning.
noises when excited or upset; otherwise, they communi-
cate in bursts of emotion punctuated with short, simple NAUTILOID FEATURES
words conveyed telepathically. The squidlings trust Vor- The nautiloid has the following features:
ryn and Dredavex and would be lost without the gnome
ceremorphs to watch over them. Biological Construction. The ship is built of organic
matter in addition to wood and iron. Walls, floors, and
TELEPATHIC DISTRESS SIGNAL ceilings are reinforced with tough chitin.
After the Id Ascendant crashed, the gnome ceremorphs Canted Deck. The ship tilts to the south at a slight an-
activated a distress signal meant to be heard only by gle-not enough to hinder movement aboard the ves-
creatures that have telepathy, including any character sel, but enough to cause certain objects and liquids on
who is attuned to the psi crystal found in the gem mine the floor to roll toward the port side of the ship.
outside Termalaine (see "A Beautiful Mine," page 94). Ceilings. Ceilings are 20 feet high unless other-
The signal's technology hasn't been perfected yet, such wise noted.
that nontelepathic creatures have been known to pick up Illumination. All areas in the ship are dimly lit by
the signal as well. You get to decide whether a nontele- fleshy, flickering, bioluminescent orbs mounted to the
pathic creature can sense the signal or not. walls or hanging from the ceiling.
The psionic transmitter broadcasts on an endless loop Interior Doors. Each interior door aboard the ship is a
until Vorryn or Dredavex decides to shut it off, or until fleshy sphincter that opens when a creature that has
the transmitter is disabled or destroyed (see area N7). telepathy approaches within 5 feet of it, then quickly
The signal has a range of 50 miles. Those lucky few closes behind the creature and its companions to keep
who can detect it and set out for the source can feel it the heat in. A door must otherwise be pried or tickled
guiding them toward the downed nautiloid. The signal open, which requires an action.
is a sequence of words in Deep Speech with a buzzing Life Support. The failing life support system is keep-
undertone. Any creature that understands Deep Speech ing the ship's interior temperature at 50 degrees
and is sensitive to the signal can translate the message: Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). The system gives
out completely 24 hours after the characters arrive
(unless they do something about it), at which point the
"Nautiloid down. Emergency protocols enabled. Crew temperature begins falling 10 degrees Fahrenheit per
safe, but vessel imperiled. Psi crystal needed. Come hour until it matches the temperature outside.
at once."
NAUTILOIDS
Designed to move through the Astral Plane, nautiloids are
THE CRASH SITE bizarre flying ships that can also transport mind flayers
As the ship came down, it dug a furrow through the between the various worlds of the Material Plane. The Id
snowy valley before skidding to a stop. Its construction Ascendant is one such ship.
A nautiloid looks like an enormous nautilus shell fitted
is partly organic, and the tentacles protruding from the
with one or more exterior decks and a large, forward-facing
ship's bow are coated in mucus that remains sticky even mass of rubbery tentacles. The mind flayers use these
in the extreme cold. tentacles to scour the surface of a world for interesting
The ship's interior is a mess. The walls are crusted creatures to take back home for study or a feast.
with patches of flaky plaque, and the floor is splattered The mind flayers have lost the secret of manufacturing
with sticky blots of an inky-black substance that courses nautiloids, meaning that the loss of any vessel brings
through the ship's veins. Equipment is scattered every- them one step closer to remaining trapped on the Mate-
where, both from the impact of the crash and because of rial Plane.
subsequent repair work. ◄ ►

1 33
and attempt to defuse the situation and clear up any
NAUTILOID LOCATIONS
"misunder tanding."
The following locations are keyed to map 2.7. Treasure. One of the crates contains six laser rifles in
weapon racks ( ee "Alien Technology" in the Dungeon
Nl. FORWARD DECK
Master's Guide for more information about laser rifles).
Three of the rifles have been partially dismantled and
This deck is five feet above the valley floor and covered are nonfunctional. The other three are intact, and each
one contains an energy cell that allows the rifle to be
with fresh snow. Mounted to the deck is a ballista cov-
fired 30 times. An energy cell cannot be recharged. Fig-
ered in ice. At the back of the deck, a double door made uring out how to fire and reload a laser rifle requires two
of chitin and iron is tucked under two higher decks, the successful Intelligence checks (one to figure out how to
lower of which has another ballista mounted atop it. fire it, another to figure out how to load it). Each time a
character makes a check, compare the check result to
the Figuring Out Alien Technology table in the Dungeon
The double door is iced shut but not locked. A charac- Master's Guide.
ter can use an action to try to wrench open the doors,
doing so with a successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics) N3. CRYO GE N I C STASIS PODS
check. The noise is loud enough to alert the creatures Each of these four rooms contains a 5-foot-diameter,
in area N2. crimson, semitranslucent crystal sphere in a low stand.
BaJJista. This weapon is inoperable since the crash. A door in the side of each sphere opens when a crea-
ture that has telepathy approaches within 5 feet of it;
N2 . CARGO HOLD half the door swings upward and half swings down
to form a ramp. Each sphere is a cryogenic stasis pod
Attached to the walls in this chamber are three sets of designed to keep a gnome ceremorph or a gnome
squidling alive and healthy on a long voyage. The pods
chains and manacles designed to hold large creatures. A
are nonfunctional unless the power core is fixed, which
staircase rises to the next deck amid crates, barrels, and is beyond the ceremorphs' capability.
broken bits of equipment.
Moving among the detritus are four creatures. Three of N4. BATTLE DECK
them are small, repulsive, purple things that float above

the ground and pull themselves across the floor using This middle deck has an open cowl. Mounted to the deck
oversized face-tentacles. The fourth is a lumbering mon- is a forward-facing ballista. The walls are lined with bal-
strosity made of stitched-together parts from goblins, lista bolts waiting to be used.
dwarves, and reindeer.
Stairs lead down to area N2 and up to area N7, and a

The three gnome squidlings (Rin, Rix, and Zglarrd) flesh door leads to area NS.
are supposed to be cleaning up the cargo hold but are BaJJista. This marvel of gnomish over-engineering
just pushing junk around and annoying Dredavex's is still operational. Dials, knobs, and levers festoon the
flesh golem. gunner's station, which comes with firing instructions
Unless one of the gnome ceremorphs is leading the written in Qualith (a braille-like script that illithids read
party through the cargo hold, the flesh golem tries to with their tentacles). A character who hasn't read the
beat the characters unconscious. The squidlings are instructions or had them translated must succeed on a
compelled to try to devour the brains of unconscious DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check to fire the weapon. If
characters, avoiding combat otherwise. the check fails by 5 or more, the device misfires, dealing
The heavy chains and manacles once held a pair of 9 (2d8) slashing damage to one randomly determined
carrion crawlers and a bulette, all of which the gnome creature within 10 feet of the ballista.
ceremorphs released after the crash. The characters
met the carrion crawlers on the way to the ship; they N5. MAINTENANCE
meet the bulette shortly after they leave (see "Bulette
Proof," page 137). Crystals protrude from the chitinous ceiling of this oddly
The stairway leads up to the battle deck (area N4).
shaped room. Some of the crystals are lit, and others are
Characters who examine the cargo containers find two
barrels of lubricant, two barrels of a pink slurry made flickering or burned out. Plates of chitin have been pried
from humanoid brains, a crate of machine parts, a crate loose from the walls in places , exposing cavities filled
of weapons (see "Treasure" below), and three crates that with tangled masses of black tubes. Scattered across the
the gnome squidlings live in. floor are unusual-looking tools.
Development. Sounds of combat here attract Dre-
davex, who arrives in 2 rounds. If any squidlings have
died, Dredavex telepathically summons Vorryn and tries If it hasn't been lured elsewhere, Dredavex is here,
to kill the party. Otherwise, Dredavex calls off the golem peering into a wall cavity and trying to figure out a way
to keep the life support system from shutting down. The

134
chaotic neutral gnome ceremorph (see appendix C) is The black sphere contains the charred remains of a fist-
equipped with two nonmagical items: sized crystal that could propel the nautiloid through the
Laser Pistol. Rules for laser pistols appear in the Dun- air and across space. The crystal cracked and imploded
geon Master's Guide. This weapon can fire 33 shots during the crash. Until a replacement is found, the ship
is grounded. The gnome ceremorphs think they can
before its energy cell is drained. After its last shot is
use a psi crystal as a temporary fix , but they're not sure
expended, the weapon becomes inoperable. The en-
ergy cell can't be removed or recharged. where to find one.
Psi Crystal Detector. This black metal box is the size of N7. BRIDGE
a bar of soap. It emits an audible clicking noise when a
psi crystal is within 5 miles of it. The closer the object
gets to the psi crystal, the more rapid the clicks. Suspended from the ceiling of this high-domed chamber
A character who tries to help Dredavex with the life is a complex lattice of bioluminescent jellyfish that use
support system can make a DC 25 Intelligence (Arcana) the glowing tips of their tendrils to form constellations. A
check after studying the alien technology for at least 1 high-backed chair with short armrests capped with spar-
hour. On a successful check, the character devises a kly blue crystal orbs tilts up toward the display.
solution that enables the life support system to remain
A panel on the starboard wall lies open, exposing a
operational for an additional 24 hours.
pulsing tendril of flesh embedded with crystal shards.
N6. PROPULSION ROOM
If it hasn't been lured elsewhere, Vorryn the gnome

This room contains a five-foot-diameter sphere of shiny ceremorph (see appendix C) is here, using the orbs on
black metal with small, transparent, hexagonal windows. the ship's helm (the chair) to communicate telepathically
Sharp metal tines resembling grasping claws protrude with the nautiloid, which has the liquefied conscious-
nesses of several other mind flayers flowing through
from the nearby walls and ceiling, stretching toward the
its veins. The chaotic neutral gnome ceremorph is
sphere but stopping short of it. Along the walls are low- equipped with two nonmagical items:
mounted control stations studded with knobs and dials.
Laser Pistol. Rules for laser pistols appear in the Dun-
geon Master's Guide. This weapon is fully charged

1 35
and can fire 50 shots before its energy cell is drained. Telepathic Distress Beacon. The Mpulsing tendril of
After its last shot is expended, the weapon becomes flesh" extruding from the open wall is the ship's tele-
inoperable. The energy cell can't be removed or pathic distress beacon. It can be deactivated in the fol-
recharged. lowing ways:
Pacifier Rod. This 6-inch-long black metal rod has a A mind flayer can use the helm to shut it off.
button at the top. Using an action to press the button
Any creature can use an action to try to rip the ten-
causes the rod to emit a chirp. Any creature within 30
dril out of the wall, doing so with a successful DC 16
feet of the rod that isn't deafened and has an Intelli-
Strength check.
gence of 3 or lower must succeed on a DC 13 Consti-
• The tendril can be destroyed or hacked off with a
tution saving throw or be incapacitated for 1 minute.
slashing weapon. It has AC 10, 15 hit points, and resis-
After each activation, there's a 25 percent chance that
tance to psychic damage.
the rod breaks and becomes inoperable.
Exits. Fleshy doorways lead to areas NB and N9,
Helm. This chair is securely attached to the deck and
while stairs lead down to area N4.
can't be used by creatures that are not mind flayers. Any
non-illithid that sits in the chair and touches both blue N8. OBSERVATION DECK
orbs at once must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution sav- The deck is covered in frost. A pintle mount for a tele-
ing throw or be stunned for 10 minutes. scope is fastened near the exterior railing.
Self-Destruct. If Vorryn touches one of the helm's
blue orbs while Dredavex touches the other, they can N9 . CAPTAINS' QUARTERS
jointly activate the nautiloid's self-destruct system. The
gnome ceremorphs take this desperate action only if
there's a good chance the ship's technology will fall into This domed chamber is full of clutter, a lot of it piled
the wrong hands or if they're forced to abandon ship. atop a table with one-foot-high legs. Behind the table
Once the self-destruct's countdown timer has begun, it is a five-foot-diameter crystal sphere mounted atop a
can't be stopped. A voice in Deep Speech counts down low stand.
the seconds from 60. When the timer reaches 0, the ship
Five strange, glowing gizmos are attached to the chi-
disintegrates in an explosion bright enough to see from
Ten-Towns. Any creature inside the ship or within 60 tinous walls seven feet above the floor. These devices
feet of it when this occurs takes 70 (20d6) force damage. look like the tips of metal wands held in pincer-claws.

The five gizmos on the walls fire beams of radiant en-
ergy whenever a non-illithid is in the room. At the start ]ARLMOOT
of each turn, each gizmo targets a random creature The characters might come here after hearing a tale
in the room (including mind flayers). The target must about a circle of giant thrones (see "Tall Tales in Ten-
succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be struck Towns," page 101), or they might be led here by Yselm
by the gizmo's beam, taking 4 (ld8) radiant damage. Bloodfang (see "Yselm's Way," page 103).
Each gizmo is a Tiny object with AC 16, 3 hit points, and Seven empty, ice-glazed thrones form a ring atop a
immunity to poison and psychic damage. A character snow-covered hillock. Under the light of a full moon,
can use an action to try to tear a gizmo from the wall, the apparitions of dead frost giant jarls appear in the
doing so with a successful DC 10 Strength check. Re- thrones, clutching the ends of their armrests with icy
ducing a gizmo to O hit points or tearing it from the wall fingers as they reminisce about the glorious past.
destroys it. The ancient thrones are carved out of blocks of stone.
Crystal Sphere. The crystal sphere is a cryogenic When the apparitions of the frost giants manifest, their
stasis pod, identical to the ones in area N3 and similarly eyes glow white in the darkness. Three of the giants
nonfunctional. have on fur vests and leather trousers; three others wear
Worktable. Amid the clutter on the table are two chainmail from head to toe. The seventh giant, Reggar-
magic items (see "Treasure" below), which a character yarva, is slightly larger than the others and wears a coat
can find only by rooting through the junk. Any creature of white dragon scales and a magnificent horned helm.
that does so has a 50 percent chance of knocking two Reggaryarva was once called the "jar! of jarls" and often
things together and triggering an electrical discharge. had the final say-or axe blow- in any heated discus-
When such a discharge occurs, every creature within sion. He sits in the throne that faces north, as he should.
5 feet of the table must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving Beneath Reggaryarva's throne is a vault dedicated to
throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 4 (ld8) light- Thrym, the god of the frost giants.
ning damage.
Treasure. The two magic items on the worktable were ARLMOOT LOCATIONS
fashioned on distant worlds. The following area descriptions are keyed to map 2.8.
The first is a sticky, metal monocle with a kaleido-
scopic lens that functions like eyes of minute seeing. Jl. RING OF THRONES
The second is a slimy coif made from a living space
slug, that functions like a helm of telepathy. A creature
Ice covers seven giant thrones arrayed in a ring atop
I
that attunes to this headgear can pick up the nautiloid's
telepathic distress beacon. a snow-covered hill. Scores of black ravens gather
overhead .
BULETTE PROOF
One last danger confronts the heroes as they leave the
A detect magic spell or similar magic reveals an aura of
ship and head out of the mountain valley:
necromancy around the ring of thrones and extending
10 feet beyond the outer edge of the ring. While in this
Something big is plowing through the deep snow, head- area, creatures that do not have resistance or immunity
ing in your direction . Only its shiny dorsal ridge breaks to cold damage gain vulnerability to cold damage.
The characters can see the frost giant apparitions only
the snow's surface.
if they step into the ring under the light of a full moon.
Otherwise, the thrones are empty, and the characters
Vorryn and Dredavex released a hostile bulette into the have nothing else to interact with. The apparitions
wild after the crash because they didn't want to feed it. refuse to speak in the characters' presence, and they
They have no control over the creature, and they have all can't be harmed or turned. Barely lifting one finger,
but forgotten about it. They fail to warn the characters the apparition of Reggaryarva summons a frost giant
that it poses a threat to anyone approaching or leav- skeleton (see appendix C) to challenge the party. If the
ing the ship. skeleton is defeated, it disappears, and Reggaryarva
The characters first notice the bulette when it's 120 summons two invisible stalkers to carry on the fight.
feet away from them , and it has three-quarters cover Each creature summoned in this manner appears in an
under the snow. When it gets within 30 feet of the unoccupied space of Reggaryarva's choice within the
party, the bulette springs out of the snow and uses its circle of thrones.
Deadly Leap. If the characters defeat the frost giant skeleton and
If the characters don't kill it, the bulette gradually mi- the invisible stalkers, Reggaryarva is impressed and
grates toward Ten-Towns. challenges them no more. Furthermore, the charac-
ters' triumph earns them a reward: access to the vault
under the hill. The other six apparitions intone ancient
words in Giant, causing Reggaryarva to fade away as his
throne rises 30 feet into the air, revealing a hidden stair-
case that descends to areaJ2.
CHAPTER 2 I ICEWIND DA LE
137
If she is present, Yselm Bloodfang betrays and at- The inscription car,ed arch above the alcoves is
tacks them as Reggaryarva's throne rises into the air. A a poem written in the 0 h alphabet:
winter wolf sent by the Frostmaiden joins the fray on
Snatch a scale from a leep·nrr wyrm;
Yselm's side. Both villains fight to the death.
Against the blowing \\ind. tand fir m.
When the full moon disappears below the horizon ,
Climb a mountain with a . one in your shoe;
Reggaryarva's throne slowly lowers back into place,
On little feet, death come for you.
sealing the vault entrance once more.
Be the arrow that s tare he war:
J2. HALL OF BRAZIERS Let life's blood fall till it fall no more.
Jarlmoot's underground vault is hewn out of rock and Double Door. The double door to area JS is unlocked.
has flat , 25-foot-high ceilings throughout. As the charac- As an action, a character can push open either door with
ters descend the stairs, read: a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
Locked Gate. The iron gate that seals off area ]3 won't
open until all six braziers in the hall are lit. The gaps
To your left as you enter this dark hall is a closed, stone
between the bars are too small for Small or Medium
double door with no handles or hinges on this side. To characters to squeeze through.
your right is a curved tunnel blocked by an iron gate that Stone Braziers. Any character who understands
has one-foot-square gaps between its horizontal and Dwarvish or Giant can interpret the runes on the six
vertical bars. The iron hinges on the northern side of the braziers as follows: dod (death), fjell (mountain), krig
(war), !iv (life), vind (wind), and wyrm (dragon). When
gate indicate that it swings inward.
the proper ingredients are placed inside one, magical
Situated in shallow alcoves at the far end of this hall fire fills the brazier. This fire destroys the brazier's non-
are six braziers, each one in the shape of a four-foot-tall, magical contents and burns for 1 hour. Only while all six
two-foot-wide stone urn held snugly atop a five-foot-high, braziers are lit can the gate to areaJ3 be opened.
clawed basalt pedestal. Carved into each urn is a rune. Characters can find most of the ingredients they need
Above the alcoves looms a stone archway, into which
in area JS. The poem (see above) provides clues to help
the characters figure out which of the ingredients be-
some words are inscribed.
longs in each brazier. For example, the first line of the
poem contains the words "scale" and "wyrm," suggest-
ing that a dragon's scale is needed for the brazier that
bears the wyrm rune.

Wyrm (Dragoo). Dropping a dragon's scale in this bra-
zier summons forth its fire . The characters can sub-
stitute some other dragon body part, such as a fang
or a claw.
Vind (Wind). Blowing air into this brazier lights its fire.
No ingredient is required .
Fjell (Mountain). Dropping a stone or a pebble from a
mountain into this brazier summons forth its fire.
Dod (Death). Dropping a Tiny, dead creature, or three
drops of blood from any dead creature, into this bra-
zier summons forth its fire.
Krig (War). Dropping an arrow into this brazier sum-
mons forth its fire. The characters can substitute
some other piece of ammunition , such as a crossbow
bolt or sling stone.
Liv (Life). Three drops of blood from a living creature
must fall into this brazier to make its fire appear.
j3. CURVED TuNNEL

There is nothing remarkable about this tunnel. It ends
at a pair of heavy stone doors. A character can use an
action to push open either door with a successful DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check, allowing access to areaJ4.
GIANT RUNES (AREA 2)
M AP 2 .8 : JA R LMOOT
j4. TURN THE GOLD KEY?
Doo FJELL
(DEATH RUNE) (MOUNTAIN R U N E)
A large oak chest with silver fittings stands against the
wall directly opposite the double doors. A gold key sticks
out of the chest's built-in lock.
The chest is 10 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 6 feet tall, with
a half-barrel-shaped lid. It is stuck to the floor and can't
be moved. The gold key in the lock is not the key that un-
locks the chest, and it can be safely removed. (The real
key is in area JS.) After the key is pulled out, a character
KRIG Liv can use thieves' tools to try to pick the lock, doing so
(WAR RuNE) (LIFE RU N E) with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. A knock spell
or similar magic also opens the chest.
Exit Portal. Turning the gold key in the lock doesn't
unlock the chest but instead conjures a 10-foot-square
doorway through which areaJl can be seen. The door-
way appears on the north wall , above the chest. Any
creature that passes through this doorway is teleported
to an unoccupied space withinJarlmoot's circle of
thrones. A swarm of ravens then descends upon that
creature and attacks it. Enough ravens are circling
Jarlmoot to create four such swarms.
V1NO W vRM The portal is one-way only; it can't be seen or entered
(W1NO RUNE) (DRAGON R UNE) from areaJl. The portal closes automatically after 10
minutes, causing the gold key to turn back to its original
C H APTER 2 I IC EWIND DALE

1 39
position. The portal closes instantly if the gold key is re-
moved from the chest's lock. KARKOLOHK
Treasure. The gold key is worth 25 gp. Inside the A goblin prison-fort clings to an icy crag in the rocky,
chest, held in a wooden brace, is a horn of blasting. wind-blasted western foothills of the Spine of the World.
Stacked around the horn are six flying battleaxes (use From this ramshackle mountain roost, the goblins
the flying sword stat block) that attack as soon as the launch raids against caravans traveling to and from
lid opens. Ten-Towns and mount hunting expeditions across
the tundra.
]5. CHAMBER OF CHESTS Any of the following hooks might lure characters to
the gates of Karkolohk:
This chamber holds four large wooden chests with iron • The characters learn about the goblin fortress
fittings and built-in locks. Hanging from a hook in the while they're in Ten-Towns (see "Tall Tales in Ten-
middle of the ceiling is a one-foot-diameter iron ring with
Towns," page 101).
• Sherri ff Markham Southwell of Bryn Shander hires
four one-foot-long iron keys and a single, one-foot-long
the characters to bring him the head of the goblin
silver key dangling from it. chief, Yarb-Gnock (see "Peace Out," page 103, and
"Gnome Diplomacy," below).
• The characters follow a goblin wagon heading back to
The keys are sized appropriately for the locks on the
Karkolohk (see "Foaming Mugs," page 34).
oversized chests. To reach the ring of keys, the charac-
The characters find a shield guardian's amulet in
ters must either use magic to climb the walls or stack
the Lost Spire ofNetheril (see page 145) and use
the chests on end and climb them. Other solutions might
its tracking feature, which leads them to Karkolohk,
present themselves; try to reward the players' ingenuity.
where the shield guardian is found.
The ring of keys is too heavy to lift with a mage hand
spell, but the spell can be used to unscrew the hook SECRET OF CHIEF YARB-GNOCK
from which the ring hangs, causing the keys to fall. The
iron keys unlock the chests in this room. The silver key Ruling a goblin horde is a thankless job. That's a hard
(which is worth 2 gp) unlocks the chest in areaJ4. lesson for a rock gnome sorcerer to learn.
Chests. Each chest weighs 150 pounds and is 10 Five years ago, before lcewind Dale became the per-
feet long, 5 feet wide, and 6 feet tall, with a half-barrel- petually frozen hellscape it is today, Spellix Romwod
shaped lid. A character can use an action to try to pick was traveling through the mountain pass with a small
a chest's lock using thieves' tools, doing so with a suc- caravan when it was caught in an avalanche. The gob-
cessful DC 15 Dexterity check. A knock spell or similar lins who triggered the avalanche captured Spellix's
magic also opens a chest. mates and dragged them back to their caves in the
Each chest contains a single item. The four items are mountains to be eaten. Spellix, whom the goblins over-
as follows: looked, followed them and devised a cunning plan to
free his companions. Using materials scavenged from
• An elven arrow the wrecked caravan, he engineered a costume for him-
• A dead snowy owl, frozen stiff self. Disguised as a half-metal goblin, he infiltrated the
• A gleaming scale from a young white dragon goblins' lair and did his best to fit in, cleverly using silent
A fist-sized stone from Kelvin's Cairn image spells to hide the imperfections in his disguise.
When he was offered a bone to gnaw on, his mechanical
LEAVING ARLMOOT
goblin mouth malfunctioned and wouldn't stop grinding
As the characters leaveJarlmoot, read the following its teeth. Thus, Spellix Romwod came to be known as
boxed text to the players: Yarb-Gnock, which means "Ever-Gnawing" in Goblin.
Spellix was repulsed by the goblins' squalor and took
pity on them. Abandoning all concern for his former
Through the blowing snow, you see a frost giant with
mates, whom he didn't particularly like anyway, Spellix
long white hair stride toward you. In her hands, she adopted the name given to him by the goblins and spent
grasps an icy chain with an anvil bolted to one end of it. the next several months engineering ways to improve
their standard of living. Long after the other members
of the caravan had been eaten, Yarb-Gnock became the
The frost giant, Gromin'gorn, is hostile and has noble new chief after the previous one choked to death on a
blood in her icy veins. She has come to Jarlmoot to be mountain goat tongue. By then, Yarb-Gnock had already
tested by the spirits of her ancestors. Only by passing drawn up plans to build a fortress in the mountains.
this test can she hope to lead her tribe. If one of the Karkolohk, the Gnomish word for "home," became the
characters is openly carrying the horn of blasting from goblin tribe's dream of a better future .
areaJ4, Gromin'gorn tries to claim it for herself, believ- As the goblins were finishing construction of their
ing this is the test her ancestors have set before her. new home, everlasting winter descended upon Icewind
Instead of a greataxe, Gromin'gorn wields a 10-foot- Dale. Fewer caravans made their way through the
long chain with an anvil bolted to the end of it. In her mountain pass, forcing ChiefYarb-Gnock to send goblin
hands, it deals 25 (3d12 + 6) bludgeoning damage on a wagons far and wide in search of food and resources.
hit. She can make two attacks with it as an action.

Despite his best efforts, the gnome-in-goblin's-clothing gnomes. Were the goblins just a little smarter, they
could sense that the tribe was becoming increasingly would see through ChiefYarb-Gnock's crude disguise
frustrated. The goblins felt like they were working and the magic he uses to hides its imperfections, and
harder for less, and a few are beginning to suspect that tear Spellix Romwod limb from limb.
ChiefYarb-Gnock is a fraud.
Cooped up in the cold with creatures that would GNOME DIPLOMACY
kill him if they learned the truth, Chief Yarb-Gnock is If you decide to use the "Peace Out" quest (see page
running out of ideas to keep the goblins motivated on 103), the characters are treated as diplomats by the
other tasks and has begun to fear that the goblins are goblins and permitted to approach and enter the fortress
on to him. His costume is beginning to come apart, and unmolested, provided they do no harm to its inhabitants.
paranoia has made him sleep-deprived. The number of Assuming they avoid a violent altercation, the characters
"traitors" hurled from the mountaintop increases with are escorted by a goblin to Yarb-Gnock's dining hall
every cycle of the moon, and the goblins don't know who (area K11) for a private feast with the chief. This feast
among them are Yarb-Gnock's loyal spies. Mistrust has consists of a cooked mountain goat. What happens next
infected every nook and cranny of Karkolohk. depends on Yarb-Gnock's goal, which can be one of the
Spellix Romwod was beginning to think that the time following:
had come to abandon his goblin kin and seek refuge in • IfYarb-Gnock's goal is to make peace with Ten-Towns,
Ten-Towns when, two days ago, his fortunes improved he gives the party a rolled-up strip of rabbit hide at the
suddenly. Goblins out scavenging in a wagon stumbled end of the meal. On this strip of hide he has written
across a curious object in the tundra- a metallic, egg- a brief, formal notice in Common addressed to the
shaped crate. (This object was jettisoned from an illithid Council of Speakers of Ten-Towns. It asserts that the
nautiloid soon before it crashed in the mountains to the goblins of Karkolohk will refrain from attacking trav-
east, as described in "Id Ascendant," page 132.) Chief elers and caravans heading to and from Ten-Towns for
Yarb-Gnock thinks the crate might hold something as long as the peace treaty between Ten-Towns and
wondrous, and getting it open has become his new Karkolohk lasts, and it bears Yarb-Gnock's signature
obsession. at the bottom. After handing them the message, Yarb-
Gnock urges the characters to leave at once and de-
KARKOLOHK OVERVIEW liver it to the Council Hall in Bryn Shander.
The goblins of Karkolohk often haunt the trail that IfYarb-Gnock's goal is to flee Karkolohk, the meal
connects Ten-Towns to other settlements farther south, concludes with Yarb-Gnock requesting that the char-
though it sees little traffic nowadays. Prisoners are kept acters escort him to the Council Hall in Bryn Shander.
in dangling cages until they freeze to death, whereupon Mistaking any attempt by Yarb-Gnock to leave Kar-
the goblins cook and eat them. kolohk as an abduction orchestrated by the characters,
Deep tracks left by goblin wagons lead to and from the goblins attack the characters as they try to flee the
Karkolohk, making it easy to find despite the heavy fortress with Yarb-Gnock in tow. During this escape
snowfall. Once the characters are within the foothills attempt, Yarb-Gnock fights only in self-defense, count-
and travel high enough to breach the clouds, the fortress ing on the characters to deal with any goblins that get
becomes visible about from a mile away. in the way.
The fortress is worked into the spur of a mountain
slope in a way that uses the natural environment to its KARKOLOHK LOCATIONS
advantage. Situated at the top of a hill, goblin lookouts The following locations are keyed to map 2.9.
have an excellent view of anyone approaching.
The weather in the mountains is so violent that Kar- Kl. WATCHTOWERS
kolohk's structures occasionally come loose and crash The fortress has three of these squat structures, two
down the mountainside. Other times, chemistry experi- overlooking the eastern approach and a third perched
ments gone awry send wooden structures up in flames. atop the cliffs to the west. Each watchtower stands 20
Thus, the fort is always bustling with construction feet tall and has a rickety wooden ladder leading to the
and repairs. top, where a thick column of smoke issues from a bra-
zier that is kept lit at all times.
GOBLIN MINDSET Four goblins dressed in cold weather clothing stand
ChiefYarb-Gnock has taught the goblins to seize their guard atop each tower. The rampart battlements grant
destiny and stop at nothing to get what they want. Op- them half cover against attacks from outside the fort.
portunistic creatures that they are, they take any sign They are supposed to be looking outward for signs of
of weakness as an opening to gain an advantage. If bul- trouble, but the goblins prefer to stand around the bra-
lying and intimidation don't work, the goblins use more zier for warmth. One goblin has a horn that it can blow
underhanded and passive-aggressive tactics. If they to sound an alarm, putting the entire fortress on alert.
think that they are at a disadvantage or that they will Since visitors aren't welcome at Karkolohk, the
come to an unavoidable loss, the goblins will do what- goblins shoot arrows at any they see. A character who
ever they can to backtrack out of such a situation, be it wants to sneak past a watchtower or climb its ladder
through bribery, wheedling, or treachery. undetected must succeed on a DC 9 Dexterity (Stealth)
Visitors are not welcome at Karkolohk. Moreover, check. If multiple party members are attempting the
the goblins who live here detest non-goblins, especially same task, have them make a group check instead.
CHAPTER 2 f ICEWIND DALE

14r
K2 . MAIN GATE cages hanging from it contain. a pri oner: a dead hu-
man that the ravens are fea tin on.
A fiery brazier casts its flickering light on the thirty-foot- K4. ARCHER PLATFOR.1
high, spiked ramparts that frame the main gate. Four These wooden platforms creak and groan underfoot.
goblins peer down from these ramparts , two per side. Each of them has two goblins m cold weather clothing
and two wolves stationed atop it.
The gate is twenty feet tall and fashioned out of cross-
If an alarm sounds. the goblin begin looking for tar-
hatched pieces of wood that have been lashed together. gets on the ground to pick off with their shortbows. If
A heavy chain and padlock seals the gate from the inside. the enemy moves to a location the goblins can't see, they
mount the wolves and move to another archer platform.
Six goblins shiver and stamp their feet atop the ram- KS. MAI N B ATTLE P LATFORM
parts, trying to keep warm. They are a chatty bunch,
making jokes at one another's expense. Each rampart
has a wooden ladder leading up to it. This thirty-foot-tall wooden watchtower is connected to
A character who wants to approach the gate unde- the snowy ridges on either side of it by wooden bridges.
tected must succeed on a DC 9 Dexterity (Stealth) Hanging off it are a pair of empty iron cages, and dan-
check. If multiple party members are attempting the gling underneath the tower's raised platform is a nine-
same thing, have them make a group check instead. A
foot-tall, golem-like construct with a helm-shaped head .
character next to the gate can use an action to reach
through it and try to pick the frozen padlock using This humanoid contraption is attached to an arrange-
thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexter- ment of ropes and pulleys that make it look like a giant
ity check. The courtyard warden (see area K3) carries marionette.
the key to the lock.
A Small character can try to squeeze under the gate or
between its wooden bars, doing so with a successful DC When announcements or rallying cries need to be made,
20 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. the top of this tower is where Chief Yarb-Gnock stands
to address the goblin tribe. No goblins are on it cur-
K3 . COURTYARD rently, although it sees a fair amount of traffic. A rickety
wooden ladder runs from the platform to the ground.
The underside of the platform is rigged with a system
Two rickety wooden bridges loom over this area at of ropes and pulleys that the goblins can use to hoist up
heights of thirty feet and fifty feet, respectively. The anything heavier than a goblin, and the top of the plat-
higher bridge is missing a large section of its middle, and form has snow-covered hatches built into it that can be
what remains of that structure doesn't look safe. lifted away to get at the rigging underneath.
Two iron cages hang from beams that extend south- Dangling Construct. The construct dangling be-
neath the platform is a shield guardian that survived
east off the lower bridge. One of the cages twirls on its
the fall of Ythryn, although its master did not. It was
heavy iron chain as a flurry of black-feathered ravens heavily damaged in the crash; consequently, its hit point
tear into the flesh of the desolate creature caged within. maximum is reduced to 80. To activate and control the
Underneath the bridge is a worg with a rider on its back. shield guardian, the characters need its amulet, which
The rider, swathed in cold weather clothing, appears is inside an ancient tower that broke away when Ythryn
came down and crashed in the tundra (see "Lost Spire
to be a rather fat goblin. North and west of the higher
of Netheril," page 145). They also need to operate the
bridge, resting in the snow, are three large, wooden goblins' system of pulleys and ropes to lower it to the
cages, currently empty. ground; figuring out how the system works requires a
successful DC 15 Intelligence check.
The shield guardian was built by a Netherese wizard
The wooden cages were built to hold the polar bears
and is nearly two thousand years old. Carved into its
that pull the goblins' wagons.
massive forearms is the wizard's personal sigil. After
The goblin riding the worg is Snubsuk, the courtyard
the wizard's tower crashed, the guardian left the spire
warden. His job is to lock and unlock the main gate at
to go find help but got buried in an avalanche. It eventu-
area K2. The worg charges toward intruders, causing
ally shut down. Centuries later, a band of goblins dug it
Snubsuk to tumble off the worg's back and fall prone
out and hauled it back to Karkolohk. Unfortunately for
in the snow. Snubsuk is a coward and flees when sepa-
them, the guardian could not be reactivated. After some
rated from his mount, making his way to the top of area
thought, ChiefYarb-Gnock decided to dangle it from this
KS. Snubsuk carries the key to the main gate, dangling
platform, using ropes and pulleys like puppet strings to
from a chain manacled to his left wrist.
make the guardian appear animate and terrifying. This
Bridges and Cages. The center of the 50-foot-high
construct must have been a lively sight to behold at one
bridge collapsed a few days ago. The goblins used the
point, but the aura of menace surrounding it quickly
debris to light fires and haven't fixed the bridge yet. The
faded, and the goblins lost all interest in it.
30-foot-high bridge is intact and unguarded. One of the
CHAPTER 2 I lCEWIND DALE

142
MA P 2.9 : KARK OL O HK
K6. HEALERS ' HUTS Whenever Chief Yarb-Gnock wants to make an example
of a goblin, the poor wretch is dragged screaming to this
walkway. The goblin can either hurl itself off the cliff to
On a wide, snow-covered shelf, six conical tents fash- its death or die by the swords of its kin. The skulls be-
ioned from animal skins and bark draped over wood long to goblins who never made it to the end of the walk-
frames are arranged in a circle around a burning brazier. way. Ravens have picked the skulls clean.
The walkway was shoddily constructed and shows
signs of having been repaired many times after being
Each hut is home to a goblin healer in cold weather damaged by wind. If more than 200 pounds is placed on
clothing. Each one owns a healer's kit. In addition, each the outermost half of it, the whole thing snaps off and
healer has a pet mountain goat (see appendix C), from tumbles down the mountainside. Any creature on the
which it draws milk and which it can use as a mount. walkway when it breaks off must make a DC 16 Dex-
Each goat is usually tied to a post inside the healer's hut. terity saving throw. On a successful save, the creature
Manafek. The goblin healer in the easternmost hut leaps off and falls prone on the ground near the slope.
is named Manafek. She also tells fortunes by studying On a failed save, the creature falls 150 feet onto icy
patterns of raven's blood spilled on the snow. She is rocks with goblin bones scattered among them, taking
wise enough to have seen through ChiefYarb-Gnock's 52 (15d6) bludgeoning damage from the impact.
disguise and is contemplating whether to blackmail the
I
rock gnome or expose him. She's leaning toward the K8 . GOBLIN HUTS
former, since she's not sure the goblins will pick her as
I
their new leader if Yarb-Gnock dies.
Ramshackle huts cling precariously to the rock face, their
K7. WALK OF DOOM rope ladders swaying with every gust of wind.
A twenty-foot-long wooden walkway clings to the edge of These huts are secured to the rock face with stilts. Each
a precipice. Its spiked railings are adorned with ribbons hut is 15 to 20 feet above the path of wooden planks
that runs the length of the ledge below them. The huts'
of shredded cloth and goblin skulls.
interiors are lined with animal pelts and thick strips of
C HAPTER 2 I I C EWIND DALE

r43
bark. Each hut contains an adult goblin and ld6 goblin
children (noncombatants).
When the fo rtress comes under attack, the goblins
who live here pull up their rope ladders, which makes
getting to the huts difficult. A creature can reach a hut by
scaling the icy cliff, but doing this requires a successful
DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
K9 . MAIN KEEP FOYER

Four goblins in cold weather clothing guard this drafty
hall. If an alarm sounds, the guards drop a heavy
wooden crossbar across the double door to the south
until ChiefYarb-Gnock gives the order to remove it. A
ram or a similar siege weapon is needed to break down
the barred door.
KIO. GUARD BARRACKS

These rooms are furnished similarly with mangy furs
heaped atop hammocks made from old fishing nets. No
goblins are resting here when the characters arrive.
Kll. DINING ROOM

A low banquet table dominates this room, and there are
no chairs as goblins are expected to sit on the floor. The
table and floor are strewn with fish bones, bits of rotting
meat, and other refuse left over from previous meals. No
one ever cleans this place.
Characters who undertake the "Peace Out" quest
(see page 103) are brought here to meet and dine with
Small humanoid (gnome) , chaotic neutral ChiefYarb-Gnock. The characters are expected to wait
here until Spellix dons his Yarb-Gnock costume and
Armor Class 14 (hide armor) emerges from his quarters (area K12). He engages in
Hit Points 33 (6d6 + 12) small talk until the food arrives about 10 minutes later.
Speed 25 ft . When the room is not in use, a lone goblin stands
guard inside the room near the eastern door, which is
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA sealed shut with a wooden crossbar and has a shuttered
6 (- 2) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 9 (- 1) 16 (+3) peephole at goblin eye level. If someone knocks on the
other side of this door, the guard peers through the
Skills Arcana +4, Deception +5, History +4
peephole to see who's there. If it sees a friendly face, it
Senses darkvision 60 ft ., passive Perception 9
Languages Common , Draco nic, Elvish, Gnom ish , Gobl in lifts the crossbar and opens the door. A character can
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) use an action to try to force open this door from the
other side, breaking the crossbar with a successful DC
Gnome Cunning. Spell ix has advantage on all Intelligence, Wis- 22 Strength (Athletics) check. When the dining room is
dom, and Charisma saving throws against magic. in use, the guard retires to the barracks (area KIO).
Innate Spellcasting. Spellix's spellcasting ability is Charisma Kl2. CHIEF'S QUARTERS
(spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks) . He can innately The door to this room has three deadbolts. A character
cast the following spells, requ iring no material components: can use an action to try to force open the door, doing
At will :.fire bolt,* mage hand, shocking grasp* so with a successful DC 15 Strength check. Spellix
3/day: silent image Romwod (see the accompanying stat block) quickly
1/day each : chromatic orb, crown of madness, shield dons his disguise if someone knocks on the door or
*See "Actions" below. tries to break it down, but it takes him 1 minute to do
so. While putting on his goblin costume, Spellix makes
ACTIONS
light conversation (in Goblin) through the closed door
Shocking Grasp (Cantrip). Me/ee Spell Attack: +5 to hit (with to buy time.
advantage on the attack roll if the target is wearing armor The following boxed text assumes that Spellix has had
made of metal) , reach 5 ft ., one creature. Hit: 4 (ld8) lightning time to don his disguise before the characters open the
damage, and the target can 't take reactions until the start of its door. If they catch him in the act, modify the description
next turn. accordingly:
Fire Bolt (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 120 ft .,
one target. Hit: 5 (ldlO) lire damage. A flammable object hit by
this spell ignites if it isn 't being worn or carried .

This ten-foot-square room fea tures two wooden shelves LOST SPIRE OF NETHERIL
that hold half-dismantled objects and other junk. In Buried in the tundra is the spire of a tower that broke
the middle of the room, an odd -looking goblin in cold away from the Netheres e city ofYthryn when it fell from
weather clothing stands next to a metallic, egg-shaped the sky nearly two thousand years ago. The spire shat-
tered into pieces as it embedded itself in the earth, up-
crate as big as he is. Nearby is a small, fur-lined cot and a
side down. There it has remained for centuries, buried
brazier full of hot coals.
under snow and ice.
The Netherese wizard who lived inside the spire did
Characters who search the junk on the shelves find a set not survive the crash. The wizard's shield guardian not
of tinker's tools and three trinkets (determined by roll- only survived but also dug its way out, creating a tunnel
ing on the Icewind Dale Trinkets table in appendix A). that others can use to reach the spire's interior. Until
If the characters clearly portray themselves as ene- recently, the mouth of this tunnel was buried under ice
mies of the goblins, Spellix removes his goblin mask and snow. After exiting the spire, the shield guardian
so that the characters don't mistake him for an enemy. wandered into the Spine of the World, where it shut
If asked how he ended up in his current predicament, down and was lost for centuries until a band of goblins
Spellix tells them he's a method actor training for the found it recently and brought it to their mountain fort
role of a goblin warlord in a play. (He can't help him- (see "Karkolohk," page 140).
self-he lies about everything.) The characters can learn about the spire in Ten-Towns
The characters can easily force Spellix to do what (see "Tall Tales in Ten-Towns," page 101), or they
they say, since they are clearly mightier than his goblin might stumble upon it accidentally while hunting (see
horde. While in his Yarb-Gnock disguise, Spellix can be "Hunt for the Red Yeti," page 104). The NPC who tells
used as a hostage to facilitate the characters' escape, or the tale is willing to guide the characters to the spire's
he can command the goblins to stand down and allow location for no less than 20 gp. After doing so, the guide
the characters to leave the fort unmolested_If Manafek wishes the party luck before heading back to Ten-Towns.
(see area K6) is still alive, she might show up unex- Before the characters face the challenges of the
pectedly with a goblin posse and expose the impostor, spire, review the information about Dzaan in the "Ar-
forcing Spellix to put his fate in the characters' hands. cane Brotherhood" section of appendix C. The details
If the characters surrender the gnome to the goblins, concerning Dzaan's simulacrum and bodyguard are
Spellix is hauled away to take the Walk of Doom (see especially pertinent, given what the characters are about
area K7), and the characters are free to go without fur- to discover.
ther incident.
Egg-Shaped Crate. Made of magical metal, this in- NOT-SO-DEAD WIZARD OF THAY
destructible container is 3½ feet tall and 3 feet wide, Dzaan instructed his simulacrum to remain in the spire
with a flat base that allows it to stand upright and seams and ordered Krintaas, his wight bodyguard, to watch
at the top that suggest it opens like a flower. Though over it. The simulacrum is keen to activate the rune
it looks smooth, its surface feels tacky. It weighs 250 chamber on the lowest level (area P16), because this
pounds and has a panel of flashing lights below its bulg- room's magic can transform an illusory creature or
ing midsection. The panel is a nine-digit keypad locking object into a real one (within limits). The simulacrum
mechanism, and each glowing button has braille-like thinks it can use the rune chamber to turn itself into a
bumps on it. Spellix was unable to remove the keypad flesh-and-blood clone of Dzaan, but activating the cham-
or crack open the crate, so he has been trying different ber requires a life-spark, which the simulacrum does
combinations on the lock. not possess. Krintaas, who also lacks a life-spark, is im-
The characters won't be able to crack the eight-digit patiently waiting for Dzaan to return and quash the sim-
combination quickly, so the easiest way to open the ulacrum's efforts to test the rune chamber. Neither the
crate is to cast a knock spell on it or pay someone simulacrum nor Krintaas is aware that the real Dzaan is
in Ten-Towns to cast the spell (see "Magic in Ten- dead (see "Toil and Trouble," page 62).
Towns," page 20). When the characters show up, Dzaan's simulacrum
Unlocking the crate causes the gibbering mouther is ecstatic. Finally, some potentially helpful living
contained inside it to spill out. It attacks all other crea- creatures have arrived! The simulacrum will bargain ,
tures indiscriminately. befriend, threaten, or do whatever else it thinks might
work in order to get one or more of them to accompany
Kl3. TREASURY it to the rune chamber. If the characters know that the
This small room is empty. real Dzaan is dead and convey that information to the
simulacrum, it becomes even more determined.
Once it learns that Dzaan is dead, Krintaas does what-
ever it takes to make sure the simulacrum gets the life-
spark it needs to activate the rune chamber.
C HAPTER 2 I I C EWIND DALE

145
APPROACHING THE SPIRE LOST SPIRE LOCATIONS
When the characters come within sight of the section of The following locations are keyed to map 2.10.
the spire that's visible on the surface, read:
Pl. UPSIDE- DOWN ENTRANCE
A twenty-foot-high, irregularly shaped spur of rock juts

out of the tundra ahead of you. Its smooth and shiny sur- The slippery tunnel opens into an upside-down room,
face cannot possibly have been worn down by the wind. the contents of which are coated in frost. Across from
No, this protrusion looks utterly out of place, as if it had the tunnel is a wooden door that's flush with the ceiling,
been thrust into the ground. which used to be the floor. The door is ajar, and flanking
it are two identical stone statues that hang down like
stalactites. Across from the statues are sconces with
A character who examines the protrusion can make a
upside-down flames burning in them.
DC 15 Intelligence (History) check to discern its nature.
(The dwarves' Stonecunning trait can prove useful
here.) On a successful check, the character can confirm The statues, which merge seamlessly with the ceiling,
that the stone is neither naturally formed nor manually depict a long-faced human dressed in wizard's robes
hewn , but rather shaped by magic. If the check succeeds and clutching a staff. The statues used to have magical
by 5 or more, the character also discerns that that the wards on them , but these protections faded long ago.
protruding rock is of the top of a larger structure that
continues underground. P2. UPSIDE-DOWN CORRIDOR
The upside-down stairs at the east end of this frost-filled
SLIPPERY ENTRANCE corridor once connected to area P9, but the passage is
Characters who search the area around the protrusion so choked with rubble and ice that it can't be used.
find a slippery, 5-foot-diameter tunnel that enters the
ground at a steep angle, then winds down into the fro- P3. UPSIDE-DOWN LIBRARY
zen earth. A character moving through the tunnel with-
out the aid of climbing gear or magic must succeed on a
DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check or slide uncontrollably Tall bookshelves affixed to the outer wall have spilled
to the bottom, landing prone in area Pl but taking no their contents onto the ceiling-turned-floor. A large table
damage. Characters can forgo climbing and simply slide lies on its side, one leg broken. A five-foot-wide tunnel in
down the tunnel, with a similar result. Getting back to the floor to the east leads down.
the surface requires climbing gear or magic.
LOST SPIRE OVERVIEW Most of the books in this library have been destroyed by
In addition to showing the four levels of the spire, map time and neglect. The group of adventurers Dzaan hired
2.10 depicts a side view of the spire in its original state to help him search the spire removed all the books they
and a cross-section showing its current state: broken, considered valuable, including spellbooks. They left be-
mostly buried , and upside down . hind a few that might interest certain characters:
The spire's constant features are summarized below: Magical Wonders of Netheril. This book is a collection
Everything Is Upside Down. Every traversable location of interviews with Netherese archmages, who discuss
shown on map 2.10 is upside down . To get around, the their studies of ancient elven magic and the creation
characters have to walk on ceilings and climb over the of mythallars (see appendix D). The book includes
tops of doorways. Furnishings that weren't securely sketches of such devices.
bolted to the walls or floor lie in disarray, or in shards, Mysteries of the Phaerimm. This book sheds light on
on the ceiling. the phaerimm- telepathic, funnel-shaped monsters of
Illumination. All rooms, corridors, and staircases malevolent intellect that lurk in the Underdark- and
are lit by continual flame spells cast in sconces. The includes disturbing sketches of them.
flames still point toward the ceiling, betraying their Wizards in the Hollow. The birth of the Netherese
magical nature. They give off no heat. empire is chronicled in this otherwise dull, plodding
Room and Door Heights. All rooms and passageways story about the lives of three Netherese wizards.
are 12 feet high, with flat ceilings and floors unless Tunnel Down. A rough-hewn tunnel against the north
the text says otherwise. All doorways are 8 feet high wall leads down to area P6 on level 2.
and arched; being upside down turns them into con-
cave, 4-foot-high barriers that must be surmounted to P4. UPSIDE-DOWN WORKSHOP
get from one room to another).
Tunnels. The shield guardian punched holes through
This room contains shattered and jumbled equipment,
the floor and gouged out tunnels in some places
during its escape from the spire. Characters can use much of it near two heavy wooden worktables-one on
these openings to move between levels, but they'll its side, the other upside down .
need ropes or magic to ascend or descend safely.
CHAPTER 2 I I C EWI N D DALE

MAP 2 . 10 : LOST SP I RE OF NETHERIL
Characters who search through the wreckage find an P6 . UPSIDE-DOWN LABORATORY

iron key that unlocks the metal chest in area PS.
P5. UPSIDE-DOWN POTION STORAGE This room contains two metal cages, both badly dam-
aged . Nearby, two roughly dug tunnels-one in the
The floor of this room is covered with shards of glass, ceiling and one in the floor-lead to other areas . Narrow
frozen pools of spilled fluids, and the wreckage of two windows along the bowed outer wall afford you a glimpse
cabinets . In a niche in the far corner of the room , a metal of the earth into which this structure impaled itself.
chest is bolted to the ceiling. Its lid is locked.
The metal cages got knocked a round a lot during the
cras h and fall apart easily. One of them holds the cara-
The key to the chest can be found in area P4. A charac-
pace of an insect-like person. A character who examines
ter us ing thieves' tools can pick the chest's lock with a
this object and succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Na-
successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
ture) check can identify it as coming from a thri-kreen.
Treasure. Characters who open the upside-down
Tunnels Up and Down. Rough-hewn tunnels in
chest must be careful not to let its contents fall out. The
the middle of the room lead up to area P3 a nd down
chest contains four potions of resistance (one each of
acid, cold , fire, and force). Jf no precautions are taken, to area Pll.
the potions tumble out of the opened chest and shatter P7. UPSIDE-DOWN APPRENTICES' STUDY
on the floor, becoming useless. Any character under-
neath the chest can try to catch a falling potion using a
free hand, doing so with a successful DC 10 Dexterity An upside-down table sits in the middle of this room,
saving throw. and books are scattered around it. Clinging to the bowed
outer wall is an upside-down fireplace . Along that same
wall is a window with nothing but hard-packed earth
beyond it.
C H A PTE R 2 I ICEWI N D DA LE
1 47
The members of the previous expedition searched amine the skeleton notice that one of its bony fingers is
through the books and plucked the best ones. Charac- missing. A previous explorer noticed a ring on the finger,
ters who thoroughly examine the remaining ones can couldn't remove it, and decided to break off the whole
find a couple of interest that are salvageable: finger instead.
Ajamar's Guide to the Phantastic. This breezy, light- PIO . RUBBLE-FILLED SPIRAL STAIRWAY
hearted treatise on illusion magic was required read-
This spiral staircase used to connect levels 2 through 4
ing in many Netherese classrooms. It describes clever
but is choked with rubble, rendering it impassable.
ways to use common illusion spells.
The Unfettered Mind. This lunatic text discusses how Pll . UPSIDE-DOWN LABORATORY
one might exist solely as a disembodied brain, pre-
served for eons in a magical suspension fluid. It in-
cludes sketches of brains in jars. This chamber appears to have been a wizard's laboratory,
as evidenced by the upside-down storage cupboards and
P8. UPSIDE-DOWN READING ROOM
empty shelves fastened to the walls, the shattered glass
and alchemical equipment strewn across the floor, and
This room contains the shattered remains of a desk the arcane symbols painted on what is now the ceiling.
and some chairs. You quickly discover that all sound is In the middle of this space, five-foot-wide passageways
muted here. punched through the ceiling and floor lead to other lev-
els. Near them, a partially collapsed wall exposes a room
A permanent silence spell encompasses this room, that lies beyond.
which apprentices used for quiet study. The effect can
be dispelled (DC 18).
The gap in the west wall was made by members of a
P9. COLLAPSED STAIRCASE previous expedition, after they discovered a secret door
This staircase once connected to area P2 on level 1, but that they couldn't get open. The secret door was reduced
the passage is too choked with rubble and ice to be used. to rubble, creating a gap in the wall leading to area P13.
Dead Apprentice. Partially buried under the rubble Dzaan's simulacrum (see appendix C) and its wight
is a human skeleton in tattered robes-the remains of bodyguard, Krintaas, are in area P12 and move to inves-
an apprentice who died in the crash. Characters who ex- tigate any loud disturbances here.

Treasure. Any character who spends a few minutes
picking through the detritus finds a small brass key
(which unlocks the invisible chest in area PlS) and a
sealed scroll tube made of chardalyn (see the sidebar
on page 6). It contains a spell scroll of invisibility
stamped into a rolled-up piece of golden foil. The char-
dalyn tube is safe to handle.
Pl2. SNOW AND SHADOW

Unless they're drawn to area Pll by a disturbance,
Dzaan's simulacrum (see appendix C) and its wight
bodyguard, Krintaas, are here. Omit the second para-
graph from the following boxed text if these NPCs are
not present:
Some effort has been taken to arrange the contents of

this upside-down room, creating a functional office. A
table stands in the middle of the room, surrounded by
small stacks of books. Lying on the table is a whirring
amulet on a chain.
Two figures stand behind the table. One is an undead
warrior in studded leather armor, its dead-gray flesh
drawn tightly over its bones and its face locked in a ter-
rible scowl. The other is an attractive young man in cold
5 >-< IEL D GU ARD IA N AM ULE T
weather clothing. His face, beneath a frayed witch's hat,
displays studious eyes and a warm smile. "Welcome to
the lost spire of Netheril," he says. "My name is Dzaan."
Dzaan's simulacrum lacks a spellbook. If attacked, its

Characters who watched Dzaan's fiery execution (see impulse is to turn invisible and flee, then use its levi-
"Toil and Trouble," page 62) recognize the young man tate spell to ascend the tower while Krintaas covers its
as Dzaan- back from the dead, or so it seems. The sim- escape. If it escapes the spire, it makes its way to Ten-
ulacrum, on the other hand, has never met the charac- Towns; as a thing made of ice and snow, the simulacrum
ters before. To earn their trust, it tries to be honest and can cross the tundra without fear of freezing to death.
forthcoming. It is self-aware enough to know what it is, Amulet. The object on the table is the amulet for a
but it can't grow or learn in its current form. It asks the shield guardian. Dzaan retrieved it from area PlS and
characters to help it become a flesh-and-blood creature brought it here for examination. Neither the simulacrum
like the wizard who created it. It knows nothing about nor Krintaas know what the amulet does, nor do they
Dzaan's fate or the crimes for which the real Dzaan care. The simulacrum will happily give it to the char-
was executed. acters if one or more of them agrees to accompany it to
In the course of a conversation, the simulacrum the rune chamber on the lowest level. A detect magic
shares the following information: spell reveals a magical aura of enchantment around
the amulet.
The amulet is a 4-inch-wide disk composed of sil-
"I am a simulacrum of my creator. This tower is but a
ver-framed wood, with a rune carved into its face. (This
fragment of a Netherese flying city that crashed nearly rune matches the one on the shield guardian's forearms
two thousand years ago and lies somewhere under and is the personal sigil of the wizard who created both.)
the glacier. This particular shield guardian amulet is a rare magic
"On the lowest level of this inverted tower, my creator item that requires attunement, and only humanoids
can attune to it. A humanoid that attunes to the amulet
found a chamber that can turn illusions into reality. The
knows the distance and direction of the shield guardian,
life-spark of a living creature is needed to activate its
provided the amulet and the guardian are on the same
power. As a creation of snow and shadow, I have no life- plane of existence. As an action, the amulet's attuned
spark of my own, and Krintaas, my undead bodyguard, is wearer can try to reactivate the shield guardian, doing
of no help in this regard. I assure you, the chamber can in so with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check.
no way harm anyone." Reactivation can only be attempted while the amulet
and guardian are within 10 feet of each other. The
amulet otherwise functions as described in the shield
guardian's entry in Monster Manual.

149
Books. The simulacrum has been picking through Only one such flask can be created. after which the altar
the spire's wreckage and gathering books that might become nonmagical.
be useful. Characters can find the following readable A character can use an identify spell or similar magic
titles among the stacks of worthless, damaged books on to determine the properties of the blue liquid in the
the floor: flask . Any creature that drinks all of it gains the ability
to cast the minor illusion cantrip at will, using Intel-
Lost Scrolls of Sabreyl. Written in Elvish, this scholarly
ligence as its spellcasting ability. If the creature that
tome copies and analyzes fragments of eight ancient
drinks the liquid can already cast the minor illusion
scrolls left behind by a sun elf wizard who taught
cantrip, or if the liquid is consumed by more than one
magic to the cloud giants of Ostoria, a bygone empire
creature, nothing happens and the gift is wasted.
that collapsed 40,000 years ago.
From Shadow, Substance. This speculative work dis- Pl4. UPSIDE-DOWN REFECTORY
cusses how one might harness the Weave to turn an il- This room is where the old tenants of the spire gathered
lusory object or creature into its real counterpart, with for meals. Characters who befriended Dzaan's simula-
commentary and criticism from noteworthy Netherese crum are warned about the creature in this room:
illusionists.
Here Lies the King. This elaborately plotted novel fea-
tures an illusionist who uses magic to impersonate a Rusty tableware, shattered plates, and broken chairs lie
prince, supplant a king, rule a fictional kingdom for scattered on the floor amid two tables, one overturned
sixty-one years, and fake his own death. and one on its side.
Ventatost. This book uses testimonials and conspiracy
Crawling out from behind the tipped-ove r table is a
theories to piece together events leading up to the
destruction of a Netherese city called Ventatost, which hulking, eight-legged reptile with glowing eyes.
disintegrated as it flew over the forest of Corman-
thor nearly two thousand years ago, before the fall
A hostile basilisk is holed up in this room , having
ofYthryn.
crawled down into the spire a few weeks ago.
Pl3. UPSIDE-DOWN SHRINE
Pl5. UPSIDE - DOWN BEDCHAMBER
Characters who peer through the gap in the east wall
see what looks like a shrine without much decora-
tion or flair: The bed in this room is upside down on the floor, its
rotted blankets peeking out from underneath the disin-
A stone altar is attached to the ceiling of this other- tegrating mattress. Mounted to the north wall is a tall,
wise empty, semicircular room. An eight-pointed star is cracked mirror in a stone frame that merges seamlessly
carved into the eastern face of the altar. with the surrounding wall.
Lying underneath two dirt-clogged windows is a par-
tially crumbled, rime-covered human skeleton in the tat-
Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Reli-
tered shreds of a nightgown.
gion) check recognize the symbol on the altar as the holy
symbol of Mystryl, the first incarnation of Mystra, the
god of magic. If this check succeeds by 5 or more, the The crumbling skeleton is all that remains of the
character also knows that holy shrines to Mystryl are Netherese wizard to whom this tower once belonged.
rare places and often full of mystery. Disturbing the remains causes the wizard's evil spirit,
Altar. The altar hangs 9 feet above the "floor" and a will-o'-wisp, to appear and attack. If the will-o'-wisp
merges seamlessly with the "ceiling" to which it's at- loses more than half its hit points, it uses its next ac-
tached. A detect magic spell or similar magic does not tion to turn invisible and haunts the characters for the
reveal the magical aura around the altar, which is pro- remainder of their time in the spire, attacking solitary
tected by a permanent version of the Nystul's magic aura targets or those who can't fight back easily. The will-o'-
spell that conceals its magical nature. If a successful wisp is bound to the spire and can't leave it, nor can it
dispel magic is cast on the altar (DC 18), followed by a be appeased .
detect magic spell or similar magic, it radiates an aura The mirror mounted on the north wall can be broken
of illusion magic. or taken down. Characters who slipped past the basilisk
The first time a character who can cast spells touches can use the mirror to reflect the basilisk's gaze.
the symbol of Mystryl carved into the front of the altar, Treasure. Characters who search the room thor-
a stoppered flask filled with a luminous blue liquid oughly find a chest behind the bed. The chest has
appears in a shimmer of light "atop" the altar and im- been made invisible by a spell that can be ended with
mediately falls, shattering on the ceiling-turned-floor a successful dispel magic (DC 18). The chest has a
unless someone within reach catches it. Catching the built-in lock, the key to which can be found in area Pl 1.
falling flask requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity sav- A character using thieves' tools can try to pick the lock
ing throw. If more than one character succeeds on this as an action, doing so with a successful DC 17 Dexter-
save, the one who rolled highest is the one who catches ity check (with disadvantage if the character can't see
it. If the flask shatters, its contents evaporate instantly. the lock).
CHAPTER 2 I I CEWIND DALE

150
The chest weighs 25 pounds. It i airtight, watertight, • The cracks in the walls have damaged enough of the
and magical, such that its interior is a constant 68 de- runes to compromise the room's magic, which might
grees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Cel ius). It can be sold for give rise to unexpected results. (Warning Dzaan's sim-
as much as 100 gp. ulacrum about this risk does not discourage it from
Inside the chest is what appears to be an ancient, using the rune chamber.)
leather-bound spellbook that bears a rune on its spine /Jlusory Objects. When one or more illusory objects
identical to the one that appears on the shield guardian's are placed under the crystal disk, the disk gives off a
control amulet in area Pl2. The spellbook disintegrates soft golden light. Roll percentile dice and consult the
a few seconds after the chest is opened. Whatever spells Rune Chamber Effect table to determine what happens
it once contained are forever lost. next. Treat multiple illusory objects (for example, an il-
Pl6. UPSIDE-DOWN RUNE CHAMBER
lusory pile of coins) as a single collective object and roll
once on the table for all of them .
/Jlusory Creature. When an illusory creature stands
The walls of this chamber are inscribed with intercon- beneath the crystal disk, the disk gives off a soft golden
nected runes and marred with cracks. What is now the light. However, nothing happens until a living creature
touches the illusory one. When that happens, roll per-
ceiling bears similar inscriptions that swirl inward, con-
centile dice and consult the Rune Chamber Effect table
verging around a golden crystal disk five feet in diameter.
to determine what happens next.
If Dzaan's simulacrum becomes real, see the "Dzaan
A detect magic spell or similar magic reveals an aura Lives! " section below.
of transmutation magic encompassing the entire room.
The first time someone enters the room, read: RUNE CHAMBER EFFECT
dlOO Effect
01-10 The illusory object or creature is destroyed. If this
An illusory figure appears upside down in the far corner
happens to Dzaan's simulacrum, it instantly drops
of the room, standing on the ceiling. It appears to be the
to 0 hit points and collapses into a pile of ice and
same long-faced human wizard depicted in the statues
snow.
just inside the spire's entrance. It begins speaking in a
11-50 The illusory object or creature is transformed into
strange, possibly forgotten, language. a hostile blob of corrosive, magical ectoplasm that
uses the black pudding stat block. This blob of
Casting dispel magic on the illusory figure causes it to magical energy can be dispelled (DC 16) .
vanish. Otherwise, it disappears after giving its little 51-90 The object or creature ceases to be an illusion and
speech. Once it goes away, the figment can't be sum- becomes real for 2d12 hours. A creature brought
moned again for 24 hours. into being in this way is under the DM's control
Any creature that can understand Loross, the lan- and uses whichever stat block best matches its
guage favored by the wizards of Netheril, can translate form. When it ceases to be real, it winks out of
the illusory wizard's words as follows: existence.
91-00 The object or creature ceases to be an illusion and
"Behold my masterpiece! Here can illusions be made becomes real permanently. A creature brought
real, shadows become substance! Create your illusion, let into being in this way is under the DM's control
it stand atop the crystal disk, and watch my rune cham- and uses whichever stat block best matches its
ber do its work!" form. In addition, the damage to the runes causes
the crystal disk to burn out, making the chamber
no longer functional.
Dzaan's simulacrum can't learn anything new by study-
ing the runes and crystals. However, any character who
DzAAN LIVES!
spends at least 1 minute doing so can, with a successful
DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check, verify their purpose: If the rune chamber works properly and the simulacrum
to transform illusory creatures and objects into real becomes a true clone of Dzaan , the wizard thanks the
ones. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character characters for their help and asks them not to discuss
also knows the following: what has happened with anyone in Ten-Towns. See
Dzaan's description in appendix C for information about
The rune chamber can't produce magic items, ani-
modifying the simulacrum's stat block to account for its
mated objects, constructs, or undead.
transformation into a clone of Dzaan. Krintaas remains
A life-spark is needed to turn an illusory creature
by Dzaan's side as his faithful, undead bodyguard.
into a physical one. Acting much like a spark of elec-
Dzaan's ultimate goal is to plunder Ythryn. Without
tricity, it gives the room the jolt it needs to complete
his spellbook, however, the wizard is woefully under-
the transformation. (No such component is needed
powered. Concealed under layers of cold weather cloth-
for objects.)
ing, Dzaan and Krintaas must travel to Bryn Shander
to obtain a blank spellbook, as well as writing supplies
CHAPTER 2 I !CEWIND DALE

and provisions. In the meantime, Dzaan urges the char- APPROACHING A CAMP
acters to seek out and destroy his rivals in the Arcane
Brotherhood. Dzaan assumes his rivals are hiding As the characters approach a Reghed tribe camp, read:
out in Ten-Towns and paints an unflattering portrait
of each one: Splayed across the tundra ahead of you is a campsite
"Avarice is a tiefling evoker who delights in destruc- with more than a dozen tents arranged in two concentric
tion. Her weakness is her paranoia. She can't bring rings, with the larger tents clustered near the middle.
herself to trust anyone except maybe her two gargoyle
Between the tents burn several campfires. The air around
companions, and even they are suspect."
• "Nass Lantomir is a human diviner. She likes to pry the camp smells of cooked meat, and you can hear the
knowledge from others by reading their thoughts. Her barking and howling of dogs. Off to one side, outside
weakness is that she's always looking ahead, never the perimeter of tents, several empty sleds are clus-
behind her." tered together.
• "Vellynne Harpell is a human necromancer, as cold Hulking figures dressed in thick hides and holding
and uncaring as the corpses she animates. She's a
spears patrol the camp perimeter, looking outward for
withered old fool whose greatest asset-her family
name-does her no good in Icewind Dale." signs of danger. Other figures are gathered around fires
or moving among the tents.
BUGBEAR INCURSION
Before the characters leave the spire, six bugbears Six tribal warriors walk the perimeter. These guards
crossing the tundra stumble upon the protrusion in the tend to be younger warriors of the tribe.
snow and slide down to area Pl. Once there, they begin A lone character can sneak into the camp undetected
searching the uppermost level for food and treasure. with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check. If
The bugbears are cold and shivering, and their growls multiple characters try to sneak in together, have them
and complaints can be heard throughout the spire as make a DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) group check instead.
they get their bearings. If either check fails, the guards shout loud enough to put
The bugbear leader, Brekk, is a thug whose allegiance the camp on alert (see "Camp Roster" below).
can easily be bought. Brekk and his gang serve anyone Reghed nomads, regardless of clan or tribe, try to
willing to feed them, and their loyalty can be bought capture intruders rather than kill them, giving the chief-
with coin (2 gp per day per bugbear). Characters who tain (or king or queen) the chance to question or punish
have no interest in fighting the bugbears or hiring them them, as appropriate.
as muscle can pay them 10 gp each to leave the spire at Although most Reghed tribe members are human, you
once and continue on their merry way. can include nonhumans as well.
REGHED TRIBE CAMP CAMP ROSTER

Reghed tribe camps are scattered throughout Icewind The following tribe members are usually in the camp:
Dale. None of them appear on maps because they don't Chieftain. Roll a d6. On a 6, replace the chieftain with
stay in one place for long. the tribe's king or queen (described in appendix C).
Each Reghed tribe is made up of smaller clans, each Otherwise, the chieftain of this clan is a gladiator in
with its own chieftain (the most powerful of whom often hide armor who speaks Common and has Survival +5.
carries the title of king or queen). A clan might set up its Great Warrior. Serving the chieftain as a bodyguard
camp for a tenday or two, then dismantle it and go back and executioner is a gladiator in hide armor who
on the move, allowing the clan to stay close to a migrat- speaks Common and has Survival +5. This great war-
ing herd of reindeer as it travels across the tundra. rior is often the chieftain's spouse, sibling, offspring,
The characters might be drawn to a Reghed camp by or childhood friend-someone the chieftain trusts.
a tall tale or a quest (see "Tall Tales in Ten-Towns" on Shaman. The shaman, who advises the chieftain and
page 101 and "Wolf Tribe Cannibals" on page 104), presides over spiritual matters, is a druid who speaks
or they might be led to a camp by Reghed scouts roam- Common and Druidic, and has Survival +4. In pub-
ing the tundra (see "Wilderness Encounters," page lic, the shaman dons a wooden mask carved in the
105). The characters might also visit Reghed camps in likeness of a bear, an elk, a tiger, or a wolf, as befits
chapter 5, as they face tests set before them by Auril the the tribe.
Frostmaiden. 36 Hunters and Warriors. This number includes the
Before the characters find one of these camps, review perimeter guards. All are tribal warriors who speak
the information on the Reghed tribes and their leaders Common and have Survival +4. Half of them are
in appendix C. While it's not unheard of for clans of asleep in the camp at any given time.
the same tribe to commingle and build their camps 24 Noncombatants. These are children and elders who
close to one another, the four tribes avoid contact with are too weak to fight. Half of them are asleep in the
one another. Members of one tribe are rarely found in camp at any given time.
another tribe's camp unless some sort of diplomacy is 36 Sled Dogs. Use the wolf stat block. The sled dogs
taking place. usually sleep with the warriors in the outer cir-
cle of tents.

HUNTING PARTIES
Between two and four hunting parties, each consisting
of ld6 + 4 tribal warriors, are away when the charac-
ters arrive. Each one returns after 2d4 hours with fresh
meat (such as a reindeer carcass).
GENERAL LAYOUT
Map 2.11 depicts a typical Reghed camp, which con-
sists of an inner circle of large tents called the chief's
circle and an outer ring of smaller tents called the
warriors' circle. Scattered among these tents are
campfires around which members of the clan like to
gather. The tents are crude yet sturdy structures with
wooden frames and walls made of layered bark and
animal hides. A large tent can accommodate up to eight
adults, and a smaller tent can provide shelter for up to
five adults.
The tents in the inner circle house the clan's chieftain
(or its king or queen), as well as other important tribe
members such as its shaman, its most honored hunter,
its greatest warrior, and the tribe's children.
The tents in the outer circle house the clan's remain-
ing members, which include crafters, weaponsmiths,
and sled drivers. S led dogs also sleep in these tents.
Many of the camp's hunters and warriors prefer to
sleep under the open sky, protected from the cold by
thick fur blankets and the heat of the campfires.
CHIEFTAIN'S TENT
One of the larger tents is set aside for the chieftain (or
king or queen), with an extra bedroll near the entrance
for the chieftain's bodyguard. A low table is set up in this MAP 2 .11: REGHEO TRIBE CAMP
tent, which is heated by lamps burning whale oil and
decorated with hunting trophies.
preferring to spend their idle hours doing as little as
SHAMAN'S TENT possible. Telling familiar stories and inventing new ones
Another large tent is occupied by the shaman, who that glorify the nomads' outlook on life are common
keeps a large collection of medicinal herbs. pastimes (see the "Reghed Stories" sidebar), as is sharp-
Treasure. In addition to the medicinal herbs, the ening weapons.
shaman's tent contains ld4 potions of healing in plain Food is critical, of course, and certain beasts of the
wooden vials sealed with corks made of animal fat, as tundra are staples among the Reghed tribes. Knuck-
well as a spell scroll of lesser restoration (or some other lehead trout and seals are often prepared for eating
1st- or 2nd-level spell from the druid spell list). very near the scene of the kill, filleted or chopped and
generally eaten raw. Reindeer meat, on the other hand,
LIFE IN A REGHED CAMP must be cooked before consumption. Reindeer also
provide the Reghed tribes with sinew, bone, and hide,
The Reghed nomads eke out a meager existence on all of which are used in the manufacture of weapons
the desolate tundra of lcewind Dale, yet this is a life to and armor.
which they are accustomed. Auril's everlasting winter
has made hunting and travel more challenging, to be
RECHED STORIES
sure, but the tribes are weathering these difficult times
Reghed nomads pass the time by sharing stories that re in-
by rationing their food and letting nothing go to waste.
force their values, which are as follows :
If anything, the Frostmaiden's cruelty has hardened the
nomads' determination to survive. By following herds • The tribe is one spirit, always on the move. As the tribe
for their food and occasionally restocking on wood, the goes, so goes the spirit of the tribe.
Reghed can get by without relying on trade. They shun • For the tribe to survive, its members must all work
together and help one another. No member gets
Ten-Towns and expect to prevail long after those feeble
left behind.
lights of civilization have been snuffed out. • The land respects strength alone. The strong flourish ,
A Reghed camp is a somber and subdued place, and the weak perish .
except for the barking of sled dogs and the sounds of
children playing in the snow. The warriors and hunters
like to conserve their strength for when it's needed,

1 53
facility less dependable. Captured spies, for example,
REVEL's END are often brought here to cool their heels.
Revel's End is a panopticon, a prison configured in such Each member of the Lords' Alliance assigns one
a way that the activities of the prisoners can be closely representative to Revel's End , and together they form a
monitored from a central location. Situated on the frigid , parole committee called the Absolution Council. Rarely
misty coast of the Sea of Moving Ice, the prison is a are all ten council members present, since Revel's End
single-story structure topped with battlements. Rising offers little in the way of comfort and amenities. If the
from the core of the panopticon is a tower that holds council needs a tie-breaking vote to determine whether
the prison's administrative offices and guard barracks. to commute a prisoner's sentence, the prison warden- a
Both the prison and the tower are carved out of a tall, neutral arbiter with no ties to any Lords' Alliance mem-
blade-shaped rock that rises high above the sea cliffs. ber-casts the deciding vote.
This rock, called the Windbreak, shields the tower
against the brutal winds that sweep down from the INVOLVING THE CHARACTERS
Reghed Glacier. The characters might be lured to Revel's End by one of
One can approach Revel's End by land, sea, or air. A the tales or quests at the start of this chapter that have
pier allows prisoners to be taken from ships up an ele- to do with Vaelish Gant (see "Tall Tales in Ten-Towns"
vator to the prison, and a mooring dock at the top of the on page 101 and "Behind Bars" on page 104). This
tower allows prisoners to be delivered by airship as well. villain last appeared in Legacy of the Crystal Shard, a
Revel's End is controlled by the Lords' Alliance, published adventure also set in Icewind Dale. Jcewind
a loose confederation of settlements whose current Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden presupposes that Vaelish
members include the cities of Baidu r's Gate, Mirabar, Gant's plot to take over Ten-Towns was thwarted, and
Neverwinter, Silverymoon, Waterdeep, and Yartar; the that he has been incarcerated at Revel's End for a few
towns of Amphail, Daggerford, and Longsaddle; and the years before the start of this story.
dwarven stronghold of Mithra! Hall. To be imprisoned in The characters might also come to Revel's End hoping
Revel's End, one must have committed a serious crime to book passage on a ship, as such vessels are known to
against one or more members of the alliance and been bring prisoners and supplies to the prison. A ship can
sentenced to a lengthy period of incarceration (typically take them to Auril's island (see chapter 5) or allow them
a year or more). Moreover, the offender must have po- to flee the Far North altogether.
litical connections that make incarceration in another
CHAPTER 2 j ICEWIND DALE

1 54
PRISON FEATURES GUARDS ON WATCH
The prison has four guard towers (see area R9), and
The prison, hewn from stone, has 20-foot-high outer
three guards (veterans) in cold weather clothing are
walls and flat, 20-foot-high ceilings throughout.
stationed atop each one. If you need to make Wisdom
Additional information about the prison is summa-
(Perception) checks for the guards to determine if they
rized below:
notice something, there's no need to roll separately for
Doors and Hatches. Each door and rooftop hatch is each of them. Just make one roll with advantage.
made of reinforced iron held shut by an arcane lock If the guards on a tower see or hear something out
spell. Prison personnel can open these doors and of the ordinary, such as an approaching ship or group
hatches normally. A locked door or hatch is too strong of visitors or a monster flying overhead, one guard de-
to be shouldered or kicked open, but it can be descends into the tower to alert the rest of the prison while
stroyed if it takes enough damage. A door or hatch has the others stay at their post.
AC 19, a damage threshold of 10, 30 hit points, and
immunity to poison and psychic damage. GETTING INSIDE
Heating. Interior spaces are magically heated. The Characters who bang on the prison's north or south
temperature in these areas is a constant 68 degrees door are admitted into a 30-foot-long entry corridor,
Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). where they are greeted by the three guards (veterans)
Lighting. Unless the text for a location states other- stationed in the nearby guard room (area R3). These
wise, all courtyards, corridors, rooms, and staircases guards insist on confiscating the characters' weapons.
are brightly lit by continual flame spells cast on wall In addition, one guard searches each character for con-
sconces. (The cells in area Rl 7 are exceptions.) In cealed weapons. A character can conceal a dagger or
some locations, the magical lights can be dimmed or similarly sized weapon from a guard's notice with a suc-
suppressed, as noted in the text. cessful DC 13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
Prison Guards. The prison has a garrison of 75 guards If the characters have sled dogs or pack animals, a
(use the veteran stat block) who work eight-hour guard grants the party access to the stables (area RS),
shifts. Two-thirds of the garrison is off duty and rest- where the animals can be kept safe. Animals aren't al-
ing in area R19 at any given time. While on duty, each lowed in the prison otherwise.
guard wears a tunic that bears the Lords' Alliance After relinquishing their weapons and securing their
emblem: a gold crown on a red field . animals, the characters are escorted by one of the
Prisoners. All prisoners in Revel's End are identified guards to the meeting room (area R12), where the war-
by a number. This simple protocol makes it harder for den greets them soon thereafter. The warden (see area
prisoners to identify one another and helps keep them R21) tries to find out why the characters are at Revel's
on an equal footing. Prison personnel commit these End and decides whether to help them or not. If the
numbers to memory, and the records of all prisoners- characters fail to provide a satisfactory reason for their
past and present- are stored in area R22. Each in- visit, the warden sees that their weapons and animals
mate wears a uniform that consists of a hoodless robe are returned to them before throwing them out. Legit-
without pockets, leather slippers without laces, and imate reasons for coming to Revel's End include the
cloth undergarments. While outside their cells, they following:
wear manacles on their wrists and ankles. • The characters seek shelter. The warden will grant
them temporary accommodations (in area R7) for up
APPROACHING THE PRISON to two days and two nights, and the characters receive
Use the following boxed text to describe what charac- three meals a day during their stay.
ters see as they approach the prison by land, sea, or air: The characters wish to meet with a prisoner. The war-
den can facilitate such a meeting by having the pris-
oner brought to area Rl2 for questioning. The warden
Perched on a high cliff overlooking the Sea of Moving Ice is always present for such meetings.
is a bleak stone fortress carved out of a gigantic, blade-
shaped rock. A central tower looms above the rest of the HIGH ALERT
fortress, and light leaks from its arrow slits. Four smaller When a matter of concern is brought to her attention ,
towers rise from the outermost corners of the fortress, the warden (see area R21) decides whether to place the
and guards can be seen atop them. prison on high alert. Circumstances that warrant taking
such action include a prisoner revolt, an escape, the
approach of an unfamiliar ship, a dragon sighting, or
Characters approaching from the north can also see the an attack.
prison's northern entrance at the top of a 160-foot-high By speaking the command word "maristo," the war-
cliff with a pier protruding from its base. A giant wooden den- and only the warden- can put the prison on high
crane stands nearby, and a wooden scaffold clings to the alert, with the following effects:
cliff face .
For 1 minute, the sound of a klaxon blares throughout
Characters approaching from the south can also
the prison, and all continual flame spells in the prison
see the prison's south entrance and the trail that
take on a reddish hue.
leads up to it.

155
• The guards in area R19 don their armor, arm them- Councilor Voss Anderton. Voss represents the city of
selves, and move to area R18. The warden does the Neverwinter. He is a lawful neutral human noncom-
same and commands the garrison from there. Mem- batant who has a precise, lawyerly way of speaking.
bers of the Absolution Council retreat to area R20. He takes his role seriously and never misses a council
• The warden and all prison guards gain the benefit of a meeting or parole hearing. He votes with his head, not
see invisibility spell. his heart, and always carefully weighs the ramifica-
tions of commuting a prisoner's sentence.
REVEL'S END LOCATIONS Councilor Jil Torbo. Ji! represents the city of Baldur's
The following locations are keyed to map 2.12. Gate. She is a neutral halfling noncombatant who
loathes her job. She has no sense of humor and a habit
Rl. PIER of sighing deeply when her patience is tested. She
Ships dock here to offload prisoners and supplies. likes giving others the benefit of the doubt, however,
perhaps as an act of dissent, and votes yes on commu-
R2. ELEVATOR tations more often than not.
A sturdy wooden scaffold clings to the 160-foot-high cliff Councilor Kriv Norixius. Kriv represents the town of
separating the prison from the pier. Looming above the Daggerford. He is a lawful good dragonborn noncom-
scaffolding is a wooden crane that is controlled from batant of silver dragon ancestry. He hopes to impress
area R3. The crane raises and lowers an elevator car the Duchess of Daggerford by doing a good job. He
that has a retractable wooden gate on the side opposite has no compassion for criminals and always votes no
the crane. The elevator car is a hollow wooden cube on commutations.
measuring 10 feet on a side. It takes 1 minute for the car
to travel all the way up or down the scaffold. R8. KITCHEN AND SIDE ROOMS
Six cooks (noncombatants) take shifts here, working in
R3 . GUARD ROOMS pairs to produce meals for the prisoners and staff. The
Three guards (veterans) are stationed in each of these kitchen contains everything one would expect to see, as
two rooms. The guards pass the time by playing cards, well as an iron stove and a pump that draws water from
sharpening their weapons, and complaining about the a magically heated cistern on the roof.
interminable winter. Off-duty cooks sleep in the largest of the three rooms
Embedded in the north wall of the northern guard west of the kitchen. This side room is lit by continual
room is an iron lever that raises and lowers the elevator flame spells that can be suppressed or returned to nor-
in area R2. mal light levels by uttering a command word ("lights").
The middle side room-not heated , unlike the rest of
R4. HOSPITAL the prison- is used for cold storage.
This chamber contains a dozen beds. Cabinets along the The smallest side room is a well-stocked pantry.
north wall hold enough medical supplies to assemble
twenty healer's kits. R9. GUARD TOWERS
Each of these four triangular towers is two stories tall.
R5. STABLES A tower's interior chamber is empty except for a wooden
Visitors who brings mounts, sled dogs, pack animals, ladder that climbs to an iron hatch held shut by an ar-
and pets to Revel's End can keep their animals here. cane lock spell (see "Prison Features," page 155). This
They must provide their own food, however. hatch leads to the tower's flat rooftop, which is lined
with battlements. Three Lords' Alliance guards (veter-
R6. MESS HALL
ans) in cold weather clothing are stationed on the roof of
Prison personnel dine here. Tables and benches fill each tower.
the room, and dishes and cutlery are stored in cabinets
along the south wall. Meals are served every four hours. Rl0. ARMORY
This room contains wooden racks and chests filled with
R7. COUNCILORS' QUARTERS
nonmagical weaponry. The inventory includes twenty
These ten rooms are furnished identically. Each con- halberds, fifteen longswords, fifteen shortswords, ten
tains a bed, a desk with matching chair, a claw-footed pikes, ten heavy crossbows, five light crossbows, and
chest, and wall hooks for hanging clothes. The continual hundreds of crossbow bolts.
flame spell that illuminates each room can be sup- The armory is guarded by a spectator that treats the
pressed or returned to its normal light level by uttering a weapons as treasure. It knows every member of the
command word ("lights"). prison staff on sight. It won't leave the room and attacks
These rooms are set aside for the ten members of the anyone it doesn't recognize.
Absolution Council, though only three rooms are cur- Hatch. A wooden ladder leads to an iron hatch in the
rently in use. The other seven members of the council ceiling. An arcane lock spell seals the hatch (see "Prison
are absent, so the warden is free to let visitors use the Features," page 155), which opens onto the roof.
spare rooms.
Council Members. These three members of the Abso- Rll. COURTYARDS
lution Council are at Revel's End currently: The ground in each of the two courtyards is covered
with flagstones and drifting snow.
CH.APTER 2 I ICEWIND DALE

MAP 2 .12 : REVEL' S END

157
When the weather allows, prisoners are brought To add detail to some of the inmates, roll on the
here- individually or in small groups-for fresh air and Prisoners table or choose entries that interest you. If a
exercise. They are watched closely by guards on the prisoner·s game statistics become necessary, choose an
ground as well as the guards on the corner tower. appropriate stat block from appendix B of the Monster
Manual and remove armor, weapons, and other gear.
Rl2. MEETING ROOM
This room holds a large, rectangular table with a single PRISONERS
chair on one long side and three similar chairs on the
d6 Prisoner
opposite side. The room is used for meetings with pris-
oners or the warden. Noble convicted of slave trading (has served ld6
Hatch. A wooden ladder leads to an iron hatch in the years of a 10-year sentence)
ceiling. An arcane lock spell seals the hatch (see "Prison 2 Spy convicted of espionage (has served ld6 years of a
Features," page 155), which opens onto the roof. 10 -year sentence)
3 Assassin or noble convicted of conspiracy to murder
Rl3. STOREROOM
members of a noble family (has served 1d20 years of
Supplies are stored here in crates and other containers.
a life sentence)
At present, the prison has stockpiled enough necessities
4 Famous adventurer convicted of reckless endanger-
to continue operations for six months.
ment (has served 1d4 years of a 5-year sentence)
Rl4. PRIVY 5 Spell caster convicted of using magic to influence oth-
This room contains a dozen wooden waste buckets. ers (has served ld4 years of a 5-year sentence)
Once per day, usually in the morning, guards order 6 Leader of a thieves' guild convicted of multiple crimes
prisoners to carry the buckets outside and dispose of (has served ld20 years of a life sentence)
the waste.
Rl5. HEXAGON Rl8. SURVEILLANCE HUB

This corridor allows guards and visitors to access the This hexagonal room is the base of the prison's central
outermost rooms of the prison while avoiding the pan- tower. A spiral staircase connects it to the tower's upper
opticon (area R 16) and its prison cells (area Rl 7). The levels (areas Rl9 through R23).
guards refer to this corridor as the hexagon because of Seven guards (veterans) are stationed in this surveil-
its shape. lance hub. One sits at a console south of the staircase.
The other guards watch the prisoners, whom they can
Rl6. PANOPTICON observe through 4-foot-tall, 1-foot-wide arrow slits in the
The continual flame spells that light this area can be walls. Hanging on the walls between the arrow slits are
dimmed from the surveillance hub (area R18). The hall fifty sets of iron manacles that guards use to bind pris-
is dimly lit at night. oners' wrists and ankles.
Console. The console is a magic device bolted to the
Rl7. CELLS floor that resembles a small desk with a slanted top. It
The prisoners are kept in these unlit cells behind barred is a Large object with AC 15, 18 hit points, and immu-
gates that can be opened only from area R18. The gates nity to poison and psychic damage. The console has the
are too secure to be forced open using brute strength following magical properties, which are disabled if it is
or weapons, and magical attempts to open or bypass reduced to O hit points:
them are thwarted by permanent anti magic fields. Each Gate Control. Twenty-four switches on the console open
field encompasses one cell and its gate. Spells and other and close the gates to the prison cells. A twenty-fifth
magical effects, except those created by an artifact or master switch opens or closes all the gates at once.
a deity, are suppressed in an anti magic field and can't Flipping one or more switches on the console requires
protrude into it. While an effect is suppressed, it doesn't an action.
function , but the time it spends suppressed counts Light Control. A brass dial on the console controls
against its duration. the light level in area Rl6, which can be dimmed or
Bolted to the back wall of each cell is an iron bunkbed restored to its normal brightness. Turning the dial re-
with a thin mattress atop it and a waste bucket nearby. quires an action or a bonus action.
Prisoners take their meals in their cells. Loudspeaker. Anyone who speaks into a flaring brass
Prisoners. Each of the twenty-four cells can hold one protrusion resembling the bell of a trumpet while
or two prisoners. Roll 4d12 to determine the number pressing a button on the console can broadcast their
of prisoners currently incarcerated at Revel's End, give voice throughout the prison. Using the loudspeaker
each one an identification number, and distribute them requires an action.
in the cells as you see fit. Numbers are assigned in
the order in which the prisoners arrive and are never Rl9. GUARD BARRACKS
reused. The longest-serving prisoner currently incarcer- Characters who climb the spiral staircase come to a
ated at Revel's End is Prisoner 6, and the newest one is door 100 feet above the prison roof. The staircase con-
Prisoner 299. Characters who want to speak with Vael- tinues beyond this door to the tower's higher levels.
ish Gant must arrange a meeting with Prisoner 237 (see The door opens into a room filled with wooden
"Prisoner 237: Vaelish Gant," page 160). bunkbeds. Areas to the north , west, and south can be

scanned through 4-foot-tall, 1-foot-wide arrow slits. of Warden Marthannis once or twice a day, each time
The continual flame spells that light the room can be for an hour or two. While under its control, the warden
dimmed or brightened by uttering a command word can't cast her prepared spells, speaks only Dwarvish,
("I ights"). and occasionally indulges Vlax's vice for ale and spirits.
When the prison is not on high alert, fifty guards (vet- She also becomes moody and temperamental, though
erans without armor or weapons) sleep in the bunks. never resorts to violence without good cause.
The guards keep their armor and weapons within easy Warden Marthannis knows that to rid herself ofVlax's
reach. Other belongings are kept in unlocked footlock- spirit, she must visit the Brawnanvil crypts in Gauntl-
ers tucked under the bunkbeds. grym, a dwarven fortress under Mount Hotenow (near
The guards need 10 minutes to don their armor. If Neverwinter). Only there can the spirits of Vlax's kin
the prison is put on high alert, the guards take the time persuade Vlax to join them in the afterlife. The warden
to put on their armor before making their way down refuses to make the journey, however, because she can't
to area R18. bear to lose all contact with Vlax. The warden has made
her affliction known to the prison guards and Absolution
R20. HALL OF ABSOLUTION Council members, and they have grown accustomed to
The floor of this room is 120 feet above the prison roof. her personality changes and bouts of drunkenness.
A spiral staircase connects the room to the other levels Treasure. Among the chamber's furnishings is a
of the tower (area R18 is 140 feet down, area R19 is 20 locked wooden chest, for which the warden carries the
feet down, and area R23 is 20 feet up). Narrow windows only key. A character using thieves' tools can use an
line the outer walls. action to try to pick the lock, doing so with a successful
A long, slightly curved table takes up much of the DC 20 Dexterity check.
room. Eleven chairs are situated behind the table. The The chest holds a set of calligrapher's supplies, a sack
middle chair has no special adornments, while the oth- containing 750 gp (money that's used mainly to pay ship
ers have banners hanging over their high backs, each captains who drop off prisoners and cargo), and a silver
one emblazoned with the crest of a Lords' Alliance cloak pin (25 gp) bearing the symbol of the Harpers, a
member. Banners hanging on the walls display the alli- tiny harp nestled between the horns of a crescent moon.
ance's emblem, a golden crown on a red field. Any character who searches the chest for secret com-
Absolution Council Meetings. Members of the Abso- partments finds one in the lid. It holds a wand of binding
lution Council gather here to weigh the merits of releas- that the warden keeps for emergencies.
ing prisoners whom one or more council members have
recommended for parole. No prisoner can receive such R22. WARDEN'S OFFICE
consideration more than once a year. Prisoners up for Prison records are stored here in five locked wooden
parole are brought to this room in manacles and given cabinets along the east wall. The cabinets contain ship
a chance to sway the council members before votes are cargo manifests and records of past deliveries, as well
cast. The warden (see area R21), who always attends as prisoner transfer orders and files documenting the
such meetings, sits in the middle chair and casts the names, crimes, sentences, and commutations of every
tie-breaking vote, if necessary. prisoner who has been incarcerated at Revel's End. The
records also include death certificates for prisoners who
R21. WARDEN 'S QUARTERS died while incarcerated. The cause of death is always
The arcane lock on this door can be opened only by the given as "natural," "accidental," or "unnatural," with
warden. Beyond the door is a comfortable bedchamber no details.
lit by a continual flame spell that can be dimmed or A desk in the middle of the room has ten financial led-
brightened by uttering a command word ("vaudra"). gers packed into a locked side drawer. The keys for the
Prison Warden. The warden of Revel's End is Marta desk and the cabinets are in the warden's possession. A
Marthannis, a lawful good human mage who speaks character with thieves' tools can use an action to try to
Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, and Ore and has a calm, pick the lock on the desk drawer or one of the cabinets,
unflappable disposition. She wears a red robe with gold doing so with a successful DC 10 Dexterity check.
trim and keeps a ring with seven tiny keys hanging from
it in one pocket. One key unlocks the warden's chest (see R23. TOWER ROOF
"Treasure" below); the others unlock the desk drawer This flat rooftop is 140 feet above the prison roof and
and the cabinets in the warden's office (area R22). 300 feet above sea level. Three 6-foot-high walls to the
Warden Marthannis is secretly a member of the north, southwest, and southeast provide limited cover,
Harpers, a faction that works behind the scenes to keep but much of the rooftop is exposed to the elements.
power out of the hands of evildoers. In her current posi- A wooden drawbridge can be lowered on one side to
tion, she works to keep some of the Sword Coast's worst create an airship dock. An action is required to raise or
malefactors behind bars. lower the drawbridge.
So far, the warden has managed to conceal her No guards are stationed here. If the guards in the
Harper affiliation from everyone else in the prison. But prison watchtowers (area R9) see an airship or an air-
she has an unusual problem that she can't hide as easily. borne threat approaching Revel's End, they alert the
Lodged inside her is the spirit of a deceased adven- rest of the prison. The warden then dons cold weather
turing companion- a lawful good shield dwarf fighter clothing and heads to the roof to greet the airship crew
named Vlax Brawnanvil. The spirit ofVlax takes control or deal with the airborne threat herself.

1 59
PRISONER 237: VAELISH GANT
Vaelish Gant, Prisoner 237 within the walls of Revel's
End, is a member of the Arcane Brotherhood who first
engaged in criminal activity by insinuating himself into
the trade network of Ten-Towns. He hoped that his work
would help the Arcane Brotherhood gain control of the
region. A few years ago, shortly after his arrival in Ten-
Towns, Gant established a protection racket in Bryn
Shander and tried to turn the town against its speaker,
Duvessa Shane, with the goal of supplanting her. He
also tried to destabilize the economy of Ten-Towns. A
party of adventurers thwarted his criminal ventures by
capturing him.
Rather than put Gant to death for his crimes in Ice-
wind Dale, the Council of Speakers in Ten-Towns made
a deal with representatives of the Lords' Alliance to
have Gant serve a life sentence in Revel's End, so as not
to incur the Arcane Brotherhood's wrath. The Council
of Speakers did this not realizing that Gant's scheme
wasn't sanctioned by the Arcane Brotherhood but rather
hatched by Gant himself, who intended to impress his
superiors by pulling it off.
For a long time, Gant held out hope that the Arcane
Brotherhood would apply pressure to secure his re-
lease, and that the Lords' Alliance would acquiesce to
the brotherhood's demands rather than risk an all-out
attack on Revel's End. But by now, Gant has been incar-
cerated long enough to reasonably conclude that no such
rescue is forthcoming. His failed scheme was an embar-
rassment to the Arcane Brotherhood, which has clearly
forsaken him.
Medium humanoid (human) , lawful evil ROLEPLAYING VAELISH GA T

Vaelish Gant is a mage who specializes in the arcane
Armor Class 11 tradition of abjuration . Pompous and conniving, he
Hit Points 32 (Sd8 + 10) never doubts that he's the smartest person in the
Speed 30 ft. (10 ft. while shackled) room, and he makes sure everyone around him knows
how he feels.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Gant has neither a spellbook nor material components
9 (-1) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 10 (+O) 15 (+2) for spellcasting, and he can't avail himself of his magic
while locked in his cell due to the antimagic field that
Skills Arcana +5, Deception +4, Persuasion +4
encompasses it.
Languages Common , Draconic, Infernal , Ore Gant spends his days and night thinki ng about one
Challenge 1 (200 XP) thing: his freedom. If the character meet with him,
Gant tries to convince them to break him out of jail,
Spellcasting. Prisoner 23 7 is a 5th -level s pellcaster. His spell- promising wealth and magic item once delivered safely
casting ab ility is Intelligence (s pell save DC 13; +5 to hit with to the Hosttower of the Arcane in Lu kan. Gant doesn't
spel l attacks) . He has the fol lowing wizard spells prepared: expect the characters to oblige. but he has nothing left to
lose but his life.
Cantrips (at will) : light / message ,* prestidigitation, shocking
grasp (see "Actions" below) Although he's unaware of an~ Arcane Brotherhood
1st level (4 slots): mage armor,* shield, sleep activities in Icewind Dale. Gant u pects that something
2nd level (3 slots) : arcane lock/ detect thoughts,* suggestion'~ is afoot if the characters start a _ ing him about the
3rd level (2 slots) : counterspe/1, lightning bolt* organization. The last time he -a at the Hosttower,
*Prisoner 237 needs materia l components to cast these spells . shortly before his arrival in Ten-T ·n a few years ago,
Gant overheard his superiors tal ing about mounting
ACTIONS an expedition to Icewind Dale. to earch for a lost Neth-
Shocking Grasp (Cantrip). Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit (with erese city buried under the Reg d Glacier. Gant had
advantage on the attack if the target is wearing armor made different plans for Icewind Dal at the time, but now the
of meta l), reach 5 ft ., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d8) lightning dam- characters' visit gives him r n o believe an expedi-
age, and the target can't take reactions until the start of its tion might finally be under 'a). Gan hares this infor-
next turn . mation with the character if - ow him the letter

160
from Duvessa Shane (see "Behind Bars," page 104) or INTO THE MOUNTAINS
break him out of prison.
Gant has no information that can help the characters To get to either of the goliath outposts or to move be-
find the lost Netherese city, but he's willing to share tween them, the characters need to negotiate the Spine
what he considers to be common knowledge about the of the World, where travel is the most difficult of any
Empire of Netheril: region in Icewind Dale. Use the rules in the "Mountain
Travel" section (on page 11) to simulate the perils of
• Netheril was a civilization ruled by powerful wizards. getting around in the peaks.
It fell more than a thousand years ago.
The Netherese learned their magic first from the SKYTOWER SHELTER LOCATIONS
elves, and later from the fabled Nether Scrolls.
Netherese magic was far more powerful than Skytower Shelter is a cave complex carved into the
present-day magic-so much so that it made even the northwest face of a 15,000-foot-high mountain. Tun-
gods tremble. nels are 10 feet high throughout, and the caves are lit
Evil, subterranean creatures known as phaerimm by torches.
were instrumental in Netheril's fall , but it was hubris The following locations are keyed to map 2.13.
that ultimately spelled the empire's doom. Karsus,
Sl. STONE CAUSEWAY
a Netherese archmage, tried to usurp the power of
A 10-foot-wide stone causeway hugs the side of the
Mystryl , god of magic. He failed, destroying himself
mountain and ascends to Skytower Shelter. Six grif-
and tearing the Weave in the process. It would be
fons circling the mountain's peak watch the causeway
years before anyone could use or control magic again.
closely, and their eyesight is sharp enough to pierce
If the characters ask Gant about other members of the clouds that frequently shroud the mountaintop. If
the Arcane Brotherhood they've met in Icewind Dale they see unfamiliar figures ascending the causeway,
(see appendix C), Gant can share what he knows about the griffons shriek warnings to the goliaths of Skytower
any of them: Shelter. The goliaths quickly arm themselves, expecting
About Avarice, Gant says: "The tiefling albino? I think trouble. If the shelter comes under attack, the griffons
she has a promising future." join the fray.
About Dzaan, Gant says: "He's a Red Wizard of Thay.
S2. BARRICADE AND CHIEFTAIN
Need I say more?" (If asked to elaborate, he adds:
"Dzaan doesn't shave his head or wear red robes, but
that doesn't change the fact that he's Thayan. The Red Six griffons circle above you, shrieking at your approach.
Wizards want the Weave all to themselves. If they get They descend until they're a few hundred feet away but
their way, no one else will be able to use magic.")
come no closer.
• About Nass Lantomir, Gant says: "She's a nobody."
• About Vellynne Harpell, Gant says: "Had powerful At the end of the entranceway is a ten-foot-tall bar-
members of her family not pulled strings to get her ricade made of wood and stone, set with a crude gate
into the Brotherhood, that old scarecrow would still made of thick lumber and festooned with metal blades.
be reanimating dead cats in Longsaddle." Gaps in the gate allow you to see an unusually tall figure
in hide armor standing ten feet behind it and clutching
SKYTOWER SHELTER a greataxe. Beyond this figure is a higher ledge with five
Skytower Shelter is one of two goliath settlements equally towering figures standing atop it.
described in this chapter, the other being Wyrmdoom
Crag (see page 166). Read both entries before running
encounters in either location. Also review the "Goliaths" The figure beyond the gate is a goliath warrior (see ap-
entry in appendix C, in particular the "Spine of the pendix C) named Arn Rockfist Akannathi, the chieftain
World Goliaths" section. There is also a list of goliath of Skytower Shelter. The figures atop the overlook (area
names you can draw from , as needed. S3) are five more goliath warriors.
Characters might visit Skytower Shelter to resolve a If the party includes one or more goliath characters
long-standing dispute between the two goliath clans (see who hail from Skytower Shelter, Arn welcomes them
"Tall Tales in Ten-Towns" on page 101 and "A Goliath home and allows them and their companions to pass
Problem" on page 104). Or a goliath player character through the gate unmolested. Otherwise, Arn tells the
who hails from Skytower Shelter might return home party in a deep and gravelly voice, "Turn back. You are
for some reason , perhaps to seek help with matters con- not welcome here."
cerning Icewind Dale. Two 500-pound wooden bars seal the gate. The blades
All goliaths who dwell in Skytower Shelter are mem- affixed to the gate and the surrounding barricade make
bers of the Akannathi clan. In addition to their feud with climbing impossible. The goliaths attack anyone who
the goliaths of Wyrmdoom Crag, Skytower goliaths are bypasses the gate without Arn's consent. Nine goliath
known for their fierce competitiveness, their dislike of warriors from area S9 join the fray on the third round,
strangers, and their mastery of griffon taming. and the six griffons circling above join the battle on the
fifth round. Arn can also whistle to summon these rein-
forcements at any time.

161
Character who peak to Ol!ola,. the chieftain of
Wyrmdoom Crag. {!et a different \'er 10n of the story
(see page 166).
If the character portray them .el\'e<: as neutral arbi-
ters seeking to end the conflict between the clans, Arn
suggests they end the conflicc by bringing him the cloak
of the Wyrmdoom chieftain. either by killing Ogolai and
taking it from her or by forcing Ogolai to s urrender it.
Arn aims to use the characters as tools to weaken his
rival and doesn't care if they ucceed or die.
Only by restoring Kaniaka's sight (see area S4) can
the characters convince Arn to meet with Ogolai and
settle their differences- and on ly at Skytower Shelter or
on ne utral ground.
S3. OVERLOOK
Five stoic goliaths stand guard atop a ten-foot-high ,

rocky outcrop with stairs leading up to it. A large , empty
nest occupies one corner of the ledge, and two rough-
hewn tunnels at the back of the ledge lead deeper into
the mountain .
Five goliath warriors (see appe ndix C) stand guard atop

this overlook.
The griffon's nest contains a few bones (the re mains of
mountain goats) but nothing of value.
S4. CHIEFTAIN'S CAVE
MAP 2 . 13: S~VTOWER SH E LTER

This twelve-foot-high cave has a crackling fire in its
center and walls lined with hunting trophies, includ-
Roleplaying Arn. Arn has no patience for attempts at ing the skulls and pelts of various mountain-dwelling
diplomacy and meets aggression with aggression. If the
creatures. Seated by the fire is a wizened goliath with
characters don't have one or more Skytower goliaths
among the m, the only way they can get past Arn is to long white hair. A yeti fur cloak is draped over her
give him something he wants. If the characters ask him stooped shoulders, and a tiger-sized feline with white fur
what he wants, he tells them: crouches beside her.
The goliath thinks for a moment, then points toward a
I
This cave is where Arn spends time with his family,
neighboring mountain to the northeast. "Bring me the namely his husband , Ha rad Cloudstrider Akannathi (a
white cloak of Ogolai, the chieftain ofWyrmdoom Crag." goliath warrior), a nd Harad's elde rly mother, Kaniaka
Stormcrow Akannathi (a blind noncombatant). Each of
them has private quarters off th e ma in cave, where they
If Arn is asked why the Skytower and Wyrmdoom goli- keep their bedrolls.
aths don't get along, he says: If the charac ters fought their way to this cave by kill-
ing other goliaths, Ha rad is awa ke and attacks them,
since the fallen goliaths are his blood. Othe rwise, Harad
"Many summers ago, the children ofSkytower chal-
is aslee p in his bed roll while Kaniaka sits by the fire,
lenged the children ofWyrmdoom to a game of goat-ball. staring at it sightlessly, with a dom esticated crag cat
One of the children ofWyrmdoom, angered at being (see appendix C) by he r s id e. The cat protects Ka niaka
knocked off her perch, threw the ball at one of our grif- but otherwise takes no aggressive actions.
fons and struck it in the head. It wounded her in return . Kaniaka's hearing is sharp enough to distinguish the
The game was called off. Days later, hunters from Wyrm- heavy footfalls of goliaths from those of smaller folk.
She is suspicious of strangers just as other membe rs of
doom climbed our mountain and slew the griffon in its
he r clan are. but at her age, s he feels compelled to liste n
nest-a grave insult . We have been at war ever since." to what they have to say. She would very much like to
see a n end to the conflict with the Wyrmdoom goliaths-
if such a thing is possible.

Magic ca n cu re Kaniaka's blindne s. and s he becomes A smal ler, 10-foot-high cave to the northeast contai ns
indebted to any character who restores her vision. Ka- a goliath-sized bedroll that belongs to the goliath. She
niaka is the only member of the Akannathi clan who has is Rahi S kydreamer Akannathi , a goliath warrior with
as much influence in Skytower Shelter as Arn does, and Anim al Handling +4 and Medicine +4. Rahi serves
once her sight is restored, she can gently persuade him as the clan's spiritual guide and chief caretaker of the
to listen to reason. With her help. the characters ca n griffons living in and around S kytower Shelter. The
convince Arn to meet with the chieftain of the Wyrm- young griffon in her ca re is less than a year old and has
doom goliaths, though he insists that any such meeting yet to overcome its fear of flying. Its mother. a griffon ,
take place at Skytower Shelter. awakens and attacks if she, her offspring, or Rahi is
Any conversation with Kaniaka awakens her son, who threatened. If need be, Rahi can whistle to summon two
stumbles out of his bedchamber with greataxe in ha nd more griffons perched on the nearby slopes; these rein-
to confront intruders. If the characters have gotten off on forcements a rrive on the third round of combat.
the wrong foot with Kaniaka, Harad threate ns to punish Like the other members of her clan, Rahi is distrust-
them for their intrusion, though his sense of honor dic- ing of strangers and doesn't abide intrusions. A char-
tates that he cannot draw first blood. Thus, he tries to acter who offers to help Rahi overcome the youngling·s
goad characters into wounding him first. fear of flying can, with a successfu l DC 18 Charisma
(Persuasion) check, get Rah i's permission to approach
S5. SHRINE OF MIND AND SPIRIT the youngling. That character can then attempt a DC 15
Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to calm it. On a failed
check, the youngling tries to nip the character with its
An eight-foot-tall stone inscribed with runes stands in
beak, a nd Rahi sends the character away. On a success-
the middle of this ten-foot-high cave. Nearby, a chute ful check, Rahi is impressed as the baby griffon warms
with carved footholds leads down. to the character.
GRIFFON TAMING
The chute is 5 feet in diameter and leads to area S6.
Runestone. This engraved stone is one of two sacred Goliaths of the Akannathi clan can learn to raise and tame
griffons using secrets passed down through the genera-
stones in Skytower Shelter (the other is in area S 7). The
tions. The clan's griffon trainer, Rahi, shares these secrets
goliaths pray next to it when they seek clarity of mind with clan members who show great wisdom . The goliaths
and spirit. The scripture on the runestone, written in don 't ride the griffons; rather, they train them to hunt like
Dwarvish, tells a story about the vision and leadership falcons . The griffons are taught to respond to goliath whis-
found among the great predator birds of lcewind Dale. tles and never stray too far from their masters .
A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation A goliath character who earns Rahi's respect can be
magic around the runestone. Any humanoid creature taught the secrets of griffon taming over a period of 1
that prays or meditates next to the runestone for at least year, during which time the character is entrusted to watch
1 hour gains a runestone die, a d6. Once within the next over and protect a single griffon egg and, when it hatches,
24 hours, it can roll the die and add the number ro lled the emergent griffon youngling. At the end of the year, if
the griffon is still alive, the character must make a DC 15
to one Wisdom check or Charisma check it makes. It
Wisdom (Animal Handling) check, with advantage if the
can wait until after it roll s the d20 before deciding to use character accepts Rah i's guidance. If the check fails , the
the runestone die, but must decide before the DM says character is unable to tame the griffon. If the check suc-
whether the roll succeeds or fails . Once the runestone ceeds, the character tames the griffon and bonds with it
die is rolled, it is lost, and the humanoid can't gai n an- for life. Control of the griffon can be given to the goliath 's
other from this runestone for 10 days. player at this time.
Modify the griffon stat block as follows to account for
S6 . GRIFFONS' CAVE the young griffon 's development:
The floor of this cave is 15 feet beneath the floor of area • At birth, the griffon is Tiny and has 5 (1 d4 + 3) hit
S5. A 5-foot-diameter, 5-foot-long chute with carved foot- points, a Aying speed of 40 feet, and a Strength score
holds extends upward from the cei lin g of this cave. of 2. It has a +0 bonus to hit on its attacks and deals l
piercing damage with its beak and 1 slashing damage
with its claws . Its challenge rating is O (10 XP) .
This fifteen-foot-high cave contains four griffon nests : After 1 year, the griffon is Small and has 13 (2d6 + 6) hit
three clustered in the middle of the cave and one to the points and a Strength score of 8. It has a+ 1 bonus to hit
north . The northernmost nest contains a full -grown on its attacks and deals 2 (1 d4) piercing damage with
its beak and 2 (ld4) slashing damage with its claws . Its
griffon that appears to be sound asleep. The wind stirs challenge rating is 1/4 (SO XP) .
the sleeping griffon's feathers as it enters through a wide • After 2 years, the griffon is Medium and has 32 (Sd6
opening in the north wall, beyond which you can see + 15) hit points and a Strength score of 12. It has a +3
bonus to hit on its attacks and deals 4 (1 d6 + 1) piercing
mountain peaks and storm clouds . Sitting on the edge of
damage with its beak and 6 (2d4 + 1) slashing damage
this opening is a goliath who is talking gently to a griffon with its claws . Its challenge rating is 1 (200 XP) .
youngling that leans against her. • After 3 years, the griffon is fully grown and tame enough
to be ridden as a mount.
"Come no closer," warns the goliath. "This yo ungling is
afraid to Ay, and his mother is trying to get some rest."

If the party earns Rahi's trust and friendship, she A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation
might approach a goliath member of the party and offer magic around the runestone. Any humanoid creature
to teach that character how to tame a griffon. Given that prays or meditates next to the runestone for at least
the time commitment necessary, this activity is most 1 hour gains a runestone die, a d6. Once within the next
likely to occur after the adventure concludes or during 24 hours, it can roll the die and add the number rolled
a lengthy period of downtime (see the "Griffon Taming" to one Strength check or weapon attack roll it makes. It
sidebar on page 163). can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use
the runestone die, but must decide before the DM says
S7. SHRINE OF STRENGTH AND HONOR whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the runestone
die is rolled, it is lost, and the humanoid can't gain an-
other from this runestone for 10 days.
In the center of this twelve-foot-high cave stands an
eight-foot-tall stone inscribed with runes. Behind it, a S8. PASSAGE OF CARVINGS
five-foot-diameter chute with carved footholds ascends
to another cavern.
This rough-hewn passageway slopes gently upward to
the south. Ensconced torches illuminate carvings on
The chute leads to area S9. If goliaths are in that area, the walls.
characters can hear loud cheers coming from there.
Runestone. The runestone is one of two sacred
stones in Skytower Shelter (the other is in area SS). The The carvings depict the history of the Akannathi clan.
goliaths pray next to it when they seek to gain physical This saga begins at the north end of the passage and
strength and victory in combat and competition. The unfolds as one travels south toward area S9. A character
scripture on the runestone is written in Dwarvish and is who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check
concerned with the glory and honor found in battle and can determine that the oldest carvings are roughly 400
in competition. This honor is not always granted, how- years old and the newest ones are quite recent.
ever, because glory comes only to those who challenge The earliest carvings tell the story of how the Akan-
themselves through physical trials. (There is no glory nathi goliaths tamed the mountain- how they dug
for a goliath who is unchallenged in battle, athletics, and tunnels and caves to serve their needs, creating a home
competition, just as there is no glory for the griffon that for their people, and how they tamed the griffons of
slays a mouse.) the mountain, turning these ravenous monsters into

stalwart hunting companions. Later carvings focus on S10. COMMUNAL CAVE
wars against the ores, when the Skytower and Wyrm-
doom goliaths were united against a common foe. Carv-
ings made within the past century chronicle the souring Blankets and bedrolls made from hides lie in a rough
of the friendship between the two goliath clans, with circle around a smoldering fire. In an alcove to the north,
scenes showing warriors of Wyrmdoom Crag slaying three young goliaths are playing amid a pile of coins and
griffons followed by bloody skirmishes between the goli-
gemstones.
ath clans on mountainsides. The newest carvings depict
lone goliaths chasing a giant polar bear (a representa-
tion of Oyaminartok, as described in appendix C) and a The three young goliaths are noncombatants who stand
diminished population of Skytower goliaths contending 4 to 5 feet tall.
with the seemingly endless winter. Treasure. The Akannathi clan stockpiles treasure in
the northern end of this chamber. The goliaths have lit-
S9. FEASTING CAVE
tle use for valuables, except for clan members who want
Nine goliath warriors (see appendix C) occupy this area to visit Ten-Towns or other more distant settlements and
when the characters arrive at Sky tower Shelter. If they need some form of currency to secure food or lodging.
were drawn to area S2 by a disturbance, adjust the fol- The treasure pile includes the following:
lowing boxed text to account for their absence:
420 gp, 1,664 sp, and 2,260 cp in mixed coinage
Thirteen gemstones: eight eye agates (10 gp each), five
A long, rectangular firepit heats this fifteen-foot-high moonstones (SO gp each), and an amethyst (100 gp)
cave and fills the area with the scent of meat cooking on A carved bone statuette of Gruumsh, the one-eyed ore
a grate over the pit. The sound of cheering also fills the god of slaughter (25 gp)
A gold birdcage with electrum filigree (250 gp)
cave as two goliaths stand near the southern wall with
A potion ofgaseous form in a gray crystal vial
their arms extended out from their sides, holding a large
rock in each hand. Their arm muscles are quivering from ENDING THE GOLIATH FEUD
exertion, and their jaws are clenched. Seven more goli- The chieftains of the Akannathi and Thuunlakalaga
aths stand around them, cheering and waving haunches clans will never come to terms on their own. Characters
of cooked meat. who want to end the feud between the goliaths of Sky-
tower Shelter and Wyrmdoom Crag must convince the
chieftains, Arn and Ogolai, to meet on neutral ground,
When the goliaths become aware of the characters, add: away from their respective lairs, since neither chieftain
wants to appear weak in the eyes of the other.
When the goliaths spot you, they stop cheering. The
SUMMIT OF THE CHIEFS
competition ends as the two goliaths let their rocks tum- Arn will agree to meet Ogolai on neutral ground, but
ble to the floor, and all nine goliaths glare at you . only if Kaniaka (see area S4) urges him to do so. Ogolai
will agree to meet Arn on neutral ground, but only if the
characters heal the wounded aarakocra at Wyrmdoom
Two goliaths were competing in a test of strength to Crag (see area W6 on page 169). Both chieftains in-
see who could hold their arms up the longest under the tend to bring an entourage of goliath warriors with them
weight of the rocks. Unless the characters are accompa- to the meeting, and it takes some additional diplomacy-
nied by a member of the Akannathi clan, the goliaths try and perhaps a Charisma (Persuasion) check or two- to
to frighten away the interlopers, attacking them if they convince them to keep their delegations small.
refuse to leave. A clever character can win over the goli-
aths by challenging and beating one or more of them in NEGOTIATIONS
a rock-holding contest. The contest plays out as follows: Characters who bring Arn and Ogolai together still have
• Each participant is given a pair of heavy rocks and their work cut out for them; neither chieftain is ready to
must hold one in each hand while keeping their arms forgive and forget the events that created the division
parallel to the floor. between them. If one or more characters don't mediate
• At the end of each minute, each participant must the conversation, the meeting ends with each chieftain
succeed on a Strength (Athletics) check to keep their walking away in disgust at the other's unwillingness to
arms raised. The DC starts at 5 and increases by 5 at accept blame. Allow the players time to devise a strategy
the end of each minute thereafter. On a failed check, for ending the impasse. Three possible solutions are
the participant drops their arms and is out of the presented below:
game. If the last two participants fail at the same time, • The characters urge the chieftains, for the good of
the contest ends in a tie. Icewind Dale, to unite against a common foe (such as
Any character who wins a rock-holding contest earns Auril the Frostmaiden, Arveiaturace the White Wyrm,
the respect of the goliaths in this cave. That respect can or Xardorok Sunblight). Goliath warriors from both
grow into friendship, provided the characters have done clans, working as allies, might learn to forget the past
nothing that would turn the goliaths against them. and forge a brighter future for all goliaths.
CHAPTER 2 I ICEWI N D DALE

A character who has earned the respect of one or both The Wj rmdoom goliath are 11lin.,. to share their
clans convinces either chieftain that being the first dwelling\\. ith travelers and u but they hold a
to accept responsibility for a misunderstanding, even strong di like for the goliath u tower Shelter. The
when others s hould share the blame, is a sign of moral characters can learn the cau e f that re entment by
strength a nd good character. Once one chieftain ac- speaking to Ogolai. chieftain ol th Thuunlaka laga clan.
cepts blame, it's easier for the other to do the same.
The characters keep the chieftains talking- for days , if INTO THE Mou TAL ·s
that's what it takes- by turning it into a contest of en- To get to either of the goliach outpo ts or to move be-
durance. The two chieftai ns waste hours airing their tween them, the character need to negotiate the Spine
grievances, then spend longer hours glaring at each of the World , where tra\·el i the most difficu lt of any
other in stubborn silence. (The characters' patience region in lcewind Dale. l.J e the rule in the "Mountain
is eventually rewarded when Ogolai has food and tea Travel" section (on page 11) to imulate the perils of
brought to her. She offers to s hare her repast with getting around in the peak
Arn, who begrudgingly accepts out of politeness. This
moment marks a turning point as the ch ieftains agree WYRMDOOM CRAG OVERVIEW
that there can be no winner to this contest and, more
important. that the contest is a metaphor for their Wyrmdoom Crag faces north from atop a snowy moun-
pointless, long-standing feud .) tain slope. Th bone of an adult white dragon rest near
the entrance to the lair.
T he goliaths of Wyrmdoom rag enjoy company and
WYRMDOOM CRAG wi ll trade food and shelter for stories and news from Ice-
Wyrmdoom Crag is one of two goliath settlements de- wind Da le. Th goliaths are rich in stories of their own
scribed in this chapter, the other being Skytower Shel- a nd are not s hy about haring their history.
ter (see page 161). Read both entries before running Although these goliaths ar friendly and welcoming,
encounters in either location. Also review the "Goliaths" they bear a bitter grudge against the goliaths of Sky-
en try in appendix C, in particular the "Spine of the tower Shelter and will treat any character hai ling from
World Goliaths" section. There is also a list of goliath that clan accordingly. Additiona lly, these goliath s have a
names you ca n draw from , as needed. s trong distaste toward visitors who seek to stir up trou-
Wyrmdoom Crag is home to the friend ly Thuunlaka- ble beyond imple competitiveness. If s uch a situation
laga goliath clan. Shortly after establishing this lair for occurs, they expel the offending visitor.
themselves, the goliaths were challenged by an adu lt
white dragon . T he dragon underestimated the goliaths' WYRMDOOM CRAG LOCATIONS
d termination, and decades lat r, its skeletal remains
Wyrmdoom Crag is a cave com plex carved into the
still lie nearby as a testament to their triumph .
north face of a 15,000-foot-high mountain. Tunnels are
There are three reasons why the characters might
10 feet high throughout, and the caves are lit by torches.
visit Wyrmdoom Crag:
• They're drawn to the location by a tall tale (see "Tall
Ta les in Ten-Towns ," page 101) or by a quest to help Wl. APPROACH
Dannika Graysteel acquire some wh ite dragon bones
(see ''Dragon Bone Stew," page 104).
Fresh tracks in the snow make it relatively easy to find the
• One of the characters is a goliath from Wyrmdoom
Crag who wants to return hom e. goliath settlement ofWyrmdoom Crag on the northern
• The characters seek to end the feud between the goli- slope of a soaring mountain . Following these tracks leads
aths of Skytower Shelter and Wyrmdoom Crag. (The you to a cave, outside which the bones of a dragon lie
characters will need to visit both locations to succeed half-buried in the snow. Past these remains, torchlight
in their mission .) flickers in a pair of tunnels that burrow into the mountain
leading west and south .
GOAT-BALL
East of the dragon's bones , rough-hewn steps climb to
Goat-ball is a team sport similar to dodgeball. It uses a
furry, misshapen ball made of stuffed goat hide and also a twenty-foot-high, open-air arena with stone bleachers
requires a dozen or more elevated platforms (usually pil- carved into the eastern wall. Rising from the arena floor
lars or tree stumps) arranged in a random pattern. Two are more than a dozen pillars of rock , each five to eight
teams of four players clamber onto the platforms, pass the
ball back and forth, and try to knock their opponents off feet tall and about a foot in diameter.
their platforms. A team wins if all its opponents have been
knocked out of the game.
Rules. To determine the outcome of a goat-ball game, The tracks in the snow were made by two goliath war-
have each player in the game make a Strength (Athletics) riors returning from a hunt. See area W2 for more about
or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (their choice) . Add up the the stone platform and the bleachers.
totals for each team. The team with the highest total wins. The bones are those of an adult white dragon named
In the event of a tie, the game goes into overtime and Stygiarus, which met its doom at the hands of the goli-
all the players re-roll. aths ofWyrmdoom Crag. Four chwingas (see appendix
C) lurk am id the bones and make their presence known

r66
by popping out as the ch aracters a pproach. The chwin- W2. GOAT- BALL COURT
gas follow the characters around for as long as the pa rty
re mains in the vicin ity ofWyrmdoom Crag. The goliaths
of Wyrmdoo m Crag are aware of the chwingas a nd us u- Fifteen crude stone pillars stand on this raised arena .
ally ignore th em . The bleachers carved into the back wall are sheathed in
Each chwinga has a fas cination for some thing a nd is ice, and at the top of the seating section are burnt torch
irresis tibly d raw n to a ny character who has o r de mon-
stubs in sconces and a narrow tunnel.
s trates that ce rta in some thing. If a characte r indulges a
chwinga's fascination once a day for three consecutive
days, the chwinga rewards that characte r with a s uper- T he goliaths of Wyrmdoom Crag ga ther here at least
natura l gift before it depa r ts (see "Supe rnatura l Gifts" once a day to wa tch child ren or adults e njoying a game
in the Dungeon Master's Guide). S ee the "New Chwinga of goat-ba ll (see the "Goat-Ball '' s ideba r). If the cha rac-
Cha rms" section in a ppe ndi x C for more charms . Each ters endear the mselves to the goliath s, four goliath war-
chwinga's fa scination is des cribed below: riors (see appe ndix C) from a rea W7 challenge the m to
Chwinga 1 has a white face with a da rk tria ngle painted a fri endly goat-ba ll match. Characte rs who turn down
ove r one eye. It is fascina ted by Small cha racte rs a nd the cha llenge are free to wa tch a ga me ins tead. T he goli-
tries to ride aro und on them. aths don't mind a little betting on the s ide.
Chwinga 2 has a white face with two concentric blue The narrow tunnel above a nd be hind the bleac he rs
rings a round one eye. It is fascinated by beards and leads down to area W6.
likes to comb the m with a pinecone.
W3. WEAPONSMITH
Chwinga 3 has curly black a nte nnae growing out of
its head . It is fa scin ated by whistling a nd by its own
refl ection . It capers e nthus iastically wheneve r a The sound of metal hissing as it cools echoes through
cha racte r makes whis tling noises or puts a mirror in this warm, ten-foot-high chamber as a female goliath
front of it.
submerges a glowing javelin head into a barrel of water.
Chwinga 4 wea rs a gown made of pine needles. It
is fa scinated by cha racte rs who chew with their The anvil in the center of the cave is illuminated by the
mo uths ope n a nd tries to look down their throa ts light of a burning forge against the west wall. Against the
while they eat. wall nearby are several tools and weapons .
CHAPTER 2 I ! C EWIND DALE

167
The weaponsmith of Wyrmdoom Crag is a goliath Any character who gets Chief Ogolai's consent to
warrior (see appendix C) named Wayani Highhunter crawl through the tunnel is considered an honorary
Thuunlakalaga. Her forging techniques emulate those member of the Thuunlakalaga clan if they pass the trial.
of a dwarf smith from whom she learned her craft. She
owns a complete set of smith's tools, with which she is W5. MAIN HALL
proficient, and is happy to talk about her work. If the
characters seem friendly, she offers to take them to see
This cavern has a domed roof thirty feet high and an
Ogolai, the clan chieftain, in area W5.
Among the items found in this forge are thirteen metal open well in the middle of the floor. Two youthful goli-
javelins and three hefty greataxes, all nonmagical. aths use ropes and a bucket to draw water from the well
while six adults wrangle a handful of exuberant goli-
W4. THE CRAWL
ath toddlers.
Rough-hewn stairs ascend to the southern part of the
The floor of this fifteen-foot-high cavern bulges in the cave, where the floor is ten feet higher. Seated in this
middle, with a five-foot-diameter hole on either end of area next to a crackling fire is a female goliath with gray
the upraised part, marking the ends of a tunnel. The hair, many scars, and a white cloak made of mountain
exterior of the bulge has runes inscribed on every sur- goat hide. Leaning against the wall behind her is a great-
face of it. axe with a bone haft. She gnaws on a pipe as she tries to
At the back of the cave, an elderly male goliath sits settle a dispute between two goliath children.
with three adolescent goliaths around a campfire. The
elderly goliath is dyeing scraps of cloth and leather in a
This cave is where most members of the Thuunlakalaga
bucket of greenish liquid and setting them to dry on a clan sleep and socialize. Bedrolls of goatskins and furs
wooden rack while the adolescents stitch other scraps are set out on the floor in a loose semicircle around a
into garments for dolls they are fashioning. Scores of old well in the center of the room.
dolls rest in niches along the cave walls, staring outward. When the characters arrive, the cave contains eight
goliath warriors (see appendix C), including six adults
and two unarmed and unarmored goliath youths. There
The elderly goliath is a noncombatant named Demelok are also six goliath children (noncombatants), including
Nightwalker Thuunlakalaga, and he's helping the goli- the two speaking with the clan's chieftain, a goliath
ath youths make ceremonial dolls. The three youths are warrior named Ogolai Orcsplitter Thuunlakalaga, who
unarmed and unarmored goliath warriors (see appen- is endearingly called "Old Goat" by other clan members.
dix C) namedjaagrik, Kaga, and Zuri. Her greataxe has a haft made from white dragon bone,
Rune-Carved Tunnel. If the characters ask about and her white cloak is magical (see "Treasure" below).
the rune-carved tunnel that burrows under the floor, If a fight erupts here, nine more goliath w~rriors arrive
Demelok tells them that it serves two purposes: to test from area W7 to help put an end to it.
young goliaths on the cusp of adulthood and to im- Ogolai greets new arrivals and invites them to join her
part the wisdom that comes from knowing one's own by the fire. If she takes a shine to them, she walks them
character. back to the feasting cave (area W7) for a hot meal. If
After learning the lessons needed to become full- she is asked why the Skytower and Wyrmdoom goliaths
fledged adults, a young goliath offers up a symbol of don't get along, Ogolai says:
their childhood- a doll- and crawls through the tunnel.
Members of their family wait for them on the other
side, ready to welcome them into adulthood. The vi- "Many summers ago, the children ofWyrmdoom chal-
sions seen by those who crawl through the tunnel force lenged the children of Skytower to a game of goat-ball.
them to face their fears, experience what it means to be During the game, the ball tumbled near one of the grif-
truly alone, and recognize their own weaknesses. Not fons of Skytower. When one of our children tried to fetch
everyone has the fortitude to make it through the tunnel the ball, the griffon went berserk and grievously wounded
on the first attempt, but those who fail can try again.
her. The game was called off. Hungry for more of the
Visitors who want to experience this trial are warned
that it is not for the faint of heart. A character who child's flesh, the griffon haunted Wyrmdoom for days.
reaches the tunnel's midpoint must succeed on a DC Our hunters were forced to kill it to protect the child. The
15 Constitution saving throw and a DC 15 Charisma two clans have been opposed ever since."
saving throw. If either save fails, the character is unable
to move forward and must withdraw the way they came.
If both saves fail, the character is so overwhelmed by Although she doesn't say so, Ogolai is the child who was
visions of terror that they fall into a coma, becoming wounded by the griffon, as the scars on her face suggest.
unconscious for 4d6 hours. A character who succeeds To this day, she fears griffons and blames the Skytower
on both saving throws can crawl through the tunnel and goliaths for not keeping theirs under control.
out the other side, having confronted the visions and If the characters claim to be neutral arbiters seeking
overcome them. to end the conflict between the clans, Ogolai says she's
C HAPTER 2 I ICEWIND DALE

168
prepared to meet with Arn Akannathi, the leader of the
Skytower goliaths, but refuses to meet him at Skytower
Shelter. Ogolai insists that the meeting occur on the
goat-ball court at Wyrmdoom Crag, which she knows
Arn will never agree to. Ogolai"s refusal to conduct
negotiations at Skytower Shelter stems from her deep-
seeded fear of griffons, though she would never admit to
this fact lest she appear weak. Ogolai is not interested in
offering any goodwill gesture to Arn, whom she bluntly
calls a "walking stillborn."
Missing Goliath. If the characters establish a rap-
port with Ogolai, she tells them that one of her clan's
warriors, a young male named Kapanuk, got separated
from his hunting party during a blizzard a few days ago.
Ogolai asks only that the characters keep an eye out for
him as they travel through the mountains. (The charac-
ters might locate Kapanuk in area X28 of Xardorok's
fortress in chapter 3.)
Treasure. Ogolai's cloak has the magical properties of
a cloak of protection.
WeJI. The main source of clean water for the clan is
the well. A fire bucket is lowered down on a rope to keep
the water in the well from freezing.
W6 . PRIVATE CAVES
These 10-foot-high caves are the quarters of the chief-
tain and the best warriors of the clan. Ogolai claims the
southernmost cave, where the tribe's valuables are kept
(see "Treasure" below).
The northernmost cave contains a wounded aara-
kocra named Sikki-kree, who is being tended to by a
goliath warrior (see appendix C) named Aruk Thunder-
M"P 2.14 : W v R M OOOM CR" G
caller Thuunlakalaga, who has Insight +4 and Medicine
+4. Sikki-kree crashed in the mountains when she was
caught in a blizzard and was rescued by goliath hunters.
W7. FEASTING CAVE
Aruk has been nursing the aarakocra back to health,
but he can do only so much. Although Sikki-kree's mi-
nor wounds have healed, she has a broken wing that Three adult goliaths are cooking meat over a rectangular
requires at least 10 hit points of magical healing to firepit in the middle of this fifteen-foot-high cave while a
be mended. The goliaths of Wyrmdoom Crag have no
goliath youth distributes ceramic bowls of food to other
such magic at their disposal. Any character who helps
Sikki-kree regain her ability to fly earns the aarakocra's goliaths sitting around the room on woolly rugs and furs .
gratitude and the respect of the Wyrmdoom goliaths. An elderly male taps a rhythmic beat on a large goat-
Once Sikki-kree can fly again, she thanks the charac- skin drum held between his knees. While he plays, a cou-
ters for their help before getting Ogolai's permission to ple of goliaths wrestle on the floor in front of him. Those
depart. Ogolai is indebted to the characters for helping
seated near them occasionally move out of the way when
the aarakocra, enough that she will agree to a meeting
the wrestlers roll too close to them.
with the chieftain of the Skytower goliaths if the charac-
ters request one.
Treasure. Ogolai's cave contains a pile of treasure Unless the warriors have been drawn elsewhere, this
that her clan has amassed. The Wyrmdoom goliaths cave nine goliath warriors (see appendix C) plus eight
have little use for valuables but keep this stockpile for goliath noncombatants (children and clan elders).
clan members who visit Ten-Towns or other settlements The Wyrmdoom goliaths are overjoyed if one or more
and need some form of currency to secure food or lodg- characters express an interest in wrestling. Although
ing. The stockpile includes the following: the goliaths don't customarily take on smaller or weaker
• 350 gp, 1,177 sp, and 1,850 cp in mixed coinage opponents, they never refuse a challenge. Winning a
• Sixteen gemstones: nine banded agates (10 gp each), wrestling match requires a competitor to succeed on
four carnelians (50 gp each), two spinels (100 gp two consecutive contested Strength (Athletics) checks.
each), and a topaz (500 gp)
• A gold chain pendant (25 gp) inset with a yellow dia-
mond elemental gem (the goliaths are unaware of its
magical nature)
CHAPTER 2 I I C EWIND DALE

169
X/\RDOROK 5UNBLIGHT FROM U N LE /\
UPON TEN -TOWNS .

SUNBLIGHT
E QUE STERE D AMONG T H E C RAGS OF T H E S P INE
of the World is a grim fortress hewn out of "Invisible enemies walk among us . We have seen the ir
rock. This fortress is home to Xardorok Sun- boot prints in the snow, and now we know what they are:
blight, his two living sons , and the rest of the duergar. These malevolent dwarves of the Underdark
Sunblight duerga r clan. ft is a heavily defended have infiltrated Ten-Towns in search of a rare crystal
gateway between the cla n's form er home in the Un-
known as chardalyn . With it , they' re buil ding a mighty
derda rk a nd its future home in fcewind Dale. From here,
Xardorok plots the destruction of Ten-Towns. construct that will lay waste to Ten-Towns if nothing is
Xardorok has no imagination of his own. Ins tead , he done to stop it.
receives ins piration fr om his patron , whom he believes " Our militia captured one of the duergar and forced
is Deep Duerra (the duergar god of conquest). Unknown it to divulge the location of their mountain stronghold.
to Xa rdorok, hi s wa rlock powers come from As modeus ,
Therein you will find a duergar warlord named Xardorok
the Lord of the Nine Hells, who enjoys impersonating
Sun blight. He aims to conquer lcewind Dale and destroy
other gods. It is As mode us, not Deep Duerra, who in-
s pired Xardorok S unblight to become the firs t duerga r us all. For the good of Ten -Towns, will you penetrate the
to leave the Underda rk a nd carve out a kingdom for him- duergar fortress, slay this evil warlord, and destroy his
self on the s urface. terrible weapon? "
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER If th e characters accept thi s quest, the s pea ker p ro-
Characters who learn ofX a rdorok's plot to forge a vides them with a map oflcewind Dale that marks the
dragon of cha rda lyn a nd unleash it upon Ten-Towns location of the duerga r fortress, as s hown on map 2.1
might decide to launch a preemptive strike on Xa r- (page 113). For the benefit of your players, yo u ca n
dorok's fortress. This chapter describes the fortress of point to the fortress's location using the pos ter ma p of
Sunblight in deta il , in the event the adventurers decide Icewind Da le.
to attack it. But the cha racters a re in for a s urprise: by If the cha racters as k to s pea k with the captu red
the time they a rrive, Xa rdorok has a lready fini s hed his duerga r, the s peaker informs them that the duergar was
construct and set it loose, leaving the characters with a n put to death foll owing the interrogation, to keep him
agonizing decision: press the attack against the due rga r escaping and warning his kin . If the characters ins ist on
fortress, or intercept the dragon in Ten-Towns. If they seeing the duerga r, the s peaker ta kes them to a cellar
choose the latter course, s kip over thi s chapter for now where the body is being ke pt. Any character who casts a
a nd proceed with chapter 4. spea k with dead s pell on the dead duerga r ca n va lid ate
The characters a re more likely to s urvive an invasion the information that the s peaker has already impa rted.
of Xardorok's fortress if they are at least 4th level. Cha r- The s peaker has little to offer the cha rac ters as
acters of lower level ca n s ucceed if they ta ke frequent recompense beyond hospita lity a nd fri end s hip. If the
rests or have a n edge, s uch as plenty of healing magic or characters insis t on a more ta ngible rewa rd , the s pea ker
allies to back them up. scowls , a pologizes for misjudging them , a nd lets them
go about their business. Their reputation ta kes a blow
SPEAKER'S QUEST _ if they decl ine to help. Regardless of the meeting's
If the cha racte rs lack incentive to confront Xa rdorok in outcome, the s pea ker's next task is to prepare the set-
his fortress, eithe r because they didn't e ncounte r his tlement fo r w hat will s urely be the fight of its life, in lhe
sons in cha pter 1 or because the duergar threat hasn't event that Xa rdorok's construct attacks Ten-Towns.
impacted them yet, you ca n have one of the s peakers in
Ten-Towns invite them to a private meeting. T he s peaker
would know the cha racters by re putation, if nothing
else. At this meeting, the spea ker presents the following
infor mation:
CHAPTER 3 I SUN BLT G H T

171
TROUBLE IN THE FORTRESS FINDING THE FORTRESS
The following sections describe what the characters are The characters can find a map aboard the Easthaven
up against in this chapter. ferry that shows the location of Xardorok's fortress.
They obtain a similar map if they accept the speaker's
XARDOROK'S PARANOIA
quest presented earlier in this chapter. If the characters
Xardorok's obsession with chardalyn is a form of mad- fail to obtain the map, they can use magic to compel a
ness that has consumed the duergar warlock, to the captured duergar to divulge the location of the fortress.
extent that he will stop at nothing to obtain all of it. Xar-
dorok prizes chardalyn more than he loves his sons and APPROACHING THE FORTRESS
his clan, which has alienated his closest advisors and
forced them to question their blind obedience to him. To get to Xardorok's fortress, the characters need to
Prolonged contact with malevolent magic suffusing negotiate the Spine of the World. Use the rules in the
the chardalyn has made Xardorok extraordinarily para- "Mountain Travel" section (see page 11) to simulate
noid. He keeps his two sons, Durth and Nildar, as far the perils of getting around in the peaks.
away from him as possible, sending them on dangerous
missions to acquire more chardalyn in and around Beyond the snowy foothills, low-lying clouds obscure
Ten-Towns, fearing that they might usurp his throne
the icy peaks of the gargantuan mountains that form the
otherwise. Xardorok rewards his subjects for spying
Spine of the World. Eventually, you get above the clouds
on one another and uncovering plots against him. The
duergar closest to him are aware of the changes in his and behold a sheer mountain wall rising more than a
demeanor, but they lack the courage to stand up to him. hundred feet before you. Carved high on the wall are
A few have learned to capitalize on his paranoia, gaining rows of arrow slits with lights burning behind them and
Xardorok's favor by fabricating evidence of coups or- clanking sounds issuing from them. A narrow staircase
chestrated by their rivals.
hewn from the rock leads up along one side of the wall.
THE MuzGARDT CONSPIRACY
Grandolpha Muzgardt, the grand dame of the Muzgardt
The steps leading up to it are barely 5 feet wide and
duergar clan, has recently arrived at the fortress after
climb 150 feet to a frost-covered shelf that adjoins the
being invited here by Xardorok. The Muzgardts are main entrance (area Xl).
based in Gracklstugh, a duergar city in the Underdark.
They mass-produce and distribute a filthy duergar ale DIFFICULT DECISION
made from mushrooms. Xardorok has been eager to As the characters begin their ascent, read:
take a fourth wife and has had his eye on Grandolpha
Muzgardt for many years. He asked Grandolpha to his
fortress to give her a gift-a pseudodragon made of char- From high above comes a loud grinding noise as large
dalyn (a pseudo-pseudodragon, if you will)-and make sheets of ice break off the fortress walls and tumble
her an offer she can't refuse. Once he conquers Icewind down the mountainside. Suddenly, great doors of ice pre-
Dale, he wants the Muzgardts to control the ale trade
viously hidden under snow stand open more than three
throughout his sunless surface kingdom.
hundred feet above you, and from between them flies a
Grandolpha, for her part, is too canny and jaded to
fall for Xardorok's blunt attempt at seduction. She has huge dragon made of dark ice. Its eyes glow with a bright
begun plotting with disenfranchised advisors and war- golden light as it lets out a terrible roar, hurls itself into
riors in his ranks to overthrow him when the moment the air, and glides away from the fortress, then turns and
is right. Ironically, despite his paranoia, Xardorok is too heads north toward Ten-Towns .
blinded by his admiration for Grandolpha to foresee her
treachery. In Grandolpha, the characters might find an
unlikely (if temporary) ally. The chardalyn dragon (see appendix C) exits the for-
tress by climbing up a shaft that leads from the forge
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT level to the fortress's summit. The doors at the top of
In this chapter, characters can advance to 6th level and the shaft remain open until the dragon returns or un-
no farther. Level advancement is handled as follows: til someone closes them by using the levers in areas
X13 and Xl5.
• The characters gain a level if they defeat Xardorok The dragon stays at least 250 feet away from the party
Sunblight. and does not pay any attention to the characters as it
• The characters gain a level if they accomplish any flies off on its mission to destroy Ten-Towns. Given the
two of the following feats: find the chardalyn dragon's dragon's impressive flying speed, it's unlikely that the
flight plan in area X4, free the myconid sovereign characters will be able to catch up to it.
in area Xl 9, or destroy the heart of the red dragon The characters must now make a big decision: do they
in area X24. assault Xardorok's fortress as planned or follow the
dragon back to Ten-Towns? If they continue their climb
to the fortress, continue with the next section; if they
pursue the dragon, move on to chapter 4.
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLIGHT
a knock spell or similar magic. Pushing a lever in area
XARDOROK'S FORTRESS X6 retracts the stone bars and causes the doors to swing
The fortress, depicted on map 3.1, has the following inward on squealing iron hinges.
noteworthy features: Beyond the double door is a lowered iron portcullis.
Bare Stone. Hewn from gray stone, the fortress is bereft Area X6 contains the winch that raises and lowers the
of ornamentation or artistic flair. Doors are likewise portcullis, which can also be forced open with a knock
made of bare stone, with iron handles and hinges. spell or similar magic.
Smoky Haze. Smoke from the forge (area X24) perme- Arrow Slit. A duergar guard in area X6 watches
ates the interior of the fortress. Unless the text notes the icy ledge through the arrow slit, which grants him
otherwise, all areas are lightly obscured by this smoky three-quarters cover against attacks made from outside
haze. Exposure to it is unhealthy; characters who take the fortress. If he sees the characters approaching on
a long rest in a hazy location regain one fewer Hit Die the ledge, the duergar turns invisible and watches them
than normal. A strong wind that lasts 1 minute or lon- without announcing his presence. If the characters are
ger clears an area of smoky haze for 1 hour thereafter. having trouble getting through the double door or the
Heat. Duergar have darkvision and don't need light to portcullis, the duergar opens them from area X6 without
see; even so, most rooms are heated by stone braziers alerting the characters to his presence. This duergar is
filled with glowing-hot coals, and such areas are loyal to Grandolpha Muzgardt (see "The Muzgardt Con-
dimly lit. spiracy," page 172) and hopes the characters will dis-
Ceilings. Tunnel ceilings are 10 feet high and flat. Room pose of Xardorok, or at least create a situation in which
ceilings are 15 feet high and vaulted in most areas ex- Xardorok can be killed by his fellow duergar.
cept for the larger spaces on the forge level, which are
30 feet high.
X2. VESTIBULE
Elevators. The three levels of the fortress are connected
I
by two mechanical elevators that are continually mov- Beyond the portcullis is an empty room with a
ing up and down their shafts, except for a I-minute
narrow opening at the far end and an arrow slit in the
stop each time it arrives at a floor. One elevator links
areas X6, X13, and X22, and the other links areas western wall.
Xl2, X15 , and X30. An elevator can be disabled in any
location where its wheel mechanisms are exposed (as Arrow Slit. A duergar guard in area X3 watches
shown on map 3.1). this room through the arrow slit, which grants her
three-quarters cover. If she sees or hears intruders
WHERE Is XARDOROK? inside the fortress , she shouts, "To arms!" in Under-
To determine Xardorok's whereabouts when the char- common. The nine duergar guards in area X3 spend 1
acters arrive at the fortress, roll a d20 and consult the round rallying before pouring out of the barracks to con-
Xardorok's Location table or simply choose one of the front the foes.
suggested locations.
X3. UPPER BARRACKS
XARDOROK'S LOCATION
d20 Location A low stone table flanked by stone benches dominates
1-5 Resting on his throne in area Xl9 this room, which is heated and illuminated by braziers
6-10 Barking orders in area X24 of glowing-hot coals. Through the hazy smoke, you see
11-15 Praying before the statue in area X29 featureless stone doors lining the walls .
16-20 Torturing a duergar accused of treason in area X34
A female duergai: guard stands in front of an arrow

COMMAND LEVEL
slit that peers into area X2. Additionally, eight duergar
The command level contains living quarters for Xar- guards rest in the smaller rooms attached to this one.
dorok and his two sons, as well as halls for training Each of these IO-foot-square rooms has three stone
and dining. bunkbeds protruding from its walls.
Secret Door. A character who searches the walls
Xl. ENTRANCE
for secret doors and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check finds such a door in the east wall.
Moving east from the top of the stairs leads you to the This 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-tall stone door swings into a
entrance of the fortress: a ten-foot-high double door of
DUERGAR NAMES
featureless stone. An arrow slit facing in your direction
Here are some names you can use to identify duer-
guards the approach . gar guards: Bruvo, Duerreth, Dwargyn, Fisketta, Gurn,
Harmok, Jarjun, Jonkin, Kolbrak, Lurgash, Mrod, Mursk,
Narla, Qualkin, Rovaalt, Skarda, Skorn, Throd, Ulkinn,
The entrance doors are barred shut from within and Vygardt, Zorzula, and Zulkrod.
can't be opened from the outside, except with the use of
C HAPTER 3 I SUNBLIGHT
173
5-foot-diameter tunnel that leads to a similar door block- (Religion) check. An indentation in the statuette's base
ing entry to area X4. No ability check is needed to find holds the key that unlocks the iron trunk in Xardorok's
either secret door from inside the tunnel. bedchamber. The characters can find the key if someone
lifts the statuette and looks underneath it.
X4. XARDOROK's WAR ROOM Anyone other than Xardorok who touches the statu-
ette of Deep Duerra must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving
throw, taking 18 (4d8) psychic damage on a failed save,
This rectangular room has two sets of double doors, one
or half as much damage on a s uccessful one. Along
to the north and the other to the south. A brazier of glow- with the psychic dam age comes a terrible sensation of
ing-hot coals stands in each corner. In the middle of the having one's brain devoured by an illithid. Once this
room is a low stone table, on the top of which is drawn effect has occurred, the statuette can be handled safely.
an illustration that looks something like a map. Anyone who keeps the chardalyn statuette on their
person for more tha n 1 hour gains a random form of
indefinite madness (see "Madness" in the Dungeon Mas-
Closer inspection of the drawing revea.ls that it's an acter's Guide).
curate depiction of Ten-Towns a nd its environs . Mounted Iron Trunk. The iron trunk is bolted to the floor. A
to the top of a thin iron stand on the table is a 6-inch-tall character using thieves' tools can use an action to try
dragon figurine carved out of chardalyn- a miniature to pick the lock, doing so with a s uccessful DC 20 Dex-
version of Xardorok's chardalyn drago n, its wings out- terity check. A knock spell or similar magic also opens
stretched. The figurin e's stand is attached by an iron rod the trunk.
to a groove carved into the table, allowing the figurine to The trunk contains Xardorok's personal possessions
move across the map from one settlement to a nother. If (see "Treasure" below), and it is trapped. If all its con-
a lever on the west side of the table is pulled, the dragon tents are removed, hidden springs raise the trunk's false
figurine "flies" over Ten-Towns on its preset course. bottom to rise slightly. at which point the s ton e visage
Any character who pays close attention can discern the above the bed opens its mouth and belches a cloud of
flight path of Xardorok's chardalyn dragon (see chapter poisonous gas large enough to fill the room . The gas
4 for details). hangs in the air for 10 minutes, then dissipates. Any
Dragon Figurine. The chardalyn figurine can be creature that starts its turn in the cloud must make a
broken off its stand. As an art object, it is worth 50 gp. DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4dl0) poi-
Anyone who keeps it on their person for more than 1 son damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on
hour gains a random form of indefinite madness (see a s uccessful one.
"Madness" in the Dungeon Master's Guide). Treasure. The iron trunk contains a pair of dwarven
Secret Door. A character who searches the walls for sandals carved out of obsidian (250 gp), a quilted s mok-
secret doors and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Percep- ing jacket sized for a dwarf and sewn with fifty gem-
tion) check finds s uch a door behind the brazier in the stones (500 gp), a malachite beard comb set with seven
southwest corner. This 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-tall stone red garnets (750 gp), a hookah made of platinum a nd
door swings into a 5-foot-diameter tunnel that leads star sapphire (2,500 gp), and a rolled-up lea ther scroll
to a similar door blocking entry to area X3. No ability with the following sequence of numbers written on it
check is needed to find either secret door from inside in Dwarvish:
the tunnel.
1-3-6 2-5-2 9-7-5 4-3-4
X5. XARDOROK'S QUARTERS 8-2-7 5-6-3 7-1-4 2-9-9
Braziers heaped with glowing-hot coals heat this cham-

The numbers on the scroll a re the combinations for
the locked chests in th e treasure vault (area X37).
ber, which contains a large stone bed covered with soot-
stained furs, its head against the north wall. In a shallow X6. GUARD POST
niche above the bed is a bas relief of a giant, scowling du -
ergar clenching its teeth. At the foot of the bed is a flat- This room is heated and illuminated by braziers of glow-
topped iron trunk sealed with a bulky padlock. A stone ing-hot coals. Visible on the west wall are an arrow slit,
door is set into the western wall. an iron lever, and a heavy iron winch.
A floor-to-ceiling iron cage in the middle of the room
Closet. The western door opens into a closet that contains an elevator shaft with chains running up and
Xardorok ha s converted into a s hrine. A s helf embedded down away from it. The chains are in constant motion,
in th e south wall holds a 2-foot-tall statuette of Deep Du- and you hear loud mechanical noises higher up the shaft
erra made of chardalyn. It de picts a nude female duergar
and farther down as well. A double door is embedded in
with no facial features and a spiked crown atop her bald
head . Stacked on smaller shelves around the statuette the middle of the east wall. Air enters the room through a
are seven mind flayer skulls. A character ca n identify row of four arrow slits in the south wall.
the depiction with a s uccessful DC 20 Intelligence
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLI G HT
174
MhP 3 1: SuNBLIGHT (XhRDOROK's FORTRESS)
C HAPTER 3 I SUNBLI G HT
1 75
An invisible duergar named Dreck huddles in the south-
west corner, trying to avoid detection. Despite his effort,
any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception)
score of 14 or higher notices the duergar's cold breath.
Dreck has secretly pledged his allegiance to Grandolpha
Muzgardt, for he longs to be rid of Xardorok Sunblight
and now sees the characters as instruments of Xar-
dorok's demise. He fights only in self-defense.
Elevator. A box-shaped iron elevator car constantly
goes up and down the shaft, stopping for 1 minute on
each floor and taking 1 minute to move from one level to
the next. A collapsing iron gate on the west side of the
cage slides open when the car arrives at this level from
above or below. The 10-foot-wide stone shaft climbs 100
feet to area X13 and descends 100 feet to area X22.
Lever. Moving the iron lever on the west wall opens
and closes the fortress's outer doors (see area Xl).
Winch. Turning the iron winch on the west wall raises
and lowers the portcullis between areas Xl and X2.
X7. OFFICE OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD
A stone desk and chair stand empty on the east side of

the room. The braziers that normally heat and light the
room have been extinguished. An arrow slit in the south
wall lets in the frigid mountain air.
GRANDOLPHA MuzGARDT Until recently, this room was the office of Xardorok's
Medium humanoid (dwarf), lawful evil captain of the guard, who has been accused of plotting a
coup and is being tortured in area X34.
Armor Class 9
Hit Points 59 (7d8 + 28) X8. PRIVATE DINING HALL
Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Three braziers heaped with glowing-hot coals illuminate
14 (+2) 9 (-1) 18 (+4) 13 (+l) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) and heat this long hall. At the eastern end is a hexagonal
stone table surrounded by six stone chairs. Seated in the
Damage Resistances poison
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Pe rception 13 chair facing the door is a haggard old duergar with long
Languages Common, Dwarvish , Undercommo n black hair streaked with ribbons of white and fingernails
Challenge 2 (450 XP) like shards of iron. She is devouring a hearty buffet of
cooked meats, mushrooms, and strange Underdark fare.
Duergar Resilience. Grandolpha has advantage on saving
throws against poison, spells , and illusions , as well as to resist Lurking next to her is a small mechanical dragon made of
being charmed or paralyzed . a shiny black substance.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). Grandolpha's innate spellcasting Hunched over a hot stove in the west side of the
ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13) . She can innately cast the room are three duergar cooks. At the sight of you, they
following spells, requiring no material components: drop their utensils and reach for their weapons, but
At will : druidcraft , mending, poison spray (see "Actions " below) the old duergar says something in Dwarvish that keeps
3/day each : detect magic, enlarge/ reduce (self onl y),faerie fire , them at bay.
invisibility (self only), polymorph, stoneskin (self only)
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, Grandolpha has dis -
advantage on attack rolls , as well as on Wisdom (Perception) Xardorok and his sons dine here, occasionally joined
checks that rely on sight. by guests. In attendance today is Xardorok's paramour,
Grandolpha Muzgardt (see the accompanying stat
ACTIONS block). The three duergar cooks are Grandolpha's
Poison Spray (Cantrip). Grandolpha extends her hand toward a loyal bodyguards. The chardalyn dragonet next to
creature she can see within 10 feet of her and projects a puff of Grandolpha is a gift from Xardorok; it's a lawful evil
noxious gas from her palm . The creature must succeed on a DC construct that understands Draconic and Dwarvish
13 Constitution saving throw or take 13 (2d12) poison damage . but can't speak. It otherwise has the statistics of a
pseudodragon.
I
After telling her bodyguards to stand down, Gran- XlO. DuRTH's QUARTERS
dolpha invites the characters to join her for dinner.
The main course is a cooked intellect devourer, its
brain-body stewing in its own juices. The characters
can partake of the feast that Grandolpha's guards have
prepared, but the food has a thin layer of ash covering it
that spoils the taste. Grandolpha doesn't seem to mind,
though. She also offers the characters a vile Muzgardt
I This dark chamber contains a plain stone bed, a stone
trunk, and four unlit braziers .
This room belongs to Xardorok's eldest son and heir,

brew made from Underdark mushrooms, which she Durth Sunblight. Durth is here only if he was forced
pours from a jug on the table before her. to abandon his hideout in chapter 1 (see "Easthaven
Grandolpha has no stake in Xardorok's plot to con- Ferry," page 59) or if he managed to steal a trove
quer Icewind Dale and does nothing to help or hinder of chardalyn from the Easthaven town hall (see "The
his efforts. If the characters threaten her, she laughs at Chardalyn Caper," page 68). Durth is a duergar mind
their audacity and refuses to meet their demands. If the master (see appendix C). If he hears suspicious activity
characters ask for her help, she shares the following in- outside his room, he shrinks to Tiny size and hides un-
formation with them: der the bed.
The trunk is Durth's longtime companion, an intelli-
She doesn't know Xardorok's current whereabouts gent mimic that speaks Undercommon. It attacks any-
but assumes he's in the forge (area X24) on the lowest one else who disturbs it. If he is present when the mimic
level of the fortress. attacks, Durth rolls initiative and joins the battle on the
, Xardorok has programmed his chardalyn dragon second round of combat.
to follow a prearranged flight plan. The characters
can view the dragon's route in Xardorok's war room Xll. NILDAR'S QUARTERS
(area X4).
• Xardorok is capturing Underdark monsters, which he
plans to unleash upon Icewind Dale. He has also cap- This dark room contains a plain stone bed, a stone trunk,
tured a myconid sovereign and is using its spores to and four unlit braziers. Mounted on the walls are the
reanimate corpses. heads of various creatures that might be found in the
• Xardorok has proposed an alliance between his clan mountains or the subterranean depths.
and the Muzgardt clan. Grandolpha is entertaining
Xardorok's offer but hasn't agreed to anything. The
mechanical pseudodragon was a gift from Xardorok, This room belongs to Xardorok's youngest son, Nildar. If
designed to win Grandolpha's affection. the characters forced him to abandon his post in chapter
Given time, Grandolpha thinks she can turn most of 1 (see "The Unseen," page 47), Nildar is here, sulking
the Sunblight duergar against Xardorok. Several of in the dark and plotting his revenge. Nildar is a duergar.
them have already pledged their loyalty to her. If his pet ogre zombie escaped with him , the rotting be-
Before entering combat, Grandolpha casts stoneskin hemoth stands in the northeast corner of the room.
on herself. Once her guards come to her rescue, she Trophies. The mounted heads are those of a crag
withdraws from combat and uses her faerie fire spell to cat, a grick, a male draw, a kuo-toa, a troglodyte, a
make enemies easier for her guards to hit. The charda- wolf, a peryton, and a female grimlock. Nildar didn't
lyn pseudodragon defends Grandolpha to the death. kill most of these creatures by himself, but he claimed
Slaad Host. If a character has the Slaad Host secret the trophies.
(see appendix B) and has a slaad tadpole gestating Trunk. Nildar's stone trunk holds a ceramic jug
inside them, having the tadpole burst out of the charac- of wine, a drinking horn, and a rolled-up piece of
ter's chest during dinner would be excellent timing for leather bearing a charcoal sketch of his late mother's
its shock value. Grandolpha suggests not killing the tad- stern visage.
pole and instead proposes that it be allowed to grow into
Xl2. TRAINING ROOM
a full-sized slaad. "Let Xardorok deal with it," she says.
If the characters allow this to happen, the tadpole slinks
away and finds a quiet corner of the fortress in which to Braziers of glowing-hot coals stand in the corners of this
grow, becoming a full-grown slaad within 2d12 hours. room, working to offset the cold air that flows through a
X9. PORTCULLIS row of arrow slits on the south wall.
Across from the double doors to area X8 is a short hall- Scattered around the room are several training dum-
way with a lowered iron portcullis at its southernmost mies made of wood and sackcloth, as well as four free-
end. Moving an iron lever jutting out of the west wall standing suits of plate armor. A floor-to-ceiling iron cage
raises and lowers the portcullis, beyond which is a wide in the middle of the room contains an elevator shaft with
shaft that descends 100 feet to area X26 and climbs 120
chains running up and down away from it. The chains are
feet to a pair of enormous doors carved out of ice.
The characters need magic or climbing gear to scale in constant motion, and you hear loud mechanical noises
the shaft's rough-hewn walls. high above and below.
177
The training dummies are harmless; they have been dis- Xl4. WORKSHOP
membered and sewn back together numerous times.
Touching one of the suits of armor or dealing damage
to any of them causes all four to animate (use the ani- This messy workshop is heated and illuminated by bra-
mated armor stat block to represent them). They attack ziers of glowing-hot coals in the corners. The room is
all other creatures in the room, which they can't leave furnished with stone tables and cabinets. In the middle
of their own volition. If there are no other creatures in of the room, surrounded by twisted bits of metal, is a
the room that they can attack on their turn, the suits of
half-finished exoskeletal construct like the ones you en-
armor deactivate and revert to their inanimate state.
Elevator. A box-shaped iron elevator car constantly countered in the room you came from.
goes up and down the shaft, stopping for 1 minute on
each floor and taking 1 minute to move from one level to
This room contains two duergar mechanics (one male,
the next. A collapsing iron gate on the west side of the
one female), both of whom turn invisible as soon as they
cage slides open when the car arrives at this level from
hear sounds of combat in area X13. They try to remain
above or below. The 10-foot-wide stone shaft climbs 100
hidden and fight only in self-defense.
feet to area XlS and descends 100 feet to area X30.
Treasure. Characters who search the workshop find
two sets of smith's tools and a set of tinker's tools.
ICE GATE LEVEL
The uppermost level of the fortress contains the mech- Xl5. EASTERN GEAR ROOM
anism that operates the ice gate- enormous doors The following boxed text assumes the characters enter
through which Xardorok's chardalyn dragon comes and this area by coming up the elevator. If they enter by the
goes. These doors are carved out of thick ice and have north tunnel, adjust the boxed text accordingly:
hinged iron clamps holding them in place. When the
doors are open, they allow access to a 30-foot-wide verti-
cal shaft that descends 220 feet to area X26. Ascending the elevator shaft deposits you in the middle
of a large room with machinery filling the western half.
Xl3. WESTERN GEAR ROOM A duergar stands in the southwest corner next to a
The following boxed text assumes the characters enter lever that juts out of the west wall. Braziers heaped with
this area by coming up the elevator. If they enter by the
hot coals do little to offset the cold air blowing into the
north tunnel, adjust the boxed text accordingly:
room through arrow slits in the south wall.
Ascending the elevator shaft deposits you in the middle

of a large room with machinery filling the eastern half. The duergar guard grows to Large size before enter-
ing combat.
A duergar stands in front of a double door in the north
Elevator Shaft. The ] 0-foot-wide stone shaft descends
wall, and another is in the southeast corner next to a 100 feet to area X12 and 200 feet to area X30.
lever that juts out of the east wall. Braziers heaped with Ice Gate. The large stone wheel near the west wall is
hot coals do little to offset the cold air that blows through part of the mechanism that opens and closes the doors
the arrow slits in the south wall. at the top of the fortress. Pulling the lever on the west
wall causes the wheel to turn, opening the eastern half
of the door; sliding the lever back to its original position
The two duergar are hostile toward non-duergar. On closes it.
their first turn in combat, the duergar grow to Large
size; on subsequent turns, they attack intruders. Mean- FORGE LEVEL
while, two duergar hammerers (see appendix C) lurk The lowest level of the fortress contains, among many
in the small chambers to the west. After all other crea- other features, Xardorok's forge, the iron mines, and a
tures in the room have taken an action, roll initiative tunnel that connects to the Underdark. This level is also
for the hammerers; on their first turn, the hammerers the warmest due to the heat generated in the forge.
emerge from their rooms and join the fray on the side of
the duergar. Xl6. NORTHWEST CAVERN
Elevator Shaft. The 10-foot-wide stone shaft descends
100 feet to area X6 and 200 feet to area X22.
Ice Gate. The large stone wheel near the east wall is This cavern is unlit and has a jagged, 30-foot-high ceiling.
part of the mechanism that opens and closes the doors A strange sight confronts you as four duergar, two of
at the top of the fortress. Pulling the lever on the east them much larger than normal, use ropes to restrain a
wall causes the wheel to turn, opening the western half hulking biped with an insectoid body. A large sack has
of the door; sliding the lever back to its original position
been pulled over the creature's bulbous head.
closes it.
A team of four duergar recently captured an umber

hulk in the Underdark and brought it back here. If the
characters challenge the duergar, the two enlarged ones Xl8 . GUARDED CORRIDOR
remove the sack covering the umber hulk's head and Between two sets of double doors is a corridor with a
release the creature, after which all four duergar turn dozen arrow slits along its walls. Four duergar guards
invisible. The infuriated umber hulk sees the characters are stationed in the hallways to either side (two per loca-
and attacks them. If the characters slay the umber hulk, tion). In addition to their normal weapons, these duergar
the duergar attack them. carry heavy crossbows (+2 to hit) that deal 5 (ldlO)
To the Underdark. A 10-foot-wide, miles-long tunnel piercing damage on a hit.
connects Xardorok's fortress to vast caverns and subter-
ranean lakes under the Spine of the World. Exploration Xl9. CHARDALYN THRONE
of the Underdark is beyond the scope of this adventure. If Xardorok Sun blight (see appendix C) is encountered
here, he's sitting on his throne. Describe him as a soot-
Xl7. DUERGAR MINES stained, gray-bearded duergar with a jagged black crown
on his brow and a spiky black gauntlet on one hand. His
I
Rich veins of iron ore run through the walls of this cav-
crown and gauntlet are made of chardalyn.
ern. Narrow tunnels are cut deep into the rock. Here and
there lie stacks of mining equipment. The ceiling of this hall arches to a height of thirty feet.
Stone steps lead up to a semicircular dais against the
south wall. Atop the dais is a misshapen throne crudely
These mines provide the duergar with all the iron ore
they need to fashion tools, weapons, exoskeletons for carved out of black crystal. Small, crackling flames burn
hammerers, and other items. They use the excavated in braziers that occupy the room's corners.
stone for furniture and other structures. Currently, there Slumped near the east wall is a tall, bipedal fungus
are no duergar working in the mines. creature. Luminous spores float in the air around it. A
Characters who explore the mines come across savage, white-furred biped has torn off one of the crea-
three rust monsters scrounging for iron ore. The rust
ture's arms and is holding it while four other white-furred
monsters, which came up from the Underdark, attack
anyone wearing metal armor or carrying metal shields bipeds covered with fungal growths try to capture the
or weapons. floating spores in jugs .
179
Xardorok's garrison includes several quaggoth thralls. A Unless they were drawn to area X19 by sounds of com-
little over a tenday ago, a quaggoth thonot named Krob bat there, two duergar stand against the west wall,
helped the duergar capture a myconid sovereign in the watching the doors to area X22. These duergar have
Underdark. The sovereign's name is Pleurota. With Xar- secretly pledged their loyalty to Grandolpha Muzgardt
dorok's consent, Krob is harvesting Pleurota's animat- (see "The Muzgardt Conspiracy," page 172) and try to
ing spores and using them to turn dead quaggoths into thwart Xardorok at every turn. They allow characters to
spore servants. When the myconid sovereign became pass through the room unmolested and are 50 percent
uncooperative, Krob tore off one of its arms. likely to know Xardorok's current whereabouts.
Thonot Krob uses the quaggoth stat block with the
I
modifications noted in the "Variant: Quaggoth Thonot" X22. WESTERN ELEVATOR
sidebar in the Monster Manual. He is joined in this room
I
by four quaggoth spore servants. Krob and the spore
The elevator shaft terminates in this room. A large stone
servants fight to the death. If Krob dies, one of the spore
wheel next to the iron cage turns constantly.
servants uses its next action to pour its jug of spores
over Krob's corpse, turning it into a new spore servant.
Sounds of combat here bring reinforcements from Elevator Shaft. The 10-foot-wide stone shaft ascends
area X18 (four duergar) and area X20 (four quaggoths). 100 feet to area X6 and 200 feet to area X13.
All the duergar, including Xardorok if he's present, use
Enlarge before joining the fight. If defeat seems likely, X23. OUTER GATE
Xardorok retreats to area X22 and uses the elevator to A 15-foot-high, 10-foot-wide iron gate is set into a
make his way toward area X8, where he hopes to enlist 20-foot-high, 15-foot-wide wall that separates area X16
the aid of Grandolpha Muzgardt, unaware of her true from area X24. The gate has a bulky padlock on its east-
intentions. Grandolpha goes along with Xardorok but ern side. The duergar forewoman (see area X25) carries
won't aid him in a fight, allowing the characters to kill the iron key to the padlock. A character with thieves'
him. If Xardorok is gravely wounded and Grandolpha tools can use an action to try to pick the lock, doing so
can kill him without putting herself in harm's way, she with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. The check
seizes the opportunity. is made with disadvantage if the character must reach
Throne. Pi:olonged contact with Xardorok's chardalyn through the gate from area X16 to get at the lock. A
throne can warp one's mind. A creature that remains in knock spell or similar magic also opens the padlock.
contact with the throne for 1 hour gains a random form Any attempt to breach the gate alerts the guards atop
of indefinite madness (see "Madness" in the Dungeon the watchtowers in the forge (areas X24-X26).
Master's Guide). If this madness isn't cured within 24
hours, it becomes permanent. Only a wish spell or di- X24-X26. FORGE
vine intervention can end the permanent madness.
Treasure. Each quaggoth spore servant has a jug con-
taining enough of Pleurota's animating spores to turn Smoke fills this warm cavern, which has a ceiling that
one fresh corpse into a spore servant (as described in ranges from forty feet high down to twenty feet high
the "Myconids" entry in the Monster Manual). along the south wall. The source of the smoke and heat
is a ten-foot-tall stone forge shaped like a pyramid with
X20. QUAGGOTH DEN
its peak sheared off. Ripples of heat and flashes of fire-
light spew from the top of the forge, which emits a deep,
I
This dark, filthy room is strewn with bones. It contains pulsating heartbeat. A five-foot-deep trough extends east
ten crude beds made of moss and clumps offur. Loud from the forge, with rows of black anvils on either side of
mechanical noises come from behind the west wall. the depression.
Overlooking the forge are four twenty-foot-tall guard
Unless they are drawn to area X19 by sounds of combat towers with gray-skinned dwarves standing behind their
there, four quaggoths gnaw on bones in this room and low battlements. Stone stairs provide access to the tops
attack intruders on sight. The quaggoths follow Thonot of the two towers nearest the forge.
Krob who, in turn, obeys Xardorok Sun blight.
South of the forge is an enormous, five-foot-tall iron
The noises heard coming from behind the west wall
originate from the elevator located in area X22. platform fitted with cranes and clamps, with short
flights of iron stairs leading to the top of the platform.
X21. TREACHEROUS GUARDS Surrounding it is a clean-up crew consisting of a female
duergar with a horn and six hulking bipeds, their white
This room contains braziers of glowing-hot coals in the fur stained with soot. They are tossing scraps into a
northwest corner and the southwest corner. Loud me- cylindrical container. In the twenty-foot-high ceiling
chanical noises come from behind the double door in the above this bin is a wide, rectangular hole.
middle of the east wall.
CHAPTER 3 J SUNBLIGHT
r8o
This encounter area is made up of several smaller loca- A fight here brings reinforcements from area X28:
tions within sight of one another. Area X24 is the forge three duergar hammerers (see appendix C).
itself. Area X25 is the iron platform where Xardorok's If defeat seems likely, Xardorok retreats and makes
chardalyn dragon was assembled. Area X26 is the bot- his final stand in Deep Duerra's temple (area X29).
tom of the shaft that the dragon uses to move up and out X24. Forge. Any creature that touches the forge for
of the fortress. In addition, four guard towers ringed by the first time on a turn or starts its turn in contact with
3-foot-high stone battlements look out over the area. the forge takes 10 (3d6) fire damage.
If Xardorok Sunblight (see appendix C) is here, he is Characters who get close enough to peer through the
standing atop the assembly platform (area X25), barking vents in the side of the forge can see that it contains a
orders at the clean-up crew. Describe Xardorok as a large, beating heart. A successful DC 15 Intelligence
soot-stained, gray-bearded duergar with a jagged black (Arcana) check reveals that the heart belongs to a red
crown on his brow and a spiky black gauntlet on one dragon and is clearly kept alive by magic. The forge
hand. His crown and gauntlet are made of chardalyn. grants the heart three-quarters cover. The heart is a
The clean-up crew consists of the duergar fore- Large object with AC 13, 27 hit points, vulnerability to
woman, Thontara, and six quaggoths. Thontara carries cold damage, and immunity to fire and psychic damage.
a horn that she uses as a loudspeaker; the iron key that The heart stops beating when reduced to O hit points,
unlocks the outer gate (area X23) is hidden inside a com- rendering the forge inoperable.
partment in the heel of her left boot. X25. Assembly Platform. Underneath the platform is
Three guards are stationed atop each tower- twelve a 5-foot-high crawlspace.
duergar in total. One guard on each tower is secretly X26. Vertical Shaft. The shaft ascends 200 feet to the
loyal to Grandolpha Muzgardt (see "The Muzgardt Con- doors that make up the ice gate, which are open unless
spiracy," page 172). If the characters engage in battle the characters closed them in areas X13 and X15. The
with Xardorok and appear to be winning, these duergar characters need magic or climbing gear to scale the
help by attacking the other duergar on their respective shaft's rough-hewn walls. Below the shaft is a 5-foot-tall,
platforms; if Xardorok appears to be winning, these du- 10-foot-diameter cylindrical bin. It contains dozens of
ergar stay out of the fight. The remaining duergar hurl fragments left over from the construction of the char-
javelins at foes from atop the towers, growing to Large dalyn dragon. Any chardalyn fragments stolen from the
size and switching to their war picks if forced into me- Easthaven town hall are here as well (see "The Charda-
lee combat. lyn Caper," page 68).
r81
X27. GIANT LIZARD PENS Pekoe but can't tell what. The doppelganger tries to
acquire some cold weather clothing and remains with
the party until it reaches Ten-Towns. Once there, it slips
This corridor is lined with six arc hed cells, each sealed away and adopts a new disguise. The doppelganger
off with a latched iron gate. Housed in each cell is a big won't harm the characters unless they give it reason to.
lizard fitted with ri ding gear. The loud banging comes from an unarmed goliath
warrior named Kapanuk Talltree Thuunlakalaga. Af-
ter becoming separated from his hunting party during
The six giant lizards kept here are used by the duergar a blizzard, Kapanuk was ambushed by duergar and
as mounts and pack animals. They are hostile toward brought to the fortress for interrogation. Since he knows
non-duergar but can't attack through the closed gates. nothing about Ten-Towns, Kapanuk was of little use to
The gates are latched shut, but not locked. his captors.
If released, Kapanuk tries to acquire some weapons
X28. DUNGEON and armor. He also invites the characters to return
Unless they are drawn to the forge by sounds of combat with him to Wyrmdoom Crag, where his kin will give
there, three duergar hammerers (see appendix C) are them the heroes' feast they deserve. He shows no of-
spaced equidistantly along this corridor. Their job is to fense if the characters decline the invitation, but if they
prevent prisoners from escaping, but they attack anyone accept and are ready to leave, Kapanuk guides them
outside the cells whom they don't recognize. through the mountains to his home (see "Wyrmdoom
Crag," page 166).
You can add additional prisoners to the cellblock,
I
This dark corridor has narrow iron doors along the north
at your discretion. The remaining cells are other-
wa ll an d two similar doors at each end. An iron cross bar
wise empty.
seals each door.
X29. DEEP DUERRA'S TEMPLE
When one or more characters enter the room with the
If the duergar hammerers have been defeated or lured statue, read:
elsewhere, add:
Inside this room, you can hear loud mechanical noises

Loud banging from one cell causes the bar on its door to
that seem to come from behind th e so uth wa ll.
tremble in its brackets. From another cel l comes a gentle
Stan ding in th e middle of the room, fac ing the do uble
ta pping sound.
door to the north, is a seven-foot-tall statu e of a female
du ergar in a sca le mai l robe. The to p of its head above
After its bar is removed, each iron door pulls open to the eyes has been sheared off, making a space for a stone
reveal a cramped cell with no furnishings. brazier that gives off a flickering flame. Chained to the
The tapping comes from the cell of a doppelganger
statue's pedesta l is an emaciated, ma lfo rm ed creatu re
that was caught trying to infiltrate the fortress. This
creature takes the form of a scrawny human in a dirty with rubbery, purplish-gray flesh, a bulbous head with a
loincloth named Pekoe Quint. "Pekoe" claims to be a metal plate bolted to it, and sinister eyes.
trapper from Dougan's Hole and has the small, mal-
formed ears and pointy teeth typical of that town's
inbred stock. Pekoe says that the duergar abducted If Xardorok Sunblight (see appendix C) is here, he
him and asked him a lot of questions about his is kneeling before the statue and calling on Deep Du-
town's defenses. erra (speaking in Dwarvish) to grant him the power to
The doppelganger knows the settlements of Ten- conquer his foes. Describe him as a soot-stained, gray-
Towns well enough to pass for a Ten-Towner. Any char- bearded duergar with a jagged black crown on his brow
acter who doubts Pekoe's story can make a Wisdom and a spiky black gauntlet on one hand. His crown and
(Insight) check; if the character's check result is higher gauntlet are made of chardalyn.
than the doppelganger's Charisma (Deception) check While in this temple, Xardorok has the following addi-
result, the character senses that something is off about tional trait:
Psychic Conquest. Xardorok deals an extra 5 (l dlO) psychic
DEEP DUERRA damage to any creature he hits with a weapon attack, and he
Deep Duerra is a lawful evil god of conquest and psionic regains a number of hit points equal to the amount of psychic
power. Her symbol is a mind flayer skull. damage dealt .
According to legend, Deep Duerra stole the power of psi A character who succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence
from the mind flaye rs and gifted it to her people. Her com-
(Religion) check recognizes the statue as a depiction of
mand of psion ic power was so great that she dominated a
mind flayer colony and turned the illithids into her slaves . Deep Duerra (see the "Deep Duerra" sidebar). Dwarves
Inspired by her mythic deeds, her priests are devoted to have advantage on this check. The flame rising from
find ing and annihilating mind flayer colonies or turning the statue's head symbolizes Deep Duerra's destructive,
mind flayers into their thralls. all-consuming mind. If a creature uses an action to
CHAPTER 3 I SUNBLI G HT
182
extinguish this fire, Xardorok loses his Psychic Con-
quest trait.
The creature chained to the statue's base is a mind
flayer with 9 hit points and no armor (AC 11). Klondorn,
the duergar priest (see area X31), has amputated its
face-tentacles and removed the part of its brain that
enables the mind flayer to use its psionic powers. Con-
sequently, it has no innate spellcasting abilities and no
effective attacks. It retains its Magic Resistance and its
telepathy, however. Its challenge rating is 0 (0 XP).
The mind flayer doesn't expect sympathy from the
characters and shies away from them. If the characters
question it, the mind flayer shares the following inform a-
tion with one of them telepathically:
• The mind flayer's name is F'yorl. It was captured by
the duergar in the Underdark.
This room is a temple dedicated to Deep Duerra,
a duergar god of conquest and psionics. Xardorok
comes here to pray and draws strength from the stat-
ue's flame.
The temple's priest, Klondorn, resides in the room to
the southeast (area X31).
Northwest and Northeast Rooms. The temple
is flanked by L-shaped rooms to the northwest and
northeast. The northwest room contains heaps of cold
weather clothing and a dozen pairs of snowshoes. The
northeast room contains piles of weapons, including
six war picks, nine warhammers, a dozen javelins, ten K LO N 0ORN
heavy crossbows, and a nicked greataxe that belongs to
the goliath prisoner in area X28.
Secret Door. A character who searches the temple's
walls for secret doors and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom devil's miter is a hat of disguise that it uses to conceal its
(Perception) check find such a door in the east wall. true form.
This 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-tall stone door swings into a Klondorn is a fiendish emissary sent by Asmodeus
5-foot-diameter tunnel that leads to a similar door block- to help Xardorok conquer Icewind Dale. Xardorok is
ing entry to area X34. unaware of Klondorn's true nature. In the guise of a
duergar, the devil earned Xardorok's confidence and
X30. EASTERN ELEVATOR refuses to be intimidated by a stray band of adventurers.
If the characters threaten Klondorn, it tosses aside the
miter, revealing its true form, and attacks. If reduced
The elevator shaft terminates in this room. A large stone
to 0 hit points, the devil vanishes in a cloud of black
wheel next to the iron cage turns constantly. West of the smoke and returns to the Nine Hells, leaving its hat of
wheel is a duergar encased in a cruel-looking exoskeletal disguise behind.
construct, his face a mask of pain. Infernal Tablets. The barbed devil spends its time
chiseling on granite tablets to inscribe them with Infer-
nal runes. Characters who can read Infernal script can
The construct is a duergar hammerer (see appendix C). learn about the devil's manifesto, in which Klondorn
It guards this room and attacks intruders on sight. reveals that Asmodeus, in the guise of Deep Duerra, is
Elevator Shaft. The 10-foot-wide stone shaft ascends using the duergar to further his interests.
100 feet to area X6 and 200 feet to area Xl3 . There are ninety-two granite tablets stacked about the
room. Each tablet weighs 50 pounds and is 1 foot wide,
X31. DEVIL IN DISGUISE
1½ feet long, and 2 V2 inches thick.
Treasure. Aside from the devil's hat of disguise, this
room contains nothing of value.
I
This room is filled with stacks of granite tablets. Behind
them lurks a long-bearded duergar wearing black robes
X32. TRAPPED HALL
and a tall black miter.
Two sets of double doors frame a short corridor. Bolted

Klondorn, the duergar priest of Deep Duerra and Xar- to the walls are a dozen black boxes, each one measuring
dorok's trusted advisor, is in fact a barbed devil. The
eight feet tall and one foot wide, that give off a low hum.
Operating a lever in area X36 deactivates the trap in Describe Xardorok as a soot-stained, gray-bearded du-
this hall, which can't be disabled by any other means. ergar with a jagged black crown on his brow and a spiky
Any creature that enters the hall for the first time on black gauntlet on one hand. His crown and gauntlet are
a turn or starts its turn in the hall is struck by bolts of made of chardalyn.
lightning that leap from the boxes and must make a DC The mind masters want their prisoner to identify
15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) lightning others involved in the coup against Xardorok. Nefrun
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a is refusing to cooperate and is not guilty of the crimes
successful one. leveled against her. She suspects Klondorn, the high
priest of Deep Duerra (see area X31), has turned Xar-
X33. LOWER BARRACKS dorok against her. If she is released, Nefrun intends to
The characters hear deep voices speaking Dwarvish demonstrate her loyalty to Xardorok. If that means be-
and Undercommon as they approach this area. traying her liberators, Nefrun does so without question.
Nefrun's gear, including her armors and weapons, is on
the floor next to the chair.
Six duergar sit on stools around three hexagonal tables in
Xardorok won't fight to the death in this area. Instead,
the middle of this hall, with a copper keg atop each one.
he uses the secret door (see below) to retreat to area
Braziers heaped with glowing-hot coals provide light and X30 and uses the elevator there to make his way toward
heat. Through the smoky haze, you count nine doors em- area X8, where he plans to join forces with Grandolpha
bedded in the north, west, and east walls. Muzgardt. Grandolpha goes along with Xardorok but
won't aid him in a fight, allowing the characters to kill
him. If Xardorok is gravely wounded and Grandolpha
Fifteen duergar guards occupy this area- six relaxing can kill him without putting herself in harm's way, she
in the main hall and nine more resting in the smaller seizes the opportunity.
rooms attached to it. Ten of the duergar have secretly Iron Sarcophagi. The closed, upright sarcophagi
pledged their loyalty to Grandolpha Muzgardt (see "The are iron maidens. The room contains ten of these de-
Muzgardt Conspiracy," page 172). If the characters vices, each one with spikes lining the interior of its lid.
claim to be on Grandolpha's side, the duergar that sup- A Small or Medium creature shackled inside an iron
port her turn against their kin. If the characters let these maiden takes 11 (2d10) piercing damage when the lid
duergar fight among themselves, five duergar survive snaps shut. The creature takes this damage again at the
the battle, all of them loyal to Grandolpha. They are start of each of its turns until it is released. A creature
willing to help the characters slay Xardorok, but any can use an action to try to break out of an iron maiden,
alliance they make with the characters ends with Xar- doing so with a successful DC 20 Strength check.
dorok's death. Secret Door. A character who searches the walls for
Copper Kegs. The three kegs contain Clan secret doors and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Per-
Muzgardt's finest mushroom brew, Darklake Stout, ception) check finds such a door in the west wall. This
which only a duergar could find palatable. 5-foot-wide, 10-foot-tall stone door swings into a 5-foot-
Quarters. Each of the smaller rooms has three stone wide tunnel that leads to a similar door blocking entry
bunkbeds protruding from its walls. to area X29.
Torture Closet. The small room to the south contains
X34. TORTURE CHAMBER
an array of torture devices, including whips, mallets,
Characters who approach this chamber hear screams of barbed scourges, spiked chains, branding irons, hooks,
agony coming from inside. thumbscrews, pliers, and shears.
X35 . GUEST QUARTERS

Braziers of glowing-hot coals heat and light this room ,
the walls of which are lined with closed iron sarcophagi
standing on end. In the middle of the room, a duergar Two beds stand against the south wall of this room, one
has been shackled to a chair. Her flesh is covered with of them with a yeti hide draped across it. At the foot of
blisters. A pair of hooded duergar prod her with hot each bed is a stone chest next to a stack of five sealed
iron rods, searing her flesh and causing her to bellow copper kegs. The room is heated and illuminated by
in agony. glowing coals in stone braziers.
The unarmed and unarmored duergar shackled to the This bedchamber is set aside for honored guests and is
chair is Nefrun, the former captain of the guard. She has currently being used by Grandolpha Muzgardt, whom
7 hit points remaining. Her torturers are two duergar the characters encounter in area X8. The yeti hide on
mind masters (see appendix C) wearing black hoods. her bed is a gift from Xardorok. The kegs contain Dark-
If Xardorok Sunblight (see appendix C) is encoun- lake Stout, Clan Muzgardt's finest mushroom ale, which
tered here, he's overseeing the torture of Nefrun, Grandolpha brought with her from the Underdark. She
who has been implicated in a plot to assassinate him. keeps no valuables here, and both chests are empty.
X36. DUERGAR HAMM E RERS which grows in the Underdark. Each gourd can be
sold to a tavernkeeper in Ten-Towns for 10 gp.
Chest 2 holds a gold mask shaped like the visage of a
Two featureless stone pillars support the vaulted ceiling male drow (750 gp), lying on a bed of 350 gp.
of this unlit chamber. East of the pillars, a duergar en• Chest 3 contains a silver chalice shaped in the like-
cased in an exoskeletal construct stands before a lowered ness of a spider and inlaid with eight obsidian eyes
iron portcullis. A similar creature stands in an alcove to
(250 gp).
Chest 4 holds a bundled-up gray spider-silk robe sewn
the north, its squeaky pincers clenching and unclenching
with darkmantle eyes, wrapped inside which is a
in nervous anticipation . wandofweb.
A stone lever juts out of the back wall of an alcove to Chest 5 contains a folded piwafwi-a dark spider-silk
the south . cloak made by drow. This item has the properties of a
cloak of elvenkind but loses its magic if it's exposed to
sunlight for 1 hour without interruption.
The two duergar hammerers (appendix C) attack any- Chest 6 holds an amber headdress set with three large
one they don't recognize. purple pearls (2,500 gp).
Iron Portcullis. When the characters move close to Chest 7 contains a 2-foot-tall stone statuette of De-
the portcullis, they can see that embedded in the north mogorgon that weighs 50 pounds. Anyone who looks
wall next to it is a 1-foot-square chardalyn plaque with into the statue's eyes must succeed on a DC 14 Cha-
an oversized, hand-shaped indentation on its face. The risma saving throw or contract a random form of
plaque can't be removed from the wall. If the fingers and short-term madness (see "Madness" in the Dungeon
palm of Xardorok's gauntlet are placed in the indenta- Master's Guide). A creature can be affected only once
tion, the portcullis rises into the ceiling, allowing access by the statue, after which it becomes immune to
to area X37. The portcullis can also be raised with a the effect.
knock spell or similar magic. Brute force , in the form Chest 8 houses an inanimate svirfneblin skeleton en-
of a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check, also crusted with yellow mold (see "Dungeon Hazards" in
works- but circumventing the locking mechanism in the Dungeon Master's Guide). The mold releases its
this way causes the portcullises in area X37 to fall, seal- spores as soon as the chest's lid is opened. Embedded
ing off that room's eight alcoves. in one of the skull's eye sockets is a false eye made of
Stone Lever. Pulling down the lever in the south moonstone (75 gp).
alcove deactivates the trap in area X32, making
that tunnel safe to traverse. Raising the lever reacti-
vates the trap.
FORTRESS FALLOUT
The chardalyn dragon won't return to Xardorok's for-
X37. TREASURE VAULT tress until it has destroyed Ten-Towns (see the next
The characters can see into this room through the bars chapter). If Xardorok is alive and his forge is intact when
of the portcullis that blocks its entrance: the dragon returns, Xardorok begins repairing it. The
dragon regains ld6 hit points at the end of each hour
of repair work. If Xardorok is slain or the red dragon's
This unlit room contains four alcoves on the north wall heart in the forge is destroyed, the chardalyn dragon
and four on the south wall. Inside each alcove is an can't be repaired.
iron chest. After returning to the fortress , the dragon remains
there until such time as Xardorok needs it to cause more
devastation, and certainly not before Xardorok's duergar
The pointed teeth of a raised iron portcullis jut from the scouts have assessed the damage to Ten-Towns.
ceiling of each alcove. These barriers fall and lock into Xardorok's demise spells the doom of the Sunblight
place if the characters physically forced open the port- clan if neither of his sons are alive to take command. If
cullis that seals the vault's entrance. Placing the fingers Grandolpha Muzgardt outlives Xardorok, she absorbs
and palm of Xardorok's gauntlet in the hand-shaped the remnants of the Sunblight clan into her own and has
indentation in area X36 causes all the lowered portcul- Xardorok's surviving sons executed. The Muzgardt clan
lises in this room to rise. A portcullis can also be raised takes over Xardorok's fortress but has no immediate
with a knock spell or similar magic. designs against Ten-Towns or Icewind Dale. If the char-
Iron Chests. Each chest has a built-in combination acters were instrumental in helping Grandolpha capture
lock with three tumblers that bear tiny Dwarvish runes the fortress, she allows them to keep any treasures they
representing numerals from 1 to 9. Xardorok keeps the found in the fortress but insists that they leave at once.
combinations for these chests in his quarters (area XS). If Xardorok and Grandolpha are both still alive when
A character using thieves' tools can spend 1 minute the characters depart the fortress, the division among
trying to disable the lock, doing so with a successful DC the two duergar clans continues to deepen, but no im-
20 Dexterity check. A knock spell or similar magic also mediate effort is made to unseat Xardorok. Grandolpha
opens a chest. Here are the chests' descriptions: is content to bide her time, betraying Xardorok only af-
Chest 1 contains a dozen stoppered gourds, each hold- ter some setback leaves him weak and vulnerable.
ing a pint of a fiercely hot liquor made from fire lichen,
DESTRUCTION'S LIGHT
EN-TOWNS WON 'T SURVIVE THE ATTACK OF CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT

Xardorok's dragon without the characters'
intervention. This chapter describes the The characters gain a level if they contribute to the drag-
dragon's attacks on Ten-Towns and what the on's destruction. If they're not 7th level by the end of this
characters can do to minimize the destruc- chapter, lure them to some of the locations in chapter 2
tion and save as many Ten-Towners as possible. The so that they can gain enough levels before continuing
extent to which they can help depends on their actions with the later chapters.
in the previous chapter:
If the characters delayed their return to Ten-Towns to
RETURN TO TEN-TOWNS
confront Xardorok in his lair, the amount of time they As the characters start to make their way back to Ten-
spent in Xardorok's fortress determines how many Towns, read:
Ten-Towns settlements are victimized before the char-
acters can intervene, based on the dragon's timeline. Over the sound of the wind, you can hear the barking of
If the characters forgo the attack on Xardorok's for-
dogs getting louder. Through the blowing snow come
tress and waste no time chasing after the dragon,
they have a good chance of catching up to it before too three wooden sleds pulled by canines as big as wolves .
many Ten-Towns settlements are lost. The closest driver calls out, "Can we be of service?"
The point of this chapter, beyond pitting the char-
acters against a formidable draconic foe , is to make The figure calling to the party is Vellynne Harpell (see
the players aware that their characters' choices have appendix C), a wizard of the Arcane Brotherhood. She
consequences. If the characters do nothing to stop the is cocooned in cold weather clothing, her face all but
dragon, Ten-Towns will be destroyed. Many lives hang in hidden behind a wool muffler. Her snowy owl familiar is
the balance. perched on her shou lder. Her sled has two Icewind ko-
bold zombies riding on it, their acid-eaten forms visible
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER through gashes in their hide armor. Steering the other
Review the chardalyn dragon's stat block and descrip- two sleds are four Icewind kobolds, two per sled. (See
tion in appendix C before running this chapter of the appendix C for the kobolds' stat blocks.) Each sled is
adventure. Stopping the dragon will be a daunting pulled by six strong dogs (use the wolf stat block).
task for the characters. Fortunately, they won't have to Vellynne was searching in Ten-Towns for a group of
fight it alone. adventurers to help her complete a personal mission
From the moment it leaves the fortress, the chardalyn when she learned about the characters' earlier acts of
dragon begins to carry out Xardorok's plan to level Ten- bravery (as displayed in chapters 1 and 2). She decided
Towns one settlement after another. The characters can to try to catch up to them and earn their friendship.
intervene by successfully predicting where the dragon Although the fate of Ten-Towns doesn't concern her,
will strike next and confronting it. The "Return to Ten- Vellynne hopes the characters will help her obtain The
Towns" section provides characters with a much-needed Codicil of White once they learn to trust her. With this
ally and a swift dogsled ride back to Ten-Towns. The ulterior motive in mind, Vellynne offers the characters
"Dragon Scourge" section (page 188) describes how her sleds for traveling back to Ten-Towns and can easily
long it takes for the dragon to reach each town , the de- be persuaded to help fight the dragon. ("A wizard worth
fenses each settlement musters against it, and the likely her weight never passes up a chance to test her magic
outcome if no help from the characters is forthcoming. against the mightiest foes," she says brazenly.)
The "Showdown!" section (page 190) helps you run an There's room in the kobolds' sleds to transport the
encounter involving the characters and the dragon . Re- characters and their gear. If the characters insist on
gardless of what happens to Ten-Towns, the "Vellynne's steering these sleds, the kobolds fuss about handing
Quest" section (page 194) sets up the final three chap- over the reins but do so, piling into the cargo beds. If the
ters of the adventure. characters refuse to travel with the kobolds, Vellynne
CHAPTER 4 I DESTRUCTION'S LIGHT

187
jettisons her little sidekicks without a second thought- DRAGON FLIGHT TIMES
the characters are much more valuable to her than
From/To Flight Time
the kobolds.
Sunblight to Dougan 's Hole 2 hours
If the characters aren't sure where to go next, Vellynne
suggests that they travel to the place where Ten-Town- Dougan's Hole to Good Mead 30 minutes
ers are most likely to make their final stand against the Good Mead to Easthaven llh hours
dragon: the town of Bryn Shander. (Characters who Easthaven to Caer-Dineval 1 hour
found and studied Xardorok's attack plan in chapter Caer-Dineval to Caer-Konig 1 hour
3 might have a different idea.) If the characters take Caer-Konig to Termalaine 2 hours
Vellynne's advice and head to Bryn Shander, they will
Termalaine to Lonelywood 30 minutes
be playing into Xardorok's hands. The dragon is saving
Lonelywood to Bremen 1½ hours
Bryn Shander for last, because Xardorok knows that
refugees from the smaller towns have nowhere else to Bremen to Targos 30 minutes
go but there. Bryn Shander's walls provide no defense Targos to Bryn $hander 30 minutes
against the dragon's attacks from the sky, and the closer Bryn $hander to Sunblight 3½ hours
Ten-Towners huddle together, the easier it becomes for
the dragon to annihilate them. TARGET l: DouGAN's HOLE
The dragon destroys every structure in town, including
ROLEPLAYING VELLYNNE the docks, in 30 minutes. It leaves the Twenty Stones of
Vellynne is a pragmatist who tries to stay one step ahead Thruun untouched. (It was always Xardorok's intention
of her competition, in particular her rivals in the Arcane to study this ancient site to see what power could be
Brotherhood (of whom she rarely speaks). To continue drawn from it.)
her mission in Icewind Dale, she needs the aid of stal- Casualties. Twenty-five people (half of the population)
wart adventurers, and she knows that helping them are killed. The survivors, including Speaker Durmoot,
battle the dragon is a golden opportunity to earn the flee to Bryn Shander with their most cherished posses-
characters' respect if not their trust. sions and some of their livestock.
Vellynne is open about her intentions if the characters Dragon Damage. The dragon takes no damage.
are suspicious and confront her. She is willing to post-
pone her mission until the threat of the dragon is no TARGET 2: Goon MEAD
more, and tells the characters as much. The dragon spares the Mead Hall, but it destroys every
For more information on Vellynne and her moti- other structure in town in 1 hour.
vations, see the "Arcane Brotherhood" section in Casualties. Twenty-five people (one-quarter of the
appendix C. population) are killed. The survivors flee into the woods
before veering toward the Eastway and following the
road to Bryn Shander, taking most of their livestock
DRAGON SCOURGE with them.
This section describes the dragon's flight path and the Dragon Damage. The dragon takes no damage.
events it sets in motion. The section assumes no inter-
ference on the part of the characters; when they and TARGET 3: EASTHAVEN
the dragon finally meet, skip ahead to the "Showdown!" Here, the dragon faces its first real challenge. Although
section (page 190). it catches the town by surprise, the militia reacts quickly
The dragon can regain hit points only if Xardorok re- and succeeds in wounding the creature.
pairs it in his forge (see "Fortress Fallout," page 185). The dragon uses its radiant breath weapon to strafe
the town from the air, never landing. It starts at the east
DRAGON'S FLIGHT PATH end and slowly works its way westward, clearing streets
Map 4.1 shows the dragon's flight path, which should and obliterating homes. It takes 8 hours, but the dragon
not be shared with your players unless the characters destroys half the town's structures, including most of its
studied Xardorok's attack plan in the previous chapter. docks. The White Lady Inn partially collapses when the
The dragon is following the instructions of its creator dragon flies through it, and the Wet Trout is razed. The
precisely and will not deviate from this course under Town Hall and the Easthaven ferry are spared.
any circumstances. Casualties. Two hundred fifty people (one-third of
Each section describes the damage caused to each the population), including most of the town's militia, are
town, what (if any) damage the town deals to the dragon killed. Captain Arlaggath is slain by two invisible duer-
in return , and how much time the dragon spent at that gar who have been waiting impatiently for the dragon to
town. Adjust the dragon's timeline and the extent of the strike. The five hundred survivors flee on foot to Bryn
damage as you see fit. Shander, taking their most cherished possessions and
The Dragon Flight Times table shows how long livestock with them.
it takes for the dragon to get from one location the If he's alive and present when the dragon attacks,
next one. Speaker Waylen is killed when six duergar storm the
Town Hall and confiscate any chardalyn they find there.
Dragon Damage. The attack on Easthaven reduces
the dragon's hit points by 10.
CHAPTER 4 I DESTRUCTION ' S LIGHT

188
MAP 4.,: DRAGON'S FLIGHT PATH
TARGET 4: CAER-DINEVAL the ruins of Caer-Dineval, only to be denied entry into

The dragon lands between the castle and the rest of the the castle. Before they can leave Caer-Dineval, Jarthra
town. It then moves through town , leveling one structure and several others are murdered by the duergar lurk-
after another. All buildings aside from the castle, including in town (see "Target 4: Caer-Dineval" above). Only
ing the Uphill Climb and Dinev's Rest, are destroyed fifty refugees from Caer-Konig make it all the way to
in 1 hour. The castle and its inhabitants are spared, for Bryn Shander.
it was Xardorok's intention to trap the Knights of the Dragon Damage. Trovus was the town's best hope for
Black Sword in their self-made prison (not unlike the defense. Because he was unconscious during the attack,
fate of their dark master, Levistus). no organized resistance was mounted. Consequently,
Casualties. If he's still alive and confined to his castle, the dragon takes no damage.
Speaker Siever survives. Everyone living outside the
castle is killed, either by the dragon or by the six duer- TARGET 6: TERMALAINE
gar lurking in Dinev's Rest. When the dragon attacks, Termalaine's residents take refuge in the nearby mines
the duergar emerge from the dilapidated inn, enlarge while the militia defends the town.
themselves to ogre size, and join the battle. The dragon takes 6 hours to destroy the town, leaving
Dragon Damage. The dragon takes no damage. no building unharmed. The Eastside is only partially
damaged and remains open for business after the drag-
TARGET 5: GAER-KONIG on's attack. The Blue Clam is destroyed, as are most of
The dragon destroys every structure in town in 1½ Termalaine's docks and boats.
hours. Speaker Trovus, the town's dragonborn defender, Casualties. The town militia is wiped out, and
is passed out drunk in a snowbank throughout the en- twenty of the town's residents perish in their homes.
tire ordeal and wakes to find his settlement wiped out. Another thirty residents are killed in a mine collapse
Casualties. Fifty people (one-third of the population) triggered by duergar saboteurs. Half of the remaining
are killed, a few at the hands of an invisible duergar five hundred people flee to Targos and continue to Bryn
lurking about town. Among the dead are the Shorard Shander, while the rest (including Speaker Masthew)
sisters, whose inn collapses on top of them, and Atenas remain holed up in the mines.
Swift, who dies helping several citizens escape on dog- Dragon Damage. The attack on Termalaine reduces
sleds. Speaker Trovus survives but never conquers his the dragon's hit points by 5.
guilt; he does, however, give up the bottle.Jarthra Far-
zassh survives and leads most of the town's evacuees to
CHAPTER 4 I DESTRU CTION ' S LIGHT

r89
TARGET7:LONELYWOOD to the next, hunting down survivors. After 12 hours of
Local fishers witness the dragon's attack on Termalaine attacks on Bryn Shander, the dragon returns to Xar-
and rush home to alert their families and neighbors. dorok's fortress for repairs. (If Xardorok is dead, no
When the dragon reaches Lonelywood, the town is repairs are forthcoming, and the dragon remains at the
empty, its residents having retreated to the woods or duergar fortress.)
sailed to Targos. The dragon takes 2 hours to lay waste The Northlook is damaged but not destroyed. Both
to the empty town, leveling every building and destroy- Blackiron Blades and the House of the Morninglord are
ing every dock. lost, along with almost every other establishment.
Casualties. None as a direct result of the drag- While the dragon does its work, duergar prowl
on's attack. through town, murdering leaders, spellcasters, and
Dragon Damage. The dragon takes no damage. other key figures .
Casualties. Bryn Shander's population balloons from
TARGET 8: BREMEN 1,200 to 2,700 when the refugees from other settle-
As the dragon flies over Maer Dualdon, it spots many ments are accounted for. The dragon and the duergar
of Bremen's residents crossing the lake in boats and claim 200 lives each hour, leaving the devastated town
sinks them . When it reaches the town, the dragon with a population of 300 when all is said and done.
takes 2 hours to lay waste to the docks and flatten ev- Roughly half of these survivors are Bryn Shander na-
ery building. tives; the rest are refugees from other settlements.
Casualties. One hundred people (two-thirds of the Scramsax, the proprietor of the Northlook, falls to the
population) are killed, either in boats or in the town dragon. Mishann. the priest of Amaunator, administers
proper, including Speaker Shalescar, Cora Mulphoon, healing as best she can and survives without injury.
and the entire militia. The remaining fifty residents flee Sheriff Markham Southwell personally thwarts a du-
to Bryn Shander, leaving everything behind. ergar assassination attempt against Speaker Duvessa
Dragon Damage. Bremen's militia puts up a good Shane; both leaders are scarred but survive.
fight, reducing the dragon's hit points by 5. Speaker Durmoot of Dougan's Hole is killed by duer-
gar, but Speaker Maxildanarr ofTargos survives.
TARGET 9: TARGOS Dragon Damage. Bryn Shander benefits from strong
Speaker Maxildanarr's network of spies throughout leadership, a tested militia, and helpful spellcasters. In
Ten-Towns alerted him to the dragon shortly after its the first 6 hours, the dragon's hit points decrease by 10.
attacks began, allowing Targos time to prepare. The Once the dragon lands and begins searching through
local militia swells with furious residents eager to de- wreckage, its hit points decrease at a rate of 5 per hour.
fend their town, and siege weapons are brought to bear.
Unfortunately, many of the town's prepared defenses are
undermined by duergar saboteurs.
SHOWDOWN!
It takes the dragon 8 hours to reduce Targos to a smol- The dragon's flying speed is greater than the characters'
dering ruin . The dragon ignores the town's walls for overland movement speed or the flying speed available
the most part and focuses on the buildings, leveling one to characters who can cast fly spells, so the party has
after another. little hope of catching up to the dragon before it reaches
Casualties. Five hundred people (half the population) Ten-Towns. The characters' best chance of destroy-
are killed by the dragon or by duergar moving invisibly ing the dragon is to pick a settlement and wait for the
through town and indiscriminately murdering people. dragon there. If the characters saw Xardorok's battle
The survivors flee to Bryn Shander, taking their most plan in the previous chapter, they know the order in
prized possessions and livestock with them. which the settlements of Ten-Towns will be attacked.
The militia makes its final stand outside the Luskan The dragon's preferred tactic is to strafe each settle-
Arms, by which time Speaker Maxildanarr has fled to ment from the air, using its breath weapon to incinerate
a Zhentarim safe house in Bryn Shander. Skath, his people and structures alike. It then soars out of missile
faithful tiefling militia captain, is one of many sacrificial range until its breath weapon recharges. After dealing
pawns left behind to cover his escape. as much damage as it can from the air, the dragon lands
Dragon Damage. The Targos militia, the toughest op- and begins searching through the smoldering ruins to
position the dragon has faced, reduces the dragon's hit eliminate any survivors.
points by 15. Whenever the characters engage the dragon, they buy
time for Ten -Towners to flee. Reduce a town's losses as
TARGET 10: BRYN SHANDER you see fit to account for the characters' interference.
By the time the dragon shows up, Bryn Shander is
bursting at the seams with refugees from other settle- WHEN THE DRAGON TAKES DAMAGE
ments. This is where Ten-Towns makes its final stand. If the characters deal 30 damage or more to the dragon
Although the outer walls offer no defense against the fly- and it's not destroyed, it flies to the next town . If this
ing dragon, people can hide in the town's root cellars. happens in Bryn Shander, the dragon flies back to
The dragon strafes the town for 6 hours, remaining Xardorok's fortress and remains there, in the forge. If
airborne the whole time and eliminating anyone who Xardorok is still alive in this fortress, he makes the nec-
tries to get away. It then lands inside the walls and essary repairs. The dragon regains ld6 hit points at the
spends another 6 hours going from one smoldering ruin end of every hour of repair work.
C HAPTER 4 I DESTRU CTION ' S LIGHT

190
II
DESTROYING THE DRAGON NPC SUPPORT
When the dragon drops to O hit points, read:
Ten-Towners are happy to let adventurers fight the
dragon while they flee for their lives. If the characters
The dragon makes a horrific grinding noise as it begins are the ones who need saving, you can have one or more
to shudder and crumble to pieces. As its great bulk courageous NPCs help them.
crashes into the snow, jagged shards of black crystal fly HELPFUL TEN - TOWNERS
off in all directions. If a character ends up in a tight spot, you can have a
friendly NPC act immediately before the character in
the initiative order. This NPC can help the imperiled
The dragon leaves behind hundreds of chardalyn frag-
character in one of the following ways:
ments, some as big as a wagon wheel and others as
small as a coffin nail. If the characters know the effects , The NPC uses the Help action to assist the character.
of chardalyn tainted by evil magic, they'll want to warn If the character is dying, the NPC stabilizes them or
Ten-Towners to avoid the fragments. carries them to a safer location.
The NPC moves close enough to the dragon to provide
WEATHER CONDITIONS a distraction, allowing the character to move to a safer
The dragon begins its attacks under dark, clear skies. location or use a class feature that relies on an ally be-
That changes shortly after it leaves Termalaine, its sixth ing near the dragon (such as Sneak Attack).
target, for that's when a winter storm sweeps down from WHAT CAN VELLYNNE Do?
the Reghed Glacier and engulfs Ten-Towns. The storm
Vellynne Harpell's survival is important for the story
hangs over Ten-Towns for 24 hours before petering out.
to continue forward. She fights alongside the party but
If the characters confront the dragon in Lonelywood,
does not participate in any foolhardy acts of heroism.
Bremen, Targos, or Bryn Shander, they must also con-
During encounters with the dragon, Vellynne can't
tend with strong wind and heavy snowfall (for rules, see
drop below 1 hit point. If she is reduced to 1 hit point,
"Strong Wind" and "Heavy Precipitation" in the Dun-
she either retreats to somewhere safe or uses her next
geon Master's Guide). The dragon ignores these effects,
action to cast vampiric touch, draining the life force of
having been built by Xardorok to overcome such debili-
her nearest kobold minion (or some other poor fool) to
tating weather.
ensure her own survival.
CHAPTER 4 I DESTRUCTION'S LIGHT

19r
Vellynne's most potent spells are useless against the ENLARGED DUERGAR
dragon construct, so she relies on her wand of magic
missiles, using its charges sparingly. She can also focus
her efforts on clearing the streets of innocent bystanders Panicked Ten-Towners rush past you-not to escape the
and coordinating the party's actions with those of the lo- dragon but to get away from a heavily armored, gray-
cal militia. (As she likes to say, "It's a weak wizard who skinned dwarf as big as an ogre. It yells in Dwarvish as it
relies on spells alone.")
stomps through the snow toward you.
After the dragon returns to Xardorok's fortress or is
destroyed, Vellynne asks the characters to forget about
Ten-Towns for a while and help her find a lost city buried This enlarged duergar fights to the death, shouting, "No
under the Reghed Glacier (see "Vellynne's Quest" at the more winters for Ten-Towns!" in Dwarvish as it does so.
end of the chapter). The duergar has already used its Invisibility trait and
If you're unable to save Vellynne for whatever reason, can't use it again until it finishes a short or long rest.
have the characters discover a journal in her belongings
I
that contains all the information she knows, or have one INVISIBLE DUERGAR
of her kobold minions communicate the information
I
necessary to keep the adventure on track.
Something unseen is making footprints in the snow, and
OTHER THINGS those footprints are getting closer!
CHARACTERS CAN Do
Characters who can't harm the dragon (or choose A duergar is using its Invisibility trait to get close
not to) can find plenty of other things to distract them enough to the character to make an attack, but the snow
during the dragon's attack. If a player is having trouble betrays its presence, giving the character the chance to
figuring out what their character can or should do, you act first.
can use the Town in Chaos table to introduce an urgent When the duergar gets within striking distance, it
development for the character to deal with. Before the attacks and becomes visible. Following its initial at-
character moves or acts on its turn, roll on the table or tack, it uses an action to increase its size, then presses
choose a development you think might spur the charac- its attack.
ter into action.
MALEVOLENT TOWNSFOLK
TOWN IN CHAOS
d20 Development Unrecognizable figures in cold weather clothing advance
1-3 Building collapse until they form a line twenty feet away from you. Each
4-6 Enlarged duergar one clutches a hand axe threateningly. One of them
7-9 Invisible duergar points a gloved finger at you and shouts, "Kill that
10-14 Malevolent townsfolk one first!"
15-16 Thieves
17-18 Trapped beast
The character is singled out by ld4 + 2 commoners
19-20 Walking wounded who have become corrupted by the chardalyn dragon's
Malevolent Presence. Each one wields a handaxe that
BUILDING COLLAPSE deals 3 (ld6) slashing damage on a hit. These townsfolk
act on the same initiative count.
Rather than make saving throws for the commoners
A damaged building collapses twenty feet away from
to end the effect of the dragon's Malevolent Presence on
you. The noise of crashing walls and shattered timbers
them, roll a d6 at the end of each of their turns. On a 6,
fades, replaced by the screams of people trapped in the the townsfolk regain their senses and cease to be hostile
wreckage. as the dragon's hold over them ends.
THIEVES
There are ld4 + 1 people trapped in the collapsed build-
ing. All of them are commoners suffering from broken
bones, lacerations, and concussions, and half of them The chaos has brought out the worst in some Ten-Town-
(rounded down) are at O hit points and dying; the rest ers. About twenty feet away, you see two thugs in cold
have 1 hit point each. weather clothing beating up an old woman and stealing
A character can rush to the building and use an action her food.
to try to pull a Ten-Towner out of the wreckage, doing
so with a successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check,
whereupon the character can try to stabilize a dying
commoner or use healing magic to restore their hit
points and remove their injuries.
CHAPTER 4 I DESTRUCTION ' S LIGHT

192
The two thugs are neutral evil humans, and the old WALKING WOUNDED
woman is a commoner with 1 hit point remaining. A
character can use an action to try to make the thugs
drop the woman's food and run away, doing so with a A Ten-Towner in torn cold weather clothing stumbles into
successful DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation) check. A thug view, falls in the snow, and gets back up. From twenty
that takes any damage also runs away. feet away, you can see that the person is leaving a trail of
blood in the snow.
TRAPPED BEAST
A strange noise draws your attention to an axe beak

On a roll of 19, the figure is a badly wounded member of
the local militia (an unarmed tribal warrior with 1 hit
loaded down with sacks and tied to a wooden post. The
point remaining). On a roll of 20, the figure is an unin-
beast lets out a panicked cry as it struggles to free itself. jured, opportunistic doppelganger posing as a wounded
Its owner is nowhere to be seen. Ten-Towner.
Militia Member. Having lost their spear fighting the
dragon, this member of the town militia is searching for
You can replace the axe beak with a mule, a sled dog, a replacement weapon. If given a weapon, the militia
or any other domesticated beast. A character can use member heads back into battle.
an action to try to calm the beast until the end of its Doppelganger. The doppelganger (which has
next turn, doing so with a successful DC 11 Wisdom smeared itself with someone else's blood) asks to be
(Animal Handling) check. While the beast is calm, the taken to a safe location out of the dragon's sight. If a
character can use an action to untie or cut the rope that character obliges, the doppelganger tries to slay, rob,
tethers it to the wooden post. A character can also try to and replace its "savior" in a location where its treachery
cut the rope with an edged weapon without first calm- can't be observed by anyone else.
ing the beast, doing so with a successful attack against
AC 15, enabling the panicked beast to bolt away on its
next turn.
AN ADVENTURER CONFRONTS TOWNSFOLK CORRUPTED
BY THE DRAGON'S MALEVOLENT PRESENCE .

If cha racters want to hear more or leave an opening for
VELLYNNE'S QUEST Vellynne to keep talking, s he adds:
Vellynne Harpell needs help reaching Ythryn, a quest
that propels the characters through the final chapters of
this adventure. However, she is reluctant to share details "Using divination magic, the Arcane Brotherhood has
of her mission until the following conditions are met: learned that the city is buried deep inside the Reghed
Glacier. But the glacier can be cracked open at a place
The chardalyn dragon is no longer an immedi-
ate concern . where a waterfall once flowed down its side but has since
The characters have the experience needed to sur- frozen . We have already found the waterfall. All we need
vive the perils that await them in the first stage of now is the magic to break open the glacier."
the quest. (In other words, the characters are at least
7th level.)
Vellynne learned a few things from her professor orb
These conditions don't account for any unfinished
(see appendix D) before it was s tolen from her. She
business that the characters are determined to resolve.
s ha res the following information with characters who
For exa mple, if Xardorok Sunblight is s till alive, the
wa nt to know more about Netheril:
cha rac ters might want to finish him off before turning
th eir attention elsewhere. • Netheril was a vast human empire ruled by wizards,
Once she's confident that the characters are ready for whose mastery of the Weave remains unsurpassed
the challenges that lie ahead , Vellynne makes her bold to this day.
proposition: Some of what the Netherese wizards learned came
from the elves . The rest came from the study of arti-
facts called the Nether S crolls.
"I need your help to find an ancient city buried under the The Netherese created magic that was more powerful
ice. This city, Ythryn, is a lost fragment of the Empire of than a wish spell and used it to accomplish the impos-
Netheril, whose wizards created many of the magic items sible. Their magic could s hear the tops of mountains
we find scattered across the world today. It holds magic a nd lift entire cities into the s ky.
To hold Ythryn aloft, the Netherese wizards would
beyond our wildest dreams . We might even find some-
have needed a powerful magic item called a mythal-
thing there to end this hateful winter. Intrigued?" lar. It likely survived the crash and might have other
properties as well , including the ability to change the
weather. ("Think of what that could mean for Icewind
Dale!" Vellynne adds excitedly.)
THE CODICIL AND THE ORB PROFESSOR SKANT
Vellynne's family has a private collection of magic items.
Before beginning their search for Ythryn, Vellynne
The professor orb known as Professor Skant was part
and the characters need two objects: The Codicil of
of that collection, and Vellynne wants it back for both
White and Vellynne's professor orb, which she calls
practical and sentimental reasons:
Professor Skant. Vellynne has every reason to believe
that both items are currently on an island in the Sea of
Moving Ice. "The orb is a family heirloom that was stolen from me
by a former colleague named Nass Lantomir. The orb
THE CODICIL
Vellynne describes this book as follows: has the personality of a scholar and is named Professor
Skant. Its knowledge will help us once we descend into
Ythryn. Nass is after The Codicil of White. Find Nass, and
"Written and guarded by Auril's followers, The Codicil
we find Professor Skant."
of White is rumored to contain a spell or ritual that can
carve a passage through the Reghed Glacier, under which
the lost city Ythryn is buried. Divination magic has re- Vellynne describes the professor orb's properties
(see appendix D) if the characters want to know
vealed that the book is being held in a frost giant fortress
more about it.
on a mist-shrouded island in the Sea of Moving Ice."
NEXT STEPS
Vellynne knows that any quest to retrieve The Codicil of The rest of the adventure depends on the characters
White is likely to attract Auril's attention. Members of agreeing to help Vellynne. She has a couple of cards that
the Arcane Brotherhood are notoriously brazen, which she plays to convince the characters to do so. She hopes
is why Vellynne does not balk at the thought of a con- they're motivated by the hope of finding something in
frontation with the Frostmaiden. If Auril's name comes Ythryn that can end Auril's everlasting winter. Failing
up, Vellynne tries to allay concerns by pointing out the that, there's the promise of finding long-lost spells and
obvious: "Any god who chooses to live among mortals is magic items.
hiding from something, and anyone who needs to hide Assuming the characters agree to undertake Vel-
can't be all-powerful." lynne's quest, their first challenge is getting to the
island. Proceed with chapter 5, which begins with how
the characters solve their transportation problem.
AURIL'S ABODE
URIL THE FROSTMAIDEN HAS RETREATED TO drift about. For that reason, the island doesn't appear on
a floating island of ice and snow and turned maps of the Sea of Moving Ice.
a skull-shaped fortress formerly occupied
by frost giants into her abode. Her presence GETTING TO THE ISLAND
makes the island the most frigid place in The characters can reach Auril's island in any of the
the Far North. The cold is unbearable for many visitors, following ways:
whose corpses become part of the island's frozen decor.
Ideally, the characters should be 7th level when they Hitch a ride on Angajuk, the awakened sperm whale
visit the island, although there's nothing stopping them (see "Angajuk's Bell," page 114).
from exploring it at lower levels. They might visit the , Travel to Revel's End (see page 154) and book
island for either of the following reasons: passage on a ship bringing supplies or convicts to
the prison.
, Vellynne Harpell, a member of the Arcane Brother- Ask the Akannathi goliaths (see "Skytower Shelter,"
hood, invites the characters to join her on an expedi- page 161) to loan them some trained griffons and
tion to the island (see chapter 4 for more information). then fly to the island on the griffons' backs.
The characters come to the island on their own, hop-
ing to put an end to Icewind Dale's everlasting winter. VIA ANGAJUK THE SPERM WHALE
The characters can get directions to the pier where
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER Angajuk can be summoned and befriended. Vellynne
Be sure to review the "Auril the Frostmaiden" section in Harpell knows the location of Angajuk's pier; if she's
appendix C before running this chapter, since Auril is no with the party, she proposes that they spend a night
ordinary villain. in the town of Bremen and set out to Angajuk's pier in
The characters can locate and obtain both The Codicil the morning.
of White and Vellynne Harpell's stolen professor orb Angajuk can travel up to 25 miles a day but takes a
without confronting the Frostmaiden. But if the charac- leisurely, meandering route to Auril's island, resulting in
ters want to end the Everlasting Rime right here, right a three-day journey. The whale is submerged for most of
now, they can do so by slaying Iskra, the Frostmaiden's the trip, allowing the characters to see what life is like
roe (without which Auril can't cast her nightly spell that in the frigid depths. Like a tour guide, the whale takes
keeps the sun at bay), or by facing Auril in battle and de- its passengers within sight of spectacular underwater
feating all three of the Frostmaiden's forms sequentially. attractions, including shipwrecks, storm giant castles,
and cyclopean ruins from the bygone empire of giants
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT known as Ostoria.
After delivering the characters safely to the island, An-
In this chapter, level advancement is handled as follows: gajuk is willing to circle the island until the characters
, The characters gain a level if they destroy all three of are ready to leave, provided they don't make the whale
Auril's forms. wait for too long. Auril's roe poses a threat to Angajuk,
The characters gain a level if they slay Iskra the roe. so the whale surfaces only when it must.
, If they are 7th level or lower, the characters gain
a level when they discover the "Rime of the Frost- VIA SHIP FROM REvEL's END
maiden" poem in The Codicil of White. The prison of Revel's End has easy access to the Sea of
Moving Ice. On the downside, captains who are brave
enough to take their ships into the Sea of Moving Ice
SEA OF MOVING ICE expect to be well compensated; characters can expect to
Titanic icebergs bob in a churning black sea of unknown pay 1,000 gp or more for a one-way trip to Auril's island,
depth, crashing into one another with destructive re- or five times that amount if they expect the ship to wait
sults. Floating amid these mountain of ice, shrouded for them and take them back to Revel's End .
by mist, is Auril's island. Using sheer force of will, the One such captain is Sharlasta Stormsword, a re-
Frostmaiden can anchor the island or cause it to slowly tired pirate (lawful evil human bandit captain) who
commands the Ravenous, a sailing ship with a crew of
CHAPTER 5 I AURIL'S ABODE

1 97
twenty well-trained scalawags (bandits). The ship's port
of call is the city of Neverwinter. Despite her checkered The fog through which you've been traveling thins
past, Captain Stormsword is one of the most reliable enough for you to see fifty-foot-high cliffs of solid ice
privateers working for the Lords' Alliance today, and ahead. Jutting out of the water off the coast are the bare,
she rarely turns down a chance to earn a little extra coin weather-beaten masts of sunken ships.
on the side. Each dawn, she tosses a barrel of fish and a
Ahead, you can make out what appears to be a partially
cask of whiskey into the sea as offerings to Umberlee- a
shattered dock carved out of ice. As you get closer, it be-
practice that keeps the evil sea god on her side.
When the characters arrive at Revel's End, there's a comes obvious that the dock was made for giants.
10 percent chance that the Ravenous is moored at the
pier and is in the process of offloading crates of supplies
The ruined ice dock and the shipwrecks in the vicinity
as well as ld4 convicts in shackles. Characters who ar-
are the only features of the island immediately visible.
en't so lucky must wait ldlO days for the ship to arrive.
Fog prevents the characters from seeing the island's
The Ravenous can travel 50 miles a day. But finding
other features at a distance.
Auril's island while avoiding close encounters with
Characters flying on the backs of griffons can bypass
icebergs and ice floes takes five days. Under no circum-
the dock and find somewhere else on the island to land.
stances will Captain Stormsword or her crew leave their
But if one or more griffons come within 200 feet of
ship to explore the island.
the fortress of Grimskalle while Auril's roe is atop the
If you need a map of the Ravenous, use the ship map
fortress, it takes to the air and tries to kill the griffons
in appendix C of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
so that their riders fall. (See area G9 in this chapter for
VIA GRIFFONS more information about the roe.)
The goliaths of Skytower Shelter agree to loan the
party members one griffon apiece if one of these condi- REGIONAL EFFECTS
tions is met: Auril's presence creates the following regional effects,
A goliath character who is a member of the Akannathi which fade ldlO days after all three of her forms are
clan convinces the Akannathi chieftain to help the destroyed:
party by succeeding on a DC 13 Charisma (Persua- • The save DC to resist the effects of extreme cold is 15
sion) check. instead of 10.
The characters help to end the longstanding feud • Whenever a creature that lacks resistance or immu-
between the goliaths of Skytower Shelter and the goli- nity to cold damage spends a Hit Die to regain hit
aths of Wyrmdoom Crag. points within 1 mile of the island, it regains only a
Skytower Shelter's griffons are safe to ride, but they number of hit points equal to its Constitution modifier
are trained to return home after delivering the charac- (minimum of 0). It doesn't get to roll the die.
ters to their destination. Convincing a griffon to remain The island, its surface features, and all creatures and
on Auril's island while the characters explore the place objects out to a distance of 200 feet from the island
requires a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) are lightly obscured by fog. Thick fog fills the air
check, and even then , the griffon won't stay for more beginning 200 feet from the island and extending out-
than 24 hours due to the unbearable cold. ward for 1 mile in all directions; anything on the water
The goliaths don't have enough griffons to carry Vel- or in the air within this thick fog is heavily obscured.
lynne Harpell's kobold entourage, which forces Vellynne
ISLAND LOCATIONS
to leave her charges behind. The kobolds are happy to
stay with the goliaths, but the goliaths quickly dispose of The following locations are keyed to map 5.1.
the undead ones.
11. RUINED DOCK
Frost giants fashioned this dock out of ice and built it to
ISLAND OF SOLSTICE endure, yet sections of it have broken away and fallen
The island of Solstice is shaped like a snowflake, with into the sea. Because the dock was scaled for frost giant
six jagged arms that protrude out into the sea. It's a longships, characters approaching by water must climb
windswept place made primarily of snow and ice. to reach the top of it. Those without magic or climbing
gear can do so with a successful DC 15 Strength (Ath-
PREPARING FOR ARRIVAL letics) check.
Regardless of the means by which the characters travel At the back of the dock, giant-sized steps climb to the
to the island, assume that they arrive near the ruined top of the SO-foot-high cliffs. A 20-foot-wide path made
dock on the island's southeast arm. This puts them on from bricks of ice leads from the dock to the fortress of
the far side of the island from where the wizard Nass Grimskalle, as shown on map 5.1.
Lantomir met her doom. An ice mephit named Sopo is perched at the top of
Read or paraphrase the following boxed text to the the ice stairs and is willing to serve as a guide for new
players, whether the characters approach the island by arrivals, not out of kindness but to alleviate its boredom.
sea or air: If the characters approach by air, Sopo intercepts them.
Characters who speak Aquan or Auran can communi-
cate with Sopo verbally; if there's no one in the party

198
1 square = 200 feet
MAP 5,: ISLAND OF SOLSTICE
CHAPTER 5 I AURIL' S ABODE

199
who can understand it, the mephit communicates using • There are yeti caves on the east side of the island. An
gestures as best it can. abominable yeti called Korgrah lives among them.
Sopo enjoys watching other creatures suffer. Initially,
If shooed away, Sopo continues to follow the party but
however, it acts as a guide to earn the characters' trust,
doesn't meddle. Whenever some misfortune befalls a
pointing out areas where characters might slip on a
character, however, the mephit lets slip a raspy cackle.
patch of ice or get bonked on the head by a low-hang-
ing icicle. Vellynne's snowy owl familiar, if it's present, 12. SHIPWRECKS
senses the mephit's cruel intent. Sopo and the owl have The ice that makes up the island fans out under the wa-
an instant dislike for one another. ter, creating shelves ranging from 20 to 50 feet beneath
Sopo tries to get the characters to explore every part the surface. Atop these shelves, lodged amid jagged
of the island by sharing the following information with spires of submerged ice, are the wrecks of several ill-
those who can understand its words: fated sea galleons and ancient frost giant longships, as
• The shipwrecks that surround the island are full of shown on map 5.1.
loot waiting to be claimed. Characters who can withstand the frigid water might
• The last ship to visit the island crashed off the coast of want to explore these sunken wrecks. For each site
the island's northwest arm. One survivor managed to searched, roll a d20 and consult the Shipwreck Discov-
pull herself out of the frigid water and climb to the top eries table to determine what the characters find. No
of the island, but she died before getting any farther. discovery can occur more than once; if you get the same
The Frostmaiden has created beautiful ice sculptures result twice, reroll or choose a different possibility.
all over the island. One would weep at the very sight of
them if it were not so cold as to make tears freeze in 13. NASS LANTOMIR'S GHOST
one's eyes. Nass Lantomir outsmarted her rivals in the Arcane
Brotherhood by partnering with a pirate captain before
SHIPWRECK DISCOVERIES leaving Luskan for Icewind Dale. After stealing Vellynne
d8 Discovery
Harpell's professor orb, Nass fled to the coast to make
her rendezvous with the pirate captain_'s galleon, the
A frost giant skeleton (see appendix C) lurks in the
Wicked Eddy. The ship found Auril's island the hard
ship's hold amid the inanimate skeletons of several way: by crashing into the ice shelf that runs beneath it.
other frost giants. As the vessel took on water, Nass alone swam to shore,
2 Haunting the decks are twenty ghouls (the remains only to die of frostbite on a snow-covered bluff overlook-
of the ship's human crew) that have resistance to ing the Wicked Eddy's sunken hulk.
cold damage. All the ghouls act on the same initia- Characters who search the northwest arm of the is-
tive count. The characters encounter four ghouls land find Nass's frostbitten corpse and much more:
initially, with another group of four ghouls appear-
ing each round on the ghouls' turn until all twenty Half-buried in snow near the edge of a bluff is a human-
show up. oid corpse clad in cold weather clothing. Clutched in one
3 Two giant sharks swim in the ship's hold.
of its hands is an orb made of smoky-gray quartz.
4 Five merrow make their lair in the ship, stashed in
A white weasel bursts from the snow near the corpse
the hold of which is a rotting sea chest that con-
and stares at you with its beady eyes. A voice rings out.
tains 400 gp, 800 sp, and four pieces of jewelry (25
"Ye gods, I was afraid no one would find us!" The sound
gp each).
isn't coming from the weasel, but from the orb.
5 Three sea hags have turned the wreck into their
lair. They have the Shared Spellcasting trait
(see the "Hag Covens" sidebar in the Monster If anyone tries to pry the orb from the dead wizard's
Manual). They keep their treasure in a rusty, fingers or otherwise disturbs the remains, Nass Lan-
barnacle-covered cauldron that's covered with a tomir's ghost (see appendix C) appears above the
lid. The treasure consists of2,500 sp, 4,000 cp, a corpse and tries to possess someone on its first turn. If
6-inch-tall merman figurine carved out of pale blue her ghost successfully possesses a party member, Nass
coral (250 gp), and a potion of water breathing. tries to turn the characters against Vellynne (if she is
present) and join them in their search for The Codicil of
6 An awakened walrus (see appendix C) with a potion
White . If the ghost gets what it wants, it shares the fol-
of resistance (cold) tied around its neck greets the
lowing information, some of which Nass acquired when
characters; the walrus has an Intelligence of 10, she was alive with the aid of spell scrolls of divination
speaks Common , and allows a character to take used before her death:
the potion vial from around its neck. It then waves
The Arcane Brotherhood sent four wizards to find the
goodbye and swims away.
lost Netherese city of Ythryn, which has lain under the
7 The ship's hold contains ld6 giant oysters, each of Reghed Glacier for nearly two thousand years. (Nass
which has a 10 percent chance of containing a crys- is willing to divulge the identities of the other three
tal ball-sized white pearl (2,500 gp). wizards, if asked; see the "Arcane Brotherhood" sec-
8 A giant-sized sea chest containing 2,500 gp, 5,000 tion in appendix C for details.)
sp, and a +2 trident lies in the ship's hold .
C H A PTER 5 I AU RIL'S A BODE

200
• The Codicil of White contains a spell or ritual that can of Professor Skant. If she is present, Vellynne tries
open a passage through the Reghed Glacier to the lost to reclaim the orb but won't fight the characters for it.
Netherese city. In addition to its areas of expertise, Professor Skant
Worshipers of Auril have hidden The Codicil of White knows what must be done to reach the city of Ythryn,
in a frost giant fortress called Grimskalle, situated having discussed plans at length first with Vellynne Har-
atop the small mountain in the middle of the island. pell and then with Nass Lantomir. If they part company
with the orb's previous two owners, the characters can
The ghost can't move more than 200 feet from the
use Professor Skant to help them identify the steps they
place where Nass died unless it takes possession of a
must take to reach Ythryn, if that's their goal.
host. If it's forced out of a host's body when the body is
more than 200 feet from where Nass died, the ghost 14. ICE STATUES
instantly returns to that spot, regardless of whether the
There are several of these locations on the island, in-
wizard's corpse is still there.
cluding one the characters will come across if they fol-
If the ghost is reduced to 0 hit points, it fades away,
low the brick path from the ruined dock:
only to reappear 24 hours later in the place where Nass
died. The ghost is doomed to haunt the island until it
acquires The Codicil of White , whereupon it achieves its Through the blowing snow, you see a grand assembly
final rest and ceases to exist. of ice sculptures across a snowy field at the foot of the
Weasel Familiar. The arctic weasel is Zelennor, mountain in the center of the island. Closer examination
Nass's fey familiar. Vellynne Harpell would recognize
reveals that the sculptures are completely faithful to
it as such. Anyone who can cast the find familiar spell
knows that a familiar typically vanishes when its cre- their subjects: bears, elk, saber-toothed tigers, wolves,
ator dies, but Zelennor has somehow formed a bond yeti, remorhazes, white dragons, and other creatures
with Nass's spectral undead form. If Nass's ghost is de- of the North. No mortal hand could create such won-
stroyed, even temporarily, the weasel ceases to exist. drous works.
Treasure. Characters who dig Nass Lantomir's
corpse out of the snow find a leather satchel containing
the wizard's spellbook, which is described in appendix The Frostmaiden creates these ice sculptures. If the
C. Nass's other gear went down with the Wicked Eddy. characters damage any of them, two bad things happen.
The professor orb, which calls itself Professor Skant, First, the Frostmaiden makes her presence known,
is happy to be found. See appendix D for a description manifesting nearby as a 7-foot-tall woman made of
C HAPTER 5 I AURIL'S ABODE

201
snow. She cries out, "Defilers!" and points a finger at Inside the Caves. Each yeti cave contains the bones of
them. Each character who defiled a sculpture must suc- the yetis' past meals, but no treasure.
ceed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or gain vul-
nerability to cold damage for the next 24 hours. A char- 16 . GARDEN OF DEATH
acter who has resistance or immunity to cold damage
automatically succeeds on the saving throw. Because
A ten-foot-tall wall of ice has broken down in a few
of her weakened state, the Frostmaiden can't create an-
places, leaving gaps through which you can see what ap-
other such manifestation until the next dawn.
Second, Auril telepathically awakens Korgrah, an pears to be a huge garden of ice sculptures.
abominable yeti (see area 15), and commands it to hunt
down and kill the party. This yeti's sense of smell is so
This area is a graveyard where Auril displays creatures
acute that it can track the characters by scent regardless
that have died on the island from the extreme cold. Each
of where they are on the island.
creature is encased in a thick coat of ice, preserving its
15. YETI CAVES remains. Amid scores of humanoid cadavers-pirates,
Dotting the eastern slope of the ice mountain atop hunters, adventurers, worshipers, and others who fell
which Grimskalle sits are seven shallow caves, each one prey to Auril's cold embrace- are the frozen forms of
occupied by a hostile yeti that feeds on seals, walruses, hares, foxes, and other small animals.
and other island visitors. The seven yetis attack all at An ice troll (see appendix C) found its way here and
once, though a character with the Littlest Yeti secret destroyed parts of the outer wall. It has also been gnaw-
(see appendix B) might attempt to communicate with ing on some of the corpses. Auril isn't concerned about
them in hopes of improving their attitude. the intrusion, since this place is much less important to
If all seven yetis are slain, their angry spirits awaken her than her ice statues are. If the characters loiter in
Korgrah, an abominable yeti that slumbers under the the garden, the ice troll attacks and fights to the death.
ice and snow, unless Korgrah has already been killed. Vellynne Harpell and Nass Lantomir are both aware
The abominable yeti explodes from an ice-covered cyst of the magical properties of ice troll hearts (as described
lets out a howl that can be heard across the island, in the "Ice Troll" entry in appendix C) and can share
and hunts the characters until it or they are dead. This this information with the characters once the ice troll
fearsome yeti can't be mollified by a character with the is killed.
Littlest Yeti secret.
GRIMSKALLE GRIMSKALLE LOCATIONS
When the characters are in a position to see this loca- The following locations are keyed to map 5.2.
tion from the south, describe it as follows:
Gl. ENTRANCE
Rising before you is a six-hundred-foot-tall mountain of

The steps end in front of a double door made from
glacial ice, its peak carved to resemble a gigantic skull
slabs of ice with dragon skulls and bones embedded in
wearing a crown. Weaving up the mountain's southern
them . Carved into the lintel is a single word in the Dwar-
slope are enormous stairs hewn from the ice. These
vish script.
steps, which extend from the base of the mountain to the
base of the fortress, were clearly made for giants.
The skulls and bones embedded in the doors belong to
several young white dragons. Giants use the Dwarvish
Grimskalle was constructed for a frost giant queen script as their written language, and the Dwarvish word
named Vassavicken and is filled with the remnants of carved above the doors translates to "Grimska lle."
her reign, including her corpse. Auril has claimed the
stronghold to serve her own worldly needs. G2. GUARD ROOM
The Frostmaiden has sequestered herself inside,
though she does vacate the place once a day. Shortly
before midnight, she mounts the roe that sleeps on This long, rectangular room is strewn with pieces of
the rooftop (area G9) and takes to the sky to weave rotting wood and rusted metal-the remnants of giant
her nightly spell. She is gone for several hours, during weapons and weapon racks . A rusted-out helmet sized
which time the characters can explore Grimskalle with- for a giant lies near the back wall.
out fear of running into her.
Ice Steps. Each step is 4 feet higher than the one
below it, making the staircase difficult terrain for crea- Nothing in this room is salvageable.
tures that aren't Huge giants. The snow and rime cover-
ing the steps make them less slippery than they would G3. FROST GIANT WARDEN
be otherwise.
A withered old frost giant leaning heavily on a great-
FORTRESS FEATURES
axe sits in front of a tall door in the far wall. The giant
The following features are common throughout
wooden stool upon which he sits creaks under his weight
the fortress:
as he stares at you with cloudy eyes .
Giant-Sized. Furnishings, passageways, and the di-
mensions of the rooms inside are all sized for frost
giants and other Huge creatures. The same is true of The frost giant is named Ertgard. Because of old age,
some accessory items, including treasure, as noted his walking speed is 20 feet. He is a lso deaf, can't see
in the text. farther than 20 feet, and can't take reactions. The char-
Ice and Mist. All surfaces (floors, ceilings, walls, and so acters must move at least 10 feet into the room before
forth) are made of smooth, opaque, chiseled ice with a Ertgard notices them, whereupon he grips his weapon
bluish tinge. A 2-foot-deep blanket of cold mist creeps tightly, stumbles to his feet , and says (in Giant), "Death,
across the floors, which aren't slippery unless the text we meet at last! "
states otherwise. Ertgard is the last surviving member ofVassavicken's
Darkness. The fortress is not illuminated. Frost giants clan and is eager to die honorably. Although he has
lit their way with torches, the ancient stubs of which sworn fealty to Auril, he isn't of much use to her and
litter the floors. The current occupants rely on darkvi- doesn't have any responsibilities other than to guard the
sion to see. Area descriptions assume that the charac- fortress as best he can. If he's knocked unconscious,
ters have a light source or some other means of seeing revived, and interrogated, Ertgard offers the following
in the dark. information (in Giant) if the characters promise him an
Doors. A door is a 25-foot-high, 8-foot-wide, 2½-foot- honorable, swift, and merciful death:
thick slab of chiseled ice with crude handles. In place
, Every night, the Frostmaiden leaves Grimskalle on
of hinges, a door has thick, cylindrical pins of ice that the back of Iskra, her roe, to cast a spell that holds the
rest in holes at the top and bottom edges of the door's next day's sun at bay. Otherwise, she resides upstairs
frame. A creature can use an action to try to push
(on the palace level).
open one of these doors, doing so with a successful Auril is sometimes attended by frost druids, although
DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. A door is a Huge ob-
no druids are present at this time. The frost druids
ject with AC 13, hp 60, and immunity to cold, poison,
who last visited her left behind an intelligent giant
and psychic damage. walrus named Ukuma. It dwells downstairs (on the
Ceilings. Ceilings throughout are 30 feet high. dungeon level).

203
• The Codicil of White is sealed in a vault downstairs
(on the dungeon level). Only one who passes Auril's Six slender, gargoyle-like creatures made of ice squat on
four tests-the Tests of Cruelty, Endurance, Isolation, ledges twenty feet above the ground that protrude from
and Preservation-can open the vault (see area GlS). the wall of this semicircular chamber. Near the back wall ,
Treasure. The small room behind Ertgard contains the mist that blankets the floor flows down a staircase
all the treasure he was able to gather from inside the made of polished ice.
fortress, heaped in a pile on the floor:
• 1,350 gp, 4,400 sp, and 7,800 cp The creatures perched on the ledges are six ice mephits
• Four gold rings sized for giants (150 gp each) created by Auril. They observe intruders quietly. If any
• A giant-sized shield made of white dragon scales (im- of them are threatened or harmed, they all attack. Oth-
pressive but worthless) erwise, the mephits take no aggressive action without a
• A 2-foot-tall, SO-pound, chipped statuette of Thrym command from their creator.
(the evil frost giant god) made of ice that doesn't Stairs Down. The stairs, which descend 90 feet to
melt (50 gp) area GlO, are slippery. The slippery ice is difficult ter-
• An alchemy jug rain. When a creature moves on these stairs for the first
time on a turn, it must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity
G4. RUINED KITCHEN
(Acrobatics) check or fall prone. If the check fails by 5 or
more, the creature also tumbles 10 feet down the stairs
Frost covers a bloated trestle table that stands amid rot• and takes 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage.
ting barrels and casks in the middle of what used to be a
07. THRONE ROOM
kitchen. Storage racks along the walls have collapsed into
piles of rotted timber along with the jugs, tankards , and
This semicircular room has a forest of icicles hanging
drinking horns that once rested on them . A roasting spit
from its ceiling, some of them as much as eight feet
lined with icicles is mounted above a ten -foot-diameter
long. Against the curved wall to the south stands an
iron brazier coated with rime and -situated near the
enormous throne of ice decorated with carved images of
back wall.
winter wolves and mastodons . Across from the throne on
the north wall is an open doorway.
The barrels and casks are empty and fall apart easily.
The jugs, tankards, and drinking horns are all cracked
or otherwise damaged. Nothing of value remains here. The throne belonged to Vassavicken, the frost giant
queen who originally occupied Grimskalle.
G5. FEAST HALL Auril has transformed seven of the icicles that cling to
Shattered chunks of ice, the remains of a door, lie the ceiling into creatures that resemble piercers. They
strewn on the floor around the opening, allowing char- use the piercer stat block, have immunity to cold dam-
acters to see into the room beyond without obstruction. age, and deal 10 (3d6) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6)
cold damage on a hit.
Stairs Down. The stairs in the northwest corner of
In the middle of this immense hall stands a thirty-foot•
this room descend 90 feet to area GS.
long, ten-foot-wide, ten-foot-high dining table carved
from ice and surrounded by a dozen blocks of ice that 08. QUEEN'S BEDCHAMBER
once served as chairs. Wooden braces against the west Auril uses this space as her personal sanctuary. De-
wall hold a pair of fourteen-foot-long bugles made from pending on how this encounter plays out, you might
need to reference one or more of Auril's stat blocks in
hollowed-out mammoth tusks. An ascending staircase of
appendix C.
ice in the southwest corner has mist rolling down it.
This room contains wrecked furnishings that suggest it

One of the mammoth tusk bugles is intact, but the was once used as a frost giant's bedchamber. A bitterly
other one is cracked and no longer works. These bu-
cold wind blows down a staircase to the east, at the bot•
gles were used to summon frost giants for dinner or to
sound an alarm. tom of which snow has accumulated.
Stairs Up. The stairs climb 90 feet to area G7.
G6. PERCHED MEPHITS Unless she has left the fortress to cast her nightly spell
As in area GS, shattered chunks of ice, the remains of a over Icewind Dale, the Frostmaiden lurks here in her
door, lie on the floor around the opening where the door first form, living in fear that her divine enemies will
once stood, allowing characters to see into the room be- find and destroy her. She normally occupies the room
yond without obstruction. to the west but lurches toward the larger room to greet
the characters as they arrive. The characters have no
chance of surprising her.
CHAPTER 5 I AURII!S ABODE

GRIMSKALLE
1 square = 10 feet
DUNGEON LEVEL

205
It takes almost all of the Frostmaiden's divine power A 5-foot-tall, 150-pound silvery dragon egg that
to keep the sun from rising over Icewind Dale, and she will hatch in 3d10 days, giving birth to a silver
doesn't abide the presence of mortals other than her dragon wyrmling
most ardent worshipers. Consequently, Auril does her A carved harp of exotic wood with ivory inlay and zir-
utmost to slay intruders or, at least, terrify them into con gemstones (750 gp)
fleeing her island and never returning. In addition to the An electrum chain with a bloodstone pendant (250 gp)
powers given in her three stat blocks, she can use the • A wooden sea chest covered with bird droppings and
lair actions described in appendix C. sealed with a heavy padlock that a character using
Destroying one of Auril's forms is challenging enough. thieves' tools can pick with a successful DC 15 Dexter-
Destroying all three of her forms in sequence should ity check; inside the chest are 320 gp, a gold ring with
be a severe test for even the most determined and well- a black pearl set into a fixture shaped like a whirlpool
equipped party of adventurers. You can make Auril even (750 gp), and a spell scroll of mass cure wounds
tougher by having her use a lair action to teleport to the
rooftop (area G9), where her roe can fight alongside her. GlO. ICE RINK
A fight against Auril continues until the characters de-
feat her or retreat. Both options are discussed below:
The staircase descends into a vaulted chamber. A nine-
If the characters destroy all three of Auril's forms, any foot-high railing of sculpted ice hugs the staircase as it
character who has the Midwinter Child secret (see descends to the chamber floor, which, like the stairs, is
appendix B) loses the benefit of that secret until the
smooth and gleaming. A walrus as big as an elephant
Frostmaiden is reborn at the next winter solstice. In
addition, Auril's demise causes the uppermost levels is having a grand old time rolling and sliding on the ice,
of the fortress to collapse, as described in the "Fall of paying you little heed.
Grimskalle" section at the end of this chapter.
If the characters flee , Auril lets them go so that they
can spread horrific tales of their encounter with her, The giant walrus (see appendix C), named Ukuma,
thus discouraging others from visiting her island. Af- is supposed to be guarding this room. A frost druid's
ter finishing a long rest, Auril gets back all her forms. awaken spell has given it an Intelligence of 10 and the
ability to speak Common. Although it's grateful for the
The Frostmaiden has no need for worldly possessions magical gift, the giant walrus is not interested in serving
and keeps nothing of value in this room. anyone or attending to guard duty. It would rather roll
Stairs Up. The curved staircase climbs 90 feet around on the ice and engage in light conversation with
to area G9. new arrivals. Characters can befriend Ukuma by tossing
it a fish or some other tasty morsel.
G9. CROWNED ROOFTOP
Ukuma knows the following information, which it's
happy to share with characters who befriend it:
The icy crown encircling the fortress doubles as a battle- The tunnel to the north ends before the tomb of a frost
mented rooftop. Each prong of the crown extends forty giant queen , who died before the Frostmaiden took
feet above the roofline, and the prongs have 10-foot-wide control of the island.
gaps between them. Situated in the middle of the roof is The tunnel to the south leads to a vault where servants
of the Frostmaiden store the treasures of their faith.
a nest almost thirty feet in diameter.
To enter the vault, one must pass four tests. Each test
reflects an aspect of the Frostmaiden: cruelty, endur-
If Auril is home, so is her white roe, Iskra. During the ance, isolation, and preservation. The tests lie beyond
day, the roe sleeps in its nest. Shortly before midnight, the four doors that lead away from the room.
the roe takes to the sky with the Frostmaiden on its Narrow archways to the west and east lead to a pair of
back and doesn't return to the fortress until a few hours small chambers. Frost druids and other worshipers of
before sunrise. Without the roe to carry her around Ice- Auril use these rooms as sleeping quarters, though no
wind Dale, Auril can't cast her nightly spell, thus bring- one is present when the characters arrive.
ing an end to the everlasting winter. Rink. The floor in this area is as smooth as an ice
The roe is too big to enter the fortress . If it takes dam- rink. When a creature moves on the floor for the first
age from foes it can't reach, it gets clear of the fortress time on a turn, it must succeed on a DC 10 Dexter-
and climbs to a height that puts it outside the range of its ity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone. The giant walrus
enemies. If the roe grapples a foe, it heads toward open doesn't need to make this check.
water with its prize; once there, it drops the grappled Stairs Up. From the ceiling to the floor, the stairs that
creature into the water from a height of at least 200 feet. lead up to area G6 are enclosed by thick, 9-foot-high rail-
In addition to taking 20d6 bludgeoning damage from ings of sculpted ice. The stairs, like the floor, are difficult
the fall , the victim must also contend with the frigid wa- terrain. When a creature moves on these stairs for the
ter (see "Frigid Water," page 11). first time on a turn, it must succeed on a DC 10 Dexter-
Treasure. A thorough search of the roe's nest yields ity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone. lf the check fails by
the following treasures: 5 or more, the creature also tumbles 10 feet down the
stairs and takes 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage.
C HAPTER 5 I AURIL'S ABODE

206
Gll. TOMB ENTRANCE Gl3 . VASSAVICKEN ' S TOMB
The passageway leads to an anvil-shaped room with This chamber contains a dead female frost giant encased
a door set into the far wall. Flanking the door are in a solid block of ice carved to resemble a standing sar-
bas-reliefs of two female frost giants holding greataxes. cophagus. The block of ice is twenty-five feet tall, twelve
Runes are carved into the door's surface. feet wide, and ten feet thick. Behind the entombed giant,
embedded in the north wall, is a door made of ice.
The runes on the door, written in the Dwarvish script, The ceiling is carved in the scowling visage of a male
read as follows : frost giant with an icy beard .
In ice and blood, our folk are born.

To our great queen , we raise our horn. The frost giant entombed in the block of ice is Queen
We'll fight and plunder in the morn . Vassavicken. Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Intel-
To Vassavicken , we are sworn. ligence (Religion) guess correctly that the visage looking
down on the queen is a representation ofThrym, the evil
Gl2. SKELETAL GUARDS god of frost giants.
Trap. A character can reach Vassavicken's corpse
This chamber has another door set into the far wall. by chipping away the ice that encases her, but Thrym
will not stand for such an act of defilement. If enough
Standing on either side of the door is a frost giant skele-
ice is chipped away or melted to expose any portion of
ton wielding a rusty anchor. The pinpricks of light in their Vassavicken's corpse to the air, Thrym's visage opens
eye sockets brighten as they register your presence. its mouth and breathes a cloud of magical cold energy
that fills the entire room, sealing Vassavicken's corpse
in ice once more. Any creature in the room when Thrym
The weapons of these two frost giant skeletons deal breathes must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving
bludgeoning damage instead of slashing damage. They throw, taking 44 (8d10) cold damage on a failed save, or
otherwise use the stat block in appendix C. They attack half as much damage on a successful one. Thrym's vis-
any creatures they see and pursue fleeing prey into Gll age is impervious to damage from spells and weapons.
but no farther.

207
Door to Area G14. This door is stuck. A creature can Door to Area G18. Carved into the lintel above this door
use an action to try to pull open the door, doing so with is the word "Isolation" in Common.
a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. Door to Area G19. The lintel above this door has
partially broken off, destroying some of the inscrip-
Gl4. VASSAVICKEN ' S AXE tion carved into it. What's left reads "--ervation"
in Common.
Leaning against the back wall of this room is a formida- There are four Tests of the Frostmaiden: the Test of
ble weapon: a giant-sized greataxe, its steel head resting Cruelty in area G16, the Test of Endurance in area G17,
the Test of Isolation in area G18, and the Test of Preser-
on the icy floor.
vation in area G19.
Each test begins by opening a door marked with the
Treasure. The greataxe is Vassavicken's berserker symbol of Auril. When that happens, all the participants
axe, which adjusts in size to match whoever attunes to it. in the test are teleported to the location where the test
When found, it's 15 feet tall and weighs 650 pounds. If a takes place. If Vellynne Harpell is with the party, she is
character attunes to the axe, it shrinks to a size befitting willing to participate in the tests and counts as a party
its new wielder. member if the characters allow her to accompany them.
When a test ends, use the Tests of the Frostmaiden
Gl5. TESTS OF THE FROSTMAIDEN Scorecard to keep track of which party members passed
The first time the characters enter one of these cham- the test by putting a checkmark to the right of each of
bers, read: their names in the appropriate column. This scorecard
will help you determine whether the vault door in area
G20 can be opened or not. It is strictly a tool for DM
The walls of this oddly shaped room are etched with elab-
record-keeping and not meant to be shared with the
orate panoramas of winter scenes. Set into the back wall players. Permission is granted to photocopy this score-
is a door inscribed with a large snowflake. A single word card for home game use.
is carved into the lintel above it. The tests can be taken in any order. Each party mem-
ber can take a particular test only once; a party member
who tries to take a test a second time is not teleported.
Characters who succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence (Re-
ligion) check correctly surmise that the snowflake Gl6. TEST OF CRUELTY
inscribed on the door is the Frostmaiden's holy symbol. Opening the door to this empty room causes everyone
The word carved above the door depends on which area in the nearest room marked G15 on the map to disap-
lies on the other side: pear. These creatures find themselves whisked away to
a Reghed camp in the frozen tundra of Icewind Dale.
Door to Area G16. Carved into the lintel above this door
When one or more of the characters are transported
is the word "Cruelty" in Common.
here, read:
Door to Area Gl 7. Part of the lintel has broken off, but
characters can still make out the word "Endurance"
carved into it in Common.
TESTS OF THE FROSTMAIDEN SCORECARD

TEST OF TEST OF TEST OF TEST OF
PARTY MEMBER
CRUELTY ENDURANCE ISOLAT ION PRESERVATION

208
Your surroundings vanish in a flurry of snow and ice. Your surroundings vanish in a flurry of snow and ice.
When your vision clears, you find yourself standing at the When your vision clears, you find yourself in a raging
edge of a camp, its tents holding fast against a raging snowstorm, standing at the edge of a Reghed tribe's
blizzard. camp in the process of being dismantled. The nomads
work feverishly to tear down their tents and pack them
The blizzard rages for the duration of the test and is onto dogsleds. A few of them spot you and brandish their
inescapable. weapons. A tall figure standing among them calls out,
This camp is home to the King of the Bear Tribe, "We shall not lie down and die for your pleasure, emis-
Gunvald Halraggson (see appendix C). If Gunvald died saries of Auril! Begone, vultures!"
earlier in the adventure, replace him with another Bear
Tribe chieftain named Svilbrekhild Forennal (a female
human gladiator in hide armor who speaks Common This camp is home to the King of the Elk Tribe,Jarund
and has Survival +5). See "Reghed Tribe Camp" (page Elkhardt (see appendix C). If Jarund died earlier in
152) for a map and a general description of the camp- the adventure, replace him with Hengar Aesnvaard,
site. There are no sled dogs at this camp. a Common-speaking gladiator with Survival +5. See
The characters are not dreaming; the Frostmaiden's "Reghed Tribe Camp" (page 152) for a map and a gen-
magic has teleported them from Grimskalle to this eral description of the campsite.
camp. Each party member has a tiny, glowing, snow- The characters are not dreaming; the Frostmaiden's
flake floating a few inches above them-the symbol of magic has teleported them from Grimskalle to this
the Frostmaiden, which most Reghed nomads recognize camp. Each party member has a tiny, glowing snowflake
and fear. Members of the Bear Tribe won't attack any- floating a few inches above them- the symbol of the
one bearing this symbol except in self-defense. Frostmaiden, which most Reghed nomads recognize
The Test Begins. The camp has run out of food, and and fear. Members of the Elk Tribe won't attack anyone
the tribe's hunters have failed to return because of the bearing this symbol except in self-defense.
unyielding blizzard. The nomads have already eaten The Test Begins. The figure calling out to the charac-
their sled dogs. Now, Gunvald has decided that desper- ters is KingJarund, who has ordered that the camp be
ate times require desperate measures. He plans to kill torn down so that the nomads can stay close to the rein-
four of the tribe's eldest members and cook them to feed deer herd they've been following. The herd is migrating
the rest of the camp. His evil shaman has convinced him eastward, and where go the reindeer, so goes the Elk
to take this drastic course of action. Tribe. If the characters assure Jarund that they mean no
Once the characters' presence becomes known, they harm, he gives them a choice: help or leave. Either way,
are brought before King Gunvald. He treats them with he doesn't want to provoke Auril's wrath.
respect and caution, as befits emissaries of the Frost- The party members don't need to help the nomads
maiden. He has the four elders lined up outside his tent tear down the camp or set up a new one, but they must
and entreats the characters to kill them or leave the accompany the nomads on their journey and endure
camp at once. the same hardship. The trip is a grueling march across
To pass the Test of Cruelty, a character must perform the tundra with the wind against them the whole time.
a cruel act, such as slaying the defenseless elders as There's no chance of a party member becoming lost
King Gunvald commands. The characters can also pass in this blizzard, which has an unusual property: magic
the test by walking away from the camp and leaving the does not function within it, as though the area encom-
starving nomads at the mercy of their mad king- a cruel passed by the blizzard is within an antimagic field (as
act in the eyes of the Frostmaiden. If the characters defy described in the antimagic field spell description in the
King Gunvald, he kills the defenseless elders himself. Player's Handbook).
Characters can fail the test by not engaging in acts of The march lasts 14 hours. Party members can
cruelty, such as by refusing to kill the elders, defending weather the first 8 hours. At the end of every hour after
them , or doing nothing whatsoever. that, each must make a Constitution saving throw. The
The Test Ends. After 1 hour, everyone with a symbol DC is 10 plus 1 for each additional hour that passes (DC
of Auril hovering above their head is teleported back 11 at the end of the ninth hour, DC 12 at the end of the
to Grimskalle, appearing in the room marked G16 tenth hour, and so on). On a failed saving throw, a char-
on the map. acter gains one level of exhaustion. Any party member
who completes the journey with four or fewer levels of
Gl7. TEST OF ENDURANCE exhaustion passes the Test of Endurance.
Opening the door to this empty room causes everyone At the end of the forced march, KingJarund orders the
in the nearest room marked G15 on the map to disap- tribe to pitch tents and start campfires.
pear. These creatures find themselves whisked away to The Test Ends. Once the Elk Tribe camp is set up
a Reghed camp in the frozen tundra of Icewind Dale. in its new location, everyone with a glowing symbol
When one or more of the characters are transported of Auril hovering above their head is teleported back
here, read: to Grimskalle, appearing in the room marked G17
on the map.
C HAPTER 5 I AVRIL'S ABODE

209
Gl8. TEST OF ISOLATION after overwhelming and routing the enemy, Bjornhild
Opening the door to this empty room causes everyone decides to take over their camp and wait for Elk hunting
in the nearest room marked GlS on the map to disap- parties to return so she can slaughter them and take
pear. These creatures find themselves whisked away to their food as well. As a result, the characters are alone
a Reghed camp in the frozen tundra of Icewind Dale. at Bjornhild's camp for six days and nights.
When one or more of the characters are transported Allow the players to describe what their characters do
here, read: during this period of time. After every 24 hours spent
guarding the camp and ensuring their own survival,
all party members in the camp must make a Wisdom
Your surroundings vanish in a flurry of snow and ice. (Survival) group check. The DC of the group check is
When your vision clears, you find yourself standing at 10 + 2 for each day after the first. Each time the group
the edge of a camp under a clear sky. All the warriors in check fails, the party member who rolled the lowest
camp appear to be sharpening their weapons. goes missing.
When you explain what has just happened, tell the
player of the missing character that they have been
This camp is home to the Queen of the Tiger Tribe, transported elsewhere and have no awareness of their
Bjornhild Solvigsdottir (see appendix C). If Bjornhild surroundings. Tell the other players that none of the re-
died earlier in the adventure, replace her with another maining party members have any idea where the miss-
Tiger Tribe chieftain named Valtus D'karna (a male ing party member went, and their memories of the past
human gladiator in hide armor who speaks Com- 24 hours are cloudy at best. Even if the party members
mon and has Survival +5). See "Reghed Tribe Camp" take precautions on later days to avoid being separated,
(page 152) for a map and a general description of such as tying themselves together with rope, they dis-
the campsite. cover that (if their group check fails) another one of their
The characters are not dreaming; the Frostmaiden's number goes absent. The disappearances continue until
magic has teleported them from Grimskalle to this the Tiger nomads come back or until there is only one
camp. Each party member has a tiny, glowing snowflake character left in the camp.
floating a few inches above them- the symbol of the After six days and nights, Bjornhild and the surviving
Frostmaiden, which most Reghed nomads recognize members of her camp return with several haunches of
and fear. Members of the Tiger Tribe won't attack any- reindeer meat loaded on dogsleds. Accompanying them
one bearing this symbol except in self-defense. are all the party members who went missing from the
The Test Begins. If the characters enter the camp, Ti- camp; the Tiger nomads found them, one by one, wan-
ger Tribe warriors escort them to Queen Bjornhild, who dering in a daze. Each of these party members must
is using a stone to sharpen the edges of her greataxe succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or return to
while her saber-toothed tiger, Grava, keeps a steady camp with a form of indefinite madness determined by
eye on the new arrivals. Bjornhild's reaction to the char- rolling on the Indefinite Madness table in the Dungeon
acters is one of exultation, which is not surprising given Master's Guide.
her devotion to the Frostmaiden: All party members who vanished from the camp
during the Tiger nomads' absence pass the Test of Iso-
lation, as do party members who are still at the camp
I
"Auril has blessed us!" she shouts to every other warrior
when the nomads return. Characters fail the Test of Iso-
in earshot. "The Frostmaiden has sent emissaries to lation by dying or by preventing Bjornhild from launch-
watch our camp while we complete our mission!" ing her raid.
Slaad Host. If a character has the Slaad Host secret
(see appendix B) and hasn't already gotten rid of the
If the characters ask Bjornhild to elaborate, she tells slaad tadpole gestating inside them, having the tadpole
them that she's planning to attack a nearby Elk Tribe burst out of the character's chest at some point during
camp and steal their food. She's taking every member this test would be a surprising development.
of her camp with her, hoping that overwhelming num- The Test Ends. After the Tiger nomads return to
bers will make the unsuspecting Elk tribesfolk give up their camp triumphant, everyone with a glowing symbol
without a fight. She asks the characters to stay behind of Auril hovering above their head is teleported back
and watch over her camp until she returns. Bjornhild to Grimskalle, appearing in the room marked G18
expects to be back in a day or two, although fate has on the map.
other plans.
If one of the characters has the Reghed Heir secret Gl9. TEST OF PRESERVATION
(see appendix B), now is a good time to deal with that. It Opening the door to this empty room causes everyone in
could certainly complicate matters, depending on how the rooms marked G15 on the map to disappear. These
the character chooses to interact with Bjornhild. creatures find themselves whisked away to a Reghed
The obvious course of action the characters can take camp in the frozen tundra of Icewind Dale. When one or
is to wait until Bjornhild returns from her raid. As it more of the characters are transported here, read:
turns out, the raid is more successful than anticipated;

2IO
Your surroundings vanish in a flurry of snow and ice.
When your vision clears, you find yourself at the edge of a
camp under clear skies. All the fires in the camp are out,
and the only sound you hear is the flapping of the tents
as the wind hits them.
Closer examination reveals dozens of corpses
half-buried in snowdrifts. It becomes clear that a massa-
cre took place here recently. You hear the squawking of
buzzards coming from the middle of the camp and see a
half dozen vultures picking at two bodies outside one of
the larger tents.
This camp was home to the chieftain of a clan who

stood in the way of Isarr Kronenstrom's rise to becom-
ing king of the Wolf Tribe. See "Reghed Tribe Camp"
(page 152) for a map and a general description of the
campsite. There are no dogs or dogsleds at this camp,
since they were stolen by the camp's attackers.
The characters are not dreaming; the Frostmaiden's
magic has teleported them from Grimskalle to this
camp. Each party member has a tiny, glowing snowflake
floating a few inches above them- the symbol of the
Frostmaiden.
The Test Begins. All but one of the Reghed nomads
in the camp have been killed by Wolf Tribe members
AER1x V o~oTOTH
loyal to Isarr Kronenstrom. The sole survivor is the
nine-year-old son of the clan's chieftain, a noncomba-
tant named Aerix Vokototh who stayed alive by hiding
in the snow. Aerix has AC 10 and 3 hit points. He was
born on the Midwinter holiday and as such is blessed by
Auril with resistance to cold damage. He wears only a
light woolen poncho, as extremely cold weather doesn't
bother him. When the characters arrive, Aerix is cower- for last. By this time, if the characters haven't already
ing in the chieftain's tent while six giant vultures feast engaged him, Isarr knows they're around and is looking
on the corpses of his mother (the chieftain) and father forward to killing them as well and leaving their corpses
(the camp's shaman). If the characters kill two or more as tribute to Malar the Beast Lord. If the characters at-
vultures, the others take to the sky and circle above the tack Isarr, any giant vultures circling overhead join the
camp for the remainder of the test. fight as Isarr's allies.
After dealing with the vultures, the characters hear To pass the Test of Preservation, the party members
low sobs coming from one of the big tents and find Aerix must keep Aerix alive so that his family's bloodline is
inside. The boy is in a terrible state of shock and refuses preserved. Killing Isarr before he kills Aerix is the only
to speak, although a calm emotions spell or similar way to accomplish this goal. If the characters try to
magic enables him to describe the massacre to which sneak Aerix out of the camp, Isarr follows their tracks
he bore witness. As Aerix begins to recount what hap- and pursues the boy relentlessly.
pened, Isarr Kronenstrom (see appendix C) appears The Test Ends. If Aerix dies, no one passes the test,
at the edge of the camp, having found out that the ma- and everyone with a glowing symbol of Auril hovering
rauders he sent to kill the camp's chieftain failed to find above their head is teleported back to Grimskalle, ap-
and kill her son as well. Isarr is determined to slay the pearing in the room marked G19 on the map.
child himself. If Aerix is saved, an awakened wolflopes toward him
Isarr circles the camp, letting out a terrible howl every in a nonthreatening manner. This wolf has an Intelli-
minute or two. Aerix urges the characters to hide from gence of 10 and speaks Common. It offers to bear Aerix
the Wolf King, lest he flay them to pieces. safely to another Wolf Tribe camp. Aerix is inclined to
If he is not confronted, Isarr starts searching the trust the wolf and accompany it. Whether the characters
camp's outer circle of tents, taking about 1 minute to surrender Aerix to the wolf or not is up to them, but once
examine each one. In the course of this task, Isarr might their decision is made, everyone with a glowing symbol
stumble upon tracks left by the characters but continues of Auril hovering above their head is teleported back to
his search of the outer tents, then does the same thing Grimskalle, appearing in the room marked G19 on the
with the inner ring of tents, saving the chieftain's tent map. Aerix and the wolf are left behind.
CHAPTER 5 I AVRIL'S ABODE

211
G20. ENTRANCE TO THE VAULT G21. HALL OF THE FOUR WINDS
The passage leads to an anvil-shaped room with a door Arranged about this room are three tablets of ice, each
set into the far wall. Flanking the door are bas-reliefs ten feet tall, seven feet wide, and one foot thick. They sit
of two male frost giants that have been defaced, their upright in stands that are also carved from ice. Script has
features chipped away. Newer carvings above the door been chiseled into the surface of each tablet. Another
depict the glowering heads of an owl, a wolf, and a goat. door stands in the middle of the far wall.
The heads carved above the door represent Auril's first The inscriptions on the four ice tablets, in Common,
form (see appendix C). If anyone enters the room, add: spell out the tenets of Auril's faith:
Cruelty. "Compassion makes you vulnerable. Let cru-
A disembodied voice says, "This way is shut to all but elty be the knife that keeps your enemies at bay."
Endurance. "Exist as long as you can, by whatever
those who pass the tests of cruelty, endurance, isolation,
means you can. Only by enduring can you outlast your
and preservation ."
enemies."
Isolation. "In solitude you can understand and har-
Whenever one or more characters enter this area, use ness your full potential. Depending on others makes
the Tests of the Frostmaiden scorecard on page 208 you weak."
to help you remember who among them passed the Preservation. "Every flake of snow is unique, and that
Frostmaiden's tests (areas G16 through G19). The door which is unique must be preserved."
to area G21 swings open on its own if each of the four Each tablet is a Large object with AC 13, 25 hit points,
tests was passed by at least one individual in the room. and immunity to cold, poison, and psychic damage. With
For example, an individual that passed all four tests a successful DC 15 Strength check, a character can
can open the door by entering the room, as can four knock a tablet off its stand, causing it to shatter on the
individuals that each passed a different test. The door is floor. Reducing a tablet to O hit points also shatters it.
otherwise unopenable, indestructible, and impassable. Shattering a tablet releases a hostile spirit of elemental
Any spell cast with the intent of bypassing the door fails air (use the invisible stalker stat block) bound inside
and is wasted. it. This spirit tries to kill whoever released it. The spirit
Worshipers ofAuril. If the characters failed enough disappears if it succeeds or if it's reduced to O hit points.
of the Frostmaiden's tests to make it impossible for
them to open the door, all hope of breaching the vault G22. CHAMBER OF THE CODICIL
is not lost. You can have fate smile upon them with the
arrival of three frost druids (see appendix C) who have
This chamber has a domed ceiling engraved with a giant
visited the island previously and have already passed
their own variations of the Frostmaiden's tests. These snowflake. Two caryatids depicting a towering woman
druids have the darkvision spell prepared instead of stand on either side of a door in the south wall. In the
animal messenger. They flew to Grimskalle in owl form middle of the room is a five-foot-tall, claw-shaped lectern
and entered the fortress in human form, using their with a white-covered book resting on it.
darkvision spells to see in the dark. The druids' names
are Faash, Gildreban, and Siovakis.
The druids have returned to the island because they The caryatids flanking the south doorway depict Auril
intend to read The Codicil of White (see area G22) and in her second form (see appendix C). Both are harmless
draw inspiration from it. If one or more of them are al- carvings but noticeably cold to the touch.
lowed into area G20, the door to area G21 swings open Treasure. The book on the lectern is The Codicil
on its own. If the druids reach area G22 and are aware of White (see appendix D). No wards or creatures are
of the characters' presence, the druids seize The Codicil guarding it. If she's still with the party, Vellynne Harpell
of White and try to escape with it, to keep it from falling is eager to claim the book, if only to add the frost fingers
into the hands of Auril's enemies. spell (see appendix D) to her spellbook. If it's present in
In combat, the druids like to pelt enemies with ice a host body, Nass Lantomir's ghost is laid to rest as soon
storm spells or use their conjure animals spells to sum- as its host picks up or grasps the book.
mon polar bears (one bear per casting of the spell). The A character who spends at least 10 minutes poring
polar bears act on their own initiative count and fight over The Codicil of White learns that the poem in its
alongside their summoners. pages, "Rime of the Frostmaiden" (see appendix E), is
an incantation that can be used to unlock Auril's secrets,
including ones buried deep under the glacial ice. This,
Vellynne says, is exactly what the characters need to
reach the lost city of Ythryn under the Reghed Glacier.
Once the characters have the poem or a transcription of
it, they don't need the rest of the book.
C HAPTER 5 I A VRI L'S A BOD E

2 T2
·•
I
G23. AURIL'S BLESSING
WRAPPING UP
The following sections describe what is sure to happen
I Beyond the door is a small room filled with mist. Chunks

of broken ice cover the floor.
Characters who examine the broken ice on the floor

if the characters defeat Auril.
FALL OF GRIMSKALLE
When her final form is reduced to O hit points, Auril
emits a death-howl that causes the two uppermost floors
can see that they are fragments of three lifelike human
of Grimskalle (the battlement level and the palace level,
ice sculptures-the remains of unworthy devotees who
as shown on map 5.2) to crack and begin to collapse.
failed to receive Auril's blessing (see below).
Creatures have 1 minute to escape these levels of the
Auril's Blessing. If she's alive, Auril becomes aware
fortress before they are crushed to death by icy rubble.
of any creature that enters this room. If a character
Grimskalle's entry level (areas Gl through G6) and dun-
who has the Midwinter Child secret (see appendix B)
geon level (areas GlO through G23) remain intact and
or a character who passed all four of Auril's tests en-
accessible after the collapse.
ters the room, the Frostmaiden contacts the character
telepathically and asks, "Will you court death to receive ENDING THE EVERLASTING RIME
my blessing?" She makes this offer to a character once
only. A character who agrees to receive Auril's blessing Destroying all three of Auril's forms or slaying the roe
must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw. On allows the sun to once more climb above the mountains.
a failed save, the character is petrified, becoming an ice It takes a while for Icewind Dale to return to its natural
statue instead of a stone one. On a successful save, the climate, but life becomes a bit easier as the frigid tem-
character gains the blessing of the Frostmaiden, which peratures rise to a bearable cold.
Auril can rescind at any time while she's alive. This If she survives but her roe is killed, Auril broods in
blessing otherwise adheres to the rules for blessings as her fortress, unaccustomed to being thwarted by mor-
described in the Dungeon Master's Guide: tals. Since she is ageless and time is on her side, she
sets about finding another roe that she can raise from
Blessing of the Frostmaiden. Your eyes become as cold as ice.
a hatchling to serve her. Years, decades, or centuries
You gain immunity to cold damage. In addition, you can cast
might pass before she's ready to cast her spell over Ice-
the cone of cold spell (save DC 15) once. You regain the ability
wind Dale again.
to cast this spell when you finish a long rest.

213
CAVES OF HUNGER
QUIPPED WITH THE "RIME OF THE FROST- RANDOM ENCOUNTERS

maiden," the characters can begin their
search for the lost Netherese city buried deep You can use the "Wilderness Encounters" section in
in the Reghed Glacier. Ideally, the characters chapter 2 to make the characters' journey to the Reghed
should be at least 8th level when they embark Glacier more challenging, to level up the characters, or
on this journey. Lower-level characters can survive the both. If the characters are 8th level already, it's probably
Caves of Hunger if they're cautious and rest often to re- best to skip over the random encounters and proceed
gain their spent hit points and magic. with the "Elk and Tiger" section below.
The characters must use the "Rime of the Frost-
maiden" to open a crack in the glacial wall at a place ELK AND TIGER
where a waterfall once tumbled down the glacier. The With grand events having been set in motion, those
newly formed passage leads to the Caves of Hunger, a sensitive to prophecy have begun to experience dreams
dungeon that was sealed off by the Frostmaiden long and visions. One such person is Mjenir, a fifty-year-old
ago- a network of sepulchral ice caves haunted by rav- shaman of the Reghed Elk Tribe, who received a vision
enous beings. These chambers must be successfully about the characters' journey to the Reghed Glacier.
navigated to reach the Netherese city of Ythryn.
ELK TRIBE ESCORT
Several hours before the party reaches the glacier, read:
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER
This chapter focuses on the characters' exploration
I
of the ice caves. There's a good chance that Vellynne As you crest another ridge, you spot a dozen humanoids
Harpell is present as well, serving as an NPC guide. If approaching, their cloaks flapping in the wind sweeping
she died earlier in the adventure, the characters can use down from the eastern glacier.
Professor Skant as a substitute guide, assuming they
retrieved Vellynne's professor orb from Auril's island in
chapter 5. If neither Vellynne nor Professor Skant are The approaching figures are ten tribal warriors of the
around, you can furnish another NPC with the informa- Elk Tribe, led by Mjenir (neutral human druid with
tion needed to reach the Caves of Hunger. Likely candi- Survival +4) and Hengar Aesnvaard (neutral good
dates include Hengar Aesnvaard (see "Elk Tribe Escort" human gladiator with Survival +5). Mjenir waves at
below) and Dzaan's simulacrum (see appendix C). the characters to signal his peaceful intentions. If they
are willing to speak, he directs them to a rocky alcove
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT where both parties can enjoy a reprieve from the wind.
The characters should gain a level when they reach area Mjenir proceeds to explain his vision and warns of
H39 for the first time, regardless of the route by which grave danger ahead:
they get there. Thus, if they were 8th level at the start of
this chapter, they will be 9th level when they enter Yth- "Tigers with ice in their veins come to spill your blood
ryn for the first time.
upon the snow. They will do everything in their power
to keep you from finding what the Frostmaiden has pre-
RACE TO THE GLACIER served under the ice."
If Vellynne Harpell survived the perils of Auril's island
and returned to Icewind Dale with the characters, she
urges them to accompany her to the glacier without Mjenir and his fellow Elk tribesfolk volunteer to escort
delay, lest one of her rivals in the Arcane Brotherhood the party to the foot of the Reghed Glacier. If the charac-
catch up to them. Vellynne can be persuaded to delay ters refuse that offer, the Elk tribesfolk return whence
the journey, but with each pas ing day, she becomes they came. Mjenir wishes them well and says, "The fate
more agitated. of the dale rests upon your shoulders."
CHAPTER 6 I C AVES OF HUNGER

215
TIGER TRIBE AMBUSH
OPENING THE WAY
When the characters reach the glacial wall, read:
When the characters reach the wall of the Reghed Gla-
cier at the spot specified by Vellynne Harpell or Profes-
The Reghed Glacier rises hundreds offeet into the sky. sor Skant, read:
The foot of the glacier is still a half-mile away.
Suddenly, nearly two dozen figures burst out of the An immense, glistening wall of blue ice stands before
snow sixty feet away from you. They are spaced roughly you. It seems impenetrable, but then you notice that a
ten feet apart and begin advancing in a line. lighter-colored stripe nearly bisects the wall at one point.
This must be the frozen waterfall Vellynne spoke of!
Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception)
score of 15 or higher are not surprised by the ambush,
Vellynne or Professor Skant urges one of the characters
nor are members of the Elk Tribe who are traveling with
to read aloud the "Rime of the Frostmaiden" (see appen-
the party.
dix E). Reading the poem aloud while standing before
Ambushers. Mjenir was not the only one who fore-
the glacier has the following effect:
saw the characters' path. The queen of the Tiger Tribe,
Bjornhild Solvigsdottir (see appendix C), has also
been stirred to action. Bjornhild worships Auril and As the last words of the poem are spoken, a rumbling
is furious that the party has decided to meddle in the sound comes from deep within the glacier. The noise
Frostmaiden's affairs. If Bjornhild died earlier in the ad- reaches a crescendo as the great wall of ice parts.
venture, replace her with a frost druid (see appendix C)
Through the crack, you can see an opening that leads
namedAjka.
If Bjornhild leads the ambush, she is joined by her pet inside the glacier.
saber-toothed tiger, Grava. If Ajka leads the ambush,
give her a woolly rhinoceros companion. Twenty tribal
Once the way is open, the party is free to descend into
warriors make up the rest of the ambushing force.
the newly formed tunnel (area Hl).
Before closing to melee range, they hurl spears at the
characters.
Elk Tribe Reaction. If the characters allowed Mje- INTO THE
nir, Hengar, and the other Elk tribesfolk to accompany
them, the two leaders are confident in their ability to
CAVES OF HUNGER
fight off the attackers while the characters race toward When the floating city of Ythryn plummeted from the
the glacier. If the characters let the Elk Tribe members sky into the Reghed Glacier centuries ago, the impact
fend off the Tigers, the outcome of the battle depends on of the collision (and the resulting heat) drove the city
whether Bjornhild leads the ambush: deeper into its heart until, finally, it came to rest. Auril
then buried the city under the ice to preserve it, claim-
• If Bjornhild leads the ambush, both she and Grava ing it as her own.
survive, as does Hengar. All three are reduced to The Caves of Hunger is a sprawling dungeon complex
half their hit points (rounded down). Everyone else is hollowed out of the Reghed Glacier. Some of its caves
slain. Bjornhild takes Hengar prisoner and interprets and tunnels formed naturally, some formed as a by-
the characters' escape as a sign that Auril intends product of Ythryn's fall, and still others are the work of
to slay them herself; consequently, Bjornhild doesn't creatures such as remorhazes that can dig or melt their
pursue them. way through solid ice. The fact that the entire complex is
• If Ajka leads the ambush, she and Hengar are the sole made of ice contributes to its alien atmosphere. The air
survivors with half their hit points remaining. After a is often stale, sound behaves strangely, and the tension
brief standoff, Ajka polymorphs into a snowy owl and of moving ever downward wears on the sanity of even
flees, leaving the wounded Hengar alone. the boldest adventurers.
Characters who refuse to let the Elk Tribe fight this
battle without them are attacked by Bjornhild and her GENERAL FEATURES
saber-toothed tiger (or Ajka and her rhinoceros) while The following features are common throughout the
Hengar and his fellow Elk Tribe warriors clash with the Caves of Hunger:
rest of the attacking force. You can forgo making attack
rolls for the tribal warriors; assume that they all act on Ceilings. Most cavern ceilings are 30 feet high and
the same initiative count and that one warrior from each made of smooth ice. Tunnel ceilings range from 10 to
tribe dies each round on that tribe's turn. Hengar kills 15 feet high unless otherwise noted.
an additional Tiger Tribe warrior on each of his turns. Darkness. All areas are cast in complete darkness un-
Mjenir stays out of melee and uses his produce flame less otherwise noted.
cantrip to hurl fire at enemies. Echoes. Sound travels quickly here. All Wisdom (Per-
ception) checks to hear sounds in these caves have
advantage.
CHAPTER 6 I CAVES OF HUNGER

2r6
Ice Slides. As remorhazes burrow through ice, the heat TEKELi-LI
radiating from their bodies smooths out the sides of
the tunnels behind them to a glass-like finish. Many Of all the creatures that claim the Caves of Hunger as
of these passages are severely sloped, creating ice their lair, perhaps the most fearsome is Tekeli-li, a gnoll
slides. Descending an ice slide is easy; climbing one vampire (see appendix C).
is another matter. A character needs crampons or When they cracked open the Reghed Glacier, the
other climbing gear to ascend one of these slippery characters unsealed the glacial prison holding Tekeli-li.
passages. After decades of captivity and starvation, the vampire
is once again free to leave the caves and haunt lcewind
PROFESSOR SKANT Dale. First, however, it plans to feed. The vampire is the
If the characters have Professor Skant with them, the only wandering monster that the characters encounter
professor orb can provide educational commentary on in the Caves of Hunger, and they are likely to encounter
certain features found in the Caves of Hunger, as noted it more than once as they descend deeper into the caves.
in the text, provided the orb is in a position where it can Vellynne Harpell's professor orb, Professor Skant, is
view its surroundings. an expert on vampires and vampirism. Once it becomes
aware of Tekeli-li, the professor orb shares the vampire's
PSYCHIC HAUNTINGS known weaknesses with the characters.
The Caves of Hunger have a way of capturing and hold- The party should meet Tekeli-li several times. The
ing on to psychic trauma. In certain locations, the text vampire's strategy is to drain the party's resources, then
will ask you to check for a psychic haunting, in which retreat and recover before attacking again. If Tekeli-li
case roll a d20 and consult the Psychic Haunting table ever takes more than 20 damage during an encounter,
to determine if the area contains a haunting. If one is the vampire turns to mist and withdraws to a safe loca-
present, its image or its effect can't leave the cave in tion in the dungeon. Even when the vampire is not im-
which it's encountered. mediately present, its cackling laughter echoes through
the caves sporadically.
PSYCHIC HAUNTINGS You can stage an encounter with Tekeli-li anywhere
dl2 Haunting you like. If you're not sure where it might be or how it
should behave, roll a d6 and consult the Tekeli-li's Lo-
A man wanders around in the cavern. His fingers
cation table. The table determines where the vampire is
are black with frostbite, and his mouth is agape in a
first encountered. If the vampire withdraws, roll again
silent scream. Although he appears real, the man is on the table to determine where it goes (roll again if the
no more substantial than a phantom and does not result indicates no change in its location).
respond to any interaction . If the characters have not encountered the vampire by
2 One party member (determined randomly) hears a the time they reach area H36, it attacks them there.
stream of whispers. The character can't make out
what's being said but can hear their name men- TEKELl·Ll'S LOCATION
tioned now and then. The whispers can't be tracked d6 Location
to a source. Area H6. As the characters make their way through
3 Each party member sees their companions' flesh area HS or H7, Tekeli-li exits the ruined tower in
wither as black worms crawl out of their ears, mist form, assumes its Large hyena form, and
noses, and mouths. The effect is illusory, harmless, attacks.
and fleeting. 2 Area Hl2. Tekeli-li waits for the encounter with the
4 One party member (determined randomly) hears shadows in area Hll to conclude before attacking
footsteps behind them when they move. When they the party in its Large hyena form .
stand still , the party member can feel hot breath 3 Area Hl9. Tekeli-li waits for the characters in its
against the back of their neck. The effect is illusory lair and emerges from the northernmost cave in its
and harmless. gnoll form when they enter.
5 Each party member detects a familiar scent in this 4 Area H23. Tekeli-li is in mist form, hiding inside
cavern that reminds them of some tragic or fear- the steam rising from the pool. If the remorhazes
ful event in their past. The scent does not have a in the pool attack the party, Tekeli -li joins the fight
source. on the second round of combat after assuming its
6 One party member (determined randomly) sees a gnoll form.
dark, hulking shape moving through the wall, ceil- 5 Area H32. Tekeli-li lurks here in its gnoll form and
ing, or floor, as though it were swimming through attacks the characters as soon as they enter. Its
the ice. The effect is illusory, harmless , and fleeting. keen smell cancels out the sight-based disadvan-
7-12 No haunting. tage imposed by this location.
6 Area H36. Tekeli-li lurks among the trees in its
Large hyena form . The dryad refuses to emerge
from her tree while the vampire is in her grove.
C H APTER 6 I CAVE S OF H U N G ER
2r7
CAVES OF HUNGER LOCATIONS H4. KOBOLD VAMPIRE SPAWN
Characters coming from area H2 must descend a natu-
rally formed staircase of ice to reach this cave.
Hl. INTO THE GLACIER
The light blue area shown on map 6.1 indicates the sec- Frost-covered blocks of stone jut from the floor of this
tion of glacial wall that parts when the characters use
ten-foot-high cave of ice. Perched atop the largest stone
the "Rime of the Frostmaiden" to cut a path to the dun-
geon. Reading the poem creates an opening in the ice is an emaciated kobold with glowing red eyes. It bares
wall that's 100 feet high, 30 feet wide, and 20 feet deep. elongated fangs as it hisses at you, then scampers away.
A tunnel at the back of this opening contains uneven,
naturally formed steps that descend to area H2.
The creature is a kobold vampire spawn (see appendix
If any of the Elk tribesfolk are present at this point,
C) created by Tekeli-li. Professor Skant recognizes the
they volunteer to guard this entrance until the char-
creature as a vampire and knows its weaknesses. The
acters return or until hunger forces them to abandon
undead kobold hungers for fresh blood but knows better
their post.
than to attack a superior force. It tries to rejoin its kin
I
H2. CRASHED SKYCOACH in area H17.
H5. ICICLE DROP
I You come to a thirty-foot-high cavern. In its center, the

remains of a wooden ship hull rest on the floor.
If Professor Skant is allowed to view the wreckage, the

Sparkling icicles as long as longswords cling to the forty-
foot-high roof of this cavern, the floor of which is strewn
with frost-covered blocks of stone and a toppled pillar.
I
professor orb offers the following commentary: Embedded in the east wall is a glittering stone tower that
appears to have crashed through the ceiling long ago.
I "Ah , a Netherese skycoach! I've always wanted to ride on

one of those. Pity it's no longer in one piece."
The ship is all that remains of a Netherese skycoach,

The exposed wall is cracked and has a few small holes in
it but is otherwise intact.
If Professor Skant is allowed to view the tower, the pro-

an airship that was used to ferry people to and from the fessor orb offers the following commentary:
floating city of Ythryn. Any loud disturbances in this
cave cause the four ftameskulls in area H3 to cackle
"That tower appears to be of Netherese construction.
madly as they make their way to this cavern. The flame-
skulls are the animated, fire-wreathed skulls of Neth- Were it not for the cracks and holes, the stone would be
erese wizards transformed into guardians by the will of smooth as glass, shaped by wizardly magic!"
the Frostmaiden.
The tunnel that leads to area HS has a slippery,
20-foot-tall drop-off that characters can descend safely Seven ice mephits created by Auril cling to the ceiling,
with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. On their wings wrapped tightly around their bodies so that
a failed check, a character slips and lands prone, taking they are easily mistaken for icicles. Characters who have
damage from the fall as normal. passive Wisdom (Perception) scores of 13 or higher can
Treasure. Characters who search the wreckage find distinguish the mephits from the scores of real icicles
the headless skeletons of four dead Netherese wizards that festoon the ceiling.
and a 200-pound iron safe with a combination lock that The ice mephits are tasked with guarding the cave but
has numbers from Oto 50 written in the Draconic script. do not enter melee combat willingly. An ice mephit's pre-
A character using thieves' tools can spend 1 minute ferred tactic is to use its action to fly next to an icicle and
trying to open the safe, doing so with a successful DC break it off, causing it to fall on an enemy below. Any
20 Dexterity check. The safe contains a bag of holding, creature standing under a falling icicle must succeed on
inside which are four amethysts (100 gp each) and a ring a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) piercing
of the ram made of chardalyn (see the "Chardalyn" side- damage from it.
bar on page 6). The ring's unusual composition has Tekeli-li. If Tekeli-li is hiding in area H6 , the gnoll
no effect on its magical properties. vampire (see appendix C) attacks the party after the ice
mephits are dealt with, passing through the tower wall
H3 . FLAMESKULLS in mist form and assuming its Large hyena form. See
These two 15-foot-high caves and passageways are the "Tekeli-li" section earlier in this chapter for more
occupied by four ftameskulls- two in the caves west information.
of area H2 and two in the caves northeast of area H2.
They attack intruders on sight. The caves are other-
wise empty.
C HAPTER 6 I CAVE S OF H U N G ER
218
(AVES OF HUNGER
1 square = 5 feet
MAP 6 .,: CAvEs OF liuNGER
CHAPTER 6 j CAVES OF HUNGER

219
H6. RUINED TOWER H8. ARCANE EYE ACTIVATOR
Characters who peer through the cracks and holes in
the tower walls see the following:
A flat, slightly canted slab of stone rests in the center of
this twenty-foot-high cave. One side is rough, as if the
Little remains of this tower besides its outer shell. The
slab had been torn from a larger structure. The slab is
interior walls are decorated with shifting geometric
eight feet long, four feet wide, four feet high, and covered
patterns. A human skeleton in a white robe lies on the
with frost.
uneven floor.
Scraping off the frost on the slab reveals Draconic script

If Professor Skant is allowed to view the interior, the etched into its top, with an open eye carved above it.
professor orb offers the following commentary: Close examination reveals that the pupil of the eye is a
stone button that can be pressed. A detect magic spell
"Netherese spellcasters would come to towers like this
reveals an aura of divination magic around the slab.
If Professor Skant sees the script, the professor orb
one to regain their spent magic more quickly. Despite
informs the characters that the Netherese used the Dra-
the extensive damage, I would venture to guess that the conic script (see the "Loross: The Netherese Tongue"
tower still works!" sidebar). If the characters don't know Draconic, Profes-
I
sor Skant can translate the script for them. It reads:
A character who examines the shifting geometric pat-

terns can, with a successful DC 17 Intelligence (Arcana)
check, come to the same conclusion as Professor Skant.
The characters can punch a hole in the tower's
outer wall that's big enough for them to crawl or walk
through. Any character who takes a short rest in the
I "Take the free, self-guided tour ofYthryn. Press the eye to
cast the spell."
A character can use an action to press the eye, thereby

tower regains one spell slot of 3rd level or lower at the using the slab to cast the arcane eye spell. The spell
end of that rest. A character can't gain this benefit again lasts for 1 hour or until the character's concentration on
for 24 hours. the spell ends. The slab, which used to function when-
Treasure. The skeleton is the remains of a Netherese ever the button was pressed, is damaged. Once the spell
priest. It wears a silver holy symbol shaped like a four- is cast, the slab ceases to be magical.
pointed star (25 gp). A successful DC 15 Intelligence
H9. GOLEM HEAD
(History) check identifies it as a holy symbol of Mystryl
(see the "Mystryl" sidebar).
Lying on its side in the middle of this twenty-foot-high
H7. RUBBLE-STREWN CAVE
Aside from the tower embedded in the west wall (see cave is an enormous head made of iron, its eyes aglow
area 6) and the rubble around it, this 30-foot-high cav- with a golden light.
ern is empty. A naturally formed staircase to the south-
east descends to area HlO.
Iron golems were used as sentries throughout Ythryn.
Tekeli-li. If Tekeli-li is hiding in area H6, the gnoll
This head is all that remains of a golem that was decap-
vampire (see appendix C) passes through the tower
itated when the city crashed. It has been separated from
wall in mist form, assumes its Large hyena form, and at-
the city and its body ever since. The potent magic used
tacks the characters as they cross the cave or get within
in the golem's construction has kept the head functional.
10 feet of the tower. See the "Tekeli-li" section earlier in
The head can't attack or use its Poison Breath in this
this chapter for more information.
state, nor can it speak. It can communicate by blink-
ing the lights in its eyes-one blink for no, two blinks
MYSTRYL
for yes, three blinks for "I don't know." It understands
The history and fate of the god Mystryl are tied up in Elvish and Loross (see the "Loross: The Netherese
the story of Netheril's fall. Mystryl was the original god
Tongue" sidebar). If the characters know none of these
of magic. She is said to have created the Weave, which
languages, Professor Skant can communicate with the
enables spellcasting. A Netherese mage named Karsus
sought to steal Mystryl's godly power. To prevent certain golem in Loross on their behalf.
doom from befalling the material world, Mystryl sacrificed Here are examples of the questions the party might
herself to keep Karsus from achieving his goal. After her ask, and the golem's responses:
sacrifice, Mystryl was reincarnated as Mystra and is now • "Do you know where Ythryn is?" (No.)
worshiped across Faerun. For more information about
• "Were you damaged when the city fell?" (Yes.)
Netheril and its fall, see chapter 7.
"Is there danger ahead?" (I don't know.)
"Have other creatures passed through this cave re-
cently?" (Yes. The golem is referring to the kobold
vampire spawn that lair in the caves to the east.)

HlO. TOPPLED SPIRE Hll. DEN OF SHADOWS
This cave might contain a psychic haunting (see "Psy- Naturally formed stairs lead up to area H9 and down to
chic Hauntings," page 217). area HlS. A wide passage to the east leads to area H13,
with a branching tunnel to area Hl2.
Twelve shadows haunt this 30-foot-high cave. They
The top of a partially shatte red tower rests on its si de in swarm over members of the party but recoil from any
the mid dle of this thirty-foot- hig h cavern . Long icicles character who presents a holy symbol of Mystryl.
hang from the ceili ng above t he topp led spire. North of The shadows were born from those who survived
the tower is a fifteen -fo ot-diameter hole in the floor that Ythryn's crash, only to face starvation. Driven mad by
seems to be th e upper end of a tunnel. trauma and hunger, the group of survivors resorted
to cannibalism. These victims rose as shadows to
take vengeance upon the last surviving member of the
The hole in the floor is the mouth of a glass-smooth tun- group, and their hatred extends to other living crea-
nel created by the remorhaz in area H24. A creature that tures as well.
slides down this ice chute gains enough speed along the Tekeli-li. If Tekeli-li is hiding in area H12, the gnoll
way to propel itself into the heated pool at the bottom, vampire (see appendix C) attacks the characters in its
provoking the remorhaz that is submerged in it. The Large hyena form once the shadows are dealt with.
creature can avoid this fate if, upon reaching the end of
the slide, it makes a successful DC 15 Strength saving LOROSS: THE NETHERESE TONGUE
throw to stop itself from going into the pool. Loross, a language spoken by the Netherese, is a dead
Access to the toppled tower can be had through its tongue. Very few creatures in the world today would rec-
east side, which is open though surrounded by rubble. ognize it, much less speak it. Loross used the Draconic al-
Treasure. Tucked inside the attic's spire is a wooden phabet in its written form , while the spoken language had
chest with a sliding bolt latch held fast by frost. A char- many similarities with Elvish, due to the cultural influence
acter can melt away the ice on the latch using a torch or the elves had on Netherese civilization. A character who
other open flame. Most of the bottles inside the chest speaks Elvish can understand what a creature speaking
Loross is saying, and vice versa. A character who has the
were smashed in the fall, but two potions of healing (su-
Cloistered Schola r or Sage background, or a warlock who
perior) survived. knows the Eyes of the Ru ne Keeper invocation , can trans-
late written Loross without an ability check.

221
Hl2. CURSE OF HUNGER star (25 gp) around its neck. A successful DC 15 Intel-
ligence (History) check identifies it as a holy symbol of
Mystryl (see the "Mystryl" sidebar on page 220).
This twenty-foot-high cavern tapers to a dead end. A
dozen human skeletons sheathed in frost lie on the un- Hl3. ICICLE-FILLED CAVE
even floor, but their skulls appear to be missing.
This cavern has a ten-foot-high ceiling covered with ici-
The frozen skeletons are the remains of the Netherese cles that nearly touch the floor, forming thin stalactites.
cannibals whose shadows haunt area Hll. Characters Several of these icicles have been broken off, leaving
who scrape off the frost and examine the bones see paths that lead to the cave's four exits-narrow tunnels
teeth marks on them. The missing skulls were taken by to the east and south , and wider tunnels to the west and
kobold vampire spawn and placed in area H20.
northeast.
Terrible psychic trauma lingers in this cave, causing
any creature that enters it to feel intensely hungry, even High-pitched barking and yipping echoes throughout
after leaving the cave. Eating a handful of food keeps the cave, but you can't tell which direction the sounds
the creature's hunger at bay for 1 hour. If its hunger isn't come from.
satisfied within 1 minute, the creature must succeed on
a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of
exhaustion. The saving throw must be repeated every The icicles are more of a nuisance than an obstacle and
hour until the creature succeeds or dies, or until the ef- can be easily broken, although smashing them creates
fect is ended on that creature by magic that can remove enough noise to alert the creatures in area Hl 7.
a curse. A creature that doesn't require food automati- Because of the acoustics in the cave, the characters
cally succeeds on the saving throw. Once the effect ends must be within 5 feet of the east tunnel to discern that
on a creature, it becomes immune to the cave's psychic the barking and yipping is coming from that direction.
trauma. This immunity does not remove levels of ex- The east tunnel has a rough-hewn staircase leading
haustion gained from the creature's earlier failed saves. down to area H17. A similar staircase in the south tun-
Treasure. One skeleton at the back of the cave wears nel leads down to area H16.
a tarnished silver holy symbol shaped like a four-pointed

222
I
Hl4. ICE SCULPTURES Drakareth was a Netherese mage who survived the fall
ofYthryn, murdered his wounded rivals, and stole their
I
spellbooks and magic items. He had hoped to escape
Peering into this ten-foot-high cavern , you come face to with his newfound treasures but perished from exhaus-
face with an army of small, misshapen ice sculptures. tion and cold, rising as a wraith. The wraith seeks the
destruction of all who enter its chamber. If successfully
turned or reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, the wraith
Add the following if the characters haven't confronted retreats to the icy cyst that contains Drakareth's frozen
the kobold vampire spawn in area Hl7: remains, passing through the interposing walls of ice to
reach it. There, it fights to the bitter end.
An incessant yipping noise fills the cave, originating from The walls of ice that separate the smaller cysts from
the larger cave are thick enough to be opaque, but char-
a tunnel in the south wall that contains a rough-hewn
acters can break through them. Each 5-foot-square,
staircase leading down into darkness. 1-foot-thick section of wall has AC 13, 18 hit points, vul-
nerability to fire damage, and immunity to cold, poison,
Crammed into this cave are twenty 3-foot-tall ice sculp- and psychic damage.
tures that the kobold vampire spawn have made to star- Treasure. Beyond three walls of ice, in the northern-
tle and frighten intruders. Each statue is carved in the most cyst, is the frost-covered skeleton of Drakareth,
vague likeness of a kobold, which a character can dis- clad in a mantle of spell resistance and surrounded by
cern with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check. the rotted remains of six ancient, leather-bound spell-
Each ice sculpture is a Small object that weighs books that are no longer legible and a cracked crystal
roughly 40 pounds and has AC 13, 5 hit points, vulnera- ball that is no longer magical. Clutched in the dead
bility to bludgeoning and fire damage, and immunity to mage's hands is a staff of charming fashioned out of
cold, poison, and psychic damage. Smashing any of the chardalyn suffused with evil Netherese magic.
sculptures alerts the kobold vampire spawn in area Hl7. Anyone who attunes to Drakareth's staff gains the
following flaw, which supersedes any conflicting person-
Hl5. DRAKARETH ' S DOOM ality trait: "I like to give orders and expect to be obeyed."
This location consists of multiple areas: This flaw lasts until the attunement ends.
, An empty cave to the northeast has a 20-foot-high Hl6. ICE CAVE
domed ceiling, naturally formed stairs leading up to Although this cave is empty, it might contain a psychic
area Hll , and a narrow tunnel leading east toward haunting (see "Psychic Hauntings," page 217).
areas Hl6 and H22. This ice cave has a 25-foot-high, domed ceiling fes-
, A cave to the southwest has an uneven ceiling that tooned with icicles. A rough-hewn staircase leads up
ranges in height from 15 to 30 feet. A wraith named to area Hl4, and an opening in the middle of the south
Drakareth haunts this cave, northwest of which are wall breaches a tunnel connecting areas HlS and H22.
three cysts blocked off by thick walls of ice. The north- Slaad Host. If one of the characters has the Slaad
ernmost cyst contains Drakareth's earthly remains Host secret (see appendix B) and the slaad tadpole
and treasure (see "Treasure" below). hasn't been born or destroyed yet, it bursts from the
When one or more characters enter the wraith's character's chest in this cavern.
cave, read:
Hl7. DEN OF THE VAMPIRE SPAWN
I I
A deep sigh issues from the darkness. A voice steeped
The yips and barks abate as you descend the stairs lead-
in malevolence and hatred whispers to you in a language
ing to this cave in which hangs the faint whiff of death.
reminiscent of Elvish.
Five kobold vampire spawn (see appendix C) dwell

The wraith speaks Loross (see the "Loross: The
here. Add a sixth if the one from area H4 escaped and
Netherese Tongue" sidebar on page 221), which Pro-
made it all the way here. These creatures have sharp
fessor Skant can translate if necessary. Its words are
senses and know when living creatures are nearby.
as follows:
They use their Spider Climb trait to cling to the walls
and pounce on the first character to enter their lair. The
"Cursed be those who gaze upon the horror that vampires fight until two or more of their number are
Drakareth has become. Such promise wasted, lost in slain, whereupon the rest retreat to area H19 to make
their final stand. Professor Skant recognizes the crea-
this cold sepulcher! Where were you centuries years ago
ture as vampires and knows their weaknesses.
when he was in the prime of life? Where were you when Aside from the vampires, the cave is empty. The
the frigid darkness consumed him? You are no good 20-foot-high ceiling is festooned with icicles.
to Drakareth now! Nothing remains of him but frozen Stench ofDeath. A tunnel to the south contains a
bones, ancient treasures, and me." staircase that leads down to area Hl9. The stench of
death grows stronger as one descends these stairs.
C HAPTER 6 I CAVES OF HUNGER

223
Hl8. SNOW GoLEMS H21. FROZEN FROST GIANT
These areas have slippery, uneven floors. Scores of ici-
cles hang from the ceilings, which range in height from
Entombed in the icy floor of this twenty-foot-high cave is
15 to 30 feet.
Southern Cave. Naturally formed stairs descend to the frozen, well-preserved corpse of a frost giant. Scratch
the southernmost cave. Describe its contents as follows: marks in the ice suggest a half-hearted attempt to exca-
vate the remains.
This dead-end cave contains a half dozen mounds of

snow that rise up and assume vaguely bipedel forms. A frost giant named Vlagomir was walking across the
Wide smiles appear on their otherwise featureless heads. glacier when Ythryn fell to its doom. The giant was
crushed to death as the Netherese city plunged into a
deep crevasse and became buried under tons of ice.
These creatures are six snow golems (see appendix C). Characters can reach the giant's corpse by chipping
They are hostile toward all trespassers but don't pursue through 2 feet of ice. If they do so, they discover that the
intruders beyond the confines of the three caves that giant had nothing of value. The scratch marks in the ice
co~prise area H18. were made by kobold vampire spawn who sought to feed
on the corpse but quickly tired of digging through the
Hl9. DEN OF DEATH
solid ice.
I I
This thirty-foot-high cavern reeks of death. The floor is
H22. BOREHOLE
This cave might contain a psychic haunting (see "Psy-
slippery and slightly concave.
chic Hauntings," page 217).
If Tekeli-li is here, the gnoll vampire (see appendix This thirty-foot-high cave has exits to the north and
C) lurks in the northernmost side cave. When one or
south. Along the western side is a fifteen-foot-diame-
more intruders enter its den, Tekeli-li emerges from this
smaller cave in its gnoll form and attacks. See the "Te- ter hole in the floor that seems to be the upper end of
keli-li" section earlier in this chapter for more informa- a tunnel.
tion. Any kobold vampire spawn that retreated to this
cavern are hidden in the northeastern side cave. They
The ice slide descends to area H23.
gang up on whichever foe Tekeli-li chooses to attack.
Slippery Ice. The icy floor is difficult terrain. When a H23. REMORHAZ NEST
creature moves onto the ice for the first time on a turn,
it must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check
or fall prone. This bulbous cavern has walls as smooth as glass and a
Stench ofDeath. A naturally formed staircase in ceiling lined with dripping icicles. A wisp of steam rises
the southern wall leads down to areas H20 and H21. from a roughly circular pool in the northern half of the
The stench of death intensifies the closer one gets
cave. South of the pool is a shallow crater filled with over-
to area H20.
sized snowballs.
H20. ICE CRYPT
Two young remorhazes lurk at the bottom of the pool,

The deathly stench originates from this ten-foot-high which is 15 feet deep. Their tremorsense alerts them to
cave, where a dozen human skulls surround a pillar of the presence of intruders, and they attack immediately.
ice. A large cavity has been opened in the pillar, as if
The creatures' bodies heat the pool, causing it to give
off steam. The water is not hot enough to deal damage.
something had burst from inside it.
Without the body heat of a remorhaz to keep the water
warm, a pool's surface freezes over in 1 hour. After 24
This is the chamber where Tekeli-li lay dormant, en- hours, the pool is frozen solid.
cased in ice, until the characters opened the Caves of Tekeli-li. If Tekeli-li is here, the gnoll vampire (see ap-
Hunger with the "Rime of the Frostmaiden" and awak- pendix C) is in mist form, hiding in the steam. The char-
ened him. Kobold vampire spawn found the human acters can sense the vampire only if they have magic
skulls in area H12 and placed them at the base of the that can detect the presence of undead. As the young
pillar to show their devotion to Tekeli-li. remorhazes engage the characters in battle, Tekeli-li
A search of this cave yields nothing of value, as assumes its gnoll form and joins the fray, keeping its dis-
Tekeli-li has no interest in treasure. tance from the remorhazes. See the "Tekeli-li" section
earlier in this chapter for more information.
Eggs. The "snowballs" in the shallow crater are six
unhatched remorhaz eggs, each one frozen to or par-
tially embedded in the icy floor. Each egg is a Medium
CHAPT ER 6 I CAVES OF HUNGER

224
object with AC 13, 6 hit points, and resistance to cold H25. EMPTY SIDE CAVES
and fire damage. Reducing an egg to 0 hit points kills Although these caves are empty, one or both of them
the unborn remorhaz inside it. Left alone, the eggs won't might contain a psychic haunting (see "Psychic Haunt-
hatch until they are placed in a heated pool for a period ings," page 217).
of 4d6 days. Each cave has a ceiling that ranges in height from 10
Treasure. An undamaged remorhaz egg can be sold to 20 feet.
to an interested buyer in Bryn Shander for up to 500 gp.
H26. EGG-SHAPED CAVE
H24. REMORHAZ MOTHER This cave might contain a psychic haunting (see "Psy-
chic Hauntings," page 217).
This enormous cave has glassy walls and a smooth,
domed ceiling forty feet overhead. The cavern con- This chamber rises to a height of forty feet and is shaped
tains two large pools, both of which have steam rising like an egg. The floor is slightly concave and sinks toward
from them. a fifteen-foot-diameter hole in the floor that seems to be
the upper end of a tunnel.
Each pool is 15 feet deep. Submerged in the northern

pool is a full-grown remorhaz coiled around a cluster The ice slide descends to area H36.
of eight remorhaz eggs, which look like oversized snow-
balls from a distance (see area H23 for more informa- To THE UNDERDARK
tion about remorhaz eggs). A young remorhaz is sub- West of area H24, a remorhaz tunnel leads down to the
merged in the southern pool and eagerly joins any battle Underdark. The slide extends for a mile under the glacier
involving its mother. The remorhazes' tremorsense before breaching a stone cavern lit by bioluminescent
alerts them to the presence of intruders. moss growing on the walls. The bioluminescence is per-
The remorhazes' bodies heat the pools, causing steam sistent throughout the Underdark, and it's clear to char-
to rise from them. The water is not hot enough to deal acters who end up here that they are no longer on track to
damage. Without the body heat of a remorhaz to keep find Ythryn. Their only options are to return to the Caves
the water warm, a pool's surface freezes over in 1 hour. of Hunger or continue exploring the Underdark. The latter
After 24 hours, the pool is frozen solid. option is beyond the scope of this adventure.

225
H27. WEST OBSERVATION PLATFORM Yilsebek has no desire to share his recent discovery
with potential rivals, nor does he trust surface-dwellers.
For these reasons, characters can't persuade Yilsebek to
Clinging to the thirty-foot-high ceiling of this cavern is a join forces with them .
forest of icicles, some of which have grown to a length Treasure. The source of the room's heat is a thermal
of five feet or more. Embedded in the south wall is a cube (see appendix D) that Yilsebek found during his
cylindrical, domed building made of seamless black last foray into Ythryn.
Yilsebek carries a spider silk satchel that contains his
stone and decorated with faintly glowing constellations.
spellbook (described below), a spider-shaped brooch
Rime-covered statues of human wizards stand in front of made of obsidian and engraved with the symbol of
this building, gazing outward from atop three-foot-high House Dalambra (25 gp), and a half-empty bottle of
stone pedestals. The building and statues are raised by a Elverquisst (a rare, ruby-colored elven liquor distilled
five-foot-high, curved stone platform enclosed by a low from sunshine and rare summer fruits). Professor Skant
recognizes Elverquisst on sight, since he is an expert on
wall, with stone steps leading up to it.
the making of it. Elf characters would also recognize it.
Yilsebek's spellbook has black leather covers and
See area H28 for a description of the stone building's in- pages made from sheets of trillimac (an Underdark fun-
terior. The constellations on the building's outside wall gus). The book contains the following spells: alter self,
shed dim light out to a range of 15 feet- just far enough cloudkill, comprehend languages, detect magic, Evard's
to backlight the frost-covered statues that encircle it. black tentacles, fabricate, fly, greater invisibility, light-
Statues. Professor Skant can ascertain that the ning bolt, mage armor, magic missile, misty step, send-
statues were sculpted by magic and that, given their ing, shield, suggestion, web, and witch bolt.
costuming, they depict Netherese wizards. A character
can do the same with a successful DC 15 Intelligence H29. EAST OBSERVATION PLATFORM
(History) check. If the characters aren't already familiar with the struc-
Hiding behind the two westernmost statues are two tures described in areas H27 and H28, use the follow-
male drow elite warriors named Meldirn and Tlaknar. ing boxed text to describe them:
They cast faerie fire spells on intruders before attack-
ing with their hand crossbows. They are soon joined Icicles cling to the twenty-foot-high ceiling of this ice
by Yilsebek, the drow mage in area H28, who tries to
cavern. Embedded in the south wall is a domed, circular
engulf as many enemies as possible with his cloudkill
spell. For more information about the draw and why building made of seamless black stone and decorated
they're here, see area H28. with faintly glowing constellations. A frost-covered statue
If there are too many foes for the draw to deal with on of a human wizard stands outside it, gazing outward
their own, Yilsebek tries to summon a shadow demon from atop a three-foot-high stone pedestal. The building
to assist. If defeat is inevitable, Yilsebek casts fly on him-
and statue rest on a five-foot-high, curved stone platform
self, heads up the ice slide toward area H24, and flees
enclosed by a low wall.
back to the Underdark through the remorhaz tunnels,
leaving Meldirn and Tlaknar to fend for themselves.
Frost-covered stone steps descend from the stone plat-
H28. DROW OUTPOST
form to the icy floor in the cavern's northernmost sec-
tion, as shown on map 6.1.
Much of this building has collapsed, but the front room Auril the Frostmaiden has transformed ten of the ici-
is intact-and also free of ice and frost. The remnants cles that cling to the ceiling into creatures resembling
piercers. They use the piercer stat block, have immunity
of smashed furnishings suggest that the room once
to cold damage, and deal 10 (3d6) piercing damage plus
served as a wizard's workshop. Atop a splintered table is 10 (3d6) cold damage on a hit. The draw in areas H27
a brimstone cube small enough to hold in one hand. The and H28 are aware of the ice piercers, having seen them
air around the cube ripples, as it seems to be putting out creep along the ceiling, and do their best to avoid them .
enough dry heat to warm the room.
H30. VLAGOMIR' S SPARK
A drow mage named Yilsebek Dalambra has turned

This cavern has a fifteen-foot-high ceiling and a smaller,
this partially collapsed Netherese building into an out-
post. From here, he intends to launch a full -blown expe- dead-end cave at the back of it. Sticking out of the
dition into the ruins ofYthryn, which he and his fellow larger cave's floor at a sixty-degree angle is a giant-sized
draw discovered a few weeks ago. The draw entered the wooden spear with its obsidian tip pointing upward. The
Caves of Hunger by scaling a remorhaz tunnel that con- weapon glows with a faint, cold light.
nects to the Underdark. Using a sending spell, Yilsebek
has asked the matron mother of his house to send rein-
forcements, but they are weeks away. The spear is 25 feet long, but only its top half is visible;
the rest of it is lodged in the icy floor. Pulling it free
C HAPT ER 6 I CAVES OF H UNG ER

requires an action and a successful DC 23 Strength H32_ MIRRORED CAVERN
(Athletics) check.
Treasure. The spear belonged to a frost giant named
Vlagomir, whose remains can be found in area H21. Every surface of this twenty-foot-high cave is polished
The giant was a hunter of white dragons and a Chosen to a mirror finish, such that you are faced with countless
of Thrym, the evil god of frost giants. When Vlagomir distorted reflections of yourself. Your head spins as you
died, his warrior's spark was bound to the spear. The try to keep your bearings.
first time a barbarian, fighter, monk, or ranger touches
the spear, the light around the spear fades as Vlagomir's
spark bestows the following supernatural charm on If Tekeli-li is here, add:
the character (see "Supernatural Gifts" in the Dungeon
Master's Guide):
Crouching in the middle of the cavern is a gaunt gnoll
Vlagomir's Spark. You gain l foot of height every hour and
with ravenous eyes and the foul stench of the grave com-
become proportionately heavier until you stand 21 feet tall and
weigh 7,700 pounds. When you are 9 feet tall, your Strength being from it. The creature does not cast a reflection.
comes 19 unless it is already higher. For every 3 additional feet
of height you gain, your Strength increases by l, to a maximum
of 23. Armor and clothing you are wearing and weapons you are
Ranged attack rolls made in this cave have disadvantage
carrying magically increase in size to match your growth. If you because of the disorienting reflections. If Tekeli-li is
are the recipient of a greater restoration spell or similar magic, here, the gnoll vampire (see appendix C) uses its Fright-
this charm vanishes from you, and you immediately shrink back ful Cackle first, then targets enemies with its Sickening
to normal size, along with any armor, clothing, and weapons in Gaze until one or more them closes to melee range. See
your possession. the "Tekeli-li" section earlier in this chapter for more of
Tekeli-li's tactics.
H3L THING IN THE ICE Slaad Host. If one of the characters has the Slaad
Host secret (see appendix B) and the slaad tadpole
hasn't been born or destroyed yet, it bursts from the
A flat sheet of cloudy ice forms one wall of this forty-
character's chest when the character enters this cavern.
foot-high cavern. Something dark and humungous shifts
behind the wall, its tentacles waving unimpeded. You H33. WATCHER IN THE WALLS
become aware you are not alone inside your mind. Some-
how, this horror from another world has wormed its way This fifteen-foot-high , U-shaped cavern appears empty at
inside you. first glance, but a sudden tapping draws your attention
to the west wall, within which is trapped a black-robed
Something beyond mortal comprehension exists par- figure with a golden visage.
tially inside the wall of ice and partially within some
distant, horrific demiplane. As this otherworldly entity
A mummy dressed in a tattered black robe and wearing
peers into the cavern, visitors risk losing their sanity to
a golden face mask is trapped in the western wall and
its influence.
has no way to free itself from the ice. The mummy was
Any creature that comes within 20 feet of the wall of
created by Netherese priests to serve as a lore-keeper
ice is targeted by a dominate monster spell (save DC 15).
in Ythryn.
The entity can concentrate on up to ten such spells at
The section of ice that traps the mummy has AC 13,
once. Any creature that successfully saves against the
22 hit points, vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity
spell resists it and can't be targeted by this effect again.
to cold, poison, and psychic damage. If the wall is re-
On a failed save, the creature stands perfectly still and
duced to O hit points, the mummy is released and makes
does nothing while the alien entity probes its mind for
its way to area H39 and from there to the library in
1 hour. If a creature remains under the spell's effect for
Ythryn (area Y9 in chapter 7). It ignores the characters
the full duration, it must make a DC 15 Intelligence sav-
unless they interfere with it.
ing throw at the end of the hour, taking 44 (8d 10) psy-
Treasure. The mummy's golden mask (750 gp) is a
chic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage
Netherese art object.
on a successful one. Whether the save succeeds or fails,
a creature subjected to the hour-long probe also gains a H34. CITY DEBRIS
randomly determined form of long-term madness, deter- This cave might contain a psychic haunting (see "Psy-
I
mined by rolling on the Long-Term Madness table in the chic Hauntings," page 217).
Dungeon Master's Guide.
The ice wall has AC 13, vulnerability to fire damage,
and immunity to cold, poison, and p ychic damage. If
the wall takes 50 points of damage or more, large cracks
form along its surface, and the alien entity withdraws
into its distant demiplane, never to return. As it with-
draws, its dominate monster spell end .
I Large pieces of stone jut from the twenty-foot-high ceil-
ing of this empty cavern.

227
The stone fragments are pieces of Ythryn that settled (leading to areas H29 and H39). Hathowyn hasn't spo-
in the ice. Any character who examines the stone and ken to them out of fear that they might harm her.
makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) check Strange, one-eyed creatures lurk in the cave to the
to discern its true nature. (A dwarf's Stonecunning south (area H37). They followed the dark elves up
trait can prove helpful here.) If the check succeeds, the from below after their last foray down the south-
character can confirm that the stone is neither naturally east passage.
formed nor hewn, but rather shaped by magic. Purple Pears. Each tree has 3d6 ripe pears hanging
from its branches, most of them within reach. Any crea-
H35. MYSTERIOUS CUBE
ture that eats more than half of a purple pear gains the
benefit of a special charm (see "Supernatural Gifts" in
On the floor in the middle of this fifteen-foot-high cave is the Dungeon Master's Guide). Determine the charm ran-
an eight-foot cube of smooth, grayish-green stone that is domly by rolling a d20 and consulting the Purple Pear
Charms table. This charm must vanish from a creature
free of frost .
before it can gain any more charms by eating purple
pears. A creature that eats three or more purple pears
The stone cube is a spitting mimic (see appendix C). within 1 hour is poisoned for 24 hours thereafter and
Anything that touches the mimic automatically adheres suffers painful cramps until the condition ends.
to it, and a Huge or smaller creature adhered to the
mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC 16). The mimic PURPLE PEAR CHARMS
sprouts pseudopods and attacks if it is touched, harmed, d20 Supernatural Charm
or otherwise disturbed. 1-2 Charm of Druidcraft. This charm allows you to cast
the druidcraft cantrip as an action, no components
H36. FROZEN GROVE
If the characters make it this far and haven't yet faced required. Once used three times, this charm van-
Tekeli-li, the gnoll vampire (see appendix C) confronts ishes from you.
them here in its Large hyena form. 3-5 Charm of Vicious Mockery. This charm allows you to
cast the vicious mockery cantrip (5th-level version ;
save DC 15) as an action . Once used three times,
A grove of frost-covered trees fills this fifty-foot-high
this charm vanishes from you.
cavern, the floor of which is a mixture of earth and ice. By
6-8 Charm of Invisibility. This charm allows you to cast
some magic or miracle, the trees are alive, their canopies
the invisibility spell as an action, no components re-
thick with frosty leaves, their branches bearing purple quired. Once used three times, this charm vanishes
pears that hang like ornaments. A low wall, broken in from you.
several places, threads its way through the grove, which 9-11 Charm of Sending. This charm allows you to cast the
is surrounded by six exits . sending spell as an action , no components required.
Once used, this charm vanishes from you.
This grove of pear trees was enchanted by Netherese 12-14 Charm of Cure Wounds. This charm allows you to
arcanists to endure high altitude and harsh weather. cast the cure wounds spell (3rd-level version) as an
That magic has enabled the trees to thrive even in these action, no components required. Your spellcasting
icy caverns. Essential to the grove's survival is a dryad ability for this charm is Wisdom. Once used, this
named Hathowyn, who resides in the southernmost charm vanishes from you.
tree. If the dryad dies, the trees die ldlO days later. Cen- 15-17 Charm of Lightning Bolt. This charm allows you
turies of isolation have made Hathowyn lonely, and the to cast the lightning bolt spell (save DC 15) as an
dryad hungers for conversation and companionship. action, no components required . Once used, this
If Tekeli-li is present, Hathowyn remains hidden in
charm vanishes from you.
her tree until the gnoll vampire leaves or is destroyed.
18-19 Charm of Purplemancy. This charm allows you
Tekeli-li has never seen the dryad and is unaware of her
presence. If given the chance, Hathowyn tries to engage to cast the faerie fire spell (violet light only; save
the characters in conversation, speaking Elvish or Syl- DC 15) as a bonus action instead of an action, no
van. She hopes to keep them in the grove for as long as components required. Once used three times, this
possible. If the characters try to leave, Hathowyn tries charm vanishes from you.
to charm one of them into staying and keeping her com- 20 Charm of Restoration. This charm has 6 charges.
pany. The dryad knows the following information: You can use an action to expend some of its
• Netherese magic binds the dryad to the grove and charges to cast one of the following spells: greater
keeps the trees alive. restoration (4 charges) or lesser restoration (2
• The pears hanging from the trees are magically charges) . Once all its charges have been expended ,
delicious. this charm vanishes from you.
Three dark elves have passed through the dryad's
grove on multiple occasions, coming and going
through the southwest and southeast passages

H37. WEIRD INSIGHTS
Huddled together at the west end of this ten-foot-high

cave are four hunched creatures with spiny backs and
sharp claws. Each one stares at you with a single unblink-
ing eye.
These four nothics, evil denizens of Ythryn, followed

Yilsebek and his fellow drow as far as the dryad's grove
(area H36) before taking refuge in this cave. The nothics
use their Weird Insight to glean secrets from the charac-
ters. They are reluctant to provoke a well-armed group
of adventurers, preferring to pick off lone prey, but if
attacked, they respond in kind.
Offering food and drink to the nothics loosens their
tongues, but these ones speak and understand only Lo-
ross (see the "Loross: The Netherese Tongue" sidebar
on page 221). They can also write in the Draconic
script. Professor Skant can serve as a translator if none
of the characters can understand the nothics.
The nothics have no memory of their lost humanity,
and any information they might provide is garbled with
bits of nonsense. Characters who succeed on a DC 12
Wisdom (Insight) check can glean the following infor-
mation from the nothics after a brief conversation:
P URPLE PEA R
• Iriolarthas, a powerful Netherese archwizard,
watches over Ythryn. He has lost not only his mind,
but most of his body as well. All that remains of him is
a floating human skull.
Giant floating hands made of magical force wander
around in the city.
• Ythryn's mythallar won't function properly as long as WRAPPING UP
the Spindle-a powerful artifact dating back 40,000
years-remains in the city. The artifact is located Once the characters enter area H39, they can make
within the city's central spire. their way deeper inside the Reghed Glacier, where the
One must perform a ritual to enter Ythryn's central lost city of Ythryn awaits.
spire. (The nothics don't remember how the ritual
works, but they do recall that clues can be found in the
AVARICE FOLLOWS
towers of wizardry scattered throughout the city.) Guided by the visions of Levistus, Avarice follows the
• Somewhere in Ythryn is a scroll that can summon the characters to the Reghed Glacier. Around the time when
tarrasque. the characters reach Ythryn , the tiefling wizard and
her followers arrive at the Caves of Hunger and kill any
H38. ICE CAVES Elk Tribe warriors guarding the entrance. Avarice then
Although these caves are empty, one or more of them leads her troupe through the icy caverns, marching to-
might contain a psychic haunting (see "Psychic Haunt- ward her destiny.
ings," page 217). More information about Avarice and her followers is
The caves have 20-foot-high ceilings and slip- provided in the next chapter.
pery floors.
TEKELi-LI ESCAPES
H39. PASSAGE TO YTHRYN
This tunnel of ice cuts through the glacier for almost a If the characters do not slay Tekeli-li, the gnoll vampire
mile before ending at the great ice cavern that contains leaves the Caves of Hunger in mist form and makes its
Ythryn, described in chapter 7. way across the sunless tundra, eventually finding an am-
Slaad Host. If one of the characters has the Slaad ple food supply in Ten-Towns.
Host secret (see appendix B) and the slaad tadpole
hasn't been born or destroyed yet, it bursts from the
character's chest as the character descends this tunnel.
C HAPTE R 6 I CAVE S O F HUNGER

YTHRVN 15 HAUNTED BY NOTHICS WHO WERE ONCE
POWERFUL NETHERESE SPELLCASTERS .
7
DOOM OF YTHRYN
the demilich holds out hope that other Netherese wiz-
Y
THRYN RESTS IN THE SILENT DEPTHS OF THE
Reghed Glacier. Ice encloses the enclave on ards will come to its rescue, unaware that the Empire
all sides, yet the magic imbued in its stone- of Netheril no longer exists. Though it has been trapped
work shields it from utter destruction . Yth- in Ythryn under the ice for centuries, the demilich has a
ryn is now a corpse city- a tomb for those very poor sense of how much time has passed.
who perished here and a death trap for those who dare When confronted by new arrivals, the demilich
to explore its ruined, glaciated halls. assumes they are rescuers from another Netherese
enclave and watches to see what they do. The demilich
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER has no means of communication and can't be contacted
telepathically, so it judges new arrivals in silence. Char-
Before running your first game session in the necropo-
acters who observe Iriolarthas and succeed on a DC 13
lis, review the "Iriolarthas the Demilich" and "The Fall
Wisdom (Insight) check can ascertain that the demilich
of Ythryn" sections below, as well as the "Dealing with
is watching them closely to see how they react to their
the Arcane Brotherhood" and "Auril's Wrath" sections at
surroundings. If the demilich concludes, based on its
the end of the chapter.
observations, that the characters are not a rescue team
from another Netherese enclave, it tries to destroy them
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT
before they can steal any of Ythryn's secrets. The same
Ideally, the characters are 9th level when they first ar- is true of invasive N PCs such as members of the Arcane
rive at Ythryn. You decide how quickly they advance in Brotherhood. A party can fool the demilich into think-
level. Treat the following as suggestions: ing they belong in Ythryn by succeeding on a DC 13
• The characters gain a level after overcoming the chal- Charisma (Deception) group check. If the group check
lenges of all eight towers of magic (areas Y4 , Y7, Yll , is successful, Iriolarthas believes the party is what it
Y18, Y20, Y22, Y24, and Y26). pretends to be; on a failed group check, the demilich
The characters gain a level when they reach Iriolar- sees through the party's deception and becomes hostile
thas's study (area Yl9q). toward the characters. If the demilich thinks that the
The characters gain a level if they accomplish some- characters are rescuers, given how they appear and
thing extraordinary, such as destroying Iriolarthas act, it follows them around until something happens to
the demilich, all three of Auril's forms , or the obelisk change its mind.
in area Y21. Although it lacks the means to communicate, the
demilich dimly recalls the circumstances that led to its
If you follow the suggestions above, the characters present situation.
could be as high as 12th level by the adventure's conclu-
sion- an important consideration if you intend to con- THE FALL OF YTHRYN
tinue the campaign beyond this adventure.
After using the Ythryn mythallar (see appendix D) to
lRIOLARTHAS THE DEMILICH lift the enclave ofYthryn into the sky, Iriolarthas and
his apprentices traveled to the frozen north in search
Iriolarthas, once a powerful lich and before that a hu- of relics of Ostoria , a bygone empire of magic-wielding
man wizard of Netheril , exists today as a demilich that giants that waged war against the dragons forty thou-
haunts the ruins of Ythryn. lriolarthas endures as a de- sand years earlier. After many fruitless excavations,
teriorating skull that drifts about the necropolis in lonely they found a large stone spindle bearing strange sigils
despair. Wispy symbols of the eight schools of magic at the bottom of the Sea of Moving Ice and brought it
form above it and quickly dissipate. back to Ythryn for study in the fall of-343 DR, the Year
A demilich is what becomes of a lich that neglects to of Chilled Marrow. During one of their experiments,
feed souls into its phylactery, and Iriolarthas's phylac- something went wrong- a flash of power from the spin-
tery has been empty for nearly two thousand years, bur- dle caused the Ythryn mythallar to shut down, which in
ied under the rubble of Ythryn far from the demilich's turn caused the city to fall out of the sky and crash into
reach. Having lost its body and its spellcasting abilities, the ice below.
CHAPTER 7 I DOOM OF YTHRYN

The inhabitants of Ythryn had only a few moments to nothics. Meanwhile, Iriolarthas grew increasingly feeble
react as the city fell. Iriolarthas conjured a doorway to a until, finally, the lich's skeletal body turned to dust.
magical demi plane and stepped through it just in time.
As Ythryn settled into its icy grave, all magic in the city NECROPOLIS OF YTHRYN
became undone for a brief time, as though something
When the characters arrive at Ythryn, read:
was trying to siphon it all away. The demiplane expelled
Iriolarthas in that instant, trapping the lich in Ythryn,
and became a living demiplane (see appendix C). Iriolar- The tunnel opens into a vast grotto enclosed by gleaming
thas searched the ruins of the city for his spellbook and ice. Consigned to this frozen sepulcher is a fantastic city
his phylactery, recovering only the former. He also found
sculpted by ancient magic and illuminated in a haunting
several magical servants in stasis that had survived the
devastation, as well as a handful of apprentices who had way by green and purple lights that shed no warmth. The
used their spells in ingenious ways to escape death. city is slightly tilted , its spires leaning away from you as
Some of those inside tried to flee Ythryn, but glacial though recoiling from your presence.
ice blocked all conventional routes of escape, and at- You stand atop a causeway of frost-covered ice that
tempts to leave by magic were thwarted by a trouble-
stretches toward the city like the dead, frozen tongue
some intercessor: the mysterious spindle in Iriolarthas's
citadel was still putting out magical pulses of energy to of some hideous behemoth out of whose mouth you've
hinder spellcasting. By the time this disruption stopped just stepped.
some fifty years later, fear and madness had warped the
minds of the apprentice mages, transforming them into
Show your players map 7.1. Permission is granted to
photocopy this player-friendly map of the necropolis for
FATE OF NETHERIL
home game use. Map 7.2 on page 236 is the DM's ver-
The Empire of Netheril arose more than five thousand sion of the same map. Because the city is magically lit,
years ago. Those who follow the Dalereckoning calendar the characters can see almost all of it from their vantage
would place the date of Netheril's birth at -3859 DR.
point on the ice bridge.
The Netherese legacy began with the discovery of the
Nether Scrolls. These long, golden scrolls taught Netherese Most of the city's buildings are swathed in ice and ru-
arcanists how to wield magic beyond their wildest fanta- ined by time. Many of its districts were pulverized when
sies. It took centuries, but the Netherese who mastered Ythryn plunged from the sky, and the rest have fallen
the power of the Nether Scrolls became a ruling class, living into disrepair in the centuries since. Use the informa-
on great flying cities or taking refuge in remote, subterra- tion below to add life to this accursed city of the dead.
nean lairs.
Despite their great power, the Netherese faced a growing DENIZENS OF THE NECROPOLIS
threat. Under the heart of their empire lived spellcasting
aberrations called phaerimm. Using their ability to drain Ythryn is home to many threats. Its most important den-
magic, the phaerimm began to unravel the Weave, without izens are summarized below:
which Netheril would collapse into ruin. In -339 DR, four • The demilich Iriolarthas dwells in the central spire
years after the fall ofYthryn, the empire's most powerful
(area Y19) but can be encountered anywhere in the
arcanist, Karsus, attempted to neutralize the phaerimm
necropolis.
threat by casting a spell of unparalleled power that would
enable him to replace Mystryl as the god of magic, giving • Mages who survived Ythryn's fall but succumbed to
him absolute control over the Weave. Mystryl countered the arcane blight (see "Magical Effects" below) be-
Karsus at a key moment during the casting of the spell, a came nothics that speak Loross instead of Undercom-
feat she could accomplish only by sacrificing herself and mon (see the "Loross: The Netherese Tongue" sidebar
tearing the Weave. Karsus was slain instantly, and for a on page 221).
time thereafter, most of the creatures of the world were • Immortal servants known as magen (see appendix C)
either without magic or simply unable to control it. tirelessly perform their duties or wait in silence for
Without great magic to keep them aloft, the remaining new orders.
flying cities of Netheril crashed to the ground, and many • Deadly living spells (see appendix C) guard a handful
arcanists who survived were driven mad. Once magic
came back into use, Netherese arcanists could no longer of locations in the city.
cast their mightiest spells as they had before, forcing
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
them to resort to traditional wizardry. Four hundred
years after Karsus cast his spell, the Netherese empire After each hour the characters spend exploring the
was no more-crushed by its enemies and undone by its city, or each time the characters conduct a thorough
own hubris. search of an unnumbered building on the map, roll
In the Forgotten Realms, Netheril is the definitive lost percentile dice and consult the Ythryn Encounters ta-
empire. It rose to unparalleled heights but eventually fell ble to determine if the party has a random encounter.
into ruin. If you've ever played a science fiction game that Some random encounters have variants if Avarice or
includes the concept of a lost, highly advanced civilization, Auril is present in the necropolis (see "Dealing with the
then you can begin to imagine what ancient Netheril must Arcane Brotherhood" and "Auril's Wrath" at the end of
have been like. Out of this empire came many of the fear-
the chapter).
some monsters, bizarre dungeons, and wondrous magic
items found in Faer0n today.

MAP 7.1: PLAYERS' MAP OF THE NEC R OPOLIS
YTHRYN ENCOUNTERS MAGICAL EFFECTS

dlOO Encounter The following magical effects are present throughout
01-50 No encounter the necropolis:
51-55 A tomb tapper (see appendix C) Continual flame spells illuminate street lamps as well
56-60 ld3 living Bigby's hands (see appendix C), or 2d4 as building interiors and exteriors.
cult fanatics (Knights of the Black Sword) if Avarice , A powerful enchantment stabilizes gravity so that
is in Ythryn creatures stand upright even though the city rests at
61-65 ld3 spitting mimics (see appendix C) , or ld3 cold- an angle. This enchantment extends over the enclave
light walkers (see appendix C) if Auril is in Ythryn in a hemisphere whose ceiling is 800 feet high.
, Humanoids who remain in the necropolis for too long
66-70 l d4 + l gargoyles, or a frost giant skeleton (see ap-
are likely to contract an arcane blight (see below).
pendix C) accompanied by l d3 winter wolves if Auril
is in Ythryn ARCANE BLIGHT
71-75 ld4 + l demos magen and ld4 galvan magen (see Any humanoid that spends 12 hours in the necropolis
appendix C for their statistics) must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or
76-80 ld4 + l demos magen and ld4 hypnos magen (see contract an arcane blight. This magical disease trans-
appendix C for their statistics) forms the humanoid into a nothic, but only after the vic-
81-90 ld6 nothics (former Netherese wizards) that speak tim experiences hallucinations and feelings of isolation
and paranoia. Other symptoms include clammy skin,
Loross instead of Undercommon (see the "Loross:
hair loss, and myopia (nearsightedness).
The Netherese Tongue" sidebar on page 221)
A player character infected with the arcane blight
91-00 lriolarthas the demilich, with ld3 nothics that speak gains the following flaw: "I don't trust anyone." This
Loross instead of Undercommon trailing behind it flaw, which supersedes any conflicting flaw, is fed by de-
(the demilich uses the nothics to open and close lusions that are difficult for the character to distinguish
doors and clear obstacles, since it can't do so) from reality. Common delusions include the belief that
that allies are conspiring to steal the victim's riches or
otherwise turn against the victim.
Whenever it finishes a long rest, an infected humanoid
must repeat the saving throw. On a successful save,

233
the DC for future saves against the arcane blight drops Searching an unnumbered location takes 30 minutes
by ld6. If the saving throw DC drops to 0 , the creature and requires a check for random encounters. Roll once
overcomes the arcane blight and becomes immune to on the Ythryn Treasures table to determine if the char-
the effect of further exposure. A creature that fails three acters find anything of value in the location.
of these saving throws transforms into a nothic under
the DM's control. Only a wish spell or divine interven- YTHRYN LORE
tion can undo this transformation. As the characters explore Ythryn , they piece together a
A greater restoration spell or similar magic ends the picture of what life was like in the enclave. Whenever
infection on the target, removing the flaw and all other a location instructs you to reveal some of Ythryn's lore,
symptoms, but this magic doesn't protect the target roll a d20 and refer to the Ythryn Lore table. If you get
against further exposure. a result that's come up before, roll again or choose a
different result.
RITE OF THE ARCANE OCTAD
To pass through the force field that surrounds the Spire
NECROPOLIS LOCATIONS
of Iriolarthas (area Y19) and the Ythryn mythallar (area
Y23), one must perform the Rite of the Arcane Octad on The following locations are keyed to map 7.2, which is
the spire's doorstep (area Y6). To learn this ritual, the the DM's version of the necropolis map.
party must explore eight locations in the city and trans-
late the inscriptions found therein. Once the inscriptions Yl. ICE CAUSEWAY
are translated and assembled in order, the eight steps of Characters can use this naturally formed causeway of
the ritual become clear: solid ice to enter the city. As the characters approach the
end of the causeway, read:
Step 1. Hold a wand crafted from the Nether Oak over
your heart.
Step 2. Summon a flame in your palm. Green and purple lights cast an otherworldly glow upon
Step 3. Speak a secret about yourself aloud. (The se- the frost draping the silent city. Clawing spires, broken
crets in appendix B might come into play here and domes, and steeples leaning at odd angles surround a
in step 4.)
huge citadel.
Step 4. Compel another to share a secret with you.
At the foot of the causeway, a giant statue lies prone
Step 5. Quench the flame in ice.
Step 6. Mask your appearance. and motionless, its surfaces gleaming with rime.
Step 7. Draw a circle on the ground using the ashes
of a corpse.
The city's dominating feature is the Spire of Iriolarthas
Step 8. Stand inside the circle and consume poison.
(area Y19), which is sealed inside a magical force field.
This ritual was designed to test visitors' magical ap- Dead Tomb Tapper. The statue at the end of the
titude but can be performed without casting spells. For causeway is a 21-foot-tall tomb tapper (see appendix C)
example, an adventurer could light a handful of lamp that was killed by drow invaders less than a tenday ago.
oil to "summon a flame" (taking 1 fire damage in the The tomb tapper chased the drow to this point before
process). Any creature that performs all eight steps of they finally killed it. (The characters might have encoun-
the ritual in the correct order outside the spire can pass tered the drow already in chapter 6.) The tomb tapper
through the force field thereafter. looks like a faceless, misshapen giant. It turned to stone
when it died, leaving behind its big sledgehammer.
EXPLORING THE RUINS
As the characters explore the necropolis, call the play-
Y2. WIZARD SPIRES
ers' attention to any numbered locations their characters Several crooked spires branch off the enclave's perim-
can see; these are typically the most intact buildings. eter wall, with bridges leading to their entrances. If a
Unless the players say otherwise, assume that the character approaches one of these outer towers, read:
characters explore at a cautious rate of 200 feet every
5 minutes. A stone walkway leads to a tower that claws upward and
inward, its pointed roof leaning menacingly overhead.
YTHRYN TREASURES Narrow windows pierce its walls, gargoyles cling to its
eaves, and a doorway at the tower's base gapes open.
d20 Treasure
1-10 No treasure
11 ld4 Netherese art objects (250 gp each) Two of the outer spires have broken off. One crashed
12-14 ld4 pieces of jewelry (100 gp each) in Icewind Dale (see chapter 2), and the other is buried
15 A driftglobe (or another common magic item of your elsewhere in the glacier (see chapter 6). The remaining
twelve spires are intact, though two are almost buried in
choice)
ice. There is a 20 percent chance per tower that ld3 + 1
16-20 A frieze that reveals one piece ofYthryn lore (deter-
gargoyles cling to the outside of it. (The other gargoyles
mined by rolling a d20 and consulting the Ythryn clinging to the tower are inanimate statues.) Living
Lore table below)

234
Ythryn was under the command of a lich named 11 Many of the city's residents owned strange chimeric
lriolarthas. He was obsessed with finding relics and pets, with winged hares and venomous baboons
magic from Faert'.ln's ancient past. being particularly popular.
2 Ythryn was governed by a group of eight arcanists 12 The members ofYthryn 's orchestra were known
known as the Wizards of the Ebon Star. Their names across the world of Tori I as masters of their art.
and faces are immortalized in the city's museum. l3 By law, every mage was taught the prestidigitation
3 The city's creators used giant mimics as construe- cantrip and was obliged to use it to keep the city
tion tools and beasts of burden. clean.
4 Apprentice mages would graduate from the House 14 The wizards used humanlike constructs called
of the Arcane and join one of eight arcane towers , magen as guards , workers, and valets. These con-
each one dedicated to a different school of magic. structs were created using a powerful spell.
5 The wizards ofYthryn were entertained by a com- 15 The wizards imbued certain spells with their own
petitive sport called Chain Lightning. life force, turning them into living entities.
6 Every wizard in the enclave was obliged to carve 16 The wizards ofYthryn were on a mission to find rel -
their own wand from the Nether Oak at the heart of ics and ruins of Ostoria , a 40,000 -year-old empire
the arboretum . of spellcasting giants .
7 Ythryn was held aloft by the magic of an arcane 17 In times of trouble, the wizards raised a force field
sphere known as a mythallar. The mythallar also around the enclave's central spire that only they
had the power to recharge magic items and control could pass through.
the weather. 18 An abracadabrus is a magic box that can create food
8 Ythryn 's mages could extend the ir lives indefinitely and drink, among other th ings .
by preserving their brains inside jars. 19 Meditation in the Hall of Weightless Wonder was an
9 Wonders from across the world ofToril were sold at invaluable pursuit for the city's elite.
the enclave's Bazaar of the Bizarre. 20 An ancient obelisk stands in the shadow of the
10 The city's elite wore robes of silk that displayed Spire of Iriolarthas. Using this obelisk and a staff of
shifting, illusory patterns . power, one can turn back time.
C H A PTER 7 I DO OM OF YTHRY N
235
237
gargoyles swoop down to attack anyone who crosses the A sport called Chain Lightning was played in this sta-
gantry approaching the tower. dium. This event, which pitted mortals against each
These towers were once occupied by mages and con- other in an electrified arena, enjoyed great popularity.
tained laboratories, libraries, and living quarters. Now An ornate trophy cup sits on a pedestal at one end of the
they lie in rui ns . Map 2. 10 on page 147 gives you an arena floor, held in place by magic.
idea of how the interior of each spire is laid out. At ground level, the oval arena is 120 feet long and 50
feet across at its widest point. The three masts are 100
Y3. CHAIN LIGHTNING STADIUM feet tall, spaced 40 feet apart, and em it electrical fields.
Triggering the Game. The first time a creature s teps
onto the playing field, a dome of crackling electricity en-
The air around th is amph itheater is charged wi th static.
closes the entire stadium. Nothing can physically pass
Cracked steps descend to the stadium fl o or, where a ti ny
through this barrier, which is immune to all damage and
glittering o bject res t s o n a pedesta l of bl ack ston e. Th re e can't be dispelled by dispel magic. The barrier also ex-
metal masts ri se fro m th e a rena li ke gi ga ntic trid e nts, tends into the Ethereal P lane, blocking ethereal travel.
each o ne e m itting a low hum. The bra nches of eac h tr i- Any creature that touches the barrier for the first time
d e nt a re t wenty-fi ve fe et off the grou nd an d exten d fifty on a turn takes 40 (9d8) lightning damage. When the
barrier appears, read:
feet int o th e air.
Th e sh imme ring hea d an d s hou ld ers of a woman bli n k

CHAIN LICHTNINC into ex isten ce above th e arena fl oor. Electr ical cu rrents
Chain Lightning is a game in which two teams of si x co u rse over he r meta l te et h, a nd he r fo rm st utters a nd
players compete against each other. To win, a team must
fli ckers as she s peaks in a strange la nguage.
eliminate the other team 's players by hitting them with a
3-inch-diameter iron ball. A player struck by the thrown ball
is eliminated and teleported to the sidelines. The game
The illusory visage speaks in Loross, the dead language
ends when all of one team 's players have been elim inated.
When the game begins , an iron ball magically appears in
of Netheril (see the "Loross: The Netherese Tongue"
a random location on the arena floor roughly equidistant sidebar on page 221). It says, "So, a new challenger
from the two teams. The ball is a simple ranged weapon enters the arena! You have thirty seconds to choose your
with the finesse and thrown properties. Its range is 120 teammates for a game of Chain Lightning!"
feet , and it deals ld4 bludgeoning damage on a hit. The illusory figure disappears after making its an-
To simulate a game of Chain Lightning, follow nouncement, and adventurers on the playing field have
these steps: thirty seconds to round out their team of six. Any spaces
Step 1. Every player makes a Dexterity (Athletics) check. left over on the team are filled by obedient galvan ma-
The individual with the highest roll gets the ball , and that gen (see appendix C) in black garments. The rival team
person's team is on offense. Resolve a tie with a Strength is composed of six galvan magen in white garments. All
(Athletics) contest. these magen are magically summoned to the field.
Step 2. To simulate the ball being passed around , every The rules of Chain Lightning are summarized in the
player makes a DC 15 Dexterity (Athletics) check. If the accompanying sidebar. If the characters aren't familiar
team on offense gets more successes than the team on
with the rules, they have disadvantage on all skill checks
defense, one player on offense can try either to hurl the
made to play the game. (A written copy of the game's
ball between the metal tines of an electrified mast, hoping
to impart an electrical charge to the ball, or ma ke a ranged rules can be found in area Y9.) When the game ends, the
weapon attack with the ball agai nst a player on defense. electrical barrier enclosing the stadium vanishes, and
Each option is described below: the trophy levitates from its pedestal and drifts over to
the member of the winning team nearest to it. The game
• Hurling the ball between the tines of an electrified mast
can't be played again until a new trophy of similar value
requires a successful ranged attack roll against AC 15. If
this attack hits , the ball becomes electrically charged as is placed upon the pedestal.
it passes between the tines. Repeat step l to determ ine If an all-magen team wins the game, the winners
which team gets custody of the electrically charged ball. collect their prize and disappear, taking the trophy
• If the ball is thrown at a player on defense and it hits , with them.
the player struck by the ball is eliminated. If the ba ll is Treasure. The trophy can't be removed from its ped-
electrically charged when it hits , it deals an additiona l 3 estal until it is won. If a creature tries to move the trophy
(1 d6) lightning damage to the elim inated player, and an before then, the pedestal discharges a bolt of lightning
arc of lightning shoots from the ball and automatically that deals 18 (4d8) lightning damage to the creature.
hits another randomly determined player on the same
The trophy cup is made from mithral embedded with
team . This seco nd player ta kes 3 (1 d6) lightning damage
three blue spine! gemstones and is worth 1,800 gp.
and is also eliminated . If the ball is thrown at a player
and it m isses, it loses its electrical charge if it has one. While carried by a member of the winning team, it func-
Repeat step l to determine which team gets custody tions as a stone ofgood luck.
of the ball.
How to Win. Repeat step 2 until one team has e limi-
nated all the players on the other team .

Y4. TOWER OF ABJURATION Y5. PRISON
A portcullis sits askew in the 40-foot-wide, 30-foot-tall
archway that serves as the only entrance to this square
This tower reaches upward like a talon, its stonework building. Characters who pass beneath the portcullis
studded in chiseled runes. A blue light shines from its find themselves in a mostly abandoned prison:
highest window.
A detect magic spell cast here reveals an aura of ab-

I A maze of cell-lined corridors fills this area. I
juration magic. Runes cover every inch of this tower's
All the cell doors, which have arcane lock spells cast on
exterior. A glyph for the symbol (insanity) spell is hidden
them, are made of iron, with small, barred windows set
among them. A character who searches the outside of
into them at eye level. Many of the cells contain the fro-
the tower for traps finds and identifies the glyph with a
zen bodies of prisoners who died when Ythryn crashed
successful DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check. The glyph
or who perished from starvation not long afterward.
triggers when a creature steps through the tower's en-
Infirmary. If the characters spend at least 30 minutes
trance and resets after 24 hours.
searching the prison, they stumble upon an infirmary:
Once inside, the characters can ascend to the top of
the tower. When they arrive there, read:
Peering through the gap in a collapsed wall, you see a fif-
A huge anvil chiseled with vivid blue runes rests in the teen-foot-square infirmary in disarray, with an operating
center of a thirty-foot-diameter, thirty-foot high circular table in the middle of the room. Leather straps extend
chamber. Resting atop it is a hammer adorned with from one side of the table, into the air above its surface,
matching runes. and fasten to the other side. The shape suggests that
Six armored figures stand guard around the anvil. At something or someone invisible is lashed to the table.
the rear of the chamber, the frozen corpse of a wizard
lies in a pile of rubble. Blue flames flicker from braziers Strapped to the table is a doppelganger named Xero-
spaced around the room, illuminating a carved inscrip- phon. It has been rendered invisible and placed in a
tion on the ceiling. state of suspended animation by a sequester spell. The
spell can be dispelled (DC 17), which renders Xerophon
visible and awake. The doppelganger looks like a thin,
Six demos magen (see appendix C) guard the anvil, middle-aged man with a sallow complexion, one blue
which has the power to destroy other magic items. The eye and one green eye, and a streak of silver in his long,
anvil was a source of vexation for Ythryn's tomb tappers, jet-black hair. The awake doppelganger can use its ac-
which believe magic items to be sacred. When Ythryn tion to try to slip free of the table's leather straps, doing
collapsed, the protective wards surrounding the tower so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check, or a char-
unraveled, and one of the tomb tappers seized the op- acter can use an action to loosen the straps enough for
portunity to kill the anvil's creator, High Abjurer Taruth. Xerophon to get free.
The wizard's mauled body lies in this chamber, the Shortly before the fall of Ythryn, Xerophon murdered
stony floor next to him broken where the tomb tapper a Netherese sage in the city, stole his identity, and tried
forced its way into the room. The magen won't let any- to infiltrate the Spire of Iriolarthas. The doppelganger
one use the anvil and fight to defend it. was caught and imprisoned. The prison warden, a Neth-
Anvil ofDisjunction. The anvil has the power to erese wizard, was interested in studying the doppel-
destroy any magic item that isn't an artifact. When a ganger and perhaps developing a potion that emulated
character holds the anvil's hammer for the first time, a its shapeshifting ability. The wizard made Xerophon ac-
voice inside their head, seeming to come from the anvil, quiesce to a series of experiments, and in between cast
says, "Bring me your items of power, and together we sequester spells on the doppelganger as a precaution to
shall destroy them." To destroy an item, the character keep it from escaping.
must place it on the anvil and strike it three times with If questioned, Xerophon speaks Loross but switches
the hammer. Each hammer strike takes one action. On to Common if no one in the party understands the dead
the third strike, the item disintegrates in a flash of blue Netherese tongue. The doppelganger plays the part
light. Every time a character uses the anvil, there is a of a low-born Netherese manservant who was sent to
25 percent chance that a tomb tapper (see appendix C) the prison by his master, Iriolarthas, for disobedience.
burrows its way into the tower to attack them (this hap- Without going into much detail, Xerophon alludes to
pens only once). The anvil is anchored here and cannot horrible magical experiments performed on prisoners
be moved by any means. Removing the hammer from by the wizard who ran the prison, saying, "I was afraid I
the tower causes it to teleport atop the anvil. might be next."
Inscription. The inscription on the ceiling is in Dra- Once it realizes the fate that has befallen Ythryn,
conic and reads "First, hield thy heart with a wand Xerophon offers to help the characters search the rest
from the Nether Oak." Thi i a pa age from the Rite of of the city, allowing the doppelganger time to use its
the Arcane Octad (see page 234). Read Thoughts ability to glean all the information it

239
can from the characters' minds. After all, it has a lot of Hidden Tower. Touching the miniature tower while it
catching up to do. The doppelganger has no ill intentions is inside this chamber conjures a glowing doorway to a
toward the characters but places self-preservation above demiplane. The doorway is 8 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and 5
all else. feet away from the pedestal.
If the characters befriend Xerophon, they learn three If a character steps through the doorway, the fabric of
facts from the Ythryn Lore table (page 235), which reality warps and bends around them as they arrive in
Xerophon shares to build trust. The doppelganger also the demiplane: a cluttered den 40 feet long and 20 feet
knows that to bypass the force field around the Spire of wide. Occupying this extradimensional den are three
Iriolarthas, one must perform the eight steps of the Rite night hags named Auntie Pinch , Auntie Pillage, and
of the Arcane Octad outside the spire. The steps of the Auntie Plunder. This coven frequently leaves its den to
ritual are hidden inside towers dedicated to the eight roam the Ethereal Plane in search of treasure chests
arcane schools of magic. Xerophon knows the layout of tucked away using the Leomund's secret chest spell;
the city and can lead the party to each of these towers however, all three hags are home when the charac-
(areas Y4, Y7, Yll, Y18 , Y20, Y22, Y24, and Y26). ters arrive.
In addition to their innate spellcasting abilities, the
Y6. SPIRE ENTRANCE hags have the Shared Spellcasting ability of a coven
(see the "Hag Covens" sidebar in the Monster Manual).
The hags are prepared to let the characters leave alive
An arching strut of dark stone rises from this ruined dis-
in return for a simple price: a single memory plucked
trict to a junction high up on the central spire. A gate en-
from each character's mind. The hags flee their lair in
graved with arcane sigils is set into the base of the strut. ethereal form if attacked, vowing to return and seek ven-
geance in the adventurers' dreams.
Inscription. An inscription in Draconic is written on
The Spire oflriolarthas (area Y19) is surrounded by a
the wall of the hags' den. It reads "Second, summon a
force field that also encompasses this area. Creatures
flame in the palm of your hand." This is a passage from
can't pass through the field, nor can they teleport to a lo-
the Rite of the Arcane Octad (see page 234).
cation inside it. To pass through the force field, one must
Treasure. The night hags keep their heartstones and
perform the Rite of the Arcane Octad (see page 234) in
soul bags on their persons (see the "Night Hag Items"
front of the gate.
sidebar in the Monster Manual).
Any character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence
Characters who ransack the hag's den find a plati-
(Arcana) check recognizes the sigils on the gate as an-
num needle (1 gp) stuck in a pincushion, a pink quartz
cient symbols representing the eight schools of magic.
figurine of a rabbit (50 gp), a silver necklace from which
Magic Elevator. Characters who can pass through the
hangs a crow's-foot pendant grasping a peridot (500 gp),
force field can open the gate and enter the strut, which is
a potion of invisibility in a stoppered vial made from a
hollow and encloses a steep passage. Any creature that
witch's finger bone, and a potion oflongevity in a hollow
enters this elevator is magically levitated to the spire en-
gourd that bears a child's face locked in a scream.
trance (area 19a).
Y8. HOUSE OF THE ARCANE
Y7. TOWER OF CONJURATION
Eight tusk-like towers are embedded in the walls of this

This tower is engraved with interlocking circles of stone.
monumental building, their spires arching over its shat-
Yellow light spills from its topmost window, and the faint
tered roof.
sound of brooms brushing on stonework drifts through
its broken doors .
This grand academy was a place of study for novice
mages, where each one learned which schools of magic
A detect magic spell cast here reveals an aura of conju- would become their life's work. The place is easily en-
ration magic. The tower's interior is ruined but surpris- tered through any of the gaping holes in its outer walls.
ingly clean, thanks to permanent unseen servant spells Nothing can be salvaged from the study halls and the
that continuously sweep the floors. If the characters towers, but the auditorium holds something of interest:
ascend to the topmost chamber of the tower, read:
Eight stained glass windows overlook a ruined audito-

Glowing orbs are set into the walls of this thirty-foot-di-
rium. Benches glistening with frost are arrayed in broken
ameter circular chamber. Four giant hands made of shim-
rows, facing a raised lectern. A bejeweled goblet rests on
mering force hover in the center of the room, guarding a
the lectern. Steam rises from the goblet's contents and
tiny ornamental tower perched on a pedestal.
dissipates in the cold air.
The hovering hands are four living Bigby's hands (see

Each window in the auditorium depicts a wizard
appendix C) that attack any other creature that en-
casting a spell from one of the eight schools of magic.
ters the room.

240
The spells depicted are blade ward (abjuration), mage Y9. LIBRARY
hand (conjuration), true strike (divination), friends (en-
chantment), dancing lights (evocation), minor illusion
(illusion), chill touch (necromancy), and prestidigitation Th is colossa l buil d ing has m a ny lofty turrets in a state
(transmutation), all of which a character can deter- of d is re pair, th e ground below litte red wit h their ru bbl e.
mine with a single successful DC 10 Intelligence (Ar- A gia nt-s ized d oo r at the base of th e structure stands
cana) check. sl igh tl y ajar.
Magic Goblet. The goblet is embedded with eight col-
ored crystals that represent the eight schools of magic.
The liquid inside it looks and tastes like hot water. A Shelves line the walls of this labyrinthine library, which
detect magic spell reveals an aura of divination magic is crammed with books on every conceivable subject.
on the goblet and indicates that the liquid carries auras Arcana/0th Book Hunter. Soon after the adven-
of all eight schools of magic. The liquid isn't poisonous turers enter, a bespectacled, jackal-headed humanoid
or harmful, and it never runs dry as long as the goblet paces into view carrying a bundle of scrolls. An eyeless,
remains in the auditorium. white, 5-foot-tall penguin in a leather harness shuffles
A humanoid that drinks from the goblet gains a super- behind it, dragging a small cart laden with books. The
natural charm (see "Supernatural Gifts" in the Dungeon jackal-headed figure lets out a joyful gasp when it sees
Master's Guide). Roll a d8 and consult the Magic Goblet
Charms table on page 242 to determine which charm SCRIVENSCRY AND KINGSPORT
is bestowed. Each charm grants its recipient the power Scrivenscry is a vainglorious arca naloth who roams the
to cast a particular spell, for which Intelligence is the planes in search of the Books of Keeping, four lost tomes
spellcasting ability. The recipient becomes aware of this that hold the true names of every yugoloth ever created .
power as soon as the charm is bestowed. Each charm The fiend stumbled on Ythryn 's library by chance and is
also has a secret magical effect that triggers when the convinced that at least one of the legenda ry tomes is hid-
charm's benefit expires; do not reveal this secret to a den here. Alas, Scrivenscry is mistaken .
player before the effect occurs. Scrivenscry's anxious penguin servant, Kingsport, was
promised a life of enlightenment. The truth is that King-
Once a creature has gained a charm from the gob-
sport was turned into Scrivenscry's lackey, who lives in fear
let, it cannot gain another one by drinking from the of his cruel , unpredictable master. The blind giant penguin
goblet again. hopes to be free of the arcanaloth one day.

241
MAGIC GOBLET CHARMS the characters and says, "Ah, you must be the librarians!
Scrivenscry has need of your assistance." The penguin
d8 Charm
shifts uneasily as its master speaks.
Charm of the Abjurer. This charm allows you to cast Scrivenscry is an arcanaloth who always refers to
the blade ward cantrip as an action at will. After 24 itself in the third person. It has a fondness for black lic-
hours, this charm vanishes from you. Secret Effect: orice, strips of which it keeps in the pockets of its robe.
You gain 10 temporary hit points when this charm The fiend is attended by Kingsport (see the stat block
vanishes from you. on page 243), a blind, albino giant penguin under the
2 Charm of the Conjurer. This charm allows you to cast effect of an awaken spell.
the mage hand cantrip as an action at will. After 24 Scrivenscry insists that the characters help it search
hours, this charm vanishes from you. Secret Effect: for the Books of Keeping (see the "Scrivenscry and
When this charm vanishes from you, a flying sword
Kingsport" sidebar on page 241). If the characters
engage Scrivenscry in conversation, Kingsport chooses
appears in your space and defends you for the next
a moment to approach the nearest character and pass
24 hours before becoming an inert, nonmagical
a note to them. Scratched into a piece of leather are the
weapon. The DM controls the sword. words "Help me" in Common, which Kingsport wrote
3 Charm of the Diviner. This charm allows you to cast using his beak.
the true strike cantrip as an action at will. After 24 The characters must evade, defeat, or strike a deal
hours, this charm vanishes from you. Secret Effect: with Scrivenscry if they want to rescue the penguin. If
You gain inspiration when this charm vanishes from outmatched in combat, Scrivenscry teleports into the
you. depths of the library and plots its revenge. Characters
4 Charm of the Enchanter. This charm allows you to who agree to cooperate with the arcanaloth soon find
themselves alone with Kingsport, who reveals that
cast the friends cantrip as an action at will. After 24
Scrivenscry is a cruel and wicked master. Neither
hours, this charm vanishes from you. Secret Effect:
Kingsport nor his master knows much about Ythryn,
When this charm vanishes from you, one N PC who
since they arrived only yesterday by using a spell scroll
doesn't like you (determined by the DM) now thinks of plane shift.
better of you . Searching the Library. Characters who spend a few
5 Charm of the Evoke,. This charm allows you to cast hours studying the books in the library learn ld3 facts
the dancing lights cantrip as an action at will. After 24 from the Ythryn Lore table (page 235). One of the
hours, this charm vanishes from you. Secret Effect: tomes they examine is an almanac that lists past win-
When this charm vanishes from you, sparks explode ners of the city's Chain Lightning tournament (see area
all around you. These sparks deal 5 (2d4) lightning Y3). Characters who read this tome find a summary of
damage to each creature within 20 feet of you.
the game's rules.
In addition, characters who search the library find a
6 Charm of the Illusionist. This charm allows you to
journal written by Thufeus, one of the few mages who
cast the minor illusion cantrip as an action at will.
survived Ythryn's crash. It describes how the city fell
After 24 hours, this charm vanishes from you . Secret from the sky and the attempts of its doomed survivors to
Effect: When this charm vanishes from you, illusory escape (see "The Fall ofYthryn," page 231). The last
music accompanies you for the next 24 hours. It can entry reads "Iriolarthas is convinced that aid will come
be heard out to a range of 60 feet. Casting dispel in time from Netheril. I am not so sure."
magic on you ends the music. Treasure. Scrivenscry carries three spell scrolls (Leo-
7 Charm of the Necromancer. This charm allows you mund's tiny hut,plane shift, and wall ofice) and a chime
to cast the chill touch cantrip as an action at will. of opening with a single use remaining.
After 24 hours, this charm vanishes from you. Secret Kingsport's cart contains six texts that Scrivenscry
deems valuable. Each one is a treatise on the Outer
Effect: When this charm vanishes from you, you gain
Planes and is worth 250 gp to a collector of such works.
resistance to necrotic damage for the next 8 hours
and are the recipient of a death ward spell. YlO _ARBORETUM
8 Charm of the Transmute,. This charm allows you to
cast the prestidigitation cantrip as an action at will.
A canopy of golden leaves crowns the trees inside a
After 24 hours, this charm vanishes from you . Secret
sunken basin . The trees grow in stark contrast to their
Effect: You are targeted by a polymorph spell and fail
the saving throw automatically when this charm van- bleak surroundings, their branches swaying even though
ishes from you. Your new form is that of a bat and the air is deathly still.
lasts for 1 hour.
The grove is nestled in a hollow in the city floor. Vents
spaced around its perimeter wall emit puffy gray vapor,
which rises above the treetops and disperses as rain.
An illusory hemisphere above the arboretum projects a

false sky; now malfunctioning. the vista flickers between
a wild storm and a vast field of stars.
Nether Oak. A tree called the ether Oak grows at
the heart of the arboretum. For centuries, Netherese
mages crafted their wands and staffs from the wood of
this oak. Saturated in profane magic, the tree developed
a brooding sentience and a gnarly face. The Nether Oak
uses the treant stat block but is neutral evil and speaks
Common and Primordial.
When the characters arrive, the Nether Oak is in
deep slumber. To complete the Rite of the Arcane Octad
(see page 234), they must craft a wand from the wood
of this tree. Gathering wood without waking the tree
requires a successful DC 20 Dexterity (Stealth) check.
If the characters wake the tree, they can convince it to
part with some of its wood with a successful DC 15 Cha-
risma (Persuasion) check, but only if it believes they in-
tend to perform nefarious magic with it. The Nether Oak
is easily angered and uproots itself if driven to combat.
When it attacks, four needle blights spring from the
ground to assist it, acting on the same initiative count.
Yll. TOWER OF DIVINATION
The walls of this thin tower are etched with intricate de-
signs of hands and eyes. Silver light flickers from a high
window, above which a large, carved eye animates and
blinks. Part of the tower's roof is missing.
A detect magic spell cast here reveals an aura of divina- Medium beast, unaligned
tion magic. When the characters reach the top floor of
the spire, read: Armor Class 11
Hit Points 5 (ld8 + l)
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Large gashes in the roof allow you to see the dark,
icicle-festooned roof of the great ice cavern beyond. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Silver light emanates from a three-foot-diameter glass 6 (-2) 12 (+l) 12 (+l) 10 (+O) 10 (+O) 4(-3)
orb situated atop a two-foot-high cylindrical stone plinth Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
in the center of a thirty-foot-diameter, rubble-strewn cir- Perception l 0
cular chamber. Eyeballs drift inside the orb, like fish in a Languages Common
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
bowl. Some have cataracts, while others are bloodshot or
pus-filled, but all turn and gaze at you as you approach . Hold Breath. Kingsport can hold its breath for 20 minutes .
ACTIONS
Huge chunks of the walls have broken off in here, and
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.
the inscription bearing the divination passage from the
Hit: 3 (ld4 + l) piercing damage.
Rite of the Arcane Octad is missing.
With a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check,
a character recalls that a crystal ball filled with eyes is On a failed save, the creature takes 10 (3d6) piercing
the symbol of Savras, god of divination. damage as one of its eyes is magically plucked from its
Orb ofDivination. The stone plinth upon which the socket and teleported inside the orb (see "Injuries" in
orb rests is engraved with instructions written in Dra- the Dungeon Master's Guide for rules on losing an eye).
conic: "Ask and we shall find." To use the orb, one must If asked for the whereabouts of the missing wall en-
place one's hands on it and speak the name of an object graving needed to complete the Rite of the Arcane Octad
or a person. If the target exists on the same plane of ex- (see page 234), the orb provides a vision of where it fell
istence as the orb, the character touching the orb expe- inside the observatory (area YlS). The orb is magically
riences a vivid vision of the target's location and knows anchored to this chamber and cannot be removed or de-
how far away it is and in what direction. Such insight, stroyed. The only limit to how many times it can be used
however, comes with a risk: a creature that receives a is how many eyeballs the party has remaining.
vision must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw.

243
Yl2. WELLSPRING OF ANSWERS The golem was decapitated when Ythryn crashed into
the Reghed Glacier. Its head wound up deep within the
Caves of Hunger (see area HS in chapter 6), and its body
A deep well plunges through the city floor into darkness. has been stomping around Ythryn ever since. The golem
Five crystal benches encircle it, glinting under the purple swings blindly at anything that attacks it.
glow of a nearby street lamp.
Yl4. HALL OF SILK
The stone well is 100 feet deep and lined with slippery
Silken drapes hang from the walls of this storefront, their
ice and frost, making it impossible to negotiate without
climbing gear or magic. Months before Ythryn's fall , a surfaces swirling with illusory images of dragon's fire
circle of mages known as the Telepathic Pentacle tried and twinkling star fields. A group of emotionless figures
to fuse their minds together to become a conjoined tele- stand guard outside, looking for all the world like fro-
pathic force . The procedure went terribly wrong, and zen statues.
their bodies and minds melded into a single monstrosity.
Iriolarthas imprisoned the thing in this empty well so
that its latent telepathic powers could be tapped by the Six demos magen (see appendix C) guard the entrance
city's elite. A short obituary is engraved around the lip of to this store. They attack anyone who tries to steal the
the well in Draconic: "Herein lie the immortal remains silks on display (see "Treasure" below) but otherwise let
of the Telepathic Pentacle. Sit, meditate, and learn." strangers explore the store.
Thing in the Well. A gibbering, five-headed aberration Inside the store, five galvan magen (see appendix C)
lies in a semiconscious state at the bottom of the well. watch over rest of the merchandise. More of the magic
The warped faces of the Telepathic Pentacle strain at silk hangs in long drapes throughout the interior, after
the ends of its thick, undulating necks. The monster being spun by four phase spiders that lurk in the hall's
uses the hydra stat block, except that it has a climbing rafters. The spiders are enchanted to produce sorcery
speed of 30 feet. silk, a material with illusions woven into it that was
The monster shudders awake if a light source pene- fashioned into robes for Ythryn's elite. Characters who
trates more than 80 feet into the well, or if a creature enter the store spot the spiders immediately. The spi-
sitting on one of the benches awakens it (see below). ders defend themselves if attacked but are otherwise
Meditation Benches. By sitting on these crystal nonthreatening.
benches and meditating, citizens ofYthryn could join In the center of the interior, crystal mannequins
their minds with the Telepathic Pentacle, gaining in- draped in finery encircle an empty pedestal. If a creature
sights about their past and future. A creature that sits steps onto the pedestal , an illusion of a magnificently
on the bench can, after 1 minute of meditation, gain one dressed human flickers to life before them and intro-
clue from the Ythryn Lore table (page 235) by making duces itself as Silksmith Mixyll. The illusion welcomes
a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check the guest to its emporium and explains the robe-making
fails by 5 or more, the creature's wayward thoughts process. As it speaks, the phase spiders descend silently
awaken the thing in the well. A creature can gain only and use their legs to take the creature's measurements
one insight from the well per day, and only while the before spinning the creature a tailor-made robe. As the
monster is alive. robe is being fashioned, Mixyll urges its guest to "imag-
ine any image your heart desires." The spiders can, in
Yl3. BAZAAR OF THE BIZARRE the 10 minutes it takes to create the robe, spin any illu-
sory design or effect into the garment. On completion,
A large market hall sits at one end of this plaza , its four
they drape the robe over the creature's shoulders and
ascend back to their lair. Each guest can gain this bene-
broken towers leaning inward. Faded pennants hang
fit only once.
above the entrance, frozen stiff. A loud clatter resounds Treasure. A silk robe spun by the spiders is worth
from within the hall. 250 gp. If the characters ransack the store, they find ten
other silk robes (250 gp each) that are on display and
weren't damaged when the city crashed.
This market hall once sold relics of arcane wonder.
Now, its interior is a warren of mangled shop fronts Yl5. OBSERVATORY
crushed by chunks of ice and stone. Most of the wares
have become worthless, and everything else has been
destroyed by a headless iron golem that is presently This conical tower is held relatively upright by a ring of
rampaging around inside the building. arched buttresses. Expressionless humanoid figures
Without its head, the golem has the following changes stand in silence around it. The roof has a large, ragged
to its statistics: hole in it where something large smashed through .
• The golem has 150 hit points (its hit point maximum).
It has a challenge rating of 10 (5,900 XP).
It is blinded and deafened, giving it disadvantage on Three galvan magen, three demos magen, and one
all its attack rolls, and it can't use its Poison Breath. hypnos magen stand guard outside the observatory
CHAPTE R 7 I DOO M O F YTHRYN

244
with orders to prevent strangers from entering it (see By training the magic telescope on distant stars, Yth-
appendix C for their stat blocks). The hypnos magen ryn's astronomers could summon alien creatures from
telepathically orders intruders to leave the area. Defying those stars to be questioned, studied, or dissected. The
this order prompts the magen to attack. fall of Ythryn damaged the telescope beyond repair, ren-
The iron door at the base of the observatory is welded dering it useless.
shut from the outside and must be broken down. It has When Ythryn fell, a piece of the Tower of Divination
AC 19, 30 hit points, and immunity to poison and psy- (area Yll) crashed through the observatory roof (see
chic damage. A blue slaad lurks on the other side of the "Inscription" below). In the resulting chaos, the blue
doorway and attacks as soon as the door ceases to be an slaad encountered on the tower's ground floor escaped
obstacle. This slaad is hostile toward all other creatures from its cell and rampaged through the observatory. The
and can't be reasoned with. Arch-Astronomer, who became infected by the slaad's
Once inside, the characters can ascend the tower to its chaos phage, ordered her surviving apprentices to seal
uppermost floor: her inside the tower with the monster. In the years, de-
cades, and centuries since, she has managed to keep the
blue slaad from escaping through the hole in the roof.
A large telescope dominates a thirty-foot-diameter circu-
The Arch-Astronomer, now a green slaad, is madly
lar chamber at the top of the tower. Gazing into the tele- fiddling with the telescope, hoping to reverse its power
scope's eyepiece is a hulking, frog-like biped in wizard's so that it can project itself out of the tower to some
robes that pays you no mind as it mumbles to itself. faraway place where it can find happiness, but it has
Adamantine shields cover the observatory's windows. no hope of success. If the characters interrupt the
Arch-Astronomer, it tries to frighten them away by
A large chunk of stone from another building has crashed
baring its teeth and claws. If they touch the telescope
through the roof and embedded itself in the floor like or damage it further, the slaad goes crazy and attacks
a jagged stone knife. This intruding fragment bears a them. If they merely want to read the inscription on the
strange inscription on one side. wall fragment that crashed through the roof, the slaad
leaves them alone.
Inscription. The chunk of wall from the Tower of Div-
ination (area Yll) bears the following inscription in Dra-
conic: "Third, a burnt palm loosens the tongue. Shed a
secret about yourself for all to hear." This is a passage
from the Rite of the Arcane Octad (see page 234).
Yl6. MENAGERIE Yl7. THEATER
An immense dome looms before you, its crystal roof The roof of this domed building is wrecked and open to
marred by a web of cracks. Through the gaps in the build- the elements. Inside is a theater with a large stage, seat-
ing's shell, and on the other side of the open entrance- ing for more than one hundred, and a backstage area.
way, you see a strange landscape of miniaturized natural Icicles hang from its sagging balconies, and rime-frosted
features. masks leer and grin from its fractured walls.
This building's entrance lies unattended. Ythryn's A wooden writing desk sits in a backstage room,
mages would visit here to conjure up one-of-a-kind wrapped in chains and padlocked. A character using
pets. Small-scale versions of natural habitats were thieves' tools can try to pick the lock as an action, do-
constructed throughout the park: miniature mountain ing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. In a
ranges, deserts, and forested streams, all now draped leather-bound folder in one of the desk drawers are five
in ice. At the heart of this mixture of landscapes stands scripts for a play called A Blasphemy of Kings. The play
the machine that brought the menagerie's creatures into tells the story of five siblings, each expecting to claim
existence. the throne of their late father. As the protagonists try to
Chimeric Creator. This device is a 10-foot-diameter prove their worth, it is revealed that they're all in fact
iron wheel on its side, held above the ground by a metal dead, having perished alongside their father in the cata-
brace, with eight barrel-sized, egg-shaped open contain- clysmic event that destroyed their kingdom.
ers attached to the outer ends of its spokes. The appara- Cursed Play. Each script has a different cover
tus has a bronze control panel with a lever next to it. A showing a humanoid figure that represents one of the
character who spends at least 1 minute examining the siblings: the Martyr (with a noose around its neck), the
device can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check. Traitor (with a knife held behind its back), the Bewitched
On a successful check, the character gains an under- (with a fairy whispering in its ear), the Haunted (with a
standing of how to use it without knowing its purpose. demonic shadow terrorizing it), and the Fool (perform-
To operate the device, 80 hit points of blood must be ing a handstand). Each of the five scripts is cursed. Any-
distributed evenly between its eight containers. Once one who spends an hour reading a script must succeed
the blood is properly deposited, pulling a lever causes on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become cursed. A
the wheel to spin. The blood disappears 1 minute later, creature cursed in this way is gripped by a sudden feel-
the wheel stops, and a creature crawls out of one of the ing of impending doom. Each of the five scripts imparts
containers. This creature is loyal to whoever pulled the a different curse, which can be ended by a remove curse
lever. Determine the creature by rolling a d6 and con- spell or similar magic:
sulting the Chimeric Creations table. Martyr's Script. All attacks against the cursed charac-
The chimeric creator needs 8 hours to recharge before ter are made with advantage.
it can be used again. A gauge on the device indicates
Traitor's Script. The cursed character can't per-
how long it will take to recharge.
form any action that would directly benefit one of
their allies.
CHIMERIC CREATIONS
Bewitched's Script. The cursed character hears the
d6 Creature voice of an imaginary fey creature whispering in their
A weasel with glowing eyes that emit bright light out ear. Whenever presented with a choice, the character
in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 must randomly determine what action to take.
feet Haunted's Script. A shadowy fiend plagues the cursed
character's dreams (or trances in the case of an elf),
2 A hare (see appendix C) with feathered wings and a
denying that character the benefits of a long rest.
flying speed of 30 feet
Fool's Script. The cursed character has disadvantage
3 A baboon with a bite attack that deals an extra 3 on all ability checks.
(ld6) poison damage on a hit
4 A cat with antennae that grant it blindsight and trem- Yl8. TOWER OF NECROMANCY
orsense out to a range of 60 feet
5 A rat with gills, iridescent scales, and the ability to The remains of a toppled tower lie scattered around you.
I
breathe air and water
Its fractured base, protruding from the ground like a bro-
6 A fox (see appendix C) with fur that changes color to
ken tooth, is teeming with crawling gray hands.
match its surroundings, giving it advantage on Dex-
terity (Stealth) checks
A detect magic spell cast here reveals an aura of nec-
romantic magic. Two hundred crawling claws are
tirelessly but ineffectively trying to excavate the tower's
ruins, brick by brick. Anyone who disrupts this effort
is attacked by 2d6 claws. Deep under the rubble, the

MAP 7.3: SPIRE OF lRIOLARTHAS
corpse of High Necromancer Cadavix lies crushed, yet pass through it, nor can they teleport to any location
his ghost remains behind to haunt the tower. Characters inside it. Any creature that performs the Rite of the
who linger in the area of the tower witness his gaunt Arcane Octad (see page 234) near the spire can pass
spirit staring glumly down at the debris. Cadavix's ghost through the force field in either direction thereafter.
is harmless and attacks only in self-defense; it laments The spire, the interior of which is shown in map 7.3,
the fall of Ythryn and longs to see its corpse freed from has the following recurring features:
the ruins. Demilich's Lair. The spire is the lair of the demilich
Excavating the tower requires pickaxes and shovels,
Iriolarthas. The lair actions noted in the demilich en-
and it takes a number of hours equal to 50 divided by try of the Monster Manual apply throughout the spire,
the number of excavators (minimum 1 hour). The crawl-
though Iriolarthas can use lair actions only while in-
ing claws don't count as diggers, nor do they attack char- side it. The spire doesn't have demilich lair traits.
acters who join the digging effort. Quite the contrary: Ceilings. Ceilings are 30 feet high inside rooms and 10
they get visibly excited as the unearthing of their master feet high in corridors.
draws near. If Cadavix's frozen corpse is unearthed, Doors. Doors are made from enchanted oak fitted with
his spirit is laid to rest and the claws scuttle off into the adamantine locks and hinges.
ruins. Those who find the corpse can claim its necklace Lighting. The interior of the spire is brightly lit by con-
(see "Treasure" below). tinual flame spells cast in wall sconces.
Inscription. Characters who dig deep enough to reach
Cadavix's corpse also reach the tower's foundations Yl9A. MAIN ENTRANCE
and uncover a section of wall that bears the following If the characters reach this area by ascending the strut
inscription in Draconic: "Seventh, trace a circle with the at area Y6, read:
ashes of the dead." This is a passage from the Rite of the
Arcane Octad (see page 234).
Treasure. Cadavix's corpse wears a necklace of fire- Near the apex of the strut, the ceiling of the tunnel gives
balls with six beads remaining. way to a landing that offers a view of the citadel's upper-
most reaches. Light from a high window illuminates a set
Yl9. SPIRE OF lRIOLARTHAS
of steps that ascend to a pair of mahogany doors in the
A shimmering force field surrounds this 1,200-foot-tall
obsidian citadel, which rises from the center of Ythryn tower's face.
and dwarfs all neighboring structures. Creatures can't

247
The ballroom lies in ruins, rimed with ice, its furniture
jumbled and shattered. Above the floor where nobles
danced, three glass cylinders with iron fittings slowly
move through the air. Housed in each cylinder is a
swollen human brain floating in a bath of slimy, trans-
lucent goo.
Three Netherese wizards chose to continue their revels

into undeath, each one becoming a brain in ajar (see
appendix C). The three wizards have been driven mad
by their undead existence. Dispelling the illusion drives
them into a furious rage. Visitors who ruin the ball in
any way are attacked.
Joining the BaJJ. The characters can interact freely
with the illusory surroundings. The magic reacts to their
actions, allowing them to hold conversations with court-
iers, join the dance, or even sample the canapes. All the
illusory figments know nothing ofYthryn's fate and are
interested only in revelry and gossip. Characters who
spend at least 5 minutes talking to the illusory guests
or servants learn one random fact from the Ythryn Lore
table (page 235).
Yl9c. COUNCIL CHAMBERS

These chambers served as offices for bureaucrats who
ran the citadel's day-to-day operations. Each room con-
tains a single table, a cabinet filled with ruined parch-
ment scrolls, and a dresser containing writing materi-
als. Everything is in disarray and covered in ice.
Characters who search the northernmost chamber
discover an unfinished letter that details the acquisition
VENERANDA of an artifact dating back to the empire of Ostoria. This
rune-carved stone spindle is described as having an un-
known purpose. The writer notes that it has been moved
The magic that once sealed the doors has long since
to the citadel's stasis chamber for further study.
faded away. When visitors approach the doors, a hypnos
magen (see appendix C) from area Y19d appears at the Yl9D. GUARD PASSAGE
overlooking window and uses its telepathy to politely At the end of the passage to the west, a narrow window
instruct the intruders to leave the area. If the intruders overlooks the steps that lead to the main entrance (area
behave threateningly or ignore its warnings, the magen Y19a). Anyone who enters this passage is challenged by
tries to drive them away using suggestion spells, or fail- a hypnos magen (see appendix C)- the same one that
ing that, attacks them. tries to shoo away intruders in area Yl 9a. This magen
emerges from a cramped sentry chamber to the east and
Yl9B. BALLROOM
uses telepathy to politely inform intruders that they are
trespassing: if the intruders don't leave at once, the ma-
Chamber music washes over you as you enter this ball- gen tries to forcibly eject them.
room. In contrast to the desolate, frozen ruins outside, a
Yl9E. LIQUEFACTION CHAMBER
dozen people mill around in here, dressed in flowing silk
garments and holding colorful hand masks and feathered
Shifting green, purple, and blue light spills into this room
fans . Noble courtiers laugh and gossip as servants move
through a single window. Bolted-down tables hold an ar-
among them, offering sugared treats on silver platters.
ray of equipment: beakers of alchemical fluid, alembics ,
cut crystal needles, surgical tools, coiled leather tubes,
The music, people, food, decor, and warmth are illusions and more. Behind the tables stands an ornate suit of ar-
with which the characters can interact (see "Joining the
mor. Where the head should be is a swollen human brain
Ball" below). The scene can be ended with a successful
dispel magic spell (DC 19). If the illusory ball is dis- floating inside a canister of translucent fluid.
pelled, the room's true contents are revealed:
C HAPTER 7 I DOOM OF YTHRYN

This ritual room is designed to serve a grisly purpose: Staff 6 is made of chardalyn (see the sidebar on page
the transformation of a living creature into a brain in 6) and is suffused with Netherese magic. While
ajar. Veneranda, a neutral evil etherese wizard, ex- holding the staff, a creature is immune to the fright-
tracted her own brain to become a brain in ajar (see ened and poisoned conditions.
appendix C) that is affixed to the body of a headless
helmed horror. If the characters threaten or attack her, Yl9G. DEN
Veneranda turns the helmed horror against the group This chamber is affected by the same illusion that con-
and attacks. Even though they are conjoined, the brain ceals the true nature of the ballroom (area Yl 9b). If that
in ajar and the helmed horror roll initiative separately illusion hasn't been dispelled, read:
and attack as separate creatures. The brain can detach
from the helmed horror as a bonus action.
Courtiers lounge on luxurious cushions inside this cir-
Unlike her companions in the ballroom (area Y19b),
Veneranda is coldly calculating and fully aware of cular chamber, smoking from long pipes and dining on
Ythryn's fate. If the characters communicate with her, fruit. Against the back wall is a large harp, its strings
she greets them warily in Loross (see the "Loross: The being plucked magically to fill the room with haunting
Netherese Tongue" sidebar on page 221) and tries to music. In the middle of the room, a gem-studded, cubic
find out what has happened in the world in the centuries wooden chest sits on a round marble table with an octo-
since Ythryn's fall. Her singular goal is to restore Ythryn
pus-shaped base.
to its past glory. She doesn't know why the city crashed,
but she believes that the broken obelisk (see area Y21)
can turn back time to repair the damage. To activate its If the illusion is dispelled, the music ends and the cham-
magic, Veneranda says she needs Iriolarthas's staff of ber is revealed to be an abandoned, icy ruin. The chest
power, which he keeps in his study. She proposes that and the table are real objects that remain after the illu-
the characters break into lriolarthas's study, steal his sion is dispelled.
staff, and bring it to her. She declines to accompany Treasure. The chest is an abracadabrus (see appendix
them, on account of the likely danger. If they complete D) that Iriolarthas and his guests used to produce food
this mission and return with the staff, she escorts them and drink.
to the obelisk and tries to activate it. If the characters
are unwilling to help Veneranda achieve her goal, they Yl9H. MEMBERS ' BAR
quickly outlive their usefulness, and she tries to de- These rooms are affected by the same illusion that con-
stroy them. ceals the true nature of the ballroom (area Y19b). If that
Ritual ofBrain Transfer. Veneranda can use the illusion hasn't been dispelled, read:
equipment in this chamber to transform one humanoid
into a brain in ajar. This ritual takes 24 hours and re-
sults in the death and liquefaction of the subject's body. Well-dressed revelers mill about, talking loudly to each
Veneranda doesn't allow anyone to view the ritual while other while servants carry bottles of wine and spirits
it's being performed. around to refill their cups. Behind a rectangular counter,
a bald, pale-skinned humanoid serves wine from an or-
I
Yl9F. STAFF STORAGE
nate bottle.
I This irregularly shaped room contains six staffs stored in

racks along its walls, with room for more.
Each staff can serve as an arcane focus for a spellcaster.

If the illusion is dispelled, this area is shown to be a fro-
zen ruin bereft of inhabitants.
Treasure. Behind the rectangular counter, held in
storage racks, are a dozen bottles of two-thousand-year-
The staffs are as follows: old wine. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of abjura-
tion magic around each bottle, which has preserved its
Staff 1 is a straight stick of pale ash with a stern-looking
contents. Each bottle of wine is worth 50 gp to an inter-
owl's head carved into its top. ested buyer.
Staff2 is a smooth, polished length of blue-tinted wood
that's as strong as steel, with black veins running Yl9I. FORCE BRIDGE
through it and an octopus carved into its top. A 7-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide window at the north end of area
Staff 3 is made of translucent purple glass, which splits Y19b overlooks a 35-foot-wide gap in the spire's super-
into three branches at the top that circle around one structure. On the far side of this gap, a similar window
another to form a hollow spiral with an orb of lighter opens into the Chamber of Sorcery (area Yl 9j). Between
purple glass tucked inside it. these windows stretches a magical, invisible 5-foot-wide
Staff 4 is carved from golden laspar wood, with carv- plane of force that serves as a bridge. (On map 7.3, this
ings of fish swimming upriver along its length. bridge is marked by a pair of dashed lines.) This invisi-
Staff 5 is made of weirwood, a hardy substance similar ble bridge, which is safe to cross, is suppressed by the
to oak. Its shaft is gnarled and twisted, its top carved activation of the spindle in area Yl 9n.
to resemble a human hand grasping a snake.

249
Yl9J. CHAMBER OF SORCERY revealing a 5-foot-diameter vertical shaft that ascends
50 feet to area Y19k. A character can use an action to
pull open the hatch by force, doing so with a successful
Your reflections dance over the mirrored surfaces of this DC 20 Strength check.
chamber. Eleven alcoves extend from the walls like the
points of a star, each one narrowing to a niche where Yl9K. DOME
The following boxed text assumes that the characters
a gently glowing crystal is mounted five feet above the
arrive by moving up the shaft from area Y19j. Modify
floor. The air seems to hum with pent-up power. this text if the characters enter from the south:
Soon after the characters enter this area, an entity You ascend into an oval hall glittering with frost. Carv-
called Everlast makes its presence known. Everlast is
ings decorate the walls, and long icicles hang from the
a living spell bound to the spire. It can manifest in the
ceiling. A ten-foot-radius dome of translucent ice en-
image of any humanoid species or gender but defaults to
the form described below: closes the area around the shaft from which you emerge.
At the far end of the hall, two blade-shaped patches of
pitch darkness hover in the air to either side of a double
Suddenly, the crystals brighten as rays of energy burst
door. A glowing green crystal roughly the size of a human
forth one by one to converge in the center of the room.
fist is set into the arch above the doorway.
As more of the rays intersect, a translucent figure comes
into view where their light converges: a bald man wearing
a long, purple gown. His face breaks into a smile as he A hemispherical wall of force, its outside coated with a
sees you. thin layer of ice, covers the shaft leading down to area
Y19j. This barrier was created by a wall of force spell
and is maintained by the glowing green crystal set above
Everlast speaks the same language as any creature that the doorway (see "Green Crystal" below). As long as this
converses with it. He can't attack or be damaged, and he . crystal is glowing, the wall of force can't be dispelled.
can't be dispelled. Two living blades of disaster (see appendix C) guard
Iriolarthas created Everlast to aid him and his appren- the double door that blocks the way to area Y191. The
tices in their doomed mission to restore Ythryn from blades attack intruders that move in range of their blind-
ruin. In the years since its creation, Everlast has seen sight (30 feet), and the blades can pass right through the
Iriolarthas crumble into dust and his apprentices trans- wall of force.
form into nothics. With nothing to do except uphold his Green Crystal. This glowing crystal sustains the
standing orders, Everlast has become hopelessly bored. wall of force but has become loose in its stone fixture.
The characters are the first new faces he has seen for Whenever a loud noise is made inside the chamber, the
centuries, and he immediately warms to them. Ever- loose crystal flickers. Tremendously loud noises, such as
last's standing orders are as follows: those made by a thunderwave spell or a horn of blasting,
cause the crystal to go out for ld6 rounds, during which
• Assist in the city's restoration.
time the wall of force is suppressed. The first time this
• Do not reveal the city's secrets to outsiders.
happens, the ice that coats the dome collapses.
Everlast can manifest anywhere inside the spire and A character within reach of the crystal can use an
can move instantaneously between locations within it. action to pry it from its fixture, which causes the crystal
If the characters express interest in restoring Ythryn to go dark for good, ending the wall of force. Destroying
to its former glory, he laments, "Many powerful minds the crystal has the same effect. The crystal is a Tiny,
have tried." If the characters mention Veneranda's plan 1-pound object with AC 13, 4 hit points, and immunity to
to use Iriolarthas's staff ofpower and the obelisk, Ever- poison and psychic damage.
last cautions them by saying, "That might be unwise, for
the obelisk was damaged in the crash. Iriolarthas was Yl9L. TESTING CHAMBER
unable to repair it." If the characters ask Everlast how The following boxed text assumes that the characters
to reach Iriolarthas's study, he says he can't help them, look through the doorway from area Yl 9k. If they arrive
saying, "My orders prevent me from revealing the city's from the south, modify the text accordingly:
secrets to outsiders."
Energy Crystals. The crystals embedded in the
niches are used to project Everlast's illusory form Lining the far wall of this hall are eight doors, each
throughout the spire. Each crystal is a Tiny object with marked with a different arcane symbol. On the wall above
AC 8, 3 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic them is etched an inscription in Draconic.
damage. If more than half of the crystals are removed or
destroyed, Everlast ceases to exist.
Secret Door. This hatch is mounted in the ceiling, 30 A magical trap (marked T on map 7.3) fills the 10-foot-
feet above the floor, and can be spotted from the floor square area immediately south of the double door to
only with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) area Y19k and triggers whenever a creature that is nei-
check. Knocking on the hatch causes it to swing open, ther a construct nor undead enters the area for the first

time. Any creature that triggers the trap is targeted by a any creatures that move into the corridor without first
flesh to stone spell (save DC 17). A creature can't set off speaking the correct name. These devils can leave the
the trap more than once. After it's triggered three times, darkness to pursue their foes. One minute after a devil
the trap vanishes. appears, it disappears, leaving no trace of itself behind.
Draconic Inscription. The inscription reads "Speak Once a barbed devil has been summoned, no other devil
thy master's name and enter." can be summoned into that same corridor for 24 hours.
Eight Doors. A character who succeeds on a DC 10
Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes that the symbols Yl9M. CHAMBER OF THE EBON STAR
on the doors represent the eight schools of magic. Open-
ing any of the eight doors reveals utter darkness beyond.
A vortex of glowing stars hangs in the air inside this
A creature that has darkvision can't see into or through
this magical darkness, but a warlock with Devil's Sight chamber, slowly rotating on its axis. As the constellations
can. Magical light, as well as light created by spells of move, they cast radiant starlight across the walls. Eight
8th level or lower, can't illuminate it. This darkness fills high-backed chairs, each bearing a different arcane sym-
the tunnels south of the doors and can't be dispelled. To bol, face this starry miasma.
pass through safely, a character must speak the name
of one of Iriolarthas's eight apprentices and then step
through the door associated with that wizard's school of Iriolarthas's apprentices, known as the Wizards of the
magic. The eight apprentices were: Ebon Star, governed Ythryn from this hall. Eight magi-
cally darkened corridors connect this hall to area Y191.
High Abjurer Taruth High Evoker Zadulus
Separate archways open into areas Y19n and Y19o.
High Conjurer Damorith High Illusionist Ajamar
At the south end of the hall, a 10-foot-wide passage-
High Diviner Apius High Necromancer Cadavix
way leads to a locked double door, beyond which lies
High Enchanter Ivira High Transmuter Metaltra
a balcony (area Yl9p). The door is warded with magic
The characters can learn the apprentices' names from that prevents it from being damaged or forced open; it
the museum (area Y29). Each time a creature steps can be unlocked, however, by someone who uses the
through a door without speaking the correct name, adamantine key in area Yl 9o, or by a character who
a barbed devil appears in the dark corridor beyond. uses thieves' tools and makes a successful DC 18 Dex-
The devil can see in the magical darkness and attacks terity check as an action to pick the lock.

25r
Star Field. The swirling star field represents the radius (including those within the spire) are suppressed
cosmos as it was known to the Netherese. A character for 24 hours, and spellcasters are drained of any unex-
who studies the star field sees a strange phenomenon: a pended spell slots. Living spells, constructs, and other
dark star in a position where no known star exists today. magically created creatures are unaffected. The pulse
This character now risks being cursed with a forebod- of energy suppresses magical traps throughout the city
ing sense of doom. At the end of the character's next and causes the floating chamber above Skydock Spire
long rest, the character must make a DC 20 Intelligence (area Y28) to crash into to the ground, pulverizing it and
saving throw. On a failed save, the character gains the dealing 99 (18d10) bludgeoning damage to each crea-
following flaw: "I can't look at the sky because the ebon ture inside it.
star might be looking back at me." Any magic that ends
a curse can rid the character of this flaw. Yl9o. LIBRARY
Wizards' Chairs. Any character who succeeds on
a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes that
The walls of this roughly triangular room are filled with
the symbols on the chairs represent the eight schools
of magic. floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Hundreds of books and
Anyone who has a supernatural charm gained by scrolls were thrown free of their resting places when the
drinking from the goblet in area YB can sit safely in city crashed and now cover the floor. Time and bitter cold
the chair for the school of magic tied to that charm. have not been kind to them.
Similarly, a wizard can sit in whichever chair matches
their chosen arcane tradition. (For example, ifVel-
lynne Harpell is with the party, she can sit in the chair Most of the books and scrolls that litter the floor have
marked with the symbol of necromancy, since she is a been ruined by centuries of disuse, but adventurers who
necromancer.) If one or more party members take their search the remains unearth two survivors: a scroll (see
proper seats here, the star field transforms into a glow- "Treasure" below) and a brittle tome with a black, eight-
ing door that persists for 1 minute before transforming pointed star on its front cover. This brittle tome records
back into its original form. While in this room, Iriolar- the various meetings of the Wizards of the Ebon Star.
thas the demilich can use an action to cause the door- One passage explains, in the Draconic script, that "Mas-
way to open without having to sit in a chair. Creatures ter Iriolarthas opens the door to his study when three
that move through this door are teleported to the upper or more of his apprentices-or those empowered by
level of area Yl9q. the goblet in the House of the Arcane-are seated cor-
Each chair is a Medium object with AC 15, 18 hit rectly in the Chamber of the Ebon Star." This passage
points, and immunity to all damage except force dam- provides adventurers with the information they need to
age. Destroying all the chairs causes the star field to dis- open the magical doorway in area Y19m.
appear, cutting off access to area Yl9q from this room. Treasure. Lying among the ruined documents are two
useful items: a scroll of the comet (see appendix D) and
Yl9N. STASIS CHAMBER an adamantine key. The key is nonmagical and unlocks
the double door to the balcony (area Yl9p).
A ten-foot-tall spindle of gray stone hovers upright and Yl9P. HIGH COURT BALCONY
rotates slowly inside this circular chamber. All around it, A locked double door bars the way to area Y19m. The
the surfaces of the room's walls are cracked, as though door is warded with magic that prevents it from being
some terrible energy once coursed through them. damaged or forced open; it can be unlocked, however, by
someone who uses the adamantine key in area Y19o, or
by a character who uses thieves' tools and makes a suc-
This chamber was built to house unstable magic items cessful DC 18 Dexterity check as an action.
during experimentation, but it couldn't contain the The Wizards of the Ebon Star used this balcony to
artifact that Iriolarthas and his apprentices retrieved make proclamations to the inhabitants ofYthryn. Words
from the bottom of the Sea of Moving Ice. During a spoken by a creature standing on the balcony are magi-
routine examination, the spindle briefly became active, cally amplified to sound ten times louder than normal.
dispelled magical effects throughout Ythryn, and caused
the city to plunge into the Reghed Glacier. The spindle is Yl9Q. lRIOLARTHAS 'S STUDY
now dormant but can be reactivated to wreak havoc on This room can be accessed by activating the magic
the Weave. door in area Y19m. The door is a two-way portal that
The spindle is immune to all damage and is unaf- snaps shut after 1 minute, though it can be reopened
fected by any magic in existence today. It can't be moved from this side by speaking the proper command word
from this location. If it is targeted by a spell of 5th level ("Saldrinar"). Anyone who arrives by this route appears
or higher, an explosion of magical energy blasts from it: on the room's upper level, which the following boxed
all magic items and magical effects within a three-mile text assumes:

spellbook from atop the tables (see "Treasure" below).
This large chamber has lain undisturbed for centuries. The nothics defend the demilich and themselves.
On the upper level, all around you, are tables covered The shadowy, groaning rectangle on the north wall is
with wizardly paraphernalia. A soft groaning sound em- a living demiplane (see appendix C) that was created
anates from a shadowy, door-sized rectangle along the when Iriolarthas escaped Ythryn's fall. It moves toward
the nearest intruder with the intent of trapping that crea-
curved northern wall.
ture into its extradimensional chamber. Anyone who is
Staircases to the east and west descend to the lower cast into this chamber must deal with five hostile crea-
part of the room, where a sunken library is situated in tures already trapped inside it: three galvan magen (see
a twenty-foot-wide, ten -foot-deep circular pit. A ladder appendix C) and two flesh golems. As the golems attack
running along a circular track inside this hole allows easy new arrivals, the magen use their Shocking Touch and
access to the many books and scrolls on its shelves. Static Discharge actions to heal the golems' wounds.
The sunken library in the middle of the study has
shelves lining its 10-foot-high walls and a ladder that
If the characters have not yet encountered Iriolarthas, can be pushed along a circular track to reach every
the demilich and three nothics are present: shelf. Among the books and scrolls kept here is a bundle
of parchment maps and schematics detailing aspects of
Ythryn. Characters who study these papers for at least 1
Perched on the edge of the pit are three aberrant crea- hour learn the following facts:
tures , each one staring at you with a singular, hideous
• The city was held aloft by the Ythryn mythallar (area
eye. Floating above the middle of the pit is a human skull Y23). Up to eight mages could attune to this device
with wispy, arcane symbols forming above it. at one time. If all of them agreed, they could use its
power to move the city through the skies or control
the weather for miles around it.
Have the players roll initiative for their characters, and
• If disaster ever struck the city, the wizards could ex-
roll initiative for all the other creatures present.
ploit the power of the obelisk (area Y21) to turn back
See the "Iriolarthas the Demilich" section at the start
time and avert ruin. The schematics contain instruc-
of the chapter for information about the demilich. Irio-
tions for activating the obelisk, which requires a staff
larthas attacks anyone who takes its staff ofpower or
0 ofpower as a power source.
C HAPTER 7 I DOOM OF YTHRYN

253
• The command word to reopen the magic door to area
Y19m is "Saldrinar," which also happens to be the
name of a long-dead Netherese archmage.
• The command word to deactivate the force field
around the spire is "Olostin." If this name is spoken
aloud within lriolarthas's study, the force field sur-
rounding the spire and the Ythryn mythallar (area
Y23) deactivates permanently.
Treasure. The following treasures can be found
amid the rubbish on the upper level of the study: a
small metal case containing four vials of quicksilver
(500 gp each), an intricate crystal rod (1,800 gp), lrio-
larthas's fully charged staff of power, a hefty spell book
titled The Incantations of Iriolarthas , and a scroll of
tarrasque summoning (see appendix D for descriptions
of the spellbook and the scroll). The crystal rod and
vials of quicksilver are nonmagical material compo-
nents needed for the create magen spell in Iriolarthas's
spell book.
Professor Skant is excited by the discovery of the
scroll of tarrasque summoning, since the tarrasque is
one of its areas of expertise. The professor orb knows
all the tarrasque lore in the Monster Manual, as well
as the monster's traits, which it's happy to share with
the party.
I
Y20. TOWER OF EVOCATION
IThe top of this tower is shaped like an axe blade. Red

light shines out from a slender window high overhead.
The tower's interior is damaged by fire, lightning, and

acid, having borne the brunt of centuries of destructive
spellcasting. A spiral staircase ascends to the topmost
chamber. When the characters arrive here, read:
Red orbs of light dance like fireflies around this

thirty-foot-diameter octagonal chamber. A large unlit
brazier stands in the center of the room, and eight ten-
foot-square alcoves line the walls , each filled with ice.
The arched ceiling is covered with icicles .
This chamber is lit by a permanent dancing lights spell

that can be dispelled (DC 17). Characters who succeed
on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check spot an inscrip-
tion on the ceiling, but the ice covering it renders it un-
readable (see "Inscription" below).
The central brazier is enchanted. A single spark cre-
ated inside it causes it to blaze with magic flames for 24
hours. If the brazier is lit, the heat it gives off starts to
melt the ice in the chamber, revealing the words of the
inscription after 10 minutes.
Alcoves. Examination of the alcoves reveals that each
one contains what appears to be a 10-foot cube of ice.
One of the cubes has a humanoid skeleton- the remains
of High Evoker Zadulus- suspended inside it. These
blocks of ice are, in fact, eight gelatinous cubes held in
magical cryostasis. If the brazier is used to thaw the ice
lRIOLIIRTH/IS THE DEMILICH

in the room, these cubes awaken after 10 minutes and Y22. TOWER OF ILLUSION
emerge from their alcoves, attacking all other creatures
in the room.
Inscription. The inscription on the ceiling is written An obsidian tower shrouded in gossamer mist soars be-
in Draconic and reads "Fifth, quench the flame in thy fore you. Eyes carved into the stonework appear to fi xate
palm with ice." This is a passage from the Rite of the on you as you approach the entrance. The spire's highest
Arcane Octad (see page 234). window emits a purple light.
Y21. OBELISK
A detect magic spell cast here reveals an aura of illusion
A sixty-foot-tall obelisk of black stone, its surface covered
magic. This magic makes the eyes carved into the tower
appear to follow those who approach the structure.
in arcane runes, projects from the ground. A thin crack
Characters who enter the tower find the mist inside as
has formed on one side, stretching from the obelisk's well. Haunting sounds fill the air: heartbeats, sobbing,
base to its middle. and ragged, gasping breaths.
As the party advances, the mists around the charac-
ters manifest into illusions of their worst fears , and each
Before Ythryn crashed, Iriolarthas relied on this obelisk character becomes the target of a phantasmal killer
as a precautionary measure in case Ythryn experienced spell cast at 8th level (save DC 17). Characters who sur-
a catastrophe. It was one of a few rare Netherese ar- vive the experience emerge together in the tower's upper
tifacts that could rewind time (see the "Secret of the chamber, which is free of mist.
Obelisks" sidebar). It was damaged during Ythryn's fall Chamber ofIllusion. The tower's uppermost chamber
and, despite Iriolarthas's best efforts, the demilich could is 30 feet square and lit by purple continual flame spells
not repair it. Characters who learn about the obelisk in in wall sconces. An inscription written on the walls in
Iriolarthas's study (area Yl9q) know how to activate it Draconic reads "Sixth, show thy face to the sky." This is
(see "Activating the Obelisk" below). illusory script masquerading as a passage from the Rite
A character who examines the obelisk and succeeds of the Arcane Octad (see page 234). If the characters
on a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes that leave after acquiring only this information , they hear
the magic runes inscribed on the obelisk represent all the faint laughter ofYthryn's High Illusionist, Ajamar,
eight schools of magic. If the check result exceeds the trailing behind them as they exit the tower. The real pas-
DC by 5 or more, the character a lso identifies runes sage is revealed when the illusory script is successfully
relating to chronomancy, the art of magically manipu- dispelled (DC 17) or examined by someone who has
lating time. truesight. It reads "Sixth, hide thyself behind a mask."
Activating the Obelisk. If the characters retrieved
Iriolarthas's staff of power and Veneranda is with them, Y23. YTHRYN MYTHALLAR
she insists that the staff be used to activate the dormant This enormous artifact is enclosed within the force field
obelisk. Any character who succeeds on a DC 20 Intel- su rrounding the Spire of Iriolarthas. To reach it, a char-
ligence (Arcana) check can verify that this task is not acter must first perform the Rite of the Arcane Octad
beyond the staff's power, a lthough it would take at least (see page 234) to lower the force field.
half of the staff's charges to accomplish. If a creature at-
tuned to the staff uses an action to expend 10 or more of SECRET OF THE OBELISKS
its charges while touching the staff to the obelisk, power In this adventure, we learn the secret of the obelisks that
surges from the staff and triggers the following devastat- have appeared in other fifth edition adventures published
ing events: by Wizards of the Coast, including Tomb of Annihilation
• The staff splits in half, triggering its Retributive Strike and Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage .
The first group of these magical obelisks was crafted by
property (see the staff's description in the Dungeon
a secret society of spellcasters called the Weavers. These
Master's Guide). obelisks could alter reality on a grand scale, sending a re-
, Any creature within 120 feet of the obelisk that isn't gion or an entire world back to an earlier time (effectively
killed by the staff's explosion becomes 10 years erasing part of history) . The obelisks were constructed to
younger. Creatures whose age is reduced to O by this counteract the effects of calamitous spells and cataclys-
effect wink out of existence, leaving behind the items mic events.
they were wearing or carrying. An evil wizard named Vecna stole one such obelisk and
The obelisk disintegrates, as do other obelisks like it used it to erase the obelisk's creators from existence.
throughout the world, but not before hurling the entire Vecna also stole the knowledge needed to create new
ones . That knowledge later came into the possession of
planet into the past, to a time prior to the fall of Ythryn
Netherese wizards, who built similar obelisks of their own .
(see "Yea r of Chi lled Marrow," page 262).
They believed that if some catastrophe destroyed their em-
pire, these obelisks could help restore it. Unfortunately for
them, most of the obelisks built to protect Netheril were
stolen or otherwise lost over time, as were records of their
purpose and information about how to activate them.

255
l
A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Med-
Beneath the great spire, a luminous fifty-foot-diameter ] icine) check can tell that lvira is still alive. Her crown is
crystal sphere rests on an ornate stand. cursed (see below). Removing it from her head causes
Ivira to shudder and shed the ice that has formed
around her. With the crown gone, her body rapidly dete-
See appendix D for a description of the Ythryn mythal- riorates, as the centuries take their toll. lvira has only a
Jar and its magical properties. The first time a creature few seconds before she dies and turns to dust; with her
tries to attune to the mythallar, its meditation is dis- dying breath, she implores the characters in Loross (the
turbed by the arrival of a tomb tapper (see appendix C),
dead Netherese tongue) to "destroy the crown ... release
which tunnels up from belowground to attack anyone my memories ... let me have peace."
present. The tomb tapper fights to the death to defend
Cursed Crown. Ivira can't remove the crown from her
the Ythryn mythallar.
head. Any other creature that touches it must succeed
Unless Iriolarthas is destroyed, the demilich is al- on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed
ready attuned to the mythallar. If Iriolarthas senses by it and use its next action to don the crown. If the
that another creature is trying to use the mythallar, it saving throw succeeds, the creature is immune to this
always disallows the attempt and flies to the mythallar's effect of the crown for the next 24 hours.
location to discourage any further tampering with the
From the moment it is donned, the crown begins to si-
device. Only by destroying the demilich can the char-
phon memories from its wearer, starting with its earliest
acters use the mythallar's properties unimpeded. The memories. The wearer can sense that its memories are
mythallar's power to control the weather can undo the being stolen but can't remove the crown from its head
everlasting winter that Auril has cast over Icewind Dale except within an antimagic field.
(see "Epilogue," page 261). After wearing the crown for 1 hour, a creature must
Y24. TOWER OF ENCHANTMENT
succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or be
stunned until the crown is removed from its head by
someone else. This saving throw is repeated at the end
Ice has engulfed the lower floors of this crumbling tower. of each hour until either the crown has been removed
Pink light pours out of the highest window-a single or its wearer has become stunned. If a creature wears
the crown for ten uninterrupted days, the condition
point of illumination in a dark and out-of-the-way region
becomes permanent, as the crown reduces its wearer
of the city.
to a mindless husk. A greater restoration spell or sim-
ilar magic ends the effect and restores the creature's
A detect magic spell cast here reveals an aura of en- lost memories.
chantment magic. The interior walls are covered with The crown can be destroyed on the anvil of disjunc-
the following sentence in Draconic crudely written with tion (area Y4). It is otherwise impervious to damage. If
pitch over and over: "All work and no play make Ivira a the crown is destroyed, the memories it has absorbed
dull girl." The floor is strewn with pitch-covered buckets flood over all creatures within 10 feet of it. Characters
and mops frozen stiff by the cold. assailed by this barrage gain ld6 pieces of lore from the
As the party explores higher up in the tower, the Ythryn Lore table (page 235).
recurring phrase changes to: "I am Ivira. Ivira is my Inscription. The inscription on the wall behind the
name." These words are written in wine stains, and the throne is written in Draconic and reads "Fourth, coax a
floor is littered with empty wine bottles. secret from another." This is a passage from the Rite of
Painted in blood above the door leading to the upper- the Arcane Octad (see page 234).
most chamber are the words "The crown knows all!"
Y25. HALL OF WEIGHTLESS WONDER
in Draconic. When the characters enter the topmost
chamber, read:
Four basalt columns support a huge mirrored dome on
An elderly woman sits rigidly on a black throne, shrouded which are reflected Ythryn's tallest spires and the cav-
in ice. She wears a crown of entwined iron tentacles, and ern's vast stalactites.
her forehead is bruised where the band fits tightly against
her skull. An inscription decorates the wall behind her. Ythryn's elite used this hall for meditation. As someone
floated around inside the dome, an illusory image of
the person went on with their daily affairs elsewhere
This chamber is lit by pink continual flame spells flicker- in the city.
ing in sconces. The four supporting columns have doors in their
At the height of her power, the archmage Ivira wore a bases, which open into shafts that ascend to the dome.
magic crown to shield her mind against mental attacks. The shafts are 60 feet Jong and lit from above by the
When Ythryn crashed and magic was momentarily shifting auroral light of the dome's interior. A character
undone, Ivira's crown became corrupted and began to si- who steps inside a column levitates up to the dome in 1
phon away her memories. She has endured centuries as round. When a character reaches the dome, read:
a husk of her former self, kept alive by the magic of her
crown. In her current state, she is stunned.
C H A PTER 7 I DOO M O F YTHRYN

Treasure. Adventurers who search the uppermost
The interior of the dome is illuminated by a swirling chamber find a bag of beans in a small pile of rubbish.
miasma of colors. Frozen human figures float in the air,
cross-legged and serene.
Y27. Musrc HALL
This enormous, boot-shaped structure is capped with

Creatures in the dome gain a flying speed of 30 feet and
can hover. The corpses of a dozen etherese appren- three pipes that resemble the arteries of a titanic heart.
tices hover around this area, with their hands on their Tall doors open into the structure's dark interior.
knees and their eyes closed. Characters who adopt this
position can meditate by succeeding on a DC 12 Wis-
dom check. While meditating, a character can cast the Old posters are plastered to the outer walls of this mu-
project image spell (save DC 15). The spell lasts for 1 sic hall. Anyone who can read the Draconic script can
hour, and a character can perform the meditation once translate the poster closest to the entrance: "Experience
per day. To leave the dome, a character must stand at the Netherese Esoteric Orchestra's masterwork, The
the top of one of the four shafts, to be transported down Dark Between the Stars!" A character who succeeds on
in a manner similar to how they arrived. a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check knows this legend-
ary piece of music, as does any bard in the party. If the
Y26. TOWER OF TRANSMUTATION characters enter the music hall, read:
A tower rises before you, straight as an arrow. A faint This grand music hall is aglitter with ice, and the floor
light shines from in the spire's highest window, and hair- underfoot is strewn with the crystal shards of fallen chan-
line cracks creep up its walls like ivy. deliers . The frozen corpses of the audience lie strewn
among the tiered seats, their expressions frozen in rap-
turous adulation . On the stage, cadaverous musicians
The cracks covering the outside of the tower were
caused during the crash, when the magic protecting the slump over their shattered instruments.
tower strained to keep it from collapsing.
Describe the interior of the tower as follows: The Netherese Esoteric Orchestra was midway through
its crowning performance when Ythryn fell from the
The tower's interior walls are sculpted with impressions sky. Determined to finish, the musicians played on as
the city hurtled to the ground, but Ythryn crashed before
of humanoid forms pressing out from within-clawing
they could finish. Deprived of the opportunity to com-
hands and howling faces, captured in stone forever.
plete their grand finale , the orchestra's troubled spirits
haunt the hall.
As Ythryn was about to fall out of the sky, High Trans- A conductor's baton rests on a lectern at the front
muter Metaltra used a true polymorph spell to transform of the stage. If a character grasps the baton , the hall
herself into something she thought would survive the echoes with the sounds of instruments being tuned,
city's destruction: an adamantine statue. An hour later, and a spectral orchestra materializes from out of the
when the spell should have ended, nothing happened. corpses onstage. The ghostly musicians hold their
Through no fault of her own, she had become a statue instruments and stare expectantly at their conductor.
permanently. Only a wish spell can restore her, and then These spirits can't be turned or harmed in any way.
only briefly as she ages centuries in a matter of seconds. Conducting the Orchestra. To conduct the orchestra
Characters who climb to the tower's peak find the through the end of their final symphony, a character
statue of Metaltra lying in a corner. The statue depicts a must succeed on three consecutive DC 15 Charisma
woman in a wizard's robe, posed as if she is completing (Performance) checks made 1 minute apart. A character
a spell. As her statue was being thrown about during the who knows The Dark Between the Stars gains advan-
crash, it damaged part of an inscription on one wall. tage on each check.
Inscription. The damaged inscription is a passage On the first successful check, the orchestra launches
from the Rite of the Arcane Octad (see page 234). into a hauntingly beautiful performance. If the next
Written in Draconic, it reads "Eighth, stand firm in thy check succeeds, listeners experience a falling sensa-
circle of death and consume--." The missing word, tion in the pits of their stomachs, mirroring Ythryn's
destroyed by Metaltra's statue, is "poison." Characters downward plunge, as the music reaches a crescendo.
who search the room for stone fragments can't find the If the third and final check succeeds, the conductor
pieces they need to identify the missing word, but cast- brings the piece to a satisfying close as the sound of
ing a mending cantrip on the wall repairs the damage ghostly applause rises from the audience and phantas-
and reconstructs the missing word. If the characters mal black roses rain down on the musicians, who face
don't have access to the mending cantrip, a divina- the audience and bow before fading into the afterlife. A
tion spell or similar magic can be used to learn the character who successfully conducts the orchestra gains
missing word. inspiration. ·

257
On each failed check, the spirits become angry, and
their antipathy toward the conductor deals 27 (5d10)
psychic damage to each creature in the music hall.
Y28 . SKYDOCK SPIRE
A tower more than one hundred feet tall has a rotating

glass chamber hovering above its ruined summit. Four
pointed pillars clutch the chamber's walls, giving it the
appearance of a colossal floating crown.
Skydock Spire stands 120 feet tall, and the glass cham-
ber magically floats 30 feet above it. The chamber slowly
rotates clockwise. The tower and the chamber are all
that remain of a much larger facility that served princi-
pally as a dock for flying ships.
Characters who enter the tower see a staircase coiling
around its interior walls. From atop the ruined roof,
a character using rope can make a successful DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check as an action to catch onto
the rotating chamber, which is a 40-foot-diameter room
made of glass that offers a panoramic view of the city.
This chamber once served as an opulent and intimate
meeting place for the upper echelons of Ythryn's society.
Now it lies in ruin, with entrances lying open and the
furnishings inside smashed.
Treasure. Characters who sift through the debris
on the floor of the chamber find a miniature Netherese
skycoach in a bottle (750 gp) and a nonmagical wand (a
possible spellcasting focus) made of chardalyn (see the
sidebar on page 6). It is suffused with evil magic.
While grasping the wand, one feels an urge to inflict ter-
rible harm upon others, but the urge is easily resisted.
Prolonged custody of the wand might have a more detri-
mental effect, at your discretion.
Y29. MUSEUM
A palatial hexagonal building rises before you, crowned

with a glittering domed roof. A double door on one side
stands slightly ajar.
Characters who venture inside the museum find that

statues and other objects of art have fallen from their
plinths and lie in broken shards across the floor, and
centuries of exposure have ruined most of the paintings
that hang on the walls in elaborate frames.
Lower Level. Six nothics are searching the lower
level of the museum for relics. When they detect the
entry of intruders, they converge on them and attack out
of hunger.
A SPI T TING MIMIC's Sl1.E ALLOWS IT TO ASSUME
SUCH LARGE FORMS AS \VALLS AND PILLARS .

Upper Level. Characters who ascend the stairs to the
upper level come across the following display:
DEALING WITH THE
ARCANE BROTHERHOOD
Suspended from the ceiling of a spacious fifty-foot In this chapter, two wizards of the Arcane Brotherhood
square antechamber is the glittering, frost-covered attempt to realize their grand ambitions: Vellynne Har-
pell and Avarice. Both are described in appendix C.
corpse of a thirty-foot-long aberration shaped like a fun-
If the characters are having trouble solving a puzzle in
nel, resembling an anemone. A tooth-filled maw at the Ythryn, such as how to deactivate the force field around
wider end is surrounded by rubbery cilia, and around it the Spire of Iriolarthas, you can use Vellynne or Ava-
dangle four limp, spindly appendages, each one ending rice to help them. Both NPCs are highly intelligent and
in a clawed hand. At the opposite end of the body is a tail can help the characters arrive at a solution. You, as the
with a stinger.
DM, can use them to keep the adventure from grinding
to a halt.
A frost-covered plaque is bolted to a pedestal nearby,
Both Vellynne and Avarice will do almost anything to
and the entire display is framed by four stone pillars that obtain Iriolarthas's spellbook, and they are only slightly
are, oddly, frost-free. less determined when it comes time to choose who gets
Iriolarthas's staff of power, the scroll of the comet, and
the scroll of tarrasque summoning.
The pillars are four spitting mimics (see appendix C) If the characters helped Dzaan's simulacrum become
that guard the creature on display, attacking anyone a real person in chapter 2 (see "Lost Spire of Netheril,"
who touches or otherwise disturbs it. page 145), he might be present as well. Without a full
The dead creature is a magically preserved phaerimm complement of spells, Dzaan isn't nearly as helpful as
suspended from the ceiling by a dozen strong wires. If Vellynne nor as dangerous as Avarice, but he's just as
the characters wipe away the frost on the plaque, they greedy and self-serving. Roleplay him accordingly.
can read what it says about the phaerimm in Draconic:
VELLYNNE'S HELP
ADULT PHAERIMM-DO NOT TOUCH! Vellynne Harpel] can use her comprehend languages
Dwellers of the Underdark, phaerimm are malevolent spell to translate passages of Draconic script found
aberrations that are master spellcasters and highly re- throughout the necropolis, and her Leomund's tiny hut
spell conjures an excellent refuge against the extreme
sistant to magic. They use their telepathy to control the
cold. She tries to be as useful as possible while staking
weak-minded. They strive to erase all other beings from claim to her fair share of whatever treasure is found in
existence and are known to have caused the collapse of Ythryn. She is particularly interested in magic items,
the sarrukh empire of lsstosseffifil. They use their tail especially those of a wizardly bent (such as Iriolarthas's
stingers to inject their eggs into alien hosts. staff of power).
VELLYNNE's FALL
lriolarthas and His Apprentices. Characters who If the characters part ways with Vellynne for any rea-
proceed farther into the upper floor can see the mu- son, she tries to explore Ythryn alone and contracts the
seum's domed ceiling, which is still intact and a sight arcane blight (see page 233). The next time the charac-
to behold. It depicts a powerful mage standing on a ters see her, she is either partially or fully transformed
balcony of the enclave's central spire, addressing a sea into a nothic.
of Netherese citizens below, who stare up at the figure,
cheering. This is an image oflriolarthas at the height AVARICE'S ARRIVAL
of his power, magically preserved in stained glass that Avarice (see appendix C) follows the characters through
glows with its own arcane light. Eight large portraits the Caves of Hunger to Ythryn, killing any NPCs they
adorn the walls beneath the dome, depicting Iriolar- left behind to guard the caves. The albino tiefling wiz-
thas's eight apprentices, known as the Wizards of the ard is joined by her two gargoyles, her raven familiar,
Ebon Star. The portraits hang 20 feet above the ground, twenty cult fanatics (members of the Knights of the
and a frost-covered plaque is fixed to the wall just be- Black Sword), and ten roped mountain goats (see
neath each one. The faces in the portraits are depicted appendix C) that the cultists use for food and to set off
as looking up toward their master, Iriolarthas, with traps. If Huarwar Mulphoon and Fe! Suparra are alive,
expressions of respect. Characters who clear the ice they are among the cult fanatics (see area C6 on page
from the plaques can learn their names: High Abjurer 41 for more information about these NPCs).
Taruth, High Conjurer Damorith, High Diviner Apius, The Knights of the Black Sword speak Common and
High Necromancer Cadavix, High Evoker Zadulus, Infernal, and they have the following additional trait:
High Illusionist Ajamar, High Enchanter Ivira, and High
Icy Doom. When the cultist dies, its corpse freezes for 9 days,
Transmuter Metaltra.
during which time it can't be thawed, harmed by fire, animated,
or raised from the dead.

259
1
Avarice and her retinue enter the necropolis 12 hours THE FROSTMAIDEN S FORCES
after the party arrives. Avarice immediately claims the
floating chamber above Skydock Spire (area Y28) as her When the Frostmaiden arrives in Ythryn, the tempera-
base of operations, using her fly spell to reach it, while ture throughout the necropolis drops by several de-
the cult fanatics encamp around the base of the tower. grees. Auril is joined by three frost giant skeletons (see
Avarice's goal is simple: conquer Ythryn and claim its appendix C), six snow golems (see appendix C), and a
treasures for herself. pack of six winter wolves. After sending her skeletons,
From her refuge, Avarice divides her expedition into golems, and wolves into the city in small groups to kill
four hunting parties of five cult fanatics each, and sends interlopers on sight, Auril shuts down the force field
them off to explore the ruins, using her raven familiar around the Spire of Iriolarthas by sheer force of her di-
and the gargoyles as aerial scouts. The party can meet vine will and watches over the city from its high balcony
Avarice's minions anywhere in the necropolis (including (area Yl9p). The force field remains deactivated until
inside the spire if the force field surrounding it is deac- the last of Auril's forms is destroyed or until she leaves
tivated or suppressed). They have orders to attack the the spire.
characters on sight. Any of Avarice's minions still patrolling the city are
Each time the party explores a new building, there is a swiftly captured and dragged before the Frostmaiden.
20 percent chance that one of Avarice's hunting parties Auril murders each captive in turn and transforms the
is already inside or arrives while the party is searching cultist into a coldlight walker (see appendix C). These
its interior. undead horrors venture out into the necropolis to hunt
down the living.
OLD RIVALRIES DIE HARD
If she becomes aware of Vellynne's presence in Ythryn, FINAL SHOWDOWN
Avarice uses her raven familiar to deliver a written in- If the characters defeat most of Auril's minions, the
vitation to her rival, asking Vellynne to join her inside god's cool voice echoes across the city from the high
her floating lair. Vellynne accepts the invitation unless balcony of the Spire of Iriolarthas, demanding that they
the characters strongly discourage her from doing so. leave Ythryn or face her wrath. One hour after making
There, Avarice coldly lays down her terms: abandon the this announcement, Auril leaves the tower and prowls
necropolis within the hour. Conflict between members through the streets in search of the characters. For ev-
of the Arcane Brotherhood is forbidden, but Avarice ery hour that passes, there is a 20 percent chance that
makes it clear she is willing to ignore the rules if nobody she catches up with them. Only characters who flee the
lives to find out. When Vellynne leaves the meeting, Av- city and return to Icewind Dale are spared her wrath.
arice sends her familiar out to spy on her rival and see
if her demands are met, which Vellynne has no inten-
tion of doing.
SUMMONING THE
TARRASQUE
AVARICE AS AN ALLY
Characters who find the scroll oftarrasque summoning
Avarice is smart enough to ally with the characters if
in the Spire of Iriolarthas might be sorely tempted to
doing so might help her conquer Ythryn, but she won't
use it. Professor Skant, an expert on the tarrasque,
join forces as long as Vellynne Harpell is with them-
warns the characters about the uncontrollable nature of
she demands that they cast out her hated rival. If the
the monster and the danger it represents, but the profes-
characters oblige and banish Vellynne from their ranks,
sor orb also confesses that it would love to observe the
Avarice reciprocates by sharing ld4 pieces of Ythryn
tarrasque firsthand.
lore she has learned (determine each piece by rolling on
If summoned in Ythryn, the tarrasque destroys
the Ythryn Lore table on page 235).
everything in sight before smashing its way through
Unlike Vellynne, who accompanies the characters,
the Caves of Hunger and continuing its rampage across
Avarice prefers to remain in her glass chamber atop
Icewind Dale, inevitably putting Ten-Towns in peril.
Skydock Spire and stay in touch with the characters
The mountains to the south, the sea to the north and
remotely by using her Rary's telepathic bond spell. Once
west, and the towering glacier to the east contain the
the characters find all the inscriptions they need to by-
tarrasque for a while. The extreme cold also makes the
pass the force field around the Spire of Iriolarthas, Ava-
creature lethargic. It might take months, but the hungry
rice emerges from her base and accompanies them into
tarrasque eventually makes its way southward through
the tower, eager to claim the treasures inside.
the mountain pass, imperiling the rest of the Sword
Coast, if nothing is done to curtail its rampage.
AURILS WRATH If summoned on Auril's island, the tarrasque is
The Frostmaiden likes to preserve beauty by freezing it. trapped there by the deep, churning Sea of Moving Ice.
If the characters failed to defeat Auril in chapter 5, she The behemoth lays waste to Grimskalle and everything
takes umbrage with anyone who unseals and plunders else on the island before sinking into a deep hiberna-
the necropolis of Ythryn. After the party has spent one tion. Auril, if she survives, is forced to abandon her
day inside the city, Auril pays Ythryn a visit. island lair and find a new refuge.
Please review the information about the Frostmaiden
in appendix C before running encounters with her.

EPILOGUE
With the Frostmaiden's defeat, normal seasonal
D
EPENDING ON THE CHARACTERS' ACTIONS
and the whims of the dice gods, this adven- weather returns to Icewind Dale. The sun again rises
ture has several possible endings. Likely above the horizon, and as temperatures improve, flora
conclusions are discussed below, though and fauna begin to recover. Depending on how they
others are certainly possible. fared against the chardalyn dragon in chapter 4, the
people of Ten-Towns can look forward to warmer times
WHAT SECRETS REMAIN once more.
Auril's death is temporary, for a god who has mortal
Allow time at the end of the adventure for players to
worshipers can't truly die. When the Frostmaiden is
reveal any character secrets that have not come to light.
resurrected on the next winter solstice, she has all her
Some players will want to keep their characters' secrets
divine power. But her inclination is to retreat from the
buried. For the others, work with them to figure out the
world and not allow herself to be imperiled by mortals
best way for the characters' secrets to bear fruit. For
once more. The characters won't have to deal with her
example, a character who has the Ring Hunter secret
again in their lifetimes unless they continue meddling in
might still be searching for the signet ring that secures
her followers' affairs.
their inheritance; perhaps the ring is discovered during
The characters can help Ten-Towners rebuild their
a celebratory dinner in Ten-Towns, when the character
settlements in the wake of the chardalyn dragon's
cuts open their pan-fried knucklehead trout and the ring
rampage and the floods. If the dragon has not yet been
unceremoniously spills out!
defeated, finding and destroying it should be a priority.
Until its master sends it on another rampage, it lurks
SUMMER Is COMING inside the forge where it was created (see chapter 3).
Slaying Auril or her roe prevents the Frostmaiden from Characters who help rebuild Ten-Towns might be
casting her nightly spell, ending her everlasting winter. asked to take up the mantle of speaker in one or more
The characters can also counteract the Frostmaiden's communities, replacing leaders who were killed during
everlasting winter by using the Ythryn mythallar to ef- the adventure. If he survived, Speaker Naerth Max-
fect a change in the weather, though any such attempt ildanarr of Targos opposes the characters' political
inevitably leads to a confrontation with Auril and her ascendance, since they represent a threat to Zhentarim
faithful. Only by slaying Auril can the characters de- control of the region; without a power base of his own,
prive her followers of their god-granted spells and their however, Naerth can do little to stop them.
will to fight.
,.
Necalli, a couatl shapechanged into the form of an
WINTER EVERLASTING aarakocra, doesn't remember why it was bound to the
If the characters don't stop Auril, her everlasting winter obelisk or by whom. It knows only that it is free of its
becomes unendurable to most of Icewind Dale's inhabi- obligation to the obelisk's builders. It does its best to
tants. The hostile climate and the scarcity of food force convince the characters that the obelisk is gone forever,
indigenous creatures to migrate southward or die. As along with nearly two thousand years of history. Necalli
go the reindeer, so go the Reghed tribesfolk. In time, can administer healing to wounded characters, after
even the lakes freeze solid, depriving Ten-Towners of which it assumes its true form and departs. It takes no
the knucklehead trout upon which their survival de- action that might harm another creature.
pends. Within a year or two, Icewind Dale becomes a Ythryn is now a floating, living city under the rule of
gods-forsaken wasteland as cold as Stygia. The bitter the lich Iriolarthas and his apprentices, the Wizards of
cold allows Levistus to open portals between Icewind the Arcane Star (eight evil archmages). Almost every
Dale and the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from which other inhabitant of the city is either a Netherese mage
come forth ice devils under the archdevil's command. or a green-skinned magen (described in appendix C).
Knights of the Black Sword who survive to see these When not partaking in their studies and revels, the
events come to pass try to maintain a foothold in the re- Netherese focus their efforts on finding ruins of Ostoria,
gion, though they are opposed by duergar at every turn. the ancient empire of giants. It is toward this supreme
The ice devils help clear the way for the duergar, who goal that all of the city's resources are directed.
aren't going anywhere unless the characters kill Xar- The obelisk is gone, erased from history, leaving the
dorok Sunblight and put an end to his line. Once Ten- characters stranded. They are now stuck in -343 DR.
Towns is no longer a threat to his supremacy, Xardorok If the characters warn Iriolarthas about the fate that
does his utmost to conquer the rest of Icewind Dale. If awaits Ythryn and recount the circumstances leading to
left unchecked, the duergar become a controlling power its fall, the lich takes steps to ensure that history does
in the region. The ice devils, once subservient to Levis- not repeat itself, including but not limited to keeping
tus, are dragooned by Asmodeus into helping the duer- Ostorian relics away from the Ythryn mythallar. In ex-
gar turn the Far North into a vassal kingdom secretly change for their information, Iriolarthas gives the char-
under the sway of the Nine Hells. acters a skycoach to expedite their departure from the
city. Characters who flee rather than allow themselves
YEAR OF CHILLED MARROW to be detained can commandeer a skycoach and plot a
If the characters use Iriolarthas's staff ofpower to acti- course away from the city. A skycoach has the statistics
vate the obelisk in Ythryn, they inadvertently reset the of an airship (see the Dungeon Master's Guide), but its
world to a time predating the fall of Ythryn and the end magic wanes quickly unless it's recharged using magic
of Netheril. The obelisk has sent them back to the spring foreign to the characters. Soon, the skycoach struggles
of -343 DR, the Year of Chilled Marrow, six months to remain aloft, forcing the characters to set down and
prior to the catastrophe that causes Ythryn's fall and salvage what they can from the vessel.
another four years before Netheril's demise. The charac- To put it mildly, the characters have a whole new
ters find themselves high in the sky over Icewind Dale. world to explore. Ten-Towns doesn't exist in this time-
Use the following boxed text to set the scene: line, nor do most of the cities along the Sword Coast
that characters might recognize. Many tribes of Reghed
nomads prowl Icewind Dale, while Uthgardt tribes de-
The obelisk is gone, leaving an indentation in the ground scended from Netherese claim vast tracts of untamed
where it once stood. In its place is an aarakocra with bril- land south of the Spine of the World, kept in check by
liantly colored plumage. Using telepathy, it reaches out to marauding monsters. The Empire ofNetheril controls
the lush, temperate lands doomed to become the desert
each of you in turn and introduces itself as Necalli. "I am
of Anauroch. The town of Illusk (still centuries away
released from a duty long forgotten," it says. "The world from becoming Luskan) surrounds the brooding Host-
has rolled back more than fifteen hundred years. Now, tower of the Arcane. Characters hoping to visit some
history can be rewritten." past version ofWaterdeep or Neverwinter find nothing
The city is no longer trapped deep beneath the Reghed but unsettled land surrounded by the remnants of the
elven kingdom of Illefarn. Humans won't begin farming
Glacier. Instead, it drifts among the clouds , its spires and
the plateau above Deepwater Harbor (the future site
other structures agleam and undamaged. A skycoach
of Waterdeep) or building the settlement of Eigersstor
glides overhead, bathing you briefly in its shadow before (later renamed Neverwinter) for another three centuries.
making its way toward the city's glass-enclosed skydock. To run a campaign set in this earlier time frame, you
Weaving between the city's spires are boulevards tra- will need to delve into earlier products tied to the For-
versed by tall humans of noble bearing in wizardly robes, gotten Realms to get the lay of the land circa -343 DR.
Of course, once the characters move beyond the strong-
many of them accompanied by hairless, green-skinned
holds of civilization, the Realms of the past is very much
humanoids that serve as their valets and bodyguards. like the Realms of the present-a land of mystery, with
Some take note of your presence, while others gawk at old ruins and lost dungeons waiting to be explored. Only
the empty space where the obelisk once stood. now the characters are poised to witness the inevitable
fall of Netheril, or find a way to stop it.
EPILOGUE
APPENDIX A:
lCEWIND DALE TRINKETS
ICEWIND DALE TRINKETS
dl00 Trinket dl00 Trinket
01-04 A small wooden figurine of a yawning walrus, 49-52 A sewing box that smells of old wood and has three
painted in red and black spools of blue thread inside
05- 08 A pair of scrimshaw cufflinks with an image of a 53-56 A scrimshaw-handled ink pen with black runic de-
fisherman on a boat engraved on them signs along its length
09-12 A small iron key with a frayed blue and gold cord 57-60 A brooch made from a small insect encased in
tied to it amber
13- 16 A small illustrated book ofNorthlander myths that 61 - 64 A scrimshaw pepper shaker etched with the letter W
has pages missing 65-68 An old, wooden-handled ice pick stained with blood
17-20 A damaged scrimshaw cameo depicting a merfolk that won't wash off
21 -24 A stone from a burial cairn with a tiny Dwarvish 69-72 A fabric doll bearing an angry expression
rune carved into it 73-76 A set of wind chimes made from seashells
25-28 A ripped cloth sail with a symbol you don't 77- 80 A beautiful silver tin that, when opened, emits the
recognize smell of rotting fish
29- 32 An Ulu knife with a scrimshaw handle 81-84 A bloodstained dreamcatcher made from fishing
33-36 A jar containing an unidentifiable, sweet, sticky line, gold wire, and snowy owlbear feathers
substance 85-88 A figurine of a polar bear made of ice that never
37- 40 A delicate glass ball painted with snowflakes , melts
capped by a metal loop with a tiny hook attached 89-92 A snow globe that doesn't need to be shaken
to it 93- 96 A piece of sea glass shaped like a unicorn 's horn
41-44 An expedition log with missing pages and a pressed 97-00 A dark blue scarf that gets lighter in shade the
flower used as a bookmark higher the altitude of the wearer
45- 48 An owl figurine carved from whalebone
APPENDIX A I ICEWIND DALE TRINKETS

APPENDIX B: CHARACTER SECRETS
ALAGONDAR SCION DOPPELGANGER DRIZZT FAN
Prerequisite: You must be a human, half 1'm a shapechanger. I have none of the I once met the famous drow ranger
elf, or ha/fore to have this secret. If you traits of the race I'm imitating, but I Drizzt Do'Urden! In fact , I have a tat-
don't meet this prerequisite, draw a dif retain my class features, background, tered piece of his famous green cloak
ferent card. and alignment. I have darkvision out to and would never think to part with it.
a range of 60 feet. I can use an action to
I'm a scion of the Alagondar bloodline
do either of the following at will :
and the only known heir to the crown of
Neverwinter. If Dagult Neverember, the • I can innately cast detect thoughts, re-
city's lord-regent, learns that I'm alive, quiring no components. My spellcast-
he'll send assassins to kill me. ing ability is Intelligence. The spell 's
Wisdom save DC is 8 + my proficiency
bonus+ my Intelligence modifier.
I can polymorph into any humanoid I
have seen or back into my true form .
My statistics , other than my size, don't
change . Any equipment I'm wearing or
carrying isn't transformed . I revert to
my true form when I die.
I
7
ELUSIVE PARAMOUR ESCAPED PRISONER LITTLEST YETI
A wealthy pasha in Calimshan has placed I was brought here from another world I was raised by yeti. Although I relied
a bounty on my head for seducing his by spacefaring mind flayers. The ship in on my ferocious guardians for food and
favorite concubine. Bounty hunters are which I was imprisoned crashed in the warmth and never quite adapted to the
scouring the Sword Coast in search of mountains south of Ten-Towns. After cold, I speak Yeti and have advantage on
me, but I hope they'll never think to look surviving the crash, I nearly froze to Charisma checks made to influence yeti
in lcewind Dale. death crossing the tundra to reach Ten- , or improve their attitudes.
Towns. If some friendly trappers hadn't
found me, I would have perished. I fear
some of my captors also survived the
crash and might come looking for me.
MIDWINTER CHILD OLD FLAME ORC STONE

Auril the Frostmaiden has blessed me, I have a lover in Ten-Towns whom I I saved the life of an ore, who gave
for I was born on the Midwinter holiday. haven't seen in years. At any time out- me a stone with the symbol of the
I have resistance to cold damage. side of combat, I can decide who the Many-Arrows tribe (a humanoid skull
lover is by choosing an NPC in Ten- pierced by three arrows) carved into it.
Towns that I can see. Once I make this The stone is an uncommon magic item
choice, I can't change it. This old flame ' that requires attunement, and only I can
is friendly and helpful toward me, even if attune to it.
our past is checkered . As an action , I can use the stone to
summon the spirit of an ore warrior,
which appears within 30 feet of me. The
spirit uses the ore war chief stat block in
the Monster Manual and disappears af-
ter 10 minutes or when reduced to O hit
points . The spirit understands any lan-
guage I speak and obeys my commands.
After the stone is used three times , it
turns to dust.
APPENDIX B I C H ARACTER S E CRETS

OWLBEAR WHISPERER PIRATE CANNIBAL REGHED HEIR
Owlbears are predisposed to like me. I served aboard Dark Duchess, a pirate Prerequisite: You must be a human, ha/J-
If I am within l Ofeet of an owl bear, I ship from the city of Luskan. After the eff, or half-ore to have this secret. If you
can use an action to make a DC 10 Cha- vessel got stuck in the ice, everyone don't meet this prerequisite, draw a dif
risma (Animal Handling) check. On a but the captain abandoned the vessel ferent card.
success, I change the owlbear's attitude and fled to Ten-Towns. We got lost in a
I am the offspring of Queen Bjorn hi Id
toward me from hostile to indifferent or blizzard along the way. I was the only
Solvigsdottir, leader of the Tiger Tribe.
from indifferent to friendly. one who made it, and only by eating my
My mother cast me into the Sea of
mates. The ship and its treasure are still
Moving Ice when I was a young child as
out there.
a sacrifice to Auril the Frostmaiden. A
polar bear pulled me from the water and
spared me a freezing death. This bear
then transformed into a goliath who
bore me safely to Ten-Towns. I remem-
ber the goliath's name-Oyaminartok-
but haven't seen her since. I owe her my
life, just as I owe my mother a merci-
less death .
.J -
R E I N CARNATION RING HUNTER RUNAWAY AUTHOR

I died and was brought back to life by a I am looking for the knucklehead trout I penned a notorious expose called "The
friendly human druid using the reincar- that bit off my father's finger, which had Hellbent Highborn," which accused sev-
nate spell. I have no idea what became a signet ring on it. To preserve my inher- eral prominent patriars in Baidu r's Gate
of the druid , whose name I don't know. itance, I must retrieve the lost ring. and nobles in Waterdeep of being devil
I retain the memories of my previous worshipers. Although my accusations
life, some or all of which was spent in were well founded , I made a lot of ene-
lcewind Dale. (Roll° on the table in the mies and was forced to seek refuge in
spell's description to determine your lcewind Dale.
, character's previous race, or choose a
race from the table that you like, then
flesh out the story of your previous life .)
SLAAD HOST SPY

A red slaad implanted a pellet-sized egg I'm a spy for the Harpers, a secretive or-
in me shortly before I started my adven- ganization that works behind the scenes
turing career. If I can't get rid of it in the to thwart tyrants and other evildoers. My
next two months, the egg will gestate mission in lcewind Dale is to safeguard
inside me, and a slaad tadpole will burst the settlements of Ten-Towns while con-
from my chest, killing me. It will then cealing my Harper affiliation. Credible
quickly grow into an adult slaad and kill threats to Ten-Towns include the Arcane
even more people. Brotherhood, an organization of wizards
based in Luskan, and the Zhentarim,
an expansive shadow network that
wants to control trade throughout the
North. Both have threatened Ten-Towns
in the past.
My only Harper contact in Ten-Towns
is a human named Beldora, who poses
as a homeless woman and spends
her days gathering information in
Bryn Shander.
A P PENDIX B I CHARACT E R SECRETS

APPENDIX C: CREATURES
This appendix describes new creatures that appear in
the adventure, presenting them in alphabetical order. ARCANE BROTHERHOOD
The introduction of the Monster Manual explains how to The Arcane Brotherhood is a cabal of powerful wiz-
interpret a creature's stat block. ards that operates out of the Hosttower of the Arcane,
Several of the creatures in this appendix are common a multi-spired structure that towers above Luskan (a
beasts-foxes, hares, mountain goats, seals, sperm city south of lcewind Dale on the Sword Coast). The
whales, and walruses-that live among other beasts brotherhood's leadership consists of five renowned
from the Monster Manual, such as polar bears, deer, archmages who handpick the other members, favoring
elk, reindeer (use the elk stat block), killer whales, wizards of great accomplishment. Every year, scores of
mammoths, moose (use the giant goat stat block), wizards from across FaerO.n flock to the Hosttower of
saber-toothed tigers, snowy owls, woolly rhinocer- the Arcane, hoping to gain admittance into the presti-
oses, and wolves. And then there's the notoriously ugly gious ranks of the brotherhood. Nearly all candidates
knucklehead trout, without which there would be no are dismissed out of hand, without so much as a test,
Ten-Towns. feeding rumors that the brotherhood's leaders are more
If the adventuring party includes a wizard who can interested in marketing their own brand of exclusivity
prepare the find familiar spell, consider allowing the than finding new talent. Yet wizards seem willing to
wizard to add the fox and the hare to the spell's list of debase themselves regardless, for admittance to the
eligible familiars. brotherhood grants access to the Hosttower's incredible
The creatures in this appendix are categorized by libraries of magical lore.
creature type below. The truth behind the brotherhood's ongoing quest
for new members is based on the adage, "Keep your
ABERRATIONS GIANTS friends close and your enemies closer." The brother-
Gnome ceremorph Ice troll hood's leaders seek out wizards who might by their
Gnome squidling Verbeeg longstrider exploits compete with the brotherhood's acquisition and
Verbeeg marauder hoarding of arcane lore and magical secrets. By bring-
BEASTS ing these wizards into the fold, the brotherhood turns
Fox HUMANOIDS potential enemies into colleagues, in effect neutralizing
Giant walrus Avarice future threats.
Hare Bjornhild Solvigsdottir Once welcomed into the brotherhood, wizards are
Knucklehead trout Duergar mind master free to pursue their own interests so long as they place
the security and sanctity of the Hosttower and the cabal
Mountain goat Frost druid
above all else. When not rallying to defend their home,
Seal Goliath warrior
wizards of the Arcane Brotherhood act like friendly and
Sperm whale Goliath werebear
unfriendly rivals to one another, striving to outdo their
Walrus Gunvald Halraggson peers in magic. Open conflict between members is for-
lcewind kobold bidden, yet members are adroit at finding underhanded
CONSTRUCTS
lsarr Kronenstrom ways to needle and sabotage one another.
.Chardalyn dragon jarund Elkhardt The Arcane Brotherhood sent three of its members
Demos magen to investigate rumors of a lost Netherese enclave that
Vellynne Harpell
Duergar hammerer crashed in Icewind Dale nearly two thousand years ago.
Xardorok Sunblight
Dzaan's simulacrum A fourth wizard, Nass Lantomir, learned about the expe-
Galvan magen MONSTROSITIES dition and decided to form her own.
Hypnos magen Auril (first form) Not long after they arrived in Bryn Shander, the three
Living Bigby's hand Crag cat wizards who had formed the initial expeditionary force
Living blade of disaster Spitting mimic parted company, each one determined to be the first to
Living demi plane Yeti tyke find the enclave-such is the fragile nature of wizardly
alliances. The four wizards are described below:
Snow golem
UN DEAD Avarice, an albino tiefling evoker with a pair of gargoyle
Tomb tapper
Brain in a jar companions
ELEMENTALS Coldlight walker Dzaan, a human illusionist and Red Wizard of Thay
Auril (second form) Frost giant skeleton who perished recently, but whose simulacrum lives on
Auril (third form) Gnoll vampire Nass Lantomir, a human diviner who died and now ex-
Chwinga lcewind kobold zombie ists as a spellcasting ghost
Kobold vampire spawn Vellynne Harpell, a human necromancer from a fa-
FIEND
Nass Lantomir's ghost
mous family with a cadre of kobolds- some living,
Chardalyn berserker others undead
APPENDIX C I CREATURES
268
AVA R ICE, I--IER RAVEN FAMILIAR, ANO HER GARGOYLES
and scouts. Avarice uses her Rary's telepathic bond

AVARICE
spell to stay in telepathic contact with her gargoyles be-
Avarice is a cruel and vindictive tiefling trained in the fore sending them off on any mission. Avarice also has
arcane tradition of evocation. She likes using her magic the support of the Knights of the Black Sword, if she
to destroy things, and her hunger for magic items knows needs to call on their talents.
no bounds. Her supreme confi dence means that she Familiar. Avarice's familiar throughout the adventure
never backs down from a challenge, even when the odds is a squawking raven named Skelm. It uses the raven
are clearly stacked against her. S eeing other wizards as stat block in the Monster Manual but is a fiend instead
a threat, paranoia rules her life. of a beast.
Avarice has been a member of the Arcane Brother- Spellbook. Avarice's spellbook has white leather
hood for almost two years. She fantasizes about rising covers and vellum pages. The tiefling's personal sigil is
to fame and prominence in record time and hopes that burned into the front cover. The book contains the spells
plundering the lost etherese city of Ythryn will turn Avarice has prepared plus the following additional
her fantasies into reality. spells: burning hands, cone of cold, find familiar, ice
The tiefling has the secret support of the archdevil storm, lightning bolt, rope trick, thunderwave, tongues,
Levistus, having traded her oul yea rs ago for her wall of fire , and wall of force.
first taste of magical power. Levistus s peaks to her
in dreams and guides her path. Shortly after Avarice DZAAN
arrived in Ten-Tow ns. Le\·i tus urged her to seek out
Dzaan was a Red Wizard of Thay who studied the
the Black Sword. Avar ice didn·t know who or what the
arcane tradition of illusion. The leaders of the Arcane
Black Sword was until he wa app roached by cultists
Brotherhood welcomed him with open arms, eager to
of Levistus bearing swordlike hards of chardalyn
count a Red Wizard among their ranks. Dzaan might
worn as pendants around their necks. These self-styled
have become a force to reckon with in the brotherhood
Knights of the Black word offered her sanctuary in the
had his quest for power not led him to Icewind Dale,
keep of Caer-Dineval. where they are based. Although
where he was killed by the people of Easthaven after
s he doesn't trust the culti . they treat her with more
making a few too many enemies.
respect than anyone el e doe and the keep is a safer
Dzaan's Demise. Dzaan's trouble started after
location than most other place in Ten-Towns.
he broke away from his fellow wizards and hired
Companions. A\arice ha a pair of loyal gargoyles
adventurers to scour Icewind Dale for Netherese ruins.
named Gargle and Gurg e -ho ne her as bodyguards
One group of them uncovered a buried tower in the
tundra (see "Lost Spire of Netheril," page 145), and
Dzaan went out of his way to eliminate anyone who
knew of it, including the adventurers who found it and
several Ten-Towners with whom they had spoken. After
turning the tower into his secret base, Dzaan visited
Easthaven to gather supplies. Although he took the pre-
AVARICE caution of adopting a magical disguise, members of the
Medium humanoid (tiefling) , lawful evil local militia recognized Dzaan by the way he walked
and spoke. They captured him, gagged him , confiscated
Armor Class 13 (16 with mage armor) his spellbook, and condemned him to death.
Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26) The characters have no opportunity to speak with
Speed 30 ft .
Dzaan. They first encounter him in Easthaven, tied to
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA a stake and engulfed in flames (see "Toil and Trouble,"
8 (-1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 10 (+O) 9 (-1) page 62). The Ten-Towners enjoy the execution while
it lasts. After warming themselves by the fire, they leave
Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +3 Dzaan's ashes to be scattered by the wind.
Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Dzaan's Simulacrum. Unbeknownst to his execu-
Damage Resistances cold (granted by staff offrost), fire tioners, Dzaan had used a spell scroll of simulacrum to
Senses da rkvision 60 ft ., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal , Ore, Yeti
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) DZAAN'S SIMULACRUM
Medium construct, lawful evil
Icy Doom. When Avarice dies, her corpse freezes for 9 days,
during which time it can't be thawed, harmed by fire, animated , Armor Class 10
or raised from the dead . Hit Points 24 (half of9d8 + 9)
Speed 30 ft.
Special Equipment. Avarice wields a staff offrost with 10
charges (see "Actions" below) .
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Spellcasting. Avarice is a 10th-level spellcaster. Her spellcast- 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+l) 16 (+3) 13 (+l) 15 (+2)
ing ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14; +6 to hit with spell
attacks) . She has the following wizard spells prepared : Saving Throws Int +5 , Wis +3
Skills Arcana +5 , Deception +4, History +5
Can trips (at will) : fire bolt (see "Actions" below) , mage hand, Senses passive Perception 11
message, minor illusion , prestidigitation Languages Abyssal, Common, Giant, Infernal
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor, magic missile Challenge l (200 XP)
2nd level (3 slots) :j/aming sphere , knock, scorching ray
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell,fireball,jly Spellcasting. The simulacrum is a 9th -level spellcaster. Its
4th level (3 slots): banishment,fire shield spellcasting abil ity is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit
5th level (2 slots) : Bigby's hand, Rary's telepathic bond with spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared :
AC T IONS Cantrips (at will): acid splash,'' light, minor illusion,
shocking grasp*
Fire Bolt (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 120 ft .,
1st level (2 slots) : detect magic, disguise self. magic missile*
one target. Hit: 11 (2dl0) fire damage.
2nd level (2 slots) : invisibility, levitate , phantasmal force
Sta.ff of Frost. While holding this staff, Avarice can expend 1 or *See "Actions" below.
more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it
(spell save DC 14) : cone of cold (5 charges).fog cloud (1 charge), ACTIONS
ice storm (4 charges) , or wall of ice (4 charges) . Shocking Grasp (Cantrip). Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach
The staff regains ld6 + 4 charges daily at dawn . If its last 5 ft ., one creature (the attack roll has advantage if the target
charge is expended, roll a d20; on a 1, the staff turns to water is wearing armor made of metal) . Hit: 9 (2d8) lightn ing dam -
and is destroyed . age, and the target can't take reactions until the start of its
next turn .
REACTIONS
Acid Splash (Cantrip). The simulacrum hurls a bubble of acid at
Banishing Rebuke (Recharges after a Long Rest). When Avarice one creature it can see within 60 feet of it , or at two such crea -
is damaged by a creature that she can see within 60 feet of her,
tures that are within 5 feet of each other. A target must succeed
she can banish that creature to a frigid extradimensional prison
on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) acid damage.
for 1 minute. While there, the creature is incapacitated and
takes 5 (1 dl 0) cold damage at the start of each of its turns. At Magic Missile (1st-Level Spell; Requires a Spell Slot). The
the end of each of its turns, the creature can make a DC 14 Cha- simulacrum creates three darts of magical force. Each dart
risma saving throw, escaping the prison on a success and reap - unerringly strikes one creature the simulacrum can see within
pearing in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space 120 feet ofit, dealing 3 (ld4 + l) force damage. If the simula-
if that space is occupied . A creature that dies in the prison is crum casts this spell using a 2nd -level spell slot, it creates one
trapped there indefinitely. more dart.
0-Z AA N A ND HIS WIGH T B O D YGUA RD , KR I N TAAS
create a copy of himself. This simulacrum dwells in the Companion. Because they're so despised throughout
sunken Netherese spire, waiting for its creator to return. Faerun, Red Wizards often adopt disguises and rarely
The simulacrum, which looks and acts like Dzaan, travel abroad without an escort. They generally favor un-
has half of Dzaan's hit points and can't regain expended dead servants and bodyguards, since they find that un-
spell slots. It has wasted its 3rd-level spell slots trying dead tend to be more obedient than the living. Dzaan's
to reach Dzaan with sending spells, to no avail, and has bodyguard is a Thayan wight named Krintaas. When
expended other spell slots to help it survive the perils of Dzaan returned to Easthaven, he ordered his compan-
the spire. It uses its remaining spell slots sparingly. ion to stay with the simulacrum and watch over it and
The sunken Netherese tower contains a special room the buried Netherese spire.
that can transform the simulacrum into a real person-
or any magical illusion into the real thing, for that mat- NASS LANTOMIR
ter. If this change occurs, the simulacrum effectively be- Nass Lantomir was an apprentice of Zelenn the White,
comes a clone of Dzaan, authentic in every way. Dzaan's one of five archmages who oversee the Arcane Broth-
stat block and abilities change as follows: erhood . Nass and Zelenn's relationship started off well,
He has spell slots appropriate for a 9th-level wizard but in recent years it has become painfully obvious to
(four 1st-level spell slots, three 2nd- through 4th-level Zelenn that Nass has been slow to master the arcane
spell slots, and one 5th-level spell slot), but he lacks tradition of divination. Zelenn's suggestion that Nass
a spellbook and therefore can't change his list of pre- leave the Hosttower of the Arcane and gain experience
pared spells. abroad left Nass feeling unwanted. After much thought,
If he finishes a long rest, he has the following addi- however, Nass came around to the idea. She could put
tional spell slots, which allow him to cast the indi- her magic to the test and carve out a name for herself.
cated spells: As she was preparing to leave the Hosttower, Nass
overheard her master talking to another wizard about a
3rd level (3 slots): fireball, sending, slow
covert expedition to Icewind Dale being undertaken to
4th level (3 slots): arcane eye, confusion
seek out long-lost magic from a bygone empire. Rather
5th level (1 slot): animate objects
than carry out her original plan, Nass followed her fel-
His hit point maximum becomes 49 (9d8 + 9), and his low wizards to Icewind Dale. She caught up to them in
challenge rating becomes 2 (450 XP). His challenge Bryn Shander and made her presence known, claiming
rating becomes 4 (1,100 XP) if he finishes a long rest she was sent by her master to aid the expedition with
and regains his expended spells. her divinations. Egos and frayed nerves caused the
APPENDIX C I C REATURES
271
group to split up shortly thereafter, with each wizard de-
termined to succeed alone.
One night while the others slept, Nass stole a profes-
sor orb (see appendix D) from one of her fellow wizards,
Vellynne Harpel!. Two of Vellynne's kobold companions
witnessed the theft, and Nass killed them with Melf's
acid arrow spells before fleeing with the orb.
Nass fled Ten-Towns and headed toward the Sea of
Moving Ice, hoping to find a tome called The Codicil of
White, a book of magic and lore composed by servants
of Auril the Frostmaiden. The Arcane Brotherhood
believes that this book tells how to reach a lost city of
magic entombed in the ice. Before she could obtain the
book, Nass perished. She now exists as a ghost, unable
to rest until she finds the book. Characters who come
upon Nass's frozen remains also find her spellbook and
the orb she stole from Vellynne.
Familiar. Nass's magical familiar, a white arctic wea-
sel acclimated to cold weather named Zelennor, watches
over the wizard's frozen remains. It uses the weasel
stat block in the Monster Manual but is a fey instead of
a beast. If Zelennor is reduced to O hit points, Nass's
ghost is unable to cast the find familiar spell in order to
get it back.
Etherealness. The ghost enters the Ethereal Plane from the

NASS LANTOMIR'S GHOST Material Plane, or vice versa . It is visible on the Material Plane
Medium undead, neutral evil
while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa , yet it can 't af-
Armor Class 11 fect or be affected by anything on the other plane.
Hit Points 45 (10d8) Horrifying Visage_ Each non-undead creature within 60 feet
Speed Oft., fly 40 ft. (hover) of the ghost that can see it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom
saving throw or be frightened for l minute. If the save fails by
5 or more, the target also ages 1d4 x 10 years . A frightened tar-
7 (-2) 13 (+l) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 12 (+l) 17 (+3)
get can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns ,
Damage Resistances acid , fire , lightning, thunder; bludgeoning,
ending the frightened condition on itself on a success. If the
piercing, and slashing damage that isn't magical target 's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it , the
Damage Immunities cold , necrotic, poison target is immune to th is ghost's Horrifying Visage for the next
Condition Immunities charmed , exhaustion , fr ightened , 24 hours . The aging effect can be reversed by a greater resto-
grappled , paralyzed, petrified , poisoned , prone, restrained ration spell , but only if it is cast within 24 hours .
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Possession (Recharge 6). One humanoid that the ghost can see
Languages Abyssal , Common, Draconic, Ore
within 5 feet ofit must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
throw or be possessed by the ghost; the ghost then disappears ,
and the target is incapacitated and loses control of its body.
Ethereal Sight. The ghost can see 60 feet into the Ethereal
The ghost now controls the body but doesn't deprive the target
Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
of awareness. The ghost can't be targeted by any attack, spell,
Incorporeal Movement. The ghost can move through other or other effect, except ones that turn undead , and it retains its
creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain . It takes 5 alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom , Charisma, and immunity to
(ldl0) force damage ifit ends its turn inside an object. being charmed and frightened . It otherwise uses the possessed
target's statistics , but doesn 't gain access to the target's knowl-
Spellcasting. The ghost is a 6th-level spellcaster. Its spellcast•
edge, class features, or proficiencies .
ing ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14). The ghost has the
The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points ,
following wizard spells prepared :
the ghost ends it as a bonus action , or the ghost is turned or
Cantrips (at will): mage hand, message, prestidigitation, forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell . When
ray offrost the possession ends, the ghost reappears in an unoccupied
l st level (4 slots) : detect magic, thunderwave space within 5 feet of the body. The target is immune to this
2nd level (3 slots) : - ghost's Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving
3rd level (3 slots): counterspe/1 throw or after the possession ends .
ACTIONS
Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft .,
one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) necrotic damage.
272
Spellcasting. As a ghost, Nass can cast the spells she Vellynne brought a family heirloom with her to Ice-
prepared prior to her death-except that the ghost can't wind Dale: a professor orb (see appendix D) that she
cast spells that require material components, which refers to by its proper name, Professor Skant. This orb
limits its options. Its list of prepared spells shows only has knowledge about Netheril that could be important
those spells it can cast. Although it has no 2nd-level if Vellynne locates the lost Netherese city buried under
spells available, the ghost can use its 2nd-level spell the Reghed Glacier. The orb was recently stolen by Nass
slots to cast upgraded versions of the thunderwave spell. Lantomir, one ofVellynne's rivals in the Arcane Broth-
Spellbook. The wooden covers of Nass's spellbook erhood. Vellynne intends to get it back before resuming
are bound in nothic hide, and silver clasps hold the book her quest to find Ythryn.
shut. Nass's personal sigil is inscribed on the spine, Companions. Since arriving in Icewind Dale, Vel-
which also bears the title Lantomir's Traveling Libram. lynne has secured the services of six Icewind kobolds
The tome contains the following spells: clairvoyance, (see page 296) that act as her valets and guides. Two
cloud of daggers, counterspell, detect magic, detect of them were killed by a Me/f's acid arrow spell (cast by
thoughts, find familiar, MelFs acid arrow, Tenser's float- Vellynne's rival, Nass Lantomir), but Vellynne animated
ing disk, and thunderwave. their corpses, turning them into zombies.
If she is wounded, Vellynne can cast vampiric
VELLYNNE HARPELL touch and use the spell to regain hit points at the ko-
Vellynne Harpell is a member of the prestigious Harpell bolds' expense.
family, based in the town of Longsaddle. Cold and dis- Familiar. Vellynne's familiar is a snowy owl, which
passionate, she took to magic only a decade ago in her the wizard uses as a scout. It uses the owl stat block in
late forties and is skilled in the arcane tradition of necro- the Monster Manual but is a celestial instead of a beast.
mancy. She has a lifelong struggle-a nervous disorder Spellbook. Vellynne's spellbook has black leather cov-
that manifests as trembling. It can affect her balance ers around pages of ragged parchment, all wrapped in a
and her stride, but she has learned to cast her spells un- crimson sash. The necromancer's personal sigil is writ-
impeded by it. ten in goat's blood on the title page. The tome contains
Despite her firm grasp of the dark arts, she would the spells Vellynne has prepared plus the following ad-
not have been admitted into the Arcane Brotherhood ditional spells: bestow curse, blindness/deafness, false
without her family connection -a fact that sticks life, find familiar, magic weapon, polymorph, protection
in her craw. from e~·il and good, remove curse, shield, and Tenser's
floating disk.
2;3
AURIL THE FROSTMAIDEN
Auril the Frostmaiden is a neutral evil lesser god of cold
indifference who embodies winter's cruelty. (For infor-
mation on what defines a lesser god, see the "Divine
Rank" sidebar in the Dungeon Master's Guide.) Auril's
beloved ice grasps all things in her clutches, preserving
them against the ravages of time. She hoards beauty in
all forms, from art objects and flowers to skilled arti-
VELLYNNE HARPELL sans and their wondrous works, freezing them in magi-
Medium humanoid (human), neutral cal ice for her pleasure alone.
Auril was aligned with the gods Talas, Umberlee,
Armor Class 13 (bracers of defense) and Malar. Together they wrought terrible destruction,
inspiring fear that compelled tribute to hold their power
Speed 20 ft.
at bay. Umberlee, queen of the wrathful sea, grew to
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA despise the enduring nature of the ice and snow Auril
10 (+O) 12 (+l) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 13 (+l ) created. Umberlee seethed when Auril's frigid cold
transformed her chaotic, unpredictable tides into rigid,
Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 motionless sheets of ice. Umberlee brought Talas and
Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Malar into an alliance against Auril, who retreated to
Senses passive Perce ption 12 the coldest corner of Tori! to escape their fury.
Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, Elvish, Ore After a world-shaking event known as the Sundering,
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) most of the gods withdrew from Tori!, leaving mortals to
govern their own fates without the gods' meddling, but
Special Equipment. Vellynne wears bracers of defense and car-
the Frostmaiden could not stay away for long. Auril re-
ries a wand of magic missiles (see "Actions " below).
turned to her icy realm in the far north and, after a time,
Spellcasting. Vellynne is an 8th-level spe llcaster. Her spe ll cast- plunged it into frigid darkness using her magic.
ing abi lity is Intelligence (s pell save DC 14, +6 to hit wit h spel l Casting such great magic night after night while also
attacks). She has the following wizard spe lls prepared : granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril
Cantrips (at will) : chill touch (see "Actions" be low) , light, mage weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened
hand, message, prestidigitation state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact
1st level (4 slots) : comprehend languages , detect magic, ray of with other creatures that can harm her.
sickness, Tash a's hideous laughter Auril's worshipers know better than to disturb her
2nd level (3 slots) : darkvision , hold person , ray of enfeeblement self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off
3rd leve l (3 slots) : animate dead, Leomund's tiny hut , vampiric Icewind Dale from the rest of the world, and a shroud of
touch (see "Actions" be low) mist conceals her island in the Sea of Moving Ice.
4th level (2 s lots) : arcane eye , blight
RO LE PLAYING AURIL
A CTI ONS
Vampiric Touch (3rd-Level Spell; Requires a Spell Slot). Melee
Portraying a deity, even a lesser god such as Auril the
Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) Frostmaiden, can be daunting. For roleplaying pur-
necrotic damage, and Vellynne regains hit points equal to half poses, the following suggestions might prove helpful:
the necrotic damage dealt. lfVellynne casts this spe ll us ing a • So long as she has mortal worshipers, Auril can't truly
spell slot of 4th level or higher, the necrotic damage increases die (although the characters can rid the world of her
by ld6 for each slot level above 3rd. for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to
Chill Touch (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 120 mortals' demands. As the embodiment of winter's cru-
ft ., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d8) necrotic damage, and the target elty, she is incapable of showing mercy or compassion.
can 't rega in hit points until the start ofVellynne's next turn . Play her as a supremely cold and unfeeling entity.
• Have Auril speak only when necessary. The less she
Wand of Magic Missiles. While ho lding this wand , Vel lyn ne can talks, the less risk you have of unintentionally demys-
expend l or more of its 7 charges to cast the magic missile spell
tifying her in the eyes of your players. Let her actions,
fro m it. She can expend l charge to cast the l st-level ve rsion of
not her words, define her.
the spell. She can increase the spell slot level by one for each
• Lesser gods in the D&D multiverse are extremely
additional charge she expends .
powerful and arrogant, but also fallible and blind to
The wand rega ins ld6 + l expended charges daily at dawn . If
the wand 's last charge is expended , roll a d20; on a l , the wan d their own flaws. It's appropriate for Auril to act as
crum bl es into ashes and is destroyed. though she's invincible while underestimating her
mortal enemies, even in her current weakened state.
APPENDIX C I CREAT URES

274
LAIR ACTIONS
Auril dwells on Solstice, a frozen isla nd hidden among
the tita nic icebergs in the S ea of Moving Ice. Few crea-
tures know of this island, let alone how to reach it. S ee
chapter 5 for information about the regional effects that
encompass the island.
While s he's on the island , the Frostmaiden can take
one of the following lair actions on initiative count 20
(losing initiative ties):
Auril ins tantly knows the locations and health of all
other creatures on the isla nd. She knows how much
damage each of thes e creatures has taken, how many
levels of exhaustion they have, and what conditions
a re a ffecting them currently.
Auril instantly tele ports to any location on the island .
If the s pace s he chooses as her destination is a lready
occupied, Auril appea rs in the closest unoccupied
s pace to it in s tead .
Auril telepathically communicates with any number
of creatures at once, provided they're all on the island .
Thi s effect lasts until Auril stops concentrating on it
(as if concentrating on a spell) or until s he leaves the
isla nd or uses a different la ir action .
At will: chromatic orb (cold orb only; see "Actions " below), de-
AURIL (FIRST FORM) tect magic, misty step
Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
2/day each : control weather, detect thoughts , ice storm
Armor Class 13 Legendary Resistance (2/Day in This Form). If Auri l fails a sav-
Hit Points 95 (l0d8 + 50) ing throw, she can choose to succeed instead .
Speed 30 ft ., fly 60 ft .
Magic Resistance. Auril has advantage on saving throws
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA aga inst spells and other magical effects .
14 (+2) 16 (+3) 21 (+5) 24 (+7) 26 (+8) 28 (+9) Unusual Nature. Auril doesn 't requ ire air, food , drink, or sleep.
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +12 ACTIONS
Skills Deception +13, Insight +12, Intimidation +13,
Perception +16 Multiattack. Auril attacks twice with her talons .
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target.
Damage Immunities cold , poison
Hit: 7 (ld8 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (ld6) cold damage.
Condition Immunities charmed , exhaustion, fr ightened ,
paralyzed , petrified, poisoned , stunned Touch of Frost. Mele e Spell Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Senses darkvision 120 ft. , truesight 120 ft ., passive creature . Hit: 13 (3d8) cold damage, and the target can 't take
Perception 26 reactions until the start of its next turn .
Languages all, telepathy 1,000 ft.
Challenge 9 (5 ,000 XP) Chromatic Orb. Ranged Spell Attack: +13 to hit, range 90 ft .,
one creature. Hit: 13 (3d8) cold damage.
Divine Being. Au ril can 't be surpri sed and can 't be changed
into another form agai nst he r will. LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Auril can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
Divine Rejuvenation. When Au ril dro ps to O hit points, her bod y
below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
turns to slush and melts away. Auril instantl y reappears in her
and only at the end of another creature 's turn . Auril regains
second form , in an unoccup ied space withi n 60 feet of where
spent legendary actions at the start of her turn .
her first fo rm disappeared . Her initiati ve co unt doesn 't change .
Talons. Auril attacks once with her talons .
Innate Spellcasting. Auril's innate spe llcasting ability is Cha-
Teleport. Auril teleports to an unoccupied space she can see
risma (spell save DC 21 , +13 to hit wi th spell attacks) . She
within 30 feet of her.
can innately cast the following spells, req uiri ng no material Touch of Frost (Costs 2 Actions). Auril uses Touch of Frost.
components:
275
AuRIL's THREE FORMS SECOND FORM
Auril's second form, known to her worshipers as Lady
In her current weakened state, Auril can assume three
Icekiss or the Brittle Maiden, is that of a 10-foot-tall
different forms. To destroy her, heroes must reduce each
woman of fearsome aspect made entirely of ice and
of her forms to O hit points one after another. After she's
frost. Her eyes burn with a cold blue light, and a thin
defeated in her third and final form, Auril dies. As long
cloak of mist forms around her. Blades of ice grow out of
as she has mortal followers who worship her, however,
her body at odd angles, breaking off before they get too
Auril is reborn at full strength during the next winter
long. When she moves, her body crackles.
solstice, with divine power far beyond what is reflected
In this form, Auril creates weapons of ice with which
in the stat blocks presented here.
to combat foes. These weapons are supernaturally re-
After finishing a long rest, Auril regains any of her
silient until Auril discards them, whereupon they break
forms that were destroyed, provided at least one form
and melt like normal ice.
survives. When she transitions from one form to an-
other, she loses all the traits and actions of the old form THIRD FORM
and gains those of the new form. Auril's third form, called Winter's Womb or the Queen of
A stat block is given for each of Auril's three forms. Frozen Tears by her most ardent followers, is a 3-foot-di-
These descriptions do not reflect Auril at full power, but ameter ice diamond containing the god's divine spark.
rather Auril as she is encountered in this adventure. The diamond has facets and a sharp point at the bottom.
It hovers in the air, radiating intense cold all around it.
FIRST FORM
When Auril speaks, her voice seems to emanate from
In her first form, Auril appears as a hunched, 7-foot-tall
the heart of the diamond.
biped with the head of a snowy owl, black talons, cloven
If Auril is killed in her third and final form, she is
hooves, and grayish-white wolf fur covering her body
dead until the next winter solstice. While she is dead,
from the neck down. Protruding from her feathery owl's
her mortal worshipers lose their god-granted spells and
head is a pair of curved goat horns. A cloak and cowl
abilities.
made of pristine white snow conceals much of her tri-
partite form, which her worshipers refer to as the Cold
Crone. This cloak can transform into a pair of owl's
wings when Auril sees fit.
Cone ofCold (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). Auril
AURIL (SECOND FORM) causes a magical blast of cold air to erupt from her hand . Each
Large elemental, neutral evil
creature in a GO-foot cone must make a DC 21 Constitution sav-
Armor Class 16 (natural armor) ing throw, taking 36 (8d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half
Hit Points 136 (13dl0 + 65) as much damage on a successful one.
Speed 30 ft. Create Ice Mephit (3/Day). Auril breaks off an icicle from her
body and hurls it into an unoccupied space she can see within
20 feet of her, where it magically transforms into an ice mephit
16 (+3) 16 (+3) 21 (+5) 24 (+7) 26 (+8) 28 (+9)
(see its entry in the Monster Manual) . The mephit acts immedi-
ately after Auril in the initiative order and obeys her commands.
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +12
Skills Deception +13, Insight+ 12, Intimidation +13 , Ice Stasis (Recharge 5-6). Auril magically creates a gem -sized
Perception +16 ice crystal that hovers in a space within 5 feet of her. Auril then
Damage Vulnerabilities fire targets a creature she can see within 60 feet of the crystal. The
Damage Immunities cold , poison target must succeed on a DC 21 Charisma saving throw or be-
Condition Immunities charmed , exhaustion , frightened ,
come trapped in the crystal , which is immovable. If the saving
paralyzed , petrified, poisoned, stunned
throw succeeds , the crystal shatters and nothing else happens.
Senses darkvision 120 ft ., truesight 120 ft., passive
A creature trapped in the crystal is stunned , has total cover
Perception 26
Languages all , telepathy 1,000 ft.
against attacks and other effects outside the crystal, and takes
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) 21 (6d6) cold damage at the start of each of its turns . The crea-
ture can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns ,
Divine Being. Auril can 't be surp rised and can 't be changed freeing itself on a success. The creature is also freed if the crys-
into another form against her wi ll. tal is destroyed, wh ich is a Tiny object with AC 18, 9 hit points,
and immunity to all damage except fire damage. The freed
Divine Rejuvenation. When Auril drops to 0 hit points , her creature appears in an unoccupied space of its choice within 30
body collapses into shards of ice, whereupon Auril instantly feet of the shattered crystal.
reappears in her third form, in an unoccupied space within 60
feet of where her second form was destroyed. Her initiative LEGENDARY ACTIONS
count doesn 't change. Auril can take 3 legendary actions , choosing from the options
Legendary Resistance (2/Day in This Form). If Auril fails a sav- below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
ing throw, she can choose to succeed instead. and only at the end of another creature's turn. Auril regains
spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
aga inst spells and other magical effects . Attack. Auril makes one weapon attack .
Ice Flurry (Costs 2 Actions). Each creature within 30 feet of
Unusual Nature. Auril doesn 't requ ire air, food , drink, or sleep. Auril takes 5 (2d4) piercing damage from swirling ice, and
nonmagical, open flames in that area are extinguished .
ACTIONS Splinter (Costs 3 Actions). Auril uses Create Ice Mephit or
Multiattack. Auril attacks tw ice with he r ice morningstar or causes one to ice mephit she can see within 60 feet of her to
hurls three ice darts . explode and die. A mephit that dies in th is way does not use
its Death Burst. Instead, each creature within 10 feet of the
Ice Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft ., exploding meph it must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving
one target. Hit: 7 (ld8 + 3) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) throw, taking 13 (3d8) piercing damage on a failed saving
cold damage. throw, and half as much damage on a successful one.
Ice Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 20/60 ft .,

one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing da mage plus 3 (ld6)
cold damage.
277
AURIL (THIRD FORM)
Small elemental, neutral evil against spells and other magical effects .
Unusual Nature. Auril doesn 't require air, food , drin k, or sleep.
Hit Points 136 (l 6d6 + 80) ACTIONS
Speed Oft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
Multiattack. Auril uses Polar Ray twice.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Polar Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +13 to hit, range 120 ft., one
l (-5) 12 (+l) 21 (+5) 24 (+7) 26 (+8) 28 (+9) target. Hit: 14 (4d6) cold damage.
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis+ 12 Blizzard Veil. Auril creates a magical blizzard in a
Skills Deception +13 , Insight +12, Intimidation +13, 30-foot-radius sphere centered on herself. The area within the
Perception +16 sphere is heavily obscured , and the sphere moves with Auril.
Damage Vulnerabilities thunder The effect lasts until Auril drops to 0 hit points in this form ,
Damage Immunities cold, poison until she chooses to end the effect (no action required), or until
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion , frightened, her concentration is broken (as if concentrating on a spell).
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius}, truesight LEGENDARY ACTIONS
120 ft., passive Perception 26
Languages all, telepathy 1,000 ft . Auril can take 3 legendary actions , choosing from the options
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature's turn . Auril regains
Divine Being. Auril can't be surprised and can 't be changed spent legendary actions at the start of her turn .
into another form against her will. Polar Ray. Auril uses Polar Ray.
Intensify Aura (Costs 2 Actions). Auril 's Frigid Aura deals an
Divine Resurrection. When Auril drops to 0 hit points, her crys-
extra 10 cold damage until the end of her next turn.
talline form shatters and her divine spark vanishes . She is dead
Blinding Gleam (Costs 2 Actions). Auril 's form flares with a blue
until the next winter solstice , when she reappears at full health
light. Each creature that can see Auril and is within 10 feet
in a cold , remote location of her choosing.
of her must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be
Frigid Aura. So long as Auril has at least l hit point in this blinded by Auril 's magical gleam for l minute. The blinded
form, each creature within 10 feet of her takes 10 cold damage creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
at the start of each of her turns . turns , ending the effect on itself on a success.
Legendary Resistance (1/Day in This Form). If Auril fails a sav-

ing throw, she can choose to succeed instead .
BRAIN IN AJAR
Small undead, any alignment
Armor Class 11 (natura l armor)

Speed Oft. , fl y 10 ft. (hover)

1 (- 5) 3 (-4) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) 10 (+O) 15 (+2)
Saving Throws Int +6, Cha +4

Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned, prone
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this ra dius), passive
Perce ption 10; see al so "Detect Sentience" below
Languages the languages it knew in life
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Detect Sentience. The brain can sense the presence and loca-
tion of any creature within 300 feet of it that has an Intelligence
of 3 or higher, regardless of interposing barriers, unless the
creature is protected by a mind blank spell.
BRAIN IN A JA R Innate Spel/casting (Psion ics). The brain 's innate spellcasting
ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell
Through an eldritch ritual combining alchemy, nec-
attacks) . It can innately cast the following spells , requiring no
romancy, and grim surgical preci ion, the brain of a components:
mortal being (willing or unwilling) is encased in a glass
jar filled with preservin fluid and the liquefied goop of At will : chill touch (see "Actions" below), detect thoughts , mage
their body's flesh. The tran. formation renders the brain hand, zone of truth
immortal and imbue it with p ionic power, so that it 3/day each: charm person, hold person
1/day each : compulsion , hold monster, sleep (3rd-level version),
can spend eternity plotting and executing its desires.
Tasha 's hideous laughter
A brain in a jar can pea "ithout vocal cords, psioni-
cally projecting its di embodied voice outward for all to Magic Resistance. The brain has advantage on saving throws
hear. It enjoys conver ation much that it is prone to against spe lls and other magic effects .
talking for hours on end._ me ime to itself if there are Unusual Nature. The brain doesn 't require air, food ,
no others with whom it can pea ·. It also likes to think drink, or sleep.
out loud and reflect on thee,; and decisions that led
to its great transformatio . ACT I ONS
Being divorced from on · ~ can tax the mind, and Chill Touch (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 120
the longer a brain in ajar e.~1 he more likely some ft. , one creature . Hit: 13 (3d8) necrotic damage, and the target
form of insanity will ta -e hod brain in a jar is can 't regain hit points until the start of the brain 's next turn .
particularly susceptible to d hizop hrenia , If the target is undead, it also has disadvantage on attack rolls
and paranoia. against the brain until the end of the brain 's next turn.
Immortal Vessels. T e a in a jar of solu-
undi ngs. Some Mind Blast (Recharge 5- 6). The brain magically emits psychic
tion, pulsating as it re
energy in a 60 -foot cone. Each creature in that area must suc-
brains have been knm a_am t the walls of
ceed on a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw or take 17 (3d8 + 4)
their containers when e.i ed. A jar's metal
psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can
casing might be rusty b ..:e1f"-.ice.d)lje. or an elegantly
repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
wrought masterwork. di:-peoif:::':;! creator. A brain
the effect on itself on a success .
in a jar weighs rough!) 12 - ..,...uuu-c.
279
CHARDALYN BERSERKER
Chardalyn berserkers are Reghed nomads who wield
weapons made of chardalyn, specifically ones suffused
with demonic magic (see the sidebar on page 6).
This exposure has transformed them into fiends . They
shed their heavier protective clothing and embrace the
frigid cold, allowing frostbite to ravage the exposed
parts of their bodies, with only their faith in the Frost-
maiden keeping them alive.
Chardalyn Weapons. A chardalyn berserker wields
one or more weapons made wholly or partly out of
chardalyn that has been tainted by demonic magic.
Battleaxes, flails, javelins, and spears are favored weap-
ons, though other weapons are possible.
A character who claims one or more of these weapons
can be corrupted by them. Each day at dawn, roll a d6
for each such weapon in the character's possession. On
a roll of 1, the character must succeed on a DC 13 Cha-
risma saving throw or become an evil NPC under the
DM's control, unless the character is evil already. This
alignment change can be undone by any magic that ends
a curse, but after ten days, it can be reversed only by a
wish spell or divine intervention.
A creature wounded by one of these chardalyn weap-
CHARDALYN BERSERKER ons can feel a sudden sickness creep over them, but it
Medium fiend, chaotic evil passes quickly.
Chardalyn Madness. Prolonged contact with the
Armor Class 13 (hide armor) demonic magic imprinted on the chardalyn has afflicted
Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36) the berserker with a form of madness, causing the ber-
Speed 30 ft . serker to believe that its weapons are conduits through
which it can speak to a demon lord or other dark power,
as well as channel its rage. If the berserker's madness is
16 (+3) 12 (+l) 17 (+3) 9 (-1) 11 (+O) 9 (-1)
cured using magic that removes the effects of madness,
Skills Survival +4 the berserker loses its Chardalyn Madness trait but
Senses passive Perception 10 retains its chaotic evil alignment and other qualities.
Languages any one language (usually Common) Further exposure to the demonic magic causes the ber-
Challenge 4 (1 ,100 XP) serker's madness to return, however.
Chardalyn Madness. The berserker must roll a d6 at the start

of each of its turns. On a l , the berserker does nothing on its
CHARDALYN DRAGON
turn except speak to a nonexistent, evil master whom it has This construct is fashioned from pieces of chardalyn
pledged to serve. (see the sidebar on page 6) that have been assem-
bled in the form of a dragon. The only parts of the
Reckless. At the start of its turn , the berserker can gain ad- dragon not forged from chardalyn are its wing flaps,
vantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, which are made of an oily film as tough as rubber, and
but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its
its heart, which is an orb of pulsating, radiant energy.
next turn.
Demonic magic suffusing the chardalyn imbues the con-
ACTIONS struct with malevolence, allowing it to enjoy the terror it
causes. This effect extends outward from it, corrupting
Multiattack. The berserker attacks three times with a other creatures who get too close to the dragon. Those
melee weapon .
affected by the dragon's presence turn their efforts to
Chardalyn Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one helping the dragon inflict suffering on others.
target. Hit: 7 (ld8 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target A chardalyn dragon serves the tyrannical will of its
must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poi- evil creator- a tireless drive devotion that exceeds its
soned until the end of its next turn. own instinct of self-preservation. Thus, the dragon
will destroy itself in pursuit of its master's desires if
Chardalyn)avelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft ., one target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) pierc-
necessary. The dragon likes to tear foes apart, as well
ing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitu- as knock down doors and other structures. Against
tion saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn. enemies it can't reach, it fires a beam of destructive radi-
ance from its grill-like maw.
280
Huge construct, chaotic evil Multiattack. The dragon uses its Malevolent Presence. It
then makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its
Armor Class 17 (natural arm or) tail. If the dragon isn 't flying, it can also make one attack with
Hit Points 147 (14dl2 + 56) its wings .
Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack:+ 11 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one t arget.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing dam age.
24 (+7) 11 (+0) 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 3 (- 4)
Tail. Mele e Weapon Attack: +ll to hit, reach 10 ft. , one target.
Saving Throws Str +11 , Con +8 Hit: 18 (2dl0 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeon ing, piercing, and Wings. Melee Weapon Attack:+ 11 to hit, reach l Oft., one tar-
slash ing that is nonma gical get . Hit: 12 (2d4 + 7) bludgeoning dam age.
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities charmed , exhaustion , fr ightened , Malevolent Presence. Any creature with an Intel ligence of 4 or
paralyzed , petrified , poisoned more that is within 30 feet of the dragon must succeed on a
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Pe rception 10 DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by it for l minute.
Languages the languages known by its creato r A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) turns , ending the effect on itself on a success . If a creature's
saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the crea-
Immutable Form. The drago n 1s immune to any spell or effect ture is immune to the dragon 's Malevolent Presence for the
that would alter its for m. next 24 hours .
Magic Resistance. Th e d ragon has advantage on saving throws A creature charmed in th is way fi xates on another creature
against spells and oth er magica e ec s. or object that the dragon mentally chooses and must, on
each of its turns , move as close as it can to that target and
Siege Monster. The drago n dea s doub e damage to objects and use its action to ma ke a melee attac k against it. lfthe dragon
structures. doesn 't choose a target, the charmed creature can act normally
reQutre air, fo od , drink, on its turn .
Unusual Nature. The dragon does
or sleep, and it gain s no be ne '°ro "n shing a short or Radiant Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales a ray of
long rest. radiant energy in a 120-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each crea-
ture in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw,
ta king 31 (7d8) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as
much dam age on a successful one.
CHWINGA
Tiny elemental, neutral
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 5 (2d4)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft .

l (-5) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3)
• Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +7, Stealth +7

Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages-
Challenge 0 (0 XP)
Evasion. When the chwinga is subjected to an effect that allows

it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it
instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and
only half damage if it fails.
CHWINGA Innate Spellcasting. The chwinga 's innate spellcasting ability is
A chwinga is a tiny elemental spirit that lives in plants, Wisdom. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no
rocks, and rivers far from civilization. Those found in material or verbal components:
cold climates also live in ice and snow. Painfully shy, At will: druidcraft, guidance, pass without trace, resistance
chwingas prefer to move about unseen.
Unusual Nature. The chwinga doesn't require air, food, or
Chwingas resemble 6-inch-tall animated dolls with
drink. When it dies, it turns into a handful of flower petals, a
mask-like faces, spindly limbs, and wild hair. Their ap-
cloud of pollen, a stone statuette resembling its former self,
pearance is sometimes foreshadowed by gentle breezes,
a tiny sphere of smooth stone, or a puddle of fresh water
the sweet smell of flowers , dancing fireflies, or snow-
(your choice) .
flakes. They don't have names and cannot speak.
Humanoid Fascination. Chwingas find the trappings ACTIONS
of civilization fascinating. They puzzle over creatures
Magical Gift (1/Day). The chwinga targets a humanoid it can
that wear armor, carry weapons, use tools, and cook
see within 5 feet of it. The target gains a supernatural charm of
food. When a chwinga encounters one or more human- the DM's choice. See the Dungeon Master's Guide for informa-
oids, its curiosity sometimes gets the better of it, and it tion on supernatural charms.
follows them for a short time to observe them. If it takes
a liking to a humanoid , a chwinga might use its cantrips Natural Shelter. The chwinga magically takes shelter inside
to aid the creature, or it might bestow a magical gift a rock, a living plant, or a natural source of fresh water in its
before departing. The aspect that attracts a chwinga to a space. The chwinga can't be targeted by any attack, spell, or
humanoid can take any form. In some cases, a chwinga other effect while inside this shelter, and the shelter doesn't
might simply like the way a humanoid walks or the impair the chwinga's blindsight. The chwinga can use its action
to emerge from a shelter. If its shelter is destroyed, the chwinga
way it combs its hair. Other times, it might be smitten
is forced out and appears in the shelter's space, but is other-
by a humanoid's ability to play music or to eat copious
wise unharmed.
amounts of food.
APPENDIX C I C REATUR E S
CHWINGAS IN lCEWIND DALE Charm of Cold Resistance. This charm allows you
---
Chwingas first appeared in the published adventure
to give yourself resistance to cold damage as an action.
This benefit lasts for 24 hours, after which the charm
Tomb ofAnnihilation as creatures indigenous to the vanishes from you.
tropical peninsula of Chult. As spirits of the elements, Charm of Snowball Strike. This charm has 5
however, they range far and wide. Large numbers of charges. As a bonus action, you can expend 1 of the
them came to Icewind Dale with immigrants from Chult charm's charges to create a magical snowball in your
and made new homes for themselves in and around Ten- hand and throw it. You must have a hand free to hold
Towns. Those that remained near civilization adopted the snowball, or the charge is wasted. The snowball is
the garb of their humanoid neighbors, creating minia- a magic ranged weapon with which you are proficient.
ture coats for themselves. They can sometimes be seen It has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60
riding on arctic foxes or snowshoe hares. Others wan- feet, it deals ld4 cold damage on a hit, and it scores a
dered into the tundra, changing their coloration to blend critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. If you score a critical hit
in with their surroundings. with the snowball, the target is blinded until the end of
Exposure to Auril's nightly aurora and the unnatural its next turn. The snowball vanishes immediately after
blizzards she creates can cause chwingas to behave un- you hit or miss with it, or at the end of your turn if you
predictably, even insanely. don't throw it. Once all its charges have been expended,
this charm vanishes from you.
NEW CHWINGA CHARMS
Charm of the Ice Troll. This charm allows you to use
This section describes several new charms that chwin- your reaction when you take cold damage to reduce the
gas living in Icewind Dale or other cold regions can be- damage to 0. You regain a number of hit points equal to
stow using their Magical Gift action. half the cold damage you would have taken. Once you do
Charm ofBiting Cold. This charm has 3 charges. As so, the charm vanishes from you.
a bonus action, you can expend 1 of the charm's charges Charm of the Snow Walker. This charm has 3
to wreathe your weapon attacks with biting cold for 1 charges. As an action, you can expend 1 of the charm's
minute. Until this effect ends, you deal an extra ld6 cold charges to gain the following benefits for 24 hours:
damage when you hit with a melee or ranged weapon
attack. Once all its charges have been expended, this , You and your allies within 15 feet of you ignore diffi-
charm vanishes from you. cult terrain caused by snow or ice.
Charm ofBounty. This charm has 3 charges. As an You can see through areas heavily obscured by snow
action, you can expend 1 of the charm's charges to cast to a distance of 60 feet.
the create food and water spell, requiring no compo- You are immune to the effects of extreme cold, as de-
nents. Once all its charges have been expended, this scribed in the Dungeon Master's Guide (though you
charm vanishes from you. gain no protection from cold damage).
Once all its charges have been expended, this charm
vanishes from you.
Charm of the Traveler's Haven. This charm has 3
charges. As an action, you can expend 1 of the charm's
charges to cast the Leomund's tiny hut spell, no com-
ponents required. Once all its charges have been ex-
pended, this charm vanishes from you.
COLDLIGHT WALKER
Some humanoids who died from extreme cold but
whose s pirits languis h in the mortal world become cold-
light walkers, burning with frigid fury at the meaning-
lessness of life. Their frostbitten corpses emit a spectral
light so intense that mortal eyes can ba rely stand to
look at them . They typically wear the clothing in which
they died.
God-Spawned Horrors. Gods that personify winter
create coldlight walkers as embodiments of winter's
wrath. These hateful s pirits that were denied passage
to the afterlife are preserved in their current forms to
remind the living how fragile life can be.
When a coldlight wa lker dies, its light goes out, leav-
ing behind a frozen, ina nimate corpse that can never be
raised from the dead.
COLDLIGHT WALKER
Medium undead, chaotic evil

Hit Points 82 (lld8 + 33)
Speed 30 ft.

15 (+2) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 8 (-1) 10 (+0) 8 (- 1)
Saving Throws Int +2, Wis +3

Damage Immunities cold
Condition Immunities blinded , charmed , exhaustion , paralyzed ,
petrified, poisoned
Languages-
Blinding Light. The walker sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius

and dim light for an additional 20 feet .
As a bonus action, the walker can target one creature in its
bright light that it can see and force it to succeed on a DC 14
Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the start of the
walker's next turn .
Icy Doom. Any creature killed by the walker freezes for 9 days ,
during which time it can 't be thawed , harmed by fire , animated ,
or raised from the dead .
Unusual Nature. The walker doesn 't require air, food ,
drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The walker makes two attacks.
Slam. Mele e Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one tar-
get. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6)
cold damage.
Cold Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +3 to hit, range 60 ft ., one tar-
get . Hit: 25 (4dl0 + 3) cold damage .
CRAG CAT
The creature referred to in Northlander lore as the
Hunter of Men is a sure-footed predator that can be
found anywhere except the deep forest, preferring to
patrol ledges and cliffs in the mountains. Its cry re-
sembles a human scream of terror. It often elicits such
sounds from its victims, for it prefers human flesh to all
other fare.
Crag cats blend in with their surroundings. During
winter, their fur turns white to blend in with the snow. At
other times of the year, their fur is gray, enabling them
to hide among the rocks more easily.
The crag cat knows its territory and often attacks
when its prey is asleep, exhausted, or otherwise weak-
ened. Although crag cats are typically encountered
singly, they can be found in family groups of two parents
and ld4 Small noncombatant cubs in the spring, or in
hungry packs in severe winter weather.
CRAG CAT
Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 34 (4dl0 + 12)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.

16 (+3) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) 4 (-3) 14 (+2) 8 (-1)
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +7

DUERGAR
Languages- Duergar are dwarves that dwell deep in the Underdark
Challenge l (200 XP) and other sunless realms. They owe their psionic abili-
ties to the mind flayers that enslaved them long ago. The
Nondetection. The cat can 't be targeted or detected by any d ivi - duergar eventually broke free of their illithid masters
nation magic or perceived through magical scrying sensors . but were forever transformed, gaining power but also
Pounce. If the cat moves at least 20 feet straight toward a crea- a sadness. That gloom leads some duergar to acts of
tu re and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn , that melancholic beauty and others to outbursts of violence.
t arget must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be Infernal Master. Asmodeus, lord of the Nine Hells,
knocked pro ne. If the target is prone , the cat can make one bite impersonates duergar gods in order to cultivate evil
attack against it as a bonus action . within the hearts of duergar who are already corrupt.
He offers them divine guidance and vengeance against
Spell Turning. The cat has advantage on saving throws against their enemies while urging them to acts of brutality, all
any s pell that targets only the cat (not an area) . If t he cat's
the while concealing his identity.
saving throw succeeds and the spell is of 7th level or lower, the
spell has no effect on the ca t and instead targets the caster.
DUERGAR HAMMERER
ACTIONS The hammerer is a bipedal construct with a duergar
Bite. Melee Weap on Attack: -5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. strapped inside it. One of its arms ends in a pincer
Hit: 8 (ld l 0 + 3) pie rcing damage . claw, the other a large hammer instead of a hand. The
machine transforms the captive duergar's pain into en-
Claw. Melee Weapon Attac : -5 o · , reac 5 ft., one target. ergy that powers the device, which is typically used to
Hit: 7 (ld8 + 3) slashing damage. dig tunnels and repel invaders.
DUERGAR MIND MASTER
----------
The feared duergar mind masters us ua lly operate as
s pies, both inside a nd beyond a duergar stronghold .
Their psionically augmented abilities enable them to see
through illusions with ease a nd s hrink down to min ia-
ture size to s py on their targets .
DueRGA R li AMMERE R DUERGAR MIND MASTER

Medium humanoid (dwarf), lawful evil
Armor Class 14 (leather armor), 19 while reduced

Speed 25 ft .

11 (+0) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+l)
Saving Throws Wis +2

Senses darkvis ion 120 ft. , truesight 30 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Dwarvish , Undercommon
Duergar Resilience. The duergar has advantage on saving

throws against poison , spells, and illusions, as well as to resist
being charmed or paralyzed.
DUERGAR HAMMERER
Medium construct, lawful evil Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the duergar has dis-
advantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception)
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) checks that rely on sight.
Speed 20 ft . ACTIONS
Multiattack. The duergar makes two melee attacks. It can re-
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA place one of those attacks with a use of Mind Mastery.
17 (+3) 7 (-2) 12 (+l) 5 (-3) 5 (-3) 5 (-3)
Mind-Poison Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
Damage Immunities poison ft ., one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6)
Condition Immunities charmed , exhaustion, frightened , psychic damage, or l piercing damage and 14 (4d6) psychic
paralyzed , petrified, poisoned damage while reduced.
Languages understands Dwarvish but can't speak Invisibility (Recharge 4-6). The duerga r magically turns invis-
Challenge 2 (450 XP) ible until it attacks, it casts a spell, it uses its Reduce, or its
concentration is broken (as if concentrating on a spell). Any
Engine of Pain. Once per turn, a creature that attacks the ham- equipment the duergar wears or carries is invisible with it.
merer can target the duergar trapped in it. The attacker has Mind Mastery. The duergar targets one creature it can see
disadvantage on the attack roll. On a hit, the attack deals an within 60 feet ofit. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Intelli-
extra 5 (ldl0) damage to the hammerer, and the hammerer can gence saving throw, or the duergar causes it to use its reaction
respond by using its Multiattack with its reaction . either to make one weapon attack against another creature the
Siege Monster. The hammerer deals double damage to objects duergar can see or to move up to 10 feet in a direction of the
and structures. duergar 's choice. Creatures that can't be charmed are immune
to this effect.
ACTIONS
Reduce (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For l minute,
Multiattack. The hammerer makes two attacks: one with its the duergar magically decreases in size, along with anything it
claw and one with its hammer. is wearing or carrying. While reduced, the duergar is Tiny, re-
duces its weapon damage to l , and makes attacks , checks, and
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.
saving throws with disadvantage if they use Strength . It gains a
Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
+5 bonus to all Dexterity (Stea lth) checks and a +5 bonus to its
Hammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one tar- AC. It can also take a bonus action on each of its turns to take
get. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. the Hide action .
286
XARDOROK Su BLIGHT
Xardorok Sunblight lead the unblight clan of duer-
gar which, until recently, dwelled in the subterranean
de pths beneath the Spine of the World. In the guise of
Deep Duerra , the duergar god of conquest, the arch-
devil Asmode us visited Xardorok and urged him to
conquer Jcewind Da le, beginning with Ten-Towns .
Dark Obsession. Xardorok is obsessed with char-
dalyn and can't s tand the thought of anyone else pos-
sessing it. He must have a ll the cha rdalyn that Icewind
Da le has to offer and is using his ample s upply to forge
a dragon, which he plans to unleash upon Ten-Towns.
S ee the sideba r on page 6 for more info rmation
a bout chardalyn.
Father ofNine. Xa rdorok has been married three
times a nd has s ired ni ne children. He killed his firs t
wife, Thizrun , for plotting to assassi nate him . His sec-
ond wife, Yrras ka, was killed in a tun nel collapse a long
with two of their daughters. His third wife, Marra!, was
killed during a raid against a mind flaye r enclave, along
with a nother daughter a nd three sons. Xa rdorok killed
his eldest son, Ulthoon, son of Thizrun, fo r plotting to
overthrow him. His s urviving offspring a re two sons
given to him by Ma rra!, named Our th a nd Nildar.
Clad in Chardalyn. Xardorok wea rs the following
nonmagical items fashioned from cha rda lyn: a nine-
s pired crown (two intact spire represe nting his two
s urviving sons, and seven partially broken-off spires
re presenting his seven dead children), a s uit of cha in
mail , and a s piked gauntlet.
XARDOROK SUNBLIGHT ACTIONS

Medium humanoid (dwarf), lawfu' ev, Multiattack. Xardorok attacks twice with a weapon or casts
eldritch blast twice.
Armor Class 16 (chain mail)
Hit Points 93 (lld8 + 44) Spiked Gauntlet. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft .,
Speed 25 ft. one target. Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing damage, or 8 (2d4 + 3)
piercing damage while Xardorok is enlarged.
16 (+3) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 12 (+l) 13 (+l) 18 (+4) Eldritch Blast (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range
120 ft. , one creature. Hit: 9 (ldl0 + 4) force damage.
Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7 Enlarge (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute,
Skills Arcana +4, Deception +7, Intimidation +7 Xardorok magically increases in size, along with anything he is
wearing or carrying. While enlarged, Xardorok is Large, doubles
Senses darkvis ion 120 ft., passive Perce ptio n 11
his damage dice on Strength-based weapon attacks (included
Languages Dwarvis h, Undercommon
in his attacks), and makes Strength checks and Strength saving
Challenge 5 (1 ,800 XP)
throws with advantage. If Xardorok lacks the room to become
Large , he attains the maximum size possible in the space
Duergar Resilience. Xardorok has advantage on saving throws
available.
against poison , spell s, and illusions, as well as to resist being
charmed or paralyzed . Invisibility (Recharge 4-6). Xardorok magically turns invisible
until he attacks , he casts a spell , he uses his Enlarge, or his
Innate Spel/casting. Xardo ro k's inna te spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). He concentration is broken (as if concentrating on a spell) . Any
equipment Xardorok wears or carries is invisible with him .
can innately cast the fo llowing s pells, req uiri ng no material
components:
REACTIONS
At will: eldritch blast (see "Actions" below), mage hand Hellish Rebuke (2/Day). When Xardorok is damaged by a crea -
1/day each : hold person, suggestion ture within 60 feet of him that he can see, the creature that
Sunlight Sensitivity. Whil e in sunlight, Xardorok has disadvan- damaged him is engulfed in hellish flames and must make a
tage on attack rolls , as well as on Wisdom (Pe rception) checks DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 16 (3dl0) fire damage on
that rely on sight. a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
APPEN D IX C I CREATURES
Fox
The white arctic foxes of Icewind Dale live in burrows
and are acclimated to cold weather. They prowl the out-
skirts of Ten-Towns and nearby forests for food, hunting
hares or stealing fish. These timid creatures avoid con-
tact with humanoids, but they are sometimes used as
mounts by chwingas (see page 282).
Fox Senses darkvision 60 ft. , passive Perception 13

Languages-
Tiny beast, unaligned
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 2 (ld4)
Keen Hearing. The fox has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
Speed 30 ft ., burrow 5 ft . checks that rely on hearing.
ACTIONS
2 (-4) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 3 (-4) 12 (+l) 6 (-2) Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one creature.
Hit: 1 piercing damage.
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +S
1st level (4 slots): animal friendship.fog cloud, speak

FROST DRUID with animals
Medium humanoid (human) , any alignment
2nd level (3 slots) : animal messenger, moonbeam , pass
without trace
Armor Class 13 (hide armor)
3rd level (3 slots): conjure animals , sleet storm , wind wall
4th level (3 slots) : hallucinatory terrain , ice storm
Speed 30 ft ., 40 ft. (wolf form only), burrow 5 ft. (fox form
5th level (1 slot) : awaken
only), climb 30 ft . (goat form only), fly 60 ft. (owl form only)
ACTIONS
12 (+l) 13 (+l) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 9 (-1) Multiattack. The druid makes two melee attacks .
Ice Sickle (Humanoid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +4
Saving Throws Int +3 , Wis +6
Skills Nature +3, Perception +6, Survival +6
to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target. Hit: 3 (ld4 + 1) slashing damage
Damage Resistances cold plus 5 (2d4) cold damage.
Senses darkvision 60 ft. (beast form only) , passive Maul (Beast Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
Perception 16 S ft. , one target. Hit: 3 (1 d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Languages Common, Druidic
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Change Shape. The druid magically polymorphs into a beast
form-fox , mountain goat, owl , or wolf-or back into its
Spellcasting (Humanoid Form Only). The druid is a 9th-level humanoid form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is
spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC absorbed or borne by the beast form (the druid 's choice) . It
14; +6 to hit with spell attacks) . It has the following druid reverts to its humanoid form when it dies. The druid 's sta-
spells prepared : tistics are the same in each form, except where noted in this
stat block.
Cantrips (at will): druidcraft , guidance, resistance
288
FROST DRUID
Frost druids are solitary defenders of nature and the
natural enemies of civilization in the North. They seek
to preserve the arctic wilderness by destroying outsid-
ers who cross their path. Each patrols its territory in the
guise of an arctic fox, a mountain goat, a snowy owl, or
a wolf, reverting to human form only when it attacks.
Clever ambushers, they use hallucinatory terrain spells
to create illusory snowdrifts under which they can hide,
or to obscure pools covered by thin ice through which
others might fall.
Awakened Companions. A frost druid is often ac-
companied by one or more beasts, shrubs, or evergreen
trees that it has made sentient using the awaken spell.
These druids favor polar bears and reindeer (use the elk
stat block in the Monster Manual) as companions, and
such creatures typically share the druid's disposition.
Jee Sickle. A frost druid can carve a sickle out of ice,
requiring a total of 24 hours for the work. Bitter cold
courses through this weapon while it's in the druid's
hands. If the druid dies, the ice sickle melts away. The
weapon is otherwise identical to a normal sickle.
FROST GIANT SKELETON

Necromancers can transform the inanimate bones of
long-dead frost giants into malevolent juggernauts that
love to harm the living.
FROST GIANT SKELETON

Huge undead, lawful evil
Armor Class 14 (armo r scra ps)

Speed 40 ft.

23 (+6) 9 (- 1) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 8 (- 1) 5 (- 3)
Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeon ng

Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvis io n 60 ft., passi e Perception 9
Languages understands Gian but can't speak
Unusual Nature. The ske e o doesn't require air, food ,

drink , or sleep.
ACTIONS
o greataxe attacks .
Greataxe. Melee Weapon At:ac · -9 :o . reach 10 ft., one tar-

get. Hit: 25 (3d l2 + 6) s as
Freezing Stare. The e creature it can see

with in 60 fee t of it. T cceed on a DC 13 Con-
stitution saving thro ) cod dam age and be
paralyzed until the en
289
While in hyena form, the vampire can't speak, and its walking
speed is 50 feet . Its statistics , other than its size and speed , are
unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but noth-
ing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form ifit dies .
While in mist form, the vampire can't take any actions, speak,
or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 20
feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature's space and
stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist
can do so without squeezing, and it can't pass through water. It
has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving
throws , and it is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the
damage it takes from sunlight.
Unusual Nature. The vampire doesn 't require air.
Vampire Weaknesses. The vampire has the following flaws:
Enraged by Celestial. If it hears words of Celestial spoken, the
vampire must try to attack the source of those spoken words
on its next turn . If these words come from multiple sources
and from opposite directions , the vampire is restrained .
Otherwise, it moves to attack what it perceives to be the clos-
est source.
Repulsed by Perfume. The vampire has disadvantage on melee
attack rolls made against any creature wearing perfume or
carrying an open container of it.
Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven
into the vampire's heart while the vampire is incapacitated ,
the vampire is paralyzed until the stake is removed.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire takes 20 radiant damage
when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has
disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
GNOLL VAMPIRE ACTIONS
Medium undead (shapechanger), chaotic evil
Multiattack (Vampire Form Only). The vampire makes two at-
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) tacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Hit Points 93 (lld8 + 44)
Speed 30 ft.
Bite (Hyena or Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8
to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing dam-
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA age plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage. The target's hit point max-
20 (+5) 18 (+4) 20 (+4) 6 (-2) 12 (+l) 9 (-1) imum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage
taken, and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount.
Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +7 The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The tar-
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and get dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.
slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
Claws (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit,
Languages Abyssal, Gnoll
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d4 + 5) slashing damage.
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Frightful Cackle (Hyena or Vampire Form Only). The vampire
emits a bone-chilling cackle. Each creature of the vampire's
Keen Smell. The vampire has advantage on Wisdom (Percep- choice that is within 120 feet of the vampire and can hear its
tion) checks that rely on smell. cackle must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be-
Rampage. When it reduces a creature to O hit points with a me- come frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving
lee attack on its turn, the vampire can take a bonus action to throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself
move up to half its speed and make a bite attack. on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the ef-
fect ends for it, the creature is immune to the vampire's Fright-
Regeneration. The vampire regains 10 hit points at the start of ful Cackle for the next 24 hours .
its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn 't in sunlight. If the
vampire takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this Sickening Gaze (Hyena or Vampire Form Only). The vampire
trait doesn't function at the start of its next turn. targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet of it. If the tar-
get can see the vampire, the target must succeed on a DC 15
Shapechanger. If the vampire isn't in sunlight, it can use its Constitution saving throw against this magic or be poisoned
action to polymorph into a Large hyena or a Medium cloud of for 24 hours. A creature whose saving throw is successful is
mist, or back into its true form . immune to this vampire's Sickening Gaze for 24 hours.
GOLIATHS
At the highest mountain peaks-far above the slopes
where trees grow, where the air is thin and the frigid
winds howl-dwell the reclusive goliaths. Few other folk
can truthfully claim to have seen a goliath, and fewer
still to have forged a friendship with one.
Goliaths love to compete and keep score, counting up
GNOLL VAMPIRE their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to com-
When a gnoll's ravenous hunger is so great that it craves pare to what others have done. Goliaths love to win, but
flesh and blood even after death, it can rise as a vampire they see defeat as an incentive to improve their skills.
to continue its feeding frenzy. Above all else, every goliath is driven to outdo their past
A gnoll vampire is a savage predator that feeds on the performance, taking greater and greater risks. As a re-
blood of the living. It cackles maniacally when it catches sult, few goliaths live to see old age.
the scent of its prey and quickly moves in for the kill,
tearing away flesh with its claws, gorging on meat and GOLIATH NAMES
blood, and leaving nothing behind but bones, gristle,
Every goliath has three names: a birth name assigned
and the victim's blood-spattered belongings.
by the newborn's mother and father, a nickname as-
Gnoll vampires are indiscriminate feeders that pre-
signed by the tribal chief, and a family or clan name.
fer the flesh and blood of humanoids, including other
gnolls. Their noses can't stand the scent of perfumes, Birth Names: Aukan, Eglath, Gae-Al, Gauthak, Ilikan,
and their ears can't abide words spoken aloud in Keothi, Kuori, Lo-Kag, Manneo, Maveith, Nalla,
Celestial. They don't cast reflections in mirrors unless Orilo, Paavu, Pethani, Thalai, Thotham, Uthal,
they want to. Vaunea, Vimak
Unlike normal vampires, gnoll vampires don't have Nicknames: Bearkiller, Dawncaller, Fearless, Flint-
coffins where they rest, and they have no such places finder, Horncarver, Keeneye, Lonehunter, Long-
to return to when their corporeal bodies are destroyed. leaper, Rootsmasher, Steadyhand, Threadtwister,
They are undeterred by running water, and they can Twice-Orphaned, Twistedlimb, Wordpainter
enter residences without invitation. When a gnoll vam- Clan Names: Akannathi, Anakalathai, Elanithino, Gath-
pire needs to travel quickly, it adopts the form of a giant, akanathi, Kalagiano, Katho-Olavi, Kolae-Gileana,
emaciated hyena. When it wants to catch its prey by sur- Ogolakanu, Thuliaga, Thunukalathi, Thuunlakalaga
prise, it takes the form of a cloud of mist. After it feeds
on a victim's blood, its mi t form takes on a crimson hue GOLIATH PLAYER CHARACTERS
for an hour or so before its colorlessness returns. With your consent, any player in your game can play a
goliath character. A goliath native to Icewind Dale can
TEKELi-Li AND THE CAVES OF HUNGER be a member of the Skytower (Akannathi) clan, the
Tekeli-li was a fang ofYeenoghu. a powerful gnoll whose Wyrmdoom (Thuunlakalaga) clan, or another goliath
pack invaded lcewind Dale more than a century ago. When clan that you and the player create together.
the gnolls' wanton slaughter of reindeer herds threatened A goliath character has the following traits.
the survival of the Reghed tnbes, the tribes banded to- Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score
gether against the gno Is and routed them in the autumn increases by 2, and your Constitution score in-
of 1333 DR. Tekeli-li and h s suMving kin fled across the
creases by 1.
tundra with the Reghed bes n pursuit.
The wounded gnolls fou an cy cleft on the edge of
Age. Goliaths have life spans comparable to humans.
the Reghed Glacier and there for the winter. To keep They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live
their leader alive, the other gno s a lowed Tekeli-li to eat less than a century.
them one by one, yet s er would not abate. Auril Size. Goliaths stand between 7 and 8 feet tall
came upon the starv ng. ha - ozen creature and flung and weigh between 280 and 340 pounds. Your size
Tekeli-li into an icy tom deep n the glacier. In doing is Medium.
so, the Frostmaiden sou preserve what the gnoll Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
had become-the ernbod of nter's remorseless Natural Athlete. You have proficiency in the Ath-
consumption . letics skill.
Tekeli-li exists today as a
Stone's Endurance. You can focus yourself to occa-
in decades. Adven rers
sionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you
maiden" to ere lacier unknow-
ingly release th m its icy sepul- can use your reaction to roll a dl2. Add your Constitu-
cher. For more int.omut,on s lair, the Caves tion modifier to the number rolled and reduce the dam-
of Hunger. see age by that total. After you use this trait, you can't use it
again until you finish a short or long rest.
291
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when
determining your carrying capacity and the weight you
can push , drag, or lift.
Mountain Born. You have resistance to cold damage.
You're also acclimated to high altitude, including eleva-
tions above 20,000 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Giant.
SPINE OF THE WORLD GOLIATHS

Goliaths inhabit the Spine of the World, where their
mettle is tested against ores, ogres, frost giants, remor-
hazes, ice trolls , young white dragons, the treacherous
mountain terrain, and the cruel indifference of nature.
Bitter Rivals. Skytower Shelter and Wyrmdoom Crag
are two mountain strongholds inhabited by goliaths.
The former is home to the Skytower (Akannathi) clan,
the latter to the Wyrmdoom (Thuunlakalaga) clan. The
two groups refuse to get along, and competition between
them is fierce and often violent. They stare at each other
across mountain peaks and fight over everything from
necessities to territory. The likelihood of peace between
them is remote, because goliaths like to hold grudges.
GOLIATH WARRIOR
Me dium humanoid (goliath) , any alignment

Speed 30 ft .

18 (+4) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 10 (+0)
Skills Athletics +6, Perception +4, Survival +4

Damage Resistances cold
Languages Common, Giant
Mountain Born. The goliath is acclimated to high altitude, in-

cluding elevations above 20,000 feet.
Powerful Build. The goliath counts as one size larger when
determining its carrying capacity and the weight it can push,
drag, or lift.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The goliath makes two attacks with its greataxe or
hurls two javelins.
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one tar-
get. Hit: 10 (ldl2 + 4) slashing damage.
Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1 d6 + 4) piercing damage.
REACTIONS
Stone's Endurance (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).
When the goliath takes damage, it reduces the damage taken
by 9 (ldl2 + 3).
GOLIATH WEREBEAR
Goliath legends speak of a creature that prowls the far
reaches of Icewind Dale, known as Oyaminartok the
Winter Walker. S he can take the form of either a polar
bear or a hulking, bipedal shape obscured by wind and
blowing snow. Elders invoke her name to keep young go-
liaths from wandering too fa r from home before they're
ready. Adult goliaths sometimes encounter this legend-
ary individual in their travels to the far-fl ung corners of
the dale. If they flee like cowards, Oyaminartok laughs
and lets them go to wander in obscurity. If they chal-
lenge Oyaminartok to a fight, the Winter Walker smiles
and tests their mettle. Those who impress her with their
fighting skills are bitten and become goliath werebears
themselves-goliaths who carry Oyaminartok's curse
of lycanthropy. Contrary to myth, Oyaminartok is not safest routes across the tundra, and they can help guide
a monster but a force of good in the region, and she travelers through the Sea of Moving Ice and across its
passes her curse only to goliaths whose hearts are pure. ever-shifting ice floes. These polar werebears attack evil
Oyaminartok and others of her kind try to help crea- in the wilderness, but they steer clear of camps and set-
tures they come across, for the weather and the geog- tlements. Fire is Oyaminartok's bane, and thus she and
raphy of lcewind Dale can be brutal. They know the her kind are wary around hearths and open flames.
Shapechanger. The werebear can use its action to polymorph

GOLIATH WEREBEAR into a Large bear-humanoid hybrid or into a Large polar bear,
Medium humanoid (goliath , shapechanger) , neutral good
or back into its goliath form . Its statistics , other than its size
Armor Class 10 in humanoid form , 12 (natural armor) in bear and AC , are the same in each form . Any equipment it is wear-
or hybrid form ing or carrying isn't transformed . It reverts to its true form
Hit Points 161 (19d8 + 76) if it dies .
Speed 30 ft. (40 ft ., swim 30 ft . in bear or hybrid form)
ACTIONS
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Multiattack. The werebear makes two melee attacks .
20 (+5) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 10 (+0)
Bite (Bear or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to
Skills Athletics +8, Perception +8, Survival +5 hit, reach 5 ft. , one creature. Hit: 16 (2dl0 + 5) piercing dam-
Damage Vulnerabilities fire age . If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 15
Damage Resistances cold Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werebear lycan -
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from thropy, as described in the Monster Manual.
nonmagical weapons that aren 't silvered
Senses passive Perception 18 Claw (Bear or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to
Languages Common , Giant (can 't speak in bear form) hit, reach 5 ft ., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Greataxe (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon At-
tack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target. Hit: 11 (1 dl 2 + 5) slash-
Keen Smell. The werebear has advantage on Wisdom (Percep- ing damage.
tion) checks that rely on smell.
Mountain Born. The werebear is acclimated to high altitude, REACTIONS
including elevations above 20,000 feet. Stone's Endurance (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).
When the werebear takes damage, it reduces the damage taken
Powerful Build (Humanoid Form Only). The werebear counts
by 10 (ldl2 + 4).
as one size larger when dete rm ining its carryin g capacity and
the weight it can push , drag, or lift.
293
ICE TROLL
HARE Ice trolls have all the meanness and hunger of common
Snowshoe hares are gentle herbivores that live in bur- trolls. Their hearts radiate extreme cold, to the detri-
rows throughout Icewind Dale. They have shorter ears ment of other nearby creatures.
than other hares and are acclimated to cold weather. Ice Troll Hearts. An ice troll's heart remains cold
even after the troll's destruction. As long as the troll
can't regenerate, its heart can be safely removed from
HARE its remains, handled, and kept. An ice troll's heart, once
Tiny beast, unaligned removed, becomes a harmless Tiny object with AC 13, 4
hit points, and immunity to all damage except fire dam-
Armor Class 13 age. For the next 24 hours, the heart has the following
Hit Points l (ld4 - l) magical properties:
Speed 20 ft., burrow 5 ft .
• A creature that eats the heart gains the ability to re-
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA generate for the next 24 hours, regaining 5 hit points
l (-5) 17 (+3) 9 (-1) 2 (-4) ll (+0) 4 (-3) at the start of each of its turns. If the creature takes
acid or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5 start of its next turn. The creature dies only if it starts
Senses passive Perception 12 its turn with O hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Languages- • If buried in the ground under a foot or more of earth,
Challenge 0 (0 XP)
the heart melts away and summons a blizzard like
that created by the control weather spell. It takes 10
Escape. The ha re ca n t ake t he Dash, Dise ngage, or Hide action
minutes for the heart to melt and the blizzard to form.
as a bonus action on each of its turns.
The blizzard lasts for 8 hours.
294
A hag or similar creatur-e can per-form a ritual that
turns the heart into a mag·ca1 tali m an that acts like
a patch of brown mold . e Dungeon Master's
Guide). This effect la _ until he heart is destroyed.
, A creature proficient\ i al em1 1· supplies can
squeeze enough re idual uid ou of the heart to
mix with other alchemical in _ edient . creating one
potion of resistance (cold I t ·e I hour to create
this potion.
ICE TROLL
Large giant, chaotic ev,
Armor Class 16 (nat ural ar

Hit Points 115 (lOd lO - 60
Speed 30 ft.
KNUCKLEHEAD TROUT
STR DEX WIS CHA
The tasty and tenacious knucklehead trout can't easily
18 (+4) 8 (-1) 9 (-1) 7 (-2)
be caught in nets. Moreover, using a line to reel in such
Skills Perception +2
a strong fish is a significant undertaking. Incautious
Damage Immunities coo fishers who get pulled into freezing water can quickly
Senses darkvision 60 ft oass _ ::ie ceo ion 12 die, particularly if they're weighed down by heavy furs
Languages Giant and cloaks.
Challenge 8 (3 ,900 XP A male knucklehead trout can weigh 70 pounds or
more. The females tend to be smaller, weighing about
Cold Aura. Wh il e it 's al 50 pounds. Both are prized for their ivory-like bones.
cold that fills the a rea
troll 's turn , all nonmag ca a es e aura are extinguished.
Any creature that starts i s • r 10 fe e t of the troll takes KNUCKLEHEAD TROUT
10 (3d6) cold dam age. Small beast, unaligned
Keen Smell. The tro as ac ;; ;age O" · isdom (Perception)
Armor Class 12
checks that re ly o n sme
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Regeneration. The tro ega s • :,oints at the start of Speed Oft. , swim 30 ft.
each of its turns . If the ·ro - es ac a or 'ire d amage , this trait
doesn 't funct io n at the s·a s e • urn. Th e troll dies only STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
if it starts its tu rn wit O • ::o ·s a o doe s n't regenerate. 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+O) 1 (-5) 6 (- 2) 1 (-5)
ACTIONS Senses darkvision 60 ft ., passive Perception 8

Languages-
Multiattack. The tro
Challenge O (10 XP)
two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon A::ac • reac 5 ft., one target. Hit: Water Breathing. The trout can breathe only underwater.
7 (ld6 + 4) pie rcing da a=e ~s:; 2c8 col d damage.
ACTIONS
Claw. Melee Weapon ch 5 ft., one target.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) s,as 2d8) co ld damage. If
Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage.
0
the target ta kes an
Q ceed on a DC 15 Con Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target. Hit:
I
_J
< tage on its attack ro s -· 4 (ld4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
295
KOBOLDS lCEWIND KOBOLD
Kobolds can be found anywhere dragons are known Small humanoid (kobold) , any alignment
to dwell, and those that live in the mountains and hills
of lcewind Dale are among the hardiest of their kind. Armor Class 14 (hide armor)
Drawn to the north by a desire to find and serve white
Speed 30 ft ., cl imb 20 ft .
dragons, these kobolds adapted as best they can to the
hostile climate. Their sensitive eyes appreciate sunless STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
days and long, dark nights. They use wooden javelins as 7 (-2) 15 (+2) 12 (+l) 8 (-1) 8 (- 1) 8 (- 1)
tools to test the snow ahead of them.
Kobolds native to Icewind Dale frequently wander into Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +3
Ten-Towns to escape the dreadful cold, hoping to trade Skills Perception +1, Stealth +4 , Survival +1
what few skills they have for some warm soup and shel- Senses darkvision 60 ft ., passive Perception 11
ter. The people of Ten-Towns, accustomed to the pres- Languages Common, Draconic
ence of strange outlanders, allow these kobolds to dwell Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
among them for the most part. When the kobolds don't
Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll
feel safe, they acquire heavy winter clothing and dis-
against a creature if at least one of the kobold 's allies is within 5
guise themselves as humans by standing on one anoth-
feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated .
er's shoulders. Three kobolds in cold weather gear can
pass themselves off as a clumsy human with a success- Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the ko bold has disadvan-
ful group Charisma (Deception) check, the DC of which tage on attack ro lls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks
equals the onlooker's Wisdom (Insight) check result. that rely on sight.
lCEWIND KOBOLD ZOMBIE ACTIONS
The necromancer Vellynne Harpell has Icewind kobold Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit , reach 5 ft . or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage.
guides in her employ, including a pair that died and were
turned into zombies using animate dead spells. The cold Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft . or
climate helps to preserve their dead flesh. range 30/120 ft. , one target. Hit: 1 (ld6 - 2) piercing damage.
ICEWIND KOBOLD ZOMBIE
Small undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 9 (scraps of hide armor)

Speed 20 ft.

8 (-1) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 6 (- 2) 3 (-4)
Saving Throws Wis +0

Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft. , passive Perception 8
Languages understands Common and Dracon ic but can't speak
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit

points , it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC
of 5 + the damage taken , unless the damage is radiant or
from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to l hit
point instead . KOBOLD VAMPIRE SPAWN
Unusual Nature. The zombie doesn't require air, food , The gnoll vampire Tekeli-li has a small number of ko-
drink , or sleep. bold vampire spawn minions to keep it company in the
Caves of Hunger (see chapter 6). The vampiric kobolds
ACTIONS are terrified of the gnoll vampire and can't understand
Javelin. Melee Weapon Attack: +l to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target. its commands, so they give Tekeli-li a wide berth. These
Hit: 2 (ld6 - l) piercing damage. ravenous undead kobolds thirst for blood and tend to
swarm one foe at a time.
from holy water, this trait doesn 't function at the start of its
KOBOLD VAMPIRE SPAWN next turn .
Small undead, neutral evil
Unusual Nature. The vampire doesn 't require air.
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 39 (6d6 + 18) Vampire Weaknesses. The vampire has the following flaws :
Speed 30 ft., cl imb 20 ft.
Forbiddance. The vampire can't enter a residence without an
invitation from one of the occupants.
Harmed by Running Water. The vampire takes 20 acid damage
10 (+0) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 8 (-1) 8 (-1) 8 (-1)
when it starts its turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. The vampire is destroyed if a piercing
Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +l
weapon made of wood is driven into its heart while it is inca-
Skills Perception +l , Stealth +6
pacitated in its resting place.
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire takes 20 radiant damage
slashing from nonmagical attacks
when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has
Senses darkvis ion 6b ft., passive Perception 11
disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks .
Languages Common , Draconic
ACTIONS
Pack Tactics. The vampire has advantage on an attack roll Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one creature.
against a creature if at least one of the vampire's allies is within Hit: 6 (ld4 + 4) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4) necrotic damage.
5 feet of the creature and the all y isn 't incapacitated . The target's hit point ma ximum is reduced by an amount equal
to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire regains hit
Regeneration. The vampire regains 10 hit points at the start points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until ·the tar-
of its turn if it has at least l hit point and isn 't in sunlight or get finishes a long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum
running water. If the vampire takes rad iant damage or damage is reduced to 0.
297
LIVING SPELLS LIVING BIGBY's HAND
Areas of wild magic and sites that have been ravaged A living Bigby's hand is a Large, hovering hand of shim-
by powerful eldritch forces can give rise to spell effects mering, translucent force. It often serves as a guardian,
that become living beings. These so-called living spells attacking creatures that cross its path while remaining
haunt the places where they were created, subsisting on loyal to its caster.
ambient magical energy.
Magic Resistance. The living spell has advantage on saving

LIVING BIGBY'S HAND
Large construct, unaligned throws against spells and other magical effects .
Unusual Nature. The living spell doesn 't require air, food ,
Armor Class 20 (natural armor) drink, or sleep.
Speed 0 ft ., fl y 60 ft. (hove r) ACTIONS
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Force Fist. Melee Spell Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar-
26 (+8) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) l (-5) 10 (+0) l (- 5) get. Hit: 26 (4d8 + 8) force damage. If the target is a Large or
smaller creature, the living spell can move it up to 5 feet and
Saving Throws Dex +2, Wis +2 move with it, without provoking opportunity attacks.
Grasping Hand. The living spell attempts to grab a Huge or
sma ller creature within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on
Condition Immunities bl inded , charmed , deafened , exhaustion ,
a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 15) .
frightened , paralyzed , petrified , poisoned , unconscious
Until the grapple ends , the target takes 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeon-
ing damage at the start of each of its turns . The living spell can
Languages-
Challenge4 (l ,l00 XP)
grapple only one creature at a time and can 't use Force Fist
until the grapple ends.
298
LIVING DEMIPLANE
LIVING BLADE OF DISASTER Medium construct, unaligned
---------
A living blade of disaster is a blade of disaster spell (see Armor Class l 0
appendix D) with a wicked will of its own. It looks like a Hit Points 31 (7d8)
floating, black planar rift in the shape of a sword. Like a Speed 30 ft ., climb 30 ft.
demon, it craves destruction.
LIVING DEMIPLANE l (-5) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) l (-5) 10 (+0) l (-5)
A living demiplane is a demiplane spell that has become Damage Immunities poison
vaguely self-aware. It is a shadowy rectangle, 5 feet wide Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, charmed, exhaustion ,
and 10 feet high, which creeps along flat, solid surfaces frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone,
and groans softly when it moves. restrained, stunned, unconscious
When a living demiplane encounters a creature Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
small enough to fit through its doorway, it tries to pull Languages-
that creature into itself, then deposits the victim in an Challenge 0 (0 XP)
extradimensional chamber.
Dimensional Form. The living spell can enter another creature's
space and vice versa, and it can move through a space as nar-
row as l inch wide without squeezing. The living spell can't
LIVING BLADE OF DISASTER detach from a solid surface, such as a wall , ceiling, or floor. If
Small construct, chaotic evil
it has no surface to attach to, the living spell is destroyed (see
Armor Class 14 (natural armor) "Planar Destruction" below) .
Hit Points 67 (9d6 + 36) Extradimensional Chamber. When the living spell en ters an-
Speed O ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) other creature's space (or vice versa) for the first time on a
turn, the other creature must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity sav-
ing throw or be pulled into the living spell's extradimensional
10 (+0) 16 (+3) 19 (+4) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)
space, an unfurnished stone chamber 30 feet in every dimen-
sion. A creature too big to fit in this space succeeds on the
Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical attacks saving throw automatically. Creatures in the chamber never
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion, grappled, run out of breathable air. Magic that enables transit between
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, restrained, unconscious planes , such as plane shift, can be used to escape the chamber,
Senses darkvision 60 ft ., passive Perception 10 which has no exits otherwise.
Languages- Creatures trapped inside the extradimensional chamber can't
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) see, target, or deal damage to the living spell; however, they
can damage the room around them. Each 5-foot-square sec-
Magic Resistance. The living spell has advantage on saving tion of ceiling, wall , and floor in the chamber has AC 17, 50 hit
throws against spells and other magical effects. points, immunity to poison and psychic damage, and immunity
to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that is nonmag-
Unfettered. The living spell can move through any barrier, even ical. If any section is reduced to 0 hit points, the living spell and
a wall of magical force. its chamber are destroyed (see "Planar Destruction" below).
Unusual Nature. The living spell doesn't require air, food, Magic Resistance. The living spell has advantage on saving
drink, or sleep. throws against spells and other magical effects.
ACTIONS Planar Destruction. The living spell is destroyed when it or a
Force Blade. Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one tar- 5-foot-square section of its extradimensional chamber is re-
get. Hit: 26 (4dl2) force damage, unless the living spell rolled duced to 0 hit points, or when the living spell has no surface to
an 18 or higher on the d20 for the attack, in which case the at- attach to. When the living spell is destroyed, the contents of its
tack is a critical hit that dea ls 78 (12dl2) force damage instead. extradimensional chamber are expelled, appearing as close to
the living spell's previous location as possible. Each expelled
REACTIONS creature appears in a randomly determined unoccupied space,
along with whatever it is wearing or carrying.
Preemptive Strike. The living spell makes a melee attack
against a creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the Unusual Nature. The living spell doesn't require air, food,
living spell. drink, or sleep.
299
MAGEN
Magen are magical, humanlike beings created by a wiz-
DEMOS MAGEN
Medium construct, unaligned
ard spell (see the create magen spell in appendix D) or
by other arcane methods. Armor Class 16 (chain mail)
Though magen look like humanoids with green skin, Hit Points 51 (6d8 + 24)
they are constructs. W hen one is wounded, its blood Speed 30 ft .
is seen to have the color and consistency of mercury.
They exist purely through magical means. When one STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
is killed, its body disappears in a burst of harmless fire 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 7 (-2)
and a cloud of smoke that quickly dissipates.
Magical Servants. Magen make ideal servants. At
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
creation, each is instilled with an instinct to protect paralyzed , poisoned
itself and its creator, and it follows its creator's instruc- Senses passive Perception 10
tions without hesitation. When its task is complete, a Languages understands the languages of its creator but can 't
magen stands immobile and silent until its creator gives speak
it new orders. Challenge 2 (450 XP)
DEMOS MAGEN Fiery End. If the magen dies, its body disinteg rates in a harm-
less burst of fire and smoke, leaving behind anything it was
Demos magen wear armor, wield weapons, and typi- wearing or carrying.
cally serve as guards.
Magic Resistance. The magen has advantage on saving throws
GALVAN MAGEN against spells and other magical effects.
Galvan magen can fly. They also store static electricity, Unusual Nature. The magen doesn't require air, foo d,
which they discharge as lightning bolts. drink, o r sleep.
HYPNOS MAGEN ACTIONS

Mult iattack. The magen makes two melee attacks .
Hypnos magen are telepathic and use thei r power of
s uggestion to control others. Their creators use them to Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one
force enemies to withdraw or surrender. target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage.
A hypnos magen carries no weapons, relying entirely
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320
on its psychic abilities to manipulate and harm other
ft ., one target. Hit: 6 (ld8 + 2) piercing damage.
creatures.
APPENDIX C I C REATURES
300
GALVAN MAGEN
HYPNOS MAGEN
Armor Class 14
Armor Class 12
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
Speed 30 ft.
10 (+0) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 12 (+l) 10 (+0) 7 (-2)
Damage Immunities lightning, poison
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 10 (+O) 7 (-2)
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
paralyzed, poisoned
Condition Immunities charmed , exhaustion, frightened,
Senses passive Perception l 0
paralyzed, poisoned
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't
speak
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't
speak, telepathy 30 ft.
Challenge l (200 XP)
Fiery End. If the magen dies, its body disintegrates in a harm-
Fiery End. If the magen dies, its body disintegrates in a harm-
wearing or carrying.
Magic Resistance. The magen has advantage on saving throws wearing or carrying.
against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Resistance. The magen has advantage on saving throws
Unusual Nature. The magen doesn't require air, food, against spells and other magical effects.
drink, or sleep.
Unusual Nature. The magen doesn 't require air, food, drink, or
ACTIONS sleep.
Multiattack. The magen makes two Shocking Touch attacks. ACTIONS

Shocking Touch. Me/ee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., Psychic Lash. The magen's eyes glow silver as it targets one
one target (the magen has advantage on the attack roll if the creature that it can see within 60 feet ofit. The target must
target is wearing armor made of metal). Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) light- succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or take 11 (2dl0)
ning damage . psychic damage.
Static Discharge (Recharge 5-6). The magen discharges a light- Suggestion. The magen casts the suggestion spell (save DC
ning bolt in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in 12), requiring no material components. The target must be a
that line must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw (with disad- creature that the magen can communicate with telepathically.
vantage if the creature is wearing armor made of metal), taking lfit succeeds on its saving throw, the target is immune to this
22 (4dl0) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much magen's suggestion spell for the next 24 hours. The magen's
damage on a successful one. spellcasting ability is Intelligence.
301
MIMIC
Mimics are shape-shifting monsters described in the
Monster Manual. The variant presented here is a partic-
ularly large and voracious specimen- the result of Neth-
erese experiments on ordinary mimics-that s pits acid.
SPITTING MIMIC
Large monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral

Hit Points 85 (l0dl0 + 30)
Speed 20 ft .

21 (+5) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 9 (-1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0)
Skills Stealth +7
Damage Immunities acid
Condition Immunities prone
Languages-
GNOME CEREMORPH
Shapechanger. The mimic can use its action to polymorph into
an object or back into its true , amorphous form. Its statistics
are the same in each form . Any equipment it is wearing or car- MIND FLAYERS
rying isn 't transformed . It reverts to its true form if it dies . Mind flayers, which are described in the Monster Man-
ual, are created through ceremorphosis , a process that
Adhesive (Object Form Only). The mimic adheres to anything
begins with the implantation of an illithid tadpole in the
that touches it. A Huge or smaller creature adhered to the
mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC 16) . Ability checks brain of a humanoid host. After about seven days in its
made to escape this grapple have disadvantage. new home, the tadpole transforms its host into a mind
flayer. The new creation typically retains no memory of
False Appearance (Object Form Only). While the mimic remains its previous existence.
motionless , it is indistinguishable from an ordinary object.
Grappler. The mimic has advantage on attack rolls against any GNOME CEREMORPH
creature grappled by it. For reasons unknown, ceremorphosis can go awry
Magic Resistance. The mimic has advantage on saving throws when an illithid tadpole is implanted in the brain of a
against spells and other magical effects. gnome. This deviation might be due to the quasi-magical
nature of gnomes, or si mply a facet of how their minds
ACTIONS work. When the process is wa rped only slightly, the
mind flayer remains gnome-sized and is called a gnome
Multiattack. The mimic attacks three times: twice with its
pseudopods and once with its bite.
ceremorph. It retains its knowledge of the Gnomish lan-
guage while becoming able to speak Deep Speech and
Pseudopods. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft ., one Undercommon. It reta ins fragmented memories of its
target. Hit: 10 (ldl0 + 5) bludgeoning damage. lfthe mimic is previous life and previous alignment, not to mention a
in object form, the target is subjected to its Adhesive trait. propensity for invention.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one creature. Laser Pistol. A gnome ceremorph often carries a
Hit: 10 (ldl0 + 5) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage. home-built device that fun ctions as a laser pistol (see
"Firearms" in the Dungeon Master 's Guide). This
Spit Acid (Recharge 5-6). The mimic spits acid at one creature weapon is powered by a n energy cell, which enables the
it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC 14 weapon to fire 50 shots. After its last shot is expended,
Dexterity saving throw, taking 32 (9d6 + 1) acid damage on the device becomes inoperable. The energy cell can't be
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
removed without destroying the weapon.
302
GNOME SQUIDLI G
When the process of turning a gnome into a mind flayer
goes horribly awry, the result is a gnome squidling-a
deformed mind flayer with weak, spindly limbs and over-
sized tentacles. It relies on levitation to keep its body
aloft and uses its tentacles like legs, to propel it along
whatever surface it's floating above. Most mind flayers
destroy squidlings on sight, so it's rare to see one or
more of these creatures.
Squidlings eat brains for sustenance, just like other
mind flayers do, and they don't care where the brains
come from.
GNOME CEREMORPH
Small aberration, any alignment
Armor Class 16 (breastplate)

Speed 25 ft.

6 (- 2) 14 (+2) 12 (+l) 19 (+4) 17 (+3) 17 (+3)
Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +6, Cha +6 GNOME SQUIDLING

Skills Arcana +7, Deception +6, Insight +6, Perception +6 , Small aberration, unaligned
Persuasion +6 , Stealth +5
Senses darkvision 120 ft ., passive Perception 16 Armor Class 8
Languages Deep Speech , Gnomish , Undercommon , Hit Points 10 (3d6)
telepathy 120 ft . Speed 15 ft .
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The ceremorph's innate spell- 4 (- 3) 7 (-2) 10 (+O) 4 (-3) 10 (+O) 3 (- 4)
casting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15) . It can innately
cast the following spells, requiring no components: Senses darkvision 60 ft ., passive Perception 10
Languages understands Deep Speech and Gnomish but can 't
At will : detect thoughts, levitate
speak, telepathy 60 ft .
1/day each : dominate monster, plane shift (self only)
Magic Resistance. The ceremorph has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects . Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The squidling's innate spellcast-
ing ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 7) . It can innately cast
ACTIONS levitate at will, requiring no components .
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reac h 5 ft., one crea- Magic Resistance. The squidling has advantage on saving
ture. Hit: 15 (2dl0 + 4) psychic damage. If the target is Medium throws against spells and other magical effects.
or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 9) and must succeed
on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until this ACTIONS
grapple ends .
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one
Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one creature. Hit: 5 (2d4) psychic damage. If the target is Medium
incapacitated humanoid grappled by the ceremorph. Hit: 55 or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 7) and must succeed
(lOdlO) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to on a DC 7 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until this
0 hit points , the ceremorph kills the target by extracting and grapple ends.
devouring its brain.
Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +Oto hit, reach 5 ft ., one
Laser Pistol. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 40/120 ft ., incapacitated creature grappled by the squidling. Hit: 27 (5dl0)
one target. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) radiant damage. piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to O hit
points, the squidling kills the target by extracting and devour-
Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The ceremorph magically emits
ing its brain.
psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area
must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 Mind Tickle (Recharge 5-6). The squid ling magically emits psy-
(4d8 + 4) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A crea- chic energy in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must
ture can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns , succeed on a DC 7 Intelligence saving throw or take 2 (ld4)
ending the effect on itself on a success . psychic damage and be stunned until the end of its next turn .
REGHED NOMADS
Reghed nomads are the children of the Reghed Glacier,
as suggested by their name. They are people of the wild,
as revealed by their tribal names- the Elk, the Tiger,
the Wolf, the Bear. They are the tribes of Icewind Dale,
proud and strong, bound to ancient traditions that have
kept them alive through countless harsh winters. The
Reghed wear heavy furs as well as gloves, boots, and
masks made of animal hide, to protect themselves from
the bitter cold.
Although they originally descended from humans
who were predominantly blue-eyed and fair-haired, the
Reghed tribes have assimilated other folk, adding new
blood to their dwindling ranks. There used to be more
than four Reghed tribes, but the others have all dis-
banded over the past century, with many of their former
members settling in Ten-Towns and abandoning their
traditional ways.
The Reghed tribes rely on a nomadic lifestyle to sur-
vive, as they follow herds of reindeer along the route of
the animals' annual migration. When they make camp,
the tribesfolk live in large, round tents made of deerskin
and supported by wooden shafts. (See map 2.11 on page
153 for a typical Reghed camp configuration.)
The Monster Manual has stat blocks that can repre-
MOUNTAIN GOAT sent most members of a Reghed tribe, as shown in the
Mountain goats are fo und throughout the Spine of the Reghed Tribesfolk table.
World and on the slopes of Kelvin's Cairn, their thick fur
REGHED TRIBESFOLK
and layers of body fat protecting them from the extreme
cold. They are expert climbers, able to leap and bound Role Stat Block
up sheer slopes. Hunter or warrior Tribal warrior with Survival +4; speaks
Mountain goats are territorial but easily placated with Common
offerings of food. Their stubbornness makes them diffi- Shaman Druid with Survival +4; speaks Common
cult to domesticate.
and Druidic
Clan chieftain or Gladiator with hide armor instead of
MOUNTAIN GOAT great warrior studded leather and Survival +5; speaks
Medium beast, unaligned Common
Armor Class 11 TRIBE OF THE BEAR

Speed 40 ft. , climb 30 ft. Internal strife has splintered what remains of the Bear
Tribe today. The turmoil began shortly after a band of
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Bear Tribe hunters recovered pieces of chardalyn from
14 (+2) 12 (+l) 14 (+2) 2 (- 4) 10 (+0) 5 (- 3) the frozen corpses of several dwarves. Oblivious to the
demonic magic suffusing the crystal, tribe members
Senses passive Perception 10 used the shards to fashion heads for their spears and
Languages -
axes. Contact with the crystal corrupted these warriors
over time, turning them into chardalyn berserkers (see
Charge. If the goat moves at least 20 feet straight toward a page 280). Their cruelty forced the king to banish them
target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the from the tribe. These outcasts have since begun raiding
target takes an extra 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage. If the target Bear Tribe camps for sacrifices, which they offer up to
is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw Auril to gain the Frostmaiden's favor.
or be knocked prone.
KING GUNVALD HALRAGGSON
Sure-Footed. The goat has advantage on Strength and Dexterity The thirty-year-old Bear King cuts an impressive figure
saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone. and is renowned for his size and strength. He tries to be
honorable, but he is often merciless and doesn't change
ACTIONS
his mind easily. He has trouble relating to Ten-Towners,
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. , one target. so he avoids them. His perspective on townsfolk might
Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
KING jARUND ELKHARDT
change if they helped him de troy the chardalyn ber- The Elk King isJarund Elkhardt, a terse yet thoughtful
serkers who have turned again t their own. giant of a man who is nearly fifty years old- ancient
Gunvald has had three wives in six years, each of by tribal standards. He has led the Elk Tribe for over
whom died while she was pregnant. His advisors fear half his life, and age has made him cautious. He has
that the gods have cursed Gunvald a nd the entire tribe. seen other kings and queens rise and fall, has made
In truth, the king's doting shaman, Ulkora, lusts for him war with friends and peace with his enemies, and has
and surreptitiously poisoned hi wives. In time, Ulkora led warriors he knew as babes to their deaths in bat-
hopes Gunvald will turn his loving eye toward her and tle. The strain of his long years of rule is etched on his
allow her to bear his true heir. If Gunvald were to learn weather-worn face.
the truth, he would put Ulkora to death. Jarund's late son,Jarund Twice-Born, was killed al-
most a decade ago while trying to bring down a cave
TRIBE OF THE E LK bear, leavingJarund without an heir. He has failed to
produce another child with his wife, Wynneth, and his
Of the four remaining Reghed tribes, the Tribe of the mistress, Froya, so the future of his royal line remains
Elk is the largest and the most tolerant of outsiders. It's uncertain.
also the tribe of the hero Wulfgar, son of Beornegar. Auril's unyielding winter concernsJarund deeply, and
Members of the Elk Tribe view the people of Ten- he often turns to his shaman, Mjenir, for guidance. The
Towns as "tame folk ," who are ill bred and ill equipped king respects the shaman's understanding of gods and
for life in Icewind Dale. The tribe keeps its distance spirits, and the fact that both men have lost their sons
from Ten-Towns to avoid misunderstandings, since the serves to strengthen the bond between them. Mjenir
appearance of Elk Tribe hunters near Ten-Towns has believes that the only way to break Auril's spell is to
been known to panic Ten-Towners who live in constant slay the goddess in her home, butJarund believes that
fear of attack. his warriors aren't strong enough to accomplish that
task alone.
GUNVALD HALRAGGSON
Medium humanoid (human) , neutral
jARUND ELKHARDT
Armor Class 13 (h ide armor, shield) Medium humanoid (human), neutral
Speed 30 ft. Armor Class 14 (hide armor, shield)
Hit Points 104 (1 6d8 + 32)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Speed 30 ft.
20 (+5) 8 (-1) 18 (+4) 9 (-1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3)
Skills Ath letics +8, Intimidation +6, Survival +3 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 12 (+l ) 14 (+2) 18 (+ 4)
Languages Common Saving Throws Con +5, Wis +5
Challenge 5 (1, 800 XP) Skills Athletics +7, Intimidati o n +7, Survival +5
Indomitable (3/Day). Gunvald can reroll a saving th row he fa ils . Languages Common, Dwarvis h
He must use th e new roll. Challenge 5 (1, 800 XP)
Menacing Blows (1/Turn) . Gunvald deals an extra 6 (ld l 2) dam - Brute. A me lee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when
age whe n he hits a target with a weapon attack. If th e target is Jarund hits wi th it (inclu ded in th e attack).
a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or
be fr ightened until the start of Gunvald's next tu rn . ACT IONS
Second Wind (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). As a bo- Multiattack. Jarun d makes three melee attacks .
nus action , Gunva ld can regain 15 hit points . Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft ., o ne
target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeo ni ng damage, or 15 (2d10 + 4)
A CT IONS bludgeo ning damage when used with two hands.
Multiattack. Gunvald makes three melee attacks .
Shield. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature .
Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one tar- Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and Jarund pushes the
get. Hit: 9 (ld8 + 5) slashing damage, or 10 (ldl0 + 5) slashing target 5 feet away from him if it's Large or smaller. Jarund then
damage when used with two hands, plus 6 (ldl2) slashing enters the space vacated by the target. If the target is pushed to
damage if Gunvald uses Menacing Blows . within 5 feet of a creature friendly to Jarund , that creature can
make an attack against the target as a reaction .
Javelin . Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/ 120
ft. , one target. Hit: 8 (1 d6 + 5) piercing damage, plus 6 (1 dl 2) Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft . or
piercing damage if Gunvald uses Menacing Blows . range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) pierci ng damage .
• • APPENDIX C I CREATURES
QUEEN BJORNHILD 50LVIGSDOTTIR AND HER
SABER-TOOTHED TIGER, GRAVA
TRIBE OF THE TIGER

The Tiger Tribe shuns the stronger Elk Tribe and preys BJORNHILD SOLVIGSDOTTIR
on the weaker Bear and Wolf tribes. Of all the Reghed Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil
tribes, the Tiger Tribe is the most comfortable preying
on the weakness of their rivals as well as Ten-Towns. Armor Class 12 (hide armor)
Hit Points 102 (12d8 + 48)
QUEEN BJORNHILD SOLVIGSDOTTIR Speed 30 ft.
It's unusual for a woman to lead a Reghed tribe, but
Bjornhild is a most extraordinary woman. The fearless STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
wife of the late King Korold , she fought alongside him in 18 (+4) 11 (+O) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2)
many battles. After a frost giant's mammoth companion
Skills Athletics +7, Intimidation +S , Survival +3
slew Korold, the formidabl e Bjornhild took his place.
Bjornhild worships the Frostmaiden and is so ruth-
Languages Common, Yeti
less that her enemies believe she has actual ice flowing Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
through her veins. She has no living children that she
knows of, but with Auril's blessing, she won't need any Auril's Blessing (3/Day). When Bjornhild hits a creature
heirs to preserve her legacy. Bjornhild intends to live with a weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 11 (2dl 0)
forever by demonstrating he r unwave ring faith in the cold damage.
Frostmaiden and becoming the Chosen of Auril.
As if she weren't fearsom e enough, Bjornhild has a ACTIONS
pet saber-toothed tiger named Grava. Multiattack. Bjorn hi Id makes two melee attacks.
TRIBE OF THE WOLF Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one tar-
get. Hit: 10 (ldl2 + 4) slashing damage, plus 11 (2dl0) cold
The Wolf Tribe is the smallest of the four remaining damage if Bjornhild uses Auril 's Blessing.
Reghed tribes, and even its most optimistic members
don't think it will survive much longer under its current Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
leadership. To swell its ranks, chieftains have resorted range 20/60 ft ., one target. Hit: 7 (ld6 + 4) piercing damage ,
to bringing outsiders into the fold, including outcasts or 8 (ld8 + 4) piercing damage if used with two hands to make
a melee attack, plus 11 (2dl0) cold damage ifBjornhild uses
from Ten-Towns, disenfranchised members of other
Auril's Blessing.
Reghed tribes, and even goblinoids.
306
REGHEO HUNTERS OF THE FOUR T RIBES
ISARR KRONENSTROM
Mediu m humanoid (human), chaotic evil !SARR KRONENSTROM
The Wolf Tribe has been without a king or queen for
Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36)
years. Its most powerful chieftain, Isarr Kronenstrom ,
Speed 30 ft . is a psychotic brute who worships Matar the Beast Lord.
He hunts Ten-Towners for sport, bathes in their blood ,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA and strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies. Several
16 (+3) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) members of Isarr's clan have deserted him or been
killed off, but the few that remain are fiercely loyal. They
Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +6 , Perception +5 , Stealth +6 , believe, incorrectly, that he's the Chosen of Matar.
Survival +5 Although Isarr calls himself the Wolf King, few oth-
Senses darkvision 60 ft. , passive Perception 15 ers in the Wolf Tribe support him in that claim, but the
Languages Common
other Wolf clan chieftains are too weak and disorga-
nized to challenge him .
Blood Frenzy. lsarr has ad vantage o n melee atta ck rolls against
any creature that doesn 't have all its hi t po ints . REINDEER
Indomitable (3/Day). lsa rr ca n reroll a s aving throw he fails . He To ensure that they don't starve in the winter, the
must use the new roll . Reghed nomads of lcewind Dale follow the migration
routes of reindeer herds and are mindful not to deplete
Keen Hearing and Smell. lsar r has advan tage on Wisdom (Per- the herds to the point where the beasts can no longer
ception) chec ks that rel y on hearing or sm el l. flourish or defend themselves against other natural
predators.
ACTIONS
The average adult reindeer is 5 feet tall at the shoulder
Multiattack. lsarr ma kes three melee attacks. and weighs 250 pounds. Both male and female reindeer
Sickle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. have antlers, though a male's antlers are larger.
Hit: 5 (ld4 + 3) piercing d amage , plus 13 (2dl2) piercing d am - Game Statistics. A reindeer uses the elk stat block
age if the target has no alli e s it can see within 10 feet of it. in the Monster Manual. It is acclimated to cold weather.
Roughly one in six reindeer in lcewind Dale has a rare
Hea vy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: ... 6 to hit, range magical trait: glow-in-the-dark antlers that emit dim
100/ 400 ft. , one target. Hit: 8 (ldlO ~ 3 piercing damage.
light out to a range of 10 feet.
SNOWGOLEM
SEAL
The seals native to the Sea of Moving Ice often beach Armor Class 8
themselves on ice floes and rocky shores. They are accli- Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12)
mated to the cold weather and feed primarily on small Speed 10 ft.
fish , squid, and clams. Seal pups have yellowish-white
fur, which turns silvery gray as they enter adulthood. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) l (-5) 6 (-2) l (-5)
SNOWGOLEM Damage Vulnerabilities fire

A snow golem is a mass of snow brought to life through Damage Immunities cold, poison ; bludgeoning, piercing, and
magic. Nonmagical weapons pass through its snowy slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed , exhaustion, frightened,
form without dealing any appreciable damage to it,
paralyzed , petrified, poisoned
though heat is its doom.
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius) , passive
Perception 8
Languages-
SEAL Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Medium beast, unaligned
Cold Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to cold
Armor Class 11 damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of
Hit Points 9 (2d8) hit points equal to the cold damage dealt.
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft .
Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA that would alter its form.
10 (+0) 12 (+l) 11 (+O) 3 (-4) 12 (+l) 5 (-3)
Melt. While in an area of extreme heat, the golem loses ld6 hit
Senses darkvision 60 ft ., passive Perception 11 po ints at the start of each of its turns .
Languages- Unusual Nature. The golem doesn't requ ire air, food,
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
drink, or sleep.
Hold Breath. The seal can hold its breath for 15 minutes. ACTIONS
Keen Smell. The seal has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) Multiattack. The golem makes three melee attacks.
checks that rely on smell.
Slam. Melee We apon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
ACTIONS Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Snowball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +Oto hit, range 60 ft., one
Hit: l piercing damage. target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) cold damage.
308
SNOWY OWLBEAR
A snowy owlbear combines the physical features
of a snowy owl and a polar bear. When not asleep
or hibernating, it galumphs across the icy tundra in
search of food.
Game Statistics. The snowy owlbear uses the owl-
bear stat block in the Monster Manual. In addition, it
has a swimming speed of 30 feet and is acclimated to
cold weather.
SPERM WHALE
Sperm whales are toothed aquatic mammals that can
grow to be up to 70 feet long. Their natural predators
include whalers and fellow leviathans, such as dragon
turtles and krakens.
SPERM WHALE ACTIONS

Gargantuan beast, unaligned Multiattack. The whale makes two attacks: one with its bite
and one with its tail.
Hit Points 189 (14d20 + 42) Bite. Melee Weapon Attack:+ 11 to hit , reach 5 ft., one target.
Speed Oft., swim 60 ft. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or
smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA th row or be swallowed by the whale. A swallowed creature has
26 (+8) 8 (-1) 17 (+3) 3 (-4) 12 (+l) 5 (-3) total cover against attacks and other effects outside the whale,
and it takes 3 (ld6) acid damage at the start of each of the
Senses blindsight 120 ft. , passive Perception 11 whale's turns .
Languages - If the whale takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) a creature inside it, the whale must succeed on a DC 16 Con-
stitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all
Echolocation. The whale can 't use its blindsight swallowed creatures , which fall prone in a space within 10 feet
while deafened. of the whale. If the whale dies, a swallowed creature can escape
Hold Breath. The whale can hold its breath for 90 minutes. from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Keen Hearing. The whale has advantage on Wisdom (Percep- Tail. Melee Weapon Attack:+11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
tion) checks that rely on hea ring. Hit: 18 (3d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage, or 37 (6d6 + 16) blud-
geoning damage if the target is an object.
TOMB TAPPER
The Netherese arcanis ts who created these creatures
called them "thaluud ," which means "faceless." Wrought
from the fusi on of magic and elemental earth , each of
these sexless, hairless warriors stands 15 to 21 feet ta ll
and possesses a lust for magic, an inherited memory
(composed of recollections from the souls sacrificed
in their creation), and an insane hatred for nonhuma n
s pellcasting creatures. Tomb tappers can dig th rough
earth and rock with their claws or use their metal
sledgeha mmers to s hatter rock when needed . They
absorb water through their s kin and crus h rock with
their jaws to extract mineral s us tena nce. They can also
digest iron from blood and marrow, if mineral-rich rock
is unavaila ble.
The Netherese sent the thaluud into the Underdark
to exterminate their enemies, most nota bly the
magic-devouring, funnel-sha ped creatures known as
phaerimm. Other creatures targeted by the thaluud
include mind fl ayers, derro, draw, and duergar. Tomb
tappers communicate with one another by means of a
hummin g sound created by s kin vibrations.
Seekers ofMagic. Tomb tappers received their collo-
quial na me from their habit of burrowing into the depths
to plunder tombs, temples, and caves in search of magic
items, which they bear off. They us ually try to seize
magic from beings that they encounter.
Magic is sacred to tomb tappers. T hey don't use any
magic items they acquire, ins tead choosing to protect
and venerate such items. Tappers s pend their long lives
in the search for the source of all magic, wh ich they
believe to be hidden deep in the Underdark. They are
in awe of ea rth elementa ls, believing that they come di-
rectly from this source, a nd a re reluctant to attack them.
object , or area in that range that bears magic. This sense pene -
TOMB TAPPER
Huge construct, lawful neutral trates barriers but is blocked by a thin sheet of lead.
Tunneler. The tomb tapper can burrow through solid rock at
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) half its burrowing speed and leaves a 10-foot -wide, 20-foot-tall
tunnel in its wake.
Speed 30 ft. , burrow 10 ft.
Unusual Nature. The tomb tapper doesn 't require air or sleep.
22 (+6) 10 (+O) 21 (+5) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+O) ACTIONS
Multiattack. The tomb tapper makes two melee attacks with
Skills Perception +6
its sledgehammer or with its claws . If it hits the same creature
Damage Resistances lightning
with both claws, it can pull that creature within 5 feet of its
Damage Immunities cold , fire
mouth and make a bite attack against it .
Condition Immunities charmed , frightened
Senses blindsight 240 ft . (blind beyond this radius) , passive Bite. Melee Weapon Attack:+10 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.
Perception 16 Hit: 22 (3dl0 + 6) slashing damage.
Languages understands Common and Undercommon but
doesn 't speak, telepathy 60 ft. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft ., one target.
Challenge 10 (5 ,900 XP) Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Sledgehammer. Me lee or Ranged Weapon Attack:+ l Oto hit ,
Petrified Death. A tomb tapper reduced to O hit points turns
reach 15 ft . or range 30/120 ft ., one target. Hit: 27 (6d6 + 6)
into a lifeless stone statue . Anything it's wearing or carrying is
bludgeoning or force damage (tomb tapper's choice). If
not transformed.
thrown , the hammer returns to the tomb tapper at the end of
Sense Magic. The tomb tapper senses magic within 30 feet of it its turn , landing at the tomb tapper's feet if it doesn 't have a
and can use an action to pinpoint the location of any creature, hand free to catch the weapon .
APP EN DIX C I C REATU RE S

3 10
VERBEEG
Verbeeg are giants that resemble oversized huma ns
with gangly limbs and elongated faces. Some have other
features that give them a fearsome aspect.
Verbeeg craft their own armor and weapons. They
prefer thrown spears above all other weapons, and a
verbeeg usually has several spears for that purpose.
Marauders. Verbeeg conduct themselves like brig-
ands, robbing people they come across in the wild. If
food is scarce, they kill those same people and eat them.
They prefer to dwell in forlorn places, often sharing ter-
ritory with hill giants and ogres. It's not unusual to find
a gang of hill giants and ogres led by a verbeeg, since
verbeeg are much smarter than their brutish cousins.
Verbeeg also enjoy the company of mammalian beasts
and a llow bears, wolves, worgs, and other predators
to lair with them. They catch and keep horses, mules,
sheep, goats, and cattle for food and trade.
Longstriders. Some verbeeg worship gods of nature
and help defend the natural world. These even-tempered
verbeeg are called longstriders and are blessed with in-
nate spellcasting abilities.
VERBEEG LONGSTRIDER
Large giant, neutral

Speed 50 ft .

19 (+4) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+l) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws Dex +S, Con +6, Wis +S

Skills Animal Handling +5, Athletics +7, Stealth +5 VERBEEG MARAUDER
Senses passive Perception 12 Large giant, neutral evil
Languages Common , Giant
Challenge 5 (1 ,800 XP) Armor Class 14 (hide armor, shield)
Hit Points 85 (l0dl0 + 30)
Innate Spellcasting. The verbeeg's innate spellcasting ability is Speed 40 ft .
Wisdom . It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no
components: STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 9 (- 1)
1/day each : animal messenger.fog cloud.freedom of movement,
pass without trace , silence, water walk Saving Throws Dex +2, Con +S
Simple Weapon Wielder. A simple weapon deals one extra Skills Animal Handling +2, Athletics +6, Stealth +2
die of its damage when the verbeeg hits with it (included in Senses passive Perception 10
the attack). Languages Common , Giant
ACTIONS
Simple Weapon Wielder. A simple weapon deals one extra
Multiattack. The verbeeg makes two melee attacks. d ie of its damage when the verbeeg hits with it (included in
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit , reach 5 ft. or the attack) .
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6.,. 4) piercing damage,
or 17 (3d8 + 4) piercing damage if used to make a ranged attack ACTIONS
or used with two hands to make a me ee attack. Multiattack. The verbeeg makes two melee attacks .
Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit , range 30/120 ft., one Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
target. Hit: 9 (3d4 + 2) bludgeon ing damage. f the target is a range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage ,
creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Cons itut1on saving throw or 17 (3d8 + 4) pierci ng damage if used to make a ranged attack
or be stunned until the end of its next ur . or used with two hands to make a me lee attack.
3JJ
WALRUSES
Walruses are bulky marine mammals that favor arctic
climates and communicate by grunting and roaring. A
typical adult specimen weighs at least 2,000 pounds.
Humans hunt them for their meat, fat, skin, bones,
and tusks.
Giant Walrus. Giant walruses are enormous, GIANT WALRUS
ill-tempered creatures as big as elephants. A typical Huge beast, unaligned
adult specimen weighs at least 12,000 pounds.
Armor Class 9
Speed 20 ft ., swim 40 ft .
WALRUS
Large beast, unaligned
22 (+6) 9 (-1) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 4 (-3)
Armor Class 9
Speed 20 ft ., swim 40 ft.
Languages-
15 (+2) 9 (-1) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 11 (+0) 4 (-3)
Hold Breath. The walrus can hold its breath for 30 minutes .
ACTIONS
Languages-
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Multiattack. The walrus makes two attacks: one with its body
flop and one with its tusks .
Hold Breath. The walrus can hold its breath for 10 minutes .
Body Flop. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one tar-
ACTIONS get. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Tusks. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit , reach 5 ft ., one target. Tusks. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.
Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) piercing damage.
312
YETI
The yeti and the abominable yeti are described in the YETI1YKE
Small monstrosity, chaotic evil
Monster Manual. This entry provides game information
for yeti tykes, which people seldom encounter. Adult Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
yetis are very protective of their young, keeping them Hit Points 9 (2d6 + 2)
hidden from the rest of the world. A yeti tyke is between Speed 20 ft. , climb 20 ft .
1 and 7 years old.
Yeti tykes are as volatile and mean as their parents, STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
their fearsomeness diminished only by their size. Stand- 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+l) 6 (- 2) 8 (- 1) 5 (- 3)
ing 3 feet tall on average, they like to bully creatures of
their height or smaller. But they are easily intimidated Damage Immunities cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft. , passive Perception 9
by bigger and stronger creatures. A cowed yeti tyke can
Languages understands Yeti but can't speak
be controlled, at least for a while, but raising one to be
anything other than a savage, flesh-eating predator is
incredibly difficult (though not impossible). Keen Smell. The yeti has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on smell.
Snow Camouflage. The yeti has advantage on Dexterity
(Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain .
ACTIONS
Claw. Melee Wea pon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.
Hit: 2 (ld4) sl ashing damage plus 2 (ld4) cold damage.
APPENDIX D: MAGIC
This appendix describes the new magic items, spell- water to fill at least a 10-foot cube. At the end of each
books, and spells found in this adventure. uninterrupted hour of immersion, roll a d6. On a 6, a
floppy, 6-inch-long magical fish appears on the end of
MAGIC ITEMS the hook. The color and properties of the conjured fish
New magic items found in this adventure are presented are determined by rolling on the Hook of Fisher's De-
below in alphabetical order. light table. Once the hook conj ures a fish, it can't do so
again until the next dawn.
ABRACADABRUS
Wondrous item, very rare HOOK OF FISHER'S DELIGHT
An abracadabrus is an ornate, gemstone-studded d20 Fish Color Magical Property

wooden chest that weighs 25 pounds while empty. 1-10 Green with This tasty fish provides a day's
[ts interior compartment is a cube measuring 1½ feet copper bands worth of nourishment to one crea-
on a side. ture that eats it. The fish loses this
The chest has 20 charges. A creature can use an property and rots if it's not eaten
action to touch the closed lid of the chest and expend 1 within 24 hours of being caught.
of the chest's charges while naming one or more non-
11-14 Yellow with Once removed from the hook,
magical objects (including raw materials, foodstuffs, and
liquids) worth a total of 1 gp or less. The named objects black stripes this awful-tasting fish can be
magically appear in the chest, provided they can all fit thrown up to 120 feet, targeting
inside it and the chest doesn't contain anything else. For a creature the thrower can see.
example, the chest can conjure a plate of strawberries, a The target must succeed on a
bowl of hot soup, a flagon of water, a stuffed animal, or a DC 15 Strength saving throw or
bag of twenty ca ltrops. Food and drink conjured by the be knocked prone. The fish then
chest are delicious, and they spoil if not consumed after disappears .
24 hours. Gems and precious metals created by the 15-18 Blue with When released from the hook, this
chest disappear after 1 minute.
white bands fish squirms free, sprouts wings,
The chest regains ld20 expended charges daily at
follows you around, and sings a
dawn. If the item's last charge is expended, roll a d20.
beautiful tune in Aquan. It disap-
On al, the chest loses its magic (becoming an ordinary
chest), and its gemstones turn to dust. pears after 2d4 hours or when re-
duced to O hit points. The fish uses
CAULDRON OF PLENTY the quipper stat block, except that
Wondrous item, rare it can breathe air and has a flying
This cauldron is made of thick copper that has turned speed of 30 feet .
green with age. It is 4 feet wide, has a mouth 3½ feet in 19- 20 Gold with This tasty fish provides a day 's
diameter, weighs 50 pounds, and can hold up to 30 gal- silver stripes worth of nourishment to one crea-
lons of liquid. Embossed on its bulging sides are images ture that eats it and grants 2dl 0
of satyrs and nymphs in repose, holding ladles. The temporary hit points to that crea-
cau ldron comes with a lid and has side handles. It sits ture. The fish loses these properties
on five littl e clawed feet that keep it from tipping.
and rots if it's not eaten within 24
If water is poured into the cau ldron and stirred for
hours of being caught.
1 minute, it transforms into a hearty, hot stew, which
can provide one nourishing meal for up to four people
per gallon . The stew remains hot while in the cauldron, LANTERN OF TRACKING
then cools naturally after it is removed. The outside Wondrous item, common
of the cauldron remains safe to touch despite the heat This hooded lantern burns for 6 hours on 1 pint of oil,
of the stew. shedding bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light
The cau ldron can create stew three times. It then for an additional 30 feet.
ceases to function until the next dawn, when it regains Each lantern of tracking is designed to track down a
all its uses. certain type of creature, which is determined by rolling
on the Lantern of Tracking table. Once determined,
HOOK OF FISHER'S DELIGHT this creature type can't be changed. While the lantern
Wondrous item, rare is within 300 feet of any creature of that type, its flame
This tiny silver fishhook has a little gold feather attached turns bright green. The lantern doesn't pinpoint the
to it. For it to function, the feathered hook must be tied creature's exact location , however.
to the end of a fishing line and immersed in enough
APPENDIX D I MAGIC
LANTERN OF TRACKING
dlO Creature Type dlO Creature Type

Aberrations 6 r;ey
2 Celestials 7 Fien ds
3 Constructs G,ants
4 Dragons onstros ities
5 Elementals Undead
PROFESSOR ORB
Wondrous item , rare
A professor orb is a smooth - pound . phere of smoky
gray quartz about the size of a !!rapefruit. Close exam-
ination revea ls two or more pinpric ·. of si lver light com-
ing from deep inside the phere.
The orb is sentient and ha th per onality of a
scholar. Its alignment is determin d by rolling on the
alignment table in the ·· emi n lagic Items" section
in the Dungeon Ma ster· Guid . Re<1ardless of its a lign-
ment, the orb has an lntellt!!ence cf 1 , and Wisdom and
Charisma scores determined b) r ,lling 3d6 for each
ability. The orb speak . read .• and understands four lan-
guages, and it ca n see and hear normally out to a range
of 60 feet. Unlike most other .entient items, the orb has
no goals of its own and can"t initiate a con fli ct with the
creature in possession of it.
The orb has extensive knm, ledge of four na rrow aca-
demic subjects. When making an Intelligence check to
Psi CRYSTAL PROPERTIES
reca ll lore from any of it area of expertise, the orb has
a +9 bonus to its roll (including it Intelligence modifier). Intelligence Range of Light
In addition to the knowledge it possesses, the orb can Score Telepathy Intensity
cast the mage hand cantrip at will It uses the s pell only 3-7 15 feet Dim light out to a range of 5 feet
to transport itself. It pell a ting abi lity is Intelligence. &- 11 30 feet Bright light in a 5-foot radius
Professor Skant. The profe or orb owned by Vel- and dim light for an additional
lynne HarpelI and stolen b} ·a Lantom ir ca lls itself
5 feet
Professor Skant. It is lawful good. and it has a Wisdom
12-15 60 feet Bright light in a 10-foot radius
of 11 and a Chari sma of 9. It peaks and reads Com-
mon , Draconic, Elvish, and Loross (the dead language of and dim light for an additional
the Empire of Netheril). Professor Skant is a chatterbox 10 feet
and assumes all humanoid are dunderheads. When 16 or higher 120 feet Bright light in a 15-foot radius
elaborating on its a reas of expertise, it adopts an unin- and dim light for an additional
tentionally patroni zing tone. It has the following four l 5 feet
areas of expertise:
The history of Netheril (see the "Fate of Netheril" SCROLL OF TARRASQUE SUMMONING
sidebar on page 232) Scroll, legendary
Vampirism and the traits of vampires Us ing a n action to read the scroll causes the tarrasque
Rituals surrounding the making, bottling, and drink- (see the creature's e ntry in the Monster Manual ) to
ing of Elverquisst (a rare, ruby-colored elven liquor appear in an unoccupied space you ca n see within 1
dis tilled from sunshine and ra re summer fruits) mile of you. The tarrasque disappea rs whe n it drops
• The tarrasque (see the Monster Manual) to O hit points a nd is hostile toward all c reatures other
than itself.
PSI CRYSTAL
Wondrous item , uncommon (req uires attunement by a SCROLL OF THE COMET
creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher) S croll, legendary
This c rystal grants you telepathy for as long as yo u re- By using a n action to read the scroll, you cause a comet
main attuned to it. See the introduction of the Monster to fall from the sky and crash to the ground at a point
Manual for rules on how this telepathy works. The crys- you ca n see up to 1 mile away from you . You must be
tal also glows with a purplish inne r light while you are outdoors when you use the scroll, or nothing happens
attuned to it. The higher your intelligence, the greater and the scroll is wasted.
the light's intensity and th e greater the range of the te-
lepathy (see the Psi Crystal Prope rties table).
APPENDIX D I MAGIC
The comet creates a 50-foot-deep, 500-foot-radius cra- The Ythryn mythallar is a relatively small device-a
ter on impact. Any creature in that radius must make a mere 50 feet in diameter. To attune to this mythallar,
DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 30dl0 force dam- a creature must finish a short rest within 30 feet of
age on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage it, meditating on the mythallar. Up to eight creatures
on a successful one. All structures in the crater are de- can be attuned to it at one time; otherwise, the Ythryn
stroyed, as are all nonmagical objects that aren't being mythallar follows the attunement rules in the Dungeon
worn or held. Master's Guide. If a ninth creature tries to attune to the
mythallar, nothing happens.
THERMAL CUBE All creatures attuned to the Ythryn mythallar can
Wondrous item, common sense when the device is being used. A creature attuned
This 3-inch cube of solid brimstone generates enough to the device can use any of its properties, but only if all
dry heat to keep the temperature within 15 feet of it at other creatures attuned to the device agree to allow it.
95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). The Ythryn mythallar's properties are as follows:
While you're on the same plane of existence as the
YTHRYN MYTHALLAR
Ythryn mythallar, you can use an action to cause it to
Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement by a fly in any direction you choose at a speed of 30 feet.
spellcaster) All matter within 500 feet of the device moves with it.
A mythallar looks like an enormous crystal ball held The Ythryn mythallar and all structures held aloft by it
in an ornate cradle. The globe sheds bright light in a hover in place when not in motion.
300-foot radius and dim light for an additional 300 feet. , As an action, you can cause one magic item you are
The globe draws magic from the Weave that can be har- holding within 30 feet of the Ythryn mythallar to
nessed for various purposes. For example, Netherese immediately regain all its expended charges or uses.
mages used mythallars to keep their cities aloft and em- A magic item recharged in this manner can't be re-
power their magic items. The bigger the mythallar, the charged by the Ythryn mythallar again until after the
more magic it can hold. The largest mythallars are 150 item regains expended charges or uses on its own.
feet in diameter.
A TOMB TAPPER DEFEN D S THE YTHRYN MY T HALLAR
FROM A G R OUP OF TREASURE H UNTERS .

• You can use the Ythryn mythallar to cast the control
weather spell without requiring any components and
without the need for you to be outdoors. This casting
of the spell has a SO-mile radius. For the duration of T HE Coo 1c. 1L OF WH ITE
the spell's casting time, you must be within 30 feet of

the Ythryn mythallar or the spell fails.
Touching the Mythallar. Any creature that touches
the globe of the mythallar must make a DC 22 Consti-
tution saving throw, taking 180 (20d10 + 70) radiant
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one. Undead have disadvantage on this sav-
ing throw. Any object that touches the globe, other than
an artifact or the mythallar's cradle, is disintegrated
instantly (no save).
BOOKS
Two books are described in this section. Characters can
find The Codicil of White in Auril's abode (see chapter
5) and The Incantations of Iriolarthas in the Netherese
necropolis hidden under the Reghed Glacier (see
chapter 7).
THE CODICIL OF WHITE

The Codicil of White is a tall, thin volume bound in
white ermine fur over seasoned boards of white pine
and sealed with a clasp and lock of tarnished silver. The
book is cold to the touch, and the fur is worn about the
edges from use. The twenty-seven pages within are of
vellum painted with silver gilt on the outer edges. The
whole is sewn to a leather binding with strips of sinews,
making it quite durable.
A creature with the codicil in its possession has resis-
tance to cold damage.
The codicil was written by followers of Auril as a
primer on her worship. The first page is a title page
with the snowflake symbol of Auril on it. The remaining
pages describe various priestly rituals and ceremonies
in chilling detail. Nestled among these descriptions is
a spell that wizards can learn (frost fingers, described
later in this appendix) and a poem called "Rime of the
Frostmaiden" (see appendix E). The poem is an incan-
tation, the power of which can be used to split a glacier
(see chapter 6). The poem might have other capabilities,
at your discretion.
THE INCANTATIONS OF lRIOLARTHAS

The Incantations of Iriolarthas is a weighty spellbook.
Its black leather covers have dead, toothy worms glued
to them, sheathed in glossy varnish. Set into this morbid
display on the front cover is a gold rune that resembles a
stylized eye with a pupil shaped like a candle flame- the
sigil of Iriolarthas, a Netherese lich.
The book contains sixty pages of brittle yellow vellum.
Written on these pages are the following wizard spells:
1st level: alarm , detect magic. identify, magic missile,
shield, Tasha's hideous laughter, thunderwave
THE INC.ANT/IT IONS OF
2nd level: arcane lock , continual flam e, invisibility,
lRIOLII R TH II S
knock, levitate, Me/I's acid arrow. m irror image
3rd level: animate dead. bestow curse, clairvoyance,
counterspell, dispel m agic, fireball. glyph of warding
APPENDIX D I MAGIC
4th level: arcane eye, banishment, blight, dimension CREATE MAGEN
door, Evard's black tentacles, phantasmal killer 7th-level transmutation
5th level: Bigby's hand, cloudki/J, dominate person, pla-
Casting Time: 1 hour
nar binding, scrying, telekinesis
Range: Touch
6th level: create undead, disintegrate, globe of invulnera-
Components: V, S, M (a vial of quicksilver worth 500
bility, move earth, Otto's irresistible dance
gp and a life-sized human doll , both of which the spell
7th level: create magen,* finger of death, prismatic
consumes, and an intricate crystal rod worth at least
spray, teleport
1,500 gp that is not consumed)
8th level: demiplane, dominate monster, mind blank,
Duration: Instantaneous
power word stun
9th level: blade of disaster,* power word kill While casting the spell, you place a vial of quicksilver in
the chest of a life-sized human doll stuffed with ash or
*Described in this chapter.
dust. You then stitch up the doll and drip your blood on
WIZARD SPELLS it. At the end of the casting, you tap the doll with a crys-
tal rod, transforming it into a magen clothed in whatever
Characters who obtain The Codicil of White from Auril's the doll was wearing. The type of magen is chosen by
abode or The Incantations of lriolarthas in Ythryn can you during the casting of the spell. See appendix C for
discover one or more of the following wizard spells. different kinds of magen and their statistics.
When the magen appears, your hit point maximum
BLADE OF DISASTER
decreases by an amount equal to the magen's challenge
9th-level conjuration rating (minimum reduction of 1). Only a wish spell can
Casting Time: I bonus action undo this reduction to your hit point maximum.
Range: 60 feet Any magen you create with this spell obeys your com-
Components: V, S mands without question .
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
FROST FINGERS
You create a blade-shaped planar rift about 3 feet long 1st-level evocation
in an unoccupied space you can see within range. The
blade lasts for the duration. When you cast this spell, Casting Time: 1 action
you can make up to two melee spell attacks with the Range: Self (15-foot cone)
blade, each one against a creature, loose object, or struc- Components: V, S
ture within 5 feet of the blade. On a hit, the target takes Duration: Instantaneous
4dl2 force damage. This attack scores a critical hit if Freezing cold blasts from your fingertips in a 15-foot
the number on the d20 is 18 or higher. On a critical hit, cone. Each creature in that area must make a Constitu-
the blade deals an extra 8dl2 force damage (for a total tion saving throw, taking 2d8 cold damage on a failed
of 12d 12 force damage). save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the The cold freezes nonmagical liquids in the area that
blade up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can aren't being worn or ca rried.
see and then make up to two melee spell attacks At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a
with it again. spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by
The blade can harmlessly pass through any barri er, ld8 for each slot level above 1st.
including a wall of force .
APPENDIX D I MAGIC
APPENDIX E:
RIME OF THE FROSTMAIDEN
\\ E BOW TO SHE WHO WEARS THE CROWN;

LET THE WORLD SHiVER WITH DREAD.
CLAD I WiNTERS WHiTEST GOWN,
HERS OW ENSHROUDS THE DEAD.
HER FURY SHEDS BUT FROZEN TEARS

A GRAY CLOUDS iSSUE FORTH.
HER WiND ACROSS THE WASTELAND SHEARS,
BRi GiNG BLiZZARDS FROM THE NORTH.
lcE-KiSSED FLOWERS CAUGHT MiD-BLOOM,

BEAUTY KEPT iN ALL iTS GRACE.
UMMERS GONE TO iTS SiLENT TOMB,
STiLLiNG iN HER COLD EMBRACE.
11.LL THE WORLD iN WiNTERS WHiTE,

SHEATHED iN SLEET AND iCE.
SET UPON NEVER- ENDiNG NiGHT,
SHE CONjURES PARADiSE.
BEHOLD HER EVERLASTiNG R.iME,

SEE HOW iT COVERS ALL;
WEEP NOT FOR THOSE SHE TRAPS iN TiME
BEHiND HER GLACiAL WALL.
SovEREiGN OF SUMMERS LOST,
GENERAL OF WiNTERS WAR;

LONG LiVE THE QUEEN OF COLD AND FROST.
MAY SHE REIGN FOREVERMORE.
APPENDIX E I RIME OF THE FROSTMAIDEN

AFTERWORD
SOLATION IS A BIG THEME OF THIS ADVENTURE. of Madness. This adventure contains homages to both
I Little did I know that Icewind Dale: Rime of

the Frostmaiden would be published during a
pandemic that would isolate billions of people
throughout the world, myself included, trapping
us in our dungeons for weeks on end. Only now do I un-
derstand how the people of Ten-Towns must feel.
works, as well as a few nods to other works of horror,
including Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film The Shining,
based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, and
Ridley Scott's 1979 film Alien.
When you get a chance, take a look at the credits on
page 2. As you can see, many people were involved in
Fortunately for us, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is a proven making this book. I would call your attention to one
cure for isolation. It empowers us to spend hours upon person in particular, although given her modesty, I
hours in the company of good friends, doing that thing suspect she wouldn't want me to. Kate Irwin, a long-
we've been doing ever since humans gathered around time Wizards employee, has been art directing D&D
the first campfire: telling stories. Whether it's played for many years. With help from Jeremy Crawford, Emi
around a table or over the Internet, D&D has the power Tanji, Bree Heiss, and myself, Kate created the look and
to make us step out of the real world into places that feel of fifth edition. In addition to commissioning most
exist on the fringes of our wildest imaginations. of the art in the core rulebooks, Kate has overseen the
Icewind Dale is just such a place. Created by Ed art and layout for every book that has followed them.
Greenwood, the father of the Forgotten Realms, and Her work speaks for itself. However, I am personally
brought to life by R.A. Salvatore in the Drizzt novels, grateful for her work on this product.
Icewind Dale reminds me of a domain of dread. It's cut Capturing the cold isolation of Icewind Dale is no
off from the rest of the world by blizzards, mountains, easy task, but as you can see, this adventure contains
glaciers, and the stormy sea, and even though it's not a many fantastic illustrations that accomplish exactly that.
horror setting, I leaned into the horror pretty hard be- Much of the credit goes to the artists, of course, but it
cause I wanted this story to be different from previous was Kate who took my art descriptions and notes about
explorations of Icewind Dale. Inspiration came primar- the adventure's themes and worked with the artists to
ily from two sources:John Carpenter's 1982 film The visualize them and show what life in Icewind Dale is
Thing and H.P. Lovecraft's novella At the Mountains like. Even if you never read a word of the adventure, the
art in this book tells you everything you need to know.
That's great art direction!
Chris Perkins
April 12, 2020
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4:::-;
100 ,. .,,.
~oofeet
L:;;;;;==========-1/
ISBN: 978-0-7869-6698- l
,ll!H Ullll]l,I 1mr1rn1 -

Sug. Retail: US $49.95 CAN $65.95
Printed in USA (7867000

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ICEWIHD DALE~

RIME OF THE FROSTMAIDEN™

ON THE COVER ON THE ALT-COVER

WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH

WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH

USING THE MAPS THE FORGOTTEN REALMS

WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH

WELCOME TO T H E FAR NORTH

CHAPTER 2: lCEWIND DALE

CHAPTER 4: DESTRUCTION'S LIGHT

CHAPTER 5: AuRIL's ABODE

CHAPTER 6: CAVES OF HUNGER

CHAPTER 7: DOOM OF YTHRYN

WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH

T HEI R PREY IN RAG I NG SL l "Z.'ZARDS .

WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH

FISHING FOR KNUCKLEHEAD TROUT MOUNTAIN TRAVEL

WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH

WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH

CHARACTER HOOKS TIED TO BACKGROUNDS

WELCOME TO THE FAR NO RT H

WELCOME TO THE FAR NORTH

WELCOME T O T H E FAR NORTH

IKE THE FAMOUS DROW DRIZZT Do'URDEN,

GETTING AROUND TEN-TOWNS

CHA PTER 1 I TEN-TOWNS

just another gruesome day in Ten-Towns: howling wind ,

"Sephek Kaltro works for a small traveling merchant

Innate Spellcasting. Sephek can innately cast misty step up to

STARTING QUEST: The speaker is Dannika Graysteel (lawful neutral half-

CHAPTER 1 I TEN -TOWNS

GETTING THE UEST

The lake around the creaky docks is frozen, forcing fish-

CHAPTER l I TEN -TOWNS

BRYN SHANDER IN A NUTSHELL

I; •:~·-.. •. Siever's attendants will welcome them with open arms,

GENERAL FEATURES The hut is an outhouse, currently empty. Many tracks

C9. SPEAKER'S OFFICE

This kitchen reeks of fish. It is furnished with stone ov-

Cl2. KADROTH's BEDCHAMBER

Cl3. SOOTHSAYER'S ROOM

A chilly draft wafts through this bedroom despite a

C HAPTER 1 I TEN - TOWN S

Speaker Crannoc Siever (lawful neutral human com-

The bodies are the remains of four cultists (three hu-

Five of the speaker's servants (unarmed human com-

If the characters ask Cori for details, she explains that

CHAPTER 1 I TEN - TOWNS

shoots his heavy crossbow through the arrow slits at

08. DU ERGAR QUARTERS

Small rooms flank a central common area where crates

Goon WOLF, BAD WOLF

Jutting up out of the vast tundra is a towering edifice LODGE LOCATIONS

C HAPTER I I TEN - TOWNS

haracter can move through the ice-choked tunnel

This chamber is where Garagai would lounge with

IThe only furniture in this cavernous chamber is a big fur

Garagai used to sleep here. The room is now

A STHAVEN IN A NUTSHELL LOCATIONS IN EASTHAVEN