The Frozen Ascent

  • Original adventure by JP Coovert
  • Conversion by Yochai Gal
  • The original term “cold check” from the module is used below for consistency’s sake.

Pointcrawl

Farharbor to Orn Mountain: Medium, Road, Easy = 2 Watches
Orn Mountain to Donendar: Short, Road, Easy + Short, Trail, Tough = 3 Watches
Orn Mountain to Fersera’s Lair: Short, Trail, Perilous = 4 Watches
Farharbor to Whitmere: Long, Road, Easy = 3 Watches
Donendar to Whitmere: Short, Trail, Tough + Medium, Road, Easy = 5 Watches
Whitemere to Orn Mountain: Medium, Road, Easy = 2 Watches

Orn Mountain Caves

Danger Level: Treat a roll of a 2 or 3 as an encounter.

Cold Checks

On a 4 on the Dungeon Events table, make a “cold check” (save STR). On a failure roll 2d6:

  1. Anything you touch makes a STR save or it freezes too.
  2. Weak eyesight.
  3. Can only carry 6 items.
  4. Can only carry 8 items.
  5. Creatures nearby make a cold check.
  6. Same.
  7. Same.
  8. Same.
  9. Attacks are impaired and DEX saves are required to succeed on even the most basic tasks.
  10. Same.
  11. Immune from cold checks for the next 3 dungeon cycles.

Dungeon Rooms

1. West Entrance

Not sure how many crabs are supposed to go here. 1d10?

2. Garden

Same.

3. Corridor Spike Trap

Same.

4. Icy Ramp

DEX save or get pushed backwards into pit trap (d6 STR damage).

5. East Entrance (Farharbor)

Same.

6. Frozen King Statue

Same.

7. Frozen Corridor

Same. If Ice melts, spikes fall (DEX save or take d8 STR damage).

8. Frozen Iron Dragon

Same.

Fersera’s Hoard

  1. Rusted Iron Key: Same.
  2. Magnetic Sword: Metal projectiles are drawn to the sword. Attacks against the bearer are impaired.
  3. Iron Greataxe: d10, magically light (one slot, can be wielded one-handed).
  4. Reflective Shield: Same.
  5. Iron Slumber Scepter: d6 damage. Bulky. 1/day releases gas cloud. All creatures nearby make a STR save or fall asleep. If the wielder is properly prepared they can avoid the save as well.
  6. Nomadic Iron Amulet: Same.
  7. Iron Oxide Ring: Same.
  8. Glimmering Iron Plate Mail: Use dungeon cycles instead of turns.

9. Frigid Cavern

Same (PCs make cold checks every dungeon cycle, regardless of dungeon event outcome).

10. Boulder Trap 1

Same.

11. Crushed Husk

Same.

12. Hot Spring

Soaking in the pool restores 1d6 STR and eliminates the need for cold checks for the next 3 dungeon cycles.

13. Boulder Trap 2

DEX save or take d12 STR damage.

14. Frozen Lake

DEX save or fall in, DEX save to avoid the grasp of the underwater husks.

The Frozen King

Same. One dungeon cycle for each stage of the ritual.

Monsters

Frostbitten Cave Crab

3 HP, 6 STR, 12 DEX, 4 WIL, pinch (d6)

  • On Critical Damage the crab stays attached to target. Pinch deals double damage while attached.

Frozen Husk

1 Armor, 13 HP, 13 STR, 12 DEX, 11 WIL, cold touch (d8)

  • Immune to cold.
  • On Critical Damage the target must roll on the cold checks table.

Frost Orb

18 HP, 16 STR, 8 DEX, 13 WIL, ice shards (d12, blast), detachment

  • Immune to cold.
  • Freeze: Targets nearby must make a cold check. On a failure they are frozen for one turn.

The Frozen King

2 Armor, 18 HP, 16 STR, 16 DEX, 14 WIL, Arctic staff (d12) and one spell.

  • Immune to cold.
  • Ice Aura: All enemies are frozen.
  • Ice Rain: d12+d12 damage (blast)
  • Cosmic Void: Oxygen is removed from target (DEX save to escape or fall unconscious).
  • Command: Same.

Iron Dragon Fersera

3 Armor, 18 HP, 18 STR, 17 DEX, 15 WIL, rend (d10+d10), detachment

  • Sleep Breath: STR save or target falls asleep.
  • Iron Shard Breath: d12+d12 damage.

Griffon

Griffon 7 HP, 14 STR, 15 DEX, 12 WIL, claws (d6+d6), detachment

  • Ravenous hybrids, with the head and wings of an eagle and the lower body of a lion.
  • Can be used as mounts if taken young and properly trained.
  • Fly and attack at astonishing speeds, diving in to scoop up their prey.
  • Critical Damage: Tears flesh and bone from its victim with its razor-sharp beak.

Owlbear

9 HP, 16 STR, 12 DEX, 5 WIL, beak (d10) or claws (d8+d8)

  • Bear-like carnivores with the face of an owl. Found in dense forests. Rumored spawn of a magical mishap.
  • Critical Damage: A piece of armor is rent and destroyed.

Stonebelly Dwarves

4 HP, 2 Armor, 14 STR, 6 DEX, 13 WIL, hammer (d8)

  • Short, humanoids with skin as tough as stone. Dwell in mountains and underground.
  • Highly resistant to poison and disease.

Magic Items

Arctic Staff

  • d12 damage. Immune to cold.

Cloak of Elvenkind

Once per day become invisible for 5 dungeon cycles. No save required when simply hiding.

Mattock

d6 damage. Works great on ice.

Potion of Healing

3 uses. d6 STR damage

Sweltering Stones

Ignore cold checks for 5 dungeon cycles.