Inheritance of a Frozen Legacy

Blizzard Effects

"The wind howls like a living thing, screaming through the trees and tearing at your cloaks with icy claws. Snow whirls in violent gusts, obscuring your vision beyond a few dozen feet, turning the world into a shifting blur of white and gray. Every breath burns as the cold sinks into your bones, stealing warmth from your body with every passing second."   Any creature without cold resistance is subject to the following:

• Reduced Movement: Due to the deep snow and strong, gusting winds, while adventuring outside a creatures movement speed is halved
• Obscured Senses: The noise of the wind and the thick blanket of snow make seeing and hearing more difficult. Investigation and Perception checks are made with disadvantage, while outdoors.
• Relenting Cold: For every hour spent outdoors you gain 1 level of exhaustion. This effect can be negated by spending 10 minutes every hour in any sort of shelter with a heat source.

Village Overview   "The village of Shadeyvale sits nestled in a valley, buried under a thick blanket of snow. Icicles hang from rooftops, and the roads remain largely undisturbed, save for a few deep tracks where wagons and bundled-up villagers have passed. The townsfolk have retreated indoors, seeking warmth from their hearths, leaving the streets eerily empty. The wind howls through the narrow alleys, carrying whispers of fear and uncertainty. Fires burn low in the homes, struggling against the creeping cold, and the once-lively market stands now sit abandoned, their goods frozen in place. Amongst all this, you can't help but feel as though an unnatural aura looms behind the raging winter storm."   Atmosphere & Notable Features:

• The air is unnaturally cold, even indoors.
• The town streets is deathly quiet, save for the howling of the raging winter storm, as if the people fear drawing attention.

Investigating the Village

See DM Notes for Running the Adventure to reference what the citizens know.
The party must investigate and gather information about the incident which occured prior to the storm. Use the following locations and their corresponding NPC's to guide the party on their investigation:  

• All the villagers are aware of the elderly lady who died in town, but only certain people (detailed below) know any details surrounding her death.
• All the villagers are aware of the altercation between Darion and some other townspeople, but only certain people (detailed below) know any of the details.
• Nobody has seen or heard from Darion since his escape, nor has there been any sign of him.

1. Town Hall Description: "The heart of Shadeyvales’s governance, this modest wooden building now doubles as a shelter for those struggling against the relentless cold. Dim lanterns flicker, and the air is thick with tension and whispered fears."   NPC: Mayor Osric Thornbrook   Physical Description: "A wiry, middle-aged man with sharp features, deep-set hazel eyes, and graying hair. He wears a thick fur-lined coat, but his hands always seem to shake slightly from stress or cold." Personality Traits:

• Authoritative but exhausted – He takes his role seriously but is overwhelmed by the crisis.
• Skeptical yet desperate – He doesn’t trust wild stories but is grasping at straws for a solution.

  What he knows:

• He was present when Darion lost control and saw the ice projectile kill the man.
• He helped oversee Darion’s capture, and instructed those around to put Darion in the basement of the Tavern..
• He is one of the only people who saw the old woman’s body before it was buried—he doesn’t know where she came from but found it strange how warm her body was, despite the cold overtaking the region. He ordered her body to be burried in the cemetery, south-east of town.
• He knows that Darion worked at the lumberyard and was closest with Ulrich, the foreman.
• He does not remember much of the altercation, as his mind was more on controlling the situation.

2. The Timbered Tankard (Tavern) Description: "A dimly lit, cozy tavern that now feels strangely hollow, as fewer villagers linger to drink or talk. The hearth burns, but the heat never seems to push back the cold entirely."   NPC: Edda Markholm (Tavern Keeper, Witnessed the Struggle)   Physical Description: "A stout woman in her late forties, with auburn hair tied back in a loose bun and piercing green eyes that miss nothing. She wears a heavy wool shawl and constantly polishes a glass, more out of habit than necessity." Personality Traits:

• Blunt but warm – She doesn’t mince words but cares deeply for the village.
• Sharp-eyed and perceptive – She notices small details others overlook.

What she knows:

• She saw the argument escalate between Darion and the other men before the ice struck.
• She fled after that, and did not stick around to see the aftermath. However, she suspects that Garret, the man who struck Darion would probably have a good recounting of events.
• She believes Darion didn’t intend to kill anyone, but she also fears the power he displayed.
• She heard that Mayor Thornbrook and the healer examined a body that turned up the day the storm cold set in but doesn’t know anything more.
• She knows that Darion worked at the lumberyard and was closest with Ulrich, the foreman.

3. Frosthaven Healing Lodge Description: "A small wooden building lined with herbs, poultices, and makeshift cots. The smell of medicinal balms lingers in the air, though the bitter cold makes it hard to tell if they are still effective."   NPC's:   1 - Elias Varn (Healer, Witnessed the Struggle)   Physical Description: "A thin, pale elf with short silver hair and tired gray eyes. His hands are calloused from years of tending to wounds, and he wears a long, threadbare cloak." Personality Traits:

• Soft-spoken and contemplative – Speaks slowly, choosing words carefully.
• Deeply empathetic – Feels every loss in the village personally.

What he knows:

• He saw Darion as he was being carried off and noted how ice had formed from the wound in his head, something unnatural.
• He suspects that whatever happened to Darion started before the incident but doesn’t know how or why.
• He examined the old woman’s body and determined she died of old age, but he found it odd that she wasn’t frozen despite the cold.
• He knows that Darion worked at the lumberyard and was closest with Ulrich, the foreman.

2 - Garret Halloway   Physical descritpiton: "A burly man in his late 30s, with short, graying brown hair and a thick beard. His skin is weathered from years of labor, and his right hand is wrapped in heavy bandages due to severe frostbite."   Personality Traits:

• Headstrong & Protective – Acts quickly in tense situations, always trying to "do what needs to be done."
• Regretful & Uneasy – Hides his guilt behind bravado but is visibly disturbed by what happened.

What he knows:

• Saw the entire confrontation with Darion and was the one to knock him unconscious. He can recount how it escalated and how Darion lost control.
• - Townsfolk began to aggressively confront Darion
• - One man, Thalik, attempted to shove him to the ground and thats when the projectile manifested from Darion and impaled Thalik.
• - While others were fleeing and panicing, Garret felt the cold intensify in that moment, something unnatural.
• - Darion was standing, in shock and confusion so Garret broke off a wooden plank from a nearby wagon and siezed the opportunity, striking him hard against the head. Darion dropped to the ground, unconcious.
• - The Mayor directed a few who were standing by to restrain Darion and bring him to the Inn.
• Within an hour of striking Darion, his hand became numb, then turned blackened with frostbite. He doesnt know why he is the only one who got frostbite, as he was not the only one to come into contact with Darion during the altercation.

4. Thorn’s Wares (General Goods Store) Description: "A modest shop with shelves half-empty from supply shortages. A few barrels of salted fish, stacks of firewood, and wool blankets are the only things left."   NPC: Gretta Thorn   Physical Description: "A stocky woman in her late thirties, with short-cropped brown hair and a missing front tooth from a childhood accident. She wears a thick apron and fingerless gloves to keep warm." Personality Traits:

• Suspicious and practical – Keeps a keen eye on every transaction.
• Gossipy but well-meaning – Knows everyone’s business and isn’t afraid to share.

What she knows:

• He wasn’t present when Darion lashed out but knows that Edda and Mayor Thornbrook both saw it.
• He heard the lumberyard foreman mention that Darion had been acting strangely at work lately.
• He thinks the mayor is withholding something about the old woman’s body but doesn’t have proof.
• He knows that Darion worked at the lumberyard and was closest with Ulrich, the foreman.

5. The Lumberyard Description: "On the outskirts of the village, the lumberyard is mostly abandoned due to the relentless cold. Stacks of wood are buried in snow, and saws remain frozen mid-cut. The wind howls eerily through the empty space."   NPC: Ulrich Dane (Lumberyard Foreman, Knew Darin Best)   Physical Description: "A burly man in his early fifties, with graying black hair, a thick beard, and a deep scar running from his brow to his cheek. He wears a heavy leather coat and always smells of pine." Personality Traits:

• Gruff but loyal – He speaks little, but his words carry weight.
• Superstitious but pragmatic – Believes in old tales but keeps his feet on the ground.

What he knows:

• He worked closely with Darion and saw his changes firsthand—sudden outbursts of strength, frost forming on tools he handled, and his growing unease.
• He wasn’t there when the incident happened but knows Edda and Elias were.
• He has a bad feeling about the whole thing—he thinks something unnatural happened to Darion, though he can’t say what.

 

The Cemetery

"After a short treck beyond the village, made longer and more exhausting by the deep snow and biting winds, you come upon the cemetery which rests atop a small hill. The iron gate creaks in the wind, half-buried in drifting snow. Rows of simple gravestones peek through the frost, but one plot stands apart—a fresh grave, its earth upturned, packed snow surrounding it, partially obscured by newly fallen snow."

• "Deep footprints and clawed impressions surround it, trailing off into the mountain pass. A chilling breeze carries the scent of disturbed earth and something faintly rotten."

  The Grave Site "The grave where the old woman was buried has been recently and hastily dug up by White Dragonkin. Deep gashes can be seen around the grave, left behind by the claws of the dragonkin as they dug it up, and the ground around the grave is packed down with claw prints in the snow. Much of the indications are fading away as the blizzard sets a fresh layer of snow over the scene."

• DC 14 Investigation - "The grave was not dug up by tools, but by large, clawed hands. Clawed foot prints can be seen surrouning the site as well and a single, white scale catches your eye, protruding slightly from the snow." (DC 13 Survival - It is a dragon scale of some sort. DC 16 Survival - It is a scale from a Dragonkin)
• DC 13 Survival - "Subtle remnants of the clawed footprints are seen heading into the trees, toward the mountain." (A failed check will still lead the party to discover the footprints but due to the extra time it took, any player not resistant to cold feels a greater effect from the blizzard and will have their movement speed reduced by 5ft, which persists even once out of the blizzard.)
• DC 15 Perception - "Through the blowing snow, consistently buffeting your face, a more animated movement momentarily catches your eye. Looking closer, you see a set of eyes piece through the obscuring snow, as a frost troll lunges out at you."

  Ice Troll Encounter (If you are using Loot Studios Bundles, you can swap the Ice Troll with a Wicked Snowman or Frozen Mephit) If a player succeeds on a perception check, or if a play has a passive perception of 16 or higher, they will see the frost troll before it attacks. Otherwise, the troll will attack, getting a surprise round.   Loot:

• 1d4 Frostbane Herbs (resistance to cold for 10 minutes).
• A frost-covered locket (With an image of the mayor and a woman not recognized).

Tracking the Dragonkin

"Following the footprints, the journey leads up a frozen mountain path. The storm grows worse with each step, wind howling through the jagged cliffs. The path is treacherous, ice-coated rocks shifting underfoot. At the peak, nestled against the rock face, is what appears to be a simple alcove, barely large enough to step into. The ground within the alcove and the surface of the walls is highly reflective, but something is off—the reflections are slightly distorted, shifting in unnatural ways. The cold here is biting, and standing too close causes a thin layer of frost to form on weapons and armor."   Alcove Puzzle The ice walls are strong and will resist any attempts at breaking. Players must discover that applying heat reveals a hidden portcullis. The ice is not a physical barrier but rather an illusionary seal woven into the frozen wall.   1 - The Shifting Reflection

• When players stand before the ice, their reflections appear slightly off—their movements lag slightly or distort unnaturally.
• DC 12 Perception – A player notices that when their breath touches the ice, their reflection distorts more dramatically before settling back into place.
• DC 14 Investigation – The ice itself does not change, but the way the reflections move shifts subtly with warmth.
• DC 14 Arcana - The ice is not solid, it is illusory and likely reacts to some other effect.

2 - Revealing the Hidden Doorway

• Applying heat (such as a torch, lantern, or fire spell) near the ice warps the reflection more drastically.
• The more consistent the heat source, the more the image shifts. Holding it steady in one spot causes a ripple in a certain spot of the reflection, even though nothing changes on the ice itself.
• Holding a heat source over the spot that ripples for 5 seconds will reveal the interior of the cave, and although the ice itself, nor the ripple disappears, a player can walk through and gain entry into the cave.

 

Crystalline Caverns

"The air is unnaturally still and frigid within the cavern, the walls shimmering like cut diamonds, and every breath sends mist curling through the dim, scattered light. A steady drip… drip… drip echoes endlessly, twisting and warping as it bounces through the frozen tunnels."   R1 - Antechamber - "The antechamber is a small room with an archway leading deeper into the cavern. The footprints on the ground imply this has been a high traffic area at one time or another and give the room the appearance of a gathering spot, whether it be a guard post, a rest spot or a transitionary spot for those coming and going."   Details:

• This room contains signs of recent foot traffic similar to the signs found in the cemetery.
• Examining the room or the footprints (DC 15 Investigation) reveals similar markings to those found at the cemetery, moving deeper into the cavern, with purpose

Loot: A hidden alcove (DC 14 Perception) holds a frost-coated chest containing 50 gold, an old dagger, and a worn map of the caverns (not entirely accurate).   R2 - Cracked Passage - "The tunnel narrows here, the once-pristine ice giving way to jagged fractures. Sharp cracks run along the walls, splintering outward like the veins of a frozen river. In places, the ice has broken away, revealing the dark stone beneath."   Details:

• The fractured ice is unstable. Players moving through this area must make a DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) taking 1d6 piercing damage on a fail from the jaggen ice.
• With a DC 16 Perception check, players notice claw marks along the walls, similar to some of the markings around the grave site.

Loot: One patch of ice conceals a small hollow (DC 15 Investigation) with a piece of ornate looking silver protruding slightly, the rest embedded in the ice. Melting or breaking the ice reveals:

• Ring of Spell Storing (1x Second lvl Cure Wounds & 2x First lvl Guiding Bolt)

R3 - The Ice Chasm - "The cavern splits here, a deep chasm cutting through the icy tunnel. The far side is too distant to jump across, and the jagged ice lining the edges offers no secure purchase for rope or tools. Along one side is a narrow, ice-covered ledge that runs along the cavern wall, barely wide enough for a single footstep at a time. Below, darkness yawns, the faint glimmer of frozen rock far beneath you, with the exception of a small, icey platform 20ft beneath the icy ledge."   Details: Players must make their way across the ledge, in order to get to the other side DC 16 Dexterity check to safely navigate the slippery surface. Failure will result in a player falling 20ft to the platform below and taking 2d6 Bludgeoning damage from the fall, and will require them and the party to work together to get back up to the main ledge.   Additional checks which could reduce the DC by 2 include:

• Wisdom (Perception) DC 15 to find the safest footholds before moving forward, granting advantage on the next check.
• Intelligence (Investigation) DC 15 to identify weaker ice patches ahead of time, avoiding them.

Climbing out of the Chasm

• A player may attempt to climb back up to the ledge with a DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check (DC 14 if they have any assistive gear ie...Rope, Pitons, pickaxe etc...)

  R4 - The Windswept Cavern - "A powerful, ceaseless wind howls through this chamber, sweeping in from an unseen crack high in the ceiling. Snow drifts swirl through the air, reducing visibility and coating the floor in a thin layer of frost. Along the far edge of the room stands several stalagmites, formed from the blasting snow drifts. The howling gusts push and pull you with every step you take through the treacherous cavern."     Environmental Hazard: Hidden Ice Pit: "As the party advances, the brittle ice beneath their feet suddenly gives way beneath one random player."

• That player must succeed on a dexterity saving throw, or their leg falls through the ice, jagged fragments cutting and digging into their leg as it does. The players takes 1d6 Slashing damage and 1d6 cold damage.
• The player may attempt to free their leg with a DC 15 Strenght check, but will take an additional 1d6 Slashing damage from the ice imbedded in their leg.
• Players may chip away at the ice around the leg to negate the check and the additional damage.

R5 - The Receiving Hall - "Four towering, ice-carved pillars stand symmetrically in the center of the room, their once-ornate details now softened by frost. The walls, smoother than the caverns before, suggest this was once a place of importance—a receiving hall, perhaps. At the far end stands a doorway of breathtaking craftsmanship, a frozen monolith of shimmering crystal-blue ice."   This room is the final room before the throne room. The doorway into the throne room unlocked, and opens slowly with a heavy push.   R6 - The Throne Room - "The air is deathly still as you step into the vast chamber. Frost-rimed pillars line either side of the room, their jagged surfaces catching the dim light and casting fractured reflections across the icy floor. At the far end of the hall, a grand pedestal rises, atop which sits a frozen throne—its surface sculpted from pure ice, intricate, curling patterns evoking the form of draconic wings extending outward. At the base of the throne, a body lies still—an elder woman, wrapped in simple, tattered robes. Surrounding her are four white-scaled dragonborn, their expressions a mix of reverence and sorrow. One, kneeling closest to the body, appears focused on a task, seeminlg preparing the body, while the others turn sharply to face you, hands instinctively moving to their weapons as they take up a defensive posture. One takes a step forward and says "If you have come for our queens horde, turn back now, for just as her life is no more, so to is it.""   The Dragonkin: If you are using Loot Studios miniatures, there will be 2x Draconian Slayers and 2x Draconians Terrors. If you are not using Loot Studios miniatures, use 1x Draconian Mastermind and 3x Draconian Dreadnoughts

• The four white dragonkin are devout, would-be followers of Thalycritia, the ancient white dragon who lived here in secret.
• They have been seeking her out, hoping to swear themselves into her service, but when they finally tracked her to this lair, she was absent.
• Their search led them to the discovery of her death in the village. They waited for the townspeople to bury her before retrieving her remains.
• They are currently performing a ritual of mourning, a sacred rite among their kind, in preparation for laying her to rest within her rightful domain.

Roleplaying the Dragonkin:

• They will not attack first but are immediately wary of the party’s presence.
• If the party expresses curiosity, they will reluctantly explain their purpose, though they remain guarded.
• If the party mentions anything about what is happening in the village, or of Darion, they will become intrigued.
• They will become very defensive at any insults toward Thalycritia.
• If the party remains friendly with them, they will tell the party tales of dragons passing on their essence to a mortal before their death, and being reborn through them, and entertain the idea that Thalycritia may have done so with Darion.

Potential Outcomes:

• If the party is respectful and diplomatic → The dragonkin will ask to accompany the party back to the village to investigate the storm.
• If the party becomes aggressive or hostile → The dragonkin will defend themselves fiercely, or attack, if they feel threatened.

Return to Shadeyvale

  Upon exiting the cavern - "As you step out of the crystalline caverns and onto the mountainside, the world beyond is no longer the frozen tempest you fought against before. The howling winds have died down to a hushed whisper, and the sky, once obscured by furious storm clouds, now stretches vast and open, tinged in pale blues and grays. Snow still falls, but gently now—soft flakes drifting lazily from above, blanketing the landscape in quiet stillness. The storm’s fury has passed, leaving behind an eerie sense of calm."   Upon nearing the town - "As you make your way down the mountain, the aftermath of something terrible becomes evident. At first, the damage is subtle—fallen trees, broken fences, and patches of ice spreading unnaturally across the landscape. But as you draw closer to town, the destruction grows more severe. Structures are torn apart, massive claw marks gouged into wood and stone, and the snow is packed down in great sweeping patterns, as if something enormous had moved through. By the time you reach the village, the full scale of the devastation is clear. Buildings lie in ruin, their remains encased in thick layers of frost. The streets are eerily silent, littered with bodies frozen in their final, desperate moments—villagers locked in place mid-run, hands outstretched, their faces twisted in fear. Whatever did this was not merely passing through. It was wrathful, and it left nothing behind but ice and death."   As the party enters town, they will find an Adult White Dragon, Thalycritia standing in the towns center.

• If the party did not allow the Dragonkin to accompany them, they will be kneeling before Thalycritia, swearing fealty to her.
• If the Dragonkin are accompanying the party, then They will immediately run toward her and drop to their knees, and begin swearing fealty to her.

Thalycritia will then order them to aid her in dispatching the party