Spire of Icy Death
▶ Run in Live DMMini-Dungeon: Ice Spire · p.1 · dark-forest
Open source p.1Spire of Icy Death
A band of hyenafolk brigands, led by a crazed chieftain, Flind Scarbrand, fled into an abandoned watchtower high in the Whitepeaks after stealing the relic Moonsilver Falchion and other treasures from a remote abbey. But the tower is cursed; no natural light may penetrate its walls, and in its supernatural darkness, a winter wraith has emerged from the tower’s frozen heart.
The wraith has slaughtered many of the brigands, and four of the hyenafolk have been transformed into white shades, undead that kill with a freezing touch. The surviving hyenafolk, half- mad from the cold and darkness, cling to the upper floors, desperate to find a way out.
Winter Wraith Use wraith stats but
replace Life Drain with Frozen Touch. Frozen Touch: STR damage and immobilized for 1 round. If STR drops to 0 the wraith can raise as a white shadow the next round.
White Shadow Use shadow stats
but replace Drain with Frost. Frost: damage and move half speed for rounds.
Chief Scarbrand Use hyenafolk stats,
but HP 23, AC 17 (arapai scale + helm), ATK ( moonsilver falchion). S , D , C , I , W , Ch , LV 5
Random Encounters
Encounter
1 hyenafolk
2 white shadows
3 1 milgareth (chief’s pet)
4 Primal, Talon
5 Ice Fall - DC 12 DEX or damage
6 Cold Spot - DC 12 CON or lose STR
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1.
map by Dyson Logos www.dysonlogos.com
Dungeon Info
- Stairs - Spiral. 5 ft wide x 7 ft in height. Slick with ice. DC12 DEX every round climbing or fall 10 ft back for damage.
- Chambers - are 15ft in height unless noted otherwise.
- Walls - Carved from natural limestone. Slick with ice.
- Doors - stone with frozen hinges. DC 12 STR to open.
- Ice and frosty rime cover every surface.
- Darkness - no natural light can penetrate into the tower, and all the creatures therein are dark-adapted.
A Dark Forest one-shot
4th - 5th level dungeon by John Clark
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No extracted maps for this adventure — the map is in the source book: Open source p.1
Rooms (13)
1 Entry & Courtyard p.1
1. Entry & Courtyard.
A tall stone arch in the 20ft outer wall opens to a wide courtyard. Ice covers statues, trees and the path leading to the massive doors at the base of the tower. The air is deathly still here. Door: The great door will open smoothly when entering. A DC 18 STR check is required to open from the inside. Trap: The courtyard feels oppressively cold, and every hour spent there will sap strength (without magical protection from cold). Strength is restored after a full rest out of the courtyard.
2 Reception Hall p.1
2. Reception Hall.
The door will close behind the last party member to enter, sealing them in total darkness. Light reveals a great, frozen hall with mirror-like ice on walls, floor and ceiling. A spiral staircase leads up. Encounter: 2 Primal, Talons have taken up residence here to prevent anyone from leaving the tower. They will not harass the PCs unless they try to open the main door again. Treasure: 4 hyenafolk skeletons lay strewn up on the floor. Each have gp and jewels worth gp.
3 Study Chamber p.1
3. Study Chamber.
The chamber has a desk and bookshelves, frozen and crusted with rime. Encounter: 2 hyenafolk stand guard here, trying to keep warm in the pitch blackness. Sounds of combat here will draw the hyenafolk from Area 4 after 2 rounds and from Area 5 after 3 rounds. Treasure: Hyenafolk have 25 gp each. 1 hour chipping the ice from books and scrolls reveals a Scroll of Eruption.
10 Storage Room p.2
10. Storage Room.
The door to this small ransacked storage room is locked, the surviving hyenafolk chief, Flind Scarberand, has locked himself here to escape the winter wraith. Encounter: Opening the door reveals the chieftain, who will attempt to flee or bargain for safety. Treasure: Flind wears arapia scale armor and the Moonsilver Falchion. He will not part with either willingly.
11 Trapped Primal, Talons p.2
11. Trapped Primal, Talons.
Another ice dragon statue stands erect in the south of this room. Its eyes glitter with a strange light. Encounter: The wraith has trapped 2 talons inside the hollow statue. A search reveals a hole in the back sealed with ice, breaking this sea or destroying the statue frees the talons to attack. Treasure: The statues’ eyes are unpolished sapphires, 150gp each.
12 Smashed Laboratory p.2
12. Smashed Laboratory.
Now all the equipment is smashed and locked in frozen rime. Encounter: 2 white shadows hover here and attack the living. Treasure: A locked iron chest contains a Healer’s Salve and a Ring of the Forest. Trap: The chest has a poison needle (DC 15 DEX or drop to 0hp and start death timer. The needle resets).
13 Winter Wraith p.2
13. Winter Wraith.
The tower top is a frozen pinnacle with no light penetrating the sheets of ice covering the huge open-air arches. Encounter: The winter wraith awaits challengers here, eager to create more shadow servants.
4 Scriptorium p.2
4. Scriptorium.
Once a place of learning and scribing of scrolls, now frozen and dark as death. Encounter: 2 hyenafolk are here chipping away at the ice trying to find anything to help them escape. Treasure: Hyenafolk have 12 gp each. Scroll: Two more hour of chipping and searching reveals a scroll that shows a ritual to lift the curse on the tower, but requires vanquishing the wraith first.
5 Hyenafolk Hideout p.2
5. Hyenafolk Hideout.
Firelight from burning furniture in a brassiere warms this smokey room. Bedrolls and scattered belonging litter the edges. Encounter: 4 hyenafolk are staying warm beside the fire, weapons at hand. Trap: A tripwire across the stairs door drops a net. DC 15 DEX or trapped for rounds. Treasure: Each has gp and gems worth gp
6 Chief’s Chamber p.2
6. Chief’s Chamber.
This elongated chamber has been claimed by the chief and his mate, another small fire burns in a brazier. Encounter: The chief is not here, but (unknown to all) his mate has recently been killed and transformed into a white shadow. It is hiding in a sleeping pallet under blankets. Treasure: The mate’s belongings are strewn on the floor. 32 gp and a jeweled dagger (120 gp), shortbow, 12 arrows, and studded fiber armor.
7 Chief’s Stash p.2
7. Chief’s Stash.
This small, frosted chamber was formerly a private study, now ransacked and frozen over. Encounter: 2 white shadows are lurking here and will attack the living. Treasure: The chief’s hoard is hidden under destroyed furniture - a sack with 250gp, gold bracers 75gp, a jeweled necklace 125gp, Concoction of Cleansing Tonic, Concoction of Venom Oil.
8 Cursed Statue p.2
8. Cursed Statue.
This frozen area has been piled with boxes, barrels and crates the hyenafok pillaged through banditry. Most broken open and empty. A large statue of a ice dragon stands in the western half. At the foot of the statue two crumpled and frozen hyenafolk lay dead, they are wights awaiting the touch of a living creature. Encounter: If touched, the 2 wights leap up and attack. Curse: If the statue is touched the dragon will belch out a frost breath (DC 15 CON or damage to all within close). Treasure: A cask of Greystones elderberry cordial (50 gp) and 2 torches.
9 Shattered Library p.2
9. Shattered Library.
Frozen and shattered shelves clutter the icy floor. The books that once were here are now long gone. Only one bookshelf remains intact with books (a mimic), against the south wall. Encounter: The mimic will attack anyone who approaches. Treasure: Within the mimic is a Bag of Holding completely filled with arrows.