Post up your entries for the contest here. Feel free to ask questions about the contest, give feedback, and talk about people's ideas. As always keep it supportive, constructive and clean.

Submission: "How the Gish Stole Crunchmas"


Background

A few years ago, around the winter time, a particularly mean-spirited Githyanki Gish crashed his Astral Skiff and landed on the material plane near the halfling village of Huvil.

The halflings of Huvil celebrate a holiday called Crunchmas, where traditionally they give each other magic items they have scrounged throughout the year and feast upon various crunchy delicacies. Unfortunately, the Gish has put a stop to this by making his own tradition of coming down toHuvil every year and stealing all the presents and food on Cruchmas Eve. He is breaking down the magic items to repair his skiff, and feeding the crunchy foods to his trained owlbear Max.

The PCs arrived in Huvil after the latest theft, and were told by the mayor:

"He came from a rift,
and stole all the gifts!
He nabbed all our rings,
ate all our wings,
made his sword sing
and now we lack things!"

The PCs ascend Mount Crunchit, where the telltale tracks of the Gish's grounded skiff lead them to the Gish's lair to confront him.  

Setup 

Githyanki Gish That Stole Crunchmas (G)
Max, Winterclaw Owlbear (M)
Crunchmas Tree (C)  

As they enter the cavern, read the following description out loud:

The Gish's cavern is mightily cold,
and in the corner are gifts just as you were told.
On the walls, you find no stockings hung with care,
just the green-skinned villain and his trusted Owlbear.
The Gish draws his sword from his cloak of red,
"Merry Crunchmas to all, you will all wind up dead."
Now you can stop the enemy of festive,
Pick up your dice, and roll initiative! 

See the attachments for the map and monster stats.

Tactics 

The Gish uses his teleport abilities to lure the melee characters out onto the ice, and then teleports away and uses a force bolt to try to break the ice under them, while maneuvering towards any weaker characters to use his sword attacks. Max fights separately from the Gish, trying to keep the party separated. The Crunchmas Tree stays back near the presents unless it absolutely must move. 

Features of the Area

Presents: The pile of presents, food and decorations is difficult terrain, and stepping on them will probably make a halfling child sad later.

Ice Ponds: The icy sections count as difficult terrain, but can be moved through at full speed with an Acrobatics check (DC 25). On a failure, the PC falls prone.

The ice can also be attacked. Each square has AC 12, Ref 12, Fort 12, and 12 hit points. Anyone standing on or moving into a square of broken ice can make a saving throw. On a success, the creature falls prone on any square adjacent to it. On a failure, the creature falls in to the icy pond and takes ongoing 10 cold damage as long as it remains in the pond. A move action and a DC 25 Athletics check is required to pull up from the icy pond into an adjacent intact square.

The Gish's Sled: The sled is a remnant of the Gish's Astral Skiff, and continually hovers just above the ground. It is initially located in the pile of presents in the corner. One medium creature can ride it by spending a move action to get on. While on, the rider ignores all difficult terrain and broken icy pond squares. When pulled by another creature, the Skiff can also carry the entire bag of presents. The halflings of Huvil insist on taking the Sled afterward, because it's fun to ride on. 

Conclusion 

When the Gish is defeated, the sound of singing rises up from the village of Huvil. The Gish's heart grows two sizes, which unfortunately, is a serious medical condition. If Max or the Tree are still alive, they give up fighting to attend to the dying Githyanki, who finally realizes the true meaning of Crunchmas.

If the PCs offer to help him, they return to the town, where the Gish recovers enough to help carve the roast beast (the party receives no XP for the roast beast.) The Gish offers his personal belongings to the party in the spirit of Crunchmas.

If they finish off the Gish, the denizens of Huvil are grateful, and offer some of the ill-gotten goods recovered from the Gish's hoard.

The hoard contains: bad banana with greasy black peel, a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole, teeth of a seasick crocodile, and a 17th level magic item of the DM's choice.  



 

 

 

Don't Touch That! A Winter Solstice Tale 

By Philippe-Antoine (ChattyDM) Menard
 

Background: Somewhere deep in the reaches of the realms of the  Fey of the Winter Court lies a dark-hearted Fey Lord that builds horrifying, murderous toys all year round in an automated factory. Once a year, during the Winter Solstice, the factory transports itself to the Northern Kingdoms of the prime world for 2 nights.  During that time, the Blood-Red Spirit releases its clockwork contraptions on the kingdoms' children in retaliation for some long forgotten slight to the Winter Court.

This year, the human kingdoms are fighting back!

The Winter Fey's Workshop
Encounter Level 18 (11 000 XP)

Setup:
The characters enter the strange otherworldly factory strangely unopposed. They soon understand why.

When you enter the out-of-place cottage, you are assaulted by the cacophony caused by a room full of machines made of wide, circulating looped leather belts, hellish furnaces, alien humanoid constructs and other stranger things.

Standing near the machinery is a large red and white clad humanoid grumbling hostilities in Elven. Further back in the room, centauric  men armed with longbows and wearing antlers take position.  Something...mechanical seems to be moving in the large red sleigh resting at the end of the noisy contraption.

As the PCs move forward, they hear the large Fey utter a deep, sinister chuckle "Whatever you do, don't touch anything!"

The PCs set up at the southern entry of the factory.

1 Kris Crimson, Fey Lord of the Winter Solstice (K)
2 Reintaur Hunters (R)
8 Throwaway Manakins (T) (start in sleigh, 2 activate arrive each round)

Tactics:
Kris Crimson tries to maintain cover while trying to force hapless adventurers into the factory line with its Force Movement inducing Powers and use a one of the control panels to inflict as much damage as possible. The Reintaurs stay in the back half of the chamber, using Charge Arrows to push approaching PCs back into the machinery.

The Throwaway Manakins will charge the PCs to grab them and, predictably, throw them into the machine.  If any PCs get caught in the Wrapper, a Manakin positions  itself so it can grab an immobilized character and throw it into the nearest furnace.








A larger battlemap can be found here.

Features of the Area:
Illumination: The Furnaces provide dim illumination throughout the complex and bright illumination inside them (ha ha).

Ceiling: The Ceiling is 20' high.

Control Panels:  Controls the factory line (see below). As a standard action, an adjacent character choses one: trigger Crushers , Trigger Riveting stations, fire all Furnace Blasts. As a minor action, an adjacent character choses one:  activate all conveyor belts or reverse direction of all conveyor belts.

The panels can be targeted (AC and Fort 20, 50 hp). Whenever a panel takes damage , a random trap triggers. If both panels are destroyed, the whole factory ceases functioning.

The factory Line: The apparatus is made of a series of elements described as 7 traps.  Note that whenever a trap activates, all traps of the same name activate.

Conveyor Belt
Level 14 Obstacle
Trap  XP 600
A long, wide loop of leather wrapped around a series of iron rollers. It turns rapidly, making a series of high-pitched squeaks.

Trap: A conveyor belt whose running speed make it hard to remain standing on.

Perception
DC 28: The leather loop is poorly stitched in only one place (+2 bonus to thievery check)

Trigger
The trap triggers on an initiative count of 25 and 15.

Alternative Trigger: Whenever a creature enters or starts its turn in a conveyor belt square, it must make a saving throw or fall prone.

Attack
Standard Action
Attack: +17 vs Reflex
Target: Any creature standing on a conveyor belt
Hit: Target slides 3 onto adjacent conveyor belt squares in the direction the belts are currently going.

Countermeasure
As a standard action, an adjacent character can disable the belt by jamming the rollers of cutting the stitches of the belt by rolling a DC 28 Thievery check.  Note that there are many belts on the map, disabling one had no effect on others.

Soul Furnace
Level 14 Blaster
Trap   XP 1000
A gigantic furnace of glowing red iron, its openings  are shaped like screaming gargoyles.  Its bellow sounds like multiple voices screaming in pain.

Trap: A high-temperature furnace made to melt metal.

Perception
DC 5: Yup, you sure don't wanna go in there.

Trigger
Whenever a creature enters or starts its turn inside a furnace square (including on a conveyor belt)

Attack
Opportunity Action
Target: All creatures inside a Soul Furnace space
Attack: +17 vs Fortitude
Hit: 3d6+6 Fire and Necrotic Damage
Miss: Half-Damage

Countermeasure
As a Standard action, a character can make a DC 28 athletics check to force a furnace door close. In doing so, the PC gets attacked by the trap for 1/2 damage.

Soul Furnace Blasts
Level 14 Blaster
Trap    XP 1000
Like the screeching sounds of hundreds of people burning, a bellowing gout of flame  explodes out of of the furnace.

Trap:  A 3X3 blast of necrotic fire pours out of all opened  furnace doors

Perception
DC 23: The bellows cycle last approximately 1 round.

Trigger
The trap triggers on an initiative count of 20 (from all open doors on each furnace). It can also be triggered by the control panel (See 'features of the  area')

Attack
Standard Action • Blast 3 (according  to templates found on map)
Attack: +17 vs Reflex
Target: All creatures inside the blast areas.
Hit: 1d10+6 fire and necrotic, and the target gains ongoing necrotic  damage 10 (Save ends)
Miss: 1/2 damage and no ongoing damage

Countermeasure
As a Standard action, a character can make a DC 28 athletics check to force a furnace door closed. In doing so, the PC gets attacked, as a free action, by the soul furnace for 1/2 damage (See Soul Furnace trap description).

Crushers
Level 14 Blaster
Trap    XP 1000
A pair of iron plaques, like a gigantic plaster mold, clamps periodically over the rapidly circulating leather loops.

Trap:  Huge iron plates crush unlucky PCs

Perception
DC 23: The plates  crush together roughly once per round.

Trigger
The trap triggers on initiative count of 10.

Attack
Standard Action•Melee
Attack: +17 vs Reflex
Target: All creatures found in a crusher space while on a conveyor belt.
Hit: 2d8+6 and target is knocked prone
Miss: Target is knocked prone

Countermeasures
As a move action, an adjacent character may make a DC 23 athletics check to climb on a crusher to access its control mechanism.

As a standard action, a character climbing on a crusher can disable the mechanism with a DC 28 thievery check.

Riveting Station
Level 14 Blaster
Trap    XP 1000
Four humanoid constructs, armed with strange crossbow-like weapons periodically activate to shoot red-hot rivets on each other.

Trap: Two pairs of constructs shoot rivets into whatever happens to pass on the conveyor belt, damaging and slowing down victims.

Perception
DC 23: The constructs activate roughly once per round

Trigger
The trap triggers on an initiative count of 5.

Attack
Standard Action•Melee
Attack: +17 vs Reflex
Hit: 2d8+6 damage and target is slowed (Save Ends)

Countermeasure
A DC 23 Perception check (Minor Action) reveals an access panel. Once found, as a Standard action, the riveting station can be disabled with a DC 28 thievery check

The constructs can be attacked (AC  and Fort 20, 50 hp). Bringing it to 0 hp disables this Riveting station. 

The Wrapper!
Level 14 Obstacle
Trap     XP 600
This huge iron box makes strange clicking noises... you don't want top know what goes on in there.

Trap:  Creatures come in, and wrapped gifts come out, with a nice blood-red bow ribbon.

Perception
DC 5: Yeah, don't go in there either.
DC 20: Seriously, stay away!

Trigger
Whenever a creature enters or starts its turn inside the wrapper.

Attack
Standard Action•Melee
Attack: +17 vs Fortitude
Target: All creatures inside the wrapper.
Hit: Target is immobilized and wears a red ribbon* (Save ends both)
Miss: (Evil DM version) Target wears a red ribbon (Save ends)

*Wearing a red ribbon as no mechanical effect, but I'm sure players would not be caught dead wearing one.

Countermeasure
A DC 23 Perception check (Minor Action) reveals an access panel.  Once found, as a Standard action, the wrapper can be disabled with a DC 28 thievery check
 

Conclusion
Searching Crimson's Sleigh reveals no presents except a huge bag of coal.  Sifting through the bag reveals several diamonds worth 14 000 gp hidden inside the coal rocks.  

 

Why exactly is this contest limited to residents of the US and Canada?

If D&D is to be a global game, contests should be open to everyone. It's not like the extra cost of shipping a book or two is any great imposition...

PS. Nice work Dave and Chatty. Didn't mean to steal your thunder but wanted to speak up rather than sulking at my computer

Dec 17, 2009 -- 3:42PM, Colmarr wrote:

Why exactly is this contest limited to residents of the US and Canada?

If D&D is to be a global game, contests should be open to everyone. It's not like the extra cost of shipping a book or two is any great imposition...

PS. Nice work Dave and Chatty. Didn't mean to steal your thunder but wanted to speak up rather than sulking at my computer

Purely a legal thing this time around Colmarr. I put this together pretty quickly and from what I understand there are different legal issues with contests in different countries. Our legal team worked with me to get this out and make sure we dotted all the i's and crossed the t's as far as the US and Canada are concerned, but we weren't able to address all the details that might be pertinent to other areas of the world.
 
I'm hopeful that we can make events like this one world-wide in the future, but it just didn't come together that way this time.

Dec 17, 2009 -- 3:57PM, WotC_Trevor wrote:

I'm hopeful that we can make events like this one world-wide in the future, but it just didn't come together that way this time.

Thanks for the speedy reply and promising response. Customer service doesn't get much better.

Best of luck with the contest then!

A not so merry Xmas

 

Encounter Level Difficulty: Standard (7500)

5 PCs

Party Level 15

 

Setup

Urlbog has for a long time been hunted by the town’s folk. They have been Unsuccessful so far but she has lost her two children to hunters in the past five years.  So when ever she can she attacks anyone coming and going from the village trying to acquire supplies to one day destroy the village. On this day she attacked a caravan that seemed like any other. Save for the very important cargo a magical hat being transported to Sage Salios of the North. Once Urlbog returned to her cave to look over her loot she know something was strange about the hat. With some time she was able to surmise its properties and master its control. She now has the power to destroy the village

            It is snowing heavily when Urlbog enters the village. The heavy snow will make movement hard for the adventures. As the adventures exit the tavern and meet the first of Urlbos creatures it location is the crossroads of the two main streets going through town.

This encounter includes the following:

2 Frozen Racer     Level 11 Skirmisher Medium elemental magical beast (water)     XP 150 each

2 Ice Gargoyle     Level 12 Lurker Medium elemental humanoid (cold)     XP 700 each

2 Chillfire Destroyer     Level 14 Brute Large elemental magical beast (fire)     XP 1000 each

1 Urlbog of the Wastes, Frost Giant Ice Shaper     Level 19 Leader Large elemental humanoid (giant)     XP 2400

2 Frostfell Harrower     Level 20 Skirmisher Medium elemental magical beast (cold)     XP 700 each

Tactics

Using that hat Urlbog has conjured several creatures to be her army.  In the front the frozen racers and the Frostfell Harrowers attack any who fall in there path. The ice gargoyles fly above the group scouting ahead for danger. The Chillfire Destroyers are at Urlbog side waiting for any real threats.

            Once the adventurers confront any of the monsters the Frozen racers and Frotfell Harrowers try to box the adventures in. Allowing the Ice Gargoyles to do fly by attacks and the Chillefire Destroyers will use there trample is it appears the adventures are getting the upper hand following with freezing slams.

            Urlbog fist uses Ice wall to assist in boxing in the adventures followed by its freezing bolts. She will only go in to melee combat as a last resort and only is she feels she can win, first casting ice armor then using her freezing flail. If things take a turn for the worst she will leave her creature to cover her escape.

Urlbog of the Wastes, Frost Giant Ice Shaper Large elemental humanoid (cold, giant) Level 19 Controller (Leader) XP 2400

Initiative +12 Senses Perception +16 HP 182; Bloodied 91 AC 32; Fortitude 32, Reflex 29, Will 33 Resist 15 cold Speed 8 (ice walk)

Freezing Flail (standard, at-will) Cold, Weapon Reach 2; +24 vs AC; 2d12+4 cold damage.

Freezing Bolt (standard, at-will) Cold Ranged 20; +22 vs Reflex; 2d12+4 cold damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).

Ice Slide (minor 1/round, at-will)  Ranged 10; +22 vs Fortitude; the frost giant ice shaper slides the target 3 squares.

Wall of Frost (standard, recharge ) Cold, Conjuration Area wall 12 within 10; the frost giant ice shaper conjures a wall of swirling snow that lasts until the end of the ice shaper’s next turn. The wall is 6 squares high and blocks line of sight. The wall’s space is lightly obscured and is difficult terrain. A creature that starts its turn adjacent to the wall takes 5 cold damage, and a creature that enters a square of the wall or starts its turn there takes 15 cold damage. Sustain Minor: The wall persists..

Ice Armor (standard; recharge ) One ally within 10 squares of the frost giant ice shaper gains resist 10 to all damage until the end of the ice shaper’s next turn.

Icebound Footing When an effect pulls, pushes, or slides a frost giant ice shaper, the ice shaper moves 2 squares less than the effect specifies. Also, an ice shaper can make a saving throw to avoid being knocked prone.

Alignment EvilLanguages Giant, Primordial Skills Arcana +14, Heal +21, Intimidate +20
Str21(+14)Dex16(+12)Wis25(+16)Con22(+15)Int10(+9)Cha22(+15)Equipment:chainmail , flail .

Chillfire Destroyer Large elemental magical beast (cold, fire) Level 14 Brute XP 1000

Initiative +12 Senses Perception +12 Leaking Firecore (Fire) aura 2; while the chillfire destroyer is bloodied, each creature that starts its turn within the aura takes 10 fire damage.
HP 173; Bloodied 86 AC 26; Fortitude 26, Reflex 25, Will 25 Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 cold, 10 fire Speed 5

Freezing Slam (standard, at-will) Cold Reach 2; +17 vs AC; 1d12+6 damage plus 1d12 cold damage.

Trample (standard, at-will) Cold The chillfire destroyer moves its speed and can move through enemies’ spaces. The destroyer makes an attack; +15 vs Reflex; 1d10+6 damage plus 1d10 cold damage, and the target is knocked prone.

Icecore Breach (when the chillfire destroyer drops to 0 hit points) cold The destroyer does not die until the start of its next turn. Until then, the destroyer can take no actions. At the start of the destroyer’s next turn, it makes an attack: close burst 3; +15 vs Reflex; 4d10+6 fire damage.

Alignment Unaligned Languages Primordial Str 16 (+10)Dex 20 (+12)Wis 20 (+12)Con 23 (+13)Int 5 (+4)Cha 12 (+8)

Frostfell Harrower Medium elemental magical beast (cold) Level 20 Minion XP 700

Initiative +19 Senses Perception +14 Frostfield aura 1; each enemy within the aura takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls. HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 34; Fortitude 32, Reflex 34, Will 31 Immune disease, poison Speed 5, fly 8 (hover)

Ice Claw (standard, at-will) Cold +23 vs Fortitude; 15 cold damage.

Ice Slide (immediate reaction, when a melee attack misses the frostfell harrower; at-will) Cold The attacker takes 7 cold damage and slides 3 squares.

Alignment Unaligned Languages Primordial Str 16 (+13)Dex 24 (+17)Wis 19 (+14)Con 21 (+15)Int 10 (+10)Cha 6 (+8)

Frozen Racer Medium elemental magical beast (cold, water) Level 11 Minion XP 150

Initiative +15 Senses Perception +6 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 24; Fortitude 22, Reflex 25, Will 22 Speed 6

Frosty Bite (standard, at-will) Cold The frozen racer can shift its speed before making this attack; +16 vs AC; 7 cold damage.

Frozen Destruction (free, when reduced to 0 hp, encounter) Cold Close burst 1; each non-elemental creature in the burst takes 8 cold damage.

Alignment Unaligned Languages - Str 12 (+6)Dex 27 (+13)Wis 12 (+6) Con 12 (+6)Int 18 (+9)Cha 12 (+6)

Ice Gargoyle Medium elemental humanoid (cold) Level 12 Lurker XP 700

Initiative +14 Senses Perception +15; darkvision HP 96; Bloodied 48 AC 26; Fortitude 25, Reflex 23, Will 23 Immune slow; Resist 15 cold; Vulnerable fire (the ice gargoyle is dazed until the end of the attacker’s next turn) Speed 6, fly 8

Claw (standard, at-will) Cold +17 vs AC; 1d6+5 damage plus 1d6+4 cold damage.

Flyby Grab (standard, recharges after using ice prison)  The ice gargoyle flies 8 squares and makes a melee basic attack at the end of that movement. If the attack hits, the target is grabbed. The ice gargoyle can try to move the grabbed target as part of its next move action. If it succeeds, it can move or fly at full speed, pulling the target with it..

Ice Prison (standard; at-will)  The ice gargoyle encases itself and anyone it is grabbing in ice. In this form, the ice gargoyle and any target it is grabbing gain resist 15 all, except against the cold damage dealt by this power. Both can still see their surroundings, but they cannot use other normal senses. A target the ice gargoyle is grabbing is stunned, restrained, and takes ongoing 20 cold damage (save ends all, ending the grab and the ice prison). Aftereffect: The target is slowed until the end of the ice gargoyle’s next turn. Each time a target the ice gargoyle is grabbing takes the ongoing cold damage, the ice gargoyle regains 5 hit points. The ice gargoyle can take no actions in the ice prison, other than to end the effect (a minor action). If the gargoyle takes damage in this form, the ice prison is broken, freeing the grabbed target and ending the grab.

Alignment Evil Languages Primordial Skills Stealth +18 Str 24 (+13)Dex 23 (+12)Wis 10 (+6)Con 20 (+11)Int 5 (+3)Cha 17 (+9)

 

 

 

Submission: Bardolph the Red-Nosed Lackey

Background

The knight, Sir Falstaff, has been charged by the King this year to bring the Prince’s toys and presents for the Midwinter Revels.  He set off for the King’s Winter Castle with the gifts, accompanied by his porter and servant, Bardolph the Dwarf. 

Bardolph is a strong but cowardly knave, who is overly fond of drinking – even for a dwarf.  ‘Twas he carried the sack of treasures for Sir Falstaff as they made their way through the King’s lands.

Pursuing the pair was another of the King’s knights, Ivan Cornelias along with his trusty wolfhounds.  Sir Ivan is the rival of Falstaff at court, and has a rather dark reputation.  The dark knight would like nothing better than to discredit Falstaff with the King, and he may now have his chance.

During a sudden snowstorm, the befuddled Bardolph got separated from Sir Falstaff, and got lost in the snowy wilderness along with the young heir’s presents.  Sir Ivan now has his chance to steal the Prince’s toys and deliver them to the King himself.  And worse still, Bardolph is now being stalked by a terrible snowbeast, that locals in the area call “The Abominable”.

The party finds Sir Falstaff recovering from cold exposure at the Westmoreland Inn, and he entreats them to assist him.

Hook

Read to the PCs:

“You stop at the Westmoreland Inn, exhausted by your travels through the cold and snowy lands.  After changing clothes, you head to the common room to enjoy a bit of cheer and spirits, feeling in a festive mood only a few days before the Midwinter Revels begin.

Before a fire sits a big bellied gentleman in a scarlet doublet and red leather coat trimmed with white ermin.  He pouts by the fire, sipping his ale, his leg propped on a cushion and wrapped in steaming towels.

With twinkling eye, he sizes you up, and waves you over with a half-hearted smile and says, ‘Merry meeting my friends, Sir Falstaff’s my name.  I think perhaps adventurers you might be.’”

The knight, Sir Falstaff, fears for his servant’s life, but cannot leave the inn due to a flare up of his gout, which makes it impossible to walk.  His primary concern is that his servant may have run afoul of the Abominable – the great snowbeast rumored to hunt the area.  And even more troubling, Falstaff has heard rumors that a knight resembling his rival, Ivan Carnelias, was traveling with his wolfhounds, and asking after a dwarf.  Falstaff offers to reward the heroes handsomely if they save Bardolph and the little Prince’s presents before Sir Ivan can discredit the rotund knight.  He even offers to introduce the characters at Court during the Midwinter Revel!

 

Setup (Level 15 Encounter / XP 6000)

Abominable
Sir Ivan Carnelias
Sir Ivan’s Wolfhounds (Zuss and Alpo)
Bardolph (non-combatant)

The Characters start two rows up from the bottom of the map as designated.

The Abominable will be facing away from the adventurers, stalking the terrified Bardolph, who has climbed to the top of a 20’ ledge to escape the snowbeast.

Ivan Carnelias and his wolfhounds enter the lower right hand of the map during the second round of the combat after The Abominable has been damaged.  Sir Ivan will demand everyone surrender to him, and then move to engage regardless of whether they surrender or not.

Tactics

The Abominable will use his abominable bounce as soon as at least two melee combatants near him, and then as often as it recharges.  The Abominable will not hesitate to engage Sir Ivan and his wolfhounds in the area of the abominable bounce if they are in melee with the Characters when it refreshes.

Sir Ivan will order Zuss to harass a ranged striker or controller, and then wade in on a leader-type by preference, keeping Aplo with him to benefit from dirty tactics.

Area Features

The ledge where Bardolph is is 20’ high and Bardolph will cower at the top until the encounter ends.  It cannot be entered normally, and can be climbed as a standard action by a DC 23 Athletics skill check.

Optional: Small 1x1 or 2x2 areas of the map may be designated as “snow drifts”, which are considered difficult terrain to all, except The Abominable who has ice walk.  These can be scattered about for added difficulty.

Conclusion

Returning back to the Westmoreland Inn, the Characters find Falstaff in much better spirits, his leg feeling better, and somewhat drunk.  He will toast the heroes and insist they tell the entire tale in detail at least two times, congratulating them again and again. 

Falstaff will offer the heroes Sir Ivan’s Bloodthirsty Halberd +4 and one of the Prince’s old toy soldiers.  The toy happens to be solid gold and worth about 4000gp.

The knight and the dwarf claim that they must take their leave now, despite a heavy fog that has begun to settle over the area.  When Bardolph asks if he should carry the treasure again, Falstaff tweaks the dwarf on his ruddy nose, and grabs the treasure bag from him.  Hopping up on his mount, Sir Falstaff tells the dwarf:

“Bardolph with your nose so red, I’d rather you lead my mare instead!”

And with that they set off into the fog for the King’s Winter Castle.  Should the Characters arrive during the week-long revel to be introduced at Court, they will find that Falstaff has already claimed victory over The Abominable and the black-hearted Sir Ivan.  Tales of his battle have spread around town, in great detail – just as the heroes told it to him.

Acknowledgements:   Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964); Henry IV (Shakespeare, 1597); Map by R. Kusiak of Hecubus Press.

The Year Without Cinder Claws

Encounter Level 17   8000XP

Background
The shifter village of Rankinbass has been plagued by the Miser brothers and their miserlings for years. When these giant bullies are bored, usually around the Winter Solstice Festival (or WinSolFest as the locals call it), they like to compete by rolling flaming slushballs down from their mountain cave to see how many village huts they can take out. They would have continued to get away with it too, if it weren't for the interference of the meddling Cinder Claws.  Cinder Claws was a shifter warden who thwarted the attacks from the Miser brothers until one day they kidnapped him.  The local village elders fear that this is the first salvo of a full-on assault of their village.  They've asked your party to rescue Ciinder Claws and defeat the Miser brothers once and for all.

After easily tracking the slushball trails back up the nearby mountain and successfully navigating a skill challenge involving a scary-looking, but surprisingly friendly yeti, your party arrives at the brother's cave.  A DC 13 Perception check from the entrance reveals what sounds like arguing coming from inside the cave.  Steam is wafting out and forming icicles above the entrance.  If the PC's pass a DC 20 Stealth check, they can have a surprise round against the brothers.

This Encounter includes the following:
Heat Miser (H)
2 Heat Miserlings (HM)
Cold Miser (C)
2 Cold Miserlings (CM)

Setup:
As the PCs enter the cave, read them the following:
The cave is unlike any you've ever seen.  You are standing in front of a shimmering magical forcefield that extends from the bubble you are standing in across the cave, dividing it in half.  Steam hisses and pops along the field where it divides the room in half. On the left side of the cave, the air shimmers with heat and is lit red by the glow of a lava pit in the floor of the cave. A fat giant with flaming red hair is near the back of the cave shouting taunts at someone on the other half of the cave. Henchmen that look like smaller versions of this giant are flashing fiery swords at their counterparts. The right half of the cave looks similar, but for the blue glowing icicles and icy slush pit.  Here a thin giant with icicle hair is taunting his brother back and miniature versions of him are brandishing large ice hammers across the steamy field.
Directly opposite the cave from the PCs, the field turns into another bubble that surrounds what appears to be a cage containing the crumpled form of Cinder Claws.

If the PCs have a surprise round, they may take their action, but as soon as the Misers become aware of the PCs, they drop their squabbling and turn to fight the PCs, taunting them whenever possible.

Terrain
Illumination - the cave is brightly lit by the lava pit and the glowing icicles.  The force field wall creates steam where the 2 zones touch, lightly obscuring the opposite side.
Heat Zone - The left side of the cave is hot (the equivalent of 101F) and the PCs must pass one DC 13 Endurance check during their turn after entering that side to avoid a -2 to damage rolls as the heat saps their strength. Creatures with the cold keyword are vulnerable 10 to fire damage in this zone.
Cold Zone - The right side is cold (the equivalent to -10F) and the PCs must pass one DC 13 Endurance check during their turn after entering that side to negate a -2 penalty to Reflex from shivering. Creatures with the fire keyword are vulnerable 10 to cold damage in this zone.
Forcefield - This magical field keeps the Miser brother's respective half of their cave at the proper temperature, but can easily be passed through.  However, the thermal shock from going from one temperature extreme to the other will cause any creature to have to succeed in a DC 25 Endurance check to avoid 2d8+7 damage.  The Misers and their miserlings are vulnerable 15 to this thermal shock damage.  Cold or fire based ranged spells/effects cannot penetrate the field.  The forcefield dissapates when both brothers are reduced to 0 hp and both zones nuetralize each other and no longer have the above effects.
Rimefire Cage - This rimefire steel cage contains the unconscious Cinder Claws. The cage requires 2 successful DC 20 Arcana AND 2 DC 20 Theivery checks to open.  Failures deal 1d10+7 fire and cold damage to the character attempting it. It can be attacked to open it - it has Defenses 20, 100hp, Resist 10 cold, Resist 10 fire - missed melee attacks result in 1d10+7 fire and cold damage. The Miser brothers can open it as a minor action, and it pops open after both of them are reduced to 0hp.
Lava Pool - This is a shallow lava pool that does 10 fire damage to any creature that starts its turn in or enters the pool and each square requires 3 squares of movement to move through for creatures without lava walk.  When a creature without lava walk moves to dry land they are slowed (save ends) from the crusting rock. This effect is negated also by passing through the forcefield.
Slush Pool - This is a shallow slush pool that does 10 cold damage to any creature that starts its turn in or enters the pool and each square requires 3 squares of movement to move through for creatures without ice walk.  When a creature without ice walk moves to dry land they are slowed (save ends) from the ice that forms on them in the cold air.  This effect is negated also by passing through the forcefield.
Upper Ledge - The Misers starting position and the rimefire cage are on a ledge that is 10 feet above the floor below. Climbing up or down requires a DC 13 Athletics check for medium creatures or smaller and requires an extra square of movement for Large or larger creatures.  Falling off the ledge causes 1d10 fall damage.

Tactics
The Misers and their respective miserlings are aware of the terrain effects and will try to use them to their advantage - using forced movement effects to move their enemies into the pools or through the forcefield.  They will preferentially attack anyone trying to free Cinder Claws and prefer to attack at range if they can.  The miserlings will work to protect their respective Miser and will not willingly cross the forcefield.  The Misers prefer to stay on their own side, but will cross the forcefield if they think they have a chance to force PCs back to their side.

Rewards
The PCs receive full XP for the encounter if they manage to free Cinder Claws and escape with him.  He weighs 200 lbs if carried, but if the PCs succeed on a DC 20 Heal check, he can walk out with a speed of 3 if a PC is adjacent to him to lean on.  He of course can be freed and retrieved easily after all the enemies are defeated. The villagers are grateful and invite the PCs to join in their WinSolFest feast, and allow them to keep the platinum-trimmed WinSolFest place setting featuring the likeness of Cinder Claws, worth 120gp (half that after WinSolFest).

Stat Blocks





Map

Isle of the Forlorn

Background:

Tucked away in a snowy corner of the world, the elven town of Northcrest has long celebrated the coming of midwinter with the “Dance of the Sky” festival, named after the brilliantly-colored lights that streak across the sky one night a year. During this night of revelry and dancing, each magical household works together to construct a homunculus, which is then dressed up, paraded around, judged in an annual contest, and kept by children as a reminder of the holiday.

However, not all homunculi are retained as souvenirs. Some were created without the proper skill, turning out repulsive and horrific; others were merely unwanted and discarded after the festival. These forlorn constructs are ferried to Razormoon Isle, a nearby island where an ancient manticore, affectionately called the King of Razormoon, watches over them. But the years of solitude have slowly taken their toll on the manticore, driving him insane. Now, when the lights appear overhead, the King of Razormoon leads an army of forgotten constructs across the ice to Northcrest, terrorizing the town and its inhabitants.

The sky is starting to show the coming lights; the time is near. Desperate to save their town and traditions, Northcrest looks for those brave enough to cross the ice and put an end to the King of Razormoon and his misfit army. All they lack are some willing adventurers.

Hooks:

1) The residents of the town are boarding up their doors and windows, while those outside move quickly from building to building; all the elves constantly throw terrified looks above, where a series of bright, colorful lights are beginning to show in the night sky. Paranoid and afraid, the townsfolk point the PCs to the mayor’s house, where he regales them with the tale and asks them to kill the King of Razormoon.

2) As they make their way toward the island, the PCS encounter two battered and bloody dwarves: Hismey and Radloph. They crossed the ice as a trio of adventurers, and tell a story of an abominable beast guarding the King. The beast pursued them to the edge of the island, but stopped at the ice, unwilling to advance. One of their brothers was left behind, refusing to retreat: an obstinate dwarf named Ukonelius. They want you to search for Ukonelius and bring him back alive, confident that he managed to survive.

Area: Cave of the King

The PCs cross the ice and travel up a snowy path, unimpeded until they reach a large cave entrance. The stone and ice has been carved into pictures of little constructs and homunculi Large, deep footprints of an unknown beast lead inside.

Setup:

1 King of Razormoon (K)
1 Bumbly the Rumbler (B)
4 Mobs of Disfigured Constructs (C)
 
Read this when the PCs enter:

The inside of the cave is enormous and resembles a temple more than a cavern; the rock and ice are carved into beautiful and elaborate images of small constructs worshiping a manticore. The walls contain countless little doors, big enough only for a small animal. The floor is covered with chasms, a large, frozen lake, and monstrous icicles hang from the cave ceiling.

Near the rear of the cave, n ornate throne of ice towers high up to the ceiling, where a large manticore sits. At the base of the throne is an enormous white mass of fur, appearing to be some sort of sleeping creature. You can just make out a dwarf, sitting in a cage next to the throne. After taking a few steps into the cave, you can hear a chorus of raspy, childlike voices singing:

“We’re on the Island of the Forlorn,
Abandoned by those whence we were born,
Our defects reflect a maker’s lack of skill,
Yet we are to suffer, shown naught but ill will.
But then from our despair we found,
Someone to love us all year round,
All hail the noble King of Razormoon,
Who sates revenge and heralds doom.
The sky is bright, the Dance is here,
The most wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, time of year!”

As the song ends or the PCs progress, the King of Razormoon notices them and says:

“This island is for constructs alone. Bumbly, awake and destroy these misfits!”

Tactics:

The King of Razormoon will take to the air, using ranged attacks until Bumbly is killed – and then will land and use his king’s fury and spike volley powers for the remainder of the fight. Bumbly is not clever and will follow the PCs everywhere, and using bite each round and making use of gnashing teeth and bumbly’s rumble whenever possible. If Bumbly is knocked into a chasm, he will bounce back up immediately. The Mobs of Disfigured Constructs will attempt to grab PCs whenever possible; holding them in place for icicles to fall on them during bumbly’s rumble. If a mob dies, place another one at the nearest construct door and have it take over the turn position of the one that it replaces.



(full size map here)

Features of Area:

The ceiling of the cave is approximately 50’ high.

The cave is well lit, magically illuminated through lights in the designs on the walls.

Icicles: Marked on the map with white triangles, icicles will fall when above the burst of bumbly’s rumble. An icicle makes a +18 attack vs. Reflex, and deals 3d6 +6 cold damage to any creature in the square below, and 1d6+4 cold damage to each creature within 1 square of where it falls. A square becomes difficult terrain after an icicle falls on it.

Frozen Pond: The icy blue area on the map is a frozen pond and counts as difficult terrain. The PCs can make an Acrobatics check (DC 25) to move over the ice at full speed; a failed check knocks the PC prone.  The ice can be broken: each square has an AC of 25 and 25 HP. Any creature beginning its turn in the icy water below the broken ice takes an ongoing 15 cold damage, except Bumbly, who takes an ongoing 50 cold damage.

Construct Doors: Marked on the map as blue and black doors. When a mob dies, another one appears at the closest construct doors and takes the turn of the dead mob. The doorways can be attacked and collapse, forcing the mobs to use doors farther away. Each door has an AC of 25 and 50 HP.

Ukonelius’s Cage: Marked on the map as a cage. He is injured and even if rescued during the fight is unable to help, but Ukonelius still hasn’t given up the good fight, and yells encouragement throughout the ordeal:

                When the fight starts: “You there, watch out! Here’s the dwarf… but here’s the beast!”

                If Bumbly falls into a chasm and bounces out: “Didn’t anyone tell ya? Bumbly bounces!”

                If a player is hit by an icicle: “Terrible weather we been havin’ in here! Snow and ice!”

                If Bumbly falls into the water: “Observe Bumbly’s one weakness… he sinks!”

                If you free him: “Well done, lads! You outwitted the fiend with your superior intelligence.”

Conclusion:

When the King of Razormoon is defeated, he gasps his final breath and says: “A construct is never truly happy until it has found revenge...” The constructs immediately stop fighting, and surround the king’s body, mourning. On the manticore is a magical key that opens Ukonelius’s cage, a golden crown worth 10,000 gp, and a level 16 magical item. There are also some inanimate constructs near the throne, including a small elephant with spots, a bird with fins, a jack-in-the-box, a girl’s doll, and a cart with square wheels.

The PCs can then return to Northcrest and partake in the Dance of the Sky festival, and will receive minor compensation and xp for rescuing Ukonelius.

Read this as the players leave the island (if you like moral ambiguity and creeping out your PCs):

Overhead, the sky breaks out in marvelous reds, blues, and greens, waves streaking back and forth between the stars – and you can just make out the sound of music and singing in the direction of Northcrest. Turning back, you see the remaining homunculi waiting near the edge of the island, their eyes filled with melancholy as they watch you depart. A few of them stretch their arms out toward you with futility, fading out of sight as you pass through the winter haze.

As you reach the mainland, you see a group of elves loading a pair of carts with this year’s unwanted batch of misfit homunculi, who look around inquisitively as they are being prepared for the trip to Razormoon Isle. "Let's mush, " says Ukonelius, joyfully; "I can almost taste the ale!"

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The Little Drummer Demon

 

 

Background

 

 

Behold! A bright star in the sky shines light on the prophecy of the birth of a perfect child. And on this night 3 wise men follow this star in search of the perfect child.  But on their journey they meet a little drummer. But this is no ordinary drummer. He is a small demon that beats on the heads of his previous victims. 

 

 

The little drummer demon desires the heads of the wise men and WILL have them. But, the 3 wise men quickly tell him of their quest for the perfect child in hopes that he will forget about their heads. He truly is intrigued and is momentarily distracted and they escape.

 

 

Later that night the PCs meet the 3 wise men and they beseech them to hunt down the demon before he finds the child or them.

 

 

Encounter 1

Setup

 

 

The PCs begin their investigation by first trying to locate the demon.  There are rumors in town of several children suddenly disappearing. Asking around the PCs can learn.

 

 

Number of successes: 4

Number of Failures: 3

Primary skills: Streetwise, Nature, Perception, Arcana, History

Secondary Skills: Diplomacy, Athletics

 

 

Streetwise/Diplomacy:  DC22

On a success you learn that there are rumors of goat like humanoids that have been seen snatching up children.

 

 

Nature: DC 25

You find a set of tracks leading from a family home and determine that these are

Satyr like footprints but larger. They lead out of town.

 

 

Perception: DC 25 (Only after a successful Nature or Streetwise)

You notice a shadowy figure bounding out of town with what looks like a small child in a basket on its back.

 

 

Arcana/History: DC 20 (After a successful Nature or Streetwise)

You believe that this creature is a Krampus. Known for stealing bad child at this time of year.

 

 

Athletics: DC 22 (Only after the Krampus has been spotted)

You chase down the Krampus and corner it. Prepare to FIGHT!

Encounter 2

Tactics

 

 

The Krampus are used to working with small children but are smart enough to work together.  They shift around the battlefield in hopes of moving to the weaker party member and remove them first.

 

 

2 Krampus (K)

 

 

Krampus		Level 14 Skirmisher
Large fey humanoid		XP   1,000
Initiative +15                        Senses Perception +15; low-light   vision HP 140; Bloodied 70 AC 28;   Fortitude 25; Reflex 26; Will 26 Speed  6
m Rusty Chain (standard; at-will) • Weapon
+19 vs AC; 1d6 + 5 damage
M Feint (move; at-will)
+17 vs Reflex; 1 the   satyr rake gains combat advantage against the target
M Harrying Attack (standard; recharge 5 6) • Weapon
The Krampus rake makes a   basic attack, shifts 3 squares, and makes another basic attack.; 1
Combat   Advantage
The Krampus rake deals an   extra 2d6 damage against any target it has combat advantage against.
C Take you over my knee (standard; recharge 6) • Force
The Krampus waves his   hand and spanks all of the enemies (bad children) in range.
3; +17 vs Fortitude; 2d8   + 6
Alignment Unaligned		Languages Elven
Skills Bluff +18, Nature +15,   Stealth +18
Str 16 (+10)	Dex 22 (+13)		Wis 16 (+10)
Con 20 (+12)	Int 14 (+9)		Cha 22 (+13)
Equipment Leather Armor, Short   sword, Shortbow, Arrows (30)
© 2009   Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.   This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure   Tools.

 

 

Features of the area

 

 

The Krampus only come out at night so the city is dimly illuminated, star light only.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

If the party does not kill the Krampus they can interrogate them and find out where the little drummer demon is or they can make Nature and Perception checks to follow the trails of the Krampus back to the demon.

 

 

Encounter 3

Setup

 

 

The party travels several miles into the desert on a starry night. Off in the distance they hear the demonic beating of a drum and hear an angelic voice singing “pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum”.  They see beasts dance at the feet of the demon, a sheep, a donkey and a camel.

 

 

As the party approaches, the demon stands, “Begone! Foul headed creatures. I want not your heads. Leave now or suffer.” With these words the air is filled with the smell of rot and death.

 

 

DD

The Little Drummer Demon		Level 17 Controller
Medium immortal humanoid		XP   1,600
Initiative +14                        Senses Perception +14; darkvision HP 158; Bloodied 79 AC 31;   Fortitude 25; Reflex 29; Will 31 Resist 25   fire Speed  6
C Let the music move you (standard; at-will) • Fear
Close burst 10; targets   enemies; +21 vs Will; 4d6 + 8 the target is pushed 2 squares and slowed until   the end of the demon's next turn. Allies in the burst immediately shift 3   squares.
m Drum Solo (standard; at-will)
+22 vs AC; 2d6 + 8 damage
M Slave to the Rhythm (standard; at-will) • Charm
+22 vs AC; 2 the demon   makes a secondary attack against the same target
+20 vs Will; 2 the target   cannot attack the demon, and if the target is adjacent to the demon when the   demon is targeted by a melee or a ranged attack, the target interposes itself   (as an immediate interrupt) and becomes the target of the attack instead. The   effects last until the demon or one of its allies attacks the target or until   the demon dies.         If the target is   still under the effect of this power at the end of the encounter, the demon   can sustain the effect indefinitely by drumming to the target once per day.   The demon can affect only one target at a time with its charming kiss
R Dominate (standard; at-will) •   Charm
Ranged 5; +20 vs Will; 2   the target is dominated until the end of the drummer demon's next turn
Alignment Evil		Languages Supernal
Skills Bluff +21, Diplomacy +21,   Insight +19
Str 15 (+10)	Dex 22 (+14)		Wis 23 (+14)
Con 14 (+10)	Int 19 (+12)		Cha 26 (+16)
© 2009   Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.   This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure   Tools.

C

Demon Camel		Level 14 Minion Brute
Large natural beast		XP   250
Initiative +12                        Senses Perception +11 HP 1; a missed attack   never damages a minion. AC 26;   Fortitude 26; Reflex 23; Will 22 Speed  6
m Kick (standard; at-will)
+17 vs AC; 17 damage
r Acid Spit (standard; at-will) • Acid
Ranged 10; +14 vs Reflex;   1d8 + 5 acid damage on-going 5 acid damage, save ends
Second   Chance (immediate interrupt, when hit by an attack; encounter)
The minion forces the   attacker to reroll the attack and take the new result.
Alignment Unaligned		Languages —
Skills Endurance +19
Str 26 (+15)	Dex 20 (+12)		Wis 18 (+11)
Con 25 (+14)	Int 9 (+6)		Cha 15 (+9)
© 2009   Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.   This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure   Tools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

D

 

 

Demon Donkey		Level 13 Minion Brute
Medium natural beast		XP   200
Initiative +10                        Senses Perception +9 HP 1; a missed attack   never damages a minion. AC 25;   Fortitude 25; Reflex 22; Will 21 Speed  6
m Kick (standard; at-will)
+16 vs AC; 17 damage
M Double Kick (standard; at-will)
The demon donkey makes   two kick attacks at the same or 2 adjacent enemies.  A critical also knocks the enemy prone.;   +16 vs AC; 6
Second   Chance (immediate interrupt, when hit by an attack; encounter)
The minion forces the   attacker to reroll the attack and take the new result.
Alignment Unaligned		Languages —
Skills Endurance +18
Str 25 (+13)	Dex 19 (+10)		Wis 17 (+9)
Con 24 (+13)	Int 8 (+5)		Cha 14 (+8)
© 2009   Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.   This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure   Tools.

 

S

Sheep of doom		Level 15 Minion   Controller
Small natural beast		XP   300
Initiative +12                        Senses Perception +11 HP 1; a missed attack   never damages a minion. AC 29;   Fortitude 27; Reflex 24; Will 23 Speed  6
m Kick (standard; at-will)
+20 vs AC; 7 damage
R Coat of control (minor; encounter) • Charm
Ranged 10; The sheep   shoots strands of wool to ensnare an enemie; +17 vs Reflex; An enemy caught   by the coat is immobalized.
A Bleat of baffling (standard; recharge 6) • Charm
Burst 4 within 10   squares; +17 vs Fortitude; 8 The sheep yelps out a horrendous sound that   dazes its enemies. Save ends.
Second   Chance (immediate interrupt, when hit by an attack; encounter)
The minion forces the   attacker to reroll the attack and take the new result.
Alignment Unaligned		Languages —
Skills Endurance +16
Str 26 (+15)	Dex 20 (+12)		Wis 18 (+11)
Con 19 (+11)	Int 9 (+6)		Cha 15 (+9)
© 2009   Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.   This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure   Tools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

Once the demon and his minions have been defeated the party notice a small stable in the distance. When they arrive at the stable they find the 3 wise men and a baby boy laying in a manger.  The PCs have saved Christmas, because if the demon had gotten to the baby there would be no Christmas.

Background

Behold! A bright star in the sky shines light on the prophecy of the birth of a perfect child. And on this night 3 wise men follow this star in search of the perfect child.  But on their journey they meet a little drummer. But this is no ordinary drummer. He is a small demon that beats on the heads of his previous victims. 

The little drummer demon desires the heads of the wise men and WILL have them. But, the 3 wise men quickly tell him of their quest for the perfect child in hopes that he will forget about their heads. He truly is intrigued and is momentarily distracted and they escape.

Later that night the PCs meet the 3 wise men and they beseech them to hunt down the demon before he finds the child or them.

Encounter 1

Setup

The PCs begin their investigation by first trying to locate the demon.  There are rumors in town of several children suddenly disappearing. Asking around the PCs can learn.

Number of successes: 4

Number of Failures: 3

Primary skills: Streetwise, Nature, Perception, Arcana, History

Secondary Skills: Diplomacy, Athletics

Streetwise/Diplomacy:  DC22

On a success you learn that there are rumors of goat like humanoids that have been seen snatching up children.

Nature: DC 25

You find a set of tracks leading from a family home and determine that these are

Satyr like footprints but larger. They lead out of town.

Perception: DC 25 (Only after a successful Nature or Streetwise)

You notice a shadowy figure bounding out of town with what looks like a small child in a basket on its back.

Arcana/History: DC 20 (After a successful Nature or Streetwise)

You believe that this creature is a Krampus. Known for stealing bad child at this time of year.

 

Athletics: DC 22 (Only after the Krampus has been spotted)

You chase down the Krampus and corner it. Prepare to FIGHT!

Encounter 2

Tactics

 

The Krampus are used to working with small children but are smart enough to work together.  They shift around the battlefield in hopes of moving to the weaker party member and remove them first.

 

2 Krampus (K)

 

Krampus		Level 14 Skirmisher
Large fey humanoid		XP   1,000
Initiative +15                        Senses Perception +15; low-light   vision HP 140; Bloodied 70 AC 28;   Fortitude 25; Reflex 26; Will 26 Speed  6
m Rusty Chain (standard; at-will) • Weapon
+19 vs AC; 1d6 + 5 damage
M Feint (move; at-will)
+17 vs Reflex; 1 the   satyr rake gains combat advantage against the target
M Harrying Attack (standard; recharge 5 6) • Weapon
The Krampus rake makes a   basic attack, shifts 3 squares, and makes another basic attack.; 1
Combat   Advantage
The Krampus rake deals an   extra 2d6 damage against any target it has combat advantage against.
C Take you over my knee (standard; recharge 6) • Force
The Krampus waves his   hand and spanks all of the enemies (bad children) in range.
3; +17 vs Fortitude; 2d8   + 6
Alignment Unaligned		Languages Elven
Skills Bluff +18, Nature +15,   Stealth +18
Str 16 (+10)	Dex 22 (+13)		Wis 16 (+10)
Con 20 (+12)	Int 14 (+9)		Cha 22 (+13)
Equipment Leather Armor, Short   sword, Shortbow, Arrows (30)
© 2009   Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.   This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure   Tools.

 

Features of the area

The Krampus only come out at night so the city is dimly illuminated, star light only.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 If the party does not kill the Krampus they can interrogate them and find out where the little drummer demon is or they can make Nature and Perception checks to follow the trails of the Krampus back to the demon.

Encounter 3

Setup

The party travels several miles into the desert on a starry night. Off in the distance they hear the demonic beating of a drum and hear an angelic voice singing “pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum”.  They see beasts dance at the feet of the demon, a sheep, a donkey and a camel.

As the party approaches, the demon stands, “Begone! Foul headed creatures. I want not your heads. Leave now or suffer.” With these words the air is filled with the smell of rot and death.

 

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Conclusion

Once the demon and his minions have been defeated the party notice a small stable in the distance. When they arrive at the stable they find the 3 wise men and a baby boy laying in a manger.  The PCs have saved Christmas, because if the demon had gotten to the baby there would be no Christmas.

 

 

DD

The Little Drummer Demon		Level 17 Controller
Medium immortal humanoid		XP   1,600
Initiative +14                        Senses Perception +14; darkvision HP 158; Bloodied 79 AC 31;   Fortitude 25; Reflex 29; Will 31 Resist 25   fire Speed  6
C Let the music move you (standard; at-will) • Fear
Close burst 10; targets   enemies; +21 vs Will; 4d6 + 8 the target is pushed 2 squares and slowed until   the end of the demon's next turn. Allies in the burst immediately shift 3   squares.
m Drum Solo (standard; at-will)
+22 vs AC; 2d6 + 8 damage
M Slave to the Rhythm (standard; at-will) • Charm
+22 vs AC; 2 the demon   makes a secondary attack against the same target
+20 vs Will; 2 the target   cannot attack the demon, and if the target is adjacent to the demon when the   demon is targeted by a melee or a ranged attack, the target interposes itself   (as an immediate interrupt) and becomes the target of the attack instead. The   effects last until the demon or one of its allies attacks the target or until   the demon dies.         If the target is   still under the effect of this power at the end of the encounter, the demon   can sustain the effect indefinitely by drumming to the target once per day.   The demon can affect only one target at a time with its charming kiss
R Dominate (standard; at-will) •   Charm
Ranged 5; +20 vs Will; 2   the target is dominated until the end of the drummer demon's next turn
Alignment Evil		Languages Supernal
Skills Bluff +21, Diplomacy +21,   Insight +19
Str 15 (+10)	Dex 22 (+14)		Wis 23 (+14)
Con 14 (+10)	Int 19 (+12)		Cha 26 (+16)
© 2009   Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.   This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure   Tools.

C

Demon Camel		Level 14 Minion Brute
Large natural beast		XP   250
Initiative +12                        Senses Perception +11 HP 1; a missed attack   never damages a minion. AC 26;   Fortitude 26; Reflex 23; Will 22 Speed  6
m Kick (standard; at-will)
+17 vs AC; 17 damage
r Acid Spit (standard; at-will) • Acid
Ranged 10; +14 vs Reflex;   1d8 + 5 acid damage on-going 5 acid damage, save ends
Second   Chance (immediate interrupt, when hit by an attack; encounter)
The minion forces the   attacker to reroll the attack and take the new result.
Alignment Unaligned		Languages —
Skills Endurance +19
Str 26 (+15)	Dex 20 (+12)		Wis 18 (+11)
Con 25 (+14)	Int 9 (+6)		Cha 15 (+9)
© 2009   Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.   This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure   Tools.

D
Demon Donkey

Dmon Donkey

		Level 13 Minion Brute
Medium natural beast		XP   200
Initiative +10                        Senses Perception +9 HP 1; a missed attack   never damages a minion. AC 25;   Fortitude 25; Reflex 22; Will 21 Speed  6
m Kick (standard; at-will)
+16 vs AC; 17 damage
M Double Kick (standard; at-will)
The demon donkey makes   two kick attacks at the same or 2 adjacent enemies.  A critical also knocks the enemy prone.;   +16 vs AC; 6
Second   Chance (immediate interrupt, when hit by an attack; encounter)
The minion forces the   attacker to reroll the attack and take the new result.
Alignment Unaligned		Languages —
Skills Endurance +18
Str 25 (+13)	Dex 19 (+10)		Wis 17 (+9)
Con 24 (+13)	Int 8 (+5)		Cha 14 (+8)
© 2009   Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.   This monster statistics block has been generated using the D&D Adventure   Tools.

S

Sheep of doom		Level 15 Minion   Controller
Small natural beast		XP   300
Initiative +12                        Senses Perception +11 HP 1; a missed attack   never damages a minion. AC 29;   Fortitude 27; Reflex 24; Will 23 Speed  6
m Kick (standard; at-will)
+20 vs AC; 7 damage
R Coat of control (minor; encounter) • Charm
Ranged 10; The sheep   shoots strands of wool to ensnare an enemie; +17 vs Reflex; An enemy caught   by the coat is immobalized.
A Bleat of baffling (standard; recharge 6) • Charm
Burst 4 within 10   squares; +17 vs Fortitude; 8 The sheep yelps out a horrendous sound that   dazes its enemies. Save ends.
Second   Chance (immediate interrupt, when hit by an attack; encounter)
The minion forces the   attacker to reroll the attack and take the new result.
Alignment Unaligned		Languages —
Skills Endurance +16
Str 26 (+15)

The Wrath of Partryjj (PDF download)
A Midwinter Encounter for Five Mid-Paragon Adventurers

Text, Monsters, and Map for Phase One below.  The full two-phase encounter is in the PDF at the link above.  Phase Two is in the next post.

Good King Wenceslas was fostered near Hillock Green as a boy, and so the regional holiday traditions from this town have become popular at court.  All the nobility have made a contest of throwing lavish Hillock-Green-style festivals in just the right way.  In pursuit of authenticity, and to curry favor with His Highness, several of the higher-ranking lords and ladies have made a pilgrimage to the village to see the original festival in person.  The Mayor agreed to host them (as if he had a choice!) and has pulled out all the stops to throw a traditional Hillock Green feast with all the trimmings.  The centerpiece of the feast is a fantastical contraption of roasted fowl that takes twelve days to prepare: the Swagoshendovlark!  (Swa-GOSS-hen-DUV-lark)  It consists of a lark stuffed inside a dove stuffed inside a hen stuffed inside a goose stuffed inside a swan; each bird is fed with a different kind of grain, and marinated in a different sauce before being baked and arranged into a magnificent centerpiece staggered with halved brandied pears.  All year long the villagers grow grains and feed the birds, and on Midwinter's Night, they gather for a feast in the center of town: the Swagoshendovlarks are spread on banquet tables with wassail, a special five-egg nog with milk hot from the cows, sprigs of holly and pearwood, and sundry winter vegetables.  This year five great tables have been set, each accommodating three or four of the noble visitors and as many local dignitaries as possible.  It's a command performance for every local musician, for what would the feast be without dinner music?

The PCs have either stumbled on this village on the one night of the year that this is happening, or perhaps they're escorting their noble patron to the festival, or maybe they heard how delicious the dish is and have made the pilgrimage to taste it.  The smell of the feast is everywhere, and everyone who can walk is strolling towards the delicious savory aromas.  The quaint holiday sounds echo down the streets: the sound of pipes and drums playing holiday airs; the quiet lowing of the cows as they are milked; and the raucous sounds of laughter and singing of the crowd.  As the players round the corner and approach the town square, however, there is a bright flash of light and a clap of thunder! Villagers run screaming past them, and everything descends into chaos.

The town square is in ruins; some deep and evil magic is afoot!  The banquet tables have been surrounded by pulsing rings of radiant light, the tables and chairs are in splinters, and all of the plates are empty.  The Swagoshendovlarks are gone!  The sprigs of holly have landed all over the cold ground and thrust their roots in, growing into thick holly bushes wherever they fell.  A few pears blasted away from the town square have landed nearby and begun growing into a grove of enormous pear trees.  The trees in the courtyard to the east are growing so quickly that their roots have heaved a ring of earth asunder; the narrow moat is filled with spilled punch, melted snow, and egg nog from the feast.  Worst of all, nearly everyone who was seated at a table in the main square has a weird golden glow in their eyes, and they are lunging around the square in packs, attacking anyone who comes close to the ruckus.  The milk cows are pawing the snowy turf and preparing to charge.
Each of the five banquet tables is surrounded by a circle of runes, scorched into the flagstones and pulsing with a queasy golden light.  The circles seem to project tendrils of yellow light through the air, steering groups of the villagers against their will.  Every few seconds one of the rings kicks off a shower of dangerous-looking sparks that streaks through the air and lands in a different ring... and whichever ring the sparks land on pulses intensely for a moment, as though fortified by the act of sharing energy.  A cackling voice calls out from the tops of the still-growing tree nearby, "Tell your 'King' that his tradition ends this year!  No more will our feathers and blood be spilled for your feast!  If he does not pay me restitution, his nobles will suffer the same fate as my ancestors have for years!"  Whomever is screaming the challenge is shrouded in darkness, but the party has bigger problems for the time being.

3x Level 10 Artillery: three groups of four drummers each
1x Level 11 Controller: a wailing pack of eleven pipers

2x Level 10 Skirmishers: two groups of five lords each

3x Level 10 Soldiers: three groups of three dancing ladies each, 

and

4x Level 17 Minions: four pairs of milkmaids riding enraged cows.

(xp total 6200: moderate tending towards easy due to low monster levels)

Note: the initiative order for this combat is fixed.  Roll 2d20; add the drummers', pipers', and lords' initiative bonus to the higher result, and add the ladies' and maidens' initiative bonus to the  lower result.  The DM should announce each group of performers as they take their turn, e.g. "Twelve drummers drumming".  The rings should be announced loudly, in song if possible.    

       The Five Golden Rings - The five magic circles around the banquet tables are controlling the performers.  They are terrain features, but take turns like a warder-type trap.  The rings go last in the initiative order.  At the DM's option, he may announce that the magic circles' turns have arrived by singing out "FIVE GOLDEN RINGS".  Each ring can take one of the following standard actions on its turn:
 

Fortify Performer - a golden tendril of light shoots out of the ring and grants one performer (dancer, piper, drummer, maiden, or lord) +2 to all defenses until the beginning of the ring's next turn.
Encourage Performer - the ring chimes like a deep brass bell, and every performer within 10 squares may make a saving throw.
Control Performer - When a performer saves vs. charm due to a successful Sprig of Holly attack, the ring can attempt to dominate the stunned performer as an immediate reaction.  This action consumes the ring's standard action for the next turn.  (Charm) Range 20; +10 vs. Will; the target is once again mind controlled, and rejoins the attack against the players.  Miss: the target is free and no longer stunned. Yule Be Sorry - one ring makes a ranged attack against any creature standing adjacent to any other ring.  A ring may not take this action if a creature is standing adjacent to it.  Ranged 20; +18 vs. Will; 2d8+5 radiant damage and the target is dazed (save ends).  A creature wielding a sprig of holly may make an automatic saving throw to avoid being dazed.



At the DM's discretion, each adventurer standing near a smashed banquet table may scavenge some figgy pudding, five-egg nog, or brandied pears from the wreckage to regain a healing surge.

Encounter Map (Players begin at "1", monsters are according to the key)


End Phase I
(cont'd in follow-up post, and you'll never guess what's next!)

"Curse you interlopers!  You think you have bested me?  My kindred will rise up and destroy you, and then I will re-establish the warding rings and enslave these weak-minded fools for a thousand generations!  Then we'll see who feasts on whose flesh.  Perhaps I'll stuff you all inside each other when I've finished with you!"  The voice in the trees cackles menacingly, and a brace of birds takes flight from the now-gigantic pear tree and the eaves of the nearby village square.  They're all there, brought back to life by his magic -- the swans, geese, larks, hens, and cumbersome turtle doves -- and they are in an uproar.

1x Level 10 soldier - swans
2x Level 15 skirmisher - geese
4x Level 9 controller - calling birds
3x Level 10 lurker - fey hens
2x Level 10 brute - turtle doves
1x Level 15 controller/leader - and Patryjj, in his pear tree
XP total 7,000: tending towards easy because of low levels, so strive for synergies between the powers.

Partryjj fights from the safety of four pear trees, using Mocking Bird to throw his voice and draw inaccurate fire from the players.  The swans and geese work together to slow the players' approach to the stream, and the calling birds and hens close ranks and attempt to push the players back into the water.  The stream is shallow but cold, and is considered difficult terrain.  If players wade through they need to make a saving throw to avoid being slowed by the thick mud.  The waterfowl are (naturally!) unaffected.

The pear trees are green enchanted wood and unlikely to catch fire, but if the players can justify it, they may attempt to flush Partryjj from cover.  Partryjj is after revenge (easy!) or restitution (harder).  If the players can conceive of something that is within their power that would assuage his anger at the villagers for killing and eating the exotic birds -- for example, extracting a promise from the King which forbids his favorite childhood holiday tradition, the Swagoshendovlark -- then they may resolve the situation peacefully.  The birds are angry, not mad; if Partryjj is killed or forced to surrender, the birds will flee when bloodied.

As above, the initiative order for this combat is fixed in groups: swans, geese, larks, hens, doves.
Roll 2d20 and add the swans', geese's, and larks' initiative bonus to the higher result.  Add the hens' and doves' bonuses to the lower result. Partryjj goes first (probably with Mocking Bird) and then may just as well be considered last.  The DM may announce the initiative order by groups and/or in song.







Edit: For Partryjj's misdirection to work, he needs one additional power:

Snipe Hunt (minor, at-will)

When Partryjj makes a ranged attack from hiding, he may make a Bluff check as a minor action to cause the attack to originate from the last square he targeted with Mocking Bird.  Make the Bluff check vs. each target's passive Insight; on a failed Bluff check the target discovers his true location.

“Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel, I made you out of- No! No! Wait! Pl-”
or
“How Rudolph Ruined Dreidel For the Rest of Us”

Encounter Level 17 (8600 XP)

Background:  Haven't you ever wondered why the other reindeer wouldn't let Rudolph join in their reindeer games?  Most people think it's because of Rudolph's big red nose, but that's not really it.  A few years ago, on a clear Christmas Eve, Rudolph invited one of the elves to play Dreidel with them – Dreidel being their favorite reindeer game of all time.  Unfortunately, this elf was a particularly conniving and sneaky elf named Hermey who delighted in practical jokes.  The reindeer were finishing up their “Craft Dreidel” ritual, when Hermey jumped up and interrupted the ritual.  What was going to be a toy that would bring joy and delight to Santa's Reindeer Druids became the uncontrollable machine of destruction commonly known as the “Dreidel Golem”.  After that, well, Rudolph wasn't welcome to play Dreidel - or any other reindeer game, for that matter.

Getting the players involved: This encounter can be dropped into any wintery, festive environment in your campaign or used as a sidetrek for the "Scrooge and the Grinch kidnap Santa Claus" module. Begin the encounter while the party is traveling through the snowy wilderness.  They are minding their own business when they are interrupted by the crying of a group of nine peculiar little men wearing antlers on their heads and long green robes - Santa's Reindeer Druids.  As soon as they catch sight of the party, the crying, antlered men rush over and start singing in unison(to the melody of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer)

“You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,

Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen,

But do you recall the game we love to play most of all?

We love to play with Dreidels,
We can make them out of clay,
Then we all use our magic,
and they come alive and play!

Just now, our good friend Rudolph,
who has a very shiny nose.
He brought a friend named Hermey,
One of the toy elves he knows.

Well this elf thought it would be
fun to play a trick,
During our ritual,
He gave our dreidel a kick,

The dreidel got real angry,
and we shouted out with fear,
Hermey, the dirty elf,
took away our Christmas cheer!”

At this point, they shove one particularly small, particularly odd man with a glowing red nose to the front of the group.

“If you could stop the Dreidel Golem, we'd be most appreciative.  Hermey and the golem are still in our grove – playing with our toys!  I'm sure we could arrange to get you a few extra presents this year if you gave us a hand.”

After securing their help, Rudolph leads the party back to the grove of the Reindeer Druids, but he dares not go inside.

As the party approaches the grove:

The scene before you is one of joy and terror.  Many Christmas trees, decorated so heavily that their boughs bend under the weight, surround a clearing full of toys and extra Christmas decorations.  In the center of it all are two figures – a small elf wearing a green coat and a human-sized dreidel with arms and legs made out of clay.  The two seem to be rifling at random through the crap in the clearing – the dreidel golem answering to the elf's commands.

Hermey, upon seeing the party, immediately sends the Dreidel Golem to 'play' with them.  Even if several party members fall unconscious, Hermy will merely laugh it off, assuming that these characters are too exhausted from their fun to keep playing.  Only knocking him unconscious and destroying the Dreidel will stop their madness.

Setup:

PCs set up in the appropriate area on the west side of the battlemap.

Opponents:

Dreidel Golem		Level 16 Solo Brute
Large natural animate		XP 7,000
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +7; blindsight HP 689; Bloodied 344 AC 28; Fortitude 32; Reflex 26  Will 25 Immune disease; poison Saving Throws +5 Speed 6 Action Points 2
m Dance and Spin (standard; at-will)
The Dreidel Golem spins, crashing into anyone nearby.
Melee Reach 2; *When the DM makes the attack roll, they should also spin             a dreidel (or roll a d4 in the absence of a dreidel).*; +21 vs AC; 1 - Gimmel - the target takes damage equal to its current hit points.  2 - Hay - the target takes damage equal to half its current hit points.  3 - Nun - the target is pushed 3 squares and takes no damage.  4 - Shin - the target regains 1 hit point.
Dry and Ready (standard; recharge 5 6)
The Dreidel Golem makes two Dance and Spin attacks.
C Breath of Molten Gelt (minor; at-will)
The Dreidel Golem breathes forth a wave of molten chocolate, soaking its enemies.
Close Blast 3; +17 vs Reflex; 1d10 + 7 damage and the target is slowed             until the end of its next turn.
C Eight Days of Oil (standard; recharge 5 6)
The Dreidel Golem bursts into flame and spins in place, spraying burning oil over his foes.
Close burst 3; +17 vs Reflex; 3d10 + 6 fire damage and the target takes             ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
Alignment Unaligned		Languages —
Str 23 (+14)	Dex 11 (+8)		Wis 9 (+7)
Con 26 (+16)	Int 4 (+5)		Cha 4 (+5)
©             2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All             rights reserved. This monster statistics block has been generated             using the D&D Adventure Tools.

Hermey the Christmas Elf		Level             17 Controller
Small fey humanoid		XP 1,600
Initiative +11 Senses Perception +11; darkvision HP 156; Bloodied 78 AC 31; Fortitude 26; Reflex 28; Will 30 Speed 6
m Yuletide of Iron (standard; at-will) • Weapon
Hermey forces his foe back with a cheerful swing of his toy hammer.
Melee; +22 vs AC; 1d10 + 7 damage and push the target 1 square.  Hermey             may shift into the space the target occupied.
r Magic Mistletoe (standard; at-will)
Hermey winks and shoots mistletoe and holly berries at his foe.
Ranged 20; +21 vs Reflex; 2d8 + 7 Joy damage * see notes *
R Fill with Cheer! (minor; at-will) • Spirited
The target is overjoyed while visions of sugarplums dance in its head.
Ranged 10; +22 vs AC; The target is immobilized (save ends).
C This 'Slaying' Song (standard; recharge 5             6)
Hermey releases a concentrated blast of Christmas Melodies
Close Blast 5; +19 vs Will; 3d10 + 6 damage and the target is Holidazed             (save ends)  * see notes *
A Fruit Cake Bomb (standard; recharge 5 6)
Hermey pulls a lethal Fruit Cake from his bag, hurls it his foes' feet,             where it explodes with candied shrapnel.
Area burst 2 within 20; +19 vs Reflex; 2d8 + 7 damage and ongoing 10             damage (save ends).
Alignment Chaotic Joyous		Languages Abominable, Common
Skills Bluff +18, Insight +16, Intimidate +15, Religion +16, Stealth +12
Str 13 (+9)	Dex 16 (+11)		Wis 16 (+11)
Con 12 (+9)	Int 17 (+11)		Cha 21 (+13)
Equipment Toy Hammer
©             2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All             rights reserved. This monster statistics block has been generated             using the D&D Adventure Tools.

 

* Notes *

Holidazed – Characters who are Holidazed are dazed.  When a character is Holidazed, the player controlling the character must sing one Christmas Carol from beginning to end between each of their turns, otherwise the character has a -5 penalty to their saving throw against Holidazed.

Joy Damage - Joy Damage is so wonderful that it cannot be resisted or reduced by any effect except resistance granted by powers with the Scrooge keyword.

Tactics:

Hermey and the Golem are both playing – in a violent way.

Hermey will stay back, softening the party with his fruit cake bombs early in the fight, and moving in later for “This 'Slaying' Song”.  If necessary, he can use his Yuletide of Iron to get a little distance from overzealous strikers who try to close to melee.

The Dreidel Golem spins and spins and spins, unleashing round after round of chaos.  He will use his Breath of Molten Gelt at every opportunity, but waits to unleash Eight Days of Oil until later on - perhaps when bloodied or when Hermey goes down.

Hermey will seriously consider ending the 'game' once the Dreidel Golem goes down.  If Hermey goes down first, the Dreidel Golem will leave off with his current opponents and seek out the character who dropped the elf.

Features of the Area:

Presents:  The piles of presents and Christmas decorations are considered difficult terrain.

Conclusion:

At the end of the fight, an exhausted Hermey will chuckle his way to unconsciousness and the Golem will crumble to dust when defeated.

Rudolph approaches the party and offers each of them a chance to ride in the sleigh and promises that they will be on the 'Good' list this year.

Twas the Wight before        Xmas...

Warning to Fantasy        Traditionalists:  If you're not into including Xmas in your "ultra        realistic" fantasy setting filled with elves, unicorns, and halflings, by        all means I recommend using the local holiday of Crossmas.          Crossmas originally started when normal village folk realized that        monsters (and sometimes their corrupt neighbors) would drop random packets        of treasure upon their demise.  What followed was a period of violent        madness, historically known now as Schwarzer Freitag, where no one was        safe from the greedy claws of winter gift-seekers.  For the sake of        diplomacy (or sanity), the tradition of Crossmas began, where villagers        would simply give gifts to one another, as an appeasement for not looting        their homes and thinking the pet dog might be a minion of some sort.         They would meet at the town crossroads and thus the tradition of buying        your life for one more year earned its name.  During even the most        harsh winters, a lone tree covered with twinkling lights can be seen as a        constant reminder of what must never happen again.

Sometimes the past is best left        forgotten.  Tradition has, indeed, a very different meaning based on        who you speak to.  Centuries-old opinions aren't always to be        trusted, as one Elf did by making the mistake of reviving that which would        not die.

Encounter Level 15

4 Gingerdeadmen (2 on each table)

1 Savage Maul Santa

2 Bellringer Wights

2 Silent Wights

1 Krumple, a most traditional Elf

Setup:

The PCs arrive in a small        desolate village.  A few lore rolls will tell them they have arrived        in Tinselkompf.  Signs in Elven are everywhere as this is (or was) a        primarily elvish town, known for it's long tradition of producing some of        the best craftsman throughout the land.  And yet....there are no        elves to be seen.  If the PC's search through any of the properties,        they find strange tidings (not of joy).  While each home is empty,        each kitchen is filled to the brim strange creations of bread of ginger.         A workman's tools have been refastened together to resemble what could        only be a wooden duck.  PC Elves will hear a constant twinkling song        just out of their reach of hearing...something is wrong. 

Moving forward in the town, they        will notice the only working chimney on the outskirts of town.  What        was once a humble chapel  is now painted with grotesque reds, whites,        and greens.  Are those canes of candy hanging from the rafters?         The sound of hammering resonates from inside and below, as if the shape of        the earth was being crafted into a gift never meant to be received. Could        this have anything to do with the rows of empty graves each with a wreath        above their tombstone?  Upon opening the door, the strangest looking        elf, adorned in tattered clothes and skulls, looks up from his work.         An obese rotting undead sits upon a throne, crudely nailed over the        entrance to the lower levels.  With a ferocious roar, the lumber hulk        rises to his feat.  Its time to deck the halls with parts of zombies.

Perception 20 or Arcana 20:         PCs will notice that the piles of gingerbreadmen are, in fact, slowly        moving constructs.  The gift objects, explained later, are still a        mystery.

Here's my map, crudely done        because, well, yeah.  That's how I roll. 

Tactics:  Santa & Krumple        want the adventurers to open their presents and attempt to delay until at        least 2 Wights are on the table.  Once in action, Santa will do his        best to remove the most naughty, which for some reason tends to be        strikers.  I'm not sure why.  Krumple will, however, not delay        if there are any Elves amongst the PCs.  With "Call of the Keeblers"        he'll do his best to recruit them into his new necrotic-toy building        empire.  Once Gifts B, C, & E have been opened and necrotic        vulnerability is in play (via the Bellringers), Savage Maul Santa will do        his best to make sure that the entire party sleeps in heavenly peace.  The Wights will delay their actions until a PC unwittingly provokes an attack of opportunity (or until their gift box is opened by some other means).

Fun fact:  The Gingerdeadmen        do not know that they are "Delicious".  Honestly speaking, I wouldn't        want to know if I was tasty either.

So....there you go.  Kind of        crappy and random, but hey, this only took me a little time to throw        together.  Thank you for your forgiveness.

After the encounter you find the Elven slave mines, filled  with freshly-minted toys.  Even after liberated, the rescued elves feel  they've lost a little part of themselves.  The cookies sing to them as do  the ever-pointy shoes.  -end

With, again, apologies to traditionalists and those who don't like the "other" mythos connected to Elvish folk.

-Jared

(von Hindman, if full names matter)

Time to Get The Tree

Background:  Having heard tales of the fantastic Winter Celebration held each year in the Elven village of Valkinmoor, the party has travelled far to enjoy the sights and sounds of a grand festival.  For many years now, the elves of Valkinmoor have started the festivities with the special reception of an honored guest to their Winter Celebration.  It was more than 300 years ago when the living trees of the surrounding hills joined with the Valkin Elves in defeating a great band of marauders that had descended into the valley.  Ever since, one living tree has always made the journey to Valkinmoor to stand in a place of honor with the elves on the anniversary of the grand battle.
This year, as the villagers, various travellers, and the adventurers waited through the dawn for the arrival of Living Tree, no one arrived.  The elves fear that some mischief has befallen their honored guest.  As the light snowfall continues, it is now mid-morning and the grief and uncertainty weighs heavily in the snow-laden village.  The village elders have asked for volunteers to search the trails and investigate what could be wrong.

Setup:  About a mile outside of the village there are signs of a struggle on the trail.  The light snowfall had started just before dawn, so it's fairly easy to see the tracks leading into the forest and the unmistakable marks of something large being dragged away, leaving pine needles in it's wake.

Interrogation in the Snow
Encounter Level 18 (11 000 XP)

A renegade drow couple and their ogre servitor, have just recently emerged upon the surface world after a rather hasty retreat from a battle with some of their drow neighbors that went terribly wrong.  As they began to investigate this intriguing new environment, one of the first things the couple discovered was the village of Valkinmoor.  After a few nights of watching and waiting, the couple has decided to hate Valkinmoor and its inhabitants.  While deciding how best to assault the village, the strangest sight the underground dwellers had ever seen came shuffling down the trail toward the village.

Pineticus Conbar is a large Living Tree that is on his annual journey to Valkinmoor in the spirit of celebration.  As such, he is properly bedecked in many totems, garlands, and trinkets from his homeland and previous journeys to visit the elves.  He was completely surprised when an Ogre with a wickedly gleaming axe emerged on the trail in front of him, and even more surpised as dark elves joined the ogre in subduing him and dragging him to a clearing in the forest.

The adventurers arrive at the clearing as Bahram and Revelle are trying to extort information from Pineticus about Valkinmoor.  Axe keeps sinking his, well, his axe, into various nearby tree stumps in attempts at intimidating poor Pineticus.
 





 

 

Tactics:  Currently, Pineticus (Piney to his friends) is tightly bound and helpless.  It will be up to the adventurers to save him from his captors.  If not solidly engaged, Axe may decide to use his Finish Him power against poor Piney!  Bah and Rev will seek to distance themselves on opposite flanks of the party and will hold nothing back in trying to destroy the surface-dwellers.

 



Features: Several tree stumps and many large branches hidden under the light snowfall make for difficult terrain throughout most of the clearing.


Conclusion
Should the adventurers succeed in rescuing Piney from the Axe and returning to Valkinmoor, then this year's Winter Celebration may be one of the most dramatic and joyful in recent memory.  The characters will be showered with presents, and Piney will extoll their virtues to his bretheren upon returning to the forest. 

Phew, getting this in just before the deadline. Enjoy!

'Twas the Night Before Madness

'Twas the night before Solstice, and all 'round the house,
The sole creature that's stirring has ten thousand mouths.
The Elder Signs hung round the door frame with care,
Some wards to keep out what might lurk out there.

The children were huddled, not making a peep.
Unimaginable horrors, they just couldn't sleep.
And mamma and I, planning for the worst case,
Had hired some adventurers to protect the place.

Suddenly a clatter came from out on the lawn.
(My passive perception told me something was wrong.)
I crept to the window, must be out of my mind.
Peeked through the sash, deeply scared what I'd find.

When what to my petrified eyes should appear,
But a flesh-eating creature, incarnate of fear.
This abberant beast, the sight made me sick.
The legends, they spoke of it. The foul Saint Grick!

"Now, Wizard! Now Cleric!" I hissed under my breath.
"If the sigils don't hold, protect us from death!"
With a gut-wrenching sound, it took to the air,
With the noise on the roof, were there more creatures there?

"The chimney!" said mamma, and I knew we were through.
"We didn't protect it! They'll come down the flue!"
As I drew back my head and was turning around,
Down the chimney the squamous thing came with a bound.

It was eyeballs and mouths, not a head nor a foot,
Plus a red and white hat (that was covered in soot).
Its entire body like an inside-out belly,
It shook when it gibbered, like a bowlful of jelly.

A blink of its eyes on what I assumed was its head
Soon reassured me that I was right to dread.
"Come, good adventurers, you must get to work.
Save us and our children! Disembowel that jerk!"

Map




Setup and Progression

'Twas the Night Before Madness is a level 17 Encounter, worth 7600 XP

1x Saint Grick

 

 

2x Crunchmas Wraiths

 

 

1x Singing Crunchmas Tree

 

The encounter starts with Saint Grick and the two Crunchmas Wraiths coming out of the fireplace (east side of the room) onto the rug area.

After one combat round, the Far Realm energies and creepy caroling of Saint Grick awaken the Singing Crunchmas Tree, who replaces the tree in the southeast corner of the room.

If Saint Grick is defeated, the Singing Crunchmas Tree reverts back to a regular inanimate Crunchmas Tree.

Features:

Fireplace - Not lit. May be destroyed with any single attack dealing at least 25 damage. This results in an attack against all creatures in adjacent squares, as bricks fall.

• +20 vs Reflex; 4d8+6 damage.

Elder Signs - Indicated as stars on the map. An aberrant creature that moves into or starts its turn in the same space as an Elder Sign is subject to the following attack

• +20 vs Will; 2d8+6 damage, and the creature is dazed and immobilized (save ends both)
  

Tactics:

Saint Grick is there to steal and eat the children upstairs. It and the Crunchmas Wraiths move steadily towards the staircase, unless there is a PC within 2 squares of it, or it has been attacked within the last round. The Tree, as a newly awakened creature, focuses on attacking the PCs.

Once bloodied, Saint Grick realizes that these PCs are something that needs to be dealt with before continuing, and it and the Wraiths no longer try to reach the stairs.

All creatures fight to the death, though the Singing Crunchmas Tree stops existing once Saint Grick is defeated.

Conclusion:

As the final blow struck, tearing into its side,
The thing gave a shriek, quickly shriveled and died.
And I said to the heroes, as they sheathed wand and sword,
"Happy Crunchmas to all. You've earned this reward."

Happy Crunchmas, all. Hope you enjoyed my efforts.

6-8 Dark Elves

8000 XP (Level 17)

Background:

The coastal province of Nedergrond has a problem. Every year at the beginning of the last month an eerie steam cloud rolls in off the ocean and envelopes a small town. While covered in this fog Cintaklas rolls in and attacks an orphanage. The old man, dressed in ceremonial red robes, leads a cadre of 6-8 dark elves into the bedrooms where they may give any particular child a gift, beat them with switches, or haul them into a sack and kidnap them. Those kidnapped are never seen again.

This year the citizens have called upon the governor to do something about it. They argue that soon the orphanages will be out of children and Cintaklas will begin to attack private homes. The richest merchants and lords have already begun to hire personal guards for their children.

The governor's response has been to close all but one orphanage. He has asked the adventurers to guard it and put a stop to this menace before it becomes a real problem instead of some minor annoyance.

The heroes set up shop in the adjoining building in order to surprise the attackers.

During the night, a cloud of steam rolls into the town. Anyone able to pass a DC 24 passive perception hears Cintaklas breaking into the house, if no one succeeds the party is alarmed by the screams of terrified orphans moments later.

Setup:

Cintaklas (C)

5 Drow Helpers (branches) (B)

3 Drow Helpers (sacks) (S)

10 Orphans (O)

The fight takes place in the dormitory.

When the party enters read the following:

Before you is a sight to be seen. A thin, old human man dressed in ceremonial red robes stands before the fire. All around the room drow elves chase orphans with switches and sacks. One has cornered a little boy and is viciously kicking him. The old man holds a small pouch and pulls a finely wrapped gift out and gives it to a shaking and terrified orphan. He turns to look at you, “Hahaha! And who is this?” He opens a large book, “Oh my, you’ve not been good this year! I’ll give you a pass--for now--if you leave us to our year’s end work.”

Cintaklas is a little insane. He is quite jolly at the beginning of the battle but will not say anything about his plans if engaged in conversation. He opts to continue spouting lines about naughtiness and gifts.

Cintaklas is within the room with 4 branch wielding drow and 2 sack wielding drow. Once two of the helpers are slain or Cintaklas is bloodied the remaining two drow will arrive at the doorway.

They may get the jump on the attackers if they move slowly, but the kids may already be in sacks by then. If they rush in they may be able to keep them from terrorizing the children too much.

Designate 2 orphans to receive gifts from Cintaklas, and 3 to be kidnapped. The remaining 5 are to be terrorized by the drow elves.

Tactics:

Cintaklas and his drow helpers are not out to kill. They give gifts, terrorize or kidnap, but they do not kill. They first stick to the idea of not hurting anyone, but once the PCs begin to succeed on the Insight checks and are no longer frightened by the Faking It attack, the drow stop pulling punches. 

The branch wielding drow keep mobile and look for combat advantage against both the PCs and the orphans they are terrorizing. They will attempt to shield their sack wielding allies from interruptions.

The sack wielding drow focus on the 3 orphans to be kidnapped as much as possible. If they can't get to any of them, they will attempt to use their sack to remove a PC from the fight. They won't kidnap the sacked PC unless all of the orphans they want manage to escape.

Cintaklas stays back and organizes his minions. Once all of the PCs are in range he uses his Big Book of Names to disrupt their attacks and let his drow reposition. He tries to stay close to the fight, but out of melee. Whenever possible he uses Twisting Cane to remove enemies from his immediate area or to give his allies a chance to gain better positions--especially if it means he'll be able to kidnap an orphan. He saves his action point until the moment he'll be able to get his captured orphans out of the building.

Cintaklas and the drow flee once they have grabbed all of their targets.

Features of the Area:

Beds: The beds cost an additional square of movement to climb upon. 

Fireplace: The fireplace deals 2d6+5 fire damage to any creature that enters or starts its turn in its square.

Entrances: The windows are barred and too small for anyone to get through. There is only one door in or out. Any orphan that runs out of the door is likely to escape. Any drow that carries an orphan out will be able to escape.

Conclusion:
 

Cintaklas has a bag of holding containing a level 18 item within it.

If all of the targeted orphans are saved, the governor will reward the party with 5000 gp. If any are kidnapped, the governor will not reward the party as he has to handle the fallout of more kids--even unwanted ones--being kidnapped under his watch.

The Athletics check is against the target's Fortitude and only one enemy may be affected by the Sack Attack.

My Grick in a Box

Encounter Level 15 (6,000 XP)

Background

Several years ago, a member of your party had an unfortunate one night stand with an intense, but deeply troubled half-elf wizard called Wojdak. After a night of heavy drinking at the tavern, it seemed like a good idea when he offered to fly you home on a magic carpet to his mage's tower. Later, your teammate awoke to discover the mage lived in his mother's basement and stealthily slipped away into the early morning dew. Unbeknownst to your party member, the wizard has been looking for them ever since. A strand of hair left on a pillow, scrying magic and a dark ritual has led to this night.

Setup

The PCs are relaxing at the local watering hole when the heavy wooden door flies open and slams against the wall. A fancifully dressed wizard strides into the room carrying a large wrapped gift at waist height.



"So I have found you at last," Wojdak sneers. "How odd that you should again be in a tavern in the company of strange men." The wizard takes a few steps toward your party's table and drops the present to the floor. "I've brought you something, my darling. I've been keeping it for you ever since you broke off our engagement."

Wojdak lifts the lid off the box to reveal a youngling grick. He waves a wand over the creature and it rapidly grows until it's pressing against the ceiling.

"How do you like these apples, sweetheart?"

Tactics

Wojdak will center his power on the target of his obesssion if at all possible. His servitor will attack whoever is closest.

The Orb of Fire and Ice

Encounter Background

A thousand years ago, the Kingdom of Ethrenduil was thriving, prosperous and peaceful, despite its location at the edge of the Far North.  Most of its population lived in the valley of the same name whose natural advantages ensured the kingdom's existence.  Towering rock walls sheltered the valley from the bitter wind that roared across the glaciers that formed its northern boundary while also serving as a barrier against all aggressors.  Warm springs bubbled fresh and plentiful water onto the valley floor for drinking and agriculture.  The soil was fertile and, despite the short summers, the harvest was plentiful year after year.

In an attempt to guarantee the valley's prosperity for all time, the Lord Magister Aevenin, advisor to the throne in all matters arcane, crafted a magic item in an attempt to control nature itself.  He believed that the ability to control flame and snow, summer and winter, would enable the kingdom to expand beyond the confines of the valley and achieve its rightful place as a great power.  He created a magical orb that would allow its owner to bend fire and frost to his will, to be protected against their destructiveness, and, by doing so, forge an even brighter future for the kingdom.  Alas, the Orb of Fire and Ice, as it became known, was not nearly so powerful as the Lord Magister had promised.  The manufacture of the orb had cost the King dearly, and he was furious at Aevenin and threatened him with banishment.

Aevenin pleaded for mercy and promised to correct his failings.  Seeing no other option, Aevenin entered the Elemental Chaos and sought a solution.  His wanderings led him to the realm of a great being, whose name is since lost, who offered to "fix" the orb and imbue it with the power to do everything that Aevenin had promised the King.  The being required no payment for this deed and, suspicious though he should have been, Aevenin accepted its aid.  Polishing the Orb in a fleece of crystal shards, the being enchanted the Orb with magics that Aevenin only barely understood.  He returned to the Kingdom with a much more powerful Orb of Fire and Ice and was welcomed as a hero.  His status was short-lived, however, as the true nature of the Orb became apparent almost immediately.  The winters in the Valley grew deeper, darker, and colder.  The summers, although remaining short, grew hotter and drier.  Within ten years, Ethrenduil, which had always known cool but pleasant summers and mild winters, ceased to exist.  Scorching summers destroyed the farms, burnt the grasses, and ravaged the forests; the Valley became a desert.  Frigid winters covered the valley in tens of feet of snow and ice; glacial wasteland became the norm.

A single city, Illarder, remained, its inhabitants clinging to a pitiful existence.  The Mages Guild, which had replaced the Lord Magister years before and had been researching a means to counter the Orb's magics, learned of a possible method to destroy it.  By returning the Orb to the Elemental Chaos and the realm of the being who had tricked Aevenin, wrapping it in the fleece of shards and striking it with a powerful blow, the Orb would split into two halves and its magic would cease--or so they hoped.  Twin brothers were chosen to undertake this quest, Gorian Miser and Thradiculd Miser, both great warriors who also studied the arcane mysteries.  They entered the Elemental Chaos and did exactly as the Mages Guild instructed them.

The Orb was shattered in two, and the magics that had destroyed Ethrenduil were undone, but the brothers paid a terrible price.  Buffetted by arcane energies in the ensuing explosion, the brothers were thrown back into the world near the site of their entry into the Elemental Chaos.  Illarder was completely destroyed and when the brothers woke up, they found that they were no longer human.  Gorian became a creature of fire; Thradiculd a creature of ice; both were immortal, malevolent and hateful.  Their deepest hatreds were reserved for the other for each believed that the other had incorrectly followed the Mages Guild's instructions and was therefore responsible for the explosion that destroyed Illarder and transformed them.

Unable to stand the sight of the other, each brother retrieved that half of the Orb with which he had an affinity and fled.  They found, however, that they could not stay apart; the two half-orbs keep bringing the brothers together.  Almost by clockwork, every thirteen years on the night of the Winter Solstice, the brothers meet somewhere in the frozen north and do battle.  But every thirteen years, the battle ends with both brothers unconscious, near death, and unable to achieve his goal.  Initially, they believed that by killing the other, they could assume control of both halves of the Orb, destroy it once and for all, and end their accursed existence.  Now however, after one thousand years, insanity, and the whisperings of the shattered orbs in their mind, they know not why that do battle.

When their battles began, the brothers fought in solitude, hiding each of their halves of the Orb where they were sure the other would be unable to find it.  Over the years, however, magical servants have joined them, elemental beings drawn to their ever increasing power--or to the power of the Orb.  These servants, three Aspects of Fire and three of Ice, meet at the site of the battle and jointly guard the Orb halves from the brothers.  When the battle is complete, the three Aspects take their master's half of the shattered orb, retrieve his broken and unconscious body, and travel to their citadels until the next battle--always thirteen years in the future.

The battles are known about by all cultures of the North, by every people of every race, but their true aspect is unknown to all but a few.  Known as the Storm of Winter's Fire, most believe the battles to be a strange magical storm and not a battle between two sentient beings at all.  The results are certainly more akin to a storm of some kind than a battle: whole swaths of forest are left ablaze, the snow melted and the air filled with misty steam, other areas completely covered in a layer of thick ice, plants and animals frozen solid, to remain that way until the spring thaw.  The damage is horrific, and all are thankful that the "Storm" only comes once every thirteen years.

Adventure Hooks

An Elf in Need
The Winter Solstice approaches.  The Elves of Hallin Duar-Whyn know the history of the Brothers Miser and know that this year is the Thirteenth in their cycle.  Fearing that a magical battle raging across their realm will cause great damage to the evergreen forests and their inhabitants and knowing that they have not the means to prevent it, they have opted to follow an unusual course of action: Seek help from the outside world.

An Elvish emissary approaches the PCs and offers a great reward if they are able to obtain two magical artifacts guarded by six elemental creatures--the Aspects of Fire and Ice.  The Elves will not mention the Brothers Miser at all nor mention the battle.  They will give directions into the center of the "Storm" and describe the Aspects and the two shattered orb-halves.  If questioned, the elves will describe the full powers of the orb-halves but will do everything that they can to convince the PCs of accepting the quest without discussing the Brothers.  They fear that the truth about the Brothers and their power will scare adventurers into not making an attempt.

A Sad Song
The PCs are journeying through the winter forests of the north on their way to whatever business your campaign story dictates.  They come to a small, but strongly fortified city by the name of Icelingard in time to decide to spend the night.  After entering the town, they notice one specific peculiarity.  Almost everyone that they pass is humming a slow and mournful tune.  Passing open shop and house windows, they occassionally hear voices singing to that tune.  They can pick out bits and pieces of the lyrics but would need to stop and listen to hear the whole song.  If they get to an inn before hearing the whole song, have them enter the inn to find everyone in the tavern is singing, and only after the song is finished will anyone discuss business with them.  The lyrics are as follows:
 
He's Mister White Winter, He's Mister Snow
He's Mister Icicle, Chilly Death from Below
 
We call him the Snow Miser, Whatever he doth touch
Turns to snow in his clutch, He's too much!
 
He's Mister Hot Summer, He's Mister Sun
He's Mister Heat Blister, He is the Flaming One
 
We call him the Heat Miser, Whatever he doth touch
Starts to burn in his clutch, He's too much!
 
They battle for both halves of the Orb, They battle for the right
They seek to destroy the Orb, However it is they might
 
He's Mister White Winter, He's Mister Snow
He's Mister Icicle, Chilly Death from Below
 
He's Mister Hot Summer, He's Mister Sun
He's Mister Heat Blister, He is the Flaming One
 
The battle they have fought, For-a one thousand years
Woe - to our people, We've shed all the tears
 
Woe be for our people, We've shed all the tears
 
When asked about the song, any of the city's inhabitants will tell the players the same thing.  It is two nights before the Winter Solstice, and every thirteen years, the Storm of Winter's Fire, known by Icelingard's inhabitants as a battle between two elemental creatures, occurs on the Solstice.  The city is preparing for the worst even as a select group of militiamen is making plans to enter the Storm in an attempt to capture one or both of the orb-halves and force a negotiation with the Brothers Miser.  If the PCs express an interest, the innkeeper can summon the Town Constable who is willing to negotiate a reward for the orb-halves.  Or, if the PCs are altruistic, they may offer to help in some way.  The Constable is familiar with most details of the Brothers' history, although those details are not common knowledge among Icelingard's inhabitants, and is willing to share everything that he knows to convince the PCs to take an active interest.

Your Own Campaign Story

- As this is a single encounter designed to last something less than one full playing session, perhaps you might run it as a one-off for your players.

There are numerous ways to weave the story of the Brothers Miser into your ongoing campaign.  Three examples are:

- Perhaps the Brothers Midas know some piece of lore being sought by the PCs, and the characters learn that only way to catch their attention is to make an attempt at stealing one of the orb-halves.
- Perhaps the PCs have been sent by someone not at all concerned about the plight of the northern peoples to obtain the orb-halves.
- Perhaps the PCs seek an entrance to the Elemental Chaos and believe that the Brothers Miser can help them.

The Orb of Fire and Ice

The journey to the site of the encounter can take as long or as short as your needs as DM dictate.  The hook that you chose to begin the adventure will have a large bearing on this as will the geography of your campaign.  In any event, the encounter takes place in a large evergreen forest at least a day's travel from the nearest settlement.  Much of the journey will take place on the Winter Solstice, which means that the Storm of Winter's Fire will have already started, and the PCs will travel through it and witness, first hand, the destruction caused by the battle.

Deep snow covers the ground, and all seems normal at the beginning of the journey.  However, as the characters draw closer to the site of the encounter, they will begin to understand the scope of the Storm of Winter’s Fire.  Those trained in Nature will recognize very early that there is something amiss in the forest, but even those not so trained will soon realize.

The forests will be unnaturally quiet, as if the animals are in hiding.  The dark grey clouds in the sky will be lit from below by a roiling reddish glow.  The smell of smoke from great forest fires will become more and more prevalent.  Snow will drift into great mounds in some places, and in others, there will be no snow at all.  Eventually, the characters will pass trees that are still ablaze.  Strangely, they will also pass trees that are completely encased in a thick layer of ice.  Occasionally, they might even come across a tree one half of which if burning brightly while its other half is frozen solid.  These sights will only become more and more common as they approach the encounter. 

Encounter Details

Encounter Level 15 (6500 XP)

3 Aspects of Fire (F)
3 Aspects of Ice (I) 

Setup

The players reach the encounter area at the “Characters Approach” label on the map.  They stand on a slight rise overlooking a river whose surface is frozen solid.  A small peninsula juts from the far bank; the guardians of the broken halves of the Orb of Fire and Ice—three Aspects of Fire and three Aspects of Ice—stand in a circle around a low stone pedestal.  On the pedestal sit the two artifacts; one glows a deep orange while the other glows a dull blue.  The Aspects face outward from the Orb in order to keep watch on their surroundings.  They are aware of the player characters but do not attack.  They do not even move from their spots although those Aspects facing away from the characters turn so that all are facing them.  The Aspects will not attack the character unless either one of the following conditions is met:

1. The player characters attack the Aspects. (or)

2. A player character approaches within 11 squares of the Orb.

(See below for a physical description of Aspects.)

 

Tactics

The Aspects of Fire will spread out to prevent any area of effect spells from damaging all of them.  They will then attack using their Javelin of Fire attacks while the characters are still at a distance.  If some characters are attempting to hold the high ground and are located within the Avalanche Danger Area, one of the Aspects of Fire will launch a Javelin of Fire into the side of the hill and attempt to cause an avalanche.  See below for details.  The Aspects of Fire will then make maximum use of their mobility to harass the characters.

The Aspects of Ice will move to position themselves between the characters and the Orb.  The will do everything in their power to prevent a character from reaching the Orb.

The Aspects fully understand the effects that their powers have on the frozen river and other environmental features and will use them to maximum effect against the characters.  All Aspects will fight to the death.
 
Development

The Brothers Miser have to this point been battling each other and have not yet encountered the characters.  However, they will make their appearance and enter the battle as soon as either one of the following conditions is met:

1. The player characters kill two or more Aspects.

2. A player character approaches within 5 squares of the Orb.

Once one of these conditions is met, both Brothers will appear on the encounter map—Gorian on the northern boundary of the encounter area due north of the Orb and Thradiculd to the northeast of the Orb standing on the ice at the center of the river.  One will immediately attack the character closest to the Orb.  The other will attack the party’s most powerful spellcaster in range.  They will use the Heat Storm or Snow Storm respectively. 

They will do everything in their power to eliminate the player characters.  They, too, fully understand the environment and will use it to their advantage, including setting pine trees ablaze, melting the frozen river, etc.

Because the Brothers have been battling throughout the day, they come to this battle somewhat weakened.  Gorian only possesses 175 hit points upon commencing the battle.  Thradiculd, taking the worst of the battle to this point, only possesses 165 hit points.  Due to their weakened state at the beginning of the battle, they are only worth 1600XP each despite the fact that they are Level 14 Elite opponents.

An Aspect of Ice appears as a dour, blue skinned man wearing a suit of ice plate armor.  In fact, the Aspect wears no “armor” at all; it naturally appears to do so.  He carries a hammer into battle that, when not in battle, floats at his side ready to be wielded.



An Aspect of Fire is an elemental creature that inhabits the Elemental Chaos and who often serves greater elemental beings.  They appear similar to an Angel of Valor as depicted in the Monster Manual.  They are creatures of flame, lacking legs but humanoid from the waist up, who carry blazing scimitars into battle.

Features of the Area

Frozen River

The icy surface of the frozen river means that it is Challenging Terrain.  The PCs can make an Acrobatics Check against a DC of 28 to move at full speed over the ice; failure means that they fall prone.

While the ice is thick enough to walk upon normally, the extreme heat generated by magical attacks (such as player character powers with the fire keyword, Aspects of Fire powers, or Gorian’s powers) can damage the ice and make it slick and even more dangerous.  If any square of ice suffers 15 or more hit points of fire damage in a single round (either via an area of effect power targeting that square or an attack specifically against the ice), that square becomes a Treacherous Ice Sheet as described in Chapter 5 of the DMG with the following modifications:

Nature Check with DC of 27 to identify the ice.

Attack: + 17 vs. Reflex

Hit: 1d12 + 4 damage otherwise the same.

The Countermeasure requires a DC 31 Acrobatic check.

If a square of frozen river that is a Treacherous Ice Sheet suffers an additional 15 hit points of damage in that or any subsequent round, the ice breaks and the PC plunges into the water below.  He suffers 3d6 + 4 cold damage each round that he remains in the water and 5 ongoing cold damage (save ends).  This square is now considered open water.  The river is shallow at this bend and reaches no deeper than 5 feet at any spot.  The DM should note that damaging the ice requires the stated amount of damage in a single round; due to the subfreezing temperature and the presence of the Shattered Orb of Ice, any damaged ice “heals” at the end of each round.

Just as the river reacts to the effects of fire damage, it also reacts to cold damage.  If there is any square of open water that is subjected to 20 hit points of cold damage in a single round, that water partially freezes and becomes a square of Treacherous Ice Sheet.  Likewise, if a square of Treacherous Ice Sheet is subjected to 20 hit points of cold damage in a single round, it reverts to normal ice (Challenging Terrain) as described above.

Finally, should a PC be unfortunate enough to find himself in open water when it freezes to Treacherous Ice Sheet, he is immobilized.  In order to free himself, he must make a Strength check against a DC of 26 to crack the ice and then must expend a move action to pull himself from the water.  If a PC finds himself in open water that freezes completely back into normal ice (by being subjected to a cumulative 40 hit points of cold damage, he is immobilized.  In this case, he must make a Strength check against a DC of 30 to crack the ice and then must expend a move action to pull himself from the water.

Evergreens

The encounter area is dotted with small pine trees that are 5 feet in diameter and 20 – 30 feet tall.  Due to their small size, the pine trees are only difficult terrain—PCs can force their way through them with some difficulty.  The pines do provide cover.

For damage purposes, the trees have the properties of a large wooden object as described in Chapter 4 of the DMG.  A tree subjected to 10 fire damage will catch on fire.  The tree will suffer 2d6 fire damage per round while it burns.  Creatures who pass adjacent to a burning tree are subject to attack by the flames:

Attack: + 15 vs. Reflex

Hit: 2d6 + 5 fire damage.

Miss: Half damage.

After a burning tree suffers 40 hit points of total damage (fire and normal), it collapses in a random direction.  The tree will fall horizontally and target a line of squares 1d3 + 3 squares long.  Any creatures caught in those squares will be subjected to the following:

Attack: + 18 vs. Reflex

Hit: 1d10 + 3 damage, 1d10 + 3 fire damage, and is immobilized until escape.  Each round that the character remains immobilized, he automatically suffers an additional 2d6 fire damage.

Countermeasures: Immobilized characters can use Acrobatics or Athletics (DC 25) to free themselves.

A fallen, burning pine tree is considered challenging terrain.  To cross one, the character must make an Acrobatics or Athletics check (DC 25) to safely cross it; failure indicates that the character falls prone into the fire and suffers 1d10 + 3 fire damage.

Likewise, a tree subjected to 40 total hit points of cold damage will collapse under the weight of the accumulated ice in its needles.  It collapses in a random direction, will fall horizontally, and target a line of squares 1d3 + 3 squares long.  Any creatures caught in those squares will be subjected to the following:

Attack: + 18 vs. Reflex

Hit: 2d10 damage, and is immobilized until escape.

Countermeasures: Immobilized characters can use Acrobatics or Athletics (DC 27) to free themselves.

Uneven Ground

The contour lines on the encounter map show the relative elevation of the ground across the area.  Those squares through which two contour lines pass are considered difficult terrain if the character is climbing up the slope or along the slope.  Those squares through which three or more contour lines pass are considered challenging terrain.  Climbing up the slope or along the slope requires a successful Acrobatics or Athletics check (DC 27); failure indicates that the character falls, suffering 1d6 falling damage for each contour line he crosses and landing prone at the bottom of the slope.

The Aura of the Orb

The two halves of the Orb of Fire and Ice have several different properties (most of which will need to be determined by you if you choose to maintain these artifacts in your campaign).  One such property is that when the two halves are brought within five feet of each other, the Orb provides total protection to those creatures who are allies of the possessors of the orbs against fire and cold damage.  Therefore in this encounter, as long as they are located within the aura, both Gorian and Thradiculd and their respective Aspects are immune to any fire or cold damage from those same beings.  In the millennia long battle between the two Misers, this aura provides completely neutral ground.

Avalanche Danger Area

The area outlined by the solid red line on the encounter map is in constant danger of avalanche.  Any character who is located within this area when an avalanche occurs will be subjected to the following attack:

Attack: + 20 vs. Reflex

Hit: 2d10 falling damage, the character is slid five squares to the west, and is knocked prone.

Miss: Half damage, the character is slid five squares to the west, and is knocked prone.

A character who is located within the dashed red line when an avalanche occurs will be subjected to the following attack:

Attack: + 18 vs. Reflex

Hit: 1d10 damage, the character is slid three squares to the west, and is knocked prone.

Miss: Half damage, and the character is slid two squares to the west.

An avalanche will be triggered if any square adjacent and to the west of the solid red-lined area suffers 25 hit points of fire damage or 50 points of normal damage.

The Orb of Fire and Ice Artifact Descriptions

The original Orb of Fire and Ice brought back by Aevenin from the Elemental Chaos was an artifact suitable for characters in the middle of the paragon tier and above.  It granted strong immunities against both fire and cold and powers that allowed its wielder great control over those forces.  It was a malevolent construct whose sole desire was to exult in the desolation caused by extreme weather.  Reducing a lush jungle to scorched desert was its greatest joy.  Full details of this artifact are not included here and will need to be written by the DM if you desire to include it in your campaign.

The Shattered Orb of Fire and the Shattered Orb of Ice (what each of the half-orbs are now called) are two lesser artifacts, suitable for characters in the middle of the heroic tier and above.  As above, full details of these artifacts are not included herein.  The most important goal for either of these artifacts is to be reunited with its other half so that it might regain its original glory.  Obviously, if this requires the death of the owner, then so be it.

This was a lot harder than preparing and encounter at home. So much so that I forgot to include some very important aspects (and probably other more or less important bits).

I'm linking the rules for the orphans here so that my entry remains uneditted.

So first I want to say how impressed I am with all the entries - thanks to everyone who submitted their holiday encounter! It's awesome to see all the work that you've put into these! You've all made choosing 3 winners from the group hard, but that's exactly what we'll be doing. We'll be running these adventures over the next few days and then pick the three we like the best based on the criteria in the rules. Once we've done that we'll contact the winners and then post them up in the blog along with our play exerperience.

It would be great to see other people running these and giving there feedback here as well - see if you can find some way to work some of these into your adventures or a oneo-off

I want to say again how impressed I was with all the entries! People were super creative and I loved the flavor that you all put in the descriptions, box text, and monster abilities.

All that said, we had to pick three out of this great group, and it wasn't easy, but we do have our winners now! I'm still waiting to hear back from one of them before i can announce him as a winner, but the other two are:

ChattyDM with "Don't Touch That! A Winter Solstice Tale"
DavetheGame with "How the Gish Stole Christmas"

As soon as the other winner gets back to me with his acceptance, I'll post that up here as well, and then we'll get those prizes sent out. I'll be posting up our play experience and feedback on these adventures early next week after the holiday weekend.

Thanks again to everyone who submitted - it was a blast reading and playing through these holiday encounters!

And our final winner is dick_deck with his Isle of the Forlorn! Congratulations to our three winners and thanks again to everyone who particpated! You should see a blog of our experience as we played through these encounters up soon, and I may have some more news for you!

Great entries from everybody and nice contest WOTC chaps.

Would like to echo the sentiment that Global (Hint, UK, hint) contests would be greatly appreciated although I understand there are always problems with that sort of thing.

Congrats to all winners and everybody who entered!

~Mark/Anlath