Blood in the Snow:
A Dungeons and Dragons Adventure
By Colin Curry
Introduction
This adventure module is written for the Dungeon Master. It contains a complete adventure, along with descriptions and stats for the creatures, characters, and items contained within. Although this is designed as a standalone adventure in its own world, feel free to adapt it to fit into your existing campaign or expand upon the world presented here!
Running the Adventure
Blood in the Snow is an adventure designed for four to five players of 8th level. It takes place in and around the logging town of Calham, located in the northern region of Brenth, near the Snowdrift Forest. The area surrounding Calham is a serene, wintry landscape, with Skybreaker's Ridge on the horizon to the north. As the party will soon discover, however, the tranquil beauty of the Snowdrift Forest now belies a monstrous threat that has set its sights on Calham and its residents.
Background
Calham has been a peaceful town for decades, providing lumber for the surrounding area as well as the city of Ronolin and being otherwise fairly dull as towns go. This is due, in part, to the presence of a Firbolg druid that lives in the area of the Snowdrift Forest outside the town, calming the animals and keeping things relatively safe for the townsfolk.
Recently however, the town has been logging at a much faster rate to keep up with increased demand from Ronolin, and the druid became increasingly concerned with the effects this will have on the forest. He has attempted to persuade the woodsmen multiple times to slow down, to no avail. On one such attempt at intervention, one frustrated woodsman killed the druid with an axe to the neck, leaving his body to freeze in the cold. The druid's spirit was twisted by despair at the fate of his home and anger at being disregarded and betrayed in such a way, and became something...darker.
In the past week, the snows have picked up considerably and townsfolk that have gone into the woods haven't come out: what's more, people in town have claimed to have heard voices calling to them in the night, the voices of townsfolk that have gone missing or been found dead. The nameless firbolg has become a twisted spirit of rage and primal urges, a Curse of Hunger, and has resolved to remove the threat to the forest by any means necessary, even if it means killing every last living thing in Calham.
Overview
This adventure is composed of two phases: phase one asks the party to solve the mystery of what exactly is going on while keeping the townsfolk safe, and phase two tasks the party with finding the source of the monsters and quelling the threat the Curse of Hunger represents before either its minions consume the town, or it finishes the ritual to freeze the entire town over.
The Curse of Hunger
Throughout the course of this adventure, NPCs (and PCs, potentially) may find themselves in situations where the consumption of humanoid flesh is a tempting option to avoid starvation. If this occurs, the following happens:
- The following midnight, the person in question must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a success, nothing happens. On a failure, however, they become a Wendigo (Appendix A) over the course of an hour.
- Keep track of which characters become Wendigo over the course of the adventure. If the players convince The Curse to move on, any living Wendigo will return to their former selves.
Important Characters
Throughout this adventure, players will encounter various residents of Calham, and working with them will likely be pivotal to their success. While many of the townsfolk will be eager to assist their would-be saviors, not everyone may be appreciative of your presence in town. Below are some of the characters the players are likely to meet during their stay in Calham.
Ellyn Hane
Innkeep of The Fireside, Human (Female, 40s)
- Ellyn is 6'1" and athletically built. She keeps her dirty blonde hair tied back in a short braid, though work keeps her too busy to take care of the stray hairs that inevitably break free of their imprisonment. Her most striking physical trait aside from her height is a crooked nose, the result of a nasty break she got in a fight in her youth. She's also often yelling at someone about something.
- Ellyn is sarcastic, compassionate, and courageous. She tends to act as an older sister to most of the town, and has been known to get into brawls with rowdy patrons who don't take no for an answer. She's lived in town for over 20 years, and knows something about everyone, though she isn't quick to idle gossip (but can be persuaded to talk if it means helping end the threat). She's vocal about her disdain for Jarvin and his posse, though on principle she'd never turn him away from her inn.
Morn
Caravan Master, Tiefling (Male, 50s)
- Morn is 5'9", with burnt orange skin and horns that curve back over his head, ending in points just past his ears. He has short, black hair, with gray peppered throughout. His most defining physical trait is a scar that runs from his forehead down across his left eye, which is covered with an eyepatch. He wears well made but simple clothes, and wears a necklace bearing a symbol of Tymora.
- Morn is humble, shrewd, and kindhearted. A man of few words, Morn is a moderately successful merchant, and an old friend of Ellyn's. He is very religious, and will often hold the coin on his necklace for good luck, whispering a prayer to Tymora. An insightful observer will note that Morn isn't quite as humble as he seems at first glance. Not cowardly, but avoids danger whenever possible. Will stick around for a few days at Ellyn's behest, but will leave after that.
Jarvin Welland
Woodcutter, Human (Male, 20s)
- Jarvin is 6'0", with the powerful muscles of someone who chops down trees all day. He has close-cropped brown hair, and the the shadow of a fresh attempt at a beard. He carries himself with a pompous swagger, and often carries his hefty axe around town. His most defining physical trait is a set of three long, faded scars running from his mangled left ear down across his chin; the result of a wolf attack as a youth.
- Jarvin is arrogant, hostile, and crass. He's wanted to be an adventurer since he was young, but a bad run-in with a stray wolf left scars on his face and on his psyche, and he's since never been able to muster up the courage to leave home and willingly face that kind of danger again.
Jarvin the Murderer
Jarvin murdered the firbolg druid that would become the Curse with his axe, enraged because of the druid's insistence that his men stop felling trees so recklessly. The murder has slowly been eating at him since, and he now believes he somehow brought a curse upon the town.
- A successful intimidation or persuasion check (DC 20) in private can convince Jarvin to confess to his fears and crime; the DC lowers by 1 for each member of the town taken or killed after the party arrives, to a minimum of 12.
- If the party gets a confession from him, he will also lead the party to the site of the murder (near the Curse's lair) with a DC 16 persuasion check. Any Wendigo that sights him will ignore all other targets until he is dead, and seeing him will cause The Curse to immediately become hostile to the party if he wasn't previously.
Elias Brooke
Doctor, Half-orc (Male, 40s)
- Elias is 5'10", with a slim build. He carries himself with a slight air of disarray, and has short, graying black hair. He takes mostly after his human father, with only a pale greenish tint to his skin and a small set of prominent incisors. His most defining physical traits are a pair of spectacles he wears at all times, and the large doctor's bag he carries with him.
- Elias is compassionate, awkward, and thoughtful. He's a skilled doctor, and struggles in social situations. His only close friendship is with Elyn, whom he's known for decades. The only person he cares for more than his patients is his daughter, Milly.
Milly Brooke
Daughter of Elias Brooke, Half-orc (Female, 7)
- Milly is 4'1", and has blonde hair with streaks of golden brown. She carries herself with confidence normally, but as of late has been more reticent on account of her father's stress. She always carries around a stuffed griffon, and is often seen with their dog, Snowflake.
- Milly is assertive, friendly, and empathetic. She loves her father very much, and his stress as a result of the dire mood in town has been weighing on her. She's curious about new things, and is fearless in the face of that curiosity; she'll be interested in the adventuring party regardless of its make-up, and is likely to ask them questions when she sees them.
Snowflake
Brooke Family Dog, Dog (Male, 9)
- Snowflake is a large, white malamut mix, and walks with the calm vigilance of a guard dog. He is often with either Milly or Elias, but lately has been preoccupied with his new mate, a stray wolf that wandered into the outskirts of town some months ago. Said mate is hidden in The Fireside's stable, pregnant and ready to give birth soon.
- Snowflake is loyal, selfless, and wise. He considers the Brookes his pack, and is now struggling to reconcile having a second family to be with.
Starting the Adventure
As a standalone adventure, your party may be in one of several different situations prior to journeying to Calham. Listed below are a few different plot hooks that you as the DM may use in order to organically steer the party towards the town.
Hook 1: Ellyn's Request
The party, while traveling elsewhere, decides to stop at Calham for the night. A DC 12 History check provides the following:
Upon arriving, they're mostly ignored or eyed with suspicion; the town is cold and its residents wary. Ellyn Hane is a welcome source of warmth, and she will find an opportunity to speak to the party in private, knowing seasoned adventurers when she sees them. She'll explain that the town has had people pulled away in the night, or ambushed by something while working in the forest. What's more, some townsfolk claim they've heard voices from the edge of the wood, voices that sound like some of the missing townsfolk.
The entire town is on edge, and most of the townsfolk are afraid to go looking for their neighbors. She worries for the future of her town, and the safety of her patrons. She asks the party to investigate these disappearances and find some answers, dealing with the mysterious threat if possible. She offers the party 5000 gold, her life savings and a safety blanket from her time as an adventurer.
Hook 2: Morn's Offer
The party may have been drawn to Calham to investigate the disappearances of some half dozen of its residents at the request of a caravan merchant named Morn; he was asked by Ellyn to look around for help, as Calham is too isolated to expect help from the Ronolin, and her town needs her too much for her to leave. Morn will offer the party 5000 gold to travel to Calham and hear Ellyn's request, and will offer to take the party there, paying half of their reward now and half upon completion of the quest; a debt paid to his old friend. He'd also like to see the town return to its prior levels of productivity, as it's good for business. He warns, however, that he's heard strange rumors about the Snowdrift woods in recent weeks, and that the weather will only get worse with time.
While the hooks on this page are designed to naturally fit into the flow of the adventure, every campaign is different. You may find that a hook created by you will be a better fit for your group! There's also nothing wrong with taking one of the hooks presented here and modifying them to suit your needs. As the DM, you're best suited to know what will work.
The Town of Calham
A. The Fireside
This large, dark pine building is owned by Elynn Hane, and is the town's only inn. Large and sturdy, it serves as a meeting place for many of the townsfolk. A sign hangs above the door bearing an engraving of a stylized campfire.
B. The Fireside, Stables
This relatively small wooden stable is ripe with the smell of hay and horses. The air is a little stuffy, and a door in the back right corner leads into The Fireside's back area. Two horses, Morn's caravan mounts, are housed here.
C. The Welland Residence
This small house is covered in a chipped, dark blue paint, the windows dark. Jarvin Welland resides here, though he is not often home, preferring to spend his time at The Fireside.
D. The Brooke Residence/The Clinic
This small, pine house is painted a dark brown, a wreath made of pine branches and pine cones nailed to the door. Elias, Milly, and Snowflake Brooke live here. The adjoining door is painted white with a red cross on it, the way leading up to it kept meticulously free of debris, and leads into the larger room in the back: the clinic.
E. Candle's (General Store)
A sign hangs from the top of this building, depicting a stylized candle. Inside players can purchase non-damaging adventuring goods from the shopkeep, Cornifer Candle, starting at a 40% markup.
F. The Snowdrift Forest
Small clouds of white powder blow on the winds coming from the trees at the edge of town. Known as a peaceful area once, an ominous air now hangs from the branches of the trees, the shadows seeming to darken even during the day.
G. The Smithy
This large building has a sign hanging above the door depicting a woodcutting axe and a pair of blacksmithing tongs, and a few worn axes lean against the wall by the front door, which seems boarded up.
Sidequests
There are a variety of small sidequests the players can pursue while unraveling the mystery of what's threatening the town, and preparing themselves to make the journey to deal with The Curse.
Find Milly's Griffon
If the party talks to Milly (often located at home), she will ask the party to find her stuffed griffon, Falstad, who's been missing for a few days. If the party accepts, she'll explain that she last saw him by The Fireside, where she'd left him while she spied through the window on the adults inside. A successful DC 15 Survival check made by the front area of the fireside will reveal a few small feathers partially ground into the dirt road, and faint paw prints leading away, towards the stables. Inside, a successful DC 14 Investigation check reveals Snowflake's mate hidden amongst the hay in the back of the stable, very pregnant and cuddling Falstad. She will not attack the party, only cower, and will not challenge them if they take Falstad from her, only whine.
Upon returning Falstad, Milly will be overjoyed, claiming the party to be the best adventurers ever, and will give the party her most cherished treasure aside from Falstad: a shiny rock! A DC 12 Intelligence check to appraise it will reveal that this is a rough diamond; an intelligence check of 15 or higher reveals its worth to be roughly 500g, making it suitable for spells such as raise dead.
Snowflake's Dilemma
Snowflake often guards Elias while he travels from house to house, especially lately. However, his attention has been split taking care of his mate, as she cannot gather food with the dangers in the forest as they are.
If the party inspects Snowflake's mate, they will discover that she is visibly pregnant, and malnourished. She will eat rations, and feeding her three days' worth of rations (determined at the DM's discretion) will sate her. If they do so, the following two things happen:
- She will live through the next few days, and give birth to 1d6 pups.
- Snowflake will feel comfortable staying with Elias, and will be around to warn him when he is attacked by a Wendigo, saving his life.
Jarvin's Atonement
Jarvin will, if the party can convince him to confess his crimes, offer the party 300 gold and his father's axe (a +2 battleaxe, though its magical nature is unknown to Jarvin) in exchange for taking him with them into the woods so that he might bury the firbolg he murdered.
The party will encounter at least one pack of 3 wendigo, which will all attempt to kill Jarvin. If the party successfully protects him long enough to find the remains of the druid and bury them, the party will get advantage on any Persuasion checks made to convince The Curse to back down and pass over, provided it is not yet openly hostile to the party.
Claws for Sale?
Morn will pay 100 gold for every intact wendigo claw the party can procure; the DC of the Survival check to harvest claws from a wendigo hand starts at 13 to procure 1 and increases by 2 for each claw after the first, up to a DC 21 Survival check to harvest all 5 claws from one hand.
Mouths to Fill
If the party returns to town with any kind of game, they will be rewarded with 2d4x10 gold pieces and will improve the attitude of the fed townsfolk towards the party.
Timeline
This is an adventure with a built-in timer; if the party doesn't discover the source of the Wendigo and stop The Curse within four in-game days, at midnight on the fourth night The Curse will finish a ritual to flash freeze the town of Calham, killing everyone save for (maybe) the party, Morn, and Ellyn. There are also some specific events that occur at points along this four-day timeline, detailed below.
Day 1
The party arrives in the early- to mid-morning, and the weather starts to worsen soon after. The party will discover that supplies are very low, and the town is already on rations, as everyone is too scared to go hunting and trade has dried up. Without rations already prepared, the party will gain one level of exhaustion per day after the first.
On the first night, the party will hear someone calling for help outside. If they investigate, they'll be attacked by three Wendigo (Appendix A), mimicking the voice of a woodcutter they'd killed and eaten.
Day 2
On the morning of the second day, the storm has gotten worse. The party will wake to a crowd outside the inn. Scrawled on the front wall in blood are the following words:
MUST
LEAVE
On the second night, 1d3 townsfolk will disappear from town in the night. Turn these townsfolk into Wendigo.
Day 3
On the morning of the third day, the temperature will drop to almost zero degrees. Morn will risk the weather and leave town unless the party make it known to him that they plan to dispose of the Wendigo, in which case he will stay and offer them the sidequest Claws for Sale?.
On the third night, a Wendigo will attack Elias Brooke on his way to see a sick patient. If players completed the Snowflake's Dilemma sidequest, Snowflake will warn him of the danger, and they will escape into The Fireside, and the Wendigo will give up chase. Otherwise, Elias is mortally wounded, and dies of his wounds after escaping to The Fireside.
A member of town will, after the danger has passed, propose they eat his body to stay alive. If the party doesn't successfully convince them otherwise (DC 15 Persuasion or Intimidation, varying depending on argument and DM discretion), 1d6 townsfolk will take part in cannibalism. See the "Curse of Hunger" explanation in the "Introduction" section for information on how to handle this turn of events.
Day 4
On the morning of the fourth day, townsfolk stay in their homes. There is an air of death in the town, and the temperature has gotten even lower.
One the fourth and final night, The Curse will finish the spell to freeze the town, and every living thing in a 1000-foot radius around the town will immediately suffer 15d8 cold damage, taking an additional 8d8 cold damage each round for 1 minute. A creature that dies from this damage is frozen solid. The Curse has won.
The Snowdrift Forest
Exploring and Hunting
If the party decides to explore the forest, they have a chance of running into the following things over the course of an hour or more:
| d12 | Wildlife |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brown Bear (10d4 rations) |
| 2 | Rabbit (1d3 rations) |
| 3-4 | Elk (5d4 rations) |
| 5 | Giant Elk (15d4 rations) |
| 6-9 | Nothing |
| 10-12 | 1d3 Wendigo (0 rations) |
Any of the standard animals on the table can be brought back to town to be turned into the listed number of rations with a successful DC 12 survival check, or by handing them over to Ellyn to be prepared. Any animals encountered will immediately attempt to flee, save for Wendigo, which will attempt to ambush the party.
Hazardous Weather
After the first day, the weather will get noticeably worse, with temperatures dropping and visibility worsening. While the party is in the Snowdrift Forest, the loose snow that earned the forest its name will constantly be blowing around, reducing the party's visibility to a 20 foot radius around them for 1d6 rounds at a time, calming down and returning to normal visibility for 1 full round before the wind picks up again.
Additionally, anyone not wearing cold weather gear or otherwise protected from the cold will need to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 cold damage on a failure, or half damage on a success. Anyone wearing metal armor and not otherwise protected by the cold make this saving throw at disadvantage.
Tracking the Wendigo
Once the party resolves to seek out the source of the Wendigo, their tracks won't be difficult to find, requiring only a DC 13 Survival check to follow. On the way there, the party will encounter 1d4 Wendigo, in addition to any other encounters as determined by the table in the "Exploring and Hunting" section. The Curse's Lair is about a three hour hike up from the town into the forest, at which point the party will discover The Pit of Hunger.
Wendigo
Medium Monstrosity, Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 52 (8d8+16)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 16 (+3)
- Saving Throws Dex+6, Cha+6
- Skills deception +6, stealth+6
- Damage Vulnerabilities fire
- Damage Resistances necrotic
- Damage Immunities cold, poison
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, poisoned
- Senses Darkvision 60ft, passive Perception 10
- Languages Common
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Ambusher. The wendigo has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.
Mimicry. The wendigo can mimic any sounds it has heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Pounce. If the wendigo moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the wendigo can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Masks of the Wild. The wendigo can attempt to hide even when it is only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, or other natural phenomena.
Actions
Multiattack. The wendigo makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage. On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take an additional 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.
The Pit of Hunger: The Descent
The Pit of Hunger: The Frosted Cavern
The Pit of Hunger: The Ice Chute
The Pit of Hunger: Hunger's Domain
1. The Descent
This series of pitch black tunnels is easy to get lost in, with small alcoves dotting the path. There are 3 wendigo that will patrol through the caves (as determined by the DM), requiring stealth (DC 16) checks by hiding in alcoves to avoid. If they aren't detected in time (DC 14 Perception to hear them coming) they'll need to fight in close quarters. Finding the correct path will lead the party to the frosted cavern.
2. The Frosted Cavern
This oblong room is covered in beautiful, glittering lines of ice that sparkle against any lightsource, at grim juxtaposition with the various humanoid remains scattered throughout the room. There are three Rimeweavers (Appendix A) in this room at various points on the ceiling above the web zones on the floor, hidden between stalactites. Below them are 10ft. radius areas where the floor is layered with icy silk (DC 15 perception or investigation to spot); stepping inside the area will prevent the character from moving unless they make a DC 14 Strength check, and will prompt the Rimeweaver above to make an icy javelin attack. After dispatching or circumventing them, an opening at the other end of the room will drop the party into an ice chute.
3. The Ice Chute
This enclosed tunnel is about 10 feet high and varies from 10-30 feet wide. Characters in the chute move at a steady rate of 30 feet on their turn, and cannot move through allied units while traveling in this way.
There are icy outcroppings at places that if slid into will deal 2d6 bludgeoning damage (noted by a ! mark), or launch the player into the air, risking 3d10 piercing damage as they collide with icy stalactites (noted by two !! marks). A character must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw to avoid colliding with an outcropping if their forced movement would have them collide with one. A player may pre-emptively make a DC 12 Acrobatics check to attempt to slide in either direction to move out of the way of an incoming outcropping.
4. Hunger's Domain
This 80x80 room is roughly circular, and a smell of death clings to your senses. There is a large 20x20 ritual circle at the far end of the room, a miniature raging blizzard around its perimeter. Just beyond it is another cave opening. The Curse is tending it when the party arrives, and will not immediately notice them.
Rimeweaver
Large beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 40
- Speed 25 ft., climb 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 8 (-1) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
- Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +4
- Skills Stealth +4
- Damage Vulnerabilities fire
- Damage Resistances cold, piercing and slashing from nonmagical weapons
- Damage Immunities cold
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 10
- Languages none
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Actions
Bite. Melee weapon attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft. one creature. Hit: 7 (1d10+2) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 6 (2d6) poison and 6 (2d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the target fails their constitution saving throw they are also poisoned for 1 hour. While poisoned in this way, their body becomes cold and stiff, and their movement speed is halved.
Icy Javelin. Ranged weapon attack: +4 to hit, range 20 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (2d6+2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Athletics check or become grappled, and pulled 10 ft. towards the Rimeweaver. The Rimweaver may use a bonus action to pull a grappled target 10 ft. closer to it. Once used, a Rimeweaver takes 24 hours to creature another Icy Javelin on its abdomen.
The Final Encounter
The Negotiation
The Curse of Hunger will not immediately attack the party upon seeing them, but will appear hostile. The party can then attempt to talk down the Curse, who will appear initially as a firbolg in leathers with a gaping slash wound in his neck. The Curse wants the following conditions met:
-
The person responsible for his death is given to him for justice (if the party helped Jasper bury the remains, the curse will acknowledge this and demand only that he turn himself in to his fellows, and never enter the woods again.
-
The townsfolk stop the cutting of trees in the forest (with a DC 18 Persuasion can be haggled down to stopping for 3 months in order to allow him to bond with the land and help it regrow faster, then cut woodcutting by half permanently so that the forest can sustain itself)
Agreeing to these terms convincingly with a DC 18 Persuasion check or DC 24 deception check will cause the Curse to back down, dispelling the curse on the wendigo (which will turn into emaciated townsfolk) and destroying the ritual circle sustaining the storm around the town. Failing to do this will cause the Curse to transform into his true visage and initiate combat.
Roleplaying The Curse
The Curse is quick-tempered and volatile. A part of him is remorseful about the loss of life, but it's vastly overwhelmed by the supernatural fury and hate that has almost consumed him. As well as the hunger that's begun gnawing away at him.
- Be demanding, but reasonable. The Curse wants, more than anything, to do right by the forest and to feel as if justice has been done.
- Be erratic. Get weird with it; this is a tormented spirit, after all.
The Fight
At the start of the combat encounter, the Curse will roar; if there are any wendigo left alive in the Pit of Hunger, the party will hear echoing screams in response.
-
Wendigo will spawn in the encounter at a rate of 1 every 3 rounds on initiative count 0, starting on the second round. If the party killed all the wendigo in the Pit, wendigo will still return from the surrounding forest, but will be delayed until the end of the fifth round of combat.
-
The Curse will prioritize spellcasting initially, but will use melee attacks if approached.
-
The floor in this room is icy, and footing isn't stable. Players can move at half speed at no penalty, or normal speed but must make a DC 14 acrobatics check or fall prone and lose the rest of their movement.
The Curse gets 3 legendary actions per round, and may spend them to do the following:
- 1 action: The Curse moves up to 20 feet and makes two claw attacks.
- 2 actions: The Curse lets loose a supernatural roar, blasting a 40-ft. cone in front of it with frost. Targets caught in the blast make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 cold damage and becoming chilled on a failed save, or taking half damage on a success. A chilled creature may make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, losing the chilled status condition on a success.
- 3 actions: The Curse draws in the living essence of chilled creatures within a 30 ft. radius of it, dealing 3d10 necrotic damage to them, lowering their hit point maximum by half the damage dealt, and healing for half the total damage dealt in this way, up to a maximum of 30 hit points. A creature that has its hit point maximum reduced in this way regains its original hit point maximum after a long rest in a warm environment.
Upon losing half its maximum hit points, the Curse will cause the contained blizzard surrounding the ritual circle to begin expanding at a rate of 15 feet per round at the end of the Curse's turn. A creature that ends its turn within the blizzard must make a DC 16 constitution saving throw or take 3d6 cold damage and become chilled. A chilled creature makes this saving throw at disadvantage.
The ritual circle is carved in magically frozen blood, and has resistance to all physical damage, immunity to cold damage, and is vulnerable to fire damage. If the circle sustains 60 or more damage, it is destroyed, dispelling the blizzard.
If the party is able to reduce the Curse's HP to 0, he will be dispersed, and any remaining Wendigo will die. The party will be able to escape from the Pit of Hunger through a cavern entrance beyond the ritual circle, and return to Calham victorious.
The Curse of Hunger
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 117 (18d8+36)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 8 (-1)
- Saving Throws Con +6, Wis +7
- Skills Athletics +6, Survival +7
- Damage Vulnerabilities damage from axe weapons
- Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical sources that aren't axes
- Damage Immunities poison, necrotic, cold
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, petrified, poisoned
- Senses Darkvision 120ft., passive Perception 13
- Languages Common, Elvish, Giant, Shadar-Kai
- Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Ambusher. The Curse of Hunger has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.
Masks of the Wild. The Curse of Hunger can attempt to hide even when it is only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, or other natural phenomena.
Spellcasting. Although much of his teachings as a Druid have been lost since his corruption, The Curse of Hunger holds on to some of his more powerful magics. He is a 9th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following Druid spells prepared:
2nd level (3 slots): hold person, pass without trace
3rd level (2 slots): dispel magic, erupting earth, plant growth
4th level (2 slots): blight, freedom of movement, locate creature
5th Level (1 slot): wrath of natureActions
Multiattack. The Curse of Hunger makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee weapon attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage. On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take an additional 13 (3d8) necrotic damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage.