Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Welcome to Icewind Dale
In this region of Faerûn’s Far North, bordered by the Spine of the World to the south, the Reghed Glacier to the east, and the Sea of Moving Ice to the north west, we will be undertaking a level 1-12 campaign.
Auril the Frostmaiden, embodiment of winter’s fury, nightly flies through the sky, casting a spell with the appearance of an aurora, preventing the sun from rising above the horizon the next day. What’s more, she casts blizzards over the Spine of the World and agitates the Sea of Moving Ice, isolating Icewind Dale by discouraging outsiders from entering and insiders from leaving. This Everlasting Rime, as the locals call it, has gone on for over two years now, and both civilization and the natural world are deteriorating under its effects.
Despite such treacherous conditions, some still find cause to venture into Icewind Dale. Under the Reghed Glacier lies the remains of what was once a flying city of wizards. Those who wish to acquire knowledge of their great magics yet search for its ruins. What more, some hundred years prior to today, the wizard Akar Kessel erected a grand tower in Icewind Dale. When it was destroyed, the magic contained within fused with the region’s ice and became a material called chardalyn, veins of which are sought for its use in the construction of magic items.
As for you, why are you in Icewind Dale? Were you born here or did you travel in pursuit of some goal? Are you isolated, like the region itself, or do you hold your companions dear? What secrets do you keep, and what would you be willing to do to keep them hidden?
Themes and Content Warnings
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden centers themes of isolation, the struggle for survival, fear of the unknown, and modern and cosmic horror. It includes the following:
- Avalanches, cave-ins, and being buried alive,
- Brainwashing and possession,
- Blizzards, extremely cold weather, and freezing to death,
- Inbreeding and deformities,
- Madness and longing for death,
- Frostbite and its accompanying missing limbs and extremities,
- Murder.
If you have concerns about any of these, or about themes or topics that you feel may come up, please message me so that I can adapt the adventure accordingly. Additionally, please inform me of any major phobias or triggers so that I can avoid them.
Character Creation
The people of Icewind Dale include Ten-Towners (those who reside in one of the region’s Ten Towns), Reghed nomads (from the tribes of the Reghed Glacier), mountain goliaths (from one of two mountain settlements), and valley dwarves (from the Dwarven Valley at the foot of Kevil’s Cairn). Do you hail from one of these peoples or are you a newcomer to Icewind Dale?
Isolation and survival are key themes in this campaign. In what manner is your character isolated? How do they seek to survive amidst the Eternal Rime?
Everyone holds secrets, and this is especially true in the troubled lands of Icewind Dale. What secrets lurk in your character’s mind, whether they be related to your heritage, your past actions, or your goals? How desperate are you to keep them?
All characters are familiar with the general layout of Icewind Dale, including the names and locations of the Ten Towns as shown in this map (also shown below).
Rule Modifications and Clarifications
Seth Array and Background Feat
I’m stealing Seth’s ability score array, which means you will be starting with stats of 18, 15, 14, 10, 10, 8. I’m also stealing the way he does background feats, so replace the feature from your background with a feat.
Passage of Time
There are twelve months in a year, three tendays in a month, two workweeks in a tenday. A workweek consists of four 10-hour days of work, along with a fifth day for rest and recovery (unless the government says no). Also, there are five days at the end of the year that are not included in any month, bringing the number of days per year to 365.
Gritty Realism
Short rests take 8 hours to complete (6 hours of sleep and 2 hours of light activity). Long rests are essentially half a tenday of downtime in which you help the community, train, research, or whatever else your heart desires (aka downtime). Exhaustion levels decrease upon completion of a short rest. For somewhat obvious reasons, long rests can now only be undertaken in safe havens.
This means that resource consumption per rest will be higher, players will need to be extra mindful of healing and resource management, and there will be crunches for completing some quests and the like. In addition, be aware that due to its isolation and perpetually inclement weather, some resources may be difficult or impossible to acquire in the Ten Towns.
Hexblade Warlock
Two-handed weapons can be used for the purposes of Hexblade class features.
Mark
“This option makes it easier for melee combatants to harry each other with opportunity attacks.
“When a creature makes a melee attack, it can also mark its target. Until the end of the attacker's next turn, any opportunity attack it makes against the marked target has advantage. The opportunity attack doesn't expend the attacker's reaction, but the attacker can't make the attack if anything, such as the incapacitated condition or the shocking grasp spell, is preventing it from taking reactions. The attacker is limited to one opportunity attack per turn.”
You can only have one target marked at a time and you will have disadvantage on opportunity attacks against any other creature.
Mage Slayer
“You have practiced techniques useful in melee combat against spellcasters, gaining the following benefits: When a creature within 5 feet of you casts a spell, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature. When you damage a creature that is concentrating on a spell, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain its concentration. You have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by creatures within 5 feet of you.”
If the creature you’ve made a melee weapon attack by way of this feat fails the roll, the spell slot is consumed.
Spears
Spears (and possibly other weapons on a case-by-case basis) will have the reach property (10 ft) when they’re being used two-handed.
Spears are also considered finesse weapons because I said so.
Cast-off Armor
Cast-off shields exist. You can doff this shield as a bonus action.
Potions of Healing
All levels of potions of healing restore their max value when taken as an action, but they restore their rolled value when given to another creature or taken as a bonus action.