Adventure
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Act 2
Entering the Dwarven Ruins
Brave the icy winds of Icewind Dale to retrieve a powerful artifact from forgotten dwarven halls. But beware - the Crown of Thrym carries a heavy curse. Will you claim its power or destroy it?
Environment Setup: The Approach to the Ruins

1

Unbearable Cold
As the party approaches the ruins, the cold becomes almost unbearable. Each step forward is a battle against the elements.

2

Sensory Details
The players feel the bite of the wind, the crunch of the snow beneath their boots, and the weight of their mission.

3

Looming Entrance
The dark entrance to the dwarven ruins becomes more visible, promising danger and ancient secrets within.
Music for the Scene
Wolf Encounter: Before Entering the Ruins

1

Approach
As the adventurers approach the entrance, they notice how the air becomes colder and the snow deeper.

2

Emergence
Before they can reach the massive stone door of the ruins, the ground shifts, and growling fills the air.

3

Confrontation
Six frost wolves emerge from the snow, their white fur blending perfectly into the icy landscape, making them almost invisible at first. Their eyes gleam with a predatory glow, and their breath turns to frost as they approach.
The Wolf Encounter: Combat or Diplomacy
Combat Option
The adventurers can choose to fight the frost wolves, facing a challenging combat due to the wolves' cold-enhanced bodies and the difficult terrain.
Diplomacy Option
Characters skilled in handling animals or nature magic can attempt to drive off or calm the wolves, avoiding combat but requiring creative problem-solving.
Environmental Factors
The fight takes place on a snowy field, which may affect movement (difficult terrain), especially for anyone wearing heavy armor or lacking cold-weather gear. Characters can use the environment creatively for advantage.
Winter Wolf Encounter Details
Location and Creatures
As your party approaches the ancient dwarven ruins, they are ambushed by a pack of winter wolves, native predators of Icewind Dale. These wolves view the adventurers as intruders or prey.
The encounter takes place just before entering the ruins, early in the game. You'll face two winter wolves, a suitable challenge for a party of four level 4 characters.
Winter Wolf Stats
Here's a summary of the winter wolf's stats:
Armor Class (AC): 13
Hit Points (HP): 35
Speed: 50 feet
Attack: Bite (2d6+4 piercing damage, plus 1d6 cold damage)
Cold Breath (Recharge 5-6): The wolf can exhale a cone of freezing breath 15 feet long. Creatures in the cone must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Tactics
The winter wolves employ cunning tactics to maximize their chances of success.
Pack Tactics: They gain advantage on attack rolls if an ally is within 5 feet of the target, meaning they strike together for increased effectiveness.
Ambush: They favor striking from cover, hidden behind snowdrifts or trees, to catch their prey off guard. This ambush tactic grants them surprise, giving them an advantage.
Cold Breath: The wolves utilize their cold breath attack early to weaken the party, then focus on delivering powerful bite attacks.
Party Strategy
1
Rurik Grayscar (Paladin)
Should tank and protect the more vulnerable characters
2
Merric Goldleaf (Cleric)
Can provide healing as needed
3
Aranel Seladria (Mage)
Can use area-of-effect spells like Scorching Ray to counter the wolves
4
Dorian Thornvale (Rogue)
Can exploit the wolves' movement by positioning for sneak attacks
The Call of the Crown
As the patron's words echo in your mind, you turn toward the dark entrance of the dwarven ruins, the icy wind howling louder as if the very land itself is warning you to turn back. Yet, the call of the crown is undeniable. Whatever lies within these frozen halls, it will test not just your strength in battle, but the very bonds that hold your party together.
1
Heed the Warning
The howling wind seems to warn against entering the ruins.
2
Feel the Pull
The call of the Crown of Thrym becomes stronger, drawing the party in.
3
Face the Challenge
The party must prepare for tests of strength, will, and unity within the frozen halls.
Entering the Dwarven Ruins
The entrance to the dwarven stronghold looms ahead, a massive stone door set into the side of a mountain, half-buried in snow. Ancient dwarven runes are carved into the door, glowing faintly in the cold air, but the door itself is sealed shut. Around the entrance, statues of long-forgotten dwarven kings stand sentinel, their faces worn smooth by centuries of ice and wind.
The Puzzle Door
A massive stone door blocks the way forward, engraved with intricate runes and mechanisms. Embedded into the door are three rotating disks, each representing key elements of dwarven engineering philosophy: planning, execution, and teamwork.
The Inscription
Above the disks, an inscription reads: "Only those who understand the balance of planning, execution, and collaboration may enter these halls of wisdom."
The Challenge
The party must decipher clues from ancient project logs and align the correct symbols on each disk to unlock the door and avoid triggering traps.
Teamwork Required
Each character's skills will be crucial in solving the puzzle, from deciphering runes to disarming traps and understanding dwarven lore.
Entering the Dwarven Ruins: The Massive Stone Door
Puzzle Mechanics
The disks must be rotated to align the correct symbols, each representing an aspect of the project management lifecycle: planning, execution, and teamwork. Each disk has four possible symbols: Planning (blueprint, calendar, compass, scroll), Execution (hammer, gear, flame, anvil), and Teamwork (clasped hands, shield, tree, bridge).
Solving the Puzzle
The correct combination reflects the core of dwarven project management philosophy: Planning (blueprint), Execution (gear), and Teamwork (clasped hands). Incorrect combinations trigger a trap, releasing cold projectiles that cause damage and temporarily slow down characters.
Clues to Solve the Door Puzzle

1

Ancient Project Logs
Scattered around the entrance are engraved project logs in ancient Dwarvish, giving clues to the correct sequence. The logs refer to various engineering feats the dwarves accomplished through careful planning, precise execution, and strong teamwork.

2

Key Phrases
Investigating these logs will reveal phrases like: "The blueprint guides our actions, but the gear sets them in motion." and "Our greatest projects were never achieved alone; hands joined together built these halls."

3

Interpretation
These clues will help adventurers interpret the correct symbols for each aspect of the puzzle, guiding them towards the solution.
Beyond the Threshold
With a soft click and the faint hum of ancient magic, the door slowly creaks open, sending a blast of freezing air rushing past you. The cold from within the dwarven stronghold is even more intense than outside, as if the ruin itself is alive with the chill of ages past. As the door swings wide, revealing the dark interior beyond, the icy wind seems to whisper a warning—this place has not been disturbed for centuries, and it does not welcome intruders.
The hallway beyond the door is dark and narrow, with frost clinging to the stone walls like a second skin. The floor is slick with ice, and faint echoes of your footsteps bounce off the walls, giving the impression that something deep within the ruin is stirring, waiting for your arrival. The statues at the entrance remain still, but their frozen gazes seem to follow you as you step into the unknown, leaving the world of the living behind.
The Intense Cold
The temperature drops dramatically as you enter, with frost immediately forming on exposed skin and equipment.
Echoing Footsteps
Every sound seems amplified in the narrow hallway, potentially alerting whatever lurks deeper in the ruins.
Watchful Statues
The dwarven statues at the entrance seem to watch the party's every move, their eyes following as you enter the stronghold.