Palace of the Ice Princess

In the last session, the players entered the feywild and into the Palace of the Ice Princess. This is a modified version of the classic B3: Palace of the Silver Princess module for Basic D&D. As I have mentioned several times this is probably my favorite classic TSR module. It is a good adventure but I also love it because of nostalgia. It was the second D&D module I ever owned (B2 was the first) and it helped me understand how to DM a game.

This campaign is using the Swords & Wizardry rules and the players are between 5-8th level. So I made a lot of changes. I also had to split up the two-level map into four levels so that it was not too big for Roll 20. The first big change I made was relocating the adventure into my version of the feywild. Then I populated the dungeon with creatures of the feywild. It gave me the chance to pull out some of the odder monsters. The players made a beeline straight through level one and missed a lot of the monsters but there is the chance they will come back through the level.

Session 47: Realm of Winter

Players: Lakima (Magic-user), Eathwund (Fighter), Alonso (Human Fighter), Aron (Human Monk), Domago (Human cleric NPC), Lantosh (Human Fighter NPC), Fenris (Human Thief NPC), Slabs (Bugbear NPC).

While resting at the Goose & Feather Inn in Tahn the adventurers say goodbye to the halfling Lyra and wait for the King’s Guard to arrive. While they wait they meet a traveler who gives his name as Aron. While apparently unarmed, Aron assures them he is capable in a fight and he asks to join them.

A small mounted troop of the King’s Guard arrived in Tahn. Some of the adventurers express concerns about facing the goblin army with only a company of 22 guards. But Lakima expresses confidence.  They set out for the Bridgeway located in the King’s Wood. While traveling through the dry, river valley they come under attack from an unseen source. Arrows fly out from hidden archers in the trees. After one volley of arrows, the attackers disappeared into the forest. They set out again and arrive at the Bridgeway to find it undefended. The goblin army has vanished into the forest.

Lakima convinces Esmeralden, the custodian of the bridge, to transport them to Haven in the feywild. Walking across the bridge they appear in the feywild in the realm of winter. The skies are dark, the sun blocked by grey clouds. All about them they see snow and bare trees. Before them is a large, dark granite hill on which perches a ruined castle. A pair of stone towers flank a gatehouse before them. They try scouting around the castle ruins but find only some deadly archer bushes.

Realizing the only way in is through the barred gates, Eathwund, Slabs, and Alonso manage to lift the iron portcullis. Listening at a door in the gatehouse Fenris hears voices in a harsh language he cannot understand. They kick open the door and are confronted by short creatures that look like filthy, dark-haired, and bearded gnomes (Alonso later identifies them as Spriggan). A battle ensues. The creatures reveal that they can grow at will to a height of 8 feet tall gaining strength and stamina. While they battle four spriggan in one guard room another door opens and four more spriggan join the fight. The battle is long and desperate but the adventurers prevail. The newcomer Aron fights with only his feet and fists but fights well.

A lever in one guardroom is pulled up and a portcullis is raised allowing access further into the castle. A long hallway extends deep into the hillside. They find more spriggan guards in a guard room and another round of fighting occurs. A few spriggan run away and return with another troop of the creatures. In the end, the hallway is strewn with the corpses of the creatures and everyone in the company is injured. They even encounter some murderous sprites.

They continue on descending a staircase deep into the hillside. The way is lit only by Lakima’s staff and a lantern carried by Fenris. While the adventurers check through a chamber that appears to be a butchers’ Lantosh is attacked from behind by a crazed old elf armed with a dagger. The elf manages to incapacitate Lantosh. Lakima tries to reason with the elf but nothing works and they are forced to kill him. Alonso notes from the dead elf’s greyish skin that he would be considered a Winter elf in the feywild.

Turning into another corridor they hear the growling of a dog behind a door. Opening the door a large, black mastiff attacks them. While the dog appears almost normal, it proves to be almost immune to strikes from their weapons. Eathwund and Alonso shove the dog back into the chamber and pull the door closed. As they stand gasping from the effort in the corridor outside the door they hear the roar of some enormous beast from deeper in the dungeon.