16. Legacy of the Crystal Shard module.pdf

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D&D ENCOUNTERS LAUNCH WEEKEND
LEGACY
OF THE
CRYSTAL SHARD
TM
LEVEL
T
AN ADVENTURE FOR 1s CHARACTERS
R.A.
SALVATORE • JAMES WYATT • JEFFREY LUDWIG
CREDITS
Design
R.A. Salvatore,Jeffrey Ludwig,James Wyatt
Development and Editing
Greg Bilsland
D&D Group Manager
Mike Means
D&D Producer
Greg Bilsland
Senior Creative Director
Jon Schindehette
Art Director
Kate
Irwin
Cover Illustration
Tyler Jacobson
Interior Illustrations
Ed Cox and Jason A. Engle
Graphic Designers
Leon Contez, Matthew Stevens, Emi Tanji
Cartography
Mike Schley
D&D Brand Team
Nathan Stewart, Liz Schuh, Laura Tommervik,
Shelly Mazzanoble, Chris Lindsay, Hilary Ross,John Feil
Prepress Manager
Jefferson Dunlap
Imaging Technician
Carmen Cheung
Production Manager
Donna Woodcock
Organized Play
Chris Tulach
&
DRAGONS,
Wizards ofthe Coast, Legacy of the
Crystal Shard, Heroes ofthe Fallen Lands, Heroes ofthe Forgotten
Kingdoms, Player’s Handbook, D&D Encounters, D&D, all other
Wizards ofthe Coast product names, and their respective logos
are trademarks ofWizards ofthe Coast LLC in the USA and other
countries. All Wizards characters and their distinctive likenesses
are property ofWizards ofthe Coast LLC. This material is
protected under the copyright laws ofthe United States of
America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use ofthe material
or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express
written permission ofWizards ofthe Coast LLC. Any similarity to
actual people, organizations, places, or events included herein is
purely coincidental.
DUNGEONS
RUNNING THE EVENT
tm
Welcome to D&D Encounters Launch Weekend for
!
TM
Leqacy ofthe Crystal
Shard This adventure expands
on the opening ofLegacy ofthe Crystal Shard,
stranding
players in the furthest reaches of Faerün’s North just
as winter arrives. Ten-Towns is under assault by forces
both outside and within, and by the session’s end, the
players’ choices will set them on a path that may tip
the balance ofpower in Icewind Dale in the upcoming
D&D Encounters season,
in which the full adventure
plays out.
Like the Legacy ofthe Crystal Shard
adventure
product, this scenario is playable
using
three versions of
the
DUNGEONS
&
DRAGONS game:
3rd Edition v.3.5),
4th Edition, and the D&D
Next playtest rules.
In
advance ofthe Launch Weekend event, please indicate
to the organizer what edition ofthe rules you would
prefer to use, or ifyou’re willing to run whichever
edition the organizer needs you to.
Players begin the event by creating I st-level char-
acters. You can help the organizer by providing
character creation resources for the edition of the
game you’re running: the D&D Next playtest packet;
,
TM
Heroes ofthe Fallen Lands Heroes ofthe Forgotten
King-
doms,
and the 4th Edition
Player’s Handbook;
or the
v.3.5
Player’s Handbook.
This adventure also includes a poster map contain-
ing art from Legacy ofthe Crystal Shard
and a tactical
map for one ofthe encounter locations.
INTRODUCTION
Winter has come early to Icewind I)ale. The people of
Ten-Towns are on edge; with food and supplies scarce,
each town looks jealously to its own survival. Beyond
the walls, wolves and yetis prowl the wilds, and few
travelers brave enough to venture there ever return.
To the north, the Reghed tribes whisper stories of the
Frostmaiden, manifested in the world to punish those
who
have strayed from her worship. And on the slopes
ofKelvin’s Cairn, an old enemy awakens to finish the
conquest he started over one hundred years ago.
As the icy hand ofwinter closes over the dale, one
last caravan struggles over the pass through the Spine
ofthe World before the snows choke offall connec
tion to the outside world. Accompanying it is a group of
hardy adventurers who suddenly find themselves in a
land besieged by three foes, each ofwhom will stop at
nothing to claim dominion over Icewind Dale. Can the
players uncover the villains’ plots before the people of
Icewind Dale are doomed to enslavement and death?
Even ifthey do, can the heroes hold winter’s fury at bay
long enough to thwart all oftheir foes, or will they save
Icewind Dale from one evil only to watch
it slip into the
hands of another?
Published byWizards ofthe Coast LLC. Manufactured by: Hasbro
SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented
kyi-Ii;ro Erppe. 2Roundwood Aye,
StocklçyPark. UxbrIcjg,
MiddIesex,ji311 1AZ, UK.
Printed in the USA. ©2013 Wizards ofthe Coast LLC.
620B10594001 EN
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Background
As its title suggests, this adventure is related to the
legacy ofevents told in the novels ofR. A. Salvatore,
including The Crystal Shard, Passage to Dawn, The Silent
Blade, Servant ofthe Shard,
and
The Ghost King,
among
others. You need not have read any ofthese books to
run and enjoy this adventure, but understanding the
role that Akar Kessell and the Crystal Shard play in
the history ofthe region will help the pieces of the
adventure fit together.
As related in
The Crystal Shard,
Akar Kessell was a
young apprentice ofthe Arcane Brotherhood. After
murdering his mentor, he was abandoned in Icewind
Dale by his fellow wizards, who had manipulated
him into committing the crime. On the brink of freez
ing to death on the ice-covered slopes ofthe Spine of
the World, Kessell stumbled upon Crenshinibon, the
Crystal Shard—an evil artifact that took control of the
wizard and gave him incredible power. Wielding the
shard, Kessell created a magical tower, Cryshal-Tirith,
in its likeness. He raised an army ofsavage humanoids
from the Spine ofthe World and threatened to conquer
Ten-Towns before he was stopped by an alliance of the
people ofTen-Towns and the Reghed tribes. Of course,
the aid ofDrizzt Do’Urden and his companions—
Bruenor Battlehammer; Wulfgar,
son
ofBeornegar, of
the Elk Tribe; the halfling Regis; and Catti-brie—was
invaluable in stopping Akar Kessell.
The Crystal Shard was eventually destroyed, but
its
legacy remains. Other crystal towers have since
been raised, and where the crumbled dust of their
destruction lingers, black ice has formed. Though Cren
shinibon’s malign intelligence is gone, the black ice
retains traces ofits deep evil, which slowly corrupts all
who come into contact with it.
As the memories ofAkar Kessell and his Crystal
Shard fade into legend, a young barbarian outcast has
accepted the mantle ofAuril’s Chosen and has pledged
to bring the people oflcewind Dale to the worship of
the Frostmaiden. With the beasts and the snows at her
command, this outcast has become the Ice Witch, visit-
ing her fury upon the barbarian tribes and Ten-Towns.
Left unchecked, she will help her mistress cast all of
Icewind Dale into an eternal winter.
At the same time, Vaelish Gant—a member ofthe
newly revived Arcane Brotherhood—has insinuated
himselfinto the trade network ofTen-Towns with the
aim ofgaining a stranglehold on the entire region. Aided
by the ruffians and scoundrels ofLuskan’s Ship Rethnor,
Gant has established a protection racket in Bryn
Shander, the trading hub ofthe region, and his agents
are spreading throughout Ten-Towns to solidify his hold.
As ifthese two villainous forces weren’t enough,
the undead Akar Kessell, freed from a century of
imprisonment in the snow and ice, has also returned
to haunt Icewind Dale, seeking to finish his conquest
and visit vengeance on all who opposed him. Spreading
the influence ofthe black ice remnants ofthe Crystal
Shard, he hopes to weaken Icewind Dale with infight
ing, giving himselfa clear pathway to its destruction.
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Scenario Summary
The heroes’ arrival in Icewind Dale has not gone unno
ticed. From her tower on the Sea ofMoving Ice, the
Ice Witch has sensed their caravan as
it
makes its way
down out ofthe pass along the northern slopes of the
Spine ofthe World. Intent on punishing the people of
Ten-Towns, the Ice Witch has sent a band ofyetis to
destroy the caravan before
it
reaches its destination.
The scenario includes the following events.
Arrival in Icewind Dale: After an arduous journey,
the caravan has reached Icewind Dale and is begin-
ning the final leg ofitsjourney toward the town ofBryn
Shander. The travelers discuss what they plan to do
when they reach Ten-Towns.
A Turn for the Worse: The caravan is attacked
by
a crag cat while en route to Bryn Shander. One of the
wagons is damaged in the ensuing fight, and as the
weather worsens, the caravan is forced to press on, even
though
it
means leaving the wagon and its owner behind.
Yetis at the Gate: The yetis catch the caravanjust as
it
is entering Bryn Shander. This encounter takes place
in three stages.
1. Hold Them Back:
The heroes must defend the caravan
as the rest ofthe wagons are brought through the gate.
2. To the Walls:
The yetis begin scaling the walls, and
the heroes must drive them offthe ramparts in order to
keep the gate from being overrun.
3. Close the Gate:
With the final wagons safely inside
the town, the heroes must drive back the last of the
attackers and close the gates.
Work to be Done: Once the yetis are driven off,
the heroes are commended for their staunch defense
at the gates and are approached by three witnesses to
the deed, each ofwhom hopes to secure the party’s aid.
Each task will set the party on a different path of adven
ture in the upcoming D&D Encounters season—a path
that will tip the balance ofpower in Icewind Dale and
lead to Ten-Towns’ salvation
or its ruin.
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CONNECTION TO
D&D ENCOUNTERS
This play session is a springboard into the upcoming
D&D Encounters season, Legacy ofthe
Crystal
Shard.
Players who participate in this adventure can transfer
their characters, including any XP and treasure earned,
to the Encounters season.
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Important Characters
The following nonplayer characters appear in this sce
nario. Use the details below to inform your roleplaying
ofthem as the need arises.
Aldo Fetcher
Aldo Fetcher is a balding, middle-aged man who walks
with a slight stoop. His dress is poor, and he is obviously
unused to the rigors ofthe road. Accustomed to having
both customers and city officials try to take advantage
ofhim, Aldo adopts a defensive attitude whenever he
is confronted by strangers. Accustomed to a hard life,
Aldo doesn’t expect help when he meets with misfor
tune, and so doesn’t even think to ask for
it.
Background: A simple merchant hailing from
Fireshear, Aldo Fetcher has spent most ofhis life selling
sundries to the stream ofnew residents who come to
work in the mines. Although he never lacked for busi
ness, the profits on Aldo’s wares were thin. With the
rent on his shop and the license Aldo paid to operate
it,
he was lucky most years to set anything aside. Recently,
it
dawned on Aldo that he has spent the best years of his
life toiling in Fireshear as miserably as any miner and
with almost nothing to show for
it,
and so he resolved to
change his fortunes. Scraping together every bit of his
savings and calling in a few debts, Aldo began discretely
purchasing small quantities of fine trade goods that
were parts oflarger shipments bound for ports ofcall in
the cities ofthe south. Having assembled a miscellany
ofvaluable goods, Aldo sold his shop to an enterprising
new arrival and used the proceeds to purchase a wagon
and some cart horses, and signed on with the last
caravan ofthe season making its way north to Icewind
I)ale in hopes offinally making his fortune.
cloistered walls, and as soon as he was old enough
to barter his services Beorne left on a caravan to
Waterdeep, never to return home.
That was over a century ago, and in the years since
then Beorne has spent time in nearly every major settle-
ment north ofAmn. In his youth, Beorne made and lost
fortunes mounting hazardous expeditions and broker-
ing clandestine deals with some ofthe most famous and
infamous characters along the Sword Coast. Age has
diminished Beorne’s appetite for risk, ifnot his wan-
derlust, and so nowadays he makes a comfortable living
plying well-worn trade routes and renting himself out
as a guide for third-party expeditions.
In his travels, Beorne picked up a wide array of
skills and knowledge. Though not a trained warrior, he
knows how to handle an axe well enough to make orcs
and bandits think twice about pressing their luck. He
also speaks halfa dozen languages, and understands
twice as many—mostly, to avoid being cheated by
unscrupulous trade partners. The dwarfis a veritable
almanac oflocal lore, although his knowledge of certain
places and events isn’t always as current as he makes
it
out to be.
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Helda Silverstream
Helda Silverstream has gray eyes and dreadlocks of
long, mahogany hair that she pulls back behind her
head. She wears the hooded silver-stitched blue cloak
ofher clan, fastened with a silver clasp in the shape of a
dwarven war axe, marking her as a warrior ofthe Axe
of Mirabar.
Background: Born ofthe union between clans Sil
verstream and Battlehammuer, Helda Silverstream is a
young dwarfwho inherited the formidable cunning of
her father’s kin as well as the bravery associated with
her mother’s name. Worldly as well as wise, she has
already seen more ofFaerfln in her sixty years than her
uncle has in his many long winters. After spending her
formative years hearing about the vaunted clan Battle-
hammer and the splendor ofher mother’s clan’s seat at
Mithral Hall, Helda took
it
upon herselfto travel there
at the tender age ofthirty-five, defying her parents
and the conventions ofdwarven society to leave her
home at so young an age. Helda’s father asked Stokely
Silverstream, leader ofthe I)warven Valley in Icewind
Dale, to forbid her from leaving. The elder Silverstream
instead gave Helda his blessing—likely because he
regretted never visiting the vaunted Mithral Hall and
because nothing he could have said would have swayed
the determined young dwarf.
Helda’s fiery personality was forged in the valley
ofKelvin’s Cairn, and her skills were tempered in the
bowels ofMithral Hall. There, she learned mining,
smithcraft, and the arts ofwar and diplomacy from her
mother’s people, displaying the earnestness ofa dwarf
who had grown up in a harsh land that could ill
modate the time required to spend so long at s
Beorne Steelstrike
Beorne Steelstrike is lean for a dwarf—the result of a
lifetime spent mostly on the road. Streaks ofgray in his
beard belie his age, yet the dwarfhas a nearly bound-
less vitality. He wears his hair long and loose except
for his beard, which is pulled neatly into twin braids.
While traveling, Beorne wears a broad-brimmed hat
that shades his deeply tanned face. He wears simple,
sensible traveling gear, including a brown bear-skin
cloak for the cold. The only exception to this style of
dress is when he travels in a larger city, where he’ll
ornament himselfwith a bit oflocal flair—a color-
ful pocket square when traveling in Waterdeep, a
checkered kerchief in Luskan, or a scrimshaw clasp in
Icewind Dale.
Background: A
veteran caravanner and a shrewd
trader, Beorne Steelstrike knows the highways and
byways ofthe Sword Coast as well as anyone alive. Born
to pious and humble parents who worked as simple
laborers in the citadel of Candlekeep, the young dwarf
was fascinated by stories ofthe world outside those
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