Icewind Dale has become trapped in a perpetual winter. Ferocious blizzards make the mountain pass through the Spine of the World exceedingly treacherous, and this land has not felt the warmth of the sun in over two years. In fact, the sun no longer appears above the mountains, not even in what should be the height of summer. In this frozen tundra, darkness and bitter cold reign as king and queen. Most dale residents blame Auril the Frostmaiden, the god of winter’s wrath. The shimmering aurora that weaves across the sky each night is said to be her doing—a potent spell that keeps the sun at bay.

Dalefolk live in a scattering of settlements known as Ten-Towns. The drop-off in caravans coming from the south and travel between settlements in this never-ending winter has left everyone feeling isolated. Although each town has resolved to appease the Frostmaiden with sacrifices of one kind or another, no respite from winter’s fury seems forthcoming. For adventurers such as yourselves, Ten-Towns is a place to test one’s mettle and, in the spirit of heroes who have come before, leave one’s mark on this frigid, blighted land.

The first stop for most visitors to Icewind Dale is Bryn Shander, a walled town perched atop a cold, lonely, wind-lashed hill. Bright lanterns suspended over narrow streets twist in the wind and add flecks of color to the town’s otherwise drab surroundings.

The friendliness in this settlement has dwindled of late. The unyielding winter has greatly reduced the number of visitors to Bryn Shander, and local trade is suffering for it, eating away at the locals’ sense of humor and goodwill. Still, there is no safer place in Icewind Dale to spend coin or spend the night.

We find ourselves in the Northlook, an Inn and Tavern run by a large man with weathered and scarred skin, dark hair with streaks of grey, and a neatly trimmed goatee. Scramsax tends to the Northlook now, but it was not too long ago that the greatsword hanging behind his cluttered bar was cutting through the many dangers of the north. The tavern is usually one of the rowdiest tap rooms in all of Bryn Shander, being a good place for adventurers and mercenaries to get gigs, but the winter and the dangers that come with it have led to the decline of such professions here. Not only is it more dangerous, but the economy of Ten Towns has suffered greatly, such that not many can afford such services anymore. Only a handful of patrons sit at the many tables surrounding a central crackling hearth. The pine floor bears a multitude of scars left by various brawls and crampons patrons have forgotten to doff before coming in, but is otherwise clean. The stone walls are heavily furnished with various trophies, including a large battle-scarred Knucklehead Trout mounted above a plaque that reads “Ol’ Bitey.”

Scramsax slides a metal tankard full of a golden mead a short distance across the pine bar to a gnome sitting next to a stool piled high with sets of cold weather gear. *Pete, will you please describe your character*

“Sell any of those fancy coats today lad?” he asks as the chef, an older dwarf smoking a pipe, the mouthpiece lost in a long grey beard, steps out of the kitchen holding two plates of knucklehead trout filets.

“Better luck next time” Scramsax says. The bored looking server, a half-orc woman, with dark hair tied back in a series of braids and a small club at her side as a threat to the rowdier guests, takes the plate and two more metal tankards of mead and walks over to a table with a human woman, her shield leaning against her chair displaying the symbol of Lathander, the morning lord. *Susan, would you please describe your character*

“‘Ere ya go luv,” she says as she puts the plate down in front of you, ”one plate o’ knucklehead, caught fresh last tenday out of Maer-Dualden.” She sets down one of the tankards as well, picking up an empty one.

She takes the remaining tankard to another table, this one occupied by a figure with their hood and cowl still raised, despite the crackling hearth. “And one mead fer you” The server sets the tankard down in front of them. Lowering their cowl, you see a row of sharp teeth, as the goblin takes a drink. *Casey, will you please describe your character*

“How much longer do you plan on stayin’ ‘ere?” Asks the server, towering above you. The question is a familiar one, as many tavern keepers and servers don’t take kindly to your visage.

“Stand down Olga, there ain’t any customers here, and even if there were, it wouldn’t matter. People don’t come here for the company, they come here for jobs.” He sighs “Not that we have any right now.”

Olga takes the last plate to a sullen dwarf, sitting alone off to the side of the tavern. A staff leaned up against the back of her chair. *James, please describe your character*

The Dwarves

Three stocky figures bundled in cold weather garb stumble toward you. They have snowshoes slung over their backs and ice picks fastened to their belts, and two of them have thick beards. The third holds up a gloved hand and says, through a thick wool scarf in a raspy voice, “Well met! I’m Hruna, and these are my friends, Korux and Storn. We need help, and heard this is the best place to find it.”

*everyone gathers at a table*

Hruna speaks for the group in a voice made raspy by years of smoking. She has lost her right ear and two fingers to frostbite.

Korux stares in silence and doesn’t talk much. He has lost three fingers, two toes, and his nose to frostbite.

Storn glances nervously up at the sky as though he’s expecting something to swoop down at any minute.

“We’re the survivors of a group of dwarves tasked with delivering a sled of iron ingots to Bryn Shander. A yeti surprised us and killed a member of our group. The rest of us fled as the yeti tore Oobok limb from limb. Now we need someone to go back and get the sled for us. As payment, we offer each of you a gemstone worth fifty gold pieces. The friendship of the dwarves of Icewind Dale can also be a boon in these harsh times. You’ll need snowshoes to make the trip in good time.”

The Hruna holds up a bloodstone the size of a coin and marks the sled’s location on a map

They rent dogs for the journey back.

The Scene of the Yeti Attack

You crest a snow-covered ridge and see a frozen, dismembered corpse in the gully in front of you. Snow covers some of the gory bits, but the headless torso and severed limbs are visible. You see tracks in the snow all around the corpse, and the telltale grooves in the snow left behind by a sled that has been hauled away.

Tracks of small humanoids are scattered around the site. The snow looks to have been brushed off the corpse.

Goblin Wagon

The creatures you’ve been following appear to be goblins, based on their stature. All six of them groan, grunt, and curse loudly as they haul the bulky sled toward what appears to be a twenty-foot-tall wagon parked in the snow. Harnessed to this conveyance are two roaring polar bears that don’t look happy.

My notes:

• Party is cresting a hill when they see them about 120 feet away
• They can see 6  figures standing roughly between 3 and 4 feet tall.
• Their cold weather gear appears mismatched and cobbled together from scraps.
• Some of them have blades hidden in scabbards while others have bows strung over their shoulders
• All of them are pushing a sled with a bulky canvas tarp thrown over the top
• In the distance, about 250 feet away, torch light escapes through gaps between planks and furs, combined into a towering cart
• 2 large, white-furred shapes lie between massive tusks affixed to either side of the cart, with lines connected to harnesses tying them to the cart
• Those with high enough perception see the hawk circling the cart

Negotiations went smoothly, with the goblin boss Izobai sending Zelk and Kruglot to negotiate. They recognize Devi from a place called Karkolohk, apparently a goblin town, encampment, or fortress from Devi’s past. Chief Yarb-Gnock is mentioned (Yarb-Gnock means “Ever Gnawing” in Goblin) who apparently took control of Karkolohk about a year ago. Some other goblins left at that time too. The deal for the iron is struck for the crag cat body location and Eddy’s merchant scales. The goblins pack up and leave with hoots and hollers of excitement. Devi looks maybe a little sad. 2 days back to Bryn Shander.

Total rewards:

4 bloodstones (50 gp each) – Maddy sold hers\

10% discount at Blackiron Blades

Purchased 4 crampons and 4 goggles for a total of 20 gold.