Mountain Climb | Rime of the Frostmaiden Starting Quest DM Guide
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- A video guide for the quest "Mountain Climb" in Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden.
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This is also a fantastic point in the story to describe the duergar and Arveiaturace. After finding the tiefling, "You reach a high point of the mountain. The raging blizzards and winds have subsided enough to view the vast snow landscape below. The fierce white wyrm Arveiaturace unleashes it's deadly breath upon a herd of animals freezing them solid before devouring them. In the valley below you can just make out the small moving forms of dwarves moving about their icy fortress."
When I ran this my survivors got out of the avalanche pretty easy. Earlier they did the Chwinga hook, and one of them gave one of the adventerors Tiny Hut, so they just used that. It was pretty cool painting the visual of the adventerors being in the invisible immobile hut watching the avalanche go over them.
Tiny Hut has a cast time of 1 minute. How did they cast it before the avalanche got to them?
killin it with the vids bud, I appreciate the work you put into these.
barely even feels like work sometimes, just love talking about d&d
I like the idea of having the avalanche start slow and pick up momentum as it moves farther down. So, off the top of my head, maybe start at 100 feet, then 200, then 300, then 400 foot the last. I plan to let my party move, but through difficult terrain and they may lose/break some snowshoes.
this is interesting
I also like the Idea of the avalanche accelarating.
So very helpful, just finished this quest with my party last night! Since I had someone with the Littlest Yeti secret, I wanted to make the yetis a little more motivated to attack, so I made Astrix the tiefling slip out on the first night to steal the Yeti Tyke, and upon waking to see their child gone, the mother goes up the mountain, the father goes down, and finds the rest of the expedition, attacking in a blind rage. Since Garrett knows this mountain, he is surprised on the attack, he brought meat as an appeasement for traveling the mountain, which has always worked. This led to the halfling and goliath killing the father, while getting snuffed out by him simultaneously. Then it was a hunt for the kidnapper, who was using the invisibility potions she had as loot to try and hide until she could make it back down to sell her prize to an unnamed buyer in 10 towns. Dawg, you make this module feel fun and do-able, and gives me the confidence to tweek and change things as I see fit, which can be overwhelming as a new DM! Don't you ever stop!
Im glad this came out im running this tomorrow!! My party started in bryn shander and did the cold hearted killer starting quest.
So turns out they went to bremen first and killed the lake monster by commanding it above water and killing it before it got another turn to run away (granted it put a player down) now i think that they are headed to targos lol
Great discussion on how to run the avalanche, I look forward to using your suggestions. Perhaps a PC caught in the avalanche should make a dex save to stay at the surface. For my group, I gave them a different reason to climb the mountain. They were cursed for tomb raiding in the Good Meade quest. They had to go to the priest in Byrn Shander to to get the remove curse spell, but the priest told them they had to perform an act of faith for the spell to be permanent (Auril's everlasting winter being so powerful and all). So they have to climb the mountain and place a staff with a yellow gem atop at the summit of the mountain. When the everlasting winter is ended the first light of the sun will strike the gem and be a beacon of hope to all Icewind Dale.
Hey man. My level 2 party did this quest and I just went easy on them with the rules you laid out. And I started the avalanche 700 ft. out. Keep making good content man.
I'm running it this Sunday. Instead of "standing up and walking out" they can fight there way out while the avalanche is still rolling down, moving at half speed. Great video.
keep up the good content man. These videos are a good way for me to reacquaint myself with the material of each town before my players enter! Do you have any plans for additional content you feel confident you'll add to the adventure?
I plan on covering the entire book this way, I'll be adding small flavor along the way. After that I think I will explore some additional content for the campaign, things like more in depth NPC backstory and new locations
Great stuff man, enjoyed it as always. I agree the avalanche is rough, I created a system of checks for weathering it out and surviving. My party was level 3 by this point and it was fine but still challenging.
I haven't run the avalanche yet, but my plan is the make it so that it requires 2 rounds for the avalanche to get to the party. But in-between each turn one party member will have to make a dex save to avoid getting hit by chucks of snow falling faster that main avalanche on a failed saves they are knock prone. i haven't decided how i am going to determine which party member needs to make the save might just roll a d6 (5 players + Boy) and give each party member a number. Might also make it make dex or str saves players choice. failing save will also do like 1 or 2 points of dmg as well.
I will probably run this in the next couple of sessions. For the avalanche since you can hear the rumbling of an avalanche I'm going to give them a Perception check and then based on that roll and what they say their character is doing will then place them on the map.
Running this for the third time tonight. Different group, one of my players has the raised by Yeti secret.
When I ran this I had the players who were buried make survival checks to figure out which direction is up and it added tension to the situation
What if a party member has a shield and they sit on the shield and try and slide down the mountain?
the rule of cool
I am apprently slow on the SteelySam train- only saw shorts before but found this and others as I am about to run RoFM and these videos are fire! SUBSCRIBED
My party got completely engulfed in the avalanche and I allowed them to basically use what ever methods they could think of to escape but gave them skill checks that i felt were appropriate to what ever method they were using that wasn't just digging themselves out. For example one of my players is a druid and for what ever reason just adores the Create Bonfire spell so he asked if he could spam it to make little pockets that he could crawl through so I made him roll concentration checks to be able to cast while under duress.
Something you can do for the avalanche is if someone is proficient in survival/ grew up living there/ or whoever rolled highest on initiative can get a bonus action in addition to their turn that can be used to help someone else (push them out of way or grant movement) or help themselves get out of the avalanche ensuring that at least one person is free to help search for the other players. Making this a a fun
Puzzle encounter for the players. Do we let the person with the best searching skills get out of the avalanche to find the others? Do we get the strongest person out who can dig the others out of the stone fastest? Does the fastest one become selfish and make sure they get out first? It makes it less of a speed encounter and more of a diverse decision.
I like the avalanch as it is.
But to add to it, a mountain is not a flat, level, open surface to dash on... its a snow covered mountain..ie, difficult terrain in areas for sure.
So that restricts movement speed.
Also at the end, any pc who uses a spell slot to help get out of the snow, i generally make it worth their while
Thanks for the clarity and suggestions. Appreciate the breakdown !
When I ran this, my players managed to save Perilou Fishfinger, and she became a recurring NPC they came back to. She's in charge of the base they got in Lonelywood now ;)
The reason you don't like it probably is because it is harsh and unfair, a death trap. I like jesse0317 idea, I will give them a 'head's up' and chance to react before it starts, probably Boy will give them a clue. I'd also like to use a Yeti scream (Chewbacca sound bite) to cause the avalanche and foreshadow the challenge ahead. I'm going to run this avalanche a bit more sensible. The first time it hits the party will be on initiative 1 after already moving 200 feet with only 100 more feet left to move so this will have a reduced effect on the party. I'm thinking DC 10 save, d6 damage save for half and only knocked prone on failed save. This will give the stronger, faster characters a legit chance to avoid death while still making it dangerous for the slow or unlucky. From this point on I'll run it RAW.
My take on moving while the avalanche is going is that the recommendation irl if you are caught in an avalanche is to attempt to "swim" with it. You're not supposed to brace yourself or fight against, just try to stay on top of it with a swimming motion going with the "current". I think given that, I would allow my players to move forward or diagonally downwards. If they want to go straight up sideways maybe they'd have to succeed a strength check, on a fail their speed is halved.
Eventhough the latest comment on this video is a long time ago, I hope that someone is still reading here, as I could use som advise on how to handle this quest in some special conditions.
I am running this campaign and my group might arrive at Kelvins cairn during our next session on Sunday. The case is that this was one of the first quest the party got on session one, after travelling from Bryn Shander to Targos, in search of the cold hearted killer. The quest initiated as intented by meeting Boy and Garrets husband, but then a lot of other interests got in the way for the party. They collected more quests, in the area and pursued different objectives - and now, 4 sessions and 2 levels later (they are now at level 3) they seem to finally starting to head in the direction of this quest - severel days has passed in the gameworld, probably about 1½ week since they got the quest. They have brought Boy along and the ranger in the party has spent time domesticating Boy so he will act as the ranger commands. I have therefore handed him Boys statblock and left him to control the dog himself (though asking him to make an animal handling check when facing specific enemies that scares Boy, to determine if he still has controll of the dog og if it backs down from the fight).
Now, as mentioned, they seem to finally arrive at Kelvins Cairn and a lot has happened in the game world since they picked up this quest. For me it is highly unlikely that the group will find the climbers in the state mentioned in the book after so much time and I am considering to simply letting everyone be dead, due to the time they have spent alone out there. The other sled dogs, Garret and the other climbers - all of them, dead. I am seeking advice on how to do this in practice without making the experience a total and boring bummer for the party. Any ideas of how to turn this event into something interesting and fun to play, eventough everyone turns out to be dead?
I really like your videos, I’ve been watching the whole series. Although in this video you do say that you’re going to discuss how you made some changes to the avalanche and how you ran it in some of your games and you never ended up communicating that. I was really curious to find out any of the changes you made to see if they felt right for my game.
how I mentioned it in this video is the final solution that I had for the avalanche, the big thing for DMs is determining whether you want characters to be able to stand up and move while in the avalanche and determine how long it takes characters who escape to reach those that didn't
Would love to see something about Good Mead. :D My group is heading up that way from Dougans Hole soon.
Same!
@@timothymcallister7230 How has your group handled Dougans Hole? I actually have two groups that I am DMing. The first will start the next game leaving the town while the other will start right outside of the Frost giant home. I kinda wish I had played up this town even more.
@@RobertJHN they took one look at this town and said. Right we are going to the next town. Showing no interest in Dougan’s Hole was a perfect opportunity to have them meet Koran on their way to goodmead. I played him like a big injured baby and he convinced them to go save his brother (he told them Kanan is also locked up by Garagai) and the children. The more stingy characters were convinced when he said garagai had a huge pile of treasure from the town (all a lie). Now they saved the kids and returned them to their mother and made contact with the people of dougan’s hole for the first time.
Good Mead is next
@@timothymcallister7230, such an awesome story! :D
I started my groups a bit differently. One I started with one of the 1 hour adventure from Ice Road Trackers. After finishing up there they headed into Dougans Hole and after like dropping 1 hint, they were already on their way out of town. So I did not realy get to play it up any.
The other group wandered into Dougans hole and split up. Half went to the speakers house. Here I had them meet upon Hilda who was standing on the door step of the house, begging the Speaker to send someone to save her children. She leaves and the PCs spoke a bit with the grumpy speaker. The other group found a house where they could get some food and ale and spoke to a few people that were there about the wolves. Hilda went to this house after the meeting above and ends up crying on the shoulder of one of the townsfolk there. When they party got together again, they told Hilda they would save her children and she allowed them to sleep on the floor of her house.
I did the avalanche as a skill check challenge. I do team challenge. Everyone can story the game and choose who actually does what. Some people get used more than once, like one of our team members was a mountaineer before our game and everyone looks for him as he told everyone what to do. I also went off the idea that the avalanche was slow moving.
I was going to skip it but they were on the spot and our barbarian started screaming at the guide. Lol I can explain why if you like. But everyone was saying “don’t cause an avalanche dude”
i got the icewind dale dm's notes from dmsguild and it has variant rules for avalanches that I like a lot better, its just 3 skill checks, no initiative
Running this quest in two days. For the avalanche is seems waaay to powerful at level 1-2. Especially when the speed is halved in snow. I decided to create a crevice where players can fall in a pit full of “ice”piercers.
Searched this video because I was unsure how to run the avalanche. Guess I was not the only one!
Players should hear the avalanche coming and give them 3-4 rounds to plan, figure out where to go, and to move out of it's path
I think the avalanches should be rebuilt. I slowed them *way* down (yes it's unrealistic, but more fun), but had them pick up speed each round. As it is, the PCs decisions don't really matter; it's either "run to the side or be buried". If we compress the distances and slow the avalanche down, the PCs speed is a lot more impactful, and they can realistically choose to run to the side, run down to buy time to find shelter, or run diagonal to split the difference
So the PCs could spend a round or maybe two running away to try to find a solution - caves, boulders, etc.
Restrained and prone? I don’t know if you can use any movement
Im thinking of playing him as Captain Holt
The avalanche sounds to me like a good time for a skill challenge. Matt Colville has a good vid on how to run a good skill challenge. I like playing the yeti against type, it makes for interesting stories. Great vids Steely, thanks for the previews of the locations before I take my group through them.
Love your videos! Very helpful! :)
Think I'll replace the avalanche with the classic rickety, ice covered rope bridge the party must traverse.
For me it seems impossible to move in an avalanche, even if the rules don´t speak against it. If caught, you must endure everything until it stops.
Lookin at my players pets... WORRIED FOR THEM ALL OF A SUDDEN
I ran the avalanche it as a skill check
I couldn't kill boi.
My party is already growing a "small zoo" with all the animals rescued along missions.
They will have enough when the chardalyn dragon kills all of their animals :'(
Closing comments here spot on! Thanks.
This avalanche business is too math-y and complicated! I wonder if it would simplify things to just give the party a chance to act -- a full turn for each player automatically before the avalanche reaches them. Then, if any fail to escape, the rest of the party would have a few turns to stage a rescue while buried player/s make/s saving throws.
thats literally what I'm planning on doing! I'm running skill challenge but in rounds
my party is level 2
i am scared
....I just skipped the avalanche, its lame
KILL BOY?
Yeeeah... Gonna skip this one.
Diversity is fine.
If it had been done in much earlier books, it would've been alright. The only reason they do it now is for a cash grab.
DnD has always been about making something your own whether it be the DM or the players. It don't need to be showhorned in because it's the cool thing to do or because they want to try and make a fast buck or even in an attempt to appear non-biased.
>to play this gay character...
ooooor, just play it as a straight couple instead, I know my players, if I roleplay a woman or a gay person, the serious nature fo the situation is going to fall flat
That's a pretty fucked group if the seriousness of a missing person and a family without their loved one is lost on a group simply because they're gay.
@@Punch_Ghost
I mean, to each their own. Really good players, but these are the kind of things that throw them off and just changes the atmosphere completly
Garrett Smyles I think he men’t if he tried to roleplay a gay carachter or woman.
One of my players is gay and I was worried I would offend him if I went to flamboyant with the character. I just picked my favorite gay character from a show and had fun with it, he seemed to enjoy it.
@@SteelySam just as a friendly recommendation, next time, I would just play them like any other character! They just happen to be gay. I’m sure your player would love that more than any caricature!