Day 3

4. Dead End

On the third day of their journey, the party begins the As you progress further into the cave, the path comes to an
ascent of the mountain, heading towards the location of abrupt halt, blocked by a mass of collapsed stones. The view
the dragon’s corpse and Lane’s lair. While the snowfall beyond the obstruction is obscured, and it appears that the
is not as intense, the extreme cold persists, challenging specific route is dangerous.
the adventurers. Following Vyssa’s lead, they navigate
the terrain until they reach the entrance of a cave after
many hours of travel. This path can be utilized as an exit leading somewhere
else if you play this one shot as part of your campaign
The surroundings are eerily quiet, with no signs of and wish to extend the quest.
activity outside the cave. The entrance appears dark and
unwelcoming. 5. Remains of the Dragon
1. Cave’s Entrance The ongoing ritual adds an ominous air to the cavern,
and the path leading to the ritual room is fraught with
danger. A careful examination, with a DC 16 Wisdom
(Perception) check, reveals a trap. Runes, obscured by a
Upon entering the cave you notice that both the floor and
walls are made from rock and are covered in ice. It does not
take you long to realize that you probably are not alone, as mix of snow and blood, cover the floor. If a living
you see stains of blood on the floor. Of course, this could be creature steps on these runes, a blast of necrotic energy
the lair of a wild beast, but you have not seen anything alive erupts, taking the form of a small explosion. The
so far. affected area extends to everything within 5 feet. A DC
17 Constitution saving throw determines the
consequences, with a failed save resulting in 8d8
Two Wraiths , concealed in the darkness, are poised to necrotic damage, and a successful save reducing the
ambush the party as they pass the pillar. Keen damage by half.
adventurers may use skills like Divine Sense to detect
their presence before walking into the trap (the Wraiths Even if the party successfully navigates this final trap,
are not behind total cover). Lane is fully aware of their presence, eliminating any
chance of catching her by surprise. Prepared for a
2. Unfortunate Travellers confrontation, she addresses the group with an offer
before resorting to violence. The party’s decision will
shape the course of events unfolding in the frozen
Turning right, you discover remnants and belongings of
unfortunate travelers—perhaps seekers of gems or treasures. cavern.
The skeletal remains suggest they’ve been here for an
extended period. Following the trail of blood, you finally reach a large room. In
front of you there are some magic circles and on each circle 2
bodies, you can see the blood on the floor, seems it is not

These skeletons are irrelevant to the quest. Among their long ago that they were alive. Underneath all of that, you can

possessions, the party can find a +2 Maul. see the remains of a dragon, validating what is happening
here.

3. Landfill Looking to your left above a table the floor is a little elevated,
on top you can see a wood-made fence with 7 survivors
shivering, and next to a few crates stands a woman with pale
In this small room resembling a shallow pit, you encounter a skin and blonde hair, she has an unnatural beauty and upon
grim sight—a collection of bones, some weathered and old, seeing you she smiles.
others more recent. Pelts and rubbish fill the space.
Suddenly, the bones begin to move and take shape, forming
four large skeletons resembling minotaurs.

Four Minotaur skeletons acting as guardians attack the

party. Upon defeating them, a thorough search (more
than 15 minutes) reveals a small bag containing 15 CP,
7 GP, and a Ring of Jumping.

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Adventure Ripples | Frozen Vendetta 9
 The encounters in the cave thus far should not have
proven deadly, and Vyssa should be alive. If the group
opts for an immediate attack, skip to the combat.
Otherwise, proceed with the following:
Vyssa, her expression a portrait of wrath, draws her weapon
and charges toward Lane. However, Lane interjects,
expressing her desire to speak with the party. With a swift
motion, she casts a spell toward Vyssa, freezing her in place.
Lane speaks to you, We don’t have much time before the big
olaf starts to move again. Convincing her to spare me is beyond
my powers, unfortunately. Here’s my suggestion: Kill her and
join me—simple, right? Guilt is foreign to me, but I don’t kill for
fun. I have a goal, you see. Ever wondered why we die? What is
death? Why do spells bringing people back require expensive
materials such as diamonds? Should only the wealthy have a
second chance? I’ve witnessed more death than you could
imagine, and a benevolent god showed me the path. Goddess
Melverna is fading, allowing me to tap into powers beyond your
imagination. All thanks to him. So, why fight me? Yes, I’ll
reanimate my Zombie Dragon, and yes, I’ll end everyone in the
town. But it’s a necessary sacrifice for the greater good, and you
could play a vital role.

Melverna is the Goddess of fire and rebirth, mentioned

in Temple of The Red Phoenix (Volume 3). Basically,
the events in the Temple of The Red Phoenix led to her
weakening.
If the players do not make their decision quickly or state Aftermath (Joining Lane
that they stand with Vyssa, Lane wastes no time. She
knocks open two crates behind her, and severed hands or Losing the fight)
rush toward the group along with Wraiths, attacking the
party. In total, there are 2 Wraiths and 3 Swarms of If the heroes joined Lane or simply fought as hard as
Severed Hands. As Lane takes her first action, she yells they could but were not able to defeat her, the town is
while laughing: doomed. Lane has already placed magic circles in
various spots within the town, and the Zombie Dragon’s
Rejoice, Vyssa! I made sure to keep your lovely hand. Maybe first mission will be to flatten the town, killing almost
you’ll find it between the others, hahaha! everyone. These sacrifices will fuel the ritual to
resurrect a long-forgotten, evil god.
The ritual is ongoing, and at this point, the only way to If the players killed Vyssa and joined Lane, it is up to
stop it is to kill Lane, or Lane stop it herself, which is you to decide their fate. If they are indeed loyal, Lane
impossible. The party has 11 rounds to kill her (18 will not have a reason to kill them, at least not
rounds if they attack immediately). This information is immediately.
not known to the party. When 5 rounds remain, narrate
that the runes seem to glow, and subtle vibrations
emanate from beneath the floor.
If they fail to kill Lane before that, the dragon
reanimates, and in the process, it kills the already
wounded heroes. However, they should have one round
to escape if they have the means to do so using magic.

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Aftermath (Deafeting
Lane)
After a hard-fought battle, Lane draws her last breath. If
Vyssa is still alive, she makes sure to behead her.
Narrate that the runes fade off, and the magic dissolves.
If the players did not kill some of her minions (e.g., the
skeleton minotaurs), they are now dead, and the cave
has no enemies. There are 7 survivors that the party
may rescue and bring back to the city. Also, they find on
Lane the Staff of Despair and gems worth a total of 400
GP. Inside a crate, they find another 300 GP and 15
rations.

Vyssa (if alive) gives the Gem of Seeing to the party and
takes a long breath of relief that this is finally over.
The trip back to the town takes 4 days if the party
travels with the exhausted survivors.
If the party does not have enough rations, it is up to you
to decide how you want this to play out. The survivors
have not eaten for days and are exhausted. The trip
back to town is harsh even without that condition.
Perhaps you could roll a DC 11 Constitution Saving
throw each day for each survivor; failing the dice would
mean that they cannot follow, leading to their demise.
When they reach the town, if they bring survivors with
them, they explain what happened and that the heroes,
along with Vyssa, saved them. People apologize to
Vyssa and thank the party for their efforts. The mayor
offers a small token of appreciation, 50 GP to each
member. He apologizes for not having more to share
but promises that the players are always welcome in the
town, and they can stay for free in the inn as esteemed
guests.
On the same day, a memorial service is held for the
people who lost their lives. It is a moving service with
many devastated people who lost family members. At
least now, they know their fate and that they are not
undead minions of an evil necromancer.
For the next day after the group had some time to rest,
narrate:
The next day, a feast is held in the inn in honor of you. Vyssa
joins you and looks at each one of you with a sense of
camaraderie that transcends the recent challenges. After
having a few drinks and laughs with you it is time for her to
take her leave, If your paths ever lead you near Kaldanar, she
says, please do visit. I would be honored to show you the
progress we make. And remember, should you ever need my
help, don’t hesitate to ask. We’ve shared a bond forged in battle,
and I won’t forget it.

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 Side Hook: Miners in Distress
The Plot
Lysin’s mining community faces a crisis as a vital Survey the Damage: The party along with some
tunnel, crucial for resource extraction, has been blocked miners ventures into the mines, navigating dark
by a sudden cave-in. The miners are trapped, and tunnels to reach the collapsed section. They find
supplies are running low. The party is asked by the evidence suggesting that the cave-in might have been
Mining Guild Office to assist in clearing the tunnel and magically induced rather than a natural occurrence.
rescuing the trapped miners. Their investigation reveals faint magical residue near
the blocked tunnel, indicating deliberate sabotage.
The Hook Miners Rescue: Upon reaching the trapped miners
through a dangerous path requiring the use of magic
The party, while in Lysin (this could be before or after and ropes, the party discovers the extent of their
the events of the main quest), notices distressed family predicament. Limited supplies, including dwindling
members and colleagues gathered outside the miners’ air and water, create urgency. The miners share
office. The overseer, Zach Calastian, approaches the information about strange occurrences in the mines
party, urgently seeking their help. He explains the dire leading up to the collapse.
situation – a cave-in has trapped miners deep within the
tunnels, and time is running out. Zach implores the Uncover the Saboteur: After successfully rescuing
party to aid in the rescue mission. the miners, the party further investigates the cause
of the cave-in, unraveling a plot by a guild of
The Rundown mercenaries that seeks something specific inside
this mine (this could be a very rare ore, unknown to
Critical Blockage: Zach explains that a crucial the miners of Lysin). The saboteurs employed rogue
tunnel, rich in valuable ores, has collapsed spellcasters to destabilize the tunnels magically.
unexpectedly. The trapped miners are running out of Confrontation: The party tracks down the culprits,
air and supplies. The collapse seems unnatural, and leading to a confrontation either within the mines or
Zach suspects foul play or magical interference, on the surface. The saboteurs, realizing their plot
making the party’s assistance crucial for the rescue has been exposed, might fight back or attempt to
mission. escape, depending on the party’s approach.
Mending Relations: The party’s actions earn them
favor with the mining community. Zach Calastian
expresses gratitude and offers ongoing support in
resource supply or equipment, fostering a positive
relationship.
Rebuilding: The mining operations resume, and the
party’s intervention strengthens Lysin’s mining
industry.
Aftermath: The Mining Guild Office holds a
ceremony to thank the party for their heroic efforts.
The party gains recognition in Lysin, potentially
opening doors to future collaborations or quests.

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