Touch of Winter
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Author: Boxman
Homepage: http://www.rpghost.com/boxman/
System: AD&D 2nd Edition
Type: Scenario
Category: Fantasy
Requirements: 3-6 characters of levels 1-3

Early winter brings tidings of evil. People found frozen in streets, in different poses, some with weapons drawn, or screaming. In some cases there are foot steps leading away, but they end at tree the line.

A group of evil snow people have stolen a sword, the Sword of the North, called Helkris. By conducting a strange ritual, they have amplified it’s power, turning the weather to freezing cold. They also created an ice golem to defend their sword. With the weather perpetually frozen, they are free to move about. They plan on taking over the city, and a few snow people are slowly killing all the guards.

If allowed to continue, they will kill every guard, then their force will invade the town and take it as their own. Because of the cold temperatures, ratlings have immigrated down from the mountains and are running amuck. The PC’s must figure out what is going on before the snow people succeed.

Snow people are hard to track. Infravision doesn’t pick them up, they blend in with the snowy background, and in the now frozen valley, tracks are soon covered by falling snow. One thing they could do is pretend to be guards or something, and attempt to follow the snow people to their lair. But even then, the sword is located in an old fort in the mountains, being guarded by the golem. Assume they find the snow people lair.

Random encounters include 2-8 ratlings or snow people. The lair is a cave, icy and frozen. Sound echoes off the smooth walls. This is a very dangerous place to be. Snow people are strong fighters, and will defend their lair if it is invaded. The lair contains 10 snow people, 1 sub chief, and 1 chief. Bad odds for unprepared PCs.

The fort can be found by a map in the snow people lair. PCs can avoid combat with these soldiers if they can sneak in, see the map, and flee. If the golem is killed, they will retreat back to the mountains

The fort contains 7 snow people. The golem lies dormant untill someone enters his room. The floor is frozen over here, and PCs must make Dexterity checks to remain on their feet. This check must be made every round if they move. The area around the golem is body numbingly cold. Whenever he touches unfrozen ground, everything within 15’ freezes. His touch causes a cumulative loss of 1 Dexterity, per hit. This returns 1 point per day. The old fort is not very defendable, lacks windows and doors, and has no traps.

Figuring out what is going on, with the sword and snow people, may take some time. Rumors, travelers.

Th sword is frozen behind the golem. It must be killed to be reached. If freed, spell is removed.
Snow People
Intelligence: 12-14
Alignment: LE
No.appearing: 4-24
Armor Class: 8
Movement: 12
Hit Dice: Regular: 1 HD
Sub-chiefs: 2 HD
Chiefs: 3 HD
Thac0: 20
No.of Attacks: 1
Dmg/att: Special or by weapon
Attacks: Cold Touch, 1d4 dmg
Defences: 90% camouflage in snow, imm to cold
Morale: Steady (12)
XP value: 120 xp
Subchiefs: 175 xp
Chiefs: 420 xp

Snow people appear physically weaker than humans, but they are fast, and strong, and they are masters of their environment, the cold. They have white or pale blue skin, and similar coloured hair and eyes. They usually wear white, but can go around naked and not be affected from the cold. They disdain from wearing human made armor, but might wear leather made from creatures of cold. Fire is a weakness to them, doing double damage. Sub-chiefs are 2 HD. Chiefs can cast Cone of Cold for 3d4+3 dmg, and are 3 HD.


Ice Golem
Armor Class: 4
Movement: 12
Hit Dice: 8 (40 hp)
Thac0: 11
No.of Attacks: 2
Dmg/att: 1d12/1d12
Attacks: Numb touch
Defences: Imm to all spells, fire x2 damage, cold heals 1pt/die, magical weapons needed to hit
XP value: 2,000 xp

The Ice Golem is a weak golem. It can only survive in very cold regions. It saves versus fire at -2 to its roll. Only magical weapons can hurt it.