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Prologue
"I've learned a great deal,
Tanis - about myself. The
lessons have been hard
ones... I'm learning about love,
too, Tanis. Or I'm trying to learn." His
voice was bitter. "Mostly I'm learning about
pain. But that's my problem."
A Killing Frost is the third in the five-part adventure series Dragons of a New Age. While it is designed as a piece of a larger campaign, A Killing Frost can also be run as a stand-alone adventure. The events, themes, and characters encountered herein have a continuity which stands with or without the framework of the Dragons of a New Age campaign. A Killing Frost owes a great deal to some key scenes of Jean Rabe's DRAGONLANCE: FIFTH AGE novel The Day of the Tempest. The pregenerated heroes in this booklet are some of the major characters from that book. However, the events of this adventure differ greatly from the action in the novel. While Narrators and players who have read Rabe's novel will recognize similarities in the storyline, the adventure approaches the tale from a distinctly different angle. The purpose of this is to create an adventure with mystery, tension, and significance that can be enjoyed even by players who have read the novel already. Narrators who wish to recreate the events of The Day of the Tempest for their campaigns will find all the necessary game information contained in the adventure. The first adventure in the series, The Rising Storm, was based on Jean Rabe's novel The Dawning of a New Age. In it, Dhamon Grimwulf, Peril the Kagonesti mystic. Blister the kender, and other heroes were sent on a quest by Goldmoon, mistress of the Citadel of Light. They sought to investigate reports that the disappearance of some villagers was somehow linked to a sinister plot of Khellendros, the Blue Dragon Overlord. In the process, they discovered the Great Dragon was, through some unknown magical process, transforming the kidnapped villagers into "spawn," a twisted draconian-human hybrid.
The second adventure, Storm Over Krynn, was based on the events at the beginning of The Day of the Tempest. The heroes Rig Mer-Rrel, Peril the Kagonesti, Jasper the dwarf, Ladine the Silvanesti, and Pax the kender freed scores of prsioners from the foul Bastion of Darkness, then infiltrated the camp of a black dragon in the process of creating more loathsome "spawn." There, they learned that spawning displaces the spirits of the transformed people and leaves them in a torturous limbo, denied even the peace of the grave. This discovery almost cost them their lives, however, when Khellendros himself arrived and attacked the group. Through bravery, perseverance, and not a little bit of luck, they managed to drive off the Great Dragon and escape. After the dust cleared, the heroes learned of another part of Khellendros's plot: The Blue was gathering artifacts and magical items to use in an incredibly powerful spell. A Killing Frost begins with the heroes reporting their discoveries to Palin Majere at the Academy of Sorcery. With them is one of the Heroes of the Lance, Gilthanas, who was among the captives freed in the last adventure, and another former prisoner, Raalumar Sageth, who gave them the information about Khellendros's plan. The old man again warns of impending doom if the Blue Dragon collects the artifacts he seeks. Palin seems unsure whether to trust Raalumar until a group of Dark Knights breaks into the Inn of the Last Home and kidnaps the old man. While the heroes try to rescue Raalumar, Palin receives reports indicating that the Blue has sent a group of Dark Knights to Southern Ergoth to find and loot Huma's Tomb of its artifacts. Assuming the heroes rescue - or try to rescue - the old man, they return to the Academy of Sorcery to find a beautiful Solamnic Knight named Lady Arlena Plata, who asks them to stop the Dark Knights from desecrating Huma's last resting place. She also asks that they accompany Gilthanas, who plans to journey to Southern Ergoth for a reunion with a woman he left many years ago (the silver dragon, D'Argent, more commonly known as Silvara). At the end of Act One, they book passage on a ship heading for Castle Eastwatch, a Solamnic stronghold in Southern Ergoth. As they wait to leave, however, they note that the group of Dark Knights who kidnapped Raalumar has taken an interest in their affairs. At Castle Eastwatch, the heroes receive directions to Huma's Tomb, located in Foghaven Vale. The Vale lies in territory claimed by Gellidus, the white Great Dragon who has made Southern Ergoth his home. The heroes must overcome the Dark Knights sent by Khellendros before they can retrieve the artifact from Huma's Tomb. Furthermore, Gilthanas hopes to learn of Silvara's whereabouts at the Vale. The heroes also meet a strange youth, a disguised gold dragon named Sunrise, who tests Gilthanas on Silvara's behalf. The story reaches a terrifying climax as the realm's ruler. Frost himself, arrives to see who trespasses on his land. Traditionally, DRAGONLANCE adventures feature heroes from the novels they parallel. This gives the Narrator and players three options for running the scenario: Use the familiar heroes to try to recreate the epic adventures from the books; use these heroes to create an alternative storyline and see how things might turn out if the heroes had acted differently; or use heroes of the players' creation, to see how a different set of personalities copes with the epic threats that confront the literary heroes. The next few pages contain all the information needed to play A Killing Frost using heroes from the novel The Day of the Tempest. Most of these heroes appear on cards in the Fate Deck, and quite a few have been presented as heroes in the previous adventures in this campaign. The heroes have been modified to reflect their growth in these earlier adventures. Players and Narrators are free to use these "Heroes of the Heart" as presented, modify them to fit their campaigns, or create entirely new heroes. It is not necessary to read The Day of the Tempest before running this adventure, although it might help Narrators add more depth to their scenes. The Narrator should at least familiarize himself with the heroes presented here. Each one has a fully developed background and individual set of motivations. The Narrator should explain to players any information he considers critical to role-playing a hero correctly; just because two people have read the same text doesn't mean they will interpret it the same way. Gilthanas as a Hero One option available to Narrators who have more players than the number of heroes described here (or prefer not to use one or more of these heroes) is to use the character Gilthanas as a hero. Gilthanas may appeal to players for several reasons. He has a great deal of history as one of the original Heroes of the Lance, and his fate has long been a topic of discussion among readers. He also has ties to several important Fifth Age characters: He is brother to both Laurana and Porthios and uncle to Gilthas, Qualinesti Speaker of the Sun. However, a number of problems are associated with using Gilthanas as a hero. Foremost among these is that a principal subplot of the adventure involves his impending reunion with Silvara. The Narrator should make sure that any player using Gilthanas as his hero is fully aware of how strongly the elf prince feels about finding his lost love. Nothing is more important to Gilthanas - nothing! Add to this the general problem of Gilthanas being a Qualinesti elf whose political, social, and moral beliefs are sixty years out of date, and he becomes a role-playing challenge with the potential to disrupt the adventure. A final difficulty involved in using Gilthanas as a hero is his recent background. While it is revealed in the FIFTH AGE novels that Gilthanas was a prisoner of the Dark Knights in Khellendros's realm and, before this, he was a prisoner of the Silvanesti (captured at the end of the Fourth Age, at the same time as Porthios), there is still a long section of his life which is unaccounted for. Future novels may address this period, but for now it simply remains a mystery - one which can make Gilthanas a troublesome hero to play. Should a Narrator decide to let a player take on Gilthanas as his hero, a full character description is available in the Epilogue of Storm Over Krynn, from the Heroes of Defiance dramatic supplement. (Note: His artifact, the Amulet of Healing Hands, may become a game balance issue.)
Gilthanas: Qualinesti adult male, capable demeanor, Legend, 4 Rig Mer-Krel
"Rig is just a nickname, suits me. I picked it up as a kid doing odd jobs on the docks in Sea Reach. I've been a sailor ever since I celebrated my twelfth birthday by stowing away on a ship. The home I left was not a happy one, but I joined a much larger family - the brotherhood of sailors. That was over ten years ago. Since then, I've been the helmsman on the Wind Chaser, which sails the New Sea. "I've done everything from steering a ferry to sailing the open sea as a pirate. A few months ago, I found myself drawn into a fight against Khellendros the Blue, and I haven't felt a deck beneath my feet for some time. "I'm at my best when I have salt water in sight. I know that, if I'd been in my element, I could have saved Shaon, a bright-eyed lass who'd sailed with me for years. Instead, she died at the claws of one of Side's blue dragon minions, cut down in her prime. I'll go back to the sea someday, but not until I've avenged Shaon. The Storm Over Krynn will pay dearly for her death." Game Information
As a mariner, Rig (8 Rig is always ready for a fight. Besides his two primary weapons, he conceals several others: a weighted sash that looks like a bit of normal clothing, two daggers in his boots, and two more hidden under his shirt. He wears a fancy hat with a garrote concealed in the headband and conceals razor-sharp blades in the soles of his boots. He even wears a dagger-shaped earring that doubles as a lockpick. In a recent trip to Palanthas, the sorcerer Palin Majere retrieved the last piece to the footman's dragonlance once wielded by Sturm Brightblade and gave it to the heroes. Unless Dhamon Grimwulf remains with them, Rig now carries this lance. The mariner has developed such a strong hatred for blue dragons that he has become immune to the effects of dragonawe. (This immunity applies only if Shaon appeared as either a hero or a character in the Narrator's campaign and was slain by the blue dragon, Gale, as in the novel, The Dawning of a New Age.) Rig enjoys acute eyesight and taste - no one will ever get a poisoned meal past him. Appearance Tall and muscular Rig has brown skin and short, dark hair that mark him as an Ergothian. He favors bright, flashy clothes. Ferilleeagh Dawnsprinter
"I'm usually not one to take sides in an argument. Even among my own people, the wild and independent Kagonesti, I've always been a loner. I enjoy solitude, and I admire - even envy - wild creatures. They live free of the constraints of society. Animals have pure motives: They are never treacherous and kill only for food, taking just what they need. And, for all their purity, animals also know how to enjoy simple pleasures. Overall, I would prefer a solitary life in the wilderness with them to just about anything else. "Now, however, I've gotten myself involved with one of the greatest struggles ever to face Krynn: the battle between mortals and the Great Dragons. I know how to pick enemies, don't I? "I love the wilderness and would sacrifice anything to save it - even my life, fighting those affronts to nature, the Great Dragons. The White Dragon, Gellidus, has transformed my home isle of Southern Ergoth into a vast glacier: All it took was the touch of Frost to turn a land of temperate plains and forests into a polar desert. I have nothing against polar deserts, but I want them to stay where they belong: at the poles! "Other colored dragons have wreaked similar havoc in the territories they have claimed. Where are the metallic dragons? Why aren't they playing their role in maintaining the balance on Krynn? Everyone in Ansalon wants these questions answered. I have made it my job to seek those answers - and a way to thwart the chromatic dragons' schemes. "I try not to let my grim task keep me from enjoying the wonders I see around me, however. There is beauty almost everywhere you look, from the simple grace of a butterfly to the crisp geometry of a dwarven building. Whenever I find myself somewhere I haven't been before, I can't help stopping to drink in all the sights, sounds, and smells." Game Information
As an elf, Feril (7 This Kagonesti shaman can employ three schools of sorcery: pyromancy, geomancy, and aeromancy. She also can cast spells from three mystic spheres: animism, alteration, and healing. Her two acute senses are sight and hearing. Appearance Feril is beautiful, tanned, and wildly exotic. Her brown hair falls in waves to her shoulders, like a lion's mane. Even though she has not recently been among her people, the Kagonesti, she proudly wears the strange and colorful tattoos of this race of wild elves. Feril bears a tattoo of an orange and yellow oak leaf on one cheek and another of a red lightning bolt across her forehead. Blister Nimblefingers
"About thirty years ago, I struck out from my home in Kendermore on an important mission for the Hero of the Lance Riverwind - I was the one who warned the Knights of Solamnia of the coming of Malystryx, the Red Dragon! "Of course, I've never been back to Kendermore - there's not much worth seeing there these days, except Malys. I've never seen a red dragon, let alone one big enough to destroy my whole country. "I've spent most of my life in Hylo with other kender who managed to escape Malystryx. But now that I'm approaching middle age, I've decided to venture out into the world again. I'd forgotten just how much there is to see! "Anyway, I'm not like what most people expect when they meet a kender. Oh sure, I'd like to see what's inside every wrapped parcel, behind every locked door, or inside each padlocked chest. But I've got discipline. I almost never go poking my nose into someplace unless there's a really good reason to do so. "When my curiosity overrides my common sense - umm, I mean when I have to confront the unknown - I'm careful. I'll prod a suspected trap from a safe distance with a spear, or maybe I'll just throw a rock at it. I can snag pouches and other small objects with a fishing line. I have a spyglass I use to peer into campsites. I like to be careful, just like Uncle Tas did: He always knew exactly what he was doing. "I wear gloves when I go out in public because of my scarred-up, mishapen hands; when I wasa girl I was foolish and let a trap spray acid all over my hands (That's how I got my nickname, Blister. Before that, everyone called me Verae.) Now, my hands don't work quite right. It used really hurt to do fine work, like picking locks and stuff. But, when I talked to Goldmoon not long ago, she got me to see the pain was all in my head. My hands still don't work quite right, but at least they don't hurt any more. Goldmoon's the greatest!" Game Information
As an afflicted kender, any card Blister
(4 She also carries a magical net-well, she thinks it's magic. If Blister closes to personal range, she can automatically trap a creature smaller than a cat inside the net. To capture larger creatures, she must attempt an average Agility (Agility) action. The net can hold a creature as large as a horse. Blister has acute senses of hearing and eyesight. Appearance Blister has graying blond hair and a ruddy complexion. Her hands and fingers resemble a bird's feet: thin, twisted, and scaly from her injury. Dhamon Grimwulf
"When I was twelve, I caused quite a stir in my hometown by joining'the Dark Knights. I came from a noble but poor family that had never been popular; it pleased me to see the shock in the faces of my neighbors when I rode out of town carrying the Knights' banner. "After several years of training, I became a full member of the Order. My pride swelled when I became a dragon rider, paired with the blue dragon, Gale. "During an attack on Sanction about five years ago, I became separated from Gale, but fought on. I looked for a worthy foe, and my eye settled on a Solamnic Knight. Knowing that a victory over another Knight would win me even more glory, I pressed the attack, pausing only to salute the older man. The Knight gravely returned my salute, and we exchanged blows. The old fellow was good with a sword, but I was stronger. I pounded the Knight to his knees and demanded his surrender. That was a mistake: I had left him an opening, and his counterattack nearly killed me. As I felt my life draining away, I prayed that Her Dark Majesty would give me the strength to land one final blow to slay this accursed Knight. Only blackness answered. "I was taken prisoner and brought to Solamnia, where my opponent tended me himself. Surprisingly enough, I came to admire the man. While I recovered from my battle injuries, I listened eagerly to his stories about Huma, Sturm Brightblade, and other famous Solamnics. His tales and his kind manner toward me made me realize slowly that, although the Dark Knights had taught me honor, they had never taught me compassion. In nightmares I began to see the faces of every man I had ever killed. It made me shudder to realize that, while I was battling for glory, they had been fighting to defend their homes. "When I was well, I resolved to leave the Knights of Takhisis. I realized they had taken advantage of a bitter youth, twisting my anger to their own ends. I had barely made my decision when my fellow Dark Knights came to my'rescue.' I shouldn't have been surprised that they tracked me down, but I didn't want to be rescued. In fact, I joined my captor-turned-mentor in defending his home. "Only I survived that battle. When I buried the dead, I buried my old armor and weapons, too - and my old life. My one option, as I saw it, was to become a sellsword. True, the mercenary life isn't honorable. But it is a better one than I deserve." Game Information
As a rogue knight (a role introduced in Heroes of Steel), Dhamon (5 This rogue knight has acute eyesight. He carries the dragonlance mentioned in Rig's description if he's with the party Appearance Lean, muscular Dhamon turns the heads of many young ladies. This young man ties his long, wheat-blond hair back in a pony tail and wears old, plain clothes. Ulin Majere
"My father has been called the greatest sorcerer in the world. My uncle is thought to have been the greatest sorcerer who ever lived. Those are very big shoes to fill. "I'm no slouch myself. In fact, if it weren't for me, we never would have unlocked the secret to tapping magical items for the sorcerous energy they contain. Still, it seems I've lived my entire life in the shadow of my family history. "Don't misunderstand, I have a very satisfying life. I have a loving wife and two wonderful children. But sometimes I wonder when it will be my turn to do something truly great. "I know I have greatness in me. If only I could get the chance to prove it, I know I would be every bit as brave and courageous as my relatives-maybe even braver. If only there were an adventure left for me to go on; if only I had a quest of my own. "Grandfather Caramon laughs when he hears this. He says I remind him of himself as a young man. But I'm not that young a man anymore. I don't want to live my whole life as an academician." Game Information A powerful spellcaster, Ulin is trained in the schools of enchantment, pyromancy, and spectramancy and the sphere of meditation. He also has acute senses of sight and smelL As a student at the Academy of Sorcery, Ulin may attempt a Presence action (of variable difficulty) to obtain financial or other support from the school. When not on missions for the Academy, Ulin must teach ten hours each week and research for fifteen. He can seek advice from other students to gain a +1 action bonus for his own spellcasting. He never enjoys a trump bonus for Presence actions when interacting with those unused to sorcerers (except to resist mystic magic). In the novel The Day of the Tempest (during the events of this adventure), Ulin meets a young gold dragon named Sunrise, and the two of them form a bond which has serious implications on the future relations between humans and dragons (described in Chapter Five of One Moon, Not Three). However, the Narrator should decide whether he wants Ulin to gain the powers of a dragon mage within the context of this adventure. If so, the Narrator should describe to Ulin's player how he sees the connection to Sunrise and what effects it has on the hero's sorcerous powers. Appearance Tall and lanky, Ulin has a rather handsome face. Although his face is thinner, the resemblence to his father is undeniable. His golden eyes, however, are the result of his mother's heritage. The sorcerer's hair is brown and straight, and he usually dresses casually in a loose tunic and pants.
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