One-Shot Adventures

4 #15 e cliff isn't as steep as you imagined, and many of its hand and footholds aren't covered with ice. Make no mistake – this still isn't an easy climb, and you should be careful. Make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to climb up the sheer surface. If you succeed, you carefully climb down the mountainside and approach the castle. Go to 36. If you fail, you plummet down the rocky cliff! Take 1d6 dam- age. If you're still conscious, you limp towards the castle. Go to 36. Otherwise, your twisted and crumbled body is soon found by tundra wolves... #16 As you rummage through the tattered remnants of the skeleton, your hand scrapes across something razor sharp! You raise your bloody hand to your mouth and probe the wound with your tongue. You take 1 hp of damage. Kicking aside some torn cloth, you see a glass dagger half-embed- ded in the wood. If you try to pry the sharp dagger out, go to 24. If you decide to leave it alone, go to 33. #17 You are in a battle with an ice fiend, a massive beast with a shark- toothed maw and claws the size of long knives. You've only seen one in your life – and that was a carcass a hunter brought back to your village when you were a child. is one seems twice the size of that one! You can trade blows with the fiend, or jump into tactical combat using the battle map is provided at the end of the adventure. In this case, the ice fiend starts adjacent to the bone pile, and you start at the entrace to the lair on the right side of the map. However, if you've written AMBUSHED on your character sheet, you start the battle closer to the fiend (on the blood stained snow hex), and the ice fiend gets to move first. e fiend's tactics are simple – he will rush towards you to attack. If the fiend drops to 5 hp or less, make a DC 12 Wisdom check for the fiend. If he fails, he retreats, attempting to escape to a tunnel exit. If he succeeds, he viciously fights to the end and goes berserk (see his ability, above). If the ice fiend is defeated or retreats, go to 21. If you died or fell unconscious, your adventure sadly ends here. Seven years from now, brave adventurers seeking the Castle of Madness discover the half-eaten remains of your frozen corpse... #18 You kneel down in the snow and peer through the keyhole. Just as you suspected... the door is locked with an older type of lock. Several stone pegs keep the door in place. Your knife might be able to do the trick, but it's formidable. Since the door uses an old stone lock, it is easier to defeat than a more modern, iron lock. To pry the lock, make a DC 12 Dexterity check (rogues may use their ieves' Tools proficiency here too). If you succeed, go to 30. If you fail, you can try breaking the door down. Go to 40. If you've already failed breaking the door down, or just want to try the servants' door, go to 14. Ice Fiend Large humanoid, chaotic evil Armor Class 15 (hide) Speed 30 ft. Hit Points 28 (3d10+9) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 7 (-2) Damage Immunities cold Senses Darkvision 60', passive Perception 10 Languages Giant Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage. Berserk Fury. When at 5 hp or less, the fiend gains multiattack, making two claw attacks simultaneously. Regeneration. e fiend regains 3 hit points at the start of its turn. If it takes acid or fire damage, this trait does not function at the start of the fiend's next turn.

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