**Chilling Fables: The Haunting of Frostwood Manor**
Setting the Scene: Frostwood Manor
Nestled within the icy embrace of the Frostwood Forest, a sprawling, dilapidated edifice looms ominously against the pale winter sky. Frostwood Manor is said to have been a lavish estate, where influential nobles once hosted grand balls and decadent feasts. Now, however, the grandeur has crumbled, its walls draped in frost and creeping vines, and an eerie mist snakes through the overgrown gardens.
Local villagers whisper of sorrowful wails emanating from the manor at twilight, claiming that the spirits of its former inhabitants linger, unable to move on. Curiosity paired with a sense of dread has compelled adventurers like your party to uncover the truth about the manor’s dark past, particularly the fabled Heart of Winter, a legendary gem rumored to reside within, said to grant its holder control over frost and ice.
The Call to Adventure
As your party approaches Frostwood Manor, you notice a flickering light emanating from a nearby nearby cottage. An old woman, her rheumy eyes sparkling with wisdom, beckons you inside. "The manor is cursed, you know," she warns, her voice quavering. "But you seek the Heart of Winter, do you not? Only the brave or the foolish would dare to venture into its depths. Beware the spirits that guard it; they will test your resolve."
She provides guidance: “To enter the manor, you must find the key hidden within the garden maze.” After imparting advice on avoiding the manor’s deadly traps, she warns of a spectral guardian—a frost wraith—said to drain the warmth of living beings and draw upon their vitality.
Navigating the Garden Maze
As you make your way towards the garden, the wind howls like a banshee, and the frigid air bites at your skin. The garden, once orderly, has grown wild with icy shrubs and intricate hedgerows. A sense of foreboding fills the air.
The Maze Mechanics
- The Maze Layout: The maze comprises various paths, defined by tall, withered hedges coated in frost. Visibility is limited to a few feet ahead due to swirling snow. The heroes must navigate through a series of winding paths while avoiding numerous traps scattered throughout.
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Traps:
- Freezing Spikes: Certain paths have stakes of ice that explode on contact, challenging players to make Dexterity saving throws or take damage and become paralyzed for one round due to frostbite.
- Illusory Walls: Hidden illusion spells create false walls, drawing characters down dead ends. A successful Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the true paths.
As the party explores, Echoes of the Past, localized fog, manifests visions of the manor’s former occupants. These phantasmal figures reenact their tragic demise, hauntingly incorporating clues about the Heart of Winter’s location which serve to guide or mislead the players.
Encountering the Frost Wraith
At the heart of the maze, illuminated by an ethereal glow, lies an ancient stone pedestal. Here, the players find a frost-encrusted key pulsing with a refreshing chill. However, as soon as it is grasped, the air grows painfully cold, and the frost wraith materializes in a swirling mass of ice and snow.
Frost Wraith Attributes
- Type: Undead
- Armor Class: 15
- Hit Points: 90 (20d8)
- Speed: 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover)
- Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 18
- Damage Immunities: Poison, Psychic; Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed
- Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Wraith Abilities
- Chilling Touch: Melee Spell Attack; +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or lose 10 hit points until the end of the wraith's next turn.
- Aura of Frost: Creatures that start their turn within 10 feet of the wraith must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) cold damage.
- Invisibility: The wraith can become invisible, allowing it to reposition near vulnerable party members.
As the fight ensues, the players must employ clever tactics, making full use of their environment to avoid the wraith's chilling grasp. Each hit should enrich the narrative; success means the players gain the wraith’s fleeting memories—glimpses into its past that reveal chilling truths about the manor.
Entering Frostwood Manor
With the frost wraith defeated, the party emerges triumphant, key in hand. A massive oak door at the manor’s entrance creaks open, revealing a grand foyer turned abysmal. Shadows flicker on the walls as whispers swirl through the air, urging the adventurers to leave.
Scattered remnants reflect the grandeur of the past: a chandelier hangs precariously above, its crystals coated in frost; a once lavish carpet lies tattered, and frost-rimed portraits of the manor's former residents glower down upon the intruders.
Exploring the Haunted Halls
Your party must now delve deeper into the enigmatic manor, braving its numerous dangers and puzzles.
The Study of Secrets
In the dusty study, a massive fireplace flickers with spectral flames. A riddle, inscribed on a crumbling parchment, hangs precariously above:
“Upon the words of pen and ink, speak the truth; don’t let it sink. What frosts the heart yet warms the soul? Speak your answer to make me whole.”
Players must uncover the answer—“Hope.” When spoken aloud, the flames ignite brightly, revealing a hidden compartment filled with scrolls providing lore about the Heart of Winter and granting advantages in battle against icy foes.
The Infirmary of Whispers
In the manor’s infirmary, the air grows thick with sorrow. The specters of the manor's last inhabitants linger here, entrapped in a loop where they endlessly mourn their misfortunes. For the adventurers to pass, they must assist these specters in reconciling with their pasts. This can be resolved through skill checks (Persuasion or Insight) or perhaps by retrieving items that symbolize their lost hopes.
Confronting the Heart of Winter
After navigating the many dangers of Frostwood Manor, the party arrives at the Heart of Winter’s chamber. The walls here are adorned with ice sculptures that tell the tale of the manor’s tragic downfall and the isolation of its residents.
In the center lies a radiant gem pulsating with cold energy—the Heart of Winter.
Final Challenge: Guardian of Frost
As the party reaches for the Heart of Winter, they awaken its ancient guardian, an imposing Ice Elemental, its core radiating a blinding blue light.
- Ice Elemental Attributes:
- Armor Class: 17
- Hit Points: 120 (15d10)
- Speed: 40 ft.
Elemental Abilities
- Multiattack: The elemental makes two slam attacks.
- Ice Slam: Melee Weapon Attack; +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target, Hit: 18 (3d10) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage.
- Ice Storm: The elemental can summon a storm of ice at a location within 60 feet. All creatures in a 20 ft. radius take 20 (4d6) cold damage and must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
As this final battle unfolds, the players have the opportunity to employ strategies honed through their experiences in the manor—a fact crucial for overcoming the elemental and claiming the Heart of Winter.
Resolutions and Rewards
Upon defeating the Ice Elemental, the party is able to claim the Heart of Winter. They can choose to wield its powers or return it to the villagers, restoring balance to Frostwood Forest. The air grows still, and the remaining spirits trapped within the manor express their gratitude, finally able to move on following the players’ intervention in their tales.
Your party emerges from Frostwood Manor transformed, not just by the treasures they possess, but through new bonds forged in battle and the bonds of hope rekindled within a place once lost to despair. They take with them the knowledge that the heart of winter, just like hope, can be a double-edged sword and must be handled with care.
