D&D 5e Icewind Dale - Rime of the Frostmaiden

CAV E S OF HUNGER LOCATIONS H4 . KOBOLD VAMPIRE SPAWN

The following locations are keyed t o map 6 . 1 . Characters coming from area H 2 must descend a natu­
rally formed staircase of ice to reach this cave.
Hl. INTO THE GLACIER
Frost-covered blocks of stone j ut from the floor of this
The light blue area shown on map 6.1 indicates the sec­ ten-foot-h igh cave ofice. Perched atop the largest stone
tion of glacial wall that parts when the characters use i s an emaciated kobold with glowing red eyes. It bares
the "Rime of the Frostmaiden" to cut a path to the dun­ elongated fangs as it h i sses at you , then scampers away.
geon. Reading the poem creates an opening in the ice
wall that's 100 feet high, 30 feet wide, and 20 feet deep. The creature is a kohold vampire spawn (see appendix
A tunnel at the back of this opening contains uneven, C) created by Tekeli-li. Professor Skant recognizes the
naturally formed steps that descend to area H 2 . creature as a vampire and knows its weaknesses. The
undead kobold hungers for fresh blood but knows better
If any o f the E l k tribesfolk are present a t this point, than to attack a superior force. It tries to rejoin its kin
they volunteer to guard this entrance until the char­ in area H l 7.
acters return or until hunger forces them to abandon
their post. H5. ICICLE DROP

H 2 . CRASHED SKYCOACH I Sparkling icicles as long as longswords cling to the forty­
foot- h igh roof of this cavern, the floor of which is strewn
I You come to a thi rty-foot-high cavern. I n its center, the with frost-covered blocks of stone and a toppled p i l lar.
remains of a wooden ship h u l l rest on the floor. Embedded in the east wall is a gl ittering stone tower that
appears to have crashed through the ceiling long ago.
If Professor Skant is allowed to view the wreckage, the The exposed wall i s cracked and has a few small holes in
it but is otherwise i ntact.
] ]professor orb offers the following commentary:
"Ah , a N etherese skycoach! I 've always wanted to ride on
one of those. Pity it's no longer in one piece."

The ship is all that remains of a Netherese skycoach, If Professor Skant is allowed to view the tower, the pro­
an airship that was used to ferry people to and from the fessor orb offers the following commentary:
floating city of Ythryn. Any loud disturbances in this
cave cause the four ftameskulls in area H3 to cackle "That tower appears to be of N etherese construction.
madly as they make their way to this cavern. The flame­
skulls are the animated, fire-wreathed skulls of Neth­ Were it not for the cracks and holes, the stone would be
erese wizards transformed into guardians by the will of smooth as glass, shaped by wizardly magic!"
the Frostmaiden.
Seven ice mephits created by Auril cling to the ceiling,
The tunnel that leads to area HS has a slippery, their wings wrapped tightly around their bodies so that
20-foot-tall drop-off that characters can descend safely they are easily mistaken for icicles. Characters who have
with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. On passive Wisdom (Perception) scores of 13 or higher can
a failed check, a character slips and lands prone, taking distinguish the mephits from the scores of real icicles
damage from the fall as normal. that festoon the ceiling.

Treasure. Characters who search the wreckage find The ice mephits are tasked with guarding the cave but
the headless skeletons of four dead Netherese wizards do not enter melee combat wil lingly. An ice mephit's pre­
and a 200-pound iron safe with a combination lock that ferred tactic is to use its action to fly next to an icicle and
has numbers from 0 to 50 written in the Draconic script. break it off, causing it to fall on an enemy below. Any
A character using thieves' tools can spend 1 minute creature standing under a falling icicle must succeed on
trying to open the safe, doing so with a successful DC a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) piercing
20 Dexterity check. The safe contains a bag ofholding, damage from it.
inside which are four amethysts (100 gp each) and a ring
of the ram made of chardalyn (see the "Chardalyn" side­ Tekeli-Ji. If Tekeli-li is hiding in area H6, the gnoll
bar on page 6). The ring's unusual composition has vampire (see appendix C) attacks the party after the ice
no effect on its magical properties. mephits are dealt with, passing through the tower wall
in mist form and assuming its Large hyena form. See
H3. FLAMESKULLS the "Tekeli-li" section earlier in this chapter for more
information.
These two 15-foot-high caves and passageways are
occupied by four ftameskulls-two in the caves west
of area H2 and two in the caves northeast of area H2.
They attack intruders on sight. The caves are other­
wise empty.

2 1 8 C HAPTER 6 I CAVES OF H U N G E R

1 square = 5 feet

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M A P 6 . 1 : C A V E S OF H U N G E R

C H APTER 6 I CAVES OF H U NGER 2 19