TEXT: 1
  FAIT ACCOMPLI
  A Short Adventure for Four 
  12th-Level Player Characters
  CREDITS
  Design:
  Owen K.C. Stephens
  Editing:
  Penny Williams
  Typesetting:
  Nancy Walker
  Cartography:
  XX
  Web Production
  Bart Carroll
  Web Development:
  Mark A. Jindra
  Graphic Design:
  Sean Glenn, Cynthia Fliege
  Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game by E.
  Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and on the new edition of the
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet,
  Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, and Peter Adkison.
  D&D, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and DUNGEON MASTER are registered trademarks owned
  by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The d20 logo is a trademark owned by Wizards of the
  Coast, Inc. All Wizards characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses
  thereof are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United
  States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the
  material or artwork contained herein is prohibited 
  without the express written permission of 
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  ©2005 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  All rights reserved. 
  Made in the U.S.A. 
  This product is a work of fiction. 
  Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, 
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  At its most basic level of use, Fate Accompli is a straight-
  forward quest to clear a dungeon and slay some
  dragons in an arctic climate. However, it also includes
  political elements that you may either may play down
  or use to expand the scenario into a mini-campaign, as
  you wish.
  Fait Accompli is a short adventure for four 12th-level
  characters. It is set in the wilderness north of a minor
  border barony that has at best an arms-length relation-
  ship with any larger nation. Though the adventure
  requires all these elements to work, it can be set on the
  outer edge of any kingdom near an arctic region. As
  always, feel free to adapt the material presented here as
  you see fit to make it work with your campaign.
  PREPARATION
  You (the DM) need the D&D core rulebooks—the
  Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the
  Monster Manual—plus the Draconomicon—to run this
  adventure. While Frostburn is not required, you may
  wish to use its rules for adventuring in cold climates
  and perhaps even add some encounters from it to
  expand the adventure. Fait Accompli utilizes the D&D
  v.3.5 rules.
  To get started, print out the adventure, including the
  map. Read through the scenario at least once to famil-
  iarize yourself with the situation, threats, and major
  NPCs (particularly their motivations).
  Text that appears in shaded boxes is player informa-
  tion that you can read aloud or paraphrase for the
  players at the proper times.
  ADVENTURE
  BACKGROUND
  The small barony of Icenvale is located in the far north,
  on the edge of an arctic wilderness. The area is rich in
  natural resources—particularly furs, fish, and iron
  ore—but the harsh conditions make capitalizing on
  this wealth difficult at best. Thus, the barony’s exports
  are low and its economy is weak. Since most of Icen-
  vale’s residents are content just to survive the six-
  month winters, they give little thought to events
  beyond their own borders. But they are a sturdy, hard-
  working people, and their respect for tradition is as
  great as their respect for law.
  One reason that Icenvale has stayed out of the local
  political arena is that it lacks an official ruler. A white
  dragon named Hinterbite slew the last baron of Icen-
  vale more than three hundred years ago and stole his
  symbol of authority—a rod of rulership. By Icenvale law,
  an heir to the title must have that specific rod (not
  
  2
  some copy or replacement) to take power. Though the
  baron’s heirs certainly did not lack the drive and the
  capability to take on the dragon and recover the rod, an
  ancient prophecy states that should the ruling family
  ever lose it, only outsiders—that is, folk not of Icenvale
  heritage—can recover it. Any Icenvale resident who
  participates in such a venture is doomed to die before it
  ends. This odd combination of ancient law and
  prophecy has thus far kept any of the baron’s heirs
  from assuming control.
  Though the law and the prophecy were in place well
  before the old baron’s death, certain power-hungry citi-
  zens have used them to orchestrate the current situa-
  tion. Hinterbite’s attack on the baron was aided and
  abetted by a member of the Bardic Guild, who lured the
  baron into the wilderness on a false mission to rescue
  an ice fairy, then ensured that the dragon took the rod
  so that Icenvale would be rulerless. A Guild Council
  made up of local master crafters and artists then
  stepped into the void and quietly took control. For the
  past three hundred years, this council has made most of
  Icenvale’s ruling decisions. Though it has no official
  power, most citizens accept it as a ruling body in the
  absence of a true ruler.
  Over time, the Guild Council has become more and
  more corrupt, particularly when it comes to fiscal mat-
  ters. Although the council collects taxes, it does very
  little spending. The citizens’ requests for improved
  roads, more guards, or public services are met with the
  universal answer that the council is not empowered to
  order improvements—only a new baron can do so.
  Thus, the tax money goes directly into the pockets of
  the council members, leaving them significantly better
  off than the citizens they claim to represent.
  The members of the Guild Council do all they can to
  make sure that the local populace remembers the law
  and the tradition that have kept Icenvale rulerless for
  so long. In particular, the Bardic Guild has taken great
  pains to ensure that no heir to the throne ever tries to
  change the law or bring in anyone to recover the rod.
  They have managed to convince the citizenry that the
  prophecy requires recovery of the rod by an outsider
  who undertakes the mission for reasons of his own,
  with neither a request from the heir nor a promise of
  remuneration. The prophecy actually makes no such
  requirement, but everyone except the Bardic Guild
  now thinks it does. In addition, the Guild Council pro-
  vides regular offerings of food and tribute to Hinter-
  bite, who still lives in the nearby mountains, to ensure
  his continued cooperation.
  Orielle Bladeworthy, a well-liked young paladin, is
  currently the only legal heir to the baron’s throne. Like
  her predecessors, however, she cannot take power
  because she does not have the rod. Though she has
  toyed with the idea of ignoring the prophecy and set-
  ting off to recover the rod herself, the citizens have
  thus far dissuaded her from doing so because her death
  would mean that Icenvale could never again have a
  ruler of the true blood.
  However, the situation in Frosthaven, capital of
  Icenvale, is becoming increasingly unstable. Orielle
  has accepted the fact that she may never be able to rule,
  but she has recently begun pushing to make the barony
  a republic and place the political power in the hands of
  the citizens. So far, she has gained little support for the
  idea, but her efforts (as well as the heroic actions she
  has taken in defense of Icenvale) have made her very
  popular with her people. 
  Meanwhile, Hinterbite has grown older and larger,
  taken a mate, and produced a brood of young. Though
  his mate died fighting a group of adventurers, the
  youngsters have grown strong and cruel. The four
  young dragons and their father have begun raiding
  larger and larger areas, and even the Guild Council
  can’t come up with enough tribute to keep them all
  happy. Orielle has announced her intention to kill the
  dragons in order to save her people, and only a vast
  public outcry has thus far prevented her from making
  the attempt. Thus, she is currently in search of heroes
  to undertake the task on her behalf.
  ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS
  Upon arriving in Frosthaven, the characters encounter
  Orielle engaged in an argument with the leader of the
  Guild Council. From this conversation, they learn of
  the current situation in Icenvale. If they agree to take
  on Hinterbite, they must ascend to the dragons’ lair—a
  cavern complex connecting with Karrack, the old
  baron’s now-abandoned keep in the mountains. A mag-
  ical blizzard makes the journey difficult, as do the
  winter wolves that lair nearby. After fighting their way
  past the frost giants who guard the remains of Karrack,
  they must enter the connecting cavern complex and
  defeat first the four young adult dragons, then Hinter-
  bite himself.
  ADVENTURE HOOKS
  As DM, you know best how to involve your PCs in an
  adventure. If you need ideas for connecting the adven-
  ture to their activities, however, you can use one of the
  following suggestions to draw them into the action.
  • The characters hear about the dragon problem while
  taking care of other business in a town near
  Frosthaven.
  
  3
  • A magician from whom a PC has ordered a magic item
  tells the group that it’s unavailable. All such items
  come from a wizard in the frozen north whose cara-
  vans have recently been raided by dragons. (This item
  should replace some existing treasure in the adven-
  ture, since the PCs are likely to retrieve it if they
  defeat Hinterbite.)
  • A coalition of Icenvale natives asks the PCs to get the
  rod back for Orielle so that she can become baroness.
  • A member of the Bardic Guild contacts the PCs and
  asks them to retrieve the rod. He claims he is acting
  on behalf of Orielle, though she actually knows noth-
  ing about his actions. (The Bardic Guild plans to use
  the PCs’ testimony later as proof that Orielle doesn’t
  respect tradition.)
  • Orielle contacts the PCs and asks them to slay the
  dragons that have been threatening Icenvale.
  Asking for outside aid in such an enterprise means
  that she is unlikely to be accepted as baroness
  because of the Bardic Guild’s perversion of the
  prophecy. However, the party’s success in this
  mission would gain her enough support to make
  Icenvale a republic at last.
  BEGINNING THE
  ADVENTURE
  Fait Accompli is primarily a site-based adventure, though
  it begins with a visit to Frosthaven that may generate
  several freeform encounters.
  A. FROSTHAVEN
  Frosthaven is the capital of Icenvale and the seat of its
  government. The difficulty of extracting the area’s rich
  natural resources combined with the Guild Council’s
  drain on the economy has made the town less prosper-
  ous that it otherwise might be.
  c Frosthaven
  Small city; Pop. 6,000
  Power Center: Guild Council (NE), Orielle Bladewor-
  thy supporters (NG)
  Gold Piece Limit: 15,000 gp
  Assets: 4,500,000 gp
  A1. AN ICY TOWN (EL 12)
  Read or paraphrase the following when the PCs reach
  Frosthaven.
  The two people are arguing over the condition of the
  city bridge. The man claims that the Guild Council
  lacks the authority to repair it. The woman wants to
  know why the Guild Council is still collecting taxes if
  it doesn’t intend to fix anything.
  Creatures:The man is Thaddeus Vorwealker, leader of
  the Guild Council, and the woman is Orielle Bladeworthy.
  d Thaddeus Vorwealker: Male human bard 12;
  CR 12; Medium humanoid; HD 12d6+12; hp 54; Init
  +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 16; Base Atk
  +9; Grp +9; Atk +11 melee (1d8+1/19–20, +1 longsword)
  or +11 ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow);
  Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d8+1/19–20, +1 longsword) or
  +11 ranged (1d8/19–20, masterwork light crossbow);
  SQ bardic knowledge +14, bardic music 12/day (coun-
  tersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage
  +2, inspire greatness, song of freedom, suggestion); AL
  NE; SV Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +7; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12,
  Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 20.  
  Skills and Feats: Balance +3, Bluff +20, Decipher Script
  +17, Diplomacy +27, Gather Information +20, Intimi-
  date +7, Jump +2, Knowledge (local) +17, Perform
  (sing) +23, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +17, Tumble
  +16; Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Skill Focus
  (Diplomacy), Skill Focus (Perform [sing]), Weapon
  Focus (longsword).
  The day is cold and overcast, and a weak drizzle
  makes the small city of Frosthaven look gray and
  ugly. Dead weeds stick up through the cobble-
  stones in the road, and most of the stone houses
  show significant wear. Some have been aban-
  doned, and others have been poorly repaired in
  spots with cheap materials such as wood and sod.
  Of the three mills visible against the stream, only
  one appears to be in good enough repair to func-
  tion. The people in the streets hurry toward their
  destinations with their heads down, speaking to
  no one. Whether they are cold or just disinter-
  ested in their surroundings is difficult to judge,
  but they are clearly more interested in getting
  back to the warmth of their homes than in greet-
  ing one another.
  Ahead, beside a broken bridge over a muddy
  gully, two people are engaged in an argument.
  One is a well-dressed, portly man with a lute
  slung over his back. The other is a trim young
  woman in armor. Though the two have not come
  to blows, their voices carry through the quiet city
  streets. Their stances and attitudes suggest that
  the argument is an old one, and that they have
  addressed this topic many times before.
  
  Bardic Music: Thaddeus can use bardic music
  twelve times per day. See the bard class features on
  page 29 of the Player’s Handbook.
  Countersong (Su): Thaddeus can use music or poetics
  to counter magical effects that depend on sound. 
  Fascinate (Sp): Thaddeus can use music or poetics to
  cause one or more creatures to become fascinated
  with him. 
  Inspire Competence (Su): Thaddeus can use music or
  poetics to help an ally succeed at a task. 
  Inspire Courage (Su): Thaddeus can use music or poet-
  ics to bolster his allies against fear and improve their
  combat abilities. 
  Inspire Greatness (Su): Thaddeus can use music or
  poetics to inspire greatness in himself or an ally, grant-
  ing his target extra fighting capability. 
  Song of Freedom (Sp): Thaddeus can use music or poet-
  ics to create an effect equivalent to the break enchant-
  ment spell. 
  Suggestion (Sp): Thaddeus can use music or poetics to
  make a suggestion (as the spell) to a creature that he has
  already fascinated.
  Bard Spells Known (3/5/4/4/3 per day; caster level
  12th): 0—dancing lights, daze (DC 15), ghost sound (DC
  15), light, lullaby (DC 15), read magic; 1st—cause fear (DC
  16), charm person (DC 16), cure light wounds, sleep (DC
  16); 2nd—cure moderate wounds, hold person (DC 17),
  invisibility, undetectable alignment; 3rd—blink, charm
  monster (DC 18), dispel magic, glibness; 4th—dominate
  person (DC 19), hold monster (DC 19), shout (DC 19).
  Possessions: +1 longsword, masterwork light crossbow
  with 10 bolts, amulet of natural armor +2, bracers of armor
  +3, ring of protection +1, cloak of Charisma +2, 1,400 gp.
  d Orielle Bladeworthy: Female human paladin
  8; CR 8; Medium humanoid; HD 8d10+8; hp 52; Init
  –1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 21, touch 9, flat-footed 21; Base Atk
  +8; Grp +10; Atk +12 melee (1d8+3/19–20, +1 longsword)
  or +8 ranged (1d8+2/[TS]3, masterwork composite
  longbow [+2 Str bonus]); Full Atk +12/+7 melee
  (1d8+3/19–20, +1 longsword) or +8/+3 ranged
  (1d8+2/[TS]3, masterwork composite longbow [+2 Str
  bonus]); SA smite evil 2/day, turn undead 6/day (+3,
  2d6+8, 5th); SQ aura of courage, detect evil, divine grace,
  divine health, lay on hands 24/day, remove disease
  1/week, special mount (heavy warhorse; empathic link
  with mount, share spells with mount), strong aura of
  good; AL LG; SV Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +7; Str 14, Dex 8,
  Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 16.  
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +12, Heal +13, Jump
  –10, Ride +10; Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Combat,
  Ride-By Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword).
  Smite Evil (Su): Twice per day, Orielle may
  attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack.
  She adds +3 to her attack roll and deals an extra 8 points
  of damage.
  Remove Disease (Sp): Orielle can produce a
  remove disease effect, as the spell, once per week.
  Aura of Courage (Su): Orielle is immune to fear,
  and each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale
  bonus on saving throws against fear effects.
  Detect Evil (Sp): Orielle can use detect evil at will
  as the spell.
  Divine Health (Ex): Orielle is immune to disease.
  Special Mount (Sp): Once per day for up to 16
  hours, Orielle can call upon her heavy warhorse as a
  full-round action. The creature’s abilities and character-
  istics are summarized below.
  Orielle’s Warhorse: Male heavy warhorse;
  CR 8; Large magical beast (augmented animal);
  HD 8d8+24; hp 60; Init +1; Spd 60 ft.; AC 26,
  touch 10, flat-footed 25; Base Atk +6; Grp +15;
  Atk +11 melee (1d6+5, hoof); Full Atk +11 melee
  (1d6+5, 2 hooves) and +5 melee (1d4+2, bite);
  Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SQ improved evasion,
  improved speed, low-light vision, scent; AL LG;
  SV Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +6; Str 20, Dex 13, 
  Con 17, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 6.  
  Skills and Feats: Hide –8, Jump +12, Listen +7,
  Spot +6; Endurance, Run, Weapon Focus (hoof).
  Improved Evasion (Ex): If Orielle’s
  warhorse is exposed to any effect that normally
  allows him to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half
  damage, he takes no damage with a successful saving
  throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.
  Possessions: Bit and bridle, masterwork banded
  mail barding, military saddle, saddlebags.
  Smite Evil (Su): Twice per day, Orielle may
  attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack.
  She adds +3 to her attack roll and deals an extra 8 points
  of damage.
  Paladin Spells Prepared (caster level 4th): 1st—bless
  weapon, divine favor; 2nd—bull’s strength.
  Possessions: +1 full plate armor, +1 heavy steel shield, +1
  longsword, masterwork composite longbow (+2 Str
  bonus) with 20 arrows, silver holy symbol, 3,100 gp.
  Tactics: Once the PCs get close enough for Thad-
  deus and Orielle to notice them, the two stop arguing
  and welcome the newcomers. They introduce them-
  selves and answer any questions the PCs may have that
  do not relate to their argument. If one of them has
  invited the PCs here, that person offers to escort them
  to a place where they can talk privately (see Develop-
  ment, below). If neither has asked them here and the
  characters inquire about the argument, Thaddeus and
  4
  
  5
  Orielle each offer to take them somewhere warmer and
  explain the local situation. The PCs are free to accept
  either invitation, but not both. As soon as anyone
  agrees to go with either NPC, the other leaves to deal
  with some other problem.
  If a fight breaks out, both defend themselves to the
  best of their ability.
  Development: Either Thaddeus or Orielle can
  explain the history of the rod, the perils of the nearby
  mountains, and the odd qualities of Karrack, the castle
  where the last baron died at the jaws of Hinterbite.
  If Orielle invited the characters to Frosthaven, she
  offers to take them to her home. If they accept, she
  explains the current situation and details her concerns.
  She doesn’t care whether she becomes baroness or not,
  but she feels that the dragons have become too great a
  threat to ignore. Orielle would like to go with the party
  and help slay the dragons, but her sword arm has been
  Icenvale’s best defense against raiding frost giants for
  some time, and ensuring the safety of Icenvale and its
  people is her foremost concern.
  Though Orielle knows that the Guild Council spreads
  rumors about her and she suspects corruption in its
  ranks, she refuses to act against its members without
  clear evidence of evil intent. The Guild Council is as close
  to a ruling body as her people have, and she knows that
  some authority is needed here. The council members
  may be greedy, but Orielle is convinced that she would
  know if any of them were truly evil because of her detect
  evil ability. (In fact, most of them are just weak-willed, but
  Thaddeus is truly evil. He has thus far been able to oper-
  ate right under Orielle’s nose, however, because he never
  allows his undetectable alignment spell to lapse.)
  If Thaddeus has been expecting the PCs, he whisks
  them away from Orielle as quickly as possible, citing a
  need to discuss “official business” with the newcomers.
  Once he has taken them to his home and offered them
  refreshment, he does his best to paint Orielle as a dream-
  ing idealist. He claims that she doesn’t understand how
  poor Icenvale really is, and that the dragons she is so con-
  cerned about don’t pose any real danger to the barony.
  Thaddeus hopes to make the PCs discount Orielle’s rea-
  soning and leave them as unprepared as possible for the
  fury of Hinterbite. If asked about his relative wealth, he
  notes that his family is independently wealthy and pays
  more than its fair share of taxes. (In fact, he pockets his
  share of the tax money and pays no taxes at all himself,
  but he does his best to make the lie seem believable.)
  Questioning the townsfolk reveals that most people
  think the Guild Council is inefficient, but not criminal.
  However, almost everyone in town believes that
  Orielle would make a better ruler and hopes that some
  outsider will come to retrieve the rod of rulership.
  When the PCs are ready to seek out the dragons, go
  to section B.
  B. JOURNEY TO THE
  MOUNTAINS
  The area north of town is quite dangerous because of
  the magical snowstorms that prevail there for six
  months out of every year. The constant blizzards are
  the result of an old magical effect placed here ages ago
  to protect Frosthaven from attack.
  B1. UP THE VALE
  Read or paraphrase the following when the PCs set off
  for the dragons’ lair.
  The storm effect covers the 20-mile distance from
  Frosthaven to Karrack, and it is about 40 miles wide.
  The people of Icenvale accept the six-month-long bliz-
  zard in this area as part of their environment and have
  learned to bypass it by taking the valley road (see B1a:
  Alternate Route, below). 
  Characters attempting to move overland through the
  blizzard must deal with the full extent of its hazards
  (see Blizzard on page 94 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
  In addition to the normal hazards, moving at more
  than one-quarter speed requires a successful DC 15
  Reflex save to avoid falling. This magical blizzard
  doesn’t stop until the first day of spring.
  B1a. Alternate Route
  Characters can avoid the driving snow streaming off the
  mountain by taking an alternate route to Karrack. A
  narrow valley runs from the edge of the nearby forest
  up to the base of the mountain. The wind blows very
  lightly in the valley, and though the conditions there
  are not springlike by any means, the snow on the 30-
  foot-wide valley floor is lightly packed and easy to move
  across. The valley’s rocky walls are 40 feet high, and
  although they are not free of snow and ice, they are
  Just north of town, a heavy blizzard rages. Visibil-
  ity is less than 10 feet, and the driving winds howl
  constantly. Snow pelts down with a fury, drifting
  as high as 12 feet in many places. But rather than
  falling from the sky, the snow seems to be flowing
  constantly down from a distant mountain, like a
  vast, white waterfall that stretches for miles.
  Despite the wind, however, the storm does not
  seem to be moving. Furthermore, short breaks in
  the swirling snow reveal a deep valley cutting
  through the ground toward the mountain, and this
  depression seems to be completely free of snow.
  
  6
  studded with ledges and ramps that make movement
  relatively easy. No Climb check is required to ascend a
  wall as long as a character moves as far horizontally as
  he does vertically. Any greater rate of ascension requires
  a DC 10 Climb check. The valley is 20 miles long and
  covers most of the distance from Frosthaven to Karrack.
  If the PCs opt for this route, go to encounter B2.
  Otherwise, go to encounter C when they reach Karrack.
  B2. PREY (EL 12)
  Read or paraphrase the following one or two hours
  after the PCs enter the valley.
  A large pack of winter wolves has claimed this valley as
  its primary hunting ground. During the winter
  months, the wolves find ample food here in the form of
  creatures driven into the valley by the blizzard outside.
  Near the forest end of the valley, one of the wolves
  hides and sniffs the slow wind for prey. The winter
  wolves become aware of the PCs within an hour or two
  of their entry into the valley and mass to attack.
  A character with the Track feat may attempt a DC 20
  Survival check to spot the signs of previous wolf
  attacks before the winter wolves reveal themselves.
  Hoofprints and pawprints combined with old blood-
  stains reveal that unusually large wolves have taken
  down deer, bears, and even dire wolves within the
  valley walls. A successful DC 15 Knowledge (nature)
  check identifies the tracks as those of winter wolves.
  Creatures: A dozen winter wolves lair within this
  valley, picking off creatures that opt for the easy route
  past the blizzard.
  Winter Wolves (12): 62, 60, 58, 56, 55, 54, 53, 52,
  50, 48, 46, 44; see Monster Manual, page 256.
  Tactics: The wolves can use their scent ability and
  Track feat to follow a foe for some time without putting
  themselves in the enemy’s line of sight. Furthermore,
  their relatively high Intelligence scores let them use the
  information they have gathered about potential prey to
  set up an ambush. The ability to track prey at a distance
  combined with a decent Hide bonus in wintry environs
  (+6 total) gives the pack a fair chance of surprising foes. 
  If a single scout is moving well ahead of the party,
  the wolves attempt to ambush and kill that character
  before the rest of the party arrives. Even a scout who is
  not surprised is unlikely to prevail against the entire
  pack single-handedly, and unless she has a ready means
  of escape, the pack can probably overtake her easily if
  she tries to flee, given the wolves’ speed. 
  If the party has no scout, the wolves try to ambush
  the entire group if it seems likely that they can achieve
  surprise. Otherwise, they wait until their targets set up
  camp, so as to catch at least some of the PCs asleep.
  When they spring their attack, the winter wolves
  employ standard pack tactics. The wolves pick two tar-
  gets on which to concentrate their attacks, taking advan-
  tage of their superior speed to cut off avenues of retreat
  and gain flanking bonuses. During the first round of
  combat, they focus their breath weapons on a single area
  and direct as much damage as possible at a single foe.
  Since each successful bite attack is also a trip attack, the
  wolves can bring down a foe to gain additional bonuses
  on their melee attack rolls as well as attacks of opportu-
  nity if the opponent tries to stand up again.
  Any winter wolf that is weakened, near death, or
  operating under a significant penalty cycles out of the
  attack pattern, allowing a healthy wolf to replace him.
  Wolves that can no longer face foes in direct combat
  look for stragglers to attack and generally harry the
  party to ensure that no archer or spellcaster is left free
  to pick off his brethren.
  Since the attack occurs in a deep valley, the wolves
  have a few options that are usable even against flying
  foes. They can easily run up the sides of the valley (no
  Climb check required) to gain more favorable attack
  positions that let them breathe or jump on foes from a
  height of up to 40 feet. Breathing is safer, but the wolves
  do not hesitate to jump at a dangerous flying target and
  attempt to bring it down (+12 Jump modifier due to
  Strength and move rate). A leaping wolf can bring down
  a foe with a successful trip attack if it hits with a bite.
  Development: If more than half the wolves die,
  the survivors flee up the walls of the valley and escape
  into the blizzard, provided that they can do so without
  exposing themselves to further attack. They can be
  tracked back to their forest lair with a successful Sur-
  vival check (DC 25 for soft ground, snow since the
  tracks were made, Large creatures, and poor visibility,
  –1 for every three surviving wolves). If attacked in
  their lair, the wolves fight to the death.
  Treasure: The wolves carry no treasure while hunt-
  ing. Their lair contains the frozen, tattered bodies of
  several previous victims. Scattered among the broken
  shields, rusted weapons, and ripped armor are 415 gp,
  316 sp, and 729 cp. Also hidden in the debris are a bolt
  of cloth-of-gold (30 yards, worth 500 gp) and a wizard’s
  spellbook that contains analyze dweomer and mass bull’s
  strength.
  The driving wind whistles above the relatively
  peaceful, snow-covered valley. The grey stone of
  the rocky walls stretches on for miles, dotted reg-
  ularly with icy patches and snowdrifts. Although
  the snow here is minimal, the air has a definite
  wintry chill.
  
  7
  C. KARRACK
  Once the seat of the old baron’s power, Karrack is now
  the lair of some frost giants and their dragon lords. The
  builders of Karrack ensured that the stronghold would
  be safe from any force by building it twice—once on
  the Material Plane in a cave, and a second time on the
  Ethereal Plane, using its native rock. Thus, the walls of
  the keep and the gates that protect its main entrance
  exist in both planes. When viewed from the Ethereal
  Plane, Karrack looks like a castle front built into a float-
  ing rock—namely, the massive mountain. 
  Though the two structures occupy the same space in
  their respective home planes, they are not directly con-
  nected. Thus, destroying a wall in the Ethereal Plane has
  no effect on the corresponding wall on the Material
  Plane. Furthermore, the walls in the Ethereal Plane have
  no doors except for the main gate, which exists on both
  planes. Thus, a character who becomes ethereal inside
  one of Karrack’s rooms finds himself in a windowless,
  doorless version of the same room on the Ethereal Plane.
  A powerful spell (caster level 24th for the purpose of
  dispel magic and similar effects) binds the ethereal ver-
  sion of Karrack to the same location as the material ver-
  sion. Even if that protective magic is dispelled, the ethe-
  real version of Karrack drifts very slowly in its own plane
  and continues to serve as an effective barrier against
  ethereal marauders for as much as a month afterward.
  The magic binding the two fortifications together
  creates a powerful distortion in the fabric of magic
  nearby. As a result, teleport and any similar spells
  (including teleport other and greater teleport) do not work
  within the castle or the mountain connected to it. Any
  character attempting to teleport into Karrack ends up
  just outside, generally in front of the main gate.
  Although a map is provided for Karrack, you could
  easily adapt any castle layout you wish to use for the
  fortress, since little of the action takes place here. The
  majority of the Karrack map is not keyed because the
  only action relevant to the adventure occurs in the
  main hall next to the front gate. The upper floors are
  intact, but the path from the front doors to the spiral
  staircase shows signs of heavy traffic, and the back of
  the staircase has been smashed open, revealing the lair
  of the young dragons (area C5). 
  All of Karrack is cold and empty. No rugs or tapes-
  tries grace its floors and walls, and the furniture is old
  and tattered. If the PCs succeed in their quest and actu-
  ally acquire the use of Karrack (see Further Adven-
  tures), you as DM must decide its size and state of disre-
  pair based on the needs of your campaign. 
  All ceilings within the keep are 20 feet high. 
  C1. GREAT HALL (EL 11)
  Read or paraphrase the following when the PCs
  approach Karrack.
  Once the PCs come within 240 feet of Karrack, the bliz-
  zard dies down to a heavy but not impairing snowfall.
  The face of the fortress sticks out from the side of the
  mountain, and a broad, open path leads up to it. No
  trees, rocks, or other features provide any cover from
  the castle’s defenders.
  Creatures: Within the great hall of Karrack dwell
  two frost giants, Ulf and Yeager, who serve as the
  dragons’ guard-dogs. Though they are not physically
  bound or restrained, the giants are nevertheless prison-
  ers here. They use some old rugs as beds, but they have
  long ago burned the room’s other furnishings as fuel.
  About five years ago, the giants heard about some
  young white dragons raiding the local area. Ulf and
  Yeager came to capture one to raise as a guard for their
  clan, which has a keep farther to the north. But they did
  not know that the youngsters had a parent still living with
  them, and Hinterbite proved to be more than a match for
  the giants all by himself. Hinterbite nearly killed them,
  but they begged for mercy, and he agreed to let them live
  if they would serve as his guards for ten years. 
  Though humiliated by this turn of events, the two
  giants know that they can’t outfight or outrun an adult
  dragon. Thus, until their term of service is done, they plan
  to remain faithful if grudging guards unless someone
  obviously more powerful than Hinterbite comes along.
  Frost Giants (2): hp 146 (Ulf), 120 (Yeager); see
  Monster Manual, page 122.
  Tactics: As soon as the giants notice the PCs
  approaching, they take cover behind the main gate and
  begin hurling rocks. Each giant carries three throwing
  rocks on his person, and two stacks of rocks (sixty per
  stack) flank the main gate on the inside.
  The giants enter melee only if forced to do so. In that
  case, they take advantage of their greater reach to keep
  foes from closing with them for as long as possible, but
  they don’t fall back more than one room. The giants
  assume that anyone attacking the fortress plans to kill
  them along with the dragons—especially once blood
  has been shed—so they fight to the death in most cir-
  cumstances. However, if the giants are clearly losing,
  they seize any opportunity the PCs offer them to nego-
  tiate or surrender—after all, it is better to risk possible
  death at Hinterbite’s claws than sure death at the hands
  Karrack looms just ahead, silent and frozen. A vast,
  open field leads up to a massive set of gates that jut
  from the rock of the mountain itself. Neither an
  alternate entrance nor any cover is apparent.
  
  8
  
  9
  of the PCs. Neither Ulf nor Yeager is willing to face any
  of the dragons inside the complex, but they are quite
  happy to describe the five dragons and give the PCs
  some idea of Karrack’s layout in exchange for their
  lives. They answer any questions truthfully and do not
  attempt to turn on the PCs if offered quarter.
  Development: If the PCs open negotiations with
  Ulf and Yeager, the giants answer questions truthfully
  to the best of their ability. If asked whether the dragons
  ever have visitors or employ spies, the giants mention
  occasional visitors, including a human male with a
  cloak that seems to move even when there is no wind.
  His description matches that of Thaddeus Vorwealker,
  the leader of Frosthaven’s Guild Council. In fact, they
  report that Thaddeus teleported to Karrack quite
  recently, arriving just outside the castle, as usual. As far
  as the giants know, he is still here (assuming that the
  PCs didn’t delay too long in getting here).
  Treasure: The frost giants’ weapons and armor are
  not in good repair, and they carry little of any value.
  Hinterbite took all their valuables and added them to
  his hoard long ago.
  C2–C4. UPPER FLOORS
  The upper floors of Karrack are currently unoccupied
  and bare.
  C5. DRAGON LAIR, TAKE ONE (EL 13)
  Read or paraphrase the following when the PCs
  approach the front cavern of the dragons’ lair.
  The dragons do not lair in Karrack proper, but they
  have established a connection between the back wall of
  the keep and their cavern complex. This front cavern,
  which measures approximately 150 feet in diameter, is
  the lair of Hinterbite’s four offspring, and it is lined
  with an assortment of frozen carcasses and treasure. A
  single, 20-foot-wide tunnel at the back leads to Hinter-
  bite’s lair, which is considerably more extensive.
  Unlike the rest of Karrack, this area does not have a
  duplicate set of walls on the Ethereal Plane. It’s a natu-
  ral cavern in the mountain behind Karrack, not part of
  the fortress itself. Although a character can’t move
  ethereally from any part of the fortress into the cav-
  erns, it is possible to move around in the caverns in
  that form. Since the dragons have blindsense, however,
  they can still detect an ethereal creature if it comes
  within their blindsense range and line of sight.
  Creatures: Hinterbite’s four offspring—Algid,
  Graupel, Heimal, and Neve—constitute a very difficult
  encounter. With one barbarian level apiece, they count
  as CR 9 each. All four together are an EL 13
  encounter—one above the designated level of the PCs.
  Thus, characters who blindly charge into this lair and
  attempt to kill the dragons by force of arms are very
  likely to be badly hurt, and at least one death is a dis-
  tinct possibility. A more cautious group that scouts
  ahead and develops a plan to deal with the creatures—
  such as drawing them out one at a time, or waiting
  until one or two are out of the lair—is much more
  likely to overcome this threat. Hinterbite does not
  intervene in a fight between the PCs and his offspring,
  since he feels that his children should learn to handle
  themselves adequately in combat.
  The four young adult dragons are beginning to chafe
  under their father’s harsh restrictions, but they aren’t
  quite ready to defy him yet. They spend much of their
  time sulking, squabbling among themselves, and
  making plans to establish strongholds of their own.
  Currently, Algid is closest to actually heading out by
  herself. Graupel has come to enjoy the security of lair-
  ing near his father, and he is toying with staying on
  after his siblings leave. Heimal and Neve are planning
  to set out together, but they aren’t ready to take that
  leap just yet, and they probably won’t do so until they
  gain at least one more age category.
  The four young adult dragons share the same statis-
  tics because they were raised together and have the
  same heritage. However, their personalities and atti-
  tudes differ as much as those of any siblings do, so be
  sure to play up their individual natures as much as pos-
  sible during the encounter.
  d Algid, Graupel, Heimal, and Neve: Male or
  female young adult white dragon barbarian 1; CR 9; Large
  dragon (cold); HD 16d12+64; hp 168; Init +2; Spd 70 ft.,
  burrow 30 ft., swim 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor); 
  The wall in this portion of the keep is covered
  with a thin layer of ice. A huge, jagged hole yawns
  in the far wall, as though some immense and pow-
  erful creature had smashed through it. Mist swirls
  around the opening as the warmer air mixes with
  the icy, chill atmosphere beyond it.
  A closer look at the opening reveals a large
  cavern whose walls are entirely covered with
  cracked, sharp ice. Daggerlike icicles hang from
  the ceiling, and shattered bits of ice are scattered
  all over the snow-packed floor. A bitter, chemical
  smell issues from the cave, carrying with it the
  scent of blood and death.
  At the far end of the cavern, four draconic
  forms, each the size of a large horse, rise from
  their snowy bed. Their hides are the color of old
  ice and bleached bone, and each has a ridged crest
  that extends down its back. Their bright blue eyes
  twinkle with malice.
  
  10
  AC 26, touch 11, flat-footed 24; Base Atk +16; Grp +26;
  Atk +21 melee (2d6+6, bite); Full Atk +21 melee (2d6+6,
  bite) and +19 melee (1d8+3, 2 claws) and +19 melee
  (1d6+3, 2 wings) and +19 melee (1d8+9, tail slap);
  Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with bite); SA breath
  weapon (40-ft. cone of cold), frightful presence, spell-like
  abilities; SQ blindsight 60 ft., damage reduction 5/magic,
  fast movement, icewalking, immunities (cold, paralysis,
  sleep), low-light vision, rage 1/day, spell resistance 16,
  vulnerability to fire; AL CE; SV Fort +15, Ref +11, Will
  +11; Str 23, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8.  
  Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +1, Hide +10, Intimidate
  +11, Jump +22, Knowledge (history) +12, Listen +12,
  Move Silently +14, Search +18, Sense Motive +18, Spot
  +12, Swim +18; Ability Focus (breath weapon), Blind-
  Fight, Improved Natural Armor, Iron Will, Multiat-
  tack, Suppress Weakness*.
  Breath Weapon (Su): 40-foot cone, damage 5d6
  cold, Reflex DC 23 half.
  Frightful Presence (Ex): 150-foot radius, HD 14
  or fewer, Will DC 16 negates.
  Rage (Ex): Once per day, each dragon can enter a
  state of fierce rage that lasts for 9 rounds. The following
  changes are in effect as long as it rages: hp 200; AC 24,
  touch 9, flat-footed 22; Grp +28; Atk +23 melee (2d6+8,
  bite); Full Atk +23 melee (2d6+8, bite) and +21 melee
  (1d8+4, 2 claws) and +21 melee (1d6+4, 2 wings) and +21
  melee (1d8+12, tail slap); SV Fort +17, Will +13; Str 27,
  Con 23; Jump +24, Swim +20. At the end of its rage, the
  dragon is fatigued for the duration of the encounter.
  Icewalking (Ex): As the spider climb spell, but the
  surfaces the dragon climbs must be icy. This ability is
  always in effect.
  *This feat is from the Draconomicon.
  Possessions: Minor ring of energy resistance (fire), 
  Tactics: The four young dragons attack as soon as
  they detect a foe. They have fought together many
  times before, so they are used to supporting one
  another in combat. If possible, they open with breath
  weapons, focusing on unarmored foes because they are
  likely to be weaker than armored ones. After this initial
  attack, the dragons try to stagger their breath weapons
  so that one or two breathe every round. If possible, a
  dragon in the back breathes while those in front
  engage the foes in melee combat. Then the dragon who
  breathed moves up to the front line so that another can
  fall back and breathe. The dragons do not worry about
  catching one another in their breath weapons, since
  they are immune to cold, but they do try to maneuver
  so that those engaged in melee do not shield the ene-
  mies from the frosty breath of their siblings.
  The youngsters also take full advantage of their
  frightful presence. A successful Will save against the
  frightful presence of one dragon does not grant immu-
  nity to the frightful presence of another, so PCs within
  150 feet of more than one dragon must make a Will
  save for each. However, failing more than one save
  does not have successively worse effects. Thus, a char-
  acter shaken by the frightful presence of one dragon
  takes no additional penalties for failing a save against
  that of another dragon.
  The dragons are intelligent combatants who are
  adept at analyzing which foes present the greatest
  threat and working to neutralize those first. They avoid
  being flanked and stay close to one another for support,
  but never close enough that more than two of them can
  be caught in the same fireball.
  The dragons cannot be “cornered” within the cave
  because their burrow speed allows them to move
  through the packed snow and ice of the cave walls with
  ease. Once out of their lair, they become more vulnera-
  ble, since they cannot burrow through the solid rock of
  Karrack itself.
  The dragons do not enter their rages lightly or
  quickly because they fear the result of lowering their
  ACs, or finding themselves in a fight that lasts longer
  than the rage, or being unable to use their spell-like
  abilities because they require concentration. However,
  a dragon knocked down to 80 or fewer hit points enters
  a rage on its next action unless it has a compelling
  reason not to.
  If the dragons are facing foes that can employ
  numerous ranged attacks to great effect, at least one
  dragon that is not raging uses its fog cloud ability to
  create cover. Although the dragons cannot see through
  their own fog clouds, the combination of blindsense
  (which allows them to place their breath weapon cones
  properly) and Blind-Fight (which lets them make
  decent melee attacks) makes them only slightly less
  effective when they can’t see their opponents.
  If the dragons are winning the fight, they pursue
  any fleeing targets down the mountain. If they cannot
  kill a particular opponent in melee, they follow that
  foe until it either leads them to other targets or
  becomes vulnerable. 
  If the fight goes against the dragons, they try to flee
  upon reaching 30 or fewer hit points by flying at top
  speed away from the fight. If a fleeing dragon is closer
  to the south exit of the room, it makes its way back to
  Hinterbite (area C6). A dragon that flees in this manner
  stays with Hinterbite until healed (a process that proba-
  bly takes several days), then moves back to this lair. If
  the dragon is closer to the northern exit, it heads for
  the outside and does not return. A dragon that flees in
  this manner is considered defeated, and the PCs gain
  full experience for it.
  
  11
  
  12
  Each dragon has a minor ring of energy resistance (fire).
  Since they have all taken the Suppress Weakness feat,
  each takes fire damage as follows.
  1. Apply results of saving throw, if any.
  2. Subtract 10 (for the ring) from the total fire damage
  dealt.
  3. Multiply the remainder by 1.25 because of the
  dragon’s fire vulnerability. 
  Thus, if Algid is caught in a 32-point fireball and makes
  his Reflex save, he takes 7 points of damage (1/2 of 32 is
  16 for the save, –10 for the ring leaves 6, times 1.25 for
  the vulnerability equals 7.5, rounded down).
  Treasure: The rest of the dragons’ treasure is
  embedded in a foot or more of ice. Characters can chip
  it loose by dealing 50 or more points of normal damage
  or 25 points of fire damage to the icy wall, but any
  excess fire damage applies to the items. The dragons’
  shared hoard includes the four minor rings of energy
  resistance (fire) that the dragons wear (worth 12,000 gp
  each), 1,453 gp, 8,762 sp, 18,973 cp, eight pieces of pol-
  ished malachite (worth 16 gp each), and a full brass
  dinner set for eight (worth 350 gp).
  Development: Once the PCs have dealt with the
  young dragons, they can proceed to Hinterbite’s lair
  (area C6). Though Hinterbite refuses to interfere in a
  fight between PCs and his children, his rage is dreadful
  if he finds out that any of his offspring have died.
  Should the PCs leave after slaying one or more of the
  young dragons, Hinterbite sets out to find the lesser
  creatures that deprived one of his brood of life. Thus,
  characters hoping to rest between dragon fights had
  better make sure that none of the young dragons
  reaches its father, or hide well in the caverns, or flee far
  enough away that Hinterbite can’t track them down. A
  cunning party could, however, use Hinterbite’s lust for
  vengeance to ambush him away from his lair.
  C6. DRAGON’S LAIR, TAKE TWO (EL 13)
  Hinterbite’s lair lies beyond the long corridor leading
  away from the lair of his brood. Read or paraphrase the
  following when the PCs approach.
  Like his four children, Hinterbite is an EL 13
  encounter. Thus, a group of 12th-level characters that
  charges in without a plan is likely to be overmatched.
  Creatures: This chamber is the lair of Hinterbite,
  the white dragon that has been Icenvale’s nemesis for
  hundreds of years. Icenvale’s rod of rulership is embed-
  ded in his hide, smack in the center of his chest, and
  removing it requires a DC 24 Strength check. Thus,
  even if a character manages to sneak up on Hinterbite,
  the dragon is immediately aware of any effort to
  remove the rod.
  Hinterbite may know about the PCs well before
  they arrive here. Thaddeus arrived to warn the dragon
  about the PCs right after they left town, using a magic
  item to teleport to the gate and then walking into the
  lair. Unless the PCs made very good time getting here,
  he has already left by the time they reach Hinterbite’s
  lair. If one of the young dragons has fled here, Hinter-
  bite has even more exact knowledge of the PCs’ posi-
  tion and relative power.
  d Hinterbite: Male mature adult white dragon
  fighter 1; CR 13; Huge dragon (cold); HD 21d12+126
  plus 1d10+6; hp 273; Init +2; Spd 60 ft., burrow 30 ft.,
  swim 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor); AC 30, touch 10, flat-
  footed 28; Base Atk +22; Grp +44; Atk +30 melee
  (2d8+10/19–20, 
  bite); 
  Full 
  Atk 
  +30 
  melee
  (2d8+10/19–20, bite) and +28 melee (2d6+5, 2 claws)
  and +28 melee (1d8+5, 2 wings) and +28 melee (2d6+15,
  tail slap); Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft. (15 ft. with bite); SA
  breath weapon (50-ft. cone of cold), crush 2d8+15,
  frightful presence, spell-like abilities, spells; SQ
  damage reduction 10/magic, darkvision 120 ft., ice-
  walking, immunities (cold, paralysis, sleep), low-light
  vision, spell resistance 20, vulnerability to fire; AL CE;
  SV Fort +21, Ref +15, Will +16; Str 31, Dex 14, Con 23,
  Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14.  
  Skills and Feats: Concentration +12, Diplomacy +6,
  Hide +6, Intimidate +20, Jump +22, Knowledge 
  (history) +12, Listen +25, Move Silently +14, Search +18,
  From the floor on the far side of the cavern, a
  massive form rises from a curled position. Its dra-
  conic body is the size of an elephant, and its scales
  are a mixture of gray and light blue. The creature
  raises a pair of wings that look like long spans of
  hide and spiked barbs, and its hooked beak and
  neck ridge glisten like frozen blades. Mist rolls off
  the dragon’s scales, and jets of fog fire from its nos-
  trils. Lodged in its breastbone is a glittering golden
  rod. The creature stands confidently, and the mali-
  cious gleam in its ice-blue eyes gives mute assur-
  ance that it feels ready to meet any challenge.
  The still air in this vast cavern smells thickly of
  bleach and weak acid. The ice coating every sur-
  face is old and gray, rife with cracks and thick
  rimes of frost. A carpet of tiny, sharp ridges and
  spikes of snow and frozen blood cover the stone
  floor, providing a surprisingly firm footing.
  
  13
  Sense Motive +26, Spot +19, Swim +18; Ability Focus
  (breath weapon), Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes,
  Improved Critical (bite), Improved Grapple, Iron Will,
  Multiattack, Power Attack, Suppress Weakness*.
  Breath Weapon (Su): 50-foot cone, damage 7d6
  cold, Reflex DC 28 half.
  Crush (Ex): Area 15 ft. by 15 ft.; Small or smaller
  opponent takes 2d8+15 points of bludgeoning damage
  and must succeed on a DC 26 Reflex save or be pinned;
  grapple bonus +44.
  Frightful Presence (Ex): 210-ft. radius, 20 or
  fewer HD, Will DC 22 negates.
  Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—fog cloud, gust of
  wind (DC 14). Caster level 7th.
  Spells: Hinterbite casts spells as a 3rd-level sorcerer.
  Icewalking (Ex): As the spider climb spell, but the
  surfaces Hinterbite climbs must be icy. This ability is
  always in effect.
  Sorcerer Spells Known (6/6 per day; caster level 3rd):
  0—detect magic, detect poison, prestidigitation, ray of frost,
  read magic; 1st—mage armor, shield, true strike.
  *New feat from Draconomicon.
  Tactics: Hinterbite is a fairly simple creature as
  dragons go. From his point of view, anyone he doesn’t
  recognize who gets far enough into Karrack to
  encounter him obviously constitutes a threat. Thus, he
  attacks strangers on sight. 
  If the intruders refrain from attacking and ask for
  parley, he is skeptical. Any effort to negotiate must
  seem sincere, and Hinterbite has a high enough Sense
  Motive bonus to avoid most false ploys. He insists that
  any discussions occur on terms that give him an advan-
  tage—for example, he may require that all creatures he
  senses be present, visible, and facing away from him
  during the conversation.
  In combat, Hinterbite doesn’t use his breath weapon
  unless he can catch multiple targets within its area, or
  he can’t get into melee range for some reason. Even
  then, he may choose to cast a spell instead (see below).
  Hinterbite is much more dangerous in close combat
  than at range, and he knows it. If possible, he keeps
  spellcasters (especially healers) within the extended
  reach of his bite attack so that their casting provokes
  attacks of opportunity. Because he is extremely accu-
  rate in combat, he normally uses Power Attack, decreas-
  ing his attack bonus by –5 and increasing his damage
  bonus by +5. If he continues to hit his foes without dif-
  ficulty, he increases the amount dedicated to Power
  Attack by a few points until he begins to miss with at
  least a few attacks each round.
  Hinterbite prefers to slay a single foe rather than
  wound several, so he focuses his attacks on the target
  that seems most dangerous after a round or two of
  combat. He does not allow himself to be flanked if he
  can avoid it, but he doesn’t risk an attack of opportunity
  to do so. In most cases, he can prevent a nimble foe
  from flanking him simply by grappling it. Hinterbite
  normally grapples only one foe at a time, and he likes
  to save that tactic for creatures that attempt to flank
  him, though he may also use it to neutralize a spell-
  caster if no other target presents itself. Hinterbite is
  never willing to lose his Dexterity bonus or ability to
  threaten, so he uses only part of his body in a grapple,
  taking a –20 penalty on the grapple check to avoid the
  negative consequences (see Improved Grab on page
  310 of the Monster Manual).
  Hinterbite uses his few spells to his advantage if
  he sees the opportunity to do so. He doesn’t forgo
  the opportunity to attack a foe in melee in order to
  cast a spell, but he takes the time to boost his
  defenses magically if he has a chance to prepare
  spells in advance, or if he can’t reach a target and
  isn’t threatened. Both mage armor and shield boost his
  AC, but he prefers mage armor if he’s casting before a
  combat, and shield during a combat if an arcane spell-
  caster is present. If both spells are already running,
  he uses true strike, and then bites using Power Attack,
  taking a full –20 penalty on his attack roll to gain a
  +20 bonus on his damage roll. This tactic negates the
  true strike attack bonus but increases his bite damage
  significantly.
  Once intruders have attacked Hinterbite, he’s
  unlikely to let them go. Thus, PCs may have consider-
  able difficulty escaping from him if they get into
  trouble. On the other hand, however, his penchant for
  finishing a battle once it has begun may make it easier
  for a cunning group to lure him into a trap.
  Treasure: Hinterbite has accumulated a consider-
  able hoard from his raiding as well as the tribute that
  Thaddeus brings him every few months. The cavern is
  filled with frozen carcasses, foodstuffs, and treasure.
  Most of the food is in crates and barrels bearing the
  stamp of the Guild Council, and some is in Bardic
  Guild market containers. Thaddeus never worried
  about hiding his influence here, assuming (rightly so
  far) that Hinterbite would kill any trespassers who
  might find the crates.
  In addition to the minor ring of energy resistance (fire)
  that Hinterbite wears (worth 12,000 gp) and the rod of
  rulership (50 minutes remaining, worth 6,000 gp) that is
  embedded in his hide, his hoard includes 1,147 pp,
  9,362 gp, eight diamonds (worth 125 gp each), a staff of
  fire (10 charges, worth 3,550 gp), and a glove of storing
  (worth 10,000 gp). All the items that Hinterbite does
  not have on his body are buried in the ice at the back of
  the cavern (see text description).
  
  14
  Development: A group that attacks Hinterbite
  and flees without slaying him has made a terrible
  enemy. The dragon will make every effort to track
  them down and settle the score, even if it takes him
  years to do so.
  CONCLUDING THE
  ADVENTURE
  If the PCs return the rod of rulership to Orielle, she
  immediately becomes Baroness of Icenvale. A celebra-
  tion is held to commemorate the occasion within the
  week. Her people are thrilled with the re-establish-
  ment of the ruler, and Icenvale thrives under her
  leadership.
  If the PCs slay Hinterbite but do not return the
  rod, Orielle eventually manages to convince the citi-
  zens of Icenvale to convert the old barony into a
  republic. She is elected chief minister in charge of
  the new government, and she leads Icenvale with
  courage and wisdom. 
  In either case, Thaddeus tries to make the best of a
  bad situation, supporting Orielle in word if not in
  action. If the PCs confront him about the Guild
  goods stashed in Hinterbite’s cave, he claims they
  were stolen from caravans. If the PCs seem uncon-
  vinced by his story, he flees if he can, then works
  against both Orielle and the PCs in the weeks 
  to come.
  If the PCs fail utterly in their quest, or if they go out
  of their way to help Thaddeus keep control, the Guild
  Council retains power in Icenvale until new heroes
  come along.
  FURTHER ADVENTURES
  If Orielle gains power in Icenvale, she may wish to
  establish a stronger military hold on the surrounding
  wilderness, especially Karrack. Though the PCs have
  presumably cleared the fortress of dragons, it’s too
  useful a fortification to stand empty for long. If some
  ally of Icenvale doesn’t move into it, an opposed
  force—quite possibly Ulf and Yeager’s clan of frost
  giants—is likely to do so. Since she can ill afford to
  commit any of the barony’s forces to defending an out-
  lying fortress, Orielle may offer the castle to the PCs to
  use as a base of operations. She wishes no payment
  from them—only their promise not to let the fortress
  fall into enemy hands, and to come to the barony’s
  defense in times of trouble.
  If Thaddeus ends up in charge, he makes the same
  offer, except that he does want the PCs to purchase
  Karrack, or at least pay taxes on it.
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  Owen Kirker Clifford Stephens was born in 1970 in
  Norman, Oklahoma. He attended the TSR Writer’s
  Workshop held at the Wizards of the Coast Game
  Center in 1997 and moved to the Seattle area in 2000,
  after accepting a job as a Game Designer at Wizards of
  the Coast, Inc. Fourteen months later, he returned to
  Oklahoma with his wife and three cats to pick up his
  freelance writer/developer career. He has author and
  co-author credits on numerous Star Wars, d20
  MODERN, and EverQuest projects, as well as Bastards and
  Bloodlines from Green Ronin. He also has producer
  credits for various IDA products, including the Stand-
  Ins printable figures.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Adventures/Mega book pack adventures/Level 11-15/Fait Accompli.pdf