As the icy winds rage over the Bellowing Peaks, a lone robed individual pushes through

deep snow to a frozen river mouth. Raised caverns and a frozen waterfall blend in with
the snow as they begin to climb to the central cavern and disappear into the darkness.

A diplomatic mission with the local Frost Giant tribe failed and Thenedar found himself
wandering the tundra alone. He began to hear the cackles and whispers of an evil creature who
resided here as well, tormenting him as he struggled to survive and keep faith he would see his
home again. During an ambush by a yeti, Thenedar barely survived using Necromancy to drain
the life from the creature and giving him enough strength to survive a bit longer. Compromises
and continued use of necromancy pushed Thenedar to hear the cruel whispers for what they
were, a call to bring death and misery to others just as he had suffered in the cold wastes.

As Thenedar began to listen to these cruel whispers he found they led him to hidden caverns
the Frost Giants had used as a sacred burial ground in times long since past. His new mission is
to raise Frost Giants into his service to strike back at the tribe who killed his former allies and
anyone who crosses his path.

Unbeknownst to Thenedar these whispers he hears are from the bheur hag, Ilda the Frostfangs
as she seeks to bring awful horror to all in the Bellowing Peaks.

Call to Adventure
● Adventurers who have been to Fort Ironsides will be approached by leadership
regarding a Diplomatic Expedition that has not returned in some months. This group was
sent to meet with Frost Giants belonging to a tribe that has begun raiding their supply
expeditions as well as others across the Bellowing Peaks.

Leadership is requesting any information that can be found or gathered about the
members of the expedition and their whereabouts.

● As a party of adventurers roams the Bellowing Peaks, the weather has driven them
deeper and deeper into the frozen wastes. One morning as the weather clears the party
finds themselves outside a series of caverns on the side of a mountain, feeling a call to
those caverns for some unknown reason.

1. Cavern Mouths
a. Three cave entrances are spaced out along the mountainside, two of these
entrances are blocked by a thick sheet of ice. Thenedar has cast simple
illusion spells to deter intruders from investigating the caves, making it
appear as if this area has been sealed with ice.

A successful DC 15 Arcana check will reveal the blocking ice to just be an

 illusion that can be walked through to enter the Cave Mouths. Dispel Magic
will remove the illusion entirely.
2. Raising Room
a. This room is where the Thenedar stores frozen corpses to be raised into
undead creatures. The bodies of tribesmen and adventurers compose
these piles, their bodies hold nothing of value.

At the back of the chamber players will notice runes etched into the ice
with a single corpse present at the center of the runes. Any effect that can
detect magic senses Necromancy magic emanating from the runed circle.
With a successful DC 15 Arcana check a player who can cast at least one
spell recognizes these runes are used to raise corpses into undeath.

When the runes are examined or a few minutes after players enter the
room the corpse within the runic circle is raised as a Coldlight Walker that
immediately attacks any living creature in the room.
b. A wall to the North has been crudely dug through to keep any activity within
the winding cavern corridors. Players who investigate the entryway will see
sharp angled cuts and breaks in the rock from tools, but no sign of who or
what may have done the work.
3. Cave Writing
a. This cave has ancient runes carved into the wall. Three frosted lines of
runes cover the rear wall.
b. A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) check or
can read Giant can read the message inscribed by the runes.

The Dragons struck without warning, we have nowhere else to go. At best
we know they slaughter any of our people they can find, but we will force
our own fate. We will not return to be slaughtered…
c. Remains - In this room players will find heavily worn mining picks, scattered
coins amongst the snow, bone and cavern debris totalling 5g 37s. This
room was used for imprisoned humanoids used for manual labor before
being chained and left to freeze to death in this room. A pair of ghouls
found their way here to try and feast on the frozen corpses.

4. Glittering Cavern
a. The cave is empty aside from three pillars of frozen mineral deposits. Ilda
has cursed these mineral deposits to call to nearby humanoids to lure
them into the caverns to their doom.
5. Icy Bridge
a. A natural stone bridge with a rope rail to guide players across without
slipping, pitons driven into the walls hold the rope in place.
b. When players reach this location, either crossing the bridge or walking the
frozen river beneath loud thundering cracks echo from every cavern wall.
Thenedar has successfully raised the first Frost Giant Skeleton in his
service and prepares to continue raising the other two.
6. Thenedar’s Chambers
a. A thick wooden door blocks out the snow and breeze coming down the
tunnel.

Upon opening the door: Inside are modest quarters with what appears to
be a small personal library, fire and desk.
b. The door to these quarters is locked requiring a DC 15 Thieve’s Tools
check to unlock it, the door has AC 10 and 15 hit points. The fire burns low
with dying embers. If the players search this room they will find 150 gp
worth of gold and small gems in a lockbox under the bed along with a
folded set of fine clothes and a silvered dagger.

Examining the books on the desk and shelf reveals they are personal
writings on Thenedar’s work and time in these caves. While the
Necromancer guards his work in the caverns closely, small clues can be
found within the writings as these books are read. Below are some
excerpts that provide background or clues:
i. “Her whispers bite at my mind at all hours, no matter how much I
work
ii. Runic circles etched into the ice allow for more rapid raising of
undead within and this works for subjects entombed in ice. The
runes must be precise or the ritual will not function properly.
iii. Early entries about the original mission that led Thenedar to Icewind
Dale to begin with and the losses he suffered.
c. Another crudely carved hallway leads to U9. The Ossuary using the same
tools as the Raising Chamber carved hallway.

7. River Mouth
a. The right-most cave entrance is the largest and where the Frost Giants
entered the cave system. The river here is how the hot springs would
empty from the caverns but has been frozen the same as the spring for
 many years now.

8. Defiled Spring
a. An underground river once spilled into a pool in this area, filling it with
steaming mineral water and overflowing to the west. The river and the pool
are now frozen as winds passing over the top of the open chamber cause a
howl throughout.

On clear nights, moonlight shines through an opening in the ceiling and

illuminates the pool. The minerals in the ice have turned it into a cloudy,
bright blue. Entombed in the ice are the remains of four frost giants, the
faint outlines of their forms barely visible.

Above three of the corpses the Thenedar has carved runes into the ice that
match the runes in the Raising Room used to raise undead. One of the
corpses has already been risen and broken free from the ice in the pool.
This Frost Giant Skeleton is standing guard over Thenedar in U10. as he
concentrates on the remaining runes.

b. Thenedar the Clanless is finishing the ritual casting of the three runes
above the frost giant corpses. If he notices the players or is attacked the
casting completes successfully. Raising these skeletons requires
Concentration. If this casting is interrupted, Thenedar will have to use their
action on their turn to complete raising the Frost Giant Skeletons again.

The Frost Giant Skeletons act on initiative 1 and only one becomes active
per round until all have been raised or unless Thenedar’s casting has been
stopped.

i. If the group is struggling, have one of the summonings fail due to a

Frost Giant Skeleton emerging and disrupting the runes for the final
raising.
ii. The marked area between the U8. Defiled Spring and U9.the Ossuary
is rough terrain due to the uneven ice as the Frost Giant Skeleton
was raised into undeath. Each Frost Giant Skeleton raised after this
also creates another 10ft. Square of rough terrain where they stand.
 c. Thenedar the Clanless is a middle-aged hill dwarf (Thenedar without access
to 5th or 6th level spell slots.) and calls for their undead servants if they
detect any intruders.

Treasure. Thenedar’s possessions include their spellbook, a coin purse

containing 15g and a Ring of Spell Storing with a 4th level Blight ready to
cast from it. (If it wasn’t used in the encounter.)

The spellbook is enchanted to encrypt itself to a code language created by

Thenedar. A player with an Intelligence score of 16 or higher can study this
text for one tenday to learn animate dead and the runes used by the
Thenedar to raise into undeath. After learning this knowledge and the
spell, the magic fades from the book causing it to disintegrate in their
hands.

9. The Ossuary
a. This cave is higher in elevation than the tunnels leading to it, but it’s easily
reached by climbing one of the two flights of crudely carved stairs.

On clear nights, moonlight enters the cave through natural fissures in the
ceiling. Feasting on frozen carcasses is one Ghast, and three Ghouls. They
move to U8. Sacred Spring when summoned by Thenedar.

10. Moonglow Hovel

a. This rubble littered room connects to U9. The Ossuary, here a Frost Giant
Skeleton stands watch over Thenedar as they cast their magic. The
skeleton is under Thenedar’s control.
b. Remains of giant hovels are scattered around this area, degraded to time
and frost. Players can find old giant weapons here made of various simple
materials but too large for most to use.
c. On nights with a clear sky and a full moon, the Hovel is beautifully
illuminated by the soft moonlight coming from 9. The Ossuary.

Finale
As the party exits the caverns having defeated Thenedar the biting cold returns, cutting
through clothing and armor alike. On the wind players hear a cruel cackle before they set
out once more into the Bellowing Peaks.