Attack of the Demon Snow-Walkers

Attack of the Demon Snow-Walkers

Type	Dungeon
Status	Explored October 830 TA
Location	Korgsland
Hex	0101
Campaign	Journey to the North
Adventure #	33

Introduction

DM's Notes

The winter of 829-830 TA was particularly harsh, and the cycle of cold allowed for twenty huge Snow-Walkers to cross into Korgsland. Uncharacteristically, the beasts did not attack, and only later was it learned that they bore riders. These riders were a coven of Snow Witches that resided in the mountains north of Icevale village. In early Spring 830 TA, the winds began to blow from the south causing temperatures to rise to tropical levels. As the snows began to melt, the Korgslanders were besieged by mud from the mountains and rain from the skies. Their traps were destroyed, and their pits were filled.

Until recently, the Korglanders supplied Teufeldorf with their major source of diamonds. Then six months ago, a ship from the Old Kingdom invaded the ruling village on the island of Badu, the Walrus' Tusk. Shipments to Teufeldorf stopped (presumably now headed for the Old Kingdom). The villagers on Badu resent their new masters. Presently, the Old Kingdom and the Korglanders sympathetic to them hold the Underground Wharf (and all the large merchant ships), Korg's Castle on Badu, and Icevale Castle (the only two castles in Korgsland). They exact a heavy tithe of all the diamonds and furs on the mainland in return for a few fish from the nets.

Prologue

The villagers of Icevale have always been wary of an attack from the North. Knowing that the Frozen Sea was in the twentieth and final year of its cycle, the villagers had made preparations for the return of the Snow-Walkers over the polar cap.

However, they did not prepare for the Snow-Walkers to be helped by the forces of nature. As their large traps and flaming pits were nearing completion, the weather changed unexpectedly. For the first time that any Korglander could ever remember, the winds began to the blow from the south. The temperatures rose, and the snows on the mountains began to melt. The Korglanders were besieged by mud from the mountains and rain from the sky. Their traps were destroyed, and their pits were filled. Only by their rugged determination were the villages of Icevale able to save their homes.

As a final blow, an advance scout to the north returned to Icevale and reported that a large group of Snow-Walkers (about twenty) had been seen just three days north of Icevale. But more surprisingly, the scout reported that the Snow-Walkers seemed to carry riders. Finally, the creeatures of the wilderness (i.e., wolves and yeti) seemed to be peacefully gathering in a valley on the north side of the mountain.

Your job, save Icevale. But the villagers are very wary of strangers. Some say that their problems come from their new rulers, some from the Snow-Walkers, and others from both.

Village of Icevale

Icevale

The village of Icevale is a simple walled town with a single road running east-west through the center. The western edge of town pushes up against a natural hot springs - which provides potable water and heat. It also provides a place for washing and bathing. The small cove never freezes over and has abundant fish life.A single road leads from the eastern gate. The outer walls are built more for protection against the cold than invading armies. The collection of building are a mix of homes and simple shops. The population of Icevale includes: 30 men, 32 women, and 9 children and infants. The men of Icevale are primarily diamond miners. At present, 18 of there men are trapped in a cave-in near the Witches' Coven. They can be found in Adventure #2.

The Lost Pine Forest looms over the town to the north. The pine trees are thick and dense. They provide a wind break against the harsh northern gales. Hunters and rangers also use the woods for hunting small game to subsidize the heavy fish diet of the locals.

The statue of Ur-Korg-Daruku, son of Korg stands upon a pillar in a circle of trees north of Icevale. The pillar is carved with the following verse:

Here stands Daruku dead as stone. To breathe life into the dead is like squeezing water from a stone.
Yet stone is the living soil, and all within it are never fully dead. To return one from stone,
merely seek to have water pour from the stone and thrust the gem of life into his heart.

Attack of the Demon Snow-Walkers

• Night One - Four fighters sneak around the outer wall and attempt to raid the ships. Armed with explosives, they are very dangerous. As a diversion, wolves will attack the Lost Pines guards and assail town. The guard at the the wall will be charmed by the old hag (witch), and the wolves will be let in.
• Day Two - Siege equipment built in Lost Pines.
• Night Two - Snowfall pile against the north wall.
• Night Three - Complete attack. Witches, men, and animals.

The Army of the Witches (131)

• Winter Wolves (38)
• Frost Giants (8)
• Yeti (29)
• Peryton (8)
• Snow-Walkers (18)
• Demons (18)
• Old Kingdom Fighters (4)

Adventures in the North

Overview

After returning treasure-laden from Demogorgon's Castle, our mercenary heroes were called into service by King Gregory the Even-Handed. The war with Sandal had been escalating for some time, and King Gregory found his war chest depleted. After indenturing Earnest Goodfellow to a life of abject servitude, the war coffers were still empty. To make matters worse, the Kingdom of Teufeldorf's major supply of diamonds had been cut off (presumably by the Old Kingdom). With all his war ships moving southward along the coast towards Sandal, the king hoped that the party would investigate the happenings in the North. They did just that.

The Journey to the North was actually a series of several interwoven adventures. Ernest Goodfellow, Hylax the Barker, U-Gene the Dwarf, Zephaniah the Good, Sirfexx Ivancevio, and Blackfoot traveled to Icevale in the far northern kingdom known as Korgsland. There, they found the villagers on the brink of destruction. In order to gain their confidence, the party decided to protect the village of Icevale against the attack of the Demon Snow-Walkers. Soon it was obvious that the Demon Snow-Walkers were controlled by a coven of snow witches. Add to this the fact that the snow witches were in league with the Old Kingdom fighters occupying Icevale Castle, and the party had several problems to solve. After defeating the Demon Snow-Walkers, the party decided to attack the coven of snow witches (before trying to storm the castle). As U-Gene would say, "let's take care of the wimp magic, then turn the battle over to the real men." Things didn't work out quite that simply (sorry Ohm), but the coven of snow witches was disrupted and the Old Kingdom soldiers were dispatched.

Adventures Against the Demon Snow-Walkers

The plans for the attack on Icevale by the Army of the Witches was complete. The party had only three days to prepare for the onslaught of creatures. The villagers were of very little help, being simple fishermen and miners. The party set up defenses as best they could. There was one possible source of aid. In the nearby forest, the party stumbled across the statue of Ur-Korg-Daruku. His riddle was simple. The only place that water poured from stone was at the hot springs. If the party had reached into the well of the hot springs, they would have found a large ruby. The ruby could then be placed into the statue (thus animating it) by holding the gem in one hand, reading the poem, and then thrusting it into the statue. However, the party did not figure the puzzle out in time. Rather, they waited for the attack.

The night of the battle came. With snow piled up against the walls, many of the snow creatures were able to enter the village quickly. Before the party could kill off the snow walkers and their demon riders, the village was assaulted on all sides by giants, wolves, yeti, and peryton. The battle was a bloody one. Almost all of the townspeople died. Perhaps this was for the better because what was left after Hylax and Falstaff finished their spell casting was hardly inhabitable. The army was destroyed utterly, but leaders remained safely in their cave in the mountains. The party decided to take the battle from the village to the coven of the snow witches, and there they would root out the evil and destroy it.