D&D 5E Running Rime of the Frost Maiden

[TheBoredGM]

The aspects of Auril the PCs face in the adventure are weaker because she has invested so much energy in the Unending Winter.

Reading the adventure leaks the story claims Auril is extremely weakened, enough to be defeated by the intended levels of the adventure. But she comes back at the next solstice, post adventure. Presumably at true lesser god power.

 

[Reynard]

As a method to have the party both be bound together and have a reason to investigate strange goings on in Ten Towns, i am thinking that the Council of Speakers has voted to create its own "sheriff's office." With things deteriorating due to Auril's curse, the Speakers think having visible agents around will not only improve morale but make them seem more effective and legitimate. But because not all of the Speakers agreed with the idea, the compromise they struck was to make the first team up of unknowns. Those Speakers want to see it fail.

 

[pukunui]

When I get a chance to run this (not sure when that will be), I am considering having another go at running Legacy of the Crystal Shard as a prologue (with different PCs). I really like that adventure.

Yes, there are a few shared elements between them (both have the whole "ice queen in a tower", both involve black ice / chardalyn, and both can potentially involve an attack on Ten-Towns by a 'dragon', etc), but I still think it would be good as a setup, since Rime of the Frostmaiden does draw on elements from that previous adventure.

 

[TheBoredGM]

This adventure reminds me of Frozen. But better.
The BBEG's still a frosty maiden, though.

 

[pukunui]

This adventure reminds me of Frozen. But better.
The BBEG's still a frosty maiden, though.

Yep. Of course, Elsa's eternal winter only lasted for a few days at the most. Not two whole years.

 

[TheBoredGM]

Yep. Of course, Elsa's eternal winter only lasted for a few days at the most. Not two whole years.

But her heart is still cold as ice.

 

[Weiley31]

Wizards .ight be on a trend in terms of monster challenge. In July they released the most objectively powerful monster officially in 5e. Hopefully the Frostmaiden who is supposed to be a lesser god surpasses that. Unless the Frostmaiden is just an aspect of Auril and not the real deal.

Technically, going by her abilities when fighting her, she has a CRAP TON of HP if you decide to fight all three forms at once. Especially if you maximize her HP values. Toss in a Mythic Trait(have to make that up though) and there ya go. Still she's not at full power because, between keeping up her Eternal Winter spell over all of Icewind Dale and granting her followers spells, she's drawing a crapton of juice off her battery.


Also which monster was released in July that is the most powerful in 5E so far? Outside of Timate and the three Mythic Monsters in the Theros book, I can't think of anything else in 5E meeting that criteria.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

As a method to have the party both be bound together and have a reason to investigate strange goings on in Ten Towns, i am thinking that the Council of Speakers has voted to create its own "sheriff's office." With things deteriorating due to Auril's curse, the Speakers think having visible agents around will not only improve morale but make them seem more effective and legitimate. But because not all of the Speakers agreed with the idea, the compromise they struck was to make the first team up of unknowns. Those Speakers want to see it fail.

This works. And there are reasons why some of the speakers might want to sabotage the endeavour by choosing a bunch of dodgy misfits. The group patron stuff could be useful with this approach.

Another option would be to combine it with Acquisitions Inc and have the PCs form a private problem solving company.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

This adventure reminds me of Frozen. But better.

In order to gain an inspiration the player has to burst into song...

 

[MarkB]

In order to gain an inspiration the player has to burst into song...

The only form of familiar which can survive this environment is a miniature snow golem, and the spell's normal material components are replaced with two sticks, three lumps of coal and a carrot.