The Ice Age
To
the Land of Fire and Ice - An Ice Age adventure
Deep bone
aching cold greets the characters as they regain consciousness, finding
themselves once more in the bone field.
If
the stegosaurus was caught in the teleportation zone, the characters will hear
the creature’s anguished bellows, which, will quickly diminish to long drawn
out moans as it succumbs to the bite of the deadly chill.
The cavern
and the tunnels are identical to the characters own age. The only exceptions
are:
- The crucified caveman is gone, as
is the dead orc in the false crystal room. The road is similarly absent
(the characters will have the campfire at location 2 to guide them).
- There are cavemen encampments at
locations 2 and 3.
1. From the
altar platform, the characters will see the fires at location 2, if they
examine their surroundings carefully they will also spot the dimly reflected
radiance of the campfire at location 3.
2. Here half
a dozen humpies (constructed from Mammoth skin and bones) squat together. In
the centre of the huts, a dozen fearful tribesmen huddle around a miserable
fire, which casts forth the barest flicker. Sitting slightly apart from the
rest is the tribe’s shaman, a powerfully muscled individual with cruel eyes and
a long shaggy grey beard. The little group is dominated by a violently tempered
shaman who ruthlessly manipulates the tribe’s warriors into obeying his every
whim.
Shaman 4th level cleric Hp 15 AC 8 (thick furs) Al NE
Spells 1st
level resist cold, command
2nd
level chant, hold person
If the party
searches the shaman’s humpy they will find a bound and gagged woman dressed in
only a long satin shirt shivering amongst the furs. She is Theah.
Human Thief 2nd
Level AL Neutral
S 12 D 16 I 12 C
15 Ch 13 W 7 AC 8 Hp 9
There is some
slight chance that a player (10%) may recognise her as a local bandit of some
little fame. Since her capture by the cavemen, believing that a cold, dark
death is inevitable she has been contemplating the evil deeds of her past, and
come to deeply regret them. When the characters find her she will be neutrally
aligned, but if encouraged or treated in a respectful or friendly manner she
will shift to neutral good. A +1 ring of protection dangles on a chain from her
neck – but she is unaware of its properties, claiming simply that she considers
it a good luck charm. Her suit of leather armour and matching short sword and
dagger will be found buried in the furs of the shaman’s tent.
If questioned
on how she came to be there, she will relate that she was hired as a member of
a party of mercenaries (the description of the hirer will match the warrior in
the blue cloak – if already encountered), and hid from the lizardmen in the
jungle before being transported to the current era trying to escape from a
hunting party, only to stumble into the clutches of the shaman.
3. The
Vanquished Tribe
On the shelf
in the south west of the cavern, an emaciated group of cavemen huddle around
their dying fire, awaiting the darkness, and then death to claim them when the
final coal crumbles to grey ash.
This pitiful
remnant were camped at the mouth of the cavern, but were dispossessed in a
violent tribal struggle with the group at 7. Their supplies of food and wood
virtually exhausted they hopelessly wait for the end. If the characters appear
with the other tribesmen in tow they will defend their encampment to best of
their meagre ability (attacking the opposing tribesmen only, the characters to
them will be as hostile spirits). If the characters come alone, they will
prostrate themselves before them.
10 Warriors.
AC 10 Hp 3-5 on average (chief has 5 hp). Armed with clubs, crude spears (treat
as javelins for damage) and stones.
12 Females,
AC 10 Hp 2-4 non-combatant and 5 Children, AC 10 Hp 1-2 also non-combatant
The
gem will trigger after events with the two feuding tribes are settled in
someway, however there is nothing to restrict the players from leaving the
cavern and venturing out into the outside world at any stage.
4. The Outer
Chamber
A pair of
cave bears (HP 34, 30) inhabit the entry cavern. These huge creatures have
trapped both tribes inside, preventing them from foraging for food.
Alternatively
a pair of sabre-toothed tigers or a small pack of dire wolves could inhabit the
cave.
The snow
choked valley beyond, a small herd of mammoths shelter in the lee of the
mountain.
Mammoths HP
The Tomb
Should
the party venture outside they will find a tomb located on the icy moors in the
general location of the village in the future. Buried a scant few inches
beneath the permafrost floor of the tomb are the bones of a dozen individuals,
accompanied by flint tools and other artefacts of their past lives. One set of
bones belonged to a shaman, which if disturbed, will summon forth the shaman’s
wraith from the spirit world.
Wraith
AC as per MM
Hp 25
The wraith
will not pursue the violators beyond a few yards from the tombs portals. If the
party flee, it will dissolve into mist and sink once more into the frozen soil.
Extending the
Level
1)
Venturing out into the glaciated valleys, the party will find not far away a
pyramid being constructed in the freezing weather. Thousands of chained cavemen
labour to construct the edifice while all the time their Cthulhu masters drive
them until they literally drop dying in the mud churned snow and ice. They will
be able to identify the pyramid as a prominent hill in their own time.
2.) In a small valley they will encounter a space craft, badly smashed up.
Venturing within they will find the bodies of the crew, who had all perished,
save one insane survivor who they will have to fight and defeat. Nothing can be
done with the ship, but some items are lootable.