Dragon Delves: Shivering Death

Breathing

The river passes underground between areas. A creature that can't breathe water has to hold its breath while passing between areas via the river. The water is iced over in area D10; see that area for details.

Frigid Water

The river is considered frigid water (see the Dungeon Master's Guide).

Moving in the River

Swimming in the river requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. The current pushes Large or smaller creatures swimming in it 10 feet farther along its flow at the end of the creature's turn.

Wyvern Roost

Four Wyverns dwell on an icy ledge 80 feet above the lair entrance. The ledge blends in from below but is easily noticed from above. These draconic creatures have adapted well to the frigid environment, with white scales and Resistance to Cold damage.

When the characters arrive, 1d3 of the wyverns are out hunting. Those that remain in the roost are Indifferent and fight only if the characters make a lot of noise nearby or ascend to the wyverns' roost. If the characters get in a fight here, the hunting wyverns return to the roost and join the fight on Initiative count 0 of the second round (losing ties).

Talking with Heldalf

If the characters want to converse and know Giant, Heldalf proves chatty. He shares the following information in conversation:

• Giants' Arrival. A group of frost giants followed their leader, Ralvald, to the dragon's lair to recover the body of Ralvald's ancestor, a powerful druid called Elakdras.
• Sibling Betrayal. Once in the caves, Ralvald's sister, Aerstigga, betrayed him. She wounded him and vowed to serve Shivering Death. Aerstigga hinted that she had some means to buy her way into the dragon's good graces. The other giants split their loyalties: half of them followed the treacherous Aerstigga, while the other half remained true to Ralvald.
• Ralvald's Location. Ralvald is contemplating what to do next in a cave to the north. Heldalf thinks the characters, as newcomers, might be of use to Ralvald and suggests they take the narrow northeast passage to meet with him.

If the characters don't fight Heldalf but can't converse with him, the giant motions for them to move on, pointing toward the narrow passage to the northeast.

Talking with the Giants

The giants are willing to talk with peaceable characters who know Giant. They relate the same information as Heldalf, but add that they wish Ralvald would give up his impossible quest to defeat Challidax.

Talking with Ralvald

Ralvald treats the characters with respect, assuming only brave adventurers would venture into a dragon's lair. Ralvald provides the same information as Heldalf (area D3), plus the following points:

• Aerstigga's Plan. Ralvald considers his sister's plan to win the dragon's favor a bad one. He doesn't think Challidax will honor any pledges of fealty from Aerstigga, even if Aerstigga tries to buy off the dragon with treasure. He thinks it might be possible to drive a wedge between Aerstigga and the dragon, leaving his sister no option but to flee. Ralvald believes that if she flees, she'll ultimately regret betraying him and make amends.
• Potential Ally. Ralvald noticed a giant named Enstavva hiding in the icicle-filled cave to the north. Ralvald has always been impressed with Enstavva's wisdom, so he assumes Enstavva has decided to remain neutral in the current conflict. Ralvald doesn't want to pressure her, so he hasn't yet confronted her. (Ralvald doesn't realize Enstavva has been turned to stone, as described in area D8.)
• Ralvald's Goals. Ralvald is eager for aid and wants the dragon dead. He would prefer that his sister survive, but he understands that her choices might have serious consequences.

Advice for Ralvald

Ralvald is in dire need of advice. He takes the counsel of any characters who seem genuinely invested in his plight. The characters might discuss these options with him:

• Depart the Lair. If the characters tell Ralvald he should simply leave with his loyal giants, he sighs and agrees. Within 10 minutes, Ralvald departs with the giants in the animal pen and campsite (areas D3 and D4).
• Fight the Dragon. As an Influence action, a character can ask Ralvald to help the characters fight Challidax. The character makes a DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check. On a success, Ralvald agrees to join the characters in battle against Challidax. On a failure, Ralvald wishes the characters luck but remains in dejected contemplation here. Even if Ralvald agrees to ally with the characters, his frost giant allies in areas D3 and D4 refuse to confront the dragon.
• Share the Ritual. If the characters admit they're after the ritual tattooed on Elakdras's body, Ralvald offers a solution. Ralvald doesn't want the ritual; he wants the body, so he can lay it to rest respectfully. He'll permit them to copy the ritual before he takes the remains.

Illusory Wall

A passage on the western wall, 10 feet above the floor, is hidden behind an illusion of an icy wall. A character who takes a Search action and makes a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check notices the concealed passage on a success. This check is made with Disadvantage while fog is present in this room. Gelida (area D9) can tell the characters exactly where to find the illusion; those who have discussed the hidden passage with her automatically find it.

Treasure

Shredded scraps of armor and a bloodstained Backpack are the only remains of an explorer who made it this far into the lair. The Backpack contains an emerald-encrusted Shortsword worth 80 GP, 100 feet of Rope, and a Potion of Growth.

Frozen Gear

The Bedroll, Backpack, and cooking implements are Finkleton's remaining equipment and are all encased in ice. The ice encasing them is a Small object with AC 13; HP 10; and Immunity to Cold, Poison, and Psychic damage.

Treasure

If they free the Backpack from the ice, the characters can open it, revealing a frozen bottle of Ink, a Pouch containing 62 GP, a Waterskin full of frozen water, a winter coat, and three Potions of Healing.

The cooking implements—an Iron Pot, a ladle, and a small knife—are well made but unremarkable.

Should the characters free the Bedroll from the ice and search it, within they find a control amulet for a Shield Guardian. The guardian it controls is in the south alcove of the trophy cave (area D16). A character who takes a Study action and makes a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check knows basic information about this guardian:

• It follows the orders of whoever wears its amulet.
• The amulet's wearer can command the bound guardian to cast the Fireball spell stored within the Construct.

Releasing Enstavva

If the characters end Enstavva's Petrified condition, she is pensive and Friendly toward anyone who frees her. Enstavva knows Common, Dwarvish, and Giant. She is curious about what brings the characters to the lair and prefers to talk rather than fight.

Enstavva shares the same information as Heldalf in the animal pen (area D3), as well as the following details:

• Aerstigga and the Wand. Aerstigga is trying to win Challidax's favor using gems she's secretly creating with an erratic magic item called a Wand of Wonder. If the dragon knew Aerstigga possessed such a magic item, Enstavva believes Challidax would slay her and take it.
• Neutrality. Enstavva refused to take sides in the rivalry between Aerstigga and Ralvald, believing it would lead them all to doom.
• Petrification. Aerstigga followed Enstavva here and turned her to stone using the Wand of Wonder.

Given the opportunity, Enstavva rejoins Ralvald, either in his retreat (area D5) or by leaving the lair if the giant leader has already departed.

Secret Cleft

A low, narrow crack to the northeast leads to a cleft (area D9) partially hidden by the ice. Any character who has a Passive Perception of 16+ notices the cleft once the character gets within 5 feet of it.

Gelida's Favor

Gelida wants to leave the lair before Challidax finds and destroys her. Moreover, the mephit is done serving other creatures. She wants freedom from the magic that binds her to the box, or barring that, she wants the autonomy to go where she pleases.

Gelida hopes to convince the characters to give her control of the Shield Guardian in the trophy cave (area D16). Once Gelida has a good rapport with the characters, she reveals that her conjurer controlled the guardian with a magic amulet. The guardian and Finkleton are now frozen trophies in area D16, but Gelida knows Finkleton didn't have the guardian's magic amulet when he was frozen.

Gelida tells the characters the amulet's location (area D7) and even lets them use the Construct to fight Challidax. But before they leave the lair, Gelida wants the amulet so she can use the guardian to carry her box out of the caves and wherever else the mephit pleases. If the characters agree to her terms, she tells them about the illusory wall in the foggy cave (area D6). Gelida knows the guardian's amulet lies hidden in the bedroll in area D7 but can't retrieve it herself due to her binding (see "The Box").

In the event the characters already have the guardian's amulet, Gelida simply slumps angrily in her box, muttering about disrespectful thieves.

The Box

The metal box weighs 150 pounds and has an additional 50 pounds of ice inside it. If the mephit hasn't touched the box for 1 minute, she is magically compelled to return and touch it as swiftly as she can. The binding can be broken by Dispel Magic cast as a level 6+ spell on the box or by a Wish or similar magic. The box weighs too much for Gelida to move by herself.

Treasure

There are 310 SP in the bottom of Gelida's box.

Thin Ice

The icy patch across the room is a thin crust over the frozen river that flows to Ralvald's retreat (area D5; see "Lair Features"). A creature with a Passive Perception of 15+ realizes the perilous nature of the ice.

Each 10-foot square of ice is a Large object with AC 13; HP 10; and Immunity to Cold, Poison, and Psychic damage. Placing more than 100 pounds on a 10-foot square of ice immediately destroys that section; creatures and objects on that section of ice fall into the river.

Giants' Ruse

The giants know about the river and try to trick intruders that come from the south. They throw pieces of the broken ice statue from across the river and seek to goad intruders into combat. They guffaw if anyone falls into the river.

Interrogating the Giants

Grimvel and Luskegga are unlikely to talk to the characters without first being overcome in a fight. If someone who knows Giant captures or interrogates them, they share the same information as Heldalf (see area D3), as well as the following points:

• Aerstigga's Followers. Grimvel and Luskegga follow the frost giant Aerstigga.
• Dragon Ally?. Aerstigga has met with Shivering Death. The giant said she'd buy the dragon's favor with lots of gems and the giants' pledge of service.
• Secret Wand. Aerstigga has a magic wand that makes gems, but only sometimes—it creates strange effects more often, like turning creatures to stone. Aerstigga has been using her wand to make more gems but never where the dragon can observe her. She doesn't want the dragon to know about the wand.

Ledge

The ledge bears five mats of brown, dead grasses where Shabblejaw and the winter wolves sleep. The ledge's slope is Difficult Terrain.

River

The river flows toward area D10 to the east (see "x").

Secret Door

A section of the northeast wall on the ledge is depressed a few feet. Inspection reveals the wall has a secret door currently standing ajar. When the door is shut, it is hidden (DC 18 to find). A creature that saw Shabblejaw disappear through the door has Advantage on a check to find it.

Treasure

Shabblejaw has a small satchel holding six crystals, each the size of a human thumbnail. These are pieces of the healing crystal in area D12 that the troll kept for himself. Each bears healing magic, acting as a berry created by the Goodberry spell. The crystals lose their magic in 12 hours.

Healing Crystal

The crystal is a natural, magical growth hanging from the ceiling, which is 40 feet above the floor. The crystal sheds Dim Light in a 15-foot radius. A creature that touches the crystal receives a surge of positive energy and regains 70 Hit Points. The crystal grants this healing three times each day, regaining all uses at the next dawn. The light fades from the crystal after it has expended its healing energy for the day.

Rickety Tripod

Shabblejaw's tripod is 20 feet tall. A creature must succeed on a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check to climb the tripod. On a failure, the creature falls 20 feet.

Talking with Luskar

If defeated or otherwise coerced into talking, Luskar shares the same information as Grimvel and Luskegga (see area D10). Luskar then wants to leave the lair, preferably with his pet.

Flame

The flame at the room's center is a heatless, illusory manifestation of the spirits' hatred. If the spirits are put to rest, the flame vanishes.

Treasure

Each of the five icy pillars is a Large object with AC 13; HP 30; and Immunity to Cold, Poison, and Psychic damage. Breaking them releases the corpses within. Two of the bodies possess silver armbands worth 300 GP each, and another holds a Berserker Axe. The bodies' other gear is worthless.

Aerstigga

Aerstigga knows Common and Giant, and she carries a Wand of Wonder, although she won't display or use it in Challidax's presence.

Challidax

Challidax hangs back to evaluate both Aerstigga and the invaders. The dragon doesn't join the fray until she herself takes damage or Aerstigga is defeated, though it's possible for the characters to turn Challidax against her giant ally (see "Challidax's Rage" below). Once engaged in combat, Challidax is ruthless; she doesn't care if she harms Aerstigga in her attempts to defeat the characters.

If Challidax is reduced to fewer than 100 Hit Points, she dives into the frozen river. She makes her way to the healing crystal in the crystal room (area D12), then tries to ambush the characters elsewhere in her lair.

Challidax's Rage

Aerstigga and her giants have not been good guests in Challidax's lair. A character can take an Influence action and present evidence that Aerstigga and her followers have despoiled the lair or lied to the dragon. The following evidence captures Challidax's attention:

• Part of the frozen owlbear the giants broke in area D10
• Pieces of the broken healing crystal from area D11
• The Wand of Wonder Aerstigga has been hiding or evidence of its use, such as grass pulled from area D13 or the Rhinoceros from area D14

If the characters present at least two pieces of evidence to Challidax, she turns on Aerstigga. Once Aerstigga is defeated, the dragon allows the characters to depart her lair as thanks before leaving to hunt the other giants and their allies in her lair.

Should Challidax find that the characters have pilfered any of her trophies or treasures, she revokes her mercy and hunts them down to take revenge.

River

The river running through this room flows south to the chamber with the ledge (area D11; see "x").

Trophies

The alcoves here each contain a creature Challidax defeated and froze in ice. The creatures within are visible, but the ice around each is a Huge object with AC 13; HP 50; and Immunity to Cold, Poison, and Psychic damage. The trophies are as follows:

• Northeast Alcove. This alcove contains the heavily scarred corpse of an abominable yeti. The yeti's left eye is a diamond worth 4,000 GP.
• Northwest Alcove. This alcove contains the corpse of an enormous chimera in a ferocious pose.
• South Alcove. This alcove contains the corpse of a halfling frozen to a Large, knight-like statue. If freed, the statue animates, revealing itself to be a Shield Guardian with a Fireball spell (level 4 version) stored. Unless it receives other commands from someone bearing the magic amulet it's bonded to (see area D7), the guardian fights the closest creature as it continues trying to protect its former controller, the halfling Deena Finkleton.
• Southwest Alcove. This alcove contains the frozen corpse of the frost giant druid Elakdras. Once it's removed from the ice, the magical tattoos on the body are plainly visible. With 10 minutes of work, any character can copy the tattooed symbols using any appropriate recording implements, such as Ink, an Ink Pen, and a sheet of Parchment.

Treasure

Challidax's hoard includes the following treasure:

• 100 PP, 12,000 SP, and 200,000 CP (total value of 4,200 GP)
• 295 small gems in total (worth 1 GP each)
• Platinum torc (worth 250 GP)
• Two silver chalices (worth 120 GP each)
• Bead of Force
• Aerstigga keeps her Wand of Wonder concealed within her clothing, where Challidax can't observe it. If she doesn't pull it out during the fight, anyone searching her body discovers it.