Dragon of Icespire Peak
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Because Dragon of Icespire Peak was originally designed as a starter-set adventure for new Dungeon Masters, Cryovain’s presence is introduced with very little subtlety. The module wants players rolling dice and confronting danger almost immediately, so the threat of the young white dragon is established upfront through increasingly frequent sightings and attacks. As the adventure…
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The thing about sitting atop a frozen treasure hoard in an isolated, abandoned fortress is its potential to become a siege. Because recovering a white dragon’s frozen treasure should not be quick process. Characters aren’t simply shoveling loose coins into a pile of sacks before heading back to Phandalin for celebratory drinks at the Stonehill…
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Continuing on yesterday’s thoughts, finding Cryovain’s hoard is one thing. Claiming the treasure hoard is something entirely different. Anyone who thinks collecting a white dragon’s treasure is as simple as scooping coins and gemstones into a collection of sacks or dumping it all into a bag of holding is in for a rude awakening. If…
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The most absurd omission in Dragon of Icespire Peak is that Cryovain has no treasure hoard. You’ve got a dungeon. You’ve got a dragon. There needs to be a payoff of some kind. To do otherwise would be like hitting the jackpot of a lottery, only to be rewarded with a nicely written congratulatory note…
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I feel like it’s overlooked that there are religious elements in Lost Mine of Phandelver and Dragon of Icespire Peak, but no real guidance on how to portray them. And I’m not talking about Sister Garaele and her Shrine of Luck. I’m talking about elements that players struggle against, rather than benefit from. For instance,…
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I realize that in my previous thoughts, I pitched Falcon the Hunter as this Phandalin-adjacent local hero. But the more I sit with it, the more I’m convinced: This Falcon guy has a screw loose – though you’d never know it until you get to his home. I’m actually impressed with Falcon’s Hunting Lodge. It…
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In yesterday’s thoughts, I wondered aloud who Phandalin’s local hero would be. If you’re familiar with online forums like r/lostminesofphandalin where novice Dungeon Masters look for advice on how to run Lost Mine of Phandelver, you know that player characters are often not the heroes. Left to their own devices in a fantasy roleplay world…
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I don’t know where you live, but it’s been cold here on the East Coast the past few days, and it got me thinking: evil mercenaries, stirges, and a young white dragon aren’t the only things characters should concern themselves with on a visit to Icespire Hold. There’s also the temperatures! Temperature. The temperature is slightly…
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The following is an exerpt from The Trove Lord’s Tribute: It’s not all business at the Phandalin Miner’s Exchange. Halia Thornton keeps a discreet reserve, making the Exchange an unofficial saloon once the day’s ore is tallied. Sourced from other locales in the North, Zhentarim caravans keep Halia stocked with the following libations: During Halia’s…