Encounter of the Week: Icewind Mail

Are you prepared to journey to Icewind Dale, the frozen north of Faerûn? Times are strange, and countless rumors swirl around this cold and isolated land, like so many snowflakes in an endless blizzard. The next D&D adventure, announced last weekend at D&D Live 2020, is a dark fantasy horror story titled Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. This encounter begins a five-part (or perhaps more?) encounter series called “Icewind Mail: Special Delivery," a non-canon dark comedy that leads into the official adventure. Well, sort of. It’s more like it tosses players in the general direction of the official adventure with some silly props and says to go have fun.

This encounter series is designed with both new players and D&D veterans in mind. In this series, the player characters begin their adventures as members of the Luskar Deliverers, a mercenary company that specializes in dangerous courier work. The Deliverers are mildly famous in the port city-state of Luskan, particularly for their deliveries by sea to the north to Ten-Towns in Icewind Dale, and occasionally towards the dwarven hold of Mithral Hall. Your characters, as new members of the Luskar Deliverers, have been given orders to deliver a number of parcels from Luskan to a number of coastal towns along the Sword Coast North, and finally to Ten-Towns.

You can read about Luskan, and a brief primer on Icewind Dale, in the Sword Coast Adventurers Guide.

Various Encounters (Combat, Exploration, Social): Loadin’ Up the Icebreaker

This encounter is suitable for a party of 1st-level characters, but can easily be scaled up to 5th level using the D&D Beyond Encounter Builder.

This encounter describes the beginning of the characters’ journey as they gather supplies for their journey to the north. They have a boat waiting for them, a renowned sailing ship called the Icebreaker, but this famous ship needs to be stocked with parcels to be delivered. In this encounter, the characters must travel through Luskan and gather packages to be delivered along their route from a number of colorful characters from past D&D adventures, including an emissary of the power-hungry Arcane Brotherhood, a member of the drow mercenary company Bregan D’aerthe, and a villain with a truly outrageous flair for the dramatic.

This story begins in the Luskar Deliverers’ main warehouse on the north bank of the River Mirar in Luskan, as they are given their marching orders by their commander, Parcelmaster Lennart Bassk, a sharply dressed half-orc veteran with bright eyes, a broad physique, and an impeccably groomed pencil mustache. Read or paraphrase the following to set the scene and start the story:

“Brand-new members of the Luskar Deliverers, I am proud to announce that your first adventure is about to begin!” Speaking to you is Parcelmaster Lennart Bassk, leader of the Luskar Deliverers, your mercenary company. He is a half-orc with a broad and attractive physique, and dresses in a sharp suit. “We’ve been contacted by a number of people throughout Luskan, all of whom have deliveries bound for the north. Your fellows are currently outfitting a ship to take you northward, called the Icebreaker. I have assembled a map of this city, and a list of people with packages for you to find.

“They shall pay you well in advance, and you shall be paid again when your deliveries are completed. Be dressed in armor and hold weapons, my friends. Your journey will be dangerous, but even this city of Luskan is not a safe harbor. Be ready, and look to this map and list. Gather three of these packages; the rest shall be gathered and delivered to the Icebreaker by your friends. Safe travels, my friends.”

Dungeon Master Tip: Let the Players Drive the Story

Once you’ve set the scene, let the characters drive the story. They have a list of people to recover parcels from, and they can choose the three that are most interesting to them. All of the other parcels will be picked up by other members and sent to the Icebreaker by other members of the Deliverers. Since the players are likely unfamiliar with each other’s characters (both in and out of character, since the characters are new recruits who have only just been assigned to a team together), this is a perfect opportunity to encourage the characters to introduce themselves while they plan out their route through Luskan.

Exploring Luskan

Parcelmaster Bassk gives the characters a map of the city of Luskan and a list of people seeking to deliver packages. Use this map and lists as props—either by sharing them digitally with your players if you’re playing online, or printing them out if you’re playing in person—that you can your players can all look at and point at them together. Since the people they need to collect parcels from aren’t listed on the map, they’ll have to look between the list and the map, helping them get more immersed in the act of traveling through the city.

As a DM, the moments in which they look over the list and the map also give you a chance to check your notes and get ready for the next encounter. Each one of these encounters describes a specific way these encounters are intended to be overcome. However, D&D is a game that encourages player creativity. If your players come up with an idea that seems fun and exciting, but doesn’t match up with the method presented here, let them try anyway! You may have to think fast to come up with an appropriate ability check (possibly using one of their skill proficiencies) for what they want to do.

List of Senders

Each person on this list has a little bit of information about them next to their name. If any of the characters want, they can make a DC 15 Intelligence check to recall information about this person. On a success, tell them one piece of information about this character (see each character’s mini-encounter, below, for more information about them).

  • Maccath the Crimson, a member of the Arcane Brotherhood; can be found studying in the ground floor dining commons in the Hosttower of the Arcane.
  • Fel’rekt Lafeen, a local swashbuckler associated with the Bregan D’aerthe; can be found on the ship called the Heartbreaker moored on the Dragon Beach on the pier closest to Cutlass Island.
  • Dragonbait, an unusual reptilian creature who has been frequenting the One-Eyed Jax, a tavern on the northern bank of the River Mirar near the bridge to Blood Island.
  • Rool, a shady figure who associates with kraken-worshiping occultists; can be found at the Cutlass, a pirate-infested tavern on the Dragon Beach.
  • Vanifer, a disgraced cult leader with an affinity for fire; can be found sulking in the Ruins of Illusk.
  • Nezznar the Black Spider, an ambitious drow with a ridiculous accent and a flair for the dramatic; can be found at the top of a lighthouse in the Open Shore.

Maccath the Crimson

Maccath the Crimson is a lawful evil tiefling mage, a scholar of draconic lore, and a member of the Arcane Brotherhood. She has gone on numerous adventures into Icewind Dale and the Sea of Moving Ice in search of draconic relics, on dragon archaeological expeditions, and even dragon interview excursions. She wishes to send one of her artifacts to an expert named Raggamel the Renegade that is currently hiding from the law in Ten-Towns. For more information about Maccath the Crimson, see chapter 10 of The Rise of Tiamat.

To find Maccath, the characters must travel to the Hosttower of the Arcane, headquarters of the Arcane Brotherhood. Maccath’s encounter requires the characters to convince a surly gatekeeper at the Hosttower to let them in to see her. The characters don’t have any encounters while traveling to the Hosttower. When they arrive, read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:

You arrive at the base of the Hosttower of the Arcane, a tower that seems to grow out of the ground like a crooked, skeletal tree. It looks just as organic as it does artificial. Standing at the entrance is a brutish-looking guard with an athlete’s build and wearing a leather skullcap. He glowers at you as you approach.

The characters must convince the gatekeeper (Earnest Geld, human thug) to let them in. A character that succeeds on a DC 13 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check convinces him to relent and call Maccath down. If you want, you can give that character advantage on the check if their player describes how the character convinces him, such as acting out their speech or describing their body language. On a failure, the gatekeeper sneers and insults them. Another character can try to make this check, but once all the characters have tried, the gatekeeper refuses to let them in.

If the characters enter the Hosttower and find Maccath, she greets them with a wide smile and a wildly overeager excitement to share her fascination with dragons. When she calms down, she gives them a package inside a small metal box. She claims that it’s a draconic artifact that she needs a friend in Ten-Towns to help her identify. The lead-lined metal box is magically sealed, making it immune to all damage except force and bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from adamantine weapons, and requires a successful DC 25 Strength check to force open.

She pays part of the postage up front, giving each of the characters 5 gp.

Fel’rekt Lafeen

Fel’rekt Lafeen is a neutral good male drow gunslinger that was born female, and now is a member of the Bregan D’aerthe, a renowned mercenary company led by the infamous drow mercenary Jarlaxle Baenre. Fel’rekt escaped the cruel priestesses of Lolth in the underground city of Menzoberranzan years ago, and is now Jarlaxle’s most loyal lieutenant. He would lay down his life for his captain without hesitation. See Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for drow gunslinger statistics and more information about Fel’rekt; if you don’t have access to this adventure, use veteran statistics instead.

To find Fel’rekt, the characters must travel to the Heartbreaker, a magnificent galleon moored on the northernmost dock of the Dragon Beach. When they arrive, they are halted by Fel’rekt’s best friend, a chaotic neutral drow gunslinger named Krebbyg. While in town, all members of the Bregan D’aerthe, including Krebbyg, wear a hat of disguise to appear human. The characters don’t have any encounters while traveling to the Heartbreaker. When they arrive, read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:

You arrive at the Dragon Beach and see a majestic, three-masted galleon with the name Heartbreaker emblazoned on its hull moored by one of the docks. A human with an acrobatic physique and a wide-brimmed hat stands in front of the ship’s gangplank, scanning the docks. His gaze settles on you and he arches an eyebrow in interest as you approach.

The characters must impress Krebbyg to get aboard the Heartbreaker by making a successful DC 13 Charisma (Performance) check. Krebbyg is a person of simple tastes, and loves bad puns, card tricks, and displays of magic. A character that performs one of these has advantage on their Charisma (Performance) check to influence him. On a failure, the Krebbyg shrugs and waves the character away. Another character can try to make this check, but once all the characters have tried, Krebbyg refuses to let them in.

Once aboard the Heartbreaker, Fel’rekt is quick to find them. He greets them warmly, and offers them a mug of hot mushroom tea, if they’re cold. He quietly tells them that Jarlaxle is near Icewind Dale, on a secret mission that even Fel’rekt knows nothing about. Fel’rekt wants to send Jarlaxle a sending stone so that they can communicate while he’s away. He presents the stone to the characters in a small burlap package, and keeps the other one on his person.

Fel’rekt pays part of the postage up front, giving each of the characters 5 gp.  

Dragonbait

Dragonbait is a saurial, a rare reptilian humanoid from another world. He is good friends with a wanderer named Artus Cimber, a man who possesses a powerful artifact of Auril the Frostmaiden called the Ring of Winter. Dragonbait and Artus met in the jungles of Chult some time ago, and Dragonbait has decided to accompany Artus on his future adventures.

To find Dragonbait, the characters must travel to the One-Eyed Jax, a popular tavern on the north bank of the River Mirar, near the bridge to Blood Island. Any character that has spent time in Luskan knows exactly where this hip new upscale public house can be found; it’s a popular gathering point for wealthy adventurers and foreign socialites alike. When they arrive, read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:

You enter the tavern and see a person that can only be your client: he is short, stubby, dressed in fine armor, and has green scaly skin. Yet this creature looks like no dragonborn you’ve ever seen. He looks in your direction and waves cheerily, and you smell a faint scent of lemon drifting your direction.

About Dragonbait

The saurial’s language is a combination of clicks and whistles beyond the human range of hearing, so Dragonbait tends to rely on scents to communicate emotions. To be understood by most speaking creatures, he must “shout” a scent. Dragonbait’s known scents include: brimstone (confusion), roses (sadness), lemon (pleasure or joy), baked bread (anger), violets (danger or fear), honeysuckle (tenderness or concern), wood smoke (devotion or piety), tar (victory or celebration), and ham (nervousness or worry).

Dragonbait stands 4 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 150 pounds, and has a dry, wrinkled hide. He wields a holy avenger longsword and carries a blue, red, and white shield. Though he has traits in common with paladins, Dragonbait isn’t a member of any class. Using an ability known as the Shen-state, he can determine the alignment of any creature within 60 feet of him. (From Tomb of Annihilation)

 Dragonbait can’t communicate in Common, he can only communicate by speaking his whistling, high-pitched Saurial language, or by transmitting emotions through scents. When the characters meet him, they must figure out that Dragonbait wants to give something to Artus Cimber, who has traveled to Kelvin’s Cairn in Icewind Dale. Dragonbait does this by essentially playing a game of charades with the characters, occasionally “shouting” scents to try to help them understand more complicated topics.

The message Dragonbait tries to communicate through gesture and emotion is: “My friend, a pale man with a cold ring on his finger, has gone to a lonely mountain in the cold northern place. Please take this to him.”

If the characters seem particularly stumped by one of Dragonbait’s clues, allow one of them to make a DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check to discern the meaning of the clue. Dragonbait understands that his method of communication is difficult for strangers, and is positive and encouraging—though his enthusiasm wears thin after a while. If this game goes on for some time and Dragonbait feels like the characters have no hope of understanding his request, he shakes his head and takes his package and trundles away, uninterested.

Why Dragonbait is waiting in Luskan while Artus is out in Icewind Dale is a mystery—though a character that makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check notices that even in Luskan, Dragonbait is totally huddled in furs, and seems utterly miserable in the cold. Once the characters win the game, Dragonbait hands them the package, a small, hand-carved box of teak hardwood, with a magical lock that requires a successful DC 30 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools to open. He pays them partial postage up-front, giving each character 5 gp.

Rool

Rool is a surly neutral evil half-orc assassin who associates with the fearsome cult known as the Kraken Society. He is down on his luck after his contract with the Kraken Society expired after a disastrous defeat at sea (detailed in chapter 11 of Storm King’s Thunder). Now he spends most of his time drinking and threatening locals at the Cutlass, a tavern frequented by pirates on the Dragon Beach. When they arrive, read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:

You see the half-orc assassin you were searching for drunk out of his mind and sitting awkwardly on a barstool. He clutches a bottle of outrageously expensive-looking Shadowdale brandy to his chest, wrapped shoddily in cheap cloth.

When the characters approach, he drunkenly slurs that he demands to test the mercenaries’ skills. Rool leaps unsteadily to his feet and attacks! He uses assassin statistics, but none of his weapons are poisoned. Likewise, he is poisoned by alcohol, and has disadvantage on all attacks. This means that he can’t use his Sneak Attack trait. Finally, after he takes 12 total points of damage, the final hit sends him reeling backward, where he collapses on the floor.

Once Rool his defeated, he lies face-down on the floor and gives a pathetic thumbs-up as his parcel, the bottle of brandy, rolls towards the characters’ feet. He groans, “Check’s in the mail,” and passes out. Once the characters conclude this adventure and return to the Icebreaker, they are paid 5 gp each as partial postage.  

Vanifer

Vanifer is the enigmatic former leader of the Cult of Eternal Flame, a sect of worshipers of Imix, fiery Prince of Elemental Evil. Her cult was thoroughly defeated in the events of Princes of the Apocalypse, but the kindness of a group of adventurers has set Vanifer on a redemptive path. She has ventured to the icy north as an act of penance, and needs some help in her journey.

Finding Vanifer requires the characters to venture into the Ruins of Illusk at the heart of Luskan. Characters that venture into these ruins must make a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Survival) check in order to navigate the labyrinthine ruins. On a failure, they are ambushed by a group of 4 wandering skeletons. After this combat, they find Vanifer after a few more minutes of exploration. When they arrive, read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:

A tiefling sits before a simple campfire in a small corner of these twisting ruins. She wears robes that were clearly once splendid, but are now tattered and grimy. She looks up at you grimly as you approach, and presents you with a dagger that has been wrapped tightly in heavy cloth.

Vanifer’s plan is to travel to the Reghed Glacier and entomb Tinderstrike, a legendary dagger of elemental evil, there forever. She wants to keep the dagger off of her person for as long as possible, because she fears that its overwhelmingly evil power might break her will and prevent her from doing the good deed she knows she must do. That’s where the characters come in.  

She wants the package delivered—to herself! She will travel alone to the Reghed Glacier, and asks the characters to meet her there. She pays partial postage in advance, giving each of the characters 5 gp.

Nezznar the Black Spider

The drow wizard known as the Black Spider once sought magical power in the ancient mines created by the dwarves and gnomes of Phandelver’s Pact (from Lost Mine of Phandelver). Though the Black Spider was defeated in the caves beneath the town of Phandalin some years ago, he managed to escape into the darkness and has continued his evil schemes unabated in the Underdark. He has emerged in Luskan after hearing rumors of Bregan D’aerthe activity in the city, and has a message to send to old allies in the North.

Finding the Black Spider requires the characters to travel to the top of the lighthouse in the Open Shore. He waits with his parcel atop the lighthouse with his hands on the railing, looking out over the icy sea. While the characters are traveling to the lighthouse, they are ambushed by muggers seeking easy money. These four bandits are a mixture of humans, half-elves, and goblins.  If the characters sense that there may be trouble around these seedy docks may attempt to sneak through to avoid detection; characters that succeed on a group DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check avoid these brigands’ notice entirely.

 When they arrive at the lighthouse, read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:

A dark elf gazes over the railing of the tall lighthouse, looking wistfully out at the sea as the north wind whips his white hair around him. He holds an ebon staff tipped with an effigy of a spider atop it, and clutches a parcel underneath his arm.

The Black Spider wishes to send a parcel to an old accomplice of his lurking in Fireshear. He speaks theatrically and self-importantly, but a character that succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check can discern an undercurrent of anxiety in his voice as he describes how he wishes for his friend in Fireshear to receive his gift. His package is a simple letter written in an inscrutable cipher that involves Undercommon script and several odd markings that correspond to Drow Sign Language. The Black Spider pays partial postage in advance, giving each of the characters 5 gp.

Conclusion: Set Sail for Icewind Dale

Once the characters have gathered three packages, they must deliver them to the Icebreaker. This majestic two-masted sailing ship shall serve them well. It has a sizeable crew and ample space for them and the mercenaries. This great vessel will be the center of many more adventures in this ongoing encounter series! The characters will find safe beds and warm clothes ready for them on the Icebreaker, and can get quite comfortable as they depart Luskan on a journey that will last them many weeks.

The moment the Icebreaker departs Luskan and sails northward toward the horizon is a perfect time for this session to draw to a close. Many chilly adventures await! However, if you want to give this episode an ominous cliffhanger, describe day passing to night as the characters begin to make their northward along the coast. Ask all of the characters to make Wisdom (Perception) checks as they fall asleep. Read or paraphrase the following to the character with the highest result:

You hear a splash in the water outside your cabin, like something being thrown overboard. Through the porthole in your room, you can just barely see a shape sinking into the water. You only caught a glimpse of it, but it could be the size of a human body. In the corner of your vision, you see a silhouette looking over the edge of the ship's deck, about ten feet above your porthole. The silhouette's head turns towards your porthole, and seems to look directly at you! Then, just as quickly as it appeared, it pulls away from the edge of the ship, disappearing from view.

And that's where we'll pick up next time.

Are you excited for Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden? Looking forward to more chilly adventures over the sweltering summer? Let us know what you're looking forward to in the comments! 

Get ready for more icy adventures in Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden by preordering the digital version on D&D Beyond, and get free preorder bonuses like the Glacial Digital Dice Set. 


  

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Did you like this encounter? Check out the encounters in the Encounter of the Week series. You can also pick up the adventures I've written on the DMs Guild, such as The Temple of Shattered Minds, a suspenseful eldritch mystery with a mind flayer villain. My most recent adventures are included in the bestselling Encounters in Theros, a collection of over 70 unique encounters created by the Guild Adepts, which can be used to enhance your campaign in Theros or in your Greek mythology-inspired campaign setting. Also check out the Platinum Bestseller Tactical Maps: Adventure Atlas, a collection of 88 unique encounters created by the Guild Adepts, which can be paired with the beautiful poster battlemaps in Tactical Maps Reincarnated.


James Haeck is the lead writer for D&D Beyond, the co-author of Waterdeep: Dragon HeistBaldur's Gate: Descent into Avernusand the Critical Role Explorer's Guide to Wildemounta member of the Guild Adepts, and a freelance writer for Wizards of the Coast, the D&D Adventurers League, and other RPG companies. He lives in Seattle, Washington with his fiancée Hannah and their animal companions Mei and Marzipan. You can find him wasting time on Twitter at @jamesjhaeck.

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