Encounters of the Cold kind

• Yeti, Steady, Crow! – In the frozen wastes, danger hides in every cold crevice, lurks under every dead tree, and awaits on the other side of every snowy bank.
• Cryo Me a River – Crossing a partially frozen river is dangerous at the best of times. A single step in the wrong direction could see one plunge into its icy depths, forever lost in a half-frozen tomb.
• The Lair of the Withering Winter – Deep within the heart of a mountain range lies a glacier. Preserved within is a cavern carved by some long-forgotten civilization.

Primal Yeti

A primal yeti’s speed is beyond impressive. It is a creature ancient even among other yeti. It is also much more savage than the usual yeti. When the smell of flesh is near, they enter a primal rage, slashing and attacking until they taste death or blood. Usually, the latter. Myth among Myths Some writings describe it as a distant ancestor of men before their line diverged from other beasts. Some scholars claim it an aberration created by some spell gone horribly wrong. Others say such creatures came into existence by darker means. Either way, these are the rarest of all yeti and feared by its own kin with the exception of abominable yetis.

Cryo Hyrdra

Cryo hydras dwell in the icy caves and lakes of mountain ranges and glaciers but might be driven into lowlands by lack of food or disturbances in their environment. They generally avoid other creatures, especially when raising their young. Unlike other types of hydra, a cryo hydra will only attack when provoked, but they can become territorial and particularly aggressive while nesting. Either way, adventurers would be foolish to get too close to this monster.

Blizwing, the Withering Winter

Deep within the heart of a mountain range lies a glacier. Preserved within is a cavern carved by some long-forgotten civilization. The immense hollow now serves as the lair of Blizwing the Withering Winter. No one knows how old this fearsome creature is. For many he is nought but a legend. Few have travelled deep enough into the mountains to reach Blizwing’s glacier. Fewer still have returned. Common among the survivors are stories of a strange cold magic that flows there. Wild magic that freezes and shatters even rock in an instant. Dark magic so cold it reaches beyond the body and twists the soul. This magic is rumoured to have warped Blizwing’s mind. 

Cold Weather Rules

Expanded Blizzards, avalanches, and callous cold are just a few environmental dangers adventurers encounter while braving the vast icy wastes. Here you will find optional expanded rules for cold weather survival. If one ventures forth into winter’s cold embrace, chances are one will not return unscathed. Let it be known. Note: Tracking survival rules might seem like an unnecessary burden on the Dungeon Master, or cumbersome at the very least, but thanks to our Winter Survival Tracker, it couldn’t be easier.

Vardus the Hedge (NPC)

Vardus the Hedge (human) grew up in the far north among the frozen wastes. At a young age he found a wizard’s spell book and his natural curiosity pulled him down a path of arcane wonder and experimentation. After his growing power caused a few magical accidents; he was strongly encouraged to find his own place outside of town. Facing the harsh elements with grim determination, he crafted a wizard tower of his own in the wastes. There he continued his experimentation in  isolation. He is always eager for more knowledge and will often provide crafted magical items for gold to fund his research. Alternatively, he will happily accept a new spell or two for the price of an item.

Kayleigh’s Cauldron of Everything that Matters.

Marc Boyd works at Forbidden Planet and has been playing D&D for years. He has a Bachelor of Science in video game technology from Queens University and works with Penny Dragon Games as a game designer. Kayleigh sat down to her first interview for Mag of Holding with nerves running high. She’d met Boyd a few times but had never spoken to him in depth. It quickly became clear that her anxiety was unfounded as Boyd and Kayleigh started to banter about life, game design, character backstories, and everything in between. Many laughs were had. We hope you enjoy getting his perspective on developing D&D content and discovering what D&D means to him as much as Kayleigh did.

Vardus and the Withering Winter

Vardus realised with no small measure of horror that he’d bitten off more than even he could chew…and being an archmage of the frozen wastelands he could usually chew quite a bit. For years, he had searched every scrap of text he could unearth, hoping to find some new clue as to the whereabouts of the ancient artefact. Upon finally discovering its location, he spent precious months and piles of gold in preparation. He’d come too far to turn back now. “Only fools fall at the final hurdle,” he spat between ragged, white breaths. He leaned into the driving wind and forced one boot in front of the other, their soles scraping against the frozen tunnel floor. 

Read this 18 page story, which will freeze your blood

Many more items, characters, and stories wait for you in Frozen Wastelands