Sidequest: Arctic Ambush!
Here is our next monster focused sidequest, featuring frost giants & a remorhaz.
Background Info: A group of frost giants have been raiding livestock from a group of arctic villages. The previous day they managed to collect a couple remorhaz eggs from an unguarded nest. The mother later found the frost giants’ hideout and took care of a few giants there, but a giant patrol had already left…
Getting the PCs Involved:
- The PCs are staying in a remote village on their travels. They hear of the frost giant raids
- After analyzing the frost giant raids, the party knows this village is next. As protectors of the area, they embed themselves in the village and prepare.
Encounters:
- The giants are using the village residents–they prefer to make off with some livestock so the residents raise more that they can raid again in a few weeks. So they approach at night. The party & residents hear the animals getting nervous.
- A blur of giants approach as they attempt to run in, grab a few animals, and leave. If the PCs were prepared, their plans are set in motion.
- In the middle of battle (or as the giants are about to leave) perceptive PCs feel a warmth underground. Seconds later, a remorhaz bursts through the snow-covered ground.
- Do the PCs team up vs. the remorhaz or focus on the giants? The giants focus on the most potent warrior, whether that is the remorhaz or a PC.
- The giants or the remorhaz will run if greatly injured. If the giants run first, the remorhaz will follow them. If the remorhaz flees, and the giants are badly hurt, they will take an animal and run in another direction.
Follow-Up Adventure Ideas:
- The PCs could look for the giants’ lair or the remorhaz lair for the eggs or other treasures.
Scale the Adventure Up or Down:
- The remorhaz could be injured from finding a few frost giants in their lair when recovering the eggs.
- Their could be a mated pair of remorhaz seeking revenge.
Other Possible Creatures: In other climates, fire giants or hill giants vs. a purple worm. For a lower challenge, consider orcs or ogres and a bulette.
