IWD 5.0 - Introduction and Hooks

Introduction to Icewind Dale 5th Edition

Icewind Dale was originally crafted under the auspices of a modified Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Ruleset done by Black Isle Studios.  This attempt will be adapting the campaign to 5th Edition Ruleset.

Print Sources for the Campaign

The following books are what I plan on utilizing for this adventure. A central theme of the Icewind Dale setting are the elemental forces of the wild North.  As such, I highly recommend expanding the spell lists for players to incorporate the spells in the Elemental Player Companion.  An easy way to do this is to start them out without using it and then introduce scrolls with such spells on them, and allow them to learn spells from the Companion as they progress through levels.

• Player's Handbook (Free Basic PDF)
• Dungeon Master Guide (Free Basic PDF)
• Elemental Player Companion (Free PDF)
• Monster Manual (and my own personal creations)

Recommended Player Race Provisions:

• No Drow - This is a time before even Drizzt started breaking the mold.  Drow are decidedly antagonists for this campaign
• No Aakokra - The campaign has not been built to accommodate flying. 
• No Dragonborn - Dragonborn didn't exist at this time period.

Deities

The pantheon is that of before the Time of Troubles.

Avoid allegiances to Auril or Demons.  Both are possible, but these are antagonists in the campaign and you will have to reconcile this difference.  Myrkul also plays a similar role, though having a player be a devotee "complicates" an early portion of the campaign into possibly being easier than built.  Ilmater, Silvanus, Tempus, a "Forgotten God", Seldarine Deities (Solonor, Labelas, Corellon, Shevarash), and Dwarven Deities (Moradin, Berronar, Clangeddin, and others)  all have worshipers or shrines with varying impact and significance throughout the campaign.

General Story Arc

The general plot line of the campaign serves as a bit of an origin story of the first wielder of Crenshinibon on the Prime Material Plane, the demon Belhifet (disguised as Brother Poquelin, priest of Ilmater) and his defeat by the players with the aid of the cleric of Tempus.

The players begin as newcomers to the small fishing village of  Easthaven and are pulled into helping with increasing hostility from orcs and goblins.  After coming to the aid of Khuldahar after receiving a messenger for help, the players find that the answers are not to be found there or in the tombs, but deeper underneath the mountains.  This leads to the discovery of Yuan-ti serving the demon Yxunomei, a rival to Belhifet.  After defeating her, the players discover a lost Elvish outpost that is under a form of stasis from a broken mythal of protection.  In return for their aid, the elf there guides the players further into a dwarven outpost that Poquelin had made his stronghold for his plans.  Eventually flushing him out of his sanctuary and away from his allies, the players find themselves back in Easthaven which has been overcome by Crenshinibon and must confront Belhifet in his final form to seal a portal to the Abyss.

Player Origins

Due to the harsh reality of the North, starting players at level 2 or 3 is recommended.  However, the players can still begin the campaign as level 1 as a "challenge" mode, by simply minimizing the encounters to the least possible combatants when given the option.  (this is my personal preference as a player)

The players beginning in Easthaven provides many hooks to devise how they came to be there.

Here are a few suggestions to explain why they are there as level 3.  Some hooks have the potential to adventures to run yourself so that they end up in Easthaven already at level 3, or the hooks can work so that they are still only level 2 or even 1, and still find themselves in Easthaven.

• Mercenaries of the North
• They are members of a mercenary company arrived from as part of a caravan or a ship
• Escorts to deliver the new assistant to Everard at the temple
• Delivering goods or a message to Pomab from Calimshan.
• Adventurers come north
• Seeking a lost dwarven (or elven) outpost mentioned briefly in a document or map
• Seeking excitement
• Haunted by Dreams
• High tower, beckoning power
• A great tree seeking aid
• Barbarian battles calling challenge
• Native Shoremen and Fishermen
• Warrior of local barbarians or hunter
• Shaman or Cleric of local deities
• Traveler heading for the Temple of Ilmater or Shrine of Silvanus in Kuldahar.
• A follower of one of the listed Deities, inspired come to this small fishing village but having no clue as to why.

These are certainly not exhaustive in nature, not intended to limiting, and perhaps I will augment the list at a later date as well.

Campaign Structure

The campaign (as of now May 28, 2015) is anticipated to take the following structure based on central location of the story:

Prologue - Easthaven

Chapter 1 - Kuldarhar Pass and Kuldahar

Chapter 2 - Vale of Shadows

Chapter 3 - Dragon's Eye

Chapter 4 - The Severed Hand

Chapter 5 - Dorn's Deep

Chapter 6 - Crenshinibon

Each section will have general setting notes, objectives, possible side quest suggestions, and potential treasure that could be found.

Then each section will have a list of the encounters, maps, and stat blocks for any non-Monster Manual creatures.  

The campaign is mostly linear in form so that a specific tale is told, but that is not to be limiting in your and your player's stories.  Be sure to look for ways to augment the story by playing up the various hooks throughout the story.