Adventurers: The primary group consisting of Elara, Halite, Kragor, Scarlet, Whisper, Doctor Pepe, and— more recently— Gerhard. Brought together by the shared quest to unravel the mystery of the Frigid Woe, they have journeyed from Palebank Village to the icy shores of Eiselcross aboard the Remorhaz, and are now trekking across Foren to the Salsvault ruins. Each member is undergoing personal growth, honing their unique skills and deepening their bonds through shared adversity, unexpected moments of camaraderie (and cooking lessons), and the unsettling revelation of Kragor’s mysterious nocturnal experiences.
Arl Bortock: A jovial dwarf who tends bar at the Jolly Dwarf in Palebank Village. He provides the adventurers with lodging, refreshments, local insights, and identifies the Liel-Tethwick family. He later promises a thorough cleaning of his inn upon learning of potential contamination.
Bandits (Croaker Cave): Followers of Hulil Lutan, tasked with defending her operations within Croaker Cave. They battled the adventurers, resulting in casualties and one captured dwarf (associated with the Uttolot family) who provided intelligence before being knocked out.
Bandits (Pelc’s Curiosities): Followers of Hulil Lutan, encountered ransacking the shop searching for clues to cure Hulil’s Frigid Woe. They engaged the adventurers in combat but surrendered after several were defeated, revealing Hulil’s location and affliction.
Bill: A Glassblade in Palebank Village, encountered at the Jolly Dwarf, providing warnings about the dangers of the Frigid Woe and the port closure.
Bret: A human wizard and member of the Cerberus Assembly, rescued by the Remorhaz after the Frostfang, on which he had purchased passage, was destroyed by a giant squid. He was traveling as a passenger under Captain Gerhard Eisner and seeks urgent passage to Icehaven in Eiselcross, carrying vital news about Aeorian constructs encountered in the wastes. Captain Stonebeard has denied his request for diversion, directing him to Palebank Village.
The Buyer: An enigmatic figure residing in a large, well-maintained yurt in Syrinlya. Elro has instructed the party to deliver the Frigid Woe cure to this individual for teleportation back to Palebank Village. Orvo Mustave sold his share of the Salsvault artifacts to this person.
Doctor Pepe: Initially a mysterious rogue observing the adventurers, he formally joined their quest at Croaker Cave. He contributes sharp investigative skills, stealth, crossbow proficiency, and lock-picking abilities. He is proving adept at fishing and cooking, receiving special utensils from Chef Ingrid, and has shown skill at cards. He also discovered the properties of a garnet, showed keen intuition for optimal paths during travel, and expressed a concern for gluten-free scones.
Elara: An aasimar bard whose musical talents and spellcasting bolster the party. She excels at negotiation, inspiration, healing, and illusions. She discovered the Scanlan Shorthalt shirt, negotiated potion prices with Gramini, interrogated bandits, attempted diplomacy with Hulil, fed Old Croaker, identified Irven Liel, interacted with Javel over Tusk Love (ch. 3 and 8), performed enchantingly aboard the Remorhaz, played cards skillfully, and subdued the wolf-form Ingrid with the amulet. She used Light to light Doctor Pepe’s dagger, and Speak with Animals in an attempt to calm the winter wolf. She is mastering new melodies and enchantments, enhancing her performance and persuasion, and has taken on a guardian role, watching over Kragor during his unsettling sleep. She fell asleep briefly during her watch after the squid attack.
Elf Acolyte (Croaker Cave): A male elf and devout follower of Hulil Lutan, discovered kneeling beside her before a tapestry of Tiamat. He engaged the party in combat in defense of his priestess but was swiftly killed by a crossbow bolt to the neck from Doctor Pepe.
Elro Aldataur: A Glassblade leader in Palebank Village. He introduces the adventurers to the Frigid Woe mystery, confirms the disease’s name and Aeorian origins, explains the cure (milky liquid in golden vials), hires the party to retrieve the cure from Eiselcross, provides payment and bounty for Hulil’s gang, arranges passage on the Remorhaz, and identifies Orvo Mustave and “The Buyer” as contacts in Syrinlya. He has also promised to ensure Irven Liel’s family is cared for.
Fenton Tethwick: Irven Liel’s husband, traveling with Irven and their twin tiefling daughters (Honor & Magic). He helps care for the children while Irven discusses sensitive matters with the adventurers.
Gerhard Eisner: The former captain of the Frostfang, rescued alongside his crewman Rorik and passenger Bret. Hails from Icehaven, from a family of fishermen who recently began ferrying passengers. He possesses a magical ring allowing him to walk on water. Deeply affected by the loss of his ship, he has decided to join the adventurers’ quest, contributing his wilderness experience, map-reading skills, and combat support. He carries ship insurance procured from an Empire contact and takes turns on watch.
Giant Ice Frogs (Croaker Cave): Two aggressive, mastiff-sized, blue-skinned frogs that served as guards in the first chamber of Croaker Cave. They ambushed Doctor Pepe and Whisper upon their entry, wounding Whisper before the rest of the party arrived. One was killed by Elara’s magic, and the other retreated after being wounded by Doctor Pepe. They are distinct from the much larger, semi-domesticated Old Croaker.
Giant Squid: A colossal cephalopod encountered in the fog-laden Frigid Depths. It destroyed the Frostfang and attacked the Remorhaz before being slain by the combined efforts of the adventurers and crew. Sparky reported its remains smelled like farts.
Gramini: An elderly elf potion vendor at the Palebank Village docks. She sells the party healing potions, trades for a Scanlan Shorthalt shirt (which she frames and prices highly), and offers initial advice about Westeroff.
Griffin: A magnificent but unnamed griffin encountered with an arrow lodged in its wing. After Scarlet communicated with, treated, and healed the beast, it showed its gratitude by allowing her to ride it for several days. It served as an aerial scout for the party during their trek across Foren and warned them of giants to the north before departing.
Haldor: A deck hand on the Remorhaz, born and raised in snowy lands but with a love for fishing. He confronts the winter wolf in the kitchen with Ironfist and later bonds with Whisper while working the rigging, sharing stories of their respective homes and showing her techniques for tackling ice frozen into ropes.
Halite: A goliath fighter known for his strength, tactical mind, and mastery of the trident and javelin. He actively participates in interrogations and combat strategy. He has discovered a surprising aptitude and interest in cooking under Chef Ingrid’s tutelage, receiving special utensils and viewing cooking as a form of strategic battle planning. He acquired an arcane crystal focus from Westeroff and a miner’s pick in Syrinlya. He delivered the killing blow to both the Giant Squid and the Young Remorhaz, and nearly got buried in a snow pit. He harbors an ambition to learn more than just the cure and seeks to bring lost knowledge back to his people.
Hulil Lutan: A dwarf priestess of Tiamat and sister of Tulgi. Afflicted with Frigid Woe, she led criminal operations from Croaker Cave, seeking Aeorian artifacts and a cure. Defeated by the party, her journal revealed the sale of a blue vial to Irven Liel.
Ice Mephits: Three small, malevolent elemental creatures of ice, described as “flickering motes of azure” and “shards of living ice.” They are drawn to the magic sustaining the Salsvault ruins. Agile fliers, they attack with blasts of frigid air and can exhale shrouds of dense, swirling fog. They are fragile, exploding into ice shards when defeated by the party.
Ingrid: The skilled, if gruff, dwarven chef aboard the Remorhaz. She is revealed to be a lycanthrope (winter wolf), her transformation tied to a moon-and-rune amulet. She mentors several party members in cooking, gifting utensils to Kragor, Halite, and Doctor Pepe in recognition of their talent. She apologized to Whisper for biting her while transformed, and incongruously offered sandwiches during the height of the giant squid battle.
Ironfist: The First Mate of the Remorhaz. He confronts the winter wolf in the kitchen with Haldor and participates actively in the battle against the giant squid, manning a ballista and attempting to throw a rescue rope to the water-walking survivor.
Irven Liel: A traveling bookseller (specializing in wholesale) heading to Uthodurn with his husband Fenton and their twin tiefling daughters. He purchased a cracked blue vial containing Frigid Woe contagion from Hulil Lutan as an investment. He cooperates with the party, allowing Scarlet to confirm the danger, and now relies on them finding the cure for him and his entire family. He is a proponent of “Feather Leather” as a best-selling book.
Javel: An ancient, coughing dwarf trader operating out of a yurt in Syrinlya. He sells the party snowshoes (including blood-stained ones from a halfling eaten by a yeti) and ice hammers, bonding with Elara over a shared appreciation for the novel Tusk Love and gifting her a bottle of Sandkeg’s High whiskey. He warns them about yetis.
Kragor: An orc warlock from Bladegarden wielding eldritch power and a conjured war hammer. He actively uses hexes and blasts in combat, interrogates prisoners, and provides tactical spellcasting. He has discovered a talent for cooking under Chef Ingrid’s tutelage, receiving special utensils. He questioned Bret about his mission and Ingrid about her amulet. His arcane abilities are growing, allowing him to recover energy and enhance his eldritch blasts. He revealed his origin story, stating he gained his power from an otherworldly patron after experiencing strange dreams and near-death in Bladegarden. He has since been tormented by recurring nightmares of being entombed under ice, waking with inexplicable dirt under his fingernails. He discovered an “orphan” white dragon egg, felt a deep, personal connection to it, and despite its dangers, adopted it as his own, licking it in a moment of madness and injuring his tongue.
The Liel-Tethwicks: The traveling family consisting of Irven Liel, his husband Fenton Tethwick, and their twin tiefling daughters, Honor and Magic. They become entangled in the Frigid Woe mystery due to Irven’s purchase of a contaminated vial.
Mathias: The harried elf proprietor of “Mathias’s Stuffs” in Palebank Village, where the party buys supplies and sells bandit gear. He provides a warning about violent “wild folk” with black streaks on their faces in Eiselcross.
Mera: The skilled navigator of the Remorhaz. She participates in the card game, expertly pilots the ship through fog and during the squid attack, and calculates their position and arrival time in Syrinlya. She expressed delight at Elara’s musical performance and the liveliness of the group.
Morgo Delwur: A stout, weathered dwarf woman acting as an informal guide or contact in Syrinlya. She directs the party to Orvo and The Buyer, offers them the yurt of a deceased elf lordling (eaten by a saber-toothed tiger), and mentions local dangers before heading off on her own expedition.
Old Croaker: A giant ice frog of unusual size dwelling in Croaker Cave. Used by Hulil’s bandits (and later the party) for transport across an underground pool, motivated by treats (bats, elf hands). It attacked Whisper when startled. Scarlet confirmed it is venomous.
Orvo Mustave: A dwarf adventurer in Syrinlya and friend of the deceased Urgon, identified by a distinctive three-line scar on his cheek. He accompanied Urgon on the expedition where the blue vials were found in the Salsvault ruins (located in the Thin Sheets region). He provides the party with directions, details about the ruins’ dangers (Ice Mephits, animated armor), confirms he sold his share of artifacts to The Buyer, and directs them to Javel for snowshoes. He is saddened and angered by Urgon’s death.
Rorik: A young human crewman from the Frostfang, rescued alongside Captain Gerhard Eisner and Bret. He seems loyal to Gerhard.
Scanlan Shorthalt: A legendary and widely popular bard, known through his merchandise and literary works rather than a personal appearance. His name appears on a rare shirt the party barters to Gramini for a discount, and his book, Adventure Sexy: Impress Potential Lovers with Great Deeds, is found in an abandoned yurt in Syrinlya.
Scarlet: A halfling druid deeply connected to nature. She uses her knowledge, healing magic, and combat spells to aid the party. She identified Verla Pelc’s cause of death, tested the blue vial for contagion, identified Old Croaker’s venom, and diagnosed Ingrid’s lycanthropy. She has gained an owl companion (“Sparky”) used for scouting and has shown skill with the ballista. She acquired blood-stained snowshoes from Javel that were stained with blood from a halfling killed by a yeti. She is embracing the forms of earthly creatures and experienced a “flumph fever dream.” She used Fog Cloud to create a diversion and Entanglement to ensnare mephits. She communicated with and healed a griffin, riding it to scout ahead and receiving a warning about towering giants to the north. She sustained a burn extracting fire-resistant scales from the Young Remorhaz’s carcass.
Sparky: Scarlet’s owl familiar. A loyal and effective scout, Sparky provides aerial reconnaissance for the party. He scouted the fog-laden sea for land, reporting back to Scarlet that the remains of the giant squid “smelled bad… like farts.” He also proves helpful with navigating the featureless terrain of Foren.
Stonebeard: The seasoned captain of the Remorhaz. Initially deferential to Elro, he reveals a pragmatic, no-nonsense command style once at sea. He oversees ship operations, directs the crew during crises (the lycanthropy incident and the squid attack), interacts with the rescued survivors, and safely navigates to Syrinlya. He was surprised to learn of Ingrid’s lycanthropy, declined to charge Gerhard passage, and discussed the squid’s unusual focus on Bret. His ship requires weeks of repair before another crossing.
Tulgi Lutan: A solitary trapper in Palebank Village and sister of Hulil. Afflicted with Frigid Woe, she confessed her and Hulil’s criminal activities and theft from Urgon, revealing Hulil’s location in Croaker Cave.
Undead Figure: A solitary, decaying humanoid figure encountered walking with unnerving precision across the frozen landscape of Foren. The sound of its voice is like “grinding stone,” and it appears to be sightless. It is driven by a singular, obsessive purpose, asking, “Where is Lucien?” The party redirected it towards the River Inferno, hoping it would incinerate itself. Scarlet identified it as undead.
Urgon Wenth: A dwarven adventurer whose return from Eiselcross afflicted with Frigid Woe and subsequent death sparked the story’s central mystery. He recovered Aeorian artifacts, including the blue vials containing the contagion, from the Salsvault ruins alongside Orvo Mustave.
Verla Pelc: The owner of Pelc’s Curiosities in Palebank Village. Found frozen dead in her shop by the adventurers, a victim of the Frigid Woe after purchasing the blue vials from Urgon and handling them.
Westeroff: A retired wizard in Palebank Village. He provides limited magical identification services, confirms Urgon’s dagger is magical, sells Halite a crystal focus, and identifies a garnet for Doctor Pepe. He is notably not a fan of music.
Whisper: A tabaxi monk known for exceptional agility, stealth, and scouting. She often takes point, gathers information, and utilizes her claws and thrown weapons in combat. She survived being partially swallowed by an ice frog and later bitten by Ingrid in wolf form. She has enhanced resilience and self-healing capabilities. She worked the rigging aboard the Remorhaz, bonded with Haldor over stories of their homes and ice-tackling techniques, and excelled in the squid battle. She repeatedly expresses her dislike for Old Croaker, muttering “fucking frog.” She leads scouting missions, can have difficulty navigating featureless terrain, and noted a bright light streak across the sky during her watch. She attempted to bind an ice mephit and inadvertently took its head off.
White Dragon Egg: A massive, three-foot-tall, alabaster-white egg discovered by Halite on the Foren plains. Radiating an intense cold, it was identified by Scarlet as a white dragon egg that is perilously close to hatching. Kragor, after injuring his tongue by licking its frozen surface, formed an intense, personal connection to the egg, declaring it an “orphan” like himself and adopting it as his own, much to the concern of his companions.
Young Remorhaz: A monstrous, heat-radiating, segmented worm native to Eiselcross, capable of burrowing through snow and ice. The party encountered and defeated a juvenile remorhaz, confirming its aggressive, predatory nature and its unique internal furnace that consumes objects on contact. Its iridescent scales (thrym) offer fire resistance.