Rime of the Frostmaiden and the Crystal Shards - Level 17!
Dungeons & Dragons 5e | Campaign
About the adventure
They say it's darkest before the dawn. But what if the dawn never comes? What if the goddess of ice decided the sun doesn't need to rise anymore? What if Lady Frostkiss never explained her motivations to all the northerners who desperately need that light and heat? Well, after a couple of years of the sun hiding behind the horizon, things might get pretty ugly north the Spine of the World. Opportunists and profiteers might seize the situation, trading on the misery of the innocent to hoard coin and power. People might begin sacrificing friends, lovers and loved ones just to stay the hand of this inscrutably cruel goddess. New, as-yet unknown forms of life (and even un-life) might start crawling out of the cracks in the ground to terrorize the confused, scattered survivors. Unfortunately, north the Spine of the World, these aren't what ifs, maybes or mights. This is just the cold, black reality of life these days in Icewind Dale. Auril the Frostmaiden has cast the same spell every night for over two years now, and those filthy, forgotten magicks keep the sun from rising on the coldest part of the world, the part that needs its warmth the most. The trapped people of the north cry out for mercy to the goddess of mercilessness as they freeze to death in their own beds, but if she hears, if she cares? No one knows. Mayhap those frozen souls will learn the answers to all questions in the next world. Welcome to the far north. The passages leading out are choked, blocked and beyond treacherous, so you're here for the long haul. But if you don't do something about this never-ending winter, you might not be here for as long as you'd like. They say Auril can not be denied. They say a lot, don't they? Prove them wrong.
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5.0
(33)
3 years on StartPlaying
517 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Knows the Rules, Storytelling
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
Game Master Reviews (33)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Creativity
Knows the Rules
Storytelling
Stephane
Played 24 sessions
I can’t say enough great things about our Dungeon Master, Jacob, and the incredible campaign he ran! From start to finish, the experience was nothing short of amazing. Jacob’s storytelling and characters were immersive and dynamic. His voices brought every NPC to life, and his challenging yet engaging combat encounters always kept us thinking on our feet. His knowledge of the rules was impeccable, but he also embraced the “rule of cool” in the best way—allowing awesome, creative ideas as long as they weren’t game-breaking or too far-fetched. What stood out most was how beginner-friendly Jacob was. He was always there to help newer players, explaining things with patience and kindness. His sense of humor made every session fun and lighthearted, while still giving space for epic and emotional moments. He also used music brilliantly to set the tone, adding even more depth to the already fantastic storytelling. Jacob’s kindness, patience, and ability to balance everything made the campaign an absolute joy to be a part of. If you ever get the chance to have Jacob as your DM, jump on it—you’ll be in for an unforgettable adventure!
Kate
Played 7 sessions
Jake is a great DM, patient, inclusive, and knowledgeable. He has a solid grasp of lore and runs a complex and creative combat encounter. His NPCs are unique and he’s good with voices. I really appreciated the guidance and experience running on Foundry as I’ve always found it to be complicated, but he made it very accessible. I’d say the game I was in was a little more balanced toward combat and quest completion rather than RP, but that could also have been a factor of the group that had assembled to play, just not meshing as much as I was looking for in a party. We had a lot of coming and going of players and a few delays with scheduling, so it didn’t quite pick up to the point where I was able to engage entirely. Still, I recommend giving Jake a shot and rolling some dice at his table!
Kev
Played 7 sessions
Jake is an awesome DM! Makes each session equal parts fun + challenging. Super well-versed in the game mechanics/rules, while always encouraging + rewarding players for creativity + out of the box choices. Makes sure all players are included in the story + roleplay as well. Great guy - definitely recommend!
Antonio
Played 57 sessions
Jake is the absolute man. I’ve got over 40 sessions with him in two different games and they are always a blast. Very friendly, will absolutely help you out if you are new to the game, and he always looks for constructive feedback. Not to mention he runs some super fun campaigns. 10/10 would recommend him to someone just getting into online DND or long time players
JD
Played 111 sessions
Jake has been a great DM and Freind throughout my time getting to play with him during our campaigns. He is very knowledgeable and helpful throughout the sessions in regard to learning the game and becoming immersed in the DnD world. He keeps you captivated in the story and engaged throughout each session while keeping you on your toes never knowing when the next battle or twist in the game play is coming. 10/10
Thomas Jarvis
Played 107 sessions
ParryDuckKill is an amazing DM! When I first joined, I wanted to just play a game cause I was bored and had only a little interest in staying. Needless to say, 10 weeks later I'm still with the party. He's an AWSOME DM who has an EXCELLENT CHOICE in battle music, exploration music ect. His narrations are freaking SICK as well. When he narrates the different scenes, he adds such a immersive like voice to it! On top of all that, he's vary knowledgeable in the rules, and if he doesn't know the rule/spell, he takes notes and learns for the next time one of our characters pulls the BS spell again.
Additional details
How to prepare
Players will need an internet connection to log into my Forge server for the Foundry, and they need a Discord account for verbal communication and whatever other technology required to use Discord in their preferred method. So a microphone if they're using Discord through their actual computer, or earbuds if they're using Discord through their phone. Or I guess they could just hold the phone to the side of their head for three hours straight LIKE A SAVAGE. However you prefer to handle things, so long as we can all hear you. (In fact, savages are welcome and often even preferred at my tables.) Players should have at least a rough understanding of D&D 5th Edition rules, but I am open to first time players. I always consider it an honor to christen a player's maiden voyage. I will work with players in advance of the game's beginning to create their characters via my DNDBeyond account which gives them access to every core book published so far. I’m open to homebrew, and I love working with players to bring their character vision to life. No software installation is necessary unless you've never downloaded Discord before. The Foundry runs off a simple link I send to my players, it couldn't be easier. Dice and character sheets will all be found within the world, and the digital dice can even be customized. The dice are in my top 10 favorite features of the Foundry. Chances are, you'll end up spending way more time skinning them than you suspect.
What I provide
I'm bringing a version of Icewind Dale that I've been building and playtesting for the past year. A version that strays far from the official module's convenient plot structure and too-often sanitized approach to life in a land teetering on the edge of cosmic apocalypse. A version influenced in equal parts by the barbarian apologia of Robert E. Howard, by the unparalleled way Jack London described survival in a polar environment, and by the seminal works of R. A. Salvatore, the man without whom that brutal corner of Faerûn would not even exist. Also, in the spirit of Robert E. Howard and his peerless rendition of the most iconic barbarian of all time, I recently wrote a true d100 table for Tasha's recent Wild Magic Barbarian subclass. You won't find it at any other table, and it's a lot of fun. I've been playtesting it for the past year.
Gameplay details
I've been involved with role playing games long before content warnings were part of them. I look at D&D the way I look at The Princess Bride. That's a movie all ages can appreciate, but it's still ostensibly for children. It touches on some incredibly serious, adult topics -- torture, kidnapping, gaslighting, murder, emotional abuse, suicide, alcoholism, revenge, indentured servitude, romance and true love -- but the storytellers do it in a way that can be accessed by any audience. That's what I've always strived for in the games I run, a story which will thrill adults while still being appropriate for children. Also, I don't think players should have to pay for a session zero. I would attempt to handle session zero business prior to the first official session.
Content warnings
• Animal abuse
• Alcoholism
• Alcohol Use
• Animal Death
• Blood
• Body Horror
• Child Abuse
• Child Death
• Character Death
• Domestic Abuse
• Drowning
• Drugs (addiction, use, withdrawal)
• Fire
• Guns
• Hostages
• Insects
• Illness
• Kidnapping
• Murder
• Mind alteration
• Memory Erasing
• Medical Issues
• Pet Death
• Slavery
• Snakes
• Spiders
• Terrorism
• Violence
Safety tools used
• Bleed
• Session 0
How will character creation work
Characters begin at the beginning -- level 1, and they will be created via my DNDBeyond account which grants my players access to every 5th edition core book published thus far. Character creation will occur prior to the game, and character sheets are then exported into my Foundry world.
Players can expect
Combat / Tactics
High
Roleplay
High
Puzzles
Medium
Experience level
Open to all
Platforms used
• Foundry VTT
• Discord
• D&D Beyond
$24.00
/ Session
Each player will be charged when a session starts.
Details
Weekly / Sunday - 6:30 PM UTC
Apr 27 / Session 67
3-4 Hour Duration
3 / 6 Seats Filled
Schedule
Requirements
Experience required: Open to all
Age: All Ages