Lair of Frostingbite

An Adventure for 7th Level Characters

Hook

There have been reports that the few farmers of Hundelstone, who shepherd oxen, have been waking to find their cattle stolen. The problem is advertised with a poster in Hundelstone's town hall, offering a rich reward (500 gp) for any adventurers who solve the case of the town's missing oxen, and to seek out farmer Joseph Tripplehorn at The Gnarled Gnome for more details.
Farmer Joseph Tripplehorn (NG male rock gnome commoner), one of the first victims of losing his oxen, is very upset as he has now lost all of his income. He is worried that his family will not have enough gold to survive. He tells adventurers that one of his stolen oxen was wearing a gem-encrusted cowbell, which is very valuable to his family, and may be his family’s last hope at an income. He shows the adventurers the paddock and the tracks left on the snow-covered field. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check will deduce that these tracks were made by many kobolds. They lead many miles into the mountains, up a steep snow-covered path, and finally up to the entrance of an old abandoned mineshaft high up the side of the mountain, to The Lair of Frostingbite.

The Lair of Frostingbite

The kobolds in this abandoned natural mine serve a young white dragon, Frostingbite, which they only describe as "The White Master". The dragon has the band of kobolds periodically steal oxen from the farmers of Hundelstone. The oxen are fed to the dragon to keep up her strength during the nesting of her egg hidden far within her cavernous lair. Her plan is to devour the people of Hundelstone once there are no oxen left.
When the characters confront the dragon, read the following:

You suddenly hear a booming voice from above. "Do you think you can stop me from eating them all?! From growing in my power?! Those peasant farmers will feed my hatchling when the time is right! Do you think you can stop me? You have another thing coming fleshed one!" With that, a white dragon jumps from one of the three icy ledges high above on the walls of the cavern. She lands heavily as she grins with her giant razor-sharp teeth and lowers her head, just as a cat might ready itself to pounce. "And now... it’s supper time!"

Developments

If the adventurers defeat Frostingbite, the people of Hundelstone have been saved from attack. The adventurers now have the option to return the cowbell to farmer Tripplehorn. Joseph mentions that he’ll eventually sell the heirloom cowbell to a nearby merchant. The money he gains he’ll use to not only restock his own oxen, but also donate some to the other farms who are in a similar predicament.
If the characters offer to donate a portion of the dragon’s horde to Tripplehorn, he is overcome with emotion at the offer, including the fact that he won’t have to sell the family heirloom cowbell. He mentions that it will cost 15 gp to replace one ox. He estimates that 600 gp would not only replace his herd but also go a long way to helping those other farms. Anything short of the 600 gp and Tripplehorn may still consider selling the bell to cover the shortfall.
If the adventurers did not defeat the young white dragon, and died or retreated, she will grow angry and immediately leave her lair to take revenge on the people of Hundelstone. She will continue to make repeated attacks on the town until everyone has been killed or driven off, or Frostingbite herself is killed.

Related Locations

• Hundelstone
• Lair of Frostingbite