Goals
The main goal of the Frosthold Monastery, as a community of monks following the Way of Mercy, is to provide aid and healing to those in need. They strive to bring comfort and relief to those who are suffering, whether it be through physical healing, emotional support, or spiritual guidance. Additionally, the monks of the Way of Mercy also seek to end suffering for those who are beyond help, through acts of mercy such as euthanasia. They also focus on training their minds and bodies, and strive to improve their martial arts and ki manipulation skills, to better serve their communities. Overall, their goal is to bring compassion and relief to those in need, and to do so with a sense of balance, realism, and responsibility.
Admittance
Monks of the Frosthold Monastery who follow the Way of Mercy are typically recruited from among the poor and the sick. They are often taken in as children and trained in the ways of the monastery from a young age. However, it is not uncommon for adults to be admitted into the monastery if they have shown a deep commitment to helping others and possess the physical and mental discipline required to master the monastic martial arts and harness the power of ki.
Admission into the monastery typically involves an extensive interview process and a series of physical and mental trials to assess the applicant's fitness for monastic life. Those who are accepted into the monastery are expected to take a vow of poverty and commit to a life of service to others. They will be trained in the monastic martial arts and the use of ki to heal and protect others, as well as the philosophical and spiritual principles of the Way of Mercy.
Perks
With the frosthold monastery as your group’s patron, you gain the following benefits:
Equipment. Each member of your party receives a Healer's Kit. each member also receive a depp hooded robe and a mask that conceal their face.
Proficiencies. Each member of your party gains proficiency in the Medicine skill, if the character doesn’t already have it.
Base of Operation
The
Frosthold Monastery, nestled deep within the
Frosthold mountain range, is home to a sect of monks who follow the Way of Mercy.
Frostside Contests
The Frostside contests are described below. They can be run in any order. The rules of the Frostside contests are as follows.
Competitors. Any number of characters can partake in each contest, but each contest is held only once. After hearing a contest’s objective, all the characters who wish to compete in the contest must do so at the same time.
Objective. To win a contest, a character must complete the contest’s objective before the other competitors. The objective for each contest is included in the contest descriptions that follow.
Opponent and Conduct. One monk of the frosthold monastery competes in each contest against any characters who take part. Purposefully dealing damage to another competitor immediately disqualifies the attacker. Other forms of interference—such as tripping or distracting—are permitted but are considered poor play. Using magic and supernatural abilities is not only allowed but expected.
Prizes. As long as at least one character wins a contest, the party earns that contest’s prize. Each contest’s prize is indicated in the contest’s description below. Regardless of how many characters win a particular contest, only one prize is awarded per contest.
Fire Giant’s Spirit
The characters are lead to the base of a 100-foot-tall cliff. A series of hempen ropes dangle from the clifftop. Each competitor must climb one of these ropes. The first competitor to reach the clifftop wins the contest. A competitor who stops touching one of the ropes at any point is disqualified.
At the start of the contest’s second round, wrestlers atop the cliff dribble boiling oil down each rope. A creature that starts its turn holding onto the oily rope takes 5 (2d4) fire damage, or half as much damage with a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. A creature must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to climb an oily rope. Failing this check by 5 or more causes the creature to fall.
Prize. If a character wins the contest of fire giant’s spirit, they are awarded a potion of fire giant strength.
Cloud Giant’s Grace
Each competitor must carry a 200-pound boulder across a 150-foot-wide ice field. If the boulder touches the ground, the competitor is disqualified. The first competitor to reach the other end of the ice field without dropping the boulder wins the contest.
The ice field is a smooth tract of ice that emane intense cold. A creature that ends its turn touching the ground of the ice field takes 21 (6d6) cold damage.
At the start of the contest’s second round, a geyser of ice erupts, sending large chink of ice crashing down the mountainside. At the start of each competitor’s turn, the competitor must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or have the prone condition. The boulders settle across the ice field at the end of the second round, creating potential safe spots for competitors to jump between to avoid touching the lava field.
Prize. If a character wins the contest of cloud giant’s grace, they are awarded a potion of flying.
Stone Giant’s Resolve
Each competitor must sit or stand atop a wooden post beneath a roaring waterfall. If a competitor’s body ceases to be in contact with the wooden post, the competitor is disqualified. The last competitor touching their wooden post wins the contest.
Each competitor is coated in a magical mud paste. After 1 minute, the paste hardens into a protective barrier as hard as stone. However, a single movement causes the mud barrier to crack, ruining its protection. After the paste is applied but before it hardens, each competitor can take a place on a wooden post beneath a waterfall whose river has been temporarily dammed. The contest begins when each competitor’s mud paste has hardened and the dam is removed.
This is a contest of willpower, not fortitude. The crashing waterfall is almost deafening, and the sensation of being encased in mud is unpleasant. At the end of a mud-encased competitor’s turn, that competitor must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the competitor flinches, causing the mud barrier to crack. If the barrier cracks, at the start of each of the competitor’s turns, the competitor must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet from the waterfall and have the prone condition.
Prize. If a character wins the contest of stone giant’s resolve, they are awarded a Quaal’s feather token (tree).
History
In the ancient chronicles of Frosthold Monastery, the heroic tale of Maple Smallfoot is recounted as a story of virtue, redemption, and the relentless pursuit of inner strength. Maple, a gnome of unparalleled resolve, was celebrated as a paragon of goodness, with her virtuous powers seemingly bestowed upon her by the divine.
Yet beneath the facade of her noble persona hid a closely guarded secret, known only to Maple and her enigmatic patron—an archdevil whose name dared not be spoken. In a clandestine ceremony, Maple forged a pact with this sinister entity, willingly trading her soul for immense otherworldly power. Her newfound abilities were nothing short of awe-inspiring, and she became a formidable force to be reckoned with.
However, fate took an unexpected turn when Elise Kythera Zaavan, a prominent figure from the Orrin Empire, embarked on a quest that ultimately led to a confrontation with the archdevil who had granted Maple her powers. In the fierce battle that ensued, Maple's patron was defeated, and her once-mighty abilities were forcibly stripped away. In her weakened state, she turned to the very principles of balance and discipline that she had long neglected. It was during this period of vulnerability that she embarked on a new path, the way of mercy.
From this transformative experience, Maple Smallfoot emerged with newfound wisdom. She devoted herself to the pursuit of the way of mercy, laying the cornerstone for the legendary Frosthold Monastery.
Her legacy endures, although the true nature of her pact and her fall from grace have been obscured by the revised history of the monastery. Maple Smallfoot's name now stands as a testament to the enduring power of redemption and the indomitable spirit's ability to overcome adversity, serving as a wellspring of inspiration for countless monks who follow in her footsteps.
Notable members
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