The Ghost of Hong Kong wandered into the snows leaving our party of adventurers to settle events themselves. She walked into the flames and smiled at the party. 'You've got this!' she said and faded into the darkness.
Adventure Background: The Silent Workshop
For centuries, Nicholas the Gift-Giver (a powerful Lawful Good Cleric/Artificer) has operated his workshop from a pocket dimension accessible through a glacier in the Far North. However, a disgruntled ex-apprentice, a duergar named Krampus the Bitter, has infected the workshop’s mechanical "Clockwork Helpers" with a chaotic rust-curse, turning the festive sanctuary into a deathtrap of gears and steam.
Room 1: The Sorting Hall
The massive entrance hall is filled with towering mahogany shelves and pneumatic tubes.
The Hazard: The Automated Sorting Crane has gone haywire. It attempts to "sort" players into giant mailbags.
The Combat: 4 Corrupted Toy Soldiers (Stats below) march from the gift-wrapping station.
Corrupted Toy Soldier
HD: 3d8 (14 hp); AC: 17; Atk: Bayonet +4 (1d8); Special: Stiff Movements (Always acts last in initiative). Saves: P. AL: N.
Room 2: The Toy Forge
The heart of the workshop is a massive furnace powered by a bound Fire Elemental. Krampus has choked the flues, causing the room to fill with thick, soot-filled smoke.
The Challenge: Players must succeed on a Strength (Prime) check (CC 15) to turn the iron wheels to open the vents while fending off embers.
The Combat: 2 Heat-Stressed Steam Mephits.
Room 3: The Stable of the Star-Stag
The "Reindeer" are actually Celestial Stags. Krampus has placed a Mirror of Opposition in the hayloft, causing the stags to fight their own dark reflections.
The Goal: Break the mirror without harming the disoriented Celestial Stags.
The Boss: Krampus the Bitter (Duergar Fighter/Thief) is perched in the rafters, sniping with a heavy crossbow that fires icicles.
Key Stats for the Adventure
| Monster/NPC | HD | AC | Primary Attack | Special Ability |
| Krampus | 6d10 | 18 | +7 X-Bow (1d10+2 cold) | Invisibility (as per racial) |
| Clockwork Elf | 2d8 | 15 | +3 Wrench (1d6) | Oil Spray (Dex save or slip) |
| The "Big Guy" | 8d12 | 20 | +9 Heavy Mace (2d6+4) | Stun (on natural 20) |
Nicholas (The "Big Guy"): If the players free him from the "Naughty List Cage" in the final room, he acts as an 8th-level Cleric but refuses to deal lethal damage, instead using Hold Person and Silence to pacify enemies.
Magical Loot
The Ever-Full Sack: Once per day, can produce any non-magical item worth less than 10gp (CL 5).
Boots of the Tundra: Ignore movement penalties in snow; +2 to saves vs. cold-based attacks.
Coal of Smoldering: A chunk of magical coal that, when thrown, acts as a Fireball (5d6) but only affects those of Evil alignment.
In Castles & Crusades, the Duergar (Gray Dwarves) are known for their innate magical resistance and their ability to manipulate their physical size. Krampus the Bitter is a formidable foe who uses his environment—rafters, conveyor belts, and shadows—to harass the party.
Krampus the Bitter
Duergar Fighter/Thief (Level 6/6)
Hit Dice: $6d10+12$ (48 HP)
Armor Class: 18 (Chainmail +2, Dexterity)
Move: 20 ft. (Dwarf)
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Saves: Physical (Strength, Constitution, Dexterity)
Attacks
"The Switch" (Magic Club +1): +8 to hit; 1d6+4 damage. (Can inflict Subdual damage at no penalty).
Heavy Crossbow (Icicle Bolts): +7 to hit; 1d10+2 damage. Range: 120 ft. On a hit, the target must make a Constitution save (CC 12) or have their movement speed halved for 1 round due to frostbite.
Special Abilities
Invisibility: Once per day, Krampus can turn invisible as the spell. He uses this to reposition after a backstab.
Enlarge: Once per day, Krampus can double his size for 6 rounds. His melee damage dice increase by one step (1d6 becomes 1d8), and he gains a +2 bonus to Strength checks.
Backstab: If Krampus attacks from behind or while hidden, he gains a +4 to hit and deals triple (3x) damage.
Light Sensitivity: Krampus suffers a -1 penalty to hit when in bright, direct light (such as a Continual Flame or the Workshop’s main forge flare).
Magic Resistance: Duergar are naturally resistant to the arcane. Krampus gains a +4 bonus to all saving throws against spells and illusions.
Thief Skills
Hide/Move Silently: 60%
Climb: 90% (He moves through the workshop rafters with ease).
Traps: 45% (He has rigged the "Coal Chute" to dump soot on players).
Combat Tactics
Krampus is a coward at heart but a tactical genius in his own domain. He will rarely stand and fight in the open.
The Ambush: He begins the encounter Invisible, waiting for a player to interact with a workshop machine.
The Drop: He attempts a Backstab with "The Switch," then immediately uses his Climb skill to retreat into the rafters.
The Growth: If cornered or reduced to half health (24 HP), he will Enlarge, becoming a hulking, soot-stained monster, and attempt to shove players into the "Naughty List Compactor" (a mechanical trap dealing 2d10 damage).
In the Gift Wrapping Room, Krampus has modified the "Naughty List Compactor"—originally intended to recycle scrap parchment—into a deadly, high-pressure hydraulic trap. The machine sits at the end of a 20-foot long conveyor belt.
The Naughty List Compactor
Type: Mechanical/Hazard
Trigger: Pressure Plate (at the start of the conveyor belt) or Remote Lever (held by Krampus).
The Hazard Sequence
The Belt (The Grab): When a creature steps on the 5-foot-wide belt, they must succeed on a Dexterity Save (CC 15) or be knocked prone and pulled 10 feet toward the crushing Maw.
The Maw (The Squeeze): At the end of the belt, heavy iron plates slam together once per round on initiative count 0.
Damage: $4d6$ points of crushing damage.
Save: A Strength Save (CC 18) allows a character to brace the plates, taking half damage and preventing the "Compacted" status.
The "Compacted" Condition
If a character is reduced to 0 HP by the compactor or fails their Strength save by 5 or more, they are Compacted.
The character is squeezed into a 2x2x2 foot cube of holiday-themed wrapping paper and tied with a magical bow.
Effect: The character is Held (as per Hold Person) until the bow is cut (requires a magical blade or a Strength check CC 20).
Disabling the Machine
Characters can attempt to shut down the compactor mid-combat:
Junking the Gears: A character can toss a heavy metal object (like a shield or a Corrupted Toy Soldier's head) into the gears. This requires a Strength (Prime) check (CC 15). Success jams the machine for $1d4$ rounds.
Cutting the Pneumatics: A character with a sharp weapon can attack the steam hoses (AC 16, 10 HP). Destroying a hose releases a cloud of scalding steam ($1d6$ fire damage to all nearby) but permanently slows the belt.
Thievery: A Rogue can use Open Locks/Fine Mechanics to find the emergency shut-off valve at the base of the machine (CC 18).
Tactical Integration
Krampus will use his Enlarge ability specifically to Overbear (see C&C Players Handbook, Combat section) characters, attempting to shove them onto the belt. If he successfully knocks a player prone on the conveyor, he will mockingly shout, "Package for the abyss!"
When the pneumatic tubes or the central furnace flues are damaged (either by the players or as a result of Krampus’s erratic sabotage), Scalding Steam becomes a significant tactical threat. Unlike fire, steam lingers and obscures, making the workshop floor a chaotic mess of white fog and searing heat.
Environmental Hazard: Scalding Steam
Trigger: Rupturing a steam pipe (AC 16, 10 HP) or failing to vent the Toy Forge.
Area of Effect: A 15-foot radius cloud centered on the rupture. The cloud acts as Obscuring Mist, providing Total Concealment (50% miss chance) to anyone inside.
Effects
Any creature starting their turn inside the cloud or entering it for the first time must make a Constitution Save (CC 14):
Failed Save: The creature takes $2d6$ fire/heat damage and is Blinded for 1 round as their eyes and goggles fog up and sting.
Successful Save: The creature takes half damage and is not blinded.
Note on Armor: Characters wearing Plate Mail or heavy metal armor suffer a -2 penalty to this save, as the metal suit acts as a conductor, trapping the heat against their skin (the "Lobster Pot" effect).
Dissipation
The steam is thick and magical. It lasts for $1d6+1$ rounds unless a character opens an external ventilation hatch (requires a Strength check, CC 12) or uses a spell like Gust of Wind.
Tactical Usage: "The Steam Screen"
Krampus is intimately familiar with the pipe layout. If he is being pelted by ranged attacks, he will intentionally strike a nearby pipe with "The Switch" to create a screen of Scalding Steam.
Because he is a Duergar with a high Constitution and Magic Resistance (+4 to saves), he often ignores the damage while using the concealment to Hide (60%) and setup a fresh backstab.
To tie the adventure together, here is the Map Key for the Frozen Forge. The workshop is built in a circular fashion around the central furnace, with rooms connected by both hallways and high-altitude conveyor belts.
The Frozen Forge: Map Key
1. The Entry Vestibule (The Naughty & Nice Gate)
Two massive iron statues of nutcrackers flank a frozen oak door.
The Trap: Anyone of Evil alignment who touches the door handles triggers a Shocking Grasp (1d8 damage, no save).
The Guard: 2 Corrupted Toy Soldiers stand at attention. They only attack if the party cannot provide a "Pass-Gift" (any small item of sentimental value).
2. The Sorting Hall & Mail Room
A 60-foot tall chamber filled with pneumatic tubes and the Automated Sorting Crane.
The Hazard: The Crane (HD 4, AC 16) acts on Initiative 20. It attempts to grapple a random player (+6 to hit). If successful, it drops them into a mailbag (Restrained).
The Loot: A search of the "Undeliverable" bin yields a Potion of Frost Giant Strength.
3. The Toy Forge (The Heart)
A massive, soot-stained room dominated by a central furnace.
The Environment: This room contains the Scalding Steam pipes. Krampus has rigged the furnace to overheat.
The Objective: Players must turn three brass valves (Strength CC 15) located at different corners of the room to stabilize the forge.
The Enemy: 3 Steam Mephits emerge from the pipes if a valve is turned.
4. The Gift Wrapping Room (The Kill Zone)
A narrow room dominated by the Naughty List Compactor and its conveyor belt.
The Ambush: This is where Krampus makes his stand. He waits in the rafters (20 feet up) to snipe at players as they struggle with the conveyor belt.
The Leverage: Krampus has the "Big Guy" (Nicholas) locked in a cold-iron cage suspended directly over the compactor’s Maw.
5. The Celestial Stables
A pristine, snow-covered indoor paddock at the back of the forge.
The Mirror: The Mirror of Opposition is mounted on the far wall. The Celestial Stags (Stats as Winter Wolves, but Lawful Good) are currently fighting their dark shadows.
The Secret: Behind a bale of "Star-Hay" is a hidden trapdoor leading to the Sleigh Launchpad.
6. The Launchpad
An open-air balcony overlooking the frozen tundra.
The Final Choice: The Clockwork Sleigh is idling here. If Krampus is reduced to 10 HP, he will flee toward the sleigh.
The Reward: If the forge is saved and Nicholas is freed, he grants each player a "Gift of the Spirit" (a permanent +1 to any one Saving Throw Prime).
Navigation Table
| From Room... | To Room... | Connection Type | Danger Level |
| 1. Entry | 2. Sorting Hall | Grand Hallway | Low |
| 2. Sorting | 3. Toy Forge | Pneumatic Tube (Slide) | Medium |
| 3. Forge | 4. Wrapping | Conveyor Belt | High |
| 4. Wrapping | 5. Stables | Hidden Service Door | Medium |
| 5. Stables | 6. Launchpad | Open Archway | Low (Atmospheric) |
The workshop is carved into the heart of a glacier, designed in a "loop" that centers on the heat of the Forge.
Map of The Frozen Forge
____________________[ 6 ]____________________
/ (The Sleigh Launchpad) \
/ \
| __________ __________ |
| | | | | |
| | [ 5 ] |_______________| [ 4 ] | |
| | Stables |<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<| Wrapping | |
| |__________| (Conveyor) |__________| |
| | ^ |
| | ^ |
| ____|_____ _____|____ |
| | | | | |
| | [ 3 ] | | [ 2 ] | |
| | Forge |===============| Sorting | |
| |__________| (Pipes) |__________| |
| | ^ |
\ | [ 1 ] | /
\ |__________Entrance_________| /
\____________________________________________/
Map Key & Room Connections
[ 1 ] The Entrance Vestibule
Visual: Walls of translucent blue ice engraved with the names of every soul in the world.
Pathways: Two heavy brass doors lead North. The Left door leads to the Forge [3] (Heat/Smoke), and the Right door leads to Sorting [2] (Noise/Gears).
[ 2 ] The Sorting Hall
Visual: 60-foot ceilings. Thousands of letters fly through the air on magical drafts.
Connection to [4]: A steep Pneumatic Slide (one-way) shoots players upward into the Wrapping Room.
[ 3 ] The Toy Forge
Visual: A massive iron furnace shaped like a roaring lion. The floor is scorched.
Connection to [2]: A crawlspace filled with Scalding Steam Pipes. Crossing requires a Dexterity (Prime) check (CC 12) to avoid 1d4 heat damage.
Connection to [5]: A heavy reinforced bulkhead door.
[ 4 ] The Gift Wrapping Room (The Arena)
Visual: The high ground of the workshop. Rows of scissors dance on their own. The Naughty List Compactor sits at the West end of the room.
Connection to [5]: The Conveyor Belt (Hazard). It carries "packaged" goods (and players) directly into the Stables for loading.
[ 5 ] The Celestial Stables
Visual: Smells of pine and magic ozone. The floor is covered in "Star-Hay" (glowing gold straw).
The Stand: This is the most "stable" ground for a final fight if Krampus is flushed out of Room 4.
[ 6 ] The Sleigh Launchpad
Visual: A massive balcony open to the auroras of the North Pole.
The Escape: The Clockwork Sleigh sits on a rail system, ready to launch into the sky.
Tactical Navigation Tips for the CK (Caster Knight)
Verticality: Note that Room 4 and Room 2 are at different heights. Krampus uses the rafters to move between them while the players are stuck on the ground.
The "Loop": If the players start at [2], they will likely follow the slide to [4], fight Krampus, and then chase him through [5] to the Launchpad [6].
In Castles & Crusades, vehicles are often treated as "Construct Monsters" or specialized equipment. The Clockwork Sleigh is a masterpiece of Gnomish-Elven engineering, capable of handling the extreme conditions of the Far North.
The Clockwork Sleigh
Type: Large Vehicle/Construct
AC: 20 (Reinforced Brass & Mithril Plating)
HP: 65
Move: 30 ft. (Land) / 120 ft. (Flight)
Piloting the Sleigh
A character must be at the helm to control the sleigh. This requires a Dexterity (Prime) check or a Wisdom (Secondary) check to "commune" with the clockwork spirit of the vehicle.
Standard Maneuver: Move and steer. (CC 12)
High-Speed Evade: Gives the sleigh a +4 AC bonus for 1 round. (CC 18)
Tail-Spin: A risky move to shake off boarders. Anyone on the exterior must make a Strength Save (CC 16) or be thrown off.
Defensive & Utility Features
Cold Resistance: The sleigh and its occupants are protected by a Ring of Warmth effect, granting +4 to saves vs. cold and resistance to ice-based damage.
Coal-Powered Boost: Once per encounter, the pilot can "Feed the Flames." The sleigh’s speed doubles to 240 ft. for 3 rounds. After this, the sleigh becomes Overheated and cannot fly for 1 hour.
The "Naughty" Launcher: A rear-mounted tube that fires pressurized chunks of magical coal.
Attack: +5 to hit; Damage: 2d6 bludgeoning.
Effect: Targets hit must make a Charisma Save (CC 14) or be "Shamed," suffering a -2 penalty to their next attack roll.
Chase Mechanics: Tundra Pursuit
If Krampus escapes in his own smaller "Riot-Sled," use these Chase Bands to track the action:
| Distance Band | Effect |
| Neck-and-Neck | Characters can jump between vehicles (Dex CC 15). Melee attacks possible. |
| Close Range | Ranged attacks and the "Naughty Launcher" are effective. |
| Long Range | Ranged attacks are at -4 penalty. Only the Coal-Powered Boost can close the gap. |
| Losing Them | If the distance increases, Krampus enters the "Polar Mist" and escapes. |
The Final Reward: "Gifts of the Spirit"
If the party recovers the Sleigh and frees Nicholas, he doesn't give them gold. Instead, he reaches into his sack and pulls out a Gift of the Spirit for each hero:
The Brave Heart: Permanent +1 bonus to all Saves vs. Fear.
The Steady Hand: Permanent +1 bonus to all Dexterity-based Siege Checks.
The Insightful Soul: Permanent +1 bonus to all Wisdom-based Siege Checks.
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