So we're playing through a Castles & Crusades game where we're saving Santa's Workshop and compound from the forces of Chaos! I got called in last minute so I grabbed quite a bit of Steve Miller's material. And the party has been hired by the Brigid the Christmas Dragon to save Santa from the forces of Chaos that are threatening the North Pole.
Brigid allowed the PC's to equip from a small selection of magic items and swords. She also provided the PC's with several healing potions and a small cache of spell scrolls she'd specially prepared.
Zendella the Great our conjurer and astrologist prepared as well as observed the proper time for the group to depart through the gate to the North Pole. We wanted to arrive at the proper time before the battle at the Bursbee woods. This was due to the fact that I'd provided Zendella with Zodiac based Character Abilities. So these abilities allow the PC to access the Zodiac but are not going to ruin a campaign with ultra powerful abilities. They do however add a bit of flare to the game.
Here are the stats for a standard warrior and a gang leader for your Castles & Crusades game
Polar Orc Warrior
These are the rank-and-file hunters of the frozen tundra. They are relentless trackers and prefer to attack during blizzards when their white hides provide natural camouflage.
HD: 1d8+2
AC: 14 (Thick Hides & Fur)
Attacks: Greataxe (1d12) or Spear (1d6)
Move: 30 ft.
Saves: P
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Challenge Level: 2 (XP: 30 + 2/hp)
Special Abilities:
Cold Resistance: Polar Orcs take half damage from cold-based attacks.
Snow Camouflage: They gain a +4 bonus to Hide checks while in snowy environments.
Light Sensitivity: Like standard orcs, they suffer a -1 penalty to hit when fighting in bright, direct sunlight.
Polar Orc "Ice-Breaker" (Leader)
Every gang is led by an Ice-Breaker—the strongest orc who has survived a trial of exposure. They often wield weapons crafted from the bones of frost giants or remorhaz.
HD: 4d8+8
AC: 16 (Heavy Fur & Crude Bone Plates)
Attacks: Greatclub (1d10 + 3 Strength)
Move: 30 ft.
Saves: P
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Challenge Level: 4 (XP: 140 + 4/hp)
Special Abilities:
Cold Resistance: Immune to natural cold; half damage from magical cold.
Winter’s Roar: Once per encounter, the Ice-Breaker can let out a terrifying howl. All enemies within 30 feet must succeed on a CL 4 Charisma (Mental) Save or be Shaken (-2 to hit) for 1d4 rounds.
Relentless: If reduced to 0 hit points, the Ice-Breaker can make a CL 4 Constitution save to stay at 1 HP for one additional round before falling.
Gang Composition Table
If you need to generate a quick encounter, use the table below:
| d6 Roll | Gang Strength | Composition |
| 1-3 | Small Scouting Party | 4 Polar Orc Warriors |
| 4-5 | Raiding Party | 8 Polar Orc Warriors + 1 Ice-Breaker |
| 6 | War Band | 12 Polar Orc Warriors + 1 Ice-Breaker + 2 Winter Wolves |
The Frost-Speaker serves as the spiritual heart of the polar orc gang. They do not worship gods in the traditional sense, but rather the "Great White Silence"—the personification of the blizzard and the void.
Polar Orc Frost-Speaker (Shaman)
Adorned in the skulls of arctic foxes and carrying staves made of unmelting "black ice," these shamans use the environment as a weapon, turning the very air against their foes.
HD: 3d8+6
AC: 13 (Thick Furs)
Attacks: Bone Staff (1d6) or Chilling Touch (1d6 cold damage)
Move: 30 ft.
Saves: M, P
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Challenge Level: 4 (XP: 120 + 3/hp)
Special Abilities:
Cold Resistance: Immune to natural cold; half damage from magical cold.
Aura of Rime: The air within 10 feet of the Frost-Speaker is supernaturally cold. Any creature starting its turn in this area must make a CL 3 Constitution (Physical) Save or suffer a -2 penalty to Dexterity for 1 round as their joints begin to freeze.
Icy Command: The Shaman can communicate with and command Winter Wolves or Ice Mephits.
Spells (Cast as a 3rd-level Cleric): The Frost-Speaker typically carries the following spells prepared:
Level 0: First Aid, Create Water (usually appears as slush/ice), Endure Elements.
Level 1: Cause Fear (the "Winter’s Chill"), Darkness, Fog Cloud (styled as a localized white-out blizzard).
Level 2: Hold Person (the target’s blood begins to freeze), Spiritual Weapon (appears as a floating axe of jagged ice).
Combat Tactics
In a "gang" encounter, the Frost-Speaker is rarely on the front line. Here is how they usually support the warriors:
The White-Out: The Shaman begins by casting Fog Cloud to mask the approach of the Warriors and the Ice-Breaker.
The Freeze: While the Warriors engage, the Shaman uses Hold Person on the party's most mobile fighter or spellcaster.
The Finishing Blow: If a player gets too close, the Shaman uses their Aura of Rime to slow the attacker down before striking with a Chilling Touch.
CK Note on "Black Ice" Staves: If a player loots the Frost-Speaker’s staff, it acts as a +1 magical weapon but deals 1 point of cold damage to the wielder every hour it is held, unless they have cold resistance. It melts into a puddle of foul-smelling water if taken into a climate above freezing.
The Frost-Speaker serves as the spiritual heart of the polar orc gang. They do not worship gods in the traditional sense, but rather the "Great White Silence"—the personification of the blizzard and the void.
Polar Orc Frost-Speaker (Shaman)
Adorned in the skulls of arctic foxes and carrying staves made of unmelting "black ice," these shamans use the environment as a weapon, turning the very air against their foes.
HD: 3d8+6
AC: 13 (Thick Furs)
Attacks: Bone Staff (1d6) or Chilling Touch (1d6 cold damage)
Move: 30 ft.
Saves: M, P
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Challenge Level: 4 (XP: 120 + 3/hp)
Special Abilities:
Cold Resistance: Immune to natural cold; half damage from magical cold.
Aura of Rime: The air within 10 feet of the Frost-Speaker is supernaturally cold. Any creature starting its turn in this area must make a CL 3 Constitution (Physical) Save or suffer a -2 penalty to Dexterity for 1 round as their joints begin to freeze.
Icy Command: The Shaman can communicate with and command Winter Wolves or Ice Mephits.
Spells (Cast as a 3rd-level Cleric): The Frost-Speaker typically carries the following spells prepared:
Level 0: First Aid, Create Water (usually appears as slush/ice), Endure Elements.
Level 1: Cause Fear (the "Winter’s Chill"), Darkness, Fog Cloud (styled as a localized white-out blizzard).
Level 2: Hold Person (the target’s blood begins to freeze), Spiritual Weapon (appears as a floating axe of jagged ice).
Combat Tactics
In a "gang" encounter, the Frost-Speaker is rarely on the front line. Here is how they usually support the warriors:
The White-Out: The Shaman begins by casting Fog Cloud to mask the approach of the Warriors and the Ice-Breaker.
The Freeze: While the Warriors engage, the Shaman uses Hold Person on the party's most mobile fighter or spellcaster.
The Finishing Blow: If a player gets too close, the Shaman uses their Aura of Rime to slow the attacker down before striking with a Chilling Touch.
CK Note on "Black Ice" Staves: If a player loots the Frost-Speaker’s staff, it acts as a +1 magical weapon but deals 1 point of cold damage to the wielder every hour it is held, unless they have cold resistance. It melts into a puddle of foul-smelling water if taken into a climate above freezing.
When looting a gang of Polar Orcs, the rewards reflect their harsh environment—heavy on raw materials, trophies of the hunt, and crude but effective magic. In Castles & Crusades, these items can be sold in frontier towns or used by players to survive the cold.
Polar Orc Loot Table
Roll a d20 for individual orcs, or use it as a guide for a central chest in their lair.
| d20 | Item Name | Value / Effect | Description |
| 1-4 | Jerked Mammoth Meat | 5 sp | Tough, salty, but provides enough calories to ignore one "cold check" for 24 hours. |
| 5-7 | Crude Scrimshaw | 2-5 gp | Whale or walrus bone carved with disturbing scenes of blizzards and orcish victories. |
| 8-9 | Silver-Tipped Tusks | 15 gp | Pair of orc tusks capped in beaten silver; highly prized as "rank markers" in orc culture. |
| 10-11 | Winter Wolf Pelt | 40 gp | A thick, shimmering white pelt. If worn, it grants a +1 bonus to saves vs. natural cold. |
| 12-13 | Remorhaz Barb | 25 gp | A 2-foot jagged spike from a frost worm. Can be used as a +0 magical dagger (deals piercing). |
| 14-15 | Pouch of "Frost-Salt" | 50 gp | Rare blue crystals. When thrown on water, it freezes a 5ft square solid for 1 hour. |
| 16-17 | Blue Quartz Gems | 100 gp | 1d4 semi-precious stones found in the bellies of glacial monsters. |
| 18 | Bone-Whistle of the North | 250 gp | Once per day, blowing this whistle summons a 15ft radius "Snow Screen" (as Obscuring Mist). |
| 19 | Ever-Frozen Ice Shard | 500 gp | A dagger-sized shard of ice that never melts. Acts as a +1 Dagger that deals +1d4 Cold damage. |
| 20 | The Mantle of the Yeti | 1,200 gp | A heavy cloak of matted white fur. Grants Cold Resistance and +2 to Hide checks in snow. |
Special Trade Goods
If the players raid a Polar Orc camp, they may find bulkier items that are difficult to transport but highly valuable to merchants in the south:
Mammoth Tusks (Pair): Worth 200–400 gp depending on size. Requires a sled or high Strength to carry (approx. 150 lbs).
Cask of Blubber Oil: Worth 30 gp. Useful as high-grade lantern oil that doesn't freeze or as a base for alchemical cold-resistance potions.
Bundle of Arctic Fox Pelts: Worth 80 gp. Lightweight and easy to pack, but must stay dry to retain value.
A Note on "Savage Wealth"
Polar Orcs rarely carry minted coins. Instead of gold pieces, they often carry "Hacksilver"—armbands or chains of precious metal that are chopped into pieces to pay for goods. If you roll for gold on a standard treasure table, describe it as a heavy silver torc or a pouch of silver wire.
The Lair: Glacier-Tooth Hold
The Polar Orcs dwell within Glacier-Tooth Hold, a series of hollowed-out ice tunnels carved into the side of a massive, slow-moving glacier. The entrance is a jagged breach resembling a maw, reinforced with the rib-bones of a prehistoric whale.
Key Features:
The Hall of Frozen Trophies: The main tunnel is lined with enemies of the tribe (humans, dwarves, and rival orcs) frozen solid in blocks of translucent blue ice.
The Howling Vent: A natural fissure in the ice that catches the wind, creating a constant, low-pitched moan that masks the sound of the orcs' movement within.
The Great Pit: A massive central chamber where the tribe eats and trains. The floor is packed snow mixed with the blood of recent kills.
The Bone-Throne: At the back of the pit sits a throne made of mammoth ivory, where the Chieftain holds court.
Chieftain "Grog the Tusk-Breaker"
Grog is a mountain of an orc, his skin a mottled grey-white, his tusks capped in jagged iron. He rules through sheer, brutal strength and the fact that he is the only one who has tamed a Great Northern Bear.
Grog the Tusk-Breaker
HD: 6d8+12 (42 hp)
AC: 18 (Plate of Bone & Leather, Shield)
Attacks: Frost-Rime Greataxe (1d12 + 4 Strength) or Heavy Crossbow (1d10)
Saves: P
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Challenge Level: 7 (XP: 450 + 6/hp)
Special Abilities:
Lead from the Front: All Polar Orcs within 60 feet of Grog gain a +1 bonus to hit and +2 to saves vs. Fear.
Shield Bash: If Grog hits with his axe, he can make a secondary shield bash attack (+6 to hit) for 1d4 damage; the target must make a CL 6 Strength Save or be knocked prone.
Frost-Rime Axe: His magical axe deals an additional 1d6 cold damage on a successful hit.
The Great Northern Bear (Mount)
This is no ordinary polar bear; it is a prehistoric throwback, standing 12 feet tall on its hind legs, with fur like iron needles and eyes of cold fire.
HD: 8d10+16 (60 hp)
AC: 16 (Natural Armor + Crude Scrap-Plate)
Attacks: 2 Claws (1d8+6), 1 Bite (2d6+6)
Move: 40 ft., Swim 30 ft.
Saves: P
Challenge Level: 8 (XP: 700 + 8/hp)
Special Abilities:
Crushing Hug: If the bear hits with both claw attacks on the same target, it pins the foe and deals an automatic 2d8+6 crushing damage per round until the victim succeeds on a CL 8 Strength Save to break free.
Terrifying Roar: When the bear charges, it lets out a roar. All enemies within 40 feet must make a CL 8 Charisma Save or flee in terror for 1d6 rounds.
Combat Encounter: The Chieftain's Charge
Grog rarely fights on foot. He begins the battle by having his bear Roar, then charges the strongest-looking fighter. While the bear mauls the front line, Grog uses his reach and height advantage to strike at spellcasters or healers over the heads of his warriors.
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