A simple task surely - a party of friends on a late-autumn hunting expedition have failed to return from the mountains: can the characters find them? But rather nicely, instead of using this to start the adventure, it opens with the party travelling through a wintry landscape (presumably about their own business) and coming across a small settlement, home to the missing hunters, where their friends and relatives request help.

The DM's notes make it plain what has really happened to the hunting party, but those in the settlement have no idea what dangers lurk in the mountains save goblins, wild animals and severe winter weather. The characters will have to travel around, braving weather and creatures alike, to find out what has taken place. Undead abound, so be sure there is a good cleric in the party to deal with them. Other denizens of the mountains prove more helpful, provided the characters deal with them fairly. The 'clue-chain' is a bit linear but holds up well, and there are some interesting encounters along the way. However, although there is a suitably climactic battle at the end, things are not really resolved - apart from mention of another adventure yet to come.

Overall, quite a good winter adventure, making good use of the environment as well as more conventional monsters to provide opposition. It has a vaguely South American feel, as if it were taking place in a fantastical version of the Andes, and a few interesting new monsters. A thorough read-through of the whole adventure is essential before running it, as things are sometimes a bit jumbled.

Return to Dead of Winter page.

Reviewed: 24 August 2008