Caught in the Cold | Free 5e and PF2e Encounter

Written by Hana the Lorekeeper

Cartography by Sir Vicke

The world’s icy regions, north or south, are not for the faint of heart. It takes a sturdy and stubborn individual to beat back the worst thrown at them and not flee for warmer climates. If you are running an adventure in regions where snow is more common than sun, consider placing this encounter to craft an enriching game experience.

If you're looking for other 5e and PF2e resources, check out our entire collection of Lair Magazine issues. This particular encounter came from the January 2024 issue of Lair Magazine, Tundra & Terror, where you can find even more to add to your campaign!

Caught in the Cold - 5e

Level. This encounter is designed for a group of four to six level-three characters.

Creatures. This encounter features the following creature: shiver shade.

Location. Leading off of the slushy, mucky main road is an old path to a snow-filled clearing. Pine trees stretch high above, still and silent with snow-laden branches, and the frosted remains of a campfire sit cold and dark. Scattered around the clearing are various snow-covered; some are logs used for sitting, but others are the frozen remains of travelers who have met an unfortunate end.

Loot. Scattered around the clearing are the belongings of travelers who have perished here. They all contain basic survival gear such as rope, blankets, and spoiled rations, but a few are wearing armor and carrying weapons of the Game Master’s choice. The quality of these items varies due to water and cold damage.

Encounter Description

This roadside campsite is the location of a tragedy: three local youths perished here during a snowstorm, and they now haunt this place with a vengeance. You can place this random encounter anywhere in your world where the land is freezing and snow builds up in the cold months.

Roleplaying Notes.

• The three shiver shades, Pato (pah-toe), Neu (neh-ew), and Renna (ren-nah), appear as they did in life. Pato appears as a human boy with a solid build, a high-tied ponytail, and leather armor. Neu appears as an androgynous young half-elf with shoulder-length hair and heavy furs covering their body. Renna appears as a wispy half-elf girl with long, straight locks of black hair that hangs past her waist.
• The trio understands the languages they spoke in life but cannot speak them anymore. Instead, they communicate amongst themselves with hisses and screeches.
• The trio used to be benign and well-liked in their community. After freezing to death one cold night, all of their kindness disappeared. They now take sadistic pleasure in dragging others to a similar fate and enjoy stoking fear and hopelessness in their victims before killing them. All defining personality traits disappeared after their death.

Encounter Notes.

• When the party first arrives at the scene, the shiver shades are lurking in the nearby snowbanks. They will first observe the party, picking out the biggest threats and the best targets.
• Because they can move through snow like it is air, they lurk in snowbanks and travel under the snow’s surface, leaving no trace of their passage.
• If the party chooses to set up camp without investigating, the trio will strike when most of the characters are sleeping.
• If one or more characters wander from the clearing to investigate the surrounding woods, Pato and Renna will stalk them while Neu remains to watch those in the clearing. The pair will launch a surprise attack if a character is 15 feet or further from the clearing.
• If the characters investigate the snow-covered lumps around the clearing and disturb the bodies, the shiver shades will attack immediately.
• When combat breaks out, the trio will attack spellcasters first, ignoring martial characters unless they prove to be a bigger problem.
• If two of the shiver shades fall, the survivor will retreat deeper into the woods to simmer and stew with hatred for the party but will not leave their hunting ground.

Snowy Terrain. The road is a slushy, muddy mess, but it is traversable. The snow in the clearing is about 1 foot deep and not considered difficult terrain. All other areas are considered difficult terrain due to deep snow.

Secret. When alive, Pato, Neu, and Renna were teenagers from a nearby town. They snuck out of their homes to go exploring one evening and were caught in a sudden snowstorm. Unable to find shelter or their way back home, they perished after encountering a chillborn. Their families and neighbors believe the Aurorians spirited them away and are suspicious of these beings.

Caught in the Cold PF2e - Low 3

Level. This encounter is designed for a group of four level-three characters.

Creatures. This encounter features the following creature: shiver shade.

Location. Leading off of the slushy, mucky main road is an old path to a snow-filled clearing. Pine trees stretch high above, still and silent with snow-laden branches, and the frosted remains of a campfire sit cold and dark. Scattered around the clearing are various snow-covered; some are logs used for sitting, but others are the frozen remains of travelers who have met an unfortunate end.

Loot. Scattered around the clearing are the belongings of travelers who have perished here. They all contain basic survival gear such as rope, blankets, and spoiled rations, but a few are wearing armor and carrying weapons of the Game Master’s choice. The quality of these items varies due to water and cold damage.

Encounter Description

This roadside campsite is the location of a tragedy: four local youths perished here during a snowstorm, and they now haunt this place with a vengeance. You can place this random encounter anywhere in your world where the land is freezing and snow builds up in the cold months.

Roleplaying Notes.

• The four shiver shades, Pato (pah-toe), Neu (neh-ew), Quah (kay-ah) and Renna (ren-nah), appear as they did in life. Pato appears as a human boy with a solid build, a high-tied ponytail, and leather armor. Neu appears as an androgynous young half-elf with shoulder-length hair and heavy furs covering their body. Quah appears as a small dwarven girl, stocky but clearly in good shape. Renna appears as a wispy half-elf girl with long, straight locks of black hair that hangs past her waist.
• The trio understands the languages they spoke in life but cannot speak them anymore. Instead, they communicate amongst themselves with hisses and screeches.
• The trio used to be benign and well-liked in their community. After freezing to death one cold night, all of their kindness disappeared. They now take sadistic pleasure in dragging others to a similar fate and enjoy stoking fear and hopelessness in their victims before killing them. All defining personality traits disappeared after their death.

Encounter Notes.

• When the party first arrives at the scene, the shiver shades are lurking in the nearby snowbanks. They will first observe the party, picking out the biggest threats and the best targets.
• Because they can move through snow like it is air, they lurk in snowbanks and travel under the snow’s surface, leaving no trace of their passage.
• If the party chooses to set up camp without investigating, the trio will strike when most of the characters are sleeping.
• If one or more characters wander from the clearing to investigate the surrounding woods, Pato and Renna will stalk them while Neu remains to watch those in the clearing. The pair will launch a surprise attack if a character is 15 feet or further from the clearing.
• If the characters investigate the snow-covered lumps around the clearing and disturb the bodies, the shiver shades will attack immediately.
• When combat breaks out, the trio will attack spellcasters first, ignoring martial characters unless they prove to be a bigger problem.
• If two of the shiver shades fall, the survivor will retreat deeper into the woods to simmer and stew with hatred for the party but will not leave their hunting ground.

Snowy Terrain. The road is a slushy, muddy mess, but it is traversable. The snow in the clearing is about 1 foot deep and not considered difficult terrain. All other areas are considered difficult terrain due to deep snow.

Secret. When alive, Pato, Neu, Quah, and Renna were teenagers from a nearby town. They snuck out of their homes to go exploring one evening and were caught in a sudden snowstorm. Unable to find shelter or their way back home, they perished after encountering a chillborn. Their families and neighbors believe the Aurorians spirited them away and are suspicious of these beings.

Get More 5e and PF2e Resources!

If you're a busy game master looking to reduce your prep time--but still run amazing games your players will love--Lair Magazine has you covered. Every month my team and I create a new issue packed with GM resources such as adventures, puzzles, traps, encounters, maps, and more. What's more, it comes for both 5e and Pathfinder 2e.

For instance, Tundra & Terror contains tips and guidelines for creating the very best homebrew magic items, ten frigid foes, five encounters, and a three-level adventure arc for levels three to five.

Of course, with Lair Magazine Bundle: Issues 37-39, you'll get Tundra & Terror and two other issues: Heists & Havoc and Marvels & Moonlight. That's nearly 200 pages of 5e and PF2e GM resources! 

Get Access to 1000s of Free 5e Resources!

Now, if you're on a budget, we totally understand. That's why we also offer loads of free 5e resources for folks. Just sign up for the DM Lair Newsletter to instantly get access to our entire library of free 5e resources. We'll also send you new resources every week!

Yes, I'd like to join the DM Lair Newsletter!