Scene 6: The Cliff Calves

GM Information

As soon as Beron realizes what is actually happening, he will take immediate action. Even if none of the players manage to understand the situation, Beron will still draw the correct conclusion. Since neither the exact moment of the calving nor the size of the breaking ice mass can be predicted, he decides to send the unit to the burial site at once.

It is still afternoon, and the distance can generally be covered as long as no major obstacles arise. To ensure that the warning arrives in time and an evacuation is possible, Beron divides the unit into smaller groups once more. These groups are to set out without sleds so they can move faster and more flexibly. The sleds will be taken over by the rest of the unit, which will travel in a wide arc around the presumed danger zone.

At least one of these runner groups should consist of the heroes or part of them, so they are actively involved in the events to come.

Read Aloud – Which Unit Will It Be?

Beron bellows in a firm voice: “Form up! Half circle! Stand easy!” Immediately everyone drops their gear and forms a semicircle around him. Once all are gathered, Beron takes a deep breath. His voice is calm but resolute.

“Recruits, the situation is more serious than I expected. A large block of ice is going to break off from the coast. Such calvings are rare, and usually they are only small pieces. But the sounds, the cracks, and especially the tremors indicate that this time it will be a much larger piece. I cannot say how big it will truly be — but even if it is only twenty meters long, the coastline will change and remain unstable for a while. That instability may reach all the way to the burial site.”

He raises his hand and points into the distance. “The mourners will likely want to rest along the coast after their exhausting march. That could mean their death. We must warn them.”

He looks around the circle. “Therefore, we will form two small units that will each try to reach the mourners independently. A third unit will take over the runners’ sleds and follow in a wide arc around the suspected danger zone. I need volunteers — fast runners — for the two units. The first unit takes the direct route to the burial site, the second goes around the outside.”

His gaze moves across your faces. “Volunteers, step forward.” Immediately, several of your comrades step up.

GM Information

Regardless of whether the player group stays together or splits up, the following events will occur:

The group taking the direct route to the burial site will be standing on the breaking ice at the moment of the calving. As soon as the ice mass detaches, they will find themselves on a floating ice island and will eventually drift out to sea with it.

The group taking the outer route will reach the burial site in time. There, they must rescue several people who have become trapped when the ice at the cliff’s edge gave way. These individuals are now stranded halfway down the cliff face and cannot escape on their own.

The unit with the cargo sleds will arrive unharmed and somewhat later. They can then take part in the rescue efforts and help retrieve the trapped individuals.

To maintain clarity, the events should be handled in sequence: first the calving and the situation on the iceberg, then the rescue operation at the cliff, and finally the arrival of the third unit.

Read‑Aloud Text: The Calving of the Iceberg

You run across the plain, trying to reach the burial site. Regardless of which unit you belong to, you suddenly feel the ice beneath your feet vibrating more strongly. What at first seems like a slight tremor quickly develops into a massive event.

The ground begins to sway noticeably. Those among you who are standing on what will become the iceberg feel the surface sink beneath them. Then comes a deafening crack — the ice breaks away from the southern cliff in an instant.

At the break line, the ice block drops several meters before being caught by the water. It surges and crashes repeatedly against the newly formed wall. Large chunks break off from both sides — from the coast and from the iceberg — and plunge thunderously into the sea. Only once enough water has surged into the gap does the iceberg begin to detach and drift away.

The iceberg measures nearly four kilometers in length and somewhat less than one kilometer in width. The wild waters of the southern coast ensure that it moves quickly away from the shoreline. Nevertheless, smaller pieces continue to break off the new edge and fall into the water with loud splashes.

GM Information

If the player groups are traveling separately, it is recommended to begin with the group on the iceberg. The runners in this group carry only minimal equipment to move as quickly as possible and to be able to jump crevasses. Jumping requires Athletics checks against DC 13. Once the iceberg breaks free, the group is too far from the edge to reach it. Even reaching the edge would be too dangerous due to the splintering ice.

Player characters on the iceberg clearly feel the swaying and shaking of the ground, as well as the detachment from the coast. There is a risk of injury from falls or of slipping into a crevasse. Several Athletics checks are required (DC 14 to 18, depending on the intensity of the tremors). If a character slides across the ice and risks falling into a crevasse or over the cliff, an Acrobatics check against DC 15 is necessary. If a character wants to catch or hold a companion, they must succeed on an Initiative check against the iceberg (Initiative 10) and an Acrobatics check against DC 14. Let it be close, but let it end well.

Once the iceberg stabilizes and begins drifting, the players may make a Perception check (DC 15). On success, they notice that Beron’s unit has seen them but cannot offer help. A successful Investigation check (DC 13) allows them to conclude that rescue would only be possible by ship. However, the sea is too rough, and organizing a ship would take at least a day. The group must therefore settle on the iceberg and improvise. Their equipment is limited: medical supplies, water, ropes, climbing hooks, a knife or dagger, possibly a tarp. From these materials, they must construct a makeshift shelter.

The group that runs around the danger zone also carries only the essentials to compensate for the longer route with speed and endurance. A Constitution saving throw against DC 13 is required to keep up. They also feel the tremors of the calving, though less intensely (Athletics check DC 14). If players look for the group on the iceberg, a Perception check against DC 15 is required. A successful Investigation check (DC 14) reveals that they cannot contribute to the rescue. Their task remains reaching the burial site.

After the tremors end, the group can continue running. Anyone approaching the newly formed cliff may make a Nature check (DC 13) to recognize that the cliff is unstable and may break further at any moment. It is too dangerous to get close. After about two hours, the group reaches the burial site. The iceberg has now drifted nearly five kilometers away. Most attendees of the funeral have moved back from the cliff, but shouting can be heard. Through targeted questioning, the recruits learn that the rune warriors who served as escorts were standing at the cliff when a small section broke away. They are now stranded halfway down, some injured, on a narrow ledge that barely allows them to press themselves against the wall.

The cliff remains unstable. The heroes must decide how to proceed. They should be given time to discuss. One possible approach: a recruit crawls forward on their stomach, secured by a rope, to get an overview. Then ropes are tied together and lowered to the injured. Civilians can help pull them up. The injured rune warriors are on a narrow ice ledge and cannot help each other, as they can barely stand and must cling to the ice with great effort. They wear rune armor and would survive a fall into the water, provided they can swim.

First, the fittest rune warriors are pulled up, as they can actively assist with climbing once a safety rope is in place. The recruits should ask the rune warriors to lend them their rune armor, which they will do. One or two recruits are lowered to secure the first injured warrior and help pull them up. If necessary, an injured person must be treated on the spot.

Beron’s group will arrive later, roughly after the first severely injured rune warrior has been rescued. They also feel the strongest tremors during the calving and must pause briefly. Then they continue their march under Beron’s guidance — quickly, but not running. Players may also look toward the iceberg or the cliff; the same checks as for the running group apply. Beron will see the recruits on the iceberg and struggle with the decision of whether to send two recruits to the fortress of Virkin to request reinforcements. Present recruits may make an Insight check against DC 14 to read Beron’s mood. If they address him, he will briefly state that he is considering sending someone to Virkin. Even if volunteers step forward, he will refuse. He bears responsibility for the recruits and does not consider them capable of surviving alone.

Upon arriving at the burial site, Beron takes command. Part of the recruits will be assigned to the rescue, the others to establishing a camp. Depending on the group’s magical abilities, additional options may arise, such as healing or sending out a familiar.

Optional: If none of the player characters are on the iceberg, the scene can be shortened. In this case, the recruit unit will hurry to Föndir to request help from the sea soldiers — also rune warriors, but trained for naval service — to rescue their comrades. Since the recruits have no experience with sea rescues, they will leave the operation entirely to the sea soldiers.

If the player groups are split, those not on the iceberg may be offered the chance to temporarily take control of an NPC on the iceberg or to swap the NPC for their own character. A long‑term separation of the player groups…