The Quiet Season

The snow has started falling here which means it's as good a time as any to hop on the hexmas bandwagon. Prismatic Wasteland has delved deep into the xmas lore and put a call out for hexes from the Rankin and Bass cinematic canon (i.e. Rudolph, Santa Clause is Comin' to Town etc). For those unfamiliar with the project see the call to hexmas here.

Mooncap manor is quiet this time of year. The old Winter Warlock absentmindedly tends to its' frozen halls or rather is looking for someone else to do the grunt work. Since leaving behind a life of wrathful menace the Warlock has found his true passion managing a bed and breakfast. He cares very little for the trivial day to day operations but will gladly take on guests in exchange for the odd job around the hotel. The wintering season, a busy time for those at the North Pole is a quiet one for the hotel business and the Manor has fallen into disrepair. Anyone willing to help build up the hotel's reputation and put in a little elbow-grease will surely earn some silver and gold; as well the odd bauble from the boss.

Terrain

This hex is snowy and mountainous. Cloaked in a whispering wind, drifts of snow litter the mountain side. Staunch fir trees buckle under the weight of overgrown icicles, a small rink mostly frozen-over sits at the base of the mountain. The pelting snow creates low visibility; moving through this hex can only be done at half speed. Adventurers can travel at full speed with a glimmering reindeer in their party.

Weather (1d6)

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1    Blustery snowfall (the party moves at normal speed)

2-5 A storm rages (the party moves at half speed)

6    Blizzard whiteout (the party must shelter for the night, checks are at disadvantage)

i. Mooncap Manor

A tattered manse sheathed in rime sits atop the mountain's peak, here resides Winter the Warlock. The barren halls and derelict upkeep have made the interior susceptible to the elements with collapsed roofs, icicle barred doorways and piles of snow in each room.

ii. Knooks Creek

A small tarn often used by ice-cutters, its quite slippery and the open water can be treacherous.

iii. Mountain Pass

This path gives a little reprieve from the storm, the path is stalked by snow-cloaked bandits and  woodland beasts.

Stormy Encounters (1d6)

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1 Six maidens dance around a roaring fire; they are looking for their five missing sisters

2 A lonesome logger and her enchanted axe search for her son, who has been cursed as a tree

3 Travelling Ice harvesters being harried by wolves have taken something from the forest

4 A horned peddler speaks of five golden rings, he feverishly rambles of a yuletide coup

5 The party come across a silent bell tower, the youngest party member can hear a faint ringing

6 A small clearing with a solitary pear tree, frozen sculptures encircle the tree with faces of terror

* When a roll is repeated on the table roll on the weather table

Factions and Friends

- Winter Warlock (Blustery and kooky, eager to slough off responsibilities to practice his spells)

- A parliament of Owls in the Attic (Gullible gossips, often spread rumours about the other hexes)

- Lingering Trio of Ghosts (Stuck in the past, present and future they haunt the guests)

- Winged Bear (Misfit toy and friend to Winter Warlock; going through a rough patch)

Odd Jobs from Winter

• Guests can't reach the rooms in the north wing because of large icicle formations. The columns of ice seem to reform overnight.
• Winter has misplaced his wizards' cap, find the lost hat so winter can cast his spells and beat the seasonal blues.
• The roof in the upper attic has caved-in and guests are complaining of cold drafts and odd cooing noises at night. (A parliament of Owls has settled into the vacant attic.)
• Winter's ailing trees, Willy Woad and Peter Pine have developed a case of the sniffles, they'll need medicine and quick!
• The reviews are in and the manor is in dire need of a soup-chef, travel abroad to find someone who knows their way around the kitchen.
• Transport a cask of Winter's favourite Brandy to a friend in an adjoining hex (1d6)
• Winter asks you to pick up the candlestick order two hexes over but be aware there has been an uptick in highway burglary as of late.
• A very hungry Bumble has just checked in! Find ingredients to satiate the savage beast before he breaks loose in the manor and eats the other guests.
• An icy trickster has blocked the Mountain Pass with a slide of ice preventing guests from reaching the castle. An old rival of winters', he hopes you can talk some sense into the ice sprite and undo a wrong in Winter's past.
• Winter is expecting his business licence in the mail, he can't run a B&B without it. Now that he mentions it, it's been a very long time since Winter has seen the jolly postman . . .
• The ghosts have been hassling a new guest who Winter has found out to be a prominent hotel blogger. They seem to be taking the guest on yuletide dream journeys.

Mooncap Manor Guests

1 A prospector and his several mush-hounds traversing the tundra

2 An easterly wind looking for her sister

3 An elven choir on tour, it seems they've lost their bassist

4 A gaggle of orcish mountain trolls on a pilgrimage for Krampus

5 A weary highway-man cloaked in red and full of sorrow

6 A being of snow under a singing curse

Baubles from the Boss

If your adventurers are looking for more than silver and gold check out this xmas themed items, you can dole these out in any order, at any level; they are just for fun.

Taster's Pick (roll 2d6)

This pickaxe can be used as a magical weapon to deal 1d6+1. Once per day you can pierce the ground and lick the pick to roll on the table below.

2      A whole lotta Nothin'

3-6   You learn a useless but interesting fact about your surrounding environment

7-11 You learn a useful fact about your surrounding environment

12    You find silver and gold buried in the snow (3d6)

Tin of Cookies (the tin contains one of each cookie)

1. Reindeer Cookie - Your nose grows bright red until your next rest, you and your party can see in the dark and through snowstorms. Creatures who look directly at your nose may become dazed.

2. Snowflake Cookie - You take on an icy tinge, the cold no longer affects you and you can hold your breath indefinitely until your next rest. You can let loose an icy wind to freeze or push back an object or a creature; after which you loose the benefits of the cookie.

3. Gingerbread Man - Once after eating the cookie when your character fails at something you can instead choose to succeed by bursting into song; which you must describe in great detail.

4. Present Cookie - You transform into an anthropomorphic misfit toy until you next rest. Add 1d6 to rolls that involve being a toy or a misfit.

String Mittens

This pair of enchanted mittens are tethered by an invisible string, one mitten will always find the other no matter the distance.

Connecting Hexes 

Northwest - Babbling Baboon

Southeast - The Orcish Toy Factory

South - The Silver Steppe