One Foggy Krampus Eve

Krampus, a former companion of Santa Claus, has tricked his former master and sealed him into an icy cave. Can the kids find him and free him in time to “save Christmas”?

One Foggy Krampus Eve is a short adventure hook for the Razor in the Apple campaign setting.

The Backstory

The Krampus is a fiendish creature that once worked with Santa Claus as a deterrent for naughty kids. At first, the only duty of the Krampus was to scare kids into being good. Just the threat of him was enough to keep most kids behaving. Soon, however, Krampus went behind Santa’s back and extended his mission to include actually punishing children who misbehaved. At the height of his wickedness, the Krampus had gone so far as to strike children with sticks and even abduct them to dunk them into freezing rivers.

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He was finally found out, however, when Santa caught him trying to alter The List of naughty and nice children in order to give himself more targets. That was the last straw. Using the Wand of the Winter Winds Santa sealed the Krampus in an icy cave in the Mountains at the End of the World.

Decades passed, and the Krampus remained trapped. Over a century after his imprisonment, however, the North Pole began to get warmer and warmer. Soon the ice began to melt, and little by little the Krampus could move more and more of his body. Then one summer he could manage enough leverage to free himself from his freezing tomb. He broke loose, and swore vengeance on his former master.

Late one night, he crept into the Workshop and stole the Wand of Winter Winds and captured two of Santa’s elves. He left a note for Santa, telling him of the theft and daring him to come to the cave for a final showdown. Unfortunately for the benevolent Santa Claus, it was a trap. When Santa entered the cave to free the elves, the Krampus sealed the entrance of the cave with a wall of ice. He had trapped Santa at last! With Santa out of the way, the Krampus took over the Workshop. He imprisoned the elves and forced them to teach him Santa’s magic. The North Pole was finally his to rule.

The Adventure

On Christmas Eve, the Krampus uses Santa’s sleigh to travel the world and abduct children. Using his Mind Touch and Sleep powers, the Krampus lulls his victims into a deep slumber and stuffs them into a bag. He then takes them back to the now bleak and unhappy North Pole where his intention is to raise them into an army of evil henchmen. The heroes are among these captives. They wake up imprisoned with other children in the dismal, abandoned Workshop. They start off with no toys, but can find some easily enough by searching the Workshop.

They have to escape and find the imprisoned elves. The elves can tell them where Santa is trapped, but they need to find the Wand of the Winter Winds in order to free him. The worst news amongst all this bad news is that the Krampus keeps the Wand with him at all times. Somehow, they have to sneak into his lair (Santa’s old house) and steal the Wand back from him. Then, they have to find the cave in the Mountains at the End of the World. The reindeer, if freed, can fly them there, but Krampus can fly too. And he is not about to let a gang of brats steal his victory out from under his long, cooked nose!

Backgrounds

Arctic Elf Background

  • Ability Adjustments: -1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, -1 Constitution, +1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma.
  • Size: Small +1 bonus to Defense, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Stealth checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those if Medium characters.
  • Speed 20 feet
  • Bonus Feats: Night Vision, Skill Focus (any two Craft skills).
  • Favored Feats: Choose Improvised Tools and Skill Mastery or a supernatural power

Creatures

The Krampus

The Krampus is a fiend of punishment. He resembles a classic devil, except his skin is jet black instead of red. He has sharp features, with high cheek bones, a long, pointed nose, and a narrow chin. His face is twisted into a perpetual leer intended to strike fear into the hearts of those who see him. The Krampus has large horns like those of a ram, cloven hooves, and a pointed tail. He wears a tattered black tunic and carries a large sack and a walking stick.

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The Krampus
Type: 4th level Outsider (Extraplanar, Vice)
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
Abilities: Str +2, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2
Skills: Bluff 7 (+9), Intimidate 7 (+9), Knowledge (supernatural) 7 (+7), Search 7 (+7), Sense Motive 7 (+7), Stealth 7 (+10)
Bonus Feats: Attack Focus (Grab), Improved Strike, Powers (4), Weapon Training
Feats: Improved Pin
Powers: Charisma, rank 7, save Difficulty 14, fatigue save 12; Mind Touch +9, Move Object +9, Pain +9, Sleep +9
Traits: Human Background Traits
Combat: Attack +7 (+4 base, +3 Dex) (+8 grab), Damage +4 (club), Defense Dodge/Parry +7/+6 (+4 base, +3 Dex/+2 Str), Initiative +3
Saving Throws: Toughness +2, Fortitude +6 (+4 base, +2 Con), Reflex +7 (+4 base, +3 Dex), Will +4 (+4 base, +0 Wis)

Arctic Elf

Arctic elves, also called “tinker elves,” are a race of diminutive folk that dwell in secluded valleys and underground complexes far to the north. Their origin and history unknown, arctic elves are the rarest and most reclusive of all elf races. An arctic elf is about 3 feet tall. They usually wear green tunics and red breeches. Males frequently sport white beards that reach almost to their knees.

Arctic elves are industrious and hard working, always busy, and never letting a spare moment go by in which they aren’t working on some plan or craft. They live in a harsh and unforgiving environment, and each elf knows the value of labor—should they stop working and allow themselves to become idle and complacent, their very existence would be threatened by the icy world around them. Because of their ingrained need to remain busy, arctic elf clans have organized themselves into workshops and warehouses, each clan specializing in a different facet of the operation of the community. Their constant labor ensures their survival.

Arctic elves rarely have the need for combat, as they are so isolated that potential enemies rarely reach them. They do occasionally have the need to fend off predators, and can do so as fiercely as any other elf tribe.

Role: Arctic elf Exp2
Speed: 20 ft.
Abilities: Str -1, Dex +1, Con -1, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +1
Skills: Craft (any two) 5 (+9), Handle Animal 5 (+6), Knowledge (supernatural) 5 (+6), Notice 5 (+6), Perform (any two) 5 (+6), Ride 5 (+6), Survival 5 (+5)
Bonus Feats: Night Vision, Skill Focus (any two Craft skills)
Favored Feats: Improvised Tools, Skill Mastery
Feats: Challenge (fast craft), Challenge (masterwork), Dedicated (to Santa Claus), Improvised Tools, Skill Mastery
Combat: Attack -2 (+1 size, +0 base, +1 Dex, -4 untrained), Defense Dodge/Parry +2/+1 (+1 size, +0 base, +1 Dex/-1 Str), Initiative +1
Saving Throws: Toughness -2 (-1 size, -1 Con), Fortitude -1 (+0 base, -1 Con), Reflex +1 (+0 base, +1 Dex), Will +4 (+3 base, +1 Wis)

Flying Reindeer

Flying reindeer resemble normal reindeer in all respects. They are small deer, approximately 4 feet tall at the shoulder. They have long fur, tawny in color, to keep out the cold of their arctic habitat.

Flying reindeer are very rare, a magical mutation usually appearing in only 1 out of 1,000 normal reindeer. Two flying reindeer always produce flying offspring. Young flying reindeer can fly soon after they can walk, and it becomes as natural a form of locomotion for them as walking and running.

Certain tribes of arctic-dwelling humans herd reindeer in massive numbers, using them as pack animals and as food in leaner times. When a flying reindeer is discovered in a domesticated reindeer herd, it is released to the wild out of respect and awe for its supernatural abilities. There are rumors of arctic elves keeping great herds of flying reindeer in hidden valleys far to the north.

Flying reindeer are strong enough to act as light pack animals, and are also quite useful as draft animals in pulling sleighs, sledges, carts, and wagons. Flying reindeer can only fly when used as draft animals if the vehicle to which they are hitched has also been magically enchanted to allow flight or levitation—the weight is simply too great for them unless somehow countered. These animals can be ridden by any creature of Small size or smaller.

Flying reindeer are exceptionally smart, capable of understanding speech and directions nearly as well as a small child. They cannot speak, however, regardless of their comprehension of language.

Flying reindeer only fight if cornered, or if they are forced to defend their mates or their young. Normally, their first instinct when faced with a potential predator is to take to the air and flee.

Red-Nosed Flying Reindeer
Approximately 1 in 1,000 flying reindeer are born with an unusually bright, red nose. At will, such a reindeer can cause its nose to illuminate as per the Light effect of the Light Shaping power (adept level equal to total level).

Size and Type: Medium 4th level Magical Beast
Speed: 40 ft., 60 ft. fly (average)
Abilities: Str +1, Dex +2, Con +2, Int -4, Wis +0, Cha +1
Skills: Jump 3 (+4), Notice 2 (+2), Stealth 1 (+3), Survival +1 (+5 to avoid getting lost)
Feats: Dodge Focus, Tireless
Combat: Attack +6 (+4 base, +2 Dex), Damage +2 (antler or hoof), Defense Dodge/Parry +6/+5 (+4 base, +2 Dex/+1 Str), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +3 (+2 Con, +1 natural), Fortitude +6 (+4 base, +3 Con), Reflex +6 (+4 base, +2 Dex), Will +1 (+1 base)

Skills: Flying reindeer are natural navigators, and receive a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks to avoid getting lost.

Additional Resources

Special Thanks

to True20Chick for all the hard work.

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