Cross the Shuddering Pass
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The Broken BendThe Cart LedgeThe Rift Crossing
Roleplay EncounterDND5E 2024Party L6 · 5 PCs
Cross the Shuddering Pass
Read Aloud
The trail splits under your boots. An ore cart hangs over the cliff, your dwarven guide lies crumpled in the dust, and the starsteel seams begin to hum. The mountain shifts again. Move now, or lose the trail and everything on it.
The Scene
NEUTRALSkill challengeBase DC 13Stakes The escort, supplies, schedule, and the party’s chance to earn rare starsteel depend on crossing before the next major tremor.
20 to 30 minutes
NPC Goal
Get the escort and supplies to Deepstone Mine on schedule without abandoning the injured guide.
Leverage
The party can save the guide, protect the supplies, and reach Deepstone Mine on schedule.
Player Approaches
- Listen for the starsteel pitch before choosing a route.
- Use black-pine roots to brace stones and the cart.
- Read shallow snow as a sign of stable ground.
- Spend the dwarf’s splints and bandages before attempting the crossing.
NPC Gambits
- Step 1: DC 14 Strength (Athletics) to wedge and secure loose boulders.
- Step 2: DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) to brace the cart wheel with a pine root.
- Step 3: DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) to stabilize and bind the guide’s leg.
- Step 4: DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Nature) to find the safe ledge.
NPC Reactions
- On the first success, the guide grits his teeth and says, “Good. Watch the snow, not the stone.”
- After a failure, the guide snaps, “Stop guessing. The mountain tells you when it will move.”
- After three successes, the escort works in rhythm with the party and grants advantage on one remaining relevant check.
- If the party ignores the guide, he refuses further advice until someone earns his trust with a direct apology or useful action.
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