Snowmont Monastery
Snowmont Monastery was a secluded sanctuary of peace and spiritual contemplation nestled high within the treacherous peaks of the Sword Mountains. Home to a small, dedicated order of monks, the monastery stood as a remote beacon of light against the harsh, frozen elements of the northern peaks. Tragically, this sanctuary was recently brought to ruin.
The Fall of Snowmont
During a period of rising unrest across the region, Snowmont Monastery came under sudden and devastating assault by a horde of Ice Trolls and Ice Mephits. A brave survivor named Clarissa managed to escape the initial onslaught, fleeing down the treacherous mountain passes to seek aid. She arrived in the town of Phandalin, where she alerted a band of adventurers.
Guided by Clarissa, the party ascended the dangerous mountain pass, overcoming a highly unstable bridge to reach the besieged sanctuary. Upon arrival, they found the monastery already in ruins and engulfed in a desperate battle. Though the adventurers successfully defeated the invading trolls, the victory came at a terrible cost:
- Widespread Destruction: The monastery itself was almost entirely destroyed.
- Tragic Casualties: Neither Clarissa nor another resident named Dorian survived the ordeal.
- The Survivors: Only two monks survived the disaster—a halfling man named Jaque and a human woman named Zoe.
In gratitude for their defense, the surviving monks gifted the adventurers the remnants of the monastery’s sacred trove, consisting of a Pearl of Power, a Staff of Frost, and a Wind Fan.
The Dragon’s Shadow
Following the destruction of the monastery, the region was cast into an unnatural, freezing chill. As the survivors and their rescuers descended the mountain, the temperature plummeted drastically, heralded by a deep, bass-like thump of massive wings. This phenomenon marked the chilling arrival of Cryovain, a fearsome white dragon whose icy presence now looms over the Sword Mountains, casting a dark shadow over the ruins of Snowmont.