DUNGEONS & LAIRS #65:

YETI CAVERNS
Yeti Caverns is a Fifth Edition plug-in adventure for
four characters with an average party level (APL) of CREDITS
3, 5, 8, or 11. This document offers a general guide- The following creators made this adventure
line on scaling the adventure for each level. The possible:
characters must find and enter the lair of a powerful Design and Writing. DMDave, Alex L
yeti known as the Terror. Before they can confront Editing and Layout. Tony Casper
the yeti, however, they must first dispatch his gobli- Cartography. Tom Cartos
noid minions. Artwork. Nacho Lazaro

RUNNING THE ADVENTURE

sion might be easier or more challenging for a given
To run the adventure, you need the three Fifth
party.
Edition core rulebooks. You can access a free basic
ruleset from the official source if you don’t have a Scaling the Adventure
copy.
Recommended
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to Average Party Adventure Relative
be read aloud or paraphrased for the players Level Version Difficulty
when their characters arrive at a location or 3 3rd-Level Hard
under specific circumstances, as described in
the text. 4 3rd-Level Medium
5 5th-Level Hard
When a creature’s name appears in bold type, 6 5th-Level Medium
that’s a visual cue pointing you to its stat block to
say, “Hey, game master, make sure you get this 7 5th-Level Easy
creature’s stat block ready—there’s going to be an 8 8th-Level Hard
encounter!” If the stat block appears in the appendix
9 8th-Level Medium
of this adventure, the text tells you so; otherwise,
you can find the stat block in the core rulebook. 10 8th-Level Easy
Spells and non-magical equipment mentioned in 11 11th-Level Hard
the adventure are described in the core manual for
players. Magic items are described in the core man- 12 11th-Level Medium
ual for game masters unless the adventure’s text 13 11th-Level Easy
directs you to an item’s description in the appendix.
Level Selection Adventure Hooks
Before playing, know the level at which you wish to The table on the following page offers some ideas if
run the adventure. Overall, the adventure’s locations you don’t have a reason for the characters to inves-
and descriptions remain unchanged throughout the tigate the Yeti Caverns. Roll a d8 or choose the one
levels. However, most encounters, hazards, traps, you like best. If you need to motivate the party with
and treasures scale with each level of the adventure. a monetary reward, their patrons offer 500 gp per
The keyed locations will present the differences be- level of the adventure.
tween each level.
Also, the adventure works for more than just the BACKGROUND
listed levels. If you wish to run this adventure for
levels other than 3, 5, 8, or 11, the chart below The Breakneck Mountains, though cold and wind-
shows you which version of the adventure you swept, are not entirely desolate. Several differing
should select for each level. A given adventure ver- communities, from humans to dwarves to gnolls and
beyond, have established themselves on the moun-

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #65 1

 Yeti Caverns Adventure Hooks

d8 Patron Adventure Hook

1 Academy The academy depends on the rare herbs and botanical materials found within
the Breakneck Mountains. The academy wants an end to the disruption to their
supply. How the party accomplishes this is up to them.
2 Ancient Being The party’s patron sends a strange vision of a noble beast trapped in chains and
held prisoner in a swamp to the party.
3 Aristocrat The local communities owe allegiance (and taxes) to a noble family; these at-
tacks have affected their ability to pay. The family has become concerned
enough to hire the party to address the issue.
4 Criminal Syndicate The syndicate works with several businesses that use the trade routes through
the mountains. The yeti’s activities are disruptive to their income streams.
5 Adventurer’s Guild The guild has been presented with an offer by the communities throughout the
mountains to remove the threat. The guild is looking to contract the party to
resolve the issue.
6 Military Force An expedition sent to eliminate the source of the attacks was slain, and the local
scout commander has recognized that the threat is beyond the capabilities of
their men.
7 Religious Order An order of priests has reason to believe that the yeti’s lair contains a dragon
egg. They want to recover the egg for its use in a divine ritual.
8 Sovereign The sovereign has heard of the yeti and thinks that its head would make an
excellent conversation piece for their throne room. They are looking to hire the
party to bring it to them.

tains’ slopes and within their hills, surviving and TRAVELING TO THE CAVERNS
even thriving in conditions that many would deem
To reach the lair, the party must follow the Benmar
borderline uninhabitable. Of course, life within these
Tributary to the south, where it pours over a set of
mountains is not easy in the best of circumstances.
cliffs to form the Sagnear Falls. This waterfall freez-
Lately, it has been made even harder by the terror-
es over in the coldest months of the year and is the
izing influence of what has become known as the
suspected lair of the Terror of the Breakneck Moun-
Terror of the Breakneck Mountains.
tains. Because the river is easy to follow, no ability
In recent months, travelers, explorers, and com-
checks are required for navigation. This does not
munity members have been turning up dead or going
mean, however, that the trek will be without issue.
missing entirely, the only evidence of their pres-
The lair is well defended by creatures that patrol its
ence being clouds of blood in the snow. Stories and
perimeter.
rumors suggest that the terror of the mountains is a
Encounter: Riverside Ambush. A few hours into
yeti—perhaps even multiple yetis, though none have
the party’s journey along the river, they encounter
so far been brave enough to approach the Terror’s
an ambush lying in wait. The Terror’s minions, win-
suspected lair to confirm their suspicions. The Terror
ter goblinoids and their wolf companions, lurk along
is aided by its goblinoid minions, who serve the yeti
its banks within the nearby treeline, waiting for un-
eagerly in exchange for a meager share of its spoils
suspecting prey that they can beat into submission
as well as status amongst the other creatures and
and drag back to their caverns for food. As the party
folk of the region.
nears, the minions ready their ambush. Any charac-
ter with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14
or lower is surprised when the ambushers leap from
the treeline and attack.
YETI CAVERNS BATTLEMAPS
The nature of the ambushers depends on the level
Battlemaps for this adventure can be found in the of the adventure, as shown in the table on the fol-
Into the Wilds set on the Tom Cartos Patreon: lowing page. Bugbears and goblins preceded by the
▶ Riverside Ambush (Rapids map) word “winter” use their normal statistics, with the
▶ Frozen Waterfall (B3 – Frozen Waterfall map) addition that they have resistance to cold damage;
creatures marked with an asterisk are new monsters
detailed in the appendix.

2 YETI CAVERNS
 Riverside Ambush Encounter
As you crest the peak and make your way to
Adventure Level Encounter the edge, you are greeted by the sight of a
frozen waterfall cascading down the rockface.
3rd 4 winter goblins and 2 wolves The sound of the water rushing under the ice
5th 4 winter goblins, 1 winter rumbles through the valley below, and a chill-
bugbear elite,* and 2 wolves ing mist fills the air. The ice sparkles like dia-
monds in the sunlight.
8th 2 winter bugbear elites* and
2 winter wolves
The entrances to the caves are approximately
11th 4 winter bugbear elites* and halfway down the cliff face and are encrusted with
2 winter wolves rime; they are also concealed by mist to any onlook-
ers observing from afar, noticeable only at distances
The ambushers hold nothing of value on their
of several feet. To find the entrances, the party will
persons, only shoddy weapons, scraps of food, and
have to gradually descend the cliff face while keep-
worthless trinkets. If the party attempts to question
ing their eyes peeled. The cliff face is slippery—char-
one of the goblinoids, it may be convinced to reveal
acters can climb up or down the cliff face with a
information about the lair, such as the general nature
successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check, which
and number of its inhabitants, with a successful DC
must be repeated for every 30 feet of movement.
20 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion)
A character using a climber’s kit makes this check
check.
with advantage.
Approaching the Waterfall A character who fails this check momentarily loses
their grip, and must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving
After a few more hours of travel along the tributary,
throw or tumble to the base of the waterfall below.
the party will come to the waterfall they’ve been
When a character has descended approximately
heading toward. Read aloud the following:
halfway down the cliff, they’ll automatically spot ei-
ther one or both of the entrances that are positioned
Eventually, the ground ahead of you falls away on either side of the waterfall.
as you follow the river toward the cliff’s edge.

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #65 3

 Encounter: Lurking Elementals. The first time a Biting Cold
character tumbles down the waterfall, they cause a
large chunk of ice to be brought down with them. Adventure Level Save DC Damage
When they and the chunk of ice crash into the fro-
3rd DC 10 1d4
zen river below, hairline fractures begin to rapidly
spread across the surface of the ice. Within mo- 5th DC 12 1d8
ments, ice and water spirits, agitated by the distur- 8th DC 14 1d12
bance, break through the ice and attack. The nature
of these elementals depends on the level of the 11th DC 16 2d8
adventure, as shown in the table below.
Lurking Elemental Encounter
Keyed Locations
The following locations are keyed to the map of the
Adventure Level Encounter Terror’s lair on page 5.

3rd 3 ice mephits 1 – Entrance Cavern

5th 1 water elemental and
1 ice mephit Bloody skulls mounted on wooden stakes are
scattered throughout this chamber—suggest-
8th 2 water elementals
ing a warning to any who would dare tres-
11th 3 water elementals pass. A pool of water in the west end of the
chamber has frozen over. A passageway ex-
YETI CAVERNS tends to the north.

The caves behind the waterfall are naturally occur- The skulls here are the remains of the Terror’s vic-
ring, though their inhabitants have spruced up the tims, mounted by the yeti and his goblinoid minions.
interior a bit to make them feel more like home. Not A character who approaches the frozen pool at the
all of the Terror’s minions are present at the lair at west end of the chamber can see a cloudy shape
once—some are out hunting and raiding in the sur- that looks like a body submerged at the bottom.
rounding wilderness and trails. The body is a mostly skeletal winter goblin who was
General Features killed by the other goblins during the warmer months
and left in the pool to rot. The party can smash
Unless otherwise stated, features of the lair are de- through the ice to reach it, but there is nothing of
scribed as follows: value on the corpse.
Ceilings, Walls, and Floors. The caverns are Encounter: Leashed Wolves. Wolves are leashed
shaped out of the surrounding bedrock of the moun- with rope to the stakes in this cavern. The Terror
tain. Cavern ceilings average roughly 15 feet in and his minions use them as guard and hunting
height. Floors are uneven, but are not considered dogs. The wolves are preoccupied with the left-
difficult terrain. over deer carcasses they have been thrown, which
Light. The caverns are dimly lit at all times. During they tear into eagerly. The party can move past the
the day, this light comes from whatever daylight wolves without agitating them with a successful DC
filters in through the cavern openings and small 18 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. Otherwise, the
holes in the ceilings. At night, wall-mounted torches wolves will quickly attack the party once they notice
scattered throughout illuminate the caverns. them. The wolves have enough leash to be able to
Alternate Access. A tunnel several dozen feet long freely move throughout the cavern, plus an addi-
connects the southern portions of the caverns to the tional 10 feet beyond it. The nature of the wolves
surface of the cliffside. The surface entrance to this depends on the level of the adventure, as shown in
tunnel is partially concealed by brush. A character the table below.
who surveys the area surrounding the waterfall and
makes a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) Area 1 Encounter
check notices the entrance to this tunnel.
Biting Cold. The caverns are cold—supernatural- Adventure Level Encounter
ly so, courtesy of the ice mephits that cohabitate 3rd 4 wolves
within them. For every 5 minutes that a creature not
5th 2 winter wolves
suited for extreme cold spends within the caverns,
it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or 8th 3 winter wolves
take cold damage. The difficulty of the saving throw 11th 4 winter wolves
and the amount of cold damage dealt depends on
the level of the adventure, as shown in the table
below.

4 YETI CAVERNS
2 – Common Area with each other when they aren’t out on the surface
hunting or searching for their next victim. Every so
often, the Terror becomes sufficiently annoyed by
The walls of this expansive, stalagmite-littered
their presence and wanders into the room to phys-
cavern are lined with tents constructed out of
ically punish an unlucky offender. The goblinoids
bone and animal skins. The smell of cooking
tolerate this, for their association with the Terror
meat wafts from several campfires scattered
brings them bountiful resources and an elevated
throughout the room. Debris litters the floor.
status amongst the other folk and creatures of the
mountains.
The yeti’s goblinoid minions are relegated to this
Encounter: Terror Minions. Several of the Terror’s
area of the lair, where they cook, eat, and bicker
minions are present in this chamber, occupying

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #65 5

themselves with food, drink, and fighting. If they
notice any intruders, they attack immediately. Once
at least two of their number have been dealt with,
one minion will begin screaming and flee to area 4
to alert the Terror. The nature of the minions de-
pends on the level of the adventure, as shown in the
table below. Bugbears and goblins preceded by the
word “winter” use their normal statistics, with the
addition that they have resistance to cold damage;
creatures marked with an asterisk are new monsters
detailed in the appendix.
Area 2 Encounter

Adventure Level Encounter

3rd 3 winter goblins and 1 winter
bugbear
5th 3 winter bugbears and 1 winter
bugbear elite*
8th 3 winter bugbear elites*
11th 5 winter bugbear elites*
Treasure: Minions’ Belongings. Each of the min-
ions has a coin purse on their person containing
1d8 gp and 1d20 sp. Aside from this, there is little
of value to be found within this cavern. Other items
of note include whittled carvings, jewelry made of it to hatch so that the yeti might domesticate and
teeth, crooked knives, and a collection of carved control the dragon whelpling. The yeti’s hope is for
rocks that vaguely resemble faces. naught, however, as the egg is nonviable and has
sat undisturbed in this cavern before it was discov-
3 – General Storage ered for hundreds of years.
The 10-foot wall in the southwest corner of the
A disorganized pile of crates, barrels, and cavern is slick with ice and can be climbed with a
loose supplies is pushed up against the north- successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. The
east edge of this small cavern. yeti can scale it without issue. The passageway
above leads to the cavern where the Terror keeps its
Everything in this chamber was stolen from an valuables.
explorer or traveler or looted from their corpse. The Encounter: The Terror. When the Terror isn’t about
containers hold dry rations, a selection of common on the mountainsides bringing woe and destruction
adventuring gear, firewood, and scrap materials. to those who encounter it, the yeti spends its time
here indulging in its victims and beholding its dragon
4 – Yeti Cavern egg. The Terror is unlikely to engage in any conver-
sation other than threats and insults. Depending on
The floor of this large cavern is stained with the level of the adventure, the Terror may be accom-
blood and littered with bone. More blood spat- panied by another yeti: its mate. The nature of the
ters the walls and ceiling. On a naturally ele- Terror, and its mate (if applicable), depends on the
vated platform of rock in the east end of the level of the adventure, as shown in the table below.
chamber, a melon-sized egg rests on a bed of Creatures marked with an asterisk are new monsters
ice, its scales colorfully reflecting the ambient detailed in the appendix.
light. A passageway above a 10-foot-high wall Area 4 Encounter
extends to the west.
Adventure Level Encounter
The Terror prefers to indulge live prey, ripping
them limb from limb and spraying blood every- 3rd 1 yeti*
where. The egg within the chamber is the Terror’s 5th 1 alpha yeti*
prized possession, which the yeti discovered when it 8th 1 alpha yeti* and 1 yeti*
moved into the cavern. The Terror correctly believes
the egg to be that of a white dragon, and hopes for 11th 2 alpha yetis*

6 YETI CAVERNS
 Treasure: White Dragon Egg. Though the egg will
not hatch, it is still worth a significant sum to the
Recent Adventures From DMDave
right collector. Depending on the buyer, the egg
Dungeons & Lairs
could sell for anywhere between 400 and 1,800 gp.
Treasure: Keys. Characters who search the cham- ▶ #30: Owlbear Wood
ber and succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) ▶ #31: Mimic Museum
check find two iron keys, each approximately half ▶ #32: Oni Palace
the size of a human palm, lying on a chunk of ice ▶ #33: Rust Monster Mine
within the cavern. The keys open the chest and the ▶ #34: Revenant Ghost Ship
cage in area 5. ▶ #35: Sphinx Pyramid
5 – Valuables ▶ #36: Shadow Hotel
▶ #37: Salamander Forge
This small chamber is littered with broken ▶ #38: Treant Grove
and empty containers. An iron-banded wood- ▶ #39: Troll Bridge
en chest sits against the east wall. Near the ▶ #40: Unicorn Island
north wall is a large iron cage, within which ▶ #41: Water Weird Ruins
is a dirty and weary-looking gnome who looks ▶ #42: Wyvern Motes
upon you with an expression of cautious op- ▶ #43: Vampire Undercroft
timism.
▶ #44: Xorn Tunnels
▶ #45: Cultist Cathedral
The cage and the chest are both fitted with pad-
▶ #46: Noble Tower
locks and can be unlocked with a successful DC 14
Dexterity check using thieves’ tools or the appro- ▶ #47: Mage Cube
priate key from the keyring found in area 4. Inside ▶ #48: Assassin School
the chest are several humanoid hearts that have ▶ #49: Green Hag Forest
been left on ice. The Terror considers them his sec- ▶ #50: Doppelganger City
ond-most important treasures, after the dragon egg. ▶ #51: Hobgoblin Hideout
Bilzub the Captive. The person in the cage is ▶ #52: Fire Giant Mine
named Bilzub, a gnome who previously led a group ▶ #53: Gargoyle Cathedral
of independent prospectors who were searching
▶ #54: Wight Cemetery
the mountains for mineral veins when they were
attacked by the yeti. Bilzub was kidnapped by the ▶ #55: Chain Devil Crypts
Terror itself while the rest of his prospecting com- ▶ #56: Zombie Farmhouse
panions were slain. The Terror keeps Bilzub as a ▶ #57: Ettercap Forest
personal pet, locking him in this cage for hours at a ▶ #58: Lamia Temple
time, allowing him out only to dance for the yeti’s ▶ #59: Santa’s Village
amusement. Bilzub had almost lost all hope for ▶ #60: Naga Ruins
freedom, and is in a state of mild shock upon seeing ▶ #61: Marilith Prison
the party. He pleads eagerly to be freed, and he can
▶ #62: Lizardfolk Village
explain his story to the party as well as everything
he knows about the lair, should that still be of use to ▶ #63: Frost Giant Pass
the characters. ▶ #64: Remorhaz Mountain

Dungeon of the Week

AFTERMATH ▶ #1: Scattered Chambers of the Leper One
If the Terror has been slain, any remaining minions ▶ #2: Hidden Keep of the Death Arrow
disband and the caverns are soon abandoned. If the
▶ #3: Lost Archive of the Silent One
party was for some reason unsuccessful in slaying
the Terror, the yeti, furious, is likely to bolster the ▶ #4: Ruined Sanctum of the Void Prince
forces of its minions and redouble its raiding efforts ▶ #5: Forlorn Temple of Mash-Dinaxis
to become an even greater threat in the region. ▶ #6: Dungeon of Hari
If the gnome Bilzub is led safely from the lair, he ▶ #7: Boxrock Hole
may later reward the characters when he is able to ▶ #8: The Treacherous Chasm
return to his home settlement. The party may wish
to accompany him back to his home to collect their Yazur Island
additional reward. Bilzub is native to the Breakneck ▶ #1: Forest of Faces
Mountains, but the precise location of his communi-
▶ #2: The Whistling Monolith
ty is left to the GM’s discretion. Ω
▶ Player’s Guide

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #65 7

Alpha Yeti Winter Bugbear Elite
Huge Monstrosity, Neutral Evil Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Armor Class 14 (hide armor)
Hit Points 149 (13d12 + 65) Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 10 (+0) 21 (+5) 9 (−1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 11 (+0)

Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +5 Skills Intimidation +2, Stealth +6, Survival +3
Skills Intimidation +4, Perception +5, Survival +5 Damage Resistances cold
Damage Immunities cold Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages Common, Goblin
Languages Giant Challenge 3 (700 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +2
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +3 Ambush Strike. In the first round of a combat, the bugbear
Alpine Sight. Dust, fog, snow, and other particles suspended deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage to any creature it hits with a
in the air don’t impede the yeti’s vision. weapon attack that hasn’t yet acted or taken damage.
Ice Walk. The yeti can move across and climb icy surfaces Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage
without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, diffi- when the bugbear hits with it (included in the attack).
cult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra Snow Camouflage. The bugbear has advantage on Dexter-
movement. ity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.
Keen Smell. The yeti has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on smell. ACTIONS
Snow Camouflage. The yeti has advantage on Dexterity Multiattack. The bugbear makes two attacks.
(Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain. Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
ACTIONS
Handaxe. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach
Multiattack. The yeti makes three attacks: two with its 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing
claws and one with its stomp. It can use its bite in place of damage in melee or 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage at range.
one claw attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) cold
damage. Yeti
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one Large Monstrosity, Chaotic Evil
target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage. If the target is Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Hit Points 95 (10d10 + 40)
Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Speed 30 ft., climb 25 ft.
Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 19 (2d12 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
is prone, it must also succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving
19 (+4) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 8 (−1) 12 (+1) 9 (−1)
throw or become stunned until the start of the yeti’s next
Skills Perception +3, Survival +3
turn.
Damage Immunities cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Giant
Challenge 3 (700 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +2
Keen Smell. The yeti has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
checks that rely on smell.
Snow Camouflage. The yeti has advantage on Dexterity
(Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.

ACTIONS
CREATIVE COMMONS INFORMATION
Multiattack. The yeti makes two attacks: one with its bite
This work includes material taken from the
and one with its claws.
System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”)
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at
target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) cold
https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems- damage.
reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is
International License available at https://creative a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 14
commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #65 8