Monsters of Frosthaven – Meet the Unfettered
In Frosthaven, you’ll be testing your skills against an array of menacing enemies. It’s time to shine the spotlight on them, so you can learn more about them and increase your chances of survival out there in the cold!
[h3]Meet the Unfettered[/h3]
Ever since the first Imperial settlers arrived in these lands, there have been occasional reports of strange metal constructs wandering the frozen wilderness. A few scientific expeditions used Frosthaven as a base while exploring the region, and with the discovery of ancient ruins, some theorized that a once-advanced civilization of skilled engineers once thrived here.
According to these theories, the constructs were built as a source of cheap labor. Whatever befell their creators remains a mystery - there is no trace of them left in the region. It was assumed that when this civilization vanished, the machines were left behind in some dormant or hibernation state. The rare sightings were explained away as malfunctions - lonely machines reactivating randomly, wandering without purpose.
But recently, those theories have come into question. Reports have increased - not just of isolated constructs, but of organized groups of machines displaying coordinated behavior and open hostility. They no longer seem aimless. Some have even attacked those who spotted them.
These constructs vary greatly in shape and size, but the most common sightings so far involve a unit that locals have started calling a Ruined Machine.
[h3]Ruined Machine[/h3]
The Ruined Machines truly live up to their nickname. These constructs bear only the vaguest resemblance to a humanoid form - a conclusion drawn not from a single intact specimen, but from piecing together features observed across multiple sightings. Most are missing limbs, covered in rust, leaking strange fluids, and sparking erratically from exposed cables. They look as though they're barely holding themselves together.
But don’t let their broken appearance fool you. While many lack the coordination or structural integrity to land a clean hit - and it's often easy to stay out of reach of a single machine - the sheer numbers in which they've been seen, coupled with their alarming aggression, make them a serious threat.
Ruined Machines charge forward with reckless abandon, seemingly unconcerned with their own condition. At times during combat, they emit a grating, mechanical screech - a sound that claws at the nerves and rattles even the most seasoned mercenaries. Whether this is some corrupted combat protocol or a sign of deeper malfunction remains unclear.
Most concerning, however, are the growing reports of these machines violently exploding mid-combat - sometimes in unison, as though triggered by a shared signal. Whether these detonations are intentional or not, they pose a lethal danger to anything in proximity.
[h3]Boltshooters[/h3]
Nicknamed “Boltshooters,” these Unfettered constructs are a truly distinctive sight. (Then again, most Unfettered are - none of them pass unnoticed.) With a body shaped like a tall, four-sided pyramid perched atop four spindly, spider-like legs, they move with an awkward gai. It’s hard to imagine how a spider with only four legs might scuttle - but whatever you’re picturing - rest assured, it’s neither graceful nor efficient.
However, Boltshooters rarely need to move at all. And in combat, they almost never do. The pyramid-like casing appears to function as a bolt chamber, each face lined with small apertures through which the machine can fire across impressive distances. What makes them especially dangerous is the fact that all four sides of the pyramid can fire independently - allowing a single Boltshooter to strike up to four targets in a single volley.
Even more concerning is their tendency to occasionally concentrate all fire on a single target - an assault that can prove absolutely devastating if you're unlucky enough to be in its sights.
Perhaps worst of all, Boltshooters are rarely encountered alone. They often appear in groups, working together to saturate the battlefield with deadly crossfire, that leaves little room to breathe - let alone maneuver.
When you spot one, assume there are more - and brace yourself. You’re going to take hits. The only question is whether you'll still be standing after the last bolt lands.
[h3]Ancient Artillery[/h3]
Classifying the Ancient Artillery as “Unfettered” might be something of a stretch. Unlike the mobile constructs typically given that name - often exhibiting highly complex behavior - these machines were clearly built with a singular purpose: to serve as immobile defense systems. Still, the label persists, largely because Ancient Artillery units are so often found still functioning at the outskirts of ancient ruins believed to have once belonged to the Unfettered's creators.
What’s especially curious is that similar defense mechanisms have been discovered even south of the Copperneck Mountains, fueling speculation about who their true creators were and what role they may have played in the history of the Empire.
Ancient Artillery units are built to fire a single, devastating volley at a time. While they are capable of launching focused, piercing shots meant to strike through individual targets, they more commonly rely on explosive payloads. These cause significant area damage, often injuring anyone unfortunate enough to be standing too close to the primary target. Of particular concern is a rare kind of ammunition that causes a powerful concussive blast upon impact - disrupting formations and throwing carefully planned tactics into disarray.
Their range is enormous. Out-ranging them is effectively impossible. Fortunately, the time required to reload - while varying between ammunition types - is usually long enough to allow a skilled party to reposition. The key is to stay mobile and spread out. Getting hit is likely, but you don’t want your companions caught in the same blast radius.
One final warning: these machines were designed with their own vulnerabilities in mind. The usual weakness of artillery - difficulty handling nearby threats - does not fully apply here. Reports suggest that Ancient Artillery units possess built-in mechanisms to repel close-range attackers, clearing space to line up a better shot.
[h3]Flaming Bladespinner[/h3]
There’s something toy-like about Flaming Bladespinners - bright, spinning, dramatic. Exactly the kind of thing children are drawn to. And exactly the kind of thing that ends in screaming, stitches and tears. These constructs are in constant motion, four blazing, razor-sharp blades whirling around their core. Approaching one is no small feat; melee attacks are almost guaranteed to result in injury - your injury! Trying to land a blow without getting scorched and sliced is next to impossible.
To make matters worse, these things don’t just burn for show. They actively use their own fire to fuel follow-up attacks, often leaving you with burning wounds that linger long after the initial strike.
If you find yourself up against a Bladespinner, ranged attacks are your best option. Just beware - such tactics can draw their attention. Reports say they sometimes lunge across the battlefield with alarming speed, targeting ranged attackers who thought themselves at a safe distance, leaving a trail of fire behind that sears anyone nearby.
Fortunately, more often they adopt a defensive stance - remaining stationary, lashing out only at those foolish enough to get close or retaliating with bursts of fiery punishment when struck.
Immobilizing them is always a solid tactic. And if you’re forced to engage in melee, come prepared - bring something extra like Bane or Brittle. Because if you're going blade to blade with one of these things, you’re going to need every edge you can get.
[h3]Steel Automaton[/h3]
It’s hard to convey just how massive these things are. When one of these hulking silhouettes starts moving toward you, the ground seems to tremble beneath your feet… or maybe that’s just your heart trying to escape through your throat and find somewhere safer to hide.
Forged from thick steel and built like siege engines, Steel Automatons look nearly impenetrable - and not without reason. Facing one up close, it feels impossible to slip a blade beneath all that plating and actually damage something vital. And even if you manage it once, you’ll likely need to do it a hundred more times before you see any meaningful signs of wear.
Not that it’ll let you try without consequences.
Steel Automatons hit just as hard as you'd expect something this massive to. But truth be told, there are ways to survive an encounter. Their attack motions are relatively slow and heavily telegraphed, giving the prepared and agile a chance to dodge - if they're quick on their feet and ready to retreat when needed.
Bring your best piercing attacks and remember: Bane exists for a reason - and this is it. When raw force isn’t enough, clever tactics and the right kind of pain can bring even the biggest machines to their knees.
[h3]FOLLOW FROSTHAVEN’S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS[/h3]
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PlayFrosthaven
X: https://x.com/PlayFrosthaven
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrosthavenGame
Discord: https://discord.gg/FUNmzWVfz2
[h3]Meet the Unfettered[/h3]
Ever since the first Imperial settlers arrived in these lands, there have been occasional reports of strange metal constructs wandering the frozen wilderness. A few scientific expeditions used Frosthaven as a base while exploring the region, and with the discovery of ancient ruins, some theorized that a once-advanced civilization of skilled engineers once thrived here.
According to these theories, the constructs were built as a source of cheap labor. Whatever befell their creators remains a mystery - there is no trace of them left in the region. It was assumed that when this civilization vanished, the machines were left behind in some dormant or hibernation state. The rare sightings were explained away as malfunctions - lonely machines reactivating randomly, wandering without purpose.
But recently, those theories have come into question. Reports have increased - not just of isolated constructs, but of organized groups of machines displaying coordinated behavior and open hostility. They no longer seem aimless. Some have even attacked those who spotted them.
These constructs vary greatly in shape and size, but the most common sightings so far involve a unit that locals have started calling a Ruined Machine.
[h3]Ruined Machine[/h3]
The Ruined Machines truly live up to their nickname. These constructs bear only the vaguest resemblance to a humanoid form - a conclusion drawn not from a single intact specimen, but from piecing together features observed across multiple sightings. Most are missing limbs, covered in rust, leaking strange fluids, and sparking erratically from exposed cables. They look as though they're barely holding themselves together.
But don’t let their broken appearance fool you. While many lack the coordination or structural integrity to land a clean hit - and it's often easy to stay out of reach of a single machine - the sheer numbers in which they've been seen, coupled with their alarming aggression, make them a serious threat.
Ruined Machines charge forward with reckless abandon, seemingly unconcerned with their own condition. At times during combat, they emit a grating, mechanical screech - a sound that claws at the nerves and rattles even the most seasoned mercenaries. Whether this is some corrupted combat protocol or a sign of deeper malfunction remains unclear.
Most concerning, however, are the growing reports of these machines violently exploding mid-combat - sometimes in unison, as though triggered by a shared signal. Whether these detonations are intentional or not, they pose a lethal danger to anything in proximity.
[h3]Boltshooters[/h3]
Nicknamed “Boltshooters,” these Unfettered constructs are a truly distinctive sight. (Then again, most Unfettered are - none of them pass unnoticed.) With a body shaped like a tall, four-sided pyramid perched atop four spindly, spider-like legs, they move with an awkward gai. It’s hard to imagine how a spider with only four legs might scuttle - but whatever you’re picturing - rest assured, it’s neither graceful nor efficient.
However, Boltshooters rarely need to move at all. And in combat, they almost never do. The pyramid-like casing appears to function as a bolt chamber, each face lined with small apertures through which the machine can fire across impressive distances. What makes them especially dangerous is the fact that all four sides of the pyramid can fire independently - allowing a single Boltshooter to strike up to four targets in a single volley.
Even more concerning is their tendency to occasionally concentrate all fire on a single target - an assault that can prove absolutely devastating if you're unlucky enough to be in its sights.
Perhaps worst of all, Boltshooters are rarely encountered alone. They often appear in groups, working together to saturate the battlefield with deadly crossfire, that leaves little room to breathe - let alone maneuver.
When you spot one, assume there are more - and brace yourself. You’re going to take hits. The only question is whether you'll still be standing after the last bolt lands.
[h3]Ancient Artillery[/h3]
Classifying the Ancient Artillery as “Unfettered” might be something of a stretch. Unlike the mobile constructs typically given that name - often exhibiting highly complex behavior - these machines were clearly built with a singular purpose: to serve as immobile defense systems. Still, the label persists, largely because Ancient Artillery units are so often found still functioning at the outskirts of ancient ruins believed to have once belonged to the Unfettered's creators.
What’s especially curious is that similar defense mechanisms have been discovered even south of the Copperneck Mountains, fueling speculation about who their true creators were and what role they may have played in the history of the Empire.
Ancient Artillery units are built to fire a single, devastating volley at a time. While they are capable of launching focused, piercing shots meant to strike through individual targets, they more commonly rely on explosive payloads. These cause significant area damage, often injuring anyone unfortunate enough to be standing too close to the primary target. Of particular concern is a rare kind of ammunition that causes a powerful concussive blast upon impact - disrupting formations and throwing carefully planned tactics into disarray.
Their range is enormous. Out-ranging them is effectively impossible. Fortunately, the time required to reload - while varying between ammunition types - is usually long enough to allow a skilled party to reposition. The key is to stay mobile and spread out. Getting hit is likely, but you don’t want your companions caught in the same blast radius.
One final warning: these machines were designed with their own vulnerabilities in mind. The usual weakness of artillery - difficulty handling nearby threats - does not fully apply here. Reports suggest that Ancient Artillery units possess built-in mechanisms to repel close-range attackers, clearing space to line up a better shot.
[h3]Flaming Bladespinner[/h3]
There’s something toy-like about Flaming Bladespinners - bright, spinning, dramatic. Exactly the kind of thing children are drawn to. And exactly the kind of thing that ends in screaming, stitches and tears. These constructs are in constant motion, four blazing, razor-sharp blades whirling around their core. Approaching one is no small feat; melee attacks are almost guaranteed to result in injury - your injury! Trying to land a blow without getting scorched and sliced is next to impossible.
To make matters worse, these things don’t just burn for show. They actively use their own fire to fuel follow-up attacks, often leaving you with burning wounds that linger long after the initial strike.
If you find yourself up against a Bladespinner, ranged attacks are your best option. Just beware - such tactics can draw their attention. Reports say they sometimes lunge across the battlefield with alarming speed, targeting ranged attackers who thought themselves at a safe distance, leaving a trail of fire behind that sears anyone nearby.
Fortunately, more often they adopt a defensive stance - remaining stationary, lashing out only at those foolish enough to get close or retaliating with bursts of fiery punishment when struck.
Immobilizing them is always a solid tactic. And if you’re forced to engage in melee, come prepared - bring something extra like Bane or Brittle. Because if you're going blade to blade with one of these things, you’re going to need every edge you can get.
[h3]Steel Automaton[/h3]
It’s hard to convey just how massive these things are. When one of these hulking silhouettes starts moving toward you, the ground seems to tremble beneath your feet… or maybe that’s just your heart trying to escape through your throat and find somewhere safer to hide.
Forged from thick steel and built like siege engines, Steel Automatons look nearly impenetrable - and not without reason. Facing one up close, it feels impossible to slip a blade beneath all that plating and actually damage something vital. And even if you manage it once, you’ll likely need to do it a hundred more times before you see any meaningful signs of wear.
Not that it’ll let you try without consequences.
Steel Automatons hit just as hard as you'd expect something this massive to. But truth be told, there are ways to survive an encounter. Their attack motions are relatively slow and heavily telegraphed, giving the prepared and agile a chance to dodge - if they're quick on their feet and ready to retreat when needed.
Bring your best piercing attacks and remember: Bane exists for a reason - and this is it. When raw force isn’t enough, clever tactics and the right kind of pain can bring even the biggest machines to their knees.
[h3]FOLLOW FROSTHAVEN’S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS[/h3]
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PlayFrosthaven
X: https://x.com/PlayFrosthaven
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrosthavenGame
Discord: https://discord.gg/FUNmzWVfz2