TEXT: gamemaster’s guide
  
  © 2018 Fria Ligan AB
  GAME CONCEPT
  Christian Granath, Tomas Härenstam,
  Nils Karlén, Kosta Kostulas
  LEAD DESIGNER
  Tomas Härenstam
  SETTING & 
  ADVENTURE SITES
  Erik Granström
  MAIN ILLUSTRATOR
  Nils Gulliksson
  OTHER WRITERS
  Christian Granath, Nils Karlén, Kosta Kostulas
  GRAPHIC DESIGN
  Christian Granath
  COVER ART
  Simon Stålenhag
  PROOFREADING
  John M. Kahane
  ILLUSTRATIONS & GRAPHICS
  Niklas Brandt
  MAP OF THE FORBIDDEN LANDS
  Tobias Tranell
  TRANSLATION
  Martin Dunelind, Carl-Johan Svensson,
  Karin Tidbeck, Olle Sahlin, Fredrik Johansson
  PRINT
  Livonia Print, Latvia 2018 
  Co-Published by Modiphius Entertainment
  
  CONTENTS
  THE GAMEMASTER 
  4
  Principles of the Game 
  6
  The First Session 
  8
  Preparing Sessions 
  9
  Non Player Characters 
  9
  Opposition 
  11
  Consumables 
  11
  Failure 
  11
  Events at the Stronghold 
  12
  HISTORY  
  16
  Detailed History 
  18
  The Calendar 
  35
  GODS 
  36
  The Protector God 
  36
  Wyrm 
  36
  Raven 
  37
  Rust And Heme 
  38
  Huge 
  40
  Clay 
  41
  Wail 
  41
  Flow 
  42
  The Nightwalker 
  42
  Horn 
  42
  KIN  
  43
  Humans 
  43
  Elves 
  52
  Dwarves 
  56
  Ogres 
  60
  Orcs 
  62
  Wolfkin 
  67
  Saurians 
  68
  Whiners 
  69
  Halflings and Goblins 
  70
  BESTIARY 
  73
  Monsters in Combat 
  73
  Abyss Worm 
  76
  Bloodling 
  78
  Demon 
  80
  Death Knight 
  86
  Dragon 
  88
  Drakewyrm 
  90
  Ent 
  92
  Ghost 
  94
  Giant 
  96
  Giant Squid 
  98
  Gray Bear 
  100
  Gryphon 
  102
  Harpies 
  104
  Hydra 
  106
  Insectoids 
  108
  Manticore 
  110
  Minotaur 
  112
  Nightwargs 
  114
  Sea Serpent 
  116
  Strangling Vine 
  118
  Troll 
  120
  Undead 
  122
  Wyvern 
  124
  contents
  2
  
  ARTIFACTS 
  128
  Arrows of the Fire Wyrm 
  128
  Asina 
  130
  Barkhyde 
  131
  Carskenfoot’s Boots 
  132
  Clay’s Rosary 
  132
  Feroxa’s Claws 
  134
  Ivelde 
  135
  Menkaura’s Tooth 
  136
  Phantomdaggers 
  137
  Queen Agatha’s 
   
     Twin Tablets 
  137
  Scarnesbane 
  138
  The Nightwalker’s  
   
     Hourglass 
  139
  The Tezaur 
  140
  Tvedra’s Twin Rings 
  142
  Voller’s Helmet 
  142
  Wail’s Horn 
  143
  Well of Tears 
  144
  Wyrm’s Key 
  145
  ENCOUNTERS 
  146
  ADVENTURE SITES 
  167
  Village 
  168
  Creating an Adventure Site 
  168
  Dungeon 
  172
  Castle 
  178
  Creatures and NPCs 
  183
  Treasures and Finds 
  186
  THE HOLLOWS 
  194
  Background 
  194
  Getting Here 
  195
  Legend 
  195
  Locations 
  196
  Monsters and NPCs 
  207
  Events 
  210
  WEATHERSTONE 
  215
  Background 
  215
  Getting Here 
  216
  Legend 
  216
  Locations 
  217
  Monsters and NPCs 
  225
  Events 
  228
  VALE OF THE DEAD 
  231
  Background 
  231 
  Getting Here 
  232
  Legend 
  233
  Locations 
  233
  Monsters and NPCs 
  240
  Events 
  243
  contents
  3
  
  THE GAMEMASTER
  Y
  ou are the Gamemaster. Your role is 
  to depict the Forbidden Lands for the 
  players. You are the adventurers’ friends 
  and enemies, you are the monsters that lurk in 
  the forests, you are the treasures waiting to be 
  discovered in the ruins. It’s a tough job, but 
  very rewarding. This chapter provides you with 
  advice on how to manage your task, and the 
  rest of the book contains all the tools you need.
  Forbidden Lands doesn’t demand much 
  preparation from you. There is no pre-deter-
  mined plot, instead you and your players create 
  your shared story together with the help of the 
  tools of the game and your own imagination, 
  during the course of the game.
  This chapter begins with a description of 
  the seven principles of the game, the linch-
  pins for playing in the Forbidden Lands, and 
  then explains the tools that you as GM have 
  at your disposal.  The end of the chapter also 
  offers advice on how to start your first game 
  session of Forbidden Lands, suggestions on 
  The dice danced happily over crumbs and spilt ale towards the 
  orc across the table, tusks sticking out of his grin.
  “Six! I win!” shouted Haymond.
  “Oh, no – a three!” his opponent roared, as he unsheathed his 
  sword and cleft the die in two. 
  Soon all the blades were out.
  FOR THE GM’S EYES ONLY
  This book is for the Gamemas-
  ter only. It contains the tools 
  that the GM needs to manage 
  his role, but also detailed infor-
  mation on the secrets of the 
  Forbidden Lands and several 
  complete adventure sites. If you 
  are not the GM and read this 
  now, you are robbing yourself of 
  the pleasure of discovering the 
  secrets in-game.
  chapter 1
  4
  
  the gamemaster
  5
  
  chapter 1
  6
  how to create and manage your NPCs, and 
  advice on what to do when the adventurers 
  fail their actions.
  PRINCIPLES OF 
  THE GAME
  The purpose of the seven principles in Forbid-
  den Lands is to help you create the right feeling 
  in the game and to guide you when you are un-
  sure on how to handle situations that come up.
  1. THE WORLD LIES BEFORE YOU
  The Blood Mist has lifted, and the adventurers 
  are finally free to journey wherever they please 
  in the Forbidden Lands. The players around 
  the table should feel that same sense of free-
  dom. Place the large map in the middle of the 
  table and allow the players to ponder and dis-
  cuss where they want to go. Don’t steer them; 
  instead, answer questions and inspire them.
  On the adventurers’ journeys, it is your task 
  to place exciting challenges in their way. To aid 
  you, you have random encounters (Chapter 7), 
  adventure sites (Chapter 8) and, if you want 
  to use them, the over-arching intrigues and 
  conflicts described in the campaign module 
  Raven’s Purge and future expansions.
  2. THE LAND IS FULL  
  OF LEGENDS
  The Forbidden Lands may be unfamiliar 
  ground to the adventurers, who have lived iso-
  lated in villages and other settlements, but it is 
  CREATE YOUR  
  OWN ADVENTURES
  Forbidden Lands contains a lot 
  of pre-made material for you 
  to play, but the game is also 
  designed for you to be able to 
  create and incorporate your 
  own material into the campaign 
  with ease. Feel free to create 
  your own random encounters 
  and adventure sites, and feel 
  free to share them with other 
  groups of players on the Free 
  League forum!
  a land with a long and rich history. Through 
  the centuries, the land has experienced con-
  quests, wars, great feats and nefarious deeds. 
  There are layers of history that the adventurers 
  can discover over the course of the game (see 
  Chapter 2).
  To convey the history and myths of the 
  Forbidden Lands to the players in-game, 
  you use legends. Every monster, every arti-
  fact, every adventure site and every charac-
  ter of importance in campaign modules like 
  Raven’s Purge have their own legend. All 
  of these are available to download as player 
  material that you can present to the players 
  when they get to hear or read the legends in 
  their travels. In this way, the players build 
  their own knowledge of the Forbidden Lands 
  and its denizens.
  
  the gamemaster
  7
  3. THE ADVENTURERS  
  MAKE THEIR OWN FATE
  Perhaps the most important principle of 
  them all. In Forbidden Lands, the game 
  doesn’t tell the players what they should 
  think or feel, what missions to accept, or 
  where they should go. The adventurers make 
  their own decisions, and get to live with the 
  consequences. Pure good or evil is rare in the 
  Forbidden Lands – instead the players them-
  selves must decide what they believe is right, 
  and whose side they want to be on.
  As GM this means that you have to listen 
  to the players and build on the story of the 
  game based on their choices and actions. Ask 
  the players questions about their characters. 
  How they feel, what they think, what they 
  are planning. Ask follow-up questions. Use 
  the answers when you create new challenges 
  for the adventurers.
  4. NOTHING IS FOR FREE
  The fact that the players are free to make 
  their own decisions and go wherever they 
  please doesn’t mean that they should get 
  whatever they want. The more they want so-
  mething, the more they should be ready to 
  fight for it. It is your job to challenge them 
  along the road – and let their actions have 
  exciting consequences.
  Life is hard in the Forbidden Lands. The 
  adventurers will have to struggle for the bare 
  necessities like food, water and a roof over 
  their heads. Hold back on the treasures and 
  rewards. Never allow the adventurers to feel 
  content for more than a second.
  5. THEM THAT’S  
  GOT SHALL LOSE
  In the unlikely event that the adventurers get 
  hold of great treasures and riches, or if they 
  find some powerful artifact, it doesn’t mean 
  that they are set for life. They will most likely 
  attract greedy stares from other inhabitants 
  in the Forbidden Lands, who may try to trick 
  them or rob them of their possessions. Let the 
  player characters fight to keep what they have.
  This principle is especially important if 
  the adventurers construct a stronghold. The 
  stronghold will attract wanderers and fortune-
  hunters from near and far, and the adventurers 
  will eventually have to fight to defend their 
  stronghold from their enemies.
  6. DEATH IS PART OF THE STORY
  The life of an adventurer in the Forbidden Lands 
  is hard, and often short. The rules are written 
  so that it’s relatively easy to become Broken, but 
  rather difficult for a player character to die. As 
  GM, you should basically never kill a defenseless 
  player character – there are always more inte-
  resting ways to use the situation. Yet, sooner or 
  later, player characters will still die. Allow it to 
  happen – the players need to be reminded now 
  and then that their adventurers aren’t immortal.
  This doesn’t mean that the players shouldn’t 
  care for their player characters and just treat 
  them like expendables. On the contrary, the 
  players should get involved in their player charac-
  ters’ lives, rejoice in their successes and mourn 
  them when they die. That a player character dies 
  is not a failure, it is a part of your shared story. 
  Mark her tombstone on the map, write down her 
  fate in your chronicles, and journey on.
  
  chapter 1
  8
  7. THE END IS NEVER SET
  Never decide how the story should end ahead 
  of time. As a rule, larger campaign modules 
  like Raven’s Purge have a suggested finale, but 
  even these have no given conclusion that the 
  adventurers are expected to follow. The final 
  showdown may contain battles and great feats, 
  but the most epic moment is not the battle, but 
  the decisive choices that the adventurers make.
  THE FIRST 
  SESSION
  Your first session as GM for Forbidden Lands 
  can feel daunting. You have no written script 
  to follow, no finished story to guide the play-
  ers through. Don’t worry! The game gives you 
  plenty of material for the players to sink their 
  teeth into. Here are some concrete suggestions:
   
  ✥
  Use the creation of the player characters. 
  Be attentive when the players create their 
  adventurers, when they establish their att-
  ributes and relationships to one another. 
  When you get ideas for challenges that 
  would fit the characters, write them down.
   
  ✥
  Don’t plan too much. Don’t devise a 
  grand intrigue for the first session. It will 
  emerge later. Keep an open mind.
   
  ✥
  Pick an adventure site from this book that 
  matches a symbol close to the adventurers’ 
  starting location, and note down which 
  hex it is in. Figure out how the player 
  characters can hear the legend about it. 
  Handouts of all legends can be downloa-
  ded from the Free League website.
   
  ✥
  Prepare a random encounter if you want.
   
  ✥
  Let it be tentative. During the first ses-
  sion, the players feel out their characters. 
  Let it take its time. Listen more than you 
  talk. Use random encounters to advance 
  the story, but don’t rush. Ask questions. 
  Make notes. See the first session as a pro-
  logue, before the real story begins.
   
  ✥
  Use the information. When the first ses-
  sion is over, things have already happened. 
  You now have a lot to take inspiration 
  from for session number two. Conflicts 
  have been established, relationships have 
  been tested. Going forward you now 
  have several threads to weave into large 
  tapestries. You have an idea of where the 
  story is headed.
  THE HOLLOWS –  
  AN ADVENTURE HUB
  We recommend that you start 
  your campaign out in the wilds, 
  but it can be a good idea to 
  introduce the village of The 
  Hollows (see page 194) early 
  on. The village is an exciting 
  adventure site in its own right, 
  and it can also function as a 
  hub for the adventures of the 
  player characters. You can 
  place The Hollows in any hexa-
  gon with a VILLAGE symbol by 
  a river.
  
  the gamemaster
  9
  PREPARING 
  SESSIONS
  Before session two and later sessions you can, 
  if you want to, prepare a little more. Build on 
  what you’ve established earlier and spend a mo-
  ment before the session to ponder what might 
  happen. You can:
   
  ✥
  Prepare an event that builds directly on 
  the events of the previous session.
   
  ✥
  If the adventurers are heading for the ad-
  venture site you chose for the first session, 
  read up on it. If not, pick one or two more 
  adventure sites matching symbols nearby, 
  and have the adventurers hear legends 
  about them. Give them choices.
   
  ✥
  Choose or let the dice decide on a random 
  encounter, if you don’t want to do it while 
  running the game.
   
  ✥
  Plan one or a couple of events that are 
  directed at a single player character.
  Avoid preparing too much – the risk is that 
  your plans may become difficult to adapt to the 
  players’ actions. 15–30 minutes of preparation is 
  plenty most of the time. Trust the players and 
  the game itself to create action and drama!
  NON PLAYER  
  CHARACTERS
  You command everything between dragons 
  and demons, but your best tool to create dra-
  ma is often your NPCs. Stats for several typi-
  cal NPCs can be found in Chapter 4 on Kin 
  and in Chapter 8 about adventure sites, and a 
  large number of specific NPCs are described 
  in the complete adventure sites in Chapters 9, 
  10 and 11.
  HANDLING NPCS
  Technically, the NPCs function like player 
  characters. They need food and water, perform 
  actions and sustain damage in the same way. 
  But in practice, you should disregard all rule-
  crunching for an NPC if it doesn’t directly af-
  fect a player character. Don’t keep track of food 
  for every NPC that travels with the adventu-
  rers – instead, retain the freedom to decide 
  when their food runs out. You don’t need to 
  roll the dice for actions performed by an NPC 
  unless they are attacking or healing a player 
  character. You can roll for the NPCs in other 
  situations if it enhances the drama, but most 
  of the time you can skip it.
  NPCS IN GROUPS: When you are managing 
  many NPCs simultaneously, you can let them 
  perform actions as a group instead of as indivi-
  duals, by letting one NPC perform the action 
  while the others help him. See page 48 in the 
  Player’s Handbook.
  LET THEM LIVE
  If you can, try to avoid important non-player 
  characters dying early on. An NPC that survi-
  ves and can come back is much more fun than 
  a dead NPC.
  When an inconsequential NPC becomes 
  Broken, you can simply decide that he is dead, 
  
  chapter 1
  10
  but for important NPCs, you should roll for 
  critical injuries just like you would for a player 
  character. Most likely they will survive and 
  most of the time there is someone around 
  who can save them even if they’ve suffered a 
  fatal injury.
  Also avoid the PCs being able to get to 
  an important enemy too easily. Feel free to 
  
  the gamemaster
  11
  CONSUMABLES
  Food, water, arrows and torches are often 
  scarce in the Forbidden Lands. It is an im-
  portant part of your job as GM to make 
  these consumables suitably difficult for the 
  player characters to obtain. It demands a de-
  licate touch – the adventurers should have 
  to struggle for the resources, but not so hard 
  that the effort isn’t worth the reward. Some 
  skills make it possible to gather food and oth-
  er items through the mechanics of the game.
  A recommendation is to let the availabi-
  lity fluctuate. Allow the player characters to 
  sometimes get hold of food easily, when the 
  focus lies elsewhere. At other times, they may 
  need to fight for their lives to get a single 
  mouthful. The players will then realize that 
  they can’t take resources for granted, but they 
  don’t need to spend all of their in-game time 
  on gathering them, either.
  FAILURE
  When the player characters succeed in their rolls, 
  it is up to the players to describe how. When they 
  fail, it is up to you to decide what happens. The 
  basic rule is that a failure should have a conse-
  quence that drives the game forward. Avoid let-
  ting a failure grind the action to a halt, instead 
  allow it to push the story in a new direction or 
  place the adventurers in even more dire straits. 
  This principle is called to “fail forward.”
  COMBAT: In combat it is a sufficient consequence 
  of a failure to let the turn pass to the opponent. 
  block their path with underlings that the PCs 
  will have to deal with first. If the adventurers 
  still kill an important NPC – let there be con-
  sequences. Allies of the NPC may be out for 
  revenge, maybe their underlings now turn to 
  the adventurers and view them as their new 
  leaders?
  OPPOSITION
  As GM, your task is to make battles exciting by 
  making sure that the adventurers meet suita-
  bly challenging opposition. Use the number of 
  opponents, talents and weapons as controls to 
  adjust the opposition. Also keep in mind that 
  the one who wins the initiative has a signifi-
  cant advantage.
  As a rule of thumb, a group of adventu-
  rers in adequate shape will usually be able to 
  handle a group of humanoid opponents of 
  similar size as long as they have some Will-
  power to activate their kin and profession 
  talents. The opponents’ Strength is also an 
  important factor.
  As GM you can also adjust the opposition 
  during an ongoing battle by choosing to use 
  Willpower to activate the NPCs’ kin and pro-
  fession talents, or not.
  The Forbidden Lands are a dangerous 
  place, and at times the adventurers will face 
  overpowering opposition. Remind the play-
  ers that they can flee from combat and don’t 
  necessarily need to fight to the last drop of 
  blood. Also keep in mind that NPCs can heal 
  Broken player characters.
  
  chapter 1
  12
  EVENTS AT THE STRONGHOLD
  D66
  EVENT
  11-26
  NOTHING. Everything is calm and quiet at the stronghold.
  31-32
  REFUGEES. A miserable group of hungry and frozen refugees knock on the 
  gates of the stronghold and ask to stay the night. There are some twenty 
  humans, of all ages, all of them HUNGRY and COLD. They have stats like 
  typical villagers (see page 184) and have fled from Rust Brothers, some local 
  lord, or a raging monster (the GM decides the details).
  If the adventurers allow the refugees to come inside and give them 
  FOOD they will be very grateful and tell them one or several legends. They 
  will remain as long as they are allowed to, and may even take up work as 
  servants. If the adventurers refuse to let them in, they will stand outside 
  the gates for D6 days before giving up.
  But you may also subject the player character to 
  further complications. Let the situation decide.
  EVENTS AT THE 
  STRONGHOLD
  The Player’s Handbook describes how the ad-
  venturers can build their own stronghold in the 
  Forbidden Lands. About once a week, or when 
  you deem it appropriate, you roll for events at 
  the stronghold or choose an appropriate event.
  The GM rolls a number of D6s equal to 
  the highest Reputation score in the group, 
  but at least two dice should be rolled. The hig-
  hest die becomes the tens digit in a D66 roll 
  on the table below. Roll a separate D6 for the 
  ones digit.
  Only roll when the stronghold is guarded, by 
  the adventurers themselves or their militia. The-
  ONCE AGAIN?
  If you once again roll the same 
  event at the stronghold, there 
  are three alternatives:
   
  ✥ Let the event be a continu-
  ance of the last session.
   
  ✥ Modify the event so that it 
  becomes different.
   
  ✥ Re-roll or choose another.
  re is a table for unguarded strongholds 
  on page 164 in the Player’s Handbook. 
  Certain functions in the stronghold, 
  like GALLOWS, can affect the event roll, 
  as well as some results from the table 
  for non-payment of salaries (page 162 in 
  the Player’s Handbook.
  
  the gamemaster
  13
  D66
  EVENT
  33-34
  THIEVES IN THE NIGHT. D6 thieves (see page 183 for stats) break into the 
  stronghold at night. The adventurers or a GUARD can discover them. If the 
  thieves get away, they will steal all valuables that they can find. The GM 
  decides exactly what is stolen.
  35-36
  SHABBY ADVENTURERS. A party of shabby and poor adventurers (stats like 
  typical bandits, see page 183) arrive and ask to stay the night in the strong-
  hold. They tell one or several legends by the fire, but also sneak greedy 
  glances at the player characters’ treasures...
  41-42
  ORCS ATTACK. 2D6 roving orcs (see page 64 for stats) attack the stronghold. 
  They kill as many as they can and steal what they can get their hands on. If 
  half of them are Broken, the rest will flee. 
  43
  PARTYING OGRES. D6 ogres (see page 61 for stats) arrive at the strong-
  hold. They are drunk and want to come inside and have a party. If they 
  are allowed inside they will be happy, but eat 2D6 units of FOOD and de-
  stroy a random function in the fortress out of pure carelessness. If the 
  ogres are denied entry they will camp outside the gates for the night 
  and throw rocks and crude insults at the inhabitants of the stronghold.
  44
  STONE SINGERS. A group of dwarves from the Belderan clan (2D6 in num-
  ber), under the leadership of the stone singer Berwyld, knock on the gates 
  and inform the player characters that a dwarven construction is to be 
  built at the site of the stronghold, and that the stronghold must the-
  refore be evacuated. If the adventurers refuse, the dwarves will become 
  very irritated and emphatically explain how important their task is (read 
  more on page 58, stats can also be found there). The whole thing may end 
  in a scuffle.
  45
  THE RIDERS. 2D6 Aslenes (see page 49 for stats) come riding up to the 
  stronghold. They are nomad Galdanes and claim that the adventurers’ 
  stronghold lies on their land. They demand that the adventurers leave 
  and threaten to return in greater numbers if they refuse.
  46
  MONSTER ATTACKS. A roving monster suddenly attacks the stronghold. Pick 
  a monster from Chapter 5 or use the random table on page 74. The monster 
  flees if it loses half its Strength, but may return later on.
  51
  PEDDLER. A traveling peddler arrives at the stronghold. She can offer most 
  of everything from the equipment lists in Chapter 9 of the Player’s Hand-
  book, with the caveat of the normal rules for availability. If the adventurers 
  have something to sell she is also interested in buying or trading.
  
  chapter 1
  14
  D66
  EVENT
  52
  RAVEN SISTER. A company of Raven Sisters, D6 in number, knock on the 
  gates of the stronghold and ask for housing for the night. They can pay 
  for the hospitality and may tell one or several legends if they are al-
  lowed to come inside.
  A couple of hours later, a band of Rust Brothers, 2D6 in number 
  under the leadership of an Iron Guard, on the hunt for the Raven Sisters 
  arrive. They demand to be allowed inside to search. If they find the Ra-
  ven Sisters, they will shackle them and take them away with them. If the 
  adventurers refuse to cooperate, the Rust Brothers will become violent, 
  but retreat if half of their number become Broken. They may return in 
  greater numbers later. Stats for Raven Sisters and Rust Brothers can be 
  found in Chapter 3.
  53
  REDRUNNERS. D6 Redrunners (see page 56) are searching for a lost elven 
  ruby, and arrive at the stronghold seeking shelter. They are very arrogant 
  and treat the adventurers like lesser beings. If the adventurers can stand 
  them, however, the Redrunners may impart several legends, perhaps even 
  one about one of the four artifacts mentioned in the campaign book, 
  Raven’s Purge.
  54
  SPY. A lone wanderer knocks on the gates of the stronghold. She says that 
  she is going to a nearby village (the GM decides which one) and asks for 
  shelter. She can pay for herself and can share legends, but she also asks in-
  creasingly in-depth questions about the adventurers, their stronghold and 
  their treasures. The woman is a spy sent by the Rust Brothers or some local 
  lord, tasked with finding out everything she can about the adventurers. She 
  may even try to steal something valuable.
  55
  DESERTERS. A patrol of D6+2 disheveled and tired soldiers (see page 183 
  for stats) arrive at the stronghold. They have deserted from a local lord 
  in the area. The GM decides the details. The soldiers are HUNGRY and seek 
  food and shelter. If the adventurers let them in, they may try to seize the 
  stronghold through force. It is also possible that the lord sends soldiers to 
  the stronghold to find the deserters.
  56
  ORACLE. The Elvenspring Nuala, druid and oracle, arrives at the strong-
  hold late at night, asking for shelter. If the adventurers let her in, she 
  can share several legends (see page 6 in the Player’s Handbook). She is 
  skilled in the magical discipline of Awareness and can, in exchange for 
  food and shelter, offer the use of her powers to the adventurers. She 
  may also ask the adventurers for help.
  
  the gamemaster
  15
  D66
  EVENT
  61
  SLAVE TRADER. A slave trader arrives at the stronghold. If it fits the cam-
  paign, it’s Misela Ferrumar from the village of Grindbone (see the Raven’s 
  Purge campaign book). As an entourage, the slaver has D6 guards (stats as 
  per typical bandits, see page 183) and 2D6 pitiful slaves in chains. The lat-
  ter are offered to the adventurers at a low rate. During the visit, a couple 
  of the slaves attempt to escape and seek shelter in the stronghold. The 
  slave trader demands her “merchandise” be returned and is prepared to 
  get violent.
  62
  LOOKING FOR HELP. A group of people from a nearby village (the GM 
  decides which one) arrive at the stronghold and ask the adventurers to 
  help them deal with a monster, a band of robbers, Rust Brothers, or some 
  other threat against their village. The GM decides the details. The visitors 
  are 2D6 in number and have stats as per typical villagers (see page 184). 
  63
  MINSTRELS. A traveling theatre company arrives and wants to spend the 
  night in the stronghold. If they are allowed inside, and are given free food 
  and lodging, they will be very grateful and entertain the inhabitants of the 
  stronghold with a performance – all player characters receive one Willpo-
  wer Point. The minstrels may also share a legend or two. If they are turned 
  away, they will instead spread rumors about the unkind adventurers – their 
  Reputation score counts as two steps higher in next week’s roll for events 
  at the stronghold.
  64
  RUST BROTHERS. A band of D6 Rust Brothers (see page 40 for stats) knocks 
  on the gates and wants to inspect the stronghold. They demand D6 gold 
  in tribute to the god Rust and that a SHRINE be built in honor of the god. 
  If the adventurers throw the Rust Brothers out, they will return in greater 
  numbers later on.
  65
  THE LORD’S TRIBUTE. A local lord (the GM decides who) deems that the 
  stronghold lies on his land. A patrol of 2D6 men-at-arms (stats as per 
  typical soldiers, see page 183) pound on the gates and demand that the 
  adventurers pay 2D6 gold in tax and swear fealty to the lord. If they refuse, 
  the lord will attack the stronghold at some later time in a large assault. The 
  GM decides the details.
  66
  THE ORC CHIEFTAIN. An orc chieftain in the area (the GM decides who) deems 
  that the stronghold lies on his land. He leads a force of approximately 50 
  orc warriors to the stronghold and demands that the adventurers pay 4D6 
  gold in tax and swear fealty to him. If they refuse, the orcs will lay siege to 
  the stronghold and attack when the time is right.
  
  chapter 2
  16
  HISTORY 
  T
  welve hundred years ago, humankind 
  fled across the seas to a land where 
  elves and dwarves already dwelled. The 
  god Wyrm, who had guided humankind across 
  the seas, divided the land with a mountain 
  range to avoid the looming war between the 
  kin. Elves and dwarves were given Ravenland 
  to the north while humankind settled in Al-
  derland, south of The Divide. This separation 
  is called The Shift and is the point in time the 
  humans use as year zero in their chronology. 
  As compensation for this division of land, the 
  elves and the dwarves were given the orcs to 
  serve them. To maintain peace between the 
  kin, hostages were given to each kin, and the 
  mixed breeds descend from them. 
  After five hundred good years, harsh times 
  struck Alderland and a religious war erupted. A 
  group of humans fled north over The Divide to 
  Ravenland, and elves and dwarves grudgingly 
  allowed them to stay, provided they submitted 
  to the Law of the Land, that stated how their 
  human guests should behave. Soon more hu-
  mans arrived, among them the Riders from 
  Aslene in the west. After another three centu-
  ries, Alderland felt crowded to the humans, as 
  they had continued to multiply. They tried to 
  conquer Ravenland under religious pretenses. 
  The consensus was that they had been denied 
  their right to the land during The Shift. Since 
  the elves and dwarves were few in number, 
  they chose to arm the orcs and send them into 
  Round the beggar from Varassa all sat in a ring, and by the 
  campfire they sat and heard his song. And about walkers and 
  wolfkin and every terrible thing, and of his fear he sang to them 
  all night long:
  “There is something beyond the mountains, beyond the howls 
  beyond the mist, there is something within veils, behind a heart 
  of cold block stone. Hearken, something walks and whispers, 
  walks and lures you in and whimpers: Come to us, for this 
  earth shall ever remain ours and ours alone!”
  
  history
  17
  battle. When the war did not go their way, the 
  orcs were abandoned by their masters.
  The sorcerer Zygofer was placed in pow-
  er as governor in Ravenland while the king 
  of Alderland was occupied with the war 
  against Aslene. The sorcerer discovered a 
  demon gate in a mountain pass and experi-
  mented with awakening the dead to aid him, 
  since the king could not spare enough troops 
  to support the sorcerer’s ambitions. 
  Once the wars were over, the king 
  was appalled at Zygofer’s heretical rule and 
  sent an army across the mountains to depose 
  him. Zygofer opened the demon gate wide so 
  horrible creatures poured 
  through and destroyed the 
  king’s army. To distract the 
  demons while the gate was 
  closed again, they were sent 
  to ravage the neighboring 
  country of Aslene. The in-
  habitants of Alderland built 
  
  chapter 2
  18
  THE MYTHICAL ORIGIN  
  OF HUMANKIND
  Legend has it that the First Temple of the god 
  Wyrm on the eastern rim of the world fell apart 
  when its twelve thousand pillars had all been 
  tunneled through by rock worms. Parasites had 
  already devoured the very foundation of the land 
  so that only infertile remnants were left. Hu-
  mankind begged Wyrm for help and were given a 
  promise of new lands beyond the seas. They built 
  ships and filled them with animals and grains, 
  and the goddess Wail blew the ships west for 
  many years to the land her brother Clay had cre-
  ated. Wyrm flew ahead of the ships in the shape 
  of a huge raven clutching a snake in its claws.
  THE SHIFT – YEAR ZERO
  Humankind made landfall at the rocky shores 
  of Solehaven and were struck with wonder, 
  for few of them had seen land during their 
  lifetime. Now they beheld a fertile land that 
  reached far and wide to the north and to the 
  south, waiting for them. The land was inhab-
  ited since olden times by elves and dwarves liv-
  ing in peace. Weapons were drawn, but the god 
  Wyrm interceded and declared that there was 
  plenty of land for all.
  The god shifted the land and the humans 
  were given everything to the south, called Al-
  derland, and the elves and dwarves were given 
  the lands to the north, called Ravenland. The 
  dwarves would still hold domain over the roots 
  of the land while the elves would rule all that 
  grew on the surface. Since the dwarves and the 
  elves were few in number, the god Wyrm or-
  dered the god Clay to pull the orcs from the 
  mud. After the kin had sworn to honor the 
  The Iron Lock, a wall without gates to Raven-
  land, and forbade any further contact with that 
  cursed country – from that day on known as the 
  Forbidden Lands.
  Zygofer was old and decrepit by this time, 
  and so melded with his sorcerous daughter 
  Therania to gain enough power to live on. This 
  odd spider-legged creature was called Zytera, and 
  has continued Zygofer’s demonological and nec-
  romantic studies. Its ultimate goal is to drive 
  away the dwarves and elves from the Forbidden 
  Lands and then conquer Alderland. Zytera is 
  supported by half-demons and the fanatical cult 
  of the Rust Brothers. Perhaps war would have 
  erupted earlier if the Blood Mist had not en-
  shrouded the Forbidden Lands, a ravenous haze 
  that made travel impossible for three centuries 
  before it disappeared inexplicably.
  Today, only fragments of human civiliza-
  tion remain in the Forbidden Lands, attempt-
  ing to survive in the fortified villages in the 
  wild. Elves and dwarves have withdrawn to 
  their core homelands. Orcs also remain, full 
  of hate towards humankind and scorn for their 
  former masters. The Forbidden Lands are once 
  again open for exploration and conquest.
  DETAILED  
  HISTORY
  The text above explains the Forbidden Lands’s 
  history in broad strokes, enough for you as 
  GM to run the game and understand the con-
  nection between the places and people of the 
  Forbidden Lands. The rest of this chapter 
  delves deeper into its history.
  
  history
  19
  lands as they had been promised and given, 
  they exchanged hostages. The gods raised the 
  mountain range known as The Divide to sep-
  arate the land of the humans from the land of 
  the elves and dwarves. Solehaven, where the 
  humans had landed, was raised and became 
  the cliff Solecrest that still borders the ocean 
  where the land ends in the east.
  Humans and dwarves mark The Shift as 
  year zero in their chronology, so the years 
  thereafter are known as AS (After the Shift).
  0 – 500 AS  
  THE DIVIDED YEARS
  Humankind built cities, laid down roads and 
  farmed the soil of Alderland. There was plenty 
  of untouched land for anyone willing to grow 
  calluses on their hands and till the soil. The 
  dwarves and elves kept to their ancient tasks: the 
  dwarves kept building the World Sphere and the 
  elves kept honing their art and their harmony 
  with nature.
  During the years 220 – 260, the dwarven 
  chieftain Gorder oversaw the construction of 
  the first of Ravenland’s roads. Stone singers 
  raised slabs of stone from the earth, joining 
  them together to create roads. The roads often 
  crack since the ground grows restless when it 
  slumbers in the winter. The dwarves kept the 
  roads in good order for a long time, but they 
  have decayed since the Man Flood of 835 AS. 
  The roads are still used in some places, with 
  loose gravel to fill in the cracks, after the rains 
  turn the surrounding ground to mud.
  The elves who had followed the humans to 
  Alderland were curious about procreation, and 
  begat children with their hosts. This mixed 
  breed is called Frailers due to their beautiful and 
  slender bodies, and were drawn to music and 
  magic. The Frailers were darker of mind than 
  their elven ancestors, perhaps because they were 
  mortal and impatient to realize their dreams 
  while there was still time to do so. Those among 
  them who were wise in the ways of magic did 
  not always cast the spells they had mastered in 
  balance with nature. Instead, they had a burn-
  ing need to shape things, creatures and forces 
  according to their own desires, for the rewards 
  of power and material wealth were quite pow-
  erful lures to them. When their elven fathers 
  and teachers uncovered how their progeny had 
  been drawn down a wicked and despicable path, 
  they were filled with self-loathing. They left 
  Alderland in secret and found their way back to 
  their own people in Ravenland along unknown 
  paths. There they warned against continued 
  association with the lesser peoples beyond the 
  mountains. Very few of these masters felt any 
  joy in remaining in the world, so most of them 
  withdrew to the Stillmist.
  The human hostages among the elves in 
  Ravenland also spawned progeny with their 
  hosts, children who were cherished among 
  the elves since they seldom procreate. These 
  Elvenspring were taught art and the mysteries 
  of magic according to the customs of the elves. 
  They wanted for nothing and forgot much 
  of their origins among humankind. Like the 
  Frailers on the other side of the Divide, they 
  were impatient and ambitious, but at the same 
  time they were dutiful. Soon the elves gave 
  them more responsibility for the wellbeing of 
  the land. Many older elves were relieved and 
  withdrew from their duties, assuming the form 
  of ents to wander through the woods, or stayed 
  
  chapter 2
  20
  in the Stillmist to contemplate and play music.
  Frailers and Elvenspring are identical, and usu-
  ally live three times as long as humans. Wheth-
  er they are Frailer or Elvenspring only states  if 
  their origin is among humans or elves.
  The only dwarves that followed humankind 
  to Alderland after the Shift were those who could 
  stand the light of day. They fit in well and left 
  behind descendants who were skilled craftsmen. 
  Such humans with dwarven blood came to be 
  called Valondians and were highly regarded in 
  the forges and workshops. A few of the dwar-
  ven progeny were instead born as ogres, unruly 
  giants who often ended up in prison but some-
  times made an honest living as unskilled labor-
  ers, since they were far stronger than others.
  The human hostages among the dwarves 
  in Ravenland also procreated with their hosts, 
  but here, at least every other child born was a 
  huge and headstrong ogre. The ogres had little 
  interest in the traditional ways of the dwarves. 
  Their size also made them unfit for cramped 
  subterranean homes, so they wandered to the 
  surface, formed their own tribes and were soon 
  considered a kin of their own. 
  510 – 540 AS  
  THE EXODUS OF THE AILANDERS
  Around the year 500, plagues and religious wars 
  ravaged Alderland, where the Congregation of 
  the Serpent had grown stronger. A persecuted 
  sect called the Ailanders made their way north 
  across the mountains to Ravenland, violating 
  the dictates of The Shift. Dwarves and elves im-
  mediately sent an army to drive them back, but 
  the commander of the Ailanders, the priestess 
  Jamharda of the Raven Sisters, threw herself at 
  the feet of the ancient kin and said they might as 
  well cut her people down right then and there, 
  since they would be condemned and killed as her-
  etics by the Psychopomp of the Congregation of 
  Serpents if they returned to Alderland.
  The Ailanders worshipped the ancient god 
  Wyrm, but they called him Raven. Where the 
  Congregation held the snake in the raven’s claws 
  sacred, the Raven Sisters believed that the ra-
  ven was divine and the snake merely its servant. 
  Since the land north of the mountains was called 
  Ravenland, Raven had flown there on secret 
  paths ahead of them so they could seek sanctu-
  ary. They asked to stay to farm the land peaceful-
  ly and trade with their hosts.
  When the elven leaders saw that these new-
  comers carried no weapons but were emaciated, 
  devout farmers who had great respect for nature, 
  their hearts were moved and they convinced 
  the dwarves to let them stay, since there was a 
  great deal of empty land in southern Ravenland. 
  After some hesitation, the dwarves agreed, but 
  demanded that the Law of the Land should be 
  created – rules to govern the behavior of the new-
  comers in Ravenland. These laws stated, among 
  other things, that the humans had to stay south 
  of the rivers Seyster and Elya.
  The Raven Sisters possessed a magical un-
  derstanding with animals, which interested both 
  elves and Elvenspring, and the relationship be-
  tween the groups was quite good.
  550 AS  
  MOUNT BILICA RISES
  New groups of Ailanders flooded over the 
  mountains from the south over the coming 
  years, but in 550 AS, the dwarves had enough 
  
  history
  21
  and called Mount Bilica up from the earth, 
  closing the passage between Ravenland and 
  Alderland. Contact between the two lands was 
  once again broken, for a long time.
  610 AS 
  THE ARRIVAL OF THE ASLENES
  The lands west of Ravenland and Alderland 
  were once called Aslene. Today, it’s a devastated 
  wasteland called the Ashen Vale. The fortunes 
  of the land are decided by the god volcano Horn. 
  Its rare eruptions spread death and destruction, 
  but also provides fertile ashes which nurture the 
  earth and gives birth to golden eras. When the 
  Ailanders couldn’t reach Alderland any longer, 
  they sought trade with Aslene through Shadow-
  gate Pass. After gold was discovered in the river 
  Wash, the Quard Clan from Aslene was drawn 
  to Ravenland on their magnificent horses, 
  beasts that were said to have galloped from the 
  volcano Horn with manes aflame at the dawn of 
  time. The Quards sought to escape centuries of 
  clan wars in the homeland and were welcomed 
  by the Ailanders who really had little choice in 
  the matter. The horses the Aslene brought with 
  them became highly valued both as workhorses 
  and for riding.
  The Aslene were of a different mindset 
  than the Ailanders. They were hot-tempered 
  and resourceful, and they had not sworn to 
  obey the Law of the Land. They brought with 
  them song, theater and many good habits to 
  Ravenland, but also insolence and belligerence. 
  Soon they started building simple strongholds 
  and ventured deeper into the less hospita-
  ble parts of Ravenland. When the elves and 
  dwarves protested, the Raven Sisters interced-
  ed and claimed that the Law of the Land gave 
  the humans the right to fortify their homes 
  against wild beasts and other dangers.
  620 AS 
  THE VOND WALL IS RAISED
  By this point, the dwarves had definitely had 
  enough of the human incursions and built The 
  Vond Wall with the fortress Vond in Shadowgate 
  Pass to stop any further migrations of humans 
  from Aslene. Remains of the wall still stand, 
  along with the crumbling fortress of Vond.
  
  chapter 2
  22
  615 – 650 AS 
  ONWARD TO THE SEA
  The Aslene soon mixed their blood with that 
  of the Ailanders. Settlers made their way east 
  to the plains of Molder and Margelda, which 
  are suitable for horses and livestock. There they 
  founded the wooden city Falender, which now 
  lies in burnt ruins. There were already a few 
  fishing villages around Anger Bay, populated 
  by people moved into the area from the north, 
  but the meeting between the two peoples was 
  peaceful since both sides could benefit from 
  and use the other’s skills and knowledge.
  690 – 695 AS 
  THE GOLD MINES AT GLETHRA
  Aslene mountain men have searched for gold ever 
  since they came to Ravenland. In 690 AS, they 
  found rich veins at Glethra in the Thynde Range 
  and they immediately started mining them. The 
  dwarves protested, since Glethra was considered 
  part of the area forbidden to humankind. A force 
  of stalwart dwarves from Stonegarden gathered 
  and the humans in turn built a fortified wall. 
  Smaller skirmishes were fought several times, 
  without deciding the ownership of Glethra. 
  After the dwarves blocked all trade with Aslene 
  through Shadowgate Pass, a new deal was struck 
  in which the Aslene kept the mines in return 
  for submitting to the Law of the Lands. Trade 
  through Shadowgate Pass was heavily regulated 
  by the dwarves, who also exacted massive tariffs 
  on all goods that passed through the Pass. The 
  humans could not use all the gold that the mines 
  yielded, and therefore there are plenty of gold 
  treasures hidden in Ravenland. The gold has lit-
  tle value to the people in the villages and is con-
  sidered unlucky by them. Today, no one knows 
  where the Glethra mines were.
  800 AS 
  THE IRON LEAGUE INVADES
  In Alderland, an area beyond the mountains 
  that no one in Ravenland really thought about 
  any more, some twenty-five sweet years of good 
  harvests and plenty of children were followed 
  by ten cold and lean years. The humans in the 
  south soon found themselves with less and less 
  space, and food was running out. Religious 
  revivals of rites including mortification of 
  the flesh and practices of penance flourished. 
  When king Algamar rose to the throne in 798 
  AS, he remembered the stories from his child-
  hood about the rich lands to the north beyond 
  the mountains, where elves and dwarves were 
  said to live plentiful lives. Algamar sent scouts 
  north and after much hardship, they found a 
  formerly unknown mountain pass, which is 
  blocked by the Iron Lock today.
  Once the spies had brought back reports of 
  fair and spacious lands beyond the Divide, Al-
  gamar wanted to gather an army to expand the 
  territory of the humans to the north. However, 
  Alderland was tired of war after years of fight-
  ing their western neighbors in Aslene, a threat 
  that still remained. The nobility was reluctant 
  to send troops on such a fleeting mission, at the 
  same time leaving the homeland undefended.
  At this time, Alderlanders worshipped the 
  god Rust, whom the Rust Church claimed 
  was the true manifestation of the creator god 
  Wyrm. The Ferrale Teramalda presented the 
  king with a vision the god had shown her, how 
  she would conquer the lands beyond the moun-
  
  history
  23
  tains with the god’s help and convert those that 
  lived there to the true faith. She claimed the 
  god Rust and his wife Heme had brought hu-
  mankind to this land in ancient times, but that 
  the Ailanders, allied with treacherous elves and 
  dwarves, had tricked them and so stolen half 
  of the land that had been promised. After she 
  had been given Algamar’s blessing, she began 
  courting the rich and powerful of the kingdom 
  to gather support for her crusade. Many priests 
  in the Congregation of the Serpent urged cau-
  tion and spoke of an ancient compact of peace 
  between the kin, but Teramalda had them 
  thrown in prison and killed as heretics and 
  traitors. When the king allowed this to go un-
  punished, the Rust Church grew in numbers.
  In 800 AS, Teramalda led three thousand 
  men north across the mountains. They carried 
  with them enormous effigies of the god Rust 
  and his wife Heme.
  800 – 810 AS  
  THE CLEANSING OF HARGA
  The villages of the Ailanders on the plains 
  of Harga soon felt the religious fervor of the 
  new arrivals. In the name of the gods Rust and 
  Heme, any Raven Sisters that were found were 
  burned at the stake or run through with rusty 
  iron blades and wooden spears, their blood 
  spilled across the effigies of the gods. The peo-
  ple of the villages were forced to take oaths to 
  honor the new gods and had to pay an annual 
  tribute, or see their villages burn. Anyone who 
  hesitated was killed. The Rust Church took up 
  permanent residence on the northwestern edge 
  of the plains and founded the city of Alder-
  stone. Teramalda spent a few years fortifying 
  the plains of Harga and brought additional 
  forces and goods over the mountains before she 
  was ready to expand her territory.
  810 – 820 AS  
  IRON MIGHT
  The dwarves of Wailer’s Hold, members of the 
  Meromannians clan, had seen the Alderland-
  ers coming, but left them alone in the hope 
  that the different human factions would end 
  up killing each other without the interference 
  of dwarves. Instead, Ailander farmers fled fur-
  ther into the land to escape their oppressors 
  and new villages and settlements were built in 
  the forests. Aslene lords courted the dwarves 
  insistently, asking for help to push back the 
  Alderlanders over the mountains. The dwarves 
  gave them clan forged blades and advice, but 
  both they and the elves hesitated to get directly 
  involved while they discussed how the situa-
  tion with the troublesome humans could best 
  be handled. Meanwhile, the Rust Church grew 
  in strength and conquered or built strongholds 
  in ever widening circles. Teramalda named the 
  woods south of Wailer’s Hold the Groveland 
  Woods, so named after the sacred groves dedi-
  cated to the worship of Heme, and built army 
  camps and cult sites all the way to Clay’s Eye.
  820 – 821 AS 
  THE FIRST ALDER WAR
  When the Alderlanders learned of the rich 
  iron mines of the dwarves at Lumra with its 
  blood red streams, Teramalda demanded they 
  be given the land in the name of the gods. She 
  marched on Lumra at the head of her Iron 
  
  chapter 2
  24
  Guard, wearing a suit of ceremonial armor of 
  iron from a plundered dwarven caravan.
  The dwarves had already mobilized and 
  marched to meet the humans. War between 
  the kin was a fact. Ailanders and Aslene fought 
  side by side with the dwarves, but no elves took 
  part, since they make decisions slowly, and had 
  yet to see many humans close to their dwell-
  ings further to the north.
  After a few skirmishes, the dwarves were 
  victorious, and a violent celebration began. 
  Teramalda had been taken prisoner, but her 
  armor could not be opened. The hot-headed 
  dwarven lord Garmar Four-Beard, drunk on 
  power and alcohol, had the priestess thrown on 
  a bed of hot coals during the victory banquet at 
  Lumra, to bake her like a shellfish. He swore 
  to eat her heart himself after it had been ten-
  derized into submission. Perhaps the god Rust 
  chose to heed Teramalda’s prayers for martyr-
  dom, because the armor with her scorched 
  body suddenly tore free from its shackles, rose 
  from the fiery coals, and killed Garmar and 
  his bodyguards. Since that day, this creature, a 
  rusty suit of armor, roams through Ravenland 
  hunting for enemies to slay. When the wind 
  is right, you may be able to smell Teramalda’s 
  seared flesh, and then it’s time to run. Some 
  say the god Rust himself has manifested inside 
  the armor.
  825 AS 
  THE MAN FLOOD
  King Algamar fell in battle against Aslene 
  in Alderland. His son, Alvagard, sat on the 
  throne after a shameful peace had been signed 
  with Aslene. Once the members of the Rust 
  Church came slinking back after their failed 
  invasion of Ravenland, Alvagard’s interest 
  was roused. Alderland had been forced to cede 
  a mining district to Aslene as payment for a 
  holy city that had been razed to the ground. 
  The tales of Lumra’s iron mines and the gold 
  mines of Glethra beyond the mountain drew 
  the king like a bee to honey.
  This time, the nobility was eager to fill 
  their empty coffers with plunder, and happily 
  sent troops. In 825 AS, Alvagard led a well-
  equipped army of seven thousand men and 
  an equal number of support troops across the 
  mountains. The sorcerers’ guild sent a group of 
  war sorcerers to support the army, among them 
  the young and excessively power hungry Zygofer 
  the Whisperer, who claimed he could hear voic-
  es from beyond the world and the night. Since 
  these Frailer sorcerers were descended from the 
  elves of Ravenland, they believed they were en-
  titled to the land beyond the mountains. They 
  assumed the betrayal of the Raven Sisters had 
  robbed them of their heritage.
  The army was met with little resistance, 
  and what little there was, was destroyed swiftly. 
  In 825 AS, Alvagard’s army secured the Har-
  ga Plains beyond the pass in three days, and 
  conquered the dwarves fortress of Vond. They 
  made camp at Teramalda’s abandoned camp-
  site at Alderstone, where the king’s banner, 
  stitched with the images of crossed swords and 
  branches of alder wood, was raised.
  826 – 833 AS 
  THE SECOND ALDER WAR
  The new human incursion with more soldiers 
  once again mobilized the dwarves of Wailer’s 
  
  history
  25
  Hold and Lumra. Messages were sent north, 
  requesting aid from other dwarven holds. 
  Soon, an army was sent to Harga, where new-
  ly arrived farmers from Alderland had already 
  started clearing the abandoned land of the Ai-
  landers for farming. The wars that followed 
  were as merciless as they were futile.
  Since the dwarves were few in number and 
  only moved across open ground reluctant-
  ly, they armed their servants, the orcs, and 
  let them go to war. The chosen orcs were the 
  biggest, meanest and strongest, and they were 
  given their freedom in exchange for going to 
  
  chapter 2
  26
  war, which made them fight in a vicious rage. 
  The dwarves also sought to enlist the powerful 
  ogres, but these half-dwarves simply laughed 
  and stayed in Feulenmark. The human king, 
  Alvagard, was soon forced to call for more 
  troops from Alderland, to be able to hold Har-
  ga. The humans soon came to view the orcs as 
  their main adversaries, since there were more 
  orcs than other enemies and they were far 
  more dangerous than others.
  833 AS 
  PEACE AND BETRAYAL
  The elves of Ravenland had stayed out of the 
  war, but during an armistice in 833 AS, they 
  sent a delegation of Elvenspring to accompa-
  ny the dwarven diplomats who were travel-
  ling to Alderstone to attempt to talk some 
  sense into the intruders, and remind them 
  of the ancient compact between humans and 
  elves and dwarves. 
  Among the elven delegates was a woman 
  called Martea, who was wise in the ways of 
  magic. She could communicate with animals 
  as well as with the dead. When the Frailers 
  from Alderland met the spellbinders of Raven-
  land in council, Zygofer and Martea were 
  struck by a sudden love for each other. In all 
  other respects the Elvenspring regarded their 
  distant relatives with distaste, since they had 
  defiled the magic of the world and were driv-
  en by the greed for power rather than duty to-
  wards gods, land and life.
  While Zygofer and Martea were busy with 
  each other, Alvagard’s diplomats hid weapons 
  and talismans in the luggage of their guests. 
  The delegation was then accused of conspiracy 
  to assassinate their counterparts, thrown in 
  prison and interrogated and tortured to give 
  up information about their country’s defenses. 
  Most of them were then executed. Zygofer se-
  cured mercy for Martea and she was so blinded 
  by love that she believed the accusations were 
  true and decided to stay with her love in Al-
  derstone. They married and honeymooned to-
  gether in the hidden valley of the dead, where 
  Martea taught her husband the art of necro-
  mancy – to speak with the dead. In 834 AS 
  Martea gave birth to a son, who was named 
  Zertorme – “the chosen one.”
  
  history
  27
  833 – 845 AS 
  THE THIRD ALDER WAR
  The betrayal of the peace delegation reignited 
  the war again but now the elves and Elven-
  spring also joined on the dwarves’ side. Just 
  like the dwarves, the elves mobilized armies of 
  their servant orcs onto battlefields that soon 
  ran with blood from the veins of all kin.
  In 841 AS, Martea gave birth to twin 
  daughters who were named Marga and Ther-
  ania. During the Third Alder Wars, Zygofer 
  rose within the ranks as he gave the Alderland-
  ers great advantages in the war by interrogat-
  ing the souls of dead soldiers. Throughout the 
  war, the spellbinder made several journeys to 
  the valley of the dead where the souls of de-
  ceased spellbinders told him of a slumbering 
  demon gate in Shadowgate Pass. However, Zy-
  gofer had insulted the guardian of the pass, the 
  giant Scrome, and had been forced to leave.
  845 – 857 AS 
  THE QUELLING
  The purpose of the magic of the elves and the 
  Elvenspring was to serve life. Because of this, 
  they hesitated to use it in war; however, the 
  human spellbinders dug ever deeper in murky 
  puddles of magic, paid tribute to ravenous gods 
  whose names should never have been spoken 
  and scratched at gates to demonic worlds to 
  summon unholy allies to their side of the war. 
  Faced with the armed might and esoteric mag-
  ic of the humans, the dwarves, elves and orcs 
  were pushed back from Harga and Alderstone. 
  The dwarves, however, held the heavily forti-
  fied city of Wailer’s Hold. The humans still 
  pushed into Arina Forest beyond the lake called 
  Clay’s Eye. A flood of settlers from Alderland 
  came to claim the newly conquered lands while 
  fortresses were raised to defend them. Troops 
  were also sent to the plains of Moldena and 
  Margelda, all the way out to the eastern seas. 
  For a time, Aslene and the Ailanders were 
  forced to submit, albeit grudgingly, to the rule 
  of the Alderlanders. Many who had previously 
  resisted were executed in public.
  850 AS 
  MERIGALL AND THE DEMONS
  In 850 AS, Zygofer was named royal gover-
  nor of Harga with his own stronghold being 
  built in the mountains. At the same time, war 
  broke out between Aslene and Alderland in the 
  south. The nobles marched their armies home 
  quickly, so Zygofer was able to rule Ravenland 
  with practically absolute power. During his 
  sorcerous research, he had found a nexus - the 
  passage between worlds that dead spellbinders 
  had whispered about – off the misty and aban-
  doned caravan trail through Shadowgate Pass. 
  He spent a long time in the mountains, assist-
  ed by the bard Merigall, who was well-versed 
  in magic and was of uncertain origins. This 
  exceptionally beautiful entity attracted both 
  men and women without anyone knowing its 
  sex, despite many claiming to have spent glo-
  rious nights in its company. Merigall was said 
  to be able to enthrall humans as well as ani-
  mals and plants with her song. The creature 
  was said to possess powers capable of shaping 
  stone itself.
  Soon oddly twisted beings, completely or 
  partly from other worlds, moved throughout 
  Harga.
  
  chapter 2
  28
  852 AS 
  MARTEA’S FLIGHT AND LUMRA’S 
  FALL
  Obsessed with his work with the demon gate in 
  Shadowgate Pass, Zygofer spent more and more 
  time experimenting with living creatures in his 
  mountainous stronghold. Many demons must 
  be fused with worldly flesh to be able to hold 
  physical form in the world. His wife Martea’s 
  love for him faltered when she saw his true na-
  ture. She longed for the forests where she had 
  grown up and strongly disliked how Zygofer was 
  using the arts she had taught him to create twist-
  ed life. She also feared for her children, whom 
  Zygofer sought to initiate into the arts of demon-
  ology since he nurtured a dream of a dynasty of 
  sorcerous emperors in Ravenland. Martea tried 
  to warn him that the king in Alderland would 
  turn against him once peace had been made with 
  Aslene, but the spellbinder wouldn’t listen to her.
  One night, Martea chose to flee from Alder-
  stone with her son, Zertorme, who was already 
  schooled in the art of magic, and her daughter, 
  Marga. The third child, Therania, was with 
  her father and remained, perhaps of her own 
  will. Once it was discovered they had escaped, 
  the furious Zygofer sent soldiers to hunt down 
  his family. The trail led towards Wailer’s Hold, 
  where Martea planned on seeking refuge among 
  the dwarves, but the escapees were intercepted 
  and had to take another route. In desperation, 
  they fled to the dwarven garrison at Lumra 
  Mines after the soldiers found them.
  Zygofer’s troops laid siege to the mine, 
  but they were too few in number to take it. As 
  soon as the spellbinder learned of this state of 
  affairs, his mind arrived at the conclusion that 
  there was a treacherous conspiracy of dwarves, 
  elves and humans, and he gathered an army to 
  march towards Lumra. When it arrived a week 
  later, there was no sign of any inhabitants, but 
  strange child-like song rose from the depths of 
  the mines. Scouts were sent forward and were 
  pulled into the shafts by tentacles as soon as 
  they peeked inside. It turned out the whole 
  mining area had been invaded by a shapeless 
  demonic creature that devoured anything that 
  came close, but could not withstand sunlight.
  Through communication with beings be-
  yond the nexus, Merigall could ascertain that 
  the girl, Marga, had been possessed by a pow-
  erful demon back in Alderstone and that the 
  creature had manifested itself to combat the 
  looming threat in Lumra, where it had grown 
  to devour both dwarves and Zygofer’s soldiers. 
  What happened to the spellbinder’s wife Mar-
  tea and their son Zertorme was unknown.
  865 – 867 AS 
  WAILER’S HOLD IS ABANDONED
  Tired of ceaseless war with the Alderlanders, 
  the dwarf clan Meromannian abandoned the 
  city of Wailer’s Hold to go north toward Bel-
  derand in the mountains. A strong garrison 
  of orcs was left behind to defend the city, but 
  without the dwarves’ leadership they failed to 
  hold out against the humans. In 867 AS, the 
  city was taken by Zygofer’s troops and settlers 
  soon made their way to the area.
  868 – 871 AS 
  THE GREAT PURGE
  Zygofer said, after his family had fled, that 
  peace would only last in Ravenland when elves, 
  
  history
  29
  dwarves and orcs had been exterminat-
  ed or driven into the sea. Armies were 
  assembled to attack the villages and 
  strongholds that could be found further 
  north. Malformed creatures that no one 
  had seen before marched with them, feared by 
  friend and foe alike.
  869 AS 
  FALENDER IS BURNED
  After being gone for ten years, it was said that 
  Zygofer’s son, Zertorme, turned to the Elven-
  spring in Vivend and offered them his services 
  as well as information about his father and his 
  secrets. Once this rumor spread, many hu-
  mans from Harga joined Zertorme. In return 
  for participating in the purge of the Alderland 
  warlords ravaging the plains, they were given 
  land on the plains of Margelda. Margelda was 
  liberated, but many soldiers from the west re-
  mained as bandits in the area, and they burned 
  the wooden city of Falender to the ground be-
  fore they dispersed.
  869 – 874 AS  
  THE MISGROWN GATHER
  Zygofer’s request for more troops and weapons to 
  cleanse Ravenland of elves and dwarves was re-
  jected by the king, since the resources were need-
  ed to rebuild the war-torn western parts of the 
  country. Lacking troops, Zygofer intensified his 
  demonic research with the help of his remaining 
  daughter, Therania, who was now an accom-
  plished sorceress, and the bard, Merigall. They 
  called on creatures not of this world to aid them 
  and experimented on criminals and captured 
  enemies. Crossbreeds 
  between humans and 
  animals with demonic features 
  appeared, 
  such as minotaurs, harpies and manticores. They 
  were sent into battle, but many were unruly and 
  fled into the wilderness where they hunted any 
  prey they could find, regardless of whether they 
  were friend or foe. Zygofer’s dedicated supporters 
  moved to Alderstone and allowed him to infuse 
  them with demonic powers, while others, filled 
  with disgust and despair, made their way further 
  from the city to find healthier places to live in 
  the wild or return to Alderland. At the same 
  time, Therania made progress in the art of rais-
  ing the dead and soon they were sent into battle. 
  It was said that Merigall had sent her teachers 
  from the realm of death itself.
  Dwarves and elves pulled back in horror from 
  these ungodly battles and left their servants, the 
  
  chapter 2
  30
  orcs, to defend the land against the humans and 
  their horrible creations. Zygofer’s troops con-
  quered and devastated the elven city of Varassa in 
  Arina Forest in a terrifying bloodbath.
  870 AS 
  ALGAROD IS CROWNED KING
  King Alvagard, who had led the Man Flood 
  thirty-six years earlier, finally passed away of 
  old age, and his grandson, Algarod, ascended 
  to the throne. During the previous twenty 
  years, Alderland had been forced to go to war 
  against the riders of Aslene to ensure that Zy-
  gofer held undisputed power in Ravenland. 
  Now Algarod made peace with Aslene, since 
  both sides were tired of war.
  870 AS 
  THE EMISSARY OF  
  THE PSYCHOPOMP
  In 869 AS, the Psychopomp, the high priest of 
  the Congregation of Serpents in Alderland, sent 
  an emissary north to investigate the situation 
  in Ravenland after refugees had given worry-
  ing testimonies of Zygofer’s ungodly rule. The 
  emissary returned the next year, deeply shocked 
  by what was going on. After the Psychopomp 
  had received his report, he convinced king Al-
  garod to send a message to Zygofer to inform 
  him that he had been removed as governor and 
  should immediately appear before the king and 
  the church with his remaining daughter Ther-
  ania. The messenger returned with a living 
  pig head attached to his shoulders. Zygofer in-
  formed the king through the sniveling snout of 
  the messenger that he was the rightful ruler of 
  Ravenland since he, through his Frailer blood, 
  was descended from the elves. He demanded the 
  Alderlanders stay on their side of the mountains 
  unless they came to trade peacefully. He did not 
  even bother to mention the Congregation of 
  Serpents.
  872 AS 
  FOURTH ALDER WARS
  Two years later, Algarod gathered a mighty 
  host with the blessing of the Psychopomp and 
  led it across the mountains. The goal was to 
  capture Zygofer, Merigall and Therania, and 
  to destroy the unholy forces of the rebels. The 
  war raged for two years. Fire and magic inim-
  ical to all life devastated the Harga Plains for 
  the foreseeable future.
  874 AS 
  THE DEMON FLOOD
  Pushed back to Alderstone, Zygofer desperate-
  ly opened the nexus to hordes of demons, even 
  though he could not control most of them. 
  Using sorcerous barriers, he directed them 
  past Alderstone and towards Algarod’s army, 
  which was destroyed to the last man by the 
  ravenous and bloodthirsty creatures. A few 
  soldiers from Algarod’s personal guard man-
  aged to take the king to Alderstone, where 
  they were all captured.
  Zygofer’s daughter, Therania, had taken 
  to the young king and offered him to be her 
  husband and slave in return for his life. When 
  he turned her down, she had him killed, 
  brought him back to life with her necrokinet-
  ics, and took his dead body for a lover.
  
  history
  31
  Zygo-
  fer and Merigall 
  sealed the nexus and stran-
  gled the flow of ether through the passage, 
  a flow that kept the demons alive. The beasts 
  weakened and many perished, but Aslene was 
  already a ruined wasteland and has since this 
  time been called the Ashen Vale. When the 
  demon lord Krasylla realized the danger it was 
  too late; he returned with his remaining ser-
  vants to try to seize the nexus, but was faced 
  with the defenders’ amassed troops and sor-
  cery. The road was closed for all intents and 
  purposes and a contract was drawn up in blood 
  875 AS 
  THE WESTERN GAMBIT
  The threat from Alderland was averted, but the 
  flood of demons now turned against Zygofer 
  and his subjects in their hunt for fresh blood. 
  A few powerful demon lords, among these the 
  terrible Krasylla, had been drawn through the 
  nexus by the reek of so much spilt blood, but 
  Merigall negotiated with them and made them 
  turn west through Shadowgate Pass. Beyond, 
  they were promised more appetizing suste-
  nance on the rich plains of Aslene beyond the 
  mountains, with far less resistance. So the war 
  in Harga came to a halt.
  876 AS  
  THE GALDANE ARRIVE 
  FROM ASLENE
  Forced to fight desperate battles with the de-
  mons in Aslene, the Galdane rider clan pushed 
  into Ravenland through Shadowgate Pass. 
  Since most of the demons were occupied with 
  ravaging the homeland of the Galdane and Zy-
  gofer’s troops were licking their wounds, the 
  riders were able to fight their way through even 
  though they suffered significant losses. The 
  plains closest to Alderstone were riddled with 
  enemies and twisted half-demons, but the Gal-
  dane continued east all the way to Margelda, 
  where they presented themselves to Zertorme 
  and swore to serve him in exchange for being 
  allowed to stay.
  877 AS 
  THE NEXUS IS SEALED
  With the demonic horde occupied in the west, 
  
  chapter 2
  32
  and phlegm. Krasylla was to remain in Raven-
  land, allied with the new rulers of the land, to 
  possess and watch the old dwarven stronghold 
  of Vond. In return, Krasylla would receive a 
  number of human sacrifices to enslave or feed 
  upon every year.
  Therania had grown tired of the cold embrace 
  of the dead king Algarod and suggested that the 
  reanimated corpse should be sent to command 
  the fortress at Weatherstone, and so he was.
  878 AS  
  THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE 
  IRON LOCK
  Scattered survivors from king Algarod’s army 
  had managed to make their way to Alderland. 
  After learning of Zygofer’s abominations, the 
  Psychopomp formally cursed Ravenland. It 
  was decided that a wall should be construct-
  ed across the mountain pass and that no one 
  should be allowed to go through from the 
  cursed land, which from this day forth came 
  to be known as the Forbidden Lands.
  A religious order of knights called The Si-
  lent were given the responsibility to guard the 
  wall, which was named The Iron Lock. Crim-
  inals or delusional missionaries are sometimes 
  winched down in a basket beyond the wall, but 
  nothing and no one is ever lifted back up.
  880 AS 
  ZYTERA IS CREATED
  Zygofer was old and decrepit. His corrupting 
  research and his struggle with the demons had 
  taken a toll on his body and soul. His rapid aging 
  worried Merigall, whose life was bound to the 
  spellbinder. The bard spoke to Zygofer’s daugh-
  ter, Therania, and pointed out that control of the 
  nexus would be lost if Zygofer passed away and 
  demons would be able to freely enter the world. 
  Merigall knew how much Therania hungered for 
  knowledge and power, so he also mentioned how 
  Zygofer’s considerable knowledge would be lost 
  without him.
  After much hesitation, Therania agreed to 
  Merigall’s suggestion to be united with her fa-
  ther in body and soul, to preserve him as a part 
  of her body. At the same time, all of Zygofer’s 
  secrets would be laid bare to her. During an un-
  speakable ritual, in which Merigall was assisted 
  by his demonic allies, father and daughter were 
  fused back to back, neck to neck, brain to brain. 
  The creature that was the result of this unholy 
  union called itself Zytera.
  Almost immediately, it turned out that 
  the two had a very hard time acting as one sin-
  gle creature and coordinating movement with 
  their four legs. However, in the depths of the 
  Shadowgate Pass roamed a half-living but head-
  less carcass of a giant, spider-like creature from 
  the demonic horde. Merigall had it captured 
  and fused the creature’s body to the combined 
  bodies of Zygofer and Therania. When Zytera 
  stepped in front of Alderstone’s Misgrown and 
  half-demons for the first time, it was hailed as 
  a horrible god.
  Zytera and Merigall could keep working on 
  their experiments in peace. The threat from Al-
  derland had been averted, while Aslene beyond 
  Shadowgate Pass had been laid waste by Kra-
  sylla’s demonic horde. The pass itself had been 
  distorted by its proximity to the nexus to the 
  point where nothing living could pass through 
  it. At the same time, the elves and dwarves had 
  
  history
  33
  been pushed back to their older settlements in 
  the north. The orcs had freed themselves from 
  their former masters and even though they were 
  still numerous, they were fighting internally and 
  did not present a major threat to Alderstone. The 
  humans of various origins that had remained in 
  the Forbidden Lands while The Iron Lock was 
  built were gathered in fortified villages and busy 
  simply surviving. Further to the east, however, 
  were Zygofer’s son, Zertorme, and some scat-
  tered humans but they were few in number. Ru-
  mor had it that Zertorme himself suffered bouts 
  of melancholy and had withdrawn to a life as a 
  hermit by the ocean.
  The only remaining threat was the unstable 
  nexus of Shadowgate Pass, from which blood-
  thirsty demons sprang forth regularly. However, 
  the demon lord Krasylla butchered most of these 
  intruders and enjoyed his bloody existence in the 
  human world.
  883 AS  
  THE FOUNDING OF THE ORDER 
  OF THE RUST BROTHERS
  The Congregation of Serpents had a scattered 
  presence throughout the human villages after 
  the influx of Alderlanders, but Zytera held it re-
  sponsible for the war against Alderland. So the 
  worship of the god Rust was resurrected and the 
  Order of the Rust Brothers was founded. The 
  members of the order believe Zytera is the living 
  prophet of the god Rust. The effigies that the 
  Ferrale Teramalda had carried across the moun-
  tains eighty years previously remained standing 
  and were once again the focus for worship and 
  sacrifice. Zytera taught the priesthood of the 
  Rust Brothers a few simple spells. Members of 
  the order visited neighboring villages to demand 
  obedience and tribute in the name of the gods 
  and the sorcerer prophet. In return, the villagers 
  were offered protection from the orcs and other 
  predatory beasts that had escaped from the sor-
  cerer’s laboratories. Despite this, human settle-
  ments were often ravaged by beasts of unclear 
  origin.
  Sometimes confused villagers joined the 
  Brotherhood, who had been given control 
  of the city Alderstone with its ruins, undead 
  and half-demons. Their leader was called the 
  Rust Prince. The Rust Brothers preached that 
  the humans of the Forbidden Lands should 
  be grateful that the powerful Zytera protected 
  their land from the incursions of the demonic 
  hordes, and that this difficult task demanded 
  submission and sacrifice by them.
  900 – 1200 AS 
  ERA OF THE BLOOD MIST
  The nexus in Shadowgate Pass had not been ful-
  ly closed, so demonic creatures made their way 
  through regularly into the Forbidden Lands 
  from places beyond. Among all these strange 
  beings, no one had noticed the large red dust 
  cloud that had leaked from the nexus during the 
  final phase of the war, a cloud that soon scat-
  tered on the winds. The dust was actually spores 
  from gaseous demons called bloodlings. Now a 
  blood red mist rose from the ground during the 
  night across all of the Forbidden Lands. The 
  mist grew thicker and covered more ground as 
  the bloodlings spread. Almost everyone enter-
  ing the mist at night disappeared.
  Once enough people had found the bloody 
  remnants of lost friends, the truth became 
  
  chapter 2
  34
  clear: predatory creatures lived in the mist and 
  butchered anyone who ventured into it. Oddly 
  enough, the residents of any given area were 
  never attacked at home, while a stranger could 
  be killed if in even the smallest trace of mist. No 
  one dared venture further from home than half 
  a day’s travel, so they could be back and close 
  their windows and doors well before darkness 
  fell. Travel in the Forbidden Lands was practi-
  cally non-existent for a very long time. Zytera, 
  armies and lands beyond walls faded from mem-
  ory and became dark legends and stories.
  950 – 1160 AS  
  REIGN OF THE RUST BROTHERS
  In 950 AS, the Rust Prince Pyronax claimed 
  that the goddess Heme had spoken to him in a 
  dream, and told him that the Blood Mist was 
  her gangrenous breath, smothering the land be-
  cause dwarves, elves, heresy and other foulness 
  was still allowed to corrupt creation. Pyronax 
  claimed that all true believers could venture into 
  the Mist without fear and that it was their duty 
  to begin cleansing the land. Strong in faith, he 
  walked alone in the Blood Mist one night, sing-
  ing and swinging a rusty censer. To the surprise 
  of all, he survived. Many followed and many of 
  them were slain, but some remained unharmed. 
  So the Mist became the initiation rite for the 
  Rust Brothers for the next  two centuries.
  The Rust Brothers soon learned that the 
  Mist was not of uniform thickness. It could be 
  dissolved and also take the dense form of vague 
  physical shapes. In 1038 AS, the Ferrale Mag-
  nudo was able to summon what appeared to be 
  a skinned human by offering a human sacrifice 
  to the Mist. After that, the Order sacrificed 
  regularly to the creatures in the Mist, with-
  out really understanding what they were. Still, 
  only Rust Brothers could venture into the 
  Mist without losing their lives, but they also 
  came to realize that elves and simple animals 
  and children were immune. It became clear 
  that the Mist did not smother the elven lands 
  or reach below ground.
  1160 AS  
  THE MIST LIFTS
  The beautiful demon Merigall feeds off feelings 
  and spectacle, and soon tired of the wet blanket 
  the Blood Mist left over the Forbidden Lands. 
  Merigall soon learned that the Mist consisted 
  of demons that were usually gaseous but that 
  solidified and took shape when they intended to 
  eat their prey. Merigall slowly learned how to 
  speak with the creatures and learned they were 
  called bloodlings and that they read emotions. 
  In their own world, the bloodlings attack and 
  remove sick creatures or those who are unhappy 
  in life. In the Forbidden Lands, the bloodlings 
  interpreted humans’ fear and unease due to be-
  ing in a foreign place as a deathwish. Humans 
  who were happy in their homes were left alone. 
  Merigall understood that the Rust Brothers 
  could walk in the Mist because they believed it 
  was the breath of the goddess Heme, and so be-
  lieved it was their own domain.
  Once Merigall won the trust of the blood-
  lings, the bard began praising their homeworld 
  with song and stories, full of sympathy for the 
  loss of their homeland. With beautiful words in-
  fused with magic, the demon managed to plant 
  a seed of homesickness in the bloodlings, so they 
  began devouring each other. Such was their kill-
  
  history
  35
  FALLTURN
  SPRINGTURN
  MIDSU MMER
  MIDWINTER
  H ARVEST DAY
  AWAK ENING DAY
  ROTDAY
  LUSHDAY
  Fallrise
  Springrise
  Summerrise
  Winterrise
  Summerwane
  Winterwane
  Fallwane
  Springwane
  er instinct that they could not refrain from can-
  nibalism. The mist slowly disappeared over the 
  next few years as Merigall’s songs spread through 
  the land. As the mist disappeared, so did the 
  influence of the Rust Brothers in the villages. 
  Today, there are only a few stubborn bloodlings 
  left in the Forbidden Lands, with no intention 
  of ever going home, as well as a few fearful gas 
  demons hiding from their stronger brethren.
  1165 AS 
  NOW
  In the aftermath of war, demonic invasions 
  and the curse of the Blood Mist, humans, 
  dwarves, orcs and elves can finally once again 
  roam free in the Forbidden Lands. Most of 
  what was once known of Ravenland, howev-
  er, has faded into myth and fractured 
  memories.
  THE CALENDAR
  In the calendar used by the humans of the 
  Forbidden Lands, the year is divided into 
  eight phases, split up by eight festivals. The 
  calendar does not follow the moon, but 
  phases with two full moons are considered 
  stronger and have a more significant impact 
  on events of the year.
  Every phase is 45 or 46 days long. During 
  the Midwinter celebration, the most prom-
  inent servants of the gods decree when the 
  different festivals will be celebrated during 
  the year. Since the Forbidden Lands have 
  several religions and the commandments 
  about the festivals do not reach every part of 
  the land, they are often celebrated on differ-
  ent days in different places.
   
   
  
  GODS
  R
  eligion is paramount to the humans 
  of the Forbidden Lands, above all 
  when it comes to separating friend 
  from foe. Most of the Forbidden Lands’ hu-
  mans worship either the raven god or the 
  snake god who according to myth, brought 
  them to the land, but they name their god 
  differently and are deeply hostile towards one 
  another.  Next to their supreme god, they also 
  venerate lesser gods of the land, connected 
  to nature and everyday life. Elves and dwar-
  ves believe themselves to be the chosen world 
  builders of their gods, while religion matters 
  little to other kin.
  THE  
  PROTECTOR GOD
  Most humans agree that a god they know as 
  the Protector led their ancestors to Ravenland 
  across the seas from their native, ruined home-
  land. According to legend, he flew before the 
  ships in the form of a raven with a snake in 
  his claws. But the consensus ends there. Adhe-
  rents of at least three different viewpoints have 
  squabbled since the Shift, when they haven’t 
  been persecuting and killing each other for 
  heresy.
  WYRM
  According to the Congregation of the Ser-
  pent, the god allowed a raven to carry him 
  during his journey. The raven is considered to 
  be a holy, but not divine, bird while the snake 
  was the god. They name him Wyrm and his 
  The Rust Lord Kartorda strides nude among the hundreds of 
  iron chains hanging from the ceiling of the pavillion. The links 
  rattle as they dance and caress the high priest’s pale flesh, staining 
  him rust brown in preparation for the coming human sacrifice.
  chapter 3
  36
  
  symbol is a twisted ouroboros – a snake bit-
  ing its own tail. (You can see this symbol on 
  the cover of this book.) The leader of the Con-
  gregation of the Serpent is called the Psycho-
  pomp. The Psychopomp in Alderland is cal-
  led Vipera, and is an old man at this point in 
  time. Since he is not available to those sworn 
  to the Congregation of the Serpent in the 
  Forbidden Lands, they have chosen their own 
  leader, the Psychopomp Aspis. The church’s 
  leader has been based in the village of Farha-
  ven since the city of Falender was burned to 
  the ground during the wars. Aspis nurtures 
  a dream of rebuilding Falender and the ser-
  pent temple there. The Congregation of the 
  Serpent is very important culturally, because 
  they keep a large library in Farhaven.
  RAVEN
  According to the Raven Church, it was, of 
  course, the raven that was divine. The ferti-
  lity snake he carried is the mother of snakes as 
  well as the worms that prepared the ground for 
  human presence. They call their god Raven, 
  and have the bird itself as their holy symbol (as 
  shown on the cover of the rulebook). The Con-
  gregation of the Serpent in Alderland believe 
  those that worship Raven are heretics who 
  should be pursued and killed, a viewpoint the 
  Rust Brothers of Alderstone have inherited and 
  sharpened even further. The Congregation of 
  the Serpent in the Forbidden Lands does not 
  like the Raven worshippers either, but accept 
  them as one of few constructive forces. Howe-
  ver, the Raven church is respected by elves and 
  Elvenspring, even if they do not share their 
  moralizing view of the world. Raven worship-
  pers are renowned healers and shapeshifters 
  who can travel in animal form. They fight the 
  Rust Brothers. The Raven church also honors 
  the water goddess, Flow, since she is of great 
  significance to life.
  THE RAVEN SISTERS
  The Ailanders brought the Raven Church to 
  Ravenland seven hundred years ago, when 
  the priestess Jamharda led them from Al-
  derland to escape persecution. Jamharda was 
  the leader of the Raven Sisters, a group of 
  life-affirming witches who remain the core 
  of the church in the Forbidden Lands. Since 
  the Raven Sisters help with everything from 
  harvesting and hunting to ailments, love and 
  childbirth with their spells, rituals and po-
  tions, they are very popular in the villages. 
  They roam the land, always on their guard, 
  since there are informants everywhere, and 
  the Rust Brothers pay anyone who captures a 
  sister for them well.
  TYPICAL RAVEN SISTER
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Move 1, Marksmanship 2, 
  Lore 3, Survival 1, Insight 2, Manipulation 1, 
  Healing 2
  TALENTS: Path of Healing 2, Path of Shifting 
  Shapes 2, or Path of Sight 2
  GEAR: Staff, dagger, D6 copper
  gods
  37
  
  TYPICAL BLACKWING
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 5, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 4, Move 3, Stealth 4, Marks-
  manship 4, Lore 1, Survival 2, Insight 3, 
  Manipulation 2
  TALENTS: Path of the Killer 2, Executioner 2, 
  Fast Footwork
  GEAR: Broadsword or scimitar, dagger, light 
  crossbow, vial of poison, studded leather 
  armor, VALUABLE find
  RUST AND HEME
  According to the Rust Brothers, the raven 
  that led humankind to Ravenland was made 
  of iron and the snake of wood – gifts to hu-
  mankind so they could make tools and wea-
  pons and thus dominate their world. It is 
  the materials, rather than the animals, that 
  are divine. Humankind must, like iron, be 
  worked and purified and tempered in order to 
  reach their conviction, while the uninitiated 
  are pieces of raw iron ore and the heretics the 
  slag that must be removed. Iron is power and 
  might, while wood is life and disease.
  The Rust Brothers call the Protector 
  god Rust and his wife Heme. They worship 
  rusty idols and crude wooden figurines that 
  represent the gods. The figurines are roughly 
  hewn and cannot be too detailed because that 
  would be an insult to the perfect form of the 
  gods. The Brothers spread their word throug-
  REAPENTERS – “BLACKWINGS”
  The Reapenters are a doomsday cult sprung 
  from the Raven Church during the fourth 
  Alder Wars, three hundred years ago. They 
  worship the raven as a carrion eater, and call 
  him Corax. The Reapenters believe the wrath 
  of the god was awakened when the humans 
  defied the ancient Shift and entered Raven-
  land. Corax will only be appeased once Ra-
  venland is again free of humans. Since the 
  Iron Lock seals the way to Alderland and pe-
  ople are unwilling to simply leave, the Rea-
  penters believe they have a sacred duty to kill 
  all humans, after which the last Reapenters 
  will take their own lives.
  These killers, dressed in black and ador-
  ned with feathers, have slaughtered whole 
  villages under the command of their leader, 
  Badalar the Butcher, but since their goal is 
  an all-encompassing purge, they can insert 
  themselves into groups of people to kill more 
  tomorrow rather than just a few today. The 
  Reapenters dismember their victims if pos-
  sible, and enact rituals in which they hang 
  the body parts in trees or on rocks where they 
  can be eaten by the god’s carrion birds. War is 
  the most holy act they know. They surround 
  themselves with half-tame ravens and answer 
  “Nevermore!” when their priests list all the 
  sins and horrors committed by humans to-
  day. Some human-hating elves sympathize 
  with the Reapenters, among them the no-
  torious Father Geno, who has been preach-
  ing during their rituals since the beginning. 
  Some claim Geno was present at the Shift 
  and predicted the land would fall due to the 
  humans; betrayal even then.
  chapter 3
  38
  
  hout the villages and help the faithful, while 
  those who doubt are converted by force. The 
  church leads the restless dead away from the 
  villages to shape them into servants or sol-
  diers. If the gods are to protect mankind, 
  they preach that the gods Rust and Heme 
  must be appeased with tribute in the 
  form of food, silver and human 
  sacrifice. It is a known fact that 
  villages which do not pay tribute 
  to the church suffer misgrowth and 
  other misfortunes.
  RUST
  HEME
  The Rust Lord Kartorda is the current lead-
  er of the Rust Brothers. The high priests of 
  the church are often Misgrown, twisted by 
  Zytera’s demonic magic. Sometimes they 
  wear masks to conceal especially horrifying 
  gods
  39
  
  TYPICAL IRON GUARD
  STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 2, Endurance 2, Melee 4, Move 
  2, Marksmanship 3
  TALENTS: Path of the Blade 2 or Path of the 
  Enemy 2, Threatening, Cold Blooded
  GEAR: Longsword or flail, heavy crossbow, 
  chainmail or plate armor, great helm, 
  large shield, combat trained horse, one 
  VALUABLE find
  TYPICAL HEME SISTER
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Lore 2, Insight 2, Healing 2
  TALENTS: Path of Blood 2 or Path of Death 2 
  GEAR: Staff or dagger, one SIMPLE find
  HUGE
  Huge is the forge god of the dwarves. He has 
  given them the task of expanding the world. 
  The dwarves believe that the sun is the fire 
  in Huge’s forge. They call it Huge’s Hearth, 
  and their goal is to reach it by expanding the 
  Earth until they do. All the clans want to 
  reach it first so as to secure the best seats at 
  Huge’s table before the even greater task of 
  reaching the Outer Forges (the stars) is set 
  for them, about which he will tell them once 
  they reach him.
  The dwarves believe in reincarnation, 
  but the god can choose to reshape them for 
  attributes, but often these deformities are 
  displayed openly. Many have additional body 
  parts from some other entity since melding 
  is part of their ordination: an extra eye, an 
  extra limb, more fingers. They drape them-
  selves in yellow, red and rust brown cloth 
  that is adorned with rusty iron. Rusty iron 
  is believed to be much more effective against 
  troublesome demons. Often, the Rust Brot-
  hers swing rusty metal chains with balls fil-
  led with burning coals. They use them both 
  as weapons and as tools in their rituals.
  The knightly order known as the Iron 
  Guard is the armed branch of the church, 
  and they answer directly to the Rust Lord 
  Kartorda. The knights often ride animals 
  fused with demonic creatures. They fight 
  against orcs and other enemies, but also per-
  form punitive actions against villages that 
  have displeased the Rust Brothers.
  The Rust Brothers despise but tolerate 
  the Congregation of the Serpent, while Ra-
  ven worshippers are actively persecuted, tor-
  mented and executed.
  The Sisters of Heme are the female coun-
  terpart of the Rust Brothers, but they are less 
  visible at the temples since the church is pa-
  triarchal.
  TYPICAL RUST BROTHER
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Move 1, Marksmanship 2, 
  Lore 3, Survival 1, Insight 2, Manipulation 1, 
  Healing 2
  TALENTS: Path of Blood 2 or Path of Death 2
  GEAR: Staff, dagger, D6 copper
  chapter 3
  40
  
  holm and is visited by both elves and Elven-
  spring. Members of other kin are generally not 
  allowed on the island.
  WAIL
  Wail is the air goddess that the Raven sisters 
  believe is the wife of the Protector god, Ra-
  their next existence. They believe in a paral-
  lel spirit world where their souls rest and are 
  trained by Huge for their next work shift in 
  the world. Skill, knowledge and duty are the 
  traits that impress the god rather than living 
  a moral life.
  CLAY
  Clay is the god who shaped the world at the 
  Protector’s behest. Clay is a sexless deity, a 
  powerful craftsperson, who holds dominion 
  over crafts, life and the magic of creation. 
  The druids among the Elvenspring worship 
  Clay, as do many elves. They see the god more 
  as a master teacher than their lord.
  Clay and soil are divine substances to the 
  followers of Clay and they often create objects 
  of clay to use in rituals.
  THE SHARDMAIDEN
  The Shardmaiden was Clay’s prophet, a female 
  elf who lived during the Shift. According to 
  legend, she fell in love with an Elvenspring 
  called Morander. Together they created the 
  Order of Maidens to stand watch over nature. 
  When Morander died, the Shardmaiden chose 
  to shatter the ruby in her chest so that each 
  Maiden could carry a shard and through it 
  gain knowledge and magic powers. The grand 
  temple of the Order is on the island of Maiden-
  THE MAHA LANGUAGE
  The druids use the Maha langu-
  age for their magic rituals. It is 
  a written language consisting 
  of pictograms without any 
  spoken component. Maha is not 
  used to communicate, but to 
  formulate statements. These 
  statements either say so-
  mething about reality or create 
  what they state through magic 
  rituals. At the druid temples, 
  Maha is used in more everyday 
  contexts such as education. 
  The signs are often carved into 
  clay tablets that are fired and 
  then combined to form magic 
  statements.
  gods
  41
  
  mal people do not worship him but may seek 
  to appease him to avoid bad luck and disaster, 
  sometimes by blood sacrifice. The Nightwal-
  ker is the protector of the night, mysteries, 
  and untamed magic. He sees through any veil. 
  The moon is his eye and wisps of smoke are 
  his spies, as are the vague and ethereal frag-
  ments of fog that rise from the ground when 
  the weather is cold and damp.
  HORN
  The Aslene that made their way to Raven-
  land worship Horn, the fire god of their 
  homeland, embodied by the volcano of the 
  same name in Aslene. The volcano Horn can 
  spread his murderous rage with fire, but his 
  falling ashes are so fertile that they awaken 
  golden ages of good harvests once the storm 
  has passed. 
  The riders of Aslene believe that the an-
  cient horses of their ancestral plains sprung 
  from the volcano, manes aflame, and that 
  the mountain will make the land flourish 
  again after the ravages of the demonic flood. 
  They believe all fire comes from Horn and 
  often light huge fires at festivals and celebra-
  tions so the god can be present. Lately, a na-
  meless prophet has claimed that Zertorme at 
  Amber’s Peak is the chosen saviour of Horn, 
  which has made many Quards go on a pilgri-
  mage there.
  ven. She carries the bird god and all other 
  birds through the sky. Wail is also the god-
  dess of weather and is honored in this capa-
  city by all elves, Elvenspring and the humans 
  in the villages.
  FLOW
  The water goddess, Flow, is worshipped by 
  elves, Elvenspring, and villagers. During the 
  ceremony known as “Flow’s Delight,” she is 
  invoked in a well or bucket of water, which 
  overflows with water once the invocation is 
  successful. The water is allowed to flow out 
  and is believed to cleanse the house or village 
  from disease and vermin. People rinse them-
  selves off with it and collect it in containers 
  where it keeps its purifying and healing po-
  wer for a few weeks.
  THE  
  NIGHTWALKER
  The Nightwalker is considered the oldest of 
  all the gods, the untameable force of nature 
  that shatters harmony and the ordinary. Nor-
  chapter 3
  42
  
  kin
  43
  KIN 
  A
  ccording to myth, humankind arrived 
  as intruders from across the ocean 
  1,200 years ago and immediately be-
  came rivals to the native elves, dwarves, and 
  orcs. Soon, the land was divided through the 
  Raven god’s initiative, but tensions continued 
  to mount. Since then, new conflicts have ari-
  sen but hardly any new friendships. Those that 
  were born with blood from two kin have not 
  done anything to improve the relations bet-
  ween kin but rather, have complicated matters 
  further. Halflings, Saurians and other smaller 
  groups have tried to stay out of these conflicts, 
  which sometimes spill outside the boundaries 
  of one kin against another. More or less hosti-
  le groups with different goals can be found 
  amongst all kin. Some of them seek peaceful 
  coexistence, while others want to eradicate eve-
  ryone apart from their own kin.
  HUMANS
  “You ask about our view of humans in Raven-
  land, my lady?
  So hear my answer: your place is not here, 
  everyone hates you and you do not even like each 
  other.”
  ETARIK HAMMERHAND, ambassador from the 
  Merromannians to Alderstone, 833 AS
  The villagers of the Forbidden Lands are a 
  motley mix of splinter communities: native 
  Ailanders led by the Raven Sisters, riders from 
  Aslene who came to Ravenland before Sha-
  dowgate Pass was blocked, Alderlanders who 
  remain behind the wall, stern Rust Brothers, 
  a few half-elves with limited knowledge of ma-
  gic, and mixtures of these groups. During the 
  Emperor Hroka the First and the Greatest steps out from his night 
  camp and turns his glowing eyes to his waiting subjects. Most of 
  them moan, heads heavy from last night’s drinking, suspecting the 
  morning speech will be a long one.
  “I’ve had a dream!” the emperor proclaims. “This is the 
  Age of Orcs! The age where we show the world that our kind can 
  also build a proud nation!”
  
  chapter 4
  44
  night, they hunker down in crowded con-
  ditions behind palisades, but are forced to 
  go out during the day to scrounge for food 
  and other necessities. Their life is a hard one, 
  though not impossibly so, and there is often a 
  strong sense of solidarity among neighboring 
  villages. Most of these settlers are schooled in 
  some sort of farming or craftsmanship, but 
  also in the arts of combat, as there are plenty 
  of threats. Villagers generally welcome new-
  comers, but always with some degree of suspi-
  cion. New blood and new knowledge is always 
  welcome, as is news from distant lands – eve-
  ryone is curious about the outside world now 
  that the Blood Mist has lifted from the land. 
  The older villagers are raised to work hard 
  and live a simple life, but many younger ones 
  nurture secret dreams of discovering the new 
  world beyond the blueing crests of the hills.
  A village usually houses somewhere 
  between fifty and one hundred humans of 
  able age, not counting children and the el-
  derly. Providing for more is hard, but there 
  are villages with several hundred inhabitants 
  in more fertile locations. Killing people who 
  can no longer contribute due to age or frailty 
  is not uncommon. It is viewed as unavoidable 
  but sad and is usually accepted by the victims 
  as a better alternative than being forced to 
  venture out from the village on their own.
  VILLAGES: All villages are hemmed in by walls 
  or palisades where they do not have water, a 
  cliff, or a mountainside as natural protection. 
  The eastern villages usually have a crystal 
  from the Shardmaiden’s temple as a talisman 
  against evil, while the villages in the west in-
  stead put their faith in the Rust Brothers and 
  
  kin
  45
  It is rumoured the Rust Brothers agitate 
  humans on purpose and then kill them to 
  create ghouls and other aggressive undead to 
  use them as soldiers or sleepless guardians. 
  The Rust Brothers are said to know ways to 
  turn ghouls into Death Knights and other 
  horrors so as to make them more dangerous.
  ALDERLANDERS
  Alderland is inaccessible, hidden behind the 
  Iron Lock to the south. That’s the origin of 
  the Alderlanders, even though most of them 
  have been born in the Forbidden Lands and 
  have never seen Alderland. Newcomers from 
  Alderland sometimes appear north of the wall: 
  criminals, banished and, in a few cases, mis-
  sionaries and other people who have left of 
  their own free will. These newcomers are re-
  ceived with open arms since they often carry 
  news from the homeland, and perhaps can sing 
  some of the old sad songs. There is a melan-
  choly among Alderlanders as they reminisce 
  about what has been lost, or a defiance and will 
  to forget what has been, so that they may build 
  something new.
  Alderlanders make up the majority of the 
  villagers in the northern lands. Some remai-
  ned after the Alder Wars, some deserted and 
  some made their way east to Margelda. A few 
  are Frailer sorcerers, half-elves seldom looked 
  kindly upon by the Elvenspring, their blood re-
  latives in the Forbidden Lands. Others have joi-
  ned bands of marauders that ravaged Margelda 
  during Zygofer’s glory days and now eke out a 
  living raiding or as militia for the villages.
  The heraldry of Alderland takes the ap-
  pearance of swords and branches from the 
  Zytera. Some settlements are secretly guarded 
  by the remaining Raven Sisters. There is al-
  ways some form of humble temple in the cen-
  ter of the village with someone ordained as a 
  priest who also travails in another role. Apart 
  from the Shardmaiden, Rust and Heme, the 
  villagers also venerate the old gods from Al-
  derland and Aslene, such as Wyrm, Wail, Flow 
  and Clay. The traditional Congregation of the 
  Serpent can be found everywhere, but often 
  keeps its head down so as to not challenge the 
  newer faiths.
  The villages are surrounded by farmland, 
  guarded by watchtowers with horns to sound 
  the alarm. The settlement’s burial ground is 
  separate from the village itself and is usually 
  encircled by a wall, since it is not unusual for 
  the dead to stay behind without finding any 
  sort of rest. These restless dead are rarely ag-
  gressive. Instead, they are confused and sor-
  rowful. They try to piece their fragmented 
  memories together and seek to understand 
  what has happened to them. Humans from the 
  village often go to the burial ground to soothe 
  the restless dead with music and simple con-
  versation, speaking to them as if to a child. It 
  is considered wise to treat the dead with respect 
  until they find peace, but it is also wise to keep 
  your distance and firmly dissuade them if they 
  want to come back to the village. The dead can 
  become distraught or aggressive if you show 
  them their mirror image, but at the same 
  time, they are attracted to all things shiny. 
  Dead that wander off on their own are called 
  walkers, while the aggressive undead are called 
  ghouls (see page 122).
  The Rust Brothers often remove restless 
  dead to turn them into servants or worse. 
  
  G r
  o v e
  l a
  n d
   W
  A r
  i n
  a  
  F o
  r e
  s t
  L a
  k e  
  V a
  r d a
  D
  a
  n k
  w o
  o d
  D
  a
  n k
  w o
  o d
  F e
  u l
  e n
  m a
  r k
  B e g r a n d
  T h e  I r o n  L o c k
  H a r g a
  S h a d o w g a t e  P a s s
  H a r m s m o o r
  SAURIANS
  ALDERLANDERS
  ALDERLANDERS
  MEROMANNIAN DWARVES
  CANIDE DWARVES
  CANIDE DWARVES
  ELVES
  ELVES
  ENTS
  WOLFKIN
  ISIR ORCS
  ISIR ORCS
  ROKA ORCS
  URHUR ORCS
  URHUR ORCS
  MISGROWN
  DEMONS
  OGRES
  
  F a r  V i v e n d
  V i v e n d
  Anger Bay
  Backwater Bay
  Maidenholm
  M o l d e n a
  M a r g e l d a
  Ye n d r a
  B e l i f a r
  d s
  D
  a n
  k w
  o o
  d
  F
  a
  n
  g
  w
  o
  o
  d
  s
  T
  h
  e
   
  S
  h
  r
  o
  u
  d
  GOBLINS
  ALDERLANDERS
  MEROMANNIAN DWARVES
  CROMBE DWARVES
  ELVENSPRING
  ELVES
  STILLELVES
  SAURIANS
  GOBLINS
  GALDANE ASLENES
  AILANDERS
  AILANDERS
  QUARD ASLENES
  ELVENSPRING
  HALFLINGS
  WOLFKIN
  
  chapter 4
  48
  alder tree. Alderlanders honor the alder tree 
  as sacred and decorate themselves with bran-
  ches from the tree during celebrations and 
  festivals.
  AILANDERS: The Ailanders were the first 
  group of humans who found their way north 
  to Ravenland from Alderland. They fled reli-
  gious persecution seven hundred years ago. 
  The Ailanders worship the Protector under the 
  name Raven and were led during their exodus 
  by the priesthood of the Raven Sisters. Many 
  Alderlanders believe Ailanders in general and 
  Raven Sisters in particular are heretics and 
  traitors since the Rust Brothers claim the ra-
  ven worshippers, backed by the elves and dwar-
  ves, tried to take control of Ravenland using 
  trickery. The Ailanders keep a low profile and 
  often want to live simple lives in peace with 
  others. They have the same appearance as Al-
  derlanders, but deviate when it comes to equa-
  lity, striving for peace and living in accordance 
  with the will of the gods. Many of them have 
  fled east to the coastal plains of the Forbidden 
  Lands, but rumors speak of the hidden village 
  of Koracia, supposedly housing a shrine hono-
  ring the Raven god.
  There is a murderous sect of fanatics 
  among the Ailanders called the Reapenters. 
  The sect blames the misery of the world on 
  the treachery of humankind. When the Al-
  derlanders defied the Shift and pushed across 
  the the Divide into Ravenland, they incurred 
  the wrath of the Raven God. The Reapenters 
  say the curse will end only when the last hu-
  man, dead or alive, has left the Forbidden 
  Lands. And that it is their duty to kill anyo-
  ne who does not understand this.
  TYPICAL AILANDER
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Move 2, Marksmanship 2, 
  Healing 1 
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Shortsword, short bow
  FRAILERS: Half-elves of Alderland heritage 
  are called Frailers. They are the descendants of 
  the elven hostages among the humans in Al-
  derland after the Shift. Alderland spellbinders 
  often have Frailer blood in their veins. They 
  are long-lived, typically with a slender body 
  and a tendency towards pointed ears. Unlike 
  the Elvenspring, who are half-elves born of the 
  hostages in Ravenland, they have no concept 
  of duty or living according to the needs of na-
  ture. Both groups are driven by the same im-
  patience and ambition, but among the Frailers 
  it manifests as a greedy search for power and 
  knowledge. Zygofer is of Frailer blood, as are 
  many of his closest supporters.
  TYPICAL FRAILER
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
  SKILLS: Lore 2, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR:  Dagger, quill and ink
  THE SILENT: The guardians standing watch 
  on the Iron Lock are called The Silent. They 
  are believed to be deaf mutes, as they do not 
  speak to anyone in the Forbidden Lands and 
  do not seem to even listen when spoken to. If 
  
  kin
  49
  someone comes too close to their walls, they 
  give warning by banging on metal cylinders 
  and then shoot. The open ground below the 
  wall is littered with the skeletons of those who 
  have heard the warnings of The Silent but ig-
  nored them.
  TYPICAL SILENT GUARD 
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 2,  Melee 3, Insight 4 
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Short spear, large shield, chainmail, 
  great helm, heavy crossbow
  OTHER ALDERLANDERS: Humans descended 
  from Alderlands who are neither Ailanders or 
  Frailers are simply called Alderlanders. They 
  are a varied group with different loyalties and 
  temperaments.
  TYPICAL ALDERLANDER
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Move 1, Insight 2 
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Shortsword, short bow
  ASLENES
  The Aslenes have a more colorful physical ap-
  pearance than the Alderlanders. They have 
  various skin tones, always with a healthy lus-
  ter. Their hair is always vibrant, regardless of 
  color. Usually Aslenes braid their hair, with 
  both men and women having artful hair styles. 
  Their clothes are equally colorful, consisting 
  of earth tones decorated with fields and pat-
  terns of various colors. They prefer gold and 
  bronze jewelry to silver. The Aslenes are shor-
  ter but stouter than Alderlanders, who believe 
  that the riders lack both beauty and culture.
  TYPICAL ASLENE
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 2, Move 2, 
  Animal Handling 2
  TALENTS: Horseback Fighter
  GEAR: Short spear, short bow,
  leather armor, riding horse
  QUARDS: The Quards are a rider clan from As-
  lene. They made contact with the Ailanders of 
  Ravenland through Shadowgate Pass some six 
  
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  50
  hundred years ago and chose to emigrate from 
  the harsh clan wars that threatened to wipe them 
  out. The clans of Aslene are wise in the ways of 
  war and more ambitious than the Ailanders, and 
  adhere to strict hierarchies. They soon rose to 
  positions of power, built fortresses and pushed 
  further into Ravenland, against the will of the 
  elves and dwarves. In time, they had mated and 
  mixed their blood with that of the Ailanders, so 
  that all sorts of variations existed among the two 
  cultures. Like all Aslene, the Quards strongly be-
  lieve in honor and loyalty among friends. They 
  are no longer a nomadic people, but their former 
  lifestyle has given them an air of mystery and 
  long years of living in the wild is part of their 
  upbringing since the Blood Mist lifted. Skill in 
  the saddle and with a blade are held as the highest 
  expressions of their cultural heritage. The Aslene 
  worship the fire god, Horn, whose physical ma-
  nifestation is a volcano in their homeland. La-
  tely, many Quards have flocked to the banner of 
  the sorcerer Zertorme, since a prophet has iden-
  tified him as Horn’s chosen savior.
  GALDANES: The parts of Aslene that lie to 
  the west of the Forbidden Lands were ravaged 
  in 875 AS by demonic hordes sent by Zygofer. 
  The Galdane clan fled this catastrophe and 
  pushed into Ravenland where the few hund-
  red that survived ended up in Margelda, where 
  Zertome gave them land and let them stay in 
  exchange for their promise to defend the land.
  These newcomers find it hard to assi-
  milate to their new surroundings. They are 
  nomadic and despise farmers for using fen-
  ces and walls to divide the land the Galdanes 
  believe should belong to everyone. The Gal-
  danes were the enemies of the Quards while 
  the clans were still in Aslene, and their en-
  mity lives on in songs and stories even if they 
  are forced to put their conflicts aside now.
  The Galdanes also do not trust Alderlan-
  ders, who are their traditional blood enemies 
  after many wars. Above all, they hate Zygofer 
  and anything that looks demonic, including 
  wolfkin. They dream of vengeance and about 
  one day being able to return to the Ashen 
  Vale to rebuild their homeland. They tend 
  to drink too much and to go back and forth 
  between wanting to fight for their honor and 
  weeping and singing sad songs about their 
  fate. Their appearance is more similar to that 
  of the original Aslene than to the Quards, 
  since the latter have mixed their blood with 
  that of the Alderlanders for centuries.
  ELVENSPRING
  The Elvenspring are half-elves, descendants of 
  the hostages the humans left with the elves in 
  Ravenland during the Shift. They have learned 
  the nature magic of the elves and, as initia-
  ted druids in the Golden Bough, they handle 
  many of their traditional chores to help nur-
  ture nature. The Elvenspring are few in num-
  ber, but live three times longer than humans. 
  Many druids have taken it upon themselves to 
  fight Zytera and the Rust Brothers in the name 
  of the Shardmaiden. Elvenspring often feel 
  contempt towards normal humans and find 
  their smell unnerving, but at the same time, 
  they feel a responsibility for their miserable 
  half-relatives that have been trapped in the 
  land since the wall went up. Their view is that 
  nature must run its course, for good and bad, 
  according to the will of the gods.
  
  kin
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  These half-elves are restless and ambitious, 
  something the elves believe stems from their 
  mortality. They are driven by a personal code 
  of honor, are stoic in nature and want to show 
  themselves as superior to the full-blooded hu-
  mans they often view as primitive and embar-
  rassing precursors to their own existence wit-
  hout greater purpose. Humans, on the other 
  hand, often see the Elvenspring as arrogant. 
  Elvenspring are taller and thinner than hu-
  mans and retain their youthful appearance 
  even into old age. They despise the Frailers 
  of Alderland, believing them to be morally 
  corrupt despite both kin being half-elves and 
  similar in many ways. Elvenspring claim they 
  can instantly identify a Frailer from their 
  choice of words and posture.
  The Elvenspring worship the creator god, 
  Clay, and the Shardmaiden, who they believe 
  is the chosen prophet of the god and their ori-
  ginal teacher. They also venerate the old gods 
  of the land and the Raven god of the Raven 
  Sisters. Earth and clay are holy substances to 
  them. They often use clay figurines and clay 
  tablets with Maha symbols (see page 41) for 
  magic rituals and contemplation.
  THE ORDER OF MAIDENS: The Order of Mai-
  dens is a group of druids sworn to fight the 
  demonic evils of the Forbidden Lands. They 
  carry an emerald shard from the Shardmaiden 
  fused into their foreheads, which helps them 
  focus power from their Mother. The Maidens 
  tend to use more offensive spells than other 
  druids, and are even more suspicious of Alder-
  landers.
  TYPICAL MAIDEN DRUID
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 2, Lore 2, 
  Manipulation 2, Move 1
  TALENTS: Path of Shifting Shapes 2
  GEAR: Short bow, dagger, leather armor
  MISGROWN
  Misgrown are humans who have been sedu-
  ced and twisted by Zytera, and thus assumed 
  demonic attributes. They are feared and ha-
  ted by the other inhabitants of the land. 
  The Misgrown can be found in their 
  greatest numbers around the city of 
  Alderstone, but they can also raid or 
  hunt, in which they are led by the 
  Wardens of the Rust Lord. Many Rust 
  Brothers are Misgrown.
  
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  52
  ELVES
  “What is the human to the elf? A laughing stock or 
  a painful embarrassment? 
  Perfection has a single form, while the laug-
  hable has many. ”
  –  GENO THE HECKLER –
  Elves live for a very long time, unlike the oth-
  er inhabitants of the Forbidden Lands. Over 
  time, many elves lose interest in the world 
  unless they find some goal in life that pushes 
  them on. Their society has no formal power 
  structure. Age, skill and experience grants a 
  level of status that is accepted by most elves. 
  Other kin rarely understand the society of the 
  elves, and so divide them into Stillelves and 
  The Unruly, based on their behavior. The el-
  ves, in turn, have a hard time understanding 
  the motivations and lives of the other kin, li-
  kening them to soft berries that rot when au-
  tumn approaches, while the elves themselves 
  are lasting stone fruit. Their flesh is renewed 
  by the rubies in their chests, from which the 
  individual can be recreated even if their bodies 
  are completely destroyed.
  Blood relation does not matter to the elves 
  and they have no hierarchies beyond respect for 
  age and knowledge. They are not religious and do 
  not worship the gods, but they do not deny their 
  existence, instead viewing them as honorable 
  teachers.
  ELVEN RUBIES:  The dwarves claim that the 
  first elven rubies were forged by the god Huge, 
  but the elves themselves say the rubies fell like 
  seeds from the wandering red star of the skies, 
  to guide the confused life of the world towards 
  a higher purpose. And so, the elves take re-
  sponsibility for nature’s cause, even if they 
  have turned over most of the practicalities to 
  the Elvenspring of late.
  The bodies of elves continuously renew 
  themselves, purifying and removing scars 
  and imperfections. Therefore, elves are al-
  ways beautiful, young and healthy. Over 
  time, they learn how to control their ap-
  pearance. They can choose their shape and 
  physical colors and completely change their 
  appearance in a few months’ time. If their 
  flesh is destroyed but the ruby remains, the 
  elf can be recreated from this spore by the 
  old masters in the Stillmist – the mysterious 
  place beyond the world that no one can find 
  on their own. If the rubies are cut from their 
  flesh, the elves’ bodies shrivel up to husks 
  within a few hours. If the ruby is shattered, 
  the elf is lost for all time. Young elves start 
  their lives with a shard of ruby that grows 
  Elvish saying
  “Three things mortal hands can-
  not mend: broken birds’ eggs, the 
  heart ruby and ravaged oaths 
  between kin.”
  Dwarf stonesingers love men-
  ding broken eggs simply to 
  spite the elves.
  
  kin
  53
  like a pearl in an oyster, becoming more and 
  more valuable.
  Elven rubies are coveted for many reasons. 
  Rich humans in the Forbidden Lands and oth-
  er places find it extremely thrilling to carry a 
  living being as a piece of jewelry. Zytera breaks 
  elven rubies into shards to use them in his ex-
  perimental creatures, which kills the elf and 
  uses its life energy to power demonic abomi-
  nations. The Rust Brothers sacrifice rubies to 
  their gods by breaking them with hammers on 
  their anvil-like altars.
  STILLELVES
  When elves have been alive for a long time and 
  believe they have seen all the world has to offer, 
  they might lose interest. Some of them claim 
  that only the now exists, while others believe 
  time is cyclical, when it comes to days, years, 
  and even ages. Some become melancholic while 
  others simply continue being. They may spend 
  years lying under an oak tree to observe the 
  changing seasons of the year or the slow withe-
  ring of a rock, or they may develop eccentric 
  obsessions, or spend their time on slow, eso-
  teric art projects. Some choose to fuse their 
  ruby with an oak or ash tree and grow into an 
  ent, to walk the forests as a living shepherd of 
  trees. Yet others completely leave their body 
  and have their ruby mounted in temples where 
  they spend their time exchanging ideas and 
  thoughts with those who have made a similar 
  choice. There are rumors of paths of wisdom 
  through the Stillmist which younger elves seek 
  for wisdom and counsel. It is not uncommon 
  for the elf in a ruby to appear in the dreams of 
  whoever wears it.
  Elves live long lives, but this doesn’t mean 
  they remember everything, and they are rarely 
  interested in any kind of cohesive description 
  of history. Some of them might remember a 
  smell or a song from two thousand years ago, 
  but nothing else in particular. See this as a re-
  source in the game, where elves can be used as 
  memory banks to the extent the adventurers 
  need them, but at the same time don’t need to 
  reveal too much.
  The recreation of an elf’s body supposedly 
  takes place in the biggest temple in the Still-
  mist, Rosenstaad. The few ancient elves who 
  
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  54
  feel completely done with the world can choose 
  to shatter their ruby ritually, allowing each 
  shard to create a new elf while their own energy 
  returns to the Red Wanderer in the sky, so they 
  may tell him how they have spent their time 
  in the physical world. It is believed that elves 
  do not procreate pure-blood elves in any other 
  way, even if they mix their blood out of curio-
  sity with humans they have learned to love. 
  Love for them is a long and natural process, a 
  growing union of souls and bodies. They view 
  the eager procreation without romantic cour-
  ting of the other kin with disdain.
  The wise female elf Blaudewedd of the 
  First is said to have stayed in the world to guide 
  less experienced elves from her dwelling in the 
  Stillmist, even though she is done living.
  Elves with the quiet disposition of the Stil-
  lelves did not resist when the humans invaded 
  Ravenland. They are not interested in the pas-
  sage of time. Why act at all, and risk your eter-
  nal existence, when everything but themselves 
  and the land will still disappear in a few hund-
  red years? They sent their orc servants to aid the 
  dwarves and then withdrew from the world. The 
  orcs have not forgiven this betrayal.
  TYPICAL STILLELF
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 5, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Crafting 4, Lore 5, Insight 4
  TALENTS: Path of Shifting Shapes 2
  UTRUSTNING:  Wooden staff
  ENTS
  Ents are elves who have tired of the fast and flee-
  ting life as a being of flesh. They have merged 
  their ruby with a slender oak or ash tree, which 
  has then grown around the jewel, creating a new 
  body for them. Ents are revered by the elves and 
  Elvenspring. They are sought out for advice and 
  gifts are left for them in the glades. The ents 
  are the shepherds and protectors of the great 
  forests. Ents that have become aggressive for 
  some reason are very dangerous adversaries. 
  THE UNRULY
  Less patient elves still want to leave an im-
  pression on the world. Hopefully, it is from 
  this group the players create their characters. 
  Some are good-humored and curious, others 
  are filled with a lust for revenge, focusing on 
  experiencing the world or defending the living. 
  Even if the Unruly respect the elders of their 
  kin and the Stillelves, they often carry hat-
  red or even secret disdain for their torpid and 
  inactive relatives. They furiously resist their 
  kin’s inclination towards lethargy, and want 
  to fight, avenge, conquer and experience – they 
  believe they have an obligation to commit gre-
  at deeds during their long lives. This duality 
  births a rage they gladly subject the rest of the 
  world to. The Stillelves lovingly tolerate this 
  rage, saying that all elves tend to go through a 
  few centuries as Unruly while they are young. 
  Wisdom comes with age.
  TYPICAL UNRULY ELF
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Endurance 2, Stealth 3, 
  Marksmanship 2,  Scouting 2, Survival 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Longbow, short spear, knife
  
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  55
  THE GOLDEN BOUGH
  Elves who feel like they still have a responsi-
  bility for nature and the circle of life lead the 
  Golden Bough, the largest order of druids in 
  the Forbidden Lands. Many older elves in the 
  order are skilled spellbinders, focusing on ma-
  gic and  harnessing the forces of nature and 
  life. However, most of the members of the or-
  der are Elvenspring – half-elves who have adop-
  ted elvish customs and culture. The domain of 
  the Golden Bough is Dankwood and Vivend, 
  where they live in hidden elven dwellings. They 
  feel a special responsibility for the Stillelves 
  that have become ents, and revere them with 
  gifts and songs. They spend their days destroy-
  ing things inimical to nature and helping life 
  continue as it was intended. They do not coddle 
  nature, accepting its cruel whims as well.
  Dwarves like singing satirical songs about 
  their allies, in which “the Golden Bough” me-
  ans something completely different.
  TYPICAL GOLDEN BOUGH DRUID
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Scouting 2, Lore 3,  Marks-
  manship 2, Survival 3, Animal Handling 3
  TALENTS: Path of Healing 2
  GEAR: Throwing spear, falcion, leather 
  armor
  MELDERS
  Some active elves travel through the Forbidden 
  Lands in the role of scientists and artists, per-
  haps to find the perfect pine cone, spread flo-
  wers to create landscapes of art, or to catalogue 
  and memorize all species of beetle in the land. 
  Some have been blessed with a bad memory, 
  and experience the world as new over and over. 
  Their name comes from their custom of ador-
  ning their bodies with organic patterns. These 
  patterns are neither cut nor painted. Instead, 
  they are created by the elf by rearranging the 
  darker sap of their bodies into patterns on their 
  skin. This artform was discovered by the legen-
  dary Veliman the Painter long before humans 
  arrived in Ravenland. The ancient Melder is 
  said to be roaming the land still.
  Melders are very hard to discover, unless 
  they choose to reveal themselves. This is partly 
  because their skin patterns function as a sort of 
  camouflage when the Melder is in areas with ve-
  getation, but also because they often know magic 
  that allow them to hide themselves. If you come 
  across a Melder, they are usually kind, generous 
  and curious about everything and everybody. 
  They especially love talking in great detail about 
  their special interests, which can get tiresome 
  rather quickly. After all, they have no great rush 
  in explaining things given they are immortal.
  TYPICAL MELDER
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Crafting 4, Stealth 5, Lore 4, 
  Survival 3
  TALENTS: Path of Sight 2
  GEAR: Knife
  WATCHERS: Among the Melders, there is a 
  special group called the Watchers. Their name 
  derives from the fact that they have taken it 
  upon themselves to roam the world to gather 
  impressions and curios that they carry back to 
  the Stillelves in the Stillmist to amuse them 
  and tell them about the world. The Watchers 
  
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  56
  are more interested in meeting other kin, and 
  usually come across as travelling minstrels.
  REDRUNNERS
  Elven warriors who have chosen to stay in the 
  Forbidden Lands and defend life with weapon 
  in hand are called Redrunners. They are mo-
  bile, smaller groups of archers and swordsmen 
  who hunt evil or stop incursions all across the 
  Forbidden Lands. The Redrunner was origi-
  nally the name the elves gave the red star that 
  wanders across the sky, a star that according to 
  legend gave birth to the elves. Redrunners often 
  carry flowers, dried starfish, or jewelry in the 
  shape of red stars.
  Redrunners are usually angry and ashamed 
  of having lost their land to humans, and as such 
  are often short-tempered. They also seek venge-
  ance on the orcs who betrayed the defense of the 
  land. It is incomprehensible to the Redrunners 
  that the orcs are angry for the same reason, since 
  they see orcs as creatures made to serve and obey 
  without a will of their own. Zytera’s undead and 
  demonic creatures are viewed with a particularly 
  deep hatred, as are the Rust Brothers.
  There is an arrogant disdain among the Red-
  runners for stoneless kin, who they see as not 
  possessing the same substance as elves. Dwarves 
  are accepted as allies since they have their part to 
  play in creating the world, but they are seen more 
  as intelligent animals ruled by their ambitions 
  rather than equal in standing to the elves. Red-
  runners also respect Elvenspring and feel a deep 
  melancholy about how these tragic yet loyal half-
  kin will soon die and leave them. Sometimes 
  the Redrunners initiate romantic relationships 
  and beget offspring simply to experience the bit-
  tersweet feeling of watching loved ones fade away. 
  They often write songs about this loss.
  Militant elves see elven culture as superior 
  to the half-measures of other kin – a position 
  so self-explanatory they don’t even feel the need 
  to motivate or explain it. Songs that have taken 
  less than two hundred years to compose are not 
  worth listening to. This attitude is regarded 
  as snobbish by other kin, which it is. Redrun-
  ners usually cultivate an air of aristocratic con-
  descension towards other kin.
  Redrunners hunt and retrieve elven rubies 
  that have been lost. They work as an intelligence 
  gathering organisation for the elves, with spies 
  among other kin as well as animals, and take 
  the most dangerous and difficult missions.
  TYPICAL REDRUNNER
  STRENGTH 4,  AGILITY 5, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Endurance 3, Melee 4, Stealth 2, 
  Move 3, Marksmanship 4, Insight 3,
  Survival 2
  TALENTS: Path of the Enemy 2
  GEAR: Longbow, broadsword, dagger,
  leather armor
  DWARVES
  The dwarves claim they were created by the 
  god Huge to fill the void of space with mat-
  ter. They claim that since the age of myth, 
  they have built and expanded the bones of the 
  world, a sphere so large you can barely see it 
  curving at the horizon. The sun and stars are 
  hearths in faraway forges the god has placed 
  to entice the builders until they can use them 
  
  kin
  57
  Dwarves distrust open spaces and are rarely 
  comfortable without a roof over their heads. 
  They are often pale, and find sunlight hard on 
  both eyes and skin. Some have been trained to 
  move around in the Upperworld where plan-
  ning and preparatory work are necessary. The 
  Upperworld must also be supervised and often 
  defended, especially from humans during the 
  past few centuries. Dwarves sometimes view 
  the humans as a test from the god Huge, sent 
  to harden the dwarves just like iron is hardened 
  under the hammer on the anvil.
  THE DWARVEN CLANS
  The clans of the dwarves constantly vie for po-
  sition as the most able, sometimes with open 
  conflict and coups as result. Their squabbling is 
  when they have built their way there. The dwar-
  ves believe in reincarnation as tools of Huge, if 
  not in the same shape as they were before. Just 
  like the dwarves themselves use the parts of bro-
  ken tools to forge new ones, they believe the god 
  grants his battered servants new life in a more 
  able-bodied shape, in this or some higher world.
  Dwarves can forge stone seemingly out 
  of nothing in enormous underground work-
  shops, stone that is carried to the surface to 
  expand the world. There are massive ruins 
  across the Forbidden Lands, seemingly use-
  less constructions the dwarves claim are the 
  foundation for the next layer of the world. In 
  this worldview, the elves take care of the gro-
  wing adornments on the surface. The dwar-
  ves view the world between the void of space 
  and the sturdy bones of the ground as a zone 
  of unchecked growth. Hence, the elves are 
  not enemies but still strange, naive and lazy, 
  yet they are essential to the god’s plan. The 
  dwarves believe themselves relatives of granite 
  and malleable limestone, while the god Huge 
  created the elves from the rubies from which 
  their flesh has grown. That is why the elves 
  are beautiful, vain and dreamers, but little use 
  when it comes to hard labor or constructions 
  on a larger or grander scale. Legends often 
  tell of how their cunning forefathers tricked 
  elves into performing useful feats such as rai-
  sing trees from lesser herbs to support layers 
  of earth with their roots or be shaped into 
  pillars or scaffolding. The dwarves have the 
  ability to shape old, dead but sturdy trees into 
  stone pillars, an art which is not apprecia-
  ted by the elves. Mining for rare minerals is 
  considered paramount, and dwarves cultivate 
  troll excrement to extract rare minerals.
  
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  58
  usually about how to perform their great work 
  and where they will be seated at the god’s table 
  in the next world and the next. Dwarves are very 
  practical, and enjoy the good things in life in 
  the best possible world – the one they have built 
  themselves. They are quarrelsome and strive to 
  show off their abilities, since they live in a meri-
  tocracy where competence equals status.
  BELDERRANIANS –  
  THE CLAN OF THE SONS
  Belderand is the first homeland of the dwarves, 
  ruled by the Belder royal family. Only dwarves 
  can gain access to the underground kingdom, 
  though a few delegations from the elves have 
  been allowed to enter the upper halls. King 
  Turik of Belder is very careful and has mana-
  ged to keep his realm at arm’s length from the 
  wars, but many think his lack of drive allowed 
  humans and orcs to take control of the Forbid-
  den Lands, and many dwarves look forward to 
  a more active successor. The king is growing 
  old and has four children with different dispo-
  sitions and dreams: Rigalda Beak of Belder, the 
  stone singer Berwyld, Gandeman Stone of Bel-
  der and the dreamer prince Trondeval.
  The Belderranians are builders who honor 
  the god Huge. Their land is the main temple 
  for the stone singers, sorcerer priests who 
  can affect both mountains and flat ground 
  with their rune songs. Groups of stone sing-
  ers are continuously on pilgrimage, roaming 
  the Forbidden Lands to find ripe slabs of 
  stone from which they sing formations and 
  pillars to expand the world according to the 
  wishes of the god. They can also draw rare 
  minerals from ore and shape tools with their 
  song. Some stone singers follow the wande-
  ring trolls to collect valuable minerals from 
  their excrement and their dead bodies.
  TYPICAL BELDERRANIAN
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 2, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Might 3, Melee 3, Crafting 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Battleaxe, large shield, chaimail, 
  closed helmet
  MEROMANNIANS –  
  THE MINING CLAN
  Wailer’s Hold, the mining city of the Mero-
  mannians, fell three hundred years ago to de-
  mons and Alderlanders. Some hardy dwarves 
  still live in the mountains north and south of 
  the city, but most have left to live with their 
  kind in Belderand and Stonegarden, where 
  they have been well received as they are very 
  wise in the ways of the mountains.
  The Meromannians have been forced to 
  fight against the humans ever since their 
  escape. They are war-like and vengeful and 
  are tormented by bitterness because they 
  lost their homeland. They blame the orcs 
  for this, believing them to be incompetent 
  cowards. Meromannians are often openly 
  racist toward humans and orcs. Abuse of al-
  cohol and narcotic mushrooms is a common 
  way of dampening their disappointment and 
  the gnawing loathing they feel from being 
  the banished, the homeless among the dwar-
  ves. They sometimes gather to drink, sing 
  old songs from Wailer’s Hold, and dream of 
  taking back the city once more.
  
  kin
  59
  More ambitious Meromannians have been 
  gathering an army since the Blood Mist lif-
  ted, so as to attack the villages of the orcs 
  and humans and take back their land. The 
  fiery Tormund Halfhand has proclaimed 
  himself warlord and is attracting and gathe-
  ring large numbers of dwarves with his hea-
  ted speeches.
  TYPICAL MEROMANNIAN
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 2, Melee 2,  Insight 2,
  Marksmanship 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Warhammer, crossbow, studded 
  leather armor
  CANIDES –  
  THE IRON DOG CLANS
  The Iron Hounds live on the surface of the 
  world, and have taken responsibility for the 
  dwarves’ duties above ground. They are proud 
  and believe themselves hardier and more adap-
  table than other dwarves, both physically and 
  morally. Their skin and hair are generally 
  darker because they have adapted to life in the 
  sunlight. When the humans invaded, the Iron 
  Hounds fought alongside the Meromannians, 
  but were forced to retreat to their mountain 
  Stonegarden, where no one can attack them, 
  since the sides are sheer cliffs while the top 
  of the mountain is riddled with caves. They 
  still claim they are the guardians of the land, 
  even though they are currently at a disadvan-
  tage. King Karonax and his queen, Sulma the 
  “Iron Bitch,” are both great warriors. In the 
  field, the Iron Hounds wear black armor and 
  carry heavy axes. They also use armored war 
  hounds (see page 126).
  A group of nobles in Stonegarden does not 
  have the same confidence in the clan’s own abi-
  lities, and have secretly contacted the Urhur orc 
  clan to forge an alliance against the humans.
  TYPICAL CANIDE
  STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 4, Endurance 2, Melee 3, 
  Scouting 2, Survival 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Two-handed axe, plate armor, closed 
  helmet
  CROMBES –  
  THE GUARDIAN CLAN
  It is said that Scarne, the mother of dragons, 
  ruled in Ravenland when the dwarves arrived in 
  ancient times, and that her armor was impene-
  trable obsidian. According to dwarven legends, 
  their commander Oramund prayed to the god 
  Huge, who sent him a hammer that could break 
  anything. Oramund used the hammer to slay 
  the dragon. The peak where the battle took pla-
  ce was named Dragon’s Tooth. The ribs of the 
  mother dragon were clad with stone that the 
  dwarves pulled from the rock, and these were 
  used to raise the fortress Scarnehall. This an-
  cient fortress is still the home of the king of the 
  Crombes, Tademir Stonefriend Oramund na-
  med his godsent hammer Scarnesbane (see page 
  138), and it is said it was hung above his throne 
  where it could crush all lies and deceit that were 
  uttered before the king.
  The entire legend is false. In fact, the ham-
  mer was never used against Scarne. Nor is the 
  
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  60
  dragon dead, but merely imprisoned far below 
  the dwarven fortress of Stonegarden. You can 
  read more about this in Raven’s Purge.
  The Crombes, who claim that they guard 
  the Forbidden Lands, though it is unclear 
  against what, still remain in Scarnehall on 
  Dragon’s Tooth. After the Alderlanders had 
  conquered the Vond castle, they withdrew from 
  the war against the humans. The arrival of hu-
  mans obviously did not bother them, since they 
  refused to participate in the war against the Al-
  derlanders. The Crombes believe themselves to 
  stand above other dwarves and truer to their he-
  ritage. They prefer to keep to themselves. Rela-
  tionships with other dwarves are strained, while 
  the Crombes get along well with the elves. The 
  other dwarf clans view them as arrogant, com-
  placent and prone to meaningless chores such as 
  art and singing. They also eat fish!
  Several interesting constructions apart from 
  the castle can be found at Dragon’s Tooth, such 
  as Totela’s Head, a massive man’s head carved 
  from the slope of the mountain above Scarne-
  hall. It is said that king Totela Goldbeard used 
  the hammer Scarnesbane to chisel a giant por-
  trait of himself from the cliff, so his beautiful 
  face would be preserved for the ages. This ang-
  ered the god Huge, so much so that he let beard 
  rot destroy the king’s face and cast the hammer 
  out into the world where it still lies hidden.
  TYPICAL CROMBE
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Crafting 3, Lore 2, Perfor-
  mance 3, Healing 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Mace, leather armor
  THE ELDERS –  
  DWELVERS
  Since the world has been built, layer upon layer 
  for a long time, hidden and only partially filled 
  cavities are said to remain deep underground 
  – the deep structures. Strange, dwarven-like 
  creatures are sometimes encountered close to 
  deep cave openings. Pale as parasitic worms and 
  uttering strange guttural sounds, they are al-
  most unintelligible. Dwarves treat them with 
  respect, considering them forefathers, and 
  present them with various minerals. It is clear 
  that their pale and somewhat moist skins don’t 
  agree with wind or sunlight and soon they re-
  treat underground, seemingly satisfied, carry-
  ing a selected stone or two down crevices that 
  are impassable to others. Among dwarves, they 
  are called “The elder ones” or “dwelvers.”
  OGRES
  “Rules and limbs are made to be broken!”
  The ogres of the Forbidden Lands are off-
  spring of dwarves and humans, descendants 
  of the human hostages that remained with 
  the dwarves after the Shift. The inscrutable 
  humor of the gods made the ogres so big that 
  they were soon forced to leave the caves of 
  the dwarves and live in freedom on the rocky 
  moors of Feulenmark. They formed their 
  own society there, where they live in simple 
  huts, caves and burrows. Ogres no longer feel 
  any kinship with others. 
  Most ogres are prone to thunderous 
  laughter, often at the expense of others, and 
  
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  61
  live for their own cravings and lusts. They 
  have little desire to conquer land or achieve 
  some level of respect amongst their own kind. 
  Ogres love violent music, to which they howl 
  and pound various objects, especially during 
  thunderstorms. They adorn themselves with 
  crude baubles over roughly cut clothes of un-
  tanned leather that they have blackened over 
  fire. Large ears and a large nose are signs of 
  status among them. They often push metal 
  through their ears and nose to weigh them 
  down and stretch them further, and scar 
  their limbs using branding irons.
  Ogres love their freedom and celebrate 
  life and are as erratic as they are curious. 
  They are also brutal beasts who take wha-
  tever they want using brute strength. For 
  entertainment, they might rip the arms 
  of a prisoner, let him go free, and then 
  wager stolen kegs of beer on how far the 
  unarmed prisoner can run before blee-
  ding to death. It is just as likely that an 
  ogre may “adopt” someone they have 
  grown fond of but cut their tendons 
  so they cannot escape. Ogres may join 
  a group or enter someone’s service if it 
  amuses them, but they really have no 
  loyalties and follow no moral or writ-
  ten laws. They have powerful bodies 
  and a resilience to magic that is so 
  strong that neither Zytera’s follo-
  wers nor other forces have been 
  able to subdue them.
  All offspring from the union 
  of humans and dwarves are not 
  ogres or unruly, and some stay 
  with the dwarves as blacksmiths 
  and craftsmen.
  TYPICAL OGRE
  STRENGTH 6, AGILITY 2, WITS 1, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 4, Endurance 2, Melee 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Large wooden club
  MAGIC RESILIENCE: The Power Level of any 
  spell cast against an ogre is automatically 
  decreased by D6, due to the ogres’ natural 
  resilience to magic.
  
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  62
  ORCS
  According to myth, the god Clay created the 
  orcs to be servants and soldiers for the elves 
  and dwarves, but many believe there was an ori-
  ginal kin that was enslaved when the land was 
  divided. Dwarves and elves say that the orcs are 
  stunted, ugly and unintelligent because they 
  were created to work and should stay in their 
  given role without any ambitions of their own.
  When the humans invaded Ravenland, the 
  orcs were sent into battle against this new ene-
  my. They fought in a rage and held their own 
  for a long time, above all because they are strong 
  and countless in number, but they lost their ad-
  vantage when the humans used ever stronger 
  magic and bound demons in their service.
  ORC SOCIETY
  Out of eight newborn orcs, one is female and 
  seven are male, on average. Only half of the 
  male orcs reach maturity since competition 
  among them is fierce and they are all brought 
  up to be aggressive. Since male orcs have very 
  poor judgment because they regularly lose their 
  tempers the clans are run by the females, who 
  also choose their partners. This is completely 
  natural and unconventional to the orcs, but it’s 
  nothing they advertise to the outside world.
  Rank is paramount to all male orcs and they 
  always demand satisfaction if they are insulted. 
  They are raised to win or fight as long as they 
  can, and scars are considered the most beautiful 
  adornments one can wear. Losing a fight deter-
  mines rank, but is not seen as dishonorable.
  Any orc who shows fear or who surrenders 
  in a duel or on the battlefield is immediately 
  reduced to slave status, both in the eyes of 
  himself and others, a status that an indivi-
  dual rarely rises from. A slave has no right to 
  voice his own opinion, breed, or even control 
  his own life, instead becoming a slave to who-
  ever defeated him. Slaves can be given to an-
  other master, or the clan itself, to serve as a 
  worker. It is not uncommon for slave orcs to 
  geld themselves to make it easier to make peace 
  with their new status – they no longer consi-
  der themselves worthy of a full life. Orc slaves, 
  which make up half of all orc males, perform 
  the lowest and dirtiest chores in the clan.
  Duels in the clans can be blunt or sharp, 
  and always adhere to specific rules. Sharp du-
  els are rare, and only occur when tensions are 
  running very high. Teeth and claws and even 
  weapons can be used and the fight is usually 
  to the death.
  Adult male orcs are gnarled and hairy with 
  powerful tusks that impede their speech. They 
  are usually larger, stronger and heavier than 
  humans. Slave orcs are smaller and have a 
  meek and sexless demeanor.
  Female orcs are similar to humans in size 
  and appearance and some can even pass for hu-
  man women even though their eyes tend to be 
  yellowish or golden in color. Their canines are 
  larger and sharper, and they have six to eight 
  nipples under their clothes. Their top pair of 
  breasts are bigger than the others, which helps 
  orc females pass for human if they lace their 
  clothes right. Their anatomy supposedly gives 
  their strongest offspring a possibility to fight 
  their way to more abundant food than the rest 
  of the litter, and thus gain an advantage. Orc 
  litters tend to consist of three to five newborns. 
  Parents often kill weak individuals as they are 
  
  kin
  63
  born and many others perish during their up-
  bringing or during their course to adulthood. 
  Female orcs never become slaves; they are 
  killed if they have been found guilty of a se-
  vere transgression.
  LANGUAGE OF THE ORCS
  Male adult orcs have large tusks, the largest 
  of which dominate their lower jaw, and so 
  they cannot form proper words with their 
  lips. (To hear the sounds male orcs can make, 
  hook two fingers into your lower lip and pull 
  it down, and then decide which words and na-
  mes are pronounceable.) Among extreme orc 
  warriors, it is considered unmanly to even try 
  to speak coherently. Younger orcs could, in 
  theory, speak human languages before they 
  grow their tusks, but they do not since they 
  would be beaten for such a transgression. A 
  guest among the orcs should not present her-
  self with a name her hosts cannot pronounce 
  as this would be considered an insult and en-
  rage the orcs.
  Female orcs do not have tusks and can 
  generally speak coherently and utter most hu-
  man sounds. Viraga and other orc females of 
  high status sometime take names the males 
  cannot possibly pronounce to emphasize their 
  superiority.
  Orcs have no written language. The more 
  learned among them use the human alphabet 
  phonetically, but without any kind of consis-
  tent spelling. A few can read elvish, but rarely 
  admit they can.
  ORC VIEWS OF THE OTHER KIN
  Before the humans invaded Ravenland, the 
  orcs were servants of the dwarves and elves 
  and most were raised with a slave mentality 
  from birth. When the war against the hu-
  mans required their service, many orc males 
  were allowed to grow into dominant warriors. 
  When the tide of the battle turned in favor of 
  the humans, the elves and dwarves abandoned 
  their former slaves and retreated. Since that 
  time the orcs have had a strong urge for re-
  venge and have shown themselves capable as a 
  free kin with their own destiny. At the same 
  time, they feel at a psychological disadvantage 
  compared to their former masters.
  The humans have seen the orcs as an evil 
  kin since the war and this enmity goes both 
  ways. Orcs despise humans. They are consi-
  dered weak, cruel and without honor. Magic 
  and demons are considered horrendous and 
  despicable human tricks by the orcs.
  
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  64
  THE ORC CLANS
  Based on their physical strength and numbers 
  the orcs could dominate all the other kin, but the 
  clans are torn apart by conflict and are unable to 
  unite. Temporary agreements are usually broken 
  when old blood feuds flare up and betrayals are 
  justified by old injustices, the details of which no 
  one really remembers or cares about. The various 
  families within a clan usually function as vas-
  sals to, and protectors of, each other in complex 
  structures.
  Families and clans often seem to be ruled by 
  the most dominant male orc, but there are always 
  ruling females behind them. However, the fema-
  les only meet outsiders when there are special 
  circumstances. Some orc individuals with traits 
  such as albinism are held as sacred and even they 
  can appear to lead the clan, but their function 
  is usually ceremonial at best. To demand to see 
  others than those the clan sends when diplomats 
  visit is considered a severe insult.
  The homeland of the orcs is called Feu-
  lenmark, or simply the Clan Land, which also 
  includes Arina Forest. However, orcs roam th-
  roughout all of the Forbidden Lands.
  Apart from the clans there are plenty of 
  smaller orc groups in the forests and mountains 
  that have either been cast out or are simply un-
  comfortable as part of a larger society. These 
  groups are called drifters.
  THE URHUR CLAN
  The Urhur clan is ruled by the self-proclaimed 
  Emperor Hroka the First and the Greatest from 
  an abandoned elven city. The Urhurs claim to be 
  at the top of the orcs’ growing civilization. Their 
  main focus is respect and power, building their 
  city and demonstrating how orcs can also be cul-
  tivated folk and builders of empires. They tend to 
  adorn themselves garishly, try to seem interested 
  in music and poetry, and are a comic parody of 
  civilization to other kin. Since they are also pro-
  ne to violence and are easily offended those that 
  meet them would do well to keep such thoughts 
  to themselves. The Urhurs, like other orcs, dis-
  like being reminded of their origins as servants 
  of dwarves and elves and tend to embellish their 
  own history. Emperor Hroka has a great weak-
  ness for gold and everything that sparkles. He 
  doesn’t really know what to do with his treasures 
  but knows that an emperor is supposed to ap-
  preciate such things. Recently, he presented his 
  wife, Soria, with the elven ruby, Iridne, as a gift 
  to commemorate their wedding.
  There are a few humans and dwarves at 
  Hroka’s court. They all play along with the 
  emperor’s delusions and act as councilors, among 
  them the trickster, Hranga Gala. Others dislike 
  Hroka’s imperial ambitions and would love to see 
  him dethroned. The Urhurs are secretly develo-
  ping diplomatic ties with the dwarves at Stone-
  garden.
  The name Urhur is derived from “purple,” a 
  word the orcs cannot pronounce properly. Their 
  clan symbol is a purple hand and they frequent-
  ly use purple color collected from shells in the 
  Gargan Marshes to paint their faces. They trade 
  with the Saurians for the shells.
  TYPICAL URHUR
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 2, Melee 2, Lore 1
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Scimitar, large shield, studded
  leather armor
  
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  65
  THE ROKA CLAN
  Roka means “rock”, and the Rokas believe 
  they are the most stable of all orcs. The clan 
  originated in the huge orc armies that fought 
  against the Alderlanders many generations 
  ago, and they still uphold a military structure 
  with strict hierarchies. Orcs are generally con-
  sidered as having the urge to obey, because of 
  their history as a slave kin, and this is especi-
  ally evident in the Roka clan. They value the 
  duty to obey their superiors as much as their 
  responsibility to lead and prove themselves 
  worthy. Clan members have a very stoic out-
  look on life, where sacrifice and harsh trials 
  are held in high regard. Rokas are very proud 
  of their restraint and hold the wild drifters 
  and boisterous Urhurs in contempt.
  Like all orcs, the Rokas despise humans 
  and carry a deep animosity towards elves and 
  dwarves, though older Rokas often have a re-
  luctant respect for the dwarves, their former 
  brothers in arms. The goal of the Rokas is to 
  be the core of the growing orc nation through 
  martial excellence and solid character. Of all 
  the orcs, the Rokas hate magic and demons 
  the most since they have seen the effects of 
  these disgusting phenomena on the battle-
  field. Their clan symbol is a monolith and 
  they wear jewelry of polished stone. The clan 
  can mostly be found in the southern parts of 
  Arina Forest.
  The Roka clan is led by General Archa, a 
  scarred veteran and probably the most respec-
  ted orc in the Forbidden Lands. He knows he 
  is a unifying presence among the orcs, and 
  worries about the future since he is old and 
  has many sons who are eyeing the throne, 
  many of whom are less than suitable to rule.
  TYPICAL ROKA
  STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 2, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 2, Melee 2, Scouting 1,
  Survival 1
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Flail, studded leather armor
  THE ISIR CLAN
  The Isirs are a war-like clan that hates humans, 
  dwarves and elves – weak and traitorous kin who 
  should be exterminated using any means neces-
  sary. They also despise most of the other orc 
  clans, but still keep in contact to be able to trade 
  and participate in primitive clan gatherings. 
  The Isirs have a few locations they return to, 
  but usually they move in large groups through 
  Arina Forest and Feulenmark, hunting. Some-
  times they hunt through Heme Forest when 
  prey is scarce elsewhere.
  The word “Isir” really only denotes the 
  clan’s warrior caste. Hard trials await those who 
  want to be a true Isir warrior, including captur-
  ing live vipers with their bare hands in a dark 
  room and then eating them, as well as plunde-
  ring a fully grown forest wasp nest and eating 
  the larvae while enduring the enraged swarm. 
  Many die during these trials, but the survivors 
  grow strong and their saliva turns into a green 
  venom, so their bite induces pain and confusion 
  in their opponents. The Isir warriors also be-
  come very resistant to poison.
  In battle, the Isir are feared but unruly war-
  riors who roar and hiss sharply when they at-
  tack. The sound has given the clan its name. 
  Some of the Isirs split their tongue lengthwise 
  to resemble snakes even more.
  
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  66
  The leader of the Isirs is called Eldag the Ra-
  vager. Ravaging bands of Isir warriors often 
  roam the lands to plunder or kill anyone of 
  other kin they come across. They can attack 
  human villages, burn them to the ground, and 
  kill all the inhabitants. Eldag himself partici-
  pates in these raids. He nurtures unrealistic 
  dreams of conquering the dwarven kingdom 
  of Belderand for the Isir clan and leads raids 
  against its bordering lands to attempt to map 
  its defenses. If not for the impregnable fortifi-
  cations raised by the dwarves, he would elevate 
  the clan to greatness. The problem is that the 
  fortifications are just that: impregnable.
  TYPICAL ISIR
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 2,  Melee 3, Marksmanship 2, 
  Survival 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Two-handed sword, studded leather 
  armor, closed helmet
  POISON: Isir warriors have a poisonous 
  bite (hallucinogenic poison with Potency 
  D3+2). The bite itself is an unarmed attack 
  with Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound). Isir 
  warrior also get a +3 bonus to ENDURANCE 
  rolls to resist poison.
  VIRAGA
  The Viraga are a group of female orcs, not 
  unlike a witch coven. Barren female orcs from 
  all the clans often seek out the Viraga to serve 
  their kin among them. The Viraga are a uni-
  fying force between the clans, and function as 
  a shadow government. The cunning fox is the 
  totem of the Viraga and its members always 
  carry a piece of fox fur in their clothes (which 
  is common among other orcs as well). They en-
  act wild rituals in the forests where living prey, 
  often humans, dwarves, and elves, are hunted, 
  torn apart and then eaten after the Viraga have 
  ingested various holy plant extracts and beco-
  me intoxicated.
  The Viraga believe that their most im-
  portant task is to increase the knowledge and 
  power of the orcs. Especially human-like fema-
  les are chosen to infiltrate human settlements, 
  where they steal practical and theoretical know-
  ledge as well as items that may be of use to the 
  kin. Sometimes they lure craftsmen or other 
  skilled humans into the woods, where they are 
  captured to be used as teachers, slaves, or prey.
  The Viraga are often sent on especially 
  difficult or dangerous covert actions, someti-
  mes suicide missions. They have a pronoun-
  ced victim mentality and would not hesitate 
  to die to further the kin. Male orcs call these 
  women “iraga” since they cannot pronounce 
  the “V”. Females make a point of pronoun-
  cing the “V” to emphasize their intellectual 
  superiority. 
  TYPICAL VIRAGA
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Stealth 2, Move 2, Marks-
  manship 2, Lore 2, Insight 3, Manipulation 2
  TALENTS: Path of the Killer 2
  GEAR: Shortsword, dagger, four throwing 
  knives, leather armor
  DRIFTERS
  Orcs who have left the clans and been banished 
  are called “drifters” among their kin. They can 
  
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  67
  live in roaming bands of various individuals 
  and the clans tolerate them as long as they do 
  not cause problems – considering the history 
  of the orcs, they strongly dislike any form of 
  oppression and leave any deviants to their own 
  devices. It is common for clan members to live 
  as drifters for a part of their lives and then re-
  turn to their clan. Groups of drifters almost 
  always spend their time plundering, but can 
  also enter into service as guards or soldiers.
  TYPICAL DRIFTER
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 1, Melee 2, Insight 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Scimitar, studded leather armor, 
  studded leather cap
  WOLFKIN
  Wolfkin are a mix of human and wolf. They 
  despise civilization intensely and believe they 
  have found their way back to nature and the 
  original form of their ancestors, away from 
  the weakening and destructive ways that cau-
  sed the human kin to lose their fur and dist-
  ort the land. Others suspect that the wolfkin 
  are escaped experiments from Zygofer’s older 
  demonic laboratories that have been able to 
  grow into a new kin hidden in the Blood Mist. 
  Such allegations make the wolfkin furious, 
  and they say the furless might as well be expe-
  riments with their disgustingly naked bodies.
  What is known is that the wolfkin were 
  able to travel unharmed through the Blood 
  Mist, which they called “the breath of the 
  Huntress,” but only in the woods. If they tri-
  ed to cross the plains they were attacked just 
  like anyone else, which has led to the wolfkin 
  often suffering from agoraphobia – a fear of 
  open spaces. They are an unstable kin in every 
  sense of the word, with large variations in 
  appearance and propensity for rage and mad-
  ness. Wandering, raging wolfkin are usually 
  called werewolves.
  Wolfkin distrust the other kin, but since 
  both they and the Rust Brothers were un-
  touched by the Blood Mist and would prefer 
  that it came back, there is a connection bet-
  ween the two groups. The wolfkin worship 
  the goddess Heme, whom they call the Hunt-
  ress – a symbol of the unadulterated life as it 
  was meant to be. Their ecstatic blood rituals 
  are tied to the seasons, breeding and hunting, 
  where they often drug themselves with narco-
  tic mushrooms, howl, hunt, and tear living 
  prey apart – including humans. Wolfkin have 
  an unexpected taste for complex music and 
  can howl in multiple harmonies while ham-
  mering out complicated rhythms at their 
  gatherings. 
  Despite a shared interest in nature both 
  elves and druids hate wolfkin, believing them 
  to be half-demons. The same goes for warriors 
  from Aslene, who often wear wolf pelts when 
  they hunt. Some wolfkin individuals are cast 
  out from the tribe or grow weary of the mono-
  tonous life in the forests. They are appreciated 
  as trackers and mercenaries in the Forbidden 
  Lands. Many outlaw wolfkin live in smaller 
  packs. Since they steal from the villages and 
  prefer to oust strangers from the forests, they 
  generally have a bad reputation.
  
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  68
  TYPICAL WOLFKIN
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 4, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 1, Endurance 3, Melee 3,
  Scouting 3, Survival 2
  TALENTS: Path of the Forest 2
  GEAR: Short spear, knife, leather armor
  SAURIANS
  “Intruders are et”
  “Strangers be meat”
  – Warning signs at the trade stations by the 
  Gargan Marshes
  The Saurians of the Forbidden Lands prima-
  rily live in the Gargan Marshes and defend 
  their territory fiercely. They also haunt the 
  salty delta of The Blush to the far east and the 
  Elya River, which stretches between these two 
  marshlands, where they are far less aggressive. 
  Saurians can dam waterways, just like beavers, 
  to expand their marshland territories and can 
  spend up to fifteen minutes under water wit-
  hout coming up for air. They train crocodiles 
  to a certain degree and use them as beasts of 
  burden but will eat them if food is scarce.
  Saurians prefer to keep to themselves, but 
  since they have realized the value of metal tools 
  and cannot manufacture them for themselves, 
  they trade with outsiders at a few select places 
  along the southern rim of the Gargan Marshes. 
  These simple trading posts consist of a wooden 
  platform that can be reached from the shore 
  using wooden walkways sloping down towards 
  the water. There are simple huts, sheds and sta-
  bles for traders, their horses, and their wares on 
  the platforms. The Saurians keep a strict peace 
  at the trading posts but see anything alive out 
  in the marshes as prey. 
  They trade for meat 
  and 
  metal 
  objects, 
  such as knives, eel spears 
  and spearheads, for fish, purple 
  shells, frogs, and bread root – the 
  large, starchy roots from bread sedge. 
  Bread root is the staple diet in the area around 
  Laak Varda and Elya River and is eaten in great 
  quantities by humans as well as dwarves, hal-
  flings and orcs. The Saurians are not interested 
  in gold or silver or other valuables.
  Some claim Saurians have attacked sett-
  lements close to the marshes in times of 
  need, and that groups of banished Saurians 
  hide in bogs and lakes further inland where 
  they pillage and kill, but they are rarely seen 
  otherwise. On some odd occasions, Saurians 
  
  kin
  69
  have been used for raids against ships or tar-
  gets near water.
  Saurians are unable to chew. They can cut 
  their prey up in little pieces and devour them 
  without chewing but prefer to let carcasses fer-
  ment to the point of falling apart, and then rip 
  pieces from them. They prefer to do so during 
  a feast, such as a whole family tearing ripe car-
  rion apart in their special feasting pond. This 
  diet makes them stink and we won’t even talk 
  about their breath. In an emergency, Saurians 
  can eat mashed bread root.
  Not much is known about the origins or 
  habits of the Saurians. They do not keep re-
  cords of their own history but seem to wor-
  ship some kind of creatures that have been 
  sighted from barges in the marsh. They are 
  warm-blooded and build their body fat in pre-
  paration for winter, so they can keep warm.
  Saurians have their own language, which 
  other kin have great difficulty speaking and 
  understanding. They only use the vowels a, u, 
  and e, but have their own consonants of which 
  eight are throat clicks that are reminiscent of 
  g, and six smacking sounds that are close to 
  t. Their speech most closely resembles long, 
  rambling harangues of syllables. Their langu-
  age can be learned to the point of making one-
  self understood, but not more.
  TYPICAL SAURIAN
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Endurance 1, Melee 2, Scouting 2, 
  Survival 3
  TALENTS: –
  ARMOR RATING: 3 (scales)
  GEAR: Trident
  WHINERS
  The so-called “whiners” are small, skittish 
  humanoids who are hunted by both orcs and 
  humans, since they are said to have “sweet 
  meat”. It is said their living flesh has a heal-
  ing and fattening ability, so infected or deep 
  wounds covered by parts of a whiner heal quick-
  ly. Orcs appreciate the taste of their meat which 
  is considered to be positive for both health and 
  potency. Whiner flesh is also believed to pro-
  mote growth. Gold objects or other valuables 
  inserted under the skin of a whiner will grow 
  heavier in a day. For all these reasons, whiners 
  are caught in traps and held in cramped cages 
  thus allowing them to be “harvested.”
  This process is, of course, very painful and 
  in the end lethal to whiners, which is why they 
  hate all other kin and attack travelers in the 
  
  chapter 4
  70
  wild or in caves in great number, tormenting 
  them as revenge or trading them for their own 
  captive brethren.
  Whiners make their lairs in Hollows – a 
  sort of rock formation riddled with passa-
  ges and chambers to the point that they look 
  like overgrown sponges. Other kin have great 
  trouble following whiners into the cramped 
  passages of the mountain. Druids claim the 
  whiners have colonies like ants far down under 
  the mountain, with a large, egg-laying queen 
  present there. They also say the whiners create 
  the Hollow themselves by chewing stone and 
  then throwing up a mushy saliva and rock mix 
  that hardens into something like porous stone.
  TYPICAL WHINER
  STRENGTH 1, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Stealth 3, Move 3
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Short spear
  HALFLINGS  
  AND GOBLINS
  As the elves fell to the earth from The Red 
  Wanderer of the sky, the moon goddess Eor 
  was jealous and threw blue moonstones after 
  them. From these, dark elflike beings grew 
  who  couldn’t abide the sunlight of their new 
  world, so they claimed the dark forests and 
  mountains of eastern Ravenland as theirs. 
  When the Raven God divided the land, they 
  tried to trick him. As punishment they were 
  split into two kin: halflings and goblins. The 
  moonstones were torn from their breasts 
  and, according to myth, taken to Aslene.
  Since that time, the halflings are asha-
  med and desperately try to seem good-na-
  tured to conceal their legacy of deceit. The 
  moon goddess Eor has become the goddess 
  of lies, deception and hidden meanings, aver-
  ting her face in shame every month.
  The goblins, on the other hand, are satis-
  fied with their fate. They still worship Eor 
  with nightly rituals and sacrifices. As do the 
  halflings, although secretly. Among the hal-
  fling moon priests, some belong to the Peni-
  ta – a sect dedicated to repentance. Its mem-
  bers seek the lost moonstones to restore their 
  original kin. The goblins actively oppose this 
  ambition as they’re happy with the current 
  state of affairs. They rarely kill halflings, ho-
  wever, as they believe that each halfling life 
  is connected to a goblin.
  Goblins and halflings are half the size of 
  humans, but twice as large as whiners. To-
  gether they are a single kin of two natures: 
  half of their offspring are born as halflings, 
  the other half as goblins. These half-kin 
  are not enemies, but they dislike each other 
  and would rather have nothing to do with 
  each other, especially not in front of other 
  kin. Both groups have tried to refine their 
  bloodlines without success, and it seems as if 
  chance determines if a new-born is a halfling 
  or a goblin.
  Pregnant mothers, regardless of whether 
  they are halflings or goblins, go to designa-
  ted places to give birth. Such a place is cal-
  led a cradle and is always hidden away on an 
  island, in a ruin, in the hidden glades of the 
  
  kin
  71
  deepest forest, or in an inaccessible ravine. 
  Males are not allowed in these places, but 
  the custom is that fathers to be of both half-
  kin stand guard in the vicinity, waiting for 
  their woman. There is no difference between 
  the half-kin in a cradle. Earth mothers and 
  shamans of both half-kin serve together. 
  Mothers keep children of their own kind, 
  while other children are given to a mother 
  of that half-kin. In a larger cradle, mothers 
  seldom return to their homes without child-
  ren of their own kind and never tell the men 
  whether a newborn is their child or not. In-
  dividuals often have a few attributes from the 
  other half-kin.
  Both half-kin worship the moon goddess 
  Eor, whose cyclic shifts mirror the dark and 
  light side of the kin. Being born under the 
  full moon is considered to be a sign of a grea-
  ter destiny.
  HALFLINGS
  Halflings often live in small villages where 
  they work as farmers and gatherers. Often, 
  they have a deep need of sweeping any pro-
  blems under the rug and present an image of 
  an idyllic life, a need grown from their sha-
  me of the dark side of their half-kin. Behind 
  this veneer are hidden burrows where they 
  keep the old, disfigured and misfits. Drug 
  use is rampant but well hidden, including 
  tobacco, alcohol and narcotic plants, which 
  are considered a quaint and innocent part of 
  their culture.
  Halflings trade with humans, dwar-
  ves, half-elves and elves, but never open up 
  to anyone and distrust all other kin behind 
  their jovial facade. There are plenty of ta-
  verns in their villages, since they prefer to 
  meet on neutral ground rather than at home 
  where any flaws may be revealed.
  Some halflings feel smothered by the 
  idyllic life in the villages, grow restless, and 
  leave to live lives as adventurers, thieves and, 
  in some cases, even assassins. They are said 
  to be born “under the dark moon” or “when 
  Eor slept.” It is often implied that they were 
  born to a goblin mother, even if their actual 
  lineage is taboo as a topic of discussion.
  TYPICAL HALFLING
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
  SKILLS: Melee 1, Crafting 2, Stealth 2, Sleight 
  of Hand 1, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Shortsword, sling,
  leather armor
  GOBLINS
  Goblins live in nomadic groups that hunt 
  and gather in the forests. They often breed 
  wolves to ride, making them very mobile 
  and efficient hunters. Goblins are known for 
  their cunning and adaptability and are often 
  hired by orcs or humans to track, act as cou-
  riers, or hunt. They have a very liberal view 
  of ownership, and take what they want and 
  need, which has given them a well-deserved 
  reputation as thieves. Since goblins act ho-
  wever they want in the forests without re-
  spect to nature, they are disliked by elves and 
  druids and the fact that they view any intel-
  ligent creatures except halflings as prey has 
  done nothing to improve that. Since goblins 
  
  chapter 4
  72
  have no social facade to defend, they are less 
  apprehensive than halflings when it comes 
  to discussing their blood relations and feel a 
  degree of responsibility, however reluctantly, 
  for their sillier brethren. It is not uncom-
  mon for goblins to watch over halflings and 
  come to their aid if they are in danger, while 
  the opposite is very uncommon.
  Goblins can see in the dark, but strong 
  daylight hurts their eyes. Therefore, they 
  prefer the night, especially when the moon, 
  their ally in the sky, has risen.
  TYPICAL GOBLIN
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 1, Move 1, Stealth 2,
  Marksmanship 1, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
  TALENTS: –
  GEAR: Shortsword or short spear, sling,
  D6 copper coins
  NOCTURNAL: Goblins can see in the dark 
  and are thus not affected by darkness at 
  all. In direct daylight, they suffer  
  1 point of damage to Agility  
  every Quarter Day.
  
  bestiary
  73
  BESTIARY
  Leaves lay distorted in agony where the Hydra had passed. The 
  trail was plain for all to see, but only Rangarin knew how fresh 
  it was. A tenfold roar bellowed ahead.
  “We do need its blood for the ritual,” Brother Frynd  
  remarked, his voice straining.
  “Too late, it’s already split up,” the elven tracker answered.
  D
  angerous beasts prowl the woods and 
  valleys of the Forbidden Lands. A 
  monster is a creature not of the nat-
  ural world, a monstrosity terrorizing the land, 
  breaking the natural order of things. In this 
  chapter we present a range of monsters that the 
  player characters can encounter during their 
  adventures.
  At the end of the chapter, a number of nor-
  mal animals are described. These are techni-
  cally not monsters, but are included here for 
  the sake of completeness.
  MONSTERS IN 
  COMBAT
  Monsters are controlled by the Gamemaster 
  and generally function like NPCs in combat. 
  Some monsters have Wits and Empathy, 
  others lack these attributes and cannot take 
  damage to them. Such monsters can’t be MA-
  NIPULATED, and nor can animals.
  MONSTER ATTACKS: There is an important 
  difference between monsters and other crea-
  tures: monsters can perform monster attacks.
  Each monster has a unique set of mon-
  ster attacks, summarized in a table. The GM 
  can roll dice or select an attack from the table 
  when the monster attacks. A monster attack is a 
  slow action and has a range of ARM’S LENGTH, if 
  nothing else is stated. Each x rolled beyond the 
  first increased the damage done by one. Rolls 
  for monster attacks cannot be pushed.
  Monsters don’t become weaker when they 
  are wounded – a wounded monster can be even 
  more dangerous! The monster’s Strength is 
  only used to determine how much damage the 
  
  chapter 5
  74
  monster can take before it’s Broken. A Broken 
  monster is dead or dying – don’t roll for a crit-
  ical injury.
  FEAR: Monsters are themselves so frightening 
  that they cannot suffer from fear. All monsters 
  are therefore immune to fear attacks (see page 
  112 in the Player’s Handbook) and spells that 
  inflict damage to Wits or Empathy (see Chap-
  ter 6 in the Player’s Handbook).
  DODGE & PARRY: As a general rule, mon-
  ster attacks can’t be PARRIED, but they can be 
  DODGED. Any divergence from this rule is indi-
  cated in the monster attack descriptions. Mon-
  sters can themselves DODGE and, if they wield a 
  weapon, also PARRY.
  GRAPPLE: Monsters are large and cannot be 
  GRAPPLED unless stated otherwise.
  SHOVE: Monsters on four legs or more cannot 
  be SHOVED to the ground. Bipedal monsters 
  can be SHOVED, but if the monster’s Strength 
  is more than double the attacker’s Strength, 
  three x are required. If the monster’s Strength 
  is over three times the attacker’s, four x are 
  required, and so forth.
  DISARM: Monsters that wield a weapon can 
  be DISARMED, but if the monster’s Strength 
  is more than twice the attacker’s Strength, 
  two x are required. If the monster’s Strength 
  is three times the attacker’s, three x are re-
  quired, and so forth.
  FEINT: Monsters cannot be FEINTED.
  HIDDEN COMBINATIONS: The advanced com-
  bat system with hidden combinations is not 
  used for attacks against monsters or by them.
  MONSTERS
  D66
  MONSTER
  11–12
  Strangling Vine
  13–15
  Gray Bear
  16–22
  Nightwarg
  23–24
  Ghost
  25–26
  Ghoul
  31–32
  Skeleton
  33–34
  Restless Dead
  35–36
  Wyvern
  41–42
  Harpies
  43
  Minotaur
  44
  Ent
  45
  Abyss Worm
  46
  Giant Squid
  51
  Sea Serpent
  52
  Troll
  53
  Death Knight
  54
  Insectoids
  55
  Bloodling
  56
  Manticore
  61
  Gryphon
  62
  Giant
  63
  Hydra
  64
  Demon
  65
  Drakewyrm
  66
  Dragon
  
  bestiary
  75
  SPECIAL ABILITIES: Many monsters have spe-
  cial abilities in addition to their monster at-
  tacks. These are explained in the description 
  of each monster.
  SKILLS: Some monsters also 
  have skills. If a monster has 
  the attribute that the skill 
  is based upon, roll Skill 
  Dice and Base Dice as 
  normal. However, if 
  the monster lacks the 
  relevant 
  attribute, 
  only roll Skill Dice.
  MORE CHALLENGING  
  MONSTERS
  By default, a monster can 
  attack once every round. Draw 
  initiative for the monster nor-
  mally. However, if you find that 
  your players defeat monsters 
  too easily, you can increase the 
  challenge by letting a monster 
  act twice or even three times 
  per round. In this case, draw 
  two or three initiative cards for 
  the monster at the beginning 
  of combat.
  
  chapter 5
  76
  Shortly after the Demon Flood, people began 
  to vanish without a trace in the fields of the vil-
  lages. Tools and the odd piece of clothing could 
  be found lying on the ground with no signs of a 
  struggle or even tracks in the mud. It was soon 
  learned that it was the beasts known as Abyss 
  Worms that had invaded the area.
  These predators, up to twelve meters long, 
  slither by unnoticed under the ground, but while 
  hunting they can plow through the loose earth 
  of the surface as fast as a horse can trot and are 
  then seen as a wave of earth thundering along the 
  ground. They can also be encountered in caves or 
  mining shafts where they threaten miners. They 
  pierce through solid stone but slowly, gnawing it 
  and dissolving the rock with corrosive saliva.
  Abyss Worms are blind but have pronounced 
  senses that react to sounds and regular vibrations 
  in the ground, for example, footsteps. The best 
  way to protect oneself if hunted is to climb a tree 
  or look for a cliff. The problem is that the attacks 
  often come from below as a total surprise.
  In particularly afflicted areas, younger Abyss 
  Worms are trapped and killed in large numbers 
  by luring the animals into spear traps through 
  drumming on the ground. Older worms are 
  more difficult to fool and besides, have plating 
  so sturdy that only the wide maw is susceptible 
  ABYSS WORM
  
  bestiary
  77
  to attacks. Campsites can be secured by pouring 
  lamp oil on the ground, which the worms hate.
  YOUNG WORM
  ATTRIBUTES:  
  STRENGTH 14, AGILITY 2
  MOVEMENT: 1
  ARMOR RATING: 4
  OLD WORM
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 18, AGILITY 2
  MOVEMENT: 2
  ARMOR RATING: 10
  WEAK MOUTH CAVITY: An attack aimed at 
  the mouth of an Abyss Worm suffer a –2 
  penalty, but if it hits the worm is not pro-
  tected by any armor.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  HIDEOUS BITE! With a roar, the worm throws itself against an adventurer and 
  shuts its giant maw. Roll for the attack with nine Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 2 (slash wound). If the attack succeeds, the adventurer is pushed to 
  NEAR distance.
  2
  UNEARTHLY ROAR! The beast lets out a horrible roar that strikes all adventur-
  ers within NEAR range with a fear attack with five Base Dice.
  3
  THE SKY DARKENS! The giant worm rises into the sky and blocks the sun with its 
  huge mass. Then it lets its body fall onto the adventurers to crush them. Have 
  everyone roll for MOVE to get out of the way (does not count as an action). Every-
  one within NEAR range is thrown to the ground. Anyone who fails their MOVE roll 
  is also hit by an attack with twelve Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force).
  4
  DEVOURING ATTACK! The beast attacks the adventurer with the highest 
  Strength and tries to devour her. If the victim fails a MOVE roll (does not 
  count as an action), she is attacked by ten Base Dice (Weapon Damage 1, 
  slash wound) and is devoured whole. Inside the worm, the adventurer suffers 
  1 point of damage every round due to the acid gastric juices. The adventurer 
  can attack the worm from the inside, where the beast has no armor. If the 
  adventurer inflicts 4 points of damage or more on the worm from the inside, 
  she successfully hacks her way out of the beast.
  5
  SWEEPING ATTACK! The worm uses its long body to make a sweeping attack 
  that hits all adventurers within NEAR range. Roll for the attack with seven 
  Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If an attack hits, the victim is 
  also thrown to the ground.
  6
  THE GROUND SHATTERS! The Abyss Worm dives into the ground and uses its 
  mass to shatter the ground around the adventurers. Everyone within NEAR 
  range falls 2D6 meters and lands prone.
  
  chapter 5
  78
  Bloodlings are gaseous demons normally ap-
  pearing only at night, spreading out as red 
  Blood Mist or condensing into predatory 
  shapes. It remains unclear whether the mist 
  is part of the demons or an environment cre-
  ated by them.
  When a victim enters the fog, one or sev-
  eral demons will gather and attack with 
  limbs sharp enough to chop the head 
  off a human or gut him with one fell 
  stroke. Killed prey is chopped 
  into pieces and eaten or scat-
  tered. 
  Sporadic 
  survivors 
  BLOODLING
  
  bestiary
  79
  claim to have seen vague humanoid shapes 
  turn into beasts, signaling shape-shifting 
  abilities.
  As the Demon Flood ended the Alder 
  Wars, Blood Mist covered Ravenland for 
  generations and few dared venture from their 
  home villages. Some claim the Blood Mist to 
  be the vaporized blood of Skuld, the murdered 
  goddess of revenge, while others call it the 
  “Breath of Heme.”
  The mist as such seems to be immune to 
  attacks, but it is said to disperse in bright light. 
  Manifest demons supposedly are vulnerable to 
  copper blades.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 8, AGILITY 4
  MOVEMENT: 1
  ARMOR RATING: 6
  INCORPOREAL FORM: In the form of the 
  mist, the Bloodlings are immune to all 
  types of physical violence. As soon as they 
  materialize physically, they can be hurt by 
  copper weapons normally. All other forms 
  of weapons do half damage (rounding up).
  SENSITIVE TO LIGHT: Bloodlings loathe 
  strong light. A torch or a lantern with-
  in ARM’S LENGTH will inflict D3 points of 
  damage to Strength on a Bloodling every 
  round.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  SLASHING THRUST! The Bloodling uses its arm to slash an adventurer. Roll an 
  attack with twelve Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound).
  2
  WHIRLWIND ATTACK! The demon lets its arms sweep around it and hit every 
  adventurer within ARM’S LENGTH. Roll for the attack with eight Base Dice and 
  Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound) against each target.
  3
  DOUBLE STAB! The Bloodling suddenly appears between two adventurers and 
  tries to impale them on its arms. Roll an attack against each adventurer with 
  ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (stab wound).
  4
  HORRIBLE MIST! Each adventurer within NEAR range is engulfed by the Blood 
  Mist, which fills their minds with fear. Roll fear attacks with eight Base Dice 
  against all victims.
  5
  GOING FOR THE JUGULAR! The Bloodling throws itself upon the adventurer with 
  the lowest Strength within NEAR range and tries to bite its throat. Roll an 
  attack with ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). The attack 
  damages both Strength and Wits. The victim, if hit, is also affected by a de-
  monic infection with a Virulence rating of 9.
   6
  LIFE EXTRACTION! The demon embraces an adventurer within NEAR range in a 
  deadly embrace and tries to suck her life out through the mouth and eyes. 
  Roll a fear attack with twelve Base Dice.
  
  chapter 5
  80
  DEMON
  The fear of demons is widespread in all of the 
  Forbidden Lands, ever since the Demon Flood 
  three centuries ago. Since demons can take ba-
  sically any form, villagers blame them for all 
  kinds of inexplicable mischief. Far 
  worse is to face demons in the form of writhing 
  masses or vaguely man-like creatures straight 
  from a fever dream. Some claim that not all de-
  mons are bloodthirsty and evil, but few dare stick 
  around to explore their potential virtues.
  
  bestiary
  81
  In the Forbidden Lands, the word “demon” 
  alludes to any creature foreign to the world, 
  whether being summoned here by a spell 
  or having arrived through a so-called nex-
  us – a gate between worlds. Demons have 
  also given birth to demonic spawn and been 
  merged with humans and animals, creating 
  deformed parodies of life. The parts of such 
  vile abominations are held together by mog 
  – a living substance from the demonic world 
  of Churmog.
  Demons can be completely impervious 
  to cuts and strikes, fire or cold. Most of the 
  time they have varying weaknesses in return 
  – the trick is to figure them out. Every de-
  mon is unique. Use the tables below to create 
  a demon’s form, abilities, strengths and weak-
  nesses.
  THE DEMON’S FORM
  D66
  FORM
  STRENGTH
  AGILITY
  WITS
  EMPATHY
  ARMOR
  EFFECT
  11–24
  Humanoid
  D6+3
  3
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  25–26
  Minotaur
  D6+5
  3
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  31–32
  Goat
  D6+3
  4
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  33–34
  Bear
  D6+6
  3
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  35–36
  Snake
  D6+4
  4
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  41–42
  Undead
  D6+3
  3
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  43–44
  Spider
  D6+5
  4
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  45–46
  Serpent
  D6+3
  4
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  51–52
  Wolf
  D6+4
  4
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  53–54
  Insect
  D6+2
  3
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  55–56
  Wolfkin
  D6+4
  4
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  61–62
  Giant Crab
  D6+5
  2
  3
  3
  D6+3
  –
  63
  Giant Toad
  D6+5
  2
  3
  3
  D6
  –
  64
  Squid
  D6+4
  2
  3
  3
  D6
  RUN is a 
  slow action 
  on land.
  65
  Fog
  D6+3
  3
  3
  3
  –
  Not hurt by 
  physical 
  weapons.
  66
  Shadow
  D6+3
  3
  3
  3
  –
  Not hurt by 
  physical  
  weapons.
  
  chapter 5
  82
  THE DEMON’S ABILITY
  D66
  ABILITY
  EFFECT
  11–12
  Stoneskin
  Armor Rating +6
  13–14
  Giant
  Strength +2D6
  15–16
  Burning Body
  Immune to fire.
  21–22
  Made of Ice
  Armor Rating +2
  23–24
  Mummified
  Fear attack D6+5
  25–26
  Slimy
  Can move through very small openings.
  31–32
  Unnaturally Beautiful
  +2 Manipulation
  33–34
  Covered by Sores
  Infectious Touch, Virulence D6+5
  35–36
  Feathers
  Armor Rating +2
  41–43
  Wings
  Can fly, Movement Rating 3
  44–45
  Filled by Light
  Fear attack D6+5
  46
  Covered in Vines
  Armor Rating +3
  51–53
  Transparent
  All attacks get a –3 penalty
  54
  Covered by Eyes
  Draw one extra initiative card, discard the worst 
  one.
  55
  No Eyes
  Draw one extra initiative card, discard the best 
  one.
  56–66
  Roll Twice
  –
  THE DEMON’S ATTACKS
  Roll twice on this table.
  D66
  ATTACK
  BASE DICE
  WEAPON DAMAGE
  RANGE
  11–15
  Claws
  D6+4
  Roll a D6. 1–2: Damage 1, 3–5: 
  Damage 2, 6: Damage 3
  Arm’s Length
  16–22
  Teeth
  D6+5
  Roll a D6. 1–2: Damage 1, 3–5: 
  Damage 2, 6: Damage 3
  Arm’s Length
  23–26
  Horn
  D6+6
  Roll a D6. 1–4: Damage 2, 5–6: 
  Damage 3
  Arm’s Length
  26–32
  Tentacles
  D6+4
  Roll a D6. 1–2: Damage 1, 3–6: 
  Damage 2. Then GRAPPLED
  Near
  
  bestiary
  83
  D66
  ATTACK
  BASE DICE
  WEAPON DAMAGE
  RANGE
  33–35
  Fire
  D6+6
  The victim continues to take dam-
  age every round until the fire is put 
  out with a successful MOVE roll.
  Near
  36–41
  Cold
  D6+5
  The victim also instantly becomes 
  COLD.
  Near
  42–45
  Roar
  –
  Fear attack: strength D3+6
  Near
  46–51
  Killing 
  Gaze
  –
  Fear attack: strength D6+5
  Near
  52–55
  Heavy 
  Weapon
  D6+5
  Roll a D6. 1: Longsword, 2: 
  Two-handed sword, 3: Heavy 
  warhammer, 4: Morningstar, 5: 
  Two-handed axe, 6: Trident
  Arm’s Length
  61–65
  Roll 
  Three 
  Times
  –
  –
  –
  66
  Roll Four 
  Times
  –
  –
  –
  THE DEMON’S SPECIAL ABILITY
  D66
  STRENGTH
  EFFECT
  11–14
  Immune to weapons
  Only unarmed attacks and spells can hurt 
  the demon.
  15–22
  Immune to fire
  Cannot be hurt by fire.
  23–25
  Immune to cold
  Cold has no effect.
  26–32
  Lightning fast
  Draws two initiative cards and gets to act on 
  both turns.
  33–34
  Immune to physical 
  attacks
  Physical attacks are ineffective.
  35–36
  Parasite
  By touching its victim, the demon can take 
  control over it. This works as the PUPPETEER 
  spell with Power Level 3.
  41–43
  Regenerative
  Regains D3 Strength every round.
  
  chapter 5
  84
  D66
  STRENGTH
  EFFECT
  44–45
  Paralyzing
  A victim touched by the demon is affected 
  by a paralyzing poison with Potency D6+5.
  46–51
  Poisonous
  A victim touched by the demon is affected 
  by a lethal poison with Potency D6+5.
  52–54
  Shapeshifter
  Can change shape into any creature. The 
  copy is perfect except for one small detail 
  (such as eye color).
  55–56
  Immaterial
  Can move through solid matter.
  61–62
  Floating
  Does not touch the ground. Can float up to 
  10 meters from the ground.
  63–64
  Teleportation
  Can instantly teleport to anywhere within 
  LONG range every other round.
  65–66
  Roll twice on this table
  –
   
  THE DEMON’S WEAKNESS
  D66
  WEAKNESS
  EFFECT
  11–13
  Water
  Suffers D3 damage when splashed by water.
  14–15
  Fire
  Takes double damage from fire.
  16–21
  Cold
  Takes double damage from cold.
  22–24
  Light
  Sensitive to light and must move away from strong light 
  sources. If not possible, takes D3 damage from a minor light 
  source (such as a torch) and D6 damage from a major light 
  source (such as the sun) every round.
  25–31
  Silver
  Takes double damage from weapons made of silver.
  32–33
  Gold
  Takes double damage from weapons made of gold.
  34–35
  Children
  Cannot stand the sight of children and must move away 
  from them. If unable to do so, the demon takes D3 damage 
  every round.
  36–41
  Elves
  Cannot stand the sight of elves and must move away from 
  them. If unable to do so, the demon takes D3 damage every 
  round.
  
  bestiary
  85
  D66
  WEAKNESS
  EFFECT
  42–43
  Dwarves
  Cannot stand the sight of dwarves and must move away 
  from them. If unable to do so, the demon takes D3 damage 
  every round.
  44–52
  Holy  
  Symbols
  Cannot stand the sight of holy symbols and must move 
  away from them. If unable to do so, the demon takes D3 
  damage every round.
  53–56
  Music
  Cannot stand the sound of music or melodies and must 
  move away from the sound. If unable to do so, the demon 
  takes D3 damage every round.
  61–63
  Soil
  Takes D3 damage from contact with soil.
  64–66
  Wood
  Takes double damage from weapons made of wood.
  SKILLS
  Roll D6–1 each for Scout, Sneak, Move, Lore, 
  Insight and Manipulation.
  
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  86
  DEATH KNIGHT
  A Death Knight is a very powerful undead 
  with an intact will and sense of self. Both 
  men and women may become Death Knights. 
  If the person knew magic in life, these skills 
  
  bestiary
  87
  remain, but any healing or life supporting 
  spellcasting is perverted. Magic wielding 
  Death Knights are often referred to as liches. 
  Death knights, as a rule, lead forces of undead 
  followers since they automatically command 
  lesser undead.
  It is whispered that Death Knights regular-
  ly need to devour certain parts of humans: the 
  heart, liver, brain or other organs to keep their 
  strength. Some scholars claim that the mon-
  sters may be weakened by preparing victims in 
  advance with poisonous salts.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 12, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Scout 2
  ARMOR RATING: None, except worn armor. 
  Takes half damage from physical attacks 
  (rounded up).
  TYPICAL GEAR: Longsword, chainmail
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  POWER ATTACK! In deathly silence, the Death Knight swings its weapon in a 
  powerful attack against an adventurer. Perform an attack with twelve Base 
  Dice and damage according to the weapon. If the attack does damage, the 
  adventurer is thrown to NEAR range and is tossed to the ground. The attack 
  can be parried.
  2
  UNHOLY ROAR! The Death Knight’s decomposed skull contorts and an unnat-
  ural scream sounds from the dead throat. Everyone within NEAR range is 
  affected by a fear attack with eight Base Dice.
  3
  DEAD MAN’S HAND! The Death Knight lifts his hand and makes a gesture after 
  which an adventurer within NEAR range is lifted from the ground and thrown 
  to SHORT range. Perform an attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 
  2 (blunt force).
  4
  SWEEPING ATTACK! The beast sweeps with its weapon and attacks all the 
  adventurers within ARM’S LENGTH range with eight Base Dice and damage 
  according to the weapon. The attack can be parried.
  5
  CRIPPLING COLD! An unlucky adventurer stares directly into the horrible gaze 
  of the Death Knight as a wheezing sound is heard from the creature’s throat. 
  The attack works as paralyzing poison with Potency 8 (see page 113 in the 
  Player’s Handbook).
  6
  DEATHLY VISIONS! The Death Knight falls to its knees and makes a gesture to-
  wards the ground. In the next moment, a temporary gate to the kingdom of 
  death is opened and a chosen adventurer within NEAR range is attacked by a 
  score of screaming phantoms, who tear at the unlucky soul and calls its name 
  in anguish. The victim is affected by a fear attack with twelve Base Dice.
  
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  88
  DRAGON
  The dragons of the Forbidden Lands are usu-
  ally small and of a bestial mind, even if the 
  legends speak of intelligent, talking giant 
  beasts who brood on treasure in their lairs 
  and spew fire from their jaws. They are all 
  supposed to be the descendants of Scarne, 
  the original mother of dragons, whom the 
  dwarves of the Crombe clan claim to have 
  slain a long time ago. 
  By “small” dragons, one refers to those who 
  weigh no more than four oxen. Even these can 
  cause trouble for cattle, horses and wanderers, 
  attacking from the sky. There are also rumors 
  of greater, fire-breathing beasts being spotted 
  in the eastern Forbidden Lands. All dragons 
  are protected by scales, but since they are shed 
  individually, gaps sometimes appear where ar-
  rows can penetrate.
  
  bestiary
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  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  CLAW ATTACK! The dragon sweeps with its claws against two adventurers 
  within NEAR range. Perform an attack against each with ten Base Dice and 
  Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound).
  2
  DRAGON ROAR! The dragon lets out a powerful roar against the adventurers. 
  Everyone within NEAR range is affected by a fear attack with eight Base Dice.
  3
  DRAGON WIND! The dragon flaps its great wings and creates a powerful gust of 
  wind that strikes every adventurer within NEAR range. Perform an attack with 
  six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force) against each adventurer. The 
  attack cannot be DODGED and everyone affected is tossed to the ground.
  4
  FIRE ATTACK! The beast spews out a cone of fire, striking the adventurer with 
  the highest STRENGTH within SHORT range. Roll for the attack with twelve Base 
  Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non-typical damage). If the attack succeeds, the 
  victim suffers the same amount of damage every subsequent round until the 
  fire is put out by making a MOVE roll (quick action).
  5
  TAIL ATTACK! The dragon sweeps its great tail against the adventurers. Roll for 
  the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force) against 
  all adventurers within NEAR range. If the attack hits, the victim is also thrown 
  to the ground.
  6
  FIRESTORM! The dragon rises above the adventurers in all its glory and lets out 
  an annihilating storm of fire. All adventurers within SHORT range are targeted 
  by an attack with twelve Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non-typical dam-
  age). If the attack hits, the victim suffers subsequent damage as from a Fire 
  Attack (above). This attack can only be used once per combat.
  SMALL DRAGON
  ATTRIBUTES:
  STRENGTH 32, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Scout 3, Lore 2, Insight 2,  
  Manipulation 2
  MOVEMENT: 3
  ARMOR RATING: 8
  LARGE DRAGON
  ATTRIBUTES:
  STRENGTH 48, AGILITY 4, WITS 6, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Scout 3, Lore 3, Insight 4,  
  Manipulation 3
  MOVEMENT: 3
  ARMOR RATING: 12
  SPECIAL: A successful SCOUT roll allows an 
  adventurer to determine where to find 
  a gap in a dragon’s scales. Any attack 
  against this spot suffers a –3 penalty. If 
  hit, the dragon’s Armor Rating is halved for 
  this attack.
  
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  90
  DRAKEWYRM
  There are many stories of how lone wanderers 
  have met drakewyrms in craggy areas littered 
  with caves. These creatures are said to have 
  shimmering scales and are allegedly very vain, 
  but also intelligent enough to 
  master simple human 
  speech. The wyrms 
  are even said to 
  have a primitive 
  religion 
  in 
  which 
  they 
  regard the rainbow as their god and ancestor, 
  Tincturus.
  Drakewyrms have voracious appetites and 
  gladly gobble down both humans and animals, 
  but when they’ve had their fill, it is possi-
  ble to speak with them and even earn 
  their friendship and aid through 
  flattery, whereupon they may 
  leave cadavers and glittering 
  objects as gifts. Stories 
  say that the wizard Var-
  
  bestiary
  91
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  BITE ATTACK! The beast targets the adventurer with the highest STRENGTH and 
  bites her with sharp teeth. Roll for the attack with ten Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 2 (slash wound).
  2
  ICY ROAR! The Drakewyrm lets out a terrifying roar that affects all adventurers 
  within NEAR range. Roll for a fear attack with seven Base Dice.
  3
  CLAW ATTACK! The beast sweeps its claws towards two unlucky adventurers 
  within NEAR range. Roll for the attacks with eight Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 2 (slash wound) each.
  4
  ACID ATTACK! The Drakewyrm spews a cloud of corrosive acid over all the 
  adventurers within NEAR range. Roll for the attack with six Base Dice and 
  Weapon Damage 1. All victims hit suffer 1 additional point of damage per D3 
  subsequent rounds.
  5
  TAIL ATTACK! The beast uses its long body to make a sweeping attack against 
  all adventurers within NEAR range. Roll for the attacks with eight Base Dice 
  and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). All victims hit by the attack are also 
  thrown to the ground.
  6
  DEVOURING ATTACK! The Drakewyrm chooses the adventurer with the high-
  est STRENGTH and tries to devour her. If the victim fails a MOVE roll (does 
  not count as an action), she is attacked with ten Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 1 (slash wound) and is devoured whole. Inside the beast, the 
  adventurer suffers 1 point of damage every round due to the acidic gastric 
  juices. The adventurer can attack the Drakewyrm from inside, where the 
  beast has no Armor Rating. If the beast is killed, the trapped adventurer 
  can escape.
  leyman of Byard had a Drakewyrm for a mount. 
  Angry drakewyrms can claw, bite and wrap 
  themselves around their victims to crush them. 
  Some are said to have corrosive breath. 
  A Drakewyrm can’t stand competing with 
  anyone when it comes to its brilliance, and will 
  furiously attack anything brightly colored or 
  with a reflecting surface. When the rainbow ap-
  pears in the heavens all drakewyrms charge to-
  wards it, so as to be the first to meet Tincturus.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 25, AGILITY 3, WITS 5, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Scout 3
  MOVEMENT: 2
  ARMOR RATING: 8
  DRAWN TO GLITTER: If the Drakewyrm spots 
  anyone wearing or holding anything that 
  glitters, it will immediately attack that 
  person. If this person leaves combat, the 
  Drakewyrm will pursue.
  
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  92
  ENT
  The enormous living trees that traverse the 
  northern forests of the Forbidden Lands are 
  called Ents. Many of them have no interest 
  in anything but the greenery of the lands, 
  which they care for tenderly, while others 
  are curious about visitors and enjoy music. 
  
  bestiary
  93
  It sometimes comes to pass that Ents leave 
  their forests, mostly to avenge wicked deeds 
  against trees, and it is said that entire villag-
  es have been crushed following careless forest 
  burnings.
  The legends claim that the god Clay him-
  self originally created all life, animals as well as 
  plants, with mobility and intelligence, but when 
  the god woke the Ents – the first living trees – it 
  soon realized that they had become so powerful 
  that they threatened to destroy the rest of cre-
  ation. Clay then decided to instead create plants 
  peaceful and rooted. The Ents were, however, 
  allowed to remain as their protectors.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  HORRIBLE ROAR! The Ent lets out a terrifying roar. All adventurers within NEAR 
  range suffer a fear attack with seven Base Dice.
  2
  SWEEPING BLOW! The Ent swings its large trunk against two adventurers with-
  in NEAR range. Roll for the attacks with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 
  1 (blunt force). Victims who are hit are also thrown to the ground.
  3
  GNARLY ROOTS! One adventurer within NEAR range is ensnared by thick roots. 
  Roll for the attack with nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If 
  the attack succeeds, the victim is GRAPPLED. The roots have STRENGTH 3.
  4
  CRUSHING GRIP! The Ent grabs an adventurer and tries to rip her apart. Roll for 
  the attack with ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force).
  5
  ENT HUG! The Ent embraces an adventurer and tries to devour her. Roll for 
  the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If the 
  attack succeeds, the adventurer is trapped in the Ent’s body and can only 
  escape by inflicting 4 points of damage in a single blow (or be saved from 
  the outside).
  6
  ROCK THROW! The Ent throws a huge boulder or another heavy object at an 
  adventurer within SHORT range. Roll for the attack with twelve Base Dice and 
  Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). If the attack hits, the victim is also thrown to 
  the ground.
  The elves still honor these very old tree herd-
  ers in the deep forests and when the creatures 
  speak, they speak the elven tongue. Ents are 
  ridiculously strong and not susceptible to phys-
  ical violence, but they are slow and sometimes 
  flammable.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 16, AGILITY 3, WITS 5, EMPATHY 3
  MOVEMENT: 1
  ARMOR RATING: 6
  SENSITIVE TO FIRE: Ents are sensitive to fire. 
  All attacks using fire cause double damage.
  
  chapter 5
  94
  GHOST
  Wraiths or ghosts are incorporeal dead who 
  haunt the place where they died. They usual-
  ly seek revenge or carry some sort of strong 
  emotion or duty that keeps them from 
  finding eternal peace. Ghosts can appear as 
  vaguely shimmering shapes but can also be 
  
  bestiary
  95
  completely invisible, only making themselves 
  known as a cold presence or a disembodied 
  voice.
  Sometimes, ghosts possess statues or other 
  inanimate objects, bringing them to life. The 
  best, and sometimes the only, way of dealing 
  with a ghost is to solve the issue that upsets it. 
  Ghosts are completely non-susceptible to nor-
  mal weapons and are best fought with druidic 
  magic.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 8, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  MOVEMENT: 1
  ARMOR RATING: Ghosts are immaterial 
  and can only be hurt by fire or magic. 
  Even if a ghost is defeated, it will only be 
  banished for a Quarter Day and will then 
  return. The only way to truly destroy a 
  ghost is to use the PURGE UNDEAD spell 
  on it.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  GHOST STRIKE! The ghost lunges at an adventurer and strikes her with great 
  force. The victim suffers an attack using eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 
  (blunt force). If hit, the victim is thrown to NEAR distance and ends up prone.
  2
  TOUCH OF DEATH! The ghost reaches its translucent hand into the chest of an 
  adventurer, grasping her heart with the icy cold of death. The victim suffers 
  a fear attack using nine Base Dice. If the attack succeeds, the victim is also 
  turned COLD.
  3
  GHOST SCREAM! The face of the ghost twists into a horrible grimace and emits 
  a scream that turns the souls of adventurers within NEAR range to ice. Roll 
  for a fear attack using seven Base Dice. Any victims hit by the attack are also 
  turned COLD.
  4
  GAZE OF DEATH! The ghost towers above its victim, staring with dead eyes 
  right into her soul. The adventurer sees her life pass before her eyes and is 
  reminded of all her dead friends and enemies in a grotesque vision. The victim 
  suffers a fear attack using ten Base Dice. The adventurer then falls to the 
  ground.
  5
  GHOSTLY EMBRACE! The ghost emits an unnatural wheeze and engulfs its vic-
  tim in a twisted embrace of death, quelling the victim’s life spirit. The victim 
  suffers an attack using ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). If 
  the attack succeeds, the victim is also turned COLD.
  6
  COLD STRIKE! The ghost grabs a victim and lets its icy chill of death stream 
  into its body. The attack uses twelve Base Dice (Weapon Damage 1). If the 
  victim is hit, it will also become COLD.
  
  chapter 5
  96
  GIANT
  It is said that giants once roamed the For-
  bidden Lands in great multitudes. At the 
  request of the Raven God, the Nightwalker 
  slew almost all of them in their sleep during 
  the “Night of Cadavers” to make room for 
  the smaller creatures of the land.
  Giants vary greatly in appearance. Even the 
  number of eyes and limbs and the locations of 
  
  bestiary
  97
  such features can differ – as can their temper. 
  Giants are rumored to still exist in secluded 
  mountain valleys. There are stories of singular, 
  enraged giants devastating entire villages. Some 
  of them are even said to be skilled in sorcery.
  Giants are said to be one of the original kin 
  and to live very long lives. They are incredibly 
  dangerous foes when taunted, and they are said 
  to only have a single weak spot: on the top of 
  their heads.
  ATTRIBUTES:
  STRENGTH 24, AGILITY 2, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  MOVEMENT: 1
  ARMOR RATING: 2–6 (improvised armor)
  WEAPON: The giant usually uses a very 
  large club or a tree as a weapon. If the gi-
  ant loses its weapon, the Weapon Damage 
  of its attacks is decreased to 1.
  WEAK SPOT: Attacks against the weak spot 
  on the top of a giant’s head inflict double 
  damage. Hitting the top of the head requires 
  either a difficult (–2) ranged attack from an 
  elevated position or for the attacker to first 
  climb onto the giant. The latter move counts 
  as a GRAPPLE attack. No other effects of the 
  GRAPPLE apply in such a case.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  CRUSHING BLOW! The giant swings its weapon over its head and slams it 
  with all its power against an adventurer. Roll for the attack with twelve Base 
  Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). If the attack hits, the victim is also 
  hurled to the ground.
  2
  ROAR! The giant lets out a deep, bellowing sound that terrifies all adventurers 
  within NEAR range. Roll for a fear attack with six Base Dice.
  3
  STOMP ATTACK! The giant tries to stomp two adventurers within NEAR range. 
  Roll for the attacks with ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). A 
  victim who is hit is also smashed to the ground.
  4
  SWEEPING BLOW! The giant swings its weapon against all adventurers within 
  NEAR range. Roll for each attack with nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2. 
  All victims who are hit are also tossed to the ground.
  5
  CANNONBALL! The giant is fed up with an adventurer within NEAR range and 
  tries to throw her away. Roll for the attack with eleven Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 1 (blunt force). If the attack hits, the victim is thrown to SHORT range 
  and lands prone.
  6
  MASHING ATTACK! In a rage, the giant stomps and smashes wildly around 
  itself. Everyone within NEAR range is attacked with ten Base Dice and Weap-
  on Damage 1 (blunt force). All victims that are hit are also thrown to the 
  ground.
  
  chapter 5
  98
  GIANT SQUID
  The giant squid of the Forbidden Lands are 
  mostly cave dwelling and can be encountered 
  in subterranean bodies of water. Their bodies 
  are very malleable, especially in their larval 
  state, such that they can press through thin 
  cracks for years until they find a suitable space 
  for their adult form. Once in place, they feed 
  off any prey that they can find, but like plants; 
  they are also able to draw sustenance directly 
  from the soil and the rocks with the suction 
  cups on their arms as roots.
  As adults, the animals secrete pheromones 
  that attract other squid on their journey 
  through the cracks, resulting in adventurers 
  encountering entire colonies in damp cave 
  systems. Sometimes they go hunting and can 
  be very dangerous to miners, since they can 
  change their color and assume the appearance 
  of a piece of the rock wall, clinging to it with 
  great patience.
  Grown squid can exude a black mist that 
  completely darkens their surroundings so as to 
  
  bestiary
  99
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  SLIMY TENTACLE! A slimy tentacle ensnares an adventurer within NEAR range. 
  Roll for the attack with seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If 
  the attack succeeds, the adventurer is GRAPPLED.
  2
  DROWN ATTACK! A tentacle grabs an adventurer within NEAR range and pulls 
  her under the water. Roll for the attack with six Base Dice, Weapon Damage 
  1. If the attack succeeds, the adventurer is GRAPPLED and pulled underwater 
  (see the rules for drowning on page 113 in the Player’s Handbook.)
  3
  TENTACLE HUG! The creature tries to squeeze the life out of an adventurer 
  within NEAR range. Roll for the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 1 (blunt force). If the attack succeeds, the adventurer is GRAPPLED and 
  will be hit by the same attack in every subsequent round until the adventurer 
  breaks free.
  4
  TENTACLE WHIP! A powerful tentacle whips against an adventurer within NEAR 
  range. Roll for the attack with nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt 
  force). If the attack hits, the adventurer is also thrown to the ground.
  5
  DEVOURING ATTACK! The giant squid tries to devour an adventurer within NEAR 
  range. The victim is attacked with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 
  (slash wound). If the attack hits, the victim is devoured whole, and suffers 1 
  point of damage every round inside the creature. The adventurer can attack 
  the beast from the inside, where the squid is not protected by any armor. The 
  adventurer can only be freed by killing the giant squid.
  6
  BLACK FOG! The beast secretes ebony ink that blackens the water around it. 
  All adventurers within NEAR range count as if they are in total darkness (see 
  page 112 in the Player’s Handbook). The effect lasts D6 rounds.
  make use of their infrared vision. The animals’ 
  hide is tough and hard to pierce, and the best 
  defense is supposed to be blunt force to their 
  heads.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 14 AGILITY 4
  MOVEMENT: 1
  ARMOR RATING: 4
  SENSITIVE HEAD: BLUNT weapons ignore 
  armor if they hit the creature’s head. At-
  tacking the head is a difficult (–2) action.
  TENTACLES: The giant squid has D6+3 ten-
  tacles. In each round the squid attacks 
  using up to D3 tentacles. This counts 
  as a single slow action. Each tentacle 
  performs an attack from the monster at-
  tack table. For every 3 points of damage 
  suffered, the squid loses one tentacle.
  
  chapter 5
  100
  GRAY BEAR
  The Gray Bear is a hunter, as unpleasant as 
  it is bloodthirsty, that inhabits the inaccessi-
  ble wilds of the Forbidden Lands. It kills to 
  satisfy its ravenous appetite but has the bad 
  habit of sometimes choosing and stalking a 
  target for a long time, without haste. A terri-
  fied charcoal-burner once told of how a large 
  Gray Bear stood and watched him through 
  an opening in his cabin for several nights, 
  one night even leaving a mangled human 
  hand on the doorstep. Shortly afterwards, 
  the man vanished without a trace.
  Rumors tell of how hunters tracked what 
  appeared to be a flayed ogre through the win-
  ter of Feulenmark, shortly after the Demon 
  Flood. The tracks of blood led them to the 
  den of a bear, but as they approached a furi-
  ous Gray Bear burst from the cave, slaying the 
  
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  entire hunting party except for two brothers 
  who lived to tell of the beast. Ever since then 
  sightings of these intelligent and sinister mon-
  sters have become increasingly common, with 
  rumors of the flayed creature that possessed a 
  sleeping bear hinting at a demonic origin.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 14, AGILITY 2
  SKILLS: Scout 3
  ARMOR RATING: 4 (fur)
  MOVEMENT RATE: 2
  FERAL RAGE: When the Strength of a Gray 
  Bear is halved, it is overcome by a deadly 
  rage and will attack anything close by, let-
  ting out a deafening roar. All targets within 
  ARM’S LENGTH each suffer an attack with 
  seven Base Dice with a Weapon Damage 
  of 1 (slash wound). This attack is triggered 
  immediately and does not count toward 
  the bear’s actions during the round.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  RENDING ATTACK! The Gray Bear lunges forward, tearing at an adventurer 
  within NEAR range with its claws. The attack uses nine Base Dice with Weapon 
  Damage 2 (slash wound).
  2
  GRIM BITE! The bear throws itself against an unfortunate adventurer with an 
  earsplitting roar. The bite is strong enough to audibly crush bone. The attack 
  uses ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). The attack can be 
  PARRIED.
  3
  PAW STRIKE! The Gray Bear roars and swings its mighty paw against an 
  adventurer. Roll for the attack using eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 
  (blunt force). If hit, the victim is thrown to NEAR distance and lands in a prone 
  position.
  4
  SWEEPING ATTACK! The Gray Bear rises suddenly on its hind legs, towering 
  above the adventurers. Its claws sweep in a wide arc, hitting everything in 
  their path. All targets within ARM’S LENGTH suffer an attack using seven Base 
  Dice, with a Weapon Damage of 1 (slash wound).
  5
  MIGHTY ROAR! The bear’s giant jaws open to reveal rows of sharp teeth. Then 
  the Gray Bear lets out a roar mighty roar, making the adventurers tremble 
  with fear. All targets within NEAR range suffer a fear attack using seven Base 
  Dice.
  6
  BEAR HUG! The giant Gray Bear launches itself at an adventurer in a crushing 
  embrace. The unfortunate adventurer suffers an attack using nine Base Dice 
  and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If hit, the adventurer is GRAPPLED (see 
  page 92 in the Player’s Handbook) and must try to BREAK FREE.
  
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  GRYPHON
  The Gryphon is believed to be an experimental 
  mount developed by Zygofer to create a winged 
  cavalry of Iron Guards. Single guards have also 
  been seen riding Gryphons, but the animals 
  are apparently so territorial that you can only 
  keep three or four of the same family together 
  at most. If gathered in larger groups, they will 
  fight each other to the death.
  
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  Moreover, the Gryphons are so unruly that 
  many of them have escaped, living as free pred-
  ators and breeding wild. They normally live 
  in adult pairs together with their adolescent 
  young on an inaccessible crag that can only be 
  reached from the air.
  Gryphons hunt anything that moves within 
  their territory and can become a great nuisance 
  for the villages within reach. They are espe-
  cially fond of horse meat. This voracity is also 
  their weakness, since they can smell the scent of 
  horse meat over great distances, lose their wits 
  in their excitement and can be lured into traps.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 12, AGILITY 5
  SKILLS: Scout 5
  MOVEMENT RATE: 3
  ARMOR RATING: 3 (feathers)
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  CLAW STRIKE! The Gryphon uses its very sharp claws to tear at an adventurer. 
  Roll for the attack using nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound).
  2
  CLAW FLURRY! The Gryphon rears up before an adventurer and tears at her 
  rapidly. Immediately make three attacks, using six Base Dice for each and 
  Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). The attacks can be PARRIED, but only one at 
  a time.
  3
  SWEEPING ATTACK! The Gryphon flies in with its forelegs extended, sweeping 
  in a wide arc. All adventurers within ARM’S LENGTH are attacked using six Base 
  Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). Adventurers who are hit are also 
  knocked to the ground.
  4
  GRYPHON THROW! The beast uses its beak to get a good grip on an adventurer 
  and throws her into the air with a quick flip of the beak. Roll for an attack us-
  ing nine Base Dice (Weapon Damage 1). If hit, the victim lands prone at NEAR 
  range from the Gryphon.
  5
  WHIRLWIND STRIKE! The Gryphon uses its powerful wings to create a whirlwind 
  knocking all adventurers within NEAR range to the ground. Roll for the attack 
  using six Base Dice against all victims (Weapon Damage 1). Anyone hit by the 
  attack is also knocked to the ground. It’s not possible to DODGE the attack.
  6
  DROPPED FROM ON HIGH! The creature grabs one of the adventurers in its 
  claws and takes to the sky. Roll for the attack using eight Base Dice. If the 
  attack is successful, the Gryphon grabs the victim, and takes off (to SHORT 
  range). At the start of the next round, the Gryphon drops the victim, who 
  takes damage from a fall of 2D6+10 meters (see page 113 in the Players’ Hand-
  book).
  
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  HARPIES
  Harpies are notoriously sly and evil birds of 
  prey with the heads of women, who appear in 
  flocks all over the Forbidden Lands. Since they 
  gladly attack lonesome men and steal small 
  children who are left unsupervised, some be-
  lieve that they may be cursed, hateful mothers 
  who murdered their own children.
  The more general opinion is that Zygo-
  fer and the Rust Brothers create harpies from 
  captured Raven Sisters after having corrupted 
  the minds of these women through torture and 
  magic, since death is considered all too lenient 
  for these heretics. The intention was to fuse the 
  head and torso to the bodies of ravens to mock 
  the beliefs of the Raven Sisters, but since the 
  raven is too weak to support such a weight they 
  had to choose the larger bodies of birds of prey.
  
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  The creature has been joined with the demon 
  substance mog. Harpies aren’t very powerful 
  in open combat, but on the other hand, they 
  prefer to act in secrecy through betrayal.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 8–16, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 1
  SKILLS: Scout 2, Insight 4, Manipulation 2
  MOVEMENT: 2
  ARMOR RATING: –
  FLOCK: Harpies never fight on their own, 
  always attacking in flocks, and a flock of 
  harpies counts as a single monster. The 
  Strength of the flock varies, depending on 
  the number of individuals. A single attack 
  against a flock of harpies can never inflict 
  more than 1 point of damage.
  COWARDLY: Harpies are cowardly creatures 
  and never fight until death. When the 
  Strength of the flock has been halved, the 
  harpies automatically FLEE from the fight 
  (see page 89 in the Players’ Handbook). They 
  may return at a later time.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  THREATENING CACKLE! The Harpies shower the adventurers with terrible 
  descriptions of what they will do to them. They threaten to tear off limbs, 
  devour eyes and rip the tongues out of their mouths. All adventurers within 
  NEAR range suffer a fear attack using six Base Dice.
  2
  DEATH FROM ABOVE! The Harpies flock together and attack the adventurer who 
  is wearing or carrying the most metal. Roll a number of Base Dice equal to the 
  current Strength of the flock. The attack has Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound). 
  If it hits, the Harpies lift the unfortunate victim and drop her D3+3 meters.
  3
  RAIN OF ROCKS! The Harpies throw rocks and other scrap items from above. 
  All adventurers within NEAR range suffer an attack using six Base Dice and 
  Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force).
  4
  EYE GOUGE! The Harpies focus on an unfortunate adventurer and try to tear 
  her eyes out with their sharp claws. The attack uses eight Base Dice and 
  Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). If the victim takes damage, she immedi-
  ately also suffers the critical injury “severed eye” (result 41–42 on the table for 
  critical injuries from stab wounds).
  5
  MASS ATTACK! The Harpies split up and attack a number of adventurers within 
  NEAR range equal to the current Strength of the flock, divided by two (round 
  up). Each attack uses six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound).
  6
  EXCREMENT ATTACK! The Harpies open their cloaca and mouths and release 
  a rain of vomit and excrement on the adventurers. All victims within NEAR 
  range suffer an attack using six Base Dice, causing damage to Empathy. The 
  attack can be PARRIED with a shield.
  
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  HYDRA
  Few predators infuse their surroundings with 
  such terror as a Hydra, for these monsters eat 
  their way through their neighborhood with a 
  ravenous appetite and are completely devoid of 
  fear. They can kill an entire stable of horses in 
  a matter of minutes. The many heads of the 
  Hydra never sleep at the same time and spit 
  acid if threatened.
  Yet the worst part is that two new heads grow 
  out where one has been severed, unless the stub 
  
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  is immediately seared by fire. Anyone facing a 
  Hydra would be wise to run away, but rumor has 
  it that a threatened village managed to slay one 
  of the monsters by dousing it with lye prepared 
  from plant ash used to produce soap from tallow.
  Most agree that the Hydra is a demonolog-
  ical experiment that has run amok and escaped 
  from Zygofer’s laboratories. They have never 
  been observed breeding, but the general belief 
  is that the beasts bifurcate after acquiring six 
  or more heads. A terrified druid swore to have 
  seen a five-necked Hydra slaughter one of its 
  own heads in a furious struggle in the Arina 
  Forest, afterwards splitting into two Hydras 
  with three heads each.
  THE HYDRA’S HEADS: The Hydra has D3+3 
  heads, each with its own STRENGTH rating. 
  The Hydra has as many attacks as it has heads, 
  so draw one initiative card for each head. A 
  head whose STRENGTH reaches zero is crushed 
  or severed. Two new heads grow in its place 
  in the next round, unless the severed head is 
  seared by fire. This requires a torch or some-
  thing similar and a MOVE roll (slow action).
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 4 (per head), AGILITY 4
  MOVEMENT: 2
  ARMOR RATING: 5
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  BITE! The head bites the nearest adventurer with sharp teeth. Roll for the 
  attack with six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound).
  2
  SCREAM! The head lets out a terrifying scream. All adventurers within NEAR 
  range suffer a fear attack with five Base Dice.
  3
  CLAW ATTACK! The Hydra tears with its claws at an adventurer within ARM’S 
  LENGTH. Roll for the attack with seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (slash 
  wound).
  4
  TAIL STRIKE! The beast lashes its tail spike against an adventurer within NEAR 
  range. Roll for the attack with six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (stab 
  wound).
  5
  LOCKING BITE! The Hydra tries to bite an adventurer within ARM’S LENGTH. Roll 
  for the attack with seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound). If 
  the attack succeeds, the adventurer is stuck in the jaws and will be attacked 
  again in the next round, this time with an extra Base Die. This is repeated 
  once per round until the adventurer is Broken or the head is defeated.
  6
  ACID SPIT! The head spits acid against an adventurer within NEAR range. Roll 
  for the attack with seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1. If the attack hits, 
  the victim suffers 1 point of damage for every round for D3 rounds.
  
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  MONSTER ATTACKS
  The rules for monsters in com-
  bat don’t apply to Insectoids. 
  Instead, they act like normal 
  fighters. As they lack Wits and 
  Empathy, however, they are 
  immune to spells that damage 
  these attributes, as well as to 
  the MANIPULATION skill.
  INSECTOIDS
  Giant insect-like humanoids have appeared in 
  the Forbidden Lands in the last three hundred 
  years. They probably arrived from other worlds 
  in conjunction with the Demon Flood or arose 
  from normal insects possessed by demons. The 
  Insectoids build colonies and threaten their 
  surroundings by hunting sustenance for their 
  larvae and defending the perimeter around the 
  colony.
  The colonies possess a collective intelli-
  gence that increases with its size. The elf and 
  provisioner Mazmer even claims to have had 
  deep philosophical conversations with an In-
  sectoid queen whose trust he managed to earn 
  in her subterranean chamber. Mazmer said 
  that the easiest way to approach Insectoids is 
  to kill a worker outside the nest and smear one-
  self with its innards for the smell. The method 
  was tried by at least two adventurers who were 
  never seen again.
  The Insectoid community consists of workers, 
  drones, a queen and soldiers. The soldiers can 
  have wings, a paralyzing poisonous sting and 
  even wield weapons if the colony is intelligent 
  enough. The only way to root out a colony of 
  Insectoid is to kill the queen. If an additional 
  queen is born, the colony will swarm, at which 
  time half of the community wanders off to 
  find a new nesting site.
  WORKERS AND DRONES
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 5 AGILITY 3
  MOVEMENT: 1
  ARMOR RATING: 4
  BITE: Damage 1 (slash wound)
  SOLDIERS
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 7 AGILITY 4
  MOVEMENT: 2
  ARMOR RATING: 4
  BITE: Damage 2 (slash wound), paralyzing 
  poison with Potency 7
  QUEEN
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 14 AGILITY 3
  MOVEMENT: 1
  ARMOR RATING: 6
  BITE: Damage 2 (slash wound), lethal      
  poison with Potency 8
  
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  110
  MANTICORE
  The terrible Manticores have appeared in 
  the Forbidden Lands ever since the Demon 
  Flood, wild or like plated battle beasts in the 
  armies of the Rust Brothers. A Manticore 
  has the body of a lion with a shark-toothed 
  human face and a turgid tail tip that shoots 
  poisonous, barbed bolts. The bolts stun the 
  victim, which is then devoured whole by the 
  three separately moveable rows of teeth that 
  feed the body into the maw, the jaws of which 
  
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  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  TAIL SPIKE! The beast shoots a spike from its tail toward an adventurer within 
  SHORT range. Roll for the attack with nine Base Dice Weapon Damage and 
  Weapon Damage 2 (stab wound). If the attack succeeds, the adventurer suf-
  fers the effects of a paralyzing poison with Potency 8.
  2
  RAZOR SHARP BITE! The Manticore bites an adventurer within ARM’S LENGTH. 
  Roll for the attack with nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound).
  3
  CLAW ATTACK! The Manticore claws at an adventurer within NEAR range. Roll 
  for the attack with ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound). If the 
  attack succeeds, the adventurer is thrown to the ground.
  4
  SWEEPING ATTACK! The manticore whips its tail against adventurers within 
  NEAR range. Roll for the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 
  (blunt force). Any victims hit are thrown to the ground.
  5
  CRUSHING CHARGE! With full force, the beast charges the adventurer with the 
  highest STRENGTH within NEAR range. Roll for the attack with ten Base Dice 
  and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). If the attack succeeds, the victim is 
  thrown to the ground. 
  6
  RAIN OF SPIKES! The manticore fires all its spikes against all adventurers 
  within SHORT range. Roll for the attacks with seven Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 2 (stab wound). Adventurers who are hit are also affected with a 
  paralyzing poison with Potency 8. This attack can only be used once per 
  combat.
  can be hinged apart. If overpowered by superior 
  numbers, a Manticore can fire all the barbs in 
  the tail at once, spraying them in all directions 
  like a deadly rain of sharp, poisonous needles.
  The scholars of the Forbidden Lands believe 
  that the first Manticores were demonologically 
  merged from parts of snakes, lions, humans, 
  sharks and porcupines. Alarmingly enough, 
  cubs have been observed. It is said that the best 
  way to defeat these beasts is to aim a powerful 
  blunt blow at the tip of the tail, upon which the 
  crushed poison glands will paralyze the beast.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 14 AGILITY 4
  SKILLS: Scout 4
  MOVEMENT: 2
  ARMOR RATING: 5
  SENSITIVE TAIL: A BLUNT weapon hit on 
  the tip of a Manticore’s tail (–3 to hit) 
  that causes 3 points of damage or more 
  will crush its poison glands, inflicting 1 
  point of damage to Agility per round of 
  combat.
  
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  112
  MINOTAUR
  Minotaurs are semi-intelligent and brutal 
  flesh-eating crossbreeds between humans and 
  bovines. They ravage alone or in small groups, 
  but are also hired as guardians or as thugs in 
  gangs of robbers. When not assaulting humans 
  they may harass goats, sheep or horses, ap-
  pearing to find pleasure in goring and beating 
  as many as possible to a pulp. Minotaurs are 
  strong and hardy beasts that you’d do best to 
  run from.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  BULL FIST! A fur-clad fist hits an adventurer with full force. Roll for the attack 
  with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force).
  2
  HOOF KICK! Using his powerful legs, the Minotaur kicks the victim with its 
  hooves. The attack uses nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If 
  the attack is successful, the adventurer is thrown to a NEAR distance, landing 
  prone.
  3
  HORN RUSH! The Minotaur lowers its head and with a snort, rushes toward an 
  adventurer, intending to impale her on his sharp horns. Roll for the attack 
  using ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (stab wound).
  4
  CLEAVING CHOP! The beast swings its weapon above its head and brings it 
  down with maximum force. The adventurer suffers an attack using ten Base 
  Dice (Weapon Damage according to the weapon), ignoring 3 points of armor. 
  The attack may be PARRIED.
  5
  SWEEPING ATTACK! Roaring, the Minotaur sweeps its weapon in a wide arc, 
  hitting everyone within ARM’S LENGTH. Roll for an attack using eight Base Dice 
  (Weapon Damage according to the weapon) against each victim.
  6
  STOMPING ATTACK! The Minotaur jumps high in the air, landing hard on top of 
  the adventurer. The victim is felled to the ground if hit. The attack is per-
  formed using twelve Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force).
  Some say that the whisperer Zygofer as a youth-
  ful hermit received his first unspeakable teach-
  ings among demons and undead sorcerers. For 
  nourishment in these barren lands, he brought a 
  cow for milking. However, possessed by the lust 
  and rage of the demons he abused, the poor crea-
  ture became pregnant and gave birth to the first 
  Minotaurs. The creatures were so brazen and un-
  ruly that they, still sticky with fetal membrane, 
  ran to the woods and gave rise to their own kin. 
  
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  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 10, AGILITY 4, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Scout 3
  ARMOR RATING: 2 (fur) and possible armor
  MOVEMENT RATE: 1
  TYPICAL GEAR: Two-handed axe
  
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  114
  NIGHTWARGS
  It is rumored that the “Dreamer in Falender,” 
  a mysterious hermit and worshipper of the 
  Nightwalker, tried with the god’s help to cre-
  ate beasts to fight the demonic creatures that 
  poured in from the west three hundred years 
  ago. The result was a disaster, and a predatory 
  darkness that devoured the Dreamer.
  Ever since, Nightwargs have appeared 
  across the Forbidden Lands, even in cities and 
  on farms. They are believed to be condensed 
  
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  115
  darkness, for they only appear at night when 
  you can see their eyes shining like pale full 
  moons and feel their cold breath, an occurrence 
  that terrifies even the bravest. The Nightwargs 
  leave no tracks, not even in newly-fallen snow. 
  Their bite freezes flesh to ice so that not even a 
  drop of blood falls from the victim.
  Victims slain by Nightwargs dissolve into a 
  dark mist and people say that not even elven ru-
  bies remain from the body. The beasts are dis-
  solved into darkness in the same manner if slain.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 8, AGILITY 4
  SKILLS: Scout 5, Sneak 4
  ARMOR RATING: 3 (fur)
  MOVEMENT RATE: 2
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  RENDING ATTACK! The Nightwarg leaps forward, tearing at an adventurer using 
  its sharp claws. The victim is attacked using eight Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 1 (slash wound).
  2
  VIOLENT BITE! With a growl, the Nightwarg jumps at the nearest adventurer, 
  biting him using all its strength. Perform an attack using seven Base Dice and 
  Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). If succesful the adventurer become COLD.
  The attack can be PARRIED.
  3
  DEATH RATTLE! The Nightwarg jumps at an adventurer, biting it, and then 
  shakes the unfortunate victim, finally throwing the victim aside like a rag 
  doll. Roll for the attack using seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (slash 
  wound). If the attack hits, the victim is thrown to a NEAR distance and lands 
  prone.
  4
  LEAPING ATTACK! The Nightwarg rushes forward and jumps at one of the 
  adventurers with all its might. Roll for the attack using eight Base Dice and 
  Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound). If the attack is successful, the victim is 
  thrown to the ground and the Nightwarg immediately performs an extra 
  attack (six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2, slash wound), outside of the nor-
  mal turn order. The extra attack cannot be DODGED.
  5
  LOCKED JAW! The Nightwarg bites the arm or leg of one of the adventurers 
  and locks its jaws in a brutal grip. Roll for the attack using seven Base Dice 
  and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). If hit, the adventurer is GRAPPLED.
  6
  THROAT BITE! The Nightwarg sees a weak spot and attacks the adventurer by 
  biting her in the throat, trying to kill her. Roll for the attack using ten Base 
  Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). The attack may be PARRIED. The 
  adventurer suffers half of the amount of damage (round up) to EMPATHY as 
  well, due to the horrific encounter and become COLD.
  
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  116
  SEA SERPENT
  Sea Serpents are feared predators that can punc-
  ture the hulls of ships with their horns and 
  then snatch away crew while they are busy with 
  repairs. They often wrap their bodies around 
  smaller ships to crush the vessels with their 
  strong muscles and then devour the swimming 
  people in peace and quiet until they are all lined 
  up in their gullets like pups in the womb.
  The best way to slay a Sea Serpent is to 
  damage its tail, the blood of which fuels a mad-
  dening desire in the monster since its genital 
  glands are situated there. The serpent will then 
  
  bestiary
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  attack and swallow its hindquarters, soon de-
  vouring itself to death.
  Legends tell of how the pirate Scarda was 
  attacked by three Sea Serpents but managed to 
  cut them all three in the tail so that they de-
  voured each other until a giant sea urchin of 
  teeth was all that remained. This incident is 
  supposed to be the source of the giant sea ur-
  chins of the Eastern Sea.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 18, AGILITY 3
  ARMOR RATING: 5
  MOVEMENT: 2 (in water)
  TAIL: If an attack against the tail of a Sea 
  Serpent (–2 penalty) draws blood (1 point 
  of damage or more from an edged or 
  pointed weapon), roll a D6 each time the 
  Sea Serpent attacks. On a 4–6, the beast 
  attacks itself instead of an adventurer.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  TAIL ATTACK! The beast swipes its tail against an adventurer within NEAR range. 
  Roll for the attack with ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). If 
  the attack hits, the adventurer is thrown to the ground.
  2
  DEVOURING ATTACK! The Sea Serpent tries to devour the adventurer with the 
  highest STRENGTH score. Roll for the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 1 (slash wound). If hit, the victim is swallowed whole and suffers 1 
  point of damage every round inside the creature’s belly. The adventurer can 
  attack the beast from the inside, where the Sea Serpent has no armor. The 
  victim can escape once the Sea Serpent is dead.
  3
  WILD BITE! The creature bites an adventurer within NEAR range. Roll for the 
  attack with ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound).
  4
  DROWN ATTACK! The beast attacks an adventurer within NEAR range and pulls 
  her into the deep. Roll for the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon Dam-
  age 2 (slash wound). If the attack succeeds, the adventurer is GRAPPLED and 
  pulled under. See the rules for drowning on page 113 of the Player’s Handbook.
  5
  CRUSHING ATTACK! The beast rises above the surface of the water and then 
  lets its heavy body fall onto two adventurers within NEAR range. Roll for the 
  attacks with nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). Any victims 
  hit are thrown to the shattered deck or even into the watery depths.
  6
  DEATHLY EMBRACE! The Sea Serpent ensnares an adventurer within NEAR range 
  with its tail and tries to squeeze the life out of her. Roll for the attack with 
  eleven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). If the attack hits, the 
  victim is GRAPPLED and must endure the same attack in each subsequent 
  round (this does not count as an attack for the beast).
  
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  118
  STRANGLING VINE
  Like many of the strange beasts of the Forbidden 
  Lands, the Strangling Vines are believed to be 
  escaped experiments from some demonological 
  laboratory. These flesh-eating plants are difficult 
  to combat since they usually hide among peace-
  ful greenery and seem to possess a certain degree 
  of intelligence. The plant often waits in a sun-
  ny glade for some unsuspecting victim to settle 
  down nearby, and then attacks with a number of 
  barbed vines to attempt to trap and strangle it.
  The vines, strong and tough enough to break 
  limbs, originate from a central pumpkin-like 
  trunk that is often found to have buried itself 
  into the ground. A few beautiful violet flowers 
  in constant bloom serve as the plant’s sensory 
  organs, letting it know what’s going on.
  The vines drag the dead prey to the 
  trunk, which extends growths similar to 
  suction feet that attach to the dead corpse, 
  dissolving it with its fluids and sucking out 
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  SPORE ATTACK! The creature emits a cloud of spores in the direction of an 
  adventurer within NEAR range. The victim is attacked by a paralyzing poison 
  with Potency 8.
  2
  STRANGLE ATTACK! Vines ensnare all adventurers within NEAR range. Roll for 
  the attacks with six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). All victims 
  hit are thrown to the ground.
  3
  WHIPPING VINE! A thick vine whips an adventurer within NEAR range. Roll for 
  the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). If the 
  attack hits, the adventurer is thrown to the ground.
  4
  DEADLY EMBRACE! A tangle of vines ensnares an adventurer within NEAR range. 
  Roll for the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If 
  the attack hits, the adventurer is GRAPPLED.
  5
  PENETRATING ATTACK! A vine tries to force its way into a body cavity (such 
  as the mouth, the eyes or the ears) of an adventurer within NEAR range. 
  Roll for the attack with ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash 
  wound). The attack damages both STRENGTH and EMPATHY due to the hor-
  rifying experience.
  6
  POISONOUS CLOUD! The creature’s purple flowers open up and emit a cloud of 
  spores that affects all adventurers within NEAR range. All suffer the effects of 
  a paralyzing poison with Potency 8.
  
  bestiary
  119
  all nourishment. It is believed that the plant 
  can draw up its roots and slowly wander to a 
  new location.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 8, AGILITY 3
  
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  120
  TROLL
  It is known that Trolls are born underground, 
  but often journey to the surface as they become 
  bigger, partially because of lack of space, but par-
  tially because they are quite gluttonous.
  Trolls eat basically anything that they can 
  chew. Their favorite food is fresh innards and 
  flesh, but also carrion that even foxes won’t 
  touch anymore slides down their gullet, along 
  with produce and refuse from the farms, in-
  cluding the latrine. Not unexpectedly, they 
  are surrounded by a stench that carries far on 
  the wind.
  Trolls aren’t entirely un-
  intelligent. They can use sim-
  ple weapons and tools and 
  can communicate through 
  grunts, but appear to lack 
  any form of self-preser-
  vation or fear. The crea-
  tures are very strong and 
  robust, with thick and 
  leathery skin and incom-
  parable 
  regeneration 
  that allows them to heal 
  even critical injuries in a 
  couple of minutes. They are, however, sensitive 
  to glaring light and avoid direct sunlight.
  Some Trolls gorge themselves until they 
  are so large and round that they more often 
  than not resemble rolling stone boulders rath-
  
  bestiary
  121
  er than living creatures. The dwarves are said 
  to extract rare minerals from the feces and 
  tissue they leave behind and that they might 
  even herd them like cattle. Vicious rumors say 
  that the dwarves lure these Troll boulders to 
  human villages with music, since certain espe-
  cially rare minerals only form when the Trolls 
  have eaten human flesh.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 12–16, AGILITY 2
  SKILLS: SCOUT 4
  ARMOR RATING: 4 (skin)
  MOVEMENT: 1
  REGENERATE: A Troll recovers 1 point of lost 
  Strength each round.
  STENCH: All enemies within ARM’S LENGTH 
  suffer 1 point of damage to Agility each 
  round of combat because of the Troll’s 
  horrible stench.
  SUNLIGHT: A Troll suffers 1 point of damage 
  per round in direct sunlight.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  RENDING ATTACK! The Troll tears at an adventurer with its claws. Roll for the 
  attack using nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound). If the attack 
  hits, the victim is also affected by a disease with a Virulence of 6.
  2
  TERRIBLE BITE! The Troll opens its foul-smelling mouth and bites an adven-
  turer. Roll for the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt 
  force). The adventurer is GRAPPLED and stuck in the jaws of the Troll.
  3
  TROLL THROW! The Troll lifts an adventurer high into the air and throws her as 
  if she were a rag doll. Roll for an attack using twelve Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 1 (blunt force). If hit, the adventurer lands prone at SHORT distance 
  from the Troll.
  4
  SWEEPING STRIKE! Using its long and knobby arms, the Troll makes a sweeping 
  attack, hitting all adventurers within ARM’S LENGTH. Roll for the attacks using 
  eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force) against all victims.
  5
  GOOD BEATING! The Troll grabs the nearest adventurer and throws the victim 
  into another adventurer. The thrown victim is subjected to an attack using 
  ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If this attack hits, another 
  adventurer within NEAR range is hit by an attack of equal force. All victims 
  who are hit are thrown to the ground.
  6
  STINK BREATH! The Troll clears its throat with a thunderous sound, and then 
  vomits a cloud of bile and stinking marsh gas in the faces of the adventurers. 
  Each adventurer within NEAR range suffers an attack using seven Base Dice 
  that causes damage to Empathy.
  
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  122
  UNDEAD
  The living dead are a natural phenomenon in 
  the villages since the deceased often tend to 
  keep walking about in a state of confusion be-
  fore finding their final rest. They are treated 
  with respectful courtesy. The Rust Brothers’ 
  venture of magically creating servants and war-
  riors from these restless dead is disliked by most.
  For the most part, they wander around and 
  perform their chores in more or less broken or 
  decomposed forms, eventually as skeletons, but 
  some become ghouls who draw power from oth-
  er bodies to fuel their mockery of life. Especial-
  ly powerful dead can become Death Knights.
  RESTLESS DEAD
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Scout 2
  BITE: 2
  SKELETON
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 3, Scout 3
  TYPICAL GEAR: Rusty broadsword, studded 
  leather or chainmail, closed helmet
  BONY: Arrows and POINTED weapons can 
  never cause more than 1 point of damage 
  to a skeleton. Other weapons cause nor-
  mal damage.
  GHOUL
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 3, Scout 3
  BITE: 2 (Virulence 4)
  
  bestiary
  123
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  The rules for monsters in 
  combat don’t apply to Undead. 
  Instead, they act like normal 
  fighters. As they lack Wits and 
  Empathy, however, they are 
  immune to spells that damage 
  these attributes, as well as to 
  the MANIPULATION skill.
  
  chapter 5
  124
  WYVERN
  The Wyvern is probably an immigrant spe-
  cies in the Forbidden Lands, since predatory 
  lizards are uncommon outside the marsh-
  es. There has, however, been speculation on 
  whether the Wyverns are related to the lizard 
  folk, perhaps from unnatural relations with 
  predatory birds, since they have been observed 
  to possess a degree of intellect.
  The creatures prefer to live in crags near 
  wetlands and can attack in flocks, tearing the 
  victim apart and carrying the parts home to 
  their young. There are stories of halflings be-
  ing snatched up alive and screaming from the 
  ground by Wyverns the size of horses. The 
  
  bestiary
  125
  Wyverns often seek to surprise their prey and 
  knock it senseless by first ramming them in 
  the head with their hard skulls. A bite from the 
  toothed beak often becomes infected.
  The best defense against Wyverns is to at-
  tempt to get them down on the ground, where 
  they are clumsy and practically defenseless. Vil-
  lages in afflicted areas often use weapons with 
  barbed chains that get caught in the leathery 
  wings of the beasts, tearing them to shreds.
  The Wyverns have a very thin but ener-
  gy-laden layer of blubber under their skin that 
  keeps them warm even during winter. Skilled 
  tailors can sew warm winter clothes from the 
  skin and the blubber is both flavorful and nu-
  tritious and as such it is popular as a provision.
  ATTRIBUTES: 
  STRENGTH 14, AGILITY 3, WITS 5, EMPATHY 2
  MOVEMENT: 3
  ARMOR RATING: 5 (scales)
  SPECIAL: If a Wyvern is somehow forced to 
  the ground, all attacks against it get a +2 
  bonus.
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  D6
  ATTACK
  1
  CLAW ATTACK! The Wyvern tears at two adventurers within NEAR range. Roll for 
  the attacks with seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound).
  2
  BITE ATTACK! The beast bites the nearest adventurer with razor sharp teeth. 
  Roll for the attack with ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound).
  3
  DIVE ATTACK! The Wyvern dives onto an adventurer within NEAR range. Roll for 
  the attack with nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). If the 
  attack hits, the adventurer is thrown to the ground.
  4
  RAM ATTACK! The creature flies with full force straight into an adventurer with 
  its hard head. Roll for the attack with ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 
  (blunt force). If the attack hits, the victim is thrown to the ground.
  5
  SHAKE ATTACK! The Wyvern tries to bite and violently shake an adventurer. Roll 
  for the attack with nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). If the 
  attack hits, the victim is thrown to NEAR distance from the Wyvern, and lands 
  prone. 
  6
  FALL FROM THE SKY! The beast grabs an adventurer within NEAR range and lifts 
  her up into the sky. Roll for the attack with eight Base Dice. If the attack hits, 
  the Wyvern and its victim both ascend to SHORT range from the ground. The 
  next round, the victim is dropped and suffers the effects of a fall from 2D6+10 
  meters (see page 113 in the Player’s Handbook).
  
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  126
  ANIMALS
  ANIMAL
  STRENGTH
  AGILITY
  SKILLS
  MOVE-
  MENT
  WEAPON
  DAMAGE
  TYPE
  Bear
  6
  2
  Melee 3, 
  Scout 3
  1
  Paw
  2
  Slash
  Wolf
  4
  4
  Move 3, 
  Melee 3, 
  Scout 5
  2
  Bite
  1
  Slash
  Fox
  2
  4
  Move 2, 
  Melee 2, 
  Scout 4
  1
  Bite
  1
  Slash
  Deer
  3
  4
  Move 4,  
  Scout 4
  2
  Horns
  1
  Blunt
  Boar
  4
  2
  Melee 3, 
  Scout 3
  1
  Tusks
  1
  Blunt
  Riding 
  Horse
  5
  4
  Move 2,  
  Scout 3
  2
  Kick
  1
  Blunt
  War Horse
  6
  5
  Move 3, 
  Melee 2, 
  Scout 3
  2
  Kick
  1
  Blunt
  Donkey
  3
  3
  Move 2, 
  Endurance 
  2, Scout 3
  2
  Kick
  1
  Blunt
  Canide 
  War 
  Hound
  5
  3
  Move 2, 
  Melee 3, 
  Scout 3
  2
  Bite
  1
  Slash
  Crocodile
  4
  2
  Melee 3, 
  Scout 3
  1
  Bite
  2
  Slash
  
  ANIMAL
  STRENGTH
  AGILITY
  SKILLS
  MOVE-
  MENT
  WEAPON
  DAMAGE
  TYPE
  Dog
  3
  3
  Melee 1, 
  Scout 5
  2
  Bite
  1
  Slash
  Cat
  1
  5
  Move 4, 
  Scout 5
  1
  Claws
  1
  Slash
  Rats 
  (Swarm)
  4
  3
  Move 3, 
  Scout 4
  1
  Bite
  1
  Slash
  Bats 
  (Swarm)
  5
  3
  Move 3, 
  Scout 5
  2
  Bite
  1
  Slash
  Raven
  1
  3
  Move 3, 
  Scout 4
  2
  Beak
  1
  Slash
  Eagle
  3
  5
  Move 3, 
  Melee 3, 
  Scout 5
  3
  Claws
  1
  Slash
  Snake
  1
  3
  Melee 3, 
  Scout 4
  1
  Bite
  Lethal 
  poison, 
  Potency 4
  –
  Scorpion/
  Spider
  1
  3
  Move 3, 
  Melee 2, 
  Scout 3
  1
  Tail
  Paralyzing 
  poison, 
  Potency 6
  –
  SWARMS
  A swarm of animals (see the ta-
  ble below) is handled as a single 
  creature with a Strength rating 
  that represents the swarm as 
  a whole. A single attack on a 
  swarm can never inflict more 
  than 1 point of damage.
  bestiary
  127
  
  chapter 6
  128
  ARTIFACTS
  T
  he ruins of the Forbidden Lands 
  hide many treasures, and most pre-
  cious of all are the artifacts. These 
  unique items lend their users powerful and 
  often supernatural abilities. Artifacts are 
  very rare – adventurers give their lives in 
  search for them, and the blessed individual 
  who lays his hand on one can expect many 
  jealous glances.
  In this chapter, 18 unique artifacts are 
  described in detail, including legends, ef-
  fects, and suggested locations where they are 
  to be found. The latter are only suggestions 
  – you can have the adventurers find these ar-
  tifacts anywhere you like in the Forbidden 
  Lands. But remember to keep the artifacts 
  rare – finding one should be an event to cel-
  ebrate!
  “Who are you?” Onhammel demanded, shaking his sword.
  The wooden apparition, concealed among the bushes, didn’t 
  answer, didn’t move.
  As Zindia Mak poked it with her staff, it crumbled quietly 
  into a heap of sticks and bones.
  A wooden mask remained – the face of the goddess Heme 
  from the temple.
  ARROWS OF THE 
  FIRE WYRM
  It is said that the volcano god Horn first awoke 
  when the demons that Zygofer let loose had al-
  ready laid waste to Aslene. So awful was his 
  rage that magma and ash were spewed across 
  the heavens. Brought before the god were three 
  snakes, who had bitten three prophets to death. 
  These prophets had seen the coming of the demon 
  flood, and had wanted to warn the people and 
  wake Horn. The snakes groveled before Horn 
  and opined that they had not intended the des-
  olation of the land, that they had only followed 
  their nature as the gods had created them. When 
  Horn’s priests still wanted to punish the reptiles 
  by throwing them into the magma, they writhed, 
  
  artifacts
  129
  RAVEN’S PURGE
  Several of the artifacts in this 
  chapter are in some way connect-
  ed to events and characters in 
  the Raven’s Purge campaign book. 
  If you intend to play this cam-
  paign, it’s recommended that you 
  read it before introducing these 
  artifacts into your game. It’s not 
  necessary, however.
  ARTIFACTS
  D66
  ARTIFACT
  11–12
  Arrows of the Fire Wyrm
  13–14
  Asina
  15–16
  Barkhyde
  21–22
  Carskenfoot’s Boots
  23–24
  Clay’s Rosary
  25–26
  Feroxa’s Claws
  31–32
  Ivelde
  33–34
  Menkaura’s Tooth
  35–36
  Phantom Daggers
  41–42
  Queen Agatha’s Twin 
  Tablets
  43–44
  Scarnesbane
  45–46
  The Nightwalker’s Hour-
  glass
  51–52
  The Tezaur
  53–54
  Tvedra’s Twin Rings
  55–56
  Voller’s Helmet
  61–62
  Wail’s Horn
  63–64
  Well of Tears
  65–66
  Wyrm’s Key
  cried out and begged to atone for their crime by 
  bringing vengeance to those who were truly re-
  sponsible.
  Horn listened to them and called his ser-
  vant from the magma depths of the volcano, the 
  mighty fire wyrm, Erinya. She breathed on her 
  lesser kin, whereupon they turned into arrows. 
  These arrows would, when shot from a bow, 
  mark the butchers of Aslene so that Erinya could 
  find and devour them.
  APPEARANCE
  An Arrow of the Fire Wyrm is always hot and 
  smells of sulfur. Its shaft is carved of dark 
  wood and wrapped with copper in the shape 
  of a writhing snake. The tail feathers are small 
  and red. The arrow appears to be intended 
  more for ceremonial use than for combat.
  SUGGESTED LOCATION
  Merigall’s lair on Mount Ora (see Raven’s 
  Purge). Another of the Arrows of the Fire 
  Wyrm was carried by the Crombe dwarf Pey-
  raman, who is now imprisoned in Vond. The 
  third arrow is lost.
  
  chapter 6
  130
   
   
   
   
  the humans from bring-
  ing anything from the home-
  land on their journey, so as not to risk 
  contaminating the new world. The smug-
  gler who brought the fang was summarily thrown 
  overboard during the voyage, but the priests did 
  not dare to let the blade follow out of fear that 
  they could infect some sea beast that would then 
  follow them. Instead, it was decided that they 
  would bring the tusk to the new land and there 
  keep it under lock and key in a temple, until it had 
  become clear how to securely and safely destroy it. 
  Instead, once its origins had been forgotten, it was 
  forged into a sword.
  APPEARANCE
  A very old broadsword that appears to be cut 
  from a single piece of bone or a large tooth, its 
  grip wrapped in coarse snake skin. The blade 
  fumes and withers any organic material that it 
  comes into contact with. If it touches skin, it 
  will burn to the touch.
  SUGGESTED LOCATION
  Merigall’s lair on Mount Ora (see Raven’s 
  Purge).
  EFFECTS
  An Arrow of the Fire Wyrm flies badly and can 
  only be fired up to SHORT range, no matter the 
  weapon. Against most targets, it functions as a 
  normal arrow but gives the user a D8 Artifact 
  Die. If the arrow hits Krasylla or Zytera (see 
  Raven’s Purge), it will burrow into the body, 
  dissolve, and mark the victim as a target for 
  the Fire Wyrm Erinya to find. Erinya will 
  then learn the target’s location, move there, 
  turn the ground to lava when she arrives and 
  then proceed to devour the target completely.
  ASINA
  This weapon is very old, and the blade is said 
  to be the fang of one of the gigantic earthworms 
  that destroyed the ancestral lands of the hu-
  mans, forcing them to flee to Ravenland guided 
  by the Raven god. Raven had strictly forbidden 
  PLAYING CARDS
  All artifacts in this chapter, as well 
  as the four artifacts in the Raven’s 
  Purge campaign book, can be 
  found on playing cards included in 
  the custom Forbidden Lands card 
  deck, which is sold separately. The 
  full-color illustrated cards sum-
  marize the history and the effects 
  of these artifacts.
  
  artifacts
  131
  EFFECTS
  Asina is a broadsword with Weapon Bonus 
  +2, Weapon Damage 3, and a D10 Artifact 
  Die. Wounds from Asina will become infect-
  ed with nasty worms, which count as a disease 
  with Virulence 6. Against demons, Asina in-
  flicts additional damage, as the blade can cut 
  through the demonic substance called mog. 
  The demon suffers normal damage when the 
  attack hits, and then the same amount of dam-
  age each round for D6 rounds as the wound 
  corrodes into the demon’s body.
  DRAWBACKS
  The Asina blade inflicts 1 point of damage just 
  by contact with the skin. The risk of hurting 
  oneself on the sword is significant, especially 
  since Asina seems to have a will its own when 
  wielded. Every rolled l (in the first roll of the 
  attack) inflicts one point of damage (and the risk 
  of disease) on the attacker himself or a friend 
  within ARM’S LENGTH. The weapon sours any 
  liquid it is dipped into, turning it undrinkable.
  BARKHYDE
  Barkhyde is believed to be an old, sacrificial 
  mask in honor of the goddess Heme, and is also 
  known as Heme’s Devouring Mask. If placed 
  over the face, tough tree roots will slither from 
  it, enfolding the wearer in minutes, while they 
  are subjected to a multitude of harmless, but un-
  pleasant, pin pricks. The custom at the temples of 
  Heme is to then remove the mask and sacrifice 
  the individual.
  APPEARANCE
  The mask resembles the wooden face of the 
  goddess Heme, furrowed and covered by a 
  number of gnarly growths; it is actually the 
  original inspiration for how the goddess is de-
  picted nowadays.
  SUGGESTED LOCATION
  At one of the older temples of the Sisters of 
  Heme, where the mask is worshipped and hon-
  ored as a holy relic. It may be brought to Hag-
  gler’s House or Vond for special occasions and 
  celebrations.
  EFFECTS
  In fact, the mask is not related to the goddess 
  Heme at all, and is significantly older than 
  most believe. It is an ancient, elven armor that 
  grows by itself when the mask is placed against 
  the face. The armor is a LIGHT item with Ar-
  mor Rating 3 and a D10 Artifact Die (which 
  is rolled with the armor roll). The many pin 
  pricks that the wearer feels are tiny roots pierc-
  ing the skin. They provide the wearer with 
  
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  132
  WATER and FOOD as long a she sleeps standing 
  up at night, so that the armor can root itself 
  and draw sustenance from the soil. Some elder 
  elves are aware of the misunderstanding and 
  find it immensely amusing.
  CARSKENFOOT’S 
  BOOTS
  Five hundred years ago, the renowned stone singer 
  and prospector Aras Carskenfoot of the Belderan 
  clan forged a pair of climbing boots to help him 
  traverse difficult mountain terrain. The boots 
  worked perfectly, but since Carskenfoot suffered 
  from a severe case of foot sweat, he slid out of them 
  when the fastening straps broke half-way up a sheer 
  cliff, and the stone singer fell to his death. The wid-
  ow handed the boots off so as to never see them again 
  and neither she nor anyone else has since.
  APPEARANCE
  A pair of sturdy hiking boots, each of which is 
  fastened to the foot and calf with straps. The 
  boots were made for dwarves, and fit neither 
  long-of-feet elves, bigger-than-average humans 
  or half-kin. The straps look worn, and should 
  be replaced so that the wanderer won’t have to 
  risk sharing Carskenfoot’s fate. 
  EFFECTS
  Carskenfoot’s boots always give purchase, no 
  matter how slippery or steep a surface is, and 
  it is even possible to walk upside down on the 
  ceiling. The surface must be able to support 
  the climber, thus it is not possible to walk up 
  a waterfall or other unnatural surfaces. The 
  boots give a D10 Artifact Die to any MOVE rolls 
  when climbing. The boots count as clothes and 
  don’t encumber the wearer.
  CLAY’S ROSARY
  It is said that Clay was much fatigued after hav-
  ing bridled the winds over Ravenland in ancient 
  times. He needed to rest, but could not leave the 
  newly tamed winds unattended. He therefore 
  created a rosary of Maha signs that could control 
  the weather and gave this to the maiden Thou-
  sand-Heart to use while he slept. Gargal, behe-
  moth of the seas, who was used to playing at sea 
  with the gales, was cross that his playmates had 
  been taken from him and wanted to free them. 
  While Clay slept, Gargal let himself rise from the 
  sea foam at Maidenholm in the shape of the beau-
  
  artifacts
  133
  tiful noble, Adembre. Thousand-Heart was so 
  enamored that she forsook her duties to frolic with 
  her guest. But Gargal let crabs sneak ashore to steal 
  Clay’s rosary while she was distracted.
  When dawn broke, Adembre returned to 
  the beach, where the crabs had hidden the rosary 
  under a rock. He was just about to go into the sea 
  with his loot when Clay woke. The god discov-
  ered the theft and turned the beach into a mire, 
  trapping the thief. When Adembre found himself 
  trapped, he threw the rosary into the ocean. But 
  before Gargal’s gargantuan shape could catch it, it 
  was snatched up by the mischievous dolphin Puld, 
  who absconded with it. Clay furiously ripped 
  Adembre to shreds, which can still be seen in the 
  red algae that lines the shorelines of the ocean. The 
  god let the shores of the sea, rivers and lakes par-
  tially remain as mires henceforth, as protection 
  against thieves. It is said that Thousand-Heart 
  wept so profusely on the shore for her lover that 
  the sea has been salt ever since, but since Clay had 
  woken he no longer needed the rosary. After mas-
  tering the winds, he bestowed them on the goddess 
  Wail to use as she wanted.
  The true origin of the rosary is unclear, but it 
  may very well be divine.
  APPEARANCE
  The rosary looks like a vine on which ten 
  gold-streaked Maha signs made from tiger’s 
  eye are strung, along with a larger stone that 
  bears the sign of the god Clay. On the vine, 
  there is also a larger tablet of bluish stone 
  with sockets.
  EFFECTS
  Clay’s Rosary contains ten Maha signs carved 
  into pieces fashioned from the tiger’s eye min-
  eral, which are strung on a vine-like piece of 
  string. On the vine, there is also a large tab-
  let with five depressions, on which the Maha 
  tablets can be placed to form a statement that 
  controls the weather in the same way as the 
  WEATHERMASTER spell (see page 125 in the 
  Player’s Handbook).
  The rosary has a D12 Artifact Die and 
  can be used once per day. When used, roll the 
  Artifact Die – the number of x rolled is the 
  Power Level of the spell. No WP are needed, 
  and no mishap roll is made. The signs on the 
  rosary are North, East, South, West, Strong, 
  Weak, Water, Drought, Warm, and Cold. The 
  combination of Cold and Water gives fog, 
  Cold and Warm creates a thunderstorm, and 
  so forth.
  Clay’s Rosary is very beneficial to agricul-
  ture at a stronghold – continuous use of the 
  rosary makes it possible to harvest GARDENS 
  and FIELDS all year round (see the Stronghold 
  chapter in the Player’s Handbook).
  
  chapter 6
  134
  DRAWBACKS
  Clay’s Rosary is a relic that is sought after by 
  the druids of the Golden Bough (see page 55). 
  If they learn its whereabouts, which abnormal 
  weather patterns can alert them to, they will 
  demand it be brought to the Stillmist, Pelagia 
  or some other temple. If it’s not given freely, 
  the druids will call on the Redrunners to claim 
  it by force.
  FEROXA’S CLAWS
  Within the Rust Church, the tale is told of how the 
  gods Rust and Heme first celebrated their wedding 
  before the exultant fathers of the Rust Brothers and 
  the praising mothers of the Sisters of Heme. From 
  the divine embrace was eventually born the daugh-
  ter, Feroxa, a beautiful child of the blackest hema-
  tite with freckles of rust on her stone skin. 
  But their happiness made the Raven god 
  jealous. The bird of carrion swept down, stole the 
  child from its cradle, and settled on a high cliff to 
  devour it. Desperate and furious, the god Rust let 
  his limb lengthen into an arrow of iron and the 
  goddess Heme sacrificed a finger to form a bow, 
  strung with Feroxa’s umbilical cord. They sent 
  their ironclad servant Teramalda to the crag and 
  she shot the arrow at the Raven god, who gravely 
  injured and terrified, fled to the woods. Raven 
  took off with such force that Feroxa was pushed 
  off the cliff and fell to the ground, shattering into 
  shards beyond count that spread across the world 
  as pieces of hematite. Teramalda tried to break 
  her fall but was mortally wounded by the weight 
  of the stone child. Feroxa’s decapitated head came 
  to rest next to Teramalda. It was bereft of sight 
  since the raven god had already pecked out its 
  eyes, but the god-child sensed its helper’s lips and 
  breathed her spirit into her. Ever since that day, 
  Teramalda roams the world in search of ven-
  geance on the Raven god and his followers.
  The god Rust wished to bury the head of his 
  dead daughter, but his wife Heme said that now 
  was the time for vengeance, not sorrow. Together, 
  they forged a set of hematite claws from Feroxa’s 
  remains, to be worn by the champion of the Rust 
  Church in the hunt for the scum of the Raven god. 
  The claws were lost, however, when their wield-
  er – Gardkan, captain of the Iron Guard – fell in 
  battle during the Alder Wars.
  The claws were forged during Teramalda’s 
  invasion of Ravenland, but the legend of the gods 
  and their child is just a myth. Teramalda’s suit of 
  armor came to life when the dwarven lord Gar-
  mar Four-Beard had the woman cooked over 
  embers in it, and it is possible that it was the god 
  Rust who woke her. Anyhow, she prefers to hunt 
  dwarves rather than worshippers of the Raven.
  APPEARANCE
  Two aged, but well-kept leather gloves with 
  large metal claws mounted on knuckles. The 
  
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  claws are cut from heavy, black stone, inter-
  spersed with red spots. In the palm of each 
  glove, there are embossed the signs of the 
  god Rust and the goddess Heme, respectively. 
  Straps secure the gloves to the wrists of the 
  wearer.
  EFFECTS
  Feroxa’s Claws are a melee weapon with Weap-
  on Bonus +1, Artifact Die D8, Weapon Dam-
  age 2, and the LIGHT, EDGED, and POINTED fea-
  tures. The claws ignore all metal armor. Each 
  time the claws cause one or more points of 
  damage in combat, their Weapon Damage in-
  creases by one. This bonus dissipates at the end 
  of the combat. All of the effects above assume 
  that both claws are used. A single claw counts 
  as a normal knife.
  DRAWBACKS
  The Rust Church will demand Feroxa’s Claws 
  be returned if they learn that they have been 
  found, and will send Iron Guards to seize them 
  by force, if necessary. If the adventurers hand 
  over the claws freely to a Rust temple, they will 
  be treated as heroes and allies of the church.
  IVELDE
  It is rumored that the humans who were spending 
  their first day in Ravenland fought over wheth-
  er the raven that had led them across the ocean 
  was divine or if the divinity belonged to the snake 
  in the raven’s claws. First of all, the new arriv-
  als met a dwarven hermit and weaponsmith 
  at a cliff by the beach, facing the sea. The first 
  Raven Sister, she who was called Nightshroud, 
  is said to have given herself to the dwarf so that 
  he in return forged the magical spear Ivelde for 
  her to benefit the worshippers of the raven. The 
  first worshipper of the wyrm, Modreval, de-
  sired Nightshroud and was struck with jealousy. 
  He cursed the weapon so that the shape of a black 
  snake grew from the back of the spear head, with 
  fangs like barbs. Furious, Nightshroud suggested 
  that the wyrm worshippers could keep the des-
  ecrated spear and threw it among them. They 
  instantly started fighting each other until several 
  lay dead. Both Nightshroud and Modreval were 
  horrified and agreed to make peace between the 
  factions. They married and ordered the spear 
  locked away.
  APPEARANCE
  An ancient and worn black spear that is crook-
  ed and seems not to be useful for much of any-
  thing. On closer inspection, it exudes hate and 
  discomfort. Its copper head is shaped like 
  that of a snake, with three fangs. 
  
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  SUGGESTED LOCATION
  Merigall’s lair on Mount Ora (see Raven’s 
  Purge).
  EFFECTS
  Ivelde works like a normal throwing spear with 
  a D8 Artifact Die. In addition, it sows discord. 
  If thrown toward an individual, regardless of 
  whether it hits, all living beings within NEAR 
  range of the target must immediately attack a 
  random person within the group of affected 
  individuals and keep fighting until only one 
  remains standing.
  DRAWBACK
  The spear Ivelde is shaped like a black snake 
  with three fangs. One of these fangs falls out 
  each time the spear is thrown. When all three 
  fangs are gone, the spear shatters and cannot 
  be used again.
  MENKAURA’S 
  TOOTH
  It is said that the spider queen Menkaura and her 
  thousandfold brood ruled over the Dankwood 
  between Entwater and the Crombe river for a 
  hundred years. The elves grew tired of them after 
  a group of botanizing melders were slaughtered 
  by the beasts, and sent twenty war ents into the 
  queendom of the spiders. The ents weren’t sus-
  ceptible to both the fangs and poison of the spiders, 
  and possessed the strength to tear all their webs to 
  shreds. They slew Menkaura but allowed the re-
  maining spiders to live, since the unity of the beasts 
  died with their queen. Menkaura’s gleaming car-
  apace was brought to the city of Stridehome where 
  it was used in jewelry, weapons and other objects. 
  One of these objects is her tooth.
  APPEARANCE
  Menkaura’s Tooth is hollowed out, a point-
  ed container plugged with a sculpted spider. 
  Looking inside, it appears to be filled with an 
  oily, almost writhing fluid – like boiling tar. 
  The actual tip is sticky and if one touches it, a 
  thick strand of web is drawn out when the fin-
  ger is pulled away. This is a TINY item.
  EFFECTS
  The tooth has two abilities:
   
  ✥
  Firstly, the user can touch something 
  with the tip of the container and then pull 
  out a rope up to 50 meters long, made 
  from very durable spider’s web. The rope 
  gives the user a D8 Artifact Die to MOVE 
  rolls for climbing, but will disintegrate 
  after an hour.
  
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  137
   
  ✥
  Secondly, the user can open the container 
  and spill some of the living liquid, which 
  then swells into a spider (see page 127) that 
  attacks the enemies of the tooth’s owner. 
  There is enough liquid for ten uses. It might 
  be possible to refill, but who knows how? 
  The spider dies after an hour.
  PHANTOM 
  DAGGERS
  It is said that when the Alderlanders invaded 
  Ravenland, they sent the three siblings Vider to 
  assassinate the leaders of the dwarves and elves. 
  However, the elven masters ensnared the would-
  be assassins through their magic, slew them and 
  bound their dark souls to three daggers.
  APPEARANCE
  A completely black and fuming dagger with 
  slightly diaphanous edges. It is as if the shadow 
  of a dagger has assumed solid shape.
  EFFECTS
  The Phantom Daggers are dangerous concealed 
  weapons, since they can be carried almost im-
  perceptibly. If one is placed with the handle 
  against the palm of the hand while pressing 
  the index finger of the other hand against the 
  tip until blood is drawn, the entire dagger will 
  sink into the palm of the hand where it is only 
  visible as a dark spot on the skin. With the 
  proper flick of the wrist the dagger can be un-
  sheathed into the hand again when the victim 
  least expects it. 
  A Phantom Dagger counts as a dagger with 
  Weapon Bonus +1, Weapon Damage 2, Artifact 
  Die D8, and a +2 modification to all sneak at-
  tacks. It is not counted towards encumbrance 
  at all. The Phantom Dagger erodes the user’s 
  soul – every time an attack with it breaks an 
  opponent, the user suffers 1 point of damage 
  to his Empathy score.
  QUEEN AGATHA’S 
  TWIN TABLETS
  Queen Agatha of Dragon’s Tooth was once a be-
  loved queen of the dwarven Crombe clan. She 
  wished to favor the stone singers of the clan so 
  that their skill would rival that of the Belderans. 
  When the gifted apprentice, Torwyld Gravel, 
  by chance managed to return a slab of agate to its 
  primordial, living form – the feat has never been 
  reproduced –  and the masters saw how the veins 
  of agate surged beautifully like northern lights in 
  the mountain, they decided to shape a tablet for 
  the queen from the living rock, thanking her for 
  her faith in them.
  
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  The work was done with a degree of anguish, for 
  the living stone screeched and cried when cut, but 
  after some time, the beautiful tablet could be pre-
  sented to the regent. To the embarrassment of the 
  stone singers, the agate veins would no longer surge, 
  but it was discovered that when someone managed 
  to move a vein on the stone tablet the same change 
  appeared on the slab from which it had been taken. 
  Master Homb realized that the stone tablet was 
  missing its other piece and set out to form a second 
  tablet from the remainder of the slab. Once it had 
  been completed, and the tablets were brought to-
  gether, they seemed to be more at ease and the agate 
  veins became more fluid. They assumed the same 
  pattern, and it soon became clear that if the pattern 
  was changed by hand on one tablet, the same change 
  immediately appeared on the other. Master Homb 
  noticed that this occurred even if the tablets were 
  separated, and realized that they could be used to 
  send messages across long distances. After some 
  years, one of the tablets was lost, however, at which 
  time the other was forgotten, since it no longer 
  served any purpose. The second tablet eventually 
  went missing, too, lost to the unknown.
  The legend is true.
  APPEARANCE
  Two identical stone tablets of agate with tight, 
  wavy lines in yellow, brown, white, and grey. 
  On the top of each tablet there is carved a dwar-
  ven clan sign (of the Crombe clan). The observ-
  er will notice that the pattern in the stone is 
  not solid, but shifts like a slowly rolling sea. If a 
  finger is traced along the surface, the lines will 
  move with it simultaneously on both tablets.
  EFFECTS
  Queen Agatha’s Twin Tablets are identical and 
  made from agate, with the flowing pattern of 
  the mineral clearly visible on the surfaces of 
  the two tablets. This pattern can be altered by 
  tracing a finger across one tablet, and the sec-
  ond tablet will display the same change in the 
  agate pattern. This effect occurs no matter how 
  far apart the two tablets are. It’s not possible to 
  write on the tablets, only to move the pattern. 
  To use the tablets for communication, the ad-
  venturers will need to agree beforehand what 
  different types of changes in the pattern mean.
  SCARNESBANE
  The legends tell of how Scarne, the ancient mother 
  of dragons, ruled in Ravenland when the dwarves 
  arrived in an age long forgotten, and that her armor 
  was of impregnable obsidian that she herself had 
  melted around her body. But Oramund, the com-
  mander of the dwarves, prayed to the god Huge, who 
  sent him a hammer the blows of which could crush 
  anything. With it, Oramund slew the she-dragon. 
  The dwarves then chased the serpent’s offspring up 
  
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  139
  into the mountains from whence they still plague the 
  land. Oramund named the hammer Scarnesbane.
  In fact, the hammer was never used against 
  Scarne. Nor is the dragon dead, but merely 
  imprisoned far below the dwarven fortress of 
  Stonegarden. You can read more about this in 
  the Raven’s Purge campaign book.
  APPEARANCE
  Scarnesbane is a heavy warhammer, with the 
  sign of the god Huge carved into its iron head 
  six-fold. The shaft is the color of bone, and is 
  said to have been cut from a tooth of the an-
  cient dragon mother, Scarne. It’s carved with 
  the same veining that was found on Urtima – 
  the first stone that the dwarves shaped in their 
  creation of the world – and is supposed to be 
  wrapped with ribbons made of Scarne’s hide.
  SUGGESTED LOCATION
  Pelagia (see Raven’s Purge).
  EFFECTS
  Scarnesbane is a heavy warhammer with 
  Weapon Bonus +2, Weapon Damage 3, and 
  Artifact Die D10 (D12 against dragons). The 
  weapon ignores all armor, including natural 
  armor. Worn armor is destroyed if an attack 
  from Scarnesbane inflicts 3 points of damage 
  or more. Scarnesbane can even shatter solid 
  stone.
  DRAWBACK
  The hammer is very unwieldy and requires 
  Strength 6 to be handled without penalty. A 
  fighter with Strength 5 can wield Scarnesbane, 
  but suffers a –2 penalty to all attacks. Weaklings 
  of Strength 4 or less cannot use the weapon.
  THE 
  NIGHTWALKER’S 
  HOURGLASS
  It is said that the stone singer Dordela was so vexed 
  late one night over a mistake she’d made on an an-
  niversary statue, that she begged the Nightwalker 
  to return the stone slab to its original form, such as 
  it was before she marred it with her high note. At 
  the same time, there was a knock on the door to the 
  workshop, frightening her. Outside the door was a 
  mysterious figure with the features of a bat. In his 
  arms he held a box, which he handed over without 
  a word before turning around to leave. The only 
  answer to Dordela’s questions was a hiss:
  “Fracture time, unmake mistake, bone break,” 
  and then the mysterious messenger was gone.
  
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  In the box, Dordela found three hourglasses lying 
  in purple velvet and on the inside of the lid were 
  the same words, written in black ink. She picked 
  up one of the hourglasses, observed the sand run-
  ning from the top to the bottom and, on a whim, 
  broke the instrument in half. She immediately 
  fainted, but when she woke the stone slab stood 
  before her, untouched, just as she had wished. De-
  lighted, she reached for her stone wand but found 
  it impossible: her hand was missing.
  They say that the second hourglass was broken 
  when King Ardeburd had lost the battle against the 
  Canides below the Icefang Mountains. He is then 
  said to have allowed all the sand to flow from the 
  hourglass and was never seen again. Without their 
  leader, the dwarves lost the battle a second time. 
  Only one hourglass now remains in the box.
  APPEARANCE
  A jet black, undecorated lacquered box, the 
  inside of which is covered with purple velvet. 
  Within the velvet of the shrine, there is room 
  for three hourglasses, but only one occupies 
  the space. The hourglass is angular, decorat-
  ed with the sign of the Nightwalker and filled 
  with black sand. Inside the lid of the box is the 
  inscription: “Fracture Time, Unmake Mis-
  take, Bone Break.”
  EFFECTS
  A person who breaks the hourglass will travel 
  back in time, longer back the more sand has 
  passed through the hourglass, but no more 
  than three days. All living beings within NEAR 
  are brought back in time.
  DRAWBACKS
  The time travel will cost the breaker of the 
  hourglass a limb: a finger for an hour, an arm 
  for a day, and his life for three days. A person 
  can sacrifice himself in this way to make some-
  thing undone.
  THE TEZAUR
  It is told that Duke Fargalon of Aslene had a son 
  who was named Ungule, after the god Horn’s 
  master smith of the volcano, he who forges the hoofs 
  of the holy steeds. After bones had been thrown in 
  front of the newborn, the seeress proclaimed that 
  it was the destiny of the duke’s son to fall in love 
  with a flautist of the wandering folk and take her 
  as his bride. The proclamation angered Fargalon, 
  and he forbade all forms of music in his domain. 
  Riders were even sent out to cut down the reeds 
  that rustled too loudly on the river banks. Ungule 
  grew up to be a handsome young man, and one day 
  
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  141
  when he was out hunting 
  in the forest, he caught the eye of 
  Tezara of the Tarn, who became fierce-
  ly stricken with love.
  Tezara was a masterful singer, but she could 
  not sing her love to the duke’s son since he lived in 
  a fortress of stone and always wore a helmet of si-
  lence when he ventured outside. Tezara sang her 
  lament in the forest, where a naiad heard her. 
  She took pity on Tezara, and gave the lovestruck 
  maiden a silver flute, forged from the waters of 
  a babbling brook. Anyone who plays the flute can 
  walk through stone and iron and guards like light 
  through water. With its help, Tezara made her 
  way to Ungule and won his heart with her song.
  In the morning, Duke Fargalon discovered 
  the young lovers and went into a rage, threaten-
  ing to imprison Tezara, but when she showed him 
  her flute his thoughts were filled with the possibil-
  ities it presented. The duke had pawned his most 
  treasured heirlooms in the capital to fund his mil-
  itary campaigns. When night fell, he went to the 
  rich pawnbroker’s house, played himself into the 
  treasury and soon waded through silver and gold 
  in a jolly fashion. The pawnbroker’s guards heard 
  him, however, and soon opened the gates to the 
  vault. The duke had already gathered his heir-
  looms and wanted to play his way out with them, 
  but in his fervor and greed he had dropped the 
  flute and was unable to find it among the silver 
  spread around him. The guards mistook him for 
  a simple thief and killed him. Ungule was named 
  duke and wed Tezara, but the flute was lost.
  The legend of the flute is probably true. The 
  flute is from Aslene.
  APPEARANCE
  A simple, bluish silver flute with a clear tone. On 
  close inspection, one can see how the patterns of 
  the flute ripple like flowing water in which the 
  silver twinkles as if from reflecting the sun.
  EFFECTS
  Playing on the Tezaur requires a successful PER-
  FORMANCE roll every round. The roll counts as 
  a slow action, and the flute gives a D8 Artifact 
  Die. If successful, the flautist gains the ability 
  to move through solid matter – a sphere follows 
  her and allows her to walk horizontally in any 
  direction, even through solid stone or living 
  beings. The world outside can be seen faintly 
  from inside the sphere, but from the outside the 
  sphere looks like a white mist passing through 
  anything. If the music stops, or if the flautist 
  fails a PERFORMANCE roll, the sphere dissipates. 
  If the flautist is inside solid matter at that point, 
  she is killed outright.
  DRAWBACKS
  The music from the Tezaur is addictive. Part-
  ing from the flute requires the owner to fail an 
  Empathy roll (roll for the attribute only). One 
  attempt can be made per day. Even if the roll 
  fails, parting from the Tezaur costs one Will-
  power Point and one point of Empathy.
  Anyone else who hears the Tezaur play 
  within NEAR range feels a strong desire to claim 
  the instrument for themselves. They must 
  
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  each make an Empathy roll – if the roll suc-
  ceeds, they must attempt to steal the Tezaur, 
  by force, if necessary. A person who knows of 
  this effect can cover his ears to avoid the effect.
  TVEDRA’S  
  TWIN RINGS
  It is said that the witch Tvedra was so smitten 
  with Hinrek of Falender that she gifted him with 
  a ring that would protect him in the wars against 
  the Alderlanders. She wore an identical ring 
  herself, and claimed that her love would protect 
  him even when they couldn’t be together. Cap-
  tain Hinrek found himself able to absorb more 
  cuts and hits in the field, just as she had said, but 
  when he was eventually badly wounded despite 
  the ring, he journeyed home to rest and heal. To 
  his sorrow and despair, he found that Tvedra had 
  died. They said that she had inexplicably suffered 
  horrendous wounds, and Hinrek understood that 
  the wounds he had suffered in the field had been 
  shared with her across the distance. However, 
  she wasn’t as strong as he was, and so the wounds 
  had killed her. Hinrek threw away the rings and, 
  grief-stricken, retired as a hermit.
  APPEARANCE
  The twin rings are identically molded from red 
  copper. They have a simple look, are decorated 
  with a heart each and winding veining.
  EFFECTS
  The rings function just like the legend sug-
  gests: all damage to Strength is split between 
  the wearers. If one wearer suffers a critical in-
  jury, the same injury is inflicted on the other 
  wearer even if she is not Broken. Any healing is 
  done separately.
  VOLLER’S HELMET
  The Elvenspring Voller is supposed to have been 
  one of the early teachers in the druidic order of the 
  Golden Bough. He possessed mental prowess un-
  matched by others, and it is rumored that some-
  one who can channel their concentration just right 
  will be able to fly with his helmet on their head. 
  Others claim that the crucial part is trust as well 
  as concentration, saying that the user has to brave 
  the plunge with the helmet on, firm in the belief in 
  their ability to fly for that ability to manifest.
  
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  143
  APPEARANCE
  A slightly pointy helmet with a nose guard, 
  forged as a web over red leather in an unknown 
  light metal, both light and strong. The temples 
  are adorned with bird wings in that same metal.
  EFFECTS
  The helmet has nothing to do with flight – 
  Voller’s intended symbolism with the wings 
  pertained to the flight of the mind. Anyone 
  wearing the helmet can read three surface 
  thoughts within NEAR range per day – but one 
  of these thoughts will be false. Voller’s helmet 
  was constructed as a tool of education to teach 
  the students to distinguish truth from false-
  hood through the stringency of logic. The hel-
  met is a LIGHT item, gives a D8 Artifact Die to 
  INSIGHT rolls, and has Armor Rating 2.
  WAIL’S HORN
  It is said that the goddess Wail visited the oceans in 
  her youth, but that the great waters, overcome by 
  love and greed, refused to let their guest go when 
  she attempted to leave. Wail struggled in the depths, 
  giving birth to the swirls and eddies of the world, 
  but a toothed shark took pity on her, raised her on 
  its tusks and threw her into the air so that she could 
  blow away. Once free, Wail blessed the animal, and 
  since she understood that the oceans would want to 
  punish her savior, she made the creature larger and 
  fatter so that it would never have to be frightened or 
  cold in the oceans again. She also gave it the ability 
  to breathe air so that she could blow life and courage 
  into it henceforth. Thus, the walrus was created.
  APPEARANCE
  A natural horn, probably from some sea beast, 
  with copper fittings and swirls and cloud for-
  mations carved into the material.
  EFFECTS
  When blown, Wail’s Horn creates a strong gust 
  of wind. The gale grows in force with the length 
  of the tone so that an experienced wielder can 
  blow open doors, propel ships, throw down 
  enemies, or even level walls. They say that the 
  dwarven bard Hollerbellows blew an entire Al-
  derlander army off a cliff during the Second Al-
  der Wars, but that the effort caused his throat 
  to close up, leading to his being overpowered 
  and killed, the horn disappearing in the chaos.
  Using the horn counts as a ranged attack with 
  NEAR range, with the attacker rolling for PER-
  FORMANCE. A hit causes no damage, but makes 
  a humanoid opponent fall down. The horn has 
  a D10 Artifact Die and Weapon Bonus +1 in 
  the first round. If the user continues to blow 
  in the horn every round, the Weapon Bonus 
  increases by one and the range by one category 
  each round, up to a maximum of LONG range. 
  As soon as the user fails a roll, or stops blow-
  ing the horn, the bonus effects are reset. Wail’s 
  Horn is a LIGHT item.
  
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  144
  WELL OF TEARS
  The Rust Brothers say that before creating humans, 
  the god Rust wanted to create a race of mighty war-
  riors to purge the land of the plague of elves, orcs 
  and dwarves that tarnished it, thus making room 
  for his true servants. To this purpose, he erected a 
  man and woman made of pure diamond and then 
  rested, intending to equip them for their task on the 
  morrow. But the two-faced dwarves saw his plans, 
  and on that very same night they slew the man be-
  fore he was given a name, and as such was unable 
  to defend himself. The woman, who was later giv-
  en the name Hemla, was grief-stricken and fled, 
  never to be seen again. The crystal race was never 
  to be born, since she was now the last of her kind. 
  When Rust awoke he became wroth and slew 
  fifty thousand dwarves, but the rest cowardly hid 
  beneath the earth, where they remain to this day. 
  In his grief, Rust formed the chalice of the Well of 
  Tears from the skull of the dead warrior. Every 
  day it replenishes itself with the god’s tears, tainted 
  by blood. Rust had no more diamonds and realized 
  that humankind now had to solve their own prob-
  lems, to be tempered by the world. He created the 
  humans and granted them the Well of Tears from 
  which they were invited to drink, to waken them to 
  the glory of battle.
  SCROME’S EVIL EYE
  The eye does not exist until it is created from the Well of Tears and the emerald 
  Gall-Eye. If the eye is created, it will attempt to escape and roll its way to the 
  giant Scrome, to crawl into the empty eye-socket where it originally nested. If 
  it succeeds in this, Scrome will become a monster that tears out its benevolent, 
  yellow eye since it helped the elves remove the green eye. Scrome will then ven-
  ture into the Forbidden Lands to ravage it, and will be especially rabid towards 
  elves. The giant will, however, understand who helped him get his eye back and 
  be grudgingly pleasant towards them, but not towards anyone else.
  APPEARANCE: Similar to the Well of Tears, but now resembles a giant eye with an 
  iris of stone streaked with yellow and green and the emerald Gall-Eye as its pupil.
  EFFECTS: Anything caught in the gaze of the eye withers, ages, or decays depending 
  on what it is – buildings, food and living creatures are all affected. Each round in the 
  direct gaze of the eye within NEAR range, the object ages one year. The evil eye can 
  only stare at one target at a time. If the eye is placed in a sack or chest, it will cause 
  the container to disintegrate in a matter of minutes or hours at the most.
  
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  The entire legend is a fabrication. The Well of 
  Tears is the remains of the evil eye of the giant 
  Scrome (see page 242).
  APPEARANCE
  The Well of Tears is a hollow sphere of a tough 
  bone-like material, large as the head of a man. 
  It has a light tan coloration and is streaked with 
  what appears to be living veins. The sphere has 
  a circular opening and replenishes itself with 
  blood-mixed saltwater. It is often placed stand-
  ing upright, supported by a thick iron ring.
  SUGGESTED LOCATION
  Ritual chalice of the Iron Guard at Haggler’s 
  House (see Raven’s Purge).
  EFFECTS
  Whomever drinks from the chalice immedi-
  ately restores all lost Strength and Agility and 
  gains one Willpower Point. At the same time, 
  he loses one point each of Wits and Empathy. 
  These can be recovered normally. Only one 
  person can drink from the chalice each day. 
  Every morning at dawn, it is magically refilled.
  DRAWBACKS
  If the emerald Gall-Eye is inserted into the 
  Well of Tears, the gem will fuse inside the 
  chalice, turning it into a solid sphere: Scrome’s 
  Evil Eye (see boxed text).
  WYRM’S KEY
  There are no legends pertaining to the key, which 
  was originally forged for the Psychopomp Natrix. 
  It is said, however, that no secret can be hidden 
  from the god Wyrm’s gaze, no door locked against 
  his passing. 
  APPEARANCE
  The key is strangely shaped, but in itself insig-
  nificant. It consists of an old iron key shaped 
  like a writhing serpent that devours itself. It is 
  possible that the design of the key may be the 
  origin of the belief that the serpent was made 
  from iron, which later gave rise to the concept 
  of the father deity, Rust.
  EFFECTS
  Wyrm’s Key gives a D12 Artifact Die to all at-
  tempts to pick locks using the SLEIGHT OF HAND 
  skill. It is a TINY item.
  
  chapter 7
  146
  ENCOUNTERS
  T
  his chapters details a number of ran-
  dom encounters that you can use 
  during 
  the 
  adventurers’ 
  journeys 
  across the Forbidden Lands.
  Use the table on the next page by rolling 
  D66 and enter the result in the column indi-
  cated by the terrain type of the hex that the 
  adventurers are currently in. Each encounter 
  has a number attached to it. Find the entry 
  with the corresponding number, and resolve 
  the encounter.
  Of course, you are free to ignore these 
  encounter tables and make up your own en-
  counters.
  SCOUTING
  The adventurers generally have a chance to 
  spot a threat from an encounter before it’s 
  Himeon leaned in to poke the fire, casually grabbing his bow 
  in the process.
  “Something watches us and hungers,” he said.
  Sanarda looked around while drinking from her flask. Hairy 
  spider legs clambered among the darkening foliage overhead.
  “I wasn’t tired anyway.”
  upon them. During journeys, the adventurer 
  who KEEPS WATCH gets to make a SCOUTING roll. 
  Make a straight roll, not an opposed roll unless 
  the threat is actively ambushing the adventur-
  ers. Success generally means that the lookout 
  notices the threat while it’s still at a safe dis-
  tance. The adventurers can then decide wheth-
  er to show themselves, set up an ambush, or to 
  SNEAK away undetected.
  Failing the SCOUTING roll means that the 
  threat is up close and personal before the ad-
  venturers notice it.
  0  NO 
   
  ENCOUNTER
  Time passes without any significant encoun-
  
  encounters
  147
  RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
  D66
  PLAINS
  FOR-
  EST
  DARK 
  FOREST
  HILLS
  MOUN-
  TAINS
  LAKE
  MARSH-
  LANDS
  QUAG-
  MIRE
  RUINS
  11–36
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  41
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  0
  1
  1
  1
  42
  16
  16
  1
  2
  35
  0
  5
  4
  4
  43
  2
  17
  18
  31
  31
  1
  9
  5
  5
  44
  3
  18
  19
  21
  21
  1
  9
  7
  6
  45
  4
  2
  20
  22
  22
  38
  11
  8
  8
  46
  5
  28
  21
  3
  4
  38
  12
  9
  9
  51
  6
  3
  3
  4
  5
  4
  12
  10
  9
  52
  7
  6
  25
  5
  23
  4
  13
  11
  9
  53
  34
  7
  24
  7
  7
  39
  16
  12
  11
  54
  8
  34
  9
  33
  33
  39
  18
  13
  12
  55
  9
  8
  9
  34
  36
  39
  21
  14
  13
  56
  10
  24
  10
  24
  24
  39
  29
  16
  21
  61
  11
  9
  11
  9
  9
  5
  30
  21
  21
  62
  12
  10
  12
  32
  32
  5
  38
  23
  24
  63
  13
  11
  13
  11
  11
  40
  40
  29
  29
  64
  14
  12
  29
  12
  12
  40
  41
  30
  30
  65
  15
  13
  27
  13
  13
  41
  42
  34
  34
  66
  30
  26
  30
  14
  37
  41
  42
  42
  43
  1  THE BLOOD  
   
  MIST
  It all happens almost imperceptibly. At first, all 
  sounds die down and the only thing that can be 
  heard is your own small talk. Then you get the 
  feeling that the hair on the backs of your necks 
  rises up, as if the air is filled with some strange 
  ter. Describe the surrounding nature – the 
  rustle of leaves in the forest, the howling 
  winds across the plains, the mist in moun-
  tain valleys, or the soft rain against the ad-
  venturer’s faces. For the moment, they are 
  alone in their journey across the Forbidden 
  Lands.
  TERRAIN TYPES: All
  
  chapter 7
  148
  must make an INSIGHT roll each round. Fail-
  ure means that the adventurer suffers 1 point 
  of damage to Empathy and suffers intense 
  feelings of homesickness. If the victim is Bro-
  ken, she loses her will to live and simply sits 
  down to die. The other adventurers must drag 
  her to safety.
  After some time in the Blood Mist, the 
  adventurers are attacked by a Bloodling (see 
  page 78).
  TERRAIN TYPES: All
  2  DUEL IN THE  
   
  WOODS
  You hear the sounds of battle and a violent bellow-
  ing mixed with battle songs and cries. Further 
  along the road, an orc is dueling with a tattooed 
  elf. They lunge at each other and parry without 
  hitting each other. Occasionally they stop in order 
  to hurl insults at one another.
  The elf Heldemin, a wandering sap carver, 
  has long tried to approach the orc clan of 
  Roka to study their customs and try to un-
  derstand them. She then became acquainted 
  with the orc smith Alachran. When she dis-
  covered his great singing voice, she got the 
  idea of putting on a dramatic theatrical scene 
  with him, performing both among the orcs 
  and the elves. As their friendship is rather 
  controversial, they practice far away in the 
  forest.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills
  energy. Finally, you see it, the crimson mist, slow-
  ly flowing above the ground towards you. The 
  Blood Mist.
  The adventurers have walked into a pocket of 
  living Blood Mist. It comes from everywhere 
  and forms a ring around the party. If the 
  lookout spots it in time, the adventurers can 
  each make a MOVE roll to get away by climb-
  ing a tree or something similar. If the look-
  out fails the roll, the adventurer is caught in 
  the Blood Mist. If the adventurer can make 
  the MOVE roll but fails, the adventurer is also 
  stuck in the Blood Mist. Either way, the ad-
  venturer can make another MOVE roll each 
  round to escape.
  An adventurer engulfed by the Blood Mist 
  REOCCURING ENCOUNTERS
  Sooner or later, you will roll 
  an encounter that you have 
  already rolled before. When this 
  happens, choose one of the 
  options below:
   
  ✥ Continue the encounter. 
  The adventurers meet the 
  same people or creature 
  again.
   
  ✥ Change the encounter. The 
  adventurers meet a similar 
  creature or person, but it’s 
  different in some way.
   
  ✥
  Re-roll.
  
  encounters
  149
  3  THE ORCISH  
   
  FUGITIVE
  At first you hear a guttural song, “Msshamassh, guk-
  kull, gukkull,” and the sound of a drum beating out 
  the rhythm. Then you spot a group of orcs walking in 
  a chaotic procession, singing a hymn. In the middle of 
  the group, two of the orcs carry a huge wooden stick, 
  where a trussed-up orc hangs dangling and helpless.
  A group of orcs, twice as many in number as 
  there are adventurers, are on their way back to 
  their clan with the fugitive Sargah, who ran 
  away to seek his own destiny in the Forbidden 
  Lands. The orcs have typical game statistics as 
  found on page 64.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Dark Forest, 
  Hills, Quagmire, Ruins
  4  DEATH FROM  
   
  ABOVE
  You hear a chilling scream in the air, and the next 
  moment, the sound of heavy wing beats. Then you 
  see it. A huge, demon bird is descending from the 
  clouds. It turns and wheels in the air and dives, 
  targeting your party.
  The adventurers have suddenly traveled into 
  the territory of a gryphon. Initially, it will 
  try to scare the adventurers and assess their 
  strength. If the adventurers flee the way they 
  came, the gryphon will circle above but will 
  let them escape. If they attack the gryphon or 
  continue on their way through its territory, it 
  will fight unto death.
  Read more about gryphons on page 102.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Hills, Mountains, 
  Lake, Ruins
  5  THE HARPIES’  
   
  FEAST
  At first you hear the screams: “Giiiive meee!,” 
  “Nooo, giiiive meee!,” “Nooo, I waaant to eeeat 
  the liiitle ones!” Then you spot three horrible crea-
  tures with eagle-like wings and twisted bodies, 
  swooping down upon you. Harpies!
  The three starving harpies, Krag, Mag and 
  Serag, attack the adventurers so as to feast on 
  their corpses. During the attack, one of them 
  spots a shiny object carried by one of the ad-
  venturers and starts to scream excitedly about 
  “the treasure.” This presents an opportunity 
  for the adventurers to use the harpies’ greed 
  against them.
  This flock of harpies has a combined 
  Strength of 9. Read more about harpies on 
  page 104.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Hills, Mountains, 
  Lake, Marshlands, Quagmire, Ruins
  6  THE HORSE
  You hear the neighing of a horse, and suddenly it 
  stands before you. A proud stallion, with saddle, bags 
  
  chapter 7
  150
  and a saddle blanket. Its owner is nowhere to be seen. 
  The lonely horse twists it head, clearly frustrated.
  The horse belongs to the noble Lavide, killed in 
  an ambush two days ago. In the saddle bags, there 
  is a VALUABLE find as well as the rose-shaped sig-
  il of the noble house of the owner. The horse is 
  combat trained but does not take kindly to strang-
  ers. However, a successful ANIMAL HANDLING roll 
  calms the animal. If it fails, the adventures will 
  have to catch it by force. If they return horse and 
  sigil to Lavide’s family based in a nearby castle, 
  they will be rewarded with the ownership of the 
  horse, as well as a PRECIOUS find.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Ruins
  7  THE MASSCRE  
   
  LURE
  A terrible scene unfolds in front of you. A dozen 
  humans are crawling around with their innards 
  spilled out, some still alive, soaked in blood. A cart 
  with merchandise is overturned. A few people are 
  moaning, others screaming. A woman in chain-
  mail is trying to lift a sword. When a comparatively 
  healthy young man sees you, he screams hysterically.
  “Robbers! They took our horses. Do you have 
  water? Is anyone a healer? No, brother, don’t fall 
  asleep!”
  The scene is, in fact, completely staged and no 
  one is hurt. A group of slavers have poured blood 
  and intestines from animals on to and around 
  themselves, hoping that the adventurers will ap-
  proach without their weapons drawn. The leader, 
  Harwa, has a bronze horn and when he blows on 
  it, the entire group is meant to immediately leap 
  up and attack their “saviors.” Their goal is not 
  to kill, but to put the adventurers out of action 
  using cudgels, and then sell them as slaves, pos-
  sibly at Grindbone village (see the Raven’s Purge 
  campaign book). If anyone manages to flee, the 
  slavers will not pursue them, instead just proceed 
  to secure those they have caught.
  SLAVERS
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 2, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 2
  GEAR: Wooden club or mace, leather armor, 
  D6 copper
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills, 
  Mountains, Quagmire
  8  THE GREAT  
   
  INSULTER
  A loud and agitated voice cuts through the land-
  scape. Someone is shouting out mockery and in-
  sults. When you get closer you see a rickety wooden 
  structure rise several feet above the ground. At 
  the top a small orc with an upstage look. When 
  he sees you, he unbuttons his pants and urinates in 
  your direction, spewing insults all the while.
  The orc Khardnal calls himself the “Great Pro-
  voker” and wants to awake people from their 
  slumber. Khardnal sees it as his personal mission 
  to spread his word and taunt passersby to release 
  their inner rage, and believes that it is he who has 
  
  encounters
  151
  scared the Blood Mist into withdrawal. If the 
  adventurers attack Khardnal, he will use a bow 
  or axe and shield. He loves to enter his berserker 
  rage. He will fight to his death whilst he taunts 
  his opponents, and at the same time praises 
  them for being in touch with their inner rage.
  Khardnal is of the Urhur clan and has stats 
  like a typical member (see page 64) with the ad-
  dition of the BERSERKER talent.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Quagmire, 
  Ruins
  9  THE RUINS OF  
   
  OLD
  You see before you the broken remains of what was 
  once a building, a civilized outpost in the wilds. 
  Now nature has reclaimed the place and every-
  thing that remains are but fallen remnants and 
  memories lost in the mist of history. 
  The adventurers have found a ruin that is 
  suitable as a safe place to make camp. In order 
  to decide the type of ruin and who once lived 
  here, you should roll D66 on the table below
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Dark 
  Forest, Hills, Mountains, Marshlands, Quag-
  mire, Ruins
  10  THE FOX
  A strange song echoes over the land. A growly 
  male voice sings of purple flowers and deep tombs 
  where heaven and earth meet. You have never 
  heard a song such as this before. As you pass a turn 
  in the road, you suddenly find yourselves eye to eye 
  with a small fox. It stares at you with large eyes. 
  The song has ended.
  The fox is actually a demon called Grelf, and 
  it is the creature who sang the song. However, 
  D66
  RUIN
  WHO LIVED 
  HERE
  11–16
  Cabin
  An old couple
  21–24
  Mill
  A miller, bur-
  ied in the back 
  yard
  D66
  RUIN
  WHO LIVED 
  HERE
  25–32
  Guard 
  Post
  Scout, fallen 
  on duty
  33–35
  Temple
  Murdered 
  raven sisters
  36–46
  Farm
  A rich mer-
  chant, long 
  since dead
  51–54
  Tower
  A lost sorcerer
  55–62
  Out-
  post
  Once manned 
  by Alderlander 
  soldiers
  64–64
  Inn
  Travelers be-
  fore the Blood 
  Mist
  
  chapter 7
  152
  Grelf takes pride in being in character as a fox, 
  and prefers not to sing or talk as long as he is 
  around the adventurers. If he decides to talk, 
  he will sound like a weary and grizzled warrior. 
  Being a curious demon, Grelf will keep close 
  to the adventurers and will sleep nearby when 
  they camp (sometimes he talks about other 
  worlds in his sleep, other times he just snores 
  loudly). Grelf can transform into a demon at 
  any time – use the tables for creating a demon 
  on page 80.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Dark Forest, 
  Quagmire
  11  THE FORGOT- 
   
  TEN PRINCE
  A large pile of heavy rocks, stacked one atop the 
  other in a monument that you recognize. Some-
  one has obviously spent a lot of effort building 
  the cairn, and someone or something is buried 
  beneath it.
  An Alderlander prince fell in battle hundreds 
  of years ago. The prince, whose name has long 
  since been forgotten, was buried here beside his 
  horse and two loyal knights, all of whom per-
  ished in the same battle. The grave contains a 
  silver necklace (worth 2D6 silver coins), an old 
  broadsword and a piece of rusty chainmail. If 
  the adventurers decide to look for treasures, 
  the prince will wake from his slumber and at-
  tack them as a Death Knight!
  You can read more about Death Knights on 
  page 86.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Dark Forest, 
  Hills, Mountains, Marshlands, Quagmire, 
  Ruins
  12  THE HUNGRY  
   
  ROBBERS
  A group of unwashed humans, wearing worn 
  clothes and all sorts of simple weapons, steps out 
  on the road. They are dirty and look like they 
  haven’t eaten properly for a number of days. A 
  large man with a black beard steps forward, 
  spits, and puts his hand on his sword. “Wot man-
  ner o’ dirt are ya? Wot are ya doin’ ’ere? Dontcha 
  know who I am?”
  A group of starving robbers, equal in number 
  to the adventurers, led by Argam Twainbeard, 
  has fallen on hard times and is looking for 
  loot that would make them happy again. The 
  robbers are tired and can be talked into shar-
  ing their camp if the adventurers offer food 
  and stories.
  BANDITS
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 3, Stealth 2, Scouting 1, Sur-
  vival 2
  GEAR: Broadsword, hand axe or wooden 
  club, D6 copper
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Dark Forest, 
  Hills, Mountains, Marshlands, Quagmire, 
  Ruins
  
  encounters
  153
  13  THE PLAGUE  
   
  BROTHER
  You find the decayed remains of an unfortunate 
  wanderer in front of you. The ravens and wild 
  animals have already done their part and the 
  body is just about hacked to pieces.
  The dead man was a Rust Brother who fell into 
  disfavor and was subjected to a cruel experi-
  ment by his master. His name was Largas and 
  he was intentionally infected with a demonic 
  plague. Largas managed to escape from his 
  pursuers, but the infection had taken hold. 
  The plague eventually ran its course, and he 
  died at this spot, suffering from intense pain.
  Any adventurer who touches the corpse will 
  be infected, but the disease is now a lot weaker, 
  with a Virulence rating of 3. During the course of 
  the infection, the victim will experience strong 
  hallucinations, seeing twisted demons instead of 
  people. The corpse also has a simple bronze me-
  dallion with the sigil of the Rust Brothers. 
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Dark Forest, 
  Hills, Mountains, Marshlands, Quagmire, 
  Ruins
  14  FLAGELLANTS
  It’s hard to tell if it is the sound of whips and 
  screams or if it is the banging of drums and chant-
  ing of holy words you first notice. A large proces-
  sion approaches. Dressed in black and wrapped 
  in blackberry thorns, they whip and beat them-
  selves. Several of them have cut off their tongues 
  or ears, some have picked out their own eyes. At 
  the front of the line is a group of women dressed in 
  red, they carry a big plate with burning incense. 
  One of them holds a pole with a strange iron sym-
  bol. In the middle of the crowd, there is a wooden 
  construction on wheels. From ropes, naked people 
  hang with hooks attached under the skin. Chained 
  slaves push the structure through the mud.
  The leader of the cultists is Mother Catyala, 
  leader of a breakout faction of the Rust Church. 
  She preaches that the Blood Mist spread over the 
  Forbidden Lands to mark its downfall. When 
  the mist cleared, it was a sign that the end was 
  near. Portals to the demon realm are open. Ban-
  dits and outlaws rape and pillage. The land is 
  tearing itself apart. The only way the Forbidden 
  Lands can be saved is if its people punish them-
  selves enough to make the gods forgive them.
  Mother Catyala will try to persuade the ad-
  ventures to throw away their clothes and gear 
  and join the crowd. To her help she has the iron 
  symbol, which contains the ILLUSION spell. An 
  adventurer who looks at the symbol make an 
  INSIGHT roll. Failure means that the adventur-
  er will see the world through the eyes of Moth-
  er Catyala. The effect will last until the symbol 
  is destroyed or out of sight. 
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Hills, Quagmire
  15  BEGGARS
  You see them from afar, a crowd of hungry and 
  weary wanderers dressed in rags. The beggars 
  
  chapter 7
  154
  surround you with outstretched hands, saying 
  nothing. 
  These twenty or so beggars are the remains of 
  the village of Freygrove, that was burned down 
  by rapacious adventurers.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains
  16  THE DWARF  
   
  BALLOON  
   
  PILOT 
  At the distance, you spot a green cocoon up in a 
  tree. When you get closer you see that it is an air 
  balloon stuck at the top of the tree.
  The dwarf Andred disavowed the god Huge 
  after a tunnel collapse killed his family.  An-
  dred was on the other side of the collapse. He 
  heard their screams and how they suffocated 
  one after another. Since then, he refuses to 
  set his feet on the ground, and he travels over 
  the Forbidden Lands in his hot air balloon. 
  To survive, he lays anchor at night on top of 
  homes and steal things he can later trade for 
  food and other necessities. The balloon has 
  now crashed in to a tree. Andred has broken 
  his leg. He needs help to repair the balloon 
  but is afraid that the adventurers will rob 
  him. Andred has three loaded crossbows and 
  a battleaxe. In the balloon, there is stolen 
  property: one SIMPLE and one VALUABLE find 
  (roll on the “in a lair” tables on page 188).
  ANDRED
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 2, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Manipulation 3, Move 
  2, Marksmanship 4, Insight 4, Stealth 4, 
  Sleight of Hand 5
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Marsh-
  lands, Quagmire
  17  WEDDING
  In the distance you hear song and dance; human 
  voices and deep voices of orcs. They sing songs of 
  joy. As you get closer you see a wooden stage deco-
  rated with flowers in the center of a glade. Tables 
  with food and drinks. Musicians with violins and 
  accordions. And at the edge of the glade stands an 
  orc woman and a human man dressed in white.   
  The orc Tregga and her soon to be husband 
  Robert have decided to leave their lives as war-
  riors behind and join in matrimony. They have 
  gathered their closest friends and family. If the 
  adventurers approach the wedding and talk to 
  someone they will be introduced to the bride 
  and groom who will invite them to stay. 
  Some of the wedding guests both orc and 
  human have decided to sabotage the wedding, 
  they find the thought of mixing the kins dis-
  gusting. They have agreed to start a fight with 
  each other during the ceremony in the hopes 
  that the other guests will join in. The adven-
  turers can either join them or try to put an end 
  to the brawl.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Forest
  
  encounters
  155
  18  THE DEMON  
   
  BAKER
  When the wind turns you feel the smell of freshly 
  baked bread. As you approach you see a small stone 
  house nestled in vegetation. There are no trails, pas-
  tures or fields. Heavy smoke rises from the chimney 
  and light glows in the small square windows.
  The house is home to Melkar, a stout Hal-
  fling with a thin red beard. After he was driv-
  en away from his village of Pernty, he found 
  some demonic rocks that he used to build 
  an oven. Melkar is dressed in white clothing 
  and a baker’s hat. Around him sits plates and 
  bowls filled with dough. Two of the plates have 
  dough in the shape of creatures with arms, legs 
  and raisins for eyes. Those who look closer will 
  see that the two pieces of dough are alive.
  Melkar uses his oven to bake pastry creatures 
  made of dough. His plan is to use them as ser-
  vants and warriors. One batch is already done. 
  Chests, pots and cabinets hide twenty pastry 
  creatures armed with small spears and knifes
  Melkar will invite the adventurers to tea and 
  pastries, that are not alive. If the adventurers dis-
  cover a pastry creature Melkar tells them that he 
  has the ability to create life, and that he wants to 
  live in peace with his creation. If the adventur-
  ers attack he will call upon all the pastry crea-
  tures. In a wooden chest there is a diamond jewel 
  (worth 1 gold) that Melkar stole from the village 
  chieftain of Pernty. If the adventurers try to bake 
  their own pastries, the demon living in the rocks 
  will try to corrupt them. 
   
  ✥
  DEMONIC PASTRIES: Melkar’s demonic 
  pastries are handled as a single creature. It 
  only has the Strength attribute, which is 
  equal to the number of pastries divided by 5 
  (round up). The pastries have no skills. Their 
  attacks have Weapon Damage 1 (stab wound).
   
  ✥
  SECOND ENCOUNTER: The next time 
  the adventurers visit Melkar, he is sur-
  rounded by 70 demonic pastries that are 
  engaged in producing weapons and baking 
  new pastry creatures. They serve Melkar, 
  who sits comfortable in his armchair, 
  feasting on ill-behaved bread and buns, 
  screaming in agony as the demon baker 
  devours them. The Halfling now shows 
  his true personality, he acts superior and 
  even threatening.
   
  ✥
  THIRD ENCOUNTER: The third time 
  the adventurers visit the site, the house 
  is empty. Melkar has taken two hundred 
  demonic pastries to the village of Pernty. 
  The villagers in Pernty cast out Melkar 
  because he stole a piece of jewelry. Melkar 
  has his revenge by letting his troops burn 
  down the village and taking its inhabi-
  tants as slaves. If the adventurers remain 
  in the house, he will return within a few 
  hours with a lot of halflings in chains. 
  TERRAIN TYPES: Forest, Dark Forest, 
  Marshlands, Quagmire
  19  THE ANIMAL  
   
  SANCTUM  
  When the darkness spreads and your fire is burn-
  ing you see the first couple of eyes in the trees. At 
  first there is just a few, but more and more eyes 
  
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  156
  appear, more than you can count. You are sur-
  rounded. Owls and other woodland creatures 
  move between the trees, mice running over your 
  backpacks. Worms crawl at your feet and birds sit 
  on your axes and swords. A deer stands a few feet 
  away, next to it a fox. The animals approach you 
  slowly.
  The adventurers have accidentally made camp 
  at the animals’ sacred sanctum. The animals 
  are there to peacefully drive them away. More 
  animals will arrive at the camp, big wild boars, 
  wolves and elks. They will use their snouts and 
  horns to try to push the adventurers and their 
  equipment away from the spot. If the adventur-
  ers attack, the animals will stand back but not 
  leave. Eventually the black elk arrives, the holy 
  leader of the forest animals. She shoves the 
  campfire with her horns and gives off a loud 
  breath. If she is attacked, all the animals of the 
  forest will aid her and won’t stop attacking the 
  adventurers until they leave the forest.
  For game stats for animals, see page 126.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Dark Forest
  20  THE BURIAL 
   
  PROCESSION  
  Something very large is approaching, giving off a 
  sound you have never heard before. Dull, drawn-
  out horn signals are shaking the very air. Creak-
  ing and snapping sounds create a rhythm around 
  howls cutting the air in plaintive cascades. After 
  a while five walking trees appear, carrying a sixth 
  between them. They take one step, sound off, take 
  a few more steps, halt and then sound off again in 
  a slow procession.
  The Ents are carrying a dead relative towards 
  the Stillmist in a burial procession. The elf ruby 
  heart of the dead Ent is still in place, but the 
  creature has asked to be rid of its tree body and 
  mounted as a ruby in the memorial wall of Ro-
  senstaad. If the Ents are in an odd location or 
  region, perhaps they are carrying the dead Ent 
  to a place it always wanted to see. A few elves 
  are escorting the procession, but will not make 
  themselves known unless the adventurers dis-
  turb the Ents. If they do so, the elves will speak 
  up: “Be gone, cursed meat bags!” The elves ar-
  en’t many but if there is a fight, the Ents will 
  lay down their burden and join the fray. They 
  will not kill anyone if it can be avoided, but will 
  smash gear and break a few limbs just to make a 
  statement. If the adventurers don’t disturb the 
  procession, they will be left alone. An Ent may 
  even leave the procession, bow to the adventur-
  ers, and bestow a gift: a fruit or a nut from the 
  dead Ent, or something more useful.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Dark Forest
  21  THE VENGEFUL  
   
  SPIRIT
  Quiet! Can you hear it? A scream? A voice? You 
  look at each other, but the landscape is deserted. 
  Then suddenly, you feel an ice-cold wind blow-
  ing through your souls. A gray, shimmering shape 
  forms in the middle of your party, with a once 
  human face twisted in an unnatural scream. 
  
  encounters
  157
  You have heard the stories around the campfires 
  before. A lost soul, a spirit unable to come to rest.
  The adventurers meet the ghost of the long 
  dead 
  Alderlander 
  commander 
  Garmagol. 
  During a campaign four hundred years ago, he 
  was lured into a trap by his war-weary men and 
  murdered by his own troops. Since then, Gar-
  magol has wandered the land seeking revenge. 
  As the Alderlander soldiers are long gone, 
  anyone with a weapon is fair game. If the ad-
  venturers are observant, they can see that the 
  ghost has a shimmering dagger stuck between 
  his shoulder blades. The adventurers might be 
  able to reason with the ghost if they talk about 
  the dagger and Garmagol’s death.
  The ghost cannot be avoided by KEEPING 
  WATCH. Read more about ghosts on page 94.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Dark Forest, 
  Hills, Mountains, Marshlands, Quagmire, 
  Ruins
  22  THE GLASS- 
   
  BLOWER 
  In the distance, you hear a beeping sound every 
  time the wind take hold of the trees. It sounds like 
  a huge flute. A glass structure rises above the land-
  scape; corridors, openings, spirals and tunnels all 
  made of glass. In the middle of the building stands 
  a dwarf, illuminated by flames from a fireplace. 
  The dwarf lifts the tip of a long metal rod from the 
  fire, it is covered in a pulp of glowing glass. She puts 
  the other end to her lips and with a heavy breath the 
  pulp transforms in to a long winding tube of glass.
  The dwarf Varamak got the vison of the glass 
  structure in her dreams. She thinks it is possi-
  ble to understand, curb and control the Blood 
  Mist. For several weeks she has been working on 
  her life’s project. The only thing left is to gather 
  the Blood Mist in a glass tube and pour it in to 
  the structure. She asks the adventurers for help. 
  What Varamak does not know is that the vision 
  she had was created by a demon. If she is able 
  to collect the Blood Mist it will spread through 
  the structure with increasing speed making a 
  screaming sound. After D6 hours, the glass will 
  break. The mist will cover the surroundings in 
  the entire map hexagon (see the Blood Mist ran-
  dom encounter). It will disperse after D6 weeks.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Hills, Mountains
  23  THE PUPPY
  You hear a slight squeak, and then something re-
  sembling a bark. Beneath a bush a tail is sticking 
  out. It’s a puppy dog watching you with large eyes.
  It turns out the puppy has hurt one of its 
  legs. Its mother and five other puppies were 
  killed by the troll Ghormald who wanted them 
  for lunch. The puppy managed to run away. 
  Ghormald has followed its tracks and arrives at 
  the scene with a dead puppy in each hand and 
  her face covered in blood. She asks the adven-
  turers to leave her prey be. She is ready to fight 
  for it using a club hanging from her belt.
  Ghormald is a typical troll (page 120).
  TERRAIN TYPES: Mountains, Quagmire
  
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  158
  24  THE CURSED 
   
  OGRE
  “Toil ‘n’ trouble, trouble ‘n’ toil.” A deep, gut-
  tural voice echoes across the land. The next mo-
  ment, you see a large and muscular ogre drag-
  ging a sack. Something is kicking inside the sack, 
  causing the ogre to bash the sack repeatedly. The 
  movements end immediately. “Shut up, you, I 
  said!”
  Kurge the ogre is on his way to his lair with his 
  latest captive. In the sack can be found the un-
  fortunate Rust Brother Oker, who had invoked 
  the curse of the god Rust on Kurge. The ogre 
  hasn’t yet decided what to do with Oker, but 
  is considering something fun, like practicing 
  stone throwing, or ripping his limbs from his 
  body. It all depends on Kurge’s mood.
  Kurge has the typical game statistics of an 
  ogre, as found on page 61.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Dark Forest, 
  Hills, Mountains, Ruins
  25  CANDLE- 
   
  MAKERS
  Outside a cabin, two women, one old and one 
  younger, stand next to a cauldron with burning 
  logs underneath. Next to it, blue candles hang 
  from a stand. The women look worried, staring 
  into the forest.
  The adventurers meet the woman Engsle and 
  her daughter. They make a particular type of 
  candle used in religious ceremonies. The son 
  of the family disappeared an hour ago into the 
  forest to pick Blueshine, a type of flower used 
  to make the candles. The mother offers the ad-
  venturers ten candles if they can find her son 
  and bring him back. The candles that they are 
  making won’t work until they have been dipped 
  in a tub of pulverized Blueshine. When they are 
  done, they can be lit and create the same effect 
  as the CLEANSE SPIRIT spell of Power Level 1 (see 
  page 123 in the Player’s Handbook). The Engsle 
  son has been caught by the ogre Gonlab, who 
  has taken him as his slave. Gonlab is a typical 
  ogre (see page 61).
  TERRAIN TYPES: Dark Forest
  26  FOREST FIRE
  The smell of smoke hits you as a deer rushes by. 
  Over the trees you see black smoke. The wind 
  turns, and the fire is coming your way. 
  A forest fire is raging. Animals are trying to 
  get away, treetops catch fire and suffocating 
  smoke spreads through the forest. The fire 
  is moving fast. The adventurers must suc-
  ceed with a roll against SURVIVAL to escape. 
  If they fail, they will be attacked by flames, 
  roll for the attack against each adventurer us-
  ing six Base Dice (Weapon Damage 1). The 
  adventures can then roll SURVIVAL again to 
  escape. If they fail again, the fire attacks 
  with seven Base Dice. This cycle continues, 
  with another Base Die added to the fire at-
  
  encounters
  159
  tacks each time, until the adventurers escape 
  or are Broken.
  Don’t forget to ask the players to describe 
  their actions, and tell them how the flames 
  surround them, how their lungs fill with 
  smoke and burning trees crash to the ground 
  in front of them. 
  TERRAIN TYPES: Forest
  27  BLACK SAND
  The forest opens up and you look upon a giant 
  glade surrounded by trees. The ground is cov-
  ered by black sand. You see no plants. You see 
  some rocks that could be the remains of a house. 
  Someone is sitting in the middle of the glade, 
  a young girl with her eyes fixed on the ground. 
  It reeks of sulfur. The sand rattles as the wind 
  blows through the glade. 
  Two rival sorcerers met in the village of Wil-
  derwood one of them failed with her spell, the 
  mishap resulted in the destruction of both the 
  sorcerers and the entire village. The only sur-
  vivor is the girl Linn. She is unreceptive and 
  will not answer if spoken to, move or resist if 
  the adventurers take her with them. After D6 
  days, if fed, she can tell the adventurers what 
  happened. If she continues to stay with them, 
  she will show that the accident gave her strong 
  magical powers that she can’t control. Linn 
  wants to learn how to cast spells. She wants to 
  kill all the sorcerers in the Forbidden Lands. 
  TERRAIN TYPES: Dark Forest
  28  THE EMPTY  
   
  HOUSE
  At a distance, smoke from a chimney can be seen. 
  A small cottage nestled between tall trees. On a 
  stand of sticks laundry hangs to dry. Next to the 
  building there is a small fenced enclosure, but no 
  animals can be seen. A small field is surrounded 
  by rocks picked from its soil. Green stems stand in 
  straight lines. You hear a ripple from a stream.
  The adventurers have arrived at a cottage 
  where the family living there recently got 
  attacked and taken as slaves. The cottage is 
  empty. A fire is still burning and on the din-
  ner table there are carders for wool. In a crib 
  lies a doll. A chair has been tipped over and a 
  splash of coagulated blood decorates the wall. 
  The residents nor the kidnappers are anywhere 
  to be seen but footprints can be found in the 
  mud outside the cottage. If the adventurers 
  track the kidnappers (stats as typical bandits, 
  see page 183) they will find that the local lord 
  needs new slaves for his silver mine.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Forest
  29  THE RUSTLE  
   
  OF BONES
  They appear without warning. A group of once 
  proud human warriors. Now they are nothing 
  but crumbling skeletons, which for some reason 
  have been given unholy life. They are totally silent, 
  but when they start to move you hear the dry sound 
  
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  160
  of centuries-old bones, creaking against each oth-
  er. The grinning skulls of the skeletons open their 
  jaws when they attack, emitting a silent scream.
  D6+3 skeletons attack the adventurers with-
  out warning. They fight to the last man, but 
  are not particularly fast and it is fairly easy to 
  run away from them, although the skeletons 
  will pursue the adventurers as long as they 
  are in sight.
  The attackers have game statistics like typ-
  ical skeletons, see page 122.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Dark Forest, Marshlands, 
  Quagmire, Ruins
  30  TERAMALDA
  The smell of burning meat reaches your noses, 
  and at the same time you hear heavy footsteps. 
  Something is making its way through the green-
  ery. The creature is making a terrible racket, 
  squeaking and clattering. The very ground is 
  shaking. As it emerges from the greenery in front 
  of you, stands a massive knight, completely cov-
  ered by ancient, rusty black armor. The breast-
  plate has a sign hammered into it. The creature 
  carries a sword, brown hued with dried blood.
  The walking armor is the strange undead crea-
  ture Teramalda, who wanders through the For-
  bidden Lands looking for revenge ever since the 
  dwarves burned her alive in her armor 350 years 
  ago. The Rust Brothers regard her as the cham-
  pion of their god Rust, as the breastplate carries 
  the sign of their god, and she primarily kills 
  dwarves. Teramalda is kept alive by a magical 
  iron spike that has been driven through the Fer-
  rale’s chest inside the armor. She is practically 
  invulnerable and will not answer if spoken to. 
  Meeting Teramalda will be different each time:
   
  ✥
  FIRST MEETING: Teramalda will just 
  stand and look at the adventurers for a 
  while until she decides that they are not 
  interesting enough. If the adventurers at-
  tack her, go directly to the third meeting.
   
  ✥
  SECOND MEETING: Teramalda will attack 
  any dwarves in the party.
   
  ✥
  THIRD MEETING: Teramalda classifies the 
  adventurers as enemies and attack them. 
  She will not pursue them if they flee.
   
  ✥
  FOURTH MEETING: Teramalda sees the 
  adventurers as sworn enemies and pursues 
  them. She walks slowly and can be heard 
  some distance away but will never give up. 
  She will find her enemies as long as they 
  carry any iron.
  TERAMALDA
  STRENGTH 12, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Scout 2
  GEAR: Two-handed sword
  SLOW: RUN is a SLOW action for Teramalda.
  INVULNERABLE: Teramalda is immune to all 
  forms of damage. The only way to kill her 
  is to remove the magical iron spike that 
  has been driven through her chest. This 
  requires GRAPPLING or immobilizing her in 
  some other way, and then make a Formi-
  dable (–3) MIGHT roll (slow action).
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Dark Forest, 
  Marshlands, Quagmire, Ruins
  
  encounters
  161
  31  THE STONE  
   
  SINGERS
  A strange, gigantic and weather-beaten structure 
  rises from the landscape. It glistens vaguely, as if 
  made of metal mixed with stone. The construction 
  is not a building and doesn’t serve any purpose you 
  can imagine. Next to it is a group of dwarves, busy 
  with measuring tools and maps. You are spotted by 
  an armored guard with an axe who points at you.
  Dwarves from the Belderan clan (see page 58) 
  have resumed the task of extending the world 
  globe, a work that has been dormant because of 
  the wars and the Blood Mist. At the moment, 
  they are checking the condition of the ancient 
  constructions. The group is led by the stone 
  singer Porisia Silverthroat and is accompanied 
  by a few soldiers acting as guards. Porisia is en-
  thusiastic and will happily talk about the work 
  to honor the dwarven god Huge.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Hills, Mountains
  32  RATS
  A chittering sound makes you look down the hill 
  and see thirty rats moving on top of something 
  wrapped in white pieces of cloth. Only when the 
  little bundle starts to scream, you realize that the 
  rats have found a living baby. 
  The little halfling baby has been abandoned 
  by its mother who threw it off a cliff, partly 
  because the father of the baby is the man that 
  enslaved her but also because she knows that 
  there will not be enough food for the child to 
  survive. A quick death is better. Miraculously 
  the child managed to survive the fall without a 
  scratch. The rats have just discovered the baby 
  whose screams will become louder. If the ad-
  venturers don’t save the baby, it will go silent in 
  a couple of minutes. The mother Belinda lives 
  in a nearby rundown cabin. Once a day she is 
  visited by the father of the child, a tyrant who 
  has several families all around the area that 
  he controls with the help of ten armed thugs. 
  Belinda will pretend that she doesn’t recognize 
  the baby but if the adventurers push her she 
  will break down and tell them everything. 
  TERRAIN TYPES: Hills, Mountains
  33  THE 
   
  MINOTAUR’S  
   
  LAMENT
  A harrowing roar echoes throughout the land. It is 
  a howl filled with enormous anger – and sorrow. 
  After the next bend in the road, you are met by 
  a terrible scene: four soldiers lie slain in a violent 
  battle and towering above the corpses is a bloody 
  and sobbing minotaur. The beast is leaning over 
  another minotaur, killed by about a dozen ar-
  rows. The minotaur roars its sorrow towards the 
  sky. Then it turns towards you.
  Kaun, the life partner of the minotaur Mar-
  kut, died in a fight against a group of soldiers 
  from a nearby castle, led by a battle-scarred 
  
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  162
  soldier named Arren. Four survivors from 
  the patrol are currently hiding among the 
  trees nearby. Markut will not rest until all the 
  soldiers are dead. Arren’s soldiers are deathly 
  afraid of her, but also want to avenge their fall-
  en comrades and retake the banner lying on the 
  ground among the dead. The adventurers end 
  up in the middle. Which side will they choose?
  THE SOLDIERS
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 2
  GEAR: Broadsword, small shield, studded 
  leather
  MARKUT
  Markut has game stats as a typical minotaur 
  (see page 112). She is armed with a two-handed 
  axe.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Hills, Mountains
  34  THE RESTLESS  
   
  DEAD
  A company of jesters are traveling along the road, 
  some on foot and others riding in carts. Many of 
  them are gaudily painted and dressed in comical 
  garb, although this place in the wilderness is not 
  exactly the ideal location for a performance. The 
  men and women escorting the troupe on horseback 
  greet you in a tense manner. None of them are 
  wearing make-up or body paint.
  A closer look reveals the jesters to be strangely 
  apathetic, as well as looking old and smelling 
  badly. If asked to perform, they can’t reply, 
  can’t juggle even with a single ball, and their 
  body parts fall off at even the simplest attempt 
  at acrobatics. The jesters are in fact painted, 
  restless dead (see page 122), that the villagers 
  have herded together and are secretly moving 
  to a safe place, where the Rust Brothers will 
  not be able to find them.
  A unit of Iron Guards (see page 40) is 
  tracking them and will reach the company 
  moments after the encounter with the adven-
  turers. Captain Holmar is in a good mood, 
  playing along, demanding a performance 
  for himself and his soldiers. After a while, 
  Holmar drops his facade. The dead are to be 
  moved to the closest Rust Brother temple to 
  be re-educated as servants and soldiers, while 
  the escort is to be arrested for blasphemous 
  disobedience. The adventurers can help the 
  townsfolk, or just go on their way. If the ad-
  venturers meet the troupe again, the undead 
  jesters are being herded along with prods.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills, Quag-
  mire, Ruins
  35  THE SLEEPY  
   
  TROLL
  A terrible roar shatters the silence of the land. 
  Then you notice the stench. In front of you, the 
  rocks of the mountain appear to have come alive. 
  A huge, gray, mottled form emerges from the side 
  of the mountain, staring at you with cold, yellow 
  
  encounters
  163
  eyes. Heavy rocky arms are raised in the air, and 
  you hear another roar. “Who arrre you, little 
  creeeeps disturbing Karrrg?”
  The adventurers have, unwittingly, walked 
  right onto the lair of the mountain troll Karg 
  and have wakened him from his deep slumber. 
  Karg is in a really bad mood in the mornings, 
  and will not let the adventurers pass through 
  unless they have a gift for him (he is really fond 
  of shiny things), or if they treat him to a din-
  ner consisting of one of the juicy goblins found 
  in the area. Karg will also consider eating one 
  of the adventurers or his or her horse, in ex-
  change for safe passage.
  Read more about trolls on page 120.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Mountains
  36  THE FURLESS
  A group of creatures lurks among the rocks. Four 
  people approach, all wrapped in cloth and armed. 
  The leader growls like a wolfman, but his face is 
  furless. 
  The wolfman Abaken and his three wolfkin 
  friends were driven away from the flock when 
  they lost all of their fur. They now hide in 
  the mountains, waiting for someone who can 
  cure them from the disease that has turned 
  them “human.” 
  Abaken can tell the adventurers that he 
  and his friends followed a mountain goat 
  down into some underground caves. Down 
  there they found huge crystals in purple and 
  green. Inside one of them, a black dragon 
  spawn seemed to be sleeping. The four de-
  cided to return to the flock for advice but on 
  their way out they became ill and weak, they 
  lost all of their fur. Maybe someone can go 
  down into the underworld and make their fur 
  grow back. 
  The wolfkin have found Jagsatin the Sor-
  cerer’s secret weapon: a dragon spawn she 
  planned to train and use in her battle against 
  Zygofer. However, Jangsatin has been dead 
  for centuries. The crystals in the caves are 
  contaminated and placed there to keep in-
  truders away. If the adventurers approach the 
  crystals, they suffer a disease with Virulence 
  rating of 9. To awake the dragon spawn, they 
  have to break the crystal where it slumbers, 
  which requires an attack causing at least 4 
  points of damage. Each round they are close 
  to the crystal they must roll an infection roll.
  The dragon spawn will be receptive in the 
  first couple of days, and it can bond to an ad-
  venturer who makes a successful Animal Han-
  dling. The dragon grows fast. The older it gets 
  the more intelligent and independent it will 
  become. 
  DRAGON SPAWN: The dragon spawn is a drag-
  on (see page 88) but when hatched it has only 
  Strength 4 and Armor Rating 3. Both values 
  increase by one point per week until the drag-
  on has reached full size. At the beginning, the 
  dragon spawn is affectionate, but it will be-
  come increasingly unruly and will finally leave 
  the adventurer that it bonded to.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Mountains
  
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  164
  37  ROAD BLOCK
  The narrow path winds forward along the side of 
  the mountain. When you pass a turn, you see a pass 
  with steep cliffs high above both sides of the path. 
  Someone has turned a wagon on its side blocking 
  the path ahead. The wagon is filled with barrels 
  and sandbags. There is no visible movement and 
  no sound. There is no way around the roadblock.
  The dwarf Guntermann has decided to make 
  up for his mine running dry by “taxing” car-
  avans and other travelers. He has erected sev-
  eral roadblocks in the mountains. This road-
  block is guarded by three dwarfs. If attacked, 
  they will sound a horn and in D6 turns three 
  more dwarfs show up. If the adventurers want 
  to pass without a fight, they have to pay 3 sil-
  ver each. 
  DWARVEN WARRIORS
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 3, Move 2, Marksmanship 3, 
  Insight 4
  GEAR: Battleaxe, studded leather, crossbow
  TERRAIN TYPES: Mountains
   38  THE 
   
   INFECTED
  You see a small boat floating around without 
  oars. In it is a pile of blankets. The blankets are 
  moving, there is something underneath. 
  The woman in the boat is the human Lin-
  naya, she has been put in the boat because she 
  has the blue plague. Her body is covered with 
  blisters leaking blue pus. She is very weak and 
  the infection has caused her to lose her voice. 
  If the adventurers try to make contact, they 
  suffer the risk of being infected. The blue 
  plague has Virulence rating of 5.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Lake, Marshlands
  39  THE 
   
  STOWAWAY
  A shiny white sail can be seen, and then another. 
  In front of you, a bulky wooden ship appears on the 
  lake. You spot a half dozen people at work on the 
  deck. One of them waves at you with his hat.
  The merchant cog Moon Apple is sailing with 
  a cargo of spices, meat and various merchan-
  dise to a village on the other side of the lake. 
  The sailors are bored and will happily trade 
  stories and goods with the adventurers. Cap-
  tain Sertold may even consider treating them 
  to dinner in his cabin if they would like to stay 
  for the night.
  What Sertold doesn’t know is that the 
  Moon Apple has a stowaway in the form of 
  the goblin Meroggha. He is on the run from 
  his brutal brother, who happens to be a local 
  clan leader. When the adventurers continue on 
  their journey, the goblin has snuck onto their 
  own boat.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Lake
  
  encounters
  165
  40  DEATH FROM  
   
  BELOW
  Suddenly, it seems like the water around your vessel 
  has started to boil. Something is moving below, some-
  thing big. The next moment, the ship tilts over due to 
  a hit from below, and you nearly fall into the water. 
  After that, everything happens fast. At first one, 
  then two, and then three giant tentacles rise up from 
  both sides. They grip the vessel, preparing to take it 
  beneath the water’s surface. The monster beneath 
  obviously doesn’t want you to travel in peace.
  A giant squid is attacking the vessel. When the 
  adventurers have chopped off half of its tenta-
  cles, the monster sinks back into the depths. 
  Read more about giant squids on page 98 in the 
  Bestiary chapter.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Lake, Marshlands
  41  THE TRADER  
   
  OF SOULS
  A small sailboat slowly slides through the water. 
  Ten oil lamps illuminate the boat, a lyre is playing, 
  and in the top of the mast a colorful pennant flies. 
  There are three people in the boat. 
  The trader Vergevil wants to discuss a trade 
  with the adventurers. The goods are guarded 
  by his sisters Ginda and Aneta (stats like typi-
  cal soldiers on page 183). The cargo on the boat 
  includes a number of peculiar things. Vergevil 
  has recently got his hands on a collection of 
  souls that he keeps in bottles of glass with the 
  spell BIND SOUL (see page 139 in the Player’s 
  Handbook). If the adventures look at a bottle, 
  they will see a gaseous form moving inside of 
  it and the faint sound of a voice or breathing 
  can be heard.  Vergevil has no idea what really 
  is inside the bottles, but he knows that they are 
  magical and wants to sell them as powerful ar-
  tifacts. He wants 10 silver for a bottle, but he 
  can also agree to trade them for other valuable 
  items. If a bottle is opened, the soul escapes. A 
  Druid with the RESURRECTION spell (see page 
  124 in the Player’s Handbook) can let a soul en-
  ter an animal, or even give a sentient being a 
  second personality. Roll D6. On 1–3, the soul 
  retains its original personality and can act ra-
  tionally. On 4–6, the soul has turned mad and 
  will act irrationally.
  TERRAIN TYPES: Lake, Marshlands
  42  THE LIZARD  
   
  HUNTERS
  A strange clucking sound can be heard. It is echoed 
  by more clucking sounds from another direction. 
  And from a third direction. In the mist, you spot 
  a number of odd creatures moving towards you. 
  Grey-green scaly skin, sharp teeth and yellow eyes. 
  “Piiigs?” someone hisses. “Laaarge piiigiiies,” 
  from another hissing voice. “Biiig, uglyyy piiigs, 
  can youuu speeaak?”
  A group of Saurians, equal in number to the 
  adventurers plus D6, come upon the adventur-
  ers. They are hunting and armed with spears 
  
  chapter 7
  166
  and clubs. Sheeerz, the leader, lost his par-
  ents to human hunters and thus hates all hu-
  mans (which the Saurians regard as large pigs, 
  though they are unclear if humans are food or 
  otherwise useful), but they are not particularly 
  belligerent towards other races.
  SAURIANS 
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Stealth 2, Melee 2, Survival 2,  
  Scouting 2
  PROTECTION: 4 (scales)
  TYPICAL GEAR: Tridents or long spears
  TERRAIN TYPES: Marshlands, Quagmire
  43  BURIED ALIVE
  You hear screams in the distance, tormented cries 
  of agony. When you get closer you see an open area 
  between some abandoned stone houses. Seven elves 
  armed with swords and bows stand in front of a 
  deep pit. They all wear blue feathers in their hair. 
  In the pit there is an elven family, a woman, a 
  man and two children. They call for help but they 
  don’t try to climb out of the pit. Two of the elves 
  standing at the pit are using shovels to bury the 
  family alive. 
  The elf Bluefeather and her bounty hunters 
  have found the Ylendidra family, that ran away 
  after it was revealed that they had been hiding 
  orcs sentenced to death. Bluefeather is sup-
  posed to bring the family back to justice, but 
  after the mother attacked her with a knife she 
  has decided to execute the punishment herself. 
  BOUNTY HUNTERS
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 3, Move 3, Marksmanship 3, 
  Scouting 4, Survival 3, Insight 3
  GEAR: Studded leather, bow, sword 
  TERRAIN TYPES: Ruins
  
  adventure sites
  167
  ADVENTURE SITES
  Using the large map in the Forbidden Lands 
  game box, the adventurers are free to explore 
  the Forbidden Lands and uncover its secrets. 
  On the map, three categories of adventure 
  sites are marked: VILLAGES, CASTLES and DUN-
  GEONS.
  It’s up to you as the GM to decide which 
  specific adventure site that a particular symbol 
  on the map represents. You can choose a pre–
  written adventure site – there are three later 
  in this book, and many more in Raven’s Purge 
  and other supplements for Forbidden Lands – 
  or create your own adventure site for the adven-
  turers to explore.
  This chapter provides the tools to create 
  your own unique adventure sites, using tables 
  and random dice rolls. In the game box you’ll 
  find stickers for the pre-made adventure sites 
  and generic stickers for your own creations. 
  Place the sticker on the map once you have es-
  tablished where the adventure site is located.
  Only the spires of the submerged temple were visible. A cracked 
  temple bell dejectedly clanked with the swell.
  “Where’s the entrance?”
  “Who knows?” the fisherman said. “We seldom have 
  reason to come here. Not even the crabs like the place.”
  LEGENDS
  The pre-written adventure sites 
  each have a legend – a rumor or 
  story about the place. You can 
  let the adventurers hear legends 
  during their journeys, or make 
  LORE rolls to remember them. 
  These legends are available as 
  handouts that can be download-
  ed from the Free League website. 
  When you create your own ad-
  venture site, you’ll need to make 
  up your own legend for it.
  PLAYING ADVENTURE SITES
  An adventure site is not a scenario in the tradi-
  
  chapter 8
  168
  tional sense. It has locations, NPCs and events 
  – but it does not provide a pre-determined 
  narrative for the adventurers to follow. In-
  stead, they can interact with an adventure site 
  in many different ways – even turning it into 
  their own stronghold, if they can claim it for 
  themselves.
  TURNS
  When exploring an adventure site, the turn – 
  approximately 15 minutes – is a useful measure-
  ment of time. It takes about one turn for the 
  adventurers to examine a small room. Larger 
  halls can take several turns to examine.
  CREATING  
  AN ADVENTURE 
  SITE
  The rest of this chapter contains random 
  charts for creating adventure sites based on the 
  three categories. At the end, there are tables for 
  generating NPCs and treasures.
  You can create one or more adventure 
  sites before a session, for instance, one in 
  each category so that you are prepared wher-
  ever the adventurers travel on the map. It’s 
  also possible to create an adventure site on 
  the fly, during play. This can be a bit tricky 
  to do without slowing down the tempo too 
  much, but with a little practice, this can be 
  a great way to explore the Forbidden Lands 
  together. As a rule, you will choose what type 
  of adventure site you want to create. You can 
  also let fate decide and roll on the table below.
  TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE
  D6
  ADVENTURE SITE
  1–2
  Village
  3–4
  Dungeon
  5–6
  Castle
  SIZE OF THE VILLAGE
  D6
  SIZE
  INHABITANTS
  1–2
  Outpost
  5–20
  3–5
  Hamlet
  20–100
  6
  Village
  100–400
  VILLAGE
  While large tracts of the Forbidden Lands are 
  sparsely populated, many villages dot the land-
  scape. Use the tables below to create a village 
  or settlement.
  
  adventure sites
  169
  AGE OF THE VILLAGE
  D66
  WHEN BUILT
  AGE IN YEARS
  11–16
  Before the Blood Mist
  300–1,100
  21–25
  During the Alder Wars
  305–360 
  26–56
  During the Blood Mist
  5–280
  61–66
  After the Blood Mist
  D6
  THE PROBLEM OF THE VILLAGE
  D66
  PROBLEM
  11–13
  Nightwargs
  14–16
  Widespread Drunkenness
  21–23
  Power Struggle
  24–26
  Secret Cult
  31–33
  Schism
  34–36
  Undead
  D66
  PROBLEM
  41–43
  Disease
  44–46
  Sinkhole
  51–53
  Bandits
  54–56
  Terrorizing Monster
  61–63
  Slave Trade
  64–66
  Haunted by Ghoul or Ghost
  THE RULER OF THE VILLAGE
  Roll once and use the whole row or roll twice and combine the results.
  D66
  ODDITY
  TYPE
  11–13
  Bickering
  Council
  14–16
  Cruel
  Despot
  21–23
  Weak
  Elder
  24–26
  Greedy
  Mayor
  31–33
  Wise
  Druid
  34–36
  Eccentric
  Sorcerer
  41–43
  Confusing
  No one
  44–46
  Brutal
  Commander
  51–53
  Cunning
  Trader
  54–56
  Stern
  Rust Brother
  61–63
  Secret
  Artisan
  64–66
  Drunkard
  Bandit Chief
  
  chapter 8
  170
  CLAIM TO FAME
  D66
  VILLAGE IS FAMOUS FOR
  11–13
  Excellent Wine
  14–16
  Delicious Bread
  21–23
  Craftsmanship
  24–26
  Beautiful Location
  31–33
  A Horrible Massacre
  34–36
  Decadence
  D66
  VILLAGE IS FAMOUS FOR
  41–43
  Well–Brewed Beer
  44–46
  Hidden Riches
  51–53
  Strange Disappearances
  54–56
  Worshipping Demons
  61–63
  Suspicion of Strangers
  64–66
  Hospitality
  VILLAGE INSTITUTIONS
  OUTPOST: One roll
  HAMLET: Three rolls
  VILLAGE: D6+5 rolls
  D66
  INSTITUTION
  11–16
  Nothing
  21–26
  Inn
  31–35
  Mill
  36–43
  Smith
  D66
  INSTITUTION
  44–46
  Forester
  51–53
  Trading Post
  54–55
  Temple
  56–62
  Militia
  63–64
  Tavern
  65–66
  Stable
  VILLAGE ODDITY
   D66
  ODDITY
  11–13
  Eccentric Clothing
  14–15
  Incomprehensible Accent
  16–21
  Smells Bad
  22–23
  Full of Flowers
  24–25
  Muddy
  26–31
  Odd Building Materials
  32
  Tent Village
  33–34
  Built on Steep Hill
  35
  Old Tower in the Middle
  36
  Grand Building
   D66
  ODDITY
  41–42
  Windy
  43
  Inbreeding
  44–45
  Strange Eating Habits
  46–51
  Built on Marshland
  52
  Cut Out of a Cliff
  53–54
  Old Burial Site
  55–56
  Wandering Cattle
  61–62
  Mostly Inhabited by Women
  63–64
  Allied with Monster
  65–66
  Preparing Wedding
  
  adventure sites
  171
  THE VILLAGE INN
   D66
  ODDITY
  SPECIALITY
  SPECIAL GUEST
  11–13
  Violence is in the air
  Cheap diluted beer
  Escaped criminal
  13–15
  Barrels instead of 
  chairs, planks instead of 
  tables
  Meat stew
  Unhappy farmer
  16–22
   Big fireplace
  Grilled rodent
  Scarred treasure hunter
  23–25
  Pelts on walls
  Stewed turnips
  Dirty and sullen hunter
  26–32
  Long communal table
  Salt bird
  Silent Raven sister
  33–35
  Gambling den
  Blood soup
  Noisy bandit
  36–42
  Mediocre bard
  Fiery spice wine
  Old war veteran
  43–45
  Nice dog
  Roasted piglet
  Noble in disguise
  46–52
  Grumpy owner
  Swamp stew
  Secretive spellbinder
  53–54
  Monster head on wall
  Vegetable mush
  Annoying jester
  55–56
  Singing waiter
  Salted fish
  Dusty traveller
  61–62
  Stomped floor
  Cooked crow
  Hungry dwarf
  63–64
  Birthday party
  Bear stew
  Frosty elf
  65–66
  Drunk adventurers
  Dwarven strong 
  ale
  Scouting thief
  THE NAME OF THE INN
  Roll once in each column to create a 
  name, or roll twice in the second column 
  to get a name like “The Swine & the 
  Knight.”
   D66
  FIRST WORD
  SECOND 
  WORD
  11
  The Third
  Lantern
  12
  The Little
  Swine
  13
  The Red
  Wheel
  14
  The Misty
  Stoop
   D66
  FIRST WORD
  SECOND 
  WORD
  15
  The Bloody
  Sparrow
  16
  The Old
  Goat
  21
  The Golden
  Arrow
  22
  The Cold
  Pot
  23
  The Refreshing
  Lamb
  24
  The Good
  Maid
  25
  The Second
  Man
  26
  The Last
  Dragon
  
  chapter 8
  172
   D66
  FIRST WORD
  SECOND 
  WORD
  31
  The Prancing
  Griffin
  32
  The Happy
  Boar
  33
  The Singing
  Barrel
  34
  The Rolling
  Bard
  35
  The Rumping
  Dog
  36
  The Wailing
  Horse
  41
  The Greedy
  Girl
  42
  The Round
  Wolf
  43
  The Flaming
  Bear
  44
  The Last
  Ghost
  45
  The Silver
  Rat
  46
  The Black
  Jar
   D66
  FIRST WORD
  SECOND 
  WORD
  51
  The Dead
  Mug
  52
  The Big
  Goblet
  53
  The Roaring
  Eagle
  54
  The Cheering
  Raven
  55
  The Humming
  Hammer
  56
  The Meagre
  Spike
  61
  The Fat
  Crow
  62
  The Thick
  Druid
  63
  The Round
  Knight
  64
  The Sweet
  Bandit
  65
  The Boisterous
  Wild Boar
  66
  The Grumpy
  Hunter
  DUNGEON
  The Forbidden Lands are filled with lairs, 
  caverns, subterranean labyrinths and dark 
  passageways. Adventure sites located under-
  ground are called DUNGEONS. Using the ta-
  AGE OF THE DUNGEON
  D66
  WHEN IT WAS BUILT
  ACTUAL AGE IN YEARS
  11–12
  Before the Shift
  1,100 +
  13–26
  Before the Blood Mist
  300–1,100
  31–40
  During the Alder Wars
  305–360 
  41–64
  During the Blood Mist
  5–280
  65–66
  After the Blood Mist
  D6
  bles below, you can quickly and easily create a 
  dungeon as an adventure site, complete with 
  history, inhabitants, rooms and treasure. Use 
  the tables as a starting point for your imagi-
  nation and change any result so that it better 
  fits your vision.
  
  adventure sites
  173
  SIZE OF THE DUNGEON
  D6
  SIZE
  ROOMS
  1–2
  Small
  D6
  3–4
  Average
  3D6
  5
  Large
   4D6+10
  6
  Huge
   6D6+50
  CREATOR OF THE DUNGEON
  Roll once and read the entire row, or roll 
  once for each table and combine the 
  results.
  D66
  WHO BUILT IT
  WHY
  11–13
  No one, it  
  was created 
  naturally
  –
  14–15
  Elves
  Vengeance
  16–24
  Dwarves
  Greed
  25–26
  Orcs
  Fear
  31–32
  Priest
  Faith
  33–35
  Cult
  Gift
  36–42
  Sorcerer
  Loneliness
  43–45
  Warrior
  Monument
  46–56
  Noble
  Might
  61–64
  Bandit Chief
  Survival
  65–66
  Demon
  Passion
   
  ORIGINAL PURPOSE
  D66
  ORIGINAL PURPOSE
  11–14
  Temple
  15–24
  Stronghold
  25–36
  Living Area
  41–44
  Hiding Place
  45–52
  Mine
  53–55
  Prison
  56–66
  Tomb
  HISTORY OF THE DUNGEON
  D66
  EVENT
  11–13
  Ravaged by disease
  14–16
  Perished during a flood
  21–22
  Builders died of hunger
  23–24
  Builders wiped out by magical experiments
  25–31
  Resources dwindled and builders left the dungeon
  32–33
  Builders destroyed by strange artifact
  34–42
  Haunted by the restless dead of the builders
  43–45
  Lost after internal strife
  46–53
  Invaded by enemies
  54–56
  Invaded by demons
  61–66
  The builders still live here
  
  chapter 8
  174
  DUNGEON INHABITANTS
  D66
  PEOPLE OR  
  CREATURE
  GAME 
  STATS
  11
  Sorcerers
  Page 184.
  12–13
  Bandits
  Page 183.
  14–15
  Slave Traders
  Page 183.
  16–21
  Orcs
  Page 64.
  22–23
  Goblins
  Page 72.
  24–25
  Whiners
  Page 70.
  26–31
  Bats
  Page 127.
  32
  Giant Spiders
  Page 127.
  33
  Dwarves
  Page 58.
  34
  Saurians
  Page 69.
  35
  Ogres
  Page 61.
  36–41
  Undead
  Page 122.
  42
  Ghost
  Page 94.
  43
  Insectoids
  Page 108.
  D66
  PEOPLE OR  
  CREATURE
  GAME 
  STATS
  44
  Minoutaurs
  Page 112.
  45
  Strangling Vine
  Page 118.
  46
  Nightwargs
  Page 114.
  51
  Abyss Worm
  Page 76.
  52
  Giant Squid
  Page 98.
  53
  Sea Serpent
  Page 116.
  54
  Bloodling
  Page 78.
  55
  Hydra
  Page 106.
  56
  Manticore
  Page 110.
  61
  Drakewyrm
  Page 90.
  62
  Demon
  Page 80.
  63
  Dragon
  Page 88.
  64–65
  Roll twice
  –
  66
  Roll three times
  –
  ENTRANCE TO THE DUNGEON
   D66
  ENTRANCE
  11–12
  Below a building
  13–14
  Shaped as a gaping jaw
  15
  In or below a gnarled tree
  16–24
  A heavy stone door
  25
  On a cliff edge
  26
  Down a hole
  31–32
  Alongside a decaying statue 
  of the founder
  33–34
  Below water
  35–43
  A cavern
  44–45
  Covered in moss
   D66
  ENTRANCE
  46
  In the bottom of a deep 
  ravine
  51
  In a tower
  52–53
  In a hill
  54–56
  Below a mausoleum
  61–62
  Behind a door of bone
  64–65
  A stairway down into the 
  deep
  66
  Behind heavy iron bars that 
  close and trap the adven-
  turers
  
  adventure sites
  175
  THE DOOR
  T6
  IS THE DOOR LOCKED?
  1
  The door is wide open.
  2
  The door is unlocked.
  3
  The door is unlocked but 
  blocked by something.
  4–5
  The door is locked.
  6
  The door is locked and has a trap
  ROOMS IN THE DUNGEON
  Use the tables below to quickly create a dungeon on the fly as the adventurers 
  explore it, or use them as inspiration to create a map ahead of time. Use the Oddity 
  table to give an area or a room atmosphere as often as you like. A suggestion is to 
  roll one time for an oddity that affects the whole dungeon, and then use it for spe-
  cific rooms. 
  D6
  TYPE OF ROOM
  COMMENT
  1–2
  Corridor
  –
  3–4
  Room
  Roll once on the Room Contents table.
  5
  Hall
  Roll twice on the Room Contents table.
  6
  Stairway
  –
  ROOM CONTENTS
   D6
  CONTENTS
  COMMENTS
  1–3
  None
  –
  4–5
  Creature
  See the Dungeon  
  Inhabitants table.
  6
  Trap
  Roll on the Traps in the Dungeon table.
  ITEMS IN THE ROOM
  Roll a D6 for each room that the adventurers examine. A result of 5–6 means there is an 
  item in the room. Roll on the table below to determine what it is.
  DOORS TO THE ROOM
  D6
  EXIT OR DOOR
  1–2
  One
  3
  Two
  4
  Three
  5
  Four
  6
  No exit 
  
  chapter 8
  176
  DUNGEON TRAPS
  Let the adventurers roll a SCOUTING roll to spot a trap in a room they enter. They can 
  only roll if they actively look for traps.
   D66
  TRAP
  EFFECT
  WHO IS  
  AFFECTED
  11–15
  Trapdoor
  A fall of D6+3 meters
  Whoever walks first
  16–23
  Spears
  Attack with seven Base Dice, Weapon 
  Damage 2, stab wound
  Whoever walks first
  24–31
  Arrows
  Attack with five Base Dice, Weapon 
  Damage 1, stab wound
  The two adventur-
  ers walking first
  32–34
  Poison
  Lethal poison with Potency D6+3
  Whoever walks first
  35–42
  Gas
  Hallucinogenic poison with Potency 
  D6+4
  All adventurers
  43–46
  Boulder
  Attack with seven Base Dice, Weapon 
  Damage 1, blunt trauma
  Random  
  adventurer
  51–54
  Spikes
  Attack with six Base Dice, Weapon 
  Damage 2, stab wound
  Random  
  adventurer
  55–56
  Water Trap
  Make a MOVE (–1) roll to escape. If 
  failed, roll for ENDURANCE every round 
  (no action). Failure means drowning – 
  one point of damage per round. New 
  MOVE roll can be made each round.
  All adventurers
  61-62
  Collapsing 
  Walls
  Make a MOVE (–1) roll to escape. If 
  failed, suffer attack with ten Base Dice, 
  Weapon Damage 1, blunt force. Attack 
  continues every round until a MOVE 
  roll is made.
  All adventurers
   D6
  THINGS
  1
  SARCOPHAGUS: Roll D6. 1: Roll for a trap (below). 2: Ghoul (see page 122). 
  3–6: No threat. Then roll once on the table of VALUABLE finds (page 189) 
  and once on the table of PRECIOUS finds (page 191).
  2
  CHEST: Roll D6. 1–2: Roll for a trap (below). Then roll once on the table of 
  SIMPLE finds and once on the table of VALUABLE finds.
  3–4
  SIMPLE FIND: Roll on the table for SIMPLE finds.
  5–6
  VALUABLE FIND: Roll on the table for VALUABLE finds.
  
  adventure sites
  177
  DUNGEON ODDITIES 
   D66
  ODDITY
  11
  Unnaturally Hot
  12
  Humid
  13
  Pools of Water
  14
  Smells of Death
  15
  Mushrooms
  16
  Strange Flowers
  21
  Slimy Walls
  22
  Dried Blood
  23
  Wall Paintings
  24
  Weird Echoes
  25
  Large Cracks
  26
  Statue
  31
  Alcoves
  32
  Altar
  33
  Moss
  34
  Dripping Sounds
  35
  A Gnarly Tree
  36
  Pulsating Sounds
   D66
  ODDITY
  41
  Mummified Corpse
  42
  Fireplace
  43
  Abyss
  44
  Well
  45
  Weirdly Shaped Skull
  46
  Mosaic
  51
  Petrified Creature
  52
  Empty Sarcophagus
  53
  Ash in the Form of a Human
  54
  Snakes
  55
  Insects
  56
  Rats
  61
  Bats
  62
  Spider Webs
  63
  Skeleton Parts on Floor
  64
  Warning Written in Blood
  65
  Lost Adventurer
  66
  Roll twice on this table
   D66
  TRAP
  EFFECT
  WHO IS  
  AFFECTED
  63–65
  Fire
  Attack with seven Base Dice, Weapon 
  Damage 1. Clothes catch fire, inflicting 
  the same attack every round until a 
  MOVE roll is made to extinguish it.
  Random  
  adventurer
  66
  Roll twice 
  on this 
  table
  –
  –
  
  chapter 8
  178
  TYPE OF CASTLE
  D66
  TYPE OF CASTLE
  SIZE
  11–14
  Outpost
  Small
  15–23
  Blockhouse
  Small
  24–31
  Tower
  Small
  32–41
  Fort
  Medium
  42–52
  Keep
  Medium
  53–62
  Fortress
  Large
  63–66
  Palace
  Large
   
  ✥
  OUTPOST: A simple watchpost consisting 
  of a smaller main building defended by a 
  palisade, often made of wood. Original 
  staff: 5–10.
   
  ✥
  BLOCKHOUSE: A solid, timbered or stone 
  house made up of at least two floors. Its 
  thick walls make it easily defended, but the 
  absence of outer walls provides no protec-
  tion for the surrounding lands. Original 
  staff: 10–20.
   
  ✥
  TOWER: A tower made of stone (or in 
  some cases, wood) with three or more 
  floors. From its top one can watch far 
  away over the lands. Original staff: 5–20.
   
  ✥
  FORT: A smaller set of buildings, often 
  two or three, protected by a palisade or a 
  wall. Original staff: 15–40.
   
  ✥
  KEEP: A number of buildings and towers 
  defended by a thick stone wall.  Original 
  staff:  25–100.
   
  ✥
  FORTRESS: Multiple reinforced build-
  ings and towers, protected by thick 
  walls and a moat with a falling bridge. 
  More or less unconquerable when at full 
  strength. Original staff: 50–200.
   
  ✥
  PALACE:  A grand building, often con-
  structed by a noble to project power and 
  wealth. Sometimes heavily reinforced, 
  but some palaces function more as 
  luxurious living quarters. Original staff: 
  50–300.
  CASTLE
  The Forbidden Lands have suffered invasions, 
  wars and demonic plagues. As a result, there 
  are many fortresses in the form of towers, 
  keeps and castles across the lands. Many have 
  been worn down by time, nature and bloody 
  sieges, their builders long gone or forgotten. 
  Yet stone walls last, and new creatures seek 
  shelter from the hardships of the lands.
  Roll on the tables below one by one or use 
  them freely as inspiration to create your own 
  castle.
  CASTLE VERSUS STRONGHOLD
  As a rule, adventure sites of 
  a defensive nature are called 
  CASTLES. These should not be 
  confused with strongholds, 
  which are settlements that 
  the adventurers can establish 
  for themselves in the For-
  bidden Lands. Strongholds 
  are described in the Player’s 
  Handbook.
  
  adventure sites
  179
  AGE OF THE CASTLE
  D66
  WHEN IS IT BUILT
  ACTUAL AGE IN YEARS
  11–12
  Before the Shift
     1,100 +
  13–26
  Before the Blood Mist
  300–1,100
  31–43
  During the Alder Wars
  305–360 
  44–61
  During the Blood Mist
  5–280
  62–66
  After the Blood Mist
  D6
  ORIGINAL PURPOSE
  D66
  PURPOSE
  11–15
  Living Quarters
  16–23
  Trade
  24–31
  Guard Resource
  32–34
  Prison
  35–43
  Display Power
  44–66
  War
   
  ✥
  LIVING QUARTERS: The castle was built 
  to serve as a living space for someone.
   
  ✥
  TRADE: The castle was constructed to 
  create a safe place to trade or guard an 
  important trade route.
   
  ✥
  GUARD RESOURCE: The castle was built 
  to guard an important resource (this could 
  be a mine, a river or something else, for 
  example). 
   
  ✥
  PRISON: The castle was constructed to serve 
  as a prison for someone – or something. Its 
  size and power says something about who it 
  once kept within its walls. 
   
  ✥
  DISPLAY POWER: A castle built to show the 
  great power and might of the owner.
   
  ✥
  WAR: A castle that was built as a part of a 
  war or conflict. 
  FOUNDER OF THE CASTLE
  Roll once and read the entire row, or roll once in each column and combine the results.
  D66
  WHO BUILT THE CASTLE
  KNOWN FOR
  11–12
  Elf
  Bloodthirsty
  13–16
  Dwarf
  Vengeance
  21–22
  Trader
  Greed
  
  chapter 8
  180
  HISTORY OF THE CASTLE
  D66
  EVENT
  11–14
  Ravaged by fire
  15–23
  Beset by a long and bloody 
  siege
  24–31
  Afflicted by the plague
  33–36
  Inhabitants died of hunger
  41–44
  Abandoned by its builders
  D66
  EVENT
  45–52
  Fell during a bloody revolt
  53–56
  Conquered by enemy
  61–62
  The site of a tragic incident
  63–65
  Ravaged by years of war
  66
  Possessed by demons
  INHABITANTS
  IF RUINED: Modify the roll by –2, IF DECAYING: Modify the roll by –1
  IF WELL KEPT: Modify the roll by +2
  D6
  CASTLE STILL INHABITED?
  COMMENT
  1
  No.
  Roll on the Is It Really Empty? table.
  2–4
  No, but someone moved in later.
  Roll on the Who Has Moved In? table.
  5
  Yes, by a few descendants of the 
  builder.
   –
  6
  Yes, by descendants of the builder.
   –
  CONDITION OF THE CASTLE
  AGE: Before the Shift: Modify the roll by –3,  Before the Blood Mist: Modify the roll by –2
  D6
  CONDITION
  D6
  CONDITION
  1–2
  Ruined
  4–5
  Worn
  3
  Decaying
  6
  Well Kept
  D66
  WHO BUILT THE CASTLE
  KNOWN FOR
  23–24
  Treasure Hunter
  Stinginess
  25–26
  Priest
  Vanity
  31–32
  Sorcerer
  Wisdom
  33–36
  Bandit Chief
  Beauty
  41–45
  Warrior
  Glory
  46–66
  Noble
  Cruelty
  
  adventure sites
  181
  IS IT REALLY EMPTY?
  D66
  IS IT?
  GO TO
  11–16
  No, a colony of preying bats has 
  moved in.
  Page 127.
  21–26
  No, a ghoul resides here. 
  Page 122.
  31–36
  No, 4D6 skeletons wait in the darkness.
  Page 122.
  41–51
  No, a giant monster has taken the 
  castle as its nest. It will soon return 
  home.
  Roll D6. 1: Drakewyrm. 2: Troll. 3: 
  Giant. 4: Manticore. 5: Demon. 6: 
  Dragon. See the Bestiary for stats.
  52–
  65
  Yes, but the place is cursed. Each turn 
  (15 minutes), each adventurer suffers a 
  fear attack rolled with six Base Dice.
   –
  66
  Yes, it really is empty. For now.
  –
  WHO HAS MOVED IN?
  D66
  WHO OR WHAT
  HOW MANY (SMALL/ 
  MEDIUM/LARGE)
  GO TO
  11–14
  Bandits
  D6/2D6/4D6
  Page 183.
  15–16
  Traders
  D6/2D6/4D6
  Page 184.
  21–23
  Rust Brothers
  D6/2D6/3D6
  Page 40.
  24–25
  Soldiers
  D6/2D6/4D6
  Page 183.
  25–32
  Riders
  D6/2D6/4D6
  Page 49.
  33–36
  Orcs
  D6/2D6/4D6
  Page 64.
  41–43
  Goblins
  D6/3D6/5D6
  Page 72.
  44–45
  Whiners
  4D6/6D6/8D6
  Page 70.
  46–51
  Ogres
  D6/2D6/2D6
  Page 61.
  52
  Dwarves
  D6/2D6/4D6
  Page 58.
  53
  Halflings
  D6/2D6/4D6
  Page 71.
  54
  Wolfkin
  D6/2D6/4D6
  Page 68.
  55
  Elves
  D6/2D6/2D6
  Page 54.
  56
  Sorcerers
  1/D6/2D6
  Page 184.
  61
  Thieves
  D6
  Page 183.
  62–66
  Monster
  1
  A random monster in the Bestiary.
  
  chapter 8
  182
  CASTLE ODDITIES
   D66
  ODDITY
  11–12
  Odd architecture
  13–14
  Blood colored
  15–16
  Surrounded by ravens
  21–22
  Built out of a massive rock
  23–24
  Weird inscriptions
  25–26
  Surrounded by graves
  31–32
  Built on a battlefield
  33–34
  Haunted
  35–36
  Bad smell
   D66
  ODDITY
  41–42
  Strange sounds
  43–44
  Covered by purple flowers
  45–46
  Always rains
  51–52
  Built around an ancient statue
  53–54
  Windy
  55–56
  Fungal fields
  61–62
  Blackened by soot
  63–64
  Decorated with skulls
  65–66
  Overgrown
  NAME OF THE CASTLE
   D66
  FIRST WORD
  SECOND WORD
  11
  Stone
  Hook
  12
  Red
  Tooth
  13
  Purple
  Spire
  14
  Blood
  House
  15
  Dead
  Claw
  16
  Winter
  Jaw
  21
  Oak
  Water
  22
  Blue
  Redoubt
  23
  Snow
  Mound
  24
  Wind
  Hill
  25
  Storm
  Mountain
  26
  Fire
  Tower
  31
  Rust
  House
  32
  Griffon
  Edge
  33
  Dark
  Home
  34
  Dim
  Cliff
  35
  Wood
  Pike
  36
  Barren
  Eye
   D66
  FIRST WORD
  SECOND WORD
  41
  Deep
  Hole
  42
  Alder
  Gap
  43
  Rain
  Shield
  44
  Eagle
  Nest
  45
  Wolf
  Mark
  46
  Bear
  Grove
  51
  Dragon
  Glade
  52
  Frost
  Keep
  53
  Night
  Fortress
  54
  Rose
  Castle
  55
  Fang
  Keep
  56
  River
  Lair
  61
  Sea
  Stone
  62
  Ice
  Den
  63
  Sun
  Wall
  64
  Moon
  Mound
  65
  Wolf
  Mark
  66
  Twilight
  Fort
  
  adventure sites
  183
  CREATURES  
  AND NPCS
  An important part of most adventure sites are 
  the creatures and people that live there. Below, 
  you’ll find a table of typical NPCs to use when-
  ever needed. Use the Personal Quirks table to 
  give an NPC some personality.
  CREATE YOUR OWN NPCS
  You can easily create your own NPCs from 
  scratch. A typical human being has 3 in all at-
  tributes, so use this as a baseline and increase 
  or decrease attributes as you see fit.
  WHO CAN BE FOUND WHERE?
  Stats for different types of beings can be found 
  in several locations in this book.
   
  ✥
  Monsters are to be found in Chapter 5.
   
  ✥
  Typical individuals from the different kin 
  are described in Chapter 4.
   
  ✥
  Followers of religious orders are located in 
  Chapter 3.
   
  ✥
  Other typical NPCs can be found in the 
  table below.
  TYPICAL NPCS
  NPC
  ATTRIBUTES
  SKILLS
  EQUIPMENT
  Bandit
  Strength 3 
  Agility 3 
  Wits 2 
  Empathy 2
  Melee 2, Marksmanship 
  1, Survival 2
  Broadsword or axe, sling or 
  short bow, leather armor, D6 
  copper, SIMPLE find
  Soldier
  Strength 4
  Agility 3
  Wits 3
  Empathy 2
  Endurance 1, Melee 2, 
  Marksmanship 2,  
  Survival 1
  Broadsword or battleaxe, 
  spear or long bow or heavy 
  crossbow, large shield, leath-
  er armor or chainmail, open 
  helmet, 2D6 copper, SIMPLE 
  find
  Rider
  Strength 3  
  Agility 4 
  Wits 3  
  Empathy 3
  Melee 2, Survival 1,  
  Animal Handling 3
  Broadsword or shortsword, 
  dagger, studded leather ar-
  mor, open helmet, SIMPLE find
  Thief
  Strength 2 
  Agility 4 
  Wits 3 
  Empathy 3
  Stealth 2, Sleight of 
  Hand 3, Move 2, Melee 1, 
  Marksmanship 1
  Dagger, sling, leather armor, 
  D6 silver, VALUABLE find
  
  chapter 8
  184
  PERSONAL QUIRKS
  D66
  OCCUPATION
  CHARACTERISTIC
  QUIRK
  11
  Soldier
  Ice blue eyes
  Dreaming about a family and a 
  house. Will do anything to realize it.
  12
  Fortune 
  Seeker
  Fluffy hair
  Skilled at gambling. Booted from 
  three villages.
  13
  Bandit
  Scarred face
  Haunted by dreams of a family 
  dying in a fire. Sometimes halluci-
  nates.
  14
  Slave Trader
  Severed ear
  Chewing on narcotic leaves, staring 
  glare and foul mood.
  NPC
  ATTRIBUTES
  SKILLS
  EQUIPMENT
  Hunter
  Strength 3  
  Agility 3 
  Wits 3 
  Empathy 3
  Melee 1, Marksmanship 
  3, Scouting 2, Survival 2, 
  Animal Handling 2
  Dagger, longbow, leather 
  armor, 2D6 copper, SIMPLE 
  find
  Priest
  Strength 3  
  Agility 3 
  Wits 4 
  Empathy 3
  Lore 2, Manipulation 2, 
  Performance 1, Healing 1
  Staff, D6 silver, VALUABLE 
  find
  Trader
  Strength 2 
  Agility 3 
  Wits 3  
  Empathy 4
  Lore 1, Insight 2, Manip-
  ulation 2
  Dagger or shortsword, 
  2D6 silver, VALUABLE find
  Minstrel
  Strength 2  
  Agility 3 
  Wits 3  
  Empathy 4
  Lore 1, Insight 1, Manip-
  ulation 2, Performance 
  3
  Instrument, dagger, D6 
  silver, VALUABLE find
  Sorcerer
  Strength 2  
  Agility 2 
  Wits 4 
  Empathy 3
  Lore 1, Path of Runes, 
  Stone, Blood or Death 2 
  (talent)
  Staff, grimoire, D6 silver, 
  VALUABLE find
  Villager
  Strength 3 
  Agility 3 
  Wits 3 
  Empathy 3
  Endurance 1, Crafting 2
  Tools, D6 copper
  
  adventure sites
  185
  D66
  OCCUPATION
  CHARACTERISTIC
  QUIRK
  15
  Treasure 
  Hunter
  Eye patch
  Very enthusiastic. Has a treasure 
  map but no surviving friends.
  16
  Beggar
  Missing teeth
  Alder spy in disguise. Will not hesi-
  tate to kill.
  21
  Actor
  Graceful
  Too sensitive for this cruel world.
  22
  Lumberjack
  Towering
  Squeamish and weepy.
  23
  Hunter
  Impressive beard 
  or hair
  Obsessed with finding a special 
  monster. Will not give up until one 
  of them is dead.
  24
  Farmer
  Round cheeks
  Cultist, looking for new victims.
  25
  Laborer
  Distinct birthmark
  Sleeps badly, sees holy visions at 
  night.
  26
  Jester
  Strange facial 
  paint
  Legendary pickpocket constantly 
  changing identities.
  31
  Wanderer
  Sad eyes
  Only survivor of a burnt down vil-
  lage. Pyromaniac.
  32
  Fisher
  Smells bad
  Worships the god in the deep.
  33
  Noble
  Perfumed
  Possessed by quirky demon.
  34
  Child
  Cocky
  Planning to avenge dead parent.
  35
  Trader
  Constantly smiling
  Bankrupt, but has a grand plan to 
  save the business. Just needs some 
  help.
  36
  Brewer
  Sullen
  Hates a competitor and will do any-
  thing to get rid of him or her.
  41
  Carpenter
  Constantly joking
  Hides a dark secret.
  42
  Apprentice
  Lovesick
  Will do anything to achieve dream. 
  Anything.
  43
  Thief
  Elegant
  Expensive habits. Leaves tab to 
  others.
  44
  Druid
  Tattooed
  Likes to scare people.
  45
  Baker
  Constantly eating
  Believes self to be of royal lineage.
  46
  Refugee
  Desperate
  Wants revenge more than anything.
  
  chapter 8
  186
  D66
  OCCUPATION
  CHARACTERISTIC
  QUIRK
  51
  Assassin
  Hateful
  Interested in poetry.
  52
  Smith
  Sweaty
  A notorious cheat.
  53
  Gravedigger
  Drunk
  Knows a lot about people. Gossipy.
  54
  Rust Brother
  Suspicious
  Has doubts.
  55
  Shepherd
  Very beautiful
  Dreams of killing someone.
  56
  Braggart
  Foppish
  Likes to touch people as if old 
  friends.
  61
  Cook
  Fat
  A brilliant storyteller.
  62
  Cultist
  Seducing
  Will take over, one day.
  63
  Guard
  Lazy
  Craving for a mug of beer.
  64
  Messenger
  Very tired
  Believes he or she is being followed.
  65
  Miner
  Wiry
  Swears all the time.
  66
  Academic
  Unkempt eye-
  brows
  Has a theory about the world. 
  Wants to tell everyone about it.
  CARRYING TREASURE
  Finds use the rules for en-
  cumbrance found on page 
  37 in the Player’s Handbook. 
  Some items are very bulky and 
  need to be carried by several 
  adventurers. These items have 
  a number listed in the Weight 
  column, indicating how many 
  normal items that this find 
  counts as when it comes to 
  encumbrance.
  TREASURE  
  AND FINDS
  Most adventurers will hunt for treasure and 
  gold, so as to acquire enough wealth to build 
  their own stronghold and make their mark 
  on the Forbidden Lands. There are two cate-
  gories of treasure in the game: finds and arti-
  facts. This section deals with finds, which can 
  be anything from valuable items to weapons 
  and armor to coins and treasure. Artifacts are 
  unique and powerful items and have their own 
  chapter on page 128. 
  Finds are divided into three categories: 
  SIMPLE, VALUABLE and PRECIOUS. What catego-
  ry a particular find belongs to is generally de-
  scribed in the text of an adventure site or decid-
  
  adventure sites
  187
  SIMPLE CARRIED FINDS
  D66
  FIND
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  11–31
  2D6 Copper coins
  Value of the coins
  –
  32
  Bone Statuette
  2D6 copper
  Light
  33
  Piece of Amber
  2D6 copper
  Tiny
  34
  Bronze Belt Buckle
  2D6 copper
  Light
  35
  Bone Dice
  2D6 copper
  Tiny
  36
  Bone Whistle
  2D6 copper
  Light
  41
  Bronze Bracelet
  3D6 copper
  Light
  42
  Copper Ring
  3D6 copper
  Tiny
  43
  Bronze Necklace
  3D6 copper
  Tiny
  44
  Bronze Medallion
  3D6 copper
  Tiny
  45
  Good Boots
  3D6 copper
  Normal
  46
  Good Gloves
  3D6 copper
  Light
  51
  Bronze Drinking Horn
  4D6 copper
  Normal
  52
  Lantern
  4D6 copper
  Light
  53
  Bronze Dagger
  4D6 copper
  Light
  54
  Bronze Shield 
  4D6 copper
  Normal
  55
  Bronze Earring 
  4D6 copper
  Tiny
  56
  One-handed Bronze Weapon 
  D6 silver
  Normal
  61
  Book 
  6D6 copper
  Normal
  62
  Simple Gemstone
  6D6 copper
  Tiny
  63
  Bronze Statuette
  6D6 copper
  Light
  64
  Bronze Helmet
  D6 silver
  Normal
  65
  Copper Headband 
  D6 silver
  Normal
  66
  Copper Crown 
  2D6 silver
  Normal
  ed by you as the GM. Keep in mind that SIMPLE 
  finds are much more common than VALUABLE 
  ones, which in turn can be found more often 
  than the elusive PRECIOUS finds.
  The tables are divided into two catego-
  ries: “carried finds” and “finds in a lair.” 
  The former category is used for all types of 
  items that an adventurer may carry on them. 
  “Finds in a lair” is used for items stored 
  somewhere.
  
  chapter 8
  188
  SIMPLE FINDS IN A LAIR
  D66
  FIND
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  11–31
  4D6 copper coins
  Value of the coins
  –
  32
  Copper Bowl
  3D6 copper
  Light
  33
  Copper Plate
  3D6 copper
  Normal
  34
  Copper Mug
  3D6 copper
  Light
  35
  Knapsack
  3D6 copper
  Light
  36
  Waterskin
  3D6 copper
  Light
  41
  Belt Buckle
  4D6 copper
  Light
  42
  Hammer
  4D6 copper
  Normal
  43
  Saw
  4D6 copper
  Normal
  44
  Short Sword
  1D6 silver
  Normal
  45
  Small Shield
  4D6 copper
  Light
  46
  Axe
  4D6 copper
  Normal
  51
  Short Spear
  5D6 copper
  Normal
  52
  Bronze Pot
  5D6 copper
  Heavy
  53
  Bronze Lantern
  5D6 copper
  Light
  54
  Gaming Board
  5D6 copper
  Normal
  55
  Chest
  5D6 copper
  Heavy
  56
  Lute
  5D6 copper
  Normal
  61
  Bronze Armor
  1D6 gold
  Heavy
  62
  Bronze Mirror
  2D6 silver
  3
  63
  Palanquin with Copper Details
  3D6 silver
  4
  64
  Bronze Sarcophagus
  4D6 silver
  4
  65
  Bronze Altar
  5D6 silver
  5
  66
  Bronze Statue
  6D6 silver
  6
  CARRIED VALUABLE FINDS
  D66
  FIND
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  11–31
  3D6 silver coins
  Value of the coins
  –
  32
  Silver Box
  2D6 silver
  Light
  
  adventure sites
  189
  D66
  FIND
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  33
  Pearl
  2D6 silver
  Tiny
  34
  Silver Bowl
  2D6 silver
  Light
  35
  Painting
  2D6 silver
  Light
  36
  Silver Mug
  2D6 silver
  Light
  41
  Silver Bracelet
  3D6 silver
  Light
  42
  Silver Ring
  3D6 silver
  Tiny
  43
  Silver Necklace
  3D6 silver
  Tiny
  44
  Well-Tailored Cloak with Silver Buckle
  3D6 silver
  Normal
  45
  Elegant Boots
  3D6 silver
  Normal
  46
  Calf Skin Gloves 
  3D6 silver
  Light
  51
  Drinking Horn with Silver Details
  4D6 silver
  Normal
  52
  Embroidery
  4D6 silver
  Normal
  53
  Elegant Helmet 
  4D6 silver
  Light
  54
  Elegant Large Shield
  4D6 silver
  Normal
  55
  Silver Earring
  4D6 silver
  Tiny
  56
  Elegant One-handed Weapon
  4D6 silver
  Normal
  61
  Rare Book 
  5D6 silver
  Normal
  62
  Gemstone 
  6D6 silver
  Tiny
  63
  Silver Statuette
  7D6 silver
  Normal
  64
  Silver Helmet
  8D6 silver
  Normal
  65
  Silver Headband
  9D6 silver
  Light
  66
  Silver Crown
  D6 gold
  Normal
  VALUABLE FINDS IN A LAIR
  D66
  FIND
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  34
  Painting
  3D6 silver
  Heavy
  11–31
  4D6 silver coins
  Value of the coins
  –
  32
  Silver Medallion
  3D6 silver
  Light
  33
  Small Silver Chest
  3D6 silver
  Light
  
  chapter 8
  190
  CARRIED PRECIOUS FINDS
  D66
  FIND
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  11–31
  D6 gold coins
  Value of the coins
  –
  32
  Gold Statuette
  5D6 silver
  Light
  33
  Pearls
  5D6 silver
  Tiny
  34
  Golden Bowl
  5D6 silver
  Light
  35
  Gold Amulet
  5D6 silver
  Tiny
  36
  Gold Mug
  5D6 silver
  Light
  D66
  FIND
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  35
  Glass Bowl
  3D6 silver
  Light
  36
  Beautiful Vase
  3D6 silver
  Light
  41
  Silver Brooch
  4D6 silver
  Tiny
  42
  Silver Comb
  4D6 silver
  Light
  43
  Silver Box
  4D6 silver
  Light
  44
  Silver Amulet
  4D6 silver
  Light
  45
  Silver Goblet
  4D6 silver
  Light
  46
  Mask
  4D6 silver
  Light
  51
  Bottle of Expensive Wine
  5D6 silver
  Normal
  52
  Fine Hat
  5D6 silver
  Light
  53
  Tapestry
  5D6 silver
  Heavy
  54
  Cabinet
  5D6 silver
  4
  55
  Carpet
  5D6 silver
  Heavy
  56
  Armchair
  5D6 silver
  3
  61
  Candelabrum
  6D6 silver
  Heavy
  62
  Silver Mirror
  6D6 silver
  4
  63
  Palanquin with Silver Details
  7D6 silver
  5
  64
  Silver Sarcophagus
  8D6 silver
  6
  65
  Silver Altar
  9D6 silver
  6
  66
  Silver Statue
  D6 gold
  6
  
  adventure sites
  191
  D66
  FIND
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  41
  Gold Bracelet
  5D6 silver
  Tiny
  42
  Gold Ring
  6D6 silver
  Tiny
  43
  Gold Necklace
  6D6 silver
  Tiny
  44
  Fur Cloak with Expensive Embroidery and 
  Golden Buckle
  6D6 silver
  Normal
  45
  Dragonscale Boots
  6D6 silver
  Light
  46
  Velvet Gloves
  6D6 silver
  Light
  51
  Drinking Horn with Gold Details
  D6 gold
  Light
  52
  Golden Embroidery
  D6 gold
  Normal
  53
  Golden Helmet 
  2D6 gold
  Light
  54
  Golden Large Shield
  2D6 gold
  Normal
  55
  Golden Armor
  4D6 gold
  Heavy
  56
  Golden Weapon 
  2D6 gold
  Normal
  61
  Unique Book
  2D6 gold
  Normal
  62
  Rare Gemstone
  2D6 gold
  Tiny
  63
  Ring with Gemstone
  2D6 gold
  Tiny
  64
  Scepter
  3D6 gold
  Light
  65
  Golden Crown
  4D6 gold
  Light
  66
  Artifact (see page 128)
  –
  –
  PRECIOUS FINDS IN A LAIR
  D66
  FINDS
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  11–31
  D6 gold + 2D6 silver + 4D6 copper
  Value of the coins
  –
  32
  Golden Necklace
  2D6 gold
  Light
  33
  Beautiful Tapestry
  2D6 gold
  3
  34
  Embroided Carpet
  2D6 gold
  4
  35
  Gold Goblet
  2D6 gold
  Light
  36
  Painting with Golden Frame
  2D6 gold
  3
  41
  Golden Tray
  3D6 gold
  Heavy
  42
  Golden Statue of a Child
  3D6 gold
  4
  
  chapter 8
  192
  FIND ODDITIES
  Some finds are weirder than others, you can choose to use the table below when-
  ever it fits the story or roll a die for each find, a roll of 5+ means that the find has an 
  oddity.
  D66
  ODDITY
  EFFECT
  11-12
  Smells bad
  -1 MANIPULATE
  13-14
  Someone has painted 
  a strawman on it
  -
  15-16
  Dirty
  -
  21-22
  Bloodstained
  -
  22-23
  Burnt
  Halved value
  24-25
  Bitemarks
  Halved value
  26-31
  Bent
  Halved value
  D66
  FINDS
  VALUE
  WEIGHT
  43
  Golden Diadem
  3D6 gold
  Light
  44
  Ceiling Candelabrum
  3D6 gold
  3
  45
  Golden Armchair
  3D6 gold
  3
  46
  Golden Cradle
  3D6 gold
  3
  51
  Necklace with Gemstones
  4D6 gold
  Light
  52
  Scepter with Gemstones
  4D6 gold
  Light
  53
  Crown with Gemstones
  4D6 gold
  Light
  54
  Beautiful Desk
  4D6 gold
  4
  55
  Pulpit
  4D6 gold
  4
  56
  Golden Table
  4D6 gold
  5
  61
  Large Rare Gemstone
  2D6 gold
  Light
  62
  Golden Mirror
  5D6 gold
  5
  63
  Golden Palanquin
  5D6 gold
  6
  64
  Golden Sarcophagus 
  6D6 gold
  7
  65
  Golden Statue
  7D6 gold
  8
  66
  Artifact (page 128)
  –
  –
  
  adventure sites
  193
  D66
  ODDITY
  EFFECT
  32-33
  Scratched
  Halved value
  34-35
  Actually a toy
  Halved value
  36-41
  Weird inscriptions
  -
  42
  Contains the soul of a 
  former owner. Speaks 
  to the adventurer 
  during the night.
  Gain condition SLEEPY
  43-44
  Excentric shape
  -
  45-46
  Heavily perfumed
  -
  51-52
  Unaturally large
  Double weight
  53-54
  Miniature version
  Halved weight
  55-56
  Forgery
  After the item is sold roll a die: 4+ means that 
  the forgery is discovered and that the adventur-
  er is hunted.
  62-63
  Marked with the sigil 
  of the Rust brothers
  After the item is sold roll a die: 5+ means that a 
  rust brother or an iron guard finds out about it 
  and starts looking for the adventurer.
  63
  Elven heirloom
  Double value for an elf
  64
  Dwarven heirloom
  Double value for a dwarf
  65
  Haunted by unhappy 
  ghost
  Roll a die everytime the adventurer strikes 
  camp, a six means that the ghost manifests.
  66
  Part of dragon’s  
  treasure
  The find used to belong to a dragon’s personal 
  treasure hoard. Roll D66 everytime the adven-
  turer strikes camp on a roll of 66 the dragon has 
  located the treasure and is very angry.
  
  chapter 9
  194
  The village is a welcome sight. A bunch of well-
  to-do houses are standing close together, slightly 
  obscured by billowing chimney smoke. You hear 
  the sounds of kids playing and catch the smell of 
  fresh bread. When you get closer, you can see a 
  low stone wall, encircling the small settlement 
  that is guarded by a few simple stone towers. You 
  see a wooden sign, planted next to the road, with 
  the written words: “Welcome to The Hollows – 
  drink from our tankards, eat from our bowls, but 
  honor the dead, walking by our sides.”
  BACKGROUND
  The place where The Hollows is situated was 
  once, long ago, a cemetery. Most of the people 
  buried at the site were victims of the terrible 
  T
  H
  E 
  HO
  LL
  O
  W
  S
  battles that ravaged the Ravenlands between 
  the forces of Zygofer and King Algarod (see 
  page 30 ). Many of the fallen were great warriors 
  and leaders and were buried in costly graves. In 
  order to care for the lost souls of the warriors, a 
  circular temple was built on the nearby hillock, 
  dedicated to the god Wyrm.
  Many years later, when the Blood Mist de-
  scended on the Forbidden Lands, a number of 
  Ailander free-thinkers arrived at the site. They 
  sought protection against the mist behind the 
  walls of the cemetery. The caretakers who used 
  to work here were long gone and the cemetery 
  had fallen into disrepair. The newcomers waited 
  in the crypts and barrows for the mist to disap-
  pear. When they realized that the mist wasn’t 
  going to disperse, they started to build huts and 
  shelters of stone and wood from the ruins.
  TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Village
  
  the hollows
  195
  Today, several centuries later, these huts 
  have grown into a larger settlement. Approxima-
  tely thirty houses and farms have been built on 
  the old burial grounds, all the way down to the 
  river running past the village. About a hundred 
  people try to live in harmony with each other 
  here in the settlement. Behind the old cemetery 
  wall, they are protected against the Blood Mist 
  and the other horrors of the Forbidden Lands. 
  The people of the village have understood that 
  the spirits of the dead are harmless as long as 
  you avoid going out after nightfall, and they 
  also follow the rules proclaimed by the elders of 
  the village. Outside of the wall, they have fields 
  for farming and hunters now dare to go further 
  into the forest in search of game. The inhabi-
  tants are doing as well as anyone can hope to in 
  the Forbidden Lands.
  Since the Blood Mist dispersed the in-
  habitants have started to travel further and 
  further away from the village. They meet 
  other people and trade with other settle-
  ments. This also means that strangers have 
  started to appear in the small community. 
  Most of them are travelers stopping by for 
  accommodation and provisioning, but some 
  want to start fresh behind the village walls.
  This has resulted in a boom of business for 
  many of the villagers, while some of the less 
  favored are skeptical and claim that life used 
  to be better. The absence of the Blood Mist 
  has created new problems. Goblins and other 
  pests are sneaking around the village and in-
  ternal plots have started to grow, as there are 
  no threats from the outside. The village has 
  been divided into two camps, one following 
  the village elder, Mrs. Pollmor, and one liste-
  ning to Yawim, the brewmaster.
  GETTING HERE
  The Hollows is designed to be a place the ad-
  venturers can visit in order to rest and recu-
  perate between their ordeals in the Forbidden 
  Lands. Before having gotten their keep in or-
  der, having a secure base to return to can be 
  useful. They may even want to establish their 
  keep in the vicinity of the settlement. You can 
  choose between having the adventurers begin 
  the game in the village or letting them find it 
  while traveling.
  Note that The Hollows must be located in 
  a map hexagon next to a river.
  LEGEND
  The Hollows… Have you ever been to that dump? 
  RECOMMENDED READING
  Before playing The Hollows, 
  we recommend that you read 
  about the Fourth Alder Wars 
  and King Algarod on page 30 
  in the History chapter, about 
  the Rust Brothers and the 
  Raven Sisters in the chapter 
  on Gods,  and the passage 
  on ghouls on page 120 in the 
  Bestiary.
  
  chapter 9
  196
  STRANGE EVENTS IN THE HOLLOWS
  D6
  EVENT
  DETAILS
  1
  The Game
  A small ghost girl suddenly materializes, skipping and singing 
  in front of the adventurers. The little girl, Ona, urgently asks 
  the adventurers if they want to play with her and will not take 
  a no for an answer. The game consists of a very cruel retel-
  ling of the last battle at The Hollows, where King Algarod had 
  the then current leader of Ravenland executed. Right in the 
  middle of the colorful story, the ghost girl is suddenly trans-
  formed into the shape of King Algarod, and all of the adventu-
  rers suffer a FEAR ATTACK (see page 112 in the Player’s Manual) 
  using four dice. The game immediately ends, and she asks the 
  adventurers if they will comb her hair.
  2
  The Grave-
  digger
  A ghostly apparition is whistling a song and at the same 
  time “digging” at the earth with a spade that looks like it’s 
  dancing in thin air. This is the ghost of Ulm, the gravedig-
  ger, dead for three centuries, continuing the task of bury-
  ing his fallen comrades. When the adventurers approach, 
  he stops whistling, freezes in mid-movement and looks 
  straight at them with his black eyes. “Have you been sent 
  by the King?” he asks in a muddled voice. If the adventurers 
  say that they have, Ulm will attack them in the form of a 
  ghoul. If not, he will keep on digging.
  3
  Dead Man’s 
  Hand
  One of the party stumbles and falls to the ground and then 
  all the others feel that something is pulling on their shoes 
  and breeches. Terrified, they realize that the earth around 
  them has been pierced by grey hands, trying to drag them 
  into the underworld. Let them all make a roll for STRENGTH 
  in order to break free. Anyone who fails is temporarily 
  dragged into the earth, and will suffer a FEAR ATTACK using 
  six dice.
  It’s a village at the back of beyond. Cowards and 
  milksops hid from the Blood Mist in that sorry 
  excuse for a village, waiting for better times. 
  They were unaware of one thing, however… that 
  their peaceful village was built on a site of blood 
  and death.
  LOCATIONS
  The Hollows was built on the ruins of an old 
  burial ground, southeast of a hillock covered by 
  sharp rocks. The village has spread all the way 
  down to the river, and is surrounded by a low sto-
  
  the hollows
  197
  D6
  EVENT
  DETAILS
  4
  The Ghost 
  Minstrel
  A sad tune can be heard in the fog, and soon a ghostly appari-
  tion can be seen. It has a dark hood and a noose around its 
  neck, and is playing a lute. This is the long since executed mins-
  trel Alma, playing her song of mourning for the dead of The 
  Hollows. Any adventurer showing their appreciation by giving 
  her a coin or something similar will receive Alma’s gratitude, 
  and the ghost may come to the person’s aid some time later.
  5
  The Duel
  A harsh and wordless shout breaks the silence of the evening. 
  A knight in full armor strides out of the darkness, brandishing 
  a broadsword and a shield. A couple of arrows are sticking 
  out from his side, and a twisted skeleton face can dimly be 
  seen under the helmet. The undead warrior points with his 
  sword at the adventurer with the highest STRENGTH, and then 
  bangs his sword and shield together in a gesture that can’t be 
  interpreted as anything other than a challenge. The ghoul is 
  going to fight whether the adventurer accepts the challenge 
  or not, but instead of being hit by the weapon, the target will 
  be thrown to the ground or forcefully kicked into a building. If 
  the adventurer pulls out one of the arrows, the knight will get 
  down on his knees and then slowly fade away.
  6
  The  
  Funeral 
  Feast
  Elrand the miller died in an accident some twenty years ago, 
  but his ghost hasn’t accepted his fate yet and still visits Dead 
  Man’s Hand once a week for a tankard of beer that runs straight 
  through his ethereal body, forming a small puddle on the floor. 
  The regulars are amusing themselves by telling newcomers to 
  ask the lonely man at the bar something, and then wait for their 
  reaction when the newcomers discover the hideous face of the 
  ghost. The victim will suffer a FEAR ATTACK using four dice.
  ne wall. There are two sturdy wooden gates, one 
  to the east and one to the south. Fields with rye, 
  grain, turnips and various vegetables surround 
  the village. A path leads from each gate towards 
  the wilderness. After a few hundred meters, the 
  paths turn into animal tracks and soon disappear 
  completely. The paths and roads in the village are 
  usually bordered by red-painted stones.
  1. THE WALL
  A low and badly worn stone wall, half as tall as 
  a man, snakes around the parts of the village that 
  aren’t facing the hillock. The entire wall is cove-
  red by winding rose and rose hip bushes, giving it a 
  pungent but pleasant smell.
  Climbing the wall is a prickly experience requi-
  
  chapter 9
  198
  1
  2
  3
  5
  6
  7
  9c
  9a
  9b
  10
  13
  16
  18
  21
  T
  H
  E 
  HO
  LL
  O
  W
  S
  
  the hollows
  199
  1
  1
  2
  2
  3
  4
  8
  11
  14
  15
  17
  19
  20
  12
  
  chapter 9
  200
  ring a roll against MOVE to avoid suffering one 
  point of damage.
  2. THE WATCHTOWERS
  Old and worn stone towers, almost as tall as two 
  men. The towers don’t seem to have any interior 
  space and consist of stone blocks piled on top of each 
  other. On the parts not covered by rose bushes and 
  moss you can make out the remains of beautiful 
  reliefs cut into the stone blocks.
  The watchtowers are really just high cairns of 
  stacked debris from the ruins, placed at strategic 
  locations for keeping watch over the area. You 
  reach the top by way of a ladder on the inside of 
  the wall. Mrs. Pollmor has decided that the th-
  ree towers should be manned around the clock, 
  but in practice this is rarely the case. The mili-
  tia guards prefer to quench their thirst at one 
  of the village’s two inns, or they climb down to 
  talk to a villager passing by. The north watchto-
  wer between the new and the old burial grounds 
  is naturally not a very popular assignment. The 
  militia guards usually draw lots over it, and the 
  tower stands unmanned most of the time.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: One militia guard.
  3. THE GATES
  The road enters the village by way of a massive, 
  iron-bound gate made of oak. The gate has a 
  shutter. Next to the gate, a worn copper bell is at-
  tached to the wall.
  The gates are open during the day and closed at 
  nightfall. There is a gate in the south and one 
  in the east. Visitors arriving during the night 
  use the bell to alert the villagers. The task of 
  opening the gate follows a predetermined rota-
  tion. Visitors often have to wait for quite a while 
  before a sleepy villager arrives to open the gate. 
  The shutter lets the villager study the visitors in 
  order to determine if they are enemies or not.
  4. THE WELL
  A stone well lies at the center of the square. The 
  rope and the pulley are mounted on a beautifully 
  carved lintel. The well is surrounded by a low 
  stone bench, worn down by many tired villagers 
  who have availed themselves of it. A large bucket 
  stands on the bench.
  The villagers dug the well many years ago, 
  as the water of the river is often tainted. At 
  Springturn (see page 35) the villagers let the 
  well overflow in a ceremony called “Flow’s De-
  light.” The water is thought to bring Flow’s 
  blessing to the soil (see page 42).
  5. THE BRIDGE
  A solid stone bridge crosses the creek snaking th-
  rough the village. The bridge looks like it is hund-
  reds of years old, and is covered by moss and algae. 
  The foundation has crumbled, and in some places, 
  it has been repaired using stone and mortar.
  The bridge has become a symbol for the 
  split in The Hollows. The dwarf Yawim has his 
  operations on the south side of the bridge. The 
  area north of the bridge is the domain of Mrs. 
  Pollmor. Neither of them will cross the bridge 
  unless they really have to.
  
  the hollows
  201
  6. THE SMALL HARBOR
  East of the bridge is a newly constructed and 
  sturdy wooden pier. Two wide boats are moored 
  at the pier. Each has six oars and a mast, which 
  is currently taken down. On the north side of the 
  creek, a low wooden jetty can be found. The har-
  bor smells of tar.
  The pier was built for transportation up and 
  down the creek. When the Blood Mist lay thick 
  on the land, the creek was only used for fishing. 
  The brewmaster Yawim owns two river craft, 
  used to transport his beer to a number of sett-
  lements down the creek. The dwarf is willing 
  to rent out a boat for two silver coins per day. 
  A few shacks for storage of equipment can be 
  found next to the pier. The villagers wash their 
  clothes at the wooden jetty on the north side.
  7. THE OLD TEMPLE
  A narrow path winds its way up the hillock bet-
  ween sharp rocks to a flat section. In the middle 
  of the flat section, the overgrown remains of a 
  circular stone foundation can be seen. Twelve pil-
  lars placed along the edge of the foundation stretch 
  like ugly teeth towards the sky. A crumbling obelisk 
  with a hole near the top stands in the middle of the 
  circle. An ominous feeling hangs over this place.
  The old circular temple is dedicated to the 
  god Wyrm. The site exudes ages long past, and 
  most of the villagers avoid the hillock. If you 
  study the obelisk carefully, you find the follo-
  wing text carved into the stone: “The road to 
  Nepola’s last resting place is shown at the mid-
  night hour of the full moon.” At midnight, 
  when there is a full moon, the light shines 
  through the hole and points towards an over-
  grown rock in the side of the hillock. The stone 
  is the entryway to the tomb of Count Nepola.
  8. THE DEAD MAN’S HAND INN
  A large two-story half-timbered building can 
  be found at the south end of the square. Smoke 
  is coming out of the three chimneys on the steep 
  thatched roof. Where the window shutters are 
  open, a warm light shines out. Above the double 
  door is a sign and a pair of red-painted lanterns 
  next to each other. The sign lets you know that 
  you have reached the Dead Man’s Hand Inn. 
  The scent of grilled boar can be smelled all the 
  way to the well.
  The inn is run by Olm and his family. For-
  merly, the building was only used for the villa-
  gers who would meet each other over glasses of 
  mead, but since the Blood Mist disappeared tra-
  velers have been a common sight, and the place 
  has been turned into an inn. The upper story 
  contains three double rooms and in the west 
  wing is a dormitory and a room for six. A bed in 
  the dormitory costs two copper coins, and the 
  rooms cost five copper coins per person.
  
  chapter 9
  202
  After dark, the villagers loyal to Mrs. Pol-
  lmor gather around the large open fire in the 
  middle of the taproom. The villagers talk about 
  the day’s work, exchange gossip and look at the 
  guard schedule for the next day. A rocking chair 
  next to the fireplace is reserved for the old mid-
  wife, who usually visits the inn two or three ti-
  mes per week. The Rust Brother Sturkas drinks 
  his compulsory tankard alone at a corner table.
  The mead served at the Dead Man’s Hand 
  is watery and tasteless, but if you ask for so-
  mething else to drink, Olm can offer a good 
  wine from a barrel he bought from a merchant 
  passing through the village. When Mrs. Pol-
  lmor isn’t around, Olm brings out a barrel 
  of Yawim’s delicious beer. Wild boar, mutton 
  and game birds are being grilled on the open 
  fire. The meat is served with turnips and car-
  rots. Visitors short on silver can get a stew of 
  turnips and bacon rinds.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Olm, various guests.
  9. THE THREE SKULLS TAVERN, 
  BREWERY AND MILL
  On the river’s southern shore lies a mill, the wheel 
  of which slowly spins in the current. Connected to 
  the mill is a large, windowless building. Smoke 
  billows from a wide chimney, winding its way up 
  the hillock much like the Blood Mist. On the other 
  side of the street is two-story building, the upper 
  story made from timber tarred black. From this 
  building you can hear music and laughter. Three 
  small casks hang in chains from the roof of the 
  porch. A sign to the right of the door announces: 
  “Welcome to Three Skulls. Dwarves and other 
  beard-gobs: don’t bother.”
  The mill (9a) belongs to the dwarven brew-
  master Yawim who, due to a bitter history (see 
  below), hates dwarves and no longer considers 
  himself one of their kind.
  Seeds are milled in the mill and then trans-
  ported to the nearby brewery (9b). There, the 
  widely renowned dwarven beer is brewed. Tra-
  velers gladly make a detour to drink a tankard 
  at Yawim’s Three Skulls Tavern (9c), where the 
  mood is always merry. Yawim welcomes most 
  but will shoot daggers at richly bearded people 
  and wolfkin. People of dwarven heritage are in-
  variably ousted. If anyone points out to Yawim 
  that he himself is a dwarf, the entire place falls 
  silent and what happens next is anyone’s guess.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Brewmaster Yawim, D6 
  guests in the daytime, 2D6 guests in the 
  evening. There are D6 workers in the 
  brewery and the mill.
  10. HOUSE OF THE  
  VILLAGE ELDER
  At the base of the hillock, at the far end of the 
  square, stands an impressive longhouse with beau-
  tiful carvings hanging from the lining of the roof. In 
  the high, vaulted windows can be seen mosaics of 
  multi-colored glass. A wide staircase leads up to a 
  twin gate with iron fittings depicting meandering 
  plants.  
  Mrs. Pollmor’s great-grandmother had an im-
  pressive longhouse built into the hillside facing 
  the river. When the village elder’s husband was 
  alive they held grandiose feasts here once each 
  quarter, but now the dust lies thick on tables 
  and benches in the great hall. Mrs. Pollmor 
  
  the hollows
  203
  only furnishes the bedchamber, the study and 
  the kitchen. The smith’s daughter, Delia, helps 
  her with her household chores, arriving at the 
  house at dawn and leaving long after dark.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Mrs. Pollmor and Delia.
  11. THE OLD CEMETERY
  The northern part of the village completely chan-
  ges over to overgrown ruins. Headstones and once 
  beautiful but now crumbling crypts testify to this 
  area once being a cemetery. Here and there are 
  gnarly trees and scrubby bushes, making it hard to 
  move about. The entrances to the hollows of the dead 
  gape empty along the hillside. Many of the gates that 
  once held the undead at bay have moldered away 
  long ago. An uneasy silence rests over the place.   
  The old cemetery is taboo to the villagers, and 
  they don’t venture here other than to man the 
  northern watchtower. In the side of the hill are 
  crypts excavated for the dead. Most of them are 
  empty caves today, but behind an overgrown 
  stone gate you can find the intact grave of 
  Count Nepola (see The Crypt).
  12. THE NEW CEMETERY
  North of the village, outside the walls, are a num-
  ber of hills overgrown with grass and lilac and 
  heart-shaped flowers. A small stone building 
  with a small oaken gate with iron fittings has been 
  built beneath a large oak. Above the gate, carved 
  into the stone, is the rune of the Nightwalker.
  This is the burial site of the villagers. The small 
  building is dedicated to the Nightwalker, and 
  under no circumstances can light be allowed to 
  enter the building. Offerings are given to the 
  god each new moon and then only on the clou-
  diest of nights, when the night is at its darkest.
  13. CHAPEL
  At one end of the square is a chapel. A pointed roof 
  of painted tiles is built on top of a circle of wooden 
  columns. On the columns are carved beautiful 
  WHO DOES WHAT?
  Most of the inhabitants of The 
  Hollows grow their own beets, 
  bake their own bread and repair 
  their own things, but they often 
  turn to the blacksmith, the 
  matron, the gamekeeper, or the 
  brewmaster to repair complex 
  items or bulk up their stock of 
  food and drink.
  The adventurers can 
  purchase most everything in the 
  village. For provisions they can 
  turn to the matron. For tools 
  they’d go to the gamekeeper or 
  the fisherman. When it comes 
  to weapons and armor, the 
  blacksmith Ness might need a 
  little time, since he only stocks 
  spears and arrows. The prices 
  adhere to the list on page 182 in 
  the Player’s Handbook.
  
  chapter 9
  204
  reliefs of birds. The stone floor of the temple is co-
  vered with dried flowers, copper coins, crops and 
  animal bones.
  Once a month and on holy days, Olm conducts 
  a ceremony at the chapel. During the ceremo-
  ny, the gods Wail, Flow and the Nightwalker 
  are worshipped. The villagers pray for bounti-
  ful harvests and uncomplicated births, and ho-
  nor their dead. Small offerings of animals and 
  crops are left for the gods at the chapel.
  14. THE SMITHY
  The clanging sounds of smithing incessantly re-
  verberate from a building at the north end of the 
  square during the daytime hours. Large sections of 
  the building are open towards the square. Through 
  the smoke, you can make out a forge and a massive 
  anvil. Newly wrought tools hang from the roof.
  The blacksmith Ness makes and repairs the 
  tools of the village. If necessary, he can repair 
  and make weapons and armor. The blacksmith 
  lives with his wife Vira and three children in a 
  wing on the back side of the smithy.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: The blacksmith Ness, Vira.
  15. THE GAMEKEEPER’S CABIN
  In front of a small cabin that borders on the old 
  cemetery are racks with stretched skins and hi-
  des. Next to the racks is a massive wood table 
  covered with bloodstains and scraps of meat. On 
  the table are knives and other tools for slaugh-
  ter, and a cloud of flies buzz around a bucket 
  of innards. Close to the cabin is a roofed hanging 
  rack where some freshly slaughtered game hangs 
  to be tenderized.
  Gamekeeper Vike provides the villagers with 
  game and wildfowl. He slaughters the animals 
  and tan the skins if there is need for it. Inside 
  the the cabin, aside from Vike’s bunk, is a lar-
  ge, brick stove to cure and salt meat.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Gamekeeper Vike.
  16. THE FISHERMAN’S HOUSE
  Down by the river, close to the southeast river 
  gate, lies a skiff of black-tarred wood at a little jet-
  ty. On the jetty are racks where fishing nets hang, 
  flapping in the wind. Connected to a small wood 
  house is a large, bricked smokehouse. The entire 
  area is filled with the smell of newly smoked fish.
  The old fisherman Tolme and his wife Lita 
  have provided the village with fish for over fif-
  ty years. They miss their son, Brenn, who left 
  
  the hollows
  205
  the village seeking adventure in the Forbidden 
  Lands when the Blood Mist lifted, and would 
  love to hear from him again.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: The fisherman Tolme and 
  his wife Lita.
  17. THE ESTATE
  A couple of buildings lie clustered around an open 
  space where dirty children, hens and pigs run 
  around. Standing and barking by the gate in the 
  fence that encloses the area is a large, ragged dog. 
  A scent of freshly baked bread comingles with the 
  stench of manure.
  The matron, Gremla, keeps cows, hens and 
  pigs in these buildings. Her husband, Beidor, 
  performs miracles in the estate’s small bakery. 
  They live here together with their six children, 
  the work horse Ferga and the dog Ruts.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Gremla and Beidor with 
  their children.
  18. THE HOUSE OF  
  THE RUST BROTHER
  By the river, near the west wall, is an unremarka-
  ble little stone house. The shutters are closed, but the 
  thin line of smoke that rises from the chimney reve-
  als that someone lives here. Connected to the main 
  building is a small stable. In front of the cabin door 
  is a roughly hewn statue that depicts a woman, at 
  the base of which is a large wooden basin.
  The Rust Brother Sturkas spends most of his 
  time in the cabin. Every afternoon he makes 
  his rounds in the village, making sure that 
  everyone behaves. He usually concludes his 
  rounds with a tankard of mead at the Dead 
  Man’s Hand. The statue outside the cabin re-
  presents the goddess Heme, and the villagers 
  leave gifts of food and silver to the Rust Brot-
  her in the basin at its feet.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: The Rust Brother Sturkas.
  THE UNDEAD 
  At night, the streets of The 
  Hollow crawl with ghosts and 
  wraiths. The villagers have 
  learned to live with it. To the 
  right of every door on every 
  building in the village is a small 
  brass bell. Anyone going out 
  after dark would be wise to ring 
  the bell and speak the words: 
  “I come in peace and amity in 
  the hour of the dead.” This is to 
  warn the restless dead of one’s 
  arrival. In addition, one should 
  preferably walk only along the 
  paths lined with red-painted 
  stones. Anyone who deviates 
  from these rituals risks arou-
  sing the curiosity of the un-
  dead. The villagers have a habit 
  of intentionally “forgetting” to 
  explain this to newcomers, vie-
  wing it as an amusing prank.
  
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  206
  19. THE MIDWIFE’S COTTAGE
  On the hillside, between the gravestones and 
  mausoleums, lies a cottage erected from reeds 
  and mud. You reach the cottage by way of a detour 
  from the path that leads to the old temple. An 
  unclean animal hide covers the opening of the cot-
  tage, and from the jutting roof hang birdfeathers, 
  skeletons of dead animals and sheafs of herbs. A 
  warm light and smoke spills from the house’s sole 
  window.
  In the house lives the midwife and herbalist, 
  Nirvea. She helps the villagers with delivering 
  children and provides medicinal treatments 
  for the sick. All in exchange for alms and help 
  with manual labor.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: The midwife Nirvea.
  20. ENCLOSURE
  Grazing in an enclosure by the eastern wall are a 
  couple of cows and horses.
  The matron Gremla keeps her animals in the 
  enclosures.
  21. THE CRYPT
  A large stone is recessed in the greenery of the hil-
  lock. Upon a closer look, you notice that the rock is 
  hewn in the likeness of a gate. There is no handle.
  The stone gate has to be unearthed and opened 
  with a crowbar or similar tool. Succeeding in 
  this requires a successful roll for MIGHT. There 
  is room for three people to help each other. If 
  the roll fails, the stone disk falls on someone’s 
  foot (attack with four dice, Weapon Damage 1) or 
  rolls down the hillside, crashing into a building.
  A – CORRIDOR: A dark corridor is excavated 
  into the side of the hillock. The ceiling of the cor-
  ridor is supported by stone columns adorned with 
  reliefs depicting skulls and demonic faces. A green 
  light flickers from a chamber a couple of meters 
  further into the hillock. From the chamber you can 
  hear a woman sobbing.
  B – BURIAL CHAMBER: The corridor ends in a 
  circular chamber, about six meters wide. Stan-
  ding sarcophagi, hewn from rock, are placed in 
  three alcoves. The sarcophagus opposite the en-
  trance of the chamber is adorned with reliefs, the 
  ones to the right and left are smooth. The left one 
  is considerably smaller than the others and most 
  likely belongs to a deceased child or halfling. In 
  the middle of the chamber is a brazier, in which 
  burns a green fire. At the base of the smaller sar-
  cophagus, on the dusty stone floor, sits a woman 
  dressed in a dress of black and blue. Her figure is 
  semi-transparent and flickers slightly in the green 
  glow from the brazier. She sobs and murmurs 
  softly in an incomprehensible language.
  The woman on the floor is the undead coun-
  tess, Ursula. She mourns her son, who was kil-
  led by Zygofer, and has done so for the last 300 
  years. She was placed here by Zygofer to make 
  sure that the spirit of Count Nepola remains 
  in its sarcophagus. Should the adventurers 
  communicate with her, she will lament her 
  child’s death at the hand of the evil sorcerer, 
  and try to convince them to avenge her and the 
  child. For more information, see the section 
  on Events below.
  
  the hollows
  207
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: The undead countess Ursula 
  and the count Nepola.
   
  ✥
  TREASURES: The countess has a comb of 
  silver set with sapphires (worth 2D6 gold 
  coins). She is, however, loathe to part with 
  it. The count has an old circlet of gold 
  with inscriptions describing the heroic 
  deeds of his family (worth D6 gold coins). 
  In the boy’s sarcophagus is a gilded toy 
  rattle (worth D6 silver coins).
  MONSTERS  
  AND NPCS
  The most prominent individuals in the vil-
  lage, as well as the princely couple Ursula and 
  Nepola, are described below. The other inhabi-
  tants are presented in a table.
  MRS. POLLMOR
  The village elder, Mrs. Pollmor, is an elderly 
  woman whose family has run the village for 
  generations. She makes sure that the wall is 
  decently functional, runs a militia, maintains 
  the well, keeps the river clean, is responsible for 
  fire protection, tends to the temple and sees to 
  it that the latrines are emptied, as well as col-
  lecting taxes from those who don’t contribute 
  to the aforementioned chores. Mrs. Pollmor 
  is known as “The Bailiff” among those who 
  dislike her. Ever since her man passed away she 
  has become increasingly introverted and, aside 
  from the occasional visit to Dead Man’s Hand, 
  keeps to her rocking chair in front of the fire-
  place at home. Mrs. Pollmor lives in the sha-
  dow of her great-grandmother, who is held up 
  as the founder of the village. With age, she has 
  also become greedy and mean. She abuses her 
  power and skirts her sense of justice more and 
  more to misappropriate benefits for herself. 
  The innkeeper, Olm and Ness, the blacksmith, 
  are hoping that the conflict between the elder 
  and Yawim, the brewmaster, will kindle an em-
  ber in the frozen heart of Mrs. Pollmor.
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 2, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Lore 2, Insight 3, Manipulation 4
  GEAR: A large bronze amulet with a piece 
  of amber at its centre – a sign of her office 
  (worth D6 silver coins)
  BREWMASTER YAWIM
  The brewmaster Yawim is an angry dwarf who 
  was driven out of the Meromannian clan many 
  
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  208
  years ago, when it was revealed that he had been 
  using a human recipe for making mead. Yawim 
  drifted around for a while and ended up in The 
  Hollows, where he settled. Over the years, he 
  has developed a burning hatred towards all 
  dwarves, repressing the fact that he himself 
  belongs to this kin. He shaves every morning, 
  simmering with rage.
  Yawim possesses exceptional brewing skills 
  and runs the Three Skulls Tavern, which has 
  become very popular in a short amount of 
  time. Yawim’s rich beer is known far and wide 
  and, through his grand plans for trade, the 
  dwarf has wound up on a collision course with 
  the elder. He dislikes Mrs. Pollmor’s leader-
  ship and finds her increasing taxation of his 
  brewery business extremely provocative. Yawim 
  is constantly on the look-out for new allies, ho-
  ping to one day challenge the village elder for 
  her office.
  Yawim is a beardless dwarf with a shaved 
  head and a gut that grows ever larger in step 
  with his fondness for beer. He is boisterous and 
  always close to laughter or anger.
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 2, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Melee 3, Crafting 2, Insight 1,        
  Manipulation 2
  GEAR: Axe, ornamented chalice made from 
  the horn of a minotaur hanging in a chain 
  from his belt (worth D6 gold coins)
  RUST BROTHER STURKAS
  Few know Sturkas’s name and most of the vil-
  lagers only speak of him as “the Rust Brot-
  her” – usually with a hint of fear in their 
  voices. Sturkas is a large, dark-haired man, 
  dressed in a yellow and red cloak adorned with 
  details of rusted iron. His face is disfigured by 
  the scars of innumerable battles. To the outsi-
  de world, he strictly adheres to the laws of the 
  Rust Brothers, but in truth, he is remorseful 
  of cruel acts in his younger years. He turns a 
  blind eye to the midwife and her witchcraft, 
  and secretly cares for the “village idiot”, 
  Perko. Should he, however, discover that the 
  midwife is a Raven Sister he will resolutely act 
  according to the regulations of the Rust Brot-
  hers – i.e., kill her. The Rust Brother is on 
  Mrs. Pollmor’s side in the escalating conflict 
  in the village, but may choose to switch sides 
  if he feels that it suits him. 
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  TALENTS: Path of Blood 2
  SKILLS: Melee 3, Crafting 2, Insight 1,        
  Manipulation 2
  GEAR: Longsword, chainmail
  
  the hollows
  209
  MIDWIFE NIRVEA
  Midwife Nirvea is secretly a Raven Sister and 
  the only person, except for Vike, who had been 
  in contact with the outside world even before the 
  Blood Mist dispersed. The villagers see her only 
  as a wise woman who delivers their children, pro-
  vides them with medications and gives them ad-
  vice. Nirvea has been on the run since her temple 
  was put to the flame by the Rust Brothers, and 
  hopes to one day find the strength to leave The 
  Hollows and seek out her fellow sisters. She may 
  consider joining the adventurers as a healer. She 
  despises the Rust Brother Sturkas and everyth-
  ing he stands for, and will attempt to kill him if 
  the opportunity arises.
  Nirvea appears older than her 40 years and 
  is dressed in dirty sheets of cloth and a hood. 
  She speaks with consideration, softly and slowly.
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  TALENTS: Path of Healing 2, Path of Sight 1
  SKILLS: Lore 2, Insight 2, Healing 4
  GEAR: Satchel with herbs (Gear Bonus +2 to  
  HEALING), leather pouch with raven bones 
  for divinations
  THE “VILLAGE IDIOT” PERKO
  One morning almost ten years ago, Perko’s pa-
  rents were gone when he woke up. It is said that 
  they were taken to the “other side” by ghosts 
  and that Perko became wraithbit (half-undead) 
  at the same time. Ever since that day, Perko has 
  lived on the alms of the villagers and because 
  of this, they consider it their right to mock and 
  humiliate the boy.
  Perko drifts aimlessly around town and is 
  mostly ignored by the villagers. For this rea-
  son, he knows many of the villagers’ secrets, 
  and would surely have been a great source of 
  information if he hadn’t gone mute after his 
  parents’ disappearance.
  Perko is a teenage boy with dirty, cut-off 
  tights and a muddy tunic. His hair straggles 
  in all directions and his stare is maniacal. He 
  stuffs his pockets with dead birds, messy muck, 
  insects and other items of interest that he glad-
  ly offers as gifts to those he meets.
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 1
  SKILLS: Move 2, Sleight of Hand 3
  GEAR: Nothing of value
  COUNT NEPOLA
  Nepola was ordered by Zygofer to muster his 
  soldiers in the battle against King Algarod, 
  which raged over three hundred years ago. 
  The count refused, since he had heard of the 
  sorcerer’s abominable experiments, and stood 
  neutrally aside during the battle.
  Zygofer’s revenge was of the cruelest 
  kind. Nepola was buried alive and condem-
  ned to remain in the world in eternal un-
  death. By quenching the green flame that 
  burns in the grave’s brazier, the adventurers 
  can free Nepola and send him to the realm 
  of death.
  The count is a tall and proud man with a 
  bronze crown and a trimmed mantle. His ethe-
  real face tells of sorrow and regret.
  
  chapter 9
  210
  STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  ARMOR: None. Ghosts are undead crea-
  tures, but immaterial, and can only be 
  injured by fire or magic. Even if the ghost 
  is defeated it will only be banished for a 
  quarter of a day before it returns. The only 
  way to permanently banish the ghost is 
  through the spell PURGE UNDEAD (see page 
  124 in the Player’s Handbook). 
  FOR MONSTER ATTACKS, see page 94.
  COUNTESS URSULA
  Ursula was persuaded by Zygofer to betray her 
  husband Nepola in exchange for her son’s life. 
  The treacherous sorcerer broke his promise 
  and buried both the son and the countess 
  alive with the count. As a ghost, she is for-
  ced to guard her husband’s sarcophagus and 
  make sure that he is never allowed to flee his 
  prison. She gladly tells her story, but leaves 
  out the part of her betrayal against the count. 
  She pleads with graverobbers to avenge the 
  wrongs that Zygofer has committed against 
  her family.
  She is bound by Zygofer’s magic to prevent 
  anyone from freeing her husband from his 
  prison. Should the adventurers try to open 
  the count’s sarcophagus, she will try to con-
  vince them not to. See more under Events, 
  below.
  STRENGTH 6, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  ARMOR: See above.
  FOR MONSTER ATTACKS, see page 94 in the 
  Bestiary chapter.
  THE UNDEAD
  The undead that haunt The Hollows take 
  many shapes. Some are just ethereal ghosts, 
  others are decayed corpses of the dead who 
  have risen from their graves. The undead 
  keep within the walls of the village and are 
  only active at night. In proximity to the old 
  temple site they become especially active. For 
  ideas on what the undead may be up to, see 
  the table entitled Strange Events in The Hol-
  lows on page 196.
  For stats for the undead, see the Bestiary 
  in Chapter 5.
  EVENTS
  When the adventurers arrive at the village 
  for the first time, the villagers will be averse 
  towards them. The people here haven’t really 
  become used to strangers yet and will treat 
  them with suspicion. People will close their 
  
  the hollows
  211
  OTHER NPCS:
  NAME
  PROFESSION
  ATTRIBUTES
  SKILLS
  OTHER
  Olm
  Innkeeper 
  and religious 
  leader
  Strength 3
  Agility 3
  Wits 3
  Empathy 3
  Melee 1, Lore 1, 
  Crafting 2
  Dagger
  Vike
  Gamekeeper
  Strength 3
  Agility 4
  Wits 3
  Empathy 2
  Melee 1, Marksman-
  ship 3, Crafting 3, 
  Healing 1, Survival 2, 
  Animal Handling 2
  Longbow, knife
  Gremla
  Matron
  Strength 3
  Agility 2
  Wits 4
  Empathy 3
  Crafting 2, Lore 1, 
  Animal Handling 3
  Beidor
  Baker
  Strength 2
  Agility 3
  Wits 2
  Empathy 4
  Crafting 3
  Ness
  Blacksmith
  Strength 4
  Agility 2
  Wits 3
  Empathy 3
  Might 2, Melee 2, 
  Crafting 3
  Warhammer
  Tolme
  Fisherman
  Strength 1
  Agility 2
  Wits 3
  Empathy 3
  Crafting 2, Lore 2
  Knife
  –
  Militia guard
  Strength 3
  Agility 3
  Wits 2
  Empathy 2
  Melee 1, Marksman-
  ship 1
  Spear or axe,  
  leather armor, 
  some have short 
  bows
  shutters, keep their children close and make 
  signs to the gods when passing them in the 
  street, but the adventurers are always welco-
  me at the tavern of Dead Man’s Hand or at 
  the Three Skulls Tavern. Let them struggle 
  to get a hold of food, equipment and infor-
  mation. If the adventurers act good-natured-
  ly, however, they will soon be accepted and 
  
  chapter 9
  212
  sooner or later embroiled in the conflicts in 
  the village. Below are described a couple of 
  possible events.
  THE BEER WAR
  One of the villagers tells of the conflict bet-
  ween Mrs. Pollmor and brewmaster Yawim. 
  Yawim refuses to pay tax, and is not con-
  forming to the general order in the village. 
  Mrs. Pollmor is attempting to impede the 
  brewmaster’s business through taxation and 
  strict regulations. Skew the conversation 
  in favor of either party, depending on who 
  the adventurers are talking to. The visitors 
  at Dead Man’s Hand are generally positive 
  towards Mrs. Pollmor and negative towards 
  Yawim. At the Three Skulls it’s the opposite. 
  Feel free to let the adventurers speak to se-
  veral different villagers who all tell different 
  versions of the conflict.
  YAWIM’S SPEECH: On a visit to the Three 
  Skulls, Yawim gets up on one of the tables 
  and delivers an impassioned speech to the 
  guests. He says that now that the Blood 
  Mist has lifted, the world lies at all of their 
  feet. There are opportunities for trade, ex-
  changing information and cooperation with 
  other settlements, but the “greedy Bailiff ” 
  seeks to prevent this! If the adventurers ask 
  him he will tell them, acid dripping from 
  every word, of how the “Bailiff ” has taxed 
  his journeys downriver and how she makes 
  his crew perform inane tasks like emptying 
  latrines and guarding the wall. He conclu-
  des with a silent declaration that “the hag’s 
  number is up”.
  MRS. POLLMOR’S MISSION: On a visit to 
  the Dead Man’s Hand, the adventurers are 
  discreetly approached by Mrs. Pollmor. She 
  claims to have a mission for them, but won’t 
  say what it is until they have agreed to carry 
  it out. As payment, she offers weapons, food, 
  equipment and maybe a horse. If they accept, 
  she says that the dwarf Yawim has gone too 
  far. His business attracts strangers from 
  other settlements and it’s only a question of 
  time before robbers, orcs and other pests at-
  tack the village.
  Mrs. Pollmor wants the players to sabo-
  tage the brewmaster’s river craft. She warns 
  them to be discreet, and doesn’t want any 
  villagers hurt. When the adventurers carry 
  out the mission, they’ll be observed by Per-
  ko, the village idiot. With a successful roll 
  for SCOUTING, they discover the boy. Should 
  the adventurers turn down the mission, she 
  will convince gamekeeper Vike to take on the 
  mission. Vike will then set fire to the boats 
  at night.
  THE VENDETTA: Brewmaster Yawim is fu-
  rious and accuses Mrs. Pollmor of the sa-
  botage. He offers the adventurers 15 silver if 
  they put “the old hag” down. He will extend 
  this offer regardless of whether it was the ad-
  venturers who performed the sabotage. He 
  is dead sure that it is Mrs. Pollmor and her 
  underlings who have sabotaged his business. 
  Should the adventurers say no, Yawim will 
  gather a posse of loyal villagers to carry out 
  the deed. He treats them to large quantities 
  of beer and then incites them against Mrs. 
  Pollmor. They arm themselves and cross the 
  bridge, walking towards the village elder’s 
  
  the hollows
  213
  house. Gamekeeper Vike, Ness the black-
  smith and Olm the innkeeper will rush to 
  the elder’s defense.
  THE MUTE: The “village idiot” Perko has 
  many hiding places and listens in on most 
  everyone and everything. The GM can use 
  the boy to give the adventurers information 
  or to warn them. Maybe he saw when Vike 
  set fire to the brewmaster’s river boats or 
  he’ll warn them in time as Yawim is gathe-
  ring his loyalists at the Three Skulls before 
  storming Mrs. Pollmor’s residence. Remem-
  ber that Perko is mute and only communica-
  tes through sign language.
  THE RUST BROTHER: The Rust Brother 
  Sturkas will intervene as the situation esca-
  lates. As soon as the sabotage against Yawim 
  comes to light, he will start interrogating 
  the villagers and the adventurers to try and 
  uncover who is responsible for the deed. 
  Should it be revealed that Mrs. Pollmor is 
  responsible it may very well be that Sturkas 
  takes Yawim’s side in the conflict. The old 
  warrior acts decisively and won’t balk at acts 
  of cruelty in order to get his way. Use the 
  Rust Brother to even out the odds in the 
  conflict if it is skewed in the favor of either 
  party.
  A NEW AGE: If Yawim wins the conflict, 
  he will name himself village elder. He will 
  advocate more contact and more trade with 
  other settlements. Soon, everything goes 
  back to normal, with the difference that the 
  village now dedicates itself mostly to trade 
  instead of subsistence.
  THE RAVEN SISTER
  The Rust Brother exposes Nirvea as a Raven 
  Sister. Maybe the adventurers or someone else 
  finds a clue during a visit to the midwife. The 
  Rust Brother accuses the woman of witchcraft, 
  and announces that she will be burnt at the 
  stake.
  THE ATTACK
  A band of robbers, goblins, or some other pests 
  have heard of the village’s “riches” and attack 
  at night. The adventurers are forced to aid in 
  the defense. The Hollows’ undead may possibly 
  be of assistance.
  THE DWARVES
  A delegation of dwarves arrive at the village. 
  They are on the hunt for the traitor Yawim, 
  and demand his surrender. Yawim attempts to 
  convince the villagers and the adventurers of 
  his innocence. Whether he speaks the truth or 
  not is up to the adventurers to decide.
  THE SECRET OF THE CRYPT
  The adventurers will sooner rather than later 
  discover the crypt in the hillside northwest 
  of town. This is a possible scenario if they at-
  tempt to plunder the crypt:
   
  ✥
  The villagers can impart that the temple 
  site is haunted and warn the adventurers 
  about venturing there. They can say that 
  a mighty count is buried somewhere in 
  the hillock.
   
  ✥
  Those who examine the site are attacked 
  
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  or harassed by the undead. None of the 
  safeguards that the villagers use against 
  ghosts and wraiths work here.
   
  ✥
  If they find the entrance to the 
  count’s grave, they have to dig 
  their way in. 
   
  ✥
  Once inside the count’s crypt, 
  they can talk to the coun-
  tess. She tries to persuade 
  the adventurers to avenge her 
  husband and child. She tells of 
  how the evil sorcerer Zygofer 
  buried them alive in the crypt. 
  The GM may choose to impart 
  any information about Zygofer 
  that she deems suitable for 
  her campaign. Ursula will 
  not reveal her betrayal of her 
  husband to the adventurers. 
  Her time locked in the crypt 
  as one of the undead has 
  made her quite insane. She 
  attempts to convince the 
  adventurers not to open her 
  husband’s sarcophagus, threate-
  ning them with his wrath.
   
  ✥
  Should the adventurers still choose 
  to open Nepola’s sarcophagus, the 
  count will manifest as a spectral phan-
  tasm. The count will accuse his wife 
  of betraying him, at the same time as 
  she accuses him of his prideful nature 
  being responsible for their son’s death. 
  The adventurers may choose sides in the 
  conflict or battle both of the undead.
   
  ✥
  By extinguishing the green flame, they 
  free the count and send his spirit to its 
  eternal rest.   
   
  ✥
  If the adventurers defeat the countess, 
  she will reform in the same spot after a 
  quarter of a day, now with a bone to pick 
  with the adventurers, and will haunt 
  them until they return the treasures of 
  the crypt. The only way to banish her is 
  through the spell PURGE UNDEAD.
  
  Fog drifts like shredded souls through the windswept 
  mountain pass you traverse. As the fog disperses for a 
  moment, you see the crumbling stronghold Weather-
  stone rise against the northern side of the mountain 
  pass, surrounded by a moat filled with muddy wa-
  ter. The landscape is barren, only thorny bushes and 
  sharp grass survive in these lands. It is quiet, apart 
  from singing and strange animal sounds the likes of 
  which you have never heard before. Naked bones 
  from horses and humans are strewn along the road 
  closest to the stronghold. A fire burns in the watch-
  tower in front of the stronghold and the smell of food 
  drifts on the wind.
  BACKGROUND
  Since Algarod’s army was defeated in the year 
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  874, Zygofer’s daughter, Therania, has brought 
  the king and a host of his men back to unlife. 
  After some time, she tired of the regent’s cold 
  embrace and appointed Algarod guardian of the 
  abandoned stronghold Weatherstone, where Zy-
  gofer had set up a field laboratory for his exper-
  iments. The remaining war chest of the Alder-
  landers was hidden in the stronghold’s dungeons 
  close to the laboratory, as a reserve.
  Today the hold is no longer used by the 
  mighty sorcerer, and his experiments lie aban-
  doned in the hold’s subterranean chambers. The 
  undead king and his soldiers are at last free from 
  their eternal guard duty and are allowed to rest 
  in the embrace of death. But the curse is not ful-
  ly lifted, as every full moon the undead rise and 
  resume their duty as if nothing ever happened.
  The demonic creatures in the laboratory 
  TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Castle
  weatherstone
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  broke loose a long time ago. Zygofer, in his 
  new bestial form called Zytera (more on that in 
  the Raven’s Purge campaign book), lets them 
  guard Algarod’s war chest since it is of no use 
  right now. The laboratory was primitive to 
  begin with and its creatures disposable from a 
  scientific point of view.
  GETTING HERE
  There are many different ways in which the 
  adventurers can find Weatherstone. They may 
  have found a map that leads here, heard the 
  stories of the place, or encountered one of the 
  events below.
  THE YELLOW-EYED DEER
  The adventurers suddenly get a glimpse of a 
  mangificent creature, a deer with grand horns. 
  It runs off with uncanny speed, only to then 
  and again stop and look back at the adventurers, 
  as if waiting for them to catch up. The deer is 
  actually the trickster demon Merigall, trying 
  to lure the adventurers to Weatherstone. The 
  adventurers will lose sight of the creature just 
  before they spot the castle of Weatherstone. 
  The demon has then transformed itself into 
  the form of the old bard Dalb (see Location 1).
  THE TIRED TREASURE HUNTER
  A moaning is heard from a camp site nearby. 
  The adventurers find it abandonded except for 
  the tired, and very drunk, man known as Rolk. 
  It was here that the treasure hunters under 
  Esgar Farthing’s command (see below) made 
  camp before they moved on to Weatherstone. 
  The party consumed plenty of wine, and no one 
  more so than Rolk, and his companions forgot 
  him when they broke camp at dawn. Rolk is not 
  too worried though, and has happily continued 
  to empty his wine jug and tells any passersby 
  that his companions are headed for an old cas-
  tle nearby to find “on ol’ treasure.”
  LEGEND
  Ten generations before our time, the cruel king 
  Algarod declared that Alderland had become 
  overcrowded. He sought to expand his kingdom by 
  leading an army across the mountains to Raven-
  land, where he fell in battle against the demonic 
  hordes of the sorcerer Zygofer. As he was lost, 
  so too was the sceptre Nekhaka, rumored to be 
  the source of his power. However, the will of the 
  king burned so fiercely that he refused to die and 
  for ages stood watch in the stronghold of Weath-
  erstone. Legend has it that Algarod will march 
  again one day, to retrieve the spire of Nekhaka 
  and complete his conquest of Ravenland. But the 
  curse was suddenly broken and the undead king 
  and his men finally went to their final rest. There 
  RECOMMENDED READING
  You can read about king Algar-
  od and Therania on page 27.
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  are whispers that Algarod’s war chest remains in 
  Weatherstone, forever guarded by evil spirits and 
  the beasts of the sorcerer.
   LOCATIONS
  Major locations at the castle are described below.
  1. WATCHTOWER
  The ragged watchtower stands like a newborn next 
  to the stronghold ruin on the cliff behind it. Vines 
  cling to its withered walls. Trails of smoke rise from 
  the caved-in roof. Someone has a fire going.
  The watchtower’s withered and cracked 
  stones are overgrown with rust-colored, de-
  monic vines, escaped from Zytera’s labora-
  tory. The plant looks very unpleasant with 
  their small, finger-like outgrowths, but they 
  are completely harmless. However, they do 
  emit horrible screams from their pores if 
  branches are broken off or cut. This noise is 
  audible across the entire valley and puts ev-
  eryone on edge. Any parts of the plants that 
  are removed decay to mush within a minute 
  or so.
  The old bard, Dalb, has struck camp in the 
  tower and is in the midst of cooking a rabbit over 
  the fire. He invites the adventurers to eat with 
  him around the fire. After the meal, he lights 
  his pipe and tells them the legend of Weather-
  stone (see above). After which he continues:
  You are not the first to ask about Weatherstone this 
  evening. Esgar Farthing and his men shared these 
  WHO IS DALB?
  The Bard who calls himself 
  Dalb is in reality the demon 
  Merigall. He is allied with the 
  sorcerer Zytera and looks 
  upon the Forbidden Lands 
  as his playground, where he 
  performs more or less cruel 
  pranks on the simple inhab-
  itants. The tale that Dalb/
  Merigall tells the adventurers 
  is largely true.
  Esgar Farthing and his men 
  are indeed entering the strong-
  hold. There is a demon beast in 
  the cellar. King Algarod’s sword 
  Rustbite is indeed magical. But 
  the sword is also the very item 
  that is the key to the dormant 
  curse over Algarod and his 
  undead men. Whoever touches 
  the sword activates the curse 
  once again, and wakes the king 
  and his soldiers from their rest. 
  Dalb/Merigall has no 
  further role in this adventure. 
  He will leave the tower before 
  the adventurers exit Weath-
  erstone. But this won’t be 
  the last time that he crosses 
  path with the adventurers. 
  More about that in the Raven’s 
  Purge campaign book.
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  1
  3
  4
  5
  6
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  very quarters just recently. They seek the weapon 
  of king Algarod, the mighty sword Rustbite. Esgar 
  is an impatient man and they left for the strong-
  hold immediately. But there is something I never 
  told them, something that you fellows might find 
  of interest…
  Dalb inhales deeply from the pipe and looks at 
  the adventurers over the crackling fire.
  The undead lie in eternal rest, but Weatherstone 
  is still a dangerous place. In the cellar lurks an 
  unholy beast. A creature so vile that it can rip the 
  limbs off a full-grown man. But there is a way to 
  slay it: with the sword of king Algarod. Find the 
  sword and you can kill the beast. Kill the beast and 
  treasure awaits. Simple, no?
  2. THE MAIN GATE
  The drawbridge to the main gate has rotted 
  through and fallen into the moat. The water is 
  cloudy and foul-smelling. Unknown creatures 
  move in the depths, sending ripples through the 
  algae on the surface.
  A muddy moat runs around Weatherstone 
  into which a foul creature from the laboratory 
  has escaped. The drawbridge has collapsed, so 
  access to the castle must be gained elsewhere. 
  Nearby, there is a cache of half-rotten timber 
  that can be used to create a makeshift bridge 
  or raft to cross the moat (to do this the skill 
  CRAFT can come in handy). Another option 
  is to simply wade or swim through the moat. 
  In any case, the adventurers might encounter 
  problems in the form of the hungry creature 
  (see The Moat under Events below).
  3. THE HOUSE OF KNIGHTS
  You reach a gloomy hall, once a place for sump-
  tuous feasts. Now it is only home to death and 
  decay. The remains of rotting flesh and moldy 
  tapestries spread an odor thick enough to make 
  any living visitor gag. In old wooden chairs and 
  on the cold stone floor are the remains of what 
  once must have been the king’s Alderlander sol-
  diers. It is as if they had fallen during a final 
  supper.
  A large, somewhat intact house close to the 
  gate contains the main feast hall, an audi-
  ence hall, guest quarters, kitchen and ser-
  vant’s quarters. The soldiers’ corpses still 
  have flesh on them, but they are almost 
  mummified.  
   
   
  WHEN THE UNDEAD AWAKE
  Where once silence reigned, now a 
  macabre feast is taking place. Two 
  dozen undead soldiers are at the 
  tables. The food on the tables are 
  rocks and the liquid in whatever jugs 
  remain whole has been scooped up 
  directly from the moat. The guests 
  move slowly, only emitting a rustling 
  like thousands of rats running across 
  dry leaves. 
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Around one hundred un-
  dead, most of them peaceful, walk around 
  here. Some of them not so peaceful, how-
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  ever, and might challenge any newcomer 
  to a duel, etc. Most of them believe they 
  are still alive. If the alarm bell on top 
  of the tower rings, all the undead in the 
  stronghold will be hostile to any strangers 
  and suddenly become more active.
   
  ✥
  TREASURE: In the mess, there are D6 sil-
  ver jugs worth D6 silver coins each. If the 
  undead are awake, the jugs have owners 
  that are unwilling to part with them.
  4. THE RAVINE
  It’s as if the axe of a giant has cleft both the strong-
  hold and the rock in two, and left a deep, infected 
  wound from which the sound and stench of the 
  mountain’s death rattle rises. A single chain spans 
  the darkness of the ravine, and it is obvious there 
  used to be a bridge here. The opposite wall with 
  the yawning portal into the eastern half of the 
  stronghold is five meters away.
  A deep ravine splits Weatherstone into west-
  ern and eastern parts. Two drawbridges could 
  be found here (at locations #4 and #7 on the 
  map). The lower bridge has rotted through, 
  fallen away, and left a gap of about five meters. 
  A single rusty chain remains. Since the ravine 
  was used as a dump site for the laboratory, it is 
  slowly filling up with all sorts of semi-living 
  debris that may very well be aggressive.
  At the bottom of the ravine there’s a cave 
  that was used as a wagon house. The shells of a 
  couple of wagons still remain. There are locked 
  chests emblazoned with the heraldry of Alder-
  land on the wagons, but the chests are empty 
  aside from a few coins and the excrement of har-
  pies. The harpies up in the Theater Tower hid 
  most of the coins in a crevice close to their nest 
  a long time ago and also put some in a catapult.
  The bell that can be rung to gain access can 
  be found in the muck directly under the draw-
  bridge (see location #7 on the map).
   
  ✥
  TREASURE: D6 copper coins, D6 silver 
  coins, and one VALUABLE find in the chests 
  at the bottom of the ravine.
  5. THE LABORATORY
  A stench of rot and sharp elixirs rolls out of this area. 
  These chambers were grand once – the remains of 
  silk and old portraits that haven’t been torn down 
  still hang on the walls. Now the rooms are filled 
  with cauldrons, pools, broken pottery, dissection ta-
  bles and other items and things. Everything is cov-
  ered with dust, but to your horror, you realize the 
  body parts of animals and humans that have been 
  nailed to the walls seem to have been alive up until 
  recently. Something is moving in the debris.
  The lord of the stronghold lived in the building 
  beyond the ravine, along with his family and his 
  closest knights. Zygofer used the buildings as a 
  laboratory until the stronghold was abandoned.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: An incomplete hybrid of 
  human, scorpion, and lion is crawling 
  around, looking for its missing parts. It 
  is very aggressive and wants to take parts 
  from any intruders. The GM can add 
  more demonic creatures as he sees fit.
   
  ✥
  TREASURE: D6 urns containing weird 
  experiments (body parts, eyes, a brain, 
  a strange insect). Worth D6 silver coins 
  apiece to the right death magician. 
  weatherstone
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  6. THE THEATER TOWER AND 
  THE NEST OF THE HARPIES
  The roof has collapsed in on a theater whose gal-
  leries climbed the inner walls of the tower. A 
  handful of large, flying creatures screech close to 
  the ceiling as soon as you step inside. The silhou-
  ettes of their winged bodies can be seen against the 
  open sky above. The central stage of the tower is 
  smeared with excrement and covered with the 
  rancid remains of the creatures’ feasts.
  The Theater Tower, where plays and fenc-
  ing shows were put on for the amusement of 
  the guests, has been taken over by six harpies 
  grown in the laboratory. The creatures are 
  short-tempered and will attack or play horrid 
  games with the guests if they appear to be too 
  strong to fight. A terrace on the outside of the 
  tower with a balustrade and a gorgeous view 
  can be reached from the top tiers of the gal-
  leries. The harpies have hidden most of what 
  remains of Algarod’s war chest in a crevice on 
  the eastern side of the mountain below the 
  terrace. The coins are loose or kept in ragged 
  linen bags from the chests.
  If you know where the treasure is, it can 
  be reached by climbing down on a rope. A 
  small number of coins are loaded in the still 
  functioning catapult on the terrace, which is 
  primed and aimed over the edge of the cliff to 
  the east. The catapult seems to be loaded with 
  coins, but underneath the top layer is crushed 
  pyrite – a substance that appears to be me-
  tallic from a distance. If some intrepid trea-
  sure hunter approaches, the harpies will fire 
  the catapult, scattering the coins across the 
  landscape unless they get what they want (see 
  Events). There are three skeletons in the har-
  pies’ nest from infants they have stolen from 
  some village, along with a few improvised toys 
  and the remains of rats they attempted to feed 
  the children with.
   
  ✥
  TREASURE: In the catapult there are 2D6 
  copper coins and D6 silver coins.
  At the bottom of the crevasse is what 
  remains of the Alderlander war chest: 5D6 
  copper coins, 4D6 silver coins and 2D6 gold 
  coins.
  7. DRAWBRIDGE
  A drawbridge has been raised on the other side of 
  the ravine. It is in better condition than the rest of 
  the stronghold.
  The upper drawbridge to the king’s tower re-
  mains, but it is raised on the far side. 
   
   
  WHEN THE UNDEAD AWAKE
  The undead guardsmen will lower 
  the drawbridge if the bell that could 
  once be found on the east side of 
  the ravine is tolled. However, it has 
  fallen to the bottom of the ravine, 
  where it can be found, approximately 
  thirty meters down. The guardsmen 
  may also ask for a password, but have 
  forgotten it themselves and won’t 
  open the gate in the drawbridge at 
  all, or they may accept any password. 
  If the adventurers get across the 
  ravine without the bridge being low-
  ered, the undead guardsmen become 
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  aggressive and attack. One of them 
  goes to ring the alarm bell on the top 
  of the tower.
  8. GUARD POST AND SERVANTS’ 
  QUARTERS
  A curved room flanked by rows of spears and 
  rusty swords along one wall and a number of 
  viewing slits on the other. The moulded corpses of 
  thirty or so soldiers rest on the cold floor. Fallen at 
  their post.
  The guard post consists of barracks and an ar-
  mory. The rest of this level is made up of ser-
  vants’ quarters, a kitchen, etc. There are arrow 
  slits that direct towards the lower parts of the 
  stronghold.
   
  ✥
  TREASURE: None, but there are plenty of 
  rusty weapons. 
   
   
  WHEN THE UNDEAD AWAKE
  The cacophony of a score of undead 
  marching back and forth in the barren, 
  curved room resounds off its walls. 
  They turn after loudly slamming 
  into the far wall. The sun is shining in 
  through the many arrow slits, spear-
  ing through the dust torn up by the 
  soldiers. Archers watch the lower parts 
  of the stronghold from the slits.
  There are around thirty undead in the build-
  ing, half of whom are soldiers, the other half 
  servants. The archers’ bow strings have long 
  since rotted away, a fact which they don’t 
  understand. Instead, they pretend to shoot 
  and then drop sticks and other debris out 
  the slits since they are out of arrows. If the 
  alarm has been sounded or intruders show 
  up without the bridge being lowered, these 
  undead will believe they are under attack and 
  become hostile. One of them will also leave 
  to ring the alarm bell to warn the rest of the 
  stronghold.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Undead soldiers and servants.
   
  ✥
  TREASURE: None, but a few rusty swords 
  and spears.
  9. ALGAROD’S TOWER
  The chamber at the top of the tower is quiet and 
  smells of mold and perfume. A large four-poster 
  bed stands against the far wall, flanked by suits of 
  armor. On the bed rests the remains of a man in 
  weatherstone
  223
  
  full plate armor with a helmet and a crown. King 
  Algarod of Alderland in his eternal rest. On his 
  chest, the king’s gloved hands clutch a large, beau-
  tifully crafted sword.
  The tower is furnished for the former lord of 
  the stronghold, and holds a large combined 
  bed chamber and observatory at the top of 
  the tower. Here rests King Algarod. His 
  three bodyguards can be found in an adjoin-
  ing chamber. 
  If an adventurer touches the sword, the 
  king and his guards will awake from their sleep 
  (see Events). The adventurer will be able to 
  grab the sword if she is quick, but will not es-
  cape the wrath of the undead king.
  In the bedchamber, there are several old 
  portraits and, above the bed, a newer charcoal 
  drawing of Algarod. The drawing reflects the 
  king’s mood and changes with it. If the draw-
  ing is destroyed, Therania’s hold over the king 
  is broken. If the adventurers take the drawing, 
  they can command the king.
   
   
  WHEN THE UNDEAD AWAKE
  At the moment you touch the cold 
  steel of the old sword, you hear a 
  crackling noise. First, a gloved finger 
  moves, then another. Horrified, you see 
  before you the corpse of King Algarod 
  being filled with unholy life. At the 
  same time, you hear a scraping sound 
  at the door.
  King Algarod is not pleased with anyone lay-
  ing hands on his sword and will immediately 
  attack (treat this as a monster attack, page 
  73). The following round he will be joined 
  by three undead bodyguards that will also 
  attack.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: King Algarod and three 
  undead guards.
   
  ✥
  TREASURE: Algarod’s sword Rustbite. A 
  masterfully crafted longsword enchanted 
  by a court magician in Alderland four 
  hundred years ago.
  RUSTBITE, MAGICAL LONGSWORD
  Heavy, Weapon Bonus +2, Weapon 
  Damage 2, Artifact Die D8 (D10 against 
  demons and demon-tainted crea-
  tures), ignores 3 points of metal armor. 
  Each time the user causes an enemy 
  to be Broken with the sword, she suf-
  fers 1 point of damage to EMPATHY.
  The crown is a simple one made of silver and 
  worth 3D6 silver coins (double that for a per-
  son with a historical interest).
  10. CRANE
  The drop from the rock down to the moat is diz-
  zyingly high. A thick copper chain, green with 
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  224
  
  verdigris, swings back and forth, chiming in the 
  wind, where it hangs from its weather-beaten 
  windlass.
  Since the tower is so high, there is a crane by 
  which you can hoist things up directly from 
  the outside. The crane could be a last escape 
  route, and as such, the adventurers could use 
  it, if for example, the alarm has been sounded 
  and the place is crawling with angry undead. 
  The chain and the windlass are worn and old, 
  and might have to be smeared with lamp oil 
  before they even move.
  MONSTERS  
  AND NPCS
  The monsters and NPCs that the adventurers 
  can meet at Weatherstone are described below.
  DALB, THE BARD
  A man in his fifties with greying, unkempt hair, 
  wearing a green tunic, gray hose and knitted 
  finger gloves to protect against the cold. Con-
  stantly with a pipe in the corner of his mouth, 
  Dalb is a person who can enchant any audience 
  with so simple a means as his green eyes and 
  husky voice. The bard (who is not what he seems 
  to be, see the boxed text “Who is Dalb?” in the 
  section where the adventurers encounter him) 
  has struck camp outside Weatherstone to lure 
  adventurers to their doom within. This night, 
  he is very lucky as no less than two groups arrive 
  shortly after one another. 
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 6, EMPATHY 6
  SKILLS: Performance 5 
  GEAR: Pipe, lute
  THE ALDERLANDER  
  TREASURE HUNTERS
  A motley crew of treasure hunters, led by Es-
  gar Farthing, arrives shortly before the adven-
  turers. They are looking for the war chest and 
  King Algarod’s sword. It will soon be evident 
  that the treasure hunters have different agen-
  das. This group, or just some of its members, 
  can be used as antagonists or potential allies 
  in Weatherstone. They keep their agendas 
  solely to themselves, but they are prepared to 
  cooperate to survive.
  ESGAR FARTHING
  A muscular and loud man who 
  presents himself as a travelling 
  merchant 
  specializing 
  in 
  “rare goods.” Esgar is re-
  ally a simple mercenary 
  who has heard about the 
  treasure in Weatherstone 
  and intends to find it, at any price. 
  He lacks empathy and is planning to dou-
  ble-cross his companions at the first and best 
  opportunity.
  STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 3, Might 3, Manipulation 2, 
  Move 1
  TALENTS: Path of the Blade 1, Threatening 1
  GEAR: Longsword, large shield, chainmail, 
  D6 silver
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  225
  
  KORDOMAR SULAM OF ALDERLAND
  Kordomar is an elderly, but still strong, 
  hunter from northern Alderland. Despite his 
  greying hair and chiseled face, he is skilled 
  with bow and arrow. Kordomar is 
  a proud Alderlander and has ac-
  companied Esgar to retrieve the 
  sword of King Algarod for the fa-
  therland. He does not trust Es-
  gar for a moment, but lets the 
  greedy mercenary lead the 
  group for now.
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Marksmanship 4, Scouting 2,  
  Survival 2
  TALENTS: The Path of the Arrow 1, Sharp-
  shooter 1
  GEAR: Longbow, dagger, leather armor, D6 
  copper
  BROTHER FEREBALD 
  A gnarly and brooding Rust Brother and histo-
  rian who can tell many tales of Alderland and 
  the history of the Rust Brothers. Ferebald knows 
  about Algarod’s wretched past, a past that Kor-
  domar denies, and believes the king’s undead ex-
  istence is a disgrace. Ferebald has secretly joined 
  Esgar and his compatriots to try to kill Algarod 
  as an act of mercy.
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 2, WITS 4, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Lore 3, Insight 2, Melee 1
  TALENTS: Path of Blood 1, Herbalist 1
  GEAR: Knife, parchment and pen, D8 
  copper
  DYNDRIA THE BARD
  Dyndria plays the fiddle and 
  seems to be a jovial woman 
  with a taste for food and 
  drink. She claims to be 
  here because she has been 
  paid to play, and whispers 
  that she really doesn’t 
  care about Alderland.
  Dyndria is, in fact, 
  a thief and assassin hired 
  by Algarod’s enemies in 
  Alderland. The new royal line 
  wants to remove any traces of Algarod’s line 
  since political rebels have pointed out that the 
  old king still roams Ravenland. If Dyndria 
  manages to take Algarod’s head and scepter to 
  the Iron Lock, she will be richly rewarded and 
  awarded citizenship in Alderland. However, her 
  employers will of course try to kill her. Dyndria 
  dreams of present day Alderland, but knows 
  nothing about it. She has hinted to Esgar that 
  she is a thief and would like to be part of any 
  secret raid against the stronghold, but she has 
  not divulged her true plan.
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 2, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Stealth 3, Marksmanship 2, Move 2, 
  Melee 1, Manipulation 2, Performance 2
  TALENTS: Path of Poison 1, Lightning Fast 1
  GEAR: Sling, dagger, leather armor, fiddle, 
  D6 copper
  KING ALGAROD
  The once mighty King Algarod wears chain-
  mail and carries the sword Rustbite (until the 
  adventurers steal it). He is tall and regal, with 
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  scars from crudely sewn wounds across his face. 
  His is a melancholy existence, dictated by Ther-
  ania’s commands. If his portrait above the bed 
  in the top room of the tower is destroyed, Ther-
  ania loses her power over him. He will fly into 
  a rage and may attempt to take back his royal 
  power, negotiate with his liberators, or even de-
  stroy himself forever – for example, by leaping 
  from the ramparts or asking the adventurers to 
  find an urn with his embalmed heart which is 
  hidden in the laboratory. In the latter case, they 
  will be rewarded with his war chest which he be-
  lieves is still in the wagons in the ravine.
  STRENGTH 8, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  King Algarod is a Death Knight, a powerful 
  undead being. Death Knights are de-
  scribed in detail on page 86.
  GEAR: Chainmail, bascinet
  TWO ATTACKS: King Algarod is a mighty 
  Death Knight and as such gets to act 
  twice every round. Draw two initiative 
  cards at the beginning of combat.
  UNDEAD SOLDIERS
  Around the keep are the remnants of a few 
  hundred Alderlander soldiers, dead for centu-
  ries. As soon as the adventurers (or indeed the 
  treasure hunters) touch the sword, they arise 
  from their sleep.
  SOLDIERS
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 3
  GEAR: Broadsword, studded leather
  BONY: Skeletons never take more than 1 
  point of Damage from STABS and arrows.
  BODYGUARDS
  STRENGTH 6, AGILITY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 3, Might 2
  GEAR: Chainmail, large shield, longsword
  BONY: Skeletons never take more than 1 
  point of Damage from STABS and arrows.
  THE SCORPION BEAST
  A foul demon creature spawned in the labora-
  tory of Weatherstone. Half-scorpion, half-li-
  on, this is a creature that was never meant to 
  live. The beast is totally driven by instinct and 
  see all living creatures as potential food. The 
  Scorpion Beast is a monster (see page 73).
  STRENGTH 14, AGILITY 8
  ARMOR: 5 (carapace)
  D6
  MONSTER ATTACKS
  1.
  WHIPPING TAIL! A lightning quick attack 
  with the beast’s tail hits one adven-
  turer. Perform an attack with ten Base 
  Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash 
  wound). If it hits, the victim is thrown 
  to the ground.
  2.
  HORRIBLE BITE! With a roar, the beast 
  throws itself upon an adventurer 
  and lets its giant jaws shut tight 
  like a trap. Perform an attack with 
  eight Base Dice and Weapon Dam-
  age 2 (slash wound). If it hits, the 
  beast locks its jaws and shakes the 
  adventurer violently. The adven-
  turer must make an opposed roll 
  with Strength against the beast’s 
  Strength (not counted as an action). 
  If the roll fails, the adventurer is 
  thrown to NEAR distance and falls to 
  the ground.
  weatherstone
  227
  
  3.
  CHILLING ROAR! The Scorpion Beast 
  lets out an otherworldly scream 
  that makes the adventurers blood 
  freeze. Everyone within NEAR range is 
  exposed to a fear attack rolled with six 
  Base Dice.
  4.
  DEATHLY EMBRACE! With a powerful leap, 
  the beast jumps upon an adventurer 
  and embraces her with its demonic 
  claws. Roll for the attack with eight 
  Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt 
  force). If the attack hits, the victim is 
  GRAPPLED.
  5.
  POISON FANG! The Scorpion Beast’s tail 
  rattles like a cobra before it thrusts 
  against an adventurer, stinging her 
  with its poison. Roll for the attack 
  using seven Base Dice and Weapon 
  Damage 1 (stab wound). This attack is 
  too fast to DODGE. If the victim is hit 
  and suffers 1 point of Damage or more, 
  they are injected with a paralyzing 
  poison with Potency of 9.
  6.
  WHIRLWIND ATTACK! The beast lets 
  its tail sweep against all adventurers 
  within ARM’S LENGTH. Roll to hit on 
  each with eight Base Dice and Weap-
  on Damage 2 (slash wound). All adven-
  turers who are hit are also struck to 
  the ground.
  HARPIES
  A pack of harpies led by the oldest creature, 
  Little Mother, has taken over the Theater 
  Tower and hidden the Alderlander war chests. 
  The harpies attack as a flock (page 105) and flee 
  when the flock’s Strength is reduced to half its 
  starting value (6 in this case).
  STRENGTH 12, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
  EVENTS
  Many dangerous and exciting events can occur 
  at Weatherstone. Here are some suggestions:
  DALB’S TALE
  When the adventurers encounter the bard Dalb 
  in the ruined tower, he invites them to dinner 
  around the fire and tells them the legend of 
  the cursed King Algarod and Weatherstone. 
  For ease of use, this text is placed under the 
  location of the tower ruin above.
  THE MOAT
  In the muddy and filthy moat around the keep 
  a demonic creature from one of Zytera’s hor-
  rible experiments has found a new home. The 
  tentacled demonic octopus lives off rats and 
  wild animals. If the adventurers try to cross the 
  moat, the creature attempts to perform a sneak 
  attack against one of them with a tentacle. The 
  tentacle has Strength 4, Agility 4, SNEAK 3 and 
  MELEE 3. An adventurer who is hit is automati-
  cally GRAPPLED and pulled underwater. For the 
  effects of drowning, see page 113 in the Player’s 
  Handbook. If Broken, the victim dies in D6 
  minutes unless saved. The other adventurers 
  can attack the tentacle from the bridge.
  THE TREASURE HUNTERS
  The treasure hunters led by Esgar Farthing 
  enter Weatherstone at the same time as, or 
  just before, the adventurers. The four com-
  panions go from room to room with lit 
  torches and drawn weapons, looking for the 
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  resting place of King Algarod and his sword. 
  How you use the treasure hunters is up to 
  you. They can surprise the adventurers as a 
  group or pop up one at a time. If the adven-
  turers don’t find Algarod’s tower, the trea-
  sure hunters will and quickly proceed to steal 
  the sword (thus waking the undead). The 
  treasure hunters are not loyal to each other 
  and can easily turn on one another.
  ATTACK OF THE HARPIES
  The harpies nest is in the Theater Tower (see Lo-
  cations) but they can strike anywhere and at any 
  time – especially if the adventurers wear shiny 
  looking objects. Consider using the harpies for 
  a quick demoralizing attack, where they succeed 
  in snatching a piece of equipment 
  from an adventurer before retreat-
  ing. To get it back, the adventur-
  ers need to find their nest.
  THE HARPIES NEGOTIATE
  The harpies in the Theater Tower try to bar-
  gain with the adventurers, after the latter 
  discover that the war chest isn’t hidden in the 
  ravine. The harpies can give them money, but 
  in return they want Algarod’s sword or a living 
  infant to raise as their own. After all, they were 
  once mothers, and only want love. They can 
  also accept a particularly delicious piece of an 
  adventurer. If threatened, the harpies will in 
  turn threaten to let the catapult in the Theater 
  Tower spread the treasure among the debris be-
  low the tower, so that no one will ever find it.
  THE FALSE QUEEN
  In the moment that Algarod awakes, his for-
  mer lover Therania, in her ethereal form, is 
  summoned to the castle of Weatherstone. Her 
  appearance is that of a beautiful woman. She 
  can neither attack, nor be attacked, but she can 
  command the undead and even king Algarod as 
  she pleases. She is annoyed that the adventurers 
  have disturbed the sleeping king, and wants to 
  find out who they are and what they want. For 
  this purpose, she can appear benign. She hides 
  her true identity and says that she is the ghost of 
  king Algarod’s dead queen. If she is satisfied with 
  the adventurers’ answer, she tells them her real 
  name and insists that their paths will cross again.
  THE DEAD RISE!
  As soon as an adventurer (or one of the NPC 
  treasure hunters) touches Rustbite, the 
  king’s sword, the old curse is activated 
  once again, and the undead king and his 
  soldiers wake to life in an instant. As if 
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  229
  
  one, the two hundred corpses of Weatherstone 
  arise and continue their duty as if nothing ever 
  happened. Most are peaceful if not disturbed 
  and will ignore cautious adventurers, but if the 
  alarm bell is sounded, they will consider all in-
  truders hostile and attack. The keep of Weather-
  stone now becomes a death trap! It’s up to you 
  as a GM to decide if you want to wait until the 
  adventurers reach the King’s tower or let the 
  treasure hunters beat them to it. 
  THE BARD’S SONG
  This event is best used late in the adventure to 
  ramp up pressure on the adventurers. Regardless 
  of whether the undead have woken up or not, 
  the adventurers will suddenly hear a strange 
  sound from outside the keep. If they find a win-
  dow and look out, they will see the bard Dalb 
  standing on the other side of the moat, singing 
  a song in an archaic language while raising his 
  arms to the sky. Once he stops singing every-
  thing is silent for a moment. Then an unearthly 
  scream is heard from everywhere inside Weath-
  erstone. If the undead have not awakened, they 
  do so now (and are immediately hostile). If they 
  already have, they start roaming the keep in 
  packs looking for intruders to slay.
  What has really happened is that Dalb/
  Merigall has decided to make things a little 
  more interesting with a spell. He sees this as an 
  amusing experiment more than anything else.
  FIRE!
  One of the undead soldiers somehow touches one 
  of the adventurer’s (or treasure hunter’s) torches, 
  which instantly ignites. Soon the fire spreads to 
  an old tapestry, and from there it spreads quickly 
  throughout the keep. The undead will perish in 
  the fire, but will not care until they fall to the 
  ground in ashes and will continue to hunt for in-
  truders as long as they can. Regardless of how the 
  fire develops, it can be used as an incentive so as 
  to allow the adventurers to try to escape.
  KING ALGAROD’S MARCH
  If Algarod is not destroyed once and for all, he 
  will sooner or later leave Weatherstone for a final 
  crusade. If the adventurers stole his sword, Rust-
  bite, the king will come looking for it with his 
  entourage of undead soldiers. King Algarod can 
  be an interesting antagonist, or perhaps even an 
  unexpected ally, later in the game.
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  the vale of the dead
  231
  The legends hinted of ancient temple ruins and 
  the imposing tombs of kings, but instead you reach a 
  stinking wound that delves into the guts of the wil-
  derness itself. There is no majesty here, no monu-
  ments, only ragged rocks, carelessly chopped stumps 
  and half-devoured cadavers of animals that came 
  here by chance. Where is the history? Where is the 
  giant who was supposed to guard the Temple of Si-
  lence? Would he even fit into theses cramped can-
  yons? That’s when you catch a glimpse of ancient 
  marble draped in greenery. You have found the site!
  BACKGROUND
  The bottom of the gorge once held the Temple 
  of Silence, dedicated to the dead in the burial 
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  vale within. The temple has been abandoned 
  for several ages, but has become the settlement 
  of a tribe of whiners. The timid creatures have 
  contracted the help of a couple of “drifters” – 
  exiled orcs (see page 66) – to keep others away. 
  In return, the guards receive food and drink. 
  The Vale of the Dead beyond the caves was in 
  ages long past a beautiful place where many lay 
  buried, and other dead wandered in pursuit of 
  a peace they could not find. The temple priests 
  cultivated berries and fruits in the valley and 
  the dead aided them in concordance with their 
  interests and abilities. The orchards have since 
  gone to ruin and spread wildly, but an abun-
  dance of edible plants still grow in the valley, 
  harvested by the whiners at night. The fruits 
  and berries are completely harmless to ingest.
  TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Dungeon
  
  The one-eyed giant, Scrome, is the vale’s 
  guardian. He used to keep the restless dead 
  in harmonious spirits by playing on an old 
  crumhorn, but it was stolen by the whiners 
  because they couldn’t stand the sound, and 
  the tune caused their hollow-rock to crum-
  ble. The orcs now use it as a cooling pipe 
  for their improvised moonshine still. The 
  whiners have covered the cave entrance to 
  the vale with hollow-rock to prevent anyone 
  from leaving the valley in search of the in-
  strument.
  Zygofer visited the valley frequently with 
  his wife Martea three-hundred years ago in 
  order to learn more about necromancy, but 
  earned the ire of Scrome and has not been 
  welcome in the valley since that time. The 
  ruins of Zygofer’s house and the remnants of 
  his experiments still remain.
  GETTING HERE
  There are many roads that lead to the Vale of 
  the Dead. The adventurers can hear the story 
  and the track down the valley. They can en-
  counter it by chance on their journeys across 
  the Forbidden Lands, or they can run into one 
  of the following groups who all have their own 
  reasons for travelling to the vale.
  THE BOUNTY HUNTERS
  A party of eight bounty hunters that wants 
  to capture a couple of whiners on behalf of 
  a nobleman (his child has fallen ill, and he 
  believes that the sweet-meat of the whiners 
  could be the cure). The hunters might meet 
  the adventurers early on, being companion-
  able and wanting to team up with them, but 
  they are completely unreliable and unscru-
  pulous as they are only interested in their 
  payday.
  THE STONE CHANTRESS 
  AND THE DWARVES
  The stone chantress Oralda and her six dwar-
  ven henchmen want to meet the whiners in 
  order to learn how the small-folk produces 
  hollow-rock, but dare not approach the tem-
  ple because of the orcs. Both the whiners and 
  dwarves would benefit from working togeth-
  er, but the small-folk are suspicious in the 
  extreme. It’s not unthinkable that the bounty 
  hunters have ingratiated themselves with the 
  dwarves to cloak their true motives.
  KALMAX AND THE RIDERS
  A group of Galdanes from Falende, under 
  the leadership of spear-rider Kalmax, finding 
  themselves short of cash but rich in gambling 
  debts, have got it into their heads that there 
  is probably treasure to be found and plundered 
  in the Vale of the Dead. They are quarreling, 
  however. Honor is important to a Galdane – to 
  pay off their gambling debt is honorable, grave 
  robbing is not. In addition to that, many of the 
  horse-people balk at the prospect of venturing 
  underground since they are prone to claustro-
  phobia. If an opportunity to earn an honest 
  wage were to present itself, they will go for it 
  like grasping after straws, never mind the fine 
  print.
  chapter 11
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  LEGEND
  Stories tell of how Zygofer the defiler visited the 
  Vale of the Dead beyond the Temple of Silence 
  during the Alder Wars. The sorcerer’s spouse, 
  Martea, taught him how to parley with the de-
  ceased, but when she learned how Zygofer abused 
  the art – instead of seeking wisdom, he wanted 
  to wake the resting bones to his service – she fled 
  from him with two of their children. Zygofer 
  continued his work in the vale until the keeper of 
  the dead chased him away. In anger, the sorcerer 
  drove the priests from the Temple of Silence, but 
  before leaving the site, it is said that the holy men 
  drowned its halls to keep them safe.
  LOCATIONS
  The most important sites of the Vale of the 
  Dead are described below.
  1. HIGHVALE
  A fresh stench mars the pastoral impression of the 
  canyon. Beyond the fallen watchtower lies anoth-
  er one, primitively hewn from fresh, debarked 
  timber, around which filth has amassed: the re-
  mains of slaughtered animals, fruit peel and offal. 
  Crude ladders descend into a ravine. Clamoring 
  voices can be heard from below, possibly song of 
  some sort. The light of campfires flickers in the 
  deep.
  The valley is hard to reach, situated high up 
  in the mountains beyond overgrown trails. 
  At this site, one finds a temple pagoda in ru-
  ins, so dilapidated that there isn’t even any-
  thing to rummage through. Snoring sounds 
  can, however, be heard from a new, shoddily 
  raised wooden watchtower. Around the tower 
  lie left-overs, fruit peels and offal. Atop the 
  tower is a sleeping, intoxicated orc. There is a 
  chance that he’ll wake up if someone tries to 
  climb up (make an opposed roll with the ad-
  venturer’s STEALTH against the orc’s SCOUT-
  ING), in which case he’ll sound the alarm on 
  a metal bell that is actually the shoe of a suit 
  of plate armor.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: The orc Xugg.
   
  ✥
  TREASURES: The bell/shoe is worth no 
  more than D6 copper pieces.
  the vale of the dead
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  2. YARD AND DISTILLERY
  Smoke, hooch fumes and smells from the latrine rise 
  around you to the sounds of laughter, song and clatter 
  as you descend the crude ladders. They lead down 
  into a mountain pass, where a couple of faltering 
  campfires impart a faint light. A couple of orcs lie 
  sleeping on the ground whilst others stumble about.
  At the bottom of the ravine and in the distill-
  ery located there, ten exiled orcs of various pro-
  fessions, competence and clan reside. They live 
  in shabby huts and keep a couple of campfires 
  glowing. Some are severely intoxicated, others 
  are in various stages of intoxication. They own 
  nothing of value and carry worn weapons. 
  In the cavern inside the yard, the orcs 
  distill hooch from fermented juice given to 
  them by the whiners. The juice is set to boil in 
  a sealed suit of plate armor seated atop a fire-
  place. An odd cooling pipe has been attached to 
  one of the arms of the armor with pitch, and 
  then run beneath the cold waterfall that falls 
  from the rocks above and flows back in to the 
  mountain. From the pipes, the hooch drips 
  down into a wooden tub.
  The cooling pipe is an old crumhorn, a 
  wind instrument that the whiners have stolen 
  from the Vale of the Dead as it’s low-pitched 
  vibrato causes the small-folks’ hollow-rock to 
  become brittle and crack, exposing their lairs. 
  The dead and Scrome the giant want to reclaim 
  the horn, but cannot access the area where it’s 
  being held.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Ten orc drifters.
   
  ✥
  TREASURES: The crumhorn. Priceless to 
  Scrome the giant, otherwise worth 2D6 
  silver.
  3. THE TEMPLE OF SILENCE
  In stark contrast to the misery without, a beau-
  tiful temple portal opens up into the mountain 
  side. Marble steps rise along an artfully decorated 
  stairwell towards a hall looming at the end of the 
  stairs. Next to the entrance stand two statues, one 
  of which has lost its head and the other of which is 
  holding its hand over its mouth.
  This is the once beautiful entrance to the Tem-
  ple of Silence that was dedicated to the dead in 
  the vale beyond. The stairs rise approximately 
  eight meters from the bottom of the ravine 
  to a hall of marble. Caved-in passages lead in 
  several directions. The only things that re-
  main are the crevice to the left, the embalming 
  chamber and the dwellings of the whiners at 
  the furthest end of the hall. The marble hall is 
  pitch black and a source of light is required to 
  see anything at all.
  The priests and staff of the temple em-
  balmed bodies for the eternal rest in the val-
  ley within. The work with the dead was per-
  formed in complete silence. The walls in the 
  temple hall and the embalming chamber are 
  constructed in such a way that any and all hu-
  man speech is amplified ten-fold, causing even 
  low-key conversation to echo and alert every-
  one in the vicinity. In addition, the surfaces 
  of the walls are still covered with a specially 
  cultivated yellow mold, the spores of which de-
  tach and seek sources of human speech. Inhal-
  ing the spores causes the respiratory tract to 
  swell, choking and silencing the speaker. The 
  effect is usually not fatal, but is painful (per-
  form an attack with six Base Dice that causes 
  damage to Agility). The squeaky voices of the 
  whiners don’t trigger the spores and one can 
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  protect oneself from inhaling them by breath-
  ing through finely meshed fabrics such as silk.
  The auditory effect means that a strong 
  shout can stun living beings. Roll for MIGHT 
  – if successful, all victims in the room must 
  make an ENDURANCE roll to act in the round.
  4. EMBALMING CHAMBER 
  The smell of mold and pungent alchemical flu-
  ids has left its mark on a marble hall that once 
  must have been beautiful in its simplicity. Sev-
  eral stone tables with stone tubs fill the room, 
  above which green and moldy copper chains 
  ending in hooks hang from the ceiling. Large 
  ornamented sections of the walls seem as if they 
  are dressed in yellow fur. In the doorway lies the 
  skeleton of an orc.
  The priests of the temple prepared and em-
  balmed the bodies of the dead left in their care 
  from places far and wide here. Beneath the yel-
  low mold coating of the ornamented walls one 
  can carefully pry loose a couple of semiprecious 
  stones. The orc skeleton has been left by the 
  whiners as a warning. On one table, beneath a 
  layer of dust, one can find a page from a soiled 
  diary with the following passages still legible:
  ”Beyond the Temple of Silence entered the… 
  caves to the underground. The priesting folk 
  was so wroth… choked. Cameth we to a won-
  drous garden, tended by the dead… carefully… 
  taste these fruits, for whoever do so shall lose… 
  played music… graves lined the glen… Hargard 
  worked the sarcophagus with… the guar… of the 
  underground… in want of flight. Golden bur-
  den… left...”
   
  ✥
  TREASURES: D6 gems (worth 2D6 silver 
  coins each).
  5. WHINER DWELLINGS
  The passage is blocked by hollow-rock, a narrow 
  network of rock that seems crafted rather than 
  being natural. Squeaky, angry voices can be heard 
  from within the narrow tunnels. ”Go away! Shoo! 
  Begone!”
  Tiny humanoid creatures peek their heads out 
  from time to time. Smells as if from a hen house 
  mixed with fermented fruit waft towards you.
  The small, winding caves of the whiners are so 
  narrow in places that humans are forced to crawl. 
  Some of the passages are also filled with hol-
  low-rock, a three-dimensional network of rock 
  that only whiners can crawl through but that 
  can be broken with a sledgehammer with con-
  siderable effort (40 points of damage). The caves 
  end in the dwelling caverns of the whiners, where 
  they breed huge insect larvae for food and keep 
  the harvest from the Vale of the Dead. There are 
  approximately two hundred whiners in the colo-
  ny, half of them children and the elderly.
  In the innermost chamber resides the whin-
  er queen, a large creature who was born inside 
  the chamber and never leaves it. Incubating 
  whiner eggs are stored here. The chamber is de-
  fended as a last resort by spear-wielding whiners.
  From one of their inner chambers, the 
  whiners are able to turn a wheel that cuts off 
  the outflow from the waterfall in the distillery. 
  If that happens, water will submerge the ravine 
  of the orcs within twenty minutes, reaching a 
  surface level of two meters above the gate to the 
  Temple of Silence. The mechanism was one of 
  the vale of the dead
  237
  
  the temple’s defense mechanisms and the water 
  won’t reach the temple caves proper. The orc 
  camp will be flooded, causing some discontent, 
  but they are easily able to reach safety by clam-
  bering up the ladders. The whiners can turn the 
  wheel in desperation to stop the adventurers, if 
  they are perceived as a serious threat. One can 
  swim from the temple with relative ease, even 
  after the entrance has been submerged.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Several hundred whiners.
  6. MOUNTAIN CREVICE
  Tremors in the mountain have led to a wide crev-
  ice appearing in the left wall of the temple hall. 
  The passage leads upwards and you can sense 
  daylight at its furthest end.
  The crevice leads all the way to the Vale of 
  the Dead, where it ends at a plateau some four 
  meters above the floor of the valley. One can 
  climb down, but cannot climb up again with-
  out the aid of a rope or a helping hand.
  7. THE EXIT
  A greater passage blocked with hollow-rock. 
  Wind filters through towards you, carrying the 
  sweet scent of flowers.
  The whiners have blocked the original entrance 
  to the valley with hollow-rock, as the undead 
  have tried to break through ever since the 
  small-folk stole Scrome’s crumhorn. Scrome 
  himself can’t reach the entrance, as it is situ-
  ated in a cleft.
  8. THE VALE OF THE DEAD
  Protected by high mountain walls, a beautiful ver-
  dant valley opens up before you. A mournful and 
  restrained sense of waiting rests within the exu-
  berance of this place, where the tall cypresses seem 
  to reach for the sky, longing to leave. Aging tomb-
  stones rise from soil where the fog creeps, while 
  larger slabs seal crypts in the mountain. You see 
  the remains of buildings and overgrown orchards 
  spilling over and out of their enclosures. Here and 
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  D6
  GHOST
  ACTION
  1
  Morme, mournful 
  miller’s son, killed by 
  the plague.
  Looking for his mother (she died two hundred years 
  ago). Would like some playmates.
  2
  Harb, greedy adven-
  turer, killed by an 
  arrow to the back.
  Doesn’t understand that he is dead. Thinks he is in 
  the vale on a treasure hunt and wants to join the 
  adventurers’ party.
  3
  Garkhal, dwarven 
  fighter, fell in battle 
  with a demon.
  Garkhal the dwarf fell two ages ago, but unfortunately, 
  far from land of the dwarves. His greatest wish is to be 
  returned to Stormunsel so that he can find peace. 
  4
  Lanja, Raven Sister, 
  burnt at the stake.
  Murdered by the Rust Brothers, she now seeks re-
  venge on the disciples of the god Rust. In the worst 
  case, she may mistake the adventurers for Rust 
  Brothers.
  5
  Lommo, halfling, 
  drowned.
  Keeps to himself and would kill for a puff from a nice 
  pipe. Has an evil mind and won’t hesitate to trick 
  adventurers.
  6
  Visaja, sorcerer, killed 
  by a rival.
  Has lost her magical abilities. Wants to be brought 
  back to life and promises to show the way to the 
  rival’s tower that she’ll allow the adventurers to loot.
  there, semi-transparent humanoid forms move in 
  silence, while others stand still with empty stares. 
  During the heyday of the temple, this site 
  was a burial ground where relatives jour-
  neyed to honor their dead. Here were tem-
  ple buildings, cypresses, orchards and edible 
  snails that the priests of the temple lived off. 
  Everything fell into disrepair long ago, but 
  there is still an abundance of food. A score 
  of ghosts hover about, some agitated, others 
  uninterested or filled with sorrow. Scrome 
  the giant is the guardian of the vale. He 
  sometimes sleeps in a large cave in the far-
  thest reaches of the valley. The mountains 
  around the valley can’t be surmounted, but 
  one can fly into the valley.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Ghosts. Roll or choose from 
  the table below. Scrome the giant.
  9. HARAMA’S KITCHEN
  A robust but simple wooden building has been 
  erected on the rock foundation of an older build-
  ing. It looks newer than the temple and in a dif-
  ferent style, but is aged, leaky and dilapidated. 
  Groans, moans and munching sounds can be 
  heard from within.
  Zygofer lived in the house with Martea when 
  the vale of the dead
  239
  
  he studied necromancy in the vale 350 years 
  ago. Also living in the house was the servant, 
  Harama, a skilled Alderlander chef who also 
  managed the couple’s household. The house 
  is partially collapsed, since Scrome stepped 
  on it in a fit of rage. Harama still resides in 
  the house as a shapeless, semi-human mass of 
  tissue. Inside the house are the remnants of 
  cooking equipment, baking ovens, griddles and 
  such, as well as drawings on parchment made 
  by Martea. In the pictures, one can see imag-
  es of the loving couple, the couple respectfully 
  communing with the dead, Zygofer contently 
  standing in a giant hand and a little boy who’s 
  dancing with a skeleton.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Harama the glutton.
   
  ✥
  TREASURES: Harama’s soup stone.
  10. THE GRAVES
  On closer examination, the surfaces of the tomb-
  stones have crumbled beyond all legibility. The 
  stone doors to the mountain crypts loom larger 
  still when you approach them, impossible to budge 
  without a span of oxen.
  The graves of the valley can be found here and 
  there. There is some burial gold to be found 
  behind the stone doors that only Scrome can 
  open, unless the characters are using magic. 
  If someone manages to steal the gold, Scrome 
  can send a couple of ghosts after the thieves, 
  ruining their everyday lives by causing confu-
  sion, poisoning their food and destroying their 
  belongings. In other words, the burial treasure 
  becomes cursed. If one helps Scrome reclaim 
  the crumhorn, he will award the guests with a 
  piece of treasure (for instance, one of the four 
  key artifacts of the Raven’s Purge campaign).
  One can also speak with the dead and glean 
  information about the history of the Forbid-
  den Lands and other places that the GM finds 
  it suitable to reveal. The information is several 
  hundred years old, of course.
   
  ✥
  CREATURES: Ghosts.
   
  ✥
  TREASURES: Roll on the treasures tables 
  on page 186.
  MONSTERS 
  AND NPCS
  The monsters and NPCs that the adventurers 
  can meet in the Vale of the Dead are described 
  below. Monsters and creatures not detailed 
  here have the same stats as listed in the Kin 
  and Bestiary chapters.
  KALMAX
  Kalmax of Falender was once a proud and re-
  nowned rider in his clan. However, his 
  foolhardy nature led him into 
  trouble time and time again. 
  After having gambled away 
  his family fortune to the 
  heir of a rival clan, he 
  was exiled by his 
  own and left with 
  a few trusted com-
  panions. To restore 
  his honor, he needs 
  chapter 11
  240
  
  to find silver – lots of silver. He has heard of 
  treasures hidden in the Vale of the Dead, and 
  will do anything to get his hands on it, no mat-
  ter what the cost.
  STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
  SKILLS: Endurance 3, Melee 4, Move 2, 
  Scouting 3, Survival 3, Animal Handling 3
  GEAR:  Short spear, broadsword, leather 
  armor, riding horse
  HORLO
  The clanless orcs have been hired by the whin-
  ers to keep enemies away. In return, they are 
  receiving food and fermented juice. The orc 
  leader, Horlo, is a scarred battle tested orc 
  from the Isir clan. He was driven away by 
  Eldag the Ravager after an orc woman chose 
  Horlo over the chieftain. Horlo rightly consid-
  ers himself to have been wrongfully cast out 
  and wants nothing more than to return to the 
  Isir and kill Eldag. He may start negotiations 
  with strangers if he thinks that they can be of 
  use in this endeavour. Horlo and his two Isir 
  companions, Chren and Argana, are the most 
  capable fighters among the orcs and they nev-
  er get severely drunk. If Horlo becomes angry 
  he will start foaming at the mouth, producing 
  green froth that makes his bite poisonous.
  STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 3, Melee 4, Manipulation 2
  GEAR: Scimitar, shield, chainmail, D6 copper, 
  necklace with teeth
  XUGG AND OTHER ORCS
  The orcs in the Vale of the Dead are clanless 
  orcs who have been hired for protection by the 
  whiners. 
  STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 2, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLA: Melee 2, Might 1
  GEAR: Scimitar, studded leather armor
  NASURA KAK
  The chieftain of the whiners is called Nasura 
  Kak. She and her people want nothing other than 
  to live in peace and quiet inside the mountain. 
  Like all whiners, she and her kin are terrified of 
  tall-folk who want to take them for their sweet-
  meat. Nasura wants to keep the crumhorn away 
  from Scrome at any cost, since his tunes cause 
  their protective hollow-rock to wither as well as 
  being grating on the sensitive ears of whiners.
  STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Stealth 2, Manipulation 3
  GEAR: Shortsword, knife, studded leather 
  armor
  WHINERS
  The whiners living in the caves near the Vale 
  of the Dead are typical of their kin. Short of 
  stature, fleet of foot and skeptical of strangers.
  STRENGTH 1, AGILITY 4, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Stealth 2, Melee 1, Survival 1
  GEAR: Wooden club
  the vale of the dead
  241
  
  GHOSTS
  There are some hundred ghosts in the valley 
  that normally exist in harmony with nature 
  and death. Ever since Scrome’s crumhorn 
  was stolen, the atmosphere in the valley has 
  changed. The ghosts have become increasingly 
  restless and even dangerous. What was once a 
  place of peace has become a death trap since the 
  whiners’ theft.
  Stats for ghosts can be found on page 94 of 
  the Bestiary.
  SCROME
  The one-eyed giant Scrome is usually of a 
  peaceful and caring nature, but now he is an-
  gry and suspicious of all intruders since he has 
  been robbed. He also harbors an indistinct fear 
  for his other self and asks the strangers if they 
  “bring the eye”. Scrome is very old, not too 
  clever and basically immortal. Not even the eye 
  is vulnerable, since it is covered by thick glass. 
  The giant’s only weak spot is a tattoo on the 
  top of his head, put there by the one who once 
  upon a time turned him into a guardian. It 
  keeps Scrome alive and should it be destroyed, 
  he would age and wither to dust in minutes.
  Scrome cares for the undead and tries to 
  make them feel at home, among other means 
  by playing an old crumhorn. He also plays 
  with them, as if in a doll house, and builds 
  enclosures by laying out rocks on the ground. 
  If angered, he may lose his cool and become 
  incredibly dangerous. He has perfect recall, 
  no real concept of time and remembers Zygo-
  fer very well, though he seems to think that 
  he has only been gone for a couple of days. To 
  speak to Scrome, one must defeat him or re-
  turn the crumhorn to him. In the latter case, 
  he will be very grateful and bestow a gift on the 
  adventurers, possibly an artifact, maybe even 
  the crown Stanengist (see the Raven’s Purge 
  campaign book).
  If Scrome’s second eye is reinserted (see 
  page 144), he becomes a completely different 
  and considerably more dangerous giant.
  STRENGTH 20, AGILITY 2, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Might 4, Melee 3, Performance 3
  ARMOR: 3 (skin)
  GEAR: Wooden club
  HARAMA THE GLUTTON
  Harama is a shapeless, very voracious mass of 
  tissue that reminds one of a grotesquely fat hu-
  man whose limbs and features have multiplied 
  and shifted around. The creature can fight at 
  the place where it’s encountered with a colossal 
  cleaver, but it cannot move. It is constantly in 
  pain and hateful of all living things. Soothing 
  its pain with healing magic or music will calm 
  it down, and may prompt it to speak of Zygofer. 
  It may then remember who it once was.
  Harama was once the human servant and 
  chef of Zygofer during his studies in the valley. 
  The sorcerer couldn’t keep from experiment-
  ing on him after aquiring his first slivers of 
  necromantic knowledge. Scrome became upset 
  and drove Zygofer and Martea from the valley. 
  The giant feels sorry for Harama, and lets him 
  stay and allows the undead to feed him, more 
  often than not using recipes mumbled by Ha-
  rama himself. In sympathy, Scrome has told 
  Harama about his tattoo.
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  242
  
  If the adventurers help Harama die, he may 
  give them his magical soup stone as thanks. 
  It is buried in the old herbarium outside the 
  kitchen.
  STRENGTH 6, AGILITY 2, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
  SKILLS: Melee 2, Lore 2, Manipulation 2 
  GEAR: Cleaver, soup stone
  HARAMA’S soup stone looks like a piece of 
  shimmering, milky agate shaped like the 
  egg of a goose. Putting it in a soup or stew 
  while cooking will make the food so deli-
  cious that anyone who eats it will become 
  temporarily sympathetic to the chef. The 
  chef gets +3 on all rolls for MANIPULATION 
  directed towards people who have eaten 
  of the meal.
  EVENTS
  Below are a number of events that can occur 
  within the Vale of the Dead.
  THE WRATH OF SCROME
  The giant Scrome is the guardian of the val-
  ley, and views the undead as his children. 
  With the help of his crumhorn, he plays for 
  them and keeps them calm. However,  since 
  the whiners stole the horn to use in their 
  hooch production, neither Scrome or the 
  valley are the same. He bawls, stomps and 
  swings his great club against the mountain 
  walls in frustration. The more he sees the 
  plight of the dead, the angrier he gets. He 
  will view the adventurers as part of the in-
  trusion that has disrupted the harmony of 
  the valley from the first time they meet, and 
  be overtly hostile towards them. It is up to 
  the adventurers to convince the giant of their 
  good intentions.
  NIGHT OF THE GHOSTS
  Something is broken in the Vale of the Dead. 
  Ever since the disappearance of the crum-
  horn, the ghosts have become increasingly 
  agitated. They remember their injustices and 
  their old lives. The dead are filled with over-
  whelming feelings of sorrow, rage and hate. 
  For lack of better options, they will turn 
  their frustration on the living intruding in 
  the valley, be that the adventurers, bounty 
  hunters, or Kalmax’s Galdanes. Use the ta-
  ble on page 239 for inspiration, and portray 
  the ghosts as alternately tragic, peaceful and 
  hatefully violent. A ghost can talk of ages 
  past at one moment, only to lash out in an 
  effort to scare the life out of their conver-
  sational partner in the next. The only thing 
  that helps is to grant the ghosts what they 
  want. If Morme gets a playmate, Lommo 
  gets a pipe or Garkhal is returned to the 
  mountains, they will be at peace.
  CAPTURED!
  There is a terrible to-do among the whiners 
  due to the bounty hunters managing to cap-
  ture a young and careless whiner in a trap. 
  They are celebrating in Highvale at this very 
  moment. Nasura Kak reluctantly, but desper-
  ately, contacts the adventurers if they haven’t 
  proven hostile. She asks for help and tells them 
  of the horrible fate that awaits the prisoner if 
  they decline. In return, the adventurers will 
  the vale of the dead
  243
  
  chapter 11
  244
  
  become the whiners’ friends. They may even 
  give them Scrome’s crumhorn back. The 
  orcs will protest this, since it means no more 
  hooch. Oralda and her dwarves can, however, 
  solve everything by making a new cooling pipe 
  for the orcs as well as adjusting the crumhorn 
  so that the harmful notes are blocked. This 
  will gain them the trust of the whiners. A 
  certain amount of diplomacy is required to 
  stitch this solution together in a manner that 
  is pleasing to all parties, obviously.
  KALMAX AND THE  
  TREASURE
  Kalmax the grave robber is on the hunt for a 
  great treasure to pay off his debts. He and his 
  Galdane companions will open the stone doors 
  to the mountain crypts at the most inoppor-
  tune time. This will, of course, incite the rage 
  of both Scrome and the ghosts and Kalmax will 
  soon find that he has bitten off more than he 
  can chew. A possible scenario is that Kalmax 
  comes under siege by Scrome and the ghosts in 
  the crypts, desperately trying to find a way out. 
  Another option is that the Galdanes are slain 
  and become ghosts (without themselves realiz-
  ing it). If they are in luck, they may escape the 
  valley with their ill-gotten treasure, such as the 
  Stanengist crown (see the Raven’s Purge cam-
  paign book). This may, of course, lead to addi-
  tional adventures further down the road.
  MORME!
  Scrome anxiously roams the valley, shouting 
  “Morme! Morme!” It appears that one of the 
  restless dead (see Morme in the table of undead 
  on page 239) has disappeared. If the adventur-
  ers can return the runaway, it will earn them 
  Scrome’s gratitude. Morme has managed to 
  climb up to the plateau and gotten lost in the 
  temple. Maybe he is stuck in the whiners’ hol-
  low-rock. If the grave robbers or bounty hunt-
  ers realize that the giant wants the undead, 
  they may take Morme hostage and demand 
  something in exchange.
  SUBMERSION
  If the whiner chieftain Nasura Kak feels that 
  her domain is being threatened and that their 
  future is at risk, she will trigger the submer-
  sion (see Whiner dwellings on page 237) and 
  hope that in doing so, the adventurers and 
  other intruders will drown or be swept away. 
  The rushing water can, of course, lead to in-
  teresting complications for the adventurers 
  as well as the bounty hunters or Kalmax and 
  his men.
  DANCE OF THE UNQUIET
  If Scrome gets the crumhorn back, he will 
  thank the adventurers by granting them a gift 
  from the crypts in the mountain. For example, 
  the crown of Stanengist (see the Raven’s Purge 
  campaign book) or something from the trea-
  sures tables on page 186. Then he’ll settle down 
  on a boulder and start playing a mournful, but 
  breathtaking, tune on his crumhorn. Soon, 
  the ghosts of the valley will gather in a ring 
  about him and slowly start to dance around the 
  ancient giant. The eerie dance is both a beauti-
  ful and horrifying sight to see.
  the vale of the dead
  245
  
  CLAY’S ROSARY
  It is said that Clay was much fatigued after having bridled the winds over 
  Ravenland in ancient times. He needed to rest, but could not leave the newly 
  tamed winds unattended. He therefore created a rosary of Maha signs that 
  could control the weather and gave this to the maiden Thousand-Heart to 
  use while he slept. Gargal, behemoth of the seas, who was used to playing at 
  sea with the gales, was cross that his playmates had been taken from him 
  and wanted to free them. While Clay slept, Gargal let himself rise from 
  the sea foam at Maidenholm in the shape of the beautiful noble, Adembre. 
  Thousand-Heart was so enamored that she forsook her duties to frolic with 
  her guest. But Gargal let crabs sneak ashore to steal Clay’s rosary while she 
  was distracted.
  When dawn broke, Adembre returned to the beach, where the crabs had 
  hidden the rosary under a rock. He was just about to go into the sea with his 
  loot when Clay woke. The god discovered the theft and turned the beach into 
  a mire, trapping the thief. When Adembre found himself trapped, he threw 
  the rosary into the ocean. But before Gargal’s gargantuan shape could catch it, 
  it was snatched up by the mischievous dolphin Puld, who absconded with it. 
  Clay furiously ripped Adembre to shreds, which can still be seen in the red al-
  gae that lines the shorelines of the ocean. The god let the shores of the sea, rivers 
  and lakes partially remain as mires henceforth, as protection against thieves. 
  It is said that Thousand-Heart wept so profusely on the shore for her lover that 
  the sea has been salt ever since, but since Clay had woken he no longer needed 
  the rosary. After mastering the winds, he bestowed them on the goddess Wail 
  to use as she wanted.
  legends
  246
  
  QUEEN AGATHA’S TWIN TABLETS
  Queen Agatha of Dragon’s Tooth was once a beloved queen of the dwarven 
  Crombe clan. She wished to favor the stone singers of the clan so that their 
  skill would rival that of the Belderans. When the gifted apprentice, Torwyld 
  Gravel, by chance managed to return a slab of agate to its primordial, living 
  form – the feat has never been reproduced –  and the masters saw how the 
  veins of agate surged beautifully like northern lights in the mountain, they 
  decided to shape a tablet for the queen from the living rock, thanking her for 
  her faith in them.
  The work was done with a degree of anguish, for the living stone screeched 
  and cried when cut, but after some time, the beautiful tablet could be presented 
  to the regent. To the embarrassment of the stone singers, the agate veins would 
  no longer surge, but it was discovered that when someone managed to move a 
  vein on the stone tablet the same change appeared on the slab from which it had 
  been taken. Master Homb realized that the stone tablet was missing its other 
  piece and set out to form a second tablet from the remainder of the slab. Once 
  it had been completed, and the tablets were brought together, they seemed to be 
  more at ease and the agate veins became more fluid. They assumed the same 
  pattern, and it soon became clear that if the pattern was changed by hand on 
  one tablet, the same change immediately appeared on the other. Master Homb 
  noticed that this occurred even if the tablets were separated, and realized that 
  they could be used to send messages across long distances. After some years, one 
  of the tablets was lost, however, at which time the other was forgotten, since it 
  no longer served any purpose. The second tablet eventually went missing, too, 
  lost to the unknown.
  legends
  247
  
  BARKHYDE
  Barkhyde is believed to be an old, sacrificial mask in honor of the goddess Heme, 
  and is also known as Heme’s Devouring Mask. If placed over the face, tough 
  tree roots will slither from it, enfolding the wearer in minutes, while they are 
  subjected to a multitude of harmless, but unpleasant, pin pricks. The custom at 
  the temples of Heme is to then remove the mask and sacrifice the individual.
  ARROWS OF THE FIRE WYRM
  It is said that the volcano god Horn first awoke when the demons that Zygofer 
  let loose had already laid waste to Aslene. So awful was his rage that magma 
  and ash were spewed across the heavens. Brought before the god were three 
  snakes, who had bitten three prophets to death. These prophets had seen 
  the coming of the demon flood, and had wanted to warn the people and 
  wake Horn. The snakes groveled before Horn and opined that they had not 
  intended the desolation of the land, that they had only followed their nature 
  as the gods had created them. When Horn’s priests still wanted to punish 
  the reptiles by throwing them into the magma, they writhed, cried out and 
  begged to atone for their crime by bringing vengeance to those who were truly 
  responsible.
  Horn listened to them and called his servant from the magma depths of the 
  volcano, the mighty fire wyrm, Erinya. She breathed on her lesser kin, where-
  upon they turned into arrows. These arrows would, when shot from a bow, 
  mark the butchers of Aslene so that Erinya could find and devour them.
  legends
  248
  
  FEROXA’S CLAWS
  Within the Rust Church, the tale is told of how the gods Rust and Heme first 
  celebrated their wedding before the exultant fathers of the Rust Brothers and the 
  praising mothers of the Sisters of Heme. From the divine embrace was eventu-
  ally born the daughter, Feroxa, a beautiful child of the blackest hematite with 
  freckles of rust on her stone skin. 
  But their happiness made the Raven god jealous. The bird of carrion swept 
  down, stole the child from its cradle, and settled on a high cliff to devour it. Despe-
  rate and furious, the god Rust let his limb lengthen into an arrow of iron and the 
  goddess Heme sacrificed a finger to form a bow, strung with Feroxa’s umbilical 
  cord. They sent their ironclad servant Teramalda to the crag and she shot the ar-
  row at the Raven god, who gravely injured and terrified, fled to the woods. Raven 
  took off with such force that Feroxa was pushed off the cliff and fell to the ground, 
  shattering into shards beyond count that spread across the world as pieces of hema-
  tite. Teramalda tried to break her fall but was mortally wounded by the weight of 
  the stone child. Feroxa’s decapitated head came to rest next to Teramalda. It was 
  bereft of sight since the raven god had already pecked out its eyes, but the god-child 
  sensed its helper’s lips and breathed her spirit into her. Ever since that day, Tera-
  malda roams the world in search of vengeance on the Raven god and his followers.
  The god Rust wished to bury the head of his dead daughter, but his wife Heme 
  said that now was the time for vengeance, not sorrow. Together, they forged a set 
  of hematite claws from Feroxa’s remains, to be worn by the champion of the Rust 
  Church in the hunt for the scum of the Raven god. The claws were lost, however, 
  when their wielder – Gardkan, captain of the Iron Guard – fell in battle during 
  the Alder Wars.
  The claws were forged during Teramalda’s invasion of Ravenland, but the 
  legend of the gods and their child is just a myth. Teramalda’s suit of armor came 
  to life when the dwarven lord Garmar Four-Beard had the woman cooked over 
  embers in it, and it is possible that it was the god Rust who woke her. Anyhow, she 
  prefers to hunt dwarves rather than worshippers of the Raven.
  legends
  249
  
  SCARNESBANE
  The legends tell of how Scarne, the ancient mother of dragons, ruled in 
  Ravenland when the dwarves arrived in an age long forgotten, and that her 
  armor was of impregnable obsidian that she herself had melted around her 
  body. But Oramund, the commander of the dwarves, prayed to the god Huge, 
  who sent him a hammer the blows of which could crush anything. With 
  it, Oramund slew the she-dragon. The dwarves then chased the serpent’s 
  offspring up into the mountains from whence they still plague the land. Ora-
  mund named the hammer Scarnesbane. The weapon has been lost for many 
  years.
  In fact, the hammer was never used against Scarne. Nor is the dragon 
  dead, but merely imprisoned far below the dwarven fortress of Stonegarden. 
  According to the dragon, the god of the dwarves, Huge, cowardly beat her pro-
  genitor to death in her sleep, possibly using Scarnesbane.
  CARSKENFOOT’S BOOTS
  Five hundred years ago, the renowned stone singer and prospector Aras 
  Carskenfoot of the Belderan clan forged a pair of climbing boots to help him 
  traverse difficult mountain terrain. The boots worked perfectly, but since 
  Carskenfoot suffered from a severe case of foot sweat, he slid out of them when 
  the fastening straps broke half-way up a sheer cliff, and the stone singer fell to 
  his death. The widow handed the boots off so as to never see them again and 
  neither she nor anyone else has since.
  legends
  250
  
  PHANTOM DAGGERS
  It is said that when the Alderlanders invaded Ravenland, they sent the three 
  siblings Vider to assassinate the leaders of the dwarves and elves. However, 
  the elven masters ensnared the would-be assassins through their magic, slew 
  them and bound their dark souls to three daggers.
  WYRM’S KEY
  There are no legends pertaining to the key, which was originally forged for 
  the Psychopomp Natrix. It is said, however, that no secret can be hidden 
  from the god Wyrm’s gaze, no door locked against his passing. 
  VOLLER’S HELMET
  The Elvenspring Voller is supposed to have been one of the early teachers in 
  the druidic order of the Golden Bough. He possessed mental prowess un-
  matched by others, and it is rumored that someone who can channel their con-
  centration just right will be able to fly with his helmet on their head. Others 
  claim that the crucial part is trust as well as concentration, saying that the 
  user has to brave the plunge with the helmet on, firm in the belief in their 
  ability to fly for that ability to manifest.
  legends
  251
  
  THE NIGHTWALKER’S  
  HOURGLASS
  It is said that the stone singer Dordela was so vexed late one night over a mistake 
  she’d made on an anniversary statue, that she begged the Nightwalker to return 
  the stone slab to its original form, such as it was before she marred it with her 
  high note. At the same time, there was a knock on the door to the workshop, frigh-
  tening her. Outside the door was a mysterious figure with the features of a bat. 
  In his arms he held a box, which he handed over without a word before turning 
  around to leave. The only answer to Dordela’s questions was a hiss:
  “Fracture time, unmake mistake, bone break,” and then the mysterious 
  messenger was gone.
  In the box, Dordela found three hourglasses lying in purple velvet and on 
  the inside of the lid were the same words, written in black ink. She picked up 
  one of the hourglasses, observed the sand running from the top to the bottom 
  and, on a whim, broke the instrument in half. She immediately fainted, but 
  when she woke the stone slab stood before her, untouched, just as she had wis-
  hed. Delighted, she reached for her stone wand but found it impossible: her 
  hand was missing.
  They say that the second hourglass was broken when King Ardeburd had 
  lost the battle against the Canides below the Icefang Mountains. He is then said 
  to have allowed all the sand to flow from the hourglass and was never seen 
  again. Without their leader, the dwarves lost the battle a second time. 
  legends
  252
  
  ASINA
  This weapon is very old, and the blade is said to be the fang of one of the gigantic 
  earthworms that destroyed the ancestral lands of the humans, forcing them to 
  flee to Ravenland guided by the Raven god. Raven had strictly forbidden the 
  humans from bringing anything from the homeland on their journey, so as not 
  to risk contaminating the new world. The smuggler who brought the fang was 
  summarily thrown overboard during the voyage, but the priests did not dare to 
  let the blade follow out of fear that they could infect some sea beast that would 
  then follow them. Instead, it was decided that they would bring the tusk to the 
  new land and there keep it under lock and key in a temple, until it had become 
  clear how to securely and safely destroy it. Instead, once its origins had been 
  forgotten, it was forged into a sword.
  legends
  253
  
  THE TEZAUR
  It is told that Duke Fargalon of Aslene had a son who was named Ungule, 
  after the god Horn’s master smith of the volcano, he who forges the hoofs of 
  the holy steeds. After bones had been thrown in front of the newborn, the 
  seeress proclaimed that it was the destiny of the duke’s son to fall in love with 
  a flautist of the wandering folk and take her as his bride. The proclamation 
  angered Fargalon, and he forbade all forms of music in his domain. Riders 
  were even sent out to cut down the reeds that rustled too loudly on the river 
  banks. Ungule grew up to be a handsome young man, and one day when he 
  was out hunting in the forest, he caught the eye of Tezara of the Tarn, who 
  became fiercely stricken with love.
  Tezara was a masterful singer, but she could not sing her love to the duke’s 
  son since he lived in a fortress of stone and always wore a helmet of silence 
  when he ventured outside. Tezara sang her lament in the forest, where a nai-
  ad heard her. She took pity on Tezara, and gave the lovestruck maiden a silver 
  flute, forged from the waters of a babbling brook. Anyone who plays the flute 
  can walk through stone and iron and guards like light through water. With its 
  help, Tezara made her way to Ungule and won his heart with her song.
  In the morning, Duke Fargalon discovered the young lovers and went into 
  a rage, threatening to imprison Tezara, but when she showed him her flute 
  his thoughts were filled with the possibilities it presented. The duke had paw-
  ned his most treasured heirlooms in the capital to fund his military campaigns. 
  When night fell, he went to the rich pawnbroker’s house, played himself into 
  the treasury and soon waded through silver and gold in a jolly fashion. The 
  pawnbroker’s guards heard him, however, and soon opened the gates to the 
  vault. The duke had already gathered his heirlooms and wanted to play his 
  way out with them, but in his fervor and greed he had dropped the flute and 
  was unable to find it among the silver spread around him. The guards mistook 
  him for a simple thief and killed him. Ungule was named duke and wed Te-
  zara, but the flute was lost.
  legends
  254
  
  WAIL’S HORN
  It is said that the goddess Wail visited the oceans in her youth, but that the great 
  waters, overcome by love and greed, refused to let their guest go when she attemp-
  ted to leave. Wail struggled in the depths, giving birth to the swirls and eddies of 
  the world, but a toothed shark took pity on her, raised her on its tusks and threw 
  her into the air so that she could blow away. Once free, Wail blessed the animal, 
  and since she understood that the oceans would want to punish her savior, she 
  made the creature larger and fatter so that it would never have to be frightened 
  or cold in the oceans again. She also gave it the ability to breathe air so that she 
  could blow life and courage into it henceforth. Thus, the walrus was created.
  legends
  255
  
  WELL OF TEARS
  The Rust Brothers say that before creating humans, the god Rust wanted 
  to create a race of mighty warriors to purge the land of the plague of elves, 
  orcs and dwarves that tarnished it, thus making room for his true servants. 
  To this purpose, he erected a man and woman made of pure diamond and 
  then rested, intending to equip them for their task on the morrow. But the 
  two-faced dwarves saw his plans, and on that very same night they slew the 
  man before he was given a name, and as such was unable to defend himself. 
  The woman, who was later given the name Hemla, was grief-stricken and 
  fled, never to be seen again. The crystal race was never to be born, since she 
  was now the last of her kind. When Rust awoke he became wroth and slew 
  fifty thousand dwarves, but the rest cowardly hid beneath the earth, where 
  they remain to this day. In his grief, Rust formed the chalice of the Well of 
  Tears from the skull of the dead warrior. Every day it replenishes itself with 
  the god’s tears, tainted by blood. Rust had no more diamonds and realized 
  that humankind now had to solve their own problems, to be tempered by the 
  world. He created the humans and granted them the Well of Tears from 
  which they were invited to drink, to waken them to the glory of battle.
  legends
  256
  
  MENKAURA’S TOOTH
  It is said that the spider queen Menkaura and her thousandfold brood ruled 
  over the Dankwood between Entwater and the Crombe river for a hund-
  red years. The elves grew tired of them after a group of botanizing melders 
  were slaughtered by the beasts, and sent twenty war ents into the queendom 
  of the spiders. The ents weren’t susceptible to both the fangs and poison of the 
  spiders, and possessed the strength to tear all their webs to shreds. They slew 
  Menkaura but allowed the remaining spiders to live, since the unity of the be-
  asts died with their queen. Menkaura’s gleaming carapace was brought to the 
  city of Stridehome where it was used in jewelry, weapons and other objects. 
  One of these objects is her tooth.
  legends
  257
  
  IVELDE
  It is rumored that the humans who were spending their first day in Raven-
  land fought over whether the raven that had led them across the ocean was 
  divine or if the divinity belonged to the snake in the raven’s claws. First of all, 
  the new arrivals met a dwarven hermit and weaponsmith at a cliff by the 
  beach, facing the sea. The first Raven Sister, she who was called Nightshroud, 
  is said to have given herself to the dwarf so that he in return forged the magical 
  spear Ivelde for her to benefit the worshippers of the raven. The first wor-
  shipper of the wyrm, Modreval, desired Nightshroud and was struck with 
  jealousy. He cursed the weapon so that the shape of a black snake grew from the 
  back of the spear head, with fangs like barbs. Furious, Nightshroud suggested 
  that the wyrm worshippers could keep the desecrated spear and threw it among 
  them. They instantly started fighting each other until several lay dead. Both 
  Nightshroud and Modreval were horrified and agreed to make peace between 
  the factions. They married and ordered the spear locked away.
  legends
  258
  
  TVEDRA’S TWIN RINGS
  It is said that the witch Tvedra was so smitten with Hinrek of Falender that she 
  gifted him with a ring that would protect him in the wars against the Alderlan-
  ders. She wore an identical ring herself, and claimed that her love would protect 
  him even when they couldn’t be together. Captain Hinrek found himself able 
  to absorb more cuts and hits in the field, just as she had said, but when he was 
  eventually badly wounded despite the ring, he journeyed home to rest and heal. 
  To his sorrow and despair, he found that Tvedra had died. They said that she 
  had inexplicably suffered horrendous wounds, and Hinrek understood that the 
  wounds he had suffered in the field had been shared with her across the distance. 
  However, she wasn’t as strong as he was, and so the wounds had killed her. 
  Hinrek threw away the rings and, grief-stricken, retired as a hermit.
  THE HOLLOWS
  The Hollows… Have you ever been to that dump? It’s a village at the back of 
  beyond. Cowards and milksops hid from the Blood Mist in that sorry excuse 
  for a village, waiting for better times. They were unaware of one thing, 
  however… that their peaceful village was built on a site of blood and death.
  legends
  259
  
  WEATHERSTONE
  Ten generations before our time, the cruel king Algarod declared that Alder-
  land had become overcrowded. He sought to expand his kingdom by leading 
  an army across the mountains to Ravenland, where he fell in battle against 
  the demonic hordes of the sorcerer Zygofer. As he was lost, so too was the sceptre 
  Nekhaka, rumored to be the source of his power. However, the will of the king 
  burned so fiercely that he refused to die and for ages stood watch in the strong-
  hold of Weatherstone. Legend has it that Algarod will march again one day, 
  to retrieve the spire of Nekhaka and complete his conquest of Ravenland. But 
  the curse was suddenly broken and the undead king and his men finally went 
  to their final rest. There are whispers that Algarod’s war chest remains in 
  Weatherstone, forever guarded by evil spirits and the beasts of the sorcerer.
  legends
  260
  
  VALE OF THE DEAD
  Stories tell of how Zygofer the defiler visited the Vale of the Dead beyond the 
  Temple of Silence during the Alder Wars. The sorcerer’s spouse, Martea, 
  taught him how to parley with the deceased, but when she learned how Zygo-
  fer abused the art – instead of seeking wisdom, he wanted to wake the resting 
  bones to his service – she fled from him with two of their children. Zygofer 
  continued his work in the vale until the keeper of the dead chased him away. 
  In anger, the sorcerer drove the priests from the Temple of Silence, but before 
  leaving the site, it is said that the holy men drowned its halls to keep them safe.
  legends
  261
  
  A
  Abyss Worm  76
  Adventure Sites  167
  Ailander  48
  Alderland  16, 19, 22
  Alderlander  45, 49
  Alderstone  30
  Alder War, First  23
  Alder War, Second  24
  Alder War, Third  27
  Alder War, Fourth  30
  Algamar  22
  Algarod  30, 215, 226
  Alvagard  24
  Animals  126
  Arrows of the  
  Fire Wyrm  128
  Artifacts  128
  Asina  130
  Aslene  21, 24
  Aslenes  49
  B
  Barkhyde  131
  Belderranians  58
  Bestiary  73
  Blackwings  38
  Bloodling  78
  Blood Mist  34
  C
  Calendar  35
  Canides  59
  Carskenfoot’s Boots  132
  Castle  178
  Clan of the Sons  58
  Clay  18, 41
  Clay’s Rosary  132
  Congregation of  
  the Serpent  20, 31
  Consumables  11
  Crombe Clan  59
  D
  Death Knight  86
  Demons  27, 80
  Dragon  88
  Drakewyrm  90
  Dungeon  172
  Dwarven Clans  57
  Dwarves  20, 56
  Dwelvers  60
  E
  Elders, The  60
  Elven Rubies  52
  Elvenspring  26, 50
  Elves  52
  Encounters  146
  Ents  54, 92
  Events, Stronghold  12
  F
  Failure  11
  Falender  22, 29
  Feroxa’s Claws  134
  Finds  186
  Flow  42
  Frailer  48
  Frailers  19
  G
  Galdane  31
  Galdanes  50
  Gamemaster, The  4
  Garmar Four-Beard  24
  Ghost  94
  Giant  96
  Giant Squid  98
  Glethra  22
  Goblins  70
  Gods  36
  Golden Bough, The  55
  Gray Bear  100
  Gryphon  102
  Guardian Clan, The  59
  H
  Halflings  70
  Harga  23
  Harpies  104
  Heme  23, 38
  Heme Sister  40
  History  16
  Horn  21, 42
  Huge  40
  Humans  43
  Hydra  106
  INDEX
  index
  262
  
  I
  Insectoids  108
  Iron Dog Clans  59
  Iron Guard  40
  Iron League  22
  Iron Lock  22, 32
  Isir  65
  Ivelde  135
  J
  Jamharda  20
  K
  Kartorda  39
  Kin  43
  Krasylla  31
  L
  Law Of The Land  21
  Lumra  23, 28
  M
  Maha Language  41
  Maiden Druid  51
  Manticore  110
  Marga  27, 28
  Martea  26, 27, 28
  Melders  55
  Menkaura’s Tooth  136
  Merigall  27, 31, 217
  Meromannians  58
  Mining Clan, The  58
  Minotaur  112
  Misgrown  29, 51
  Monster Attacks  73
  Monsters  73
  Mount Bilica  20
  N
  Nexus  31
  Nightwalker, The  42
  Nightwargs  114
  NPCs  9, 183
  O
  Ogres  60
  Opposition  11
  Orc Clans  64
  Orcs  62
  P
  Phantom 
  Daggers  137
  Precious Finds  190
  Principles of the Game  6
  Psychopomp  20, 32
  Pyronax  34
  Q
  Quards  21
  Queen Agatha’s Twin  
  Tablets  137
  R
  Raven God, The  20, 37
  Ravenland  16
  Raven Sisters  20, 23, 37
  Redrunners  56
  Roka  65
  Rust  22, 38
  Rust Brothers  33, 40
  Rust Church  22
  Rust Prince, The  33
  S
  Saurians  68
  Scarnesbane  138
  Scrome  27, 242
  Sea Serpent  116
  Shadowgate Pass  21
  Shardmaiden, The  41, 51
  Silent Guard  49
  Simple Finds  187
  Stillelves  53
  Stillmist  19
  Stonegarden  22
  Strangling Vine  118
  Swarms  127
  T
  Teramalda  22, 33
  The Divide  16
  The Hollows  194
  The Iron Lock  18
  The Nightwalker’s  
  Hourglass  139
  index
  263
  
  The Protector  36
  Therania  27, 32, 229
  The Shift  18, 20
  The Silent  32
  The Tezaur  140
  Traps  176
  Treasure  186
  Troll  120
  Tvedra’s Twin Rings  142
  U
  Undead  122
  Unruly, The  54
  Urhur  64
  V
  Vale of the Dead  231 
  Valuable Finds  188
  Village  44, 168
  Viraga  66
  Voller’s Helmet  142
  Vond  21, 24
  Wail  18, 41
  Wailer’s Hold  23, 28
  Wail’s Horn  143
  Watchers  55
  Weatherstone  215
  Well of Tears  144
  Whiners  69
  Wolfkin  67
  Wyrm  16, 22
  Wyrm  36
  Wyrm’s Key  145, 251
  Wyvern  124
  Z
  Zertorme  26, 33
  Zygofer  17, 24, 32
  Zytera  32
  index
  264
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Forbidden Lands (Year Zero Engine) [multi]/Forbidden Lands Gamemasters Guide.pdf