TEXT: PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  •MATTERS OF FAITH•
  
  By Paul “Wiggy” Wade-Williams
  lead editor & ProoFreader: Hans BotHe 
  editors: roBert davis, vince Kingston, tyler morrison, lee F. szczePaniK, Jr.
  cover & graPHic design: roBin elliott 
  tyPesetting: Paul Wade-Williams
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  dedication: to Wesley e. marsHall and maggie
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  Matters of faith
  
  Faith matters............................. 3
     cults & society..................... 3
     Pantheons............................. 4
  Priests and Paladins................. 5
  Festivals................................. 15
     dargar................................. 15
     eira..................................... 16
     eostre................................. 17
     ertha................................... 19
     Freo.................................... 20
     Hela.................................... 21
     Hoenir................................ 22
     Hothar................................ 23
     Kenaz.................................. 24
     maera.................................. 25
     nauthiz............................... 26
     neorthe.............................. 27
     niht.................................... 28
     the norns.......................... 29
     rigr..................................... 29
     scaetha............................... 29
     sigel.................................... 31
     thrym................................. 32
     thunor............................... 33
     tiw...................................... 34
     ullr...................................... 35
     the unknowable one........ 35
     vali...................................... 37
     var...................................... 37
     local customs.................... 39
  minor gods........................... 55
     affiliation and Worship...... 55
     minor gods........................ 57
  inhuman gods.................... 113
  godsheim............................ 123
     major gods’ Halls............. 124
     notable Places.................. 129
     celestial sphere................ 130
     the abyss.......................... 137
     demonic cults.................. 141
     demon lords.................... 142
  Contents
  
  Faith is an important part of the Hellfrost setting. 
  While priests worship one deity, being granted miracu-
  lous powers in return for their service, the common 
  citizens honor the gods in their own way. although most 
  have a patron deity, they pray to gods as required by spe-
  cific circumstances. thus, a farmer who takes eostre as 
  his patron may make offerings to Freo when he heads to 
  a distant market, var to ensure a good price for his crops, 
  thunor to hold back storms that may ruin the harvest, 
  and eira when his children fall sick in winter. 
  While the gods of Hellfrost do not often interfere in 
  the affairs of mortals, their power is felt through their 
  paladins and priests, divine heralds, and natural events. 
  While modern man can explain away natural phenom-
  ena through science, the citizens of rassilon are super-
  stitious. a thunderstorm is not a natural event, but the 
  anger of thunor, god of storms and wind. an earthquake 
  has nothing to do with seismic forces or tectonic activ-
  ity—it is an indication ertha, goddess of the earth, is rest-
  less or moving around her subterranean home. 
  to that end, the inhabitants of rassilon have strong 
  beliefs in the powers of the gods. Whether they pay lip 
  service to many gods, attend infrequent ceremonies 
  when it suits their needs, have chosen a patron deity, 
  have devoted their life without holy vows, or have taken 
  office as a member of the clergy, all citizens honor the 
  gods in some way. to deny the gods is to deny reality. 
  Cults & soCiety
  this section takes a look at how temples are orga-
  nized, both internally and with regard the wider faith, 
  and also the matter of clerics and the laws of the land. 
  teMple hierarChy
  cults in Hellfrost operate around a hierarchical structure. 
  at the bottom are the laity, men and women who honor the 
  god but who are not ordained clergy. above them are the 
  devotees, laity who swear oaths of allegiance to worship 
  the god above all others but who do not take holy office or 
  receive miracles. the first true members of any cult are the 
  priests and paladins. Finally there are the disciples, clergy 
  who have taken their faith to a higher level of dedication. 
  every temple has a high priest. though the bearer is 
  the senior cleric in the temple, the position is honorary 
  and cannot be used to judge the cleric’s status as a com-
  mon cleric or a disciple. the term “senior” is also open 
  to interpretation. depending on the temple, the post 
  may be filled by the oldest cleric, a disciple, or one with 
  the most access to miraculous powers. those of tiw, as 
  an example, often hold ritual combats when the posi-
  tion becomes available to determine who has the right 
  to lead. as always, nothing is quite that clear cut in ras-
  silon. some temples of tiw treat the number of battles a 
  warrior has survived as a mark of his right to lead.
  While these titles represent level of faith and hierarchi-
  cal order, cults also have a varying number of actual jobs 
  within any given temple. For instance, temples to tiw may 
  boast a training master or master of the armory; those of 
  eira might have a senior Physician or almsgiver; and those 
  of thunor titles such as master of crows and Wind of the 
  east gate. no defined, rigid list of titles exists, giving the 
  gm ample room to create unique positions as required.
  hierarChy of the faith
  temples in cities and towns operate as independent 
  political and spiritual entities, answerable to no higher au-
  thority save the deity. those in villages, being smaller and 
  often lacking in resources, tend to ally themselves to the 
  nearest large temple, accepting orders from and granting 
  tithes to their superiors in return for aid when required.
  this arrangement is by no means universal, and plenty 
  of small temples remain fiercely independent of outside 
  interference. as a result, many temples hold unique rites 
  and festivals, even within the same realm. often these 
  reflect local customs and traditions. in some cases, even 
  faith Matters
  
                              
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  common stories have details changed to reflect local sen-
  sibilities or to praise the current ruler. in the Freelands, 
  for example, stories which revolve around kings and the 
  gods are replaced with tales of common citizens receiving 
  divine blessings. this means that there is no one overall 
  religious leader for any faith, nor any one temple (regard-
  less of boasts), that speaks for all members of the faith.
  in terms of the wider social order, all clerics rank just 
  below the nobility. those who also possess noble titles, 
  something of a rarity but not unknown, are weighted by 
  their social rank, not their clerical status.
  the law
  in matters of law, all clerics are subject to the laws 
  of the land in which they reside or travel. temples have 
  the right to punish those who transgress religious laws, 
  whether the perpetrators are clergy, laity, or non-wor-
  shippers. the local temple of the offended god judges 
  any acts of desecration, blasphemy, or sacrilege.
  rights set down long ago also allow the clergy to 
  judge other crimes committed within the temple’s land. 
  For instance, if someone commits murder in a temple of 
  var, then the temple clergy has the legal right to hold the 
  trial. normally this is only done if the victim is a member 
  of the clergy or an important lay member.
  in neither instance may the accused submit for his 
  feudal overlord, the local moot, or a civil court (an anari 
  concept) to hear the case (see Hellfrost Expansion 2).
  pantheons
  this section takes a brief peek behind the scenes of 
  the pantheon of greater gods.
  raCial pantheons
  though different races tend to favor certain gods, 
  there are no true racial pantheons. an engro warrior is 
  just as likely to follow tiw as a saxa warrior, and an elf 
  druid probably pays homage to eostre, as does an anari 
  farmer. the following list typifies favored gods by race, 
  but should never be used to restrict a player’s choice.
  Elf, Hearth: eira, eostre, Hoenir, maera, sigel, ullr.
  Elf, Taiga: eostre, maera, sigel, tiw, ullr.
  Anari: Hoenir, maera (the magocracy), tiw, var.
  Dwarf: ertha, Kenaz, tiw.
  Engro: Freo, nauthiz, the norns, unknowable one.
  Finnar: Freo, Kenaz, rigr, sigel, ullr.
  Frostborn: By main race, but add thrym.
  Giant: Kenaz (fire), eostre & ullr (forest), thrym (frost), 
  ertha (cliff), vali (marsh), neorthe (sea), thunor (storm).
  Orc/Goblin: dargar, niht, thrym, vali.
  Saxa: eostre, Hothar, Kenaz, neorthe (coastal only), 
  the norns, thunor, tiw, ullr.
  Tuomi: eostre, Kenaz, neorthe (coastal), thunor, tiw.
  Divine faMily trees
  despite there being no true racial pantheons, the vari-
  ous races and cultures do tend to view the relationship 
  between deities differently. the notes in the Hellfrost 
  Player’s Guide are those of the majority of saxa, and 
  represent a belief system commonly shared by most of 
  the other cultures and races.
  However, there are many areas of contention and 
  confusion. Hoenir, for example, is widely regarded as 
  the brother of nauthiz. nauthiz, on the other hand, is 
  stated to be the twin brother of var, yet var is not listed 
  as having any relationship to Hoenir. many have tried 
  to argue that maera and sigel, the moon and sun, were 
  once wed though are currently separated. clerics of eira 
  deny dargar is the offspring of a union between their 
  goddess and tiw, though others believe this is fact.
  many elementalists insist the four “elemental gods” 
  (ertha, Kenaz, neorthe, and thunor) are all children of 
  maera, whose threads of magic bind them together. yet 
  this flies in the face of Kenaz being most often listed as 
  sigel’s son and thus scaetha’s brother.
  racial beliefs also muddy the celestial waters. the hearth 
  elves hold that eostre is the wife of sigel, though scaetha is 
  not their daughter. instead, she is the daughter of tiw and 
  sister to dargar. to the dwarves, ertha and tiw are married. 
  their daughter is scaetha, despite the goddess of death re-
  ceiving little mainstream worship among the subterranean 
  race. to the engro, the unknowable one and the norns are 
  husband and wife, regardless of there being three distinct 
  norns, and all the other gods are their children.
  no one of these beliefs is totally correct, nor can it said 
  to be a total fabrication. they are merely the mortal races at-
  tempts to place some sort of order on beings far beyond their 
  true comprehension using their own cultures as a guideline. 
  even clerics of the same faith are at loggerheads much of the 
  time over the true relationship between the gods.
                      
  the selari pantheon
  the selari, a now extinct culture whose ancient 
  lands once centered on shattered moor, recognized 
  just two deities, sigel and niht. However, each was 
  accorded many aspects which coincided with one of 
  the other major deities. For instance, sigel the Healer 
  had similarities with eira while sigel rainmaker was 
  synonymous with many aspects of thunor.
  in game terms, a character wishing to adopt the selari 
  faith as a cleric must take arcane Background (mira-
  cles) and pick either sigel or niht as his patron. He 
  must then pick an aspect which relates to one of the 
  other major deities, adding both the spells and sins of 
  that second deity to his patron’s list. For example, si-
  gel the Healer has the combined spells and sins of si-
  gel and eira. niht, an evil goddess, is linked with dar-
  gar, Hela, thrym, and vali. sigel may be worshipped 
  in an aspect of any of the remaining greater gods. 
  the cleric starts with the two signature spells of his 
  chosen gods. in this he has no choice.
  
  the religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods and provides 
  a little information on the duties of their clergy. this 
  section is an expansion of those notes, providing facts 
  useful to both players and gms.
  the information is broken down into four separate 
  sections, each of which is explained below.
  Training: clerics, and to some degree the laity, receive 
  religious training. this section briefly describes how a 
  typical worshipper is trained. many cults use a mentor-
  ing system. this gives the player and gm opportunity 
  to introduce a cleric’s former mentor. most times he is 
  there to help the hero, or at least provide roleplaying 
  opportunities. 
  the mentor may also have turned from the faith, 
  or become corrupted in some manner (like a cleric of 
  eostre Plantmother who has taken to human sacrifice 
  to empower the crop fields). such villains needn’t ex-
  ist purely to be slain—questing to turn a former mentor 
  and friend back onto the right path can make for some 
  very intense roleplaying.
  Prayers: all clerics and worshippers pray regularly 
  and use colorful speech. Players should be encouraged 
  to flower their character’s speech both when praying, 
  cursing, and swearing oaths. the gm can use the same 
  for his nPcs, thus helping to turn them for a set of stats 
  into more realistic inhabitants of the Hellfrost setting. it 
  isn’t just clerics who can use this section. any character 
  uttering an exclamation might hiss, “tiw’s beard!” or 
  “eira’s mercy!”
  Adventures: every cleric of a greater god has the or-
  ders Hindrance and every cult has its focuses. the most 
  common types of mission a cleric is asked, and likely 
  desires, to undertake are detailed here.
  Character Guidelines: Hints and tips for players and 
  gms with regard choice of skills and edges. nothing is 
  written in stone, though some choices should be obvi-
  ous necessities. For instance, a cleric of rigr the Watch-
  man should have notice as his highest skill in order to 
  fulfill his duties.
  Dargar
  Training: Worshippers are expected to be remorse-
  less killers, devoid of pity and compassion. novices 
  are forced to witness scenes of grisly torture or take 
  part in raids on defenseless citizens until they become 
  desensitized. those who show signs of weakness are 
  used as sacrifices. Potential clergy are then formed into 
  small bands under the leadership of a full cleric. they 
  are encouraged to form strong bonds of friendship. as 
  training nears its end, the students are ordered to fight 
  each other to the death. the sole student who survives 
  the massacre is accepted into the clergy. 
  Prayers: most prayers are intended to stir up violent 
  feelings. “dealer of death, eater of flesh, slayer of the 
  weak, flayer of the meek, hear my prayer.” 
  Adventures: anything involving senseless violence or 
  massacres is well-suited to dargar’s crazed worshippers. 
  they support (or even lead) orc and goblin raids, attack 
  defenseless settlements and innocent travelers, create 
  war between two nations, and stalk battlefields to dine 
  on the flesh of the dying before finishing sending them 
  to their gods.
  Character Generation: dealing death and destruc-
  tion requires good strength and Fighting. any combat 
  edges are suitable, though Frenzy and sweep, which 
  allow death to be meted out more quickly, are favored. 
  given many are berserkers, a low smarts is actually fa-
  vorable, so as to be able to go berserk more easily. the 
  downside is the berserker finds it hard to calm his emo-
  tions. mean is a suitable Hindrance, for dargar’s canni-
  bals and psychopaths are rarely charitable souls.
  eira
  Training: clerics begin training with classroom instruc-
  tion in the anatomy of the races and the art of herbalism, 
  learning the medicinal properties of plants before brewing 
  their own herbal remedies. once the basics are learned 
  they assist senior clerics around the temple as orderlies, 
  priests & palaDins
  
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  learning how to recognize and treat a variety of injuries 
  and sicknesses. later, clerics are taken to battlefields to 
  witness the carnage or listen to veterans’ stories. these 
  are not tales of heroic battle like the skalds recite, but of 
  senseless death and bloodshed—only by seeing and hear-
  ing the true cost of war can they fully dedicate themselves 
  to the art of preventing violence. it also serves to cull 
  those of weak heart, for healing is more than mopping 
  fevered brows and tending minor cuts and grazes, and 
  many injuries are enough to empty one’s stomach. 
  Prayers: depending on the situation, prayers begin 
  with, “merciful/Peaceful/gentle mother, pure of heart, 
  take pity on this unfortunate soul and…” curses, excla-
  mations, and oaths always begin with the name of the 
  goddess. examples include, “eira’s serenity (save me 
  from fools)!” “eira’s mercy (will you please shut up)!” 
  and “eira’s tranquility (that scared the hell out of me)!” 
  Adventures: Wherever there is war or sickness, eira’s 
  clerics are never far away. they may be called upon to 
  accompany an army to war, attend critical peace treaty 
  negotiations as mediators, hunt down worshippers of 
  vali, or transport and protect vital medical supplies. an-
  cient tombs and lost cities could hold healing relics or 
  lost tomes of healing lore, both valuable to the cult. 
  Character Guidelines: Healing is the essential skill 
  for clerics. as peacemakers, intimidation and Persuasion 
  are useful skills, both for resolving arguments and set-
  tling disputes. many clerics are herbalists, and thus have 
  the Hedge magic edge. similarly, alchemy is a useful 
  edge for creating healing potions. those who want to be 
  truly excellent healers should become a disciple. 
  although clerics are pacifistic, this doesn’t mean Fight-
  ing should be ignored. even if the cleric doesn’t actually 
  attack anyone, it governs Parry and is a requirement for 
  defensive edges like Block. 
  adventuring clerics shouldn’t forsake spirit, for they 
  may be called upon to enter battle or help those facing 
  fearsome beasts—a cleric who continually runs away or 
  faints is no use in the heat of battle.
  eostre
  Training: novitiates train in the fields and forests, 
  learning the different types of plant and beast and their 
  many properties. they are expected to know how to 
  sow, plow, and reap; understand the cycle of life in all 
  creatures, and be able to tell the changing seasons.
  training is very much hands-on, and students are 
  pushed hard, for life is a constant struggle. Practical ex-
  aminations are favored over academic ones, and often 
  the student is given no forewarning as a test looms. as 
  clerics are wont to say, “the lamb won’t stay in the sheep 
  because you aren’t ready.”
  Prayers: eostre is the great provider, and this is al-
  ways recognized at the start of prayers. reaping, picking 
  fruit and berries, and killing animals harms eostre, thus 
  apologies are offered. For example, a prayer might begin, 
  “Bountiful mother, forgive my sin as i gather your fruit.”
  Adventures: clerics are called 
  upon to hunt down marauding bands 
  of goblins and orcs, fight forest fires (a 
  rare occurrence), curb excess logging 
  and hunting, and aid druids in the 
  defense of nature. occasionally, they 
  may be sent to help the elves in their 
  struggles. in their role as worshippers 
  of the provider, they might transport 
  and protect grain wagons heading to 
  a region hit by famine.
  Character Guidelines: eostre’s 
  clergy lead outdoors lives. vigor rep-
  resents general stamina, while survival 
  is good for identifying edible herbs, 
  fishing, and for catching prey. 
  Followers of eostre Plantmother 
  should seriously consider Hedge mag-
  ic and alchemy. Woodsman (and later 
  ranger) perfectly displays the cleric’s 
  knowledge of the natural world.
  ertha
  Training: clerics receive classroom 
  and field instruction in how to identify 
  minerals, ores, and gems, how to spot 
  weaknesses and impurities, and how 
  to purify, forge, and form them into 
  useful goods. Practical tests of spe-
  
  priests & palaDins
  
  lunking are required, for clerics must be as comfortable 
  walking the underearth as they are the surface world. 
  Paladins are taken on raids against subterranean foes in 
  order to learn the nuances of fighting in enclosed spaces 
  and on uneven ground. 
  a novitiate’s final test involves a solo subterranean 
  journey between two interconnecting caves. during this 
  time they are expected to use all their skills to survive the 
  rigors, and sleep at night without the comfort of light. 
  upon reaching the far end, they are questioned about 
  what they have seen. alone in the dark, novitiates often 
  have strange dreams. senior clerics perform divinations 
  to determine the novitiate’s suitability to join the cult. 
  Prayers: ertha prefers prayers to be spoken rhythmi-
  cally, with every odd-numbered word stressed and every 
  even word spoken more softy, like the fall of a smith’s 
  hammer on metal. “earth mother, dark mother, hear my 
  prayer…” exclamations are short, with “ertha’s ham-
  mer!” being a popular one. 
  Adventures: clerics are called upon to fight goblins, 
  orcs, and trolls in their shadowy lairs, and to explore 
  new cave systems. they may be asked to safeguard 
  wagon loads of precious ore or gems, or uncover new 
  mineral veins. Within a decade of joining the cult, every 
  cleric must spend at least one season aiding the dwarves 
  of Karad marn without payment. 
  Character Guidelines: operating a smithy or jewel-
  ers isn’t a very heroic endeavor, so adventuring clerics 
  are advised to focus on subterranean exploration and 
  combat (though a few dice in a suitable craft skill can be 
  used to make money). 
  climbing, stealth, survival, and swimming are all 
  useful for exploring the cavernous depths. Fighting and 
  combat edges are always required to some degree, for 
  there are many subterranean horrors.
  freo
  Training: each cleric mentors one novitiate as an 
  apprentice, taking her with him on his journeys. instruc-
  tion is always given while walking, sailing, or riding. dur-
  ing rest stops, the young hopeful reflects on what he has 
  learned and formulates questions ready for the next leg 
  of the journey. instruction on languages and customs is 
  important, for clerics will meet many different people on 
  their future travels. 
  tests involve solo journeys, where the candidate is ex-
  pected to report back to his mentor all he has seen and 
  heard. these journeys are always through unmapped 
  and unfamiliar terrain, for a cleric of Freo never knows 
  where his feet might lead him in the future. 
  Prayers: given their constant movement, it is not 
  surprising prayers mention travel. “celestial wanderer, 
  hear my footfalls, and…” is a common start. a favored 
  exclamation is, “Freo’s sandals!” Phrases, like “Best foot 
  forward,” “you won’t wear out sandals standing still,” 
  and “never walk the same path twice” (which means “let 
  bygones be bygones” or “drop it, we’ve had this conver-
  sation before”), pepper their speech. 
  Adventures: Freo’s clergy are given few formal quests, 
  and those that do occur always involve travel. deliver-
  ing messages is a common activity, though they may be 
  called upon to escort someone through the wilderness, 
  determine the path for a new trade road, or map out an 
  area in preparation for an attack or expansion. 
  creatures such as orcs often trouble trade roads, and 
  when progress is halted, clerics of Freo are usually keen 
  to lend a hand dealing with the problem. 
  Character Guidelines: outdoors in all weathers, cler-
  ics should invest in vigor to help stave off cold penalties 
  and survive the rigors of travel. Widely traveled clerics 
  might wish to take a few dice in Knowledge (area) and 
  Knowledge (Folklore) to present their understanding 
  of different places and cultures. survival, arguably the 
  most useful outdoors skill, can keep a cleric alive in the 
  wilds longer than the more popular adventuring skills of 
  Fighting and shooting, though the wilderness is fraught 
  with danger and these skills should not be entirely ne-
  glected. 
  as worshippers of the god of travel, Fleet-Footed is a 
  perfect edge, and a few dice in both Boating (assuming 
  it is applicable to the campaign) and riding will make 
  journeys far easier.
  hela
  Training: initiation begins by facing death. students 
  may be buried alive, poisoned, or grievously injured. 
  Whether a candidate survives or dies, he is accepted into 
  Hela’s embrace in one form or another. like eira, Hela 
  requires her clerics to be of stout-heart. they must wit-
  ness ritual sacrifices and the reanimation of the corpses, 
  become accustomed to the stench of death and presence 
  of mindless walking corpses, and, most importantly, they 
  must be willing to snuff out life so unlife may exist in 
  its place. obedience is drilled into them, for they must 
  learn to accept orders from powerful undead without 
  question. 
  Prayers: to honor Hela, who ritually died as keeper 
  of the dead and rose again as the goddess of undeath, 
  prayers begin by denying any former existence, often 
  by stating the worshipper was dead to the world before 
  honoring Hela. For instance, one might say, “i was dead 
  but am now reborn in darkness.” 
  Adventures: assisting in the machinations of the 
  greater undead and gathering recruits form core duties. 
  quests may be undertaken to collect ancient corpses, 
  loot tombs for ancient relics, or raise armies of skeletons 
  and zombies. during their mortal life, clerics must pil-
  grimage to the Withered lands and serve the liches who 
  rule the twisted realm for one year. 
  Character Guidelines: any hero who is going to traf-
  fic with undead needs spirit, and plenty of it. the art 
  of combat is core to Hela’s worship, both in gathering 
  recruits and aiding the undead. 
  one might not think of leadership edges when one 
  plays a cleric of Hela, but out of the various archetypes 
  one could play, it is precisely these clerics who can ben-
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  efit most—they all have zombie. With a little time they 
  can have a small force of skeletons and zombies ready to 
  obey their every whim.
  hoenir
  Training: Hoenir’s clerics are bookish scholars, and this 
  is reflected in their training. those who wish to join the 
  cult must endure endless hours of lectures and tests. oral 
  and written examinations are frequent, with novitiates be-
  ing awarded grades. at the end of each year, a final test is 
  taken. those who fail to meet the minimum requirement 
  are either expelled (if they totally flunk) or held back a year 
  (if they fail by a few points and show promise). 
  Prayers: Knowledge plays an important role in 
  prayers. rather than beseeching Hoenir to provide di-
  rect help to the cleric, he invokes images of the past. 
  “deliver me the wisdom of emperor Persiliax X,” or “let 
  my words travel fast, as did coelric Windrunner, who 
  delivered news of the anari invasion,” for example. 
  exclamations typically involve admission of igno-
  rance—“Blindness and folly! i should have deduced by 
  the juxtaposition of the glyphs there would be a trap 
  there!”
  Adventures: anything involving new or lost knowl-
  edge draws the attention of Hoenir’s clerics. instances of 
  the siphoning, the chance to explore a lost city or tomb, 
  and the discovery or creation of a new book are all ir-
  resistible lures. other times they must counsel nobles 
  and help solve problems facing a realm or city. 
  Character Generation: scholars and sages, these 
  clerics need a good smarts die, investigation, and a wide 
  selection of Knowledge skills. Being a lorekeeper and 
  cleric of Hoenir is not forbidden. Just remember that 
  while the lorekeeper edge allows the cleric to roll a d4 
  in all smarts skills, he still has to buy the skill at d4 if he 
  wants to increase it later. For this reason, taking a smatter-
  ing of Knowledge skills at d4 is better than nothing and 
  provides plentiful options for specialization, especially if 
  the hero intends to get the disciple edge. While starting 
  with a high smarts die provides a few bonus languages, 
  adding linguist doubles the number. rather than pick-
  ing the common languages others will take, consider the 
  more obscure ones.
  hothar
  Training: Knowledge of the law forms the core train-
  ing for young clerics. mock trials are held, with the no-
  vitiates acting as prosecution and defense. some sort of 
  moral ambiguity is always thrown in, a test as to whether 
  the worshipper can separate the quest for justice and 
  truth from his personal feelings and prejudices. students 
  must obey every order given them unless it convenes a 
  law in order to learn obedience and conformity. every 
  aspect of their life is strictly ordered, from the way they 
  must fold their clothes each night to the way they eat 
  meals. transgressions of the myriad rules are swiftly but 
  justly punished. 
  Prayers: given their devout obedience to the law and 
  strict adherence to conformity, conversations often be-
  gin, “thou shalt” or “thou shalt not.” Prayers invoke the 
  fact the cleric believes he is doing the right thing, or that 
  Hothar’s divine aid is sought for a righteous cause—“i 
  am beset by enemies of order and…” or “in the name of 
  justice, i…” for example. 
  Phrases like, “strength through conformity” and “i 
  hear and obey,” are commonplace. criminals know full 
  well the lexicon of the clergy, and hearing “Halt in the 
  name of the law” and “i am the law” is enough to start 
  a panicked run. 
  Adventures: Hunting down criminals, investigating 
  crimes, and crushing rebellions are all quests typical 
  of Hothar’s clergy. city-based quests may involve root-
  ing out a thieves’ guild, or bringing corrupt officials to 
  justice. Hired as defense spokesmen, they may have to 
  uncover the truth behind a crime, perhaps facing opposi-
  tion from those whose idea of justice is far from Hothar’s 
  decrees. 
  Character Generation: Knowledge (law) is a must 
  have skill for adventuring clerics, as it gives insight into 
  the laws of all the lands. smarts, spirit, and strong-Willed 
  are all handy for resisting the lies and bluffs of those 
  caught in the act of committing a crime. if you’re think-
  ing of being a criminal investigator, invest in investiga-
  tion, notice, and streetwise.
  Kenaz
  Training: a cleric’s training begins by undergoing 
  the rite of coals. this has similarities to the trial of the 
  burning stone, sometimes invoked in legal cases. the 
  cleric must clutch a hot ember in both hands while recit-
  ing sacred vows. if the resulting burn heals quickly and 
  cleanly, the recruit may begin training. as worshippers of 
  heat and enemies of winter, they are expected to scorn 
  the cold—ice cold baths and naked runs in snow build 
  up stamina, mock thrym, and prepare the cleric for the 
  battles ahead. training is given in identifying and com-
  bating Hellfrost beasts.
  Prayers: Prayers make reference to heat and forges—
  “i am tempered by heat, resistant to cold,” “i am the anvil 
  against which winter cannot hammer,” and “the fire of 
  my heart burns true,” for example.
  Adventures: Worshippers of Kenaz are constantly 
  busy holding back and warring against thrym’s minions. 
  they defend settlements from frost giants and orcs, es-
  cort supplies to the Winterlands, hunt down Hellfrost 
  dragons, and guard fire loci. ancient ruins may be plun-
  dered for fire-related relics to help in the war against 
  thrym, or searched for knowledge which may help re-
  kindle Kenaz’s dying flame.
  Character Guidelines: any adventuring cleric is go-
  ing to be focused on destroying Hellfrost beasts. While 
  high vigor and survival are important for enduring colder 
  realms, combat skills and edges are really where a cleric 
  should be investing. given their duties are similar, being 
  a Hearth Knight adds extra abilities in combating Hell-
  
  priests & palaDins
  
  frost beasts without causing much conflict of interest. of 
  course, as warriors, a cleric will always find strength and 
  spirit vital.
  Maera
  Training: academic training in the occult arts begins 
  from the day the novice enters a temple. those display-
  ing an aptitude for magic are counseled as to the options 
  open to them, protected and sheltered until their deci-
  sion is made. once a student reaches a satisfactory level, 
  he is apprenticed to a mage of each type for a year so he 
  may fully understand their sacred art. after this, the no-
  vitiate begins his final training. over the course of a year 
  he will undergo a rigorous set of practical examinations 
  involving the dispelling of magic.
  Prayers: Prayers are never straightforward, for they 
  are not for the ears of mortals, and maera, goddess of 
  mysteries, knows the hidden meaning behind the words. 
  For example, a cleric might say, “as the heavens hang 
  over the earth and the leaves catch the rain” to mean 
  “Protect me from harm.”
  Adventures: anything involving magic or mystery can 
  involve a cleric of maera. a worshipper might quest to 
  recover a lost relic, lead a rescue party to free a mage 
  from captivity at the hands of orcs and goblins, recover 
  ancient books of magical lore, investigate the siphoning, 
  destroy null’s cult, or delve into the great mystery of 
  relic creation. they may be called upon to visit a distant 
  realm to deliver a prophecy or investigate a mystery with 
  a magical or mundane focus.
  Character Guidelines: if there’s one skill that best 
  suits maera’s followers it is Knowledge (arcana). With a 
  disciple’s ability to cast any spell, albeit at a small pen-
  alty, alchemy allows the cleric to produce a wide-range 
  of devices. of the attributes, smarts is most important, 
  though Faith is tied to spirit and thus, the latter cannot 
  be ignored. vigor should never be ignored, but agility 
  and strength needn’t be very high—clerics are ideally 
  suited not to be frontline fighters but ranged combatants 
  and support troops. the basic spell list is quite small, but 
  the spells are tactically very powerful.
  nauthiz
  Training: Waifs, strays, and orphans are favored re-
  cruits, many of whom already know how to survive by 
  their wits and petty larceny. 
  the first thing a novitiate must do is donate all his 
  worldly possessions to the cult. naked and devoid of 
  riches, the novice’s first test is to win back his goods in 
  games of chance. different games are played, to give the 
  would-be cultist a good grounding. once suitably attired, 
  the real training begins. 
  students are taught how to pick pockets and cut 
  purses, crack locks and disarm traps, how to move 
  without being sensed. during his apprenticeship, the 
  cleric must donate all his ill-gotten gains to his mentor. 
  unscrupulous clerics might fail to let a recruit take his 
  vows for years, thus lining their own pockets through the 
  young thief and gambler’s activities. any thief worth his 
  salt quickly steals back and hides what is rightfully his. 
  Prayers: luck is always called upon when praying. 
  sometimes nauthiz is called upon as lord luck, and oth-
  er times odds of success may be quoted. odds are also 
  used when discussing the difficulty of a task. thus, one 
  never says, “that’s going to be tough,” but instead might 
  say, “your chances are 3- to-1 against that working.” 
  Adventures: if you need something found, call on 
  nauthiz. tomb-raiding is the bread-and-butter quest 
  for any aspiring worshipper. High-profile activities are 
  lures few can resist. stealing a king’s crown just for the 
  glory, breaking a renowned thief out of prison, adding a 
  new law to the sacred tomes in Hothar’s well-guarded 
  temples, and gambling against nobles when you have 
  just two silver scields to rub together, all make for great 
  stories. 
  Character Guidelines: nauthiz’s clergy need to in-
  vest wisely in quite a few skills to cover all their bases. 
  climbing, lockpicking, and stealth are required to take 
  the thief edge, which is pretty much a must-have. 
  given they are likely to be the ones leading a party, 
  agility, vigor, and notice are all useful for avoiding, 
  surviving, and detecting traps respectively. gambling, of 
  course, is another skill which the character should take 
  during character generation. 
  unfortunately, several Knowledge skills are also useful 
  to nauthiz’s clergy, as is Persuasion and streetwise. no 
  character can take everything, or be expected to handle 
  every possible situation which might apply to a thief 
  god. to that end, work with the other players so they 
  take some of the burden off your shoulders—otherwise 
  you’re going to end up as a very poor generalist.
  neorthe
  Training: all novitiates begin by ritual submersion in 
  water. they are held underwater until their lungs burn, 
  for in all likelihood this is how neorthe will welcome 
  them to the afterlife. By facing death by drowning now, 
  the novices learn to respect the ocean and not to fear its 
  watery embrace. 
  novices are then apprenticed to ships before begin-
  ning any religious training. until they know how a ship 
  works, until their muscles bulge and ache from rowing 
  day after day, until they can tell when a storm is brewing 
  or the tide turning, or where fish are waiting beneath 
  the surface, they are unworthy to serve. once deemed 
  worthy, training continues at sea. clerics are taught the 
  secret songs of the water from a mentor until such time 
  as they are deemed ready to face their final test—single-
  handedly sailing a small boat a distance of 100 miles and 
  back to port safely. 
  Prayers: clerics are fond of making frequent refer-
  ences to the many ports they have visited. “this reminds 
  of when i was in…” is a common way to start a sentence. 
  Prayers always begin with a reference to a similar oc-
  currence that took place in the cleric’s life—“as you 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  10
  did in shapryr, protect me now from drunken oafs,” for 
  example.
  Adventures: any water-based adventure suits the 
  clergy well, as this is where their spells are most use-
  ful. diving for sunken treasure, battling pirates, explor-
  ing lands across the ocean, defending aquatic fey, and 
  thwarting the evil plans of the kreana all appeal to 
  neorthe’s worshippers. With ice riggers being popular 
  transportation further north, the clergy can even be of 
  use in land-based tales. 
  Character Guidelines: clerics of the sea god need 
  strength and vigor (most ships use oars) as well as Boat-
  ing. swimming is optional, but recommended. a hero 
  with the styrimathr edge begins with a ship, which is 
  a major boon when traveling. Just remember, there is 
  no waterway linking the east and western oceans—if you 
  want to move your boat between the two bodies of wa-
  ter, fit an ice rigger and wait until winter. steady Hands 
  is a must-have if you’re going to be doing a lot of water 
  travel, as are some leadership edges—you’re going to be 
  near a lot of extras while aboard ship. 
  Knowledge (area) is useful, as it can represent the 
  places a hero has visited before his adventuring. Whether 
  you focus on one area or decide a wider number of lo-
  cations are better is going to depend on the campaign. 
  alternately, consider connections edges as a way of rep-
  resenting old friends or organizations you have helped 
  in your travels. to a lesser extent, streetwise can cover 
  these bases.
  niht
  Training: Before anyone can join the cult they must 
  have committed murder and not been punished for their 
  wicked act. Placed in a darkened room, they must reveal 
  all their darkest and deepest secrets, not knowing if any 
  one is listening. this is the last time the recruit will be 
  allowed to speak secrets—from now on he is expected to 
  keep all he has learned private except from his goddess.
  since knowledge is abhorred, there is no formal train-
  ing—novices are expected to be ruthless killers from day 
  one and learn by example. each year, two trainee clerics 
  are paired. By the end of the year, one of them must be 
  dead at the other’s hands. an aspiring cleric must survive 
  five years before taking his final vows and taking his place 
  beneath niht’s dark cloak.
  Prayers: Worshippers know that niht has many se-
  crets. Prayers do not call upon niht to perform deeds 
  or grant wisdom, but ask ignorance to be removed so 
  the cleric can find his own solution to a problem. For 
  example, “remove the veil of ignorance from my eyes so 
  i might find the true path.”
  Adventures: destroying knowledge is a favored en-
  deavor for niht’s clergy. they may be called upon to kill 
  enemy scouts or military commanders, steal vital plans 
  or valuable tomes, assassinate scholars and fortunetell-
  ers, torch libraries, conceal access to ancient tombs, 
  uncover a noble’s darkest secrets, or aid the reliquary in 
  recovering and concealing a powerful relic. 
  Character Guidelines: if stealth 
  isn’t at least as high, if not higher, 
  than your Faith something is wrong. 
  clerics have access to spells which can 
  boost stealth, but you can never count 
  on them being active when you need 
  them. similarly, a good notice is vital 
  for moving round in the dark when 
  miracles aren’t available. other than 
  these two, you need to think about 
  what sort of cleric you want to play. 
  assassins, for instance, need to focus 
  on combat, whereas those who raid 
  tombs to destroy the knowledge they 
  contain should be more thievish.
  the norns
  Training: although the norns ac-
  cept clerics of both sexes, all training is 
  carried out by female clerics on a one-
  to-one basis. novitiates must first ac-
  cept that there is both free will and no 
  free will simultaneously. the norns do 
  not shape every second of a man’s life, 
  but only the most important events. 
  the hard part is telling what is destiny 
  and what is not, for what seems im-
  portant may be inconsequential and a 
  turning point in history may pass as an 
  
  priests & palaDins
  11
  insignificant deed or word. clerics then learn the art of 
  divination and how to glimpse into the near future. 
  Prayers: nothing except death is certain to the 
  norns’ followers. Hence, prayers never make demands 
  of the norns, but are always phrased that if something 
  is meant to happen it will. many prayers begin, “if it be 
  woven that...” 
  When something goes well for a cleric, he thanks the 
  norns for weaving it thus. When something goes wrong, 
  he can shrug it off with, “the skein of my life was woven 
  long ago” or “What will be will be,” rather than brooding 
  on it. dwelling on past events is considered pointless, 
  for the matter is done and gone, and cannot be changed 
  no matter how hard one tries. 
  Adventures: undead, golems, and demons are anath-
  ema to the cult, and are hunted down and destroyed at 
  every opportunity. adventuring clerics are often woven 
  into the destiny of others. For example, if the cleric helps 
  a party slay an orc chieftain, then the character is there 
  because that is what the norns’ had fated. as such, any 
  type of adventure can involve one of the norns’ clergy. 
  Character Guidelines: the norns allow great free-
  dom when it comes to skills and edges. a cleric might 
  be a scholar, healer, or warrior, as fits his view on how 
  he helps others fulfill their destiny—some guide gently, 
  some manipulate from the shadows, and others actively 
  push heroes along their preordained path.
  rigr
  Training: rigr expects his clergy to be vigilant and 
  observant. candidates hoping to join the cult are kept 
  waiting for long hours, sometimes days or even weeks. 
  at some point, a small signal will be given that the hope-
  ful has been selected. Failure to spot the sign results in 
  dismissal. 
  once accepted, students are subjected to long periods 
  of sleep and sensory deprivation followed by tests of the 
  five senses, thus teaching stamina as well as vigilance. For 
  instance, a student may spend a week in a blacked out 
  room, kept awake by banging drums and fed at random 
  intervals to fool his body clock. He is then led outside 
  into brilliant sunshine and within seconds will pass or 
  fail a test—perhaps an archer hits him with a blunt arrow 
  or he steps onto a trap. 
  only when his senses are ready is he taught how to 
  detect intruders by the way animals respond, how to 
  spot movement in fog by the way the mist swirls, how 
  to tell the snap of a twig caused by a bear to one caused 
  by an orc, and so on. Knowledge of how to construct 
  and maintain defenses is drilled into the recruit until it 
  becomes second nature. 
  Prayers: Worshippers begin prayers by informing rigr 
  they are ready for whatever comes their way— “devoted 
  to my duty i stand, alert and ready, never wavering in my 
  oath” is a common way to start. 
  Adventures: While not hunters in the same way as 
  ullr’s followers are, rigr’s clerics possess all the neces-
  sary skills to help hunt down monsters, find that which 
  is lost, and act as scouts and guides. through the god’s 
  aspects of warnings, clerics may serve as messengers, 
  bringing word of invasion to nobles and city leaders. in 
  towns and cities, they may be called upon to use their 
  observational skills to aid in criminal investigations. 
  Character Guidelines: unless you want to be a 
  constant sinner, notice should be your favored skill and 
  alertness the second edge you write down (after your ar-
  cane Background). equipped with these, the cleric is ide-
  ally placed to honor his god. expanding the repertoire, 
  one should look at tracking. although it isn’t a vital part 
  of the cleric’s duties, it ties in nicely to his mastery of 
  the senses. seeing as how the cleric is likely to be the 
  one pulling late night guards shifts after a day’s adven-
  turing, vigor is handy for staving off sleep. as defenders 
  of settlements, leadership edges are useful, though not 
  required.
  sCaetha
  Training: young orphans, children who have survived 
  raids in which their kith and kin were slain, and those 
  who have lost a close loved ones, are preferred candi-
  dates, for they have seen death first hand and mourned. 
  to ensure they can cope with death, all young recruits 
  are taken to battlefields and tombs to witness death.
  Before they learn how to fight undead, all novitiates 
  learn the funeral rites of the civilized races, for attend-
  ing funerals will form part of their core duties. during 
  this time they are stripped of their humor, for that plays 
  no part in their faith. after undergoing weapon training, 
  each novice is assigned a mentor. the novice follows the 
  mentor wherever he goes. those who die as novices, as-
  suming they do so without sin, are assured a place in 
  scaetha’s celestial army.
  Before he takes his final vows, the novice must have 
  visited the tomb of the liche-Priest with his mentor. Here 
  he is told the stories of old and shown the decaying seal. 
  He is warned of the tide of darkness which will flow 
  across rassilon if the ward is broken, and informed that 
  only the clerics of scaetha stand between salvation and 
  damnation. as his final test, he must battle against and 
  personally slay a number of undead.
  Prayers: scaetha’s prayers are present tense affirma-
  tions of their willingness to tread where others fear, such 
  as “i stand in the darkness, unafraid of death, for she is 
  my companion.”
  Adventures: Battling undead is where clerics of sca-
  etha find employment, though stopping a necromantic 
  cabal or protecting a graveyard from robbers is also part 
  of their mission. While they may explore tombs for relics 
  useful to their cause, they must refrain from desecration 
  and looting—activities many adventuring parties find ac-
  ceptable.
  Character Guidelines: adventuring clerics are going 
  to face many threats. the first to overcome is fear, so 
  take spirit. given their focus, Favored Foe (undead) is 
  going to be useful, as is necromantic severing when you 
  reach the right rank. no cleric can afford to scrimp on 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  12
  his combat abilities, though leadership edges are not as 
  important as general combat edges. a few dice in Heal-
  ing never hurts, though can be avoided if you have the 
  healing spell or there is a more dedicated party healer. 
  smarts is the weakest attribute, though that is not to say 
  it should be completely ignored—spirit, strength, and 
  vigor are just more useful to a warrior.
  sigel
  Training: most citizens like to think they’re basi-
  cally good people. sigel’s clergy know better. candidates 
  are required to admit all their sins, for until the soul is 
  cleansed of this weight, one cannot worship sigel with 
  honesty. throughout training, the novitiate must con-
  stantly purge his soul of sins through confession and 
  ritual cleansing. transgressions known to the clergy that 
  are not recanted are beaten out before they can tarnish 
  the cleric’s soul for eternity. 
  Prayers: sigel’s prayers always begin by asking for 
  purification for sins committed. For example, “Bathe me 
  radiant light and cleanse me of my sins.” clerics are fond 
  of quoting righteous scripture and begin such statements 
  with, “sigel teaches us that…” Worshippers try to refrain 
  from cursing. 
  Adventures: darkness lurks everywhere and must be 
  cleansed. Wherever there is evil, the clergy of sigel are 
  expected to battle it. Because of this, any adventure that 
  promises a clash between good and evil is acceptable to 
  sigel’s clergy. adventures needn’t involve orcs or giants, 
  though—closing down a brothel, thwarting a slavery 
  ring, and slaying followers of niht and vali is perfectly 
  good work. any investigation into why the sun is fading 
  is likely to be of interest to a cleric. 
  Character Guidelines: aside from pretty much hav-
  ing to take spirit (for being able to face the forces of 
  darkness without panicking) and notice (so you can 
  hunt down foes in the dark), worshippers of sigel have a 
  great deal of free choice. sigel demands his clergy defeat 
  darkness, but he doesn’t force them down any one path. 
  yes, paladins are warriors of the faith and should build 
  accordingly, but priests might be scholars or healers first 
  and warriors second.
  thryM
  Training: in order to be accepted into the cult one 
  must kill a cleric of Kenaz or sigel or a fire elementalist 
  in single combat. ambushes and assassination are fine, 
  but no ranged weapons may be used—the victim must 
  be slain in melee. as the victim dies, the candidate must 
  repeat the oath, “By your death the sun weakens/by your 
  death the warmth fades/ by your death the winter grows.” 
  the novice must then journey into the Winterlands (in 
  winter) and survive a blizzard lasting at least four hours. 
  if he does, thrym grants him his miraculous powers. 
  Prayers: entreaties are always performed naked and 
  when the temperature is below freezing. Praying at any 
  other time is an insult to thrym. Prayers are always made 
  in the plural—the blizzard is made of many snowflakes 
  working together—and must include an admission of 
  weakness. For instance, “We stand in the blizzard, weak 
  and powerless before your might.” 
  Adventures: the promotion of the Fimbulvintr takes 
  many forms. Heroes may be asked to fight cultists of 
  Kenaz and sigel, locate and destroy or recover relics, 
  spread chaos and fear in the Hearthlands, escort tribute 
  to a Hellfrost dragon or frost giant jarl, serve either of the 
  afore-mentioned, or lead orcs and ice goblins in battle. 
  Character Guidelines: thrym expects his worship-
  pers to promote the Fimbulvintr by whatever means they 
  can. to that end, they have no favored archetypes. that 
  said, unless you’re playing a frostborn, a high vigor is 
  absolutely vital for coping with the cold—thrym forbids 
  clerics to warm themselves, remember. given that at 
  some point you’ll end up taking orders from a Hellfrost 
  dragon, a good spirit die is vital to helping one avoid 
  showing too much fear.
  thunor
  Training: thunor’s clergy are educated outside. they 
  study the different types of winds and clouds, and learn 
  thunor’s mythology. Philosophy and conundrums with 
  no set answers are debated, so encouraging the novitiate 
  to set aside preconceived ideas and adapt as a situation 
  unfolds. His clerics can be eloquent orators, speaking 
  out against oppression and tyranny, encouraging the ac-
  ceptance of new ideas over tradition, and promoting the 
  idea of free will over ordained destiny. 
  Prayers: rumbling drums or clashing cymbals always 
  accompanies worship. as mentioned in the Hellfrost 
  Player’s Guide, prayers are generally written on kites 
  and sent skyward. When spoken words are required, 
  there is no set standard—reliance on defined methods 
  of worship promotes stagnation. 
  Adventures: thunor’s clerics liberate the oppressed. 
  a village beset by rapacious orcs, a prisoner wrongly 
  incarcerated, prisoners of orcs and goblins—all require 
  thunor’s help. at the same time they are explorers and 
  seekers of new ideas, so exploring an old tomb or deliv-
  ering someone or something to a distant land is likely to 
  appeal. the more varied the quests the better, for stagna-
  tion and repetition is abhorred. 
  Character Guidelines: as travelers, survival is an 
  important skill, for there will be long periods when the 
  cleric is away from civilization. curiosity is a valued trait, 
  but stubbornness is not, for clerics should always be 
  open to new ideas. Beyond these simple guidelines, cler-
  ics are given total freedom to pick and choose skills and 
  edges, for thunor’s clergy have no single defining goal.
  tiw
  Training: tiw’s militaristic cult is run like an army. 
  instructors put recruits through punishing boot camps 
  to test their physical fitness. recruits must be able to 
  handle a barrage of threats, taunts, and beatings, for the 
  
  priests & palaDins
  1
  life of warrior is a harsh one, and those who cannot cope 
  will soon feed the ravens. once basic training is com-
  plete, cadets are trained in how to wear armor and carry 
  shields, undergoing long marches to boost their stamina. 
  only then are they allowed to handle weapons, and at 
  first only blunt or wooden ones. Frequent formation 
  drills, such as forming the shieldwall, are held, as are 
  mock battles. recruits who show the right qualities are 
  trained in command roles and given tactical and strategic 
  training by Knights Hrafn loyal to the cult. 
  Prayers: Prayers before battle begin with the cleric 
  boasting his prowess—“i shall feed the ravens this day,” 
  and “my arm is strong and battle is in my blood.” Wor-
  shippers also state their lineage to honor tiw and intimi-
  date enemies—“i am <list family heritage>, and today i 
  shall honor my ancestors.” those after battle celebrate 
  the worshipper’s survival—“i am victorious, my arm still 
  strong and ready to serve.” 
  tiw’s followers have many exclamations, oaths, battle 
  cries, and taunts. “tiw’s shield!” and “tiw’s sword!” are 
  common exclamations. although often little more than 
  brutish thugs, a few have shown great talent at making 
  inspiring speeches. such orations are always short and to 
  the point, designed to inspire, not bore. 
  Adventures: Where there is battle there are worship-
  pers of tiw. Whether serving as huscarls or mercenaries, 
  followers or commanders, fighting is the lifeblood of the 
  clergy. clerics may find they face old comrades in battle. 
  tiw is not a god of comradeship but of courage and vic-
  tory, and what better test can one face to prove one’s 
  loyalty to the creed? 
  Character Guidelines: Priest or paladin, you are go-
  ing to be in the thick of the action. While smarts has 
  its uses, especially if you want to be a commander-type, 
  agility, spirit, strength, and vigor are all far more useful 
  for a dedicated fighter.
  naturally, combat edges should be taken frequently, 
  though which ones will vary with your character type—
  an archer needs different skills to a cavalryman, who 
  requires different ones to a frontline tank, who differs 
  from a bodyguard. the same applies to skills—any com-
  bat skill is going to be essential. When it comes to social 
  skills most clerics stop at intimidation.
  ullr
  Training: most candidates wanting to join ullr’s cult 
  are from rural communities, though a few city-dwellers 
  feel the call of the wild in their hearts. all education is 
  practical, taking the form of identifying animal tracks and 
  spoor, stalking, and archery. novitiates are also taught 
  how animals’ behavior changes during the year, when 
  beasts may be hunted, and how to make best use of every 
  ounce of an animal. tests involve the novitiate living off 
  the land for extended periods in isolation. 
  once a candidate feels ready for his final test, he must 
  venture into the wilds for no less than one month, liv-
  ing off the land. He may make contact with settlements, 
  but accepting any form of hospitality or charity, whether 
  healing, assistance in a hunt, food, or shelter, is forbid-
  den. 
  Prayers: Worshippers make frequent mention of ani-
  mals in their prayers. very rarely do they employ flowery 
  speech, for ullr is a god of deeds, not words, and leads 
  a simple, uneducated life. For example, a cleric looking 
  for shelter from a storm might say, “like the bear, i seek 
  a cave.” insults often compare people to animals. some-
  one who whines a lot may be accused of bleating like 
  a sheep, whereas someone who talks tough but shuns 
  battle may be compared to a wolf. 
  Adventures: any threat to wild animals a community 
  relies on for food is going to be investigated by the cult. 
  (threats to livestock are typically handled by a cleric 
  of eostre animalmother, though the two cults do co-
  operate.) thus, goblin and orc raiding parties must be 
  stopped, as must the activities of large predators, like 
  dragons, and more common ones like rogue wolves. 
  clerics might be hired to act as a guide or tracker, thus 
  opening them up to a variety of adventures—whoever 
  kidnapped the noble’s daughter likely left some tracks. 
  Character Guidelines: as trackers and hunters, 
  Woodsman is the most appropriate edge for ullr’s clergy. 
  survival and tracking are core skills, with notice, shoot-
  ing (or throwing), and stealth very close behind. rarely 
  serving as frontline fighters, clerics should also consider 
  edges like dodge, Fleet-Footed, and marksman ahead of 
  ones like Frenzy and sweep.
  attribute-wise, smarts is highly useful since many of 
  the required skills are linked to it, as is vigor for being 
  able to withstand the elements. strength need only be 
  high if the cleric intends to use thrown weapons; other-
  wise, agility is more useful.
  the unKnowable one
  Training: no one chooses to be a cleric of the un-
  knowable one—the god chooses them. the unknowable 
  one favors three types of individuals. First, there are the 
  most arrogant, vain, self-centered, and cocky individuals 
  his heralds can locate. second, those already renowned 
  for performing tricks are singled out. third, those who 
  have been the butt of jokes all their lives, perhaps be-
  cause of a stutter, mental illness, or physical deformity, 
  are singled-out. no formal training is given—suitable 
  candidates simply awaken to find they are clerics of the 
  unknowable one. 
  Prayers: as is the unknowable one’s way, he makes 
  no set demands on how prayers must be made. Jokes, 
  songs, stories, and limericks are all acceptable. most 
  often, the worshippers adds a caveat, such as “…and i 
  pray that never happens to me” or “… and let me enjoy 
  the same.” exclamations should always be colorful, and 
  preferably at the expense of the other gods. For example, 
  “thunor’s ass!” or “scaetha’s humor!” 
  Adventures: arrogance and ignorance are every-
  where. any quest is an opportunity to teach somebody 
  something. Bards and skalds might adventure so as to 
  have new material, and thus might accompany a band 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  1
  of would-be heroes wherever they go, recording their 
  deeds for posterity. 
  Character Guidelines: as masters of trickery, no 
  cleric can afford to ignore his agility and smarts. using 
  intimidation is a sin, which presents for an interesting 
  quandary—it is a requirement for strong Willed, which 
  boosts taunt (a vital skill) and helps resist tests of Will. 
  While paladins teach through combat tricks, and this 
  requires good combat skills and edges, priests have less 
  focus. to that end, the priest has more freedom when it 
  comes to picking a focus.
  vali
  Training: clerics are not recruited into service so 
  much as corrupted. those already sick of flesh are greatly 
  favored by one faction, while individuals with a reputa-
  tion for treachery and depraved ways by the other. those 
  who favor vali’s pestilence aspect are locked in filthy, 
  rat-infested holes and forced to consume food until they 
  reach obese levels. every month, as a reward for prog-
  ress, they are allowed to indulge in whatever depravity 
  they desire—there are no limits within vali’s cult. 
  those who wish to become servants of vali’s cor-
  ruption aspect must first experience vice and depravity 
  before they lead others unto it. after being thoroughly 
  corrupted, they are taught how to find the weakness 
  within men’s hearts and manipulate it. at some point 
  during his training a student will betray the cleric to the 
  authorities. evidence is left pointing to another student. 
  assuming he survives incarceration, the betrayed novi-
  tiate is expected to get revenge. 
  Prayers: all prayers begin, “Bless me, vali, for i am 
  a sinner.” this isn’t an admission of guilt or request for 
  forgiveness, but a reassurance the clerics has stained his 
  soul. typically, the worshipper lists a few of his choice 
  sins before asking anything of vali. 
  the general populace often invokes vali in excla-
  mations and curses. “a pox on you!” is by far the most 
  common curse, and while it doesn’t name the god of 
  pestilence, it is obviously a reference to him. 
  Adventures: any opportunity to cause famine, spread 
  disease, or corrupt a virtuous soul (the more important 
  the better) is going to attract vali’s clergy. doing some-
  one a favor without immediate reward is favorable, as 
  that now leaves the other party indebted to you. While 
  a cleric’s return favor may seem innocuous, it almost 
  always leads to some form of corruption or sin. 
  Character Guidelines: corruptors and unseen 
  Hands are a better choice for player characters over 
  Plaguebearers and verminlords (who make great nPc 
  villains). given that Persuasion and streetwise are im-
  portant skills, charisma should be boosted to take best 
  advantage. connections is a useful edge, especially if 
  linked to a more insidious group—this way you get to 
  help the party by providing them with allies, though they 
  may be forced to taint their souls by dealing with unsa-
  vory characters they’d normally avoid.
  By far the best weapon a cleric of vali wields is the 
  player’s roleplaying abilities. you can’t use Persuasion on 
  another player character to get him to perform a corrupt 
  act, so you need to be a master manipulator, making 
  suggestions toward certain courses of action without 
  saying, “do this!” the path to damnation is all the more 
  enjoyable, for the cleric, if the victim walks it of his own 
  free will.
  var
  Training: Both paladins and priests begin appren-
  ticed to a priest of the faith. the first year is spent as a 
  menial assistant, packing and unpacking the store, and 
  carrying boxes and crates around the warehouses. 
  second year novitiates are apprenticed to a paladin, 
  where they are trained in ways to detect thieves and pick-
  pockets, as well as physical exercise. 
  in the third year, instruction is given in identifying 
  and valuing trade goods, how to haggle effectively, how 
  to write accounts (and hide profits from tax inspectors), 
  as well as the social skills necessary to negotiate a suc-
  cessful contract. While never given control of a market 
  stall or allowed to conduct trade deals, they are expected 
  to be present, so as to learn the basics. 
  in their final year, students are given a small quantity 
  of trade goods and an end-of-year profit figure, and then 
  let loose on the unsuspecting market-goers of rassilon. 
  naturally, the profit required is far higher than the value 
  of the initial goods—clerics must buy and sell repeatedly 
  to reach their target. if the cleric fails to make enough 
  profit, he must redo his third year studies again. 
  Prayers: var gives nothing for free, for there is no 
  profit in charity. as such, prayers are intoned as contracts 
  in which the god gives the worshipper something in 
  return for a future favor. such favors are usually extra of-
  ferings, thus rewarding var financially. Hence, all prayers 
  begin, “master merchant, i propose a contract between 
  our two parties that is beneficial to us both.”
  Adventures: money and obscure, historical, or just 
  plain valuable items are important to clerics. any expedi-
  tion could be a chance to turn a profit (and one that is 
  tax free) and travel not only broadens the mind, but also 
  the pockets, as it brings the cleric to new markets. 
  Character Guidelines: clerics who favor the mer-
  cantile side of var should consider Persuasion and street-
  wise as their most useful skills, with connections edges 
  representing their many contacts. common languages 
  are more useful than obscure ones, since you need to 
  be able to talk to your customers and read contracts (not 
  everyone speaks trader, and most people prefer to use 
  their native tongue).
  Paladins are going to need notice to spot thieves be-
  fore they strike (and to notice if goods have been taken), 
  and maybe alertness if they can spare the edge slot, to 
  perform their duties. For catching those pesky thieves, 
  Fleet-Footed is a powerful tool. intimidation can help 
  thieves return goods without the need for messy blood-
  shed. remember, your job is only to stop thieves—not 
  arrest them.
  
  Whether they worship a major or a minor deity, clerics 
  perform rituals and officiate at ceremonies and festivals 
  throughout the year. For the most part these rituals are 
  minor affairs and non-intrusive into the cleric’s life. in 
  many cases they are performed as part of the cleric’s 
  daily routine or encompassed into his work.
  they can usually be ignored or handled with a brief 
  description. sometimes, though, rituals can be useful tools. 
  gm’s can work them into adventures, either as a backdrop 
  or the main focus, or insert mention of them to make the 
  world seem more vibrant and realistic. rituals are not just 
  for clergy, though they officiate at them—citizens who have 
  a god as their patron must participate in these ceremonies, 
  and many celebrations are open to members of all faiths.
  in this chapter are detailed many important ceremo-
  nies for each of the greater gods. the list is not exclu-
  sive—although communities may share the same deity, 
  their rituals are often personalized. some communities 
  hold unique festivals as well. if the gm gets a cool idea, 
  he should use it without worrying about whether it is 
  canonical or not.
  iMportanCe of rituals
  the sentient denizens of rassilon are in no doubt 
  the gods exist—the use of miracles and appearance of 
  heralds precludes atheism. even people who chose to 
  follow no deity do not argue against their existence.
  in Hellfrost, there is no scientific explanation for 
  natural phenomena, nor is one required. the sun rises 
  because it is sigel. crops grow thanks to eostre Plant-
  mother. earthquakes are the movement of ertha in her 
  subterranean hall. undead stalk the night because of 
  Hela. Winter comes each year because thrym is active. 
  the wind, whether gentle breezing or raging storms, is 
  thunor’s breath. if things go wrong, it is because the 
  mortal worshippers failed in some way, such as perform-
  ing rituals incorrectly or without sufficient devotion, or 
  due to the direct interference of another deity.
  so too are ceremonies a part of everyday life. From 
  the day they were old enough to walk and talk, every 
  inhabitant has taken part in them. some players might 
  see participation as a distraction from killing monsters 
  and looting treasure, but their characters would see it 
  as the right thing to do, something expected of them as 
  members of their culture. to neglect a ritual might, after 
  all, carry with it unfortunate consequences.
  gms using the Resource Management and/or Resource 
  Miracles rules are encouraged to tie the miracles into a 
  specific custom, ceremony, or ritual. While this changes 
  nothing in the rules, it makes the process more than just 
  a die roll. such times are always handy backdrops for re-
  source events, as well a source of potential adventure.
  holy Days
  clerics don’t suffer the siphoning, but they are sub-
  ject to sins and having to observe rituals, ceremonies, 
  and festivals honoring their deity. most faiths have holy 
  days and/or high holy days—days important to the god 
  when the clergy are expected to pay due homage at the 
  expense of other activities. 
  a holy day, despite its name, is rarely an entire day. 
  typically the cleric must devote at least 1d4 hours to 
  prayers, meditation, singing, or whatever other activity 
  his deity finds pleasing. Failure to observe a holy day for 
  any reason is considered a minor sin. 
  a high holy day involves a special ritual, such as 
  those described below, and often lasts all day or night, 
  as appropriate. Failure to observe the ceremony for any 
  reason is a major sin.
  Dargar
  Counting the heaDs Day
  First night of the Deorcmonan in Wulfmonan
  dargar’s bloodthirsty ways began when he was but a 
  CereMonies,  
   
  festivals & rituals
  1
                 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  1
  youth. each year on his birthday, he would present the 
  heads of those he had slain to his father in an attempt to 
  win tiw’s approval. tiw never once praised the boy, but 
  dargar remains confident he will one day succeed. 
  throughout the year, worshippers of dargar take the 
  heads of foes they have slain as trophies. on the day of 
  the ceremony, they bring their collections to their temple 
  to be counted. the cultist with the lowest tally is ritually 
  slain and his corpse hacked apart and burned—to eat the 
  flesh of a weakling is to inherit his flaws. Failure to attend 
  carries with it an automatic death sentence. afterward, 
  the flesh is boiled off the gathered heads and eaten. the 
  skulls are then placed in the temple.
  Culling the weaK Day
  Any Deorcmonan (local high priest decides)
  once a year all the half-starved, half-crazed captives 
  of a temple are armed and forced to fight each other to 
  the death. those who refuse are brutally tortured and 
  then mutilated in front of the other prisoners. in some 
  instances, the winner is ritually sacrificed and his flesh 
  devoured so as to strengthen dargar. in other instances, 
  he may be insane and violent enough to be offered mem-
  bership in the cult. the carcasses of all those slain are 
  eaten by the worshippers throughout the year. 
  DrinKing the blooD Day
  When required
  although the cult is a bloodthirsty collection of psy-
  chopathic killers, there are folk who actively want to 
  join. some wish membership because they are insane, 
  while others enjoy carnage and bloodshed. the most 
  dangerous members are those who wish to join because 
  they believe the weak are holding back the rest of society 
  and must be culled. in order to be accepted, a candidate 
  must kill all those closest to him, drink their blood, and 
  bring their severed heads to the temple. anyone sick 
  enough to do this is granted membership.
  night of reD snow
  Any night between Fogmonan and Frostmonan when 
  the moon is dark or shrouded by heavy cloud
  on this dark night cultists of dargar gather in secret to 
  prepare for an act of savage butchery. With faces smeared 
  in congealed blood they descend on a remote farmstead 
  or village like a pack of rabid wolves, slaughtering the 
  entire population without mercy. the raiders do not take 
  captives or treasure this night—they kill to sate dargar’s 
  thirst and bless his eyes with a cacophony of terrified 
  screaming. once the cultists have finished their work, 
  victims are dismembered, gutted, decapitated, partially 
  eaten, or nailed to the sides of their houses. 
  as the dawn nears, the cultists retreat back into the 
  wilderness. often the attacks are timed to coincide with 
  heavy snowfall. non-cultists who know of the ritual claim 
  this snow is not sent by thrym directly, but by eira. ap-
  palled by the senseless massacre, her tears fall to earth, 
  freezing in the winter air to conceal the bloody crime. 
  Perhaps the mutilated bodies of the victims will lay 
  undiscovered until the spring thaw. maybe a passing 
  merchant or hunter braving winter will seek shelter, 
  only to discover a grisly sight. all that is guaranteed is 
  that when the corpses are discovered the screaming will 
  begin again, and the lord of terror will laugh.
  eira
  banishing Day
  First Milcdaeg of Sowanmonan
  it is widely believed that fell spirits of vali cause dis-
  eases. in one story, vali tried to kill tiw by slipping a 
  disease spirit into his mead. eira and the powerful spirit 
  fought for days, but eventually the goddess of mercy was 
  victorious. Healers celebrate this day by banging drums 
  and shouting loudly to drive away spirits harmful to the 
  body, mind, and soul. it is an auspicious day to brew 
  antibiotic herbal remedies and a bad day to fall ill.
  beD blessing Day
  Third Marketdaeg of Falmonan
  With the crops stored, the citizens of rassilon prepare 
  for the long winter nights. married couples have their 
  beds blessed by a cleric of eira to increase the chances of 
  producing a healthy baby in the late spring. Before the 
  anari occupation, it was traditional for clerics to bless 
  the bed by engaging in lovemaking with the husband or 
  wife (as appropriate) to ensure fertility. this version of 
  the ceremony occurs only among cultists of gersemi (p. 
  78) these days.
  great healing Day
  Sangdaeg of Werremonan
  once the killing season has ended, the clergy of eira 
  gather at their temples to conduct a powerful ritual in 
  order to wipe the blood from rassilon’s soil. this ritual 
  emulates one eira performed at the end of the god War. 
  the sick and infirmed from the local community gather 
  here as well, for on this day all healing is free (though 
  each patient receives only one spell or Healing roll). 
  Between dawn and dusk, clerics sing songs of peace and 
  healing while tending to the sick.
  no healing Day
  Raestdaeg of Hegmonan
  during the god War, eira’s skills were in much de-
  mand. exhausted by her efforts at healing the injured 
  and trying to broker a peace deal, eira fell asleep for a 
  short while. during her brief nap, dozens of minor gods 
  and celestial beings were slain. on waking, eira was mor-
           
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  1
  tified by the loss of life and wept for an entire year in an 
  attempt to wash away the bloodstains of the fallen. this 
  event led to eira’s vow that she would never rest while 
  others needed her help.
  clerics are forbidden from performing any healing, 
  magical or mundane, on this day, and from creating or 
  selling curative herbal brews or alchemical devices. to 
  do otherwise is a major sin. the minor sin of not re-
  fusing to heal a good person in need is not negated on 
  this day—virtually all clergy will sin this day. not being 
  able to help those in need causes great heartache to the 
  clergy, as it did eira, but only through being unable to aid 
  the suffering can the clergy truly understand the sacred 
  vow they have sworn.
  many clerics weep all day, recalling the names and 
  faces of those their magic and healing arts failed to help, 
  and mourning the countless masses of citizens who died 
  during the last year.
  eostre
  eostre has two aspects. those marked (P) refer to her 
  Plantmother aspect and (a) to her animalmother aspect. 
  no markings indicate a joint ritual.
  apple Day (p)
  Sangdaeg of Wulfmonan and Sangdaeg of Frostmo-
  nan
  apple day is the original name for this ceremony, but 
  different settlements honor it depending on what fruit is 
  cultivated or that grow wild in the local area. For instance, 
  in the vineyards of aspiria it is honored as grape day. 
  citizens carrying flaming torches gather near the 
  orchards, fields, or bushes once the sun sets. clerics 
  carry drums, horns, and symbols. trays of specially made 
  bread soaked in mead or honey are laid out on long 
  tables. each citizen takes a slice of bread and places it on 
  a tree, plant, or bush. in the early winter this sustains the 
  tree during the cold winter months, while in late winter 
  it provides the waking tree with breakfast. 
  once this is done, the gathered crowd shouts wildly 
  and loudly while the clerics play their instruments— no 
  tune is created, just a cacophony of noise. again, the 
  two festivals have differing reasons. in late winter this 
  din drives away mischievous fey and foul spirits, thus 
  ensuring next season’s crop will be bountiful. come the 
  new year, the noise awakens the tree in preparation for 
  spring.
  birthing Day
  Varies
  Birthing day marks the official start of spring. spring 
  has no fixed beginning in the calendar, starting instead 
  whenever the local priestess of eostre declares winter to 
  have ended. 
  traditionally this is when the first lamb is born to the 
  temple’s flock. thus it is held in different seasons and 
  on different days the length and breadth of rassilon. the 
  ceremony can last as long as a week, and always begins 
  on the first Heafoddaeg after spring is declared. 
  three maidens from the local community are picked 
  by lot or rune divination. the first assumes the role of 
  the eostre queen, representing the beauty of spring. the 
  second is the eostre Princess, and is the incarnation of 
  the fertility of all living beings. the third maiden is the 
  eostre maiden is the embodiment of the earth’s fertility. 
  during the festival the maidens are showered with gifts, 
  for they are the living embodiment of eostre. 
  While all communities have their own ritual, it is 
  commonplace for the local nobility to hold extravagant 
  festivals for their citizens. some settlements hold con-
  tests where the winners are married off to the maidens 
  (hence they have to be maidens). others reward victors 
  with gold, jewels, cattle, or land. Feasts are put together 
  from the remaining winter supplies, fields and animals 
  blessed by the many clerics in attendance, and songs of 
  welcoming sung to the plants and animals of the world 
  awakening from their winter slumber. 
  the final day is the grand ceremony to eostre, at 
  which animals and crops are sacrificed and their blood 
  sprinkled on the soil, alcohol is drunk by the barrel 
  load, couples get frisky, and prayers are offered to all the 
  benevolent gods. marriages between the maidens and 
  contest winners are always held at this time. 
  giving birth on this day is a good omen for the child’s 
  future, though because the festival date changes, plan-
  ning ahead is difficult. 
  Note: the adventure The Eostre Festival in Adventure 
  Compendium 1 is set around at a Birthing day festival.
  Courtship Day
  Second Waescdaeg of Eostremonan
  trapped in their communities over winter, young 
  men and women have little to do but eye each other up 
  as potential mates and try to sneak the occasional dance 
  at one of the many festivals held to stave off winter de-
  pression. courtship day is the traditional day to officially 
  begin wooing a maiden. it is also the day many fathers 
  begin sharpening their weapons. 
  young men are under no obligation to ask a father’s 
  permission to court his daughter, but it rarely hurts to at 
  least introduce oneself formally. if the wooer approaches 
  a father, the father is obligated to provide the young 
  man with a feast. during the meal the father politely but 
  firmly interrogates the youth as to his social status, family 
  history, and romantic intentions toward his daughter. 
  the laws of hospitality prevent the host from beating 
  his guests if he is less than honest, but once outside the 
  door he is fair game. the saxa have an old saying, “if the 
  father follows you to the door, pray to Freo and run.” 
  many marriages are held on this day, as it is an aus-
  picious time. couples who have exchanged life bond 
  oaths renew them on this day as a sign of continuing 
               
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  1
  commitment and a reaffirmation of love. courtship day 
  is also considered an auspicious time to get pregnant, 
  something protective fathers are all too aware of.
  herbalisM Day (p)
  Second Monandaeg of Haerfestmonan
  eostre thought she knew everything about plants. she 
  could name every species of tree, bush, plant, and root, 
  and could tell at a glance what purpose it served. maera 
  was passing eostre’s garden when she saw Hoenir de-
  parting, his face glum. maera enquired as to why Hoenir 
  looked so upset, whereupon the god of knowledge said 
  eostre had a problem he could not solve. curious, maera 
  walked through the gate to find eostre. 
  on seeing maera, eostre handed her a leaf and asked 
  if she knew what the thin lines were, for she had not 
  seen them before. maera studied the leaf closely, and 
  then smiled. “yes sister,” she said, “i know what these 
  are. as you know, i have discovered that a thread of en-
  ergy, which i call magic, touches every object. it seems 
  your plants have sucked up extra threads from the soil 
  and have bound them into their very being.” maera then 
  worked with eostre to find a way to unleash the energy, 
  and so herbalism was created. 
  Worshippers spend the day crafting herbal brews or 
  helping an herbalist in her work. all creations worked 
  this day must be donated to the next temple of eostre the 
  herbalist visits or she will suffer bad luck (gm’s discre-
  tion on how this works). these are then sold to provide 
  the temple with funds for other projects.
  herDing Day (a)
  First Heafoddaeg of spring, summer, fall, and winter
  on each of the four Herding days, every settlement 
  which makes use of the temple presents a fine animal at 
  the temple doors. the beast is thoroughly inspected by 
  the clergy and either accepted or rejected. acceptance 
  means eostre animalmother will protect the settlement’s 
  livestock for the season, whereas rejection bodes ill for 
  the stingy community. Failure to deliver a beast bodes 
  very poorly indeed. 
  in the Hearthlands and low Winterlands, a sow is tra-
  ditionally offered in spring, a ewe in summer, a female 
  ox in the fall, and in winter a milk cow. Further north, 
  reindeer are offered every season—females in winter, 
  spring, and summer, and a male in fall. When in dire 
  need of divine succor, a community will even offer a 
  pygmy mammoth. 
  the animals are not sacrificed immediately, but rather 
  added to the temple’s private herds, thus increasing its 
  wealth. By mating the beast with the temple’s resident 
  livestock, it ensures a steady supply of sacrificial beasts is 
  always available for holy days.
  purifiCation Day (a)
  First Sunnandaeg of Sowanmonan
  although primarily a festival to sigel, it is also an 
  important day for eostre animalmother. see p. 31 for 
  details.
  reaping Day (p)
  First Heafoddaeg of Hegmonan
  the festival marks the start of the main harvest season, 
  when the first cereals are cut. the men of the community 
  begin the ceremony by lining up with their scythes and 
  sickles outside the temple or shrine at dawn. When they 
  are assembled, the clerics work down the line. each man 
  is required to run his thumb down the blade of his tool, 
  drawing blood as he does so. a cleric catches the trickle 
  of blood is a chalice. any tools found to be blunt are 
  honed by paladins to a fine edge. the owner must make 
  a cut on each thumb as penance. 
  this act of self-harm serves three important purposes. 
  First, it proves the tools are sharp and ready to be used. 
  second, eostre is believed to be present in all plants, and 
  cutting them causes the goddess pain. the drawing of 
  blood is a symbolic gesture to show the harvesters share 
  eostre’s pain and value her sacrifice. third, the collected 
  blood is sprinkled on the fields to replenish the life en-
  ergy eostre loses during harvest. 
  When each tool has been checked, the clerics bless 
  both the men and tools, absolving them of the sin of 
  harming the goddess. With the ceremony complete, the 
  highest-ranking cleric leads the men into the fields. un-
  der her direct supervision, one of the men is chosen to 
  make the first cut while singing the reaping song, a tune 
  whose rhythm keeps the men working in unison and 
  staves off fatigue during the long hours in the fields.
  stone piCKing Day (p)
  Last Heafoddaeg of Eostremonan
  Before plowing can begin the fields must be cleared 
  of stones. clerics lead the women and children into the 
  fields at dawn for the backbreaking task. clerics sing to 
  keep spirits high and to bless the soil. some of the songs 
  are to ertha, a warding that any deep stones sink lower 
  into the soil so as not to damage the plows that will rake 
  the soil later. the collected stones are divided into four 
  equal piles and stacked at the corners of the field from 
  where they were collected as boundary markers. 
  the ritual marks a rivalry between ertha and eostre. 
  eostre demanded she be allowed to seed the soil, but 
  ertha claimed all the earth was hers. in the end ertha set 
  eostre a task—if she could clear the area of all stones by 
  nightfall, ertha would grant her the topsoil for her seeds 
  for a year. despite ertha throwing stones in eostre’s 
  path, the nature goddess won the bet. the two compete 
  each year in the same bargain.
  suMMer anD winter Court Day
  First Milcdaeg of spring and fall
  two courts govern the enigmatic fey—the seelie, 
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  1
  who are active in spring and summer, and the unseelie, 
  who prefer autumn and fall. each year, the two courts 
  exchange seniority as the seasons switch. the unseelie 
  have taken the wording literally rather than symbolically 
  as was intended, and thus hold power for longer in the 
  Winterlands than they do in the Hearthlands.
  rural communities welcome the new court by leaving 
  gifts of milk, bread, and cheese outside their houses on 
  the night before these holy days. in spring, the offerings 
  must be the freshest available to avoid offense, while in 
  fall curdled milk, stale bread, and moldy or hard cheese 
  are considered an appropriate gift.
  doors are barred, shutters secured, and folk off the 
  street by dusk on these nights, for it is said the fey dance 
  through the countryside with wild abandon, dragging 
  any mortals they spy with them. such folk are never seen 
  again. many folk block their ears, for other stories say 
  that those who hear the faeries’ music are compelled to 
  join the dance.
  during the evening, the community holds an all-night 
  feast in the largest building available to bid farewell to 
  the old court and welcome the new one. loud music 
  and raucous dancing follows. skalds often attend these 
  ceremonies, singing songs of the fey, while clerics of the 
  unknowable one attend because the fey are associated 
  with tricks and taunts. clerics also sell wards to protect 
  against the fey, though as is typical with the trickster and 
  his gifts, none who purchase these charms are willing to 
  test if they actually work by stepping outdoors. those 
  who last the night will swear come the dawn the charm 
  worked, of course.
  during the night many strange sounds will be heard, 
  like footsteps on roofs, scratching at door and windows, 
  distant voices calling, and faint music drifting on the 
  wind. that these could have an earthly cause (like cats 
  on the roof or scratching to get in to the warm homes, 
  voices from passing travelers, or music from a neighbor-
  ing village) is unthinkable—anything even remotely odd 
  is attributed to the fey.
  if the offerings are gone in the morning the faeries 
  have accepted the offer. While their court remains in 
  power, the faeries won’t bother the community (unless 
  any mortals provoke the faeries, of course). if the offer-
  ings are left behind it means the court is unhappy—the 
  settlement will be subjected to the faeries’ mischievous 
  or malevolent tricks until the courts change.
  ertha
  feeDing Day
  Second Marketdaeg of Huntianmonan
  all followers of eostre are expected to return metal 
  and gems to the earth on this day, with clerics donat-
  ing a larger amount. Whereas eostre’s crops are fruit, 
  vegetables, and cereals, in ertha’s fields grow metal and 
  mineral ores and gemstones. in order to ensure the 
  crops grow next year, a portion must be returned to the 
  earth. 
  throughout the day, worshippers make their way to 
  temples or deep holes in the earth to toss in their offer-
  ings. any hole is acceptable so long as no one knows the 
  location of the bottom. Placing an offering in a well or 
  other body of water is a grave offense, for these offer-
  ings go to neorthe, not ertha. Just to make sure no one 
  can use the hoard, coins are cut in half or bent, swords 
  and weapons snapped in twain, mineral ore tainted with 
  other ores that while not harmful or offensive to ertha 
  make refining them more effort than it is worth, and 
  gems smashed or cut so as to be useless in jewelry.
  founDing Day
  Varies, but only honored by frost dwarves
  Frost dwarves mark the day their city was founded 
  with celebration and feasting. the ruling noble renews 
  his vows of loyalty to the currently vacant throne of the 
  dwarven king and to his people. accompanied by his 
  huscarls, he then travels the city to the many market 
  halls. Here, he gives every dwarf a token coin according 
  to his social status—gold for nobles, iron for warriors, 
  copper for workers, silver for merchants, and so on. 
  these coins are then sacrificed to ertha. the ruler must 
  also sacrifice one percent of the city’s wealth in coins, 
  jewelry, weapons, armor, or metal ore to ertha. 
  on the Founding day of Karad dahn, Karad Khan, 
  and Karad noshrek, dwarves across rassilon wail and 
  lament for the loss of these great cities and the countless 
  dwarves who inhabited them. in Karad marn, the war-
  riors swear oaths to ertha and tiw that they will liberate 
  their city or die trying. some dwarves shave their beards 
  on this day as a mark of shame their city remains in orc 
  hands, vowing to suffer the ignominy of being beardless 
  until the city is full reclaimed.
  grounD shaKer Day
  Third Milcdaeg of Haerfestmonan
  When ertha assumed control of the earth she discov-
  ered her cave was rather small for her tastes. armed with 
  a pick, she began to expand her home. each time the pick 
  struck, the world trembled. Worshippers of ertha believe 
  earthquakes are signs the goddess is once more increas-
  ing her living space. cultists of Foldardróttann believe 
  earthquakes are their goddess clearing underground 
  obstructions so she can continue her exploration. 
  during the ceremony, worshippers bang drums to 
  simulate the noise of earth tremors and sway from side 
  to side as if the earth was moving. cultists take up shovels 
  and picks and start digging, helping their goddess move 
  the rock and earth. the numerous pits are left to fill in 
  naturally, making them something of a hazard until every-
  one learns their locations. in cities and towns, municipal 
  workers needing to dig foundations or trenches prefer to 
  start work on this day, for they believe ertha will make 
  their task easier by doing some of the work for them.
              
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  20
  harD Clay Day 
  Any day a new forge construction is finished. 
  it is a rare smith who does not pay the clergy of ertha 
  to bless a newly constructed forge. note that weapon-
  smiths invite clerics of Hagvirkr (a minor god) to par-
  ticipate in the ritual as well. once the structure is sound 
  and the forge installed, a cleric of ertha oversees the final 
  step—laying the floor. 
  traditionally, the floor is a mixture of heavy clay, 
  gravel, lime, and bull’s blood. the bull, which the smith 
  must purchase, is blessed and then ritually slaughtered 
  in a cave, its blood collected in a receptacle. the materi-
  als are then mixed in a large trough by trampling them 
  together. once the material reaches the right consistency, 
  it is laid on the forge floor. 
  the final step involves packing the clay mixture. 
  rather than using tools, this is achieved by dancing. the 
  attending cleric, the smith, and any others who wish 
  to honor ertha don heavy boots or clogs and dance to 
  the beat of a lone drum. given the clay must be packed 
  hard, the dance can last for many hours. once the cleric 
  is happy the surface is finished, he performs a final bless-
  ing by engraving ertha’s holy symbol on to the forge. 
  if Hagvirkr is also to be honored, his symbol is added 
  beneath or to the right of ertha’s glyph.
  house builDing Day
  Raestdaeg of Werremonan
  When they first wandered the earth, humans had no 
  homes and slept under the stars. ertha showed them 
  caves, in which they lived happily for countless genera-
  tions. eventually tiring of their cold and drafty homes, they 
  beseeched ertha to provide new accommodation. in her 
  infinite wisdom, ertha taught men how to build homes. 
  the elves, though a religious people, are more pragmat-
  ic, for they hold ertha in little regard. in their ancient tales, 
  the ritual is a remembrance of when they stopped being 
  nomadic hunter-gatherers and began to build villages. 
  this is the traditional time to make repairs on one’s 
  home (except the roof) and start construction of a new 
  house. clerics and worshippers travel to the nearest settle-
  ment to help out as laborers, accepting no payment except 
  a meal and plenty to drink when the work is done. 
  in some areas the clergy work together to build a new 
  house, which they then gift to a member of the commu-
  nity. common belief is that any home built by the clergy 
  on this day will always be a happy home.
  freo
  first footing Day
  First Heafoddaeg of Snaermonan
  First Footing day began as the cult’s celebration of the 
  new year but has evolved into a festival for all citizens, 
  regardless of their faith. as dawn breaks, folk across ras-
  silon don their winter furs and visit the homes of friends, 
  family, and strangers. after being greeted on the doorstep 
  they hand over small gifts. By tradition, you can’t cross 
  the threshold without bringing the householder a gift. 
  clerics of Freo always give items of footwear, but others 
  gift small cakes, candles, or bottles of alcohol. Being the 
  first person to visit someone else’s home on First Foot-
  ing day is seen as a good omen for any travel during the 
  coming year.
  horse fighting Day
  First Marketdaeg of Haerfestmonan
  this festival, considered barbaric by many druids and 
  clerics of eostre animalmother, is held only in Hrosmark 
  and always takes place at the summer gathering in veer-
  garth. each clan selects a fine stallion from its herds. lots 
  are drawn at random to determine fighting pairs. the 
  animals are then led into a circle, in the center of which 
  is tethered a thoroughbred mare from the king’s stables. 
  the mare is always “in season.”
  the two stallions are worked into a frenzy by slaps with 
  sticks from their owners and the pheromones of the mare. 
  the animals may be subjected to this for many hours before 
  they are considered ready to fight, by which time they are 
  half-mad. the horses are then released. in their frenzy to 
  mate, they kick and bite each other, inflicting serious in-
  juries on their rival. When one horse cannot carry on, the 
  fight ends. seriously wounded horses are ritually slain. the 
  winning horse is allowed to mate with the mare. this is not 
  a knockout competition, and the king must supply a mare 
  for each fight. should a foal be born, it is presented to the 
  clan of the fathering horse at the next summer gathering. 
  its sire is then ritually sacrificed to Freo, so as to ensure the 
  god’s stable is stocked with only the finest horses. 
  regardless of whether or not a foal is born, winning 
  curries favor both with Freo and the king. in the latter 
  instance, the king may award better inter grazing lands, 
  something every clan seeks.
  saDDle Day
  Sangdaeg of Sceranmonan
  during summer the town of veergarth turns from 
  a near-deserted plain into a bustling metropolis of felt 
  tents. With grass plentiful, the horse-lords gather in one 
  place to arrange marriages, interbreed horses, sell their 
  livestock, and purchase supplies brought in by hundreds 
  of visiting merchant caravans. as summer ends and the 
  chill of winter begins to bite so the grass becomes less 
  nutritious and unable to support such a large population 
  with their many horses. 
  a week before the ceremony, the king, mounted on 
  his black stallion, summons the nobles and clan elders 
  who owe him allegiance. also mounted, they fan out 
  before him in a wide semi-circle. the king then assigns 
  each their winter lands based on how well their follow-
  ers performed in the annual competitions. 
           
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  21
  on the day of the ceremony the tent city is rapidly 
  pulled down for another year. the king and the paladins 
  of Freo sit mounted at the main exit from the city while 
  the priests are arranged in a line before them. as each 
  clan departs the clerics bless them in the name of Freo 
  Horsemaster and the king, wishing them a speedy and 
  safe journey. When a cleric’s clan leaves, he breaks ranks 
  and joins his kin. since the number of blessings dimin-
  ishes as the day draws on, those clans most in favor with 
  the king depart first. 
  By nightfall, when the king and his entourage depart, 
  the city has shrunk from 25,000 people to a few hundred 
  permanent guards.
  sites seen Day
  Sangdaeg of Haerfestmonan
  Freo came to realize that many of the people he met 
  on his journeys had never left their homelands and knew 
  nothing of the greater world. although driven by endless 
  wanderlust, Freo rested his feet a while at the next village 
  he came to and told stories of the wondrous sites he had 
  seen strange beasts he had encountered, and different 
  cultures he had met. enjoying the chance to soak his ach-
  ing feet, Freo vowed to take time out from his journeys 
  each year to spread word of the world to those unable or 
  unwilling to travel. 
  each year the clergy are expected to spend the day 
  in a settlement they have never visited before. in return 
  for food and drink, they recount their 
  tales of exploration and travel to their 
  hosts. clerics may embellish stories to 
  make them more interesting, but may 
  not invent fictional creatures, people, 
  or places, nor may they rename them. 
  in the morning, the host traditionally 
  gifts the visiting cleric a new pair of 
  boots for the next leg of his journey.
  hela
  DarK harvest night
  Varies
  each temple holds its own dark 
  Harvest night, and rarely does it fall 
  on the same night across multiple 
  years. the only stipulation is that all 
  activities must occur between dusk 
  and dawn. Hence, it mostly often falls 
  around the end of the year. 
  as is widely known through reli-
  gious preaching and mythology, Hela 
  commands a host of fell spirits. in or-
  der to come to the mortal realm, they 
  must inhabit a corpse or skeleton. 
  these grisly remains are known within 
  the cult as a vessel. dark Harvest night is the clergy of 
  Hela’s way of ensuring they have plenty of hosts to offer 
  the malevolent spirits. 
  the ritual stems from the earliest days of the goddess’ 
  existence. now possessed of a host of spirits, Hela sent 
  her immortal agents into the world to find suitable ves-
  sels for the host inhabit. after a lengthy search her agents 
  reported returned. amid much bowing and scraping they 
  reported that all the creatures they encountered already 
  had spirits dwelling in them. all they could find devoid 
  of spiritual energy were corpses and bones. 
  during the night of the ceremony, worshippers must 
  gather as many corpses as possible. although they have 
  a week to return them to the temple (the clergy forbids 
  worshippers from performing the ceremony within 50 
  miles of the temple), all corpses and bones must be gath-
  ered in the one night to count as an offering to Hela. 
  How the cultists gather corpses and skeletons is left to 
  them. many resort to grave robbing, though burials are far 
  scarcer than in the days the ceremony was first performed. 
  the current trend is to provide fresh corpses by murder-
  ing people. Busy trade roads are stalked for small mer-
  chant caravans or lone travelers, small steads and villages 
  attacked en masse, and late night revelers, thieves, watch-
  men, and ladies of the night plucked from city streets. 
  Whoever returns the most corpses to the temple is 
  promised greater power after death, coming back as a 
  more potent and intelligent undead. Whether this is true 
  or not has yet to be determined.
           
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  22
  DarK rising night
  Second Deorcmonan after Dark Harvest Night
  dark night rising, according to myth, marks the night 
  when Hela unleashed her infernal spirits into the world 
  to seek vessels to possess. it was on this night that the 
  art of necromancy was born, for it was then that Hela 
  created the first undead. 
  Between dark Harvest night and the next deorcmo-
  nan the corpses are ritually prepared by washing them in 
  blood, carving eldritch runes into flesh and bones, and 
  intoning dark prayers. as the sun departs the heavens the 
  clergy begin casting zombie and greater zombie spells 
  over the corpses while lesser worshippers cut their limbs 
  and drip blood onto the corpses to attract the spirits 
  howling loose from Hela’s stygian realm. 
  originally the ritual was performed to honor Hela’s 
  invention of necromancy. since the fall of the liche- 
  Priest the ritual has taken on new meaning. though 
  many of the newly created undead will not last the 
  night, their spirits departing within the day, some will 
  be permanently infected with a spirit. these undead are 
  pledged to the liche-Priest, who will find an army ready 
  and waiting to serve him on his eventual return. 
  hoenir
  graDuation Day
  Raestdaeg of Sowanmonan
  schooling is expensive, and educational establish-
  ments are few and far between. most citizens are taught 
  at home, and thus have only a limited knowledge of the 
  wider world. graduation day marks the end of the school 
  year. all students, including novitiates of Hoenir, must 
  take end of year exams to prove they have studied. those 
  who pass are invited to attend graduation day, a formal 
  recognition of their accomplishments. certificates on 
  learning are handed out amid long and boring speeches 
  on the power and importance of knowledge, after which 
  students and tutors attend a feast. those who fail must 
  serve the diners as punishment.
  no KnowleDge Day
  First Milcdaeg of Wulfmonan
  Hoenir’s wisdom meant that he was constantly pes-
  tered by the other gods, who demanded he teach them 
  new things. Frustrated at the interruptions, which inter-
  fered with his studies, Hoenir asked niht to help him. 
  she concealed him beneath her cloak where the gods 
  could not find him. niht’s act was not entirely benevo-
  lent, for while Hoenir was concealed he could not share 
  his wisdom. after many days, Hoenir realized events of 
  which he has no knowledge were taking place. 
  Fearful he might be missing something of importance, 
  Hoenir tried to leave niht’s cape, but she tightened the 
  weave, imprisoning him. niht kept Hoenir captive for so 
  long that the other gods could learn nothing new. 
  the universe stagnated, and then slipped back into 
  barbarity as the gods began to forget everything they 
  knew. only niht, who knew all of Hoenir’s secrets, 
  retained her knowledge. rigr and nauthiz eventually 
  found and freed Hoenir, bringing knowledge back to the 
  universe. 
  Worshippers remember their god’s folly, and remind 
  themselves of the dangers of allowing knowledge to 
  be forgotten, by blocking their ears with wax stoppers, 
  covering their eyes bound with dark cloth, and gagging 
  themselves. this prevents them from learning anything 
  new or imparting knowledge. 
  in urban areas, actors perform a play retelling the 
  story of Hoenir’s imprisonment. under religious law the 
  character of Hoenir cannot be played by a cleric of the 
  faith, as the play imparts knowledge. Hoenir is played as 
  a bumbling scholar. niht is portrayed as a pantomime vil-
  lainess, heavy with child called ignorance and wrapped 
  in a vast cloak, beneath which the figure of Hoenir is 
  concealed once the play reaches the appropriate stage. 
  actors dressed to represent rigr and nauthiz wander 
  around the audience asking the crowd if they have seen 
  Hoenir. excited children and adults who remember their 
  first witnessing of the play call out and gesture toward 
  the figure of niht, who shakes her head, shrugs her 
  shoulders, and tries to misdirect the hunters. eventually, 
  of course, Hoenir is found and rescued to wild cheering 
  from the crowd. While the three heroic gods bow to the 
  audience, niht sneaks off the stage to boos and hisses. 
  this play is heavy on audience participation, an un-
  usual occurrence for Hoenir’s ceremonies. most critics 
  agree this is because the clergy of Hoenir don’t actually 
  take part in the festivities.
  spoKen worD Day
  First Sunnandaeg of Huntianmonan
  Philosophers have long debated which came first, the 
  word or the thought behind the word, for one cannot ex-
  ist without the other. Hoenir was the first god to speak, 
  thus enabling the exchange of ideas, for before this the 
  gods were silent and the knowledge they had gained 
  could not be transmitted. 
  clerics stand up in public and talk from dawn to 
  dusk on whatever subject appeals to them. like most of 
  Hoenir’s rituals, it is extremely dull. Followers of niht 
  often try to disrupt the ceremony by gagging Hoenir’s 
  clergy. unfortunately, most citizens are equally inclined 
  to do the same in order to stop droning voices ruining 
  their day, thus resulting in cases of mistaken identity and 
  false accusation having been made.
  writing Day
  Third Monandaeg of Falmonan
  Hoenir had gathered a lot of knowledge from per-
  sonal experiences and the wisdom of the other gods, but 
               
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  2
  he was constantly under attack by the capricious goddess 
  Forgetfulness. the goddess plucked snippets of knowl-
  edge from Hoenir’s mind and consumed them, causing 
  the god to forget what he had learned. 
  Hoenir went to maera and told her his problem. the 
  goddess of divination worked her magic and revealed 
  that somewhere in the universe there was an unknown 
  form of magic which would protect against Forgetful-
  ness’ dark magic. maera, as cryptic as any of the norns, 
  added that the new magic could not stop Forgetfulness 
  from stealing knowledge from Hoenir’s mind. not be-
  ing much of a traveler, Hoenir asked Freo to accompany 
  him. after a quest full of wondrous encounters, Hoenir 
  discovered the new magic—writing. 
  Worshippers spend the day copying out sacred texts 
  in the library or reading from them in public. Because 
  Hoenir gave away the new magic, booksellers lower 
  their prices on this day to encourage folk to purchase 
  their wares. seeing a great business opportunity, clerics 
  of Hoenir’s brother, var, purchase great piles of books, 
  which they resell later at inflated margins.
  hothar
  Confession Day
  First Sunnandaeg of Snaermonan
  one day Hothar was visiting a minor god’s hall when 
  he heard lamentations. on enquiring as to the nature of 
  the disturbance, the minor god said that he had done a 
  bad act, which while not against Hothar’s laws, did leave 
  him sorely vexed. Hothar offered to help the god remove 
  the dark stain of his sin, though the younger god would 
  have to accept whatever punishment Hothar handed 
  out. others heard of Hothar’s blessing and soon there 
  were crowds outside his brilliantly lit hall. seeing that 
  his work would be disturbed every day unless he acted, 
  Hothar told his companions he would hear their stories, 
  but only on one day a year.
  a new year, a new start, as the old anari saying goes. 
  Whether or not their activities constitute a crime or a sin, 
  everyone makes mistakes. confession day is a chance for 
  people to remove any stain upon their soul by confess-
  ing to a cleric of Hothar. anything said in confession is 
  held in strictest confidence.
  after listening to the list of sins, the cleric passes judg-
  ment, offering the guilty a chance to redeem themselves 
  by performing an act (which in the case of serious crimes 
  is to turn themselves in). typical judgments involve 
  performing good deeds, lengthy prayer sessions, and 
  vigorous scrubbing of the flesh. an oath must be sworn 
  to accept and act on the ruling.
  in game terms, clerics suffering the effects of minor 
  and major sins may be absolved through the ritual, so 
  long as they follow the cleric’s orders on how to remove 
  the taint. mortal sins can still only be resolved with a 
  lengthy and suitable quest.
  gooD DeeD Day
  First Sunnandaeg of Werremonan
  Hothar, as the god of order, is also honored as the god 
  of communities. after the chaos of the god War, the survi-
  vors had become embittered and insular, or had formed 
  tightly knit warbands. Hothar helped form the first true 
  communities by gathering together the gods who shared 
  common ideals and persuading them to cooperate and 
  live together by common laws. order and conformance 
  resulted in peace, but the communities lacked spirit. 
  citizens obeyed the laws, but they remained largely self-
  ish and insular. in order to create a community spirit, 
  Hothar asked the gods to perform one selfless act for 
  another deity each year.
  citizens and clergy alike perform good deeds on this 
  day. What constitutes a good deed is left to the individ-
  ual’s conscience to decide. good deeds needn’t involve 
  extravagant gifts or concerted effort—acts like chopping 
  wood for an elderly neighbor, helping someone with 
  chores, or giving a beggar a few silver pennies are all 
  good deeds. many women work together to prepare a 
  feast for the whole settlement. in large towns and cit-
  ies, where a single feast would be a logistical nightmare, 
  smaller feasts may be held on individual streets or in 
  small neighborhoods.
  clergy are expected to perform good deeds from 
  dawn till dusk, whereupon they join the feasting.
  law Day
  Second Marketdaeg of Werremonan
  in the beginning all was chaos and disorder. the gods 
  did as they pleased, having no fixed aspects, arguments 
  were common as deities dabbled in each other’s favored 
  areas, and the stars and planets wandered the heavens 
  as they saw fit. Hothar, frustrated by the bickering and 
  turmoil, codified a set of laws. When Hothar read out his 
  laws, order was enforced on the entire universe and the 
  gods were tied to a fixed set of aspects. 
  From dawn until dusk clerics of Hothar stand in 
  markets across rassilon and recite the local laws from 
  memory. new laws are introduced on this day, coming 
  into force as soon as a cleric proclaims them.
  oath renewal Day
  Starts of the last week of Eostremonan and lasts a 
  month
  virtually everyone in rassilon is tied to someone else 
  by an oath of fealty. every year these oaths must be re-
  newed. it is only mandatory for senior nobles, for under 
  the most ancient laws every nobleman who swears al-
  legiance to his feudal superior does so in the name of 
  those he rules over. over the course of the month, the 
  nobility gathers at the court of the most powerful noble 
  in the land. typically dukes, jarls, their social equivalents, 
  and nobles of lesser rank who hold fealty only to the 
  head of state attend. 
                 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  the head of state stands before his immediate subor-
  dinates, holding out a plain gold ring, a symbol of unity, 
  before him. one by one the subordinates approach, 
  touch the ring, and renew their oath of allegiance to 
  liege and land. the process is then repeated across the 
  land, with jarls taking oaths from counts, tribal leaders 
  from clan heads, clan heads from family heads, and so 
  on. Failure to renew one’s oath without good reason 
  within 40 days is viewed as a clear sign of treachery. since 
  the participants have a whole month, bad weather is not 
  considered an excuse. 
  some leaders demand their subordinates complete 
  an older ritual—the blood oath. small cuts are made on 
  the participants’ forearms and the limbs loosely bound 
  together. if a cut festers, it is believed the oath was dis-
  honest. 
  as well as the nobility, mercenary captains, the Hearth 
  Knights, the iron guild, and the Knights Hrafn hold 
  this ceremony sacred as a way of reinforcing the bonds 
  between leader and followers. Because members may 
  be dispersed across rassilon, they are not expected to 
  attend their leader in person—they need merely speak 
  their oaths aloud so Hothar hears.
  truth Day
  First Heafoddaeg of Plohmonan
  When Hothar became god of law, he agreed to be 
  blinded so his judgment would not be affected by physi-
  cal appearance or bribes. Without his sight to mislead 
  him, Hothar relied only on his ability to sense truth 
  when deciding verdicts. each year, his clerics must wear 
  heavy blindfolds and maintain detect lie spells for 24 
  hours in honor of his sacrifice. accompanying them are 
  non-blindfolded laity armed with clubs. When the cleric 
  detects a lie being spoken in his presence, he directs the 
  laity to punish the sinner with a swift beating.
  Kenaz
  burning giant Day
  Night after first snowfall of the year
  Before the god War thrym and Kenaz were minor 
  deities representing winter cold and summer warmth 
  respectively. though neither could gain total dominance 
  over the other, the seasons varied in length as first one 
  god gained superiority and then the other. after much 
  squabbling they made a truce, agreeing to share the 
  year between them. neither honored the full spirit or 
  letter of the compact, and so summer and winter varied 
  in length. When the races of giants were created, they 
  pitted them against each other. after the god War, the 
  rivalry intensified immensely and the petty squabbles 
  turned into bitter war when Kenaz persuaded his father 
  to join his cause. 
  during the Blizzard War worshippers of Kenaz were 
  always in the frontline, battling fiercely against frost gi-
  ants and Hellfrost dragons. their struggle, and Kenaz’s 
  eternal battle, is honored each year. 
  after the harvest is gathered worshippers set to work 
  building huge wicker figures packed with hay and grass. 
  these figures vary in size from 18’ feet (the height of a 
  typical frost giant) to over 50’ (and are representative 
  of thrym). the day after the first snowfall worshippers 
  gather around the wicker men, reciting epic tales of the 
  heroic struggles of the Blizzard War, reenacting battles 
  against frost giants (men on stilts wrapped in furs), and 
  praising their god. 
  toward dusk each worshipper takes up a burning 
  torch. they cluster in small groups, which from the 
  heavens resemble hot coals, Kenaz’s holy symbol. after 
  singing the song of Warmth, the torches are thrown in 
  a pile at the wicker man’s feet. as the flames begin to 
  lick the effigy, the worshippers sing hymns to encourage 
  the flames to spread. if the vegetation catches quickly, 
  the omens promising that are winter will not be overly 
  harsh. should the figure fail to burn properly, winter will 
  be cold and long.
  ColD night
  Heah Wyntr Daeg
  the cold night began as a celebration to mark the 
  end of winter and the return of warmth. during the god 
  War, a godling loyal to thrym slipped past Kenaz’s body-
  guards and plunged a dagger into his heart. though not 
  slain, Kenaz was mortally wounded and withdrew from 
  the combat. as his life force ebbed away, so the warmth 
  of the universe faded.
  sigel and tiw hunted the universe for eira, who was 
  away tending to the many wounded on both sides. their 
  quest was long and arduous, and each day the universe 
  grew colder as Kenaz grew weaker. at last eira came to 
  Kenaz’s aid, healing his wound through her powerful 
  charms, restoring the light of the universe and banishing 
  the winter.
  as sigel’s Hearth sets on the longest night, wor-
  shippers of Kenaz gather outside in the cold night air. 
  candles, torches, and bonfires are extinguished, lanterns 
  dimmed to mere flickers, and even the sacred flames in 
  Kenaz’s temples are reduced to glowing coals in memory 
  of Kenaz’s injury. clerics wail and lament while retell-
  ing the myth. an hour before dawn, clerics of eira move 
  among the congregation, rekindling bonfires, lighting 
  the torches and candles, and turning up lanterns to full. 
  as the dawn breaks, the worshippers rejoice at sigel’s 
  healing and return to strength.
  since the Blizzard War and the waning of Kenaz’s 
  power, the worshippers have grown more fervent in their 
  singing. Kenaz it seems has once again been wounded 
  and his warmth once more fading from the universe.
  Note: clerics of sigel have a similar celebration 
  known as long night. in their mythology, when sigel 
  went looking for eira the universe grew darker as well as 
  colder. sigel’s ritual is one of restoring light and banish-
              
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  2
  ing darkness. clerics of eira are welcomed at the festival, 
  but play no part other than to be lead around by sigel’s 
  clergy until dawn.
  hearth Day
  Raestdaeg of Wulfmonan
  at the beginning of time, before Hothar brought or-
  der to the universe, there were no seasons. thrym, who 
  had been rooting in the furthest recesses of the universe 
  far from the light of the stars, found a new god called 
  Frost. Being something of a bully, thrym cajoled Frost 
  into using his powers, and so the first winter came to 
  the universe.
  the other gods did not know how to cope with this 
  new phenomenon. Frost’s son, shivering, soon came 
  to pay the gods a visit and teach them his new trick. 
  Kenaz asked his father, sigel, to heat up the universe, 
  but sigel refused. Back then there was no summer, and 
  sigel refused to banish the new god just because he was 
  different.
  Kenaz went to see nauthiz, who taught him secrets of 
  stealth in return for knowledge of sigel’s daily agenda. 
  While sigel slept, Kenaz stole into his hall and cut locks 
  of his father’s fiery red hair. He carried these to the gods’ 
  halls and laid them inside a ring of stones. When the hair 
  touched the ground it became fire, which banished the 
  cold. although Kenaz had not defeated Winter, he had 
  found a way to banish him from houses.
  throughout the year, fagot-gatherers, often older 
  widows and the physically and mentally infirm, scrape 
  a meager living selling bundles of firewood (known as 
  fagots). most are worshippers of Kenaz. each year on this 
  day, all worshippers of Kenaz work with the fagot-col-
  lectors to gather firewood during the daylight hours. as 
  night begins to fall, they deliver fagots to houses, asking 
  nothing in return, for Kenaz freely gave the gift of fire to 
  his fellow gods.
  once the deliveries are complete, the regular fagot-
  gatherers are invited to a grand feast. Where a temple to 
  Kenaz exists it hosts the gathering. otherwise the honor 
  falls to the local priest of Kenaz or blacksmith, or, if the 
  community lacks both, the head of the settlement. cler-
  ics of Kenaz are expected to visit the nearest feasting hall 
  and gift the fagot-gatherers with small tokens, such as a 
  purse of silver coins, a basket of bread, or a set of new 
  clothes.
  allowing a hearth to go out on this day brings excep-
  tionally bad luck for the next year.
  sworD Day
  First Heafoddaeg of Werremonan
  this holy day marks the time when Kenaz crafted the 
  first weapon, which he gifted to tiw, thus transforming 
  him into the god of war. While all temples teach melee 
  combat, each has a preferred melee weapon. sword day is 
  the most common name for this ceremony, but its names 
  changes from temple to temple. thus one may find axe 
  day, Hammer day, mace day, and spear day all being 
  celebrated simultaneously across rassilon. every cleric of 
  Kenaz must gift a weapon he has forged in the last year to 
  a cleric of tiw before sunset or commit a major sin. 
  new weapons are blessed on this day over the sa-
  cred temple flame. starting or finishing the creation of 
  a weapon on this day is said to imbue it with a divine 
  spirit. after meditating in front of the sacred flame the 
  creator names each weapon he starts or finishes during 
  the ceremony in honor of the spirit it contains. 
  Note: clerics of Hagvirkr, the minor god who Kenaz 
  later installed as weaponsmith to the gods, hold a similar 
  ritual on the first sunnandaeg of Werremonan. they also 
  celebrate this festival.
  Maera
  alCheMy Day
  Third Monandaeg of Werremonan
  as goddess of magic, maera is also goddess of al-
  chemy. it was she who discovered that magical threads 
  could be tied into knots and unraveled at a later date to 
  release their energy. maera also taught eostre the secret 
  of herbalism, but that is another story (see page 18).
  Worshippers spend the day crafting alchemical devices 
  or helping an alchemist in her work. all creations worked 
  this day must be donated to the next temple of maera the 
  alchemist visits or she will suffer bad luck (gm’s discre-
  tion on how this works). these are then sold to provide 
  the temple with funds for other projects.
  Divination night
  First Monandaeg of Snaermonan
  originally there were four norns. they were the god-
  desses of past (urd), present (verdandi), future (skuld), 
  and what if (maera), the latter being the goddesses of 
  alternate possibilities. While her sisters worked hard to 
  intertwine the threads of existence, maera was something 
  of a daydreamer—not surprising given that her job was 
  to gather and burn all the excess thread after the norns 
  ended a being’s life. contained in these threads were the 
  different directions a life could have taken had the norns 
  chosen another path for the creature. 
  While out in the garden one day, maera fell asleep. 
  in her dream she discovered new threads, ones the 
  norns had not woven. By tugging, twisting, and shaping 
  these threads she produced wondrous effects, which she 
  named magic. on waking she discovered clutched in her 
  hand a myriad of threads. she rushed to tell her sisters 
  of her discovery, but they were too busy to pay any atten-
  tion, and ordered her to get back to work and quit her 
  daydreaming. Frustrated, maera threw the threads out 
  the window, where they drifted down into the mortal 
  realm. thus did mortals discover the threads of magic.
  When the norns discovered what maera had done, the 
               
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  weird sisters flew into a rage, for mortals had been given 
  a new gift and the strands of their lives would have to be 
  interwoven with these new threads, meaning more work 
  for the norns. maera was disowned by the norns and 
  banished from their presence for all eternity. despon-
  dent at no longer being able to view the norns’ loom or 
  study the threads of what might have been, maera began 
  to look into the universe for patterns that might reveal 
  what the norns were weaving. 
  once the moon sits alone in the sky, clerics of maera 
  spend the night divining the future, trying to steal a peek 
  at the norns’ loom. Folk visit the temples in the hope of 
  learning the future’s secrets, for everyone has a curiosity 
  about some future event. until dawn breaks and the norns 
  awaken, the clergy strive to answer the age old questions—
  who will i marry, will i have children, are the omens good 
  for war, will the harvest be good, will i die well?
  staff Day
  Third Monandaeg after of Eostremonan
  staff day is celebrated only in the magocracy. the chil-
  dren of nobles are trained in the principals of magic from 
  an early age, learning the theory from the age of five. 
  When a child who displays an aptitude for heahwisardry 
  reaches 14, the age of adulthood in the magocracy, she 
  undergoes the staff day rite the next day it is held. a 
  heahwisard to be born on staff day is said to be destined 
  for greatness.
  the ritual is always held in the grand temple of 
  maera in Kingshall. among the crowd are the powerful 
  nobles of the land, here not so much to watch the ritual 
  but to size up the next generation of nobility and begin 
  arranging marriages.
  When the moon first breaks the horizon, the adult-to-
  be is handed his heahwisard staff by the mage-King. the 
  high priest of maera binds each child’s hand to her staff 
  with long lengths of multicolored thread while reciting 
  prayers to the goddess of magic. By tradition the binding 
  is done in descending social order. it is believed the lon-
  ger the threads are bound the more powerful the mage 
  will be in later life.
  the children then swear an oath to protect the secrets 
  and uphold the traditions of heahwisardry, to serve the 
  mage-King loyally, and to serve their families with honor, 
  bravery, and decorum befitting her noble status. With the 
  oath sworn, the threads are unraveled and handed to the 
  now adult mage. traditionally these are kept, to be used 
  when her children undergo the rite.
  each family then holds a private feast in its townhouse 
  (or those of a feudal superior for lesser families) to wel-
  come the new adult into the family and any noble titles 
  due the young adult are bestowed.
  characters who chose the Black sheep Hindrance or 
  magocratic nobles who did not take the arcane Back-
  ground (magic: Heahwisardry) edge have never under-
  gone this rite, and thus are viewed as children under 
  magocratic law—another reason why they cannot inherit 
  their parents’ estate or titles.
  nauthiz
  ChanCe night
  First Heafoddaeg of Hegmonan
  reckless and carefree with money, nauthiz once chal-
  lenged his stingy brother var to a game of chance. nauthiz 
  staked a vast fortune against an equal amount of goods 
  from var. although var counted every coin and abhorred 
  gambling, the chance to make a huge profit for doing noth-
  ing but throwing a pair of dice was too good an opportunity 
  to resist. stories vary as to who won, but every year on the 
  same night the brothers meet up to repeat the game. 
  Worshippers are expected to enter a high-stakes gam-
  bling game on this night, pitting a fortune of at 500 gs on 
  games of pure chance. cheating is permitted. this isn’t a 
  formal ceremony—no worshipper is required to pray or 
  perform any acts of devotion beyond having a good time 
  and the chance to win or lose a small fortune.
  night of long fingers
  Variable, but always in Werremonan
  one long summer’s day, nauthiz found himself out-
  side tiw’s battle hall. Feeling bored, he entered and 
  began speaking with the god of battle. after much small 
  talk nauthiz asked tiw what he valued most in the world. 
  after thinking hard, tiw pointed to a clay jar on his man-
  telpiece. in that jug, he said, he kept the ring eira had 
  given him on their wedding day (they were divorced by 
  this time). it wasn’t particularly valuable as a piece of 
  jewelry, but it was of special sentimental value. nauthiz 
  smiled to himself, thanked tiw for his hospitality, and 
  departed with a skip in his step. that night, nauthiz 
  returned to tiw’s hall and broke in. Brimming with 
  overconfidence, he thrust his hand into the jar. unfor-
  tunately, tiw had seen through nauthiz’s question and 
  had hidden the ring elsewhere in his house. the magical 
  jar closed around nauthiz’s hand and began to whistle 
  loudly. moments later, tiw’s two war hounds, goðjaðarr 
  (“god Protector”) and Hildolfr (“Battle Wolf ”) bounded 
  into the room, their snarling jaws dripping thick rivers of 
  bloody drool. nauthiz fled, chased by the two dogs and 
  with this hand still stuck in the heavy jar, to the booming 
  laugh of tiw. once a year, nauthiz breaks into tiw’s hall 
  to find the ring he so prizes. tiw changes its hiding place 
  each year, and the god of thieves has yet to locate it. and 
  so the game continues. 
  clerics must steal a very valuable item at least once a 
  year or offend their god. originally clerics participated 
  on the anniversary of their joining the cult, thus giving 
  themselves but one night to fulfill their oath. as orga-
  nized thieves’ guilds sprang up, the ceremony was seen 
  as a gambling opportunity. each cultist openly states his 
  mark and the value of goods he will steal that night. odds 
  are offered based on the target and the worshipper’s 
  skill, and fellow cultists place stakes on the outcome.
                  
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  2
  since holding the ceremony on the same night each 
  year would alert the local authorities and allow them to 
  prepare for the rash of burglaries, the local high priest or 
  thieves’ guildmaster sets the exact day of the ceremony. the 
  only stipulation is that it is held in Werremonan, when the 
  nights are shortest. stolen goods must be returned to the 
  temple or guild house by the time sigel’s Hearth breaks the 
  horizon, or the thief is listed as failing the ceremony.
  reClaMation Day 
  Raestdaeg of Hegmonan
  Folk in rassilon are generally community minded, 
  especially in villages and steads. as such, people tend to 
  borrow things from each other for long periods, and often 
  without asking. on this day, folk visit their neighbors and 
  reclaim borrowed property. typically the day is marked by 
  much apologizing for not returning the object sooner, ar-
  guments over damage, and quaffing too much ale as way 
  of reparation. the next day, the borrowing begins again.
  neorthe
  boat blessing Day
  First Waescdaeg on Sowanmonan
  also known as shoal day, this festival marks the official 
  start of the sea fishing season. each fishing community 
  spends the winter months constructing a full-size fish-
  ing vessel, which is decorated with shells and coins. the 
  night before the ceremony, known as new Boat night, 
  the boat is set on fire and shoved out to sea as a gift to 
  neorthe so he always has a new ship each year. clerics 
  spend the remainder of the night praying while worship-
  pers sing the gathering song, summoning the fish shoals 
  to their annual feeding grounds. 
  come morning, the clerics row out to sea and salvage 
  burnt timbers floating on the surface. divinations are 
  performed over the scorched wood to determine if ne-
  orthe has accepted the sacrifice. a good omen means the 
  fishing will be good, while a bad one spells warnings of 
  famine and reduced income.
  Deep Diving Day
  Third Waescdaeg of Haerfestmonan
  temples to neorthe are often constructed from drift-
  wood and decorated with shells and items lost to the 
  ocean. oonce a year, worshippers are expected to help 
  maintain the temple. Women and children scour the 
  beaches for more driftwood and items washed up on 
  shore, while the men take to their boats in search of flot-
  sam and jetsam or dive to the seafloor to recover objects. 
  temples do a good trade in environmental protection 
  potions on this day, for the deeper the water from which 
  an item is brought the more it pleases neorthe.
  at dusk all the gathered items are blessed by clerics of 
  neorthe, who claim the salvage in the name of their god. 
  legally, anything found abandoned in the sea or on a 
  beach on this day and taken to one of neorthe’s temples 
  becomes the property of the temple. Worshippers who 
  recover particularly beautiful or valuable objects are 
  given special blessings as a reward.
  QuenChing Day
  First Waescdaeg of Werremonan
  after Kenaz invented fire, he took some to neorthe, 
  fearing even the sea god must be feeling the cold. Haughty 
  and arrogant, Kenaz threw down the fire, which quickly 
  flared out of control and threatened to burn down ne-
  orthe’s hall. angrily, neorthe extinguished the flame and 
  kicked Kenaz out, threatening him with violence if he ever 
  returned. another version of the story tells that Kenaz 
  kept coming back to give neorthe fire, and that several 
  times the sea god burned his hands trying to dampen the 
  flames. in order to avoid frequent house calls, eira taught 
  neorthe the secret of healing magic. 
  Worshippers light numerous bonfires on this day, which 
  they then extinguish. sea water is considered the best liquid, 
  but over the years quenching day has become something 
  of an excuse to drink heavily, and any liquid is considered 
  acceptable. While dousing the flames, worshippers sing 
  rousing sea shanties and offer prayers to neorthe. clerics 
  are on hand to treat the many burn victims. 
  as well as being a religious ceremony, quenching day 
  ensures the locals know the fire drill in case of fire in the 
  settlement.
                  
  i see nauthiz
  i see nauthiz is a popular children’s game. one 
  player assumes the role of rigr, watchman of the 
  gods, while the others are all nauthiz. 
  rigr places an object on the floor, typically a piece 
  of fruit or small cake, and then stands so the object 
  is behind him and he is facing away from the other 
  players. the aim of the game is for the many nauthiz 
  players to sneak up and snatch the prize. Whoever 
  achieves this wins and gets to eat the prize. if none 
  succeed, rigr wins the game and claims the prize. 
  at random intervals, rigr whips round to face the 
  other players, who must remain motionless. if he 
  spies any moving, rigr shouts, “i see nauthiz!” and 
  points to the offender, who is then out of the game. 
  it is widely regarded as cheating if rigr faces the 
  players for more than a slow count of ten. 
  a common trick is for rigr to point to a player who 
  has remained still and accuse him of moving. if the 
  child is clever, he does nothing. rebuking rigr in-
  volves moving one’s lips, which means rigr is then 
  proven right. arguments that this is a form of cheat-
  ing are quashed with the logical– if erroneous– ar-
  gument that rigr sees all, even the future. 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  whale song Day
  First Waescdaeg after spring starts
  While neorthe was out rowing one day the unknowable 
  one summoned a dense fog. lost at sea, neorthe rowed 
  in circles for many days. Hungry and tired, neorthe began 
  to wonder if he would ever find land again. suddenly 
  something bumped his boat. looking down, neorthe saw 
  a whale alongside his small craft. “Follow me,” said the 
  whale, for all animals could speak at that time, “and i shall 
  lead you to safety.” the whale was good to his word, and 
  neorthe returned safely to his watery hall. 
  on this holy day, worshippers row out onto the 
  oceans and rivers to sing to the whales, beseeching 
  them to come to their aid if in need, as they did with 
  neorthe. those on the sea need only sing loudly, while 
  those on rivers must stick their head into the water and 
  sing, whereupon the river carries their words to the sea. 
  small coins and other votive offerings are thrown into 
  the water as gifts to the whales. many of these end up 
  being reclaimed on deep diving day.
  niht
  night of guilty ConsCienCes
  Raestdaeg of Wulfmonan
  many may regard niht as an evil deity, but she has 
  never betrayed a confidence and never judges those who 
  tell her personal secrets. during the god War both sides 
  committed many atrocities. once the chaos ended, the 
  surviving gods felt the need to talk about their experi-
  ences but were too shamed to do so in public. niht 
  promised she would never reveal what others told her 
  and has been good to her word. 
  on this day, people of all faiths say prayers to niht. 
  guilty secrets or acts gnawing on the conscience are 
  whispered into dark crevices and dark shadows, where 
  niht will hear them but no others will. Priests contact 
  nobles and authority figures in advance, offering them 
  confessional services in return for gold. Knowing that 
  a cleric who reveals a secret is committing a mortal sin 
  and that the loudmouth is destined to suffer horrendous 
  torture (see night of silent screams below), the offer is 
  often accepted—confessions made to a priest are more 
  potent than those merely whispered. 
  niht does not, indeed she cannot, absolve sinners of 
  their sin, but the confession often reduces guilty feelings.
  night of lost KnowleDge
  Last Healfdaeg of Frostmonan
  niht was born a princess among the gods, but was a 
  spoiled and selfish child. she loved unique gifts, for they 
  made her feel special. those not given to her she stole 
  and stored in hidden areas of the heavens, where only 
  she could enjoy them. When Hoenir began to hand out 
  knowledge, niht was duly honored. at first the goddess 
  was pleased, but she quickly learned Hoenir had given 
  the exact same wisdom to every other god. irate, niht 
  waited until Hoenir had gained new knowledge. Before 
  he could disseminate it she snuck into his library and 
  stole it. after learning the new knowledge she destroyed 
  it, thus ensuring no one else could ever learn it.
  throughout Frostmonan worshippers gather books of 
  learning and store them in secret places. libraries double 
  their guards, for the repositories are prime targets. a few 
  days before the holy day, the books and scrolls are placed 
  in huge piles and doused with oil. once sigel’s Hearth 
  hides its face, the pyres are ignited. as the smoke drifts 
  upward, worshippers sing to niht, who opens the win-
  dows of her dingy hall so the knowledge can enter.
  clerics of Hoenir are well aware of this ritual. 
  throughout Frostmonan they diligently investigate thefts 
  from libraries and bookstores, hoping to learn where the 
  ceremony will be held. should they discover the local 
  site, they swoop down in a desperate bid to recover the 
  sacrificial tomes before they are consumed by fire and 
  lost forever.
  night of the reD spot
  Any Deorcmonan
  When niht became patron of assassins she needed a 
  way of ensuring all her minions had served her at least 
  once a year. after all, she mused, what is the point of 
  paying servants who don’t do anything? in order to keep 
  a record, she marked each with a red spot. When he had 
  performed a kill, the spot was removed until the next 
  year. 
  assassins who worship niht must undergo this ritual 
  once a year. given that wearing a red spot would cause 
  assassins to stand out, the rite has changed slightly from 
  its original form. instead of having a red spot removed 
  after a kill, the assassin is marked with a red spot at dawn 
  on the day he elects to undergo the ceremony. He is then 
  given a contract by his superiors, which must be carried 
  out by the following dawn. Failure results in the assassin 
  being held captive until he can endure the night of silent 
  screams. those who fail and elect to run away rather 
  than undergo ritual torture (the clever if less than faith-
  ful ones) become instant targets for their comrades. the 
  assassin who eliminates the traitor is exempt from this 
  rite for a year, having proven his worth to his goddess. 
  those who know how to contact the cult may demand 
  an assassination is carried out by a killer undergoing this 
  rite. not only is the assassin more eager to succeed, the 
  cult also has a policy that if the assassin fails the fee is 
  returned. should the killer succeed, though, the fee is 
  doubled.
  night of silent sCreaMs
  Last Healfdaeg of Wulfmonan
  When one of niht’s servants gossiped about her activi-
  ties to another god, niht had his tongue torn out and hands 
           
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  2
  severed so he could never speak or write of her plans again. 
  she grew to enjoy the punishment, and used it on her as-
  sassins who failed to accomplish their missions.
  Worshippers known to have betrayed their oath never 
  to reveal a secret entrusted them or who fail to complete 
  the night of the red spot, are punished on this night. 
  like niht’s servant, they must endure ritual disfigurement 
  for their sins. given that few sinners volunteer for this 
  torture, worshippers kidnap clerics of Hoenir and Bragi 
  (see page 62) in the days beforehand. once mutilated, 
  the victims are released to continue their lives—niht ap-
  preciates the irony of a cleric of knowledge never being 
  able to pass on what he has learned.
  the tongue is always removed first, for whatever oaths 
  and curses the victim may try to utter are then known 
  only to niht, who adds them to her collection. When de-
  pressed or in need of entertainment, niht opens the jars 
  containing these silent screams and listens to them.
  the norns
  fate Day
  Whenever a child is born
  When a new child enters the world kicking and 
  screaming the norns weave the skein of his life. some-
  times a cleric of the norns makes an appearance soon af-
  ter the birth. a certain irony exists here—the norns make 
  no ritual demands on their clergy, so it’s up to individual 
  clerics whether they wish to attend the birth. of course, 
  since the norns have already woven the skein of their 
  clerics’ lives, the decision has been preordained. 
  an attending cleric of the norns, not the midwife or a 
  cleric of eira, cuts the umbilical cord, signifying the child 
  now has its own fate. if no cleric appears within an hour 
  or so, the cord is cut by the attending midwife and prayers 
  offered to the norns. the visiting cleric watches for omens. 
  the norns do not always send signs, for most people are 
  destined for a life of relative obscurity. if one appears, the 
  meaning is quietly whispered into the child’s ear so no oth-
  ers can hear. sometimes the news is good (such as growing 
  up to sire many children, be a strong warrior, or achieve 
  a position of power) and other times it bodes ill (an early 
  death, crippling sickness, or a life of evil). 
  Fate day is the rassilon equivalent of a birthday, for 
  even if the norns do not reveal the future, they have 
  woven the child’s fate. Family and friends usually hold a 
  small celebration each year to mark the occasion.
  rigr
  finDer’s Day
  Raestdaeg of Werremonan
  since clerics are expected to be observant and alert 
  at all times, rigr does not distract them by demanding 
  ceremonies. Finder’s day is not so much a religious 
  ceremony as a way of ensuring children learn to use all 
  their senses from an early age. in the early hours of the 
  morning worshippers hide silver coins and small cakes 
  around the settlement. most are placed in relatively easy 
  to find positions, while others are hidden in more dif-
  ficult locations. among the treasures is always a silver 
  amulet shaped like rigr’s holy symbol. sometimes this 
  is hidden in plain sight, for folk often miss the obvious, 
  and other times it is placed where only those blessed 
  with keen senses can find it. 
  come dawn, the children tear through the village, 
  ransacking it in the hope of finding a prize. the child 
  who finds the special amulet is watched carefully over 
  the coming years—if he shows further promise he is in-
  vited to join the cult as a novitiate.
  wall Day
  Raestdaeg of Plohmonan
  the fortifications of a settlement are the responsibil-
  ity of rigr’s clergy. When the winter storms have finally 
  subsided, the clergy spend the morning inspecting the 
  fortifications and defensive artillery weapons of their 
  settlement and those nearby for damage. a junior, often 
  a functionary from the settlement, makes note of ditches 
  that need clearing, timber posts that need replacing, 
  protective runes that need to be cleaned or re-cut, and 
  cracked walls that need to be sealed with fresh mortar. 
  in the afternoon, they summon the local defenders and 
  test their shieldwall formation by hurling themselves at 
  the shield to ensure the men have not forgotten their 
  drills over winter. 
  at dusk, the clerics stand on the walls, staring out into 
  the land beyond. they watch and wait silently for hours, 
  hoping to get some divination as to how bad any coming 
  raids might be and from which direction they will come.
  sCaetha
  CreMation Day
  Varies
  in order to prevent their earthly remains being mis-
  used by clerics of Hela, many citizens are cremated after 
  death. the corpse is laid out with torches placed at the 
  head and feet so scaetha’s herald finds her way to the 
  body quickly. the body remains in state for three days, 
  during which time the cleric watches for signs indicating 
  scaetha’s herald has collected the soul. during this time, 
  family and friends busy themselves building the funeral 
  pyre. 
  When the cleric pronounces the corpse devoid of 
  spirit, burning torches are waved over to purify the flesh. 
  grave goods are placed on the corpse or in the pyre. 
  the body is then placed atop the funeral bier and dry 
                     
           
                  
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  0
  tinder lit. as the flames rise, the mourners tell tales about 
  the deceased’s life, adding their testimony to that of his 
  patron god’s heralds. it is considered very poor behavior 
  to speak ill of the dead at this stage. 
  the next morning, the mourners gather the ashes and 
  place them in a large pot. this is buried in the earth and 
  the site marked in some manner. engraved stones and 
  swords thrust into the ground are the most common me-
  morial markers. noble burials sometimes involve ships. 
  the process is identical, except the ship is burned as the 
  funeral pyre. some ship cremations occur at sea or on 
  rivers, but the majority is held on land. 
  scaetha does not condone more traditional burials, 
  though her clergy insist on certain precautions being 
  taken to prevent the corpse becoming undead. most 
  often it is bound hand and foot and placed facing down. 
  if it does awaken and slips free of its bonds, the undead 
  creature will instinctively begin to burrow toward free-
  dom. in this case, it will forever dig downward, thus 
  never troubling the surface of the world. more fanatical 
  clerics insist the corpse have its hands, feet, and head 
  severed, making it useless to Hela’s necromancers.
  Dirge Day
  First Sunnandaeg of Snaermonan
  scaetha’s first dirge poured out into the universe after 
  she had defeated Hela and sealed the gates of the abyss. 
  the dirge was not for the minor gods and champions of 
  sigel who fell beating back the abyssal hoard that day, 
  but for Hela, who was declared by all the other gods to 
  be dead to them from that day forth. she was the first 
  deity to be declared dead since the god War ended. 
  clerics halt their crusade against the undead on this 
  day to remember those comrades and helpers to have 
  fallen in battle against the relentless hoard. traditionally, 
  this day marks the end of the liche-Priest’s reign, when 
  the races finally mourned their many losses. Worship-
  pers gather in temples and on battlefields where their 
  foes were undead to sing dirges and death prayers, and 
  to honor their comrades’ memories. vows of vengeance 
  and oaths to continue the crusade, regardless of the 
  losses endured, are made on this day as well.
  Door shutting night
  First Sunnandaeg of Fogmonan
  only scaetha’s valiant actions in slamming shut the 
  gates of the abyss prevented more evil souls escaping. 
  on this night her worshippers remember that feat. 
  throughout the day, the main doors to the temples are 
  left wide open, regardless of season and any threats to 
  the structure. all imagery sacred to scaetha is covered in 
  black drapes, for on this day the temple represents not 
  scaetha’s home but the abyss. 
  Worshippers of scaetha spend the day outside the 
  temple in prayer and meditation. local citizens get to 
  play the part of evil spirits. although the spirits released 
  from the abyss were all sinners, the clergy does not con-
  done criminal acts. instead, it is a feast day (sponsored 
  by the clergy of scaetha), a time to get drunk, act the 
  fool, and revel in temporary chaos as the social mores 
  are abandoned. 
  Just before dusk, the citizens gather outside the temple 
  of scaetha, shouting loudly and taunting scaetha’s clergy. 
  as the sun sets, the high priest and his retinue of priests 
  and paladins shove their way through the inebriated 
  crowd toward the main doors. drink-fuelled violence of-
  ten erupts, though only rarely is anyone killed or perma-
  nently maimed. Having reached the doors, the clergy slam 
  them shut and lock them, signaling the end of the festival 
  (which is why the citizens are keen to prevent this). 
  anyone foolish enough to be inside the temple is now 
  trapped inside until dawn, when the doors are reopened. 
  although a holy place, scaetha’s temples are dark and 
  sorrowful halls, supposedly haunted by the ghosts of 
  fallen priests and paladins. For most, it is a frightening 
  experience (especially when drunken imaginations start 
  working overtime).
  first Death Day
  First Sunnandaeg of Werremonan
  at the beginning of time, there were many argu-
  ments between the gods and even violence, but none 
  were slain, for death was unknown. While searching the 
  dark recesses of the heavens for a suitable opponent, 
  Hela (before her madness) came across a pathetic figure 
  huddled beneath a musty cloak and sleeping soundly. 
  she took the god back with her (some say by force) and 
  presented him to the other gods, demanding to know 
  who this new creature was. niht said she knew but could 
  not say, Hoenir consulted his books to no avail, maera 
  sought a divination but no answer came, while the norns 
  appeared horrified, for they had not foretold this event 
  and knew nothing of the new god’s fate.
  one of tiw’s champions, a bully by nature, began to 
  physically abuse the new god, shoving and kicking him. 
  With a gentle touch, the new god laid the warrior flat. He 
  did not rise again and was renamed valtýr (“slain god”).
  the new god, his voice soft yet firm, said his name 
  was death, and that he was the end of all things. He pos-
  sessed the greatest power in the universe, one so power-
  ful he could not control it unless he slept—were he to 
  remain awake for too long the universe would end.
  the gods began debating who should guard death 
  while he slept, for here was a weapon too easily abused. 
  each argued his case, but in all their faces death saw 
  greed, treachery, vengeance, and the possibility of acci-
  dents. Knowing he could never rest in peace now he had 
  been discovered, death flew into the norns’ loom and 
  vanished. From this point, all creatures would contain a 
  part of a tiny death, and when it awoke from its slumber 
  that person’s life would end without unraveling creation.
  on First death day, citizens offer prayers to their ances-
  tors and lay on ritual feasts. the seat at the head of the table 
  is always left vacant for any ancestors who care to join their 
  kin. Food and drink is laid on for them. once the prayers 
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  1
  are over, the citizens tell stories of their 
  ancestors, keeping their memories 
  alive. scaetha is honored with prayers 
  and blessings, for she is the guardian of 
  death, who sings it to sleep each night, 
  and allows the ancestral spirits to return 
  for one night.
  this is another day when speaking 
  ill of the dead is foolish, for there is 
  a good chance they may actually be 
  listening.
  sigel
  Delling Day
  First Sunnandaeg of Snaermonan
  delling is the name sigel first used 
  when he shed his light across the mor-
  tal realm. in auld saxa it means “the 
  start of something new.” in modern 
  saxa it is often shortened to mean 
  “dawn.” delling day not only marks 
  the start of the new year, but it is also 
  the end of winter. in olden times, 
  worshippers prayed on delling day 
  eve to ensure the sun returned. these 
  days the festival is an empowering of 
  the steadily weakening sun disc.
  on delling day eve worshippers gather outside in the 
  cold and dark. torches are lit and placed in the ground 
  to form sigel’s holy symbol. all night they pray and sing, 
  offering strength to sigel so that his fierce luminescence 
  may once again light the heavens. as delling day dawn 
  nears, clerics of Kenaz hand out bows, and stacks of fire 
  arrows made ready. as the sky begins to lighten, volleys 
  of these arrows are launched into the east, renewing not 
  only the light of sigel, but also imparting Kenaz’s fiery 
  warmth into the pale sun.
  if the dawn is masked by cloud or inland mist, insults 
  are hurled at thunor for interfering in the ritual. in heav-
  ily-populated areas priests of thunor employ becalm 
  and zephyr spells to drive away the clouds, thus ensuring 
  their temple is not vandalized by angry mobs of irate sun 
  worshippers. if a blizzard blows or snow falls, more ar-
  rows are loosed, this time toward the north, where lives 
  the hated god of winter, thrym.
  once the sun is completely clear of the horizon, the 
  torches are extinguished as final prayers are invoked. 
  the tired laity then returns home while clerics stare at 
  the sun disc to divine the omens for the year ahead.
  purifiCation Day
  First Sunnandaeg of Sowanmonan
  sowanmonan marks the time livestock are taken to 
  the high pastures to gaze on the lush, fresh grass. in the 
  days beforehand, clerics of sigel (god of purification), 
  often accompanied by those of Kenaz, build two huge 
  bonfires at the edge of the settlement, between which a 
  large gap is left. in the hours before dawn the fires are lit 
  in preparation for the ceremony. 
  once the sun has risen and the bonfires are well 
  ablaze, the livestock are herded through the gap and 
  onto the high pastures. Passing between the bonfires is 
  said to burn off evil spirits currently infesting the animals 
  while the smoke keeps ones that may trouble the beasts 
  later at bay. eostre animalmother’s clerics perform bless-
  ings over the beasts. 
  Kenaz’s clerics also make an appearance, drawn to 
  the fire like moths. the more devout worshippers leap 
  through the actual flames to purify their flesh and spirit 
  (without the use of magic). 
  toward dusk, as the fires are burning down, worship-
  pers walk through the hot coals to achieve similar purifi-
  cation, while clerics of eira make an appearance to tend 
  the burns of those whose faith was found lacking. 
  the ashes from the pyres are gathered the next morn-
  ing and given to the clergy of eostre, to be sprinkled over 
  the fields to purify the soil. 
  the lighting of the pyres has a second purpose. so large 
  are the bonfires that their flames are visible for many miles. 
  nearby communities can thus ensure their neighbors are 
  okay by watching out for their bonfires in the gloom before 
  dawn. if no fires are seen, the militia is roused and armed 
  while riders and runners are sent to investigate.
            
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  sun gaze Day
  First Sunnandaeg of Sceranmonan
  Heah sumor daeg is a high holy day for clerics of sigel. 
  the previous dawn, one member of the local community 
  is chosen to represent sigel and another to represent 
  thrym. While a cleric of sigel assumes the role of the 
  sun god whenever possible, it is not a strict requirement 
  of the ritual. thrym’s champion is chosen based on the 
  combat ability of sigel, to ensure a fair fight. 
  itinerant clerics of sigel are expected to try and find 
  a settlement in which to observe the ritual. those who 
  cannot reach a settlement in time may undertake a per-
  sonal ritual by challenging an actual servant of thrym 
  to combat to the death. in the event neither is possible, 
  the cleric is expected to spend the entire day in prayer. 
  Failure to perform any of the above constitutes a major 
  sin. 
  an hour before dawn, “sigel” steps into the open, 
  bedecked in armor painted bright yellow especially for 
  the occasion. as the sun breaks the horizon, prayers 
  are recited and chants sung to empower the sun god. 
  “thrym,” clad in white or blue armor and robed in furs, 
  then makes his appearance, cursing the sun god loudly, 
  trying to shout above the boos and jeers of the gathered 
  laity. 
  For the rest of the day the two champions strut 
  around the settlement, boasting of their strength and 
  making promises to the locals. sigel vows to drive back 
  thrym and bring a mild winter, while thrym swears the 
  sun god will be defeated and the coming winter harsh 
  and merciless. 
  as the sun begins to set, the two champions meet 
  in ritual combat within a large square formed by torch-
  bearing citizens. the fight, while symbolic, requires the 
  use of real weapons, and both combatants are expected 
  to fight to the best of their abilities. 
  in olden times, the saxa would force a prisoner con-
  demned to death to take the role of thrym. if he won the 
  ritual combat, his sentence was commuted to outlawing, 
  amid much wailing and gnashing of teeth. these days a 
  volunteer fills the role of thrym. 
  though less fatal, the contest is still hard fought. to 
  give sigel an easy victory gives him no strength and makes 
  a mockery of his divine struggle. Healers are always on 
  hand, for while death is rare, injuries are commonplace. 
  if sigel wins, a great public feast is held in honor of 
  the sun god’s victory. should thrym win, the citizens 
  slink back to their homes, bemoaning the fates and curs-
  ing the god of winter.
  thryM
  Death of heat Day
  Heah Sumor Daeg
  this ritual bares many similarities to cold night (see 
  page 24), though it is told from the opposite view, mark-
  ing the day thrym wounded Kenaz and forced sigel to 
  retreat from the heavens in search of eira. during the day 
  worshippers build and ignite massive bonfires and light 
  thousands of torches. no icewood is permitted—the 
  flames must burn hot for the ritual to have meaning. 
  to those accustomed to eternal cold, the heat from the 
  flames is a veritable inferno. Prayers are offered to thrym 
  to rid them of the infernal heat and welcome them into 
  his cold embrace. 
  as the sun falls into the west, the worshippers throw 
  volleys of spears at it while shouting curses and insults. 
  the bonfires are then dampened and the torches extin-
  guished. as the last sliver of sigel’s Hearth leaves the 
  sky, the final embers are doused and the final torches 
  snuffed, signifying that summer is dead and the winter 
  not far away. 
  if the worshippers have captive clerics of eira, they 
  sacrifice them to thrym in the hope that sigel will not 
               
  when to unleash  
  the furies
  every god, even eira, has furies at his disposal. 
  these reprisal spirits are sent to punish wayward 
  clerics and remind them they have sworn sacred 
  vows to honor their god. 
  the gods realize that mortals are inherently flawed, 
  so most times the furies are held back in favor of 
  weakening or stripping the cleric of his miracle 
  working for a time. Frequent transgressors are most 
  likely to suffer the furies’ wrath rather than clerics 
  who make the odd mistake. 
  as a rough guideline, furies are generally unleashed 
  if a cleric commits three or more minor sins in a 
  single season, two or more major sins in a single 
  year, and more than one mortal sin at any time in 
  their life. clerics who renounce their faith are also 
  liable to be paid a visit. 
  the nature of the cult should be taken into consid-
  eration before making any decision. eira, a goddess 
  of mercy is more forgiving of her clerics and gives 
  them the benefit of the doubt. so long as the cleric 
  makes suitable penance with haste, she’ll keep her 
  furies chained up. dargar and tiw, by comparison, 
  are more inclined to punish even trivial infractions 
  swiftly and harshly. such deities may punish more 
  than one minor sin in a season and any major or 
  mortal sin. 
  a visit from a single pack of furies is often enough 
  to get clerics back on the straight and narrow, as-
  suming they survive the encounter. clerics slain by 
  furies sent to punish them (as opposed to some-
  one else slain by the furies in the course of their 
  duties) are never claimed by their god in scaetha’s 
  Hall—they have died in sin and will be punished 
  for eternity.
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  
  find eira and thus not be able to heal Kenaz, plunging 
  the universe into the Fimbulvintr. clerics of Kenaz and 
  sigel and fire elementalists are also sacrificed as part of 
  the symbolic destruction of fire and the sun.
  fiMbulvintr Day
  Heah Wyntr Daeg
  thrym’s ultimate aim is to bring about the Fimbulvintr, 
  an age when the universe will freeze solid and Hothar’s 
  celestial order will be replaced with eternal stagnation. 
  His mortal worshippers toil ceaselessly to bring this 
  about, adding spiritual weight to their physical deeds. 
  on the longest night, when sigel and Kenaz are at their 
  weakest, worshippers gather outdoors, stripped naked 
  to fully expose their flesh to thrym’s frigid touch. From 
  dawn till dusk they repetitively cast bolt, burst, fatigue, 
  prolonged blast, and stun spells at the sun to weaken 
  sigel, as well as entangle and sluggish reflexes to halt his 
  celestial passage and extend the length of winter. 
  at night, as the temperature plummets, these spells 
  are replaced by aura, elemental form, storm, and sum-
  mon elemental spells, symbolically adding their might to 
  the power and majesty of winter. Worshippers howl into 
  the night while clerics invoke fear spells in the direction 
  of the Hearthlands (or the nearest settlement if in the 
  Hearthlands) to strengthen the Hellfrost wind. High-
  ranking clerics risk employing summon demon and sum-
  mon herald, calling forth powerful otherworldly beings 
  to join the celebrations. 
  clerics who repeatedly suffer the displeasure of their 
  deity while invoking spells are culled from the ranks as 
  traitors to the great cause. as always, clerics of Kenaz and 
  sigel and fire elementalists are sacrificed to thrym. gen-
  erally this is done at dusk, so sigel can spend the long 
  night helplessly mourning his dead followers.
  thunor
  north winD Day
  First Heafoddaeg of winter
  thunor was once aided by four servants—austri, 
  suðri, vestri, and norðri, whose bellows create the four 
  winds. When thrym ascended, norðri abandoned thu-
  nor, taking the secret of the north wind with him. it is 
  for this reason thunor does not control the north wind 
  anymore. at some point during the day (there is no set 
  time) the clergy of thunor turn to face north and shout 
  oaths of hatred, contempt, and vengeance. many brave 
  the elements to bare their backsides (a great insult) or to 
  urinate northward in defiance of thrym.
  sKy burials
  Any day, but preferably during a strong wind
  since long before the imprisonment of the liche- 
  Priest most human cultures in rassilon switched from 
  interring corpses in favor of cremations. Burial mounds 
  are still erected by the rich, famous, and powerful, though 
  these now commonly contain an earthenware pot filled 
  with charred bones and ash instead of intact remains. 
  For most citizens, the final resting place for their ashes 
  is a shallow hollow excavated from the soil, atop which 
  is placed a marker stone. a rare few are cremated at sea, 
  placed in ships covered in pitch which are then ignited 
  and sent out into the ocean. 
  the only people who regularly avoid cremation and 
  inhumation are followers of thunor, god of the air. For 
  them, to be burned and then buried in the earth or at sea 
  is anathema, for fire, earth, and water are the domains of 
  other gods. the physical remains of thunor’s worship-
  pers receive excarnation, known as a sky burial. 
  corpses are placed upon wooden platforms sup-
  ported by two huge posts and left to decay naturally. in 
  order to prevent the possibility of a corpse becoming an 
  undead, it is lashed or spiked to the platform. Placing 
  the corpses high above the ground lessens the chances 
  of wolves and other ground carnivores feasting on the 
  remains, yet allows carrion birds free access. 
  Followers of thunor hold that scaetha’s heralds take 
  the form of crows when they visit their remains. these 
  devour the soul and carry it to the heavens. the longer 
  it takes for a crow to begin feasting, the more wicked 
  the mortal is believed to have been in life. once all the 
  flesh and tissue are devoured, the bones are pounded 
  into dust and left to blow away in the wind. 
  in order to assure ground carnivores do not despoil 
  the body of their friends and loved ones, the living can 
  pay a few silver scields to have a member of the faith, 
  most often a junior paladin in training, watch over the 
  corpse. typically this is done only until the first crow 
  feasts, at which time the soul is deemed to have left the 
  body. unscrupulous watchers have been known to delib-
  erately lure crows to the area, or actually carry one to the 
  site, so as to reduce the time they must spend exposed to 
  the elements. this practice is widely frowned upon, but 
  has proven impossible to stamp out.
  storM DanCe Day
  On the day of the first thunderstorm of the year
  Warm summer winds blowing up from the desert 
  realm of al-shirkuh clash with the cold north wind howl-
  ing from the Hellfrost to produce terrific thunderstorms. 
  the storm symbolizes thunor’s first battle with thrym. 
  storm dance day is celebrated when the first thunder-
  storm of the summer breaks. Being weather-wise, clerics 
  usually have a few days’ warning to prepare. ignoring 
  the lashing rain, howling winds, rumbling thunder, and 
  crashing lightning, worshippers rush to the temple (or 
  nearest open space if no temple is present). under dark 
  skies illuminated only briefly by brilliant flashes of light-
  ning they dance wildly and freely, following no rhythm 
  other than the one in their heart, for thunor sets no pat-
  terns to men’s lives. many bang drums and clash cymbals, 
                 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  emulating the thunderstorm raging overhead. most carry 
  long spears, physical metaphors of thunor’s lightning, 
  which they thrust northward to stab at thrym. 
  Being struck by lightning is a sign of divine blessing, 
  while death by electrocution is a sure sign thunor has 
  taken the worshipper to heaven to serve him eternally. on 
  rare occasions, storm dragons congregate in the skies above 
  storm dances, basking in the fury of the storm and gazing 
  down on the frenzied mortals below. to see one on this day 
  is an indication of good luck and a warm summer.
  winD Calling Day
  First Milcdaeg of Eostremonan
  although primarily a ceremony honoring thunor, 
  many clerics and worshippers of eostre participate. 
  during winter, thunor is busy recovering from a year 
  of violence toward thrym and planning his next cam-
  paign. While thunor is distracted, vestri, maker of the 
  west wind, shirks his duties and catches up on his sleep. 
  eostre also hibernates during this time, rebuilding her 
  energy for the coming spring. 
  clerics of both faiths gather outside at dawn. For the 
  rest of the day they blow horns, bang drums, and shout 
  to the west to rouse vestri from his sleep and get him 
  back to work pumping his bellows. meat is roasted and 
  the smoke wafted toward vestri’s home, while beer is 
  thrown into the air to tempt the god from his slumber. 
  if the west wind begins to blow within a few days, 
  everyone knows vestri has heard the call and spring will 
  be early this year. a feast is held to mark the occasion and 
  preparations are made for Birthing day (see page 17). 
  if the west wind does not rise, winter will last longer, 
  delaying the plowing season. 
  tiw
  battle DanCe Day
  Varies (always held in Plohmonan)
  on this day professional warriors and the militias 
  show the populace they are ready for war, and steel their 
  nerves for the fighting season ahead. the ceremony is 
  always held in Plohmonan, but at a time of the local high 
  priest or militia captain’s choosing. at some point during 
  the morning the captain blows his signal horn, raises the 
  local battle standard, and sends runners to call the fight-
  ing men to arms. the warriors drop whatever they are 
  doing and rush home to grab their weapons. 
  they then assemble in the largest public space, clash-
  ing weapons against shield backs and shouting war 
  chants to alert the enemy they will find their foe ready 
  and waiting, and to bolster their nerve. the official in 
  charge then inspects the men, calling them out for tardi-
  ness or lacking vital pieces of equipment. When this is 
  over, a mock battle is held to check the men remember 
  their drills and respond to orders in timely fashion. in-
  juries are common, but death is rare thanks to clerics of 
  eira who attend on behalf of their goddess. 
  at night, by the light of torches and bonfires, the pro-
  fessional soldiers perform the Battle dance. more a run 
  through of combat maneuvers than an actual dance, it is 
  still a rhythmic display of man and weapon acting in har-
  mony. often warriors pair up, each performing a differ-
  ent routine while trying to avoid the swings and stabs of 
  his foe as he goes through his movements. Worshippers 
  mark time with chants and prayers, while the citizens 
  clap and cheer the prowess of their fighting men.
  blooD Day
  Sangdaeg of Plohmonan
  the ritual dates back to the mythical age, when tiw’s 
  barber accidentally cut him while trimming his beard. 
  about to be slain, the barber stuttered out that he had 
  done tiw a favor, for now he had bled and no weapons 
  would hunger to be the first to draw the god’s blood that 
  year. eira quickly bandaged the nick, for tiw had acted 
  like all men and wailed as if mortally wounded. since 
  that day barbers have been bloodletters and healers. 
  Before the first muster of the year is called warriors 
  give praise to tiw in his role as defender. scaetha, for-
  merly her father’s shield bearer before she took on her 
  new mantle, is also honored. Fighting men cut them-
  selves and let the blood flow freely, believing the wound 
  will sate tiw’s appetite for destruction and spare them 
  from further injury. eira’s worshippers are on hand to 
  tend the injuries.
  stanDarDs Day
  Sangdaeg of Werremonan
  during the chaos of the god War, soldiers’ morale 
  failed as rumors circulated the battlefield their leaders 
  were dead or had fled. retreating units has no idea where 
  to muster, and friend could not be distinguished from 
  foe. Frustrated, tiw ripped off his cloak, emblazoned on 
  the back of which was his divine symbol, and handed it 
  to his spear-bearer, who promptly lashed it to his spear 
  and hoisted it above the melee for all to see.
  every military unit, from village militia to mercenary 
  company, has a battle standard. in battle they serve to 
  mark the position of the captain and serve as a rallying 
  point. each year, the standards are presented to the local 
  temple of tiw, where clerics bless them in preparation 
  for the warring and raiding season. those responsible 
  for carrying the standard in battle swear an oath to pro-
  tect it from harm, and to die before allowing it to be 
  captured, broken, or defiled.
  viCtory Day
  Sangdaeg of Werremonan
  if tiw had one flaw above all others, it was arrogance. 
  after every battle he would boast of his stunning victo-
  ries and mighty prowess, while quietly ignoring his many 
         
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  
  defeats. though the unknowable one eventually quelled 
  tiw’s arrogant streak (a myth for another day), tiw still 
  remains boastful.
  victory day is a time to remember battles and tell 
  tales of glory, not of death and destruction. individual 
  soldiers give praise to tiw by telling comrades personal 
  war stories of triumph against overwhelming odds and 
  daring antics that turned the tide of battle. Boasting and 
  slight exaggeration is acceptable, as all stories grow with 
  each retelling, but outright lies are considered the mark 
  of a coward trying to cover his own inadequacies. cler-
  ics reenact tiw’s ancient battles while worshippers sing 
  sacred battle songs.
  communities that have survived raids, sieges, and 
  battles mark their survival with feasts, while skalds weave 
  the events into a story the whole community can share in 
  future generations.
  ullr
  arChery Day
  Raestdaeg of Eostremonan
  although settlements must be protected all year 
  round, especially in these troubled times, this ritual was 
  devised by the cult of ullr, and originally applied only 
  to hunters. it is now jointly undertaken by followers of 
  tiw who favor archery. Having (largely) rested over the 
  long winter, archers and hunters begin preparing for the 
  coming season. archers compete against each other in 
  a series of contests designed to test their range and ac-
  curacy. in some communities, the best archer is awarded 
  some form of title for the year.
  arrow hunt Day
  First Heafoddaeg of Plohmonan
  rested over winter, the hunters gather to prepare for 
  the hunting season. in order to ensure their eyesight 
  hasn’t waned over winter, clerics and citizens gather at 
  the edge of the nearest patch of forest, long grass, or 
  marsh. each hunter who honors ullr gives an archer five 
  arrows marked with his name. these are fired into the 
  vegetation, whereupon the hunter must retrieve them. 
  the more arrows he returns, the better his hunting will 
  be this year. although a ritual to honor ullr, worshippers 
  of rigr often take part, since it was rigr who taught ullr 
  how to spot animal tracks and spoor.
  Cunning hunt Day
  First Milcdaeg of Werremonan
  ullr’s followers are skilled with the bow, but the god 
  expects them to be expert hunters under any conditions. 
  Worshippers conduct a hunt this day armed only with 
  their wits and bare hands. this ritual honors the time 
  before the first weapons were forged, when ullr used 
  nothing but his knowledge of his prey and what eostre 
  provided in the way of natural tools to trap them. 
  capture of any animal is a clear sign ullr is watching 
  over the cleric. rabbits may be simple fare for a hunter 
  with a bow, but they are fast and agile when one must 
  run to catch them. Bringing down a boar without weap-
  ons is an especially fortuitous sign, not just for the clerics 
  but also the community he serves. all animals caught this 
  day are blessed and the finest cut of meat offered to ullr 
  on bonfires. the hunters then divide the flesh among the 
  local citizens.
  roD anD line Day
  Second Healfdaeg of Plohmonan
  Fishing is not seen as a sport or pastime in rassilon, 
  but as another means of putting food on the plate. the 
  ceremony honors the day ullr first caught a fish and is 
  the start of fishing season. ullr’s fish, a trout, proved to 
  be the unknowable one in disguise, but ullr ate him 
  all the same as he had vowed to eat all he caught and 
  waste nothing. though ullr caught his trout by tickling it 
  (which the unknowable one found pleasant, hence why 
  tickling someone makes them laugh), modern fishermen 
  prefer nets or rods and line. 
  the day is spent angling from the riverbank or stand-
  ing in the water. the largest fish’s entrails are removed 
  and used to conduct a divination. if the omens are good, 
  the fishing will be good this year. a bad omen means the 
  fishing season will yield little harvest. all the fish caught 
  are then cooked and used to serve the local community. 
  Jym ivens, an engro shopkeeper from Weem who just 
  happens to specialize in selling fishing gear, offers a firkin 
  (nine gallons) of his homebrew ale to whoever catches the 
  largest fish from the river ivens on rod and line day. the 
  competition draws folk from across southern rassilon.
  wolf hunt Day
  First Sunnandaeg of Wulfmonan
  Wolves are a constant menace to livestock and travel-
  ers alike. ullr hunted the first wolf at the asking of eostre, 
  whose livestock were being eaten by the predators. 
  in the depths of winter, when wolves are most desper-
  ate, the clergy and laity gather to turn the hunters into 
  hunted. By hunting in winter, the wolves are easier to lo-
  cate. the harsh conditions are also a test of the hunters’ 
  survival skills. Females and juveniles are the preferred 
  prey, for slaughtering them diminishes the population 
  for the next breeding season.
  the unKnowable one
  breasteD warrior Day
  Second Healfdaeg of Werremonan
  although there are no laws against women becoming 
            
                                        
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  warriors, the vast majority are male. on this day, wives, 
  girlfriends, grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and aunts 
  don their male relatives’ armor and weapons and pa-
  rade through the streets to much cheering and jeering. 
  afterward they engage in humorous mock battles, often 
  letting weapons fly out of their hands, having bits of ar-
  mor come lose, weeping in mock pain from imaginary 
  wounds, and falling over for no good reason. 
  under religious law, which overrides civil and crimi-
  nal law, the female warriors may grab men, take them 
  back to their homes, and have sex with them. most grab 
  their partners, but as the adultery laws are temporarily 
  suspended for this day for female participants, it is an 
  excuse to bed a man they fancy. eira’s clerics naturally 
  frown on this. 
  While a source of much amuse and merrymaking, the 
  ceremony is also a reminder to men that they should not 
  be too proud and haughty in matters of battle, for the 
  mightiest warriors can be laid low by the weakest foe. 
  it is also a blunt way of reminding men that the forceful 
  taking of a woman is a sin in the eyes of the gods and a 
  crime under the laws of the civilized lands, more so if 
  either partner is married.
  fool’s Day
  Varies
  Fool’s day can occur at anytime, but is only held once 
  per year in any settlement. local clerics of the unknow-
  able one inform the local authorities to the date at a time 
  of their choosing. sometimes the ruler is given months 
  to prepare, and other times a matter of days. Fool’s day 
  dates back to the god War. With many of the gods busy 
  fighting, a handful of non-combatant deities were left to 
  run the universe. unable to decide who was best fit to 
  govern, they agreed each god should rule in turn for a 
  set time. once each had taken a turn, they would make 
  a collective decision. the unknowable one’s antics 
  caused widespread confusion, hilarity, and panic simul-
  taneously. needless to say, he was not invited back to 
  govern a second time. 
  at dawn on the chosen day, a cleric of the unknow-
  able one picks one member of the settlement to serve 
  as Fool King until midnight. He is given an outrageously 
  decorated crown and cloak, and carried around town on 
  a litter by volunteer bearers. crowds of citizens, often in 
  garish and ludicrous costumes, line the streets to offer 
  the new king their congratulations and toast his name 
  with copious quantities of alcohol. some invent noble 
  titles, approaching the king in their disguise and asking 
  for silly favors. sometimes the titles mock the local nobil-
  ity, while other times they are completely fictitious (like 
  the King of the Potato men). 
  From dawn until midnight the Fool King is the undis-
  puted ruler of the settlement and can pass or repeal any 
  laws he desires. Failure to obey a royal decree is punish-
  able by spending the rest of the festival in jail. the results 
  range from total anarchy to surprisingly good manage-
  ment. For many, being chosen is a chance to acquire a lit-
  tle wealth through new taxation policies, get one over on 
  enemies, mock those who normally govern, and ensure 
  everyone has a good laugh. others display a laudable gift 
  for governance, changing the way the settlement works 
  for the better for a few hours, repealing harsh laws, and 
  letting those who rule know what it is like to be a peas-
  ant by reversing the social ladder. 
  at midnight the Fool King is deposed. the true ruler 
  then resumes control. more often than not they have a 
  mountain of work to complete repealing the new laws, 
  rounding up criminals released by the Fool King, reclaim-
  ing property handed out as gifts by the temporary king 
  (more than one noble has returned home to an empty 
  house), and such like. a single day’s work can often take 
  many months to sort out completely.
  huMility Day
  Raestdaeg of Werremonan
  the unknowable one grew tired of tiw strutting 
  about in his armor challenging all to take up arms and 
  prove their mettle against him. as the unknowable one 
  suspected, each challenger was easily beaten, for none 
  were as skillful at arms at the god of battle. stepping 
  over the pile of unconscious gods that lay at tiw’s feet, 
  the unknowable one said he would like to accept the 
  challenge. as tiw drew his sword, the trickster bade him 
  wait. “i am no match for you, oh mighty one at arms,” he 
  grinned, “and it would be no challenge for you to defeat 
  me. allow me to appoint a champion in my place, one 
  worthy of fighting you.”
  tiw beamed a broad grin and accepted, for he knew 
  the unknowable one had many strange and mysterious al-
  lies—perhaps among their number was a god finally wor-
  thy of fighting him. the unknowable one returned tiw’s 
  grin and pulled from the voluminous cloak that masked 
  his body a small insect. Bemused but honor-bound to ac-
  cept the challenge, tiw drew his sword. the unknowable 
  one whispered to the insect, which promptly flew in be-
  tween the joints in the war god’s armor and began biting 
  him. tiw dropped his sword and began swatting his body, 
  but the insect burrowed deeper and bit harder. tiw, to his 
  credit, lasted an hour before he called enough.
  the insect emerged and flew back to the unknow-
  able one’s hands. tiw, upset at being humiliated, roared 
  threats of violence, but these quickly became roars of 
  laughter as he finally understood the reason for the 
  challenge. since that day, tiw has accepted that even the 
  greatest warrior can be brought low, and vowed not to 
  be so arrogant.
  on this day mortals show their humility in a variety 
  of ways. the rich and powerful dress in rags and beg 
  for coins in the market, warriors allow children to push 
  them over and peasants with sticks to best them in mock 
  combat, wise men talk nonsense and invent fanciful 
  solutions to problems to show they do not understand 
  everything, and spellcasters refrain from using magic to 
  remind themselves that without their gifts they are no 
  different to other men.
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  
  JoKer’s Day
  Last Healfdaeg of Plohmonan
  When eostre first invented the plow, she gathered all 
  the gods to have a go on the new device, hoping to find 
  among them one worthy of guiding her celestial plow 
  each year. among the volunteers was the unknowable 
  one. He chose the final Healfdaeg of the month, hop-
  ing that with it being near the end of the month others 
  would have done most of the hard work for him. He was 
  disappointed to learn that plowing would continue all 
  day, just like any other day of the month. 
  instead of concentrating on his work, the unknow-
  able one messed around, telling jokes and playing japes 
  instead of guiding the oxen. When eostre came to in-
  spect his work she found not straight, uniform lines but 
  wiggly furrows of varying depths. she opened her mouth 
  to chastise the god, but he cut her off before she could 
  begin. “i am tired,” he smiled, “and i have only been at 
  it a few hours. think how tired your oxen and plowman 
  will be after an entire month doing this.” 
  eostre saw the wisdom in the trickster’s words and 
  agreed that the last day of Plohmonan, as she has named 
  the month, would be a festival and rest day. Joker’s day 
  is held each year to honor this event, creating a three-day 
  holiday at the end of the month. to thank the unknow-
  able one, people play practical jokes on each other and 
  swap jokes and funny stories, all the while drinking copi-
  ous quantities of ale to help them get into the mood.
  vali
  faMine Day
  Raestdaeg of Snaermonan
  While few civilized folk actively worship vali, suppli-
  cations are made to appease him. on this day, citizens 
  across rassilon destroy a portion of their winter stocks 
  as an offering to the plague god in the hope he will not 
  send vermin to infest their granaries or ruin food stocks 
  with mold. 
  as vali is god of famine as well, citizens refrain from 
  eating and drinking throughout the day, in the hope vali 
  will be fooled by their suffering. many settlements forbid 
  the killing of vermin on this day, which frustrates clerics 
  of veth (see page 110).
  gluttony Day
  Raestdaeg of Frostmonan
  although some hardy crops can be cultivated and 
  wild ones picked, food is always in short supply during 
  winter. on this day, citizens scorn vali by cooking and de-
  vouring a huge feast. traditionally, no sharing between 
  households is allowed during the day. the feast ends at 
  dusk. during the night, leftovers are gathered up and 
  taken to friends and neighbors. a second feast is held, 
  accompanied by much boasting and lying about the fine 
  vittles the family dined on during the day. 
  While citizens are meant to use their best foodstuffs, 
  the ceremony is really an excuse to use up food that 
  would otherwise spoil before the first spring harvest can 
  begin. as a result, the meals are poor but plentiful fare 
  and the celebrations far less enthusiastic than is often 
  claimed. 
  the ceremony dates back to the first winter. vali 
  scoffed that he had brought famine to the land through 
  his wicked ways and that everyone would grow sick. 
  eostre, ever eager to get one over on vali and prove him 
  to be a liar, held a massive feast for the gods to show his 
  dishonesty and her bounty.
  inDulgenCe Day
  Raestdaeg of Sceranmonan
  While the general populace holds certain celebration 
  to appease vali, this is not one of them. on this day, cult-
  ists gather to indulge in their most extravagant and per-
  verted debaucheries in a no-holds barred duel-fuelled 
  sadomasochistic orgy. it is also known as recruitment 
  day, for this is the time to invite that curious neighbor 
  who wonders about those special parties you hold for 
  honored guests, and indoctrinate him into the faith that 
  denies no pleasure. to encourage corruption, brothels, 
  drug dens, and gambling halls offer very cheap services 
  during the working week before and after the festival.
  plague Day
  Raestdaeg of Werremonan
  summer can be a foul time in rassilon, for it is the 
  season of war and death. Festering corpses lie scattered 
  across the land, while swarms of insects gather in the 
  warm air to bite the living. traditionally, it is the season 
  of disease and sickness. to fool vali into believing he has 
  already sent plagues and need not send more, citizens 
  paint black, red, and yellow blotches on their hands and 
  faces, simulating many forms of disease. they refrain 
  from visiting temples to eira to have their “ailments” 
  cured. thus boosting vali’s ego and convincing him eira 
  is too weak to challenge him. 
  once the night ends, the paint is washed away and 
  the “plagues” cured. clerics of eira offer to wash away 
  the sickness in herb-infused water for a small donation. 
  it is widely held that having this service performed keeps 
  away real diseases for the year.
  var
  auCtion night
  First Marketdaeg of Werremonan
  one day at market, two gods approached var. one 
  sought to buy the last item of jewelry var had to sell and 
          
         
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  offered a good price. Before the deal could be concluded, 
  the second god offered a higher amount. again, the deal 
  could not be sealed before the first god raised the price 
  again. Fascinated by this unexpected and previously un-
  known turn of events, var sat back and let the two gods 
  bid higher and higher, until at last one stomped away. 
  rather than haggling or selling their goods at fixed pric-
  es, clerics must hold an auction on this day. all the clerics 
  gather at dusk within the temple or shrine to var (or erect 
  a temporary shrine if none exists) and set up their stalls. 
  once the sun has set, the cleric with the highest profit for 
  the year so far lights a candle stub. the length of the stub 
  is variable, but it must burn for a minimum of one hour, 
  and cannot burn beyond dawn. the candle is the only light 
  allowed during the ceremony, and for this reason it is nor-
  mally held indoors in the temple or inside a heavy tent.
  While the candle burns, each cleric auctions their 
  wares. all the auctions are handled simultaneously, the 
  clerics seeking to out shout their rivals and secure bids. 
  once the candle burns out, the auction ends and the 
  clerics tally their profits and losses in their ledgers.
  ContraCt Day
  Varies
  every cleric enters into a personal contract with var 
  when he is ordained. this contract lasts for exactly one 
  year, after which the cleric must either renounce his faith 
  by ending the contract (and so be stripped of his pow-
  ers) or make a new one. each cleric 
  celebrates this ceremony on the anni-
  versary of his ordination. the contract 
  also requires the deal be between 
  worshipper and god only, and thus it 
  is a private affair. 
  the clerics begins by ritually wash-
  ing, symbolically removing his sins 
  (but not actually removing any game 
  mechanics) so he can enter the nego-
  tiations with a clear conscience and 
  unburdened soul. once washed, the 
  cleric sits down at a specially prepared 
  table. opposite he must place a holy 
  symbol to represent var. the cleric 
  must then present all ledgers covering 
  the last year since the contract was 
  made. this is known as the religious 
  year-end, and is different from the 
  trading year-end. 
  if he made a loss over the religious 
  year, he must explain what went wrong 
  and what steps will be taken to ensure 
  a healthy profit should he be granted 
  a new contract. even showing a profit 
  the worshipper must convince var he 
  can not only repeat his performance 
  but improve on it next year. this done, 
  the petitioner signs and dates a blank 
  piece of parchment. the contract 
  signed, the cleric fills two glasses with alcohol. While 
  drinking one he simultaneously pours the contents of 
  the other over the signed parchment which, once dried 
  out, is tucked into the cleric’s current ledger.
  profit Day
  First Marketdaeg of Plohmonan
  With winter in the Hearthlands now over and the 
  snow rapidly melting, the trade roads come alive once 
  again. this ritual marks the start of the new trading sea-
  son and is one of the most holy days of var. 
  to honor their god and ensure he has top quality 
  wares to sell (and a healthy profit at year end), clerics 
  must sacrifice their most expensive trade good or posses-
  sion to their god. Pots and vases are smashed; weapons, 
  armor, and jewelry melted down; herbs and wooden 
  items burned; and art works vandalized. the cleric can-
  not have manufactured any of these items—they must 
  have been purchased, thus starting the trade year off with 
  a substantial financial loss. the quicker one reimburses 
  oneself through trade deals, the better profits the cleric 
  will have by year-end.
  tally Day
  First Marketdaeg of Fogmonan
  While some merchants trade over winter, the official 
  end of the trading year falls on this day. it marks the day 
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  
  var finished his first year of trading and tallied up his 
  profits and losses. 
  all clergy are required to keep two sets of ledgers. 
  the first, and most important, is for their god’s eyes. 
  this ledger must contain every business transaction the 
  cleric has undertaken, whether legal or illegal. since this 
  ledger can be very incriminating, all clerics invent their 
  own shorthand accounting system to cover their tracks. 
  clerics must tally their profit and loss for the year on this 
  day or face their god’s displeasure. the year-end figures 
  are then written on a piece of paper and burned. 
  the second ledger is of no concern to var, but it is of 
  interest to the local authorities, especially if the cleric 
  only operates in a single place. this ledger is his mun-
  dane accounts for tax purposes. var doesn’t much care 
  what his clergy write in this book (and most fail to record 
  illegal transactions), though getting caught avoiding tax 
  is a sin.
  loCal CustoMs
  as well as the major religious festivals and ceremonies 
  detailed above, many communities have a unique, or at 
  least semi-unique, local festival. some of these were al-
  ways religious in origin, whereas others started in a mun-
  dane fashion and evolved into a form of worship over 
  time. a selection of local customs is given below. none 
  have been assigned any specific settlement and only a 
  few are tied to specific dates, thus allowing the gm to 
  use them wherever and whenever he wishes, although 
  one makes reference to a specific geographic region.
  away with vali Day
  Deity: eostre Plantmother
  in the Hearthlands, apple harvest occurs anytime be-
  tween Werremonan and early to mid-Falmonan, depend-
  ing on the variety of fruit, the harshness of the previous 
  winter, local weather conditions, and even the presence of 
  benevolent or malevolent fey. For one community, the day 
  before the harvest begins, as determined by the high priest 
  of eostre Plantmother, is time for a painful ceremony.
  throughout the year, those charged with petty crimes 
  (the sort that would normally result in a trivial fine, ad-
  monishment, or be laughed out of court) are brought 
  before the apple court. the court comprises the high 
  priest of eostre Plantmother, the village ruler, and a 
  farmer chosen by random lot each year. evidence is not 
  heard, witnesses are not called, and unless a “fine” (actu-
  ally a donation to toward the local post-harvest feast) is 
  paid, the accused is always found guilty. the criminal is 
  ordered to report back the day before apple harvesting 
  begins, known locally as away with vali day.
  as the sun rises, all persons found guilty of “heinous” 
  crimes by the apple court are wrapped in rags that have 
  been smeared with dung and urine. For the rest of the 
  day, they represent vali. apples that fall early do not keep, 
  and are no use for winter storage. instead of pressing 
  them into cider or leaving them to rot, the locals gather 
  them up and hurl them at the various valis, who try their 
  best to dodge the barrage of overripe missiles. Bruises 
  are assured (and broken noses and concussions are not 
  uncommon). once vali has been suitably battered, it is 
  believed he will not trouble the apple store over winter, 
  ensuring the villagers will have something to eat.
  barley Queen DanCe
  Deity: eostre Plantmother
  ale and beer are the lifeblood of commoners and 
  nobles alike (with notable exceptions for the wine-loving 
  folk of aspiria), and barley is the main ingredient. the 
  stalks cut on the final day of harvesting are tied around 
  the village’s eostre queen (see p. 17), transforming her 
  into the Barley queen for the day. she then parades 
  around the settlement, calling on the householders to 
  join her dance.
  the procession ends up at the brewery, where she 
  ritually raps on the door three times. When the brewer 
  answers, the Barley queen promises to perform a special 
  dance to boost the flavor of the beer, in return for a size-
  able monetary donation. it is permissible for the brewer 
  to refuse, but doing so condemns the year’s brews to 
  be tasteless. assuming cash is handed over, the Barley 
  queen and her attendants perform a complex dance. 
  the attendants wear small iron bells on their feet to 
  scare away evil spirits and malicious fey, and clash sticks 
  to frighten away rat and mice.
  once the ritual is complete, the last load of barley is 
  handed to the brewer, and the Barley queen is stripped 
  of the stalks. these are then burned in the fields as an 
  offering to eostre, while onlookers get drunk.
  battle of the flowers
  Deity: eostre Plantmother
  on the last day of harvest, farmers from the surround-
  ing communities take to wagons decorated with garlands 
  of flowers and loaded with the last crop from their fields, 
  and trundle toward the shared temple of eostre Plantmo-
  ther. along the way, dried flower petals are thrown to the 
  crowd, who throw flowers, and sometimes hefty missiles 
  like turnips, back to show their approval or dislike. 
  once at the temple, the high priest judges the wag-
  ons, awarding pries for the best decorated one, and the 
  one with the best looking produce onboard. although 
  the bounty of one’s fields is largely down to eostre and 
  the whims of fate, decorating a wagon is down to human 
  endeavor. competition is fierce, and families go to great 
  length to keep their designs a secret.
  bawMing the thorn
  Deity: eostre Plantmother
  several hundred years ago, so skalds say, the natives 
  on a small farming community found their settlement in 
                             
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  0
  the path of a marauding orc warband. lacking fortifica-
  tions, the village appeared an easy target. Being godly 
  folk, the villagers prayed to eostre Plantmother to save 
  them. the next morning, to everyone’s surprise, the vil-
  lagers discovered their settlement ringed by a dense wall 
  of hawthorn trees. unable to penetrate the thorny bar-
  rier, the orcs called off their attack and never returned.
  Whether the tale is true or not, the village today boasts 
  only a single hawthorn, supposedly the last of the natu-
  ral fortification. each spring, the tree becomes the focus 
  for a ritual. children adorn the tree with colored ribbons 
  and garlands of wild flowers (“bawming” is a local word 
  meaning “anointing”) while singing a traditional song 
  thanking the hawthorn for its past service and, if the 
  legends are true, its future service should the village be 
  threatened again. ale is then poured over the roots by 
  the resident cleric of eostre Plantmother.
  a member of each household then plucks one thorn 
  from the tree. this is placed over the lintel, ensuring the 
  house will be protected during the coming year.
  beating the bounDs
  Deity: Hothar (and ertha, if boundary stones exist)
  though widely carried out, this once popular ritual 
  is now largely confined to rural communities and per-
  formed only when a new lord (whether hereditary or 
  elected) is appointed. villagers gather at dawn and walk 
  the boundary of the settlement, stopping to beat trees, 
  hedges, walls, boundary stones, and other markers with 
  willow staves. the ritual not only reminds everyone 
  where the boundaries lie, but asserts the lord’s rule over 
  the territory. once the settlement boundary is marked, 
  villagers do the same around their farm boundaries, 
  while clerics beat the bounds of their temple’s holdings.
  blowing of the horn night
  Deity: Freo
  a century ago, the night before the regional market 
  was due to begin, a terrible blizzard blanketed the land. 
  the citizens of the market town, knowing their neigh-
  bors would be traveling through the cold night, stood 
  vigil atop a tall hill, blowing a horn every few minutes to 
  guide the lost to safety until the sun rose.
  the blowing of the horn has become a local tradition, 
  the deep, reverberating tones now marking the official 
  start of the market. the first blow of the horn is offered 
  to any cleric of Freo staying in the village. Having one 
  start the ceremony is said to ensure travelers who hear 
  its note will enjoy an uneventful journey.
  boar’s heaD feast
  Deity: ullr
  Boars, at least in the Hearthlands, are hunted in win-
  ter. By this time they have grown fat and weaned their 
  young. With the exact start of spring, and thus the end 
  of hunting season, being variable, this festival is fixed on 
  the last endedaeg of Frostmonan, creating a three-day 
  holiday. on this day, the last boar killed during the previ-
  ous week is butchered and roasted. the meat from the 
  body and legs is fed to the hunting dogs, while humans 
  dine only on the head—a reminder that unless meat has 
  been preserved, that is the last taste of boar anyone will 
  enjoy for many months.
  the hunter who killed the boar, the high priest of 
  ullr, and the local lord consume the meat on the cheeks 
  and jawbone. everyone else is fed gelatinous soup made 
  using the trotters and scraps of meat from the head. the 
  ears are offered to ullr as a sacrifice.
  Having a male to roast is seen as an omen for a good 
  hunting season later in the year. a female offers less 
  plentiful hunting, and a juvenile a sign that the taste of 
  boar may be rare. not to have a boar at all is calamitous, 
  forcing the feast to be cancelled and the hunters scolded 
  for their lack of success.
  the boat raCe
  Deity: neorthe
  every year, two rival fishing communities take to the 
  water to decide which has the better oarsmen. the crews 
  must row two miles out to sea, circle around a boat 
  holding the local cleric of neorthe, and then race back 
  to shore. the first team to beach their boat and reach 
  the temple of neorthe receives a special blessing to help 
  ensure their fishing nets will be full during the next year. 
  the race has a non-religious meaning as well. the local 
  nobleman has a merchant vessel, and oarsmen who im-
  press the priest may be recommended to the noble. they 
  may be called upon to join the crew and earn a decent 
  wage for the coming trading year.
  CanDle fielD auCtion
  Deity: var (also eostre Plantmother)
  although the cult of var is most well known for its 
  mercantile activities, any legal money-making scheme 
  is considered acceptable. so it was that an enterprising 
  young cleric purchased a plot of prime agriculture land 
  from a nobleman. He paid a fair price, and promised that 
  whoever tilled the soil would gift 10% of the crop yield 
  to the noble’s family. instead of farming it himself, he 
  promptly auctioned a year’s use of the field to the villag-
  ers, whose lands were (and still are) far inferior.
  the cleric is long dead, and ownership of the field 
  now rests with the temple of var in the nearest town. 
  each year, on the day after Birthing day, the cult sends 
  a representative to conduct the auction and collect the 
  annual payment.
  the auction’s duration is set by a slim pin stuck in a 
  burning candle. When the pin falls out, the auction ends. 
  Whoever placed the last bid wins the plot for the next year. 
  Proceedings are usually very slow until the candle begins to 
  burn down near the pin, whereupon it becomes a flurry of 
  bids. Whoever wins is still bound by oath to give the lord 
  his 10% of the yield as part of the annual contract.
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  1
  Cat paMpering Day
  Deity: eostre animalmother
  Fall and winter and busy times for cats, for the full 
  granaries attract many vermin. While most communities 
  say prayers to eostre, the citizens of one small commu-
  nity have taken to pampering their vermin-hunting cats.
  also known as the day of Bites & scratches, the citizens 
  round up the suspicious felines (a job usually given to 
  children) at dawn, give the now angry cats a good wash, 
  and then comb their tangled hair. the cats are then fed 
  the best cuts of meat available while skalds recite stories 
  of veth and vali’s constant struggle. the cats are then 
  blessed by the local cleric of eostre animalmother.
  the ceremony occurs the week before harvesting 
  commences. once the pampered cats are full they will 
  not be fed again until spring unless winter is particularly 
  hard or the vermin decide to stay away—cats that want 
  to eat have to catch their meals.
  CliMbing the hair
  Deity: eira
  tales are told on winter nights how a young maiden of 
  great beauty was locked inside a tall tower by her zealous 
  father. she was eventually rescued by a passing knight, 
  who scaled the sheer walls thanks to the maiden’s hair, 
  which had grown immensely long during her imprison-
  ment. the story ends with the pair getting married and 
  living happily ever after. it’s a common enough tale, but 
  for one village it is fact, for they claim the knight and 
  his new bride settled in their community afterward. they 
  even have an unmarked barrow to prove to doubters 
  where they lie in an eternal embrace.
  every year, a rope is hoisted from the highest window 
  of the tallest barn, and the feat repeated. to make it more 
  challenging, and amusing, the rope is heavily greased. 
  contestants are required to give a lengthy and flowery 
  speech proclaiming their undying love for the maiden 
  before they begin climbing.
  Whoever reaches the top is rewarded with a kiss from 
  the maiden. alas, no marriage ensues, for the maiden 
  is actually a man dressed in women’s clothes and plas-
  tered in heavy make-up. instead, he gets to carry the 
  title “Knight of the Hair” for the rest of the day, and is 
  rewarded with a hare for his cooking pot.
  on rare occasions, the maiden is actually what she 
  claims. seeking a husband good with words, willing to 
  publicly admit his feelings toward her, and with physical 
  strength and stamina to match, she willing offers herself 
  as a bride to the lucky winner. on such occasions, only 
  single men may participate in the event.
  Clothing the giant
  Deity: ertha
  on the side of a hill is the chalk outline of a giant. 
  local tradition claims the giant (popularly believed to be 
  a forest giant) defended the nearby village from orcs, but 
  in doing so was seriously wounded. the grateful villag-
  ers prayed to the gods that he might be shown pity for 
  his bravery and selfless act. ertha heard the pleas, and 
  agreed to shelter the giant beneath the hill until such 
  time that he might once again be needed to rise up and 
  defend the village. the outline is the giant’s supposed 
  position when ertha opened the ground to swallow his 
  body. 
  each year, on the long-agreed upon anniversary of the 
  giant’s death, the villagers trudge up the hill at dawn. 
  Food and drink are placed at either side of his head, 
  a spear is thrust into the ground near his right hand, 
  and gigantic clothes are laid across his naked form and 
  pegged down. When these rot, many months later, the 
  villages know the giant has accepted their gifts, and will 
  be suitably fed and equipped should he be called upon 
  to awaken.
  Crowning the inDeCipherable King
  Deity: Hoenir
  villagers still speak with pride of the day a man from 
  a foreign land came to their then-insular settlement. 
  though no one could understand his language, his 
  dress, manners, and strange customs made it abundantly 
  clear to the simple folk he was a great king. the monarch 
  stayed for a year, never lifting a finger to help, and rely-
  ing on the charity of his hosts. in the end, the king was 
  exposed as a fraud by a passing cleric of Hoenir. the 
  “king” was in fact a peasant, albeit one shrewd enough 
  to fool the villagers by speaking gibberish and acting 
  strangely. though the villagers wanted to execute him, 
  the cleric convinced them they had learned a valuable 
  lesson, and encouraged them to learn more about the 
  world around them.
  the royal visit and gullible nature of their ancestors 
  is remembered each year. the first outsider to enter the 
  village in spring is crowned the indecipherable King 
  (regardless of gender), and allowed to rule as he or she 
  sees fit. even if he speaks trader or the local language, 
  his temporary subjects pretend they cannot understand 
  him, forcing him to pantomime his desires. typically his 
  requests are met with humorous “best guesses.” one 
  unfortunate king asked for female company, and was 
  proudly presented with a ewe. thus, the king becomes 
  the fool, rather than the villagers.
  at midnight, the king is publicly exposed as an impos-
  tor, whereupon the “angry” villagers pelt him with rotten 
  fruit and dung. the dethroning complete, the king is 
  welcomed back as a friend with a feast.
  Dog pie Day
  Deity: eostre (both aspects)
  things got so bad during a famine that the inhabit-
  ants of one village were forced to eat their dogs. the 
  unfortunate hounds, so the story goes, were baked into 
  pies. the sacrifice of the canines kept the villagers alive 
  until the next harvest. Whether they had already eaten 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  their cats or had spared them in order that they might 
  hunt vermin for human consumption is a matter of local 
  debate after a few drinks.
  in modern times, only a single pie is cooked, but one 
  large enough to feed the entire village. the pie is a mish-
  mash, with each family donating ingredients. Fortunately 
  for dog lovers, the canine has been replaced with a small 
  wooden carving. Whoever finds the dog in their portion 
  is destined not to go hungry for the next year.
  Dung breaD
  Deity: vali (appeasement, rather than worship)
  Famine is a terrible thing, but loss of winter stores to 
  rot or vermin is just as perilous. one community tries to 
  fool vali by making bread into which are baked balls of 
  dung. these special loaves, easily discerned by a cross on 
  the top, are purchased by households as normal.
  the bread is left on the floor of the house overnight, in 
  the hope rats and mice nibble on it. Biting into the dung, 
  they will hopefully carry the message back that there is 
  nothing good to eat in the village, and vali will pass them 
  by in search of more satisfying fare elsewhere.
  the fielD lottery
  Deity: nauthiz
  long ago, a nobleman was given a grant of land 
  by his lord and permitted to found a new village. the 
  land was a mixture of good and poor farmland, and the 
  noble could not decide how to divide it fairly among the 
  peasants. a small parcel of rich agricultural land would 
  produce high crop yields, while the poorer soil would 
  require a substantially greater area and much more work 
  to produce a similar yield.
  the cult of eostre Plantmother proposed a solu-
  tion. the land was divided into strips of equal length, 
  and each one marked with a boundary stone bearing a 
  unique rune. each year, before plowing began, the farm-
  ers would draw a wooden ball, marked with one of the 
  runes, from a basket. this indicated the strip of land 
  their family would farm. since the draw was random and 
  occurred every year, no family could be guaranteed to 
  receive the best land. on the first day of eostremonan, 
  local families gather outside noble’s house to draw the 
  wooden balls. although the allocation of land began 
  with the cult of eostre Plantmother, the festival is actually 
  held in honor of nauthiz, in his aspect of god of luck. 
  once the cheering and grumbling about the vagaries of 
  luck are over, everyone celebrates at a small feast.
  flogging the water
  Deity: ertha
  each year without fail, a river would break its banks, 
  flooding a nearby village. in an act that can only be de-
  scribed as a major miracle, a cleric of ertha walked into 
  the heart of the river, and whipped it while scolding ne-
  orthe for his destructive act. in order to prevent another 
  CustoMs & CharaCters
  the major festivals and local customs presented 
  in this chapter are, for the most part, role-playing 
  scenes that require no rules. in most instances, the 
  heroes presence has absolutely no effect on the out-
  come.
  at the gm’s discretion, player character participants 
  (not spectators) may be required to make rolls. one 
  such case where he might choose to apply this is 
  Winter Pass us By night (p. 54).
  this ceremony requires a cleric of sigel to swing a 
  heavy ball as often as possible to signify the rapid 
  passing of winter and the return of summer. us-
  ing die rolls allows the gm to determine the out-
  come of the ritual and its effect on the world. it also 
  gives the participating character a sense that he has 
  achieved something for the benefit of others. Here 
  are two simple sets of rules.
  * this one uses a variant of the social conflict resolu-
  tion rules. the character uses strength and his roll 
  is unopposed. each of the three rounds signifies 40 
  swings of the flaming ball. the first round requires 
  an unmodified strength roll. the second round has 
  a –1 penalty and the third round a –2 penalty.
  a margin of victory of 2 or less means the cleric has 
  faired poorly—winter will be harsh. a result of 3-4 
  indicates a typical winter, though perhaps with less 
  days of heavy snow. on a 5+ winter will be excep-
  tionally mild.
  * For every 20 swings he completes, the character 
  must make a strength roll. each 20 swings or part 
  thereof after the first incurs a cumulative –1 penalty. 
  With gm permission, the cleric can call upon his 
  faith to give him strength, but only once during the 
  ceremony. this allows him to use Faith to make a 
  cooperative roll. the roll must be made before the 
  strength roll is made—it is too late to call on it after 
  one’s strength has failed.
  assuming the first snowfall occurs on the first day of 
  Wulfmonan and the last halfway through eostremo-
  nan, a fully successful ritual involves 112 swings, or 
  six rolls, the last with a –5 penalty. even with liberal 
  use of bennies, total success is far from guaranteed, 
  and any hero who does perform the entire ceremo-
  ny certainly has bragging rights.
     rituals & existing aDventures
  many of these rituals can easily be integrated into 
  published adventures as an extra scene. N5: The Eo-
  stre Festival is especially good for this, as the entire 
  adventure comprises completing several mini-rituals 
  performed as part of a larger Birthing day celebra-
  tion. the dung Bread ritual could be carried out 
  in N1: Lair of the Vermin Lord once the characters 
  reach dalsetter with news of the death of dunross.
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  
  flood occurring, the miraculous act is repeated each year 
  when the river runs at its lowest.
  at this time, the water is a thin trickle, revealing a wide 
  stretch of thick, cloying, foul-smelling mud. citizens race 
  to be the first run to reach the middle of the river, slap 
  the water, and return to the bank. running through the 
  mud is impossible, and those who stop for any reason 
  are guaranteed to sink up to their waists.
  the fyrD walK
  Deity: tiw
  as the dark triumvirate expanded their bony grasp 
  into darkwood, the citizens of aslov grew fearful the 
  undead would march against their city. the baron called 
  upon the neighboring settlements to send their fyrd to 
  aslov, offering financial and material rewards for their 
  time. While the undead still make occasional forays into 
  the Freelands, no major assault has occurred, and the 
  encirclement of the Withered lands by the cult of sca-
  etha ensures few undead survive the sporadic breakouts. 
  over the centuries, all save one of the outlying villages 
  have ceased sending troops to aslov without being of-
  ficially summoned. down the ages, the annual march of 
  the last village has taken on a traditional pattern.
  each year, the fyrd members grab their armaments, 
  make offerings to tiw, and march to the gates of aslov. 
  once there, their commander calls out to the watch, pro-
  claiming the villagers have arrived to fulfill their ancient 
  oath. except on very rare occasions when their arms are 
  needed to help defeat bandits or orcs, the baron ascends 
  the gatehouse to address the villagers. He thanks the fyrd 
  for their support and then dismisses them from service. 
  the commander then demands the fyrd be paid.
  Formerly the villagers were given a week’s mercenary 
  infantry wages each and sent away with a wagon filled 
  with enough food to support the village for a month. 
  With its fortunes waning, the reward has diminished to a 
  day’s wages and enough food to host a modest feast.
  garlanD Day
  Deity: eostre Plantmother
  after the harvest has been gathered, local girls spend 
  the last warm days of the year gathering flowers. these 
  are woven around two wicker anthropomorphic frames, 
  one male and one female. the male figure is decorated 
  with flowers picked from gardens or fields, while the 
  female one is garlanded in wild flowers.
  on sangdaeg of Haerfestmonan, the colorful figures 
  are paraded through the village. small morsels of food 
  are stuffed into the figures, ritually feeding them to help 
  them through the coming winter. With the village parade 
  complete, the figures are marched through the crop 
  fields while the villagers sing songs honoring eostre. as 
  the sun sets on the last day of fall, the figures are laid side 
  by side in the largest field. Here they will remain until 
  spring, slowly decaying, and ritually fertilizing the soil in 
  preparation for the next plowing.
  ghost walK Day
  Deity: scaetha
  undead, orcs, dragons, and trolls all strike fear into mor-
  tals, but the former are the most widely feared. on the night 
  before First death day, children dress up as undead (typi-
  cally by dirtying their faces and hands, and wearing rags or 
  funeral shrouds) and travel between houses, knocking on 
  doors and loudly demanding any corpses be handed over. 
  Householders gift the children with small loaves shaped 
  into the form of men and engraved with the names of the 
  house’s occupants. evil spirits, believing the bread to be 
  human remains, are thus drawn into them.
  Before midnight, the bread corpses are taken to the 
  shrine of scaetha, whereupon the clerics ritually cut off 
  the head, bless the remains, and cremate them. in return, 
  the children receive candy (or sometimes silver scields) 
  equal to the number of bread corpses they collected.
  greasing the briDe
  Deity: the unknowable one
  not every bride down the ages has been a willing 
  partner in marriage. according to one village’s story, a 
  young bride-to-be sought a means of escaping the com-
  ing ceremony, for she did not love the man her father 
  had chosen. Her plight was answered by a cleric of the 
  unknowable one, who suggested she strip down as far 
  as modesty allowed and cover herself in animal fat. suit-
  ably smeared, she ran away. Her husband gave chase, but 
  was unable to grab and hold the woman. eventually he 
  gave up the chase, vowing the girl could marry the man 
  of her choice.
  today, every local woman on her wedding day is 
  smeared in grease, whether she wants to be married or 
  not. Her future husband must then try to grab her and 
  carry her to the altar. even if the girl cooperates, her 
  greasy skin ensures the crowd has a good laugh at the 
  couple’s expense.
  the great Cattle raiD
  Deity: eostre animalmother
  once bitter rivals, two neighboring villages frequently 
  launched raids against their neighbor’s herds. though 
  the jarl was eventually forced to intervene and outlaw the 
  practice to prevent the feud escalating into something 
  more serious, the villages are permitted to ceremonially 
  raid once a year, albeit with restrictions.
  each village nominates a team of raiders numbering no 
  more than 10 members. clerics of eostre animalmother 
  and her son, Bolverk are most preferred, but any citizen 
  can volunteer his services. only locals may participate, 
  but there is often a spike in temporary citizenship being 
  awarded to passing clerics of Bolverk around this time. 
  once the teams are selected, the headman of each settle-
  ment picks one cow from his rival’s herd, and marks it. 
  changing the mark to a lesser specimen is guaranteed to 
  anger the gods.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  at dawn, each team crosses the boundary and attempts 
  to steal the other’s nominated cow. By law, this must be 
  placed in a field with other cows—it cannot be sheltered 
  in a byre, or otherwise protected. miracles are permitted, 
  but only if cast by a cleric Bolverk, and lethal force is 
  strictly forbidden. the task is made much harder than 
  normal by the fact everyone knows the attack is coming. 
  villagers line up along the border to try and stop their 
  cow being stolen. usually the event ends up in a huge, 
  largely good-natured brawl. victory requires the cow to 
  be delivered unharmed to the headman’s house.
  the victorious village gets to slaughter the cow they 
  stole for a great feast. the losers, meanwhile, must clean 
  out the other village’s byres before the first snow falls, or 
  forfeit another cow as compensation.
  half loaf Day
  Deity: eostre Plantmother
  originally named Halfdan loaf day, the ceremony 
  was started by a local boy turned hero. though he had 
  traveled far and wide, he never forgot the small village 
  where he grew up, nor the poverty he endured as a 
  youth. Before his death, he bequeathed money to the 
  local temple of eostre Plantmother so that every family in 
  the village might be gifted a loaf of bread in mid-winter. 
  though the money has long since been spent, the tradi-
  tion is maintained, though free bread is given only to the 
  poorest families these days.
  heaD banging
  Deity: tiw
  in days of yore, Bludgeoners honored tiw by placing 
  orc heads on sticks and attempting to knock them off 
  with a well-placed sling stone. as well as a religious pur-
  pose, it served as a training exercise. except in rare cases, 
  the heads used today are oblong wooden balls crudely 
  and mockingly painted to resemble orcs, and are placed 
  in hoops mounted on staves.
  over time, the ceremony evolved into a common 
  game at fairs across the vale and wherever engro visit. 
  those who feel lucky, or wish to impress someone, pay 
  a silver scield and receive three wooden balls marked 
  with tiw’s holy symbol. For each head they topple, they 
  are rewarded with a prize. Whether or not the contest is 
  actually fair depends on the stall owner. some are above 
  reproach, but others place the heads deep into the hoop, 
  making it very hard to topple. the value of prizes varies 
  between two silver scields and a single gold scield.
  each year, Bludgeoners, slingers, and hopefuls gather 
  at the annual great markets held in easton, Weem, and 
  Weston. Here they perform the ritual as it was originally 
  held—using slings at varying ranges. the winner of each 
  contest receives the honorific title “master marksman of 
  <place name>,” a prize of a lead sling stone donated by 
  the cult of tiw and inscribed with the god’s holy symbol 
  (though mundane, legends have arose that such stones 
  never miss their target), and the adulation of the crowd.
  hen peCKeD Day
  Deity: eostre (both aspects)
  in most lands, who one courts is largely a matter of 
  personal choice. the scions of nobles may find them-
  selves persuaded into arranged marriages, but the great 
  majority of citizens need only win over their prospective 
  in-laws. that is not a universal idea, though. this festival 
  is a local variation of courtship day (see p. 17).
  each year, the eligible young men of the village line 
  up in the main square. each places at his feet a weighed 
  measure of grain grown in his family’s fields. the young 
  girls then enter the square, each holding a chicken from 
  their family’s flock. the hens are decorated with colored 
  ribbons to differentiate them. on command from the lo-
  cal priestess, the hens are set loose. the first pile of grain 
  a hen pecks at indicates which boy and girl are to begin 
  courting, their “love” a sign from the goddess.
  the ceremony isn’t without a lot of jostling for po-
  sition. though the cult preaches that the hens will go 
  for the pile of grain of the man eostre has deemed most 
  suitable for the girl, in truth the birds (which are starved 
  the day before to ensure they actually have an appetite), 
  head for the nearest pile. thus, girls elbow each other 
  outside to place their hen closest to the richest man, 
  the best looking, or whatever other earthly criteria they 
  have decided has determined their potential husband. 
  When two birds reach the same pile at the same time, 
  arguments, and sometimes fights, break out, to the great 
  delight of the crowd.
  since gods are infallible, any failure to produce a 
  marriage in the years to come is the fault of the mor-
  tals involved, not the ceremony (or, indeed, the hens). 
  While boy and girl might find love, the fate of the hen is 
  less pleasant—the poor creature is killed, cooked, and 
  shared by the family of the young couple as a means of 
  cementing the courtship.
  hobby horse raCe
  Deity: Freo
  several generations ago, a nobleman whose lands 
  were beset by orcs offered a handsome reward to any 
  rider who could message for reinforcements to his liege. 
  that event is reenacted every year, though today it is an 
  excuse for frivolity, with real horses replaced by garishly 
  decorated hobby horses.
  the course is decided by the local cleric of eostre ani-
  malmother. tradition requires that any cleric of Freo vis-
  iting the village on the appointed day be given the honor 
  setting the course. mud, hedges, steep slopes, and other 
  potential pitfalls always feature heavily, so as to provide 
  good entertainment for the crowd.
  the race starts at midday, and covers just three miles, 
  rather than the 20 miles of history. each contestant is 
  given a sealed scroll, which he must deliver to the rul-
  ing noble. shoving and barging each other is permitted, 
  as is stealing another rider’s scroll. spell use and lethal 
  force is strictly forbidden. the winner receives an entire 
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  
  butchered pig for his troubles and his scroll is burned. 
  the losers must carry out whatever embarrassing forfeits 
  are written on their scroll.
  hoDDing the peat
  Deity: Kenaz and eostre Plantmother
  For settlements near bogs, mires, and moors, peat is 
  a common source of fuel for hearths. in early spring, the 
  peat bank (the exposed face left by last year’s harvest) 
  is cleaned of any grass, cut into sods using a specialized 
  tool known as a peat iron, and placed in long lines. after 
  a few weeks, it is stable enough to stand on end, allow-
  ing the underside to dry. after a few weeks, the peat is 
  formed into large piles to allow continued drying, and to 
  protect the bulk of the harvest from inclement weather 
  and too much sunshine (which causes it to dry and 
  crumble). Finally, the harvest is collected and formed 
  into a peatstack in preparation for use during the winter 
  months. Preparing the stack is a specialized task, for the 
  structure must be able to withstand gales, blizzards, tor-
  rential rain, and biting frosts.
  as an aside, peat, while largely sterile, is also used in 
  farming. mixed in with the earth, it retains moisture dur-
  ing dry periods, increases acidity, and in sandy or loose 
  soil prevents water simply draining away.
  on the last day of harvest, one settlement holds a fes-
  tival. as the remaining peat is being loaded, dead seeds 
  from last year’s harvest are sown onto the bog as an of-
  fering to eostre Plantmother. traditionally, no wagons 
  or barrows are used on the final day. instead, the peat 
  is loaded onto hods and manually carried back to the 
  settlement. the resident cleric of Kenaz awards special 
  blessings for the most peat shifted by an individual, and 
  for the heaviest single load.
  holDing of the briDge
  Deity: rigr
  several generations ago, orc raiders targeted a remote 
  village. surrounded on three sides by a wide, slow-mov-
  ing river bordered by extensive mud flats, the only safe 
  crossing was a narrow bridge. the orc advance did not 
  go unnoticed, though. as they reached the bridge, a lone 
  defender, a cleric of rigr, stepped forth to meet them. 
  For several hours he held the bridge against wave after 
  wave of attackers. in the end, the orc morale collapsed 
  and they fled. the cleric died of his wounds, but his sac-
  rifice saved countless lives.
  each year, this act of bravery is remembered by the 
  inhabitants of the village. the village no longer has any 
  permanent clerics of rigr, and unless one attends specifi-
  cally to participate in the ritual, the captain of the militia 
  plays the defender.
  Before sunrise, the villagers traipse to the far side of 
  the bridge. as the sun dawns, the watchman takes up his 
  post in the center of the bridge. He carries a quarterstaff, 
  padded so as to reduce the risk of serious injury (counts 
  as nonlethal damage). once he is in position, the villag-
  ers, dressed as orcs but unarmed, try to storm the bridge 
  and reach the village. thanks to the narrow bridge, they 
  can advance only in single file. most end up in the muddy 
  water, battered and bruised.
  the battle ends when the watchman is defeated, or after 
  100 orcs have ended up in the river. the former is a bad 
  omen, for it means raiders have an increased chance of 
  attacking. the fyrd trains harder than normal. should the 
  watchman win, the villagers retreat to a stone cairn, where 
  the original watchman is interred, and sing songs in his 
  honor. safe from raiders for another year, they celebrate 
  with a grand feast. as always, the thought of cheating fate 
  and deliberately throwing oneself off the bridge is consid-
  ered a sure-fire way to anger rigr and encourage raiders.
  hurling the breaD
  Deity: eostre Plantmother and tiw
  the origins of this unusual custom are said to lie in 
  the dark days following the Blizzard War. an army of 
  beggars descended upon a small settlement in search of 
  food. Wary of the true motives of a small army in what 
  were dangerous and distrusting times, and lacking much 
  in the way of a militia, the hungry horde was kept at bay 
  by throwing stale bread over the walls to distract and 
  injure the beggars.
  this act of warlike charity carries on today. the settle-
  ment’s poorest inhabitants (or those who consider them-
  selves worthy of a free meal) mass outside the palisade at 
  dawn. a sentry then blows a trumpet, signaling the start 
  of the skirmish. stale or rotten food is hurled by villag-
  ers, or launched in their primitive trebuchet (useless as a 
  weapon of war, but ideal for launching stale bread a great 
  distance) until early afternoon. minor injuries from large 
  bones, hard root vegetables, and stale loaves are assured.
  as a sign that times have improved, as have the at-
  titudes and hospitality of the locals, the battered and 
  bruised poor are then invited to attend a feast.
  hurling the sun
  Deity: sigel
  this ritual is performed on Heah sumor daeg. as the 
  sun breaks the horizon, the local high priest of sigel hurls 
  a yellow-painted wooden ball into the crowd of eager 
  spectators. Whoever has the ball in his hands at dusk is 
  rewarded with a single gold scield and a special blessing. 
  the only rules are magic and lethal force are prohibit-
  ed, contestants may not pass beyond the village boundary, 
  and the ball must remain outdoors at all times. Beyond 
  that, anything goes. Healers are on stand-by to provide 
  much needed first aid for cuts and broken bones, though 
  they are likely to be injured as a participant if they try to 
  enter the melee to provide assistance.
  King CoMing Day
  Deity: Hothar
  Word once reached a settlement that the king was 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  coming to visit. after a brief bout of panic, the villagers 
  got to work cleaning their homes, decorating the fronts 
  with garlands, and ensuring their best clothes were 
  mended and washed. the militia donned their armor 
  and stood at attention at the village boundary to provide 
  an honor guard. From dawn to dusk they waited in the 
  streets, each household with a basket of food to offer as 
  a gift. Whether the rumor was a cruel trick or misunder-
  standing has long been forgotten, but the king did not 
  visit, nor has one ever visited.
  still, this does not prevent the locals from preparing 
  each year by following in their ancestor’s footsteps. at 
  dusk, with the king having failed to turn up yet again, the 
  food is enjoyed at a communal feast while the villagers 
  swear oaths of allegiance to the king.
  King’s pie
  Deity: eostre and Hothar
  the tradition of the King’s Pie began with the forma-
  tion of the marklands and the ascension of the first Heah 
  cyning. to celebrate the event, the industrious inhabit-
  ants of one village created a pie large enough to feed 
  the king, his retainers, and his nobles. since then, it has 
  become a tradition to bake another pie whenever a new 
  high king is elected.
  over time, the size of the pie has grown considerably 
  as eager villager seek to better the efforts of their ances-
  tors, and the last few have contained around 300 lbs of 
  meat—enough to feed half the population of royalmark 
  a sliver. once ready, the pie is taken by cart to the king’s 
  hall. should it be pecked by birds (or worse, attacked by 
  wolves) en route, the king is in for a rough reign, with 
  famine, bandits, and other ill-fates set to befall the land. 
  after the court has had its share, the pie is doled out to 
  commoners by the king as a sign of his largesse.
  lighting of the hearths
  Deity: Kenaz
  this ritual is a variation on Hearth day (see p. 25). 
  each time they gather or purchase firewood, families set 
  aside a single branch or log. on the eve of the ritual, 
  these bundles are taken to the temple of Kenaz as dona-
  tions. at dawn, the high priest takes a hot coal from the 
  sacred fire at the heart of the temple and carries it to 
  each household, whereupon it is used to light the first 
  hearth of winter. as with Hearth day, it is said that to 
  allow a hearth to go out on this day is a sign of certain 
  misfortune and a cold house over the whole of winter.
  lorD of the Crystalflow
  Deity: neorthe & var
  the settlements along the crystalflow, despite being 
  joined by trade and military pacts, answer to no single 
  lord. the prestigious title lord of the crystalflow applies 
  only to one small village. the origins are lost in time, but 
  the position still wields local power.
  each year, the villagers elect a new 
  lord. it is his responsibility to declare 
  the official start of fishing season, to 
  allot fishing rights along the bank, 
  and to set trade tariffs for fish. He is 
  also the judge for crimes concerning 
  crimes related to fishing, such as fish-
  ing outside one’s range, fishing before 
  or after the season begins, stealing 
  fish, and such like. in this capacity his 
  word is law.
  amid great pomp and ceremony, 
  the new lord is bedecked in robes 
  befitting a rich merchant, over which 
  is hung a fishing net. this symbolizes 
  his dual aspect as a servant of both 
  neorthe and var.
  He then takes to the river in a boat 
  decorated with reeds, oyster shells, 
  fish bones, and wreckage that have 
  washed up on the riverbank during 
  the previous year. He is rowed up and 
  down the river, loudly proclaiming his 
  title and declaring his authority over 
  this stretch of the mighty crystalflow. 
  anyone who manages to swim out and 
  touch the boat is said to be blessed by 
  both gods, and will catch many fish 
  that sell for a good price.
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  
  lorD’s barrel roll
  Deity: Hothar
  one dark night, perhaps already the worse for wear 
  with alcohol, a group of villagers decided to relieve their 
  lord of a hogshead (48 pints) of ale. on detecting the 
  crime, the lord’s guards set after the villains, chasing 
  them, and the barrel, back toward their homes. no one 
  recalls the true outcome of the theft, though each side 
  claims its men were the victors.
  the endeavor is marked each year on the current 
  lord’s birthday. a hogshead is placed outside his manor, 
  from where a team of villagers tries to roll it away. His 
  men-at-arms give them a small head start, and then begin 
  the chase. should the container cross the village bound-
  ary, the locals get to open it and drink themselves stupid 
  at their lord’s expense.
  if they are caught, the “villains” are merciless 
  “whipped” with an inflated pigskin on a stick and 
  “branded” as thieves with charcoal. they are then locked 
  in a barn, while everyone else celebrates the lord’s birth-
  day with a single pint of ale from his cellar while loudly 
  denying they know the criminals.
  the lorD’s feast
  Deity: var
  several generations ago, a minor and eccentric noble-
  man made his peasants an offer—if they could defeat a 
  team of his household staff and estate workers at knat-
  tleikr he would exempt them from taxation for the next 
  year. the deal was not entirely generous, for if they lost 
  then their taxes would be doubled. at least that is what 
  local folklore claims.
  regardless of the truth, the lord’s men, as they are 
  known irrespective of gender, take on a team of freemen 
  each year in high summer. things have changed some-
  what over the years, though. instead of altering taxes, 
  the lord now provides a feast for the villagers if they win. 
  should the lord’s men win, the villagers must provide for 
  a feast for the lord and his estate workers. although no 
  money is involved these days, the game is still considered 
  sacred to var. Before the match commences, the noble-
  man and the elder freeman of the village sign a contract 
  ensuring the outcome will be honored.
  the game is fiercely contested—the prize is not worth 
  as much as the prestige and boasting rights. For those 
  not involved, the day is spent drinking, gambling on the 
  outcome, and enjoying the market, which attracts mer-
  chants from neighboring communities.
  louD winD Day
  Deity: rigr (morning) and thunor (afternoon)
  loud Wind day has a serious side and a jovial side. in 
  the morning, villagers take turns to blow on the village 
  signal horn. Judges with large, brightly colored flags are 
  placed at varying distances from the village. When they 
  hear the horn, they wave their flag to signal the judges. 
  Whoever has the best lungs, and thus produces the blast 
  heard at the greatest distance, is appointed the task of 
  sounding the alarm should the village be attacked.
  come the afternoon, the judges move closer to the 
  village. instead of trying to produce a warning blast, con-
  testants burp and fart into smaller signal horns. this has 
  become known as “channeling thunor,” a phrase that 
  borders on blasphemy in the eyes of some clerics of the 
  wind god. other clergy are keen to take part, claiming 
  that thunor is master of any form of wind. Prizes are 
  awarded for the loudest expulsion in each category. the 
  eating of foodstuffs with the usually unenviable trait of 
  producing excess wind are consumed in great quantities 
  during the morning as part of a communal feast.
  the use of magic is forbidden, though a spellcaster 
  who uses elemental manipulation (air) to dissipate a 
  particularly pungent fart is more likely to be congratu-
  lated than fined.
  MaiD’s Money DiCe
  Deity: the norns
  Whether a person will be rich or poor is written by 
  the norns at the mortal’s birth. For those without money, 
  marriage may be a dim prospect. every year, all the un-
  married village girls play a game of winner-takes-all dice 
  in the market square. the prize is a year’s wages for a 
  servant girl (about 200 gold scields), donated by the 
  incumbent noble.
  the MaiDen’s hooD
  Deity: eostre and thunor
  one fine spring day, the daughter of a nobleman 
  was out riding her horse. a gust of wind caught her 
  expensive hood and tore it from her head, whereupon 
  it promptly went flying away. a dozen farmers saw the 
  hood tumbling over the fields and promptly gave chase, 
  each jostling with the others in the hope of earning a 
  reward. after much jostling, and a few slips and falls, the 
  hood was grabbed and returned to its grateful owner. 
  so relieved was she to receive her hood back that she 
  promptly married the peasant, elevating him greatly in 
  status (or so the legend says).
  still reenacted today, the noble’s daughter has been re-
  placed with a young maiden of the village, and the chasing 
  of her hood is part of the Birthing day celebrations (see p. 
  17). instead of just a dozen chasers, every single man in the 
  village between the ages of 16 and 20 is allowed to partake. 
  the hood is released at dawn (delays to wait for the wind 
  to pick up are permitted). the youth who catches the hood 
  also wins the maiden’s heart (i.e. he gets to marry her). if 
  no one has secured the hood by dusk, the girl goes unmar-
  ried, and everyone bemoans the bad omen.
  these days, the local lord never lets his daughter be the 
  maiden, nor any of his sons marry a peasant girl. He plays 
  his part through the donation of a plot of good farmland, 
  which the newly married couple gets to farm for the next 
  year to help their new life get off to a profitable start.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  Mayor Carrying Day
  Deity: Hothar
  some years ago, a nobleman decided that two small 
  hamlets on his lands should merge to create a village. Be-
  tween them lay a slow-moving stream bordered by wide, 
  muddy flats. the noble left it to the locals to decide who 
  should be mayor of the new village, demanding only that 
  he (or she) present himself at his hall at sunset.
  naturally, each hamlet decided one of its own would 
  be the logical choice. so it was that each hamlet bodily 
  lifted its candidate and raced toward the manor. the race 
  soon developed into a brawl, the end result being two 
  battered and bleeding candidates.
  over the years, the ritual for mayoral election has 
  changed somewhat. today, the candidates are no longer 
  carried. they have been replaced by two large leather-
  coated, wooden balls with caricatures of the contenders 
  painted on them. instead of racing to the lord’s manor, 
  each side of the village begins outside the house of its 
  chosen candidate, and attempts to carry its “candidate” 
  to the other hopeful’s house. the first ball to reach its 
  destination earns the candidate being represented elec-
  tion. should no side achieve victory, last year’s candidate 
  remains in office. typically, the contest devolves into 
  a brawl on the banks of the river, resulting in a lot of 
  bruised, tired, and muddy villagers.
  as is normal in such events, the use of magic is ex-
  pressly outlawed. any one caught cheating can expect to 
  be repeatedly dunked in the thick slime until he repents 
  his wickedness and apologizes to Hothar.
  Minting the breaD
  Deity: var
  Before the advent and spread of the scield, most no-
  bles and warlords minted their own coins. this resulted 
  in a bewildering variety of standards and values, and 
  made money-changers a necessity. though it no longer 
  possesses a mint, and its fortunes have waned, one com-
  munity continues to mint a single base metal coin once 
  a year (always on a marketdaeg). the coin is struck by 
  the ruling noble, and then baked into a small bun by 
  clerics of eostre Plantmother. throughout the day, buns 
  are freely given to citizens who attend the market, and 
  to the poor.
  at sunset, the buns are broken open (to do so before-
  hand ensures very bad luck will befall the household). 
  Whoever finds the token coin is required to hand it in 
  to the nearest cleric of var (one is always present). in 
  return, he is given usable coins. in olden times, the value 
  of the coin was set at one gold scield. today, it is worth 
  ten gold scields—this is actually paid by the nobleman, 
  rather than the uncharitable cult of var. the coin is then 
  melted down to prevent it being put into circulation or 
  the locals seeking to return to the old currency.
  should no one hand over the coin by dawn the fol-
  lowing morning, the cleric of var curses the settlement, 
  declaring it will suffer poor trading fortunes by its refusal 
  to adapt to the new ways. if the culprit is found, he is as-
  sured a thorough beating by an angry mob of merchants 
  and craftsmen.
  orphan’s Day
  Deity: eira
  the Blizzard War and the chaos that followed led to a 
  huge increase in the number of orphans and abandoned 
  children. those who survived relied on charity and theft 
  in equal measure. each year, local children (orphaned or 
  otherwise) visit their neighbors’ houses, proclaim their 
  poverty, and ask for alms. most are given a silver scield or 
  scrap of food for their trouble. those unwilling to show 
  charity typically suffer a robbery before nightfall. By tra-
  dition, this petty act of theft is not seen as a crime.
  oyster Day
  Deity: neorthe
  this ceremony marks the start of the annual oyster 
  catch. the day begins at dawn with a token feast of bread 
  and ale paid for and officiated over by the ruler. after the 
  meal, the oyster fishermen walk down to the shore, the 
  villagers falling into line behind them. at the beach, they 
  are greeted by the resident cleric of neorthe dressed in 
  clothes decorated with oyster shells. the oyster fisher-
  men make offerings to the cleric, who represents his 
  god, asking for a good catch in the coming year. offer-
  ings are typically small parcels of food or purses of silver. 
  this done, the ruler then wages into the shallow water 
  and rakes up a single oyster.
  if, when opened, the oyster is found to contain a 
  pearl, the season will be profitable—the larger the pearl, 
  the better the village’s fortunes. the oyster is then swal-
  lowed by the ruler, symbolizing the settlement’s contin-
  ued union with neorthe, and the shell given to the cleric 
  to adorn his costume next year.
  outlaw Day
  Deity: nauthiz
  the inhabitants of one Hearthland’s village are the 
  descendants of outlaws, a fact of which they are quite 
  proud. on the first marketdaeg of Werremonan, they re-
  member these distant days by “robbing” visitors. gangs 
  of villains, usually the most important members of the 
  village, accost visitors to the market and demand money 
  from them.
  the amount is based on the person’s outward ap-
  pearance, but is never higher than 10 gold scields, and 
  most demands are for silver scields. those who refuse 
  (whether playing along or out of ignorance to what is 
  happening) are grabbed and locked in a barn. to secure 
  their release, they, or their friends, must pay a “ransom” 
  equal to twice the initial amount demanded.
  ignorance of the custom is not an excuse for impo-
  lite or violent behavior. anyone who causes trouble (as 
  opposed to playing at resisting the outlaws) is arrested 
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  
  for real and hastily judged. release is secured only on 
  payment of a heftier fine. Weregild payments may also be 
  demanded if physical injury was caused.
  all the money raised is spent on a grand public feast, 
  which takes place in the market after trading has fin-
  ished. as the night wears on, the villagers renounce their 
  outlaw ways and pledge to uphold the laws of the land 
  until the next outlaw day. those taken prisoner who 
  refused to pay their ransom are released only when the 
  feast is finished.
  poKing the bear
  Deity: the norns
  the norns work in mysterious ways. a young and in-
  experienced hunter followed a set of tracks into a cave. 
  therein he discovered a sleeping bear. Believing it dead, 
  and convinced he could make a fine cloak from its fur, he 
  poked the bear. rudely awoken from its hibernation, the 
  bear immediately roared in anger.
  the hunter set off as fast as his legs could carry him, the 
  still groggy bear close behind. as he entered his village, he 
  discovered outlaws were attacking it. Here fate worked in 
  his favor, for while he ducked into a house, the bear ran 
  rampant, mauling the outlaws and forcing them to flee. 
  the grateful villagers rewarded the bear with bread and 
  honey (or so the legend goes), and it eventually wandered 
  back to its cave to resume its slumber.
  every year, in late spring, a member of the community 
  dresses up in a bearskin and heads off into the cave (now 
  long abandoned by bears). a young hunter is chosen to 
  poke the bear, awakening it from its slumber. the actor 
  then chases the hunter back to the settlement, where-
  upon it makes a nuisance of itself for the rest of the 
  day, “mauling” citizens going about their business and 
  demanding money. at dusk, the villagers feast on honey 
  and bread paid for by donations given to the bear, and 
  give thanks for the creature’s timely arrival.
  presenting the boat
  Deity: neorthe
  during the saxa rebellion against the anari, every 
  coastal community was called upon to build a ship and 
  donate it to the cause. in a fit of over-enthusiasm, one 
  thegn called upon his people to construct one ship a 
  year. all but one community stopped construction when 
  victory was secured. the last settlement, never having 
  been given an order to stop production, has continued 
  to build a ship each and every year since. over the centu-
  ries things have changed somewhat, and today the ship 
  is a miniature version.
  amid great ceremony, the shipwright carries the mod-
  el to the local temple of neorthe to be blessed before 
  presenting it to the ruling lord. after being graciously 
  accepted and the year’s quota met, the model is burned 
  to mark the end of the war and the foundation of the 
  marklands, and its ashes scattered at sea as an offering 
  to neorthe.
  priCKing the pig
  Deity: rigr and tiw
  Fyrd, militia, watchmen, and men-at-arms are required 
  to train regularly. usually static straw dummies are set 
  up, but one settlement prefers live targets. in harsher 
  times, the lord demanded real arrows be used, and the 
  targets were convicted criminals. later, and to improve 
  his archers’ ability to perform called shots, the criminals 
  were given “armor” in the form of a thick layer of pig 
  fat over their torsos. any survivors were pardoned. the 
  ritual gets its name from this bygone practice. 
  Fortunately, things have improved somewhat over the 
  years. these days, the event occurs before proper train-
  ing begins to help the archers winter-tightened muscles 
  loosen, and the targets are all volunteers from the com-
  munity. modern arrows are not only blunt, but have a 
  thick wad of cloth tied to the business end (they inflict 
  2d4 nonlethal damage).
  every member of the settlement’s militia, the hunt-
  ers, and the current noble’s household guard, are given 
  a quiver of 20 special arrows. the arrows move much 
  slower than regular missiles, and can be dodged. in game 
  terms, attacks are made against the target’s Parry (usually 
  4 for common citizens), and either Block or dodge can 
  be used (but not both). ranged attack modifiers apply 
  as normal.
  Before being fired, the arrows are dipped in pots con-
  taining colored dyes—one color for each archer. after 
  the last arrow is spent, the archer who scored the most 
  hits is given a token reward, while the target with the 
  fewest marks is awarded a leg of smoked ham.
  reD feather Day
  Deity: Hothar and var
  a nobleman whom fate had given no children, a host 
  of undesirable relatives, and a terminal lung disease, de-
  cided to bequeath his lands to his peasants. there were 
  only two conditions. First, the village must be governed 
  by an elected headman and second, they must honor 
  his eventual death each year. should either condition 
  be broken, the lands would revert to the most powerful 
  local noble family.
  to ensure his wishes were carried out, and to legiti-
  mize them, he had a legal contract drawn up by the cult 
  of var and notarized by the cult of Hothar. the contract 
  is long rotten away, but a copy was carved into a stone 
  in the market square as a permanent reminder. seconds 
  after signing the contract, the nobleman coughed blood 
  over his quill and died.
  each day on the anniversary of the nobleman’s death, 
  the villagers sport a red feather in remembrance of their 
  benefactor. the cult of var visits the settlement and 
  counts the number of red feathers sported on this day. 
  so long as the majority of citizens wear one, the contract 
  is deemed obligated for another year. the cult of Hothar 
  adjudicates over mayoral elections to ensure they are fair 
  and free.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  0
  reD leg Day
  Deity: eira
  one school of thought holds that sickness is caused 
  by a build up of bad blood. as with a cesspit, too much 
  filth spawns disease spirits. since the blood is trapped 
  in the body, the foul spirits take up residence, causing 
  sickness and death. each year in late Wulfmonan the 
  denizens of one village endeavor to purge themselves of 
  their accumulated tainted blood.
  at some point in the past it became bad luck to bleed 
  oneself. those who seek to cleanse themselves now en-
  ter the local temple of eira and expose their lower legs. 
  armed with sprigs of holly, the clerics vigorously whip 
  the exposed flesh until blood is drawn. Herb lore tradi-
  tion states that holly draws out bad blood from the body. 
  thus, the quicker one bleeds, the unhealthier one is. at 
  this point it is considered wise to donate to the temple 
  for additional prayers of wellbeing as an added safeguard 
  against disease during the coming year.
  riDers Day fair
  Deity: tiw
  many generations ago, dire wolf-riding orcs raided 
  the land, ransacking villages, burning crops in the field, 
  and putting innocent folk to the sword. the inhabitants 
  of one village remember the time well, for their ances-
  tors were spared certain death only by the timely arrival 
  of a cavalry force. no one can remember who sent the 
  warriors, nor even their nationality. over time, it has 
  become fixed in myth that tiw guided them to the orcs’ 
  next target. on the outskirts of the village, the two sides 
  clashed in a terrible battle.
  to celebrate their ancestors’ salvation, the battle is rec-
  reated each year on the second marketdaeg of Werremo-
  nan. Whether this is the correct date is neither here nor 
  there—it’s an excuse for a holiday, and it attracts a large 
  crowd from neighboring settlements to the market.
  By tradition, only villagers may ride with the cavalry. 
  visiting clerics of tiw are invited to join the defenders. 
  visitors play the orcs. no living mounts are used. instead, 
  hobby horses decorated to look like horses or wolves are 
  used. similarly, the only weapons allowed are padded 
  clubs (these inflict nonlethal strength damage).
  at one point judges were used to decide casualties. 
  today, the melee continues, amid much play acting, until 
  one side is beaten into submission. the “fight” can last 
  many hours, with frequent stops for food and drink.
  if the defenders win, visitors to the fair are charged 
  one silver scield as tribute. this goes toward a grand 
  feast. if the attackers win, the villagers must pay for the 
  celebrations that last well into the night.
  rose rent Day
  Deity: eira
  many moons ago, a wounded knight staggered into a 
  village. though he was a stranger, the people took pity 
  on him and nursed him back to health. years later, he 
  was appointed lord of the village. realizing that his new 
  serfs were his former saviors, he set each household’s 
  rent at one red rose, for roses had been used in the 
  herbal balms that cured his injuries.
  on the anniversary of his appointment, the lord calls 
  at each house and demands the rent. those who cannot 
  grow a suitable bloom (as decided by the local priestess 
  of eostre Plantmother) must pay their full rent in coin 
  and produce, as do all villagers who moved to the village 
  after the curing (perhaps in search of a rent free life). 
  rent collected, the lord then throws a modest feast for 
  his people in the main square.
  running the oars
  Deity: neorthe
  oar running (see the free download Saxa Fun) is a 
  popular coastal pastime, and a source of great amuse-
  ment for spectators. For one community, it is also a 
  religious ceremony. Having spent the winter carving or 
  repairing oars, carpenters present them to the fishing 
  boat owners for testing (and warship captains, depend-
  ing on the community the gm chooses).
  the crews then partake in oar running. every crew-
  man must participate, lest he offend neorthe. should an 
  oar break, the carpenter is admonished for his impiety 
  by the high priest of neorthe, and every oar he made 
  or repaired over winter is ceremonially broken in twain 
  and burned. He also suffers financially, as he is not paid 
  for his work.
  though now a religious affair, the testing of the oars 
  has a logical origin—no one wants to go to see knowing 
  the carpenter used inferior wood or did shoddy work.
  the rutting of the buCKs
  Deity: ullr
  this local summertime custom honors ullr, marks the 
  start of buck (male) fallow deer hunting season, and gives 
  young maidens a chance to eye up a potential husband. 
  the unmarried men of the village dress up in deer skins, 
  complete with an antler headdress. they then engage in 
  a no-hands wrestling match.
  the aim is to lock horns with one’s opponent, and 
  force him to the ground. the winner then proceeds to 
  the next round, whereupon the procedure is repeated 
  until an overall victor emerges. He earns the title lord 
  of the rut, much to the concern of protective parents. 
  as a religious reward, the young man is blessed with the 
  knowledge of where suitable prey can be found, thus 
  helping any hunting party he joins.
  sating the wolf
  Deity: dargar (pacification, rather than honoring)
  only madmen and idiots lack understanding of the 
  danger the cult of dargar poses. this ritual is intended to 
  placate the vile god rather than offer him true worship. 
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  1
  as winter draws near, the poorest villagers dress in wolf 
  skins and smear their faces with animal blood. they then 
  call upon their neighbors, demanding flesh. their appe-
  tites are sated with donations of cooked meat, which they 
  eat. any food not consumed by midnight must be fed to 
  dogs, for a human consuming it risks becoming a crazed 
  follower of dargar. those who refuse to gift dargar risk 
  beating beaten with sticks and their property damaged. 
  such acts are not considered crimes, and many villagers 
  consider the tight-fisted soul to have gotten away lightly.
  a related ceremony practiced in a distant settlement 
  involves carving a thin sliver of flesh from any recently 
  deceased person and feeding it to a dog. this suppos-
  edly placates dargar’s aspect as eater of the dead, and 
  ensures wolves will not dig up the corpse and devour 
  any more flesh.
  a more distantly related ceremony requires every per-
  son to don an animal skin on the first day of Wulfmonan 
  and refrain from talking. the belief is that dargar will 
  cast his gaze over the settlement and see only animals, 
  which his lunatic followers ignore.
  silver arrow Day
  Deity: ullr
  originally a local variant of archery day (see p. 35), 
  silver arrow day is now held the day after the major fes-
  tival. although still considered a holy festival, it is has de-
  volved into an excuse for merriment and drunkenness.
  the main event involves placing a gold scield over the 
  center of a target butt placed at the furthest extent of 
  long range. the first person to hit it wins a silver arrow. 
  to add to the fun and extend the event, anyone who 
  misses must down a flagon of ale before their next shot.
  as if alcohol-fueled archery wasn’t dangerous enough, 
  visiting clerics of the unknowable one are permitted to 
  use the following miracles to put the archers off their 
  aim—confusion, deflection (cast on the coin), elemental 
  manipulation, jinx, lower trait, and telekinesis—as well 
  as any taunts and insults they feel are appropriate.
  unfortunately, the generosity of the local lords has 
  dwindled over the years, and the modern arrow is merely 
  covered in a thin veneer of poor quality silver. still, there 
  is much pride at stake for being able to accomplish such 
  a feat. if nobody wins before sunset, every household is 
  fined one silver scield for the villagers’ poor archery.
  sKalD’s yarn
  Deity: the unknowable one
  each year, on a dark, cold winter’s night, villagers 
  gather in the local mead hall or inn to tell stories. ev-
  eryone present must tell a story, no matter his ability 
  to spin a yarn. most of the stories are anecdotes about 
  neighbors and their activities made during the following 
  year. no insult can be taken by any listener, even if he is 
  the victim of what would otherwise be slander. tradition-
  ally, the stories are intended to embarrass friends, not 
  insult them. anyone taken offense without a very good 
  reason is dragged outside and dowsed with water until 
  their fury cools. every story must end with the words, 
  “and every word is as true as i stand here.”
  the boisterous crowd votes for their favorites with 
  their voices. rousing cheers earn the storyteller a free 
  pint or two, while boos or moans earn him a slap across 
  the butt with a wooden paddle, and likely him being 
  made the butt of the next tale.
  sKiMMing the stone
  Deity: neorthe
  until recently, this ceremony was entirely religious in 
  nature. local fishermen, seeking reassurance they would 
  return safely before the fishing season began, skimmed 
  flat stones on which were written their name. the more 
  times the stone skipped across the waves, the better 
  their odds of survival would be. those that disappeared 
  straight into the water were placing their lives in great 
  peril by daring to set out into neorthe’s domain.
  these days the festival has attracted outsiders. after 
  the ritual aspect is completed, anyone can attempt to 
  skim stones. the temple of neorthe awards the winner 
  (the one with the highest number of skips) with a special 
  blessing for his next waterborne journey, and a basket 
  of salted fish. traditionally, the fish is donated to the 
  families of any fishermen whose stone failed to skip even 
  once, thus lessening the number of days they need to set 
  sail in search of food.
  as an aside, to haul one’s own stone up in a net once 
  fishing season begins is an especially good omen. the 
  fisherman is all-but guaranteed to survive the season 
  unharmed, and with bulging nets.
  soul CaKe Day
  Deity: scaetha
  Honoring the dead is an age-old custom, manifesting 
  most notably in First death day (see p. 30). soul cake 
  day is held the day before First death day. in days of 
  old, the poor of the community went from door to door 
  singing a traditional dirge. in return they received a soul 
  cake, a spiced biscuit or bun. arbitrarily deciding who 
  you considered deserving inevitably led to arguments, 
  and these days a cake is offered to any callers, whether 
  they require them or not.
  the cake is set aside for one’s ancestors on First 
  death day. it is said that any living creature that eats one 
  will die within the year, thus joining his ancestors for 
  the next feast. the cakes keep remarkably well—some 
  families have handed their ancestors the same cakes for 
  generations. since the cake is a ritual offering, the fact it 
  is stale does not offend the dead.
  Wealthier households show their largesse by handing 
  out an added gift—a silver scield. the coin is used to 
  pay the cult of scaetha to pray for the spirits of one’s 
  ancestors. again, it is said that misusing the alms, which 
  is anything except donating it to scaetha’s cult, will bring 
  death to one’s door.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  spirit sCaring night
  Deity: sigel
  on raestdaeg of Fogmonan, the children of one rural 
  community go from door to door begging for candles. 
  to refuse is considered bad luck, for it guarantees hos-
  tile spirits will target the house during the year to come. 
  since candles are expensive to the average peasant, most 
  give out only stubs. the candles are then placed inside 
  hollowed out and carved turnips or mangelwurzels.
  on sangdaeg, the children gather in the village 
  square. the boy and girl judged to have the best-carved 
  vegetables by the resident cleric of eostre Plantmother 
  (or sigel, if one happens to be visiting) are appointed 
  as King and queen and have the honor of leading the 
  procession to follow. the royal appointments made, the 
  children light their candles and troop through the com-
  munity, banging on doors and singing a traditional song 
  guaranteed to drive away bad spirits.
  stone lift feat
  Deity: eostre Plantmother
  this ceremony is a local variation of the stone Picking 
  day festival. in the center of the largest field is a small 
  hill, atop which is a large, rounded stone. While the 
  women spend the day picking up small stones, the farm-
  ers gather around the hill. each in turn endeavors to lift 
  the heavy boulder, a task easier said than done (more so 
  given the amount of alcohol that is consumed).
  the height the stone is lifted is believed to determine 
  the fortunes of the farmer. Failing to lift it at all is a clear 
  warning that his plow will likely break on a hidden stone 
  or the field will be littered with small stones hidden just 
  below the surface. lifting it off the ground reduces the 
  odds of this happening, while bringing it to one’s chest, 
  or better still one’s shoulders, indicates greatly reduced 
  odds of a breakage and near-guarantees a clear field.
  sun wheel Day
  Deity: sigel
  according to local legends, the villagers once pos-
  sessed a cartwheel covered in beaten gold. each year on 
  High sumor daeg, the wheel was carried to the top of a 
  steep hill. at midday, the wheel was released. How far it 
  traveled down the slope before toppling over indicated 
  the severity of the coming winter. in order to help the 
  wheel’s travel as far as possible, the villagers would 
  charge after it, screaming and shouting wildly to drive 
  off any spirits of the north wind that might try to impede 
  its progress. the steepness of the hill ensured falls were 
  commonplace and injuries likely.
  over time, the village’s fortunes waxed and waned. 
  at some point the wheel was lost (if it existed at all), re-
  placed with a heavy wheel of cheese. although the ritual 
  carries the same religious meaning, it is also an excuse to 
  let off some steam and engage in a communal feast. the 
  first chasing citizen to touch the cheese (which usually 
  occurs after it stops rolling) is awarded it as a prize by 
  the resident high priest of sigel. traditionally, half the 
  wheel is melted down in a huge cauldron, into which the 
  tired and bruised citizens dip chunks of bread or toast, 
  while the other half goes into his larder.
  swinging of the fire
  Deity: Kenaz
  this festival is a local variation on Burning giant day. 
  Before the sun sets, villagers take to the streets carrying 
  a long length of chain. attached to one end is a spherical 
  metal cage stuffed with wood, straw, peat, and cloth, all 
  of which is soaked in pitch. as the sun sets, clerics of 
  Kenaz use magic to light the flammable bundles.
  the procession then moves off through the village, 
  the burning wads swung around the carrier’s head, cir-
  cling like a miniature sun. Kenaz’s clerics accompany the 
  bearers, singing songs of warmth and cursing thrym. the 
  flaming balls drive away thrym’s spirit minions, delaying 
  further snowfall until they rekindle their courage. the 
  gap between the ceremony and the next snowfall deter-
  mines the length and severity of the coming winter.
  even the best prepared bundles burn for less than 
  an hour, so the procession moves rapidly. traditionally, 
  the hearth of whoever’s bundle burns longest is blessed 
  by the high priest of Kenaz. throughout the winter, his 
  hearth will burn warmer and consume less fuel.
  three legs Day
  Deity: eira, Freo, the unknowable one
  at dawn, every person capable of walking assembles in 
  the village square. there, a visiting cleric of the unknow-
  able one (one always happens to be in attendance), pairs 
  everyone up. Pairings are always made to be comical, 
  and potentially embarrassing. a young maiden might be 
  paired with a youth who fancies her but who becomes 
  flustered in her presence, the tallest person may be paired 
  with the shortest, a fat man may be paired with an equally 
  fat woman, and two known rivals might be coupled. the 
  cleric always seems to have an unerring habit of making 
  the right choice for maximum amusement.
  For the rest of the day, the couple is tethered together 
  by having one’s left leg tied to the other’s right leg. Hav-
  ing the knots undo, even by accident, ensures a year of 
  bad luck for both people.
  no one can remember quite how the festival began, 
  nor which god it actually honors. some say it was started 
  by clerics of eira as a means of instructing the fyrd how 
  to carry a wounded comrade off the field of battle. oth-
  ers insist it was Freo who was honored, to show that he 
  cannot be easily hobbled. a small few claim the festival 
  mimics one of the unknowable one’s many tricks.
  troll sCaring Day
  Deity: tiw (actually the unknowable one)
  a remote village grew fearful of trolls, for the stories of 
  
  CereMonies, festivals & rituals
  
  the skalds painted them as terrible crea-
  tures. that there had never been a troll 
  attack on the settlement was irrelevant, 
  for fear can be an irrational emotion. 
  one day, a visiting cleric of the unknow-
  able one witnessed the villagers hurry-
  ing to barricade their houses against 
  marauding trolls as night fell. Knowing 
  full well there were no trolls for many 
  league, he decided to trick the inhabit-
  ants in order to teach them a lesson.
  approaching the village’s head-
  man, he proclaimed himself a cleric of 
  tiw and said he would teach the locals 
  a secret ritual. lacking any permanent 
  soldiery, the headman retorted that 
  his people were no match for a troll in 
  combat, no matter what secrets they 
  learned. But the cleric was prepared 
  for this, and replied that the secret 
  ritual need only be performed but 
  once a year to keep trolls away.
  He demanded a heavy payment for 
  his wisdom, but as an act of faith he 
  would only collect his fee a year after 
  the ritual had been conducted, and then 
  only if no troll attacks had occurred. 
  unsurprisingly, no trolls threatened the 
  village during the following year, and 
  the cleric duly collected his fortune.
  each year, at the start of winter, the villagers gather in 
  the market square. From dawn to dusk they take it in turn 
  to stick their heads through the rim of a cartwheel and 
  pull as ugly a face as possible (this is known as gurning). 
  these faces, so the cleric said, scare away trolls. Whoever 
  is judged to have pulled the ugliest face is awarded the 
  honorary title of troll-scarer for the next year.
  turning the stone
  Deity: scaetha
  on the outskirts of a small village lies a huge stone 
  slab. ask any local and he will tell you that trapped be-
  neath it is a fearsome undead, a servant of the liche-Priest 
  too powerful to slay even in the days when scaetha’s cult 
  was at its most potent. the terrible creature is kept im-
  prisoned in the earth not by the weight of the slab, but 
  by the holy symbols inscribed on the top and bottom.
  once a year, the villagers heave the mighty stone over 
  to reveal the underside. the holy symbol of scaetha now 
  visible is carved to ensure it is crisp and then stained 
  black, while the symbol exposed last year now faces into 
  the ground, and the beast beneath.
  waDDing the horn
  Deity: eostre Plantmother
  on the altar of a small temple of eostre Plantmother, 
  diligently watched over by a paladin at all times, is a slen-
  der, silver horn. its length is delicately decorated with bas 
  reliefs of plants. tradition has it the horn was a gift from 
  the fey, bestowed on the temple long ago after its clerics 
  helped save an ancient woodland from destruction. the 
  fey said the horn could be blown but three times before 
  it shattered, and on each blowing the next harvest would 
  be perfect. local folklore claims the horn has been blown 
  twice, each time when the village faced terrible famine.
  the true origins of the horn are lost to myth. it reveals 
  no magical dweomer, but that is not conclusive proof it 
  is a fake—the magic of the fey is strange indeed. it is also 
  possible it is a mundane elvish artifact, for only they (or 
  the fey) could produce such delicate work.
  as part of the Birthing day ceremony, the horn is 
  brought out and held aloft for the villagers to see. the 
  high priest then asks whether the horn should be blown 
  this year. Barring a major famine, the stock reply is for 
  the oldest farmer to approach the cleric and shove a wad 
  of wool into the end of the horn, thus preventing it from 
  being sounded. He then repeats the ritual phrase, “i’ve 
  seen worse winters than this in my years. We will cope 
  without the fey’s help this year as well.” the horn is then 
  carried back inside the temple.
  weighing the lorD
  Deity: Hothar
  several generations ago, a nobleman stood before 
  his peasants and vowed in the name of Hothar that, fol-
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  lowing a poor harvest, he would eat no more than they. 
  unfortunately, he neglected to impose any duration on 
  his reduced diet. to this day, his descendants have been 
  held to that oath by the villagers, regardless of the state 
  of the last harvest.
  each year as part of the Birthing day ritual (see p. 17), 
  the ruling noble, dressed in his (or her) finest clothes, 
  is publicly weighed against a set of stones weighed and 
  marked by the cult of var (at great expense to the an-
  cestor). their weight is then announced to the nearest 
  whole, half, or quarter stones.
  if his weight has remained the same or dropped from 
  last year, his current weight is proclaimed to the assem-
  bled throng, followed by “and no more.” cheers go up 
  from the crowd in appreciation of the noble remaining 
  true to the oath. if his weight has increased, the weight 
  is suffixed by “and some more,” at which point the noble 
  is mercilessly pelted with rotten fruit, offal, and dung for 
  breaking the sacred oath. regardless, that year’s weight 
  is recorded for use in next year’s ceremony.
  a certain amount of charity is permitted for pregnant 
  nobles, with the weight being recorded for two people.
  wetting the heaD
  Deity: tiw
  on the outskirts of a village is a large round stone. 
  according to folklore, it is the head of a sleeping giant. 
  long ago, the fearsome creature rampaged through the 
  countryside, devouring sheep by the handful, trampling 
  crops, and stomping buildings to rubble. unable to de-
  feat it by force of arms, the locals dug a deep pit. When 
  the giant fell in, they hurriedly filled in the void. such 
  was the angry giant’s strength that it threatened to burst 
  free. thinking quickly, they poured a dozen barrels of 
  beer down the giant’s throat, sending it into a long-last-
  ing drunken slumber.
  each year on the anniversary of the giant’s entrap-
  ment, the villagers roll barrels of beer up to the stone 
  and pour the contents over it, thus ensuring the giant 
  remains asleep for another year. they then celebrate 
  their “victory” with a feast and the consumption of many 
  more barrels of beer.
  winter pass us by night
  Deity: sigel
  this ritual is a variation on Burning giant day (see 
  p. 24), and is thus also a variation of the swinging of 
  the Fire custom, though it is held in honor of sigel, not 
  Kenaz.
  throughout late summer, the cult of sigel constructs 
  a ball of hay, peat, cloth, wood, and any other flammable 
  substance donated by citizens from whatever scraps they 
  can spare. each day, it is soaked in oil in preparation for 
  the night it will be needed.
  the night after the first snowfall of winter, the ball 
  is placed inside a spherical iron cage and attached to a 
  length of chain. a member of the cult, chosen by the high 
  priest for his faith, strength, and stamina, then carries it 
  atop the nearest hill, which has been used to perform 
  the ceremony for centuries. a crowd quickly gathers at 
  the bottom.
  the high priest then ignites the flammable ball, 
  whereupon the cleric begins to swing it. He does not 
  swing it around his head, though. on the summit is a 
  high, stone platform, with a low wall facing toward the 
  crowd. the ball is swung in a vertical circle so that it 
  gives the appearance of the sun rising and setting, al-
  beit at a greatly increased speed. as the flaming orb is 
  swung, so the crowd begins to loudly count the number 
  of sunrises. the number reached before the cleric col-
  lapses from exhaustion (the ball can weigh upward of 20 
  pounds) or the flames die is believed to be the number 
  of days that winter will be less harsh. Pausing for breath 
  also ends the count.
  regardless of how the ceremony ends, it is traditional 
  to launch the sphere northward before it goes out. as the 
  glowing mass hurtles skyward, the crowds shout curses 
  at thrym and call on sigel to be reborn soon.
  should the number of successful swings exactly equal 
  the number of days until the start of eostremonan, then 
  the whole of winter will be mild, and there is much 
  celebration during the remainder of the night. usually 
  the feast is somewhat muted, for few clerics have ever 
  managed to entirely dispel the threat of winter.
  woolsaCK raCe
  Deity: eostre animalmother
  to show their lord were fit and strong, and to catch 
  the eyes of young maidens, young men of the village 
  would shoulder a hefty bundle of fleece after shearing 
  and race each other up a steep incline. today, the event 
  has been formalized into a post-shearing festival to eo-
  stre animalmother.
  By tradition, the local noble signals the start of the 
  annual, and arduous, race. the weight of fleeces is now 
  fixed at 60 pounds for adults (aged 16+), and 40 pounds 
  for young men (aged 13-15). nothing precludes women 
  from competing, but they must shoulder the same 
  weight as the men. the winner in each category (adults 
  and youths) is gifted with a handful of golden scields as 
  a reward for his stamina.
  yellow snow Day
  Deity: sigel
  every midwinter, the hardy folk of a small village, 
  fuelled with copious amounts of mulled ale, strip naked 
  and dance wildly in the crisp snow to show their con-
  tempt of thrym.
  Before anything drops off from frostbite, they urinate 
  in the snow, turning the white of thrym into the yellow 
  of sigel. small gifts (typically worth just a few gold sci-
  elds) are awarded for the most inventive curse or draw-
  ing “written” in the snow. their bladders relieved, the 
  celebrants then rush back indoors to get warm.
  
  For every greater god there are myriad minor ones. 
  sages and religious scholars have long debated the na-
  ture of these gods. some argue the celestial realm is a 
  feudal system with tiers of gods, just like there are mortal 
  social castes, and the minor gods are unique individu-
  als who sit between the greater gods and the celestial 
  spirits. others insist the minor gods are aspects of the 
  greater gods, less than the whole but with unique per-
  sonalities. the minor gods could be the greater gods 
  under another name, others say, and their limited power 
  is not a divine phenomenon but mortals’ self-imposed 
  limitations. the answer is likely never to be known, and 
  in game mechanic terms it has no effect.
  Whereas the greater gods have multiple, wide-ranging 
  aspects, minor gods are concerned with one small area. 
  For instance, eostre animalmother governs all animal 
  life, be it domestic pets, livestock, or wild beasts. in 
  contrast, her grandson, Bolverk, is entirely focused on 
  cattle raiding. similarly, these deities grant their clerics 
  very few spells.
  minor deities are a great gm tool. if the gm wants an 
  adventure involving a small sect, he can pick one of the 
  deities below or use them as examples to make his own 
  cults and lesser religions. more importantly, because 
  there are far more minor deities than listed below, he 
  can use one without worrying whether or not it fits the 
  canonical view of the major deities.
  affiliation & worship
  all minor deities are affiliated to one or two greater 
  gods, but never more. these affiliated deities may be 
  linked by blood (in the eyes of mortals) or may just 
  share similar goals. minor gods have two types of clergy, 
  as detailed below.
  a minor god’s status refers not only to its spell list but 
  also to the number of mortals who worship it as their pa-
  tron. While any mortal can honor the minor gods in their 
  own way, few chose them as patrons. a weaponsmith, 
  for instance, may well pray to Hagvirkr, god of weapon-
  smiths, but he does so as part of his prayers to eostre 
  and Kenaz, not as a separate deity. a cleric of Hagvirkr, 
  by comparison, places his deity before ertha and Kenaz, 
  though his prayers still honor both deities.
  Before becoming a cleric of a minor god, player char-
  acters should note that not all minor gods are equal. 
  some players will look at the spell and sin lists, min-max-
  ing opportunities. others will see beyond the mechanics 
  to the roleplaying opportunities of being a member of a 
  small, focused faith provides.
  aDDitional worship
  clerics of a greater god may worship a minor deity in 
  addition to their patron deity rather than as sole focus 
  for their faith. in order to worship a minor and greater 
  god, the cleric must use an advancement opportunity 
  and pick one affiliated minor deity. the cleric may spend 
  a maximum of one advancement per rank in this man-
  ner. if he ever misses a rank, that particular opportunity 
  is lost. the type of clergy (priest or paladin) must be the 
  same for any minor gods he follows—one cannot be a 
  priest of one god and a paladin of another.
  in return, the hero automatically learns the minor god’s 
  signature spell if he does not already know it. He also adds 
  all the minor god’s sins and spells to those of his main deity. 
  thus, as the cleric worships more gods so his list of sins 
  grows longer and longer but he has access to more and 
  more powers. in some instance sins may be contradictory. 
  How the cleric resolves this matter of faith without offend-
  ing one or more gods is left to him to work out.
  if a spell the cleric knows appears in both lists, he 
  gains a +1 bonus to Faith rolls to cast it, as he is drawing 
  on two separate sources simultaneously. Having a spell 
  appear on three or more spell lists does not increase the 
  bonus above +1.
  For the bonus to apply the spell must be absolutely 
  identical, including trappings and any restrictions. eo-
  Minor goDs
  
                                         
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  stre animalmother, for instance, grants beast friend. the 
  minor deity Bolverk (see page 61) also provides beast 
  friend, but only with regard cattle. if a cleric of both gods 
  casts the spell to affect cattle, he gains a +1 bonus, as 
  both gods allow this. However, if he wants to affect any 
  other type of beast, he does not benefit from the modi-
  fier, as Bolverk is of no assistance.
  sole Clergy
  any cleric who takes the arcane Background (mira-
  cles) edge may pick a minor deity as the sole focus for his 
  veneration. sole clerics of minor gods may never switch 
  to worshipping a greater god, nor may they take a second 
  minor deity. Furthermore, sole clerics do not gain a free 
  connections edge or the orders Hindrance, and cannot 
  take the disciple edge of the affiliated greater god.
  despite not being subject to orders from either the 
  parent faith or their own cult, these clerics may seek 
  refuge and hospitality at any temple to which their god 
  is affiliated. this isn’t always wise, as some minor deities 
  are aligned to both a good and evil greater god.
  given that a cleric of a minor deity cannot hope to 
  rival one of the greater gods in terms of his choice of 
  spells and he cannot become a disciple, one might be 
  asking why one would bother playing a character who 
  honors a minor god. as the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  says, minor deities are a great tool for players looking 
  for a handful of spells with a narrow focus without all 
  the associated “problems” of being part of a world-wide 
  faith. clerics of the greater gods always have the orders 
  Hindrance, for example, which means they are subject to 
  commands from their superiors. servants of the minor 
  gods don’t have that restriction. likewise, their sin list is 
  not so restrictive, giving them more leeway in how they 
  live their lives.
  Being a sole cleric is a great way of turning a good 
  specialist character into an excellent specialist.
  Divine aiD
  a sole cleric of a minor god may call on his patron 
  using the divine aid rules (see Hellfrost Player’s Guide), 
  but he rolls at –2 (in addition to any other modifiers).
  ChaMpion Cults
  Within every cult, whether that of a major god or a 
  minor one, there are stories of great “heroes.” some are 
  warriors; others are healers, sages, mages, craftsmen, or 
  explorers. on rare occasions, the gods reward such wor-
  shippers with a special place in the afterlife, promoting 
  them to semi-divine status and allowing mortal followers 
  to access a fraction of the hero’s newfound power.
  these sub-cults are often known as champion cults, 
  for the hero was a champion of the faith in life, and in 
  death encourages others to live to the same ideals. not all 
  champions need have been clerics—devotion to the cause 
  can take forms beyond holy vows.
  champions are never worshipped 
  individually as gods. they are servants, 
  in the same manner as heralds. their 
  cults are very small and localized.
  Joining a ChaMpion 
  Cult
  When a cleric who follows a major 
  deity takes the new Power edge, he 
  may instead elect to join a champion 
  cult. He may pick any spell of novice 
  or seasoned rank not on his god’s 
  spell list, so long as it is not obviously 
  anathema or contradictory to his god’s 
  tenets. granting healing should be 
  rare, as it is found only in a few cults. 
  in return, the player and the gm 
  must come up with one new minor and 
  major sin concerning the champion 
  and his beliefs. these need not follow 
  the basic beliefs of the god, though 
  they should not be contradictory (such 
  as a champion of tiw who prohibits 
  killing), since in avoiding one sin the 
  cleric will commit another.
  a cleric who follows only a lesser 
  god is restricted to novice spells 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  (again, healing should be rare), but need only add a 
  minor sin to his list of prohibitions.
  at the gm’s discretion, clerics can pick a spell already 
  available through their deity. this grants a +1 bonus 
  when casting the spell. this modifier does not stack 
  with the bonus gained for a cleric of a major god also 
  worshipping an affiliated minor god—only a single +1 
  bonus ever applies, no matter how many sources the 
  spell comes from.
  Players should be encouraged to come up with a short 
  description of the champion’s deeds in life that earned 
  him his reward in death.
  Below are a number of sample champion cults. since 
  this rule is optional, none is official canon. they can thus 
  be tweaked as the gm desires. entries with two deities 
  can be used for both major and minor gods—just drop 
  the major sin for the latter.
  agroraMovix the relentless
  Deity: ullr.
  Spell: Boost/lower trait (vigor and Fighting). these 
  add to the cleric’s existing spell.
  Sins: (minor) giving up hunting a quarry for any rea-
  son; (major) showing mercy to orcs.
  a tuomi hunter, agroramovix’s settlement was de-
  stroyed by orcs while he was away hunting. agroramovix 
  vowed to track down the culprits and wreak vengeance 
  upon them. His quest lasted ten years, but was ultimately 
  successful. the hunter survived his ordeal, eventually dy-
  ing of old age. By the time of his death, his deed was 
  widely known among the tuomi.
  Coelwynne ever-awaKe
  Deity: eira.
  Spell: Sentry.
  Sins: (minor) sleeping for longer than the minimum 
  required to avoid Fatigue; (major) Falling asleep on duty.
  Healers were especially targeted by the minions of 
  the liche-Priest during his dark and terrible reign, for 
  they alone could keep mortals from slipping into death. 
  While they toiled to save lives, coelwynne, a young war-
  rior maiden, remained ever alert for assassins, sleeping for 
  only a few hours each day. it was a vigil she maintained for 
  20 years. Following her death, coelwynne was granted a 
  seat in eira’s hall. she is popular among the Peacekeepers, 
  whose primary role is the protection of priests.
  sigriC the Mule
  Deity: var.
  Spell: Boost/lower trait (strength & vigor). these 
  add to the cleric’s existing spell.
  Sins: (minor) riding a horse or in a wagon; (major) 
  Burdening an animal when you are not encumbered.
  sigric was a merchant. He honored var, as wise mer-
  chants do, but he was not a cleric. too frugal to spend 
  money on mules, he carried his trade goods on his back 
  wherever he traveled, never complaining about his tire-
  some burden. He died an old man, his back hunched 
  and legs bowed, but he was extremely rich.
  vyner the sMith
  Deity: ertha.
  Spell: Smite. vyner’s cult also suits Hagvirkr, god of 
  smiths. in this case, he grants warrior’s gift. the spell 
  only functions while the target is wielding a weapon.
  Sins: (minor) using your fists, feet, or other body 
  parts as weapons; (major) Breaking a weapon except as 
  an offering to ertha.
  during the Blizzard War, vyner worked day and night 
  to forge new weapons for the armies of the Hearthlands. 
  such was his skill that is said the spear and swords slid 
  through Hellfrost dragon scales like a hot knife through 
  butter. even when his home was attacked, vyner re-
  mained at his forge until his death. many legends claim 
  the blade he was working on as coldfire from a Hellfrost 
  dragon burned his flesh and bones became a relic.
  Minor goDs
  atriðr
  Titles: the Horseman, the celestial rider, tiw’s out-
  rider, lord of the charge.
  Aspects: cavalrymen.
  Affiliations: Freo, tiw.
  Symbol: stylized horse with a head shaped like a 
  lance.
  Priesthood: lancer (priests); cataphract (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: the days before and after any battle. 
  Battle dance day (see page 34) is a high holy day.
  Duties: to fight with bravery, to slay many foes, to 
  earn glorious recognition through martial prowess.
  Sins: (minor) having your mount slain, injuring a horse, 
  being beaten in combat by an equal or superior foe, fleeing 
  a fight against an inferior opponent; (major) accidentally 
  killing a horse; (mortal) purposefully killing a horse.
  Signature Power: Speed*.
  Powers: Arcane resistance*, armor*, fly*, leaping*, 
  quickness*, smite, wilderness step*.
  Trappings: any except necromantic.
  Special: spells marked “*” can only be cast on a 
  mount the caster is riding. should the rider dismount for 
  any reason, the spell is negated, though it is still being 
  maintained. When the rider remounts, the spell effect 
  returns immediately.
  during the early stages of the god War, all tiw’s 
  forces were infantrymen. Freo questioned the war god 
  why he did not use mounts, for they were both fast and 
  powerful, and made his travels much easier. tiw, angry 
  that Freo was daring to claim any knowledge of military 
                       
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  matters, replied that horses were good only for eating 
  and saving energy on long marches.
  Freo wagered tiw that a warrior he trained to use a 
  mount could beat any hero tiw cared to field against him. 
  if Freo won, tiw must accept cavalrymen as part of his army 
  and thus sphere of influence. should tiw win, Freo would 
  give up any influence over mounts, leaving that to eostre.
  confident of victory, tiw accepted, telling Freo he could 
  take atriðr to train, a soldier who had shown little skill in 
  battle. months later, atriðr, mounted on a horse and armed 
  with a lance, faced down tiw’s champion, impaling the 
  unfortunate infantryman on his long lance. tiw begrudg-
  ingly accepted the value of cavalrymen. unwilling to lead 
  cavalry charges in person, tiw appointed atriðr to fill that 
  role. the minor god’s sphere of influence covers all forms 
  of mounted combat, not just those involving horses.
  as with many other aspects of tiw, atriðr is not de-
  picted as an individual deity. He is deemed present in 
  any image in which tiw is mounted or carrying a lance. 
  temples of tiw and military barracks with a cavalry de-
  tachment often boast a shrine showing tiw in his guise 
  as the god of cavalrymen.
  cavalrymen are most commonly found among the 
  anari and mercenary companies, though the saxa are 
  slowly coming round to the idea that mounted combat is 
  as honorable as battle on foot. Whereas clerics of tiw are 
  differentiated by role, those of atriðr are less separated. 
  Paladins do tend to opt for heavy cavalry roles, mounted 
  shock troops designed to smash enemy lines, while priests 
  often take on the role of light cavalry and outriders. While 
  both types of clerics are trained warriors, their miracles 
  are firmly oriented around mounted combat. Hence, 
  while equally skilled at warfare on foot or mounted, they 
  are rarely found fighting out of the saddle.
  like those of tiw, clerics of atriðr perform martial 
  drills as religious ceremonies, though they are mounted. 
  on Battle dance day a battle trained horse is sacrificed 
  to atriðr. its spirit is said to join atriðr’s stables, ensuring 
  the god of mounted warfare is never without a mount.
  Character Guidelines: clerics of atriðr are mounted 
  warriors. agility, strength, and vigor are core attributes, and 
  Fighting and riding are core skills. given the cleric is at his 
  best when mounted, Beast Bond is a very useful edge for 
  helping keep the mount alive. Priests, who serve as outrid-
  ers, should invest a few dice in notice and survival.
  auðun
  Titles: Friend of Wealth, divine treasurer.
  Aspects: Wealth.
  Affiliations: nauthiz, var.
  Symbol: a pile of coins.
  Priesthood: treasurers (priests); moneylenders 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: First marketdaeg of each month.
  Duties: accumulation of wealth.
  Sins: (minor) losing a gambling game, being caught 
  cheating while gambling, giving away money except to 
  the cult, failing to donate at least 50% of one’s income 
  to the cult; (major) being robbed, forging a credit note; 
  (mortal) falsifying accounts.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (gambling and 
  streetwise only).
  Powers: Charismatic aura, detect/conceal (relating 
  to treasure only), lock/unlock.
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping except nec-
  romantic.
  auðun is fixated with the accumulation of wealth. in 
  order to achieve his desires, he studied mercantile activi-
  referenCe table
  this table lists the major deities and the minor gods 
  affiliated with them.
  Dargar: Báleygr, ellanhere, Hildolfr, Hraezla, 
  sanngetall
  Eira: elli, ermunaz, gersemi, Harisa, Hrist, Kjalarr, 
  Kvara, Kvarsi, sviðrir
  Eostre Animalmother: Bolverk, ellanhere, epona, 
  Fjörgynn*, gullveig, skaði, veth
  Eostre Plantmother: Brúni, Fjörgynn*, gullveig, 
  Kara*, skogr, veth
  Ertha: Brú, Farmaguth, Fjörgynn*, Foldardróttann, 
  gerðr, Hagvirkr, Hrjóðr, landskjalpti
  Freo: atriðr, Brú, epona, eylúðr, Foldardróttann, 
  gangari, Hrafn
  Hela: Hraezla, thunn, vakr
  Hoenir: Bragi, Haptabeidr, Haptasnytrir, Hljóð, 
  Hrafn, Hropt, songr*, vör
  Hothar: Farmaguth, Farmr*, Forseti, Haptabeidr, 
  Jarngrímr, sanngetall, thekk*
  Kenaz: goðjaðarr, Hagvirkr, Kjalarr, suðri
  Maera: Hoárri
  Nauthiz: auðun, galfuleysi, Hljóð, tvíblindi, vör
  Neorthe: vegtam
  Niht: eitr*, Farmr*, Hefnd*, lasesmed, sváfnir, tví-
  blindi, vakr
  Norns: elli, viðarr
  Rigr: Bági-ulfs*, gerðr, Kvara, lasesmed, sváfnir, 
  syn, vafud, veth
  Scaetha: Biflindi, Boðgaeðir, syn, viðarr
  Sigel: Biflindi, Heimdallr
  Thrym: Hrjóðr, langbarðr, norðri
  Thunor: eylúðr, Haptsönir, Harðhugaðr*, suðri
  Tiw: atriðr, Boðgaeðir, earhclud, ermunaz, geirdri-
  ful, geirvaldr, goðjaðarr, Hildolfr, Kvarsi, sigðir*, 
  sigmundr, skaði, thekk*, vegtam
  Ullr: Bági-ulfs*, Bolverk, earhclud, gangari, skogr, 
  vafud
  Unknowable One: Fjallgeiguðr, galdraföðr, galfu-
  leysi, gizzur, Haptasnytrir, Hrist, skilfingr, songr*, 
  sviðrir, thrimðr
  Vali: Brúni, eitr*, gullveig, Haratt, Hefnd*, skilfingr
  Var: auðun, Forseti
  * See the free download Additional Minor Gods
  
  Minor goDs
  
  ties under var and gambling under nauthiz. as a result, 
  auðun is a skilled gambler, a shrewd businessman, and 
  is not above a little theft to increase his personal wealth. 
  Wherever there is an opportunity to make money, auðun 
  is never far away.
  auðun’s clergy normally operate out of var’s temples, 
  where a shrine is erected in a side room. auðun’s altars 
  comprise strongboxes with complex locks. the local high 
  priest holds the only key. in centers of trade, auðun may 
  actually have a small temple within the larger temple of 
  var. such sites are independent of var’s authority, operat-
  ing as separate businesses.
  despite their desire to gather wealth for their god, 
  auðun’s clergy are honest— auðun is not considered 
  a god of thievery, as evidenced by his spell list. Priests 
  operate as bankers, investment brokers, traders, accoun-
  tants, treasurers, and moneylenders. in return for their 
  services, they charge a fee. Paladins serve as the cult’s 
  muscle, reminding those who conveniently “forget” to 
  repay a loan to the cult that auðun needs his money. 
  since auðun places no restrictions beyond honesty on 
  how money is gained, many clerics who seek an adven-
  turing life find tomb robbing a profitable line of work.
  like those of var, clerics of auðun are expected to 
  keep detailed ledgers of their earnings and cult dona-
  tions. on a cleric’s death, auðun checks through the led-
  ger for discrepancies. those found guilty of withholding 
  monies are refused entrance into his hall. in the mortal 
  world, a cleric may be asked to hand his ledger over to 
  any senior cleric for inspection. Because death can strike 
  at any time, most clerics voluntarily submit their ledgers 
  every year to ensure their souls are not harshly judged 
  due to bookkeeping errors.
  on the first marketdaeg of each month the clergy must 
  add to their god’s vast treasure pile. coins, gems, and jew-
  elry are blessed and then destroyed, sending them from 
  the physical world to auðun’s treasury. auðun has no love 
  or use for art, weapons, or other material goods.
  Character Guidelines: since any income swells the 
  cult’s coffers, auðun’s clerics have great freedom in 
  their traits. gambling and streetwise (for selling goods) 
  are obvious ways to earn money with minimal effort. a 
  cleric could serve as a merchant, tomb raider, mercenary, 
  hero-for-hire, or even a crafter. of course, some of these 
  professions make less income than others, and thus are 
  not popular with the great majority of clergy. greedy is 
  a suitable Hindrance, but the desire for wealth does not 
  force the cleric to withhold monies from his god.
  báleygr
  Titles: lord of Pain, inducer of suffering, Baleful eye.
  Aspects: Pain.
  Affiliations: dargar.
  Symbol: a pierced heart.
  Priesthood: torturers (priests); Paindealers (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: life is pain, and all days are holy days.
  Duties: to cause pain and suffering.
  Sins: (minor) failure to inflict intense pain on a living 
  being once a week, admitting you are in pain, showing 
  pity or mercy; (major) failure to inflict intense pain on 
  a living being once a month; (mortal) failure to inflict 
  intense pain on a living being once a season.
  Signature Power: Confusion.
  Powers: Fatigue, knockdown, lower trait (no boost), 
  sluggish reflexes, stun, summon spirit (pain).
  Trappings: all trappings involve targets feeling pain.
  one of dargar’s lieutenants, Báleygr is infamous for 
  his love of inflicting and suffering pain. Báleygr’s heart is 
  so black and empty that only by enduring constant pain 
  can he be sure he is alive. His leather armor is made of 
  the flayed skins of his victims, with sharp bone studs that 
  press into his flesh. His mighty whip, soul Flayer, can 
  scourge the flesh of a god’s back with a single swipe. 
  Báleygr is a keen bidder in the Hall of echoing screams. 
  souls he purchases are dragged to his Fortress of endless 
  suffering, where they are mercilessly tortured in a variety 
  of ways for eternity.
  Báleygr is always depicted as having one normal eye 
  and one huge, swollen red eye. His name means Flame-
  eye, for it is said his gaze can cause intense pain in any 
  being. that the Fortress of endless suffering is bedecked 
  in mirrors perhaps comes as no great surprise.
  although allied with dargar, pain is not actually one 
  of dargar’s aspects. Because of this, Báleygr has his own 
  temples. all are well-concealed from the agents of the 
  good gods, especially eira’s clergy. most are dark and dank 
  dungeons, without windows or illumination, where the 
  air is laden with fear and the stench of excretions brought 
  about by the damned souls tortured here for the amuse-
  ment of the vile god. a very small few operate more openly 
  in brothels, where those who enjoy pain are catered for. 
  note that Báleygr has no interest in domination.
  Priests, normally the cerebral ones in other religions, 
  are adept torturers of the flesh. their skill in inducing 
  pain while being able to keep victims conscious and alive 
  is legendary. over-zealousness means any tyrant hiring 
  one as a torturer must keep him on a tight leash, for 
  acquiring information is not one of their strong points.
  Paladins, on the other hand, focus on spiritual pain 
  rather than physical pain. they are the callous souls who 
  torture and kill a man’s family before his eyes, but let 
  him live so he will endure the torment over and over 
  again. some like to gouge out the men’s eyes, so the last 
  vision burned into their brain is that of their ruined fam-
  ily. deviancies come in many forms, and clerics can earn 
  good money pandering to those for whom pain brings 
  feeling of gratification.
  clerics of vali sometimes hire Báleygr’s worshippers. 
  men are far easier to corrupt under intense and unyield-
  ing pain, for eventually even the strongest will offer 
  anything to cease their burden. Worshippers of eira are 
  the most favored victims for this unholy partnership, for 
  eira is anathema to both the god of corruption and the 
  god of pain.
  ceremonies to Báleygr always involve torture. some-
  times worshippers torture each other, and sometimes 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  0
  they torture innocent victims. the screams of the tortured 
  are like choral music to Báleygr, who waltzes in his castle 
  with his mistress, viðrímnar (“contrary screamer”), in 
  time to the unearthly screams of agony.
  His clergy are often drawn to battles, not as par-
  ticipants but as spectators, reveling in the wails of the 
  injured and dying. they have been known to plunder 
  battlefields not for treasure but for the dying, whose 
  agony they prolong before the soul is eventually allowed 
  to depart.
  Character Guidelines: given the masochistic tenden-
  cies of the clergy, taking nerves of steel is a no-brainer, as 
  it represents their desensitization to pain. intimidation 
  is used to torture people, so is considered their most 
  useful skill. mean is almost a must have Hindrance, for 
  showing pity or mercy is a sin.
  biflinDi
  Titles: scaetha’s Ward, scaetha’s shield, shield 
  shaker.
  Aspects: Protection against undead.
  Affiliations: scaetha, sigel.
  Symbol: a shield with a skull on the front.
  Priesthood: eulogist shields (priests); slayer shields 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every sunnandaeg. during Werremonan 
  these are high holy days. door shutting night (see page 
  30) is also a high holy day.
  Duties: to protect citizens against undead.
  Sins: (minor) allowing a cleric of scaetha to be 
  wounded by an undead, allowing a normal person to be 
  slain by an undead; (major) allowing a cleric of scaetha 
  to be incapacitated by an undead; (mortal) allowing a 
  cleric of scaetha to be slain by an undead.
  Signature Power: Warding (undead only).
  Powers: Arcane resistance, armor*, champion of the 
  faith, deflection*, heat mask, light, weaken undead.
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping except dark-
  ness or necromantic.
  Special: spells marked “*” only function against un-
  dead. against other foes, the spell has no effect, although 
  it remains maintained. sins involving failure to protect 
  a person apply only if the victim is within 5” of them at 
  the time.
  Whereas Kvara (goddess of bodyguards and younger 
  sister of scaetha) is eira’s shieldmaiden, Biflindi, Kvara’s 
  husband, serves scaetha, his sister-in-law. originally one 
  of sigel’s tiw-trained bodyguards, Biflindi was promoted 
  to scaetha bodyguard when she became a greater god-
  dess. scaetha, while undeniably devoted to her cause, 
  can be reckless and foolhardy, fearlessly forging ahead 
  regardless of the odds. Biflindi’s role is to keep her from 
  harm and remind her that sometimes a battle cannot be 
  won by strength of arms alone, and that retreating to 
  fight again another day is better than death. as clerics of 
  the faith are prone to repeat, “sometimes you must lose 
  a battle to win the war.”
  Biflindi is never depicted as an individual figure in 
  religious art—he is scaetha’s ever-present shield, and 
  thus always watching over her whenever scaetha is por-
  trayed. a quiet, humble, and unassuming god, mortals 
  erect no temples or shrines in his honor. When scaetha 
  is honored, Biflindi is honored by default.
  Priests and paladins both serve as bodyguards and 
  shield bearers to scaetha’s clergy and military command-
  ers dedicated to eradicating the undead. despite their 
  titles, priests are not forced to solely watch over priests, 
  and the same applies to paladins. in general, paladins 
  are simply more combat savvy and willing to enter the 
  thickest parts of battle to fulfill their oaths.
  like their god, clerics are solely focused on protect-
  ing against undead. For this reason, they very rarely 
  serve clerics of other gods, though they maintain good 
  relations and occasionally cooperate with those of sigel. 
  those not on adventuring duty protecting a cleric serve 
  as defenders in the forts surrounding the Withered lands 
  and in seithrby, on the borders with the liche lands of 
  old.
  like scaetha’s worshippers, Biflindi’s followers are a 
  mournful and sorrowful lot. dirges and death hymns are 
  sung on holy days in memory of those who have fallen to 
  undead. Biflindi’s clerics, like their patron, have vowed 
  never to celebrate victories until every last undead is 
  slain. until then, all victories are hollow.
  Character Guidelines: Biflindi’s clerics fill a niche 
  role, but one which adventuring parties focused against 
  undead will find very useful. clerics need a high Fighting 
  score in order to have a good Parry. 
  since Biflindi does not grant healing, clerics should 
  invest in the Healing skill. Block and shieldwall should 
  be taken at the earliest opportunity. Fleet-Footed is 
  advisable, as it allows the cleric to move rapidly across 
  the battlefield. Favored Foe (undead) increases Parry 
  further.
  boðgaeðir
  Titles: the Battle enhancer, He Who Words inspire, 
  morale raiser.
  Aspects: Battle enhancement.
  Affiliations: scaetha, tiw.
  Symbol: a battle horn.
  Priesthood: marshal of the Faith (priests); standard 
  Bearer (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Before any large-scale battle.
  Duties: to support armies in battle.
  Sins: (minor) being on the losing side of a skirmish, 
  being incapacitated in battle; (major) being on the losing 
  side of a mass battle, withholding support from allies; 
  (mortal) fleeing battle before it is lost.
  Signature Power: Gift of battle (priests) or warrior’s 
  gift (paladins).
  Powers: Battle song, bless/panic, boost trait (strength, 
  vigor, Fighting, Knowledge (Battle), riding, throwing, 
  and shooting only), gift of battle, smite, warrior’s gift.
  
  Minor goDs
  1
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping except dark-
  ness or necromantic.
  like most of the other war deities, Boðgaeðir came to 
  the forefront during the god War. although Boðgaeðir 
  was not the best warrior deity by any stretch of the 
  imagination, he had an innate gift for leadership and in-
  spiration. His charisma, booming voice, and willingness 
  to accompany the troops into battle turned many likely 
  defeats into glorious victories. While most closely linked 
  to scaetha and tiw, Boðgaeðir has served thunor in his 
  personal grudge against thrym.
  shrines exist in most temples to tiw. Boðgaeðir seeks 
  no personal glory for his deeds, and thus is not depicted 
  in art. His shrines typically comprise only a battle stan-
  dard emblazoned with a signal horn, both essential 
  tools on the battlefield. Both scaetha and tiw are some-
  times depicted carrying the standard, a clear indication 
  Boðgaeðir is serving beside them. soldiers of all faiths 
  pray to the god in the hope they will receive inspiration 
  in coming battles. attendant clerics are expected to give 
  morale boosting speeches before battle and to bless the 
  troops.
  Boðgaeðir’s priests and paladins differentiate them-
  selves based on their preferred roles in battle. Priests 
  generally serve as generals, distant from the action yet 
  no less effective in shaping the outcome. Paladins prefer 
  to be in the thick of the action, acting as unit command-
  ers or morale officers. neither is expected to be an elite 
  warrior, just a leader of men. While some serve a noble 
  or warlord as part of their retinue, most are mercenar-
  ies. the Knights Hrafn boasts many clerics of Boðgaeðir 
  among their ranks, and the organization is on good 
  terms with the cult.
  ceremonies take the form of battle hymns, chants, 
  and prayers. Whereas many clerics of tiw boast of their 
  prowess, those of Boðgaeðir are more humble. While 
  they know their talents are important, and may even turn 
  the tide of battle, it is the fighting men who deserve their 
  praise. thus, most songs are sung about others.
  Character Guidelines: leadership edges are very 
  useful to the clergy. Priests often favor those suitable for 
  mass battles, while paladins opt for those which aid tacti-
  cal skirmishes. Knowledge (Battle) is the most important 
  skill. While clerics may have good combat skills, it is not 
  required of them—they are not necessarily skilled war-
  riors, just skilled motivators. While those who prefer to 
  lead by example need good strength and vigor to survive 
  the rigors of battle, smarts and spirit are just as important 
  as these are requirements for many leadership edges.
  bolverK
  Titles: the raider, Wealth-Bringer, the celestial Bull, 
  Herd leader.
  Aspects: cattle raiding.
  Affiliations: eostre animalmother, ullr.
  Symbol: a bull’s head.
  Priesthood: Herders (priests); Bulls (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: none. ceremonies are held before and 
  after a cattle raid.
  Duties: to lead and participate in cattle raids, to in-
  crease the herd of one’s clan.
  Sins: (minor) failing to take part in a cattle raid once 
  a year, harming a defender on a cattle raid, killing a cow 
  for any reason; (major) taking part in an unauthorized 
  cattle raid, having a cow you own stolen by raiders or 
  monsters; (mortal) failure to steal a single cow on a cattle 
  raid you personally lead.
  Signature Power: Beast friend (cattle only).
  Powers: Barrier, entangle, farsight, invisibility, 
  speed, summon beast (cattle only).
  Trappings: any, except necromantic. most clerics 
  prefer trappings based on natural events or cattle as op-
  posed to showy effects.
  Bolverk is the son of ullr, god of hunting. unlike his 
  father, Bolverk has no interest in harming animals, not 
  even to provide sustenance. much to his grandmother 
  eostre’s delight, he is the patron of cattle raids. He is al-
  ways depicted as a muscular man, sometimes armed with 
  a lasso. He is often portrayed with a bull’s head, though 
  there is no standard convention on his exact appearance. 
  similarly, some statues show him accompanied by a dog, 
  known in myths as “Heel-nipper.”
  there are no temples to Bolverk in rassilon. shrines, 
  on the other hands, are common among clans who fa-
  vor cattle raiding as a means of increasing wealth. since 
  the local noble authorizes raids, the shrines are near-
  universally housed in his great hall. many bandits, who 
  survive by raiding herds, erect temporary shrines in their 
  camps. most shrines comprise a bull’s skull draped with 
  untreated cow hide.
  Bolverk’s clergy are very similar in their roles, as both 
  are expected to take part in raids at least once a year. in 
  most communities, the cleric is an advisor to the head-
  man, and likely works as a herder when not on official 
  business.
  traditionally, priests favor tactics and cunning spell 
  use to catch cattle, while the paladins refer to wrestle the 
  cows to the ground. Priests sometimes bless raiding par-
  ties without taking part, whereas paladins always try to 
  be the raid leader. in the event of defenders intercepting 
  the raiders, both types of clergy are prepared to run rath-
  er than fight. this is not to say they are cowardly; Bolverk 
  simply wishes no bloodshed during a cattle raid.
  in addition to stealing cattle, many clerics hire their 
  services to settlements as herd guardians. their spells 
  may be better suited to theft, but a barrier or entangle 
  spell is very effective as thwarting thieves, and summon 
  beast can be used to return lost animals to the herd. 
  While they have skills suitable for other types of raids, 
  clerics rarely participate in such activities.
  the clergy have just two ceremonies. the first is 
  held before any raid. those taking part in the raid wear 
  horned headdresses and leather hides, while the local 
  priest or paladin (it is a rare community that has more 
  than one of Bolverk’s clergy) dresses as a bull. He sum-
  mons the herd to his side with musical horns and deep, 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  lowing prayers. traditionally the ceremony takes place 
  outside, with the “cows” and “bull” moving through the 
  settlement. children, who are not permitted to take part 
  in cattle raids, may join the ceremony. they dress up as 
  calves and follow the “cows.” occasionally, a character in 
  a wolf skin attacks the herd. the “bull” then drives him 
  away in an act which represents Bolverk’s strength as the 
  celestial bull and honors his grandmother, eostre, the 
  protector of animals.
  after a successful raid, one cow is singled out for sac-
  rifice. this is normally the healthiest animal. choosing 
  the sickliest has been known to backfire, with cattle in 
  the settlement’s herd failing to produce milk or sick-
  ening. the sacrifice’s flesh is eaten by the raiders and 
  the local community, while its spirit is said to depart to 
  Bolverk’s personal herd. if the raid fails, the community 
  is still expected to honor Bolverk by sacrificing one of its 
  own cows.
  Character Guidelines: Bolverk’s clergy tend to be 
  strong and fit; chasing after cows is strenuous work. most 
  are also quite intelligent. notice and stealth are favored 
  skills, as they allow the raider to spot and sneak up on 
  herds. similarly, those who want to actually lead a herd 
  need to know how to command men. Hence, Knowledge 
  (Battle) is an important skill. (aside from generally being 
  short on combat skills, Bolverk’s clergy have all the abili-
  ties a good guerilla commander requires.) Fleet-Footed 
  is a favored edge, as running away is an important part 
  of any cattle raid.
  bragi
  Titles: gossiper of the gods, rumormonger, Whis-
  perer of secrets.
  Aspects: information gathering.
  Affiliations: Hoenir.
  Symbol: a pair of lips with a finger pressed to them.
  Priesthood: ears (priests); mouths (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: second marketdaeg of each month.
  Duties: to gather and spread gossip and rumors.
  Sins: (minor) not learning new gossip at least once 
  per month, spreading a rumor known to be completely 
  false; (major) starting a false rumor; (mortal) not passing 
  on gossip and rumor containing a kernel of truth within 
  a day of learning it, taking a vow of secrecy.
  Signature Power: Speak language.
  Powers: Altered senses, boost/lower trait (notice, Per-
  suasion, and streetwise only), charismatic aura, grave-
  speak, insight, voice on the wind, wandering senses.
  Trappings: none with any game mechanics. Bragi’s 
  trappings tend to be very low key.
  Bragi is said to be the offspring of a fleeting union 
  between two diametrically opposed gods, Hoenir, god 
  of knowledge, and niht, goddess of secrets. unlike his 
  father, Bragi has no interest in preserving or spreading 
  knowledge. similarly, he disdains his mother’s secretive 
  nature. instead, Bragi is a notorious gossip, interested 
  only in juicy rumors and interesting stories. to that end, 
  he spies on all the gods and sells 
  rumors he hears. that said, he never 
  passes on gossip he knows to be com-
  pletely false, nor does he ever start 
  false rumors.
  Bragi is always depicted as a youth-
  ful figure with a sly smile or mischie-
  vous grin. most statues depict him 
  with one hand cupped to an ear, as if 
  listening for any tasty tidbit of gossip.
  no temples to the god of informa-
  tion exist, and shrines are extremely 
  rare outside of temples to Hoenir and 
  niht. clerics of both Hoenir and niht 
  pay homage to him as god of informa-
  tion gathering, though for totally dif-
  ferent reasons. a typical shrine com-
  prises a small statuette and a ledger 
  or piece of parchment. in Hoenir’s 
  temples, 
  information 
  worshippers 
  have gleaned is inscribed in the tome, 
  to be copied and disseminated later. 
  niht’s followers write information 
  they have learned on a piece of parch-
  ment, which is burned immediately 
  after the writer has finished. the latter 
  allows clerics to “reveal” secrets they 
  have learned without staining their 
  soul by sinning.
  clerics of Bragi are rarely found 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  outside of major settlements, though small towns and 
  villages located on busy trade routes or which boast a 
  great market attract them, for where there are travelers 
  there is always gossip. Both priests and paladins are gen-
  erally considered untrustworthy, for anything they learn 
  may be passed to other parties and they refuse to take 
  oaths of secrecy.
  Priests often serve as information brokers, exchang-
  ing gossip for hard cash, though those who come to 
  them asking questions about important people may find 
  their inquiry has been passed on to the very person on 
  whom they seek information. Paladins are often hired 
  by important dignitaries to act as spies, though anyone 
  hiring a servant of Bragi must be mindful never to reveal 
  too much of their plans unless they want their enemies 
  tipped off. to that end, most people who use the clergy 
  act through intermediaries.
  neither type of clergy will ever knowingly pass on a 
  known falsehood, though clerics are under no compul-
  sion to discover if the rumor is true or false—sins only 
  occur when the rumor is definitely known to be a lie. to 
  that end, the clergy are excellent tools for disseminating 
  rumors those in power want to be circulated or spread-
  ing propaganda against rivals.
  the faith isn’t big on ceremony. rather than holding 
  formal gathering, clergy in the same area meet up on mar-
  ketdaeg to swap interesting stories in a local tavern or eat-
  ery. While many faiths close their doors to outsiders during 
  ceremonies, Bragi’s followers gladly invite non-followers 
  with stories to tell to join them. they are not beyond offer-
  ing to buy rounds of drinks for complete strangers in order 
  to help loosen tongues. most are very friendly with local 
  beggars as well as the servants of the rich and powerful, for 
  these lowly members of society see and hear much but are 
  often overlooked by their social betters.
  Character Guidelines: Bragi’s clergy tend to be 
  charismatic individuals, the sort of folk people open 
  up to, and attentive to detail. notice, Persuasion, and 
  especially streetwise are vital skills for learning gossip, 
  though many also value investigation. the charismatic 
  and investigator edges are useful for clerics, and taking 
  multiple connections edges never hurts. Big mouth is a 
  favored Hindrance for obvious reasons.
  brú
  Titles: He Who spans the void, He Who stands on 
  Both sides, Bridge-Builder, lord of crossing Places, en-
  emy of voids.
  Aspects: crossing obstacles.
  Affiliations: ertha, Freo.
  Symbol: an arch.
  Priesthood: Bridge Builder (priests); void crosser 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any day a cleric helps construct a per-
  manent bridge or other means of crossing a void is a 
  personal holy day.
  Duties: to help others cross voids, to protect bridges.
  Sins: (minor) falling into a void, not using a bridge 
  when one is present, not clearing a barrier across a 
  bridge; (major) blocking access across a bridge, damag-
  ing a permanent bridge or equivalent, causing any crea-
  ture to fall into a void; (mortal) destroying a permanent 
  bridge or equivalent.
  Signature Power: Leaping.
  Powers: Boost trait (agility, strength, throwing, and 
  swimming only; no lower), bridge, fly, teleport, wall 
  walker, water walk.
  Trappings: clerics can choose any trapping except 
  necromantic. many favor earth trappings.
  one day, Freo came back from one of his long walks 
  in a terrible mood. He complained that he could walk 
  no further, for a great void lay in his path. intrigued by 
  what could stop the god of travel, they assembled at the 
  edge of the great chasm. after much debate, it was de-
  cided that gerðr (p. 77) would construct a wall around 
  godsheim so Freo would not gaze upon the void and 
  become despondent.
  as gerðr worked, Brú, one of her apprentices, sud-
  denly hit upon an idea. as his mistress raised her wall 
  vertically, Brú began constructing a horizontal wall. 
  eventually his construction spanned the mighty gap, al-
  lowing him to cross where Freo could not. Jubilant at 
  being able to explore new realms, Freo made Brú the 
  god of bridges. the pair traveled together for long ages, 
  together coming up with many new walls to cross voids.
  every permanent bridge is a shrine to Brú. out of tra-
  dition, the first and last stones laid down are inscribed 
  with his holy symbol. doing so is said to ensure the 
  bridge will be strong. the god has a solitary temple. the 
  small structure stands in a small village near to three 
  Way Bridge in aspiria, whose inhabitants’ sole occupa-
  tion is maintaining the important crossing.
  Priests often stay within a given realm, where they 
  serve the lord by maintaining existing bridges. Paladins 
  are possessed of Freo’s wanderlust. they travel far and 
  wide, helping to maintain bridges in unclaimed lands 
  and creating them for adventuring parties and clerics of 
  Freo, who rarely stick to well-trodden roads.
  While no cleric would ever construct a permanent 
  barrier across a bridge, they have no problem with toll-
  houses. Bridges are not cheap to construct or maintain, 
  and tolls are seen as a form of religious tax.
  true ceremonies occur only at the start and end of 
  a permanent bridge construction. out of tradition, cler-
  ics of Brú, assuming any are present, have the honor of 
  inscribing and laying the first and last stones. this is ac-
  companied by much singing and praying. lesser ceremo-
  nies are held if the cleric helps work on a bridge already 
  under construction.
  Character Guidelines: as useful as one’s miracles 
  are for crossing gaps and voids, climbing remains a very 
  important skill. notice is handy for avoiding pesky pit 
  traps, swimming for crossing watercourses, and throw-
  ing for tossing ropes over gaps. For attributes, agility 
  allows one to cross tightropes, while a good strength is 
  essential for jumping small gaps.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  brúni
  Titles: dung-collector, lord of Filth.
  Aspects: dung.
  Affiliations: eostre Plantmother, vali.
  Symbol: a bucket.
  Priesthood: soil-collectors (priests); soil-spreaders 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every raestdaeg.
  Duties: to gather and sell manure.
  Sins: (minor) passing a dung pile without adding to 
  it, abusing a dung collector; (major) depositing manure 
  in a sewer, failing to go to toilet once a day; (mortal) 
  suffering constipation.
  Signature Power: Stun.
  Powers: Barrier, beast friend (fly swarms only), bolt, 
  disease, fatigue.
  Trappings: all trappings involve dung and are non-
  lethal.
  Brúni is a lowly deity, oft overlooked by mortals and 
  the other deities. it is his responsibility to gather dung, 
  whether from the gods or their animals. each morning 
  he visits all the gods’ halls to collect night soil and cleans 
  out their stables. much of his gatherings he sells to eo-
  stre Plantmother for use on the fields, but some he sells 
  to vali, who pays well for the filthy substance. given his 
  lowly position and constant odor, he is largely ignored 
  by the others gods.
  as befits his status, Brúni has no temples or specific 
  shrines, and is never depicted in religious art. any bucket 
  used to collect manure or manure heap serves as a shrine 
  (though rarely do worshippers actually pray at buckets). 
  Hence, virtually every house contains a shrine to Brúni. 
  His few worshippers are night-soil collectors and dung 
  collectors, among the lowest members of society.
  Brúni’s clerics, despite possessing miraculous pow-
  ers, are most often manure collectors, and as such rank 
  very low in the social system. Priests and paladins collect 
  dung from houses and stables, and sell it to farmers. in 
  the Winterlands, animal dung is dried and sold as fuel. 
  the clergy expect to be ignored by society in general, 
  though deep down they know they fulfill a vital role. a 
  few hardliners, and they do exist, consider the handful of 
  sewer systems in the continent to be an affront to their 
  god and have taken to sabotaging them.
  clerics who also honor vali favor the dung for its dis-
  ease-carrying properties. rather than selling it, they use 
  it to spread sickness, such as by poisoning water supplies 
  or throwing it at people.
  each raestdaeg (which occurs but once a month, 
  remember) Brúni’s clergy change their clothes and 
  wash, although it never completely cleanses the perva-
  sive stench. contrary to popular jokes, they do not roll 
  around in dung, fling it at each other, or dance around 
  steaming piles of manure, at least not while sober.
  Character Guidelines: messing around with dung 
  all day is smelly work. the outsider Hindrance can 
  represent both the constant odor of manure that hangs 
  around the character and his extremely low social status. 
  edges such as noble and rich are best avoided. vigor is 
  an important attribute, if only for fending off disease. 
  rated among the lowest of the low socially, clerics of 
  Brúni are likely to be treated as inferiors by many nPcs. 
  even as clerics, they are not likely to be invited to feasts 
  or attend lords, except in servile positions. However, this 
  can serve to their advantage, for the lower one’s social 
  status the more likely they are to be overlooked. Hence, 
  streetwise can be a useful skill for eavesdropping.
  earhCluD
  Titles: ullr’s Bow, divine archer, celestial marksman, 
  He Who Kills at range.
  Aspects: archery.
  Affiliations: tiw, ullr.
  Symbol: an arrow.
  Priesthood: master Bowyers (priests); master archers 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any battle before a battle. archery day is 
  a high holy day. although it does not involve marksman-
  ship, arrow Hunt day is a high holy day for hunters.
  Duties: to use archery to defeat foes.
  Sins: (minor) using a ranged weapon other than a 
  bow for more than one round during a combat, training 
  someone in the use of any weapon except the bow; (ma-
  jor) using a weapon other than a bow for the majority of 
  a battle; (mortal) ignoring a community’s call to arms.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (notice, shoot-
  ing*, stealth).
  Powers: Aim*, blast, deflection, prolonged blast, 
  smite*, weapon immunity (arrows only).
  Trappings: all trappings relate to arrows.
  Special: spells marked “*” only function when cast 
  on or using bows or crossbows, and their ammunition. 
  clerics of earhclud may take the armor Piercing shot 
  (see Hellfrost: Rassilon Expansion 2) and double shot 
  edges, ignoring the elf racial requirement.
  While wandering godsheim in search of something 
  to beat up, tiw came across ullr practicing with his bow. 
  as proud and boastful as ever, the war god mocked ullr’s 
  weapon, hewing down a mighty tree in a single blow to 
  prove the worthiness of his sword. ullr protested, claim-
  ing that his bow allowed him to kill at range, something 
  tiw’s sword could not do. tiw laughed loudly, and 
  mocked ullr, for his weapon was only good for killing 
  rabbits, not armored warriors.
  so it was the gods made a wager. capturing a frost 
  giant, they promised the creature its freedom if it could 
  escape their weapons. Fully aware of tiw’s prowess, the 
  giant quickly fled, tiw in hot pursuit, cursing loudly. 
  Finally controlling his laughter, ullr drew his bow, took 
  aim, and felled the giant with a single shot.
  as much as it pained him to admit any form of defeat, 
  tiw conceded that perhaps the bow did have some ben-
  efits over the sword. tiw demanded that ullr teach him 
  archery, as he wished to add it to his combat prowess. 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  ullr had other duties, but he nominated one of his hunt-
  ers, earhclud (“arrow-cloud”) to teach the god of war.
  after receiving adequate training, tiw promoted 
  earhclud to commander of his new archery companies, 
  elevating him to the status of minor deity.
  like most minor deities, earhclud has no temples in 
  his honor. shrines are found within many temples of 
  tiw and most of ullr’s, as well as outside the barracks of 
  archery companies and in hunting communities. some 
  shrines are elaborately carved statues of stone or wood 
  arrows of great size. lesser ones might be a bundle of 
  actual arrows, or simply an arrow shape rune etched into 
  wood or stone. When shown in art as an individual, he 
  takes the form of a member of the dominant local race, 
  lightly armored, and carrying a bow. usually there is a 
  notched arrow, indicating he is always ready to fire. most 
  often he appears alongside one of the major gods he is 
  affiliated with, taking the form of a bow and quiver.
  although saxa use bows in hunting and warfare, he 
  has more worship among anari, who field companies of 
  archers. His most devoted servants are Finnar, for among 
  the nomads archery is an essential skill (and hunters and 
  warriors are one and the same), although both species of 
  elves are close behind.
  Priests generally serve as archery instructors, bowyers, 
  and fletchers, ensuring archers are properly trained and 
  equipped. Paladins are full-time archers, serving in armies 
  or militias, working as hunters, and hiring themselves as 
  mercenaries. although ullr has little to do with horses, 
  tiw is also the major god of cavalry. earhclud cares little 
  whether his followers fight on foot or mounted.
  Prayers to earhclud are never spoken. rather, they 
  are inscribed on arrows, which are then fired high into 
  the air. if the arrow lands without breaking, earhclud ha 
  heard the prayers and will respond favorably. a broken 
  arrow indicates the god’s displeasure.
  Character Guidelines: shooting is a cleric’s most 
  important skill. notice and stealth are also useful, espe-
  cially for snipers. marksman is the quintessential edge, 
  followed closely by armor Piercing shot, double shot, 
  and mighty shot. clerics who wish to be mounted ar-
  chers need a few dice in riding and the steady Hands 
  edge. dead shot can be very powerful, but it is best 
  combined with level Headed.
  dodge is the best deterrent against enemy missile 
  troops. although nothing prevents the cleric being a 
  capable melee combatant as well, it is definitely not his 
  focus (and may be sinful). consider Fleet-Footed as both 
  a means of keeping distance between yourself and your 
  foes and quickly closing the gap to short range.
  ellanhere
  Titles: Pack mother, she-Wolf, dargar’s Bitch.
  Aspects: canines.
  Affiliations: dargar, eostre animalmother
  Symbol: Wolf’s head facing head on.
  Priesthood: Pack lords (priests); Pack Brothers/sis-
  ters (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Fulmonan of Wulfmonan.
  Duties: to serve your community and lord. to aid 
  those in need.
  Sins: (minor) accidentally harming a canine, allowing 
  a canine to be mistreated (does not apply to her dargar 
  followers), not owning a canine, petting or feeding a cat; 
  (major) owning a cat, willfully harming a canine except 
  in self-defense; (mortal) willfully killing a canine except 
  in self-defense.
  Signature Power: Beast friend (canines only).
  Powers: Fear, knockdown, shape change (canines 
  only), speed, smite, summon beast (canines only), wil-
  derness step.
  Trappings: trappings always relate to canines. Fear, 
  for instance, might involve the cleric howling or conjur-
  ing a ghastly spectral hound, while knockdown may be 
  represented by an illusory wolf leaping at victims.
  ellanhere is patron of domesticated dogs and wild 
  canines, including wolves and dire wolves. she is thus 
  both tame and feral, obedient servant and cruel killer. 
  she has little authority over supernatural breeds, such as 
  Fenris and varcolac wolves or moon dogs, though they 
  respect her position as mother of lesser canines.
  according to many legends she is the daughter of dar-
  gar and eostre, though this is highly disputed. clerics of 
  eostre claim she is the spirit of eostre’s first dog, granted 
  divine status for her loyalty and obedience. in that faith, 
  she is the mother of all canines. the cult of dargar says 
  she was a wolf cub to granted their god by eostre in the 
  vain hope that tending to it would calm his unruly nature. 
  dargar was so impressed by ellanhere’s vicious nature 
  that he elevated her to godhood during the god War.
  she is rarely depicted in humanoid form in art. rather, 
  she takes the form of a she-wolf that slinks around eostre 
  or dargar’s legs or, more rarely, a wolfskin cloak worn by 
  either deity.
  similarly, she has no temple, but shrines to her exist 
  in most temples to eostre animalmother and dargar. of-
  ten they are little more than a wolfskin or a wolf’s skull, 
  though more elaborate ones may have a carved image.
  many priests act as veterinarians specializing in ca-
  nines. typically they serve a community or nobleman, 
  tending the war dogs, as well as regular domestic breeds. 
  others serve as master of the hounds for nobles who 
  hunt with dogs. they will not, however, participate in 
  the hunting of wolves. among orc tribes that keep wolves 
  (and dire wolves), priests are responsible for ensuring 
  the wolves are trained and kept in top condition.
  Paladins are warriors. like canines, they are expected 
  to serve a community or lord loyally, either as a frontline 
  fighter or a trusted bodyguard. among orcs they serve as 
  cavalry commanders as well as bodyguards.
  However, lone wolves that come to the aid of those 
  in need are common in stories, and clerics of ellanhere 
  may adopt that role. many take this road until they find 
  a lord worthy of their service. others have served a lord, 
  but, like a faithful hound, have vowed to take no other 
  master after his death.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  the phrase being “top dog” means being a leader. 
  clerics of ellanhere cannot help but jostle for position 
  when they gather in any strength. most often juniors 
  stretch their neck upward and arms outward before 
  renowned peers, accepting their status as lesser mem-
  bers of ellanhere’s mortal pack. When one refuses to 
  acknowledge another’s position, they must decide who 
  outranks the other. While violence sometimes occurs, 
  most often they growl and stare at each other in a contest 
  of intimidation.
  among the cult of dargar, clerics are feral creatures, 
  heavily devoted to wolf-like behavior. Pecking order 
  within their ranks always involves contests to the death, 
  for dargar does not accept weaklings who bow without 
  first testing their opponent’s strength.
  religious ceremonies vary, but there is always a hunt. 
  typically, clerics dress in wolfskins and hunt either a real 
  animal or someone dressed in a deerskin cloak. real ani-
  mals are eaten raw. all hymns and prayers take the form 
  of howls. it is considered a good omen if local hounds 
  or wolves join in the chorus, for it means ellanhere has 
  heard the prayers and is pleased. Hearing a cat yowl dur-
  ing a ritual is a bad omen for the future.
  Character Guidelines: While paladins need decent 
  combat skills, priests need very little save for a few dice 
  in Healing. intimidation is handy, since it enables one to 
  dominate others without resorting to violence, behavior 
  not uncommon in canines.
  the Beast master and Beast Bond edges are solid 
  choices, since together they provide a 
  faithful hound or wolf the cleric can 
  support with bennies.
  elli
  Titles: the crone, Keeper of 
  years, she Who has seen it all Before, 
  death’s daughter.
  Aspects: old age.
  Affiliations: eira, the norns.
  Symbol: a walking stick.
  Priesthood: elder voice (priests); 
  elder Hand (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: the cleric’s Fate day 
  (p. 29) is a personal high holy day. 
  clerics are also expected to officiate at 
  the funerals of those who die of old 
  age.
  Duties: to tend for the elderly, to 
  show that old age is no barrier to suc-
  cess.
  Sins: (minor) not assisting an 
  elderly civilized being when asked, 
  mocking, intimidating, or taunting 
  an elderly civilized being, failing to 
  destroy an undead more powerful 
  than you; (major) failing to destroy 
  an undead weaker than you, harming 
  an elderly civilized being except in self-defense; (mortal) 
  killing an elderly civilized being except in self-defense, 
  assisting an elderly person in committing suicide.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (boost affects 
  Knowledge skills only).
  Powers: Confusion, fatigue, hamper movement, pre-
  cognition, sluggish reflexes, stun.
  Trappings: trappings relate to old age. typically this 
  means temporarily aging the target (even as a side-effect 
  of boost trait). Precognition can be seen as the cleric 
  having witnessed similar a situation before, thus know-
  ing how best to act.
  Special: For the purposes of sins, elderly is defined 
  as any creature of 60+ years (or equivalent) or with the 
  elderly Hindrance, irrespective of its true age. clerics 
  who begin play with the elderly Hindrance may spend 
  their five bonus skill points on Faith. the skill remains 
  linked to spirit, however. clerics cannot take the young 
  Hindrance.
  While most people speak of the norns as three god-
  desses, there are in fact many weird sisters. scaetha’s 
  heralds, for instance, who collect the souls of the dead, 
  are actually lesser norns. those who know the deeper 
  truth understand that while urd, verdandi, and skuld 
  weave the threads of life, it is the lesser norns, some 
  of whom are good and some of whom are wicked, who 
  decided an individual’s fate.
  elli is a daughter of skuld, the eldest of the three great 
  norns. she has two fathers—death and time. Before her 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  birth death and time were separate entities, neither with 
  the power to affect the other. it is elli who determines 
  how old age will affect a mortal, though it is not she who 
  ends life. that duty falls to death (p. 30). it is for the lat-
  ter reason clerics’ miracles do not deliver lethal damage 
  and why harming the elderly is a sin.
  given the confusion over exactly how many norns 
  there truly are, elli is often mistaken for skuld. she is 
  commonly depicted as a crone clutching a sharp knife. 
  the clerics of the norns know better. When they depict 
  her she is a long, frayed thread clutched in skuld’s 
  left hand. like the norns, elli has neither shrines nor 
  temples.
  Priests typically serve as nursemaids to the elderly. 
  their duties are far from glamorous. While the elderly 
  are sometimes seen as a drain on resources, they have 
  lived long years and have seen and heard much. as cler-
  ics of elli are fond of reminding those who would mock 
  their elders, arrogance is the child of youth, wisdom the 
  child of years. it is not unusual for the elderly to be ac-
  corded respectful titles, such as elder or grandmother 
  (regardless of familial bonds).
  While the cult has no ties to scaetha, paladins fight 
  against the undead, creatures over which elli has no 
  authority. they have little concern with demons and el-
  ementals, who like the gods will one day die of old age, 
  nor with golems, whom time weathers, albeit at a much 
  reduced rate.
  the sin of “assisting an elderly person in committing 
  suicide” has much leeway. a bed-ridden crone who wants 
  to die cannot be helped—elli has no control over when 
  death awakens. on the other hand, an elderly warrior 
  who wants to die in battle can be helped into his armor 
  or escorted to a foe he knows will kill him without incur-
  ring any sin. the latter’s fate, while likely to result in 
  his death, is not guaranteed, and the cleric will not be 
  directly instrumental in his demise.
  clerics hold few special rituals—serving their deity 
  is worship enough. special prayers are spoken over the 
  corpses of those who die of old age.
  Character Guidelines: unless he takes the elderly 
  Hindrance and wants others to know what pains and re-
  strictions old age can bring, the cult is unlikely to appeal 
  to most players. 
  Beyond the requirement to slay undead (handled by 
  good spirits and Fighting and taking Favored Foe (un-
  dead), the cult’s activities require no specific traits or 
  edges. Healing and Hedge magic are useful (the elderly 
  tend to have poorer vigor), but almost any cleric can 
  benefit from taking these.
  epona
  Titles: mistress of Horses, the mounted lady.
  Aspects: Horses (includes mules and ponies).
  Affiliations: eostre animalmother, Freo.
  Symbol: a stylized white horse.
  Priesthood: mares (priests); stallions (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: ceremonies are held every marketdaeg. 
  saddle day (see page 20) is a high holy day.
  Duties: to protect, breed, and tame horses.
  Sins: (minor) injuring a horse, overburdening a 
  horse, riding a mount other than a horse, walking when 
  you have a horse to hand; (major) willfully harming a 
  horse, eating horse flesh; (mortal) willfully killing a horse 
  (except to put it down).
  Signature Power: Beast friend (horses, mules, and 
  ponies only).
  Powers: Armor*, boost/lower trait (Fighting and 
  riding only), healing*, leaping*, shape change (horses, 
  mules, and ponies only), speed*, succor, summon beast 
  (horses, mules, and ponies only), weapon immunity*, 
  wilderness step*.
  * The spell only affects horses, mules, and ponies.
  Trappings: clerics rarely have showy effects. many 
  of their spells work simply by whispering to the target 
  animal.
  Special: a disciple of eostre animalmother who also 
  worships epona may take an elven horse as an animal 
  companion.
  regardless of what the saxa of eastern veermark 
  claim, epona is a recent addition to the pantheon, ap-
  pearing only around a thousand years ago. Knowledge 
  of her faith was brought to rassilon by the anari from 
  lands they had conquered lands far to the west, across 
  the storm-wracked ocean. this fact has long been forgot-
  ten, and epona is now regarded as having always been 
  part of the pantheon.
  in anari-dominated rassilon her faith was quickly as-
  sociated with that of eostre animalmother, while in veer-
  mark it was tied to that of Freo. all but forgotten outside 
  veermark after the dual horrors of the liche-Priest and 
  the Blizzard War, when the peoples of rassilon prayed 
  to the greater gods at the near-exclusion of all other, the 
  faith has undergone something of a revival in recent cen-
  turies. Worship remains extremely patchy, though.
  the horse tribes of veermark have always worshipped 
  Freo in the guide of a horse. during the anari inva-
  sion of the marklands refugees brought knowledge of 
  epona’s faith with them. the saxa of veermark worship 
  her as Freo’s wife. in their unusual mythology, she was 
  kidnapped by an unnamed outsider deity, who took her 
  across the western ocean. after a lengthy quest, Freo 
  tracked her down and freed her.
  the anari and the saxa of nordmark, both of whom 
  use cavalry in combat, have begun to honor to a larger 
  degree, though they favor a more militant approach. it is 
  widely believed tiw’s clerics among the anari will adopt 
  her into their faith as soon as they can agree dogma. the 
  elves, who breed marvelous horses, widely adopted her 
  faith as part of eostre’s religion. elsewhere she remains 
  virtually unknown.
  the goddess is never depicted in human form, but is 
  instead always shown as a mare, tall, strong, and proud. 
  the only known temple to her stands in veergarth. 
  rather than being an imposing edifice of stone or wood, 
  it is housed inside a tent made of woven horsehair. the 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  queen of the horse lords is considered her high priest-
  ess (at least in veermark), regardless of whether or not 
  the monarch is actually a cleric. elsewhere, shrines are 
  found only rarely in stables and cavalry barracks.
  Priests tend to operate as veterinarians, tamers, breed-
  ers, and sellers of horses. some priests serve in armies, 
  tending the horses and ensuring they are well treated. 
  Priests and paladins have been known to raid mines and 
  liberate abused ponies.
  Paladins are mounted soldiers, something of a rarity 
  in many realms. as well as serving in the armies of the 
  magocracy, aspiria, and chalcis, and more recently in 
  nordmark, many command independent mercenary cav-
  alry detachments. the Knights Hrafn are keen to recruit 
  these unusual clerics into their ranks. Both branches are 
  firmly against the eating of horseflesh, considered some-
  thing of a delicacy in parts of rassilon.
  as noted above, most worship of epona occurs in 
  eastern veermark. on holy days clerics drink fermented 
  mare’s milk and wear special headdresses made of 
  horsehair. on the first day of spring, a ceremony marking 
  epona’s return to the pantheon is held. the king assumes 
  the guise of Freo and dons a plumed helmet of brown 
  horsehair. He then scours the capital for his queen, who 
  is clad in a white and represents epona, who has been 
  hidden by her huscarls. once she is located, a massive 
  feast is held for honored guests (common citizens mark 
  the occasion with their own feasts).
  the king of veermark rides a jet black stallion and his 
  wife a pure white mare. these are sacred animals, be-
  lieved to house the spirit of Freo and epona respectively. 
  When a black male foal or female white foal is born, a 
  feast is held to mark the rebirth of the gods. once these 
  reach maturity, the current stallion and mare are ritually 
  sacrificed to ensure their spirits return to the heavens. 
  the beasts’ hearts are cooked and served to the mon-
  archs, who by eating them imbue a portion of the gods’ 
  spirit and gain their strength. this is the only time horse-
  flesh is eaten in veermark (it’s a capital offense).
  Character Guidelines: all clerics are expected to be 
  highly proficient in horsemanship. Paladins need a high 
  skill to help offset the rules on fighting while mounted. 
  mounted archers are extremely rare in rassilon, but if 
  anyone is going to shine in the art it is epona’s clerics. 
  steady Hands is a very important edge. Paladins who 
  want to command cavalry regiments should invest in 
  Knowledge (Battle) and leadership edges. Priests need 
  to invest in Healing as part of their role as veterinarians.
  erMunaz
  Titles: the Weaponless god, the empty Hand of tiw, 
  the clenched Fist of tiw.
  Aspects: unarmed combat.
  Affiliations: eira, tiw.
  Symbol: a clenched fist.
  Priesthood: empty Hands (priests); clenched Fists 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: victory day (p. 34) is a high holy day.
  Duties: to fight using only one’s bare hands.
  Sins: (minor) wielding a weapon in combat for more 
  than one round; (major) injuring a person or creature 
  using a weapon other than one’s bare hands; (mortal) 
  defeating a person or creature using a weapon other 
  than one’s bare hands.
  Signature Power: Smite*
  Powers: Armor*, bladebreaker, boost/lower trait* 
  (strength, spirit, vigor, and Fighting only), deflection*, 
  quickness*, warrior’s gift*.
  Trappings: any, except necromantic. none may have a 
  trapping that inflicts lethal damage. most have no visible 
  component. For instance, deflection represents parrying 
  and avoiding blows rather than some mystical effect, and 
  smite is merely a focused punch.
  Special: clerics cannot cast spells if holding a weapon 
  in their hands. spells marked “*” only function on un-
  armed targets (they may carry weapons on their person, 
  but not in their hands). if the target picks up a weapon, 
  the spell’s effect is temporarily negated, though it still 
  counts as being maintained. clerics may learn the martial 
  arts, improved martial arts, and martial arts master edges, 
  and may bestow them on others using warrior’s gift.
  By the end of the god War, tiw had, he boasted, mas-
  tered all melee and ranged weapons. the unknowable 
  one, though, knew a fighting technique tiw had over-
  looked in his arrogance. as tiw proved his prowess by 
  hacking down trees with his axe, the unknowable one 
  shoved a scrawny young god before the deity of war and 
  claimed he could defeat tiw without any weapons.
  tiw laughed, for such a notion was nonsensical, and 
  turned his back on his peer. undeterred, the unknow-
  able one issued a challenge—if tiw lost, he would mas-
  ter the new fighting style and add it to his repertoire, but 
  if he won, the unknowable one would cease performing 
  pranks for eternity.
  arrogance cost tiw the fight, for he teased and taunted 
  his unarmed opponent rather than moving in for the kill. 
  quickly disarmed, tiw was subjected to a flurry of dis-
  orienting slaps, hard punches, and thunderous hooks. 
  Having no skill at brawling, tiw was soundly thrashed. 
  impressed, he fulfilled the terms of the duel, appointing 
  his rival, ermunaz (whose name means “strong”), as the 
  minor god of unarmed combat.
  although harming any creature was a sin in her eyes, 
  eira also learned unarmed combat, for she disdained 
  weapons and her huscarls could defeat opponents with-
  out shedding blood.
  as an affiliated minor deity of tiw, ermunaz is auto-
  matically honored at all temples of the war god. one or 
  two temples honor him as the chief aspect of tiw, and a 
  handful of shrines stand in communities with a strong 
  association of glíma wrestling and boxing. temples of 
  eira may boast shrine in his honor. no weapons are per-
  mitted in these holy sites. ermunaz takes the form of tiw 
  when depicted in art or statuary, his identity evident by 
  his balled fists and total lack of weaponry.
  although many clerics of tiw and his sub-cults look 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  down on those of ermunaz, none can doubt their ef-
  fectiveness in combat. Priests tend to be tied to a com-
  munity, temple, or cleric of eira, acting as a defender 
  and bodyguard. unsurprisingly, many are local wrestling 
  and boxing champions. Paladins favor an itinerant life, 
  looking for challenges to solve using their fists. due to 
  their refusal to wield weapons, the cult has a strained 
  relationship with the cult of ertha.
  ceremonies involve performing ritualistic combat 
  moves, akin to shadow boxing. Breaking objects using 
  one’s bare hands is also commonplace, and serves both 
  as a display of their strength and a means to harden 
  their fists. When clerics gather in any numbers, combat 
  naturally ensues, the clergy brawling and grappling to 
  establish seniority and appease their deity.
  Character Guidelines: despite their lack of weap-
  ons, clerics consider themselves warriors on an equal 
  footing with any other. Without the benefit of a melee 
  weapon, good strength is vital for dealing damage. 
  clergy may wear armor and carry a shield (though using 
  one offensively is a sin), but a high vigor is still recom-
  mended. Brawler and Bruiser are core edges, and as the 
  only characters able to take the martial arts edge, they 
  are advised to do so as quickly as possible.
  eylúðr
  Titles: Herald of the gods, sky growler, twice-
  voiced.
  Aspects: Heralds.
  Affiliations: Freo, thunor.
  Symbol: a lightning bolt over a dark cloud.
  Priesthood: thunderbrothers/sisters (priests); light-
  ningbrothers/sisters (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any day there is a thunderstorm.
  Duties: to serve as a herald.
  Sins: (minor) whispering, speaking or acting in a 
  manner unbefitting a herald; (major) injuring a herald, 
  overstepping the bounds of your station or orders; (mor-
  tal) killing a herald.
  Signature Power: Speak language.
  Powers (Priests only): Bolt, boost/lower trait 
  (Knowledge (Heraldry), Persuasion, and riding only), 
  energy immunity (sound only), knockdown, stun, voice 
  on the wind, wilderness step.
  Powers (Paladins only): Aura, bolt, boost/lower 
  trait (Knowledge (Heraldry), intimidation, and riding 
  only), energy immunity (electricity only), smite, stun, 
  wilderness step.
  Trappings: Priests must have a sound trapping—the 
  crash of thunder. Paladins use an electricity trapping.
  Special: Heralds are not freelancers. Hence, all cler-
  ics must have the orders Hindrance to represent their 
  master. this may be a noble or social equivalent, one 
  specific temple, or an influential organization. Picking a 
  fellow player character as patron is permissible, but the 
  cleric is duty-bound to follow that hero’s orders in mat-
  ters of diplomacy and social interaction.
  eylúðr, son of thunor, is chief herald of the gods. He 
  has two distinct personalities and appearances. one is a 
  large, bearded man with dark hair and eyes, well-muscled 
  of body like a warrior yet with kind eyes. He speaks in a 
  deep voice, which rolls and booms like thunder. although 
  loud of voice and menacing of appearance, this is actu-
  ally his more benevolent side and has a jovial nature. the 
  other is a fierce warrior, clean-shaven, with white hair, 
  grim visage, and piercing eyes. He speaks in a voice that 
  crackles like lightning. these aspects are known as eylúðr 
  thundersunu and eylúðr lightningsunu, respectively.
  since the Blizzard War, eylúðr has served thunor in 
  his rows with thrym and scaetha in her war against Hela. 
  With these duties taking up much of his time, the other 
  gods must rely on their own heralds. eylúðr makes his 
  presence felt not in raging storms (the domain of his 
  father), but in shorter thunderstorms, for although he is 
  a herald he is a god of few words.
  the key difference between a herald and messenger 
  is that while anyone can hire a messenger, a herald 
  only ever serves a noble or the same social equivalent. 
  Hence, clerics of eylúðr can be found working for the 
  arkhwisards and maegisters of the convocation and im-
  portant temples, as well as influential guilds. messengers 
  can also be attacked freely, whereas a herald is, in theory, 
  due the same courtesy and protection as his lord. a her-
  ald also speaks with the authority of his lord, whereas a 
  messenger lacks that power.
  shrines are found in most noble halls, and often a 
  room is set aside specifically to house the shrine. under 
  the ancient laws, visiting heralds, whether from friend 
  or foe, are given quarters here. some lords stretch the 
  bounds of hospitality by maintaining two rooms. one, 
  inside the hall, is warm and well-appointed. a lesser 
  shrine, for heralds of foes, is located outside the main 
  hall, and is usually little more than a leaky shack with 
  basic furnishing and a charcoal brazier.
  like their god, priests and paladins fill different roles, 
  though both are heralds. Priests serve their lord’s imme-
  diate territory, spreading proclamations issued by their 
  master. they also deal with friendly neighbors, acting 
  as diplomats and messengers. Paladins serve outlying 
  communities, which may be separated by many miles 
  of bandit-infested country, and perform diplomatic ser-
  vices with nations considered unfriendly or undertake 
  lengthier journeys through foreign lands.
  although linked with Freo, clerics most favor rites 
  more akin to those of thunor, for eylúðr was a son of 
  the storm god long before he became a herald. ceremo-
  nies involve drums and horns for priests and cymbals for 
  paladins, and lots of shouting.
  Character Guidelines: Heralds are both household 
  staff and messengers. riding is important for those who 
  must travel far, as is survival. intimidation and Persuasion 
  are both useful social skills, and Knowledge (Heraldry) is 
  handy for making sure you’re dealing with the right peo-
  ple and for identifying friends and foes on your journeys. 
  although heralds are, by dint of their special status, not 
  supposed to act as spies, the practice is rife. Hence, notice 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  0
  and streetwise can be useful skills. While supposedly pro-
  tected by law, it is a foolish herald who is not ready at all 
  times to fight his way out of an enemy’s hall.
  farMaguth
  Titles: the static one, He Who divides the land.
  Aspects: Boundaries.
  Affiliations: ertha, Hothar.
  Symbol: a boundary stone.
  Priesthood: Keepers of the Boundary (priests); mark-
  ers of the Boundary (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any day a new boundary is established.
  Duties: to maintain existing boundaries, to create 
  new boundaries.
  Sins: (minor) running except to flee a foe, moving a 
  boundary marker; (major) being the target of a quickness 
  or speed spell, moving a boundary marker for fraudulent 
  reasons; (mortal) destroying a boundary marker.
  Signature Power: Barrier.
  Powers: Entangle, hamper movement, knockdown, 
  refuge, warding.
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping except nec-
  romantic. most favor an earth trapping.
  Boundary markers have been used to mark divisions 
  of fields, pastures, holdings, and nations for countless 
  generations. such markers, because of their association 
  with a god, have long been sacrosanct—to move one 
  without the blessing of a cleric of Farmaguth is to invite 
  a curse onto one’s household.
  Farmaguth is widely believed to be the son of ertha 
  and Hothar. ertha gave her son the power to divide 
  the land, and Hothar invoked divine right to make his 
  son’s rulings law. Farmaguth is also honored as the god 
  of stasis, and is thus disliked by Freo, god of travel and 
  thunor, god of liberty and change.
  in the earliest days, it was the clergy of Farmaguth 
  who set the boundaries of the nations. When the anari 
  began their conquest, anari clerics of the god destroyed 
  the old boundaries stones and erected new ones. the 
  clergy’s last great act was the drawing up of the mark-
  lands’ boundaries and consecrating the marker stones.
  Farmaguth desires no shrines or temples. any bound-
  ary marker with his holy symbol serves as a shrine when 
  required. While there are no true statues of Farmaguth, 
  his image, that of a sturdy man, is typically engraved on 
  major boundary stones to show their position has been 
  recognized and recorded by the cult.
  Farmaguth’s clergy, once relatively widespread, are 
  today few and far between. With fewer people, and 
  large areas of land only loosely claimed, the placement 
  of boundaries is less likely to cause disputes these days. 
  many of their duties have been taken over by clerics of 
  eostre, ertha, and Hothar, depending on the reason why 
  a boundary marker is raised.
  most priests work alongside those of other faiths, 
  maintaining boundary records and aiding in disputes 
  over contested lands. While a priest of Hothar, for ex-
  ample, may be called upon to rule where a boundary 
  lies, he will, if possible, consult with a priest of Farma-
  guth before passing judgment. Paladins are called upon 
  to maintain distant boundary stones and plant new ones. 
  even when a cleric of Farmaguth is not present, the god’s 
  name is invoked when a boundary marker is raised. 
  ceremonies are only held when placing new bound-
  ary markers. depending on the landowner’s budget, the 
  stone is first engraved or carved. a foundation hole is 
  then excavated. at the bottom is placed an offering of 
  ash (either burnt food or an animal’s carcass) and drink. 
  Whoever wishes the stone erected must then deposit sev-
  eral drops of his blood. this offering is a blood oath—it 
  is a sign that the landowner has the legal right to place 
  the marker. the stone is then lowered into place and 
  earth packed hard around it. Finally, the cleric completes 
  the ritual by kissing the stone.
  Character Guidelines: aside from Knowledge (law), 
  which aids in settling boundary disputes, the clergy have 
  no fixed requirements. many are likely to travel, and 
  thus survival should be considered as important skill. 
  strength can be useful, since boundary stones are typi-
  cally heavy (to prevent them being easily removed).
  fJallgeiguðr
  Titles: ever-changing one, Formless one, the shape-
  less god, shape-shifter.
  Aspects: unpredictability.
  Affiliations: the unknowable one.
  Symbol: a blank mask.
  Priesthood: shifters (priests); shapers (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: clerics must pick one day per season to 
  serve as their personal holy day.
  Duties: to do what ever takes your fancy.
  Sins: (minor) not changing shape once a day, stick-
  ing to a plan, repeating a non-combat task because you 
  failed at it; (major) failure to change shape in any given 
  week, acting in a predictable manner; (mortal) failure to 
  change shape in any given month.
  Signature Power: Shape change.
  Powers: Altered senses, boost/lower trait (attributes 
  only), growth/shrink, mimic, speak language. Because 
  of the cult’s unpredictability, individual clerics may pick 
  one novice spell and one seasoned spell of their choice 
  to add to this list.
  When he reaches a new rank, the cleric may trade 
  one of these two bonus spells for a new spell of the same 
  rank. He forgets the old spell completely and immedi-
  ately learns the new one. the decision must be made at 
  the first advancement opportunity of new rank or the 
  cleric is still with the same spells until his next rank in-
  crease. this does not use his advancement opportunity.
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping. most prefer 
  subtle effects.
  Special: clerics cannot have the cautious or stub-
  born Hindrances. long-term planning goes against their 
  nature and sticking to one idea goes against their faith. 
  
  Minor goDs
  1
  the sin of repeating a task typically covers things like 
  notice rolls. once a task is failed, clerics are expected to 
  forget the failure and move on to something new. acting 
  in a predictable manner is open to gm interpretation 
  and depends on the circumstances at the time. Be harsh 
  enough to prevent the character from always doing the 
  obvious, not but so harsh he limits his potential by doing 
  stupid things just to avoid the sin.
  Fjallgeiguðr is an enigma to the other gods. no one 
  knows whether the deity is male or female, where it came 
  from, or what it wants. the god of shape changing never 
  takes the same form twice, and none, not even keen-
  sighted rigr, maera, mistress of divination, scholastic 
  Hoenir, truth-seeking Hothar, niht, mistress of secrets, 
  or the supposedly all-knowing norns, can say for sure 
  what its true form might be.
  as a result, Fjallgeiguðr is widely mistrusted by its 
  peers. all save the unknowable one, that is. given his 
  love of tricks, Fjallgeiguðr’s inability to reveal its true 
  form amuses the trickster. many of the other deities are 
  of the suspicion that Fjallgeiguðr is really the unknow-
  able one playing one of his jokes.
  Fjallgeiguðr has no temples or shrines. given the 
  god’s ever-changing physical form, it is never depicted in 
  art, either. clerics rarely gather even in pairs, primarily 
  because they have little to say to each other—even the 
  holy laws they follow vary from cleric to cleric depending 
  on who taught him.
  clerics and paladins are a chaotic bunch, prone to 
  changing their minds as quickly as the wind, and acting 
  out of whim. long-term goals are anathema to them, and 
  most only plan a few hours ahead at most.
  While versatile allies in their own way, they are notori-
  ously unreliable. a cleric may cancel a spell being main-
  tained on a comrade just to remind them of the unpredict-
  able nature of the universe. note that they have no interest 
  in teaching, unlike clerics of the unknowable one. While 
  they are prone to impulsiveness, they aren’t overly curious. 
  a cleric likely won’t pull a lever to see what it does—he’ll 
  pull it because it seemed the right thing to do.
  ceremonies and rituals are common, though immense-
  ly varied, as one might expect. singing, praying, dancing, 
  chanting are all acceptable, so long as the worshipper fol-
  lows his heart and not a scripted ceremony. as such, clerics 
  are free to worship when, where, and how they want.
  Character Guidelines: there is no such thing as a 
  typical cleric of Fjallgeiguðr. While their spells are great 
  for espionage, such activity usually involves long-term 
  planning, something the clergy abhor. While they can be 
  a pain to have in the adventuring party, they make excel-
  lent and unpredictable nPcs.
  folDarDróttann
  Titles: the explorer, Walker in the Hidden realm.
  Aspects: underground exploration.
  Affiliations: ertha, Freo.
  Symbol: a compass.
  Priesthood: guides (priests); explorers (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: the first day of each deorcmonan phase.
  Duties: to explore and map the subterranean realm.
  Sins: (minor) getting lost underground, not explor-
  ing a newly discovered cave system, failure to leave a gift 
  when entering a cave system; (major) sleeping outdoors 
  when there is a cave or dwelling nearby; (mortal) will-
  fully despoiling a cavern or other underground feature.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (agility, strength, 
  vigor, climbing, survival, and swimming only).
  Powers: Altered senses, elemental manipulation 
  (earth only), feast (basic fare only), growth/shrink, leap-
  ing, light, wall walker.
  Trappings: darkness, earth, or metal.
  Special: clerics must speak earthtongue. although 
  two of the sins are the same as ertha’s, there is no in-
  creased penalty for committing them.
  Foldardróttann is the daughter of ertha and Freo. 
  mythology tells that Freo, having wandered the mortal 
  world and seen the sights, grew curious about what 
  lay beneath the world. suitably equipped, he set off to 
  explore the subterranean realm. on his journey he en-
  countered ertha in her dark, dank lair, the first god to do 
  so since rassilon was created. the two had a brief liaison 
  and ertha gave birth to a daughter. Foldardróttann’s love 
  of the earth and subterranean realms is coupled with her 
  father’s wanderlust, and she has made it her personal 
  goal to map the entirety of ertha’s realm.
  Foldardróttann is a grubby-faced girl wearing a metal 
  cap. attached to the cap is a magical candle which can 
  never be extinguished. sometimes she is shown carrying 
  a length of rope, the most vital piece of equipment for 
  any spelunker.
  shrines to Foldardróttann are found only outside cave 
  systems but are always hidden in a crevice or buried in 
  a shallow pit. signs in earthtongue point the way to the 
  cache. explorers seeking her blessing leave behind a small 
  gift, typically something other explorers will find useful in 
  their subterranean travels, such as a bundle of candles, a 
  tinderbox, a coil of rope, or a few meals worth of rations. 
  other explorers are welcome to scavenge through the pile 
  in the hope of locating something they are missing, but 
  for every item taken a suitable donation must be made.
  clerics coming out of a cave often leave behind a map 
  of areas they have explored, to help colleagues avoid 
  wasting time remapping the same area. these are writ-
  ten in earthtongue to prevent creatures such as goblins 
  and orcs reading them.
  Priests serve as guides to those wishing to explore the 
  underearth. typically they stick to mapped areas, for they 
  are not as adventurous as paladins. miners make frequent 
  use of them to help in finding mineral veins. they also go 
  over explored areas, adding detail to maps and correcting 
  inaccuracies. Paladins are often more curious and adven-
  turous, and are drawn to unknown subterranean areas 
  like moths to flames. they map out areas never trodden by 
  mortals, drive back trolls and other dangers, and encounter 
  races which have never walked the surface world.
  each year on the first day of eostremonan, the clergy 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  gather at the closest temple to ertha to celebrate First Foot 
  day. this marks the first day Foldardróttann set off on her 
  travels and is regarded as the beginning of the exploring sea-
  son. clerics trade maps, discuss past and future expeditions, 
  warn each other of hazards, and purchase new supplies.
  clerics are expected to leave copies of their maps 
  at every ertha temple they visit. these are slowly being 
  collated into a single, comprehensive map of the under-
  earth. it is a thankless task, for each year more and more 
  areas are explored and mapped, and the tangled web of 
  caves and tunnels grows ever more complex.
  Character Guidelines: although Foldardróttann 
  provides only a few basic spells, she is the closest thing 
  to being a patron deity of adventurers. clerics should 
  invest in climbing, notice, survival, and swimming, for 
  the natural dangers of the underearth are many. agility is 
  handy for squeezing through narrow gaps, spirit useful 
  to stave off feelings of frustration or despondency when 
  dead end after dead end is encountered, and vigor to 
  survive the general rigors of travel.
  forseti
  Titles: the thieftaker, var’s shadow.
  Aspects: catching thieves.
  Affiliations: Hothar, var.
  Symbol: an outstretched hand.
  Priesthood: detectives (priests); thieftakers (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every marketdaeg.
  Duties: to catch thieves and protect goods.
  Sins: (minor) failure to catch a thief you are chasing, 
  falsely accusing someone of theft, allowing something 
  you guard to be damaged or stolen (up to 50 gs); (major) 
  deliberately letting a thief go, allowing something you 
  guard to be broken or stolen (up to 1,000 gs); (mortal) 
  allowing something you guard to be destroyed or stolen 
  (1,001 gs or more).
  Signature Power: Entangle.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (agility, strength, vigor, in-
  vestigation, notice, and streetwise only), detect/conceal 
  (detect criminal intent only; conceal only hides objects 
  with a value of 51 gs or more from magical detection), 
  knockdown, lock/unlock, sentry, speed, stun.
  Trappings: any except necromantic.
  Forseti is var’s chief watchman, overseeing the security 
  of his celestial marketplace, and patron of the god’s pala-
  dins. although he serves var, Forseti was trained by Ho-
  thar and retains close ties to his mentor. rigr has offered 
  Forseti employment on many occasions, but Forseti has 
  little interest in watching over entire settlements, being 
  quite content in his current position. the gods maintain 
  good relations, and on occasion have worked together.
  Forseti once vowed that nothing he guarded could be 
  taken from his protection and kept for long. nauthiz has 
  made it his personal quest to prove this a lie. although 
  one might think they would be natural enemies, nau-
  thiz and Forseti actually have a cordial 
  relationship. this might seem strange, 
  but Forseti believes it is wiser to have 
  nauthiz close, where he can keep an eye 
  on him.
  images of Forseti show him with a ring 
  of eyes around his head, indicating the 
  god is ever-watchful and nothing can be 
  concealed from his steely gaze. in his left 
  hand hangs a pair of manacles, while in his 
  right he carries a hefty club, the traditional 
  weapon of watchmen. statues of var never 
  detail Forseti in any way—it is assumed 
  that var is never far away, and prefers to 
  remain unseen, so as to lull thieves into 
  a false sense of security. similarly, Forseti 
  has no unique shrines—prayers to var to 
  watch over goods and buildings automati-
  cally reach Forseti’s ears.
  clerics fulfill the opposite function to 
  those of Kvara, the god of bodyguards, 
  being concerned with protecting objects 
  and property, not people. most work 
  for var’s clergy or serve mundane mer-
  chants, though they accept commissions 
  from any citizen who can meet their fee.
  Paladins share the same name as the 
  paladin order of var, as the two serve 
  the exact same role. the key difference 
  is that while the militant order of Forseti 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  focuses purely on catching thieves and arsonists (who 
  through their work destroy valuables), those who wor-
  ship var as their patron are also expected to conduct 
  trade or negotiate contracts. it is simply matter of focus 
  over generalization. Paladins of var who are also indoc-
  trinated into Forseti’s sub-cult use the honorific “High 
  thieftaker.”
  Paladins are more reactive than active. they patrol 
  warehouses and markets, keeping a watchful eye open 
  for thieves and arsonists, giving chase when required. 
  although servants of the law, they are less interested in 
  other forms of crime. While the majority serves var, there 
  are those who opt to work for nobles and governments, 
  taking on security of state granaries and warehouses, 
  patrolling markets as independent guards, and watching 
  over the houses of the rich and famous.
  it is not unknown for paladins (and priests) to take 
  reformed thieves under their wing, putting their larce-
  nous skills to good use in the name of the law. Hard-
  ened clerics of Hothar are opposed to such hirelings, 
  but Forseti is not as blind as his mentor, and neither are 
  his followers. Because of their knowledge of security, 
  paladins are sometimes hired by rich patrons to test their 
  security systems.
  Priests, by comparison, are more studious. Whereas 
  paladins react to danger as it occurs, priests conduct 
  lengthy operations to track down thieves’ guilds and put 
  an end to their crime empires. they are less concerned 
  with petty pickpockets and cutpurses, though all crimi-
  nals must face justice. Priests and paladins work closely 
  together on matters of security. once a den of thievery is 
  located and enough evidence gained to secure a convic-
  tion, the priests unleash the paladins to make arrests.
  ceremonies typically involve clerics gathering to swap 
  arrest stories over a drink. each year on the anniversary 
  of their induction into the cult, the clergy must read a list 
  of criminals they have captured and allowed to escape. 
  these tallies are kept by var, who uses them to judge his 
  clergy when they die.
  Character Guidelines: Forseti’s clergy need a good 
  agility for use in chases and vigor to represent general 
  stamina. although not required, clerics operating outside 
  their native lands should invest in Knowledge (law). 
  notice is the key skill, though combat skills should not 
  be neglected, especially for paladins. investigation and 
  streetwise, and the investigator edge, are more useful 
  to priests, but paladins are not forbidden from serving 
  as investigators.
  galDraföðr
  Titles: the storyteller, Weaver of Words and Wonder, 
  Wondrous speaker.
  Aspects: storytelling.
  Affiliations: the unknowable one.
  Symbol: a lyre.
  Priesthood: storytellers (priests); scops (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: none. although the cult has no ties to 
  Hoenir, spoken Word day (see page 22) is a high holy 
  day.
  Duties: to keep alive and entertain through stories.
  Sins: (minor) not telling a story once a week, not tell-
  ing a new story each season; (major) not telling a story 
  once a month, not telling a new story each year; (mortal) 
  not telling a story once a season.
  Signature Power: Speak language
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (smarts, Folklore, street-
  wise only), charismatic aura, elemental manipulation, 
  succor, voice on the wind.
  Trappings: trappings take the form of minor effects 
  and are used primarily to enhance stories.
  galdraföðr is the unknowable one’s skald and spends 
  his days entertaining his lord with stories of heroism and 
  humor, tragedy and love. unlike his master, galdraföðr 
  has no love of tricks or japes, though he knows many 
  amusing stories. it is said each night he tells the un-
  knowable one a story in which the Prankster failed in an 
  endeavor, just to remind him that even he can be tricked 
  or fooled.
  given that the unknowable one has no name, some 
  theologians are beginning to wonder if perhaps the cosmic 
  Joker isn’t really several gods working together rather than a 
  unique individual. clerics of galdraföðr can add no weight 
  to their arguments, for they see their deity as a separate 
  entity, and galdraföðr is as clueless about the unknowable 
  one’s true name as the other deities. still, galdraföðr is 
  never depicted in art, just in case his images provide some 
  clues to his master’s identity.
  galdraföðr has a single temple in scathmoor, the town 
  of skalds. contained within its library are many hundreds 
  of scrolls and folios, each recording a single story. While 
  worshippers are expected to be able to recite their sto-
  ries from memory, the books are a useful learning aid. 
  given that many stories are based on factual events, they 
  also serve as a reference library for historians—if they 
  can separate fact from fiction. shrines are rare, for each 
  storyteller is himself a living shrine to galdraföðr.
  the clergy are entertainers, political commentators, 
  satirists, and historians rolled into one. in some areas, 
  such as the Blackstone Barony, those whose tales speak 
  out against oppression or mock a cruel lord are seen as 
  agitators and troublemakers. in many cases the label is 
  correct, but storytellers very rarely deliberately start rebel-
  lions—they just remind their listeners that there are other 
  options available to them. many strum a lyre to help keep 
  a story’s pace, but few are talented musicians.
  no animosity exists between skalds, who use magic, and 
  clerics, who are divinely blessed. Both sides accept gal-
  draföðr (and the unknowable one) as lord of storytelling. 
  that there is a type of magic so closely related to galdraföðr 
  and with wider scope in terms of spellcasting ability is best 
  answered with, “great trick, isn’t it?” after all, who knows 
  the minds of the gods and why they make things so?
  traditionally, priests rarely travel, preferring to be 
  part of a noble’s retinue or work a local market. scops 
  (the auld saxa terms for skalds) are itinerant storytellers, 
  moving from settlement to settlement to tell and learn 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  new stories, offering their services in return for a meal 
  and sleeping place beside the hearth. so long as they 
  perform their sacred duties, galdraföðr doesn’t much 
  care how clerics live their lives.
  any day a cleric tells a story is considered a holy day. 
  When storytellers encounter a comrade, whether a cler-
  ic, skald, or member of the laity, they exchange tales to 
  boost their repertoire. sometimes they hold impromptu 
  competitions, each telling a single story and letting the 
  audience judge the winner.
  Character Guidelines: clerics need to have a good 
  collection of stories with which to entertain their hosts. 
  citizens prefer stories based on their culture, ancestors, 
  and lands, since they can relate most easily to them. 
  Knowledge (Folklore) covers this.
  storytellers don’t need to be attractive, but charisma 
  is important for drawing crowds and keeping their atten-
  tion—a storyteller with good charisma can help the story 
  come alive in his audience’s mind, whereas one with a 
  dull, monotonous voice is going to send folk to sleep.
  galfuleysi
  Titles: lady of misfortune, Jinx of the gods, lady Hex, 
  the unlucky one, lady snake eyes.
  Aspects: misfortune.
  Affiliations: nauthiz, the unknowable one.
  Symbol: a pair of dice showing double 1.
  Priesthood: Jinxes (priests); Hexes (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every deorcmonan is a holy day. Fool’s 
  day (p. 36) is a high holy day.
  Duties: to teach through causing misfortune.
  Sins: (minor) spending a benny on a failed trait 
  roll, not causing another to suffer misfortune once per 
  week, playing games of chance (games of skill are okay); 
  (major) causing misfortune out of revenge, not causing 
  another to suffer misfortune once per month; (mortal) 
  spending a benny on a critically failed trait roll.
  Signature Power: Lower trait (no boost).
  Powers: Bladebreaker, deflection, entangle, jinx (no 
  luck), knockdown, stun, summon demon (clumsiness).
  Trappings: none with any associated game mechan-
  ics. miracles are typically “accidents,” such as a warrior 
  attacking a target of deflection slipping or losing grip 
  of his weapon, a blade snapping because of hitting the 
  ground, or victims becoming entangled in a coil of rope 
  or long vine they somehow failed to spot.
  Special: clerics cannot take the luck edge. as a free 
  action once per round a cleric can spend a benny to jinx 
  another within line of sight. the victim must reroll his 
  trait die and take the lower of the results. the victim can 
  spend a benny to counter this sudden misfortune. in this 
  instance, the initial roll stands.
  galfuleysi is the daughter of nauthiz. While the god-
  dess enjoyed both good and bad luck, those around her 
  were subjected to many misfortunes. in the end it was 
  too much for her peers, who banished her from their 
  halls. While enjoying one of his periodic walks, the un-
  knowable one found her weeping at the edge of god-
  sheim, an outcast through no fault of her own.
  unperturbed by the accidents he suffered in her pres-
  ence, the god of tricksters told galfuleysi her powers 
  could be a valuable teaching aid—everyone suffered bad 
  luck at some time, but what was more important was 
  how one dealt with it. With the unknowable one’s pa-
  tronage, galfuleysi was begrudgingly accepted back into 
  godsheim as the minor deity of misfortune. even her 
  father welcomed her back into his hall, though he makes 
  sure she is out running errands whenever he invites his 
  friends round to play games of chance.
  galfuleysi and vör (p. 112) have become friendly ri-
  vals. the latter tries his best to plan for every eventuality, 
  and galfuleysi tries to mess up his plans with unforeseen 
  misfortune.
  galfuleysi is never depicted in images—to do so is to 
  risk misfortune. most often she is portrayed as a pair of 
  dice showing snake eyes hung around nauthiz’s neck, a 
  sign that luck can be both good and bad.
  While she is not malicious, she is most often offered 
  prayers by those who wish misfortune to strike another. 
  small shrines to her are found in the temples of her 
  father, where worshippers suffering streaks of bad luck 
  leave offerings in the hope of diverting her attention.
  galfuleysi’s clerics see themselves as teachers. they 
  hold firm to the belief that one must learn to cope with 
  misfortune, for it can strike at any time and shows no 
  favoritism. this makes them as much a menace to friends 
  as it does enemies. at the same time, they rarely leave 
  their friends in danger—they may be capricious, but they 
  are not malicious. militancy is the primary division being 
  the clergy, with priests tending toward life in settlements 
  and paladins joining adventuring parties.
  Formal ceremonies are few and far between. simply 
  causing or suffering misfortune is considered an act of 
  worship.
  Character Guidelines: galfuleysi happily lets her own 
  followers suffer misfortune—they cannot teach unless 
  they truly understand. the only way a cleric can offset sin-
  ning is to make sure his most important skills are high and 
  avoid attempting unnecessary tasks. of course, no hero is 
  going to be good at everything, so just accept the fact that 
  you’re going to suffer more bad luck than your friends.
  one important thing to remember is to be unbiased—
  make your fellow players the target of your miracles as 
  much as your enemies. it might not earn your character 
  many friends, but your allies need to learn to adapt 
  quickly and spontaneously come up with contingency 
  plans when bad luck strikes.
  gangari
  Titles: He Who Walks the secret Paths.
  Aspects: exploration.
  Affiliations: Freo, ullr.
  Symbol: a maze.
  Priesthood: guardians of the secret Path (priests); 
  Walkers of the secret Path (paladins).
  
  Minor goDs
  
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: First Heafoddaeg of each month.
  Duties: to travel and explore new lands.
  Sins: (minor) using a map, not seeing what lies be-
  yond a door or opening (a glimpse is enough), failure 
  to travel at least 50 miles a week; (major) misdirecting 
  a traveler, failing to travel at least 200 miles a month; 
  (mortal) failing to travel at least 1,000 miles a season.
  Signature Power: Speed.
  Powers: Ethereal/corporeal, gravespeak, invisibility, 
  lock/unlock, speak language, speed, teleport, wilderness 
  step.
  Trappings: any, though subtle ones are common.
  gangari is the god of exploration. He knows the se-
  cret ways to travel the universe, how to step into thin air 
  and appear elsewhere in an instant, how to breach the 
  barrier between the living and the dead, how to walk 
  between reality so as to be invisible, and how to ward 
  doors so none may pass. no lock or security system can 
  check his progress. a close ally of Freo, gangari has been 
  moving through the heavens for eons, for there are many 
  gods who seek to learn his powers, and not all of them 
  have good intentions.
  like Freo, gangari has no temples. the god of portals 
  needs no shrines either, for any portal or opening can 
  be a site of worship. images of gangari vary from an ex-
  plorer complete with all the gear he needs, to a cloaked 
  figure, representing his ability to tread secret pathways.
  the cult has many grades of initiation known as doors. 
  When one displays the required knowledge to advance, 
  a new door is opened, allowing new cult secrets to be 
  learned. no one is sure how many doors actually exist, 
  for it seems there is always something new to learn.
  While Freo allows his clergy to wander freely, caring 
  little if they walk and up and down the same road for 
  eternity, gangari expects his worshippers to continually 
  explore new regions. it is widely held the god is mapping 
  all the secret and invisible pathways of the universe, and 
  each new area a mortal worshipper explores fills in part 
  of this celestial map. to that end, he is more demanding 
  that his worshippers keep on the move. 
  gangari cares little what his clergy does to earn a 
  living. many of his followers practice a little larceny to 
  keep their pockets lined, a trade for which their spells 
  are well-suited. others hire on as caravan guards, espe-
  cially if the caravan is heading in a direction the cleric has 
  never traveled before.
  While priests may be slightly more scholarly and thor-
  ough in mapping new regions and paladins slightly more 
  prone to step boldly forward onto unknown roads, there 
  is little difference between them.
  ceremonies involve drawing out a maze, which the 
  worshipper then walks or traces with his finger while 
  reciting prayers.
  Character Guidelines: exploration and mapping 
  unknown areas requires a multitude of skills. notice and 
  stealth, which can be used in a great many situations, are 
  perhaps most important, though Boating, climbing, rid-
  ing, survival, and swimming all have their uses. given 
  their outdoors lifestyle, Woodsman provides a good 
  boost to key skills. 
  the curiosity Hindrance is a nice fit, but it can be too 
  much—a cleric might be curious about what lies down a 
  dark passage, but he is unlikely to pull a lever just to see 
  what will happen. Kind gms may allow a minor version 
  of curious to simulate this.
  geirDriful
  Titles: spear-Flinger, spear cloud, she Who impales 
  from afar.
  Aspects: spear throwing.
  Affiliations: tiw.
  Symbol: a spear with arrow feathers.
  Priesthood: spears (priests); Far spears (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every raestdaeg from Plohmonan 
  through Fogmonan. standards day (see page 34) is a 
  high holy day.
  Duties: to fight in the fyrd, to kill using throwing 
  spears.
  Sins: (minor) throwing a weapon other than a spear, 
  training someone in the use of any weapon except the 
  throwing spear, not throwing a spear the round the ene-
  my first enters range; (major) using a projectile weapon, 
  using a weapon other than a spear for more than one 
  round in a combat; (mortal) ignoring a community’s call 
  to arms.
  Signature Power: Smite*.
  Powers: Aim*, bolt, boost/lower trait (strength, 
  throwing only)*, dispel, knockdown, weapon immu-
  nity (thrown spears only).
  Trappings: trappings are minor effects affecting or 
  relating to thrown spears. Bolt, for instance, represents 
  one or more magical spears, whereas dispel and knock-
  down take the form of spectral spears.
  Special: spells marked “*” only function when the 
  cleric or the target are throwing a spear. the spell is not 
  cancelled if these conditions are broken—it remains 
  maintained but provides no benefit. For instance, if the 
  cleric casts smite and then uses his spear in melee, he 
  does not benefit from smite until he throws his weapon. 
  during this time the spell is still being maintained. cler-
  ics can learn mighty throw at seasoned. However, the 
  edge only ever applies to spears.
  geirdriful is the sister of geirvaldr (see below). Fol-
  lowing her brother’s promotion, geirdriful decided to 
  join the fyrd. somewhat lacking in talent, she was none-
  theless confident her familial bond would ensure her a 
  place beside the men folk. approaching geirvaldr while 
  he was training the fyrd, spear clutched tightly in hand, 
  she arrogantly demanded to allowed to join their ranks. 
  in a swift move geirvaldr disarmed his sister and tripped 
  her, leaving her sitting in a pile of dung. embarrassed, 
  geirdriful picked up her spear and threw it away. much 
  to everyone’s surprise, the spear sailed through the air, 
  penetrating two stout oaks before embedding itself deep 
  in a rock. although geirvaldr still refused her a place in 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  the main fyrd, he did tell tiw of her prowess. tiw ac-
  cepted her as one of his valkyries.
  she has no temples or shrine, not even in temples 
  of tiw. Wherever tiw the spear or geirvaldr are wor-
  shipped, geirdriful is automatically honored as a minor 
  part of the cult. When a cleric of the goddess resides 
  within a community, a single feather is tied to an existing 
  image’s spear to note her presence. geirdriful is never 
  depicted as an individual, and descriptions of her vary to 
  suit the audience, though she is always female.
  aside from her small clergy, geirdriful has few true 
  worshippers. However, standard saxa tactics are to throw 
  a volley of spears as the enemy nears, and thus she receives 
  praise from most warriors in the early stages of battle. 
  Priests serve under and alongside priests of tiw the spear 
  and geirvaldr, teaching the huscarls, soldiers, and fyrd 
  how to throw spears to maximum effect. many clerics train 
  women in their community to throw spears, allowing them 
  to aid in the defense of their homes without getting into the 
  thick of battle. Paladins hire out their services as mercenar-
  ies or serve their local community or a lord. unlike paladins 
  of most other faiths, they shun melee combat.
  ceremonies involve tying strips of paper on which 
  are written prayers around the haft or whispering them 
  into the head. the head is then ritually sharpened before 
  being washed in water (worst option), beer (acceptable), 
  or blood (preferred) to purify it. to release the prayer, 
  the cleric must throw the spear at a foe standing at long 
  range. drawing blood is a sign geirdriful has heard the 
  prayer, while a kill indicates the goddess is exception-
  ally pleased. conversely, a miss indicates the goddess 
  is displeased, while having the spear break (such as on 
  a critical failure) on impact is reason enough for some 
  clerics to seek atonement.
  Character Guidelines: as masters of spears, agility 
  and strength are the primary attributes, while throwing 
  is the most important skill. not only are they essential 
  to using the clerics’ preferred weapon, they are require-
  ments for the cult’s favored edges—spear catch and 
  spear twist. marksman and mighty throw should be 
  taken as soon as possible to give the cleric as much ad-
  vantage as possible. unlike the cult of geirvaldr, clerics 
  of geirdriful are soldiers, not leaders.
  geirvalDr
  Titles: spear master, lord of the Fyrd.
  Aspects: spear combat, the militia.
  Affiliations: tiw.
  Symbol: a spear.
  Priesthood: sergeants of spears (priests); captains 
  of spears (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every raestdaeg from Plohmonan 
  through Fogmonan. standards day (see page 34) is a 
  high holy day.
  Duties: to fight in and lead the fyrd.
  Sins: (minor) using a weapon other than a spear for 
  more than one round, training someone in the use of 
  any weapon except the spear, leading the fyrd in a battle 
  it loses; (major) using a weapon other than a spear for 
  the majority of a battle; (mortal) ignoring a community’s 
  call to arms.
  Signature Power: Smite*.
  Powers: Bladebreaker*, boost/lower trait (strength, 
  Fighting only)*, deflection*, gift of battle*, leaping*, 
  quickness*, warrior’s gift*.
  Trappings: any except necromantic.
  Special: spells marked “*” only function when the 
  cleric and the target are holding a spear and using no 
  other weapon. the spell is not cancelled if these condi-
  tions are broken—it remains maintained but provides 
  no benefit. For instance, if the cleric casts deflection and 
  then drops his spear he does not benefit from deflection 
  until he picks up his spear again. during this time the 
  spell is still being maintained.
  geirvaldr was a farmer by trade, a freeman who tilled 
  the fyrD
  rural communities are, at best, protected by a small 
  militia made up of full-time warriors. often these 
  are mercenaries, though if there is a shrine or tem-
  ple to rigr or tiw they may be clerics or laity from 
  the local community. in emergencies, every able-
  bodied male adult (generally covering 14-50 years 
  of age) is expected to take up arms. this gathering 
  is known as the fyrd. 
  the methods of raising the fyrd vary. many settle-
  ments use drums, horns, or bagpipes. others em-
  ploy children as runners to race to the distant fields 
  and recall the workers. if the fields are particularly 
  far away, voice on the wind spells, either cast by 
  clerics or through alchemical devices, are used to 
  save time. 
  usually only the local noble or his appointed offi-
  cial can summon the fyrd. again, this can vary from 
  community to community. the noble ruler of a 
  settlement with clerics of tiw or geirvaldr usually 
  gives them the authority to call the fyrd, since they 
  are most unlikely to do so for frivolous reasons. 
  Fyrdmen must own a spear and shield as a mini-
  mum. those who can afford armor and helmets 
  wear them. they muster every raestdaeg, from 
  spring until the start of winter, to perform drills 
  and learn what the various signals mean. signals are 
  usually changed each season to prevent spies from 
  learning them. 
  the fyrd haven’t signed up to go adventuring with 
  their lord—they are summoned only in times of 
  invasion. With the winters lengthening, it is more 
  important that the fyrd remain on the land, plow-
  ing, sowing, and harvesting. calling the fyrd at the 
  wrong time, or getting them slaughtered on some 
  fool’s errand, is a surefire way to shatter the econ-
  omy of a realm. 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  the land. accordingly, he was also a member of the fyrd, 
  as all men must be. although not trained as a warrior, he 
  quickly showed great promise with his spear. Whenever 
  the fyrd was summoned, geirvaldr was the first one to 
  answer. Whenever the fyrd was in the thickest fighting, 
  geirvaldr was at its head. Whenever the fyrd faltered, 
  geirvaldr rallied them.
  tiw was in command of the gods’ fyrd, but he wasn’t 
  particularly interested in the job. He preferred to spend 
  his time feasting and fighting with his huscarls than train 
  a bunch of farmers. suitably impressed by geirvaldr’s 
  prowess and leadership skills, tiw appointed him to 
  command the fyrd and instruct the men in how to use 
  the spear. When tiw taught mortals the secret of sum-
  moning the fyrd, geirvaldr became the fyrd’s patron.
  geirvaldr is never depicted as an individual. in every 
  community with a fyrd and a shrine to tiw, the god of war 
  is shown carrying a spear. even in temples that show tiw 
  carrying other weapons, the presence of a fyrd demands a 
  separate shrine be erected. in settlements with no shrine 
  or temple, a long spear with a length of colored cloth tied 
  around the shaft is thrust into the ground in the main square 
  to serve as a rally point when the fyrd is summoned.
  While the fyrd are part-time warriors with other profes-
  sions, clerics are usually full-time soldiers in the employ of 
  a nobleman (or whoever heads the village). Priests are val-
  ued as instructors. they spend their days training the fyrd 
  and developing tactics for all eventualities. Paladins are 
  more active, serving as the actual battlefield commander. 
  as always, the division between roles is fluid, and either is 
  expected to be able to fill the other’s shoes.
  itinerant clerics sometimes serve as mercenaries. 
  often they become mercenary captains, though only of 
  spearmen. if a cleric is staying in a settlement when the 
  fyrd is called, he must answer the summons, present 
  himself to the local fyrd leader, and state his credentials 
  and experience. Where he serves in the fyrd is for the 
  local commander to decide. in communities without a 
  resident cleric of geirvaldr or tiw, local fyrd leaders are 
  often only too happy to let the visitor take at least some 
  command responsibilities off them.
  ceremonies to geirvaldr always involve choreographed 
  drill maneuvers accompanied by the fyrd’s battle chants. 
  sometimes, the fyrd lines up and throw their spears 
  toward a distant point. Whoever hurls his weapons the 
  furthest is said to have good fortune in the next battle in 
  which the fyrd participates. during festivals to tiw, the 
  fyrd perform the spear dance, a form of line dance where 
  they clash spears against each other in rapid flurries and 
  thrust them into the sky to praise the war god.
  Character Guidelines: clerics are expected to lead 
  the fyrd and so should invest in leadership edges. as 
  warriors, Fighting and throwing are vital skills for any 
  fyrd member, and they should always have the minimum 
  strength to use a spear effectively. a higher strength is 
  always favorable, of course.
  Knowledge (Battle) should not be ignored, especially 
  among clerics in small settlements, as they may be the 
  only permanent warrior and so will be given command 
  responsibilities. any combat edges are useful, but mighty 
  throw is favored as it gives the hero an advantage against 
  distant foes.
  gerðr
  Titles: she Who divides the land, Hall-Builder, Wall-
  raiser.
  Aspects: Walls and fences.
  Affiliations: ertha, rigr.
  Symbol: a mason’s chisel.
  Priesthood: master mason (priests); siege captain 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any day a new wall or fence is built. 
  House Building day (p. 20) is a high holy day.
  Duties: to maintain existing walls and fences, to cre-
  ate new walls and fences.
  Sins: (minor) altering the existing course of a wall 
  or fence without permission or legal right, refusing to 
  help build a barrier or house when asked by non-evil 
  races; (major) destroying a section of non-fortification 
  wall except in time of war, moving a wall or fence for 
  fraudulent reasons, refusing to help build a fortification 
  when asked by non-evil races; (mortal) destroying a sec-
  tion of fortification except in time of war.
  Signature Power: Barrier.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (strength, vigor, and 
  climbing only), hamper movement, mend (fences and 
  walls only), refuge, wall walker.
  Trappings: earth or wood trappings only. the latter 
  has the same game mechanics as earth.
  gerðr, a daughter of rigr, is the wife of Farmaguth. 
  While he is concerned with kingdoms and is held in re-
  gard by kings and mighty lords, she is concerned with 
  smaller divisions and the needs of the common people. 
  she is the minor goddess of earthworks, wooden fences, 
  and stone walls. Her role covers everything from the low 
  walls and fences used to segregate fields and enclosures, 
  to the towering stone walls of castles, and the huge 
  earthworks of ring forts and hill forts.
  While her husband’s cult is steadily declining, her 
  popularity is as high as ever. Her cult is found from vil-
  lages to cities to fortresses, for she is the patron of all 
  those involved in the design and construction of walls 
  and fences. Her cult needs no temples or shrines, for 
  any wall or earthwork is considered a suitable place of 
  worship.
  Priests often work within communities. although 
  gerðr has no direct ties to Hothar, traditionally the cult 
  has been responsible for settling, or at least advising on, 
  legal cases concerning land ownership and the place-
  ment of new barriers. most work as laborers, building 
  and maintaining boundaries and houses (except the roof 
  in the latter instance).
  Paladins tend to focus on defensive barriers. some 
  are itinerants, traveling among distant communities to 
  provide advice and assistance in building and maintain-
  ing fortifications. others serve as permanent staff in a 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  true fortification, where they are usually placed in charge 
  of the defensive works. although gerðr is primarily con-
  cerned with building walls, she has the power to bring 
  them toppling down. With their knowledge of fortifica-
  tions, they are greatly prized as siege engineers.
  ceremonies are few and far between. Whenever work 
  commences on a new barrier or house, it is traditional to 
  ask a cleric of gerðr, assuming one is available, to bless 
  the walls. often a cleric is asked to lay the first stone or 
  drive in the first post, carving the goddess’ symbol on 
  it to ensure the completed structure is strong. Helping 
  build or maintain a wall, fence, earthwork, or house is 
  considered an act of devotion.
  Character Guidelines: vigor, representing the de-
  fensive nature of walls, is the most important attribute, 
  followed by strength (hard physical labor is part of a 
  cleric’s life). Knowledge (law) is useful in helping deter-
  mine the legal placement of walls and fences, as well as 
  settling disputes over land ownership. siege Breaker and 
  siege mentality are must-have edges for paladins.
  gerseMi
  Titles: matchmaker, concubine of the gods.
  Aspects: consensual sex and marriage.
  Affiliations: eira.
  Symbol: a circle cut in half by a vertical line.
  Priesthood: matchmakers (priests); companions 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: First Waescdaeg of every month. Bed 
  Blessing day (see page 16) is a high holy day for pala-
  dins and courtship day (see page 17) a high holy day 
  for priests.
  Duties: encourage consenting sexual union.
  Sins: (minor) going a week without sex, condoning 
  rape, failure to save a marriage you have been hired to save; 
  (major) going a month without sex, not punishing a rapist; 
  (mortal) committing rape, going a season without sex.
  Signature Power: Charismatic aura.
  Powers (Priests): Boost/lower trait (investigation, 
  notice, Persuasion, streetwise only), insight, speak lan-
  guage.
  Powers (Paladins): Boost/lower trait (vigor, Persua-
  sion only), confusion, fatigue.
  Trappings: trappings relate to sex and beauty (pala-
  dins) and calm emotions (priests).
  Special: Paladins who marry are forever stripped of 
  their powers. Priests who do not marry within two years of 
  taking their holy vows are similarly cast out of the faith.
  like eostre, gersemi is a dual-natured goddess. some 
  theologians insist she is two distinct deities whose wor-
  ship has become merged over time, though her clerics 
  disagree. on one hand she is the goddess of marriage, 
  the perfect wife and mother. on the other, she is the 
  goddess of love, though sex is a more fitting term. these 
  two aspects are known as gersemi the matchmaker and 
  gersemi the consort respectively.
  unusually, she is depicted in two distinct forms. the first 
  is a matronly figure carrying a large set of keys. among the 
  saxa, women traditionally hold the keys to the house, per-
  sonal treasury, and larder. the anari adopted the practice 
  during their occupation. Her second form is an attractive 
  woman of youthful but indeterminate age. despite the de-
  ity being female, clerics may be of either sex.
  the cult maintains temples, but only to her sexual 
  aspect. situated in towns and cities, and villages on ma-
  jor trade routes, the temples are sumptuously decorated 
  and furnished, and always kept spotless by servants. 
  While this aspect of the cult has a bad reputation, citi-
  zens reluctantly accept the fact that the temple provides 
  a service. Without them, the courts would have more 
  work handling adultery cases brought about by spouses 
  who feel the need to scratch their itch elsewhere.
  Because of the nature of marriage in rassilon, she 
  is only worshipped in the home of couples tied by life 
  Bonds or by long-term year marriages—anything shorter 
  likely doesn’t need her attention. Her holy symbol is 
  inscribed on bed posts and over the lintel.
  gersemi’s dual nature is mimicked by her clergy. 
  Priests are matchmakers and marriage counselors. a 
  matchmaker is hired when two families are considering 
  joining together through marriage. it is the matchmak-
  er’s job to uncover any hidden skeletons that may bring 
  shame, legal repercussions, or general unwanted prob-
  lems to the other family.
  By comparison, paladins aren’t quite prostitutes, 
  as they demand no money, but they are free with their 
  love. many citizens make donations, but these gratuities 
  are made to the cult, not individual members. although 
  adultery carries harsh punishments, paladins of gersemi 
  and their partners are exempt from this on grounds of 
  religious laws of the good gods taking precedent over 
  civil and criminal ones. still, many husbands and wives 
  have taken the law into their own hands after findings 
  their spouse “praying” with a paladin.
  ceremonies to gersemi the consort always involve 
  sex. Both participants (having more than two in a sexual 
  union is viewed as depraved even by this cult) are con-
  sidered active worshippers, their sexual energy empow-
  ering the goddess. those to gersemi the matchmaker are 
  much more subdued, and involve only meditation and 
  the burning of incense.
  Character Guidelines: charisma is important for 
  priests and paladins, though for different reasons, and 
  should be boosted by the attractive or charismatic edges. 
  Paladins need a good vigor to survive their many “prayer 
  sessions” and to help avoid diseases. Persuasion is re-
  quired both in marriage counseling and finding prayer 
  partners. Priests, who delve into families’ backgrounds, 
  should consider investigation and streetwise.
  gizzur
  Titles: speaker of riddles, He Who never talks 
  straight
  Aspects: riddles and word games.
  Affiliations: the unknowable one.
  
  Minor goDs
  
  Symbol: a coin bearing the inscription, “solve all to 
  know all.”
  Priesthood: riddle lords (priests); riddle Blades 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: clergy are expected to celebrate one day 
  a month.
  Duties: to learn and pass on new riddles, to teach 
  through riddles.
  Sins: (minor) losing a riddle contest, revealing the 
  answer to a riddle you posed; (major) losing a riddle 
  contest and being a bad sport, not learning a new riddle 
  every year; (mortal) cheating in a riddle contest.
  Signature Power: Confusion.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (smarts and Knowledge 
  (riddles) only), fatigue, sluggish reflexes, speak lan-
  guage, stun, voice on the wind.
  Trappings: all trappings are based around speaking 
  riddles.
  gizzur is an aspect of the unknowable one. Whether 
  he is a servant, friend, or child is not known, and the 
  unknowable one remains as tightlipped on the subject 
  as he does most other topics. as befits the unknowable 
  one, gizzur is never depicted in art nor described in 
  writings. He remains as enigmatic as his master. similarly, 
  there are no temples or shrines to honor gizzur.
  clerics use riddles to teach wisdom. When asked a 
  question, the cleric may respond with a riddle rather 
  than an outright answer. By solving the riddle, the ques-
  tioner receives the answer he seeks, or at least a clue to 
  point him in the right direction. as with the unknowable 
  one, priests and paladins are separated by martial prow-
  ess, and the paladins’ habit of using riddles in combat to 
  distract and confound foes.
  many stories exist of paladins who have allowed foes 
  to walk away unharmed after they correctly answered a 
  tough riddle in the heart of combat, though when the 
  unknowable one has a hand in these stories one can 
  never be certain they are entirely true. What is known as 
  fact is that if two clerics of gizzur meet they must enter 
  a riddle contest. Whoever wins has superiority over the 
  loser for a year and a day. the pecking order within the 
  cult is thus extremely fluid and very hard to track.
  as teachers, they are well aware that they must con-
  tinually strive to learn. as such, they are gracious losers 
  and often the first to congratulate the winner. one thing 
  anathema to the faith is cheating in a riddle contest, for 
  a student (willing or otherwise) cannot be expected to 
  learn if there is no hope of correct deduction.
  rather than using the stick to beat knowledge into 
  people, clerics use the carrot. although many citizens 
  enjoy riddles and word games to help pass the long 
  winter nights, few are interested in being preached to, 
  especially when it requires thinking.
  to coax folk into thinking more, clerics sometimes 
  hold public gatherings. Here they offer rewards to those 
  who can solve riddles they pose. initial riddles are easy 
  and carry small rewards. as the crowd grows, swelled 
  by people drawn by the chance to earn easy money, so 
  the riddles become harder and the prizes more valuable. 
  eventually everyone goes home, some considerably 
  wealthier, little realizing they have been educated.
  it is widely believed that if one can determine the 
  answer to every riddle, the unknowable one will have 
  to reveal his real name. a few scholars argue that solving 
  every riddle will unravel creation, for there are no more 
  secrets to learn. others claim answering every riddle will 
  promote one to godhood. each year, clerics are expected 
  to create a new riddle.
  the masters of riddles are undoubtedly the sphinxes. 
  at least once in their lifetime, a cleric must track down 
  a sphinx and challenge him to a riddle contest. given 
  that sphinxes have a taste for sentient flesh, or so the 
  stories go, few get a second chance. Failure to challenge 
  a sphinx before death bodes ill for the afterlife.
  once a year, all clerics within a realm meet up. the 
  senior cleric in the land sends out messages using voice 
  on the wind spells. the message is a riddle which, when 
  solved, informs the listener of when and where to meet. 
  in game terms, it requires a Knowledge (riddle) roll to 
  discern these facts.
  once gathered, the clergy holds a riddle contest, with 
  points awarded for the number of riddles correctly an-
  swered. Whoever scores highest becomes senior cleric 
  for the next year, during which time he cannot be chal-
  lenged by others not holding similar rank. outsiders are 
  quite welcome to participate if they happen to learn the 
  location, and there are recorded instances of a non-cleric 
  being appointed as senior cleric for the year.
  Character Guidelines: clerics need to be smart 
  and they need to know Knowledge (riddles). taunt is a 
  handy skill for those skilled at word games, especially if 
  combat skills are lacking. Beyond this, the cleric is free 
  riDDle Me this
  riddles are word games, sometimes straightforward, 
  sometimes with a twist one needs to see before one 
  can deduce the correct answer. riddles can be used 
  in the game one of two ways. 
  First, Knowledge (riddles) can be used in combat 
  as a test of Will against sentient creatures capable of 
  speech and which can understand the speaker. it is 
  opposed by smarts. even in the heat of battle, hav-
  ing someone taunt you with a riddle causes subcon-
  scious diversion, and that can be enough to cause 
  the conscious mind to become distracted, if only 
  momentarily. 
  second, it can be used in a riddle contest. the rules 
  are very simple—one person poses a riddle, which 
  his rival must then answer. Whoever fails to answer 
  correctly first loses. Knowledge (riddles) is the only 
  skill usable in a riddle contest unless the riddler 
  poses a very common riddle, in which case com-
  mon Knowledge can be used.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  0
  to develop as he desires, even taking a specialization 
  outside of his duties if he so desires (like being a healer 
  or warrior).
  goðJaðarr
  Titles: giant slayer, Protector of the gods.
  Aspects: Frost giant slaying.
  Affiliations: Kenaz, tiw.
  Symbol: a severed giant’s head.
  Priesthood: anvils (priests); Hammers (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Festivals are held after a frost giant is slain 
  by members of the local temple. Burning giant day (see 
  page 24) is a high holy day.
  Duties: to slay giants.
  Sins: (minor) refusing to fight a frost giant, fleeing 
  from a frost giant, conversing with a frost giant except 
  to intimidate or taunt; (major) refusing to hunt and kill 
  a frost giant that has slain members of the civilized races; 
  (mortal) failure to slay one frost giant a year.
  Signature Power: Smite*.
  Powers: Arcane resistance*, armor*, boost/lower 
  trait (strength, vigor, Fighting, intimidation, shooting, 
  taunt, throwing only)*, growth/shrink, warding (giants 
  only), warrior’s gift*.
  Trappings: Heat and/or fire only.
  Special: spells marked “*” only function against frost 
  giants. against other foes, including other species of gi-
  ants, the spells bestow no bonus. For instance, a paladin 
  invokes smite and scores a raise. against frost giants 
  he adds +4 to damage rolls, but when the enchanted 
  weapon used against all other foes it has no damage 
  bonus and is not treated as being magical.
  although giants of all species now honor the gods, dur-
  ing the god War they were sworn enemies. Far stronger 
  and more magically inclined than the lesser species that 
  walk the earth today, the true giants were formidable foes 
  capable of slaying the gods given sufficient numbers. While 
  tiw led the gods’ armies into battle, it was one of his lieu-
  tenants, goðjaðarr, who proved the giants’ greatest bane.
  Having sworn holy oaths to battle the giants, goð-
  jaðarr waged a war of extermination, relentlessly and 
  remorselessly hunting down and destroying the giants. 
  When the war ended, the few remaining true giants laid 
  down their arms and swore oaths of loyalty to specific 
  gods. For their sins they were cast down to the mortal 
  realm, forced to mate with the emerging humans to en-
  sure their survival, and in doing so losing much of their 
  power and size.
  goðjaðarr had been promoted to deity status during 
  the war, but fell into obscurity once peace was declared. 
  While there were always rogue giants who needed 
  punishing, his main purpose was redundant. thus, 
  goðjaðarr languished in a state of semi-existence until 
  the Blizzard War, when the frost giants swore loyalty 
  to thrym and entered his armies in droves. slowly but 
  surely, goðjaðarr’s cult emerged from the shadows.
  However, some giants, such as the fire and storm 
  tribes, fought against thrym’s giant minions, and goð-
  jaðarr saw no purpose in slaying them purely out of 
  habit. instead, Kenaz taught goðjaðarr the secret of fire 
  and heat in return for allegiance. today, the cult of goð-
  jaðarr is focused only on the destruction of frost giants, 
  though it has no compulsion against hunting giants who 
  prey on the civilized races.
  goðjaðarr’s cult is rare outside the Winterlands. al-
  though he is honored by the Hearth Knights, he is wor-
  shipped as an aspect of Kenaz rather than a unique deity. 
  in such circumstances Kenaz is shown with a frost giant’s 
  head hanging from his belt. among his true worshippers, 
  goðjaðarr is depicted as a mighty warrior. since he first 
  served tiw, his armaments vary based on cultural prefer-
  ences rather than doctrinal ones. He is also patron of the 
  order of giant slayers.
  goðjaðarr has a single temple in the northern Battle-
  lands, where his cult is immensely popular. outside of 
  this region, his worship is more lip service or is incorpo-
  rated into that of Kenaz.
  like tiw’s clergy, goðjaðarr’s servants are loosely 
  divided between defense and offense. His priests are 
  often found in communities, organizing the defenses 
  and training the militia to deal with giants. Paladins tend 
  to be more itinerant, actively hunting down and slaying 
  frost giants wherever they may lair.
  ceremonies take the form of battle chants and cer-
  emonial martial dances, coupled with displaying war tro-
  phies, such as severed heads, scalps, and flayed skins.
  Character Guidelines: slaying giants doesn’t just 
  require strength and stamina. While many clerics do 
  have high strength and vigor, many giants are clumsy 
  and stupid, allowing clerics with good agility and smarts 
  a chance to trick them.
  clerics are under no compulsion to engage giants 
  only in melee, so shooting and throwing are just as use-
  ful as Fighting. intimidation and taunt can prove very 
  useful as well. While most combat edges are well-suited 
  to slaying giants, giant slayer and improved giant slayer 
  are must-haves when the hero reaches the appropriate 
  character rank.
  gullveig
  Titles: master Brewer, mead-thane of the gods.
  Aspects: Brewing.
  Affiliations: eostre (both aspects), vali.
  Symbol: a flagon.
  Priesthood: ale-lords (priests); mead-lords (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: clerics celebrate on any major feast day, 
  when starting a new vat of brew, and when a brew is 
  finished.
  Duties: to brew ale and mead, to ferment wine.
  Sins: (minor) selling watered down alcohol, produc-
  ing tainted brews, getting drunk; (major) allowing bees 
  or beehives to be harmed; (mortal) harming bees or 
  beehives.
  
  Minor goDs
  1
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (smarts, spirit, 
  vigor, Knowledge (craft: Brewing) only).
  Powers: Beast friend (bees only), bolt, confusion, 
  fatigue, feast (alcohol only), speak language, summon 
  beast (bees only)
  Trappings: gullveig’s trappings relate to alcohol 
  (confusion and fatigue) and bees.
  gullveig began as an obscure celestial spirit, a clumsy 
  household servant in eostre’s heavenly hall brewing ale 
  and wine.
  While stirring a vat of honey, he accidentally upset a 
  shelf of dried plants (yeast among them) and fruits, tip-
  ping the extra ingredients into the sticky, sweet honey. 
  Fearful he had ruined the vat, gullveig hid, for the honey 
  was destined for tiw, who despite his fierce nature had 
  a sweet tooth. 
  eventually tiw called for his honey and, upon sam-
  pling it, roared for gullveig to be brought to him. the 
  frightened servant was quickly found and dragged to 
  tiw’s battle hall. rather than cut gullveig down on the 
  spot for his mistake, tiw praised the godling for his mar-
  velous creation and demanded he make more, for this 
  was a brew worthy of warriors. eostre promoted gullveig 
  to master brewer, assuring his status as a minor god.
  gullveig’s association with vali is not one of choice. 
  although it was Hoenir or the unknowable one, not 
  gullveig, who gave mortals the secret of brewing and fer-
  mentation (the legend varying depending on to whom 
  one speaks), it is vali who encourages them to drink to 
  excess. alcohol also clouds the mind, making it easy to 
  lead them astray.
  images of gullveig always depict him holding a 
  flagon. often his beard is not hair, but a swarm of bees. 
  shrines stand in temples to eostre in communities that 
  keep bees, in breweries, vineyards, and in many shops 
  selling alcohol.
  traditionally, priests have brewed ale and fermented 
  wine, while paladins have focused on mead. no firm rul-
  ing keeps this divide enforced, but tradition is a powerful 
  force. Paladins are also more inclined to travel in search 
  of new recipes and ingredients. Wine is big business 
  in aspiria, and most other brewers have secret recipes 
  they wish to guard, so paladins of gullveig are often 
  employed to guard wineries and breweries, and to track 
  down thieves. skilled clerics can easily find employment 
  as a personal brewer to nobles and dignitaries, and the 
  position is an honored one in most courts.
  the lengthening winters are having a disastrous effect 
  on honey production. many clerics are leaving behind 
  their regular duties to quest for a hardier species of bee. 
  many stories exist about “Hellfrost bees,” but none have 
  yet been found. unless they are successful within a gen-
  eration or two, mead may be just a memory.
  drink is an important part of every culture. nobles 
  often hold festivals at which brewers from the local re-
  gion compete. Prizes are awarded for strongest drink, 
  most flavorsome brew, best color, and so on. While these 
  events generally occur during the summer months, 
  when the farmers are not needed in the fields and so 
  can enjoy the festivities, each community has its own set 
  days for hosting festivals. regardless of the exact day, the 
  local community refers to the festival as gullveig’s day. 
  unfortunately, it often descends into drunken revelry, 
  something clerics of the faith do not condone.
  Character Guidelines: clerics not only need a good 
  Knowledge (craft: Brewing) skill to make alcoholic 
  brews, but also a good vigor to avoid becoming drunk. 
  as clerics regularly use herbs in their brews, many are 
  skilled herbalists, and thus have the Hedge magic edge. 
  alchemy is a useful tool for brewers, though their spells 
  are almost always imbued into alcoholic drinks.
  hagvirKr
  Titles: Weaponsmith of the gods.
  Aspects: Forging weapons.
  Affiliations: ertha, Kenaz.
  Symbol: an anvil.
  Priesthood: anvils (priests); Hammers (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Festivals are usually held at the start of 
  Plohmonan and Werremonan, when smiths are busy 
  making and repairing weapons.
  Duties: to create weapons.
  Sins: (minor) damaging a forge, using non-metal 
  weapons, not forging a new weapon once per month; 
  (major) making more income from blacksmithing than 
  forging weapons, not melting down at least 1,000 gs of 
  weapons each year; (mortal) destroying a forge.
  Signature Power: Smite.
  Powers: Bladebreaker, boost/lower trait (strength, 
  vigor, and Knowledge (craft: Weaponsmith) only), el-
  emental manipulation (fire only), environmental pro-
  tection (fire only), weapon immunity.
  Trappings: all trappings involve heat.
  ertha and Kenaz have long been allies, with the god-
  desses providing metal ore and Kenaz supplying the heat 
  required to forge it. several myths carry their relation-
  ship further than mere friendship, and Hagvirkr is often 
  described as being the result of their union. as a youth, 
  Hagvirkr watched his father laboring over his forge to 
  keep tiw supplied with weapons. When Kenaz rested, 
  Hagvirkr would sneak in and take a turn. understanding 
  both heat and metal, Hagvirkr quickly came to surpass 
  his father in the art of crating weapons, and was duly 
  appointed to the role.
  Personifications show a short, muscular man with the 
  fiery red beard of Kenaz, but the brown eyes and soft 
  locks of ertha. most often is shown working at his forge, 
  pounding away with his huge hammer, “Beater.”
  Hagvirkr has no personal shrines, even among weap-
  onsmiths. Where honored, he is represented by runes 
  etched into the smith’s anvil or shown alongside statues 
  Kenaz or ertha as an anvil.
  Both priests and paladins are working weaponsmiths. 
  Whereas priests are expected to settle down and operate 
  a forge, either as a business or for a noble, paladins are 
  itinerant smiths, traveling as they desire and making weap-
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  ons for remote communities who lack their own smith. 
  though they sometimes dabble in making horseshoes 
  and plows, this is not the clergy’s specialty, and they are 
  forbidden from making it their core source of income.
  Whereas clerics of eostre sacrifice metal and gems to 
  the earth, clerics of Hagvirkr melt down weapons in their 
  forges. While the physical essence of these offerings is 
  destroyed, a spiritual version is created in its place, thus 
  ensuring the armories of the gods remain ever full and 
  ready for use.
  each year, on the first sunnandaeg of Werremonan, 
  the clergy celebrates Hagvirkr’s induction as weapon-
  smiths of the gods. they are expected to spend the time 
  leading up to the festival crafting a weapon of strength 
  and beauty. the final hammer fall must be made on the 
  day known as Forge day. the weapon is then gifted to 
  a notable warrior or hero. clerics have been known to 
  gift these weapons to youths, and such an offering is 
  considered a sure sign the child will become a mighty 
  warrior later in life.
  Character Guidelines: Working at the forge day in 
  and day out tends to produce strong, fit clerics. While 
  not dedicated to fighting wars, many clerics are adept 
  with melee weapons. Paladins are itinerant and need 
  the skills to survive in the harsh wilderness. alchemy 
  is popular among weaponsmiths, since it allows them 
  to imbue weapons with temporary magic. most of their 
  devices are runes etched into weapons.
  haptabeiDr
  Titles: counselor of the gods, crown Holder, He 
  Who stands on the right.
  Aspects: advising nobles.
  Affiliations: Hoenir, Hothar.
  Symbol: a crown.
  Priesthood: High civil counselors (priests); High 
  War counselors (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: oath renewal day (see page 23) is a high 
  holy day. any day the cleric crowns a nobleman is a per-
  sonal high holy day.
  Duties: to advise the nobility, to crown nobles.
  Sins: (minor) giving impartial advice to a noble, re-
  fusing to advice a noble; (major) plotting the overthrow 
  of a noble, injuring the noble of a civilized race; (mortal) 
  usurping a noble, killing a noble.
  Signature Power: Charismatic aura.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (spirit, vigor, intimidation, 
  Knowledge (Battle, law, stewardship), Persuasion only), 
  fear, gift of battle, speak language.
  Trappings: any except necromantic. most have no 
  visible effects, so as their masters are not seen as being 
  reliant on magic in order to fulfill their duties.
  Special: noble refers to any member of a civilized 
  race who holds a recognized and legitimate noble title, 
  regardless of his morals or motives. clerics cannot have 
  the Big mouth Hindrance.
  a learned deity with an opinion on everything, Hap-
  tabeidr is advisor to all the gods. He cares nothing for 
  good or evil, but instead focuses on providing impartial 
  counsel that is in the best interests of his many masters. 
  although he counsels all the gods and is closely affili-
  ated with Hoenir, a god who demands all knowledge be 
  shared, Haptabeidr keeps their business strictly confi-
  dential. some theologians claim he was cursed by niht, 
  who had no wish for her many secrets to be revealed.
  any high seat or throne used by a nobleman is a shrine 
  to Haptabeidr. the god has no personification, but is in-
  stead shown as the thrones on which the gods sit and the 
  crowns that adorn their heads. many kingdoms, jarldoms, 
  and other equivalents have a sacred stone, on which no-
  bles stand when taking office. Here they recite the ancient 
  oaths handed down through the generations.
  the primary role of the clergy is to crown nobles, 
  bestowing them with the divine authority to rule and 
  commanding them to obey the laws of the land and act 
  in a just manner. However, no law requires a cleric to be 
  present at a coronation, nor is a nobleman who ascends 
  without the blessing of a cleric of Haptabeidr in any way 
  considered a usurper or charlatan. Having one present 
  does provide the noble with a greater degree of author-
  ity and legitimacy in the eyes of the people, though. 
  the cult’s daily purpose is to advise the nobility in an 
  impartial manner. as elsewhere, the difference between 
  priests and paladins is one of militancy—paladins are 
  best served to offer military counsel.
  outside of coronations and oath renewal day, cer-
  emonies are few and far between—counseling a noble-
  man is a daily act of devotion. coronation ceremonies 
  are lengthy affairs, with a variety of oaths being sworn 
  in response to questions from the cleric. although the 
  questions vary by culture and realm, they are largely 
  formulaic in nature.
  Character Guidelines: clerics serve as advisors to 
  the nobility. smarts improves one’s common Knowl-
  edge, while spirit allows one to state one’s opinions 
  without feeling intimidated by one’s master. Knowledge 
  (Battle, law, and stewardship) are important skills for 
  advisors, while Persuasion allows one to get one’s point 
  across succinctly.
  haptasnytrir
  Titles: the mouth of Hoenir, celestial teacher, tutor 
  of the gods.
  Aspects: teaching.
  Affiliations: Hoenir, the unknowable one.
  Symbol: a rune-inscribed slate.
  Priesthood: tutors (priests); instructors (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Writing day (see page 22) is a high holy 
  day.
  Duties: to teach others, to pass on knowledge.
  Sins: (minor) refusing to teach someone, unknow-
  ingly teaching incorrect facts; (major) refusing to teach 
  an illiterate person to read and write; (mortal) purpose-
  fully teaching incorrect facts.
  
  Minor goDs
  
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (smarts, any 
  smarts-linked skill only).
  Powers: Analyze foe, gift of battle, gravespeak, in-
  sight, speak language, warrior’s gift.
  Trappings: any except necromantic.
  Haptasnytrir is both blessed and cursed. originally 
  a minor servant of Hoenir, Haptasnytrir was possessed 
  of keen mind and formidable memory. He was also a 
  gifted teacher, able to put across complex ideas in terms 
  anyone could understand. unfortunately, he was also 
  immensely curious, questing for more and more knowl-
  edge. His curiosity drew him to niht’s dark hall, where 
  he knew many secrets were hidden. alas, niht caught 
  the god rummaging through her secrets. she promptly 
  cursed him for his trespass, stating that Haptasnytrir 
  could never again increase his knowledge, though he 
  could still impart what he knew. Hoenir took pity on his 
  minion and elevated him to minor god status.
  all temples to Hoenir are automatically centers of 
  learning, and thus Haptasnytrir is always present. Private 
  tutors and military instructors maintain small shrines. 
  Haptasnytrir is never depicted as an individual—as the 
  mouth of Hoenir, he is an inseparable part of the god of 
  learning. at temples where teaching provides a large part 
  of the cult’s income, Hoenir is often shown carrying a 
  writing slate, on which is inscribed the local alphabet.
  Priests tend to focus on intellectual training, teaching 
  everything from basic literacy to the complex wisdom of 
  the arcane. a small few are lucky enough to have per-
  manent employment at a school. most, though, work at 
  temples to Hoenir, where they run public classes open to 
  all, or as private tutors to the scions of rich and power-
  ful families. Paladins, by nature of their preference for 
  battle, are learned in many forms of warfare and special 
  maneuvers. a small few cooperate with neighboring tem-
  ples of tiw, where they work as drill instructors, but the 
  majority serves their community or noble lord, ensuring 
  local soldiers are well trained and disciplined. despite 
  this tie to tiw, Haptasnytrir is not directly affiliated to 
  the war god.
  the clergy worship by passing on knowledge. While 
  those dedicated solely to Hoenir are often rather boring, 
  reciting information verbatim with little regard for their 
  audience’s appreciation, Haptasnytrir’s servants encour-
  age audience participation and alter their learning style 
  to suit. Warriors, for instance, are more inspired by tales 
  of battle than they are by dry lectures, whereas children 
  learn better if allowed to interact with the tutor and ask 
  questions rather than just listen to his voice.
  Character Guidelines: like clerics of Hoenir, those of 
  Haptasnytrir are expected to be learned scholars. smarts is 
  thus their primary attribute. any smarts-linked skill should 
  be considered important, though the clergy also give mili-
  tary instruction, allowing them to be martial tutors.
  haptsönir
  Titles: lord of Freedom, the liberator, Breaker of 
  shackles.
  Aspects: Freedom from tyranny.
  Affiliations: thunor.
  Symbol: a broken chain.
  Priesthood: rousers (priests); liberators (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every raestdaeg.
  Duties: to free the wrongfully enslaved and op-
  pressed.
  Sins: (minor) silencing free speech, refusing to aid 
  the oppressed, placing shackles on a living creature; 
  (major) freeing a rightfully convicted criminal, owning a 
  slave; (mortal) supporting rigid and oppressive govern-
  ments, overthrowing a just government.
  Signature Power: Charismatic aura.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (spirit, strength, vigor, 
  Fighting, intimidation, lockpicking, Persuasion, stealth, 
  streetwise only), gift of battle, sanctuary, unlock (no 
  lock).
  Trappings: any except necromantic, but air and elec-
  tricity are favored.
  Haptsönir is the charismatic and high-spirited son 
  of thunor. He is champion of the oppressed, speaking 
  out against tyranny and unjust laws. He and Hothar are 
  friends, though there relationship is an on-off one. 
  Haptsönir accepts that laws are required for a society 
  to function, and thus is no anarchist. He fully supports 
  just governments that bring peace to the land, but he 
  also demands citizens be allowed freedom to speak 
  openly and raise complaints against the nobility.
  largely unknown in the Hearthlands before the anari 
  expanded, Haptsönir’s tiny cult grew rapidly among the 
  saxa before and during the revolt against their anari 
  masters. although his power has since dwindled again, 
  he remains an important minor god. His holy texts are 
  often quoted at trials by the defense. the outlawing of 
  his cult in the Blackstone Barony has attracted many cler-
  ics to the small and oppressed realm.
  temples do exist, but they rarely remain in the same 
  place for long. Partly this is because once the oppressed 
  are free they have little need of Haptsönir, and partly 
  because his clergy aren’t foolish enough to provide en-
  emies with a static target. such temples are never lavishly 
  decorated, and are always hidden. the cellar of a tavern, 
  the backroom of a house, an old warehouse—these are 
  places the clergy like to make their headquarters.
  shrines take the form of wooden posts engraved with 
  Haptsönir’s image—that of a wild haired man holding a 
  broken chain. they are sometimes placed in oppressed 
  lands as a warning to the ruler that trouble is coming, 
  though this can have the unfortunate side-effect of caus-
  ing a sweeping crackdown on civil liberties.
  His priests are charged with inciting those wrongly or 
  cruelly oppressed to free themselves. they are political 
  agitators who stick up posters proclaiming a ruler or his 
  laws unjust, speak out against subjugation of an individ-
  ual’s rights, and the rabble-rousers who incite peasants 
  to rebel against cruel overlords. His paladins, being more 
  militant, train peasants in the skills they need to defeat 
  the armies holding them in chains, break into prisons 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  to rescue political prisoners or those convicted on false 
  charges, and act as figureheads in open rebellion.
  although Haptsönir prefers his clergy worship in the 
  open air, he accepts that to do so in oppressed lands un-
  necessarily endangers his worshippers. most ceremonies 
  involve recitation of holy texts, which state that all men 
  have certain rights granted them by the gods, and that 
  no mortal ruler has the authority to subjugate or pervert 
  them. the breaking of chains and manacles is a common 
  theme in ceremonies.
  Character Guidelines: once again, priests and 
  paladins have favored roles. Both, as leaders of the op-
  pressed, require a good charisma, and certainly should 
  invest in Persuasion—few enslaved men follow a leader 
  who cannot fire their emotions, for that is a fool’s er-
  rand. stealth is important for priests who don’t want to 
  be caught posting seditious material. Paladins should 
  invest in leadership edges, for they are expected to head 
  just rebellions.
  haratt
  Titles: gnawer, the rat King, lord of vermin, long-
  tooth, Hater of cats, veth’s Bane.
  Aspects: rats.
  Affiliations: vali.
  Symbol: a rat’s head.
  Priesthood: vermin callers (priests); teeth of vali 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Famine day (see page 37) and Plague day 
  (see page 37) are high holy days.
  Duties: to protect rats, to increase rat populations, 
  to destroy granaries.
  Sins: (minor) harming a rat, failing to destroy a gra-
  nary you are attacking, giving comfort or succor to a cat 
  or cleric of eostre or veth; (major) harming a giant rat, 
  not killing a cat when you see one; (mortal) harming a 
  leyparat.
  Signature Power: Summon beast (rats and giant rats 
  only).
  Powers: Armor, barrier, beast friend (rats and giant 
  rats only), boost/lower trait (agility, climbing, notice, 
  and stealth only), disease, shape change (rat and giant 
  rat only).
  Trappings: all trapping involve rats.
  Special: Barrier creates a wall of living rats. charac-
  ters adjacent to the barrier at the end of their turn suffer 
  2d4 damage, with armor protecting as normal.
  When eostre was chosen to have dominion over the 
  fauna and flora she summoned all the animals to attend 
  her. on arriving at eostre’s hall, the mice, rats, and other 
  vermin were driven away by veth, one of eostre’s help-
  ers, who thought them horrible creatures. While eostre 
  blessed the other animals and offered them her protec-
  tion, the vermin were left out. they sank back into the 
  dark nooks and crannies of the gods’ halls feeling be-
  trayed and angry, making them ideal candidates for vali’s 
  insidious and corrupting influence.
  vali promised the rats many things, such as resistance 
  to disease, quick reproduction, dexterity, cleverness, and 
  the ability to eat almost anything in return for loyalty. 
  the vermin were quick to agree to his generous terms. in 
  return, he nominated one of them as King rat, elevating 
  him to the status of a minor deity. other vermin kings 
  exist as well, but they are not important in this story.
  unlike many minor deities, Haratt has temples in his 
  honor. regardless of whether they are found in rural 
  areas or crowded towns and cities, there is always a large 
  and healthy rat population in the vicinity. discovering 
  these hidden temples is never easy, for the rats act as 
  sentries, ever vigilant for signs of eira’ clerics or those of 
  veth, the goddess of granary protection. one clear sign 
  that a cult of Haratt may be operating in the neighbor-
  hood is the sudden disappearance of the cat population. 
  Haratt is depicted either as a monstrous rat or a leyparat 
  (many of whom worship him). often he is shown with 
  dead cats at his feet.
  Priests and paladins are both devoted to the protec-
  tion of rats and the destruction of granaries. Priests favor 
  poison and disease with which to blight the stored crops, 
  while paladins prefer more destructive methods such as 
  arson or brute force. While clerics may act openly, more 
  often than not they employ rats to do their dirty work 
  while they lurk unseen in the shadows, for many are sur-
  prisingly timid creatures adverse to confrontation.
  most ceremonies involve the destruction of crops 
  and the killing of cats, the archenemy of all vermin. vast 
  quantities of food and drink are consumed, for one of 
  vali’s curses was a ravenous appetite.
  Character Guidelines: clerics who aren’t also dis-
  ciples of vali need to invest in a high vigor in order to 
  help fend off diseases carried by rats. Priests, who favor 
  subtlety, should invest in skills such as lockpicking and 
  stealth, whereas paladins are bolder in their attacks and 
  need decent combat skills and combat edges. like the 
  rats who serve them, many clerics are cautious, planning 
  ahead and wary of being ambushed or discovered.
  harisa
  Titles: golden locks, she of Flowing Hair.
  Aspects: Hair.
  Affiliations: eira.
  Symbol: a lock of hair.
  Priesthood: combs of Harisa (priests); Blades of 
  Harisa (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: the one day a year a cleric has his hair cut 
  is a personal high holy day.
  Duties: to grow one’s hair, to style the hair of oth-
  ers.
  Sins: (minor) cutting someone’s hair (corpses ex-
  cepted), not washing your hair daily, not offering a head 
  of hair to Harisa once per month; (major) having your 
  hair cut more than once a year, shaving someone bald; 
  (mortal) having your head shaved bald.
  Signature Power: Entangle.
  
  Minor goDs
  
  Powers: Barrier, bridge, deflection, hamper move-
  ment, stun.
  Trappings: all trapping involve hair. Stun causes the 
  victim’s hair to get into their eyes (bald victims grow hair 
  momentarily, which itself is quiet a shock).
  a vain and beautiful goddess, Harisa was born with 
  long, luxurious hair. Kidnapped by frost giants, the brutes 
  shaved her head and used a magic potion to ensure it 
  would never grow back. after Harisa was rescued, eira 
  took pity on the goddess, and fashioned her a wig. such 
  was eira’s skill that Harisa’s false locks behave exactly like 
  normal hair. to compensate Harisa for her unfortunate 
  fate, eira promoted Harisa to the minor goddess of hair.
  Harisa is never shown as an individual goddess. 
  Whenever her presence is found alongside eira, she is 
  shown as a lock of hair hanging over eira’s left eye, or as 
  eira’s unfettered locks, her hair falling freely to her lower 
  back. in many temples a lock of blond hair placed on the 
  altar or tied to a shrine represents her. Her name is spo-
  ken often—women ask her to let a comb run smoothly 
  through their hair, and men going bald beseech her to 
  show mercy—though very few truly worship her.
  clerics are close to the cutting edge of fashion, at 
  least when it comes to hairstyles. While most women 
  either braid their hair or let it flow naturally, clerics of 
  Harisa sport elaborate hairdos. Besides having great hair, 
  the cult has no true objectives (being one of the smallest 
  known). a small few serve nobles, being responsible for 
  ensuring their hair looks good. Paladins may serve a dual 
  role, being bodyguards as well as ser-
  vants or hairstylists. some of her cler-
  ics are extremely vain, though most 
  simply take pride in their appearance. 
  going bald is viewed as a sign of great 
  disfavor, especially among female 
  clergy.
  clerics often attend funerals. al-
  though they have no ties to scaetha, 
  they cut the corpse’s hair, paying the 
  deceased’s family for the act. this 
  stems from the belief that Harisa’s 
  wig, while wondrous, continually 
  loses strands thanks to the giants’ fell 
  magic. in order to prevent the goddess 
  from going bald again, hair must be 
  regularly sacrificed. another popular 
  way to gather hair is simply to call at 
  houses and ask for any locks recently 
  cut.
  Personal ceremonies are conducted 
  daily, for the act of washing and styling 
  one’s hair is pleasing to Harisa. sacri-
  fices are smelly affairs, taking the form 
  of burnt locks of hair. typically these 
  offerings are made only on two occa-
  sions. the first is when a cleric endures 
  his annual hair cut, and the second 
  when a corpse has been shorn.
  Character 
  Guidelines: 
  Harisa 
  places no great cause at her clerics’ feet, and thus they are 
  largely free to adopt whatever role they wish. While never 
  as talented as a cleric on a more focused minor deity, they 
  run the gamut from librarians to thieves and healers to 
  warriors. the cleric’s choice of traits and edges thus de-
  pends on his chosen role in life, not his deity.
  heiMDallr
  Titles: World-Brightener, light of sigel, enemy of 
  niht, the torchbearer.
  Aspects: light.
  Affiliations: sigel.
  Symbol: a torch toped with sigel’s symbol instead 
  of a flame.
  Priesthood: lightbringer (priests); sun lord (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: delling day (p. 31), Purification day (p. 
  31), and sun gaze day (p. 32) are high holy days.
  Duties: to fight the powers of darkness, to keep 
  lights burning.
  Sins: (minor) not creating a source of light in a dark-
  ened area, fleeing a servant of niht or spellcaster who 
  uses darkness trappings; (major) suffering defeat at the 
  hands of a servant of niht or spellcaster who uses dark-
  ness trappings, refusing to fight the forces of darkness; 
  (mortal) willfully aiding the forces of darkness.
  Signature Power: Light.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  Powers: Aura, banish, bolt, burst, obscure, stun.
  Trappings: light trappings only. Obscure creates a 
  template of brilliant light.
  Heimdallr is sigel’s torchbearer, responsible for ensur-
  ing his hall is well lit, and his most fanatical huscarl. He 
  was present when delling rose above the mortal world, 
  the light from his flickering torch filling the sky with a 
  dim red glow before the brilliant light of sigel drove the 
  shadows into hiding for the first time.
  While worshippers honor Heimdallr in temples and 
  at shrines of sigel, where he is present as the constant 
  light that fills these holy places, clerics see the light of 
  the sun as a grand temple. thus, worship may take place 
  anywhere, so long as the sun is shining. Heimdallr is 
  sometimes shown as a bearded servant holding aloft a 
  burning torch. He is the patron of chandlers, lamp mak-
  ers, and torchbearers, as well as those lowly servants 
  responsible for lighting sources of illumination.
  Priests are normally found in communities. some 
  work as chandlers, manufacturing both mundane and 
  alchemical candles. others patrol the streets at night 
  armed with light spells and torches, assisting the local 
  watch in keeping law and order. a small few are lowly 
  servants, responsible for lighting candles and lamps 
  once the sun begins to set. some are scholars, devoted 
  to understanding the fading of the sun and seeking for 
  the cause of sigel’s disappearance.
  less concerned with policing moral behavior than 
  paladins of sigel, Heimdallr’s holy warriors are fanatical 
  champions of light, totally dedicated to combating the 
  forces of darkness. their animosity toward the minions 
  and followers of niht is legendary.
  ceremonies are always held at dawn and dusk, for 
  the red glow that mars the horizon is believed to be 
  Heimdallr’s torchlight. those held at the break of day 
  typically involve the cleric stripping naked to expose his 
  entire body to the first rays, singing to welcome the light 
  back into the sky, and then casting light for a brief time 
  to strengthen the weakened sun. those held at dusk are 
  prayers intended to protect the sun from harm during 
  its nocturnal wandering. again, light spells are cast for 
  a few minutes.
  Character Guidelines: While a cleric might want to 
  take a Knowledge (craft) skill to generate a small income, 
  it is not a cult requirement. scholastic clerics should in-
  vest a few dice in appropriate Knowledge skills, especially 
  arcana and Folklore, as well as investigation. Knowledge 
  (religion) can be useful for understanding other cults, 
  especially that of niht. Paladins are warriors through and 
  through, devoted champions of a righteous cause, and 
  need a wide range of martial skills and edges. notice is 
  useful to both branches, but it is not a core skill.
  hilDolfr
  Titles: the Berserk god, the rager, lord of Wolves, 
  lord of Bears.
  Aspects: Berserkers.
  Affiliations: dargar, tiw.
  Symbol: a wolf’s head looking left and a bear’s head 
  looking right from a battle axe.
  Priesthood: ulfhéðnar (priests); Berhéðnar (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every monandaeg. each monandaeg of 
  Wulfmonan is a high holy day.
  Duties: to revel in berserk fury and unruly behavior.
  Sins: (minor) not going berserk once per encounter, 
  ending a berserk frenzy before all foes are slain, not be-
  coming intoxicated on alcohol once per week; (major) 
  not going berserk once per week, refusing to fight; (mor-
  tal) deliberately refraining from going berserk.
  Signature Power: Battle song.
  Powers: Armor, boost/lower trait (smarts, spirit, 
  strength, vigor, Fighting, and intimidation only), leap-
  ing, shape change (wolf or dire wolf only for priests, and 
  bears only for paladins), smite, summon spirit (anger), 
  warrior’s gift.
  Trappings: all involve bears or wolves in some man-
  ner, as appropriate to the type of cleric.
  Special: clerics must have the Berserk edge.
  Hildolfr (“Battle Wolf”) is dargar’s younger brother, 
  and thus one of tiw’s many sons. He is also scaetha’s 
  brother, but she has no love for her wild half-sibling. 
  depending on which legend is told, Hildolfr’s mother 
  was a she-wolf or she-bear hamhleypa, thus making the 
  god only half-divine. some theologians believe the beast 
  was actually eostre animalmother in disguise, though 
  her clerics consider this heresy.
  the god of fury inherited from his mother the wild 
  nature of the beast and from his father a short temper 
  and love of battle. added to this is dargar’s corrupting 
  presence. Hildolfr is an unruly, angry god who loves to 
  get drunk and fight, not necessarily in that order. He 
  spends a lot of time at dargar’s hall, fighting and drink-
  ing with his brother’s huscarls.
  Hildolfr is never depicted in art. His shrines take 
  the form of bear or wolf skins, complete with head and 
  claws. Wearing such a skin is considered the mark of a 
  berserker, and it is a rare cleric who wears other furs. 
  traditionally, priests wear a wolf skin and paladins a bear 
  skin. When dargar or tiw are depicted wearing furs, the 
  garment represents the presence of the god of berserk-
  ers. the names of the clerical orders translate literally as 
  “ones clad in wolf/bear skins.”
  the god of berserkers has no temples. shrines exist 
  in temples to dargar and tiw. tiw’s followers are wary 
  of their battle-cousins, for whereas most warriors focus 
  their fury, Hildolfr’s clergy revel in their wild nature, 
  making them very unpredictable allies.
  Hildolfr’s clergy are berserkers, warriors who can 
  summon the red rage and unleash their inner-beast. like 
  their patron, they are wild, unruly, ill-kempt, short of 
  temper, and prone to sudden fits of violence. they are 
  universally distrusted and disliked by commoners, espe-
  cially those who know of the fearsome vendahl. nobles 
  see them as a necessary evil because of their fighting 
  prowess, and warriors see them as wild dogs, as harm-
  
  Minor goDs
  
  ful to friend as much as foe. clerics of Hothar consider 
  Hildolfr’s followers to be a menace to ordered society. 
  Priests tend to be static warriors, part of a noble’s 
  retinue or an elite force within an army. Paladins are 
  generally itinerant, wandering the roads and trails, vent-
  ing their anger on anything they deem worthy of tasting 
  their steel. mercenary work is always a popular way to 
  make a living, though captains are often wary of hiring 
  too many berserkers.
  Hildolfr’s rituals tend to be chaotic, drunken affairs 
  involving mindless, though usually nonlethal, violence. 
  often their celebrations spill out onto the streets, where-
  upon the local citizens make a quick dash for their homes. 
  clerics drink and fight, and fight and drink, while snarling 
  loudly, intimidating anyone within range, and boasting of 
  their own prowess. on holy days, they drink mead mixed 
  with wolf or bear blood, as appropriate to their calling.
  Character Guidelines: Berserkers are fighters 
  through and through. strength, vigor, and Fighting are 
  their most important traits. smarts needs to be low in 
  order to go berserk and high in order to stop the blood 
  fury—deciding what die to take is a tricky decision. com-
  bat edges like Frenzy and sweep are ideal choices, since 
  they allow the berserker to unleash multiple blows. in-
  timidation can be useful, if only to soften up opponents 
  before you hack them to death. mean nicely sums up 
  the berserker’s unruly nature and short temper, while 
  outsider represents society’s general disdain for those 
  who accept battle rage into their hearts so openly.
  hoárri
  Titles: Foresighted one, she Who never looks Back.
  Aspects: divination, the future.
  Affiliations: maera.
  Symbol: a milky eye with no pupil.
  Priesthood: seers (priests); oracles (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every monandaeg is a holy day. divina-
  tion night is a high holy day (see page 25).
  Duties: to divine the future.
  Sins: (minor) studying the past, lying about the future; 
  (major) aiding a cleric of the norns; (mortal) deliberately 
  preventing someone from fulfilling their destiny.
  Signature Power: Detect (no conceal).
  Powers: Farsight, fortune’s favored, precognition, 
  quickness.
  Trappings: any except necromantic.
  a one-eyed daughter of nauthiz, Hoárri learned of 
  maera’s expulsion from the norns (see page 25). Being 
  young and impulsive, she felt sorrow for the scorned 
  goddess and set out to help her. she attempted to break 
  into the norns’ house and steal maera’s thread from their 
  tapestry. alas, she forgot that the norns would know of 
  her coming since they had ordained it. the norns gave 
  her a severe beating, and during the fracas skuld’s needle 
  pierced her remaining eye, rendering it sightless.
  maera learned of the attack through her divinations 
  and sought out Hoárri to console her. to maera’s sur-
  prise, Hoárri was expecting her. skuld’s needle may have 
  taken Hoárri’s ability to see the present, but it had be-
  stowed the ability to glimpse the future. Because it was 
  skuld who caused the injury, the norns had no power 
  over her visions and could not block them. maera at 
  once took Hoárri under her wing as a diviner. although 
  she respected the girl’s power, her charity was more a 
  chance to spite the norns.
  Hoárri is the patron of diviners and fortune-tellers. 
  she is always shown as a young woman with both eyes 
  bandaged. shrines exist in all maera’s temples, and many 
  prophets carry round charms as a focus for their divina-
  tions and soothsaying. unfortunately, charlatans carry 
  these same charms in a bid to authenticate their shams.
  Priests usually earn a living as diviners. unlike clerics 
  of the norns, who prefer the future remains a mystery, 
  Hoárri’s clerics offer glimpses into the future in return 
  for hard coin. While many are itinerants, those with the 
  true gift can be found serving powerful figures as senior 
  advisors. clerics of var get on well with them, paying 
  handsomely for their insight before signing contracts. 
  to the norns’ worshippers, they are little better than 
  thieves, stealing glimpses of the future.
  Paladins are more concerned with finding those with 
  an important destiny and ensuring they follow the right 
  path. sometimes they offer shortcuts, knowing it will 
  cause the norns no end of grief. this often puts them in 
  direct confrontation with the norns’ clergy, who prefer 
  mortals discover their destiny without interference.
  Worshippers honor their goddess by divining the fu-
  ture and revealing it to others. like their brothers and 
  sisters in maera’s cult, they practice mystery plays. a fa-
  vorite is the story of how Hoárri lost her eye. during the 
  play, hints are dropped that the norns’ ability to foretell 
  the future is not all it is made out to be, and that maybe 
  mortals can shape their own future.
  Character Generation: Hoárri provides some useful 
  spells, but they are a limited set of abilities for adven-
  turing clerics who pick her as a patron. they are better 
  suited as nPc diviners and mysterious patrons nudging 
  the heroes toward their destiny through cryptic messag-
  es and fortune telling. While skilled as diviners, clerics 
  should never neglect the present, for omens can often be 
  missed by those who lack the eyes to see them. notice is 
  a very useful skill, and alertness a valuable edge.
  hlJóð
  Titles: the silent one, He Who speaks in silence, He 
  Who Hears the unspoken.
  Aspects: silence.
  Affiliations: Hoenir, nauthiz.
  Symbol: a circle.
  Priesthood: meditators (priests); silent Blades (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: clerics must pick one day each month 
  during which they must refrain from making any noise. 
  this can never be spoken Word day (p. 22).
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  Duties: to learn how to be silent, to promote silence 
  as a form of learning and improvement.
  Sins: (minor) speaking above a whisper, talking dur-
  ing the time one has vowed to be silent, failing a stealth 
  roll; (major) shouting for any reason, making excessive 
  noise; (mortal) screaming for any reason.
  Signature Power: Silence.
  Powers: Becalm, boost/lower trait (boost smarts, 
  smarts-linked skills, and stealth only; lower intimidation, 
  Persuasion, and taunt only), confusion, speak language, 
  voice on the wind.
  Trappings: most take the form of an absence of sound, 
  and thus have no game mechanics. Voice on the wind is 
  normally written and is always heard as a whisper.
  Special: clerics must refrain from speaking or mak-
  ing vocal noises for a number of hours per day equal to 
  half their Faith die type. the hours must be consecutive 
  and while the cleric is conscious. clerics can cast their 
  miracles without speaking, must have one hand free for 
  elaborate gestures.
  a son of Hoenir, Hljóð has never spoken a word nor 
  been heard approaching. no one is sure whether he 
  is mute or has chosen not to speak, but he has never 
  uttered a word. While tvíblindi taught nauthiz the art 
  of concealment, it was Hljóð who taught him to walk 
  without being heard.
  Hljóð is depicted most commonly as a human. His 
  mouth is either covered by a cloth strip or absent. in 
  temples of Hoenir, he is shown sitting cross-legged with 
  a book resting on his knees. in temples of nauthiz, stat-
  ues invariably show him walking on tiptoes.
  shrines to Hljóð appear in all temples of Hoenir. 
  most are found in libraries—Hropt may be the patron of 
  librarians, but he appreciates peace and quiet in which 
  to work. shrines in nauthiz’s temple are not uncommon. 
  they are often found in rooms with very good acous-
  tics—thieves are expected to cross the room, leave offer-
  ings, and exit without being heard. a handful of temples 
  exist. always located in remote places, clerics typically 
  come here to refocus their faith or to retire from the 
  world altogether. their days are spent in silent medita-
  tion and contemplation.
  the clergy is divided in its leaning as well as its mili-
  tancy. one aspect believes that noise is a distraction from 
  learning and truth, and is ultimately the path to wisdom. 
  as one cult tenet says, a wise man speaks when he has 
  something to say, the fool when he has to say something. 
  Paladins spend hours silently practicing their weapon 
  skills and learning how to overcome pain, so as not to cry 
  out in combat. the other branch are thieves and spies, 
  practitioners of stealth at a more practical level.
  not surprisingly, rituals involve silent meditation. 
  during this time the cleric focus on nothing, emptying 
  his mind of distracting thoughts. Prayers, which take the 
  form of mantras designed to help meditation, are silently 
  mouthed.
  Character Guidelines: regardless of whether one is 
  a scholar or a thief, stealth is a vital skill. scholarly types 
  should favor investigation and Knowledge skills, while 
  thieves need climbing and lockpicking. When it comes 
  to edges, those who favor study should take scholar. 
  thief is an obvious choice for larcenous types. Fast and 
  silent fits both types, as it allows them to run silently.
  Paladins of both factions should consider nerves of 
  steel—an edge that represents their ability to overcome 
  pain and refrain from shouting out when struck.
  hrafn
  Titles: messengers of the gods, Word-Bringer.
  Aspects: messengers.
  Affiliations: Freo, Hoenir.
  Symbol: a raven clutching a scroll in its claws.
  Priesthood: scribes (priests); couriers (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Worshippers treat any day a journey be-
  gins or ends as a holy day. spoken Word day (see page 
  22) and Writing day (see page 22) are high holy days.
  Duties: to transcribe and deliver messages.
  Sins: (minor) late delivery of a message, giving a 
  message entrusted to you to a person other than the in-
  tended recipient, allowing a written message entrusted 
  to you to be damaged; (major) failure to deliver a mes-
  sage entrusted to you, falsely repeating a verbal message; 
  (mortal) reading a message entrusted into your care.
  Signature Power: Speed.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (agility, vigor, riding only), 
  fly, speak language, voice on the wind, wall walker, wa-
  ter walk, wilderness step.
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping except nec-
  romantic.
  Hrafn is often called a son of Freo, though many cler-
  ics of the faith actually think of him as Freo’s pet rather 
  than as an aspect of the deity. Whereas Freo wanders 
  almost aimlessly, content to let his feet take him where 
  they will, Hrafn only ever travels with purpose, and that 
  purpose is to deliver messages. Hrafn is not a diplomat, 
  and cares little whether the missives are contracts, love 
  letters, or declarations of war. Whenever he is depicted, 
  he is always shown as a raven, never as a man or anthro-
  pomorphic animal.
  like Freo, Hrafn has no temples of his own. shrines 
  can be found in many of Hoenir’s temples. the majority 
  of shrines to Freo show him wearing a raven amulet on 
  at least one face.
  Priests are more often scholars than delivery men, 
  hired by nobles and merchants to write messages. many 
  priests have unique codes which they use to encrypt the 
  most important missives. naturally, the intended recipi-
  ent needs to know the code in order to read the mes-
  sage. Priests are, by their nature, more closely linked to 
  Hoenir. Paladins, as the militant branch of the faith, are 
  the actual messengers, traveling the country as required 
  by their patrons. once they undertake a commission, 
  they let nothing stand between them and delivering the 
  message entrusted them, especially not something as 
  mundane as the weather.
  Both types of clergy maintain strong ties to the guild 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  of messengers, and many are paid up members. mem-
  bership is not required, and plenty of clerics enjoy the 
  freedom of freelance work, taking on commissions as 
  suits them rather than taking orders.
  membership of the guild can be represented in play 
  by taking the connection (messenger guild) edge and 
  the orders Hindrance. many clerics have a fixed base 
  where potential patrons can contact them, and such 
  structures always contain a shrine. all messenger guild 
  houses contain a shrine to Freo, with Hrafn represented 
  as a raven perched on one of the god’s shoulder.
  While sensible travelers stick to main roads wher-
  ever possible, messengers often take the most direct 
  route, confident in their abilities to keep them out of 
  trouble. “as Hrafn flies,” a common expression, refers to 
  a straight-line distance between two points, and is often 
  used when describing distances between locales.
  ceremonies are impromptu affairs, held any time 
  clerics gather in more than a pair. Here the clergy swap 
  stories of their travels and adventures, though they never 
  divulge the recipients of messages to each other out of 
  professional courtesy. as well as a form of boasting—of-
  ten the teller of the most outlandish but true story 
  avoids having to buy drinks for the night—these stories 
  help pass on news messengers need to know, such as 
  increased orc activity or political unrest.
  Character Guidelines: Hrafn’s clergy may be called 
  upon to travel anywhere in rassilon, and so should be 
  proficient in the core travel skills—Boating, riding, and 
  survival. a good vigor score is handy for helping cope 
  with the rigors of travel. Knowledge (Folklore, and Her-
  aldry) can also be useful, though clerics can get by with-
  out these. Fleet-Footed is a favored edge. Knowledge 
  (area) is much more useful—it’s hard to deliver a mes-
  sage if you can’t find the recipient. While not required to 
  be secretive, clerics are typically reticent to discuss their 
  business—Big mouth, while not prohibited, is not an ap-
  propriate Hindrance.
  hraezla
  Titles: terror of the Heavens, Fearmonger, lord of 
  nightmares, Father of terror, Warrior-Bane.
  Aspects: Fear.
  Affiliations: dargar, Hela.
  Symbol: a skull with spider legs.
  Priesthood: lords of Fear (priests); lords of terror 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: each deorcmonan is a holy day.
  Duties: to induce and spread fear.
  Sins: (minor) failure to induce fear in a sentient be-
  ing once per week, being intimidated; (major) failure to 
  induce fear in a sentient being once per month, helping 
  someone overcome their fears, suffering the effects of 
  Fear; (mortal) suffering the effects of terror.
  Signature Power: Fear.
  Powers: Fatigue, lower trait (no boost), nightmare, 
  panic (no bless), stun, summon spirit (fear, phobia only).
  Trappings: miracles relate to horrific hallucinations 
  and visions and have no associated game mechanics.
  Special: clerics cannot take the Phobia or yellow 
  Hindrances.
  Hraezla is a scion of glapsviðr (p. 115), created as a 
  weapon in his war against the gods. a vile and spiteful 
  creature, he could peer into the hearts of the gods and 
  induce visions of their worst nightmares. many fell under 
  his assault, their hair turned white, their flesh drained of 
  color, and their faces contorted in utter terror as their 
  hearts ceased beating. according to some cultists of Hrist 
  (see below), it was the sight of Hraezla that turned their 
  deity into a craven coward. the origin of Hraezla’s name 
  is unknown, but every race and culture translates it with 
  the same meaning—terror.
  no images of Hraezla exist. it is said his visage is so 
  horrific it can cause death from fright, and despite their 
  best efforts none of his followers have ever been able to 
  adequately capture that in art or sculpture. instead, his 
  cultists pray before graven images that would make men 
  of weaker will vomit or flee in panic.
  Hraezla has few shrines and no temples. His clergy 
  works alone, considering even their peers fair targets 
  for their attention. more often than not secret shrines 
  spring up wherever there has been some vile atrocity 
  or sickening crime, areas where the people are already 
  afraid. the liche lands of old and the Withered lands 
  are dotted with them, for these very realms quail the 
  hearts of mortals.
  While both aspects of the clergy are expected to use 
  their miracles effectively, they differ in their mundane 
  approach to generating fear. Priests are not called Fear-
  mongers for nothing. they delight in creating rumors 
  than cause widespread panic and fear. His paladins pre-
  fer physical fear-inducing actions, and are much closer to 
  dargar’s cult in that respect.
  ceremonies take one of two forms. the first involves 
  sacrificing a sentient creature to Hraezla. the unfortu-
  nate is tortured with terrifying visions and promises of 
  a grisly end until his heart fails. the second forces the 
  cleric to face, and overcome, his personal fears. this 
  self-testing, which is considered a ritual of cleansing and 
  purification, must be attempted at least one per month.
  Character Guidelines: outside of his miracles, a 
  cleric’s best means of inducing fear is through intimida-
  tion. since the clergy are expected to resist fear, a high 
  spirit is essential. courageous is the quintessential edge. 
  strong Willed is favored because it helps one resist being 
  intimidated, a form of fear in itself.
  hrist
  Titles: the quaking one, He Who Jumps at shadows, 
  self-Preserver, He Who Walks Forward and runs Back-
  ward.
  Aspects: cowards.
  Affiliations: eira, the unknowable one
  Symbol: none (clerics don’t like to draw attention to 
  themselves).
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  0
  Priesthood: recreants (priests); the craven swords 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any day the cleric survives a dangerous 
  situation is a holy day.
  Duties: to avoid danger, pain, or difficulty; to help 
  others avoid the same.
  Sins: (minor) performing a brave act, using intimida-
  tion or taunt, taking part in a fight except when there is 
  no other means of escape; (major) taking part in a fight 
  that could have been avoided; (mortal) initiating a fight 
  by word or deed.
  Signature Power: Speed.
  Powers: Armor, barrier, boost/lower trait* (vigor, 
  climbing, notice, Persuasion, stealth, and swimming 
  only), deflection, fear, hamper movement, invisibility, 
  sentry.
  Trappings: trappings are usually subtle, so as to 
  avoid drawing attention to oneself. they have no game 
  mechanics.
  Special: clerics of Hrist cannot have the Bloodthirsty, 
  Heroic, or loyal Hindrances. save for Block, dodge, 
  extraction, Fighting Withdrawal, lurker, and steal away, 
  the rank requirement for combat and leadership edges 
  is treated as one rank higher for all clerics. Because they 
  shy away from danger, all glory rewards are halved.
  a lowly celestial being, Hrist had no desire to do 
  anything except hide, for he was possessed of a craven 
  spirit. How he became so terrified is unknown, but 
  there are many myths on the subject. according to one 
  tale he served in the gods’ army during the god War, 
  but witnessed some terrible event. another says the un-
  knowable one told him horror stories that drained the 
  blood from his cheeks and the courage from his heart. 
  although widely accepted as a servant of eira by most 
  mortals, some believe Hrist actually serves the trickster, 
  his role being to teach others to find ways to avoid un-
  necessary combat and not to rely on other people in dif-
  ficult situations.
  mortally afraid of everything, Hrist is never depicted 
  in art. not only does his own image scare him witless, 
  but he has no wish for his enemies to know what he 
  looks like. Hrist is so cowardly he doesn’t even reveal his 
  name—Hrist is a nickname that means “quaking one.” 
  He has no temples or shrines in his honor, for his mortal 
  worshippers never gather in any numbers. many ordi-
  nary mortals pray to Hrist at least once in their life, for 
  few are men or women of great courage.
  although it might seem at odds with his aspect, Hrist 
  has both priests and paladins. Priests are notoriously 
  self-centered cowards. they serve Hrist not to benefit 
  others, but solely to protect themselves from harm. the 
  very thought of helping someone else is anathema to 
  most, for if someone needs help then they are probably 
  in trouble, and trouble quickly leads to dangerous situ-
  ations. Paladins are not true warriors, as in other cults. 
  rather, they hire out their services, using their spells to 
  help avoid sentries and guardians. they accept financial 
  compensation for their time, but do not crave glory or 
  recognition. most cannot be trusted once combat begins, 
  for the urge to flee runs deep in all clerics of Hrist.
  ceremonies are notoriously quiet—noise attracts 
  trouble. as such, what few ceremonies exist take the 
  form of silent contemplation or hushed prayers thank-
  ing the god for saving the cleric from harm for another 
  day. clerics might sacrifice tokens to Hrist, but never an 
  animal, most being mortified by the sight of blood.
  Character Generation: Hrist is a very poor choice 
  for an adventurer, even one who relies of stealth. their 
  unwillingness to enter combat and lack of loyalty make 
  them very poor comrades in the heat of battle. still, the 
  cult may appeal to players who fancy a challenge.
  vigor is the primary attribute, since it protects them 
  from harm. notice is vital for detecting danger (espe-
  cially when combined with the danger sense edge), and 
  stealth essential for avoiding potential enemies. 
  clerics are fervent believers in the old adage that they 
  don’t have to outrun the danger, just the person nearest 
  them. Fleet-Footed is a must-have edge.
  hrJóðr
   Titles: the sweeping Hand of thrym, White death, 
  He Who shakes mountains, White rider, roaring one.
  Aspects: avalanches.
  Affiliations: ertha and thrym.
  Symbol: a white hand.
  Priesthood: roaring dragons (priests); sweeping 
  Hands (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any day a cleric witnesses an avalanche 
  is a holy day. Fimbulvintr day is a high holy day. ground 
  shaker day is treated as a holy day, though it is under-
  taken in the high peaks in the hope of creating an ava-
  lanche.
  Duties: to destroy the enemies of thrym.
  Sins: (minor) suffering any form of knockback, re-
  treating before any foe, not advancing toward a foe at 
  one’s best speed; (major) being incapacitated or retreat-
  ing before killing at least one opponent per die step of 
  Faith; (mortal) refusing to attack a foe.
  Signature Power: Knockdown.
  Powers: Boost trait (strength, vigor, and Fighting 
  only; no lower), burst, deflection, entangle, quickness, 
  speed, summon elemental (avalanche only).
  Trappings: all trappings relate to avalanches where 
  applicable. For instance, burst might create a blast of 
  crushing ice. the roar of an avalanche may accompany 
  boost trait.
  Special: Hrjóðr’s avalanche elementals are made of 
  ice and snow rather than rock, and are considered a spe-
  cies of ice elemental. they have the immunity (cold) and 
  Weakness (Fire) abilities.
  Whereas langbarðr, thrym’s bodyguard, represents 
  the slow-moving, unstoppable force of thrym, Hrjóðr is 
  the overpowering, destructive force of an avalanche.
  Hrjóðr is a child of thrym and ertha. restless and 
  destructive from infancy, his fierce tantrums and fits of 
  
  Minor goDs
  1
  temper caused mountains to shake 
  and shed their icy covering. as soon as 
  he was old enough he left his mother’s 
  side to fight alongside his father.
  the god is rarely represented in 
  art as an individual. instead, he is 
  the hand of thrym, ever-present and 
  ready to sweep aside his father’s 
  enemies. on occasion he is depicted 
  as a hammer, his name engraved on 
  the crushing weapon in Frosttongue 
  runes. older images show the god as 
  a small Hellfrost dragon perched on 
  his father’s shoulder. this imagery 
  stems from the pre-Blizzard War belief 
  that avalanches were the breath of 
  white dragons that inhabited the high 
  mountains. like most minor deities, 
  Hrjóðr has no temples or shrines of his 
  own. any area buried by an avalanche 
  in the previous week is considered a 
  holy site. 
  Hrjóðr’s clergy are both dedicated 
  to aggression. Priests serve as military 
  commanders, urging their underlings 
  to advance and smash through the en-
  emy ranks. in this regard, they are the 
  force behind the avalanche. Paladins 
  are the avalanche personified, shock 
  troops charged with plowing into the 
  enemy and dealing swift death without thought toward 
  their personal safety. many are berserkers. clergy don’t 
  fit well into most of thrym’s armies—they lack patience, 
  and have no love on convoluted tactics or maneuvering 
  for position.
  though there is no requirement to wield any particu-
  lar type of weapon, his clergy prefer crushing weapons 
  to bladed ones.
  ceremonies most often take the form of a frenetic 
  dance accompanied by roaring prayers and bashing 
  weapons against the ground. Where terrain allows, the 
  clergy attempt to initiate an avalanche, an act which if 
  successful is said to bring great fortune to the clerics and 
  misery to their enemies.
  Character Guidelines: as military commanders, 
  priests favor smarts and spirit, though they should not 
  neglect strength. they should invest heavily in leader-
  ship edges. strength is a paladin’s most important at-
  tribute, and Fighting their favored skill. edges such as 
  Berserk, First strike, Fleet-Footed, Frenzy, level Headed, 
  and sweep are ideally suited to the paladins’ mentality of 
  strike first, strike hard, and keep moving forward.
  hropt
  Titles: Hoenir’s librarian, guardian of the Written 
  Word Word-Keeper.
  Aspects: librarians.
  Affiliations: Hoenir.
  Symbol: a book.
  Priesthood: librarians (priests); custodians (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Writing day (see page 22) is a high holy 
  day.
  Duties: run, maintain, and protect libraries.
  Sins: (minor) damaging a tome or library, shouting, 
  not reading for an hour once a day; (major) not reading 
  a new book every season, knowingly aiding a worshipper 
  of niht; (mortal) destroying a manuscript or library.
  Signature Power: Speak language (affects reading 
  only).
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (smarts, investigation, and 
  Knowledge skills only), detect/conceal (books only), 
  silence.
  Trappings: an aura of calm.
  Special: clerics of Hropt must be literate and have 
  smarts d6+.
  Hropt is a very minor deity, largely unknown outside 
  Hoenir’s clergy and academia. He watches over Hoenir’s 
  extensive library, spending much of his day trying to 
  catalogue the ever-expanding collection of tomes and 
  scrolls. He has very sensitive ears and forbids anyone 
  visiting the library to speak above a whisper, which is 
  one explanation for why tiw is generally considered an 
  uneducated lout.
  Hropt, although a god, is Hoenir’s servant, and so is 
  never depicted as an individual. in libraries, statues of 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  2
  Hoenir show the greater god a holding a book under 
  both arms, thus indicating Hropt is present. aside from 
  in a few private libraries, Hropt has no other shrines, not 
  even in the libraries of other gods. that said, his clerics 
  sometimes work in the libraries of other temples, though 
  only usually in the largest ones.
  Hropt isn’t an ideal god for an adventuring cleric to 
  worship—his spells are few in number and very focused. 
  However, at some point the party may need to seek out a 
  library, and thus Hropt’s cultists may be encountered. Both 
  types of clergy spend much of their time inside libraries, 
  helping patrons find books, rebinding damaged books, 
  and protecting the tomes from thieves and vandals. niht’s 
  followers are especially hated. a few clerics act as teachers, 
  though they only impart knowledge of literacy. Paladins 
  sometimes quest for new tomes to add to their library.
  aside from the third monandaeg of Falmonan, when 
  clerics honor Writing day (see page 22), their ceremonies 
  are few and far between—each day they perform their du-
  ties honors their god and helps lessen his burden.
  Character Generation: as librarians, investigation is 
  a vital skill. a good notice is useful, for libraries do not 
  operate any system of indexing. Paladins are expected 
  to deal with troublesome patrons without disturbing the 
  tranquility of the library, so investing in intimidation is 
  never a bad idea. Bookbinding is part of every cleric’s du-
  ties, but a separate skill needn’t be taken as it’s unlikely 
  to come up very often—use agility when it does.
  JarngríMr
  Titles: iron mask, the unwavering one, master of 
  obedience, Will-Breaker, enslaver.
  Aspects: total obedience and conformity.
  Affiliations: Hothar.
  Symbol: a featureless iron mask with two blank eye-
  holes.
  Priesthood: Will-Breakers (priests); enforcers (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Prayers must be offered every day. law 
  day (see page 23) is a high holy day.
  Duties: to enforce the will of the ruling elite, to crush 
  rebellion.
  Sins: (minor) failure to pray for an hour once per 
  day, not punishing disobedience, disobeying a superior’s 
  order, supporting the will of the people over the ruling 
  elite; (major) negotiating your way out of a problem, 
  supporting a rebellion, granting a slave freedom; (mor-
  tal) fomenting rebellion.
  Signature Power: Puppet.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (spirit, intimidation, and 
  Persuasion only), charismatic aura, gift of battle, si-
  lence, speak language.
  Trappings: most trappings revolve around a power-
  ful, stern voice.
  Special: clerics must have the stubborn Hindrance. 
  this represents their unwavering belief that they know 
  best.
  Jarngrímr, whose name means “iron mask,” is a 
  humorless son of Hothar. While Hothar tried to instill 
  values of justice and truth in his son, Jarngrímr became 
  fixated with obedience and order, seeing too much chaos 
  in the mortal order. Jarngrímr cares nothing for right or 
  wrong, or good or evil—his only desire is to impose rigid 
  order and crush free will, for the latter leads to chaos, 
  and chaos leads to crime and sin.
  Jarngrímr hates thunor, whose belief that all men 
  must be free is anathema to the god of rigid obedience. 
  thunor values growth through chaos, trial and error, 
  and personal experience, while Jarngrímr values growth 
  only through conformity to established laws and govern-
  ment. this hatred has spread to the respective clergies. 
  While clerics of Jarngrímr are far fewer in number than 
  those of thunor, they are relentless in their persecution 
  of the foul faith. clerics of Hothar and Jarngrímr do not 
  always see eye-to-eye, either, for equality is irrelevant to 
  Jarngrímr—there are rulers and there are followers.
  When represented in art, Jarngrímr is shown wear-
  ing an iron mask, which represents the impassiveness 
  of authority and carrying a set of manacles, which are 
  symbols of slavery and the removal of free will. His body 
  is covered by a plain cloak, typically colored gray. many 
  clerics dress the same. He and his clergy are notoriously 
  biased against new fashions and trends.
  temples of Hothar rarely contain shrines to Jarngrímr, 
  for the god of justice, while blind, does not demand 
  blind obedience—laws must be just and fair to all. only 
  a handful of private shrines exist, and then always among 
  the worst rules.
  although Jarngrímr believes his cause is for the bet-
  terment of mortals, his main worshippers are tyrants, 
  hard-nosed military officers, slavers, bullies, usurpers, 
  and those who have reason to fear for their position. 
  despite this, Jarngrímr does not promote might makes 
  right—being in a position of power makes right, regard-
  less of how one achieved that.
  Priests serve as advisors to rulers, offering ways to 
  crush rebellion and enforce laws. Paladins operate in a 
  similar role to those of Hothar, but they are less con-
  cerned with trials—if a law has been broken, the perpe-
  trator must face swift and harsh punishment to set an 
  example.
  When guilds strike, as has been known, or when the 
  peasants start to rebel, paladins are hired to end the prob-
  lem. their methods are swift and brutal, for rebellion, 
  like cancer, spreads if not handled aggressively. clerics of 
  Jarngrímr do not negotiate—there is no middle ground, 
  there is only obedience.
  on the first day of each month, clerics celebrate obe-
  dience day. given that clerics are unwelcome in non-
  tyrannical lands, there are only a few places where the 
  festival can be held openly—Blackstone Barony is con-
  sidered a hotspot for the cult. those who have refused 
  to obey the local laws are dragged through the streets 
  (where applicable), while relentlessly whipped and ver-
  bally abused in an attempt to break their will and ensure 
  future conformity. the grisly procession lasts from dawn 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  to dusk. at dusk, the captives are thoroughly questioned. 
  those who show signs of free will remain in captivity to 
  await the next obedience day.
  Character Generation: although Jarngrímr rep-
  resents rigid order, he does not favor one system over 
  another. thus he supports all rulers, regardless of their 
  system of government. as such, clerics should be conver-
  sant with the many laws of the lands, and have a good 
  Knowledge (law) skill. clerics do not ask people to con-
  form, they demand it of them. intimidation is a vital skill 
  in ensuring your orders are obeyed.
  KJalarr
  Titles: Homemaker, Hearth-Watcher.
  Aspects: the home.
  Affiliations: eira, Kenaz.
  Symbol: a stylized flame.
  Priesthood: Homemakers (priests); Home guards-
  men (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every raestdaeg is a holy day.
  Duties: to settle domestic disputes and ensure a 
  house runs in an orderly fashion.
  Sins: (minor) not helping servants with their chores, 
  failure to end a domestic dispute, failure to punish a 
  wayward servant; (major) breaking into a house; (mor-
  tal) breaking the laws of hospitality.
  Signature Power: Feast.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (vigor, intimidation, no-
  tice, Persuasion, stealth only), elemental manipulation 
  (fire only), light, lock/unlock, refuge, sentry.
  Trappings: Fire and heat only.
  Kjalarr is Kenaz’s stewardess and a daughter of eira. 
  Her duties involve ensuring the hearth never burns out, 
  that meals are served on time, the house is cleaned each 
  day, and the household runs smoothly. she answers to 
  Kenaz’s seneschal, and is thus no lowly servant but actu-
  ally third in command of Kenaz’s great hall.
  virtually all households contain a small shrine to 
  Kjalarr. often this is nothing more than her holy symbol 
  engraved on a hearthstone or the door lintel, though in 
  houses where there are lots of servants a statuette may 
  be found near the high seat in the dining hall. the ma-
  jority of her devout followers are servants and married 
  peasant women, not homeowners. she is also honored 
  as goddess of hospitality. visitors to a strange home who 
  accept hospitality say a quick prayer to her.
  the great majority of the priesthood is employed as 
  servants, though typically they are stewards, cellarmen, 
  cupbearers, and porters rather than bed maids, scullery 
  maids, and cooks. their positions are respected ones, 
  with much authority over the household staff, rather 
  than menial ones. Paladins serve as household guards 
  and security advisors. clerics are not slaves, and expect 
  to be paid for their labors.
  as servants, the priesthood rarely gets time to con-
  duct elaborate ceremonies. Fortunately, Kjalarr sees hard 
  work as a sign of worship—by ensuring a household 
  runs smoothly the clergy has eased the goddess’ daily 
  burden. special prayers are recited each raestdaeg, the 
  one day a month when servants have time to themselves, 
  and before feasts commence in the home.
  Character Generation: although clerics are often 
  stay-at-home sorts, their skills are useful to adventur-
  ing parties. as such, they are sometimes hired to make 
  and watch over the camp, an adventurer’s home away 
  from home. as a servant, they should not be intrusive, so 
  stealth is useful. intimidation and Persuasion are handy 
  for settling domestic disputes, and notice important for 
  detecting things that need attention or are out of place. 
  streetwise is useful for picking up gossip, something 
  servants are wont to do.
  Kvara
  Titles: shield Bearer, the Pacifist.
  Aspects: Bodyguards.
  Affiliations: eira, rigr.
  Symbol: a large shield.
  Priesthood: shieldmen/maidens (priests); shield-
  sons/daughters (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: clerics make prayers on accepting and 
  finishing a commission.
  Duties: Protect the living.
  Sins: (minor) your patron is injured, killing except in 
  the course of defending your patron; (major) your pa-
  tron is injured because you are not at his side; (mortal) 
  your patron dies.
  Signature Power: Armor.
  Powers: Arcane resistance, bladebreaker, body-
  guard, deflection, energy immunity, warding, weapon 
  immunity.
  Trappings: cannot take acid, coldfire, electricity, fire, 
  or necromantic trappings.
  Special: clerics of Kvara have strict limits on spellcast-
  ing. they may only cast spells on their person or those 
  of a nominated patron. By accepting a patron, the cleric 
  places that person’s safety in her hands. a patron can be 
  changed, but only after an hour’s meditation and prayer. 
  a cleric of a greater god who also honors Kvara does 
  not get the +1 bonus to spellcasting for having identical 
  spell unless she casts them on herself or her patron.
  Kvara is the daughter of eira and tiw and twin sister 
  of Kvarsi (see page 94). she has more of her mother’s 
  blood, and is predisposed against violence. With scaetha, 
  the older sister, now a greater goddess, Kvara is charged 
  with defending eira, and is thus more revered by eira’s 
  clergy. rather than learning from her father, she appren-
  ticed under rigr, learning protective fighting techniques 
  and how to spot danger.
  When depicted, Kvara is shown peering out from 
  behind a large shield and bearing no weapons. she is 
  normally shown wearing a full helmet and chain mail 
  hauberk.
  although affiliated with tiw, shrines to Kvara are never 
  found in tiw’s temples. instead, they are commonplace in 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  those of eira and rigr, the god of protection. Public figures, 
  those who believe they are in need of protection, and folk 
  with enemies often maintain a small shrine in their home, 
  and Kvara commonly features in their private worship. 
  the iron guild, whose specialty is protection rather than 
  warfare, honors Kvara, and members wear small wooden 
  discs around their necks as a good luck charm.
  the difference between priests and paladins is less 
  distinct than with many other faiths, and typically boils 
  down to favored patrons. Paladins, being more martially 
  inclined, often serve as bodyguards to generals, warrior 
  nobles, and accompany adventurers on quests. Priests 
  favor merchants, less militant nobles, scholars, and city 
  officials. Both types are shields for hire, serving as protec-
  tors rather than warriors. note that they are protectors of 
  people, not places.
  commissions are charged at variable rates. Factors 
  such as the patron’s enemies, the area in which he is 
  traveling, the extent to which the cleric’s services will be 
  called upon, and such like all affect the price. clerics of 
  Kvara charge highly, but are very good at what they do. a 
  standard clause in their contracts entitles the patron to a 
  50% refund if he is injured (barring complete accidents) 
  and a full refund to his family if he is slain.
  clerics of Kvara rarely make a name for themselves in 
  battle, and are often overlooked by storytellers, despite 
  the vital role they play. they are seen as the sidekicks of 
  heroes, not as heroes themselves. Few clerics bother to 
  argue this blinkered view, as what happens after they die 
  is more important than in life. they are not concerned 
  with healing the injured—their task is to ensure their 
  patron doesn’t need a healer.
  offerings are made before accepting any commission, 
  and again after the commission ends. Weapons are of-
  fered to Kvara and then ritually destroyed before a job, 
  symbolizing the cleric’s wishes that no harm befalls her 
  patron. afterward, they invest in a new shield, which is 
  then donated to a worthy cause. “more shields, fewer 
  weapons” is a common utterance, and relates to the 
  clerics’ belief that the world would be a better place is 
  people thought less about violence as the way to end 
  problems.
  Character Guidelines: clerics are defenders, not 
  warriors. good Fighting is required as this boosts Parry, 
  but rarely are offensive combat edges learned. shieldwall 
  is the most useful edge in terms of protecting others, 
  whereas Block is important for the cleric’s safety. notice 
  is an important skill, as it allows the cleric to detect dan-
  ger and take evasive action. For the same reason, danger 
  sense is an important edge.
  Kvarsi
  Titles: the Healing Hand, maiden of succor.
  Aspects: Battlefield medicine.
  Affiliations: eira, tiw.
  Symbol: a hand gripping a sword by the blade.
  Priesthood: chirurgeons (priests); Protectors (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: mourning ceremonies are held after any 
  battle.
  Duties: Protect the wounded.
  Sins: (minor) risking your own life unnecessarily 
  protecting the uninjured while a wounded comrade re-
  quires help; (major) allowing a comrade to die by your 
  inaction; (mortal) refusing to help a wounded comrade.
  Signature Power: Healing.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (vigor, Healing, Knowl-
  edge (alchemy) only), quickness, sanctuary, speed, suc-
  cor, teleport.
  Trappings: any except necromantic. clerics typically 
  avoid showy trappings to avoid attracting unwanted at-
  tention.
  Kvarsi is a lesser daughter of eira and tiw. although 
  she has her mother’s calm nature and healing skills, 
  within her chest beats the heart of a warrior. during the 
  god War, Kvarsi repeatedly disobeyed her father, who 
  had ordered her to remain in the rear, helping to tend 
  the wounded by rushing onto the battlefield to rescue 
  the fallen. as a reward for saving so many, tiw granted 
  her, her own priesthood. Kvarsi and Kvara, her twin sis-
  ter, are often mythologized as working together—Kvara 
  watches over Kvarsi, while Kvarsi tends the injured.
  images depict a young girl with a determined visage. 
  in her right hand she holds a healer’s bag, while in her 
  left she clutches a large shield. never one to shy away 
  from fighting when called upon, a weapon of some kind 
  always hangs from her belt.
  shrines are found in temples of eira and tiw. eira’s 
  Peacekeepers, the paladin order, hold her in high re-
  gard, whereas within tiw’s temples it is the priests who 
  honor her most. many shrines are heavily bloodstained, 
  a constant reminder that war brings death and that it is 
  not always possible, despite one’s best intentions and 
  efforts, to save every victim of conflict.
  Kvarsi’s clerics are tasked with delivering aid to, and 
  protecting, the wounded on the battlefield. to that end, 
  they prefer to stay back from the frontlines, only darting 
  into the fray to deliver succor to the fallen. their spells are 
  all designed around reaching an injured comrade quickly 
  and patching him up. For serious injuries, spells like sanc-
  tuary and teleport provide instantaneous transportation 
  off the battlefield to a secure place. more often than not 
  the serious wounded are delivered to clerics of eira, for 
  the followers of Kvarsi are required on the battlefield.
  While the majority of clerics serve the temples of eira 
  or tiw, there are plenty of freelancers. they hire their 
  services to organizations such as the Hearth Knights iron 
  guild, and Knights Hrafn. Warlords and nobles may also 
  hire them, though the clerics are free to turn down offers 
  of employment if they find the patron’s cause offensive. 
  For instance, while they may be willing to support a noble 
  seeking to reclaim his ancestral lands from an usurper, 
  they rarely support those who seek conquest for the sake 
  of conquest. a large number can be found serving on the 
  frontline between vestmark and orcmark.
  although often capable combatants (only a fool walks 
  
  Minor goDs
  
  onto a battlefield unprepared) and lacking eira’s restric-
  tion on causing bloodshed, they disdain from fighting 
  except to protect the fallen. even then, they never let 
  the adrenaline rush of mortal combat distract them from 
  their sacred duty. Heavy armor and large shields are pre-
  ferred over big melee weapons.
  Whereas clerics of tiw celebrate victory after battle, 
  those of Kvarsi mourn the casualties. Prayers are said 
  over the fallen and dying to speed them on their way, and 
  sweet herbs are burned to mask the stench of death and 
  infection. eira’s clergy are inclined to help the wounded 
  on either side after a conflict, especially when the armies 
  of the civilized races clash, but Kvarsi’s clergy are not 
  overly concerned with enemy casualties and are under 
  no compulsion to provide healing or prayers.
  Character Guidelines: expected to run into the heat 
  of battle to patch up wounded comrades, clerics typically 
  have good spirit and Healing. many know herbalism, and 
  thus possess the Knowledge (alchemy) skill and Hedge 
  magic edge. Fleet-Footed is an important edge, as it al-
  lows the cleric to quickly reach those in need. 
  though often capable fighters, their role is to protect 
  and heal the injured, not engage the enemy. Hence, 
  Block and dodge are important edges. alchemy is an-
  other useful edge, as it allows the cleric to create healing 
  potions in advance of battle.
  lanDsKJalpti
  Titles: ground shaker, earth trembler, He Who rocks 
  mountains, lord of the drum, the noisy one.
  Aspects: earthquakes.
  Affiliations: ertha.
  Symbol: a mountain cleaved in twain.
  Priesthood: earthtremblers (priests); earthshakers 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: ground shaker day (p. 19) is a high holy 
  day. any day an earthquake strikes is a holy day.
  Duties: to keep landskjalpti subdued.
  Sins: (minor) not spending 2 hours a day drumming, 
  destroying a drum except as a sacrifice, accidentally 
  harming an earth elemental or thunderlizard; (major) 
  deliberately harming an earth elemental or thunderliz-
  ard, killing one in self-defense; (mortal) killing an earth 
  elemental or thunderlizard except in self-defense.
  Signature Power: Knockdown.
  Powers: Deflection, hamper movement, quake, stun, 
  summon elemental (any earth elementals only).
  Trappings: all trappings relate to earthquakes. Ham-
  per movement and stun are localized ground tremors, 
  while deflection causes those attacking the target to 
  momentarily lose their footing as the ground shudders 
  beneath them.
  Special: clerics have +1 to Faith rolls to summon 
  quaker earth elementals.
  depending who you ask, earthquakes are caused by 
  ertha rearranging or expanding her home, Foldardrót-
  tann moving aside obstacles to her subterranean ex-
  ploration, the drum-banging of landskjalpti, ertha’s 
  temperamental and noisy son, or the movement of his 
  subterranean herd of thunderlizards. (landskjalpti has 
  no power over thunderlizards—he just likes them as 
  pets because they are noisy).
  landskjalpti is regularly portrayed as a drum, most 
  often being carried by his mother. some depictions show 
  him as a small thunderlizard following at ertha’s heels. 
  shrines exist in all temples of ertha, and take the form 
  of a drum. unique shrines, carved stone columns, stand 
  in areas frequently struck by earthquakes. He has no 
  dedicated temples.
  the main duty of priests and paladins is to honor their 
  god through loud drumming every day. Beyond that, 
  landskjalpti asks only that his worshippers do not harm 
  earth elementals or thunderlizards, or destroy drums 
  (except as sacrifices), restrictions easily avoided by most. 
  as such, clerics are largely free to do as they please. Few 
  clerics honor landskjalpti as their sole deity, and thus 
  the duties of ertha’s clergy occur much of their time.
  ceremonies take the form of loud drumming. some 
  clerics favor steady rhythmic drumming, while oth-
  ers prefer to just make noise. on ground shaker day, 
  a cleric must use a drum he has purchased since the 
  previous festival. the value of the drum depends on the 
  cleric’s Faith die. at d4 it must have a minimum value of 
  50 gs, making it an ordinary instrument, the sort picked 
  up in most settlements. For each additional die, or +1 
  bonus above d12, add a further 25 gs. the drum must 
  be destroyed and placed in the ground when the ritual 
  concludes as an offering to landskjalpti.
  Character Guidelines: landskjalpti demands little 
  from his worshippers, leaving clerics free to choose the 
  role they will play in society or an adventuring party. as 
  servants of an earth deity, vigor should be considered an 
  important attribute.
  langbarðr
  Titles: the unstoppable one, thrym’s Beard.
  Aspects: glaciers.
  Affiliations: thrym.
  Symbol: a wall of ice.
  Priesthood: guardians of thrym (priests); crushing 
  Hands of thrym (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: First Waescdaeg of Wulfmonan.
  Duties: to protect clerics of thrym, advance the Fim-
  bulvintr.
  Sins: (minor) allowing a cleric of thrym to be wound-
  ed, suffering any form of knockback, retreating before any 
  foe; (major) allowing a cleric of thrym to be incapacitated; 
  (mortal) allowing a cleric of thrym to be killed
  Signature Power: Barrier.
  Powers: Armor, boost/lower trait (spirit, strength, 
  and vigor only), growth/shrink, knockdown, summon 
  elemental (glacier only), weapon immunity.
  Trappings: all trappings relate to ice.
  langbarðr serves as thrym’s bodyguard, much as 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  Biflindi serves scaetha. However, as well as being a de-
  fender, he is also a combatant, relentlessly driving foes for-
  ward with his prestigious strength. glaciers, unstoppable 
  walls of living ice that rumble and grind down mountains 
  crushing all in their path, are symbolic of langbarðr. many 
  legends state langbarðr is thrym’s beard. For this reason, 
  glaciers are often known as thrym’s Hair.
  like many minor gods langbarðr never features in 
  art as a unique entity. His presence is noted in images 
  of thrym by the winter god’s beard. When thrym is 
  depicted as a Hellfrost dragon, langbarðr is the scales 
  that line his thick neck. For this reason, the god is pres-
  ent wherever thrym is honored and thus never has 
  individual shrines or temples. shrines and temples to 
  thrym in or near a glacier are considered special places 
  for langbarðr’s worshippers.
  Priests and paladins share some duties, yet differ in 
  others. Priests are most often employed as bodyguards 
  to important priests and frost giants, shielding their 
  charge from harm without regard for their own safety. 
  others serve as guardians in thrym’s temples, protecting 
  the most sacred areas from intruders. While paladins do 
  perform bodyguard duties, those they protect are more 
  active, traveling the world rather than remaining in a 
  single temple or fortress. symbolic of the glacier god, 
  they are expected to be remorseless in combat, smash-
  ing aside foes and advancing through enemy ranks like a 
  glacier crushing all in its path. in this regard they serve in 
  thrym’s mortal armies as heavy shock troops.
  clerics of langbarðr are rarely in a hurry to do 
  anything. they plot and ponder before acting, but are 
  then relentless in fulfilling their duty. ceremonies and 
  festivals take the same deliberate approach, appearing 
  to be enacted in slow motion and with great precision 
  of movement. drums, played at a low, steady rumble, a 
  deep thunderous drum-roll rather than a strong, distinct 
  beat, are employed in all ceremonies.
  Character Guidelines: Priests are defenders rather 
  than aggressors. spirit and vigor are favored attributes, 
  as these allow the cleric to hold his nerve, recover from 
  being shaken more quickly, and resist damage. Fighting 
  should be high, since it directly affects Parry. defensive 
  edges such as Block and shieldwall are more useful than 
  true combat edges, though clerics are expected to be able 
  to deal out damage as well. notice can be important, since 
  many priests serve as guardians and sentries in temples.
  Paladins are expected to be relentless in attack. edges 
  such as Frenzy and sweep best fit this duty. Hard to Kill 
  and nerves of steel allow them to march forward, shrug-
  ging off injuries.
  lasesMeD
  Titles: Home Protector, the divine locksmith.
  Aspects: locks and traps.
  Affiliations: niht, rigr.
  Symbol: a skeleton key.
  Priesthood: locksmiths (priests); trappers (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: third marketdaeg of each month. the 
  first marketdaeg of sowanmonan is a high holy day.
  Duties: creation and maintenance of locks and 
  traps.
  Sins: (minor) using brute force to overcome a lock or 
  trap; (major) using spells for criminal purposes; (mortal) 
  giving or selling your secrets to outsiders.
  Signature Power: Lock/unlock.
  Powers: Arcane resistance*, armor*, barrier, boost/
  lower trait (agility, lockpicking, notice, repair), detect/
  conceal (locks, secret doors, traps), glyph*, mend*, tele-
  kinesis, weapon immunity*.
  Trappings: any except necromantic.
  Special: spells marked “*” only works on doors, locks, 
  and traps. Furthermore, the clergy are expert locksmiths, 
  and locks they make are harder to pick. With success, 
  lockpicking rolls suffer a –1 penalty. a raise incurs a –2 
  penalty, and two raises a –4 penalty.
  lasesmed is rigr’s locksmith and is charged with pro-
  tecting the gods’ halls from thieves. lasesmed gets a lot 
  of commissions from niht, for she has many secrets to 
  protect. law-abiding and honest, lasesmed never reveals 
  his secrets to the goddess of secrets, for she is also patron 
  of assassins—exactly the sort of people locks and traps 
  are designed to keep out. the god of locks and nauthiz 
  maintain a friendly rivalry. each time lasesmed crafts a 
  new type of lock or trap, nauthiz makes it his goal to pick 
  or disarm it. the two gods thus keep each other on their 
  toes and striving for perfection in their craft.
  locksmiths form the bulk of the laity. their art, which 
  was first given to the anari, has spread across rassilon. 
  locks range from simple (and thus easily picked) to highly 
  complex mechanisms. security comes at a price, and most 
  citizens cannot afford more than one lock. this tends to 
  be placed in a chest containing the family’s valuables. For 
  doors, most security takes the form of a sturdy wooden 
  bar. shrines are found in many homes, typically taking the 
  form of a key (which opens no locks in the house). as is 
  typical of minor gods, there are no temples.
  Priests can earn a good living as locksmiths and 
  trap makers, protecting the homes of wealthy citizens, 
  temples, and fortresses, and designing prisons. al-
  though never inclined toward theft, priests are expert 
  housebreakers, and this is another service they sell—for 
  a modest sum a priest will break into your house and 
  defeat any traps installed. naturally, he’ll then sell you 
  an improved security system. Paladins are no less skilled 
  in the arts of locks and traps, but most are itinerant 
  workers, selling their services wherever they travel. Pala-
  dins are more likely to be found in adventuring parties, 
  where they serve both as trap disarmers and protectors, 
  sealing and trapping portals to provide their comrades 
  with security. a small percentage of clerics are retired or 
  reformed thieves. their inside knowledge of the criminal 
  mindset is an invaluable tool.
  lasesmed is paranoid about being kidnapped and 
  forced to reveal the secrets of his work. He always wears 
  a mask when working or representing rigr, thus pre-
  
  Minor goDs
  
  venting his foes from being able to identify him. many 
  of his mortal clergy are equally paranoid, employing 
  elaborate security precautions to protect their shops and 
  homes, taking circuitous routes to and from jobs, and 
  even adopting an alias to separate their private life from 
  their work. their precautions are not without merit, for 
  thieves’ guild offer large rewards to those who bring 
  them a cleric of lasesmed.
  clerics are called upon to bless new structures. to 
  ward away thieves, a key is placed under the first corner-
  stone laid down or lasesmed’s holy symbol is engraved 
  on the bottom of the stone. on the cult’s high holy day, 
  the local clergy gather in secret to pray. each is expected 
  to bring one lock or assemble one nonlethal trap, which 
  others must try to pick or disarm. suggestions are then 
  made on how to improve the lock or trap.
  Character Guidelines: in adventuring parties, clerics 
  make great trap detectors. to back up their spells, they 
  should invest in lockpicking and notice. those who want 
  to make locks and traps should take craft (locksmithing 
  or trapmaking) if the skills are to be used frequently or 
  repair, a more general skill, otherwise. 
  alternatively, gms may allow lockpicking to be used 
  in manufacturing locks and traps. While not criminals, 
  thief is a useful edge for boosting lockpicking, and pro-
  viding a bonus to the paranoid clergy’s stealth abilities.
  norðri
  Titles: thrym’s Blizzard, Winter Howler.
  Aspects: the north wind.
  Affiliations: thrym.
  Symbol: a stylized representation of a blizzard.
  Priesthood: Wind lords (priests); Blizzard lords 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Day: any day there is a blizzard in the worship-
  pers’ vicinity.
  Duties: Bring about the Fimbulvintr.
  Sins: (minor) protecting others from a blizzard or the 
  Hellfrost wind, not summoning a blizzard once a month 
  that causes problems for the citizens of rassilon; (major) 
  using becalm in a blizzard; (mortal) sheltering from a 
  blizzard or the Hellfrost wind.
  Signature Power: Storm (creating blizzards only).
  Powers: Becalm, deflection, fear, knockdown, summon 
  elemental (blizzard only), voice on the wind, zephyr.
  Trappings: trappings must involve cold wind.
  norðri was always creator of the north wind, though 
  he once served thunor. When thrym ascended to the 
  god of winter after the god War, norðri was offered 
  minor god status in return for swearing allegiance to 
  the wintry deity. norðri accepted, stealing the magical 
  bellows bestowed him by thunor as he fled his former 
  master’s wrath. Because of this thunor lost the ability to 
  control the north wind and became an enemy of thrym. 
  thrym taught his new minion the secret of the Hellfrost, 
  which norðri whispers into the winds he creates, thus 
  invoking the much-feared Hellfrost wind.
  norðri has no temples or shrines—the howling bliz-
  zard is his only worship hall. similarly he has no desire to 
  be represented in art, for all citizens of rassilon know his 
  form each time the winter winds pick up. citizens of ras-
  silon willing to brave frostbite urinate into blizzards as 
  an insult to norðri. going outside or not seeking shelter 
  in a blizzard is also known as “peeing on norðri,” even if 
  the person keeps his trousers fastened.
  the only real difference between priests and pala-
  dins, both of whom are charged with bringing about the 
  Fimbulvintr by summoning blizzards and icy winds, is 
  their willingness to risk life and limb for their god. Priests 
  prefer to stick to the Winterlands, while paladins scorn 
  the power of Kenaz and sigel by holding their rituals in 
  the Hearthlands.
  most worshippers of thrym see norðri and his wor-
  shippers as hired help, useful for sure and loyal to the 
  great cause, but not worthy of any recognition—one may 
  accept a meal as good, but one praises the food, not the 
  lowly servant who cooked it. that norðri chose such 
  important sounding titles for his clergy only fuels their 
  scorn for the petty wind god.
  all ceremonies to norðri are carried out in blizzards, 
  whether natural or magically summoned. Worshippers 
  perform frenzied dances and howl into the gale, adding 
  their voices to the Hellfrost wind. Human sacrifice is 
  performed only if the victims are worshippers of Kenaz, 
  sigel, or thunor or air or fire elementalists—all others 
  are deemed unworthy.
  Character Guidelines: clerics are as cold-hearted as 
  the blizzards they summon. the mean Hindrance can be 
  used to represent this. norðri demands his worshippers 
  brave blizzards, yet grants them no special protection 
  against his storms.
  clerics should thus invest in vigor and survival unless 
  the four winDs
  the four winds that blow across the land are named 
  austri, suðri, vestri, and norðri. the first three are 
  servants of thunor, while the latter turned against 
  thunor and became a servant of thrym. none of 
  thunor’s servants are considered true deities, 
  though norðri and suðri have been granted the sta-
  tus of minor gods.
  austri is the creator of the east wind, responsible 
  for bringing in wet air and autumn storms. suðri 
  is responsible for the warm, southerly wind that 
  blows in summer. vestri heralds the start of spring, 
  with cooling westerly breezes. norðri is responsible 
  for the biting northerly winds that howl in winter.
  in art the winds are shown as four dwarves pump-
  ing on huge bellows from which the winds blow 
  forth, or more rarely, as three storm dragons and a 
  Hellfrost dragon bringing the winds into creation 
  by blowing.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  
  they want to freeze to death. intimidation is useful, as it 
  allows the cleric to emulate the Hellfrost wind and terrify 
  opponents. since worshippers are expected to revel in 
  the Hellfrost wind, taking at least a few dice in spirit is 
  strongly advised.
  sanngetall
  Titles: Finder of truth, the great inquisitor.
  Aspects: the truth.
  Affiliations: dargar, Hothar.
  Symbol: a tongue with a nail shoved through it.
  Priesthood: inquisitor (priests); torturer (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: second Heafoddaeg of each month.
  Duties: to uncover the truth.
  Sins: (minor) ignoring a mystery, failure to investigate 
  all avenues when on a case; (major) covering up a crime, 
  falsifying evidence; (mortal) knowingly telling a lie.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (smarts, intimi-
  dation, investigation, notice, and streetwise only).
  Powers: Fatigue, nightmare, speak language, stun, 
  succor, wandering senses.
  Trappings: any except necromantic. those designed 
  to target others typically involve sensations of pain.
  sanngetall is the inquisitor of the gods. He is renowned 
  for his total honesty and inability to lie. He began as an 
  investigator for Hothar, aiding the god of law in uncover-
  ing evidence to be used in trials. dargar later taught him 
  the secret of torture though, unlike 
  the god of violence, sanngetall does 
  not inflict pain for enjoyment.
  no temples stand to honor sann-
  getall. shrines can be found in all law 
  courts and in nobles’ courts where 
  trials are held. these take the form of 
  wooden discs about four feet across 
  and are engraved with sanngetall’s 
  holy symbol. Witnesses stand on the 
  disc when giving evidence, swear-
  ing oaths to Hothar and sanngetall 
  that their testimony shall be only the 
  truth.
  sanngetall’s clergy are freelancers, 
  hiring themselves out to whoever 
  requires their services. Priests are gen-
  erally inquisitors and investigators. 
  some work as private investigators, 
  helping the lower classes by investigat-
  ing minor crimes and tracking down 
  missing persons, whereas others work 
  for temples and nobles and look into 
  more serious crimes and heresy.
  Paladins are less concerned with 
  lengthy investigations and cerebral 
  interrogations. they are expert tortur-
  ers, both physical and psychological, 
  though few take enjoyment from 
  inflicting pain—it is simply a means 
  to uncovering the truth. even when not engaging in tor-
  ture, they favor slaps and beatings to loosen tongues and 
  encourage the truth to be told.
  While the clergy do track down criminals, they are not 
  bounty hunters—they are concerned with learning the 
  truth, not upholding the law. once they have uncovered 
  evidence of a crime, they hand their findings over to oth-
  ers to act upon. they are also known as “sanngetall’s 
  bloodhounds,” for once they are involved in a search for 
  the truth they leave no stone unturned.
  ceremonies are rare, for the clergy does not gather 
  often in large numbers. instead, clerics purge their sins 
  by confessing any misdemeanors and renew their oaths 
  to seek the truth, whatever the cost.
  Character Guidelines: Priests, as investigators and 
  inquisitors, should consider investigation, notice, and 
  streetwise their primary skills. the investigator edge is 
  favored for obvious reasons. stealth is useful, but not 
  required—a forthright and upfront investigator has little 
  need for sneaking around.
  Paladins, by contrast, need focus only on intimidation 
  (outside of the usual combat skills and edges), for their 
  art is more physical and confrontational.
  sigMunDr
  Titles: dragon slayer, scourge of dragons, Wyrm 
  Hunter.
  Aspects: dragon slaying.
  
  Minor goDs
  
  Affiliations: tiw.
  Symbol: a dragon’s head dripping blood at the 
  neck.
  Priesthood: dragon Hunters (priests); dragon slay-
  ers (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: third Heafoddaeg of Wulfmonan is a high 
  holy day. any day a dragon is slain is a holy day.
  Duties: to slay dragons.
  Sins: (minor) refusing to challenge a dragon of 
  greater ability, fleeing from a dragon, conversing with a 
  dragon except to intimidate or taunt; (major) refusing to 
  challenge a dragon of equal ability; (mortal) refusing to 
  challenge a dragon of weaker ability.
  Signature Power: Smite*.
  Powers: Arcane resistance*, armor*, deflection*, 
  energy immunity*, fly, warrior’s gift*.
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping except nec-
  romantic.
  Special: spells marked “*” only function against 
  dragons. against other foes, the spells bestow no bonus. 
  For instance, a paladin invokes smite and scores a raise. 
  against dragons he adds +4 to damage rolls, but when 
  the enchanted weapon is used against all other foes it has 
  no damage bonus and is not treated as being magical.
  Before his imprisonment, loki (an evil trickster) sired 
  the first dragon, a colossal, multi-hued beast of ravenous 
  appetite. Feeling particularly vengeful after being chas-
  tised for a “harmless” prank, loki unleashed his offspring 
  on the gods. the great beast tore through the heavens, 
  leaving terrible destruction in its wake. normally, tiw 
  would have lofted his standard and waded into battle, 
  but he was away on important business and could not be 
  reached in time. While the other gods fled in panic, one 
  of tiw’s huscarls, sigmundr, donned his armor, gathered 
  weapons from all the gods, and marched to war.
  the resulting battle was titanic, shaking the very 
  foundations of the heavens. at last sigmundr emerged 
  victorious, though his victory was not absolute. For each 
  wound sigmundr delivered, the dragon shed droplets of 
  blood. these droplets fell to the mortal realm, spawning 
  lesser dragons where they landed. the nature of each 
  dragon depended on the weapon sigmundr used. thus, 
  when he wielded thrym’s icy axe, Hellfrost dragons were 
  spawned by the blood. When he used thunor’s hammer, 
  the droplets spawned storm dragons.
  Bound by the convocation not to interfere in the 
  mortal realm, sigmundr sent heralds (borrowed from 
  tiw, who promoted sigmundr to minor god status 
  on learning of his heroic deed) to warn the emerging 
  sentient races of the dragon threat, thus spawning his 
  own cult. sigmundr blames himself for the creation of 
  mortal dragons and is set on correcting his mistake by 
  ensuring all dragons are eliminated. this places him at 
  loggerheads with sigel, thrym and thunor, who have 
  adopted sun, Hellfrost, and storm dragons respectively. 
  the animosity filters down to the respective cults.
  the god of dragon slaying has no shrines and but one 
  solitary temple. located in a cave within the icebarrier 
  mountains, the temple’s exact location is revealed to 
  clerics only when they take their final vows. lit by flicker-
  ing dragon-fat lamps and lined with the scales of slain 
  wyrms, the walls of the main temple hall glitter rainbow 
  hues. the altar comprises of the largest dragon skull 
  brought back to the hall to date. currently, it is the head 
  of an old Hellfrost dragon.
  located off the main temple are storage halls, where 
  the numerous skulls of all dragons slain by the clergy are 
  kept. engraved onto each is the name of the slayer and 
  the date the beast met its end. in many instances, gen-
  erations of the same family have served sigmundr, each 
  member adding to his ancestors’ donations. also present 
  are storerooms, treasuries (dragons tend to hoard pre-
  cious materials), barracks, kitchens, and the like.
  although it is not a written requirement, many clerics 
  travel to scayle to participate in hunting marsh dragons. 
  to the younger generation, it is a rite of passage.
  Priests are hunters, tasked with tracking dragons to 
  their lairs. they are not required to go inside and fight 
  the dragon, but should they encounter the beast they are 
  required to fight. While the younger generation favors 
  practical application of their art, physically venturing 
  into the wilds, older clerics prefer literary research.
  Paladins serve one primary function—to slay dragons 
  discovered by the priests. although dedicated to a holy 
  cause, clergy happily accept donations from settlements 
  plagued by dragons in return for dispatching the beast.
  the clergy holds several festivals. the major one, 
  held in winter, marks sigmundr’s slaying of the great 
  dragon. each year, a huge wooden frame in the guise of 
  a dragon and decorated with scales from slain dragons is 
  constructed. operated by novices of the cult, the dragon 
  “rampages” through the surrounding land, hounded 
  every step of the way by priests and paladins.
  Positioned inside are sacks of blood (rarely that of 
  actual dragons). drawing blood with a blow is consid-
  ered an ill omen for the attacker, whereas delivering 
  a blow that draws no blood is seen as a blessing from 
  sigmundr.
  Character Guidelines: Priests are trackers rather 
  than dragon killers. Knowledge (Folklore), investiga-
  tion, notice, streetwise, and tracking are their primary 
  skills, both aided by a good smarts. While priests need 
  some combat skills and edges, paladins should ensure 
  they are combat machines—dragons are remarkably 
  tough creatures. Knowledge (dragons), while not vital, 
  is a useful aid in identifying a dragon’s age, abilities, and 
  likely habits.
  sKaði
  Titles: great Herd mother, great mammoth, tusked 
  one.
  Aspects: mammoths.
  Affiliations: eostre animalmother, tiw.
  Symbol: Pair of curved mammoth tusks.
  Priesthood: cows (priests); Bulls (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  100
  Holy Days: First milcdaeg of each month.
  Duties: to protect your clan and its herds.
  Sins: (minor) using, eating, or wearing any part of a 
  mammoth except from one which died of natural causes 
  or was killed according to strict religious observations, 
  accidentally harming a mammoth; (major) willfully 
  harming a mammoth; (mortal) willfully killing a mam-
  moth except to provide essential supplies.
  Signature Power: Beast friend (mammoths only).
  Powers: Armor, boost/lower trait (strength, vigor, 
  and survival only), environmental protection (cold 
  only), knockdown, shape change (mammoths only), 
  summon beast (mammoths only), wilderness step (snow 
  and ice only).
  Trappings: trappings relate to mammoths. Armor, 
  for instance, may cause a layer of fat and hair to cover 
  the target, while an illusory charging mammoth may 
  represent knockdown.
  Worship of skaði began among the Finnar dwelling 
  from beyond the lands now encased behind the icewall. 
  animistic shamans held she was a great spirit, the soul 
  of the first female mammoth and thus the mother of all 
  mammoths roaming the land today. after the Blizzard 
  War, those Finnar who survived the migration south 
  encountered the other races, who declared the goddess 
  to be a daughter of eostre animalmother. While some 
  Finnar tribes still hold to her true origins, most now ac-
  cept the standardized version of the faith.
  skaði is worshipped both as provider and defender, 
  having female and male aspects. many Finnar warriors 
  pray to her for strength before battle. When depicted in 
  art, skaði is shown as either a young maiden wearing a 
  mammoth hair cloak or as a mammoth-headed woman. 
  even her militant aspect is depicted as female.
  skaði has but one temple below the icewall—the mam-
  moth Hall. it is commonly held that somewhere in the 
  Hellfrost lies the mammoths’ graveyard, a sacred where 
  skaði birthed the first calf and where old and sick mam-
  moths go to die. Here, so the myths go, stands an enor-
  mous temple constructed from mammoth bones. Hearth 
  Knights report never having spied such a site, but do not 
  dismiss the stories—much of the Hellfrost is unexplored 
  and beyond the icewall lie many strange and wondrous 
  sites. many Finnar tribes boast shrines to skaði. typically 
  these take the form of rune-inscribed mammoth tusks 
  or preserved skins. Permanent Winterlands settlements 
  which make use of mammoths often erect shrines to ap-
  pease the goddess. it is not unusual in such places for the 
  shrine to take the form of a mammoth skull.
  Priests are typically carers for the people of their com-
  munity and their prized mammoth herds. in such com-
  munities mammoth meat may form part of the regular 
  diet, while hair is used for rugs and cloaks, fat to stave 
  off the cold (and for cooking), and the bones to make 
  implements. skaði allows her children to be slain and 
  eaten, but only when it is essential for the tribe’s survival 
  and only if the proper ceremonies are conducted. Pala-
  dins are generally members of their tribe, committed to 
  defending the citizens and herds from all predators.
  ceremonies are noisy affairs—clerics blow long, loud 
  notes from horns made from mammoth tusks and bang 
  mammoth-skin drums. clad in mammoth hair cloaks and 
  stylized mammoth headdresses they dance around the 
  herd and/or buildings, sprinkling them with fresh mam-
  moth milk and invoking blessings.
  Character Guidelines: strength and vigor are fa-
  vored, not only as representations of mammoths’ physi-
  cal prowess but because they are useful traits among the 
  tribes of the Winterlands. similarly, survival is a handy 
  skill for those who must travel the snow and ice fields. 
  Priests are advised to learn Healing, since they care for 
  people and mammoths, whereas paladins are warriors 
  and hunters. those who wish to use mammoths as 
  mounts need riding.
  sKilfingr
  Titles: He Who Weakens, the exhauster, devourer of 
  Breath, gasper.
  Aspects: exhaustion.
  Affiliations: the unknowable one, vali.
  Symbol: varies. symbols always have a mocking tone, 
  such as a bent sword, lifeless sail, or limp male organ.
  Priesthood: Weakened Hands (priests); Weakened 
  Blades (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: raestdaeg is a holy day. Humility day (p. 
  36) and Joker’s day (p. 37) are high holy days.
  Duties: to teach others to work around physical and 
  mental exhaustion, to create chaos through weakening 
  others.
  Sins: (minor) becoming Fatigued; (major) becoming 
  exhausted; (mortal) becoming incapacitated through 
  Fatigue.
  Signature Power: Fatigue.
  Powers: Becalm, knockdown, lower trait (no boost), 
  nightmare, sluggish reflexes, stun.
  Trappings: none with game mechanics. trappings 
  always take the form of sudden physical and mental ex-
  haustion, or, in the case of becalm a natural drop in the 
  wind that forces mariners to take up oars.
  long ago, the gods were rightfully proud of their 
  immense endurance. Freo ran forever without tiring, 
  tiw slew giants all day without needing a rest, and even 
  Hothar spent all day and night reading. Bored of their 
  constant boasting and ceaseless activity, the unknowable 
  one created skilfingr, whose name means, “He Who 
  Weakens,” and set him loose. some theologians argue 
  the gods are immune to fatigue. in their eyes, skilfingr 
  was brought into existence to weaken mortals, who be-
  fore his creation knew naught of exhaustion, nor, some 
  claim, of sleep.
  skilfingr has no places of worship, nor is he ever de-
  picted in art—like death, he is constantly present, and 
  folk need no reminder of his presence. though he has 
  few worshippers, skilfingr’s name crops up in many ev-
  eryday sayings. those fatigued from hard work might say 
  “skilfingr has stolen my breath” or “skilfingr has stolen 
  
  Minor goDs
  101
  my strength,” for example. With the threat of exhaustion 
  always present, mortals frequently whisper minor prayers 
  to appease the god and stay his hand before undertaking 
  any physically or mentally demanding task.
  those who honor skilfingr as an aspect of the un-
  knowable one induce fatigue as a teaching tool, remind-
  ing their victims that physical and mental endurance 
  have finite limits, and that one must be prepared to over-
  come such obstacles at any time, especially in the face of 
  adversity. Priests favor non-combat situations. one might 
  victimize a man hopeful of earning carnal knowledge of 
  a maiden, frustrate a craftsman on a tight deadline, or 
  test a skald whose epic tales require him to speak for 
  hour without lengthy pause. Paladins favor martial situa-
  tions. in general, clerics favor educating those who boast 
  of their endurance or who need taking down a peg or 
  two. still, they are widely regarded with suspicion, for a 
  cleric may invoke his miracle against an ally at the most 
  inopportune moment simply to test his resolve.
  vali’s clergy are more malicious, causing fatigue to 
  hamper important endeavors. they exhaust warriors on 
  epic quests, drain spellcasters about to invoke powerful 
  magic, tire messengers delivering vital news, and so on. 
  their activities are rarely done on a whim, for they always 
  seek an opening fellow clerics of var might exploit. For 
  instance, delaying a messenger might lead to war. such 
  suffering may give the greater cult opportunity to bring 
  about famine or corrupt desperate peasants.
  ceremonies honoring skilfingr are usually very sedate 
  affairs. cultists sit around and act lethargic, ritually simu-
  lating exhaustion without actually incurring sin. When 
  a worshipper is honoring his deity in this manner, he 
  rarely lifts a finger to perform any physical task. some-
  what suspiciously, they have a habit of praying whenever 
  hard work is required. this has led to a reputation for 
  laziness.
  once a year, a cleric must push himself beyond his 
  physical limits, deliberately becoming Fatigued. some 
  perform good works, such as helping in the fields or on 
  construction projects. others dance themselves into a 
  stupor, or carry heavy burdens for no practical purpose. 
  although this act leads to sin, it is an important reminder 
  that no one is immune to the god’s draining caress. Fail-
  ure to perform the ritual is a major sin.
  Character Guidelines: spirit and vigor, both of which 
  represent endurance, are the cleric’s core attributes. sur-
  vival is an important skill for those seeking travel, for it 
  allows one to avoid many natural forms of fatigue, such 
  as exposure to blizzards and starvation. 
  sKogr
  Titles: lady of the Forest, mother of skogsras, mis-
  tress of the Woodland Fey.
  Aspects: Forests.
  Affiliations: eostre Plantmother, ullr.
  Symbol: a tree.
  Priesthood: Wood tenders (priests); Wood swords 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: apple day or its local equivalent (p. 17), 
  cunning Hunt day (p. 35), Herbalism day (p. 18), and 
  summer and Winter court days (p. 18) are high holy 
  days.
  Duties: to protect forests and woodland animals, to 
  promote renewable use of forests.
  Sins: (minor) harming a tree when it can be avoided, 
  hunting out of season in a forest, allowing others to take 
  more than they need from a forest; (major) deliberately 
  harming a tree, allowing a mundane woodland beast to 
  be hunted purely for sport, taking more than you need 
  from a forest; (mortal) hunting a mundane woodland 
  beast purely for sport, burning a forest for any reason.
  Signature Power: Wilderness step.
  Powers: Animate war tree, beast friend (woodland 
  beasts only), boost/lower trait (strength, vigor, climb-
  ing, notice, stealth, tracking only), entangle, summon 
  beast (woodland beasts only), summon elemental 
  (wood only).
  Trappings: all trappings must relate to plants or 
  woodland beasts, as appropriate.
  Special: clerics must have the Woodsman edge. 
  miracles only function while both the caster and target 
  are in a forest. leaving the forest for any reason causes 
  maintained spells to be cancelled automatically. clerics 
  who take the Wood Warden edge automatically learn 
  beast friend if they don’t already have it and gain +2 to 
  Faith rolls when casting it. they can also use the spell 
  outside of forests an on any mundane beasts.
  a daughter of eostre and ullr, skogr spent her youth 
  playing in the great forests. a happy child, she created 
  many songs. some allowed her to talk to animals or 
  soothed the most ferocious woodland beast, others ani-
  mated the vegetation or gave birth to wood elementals. 
  she revealed a more aggressive side during the god War, 
  when she led ullr’s huscarls in defense of the forests, giv-
  ing her songs a darker edge. as a reward, she was titled 
  goddess of forests.
  Her first act was to cast down all her servants who 
  either abandoned her for the enemy or broke their oaths 
  to defend the forest. many of these fallen spirits became 
  skogsras and, much later, the first elves.
  statues to skogr are only ever carved from dead wood. 
  she is shown as a young maiden, with leaves for hair 
  and skin of bark. she wears a wolfskin cloak and carries 
  a long bow. these symbolize both her more aggressive 
  nature and her hatred of predators.
  the goddess needs no shrine (even in the temples of 
  her parents) or temples, for she is the trees and wood-
  land creatures. Her cult is strongest among the elves, 
  who have long been tied to the forests, but skogr does 
  not discriminate—all those who wish to worship her 
  are treated equally. although her cult is a minor one, all 
  Wood Wardens honor her.
  though often portrayed as guardians who permit no 
  despoiling of forests, skogr’s clerics have no issues with 
  loggers or hunters who take only what they need. they 
  who would plunder the forest without thought for the 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  102
  future or despoil it out of malice, though, can expect a 
  hostile reception. Both priests and paladins tend the for-
  est. Priests try to resolve disputes with words, whereas 
  paladins favor a more aggressive stance.
  all ceremonies involve singing, as does invoking mir-
  acles. aside from the high holy days, clerics need not set 
  aside any special time to honor their goddess—tending 
  the forest and its beasts is a direct act of veneration.
  Character Guidelines: clerics spend a great deal 
  of their lives in forests. make sure you have a high die 
  in survival in order to survive without stripping bushes 
  bare or littering the landscape with traps. since you al-
  ready have Woodsman, ranger is a logical edge when it 
  becomes available. taking Wood Warden gives you ad-
  ditional benefits.
  Herbalism fits the cult very well, but it is not an es-
  sential edge. similarly, shooting and/or throwing are 
  better suited than Fighting, but personal choice always 
  wins out.
  suðri
  Titles: the south Wind, the Breath of Kenaz, land-
  Warmer.
  Aspects: the south wind.
  Affiliations: Kenaz, thunor.
  Symbol: a stylized cloud blowing a stream of fire.
  Priesthood: Hearth Winds (priests); Burning Winds 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: the first day of sceranmonan and last day 
  of Haerfestmonan are high holy days, as is north Wind 
  day (p. 33).
  Duties: to defeat thrym and his servants.
  Sins: (minor) communicating with a servant of norðri 
  (except to intimidate, taunt, or threaten), taking shelter in 
  a blizzard, being defeated by a Hellfrost dragon, blizzard 
  elemental, or servant of norðri between sceranmonan 
  and Haerfestmonan; (major) refusing to fight a Hellfrost 
  dragon, blizzard elemental, or servant of norðri between 
  sceranmonan and Haerfestmonan; (mortal) willfully aid-
  ing a servant of norðri.
  Signature Power: Environmental protection (cold).
  Powers: Deflection, elemental manipulation (air and 
  fire only), fly, heat mask, stun, summon elemental (air 
  and fire only), voice on the wind.
  Trappings: trappings have the effects of both heat 
  and wind.
  suðri is one of the four winds, and a devoted servant 
  of thunor. legends claim his bellows were a gift from 
  Kenaz. While suðri and norðri never saw eye-to-eye, the 
  gods and their cults have become bitter enemies since the 
  latter defected to thrym’s cause. each spring, as vestri 
  begins to work his bellows, suðri and his rival fight for 
  supremacy, the south wind seeking to drive back winter, 
  and the north wind seeking to extend winter’s icy grip 
  as long as possible. Having recovered from his defeat, 
  norðri returns to the battle again in late fall, exploiting 
  suðri’s fatigue, the south wind god having worked hard 
  all summer.
  although he is worshipped in all temples of thunor 
  (though primarily in summer), suðri has two temples de-
  voted solely to his faith. one lies in orcmark and is now 
  in orc hands. the other is located at the top of Warm-
  ward Pass, overlooking the burning sands of al-shirkuh, 
  where sutmarkers believe the south wind originates. as 
  with thunor’s places of worship, neither temple is a true 
  building, but an open space delineated with stones and 
  decorated with flags and windsocks. shrines typically 
  take the form of windsocks. His common image is that 
  of a dwarf with fiery hair and beard pumping frantically 
  at his great bellows. rarer images show him as a storm 
  dragon breathing fire.
  Both types of clergy are devoted to the destruction 
  of norðri’s cult and his fell blizzard elementals, though 
  they spare other thrym-related creatures no mercy. 
  Priests focus their activities in the Hearthlands and civi-
  lized areas of the low Winterlands, while paladins focus 
  their attentions further north and in the unclaimed icy 
  wastes where thrym rules.
  except on north Wind day, ceremonies are rare 
  outside of summer. clerics regularly offer prayers and 
  devote slain enemies to their god, but summer is when 
  they conduct most rituals. these involve striping naked 
  (a taunt to norðri) and dancing wildly in the (relatively 
  speaking) warm air. this is carried out even in the High 
  Winterlands or Hellfrost, the clerics protected from the 
  cold by their faith.
  Character Guidelines: With their refusal to shelter 
  from the north wind, clerics need a good vigor die. sur-
  vival is very useful, for they are expected to be abroad in 
  the depth of winter. 
  Paladins are naturally warriors, and thus require good 
  physical attributes, combat skills, and combat edges. 
  While some priests opt to follow a militant path, others 
  ChilDren & the afterlife
  until a child becomes an adult, which is generally 
  sometime soon after puberty, they cannot take a pa-
  tron god, being deemed to lack the understanding 
  to make such an important decision. the Hellfrost 
  Player’s Guide makes it clear all mortals who die 
  without a patron deity are automatically sent to the 
  Hall of echoing screams. this applies to adults who 
  refused to honor the gods by picking a patron, not 
  those deemed incapable of honoring a patron.
  children are judged according to scaetha’s law, 
  though only those with the most wicked souls are 
  found guilty of sins. their souls remain in limbo, 
  haunting the edge of scaetha’s Hall until such time 
  as an ancestor vouches for them. Parents and kin-
  folk normally pledge support at a child’s funeral, 
  beseeching their ancestors to act quickly and claim 
  the child.
  
  Minor goDs
  10
  focus on a more investigative life, gathering intelligence 
  to allow the paladins to do their job effectively. those 
  who walk this road need high smarts, investigation, and 
  streetwise.
  sváfnir
  Titles: sleep-Bringer, little-death.
  Aspects: sleep (including dreams and nightmares).
  Affiliations: niht, rigr.
  Symbol: Black disc.
  Priesthood: dreamers (priests); Watchers (paladins). 
  clerics of niht who honor sváfnir only ever refer to 
  themselves as nightmares.
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: clerics celebrate every deorcmonan.
  Duties: to watch over sleeping communities, to rid 
  the world of niht’s followers.
  Sins: (minor) not sleeping at least eight hours a day, 
  not fighting a cleric of niht when the opportunity arises; 
  (major) harming a sleeping creature, not sleeping at least 
  four hours a day; (mortal) killing a sleeping creature not 
  sleeping at least an hour a day.
  Signature Power: Slumber.
  Powers: Altered senses, confusion, fatigue, lower 
  trait (vigor only; no boost), nightmare, sentry, sluggish 
  reflexes, stun.
  Trappings: trappings tend to be soothing words, 
  thrown dust, and so on.
  sváfnir (“sleep Bringer”) nihtsunu always hated his 
  mother. in his eyes, night was a special time, when mor-
  tals freed their minds from the daily grind and dreamt 
  of beauty and wonder. While his mother plotted murder 
  and mayhem under cover of darkness, sváfnir would sit 
  and gaze at the dreams as they ascended to heaven. rigr, 
  who sees all that transpires in the universe, approached 
  sváfnir and offered him the role of watching over sleep-
  ing mortals. in return, rigr granted sváfnir knowledge 
  of how to alter his senses, so as to be able to see in the 
  dark.
  like some statues of rigr, sváfnir is depicted with one 
  eye open and one shut. this represents his dual role as 
  guardian of sleep and watcher over those who slumber. 
  unlike rigr, sváfnir is always shown as a youthful boy.
  shrines to sváfnir are never found in his mother’s 
  temples, and are rare even in temples of rigr. Watch 
  barracks may have a small statue in his honor, but only 
  those working after dark pay him any attention. a com-
  mon good charm, especially for children, is to have a 
  disc carved into the bed. this helps ward off evil dreams 
  and ensures a good night’s sleep.
  While rigr grants his disciples the ability to stave off 
  sleep, sváfnir insists his followers enjoy the experience. 
  Because of their role as watchers over the sleeping, the 
  clergy tend to lead nocturnal lives. Both priests and 
  paladins serve communities as watchmen, patrolling the 
  streets and ramparts at night so others may sleep safely. 
  they maintain good relations with the clergy of Hothar 
  and rigr, both of whom have law-enforcement/protection 
  aspects. When adventuring, the clergy are most likely to 
  volunteer to take watch during the darkest hours.
  clerics have been known to collect recollections 
  of dreams, recording them to be shared among their 
  comrades. it is widely believed that dreams can involve 
  messages from the gods, portents of the future, and so-
  lutions to problems the mortal may be enduring in his 
  short life, though the imagery is almost always cryptic or 
  allegorical. during religious ceremonies clerics retell the 
  dream stories they have collected and discuss the pos-
  sible meaning. some have even begun offering advice to 
  mortals based on interpretation of their dreams, though 
  the clergy of maera scoff at this, claiming their goddess is 
  sole governess of mysteries and portents.
  the clergy see niht’s followers as their greatest enemy, 
  for sleeping targets are the preferred prey of assassins. 
  Because of this, they can often be found employed as 
  nocturnal bodyguards to the rich and powerful. Because 
  of this, the clergy are usually on good terms with those 
  of Kvara.
  during deorcmonan, when niht’s power is at its 
  greatest, the clergy bang loud drums, blow horns, and 
  sing protective chants to drive away evil spirits sent by 
  niht to plague mortal sleepers. the cacophony always 
  stops before the hour gets too late, so as not to disturb 
  those they are supposed to protect.
  despite sváfnir’s loathing of his mother, he cannot es-
  cape her influence. given his powers to create sleep and 
  aid those who work at night, sváfnir receives occasional 
  worship from niht’s followers. in order to avoid sinning, 
  these dark clerics are never actual assassins, but instead 
  prepare targets to meet a silent death by inducing sleep 
  in sentries. By the ancient laws that bind the gods, sváf-
  nir cannot refuse to empower those who truly offer him 
  worship, and has not. Because of this, his benevolent 
  clerics sometimes find themselves fighting against those 
  who worship their god.
  Character Guidelines: as watchmen, a high notice 
  skill is advisable. For the same reason, alertness and 
  danger sense are both useful edges. Because they don’t 
  need to remain awake for long periods, vigor is less 
  important than it is to clerics of rigr. combat skills and 
  edges should not be overlooked, for at heart the faith is 
  a militant one.
  sviðrir
  Titles: Battle-calmer, the Bloodless victor, she Who 
  Wins Without Bloodshed.
  Aspects: Bloodless combat.
  Affiliations: eira, the unknowable one.
  Symbol: a broken sword.
  Priesthood: Battle-calmers (priests); sword-breakers 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Humility day (p. 36) and no Healing day 
  (p. 16) are high holy days.
  Duties: to end fights without causing harm.
  Sins: (minor) inflicting non-lethal damage on an 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  10
  opponent; (major) inflicting lethal damage on an oppo-
  nent; (mortal) killing an opponent.
  Signature Power: Stun.
  Powers: Bladebreaker, lower trait (boost intimida-
  tion only; lower spirit, strength, vigor, Fighting, shoot-
  ing, and throwing only), confusion, entangle, fear, 
  knockdown, slumber.
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping except nec-
  romantic. trappings may never inflict lethal damage.
  Special: clerics must have the Pacifist Hindrance. 
  Whether it is the minor or major version is personal 
  choice.
  although eira had learned unarmed combat from 
  ermunaz (p. 68), she knew no means of defeating oppo-
  nents or ending conflicts without causing physical injury. 
  Knowing it would incense tiw, who frequently berated 
  his wife for her refusal to spill blood even in self-defense, 
  the unknowable one introduced her to his daughter, 
  sviðrir (“calmer”), who knew such magic.
  Keen to prove her husband’s warlike nature as infe-
  rior to the ways of peace, she arranged for tiw to send 
  a squad of armed huscarls against sviðrir. With a few 
  words and gestures, the goddess defeated every one of 
  tiw’s warriors. as tiw threw a temper fit and loudly ac-
  cused his wife of cheating, eira promoted sviðrir to the 
  goddess of bloodless combat and welcomed her into her 
  hall.
  sviðrir has no temples, though shrines exist in vir-
  tually all temples of eira. the minor goddess is never 
  depicted in art, for she is present whenever eira is shown 
  carrying a broken weapon on her belt. shrines are typi-
  cally nothing more than a sundered weapon, taken from 
  a defeated foe. clerics carry broken weapons as holy 
  symbols (halve the weight of an intact weapon).
  the role of priests and paladins depends on their 
  patron deity. those honoring eira typically work along-
  side the parent cult, with priests protecting healers and 
  temples, and paladins actively ending serious threats to 
  civilized lands without drawing blood. those who favor 
  the unknowable one remain teachers and humblers, us-
  ing their miracles to teach warriors that violence is not 
  the only way and that even the mightiest hero can be 
  brought low without his foe drawing a weapon.
  although they may not cause harm, many clerics opt 
  to wield a quarterstaff—it can be used to parry blows, 
  trip opponents, and disarms foes. despite their spells, 
  many clerics prefer to end violence without using any 
  force, especially when their opponents are civilized be-
  ings.
  While clerics of eira who also honor sviðrir still pro-
  tect defeated foes from harm, those who take the minor 
  goddess as their sole deity or who favor the unknowable 
  one as patron are under no such compulsion. However, 
  while they see no crime in allowing a defeated monster 
  to be executed, very few would allow a civilized captive 
  to be executed without a trial.
  Before praying and meditating, clerics ritually wash 
  their bodies, removing any traces of blood that may 
  tarnish their flesh. spiritually, such cleansing also helps 
  removes any sin from the soul. Weapons taken from de-
  feated opponents are ritually broken as sacrifices.
  Character Guidelines: clerics are forbidden from in-
  flicting damage on opponents. this makes strength a low 
  priority, allowing clergy to focus on other attributes. 
  although taking Fighting may seem contradictory, it 
  is essential for a high Parry value and is a requirement 
  for edges like Block. although devoted to peace, clerics 
  may use intimidation to cause foes to back down or sur-
  render. clerics will get no mileage from many combat 
  edges. defensive and utility combat edges should not 
  be overlooked, though.
  syn
  Titles: the door Warden, denier of ingress, she Who 
  controls access, the refuser.
  Aspects: doorways.
  Affiliations: rigr, scaetha.
  Symbol: crossed keys over a round shield.
  Priesthood: door Wardens (priests); door guards 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any day a cleric accepts a commission is 
  a personal holy day.
  Duties: to deny entrance to unwelcome or uninvited 
  guests.
  Sins: (minor) refusing to guard a doorway when you 
  are not tired, allowing other door guards on your watch 
  to fall asleep or abandon their posts; (major) allowing 
  someone or something to pass through a doorway your 
  are guarding without permission, failing to defend a 
  doorway (regardless of odds); (mortal) deserting your 
  post except when guarding a doorway no longer serves 
  any purpose.
  Signature Power: Barrier.
  Powers: Armor, aura, deflection, detect/conceal, 
  hamper movement, lock (no unlock), prolonged blast.
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping except nec-
  romantic.
  the daughter of Forseti and Kvara, syn earned her 
  position as a minor goddess during the god War. as Ke-
  naz lay dying in his bedchamber from an assassin’s blade, 
  syn joined his door guards. as the god War waged, the 
  enemy broke into Kenaz’s hall, intent on slaying the 
  wounded god. For a day and a night, syn, abandoned by 
  her less courageous comrades, battled wave after wave 
  of enemy soldiers. as dawn rose, she stood alone in a sea 
  of corpses, the doors behind her scratched and hacked, 
  yet still firmly closed.
  syn is held in high regard by the cults of rigr and 
  scaetha, for she often serves the latter by watching over 
  the gates to the abyss when scaetha is called away from 
  her duty. she has no temples, but is regularly shown in 
  the temples of rigr and scaetha, taking the form of a 
  key hanging from the major deity’s belt. Her shrines are 
  simple affairs, nothing more than an ordinary wooden 
  shield with two keys fixed to the boss. doorways pro-
  tected by her cult are marked with syn’s holy symbol, a 
  
  Minor goDs
  10
  warning to would-be trespassers and a source of inspira-
  tion to her clerics.
  clerics fill a niche role. they are not concerned with 
  the welfare of objects or persons behind the door they 
  guard, those duties being the focus of the cult of her par-
  ents. rather, their sole function is to prevent intruders 
  from passing through doorways they have been charged 
  to guard. they are often the last line of defense, the 
  steadfast souls who block a doorway to deny the enemy 
  passage at the cost of their own lives. Because they have 
  no care for what lies beyond the doors they are protect-
  ing, and generally lack curiosity about such things, they 
  make ideal guardians for those with secrets to protect. in 
  many instances they do not hold the keys for the doors 
  they guard.
  clerics typically serve nobles, acting as senior door 
  guards, the officials responsible for deciding who gets to 
  see their lord, though any individual or organization can 
  hire one. the main difference is militancy, with paladins 
  serving masters with many enemies and priests working 
  in less troubled households.
  ceremonies are usually simple affairs, taking the form 
  of vows to uphold the terms of their contract and the 
  ideology of the cult. once a year, clerics are expected to 
  sacrifice a medium shield, a set of wooden keys, and a 
  locking bar by burning them. these offerings go to syn’s 
  armory, strengthening her ability to perform her holy 
  duty.
  Character Guidelines: adventuring clerics are the 
  rearguards of the party, blocking a doorway so their com-
  rades can escape, cast spells, recover from injuries, and 
  so on. resolute and often facing down greater odds, they 
  need a decent spirit and vigor die. strength is the next 
  most important attribute. Fighting is the primary skill, 
  for it governs Parry. intimidation can be very useful in 
  both combat and non-combat situations. 
  When it comes to edges, Block, Frenzy, shieldwall, 
  and sweep are ideal choices. leadership edges should 
  not be ignored—command and Hold the line both fit 
  the cult’s ideology of steadfast defense in the face of 
  great adversity.
  thriMðr
  Titles: He Who speaks no truth, twister of Words, 
  Fabricator of information.
  Aspects: lies.
  Affiliations: the unknowable one.
  Symbol: none. clerics can use whatever deity’s holy 
  symbol they like.
  Priesthood: lords of Falsehood (priests); swords of 
  Falsehood (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: Joker’s day (p. 37), spoken Word day 
  (p. 22), and truth day (p. 24) are high holy days. unlike 
  clerics of Hothar, those of thrimðr cannot speak any 
  truth on the latter.
  Duties: to teach others to seek the truth rather than 
  taking other people’s word.
  Sins: (minor) falling for a minor lie, telling the whole 
  truth in a matter of importance, not making a false ac-
  cusation once per week; (major) falling for a major lie, 
  not making a false accusation once per month; (mortal) 
  admitting you lied outright.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (smarts, intimi-
  dation, Persuasion).
  Powers: Charismatic aura, mimic, puppet, shape 
  change, speak language.
  Trappings: any except necromantic. most clerics 
  favor subtle trappings so their machinations are harder 
  to detect.
  despised by Hothar, and especially by sanngetall, 
  thrimðr (who name means “Falsehood”) is a servant of 
  the unknowable one. or at least he claims to be—when 
  one is dealing with the god of lies one can never be en-
  tirely sure that everything he says is the truth. neither 
  Hothar nor his cult have ever openly accused thrimðr 
  or his clergy of being in league with loki. that would 
  constitute making a false accusation, a sin for servants 
  of the gods of truth, an irony thrimðr and his mortal 
  followers are happy to mock. theologians are divided 
  on whether he is a child of loki (p. 116) or the brother 
  of Fjallgeiguðr (p. 70).
  there are no images of thrimðr in existence. the 
  only way to know what he looked like would be through 
  a vision or dream, and the god of lies is hardly likely to 
  reveal his true form.
  no one has ever discovered a shrine or temple dedi-
  cated to the god of falsehood, but that is hardly surpris-
  ing—thrimðr’s clergy are notorious for disguising their 
  places of worship to mimic those of other gods. even 
  if one erected a shrine, he probably wouldn’t reveal its 
  location to his peers. indeed, being a constant liar makes 
  organizing any form of gathering next to impossible.
  clerics of thrimðr don’t go around announcing 
  themselves—that is a surefire way to be shunned at best 
  and trussed up like a chicken and dumped on the edge 
  of town at worse. (Worse things can happen to them, but 
  that usually occurs if they’re found out after spreading 
  lies).
  Public opinion aside, the cult considers its activi-
  ties as instructive rather than destructive. all too often, 
  people believe what they are told, especially from their 
  superiors, or want to believe, never checking facts for 
  themselves. People have grown lazy, and laziness makes 
  them vulnerable. By spreading lies, the cult hopes others 
  will start actively trying to seek the truth. that’s what 
  they claim, anyway. again, it’s hard to know what is the 
  truth and what is lies.
  While they occasionally utter an outrageous lie just to 
  see the effect it has and how far the lie will go, most of 
  their fabrications are relatively minor—a left instead of a 
  right, a yes instead of a no. such small lies can quickly be 
  covered up with “it was an honest mistake,” followed by 
  a brief lecture on checking facts for oneself before acting 
  on information.
  the cult has no formal ceremonies. outside of the 
  high holy days, when certain things are expected of cler-
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  10
  ics, merely telling a convincingly lie is considered an act 
  of devotion.
  Character Guidelines: clerics who want to lie con-
  vincingly to nPcs need a good Persuasion. High smarts 
  can be essential—part of being a good liar is remember-
  ing all the lies you have told. investigation, streetwise, 
  and a smattering of Knowledge skills never hurts—cler-
  ics are expected to be able to spot a lie told to them.
  thunn
  Titles: lord of vampires, the terror Who stalks the 
  night, Bleeding one, mortally Wounded one.
  Aspects: vampires.
  Affiliations: Hela.
  Symbol: a drop of blood.
  Priesthood: Blood Priest (priests); Blood lord (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: each deorcmonan.
  Duties: to keep thunn fed with blood.
  Sins: (minor) harming an extra vampire, using a 
  sword, not drinking blood from a sentient creature once 
  a week; (major) harming or disobeying a Wild card vam-
  pire, not drinking blood from a sentient creature once a 
  month; (mortal) slaying a vampire.
  Signature Power: Smite (affects hands/teeth only).
  Powers: Altered senses, fear, fatigue, obscure, sacri-
  fice, strength of the undead.
  Trappings: necromantic and darkness only.
  Special: Beyond being undead and consumed by fire 
  when exposed to sunlight, there is no such thing as a ste-
  reotypical vampire. their powers and weaknesses vary 
  greatly, seemingly with no fixed pattern. as a result, cler-
  ics may add one spell of their choice from the following 
  list to the deity’s power list: charismatic aura, ethereal 
  (no corporeal), fly, gift of battle, puppet, regenerate, 
  shape change (wolf, bat swarm, or rat swarm only), 
  storm, summon beast (wolf, bat swarm, or rat swarm 
  only), wall walker, warrior’s gift, water walk, weapon 
  immunity, wilderness step.
  When Hela went insane several of her generals fol-
  lowed her into treachery and damnation. among them 
  was thunn. during the titanic struggle at the gates of 
  the abyss, sigel scorched thunn’s flesh with his searing 
  light, vowing the traitorous general would never again 
  be able to bask in sigel’s radiance, less the guilt of his 
  sins consume him in fire. scaetha then scored a grievous 
  blow against the blinded god, slashing his throat from 
  ear to ear. mortally wounded and badly burned, thunn 
  staggered off the field of battle.
  Hela could not heal his wound, and eira would not 
  seal the gaping cut. acting quickly, Hela, still a greater 
  goddess, promoted thunn to the status of minor god, 
  slowing but not staunching the steady flow of blood. 
  through her newly gained necromantic powers Hela 
  unleashed dark, vampiric spirits. each drop of blood 
  they consume flows into thunn’s veins, replacing the 
  blood he has lost. Knowing this was 
  not enough to sustain her general for 
  long, Hela taught thunn the secret of 
  vampirism, which he passed on to his 
  followers.
  images of thunn are found only 
  in the holy texts of sigel and scaetha. 
  they show a pale man with black hair 
  and eyes, with a deep gash across his 
  throat from which drip crimson drop-
  lets. often the right side of his body is 
  shown blackened and blistered.
  thunn is unusual for a minor god 
  in that his cult operates temples. 
  Known as Blood Halls, they are dark, 
  stygian places, always located deep 
  underground, where sigel’s burning 
  light cannot reach. Here cultists honor 
  their injured god, regularly offering the 
  blood of sentient beings to vampires so 
  that he might be healed. vampires, and 
  cultists, drink blood from their victims’ 
  neck rather than spilling it on altars, 
  symbolically catching the blood thunn 
  sheds and replacing it in his body in a 
  continual cycle of death and life.
  the cult exists for just one reason—
  to maintain thunn’s existence through 
  blood drinking. mortal cultists honor 
  thunn in the belief that on the death of 
  
  Minor goDs
  10
  their mortal flesh they will be made vampires. While some 
  are indeed honored in this manner, the majority ends up 
  as a sacrifice, dying so their god may live. this is almost as 
  great an honor as being transformed into a vampire. While 
  there are many mortal priests and paladins, vampire cult-
  ists form the top tier of the clergy, and are found leading 
  every temple. they add the prefix “High” to their titles to 
  denote their exalted position.
  Priests prefer seduction to violence, luring victims 
  into their clutches with soft words and gifts. they also 
  serve as recruiters, tracking down poor souls willing to 
  retain their temporal power at any cost and inducting 
  them into the cult. Paladins prefer the violent approach, 
  attacking their chosen victims and draining them dry in 
  an orgy of bloodletting.
  every deorcmonan is a holy day. sacrifices are drained 
  (corpses are usually sold to the nearest temple of Hela 
  in return for a few living cultists, who become the next 
  sacrifice) and curses laid against scaetha and sigel for 
  their part in thunn’s downfall.
  Character Guidelines: thunn’s cultists are most 
  definitely evil to the core. Priests should focus on Persua-
  sion and raising their charisma so as to be effective se-
  ducers. Both sides of the clergy should invest in stealth, 
  for victims rarely line up to be slaughtered and it is a 
  rare cultist brave enough to commit bloody murder in 
  broad daylight. it is also important for evading capture. 
  combat edges are always useful, for the cult is constantly 
  attacked by worshippers of scaetha and sigel.
  tvíblinDi
  Titles: the concealed one, the sneak, He Who Walks 
  in shadows.
  Aspects: concealment.
  Affiliations: nauthiz, niht.
  Symbol: none.
  Priesthood: shadow Walkers (priests); shadow 
  Knights (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every second day of deorcmonan of the 
  month.
  Duties: not to be seen.
  Sins: (minor) spotted by a sentry in daylight when try-
  ing to be sneaky, being revealed as a cleric of tvíblindi; 
  (major) spotted by a sentry in poor lighting when trying 
  to be sneaky; (mortal) spotted by a sentry at night when 
  trying to be sneaky, discussing the faith with outsiders.
  Signature Power: Invisibility.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (boost stealth & lower no-
  tice only), detect/conceal (conceal only), fog cloud, heat 
  mask, obscure, silence.
  Trappings: darkness only.
  tvíblindi is the son of niht and nauthiz, though not 
  through sexual union. nauthiz, on the prowl for valu-
  ables, snuck into niht’s great hall under cover of darkness 
  and stole a lock of the goddess’ hair, a toenail clipping, 
  and some of her breath. From this nauthiz crafted a new 
  god, who he named tvíblindi (“twice Blind”). crafted 
  from two gods of concealment, tvíblindi proved a most 
  adept sneak, though nauthiz was disappointed in his 
  thievery and gambling skills.
  the pair quickly set to work robbing the other gods, 
  tvíblindi providing the concealment and nauthiz doing 
  the actual thieving. nauthiz may be a master sneak, but 
  niht also has dominion over concealment, and the new 
  god could not be kept secret from her for long. since 
  secrets are her specialty, niht agreed to keep tvíblindi’s 
  existence secret from the other gods, so long as nauthiz 
  allowed him to work for her as well. niht has kept her 
  word, for no other god has yet to learn of his existence, 
  though rigr the Watchman has suspicions.
  as befits his nature, the god of concealment has no 
  temples, no shrines, and is never depicted in art or writing. 
  Worshippers wear no holy symbol, and clerics are forbidden 
  from discussing the faith with outsiders. to all intents and 
  purposes, there is no cult of tvíblindi. this makes it very 
  difficult for members to identify each other, but tvíblindi 
  cares little for mass gatherings of his worshippers.
  tvíblindi is honored by assassins, spies, and those 
  whose occupation requires them to remain unseen. a 
  god of few qualms, he cares little how mortals use his 
  powers, only that they use them well. traditionally, 
  paladins have tended to be assassins and thieves, those 
  who require both concealment and martial skills to fulfill 
  their occupations. Priests lean toward covert gathering of 
  intelligence, and thus make ideal spies and scouts. since 
  worship of both nauthiz and niht are heavily frowned 
  upon, clerics tend to avoid using their powers in view of 
  those they cannot trust to keep silent.
  on the last endedaeg of Fogmonan, the nearest 
  deorcmonan to Heah Wyntr daeg, the clergy celebrate 
  the night of grasping Hands. Here they pit their skills 
  against the sentries and bodyguards of the rich and fa-
  mous by attempting to enter their homes and commit 
  some audacious act. some clerics choose to sneak into 
  the bedchambers of daughters and leave a rose on the 
  pillow of the slumbering maidens. others try to steal 
  a valuable and well-guarded item, while a small few 
  take the opportunity to eliminate a powerful and well-
  guarded figure. Failure to complete the task, or refusal to 
  participate, counts as a mortal sin.
  Character Guidelines: Being a cleric of tvíblindi 
  is more a sideline than a full-time occupation. Hence, 
  clerics tend to specialize in skills befitting their more 
  mundane occupation. assassins, for instance, require 
  good stealth and combat skills, while a spy also needs 
  high stealth but likely learns investigation, Persuasion, 
  streetwise, and other intelligence gathering talents. 
  since clerics generally operate at night and tvíblindi 
  doesn’t grant powers that boost the senses, clerics should 
  invest in a high notice skill.
  vafuD
  Titles: trail Finder, ullr’s Hound, ullr’s eye, the ce-
  lestial stalker.
  Aspects: trackers.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  10
  Affiliations: rigr, ullr.
  Symbol: a trail of footprints.
  Priesthood: Blessed seekers (priests); Blessed track-
  ers (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: sangdaeg of Plohmonan, Hegmonan, and 
  Wulfmonan.
  Duties: to serve as trackers, to hunt dangerous mon-
  sters and criminals.
  Sins: (minor) losing a trail in adverse conditions, be-
  ing caught in an ambush you failed to detect; (major) 
  losing a trail in poor conditions; (mortal) losing a trail in 
  good conditions.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (notice, survival, 
  and tracking only).
  Powers: Altered senses, speed, wandering senses, 
  wilderness step.
  Trappings: vafud’s trappings have no specific game 
  mechanics. many effects are related to animals. For in-
  stance, speed may cause the target’s legs to change to 
  those of a wolf, while wandering senses may manifest as 
  a spectral bird of prey.
  vafud is known as ullr’s Hound for good reason. ullr, 
  while a skilled hunter, was once known for his arro-
  gance. He refused to hunt with others because they were 
  not stealthy enough and couldn’t identify tracks. His sole 
  companion was his faithful hound, vafud (“Wanderer”). 
  ullr eventually tired of being lonely and asked eostre if 
  she could grant vafud the power of speech. the goddess 
  refused, for animals were not intended to talk except in 
  their own language. niht said she would help, but her 
  price was too high, and Hoenir offered to find a solution 
  but became distracted by new ideas.
  Finally the unknowable one promised to help. ullr 
  was wary of the trickster, but he was growing desperate. 
  the gift was not as vafud intended, of course, for the un-
  knowable one is never predictable. instead of granting 
  vafud the power of speech, he turned him into human 
  form. ullr had his companion, but he lost his faithful 
  hound in the process. vafud, however, retained his excel-
  lent nose, and ullr made him the god of trackers.
  vafud needs no temples, for the great wilderness is 
  his home. shrines tend to be simple affairs, perhaps a 
  tree hung with antlers or skins, or a sacred stone marked 
  with runes drawn in animal blood. in the unclaimed 
  lands such shrines are abandoned after a short while, 
  for the tribes move across the snowy wastes and a new 
  shrine is easy enough to consecrate.
  most clerics of vafud are found among the Finnar, 
  who worship him alongside ullr almost as a separate 
  deity. Both aspects of the clergy are devoted to tracking. 
  generally, priests favor tracking game, while paladins 
  hunt dangerous beasts that threaten the herds or com-
  munity. the clergy are most at home in the wilds, though 
  in civilized lands they can be found operating in cities, 
  using their information gathering skills to track quarry. 
  some work alongside Hothar’s clerics, tracking down 
  fugitives from justice, but most operate as independent 
  bounty hunters or scouts.
  Festivals and ceremonies revolve around the hunt. 
  symbolic items of the creature being tracked, whether 
  man or beast, are sniffed, as if the cleric if picking up the 
  scent, and traditional hunting songs are sung. some cler-
  ics don wolfskin cloaks, dropping to all fours and snarl-
  ing and growling, for although wolves are often despised 
  in civilized lands, they are undeniably adept trackers.
  Character Guidelines: trackers need a handful of 
  skills in order to be effective. tracking, naturally, is the 
  core skill for vafud’s clerics, followed by notice. notice 
  not only helps you find tracks in the first place, but it is 
  also handy for making sure whatever you are tailing has 
  not set up an ambush for you. Woodsman should be a 
  favored edge, since it boosts skills vital to a tracker.
  since most clerics work outdoors, survival should 
  not be ignored. streetwise can be handy, as it allows the 
  tracker to locate quarry inside settlements, where tracks 
  are quickly obliterated and evidence of one’s quarry 
  exists only in the form of eyewitnesses. as trackers are 
  hired to hunt someone or something, and that creature 
  is rarely benevolent combat skills and stealth should not 
  be ignored unless you want your quarry to know you’re 
  approaching.
  vaKr
  Titles: night Prowler, one Who Flies on silent Wings, 
  night Hunter.
  Aspects: Bats.
  Affiliations: Hela, niht.
  Symbol: a bat.
  Priesthood: night stalkers (priests); night Hunters 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: every deorcmonan.
  Duties: assassination and spying.
  Sins: (minor) harming a bat, failing an assassination 
  attempt; (major) not living a nocturnal lifestyle; (mortal) 
  killing a bat.
  Signature Power: Summon beast (bat, giant bat, or 
  bat swarm only).
  Powers: Altered senses, beast friend (bats only), 
  boost/lower trait (agility, notice, and stealth only), de-
  flection, fly, obscure, shape change, (bat, giant bat, or bat 
  swarm only), wandering senses.
  Trappings: all trappings are bat-related. For instance, 
  deflection and obscure may both take the form of bat 
  swarms, wandering senses conjures a spectral bat, and 
  fly conjures a pair of batlike wings.
  niht created bats on a whim. amused by her flying 
  creatures, she displayed them to some of the other gods. 
  thunor was momentarily curious, but his attention soon 
  diverted back to his feathered birds. tiw mocked the tiny 
  beasts for lacking strength and for being cowardly, for 
  they flew in great numbers. rigr was more concerned 
  than impressed, for niht had made the bats blind, which 
  meant they only flew in circles and often collided with 
  objects. out of compassion he gave them acute hearing, 
  as was niht’s devious intention all along. 
  
  Minor goDs
  10
  Before Hela’s madness bats were regarded as niht’s 
  spies, flitting through the darkness using secret knowl-
  edge to avoid obstacles and gathering information heard 
  on the wind. many stories claim bats ears are so sensitive 
  they can detect thoughts, a reason why citizens never 
  think secret thoughts when a bat is close by. 
  after her self-imposed exile, Hela approached niht 
  and proposed an exchange of magic. lured by the new 
  magic of necromancy, of which she knew nothing, niht 
  agreed. in exchange, Hela gained some dominion over 
  bats. under her influence they transformed from noctur-
  nal spies to nocturnal hunters. 
  vakr began as one of niht’s spies, one bat among the 
  vast swarm that roosted in the shadowed eaves of niht’s 
  stygian hall. Fed on flesh and blood, vakr rapidly grew 
  to become a monstrous abomination of great and cun-
  ning intelligence. so large is the winged hunter that Hela 
  uses it as a mount, riding through the dark recesses of 
  the heavens. Hela gave the liche-Priest her new secret, 
  which the wizened corpse lord used to breed a swarm of 
  giant bats. today, good folk both fear and despise bats, 
  seeing them as the liche-Priest’s spies. 
  vakr has no temples and very few shrines. Worship-
  pers gather in bat-infested caves to worship, adding their 
  screeches to those of the resident swarm when the sun 
  sets and niht takes over the heavens. niht’s worshippers 
  offer mundane bats sacrifices of insects, whereas those 
  of Hela feed them on flesh strips flayed from sentient 
  victims. the bat god is sometimes shown in religious art, 
  but never as a major figure. typically he is shown as a 
  common bat, flitting around Hela or niht. 
  Priests serve as spies and information gatherers, using 
  their keen senses and stealthy abilities to remain unseen. 
  Paladins are typically assassins, flitting in through open 
  windows, striking quickly and silently, and stealthily dis-
  appearing into the night. 
  Character Guidelines: notice and stealth are the 
  clergy’s greatest assets, regardless of whether they are 
  spy or killer-for-hire. investigation, Persuasion, and 
  streetwise are favored by priests, as are edges such as 
  alertness and investigator. Paladins should consider 
  edges which allow for quick kill, for if a target manages 
  to sound an alarm the assassin may find himself outnum-
  bered by guards.
  vegtaM
  Titles: the master mariner, Boatman of the gods, 
  tiw’s navigator.
  Aspects: sailors and marines.
  Affiliations: neorthe, tiw.
  Symbol: a ship prow carved to resemble a sea drag-
  on‘s head.
  Priesthood: master mariners (priests); master ma-
  rines (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: last Waescdaeg of each month.
  Duties: steer and protect ships.
  Sins: (minor) using another form of transportation if 
  a ship is available, getting lost at sea, condoning piracy 
  against any ship; (major) committing piracy against any 
  ship; (mortal) a ship you are on is sunk.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (strength, vigor, 
  Boating, climbing only)*
  Powers: Environmental protection (water only), gift 
  of battle*, mend (ships only), warrior’s gift*, zephyr*.
  Trappings: air and water only.
  Special: spells marked “*” only provide benefits 
  while on a ship. if the target steps on land, the spell’s 
  benefit is lost, though the spell remains maintained.
  vegtam was at first neorthe’s navigator, guiding the 
  sea god’s ship through the heavenly waters. He knew all 
  the secrets and dangers of the great celestial sea, but, like 
  all mariners, was at the mercy of thunor’s winds. vegtam 
  stole the secret of making wind from thunor, so earn-
  ing the storm god’s eternal enmity. it is for this reason 
  storms are common at sea. Worshippers of vegtam and 
  thunor rarely see eye-to-eye, though violence between 
  the cults is rare.
  during the god War, vegtam ferried tiw and his army 
  back and forth across the heavens. on one trip the en-
  emy attacked, boarding vegtam’s ship in great numbers. 
  though no warrior, vegtam stood his ground beside 
  tiw and helped drive the boarders back. as thanks, tiw 
  taught vegtam secret fighting techniques for use at sea, 
  so granting the navigator joint patronage of marines.
  vegtam has no temples. shrines are found in all 
  temples to neorthe and in coastal temples to tiw. Here 
  navigators, sailors, and marines give praise before em-
  barking on a trip. marines and navigators looking for 
  employment wait outside the temples in the hope of 
  securing a position on a ship. although the cult is small, 
  the clergy are specialists and competition for places is 
  fierce, for only rarely will a captain hire more than one 
  priest or paladin for each voyage.
  vegtam is depicted as a male with a neatly trimmed 
  beard. in his right hand he holds a star compass, while in 
  his left is clutched a sword, thus honoring the fact he was 
  a navigator before a marine. ships seeking vegtam’s pro-
  tection often paint their sails with the god’s holy symbol 
  or carve their prow into a storm dragon head.
  like neorthe’s clergy, they serve as navigators and 
  marines respectively. they are awarded higher titles due 
  to their focus, but their miracles are of limited scope. 
  However, while neorthe’s paladins may serve in an of-
  fensive capacity, vegtam’s holy warriors are a purely 
  defensive force—their god forbids them to conduct any 
  raids against ships, even if the enemy is orcs or other 
  despoilers.
  While worshippers give praise before and after setting 
  sail, all true ceremonies are conducted aboard ships—
  ones berthed in harbor are still acceptable ceremonial 
  grounds. cultists make offerings of blood (usually birds) 
  except in Werremonan, when armor and weapons are 
  blessed and tossed overboard. these weapons are used 
  to equip vegtam’s celestial marines, while the blood of-
  ferings sate neorthe.
  Character Guidelines: as seafarers, Boating is a 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  110
  cleric’s most important skill. Priests need a good under-
  standing of the oceans, the winds, and the currents, and 
  so need an appropriate Knowledge (area) skill. 
  marines should invest in steady Hands as soon as 
  possible to offset the penalties for being on an unstable 
  deck. as commander of the marines, leadership edges 
  are a must. Both clergy are usually smart, strong, and fit, 
  for life at sea is hazardous.
  swimming is not a required skill, but marines typically 
  fight in armor—those who want at least a fighting chance 
  of survival in the ocean should invest in the skill.
  veth
  Titles: grain Watcher, rat catcher, the great mouser.
  Aspects: Protecting granaries from vermin.
  Affiliations: eostre (both aspects), rigr.
  Symbol: a cat’s paw grasping a bushel of grain.
  Priesthood: mousers (priests); ratters (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: the day before harvest is a high holy day. 
  other holy days are held every other endedaeg through-
  out the winter months.
  Duties: to protect granaries from vermin.
  Sins: (minor) not owning a mouser or ratter for more 
  than a week, harming or mistreating a mouser or ratter, 
  not reporting a follower of vali to the authorities at the 
  first opportunity; (major) letting a rat or mouse live, us-
  ing poison; (mortal) allowing mice or rats to destroy a 
  granary, sparing the life of a cleric of vali.
  Signature Power: Beast friend (cats and ratting dogs 
  only).
  Powers: Altered senses (low light vision only), boost/
  lower trait (notice and vigor only), detect (mice and 
  rats only; no conceal), fear (only affects mice and rats), 
  mend (only affects granaries, seals mice and rat holes in 
  one building), shape change (cat or ratting dog only), 
  summon beast (cats and ratting dogs only), warding 
  (mice and rats only)
  Trappings: trappings are related to cats and ratting 
  dogs. For instance, beast friend may cause the cleric to 
  meow or yap to summon the animal, whereas fear might 
  create an illusory giant mouser.
  veth, a daughter of rigr, serves eostre Plantmother by 
  watching over her granary and keeping it free of vermin. 
  she is always accompanied by her giant ginger tomcat, 
  Fengr (“catcher”), whom she raised since it was a kitten. 
  common belief is that all ginger cats are descendants of 
  Fengr, and thus expert mousers. according to myth, veth 
  is a young girl, perhaps equivalent to 12 summers in hu-
  man terms, and is something of a wild child, preferring 
  the company of her cat to the other gods. Her hair is 
  unkempt, her clothes caked in filth, and around her neck 
  she wears a rat skull necklace.
  veth is always shown as a wild-haired girl holding 
  a dead rat in her left hand. some depictions show her 
  holding a long stick over her shoulder, from which hang 
  several rats, but these are typically found only in cities 
  and big towns. Fengr is normally intertwined around her 
  legs, with a rat hanging from his mouth.
  shrines as unique places of worship are extremely 
  rare, for virtually all worship of veth is done through 
  eostre (in either aspect). in rural communities, prayers 
  are offered to her only after harvest, when the crops are 
  stored in the granaries. in towns, cities, and ports, where 
  rats are more commonplace, the guild of rat catchers 
  honors her all year round. crude copies of her holy sym-
  bol are etched onto granary doors, both as a sign that the 
  mortal desires the attention of Fengr the celestial ratter, 
  and in an attempt to scare away vermin. the skulls of 
  vermin are strategically placed around granaries, baker-
  ies, and similar areas as a further deterrent. 
  clerics of veth serve both rural and urban communi-
  ties, for where there are people, there are mice and rats. 
  traditionally priests deal with mice and paladins with 
  the more vicious rats. as a result, urban priests are often 
  called out to the homes of the well-to-do to deal with 
  infestations, as they are slightly better mannered and at-
  tired. Paladins scour the streets, and in anari-built cities, 
  the sewers for rats. it’s a lowly profession, and paladins 
  of veth make no attempts at airs and graces—their job is 
  to catch rats, and that’s dirty work.
  clerics disdain the use of poison, partly because there 
  is always a risk an innocent animal will consume it, and 
  partly because poison is the tool of vali, and one never 
  fights fire with fire. needless to say, the clergy consider 
  vali’s followers to be among the most evil of creatures, 
  and no love is lost between the two faiths. even being 
  suspected of worshipping vali is cause for a severe beat-
  ing by the zealous, smelly clergy.
  the major festival of the faith falls on the day before 
  harvesting. in urban areas this is pegged in the calendar 
  as the first endedaeg of Haerfestmonan, but in rural set-
  tlements it is held when the harvest actually commences. 
  citizens across rassilon call this festival rattdaeg. clerics 
  of eostre and veth dress up as cats and ratting dogs, while 
  Cats
  modern domestic cats in rassilon are nearly all vari-
  ants of the skogkatt (forest cat) breed, a species 
  well adapted to the cold. males weigh around 20 
  pounds, and females half that. they have a double-
  layered coat and bushy tail to help stave off the 
  cold, their fur is waterproof, and their back legs 
  are longer than their forelimbs. coloration varies 
  considerably. Hunting cats (see Hellfrost Bestiary), 
  a much larger but distantly related species, are simi-
  lar to european lynxes. 
  it is important to note that the idea of keeping a 
  cat purely as a pet is an unknown concept in rassi-
  lon. cats are kept around the house as mousers and 
  ratters, and have to earn their keep. only half-do-
  mesticated, these vicious cats are also quite adept 
  at catching rabbits, and even polecats and weasels 
  (which kill chickens, ducks, geese, and other fowl). 
  
  Minor goDs
  111
  children are costumed as mice and rats. some commu-
  nities have elaborate costumes, but most make do with 
  colored jumpers and hats to which wool or felt ears are 
  attached. amid much squealing, hissing, and barking, 
  the clergy chase the children through the streets, sym-
  bolically driving away the local vermin. after dark, the 
  clergy take to the streets in search of real vermin before 
  harvesting begins in the morning.
  Character Guidelines: as vermin catchers, clerics 
  need a good notice to detect sneaky rodents, vigor to 
  keep long watches and stave off infection from bites, and 
  Fighting to deal with infestations. tracking is useful if he 
  wants to be able to follow the vermin back to their lair. 
  Beast master grants the cleric a vicious cat or dog, 
  and if he is also a cleric of eostre animalmother it is a 
  Wild card sidekick. against mundane rats, as opposed to 
  those controlled by a cleric of vali, the edge also prevents 
  the cleric from being bitten by the vermin he hunts.
  viðarr
  Titles: Keeper of the Black gate, demonbane, Watch-
  er of the abyss.
  Aspects: destruction of demons.
  Affiliations: the norns, scaetha.
  Symbol: a key.
  Priesthood: shadow seekers (priests); gatekeepers 
  (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: second endedaeg of Wulfmonan.
  Duties: to rid the world of demons and their follow-
  ers.
  Sins: (minor) refusing to destroy an extra demon or 
  one of its mortal followers, engaging in conversation 
  with a demon (except to intimidate or taunt it); (major) 
  refusing to destroy a Wild card demon or one of its mor-
  tal followers, unknowingly aiding a demon or one of its 
  mortal servant; (mortal) knowingly aiding a demon or 
  one of their mortal servants.
  Signature Power: Warding (demons only).
  Powers: Arcane resistance, banish, boost/lower trait 
  (spirit and Fighting only), burst, champion of the faith, 
  detect (demons only; no conceal), light, smite.
  Trappings: any except darkness and necromantic. 
  Fire and light are most popular.
  Special: clerics of scaetha already have viðarr’s sins on 
  their list. remove all reference to demons from scaetha’s 
  sins, as this rule takes priority. characters who honor both 
  gods treat viðarr’s minor sins as major and his major ones 
  as mortal. if the cleric commits a mortal sin from viðarr’s 
  list, his penance must be extremely difficult and require 
  earning a minimum of 20 XP purely from adventures di-
  rectly related to his atonement quest (no side adventures 
  or interludes count toward this total).
  the norns were the first divine beings, coming into 
  existence at the same time as the universe. they wove 
  the skeins of the gods that would follow them into exis-
  tence, and the mortals who would follow the gods. the 
  weird sisters believed they had everything neatly tied up 
  and interwoven on their loom, and the universe seemed 
  an orderly place.
  When they discovered demons, creatures of darkness 
  and chaos whose fate they could not weave, they were 
  horrified and declared them anathema, to be hunted 
  down and eradicated. a great and terrible war was 
  fought, but the gods only succeeded in imprisoning the 
  demons not destroying them.
  during the demongate War, viðarr, a general who was 
  instrumental in leading the gods’ armies during their war 
  with the demons and now a loyal lieutenant of scaetha, 
  was summoned by the norns and charged with ensuring 
  the demons did not overrun the mortal realm. 
  Whether he would be victorious or not the norns 
  could not say. For the demons, which were formed be-
  fore the norns, did not register in their great tapestry. 
  elevated to the position of a minor god, viðarr charged 
  those who chose to follow him with the destruction of 
  all demons.
  When the demongate Wars ended, the forces of good 
  tried to destroy the great black key which controlled the 
  portal. although the key could not be destroyed, cler-
  ics and paladins did manage to shatter it into a hundred 
  pieces. the fragments were then scattered throughout 
  the lands, placed beyond the reach of the demon lords. 
  the demongate was moved to a secret fortress deep 
  inside a mountain, were it would be protected by power-
  ful wards and an order of knights—the Watchers of the 
  Black gate (sometimes known as gatekeepers). most 
  gatekeepers are mundane warriors, but the core is made 
  up of clerics of viðarr.
  only one shrine to viðarr exists, and that is located in 
  the same refuge as the demongate. When prayers must 
  be offered, scaetha’s temples are the preferred location. 
  viðarr is shown as a mighty warrior clad in radiant chain 
  mail and brandishing a barbed star metal long spear.
  although all clerics are expected to fight demons, 
  priests specialize in investigation work, rooting out 
  demonic cults and demon-related relics, and tracking 
  members of the seekers of the Black Key. that their name 
  is similar to that of their enemy is no coincidence, for 
  to complete their duties they must walk in the shadows 
  where sane men fear to tread.
  Paladins are more focused on destruction of anything 
  touched by demons. once given a tip-off by their priestly 
  brethren, they spare no effort and show no mercy in 
  eradicating the source of evil. While the priests haunt 
  musty libraries and explore ancient ruins for clues, the 
  paladins ride the land, ever vigilant for signs of demonic 
  infestation.
  the only holy day the order recognizes is the second 
  endedaeg of Wulfmonan, known as the night of dead 
  shadows. this marks the day the demongate War ended. 
  it is also a ceremony scaetha’s clergy mark. during the 
  day before, lay members in settlements across the land 
  work to create full-size wooden replicas of the demon-
  gate.
  as sigel’s Hearth begins to set, citizens gather around 
  the mockup. no light is permitted during the festival, 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  112
  except what maera cares to shed. When the last rays of 
  the sun disappear below the horizon, demons (actors 
  clad completely in black and wearing scary masks) leap 
  through the gate and “attack” the worshippers, robbing 
  them of their valuables (which are offerings to scaetha). 
  the demons offer sweets and cakes to children, whose 
  greedy hands are hastily swatted down by parents who 
  sternly warn of the dangers of trafficking with the dark 
  powers. the children’s inevitable wailing at being denied 
  candy only adds to the atmosphere.
  throughout the year those same children have been 
  building model houses, which the demons now crush be-
  neath their feet. gingerbread men stuffed with red fruit 
  jam are devoured limb-by-limb by the hungry demons, 
  leaving their mouths smeared dark red. this symbolic 
  destruction of property and people recalls the terrible 
  devastation wrought during the demongate War.
  an hour before dawn, clerics of viðarr and scaetha ac-
  companied by members of the laity appear on the edge 
  of town brandishing torches and wearing armor painted 
  brilliant white. For the next hour they fight the demons, 
  slowly driving them back through the gate. When the last 
  one is vanquished, which coincides with the rising of the 
  sun, the clerics ignite the wooden demongate, symboli-
  cally ridding the world of demons.
  Character Guidelines: viðarr’s clergy must face ter-
  rible and unearthly foes with many and varied powers. 
  spirit and vigor are vital to surviving many demons’ ar-
  cane and natural attacks. Favored Foe (demons) is a vital 
  edge for those seeking to destroy the forces of evil.
  Priests should invest in investigation and streetwise 
  to help in their studies, while paladins should ensure 
  their combat skills and edges are not found wanting. 
  champion and Holy Warrior, while very useful to most 
  paladins, are vital for viðarr’s followers, since their major 
  foes are most definitely supernatural evil creatures.
  vör
  Titles: the cautious one, He Who thinks Before He 
  acts, He Who is always Prepared, enemy of rashness, the 
  thoughtful one.
  Aspects: caution.
  Affiliations: Hoenir, nauthiz.
  Symbol: a raised hand, palm forward, with an eye in 
  the center.
  Priesthood: Planners (priests); tacticians (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any day a cleric successfully persuades 
  someone to act with caution and is proven right is a per-
  sonal holy day.
  Duties: to teach caution over reckless behavior.
  Sins: (minor) acting rashly, making an arbitrary 
  judgment, not counseling a cautious approach to any 
  situation; (major) getting someone injured because you 
  acted rashly or failed to urge caution; (mortal) getting 
  someone killed because you acted rashly or failed to 
  urge caution.
  Signature Power: Detect/conceal.
  Powers: Altered senses, analyze foe, boost/lower 
  trait (spirit, vigor, notice, and stealth), insight, sentry, 
  silence, wandering senses.
  Trappings: clerics have no wish to draw attention to 
  themselves, and thus never use showy trappings.
  Special: clerics must take the cautious Hindrance.
  vör (“careful one”) is the twin brother of Hrist. un-
  like his sibling, vör is not a coward—he is a prudent 
  believer that discretion is the better part of valor and that 
  only those who wish to die act before they think. during 
  the god War, vör frequently argued with tiw, who al-
  ways favored a headlong charge. tiw, as usual, proposed 
  a duel. although no warrior, vör dodged tiw’s initial 
  blow and struck a winning blow. the minor deity then 
  explained that tiw always opened his attacks in the same 
  manner, something his enemy’s would exploit sooner or 
  later. tiw never learned to curb his rashness, but he did 
  learn to be more diverse.
  images of vör can appeal comical to outsiders. typically 
  depicted as human, he carries a great quantity of equip-
  ment so as never to be caught needing some vital tool. the 
  cult does not bother with shrines or temples—its places of 
  worship are wherever there is need of their advice.
  vör’s clergy are often labeled as coward for their 
  perceived unwillingness to act. this is a gross injus-
  tice—clerics are prepared to take on any danger, so long 
  as they feel they are adequately prepared and have all 
  the facts. Priests often serve as advisors, counseling their 
  patrons against rash actions that might have unforeseen 
  consequences. the cult of var sometimes hire them, for 
  they know they can be too keen to leap at what seems 
  like a bargain.
  Paladins accompany military commanders and adven-
  turing parties, for whom they offer plans for every imag-
  inable contingency so as to prevent anything unforeseen 
  occurring. Paladins can become very tiresome, insisting 
  that anyone climbing uses multiple safety lines, a scout 
  checks frequently for traps, and such like. in modern 
  parlance, they are health and safety officials gone mad.
  ceremonies are very much private affairs. clerics 
  spend their time researching their next endeavor and 
  planning ahead. some keep their plans in their heads, 
  while others prefer to keep detailed notebooks of con-
  tingencies they can refer to at a moment’s notice. these 
  tomes are usually referred to as “manuals.”
  Character Guidelines: a clerics choice of traits and 
  edges depends on his role, rather than any fire cult 
  dictates. those who will be offering wisdom to nobles 
  should invest in Persuasion, while those counselling 
  military commanders should take Knowledge (Battle). 
  indeed, Knowledge skills in general will prove useful, 
  as will investigation and streetwise—the better prepared 
  one is, the less chance of having a mishap.
  level Headed may seem like an odd choice for a 
  character who thrives on caution. the edges gives you 
  a better chance of drawing a high card, letting you go 
  on Hold to assess the situation, or, so long as you have 
  a plan formulated, change your tactics to suit an ever-
  changing situation.
  
  This chapter is for the GM only!
  While many monstrous races (most notably giants, 
  goblins, and orcs) worship the greater gods, favoring 
  the dark deities such as dargar, niht, thrym, and vali, 
  several species have their own gods. rarely studied, yet 
  alone worshipped, by sane members of the civilized 
  races, these gods are ancient and alien. they are greater 
  in power than the minor deities, but not as powerful as 
  the major gods. this chapter provides expanded infor-
  mation on inhuman deities previously mentioned only 
  in passing.
  By introducing these monstrous gods in the same 
  manner as the other deities, gms have a new toolbox 
  at their disposal. through the expanded spell list he 
  can now alter the powers available to nPc clerics and 
  shamans, thus ensuring the heroes second-guess their 
  opponents’ spells at their peril. the descriptive text also 
  helps explain why the worshipping race acts the way it 
  does, and gives the gm material to use in adventures.
  Disciple Edges: each deity also has a disciple edge, 
  allowing the gm to create more powerful priests. note 
  that the disciple edges do not have any requirements—
  these abilities are never granted to worshippers outside 
  of the race the god represents, and nPcs don’t need to 
  meet the requirements for edges.
  Player Characters: these deities were not designed 
  to be worshipped by player characters, thus they have 
  no duties or sins listed. gms who allow their heroes to 
  honor these vile or alien deities should create appropri-
  ate lists as they see fit.
  balor
  Titles: the evil eye, the Baleful eye, the Burning eye, 
  Father of giants, the enemy of man, the all-seeing eye. 
  Aspects: cliff giants, formorian giants, fear, evil, suf-
  fering.
  Symbol: red disc or circle.
  Priesthood: Watchful eyes (priests); Baleful eyes 
  (paladins).
  Herald: a malformed cliff giant with a single red eye 
  in the center of its forehead.
  Holy Days: any night the moon is red.
  Signature Power: Fear.
  Powers: Altered senses, analyze foe, arcane resis-
  tance, battle song, bladebreaker, blast, bolt, boost/lower 
  trait, confusion, detect/conceal, farsight, growth/shrink, 
  nightmare, panic (no bless), prolonged blast, sacrifice, 
  sanctuary, smite, summon herald, wandering senses, 
  warrior’s gift.
  Trappings: coldfire, fire, or heat.
  Disciple Edge: disciples’ bolt spells have range 
  15/30/60, are aP 2, and count as Heavy Weapons.
  Balor was born hideously deformed. in the middle of 
  his forehead is a single eye, a monstrous bloodshot orb 
  whose gaze scorched all it fell upon. directly opposite, 
  in the back of his head, is another eye, this one of normal 
  appearance. mocked and shunned for his ghastly visage, 
  and feared for his deadly gaze, Balor grew bitter and 
  twisted, withdrawing from the other gods and hatching 
  his own schemes.
  the gods’ first humanoid creations were, it is said, 
  the giants. storm giants took form as thunor hammered 
  thunder and lightning into living guise. Frost giant were 
  carved from blocks of ice and given life by thrym. ertha 
  took clumps of earth, molded them into form, and gave 
  them life as forest giants. Kenaz crafted hot coals to cre-
  ate the fire giants. neorthe shaped the sea giants, and 
  even vali created marsh giants from the primordial slime 
  of his dank home. Balor sought to emulate his peers.
  the god carved his giants from stone, yet he lacked 
  both the patience and artistry to work it properly. His 
  creations were monsters, short of stature, and possessed 
  of dull intellect and cruel nature, for Balor’s soul was as 
  hideous as his face. yet they were incredibly strong, for 
  Balor had instilled in them his unbridle rage. He called 
  his children mountain giants, though others would later 
  label them cliff giants.
  instead of congratulating him as he had hoped, the 
  other gods cast him out from godsheim, for not only had 
  inhuMan goDs
  11
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  11
  he created life without their consent, but the gods had 
  long ago began to favor men, lesser in stature, yet greater 
  in ambition and potential. angered, Balor swore that he 
  would destroy the races the gods loved so much through 
  his creations. thus he became the enemy of all races.
  shrines and temples are common among both cliff 
  and formorian giants, for he is seen as the father of their 
  race. neither species of giant is well-known for its art. 
  When Balor is depicted, it is as a simple red disc or circle, 
  symbolic of his fearsome orb. some giants sport this em-
  blem on their armor and shields, as well as tattooing it 
  on their flesh using a mixture of ground bone and blood 
  from captured humans.
  despite hating men, he allows them to worship him, 
  if only to spite his former peers. Priests, regardless of 
  race, act as advisors to giant chieftains, passing on 
  Balor’s omens and counseling them as to the best way 
  to appease their god. His paladins act as war leaders, 
  commanding armies of giants and orcs.
  ceremonies honoring Balor was cruel and barbaric. 
  Prisoners have one eye gouged out and thus other forced 
  through their skull until it protrudes from the back of 
  their head. their flesh is then eaten, their bones ground 
  to make flour to feed their orc minions.
  CarCharas
  Titles: the great shark, scourge of the ocean, the 
  devourer, deep Hunter.
  Aspects: sharks, kreana, bloodshed, destruction, 
  gluttony, fear.
  Symbol: a shark’s tooth.
  Priesthood: carcharas has both priests and paladins.
  Herald: no true herald. carcharas is rumored to have 
  an avatar (the adventure The Blood Tide in Hellfrost Ad-
  venture Compendium 3 for details of the avatar and the 
  reason why kreana hate air breathers).
  Holy Days: celebrations are held to coincide with 
  fish migrations, and before and after raids.
  Signature Power: Smite (bite only).
  Powers: Altered senses, analyze foe, armor, beast 
  friend (sharks only), bless/panic, bolt, boost/lower trait 
  (Fighting, notice, and swimming only), champion of the 
  faith, environmental protection (water only), fatigue, fear, 
  growth/shrink, healing, sacrifice, sanctuary, shape change 
  (sharks only), speed, sphere of might, stun, summon herald 
  (carcharas sends a megalodon to answer the call).
  Trappings: all trappings relate to sharks (such as 
  shark’s teeth for bolt) or water (for stun).
  Disciple Edge: carcharas grants his kreana disciples 
  enlarged teeth and the ability to chew throw armor. 
  their teeth inflict strength+d6 damage, aP 2. By spend-
  ing a benny, their teeth count as Heavy Weapons for one 
  round.
  carcharas is the sole god of the kreana. like many 
  inhuman gods, carcharas has no place within the pan-
  theon except as an enemy. in this case, he is the eternal 
  foe of neorthe. myths claim that when neorthe first cre-
  ated sharks, one particular specimen quickly developed 
  into a voracious hunter. everything and anything in his 
  path was fair prey, and he rapidly grew to monstrous 
  size. By the time neorthe realized what was happening, 
  the shark was large enough to challenge even a god.
  the two deities fought on and off for eons before 
  neorthe finally got the upper hand. using his magical 
  trident, he slashed carcharas once on each side of the 
  head, stunning the monstrous fish. lacking the power 
  to slay the beast, neorthe imprisoned him in a deep, 
  dark watery realm from which he could not escape. even 
  today, all sharks carry the scars of neorthe as a reminder 
  that neorthe is the true power beneath the waves.
  Kreana do not draw images or carve idols of their 
  god. as every kreana community is ruled by a priest, 
  every settlement has a temple. these vary immensely in 
  size and style, but are always located at the heart of the 
  community. atop the altar of each temple sits a shark’s 
  jaw, its mouth gaping wide and ready to accept sacrifices. 
  gold and jewelry plundered from air breathers, corals 
  and shells, and living sacrifices are fed into the mouth in 
  symbolic sacrifice. treasures are then stored away, while 
  sacrificial victims are devoured. as well as kreana guards 
  and traps, many temples are patrolled by sharks.
  Priests are the leaders of the community, holding 
  both spiritual and temporal power. Priests jockey for 
  position not based on brute strength or ability to lead, 
  but by instilling fear in rivals. this subservience through 
  fear also keeps juniors in line once the pecking order is 
  established. more importantly, juniors rarely gang up on 
  a superior in a machiavellian plot—anyone who suggests 
  such a plot has openly demonstrated fear and thus is 
  likely to sink further down the social ladder as his rivals 
  turn on him.
  this same fear governs relationships with other kreana 
  communities. clans form tribes not because of shared 
  bloodlines, but because the most senior clan has tyran-
  nized the others into obedience. When two tribes cannot 
  dominate each other into submission, civil war breaks 
  out. the loss of a few hundreds, maybe a few thousand 
  worshippers, doesn’t bother carcharas—survival of the 
  fittest most definitely applies to the kreana.
  But with power comes responsibility. any setbacks the 
  settlement suffers are laid at the feet of the highest-rank-
  ing priest. too many failures and carcharas may demand 
  the priest be sacrificed and a replacement installed. the 
  god never sends visions to prompt this action—a rival 
  will eventually summon the courage to take matters into 
  his own hands. Kreana priest tend to be power hungry, 
  for high position brings great personal wealth and en-
  hanced breeding possibilities, but their lust is tempered 
  by the inevitable fate that awaits those who fail the 
  predatory deity.
  Paladins, while clerics, never govern a community. 
  they serve as elite warriors, temple guardians, body-
  guards, champions, and military commanders. their 
  power is considered martial, not political or bureaucratic. 
  that said, since paladins often lead raids ordered by the 
  high priest, they literally hold his life in their hands—a 
  deliberately failed mission may spell doom for the priest, 
  
  inhuMan goDs
  11
  not the paladin. to counter this, 
  priests often publicly decree a fitting 
  fate for paladins who fail them—even 
  if the priest is sentenced to die, he will 
  drag the paladin to hell with him.
  regardless of status or position, 
  all paladins are subservient to priests, 
  though it is a brave junior priest who 
  dares enrage a more senior paladin, 
  for carcharas cares little if his clergy 
  kill each other.
  Kreana rituals revolve around the 
  sacrifice of air breathers and treasure. 
  a lot of blood is spilled during the fell 
  rites, which drives the kreana into a 
  frenzy. Wildly gnashing jaws and slash-
  ing claws make attendance a danger-
  ous proposition, but there is no alter-
  native—failure to attend a ceremony 
  is a death sentence.
  glapsviðr
  Titles: the ancient one, lord of 
  insanity, the maddener, the one Who 
  unveils the truth.
  Aspects: Fear, madness, insanity.
  Symbol: a knot with no beginning 
  or end.
  Priesthood: Priests and paladins 
  are not differentiated, and thus one may take both the 
  champion and Holy Warrior edges.
  Herald: glapsviðr’s heralds are an unholy abomi-
  nation. they take the basic form of chaos demons and 
  come with their traits and powers (except smarts is not 
  animal level), but also have the demoralizing gaze, Fear, 
  and Fear drinker abilities of fear demons and the mad-
  ness ability of madness demons. the latter ability is a 
  free action, usable once per round.
  Holy Days: none.
  Signature Power: Fear.
  Powers: Battle song, confusion, deflection, lower 
  trait (smarts and spirit only; no boost), nightmare, sum-
  mon demon (chaos, fear, and madness only), summon 
  herald.
  Trappings: trappings take the form of horrifying im-
  ages or visual distortions rather than physical manifesta-
  tions.
  Disciple Edge: glapsviðr’s disciples are completely 
  insane. they are immune to Fear and tests of Wills.
  glapsviðr predates the existence of the deities wor-
  shipped by mortals today. although ancient beyond 
  imagination, he was not the first primordial, for he was 
  born of null (p. 118), who ruled the void. incapable of 
  comprehending the absolute nothingness that was real-
  ity, he instantly went insane. He floated through the void 
  in an age before time, cackling insanely at nothing, for 
  nothing was all that existed.
  When the gods created the current universe, bringing 
  light unto the darkness and matter unto the emptiness, 
  an act that imprisoned his mother, he became their 
  mortal enemy. loki (p. 116) was sired from his shapeless 
  form, and it was glapsviðr who whispered into dargar’s 
  ear, transforming him into a psychotic killer. eira tried 
  to cure him of his malady, but his madness was beyond 
  her comprehension. Hoenir and niht both tried to learn 
  what drove him insane, but they could not grasp the 
  nothingness that came before and thus remained igno-
  rant (and sane).
  Fearful he would plunge the fledgling universe into 
  insanity, the gods fought against glapsviðr, so (some 
  gods believe) bringing about the god War. a being of 
  immense power, he was responsible for the death of 
  hundred of deities and the inadvertent creation of the 
  24 major gods. in the end the gods were victorious, and 
  glapsviðr was banished from the universe.
  among mortals he exists only as the name Forni, a 
  rather unhelpful title that translates as ancient one, an 
  epitaph that reveals nothing of his aspects or nature. He 
  was given this title by the gods, for to speak his true name 
  is to invite insanity and empower him. unfortunately, the 
  vagueness of the title has given some mortals the belief 
  he is the creator of the universe and father of the gods.
  Few mortals know of glapsviðr’s existence. none can 
  worship him unless they are insane, for only when one 
  has been touched by madness does the god reveal his 
  existence and bestow powers. He offers mortals nothing, 
  and acts only that they spread fear and madness. His cult, 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  11
  such as it is, has no long-term goals—his and their mad-
  ness precludes such lofty ideals.
  His cult has no set rituals. Worshippers may honor 
  their insane god in any way they choose. as befits their 
  nature, most of their acts of worship are beyond the rea-
  soning of sane men, and even followers of dargar have 
  been known to recoil in horror.
  K’KroaKaa
  Titles: the Bloated one.
  Aspects: Bufomi, amphibians, gluttony.
  Symbol: a toad.
  Priesthood: Priests and paladins are not differenti-
  ated, and thus one may take both the champion and 
  Holy Warrior edges.
  Herald: none. When called to send a herald, 
  K’kroakaa sends a giant toad.
  Holy Days: Bufomi hold major festivals on Heah su-
  mor daeg and High Wyntr daeg. minor ceremonies are 
  held as often as the highest-ranking shaman demands.
  Signature Power: Leaping.
  Powers: Beast friend (amphibians only), blast, boost/
  lower trait (stealth and swimming only), champion of 
  the faith, entangle, environmental protection (water 
  only), growth/shrink, knockdown, prolonged blast, 
  sanctuary, shape change (amphibians only), stun, sum-
  mon herald (a giant toad), wall walker.
  Trappings: trappings all relate to toads. Knockdown 
  may be a powerful croak, entangle could be sticky 
  tongues, and blast a swarm of flesh-eating toads.
  Disciple Edge: K’kroakaa’s disciples can unfurl their 
  tongue to reach 2. this allows them to initiate grapples 
  at range or deliver a sting slap for strength damage. 
  K’kroakaa is an ancient god by human standards, 
  having been worshipped by the bufomi since before the 
  gatormen and lizardmen ruled much of the northern 
  continent. a bloated monstrosity, the deity has devoured 
  so many sacrifices it can no longer move. instead, it sits 
  motionless in its dank lair, its immense maw gaping wide 
  to accept whatever offerings its followers deign fit to 
  throw its way.
  K’kroakaa appears in no civilized race’s mythology, 
  though gatormen tell how in his greed he once swal-
  lowed the sun, plunging the world into total darkness 
  but badly burning himself in the process. For this reason, 
  amphibians need to regular bathe their skin to avoid dry-
  ing out.
  For all their other failings as a race, the bufomi are 
  deeply spiritual, in their peculiar, barbaric way. commu-
  nities exist to serve the local temple rather than the other 
  way round, and thus wherever the bufomi have set up 
  home there is always a place of worship. 
  serving as the altar is an effigy of a giant toad with its 
  mouth open. in many temples offerings are shoved into 
  the maw and out through the toad’s back. the symbolic 
  sacrifice over, the bufomi dine on the carcass while the 
  highest-ranking shaman takes the treasure. in a rare few 
  others, the sacrifices fall through a hole in the base of 
  the statue into a subterranean chamber. giant toads 
  are housed below the temple, and they dine on the still 
  screaming victims.
  Based on speculation that the gatormen once held 
  great power but fell into barbarity, many scholars assume 
  the bufomi met a similar fate. in truth bufomi have al-
  ways been a lesser race culturally and technologically—
  even the gatormen didn’t bother to enslave them. this 
  primitive state affects even their faith. although bufomi 
  worship a god, it is not K’kroakaa who gives shamans 
  (as clerics are called) their supernatural powers. rather, 
  shamans tap into the magical threads that surround am-
  phibians. despite using Faith to call forth powers and 
  suffering Backlash as clerics, they are more akin to mages 
  than true clerics.
  since only shamans have supernatural powers, the 
  bufomi take this as a sign that only they are fit to rule. 
  larger or more important settlements have a high priest, 
  who is either appointed by his peers or bullies and ca-
  joles his way into power. many work hard to emulate 
  their god—they make proclamations and croak orders, 
  but let others do they hard work while they gorge them-
  selves into obesity and siphon off most of the plunder. 
  the most dangerous tribes are led by young, dynamic, 
  ruthless, and smart shamans.
  Bufomi are territorial hunter-gatherers capable of eat-
  ing almost anything they can fit into their mouths. on 
  Heah sumor daeg, the primitive toad-men gather out-
  side their lair as the sun sets and begin croaking loudly. 
  the croaks are those emitted by hungry bufomi, and are 
  pleas to the sun to return quickly. With the mid-point of 
  the year gone, they know winter is on its way, and that 
  means a shortage of food. Bufomi society is uncaring, 
  and those considered too weak to survive the winter 
  are seen as a drain on valuable resources. once the first 
  hard frosts bite, these unfortunates end up sacrificed to 
  K’kroakaa.
  Heah Wyntr daeg is a day of celebration. although the 
  snow lies deep and the air is freezing, the days are begin-
  ning to lengthen and foodstuffs will soon be plentiful 
  again. the croaks are ones of welcoming, for the sun will 
  soon drive away the winter chill and awaken the prey 
  animals and plants. raiding tribes begin to plan their 
  activities for the warmer months.
  loKi
  Titles: lord of chaos, Father of discord, the untam-
  able one.
  Aspects: chaos.
  Symbol: none.
  Priesthood: none. clerics may adopt whatever title 
  they wish, even those of other cults.
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: none.
  Signature Power: Confusion.
  Powers: special. loki is a powerful but capricious 
  god. His clerics may learn any powers, but casting comes 
  with risks. after a cleric successfully casts a spell but be-
  
  inhuMan goDs
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  fore the effects are handled, the gm must draw a card 
  from the action deck. a royal card (Jack through ace) 
  means a random spell is cast instead. gms using this cult 
  in adventures should create a quick random spell table. 
  assigning spells in advance to the sixteen royal cards al-
  lows the gm to determine the random spell using the 
  one card.
  if the random spell cannot be cast for any reason, it 
  is treated as if the cleric rolled a 1 on his Faith die. For 
  instance, a cleric of loki tries to invoke bolt at a distant 
  foe. He draws the King of clubs, which the gm has 
  predetermined is the armor spell. since armor requires 
  touch to work, the spell fails.
  Trappings: clerics can choose any trapping at the 
  time of casting. However, if a random spell is cast, a ran-
  dom trapping is also assigned.
  loki represents the unpredictable forces of chaos and 
  disorder. in the beginning, long before the god War, loki 
  plagued the gods’ efforts to bring order to the universe. 
  at first his antics were harmless japes, amusing to all but 
  the dourest deity. slowly, though, his tricks became mali-
  cious and destructive. unwilling to kill one of their own, 
  the other deities instead tried to imprison loki. each 
  attempt failed, for loki’s powers over chaos were too 
  strong to tame. meeting secretly, the gods crafted special 
  shackles, which they named time. calling on all their 
  power, the gods finally bound loki.
  loki is the father of the unknowable one. Whereas 
  loki sought chaos for its own sake, his son uses chaos to 
  teach valuable lessons, never acting maliciously. it was 
  this difference in personality which spared the unknow-
  able one his father’s fate.
  the lord of chaos has no shrines or temples—a struc-
  tured organization goes against his nature. Worshippers 
  rarely gather, for their malicious nature and desire to 
  cause chaos knows no bounds. as a result, there is no 
  trust or cooperation among the clergy. in some instances 
  the clergy actively works against their comrades. For in-
  stance, a cleric may learn a colleague is planning to kill a 
  nobleman. rather than aiding his comrade, his rival may 
  instead inform the target his life is in danger. Knowing an 
  assassin is on one’s tail is often enough to cause disrup-
  tion in itself.
  While incapable of personal action against the other 
  gods, loki is still able to grant his followers access to 
  miraculous powers. However, even his most devout fol-
  lowers are not immune to the deity’s capricious whims. 
  at random intervals, loki switches the power being peti-
  tioned for a completely different one.
  loki’s clerics want one thing—to free their god from 
  his shackles. this, they believe, can only be achieved by 
  breaking down order and reducing the world to total an-
  archy and confusion. clerics of loki are predisposed to 
  causing chaos for no reason other than to spread misery 
  and discord. less militant worshippers may scatter stink-
  berries or summon a wild but generally harmless beast 
  in the middle of a crowded market, spread false rumors 
  to sow mistrust among allies, or commit acts of minor 
  sabotage, such as posing as a cleric of another faith and 
  conducting a wedding ceremony (the marriage would be 
  invalid).
  the more extreme members of the faith happily sum-
  mon ferocious beasts in public places, bring nations to 
  bloody war, and slaughter nobles and other important 
  citizens to sow the seeds of confusion and chaos in the 
  hierarchical society which pervades rassilon’s cultures.
  as befits their nature, clerics of loki perform no cer-
  emonies—committing acts of chaos is worship enough, 
  and to follow a set series of litanies would go against 
  loki’s personality. they do sometimes create completely 
  nonsensical rites, but usually only when it can sow con-
  fusion.
  the MaChine goD
  Titles: none.
  Aspects: order, unification, obedience.
  Symbol: a cog bound with chains.
  Priesthood: the changed.
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: none.
  Signature Power: Boost trait* (no lower),
  Powers: Aim*, altered senses*, analyze foe, armor* 
  (metal plates), bolt (metal shards), detect (no conceal), 
  energy immunity*, environmental protection*, fly (met-
  al wings), leaping*, mimic, precognition, quickness*, 
  smite* (affects punches only) speak language*, speed*, 
  wall walker*, wandering senses*, warrior’s gift*.
  Trappings: spells with a visible effect always involve 
  metal.
  Special: spells marked “*” have a range of self. cler-
  ics may not take the champion or Holy Warrior edges.
  despite its title, the machine god is not a true de-
  ity. rather, it is an artificial construct, the work of mages 
  who sought to create a god long before the Blizzard War. 
  the creature, a vast, immovable, metallic construct of 
  clockwork and gears gained sentience beyond human 
  ken within seconds of being awakened. 
  in those brief moments of time it learned all there was 
  to know about the mortal world, and it saw there was a 
  problem—disorder. it informed its creators of its plan 
  to bring order and unity to the world, sparing no details 
  in how such universal order would be achieved. Horri-
  fied by the monstrosity they had created and the world 
  it intended to fashion, the mages tried in vain to destroy 
  the machine god. dozens of wizards died that day, and 
  in the end they succeeded only in sealing the machine 
  god in the vast cavern in which it had been created.
  For a millennia, the machine god worked on its plan. 
  it designed and created a new race of servitors, one 
  whose obedience was total and unwavering. When the 
  dwarves of Karad noshrek tunneled into the cavernous 
  prison, they unleashed the scavengers on the world, pay-
  ing the ultimate price for their fateful act.
  its clergy, known as the changed to the races, were 
  once living beings of flesh and bone. after undergo-
  ing excruciatingly painful physical transformation they 
  emerge as part-living creature and part-machine. the 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  11
  machine god does not actually grant spells to its wor-
  shippers, for as mentioned above it is not a true god. 
  rather, the changed are part of the machine god’s great-
  er consciousness, in touch with it at all times regardless 
  of distance. 
  When they “pray,” the machine god unleashes its in-
  herent magical power to alter their physical form. thus, 
  while clerics appear to cast spells, it is actually their living 
  god who wields the awesome might. in many respects, 
  the changed are not truly independent entities, but 
  mere extensions of the machine god’s will.
  the machine god’s clergy are neither paladin nor 
  priest—such differences are irrelevant among its unified, 
  emotionless servants. Free will is not tolerated, for free 
  will causes chaos, and chaos opposes the new world or-
  der the machine god seeks to create. the changed are 
  tasked with one goal and one goal only—to bring living 
  captives back to the machine god, where they will be 
  forcibly converted to the glorious cause.
  clerics perform no set rituals and have no scripture. 
  the machine god desires no worshippers in the tradi-
  tional sense, only obedient servants.
  null
  Titles: she Who unravels the threads of creation.
  Aspects: entropy.
  Symbol: a thread cut in half.
  Priesthood: While null has priests and paladins, they 
  have no formal titles.
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: none.
  Signature Power: Dispel.
  Powers: Arcane resistance, boost/lower trait (boost 
  smarts and spirit only; lower any arcane skill only), 
  detect/conceal (arcana only), energy immunity, negate 
  arcana.
  Trappings: null’s powers work through a total ab-
  sence of trappings.
  Special: null does not actually grant spells, since 
  these involve magical threads. instead, she allows her 
  clerics access to the gaps between the magical threads, 
  the total absence of creation and magic. clerics thus use 
  non-magic.
  the universe is a multilayered tapestry woven from 
  threads of raw magic. in the mortal realm, the threads 
  were invisible and unusable until maera found them and 
  threw them out of the moon, which is the window of 
  the norns’ cottage. While mortals (bar a small few) are 
  touched by the threads, the gods are massive tangles 
  of magical energy. although magic and miracles are to-
  tally separate fields, clerics call upon a form of thread 
  magic—that of the gods’ very being.
  in the beginning there was only null. lacking all 
  form, she dwelt in the void, which was nothingness. 
  after creation, the void was filled with energy and null 
  was confined to the dark gaps between the threads of the 
  universe. she seeks nothing less than the total unravel-
  ing of creation and a return to nothingness.
  Few mortals know of null. those that do are given 
  to accusing her of creating the siphoning, though she 
  has absolutely nothing to do with that phenomenon. un-
  able to see the fabric of reality, null can only sense the 
  siphoning’s effect. she is pleased with its work, but is at 
  a loss to explain it. For now, it is a useful ally, but one that 
  requires careful monitoring.
  null has no temples and very few shrines outside the 
  Justiciary. the mage-hating Justiciary mistakenly worship 
  null as an aspect of maera. these misguided zealots be-
  lieve null is proof that maera is insulted by magic and 
  wants it eradicated. that maera’s clergy promote the use 
  of magic and actively avoid disrupting a mage’s ability 
  to manipulate it is a contradiction the Justiciary has yet 
  to fathom. While one might think of the reliquary and 
  null’s cult sharing some similarities, the reliquary has 
  absolutely no desire to eradicate magic, and certainly not 
  the entirety of creation.
  null’s clergy know nothing of her bid to unravel the 
  universe and end creation—only lunatics would actively 
  support a goddess who wanted to end their existence! in-
  stead, they are dedicated to slaying spellcasters, whether 
  miracle workers or mages, destroying alchemical devices 
  and relics, and erasing all knowledge of magic. they 
  are all fanatics at heart, for their duties require them to 
  burn temples and schools of magic, destroy relics which 
  could be used to defeat the greater evils in the world, 
  and take the lives of those whose only “sin” is to have 
  a deep faith or an understanding of how to manipulate 
  magical energy.
  in general, priests are more inclined toward scholastic 
  endeavors. they research relics, locate spellcasters, and 
  study the siphoning. Paladins are field agents, the kill-
  ers who murder any spellcaster in their path, who raid 
  tombs in search of relics to destroy, and who lead attacks 
  against religious sites and centers of magical learning.
  null demands no worship from her clergy beyond 
  their continued efforts in destroying all forms of magic.
  sarKeb
  Titles: He Who rends the Flesh of gods.
  Aspects: crocodilians, gatormen, war, ferocity, 
  strength, dominance, oppression, vengeance.
  Symbol: the lumpy pattern on a crocodile’s back.
  Priesthood: claw of sarkeb (priests); Jaw of sarkeb 
  (paladins).
  Herald: see avatar of sarkeb in the Hellfrost Bestiary.
  Holy Days: First sunnandaeg of each month.
  Signature Power: Armor.
  Powers: Beast friend (crocodiles only), bolt, boost/
  lower trait (strength, vigor, and swimming only), cham-
  pion of the faith, environmental protection (water 
  only), quickness, sacrifice, shape change (crocodiles 
  only), smite (affects bite only), summon beast (croco-
  diles only), summon herald, water walk.
  Trappings: like many inhuman gods, trappings are 
  focused on the deity’s natural form—in this case, croco-
  diles.
  
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  11
  Disciple Edge: disciples are granted knowledge of 
  the death bite. When a disciple scores a raise on a Fight-
  ing roll using its bite, its jaws inflict an additional +2d4 
  damage instead of +1d6.
  in days of yore, when the gatorman empire stretched 
  across the land and when their science had reached 
  levels still unknown to other races, sarkeb was the 
  gatormen’s war god, one deity among many. as the em-
  pire slipped into decline, sarkeb blamed the weakness 
  of the gatormen on the other gods. cursing their names, 
  he devoured them one by one. as their flesh was torn 
  and ripped by his colossal teeth, so the knowledge they 
  imparted was wiped from existence, lost forever. today, 
  the gatormen remember no god except sarkeb.
  Were scholars to study the gatormen’s history, they 
  would perhaps deduce that the sarkeb myth is a story 
  covering the race’s rapid slide in complacency and deca-
  dence. once their empire had been destroyed, the race 
  quickly sank to barbarity. in such cultures there is little 
  need for gods of knowledge and wisdom.
  gatormen do not carve effigies of their god. altars are 
  simple stone or wooden blocks draped with crocodile 
  skin. every few years, the blood soaked skin is taken 
  down and hung inside the temple and a new one placed 
  in the honored position. shrines take the form of croco-
  dile skulls. With crocodiles in rassilon becoming rarer, 
  especially in the wild, they are honored as living embodi-
  ments of sarkeb, lesser in power than avatars, but still 
  worthy of praise. they have become living shrines, to 
  which the gatormen make offerings 
  whenever they see one. if no sacrifices 
  are available, the weakest member of 
  the party is thrown to the beast.
  there are few temples still in ga-
  torman hands, for most of their cities 
  were conquered or destroyed by the 
  lizardmen and the temples converted 
  to the lizardmen’s foul faith or torn 
  down. of those which remain avail-
  able to the gatormen, all have been 
  converted to the worship of sarkeb. 
  no new temples have been raised in 
  millennia, and those that remain are 
  crumbling with the weight of time, 
  their stepped sides choked with 
  creepers and stained with the blood 
  of countless sacrifices.
  clerics work tirelessly to suppli-
  cate their god, feeding him the flesh 
  of captives and gatormen who fail in 
  their earthly duties. each tribe is ruled 
  by a high priest of sarkeb, who is as-
  sisted in his duties by lesser priests. 
  in olden times the various religions 
  each had a sole high priest, the divine 
  spokesman of his deity. With the race 
  now fractured, each tribe has its own 
  high priest. 
  Priests who wish to climb the social 
  ladder are expected to do so by killing their superior, 
  eating his brain and heart, and wearing his flayed skin. 
  such treachery, while prized, is not easy to accomplish, 
  for a wise priest surrounds himself with bodyguards.
  unlike in other faiths, paladins are loyal first and 
  foremost to a priest, not the faith as a whole or an indi-
  vidual temple. novice priests may have one or two loyal 
  paladins, likely kinsfolk, but as the priests prove their 
  strength and dominance by dispatching rivals so the 
  number of paladins swells. 
  Paladins are fanatical but pragmatic—if their patron 
  is killed, they see his successor as being more worthy of 
  their support. Paladins also serve as temple guards and 
  elite warriors, though it has been an age since the gator-
  men could muster anything resembling a large army.
  rituals to honor sarkeb always involve the sacrifice of 
  sentient beings, lizardmen being the favorite. gatormen 
  have a variety of methods for sacrificing victims—flaying, 
  ripping out the heart, devouring the flesh, throwing the 
  victim to crocodiles, and hammering giant crocodile’s 
  teeth into his skull are all considered methods pleasing 
  to sarkeb, more so if the victim remains conscious un-
  til the very end. Which method is employed is decided 
  through divination the night before the ceremony.
  once a year, each priest nominates a paladin from 
  his bodyguard to represent him in a bloody gladiatorial 
  ceremony. the paladins fight until only one remains. the 
  winner then has the great honor of being sacrificed to 
  sarkeb. the sacrifice is destined to go straight to sarkeb’s 
  
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  120
  lair, avoiding the fate of having his soul eaten as is tradi-
  tional for sacrifices. Here he will serve in sarkeb’s army. 
  the paladin’s sponsor is honored in the mortal realm. 
  He is allowed to pick one paladin from each of the other 
  priests’ retinues to serve him, thus boosting his personal 
  power. such paladins adopt total loyalty to their new 
  master.
  spiðari
  Titles: Webspinner, the great Weaver, star-Binder, 
  god-catcher.
  Aspects: spiders, venom, ensnarement.
  Symbol: a spider in a web.
  Priesthood: spinner (priests); venom (paladins).
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: any deorcmonan.
  Signature Power: Entangle.
  Powers: Barrier, beast friend (spiders only), blast, 
  bolt, champion of the faith, fatigue, sacrifice, shape 
  change (spider only), summon beast (spiders only), wall 
  walker, wandering senses.
  Trappings: all trapping relate to spiders in some 
  fashion. For example, entangle is a sticky web, fatigue a 
  bit from a spectral spider, and blast and bolt short-lived 
  swarms of vicious spiders.
  Disciple Edge: disciples are blessed with a greater 
  understanding of spiders. they have +2 to Faith rolls 
  when casting shape change and summon beast. she also 
  grants them the power to speak with spiders.
  For every civilized god there is at least one older, 
  darker deity whose name is known only in vague legends 
  or in stories designed to scare children into adopting 
  good behavior. one such entity is spiðari (from whose 
  name the word “spider” originates), a malevolent spider 
  goddesses.
  according to many myths, her web binds the heavens, 
  preventing the stars from falling to rassilon and burning 
  the world. once, perhaps, she was benevolent, for skalds 
  for know of her tell how she volunteered to support the 
  heavens when the other gods failed in the task. some 
  even claim she was a child of eostre, as are all the ani-
  malistic gods. now, though, spiðari is a dark deity whose 
  cult practices many fell rites, such as human sacrifice.
  it is popularly believed that within the black heart 
  of the wood there dwells a gargantuan “spider-King,” a 
  sentient, malevolent abomination, part-man and part-
  spider. until recently the spider king was a reality, but he 
  had grown weak and senile, and had failed to conduct 
  reprisal raids on those who entered the wood with the 
  sole aim of slaying the giant spiders. on direct orders 
  from her deity, the king’s young daughter, arachni, a 
  priestess of the cult, killed and devoured her father. she 
  assumed the joint mantle of queen of spiderfell Wood 
  and High Priestess. see the adventure Web of Deceit for 
  more information.
  spiðari is mainly honored by all spiders, regardless of 
  their size. though unintelligent animals, they spin webs 
  and catch insects in honor of their goddess. then there 
  are worshippers from the civilized races. Whether willing 
  volunteers promised power in return for unquestioning 
  servitude or venom-addled converts drugged into obedi-
  ence, the cultists are fanatical in their praise. Within the 
  dark boughs of spiderfell Wood lurk other spiders, said 
  to be intelligent and able to converse in hissing, clicking 
  mockery of auld saxa. according to some stories, these 
  are the true clerics of the spider goddess.
  temples to spiðari exist only in spiderfell Wood and 
  midmark, though the cult is keen to expand its sphere of 
  influence. most temples are small underground rooms or 
  caves, bedecked in silky webs. a great temple to spiðari 
  made up entirely of webs supposedly stands in spiderfell 
  Wood, though no one has ever claimed to have seen it. 
  many cultists sport a tattoo in the form of a web or spider 
  to honor their god. the altar is always a sanctified web. 
  sacrifices are thrown onto the web and then set upon by 
  cultists armed with sharp knives or giant spiders.
  as with most faiths, priests and paladins have special-
  ties. Priests maintain the temples, praise the goddess, 
  and make sacrifices to appease her ravenous appetite. 
  Paladins are temple guardians, kidnappers (gathering 
  sacrifices and potential new converts), and assassins, 
  removing those who learn too much about the cult’s 
  activities or harm giant spiders.
  ssslaK
  Titles: the ground-shaking thunderlizard King, the 
  eternal Hunger.
  Aspects: thunderlizards, strength, leadership, supe-
  riority, terror, ferocity, swamp.
  Symbol: a triceratops’ head.
  Priesthood: there is no distinction between priests 
  and paladins. clerics may thus take both champion and 
  Holy Warrior edges. collectively, clerics are known as the 
  roar of ssslak.
  Herald: ssslak’s heralds are Wild card tyrannosaurs.
  Holy Days: First sunnandaeg of each month.
  Signature Power: Smite.
  Powers: Armor, battle song, beast friend (reptiles, 
  amphibians, and thunderlizards only), bladebreaker, 
  bolt, boost/lower trait (strength, vigor, notice, and 
  swimming only), entangle, environmental protection 
  (water only), fear, fog cloud, gift of battle, knockdown, 
  quake, speed, stun, summon beast (reptiles, amphib-
  ians, and thunderlizards only), summon herald, viper 
  weapon (turns weapon into venomous lizard but oth-
  erwise unchanged), water walk, wilderness step (marsh 
  and swamp only).
  Trappings: trappings relate to thunderlizards and 
  swamps. For example, entangle might be vines, while 
  bladebreaker causes a spectral thunderlizard to bite the 
  weapon in twain, and knockdown or stun is a thunderl-
  izard’s roar or tail sweep.
  Disciple Edge: disciples learn the sacred songs nec-
  essary to summon thunderlizards. they have +2 Faith 
  when using beast friend and summon beast, but only 
  with regard to thunderlizards. in addition, each receives 
  
  inhuMan goDs
  121
  a velociraptor mount. this creature is a Wild card. if it 
  is slain, the priest is sacrificed at the next ceremony for 
  his sin.
  long ago, the lizardmen were a primitive race, en-
  slaved by the gatormen to build their cities and fight 
  their wars. most toiled and died at their masters’ whims, 
  worked to death, sacrificed to feed the gatormen’s hun-
  gry gods, and butchered on the battlefield. a small few, 
  those who showed promise, were trained as scholars and 
  priests. this act of generosity and compassion spelled 
  the doom of the gatormen, for their slaves, now armed 
  with knowledge of the gods, rebelled.
  ssslak isn’t the only lizardman god, but he by far the 
  most powerful and receives most praise. He is depicted 
  as a t-rex with triceratops’ horns and neck frill, symbol-
  izing his role as protector of the lizardman race and god 
  of war and destruction.
  the ground-shaking thunderlizard King teaches that 
  all others races are destined to be slaves to the lizard-
  men. captives are forced to work building cities and 
  engines of war under cruel conditions, as the lizardmen 
  once were. they are also treated as pack animals, food, 
  and sacrifices. Fearful of making the same mistake as the 
  gatormen, the lizardmen ensure their captives are never 
  treated as equals or show compassion.
  ssslak has many temples, though only a few are new 
  structures. most were formerly home to the gatormen’s 
  gods. When the empire was conquered, these were con-
  secrated to the praise of ssslak, the old faiths washed 
  away with a river of sacrificial blood. in some large cit-
  ies as many as a dozen temples may honor ssslak, each 
  focusing on a different aspect. 
  the largest temple, raised from the ground by an 
  army of slaves who were then sacrificed to consecrate the 
  structure, stands in slik’al’ssla, the resplendent tyrant 
  throne, the lizardmen’s greatest city. every year, hun-
  dreds of captives are devoured by the terrible lizardman 
  monarch, their souls condemned to spend an eternity in 
  ssslak’s realm, serving his people even after death.
  clerics rule lizardman society in all but name. al-
  though each tribe has a chieftain, he is subject to divina-
  tions (orders) of the priestly caste. Within each tribe are 
  many priests, who together form an advisory council. 
  Priests have the authority to depose poor chieftains and 
  replace them with one more favorable to their requests. 
  although they are expected to be trained in martial arts, 
  priests are never appointed to positions of military com-
  mand. again, they fill advisory roles, watching their com-
  manders for signs of weakness. 
  the highest-ranking priests are always mutants with 
  two heads—one possessed of wicked teeth (represent-
  ing ssslak’s aspects of strength and ferocity) and one 
  with horns and a neck frill (representing leadership). 
  the undeniable head of the faith is the tyrant lizard 
  King, reputedly a demigod-like figure possessing awe-
  some powers.
  temples are protected by temple guardians, devout 
  warriors but possessed of no supernatural powers. serv-
  ing a temple in this way is an honored position, and 
  guardians are expected to be fierce, unwavering war-
  riors. in war, they form small, elite units, serving the war 
  captains as shock troops.
  like the gatormen, lizardmen sacrifice sentient beings 
  to honor their gods. most die on the altar in one of many 
  gruesome ways (the lizardmen learned a lot from the 
  gatormen). a small few are destined to die in the arena, 
  pitted against fearsome temple guardians in what is less 
  a fair fight and more an orgy of blood and death.
  ursarix
  Titles: the great Bear, Ferocious one, He Who 
  thrives in Winter.
  Aspects: strength, barbarity, cannibalism, death.
  Symbol: three parallel scratch marks.
  Priesthood: ursarix permits only one paladin per 
  tribe. they take the title champion. Priests are called 
  shamans and are always female.
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: ceremonies are held every raestdaeg, 
  and before and after raids.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (strength, vigor, 
  Fighting, survival only).
  Powers: Armor, beast friend (bears only), bolt, fear, 
  growth (no shrink), shape change (bears only), smite, 
  stun, summon beast (bears only).
  Trappings: all trappings relate to bears.
  Disciple Edge: shamans are gifted with permanent 
  environmental protection against the cold, and have the 
  Hardy monstrous ability.
  ursarix is the weakest of the inhuman gods, for his 
  faith is largely unknown outside the vendahl tribes. How 
  the vendahl came to worship ursarix is perhaps known 
  only to Hoenir and niht, for before the Hellfrost he was 
  at best a minor deity, more appeased than worshipped. 
  given that ursarix supports thrym, many scholars are 
  of the opinion that ursarix is affiliated with the god of 
  winter, perhaps a serving as a pet. unlike most bears, 
  ursarix is said to be most active in winter. Because food 
  is short, his worshippers conduct their most bloody raids 
  during the cold months to sate their god’s appetite.
  each vendahl tribe maintains a small shrine with 
  a bear’s skull as the object of veneration, but no true 
  temples are known to exist. this is most likely because 
  the tribes rarely cooperate, considering other tribes rivals 
  for food and trophies. still, rumors circulate among the 
  Hearth Knights that somewhere there is a central temple. 
  vendahl lairs, which are almost always underground, are 
  decorated with the skulls of their victims, testimony to 
  the might of ursarix.
  despite worshipping a bear god, vendahl do not make 
  regular use of bears, preferring horses when mounted 
  and relying on their warriors in combat. indeed, bears 
  are regularly hunted for their skin, claws, and meat. Po-
  lar bears are the most prized.
  ursarix is the only god known to the vendahl. cultists 
  honor him by donning bearskin cloaks, complete with 
  heads, and using bear claws as their only weapons. many 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  122
  use war paint to decorate their faces. in recent years 
  Hearth Knights have reported cultists outside the tribes. 
  Whether these are madmen or drugged converts is as yet 
  unknown.
  non-vendahl members are gifted with special bear-
  shaped amulets which protect them from the cold, and 
  told that when the world is one of ice and snow, they will 
  become leaders of armies of slaves. in return, they must 
  supply the vendahl with weapons and food (which is 
  always sentient flesh). most members are also cannibals, 
  having been taught that the weak are just prey for the 
  strong.
  each tribe has a shaman, who is always female. in gen-
  eral, there is one shaman per hundred or so males, with 
  a strict pecking order based on age. Female members of 
  the tribe who show no talent for invoking miracles are 
  sacrificed and eaten, as are sick babies and weak adoles-
  cents. shamans never accompany warriors on raids, but 
  instead remain safe in the lair, surrounded by a small 
  bodyguard. command of raiding parties is given to a 
  champion, often a shaman’s son or mate.
  Warriors must be fearless and relentless—those who 
  show weakness are mercilessly culled and their flesh eat-
  en. unlike many barbaric cults, vendahl do not believe 
  ingesting flesh imbues any of the victims’ strengths or 
  weaknesses—cannibalism is simply a means of ensuring 
  one’s survival.
  Worship is primitive, little more than rhythmic, mo-
  notonous chants accompanied by deep, resonating bass 
  drumming. these are believed to emulate the growls and 
  heartbeat of ursarix. the only time ceremonies reach a 
  more fevered pitch is when captives are sacrificed, for 
  this means the warriors will dine on fresh flesh soon 
  after.
  xeloMyCota
  Titles: the source, the Primordial one, the oozing 
  one, the spore lord.
  Aspects: Fungus, growth, sustenance, protection, 
  knowledge, fungals.
  Symbol: none. Fungals impart images of their deity 
  through spores, not art.
  Priesthood: Fungals are a relatively peaceful race and 
  have no paladins. Priests may take both the champion 
  and Holy Warrior edges, though they rarely bother.
  Herald: none.
  Holy Days: First and last days of Haerfestmonan are 
  high holy days, and any deorcmonan during this period 
  a holy day.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait.
  Powers: Altered senses, arcane resistance, armor, 
  barrier, bless/panic, confusion, deflection, fatigue, fear, 
  healing, heat mask, obscure, sluggish reflexes, slumber, 
  stun, voice on the wind (can only be used on fungals).
  Trappings: most trappings are spores. Barrier is usu-
  ally a dense wall of fungus.
  Disciple Edge: disciples can release spores five times 
  a day.
  Xelomycota is without doubt the most alien of the 
  inhuman gods. Fungal mythology states that the de-
  ity is gigantic ball of pulsating fungus, from which the 
  fungals emerged fully sentient. they believe he has a 
  physical form, which resides in some forgotten cavern 
  of monstrous proportions in the deepest bowels of the 
  earth. sages and clerics of the civilized races are unsure 
  whether this is a unique deity or a primordial aspect of 
  ertha, eostre, or vali forgotten by the other races.
  to the fungals, Xelomycota is provider and protec-
  tor. He imparted unto them knowledge of how to brew 
  herbal remedies and create alchemical devices using 
  fungus, how to tend the crops of the underearth, how to 
  communicate, and how to avoid foes.
  no one has yet deduced Xelomycota’s goal. it is true 
  that fungals are notorious crop raiders, but no one has ever 
  witnessed what the fungals do with their plunder. scholars 
  currently believe the goods are offered to their god, though 
  why a god of fungus would require carrots and beans has 
  yet to be debated to any satisfactory conclusion.
  in truth, the fungals do not sacrifice crops to their 
  god—they don’t even eat them themselves. the fungals 
  are not a slave race, but they are subservient to the an-
  cient and powerful race known as moðsognar and the 
  lesser døkkálfar as gardeners and food providers. When 
  they cannot grow enough food in their subterranean 
  lairs, or if too much is destroyed or devoured by under-
  ground menaces, they must harvest it from the surface 
  world to meet their quotas. although many farmers hate 
  them and more than a few fear them, fungals are more 
  a nuisance than a serious threat, and only rarely do they 
  resort to violence.
  temples are caves covered in colorful forms of fun-
  gus. the spores from these growths produce calm feel-
  ings in fungals and unconsciousness in most other races. 
  these induce the necessary state of mind to worship 
  Xelomycota, while simultaneously protecting the temple 
  against defilers. By and large, fungals ignore intruders 
  in their earthy realms unless the strangers harm their 
  crops or become aggressive. alarm spores are released, 
  which summon the fungals to deal with the threat. While 
  largely peaceful above ground, they can be tenacious 
  fighters when protecting their homes.
  Fungals have no discernible cultural differences, even 
  among communities separated by thousands of miles. 
  Priests are the de facto leaders, arranging rosters, ensur-
  ing each fungal meets his quota, and leading worship. 
  Fungal society is very orderly and highly structured, each 
  individual knowing his place in the great cycle of food 
  production. similarly, fungals lack ambition—they are 
  born to fulfill a single role in society, and they perform 
  the same tasks to the end of their days.
  Fungals can speak, favoring a corrupted form of ar-
  boreal, but they rarely do so among themselves. instead, 
  communication is handled through spores, which impart 
  basic information such as “come here,” “Pick that mush-
  room,” and “run away!” Because of this, ceremonies are 
  largely quite affairs, with rows of fungals praying and 
  bowing in time to spore messages.
  
  this bulk of this section is devoted to a realm mortals 
  can reach only through death—godsheim, the celestial 
  realm of the gods. like mortal nobles, the gods reside 
  in halls and govern settlements. indeed, aside from its 
  inhabitants being divine creatures, godsheim closely 
  resembles the mortal world.
  the final section concerns the celestial sphere—the 
  stars, the patterns they form in the night sky, and the 
  most common myth associated with the constellations.
  More than one view
  the nature of the afterlife and the homes of the gods 
  have kept imaginations fired and debates fueled for mil-
  lennia. every race, culture, and nation has its own opin-
  ions. yet even these are not set in stone, for different 
  generations apply their own interpretations to holy texts 
  and the myths of old, shaping them to fit current events 
  and mores so they remain pertinent to worshippers. Fur-
  thermore, not every race, culture, or nation holds every 
  god in high esteem, and some gods may not be honored 
  at all among a given race or culture. this wide-ranging 
  disparity has a direct effect on the celestial realm.
  it is important to note that while the gods appear to be 
  of similar power when viewed as a whole, the denizens 
  of rassilon view the pantheon from a local viewpoint, 
  not a continent-wide one. in war-ravaged vestmark, for 
  instance, tiw is the most popular deity. in their view of 
  godsheim, vestmarkers claim tiw is the supreme god, 
  a militant warlord who defends the heavens against the 
  dark gods and their allies. in the magocracy, on the other 
  hand, maera is the ruler of godsheim, and tiw is little 
  more than her bodyguard.
  the gods are said to live in “halls,” much like mortal 
  nobles, but the term means different things to different 
  people. to the anari, it means a mansion, a grand house 
  or small castle worthy of a lord. dwarves see halls as 
  elaborate chambers within a vast subterranean complex, 
  while the engro think of them as great caravans, ever 
  moving through the heavens. taiga elves picture them as 
  immense tents, while hearth elves favor elegant wooden 
  structures. to the saxa, whose culture and religious 
  views are most dominant when religion is mentioned in 
  Hellfrost, the halls are akin to mortal steads, with each 
  deity residing in an immense longhouse.
  likewise, the very geography of godsheim and the 
  location of individual halls are open to much interpre-
  tation. For the most part, the descriptions, furnishings, 
  and locations of the various gods’ homes, as well as other 
  features of the land, have never been revealed in any 
  divine vision. instead, they are the result of guesswork, 
  supposition, intuition, and wishful thinking by mortals. 
  most races use what they know from their own society as 
  the basis. For the dwarves that means godsheim is inside 
  a heavenly mountain, while the elves depict it as an im-
  mense forest. Human cultures and the engro are prone 
  to using the landscapes of their homeland.
  these differing views are not just held by the living. 
  Before the Blizzard War, records indicate the anari con-
  ducted a series of experimentations using gravespeak 
  spells to contact the dead. deceased followers of the 
  same god were interrogated as to the nature of the gods’ 
  realm in a bid to solve the riddle of the heavens once and 
  for all. yet every soul they questioned gave a different 
  answer to the same question. godsheim, it appears, is a 
  realm shaped not by a universal constant or racial faith, 
  but by individual beliefs.
  as hard as it is for mortals to comprehend this, this 
  is the truth of the matter—godsheim is a single realm, 
  but its landscape and social structure is altered by the 
  view of mortals, and thus multiple versions of it exist 
  simultaneously. Hence, while a mortal follower of tiw 
  and one of maera may both ascend to the afterlife on the 
  death of their mortal bodies, they do not end up in the 
  same godsheim.
  Because of this wide-ranging disparity in religious 
  views, the facts presented in this chapter are not the 
  only ones that exist. What follows is merely a baseline, 
  a starting point for the gm’s imagination, rather than a 
  definitive description.
  goDsheiM
  12
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  12
  MaJor goDs’ halls
  this section details the halls of the 24 major gods. each 
  hall is listed alphabetically by its most common name 
  (even these vary among mortals). this is followed by the 
  name of the owning deity, a translation of the hall’s name 
  into trader, and a list of the minor gods who traditionally 
  reside in the great hall. the halls of the minor gods with 
  their own residences are listed in the next section.
  the goD with no hall
  only one major god has no hall—Freo. (Whether the 
  unknowable one has one is open to conjecture.) as be-
  fits the god of travel, he journeys ceaselessly, accepting 
  hospitality with his peers for one night, but never dally-
  ing long. the idea of settling down is anathema to him. 
  shooting stars are said to be Freo going about his eternal 
  wanderings (among other things), the fiery phenomenon 
  being sparks created by the hobnails in his boots.
  albryniaðr 
  Deity: tiw
  Translation: all-clad-in-mail
  Resident Minor Gods: atriðr, earhclud, ermunaz, 
  geirdriful, geirvaldr
  tiw’s great hall is aptly named. its roof is tiled with 
  the dented shields of fallen foes, while its walls are clad 
  in their armor. each fall, tiw returns from war with new 
  materials with which to repair any damage to his home. 
  as well as tiw’s home, the hall is the refuge of the gods, 
  a sturdy fortification whose defenses have never been 
  breached by brute force.
  those chosen by tiw to enter his hall on death be-
  come part of the einherjar (“immortal-hosts”), the war 
  god’s celestial army. the vast central hall of albryniaðr 
  can seat the souls of the entire einherjar in one assembly. 
  every night is spent feasting and boasting.
  blóðviMul
  Deity: dargar
  Translation: Blood-teeming
  Resident Minor Gods: Báleygr, Hildolfr
  dargar’s heavenly hall is a ghastly construction formed 
  from the physical remains of his many victims. the long 
  bones form the supporting columns, while interwoven 
  between them in wattle fashion are immeasurable ribs. 
  the daub is rotting flesh mixed with congealed blood.
  the inside is no less grisly. dargar does not condemn 
  all those who fail him as mortals to the abyss. nailed 
  to the walls are mummified heads of worshippers who 
  failed the god of barbarism in life. Blood seeps from their 
  hollow eye sockets, carpeting the floor in a thick, sticky 
  mass. the heads sing out in pain, a chorus of misery 
  praising dargar’s cruelty.
  unwelcome visitors are driven away by Fenris, dar-
  gar’s monstrous pet wolf whose offspring trouble the 
  mortal realm.
  ÉlJúðnir 
  Deity: rigr
  Translation: damp-with-sleet
  Resident Minor Gods: sváfnir 
  at the end of Ásbrú (“Bridge-of-the-heavens”), the path-
  way to the gods’ realm, is rigr’s home. though often called 
  a hall, it is naught but a tall, wooden tower with a platform 
  at the top. day and night, regardless of the weather, rigr 
  stands ever watchful, his gaze constantly sweeping across 
  the entire heavens for signs of approaching trouble. should 
  danger come to the heavenly realm itself, rigr blows his 
  horn, gjallarhorn (“loud sounding horn”), whose boom-
  ing tone can be heard everywhere in the heavens.
  although thunder is usually attributed to eylúðr, her-
  ald of the gods, an older myth tells that thunder is rigr 
  sounding an alarm of approaching danger. Believers in 
  the myth are typically those afraid of thunder.
  glaðsheiM
  Deity: sigel
  Translation: radiant-home
  Resident Minor Gods: Heimdallr
  sigel’s hall is aptly named, for sigel’s Hearth, the 
  great fire that burns in his mead hall is visible across the 
  entire heavens. sigel’s divine servants have grown lethar-
  gic without their master, and less and less fuel is added 
  to the fire each day. outside a monumental spire rises 
  infinitely high. this sundial casts its shadow across the 
  entire realm, allowing the gods to tell the time.
  glitvinDauga
  Deity: maera
  Translation: radiant Window
  Resident Minor Gods: Hoárri 
  maera’s small home is the most recent addition to 
  the realm of the gods. it was erected shortly after her 
  expulsion from the norns’ house for giving mortals the 
  gift of magic. 
  all magic radiates from the moon. although skalds 
  poetically refer to it as maera’s ember and niht’s Bane, 
  one legend calls it maera’s Window. it is a literal portal 
  between the world of mortals and the domain of the 
  gods. the light it sheds is not a burning ember, but the 
  pale candlelight from maera’s hall. From this window 
  spill the threads of magic. a deity of secrets and myster-
  ies, maera performs many rituals during the month. in 
  order to keep her secrets secure, she periodically closes 
  and opens the shutters on her window. this gives the 
  moon its regular phases.
  However, this myth is not a universal one. many 
  believe that although maera is goddess of the moon, 
  the moon itself is the norn’s window. at night, maera 
                                   
  
  goDsheiM
  12
  creeps up to their house and opens the window to spy 
  on the threads they are weaving. depending on where 
  the norns are seated, maera has to open the window a 
  certain amount in order to see the loom.
  as with all myths, which are mortal attempts to un-
  derstand the unfathomable, neither story is correct, but 
  neither is it incorrect.
  maera shares her home with her pet dog, garm, and 
  its many puppies.
  gullinbursti 
  Deity: nauthiz
  Translation: gold-mane
  Resident Minor Gods: tvíblindi 
  the home of the god of thieves and gamblers, nauthiz 
  lives far away from the other gods. carefree with money 
  and prone to spontaneous expenditure, nauthiz’s home 
  is opulently decorated inside and out with the spoils of 
  his nefarious activities and his earnings from his gam-
  bling with mortals and gods alike. such is nauthiz’s true 
  wealth that the windows are shuttered with gold coins 
  strung on silver chains, he hangs expensive rugs on the 
  walls to keep out the draft, and guests sleep under blan-
  kets made of woven gold and silver thread. 
  nauthiz is rarely home—he is usually out robbing the 
  halls of his peers. Perversely, he pays var handsomely to 
  watch over his abode while he is away.
  gnipprhellir 
  Deity: scaetha
  Translation: 
  cliff-leading-to-the-
  abyss
  Resident Minor Gods: Biflindi, 
  syn
  scaetha’s hall is a fortified stead 
  atop the cliff leading to Hela’s abode 
  on one side and the gates of the abyss 
  on the other. like her mortal temples, 
  scaetha’s hall is dark and moody, a 
  home in which outsiders feel dis-
  tinctly uncomfortable. Formerly it was 
  the home of Hela, but all traces of the 
  evil deity’s presence have been thor-
  oughly cleansed.
  situated in the main feasting hall are 
  the tombs of all the gods who have ever 
  died. it is said they number in the many 
  hundreds, for the god War and Hela’s 
  madness accounted for large numbers 
  of deities. legend says that during the 
  end of times these fallen gods will 
  awaken to fight in the final battle. to 
  ensure these warriors are not disturbed, 
  an honor guard protects each tomb.
  all souls pass through gnipprhellir 
  at some point, for it is here scaetha 
  judges the dead. the Hall of echoing 
  screams, the auction house for souls found wanting, is 
  situated deep below gnipprhellir.
  note that the name “Hellir” is an archaic term for the 
  abyss, the realm once guarded by Hela. today it is used 
  more as an insult.
  hiMinbJörg 
  Deity: thunor
  Translation: mountain-of-Heaven
  Resident Minor Gods: suðri
  thunor is another deity who receives few visits from 
  his peers. His home, such as it is, lies atop the tallest 
  peak in the heavens, a towering, jagged peak even 
  the gods have trouble climbing. there are no walls or 
  roof, for thunor disdains any form of confinement. He 
  lives outdoors, wandering the mountain day and night, 
  guided by his lantern. mortals know this lantern as the 
  brightest star in the heavens, which moves through the 
  sky as thunor flits around his mountaintop home.
  hliðsKJálf
  Deity: the norns
  Translation: Hall-of-many-doors
  the three sisters share a small home on the edge 
  of the heavens. the only furnishings are the great loom 
  on which they weave the tapestry of existence and their 
  three stools.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  12
  at night, when the gods are asleep, the sisters throw 
  open their doors to air the house. during this time mor-
  tals can see the great mass of threads as a milky streak 
  running through the night sky. 
  the hall’s name is metaphorical, and refers to the 
  many possibilities woven by the wyrd sisters.
  iðasKJálf 
  Deity: eira
  Translation: Hall-that-renews-itself
  Resident Minor Gods: Harisa, Hrist, Kvara, Kvarsi 
  (she spends a lot of time with tiw), sviðrir
  eira’s hall is small but comfortable, the mortal equiva-
  lent of a cottage. outside the whitewashed walls is an 
  extensive herb garden (a gift from eostre), which eira 
  brews into herbal remedies. much of the inside is de-
  voted to the creation of herbal mixtures.
  the hall takes its name from the belief that no harm 
  can be inflicted within its walls. Fire does not scorch liv-
  ing flesh, and weapons do not bite. indeed, even arguing 
  is impossible, for the hall is awash with such serenity that 
  anger is impossible to summon. some clerics say the hall 
  itself is impervious to harm, being able to repair cracks 
  and breaks as soon as they are caused.
  fJötursKJálfr 
  Deity: Hothar
  Translation: Hall-of-fetters
  Resident Minor Gods: sanngetall 
  situated at the base of the gods’ moot hill, Hothar’s 
  hall is the judgment hall of heaven. inside is the High 
  seat, Hothar’s throne, from where he dispenses justice 
  and settles disagreements between the gods. although 
  Hothar is blind, his home is illuminated by the Flame of 
  truth, which can be extinguished only when the end of 
  times comes and the laws of the universe ceases to have 
  any meaning.
  Meinnár 
  Deity: vali
  Translation: diseased-corpse
  Resident Minor Gods: Haratt, skilfingr
  vali lives in svartrmýrr (“Black marsh”), a fetid, stink-
  ing lowland far to the south of the great plain that the 
  majority of the gods call home. swathed in clouds of 
  biting flies, vali’s hall stands on the rotting carcass of a 
  marsh dragon and is constructed from rotting logs and 
  stinking dung. the floor is a shifting carpet of disease-
  laden rats gnawing at the dragon’s decomposing flesh. 
  Hanging over fires inside are rusted cauldrons in which 
  vali’s leprous servants brew all manner of vile diseases.
  nastranD
  Deity: Hela
  Translation: Beach-of-the-dead
  Resident Minor Gods: thunn, vakr
  to the east of the god’s realm, at the foot of the great 
  mountains, where their sheer sides touch the great 
  ocean known as the void, is a beach of white sand. this 
  is nastrand, the beach made of bones collected from the 
  mortal realm and powdered by the constant trampling of 
  Hela’s damned legions.
  the entrance to the beach is a narrow set of steps 
  descending an impossibly high cliff of utter black rock. 
  Here wages a constant battle, the forces of scaetha 
  valiantly holding the confines of the stairwell against 
  the dark tide of evil souls surging upward from Hela’s 
  gloomy realm. it is widely held that this eternal struggle 
  is what prevents Hela from simply sending all the souls 
  at her disposal to the mortal world at once. Were she 
  to weaken her forces substantially, scaetha would simply 
  march into her hall and slay her. of course, were Hela to 
  eventually win, the heavens would be endangered.
  separating the base of the steps from the beach prop-
  er is gjöllbrú (“noisy bridge”). Hela has enchanted the 
  bridge so that it reverberates when crossed by anything 
  living. thus, she is always warned when enemies enter 
  her domain (she has no fear of anything dead).
  Hela’s hall, which has the same name as the beach, 
  is a dark, malevolent palace made of dried bone. inside, 
  Hela broods and plots her insane schemes, patiently 
  counting off the days until her greatest servant, the li-
  che-Priest, reawakens.
  the name nastrand is also attributed to a beach in the 
  southern mistlands. according to one story, the beach is 
  a link to Hela’s unholy realm, a crossing place between 
  the divine and mortal worlds. it is certainly true that folk 
  fear to venture anywhere near it, even on water, when 
  the mists have risen, for those caught in the mist are 
  never seen again.
  Whether or not there is any truth in such stories is 
  left for the gm to determine. if the gm wants the char-
  acters to mingle with the gods, then this location (and 
  any others of similar power) make a perfect entry point 
  to godsheim.
  nifhel
  Deity: niht
  Translation: abode-of-darkness
  Resident Minor Gods: sváfnir
  the goddess of darkness resides in an unlit, dingy hall 
  in a secluded valley in the mighty niðafjöll (“dark moun-
  tains”). dank mist forever fills the narrow valley, and 
  sigel’s Hearth sheds no light on the deity’s home. no 
  source of light functions here, for niht has many secrets 
  she wishes to keep. sigel never came here, for even his 
  power could do nothing to dispel the pall of darkness. 
  the air is filled with a constant but scarcely inaudible 
  buzz that is felt rather than heard. Worshippers believe 
  the noise is the drone of millions of combined whispers, 
  guilty secrets told to niht, who keeps them safe so no 
  other may ever hear them.
  it is said that the greatest secret is how to find the 
  
  goDsheiM
  12
  exit. after she caught Haptasnytrir rummaging through 
  her collection of secrets, niht made it nigh on impossible 
  for intruders to escape.
  nóatún 
  Deity: neorthe
  Translation: ship-enclosure
  Resident Minor Gods: vegtam
  neorthe’s hall is beneath the waves, not far from the 
  giant cliffs that rise in the south of the heavenly realm. 
  made entirely of driftwood, the hall is decorated inside 
  and out with flotsam and jetsam, as well as treasures of 
  the ocean, such as pearls and whale bone engravings. 
  after Kenaz almost torched his house, neorthe allows no 
  fire in his hall.
  neorthe’s boat shed, wherein all the gods’ boats are 
  moored, stands on the shore, and is guarded by vegtam, 
  the god of marines and nautical combat. the various 
  boats are ullr’s Hringhorni (“round-horned-ship”), 
  which he uses when fishing; naglfar (“corpse-ship”), 
  tiw’s warship (sometimes used by scaetha); sessrúm-
  nir (“roomy-seat”), var’s trading ship; and skíðblaðnir 
  (“ship-with-ice-blades-and-skis”), sigel’s boat used to 
  move around the land in winter.
  óKolnir 
  Deity: Kenaz
  Translation: never-cold
  Resident Minor Gods: Hagvirkr, Kjalarr
  roofed in beaten bronze and with walls of fire-hard-
  ened wood, Kenaz’s hall has received few guests since 
  his disappearance. His minions still toil at their daily 
  tasks, the clang of metal on metal and the hiss of bel-
  lows is kept up by Hagvirkr, who works at Kenaz’s forge, 
  eldhrímnir (“Fire-sooty”), and although the fire god is 
  no longer a resident, the hearth continues to burn, the 
  great fire pit stoked daily with fresh wood.
  söKKvabeKKr 
  Deity: var
  Translation: treasure-bank
  Resident Minor Gods: auðun (though he sometimes 
  visits nauthiz to fence stolen goods), Forseti
   var’s home stands at a junction of frequently traveled 
  roads. lining the many roads leading to the main gates 
  are brightly decorated trade stalls. Here, var’s minions 
  spend their days hawking all manner of goods to visitors 
  and passersby.
  despite being the richest god (nauthiz contends this), 
  var loathes spending money. as a result, the paintwork 
  is peeling and the interior, although majestic in size, has 
  little decoration.
  the largest stead in the heavens, its countless rooms 
  are crammed full of trade goods given to var by his clergy 
  during the Profit day ritual. indeed, so tight is var that 
  even his furniture and cutlery comes from his clergy’s 
  faithfulness. a common joke among his peers is that even 
  his clothes came from a mortal’s back.
  a strong room contains the god’s personal treasure, 
  as well as contracts between the god and his mortal 
  followers, and his clerics’ ledgers, which he collects on 
  their arrival in his hall. security is tight, for nauthiz has 
  “forgotten” to pay more than once after browsing the 
  storerooms.
  speKirúMnir 
  Deity: Hoenir
  Translation: With-much-knowledge
  Resident Minor Gods: Haptasnytrir, Hropt
  every inch of Hoenir’s hall is crammed with books, 
  scrolls, tablets, and tomes, the sum of all known knowl-
  edge in the universe. yet there is still empty space, for 
  even Hoenir does not know everything there is to know. 
  even so, the library is so large, and expands so often, 
  that Hropt, Hoenir’s librarian, still struggles to catalog 
  everything.
  as befits Hoenir’s law that knowledge should be 
  freely imparted, his collection is open to other gods. day 
  and night, his peers and their minions rummage through 
  the collections, ruining Hropt’s hard work. only tiw is 
  banned outright, not that the god of war has much call 
  for knowledge. niht never visits, for to do so would be an 
  admission that Hoenir knows something she does not.
  thryMheiM 
  Deity: thrym
  Translation: storm-home
  Resident Minor Gods: Hrjóðr, langbarðr, norðri 
  Far to the north of niðafjöll, where winter is a perma-
  nent fixture, lies the hall of thrym, god of the frost giants 
  and enemy of thunor. a majestic hall carved of black ice 
  resistant to even tiw’s fearsome blows, it sits on a prom-
  ontory overlooking a sea of crackling coldfire.
  the roof is tiled with Hellfrost dragon scales. a 
  dragon’s spine lies along the top, while the beast’s huge 
  skull hangs over the front doors to form a porch, its 
  skeletal arms being the supports. inside the temperature 
  is mind-numbingly cold. When thrym opens the doors, 
  the north wind howls out across the universe, bringing 
  with it winter. in spring, when the other gods are more 
  active and getting ready for war, thrym seals his fortress, 
  thus ending winter for another year.
  it is widely held that Kenaz and sigel are prisoner 
  somewhere in this icy hall, the gods of heat and light 
  slowly freezing to death in thrym’s dungeon.
  vásað 
  Deity: ertha
  Translation: damp-cold
  Resident Minor Gods: Foldardróttann 
  ertha does not dwell in the same region of the heavens 
  as the other gods—she lives beneath the mortal realm, 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  12
  rather than above it. mortals refer to this place as ertha-
  heim. While this is the correct name for her domain, it is 
  not the name of her personal hall.
  ertha’s home is a colossal cavern of wondrous natu-
  ral beauty. stalactites and stalagmites grow to immense 
  length and in unusual shapes, mineral veins of contrast-
  ing colors arch and loop to form intricate knotwork pat-
  terns, and gemstones shine with intense radiance. the 
  hall feels organic, smoothing and curving gracefully, with 
  no hard angles to distract the eye. everything in the hall, 
  from the sleeping benches to the crockery to the stand-
  ing furniture, is made of stone. 
  a pool of lava, a gift from Kenaz, who taught ertha 
  how to melt rock, provides illumination but scant 
  warmth. indeed, for all its wonder and beauty, the god-
  dess’ home is no different to the countless other caverns 
  in the underearth—cold and damp.
  vingólf
  Deity: eostre
  Translation: Friendly-floor
  Resident Minor Gods: ellanhere, epona, veth
  like the goddess who lives here, the great hall has two 
  distinct aspects. the Plantmother side is formed from 
  living bark of silver hue. a large, well-tended garden sur-
  rounds this half, while further out are vast orchards and 
  immense crop fields. inside, the floor is soft grass, while 
  the walls are swathed in fruit bearing vines. guests will 
  find no warm hearth to take the chill from their bones. 
  those who need warmth find the creepers flow around 
  them to form a living cloak.
  the other half is a wooden structure covered in animal 
  hides. the horns of a colossal aurochs adorn the gable 
  end, under which are huge doors carved with images 
  of all the beasts of the universe. all manner of livestock 
  roam outside, and the ground is a churned morass of 
  mud and dung. numerous pens, byres, stalls, and stables 
  stand in the farmyard, while fields populated by cattle 
  and sheep stretch to the distant horizon.
  ÝDalir 
  Deity: ullr
  Translation: yew-dales
  Resident Minor Gods: vafud
  Ýdalir is actually the name of the region of the heavens 
  in which ullr live. His hall, little more than a modest hut, 
  is unnamed. situated on the edge of a lake surrounded 
  by a yew forest replete with game, the outside of the hut 
  is bedecked with freshly killed game. inside, there is only 
  a single room. Furs and skins hang on the walls and cover 
  the floor. a small hearth, over which meat is continually 
  spit-roasted, provides ample heat and light.
  ullr is rarely home in summer and autumn, for he 
  travels far and wide on his hunts. the hall is never locked, 
  for ullr has nothing of great value worth stealing and the 
  meat hanging outside is there for all the gods to eat.
  unKnown
  Deity: the unknowable one
  Translation: —
  Resident Minor Gods: galdraföðr, 
  gizzur
  Whether the unknowable one has 
  a stead is open to much debate, even 
  among the gods. the norns cannot 
  tell if the god has entered his home, 
  niht will not reveal the knowledge, 
  if indeed she knows it, maera cannot 
  divine its location, rigr has yet to spy 
  it from his lofty vantage point, and 
  Hoenir can find no reference to one.
  no one has ever heard the unknow-
  able one mention having a home, but 
  it is equally apparent he does not sleep 
  rough or ask for hospitality very often. 
  most agree that the trickster has a 
  hall, but, as befits his nature, he either 
  keeps it hidden or conceals it in some 
  manner. as usual, the unknowable 
  one remains tight-lipped concerning 
  any personal information.
  galdraföðr and gizzur know the 
  truth, but they too say nothing, reply-
  ing to questions only with knowing 
  smiles, tall tales, or riddles.
  
  goDsheiM
  12
  halls of the Minor goDs
  this section lists the remaining minor gods in alphabeti-
  cal order by name, and describes their places of residence 
  (if any). note that while the inhuman gods sometimes 
  feature in the myths of the civilized races (such as when 
  K’kroakaa tried to eat sigel and ended up burning himself), 
  these alien deities do not form part of the pantheon, and 
  thus do not reside in godsheim. their dark abodes are said 
  to lie beyond the mountains, forests, and ocean that form 
  the borders of the gods’ realm, in barbarous lands where 
  the teachings of the great gods are unknown.
  Boðgaeðir: the standard bearer of both scaetha and 
  tiw, Boðgaeðir’s hall, Hrafnnið (“ravens-nest”) stands in 
  the middle of Fólkvangr (see below). it is named for the 
  raven banner he carries into battle. the roof tiles are a 
  murder of living ravens that feed on the flesh of mortals 
  slain in battle.
  Bolverk: in the middle of eostre’s pasture land stands 
  Kyrvöllr (“cow-field”), a small stead belonging to her 
  cattle-stealing son. His herd of stolen cows grazes nearby.
  Bragi: While not associated with Freo, Bragi spends 
  all his time visiting the halls of the other gods. in return 
  for hospitality, he passes on juicy tidbits of gossip, typi-
  cally gathered at the last hall he visited.
  Brúni: arguably the lowliest of the gods, Brúni 
  ha no hall. He sleeps beneath the stars, wrapped in a 
  filthy cloak and clutching his most prized possession—a 
  simple wooden bucket.
  Eylúðr: the herald of the gods has no home. His life 
  is one of constant travel between the halls of thunor and 
  thrym, and scaetha and Hela. of all the gods, he alone is 
  granted safe passage while journeying through nastrand, 
  for even the insane goddess of the undead is not foolish 
  enough to harm a herald.
  Farmaguth: the god of boundaries lives in naefre-
  wealcan (“never-moving”), a cavern at the base of Himin-
  björg, the spire around which the universe rotates, with 
  his wife, gerðr. located centrally, it is the only point in 
  the universe that remains static.
  Fjallgeiguðr: the god of shape changers is a frequent 
  guest in the halls of the other gods, though they rarely 
  know it. she might enter a hall disguised as a cat or dog, 
  a lowly mouse, a raven, or even an insect.
  Gangari: like Freo, gangari has no home. He prefers 
  to spend his time far from godsheim, exploring the end-
  less expanse of the universe.
  Gersemi: the goddess of consensual sex dwells in 
  Plesirskjalf (“Hall-of-pleasure”). after being kept awake 
  one night by the noise of gersemi’s entertaining a guest, 
  thunor ordered the wind not to carry any noise from the 
  hall. this has annoyed niht, for she can no longer eaves-
  drop on what occurs within the minor deity’s home.
  Goðjaðarr: a sole pass runs through the mountains 
  that form godheim’s eastern border. Here stands Jö-
  tunsarnes (“Pain-of-giants”), the hall of goðjaðarr the 
  giant-slayer. like tiw, he decks the outside of his hall in 
  the battle-garb of fallen foes, a warning that the pass to 
  godsheim is off limits to the giants.
  Gullveig: on the edge of eostre’s stead stands 
  mjoðrcetal (“mead-cauldron”), the home of the god of 
  brewing. Here gullveig brews ale and mead, gathering 
  what he needs from the fields of barley and bee hives 
  on his little plot of land. inside are several cauldrons of 
  fermenting alcohol, and enough casks of ale and mead to 
  keep the gods drunk for years.
  Haptabeidr: advisor to all the gods, Haptabeidr spends 
  his time visiting the other halls to dispense wisdom. He has 
  no home, instead seeking hospitality from his patrons.
  Haptsönir: the god of freedom lives in openianvel-
  kiann (“open-welcome”), a hall open to all passersby. 
  Here guests may stay as long as they wish and dine plen-
  tifully, for Haptsönir places no restrictions on how long 
  his peers may stay, leaving it to them to depart after an 
  appropriate time.
  Hrafn: the gods’ messenger needs no hall. He con-
  stantly travels around godsheim delivering messages 
  between the gods, and accepting hospitality wherever it 
  is offered. as a messenger, rather than a herald, he avoids 
  the homes of dargar, Hela, and thrym. vali, though evil, 
  bears him no ill will.He affords the minor god no special 
  protection when he visits, either.
  Jarngrímr: across the valley from Haptsönir lives his 
  arch-rival, the god of tyranny and oppression. His hall is 
  called lagu (“obedience”).
  Lasesmed: Beneath rigr’s watchtower is alscyttan 
  (“all-shuttered”), the home of the gods’ locksmith. at-
  tempting to break into the hall is a favorite pastime of 
  nauthiz, for lasesmed has every door secured by mul-
  tiple locks of cunning design.
  Sigmundr: no hall is called home by the god of 
  dragon slaying. He quests endlessly through the heav-
  ens, searching for dragons to put to the sword.
  Skaði: close to the northern mountains the tempera-
  ture drops noticeably. eostre animalmother has a small 
  stead here, which she rents to skaði in return for the 
  minor deity watching over her mammoth herds. Her hall 
  is Harval (“Hairy-wall”), so named because of the mam-
  moth hides that cover the walls.
  Viðarr: outside scaetha’s hall, the stony path divides 
  in two. one path leads down blood-soaked stairs to nas-
  trand, the other to a cave mouth. Within the cave are 
  labyrinthine tunnels that stretch across the universe, and 
  through the fabric of reality. 
  one secret path eventually leads to an immense clear-
  ing, across the other side of which is a wall so high not 
  even thunor has reached the top. Breaking the wall 
  is a pair of iron gates—the gates to the abyss. located 
  outside the doors is Hela’s old watch post, now home 
  to viðarr.
  notable plaCes
  this section looks at some of the geographic locations 
  commonly attributed to godsheim.
  Alfheim: the land of the fey, it occupies a point half-
                             
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  10
  way between the heavens and the world of men. it was 
  from here the elves were exiled.
  Fólkvangr: (“Field-of-the-host) a plain stretching be-
  tween the halls of tiw and scaetha. the armies of both 
  gods use it as a mustering and training ground.
  Fyrisvellir: (“ebbing-marshy-plain”) the dank marsh 
  where vali has his home.
  Gálgviðr: (“gallows-wood”) a dark wood in the cen-
  tral plains, and home to many foul monsters.
  Gandvik: (“Bay-of-serpents”) a coastal region notori-
  ous for its immense sea serpents. their writhing is said 
  to create waves in the mortal realm. tiw fishes here.
  Ginnungagap: (“yawning-abyss”) the chasm that sep-
  arates the worlds of men and gods. it is spanned only by 
  Ásbrú, and all manner of foul things dwell in the depths. 
  in some legends this is the night sky, while in others the 
  sky is the void, the great ocean of the heavens.
  Ifing: (“unfrozen”) the river separating the gods’ 
  homes from thrym’s realm. it never freezes and runs 
  fast, thus making it an obstacle to both sides.
  Járnviðr: (“iron-wood”) a vast forest to the east of 
  the celestial realm inhabited by giants and trolls.
  Jötunheimr: a realm far to the west, wherein dwell 
  the true giants, a race who fought against the gods dur-
  ing the god War and whose far weaker descendants still 
  plague men.
  Vígríðr: (“Battle-surge”) the stairwell to nastrand, 
  where the armies of scaetha and Hela are locked in per-
  petual warfare.
  Celestial sphere
  How the stars were created has been the subject of 
  much heated discussion down the ages. Whether they 
  are truly mythical creations or “merely” spheres of gas 
  undergoing nuclear fission is not in doubt—to the citi-
  zens of rassilon they are most definitely the work of the 
  gods.
  most every story agrees that in days of yore, sigel and 
  maera divided time into two halves. mortals call these 
  periods day and night. sigel, arrogant and proud, shone 
  like a brilliant beacon. maera, more subtle and gentle, 
  shone but pale in the dark sky, a celestial candle to sigel’s 
  bonfire. But niht, goddess of darkness, saw weakness 
  in maera’s wan light and crept into the sky. each time 
  sigel slept, the goddesses fought an endless battle over 
  a monthly cycle, with one side first gaining the upper 
  hand and then the other. alone in the darkness, maera 
  beseeched the other gods for help. Here the stories di-
  verge into separate myths.
  one says that only thunor answered her call. He 
  struck his great warhammer, thunderstorm, upon a rock 
  (thunor’s anvil, in nordmark), creating a shower of 
  sparks that flew into the heavens. and so the first stars, 
  known to skalds as thunor’s sparks, were created. in 
  order to stop the stars falling to the earthly realm and 
  scorching it, spiðari bound them in her great web.
  another myth tells that the stars are torches, set in the 
  heavens by rigr or sigel to ward off niht and give maera 
  comfort. Because Kenaz had no part in their creation, 
  they give off light but not heat. in older legends they 
  hang from the spider-goddess’ web.
  Freo is sometimes attributed to the creation of the stars. 
  each point of light is a campfire, lit both so Freo knows the 
  roads he has already walked and also to comfort maera 
  during her nightly vigil. another myth says the stars are 
  the campfires of tiw’s army on watch against invaders.
  regardless of which myth one favors, it is widely 
  agreed that even when maera’s ember is at its darkest, 
  the stars light up the night sky, keeping the darkness 
  from gaining total victory. 
  CoMets
  comets are not unknown in rassilon, though none 
  are on a regular cycle that brings them into view more 
  than once in a person’s lifetime. Both the clergy of Hoe-
  nir and the lorekeepers have records of them in their 
  dusty archives dating back many centuries, and skalds 
  frequently mention them in tales. all citizens who honor 
  the benevolent deities consider witnessing a comet a 
  sign of ill-omen and impending disaster.
  actual myths regarding them vary by religion. to the 
  cult of tiw they are the slain bodies of their god’s foes 
  tumbling through the void, a sign that war is coming, while 
  eira’s cult holds they are the spirits of gods killed during 
  the god War. many claim comets are tied to Hela, for one 
  heralded the rise of the liche-Priest. in recent times, a 
  blood red comet awakened vengeful anari spirits (see Sins 
  of the Father in Hellfrost Adventure Compendium 3).
  no records exist regarding whether one lit up the 
  night before the Blizzard War. it may be such records were 
  simply lost in the bloodshed and subsequent chaos.
  MagestorMs
  the norns have never forgiven maera for introducing 
  magic into the world. sporadically, they try to throw all 
  the threads of magic out of their window, thus ridding 
  the universe of its influence. While they never fully suc-
  ceed (such is their fate), a few fibers of raw magic are 
  cast aside.
  these fall to the mortal realm, triggering magestorms. 
  For those living in the High Winterlands, magestorms are 
  visible as flickering curtains of green light in the night sky. 
  truly powerful storms are visible as far as the northern 
  Hearthlands. regardless of whether the phenomenon is 
  witnessed or not, magestorms are felt across the conti-
  nent.
  shooting stars
  rassilon experiences four meteorite showers each 
  year like clockwork.
  the Flakes begin on the second Waescdaeg of eos-
  tremonan and last five days. one story says the falling 
                                
  
  goDsheiM
  11
  stars are the remnant of flower petals ripped up by tiw 
  after eira left him. another claims they are sparks caused 
  by Hagvirkr sharpening eostre’s hoes and plows in readi-
  ness for the coming spring. yet another says they are 
  flakes of snow sent by thrym to blanket the world in ice, 
  but scorched by Kenaz or sigel before they strike.
  the stone shower begins on the second marketdaeg 
  of Werremonan and ends anywhere from five to seven 
  days later. legend has it that during this time Haptsönir 
  and Jarngrímr, bitter enemies, throw huge boulders at 
  each other. many of these miss and fly out of godsheim 
  into the great heavenly void.
  on the third Waescdaeg of Huntianmonan the night 
  sky is broken by the impressive Blood drops, fiery red 
  streaks that burn through the heavens. these are blood 
  drops from the epic struggle between thunor and 
  thrym, which has been raging since spring. old wives 
  tales claim that if snow falls before the end of that week, 
  winter will be hard and last well into eostremonan, for 
  thrym has driven back his rival. if the snow holds off, 
  the winter winds will be less harsh and spring will come 
  early next year.
  the sparks begin on endedaeg of Fogmonan, as the 
  anvil moves into alignment with the Forgemistress, and 
  last exactly four days. it is widely agreed they are sparks 
  created by ertha striking the anvil.
  Constellations
  For untold millennia the races have stared at the heav-
  ens and seen shapes in the firmament. over time, sages 
  and skalds named these formations and attached myths 
  to them. so were born the constellations.
  the oldest existing star charts are those inscribed 
  by the gatormen at the height of their ancient empire, 
  though the faded images on their crumbling stone tab-
  lets and temple walls bare little resemblance to modern 
  charts. of the current civilized races, it was the elves that 
  first charted the firmament.
  like godsheim, there is no one correct view of the 
  stars. every race, major culture, and cult, not to mention 
  different geographic regions, has their own twists on the 
  tales. some use different stars in the constellations, while 
  others ignore entire formations in the heavens. the con-
  stellations depicted on the star chart and described below 
  are the most widely accepted facts and figures, though as 
  you will see there are varying stories for many.
  although there are countless lesser constellations made 
  up of faint pricks of light, the great constellations are those 
  used in fortune telling, navigation, and common stories, 
  and the ones most clearly visible from the mortal realm.
  the star chart is based on midnight observation of the 
  heavens taken from nara, a major center of learning in 
  the Freelands. as the hours of night pass, the stars rotate 
  counter-clockwise through the sky. as the seasons pass, 
  so different formations are first over the horizon.
  to use the star chart, rotate it until the current month 
  is at the bottom. constellations at the bottom of the chart 
  are in the northern sky, while those at the top lie to the 
  south. (in order to see the constellations as they would 
  appear in the sky to the characters, hold the chart above 
  your head with the current season facing away from you, 
  and bend it into a curve.)
  the world has an axial tilt of around 20 degrees. 
  thus, constellations near the horizon partially disappear 
  during the year, only to rise high in the sky some six and 
  a half months later. the images on the chart depict all 
  the constellations at their zenith, something that never 
  actually occurs in the night sky. However, geography and 
  cosmology are not recognized sciences in rassilon, and 
  all star charts the characters will ever come across show 
  the stars in this manner.
  any references to seasons in the text below relate to 
  the Hearthlands.
  0. the seCret sign
  this constellation appears on no star charts save the 
  most fanciful, for it is sacred to niht, mistress of secrets 
  and darkness. that it even exists is subject to furious de-
  bate, even among the goddess’ cultists. those who claim 
  it must exist say it is formed of dark stars, invisible to 
  all save niht herself. skeptics consider this a very poor 
  excuse for claiming something “must” exist. even among 
  those who agree it exists, there is no consensus regard-
  ing in which part of the sky it hangs.
  the mythical constellation goes by many names, in-
  cluding the veil, the shroud, the shadow, the dark lady, 
  the assassin, and the Black Watcher.
  1. the CoMpass
  this constellation is known as the northern cross 
  in much of the High Winterlands and the Wheel in the 
  Hearthlands. regardless of race, culture, or faith, all 
  agree it was placed in the heavens by Freo as an aid to 
  navigation. rassilon has no north star. instead, the verti-
  cal arm of the compass points due north, guiding travel-
  ers on their journeys.
  the compass appears fully in the heavens in late 
  spring, the time when most citizens begin long journeys. 
  as it slips down in the sky toward the horizon, wanderers 
  know it is time to find shelter from the coming winter.
  2. the stag-heaDeD hunter
  ullr, the stag-headed god of hunting, who the constel-
  lation represents, begins to break the horizon in spring 
  and crosses it fully in Werremonan. this marks the official 
  start of the hunting season in many regions. it lasts until 
  the god sinks again in early Fogmonan. during winter 
  ullr is only partially visible, when it is said he is shelter-
  ing within his hall and preparing for next year’s hunt.
  . the flaMing CloaK
  the stars of this constellation flicker red in the night 
  sky. they are named for Kenaz’s fiery cloak, which when 
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  12
  thunor blows on it warms the wind during the summer 
  months. as the constellation sinks lower, so the cold 
  north wind begins to gain dominance.
  since Kenaz’s disappearance, the stars have been 
  fuzzy and, some say, have lost much of their color.
  on some newer charts it is labeled the Hearth, its im-
  age that of a warm fire rather than a cloak. this depiction 
  is growing ever more popular in the Hearthlands as the 
  winters worsen.
  . the opening Door
  this set of stars depicts nauthiz’s holy symbol. the 
  star marking the bottom of the open door is faint and 
  often not visible for nights on end, even on nights of the 
  deorcmonan.
  on nights it vanishes the door is said to be closed, 
  a ward against nauthiz’s pilfering. When it appears in 
  the sky once more people secure their doors and strong-
  boxes, for it means nauthiz is abroad committing acts of 
  theft. larcenous followers of the faith prefer to commit 
  acts of thievery when the door is opening, believing acts 
  of theft will be more likely to succeed.
  . the harp of rhiannon
  in days of yore, a skald by the name of rhiannon 
  walked the northern realm. it is said that her music was 
  so sweet and pure she could enthrall the hearts of men 
  and soothe the deepest wound. vali tried to corrupt 
  her, for he surmised that music of such power could be 
  turned to great wickedness. rhiannon resisted the dark 
  god’s advances time and time again, for her spirit was 
  pure and incorruptible. in a fit of fury, vali had the skald 
  murdered. to ensure her music would never be forgot-
  ten, and to taunt vali, the unknowable one convinced 
  his peers to let rhiannon take her place in the stars.
  the story has many variations. one tells that rhian-
  non was a skilled harpist, but she was also vain beyond 
  measure, constantly proclaiming her music better than 
  that even of the gods. the unknowable one, appearing 
  in disguise or acting through divine agents, praised her 
  music and offered her the gift of immortality as a reward. 
  the skald hastily agreed, only to find herself taken from 
  the mortal realm and planted in the heavens. Here, she 
  must play her harp for eternity. this story is a moral one, 
  warning people not only against offending the gods, but 
  being careful of offers that appear too good to be true.
  another has rhiannon as a liar or slanderer. Her pun-
  ishment for misusing her gift and position as a skald was 
  imprisonment in the heavens until she learns to tell the 
  truth or retracts her slander. yet another tells how she 
  charmed the gods with her music and was granted a seat 
  among them so she could entertain them forever.
  . the shielDMaiDen
  this collection of stars represents a fearsome warrior 
  maiden, her sword outstretched as if smiting a foe. some 
  depictions show the constellation without a cloak. such 
  charts omit the four stars encircling the shield. most folk 
  agree it is the constellation of scaetha, shieldmaiden of 
  the gods.
  surprisingly, the cult of scaetha calls the constellation 
  the valkyrie. While it is important to their cult, it repre-
  sents not their goddess, but one of her divine servants. 
  their star charts show the shield star as a lantern, the 
  light from which guides the dead to scaetha’s hall for 
  judgment. 
  those who follow this belief hold that dying when the 
  star is below the horizon or hidden behind cloud is an 
  unfortunate fate, for it is said the soul will have difficulty 
  reaching the afterlife.
  . the white eye
  although maera is more usually associated with the 
  moon, this wandering star (planet) is very important to 
  her followers. its movement through the night sky and 
  interaction with the constellations is used extensively in 
  divination. the wandering star represents not the god-
  dess of magic, but the milky eye of Hoárri, the minor 
  goddess of divination.
  . the storM Dragon
  to the hearth elves this constellation represents a 
  sun dragon breathing fire. to everyone else it is a storm 
  dragon, the symbol of thunor, spitting lightning.
  With Kenaz and sigel absent, it has fallen to thunor to 
  continue the fight against the tyranny of thrym, whose 
  equally draconic constellation this faces. (tiw, whom 
  one might expect to be thrym’s chief enemy, cares only 
  for conflict, not causes.)
  the pair’s battle is endless, the constellations rising 
  and falling in different positions as the seasons turn, 
  indicating the battle swinging first one way and then the 
  other. in winter, for example, thrym appears to hold 
  the northern sky, hovering over thunor and showing his 
  dominance. in summer, their positions are reversed.
  clerics of thunor can, so they claim, predict the 
  weather over the coming days by how the stars appear 
  from behind or are obscured by clouds.
  . heralD of the sun
  appearing fully over the horizon in late summer, 
  the Herald foretells the coming winter and great hard-
  ship, but it is also a sign of hope, for it represents sigel 
  watching over mortals and promises a return of warmer 
  weather in months to come.
  the faint star forming the mace head is surrounded 
  by a nebulous yellow cloud. the hearth elves say the star 
  lit up the heavens so brightly at the birth of the sun King 
  that it could be seen during the day, but since then it has 
  greatly diminished.
  virtually all accounts depict it as a draconic humanoid. 
  While chosen of thrym are known to assume the form 
  
  goDsheiM
  1
  of a fell union of Hellfrost dragons and men, no one has 
  ever heard of a chosen of sigel, which the constellation 
  apparently represents. the cult of sigel fervently believes 
  that the mace star will flare again when sigel returns to 
  the heavens, heralding the birth of the chosen of sigel. 
  these most blessed mortals will, so numerous prophe-
  cies insist, take the fight to thrym and end the relentless 
  winters plaguing the world.
  10. the seCret font
  these stars represent the great book of lore, in which 
  Hoenir has inscribed all the knowledge of the universe. 
  Faint stars are visible on the “pages,” though their pat-
  terns continually shift into new forms, teasing men with 
  knowledge, yet simultaneously denying it to them. the 
  patterns are sometimes used in divinations.
  11. the leaving tree
  the five stars that make up the roots, trunk, and tip 
  glow with a constant brightness all year round. those 
  marking the leaves and branches grow dimmer begin-
  ning on Heah sumor daeg, almost vanishing completely 
  in mid-winter. they begin to shine more brightly shortly 
  after Heah Wyntr daeg onward, reaching their zenith 
  sometime in eostremonan.
  While eostre sends many earthly signs to mark the 
  onset of spring, typically the birth of lambs, many sages 
  still gaze skyward to determine the true end of winter 
  and the advent of the new growing season.
  in many Hearthlands farming communities, the ap-
  pearance of the constellation standing vertically over the 
  horizon as the sun sets means it is too late to harvest 
  any more crops. such crops are often gathered for use in 
  ceremonies to appease vali.
  the elves have heard tales from the reclusive jegeren 
  that the constellation symbolizes yggdrasil, the ash tree 
  whose branches and roots touch all the realms of exis-
  tence, and their former home.
  12. the blaDe
  considered the constellation of tiw, the weapon de-
  picted, the stars that form its pattern, and its name vary 
  immensely by race and culture. to the frost dwarves it is 
  the axe, to saxa the spear, and to engro the sling. the 
  anari call it the Blade. regardless, it is an instrument of 
  war, tiw’s specialty.
  many stories say it hangs between thunor and thrym 
  because tiw supports both sides, reveling in the battle 
  for divine supremacy and ensuring neither side gains the 
  upper hand, thus prolonging the conflict indefinitely.
  1. the warrior
  although this constellation depicts a bare-chested 
  warrior, it has nothing directly to do with tiw, god of 
  war. instead, every race, culture, realm, and cult, and 
  sometimes individual settlements, assigns its own legend 
  of a great warrior to the star group.
  For instance, to the tuomi it is achivir, the tattooed 
  Warrior, who stood alone against the Hellfrost armies for 
  a whole day before finally succumbing to his wounds. in 
  nordmark it represents cenwalch cerdicsunu, a famous 
  warrior who led the saxa to freedom in their war against 
  the anari. the dwarves, who show the figure with an axe 
  rather than a sword, say it is the first king of Karad Khan, 
  durin the Founder.
  all the stories follow the same basic premise—a 
  mighty hero performs some legendary act of heroism 
  and, on death, is rewarded with a prestigious place in 
  the heavens by the grateful gods.
  While the specific name changes from place to place, 
  everyone agrees the stars represent a warrior. thus, its 
  generic name is used on most star charts.
  1. the balanCeD sCale
  these nine stars represent scales. to most they are 
  Hothar’s scale, on which he weighs evidence in legal 
  cases. the cult of scaetha holds they are the goddess of 
  death’s scales, in which souls are weighed after death 
  to determine their purity. it is thus the constellation of 
  their goddess.
  1. the sCreaMer in the DarK
  Winter holds many horrors, not least the privations 
  of the cult of dargar. many claim this patterns shows 
  a severed head turned sideways, its eyes blindfolded. 
  others say it is a representation of the blood eagle, that 
  most gruesome and feared manner of torture and death. 
  regardless of the exact image, it is a warning that the 
  time of civilized life is drawing to a close and the time of 
  the ravenous wolves draws near.
  1. the looM
  sacred to the norns, this group of stars represents 
  their loom, on which the fate of all things is woven. the 
  sky where the tapestry would be on a conventional loom 
  is comprised of hundreds of faint stars. How many stars 
  are visible depends on the phase of the moon, the posi-
  tion of the loom in the night sky, cloud cover, and so on. 
  as such, soothsayers of the cult use its varying patterns 
  to divine the future.
  1. the forgeMistress
  Frost dwarves set their calendars when the Forgemis-
  tress, the constellation sacred to ertha, steps fully over 
  the horizon, for they know winter is not far away.
  in many myths, the placing of the Forgemistress in 
  that part of the sky is no coincidence, for her hammer is 
  raised as if ready to strike at the vermin King. its sound, 
  which mortals cannot hear, will, it is hoped, drive vermin 
  from their hiding holes to freeze in the biting winter.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  1
  1. the anvil
  the anvil is only the second known wandering star. as 
  the days grow shorter and colder, its regular path brings 
  it into alignment with the Forgemistress as she crosses 
  the horizon into full view. When it reaches the position 
  shown on the star chart, ertha is said to strike the anvil, 
  an act that signifies the start of winter. this conjunction 
  also foretells the start of the sparks shooting star shower. 
  the anvil appears blue to the naked eye.
  1. the verMin King
  ever hungry, the vermin lord begins to rise to promi-
  nence shortly after Falmonan, coinciding with the time 
  when the granaries are full. its zenith is a dire warning 
  that vali is abroad. citizens begin setting aside portions 
  of the harvest in preparation for Famine day, which is 
  scarcely a month away.
  it is widely held that kittens born on the day the ver-
  min lord rises highest will be natural ratters and mous-
  ers. it is also the time when the cult of veth becomes 
  most active in its fight against vali’s mortal agents.
  20. the hellfrost Dragon
  thrym’s constellation hangs high in the heavens, 
  locked in eternal combat with thunor, the last god who 
  can challenge him directly for supremacy of the seasons. 
  it sits above the vacant throne, an 
  ominous sign for those who blame 
  the god of winter for sigel’s disap-
  pearance.
  21. the sCielD
  a disc of golden, glittering stars, 
  the coin is associated with both nau-
  thiz in his role of god of gamblers 
  and luck, and var, god of trade, even 
  though both deities have other con-
  stellations attributed them. 
  the six stars are all of variable 
  magnitude, each growing brighter 
  and dimmer to its own rhythm over 
  the course of time. some change over 
  the course of a week, while others can 
  take years. the brighter the stars, the 
  better one’s luck or trading opportu-
  nities.
  among var’s cult the patterns are 
  used to divine the likely success of 
  minor trade deals, for the merchant’s 
  scale (see below) controls major 
  trade agreements. gamblers tend to 
  be more aware of its shifting patterns, 
  for luck is a fickle master at the best of 
  times and those who live by the roll of 
  the dice need all the help they can get. 
  since the stars can only be viewed at night, their bright-
  ness is applied to that night and the following day.
  the constellation is held in high esteem by the citi-
  zens of drakeport, for it represents the gold scield, the 
  currency their ancestors introduced to the continent 
  after the Blizzard War, and which helped stabilize the 
  shattered nation. 
  many residents consider it drakeport’s personal con-
  stellation, its varying brightness prophesizing good and 
  bad times for the city. such is the faith in its portents that 
  Baron drogo sets his policies according to the particular 
  pattern at the constellation’s zenith.
  the general population is equally superstitious. days 
  when all the stars are dim are bad omens, and they re-
  frain from making agreements or performing work of any 
  sort. much of the city actually closes down, and those 
  who must work do so only after receiving blessings from 
  clerics of sigel, the city’s patron deity. When they are all 
  bright, the citizens believe they are especially blessed. 
  according to drogo’s personal historian, he was born 
  on a day when all the stars shone brilliantly. regardless 
  of the actual brightness of the stars, drogo’s birthday is 
  held to be an extremely auspicious day, especially for 
  marriages and births.
  22. the MerChant’s sCale
  this is the most generally accepted constellation of 
  var, god of trade. the two stars marking the scales are 
  
  goDsheiM
  1
  unusual in that they appear at different heights in rela-
  tion to the rest of the constellation on different nights.
  clerics look to the heavens before making major 
  deals, for the lower the star is on the left compared to 
  its counterpart, the more profit there is to be had from 
  selling goods, while when the right hand star sits higher 
  it is an auspicious time to buy new stock.
  to the cult these stars are the lanterns of two of var’s 
  divine thieftakers—Farmatýr (“Protector of goods“) and 
  reiðartýr (“Wagon Watcher”), moving as the duo patrol 
  var’s celestial marketplace.
  2. the neCroManCer
  the elves, who are wise in such things, claim this 
  constellation came into being during Hela’s madness. 
  Formerly it showed Hela in her role a guardian of the 
  gates of the abyss, but today it depicts a skeletal figure 
  clad in a burial shroud.
  it slowly appears over the horizon, sliding into view like 
  the specter of death, its bony hand outstretched toward 
  the vacant throne. that it reaches for the empty seat of 
  sigel is considered a bad sign, for if Hela claims sigel, the 
  world is doomed to suffer eternal darkness. Fortunately, 
  eira stands behind the throne, ready to heal sigel of what-
  ever wounds he has sustained. the great powers of life 
  and death thus battle endlessly for the missing sun god.
  2. the swan (aKa the lovers)
  to those of poetic or romantic bent the constellation 
  is tied to a myth concerning two lovers. the story con-
  cerns a mortal warrior whose name varies, but is given 
  here as sigmund (not to be confused with sigmundr, 
  the god of dragon slaying) because that is the name he 
  holds in royalmark, where the story is supposed to have 
  originated. as he stalked the battlefield looking for fallen 
  comrades, he witnessed the arrival of scaetha’s heralds, 
  sent to gather the dead. one of these heralds was a fe-
  male spirit who went by the name of Hildabrand (again, 
  this is the royalmark version).
  the mortal immediately fell in love with Hildab-
  rand, for she was a creature beyond mortal beauty. the 
  conventional story has it that the pair met on several 
  battlefields and eventually fell in love. While they could 
  not consummate their feelings toward each other while 
  sigmund was mortal, the herald knew he would eventu-
  ally die and enter godsheim, whereupon they could be 
  forever for eternity.
  alas, sigmund’s allotted time came and went, but his 
  soul was never collected. distraught, Hildabrand asked 
  scaetha to let her go to the mortal realm and search for 
  the spirit of her beloved. scaetha refused, but she did 
  grant her servant permission to search from afar. taking 
  the form of a majestic swan, Hildabrand flew into the 
  heavens, from where she gazes down at the world of 
  men. it is said she has searched for centuries, but the 
  soul of sigmund continues to elude her.
  a less romantic version has it that sigmund longed to 
  see Hildabrand so much after their first encounter that 
  he went on a murderous rampage in order that scaetha 
  might send the herald to the mortal realm more often. 
  as punishment, scaetha took sigmund’s soul in secret. 
  Hildebrand’s eternal vigil is her punishment for encour-
  aging the relationship. yet another version tells that Hil-
  dabrand grew impatient and killed sigmund before his 
  time so as to gather his soul. again, her position in the 
  sky rather than serving scaetha is punishment.
  2. the vaCant throne
  What name this constellation had before the Blizzard 
  War is long forgotten. since that terrible age it has been 
  known as the vacant throne, for it is believed to repre-
  sent sigel’s high seat, which stands vacant in his empty 
  hall. When sigel returns, it will again be occupied.
  Pessimists claim the stars that make up the vacant 
  throne are fading, something the cults of Hoenir and 
  sigel dispute.
  2. the white Mother
  this constellation depicts eira in her typical form, a 
  young maiden with arms outstretched, palms upward in 
  a gesture of peace. she begins to slip from the sky in 
  shame at the blood that will be spilled as Werremonan 
  approaches.
  2. the everfull Jug
  mariners use neorthe’s constellation, which hangs 
  high in the sky, as a navigation aid. When an imaginary 
  line is drawn between the two stars marking the lower 
  and center right of the jug, they point almost due north.
  although thunor is the god of air, neorthe’s constel-
  lation is also used to help forecast the coming weather. 
  the first star marking the tipping water is one of the 
  brightest in the sky. From fall through spring, a faint, cir-
  cular rainbow often appears around it just before snow 
  falls. according to myth, this is the result of thrym trying 
  to freeze the liquid.
  2. the watCher
  ever-vigilant, the lidded eye of rigr hangs in the night 
  sky, seemingly closed, yet ceaselessly peering down on 
  the mortal realm, for the Watchman does not sleep.
  in many myths the right-hand star (which marks 
  the “open eye”) is not part of the constellation proper. 
  instead, it is said to be thunor’s lantern, which rotates 
  around the invisible peak of Himinbjörg as the weather 
  god wanders his realm. the star is surrounded by a hazy 
  cloud, said to be covering the mountain’s peak, illumi-
  nated by the powerful lantern. 
  note that the solid white dot between the eyes is not a 
  heavenly body, and is not visible in the night sky. it marks 
  the point around which the heavens rotate—the peak of 
  Himinbjörg, the mountain of heaven.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  1
  
  the abyss is the realm of the damned, where those 
  who commit terrible sins in life or die without a patron 
  deity are sent to suffer for eternity. this chapter takes 
  a look at the denizens of the abyss and the depraved, 
  black-hearted mortals who traffic with them. it is not 
  an adventurers’ guide to exploring the hellish realm or 
  laying waste to its near godlike rulers. nor is it a supple-
  ment of hard facts and absolutes. instead, it presents a 
  variety of commonly held opinions, any of which might 
  be true.
  what’s in a naMe?
  the name “demon” is often applied erroneously to all 
  manner of otherworldly denizens. elementals, especially 
  non-standard ones, and unseelie fey are often branded 
  as demons by the superstitious and gods-fearing folk. 
  much of this stems purely from ignorance, for few are 
  learned in the lands beyond the mortal realm, and the 
  belief that all evil not attributable to the dark gods must 
  stem from the abyss.
  those who hunt demons, such as the cults of the 
  norns and viðarr and the Watchers of the Black gate may 
  spend months tracking down a supposed demon, only 
  to discover it is an unseelie fey on a bloody rampage or 
  an elemental (or indeed a mortal entity) mistaken for 
  a denizen of the abyss. unfortunately, those avowed to 
  combat darkness in all its forms cannot afford to second 
  guess what the ghastly description a peasant gives them 
  might truly represent, for demons take many forms and 
  not all the abyss’ inhabitants are documented.
  in its correct usage, the term applies solely to crea-
  tures whose existence stems from the abyss. even then, 
  those who have delved into the forbidden lore under-
  stand that demons comprise different categories. 
  the demon princes, also known as demon lords, are 
  ancient creatures of utter malevolence whose origins are 
  a mystery even to the gods. then there are true demons, 
  creatures spawned by the demon lords from their es-
  sence and who knew no mortal existence. Finally, there 
  are lesser demons, the remnants of twisted souls sent to 
  the abyss for their sins in life.
  mortals who study demons and the abyss without 
  serving the hellish denizens are known as demonolo-
  gists. they need the Knowledge (monsters: demons) 
  skill (the monster part can be dropped for brevity), and 
  must be literate in Black tongue. Knowledge (arcana) 
  might prove useful, as it covers mystic signs and other 
  paraphernalia. such studies are heavily frowned upon, 
  but not illegal. those who worship demons but gain no 
  magical power from them are usually referred to simply 
  as cultists. the “high priests” of the cults of the demon 
  princes, mortals who have sacrificed to gain magical 
  power, are called demonists.
  the abyss
  much conjecture exists among mortals regarding both 
  the nature and the origins of the abyss. no one theory 
  is completely correct, nor is it totally incorrect. neither 
  the gods nor mere mortals can enter the abyss without 
  being damned, a fate from which there is no escape, and 
  the word of demons is trusted only by the insane, for lies 
  and trickery are second nature to them. to claim that any 
  one theory is true is both arrogant and foolish.
  origins of DeMons
  the abyss has existed since the dawn of the universe. 
  What concerns theologians more is how the demons 
  came into being. some of the more popular theories are 
  briefly discussed below.
  * When the universe was born, all the negative ele-
  ments of creation banished there coalesced from the 
  primordial soup of chaos, entropy, and darkness into the 
  demon lords, either by the gods or the now forgotten 
  sole creator deity. as each demon prince evolved, they 
  spawned the first true demons, much as the gods created 
  the abyss
  1
                    
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  1
  the sentient races. this belief, that true demons are the 
  creations of the princes, is common to most, but not all, 
  of the theories below.
  * a closely related version claims that before the 
  universe was created there was only the endless void, a 
  chaotic jumble of darkness, evil, and chaos. in this infi-
  nite nothingness dwelt the first demons, those mortals 
  call princes or lords. When the gods (or sometimes just a 
  god) ignited the stars and brought light into the heavens, 
  the fell beings rose up in anger and declared war. this is 
  not generally considered to be the god War, but an early 
  event. the forces of darkness lost and were banished to 
  a prison known as the abyss for all time.
  * Before the current gods there dwelt another pan-
  theon. these deities are truly ancient, and whatever races 
  worshipped them are long dead (though some hint they 
  were the original gods of the dragons and giants). their 
  positions were usurped by either the current pantheon 
  or yet another line of deities now forgotten. Because 
  death had not yet been found and awakened from his 
  slumber it was impossible to slay them, hence they were 
  imprisoned for eternity. trapped, they became filled only 
  with negative emotions, which warped their very being.
  * a related legend holds that the demon lords are gods 
  whose worshippers either died out or turned their backs 
  on them in favor of others. robbed of worship, their fate 
  was to live in the darkness that is the abyss, powerful 
  beings for sure, but ones ranking far below the awesome 
  might of the gods. their anger at being forsaken warped 
  their essence into the vile demons lords.
  * another story tells how they were servants or slaves 
  of the gods (their children in some legends). as often 
  happens among mortals, the lowly minions rebelled 
  against their masters. many were destroyed (again, this is 
  not widely believed to be the god War), but the survivors 
  were banished to the abyss, forever cut off from their ce-
  lestial homes and the grace of the gods. Hatred seethed 
  and boiled, corrupting and twisting the fallen godlings 
  into vile mockeries of the gods.
  * Jealous that the gods had created mortals without 
  asking for his advice or input, loki, father of the un-
  knowable one, took it upon himself to create his own 
  race. not wishing to stoop so low as to create mere play-
  things from the four elements, loki tore out slivers of 
  his own heart and breathed life into them. so were born 
  the demon lords, neither god nor mortal. once their evil 
  nature became apparent, the gods warred against them 
  and banished them to the abyss.
  none of these theories can ever be proven, or indeed 
  disproved. While it is likely both Hoenir and niht know 
  the truth, they have no wish to speak of such things with 
  mere mortals.
  the nature of the abyss
  the abyss is both a physical and spiritual realm simul-
  taneously. those in the realm, whether native inhabitant 
  or damned soul judged unfit for a better afterlife, inter-
  act with it as if it were a physical reality. yet it occupies 
  no space in the mortal realm and is thus ephemeral to 
  outsiders. Perhaps the nearest earthly analogy is a dream, 
  a reality that exists only in one state of consciousness.
  that the abyss is a prison is not beyond doubt. if 
  demons were free to visit the mortal realm they would 
  undoubtedly do so in great numbers and without requir-
  ing the help of mortals. the compact does not bind the 
  demon princes, and yet they are seemingly unable to 
  directly interfere in mortal affairs.
  Whether the abyss is of finite size or extends forever 
  is another topic of debate. a rational argument is that 
  as a prison there must be walls, or at least some form of 
  boundary, to prevent escape. if scaetha is the gatekeeper 
  of the abyss, as was Hela before her, there must naturally 
  be an entrance. these logical deductions preclude infi-
  nite size. others insist that the laws of the mortal realm 
  cannot be so easily applied to the otherworldly realms. 
  scaetha’s gate is not a physical portal as mortals would 
  understand, and the infinite nature of the abyss prevents 
  demons from ever straying into the mortal world.
  the nature of scaetha’s gate is also not fully under-
  stood by mortals. more than one sage has claimed it can 
  only be opened from the outside. thus, scaetha watches 
  over it not to prevent the demons from escaping under 
  their own volition, but to prevent others letting them 
  loose (as Hela did).
  While mortals find it convenient to discuss the abyss 
  as being divided into realms, much like the mortal world, 
  the truth is less cut and dry. eostre’s clerics, for example, 
  speak of the Barren Wastes, where the fallen toil at im-
  possible agricultural tasks, but it is not a unique realm. 
  rather, every demon lord controls a version of the Bar-
  ren Wastes, sculpted to fits its idea of the punishment. 
  regardless of which demon lord claims a fallen soul, the 
  punishment is fairly standard (assuming the souls isn’t 
  converted into a demon or just eaten, of course). typical 
  punishments are listed below.
  only the inhabitants of the abyss know what truly lies 
  beyond scaetha’s gate, and they are not to be trusted. 
  mortals cannot invoke gravespeak to contact the damned 
  for the gods forbid it. clerics argue this is for the protec-
  goDs & DeMons
  one question that has plagued the races down 
  the ages is why the gods allow demons to be sum-
  moned. after all, these are creatures who revel in 
  wanton destruction, pain, and abject misery. Put in 
  the simplest terms, the gods allow certain demons 
  to be summoned because they have use for them.
  But they do so only begrudgingly, and always with 
  caution. even dargar will not throw open the gates 
  of the abyss. Partly because this would be a breech of 
  the compact, an act likely to result in his death (the 
  gods have learned from Hela’s madness and their le-
  niency), if not the destruction of the entire universe. 
  dargar wants to cull the weak, not cull everybody.
  
  the abyss
  1
  tion of mortals, for to contact an abyss-banished soul is 
  to risk corruption, and through corruption damnation. 
  others insist that since the abyss is a prison its occupants 
  are denied the right to speak to outsiders.
  why are souls sent here?
  none of the gods, not even eira, are entirely benevo-
  lent toward mortals. Worshippers who take a god as a 
  patron and then fail to abide by their laws, or those who 
  do not take a patron, are likely to be harshly punished. 
  some gods are more lenient than others, of course, but 
  all have a line that once crossed spells doom for the 
  sinner. that the gods, even eira, allow mortals to suffer 
  eternal damnation raises two questions.
  #1: Why are the demon lords allowed to bid on 
  unclaimed souls?
  the gods do not desire troublemakers and ne’er-do-
  wells in their realms anymore than mortals do. and with-
  out the threat of punishment what reason is there for 
  mortals to obey the gods’ decrees and lead productive 
  lives? even Hela, whom many consider the evilest deity 
  due to her insane act, forces her clergy to obey certain 
  tenets or face her wrath.
  one theory states that long ago the gods decided that 
  there could be no single god of evil (or good). such a 
  being would undoubtedly lay claim to any soul which had 
  committed a sin which it had not repented, and thus grow 
  extremely powerful. since the abyss already existed as a 
  prison, the gods made use of it as a dumping ground.
  that allowing souls to enter the abyss swells the ranks 
  of the infernal legions is undeniable, for these souls are 
  used to spawn new demons. some mortals argue that the 
  abyss is held in balance by endless wars between the de-
  mon lords. Furthermore, because all the demon princes 
  must bid as separate entities, there is fierce competition 
  for new souls. this natural animosity fuels the ongoing 
  conflict and keeps the princes occupied.
  there is a counter argument that says that eventually 
  there will be a winner, a demon prince who rises above 
  the mangled remains of his former peers and claims rul-
  ership of the entire abyss. When this occurs, the demon 
  lord will have enough followers to achieve godhood. 
  this, perhaps, will herald the end of times, a titanic 
  battle spoken of in ancient prophecies, when the heav-
  ens will be sundered, the norns’ loom smashed, and the 
  threads of life unraveled. most believe this will mark the 
  end of the universe and the end of all existence, but a 
  small few see it as a new beginning, an age when mortals 
  will shape their own destiny. those who espouse the lat-
  ter belief are usually proclaimed heretics.
  #2: How do demons bid on souls?
  By its very nature an auction requires active participa-
  tion. since the demon lords are perpetually incarcerated, 
  neither they nor their minions may attend the auctions. 
  it is widely believed that scaetha’s servants, celestial 
  wardens to the damned, act on their behalf. While mor-
  tals cannot communicate with the abyss’ inhabitants, 
  there is no such law preventing the gods doing so. of 
  course, such interaction is not without risks—Hela’s 
  madness is popularly believed to have come about after 
  her becoming corrupted by conversing with the forces of 
  darkness down the eons.
  scaetha, by mortal accounts, changes the wardens 
  regularly and has Hothar check their loyalty, thus en-
  suring no demon prince can ever gain sway over them. 
  Furthermore, the servants are forbidden from any inter-
  action with mortals, and thus unable to pass on anything 
  they have learned regarding the nature of the abyss.
  a realM for all sinners
  it should be noted that while mortals are capable of 
  committing sins and switching divine allegiance, souls 
  are not. once a soul has been judged it is forever fixed 
  in its state. thus, no soul awarded a place in the afterlife 
  can ever be banished to the abyss for a transgression, 
  because the very thought of a transgression is utterly 
  impossible. similarly, no soul damned to the abyss can 
  ever repent and achieve salvation, though it retains full 
  knowledge that such an act was possible during its mortal 
  existence. When clerics speak of an eternity of suffering 
  they are being quite literal.
  demons are cruel to their own kind, at least those 
  lower down the pecking order, but they are especially 
  hard on mortals sent to their realm. Part of this comes 
  from their vile nature, while part of it comes from their 
  knowing that the mortal had an opportunity they did 
  not, but chose to squander the gift of an afterlife.
  a brief summary of the punishments fallen worship-
  pers are likely to suffer is given below. these are the 
  ones most commonly espoused by clerics, but are by no 
  means the only ones the demons can dream up.
  Dargar: sinners are most likely worshippers who 
  failed to commit acts of wanton destruction in life, or 
  who showed pity to victims. the former are destined to 
  become demonic soldiers, while the latter are tortured 
  in a variety of sickening ways with no hope of pity for the 
  pleasure of the demon lords.
  Eira: endless servitudes as a demonic soldier (or 
  some other type of remorseless killer) awaits pacifists 
  and healers who shed blood too often.
  Eostre: sinners spend eternity plowing and plant-
  ing the barren soil in which nothing grows, milking 
  cattle whose udders are bone dry, and endlessly shearing 
  sheep whose wool grows at an unearthly pace. oth-
  ers might find themselves harvesting corpses grown in 
  blood-soaked soil or culling lesser demons like livestock 
  to feed their demonic masters.
  Ertha: those damned by ertha are normally used as 
  slave labor in the demon lords’ mines. each day they are 
  scourged while they rip gleaming chunks of metal from 
  the earth under the glare of a burning sun.
  Freo: some clerics claim their punishment is to walk a 
  circular road. they are thus condemned to walk the same 
  path with nothing new to see or become fetter hounds. 
  others claim sinners are chained, unable to move from a 
  solitary spot and thus never able to explore again.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  10
  Hela: Hela’s faith preaches no belief in the abyss, for 
  Hela claims all souls owed her. even sinners may be re-
  born as undead, though always as the lowest kind. ironi-
  cally, those who truly fail Hela are often redeemed souls, 
  former worshippers who have realized the error of their 
  ways. they are often claimed by scaetha or sigel to serve 
  as soldiers in the heavenly armies against Hela’s legions.
  Hoenir: Fallen worshippers of Hoenir suffer two in-
  terwoven fates. First, they are forced to burn books on 
  vast bonfires in which knowledge is greedily consumed. 
  at the end of each day, the scholars throw themselves 
  onto the fires, for they are things of learning and wisdom. 
  the agony begins again each dawn as they are reformed 
  to continue stoking the eternal fires. second, they are 
  unable to learn anything new or pass on their knowl-
  edge. some may be transformed into librarian demons 
  to serve the demon princes.
  Hothar: servants of obedience and order, these 
  wretches are condemned to be bound in chains while 
  demons assail their ears with lies and false oaths. many 
  are first hauled before a mock court where justice is 
  served up arbitrarily.
  Kenaz: damned souls are entombed up to their 
  waists in ice while ice demons stab at their exposed flesh 
  with their frozen spears.
  Maera: many are used as target practice for spellcast-
  ing demons, their mangled bodies reformed each day so 
  the demon’s fun can continue.
  Nauthiz: Fallen thieves are dunked into rivers of 
  molten gold and silver or have their ears and mouth fills 
  with molten metal. some are force fed coins and gems, 
  then used as piñatas by demons. a small few become 
  collector demons.
  Neorthe: depending on their sins the fallen may be 
  buried alive, conscripted to serve as oarsmen in the de-
  mons’ navy, or forced to dig in a burning desert for drops 
  of moisture to whet their unquenchable thirst.
  Niht: many who fail niht are sent to the abyss out of 
  their desire to learn or their inability to keep secrets. they 
  serve as fuel for the bonfires of Hoenir’s fallen, their ashes 
  reborn each day to suffer the searing flames over and over.
  Norns: souls have their heads twisted backward, al-
  lowing them to see only the past. even the present is 
  denied to them.
  Rigr: rigr’s worshippers are warned that to fail the 
  god means to be blinded in the abyss. those who through 
  apathy or inaction allow settlements to be destroyed 
  are haunted by accusatory shades that take the form of 
  the slain. all are set as watchmen over communities of 
  damned souls. naturally, these settlements are doomed 
  to be destroyed in the endless war.
  Scaetha: scaetha promises no set version of the 
  abyss, just endless torment—the mortal servants of the 
  gatekeeper are especially damned, for the demons have 
  never forgotten that it was scaetha who sealed the gate 
  Hela had opened for them. many are used as battering 
  rams against the gate, their skulls smashed over and 
  over as the demons try to escape. their cries, it is said, 
  are capable of reaching scaetha’s ears.
  Sigel: souls are forced to drink and gamble to excess. 
  this may not sound too bad to some, but for servants of 
  sigel, who can be rather puritanical, it is hell. Just before 
  dawn, demons claw out the victims’ eyes preventing 
  them for seeing sigel rise. the eyes regrow once sigel 
  has left the sky.
  Thrym: those who fail thrym are consigned to roast 
  over burning coals or swim through rivers of lava.
  Thunor: enslavement is the only fate worthy of those 
  who fail thunor. some serve in mines, others become 
  servants of the demon princes’ palace. they are regularly 
  abused and forced to obey draconian laws.
  Tiw: those who forsook tiw are made to swim in a 
  river of blood in which swirl clashing swords and axes, 
  their flesh slashed and pierced for eternity. souls who 
  allowed those under their care to die are tormented by 
  shades, who mock their battle prowess and call them 
  cowards while the sinners battle the deadly.
  Ullr: those who hunted for sport or disrespected 
  their prey by not using all available parts are chased 
  by wolves and bears, to be torn apart in bloody frenzy 
  before being reborn to begin the chase anew each day. 
  Hunters who failed their communities are condemned 
  to hunt unkillable beasts, all the while beset by desper-
  ate shades that clamor for nourishment.
  The Unknowable One: the unknowable one prom-
  ises no set fate, for such an act would be against his na-
  ture. Punishments are thus tailored for individuals.
  Vali: ironically, many of those vali sends to the abyss 
  are souls which failed to perform acts of debauchery and 
  sin. some are condemned to watch while demons wal-
  low in depravity so sick it makes the gods queasy. those 
  who failed to cause famines or plagues suffer disfiguring 
  diseases and endless, gnawing hunger. urine and filth 
  form their diet, but it provides no nourishment. those 
  who harmed vermin are set to be gnawed upon by biting 
  rats for eternity.
  Var: souls who stole or cheated on weights and 
  measures in life are forced to push enormous sacks of 
  corrupt souls to the keep of the demon lords. their task 
  is never ending, for the sacks grow heavier and heavier. 
  demons with barbed whips scourge the flesh from their 
  backs. charitable worshippers (a sin in var’s eyes) are 
  forced to fill chests which hang over raging infernos. at 
  the bottom of the inferno are greedy souls writhing in the 
  conflagration. coins placed in the chests fall through, for 
  they have no base, but melt before reaching the grasping 
  hands. those who failed to keep accurate books or who 
  made continual losses are employed by merchants by the 
  demon princes, forced to trade in souls without reward.
  DeMons anD Mortality
  it has long been argued that since the abyss is a physi-
  cal realm to its denizens, they can suffer injuries. there 
  must also exist the threat of death. one question that 
  has long troubled mortals is what happens to a demon 
  that dies.
  in the mortal realm its earthly shell is simply dissolved 
  
  the abyss
  11
  and the spiritual essence is returned to the abyss. thus, 
  no mortal can truly slay a demon, only banish it whence 
  it came. a small victory for those who are pledged to rid 
  the world of demons, but still a victory.
  But what happens when a demon dies in the abyss? 
  it cannot be that scaetha judges the soul, for all that 
  would happen is it would be found guilty and sent back 
  to the abyss for eternity. this would essentially make all 
  demons truly immortal.
  Perhaps, as some argue, the demonic spirit is reduced 
  to the same level as a condemned mortal soul, a pitiful 
  creature to be tortured and agonized until the end of 
  time. such a fall from power would indeed be punish-
  ment to a great demon, but of little consequence to lesser 
  demons. some sages debate where death in the abyss 
  signals total obliteration, the removal of the demon’s 
  essence from the universe. this argument opens up the 
  question of what might lie beyond the universe, a topic 
  few care to dwell upon, for in such talk lies madness and 
  impossible reasoning.
  DeMoniC Cults
  Following the destructive demongate War, demonic 
  cults went into near-terminal decline. Hounded by cler-
  ics of the norns, Hela (at that time still a benevolent god-
  dess), and sigel, they were hunted down and put to the 
  sword and spell without mercy. the dark cults enjoyed 
  a resurgence during the age of the liche-Priest, only to 
  suffer losses again during the chaos and aftermath of the 
  Blizzard War. since then, though, their numbers have 
  slowly begun to increase again. although the seekers 
  of the Black Key represent the most well known cult, 
  at least to those who study such topics, they are not the 
  only cult.
  a typical cult comprises just one leader. He or she 
  is usually a demonist, a magician able to draw power 
  from the abyss at a demon prince’s allowance. common 
  membership varies between a handful to as many of 50 
  damned souls. With the population of rassilon now scat-
  tered and still greatly reduced from its heyday, the cults 
  remain small partly as a means of hiding their existence 
  from the eternally vigilant clerics out to destroy them 
  and partly because it is difficult to find willing recruits.
  multiple reasons exist why a mortal might turn away 
  from the gods and toward the shadowy demon princes, 
  creatures of unfathomable evil who have no direct means 
  of affecting the mortal world, but the most common is 
  one of the oldest lures known—power. most, to use a 
  saxa phrase, are a ewe short of a flock, though even intel-
  ligent beings have been lured into the cults.
  arCane baCKgrounD (DeMonist)
  Requirements: novice (see below)
  Arcane Skill: demonic magic (smarts)
  Starting Powers: 3 (see below)
  Powers: see below.
  While other types of magician draw their power from 
  the threads of magical energy, those who traffic with de-
  mons draw negative energy from the abyss itself.
  in order to form a link between the mortal realm and 
  the abyss, the aspiring demonic magician must willfully 
  sacrifice a member of his own species while pledging loy-
  alty to a specific demon lord. as with clerics, a demonist 
  may have only one patron. another sacrifice must be of-
  fered each time the demonist learns any Power edge.
  once the deed is done, a single magical thread ex-
  tends from the mortal to the abyss. although the de-
  monist remains mortal, a place for him is reserved in the 
  abyss. this dual status is a weak point in the abyss’ walls. 
  Fortunately it is one few ever choose to exploit.
  the dark thread is visible with detect arcana. as the 
  demonist gains more power, so the width of the thread 
  thickens. after he has gained three Power edges or made 
  a single dark pact (see below), the thread’s true nature 
  becomes apparent—a vein-like tube which pulsates as it 
  siphons the goodness and morality from the demonist.
  there is no such thing as a morally gray demonic magi-
  cian, and a benevolent one is most definitely impossible. 
  the requirement of sacrificing a sentient creature of one’s 
  own species and then purposefully using magical energy 
  from the abyss damns their soul and erodes any positive 
  emotions. many are at least half-insane, having repeatedly 
  witnessed things man was not meant to know.
  Powers: every demon lord has a specific spell list, 
  much like those of the gods. note that while demonists 
  often refer to their spells as being granted them by their 
  demonic prince, the prince is not directly involved. 
  rather, the demonist’s own view of the abyss, as well 
  as the nature of his master, determines what power he 
  can draw forth. When a demonist first takes this edge he 
  learns the prince’s signature spell, one novice spell of his 
  choice from the demon’s list, and the sacrifice power.
  Casting: tapping into the energy of the abyss is 
  physically tiring and mentally harrowing. as he invokes 
  the spell, the caster is subjected to terrifying visions of 
  the abyss and its fell, unearthly denizens. the maximum 
  number of spells which may be attempted per day is 
  equal to the caster’s spirit die.
  Backlash: demonists are not subjected to the si-
  phoning—whatever is causing that effect is unable to 
  affect the otherworldly abyssal energy. a roll of 1 on the 
  arcane skill die (regardless of Wild die) forces the caster 
  to roll on the Fright table. a critical failure means a roll 
  on the Fright table at +2.
  Losing Magic: unlike the gods, demon princes im-
  pose no sin lists on their followers. However, a demonist 
  who partakes in kindly acts or uses his powers to aid 
  others out of feelings of comradeship or fealty quickly 
  finds his link to the abyss weakening. 
  each mundane or magical act of kindness or charity, 
  even toward those he might consider friends, causes a 
  permanent and cumulative –1 penalty to all demonic 
  magic rolls. the sacrifice of a sentient being of one’s own 
  race erases one point of penalties.
                            
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  12
  DarK paCts
  Becoming a demonist requires vile acts and pledges 
  of loyalty, but there is still a glimmer of hope for salvation 
  should the demonist have a change of heart. unfortu-
  nately, such an act never truly removes the taint of evil, 
  and unless the repentant demonists masters another 
  form of magic or takes holy vows he still has access to his 
  infernal spells. thus, the temptation to fall back into old 
  habits always remains.
  repentance is far from easy, even for those who have 
  only dabbled in darkness. the forces of damnation 
  plague the demonist with threats and temptations at ev-
  ery step of his arduous journey. any evil or morally gray 
  act while on the long and winding road to salvation will 
  erase any good deeds undertaken during penance. For 
  player characters who have strayed into this foul enter-
  prise and have a changed of heart, the hero must avoid 
  any evil, morally dubious, or criminal act and not employ 
  his dark magic while earning 20 XPs. a single slip, no 
  matter how trivial, instantly resets the experience Point 
  counter to zero.
  those who undertake the dark pact, however, have 
  no hope of repentance. the moment their pact is made, 
  their soul is forever tarnished. only demonists can make 
  dark pacts. 
  Benefits: a dark pact grants the recipient a perma-
  nently active spell of his choice from the list below. With 
  spells which allow multiple choices, such as warrior’s 
  gift or weapon immunity, the demonist must pick one 
  option when the pact is made. this cannot be changed 
  later, though taking multiple pacts allows different op-
  tions to be stacked. the power is a physical transforma-
  tion, and thus cannot be negated or dispelled. only the 
  spells listed below may be gained as benefits. spells grant 
  the effects of a success the first time they are taken and 
  those of a raise if taken a second time.
  Spells: Altered senses, armor, aura, boost trait, 
  charismatic aura, deflection, energy immunity, fly, gift 
  of battle, leaping, quickness, smite (only affects the cast-
  ers teeth or hands), speed, wall walker, warrior’s gift, 
  weapon immunity, wilderness step.
  Price: all dark pacts come at a price. the demonist 
  must offer up a number of sentient sacrifices equal to 
  twice the level of the benefit he wishes to gain (two for a 
  novice power, four for seasoned, and so on) and expend 
  one permanent die in vigor. this expenditure of vital 
  energy, a prized commodity in the abyss, also reduces 
  the demonist’s maximum vigor die. For instance, the 
  normal human maximum is d12+2. a demonists who 
  has made four pacts, assuming he survived the energy 
  drain, has a maximum vigor of d8.
  the physical transformation of the demonist clearly 
  marks the recipient as being tainted. a demonist who 
  takes armor, for example, cannot have “tough skin.” 
  rather, his skin might become jet black and glistening, 
  transform into hard scales, or become covered in bone 
  plates. a cloak or gloves might hide the benefit, but it can 
  never be a mundane alteration.
  DeMon lorDs
  demon lords have no stats. they have lived for eons, 
  wield powers second only to the gods, and cannot be 
  troubled by even the strongest and wiliest mortal. they 
  are also imprisoned, so no mortal or god could challenge 
  them even if it saw fit.
  this section details a small number of demon lords 
  among the myriad supposed to exist. gms looking for 
  specific princes for evil cults to follow can quickly create 
  their own using those in the section as a template.
  each is presented using a standard template. note 
  that unlike the gods, demon lords have no sin lists, nor 
  do they require their followers to perform set duties. as 
  prisoners, the princes cannot enforce their will on mor-
  tals or punish them for transgressions—that comes once 
  the soul finally reaches the abyss.
  Titles: the demon prince’s common name, as well as 
  any titles granted him by mortals.
  Aspect: like the gods, most demon lords are closely 
  affiliated with a number of aspects.
  Symbol: demon lords have symbols. these are not 
  the same as holy symbols, but are displayed a means by 
  which of cultists may recognize each other and a sign of 
  the insane mortal’s devotion.
  Signature Spell: although the princes do not per-
  sonally grant spells, the energy emanating from their 
  realm, has a unique signature. this spell must be novice 
  or seasoned.
  Powers: the other powers available to followers 
  of the prince with the arcane Background (demonist) 
  edge. the character cannot learn spells not in this list. 
  no demon prince’s powers list, excluding his signature 
  spell, may exceed three novice, two seasoned, and one 
  veteran spell, plus summon demon and summon spirit 
  (both restricted to types related to aspects). Furthermore, 
  no demon prince may ever grant bless, gravespeak, heal-
  ing, light, or succor.
  Trappings: every demonic realm has one key geo-
  graphic feature. this reflects in the worshipper’s spells 
  as a trapping.
  Dark Pact: some demon lords allow additional ben-
  efits from dark pacts. if a pact allows an edge, all require-
  ments are ignored except those of other edges.
  Description: although not even the gods have seen 
  a demon lord in the flesh (at least not since much earlier 
  epochs), their description is known to mortals through 
  brief glimpses while working demonic magic, in fevered 
  nightmares, and in art drawn during the demongate War 
  by their hellish minions. the section also describes typi-
  cal cultist behavior and practices.
  anDhaKa
  Titles: the indomitable Will, Fortress of the abyss, 
  one Who never quakes, the strength Within.
  Aspects: invincibility, steadfastness, willpower.
                          
  
  the abyss
  1
  Symbol: a heart wrapped in chains.
  Signature Spell: Boost/lower trait (spirit, vigor, and 
  intimidation only).
  Powers: Armor, deflection, energy immunity, fear, 
  summon spirit (courage), weapon immunity.
  Trappings: trappings relate to physical defense and 
  indomitable will. Armor might simply allow the target to 
  shrug off damage, while deflection might be a stare that 
  causes attackers to quail or involve physically swatting 
  aside a weapon like it was a feather.
  Dark Pact: those who form a dark pact with andhaka 
  do not lose vigor. instead, they suffer a loss of smarts. 
  eventually they end up too stupid to flee danger. cult-
  ists may take nerves of steel, improved nerves of steel, 
  Hard to Kill, Harder to Kill, and strong-Willed through 
  dark pacts. the first four cause their skin to harden and 
  transform into scales. the latter turns their eyes jet black 
  and soulless.
  Description: the Fortress of the abyss is always 
  shown as a muscular figure. His skin is scaled, his head 
  like that of a triceratops, his feet wide and immovable, 
  tipped with claws that can grip any surface. His eyes are 
  soulless, jet-black orbs—all viewers see reflected are their 
  own fears and weaknesses, for andhaka fears nothing. He 
  has no need for weapons or armor, for none below the 
  level of demon prince can summon the mental strength 
  required to raise a weapon against him, and even his 
  peers must delve deep into their inner reserves.
  andhaka is the spirit of inner strength, steely looks 
  that can cause a berserker’s courage to falter, unshake-
  able self-belief, and unassailable power. many of his fol-
  lowers are not great leaders of men, but cowards who 
  seek refuge and strength in his cult. neither dargar nor 
  tiw will traffic with cowards nor teach them how to 
  protect themselves, and eira’s clerics speak of peace and 
  understanding, when most of those who feel persecuted 
  want only to fight off their oppressors. Where the gods 
  fail, though, cultists of andhaka are only too pleased to 
  help.
  the demon prince cares not one iota who worships 
  him in life, for all shall kneel before his might in death.
  graethig
  Titles: lord of Plenty, demon of covetousness and 
  greed, the one Who Provides.
  Aspects: Wealth, material greed, covetousness.
  Symbol: a skull emblazoned gold scield.
  Signature Spell: Boost/lower trait (gambling, lock-
  picking, Persuasion, and streetwise only).
  Powers: Bolt, charismatic aura, lock/unlock, sum-
  mon demon (chain, changeling, collector, fetter hound, 
  imp, librarian), summon spirit (jealousy).
  Trappings: all trappings are, when possible, related 
  to wealth in some form. Charismatic aura, for instance, 
  might bedeck a target in jewelry or allow him to bribe 
  people with gold coins. all are illusions, and disappear 
  when the spell ends. Bolt might represent a stream of 
  battering coins.
  Dark Pact: the rich and Filthy rich edges are avail-
  able as dark pacts. such money brings with it the major 
  greedy and mean Hindrances. the demonist becomes 
  exceptionally jealous of his wealth and has no concept 
  of charity. He won’t lend money without charging exor-
  bitant interest rates.
  Description: graethig is often shown as being a hu-
  man with just two small horns to marks his demonic na-
  ture. such images are flattering, for gaethig’s true form, 
  as detailed in several demonic texts written by demons, 
  has goat legs, a torso of matted black hair, scaly arms, a 
  bald, red head broken by two unsightly horns, and three 
  pairs of scaled wings.
  those who crave material wealth are drawn to gra-
  ethig’s dark cult. merchants, thieves, nobles, and peas-
  ants chant together and offer blood sacrifices in roughly 
  equal numbers, each beseeching their fell master to 
  give them wealth beyond their imagination. the demon 
  prince is only to happy to provide, for he knows soon he 
  will have more of his favorite currency—damned souls.
  typical worshippers crave the good things in life and 
  seek to gain riches without earning. nobles oppress 
  their peasants with taxes, thieves steal from those who 
  already have wealth, merchants charge high prices for 
  shoddy goods, and peasants take to murdering strangers 
  for their belongings, stealing sheep and cows, or without 
  holding their tax payments.
  Jarnbanix
  Titles: the shrieking storm, dealer of quick death, 
  demon lord of Ferocity and rage.
  Aspects: Ferocity.
  Symbol: a mailed gauntlet.
  Signature Spell: Quickness.
  Powers: Battle song, boost/lower trait (strength, 
  vigor, and Fighting only), smite, summon demon (de-
  monic soldier, lasher, spined, and rage), summon spirit 
  (anger), warrior’s gift.
  Trappings: trappings take the form of physical trans-
  formations to something resembling the demon prince.
  Dark Pact: demonists can take the Berserk, Frenzy, 
  and sweep edges (and the improved versions) through 
  a dark pact. each edge slowly transforms them into a 
  twisted horror, a mortal version of their infernal patron.
   Description: Jarnbanix takes the form of a monstrous 
  humanoid. His savage head is marred by a wide mouth 
  full of large teeth, with two silver tusks protruding at the 
  corners of his maw. two large horns, like those of an 
  aurochs, sprout from his furrowed brow. Batlike wings 
  tipped with razor sharp claws stretch from his back. His 
  arms are those of a lion, tipped with iron claws as sharp 
  as any spear. His skin is midnight blue, but concealed be-
  neath silver armor in which the misty forms of devoured 
  souls writhe and silently scream.
  Jarnbanix is the demon of lightning quick attacks, 
  relentless ferocious strikes, and sudden death. many of 
  his followers are berserkers and assassins, drawn to him 
  because he places no restrictions on their behavior.
  
  hellfrost: Matters of faith
  1
  Malborga
  Titles: Bringer of retribution, the vengeful one, 
  righter of Wrongs, the instrument of revenge.
  Aspects: vengeance.
  Symbol: a bloody knife.
  Signature Spell: Boost/lower trait.
  Powers: Bladebreaker, fear, shape change, smite, 
  summon demon (changeling, fear, madness, revealer, 
  screaming), summon spirit (anger, grief, pain).
  Trappings: the demonist can alter his trappings with 
  each casting.
  Dark Pact: a demonist without the vengeful Hin-
  drance, or who has only the minor version, gains the 
  major version when he takes his first demonic pact. this 
  replaces the usual vigor loss. if he has the major Hin-
  drance already, vigor is lost as normal.
  Description: the demonic prince of vengeance ap-
  pears only as a shadowy figure. His most deadly weapon 
  is his voice, a whisper that taunts victims about their fate 
  and fuels the bitterness and anger in their hearts.
  only those consumed by the burning desire to avenge a 
  wrong, real or perceived, turn to the dark lord. From mur-
  der to destroying a reputation to financial ruin, the demon 
  is only too happy to help. those who seek his aid soon find 
  that achieving their goal does not end their torment, for the 
  demon lord fills their hearts with vengeful thoughts.
  sárrtaKa
  Titles: Bringer of Pain, the caressing Hand of agony.
  Aspects: Pain.
  Symbol: a spiked whip.
  Signature Spell: Fatigue.
  Powers: Confusion, lower trait (no boost), sluggish 
  reflexes, smite, stun, summon demon (lasher, screaming, 
  spined), summon spirit (pain).
  Trappings: all trappings are related to pain.
  Dark Pact: demonists can learn ways to enjoy greater 
  pain but without any of the debilitating effects through 
  a dark pact. they can take combat reflexes, nerves of 
  steel, and improved nerves of steel.
  Description: sárrtaka appears as a human, his flesh 
  pierced with countless nails and thorns, his skin con-
  stantly flaying away in tattered sheets, his face contorted 
  with the ecstasy of continual pain. in his right hand he 
  holds a scourge with which to flay his enemies. His left 
  hand can cause agony even demons cannot endure.
  sárrtaka is the patron of sadists and sadomasoch-
  ists—those who wish to mete out physical pain and 
  those who wish to receive it. those who favor pain as 
  a means of sexual satisfaction typically favor his sister, 
  yalkeena, instead.
  steriKlus
  Titles: Father of Pox, lord of the Flies, Wallower in 
  Filth, demon of disease and Pestilence.
  Aspects: disease, decay, pus, ooze.
  Symbol: a fly.
  Signature Spell: Disease.
  Powers: Beast friend (flies, rats, and other disease 
  carrying creatures only), fatigue, fear, stun, summon 
  demon (plague), summon spirit (sickness).
  Trappings: all trappings relate to pus, disease, flies, 
  noisome stenches, and similar.
  Description: Patron of plague demons and master 
  of a realm filled with stinking bogs, rotting corpses, and 
  swarms of bloated flies, steriklus is rumored to be an en-
  emy of vali, a former minion who overstepped his rank 
  and was duly punished. He takes the form of a crawling, 
  slithering, sickening blob of pus and congealed blood. 
  deformed and decayed limbs protrude from his shape-
  less form, clawing and grasping as if trying to escape 
  from the vicious mass of putrescence.
  many of his followers are blighted with disease. 
  shunned by society, turned away by clerics of eira whose 
  miracles cannot cure them, and often blaming vali for 
  their plight, they are easy prey for demonists looking to 
  extend their powerbase. often driven mad by the fate 
  dealt them, they pray to the demon prince of disease to 
  grant them due vengeance, if not in this world then in 
  the next, where they hope to become plague demons.
  yalKeena
  Titles: mistress of seduction, queen of the succubi, 
  the dark temptress
  Aspects: lust, sexual deviancy.
  Symbol: erect phallus.
  Signature Spell: Charismatic aura.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (Persuasion only), confu-
  sion, deflection, fatigue, stun, summon demon (succu-
  bus/incubus).
  Trappings: all trappings are related to sex. Deflec-
  tion, for example, might cause the attacker to see the 
  intended victim as a creature of sexual desire, something 
  he finds hard to harm. Fatigue and stun could both pro-
  duce feelings of sexual exhaustion, while confusion fills 
  the victim’s mind with distracting sexual thoughts.
  Dark Pact: demonists may take the attractive, very at-
  tractive, and charismatic edges as a dark pact. However, 
  the demonist becomes a violent sexual predator with the 
  major Habit Hindrance. each additional edge gained this 
  way after the first gives a cumulative –1 penalty to vigor 
  rolls to stave off Fatigue caused by abstinence.
  Description: yalkeena is always depicted as being na-
  ked. Her skin is unblemished and porcelain white. Her 
  hair is long, dark, and luxuriant, her eyes sultry, her lips 
  ruby red and moist. she would be a creature of intense 
  physical desire for any human, were it not for her batlike 
  wings and scaled, forked tail.
  Her worshippers are all sexual deviants, taking plea-
  sure as they see fit and with whatever creature happens 
  to be on hand. ceremonies are frenzied orgies. the cult 
  of gersemi is an ardent foe of this fell cult, and even 
  eira’s cultists must reign in their natural desire to inflict 
  violence on those who abuse others sexually.
  
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  © 2009-2015 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost: Matters of Faith and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds, and all related marks and logos are trademarks
  of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission. © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
  �����
  While the denizens of the frozen north are 
  divided by race and culture, the pantheon 
  of 24 major gods is a universal concept. 
  Though forbidden from direct interference, 
  the gods are not removed from the world, 
  making their presence felt through their 
  paladins and priests, divine heralds, and 
  natural events.
  Whether they pay lip service to many 
  gods, attend infrequent ceremonies, have 
  chosen a patron deity, have devoted their 
  life without holy vows, or have taken 
  vows as a member of the clergy, all citizens 
  honor the gods in some way. To deny the 
  gods is to deny reality.
  Within this book you will ﬁ nd:
      Expanded information on the clergy of 
  the 24 major cults.
      Details concerning over 90 major and 70 
  local festivals, any of which can be used as 
  the backdrop to an adventure or to make 
  the heroes’ day more interesting.
      Full write-ups for 70 minor cults, including character generation guidelines for clergy.
      Information on 12 major inhuman deities.
   A tour of Godsheim, the realm of the gods, and the celestial sphere.
      An overview of the Abyss, including the Arcane Background (Demonist) and a sample of notable 
  demon lords.
  This book is designed for use in conjunction with the Hellfrost Player’s Guide.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Triple Ace Games/Hellfrost/Savage Worlds - Hellfrost - Matters of Faith.pdf