TEXT: Roll 2D6 and Say Hello to Evil
  
  2
  2D6 RESULT
  Alma Schenk, 
  Self-Proclaimed Queen
  Reaction -2
  T e reaction stat is used when meeting a character; see the of  cial rules for the reaction table.
  HP 18 Morale –        
  Plate Armor -d6 
  Great Sword d10
  Great Sword d10
  Special: Crown of Command (Schenk’s 
  crown is a magical artifact that gives her the 
  power to control others. At the start of an 
  encounter, any who fail a Presence DR12 test 
  fall under her command and f ght to protect 
  her.) T e enchantment is broken af er 4d4 
  rounds and the inf icted are immune to the 
  power forever af er.
  Captured 25s*
  Crown of 
  Command
  100s • Any-
  one who 
  puts on 
  Schenk’s 
  crown 
  instantly 
  becomes 
  her; she 
  is rein-
  carnat-
  ed and 
  completely 
  replaces 
  the soul and 
  body of the 
  crown’s wearer.
  Schenk isn’t a mortal being, or even a humanoid creature, but rather a cos-
  mic force that is forever captured within the Crown of Command that trans-
  forms the unwitting into the self-proclaimed queen. Schenk is immortal and un-
  stoppable, so long as the crown remains intact and someone makes the mistake of 
  placing it on their head. T e second that it touches the head of another, Schenk’s cosmic 
  magic supplants the new host, transforming their physical form to match the image the 
  cosmic force has determined is the proper “look” for its corporeal form. 
  Schenk lives in a crumbling lighthouse at the edge of the woods along the coast of the sea. 
  T e woman commands several skeletons (3d6+3), as well as 2d3 hired goons (see Strange 
  Citizens of the City and Strange Visitors to the City for a selection of hired goons, or 
  simply create your own). It is only the near-inf nite power of the cosmic force that exists 
  within the Crown of Command that prevents the lighthouse from slipping into the sea. If 
  the monster’s physical form is destroyed, the unnamed entity will lose its focus and the 
  lighthouse will crash into the water within 2d4+1 minutes of the host body taking its 
  dying breath.
  Skeletons (2d3, separate from the force guarding the lighthouse) patrol the grounds near 
  the lighthouse night and day. It is these skeletons that the PCs are most likely to encoun-
  ter f rst if they stumble across the lighthouse and decide to investigate. T e skeletons on 
  patrol are as mindless as you may expect, though Schenk has planted a trigger within one 
  of them that activates, warning her of approaching danger if the skeletal patrol should 
  engage strangers in combat.
  T e woman’s only desire is to inf ict pain on others. Her hired goons sometimes go 
  into the city to f nd innocent people to kidnap, bringing them back to the castle so that 
  Schenk may torture and murder to her heart’s content.
  * Once captured, so long as the crown is not removed from her head, 
  Schenk remains in her present state and the reward can be claimed by 
  delivering her to the city watch. If the crown is removed, there is a 1 
  in 4 chance every hour that the woman will vanish into thin air. T ere 
  is no reward for her capture if this happens before she is delivered.
  
  3
  2D6 RESULT
  The Armored Suit of Despair, 
  Being of Animated Evil
  Reaction -4
  HP 26 Morale –        
  Living Plate Armor -d6+1 
  Unholy Blade d12
  Special: Animated Evil (T e 
  armor itself is in command, 
  the man within dead for 
  centuries and nothing more 
  than a structure to keep 
  the bits of armor in place. 
  “Killing” the suit stops the 
  armor for 3d6 years, af er 
  which it rises again and 
  continues its destructive 
  mission. T e armor cannot 
  be destroyed and it cannot 
  be removed from the 
  corpse. Burying the armor 
  or otherwise dealing with it 
  could delay its return, at the 
  GM’s discretion.
  No reward.
  Craf ed in the deepest pits of the greatest of all hells, the Armored Suit of Despair is an 
  ancient artifact that was unleashed on the world for a single purpose: to murder the 
  living and make everyone it encounters tremble in fear at the powerful and unnatural 
  evil of the demonic forces that control far too many worlds. T e suit is treated like a 
  monster, but it cannot be killed or destroyed and is certain to stalk the world until time 
  itself collapses, and the cosmos dies at the hands of whatever dark force is breaking the 
  seals that are recorded on T e Calendar of Nechrubel (see the of  cial rules).
  When walking the forest road late at night, the PCs may be so unfortunate as to come 
  across the Armored Suit of Despair as it is:
  1. Consuming the heart of a goblin that it recently murdered. Surprisingly, the PCs 
  f nd that they feel a small sense of sorrow for the goblin, even as they ready the 
  weapons to face this unholy monster.
  2. Standing rigid, obstructing the path of any who wish to use the little-traveled road-
  way. T e Armored Suit of Despair raises its unholy blade and issues a challenge to 
  the adventurers: “Any of you brave enough to face me will be rewarded with a swif  
  death. T ose of you who attempt to escape my blade will be tormented until sunrise.”
  3. Fighting a duplicate of itself. When one of the monsters notices the heroes, the sec-
  ond also turns to face them. Nodding to each other, the two Suits of Despair put 
  aside their dif erences and turn their attention – and anger – on the PCs.
  4. Eating the f esh from a human skull. Enough of the victim remains that the PCs rec-
  ognize him as someone they recently met in the city. A shopkeep or tavern master, 
  perhaps. T e monster tosses the head into the woods and grabs for its sword.
  In order to make the Armored Suit of Despair just a little more terrifying for the he-
  roes, you may wish to lay the foundation of an encounter long before they meet the 
  monster. Hearing rumors of the beast and its power when they are in the towns and 
  villages near the forest, with hushed warnings to f ee if they should see it, is one of 
  many ways to introduce the monster to your campaign world.
  
  4
  2D6 RESULT
  Midnight’s Slayer, 
  Unholy Apparition
  Reaction -1
  Reaction 
  HP 15 Morale 9        
  Spirit-Reinforced Robes* -d3 
  Sword d8, Spear d6
  Special:
  Levitation (T e 
  Slayer has no 
  legs and levitates 
  a few feet above the 
  ground, carried by 
  its robes. It may 
  cross rivers, 
  ditches, and 
  other obstacles 
  without 
  challenge.)
  * T e robes are 
  infused with the souls 
  of a thousand spirits, 
  each one speaking at all 
  times. T e Slayer can be 
  heard from several hundred 
  feet away as the cacophony of 
  voices refuse to be silenced.
  Spirit-Reinforced Robes 99s • Anyone putting on these infernal 
  robes is immediately murdered by the thousand spirits that are 
  bound to the robes. T e corpse is absorbed into the robes and 
  the character becomes the new Midnight’s Slayer.
  T e Midnight Slayer is a being of extreme hatred and unimaginable de-
  struction, brought into existence whenever an unwitting character dons the 
  Spirit-Reinforced Robes that grant the monster its power. T e robes are a cursed 
  magic item that were f rst introduced to the world when the sorcerer Elyor Mahka-
  mov was put to death by the Knights of Righteous Stars. Mahkamov devoted his life to 
  demonic forces, and it was the power of those demons that trapped the man’s soul in 
  his robes at the exact instant of his death.
  T e robes of Mahkamov were claimed by one of his killers, a knight by the name of 
  Malik who thought that wearing them as a trophy of the sorcerer’s demise would put 
  fear into the hearts of all who may foolishly challenge the knight. Unfortunately for 
  Malik, it was the sorcerer who had the last laugh. Within days, the knight’s will was 
  stripped away and his body became nothing more than a puppet of the sorcerer’s soul 
  that was in complete command of the magical robes.
  Over the centuries, as the host body is destroyed, the soul of the puppet is trapped 
  within the robes and subjugated by what remains of Mahkamov’s soul and intelligence. 
  T e sorcerer may be gone, but his cruelty and inhumane desires remain to terrorize 
  the living of the world.
  Surprisingly, the truth behind the robes is a secret unknown to the living. Only the 
  robes and the demons of eternity know of the power of the robes to bind and enslave 
  the living, and to date it is the greed of people that has allowed the soul of Mahkamov 
  to continue to stalk the realms. If the monster ever comes into conf ict with one who 
  chooses to cast of  – possible even destroy! – the robes, then the chain will be broken 
  and the soul of evil sorcerer will f nally be sent to the hellish af erlife that it has earned.
  
  5
  2D6 RESULT
  Jannick Pückler, 
  Undead Huntsman
  Reaction –
  HP 11 Morale 7          Special: Nothing.
  Armor Scraps -d2 
  Sharp Knife d2, Bow d6, Spears d8
  No reward.
  T e f ne people of the city have been taught since birth that the skeletal, undead hor-
  rors that plague the world are evil creatures that cannot be trusted. For the most part, 
  this is true, and spotting a skeleton should be immediately followed by attacking it or 
  running away (so that you can tell others where it is so that they can attack it.) In a 
  few instances, though, the undead are something other than evil abominations that 
  deserve only death.
  Jannick Pückler was once a huntsman of the woods and reported only to the priestess 
  who ruled the city closest to the forest. As one of a handful of the huntsmen in service 
  to the priestess, he knew nothing more of life than the day-to-day grind of tracking 
  and destroying unwanted monsters. Better to slaughter them in the woods, the priest-
  ess insisted, than to allow them to reach the city where they could inf ict greater harm.
  Last year, when on the trail of a murderous witch, Jannick was forever changed when 
  he stepped into a trap and was bested by the woman and her servants. It was while 
  investigating a small cottage, one that matched the description of the supposed home 
  of the witch, that Jannick toppled into a pit trap. He was immediately doused in an un-
  holy oil that ate away at his f esh, causing him indescribable pain for several moments 
  until the foul oil ended his life. T at should have been his demise . . . if he were lucky.
  T e witch animated Jannick’s remains, transforming him into a skeletal monster that 
  she was certain would become one of her loyal minions. A small part of the man’s soul 
  hung on, though, clinging to his mortal remains and overwhelming the magic spell 
  that was cast by the witch. Jannick fought of the woman and her cohorts, killing several 
  of them and escaped into the forest.
  Now, Jannick continues his work as one of the huntsmen of the priestess, spending 
  every day and night seeking out and destroying evil. He is aware of his new form and 
  has had more than a few encounters with former companions and allies. So far, the 
  skeleton has been unable to convince anyone of his true existence and his desire to 
  continue serving the priestess. If the PCs run into the skeleton in the forest, will he get 
  through to them before they turn his skeleton form into crumbled bones?
  
  6
  2D6 RESULT
  Lighthead Stalker, 
  Terror Unleashed
  Reaction -2
  HP 15 Morale –
  Cloak of Souls -2d3, Spiked Helm -1d2-1
  War Axe d8+2
  Special: Blindingly Fast (T e Lighthead Stalker is 
  unnaturally fast and may attack twice every round. 
  T e second attack must be against the same target 
  and the unfortunate character gains a +2 bonus 
  when rolling to defend against the second attack.)
  Cloak of Souls* 50s
  Spiked Helm 20s
  * T e Cloak of Souls is a 
  powerful magic item that 
  slowly changes the 
  wearer into a Lighthead 
  Stalker. Every day 
  that the cloak is 
  worn, there is a 
  1 in 4 chance 
  the wearer is 
  transformed 
  and attacks the 
  others.
  At a distance, this foul creature may be easily mistaken for a wick-
  head (see the of  cial game rules), but the truth becomes instantly clear 
  once those who encounter the monster get close enough to make out the 
  bleached white, cackling skull that shines with a brightness as intense as that as the 
  strongest of lanterns. T e thing throws its head back and laughs wildly when it spots 
  possible prey, and then charges in swinging its war axe and seeking only blood.
  T e Lighthead Stalker’s radiant skull illuminates everything within 10’ of the monster, 
  making even the darkest of rooms almost as bright as the noonday sun. Particularly 
  cruel gamemasters may rule that this light is so blinding in its intensity that the PCs 
  suf er a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, though that modif er may f uctuate throughout 
  the encounter as the light streaming from the thing’s head waxes and wanes.
  In battle, the Lighthead Stalker is unforgiving and refuses to back down. T e thing 
  charges in with no thought to its safety and no knowledge of tactics, throwing strike 
  af er strike against the closest target. Fortunately for the party, there is only a 1 in 6 
  chance of encountering more than one of these evil monsters at a time. Running into 
  two of these beasts on the forest road at night is a sure path to a bloodbath.
  T ough they are formidable opponents, the true threat of an encounter with the Light-
  head Stalker is if the PCs are unaware of the thing’s Cloak of Souls and one of the player 
  characters chooses to claim the monster’s cloak as a trophy. If the PCs do defeat the 
  monster, ask that each player roll a single d10: any of them who roll a 10 should be 
  secretly warned about the danger of wearing the Cloak of Souls. Whether or not that 
  share that knowledge with the party is up to the player in question.
  
  7
  2D6 RESULT
  Filip Buzov, 
  Practitioner of Arcane Ways
  Reaction +1
  HP 20 Morale 11
  No Armor
  Fists d2
  Special: Powers (Filip may cast one 
  Power every third round up to a total 
  of six Powers in a single day. Each 
  time he uses a Power, there is a 1 in 4 
  chance that he loses 1d4 hit points.)
  Spellbook 75s
  Strange Hat 4s
  A skilled sorcerer, Filip Ruzou prefers to keep to himself, spending the majority of his 
  time in a hollowed out log that he has turned into a pleasant – if cramped – home. T e 
  log is all that remains of a giant treefolk warrior who gave his life to defend the forest 
  against an onslaught of trolls several decades ago, a story that is still told at campf res 
  to this very day.
  Filip is happiest when lef  alone, though the man is kind to those strangers who are po-
  lite and mean him no harm. From time to time, Filip grows a little melancholic when 
  lef  alone for months at a time. To combat the sadness, he travels to one of the main 
  forest roads where he sets up a f re and stew pot in the hopes of strangers “accidental-
  ly” coming across him camped on the side of the road. T ose who succeed at a DR16 
  Presence test see through the ruse; how they use the perceptive knowledge that Filip 
  is lonely – and in need of conversation – is entirely on those PCs who see through the 
  “I’m a simple camping man” facade. 
  Unlike many arcane practitioners in the land, Filip’s powers come from the spellbook 
  that he carries at all times, not scrolls. If the spellbook is lost or destroyed, the man’s 
  access to powers is completely eradicated and he will be incapable of performing mag-
  ic until he acquires a new spellbook. Scrolls don’t do him a lot of good – there’s a 3 in 4 
  chance that any scroll he attempts to read is illegible and inef ective for the sorcerer – 
  because he was trained at a young age that spellbooks are all that can grant him access 
  to powers both sacred and unclean.
  If the player characters should happen to get their hands on Filip’s spellbook, any of 
  them capable of using the powers of scrolls f nd that they are in the exact opposite sit-
  uation as the sorcerer: there’s a 3 in 4 chance that they are unable to use the spellbook 
  to access unclean and sacred powers. If a PC gets the idea that tearing a page out of the 
  book might make it a scroll, they merely damage the book and do not gain a power.
  Filip will f ght if attacked or threatened, but the man prefers to engage in friendly 
  conversation when possible and will share his knowledge of the woods and magic in 
  exchange for news of the outside world.
  
  8
  2D6 RESULT
  Zakari Echautz, 
  Frustrated Angel
  Reaction –
  HP 17 Morale –
  Plate Armor -d6
  Holy Sword 3d6
  Special: Divine Word 
  (once each day, Zakari 
  may speak the holy 
  words of his chosen 
  god, inf icting 4d6 dam-
  age to any who fail to 
  make a successful DR16 
  Presence test.
  Holy Sword 90s
  Corpse* 50s
  * A  wizard, priest, 
  sage, or anyone in-
  terested in other-
  worldly beings will 
  pay for a chance to 
  hack into the body 
  and study Zakari’s 
  remains.
  Just as devils and demons exist within the many lands of the campaign 
  worlds, so are there also angels in the cosmos who . . . well, to be honest, 
  angels are a standof  sh bunch who are more concerned with in-f ghting than 
  they are protecting the weak and innocent of the universe. T ere may have been 
  a time once, many centuries ago, when angels took up their swords to f ght back the 
  creatures from the darkest pits, but now all they do is hide in the stars between worlds 
  and argue with each other over of which one of them is responsible for the oncoming 
  apocalypse that is foretold in T e Calendar of Nechrubel (see the of  cial rules).
  Zakari is one of the few angels who has grown tired of arguing and has decided to take 
  action. Without the permission of the Heavenly Host that oversees the angels of the 
  cosmos, Zakari has landed in the forest and made it his mission to stop whatever evil 
  he should encounter in his time on this world. He cannot stop all evil in the universe, 
  he reasons, but he can at least make this small corner safe from the diabolical monsters 
  that threaten to kill everything that lands in their path.
  In his eagerness to counteract the inaction of the other angels, Zakari has grown in-
  capable of truly identifying evil, meaning that there is a strong chance he will see the 
  player characters as monsters just as wicked and terrible as the goblins, trolls, witches, 
  and giants that terrorize the lands. And, to be honest, he may very well be right. Af er 
  all, did you see the look in their eyes the last time the heroes explored a dungeon and 
  slaughtered everything that called the subterranean labyrinth home?
  T e longer that Zakari “defends” the forest from evil, the more the angel slides to-
  ward becoming the exact thing that he believes he is f ghting. If you wish, adjust the 
  character’s reaction modif er by -1 for every game sessions, even those where the PCs 
  don’t interact with Zakari. T e longer they go without meeting him, the more violent 
  and dangerous he becomes. Perhaps a fortune teller in the city warns the heroes of the 
  angel’s slide into cruel wickedness, encouraging them to f nd him before he goes too 
  far down the path and becomes irredeemably evil.
  Af er any encounter with Zakari, the PCs must check to see if another one of the Mis-
  eries of T e Calendar of Nechrubel (see the of  cial rules) immediately take place. Re-
  duce the original die roll to determine whether or not a Misery happens by the angel’s 
  current Reaction modif er.
  
  9
  2D6 RESULT
  Isaac Comnenus, 
  Wizard from the Stars
  Reaction –
  HP 18 Morale –
  No Armor
  Scythe 2d6
  Special: Powers (Isaac has access to 
  2d4 Powers every day, as chosen by 
  the GM.) Flight (up to 10’ above the 
  ground, no faster than a walk)
  Scythe 20s
  Skull 15s
  Hood* 50s
  * Isaac’s hood is the 
  source of his pow-
  ers and his f ight 
  ability. Anyone 
  wearing the hood 
  gains the power 
  of f ight up to 10’ 
  above the ground 
  and at a speed 
  no faster than a 
  walk. Each time 
  the hood is used 
  by someone other 
  than Isaac, there is 
  a 50% chance that 
  the f ight is their 
  last; the wearer falls 
  dead 3d6 rounds 
  af er taking f ight.
  Although Isaac claims to be from a distant world beneath an alien star, it is in truth his 
  magic hood that comes from another plane of existence. Isaac Comnenus was born to 
  a poor family in the city over thirty years ago, where he spent his f rst decade merely 
  trying to stay alive. Once he reached the age of f ve, Isaac’s parents stopped caring for 
  him, sending him into the city’s many crowded streets and markets with orders to steal 
  whatever he could f nd. Isaac grew tough on the streets, learning to f ght and fend for 
  himself.
  It was a decade ago, when Isaac followed a stranger to one of the city’s many inns, that 
  the man’s life took a turn for the better. Strangely enticed by the man’s bizarre hood and 
  overly-large scythe, Isaac took a chance and broke into the room where the man slept. 
  T e stranger moved fast when startled by the intruder, but Isaac was faster and within 
  moments, the stranger was dead and Isaac was f eeing the scene of the murder, hood 
  and weapon grasped f rmly in his hands.
  It took Isaac several weeks of practice with the hood to unlock its potential, but unlock 
  it he did and he soon used the hood’s powers to greatly improve his life. At f rst, he 
  tried to continue living as a thief and murderer, using the powers granted by the hood 
  to go af er wealthier and more dangerous targets. Isaac learned quickly, though, that 
  it was a mistake when he attacked the wrong nobleman and was suddenly wanted by 
  bounty hunters looking to claim the reward on his head.
  Rather than remain in the city and f nd himself at the end of a noose, Isaac f ed to the 
  forest and made a home for himself in an abandoned hovel. T rough hard work, Isaac 
  f xed the hovel up enough to keep the rains and monsters out, but it is still nothing 
  more than a ramshackle hut that few would believe is occupied. 
  T ese days, Isaac is a highwayman, continuing his life of crime and attacking merchant 
  caravans and travelers on the forest’s roadways. It is likely in this way that the PCs will 
  encounter the wizard-bandit, and they had best defend themselves because Isaac cares 
  only about two things: his survival and their silver.
  
  10
  2D6 RESULT
  Sergius Ingerinus, 
  Infernal Engine
  Reaction -3
  HP 24 Morale –
  Hell-Forged Plate Armor -d6
  Hell’s Touch 3d4 (once every other round), Unholy Sword d8 
  Special: Hell’s Minions. (2d3 demonic imps, each willing to 
  die to buy Ingerinus more time to complete his infernal ritual. 
  HP 8 Morale 7 Leathery Hide -d2 Clawed Swipe d4)
  Hell-Forged Plate Armor 100s
  Skull 20s
  Imp’s Corpse 10s
  Ingerinus has only a single desire: to complete the infernal ritual that 
  will grant him immortality and secure his place as one of the rulers of the 
  forest. T e man has devoted the last several years of his life to preparing the 
  unspeakable ritual and now, only hours from completion of his work, he is forced 
  to contend with the player characters’ meddling ways.
  When the PCs come across Ingerinus, the man has already succumbed to a twisted 
  evil that has consumed his very soul. Long ago, before he was entrapped by the de-
  monic spirits that live within his armor, Ingerinus was a wizard who dabbled in dan-
  gerous pursuits. If the player characters had met him then, they may have been able to 
  persuade the man to take a dif erent course of action. Now, though, the damage to his 
  very soul is done and all the party can do is stop him before it is too late.
  Ingerinus is in the uppermost level of a three-story tower in the forest, chanting the 
  unholy prayers that will soon unleash a torrent of dark magic that will f ood the sky 
  and bury the forest in a destructive storm. If the man is successful in completing his 
  task, the forest and nearby lands – including the city! – will be forced to endure 4d4+2 
  days of intense, violent storms and Ingerinus will be forever fused to his armor and 
  transformed into an agent of evil. (His game statistics, shown on the facing page, are 
  for his human form. If he should be changed, the GM will need to create stats for the 
  more-powerful state that he assumes.)
  T e heroes must overcome Ingerinus’ defenses – demonic imps as well as several skel-
  etons (exact number determined by the GM) – and race to disrupt his chanting ritual 
  before it is too late. T e PCs have f ve minutes from when they smash down the door 
  of the tower’s f rst f oor until the ritual is complete, so they will need to move fast. 
  Ingerinus is stopped if he is successfully attacked and damaged before the f ve-minute 
  timer has expired. If this happens, the man will switch to attempting to escape so that 
  he may return to the tower and try the ritual another day.
  If the PCs kill him, they may choose to claim his belongings and sell them in the city. 
  If any of them try on the armor, there is a 1 in 6 chance that it kills the wearer immedi-
  ately. If a PC survives putting on the suit, it will make for an excellent defense against 
  the monsters of the land.
  
  11
  2D6 RESULT
  Lady Jeni Dragomir, 
  Connoisseur of Blood
  Reaction -2
  Captured 25s
  Dead 50s
  HP 12 Morale –
  No Armor
  Razor Nails d3, 
  Fanged Bite d3, 
  Special: Blood Drain (If she inf icts damage with her bite 
  attack, there is a 2 in 6 chance that Lady Jeni transfers d4 hit 
  points from the victim to herself as she drains their blood. T is 
  can push her above her starting 12 hit points, which makes her 
  a terrifying opponent.
  A vampire of sorts, Lady Jeni Dragomir dresses herself in only the f nest of gowns 
  and always looks remarkable. T e magic ring she wears on her lef  hand projects an 
  illusory aura that causes others to see her as a staggeringly beautiful woman in her 
  mid-twenties. In truth, Lady Jeni is three centuries old and her body is rotting and 
  disgusting to view; anyone with the power to see through illusions sees Lady Jeni as 
  she truly is: a walking corpse with a sickly appearance that may cause even the most 
  hardened of warriors to turn slightly green in the gills.
  Lady Jeni’s only illusion isn’t her personal appearance. T e “mansion” that she lives 
  in is collapsing under the weight of neglect that has collected in the many years since 
  she claimed the home as her own, and unsuspecting guests must make the occasion-
  al DR14 Agility test to avoid stepping through rotten wood and injuring themselves. 
  Anyone harmed in the mansion automatically sees through the illusion that disguises 
  the home’s true condition . . . as well as the illusion that cloaks Lady Jeni’s rotting body.
  By day, the woman sleeps in a cof  n that is hidden in the mansion’s cellar. At night, 
  Lady Jeni sends her minions – rats, bats, and spiders who are loyal to her and will obey 
  her every command – into the forest to search for prey. Using the illusory powers of 
  her ring, Lady Jeni creates the illusion of giant rats – hundreds of them! – to drive any 
  located prey toward the mansion where she greets the strangers and suggests that they 
  stay the night where they will be safe from the monsters that live in the forest.
  If the strangers accept her of er, she will show them to private rooms that appear to be 
  immaculate and furnished with the f nest beds and linens imaginable. Anyone laying 
  down in one of the beds will have a 1 in 4 chance of seeing through the illusions; the 
  beds are made of hundreds of crawling rats and the blankets and pillows are thousands 
  of spiders. Anyone who fails to see through the illusion is killed in their sleep by the 
  creatures; Lady Jeni will consume their blood and leave the body to her minions.
  It is common knowledge throughout the land that capturing or killing a vampire and 
  delivering the corpse to the authorities is a certain way to earn silver, so if the PCs do 
  learn of the woman’s true nature, they will no doubt go through almost anything to 
  haul the body back to the city. T at is, if they can kill the monstrous woman.
  
  12
  2D6 RESULT
  Simion Mihnea, 
  Sorcerer from Elsewhen
  Reaction +1
  HP 10 Morale 8
  Sorcerer’s Shield -d4
  Cosmic Blast d6, 
  Arcane Touch d4
  Special: Arcane Lantern* (Simion 
  has access to 2d3 Powers every day, 
  as chosen by the GM.)
  * Arcane Lantern. 
  T e source of his 
  power, Simion may 
  use his magical 
  armor and attacks, 
  as well as his powers, 
  only so long as he 
  holds the lantern.
  Arcane Lantern* 50s
  Elsewhen. A small pocket dimension that 
  exists in a universe separate from many of 
  the known worlds, Elsewhen is a temporal 
  mistake, an error made by the Cosmic Gods 
  themselves at the dawn of time. 
  If a die rolls goes especially bad for the play-
  er characters and the GM is feeling generous, 
  the death of the PCs could form a branching 
  universe – a part of Elsewhen – where the dice 
  were more favorable and the party survived. 
  In such an instance, the PCs do not notice that 
  they’re somewhere new, but the inhabitants of 
  Elsewhen sense that something is of  about 
  the heroes; all reaction rolls are at a -2 and 
  everyone the PCs meet shy away from them, 
  acting as if they are scared of the PCs.
  At some point af er their death, the PCs meet 
  a wizard who immediately realizes that things 
  are very wrong. T e wizard tries to engage the 
  PCs in conversation in an attempt to explain 
  to them that they recently died on their home-
  world and that, rather than proceed to the af-
  terlife, they are now trapped on Elsewhen and 
  cannot rest until they f nd a way to escape the 
  strange land.
  T e PCs must retrace their steps and deter-
  mine where the timestream was split. T ey 
  soon f nd undead versions of themselves, their 
  previous forms hunting them. If the PCs can 
  kill the undead them, they continue on this 
  world. If the undead win, the PCs are forever 
  destroyed and may rest in peace.
  T e sorcerer is from Elsewhen, a strange universe where the dead un-
  knowingly live on (see below). Simion has died dozens of times, every time 
  the man’s soul claiming the Arcane Lantern that grants his powers and continu-
  ing on as if nothing had gone wrong. Each death branches the timestream, creating 
  a new universe that is similar to previous ones, but completely separate from those 
  past worlds that the sorcerer had inhabited before his death.
  Simion is inclined to be kind, possibly even helpful, if he encounters the PCs . . . so 
  long as they treat the man with respect and do not attack him the instant they see 
  him. He has lived in a hut in these very woods for several years now and knows many 
  secrets; he could tell them where to f nd a dungeon or two, warn them of the true mo-
  tives of one of the others characters in the forest, or generally be a tool the GM can use 
  to share campaign history and setting information with the gamemasters.
  If the PCs do attack the man, he will defend himself as best he can from their assault. 
  If he is killed, so long as the lantern is lef  with his corpse, Simion will rise a few hours 
  af er death and the PCs may meet him again. If they take his lantern, the man is de-
  stroyed and is unlikely to return. (I hesitate to say never, because what do I know?)
  
  page twenty-four
  page twenty-five
  , 1 ,  
  T e Collapsed Bridge of Neumark. Almost a full day’s ride from the city 
  gates lies the Soulless River, dark rapids that threaten to murder any who 
  are foolish enough to try and cross to the other side. Where once a bridge 
  granted access to the opposite bank there now stands only the crumbling 
  stones that tease of a better time, a time when travelers could reach the other 
  side with ease. Anyone attempting to cross the river must wade across, which 
  requires a successful DR14 test (Agility or Toughness, which do you use?). If 
  the test fails, the character must succeed a second DR14 test immediately or 
  be snatched by the water’s current and smashed into the many rocks (instant 
  death!). If the second test is successful, the character makes it back to the side of 
  the river where they started and may try again to cross the dangerous waters. 
  When the PCs are exploring the dark 
  forests that surround the city, they will be 
  in search of sites that may hold riches and 
  rewards. T e 1d12 places that follow may 
  prove useful in your next game session.
  
  26
  27
  26
  , 2 ,  
  T e Untouched Crypt Beneath the Burned-Out Church. T ough the ruins 
  have been abandoned for many years, and it is clear that f re took down the 
  place, even af er its destruction, the PCs recognize the place as once a church. 
  Sif ing through the ashes and devastation in hopes of f nding anything of 
  value, the adventurers soon f nd a trap door that is stuck tight. A successful 
  DR16 Strength test is required to unstick the trap door which, if opened, reveals 
  a crypt beneath the remains of the church. T e cobwebs and dust suggest that 
  the dungeon has not been touched in many years. Will the heroes choose to en-
  ter this unknown place and rob the dead? T e dungeon is as small or as large 
  as the gamemaster wishes. Which dungeon is this? T at is for you to decide.
  , 3 ,  
  T e Shattered Remnants of the Traveler’s Wagon. Of  to the side of the road 
  that winds its way through the woods, the heroes come across what remains 
  of a traveler’s vardo. In spite of the damage, the PCs can tell that this was 
  once an attractive, majestic home on wheels. T e weeds and vines that wrap 
  around the ruins suggest that this wreck has been here for a long time. Noth-
  ing of value remains, save for the ghost of the traveler who called the wagon 
  home. T e ghost is an angry, savage spirit that wishes only to murder the liv-
  ing. T e ghost surprises the player characters and gets one free attack at each 
  before the heroes can respond to the assult. Unnamed Spirit HP 10, Morale –, 
  Intangible Shell -d6, Ghostly Claws d4+1, Special: Phantom Form (DR14 and 
  may only be harmed by iron and silver weapons). If the PCs f ee, the spirit will 
  not follow for more than 10d12’ af er which it returns to its destroyed vardo.
  , 4 ,  
  T e Wizard’s Walking Hut. T e hut looks like any other. Constructed of 
  rough-hewn planks of wood that are held together with wooden nails, the hut 
  is archaic, but looks to be in good repair. And then, as their eyes settle over 
  the hut, the PCs notice the wooden legs – dozens of them – that lif  the hut a 
  few feet from the ground. Inside, the heroes f nd a fairly average home with a 
  bed, table and chair, 2d4+1 magical tomes, and a handful of scrolls. T e cold, 
  lifeless body of a dead wizard is still lying in the bed. T e hut is an inanimate 
  magic item that has been trained to protect its master, the dead wizard Stephan 
  Groben, from attack. Every round af er the PCs discover the body, there is a 1 
  in 4 chance that the hut shakes violently, tossing them out of itself. Once free of 
  the intruders, the hut starts running and won’t stop for 2d6 minutes. How will 
  they steal the wizard’s belongings if the hut will not stay still?
  , 5 ,  
  T e Woodcutter’s Cottage. A quaint, picturesque, single-room cottage nes-
  tled between two large trees, this is the home of Arno Schottenstein, a wood-
  cutter who visits the outskirts of the city a few times each year to sell f rewood 
  and purchase supplies. Arno is a giant man who towers a full head over most 
  anyone he meets. He is not the sort to greet guests warmly. If the PCs are 
  wounded when they encounter the woodcutter, Arno will feed them and in-
  vite them to stay in his lof , but he will not be happy about the situation. Arno 
  isn’t one to make friends easily, but he is a loyal man and will give the shirt 
  of  his back to help a true friend. So long as the PCs are kind and appreciative 
  of the man’s hospitality, he will treat them with kindness. If they are rude, 
  he will grow angry and demand that they leave. He will f ght if he feels 
  threatened or cornered; HP 10, Morale 9, No Armor Axe d8, Fists d3.
  , 6 ,  
  T e Mound of Skulls. Hundreds – maybe thousands – of 
  human skulls have been piled atop each other, forming 
  a mound that stands as tall as the most towering of 
  ogres in the land. T e air within several hundred 
  feet of the mound is unnaturally still, and any 
  who come within a mile or so of the strange 
  site feel an evil chill pass through them. 
  T e mound is a site of evil power, grant-
  ing all evil characters and creatures 
  within 100’ of the pile a +2 bonus 
  on all damage rolls. Any PCs 
  forced to make a Defense 
  test when within 100’ of 
  the pile do so at a -1 
  penalty.
  
  28
  29
  , 7 ,  
  T e Sinner on the Eternally Burning Cross. Far from the road, in one of 
  the countless clearings scattered about the woods, the PCs come across a 
  burning crucif x upon which is secured a woman who laughs madly despite 
  her terrible predicament. T e woman is charred and blackened from de-
  cades of torture, though her body remains intact and she retains the ability 
  to converse . . . if she can stop laughing. If asked, she will say that she is 
  Astrid Wirths and has been cursed to burn for eternity as payment for her 
  crimes against the city. She will not say what she did. Astrid will answer any 
  three questions about the forest and its inhabitants, with a 50% chance that 
  she tells the truth. T e woman has been af  xed to this cross for so long that she 
  knows almost everything about the forest. She cannot and will not f ght, but 
  she may prove to be a useful source of information.
  
  30
  31
  30
  , 8 ,  
  T e Copse of Petrif ed Trolls. T is small grouping of tall, ancient trees near the 
  river looks perfectly natural . . . at f rst. As the heroes get closer to the trees, they 
  notice that several of them are an unusual, unnatural shape that, upon inspection, 
  are actually trolls. Stranger still is how very perfect each of the troll-like trees 
  looks, almost as if they were once trolls that were somehow cursed and trans-
  formed into the state they are now. T ese strange trees change at sunset, turning 
  into 2d3 trolls that want nothing more than to eat and murder anyone they meet. At 
  sunrise, the trolls turn back to trees. A troll that is chopped down during the day does 
  not change back into its monstrous state that night. Petrif ed Troll HP 22, Morale
  10, T ick Skin -d2, Monstrous Fists 2d4+1. 
  , 9 ,  
  T e Home of the Girl with No Eyes. A cottage sits several hundred feet from one 
  of the few side roads that branch of  from the main forest roadway that leads to 
  the city. T is particular side road is in a state of disrepair, overgrown with vines 
  and its cobblestones so broken that movement is slowed when navigating the 
  path. T e cottage door is locked tight and if the PCs knock, they are answered 
  by the voice of a small girl asking them to kindly leave and not return. If the PCs 
  force the issue, or push their way into the cottage, they f nd a young girl of no 
  more than twelve who has no eyes. She’s rather plain in appearance other than the 
  smooth, featureless skin that grows over where her eyes should be. Nancy Kirchen 
  again asks that the PCs leave. Kirchen was cursed at a young age, her eyes removed 
  from her face because her father failed to give a demon a bite of his apple. She has 
  been alone for f ve years now, surviving only because the demon has enchanted the 
  home; enough food, water, and other necessities magically appear every morning to 
  keep her alive. She asks repeatedly to be lef  alone. Anyone other than her in the 
  house at sunset falls to ash and dies as the demon’s curse cleanses the home of all 
  others at the end of every day. 
  , 10 ,  
  T e Well of Brackish Water. A traditional stone well, complete with wooden 
  bucket, near the road is far too inviting to ignore. If the PCs draw water from the 
  well, though, they f nd that it in a salty, dirty state that is undrinkable.  T e well 
  has been tainted by a goblin that lives at the bottom of the well, spending its days on 
  a makeshif  raf  that f oats on the underground lake that feeds the well. T e goblin 
  will f ght to stop anyone from taking more than a single bucketful of water from the 
  well. Well Goblin HP 7, Morale 6, No Armor, Dagger d4. 
  , 11 ,  
  T e Glade of the Dead. T is clearing 
  is soaked with blood, the tall grasses 
  a rusted orange in color. An aura of 
  death permeates the souls of any liv-
  ing characters who step foot in the 
  glade. T e discarded weapons and ar-
  mor scattered across the area, as well 
  as the skeletal remains of dozens of 
  soldiers, suggest that this was once the 
  site of a terrible battle. When exploring 
  the glade to see what may be found, roll 
  1d6: 1. A rusted sword that shatters be-
  neath the f rst blow. 2. A knife in perfect 
  condition. 3. A small sack of 4d12 silver. 4. 
  A suit of chainmail that, with some clean-
  ing and mending, will make a great suit of 
  armor for someone. 5. T e skull of a wizard. 
  T e skull talks, knows some useful info, though 
  it possesses no powers. 6. 1d3 scrolls. T ere is a 
  50% chance that 2d3 skeletons attack when the 
  PCs are sif ing through the junk that is scattered 
  across the glade. HP 5, Morale 7, No Armor, Short 
  Sword d4+1.  
  , 12 ,  
  T e Tower of Liesel Kurrat. T is crumbling, dying 
  tower stands four-stories tall and is so fearsome to look 
  upon that only the bravest of heroes dare enter the place. 
  Inside, the winding stairs lead ever upward, with each lev-
  el of the tower f lled with danger. T e tower is decomposing 
  right before the very eyes of the PCs, with a stone crashing to the f oor once every 
  1d3+1 minutes that they explore this place of evil. Before her death, Kurrat was 
  a wicked sorceress and the tower now holds whatever belongings she lef  . . . 
  including her undead corpse that seeks only to defend her home from intruders. 
  Kurrat will f ght to the (second?) death. HP 12, Morale –, No Armor, Silver Dagger 
  d4, Special: 1d3+1 Unclean Powers; if killed, her body explodes in an arcane blast 
  that destroys her scrolls, though the silver dagger falls to the f oor, undamaged.
  
  32
  33
  1d12 travelers on the road
  As the party journeys along the forest road, they may encounter 
  a few of these unusual travelers from other places.
  32
  , 1 ,  
  Reiner Hettich, Inhuman Visitor. T ough he looks human, Reiner is truly 
  an alien visitor from another plane of existence. He is curious and asks a 
  lot of questions. T e man will try to steal an item from one of the PCs if 
  given the chance. T e spell that disguises Reiner will fail if he is attacked by a 
  magical weapon or power. His true form is that of an insect-like humanoid. If 
  unmasked, he will try to escape with whatever he has managed to steal.
  , 2 ,  
  Soli Kamolov, Cheesemaker. Soli is traveling from his small cottage to the 
  city, carrying with him several pounds of his f nest hard cheese to sell in the 
  market. T e man is eager to avoid whatever dangers may stand between him 
  and the marketplace. If asked, Soli will tell the party that he is a cheesemaker 
  and will sell them a block of cheese for a single silver coin. If they attack and try 
  to steal his cheese, he will drop his bag and run home.
  , 3 ,  
  Torok Arpad, Disillusioned Guardsman. Standing tall and proud, looking 
  as impressive as the greatest of warriors in his plate armor, Torok was once a 
  city guardsman who loved his work. Unfortunately, af er being assigned to a 
  councilman, Torok witnessed bribery and corruption and f ed the city. He no 
  longer believes that the city is a place of justice and honesty. T e man will not 
  f ght if attacked, having lost his will to live.
  , 4 ,  
  Jacqueline Faehlmann, Spell-Touched Unfortunate. T irty winters of age, 
  she is a warrioress who has seen better days. Yesterday, Jacqueline faced of  
  against an evil wizard who was clearly the victor in their battle. Af er the wiz-
  ard defeated her, all Jacqueline was lef  with was a terrible arcane af  iction. 
  Any who get too close to the woman run the risk of catching a magical malady. 
  T ere is a 2 in 6 chance every hour that someone is near the woman that they 
  catch the sickness, for which there is no known cure. T e magical disease drains 
  1d3 HP each day and the loss cannot be healed.
  , 5 ,  
  Vilem Podlezl, Escaped Apprentice. Roughly fourteen years of age, Vilem 
  f ed from his master – the cruel wizard Ruslan Taqtas – only days ago. T e lad 
  acts nervous and guilty, possibly trying to hide from the PCs if he sees them 
  on the road before they see him. He is on his way to the city to sell a magi-
  cal dagger that he stole from Taqtas . . . but maybe the PCs will buy it? T e 
  apprentice is hoping to get a dozen or so silver in exchange for the dagger. T e 
  weapon inf icts double damage when used and, if purchased by one of the he-
  roes, it will be a source of trouble when Taqtas tracks down his missing dagger.
  , 6 ,  
  Karolina Strle, Terrif ed Deserter. As recently as a week ago, Karolina was a 
  soldier in the army of a powerful warlord. During battle with a necromancer’s 
  forces, the woman was wounded and f ed the conf ict. Now, af er regaining 
  her wits, she realizes what she has done and is afraid that the warlord will 
  seek her out and punish her for deserting during battle. T e woman’s black 
  plate armor and hef y two-handed sword are valuable, although they do identi-
  fy her as a soldier of the warlord. She will happily sell both for a very low price. 
  Of course, she is unlikely to point out that the warlord may be searching for 
  someone wearing such armor.
  , 7 ,  
  Zana Teres, Ashamed Survivor. When she last saw her companions, they 
  were being ripped to shreds by an indescribable horror from another dimen-
  sion. T e thing’s many tentacles had her friends trapped and the monster’s 
  great strength was tearing limbs of  and eating the unlucky adventurers. 
  Zana is deeply afraid of whatever she encountered, but her fear cannot equal 
  the shame she feels for abandoning her friends. Perhaps the PCs will follow her 
  to the nearby dungeon where she last saw the other members of her party?
  , 8 ,  
  Ulfat Soliyev, Starving Artist. Unbelievably old, Ulfat is easily eighty winters 
  of age . . . and very much looks it. He is muttering to himself, unaware of the 
  PCs as they approach the artist who is hard at work painting a massive can-
  vas. He keeps looking down the road and back to his painting, almost as if he 
  is working on recording the area as a work of art. Looking at the man’s work, 
  though, shows only a giant, nameless horror made of wings and many heads. 
  If the PCs interrupt the artist, he asks that they stand back because he has work 
  to f nish. He points in the direction they are traveling and says: “Please don’t 
  attack that thing until I have f nished my work.” T e PCs see nothing ahead.
  
  35
  , 9 ,  
  Miro Erzingan, Undead Soldier. Dressed in silver, shimmering plate ar-
  mor and carrying a giant sword, the skeletal warrior Miro Erzingan shouts 
  a warning to the PCs when he spots them on the forest road. “Keep your dis-
  tance,” the warrior yells, raising his sword before him. “We’ve no need to f ght. 
  Simply go about your business and I will continue on my way.” T e skeleton 
  stops on the road and waits to see how the PCs react. Miro will engage the PCs 
  in conversation, though he constantly warns them to stay back. He is a knight 
  in the service of an unnamed God and on a mission; the skeleton must f nd the 
  mound of skulls (p. 27) and recover a specif c skull. He won’t explain why, but 
  he will of er 50 silver if the party brings him the azure skull with a ruby eye.
  , 10 ,  
  Nusret Oblak, Bamboozled Merchant. Dressed in f ne robes, Nusret is hap-
  py to meet the adventurers on the forest road. T e man explains that he is a 
  merchant who was recently swindled; men he hired in the city to guard his 
  wagon and his person turned on him a few miles back and told him to leave 
  and not look back if he wants to live. Nusret has no coin on him, but promises 
  to pay each PC 25 silver coins if they will track down the traitors who have sto-
  len his wagon, horses, and merchandise.
  , 11 ,  
  Nazmi Sever, Solitary Sorceress. Appearing as a beautiful maiden of no more 
  than twenty winters of age, Nazmi is in fact an evil sorceress who has lived on 
  this world for hundreds of years. T e foul sorcery she practices has kept her 
  looking young, but any with the power of true sight will see the woman as she 
  really is: a withered, evil mass of wrinkles and frail bones. Use the lich stats 
  (found in the of  cial rules). T e woman will try to convince the PCs that she is 
  lost and needs help getting back to her father’s cottage in the woods. In truth, she 
  only wants to kill them and steal their possessions.
  , 12 ,  
  Sha’ol Shu-Hubur, Friendly Fisherman. Sha’ol is on his way to the Soulless 
  River (p. 25) to f sh and invites the PCs to join him. T e man is happy, and 
  talkative. He lives in a small hut near the road and, if the PCs accept his of er, 
  will spend the day telling them of the woods and those who dwell within the 
  forest. T ere is a 1 in 10 chance that the man knows something of a particular 
  character, creature, or place in the forest and – if the party thinks to ask detailed 
  questions – will share all that he knows. T e man could be an incredible source 
  of information and a way to guide the PCs to the next encounetr
  
  Strange Inhabitants of the Forest is copyright © 2020 by Philip Reed. 
   The disturbingly beautiful artwork used in this book is © Warm_Tail, 
  under license from Shutterstock.com • Some images courtesy of the British Library.
  Strange Inhabitants of the Forest is an independent production by Philip Reed and 
  is not af  liated with Ockult Örtmästare Games or Stockholm Kartell. It is published 
  under the MÖRK BORG Third Party License.
  MÖRK BORG is copyright Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell.
  T ere is an 
  inf nite number 
  of unusual, 
  dangerous 
  characters in 
  the forests that 
  surround 
  the city.
  T is book 
  details a 
  handful 
  of them.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/MÖRK BORG/Mork Borg - Strange Inhabitants Spreads.pdf