TEXT: An Adventure for
  Land
  The
  Promised
  the first pArt in the ChroniCle of the Copper Crown
  
  this initiAl ChApter includes a narrative tuto-
  rial meant to illustrate how the communication 
  between a player and the Game Master may flow 
  during two sequences of play. The text can be read 
  by both players and Game Masters, but it is pri-
  marily written for the latter as it is based on scenes 
  from this adventure. Hence, the players should not 
  be given access to the text before their characters 
  have made it through the mountain pass.
  After the narrative tutorial, nine premade 
  characters are presented, for the players to copy 
  or use as inspiration when filling out their character 
  sheets. Among them there are both individuals 
  who originate from the Davokar region, as well as 
  those who have never set foot north of the Titans.
  The adventure that follows after the premade 
  characters is divided into three chapters, in turn 
  broken up into a number of scenes. For the benefit 
  of inexperienced Game Masters, the Promised 
  Land has been constructed as a linear story with 
  scenes that follow each other like pearls on a 
  string – something which delimits the options of 
  the player characters and thereby makes the task 
  of the Game Master less complicated. However, 
  role-players are of an unruly breed and not easily 
  controlled. Naturally, the player characters may act 
  in a way which is not covered by the manuscript, 
  in which case the Game Master must be prepared 
  to improvise and gently guide them back to the 
  main path of the adventure.
  The chapters of the Promised Land may be 
  summarized as follows:
  Chapter 1: onwArds to YndAros
  When the game begins, the player characters are 
  held up south of the Titans, in a caravan camp 
  full of stragglers looking for traveling compan-
  ions to accompany them on the journey over the 
  mountains. The chapter introduces the mood of 
  the setting as well as the basic rules of combat. 
  Furthermore, the player characters are given a 
  reason for why they are leaving the south and a 
  hint of what they are headed for: the ample fields 
  and swaying forests of Ambria.
  Chapter 2:  
  in the CompAnY of thieves
  Chapter 2 is focused on teaching the rules of 
  problem-solving. The players will also receive a 
  deeper understanding of the setting, not least of 
  Introduction
  welCome to the promised lAnd, the tutorial adventure for Symbaroum. Our 
  aim is that it should provide a balanced introduction to the rules and setting 
  of Symbaroum, suitable for both experienced role-players and beginners. The 
  adventure deals with a perilous journey through the Titans. The player characters 
  can be Ambrians about to make their first contact with Queen Korinthia’s new 
  realm or travelers from the north who so far have kept some distance from the 
  newly established civilization. In that way none of them know much more about 
  Ambria than what is detailed in the first section of this book.
  2
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  THUS SPOKE AROALETA
  “… and king upon king 
  sent his people to die, 
  in wave upon wave 
  over rolling plains; 
  men and women on 
  whose broken hulls, 
  an imposing realm 
  was built. Such was 
  the foundation of 
  Symbaroum: built 
  with flesh and blood.”
  
  the hardships associated with traveling: newly 
  made player characters are competent but far from 
  full-fledged heroes who can do whatever they like 
  without risk to their lives. The world will prove to 
  be bigger and darker than they imagine, despite 
  previous encounters with the hordes of darkness.
  Chapter 3:  
  the toll of the mountAins
  In Chapter 3 the adventure reaches its climax, 
  with scenes where the rules of combat and prob-
  lem-solving are mixed with pure roleplaying. 
  The player characters are harshly greeted by the 
  north, as age-old conflicts meet up with them on 
  the mountain road. Ambria is both beautiful and 
  fertile, especially compared to the dead lands they 
  have left behind. But it is nonetheless wise to keep 
  your hand close to the hilt of your sword.
  It is revealed that two of the player characters’ 
  traveling companions have angered the Iron Pact by 
  pillaging ruins in Davokar. The elves are far from 
  delighted. In fact, they are prepared to slaughter a 
  whole caravan of innocents to make the plunderers 
  pay and to stop the blight from spreading. What 
  slumbers in the murky deep of Davokar must not 
  be awakened!
  Narrative Tutorial
  the rules of sYmbAroum are easy to use once 
  you have learned how they operate. Basically, the 
  player character has eight attributes with a value 
  between 5 and 15. When faced with a challenge 
  in the game world, the player must roll a twenty 
  sided dice (D20). In order to overcome the challenge 
  the dice must land on a figure which is equal to or 
  lower than the player character’s value in one of 
  the attributes. For instance, if the character tries 
  to do something which requires him to be quiet or 
  cautious the attribute Discreet is used; if he searches 
  for something or is on his guard then Vigilant is the 
  active attribute.
  However, there are two aspects that add to the 
  complexity. First the Abilities, which represent 
  the particular skills of a player character. Abilities 
  sometimes open up the possibility for the player to 
  use another attribute than the one which seems 
  natural in a certain situation. A common exam-
  ple occurs when it is time for combat. In order for 
  the player character to hit an opponent with his 
  weapon, the player normally rolls the die against 
  the attribute Accurate. But if the character, for 
  example, masters the ability called Iron Fist he 
  can choose to roll against Strong instead. In the 
  same way, the ability Feint makes it possible to role 
  against the character’s value in Discreet and the 
  ability Dominate against the value in Persuasive. 
  To be sure of what applies in different situations 
  both the player and the Game Master must study 
  and learn how the various abilities operate. 
  The other complication has to do with the fact 
  that many challenges become easier or harder 
  depending on who or what the character interacts 
  with. Sneaking past a guard is for instance easier 
  or harder depending on how Vigilant the guard is. 
  And to hit an enemy with a sword can be more or 
  less difficult depending on how Quick the opponent 
  is. Rule-wise this is achieved by modifying the 
  value that the player must roll against, most often 
  in a way which is directly related to the attribute 
  values of the opponent. In concrete terms: If the 
  aforementioned guard has the mediocre value of 10 
  in Vigilant, no modification is made (±0); if the guard 
  is very absentminded and only has 5 in Vigilant, the 
  player gets to add 5 (+5) to the attribute he must 
  roll against; and should the guard be so alert that 
  he has 15 in Vigilant the player must subtract 5 (−5) 
  from the value he must roll against with the D20.
  Now, let us accompany the ogre Grumpa, the 
  example character in the Core Book, as she tries to 
  convince the caravan master Argasto that she should 
  be invited to tag along on the journey over the Titans 
  (see page 10). She is facing a guard, dressed in a scale 
  mail armor and carrying sword and shield. Grumpa 
  is of course equipped with her leather apron and 
  has armed herself with a long staff. 
  Relocating the scenario
  The basic premise of the adventure – the journey from Alberetor to Yndaros 
  – is pointless if the player characters are already in Ambria. If that is the 
  case, some changes must be made, but it is still possible to keep the core of 
  the adventure relatively intact.
  Tentatively the characters could instead depart from Yndaros, with Kar-
  vosti or Thistle Hold as the final destination. The mountain pass could be 
  made into a lengthy valley and the snowstorm in Chapter 3 into heavy rains 
  or a hailstorm. What to make of Chapters 1 and 2 is less evident; the theft of 
  the Sun Stone is less alarming if it does not threaten the caravan. But if one 
  or more characters are tasked with bringing the stone from an Ordo Magica 
  chapter to the destination, some of the narrative pressure still applies and 
  the scenes can run as intended. Chapter 3, which is based on the Iron Pact 
  hunting abominations, is relevant no matter where in Ambria or Davokar 
  the characters may be.
  3
  I N T R O D U C T I O N
  
  Concerning the ←
  The arrow pointing 
  leftwards and which is 
  used in the formula for 
  describing challenges 
  means ”modified by”. 
  Consequently, the for-
  mula [Quick←Accurate] 
  means “Quick modified 
  by (the opponent’s) 
  Accurate”, a modification 
  which can be either posi-
  tive (+) or negative (−).
  First the turn order must be determined – that 
  is, which of the two acts first – which is normally 
  decided by looking at the opponent’s value in Quick. 
  In this case both combatants have 10 in Quick, in 
  which case the order is instead determined by the 
  value in Vigilant. Grumpa has 9 in Vigilant, the 
  guard 11. Hence, the latter is first to act.
  However, the first turn differs somewhat from 
  those to come. Grumpa wields a weapon with the 
  quality Long, which means that she first of all gets to 
  make a free attack on the guard. The Game Master 
  tells Grumpa’s player to role a die against Accurate, 
  modified by the opponents Defense which is +1. The 
  player picks up a D20 and will try to get a result 
  which is under or equal to 11 (Accurate 10, modified 
  by the enemy’s Defense +1). The player rolls 14: the 
  guard deflects the staff with his shield and it hits 
  the ground. Time for the adversary to retaliate!
  The Game Master tells Grumpa’s player to roll 
  a die against her value in Defense, but modified 
  by the enemy’s Accurate which is 13 and therefore 
  gives a modification of −3. Ouch, the stout ogre is 
  in trouble since she only has 6 in Defense. Because 
  of the skilled opponent the player must roll under 
  or equal to 3 to avoid being hit (Defense 6, modified 
  by the enemy’s Accurate −3). The die lands on 7 and 
  Grumpa fails to parry the swing. But that does not 
  necessarily mean that she gets injured …
  The Game Master says that the guard’s sword 
  deals 4 in damage. Luckily Grumpa is well prepared 
  to handle that – she has the trait Robust which lets 
  her ignore 1D4 of Damage each time she is hit, and 
  she also has her apron that also protects for 1D4. 
  Grumpa’s player rolls 1 on the first D4 and 4 on 
  the second. When added together (1+4=5) and the 
  result has been subtracted from the damage of 4 it 
  shows that Grumpa is totally unharmed (Damage 
  4, minus Grumpa’s Armor 5 = less than 1). And now 
  it is her time to act!
  Instead of going for another swing with the staff 
  the player wants Grumpa to make use of the mys-
  tical power Confusion. The Game Master says that 
  a roll against Resolute has to be made, but without 
  modifications since the guard has 10 in Resolute 
  (±0 modifier). Hence, the player must roll under 
  or equal to 15 (Grumpa’s value in Resolute). The dice 
  lands on 4 and the confusion takes effect, but two 
  additional rolls must be made. First the player rolls 
  a D4 to determine how much temporary Corruption 
  Grumpa is afflicted by – she rolls a 3 and makes a note 
  of that on the character sheet. Second, the player 
  rolls a D6 to determine the effect of the Confusion 
  4
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  (see page 133 in the Core Rulebook). The outcome is a 
  2 which according to the power's description means 
  that the opponent becomes temporarily paralyzed.
  Next turn. This time around the length of 
  Grumpa’s weapon has no effect, but since the guard 
  is paralyzed it still is the ogre’s time to act. First the 
  Game Master says that a roll against Resolute must 
  be made (modification ±0), to see if the Confusion 
  will last for yet another turn. The die lands on 14 
  which means that she succeeds. With that done, 
  the ogre lifts her staff into the air and bashes down 
  on the enemy.
  The guard may be stunned but he gets to defend 
  himself just the same – the Confusion only makes 
  him lose his active actions, not the reactive ones 
  such as Defense. The Game Master says that the 
  same terms apply as before: the player must roll an 
  11 or less with the D20. The die lands on a 6. A hit!
  The Game Master tells the player of Grumpa 
  that the scale mail armor of the guard absorbs 3 in 
  damage. Grumpa’s staff deals 1D6 in damage and the 
  trait Robust makes it possible for the ogre to deal 
  1D4 of additional damage once each turn. Since the 
  fight is to be ended at “first blood”, the sum of the 
  two dice rolls must be more than 3 for Grumpa to 
  be victorious. The player rolls the D4 and gets a 2. 
  The tension is rising! The D6 lands on a 5. Hence, 
  the total damage is 2+5=7, out of which 4 points 
  (Damage 7, minus the opponent’s Armor 3) affects 
  the Toughness of the guard – a great hit that sends 
  the bold warrior staggering backwards.
  Grumpa smiles smugly, looks at Argasto and 
  mumbles: “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hit him that hard …”.
  A moment lAter ...
  Later on, Grumpa has been asked to find the thief 
  who has stolen the caravan’s vitally important 
  artifact: the Sun Stone (see page 23). A traveling 
  companion has helped her to track Keler to a ruined 
  windmill but is afraid to escort her all the way – the 
  capturing of the thief is a challenge that she must 
  deal with on her own. Grumpa’s player says that the 
  ogre sneaks her way towards the ruin. The Game 
  Master tells her to roll a die against [Vigilant −3]; 
  consequently the die must land on a number less 
  than or equal to 6 for Grumpa to succeed, since the 
  ogre has the value 9 in Vigilant. The player rolls a 
  5, and the Game Master informs her that Grumpa 
  notices a leghold trap hidden in her path under a 
  thin layer of undergrowth.
  After having sidestepped the trap Grumpa 
  sneaks closer to the windmill ruin. It is located 
  about 20 paces from the forest edge – precisely as 
  far as the ogre can get in one turn by using both 
  her actions for movement (see page 158 in the 
  Core Rulebook). Seeing that Grumpa is really bad 
  at moving quietly (value 5 in Discreet), the player 
  decides to make a run for it. The Game Master says 
  that it is time for a roll against [Discreet←Vigilant] 
  to determine if the person or persons inside the 
  ruin take notice of the onrushing ogre. That is 
  an impossible challenge, since Grumpa only has 
  5 in Discreet and the thief Keler has 15 in Vigilant, 
  meaning a modification of −5 (Discreet 5, modified by 
  −5 = 0). But Grumpa still makes it to the wall of the 
  ruin; Keler has spotted her but is taken by surprise 
  and unable to react until the start of the next turn.
  Just like in the fight against the caravan guard, 
  the values in Quick are not enough to determine the 
  turn order, but since the thief has 15 in Vigilant he 
  may act first. He leans out through a hole in the 
  ruin’s wall and shoots down at Grumpa.
  The Game Master tells the player to roll a die 
  against Defense with a −2 modification, because 
  Keler has 10 in Accurate and also an Advantage 
  over her (see page 162 in the Core Rulebook). The 
  player must roll 4 or under to avoid being hit by 
  the crossbow bolt fired by Keler. The dice lands on 
  an 8. The Game Master says that the bolt deals 7 in 
  damage (5, +2 for the advantage), after which the 
  player rolls 2D4 to determine the value of Grumpa’s 
  Armor – one D4 for the leather apron, and one for 
  the trait Robust. The result of the dice rolls turns 
  out to be 2+4=6. After having subtracted the sum 
  from the damage (7–6=1), it is shown that the ogre 
  takes one point in damage, which is noted on the 
  character sheet before it is Grumpa’s turn to act.
  From up above she can hear Keler starting to 
  reload the crossbow and how he desperately cries 
  (in the voice of the Game Master): “You will regret 
  this! The undead Mal-Rogan will find you and chop 
  you to pieces. Not even death could beat him; you 
  think you are a match for Mal-Rogan, the Master of 
  Death!?” Since nothing else is stated in the adven-
  ture, the Game Master tells the player that it only 
  takes one movement action to reach the top of the 
  ladder and thereby Keler. Why hesitate!?
  Grumpa storms up and the Game Master decides 
  that the cowardly Keler throws the crossbow to 
  the ground and raises his arms in the air. The ogre 
  searches his clothes and finds the Sun Stone in a 
  pocket inside the tunic. No die roll is required to 
  find the stone, but the Game Master tells the player 
  to roll a dice against Vigilant anyway, modified by −5. 
  The player rolls a 12 which means that the ogre fails.
  Hence, Grumpa continues to examine the thief’s 
  belongings without noticing the sounds from out-
  side – sounds from the robbers that Mal-Rogan has 
  sent to scout the windmill ruin and make sure that 
  the coast is clear …
  Attributes  
  and Modifiers
  Value 
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  Modifier
  +5
  +4
  +3
  +2
  +1
  ±0
  –1
  –2
  –3
  –4
  –5
  5
  I N T R O D U C T I O N
  
  Premade Characters
  the promised lAnd can be played with any kind of 
  characters but it is balanced for the ones described 
  below. The three Ambrians – Orlan, Bartolom and 
  Ansel – are particularly suitable for new players, 
  since none of them have been north of the Titans 
  and know as little about Ambria as the players 
  themselves. The barbarians Kvarek and Karla as 
  well as the ogre Rageor, the changeling Niha and 
  the goblin Fenya originate from the north but do 
  not know much more about Ambria and Korinthia's 
  rule than the newcomers.
  Kvarek, barbarian mercenary
  “What’s in it for me?”
  You have walked the path of steel from early child-
  hood, as a member of the proud clan Jezora. But ever 
  since your clan was annihilated by Ambrian forces 
  a dozen years ago you have wandered alone – most 
  likely as the only surviving Jezite. You have leased 
  your weapon to the highest bidder, Ambrian or 
  barbarian, but the constant warring has begun 
  to eat at your soul. And you are plagued by a nag-
  ging conscience due to the fact that you survived 
  when your brothers and sisters followed Chieftain 
  Haloban into death. It is time to retire.
  You are probably employed as a caravan guard, 
  hoping that it will prove to be a low-risk job that 
  lets you earn enough to eventually stop working 
  and settle down somewhere close to the forest of 
  Davokar. On the way south you may have befriended 
  some or all of Rageor, Niha, Karla and Fenya.
  Orlan of the House Daar, Pansar
  “You have my word!”
  You are the youngest son of a – besides you – extinct 
  house of nobility. The estates and your relatives 
  perished in the Great War; you were accepted into 
  the ranks of the Queen’s Pansars, thanks to your 
  skills and your family name. After a time of service 
  you have had enough of patrols and drills, and have 
  resigned from the knights’ guard in order to find a 
  purpose in life, perhaps even the strength to rebuild 
  your house from its ruined state.
  You may very well have stayed behind in 
  Alberetor as a member of the rearguard while the 
  Queen and her people traveled over the mountains, 
  possibly because you have a hard time leaving the 
  tombs and lands of your family. Bartolom and Ansel 
  can be old acquaintances of yours, maybe from the 
  battlefield during the last clashes of the Great War.
  Rageor, ogre berserker
  “Annoy me not!”
  Many years ago you came wandering through 
  Davokar nameless and blank, and were taken in 
  by a witch who taught you to speak and behave. She 
  never gave you a name, aware that you do not need 
  one – after all, you know who you are and that is 
  enough. Instead the servant of the witch named you, 
  with a nickname to suit your temperament. Since 
  then you have been known as Rageor, and when 
  the witch died of old age you left the forest behind.
  KvAreK
  Race
  Human (barbarian)
  Traits
  Contacts (sellswords)
  Accurate 15, Cunning 9, Discreet 7, Persuasive 
  5, Quick 13, Resolute 10, Strong 11, Vigilant 10
  Abilities
  Bodyguard (novice),  
  Man-at-arms (novice),  
  Shield Fighter (adept)
  Weapons
  Dagger 1D4 (short), Bow 1D6, 
  Sword 1D8, Shield bash 1D4 
  (+chance to knock-down)
  Armor
  Crow armor 1D6 (Impeding)
  Defense
  11 (shield)
  Toughness
  11
  Pain Threshold
  6
  Equipment
  Pipe and tobacco, dice set, camp 
  equipment, weapon maintenan-
  ce kit, 9 shillings
  Shadow
  Blooming green (corruption: 0)
  orlAn of the house dAAr
  Race
  Human (Ambrian)
  Traits
  Privileged
  Accurate 11, Cunning 7, Discreet 5, Persuasive 
  13, Quick 10, Resolute 10, Strong 15, Vigilant 9
  Abilities
  Dominate (novice),  
  Leader (adept),  
  Two-handed force (novice)
  Weapons
  Dagger 1D4 (short), Sword 1D8, 
  Two-handed sword 1D12
  Armor
  Fortified chainmail 1D8  
  (Impeding)
  Defense
  6 (dodge) or 7 (shield)
  Toughness
  15
  Pain Threshold
  8
  Equipment
  Pouch with soil from the family 
  residence in the south, camp 
  equipment, weapon maintenan-
  ce kit, 1 thaler and 5 shillings
  Shadow
  Gleaming silver (corruption: 0)
  6
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  There seems to be much to learn about the 
  world. You may have ended up south of the Titans 
  by chance (“What lies down south?”), or because 
  you previously befriended Fenya, Karla or Kvarek 
  and just tagged along. A thrilling alternative is that 
  the witch who raised you may have been killed by 
  Templars. If that is the case you may very well be 
  hunted by both witches and Black Cloaks who wish 
  to know more about what the witch was doing or 
  why she died.
  Ansel, theurg
  “Begone, skeptic!”
  You are a servant of the faith schooled in the Church 
  of Prios, also a priest mage, one of few selected by 
  Prios to be the light in the world. Your conviction 
  may be unwavering, but your relationship to the 
  Church is not: intrigues fester behind closed doors, 
  sharp elbows and pure defamations are not uncom-
  mon in the struggle for positions in the Church 
  hierarchy. You constantly struggle to determine 
  what is the actual will of Prios and what is part of 
  your superiors’ schemes.
  You are determined to stay a champion of the 
  former and refuse to get dragged into the latter. 
  You were probably one of those who stayed behind 
  in Alberetor, by choice or on order, to look after 
  some ancient temple to the Sun God. Now you have 
  been called to close the temple gates for good and 
  join your brothers and sisters up north. You are 
  possibly familiar with Orlan and Bartolom, maybe 
  after having served for a time in the same unit of 
  Queen Korinthia’s proud army.
  Bartolom, Wizard of Ordo Magica
  “Interesting, this must be scrutinized.”
  You are a novice in Ordo Magica, Ambria’s biggest 
  and most influential order of wizardry. When all 
  others journeyed north you and your master stayed 
  in Alberetor to study the dying earth, although you 
  wanted nothing more than to tag along in search 
  for the truth behind rumors about Davokar’s herbs 
  and the magic of barbarian witches. Now that your 
  master is dead it is time to put that plan into action. 
  The first step is to locate your old colleague, Master 
  Vernam who is said to live in Thistle Hold.
  The last thing your departed master asked of 
  you was to bring the one true treasure of your 
  tower to Grand Master Seldonio in Yndaros – the 
  ancient artifact known as the Sun Stone. Once that 
  is done you are free to do whatever you like, but 
  you probably contemplate joining the chapter in 
  Thistle Hold. You may be friends or acquainted 
  with Orlan or Ansel.
  Ansel
  Race 
  Human (Ambrian)
  Traits 
  Contacts (the Sun Church)
  Accurate 13, Cunning 10, Discreet 5, Persuasive 
  15, Quick 7, Resolute 11, Strong 9, Vigilant 10
  Abilities 
  Leader (adept), Theurgy (nov-
  ice), Witch Hammer (novice)
  Weapons 
  Dagger 1D6 (short),  
  Warhammer 1D8
  Armor 
  Priest robes (flexible)
  Defense 
  9 (shield)
  Toughness 
  10
  Pain Threshold
   5
  Equipment
  Warn copy of the Lightbringer 
  (the holy book of Prios), camp 
  equipment, 1 thaler and 3 
  shillings
  Shadow 
  Shimmering gold, like the sun 
  reflecting off a silver mirror 
  (corruption: 0)
  bArtolom
  Race 
  Human (Ambrian)
  Traits 
  Privileged
  Accurate 10, Cunning 13, Discreet 5, Persuasive 
  10, Quick 11, Resolute 15, Strong 9, Vigilant 7
  Abilities 
  Alchemy (novice), Beast Lore 
  (novice), Brimstone Cascade 
  (novice), Medicus (novice), 
  Wizardry (novice)
  rAgeor
  Race
  Ogre
  Traits
  Long-lived, Pariah,  
  Robust (novice)
  Accurate 10, Cunning 9, Discreet 5, Persuasive 
  7, Quick 11, Resolute 13, Strong 15, Vigilant 10
  Abilities
  Berserker (novice),  
  Twin Attack (adept)
  Weapons
  Dagger 1D6+1D4 (short),  
  2 swords 1D8+1D4
  Armor
  Leather apron 1D4 (Impeding)
  Defense
  8 (parry)
  Toughness
  15
  Pain Threshold
  8
  Equipment
  Self-made flute that only plays in 
  minor, 4 ortegs
  Shadow
  Dark green like moss  
  (corruption: 0)
  7
  I N T R O D U C T I O N
  
  Magdala, barbarian witch
  “The spirits want it so.”
  You grew up in the shadow of Karvosti, the plateau 
  of the High Chieftain in Davokar. Your initiation 
  ended in tragedy as the ritual was cut short by an 
  abomination sprung forth from the forest deep. 
  In the fight you found your inner beast, and 
  because of that the leader of your hex circle has 
  sent you south. You are deemed to be able to defend 
  yourself against the depraved Ambrians, should 
  the need arise. Your mission is to observe and to 
  report back to the hex circle. Davokar is about 
  to awaken, in part because of the newcomers, 
  and the forces that work for a wakening must be 
  found and fought.
  The Huldra on Karvosti is interested in every-
  thing related to the people of the Queen and 
  may have tasked you with studying the ruined 
  south in order to gain a better understanding of 
  the Ambrians’ past. In order to avoid unwanted 
  attention you may claim to be exiled after having 
  violated some taboo. Or you may actually have 
  broken some vow and willfully chosen to lay low 
  far from the witches’ territory. You have probably 
  met and familiarized yourself with others who 
  have traveled south, most likely the barbarians 
  Kvarek and Karla or Elder Folks like Rageor, Niha 
  and Fenya.
  Niha, changeling con artist
  “You won’t regret it!”
  You were exchanged for your parents’ firstborn in 
  a barbarian settlement, and from there it only got 
  worse. “Mother” and “Father” had you work as an 
  apprentice of the village tanner and sent you away 
  as soon as your heritage became apparent. Since 
  then you have learned to manage on your own, 
  but you have always wondered why your elven kin 
  gave you up. 
  You have traveled the countryside of Ambria 
  hoping to find answers, or at least some other 
  outcasts to form some sort of communion with. 
  If all else fails you have heard of a human named 
  Vernam, who lives in Thistle Hold and is said to 
  know much about elves.
  You may have ended up south of the mountains 
  for various reasons, but most likely as the traveling 
  companion of Rageor, Magdala or Fenya. If you 
  have any friends it is because they are outsiders 
  or because they may have knowledge about the elves 
  that once abandoned you to the humans.
  Weapons 
  Dagger 1D6 (short),  
  Walking staff 1D6 (long)
  Armor 
  Blessed robe 1D4 (flexible)
  Defense 
  11
  Toughness 
  10
  Pain Threshold
   5
  Equipment 
  The Sun Stone (artifact, see 
  page 23), camp equipment, aged 
  sherry, 3 herbal cures, 3 thaler 
  and 9 shillings
  Shadow 
  Fiery copper (corruption: 0)
  mAgdAlA
  Race
  Human (barbarian)
  Traits 
  Bushcraft
  Accurate 10, Cunning 9, Discreet 7, Persuasive 
  5, Quick 13, Resolute 15, Strong 11, Vigilant 10
  Abilities 
  Natural Warrior (novice),  
  Shapeshift (adept),  
  Witchcraft (novice)
  Weapons 
  Dagger 1D6 (short), Claws  
  (in animal form) 1D8 (short)
  Armor 
  Witch gown 1D4 (flexible),  
  Skin 1D4 (in animal form)
  Defense 
  13
  Toughness 
  11
  Pain Threshold
   6
  Equipment 
  Camp equipment, 2 thaler  
  and 7 shillings
  Shadow 
  Red with a few flakes of rust 
  (corruption: 1)
  nihA
  Race 
  Changeling
  Traits 
  Long-lived, Shapeshifter (novice)
  Accurate 10, Cunning 7, Discreet 15, Persuasive 
  13, Quick 11, Resolute 9, Strong 5, Vigilant 10
  Abilities 
  Backstab (novice), Feint (adept)
  Weapons 
  Dagger 1D6 (short),  
  Walking staff 1D6 (long)
  Armor 
  Studded leather 1D4 (Impeding)
  Defense 
  9
  Toughness 
  10
  Pain Threshold
   3
  Equipment 
  Straw doll found by your crib 
  (presumably left by the elves), 
  camp equipment, 11 shilling and 
  3 ortegs
  Shadow 
  Polished brass (corruption: 0)
  8
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  Karla, barbarian Ranger
  “Silence, let the tracks tell their tale.”
  You are originally from Eastern Davokar but live 
  in exile after a bloody misunderstanding with the 
  son of the clan chieftain. The chieftain has many 
  sons left but still holds a grudge, which is why you 
  decided to explore the world outside Davokar. In 
  truth you did not have much of a choice.
  Two of your problems were solved when you got 
  employed with one of the caravans traveling back 
  and forth over the Titans: for one thing it brings 
  you far away from any vengeful relatives of the boy 
  you slew, second it provides a welcome addition to 
  your coin purse. You may have befriended other 
  characters on the road south across the mountain, 
  for example Kvarek, Rageor, Niha or Fenya.
  Fenya, goblin treasure-hunter
  “There you are, my precious treasure!”
  You were born and raised in the goblin village of 
  Karabbadokk, where your family settled down 
  when the rest of the tribe joined a band of robbers 
  held up in the forests of Mervidun. When you 
  could not find work in Thistle Hold, the alluring 
  city in which you never got to set foot, you left 
  Karabbadokk in search of a better life. You have 
  to make haste – you have already reached the age 
  of five and life is short!
  On your way south you met a grumpy old sow 
  which you ensnared with your goblin magic and 
  named Kverula. Over a short period of time the two 
  of you have developed a deep love-hate relation-
  ship. Together with Kverula you have enlisted as 
  mule keeper on a southbound caravan. During the 
  journey you hope to recruit companions and gather 
  funds for arranging a treasure-hunt into Davokar. 
  Kvarek as well as Rageor, Magdala, Niha and Karla 
  may very well have been approached on the topic, 
  already on the road towards the dead lands below 
  the mountains.
  KArlA
  Race
  Human (barbarian)
  Traits 
  Bushcraft
  Accurate 5, Cunning 7, Discreet 11, Persuasive 9, 
  Quick 13, Resolute 10, Strong 10, Vigilant 15
  Abilities 
  Acrobatics (adept), Marksman 
  (novice), Sixth sense (novice)
  Weapons 
  Crossbow 1D12,  
  Dagger 1D6 (short),  
  Handaxe 1D8
  Armor 
  Hardened leather 1D4 (Impeding)
  Defense 
  11
  Toughness 
  10
  Pain Threshold
   5
  Equipment 
  Camp equipment, hunting  
  snares, fishing rod, quiver with 
  12 bolts, 6 shillings and 6 ortegs
  Shadow 
  Green like baby leaves  
  (corruption: 0)
  fenYA
  Race 
  Goblin
  Traits 
  Pariah, Short-lived,  
  Survival instinct (novice)
  Accurate 10, Cunning 5, Discreet 13, Persuasive 
  7, Quick 15, Resolute 9, Strong 11, Vigilant 10
  Abilities 
  Polearm mastery (adept),  
  Ritualist (novice, Familiar)
  Weapons 
  Dagger 1D6 (short),  
  Spear 1D10 (long)
  Armor 
  Leather gown 1D4 (Impeding)
  Defense 
  13
  Toughness 
  11
  Pain Threshold
   6
  Equipment 
  Camp equipment, 3 ortegs
  Shadow 
  Red as oxygenated blood  
  (corruption: 0)
  KverulA, the wild sow
  Race 
  Beast (sow)
  Traits 
  Armored (I), Natural weapon (I)
  Accurate 11, Cunning 7, Discreet 9, Persuasive 5, 
  Quick 13, Resolute 10, Strong 15, Vigilant 10
  Weapons 
  Tusks 1D6 (short)
  Armor 
  Skin 1D4 (flexible)
  Defense 
  13
  Toughness 
  15
  Pain Threshold
   8
  Shadow 
  Yellowish red, like aspen leaves 
  in the fall (corruption: 0)
  On gender and names
  Feel free to change the gender of the premade characters if you wish. 
  Below are suggested names for the example characters with their genders 
  switched: Kvarek becomes Kvara, Orlan becomes Oria, Ansel becomes  
  Anselma, Bartolom becomes Bartala, Magdala becomes Magbrod, Niha 
  becomes Niho and Karla becomes Karlas. Both Rageor and Fenya remains 
  the same regardless of the character's gender.
  9
  I N T R O D U C T I O N
  
  Onwards to Yndaros
  the plAYer ChArACters have for different reasons ended up in a caravan camp 
  just south of the Titans. The camp spans a vast area, vegetated by slender trees 
  whose leaves have started to shift in autumnal nuances. About forty wagons are 
  parked in a random pattern and between them tents have been raised. Most of 
  the tents are tiny and weathered but a few of them look like small palaces made 
  of cloth – evidently belonging to some of the nobles who have waited until the last 
  moment to leave their estates. In a dozen places fires are burning day and night, 
  some of them surrounded by logs, other by more or less sloppily crafted benches.
  most of the people in the camp give face to a mix-
  ture of sorrow, relief and hope. They are sad to have 
  to leave the place where their family has lived for 
  generations, where their ancestors are buried and 
  where so much of themselves is tied to the earth, 
  the landscape and the now abandoned buildings. 
  They are relieved to finally be on their way, to have 
  left the ash deserts of the south and reached the 
  still living soils of the mountain region. And the 
  hope they feel can be seen in their slightly curved 
  lips; the hope that the world north of the Titans 
  shall prove to be as flourishing and welcoming as 
  everybody says.
  Scene 0: Beginnings
  whether or not the player characters are 
  acquainted with each other, it is suggested that they 
  happen to meet while gathering around the same fire 
  at the border of the camp. By the fire is also one or 
  more of the persons who are to become their traveling 
  companions, possibly the talkative coachman Telk, 
  maybe also the pathfinders Belun and Ludo.
  The persons around the fire prepare their supper 
  and discuss the latest in a long list of bad news: all 
  The Lost Land
  Player characters who have been raised in some part of Alberetor or have 
  been there some time all carry dark and haunting memories from the 
  journey to the camp. 
  South of the camp the ground still has vigor enough to nourish vegeta-
  tion, but the crops soon to be harvested are not what they once were. The 
  fields are sparsely vegetated by pale stalks with shrunken ears of grain; the 
  orchards that used to be full of apples, lemons and sweet plums are all but 
  naked; and scrawny cattle can be seen everywhere, grazing in the all but 
  naked fields, roaming wild after being left adrift by their previous owners 
  and caretakers.
  The ones who come from a place further south or out east have 
  witnessed even darker scenes. In those places the soil is blackened and 
  completely lifeless, often transformed into dusty deserts incapable of 
  absorbing water from either rains or rivers. Abandoned cities, deserted 
  residencies and castles, ghostly farms whose livestock enclosures are 
  occupied by nothing other than carcasses – Alberetor is dead and all but 
  gone. All that is left is what the people of Queen Kortinthia carry with them 
  on the journey over the mountains.
  10
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  caravan owners have decided to make ready for 
  winter on the south side of the Titans, because of 
  the rapidly approaching snows. The question is if 
  they are right in assuming that the mountain passes 
  soon will be closed off or if there still is a chance to 
  make it through before the winter reigns supreme. 
  There is also time to talk about other things. The 
  coachman Telk (or whomever makes the characters 
  company) is a curious fellow and is not afraid to 
  ask his new acquaintances where they are from 
  and where they are going – a great opportunity for 
  the players to “get to know” their own characters 
  and introduce them to one another.
  After a while, yet another person joins the circle 
  around the fire, Telk’s friend Keler. He is visibly 
  exited and leans in to whisper something in the ear 
  of the coachman. The character who succeeds with 
  a roll against Vigilant can make out the essentials: 
  there is one caravan owner who has decided to brave 
  the danger and dare an attempt to reach Ambria 
  before the snows.
  If none of the characters should hear what is 
  said they will probably still understand what is 
  going on – Telk brightens up like a midsummer 
  sun, excuses himself and rushes to his tent to pack 
  his belongings. The player characters can either 
  extort the truth from the weak-willed Keler with 
  a successful roll against [Persuasive +5], or they 
  can without further ado tag along with the duo as 
  they walk towards the northern part of the camp. 
  There Master Argasto is preparing to leave, as soon 
  as the next morning comes.
  Scene 1: The Tryout
  ArgAsto sits in his pavilion inspecting the 
  inventory for the trip. At the same time he takes 
  the opportunity to interview potential companions. 
  Outside a small line has formed, and in front of the 
  characters stands Telk and Keler, maybe also Belun 
  and Ludo. Both these couples can brag about having 
  survived a number of trips over the Titans and will 
  consequently leave the tent with bright smiles on 
  their lips. Then it is time for the player characters 
  to enter the pavilion.
  Master Argasto – a plump man in his fifties with 
  rose-red cheeks, dressed in baggy clothes of felts 
  and skins – ogles them briefly before returning to 
  his list of equipment with a short: “Well?”. It is now 
  up to the player characters to try to convince the 
  caravan owner that they are suitable for a place in 
  the traveling company, and that they will prove to 
  be more useful than troublesome. When they have 
  made their arguments he looks up: “Can you defend 
  yourselves? I am not convinced …”
  He stresses that there is a limit to the num-
  ber of people he can accommodate, and the ones 
  who receive a spot need to be “individuals of 
  importance”, meaning persons who improve his 
  chances to get the wagons across the mountains. 
  If the characters want to tag along they must prove 
  themselves worthy by participating in a fighting 
  test against some of his loyal caravan guards. He 
  is not suggesting a fight to the death, only to “first 
  blood”. Hence, the combatant who receives 1 point 
  of damage or more to his or her Toughness must 
  step aside and admit defeat.
  The fighting test takes place in light of the great 
  fire outside Argasto’s tent, and before it starts 
  the caravan owner loudly proclaims that he does 
  not want to see a slaughter. Bruises and cuts are 
  acceptable; more severe injuries must be avoided 
  at all costs since he needs everyone fit to travel by 
  morning! Whatever the outcome of the combat 
  may be, Argasto will accept all player characters 
  as traveling companions – he enjoyed the perfor-
  mance, even if they were defeated by the guards.
  Caravan Guard
  “I’ll be careful, I promise ...”
  A group of women and men (numbering as many 
  as the player characters +1) of Ambrian origin, 
  that all have survived a number of journeys over 
  the mountains. They are tough fighters that never 
  back down from a fight, even if they are lacking 
  somewhat in terms of personal skill.
  Manner
  In the descriptions of 
  non-player characters 
  and creatures there is 
  a characteristic called 
  Manner. What is written 
  there is a suggestion on 
  how the Game Master 
  can portray the person or 
  creature in a way which 
  both says something 
  about the NPC and 
  makes it easier for the 
  players to distinguish 
  between the figures they 
  meet.
  Manner
  Grins confidently, swings their 
  swords provokingly
  Race 
  Human (Ambrian)
  Resistance 
  Weak
  Traits 
  Contacts (caravan guards)
  Accurate 13 (−3), Cunning 7 (+3),  
  Discreet 5 (+5), Persuasive 9 (+1), Quick 10 (0), 
  Resolute 10 (0), Strong 15 (−5), Vigilant 11 (−1)
  Abilities 
  None
  Weapons 
  Sword 4
  Armor 
  Scalemail 3 (Impeding)
  Defense 
  +2 (shield)
  Toughness 
  15
  Pain Threshold
   8
  Equipment 
  1D10 shilling, chewing tobacco
  Shadow 
  Unpolished copper (corruption: 0)
  Tactics: The player character that seems biggest 
  and strongest is initially attacked by two guards. 
  Remaining guards move against one character 
  each.
  11
  1
  O N W A R D S  T O  Y N D A R O S
  
  In the Company  
   of Thieves
  the seCond ChApter deals with the hunt for and confrontation with a thief 
  who is bold enough to steal the Sun Stone – an artifact that the caravan will have 
  a hard time managing without as the winter takes its hold. Aside from a more 
  or less challenging combat sequence the chapter also includes various forms 
  of simpler problem-solving. The characters need to find out who the thief is, 
  interrogate his acquaintances and finally track the scoundrel through the wilds. 
  While trailing the thief they are at risk of triggering a trap and when they catch 
  up to him there is the problem of approaching his hideout without being targeted.
  ArgAsto’s CArAvAn has left the camp and the 
  journey north has begun. The landscape is still 
  forested, often so densely that the characters cannot 
  see more than trees and the wobbling wagons on 
  the road ahead. The journey goes slowly upwards, 
  winding between wooded hills and shallow can-
  yons. At times the wagons reach a crest from where 
  towering mountains can be seen further north. 
  The sun shines from a clear blue sky, as if the Sun 
  God Prios has heard the travelers’ prayers for good 
  weather conditions. Even Argasto seems at ease: 
  “The Lawgiver’s face smiles warmly over the pass; that 
  bodes well.”
  At dusk it is as usual time to make camp, and 
  the caravan forms a corral. The Ordo Magica novice 
  Bartolom walks off to wash the road dust away in a 
  nearby stream and shortly after that a cry is heard. 
  The voice is Bartolom’s: “Thieves, thieves!”
  While the novice was bathing someone sneaked 
  up and went through his coat – the Sun Stone was 
  taken from an inside pocket! With the artifact gone 
  the caravan may not be able to keep warm if the 
  worst happens high up in the mountains. Argasto 
  tells it like it is: “Retrieve the Sun Stone or we must 
  turn back, favored by Prios or not!”
  Scene 2: Find the Thief
  it is eAsY for the characters to identify the thief, 
  but harder to catch up to him. The villain is a mule 
  keeper called Keler who has gone missing. His 
  wagon team does nothing to try to hide his absence, 
  quite the opposite. However, his best (and only) 
  friend Telk is withholding some information, if 
  he cannot be persuaded otherwise.
  There are two ways of finding the thief: they 
  can either trail him from the crime scene, or they 
  can convince the wagon team to speak up. After 
  all, the Sun Stone may prove to be essential for the 
  survival of them all.
  12
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  persuAding the thief’s friend 
  (Quick solution)
  Keler was part of a larger team but he primarily 
  confided in another mule keeper, Telk. Telk knows 
  that Keler is a thief and a liar but found the friend-
  ship heartening; he must be persuaded if he is to 
  divulge any leads as to the whereabouts of Keler. 
  Characters speaking to Telk (many can confirm 
  that he was the one closest to Keler) have to pass a 
  die roll against Persuasive to get information from 
  the mule keeper: “Keler mentioned some kind of hide-
  out hereabout; I can point you in the right direction”. 
  That being done the trailing will become easier 
  (see below).
  trAiling the thief 
  (Long Solution)
  The thief has left tracks that can be followed from 
  the crime scene (the place on the riverbank where 
  Bartolom left his coat). Keler has made an effort 
  to hide the tracks and has also rigged a trap at the 
  end of the trail (the trap is described in Scene 3)
  To trail the thief to the windmill ruin takes two 
  successful dice rolls against [Vigilant←Discreet]. 
  Each player gets one try; start with the one who is 
  most Vigilant. Only one successful roll is needed if 
  Telk gave them the clue.
  An alternative to tracking is to try to sense 
  the direction to the Sun Stone by mystical means 
  (characters with the ability Witchsight or some 
  mystical power may try). In that case they may 
  roll against [Resolute –5] the first time and [Resolute 
  –3] the second to locate the ruin. The attempt can 
  be made even if the characters earlier have failed 
  to track Keler.
  When two rolls have been successfully made 
  (only one is needed if they have Telk’s clue from 
  Scene 2−1) the characters arrive at the windmill 
  ruin, where the second-rate thief Keler is waiting 
  for his companions.
  Scene 3: Retrieving the Sun Stone
  Keler hAs rigged a mechanical leghold trap which 
  is triggered if someone is inattentive enough to step 
  on it. The characters detect the trap if the one who 
  walks first makes a successful roll against [Vigilant 
  −3]. When spotted the trap is easily avoided.
  If the trap is triggered two things happen: The one 
  who triggers it must pass a roll against [Quick −3] or 
  take 4 in damage, and if damage is dealt the character 
  gets caught until passing a roll against [Strong –3].
  Whether or not someone gets damaged, the trap 
  makes such a loud noise that Keler knows they are 
  coming. If so, determine the turn order and start 
  the fight with ranged weapons. Keler is at the top 
  of the ruin with his crossbow loaded and ready.
  If the trap is not sprung, the characters may 
  try to sneak up to and inside the ruin. For that a 
  successful role against [Discreet –5] is needed, and 
  remember that some armors may give further 
  negative modifications. All who try to sneak must 
  pass or Keler will notice them and start shooting 
  at them with the crossbow.
  Keler, Second-rate thief
  “Please let me go, I will never steal again!”
  Keler sees himself as a misunderstood genius and 
  in particular as a misjudged master thief. Due 
  to his curiosity and watchfulness he took notice 
  of Bartolom’s treasure, when the novice pulled 
  it out of his pocket to warm his frozen fingers. 
  In order to prove his superiority Keler decided to 
  pinch the artifact and make for the hideout of the 
  gang of robbers he once was a member of. There he 
  is determined to wait for his former companions 
  to arrive, hoping that they will regret kicking him 
  out when he hands them the Sun Stone. The best 
  plan he has had in years, according to himself.
  Manner
  Shifty eyes, stutters
  Race 
  Human (Ambrian)
  Resistance 
  Weak
  Traits 
  Contacts (outlaws)
  Accurate 10 (0), Cunning 13 (−3),  
  Discreet 11 (−1), Persuasive 7 (+3), Quick 10 (0), 
  Resolute 5 (+5), Strong 9 (+1), Vigilant 15 (−5)
  Abilities 
  None
  Weapons 
  Crossbow 5, Dagger 3 (short)
  Armor 
  Leather cuirass 2 (Impeding)
  Defense 
  +2
  Toughness 
  10
  Pain Threshold
   5
  Equipment 
  The Sun Stone, 3 thaler,  
  lucky charm (dysfunctional),  
  12 bolts in a quiver
  Shadow 
  Darkened silver (corruption: 0)
  Tactics: Keler fires his crossbow and pulls his 
  dagger if backed into a corner. But as soon as 
  it is evident that he will get hurt, he throws his 
  weapons away and pleads for his life.
  Bartolom as a 
  player character
  If Bartolom is under 
  the control of a player 
  some adjustments may 
  have to be made. One 
  alternative is to have 
  another Ordo Magica 
  novice along for the ride 
  (Edira) and it is she who 
  carries and gets robbed 
  of the Sun Stone. An-
  other way to handle it 
  is to have the thief pick 
  the pocket of the player 
  character, maybe when 
  he is sleeping or when 
  someone has taken 
  the opportunity to spill 
  soup on his cloths so 
  that he has to change.
  13
  2
  I N  T H E  C O M P A N Y  O F  T H I E V E S
  
  If the player characters close in on the ruin 
  Keler shouts: “You will regret this! The undead Mal-
  Rogan will find you and chop you to pieces. Not even 
  death could beat him; you think you are a match for 
  Mal-Rogan, the Master of Death!?” He will not enter 
  into melee. Instead he throws both himself and 
  the crossbow to the ground if the characters come 
  close. The Sun Stone is in his pocket.
  If Keler is brought back to the caravan he will be 
  the target of harsh words as well as of pebbles and 
  dirt. Argasto will deprive him of food and tools and 
  then send him into the wilderness as punishment 
  for his crime. If the player characters should suggest 
  some other form of reprimand, Argasto will concur 
  with the argument since it was they who found the 
  stone and captured the villain.
  SCene 3.1: mAl-rogAn Arrives
  If the Game Master is on a mean streak or if the 
  players choose to wait for Keler’s companions, a 
  raggedy band of robbers soon arrives from the south 
  along the overgrown footpath. A couple of robbers 
  act as scouts and the leader follows behind – Mal-
  Rogan may be undead but he is not stupid.
  Mal-Rogan, undead brigand chief
  “The Fire Stone is MINE!”
  The Queen’s guard Rogan Gorinder died in the war 
  against the Dark Lords. He got an arm chopped off 
  in combat, the wound festered and the healers were 
  powerless to neutralize the black blood infection 
  that coursed through his veins.
  But instead of dying, Rogan arose as an undead, 
  with puss dripping from his truncated arm and with 
  blackened veins visible on his neck and temples. 
  Why? No one knows, but Rogan took it as a dark sign 
  that he had been chosen for greatness. Nowadays the 
  robber baron calls himself Mal-Rogan and leads a 
  band of robbers in the mountains where he grew up, 
  dreaming of founding a veritable bandit kingdom.
  If the player characters cannot stop the blight-
  stricken nobleman he will make a name for himself 
  throughout the southern parts of Ambria, were he 
  roams around as a raving horror leaving desecrated 
  corpses in his wake.
  Expansion tip
  The undead Rogan can be used to complicate the life of the player characters 
  for a very long time. After the encounter at the windmill ruin he may come to 
  believe that the Sun Stone is vital for the success of his grandiose plans. If 
  so, he will most likely trail the characters, to Yndaros and beyond, and grow 
  into a remarkably tenacious nemesis. Prior to that he can appear when the 
  characters are threatened by the elves (see Chapter 3), offering to help if 
  they but give him the stone.
  Robbers, (as many as the pcs)
  “Your money or your… or you die!”
  Pansar Rogan and 
  Ambrian characters
  Player characters like 
  Orlan, Bartolom and 
  Ansel may very well 
  have met or even been 
  friends with Rogan in 
  the past, making for an 
  interesting reunion …
  Manner
  Speaks in a croaking voice, 
  tilting his head back and forth
  Race 
  Undead
  Resistance 
  Challenging
  Traits 
  Long-lived, Undead (I)
  Accurate 7 (+3), Cunning 5 (+5),  
  Discreet 9 (+1), Persuasive 10 (0), Quick 11 (−1), 
  Resolute 13 (−3), Strong 17 (−7), Vigilant 10 (0)
  Manner
  Stares with misty eyes
  Race 
  Human (Ambrian)
  Resistance 
  Weak
  Traits 
  Bushcraft
  Accurate 13 (−3), Cunning 10 (0),  
  Discreet 15 (−5), Persuasive 7 (+3), Quick 10 (0), 
  Resolute 5 (+5), Strong 9 (+1), Vigilant 11 (−1)
  Abilities 
  None
  Weapons 
  Crossbow 5, Spear 4 (long)
  Armor 
  Leather cuirass 2 (Impeding)
  Defense 
  +2
  Toughness 
  10
  Pain Threshold
   5
  Equipment 
  5 shillings, card deck or dice set, 
  chewing tobacco, 6 bolts in a 
  quiver
  Shadow 
  Rusty iron (corruption: 2)
  Tactics: The robbers fire a salvo with their cross-
  bows before attacking with spears. They try to 
  stay alive while Mal-Rogan kills the enemies one 
  by one.
  Abilities 
  Curse (master), Exceptionally 
  Strong (adept), Iron Fist (adept)
  Weapons 
  Spiked club 6
  Armor 
  Fortified chainmail 4 (Impeding)
  Defense 
  +3
  Toughness 
  15
  Pain Threshold
   —
  Equipment 
  His own mummified hand in a 
  rusty chain around the neck  
  (artifact, see page 23), 4 thaler
  Shadow 
  Black as tar (corruption: 
  thoroughly corrupt)
  Tactics: Rogan lets his followers attack first, while 
  he puts a curse on what he believes to be the 
  toughest enemy. When the curse has taken effect 
  he moves in with his spiked club.
  14
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  15
  2
  I N  T H E  C O M P A N Y  O F  T H I E V E S
  2×2m
  2×2m
  N
  THE WINDMILL RUIN
  The Windmill was built long ago by some overly 
  optimistic baron, hoping to colonize the mountains. 
  Nowadays it is covered by moss and creepers and 
  the mid-level floors have caved in so that only the 
  stone-based top floor remains. The robbers use 
  a ladder to get up there, a ladder that is too tall to 
  be hoisted up or toppled inside the ruin. From the 
  windows of the top-floor you have a good view of 
  the surroundings.
  Leghold trap
  
  Toll of the Mountains
  the ChArACters Know nothing about it, but among their fellow travelers are 
  a couple of persons who have been active in the forest of Davokar, as pathfinders 
  for treasure-hunters from Thistle Hold. Because of that they have managed to 
  attract the interest of the Black Cloak Lestra, fallen out of favor with the Iron 
  Pact, and also attracted a horrible curse that already has killed most of their 
  previous companions. This third chapter describes what happens when the elves 
  of the Iron Pact catch up to their prey.
  the gAme mAster should note that Chapter 3 is of 
  a more open nature than the previous ones, thereby 
  more in line with how adventures normally are 
  designed for Symbaroum. The GM sets events in 
  motion (see Scene 4), then the it is up to the players 
  to take the rudder.
  The ability to respect the players’ initiatives is 
  crucial (the golden rule of being a Game Master). 
  Intense gaming moments occur due to the inter-
  action of player choices and the GM’s presentation 
  of the world. After the opening scene a number of 
  other scenes are described, but in which order they 
  will appear – or if they take place at all – is an open 
  question. Also remember the silver rule of the GM: 
  plans mean nothing, but planning is imperative! 
  The Game Master needs to understand the goals 
  of different agents and what they are prepared to 
  do in order to reach them; from that the sequence 
  of the scenes will be derived, based on the players’ 
  actions and the reactions of the Npcs.
  The Game Master’s Introduction
  some time Ago the two barbarian pathfinders 
  Belun and Ludo were active as treasure-hunters in 
  the city of Thistle Hold, close to the southern edge 
  of Davokar. When they learned that other members 
  of their most recent expedition had started to die in 
  horrible ways they fled. Some of their companions 
  died in silence, others were slain and some were 
  … transformed. They turned into abominations, 
  and as such they were of course killed by the city’s 
  watchmen and residents.
  As far as the brothers know the expedition they 
  took part in was a miserable failure – they never 
  reached the ruins of the deep and had to make do 
  with a smaller tomb closer to the forest’s edge. But 
  it seems that someone else views things differently. 
  Agents of the Iron Pact (an alliance of elves and 
  Elder Folks) believe that the members of the expe-
  dition are infected by the blight of Davokar – and 
  must be killed. The elves have trailed the brothers, 
  determined to slay them before the corruption they 
  carry affects others.
  And it does not help that the Black Cloak Lestra 
  who travels with the caravan starts suspecting that 
  something is not right with Belun. She is correct 
  to do so, because the pathfinder has begun to show 
  signs of a grave blight-sickness. Player characters 
  with the right abilities will soon be able to confirm 
  the suspicions of the Twilight Friar …
  16
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  The Players’ Introduction
  on the roAd up to the mountain pass the weather 
  continues to be favorable, even if the cold bites on 
  cheeks and fingers. The Sun Stone has not been 
  activated yet. By “the laws of magic”, which stip-
  ulate that every lit candle creates shadows, that 
  must not be done until truly called for. You who 
  have befriended Bartolom (or Edira) also sense that 
  the novice knows that waking the warmth of the 
  stone will come to affect the one doing so – another 
  reason for not waking it prematurely …
  Scene 4: The Price of Firewood
  sun stone or not, for the iron nights in the pass you 
  also need firewood. For that purpose the travelers 
  make short forays into the increasingly sparse 
  vegetation on the hills. Suddenly the roaring of a 
  beast is heard, soon merged with desperate cries 
  from humans. The characters are nearby and arrive 
  first on the scene. By then the following stage is set:
  A monstrous wolf (a successful roll against Beast 
  Lore: Hunger Wolf) stands snarling and drooling 
  in front of the two pathfinders and a Black Cloak. 
  Behind the monstrosity a number of smaller wolf 
  beasts have formed a half-circle (a successful roll 
  against Beast Lore: Jakaars).
  Consequently, the upcoming fight will involve 
  the characters and a group of enemies, one of which 
  is more dangerous (the hunger wolf) than the others 
  (the jakaars). The characters also have a couple of 
  Npcs on their side, to make use of in a tactically 
  sound manner.
  If the players refrain from giving orders (a roll 
  against Persuasive is needed if the order entails 
  facing the hunger wolf) the pathfinders will take 
  on the jakaars, while the Black Cloak heals them 
  (and searches them for signs of corruption). If so, 
  that fight can be handled summarily and without 
  rolling any dice; the main fight is the one between 
  the characters and the hunger wolf.
  Note that the pathfinders and the Black Cloak 
  Lestra can be hurt or struck down in this fight, but 
  are not supposed to die at this stage. The reason for 
  involving the trio in the scene is for the characters 
  to get to know them. Should the Game Master prefer 
  to swap them for other travelers who can die here, 
  please do so.
  Hunger Wolf, the elf scout Keri-Las 
  in her wolf shape
  Growls with bared teeth, then tries to attack 
  Ludo and Belun
  When the hunger wolf dies it transforms back 
  to its original shape.
  A severely battered elf lies on the ground, as 
  lifeless as the beast just killed by the characters. 
  She is dressed in a simple wool coat and carries no 
  weapon. In truth her name was Keri-Las and she 
  was a scout for the group that has been hunting 
  the brothers.
  She wears a nicely decorated bracelet round her 
  left upper arm. A player character with the ability 
  Loremaster who makes a successful roll against 
  Cunning realizes that it must be an ancient elven 
  oath ring; a symbol for the Iron Pact, supposedly 
  an age-old alliance or agreement between humans 
  and elves.
  Tracking the hunger wolf – respect the player initiative
  It is not unlikely that the players will want to backtrack the movement of the 
  hunger wolf, back to the elven camp. To do that the characters must make 
  three successful rolls against [Vigilant +5]. Start with the most skilled track-
  er of the group (the highest value in Vigilant), then let the others give it a try.
  Race 
  Elf (Summer elf)
  Resistance 
  Ordinary
  Traits 
  Armored (I), Natural weapon (I)
  Accurate 10 (0) , Cunning 7 (+3),  
  Discreet 5 (+5), Persuasive 9 (+1), Quick 15 (−5), 
  Resolute 13 (−3), Strong 11 (−1), Vigilant 10 (0)
  Abilities 
  Acrobatics (novice),  
  Natural Warrior (novice),  
  Shapeshift (adept)
  Weapons 
  Bite 4 (short)
  Armor 
  Wolf hide 2 (flexible)
  Defense 
  −5
  Toughness 
  11
  Pain Threshold
  6
  Equipment 
  An arm bracelet of rusted iron,  
  6 shillings
  Shadow 
  Blood red with a slightly coagula-
  ted rim (corruption: 3)
  Tactics: Keri-Las tries to get to the barbarian 
  scouts and will kill them if she cannot catch them 
  alive. She tries not to kill others (like the player 
  characters), but will hurt them if they stand in her 
  way.
  17
  3
  T O L L  O F  T H E  M O U N T A I N S
  
  Jakaar, (as many as the pcs)
  The jakaar is a canine pack animal, as prone to 
  capture its own prey as it is to eat from cadavers 
  left by other beats. The pack following Keri-Las 
  takes the chance of attacking together with the 
  hunger wolf.
  SCene 4.1: reACtions to the deAd elf
  If the hunger wolf dies during the battle, the char-
  acters have the corpse of an elf to dispose of. The 
  reactions of other travelers will depend on who 
  learns about what has happened, which of course is 
  decided by whom is present during the fighting and 
  who the player characters talk to after returning to 
  the base camp. Below is a recount of how the most 
  prominent individuals in the caravan will react to 
  the news, information that the Game Master can 
  use as a basis for the drama amongst the travelers.
  The player characters who successfully roll 
  against [Vigilant +3] notice that the sight of the 
  elf makes Belun and Ludo, the two pathfinders, 
  very nervous. They try to hide it by acting as if it 
  is raining, and they will not tell anyone else about 
  the corpse whether or not the characters ask them 
  to keep their mouths shut.
  The Black Cloak Lestra is apparently curious 
  about the corpse and asks out loud: “Who or what 
  was the hunger wolf out to get?” A successful test 
  against Vigilant reveals that she glances at the 
  barbarian brothers.
  If Argasto learns of what has happened and what 
  was hidden under the pelt of the hunger wolf he 
  becomes even more eager to get a move on: “Elves 
  are bad news, we must hurry to Yndaros, we’ll be 
  safe in the city of the Queen!”
  Bartolom/Edira can tell the others about the 
  bracelet carried by the corpse but has no opinion 
  on the matter. However, he/she is very interested in 
  the shapeshifting magic used by the elf: “It seems to 
  be some kind of elven witchcraft. Have I told you about 
  my own tradition, the order of Wizardry, which is a 
  refined version of the primitive practice of the witches?”
  Intermediary scene:  
  Stormnight
  the CArAvAn struggles up the steeper and steeper 
  road toward the pass. As the first crest is traversed 
  the wagons roll out onto a plateau, and suddenly the 
  weather changes for the worse. The wind picks up, 
  the sky grows dark and snow starts falling.
  Argasto orders the wagons to form a corral 
  for protection against the storming elements. A 
  character who has mastered the ability Witchsight 
  may roll against Resolute to realize that the storm 
  is conjured (the elf Godrai has used the ritual Turn 
  Weather) and the pc hears a wrathful voice singing 
  in the winds. If none of the pcs hear it, the Game 
  Master can let Lestra do so, if only for the effect.
  The travelers in the caravan cover any openings 
  on their wagons, put blankets over the huddled pack 
  animals and prepare for a long night in the cold.
  Scene 6: The Ultimatum
  when morning Comes the storm subsides. But 
  the situation is far from ideal; it is doubtful if the 
  caravan can continue since the snow lies deep across 
  the plateau. A brawling discussion erupts between 
  those who want to push onwards and those who 
  would rather not risk getting stuck down the road.
  Right then two shapes emerge out of the light 
  snowfall, two wanderers on foot approaching the 
  corral. The lookout Telk cries out: “Elves, I think it 
  is elves!”. The quarrel dies out, everything is silent.
  The first of the two elves introduces himself as 
  Godrai and his quiet friend as Saran-Ri. Godrai says: 
  “We want the ones called Belun and Ludo.” When asked 
  why he answers: “They have violated the treaties; they 
  have tunneled too deep into the soil of old Davokar. They 
  are blight-stricken and must be purged.”
  If the characters do not speak up and refuse to 
  hand over the pathfinders, Argasto will. Godrai’s 
  companion whispers something in the ear of the 
  leader, who responds calmly. And after the sibilant 
  conversation Godrai says: “I will have those two. Blood 
  will flow if you refuse. We will return at sundown.”
  The elves leave and the people of the caravan 
  are left to discuss the ultimatum.
  Whispering Elves
  The content of the 
  elven conversation 
  can be understood by 
  someone with the ability 
  Lore master (adept), if 
  they pass a test against 
  Cunning.
  Saran-Ri: “Let us strike 
  them all, we don’t know 
  who else is infected.”
  Godrai: “No, the two  
  are enough, no others.”
  And, if the PCs have 
  battled and beaten  
  the hunger wolf:
  Saran-Ri: “They slew  
  my Keri-Las.”
  Godrai: “I know, her  
  sacrifice will not be  
  forgotten. But the 
  killing ends with the 
  blight-stricken barbarians.  
  We won’t start a war today.”
  Saran-Ri: “Huh, you  
  know as I do that war is 
  inevitable. If not today …”
  Godrai: “Enough!”
  Saran-Ri growls  
  and backs away.
  Vigilant: There is some-
  thing beast-like in how  
  the elf moves (Saran-Ri  
  is also a shapeshifter).
  Race 
  Beast
  Resistance 
  Weak
  Traits 
  Armored (I), Natural weapon (I)
  Accurate 13 (−3), Cunning 7 (+3), Discreet 11 
  (−1), Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 15 (−5), Resolute 
  9 (+1), Strong 10 (0), Vigilant 10 (0)
  Abilities 
  None
  Weapons 
  Bite 3 (short)
  Armor 
  Wolf hide 2 (flexible)
  Defense 
  −5
  Toughness 
  10
  Pain Threshold
  5
  Equipment 
  None
  Shadow 
  Green like spring grass  
  (corruption: 0)
  Tactics: The jakaars trail the hunger wolf and 
  attack one opponent each (or the pathfinders if 
  the PCs take on the hunger wolf).
  18
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  Scene 7: Negotiations under the axe
  the CArAvAn CompAnions have to make up their 
  minds: do they hand the pathfinders Belun and 
  Ludo over or do they defend them when the elves 
  reappear? The caravan owner Argasto is full of 
  doubt but will be forced to make the final judgment. 
  Before he does, he wants to learn what others think 
  on the matter.
  The Black Cloak Lestra wants to put the brothers 
  in shackles and take them to the monastery of the 
  Twilight Friars on the northern slopes of the Titans, 
  where member of her order can “care for them if they 
  are sick”. The Black Cloaks are very interested in 
  everything related to the blight and corruption 
  of Davokar.
  Lestra will say and do whatever it takes to 
  make that happen. She is, for instance, willing to 
  lie about what Godrai and Saran-Ri whispered to 
  each other; she claims that they will kill everyone, 
  extradition or not, but that they would prefer to 
  have the two handed over first. Then all others 
  will die, for safety’s sake.
  The two barbarians are of course opposed to 
  being extradited; something that Ludo loudly 
  proclaims while Belun mutters it. The mule keeper 
  Telk wants the brothers to be surrendered: “Better 
  them than me!” Concurring mumbles and cries are 
  heard from many others in the caravan.
  The pcs will tip the scales. If they are for an 
  extradition Argasto decides in their favor, according 
  to scene 8−1: Extradition. If the player characters 
  are against it and recommend that the travelers 
  take up the fight against the elves, then Argasto 
  will reach a decision along those lines. If so, see 
  scene 8−2: Final Battle.
  If the decision is to hand them over, Lestra will 
  make a final attempt to persuade the player char-
  acters to reverse their choice: “You are seriously mis-
  taken if you believe this strengthens our position. Prios, 
  the One and the Giver of Laws, wants the corrupted 
  brought to Ambria, where my brothers and sisters will 
  care for them.” If the pcs are not susceptible to such 
  religious arguments she adopts a more practical 
  approach: “We can’t just hand them over, they must 
  be studied! The horrors of Davokar must be understood 
  if we are to fight them.” If the pcs still stand their 
  ground, then Lestra reluctantly accepts it.
  Scene 8: Extradition or Combat
  ArgAsto’s deCision on what to do with the 
  blight-stricken brothers either results in a fight 
  with the barbarians and an extradition (8−1), or 
  in a final battle between the people of the caravan 
  and the elves (8−2). Irrespective of what happens, 
  the caravan owner will likely need the help of all 
  capable companions.
  SCene 8−1: extrAdition
  When Belun realizes that he will be turned over to 
  the elves he enters the last stage of his condition. 
  This happens before the elves have returned to 
  demand their prize. Ludo will also put up a fight, 
  but seems to be as shocked as everyone else when 
  Belun transforms.
  What really happened
  If the PCs are afforded the opportunity to 
  question Ludo and manage to make him 
  speak (requires a successful roll against 
  Persuasive and credible threats) he has 
  the following story to tell: He and Belun 
  were hired as pathfinders by a group of 
  treasure-hunters, headed by an unpleasant 
  individual named Gorak and his second, 
  the changeling Alahara. 
  The group traveled deep into Davokar 
  but did not reach the planned target: the 
  darker parts of the forest and its well-pre-
  served ruins from the days of Symbaroum. 
  Instead they came across a smaller tomb, 
  the final resting place of a long dead barba-
  rian lord. The others in the team got away 
  with gold, jewelry and mystical objects; 
  all that Gorak wanted for himself was the 
  verdigris-covered copper crown worn by 
  the dead lord; a crown that had merged 
  with the cranium.
  Once returned to Thistle Hold, the 
  expedition’s members lived like kings for a 
  while. Then they started to die, or change 
  (if Belun already has changed, Ludo says 
  that the same happened to the others). 
  Gorak and Alahara disappeared after hav-
  ing talked to Lasifor Nightpitch, the Mayor 
  of the Hold. Then Belun started to feel as if 
  someone were watching him and they fled 
  to the south. 
  Ludo suddenly remembers another 
  detail: one evening by the fire everyone in 
  the expedition got to hold the cranium with 
  the crown. He recalls that the skull, despite 
  being dead, was warm to the touch and 
  that he for a moment felt as if its dead eyes 
  looked back at him in the glow from the 
  camp fire …
  19
  3
  T O L L  O F  T H E  M O U N T A I N S
  
  If Ludo survives and is handed over to the elves, 
  Saran-Ri will transform into a beamon (a huge bear 
  beast), bite hold of the barbarian and drag him away 
  in the abating storm. 
  The last the pcs see of the pathfinder is his 
  waving arms and desperate facial expression. 
  Soon they disappear from sight and moments later 
  the cries of Ludo go silent, either because they are 
  drowned out by the cold winds of the mountain 
  pass or because not even the blight-stricken can 
  make sounds when they have passed over into the 
  realm of the dead.
  Belun, blight born
  “I feel fine … no … no, nooooooo …”
  Belun dies a bloody death when something terrible 
  literally claws itself out of his skin: a towering crea-
  ture with bare muscles, with fingers transformed 
  into knifes of bone, and with outgrowths from the 
  cranium, as if it wore a pointy bone crown.
  The abomination is furious and famished, and 
  will kill indiscriminately until it is slain. In death 
  the body collapses into a bloody, shapeless heap 
  that rapidly begins to rot. All that remains is the 
  deformed cranium.
  Ludo, pathfinder
  “I am not sick, I barely touched the skull, I 
  promise!”
  Ludo wears a stigma as a sign of his growing cor-
  ruption – he has wounds that will not heal in the 
  creases of all bodily joints. Note that if Ludo is saved, 
  he too will sooner or later reach the same end as 
  Belun did. When Ludo is transformed the Game 
  Master can reuse the appearance and stats of Belun.
  SCene 8−2: finAl bAttle
  If the player characters do not speak up for surren-
  dering the pathfinders, Argasto decides to fight for 
  them. In that case, combat with the elves is inevitable.
  The elves are dangerous. Godrai is a summer 
  elf in full bloom and Saran-Ri a young summer elf 
  skilled in battle – which becomes apparent when the 
  fight begins. However, they are only out to get Belun 
  and Ludo; the pcs can surrender or flee at any time.
  The elves make their move at sundown. They take 
  aim on Belun and Ludo and will withdraw once the 
  barbarians are dead; they will not hunt those who run 
  or strike at persons that have surrendered. Argasto, 
  Lestra and the brothers will fight alongside the player 
  characters. There are two ways to handle the fight:
   
  ◆ the players get to handle one each of the above 
  mentioned individuals during the battle, 
  relieving the GM from that task.
   
  ◆ the player characters fight either Godrai or 
  Saran-Ri; the other elf is facing Argasto and 
  his companions. In this case the outcome of 
  both fights is decided by what happens in the 
  characters’ fight – if they win, both groups do; 
  if they fail, both fail.
  Ludo will do his utmost 
  in the fight against the 
  characters. However, 
  despite his barbarian 
  weaponry and appea-
  rance he is really not 
  that tough. 
  Manner
  First trembling with fear, then 
  trembling from the dark power 
  that surges through him
  Race 
  Abomination (Blight born)
  Resistance 
  Challenging
  Traits 
  Armored (I), Natural weapon (I), 
  Robust (I)
  Accurate 13 (−3), Cunning 9 (+1),  
  Discreet 7 (+3), Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 10 (0), 
  Resolute 11 (−1), Strong 15 (−5), Vigilant 10 (0)
  Abilities 
  Berserker (master),  
  Natural Warrior (master),  
  Man-at-arms (novice)
  Weapons 
  Claws 12/10 (short),  
  two attacks at the same target
  Armor 
  Tough flesh 5
  Defense 
  +2
  Toughness 
  15
  Pain Threshold
  8
  Equipment 
  None
  Shadow 
  Oozing black (thoroughly 
  corrupt)
  Tactics: The abomination that once was Belun 
  attacks the target which is biggest, closest or 
  did the most damage during the previous turn. 
  It never tries to defend itself and ignores the risk 
  of being hit by free attacks if passing enemies on 
  the way towards a particular target.
  Manner
  Blinking eyes, quavering voice
  Race 
  Human (barbarian)
  Resistance 
  Weak
  Traits 
  Bushcraft
  Accurate 10 (0), Cunning 9 (+1), Discreet 7 (+3), 
  Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 13 (−3), Resolute 10 
  (0), Strong 11 (−1), Vigilant 15 (−5)
  Abilities 
  None
  Weapons 
  Bow 4, Axe 4
  Armor 
  Leather armor 2 (Impeding)
  Defense 
  −2 (shield)
  Toughness 
  11
  Pain Threshold
   6
  Equipment 
  None
  Shadow 
  Moldy green with spots of grow-
  ing darkness (corruption: 9)
  Tactics: Ludo wants to survive and will do his 
  utmost in the fight against the PCs.
  20
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  Saran-Ri, elf of early summer
  “It always ends this way, with your blood on 
  the ground.”
  The shapeshifting elf comes rushing through the 
  snow in his beamon form, fully prepared to sac-
  rifice himself in order to kill the blight-stricken 
  barbarians.
  Godrai, elf of late summer
  “Give us what we want and you are free to go.”
  Godrai approaches riding on a huge elk, but dis-
  mounts before the battle. The characters who heard 
  a voice in the storm can tell that it was Godrai’s 
  when he speaks or cries out.
  Manner
  Wary and alert
  Race 
  Elf (summer)
  Resistance 
  Ordinary
  Traits 
  Long-lived.  
  As beamon:  
  Armored (I), Natural weapon (I)
  Accurate 13 (− 3), Cunning 7 (+3),  
  Discreet 5 (+5), Persuasive 9 (+1), Quick 11 (−1), 
  Resolute 10 (0), Strong 15 (−5), Vigilant 10 (0)
  Abilities 
  Iron Fist (novice),  
  Natural Warrior (novice),  
  Shapeshift (adept)
  Weapons 
  Claws 3 (short)
  Armor 
  Bear skin 2 (flexible)
  Defense 
  −1
  Toughness 
  15
  Pain Threshold
   8
  Equipment 
  Ring of rusty iron
  Shadow 
  Burning red with dancing flakes 
  of soot (corruption: 3)
  Tactics: Saran-Ri will try to beat down the stron-
  gest melee opponent first, then the rest of the 
  melee fighters before moving on to mystics and 
  marksmen.
  Manner
  Lordly stature, stern expression
  Race 
  Elf (summer elf)
  Resistance 
  Challenging
  Traits 
  Long-lived
  Accurate 15 (−5), Cunning 11 (−1),  
  Discreet 9 (+1), Persuasive 10 (0), Quick 13 (−3), 
  Resolute 10 (0), Strong 5 (+5), Vigilant 7 (+3)
  Abilities 
  Acrobatics (master), Alchemy 
  (novice), Marksman (adept), 
  Poisoner (adept), Quick Draw 
  (novice), Ritualist (novice, Turn 
  Weather)
  Weapons 
  Bow 5, Sword 4, both with poison 
  (damage 3 for 3 turns)
  Armor 
  Lacquered Silk Cuirass 3  
  (Flexible)
  Defense 
  −2
  Toughness 
  10
  Pain Threshold
   3
  Equipment 
  Two quivers with 12 arrows in 
  each (the arrows in one of them 
  are coated with weak poison), 
  headband of rusty iron
  Shadow:
  Bluish red (corruption: 1)
  Tactics: Godrai will shoot poisoned arrows at 
  enemies with ranged weapons and use movement 
  and acrobatics to stay out of melee.
  21
  3
  T O L L  O F  T H E  M O U N T A I N S
  
  Argasto, caravan owner
  “It is MY caravan, I’m in charge!”
  Lestra, Black Cloak
  “I have my orders and you are in my way.”
  End Scene:  
  View to the Future
  no mAtter how Scene 8 ends the storm finally 
  dies out. The strong winds subside, the snowfall 
  ends and soon the world rests peacefully under its 
  snow white blanket.
  After two more days of struggles the caravan 
  makes it across the snowy plateau, up through the 
  last pass where the passengers get a fantastic view 
  of the landscape that stretches out before them.
  Below in the distance lays Yndaros, the 
  grand capital city of Ambria, towering over 
  a farmland covered in swaying fields and 
  pierced by glittering rivers. Here and there 
  are patches of forest, burning in yellow and 
  red. The patches become more frequent and 
  grow bigger and bigger the further the gaze 
  wanders north, and somewhere far away the 
  trees gain mastery over the lowland – trees 
  that together make out the dark and mythic 
  forest of Davokar.
  It is probably only your knowledge of its 
  existence that makes you imagine seeing the 
  red flame of Thistle Hold’s beacon, located at 
  the forest edge. Karvosti, the plateau ruled 
  by witches and barbarian warriors, cannot 
  be seen as it lies deep in the woods; the same 
  goes for the haunted ruins of old Symbaroum. 
  And that is likely for the best, since the ruins 
  are said to be monstrously beautiful, almost 
  hypnotic in their overgrown splendor.
  Argasto interrupts your daydreams with 
  a high pitched order to mount up. As soon 
  as the cookware has been stowed away, the 
  break is over and the caravan can resume its 
  journey towards Yndaros. The wagons sway 
  on bumpy routes, with animals in front and 
  exhausted travelers holding ropes tied to the 
  wagons behind.
  Weary faces are gleaming with sweat in 
  the chilly mountain air. Steamy clouds fume 
  from mouths and muzzles alike. But despite 
  fatigue and cold, the eyes of the travelers 
  shine as brightly as the pinnacles on the 
  Queen’s palace – the Promised Land awaits 
  their arrival.
  Manner
  Sighs deeply, shakes his head
  Race 
  Human (Ambrian)
  Resistance 
  Ordinary
  Traits 
  Privileged
  Accurate 10 (0), Cunning 11 (−1),  
  Discreet 5 (+5), Persuasive 15 (−5), Quick 10 (0), 
  Resolute 9 (+1), Strong 13 (−3), Vigilant 7 (+3)
  Abilities 
  Recovery (novice), Shield Fighter 
  (adept), Steadfast (novice)
  Weapons 
  Sword 4
  Armor 
  Scalemail 3 (Impeding)
  Defense 
  +1 (shield)
  Toughness 
  13
  Pain Threshold
   7
  Equipment 
  4 thaler and 4 shillings, caravan 
  with 6 wagons
  Shadow 
  Bronze, dull and unpolished 
  (corruption: 0)
  Tactics If the decision has been made to defend 
  the pathfinders Argasto will do so to the best of 
  his ability – as long as they are traveling with his 
  caravan they are his responsibility!
  Manner
  Bites her lip
  Race 
  Human (Ambrian)
  Resistance 
  Ordinary
  Traits 
  Privileged
  Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 15 (−5),  
  Discreet 10 (0), Persuasive 10 (0), Quick 9 (+1), 
  Resolute 13 (−3), Strong 7 (+3), Vigilant 11 (−1)
  Abilities 
  Beast Lore (adept, Abomina-
  tions), Medicus (novice),  
  Witchsight (novice)
  Weapons 
  Spear 4 (long)
  Armor 
  Blessed robe 2 (Flexible)
  Defense 
  +1
  Toughness 
  10
  Pain Threshold
   4
  Equipment 
  Sun symbol on a necklace, scroll 
  entitled “The Inner Nature of the 
  Abomination”, 5 thaler
  Shadow 
  Brushed steel with a few dark 
  spots (corruption: 1)
  Tactics: Lestra is used to commanding Templars 
  to do the dirty work once she has unmasked an 
  abomination. But if that is what it takes to battle 
  the feral forces of nature, she will face both abom-
  inations and elves with spear in hand,
  22
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  Appendix
  in this seCtion you will find a description of the mystical artifacts that the 
  player characters can find or be affected by during the scenario. The section also 
  includes two maps and short portrayals of some of the places visited in the final 
  chapter of the adventure.
  Artifacts
  mAl-rogAn’s mummified hAnd
  The “amulet” of Mal-Rogan is in fact his own left 
  hand, mummified and hung from a rusty chain. 
  Mal-Rogan’s soul is tied to the amulet and it can 
  give others beside himself the powers listed below. 
  However, the hand comes with a sever negative 
  effect: as long as the amulet exists, Mal-Rogan will 
  respawn, irrespective of how he was slain or what 
  was done to the corpse – and he will do anything 
  to reclaim his corrupt soul!
  Word of Doom: If the owner of the amulet masters 
  the ability Leader he can utter words of doom over 
  his enemies. With a successful roll against Resolute 
  the enemy’s chance of making a successful hit is 
  reduced for the remainder of the scene – the owner 
  may make two attempts against Defense to avoid 
  physical attacks.
  Action: Active
  Corruption: 1D6
  Black Bliss: With a successful roll against Resolute, 
  the owner of the amulet may once per turn reroll 
  a success test.
  Action: Free
  Corruption: 1D4
  Mal-Rogan’s revenge: It is possible for the one tied 
  to the amulet to destroy it; all it takes is a successful 
  roll against Resolute. If that happens, the released 
  soul of Mal-Rogan will try to possess its previous 
  master, according to the rules for the ritual Possess 
  on page 145 in the Core Rulebook. Mal-Rogan is 
  very vindictive and will do his utmost to punish 
  all who were involved in slaying him and stealing 
  his prized medallion – that is, the whole group of 
  player characters and not only he who has carried 
  the amulet. If the possession fails Mal-Rogan dies 
  a final death. The same happens when a successful 
  possession has run its course.
  the sun stone
  In ancient times wizards tied a wild fire spirit to 
  this stone. Normally it glows with a pale light and 
  gives off a mild warmth (enough to keep someone 
  warm on an icy winters day). He who bonds with 
  the stone can awaken the fire spirit and command 
  it to perform more dramatic actions, namely the 
  following:
  Strike with Fire: The master of the Sun Stone can 
  with a successful roll against Resolute set an object 
  in his sight on fire – including enemy garments. 
  The fire burns for 1D4 turns and does 1D4 of damage 
  each turn. Armor protects as usual. A burning 
  person can put out the fire by rolling around on 
  the ground (movement action) and passing a roll 
  against Quick.
  Action: Active
  Corruption: 1D4
  23
  4
  A P P E N D I X
  
  Amplify Flame: If the lord of the stone masters 
  powers which produce fire he can use the stone 
  for amplifying his fire spells. With a successful 
  roll against Resolute the effect is increased by one 
  step (e.g. from 1D6 to 1D8, or with +1 if already 1D12).
  Action: Free
  Corruption: 1D4
  Fire Spirit: With a successful roll against Resolute, 
  the master of the stone can release the captured 
  fire spirit, thereby destroying the artifact. The 
  spirit appears as a towering humanoid made up 
  of flames and soot. It is grateful and will obey its 
  former master for the remainder of the scene. It 
  can be given simple commands (free action) like 
  “guard this place”, “attack that individual” or “keep 
  me safe”.
  Action: Active
  Corruption: 1D6
  Ordo Magica and the Sun Stone
  The masters of Ordo Magica will come to 
  demand a very good explanation from the 
  person who binds himself to the stone: a 
  desperate fight against an abomination or 
  with elves trying to take the stone count as 
  valid reasons. If the Game Master does not 
  think otherwise, a master who catches the 
  PC with the Sun Stone will demand to have it 
  back, on the Order’s behalf, or demand a favor 
  in exchange for the artifact. The latter can 
  of course be a great opening for a larger or 
  smaller adventure …
  fire spirit
  Resistance
  Challenging
  Traits
  Natural weapon (III), Spirit form (II)
  Accurate 15 (−5), Cunning 10 (0), Discreet 5 
  (+5), Persuasive 7 (+3), Quick 13 (−3) Resolute 9 
  (+1), Strong 11 (−1), Vigilant 10 (0)
  Abilities
  Natural Warrior (master)
  Weapons
  Burning embrace 9 (long), two 
  attacks against the same target
  Armor
  None (takes half damage from all 
  attacks)
  Defense
  –3
  Toughness
  11
  Pain Threshold
  6
  0
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5 Km
  N
  S
  e
  w
  Nw
  Se
  Ne
  sw
  24
  T H E  P R O M I S E D  L A N D
  
  Locations
  the following loCAtions are featured in the 
  adventure. If the GM wishes to expand on it or if 
  the pcs take initiatives which lead them elsewhere, 
  you can always draw your own maps, before the 
  game starts or during play.
  the mountAin pAss
  The pass is in truth two passes, fringed by high 
  slopes to the east and west and with a vast plateau 
  between them.
  the CorrAl
  The six wagons of the caravan form a corral each 
  evening, or when under threat. Between the wagons 
  wooden gates are placed, leaning against barrels. 
  All travelers have a designated post in the event of 
  danger, at a gate if the person can fight and otherwise 
  in shelter behind the wagons. Finding one’s place in 
  the corral is a well-rehearsed routine which does 
  not require instructions – an alarm from a guard 
  or an order from Argasto is enough for everyone 
  to rush to their assigned place, weapon in hand.
  the elven CAmp
  The elven camp is located about halfway over the 
  plateau, on the western slope (the Game Master 
  decides on a suitable location). The camp is simple, 
  with an earth-toned tent, some equipment and 
  three beds on which to rest or meditate. One of the 
  elves is always on guard and the camp is skillfully 
  concealed, although possible to find by following 
  their tracks.
  2×2m
  25
  4
  A P P E N D I X
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Symbaroum [multi]/Symbaroum/Adventures/The Chronicle of The Copper Crown/Symbaroum - Part 1 The Promised Land.pdf