TEXT: chapter 3. epilogue  |  1
  chapter 8 nojd  |  1
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  SNOWSAGA
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  The word “Fimbulwinter” has an almost magical ring to it. 
  Many have heard this name, but few know its true meaning. 
  In Norse mythology, Fimbulwinter is a clear sign of the 
  Ragnarok, the apocalypse, and the birth of a new world. In 
  Snowsaga, the winter’s waiting womb conceals a dark future, 
  but, as in most tales, there is the promise of a happy ending, if 
  only the heroes can brave the approaching darkness and allow 
  curiosity to conquer fear. 
  In Snowsaga, the fimbulwinter takes on a new form, and 
  hopefully Trudvang will not fall due to a lack of heroes or 
  adventurers willing to face the darkness and its icy servants. 
  RiotMinds
   FOREWORD 
  “He hath need of fire, 
  who now is come, 
  numbed with cold 
  to the knee; 
  food and clothing the 
  wanderer craves 
  who has fared o’er 
  the rimy fell.”
  Hávamál
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  Authors
  Theodore Bergqvist and Jonas Lindström
  Additional Writers and Helpers
  Luca Cherstich, 
  Dan Slottner, Mattias Berglin, Magnus Malmberg,
  Robert Johansson, Stefan Berg, 
  Jimmy Haglund and Gustav Nyberg
  Translation
  Jenny Berglund
  Editing
  John Maron
  Art Concept and Direction
  Theodore Bergqvist and Alvaro Tapia
  Layout and Typesetting
  Magnus Malmberg
  Cover Art
  Paul Bonner
  Interior Art
  Alvaro Tapia, Peter Bergting, Paul Bonner
  Jim Nelson and Larry MacDougall
  Maps
  Niklas Brandt
  Additional Kudos
  Thanks to all the Kickstarter pledgers and to all   
  the backers who made this project come to life
  Our style is to use “they” as a singular gender-neutral pronoun 
  when possible. This usage continues to gain  mainstream 
  acceptance, including among major style guides such as The 
  Associated Press Stylebook and The Chicago Manual of Style. 
  We believe it is appropriate and practical, not just to reflect 
  common usage but to accommodate a more inclusive view of 
  gender identity. The Trudvang Chronicles books also use “he” or 
  “she” when helpful for added clarity.
  isbn: 978-91-984759-7-5 
   CREDITS 
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  Table of Contents
  SNOWSAGA 
  9
  Blodughadda - The Child of Darkness 11
  The Journey to the Darkness ............12
  The Time of the Untamed .................19
  The Last King .......................................20
  Geography ..............................................21
  Wildland .................................................21
  Arkland ....................................................29
  INTRODUCTION 
  37
  The Adventure Begins ........................37
  The Journey to Storhavn ....................39
  ACT I 
  TIME OF WRATH 
  41
  The Feast in Storhavn .........................41
  The Journey to Vretgaard ..................50
  Vretgaard ................................................54
  The Aftermath of Evil .........................70
  Jarnrytti—The Hunting Estate ........79
  Towards Ysetur .....................................83
  Ysetur .......................................................86
  The Escape ...........................................126
  The Threat from the Great Ice Plains 126
  The War  ...............................................126
  The Defeat ............................................137
  Act I: Adventure Points.....................141
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  ACT III 
  TIME OF THE PROPHECY 177
  Jaarnkihl................................................178
  The Great Ice Plains ..........................181
  Act III: .........................Adventure Points 
  189
  EPILOGUE  
  191
  ACT II 
  TIME OF BETRAYAL 
  143
  The Road to the Buratja Kingdom 143
  Sootbrand ..............................................150
  Sparklur - the Ancient Halls  ..........154
  Betrayed ................................................158
  Helgardh  ..............................................167
  Act II: Adventure Points ...................175
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   NORNA’S 
  11. Where the Copper Kingdom 
  falls, 
  The Son of Light awaits, 
  the shepherd meets the 
  Daughter of Fate.
  12. The Farje wind summoned, 
  by the strength of a pure 
  heart, 
  the world plunges into frost, 
  none to be spared.
  13. Families shatter, 
  turned slayers of their own, 
  blackened ice severs the ties, 
  between father and son, 
  between mother and 
  daughter.
  14 
  When the last kin has fallen, 
  the shepherd steps forth, 
  lifts the sovereign’s blade, 
  piercing winds turn mild.
  15. The Daughter of the Stars 
  indwells, 
  the dragon of dusk awakens, 
  the shepherd to the realm of 
  death, 
  by love summoned.
  6. 
  Under the dark queen, 
  proud kingdoms crumble, 
  betraying their people, 
  with twisted creatures.
  7.  The events to come, 
  my legacy, our burden, 
  your greatest trial.
  8. 
  Be at peace, 
  have faith, 
  fate can be decided, 
  The Child of Light shall 
  come, 
  a son of man, 
  our shepherd.
  9. 
  Fimbulwinter, before the 
  cycle is complete, 
  The Ice Cult grows, 
  harkens to whispers, 
  and sacrifices their children.
  10. The earth shudders and 
  ruptures, 
  beyond the land of the wild 
  ones, 
  a dark fortress awakens.
  1. 
  Sons and daughters, 
  faithful to the fold, 
  proud guardians, 
  heroes of light, 
  born out of divinity, 
  gloriously arrived at the 
  fields of power.
  2.  Heed my call, 
  adhere to my words, 
  hearken to my prophecy, 
  fear my parting song.
  3.  As a star from the heavens 
  falls, 
  the days of light rush by, 
  dark times shall come.
  4.  I, your queen, 
  Norna the Wise, 
  the misery, my heart shall 
  forget, 
  with sorrow, I you do leave, 
  in this, our hardest time.
  5. 
  With my death, 
  the Black Sun shines, 
  in approaching darkness, 
  omens of the apocalypse 
  follow. 
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  PROPHECY 
  23. At the last hour, she is born, 
  pure of blood, 
  a mask of darkness, 
  an inner light, 
  and thus, she will be known.
  24. One sacrifice, two fates, 
  the choice is laid before them, 
  for she is the Daughter of 
  Fate, 
  for he is the Son of Light.
  25 Through the power of love, 
  a heart of light, 
  a body of love, 
  together they once more 
  become one.
  26. The choice must be made, 
  love must be sacrificed, 
  Snowsaga must be carried. 
  Only their purity can save us...
  20. Where the darkness reigns, 
  the queen awakes, 
  brought forth from the 
  frozen stupor, 
  with Snowsaga the shackles 
  break, 
  the cold, her return follows.
  21. In the time of rage, 
  a stream of blood flows, 
  dark whispers lure, 
  the people of the eternal ice 
  come, 
  tamed, the wild ones are, 
  lost, are those left behind.
  22. When the wild realm falls, 
  the Thronelands 
  shake, and the land of silver 
  is devoured, 
  born of evil from barren 
  land, arises 
  a new incarnation.
  16. Sprung forth from the heart 
  of pain, 
  shadows grow, 
  lead by their guiding star, 
  breaking through blackened 
  ice.
  17. Child of Darkness is come, 
  brought forth from the 
  rimechill, 
  scorned, loathed, and exiled, 
  free from his chains, 
  alone and broken, 
  towards the ice, he wanders.
  18. In the eternal desert of frost, 
  where hatred and pain thrive, 
  where the dark and cold 
  reign, 
  the Snow Queen is awakened, 
  by a heart from her mother, 
  free from blame and 
  darkness.
  19. Mogunda guards his bridge, 
  Nifelfang lurks in Hel, 
  devours the bodies of the 
  dead, 
  the Son of Light seeks her, 
  wakes her with the stone 
  flute, 
  from her death slumber, she 
  arises.
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  8  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  9
  He pulled the arrow out of the dead body and studied the black surface in 
  wonder. The arrow looked like any other, but its surface was covered in 
  intricate patterns possessing an almost hypnotic power. Something had 
  roused him from his dreamless slumber. He pulled his mantle closer around 
  him. The winter had hit without warning or mercy. He was cold, and little 
  did he know, this was merely the beginning of a long and brutal season…
   SNOWSAGA 
  Snowsaga is the stand-alone expansion 
  of Wildheart, Riotmind’s first official 
  adventure. If the player characters have 
  not played Wildheart the Game Master 
  should create another short introductory 
  adventure where they acquire the so-called 
  ”Snowsaga” stone. Learn more about the 
  Snowsaga stone below. 
  There is another reason why completing 
  a simple introductory adventure is a good 
  idea. Snowsaga is an adventure that is both 
  diverse and complex, with many non-player 
  characters, intrigues, sudden twists, and 
  a multifaceted plot. Therefore, it would 
  be good for beginners to have played a 
  simpler adventure prior to embarking upon 
  Snowsaga, in order to have a better grasp of 
  both the world and the game system.
  The Game Master should read through 
  the entire campaign at least once in order 
  to be able to run it. Snowsaga is a complex 
  adventure 
  containing 
  many 
  different 
  personalities, places, and underlying factors, 
  all of which contribute to make it challenging. 
  Thorough preparation is what will determine 
  if your players find the adventure entertaining 
  and recognize the many possibilities, or if 
  they merely view it as one long commute 
  towards new adventures It is recommended 
  that the Game Master split the adventure 
  into several sessions and put extra effort into 
  preparation prior to each session. It would 
  be of great value to prepare some notes, 
  and mark the stages of the adventure which 
  the Game Master wants to place particular 
  focus on during each session. By so doing, 
  the players will perceive the adventure to be 
  easier than it actually is.
  The adventure boasts a large variety of 
  personalities, ranging from loyal thralls to 
  boastful Fylkjarls, deserters and ill-tempered 
  giants. Being well prepared and having 
  thoroughly read up on these characters’ skills 
  and abilities will really affect how the players 
  experience the adventure. Some of the charm 
  of Snowsaga is the magnitude of different 
  personalities in the campaign, not least in the 
  introductory chapter.
  It would also be beneficial to gain an 
  understanding of the different lands and to 
  read up on them, as the campaign in many 
  instances offers opportunities for side quests 
  and adventures not described in the campaign 
  module. The Game Master may wish to have 
  the players explore other areas of the map 
  prior to progressing with the campaign.
  It is also important to note that Snowsaga 
  must be played in order to grasp its entire 
  scope and reach. Reading through the 
  campaign once will not provide a proper 
  understanding of it. That goes for Game 
  Masters, critics, or curious players alike.
  It is difficult to determine exactly what 
  skills the player characters will require 
  in order to survive the entire campaign. 
  Essentially, all skills described in the Player’s 
  Handbook are necessary in one way or 
  another. Most learnable skills will benefit the 
  players. The variety of skills within the group 
  is more important than certain specific skills 
  or abilities.
  The campaign is best played by a group 
  of 4-6 player characters. As with the variety 
  of skills, the campaign is suited for virtually 
  all professions, with one major exception: 
  no priests or holy warriors of the Tenet of 
  Nid should be present from the start, due 
  to the Viranni’s crusading attitude and the 
  enmity to Gerbanis. This would create a lot 
  of tension within the group, as the adventure 
  is primarily set in countries where there is a 
  strong faith in Stormi, and Gerbanis is the 
  prevailing religion. 
  One absolute necessity is that one of the 
  player characters is a thief or a character with 
  such skills. This will ease the way for the 
  group in parts of the campaign. The Game 
  Master can choose to adjust the level of 
  difficulty of the adventure at their discretion, 
  to either make it easier or more challenging. 
  It is extremely important that the player 
  characters obtain the so-called “Stone of 
  Sagas (which is just a fragment of Snowsaga) 
  Chapter 1
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  10  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  The stone has three basic effects:
   The Stone of Sagas has been created 
  by Kirjonti using a small fragment of 
  Snowsaga, and therefore it shares a 
  strong link with it, guiding the one who 
  knows how to use it towards the location 
  of the Snowsaga.
   This stone will protect the player 
  character who carries it with a warming, 
  protective aura which defends against 
  the Snow Queen’s powers. Primarily, 
  the player character will be immune to 
  the cold of the approaching winter, but 
  also in other ways will find themself to 
  be protected against the Snow Queen’s 
  influences. 
   When the campaign starts, before the 
  characters know anything about the 
  Snow Queen, this stone has somehow 
  felt that events are changing and will 
  magically awaken giving the immunity 
  to the Hrim Body quality of some 
  monsters, even if before it did not have 
  such an ability.
  Oktar Grimme’s Friend
  In their youth, this player character 
  faced great difficulties and contemplated 
  suicide, or maybe this character was 
  wounded left for dead. When things 
  were at their darkest, they were saved 
  by Oktar Grimme, the Swordjarl of 
  Storhavn, who maybe healed or saved 
  the character’s life, or he could have 
  helped the player character to see good 
  in life again and regain the will to live. 
  With Oktar’s help the player character 
  realized that no matter how difficult a 
  situation may seem, there is always a way 
  to beat it. Where there is a will, there’s 
  a way. Those who lacked bravery and 
  spirit could always turn to the faith of 
  Gerbanis for solace, and, with faith, find 
  a way to reach happiness. It does not 
  matter if it was unrequited love or the 
  loss of a relative that caused the player 
  character’s grief; the important thing is 
  to create a convincing backstory. This 
  player character would almost certainly 
  have been dead today if it weren’t for 
  Oktar’s support. They thus became good 
  friends but have not seen each other for 
  several years. 
  moment to shine, whether he has or not one 
  of these three roles. Everybody is at the table 
  to have fun: do not ignore them! .
  The Child of Light
  Throughout the entire campaign, one of 
  the player characters will unwittingly 
  represent the Light. The path to his fate 
  will be difficult and murky. He will also 
  play a central role in the tragic love story 
  with the Daughter of Fate and should 
  therefore be at least somewhat charismatic. 
  Preferably, the Game Master selects the 
  player character that can best move the 
  adventure along to adopt this role. Keep 
  in mind that it is the Daughter of Fate’s 
  purity that is the key to defeating evil; their 
  love is forbidden and will decide the fate 
  of all. The Child of Light’s main traits are 
  Charisma, Perception, and Intelligence. 
  The Stone of Sagas
  At the beginning of the adventure, one of 
  the player characters should, in some way, 
  have the “Stone of Sagas” in their possession. 
  The name refers to a number of different 
  and contradicting stories about a fabled 
  stone, although nobody can really remember 
  the qualities of this artefact.  The GM is 
  encouraged to create such stories, but giving 
  the PCs the impressions that different bards 
  say different things about a fabled stone. 
  It could be the gift of the dying Kirjonti at 
  the end of the Wildheart adventure, or the 
  reward from a jarl for a completed task, or a 
  thing the player character has found during 
  their journeys. It is up to the Game Master to 
  determine the specifics as to how this occurs. If 
  the player creates an entirely new character for 
  the adventure, the Game Master may choose 
  to make the Stone of Sagas an inheritance from 
  the player character’s parents.
  Gray and completely smooth, the Stone 
  of Sagas is the size of a small egg. It is 
  always a little warm, even if it were to be 
  resting in snow. Chance has chosen which 
  player character carries the Stone of Sagas, 
  but ownership of the stone can change 
  within the group should its carrier perish. 
  However, it’s unlikely that the one carrying 
  the stone would willingly hand it over while 
  still alive. 
  prior to embarking on the adventure. The 
  player characters need not know why they 
  have it, nor how it works. The important 
  thing is that it is in their possession at the 
  beginning of the campaign. Keep in mind 
  that Snowsaga is an extensive campaign, 
  and that it calls for an impressive ability 
  to improvise and adjust the plot based on 
  the player characters’ actions. It would be 
  impossible to try to describe all the possible 
  situations and locations that the player 
  characters may end up in. The descriptions 
  in the campaign should be viewed as the 
  “most likely scenarios”, not as the only 
  conceivable ones. This may be the Game 
  Master’s most challenging task. If the 
  Game Master finds themself in a scenario 
  that is conceivable, though not described or 
  in any way recounted in the campaign, the 
  best course of action would be to pause the 
  session for a moment, allowing the Game 
  Master time to reflect on the situation and 
  devise a good continuation. If this happens, 
  return to the main plot and try to identify 
  the overall feel and general pattern of the 
  campaign. If the Game Master does this, 
  it will be much easier to solve potential 
  difficulties that may arise.
  One of the player characters will have to 
  bear the heavy burden of being the Child of 
  Light; Blodughadda, the frost giant, will take 
  on the role of the Child of Darkness. Their 
  paths will cross several times throughout 
  the campaign, but it is not until they face off 
  in the final battle that they will truly duel, a 
  fight which only one can win. Step by step, 
  the player characters will approach the truth. 
  From the very beginning, each and every 
  step they take will be monitored by the one 
  who dwells in the deep; the one who is the 
  source of true evil. Unwittingly, they will be 
  led to the place where the fate of the world 
  will be decided. 
  Three of the player characters will hold 
  different key roles, all of which are important 
  to the plot’s development. The characters 
  who do not have these roles will not be less 
  important in the story, since all the players 
  characters are to be considered main 
  characters in this saga. The GM, if he wants 
  to, is encouraged to create other specific roles 
  with additional specific scenes throughout the 
  campaign. However, this is not compulsory. 
  Just remember to give each player his own 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  11
  Blodughadda 
  - The Child of 
  darkness
  Ever since he was 
  a child, something 
  evil and malicious has hung 
  over him. It forced its way into 
  his young heart like a wedge, 
  and constantly competing for 
  the older frost giants’ attention 
  had driven him to insane deeds, 
  to say the least. By those who 
  knew him, he had been given 
  the name “Blodughadda”, 
  which means “he of bloody 
  hair”. In his excitement, he 
  had at first believed that this 
  was in reference to all those 
  he had slain and the bravery 
  he had shown whenever death 
  had knocked at his door. With 
  time, he had come to realize that 
  it was because of his constant 
  bloodlust, even amongst his 
  own people, and that the other 
  frost giants viewed him and 
  his misdeeds with contempt. 
  After brutally killing both of 
  his parents, he was cast out of 
  the clan with a darkened heart, 
  shrouded by his ominous deeds. 
  He then made his way further and 
  further north. After years of roving 
  the northernmost and ultimately 
  inhospitable mountains, searching for 
  more victims to slay, he encountered 
  the Snow Queen, the first creature 
  ever to treat him with respect. She 
  promised him a place in the community 
  and a throne by her side. He just had 
  to find the man she was searching for, 
  and Blodughadda’s days as an outcast 
  would be over. Indeed, he would show 
  the others the powers he possessed. In the 
  short time during which he knelt at her 
  feet and pledged his eternal allegiance, 
  she had bestowed upon him both power 
  and forest trolls as servants…
  Blodughadda the giant had come to 
  shake the world to its core when he, against 
  all odds, found Snowsaga in Wildheart and 
  brought it to the black ice. 
  Blodughadda is cruel and temperamental. 
  He is egotistical and destructive, but also 
  uses his cunning to accomplish his goals. 
  For years, Blodughadda drifted, lonely, with 
  no other purpose than to kill and terrorize. 
  After meeting the Snow Queen, he pledged 
  his life to serving her and vowed to find 
  Kirjonti, the elf she was searching for and 
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  12  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  prisoner in Glitthamn where the dwarves 
  tortured him and made him work the mines. 
  Great luck, and unusually bad craftsmanship 
  by the dwarves who had forged the chains 
  that bound him, allowed him to escape his 
  captors, but not before exacting considerable 
  vengeance on his tormentors. A small band 
  of dwarves, led by the great warrior Grum 
  Druvik, have vowed to bring Blodughadda’s 
  head back to Glitthamn. 
  Blodughadda constantly surrounds himself 
  with 4–10 Forest trollsand 2–4 wolves, all of 
  which blindly follow his every command. (If 
  Jorgi’s guide is not available use or “Small 
  Trolls” and “Small WOlfkin” in GM guide 
  p.108 and 111). Occasionally there will also be 
  one Dragon Warg (stats in this book).
  On adventure points
  This campaign is thematically divided in 
  three acts. At the end of these acts there are 
  guidelines for awarding adventure points 
  throughout the adventure. However, the 
  GM should not wait for the end of an act 
  to awarding adventure points. He should 
  consider the possibility of giving each player 
  experience awards on a session by session 
  schedule, giving about 5 AP per character per 
  session, as suggested in the Gamemaster’s 
  Guide page 37. Furthermore, this campaign 
  include long periods of times spent doing 
  continuous actions which are not roleplayed, 
  as for example the siege of Hallwind or 
  the long captivity in Arkland. The GM 
  can award AP to the PCs to represent the 
  experience earned in such actions, although 
  limiting the use of these points for buying 
  selected skills. More on these issue will be 
  mentioned throughout the saga.
  The Journey To The 
  darkness
  Sometimes it is easier to turn a blind 
  eye to that which is obvious, and choose 
  to see the simplest truth for the lie that 
  it is…
  Prophets and soothsayers have spoken: 
  in dreams and the darkest corners of the 
  subconscious, whispers have been heard. 
  Wise men have buried the very shadows of 
  their lives in cryptic scriptures; searching 
  to amass new followers, and, today, boasts 
  one in ten of the Wildlanders as devotees 
  and worshippers of the Snow Queen. The 
  cult’s foremost stronghold is in the North-
  Western regions of Wildland. The black 
  ice’s whispers spare none, neither rich nor 
  poor, old or young. All can succumb to 
  her whispers, something that the player 
  characters may bitterly experience. 
  It is the Snow Queen’s whispers, emitting 
  from the Black Boulder Blodughadda carried 
  with him, that makes her followers so 
  reckless, lacking both rhyme and reason. All 
  who make contact with the black ice hear the 
  beckoning, tempting whispers, making them 
  easy prey for the Snow Queen’s influence. 
  Throughout their journeys through 
  Wildland, 
  the 
  player 
  characters 
  will 
  encounter pieces of black ice, all originating 
  from the Black Boulder, the giant block that 
  Blodughadda brought from the Great Ice 
  Plains. The Ice Cult has brought the largest 
  piece to Ysetur, whereto most of the cult has 
  relocated. Wherever they go in Wildland, 
  in both cities and rural areas, the player 
  characters will hear tales of people who have 
  vanished without a trace. 
  The Snow Queen and the black ice are 
  one and the same entity, brought forth from 
  its ruthless heart, and wherever there is 
  black ice, the Snow Queen reigns. It’s almost 
  been a year since Blodughadda awoke the 
  Ice Cult, and hordes of people have since 
  joined its sacrificial followers. The leader of 
  the cult is the man known as “Ise”. No one 
  outside the cult’s inner circle knows his true 
  identity, but as Game Master, you should 
  be aware that Ise is Njordung Blueax, the 
  Fylkjarl who went missing under mysterious 
  circumstances. The Ice Cult has established 
  their main settlement at the impenetrable 
  fortress of Ysetur, where they, with frequent 
  sacrifices, try to revive the Snow Queen’s 
  hibernating powers. The followers eagerly 
  perform sacrifices at Ysetur, and evidence 
  of their rituals can be found throughout the 
  large fortress. Aside from Ysetur, there is 
  another group of followers further up north, 
  at Njordung Blueax’s hunting estate. 
  Blodughadda has always had a hard life, 
  even as a child he was not spared. Since being 
  cast out from his clan for his misdeeds, he 
  has been on the move, spreading horror and 
  terror wherever he goes. He was briefly held 
  the stone that he guarded– Snowsaga. 
  Blodughadda’s only loyalty lies with the 
  Snow Queen, and he does everything in his 
  power to fulfil her every wish. 
  When he left his clan of hrimtursirs he 
  spent years wandering the north, with the 
  cold wind as his only companion. He even 
  ended up as a slave to dwarves and the 
  wounds from the white-hot irons bitterly 
  burnt his body. So great was the hate for 
  his captors that it engulfed his heart, like 
  the snowstorm around a stone. Hunted and 
  persecuted, hurt and bitter, Blodughadda had 
  fled his worst tormentors. For years he had 
  ventured further and further north. Finally, 
  he reached the land he had only ever thought 
  existed in the dreams of giants. It was the 
  land of the black ice. Endlessly vast, with 
  windswept plains of ice, black as coal, and 
  a chill so awful that with every breath, his 
  lungs burned like ovens. The black ice was as 
  dark as the night sky, and the hailstorm so 
  merciless that it slashed large gashes in the 
  frost giant’s tough and weathered skin. 
  At first he had thought that the terrifying 
  and piercing screams were the wind, but 
  through continuous snowfalls and punishing 
  winter storms, it was her voice that he had 
  heard. Smooth as velvet and forgiving, her 
  voice crept its way into his worn and broken 
  heart, chilled by evil and malice, the words 
  caressing his hardened mind and singing 
  through his blood. She whispered that he 
  would be hers, and she promised him that 
  which he had always dreamt of —eternal love.
  “Give me Snowsaga”, she said,  “... 
  and I will give you all the things you never 
  had. Get me Snowsaga, and I will love you 
  tirelessly”  she whispered in his mind. With 
  her dark, divine powers guiding him, he 
  had violently searched, and with deceit, 
  promises, and threats, he had finally found 
  the thing she craved. When he was beyond 
  hope, and his will had abandoned him, had 
  he finally found Snowsaga in the enchanted 
  forest of Wildheart. Now, with it in his 
  possession, he had revived the ancient 
  cult, as a preparation for the projects of 
  his queen. She, who had promised him so 
  very much. As Blodughadda wandered 
  over the windswept plains from the barren 
  Great Ice Plains, he brought with him 
  the “Black Boulder”, a huge piece of the 
  black ice. The Ice Cult gradually began 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  13
  and feed on souls. Only those that had 
  worshipped the cold and the dark shall 
  rise to be masters and be given a seat by 
  the ruler of this new world…
  The Entity, or, as it is metaphorically 
  known, the Black Sun, lets its dark light shine 
  across the world. It gnawed the earth from 
  the inside, killing it, like a parasite. Like a 
  frost wind, it swept across the plains, making 
  them barren. Like a plague, it wormed its 
  way into the hearts of living creatures. The 
  gathered Gods could do nothing to rein in 
  the wrath, hate, and cold which tried to force 
  its way into Trudvang. The power of aeons-
  worth of pure evil broke through barriers 
  erected by the Gods in an attempt to protect 
  the world order. Gods who had existed 
  since creation were slaughtered, serguronts 
  lost their powers, and the five worlds were 
  shaken to their cores when the Entity 
  radiated its evil, creating a catalyst to plunge 
  Trudvang into the deepest darkness. In an 
  attempt to overthrow the world order, the 
  Entity created the Snow Queen to counter 
  the goodness embodied by the old Gods. 
  By conquering Trudvang little by little, 
  her power would eventually become great 
  enough to shake the foundations that held 
  the worlds apart, making them collapse and 
  crash into each other. If the dark side were to 
  emerge victorious, it would mean the demise 
  of the worlds of Blotheim and Dimhall, 
  as they would crumble and meld with the 
  world of mortals. The world of twilight 
  would be thrown into chaos, and Himlhall 
  would be destroyed. Pandemonium would 
  break out and usher in the start of a new 
  age. An endless dark era, without the hope 
  of light. The Entity and the Snow Queen 
  share a symbiotic existence; the Snow Queen, 
  through her evil, makes the maelstrom grow, 
  and the Entity bestows upon her power. 
  In the search for its twin soul, the Entity 
  birthed forth its emanation. She was the first 
  creature forged from the dark energies, and 
  so, she was a part of the heart of the eclipse, 
  the source from which the dark energy 
  flowed out across all worlds. She was the 
  tainted creation, she was the black ice, she 
  was the Snow Queen.
  As the black ice grew and spread, so too did 
  the Snow Queen’s powers. The Snow Queen 
  herself is a non-corporeal manifestation, 
  hole, swallowing everything in its path. The 
  power center, born of chaos, had emerged in 
  a world of order. Unable to coexist with the 
  maelstrom, the power center was about to be 
  obliterated by the rule of order, which worked 
  to preserve the world as it should be, repairing 
  all that was broken. At first, all went well, and 
  the powers of order believed that they had 
  won. But, at the last moment, something went 
  wrong; terribly, terribly wrong.
  The Entity which awoke was never meant 
  to exist. It had been trapped in the Void, 
  beyond consciousness and dreams, beyond 
  time and space, beyond eternity itself. The 
  Entity was a principle, an antithetical reaction 
  to creation itself. It yearned to return to the 
  chaos over which it once had reigned, from 
  which everything had originally sprung 
  forth. Aeons worth of collected powers had 
  been released at once when the power center 
  imploded; an event which birthed a thought. A 
  thought of what could, but really should not, 
  exist. That was enough to rouse the evil that 
  had slumbered in the Void. The maelstrom lay, 
  now essentially a portal, like a gaping wound 
  into our world. The consequences of all that 
  had happened were incomprehensible, and 
  could just barely be grasped. The infection 
  brought on by the maelstrom reflected only 
  a fraction of the true power which lurked 
  beneath its surface, and the pandemonium 
  which the Entity’s full power was capable of 
  producing if roused. This would mean the end 
  of everything in existence, and would mark 
  the beginning of a new era, a frightening time.
  The location of where the Entity’s infinite 
  source of evil is hidden has been lost to 
  history. Many are those wise men and women 
  who have tried to find its dark whirlpool 
  of hate. The name of the place where the 
  Entity’s evil heart dwells has survived since 
  time immemorial: “Oskopnir” (”that which 
  was not created”, “that not born”, “that which 
  never should have existed”).
  The Emanation
  It was once said that when the world 
  was shrouded in a black winter, and 
  dark flashes of lightning ruptured the 
  heavens, the abyss would open, tearing 
  the world apart. Demons, enveloped 
  in ice and cold, would drain the world 
  in their loneliness, without ever seeing the 
  connections, never to understand. Secrets 
  have been forever lost to the world, not even 
  understood by the Gods. And yet, the answer 
  has always been out there. The road to it has 
  been simple, the connections clear to the one 
  who knows how to look for them. Just as a 
  coin only ever has two sides, there is only ever 
  the truth or the lie. The following chapter 
  presents our story from the very beginning, 
  in its purest form, explaining each and every 
  event, the eventual omens, which have paved 
  the dark road that could come to lead straight 
  to the apocalypse. 
  The Entity
  When 
  the 
  power 
  center 
  imploded, 
  incomprehensible powers were released, 
  rushing forth over the island in the sea like 
  a maelstrom, tearing down enormous land 
  masses, until all that remained was a vast, 
  bottomless black hole of magical current. 
  The current was corrupt, ripping reality 
  apart in a descending spiral of antimatter 
  and nothingness. Flashes of lightning and 
  glowing magma sprung forth from its 
  center, and anything that it touched was 
  obliterated. For tens of thousands of years, 
  the storm raged in this cursed place before it 
  finally settled. But the calm was deceptive; 
  this was merely the beginning. Something 
  in the maelstrom had awoken from its 
  slumber, having gained a consciousness. 
  Evil had gotten a glimpse of the light of 
  the world. Our world…
  At the beginning of time, magical 
  threads of reality were woven together in a 
  steady pattern of energy, linking our world 
  and others, a power seemingly beyond 
  dimensions. However, the creation was not 
  perfect. Small aberrations would at times 
  appear in the magical weave, irreparable 
  mistakes which corrupted the flow of vitner 
  with awful consequences for its surroundings. 
  Our tale begins with precisely such a defect. 
  A rift occurred just as two threads of 
  reality were about to cross, causing them to 
  sever, damaging the power center so much 
  that the very nerve center imploded, creating 
  a negatively charged current. A maelstrom 
  to other dimensions opened up like a black 
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  14  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  backs on them. They would be struck 
  down by sorrow, cloaked by melancholy, 
  and endless disappointments would be 
  followed by more of the same. During the 
  final phase, a dark, false, queen would 
  reign, and the people would perish. But 
  this queen would bear a son– the last 
  king. The king himself is lost to the 
  darkness that is hate, but his yearning 
  for love overpowers. The last one shall 
  find him and shall love him. She will, 
  by fate, be born at the last hour– pure 
  of blood, masked by darkness and filled 
  with light, and thus, she shall be known. 
  Her purity will dictate the future, and 
  the choice must be hers, protected solely 
  by her guide. With a heart of snow she 
  will meet her twin, when mother is 
  confronted by daughter. The stars alone 
  know the answer…
  The Norim Elves were the proud 
  descendants of the very first elves and 
  the word “Nor’Imalein” means precisely 
  “the first”. They were believed to descend 
  directly from the Gods, and were the 
  offspring of those that came down from 
  the darkness of space. The Norim Elves 
  were proud, curious, and fearless, and were 
  highly regarded by their cousins. The Godly 
  heritage was stronger in their blood than 
  in those of other elves, and that’s why their 
  lives were also much longer, retaining some 
  trace of the now lost divine immortality.
  The Norim Elves were as tall as humans, 
  and had very strong, long limbs, without 
  appearing grotesque or awkward like trolls. 
  Their posture was graceful, and their facial 
  features proud and beautiful. They did not 
  really look down upon other races, but they 
  had a way about them which made them 
  appear arrogant. Their curiosity abated as 
  the years passed, but fear remained a foreign 
  concept. The Norim Elves’ conflict with the 
  Gods stemmed from a time when the world 
  was young, long before the Gods left. The real 
  reason for their break from their symbiotic 
  relationship with the divine has been lost to 
  time and is unknown to any living creature 
  today. All the Norim Elves had long, dark 
  hair, black eyes, and silky white skin. They 
  wore their hair in styles that far outshone 
  that of royalty, and adorned themselves with 
  simple but majestic clothing. 
  worshipper, whereby any descendants and 
  subsequent generations all risk succumbing 
  to darkness. An example of something that 
  could trigger a dormant worshipper could 
  be a great personal tragedy– revealing to 
  the Snow Queen a path to the person’s soul. 
  If the roll is unsuccessful, the Game Master 
  can have the outcome of the dice dictate the 
  length of the person’s transformation into 
  an ice worshipper. Critical failure (roll of 
  “20”) will result in the person’s immediate 
  transformation into an unusually bloodthirsty 
  ice worshipper, not unlike Njordung Blueax.
  The early stages of being an ice worshipper 
  can almost be likened to a honeymoon period. 
  The Snow Queen makes good on all her small, 
  simple promises to her victim during this early 
  stage. It could be something as simple as good 
  luck in games or love, or just being generally 
  liked. At first, it will seem like an innocent 
  game– one where everyone’s a winner. Her 
  promises will quickly grow to incredible 
  proportions. The Snow Queen will convince 
  the person that she has a special plan, one 
  that is just for them. As though it’s the two of 
  them against the world. Her image is unique 
  for each and every worshipper; all to make 
  each individual love her more. The morals 
  of those bewitched will crumble with every 
  step of the way, until there is no turning back. 
  Then sacrifices become the only remedy. The 
  Snow Queen will purposely ignore the pleas of 
  her worshippers who have reached that stage 
  if they do not sacrifice in her name. It is the 
  only thing that means anything to her. In the 
  end, there are no limits as to who is sacrificed. 
  Family, friends, it does not matter, the only 
  thing that does is that their Queen still loves 
  them. It is only then that the worshipper will 
  come to understand what they have become, 
  but by then, it will be far too late. 
  The Norim Elves
  The Gods were enraged by the living, 
  who thought themselves as Gods. 
  Their arrogance and sloth would not 
  go unpunished. Such was the decision 
  of the Gods. The verdict was in; they 
  were to be forgotten and eradicated, 
  brought down and beaten, never to rise 
  again. They were to fail trial after 
  trial, and the Gods would turn their 
  hidden under the black ice which covers the 
  northernmost of the Great Ice Plains. The 
  ice is both her home and her prison, as she 
  is not able to escape its cold embrace in her 
  original form.
  The Snow Queen is the dark Goddess 
  of lies, deceit, and malevolent oblivion. 
  She is but a thought, a dream, a wind. Her 
  seductive whispers, her greatest weapon. The 
  spreading of the black ice it what enables her 
  to communicate with her zealous followers. 
  Through blocks of black ice, she is able to 
  spread the message of the Black Sun to lands 
  her voice would not otherwise reach. The 
  effects of  the black ice’s whispers and how 
  they affect living creatures is described below:
  Each time someone is confronted with a 
  block of black ice, they must roll a situation 
  roll with situation value 9 (Perception 
  modifiers apply). Those who encounter the 
  black ice in the Great Ice Plains, or those who 
  remain by an ice block for 12 hours or more 
  will receive a -5 modifier to their situation 
  value. Those who succeed survive until the 
  next action round and will then receive +1 to 
  their situation value. Those who fail will be 
  corrupted by the evil of the black ice. 
  Anyone who has been corrupted by the 
  black ice will be forced to attempt a new 
  situation roll the next time they encounter 
  an ice block. If they are successful, the 
  character will remain corrupted by evil, but 
  will survive until the next encounter. On 
  the other hand the Snow Queen will begin 
  to haunt the dreams of those who fail this 
  second situation roll. 
  The Snow Queen’s dreams are very 
  seductive, and always have a certain allure 
  to them. She will not reveal her dark side at 
  first, instead coming across as an imprisoned 
  Goddess. The first temptation in her arsenal 
  is love, followed by power or riches. There 
  are no methods that the Snow Queen will not 
  employ to ensnare a victim into becoming a 
  bloodthirsty worshippers. The dream period 
  varies from person to person; some may only 
  experience one night, while others may have 
  to endure several weeks of dreams. Simply 
  put, the Game Master may choose to allow 
  the player to attempt a new situation roll. This 
  includes the Child of Light, who never needs 
  to roll. If successful, the player character will 
  not turn into an active worshipper. However, 
  the person instead becomes a dormant 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  15
  undoing. None would be able to come to their 
  aid, as they were far too proud to seek help. 
  The Snow Queen had triumphed over her 
  captors the moment that she had been born 
  into a living body, the moment she had taken 
  her first breath, the moment she opened her 
  eyes and realized that she held the love of her 
  mother. One by one, Valsinka’s older siblings 
  all succumbed to accidents and disappeared 
  without a trace. Though suspicions soon 
  arose, there was nothing to be done, as the 
  old elf queen loved her daughter above all 
  else. Furthermore, the child possessed such a 
  natural gift for magic that no one dared defy 
  her, and the only ones who could have faced 
  her were loyal to the elf queen. By the time 
  she was an adolescent, Valsinka had already 
  mastered weaving the vitner and was, in her 
  studies, submerging herself into the well of 
  knowledge. She shunned the company of 
  others, and her mother grew more and more 
  depressed. 
  Valsinka maintained contact with the 
  Entity which rested in the depths through 
  recurring dreams she had since her earliest 
  years. She referred to it as her “father”, as it 
  guided her through the challenges of youth 
  and childhood with a comforting inner voice. 
  Her father protected her against any and all 
  disaster, and Valsinka grew to be strong. Her 
  father told her that she alone was the only elf 
  chosen to ascend as a Goddess and reunite 
  with the old Gods, but that her powers hailed 
  from darkness. She was to connect with the 
  darkness and rule alongside chaos. With the 
  support of the Entity, she would be given the 
  power necessary to bring about the collapse 
  of the world order, and plunge it into chaos 
  and darkness.
  Norna the Wise was the queen of the 
  Norim Elves and Valsinka’s mother. She 
  had, contrary to popular belief, been aware 
  of what kind of creature her daughter was 
  from the very beginning, but was unable 
  to smite down her own flesh and blood. 
  Not even when the fate of the world was 
  in the balance. In truth, Norna’s heart 
  was so pure that she was actually unable 
  to hurt any living thing. And yet, she 
  knew that something had to be done; her 
  dreams showed her what was to come. In 
  utmost secrecy, she summoned Kirjonti, 
  her most loyal and faithful servant and her 
  father’s closest friend. As she knew that the 
  whispering to ears that did not exist. The 
  teeth of time gnawed and scraped at her 
  soul in the dark shadows of the black ice. 
  But evil does not freeze. The hate did 
  not fade. Hungry flames burned in her 
  heart, ready to eradicate anything in her 
  path. The bitterness over her untimely 
  imprisonment, when she had been so 
  close to attaining her dream of being 
  worshipped as a Goddess, was so great 
  that it crushed happy men and women 
  far removed from where she lay shackled 
  since time immemorial. Time allowed 
  the powers of eternal darkness to evolve, 
  despite her dormant state, and the ice that 
  surrounded her grew dark by the evil 
  incubating in her cold, frozen heart…
  3,333 years ago, the queen of the Norim 
  Elves unexpectedly gave birth to a daughter– 
  Valsinka. This was strange, as the queen 
  no longer had a husband. Something was 
  wrong, and the princess was born evil, 
  through and through, to her core. Simply 
  put, Valsinka experienced hatred in a way 
  that was completely foreign to other elves. 
  Her evil heart felt utmost disdain for all life, 
  and the only thing that gave her satisfaction 
  was destroying anything that was whole 
  and right. Her birth caused a powerful 
  earthquake across all of Trudvang, causing 
  great devastation. To this day, the catastrophe 
  is still referred to as “The Big Quake”. From 
  that day forth, the Snow Queen now exists 
  in the divide between the physical and non-
  physical worlds. Valsinka, the personification 
  of hate, cold, and darkness became the Snow 
  Queen’s incarnation. To antagonize the Gods 
  of light, and tarnish their foremost creation, 
  the Snow Queen was reborn in the body of 
  a Norim Elf. Despite having been trapped 
  by the elves’ most powerful exorcists and 
  vitner weavers, the Entity was able to keep 
  its creature alive and, as the Snow Queen 
  reincarnated, she found she could thaw her 
  way out of her imprisonment. Valsinka and 
  the Snow Queen were the same creature in 
  every way. And now, she was more powerful 
  than ever. The elves who guarded her refused 
  to believe that one of their own could be 
  seduced by her alluring whispers, despite 
  being a young, fatherless child, whose origins 
  were shrouded in mystery. The arrogance 
  of the Norim Elves would come to be their 
  The Norim Elves began to explore the 
  world early on, and stood as the foremost 
  champions of light against the darkness. 
  They wished to break new ground and pave 
  the way for the other elves. However, in their 
  impatience to see the world, they lost touch 
  with their roots. And so, the Norim Elves were 
  forgotten, and passed into myth set before 
  even the time of dreams– a time forgotten by 
  the elves. Many years passed, and eventually 
  even the Norim Elves lost their wanderlust 
  and settled, establishing a kingdom. Their 
  high seat was situated among the mountain 
  peaks, in what is today known as Fjal, and 
  other tribes have spread in the nearby regions. 
  There they lived comfortably throughout their 
  prime, which lasted for thousands of years. 
  The times would change with the rise of 
  the Snow Queen, and the Norim Elves would 
  once more find themselves devoted to the war 
  against darkness. The Snow Queen appeared 
  like a trial from the Gods, a punishment for 
  the Norim Elves’ idleness and arrogance. 
  They felt the Snow Queen’s dark powers, saw 
  how the world was distorted, and quickly they 
  resolved to imprison her. Through the use of 
  powerful magic, the Snow Queen was once 
  more laid to rest under the ice, in an artificial 
  slumber wherein she could no longer grow, 
  only dream. The elves believed themselves 
  to be immune to her corruption, and moved 
  their entire kingdom to the freezing Great 
  Ice Plains, to act as the Snow Queen’s eternal 
  guardians. Unwilling to trust any other 
  race, they made sure that the location of the 
  Snow Queen’s grave has remained a secret 
  to this day. The Norim elves lived peacefully 
  in their new home for aeons, and the world 
  once more flourished. Even though a few of 
  them succumbed to darkness, their kingdom 
  withstood all external attacks. The fate of the 
  world rested safely in the hands of the Norim 
  Elves. And so it was until the day when 
  princess Valsinka was born. Today, no more 
  than a handful of Norim Elves survive, far 
  too few to be able to sustain their once proud 
  culture into the future.
  The Incarnation
  For aeons upon aeons she slept, dwelling 
  under the ice. For thousands upon 
  thousands of cold winters she lays, prone, 
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  16  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  powers gathered, there is the possibility 
  that she could succeed. She already displays 
  the early signs of becoming a divine being. 
  However, her body was not able to withstand 
  the stress of the possession. Today she exists 
  in a state where she is neither living nor dead, 
  but merely a form of dark energy. Her physical 
  being is something between a demon and her 
  original form. Valsinka is merging with the 
  evil entity in the maelstrom, the origin of her 
  life force. The thing is, Valsinka has no father. 
  She is actually two entities. One part of her, 
  the scared little elf girl who had her life taken 
  from her, only exists in the darkest corners 
  of her subconscious. The other part of her is 
  an incarnation of the Snow Queen. Valsinka 
  will never understand the truth behind her 
  volatile behavior, and, to the outside world, 
  she appears highly unstable. Her true nature, 
  inner conflict, and dark fate is the result of the 
  battle raging between the two Entities. Their 
  game of chess, good versus evil, light versus 
  darkness, order versus chaos…
  The Birth of the Orkhirs
  Alone and forgotten, as if stuck in an 
  endless nightmare, she lays frozen in 
  place under the ice, where her whispers 
  for help couldn’t even reach the wind 
  which whipped the barren plains above 
  her. With the passing years, her grief and 
  despair grew all the greater. She waited, 
  hoping. Finally, she had gained enough 
  power to incarnate. The Entity had 
  kept her alive, dreaming and yearning. 
  Now, she could finally leave her prison. 
  Having a body changed everything. Her 
  former guards were taken as slaves by the 
  giants and trolls that she summoned as 
  her servants. It grew even worse when 
  the demons came. The elves were, one 
  by one, bound to the land of the black 
  ice, on the freezing Great Ice Plains, 
  where they were tortured and tormented. 
  The elves’ souls experienced such pain 
  in the dreadful cold that some of them 
  transformed into dark creatures prior 
  to their deaths; they fell from grace. The 
  eternal cold turned their skin black, blue, 
  and blood red, and plunged their bodies 
  into a deep slumber, whereby they were 
  no longer in the world of the living…
  refuge in Wildheart, far from Valsinka’s eyes, 
  and there, in the mystic forest lost in time, 
  his life was unnaturally lengthened by the 
  love which Snowsaga shared with the him. 
  Kirjonti’s life now embraced centuries, rather 
  than just years, as the elves of old sagas did, 
  long before the departure of the Gods. 
  Valsinka, cheated out of the powers of 
  Norna’s heart that she believed to be hers 
  by right, fled from the grand throne room 
  and spent the following years devastating 
  the entire Elven kingdom. Her evil powers 
  raged at full force, and the hordes of Bastjurs, 
  (jotuns, tursirs, and trolls) whom she had 
  lured with her silken promises, crushed her 
  mother’s Elven kingdom, Palliolanta, the 
  Starry Sky, within a century.
  Valsinka’s power increased during the 
  following millennia, although at a slower pace 
  since Snowsaga was missing. With time her 
  greed was turned beyond the poor remains 
  of Palliolanta, which now lied in the Great Ice 
  Plain. She bred a race of evil conquerors, the 
  Orkhir, and started what will be later called 
  the “Time of the Untamed” in Wildland”. But 
  not all hope was lost since, unexpectedly, 
  humans demonstrated their value: the 
  Hagtorn brothers, the heroes of Wildland, 
  found Kirjonti who was hiding in Wildheart. 
  The elf, listening to the Wildlanders’ call,, 
  despite all the horror, was able to overcome 
  and capture Valsinka using Snowsaga. She 
  was brought back to the land far north, 
  even beyond where the Hrimtursirs dwell, 
  never to be able to spread her evil through 
  Trudvang again. Or so they thought.
  Few at the time knew of Norna’s 
  prophecy. 
  After the triumph the might of the 
  Hagtorn kings disappeared, while Kirjonti 
  went back into hiding in Wildheart, as a 
  silent keeper of Snowsaga, forgotten by the 
  rest of the world.
  Today, 300 years have passed. With 
  Norna’s heart at her side, Valsinka, the Snow 
  Queen, is slowly but surely starting to thaw. 
  Kirjonti is dead and Snowsaga is lost. The only 
  remaining hope rests with the Child of Light 
  and his companions. They must travel to the 
  black ice to stop Valsinka before it is too late, 
  before the Fimbulwinter reaches its third year. 
  Otherwise, Valsinka will use Snowsaga as an 
  instrument to ascend and become the goddess 
  she was always meant to be. Now, with her 
  Daughter of Fate only could save the world 
  if she was pure of heart, blameless, free 
  from sin, and filled with love, Norna asked 
  of him to perform the dark ritual on her. 
  Kirjonti removed her beating heart exactly 
  as he had learnt to do while held captive 
  in Blotheim. And so, the heart and soul of 
  Norna the Wise rested in Kirjonti’s hands 
  in the shape of the precious stone which is 
  known as “Snowsaga”. Finally, she asked 
  him to protect this treasure and hide it in 
  a place where none would find it until the 
  day when she once more would be reborn, 
  an incarnation of herself, into Trudvang’s 
  world. After Kirjonti left her an empty 
  shell, she wrote her testament to the world, 
  Norna’s prophecy. She spent her last night 
  alive watching the stars, and the Gods who 
  languished far from the world in which she 
  lived. She begged the Gods for help but 
  received no reply. Norna felt only emptiness. 
  The following morning, when Valsinka 
  unexpectedly arrived, Norna arranged 
  for a grand party in her daughter’s honor. 
  Valsinka entered the large hall and coldly 
  approached her mother and bowed before 
  her. Then her cold hand shot out towards 
  her mother as she clawed her way through 
  the old queen’s chest in search of her heart. 
  The heart that was to give Valsinka her 
  mother’s powers was missing. Full of wrath 
  at being outwitted, Valsinka ripped apart 
  the remains of the lifeless body, much to 
  everyone’s horror and despair.
  Kirjonti, who had escaped Valsinka’s 
  claws with Norna’s heart intact, wandered 
  aimlessly through Trudvang alone, unable 
  to trust a soul. As time passed, the heart 
  had taken a new form, just as fair as Norna’s 
  bright soul, to become the most beautiful 
  stone ever to exist. As white as snow, as 
  smooth as her skin, the heart shone with 
  her love like a sun. Like a Goddess, captured 
  in the stone of time of her own accord. The 
  stone returned Kirjonti’s hope, and gave 
  him the will to live, and because of that he 
  loved her. He was her guardian and she was 
  Snowsaga. She guided him and spoke to him, 
  she loved him and sustained him. Never 
  would he have envisioned her power to be so 
  great. Maybe she had always been a goddess, 
  watching over them. Maybe that was why 
  she had left them in their darkest hour– 
  to make them understand. Kirjonti found 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  17
  Blade to his youngest son, one of only two 
  human survivors of that awful battle. 
  The tale of the Snow Queen’s first attempt 
  to control the Stormlands is a long one, and 
  there are countless stories of the heroic deeds 
  and bravery shown by those that faced this 
  dark army. Fathers turned on sons, brothers 
  faced off with sisters, and Wildland was 
  catapulted into a war which could have meant 
  the death of all those who lived there. In the 
  longhouses of Wildland, you can still today 
  hear battle songs telling the story of how 
  two brothers, the last of their blood, with the 
  help of hired Hrim Trolls, finally managed to 
  push out and defeat many of the orkhir from 
  Eidldunn’s windswept plains. Some, however, 
  implied that this was merely a weak thrust 
  by the Snow Queen, and that she hadn’t 
  yet shown her full hand. Others chimed in, 
  saying that Wildland would, in time, come to 
  fear the immense power of these Dark Ones.
  Slowly but surely, the orkhir passed from 
  memory, and the wrath of the Snow Queen 
  failed to manifest. For hundreds of years 
  following the war, Wildland’s berserkers 
  still hunted savage orkhir in the Darkwoods, 
  but as the worshipers of the Ice Cult 
  gradually disappeared, so too did the dark 
  memories of the orkhir fade. Only in the 
  northernmost region did the orkhir survive. 
  They hid in the frozen holes of the black 
  ice, waiting for a time when they would 
  once again be able to sink their claws into 
  the human world. History turned the page 
  once again, and in Wildland the memory of 
  the orkhir passed into terrifying myths and 
  legends from times of yore.
  In the Snowsaga campaign, for the second 
  time in history, a gigantic army of orkhir are 
  marching from the darkened Great Ice Plains. 
  Ever since their defeat in Wildland, they have 
  dwelled in the dark ice and now travel with a 
  larger and more heavily armed host than ever 
  before. The Snow Queen has ensured that 
  they are perfectly versed in the art of war, 
  something which anyone who encounters an 
  orkhir quickly learns. In Snowsaga, they are 
  led by the furious hrimtursir Blodughadda, 
  and, with his leadership, they are slowly but 
  surely conquering the free territories of the 
  Stormlands. 
  There are three types of orkhir: arukha, 
  hurik’a, and svorgha; all hatched from the 
  dark ice for evil purposes. 
  bodies– resilient and immune to pain. They 
  bore strong jaws with yellowing tusks 
  protruding from their mouths, and their eyes 
  took on the same yellow shade as seen in 
  trolls. The orkhir were great warriors, and the 
  few brave souls who dared meet them in open 
  battle quickly learnt the meaning of true fear. 
  Just as they had once been talented hunters, 
  their target had now changed, and anything 
  that the Snow Queen wanted to abolish 
  became their prey of choice. They were cold-
  blooded, terrifying, and carvings of demonic 
  patterns on their skin depicted part of their 
  origin story. The orkhir served their purpose 
  well, and when these warrior slaves were first 
  summoned by the Snow Queen three hundred 
  years ago, they frantically hacked their way 
  up out of the black ice. They quickly spawned 
  more offspring, and swarmed out from the 
  crevices of the dark ice. Within a few years, a 
  large army made its way down from the Great 
  Ice Plains, forcing their way through passes 
  in the Great Iron Mountains. Column after 
  column, an enormous host, all armed with 
  heavy swords, pikes, and large iron shields, 
  they waged open war against the free folk of 
  the Stormlands. To ease the pains of frostbite, 
  they tied ropes made of human hair in tight 
  knots around their arms and bodies. They 
  gathered under powerful banners and the Ice 
  Cult, wolves, Hrim Trolls, and hrimtursirs 
  all fought and lived alongside the orkhir 
  throughout this first campaign led by the 
  Dark Ones. At the time, few knew who these 
  creatures were or where they came from, 
  although their evil was apparent to all. 
  Evil lay over Wildland like a dark hand. 
  Enslaved and subjugated, neither the 
  humans, nor the dwarves, nor the elves of 
  the North could escape. The earth quaked 
  and groaned under the black ice’s armies. All 
  this changed the very shape of Wildland, and 
  the land was like a festering wound, unable 
  to heal. The dwarves in the Great Iron 
  Mountains ’s North-Eastern region decided 
  to close their ancient gates in order to block 
  the path of evil. A last alliance of the Fylkjarls 
  of the North bravely fought on the endless 
  plains in southern Wildland. In what came 
  to be known as Naginolika, The Last Stand, 
  both the Great Fylkjarl Vurmahj Hagtorn 
  and the bearer of the mighty sword Koraljon, 
  Sajgfrund Hagtorn, the Loved One, perished. 
  On his deathbed, Sajgfrund passed the Ruling 
  When the Snow Queen incarnated and 
  became Valsinka, she was freed from her 
  prison. The Norim Elves were caught 
  unawares, having not foreseen her move. 
  After Norna’s fall, dark times awaited those 
  left behind. These were dark days for the 
  Norim Elves, with Valsinka as queen, and all 
  that was beautiful began to wither and decay.
  Valsinka kept the elves of Palliolanta 
  in line with horrifying frost demons and 
  disgraced Norim Elves within the city walls. 
  Hrimtursirs and trolls waited eagerly just 
  outside, and there were no other means of 
  escape. The siege wore at the proud elves; 
  they probably knew, deep down, that they 
  were beyond salvation. Over time, Valsinka’s 
  patience with her people ran thin and she 
  betrayed the Norim Elves by giving the 
  Hrimtursirs to the secret of conquering the 
  city. An enormous army, led by Hrimtursirs 
  and supported by other Bastjurs attacked and, 
  alongside Valsinka’s forces on the inside, left 
  only a handful of the last remaining Norim 
  Elves alive. Valsinka even had the disgraced 
  Norim Elves murdered to complete the circle 
  and obliterate the last of what had once been 
  her own people. Those not immediately 
  devoured by the black purgatory that swept 
  through the city like a firestorm on the 
  Farje wind were, on Valsinka’s command, 
  frozen into statues or left in the hands of 
  the vengeful frost giants. The city was torn 
  down to its foundations, and all that remained 
  were mere ruins. Within a century, Valsinka 
  had destroyed a city that had stood for aeons. 
  Today the memory of Palliolanta only lives on 
  in the dreams of the Norim Elves who escaped 
  that fateful day three thousand years ago.
  A thousand years passed after Palliolanta – 
  the Starry Sky – was destroyed. Valsinka, the 
  Snow Queen, gradually began to reawaken 
  the dead elves under the ice, tormented them, 
  using demonic power to make their bodies 
  writhe. Using the merciless torture of the 
  black ice, she was able to create a dark race 
  of warriors to serve her purpose. They were 
  called the “Orkhir”, the Dark Ones, and they 
  were reborn from a world which lies between 
  ours and Blotheim. All orkhir were given 
  a drop of the demons’ blood, and their sole 
  purpose is to spread death and destruction 
  about them. The black and blue shades of 
  frostbite, their skin is hard and tough, their 
  arms are sinewy, strong and muscular, their 
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  18  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  Arakha
  Hurik’a
  Svorga
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  19
  grew longer. The queen of the black ice 
  elevated her followers to the status of 
  kings and princes, and into their ears, she 
  whispered dark lies. She promised them 
  eternal life and Godly powers, but only to 
  those who complied with her whispers. The 
  power of these whispers was so great that 
  many Wildlanders followed them blindly, 
  only to awaken to find themselves eternally 
  cursed to a life in the wake of shadows. 
  This was a time when the wolves howled 
  in hunger and bloodlust. An era when the 
  sun hid behind scorched, black clouds, and 
  lost souls cried out as sisters and brothers 
  betrayed each other under the somber light 
  of the moon. More people were sacrificed 
  under unnatural conditions than there 
  were worms in the soil. Light fought the 
  dark. It was the omen foretelling the end 
  of the world; the dead outnumbered the 
  living, and her whispers had been heard 
  by far too many. They called themselves 
  “Worshippers of the Black Ice”, and their 
  deity was Valsinka, the Snow Queen, to 
  whom they left offerings, both grand and 
  bloody.
  The world would be plunged into 
  darkness. The winter would reign and 
  the cold would be queen. In the end, 
  entire villages joined the Ice Cult, and all 
  worshipped the queen of the black ice, who, 
  through whispers and allusion, promised 
  them eternal life at her side.
  Thus, three hundred years ago, more 
  than half the population of Wildland were 
  worshippers of the dark queen and the 
  Black Sun she represented. The Ice Cult 
  had, in a short amount of time, spread 
  across almost the entire expanse of the 
  Stormlands. The followers howled, lusting 
  for blood and sacrifices. Sacrifice was at 
  the core of the cult’s activities, and their 
  sacrificial methods were virtually endless. 
  Slow hangings, gutting and flaying, 
  cleaving, breaking a victim’s back over 
  large rocks, letting your victim be eaten 
  alive by dogs; the cult allowed essentially 
  anything which caused the victim extreme 
  pain. While it is true that Wildland had a 
  long history of sacrifice and offerings, the 
  sacrifice of humans was rare, and, even then 
  it was only ever thralls. But in the Time 
  of the Untamed the sacrifices in Wildland 
  were so extensive that entire homesteads 
  demonic patterns worked onto their bodies, 
  weapons, and clothing. The patterns are 
  often either circles or waves, entwined like 
  braids. They carry symbols that are like 
  deep grooves in the skin. Their bodies are 
  blue-black, with brown and red blotches. 
  An observant person would notice that the 
  bodies show signs of frostbite, which, on 
  closer examination, is obviously the case. 
  The Time of The 
  unTamed
  There are times when reality tears and 
  falls apart. When time itself loses all 
  meaning and new history is made. There 
  are times when none can resist being 
  tempted by dark powers and, in their 
  overwhelming fight not to succumb, 
  everyone is willing to kill anything that 
  gets in their way. Three hundred years 
  ago, the “Time of the Untamed”, was 
  such a time. A wave of evil wound its 
  way through Wildland, recruiting new 
  followers. The years thereafter came to 
  be so dark and so depressing, that even 
  today none dare speak of them…
  With the darkness came the Ice Cult. 
  Light powers fought dark ones. The 
  Stormlands were aflame, the battle horns 
  blared, the bowstrings whistled, and the 
  ground ran red. The Gods shut their eyes; 
  the elves cried. The dwarves stood with 
  bated breath. 
  As the honorable Fylkjarls fought over 
  the copper finds in the north, and schemed 
  against each other to increase their families’ 
  power, a poison spread across Wildland. 
  A poison which, to this day, terrifies and 
  strikes the people dumb. A dark cult of 
  worshippers grew from within, attacking 
  the very foundations upon which Wildland 
  rests. The whispers from a queen and some 
  large blocks of black ice brought from the 
  north by frost giants was all it took to make 
  the worshippers kill everything that got in 
  their way.
  Even the hard-line strategies of the 
  mighty warriors of the Order of the Iron 
  Hand were unable to banish this darkness 
  that settled over Wildland. Blood flowed 
  in rapid rivers, and fires burnt higher and 
  higher, all while the shadows of darkness 
  Arukha
  In Wild Vrok, the Wildlanders’ tongue, 
  “arukha” means ”large ones” and, as their 
  name implies, these orkhir are large and 
  powerful. Of all the orkhir, arukhas are the 
  fewest in number, and in every squad of 
  fifteen to twenty orkhir there will rarely be 
  more than one or two arukha. They often 
  make up the second wave of battle, and will 
  single out the largest and most dangerous 
  enemy which the other orkhir would 
  face difficulty in slaying. Their greatest 
  weakness is that they do not care if other 
  orkhir die while they are trying to complete 
  their task. Arukhas are real war machines, 
  bred for a singular purpose: to kill as many 
  as possible. They prefer to fight with two-
  handed axes and long spears, and seldom 
  carry shields. 
  Hurik’a
  Hurik’a are the smallest of all the orkhir. 
  Few are more than a meter in height, but 
  despite their slight stature they fight with 
  such violent frenzy that they inspire fear 
  even in enormous creatures. The hurik’a 
  often carry broadswords and always 
  operate in groups of three to five. Solitary 
  hurik’a will often act as scouts for the large 
  orkhir armies.
  Svorgha
  Svorgha make up the majority of all orkhir 
  and are the most common type to encounter. 
  They are distinguished warriors, bred 
  to fight equally well individually as in a 
  group. Their appearance is closer to a cross 
  between trolls and humans than the dark 
  spawn of elves that they really are. Orkhir 
  groups are always led by a svorgha, as they 
  are most trusted by the Snow Queen. At 
  first, there were only svorgha; the arukha 
  and hurik’a were only recently raised from 
  the black ice.
  About the Orkhir
  The three different types of orkhir differ 
  greatly in appearance, both in size and 
  features. The one thing common to all 
  is their snow-white hair, which stands 
  straight up out of the sturdy skull. All 
  three races also have light yellow eyes 
  which lack pupils, giving them an empty, 
  disturbing appearance. All orkhir also have 
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  20  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  he was forced to, in the most humiliating of 
  ways, plead for his own life. 
  Some know that Ouvar made a pact 
  with a demon to be spared. Only Ouvar 
  himself knows that when he sold his soul 
  to Valsinka in exchange for his life, she also 
  cursed his entire bloodline. Ouvar would 
  “serve her eternally for the rest of his 
  pathetic life, like the dog he was”. Valsinka 
  cursed him with warg sickness, an affliction 
  making his mood change with the phases of 
  the moon, and, when he had transformed, 
  giving her control of his instincts as well. 
  Among his victims Valsinka chose those 
  dear to Ouvar, the few people he truly cared 
  about. Ouvar, for his part, took a wife and 
  managed to have three children before he 
  died, a melancholic and broken man. 
  Ever since, the affliction has lived on, 
  latent, in all of his line, and many had 
  been forced to leave their family for long 
  stretches of time to keep those dear to them 
  safe from the predatory instincts brought 
  on by the moon.
  The Ouvar family was still the smallest 
  in Vretgaard, but their position as 
  executioners was never questioned, and has 
  been passed down through the generations. 
  Even to this day, the oldest member of the 
  Ouvar clan acts as Vretgaard’s judge and 
  executioner. 
  Valsinka’s encounter with Ouvar resulted 
  in a son, whom she named “Hakka”, ”Hate”, 
  as a reminder of what she felt for him. She 
  felt no joy over the birth because she did 
  not want Ouvar anymore, but despite her 
  hate, she could not find it in herself to kill 
  the child. Conveniently enough, she met a 
  ranger named Gaul Grimme on her travels. 
  She tricked him into believing that she was 
  deathly ill and convinced him to take the 
  baby. The only thing she told of the child’s 
  background was that his name was Hakka, 
  and that he was a Norim Elf, one of the last 
  of his kind. Gaul therefore named the child 
  Hakka Norim. 
  However, Gaul realized that something 
  was wrong with the child early on, and took 
  the boy to a soothsayer. The soothsayer said 
  that thick, royal blood ran through Hakka’s 
  veins, and that he had a very special future, 
  watched over by the Gods. The story 
  shocked Gaul, who grew obsessed with 
  finding Hakka’s true ancestry. He traveled 
  The lasT king
  Three hundred years ago, before the war 
  broke out for real, Valsinka attempted to 
  weaken the Wildlanders by allowing the 
  Ice Cult to infiltrate all key positions of 
  society. That was when she first discovered 
  Ouvar the beheader. 
  Ouvar lived with his family on a cape 
  outside Vretgaard, the city which had 
  become a major hub due to the new copper 
  finds. The copper rush led the greedy 
  Wildlanders straight into the grasp of the 
  Snow Queen and her cult. Ouvar made his 
  living extracting tar and coal in the twenty 
  or so coal mines in the area. But he was also 
  the executioner for the Hagtorn Kings of 
  Wildland. Ouvar was an evil man, with more 
  than five hundred souls on his conscience, far 
  more than his reputation suggested – some 
  innocent and others guilty. Ouvar murdered, 
  raped, and maimed for amusement, simply 
  because he took pleasure in it. Nobody was 
  safe from him, and none dared cross him. 
  Ouvar took advantage of his ties to those 
  who ruled Wildland, and thereby became 
  an icon of the kingdom. Many who wrote 
  of him had never even met him but were 
  ordered to record him as a legend and, thus, 
  create a folk hero of sorts or even a king, 
  which off course he never was. 
  Things were good for Ouvar until 
  Valsinka first took notice of him. Never 
  before had she heard of such an evil man 
  with such a tarnished conscience, almost 
  akin to her own dark soul. She tracked him 
  down to see for herself it the rumors were 
  true, and did not find herself disappointed. 
  Ouvar raped her out on his cape, and 
  Valsinka allowed it to happen to see if he 
  was as evil as she had hoped. Beaten and 
  violated, Valsinka then revealed her true 
  identity and her future plans, but Ouvar 
  dismissed her as a pathetic liar, out only to 
  save her own skin. 
  Never one known to have a good 
  temperament, Valsinka could not contain 
  her fury, and unleashed the full extent of 
  her powers upon him and his unfortunate 
  family. The firestorm which followed was 
  truly horrendous, and the disappointment 
  Valsinka experienced when Ouvar begged 
  for his own life and that of his family, was 
  absolute. She spared Ouvar but slaughtered 
  his entire family right in front of him. Then 
  could disappear if the worshippers were 
  given free rein to accomplish their mission. 
  In the oral history of Wildland, you can 
  still hear tell of times long ago, when 
  father turned on son, and of how when one 
  family member joined the cult they would 
  brutally sacrifice their entire family to the 
  new deity. 
  After the Snow Queen’s defeat on the 
  plains of Eidldunn, the Ice Cult and their 
  followers were mercilessly hounded across 
  the Stormlands by the most devoted 
  warriors of the Iron Hand, those from 
  Paater’s own guard. Many of the followers 
  met violent deaths when they refused to 
  be converted, others were immediately 
  beheaded, without question. The Ice Cult 
  and their followers gradually passed into 
  history. Their dark past was locked into 
  the murky archives of history, banned 
  forever more. Angry and overthrown, 
  denied and forgotten, a small sliver of the 
  cult lived on. In a few of the most isolated 
  and desolate areas of Wildland, the cult 
  would meet once a year to reminisce about 
  their former glory and make sacrifices to 
  a queen whose silky-smooth whispers had 
  ceased.
  The people had sacrificed themselves to 
  the approaching creature of dark evil meant 
  to be the omen ushering in the world’s 
  end. But it was a high price to pay, and the 
  currency was blood. The losses couldn’t 
  even be measured by history. It was a time 
  when humanity had its life crushed out of 
  it, a time of evil, of darkness, of hate. And 
  yet, the powers of light had triumphed over 
  the darkness.
  The human folk had finally conquered 
  the bloodthirsty Ice cult worshippers and 
  their endless hordes of light- impoverished 
  people brought forth from the world 
  between Blotheim and our own. The 
  people whose eyes smoldered with hate and 
  hunger, and whose blood was as black as the 
  demons’. Showing bravery that was to be 
  immortalized in battle songs, the gathered 
  forces in the Stormlands were able to stop 
  Valsinka’s, the Snow Queen’s, entry into our 
  world, and thereby prevent the apocalypse. 
  Aided by Kirjonti and Snowsaga, they were 
  able to fetter the Entity’s first emanation 
  and its incarnation, Valsinka, far up in the 
  kingdom whence they once came. 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  21
  geography
  ”A cold wind gnawed at my face as I, 
  for the very first time, saw the ruins 
  of the old city, and a hush fell over the 
  whole world, as if it was waiting for 
  me. Something felt awfully wrong, and 
  I knew that I should turn back. At the 
  same time, I felt myself drawn forward, 
  beckoned, as if the key to my fate and 
  my entire existence lay before me. I just 
  needed to summon the courage to take 
  that first step…” 
  The following chapter describes the 
  lands of Wildland and Arkland, and can 
  be used in the Snowsaga campaign, or 
  independently as inspiration for your 
  own adventures. It starts with a short 
  description of the countries, which is 
  roughly comparable to what would be 
  known in neighboring lands or by people 
  who have only ever heard of the place. What 
  follows is a more thorough description of 
  the history, people, culture, and current 
  situation. Observe that what people 
  outside of the countries know about them 
  may not always match up with the truth, 
  and therefore some details in the original 
  presentation will not mirror reality. 
  Wildland
  There once was a time when Wildland’s 
  entire copper production was based 
  around Vretgaard, where, during the 
  city’s peak, over a thousand people 
  resided. Caravans and merchants from 
  far off lands gravitated towards the 
  area to share in the immense wealth. 
  People traveled from near and far for 
  the honor of working in the ore rich 
  mines, where a week of work equalled 
  an annual salary elsewhere in the 
  kingdom. The daily traffic brought on 
  by the copper-route and the presence of 
  many warriors had made the previously 
  dangerous roads linking the mines 
  to civilization into a safe, essentially 
  eventless journey. Even though several 
  thousand people disappeared or died, the 
  number who got rich was even greater, 
  and so, the word spread. The reckless 
  of his very eyes, passed on, while he himself 
  showed no real signs of significant aging. 
  He also carried within him a hate for the 
  world for having abandoned him.
  One of the last surviving Norim Elves, 
  Linn, ransacked Trudvang in the search 
  for the lost royal son. Maybe the truth is 
  that Hakka found her, rather than the other 
  way around. Hakka, who at that point had 
  met his real mother a handful of times, 
  had begun to understand that something 
  in his blood granted him a longer life, and 
  that it all stemmed from his elven ancestry. 
  Unfortunately, he did not know how to 
  contact other elves, and his mother had 
  forbidden it. Now his sons had captured a 
  woman wandering alone in the forests, and 
  brought her to Vretgaard as a slave. Despite 
  them having beaten her something awful, she 
  was still unbelievably beautiful. As soon as 
  Hakka laid eyes on her, there was no doubt in 
  his mind as to what race she hailed from. He 
  loved her at first sight. When Hakka haltingly 
  stuttered a few words in the forgotten 
  language of the Norim Elves, Linn realized 
  that she was the one who had been chosen 
  to fulfil the promises of the Gods. She had 
  found the last King. A year later, Linn bore a 
  child and named her Maria. Maria grew up in 
  Vretgaard, protected from Valsinka’s evil eye 
  by Linn and dotted on by her father. 
  Linn reverently addresses Hakka as 
  “my King”, as, with time, she has grown 
  to love him. She understands that his 
  good qualities outnumber the bad, and 
  she blames his mother for most things. 
  In Linn’s eyes, her role is to save Hakka 
  from the dark side. She also noticed the 
  guilt that passes across Hakka’s face each 
  and every time he looks at her. By playing 
  on his feelings, she hopes to rid him of his 
  darker qualities. Her cunning has worked 
  thus far. Hakka has also not dared tell his 
  mother about Linn, as his love for them 
  both is far too great.
  Hakka’s descendants are known as 
  “Norims”, not to be confused with the Norim 
  Elves. Even if the Norims are in many ways 
  kin to the Norim Elves, their elvish blood is 
  too thin for them to be considered elves or 
  even half-elves. In appearance, the two races 
  of people share a lot of similarities, and the 
  Norims still carry the distinctive features of 
  the Norim Elves.
  with pomp and grandeur, scouring the 
  lands in the hopes of finding the kingdom 
  which was missing its heir. This pursuit 
  cost him more than half of his wealth. 
  However, his search came to the attention 
  of the surviving Norim Elves. They had 
  made their way far out west to the mythical 
  city of Jaarnkihl, and had been welcomed 
  there, albeit with some suspicion, without 
  having to divulge their true origins. There 
  they were able to study the prophecies 
  which were linked to the events unfolding. 
  By sheer coincidence, rumors reached them 
  of a man who claimed to be traveling with 
  the son of a Norimian king. They knew that 
  they would never be able to preserve the 
  Norimian race, as they were far too few and 
  would finally merge with other elves and 
  die out. But they realized that their final 
  legacy to the world would be to bestow 
  upon Hakka a daughter. She would be their 
  true queen, whose fate it would be to make 
  a choice– a choice with consequences that 
  would be felt throughout the world. 
  Gaul’s search never yielded anything and 
  he turned bitter. Hakka, who had always 
  loved the man he thought was his father, 
  was singled out from his siblings and began 
  being treated badly. As a mere 8-year-old, he 
  ran away from his family and into the forest, 
  never to return. The Norim Elves missed 
  their chance by a mere month and began a 
  long search for him. And thus, the last king 
  was lost, just as the prophecies had foretold.
  At the same time, Valsinka began to 
  wonder what had become of her offspring 
  and visited Gaul with the intention of 
  bringing her son home. When she heard 
  of what had happened, she cursed Gaul and 
  announced that his family would die before 
  his eyes; that he would never again summon 
  the energy to create a new family, instead 
  being forced to rot away alone. Gaul’s family 
  dropped like flies in front of him and the 
  new women in his life bore him no children. 
  Horrified that he would die without an heir, 
  he adopted a son in all secrecy and thereby 
  eluded Valsinka’s curse. A secret which was 
  kept for over three hundred years.
  Hakka made his way to Vretgaard, 
  where he started a family. Primarily, he 
  bought slave women and took them as 
  wives. His sorrow and hate gradually grew 
  as his children and wives aged and, in front 
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  22  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  to claim the land that they had arrived in, 
  the great leader and authoritarian chief of 
  the Agroths gathered his people for a last 
  show of strength against the Stormlands. 
  Grimur Moonfriend had chosen the 
  location with great care and consideration, 
  as he knew that their war tactics with ”the 
  Wildfylking” fighting formation would face 
  challenges in the face of the Kremors’ and 
  Broths’ mounted archers and lancers. Few 
  today recall that great battle, and the Elves 
  never kept any records of it. It’s commonly 
  referred to as ”Bloedis’Dunn”, the Day 
  of the Red Snow, and many speak of it as 
  being the bloodiest day in the history of 
  the Stormlands. The battle waged on the 
  outskirts of the Bjarnwoods, where the thick 
  vegetation hindered the cavalry charges, 
  and Grimur Moonfriend knew, even though 
  many thousand Broths and Kremors lost 
  their lives compared to only a handful of 
  Agroths, that the time had come for his 
  people to move on. Along with thousands of 
  warriors, their families and households, this 
  fractured people embarked upon a hard and 
  bitter journey to the region today known as 
  Wildland.
  But the Agroths found that starting 
  over from scratch was difficult, and 
  Wildland was not the ideal place to lay 
  down roots. The humiliation over the 
  bitter retreat prevented the Agroths from 
  reconnecting with the Stormlands, and 
  hundreds of years passed. The Agroths’ 
  cities remained primitive and simple 
  compared to the settlements found in 
  other regions, and traveling to Wildland 
  was like journeying into the past. The 
  unwillingness to embrace knowledge 
  from other cultures endured, and the 
  daily struggle to survive took up most 
  of their time. Instead, religion developed, 
  and the Agroths’ berserkers, known as 
  the Bearshirts, learned how to shape shift 
  by chewing on certain plants and herbs, 
  giving them the ability to meld with the 
  animals’ spirits. The bear and the wolf 
  were meaningful and were worshipped 
  as Gods. The Agroths’ lives would have 
  continued much the same had it not 
  been for one man: Haakon Hagtorn, one 
  of Grimur´s many descendants– a man 
  of great vision. He searched for new 
  solutions and wished that his people, at 
  The History of Wildland
  Throughout 
  the 
  course 
  of 
  history, 
  countless tribes have stepped into the 
  spotlight. Some cemented their existence, 
  forming settlements, societies, and nations 
  which lasted for centuries upon centuries. 
  Others disappeared, some without trace, 
  leaving behind neither remains nor ruins. 
  The fate of some cultures turned to myths 
  and legends, and so, the irreversible past 
  is filled with captivating riddles and 
  mysteries. The Elven legends tell of a 
  time around the end of the Age of the Iron 
  Dragon when many human tribes traveled 
  through Trudvang’s wilderness without 
  settling down.
  The Arks’ sister-folk, the Agroths, 
  were one of those tribes. They lived in the 
  protective darkness of the forests that span 
  east of the Great Iron Tooth. They were a 
  free and stubborn people who wandered 
  down into the Stormlands and mated 
  with Broths, Kremors, and Wildbrons. 
  Like the Wildbrons, they lived for war 
  and harbored a strong belief in the spirit 
  world. Also, as in the Wildbrons’ culture, 
  all men underwent a test of manhood 
  as a rite of passage, through which they 
  got their high status as warriors and 
  protectors of the tribe. The Agroths lives 
  revolved around fighting, and a huge 
  emphasis was placed on the men’s skills in 
  the art of war. At a young age, they were 
  taught to draw blood, and great effort was 
  put into forging weapons. 
  Alas, time was not kind to this people. 
  The Agroths were scoffed at by the Broths 
  and Kremors, who wanted nothing to do 
  with this warrior tribe. They did not find 
  anywhere to settle in the Stormlands, and 
  were not welcome anywhere, despite the 
  vast domains that stood vacant and free to 
  use. For so it was, the Broths and Kremors 
  did not want war. They wished to live well, 
  sustaining themselves by hunting and 
  fishing. They wanted to lay down roots and 
  build garrisons and fortifications against the 
  great dangers of the wilderness. The Broths 
  and Kremors used their upper hand in battle 
  on horseback boldly and without fear of 
  the great loss of life, just as they had done 
  with the Wildbrons, forcing the Agroths 
  further and further north-east to this most 
  savage region of Trudvang. In a final effort 
  mining of ore continued for hundreds 
  of years and eventually, the mines ran 
  dry. The profits dwindled, and people 
  stopped coming. When the warriors left 
  Vretgaard twenty years ago, many of the 
  villagers followed. Those who stayed 
  but lacked the skills and knowledge of 
  how to farm the land, perished because 
  of the tough times. The winters were 
  long and frigid, and the self-sustaining 
  families were forced to turn their backs 
  on their dying and starving kinsmen. 
  Today, only a fraction of the original 
  population remains. The only signs 
  left hinting at Vretgaard’s former size 
  and glory are the cemetery of mass 
  graves and the eerie, ghost-like houses, 
  once built by proud people, completely 
  unaware of their impending doom…
  The only real mark Wildland left on 
  Trudvang’s history was the rise and fall 
  of the Copper Kingdom, as representatives 
  from other lands were welcomed relatively 
  openly. The stories speak of how “King 
  Ouvar the Beheader” ruled over the 
  growing country fairly, and was rather 
  open to the outside world, primarily 
  because they needed to bring in able-
  bodied people to work the mines. Strangers 
  were begrudgingly accepted within the 
  borders. This led to many noblemen in 
  the Stormlands journeying to Wildland to 
  make some quick money. Some remained, 
  along with their mercenary soldiers and 
  guardsmen, and thus, a new elite blossomed 
  in Wildland. But as always, all good things 
  must come to an end. The mines were 
  exhausted, and the Wildlanders were once 
  more an oppressed people, ruled by their 
  former enemies. The noblemen, too, did 
  not offer to share what they had as many 
  of them had lost everything. The people, 
  for their part, felt as if the foreigners had 
  stripped the country of its riches, and when 
  it was time to pay the price, had fled. It 
  has now been twenty years since the last 
  workers left the mines, and the country is 
  on the precipice of a depression, potentially 
  even a civil war. Formerly prosperous 
  families had in short order lost everything 
  they had built up over centuries. Today 
  Wildland is once more a troubled nation, 
  well on its way back towards its dark past. 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  23
  were equal numbers of Stormlanders and 
  Wildlanders in the country. Many were 
  those who wished to work in the copper 
  mines and the places from whence they 
  hailed were far and varied. The language 
  evolved, and many new names were 
  coined, such as Majnjord, Fylges, and 
  Soj, parts of the country and places which 
  the Wildlanders had never even heard 
  of. With the foreigners’ help, the copper 
  mines grew to be the greatest resource in 
  all of Trudvang. A mere hundred years 
  later, there was a “Copper Kingdom”, 
  “the promised land” where anyone could 
  become rich. 
  This was the time of great men like 
  Ouvar, the bailiff of the Fylkjarls in the 
  Copper Kingdom, and the anthem about 
  him describes him as such: 
  “Ouvar the Beheader was the copper’s 
  man, so strong, so grand and fair his 
  hand. The lawless road so long and 
  twisted, but death, our mistress, none 
  resisted. The journey’s end, from now 
  to never, your head from body he doth 
  sever, on his cape upon the knoll. The 
  blade, so sharp and so bold, slew man 
  and woman, young and old. A hundred 
  lifelines he had severed... for Ouvar he 
  was called”.
  Ouvar the Beheader was never king, 
  as many may believe, but he earned his 
  place in the history books as a great and 
  legendary man. While still alive, he became 
  a symbol for justice, and many a song was 
  written in his honor. 
  Ouvar and his family lived on the cape 
  just outside Vretgaard. They made their 
  living by mining for coal and tar in the 
  twenty odd coal mines in the region. But 
  he was also the executioner and bailiff for 
  the whole Copper Kingdom, and rumor 
  was that he had taken the life of more 
  than a hundred men and women up on his 
  mound– all in the name of the law. He lived 
  as he preached, and was liked by all. It was 
  said that he had been considered for the 
  position of Fylkjarl. He was a lucky man, 
  but that all ended one fateful night.
  That night his entire property was 
  engulfed in flames, and his family was 
  trapped and burnt alive. Ouvar, alone, 
  number of families that were torn apart, 
  or turned into enemies of their own kind, 
  is unknown. What is known is that no one 
  in Wildland has spoken of it aloud ever 
  since. 
  The Ice Cult had summoned her, 
  she who lay beneath the black ice, and 
  nightmarish 
  creatures 
  followed 
  her 
  arrival. The world lay in ashes and the sun 
  was blackened by smoke. The war-horns 
  blared, the sky wept, and mountains bled. 
  Wildland’s hope rested upon the Hagtorn 
  brothers, the last remaining of the guards 
  of Koraljon, the Ruling Blade. The Ruling 
  Blade, the sword that had once belonged to 
  Haakon Hagtorn, and which may even be 
  traced to the days of Grimur. With their 
  brothers and sisters lying dead around 
  them, and the dark wave of attackers 
  growing evermore in front of them, 
  they chose to do the unthinkable. They 
  reached out to the Hrim Trolls to buy 
  their allegiance and friendship. With the 
  help of the trolls, and with what remained 
  of Wildland’s army, the humans were able 
  to drive the darkness back, nightmare 
  creatures and the Ice Cult included. The 
  brothers traveled to an enchanted forest 
  in the Stormlands from which nobody 
  had ever returned. There, they sought 
  Kirjonti, the elf who guarded Snowsaga, 
  the only chain that had ever shackled the 
  Snow Queen. They found him, and for 
  the time being, Evil was halted– but at 
  a terrible cost. The brothers perished in 
  battle and their heirs had lost everything 
  they owned (but the Ruling Sword) to the 
  Hrim Trolls, whose friendship was costly. 
  There was no more a King in Wildland, 
  peoples had been decimated, those near 
  and dear were lost, families had been 
  shattered, and everything that had been 
  built in the last century stood in ruins.
  The Wildlanders who survived the 
  dark years just wanted to forget those 
  black times. The only way to get the land 
  back on track was to restore the copper 
  mines. This time, they had to ask their 
  former rivals, the Kremors and Broths, for 
  help. The Stormlanders never learnt what 
  really happened during the dark years, 
  but were happy to forge peaceful relations 
  with Wildland. It began with trade, 
  followed by immigration, and soon there 
  some point in the future, would re-join 
  the Stormlands, which had come much 
  further in their development. Haakon 
  first visited the Wildbrons, who at this 
  point had already adopted a lot from the 
  Broths and Kremors. He knew that the 
  Agroths would not look down on the 
  Wildbrons, historically the only people 
  ever to respect the Agroths’ way of life. 
  The introduction of Wildbrons ushered 
  in the arrival of inventions and cultural 
  concepts congruent with the times, 
  something greatly appreciated, especially 
  by Agroths of the younger generation. 
  The Wildbrons, for their part, had a lot to 
  learn from the Agroths’ berserkers and, in 
  time, the two tribes began to merge into 
  one. The Wildbrons, who did not hold 
  particularly high status in the Stormlands, 
  were accepted and greatly appreciated in 
  Wildland. They introduced the horse to 
  the region, and brought bulls, new tools 
  and, most importantly, new weapons. The 
  alliance between the Agroths and the 
  Wildbrons led to them joining to become 
  one people: they became the Wildlanders. 
  On his deathbed Haakon was the king 
  of Wildland, and he could look back 
  at his life’s work as a success. But after 
  Haakon’s passing, the world changed and 
  everything would have been well, were 
  it not for the dark times that descended 
  upon Wildland. The Great Fylkjarls were 
  unable to agree upon a new king, and new 
  copper finds birthed greed. The power 
  play that followed led desperate men to 
  attempt to rouse the powers of darkness 
  and the evil that arose was far greater 
  than any could have predicted.
  This dark era which came to be known 
  as the “Time of the Untamed” has left 
  its mark on those who dwell here. It is 
  a time all wish to forget. A time which 
  brought forth the Ice Cult, when the 
  Snow Queen’s arrival was imminent; it 
  was a time three hundred years ago. It all 
  began with the discovery of copper in the 
  mountains, which led to the Copper Trail. 
  The presence in the north had summoned 
  the attention of someone, or something, 
  which whispered dark secrets in people’s 
  dreams. A voice which woke the dark side 
  which had rested, latent, in all people, 
  coloring their souls black with hate. The 
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  24  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  Wulfr, Bhalgor, and Hagtorn. The one 
  holding most power today is the Saatigia 
  family, who is backed by the Staark and 
  the Hagtorn. Both the Fylkjarl of Uvail 
  and the Fylkjarl of Wulfr are Saatigia’s 
  equals in terms of wealth and men, but a 
  drawn-out dispute has left Saatigia with 
  the advantage. Saatigia is, additionally, 
  in an alliance with Oktar Grimme, the 
  Swordjarl of Storhavn and the richest 
  man north of the Bjarnwood. The Fylkjarl 
  of the Bhalgor family is the Blot Lord of 
  the Stave Church in Jordek, and also the 
  regional Brycker, the ever-present hand of 
  Gerbanis in Wildland. The least powerful 
  is the Hagtorn family, the house with the 
  proudest ancestry, but who sadly retains 
  barely any property. 
  Other than Hagtorn and Staark, the 
  Fylkjarls each command a couple of 
  thousand men. The strongest is the Saatigia 
  Fylkjarl, who, from the Hallwind fortress, 
  controls a force of over four thousand 
  soldiers. Half of the men fit for battle hail 
  from the Bear Shirts, and the other half 
  from the mercenaries of the Stormlands. 
  The Wildland army is therefore very 
  versatile, with resources ranging from 
  berserkers to heavy cavalry and mounted 
  archers.
  Slaves are very common in Wildland, 
  and it is often they who do the heaviest 
  lifting and dirtiest tasks, like dishes, 
  cleaning, 
  caring 
  for 
  livestock, 
  and 
  spreading fertilizer on the fields. Slaves and 
  slave women are seen as property, just like 
  animals. The owner of a slave can do what 
  he wants with them and treat them as he 
  wishes. He is even allowed to beat his slave 
  to death without facing any penalty or 
  punishment. The most common slave is a 
  former captive, captured in battle, but even 
  bandits, highwaymen, and those unable to 
  pay debts can end up in slavery. Children 
  born to slaves inherit the same status as 
  their parents. 
  The Stormlands have greatly influenced 
  Wildland, which today is considered to 
  be just another of the Stormlands. This 
  is particularly notable in many important 
  facets of their culture. Their festivals 
  and holidays resemble each other, their 
  gender politics are much the same, as are 
  the societal structures and legal systems. 
  has a powerful but divided army, and the 
  instability is threatening to drag the nation 
  into a war with its richer neighboring 
  countries. Twenty painful years have passed 
  since the dark news shocked the land. Many 
  ask themselves when Wildland will get to 
  see better days once more. Today, hope is in 
  scarce supply in Wildland.
  Wildland’s Society Today
  Despite the tough times, anger still bubbles 
  beneath the surface, just as it always has in 
  Wildland. It was not just the common folk 
  who were affected, many of the nobility 
  found themselves penniless and were forced 
  to live on in an illusion, all to save their 
  reputation. They kept their homes, and 
  fancy clothes, but did not have money for 
  food or salaries. That was why the land’s 
  depression was so severe and stretched so 
  thoroughly across all social classes. There 
  were barely any left unaffected. The few 
  who got off easy would, in time, come to 
  seize power. 
  As the country had not had a king 
  since the Hagtorns lost many of their 
  lands and wealth to pay the Hrim Trolls, 
  the country has been ruled by the Fylk-
  Thing. The Fylkjarls originally stem from 
  the shield jarls and rich men who, for 
  different reasons, were forced to flee the 
  Stormlands. These later on married into 
  the families of the richest landowners and 
  leaders of Wildland, and the growing elite 
  later came to be known as “Fylkjarls”. The 
  Fylkjarls who now owned both the land 
  and the wealth could quickly seize power in 
  Wildland, and the Fylk-Thing was formed.
  The villages in Wildland are led by Jarls 
  and Swordjarls, but none of them has the 
  power of the seven Fylkjarls. There have 
  always been seven Fylkjarls sitting in the 
  Thing, each having an equal vote. The 
  Fylk-Thing is, theoretically, fair, but the 
  reality is that it has been ruled by intrigues 
  and games of fox and geese. Through 
  betrayal, bribes, and murder, the richer and 
  more powerful Fylkjarls have been able 
  to outmaneuver the less accommodating 
  Fylkjarls, leaving the most deceitful and 
  manipulative as the country’s true regent. 
  Today, the seven Fylkjarls stem from these 
  families: Saatigia, Staark, Uvail, Blueax, 
  survived, severely burnt, and he staggered 
  his way to Vretgaard. On the way, he 
  encountered a creature who could only have 
  come from the very depths of Blotheim.
  According to local belief, the souls of 
  those he had killed had returned for revenge. 
  After that he was meant to have been offered 
  a pact by a “Ioi” (the Trudvang word for 
  “demon”) to get his family back, an offer he 
  declined. Others believe that the fire was set 
  and that Ouvar was so affected by the burns 
  that he hallucinated his meeting with the 
  Ioi. Ouvar’s descendants do not look kindly 
  upon speculations regarding their ancestor, 
  and would prefer his name be left alone.
  These were great times for the Copper 
  Kingdom. The population grew at an 
  uncontrollable 
  rate, 
  and 
  the 
  original 
  Wildlanders had increased five-fold compared 
  to before the great war. The belief in the 
  faith of Gerbanis strengthened amongst the 
  hedonistic Wildlanders, and was seen as a 
  symbol for the new, good times. Many noble 
  families from the Stormlands migrated to 
  Wildland to find their riches. Many married 
  into the Wildanders in order to obtain the 
  land they need and, thus, the Wildlanders 
  came to be a part of many families of high 
  nobility. Then, just as Wildland was at its 
  peak and the people were wealthy, the thing 
  that all had feared occurred. The copper 
  mines were exhausted. The ore no longer 
  produced the copper required, making it 
  fruitless to mine. This fact had long been 
  known to those who worked in the mines, 
  but was kept from the population at large in 
  order to prevent a panic from breaking out. 
  Even the ruling class was caught unawares, 
  having been left in the dark by their subjects, 
  who were too scared and greedy to deliver 
  the bad news. Many of those responsible had 
  fled the land mere weeks before the immense 
  shock hit Wildland. 
  Those that remained were devastated. 
  All the money that had been ventured was 
  lost, salaries unpaid, land turned worthless. 
  People lost that which had been developed 
  over generations. The country is on the 
  verge of a depression, and the despair at 
  the ever-worsening conditions grows by 
  the day. The contempt for those responsible 
  who had fled has spilled over onto innocent 
  people. The rift between the nobility and 
  the commoners has grown. Wildland still 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  25
  probably proceed with caution. The Hrim 
  Trolls are omnivores, and even if prey is 
  abundant in the north, they aren’t to be 
  trusted–– not all those who have traveled 
  their way there have returned. 
  Climate
  As a rule, Wildland has a pretty inhospitable 
  climate, with freezing snowstorms and long 
  winters. At the same time, the spectacle of 
  the changing seasons is breath-taking, with 
  the flora showcasing all the beautiful colors 
  of the spectrum, and, after living there for 
  a few years, you will grow to love it and 
  never wish to leave. The benefits greatly 
  outweigh the drawbacks, and even during 
  the coldest of winters, one can wonder 
  at the beauty of the landscape, which has 
  remained untouched since the beginning 
  of time. During winter nights the elven 
  lights dance, enchanting the spectators of 
  the night with its magical brilliance. The 
  short period of time that the Wildlanders 
  have lived here is barely noticeable, as the 
  landscape is largely undisturbed, and seems 
  to recover faster than it can be felled. Most 
  of the land in Wildland consists of forests, 
  valleys, and fertile plains. 
  Industry
  The forest contains a surprise or two 
  but can sustain most villages. The most 
  desirable catch is a mastomant, which 
  provides much more than just meat. The 
  fur offers comfort, warmth, and protection 
  from the cold, and can be used to create 
  excellent winter clothes and shoes. The 
  tusks are used as drinking vessels, helmet 
  decorations, and are believed to be an 
  aphrodisiac when pulverized. The tendons 
  make superb bowstrings, or can be twined 
  to create durable ropes. The bone marrow 
  is extremely nutritious and is believed to 
  cure illness. The mastomant is a totem 
  for the people of Wildland, a sort of 
  national symbol. He who is able to tame a 
  mastomant would earn great respect and 
  become an affluent man if he chooses to 
  serve one of the Fylkjarls. In general, bears 
  are also hunted, as are birds, hares, wolves, 
  elk, and essentially all animals found in the 
  area. Some foolhardy hunters travel north 
  weaponry is the bearded axe, and many 
  also wear open helmets, decorated with 
  the tips of the tusks of Mastomants or bull 
  horns, and carry light round shields. The 
  heaviest armor that the Wildlanders wear is 
  made of leather and thick hides, other than 
  for ceremonial purposes, when gleaming 
  copper chainmail is used (mostly for show). 
  Wildland’s heavy cavalry consists primarily 
  of the warriors of Gerbanis who have been 
  trained in Jordek, but the Uvail and Saatigia 
  families also have knights. A tactic that has 
  been adapted from the Stormlands is that of 
  having mounted archers loose a volley then 
  quickly retire to their posts after an attack. 
  This means that even the less battleworthy 
  Wildlanders can be put to use. The women 
  often wear cloth headscarves and thick 
  work skirts to handle the cold, and only 
  extremely wealthy men allow their women 
  to wear animal furs, as these are, as a rule, 
  reserved for the men. The men readily use 
  their bear or wolf mantles to demonstrate 
  their bravery, as most Wildlanders would 
  had hunted these animals themselves. The 
  Mastomant’s fur is usually used to warm 
  beds during cold winter nights, but richer 
  men have also allowed for their winter 
  clothing to be made from this resilient 
  material. 
  Other Races
  Rumor has it that the gate to the Buratja 
  dwarves’ kingdom lies somewhere in the 
  West, but no Wildlander has heard of this 
  outside of tales and legends. If anyone were 
  to find this gate, they would end up very 
  wealthy. In the western Wildlands, in the 
  valleys between the slopes of the Great 
  Iron Mountains  and the Darkwoods, are 
  the lands that once belonged to the noble 
  Hagtorn family. Hrim Trolls now dwell 
  there rightfully in their promised land, and 
  their greed has with time only increased. 
  Having divided the land up between 
  them, they live in small herds in caves on 
  the slopes. To this day, the Hrim Trolls 
  remember which lands were promised 
  to them, and any ranger who used their 
  lands for provisions will quickly realize 
  their mistake. While it’s said that one can 
  still trade with the irritable Hrim Trolls, 
  anyone who is considering doing so should 
  Anyone who has visited the Stormlands will 
  see the similarities in Wildland. However, 
  that is not to say that Wildland does not 
  have its own natural charm and unique 
  cultural features, which all contribute to 
  this diverse country. In Wildland, the faith 
  of Gerbanis is primarily represented by 
  the Stave Church in Jordek, which is the 
  symbol for the black clad warriors who 
  helped to drive the dark forces away during 
  those hard times, three hundred years 
  ago. The religion therefore holds a lot of 
  respect in the country, and nine out of ten 
  Wildlanders are followers of the Gerbanis 
  faith. It’s just in the past twenty years that 
  Gerbanis has lost believers, and Bhalgor 
  has initiated large campaigns using scare 
  tactics. The staunch Blot Friends have, 
  in the last year alone, reported that 257 
  defectors from the faith have been boiled 
  alive, and that number is only expected 
  to rise. Not even with the help of white-
  hot pliers are the unfaithful willing to 
  abandon their heathen faith, something 
  Bhalgor finds deeply troubling. Many 
  Wildanders combine the religion into their 
  own opinions and they can therefore be 
  considered staunch zealots by the followers 
  of Gerbanis in the South. This is mainly 
  noticeable in the relationship between 
  men and women, which is certainly not 
  equal. Only the women who, amidst a 
  full-on battle, can keep up with their male 
  counterparts, are considered to be of equal 
  value. 
  Wildland’s Inhabitants 
  The people of Wildland are large and 
  powerfully 
  built. 
  The 
  majority 
  have 
  beards, and some even braid their facial 
  hair, in the fashion of dwarves. Unlike 
  most Stormlanders, many Wildlanders are 
  identified by their light or red hair, with 
  eyes in any of the countless varieties on the 
  blue-green spectrum. The only ones not 
  matching this description are those who 
  are direct descendants of the Agroths, with 
  their dark eyes and hair. Many Wildlanders 
  shave their heads, similar to the style of 
  other Stormlanders, but it is not uncommon 
  to only shave the hair on the front of the 
  skull or keep a tuft of hair by the neck. The 
  berserkers’ or Bearshirts’ most common 
    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  26  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  Places in Wildland
  Wildland is a place of contrast. The 
  descendants of the Stormlanders built 
  cities and fortifications, while the Agroths 
  and Wildbrons built villages and small 
  settlements, which is how Wildland still 
  looks to this day. The cities were often 
  built quickly, with cheap timber from 
  the South, and simple turfed roofs. The 
  streets and squares were, to some degree, 
  constructed with cobblestone or wooden 
  planks, and the town plans were simple. 
  The fortresses, on the other hand, are 
  large, robust stone buildings built to 
  survive the ages. 
  Out 
  in 
  the 
  rural 
  villages 
  and 
  countryside, there are sturdy log-cabins 
  with proper roofs made of several layers of 
  animal hides. The clans have lived here for 
  Mining has historically played a big part 
  in the economy of Wildland, as the country 
  exported stone, coal, iron and, above all, 
  copper. Today, most of the mines have been 
  exhausted and there aren’t many who still 
  live by this trade. 
  Vegetation
  Forests and woods are widespread all 
  across Wildland, which itself is enveloped 
  by the Darkwoods. The earth is fertile 
  despite the cold climate, and grains and 
  potatoes are grown wherever possible. 
  While pine and fir are the most common 
  trees, leafy varieties can also be found 
  with their beautiful autumn displays that 
  offer peace of mind to most who witness 
  them. 
  to hunt snowboars in the Hrim Trolls’ 
  territory, a most dangerous sport. 
  Those who breed livestock generally keep 
  Hagtorn bulls, a cross between North Kralick 
  oxen and the now extinct Magnox. The 
  Hagtorn bulls are magnificent animals, with 
  a long, thick, fur. They eat the fodder that is 
  available on any given day, and can survive 
  long periods without food. The chill of winter 
  is unable to penetrate their thick fur, and the 
  bulls appear to enjoy the summers as well. 
  Fishing has only really spread in Storhavn, 
  where the focus is primarily on whaling, as 
  every whale caught is considered a cause of 
  celebration. As there is still an abundance 
  of whales, the smaller fish are generally left 
  alone, but the nobility have recently gained 
  a taste for the gigantic Wulterfish, and have 
  pushed for these to be caught. 
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    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  27
  Hallwind’s central location in Wildland 
  made it a natural stop for travellers, 
  resulting in the building of an inn, stables, 
  and a smithy. The prices are amongst the 
  highest ever recorded in the Stormlands, 
  but sometimes beggars can’t be choosers. 
  Central Wildland
  The largest part of Wildland is under the 
  control of the Saatigia family. Some of 
  Wildland’s larger cities and villages are 
  also located within his domain and the 
  Saatigia Fylkjarl rules over more than 
  forty thousand inhabitants in total. The 
  larger cities are Glavehold, Hyttsten, and 
  North Hall, which all have populations 
  of between 250 and 500 people. Amongst 
  the most well-known villages are Svedvik, 
  Ulrikshamn, Alriksaas, Vivens, Sinkekil, 
  and Njordberga, all of which have a 
  population of more than 500. Most people 
  make their livings by agriculture or 
  hunting.
  Jordek
  The Stave Church in Jordek is located 
  along the east coast and has its own harbor 
  controlled by the Fylkjarl of the Bhalgor 
  clan, who is also a devoted member in 
  the hierarchy of the Gerbanis faith. The 
  Bhalgor Fylkjarl is in fact also is the 
  Brycker (regional religious authority) of 
  all Wildland. He is always surrounded 
  by ten black clad hirdmen but is himself 
  rumored to be a very capable warrior. Up 
  to a hundred students are being trained by 
  thirty soldiers in Jordek at any given time. 
  After ten years, the students graduate, 
  following which a new group of twelve-
  year-olds are gathered for drafting. It is 
  time to recruit new thoroughbreds this 
  year, and as many as three thousand young 
  men have traveled far to arrive in time for 
  the draft. 
  The City of Vretgaard
  Vretgaard is situated like a final outpost 
  towards Wildland’s northernmost and 
  most sparsely populated regions. The 
  city is located along the once notorious 
  copper-route. The closest city is North 
  Hall. Vretgaard was erected as a last 
  trading post between the copper mines 
  and civilization. When the mines began 
  highest authority in town. Due to his links 
  with foreign trade he is also the richest 
  man in Wildland, although he has no seat 
  in the Fylk-Thing.
  Storhavn is also the location of the 
  trade missions of the other Stormlandic 
  countries: Vortland, Nojd, Junghart, Dain, 
  Ejdland, and Fynnheim all have their 
  diplomatic outposts here. Bustling trade 
  accompanies the missions, and Wildland’s 
  bookkeeper, Unsgar, authorized directly 
  by the Fylk-Thing, manages all direct 
  trade with foreign nations. Despite the 
  failing mines, Wildland still has a lot to 
  offer. Storhavn exports whale meat, copper, 
  timber, furs, ivory, and lard. The imports 
  include slaves, carvings, weapons, jewellery, 
  grain, and alcohol.
  Hallwind
  The fortress-city called “Hallwind” took a 
  hundred years to be built, and it was only 
  completed 150 years ago, to stand as a 
  monument to weather the ages. With his 
  gold reserves, the Fylkjarl of Saatigia faced 
  no difficulties paying for the construction. 
  Hallwind helped to increase the military 
  power of the Saatigia family, and the fortress 
  can now be viewed as a city in and of itself, 
  as it accommodates 6,000 inhabitants, 
  4,000 of which being battleworthy men 
  in Saatigia’s employ. The fortress is now 
  at full occupancy. At its base it is hundred 
  meters across on either side and rises as 
  a twenty-two-story tower. Hallwind is 
  erected in the North-Western corner of 
  the city, which is designed as a square. A 
  twelve-meter stone wall surrounds the city, 
  and the streets are all constructed in a way 
  to allow the defense to continuously fall 
  back without risking an ambush. 
  Hallwind is located on the highest peak 
  of Ulve’s Hill and, standing on the top 
  floor, the Saatigia Fylkjarl is able to gaze 
  out upon his domains, which span for 
  miles. Hallwind is dependent on taxes from 
  those who farm the Fylkjarl’s lands. The 
  Saatigia Fylkjarl, naturally, makes sure that 
  Hallwind keeps a supply of food on hand, 
  ensuring that the fortress could endure a 
  drawn-out siege. To secure his income, the 
  Fylkjarl of Saatigia dispatches tax sheriffs 
  or headsmen who also enforce law and 
  order.
  generations, and the longhouses have often 
  been expanded in order to accommodate 
  more clan members. 
  Storhavn
  Wildland’s government has its seat in 
  Storhavn, located by the mouth of Storm 
  Bay, east of the Ulve and Strafe hills. 
  The city grew in time with the arrival of 
  Stormlanders, following the Time of the 
  Untamed, when there was an unwillingness 
  to traverse the Icepeak Mountains or 
  the Bjarnwoods to reach Wildland. The 
  influence of the Stormlands is so great in 
  Storhavn that only two in ten of the local 
  citizens stem from native Wildlanders.
  Immediately noticeable in the streets 
  of Storhavn is the positive atmosphere, 
  despite the somber times. The main 
  reason for this is that, throughout the 
  years, the city has relied more heavily on 
  fishing than on the copper industry. Thus, 
  the citizens of Storhavn were not as badly 
  hit by the collapse of the copper mining 
  and their festive spirit has withstood 
  the ages. The city is built in a scattered 
  fashion around the harbor and lacks 
  proper defensive structures. It’s clear that 
  the city has grown rapidly over the years, 
  and the population today surpasses 7,000 
  inhabitants. 
  The Fylk-Thing is housed in a large 
  stone building on the town square, but none 
  of the Fylkjarls lives there. The Fylkjarls 
  gather at the Fylk-Thing once a year to 
  discuss the situation in the country. It’s 
  only then that the commoners can bring 
  their disputes before the Fylk-Thing, who 
  then resolve the issues and decide on how 
  to proceed. One can also introduce new 
  ideas and suggestions, which, if deemed 
  good, will be rewarded. In times of serious 
  crises, the Fylkjarls are also able to call for 
  a Fylk-Thing out of the normal once-a-
  year schedule, and all of the Fylkjarls are 
  then duty-bound to attend. If one is absent 
  without reasonable explanation or cause, 
  they risk losing their seat, and the other 
  Fylkjarls would then proceed to pick a new 
  Fylkjarl. 
  Even if Storhavn hosts the assembly 
  of the greatest lords in Wildland, the 
  city is not directly ruled by them, but the 
  Swordjarl of the Grimme family is the 
    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  28  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  Uvail’s Tower
  The Uvail family has built a border outpost 
  along the Fynnheim route which runs 
  between the Icepeak Mountains and the 
  southern coast of Wildland. The outpost 
  is an eight-story stone tower with a base 
  twenty meters across. It is guarded by 
  a force of a hundred men who only admit 
  passage to those who pay exorbitant tolls. 
  Many therefore choose to take the sea-route 
  to Storhavn, as it is both safer and cheaper. 
  The Wolfwoods
  The Wolfwoods act as a border separating 
  the clan of Uvail from that of Wulfr. The 
  two armies have their basecamps on either 
  side of the forest, and the battles usually 
  play out on the fields between the Ice Peaks 
  and the Wolfwoods. Uvail has, on average, 
  five hundred men ready on his side while 
  Wulfr has around eight hundred. Neither 
  of the clans use the path through the forest, 
  which is said to be haunted by werewargs. 
  Rumors speak of an exceptionally 
  powerful díser dwelling in the forest, 
  constantly tormenting any who dare enter 
  her dark domain. Throughout the years, 
  many foresters and lumberjacks have 
  disappeared without a trace.
  Oungair
  The Wulfr clan has a small lair of Sea 
  Wolves not far from the northern border of 
  Vortland, housing five hundred thick skinned 
  seafarers. A small wooden fort has been built 
  just by the coast. Five long ships, all without 
  any identifying marks or crests, can carry 
  more than three hundred pirates for raids on 
  the coasts of Vortand, Nojd, and Junghart. 
  The inhabitants of the three countries do 
  not know where these raiders hail from, but 
  suspect Arji or Sylvan, as the ships have been 
  seen sailing in that direction. Hundreds have 
  been captured as slaves during the raids, for 
  use in heavy labor. 
  The Cliff of Askyr
  The Cliff of Askyr rises steep and high 
  above the canopy of the Darkwoods. It 
  is so enormous that the mountain can be 
  seen from all parts of the forest. The Wulfr 
  clan’s domain lies on a ledge, halfway up 
  the mountain. A steep cliff plunges straight 
  down to the foot of the mountain, and the 
  Ulve’s and Strafe’s Hills
  The fields between Ulve’s and Strafe’s hills 
  hide a tragic past regarding the two Hunndair 
  brothers, Ulve and Strafe, who each inherited 
  an estate on a hill on opposite sides of the 
  fields of Eidldunn. They both believed that 
  the other had inherited the better estate, and 
  after years of flinging verbal abuse at each 
  other, the quarrel eventually led to a blood 
  feud. All of their resources were used in 
  battling each other and, unbeknownst to the 
  brothers, it led their sworn enemy, Wulfr to 
  take notice of the golden opportunity. When 
  Wulfr’s army stood united, the two brothers 
  were far too caught up in their feud with each 
  other to take notice. When the Hunndairs 
  left the plains to return home for the night 
  after the battle of the day, they found Wulfr’s 
  mercenaries waiting for the battle worn 
  brothers with trained wolves. None from 
  the Hunndair clan left the hills of Ulve and 
  Strafe alive, and it is said that the remains 
  were all left for the hungry wolves. It was the 
  beginning of the end for the Great Fylkjarl 
  of Hunndair.
  Ailburg and Ailgaard
  The Uvail Fylkjarl rules over Ailburg, 
  a small fort on the cliffs at the very end 
  of a cape in southern Wildland. The fort 
  was built near the ruins of a long-gone 
  civilization who lived tens of thousands 
  of years ago, before the Agroths arrived 
  in Wildland. It looms over the sea like a 
  terrifying, black basalt creation with high 
  walls and pointed towers. The crest of the 
  Uvail clan, a black full moon on a blood 
  red background, flutters on a flag from 
  the tallest tower. The fort is the heart 
  of Uvail, and houses the 1,800 strong, 
  heavily armored, cavalry who are in 
  charge of guarding Uvail’s domains and 
  fertile fields. 
  By the water, just below the fort, there 
  is a fishing village called Ailgaard, which 
  has a population of 2,000. Ailgaard is a 
  society which recently implemented the 
  Ancient Agrothian rule of law, a system 
  reminiscent of the eye for an eye, tooth for 
  a tooth rationale. In Ailgaard, everyone 
  knows everyone and strangers are rare. 
  The young men from the village all act as 
  guardsmen to the Uvail Fylkjarl serving 
  from the ages of fifteen to twenty-five. 
  to fail, Vretgaard was greatly affected, 
  and those who had not learnt how to till 
  the land were forced to abandon their 
  homes to avoid starvation. Today, only 
  a few families live in the area, and their 
  lives are hard, completely isolated from 
  the rest of the world and dependant on 
  one another. Vretgaard lies to the west 
  of Highwater. 
  It is cold and inhospitable year round, 
  and there is no reason to envy those who 
  live here. The sun remains hidden for an 
  entire winter month, which is also the 
  coldest period of the year. The summers 
  are chilly. Wind and rain are the norm, 
  and darkness falls quickly. Short days and 
  long nights turn life into an eternal agony. 
  During winter, fully stocked food cellars 
  and firewood stores are crucial, as no-one 
  with an ounce of intelligence would want 
  to be caught out in the cold, biting, wind 
  for too long.
  Vretgaard is the home of the Hagtorn 
  clan, whose Fylkjarls once were kings of 
  the whole Wildland, before their fall.
  The Copper Trail
  The 600-kilometer-long Copper Trail is 
  Wildland’s most extravagant road. The 
  route stretches from Storhavn in the south, 
  to the mines in the north. The traffic 
  between the city and the mines used to be 
  consistent day and night, every year, until 
  the snow was too deep for passage. The 
  whole road is reinforced in order to facilitate 
  the use of carts. Most of the larger villages 
  have sprung up along the copper-route, 
  which demonstrates just how impressive the 
  road once was, and the importance it held.
  The Copper Mines
  The copper mines now rest in a silent, 
  desolate stone landscape. The mine’s open 
  pit has torn the impressive landscape apart, 
  and left behind an immense gaping wound 
  in the earth. The mine shaft and gallery 
  head slumber in darkness, and are inhabited 
  by sinister dangers, the likes of which have 
  only ever been seen by the dwarves. The 
  quarry stretches almost five kilometers 
  in all directions, bearing witness to the 
  enormous resources which had made an 
  entire mountain disappear without leaving 
  behind the slightest trace.
    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  29
  It’s said that the Bearshirts were 
  terrifying warriors, each of which could 
  match ten men. But something happened, 
  and the Bearshirts’ cult disbanded. Today, 
  many of them blame the outbreak of 
  the affliction known as “warg sickness”. 
  The details surrounding the fate of the 
  Bearshirts are shrouded in mystery. The 
  stories of these once feared warriors now 
  only live on in myths and legends.
  arkland
  The Arks are a ferocious and bloodthirsty 
  race of men who, since the Age of the Iron 
  Dragon, lived on the slopes of the Great Iron 
  Tooth  mountain range. They live in hastily 
  constructed log forts in isolated societies, 
  where inbreeding, lechery, and adultery 
  go hand in hand. The uncleanliness festers 
  and illnesses thrive. The stench clings to 
  the Arks, and follows them wherever they 
  journey for battle. The tangible stench of 
  death and decay lingers in their wake.
  The Arks live only for war, and they 
  have, with the passage of time, bred forth 
  nightmarish creatures to fight alongside 
  them. These creatures fight with such a 
  frenzy and bloodlust that Ovus (the head 
  of the Tenet of Nid religion) has repeatedly 
  sent expeditions to exterminate the Arks 
  once and for all. All the expeditions have 
  failed. The Arks, with the aim of further 
  supressing their own humanity, ingest 
  various drugs or narcotic substances so 
  that they can live like the bloodthirsty 
  savages that they have become. So far, no 
  other human religion has yet roused the 
  Arks from their terrible slumber. Like 
  ungodly heathens, they still live in a society 
  with cannibalism, where blood and human 
  sacrifice are part of the daily tapestry. 
  Head-hunters or shamans are responsible 
  for what little the Arks call culture. 
  The History of Arkland
  Since the Age of the Iron Dragon, a 
  vicious and unruly race of people have 
  lived in log forts on the slopes of the 
  Great Iron Tooth mountain chain. At 
  the end of the Age of the Iron Dragon, 
  the Arks were able to strike out from the 
  native population they had been dependent 
  The leasehold is located on Agmundvida, 
  one of the most fertile plains, located 200 
  kilometers south of Hallwind, covering 
  more than 2,500 hectares of farm land. The 
  lease is roughly a third of the profits the 
  Staark makes off of the land, and several 
  of the central villages can be taxed by the 
  Staark. The villages of Algisel, Stonelage, 
  and Wisaa, with a joint population of five 
  thousand, are all located on Argmundvida.
  Hrefing
  The Blueax Fylkjarl’s estate is located in 
  the northern harbor town of Hrefing. The 
  town is situated on a little island not far off 
  the Northfrost Coast, Wildland’s coldest 
  region. Hrefing has a population of three 
  thousand, all of whom survive off fishing. 
  The town lacks any form of defense. Despite 
  the absence of defensive structures, the town 
  is notoriously difficult to invade, as all points 
  of access from the sea, except for one, are 
  blocked by cliffs. A garrison of three hundred 
  men maintains order in the city. Blueax’s 
  estate is in the heart of the city, functioning 
  as the city center and trading post. Hrefingr 
  is the sea gate to the northern region of the 
  Darkwoods and the copper mines, but it has 
  only ever been used to enhance the wealth 
  of the Blueax family. Blueax’s domain spans 
  from Hrefing in the east to the land of the 
  Hrim Trolls in the west. 
  Berserkers
  Ever since the time of the Agroths, the 
  people of Wildland have surrounded 
  themselves 
  with 
  dreadful 
  warriors 
  who called themselves berserkers. The 
  berserkers originally stem from a cult 
  who, due to their clothing, were known as 
  the “Bearshirts”. Despite this, some of the 
  berserkers still use the old name, without 
  knowing the Bearshirts’ dark history. In 
  order to bring out their primal, animal 
  side, the Bearshirts chewed certain plants 
  and herbs in order to contact the wild 
  animals’ spirits. It was primarily powerful 
  animals such as bears or wolves that they 
  wanted to emulate, because the berserkers 
  required a savage disposition. Through the 
  combination of the Agroths’ religion and 
  the narcotic substances that the Bearshirts 
  used, they were able to learn how to 
  shapeshift, a skill that is forgotten today. 
  estate is built in a way that the entire cliff 
  shelf is developed. The only way to access 
  it is by a steep, narrow mountain path. 
  Between two and five hundred people live 
  here, depending on whether the Fylkjarl is 
  at the estate. Slaves and prisoners of war are 
  sacrificed in the name of the Snow Queen by 
  being pushed off the cliff, to smash against 
  the ground below. Wulfr keeps a block of the 
  black ice on the grounds of the estate.
  The Villages of the Wulfr Clan
  In the southern regions of the Darkwoods, 
  the various branches of the Wulfr clan 
  live in small, primitive villages, sustaining 
  themselves by hunting and agriculture. The 
  wolf is an important symbol to the Wulfr, 
  and their clan crest is a wolf ’s head. Wolves 
  are captured when young and tamed for use 
  in hunts and war. The wolves are also used 
  to pull small sledges in the winter, making it 
  possible to travel long distances across the 
  snow-covered outfields. There are about a 
  hundred different villages, each consisting 
  of approximately 30-40 individuals, often 
  from the same family. The villagers all hail 
  from the Wulfr lineage and all feel some 
  form of affinity to their clan leader, even 
  if the relation may be distant. The black 
  ice has left its mark on the region, and not 
  all were at first positively inclined to the 
  promises the Fylkjarl made about the Snow 
  Queen. But after a thorough cleansing and 
  persuasion campaign, most of the Wulfr 
  clan have now converted, and the few 
  that resisted dare not openly oppose the 
  Fylkjarl on the matter.
  Agmuvinda Plains
  Following the collapse of the Copper 
  Kingdom, the Fylkjarl of the Staark 
  family was forced to sell all his assets to 
  Saatigia in order settle his debts with his 
  mercenaries and foreign countries. Saatigia 
  instead allowed Staark to lease his own 
  land at low cost, which is the only reason 
  the leader of the Staark clan retains his 
  position as Fylkjarl. Prior to the fall of 
  the Copper Kingdom, Staark presided 
  over three thousand men who made their 
  living protecting the important transports 
  between the copper mines and Storhavn. 
  Today, he retains barely three hundred, a 
  mere tenth of the original strength.
    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  30  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  Arkland’s Society Today
  The Arks consist of a countless number of 
  clans and war tribes who circle theaters of 
  battle on their thorn beasts, waiting for food, 
  spoils of war, and treasure to plunder. Their 
  clan has a simple structure, not based on one 
  bloodline or family, but on different groupings 
  of warriors, women and slaves who all 
  flock to a natural leader. These leaders are 
  exclusively skilled and efficient warriors who, 
  time and again, have raised their weapons and 
  ploughed their way through the frontline in 
  various battles around Trudvang. Among 
  these tribal leaders, Arkhund Hvranki, 
  Grauflagh Glumr, Einhink Thorki, and 
  Asmundi Ohardi are especially infamous and 
  feared warlords and warriors who repeatedly 
  struck terror into the hearts of the kings of 
  the west. In Arkland, these four are known 
  as the “Warsworn”, and it is primarily around 
  them, their riches and warrior followers, 
  that the Ark’s kingdom is based. There are 
  three who stand out from the rest, a group 
  of separatists and powerful warriors who 
  have not yet gathered enough forces to be 
  a threat to the Warsworn, but who are still 
  considered successors. They are called the 
  “Bloodsworn”, and all share the same lineage. 
  Their names are Thrunkol Hvitr, Lokir 
  Sothi, and Tuva Sothi. Tuva is one of the few 
  women in Arkland who commands a large 
  force, and who elicits respect from both the 
  Warsworn and the Bloodsworn. Tuva’s half-
  brother is Lokir. 
  Arkhund is the warlord with the 
  greatest number of warriors. Some say 
  that he could gather an army of more 
  than ten thousand men; others claim that 
  four thousand is a more realistic figure. 
  Arkhund has distinguished himself as a 
  warlord who is tough but also fair. He is 
  the paternal grandson of the great Barkhi 
  Hvranki, and one of the few able to unite a 
  large portion of the Arks under the same 
  banner. Twenty year ago, when Barkhi 
  died, the hierarchy of the Arks returned to 
  the structure that they had had since the 
  Age of the Iron Dragon. Barkhi left behind 
  great riches with which Arkhund is now 
  improving his power and position. 
  Grauflagh is the Warsworn who has 
  participated in the fewest expeditions of 
  conquest in the far-off southern lands and 
  has the fewest war trophies. Despite this, 
  a people who view war as a path to the spirit 
  realm. In the 11,009th season of the Age of 
  Prophets, Ovus Uventi Salbia dispatched 
  a large crusade of holy warriors to, with 
  violence and burning tongs, convert the Arks 
  to the Tenet of Nid. The bodies of all of the 
  holy warriors were returned naked, mangled, 
  and headless. Their armor, weapons, and 
  other belongings had been kept by the Arks. 
  This quenched the will of even the most 
  ardent warmongers and converts for a good 
  long while.
  The Arken tribes were not nomadic, even 
  if they appeared to be, as they were constantly 
  traveling in the wake of war. As a rule, they 
  live in certain areas, guarded and watched 
  by the tribe’s warriors. They return to these 
  settlements at the end of every raid. They 
  rarely build large cities, instead spreading 
  out in smaller villages and fortresses purely 
  for practical reasons. In areas with sparse 
  settlement, the risk of the tribe dying out in 
  the event of war or feud is minimized. Those 
  living amongst the Arks quickly notice that 
  everything revolves around war and how 
  combat should be handled; everything from 
  how the Arks choose settlements to what 
  time of the day that they eat. In contrast to 
  their sister tribes who all live off hunting, 
  fishing, and cattle-breeding, the Arks 
  live off just of war, either as raiders or as 
  mercenaries. Nothing else matters at all, and 
  far too often the Arks will be in the front 
  line in most battles throughout Trudvang. 
  They charge a lot for their services, but have 
  no loyalty to anything other than the silver 
  they receive in return. This essentially means 
  that many Arken forts and settlements can 
  be left abandoned for long stretches when 
  the warriors have decided to let themselves 
  be leased to the ruler of a country to wage 
  war on another land. What motivates the 
  Arks is the promise of war. Naturally, the 
  spoils of war and their salary are also of great 
  economic importance, as they have no other 
  means of income. According to the Arks, it is 
  lazy to, through sweat and labor, obtain that 
  which could be gained through bloodshed. 
  The most critical reason for these raids is the 
  thornroot which turns this already barbaric 
  race of people into cannibalistic savages 
  and heinous warriors. Constant battle is the 
  price that the Arks must pay for eating the 
  mythical thornroot.
  on. Despite their small numbers, the Arks 
  managed to free themselves from this native 
  cult, with whom they had previously shared 
  an alliance. Some believe that these original 
  inhabitants belonged to a now extinct branch 
  of the Bastjurs (the “black blood” of trolls 
  and giants), while others think that they 
  may have been the ancestors of the barbaric 
  peoples of today, such as the Arks, Wildbrons, 
  Hunjarir, and Einharjar. Ever since, the Arks, 
  and the closely related Wildbrons, have been 
  known for their strong belief in war being the 
  only path to Godliness. These wild tribes call 
  themselves Arkhir, but are, in Northvrokian, 
  known as Arks. They live only for war and 
  have adopted the art of war in order to 
  achieve perfection and join as one with the 
  spirit world. In the deep hollows of the Great 
  Iron Tooth, the dwarves claim that the Arks 
  were slowly but surely driven away by this 
  original population who, at the time, dwelled 
  in the shadows of the Darkwoods, and that 
  the Arks took refuge in the mountains’ 
  protective heights.
  The Arks have, at various points in history, 
  attempted to claim a place for themselves, 
  primarily in the North-Western regions 
  of Trudvang, like Runewiik and Bysent, 
  but were always met with great resistance 
  before they had a chance to lay down their 
  roots. Particularly infamous was the bloody 
  and ruthless Arken war of conquest during 
  the Age of the Prophets. It was the first time 
  that the countries in the west witnessed the 
  Arken art of war at full strength. To this 
  day, rumors of their power are spoken of in 
  hushed tones in the dark alleys of Bysent. 
  Whispers tell of their amazing strength, and 
  of how many soldiers are needed to defeat an 
  Arken warrior enhanced by the thornroot 
  they chewed. The city of Bysent in particular 
  lives in constant fear that the Arks and their 
  wild hordes will flow down the mountains’ 
  jagged cliffs to conquer their city. The fear 
  is great and widespread, and the country of 
  Silvtronder has many times attempted to help 
  their eastern neighbor eradicate the Arks. 
  The Great Iron Tooth ’s inhospitable climate 
  and inaccessible terrain has led the Arks to 
  live relatively undisturbed and unthreatened 
  lives, despite their barbaric ways and reckless 
  headhunting.
  Most realize the futility in launching a 
  war into the razor-sharp mountains, against 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  31
  A common phrase used when two 
  Arks have agreed upon something is, 
  ”Let us hope, or else I must kill you”. 
  This accurately reflects the way Arks 
  view agreements. Anyone who breaks an 
  agreement must be prepared to kill or be 
  killed – however big or small the issue – as 
  there are no customs, rules, or authorities 
  to settle the matter. Every deal puts your 
  life on the line. 
  The Inhabitants of Arkland
  The Arks are pale and often emaciated, as 
  their diet primarily consists of the poisonous 
  thornroot and meat. Many Arks are 
  cannibals, especially the older generation, 
  who eat the hearts of their enemies in order 
  to absorb their souls. The Arks practice 
  Haminges eagerly (see Game Master’s 
  Guide pg. 20) and are one of the few races of 
  man that worship the dark faith. A common 
  belief amongst the Arks is that an enemy’s 
  power, will, and life-force is contained 
  in their head, and so they often decorate 
  themselves with the decapitated heads of 
  under the same terms as all others in the war 
  tribe. The raising of children and, following 
  Arken customs, the man’s responsibility to 
  provide for the mother until the child is old 
  enough to swing a sword, is one of the few 
  institutions that exist amongst the Arks. 
  This has naturally created a balanced sort 
  of comradery, where the warriors in a group 
  look out for each other and feel a level of 
  security from belonging to a fellowship led 
  by a powerful warrior. On the other hand, 
  it has also often resulted in small groups 
  splintering off and forming their own little 
  communities. During favorable times, these 
  groups tend to be many, whereas in bad times, 
  they are often abandoned for the advantages 
  of the greater security that comes from 
  belonging to a larger group. The leader of a 
  group always decides what the group does, 
  and those who do not obey the leader must 
  leave the group voluntarily or be removed by 
  force. As Arken society lacks the hierarchical 
  community structure found in other groups 
  of people, they are less efficient, and have 
  developed a greater need for slaves, who they 
  capture on their conquering expeditions. 
  Grauflagh was able to assemble a considerable 
  troop of fierce and brave warriors, due in part 
  to his power over the Thornroot caves. The 
  Thornroot caves are located on the border 
  between the Great Iron Tooth mountains 
  and the intrusive ice from the Great Ice 
  Plains. There, on a narrow strip of land, 
  long caves stretch far into the depths of the 
  ice, and it is one of the few places where the 
  thornroot flourishes on its own. The caves 
  are full of thornroots, and Grauflagh defends 
  them tenaciously despite multiple attempts 
  by smaller tribes to try and seize the caves. 
  Einhink is the youngest of the Warsworn, 
  but is the most successful in the art of war. 
  Many warriors join Einhink for the simple 
  reason that they wish to master weapons in 
  the same way and with the same skill as he. 
  A lot of Einhink’s warriors are, naturally, 
  young and ambitious, always eager to 
  follow their leader on new crusades. Of 
  all the Warsworn, Einhink embarks on 
  the most rampages, and in the nation of 
  Bysent, there is a high price on his head.
  Asmundi is the eldest, and therefore 
  physically weakest, of the Warsworn. Many 
  believe that it is only a question of years, 
  maybe even months, until the day when 
  Asmundi is abandoned by his warriors. 
  Today, the only way Asmundi is still able 
  to hold on to his power is by generously 
  giving his warriors thornroots and thorn 
  beasts, something which has made them a 
  source of great fear, even amongst the other 
  Arks. Asmundi’s warriors have completely 
  given up all other nourishment aside from 
  the thornroot, which has transformed them 
  into what the Arks call “Hreldraug“ or 
  Death warriors. Armundi’s resources are 
  dwindling day by day, and of the enormous 
  number of thorn beasts he once had, only 
  ten or so remain under his control today. 
  The Arks have no domestic alliances or 
  commitments to each other aside from what 
  is promised at any given moment. All of the 
  Arks live their own lives, bound to no man, 
  and must be able to assert themselves. This 
  is the basis for the entire Arken society, and 
  that is why bloodlines, families, marriages, 
  or other unions mean nothing.
  Arks do not get married, and children 
  are raised by their mothers until the age of 
  twelve. Following that, the child is considered 
  capable of taking care of themselves, and lives 
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  32  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  of the Great Iron Tooth. No one has ever 
  managed to seize the fort, and that may be 
  one of the foremost reasons that Asmundi, 
  who now is the master of Skallgrin, retains 
  power here. Skallgrin’s height of power is, 
  however, believed to have passed, and today 
  less than two thousand warriors are spread 
  between the fort and its neighboring 
  villages. Time was when the foremost 
  thorn beasts were raised and trained here, 
  but today, many of the cages stand empty, 
  and the best breeders and animal trainers 
  have long since abandoned the fort. 
  The actual fort consists of a large wooden 
  building erected on a foundation of sturdy 
  stone blocks. Tall and robust towers made 
  of holly rise from each of the building’s 
  four corners. The wooden building itself is 
  six storys, and houses Asmundi’s warriors. 
  A four-meter-tall stone wall with timber 
  watchtowers every ten meters encircles the 
  fort. Each watchtower is roofless and, on 
  the platforms, rest enormous crossbows, 
  meant to protect the fortress from aerial 
  attacks. Great piles of skulls are scattered 
  outside the wall, including those of trolls, 
  animals, and humans. Asmundi is believed 
  destroyed or the thornroot die out, the 
  Arks would slowly but surely perish. The 
  caves are guarded by Grauflagh and his 
  warriors, who constantly have to defend 
  themselves from attacks by other Arks. 
  The ice caves stretch far into the ice, and 
  you must walk for several days, possibly 
  weeks – at times even a month – to reach 
  the locations where the thornroot grows. 
  Grauflagh found yet another immense cave 
  in the ice, filled with thornroot, almost 
  three years ago, and his tribe has lived in 
  luxury ever since. Outside of the caves, 
  Grauflagh has built a large bastion of stone 
  and tarred timber which houses more than 
  two thousand warriors and their battle-
  trained thorn beasts. Outside of the fort, in 
  natural caves and simple stone houses, live 
  a large number of slaves that Grauflagh 
  bought from the other Arks after finding 
  his latest discovery of thornroot.
  Skallgrin
  Skallgrin is one of Arkland’s most advanced 
  and remarkable forts. A great amount of 
  timber has been hauled up to the peak of 
  one of the tallest mountains in this region 
  their foes in order to gain more power and 
  strength. The Arks adorn both themselves 
  and their homes with these heads. Some 
  highly regarded heads of mighty enemies 
  are anointed with the fat from mastomants 
  and are kept in special copper chests. 
  Places in Arkland
  The country of the Arks is called “Arkland”, 
  plain and simple. It is an impregnable area 
  amongst high mountains and deep valleys 
  located in the middle regions of the Great 
  Iron Tooth. Protected to the south by the 
  defensive wall of beasts and hidden secrets 
  that is the Darkwoods, and is sheltered 
  by the cold and bitter Great Ice Plains to 
  the north, the Arks have built their large 
  fortresses on inaccessible mountains in the 
  Great Iron Tooth’s most strategic areas. 
  The Thornroot Caves
  In the North-Western regions of the 
  Arken kingdom are three vast ice caves, 
  shaped by natural forces over aeons. These 
  caves supply a large portion of the Arks’ 
  thornroot stock. If the caves were to be 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  33
  and harsh winds have caused the limestone 
  that has loosened from the rock to form 
  a slippery and treacherous surface which 
  is difficult to climb. In the very depths 
  of the caves lives the mythical Slogrikk 
  bat, which the Arks originally used to 
  create the feared thorn beasts. It has been 
  a long time since anyone captured the 
  bats because the Arks found that their 
  thorn beasts were able to breed, and the 
  resultant offspring could be raised and 
  trained. However, Lokir and his warriors 
  have recently started to catch these bats 
  once more, and have built small holding 
  areas in camps near the fissures.
  Skalpetopp
  Lokir’s half-sister, Tuva Sothi, has her 
  seat in a strategically located fortification 
  with unobstructed views of the plains in 
  Arkland. It is her stronghold and the base 
  for her growing forces. The fort is, like most 
  in Arkland, situated on high ground, and 
  is therefore difficult to assail from below. 
  The fort is guarded by what is considered 
  to be one of Arkland’s most dangerous 
  and heinous thorn beasts, which follows 
  Tuva’s every command. Named Svarhati, 
  the thorn beast is invariably seen soaring 
  in the sky above the fort. As the main 
  thoroughfare across the plains splits at the 
  mountain where Skalpetopp is located, it 
  has become custom for returning warriors 
  to stop at the fort on their return. As a 
  result, Tuva has forged strong alliances 
  with the Eastern Arks.
  Kardkella
  Kardkella is the general name of an area 
  in the East, near the Grungir mountain 
  peak, home to numerous hot springs. The 
  springs have gotten their name from the 
  hrimtursir Kardihruggu who, the Arks – 
  according to their own legends – killed by 
  the springs. A fog, which lays heavily over 
  the whole region, is formed as the springs’ 
  warm air clashes with the cold winds from 
  the Great Ice Plains. Kardkella is a well-
  visited haunt of Arks and trolls alike. At 
  times, even hrimtursirs from the Great Ice 
  Plains can be found in the area. None have 
  yet to claim the spot as their own, and any 
  who wishes to swim in the springs has to 
  be willing to fight for a space.
  but he was once known as Elgior Hannurir, 
  the Swordmaster. Some Arks who do not 
  belong to Einhink’s band pay handsomely 
  to practice the art of the sword with him, 
  and Einhink earns a lot from this every 
  year. Outside of the training halls there is a 
  cave that is frequently used for war games 
  in which the warlords’ trained slaves are 
  made to fight each other to their deaths. 
  Great quantities of money, weapons, and 
  slaves constantly change hands in this cave.
  Grapinir
  Grapinir is the fort and stronghold of Lokir 
  Sothi. Its foremost defense is its elevated 
  location and the fact that it can only be 
  reached by a steep, narrow path. The fort is 
  positioned between two sharp cliffs which 
  also protects it from aerial attacks. The 
  fort itself is not particularly advanced, and 
  consists of a sort of longhouse raised on 
  high, sturdy stilts made of holly. A three-
  meter-high wooden palisade, reinforced 
  with clay and gravel, snakes around the 
  main building. The fort only accommodates 
  Lokir’s warriors and a few slaves. The 
  majority of the slaves live in caves outside 
  of the fort and are chained up every night 
  by the most brutish men in Lokir’s employ. 
  Almost all of the men who live in the fort 
  alongside Lokir and his slaves own a battle-
  trained thorn beast, a fact which strikes 
  fear in many of the other tribes in Arkland. 
  Lokir often travels to the limestone caves 
  on the hunt for the special breed of bat used 
  in training new thorn beasts. Unlike many 
  other warlords who breed thorn beasts, 
  Lokir has started to experiment with the 
  original bats instead of the thorn beasts’ 
  offspring. Few have witnessed the results, 
  but rumors say that Lokir has produced a 
  beast so heinous and bloodthirsty that it 
  should be feared even when young.
  The Limestone Caves
  The limestone caves are actually gigantic 
  fissures in the Great Iron Tooth mountain 
  range, fissures which stretch hundreds 
  upon hundreds of meters down into the 
  rock. Descending into them requires great 
  courage and meticulous preparation, as 
  those who fall are quickly shred to pieces 
  by the razor-sharp surface and shards 
  jutting from the walls. Constant humidity 
  to possess the largest collection of skulls 
  in all of Arkland, and in his youth he slew 
  many capable warriors with his heavy two-
  handed sword.
  Huve
  Huve is an important hub in Arkland, and 
  everyone uses it as a mustering and meeting 
  point for both trade and agreements. In 
  Huve, the Great Iron Tooth Road splits 
  in two. One road travels west towards the 
  Frunglgand mountain range, and one road 
  travels east, deep into the wildest regions of 
  Arkland. Huve, which really only consists 
  of a mass of stone blocks erected around a 
  large open space, forming an effective wall 
  against external threats, has no chief or 
  leader. The area belongs to everyone and 
  no one. Some warlords have built small 
  wooden houses in the area, which they can 
  use when deals have to be struck. It is also 
  in Huve that different tribes meet to divide 
  up the loot after a successful rampage in 
  far-off lands. Despite there being no fort at 
  Huve, and the fact that none of the warlords 
  have taken possession of the region, a large 
  number of Arks gather here every day to 
  trade and settle agreements. During the 
  summer months, large sacrificial festivals 
  are held here, and it is not unusual that 
  warriors will change warlords during these 
  events.
  Torngalp
  Einhink has chosen the location of his 
  fort very carefully. It is suitable not only 
  because the cliff upon which the fort is 
  built is inaccessible from the ground, but 
  also because it places Einhink near the 
  southern countries, which means that 
  he and his warriors are able to quickly 
  embark on impromptu rampages. The fort 
  is known as “Torngalp”, and holds not only 
  warriors, thorn beasts, and a considerable 
  number of slaves and courtesans, but also 
  some smaller thornroot caves. On the 
  same mountain, a couple of kilometers 
  from Torngalp, Einhink has also built a 
  cluster of buildings for his young soldiers 
  to train in. One of these buildings boasts 
  a once well-known weapon master from 
  Mittland, turned thornroot-consuming 
  slave, who teaches his craft to Einhink’s 
  warriors. The man today answers to Vapir, 
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  34  |  chapter 1. snowsaga
  Gavehopp
  In the 11,009th season of the Age of 
  Prophets, before Ovus Uventi Salvia’s 
  holy warriors were to begin the arduous 
  task of converting the Arks, they built a 
  small but strong stone fortification in the 
  southern regions of the Arken kingdom. 
  They named the fort “Gavehopp”, as a 
  plea to the God Gave, that he should give 
  them hope in this forsaken land. Gavehopp 
  was destroyed in the battles that followed, 
  and today only ruins remain of this once 
  so hopeful fort. The observant eye can, 
  however, still make out the architectural 
  features emblematic of the lands in the 
  west, with chiselled wood in the stones and 
  the little courtyard’s now cracked relief 
  with one large blood drop in the center. 
  Despite being located close to the trail, 
  where the ruins could have been potential 
  shelter from the elements, very few Arks 
  will set foot inside of them. According to 
  the Arks it is a weak and spiritless place, 
  and anyone who enters it risks losing all 
  the souls that they have collected over 
  the years. Ever since the fort fell and the 
  holy warriors of the Tenet of Nid were 
  brutally slaughtered by the Arks, a small 
  crypt under the relief in the courtyard has 
  remained – undisturbed and desolate. The 
  Arks cared little for searching through 
  the fort when they had finally killed the 
  warriors, as they thought the warriors 
  would not have brought any riches. In 
  reality, the crypt contained the war chest 
  which the warriors had brought along, and 
  beautiful objects they had intended to bribe 
  the Arks with to help with their conversion. 
  The crypt also contains a relic believed to 
  be Ovus Uventi’s magic morning star. The 
  entrance to the crypt is well concealed, 
  and, in order to open it, you have to pull 
  an iron ring located on the inside of one of 
  the remaining parts of the fort’s perimeter 
  wall.
  Aside from these places, there are a 
  great number other small forts and villages 
  throughout Arkland, loyal to their own 
  warlords, as well as one of the Warsworn 
  or Bloodsworn. Scattered throughout the 
  land there are small natural caves and 
  hollows, hot springs, and mystical places. 
  It is completely within the Game Master’s 
  power to add whatever is suitable. 
  highest point, Arkhund is able to 
  observe most of the lowlands. When the 
  weather allows, he is able to see both the 
  forts Grapinir and Skallgrin, as well as 
  the large stone blocks of Huve. Tornfall 
  is considered by many to be the heart 
  of Arkland, and the Bysentians believe 
  that it must be conquered once and for 
  all, in order to crush the Arks and their 
  heathen ways.
  The Mitraka Caves 
  Less than fifty years ago, a group of Arks 
  stumbled upon a cluster of small caves 
  slightly above the path that leads to the 
  small flatland between the Great Iron 
  Tooth and the Darkwoods. As it turned 
  out, the caves contained a large mitraka 
  vein, which the Arks were obviously unable 
  to mine and refine. They therefore forged 
  an alliance with a small clan of Buratja 
  dwarves who lived underground in the 
  mountains of Arkland. The dwarves were 
  allowed to mine the mitraka, in return 
  for them forging iron weapons for the 
  Arks, a deal that the dwarves immediately 
  agreed to. When they started to mine the 
  ore, they also built a subterranean tunnel, 
  intended to connect the caves to their 
  own kingdom. The caves were small and 
  inaccessible, but the mitraka was abundant, 
  which meant that the Arks have enjoyed a 
  steady flow of vast quantities of weapons 
  as well as some armor over the last few 
  years. The Arks did not really care about 
  the caves all that much, as long as they 
  got weapons from the dwarves, something 
  which took place once a year in Huve, 
  when a small group of Buratja dwarves 
  make their way down to the flatlands and 
  pay for the right to mine the caves for the 
  valuable mitraka. Anyone who enters the 
  caves quickly notices that they are very 
  long and winding, and that it takes several 
  days to reach the place where the mitraka 
  is mined. The location is well protected 
  by dwarven warriors, and anyone who is 
  not explicitly invited or has sent notice 
  of their arrival beforehand is quickly and 
  mercilessly killed. The Buratja dwarves 
  are worried that the dwarves in Trilheim 
  will learn of the caves and try to conquer 
  them, and are therefore very cautious 
  about admitting strangers. 
  Thangkejp
  In a sheltered place, embedded between 
  the mountains, lies Thangkejp, which 
  is more of a fortified city than a fort. 
  Despite its somewhat unusual position in 
  relation to the trading routes in Arkland, 
  Thangkejp is still primarily known for 
  its market and trade. It is particularly 
  visited by those who wish to buy slaves, 
  but are unwilling or unable to wait for 
  the annual slave market in Huve. The 
  settlement of Thangkejp consists of 
  a number of log cabins surrounding 
  a two-story longhouse on stilts. The 
  longhouse is known as Thanghall, and 
  is a heavily adorned dwelling, in which 
  the warlord Thrunkol lives and trades. 
  Nearby Thanghall lies the slave caves, 
  the large and damp caverns in which all 
  of Thrunkol’s slaves are kept before being 
  sold off. All who step into the caves are 
  met with immense misery and despondent 
  people, trolls, and other creatures. The 
  wealth of Thrunkol and Thangkejp is 
  largely based on the Iron dragon whelp 
  that Thrunkol managed to capture almost 
  twenty years ago, and which he then sold 
  to the dwarves living within the Great 
  Iron Tooth. Some say that Thrunkol 
  received more than a hundred thousand 
  gold coins for the dragon, and that the 
  dwarves immediately slaughtered it after 
  the sale. Only Thrunkol knows whether 
  or not there is any truth to this, but as he 
  is in a constant state of intoxication and 
  heavily addicted to thornroot, few dare to 
  ask. 
  Tornfall
  Tornfall is the most strategic and well-
  positioned fort in all of Arkland. It is 
  located at the very peak of Frurtopp 
  mountain, and consists of an eight-story 
  stone tower surrounded by a three-meter 
  stone wall with watchtowers every fifth 
  meter. Additionally, there is a perimeter 
  wall of logs and stones. Most of the 
  three thousand warriors who answer 
  to Arkhund, the master of the fort, live 
  inside the perimeter wall. Slaves and 
  an additional couple of thousand less 
  trusted men, still deemed acolytes of 
  Arkhund, dwell on the mountainside, 
  outside the wall. From the tower’s 
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  chapter 1. snowsaga  |  35
  ration. The only other slaves who are given 
  thornroot every day are those forced to 
  chew the root in order to create a milder 
  form of it for their masters. These slaves 
  generally die within a year, after first 
  losing their eyesight, and then gradually 
  becoming paralyzed by the sheer amount of 
  thornroot that they are forced to consume.
  A person who consumes thornroot daily 
  for a long time (3-4 months) will develop 
  an addiction to it. In order to overcome this 
  addiction after that time, the person must 
  succeed on a Situation roll with Situation 
  value 6 (Constitution modifiers apply). 
  Anyone who gets addicted to thornroot has 
  to consume it at least once every third day 
  in order to avoid the side effects. It is worth 
  reminding here that an addicted victim 
  will try everything to find and consume 
  thornroot and may go as far as seeking out 
  the Arks again in order to become their 
  slave.
  The mechanical side effects of addiction, 
  together with the basic effects of the 
  substance, are described in the Game 
  Master’s Guide page 92.
  Slave-chewed Thornroot has different 
  effects since the worst of the Thornroot’s 
  power has already influenced the slaves. If 
  one consumes only this kind of thornroot 
  the SV for the addiction situation rolls is 
  12 instead of 6. Furthermore, any Mild or 
  Moderate effect must be treated as “Mild”, 
  while any Substantial or Complete effect 
  must be treated ad “Moderate”.
  The Arks usually eat a combination of raw 
  thornroot with those that have been chewed 
  by slaves and are therefore mixed with saliva. 
  This form of thornroot loses some of the 
  most violent effects and grants those who 
  eat it a fog of fearlessness, a will to fight, and 
  short periods of intense hyperactivity.
  Thornroot addiction, which generally 
  occurs after two to three months of daily 
  consumption, results in a white, yellow-
  tinted complexion, empty, wandering eyes, 
  and a great difficulty in gaining weight. 
  Emaciated, the Arks look malnourished due 
  to their diet consisting mainly of thornroot. 
  Many believe that one of the side effects of 
  the root is that whoever consumes it will 
  crave flesh. However, that is not the case. 
  The Ark’s cannibalism is linked to a long 
  history of war and battles, a culture where 
  the body is seen as a tool to reach a higher 
  state of spirituality. The body of another 
  should be consumed in order to achieve 
  great spiritual strength.
  Thornroot does not have this same 
  devastating decaying effect on, for instance, 
  the thorn beast. The reason for this is 
  unknown, but some claim it is related to 
  the thorn beast’s metabolism, which differs 
  greatly from that of people. As thornroot is 
  relatively expensive and difficult to acquire, 
  it is uncommon that all of the Arks’ slaves 
  are fed the substance on a daily basis. Only 
  the slaves that the Arks wish to use for 
  heavy labor, and later cannibalize when 
  the work is complete, are given a daily 
  Thornroot
  Thornroot is a small, stubby, and gnarled 
  root vegetable, which grows in very cold 
  and dark places. It is pale yellow in color, 
  hard and tough to chew. 
  Thornroot is the single biggest cause of 
  the Arks living such wild, combative lives. 
  In its original form, it has three dangerous 
  qualities: It is highly addictive, dulls the 
  senses, and makes the user immune to pain. 
  It also puts those who eat it in an irritable 
  and belligerent mood. Using different 
  methods of preparation, the Arks are able 
  to isolate different properties in the root, 
  properties that are then either more or less 
  pronounced.
  If the root is boiled, irritability is 
  removed, but the root’s addictive powers 
  are enhanced and those who eat it will 
  experience neither fatigue nor pain. Boiled 
  thornroot is the most common food given 
  to the Arks’ slaves, as it results in an 
  addicted, indefatigable creature, with a 
  high pain tolerance, who can be put to hard 
  labor.
  When the thornroot is consumed raw, 
  it enhances the violent traits in those who 
  eat it. Raw thornroot creates a ferocious 
  warrior, with no other desires than war and 
  devastation.
  A thornroot that is picked and then 
  stored undisturbed over time creates an 
  effect that removes fear, but also causes a 
  fatigued, feverish state, whereby those who 
  eat it require a lot of sleep.
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  36  |  chapter 2. introduction
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  chapter 2. introduction  |  37
  It was the dawn of time, when the sun’s warming rays thawed 
  the Earth for the very first time, and the Gods delighted over 
  their creation. It was a time when our world was beautiful. In 
  this divine moment, something was born in the darkest depths of 
  the sea: the Black Sun. 
   INTRODUCTION 
  That which had lain hidden for so long, 
  that which had been tethered to a place 
  that doesn’t exist. The waves on the seas 
  raged and surged, lightning flashed and 
  thunder rumbled, like an open wound 
  straight into our world. Somewhere out 
  there it waited, gathering strength. The 
  world would never be the same again…
  The sky darkened and was eclipsed, the 
  world turned gray and barren, the wind 
  swept its frozen veil over the flatlands, 
  and in our heart, hate was conceived. One 
  of the rays of the Black Sun awoke her 
  from her slumber in the black ice where 
  she lays buried. Dreaming, yearning, her 
  whispers slowly drift in the wind. Time 
  was her only enemy, and long her wait 
  became. Then it came, the day when she 
  was called upon, and the darkness was 
  so great that none could ever stop her, 
  nothing could other than Snowsaga. But 
  just as victory was so close at hand, the 
  winds turned, and defeat stood knocking 
  on the door. That which was not supposed 
  to happen had, and the Snow Queen 
  had once more been forced into her deep 
  slumber. Disappointed and embittered 
  over her fate, she lays under the ice 
  again. Her tears turned the already dark 
  ice black. The hate dwelled deep within 
  her frozen heart. Three hundred years 
  passed by, and then she found him – The 
  Child of Darkness – for he had found her. 
  Unaware of his fate, he had followed her 
  whispers and searched for her desperately, 
  day and night. All he craved was for her 
  to love him.
  If he could give her Snowsaga, victory 
  would be hers, and nothing would get in 
  the way of her return. With little hope of 
  success, she opened a portal to the forest 
  for the frostbitten giant. The enchanted 
  forest hid that which she hated above all 
  else: Snowsaga. But despite her lacking 
  confidence in him, Blodughadda managed 
  to reunite her with Snowsaga, and kill the 
  elf who had been its eternal guardian
  The time is nigh for the return of the 
  Snow Queen, setting in motion events 
  planned by the dark powers which have 
  been brewing since the dawn of time. 
  The Snow Queen will be the catalyst, 
  setting off a chain of events that will 
  lead to the end of the world. Gradually, 
  the omens prophesying the beginning of 
  the end start to take shape. Suddenly, old 
  prophecies no longer seem as absurd, and 
  the end of the world no longer as distant. 
  The hope of the world now rests with 
  the Child of Light and the Daughter of 
  Faith, as well as with the brave souls who 
  choose to follow their path. But not even 
  their love is strong enough to banish the 
  darkness this time, and sometimes fate 
  plays a little trick on life, so that the 
  pieces no longer fit.
  Chapter 2
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  38  |  chapter 2. introduction
  Rendre explains that Oktar needs everyone 
  that he can trust at the wedding. Oktar has 
  recently lost his wife, who was pregnant at 
  the time, following a magical spell which also 
  killed the child, and he now needs his real 
  friends as he is to give away his daughter, 
  the only child and living family member that 
  remains to him. Rendre is not going to force 
  them, but the player characters must have a 
  very good excuse for not accompanying him 
  to the wedding. Once Rendre has finished 
  his business in Paatr, the ship casts off and 
  sails for the wedding in Storhavn, Wildland’s 
  largest harbor city. 
  Oktar Grimme
  The player character knows Oktar to be 
  a very wealthy and jolly Swordjarl who 
  chooses his friends with care. Religious and 
  recognize one another. Rendre does not 
  wish to discuss his business, other than 
  to explain that he is loading necessities. 
  He is, however, eager to share the news 
  that Swordjarl Oktar’s daughter, Miri, 
  is about to enter into an alliance with 
  the Fylkjarl of the Hagtorn clan in 
  Wildland. Without any hesitation, he 
  invites the player characters to the 
  big wedding. Rendre offers generous 
  amounts of alcohol in order to make the 
  player characters more familiar, pliable, 
  and thus, easier to convince. The bearer 
  of the Stone of Sagas will feel a urge 
  of listening to Rendre, as if pushed by 
  something unknown. The Child of Light 
  on the other hand will have the sensation 
  that the gods are pushing him towards 
  start a unavodaible chain of events, 
  decided by the fate.
  The advenTure Begins
  It 
  is 
  late 
  autumn 
  throughout 
  the 
  Stormlands. The cold pushes closer every 
  day. The leaves that quiver on the trees 
  have yellowed, and from a dark gray sky 
  freezing rain pours down relentlessly. 
  The adventure may, for instance, begin 
  not in Wildland but in Paatr, ”The City 
  of the Wild Ones” in Ejdland. There, the 
  characters meet Rendre Haugskalp, who 
  has been dispatched by Oktar Grimme, 
  the richest merchant in Wildland the 
  Swordjarl of Storhavn. One of the player 
  characters turns out to be a good friend of 
  Oktar’s, and therefore they are all invited 
  to the wedding of Oktar’s daughter, Miri.
  It is up to the Game Master to decide 
  how the player characters meet Rendre, 
  but the following are some suggestions of 
  where they could meet him:
   At the Stopsvalje Inn in Paatr, where 
  Rendre is currently staying with his 
  guards, Hallak and Strang. Stopsvalje is 
  a good pace for adventurers to regroup 
  and recount tales of their journeys. The 
  inn meets all the expectations the player 
  characters have, it even surpasses them. 
  To the seasoned adventurer, the place is 
  a paradise, with all the amusements and 
  amenities you could imagine. The owner, 
  Jolfem Storspad, has lived a hard life, and 
  knows what tired, battle-worn warriors 
  need after gruelling months on foot. 
   At the marketplace where Rendre is 
  buying luxuries for the wedding. Rendre 
  really is a good soul, but the hard 
  times have affected him too. Instead of 
  traveling to Saaga, he instead chose the 
  shorter route to Paatr to trade with the 
  sea wolves at a better price. He intends 
  to keep the savings for himself. 
   In the harbor where Rendre’s knarr 
  awaits loading. The ship has been 
  docked in Paatr for a month now, and 
  the crew has spent a lot of money on 
  their various exploits and have gained a 
  certain reputation in the city.
  Rendre is genuinely surprised when he 
  meets the player characters, regardless 
  of where in the city he encounters them. 
  Oktar’s friend and Rendre do not know 
  each other, but once they have met, they 
  Rendre Haugskalp
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  chapter 2. introduction  |  39
  are twenty slaves manning the oars, 
  all chained in place, ten in the bow and 
  ten in the stern, as well as a drummer 
  boy whose job is to keep time for the 
  oarsmen. The oarsmen are sat two-and-
  two to a bench, or thwart. Five assistant 
  mates aid Hanse in steering the ship, 
  and guarding the thralls. The ship has 
  four heavy arbalests mounted near the 
  bow of the ship and two in the stern, to 
  defend against enemies. The ammunition 
  for the arbalests consists of everything 
  from battle arrows to flame arrows and 
  harpoon arrows. 
  The journey to Storhavn takes fourteen 
  days. Bad weather with freezing rain 
  during the crossing means that the player 
  characters must either succeed with two 
  Situation rolls with a Situation Value of 8 
  (Constitution modifiers apply) or succeed 
  with a Wilderness Skill roll (preferably 
  with the Seafarer discipline and the Seaman 
  specialty) to avoid sea-sickness. Those 
  who do come down with seasickness lose 
  the respect of the rest of the crew, and 
  this reputation will later be spread in the 
  harbor causing the player characters to 
  lose credibility. 
  Throughout the entire journey, Rendre 
  will be busy taking stock of all the goods 
  he purchased, and is therefore occupied. He 
  will not tolerate his guests being bullied by 
  any crew member, but, as he is so busy, the 
  journey is not very pleasant for the player 
  characters.
  Bjarn
  Captain Bjarn dislikes the player characters, 
  and is arrogant from the very beginning, 
  constantly pointing out the landlubbers’ 
  failings. Bjarn is a weather-beaten man of 
  around fifty, and is an exceptional captain 
  and navigator.
  Hanse
  Hanse is by nature a follower, who 
  constantly 
  agrees 
  with 
  Bjarn 
  on 
  everything. He will help to harass the 
  player characters. Hanse, for his part, is not 
  a weak man by any means, but he believes 
  Bjarn to be a great leader who deserves the 
  utmost respect.
  two very tall men of 22 and 26 years 
  respectively. Their strength and quick 
  reflexes meant that they were quickly 
  moved to the hird, and had they not been 
  born into slavery, they would have made 
  distinguished hirdmen. They are, namely, 
  Oktar’s finest warriors, and some of the 
  best in all of Wildland. Their own past is 
  unknown to them, but Oktar knows that 
  their father was a reckless Agroth who 
  lost all his children in a game of chance. 
  Hallak and Strang have a younger sister 
  who also was lost in the same game, 
  but they only retain vague memories of 
  their childhood, so the brothers barely 
  remember her. 
  The brothers both lack the gift of gab, 
  but believe that it is better to remain quiet 
  if you don’t have anything good to say. 
  They have thick beards, long scraggly 
  black hair, and broad, dirty faces. They 
  dress in tar-coated bovine leathers, held in 
  place with thick belts, and the older brother 
  also carries a worn mantle of wolf fur. They 
  each carry a battle axe and a bronze-coated 
  round shield with the gilded image of the 
  Grimme clan crest. 
  The Journey To 
  sTorhavn
  The ship, or more specifically, ”knarr”, will 
  at most wait for the player characters for 
  two hours beyond the scheduled time of 
  departure, which is likely around dawn. 
  23 meters in length, the knarr is neither 
  as long nor is its hull as flat as a longship, 
  but that makes it far more seaworthy. The 
  knarr has both oarsmen and sails, appears 
  to be of the finest quality, and is beautifully 
  decorated. The sail is as blue as the sea, and 
  bears Grimme’s crest alongside the flags 
  of both Wildland and the Stormlands. The 
  ship is made of a type of wood that none of 
  the player characters have ever seen before. 
  If anyone asks the captain he grunts with 
  irritation that it is “wall-oak”, (a hard, dark 
  oak) of course, the finest wood that money 
  can buy in the Stormlands. Something 
  which everyone should know, according to 
  the captain.
  Other than Rendre, Hallak, and 
  Strang, the crew consists of Captain 
  Bjarn and Hanse, the first mate. There 
  sophisticated, he is a man who has seen and 
  experienced almost everything the world 
  has to offer. Those who have ultimately 
  been accepted into Oktar’s inner circle 
  find him to be a generous and humorous 
  man, and a “ring breaker” of considerable 
  standards, somebody who spends a lot 
  to reward both his friends and worthy 
  subjects. He is a man quick to lighten the 
  mood, is always willing to help others, and 
  responsible for the very best feasts. Oktar 
  is someone that everyone wants to know, 
  and a friendship with him is not something 
  you willingly abandon.
  Rendre Haugskalp
  Rendre is a follower of Gerbanis, and is a 
  down-to-earth and matter-of-fact man of 
  33 years, who speaks with a calm and level-
  headed tone. Contrary to this, his psyche 
  is not as harmonious as his appearance 
  would imply, but is instead rather rebellious. 
  Rendre does not like people telling him 
  what to do. He is always dressed in the 
  finest pelts and silver rings, and gives the 
  impression of coming from a family of high 
  nobility. Rendre was once the son of Raak, 
  the Fylkjarl of the Wulfr clan. But just as 
  his father was about to enter into an alliance, 
  Rendre impregnated a thrall girl, and thus 
  dishonored and disobeyed his father one time 
  too many. He was renounced, and lost both 
  his title and name. Oktar Grimme took the 
  then 16-year-old young man under his wing, 
  as he thought of Rendre as a long lost son. 
  Thus, Rendre has come to be the Grimme 
  clan foremost mouthpiece and messenger. 
  Since the very beginning, Rendre has been 
  involved in everything that concerns the 
  Grimme family. Rendre wears a red dress 
  resembling the clothes of Stormkelts, and 
  dons a black bear skin mantle of the finest 
  quality. Around his neck, he carries a heavy 
  gold chain with a medallion made of gold 
  and silver, bearing the Grimme clan crest: 
  an eagle in front of a pointed mountain peak, 
  enclosed by a wreath.
  Hallak and Strang
  The brothers Hallak and Strang are both 
  thralls who have served the Grimme clan 
  since they were children, and are today 
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  40  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Act I
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  41
  It is late autumn in Wildland and the first snow has yet to 
  fall. It is very early in the morning, and the grass is crisp with 
  the night’s frost. Thin rays of light have just begun to break 
  through between the clouds on the horizon. A lone, tired, man 
  rides through the town gates of Storhavn. 
   Time of Wrath 
  The man who has ridden without rest 
  for a long time, stumbles clumsily off the 
  horse, and secures it to the largest house 
  in the city. His hammering knocks on the 
  door manage to rouse everyone in the 
  dwelling. The man is expected, but not 
  until the following week, which leads 
  to a lot of commotion and confusion 
  amongst the servants of the household…
  When the player characters, somewhat 
  delayed, arrive in Storhavn, there are only 
  three days left before the wedding. As so 
  many important guests have been invited 
  to the celebrations, it is immediately clear 
  that the town is in chaos. The commotion 
  surrounding the wedding is as large as 
  during a Fylk-Thing. The rich Fylkjarls 
  have, aside from their clansmen, also 
  brought their hirds, officers, thralls, and 
  concubines. The city’s inns are all fully 
  booked, and, as necessities are in high 
  demand, the few remaining goods are being 
  sold at exorbitant prices. All of which is not 
  surprising, as the population of the city has 
  increased by several thousand in just the 
  last week alone. 
  Another ship arrives in the harbor at the 
  same time as the player characters’ knarr, 
  an event which the player characters may 
  currently not pay too much attention to, 
  but which will come to be more important 
  later on in act one. The ship is very small, 
  and devoid of any flags divulging its 
  origins, but its construction attests that it 
  has traveled from afar.
  The ship hails from Silvtronder, on 
  the other side of Trudvang. Only three 
  passengers disembark. They give the 
  player characters appraising looks, and 
  receive much the same. In Silvtronder, 
  a relic has been found: a copper plate 
  depicting the Norna’s prophecy, and in 
  the last few years they have been able 
  to decipher the truth of what is to come. 
  In Silvtronder, the apostles of the Tenet 
  of Nid have seen how the threat shall 
  rise in the East, and have decided to 
  dispatch three shadowers (spies) to the 
  Stormlands. The ship sails for Silvtronder 
  immediately after the passengers have 
  disembarked.
  These warriors are the three that arrive 
  in Storhavn’s harbor at the same time as the 
  player characters, and someone amongst 
  the player characters may happen to glance 
  over and notice that they all have braids. 
  The player characters hear nothing more 
  of these three horsemen until they run 
  into them again on the way to Ysetur. The 
  horsemen will not want to have anything 
  to do with any of the player characters. In 
  the event that any of the player characters 
  chooses to pursue them, all three will 
  attempt to blend into the crowd. If any 
  player character is so dogged that they 
  catch up to them, the horsemen will not 
  be particularly understanding, and will 
  instead quickly attempt to defeat the player 
  character, without necessarily killing them. 
  A description of the three can be found 
  later in the campaign. 
  The Feast in Storhavn
  Swordjarl Oktar Grimme, the descendant 
  of Gaul Grimme’s adopted son, is the 
  richest man in Storhavn and all of 
  Wildland. He hails from a rich merchant 
  family whose fortunes were made at the 
  peak of the Copper Kingdom. When the 
  copper economy started to show the first 
  signs of failure, his ancestors were not 
  only shrewd enough to leave the sinking 
  ship in time, but were also able to bring 
  all their gold with them, managing to get 
  authority over the city of Storhavn and the 
  trade which passes there. Oktar, as the only 
  son, inherited the entire family fortune, 
  and quickly learned how to make his assets 
  grow. He became the most distinguished 
  Jarl in the region, and his name is known 
  far and wide. 
  Act I
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  42  |  act 1. time of wrath
  one to carry his lineage forward, even if it 
  not in name. He sent letters to the Fylkjarls 
  and clansmen of the region, explaining that 
  his daughter now sought a man to wed. 
  Most of the many candidates were weeded 
  out right away, but one man immediately 
  caught Oktar’s eye. It was Huld Hagtorn, 
  the only son of the Fylkjarl Tomus 
  Hagtorn, the family in the Wildland whose 
  blood ran thickest. 
  The Hagtorns are – and have been for 
  a long time – economically broke, but an 
  alliance between the Hagtorn and Grimme 
  families could result in a new royal line. 
  Namely, because the Hagtorns were still 
  the guardians of Koraljon, the Ruling 
  Blade, and the direct descendants of Haakon 
  Hagtorn, the Eternal King. The Fylkjarl 
  Tomus Hagtorn was, in all secrecy, called 
  to Storhavn to negotiate the dowry, which 
  was settled at 300 twists of a gold arm band. 
  Consulting each other, the two parents 
  settled and planned the alliance between the 
  youths, without their knowledge. Huld, never 
  the most intelligent, did not even take the 
  time to think things through before riding 
  off to Storhavn to meet his bride (and see his 
  gold). Once he arrived, Huld was introduced 
  to Miri, who had been informed of the union 
  by her father. Huld paid no attention to his 
  bride-to-be, and was only concerned with 
  the gold. Oktar, for his part, hid his true 
  motives for the alliance. The already hurt 
  Miri was heartbroken over being forced to 
  marry someone who, during his long stay as 
  their guest, showed his horse more care and 
  attention than her. When she realized that he 
  was only in it for the money, she was brought 
  low by anxiety and depression, which only 
  worsened leading up to the ritual that was to 
  bind the two of them together. 
  Oktar Grimme’s Great Hall
  Swordjarl Oktar Grimme lives in Storhavn’s 
  largest house, made completely out of stone, 
  with engraved shutters adorned like those of 
  a shrine of the Tenet of Nid. The long side of 
  the main portion of the central building, and 
  the short sides of the eastern and western 
  wings’, all face the road, and are protected 
  by a high stone wall. The building is three-
  storys tall, and towers over the city. There is 
  a guard tower in conjunction with the stone 
  Arte promised to make him fertile again 
  for one more night, giving him a son. 
  Arte’s only condition was that she would 
  be paid her weight in gold. Faced with no 
  other option, Oktar did as she asked and, as 
  promised, his wife found herself with child 
  once more. The woman was handsomely 
  paid and disappeared without a trace. 
  When Oktar’s wife was about to give birth, 
  something went horribly wrong and the 
  baby boy was stillborn. His wife passed 
  shortly thereafter. The Grimme household 
  sank into mourning.
  Swordjarl Oktar’s attention then turned 
  to the 16-year-old Miri. Miri would be the 
  All that is missing now is an heir to take 
  over his vast holdings. As a young man, he 
  wed his childhood sweetheart, and they had 
  a daughter, Miri. Sadly, his good reputation 
  drew evil eyes upon him, and Valsinka 
  discovered how Swordjarl Oktar Grimme 
  was related to Gaul Grimme, and therefore 
  she cast the same curse on him. The years 
  passed, one after the other, and yet, they 
  had no more children. Oktar bedded more 
  women, but none of them gave him a child. 
  He became more and more depressed over 
  the fact that his family line was to die with 
  him, until he was visited one day by a 
  woman named Arte.
  D
  A
  B
  C
  E
  F
  G
  H
  I
  J
  K
  L
  STORHAVN
  A: Harbor
  B: Fish Square 
  C: Market Square 
  D: Oktars place
  E: The Old Rocks
  F: Serdajn Church
  G: Stormbarling
  H: Fishermen Cabins
  I: Lawman Ifes house
  J: Smithys
  K: Wolf Breeder
  L: Tavern
   0 
   50 m
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  43
  furniture is all made from polished oak, 
  with carvings of sophisticated patterns and 
  recurring religious motifs of Stormi. Not a 
  single wall is without an oil painting, and 
  the observant viewer will learn a lot about 
  the rise and fall of the Copper Kingdom, 
  just by studying the art. 
  Prior to the wedding ritual, the player 
  characters can prepare in whichever way 
  they prefer, but both Oktar and Rendre 
  are too busy to make time for them. The 
  first floor of the building consists of the 
  communal areas such as the baths (including 
  a wood burning sauna), the dining room, the 
  room of worship, and the thralls’ dwellings. 
  The second floor holds the common rooms 
  with a fire pit, resting areas, guest rooms, 
  and the private dwellings of the master 
  of the house. The third floor alone is off 
  limits to the guests, as it is Oktar’s private 
  residence. The water in the house is clean, 
  and flows from the natural underground 
  spring over which the house is built. For the 
  Game Master it may be worth noting that 
  the cellar, the entrance to which is located 
  next to the guard tower, contains not 
  only food and wine, but also a small keep. 
  The house is generally riddled with secret 
  passages known only to Oktar and Rendre. 
  These passages give access to all the floors, 
  including the cellar, and an escape tunnel 
  which travels 6 kilometers underground, 
  and leads to a small cave by the sea. 
  offering a glimpse into a small but charming 
  garden. Fourteen deer chandeliers hang from 
  the vaulted ceiling, supporting hundreds of 
  lit candles. The candles, along with a row 
  of golden oil lamps on the walls, illuminate 
  the hall, casting a cosy glow. A soft scent 
  of incense wafts through the air, while the 
  delicious aromas of the prepared feast travel 
  from the kitchen. 
  When the company is seated, the servants 
  bring in the food and refreshments, and the 
  feast is like nothing the characters have 
  ever experienced before. There is chicken 
  and fish, boar and oxen, mushrooms, rice 
  and potatoes, vegetables and fruit from 
  all of corners of Trudvang. The drinks 
  include ale, mead, and Carlonnian spiced 
  wine from Westmark, not to mention a 
  host of other alcoholic beverages that the 
  player characters never even knew existed. 
  Anyone who feels like they are missing 
  something need not wait long to be served, 
  and the player characters feel like they 
  themselves are jarls. Never before have 
  they been waited on in this way.
  After the dinner, Oktar excuses himself 
  for the evening, and asks a servant to show 
  them to their rooms. The rooms are on 
  the second floor, in the southern wing of 
  the house. Each of the guest rooms are 
  furnished in the same way, with a real 
  bed, a large bear skin pelt on the floor, 
  and an oak wash basin. The flooring and 
  wall, with access to the basement door, and 
  disciplined hirdmen march in the courtyard. 
  A wide stone staircase leads up to the main 
  door, which is held aloft by two enormous sill 
  plate logs made of what is said to be exotic 
  alfark wood imported from Soj. Inside, the 
  enormous welcome hall features a floor made 
  of stone blocks and large engraved wooden 
  pillars which stretch all the way up to the 
  roof. Two carved wooden staircases lead 
  directly from the welcome hall up to the 
  second floor. The walls are adorned with 
  beautifully engraved woodcuts depicting 
  different historical events from Wildland’s 
  past. Alongside the historical images are also 
  engravings of ancestors. It is evident that 
  the house is in upheaval, as the thralls are 
  running back and forth, giving off a generally 
  nervous impression.
  Oktar is very happy to see his old friend 
  again, and the company adjourns to the 
  room of runic engravings for a conversation. 
  The room is covered in shelves of scrolls of 
  runic calendars, held together with string. 
  The walls are decorated with beautiful 
  wood panelling. Large chandeliers adorn 
  the ceiling, crafted out of deer antlers. As 
  the group sits down in the handsomely 
  chiselled wooden thrones covered in 
  wolf pelts, they are immediately served 
  delectable drinks in magnificent ox horns 
  offered on a silver dish. A quick overview 
  of the thralls of the household reveals 
  that most are young, beautiful women 
  who, through body language and glances, 
  show that they seem to have a very special 
  relationship to their master.
  After a short conversation, dinner is 
  served in the rounded chamber where the 
  building’s dining room is located. The tables 
  and chairs are all made of blackoak with soft 
  furs, and the walls are, unusually enough, 
  painted a serene blue with white stripes. The 
  floor is a light shade of polished oak, painted 
  with different patterns interspersed with 
  holy symbols of Gerbanis. A great hearth 
  with a large woodcut of Oktar covers one 
  of the end walls, and the longer, adjacent 
  wall is covered in a long row of woodcuts of 
  ancestors and relatives reaching as far back as 
  the Grimme family’s forebear, Gaul Grimme. 
  The rounded side, which is reminiscent of a 
  large bay window, has tall panes of dwarven 
  glass facing the rear of the compound, 
  Oktar Grimme
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  44  |  act 1. time of wrath
  see a black scabbard poke out from under 
  his robes. Bhalgor begins to speak in a 
  powerful echoing voice: 
  “Fylkjarls, lords, and holy men. Today, 
  we are gathered to drink and feast 
  together. We have gathered to witness a 
  union of clan blood. We have gathered 
  in brotherhood, to forget the injustices 
  that were. Let the union of these two 
  souls become a new beginning, a new 
  sign for a new time. In this union of the 
  Fylkjarl son, Huld Hagtorn Tomusson 
  and the fair Miri Grimme Oktarsdottir, 
  shall they hence become one, and in the 
  sign of strength– shall they be blessed. 
  These two stand now at a crossroad. 
  Let Stormi guide them down the path 
  of truth. Let us gathered here today 
  celebrate their meeting. Let the love 
  they share withstand the test of time. 
  Huld Hagtorn, bring your bride, Miri 
  Grimme, from her seat, and step forth 
  so that your love can become pure in the 
  eyes of Stormi”. 
  Huld approaches his bride, Miri, and 
  leads her to the altar. As one, they kneel 
  before the Bhalgor Fylkjarl, who continues:
  “Huld Hagtorn. Do you vow, in the eyes 
  of Stormi, to protect this woman, and 
  love her, in dark times and in times of 
  flfight Do you promfise to, fin the eyes off 
  Stormi, be to this woman faithful and 
  avoid the pleasures of concubines and 
  whores”
  Stressed, Huld replies:
  “By Stormi, I vow to follow thy will”.
  The Brycker then turns to Miri:
  “Miri Grimme. Do you, in the eyes of 
  Stormi, vow to love and serve this man, 
  and ffoflflow hfim when death do you part 
  Do you promise, in the eyes of Stormi, 
  to be to this man faithful, so long as you 
  flfive”
  Barely audible, Miri responds:
  “By Stormi, I vow to follow thy will”.
  wife Madeleine immediately notices the 
  resemblence between the sisters and Oktar’s 
  late wife. At the same time, the player 
  characters can’t help but envy this man who 
  has been able to charm these two ethereal 
  angels. 
  The Wedding in the Serdajn 
  Church
  The wedding is held in the Serdajn church 
  (commonly known as “Serdajn Grand 
  Temple”, to put it on par with the churches 
  of the Tenet of Nid in Westmark), not far 
  from Oktar’s home. The Serdajn church 
  is the largest blot shrine in Wildland, and 
  is situated on top of a hill, surrounded by 
  greenery. The building is constructed out 
  of black oak, and four tall blot poles rise 
  from the foundation. Rumors claim that 
  hrimtursir used to be sacrificed by these 
  poles in the past. The area is rigorously 
  patrolled by the hirdmen of all the guests, 
  who only admit those with an invitation. 
  A long, wide, staircase illuminated by 
  thousands upon thousands of candles 
  leads down under the four towers to the 
  subterranean shrine. 
  Below, there are long tables set for the 
  106 carefully selected guests, as well as the 
  same number of servants, and the guests’ 
  personal hirds. The tables are set up like a 
  U, with the bridal couple and their closest 
  family in the center of the bend. Barrels of 
  ale and mead are already prepared and, in 
  accordance with tradition, each guest has 
  their own tin tankard by their seat. Among 
  the guests are men and women from among 
  the highest elites of Wildland. 
  The player characters sit along one side of 
  the furthest long table, next to the Saatigia 
  Fylkjarl and his clan, Wildland’s mightiest 
  men. The player characters will be able to 
  make conversation with the Fylkjarl’s two 
  sons, Grimhil and Elvijö Saatigia. They will 
  have time for a conversation over ale before 
  Fylkjarl Bhalgor, the Brycker of Wildland, 
  starts the ceremony.
  The Bhalgor Fylkjarl is dressed in a 
  black order habit without any defining 
  adornments, other than a small symbol on 
  his mantle depicting a red fist holding a 
  ring. In all other regards, Bhalgor is plain 
  for a Fylkjarl. By his feet, however, you can 
  As the other guests are all so wealthy 
  that they have their own private residences 
  in Storhavn, the player characters do not 
  meet them until the wedding. Even the 
  bridal couple will be scarce, and the player 
  characters will not see them during their 
  stay. This is because the couple, following 
  tradition, do not meet with anyone outside 
  of the family the week leading up to the 
  wedding. It would be a good idea for the 
  player characters to spend some of this 
  time buying appropriate clothing and a 
  wedding gift for the bridal couple. 
  Oktar Grimme
  Oktar has aged dramatically over the last 
  few months, and today looks well over 50 
  years old, something which shocks the 
  player character who hasn’t seen his friend 
  in a while. Oktar’s hair is steely gray, and 
  he has a well-maintained beard and proud, 
  dark, eyes. He wear white clothes, similar to 
  those of Stormkelts, richly embellished with 
  religious gold embroidery. Oktar wears a 
  similar medallion to Rendre, however his 
  boasts a diamond between the eagle’s talons. 
  Behind him stand two beautiful concubines 
  who introduce themselves as Ylva and Lise, 
  sisters from the Vrudnah clan. 
  Oktar is a strong and confident man, 
  who does not exhibit any weaknesses. He is 
  charming and funny, and always has at least 
  three or four jokes in store, often alluding 
  to the nether regions. Oktar remembers the 
  faces and names of everyone he meets, and 
  can recall every single conversation he has 
  ever had. He is sophisticated, well-traveled, 
  and can remember details of all the regions 
  he has visited. Oktar is able to enchant an 
  entire hall of people when telling his stories, 
  which are both educational and interesting. 
  He speaks all the known human languages 
  of Trudvang and can imitate all known 
  dialects. This contributes to him coming 
  across as an interesting and pleasant man 
  to all who meet him. He has always been 
  a ladies’ man, with all the benefits and 
  drawbacks that entails. The sister concubines 
  are both around thirty years old, seductive, 
  and beautiful to look upon, with curly light 
  hair and deep blue eyes. The dainty azure 
  and gold embroidered dresses they wear 
  really showcase their shapely bodies, and the 
  player character who remembers Oktar’s 
    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  act 1. time of wrath  |  45
  Ulvarsfiell is the name of Blueax’s 
  hunting estate. Oktar turns to address Huld. 
  “Freely, could I to you speak. She 
  willingly joined the Hagtorn clan. The 
  bridegroom was given a wife of glorious 
  locks. Good breeding of womb and sons 
  shall come”.
  Oktar is saying that he hopes for a 
  grandson:
  “Against her sharp tongue, I often find 
  forced to defend. Her ire no lashings 
  could tame. But a man with peace of 
  heart, as you are, and as of yet, liked by 
  all. Take good care of her, my friend”. 
  Miri glares angrily down at the ground, 
  and Huld laughs, nodding:
  “Hot burns the thirst in the gullet. 
  Loudly, screams a heart of bellows”. 
  People raise their tankards, awaiting 
  permission to drink:
  “Hunger whimpers like swine in flames. 
  Remove your armor and fill your maw 
  with dripping pork”.
  Once more, people nod, agreeing.
  “In ale daze, our fear will steam, at the 
  feast, our uncompanionship is lulled to 
  sleep. For it is vowed. That the raven’s feed 
  becomes tomorrow’s rival that I fell…”
  In silence, Oktar downs his entire 
  tankard, drawing excited shouts and 
  whistles from the crowd. Celebratory 
  music starts playing and the festivities 
  can commence. Everyone tries to get as 
  drunk as possible, and the affair lasts until 
  morning. It is considered unmanly to leave 
  before you have dropped, and so, most will 
  be mind-numbingly drunk by the time they 
  leave for home. 
  It is unlikely that the player characters 
  will have the time to meet all the attendees 
  at the party, instead the Game Master 
  should attempt to pick which characters 
  that the player characters are likely to 
  get along with. Those who the player 
  benches, delight in the feast. Know you 
  victory silver and be filled with the wild 
  boar of steel.
  West on the Thing. A girl child favored 
  by luck, I brought with me. All bite 
  shields to the wake of feud. Bloody iron 
  shirts could be seen, spats of bone vessels 
  from the pyre. Everything is devoured by 
  flames.
  Shut tonight the door that rattles in 
  cold times. Forget that the past haunts 
  in the corners. A steaming blood river. 
  Flame craving follower of soot snow. 
  Greedy jaws have devoured, heroes have 
  fallen, railing song of sorrow, piles 
  which burn”.
  People fall quiet and worried:
  “Shields may crowd in the mist of 
  tomorrow. Merciful, we sing hymns 
  as the devastation of battle tumbles. 
  Battle worthy men boast of murder and 
  slayings. Blades bite the meat of youths; 
  glossy shields cover mortal wounds. For 
  days the raging raiders beset, tempt with 
  feud to fuel their glory. But, hear me. 
  Tonight, the tankard is our ally, and our 
  neighbor – our kin.”
  People nod, agreeing.
  “We drink to the absent Fylkjarl 
  Njordung Blueax’s honor”.
  Some in the crowd clamor in agreement, 
  primarily members of his family.
  “Off in the fog, he wanders. Perhaps 
  defending himself from the criticisms of 
  women”.
  People start to laugh, and the mood 
  noticeably lightens.
  “Let us remember his gaggling tribe”.
  Here he is really saying that he does not 
  trust the men and women that Njordung 
  Blueax has gathered on his land.
  “Spearmen 
  and 
  shieldmaidens 
  he 
  amassed at Ulvarsfiell. Wrath they can 
  awaken. Whispers like wise elves”.
  Brycker Bhalgor bellows:
  “Speak louder, woman so that Stormi 
  can hear your vow!”
  Terrified, Miri replies:
  “By Stormi....I…. vow to follow thy 
  will”. 
  The 
  Brycker 
  turns 
  to 
  face 
  the 
  congregation once more:
  “I hereby declare Huld Hagtorn and 
  Miri Grimme united in an alliance, 
  like two bound in a vow. These two 
  are now joined to one another and are 
  free to come together in marriage after 
  the feast, like pure souls in the eyes of 
  Stormi”.
  Brycker Bhalgor cries out:
  “Raise your goblets in honor of the 
  bridal couple! Raise your goblets in the 
  name of Stormi! Raise your goblets in 
  honor of Wildland!”
  The congregation stands and raises 
  their goblets; a buzz and clamor breaks out, 
  and the gathering bellows in unison:
  “Long live the alliance! Long live 
  Stormi! Long live Wildland!”
  Everyone drinks up. The thralls start 
  carrying in food. Immense amounts of 
  grilled boar and ale are served. Before 
  everyone has started eating, and before 
  anyone gets too intoxicated, Swordjarl 
  Oktar will recite his wedding poem to the 
  couple. He slams his tankard on the table 
  and asks for silence. When the worst bustle 
  has settled, he begins:
  “Friends, 
  brethren, 
  and 
  bears 
  of 
  Wildland. Mead in the tankard’s halls. 
  Sing of great deeds, friends of the 
  south”. 
  He gestures to the player characters:
  “Kinsmen and brothers in arms. Eat 
  straight of honored swine. Sit on ale 
    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  46  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Rendre Haugskalp
  Rendre wanders around, socializing with 
  all the guests, making sure that everyone 
  is enjoying themselves. The only individual 
  Rendre does not approach is his real father, 
  Raak, the Fylkjarl of the Wulfr clan. When 
  he encounters Ylva, the two of them will 
  leave the party together. 
  The Bride, Miri Grimme
  Miri, the bride, is as intelligent as her 
  father, if not more so. It is, however, true 
  that she is stubborn and difficult to control. 
  The sixteen-year-old Miri spends the 
  whole evening holding back tears over 
  being forced to spend the rest of her life 
  with the pathetic Huld Hagthorn. Miri 
  diligently responds to all questions and is 
  happy to steer the conversation away from 
  the wedding. She knows a lot about History 
  and Heraldry, and is more than happy to 
  instead speak at length on these subjects.
  Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn
  Tomus is a large, boisterous man. He 
  shares some similarities with Oktar, but 
  is far less intelligent. Tomus is brash and 
  blunt to all he meets. Time and again, he 
  jokingly smacks his son Huld on the back, 
  who can barely stand up under the force. 
  Tomus has a smithy in Vretgaard, and is 
  happy to discuss smithery, the only subject 
  he is knowledgeable in, aside from women 
  and ale. Tomus does not realize that his 
  son, Huld, is a failed soul, believing Huld 
  to be as rational a man as he himself. This 
  is one of the reasons that Huld has become 
  so withdrawn. At Tomus’ side is his second 
  wife, Rennja, who is eclipsed by her loud 
  husband. If anyone speaks to her, she grows 
  anxious, and, after being on the receiving 
  end of vicious glares from Tomus, most 
  will likely choose to leave her alone. The 
  Hagtorn clan crest is a black ox.
  The Bridegroom, Huld Hagtorn
  The groom, Huld Hagtorn, is a pale imitation 
  of his father, and is overcome with jealousy 
  and hate for all those around him, even his 
  bride, Miri. Huld despizes everyone except 
  Maria Norim, the girl in his hometown who 
  he loves above all else. An unrequited love 
  – an unattainable dream. Slight of build, 
  Huld is a relatively scrawny and anxious 
  develops, only glances and words will 
  speak to their desires, never deeds. When 
  Miri is murdered later in the campaign, 
  the player character can experience an 
  intense wrath over her death. 
   Obligatory Event: Before the party ends, 
  Ask Wulfr and Hatr Uvail will come to 
  blows. It all ends in a brawl between the 
  two where the inebriated Ask is brutally 
  beaten to death by Hatr. The blood feud 
  will be intensified, and the player characters 
  suspicions of Uvail gets stronger. After 
  Hatr Uvail has killed Ask Wulfr, the 
  Fylkjarl Vret Uvail abruptly leaves the 
  party, heading for home. Raak, the Wulfr  
  Fylkjarl, will stay, trying to rescind Vret 
  Uvail’s title as a Fylkjarl, which ultimately 
  fails. On the journey through Storhavn, 
  four more Wulfr men will be killed by 
  Vret Uvail’s hird. The whole point of the 
  events at the wedding is to ensure that the 
  player characters can begin to suspect the 
  Uvail family, and not dig too much into 
  Njordung Blueax’s disappearance or delve 
  into the Wulfr clan’s dealings. The wedding 
  reception continues until the wee hours, 
  despite all these events, even if many would 
  actually prefer to leave right away.
  The Lords of Wildland 
  The Host, Swordjarl Oktar 
  Grimme
  Oktar Grimme is flanked by his concubines, 
  Ylva and Lise Vrudnah, who follow him 
  throughout the party. If the player characters 
  speak to him, he will voice his annoyance at 
  Njordung Blueax’s absence, and point out 
  that Grimme, Saatigia, Staark, and Hagtorn 
  are clans that have always stuck together.
  Ylva and Lise Vrudnah
  Lise is Oktar’s favorite, and possibly the one 
  that most resembles his late wife. Ylva, who 
  is slightly younger than her sister, does 
  everything in her power to catch Oktar’s 
  attention. She will try to seduce Rendre 
  Haugskalp in an attempt to drive a wedge 
  between ‘Father’ and ‘Son’. Rendre, who 
  has always been attracted to Ylva, will be 
  powerless to resist her charms, and their union 
  will result in Ylva being with child, which will 
  have consequences later in the campaign. 
  characters do not get a chance to speak to 
  during the party, they can instead meet in 
  Storhavn after the wedding. The chance 
  of them stopping to speak to each other is 
  high, now that they recognize each other.
  Suggestion for Events during the 
  Wedding, in Chronological Order:
   The player characters speak to Oktar 
  and the bridal couple. During their 
  conversation, they are constantly disturbed 
  by the groom’s father, Tomus Hagtorn, who 
  repeatedly interrupts others in the middle 
  of sentences. Tomus, who became very 
  intoxicated early on during the evening, is 
  perceived to be very bothersome.
   Grimhil, Elvijö, and Hloe invite some 
  of the younger player characters to take 
  part in a competition. Raak Wulfr invites 
  the player characters to be his drinking 
  companions and he will do everything 
  to drink them under the table. He will 
  call those not able to keep up wimps 
  and wusses, something which could be 
  considered a grave insult. 
   Huld gets drunk in an embarrassing 
  prank where he is held in place and 
  force-fed ale to the sounds of hoots and 
  loud applause. Huld eventually gets so 
  inebriated that he falls over and spews 
  all over himself. When he then needs to 
  take a leak, he is unable to even stand, 
  collapsing unconscious into a puddle 
  of his own vomit and urine, prompting 
  mockery and snickers from the guests. 
  After this event the guests lose interest 
  in him and leave him alone in his misery.
   Obligatory Event: Rendre and Ylva will 
  sneak off together without attracting 
  much attention.
   As Huld is blackout drunk and both 
  Rendre and Oktar are elsewhere, there 
  is no one keeping an eye on Miri. Brut 
  Blueax, who is far too intoxicated, quickly 
  tries to pursue and grope her. Only one 
  of the player characters is able to come to 
  her rescue, and Miri takes a fancy to her 
  savior. In confidence, she confesses how 
  disappointed she is in the fact that Huld 
  is only taking her for the money. Perhaps 
  a forbidden romance can bloom between 
  Miri and the player character, but never 
  one so serious that it goes too far. If love 
    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  act 1. time of wrath  |  47
  overheard his father whisper with Galve 
  Blueax about how Njordung, alongside some 
  of his brothers and hirdmen, has now been 
  missing for half a year. Completely without a 
  trace. Blueax does not wish to make a big deal 
  out of the whole thing, but Ulfgaar spoke of 
  dark times in the past, whatever he may have 
  meant by that. The three youths spend most of 
  the party trying to seduce some of the servant 
  girls, drink themselves silly, and brag of their 
  achievements. Saatigia’s clan crest is a black 
  eagle on a blue shield. 
  Galve Blueax
  Galve is the Blueax representative at the 
  wedding because no one knows where 
  Fylkjarl Njordung Blueax is. Galve is very 
  worried about the disappearance of his 
  brothers, and has only brought his sons, 
  Brut and Axl, and his wife, Kari, with 
  him to the wedding. Even though he is a 
  sensible, strong man, Galve’s attempts 
  to put on a brave face fail, but not from a 
  lack of trying. Fylkjarl Njordung Blueax’s 
  disappearance has come at an inopportune 
  time and was very sudden. Blueax’s battle 
  crest is two duelling axes in blue or black. 
  Galve is obviously aware that Njordung is 
  the leader of the Ice Cult.
  Note that the man or woman who chooses to 
  blaspheme Stormi in the presence of Bhalgor 
  or the bloters does not live past three more 
  days, regardless of who this person is. Saul is 
  a tough man who despises women, thus his 
  treatment of Miri. Fylkjarl Bhalgor and his 
  men are formidable warriors from the Order 
  of the Iron Hand, Gerbanis’ most seasoned 
  soldiers. The Brycker lacks a clan crest, other 
  than that of the Order of the Iron Hand.
  Fylkjarl Vilgar Saatigia
  Vilgar is the most powerful man in Wildland 
  and as close to a king as one can get. Vilgar has 
  come to the wedding with his sons Grimhil 
  and Elvijö, and with his brothers Valthir, 
  Tryg, Torgor, and Ulfgaar. Vilgar’s wife, 
  Signe, is a handsome, mature woman who 
  is fully aware of her husband’s status. Even 
  Ulfgaar’s son, Hloe, cousin to Grimhil and 
  Elvijö, is here. Between the eight of them, these 
  men command over four thousand hirdmen, 
  and the largest domains in all of Wildland. 
  Grimhil, Elvijö, and Hloe, who all three are 
  around twenty, are those most likely for the 
  player characters to interact with. Outgoing 
  and, despite their youth, seemingly mature, 
  well on their way to becoming real strongmen 
  like their fathers. Hloe discloses that he 
  nineteen-year-old. Throughout the entire 
  wedding celebration, he appears reserved, 
  stressed, and nervous. The only reason he 
  is able to avoid fainting from the emotional 
  exhaustion is because he is accompanied by 
  Oktar and his father who keep his spirits 
  up. Huld keeps his thoughts to himself, and 
  does not seem to actively participate in any 
  conversations. He will occasionally bark out 
  a nervous chuckle, often at inappropriate 
  moments during conversations.
  Fylkjarl Saul Bhalgor, the Brycker 
  of Wildland
  Brycker Saul Bhalgor is the only member of 
  his clan to attend the wedding. His brothers 
  and sons are training intensely in Jordek, 
  and something as insignificant as a wedding 
  is not important enough to interrupt their 
  drills, not in times like these. The Bhalgor 
  Fylkjarl, as most people know him, is aware 
  that the Ice Cult has started to gain strength 
  once more, and he has brought ten members 
  of his blot force with him to the wedding. 
  Bhalgor and the bloters walk around 
  eavesdropping on the other guests, without 
  drinking anything themselves. If Bhalgor or 
  his men discover a blasphemer, they won’t 
  act until later, so as not to ruin the wedding. 
  Saul Bhalgor
  Vilgar Saatigia
  Galve Blueax
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  48  |  act 1. time of wrath
  learn more. The Uvail family is of pure 
  Agrothian blood, with all that entails. The 
  Uvail clan crest is a black full moon on a red 
  background. 
  Fylkjarl Raak Wulfr
  Raak, and his brothers Ask and Balth are 
  large men, all of whom have brought their 
  wives, Niena, Silgra, and Endra. They 
  originally stem from both the Agroths and 
  Wildbrons, among the first to adopt the faith 
  of Gerbanis, and are considered to be very 
  religious. One of the player characters has 
  also heard something about them being wolf 
  breeders. The Wulfr party is upset that Oktar 
  has invited the Uvail clan to the wedding 
  and speak loudly and at length about the 
  Uvail family’s betrayal, and the war between 
  their two clans that has already lasted for 
  20 years. They insist that the Uvail tricked 
  them out of ten thousand gold coins shortly 
  Fylkjarl Vret Uvail
  Vret Uvail is a dark, cold, and humorless 
  man with a stony demeanor. At his side are 
  his two brothers, Hatr and Blotr, and his ten-
  year-old son Vrinje, who, despite his young 
  age, already bears his father’s dark aura. If 
  any of the player characters tease Vrinje 
  (other than the Child of Light), he will, with 
  the skills of an assassin, stab that person with 
  a poisoned dagger later during the evening. 
  The Uvail clan is still warring with the 
  Wulfr family, and they are very wary of all 
  they meet. The player characters are meant 
  to suspect that Uvail is behind something 
  awful and the rumors could help to confirm 
  this. Furthermore, it is well known that many 
  of the Uvail clan succumbed to the darkness 
  in the past, during the Time of the Untamed. 
  Later in the campaign, Uvail will be revealed 
  to be good, but he is an ideal red herring for 
  the time being, until the player characters 
  Fylkjarl Thorbjörn Staark
  Thorbjörn is accompanied by all twelve of his 
  brothers, whose names all begin with Thor-, as 
  well as his radiant wife, Annelie. The thirteen 
  bears of the Staark clan are true Agroths, who 
  could have been brothers with Hallak and 
  Strang. The brothers are powerfully built, 
  and wear dirty, tarred clothes, and have bushy, 
  unkempt hair and beards. Annelie, for her 
  part, has flaming red hair and flashing green 
  eyes. They are a varied bunch altogether, 
  who easily drink the other guests under the 
  table. None at the wedding can manage their 
  ale quite as well as the Staark brothers, and 
  they are the last standing. Thorbjörn’s wife 
  Annelie, who is considerably younger than 
  her spouse, attracts many lustful looks, and 
  if she didn’t have such a terrifying husband, 
  she would have found herself with many a 
  young suitor unwilling to leave her side. The 
  Staark’s clan crest is a Bear. 
  Thorbjörn Staark
  Vret Uvail
  Raak Wulfr
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  49
  ”Let now our mourning Silgra choose 
  her bane, so that she can follow her man 
  and serve him in the kingdom of death, 
  as she did in life”.
  Silgra steps forth and slowly walks past 
  the men standing at the front of the crowd. 
  She chooses one of the player characters as 
  her bane. This is a custom not practiced in 
  the southern Stormlands and the thought 
  of killing an innocent woman might 
  make the player character uneasy and 
  uncomfortable. The player character must 
  now make a choice: to refuse, or to follow 
  Wildlander customs and kill her:
  If the player character chooses to kill 
  her, they are given an axe, and Silgra will 
  fall to her knees before them, lifting her 
  hair aside to grant access for the killing 
  blow. After her severed head falls to the 
  ground, Raak will continue:
  ”Silgra has now descended to Ask, so he 
  can continue his journey with her and 
  we can begin ours in the sign of blood”.
  If the player character chooses not to kill 
  her, Raak will exclaim:
  ”In this moment, the Uvail clan is not 
  the only betrayer. You and your doomed 
  friends 
  have 
  clearly 
  demonstrated 
  which side you are on. Therefore, I will 
  personally take on the honor of being 
  Silgra’s bane and you shall forever 
  remember that you failed her last living 
  wish. Do not be surprised when she, in 
  death, exacts her revenge on you”. 
  Silgra is killed in the same manner as 
  above, but by Raak:
  ”Let the fire burn the shell of the soul. 
  Let the ship sail with the wind. Let the 
  sea serve as grave. Ask, your death shall 
  be our victory sign. We will miss you.”
  The bodies of Ask, Silgra and the dead 
  hirdmen are placed inside a small sailboat, 
  which is filled with dry tinder. Then the 
  little boat is launched by Wulfr clansmen 
  and ignited with torches. The boat sails 
  towards the horizon, and none say a word 
  until it is completely gone.
  player characters push their way through 
  crowd to the shore, to which Raak Wulfr 
  has summoned them. On the beach, five 
  large fires have been lit, one for each man 
  of the Wulfr clan whose life have been 
  lost. Around Raak there are five growling 
  wolves, ready to lunge at anyone who makes 
  a move on him, and tear them to pieces. It 
  takes another half an hour until everyone 
  has arrived and Wulfr can begin his eulogy.
  ”Dear kinsmen and friends. Yesterday, I 
  thought that I’d get to witness the dawn 
  of a new time. A time when injustices 
  could be forgotten. A time where new 
  kinsmen could fall in with our ranks. A 
  time of joy and festivities. The Uvail men 
  have clearly demonstrated their antipathy 
  to all my thoughts of reconciliation in 
  the past and in this frigid time. I have 
  called you all so that we, together, can 
  bid farewell to those who so ingloriously 
  have been taken from us”.
  Raak jerks his head angrily:
  ”Early this morning our dear bridal couple 
  bid farewell to my brother. It was I who 
  convinced them to continue with their lives 
  despite this great sorrow. I cannot begrudge 
  them their journey home to Vretgaard, 
  nor can I begrudge them the joy of being 
  brought together in a new union. So, I do 
  not wish for anyone to curse their absence, 
  as they were amongst the very first to offer 
  their tears and the very first to say farewell 
  to those who have left us. 
  Ask –my brother, my friend. I, who 
  promised my late Father that I would 
  protect my younger brothers from blades, 
  arrows and fangs. A promise which I 
  have failed. Now, I must therefore call 
  for blood vengeance for your death and 
  overthrow Uvail’s rule once and for 
  all. I swear, by all those here to witness 
  it: None of the Wulfr blades shall rest 
  until Vret Uvail and his entire clan of 
  changelings and riff raff have offered 
  their sacrifice for all the wrongdoings 
  which have gone unpunished”.
  Raak has now sworn an oath and can 
  therefore not put down his weapons against 
  Uvail until one of them has fallen:
  before the collapse of the Copper Kingdom, 
  and has since refused to repay this debt. 
  Other than complaining about the Uvail, 
  they also accuse Rendre of being haughty 
  and arrogant, as he has not greeted them, 
  even if everybody knows that he was born a 
  Wulfr. Fylkjarl Raak Wulfr will come to like 
  the player characters, if they do not offend 
  him. The Wulfr clan has secretly established 
  a dedicated place of sacrifice in honor of 
  the Snow Queen. It is located by the Cliff 
  of Askyr, the lonesome mountain that rises 
  from the forest in the southern Darkwoods. 
  During the Time of the Untamed, the Wulfr 
  were paladins of light, helping the forces of 
  Gerbanis drive back the darkness. Today, 
  their bloodline has been blackened and their 
  souls have darkened. The Snow Queen’s 
  whispers have reached their hearts, and the 
  words of Stormi have faded into oblivion. 
  Fylkjarl Raak Wulfr has a spiral-like tattoo 
  on his neck as a sign of his devotion, although 
  many people will not remember its link with 
  the Snow Queen’s cult. The PCs should 
  notice this detail, although they will not be 
  able to understand its meaning until later 
  on in the story, when they will have better 
  knowledge of the cult.
  It is not intended for the player characters 
  or Brycker Bhalgor to accuse or even suspect 
  the Wulfr clan of anything. It is the Uvail 
  family who should be presented as the black 
  sheep of Wildland, at least in the beginning. 
  The Wulfr clan crest is a black wolf’s head. 
  The Farewell 
  When everyone has sobered up after the 
  party, some time the following evening, the 
  characters are awoken by someone banging 
  on the door. It is Rendre, who reports 
  that the player characters are called to a 
  meeting at the harbor. The meeting is held 
  by Fylkjarl Raak Wulfr, and concerns his 
  brother’s abrupt death. Some can glimpse 
  angry tears in Rendre’s eyes, who despite 
  all the unpleasantness, still misses his uncle 
  Ask Wulfr, whose funeral he cannot attend. 
  The player characters ride to the harbor 
  with Oktar’s escort.
  More than a thousand men and women 
  have gathered in the harbor. Burning 
  torches in their hands, and the large pyres 
  lit by the waterside illuminate the sky. The 
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  50  |  act 1. time of wrath
  After having spent more time in 
  Storhavn to fix details about the dowry to 
  get, Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn departs to 
  arrive in Vretgaard a week after Huld. As he 
  enters his home, the Hagtorn Fylkjarl sees 
  his entire future fall apart when he hears of 
  the tragedy. Tomus immediately sends the 
  thrall Sote by horseback to Storhavn to 
  deliver the tragic news to Oktar Grimme.
  Tidings of Sorrow
  The slight thrall whipped the horse harder, 
  for he knew that if the message was delivered 
  later than the date written in the sealed 
  parchment, he himself would be the one 
  whipped. It had rained heavily during the 
  entire journey, and Master had not sent 
  enough food. Cold, wet, and hungry, he leapt 
  from the horse and ran up the steps of the 
  elegant dwelling, hoping that he would arrive 
  in time…
  After the wedding Oktar will openly delay 
  the player characters in Storhavn. They are 
  all meant to be comfortable with him and feel 
  spurred to help him later, when darker times 
  are upon them. Oktar will bring them to all 
  of Storhavn’s attractions and together, they 
  will consume great volumes of mead. Oktar 
  pays for everything and the player characters 
  are treated like jarls, immensely popular 
  with the locals. They become known as “the 
  friends from the south”, shrouded in curiosity 
  and mystique. For two months, the player 
  characters live with Oktar and are pulled into 
  all the festivities that surround him. 
  Their time with Oktar flies by and, in 
  hindsight, everything feels like it was just 
  yesterday. The life the player characters live is 
  rough, and the Game Master should carefully 
  plan the consequences of their actions. 
  Without Oktar to protect them they will 
  manage to make a lot of enemies. The idea is 
  that the next time when the player characters 
  return to Storhavn in the lead-up to the great 
  war, there will still be old open wounds, and 
  injustices to be settled. Let morals and ethics 
  play a part here. The player characters who 
  have acted sensibly will be rewarded later. 
  The fun ends just as quickly as it had begun. 
  The player characters immediately sense the 
  gravity of the situation when Rendre knocks 
  on their door and, pale as a ghost, asks them to 
  meet Oktar in the room of runic engravings. 
  close to Vretgaard. When darkness fell, he 
  transformed and lunged at the defenseless 
  humans. Huld was mortally wounded in the 
  attack before Haldur recognized him. Huld’s 
  companions did not have the same luck, and 
  were all killed on the spot. In a panic, Haldur 
  ran from the site, thinking that he had killed 
  Huld Hagtorn – the Ice Cult’s latest recruit, 
  and, as the Hagtorn heir, the next Fylkjarl 
  of Vretgaard.
  At daybreak, Haldur returns, in human 
  form, to view the scene of his crime and 
  discovers that Huld is still alive. After 
  administering first aid and other life-saving 
  efforts, he is able to bandage the worst wounds 
  and take measures to prevent infections. He 
  buries the dead in a communal grave, and 
  places Huld in the wagon. Haldur decides 
  to blame a man-eating bear for everything, 
  and works on his story during his journey 
  home. He knows that it had been very dark 
  and that Huld would likely verify the story. 
  What he did not know was what legendary 
  warriors Hallak and Strang had been. The 
  brothers’ reputation would not make the 
  story plausible to anyone south of Hallwind.
  Haldur’s Lie
  The man woke to a beautiful woman dabbing 
  his forehead with a cloth. Her dark hair 
  touched his chest and he felt his entire body 
  react to her unintentional caresses. He 
  immediately recognized her face, which had 
  been dear to him since childhood. Here he 
  lays, now, under her care, knowing that his life 
  rested in her hands. Oblivious to the fact that 
  he had contracted an incurable affliction which 
  would change his entire life forever, he drifts 
  off again, happier than he had ever been….
  Haldur causes great commotion when 
  he arrives in the village with Huld Hagtorn 
  lying unconscious in the cart. He recounts 
  the tragic story of how he had found Huld 
  gravely hurt by the side of the road next to 
  the strangers, how there had been bear tracks 
  by the half-eaten bodies and how he had 
  buried them on Marsh Mountain. He is able to 
  convince the entire village and no one suspects 
  anything untoward. Huld is then brought to 
  the priestess, Maria, for care, where he ends 
  up staying an entire month. Huld’s stay with 
  Maria, the woman he has always loved, leads 
  to him developing a sort of obsession with her. 
  The Journey to 
  Vretgaard
  The company rides slowly along the route 
  as darkness descends on them like a chilling 
  shadow. The horses have been restless all 
  day, and the four riders, three men and one 
  woman, have decided to continue despite 
  the onset of darkness. Their concern is not 
  unwarranted, however. Evil eyes follow them 
  in the moonlight. The predator can smell 
  the scent of warm, pulsing, human blood, 
  and pauses for a moment before lunging at 
  its oblivious prey. The first two riders do 
  not even have the chance to scream before 
  the creature’s claws slice through their soft 
  flesh and they are flung, dead, off the horses. 
  The screaming woman bravely attempts to 
  ride past the enormous creature, but a clawed 
  hand snatches her head, crushing it like an 
  egg, and the mangled body drops to the 
  ground. The last rider, who has already been 
  flung from his galloping horse, is kneeling 
  on the ground, weeping, begging for his 
  life. Instinctively, the creature sinks his teeth 
  into the poor man, who howls in pain. Then, 
  just as the creature is about to extinguish 
  the life of its bleeding prey, it recognizes the 
  dying man. Shocked, the creature drops him, 
  stumbles for a second, and then takes off into 
  the forest with a heart stopping demon’s roar.
  Silence, once more, fills the night…
  The company leaves Storhavn in silent 
  mourning. It is Huld Hagtorn and his wife, 
  Miri, escorted by Oktar’s best soldiers – 
  Hallak and Strang. They are disguised and 
  hiding their wealth, to prevent them from 
  unnecessarily attracting the attention of 
  thieves in their travel to Vretgaard, the 
  residence of the Hagtorn clan. Not that is 
  a great concern with Hallak and Strang 
  nearby. The journey to Vretgaard is relatively 
  uneventful, until they eventually reach the 
  Marsh Mountain, not far from their goal.
  Ouvar the beheader’s descendant, Haldur 
  Ouvar, is a carrier of warg sickness, who, 
  under the guise of merchant traveler, 
  often lets his inhibitions go, allowing him 
  to transform into a werewarg. He was 
  returning from such a trip when he noticed 
  the disguised procession. The voice within 
  whispered that these exact people must 
  die. The disguises prevented him from 
  recognising Huld. He decided to stalk 
  and kill the strangers before they got too 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  51
  Keep in mind that Sote will only share 
  information that the player characters 
  directly ask about. The player characters 
  are meant to obtain information through 
  good role playing and from establishing a 
  stable friendship:
   Sote knows the ages and names of 
  everyone in the Hagtorn and Hjelm 
  families. He also knows exactly how 
  much livestock is kept on Hagtorn’s 
  farm. Considering the Sorva, he only 
  knows that they were a thrall family 
  who were freed in order for them to care 
  for the cemetery chapel. All the Norims, 
  other than Maria, are recluses, and the 
  only thing Sote knows about them is 
  that their clan leader, Hakka Norim, is 
  called the fishing master.
   Sote 
  also 
  knows 
  some 
  general 
  information about the Hagtorn family, 
  as well as any rumors that the Game 
  Master deems the player characters 
  should have gotten a wind of. 
   Fylkjarl Tomus’ greatest flaw is that he 
  is very greedy.
   The Hjelms are the easiest to deal with; 
  they even treat thralls like any other 
  people.
   Torulf Hjelm is getting very old, and no 
  one thinks he will survive the winter. His 
  firstborn son, Hedar, is expected to take 
  over after him, which is a shame. Things 
  aren’t quite right with Hedar, and he is 
  break when needed. Warm clothes and bear 
  or wolf mantles are available for anyone 
  who needs one. Simpler field equipment is 
  also provided for their journey. Rendre then 
  thanks them in advance for all their help. The 
  Game Master should take note of exactly 
  what the player characters bring along for 
  the journey, as access to goods is very limited 
  in Vretgaard. Help player characters who 
  are hunters or experienced adventurers pack 
  their backpacks, as it is not particularly likely 
  that such a person would forget something.
  Rendre finally introduces Sote, the 
  whipped thrall, who is the one meant to guide 
  the player characters to Vretgaard. They 
  depart when they wish to, preferably early 
  the next morning.
  Fylkjarl 
  Oktar 
  Grimme 
  will 
  be 
  murdered by Rendre two months after 
  the player characters’ departure from 
  Storhavn. Ylva Vrudnah and Fylkjarl Raak 
  Wulfr convince Rendre to murder Oktar. 
  Ylva is expecting Rendre’s child, but will 
  claim that the baby is a lovechild of Oktar’s. 
  In the current situation, even the child of 
  a concubine would inherit his fortune, as 
  Ylva is known to be one of Oktar’s primary 
  mistresses. Rendre is also promised 
  reconciliation with his father and, after a 
  visit to the Cliff of Askyr, he crosses over 
  to the darkness. Oktar becomes Rendre’s 
  first sacrifice to the Ice Cult and his body 
  is never found. Oktar is now a missing man 
  from an obliterated lineage.
  Sote
  Sote does not know how talented the 
  others are at riding, so he extends the 
  journey to Vretgaard, taking better 
  routes and avoiding too rough shortcuts. 
  The player characters can gain a good 
  ally in Sote the thrall, who works for 
  Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn. If they see him 
  as an equal and treat his wounds, he will 
  become a very loyal friend. How much 
  Sote shares depends on how much he likes 
  the player characters. He knows most of 
  the legends of Wildland and intimate 
  details about the Hagtorn family, as well 
  as general information about the other 
  families. Sote is the village messenger and 
  the fastest rider with the lightest horse. 
  Sote is short, slight, and 19 years old. 
  The thralls whisper amongst themselves 
  nervously, and nothing seems the same 
  anymore. Something terrible has happened.
  Sote has arrived with a message from 
  Vretgaard, telling how a ravenous killer 
  bear had attacked the company when they 
  lay sleeping, killing everyone except Huld, 
  who was badly injured. Oktar Grimme, for 
  his part, just can’t believe that the “Bear 
  Killers” and “Mastomant Brothers”, Hallak 
  and Strang, their skills known far and wide 
  in Wildland, would fall victim to a simple 
  bear attack. Oktar is sure that someone has 
  murdered his daughter and can now see no 
  other option than to avenge her death, eye for 
  eye, tooth for tooth. 
  Oktar does not take the news of his 
  daughter’s death lightly. He lets Sote be 
  whipped with fifty strokes because he was the 
  bearer of the bad news. He then sends Rendre 
  to get the player characters to help him figure 
  out the truth behind his daughter’s death. 
  Rendre leads the player characters to the 
  library where Oktar is seated in an armchair, 
  staring into space. Near him stands a thrall, 
  who has been whipped bloody, slumped over, 
  with several deep wounds all over his body. 
  Oktar’s mood is slightly lifted when he sees 
  his old friend, but he quickly retreats to his 
  apathetic state of shock. Empathetic player 
  characters will, however, see the hate which 
  burns brighter in Oktar’s eyes than the sorrow. 
  Oktar will not keep any secrets from his friend, 
  as long as the player characters ask the right 
  questions. However, his answers are short, 
  and he sometimes trails off in the middle of 
  sentences. It is important to remain alert and 
  aware as this is the last time they meet Oktar 
  Grimme. Oktar forces his friend to swear to 
  avenge his daughter’s death (regardless of 
  what or who is behind it), before the player 
  characters leave him. He further explains 
  that Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn is expected to 
  offer the player characters board and lodging 
  during their search for Miri’s slayer. The GM 
  should underline how the Friend of Oktar 
  feels an obligation to help his friend, while 
  the beaerer of the stone will feel again the 
  sensation that this is the way things must go.
  If the player characters need anything, 
  he will arrange it for them, if not, he wishes 
  them good luck on their journey.
  Rendre supplies them with horses and 
  gives them a chest with fifty gold rings to 
  Sote
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  52  |  act 1. time of wrath
  copper coins per night, but that also includes 
  a place in the stables for your horse. In the 
  morning, porridge or a meat broth is served. 
  Half-board costs five hundred copper coins 
  but the room is smaller and no extras are 
  included. Sote does not have any money 
  and is dependent on the player characters’ 
  generosity. If no-one helps him, he will sleep 
  outdoors on the haunted hills, where he will 
  have terrible nightmares. 
  During the night, the Child of Light will 
  dream his first dream:
  You are standing, completely alone, in an 
  icy, cold, and frozen field. A dark veil lays, 
  heavy and threatening, over the heavens. 
  When you try to move, you find that your 
  feet are frozen to the ground. The cold is 
  unbearable. You cannot move and panic 
  starts to grow in your chest. Suddenly, you 
  hear war drums and dark shapes begin to 
  slither up from the horizon. It is as though 
  time has lost all meaning, and every second 
  that you experience corresponds to several 
  minutes to the rest of the world. The 
  shapes approach with terrifying speed. The 
  drums beat faster and faster. Your own 
  movements still feel slow and arduous. A 
  cold wind violently tears at your clothes, 
  and you can feel how your body heat slowly 
  but surely ebbs away. Ice covers your skin 
  and you want to scream, but can’t. Your 
  mouth is no longer able to form words. 
  You grow more and more tired and weak. 
  The shapes move ever closer. You start to 
  be able to discern their faces. Dead, empty 
  eyes staring at you. The drums stop. The 
  shapes’ death march falters. Only the 
  heavy beat of your heart interrupts the 
  silence. A dark figure with empty white 
  eyes rides slowly up to you. The dark rider 
  gets down and strides towards you. Bloody, 
  flayed, hands grip at your throat, clenching 
  long fingers around it and squeezing. 
  With superhuman strength, the life is 
  wrung from your body. You feel no hope 
  and any resistance feels futile. You leave 
  this earthly life and the world around 
  you distorts into a pale, gray imitation of 
  itself. You seem to now be standing at the 
  bottom of an immense maelstrom, a spiral 
  shaped labyrinth, or a black hole leading 
  straight down into the abyss. The souls of 
  the dead tear at you like the cold wind on 
  Do not read the information here 
  straight out loud, instead let Sote pause to 
  think between the stories and allow him the 
  chance to ask the player characters details 
  about their personal lives. The closer they 
  get to Sote, the more he will trust them, 
  and the more they will learn from him. 
  Hallwind
  The player characters’ first stop is the 
  Hallwind fort, which is located by the hills 
  of Ulve and Strafe. The journey there 
  takes about 7 days by horse, and the player 
  characters ride through a, for Wildland, 
  densely built-up area with several farms. 
  They recall riding by the three village farms 
  called Greenwall, Saarhome, and Outhelm. 
  The farms are spread along the Copper Trail, 
  at times only a few kilometers from the road, 
  and friendly faces meet any who journey 
  along this route. Travelers are here often 
  lucky enough to sleep with a roof over their 
  heads, thanks to hospitable farm owners. 
  Hallwind stands like a monument 
  declaring to all who see it that they are now 
  leaving civilization behind and venturing 
  into the uncharted territory of Wildland. 
  A runestone nearby indicates that if you 
  continue northwards along the Copper 
  Trail, you will reach North Hall. To the east 
  lay the road to Glavehold and Hrefing, while 
  the Agmundvida plains are to the south. To 
  the west is Hyttsten and the King’s Lookout.
  A horse goes lame, and the player 
  characters can choose to ride into the city 
  to buy a new one. It is late and the stables 
  are closed, so they must wait until the 
  morning. A player character with the Nature 
  Knowledge discipline of the Wilderness skill 
  (preferably with the Animal Friend specialty) 
  can, however, see that all the horse really 
  needs is to rest for a day or two, and they 
  could continue on without replacing it.
  If they head into the city in search 
  of lodgings or an inn they will find 
  Vridhskalpje’s Mead House. The Innkeeper 
  works for the Saatigia clan, and answers for 
  the inn’s profitability. The prices are roughly 
  three times more than is normal for an inn 
  in the Stormlands, but there still seem to be 
  a lot of patrons. An ale, for example, costs 
  sixty copper coins. There are only single 
  rooms, and full board costs a thousand 
  known to be unstable. When he was young 
  he ran around, killing small defenseless 
  animals without reason, and then broke out 
  in deranged fits of laughter. He was called 
  “the horror” by the younger children in 
  the village, who all feared him. Ever since 
  Hedar started working in the smithy, he 
  stopped with the delinquency and became 
  friends with Huld Hagtorn. But that 
  disquieting look in his eyes remains.
   Siris Hjelm (one of the four wives of Torulf 
  Hjelm) is a bit of a mother figure to the 
  entire village. She is always the first one 
  to consider what is best for the children. 
   Sote sometimes speculates that his own 
  father, the thrall Greld, is Huld Hagtorn’s 
  real father, due to the similarities they 
  share (something which Sote only 
  confides to someone he considers a real 
  friend). This would make the two of 
  them half-brothers. So similar, and at the 
  same time, so different. Sote pities Huld, 
  who is beaten by his uncles every night. 
  At the same time, Huld is a person who 
  takes his aggression out on those below 
  him, which makes him a pathetic human.
   Haldur Ouvar, the village executioner, is 
  related to Ouvar the Beheader.
   Sote knows the legend of Ouvar the 
  Beheader.
   Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn is a good man 
  who does not beat his thralls needlessly.
   Maria Norim is the most beautiful 
  woman in the world. Sote is in love with 
  the priestess who has always been kind 
  to him, and who is the same age as him. 
   Fylkjarl 
  Njordung 
  Blueax 
  was 
  in Vretgaard last year. Now he is 
  apparently missing. Terrifying creatures 
  live beyond the old bridge, west of 
  Vretgaard, the same road Njordung 
  Blueax took when he disappeared. 
   Hakka Norim has an elven wife. Sote 
  does not know what that means but has 
  overheard Tomus Hagtorn mention it.
   It is said that Remi Sorva is haunted by 
  someone he buried. Rilja once told Sote 
  in frightened whispers that a boy had 
  been buried alive by mistake, and that 
  Remi now is paying it. 
   Many claim that Huld only married Miri 
  for her wealth.
   Strangers are generally not well 
  received in Vretgaard.
    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  act 1. time of wrath  |  53
  much pleasure in murder and mutilation 
  as they do in plundering. None are spared. 
  They haunt inns, and choose their intended 
  victim beforehand. His victims are robbed, 
  tortured, and dismembered. Sometimes he 
  will skin his victims alive, a fact that has 
  struck fear in many a traveler.
  It is up to the Game Master whether or 
  not the player characters meet any of these 
  bands of robbers or hear rumors of them. 
  Remember that it is important that the player 
  characters make it to North Hall alive. The 
  player characters could even find some of “the 
  Bonesetter’s” victims, split down the middle, 
  lying by the side of the road. The victims could 
  include someone that the player characters met 
  in Hallwind, and Sote will voice thankfulness 
  over the fact that the player characters have 
  not themselves fallen victim to this horrible 
  fate. Remember that it can sometimes be 
  more exciting if the player characters think 
  that something is about to or could happen, 
  even if it ultimately does not. Sote, being so 
  superstitious and knowing a lot of rumors and 
  legends, can add to this paranoia. Before they 
  ride into North Hall, Sote will warn them all 
  to keep an eye on their belongings.
  North Hall is like an oasis in the middle 
  of the plains, surrounded by thousands of 
  hectares of cultivated land. Many came 
  to North Hall after the fall of the Copper 
  Kingdom, and the town is a mix of farmers, 
  miners, and soldiers. The population of 5,000 
  makes the city unsafe both day and night. The 
  Saatigia clan, who officially rules here from 
  their power center in Hallwind, only employs 
  fifty soldiers, and they all turn a blind eye to 
  most offenses. Despite the town being ruled 
  by pure anarchy, things somehow still seem 
  to be running just as they should. People 
  show each other a certain amount of respect, 
  and even if at least one murder happens 
  every day, the city is still less violent that you 
  might expect. A fourth of the population is 
  involved in some form of criminal activity. 
  The player characters should be careful not 
  to wave any valuables around, and make 
  sure to always leave a guard on the horses. 
  Most importantly, they really should not go 
  looking for any fights. If, for instance, the 
  player characters were to rant, sneer, and 
  scream, they would not survive for long. You 
  can buy almost anything at the market in 
  The main reason for this is the many 
  robbers that have been ransacking the area 
  over the last twenty years. Three bands of 
  robbers raid the country between Hallwind 
  and North Hall:
   Svein Steeri:  Svein and his two 
  brothers have amassed thirty or so old 
  hirdmen and unemployed miners. They 
  live in the cellar under Steeri’s farm. One 
  thing which immediately would make an 
  outsider suspicious is a complete absence 
  of women. Also, the men working 
  the fields are rough looking and have 
  scarred faces. The truth is that Svein’s 
  beloved wife and children starved 
  to death during the hard years that 
  followed the fall of the Copper Kingdom. 
  One of the brothers was a miner, and the 
  other was once part of Fylkjarl Staark’s 
  hird, before the clan was impoverished 
  to repay the debts to the Saatigia. The 
  hard times have affected them all, and 
  men that previously were stalwart family 
  men, are now unhinged plunderers and 
  murderers. Men, women, and children 
  alike are robbed, murdered, and buried 
  out in the fields without ceremony.
   Gudmar Raadulf: Gudmar is an old 
  mercenary from Dain who lost his job 
  and couldn’t afford the trip back home. 
  Now, he and his old subordinates plunder 
  passing travelers of all their possessions, 
  but refrain from killing others. He goes 
  through all the victims’ belongings and 
  comes up with ‘valid’ reasons as to why 
  things should be confiscated. Gudmar 
  and his twelve men put up roadblocks 
  dressed as Saatigia clan’s soldiers. They 
  brandish a parchment with Saatigia’s 
  seal, which states that the Fylkjarl of the 
  Saatigia family has decided to impose a 
  toll on the stretch between Hallwind and 
  North Hall. Gudmar and his men know 
  better than to rob anyone too prominent 
  in society, but have with time become a 
  bit careless as they’ve gotten closer to 
  their goal: buying a boat in Storhavn and 
  sailing home to Dain. 
   Odin Vigman: Odin, known as the 
  “Bonesetter”, is a conscienceless man who 
  has been a robber his entire life. Odin and 
  his seven murderers are constantly moving, 
  on the hunt for new prey. They find just as 
  the plains. Despairingly, you realize that 
  you have left your body, and the souls are 
  circling you in a panic, but neither you nor 
  they can escape. You are all bound to this 
  place. Suddenly, you sense a presence. The 
  feeling is that immediate and certain doom 
  is close at hand. A creeping fear fills your 
  soul with dread. You no longer exist. You 
  have never existed. Nothing....
  When the Child of Light awakes, time 
  stands still for just a moment. The window 
  is open and the room is cold. On the edge 
  of the bed, sits a little girl with long black 
  hair. She looks at the Child of Light and her 
  eyes radiate with hatred. When the player 
  character gets up or makes any movement, 
  the figure dissolves and turns into a mist. 
  The window shutters slam shut and 
  darkness fills the room once more. It is still 
  night and when the Child of Light tries to 
  go back to bed, sleep eludes him.
  In the morning the stables open again 
  and the player characters can buy a horse for 
  50–120 pieces of silver depending on quality. 
  If they do not wish to purchase a new horse, 
  that is their choice, and they will then be one 
  horse short. They can sell the lame horse to 
  the butcher for a thousand copper coins.
  North Hall
  The landscape consists of vast grass plains 
  with some scarce oaks scattered around. 
  Only one oak in a hundred is a Blackoak, 
  and coniferous trees are rare. A light breeze 
  blows across the plains, betraying that 
  winter is on its way. The player characters 
  can always see the mountain peaks of the 
  Great Iron Mountains in front of them and, 
  if they are lucky, they can even see the King’s 
  Lookout to the north-west. The journey to 
  North Hall takes 3 days by horse. 
  They find that the road to North Hall, 
  even if plainer and therefore quicker to walk 
  through, is not as easy to travel as the journey 
  to Hallwind. The route is more sparsely 
  populated, and the people are more suspicious. 
  The group is not welcome anywhere, and they 
  are refused places to sleep, even in exchange 
  for money. Most dwellings are also situated 
  further from the road, and only a few cultivated 
  plots of land reveal that there are people living 
  in the vicinity. 
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  54  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Vretgaard
  The company are met by a group of 
  thirty villagers or so as they ride into 
  the village. It is not a welcome party, 
  but men in full battle-dress, with cold, 
  suspicious eyes, which have come to 
  check if trouble is not coming. 
  The village consists of around sixty fairly 
  large houses. Almost all the buildings are 
  abandoned, and have been so for a long 
  time, and it is discomforting to ride past the 
  empty houses. It is hard to grasp that of the 
  thousand people that once lived here, only a 
  tenth remain. The abandoned houses stand 
  as a monument to a time now passed, and a 
  large graveyard reveals what fate met most 
  of the former inhabitants during the hard 
  times. Despite it being daytime, a ghostly 
  veil lies across the village. There is something 
  mournful about the place, and it is hard not to 
  feel ill at ease. All the houses are made of logs, 
  other than the Village Hall, which is made 
  from stone. Other houses have an ominous 
  white cross painted on their doors. Influences 
  from the Copper Trail are still unmistakable. 
  Their former wealth can be seen in the copper 
  decorations on doors and window frames, 
  and the pure copper roofs. The Village Hall, 
  which still functions as a house of prayer, is 
  richly adorned with copper and silver. 
  In their search for the truth, the player 
  characters eventually end up in the isolated 
  mining community of Vretgaard, which is 
  located far from the heart of civilization; 
  a community with its own rules. Once in 
  Vretgaard, they receive a chilly welcome. The 
  villagers are pretty uncooperative, both when 
  it comes to answering questions and anything 
  else for that matter. After Sote has reported to 
  Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn, they are “welcomed” 
  as Swordjarl Oktar Grimme’s representatives, 
  and offered one of the abandoned houses to 
  stay in. The house has a white cross marked 
  on the door, which neither Tomus nor anyone 
  else in the village wish to explain the meaning 
  of, not even Sote. The only answers they get 
  are people shaking their heads and saying:
  ”You do not want to know”.
  ”That is old history that we are trying  
    to forget”.
  ”Do not open old wounds”.
  covering a deserted path. They could 
  neither see nor hear any animals in the 
  dark forest, and the feeling of being the 
  only people for miles in all directions is 
  an uncomfortable one. However, none 
  of them noticed the little girl who stood 
  concealed in the shadows, staring at 
  them with her cold, dead eyes….
  The last stage of the player characters’ 
  crossing to Vretgaard takes place through the 
  ghastly Darkwoods, and will take 5-6 days. 
  The first leg crosses grass plains, and there 
  is an obvious lack of human settlements. The 
  wind blows stronger and the evenings fall 
  earlier. In the distance, they can see how the 
  mighty primeval forest rises in front of them, 
  sinister and menacing. After about a day of 
  traveling, the player characters reach the 
  Darkwoods and begin their journey into the 
  shadows. 
  The forest consists mainly of pine and fir. 
  The trees are magnificent, with thick, sturdy 
  trunks and dense canopies which only admit 
  a small amount of light. The most frightening 
  thing is the eerie silence that rests heavily 
  between the trees. Other forests are usually 
  filled with life, movement, and bird song. In 
  the Darkwoods, you hear nothing. There is 
  not a soul to be seen. Not even the wind rustles 
  the treetops. 
  When 
  the 
  player 
  characters 
  hear 
  something, it is not what they expect to hear. 
  It may be an unnatural, scraping sound. It 
  may be the unusually heavy flaps of wings in 
  the night. It may be crackling noises emitting 
  from the ground. The player characters are on 
  edge throughout the journey, while Sote does 
  not even notice any of the unusual phenomena. 
  For at least three nights, let the player 
  characters wake up, disturbed by strange 
  noises which they investigate, only to find 
  nothing. Let their supplies move or disappear 
  by themselves, despite them having a night 
  guard. 
  The reason for all these events is that they 
  are being stalked by a wood nymph who dwells 
  in the forest. The nymph is mostly just curious 
  about the player characters, but will still try to 
  control one of them, if only to perform simple 
  tasks, such as gathering food.
  The player characters sleep uneasily 
  throughout their entire journey through the 
  Darkwoods, until they reach Vretgaard.
  North Hall, provided you have the money. All 
  year around, there are huts, or small cowhide 
  tents, pitched along the perimeter of the 
  market square. The merchants are protected 
  by different guilds, whom they pay a weekly 
  tribute to, and whose armed guards patrol 
  the square. These patrols are not to maintain 
  order, but to prevent robbery and theft of 
  those that have paid for their protection. 
  The streets are all filled with people (and 
  pickpockets). When the player characters 
  leave North Hall, they run the risk of losing 
  at least five or six smaller items, along with 
  one or two larger things. As long as they 
  leave a guard on the horses they won’t lose 
  anything. Take note that the person who is 
  left guarding their possessions should look 
  at least somewhat worthy of respect, so, for 
  instance, not Sote, since he is just a battered 
  thrall. If the PCs have not spread among 
  themselves the golden rings they got from 
  Oktar, the chest keeping all of them  will look 
  valuable, and it is the first thing someone 
  would try to take. Things will go better for 
  them if they hide the valuable objects or coins 
  in several different places. Let the player 
  characters roll to see if they discover the 
  attempted thefts in time. 
  In the crowd beyond the square, the player 
  characters can see a building resembling an 
  inn, but missing any distinguishing signage. 
  This is the case for most of the buildings 
  in the city, and it is easy to get lost, as each 
  lane looks much the same. The inn is owned 
  by Bjorn Hragli, a man in his fifties with a 
  scarred face. If they ask about the absence of 
  a sign, he will tell them that it was stolen a 
  long time ago. The inn is called “Roomfort” 
  by the locals, but Bjorn rejects that name and 
  prefers to call it “The Source Inn”. The rates 
  are very reasonable, but that is not to say 
  cheap. Hragli has a common dormitory for the 
  group, and a stable with armed guards for the 
  horses. Hragli also offers a subpar selection of 
  courtesans, anything for the tired wanderer. 
  The Darkwoods
  The company headed straight out into 
  the terrifying forest, without knowing 
  what awaited them. It had gotten colder 
  and, from one day to the next, relentless 
  rain could turn into morning frost 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  55
  Hjelm Family’s Homestead
  The Hjelms live in a cramped little cabin. 
  The homestead is located just East of the 
  Hagtorn’s three cabins. There is only one 
  small room in the cabin. Featherbeds are 
  stacked in a corner, and at night, the whole 
  family sleeps on the floor. The room has 
  a stale, mouldy, smell. The children seem 
  to constantly be sick. The Hjelms are a 
  poor family, and they make their living 
  by working for Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn, 
  in slave-like conditions. Torulf only earns 
  200 copper coins per week for the work 
  done by his entire family, but food is 
  provided for all of them. With the money 
  that Torulf saves, he can afford to buy new 
  tools, wood, kitchen appliances, etc. from 
  Tomus Hagtorn – thus completing the 
  circle. At the end of the day, the Hagtorn 
  Fylkjarl gets everything. The Hjelms are, 
  despite their situation, happy people, full of 
  hope. Every day, Torulf will speak of how 
  everything will get better soon, and every 
  day, his family believes him.
  characters are informed by Fylkjarl Tomus 
  Hagtorn that nobody owns the land beyond 
  the Old Bridge, so they can use that area to 
  collect firewood and fell trees. They can also 
  collect clean spring-water from the Glimma 
  Lake, where they have set up a pump system. 
  They can buy supplies from the 
  Hagtorns, and fish from the Norims. Both 
  Ouvar and Hagtorn sell weaponry and 
  armors.
  Remi Sorva (described below) has used 
  the cowhide in the dining room to conceal 
  the hatch leading down to the cellar. The 
  hatch has also been nailed shut with big, 
  sturdy nails. The family that is lying, 
  buried, under the cabin are the original 
  inhabitants of the cabin, the Ulvsprångs. 
  The family was made up of the head of the 
  family, his three brothers, his two wives 
  and twelve children between the ages of 1 
  to 18. They are all lying, peacefully, in their 
  graves, and their spirits do not haunt their 
  surroundings, even if it is a little creepy 
  that they are there. 
  If no one in the group is a hunter, Jarund 
  Norim will offer to help them track down 
  the bear (and spy on them) for the ”low” 
  cost of a hundred copper coins a day.
  Today, slightly more than 100 people 
  live in the little settlement. That includes 
  the twenty or so thralls who work on the 
  various farms. The thralls are often not 
  considered able to handle other tasks than 
  household work, and most of them are 
  women. The women of Vretgaard are not in 
  any way considered men’s equals. Sisters and 
  daughters are viewed purely as merchandise. 
  It is usually the patriarch who carries on the 
  family line, and he is dependent on the loyalty 
  of his brothers and sons. In Vretgaard, only 
  the head of the family and his firstborn son 
  have the right to start their own families. The 
  only woman in the village who is considered 
  fully equal to a man is the priestess, as she 
  possesses a spiritual power which can’t be 
  questioned. However, should she marry a 
  man, she would lose all such privileges.
  The Hagtorn and Hjelm families are 
  described in detail, as they are the two families 
  that the player characters will likely interact 
  with. The other families, the Norim, the Sorva, 
  and the Ouvar all harbor secrets, making it 
  difficult for them to trust the strangers (the 
  player characters), and, beyond that, they have 
  to maintain outward appearances. 
  The Player Characters’ Cabin
  The player characters are allocated a little 
  cabin, with a foyer, a dining room, and three 
  bedrooms. The foyer is small and cramped. 
  On the right-hand side there is an area to 
  unload weapons and hang winter clothing. 
  A layer of dust covers the floor and the 
  cabin has clearly stood uninhabited for 
  the last 15 years. The dining room is the 
  largest, and it covers almost half the cabin. 
  In the dining room, there is a table and six 
  wooden chairs, an iron stove in one corner, 
  and a large cowhide spread under the dining 
  table. There are no other fixtures. The three 
  bedrooms consist of two smaller rooms and 
  one larger one. Outside, behind the building, 
  there is a latrine that appears to be on the 
  verge of collapse. The player characters 
  must put a certain amount of time aside 
  for tidying up and repairing the cabin, 
  which is currently not habitable. The player 
  D
  A
  B
  C
  E
  F
  Vretgaard
  A: Hjelm’s Homestead
  B: Hagtorn’s Homestead 
  C: The Village Hall
  D: Remi Sorvas place  
      (the burial ground)
  E: Ouvar’s Hird Cabin
  F: Norim Fishing Cabins
  G: Characters’ Cabin
  G
    �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � �
  
  56  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Arnold, Alvar, and Malte Hjelm
  The boys are 12, 10 and 10 years old and 
  are the sons of Siris, Sandra and Lisa, 
  respectively. Just like all boys that age, they 
  have a hard time sitting still. They help 
  Sote with the animals.
  Menrik Hjelm
  Despite only being 6 years old, Menrik is 
  good at helping out. He is Anna’s oldest 
  child and Torulf ’s favorite.
  Ulv Hjelm
  Ulv, Anna and Torulf ’s son, is only a year 
  old, and is the darling of the entire family.
  Siris Hjelm
  The first wife, Siris, is a mature woman 
  around 50 years old, and is sometimes known 
  as the mother of the entire village. Siris, a 
  malicious and bitter Ice worshipper, is the 
  one who runs the household. She has now 
  reached an age where she no longer can have 
  children, which means that Torulf has started 
  to turn to his fourth wife, Anna, instead. This 
  has made Siris spiteful, and Anna and her 
  children will become the first sacrifices to the 
  Ice Cult at the High Ritual. Siris is the face of 
  the Ice Cult, and she alone is aware of Haldur 
  Ouvar and Hakka Norim’s involvement. Her 
  contact is Anton Ouvar, who is 12 years old 
  and good friends with Arnold, one of Siris’s 
  sons. Siris is also the nurse to a lot of the 
  children in the village, who often follow her 
  Olof, Ragnar, Roar, Asbjorn, and 
  Olver Hjelm
  Torulf ’s brothers are all cut from the same 
  cloth and very similar to him. They are 
  70, 65, 61, 57 and 50 years old. Olver, the 
  youngest, is the strongest of the brothers.
  Hedar Hjelm
  Torulf ’s oldest son and Siris’s first child, 
  Hedar, is a stout 25-year-old man who 
  serves as the Ice Cult’s executioner (use 
  “Generic Ice Cultist: Peasant” stats with 
  Fighting SV 8).  Hedar is psychotic Ice 
  worshipper and is suspicious of everyone 
  and will dole out arbitrary punishments if 
  he thinks someone intends to betray him. 
  Udd and Ulf Hjelm
  Udd and Ulf are two pranksters who are 
  always up to some new mischief, all in 
  the hopes of charming the young Menja. 
  They both want her because they know 
  that he who marries her will lead the 
  Hjelm family after Torulf, who soon will 
  have to relinquish his position to younger 
  talents. Udd and Ulf tailed their mother 
  Siris and brother Hedar to a secret Ice Cult 
  meeting. The block of black ice called out 
  to them and their faculties were distorted. 
  As members of the Ice Cult, they now do 
  everything to lure Menja to join them for 
  one of the cult’s nocturnal meetings. They 
  wish to wed her to the black ice. The boys 
  are 15 and 16 years old.
  The reason that the Hjelms haven’t 
  moved to a larger cabin is because they 
  are superstitious and dislike the empty 
  houses. Even in the cabins where no 
  one is buried, the family still thinks that 
  it would be wrong to take the homes of 
  the dead. The Hjelms are good, proper, 
  workers. They are as strong as oxen and 
  have worked for the Hagtorns longer than 
  anyone can remember. Most of them are 
  red-haired. They primarily work in the 
  forest and tend to Hagtorn’s livestock, but 
  some of the Hjelm’s sons are apprentices 
  at the Hagtorn smithy. Torulf Hjelm is 
  the head of the family and a good friend of 
  Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn. Torulf has five 
  brothers, four wives, and eight children 
  between the ages of 10 and 25. His 
  daughters are all married off to Tomus 
  Hagtorn, and Torulf ’s own wives are all 
  of Sorva lineage. 
  Torulf has five brothers: Olof, Ragnar, 
  Roar, Asbjorn, and Olver. His oldest son, 
  Hedar, is 25 years old and works with Huld 
  Hagtorn in the smithy. Hedar’s younger 
  brothers, Udd and Ulf (who are 15 and 16 
  years old, respectively) are also apprentices. 
  But, in reality, the two younger men are far 
  more interested in Menja, the Hagtorn 
  Fylkjarl’ daughter, who often watches 
  them in the smithy, than they are in their 
  work. Torulf ’s wives are Siris, Sandra, 
  Lisa, and Anna. 
  Torulf Hjelm
  Torulf is a robust red-headed man with 
  a bushy, grizzled beard. He appears 
  younger than his years, which may be 
  because he is completely without worry. 
  Despite his situation, Torulf appears 
  content with his life and, because he 
  used to be good friends with Torsten, 
  that friendship has now transferred 
  to Tomus. There isn’t really anything 
  that could upset Torulf (other than 
  superstition), as he doesn’t possess the 
  ability to be pessimistic. The fact that 
  the player characters have moved into 
  one of the empty buildings has driven 
  a wedge between Torulf and Tomus. 
  Torulf considers the player characters to 
  be trespassers in a home that is not their 
  own. Torulf is 75 years old and his age 
  has started to wear on him.
  Torulf Hjelm
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  57
  those found in inns. The main food pantry 
  is also located here, and the room is heated 
  by two wood fired stone stoves. One of 
  the brothers is always here, fully armed 
  for war, to defend the main cabin against 
  potential attacks. The rest of the ground 
  floor consists of the women’s bedrooms 
  and two large lavatories, one for men and 
  one for women. In the east wing there is 
  a bathing room and a wood fired sauna. 
  The entire upper floor is Tomus’s private 
  residence and no one, aside from family, is 
  allowed to enter without his permission.
  The Hagtorns are tall, proud people. 
  They are often pale, with light colored hair, 
  and wear the finest clothes in the village, 
  probably because they are the wealthiest. 
  They are the distant descendants of the 
  royal Hagtorn family, but despite it being 
  ancient history, they still feel their noble 
  connections, and have kept the name. 
  Their intellect has, however, at times been 
  questioned, but they generally succeed 
  with most things they attempt. Well 
  known for their copper smithery, they are 
  also distinguished for keeping purebred 
  Hagtorn bulls among their livestock. They 
  have the wealthiest estate in the village. 
  Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn 
  Tomus is brash and blunt, difficult to work 
  with, and will never help anyone for free. He 
  is 50 years old and is the head of the family 
  and a Fylkjarl. Tomus has three wives, six 
  fence made of heavy logs. The buildings 
  consist of a main cabin in the middle, 
  flanked by two other cabins. In the middle 
  of the yard there is a little smithy, which 
  appears to be completely covered in copper. 
  The building to the west of the main cabin 
  is a dwelling for the thralls, and also functions 
  as stables and winter shelter for the animals. 
  The stables have space for fourteen horses, 
  of which nine stalls are currently occupied. 
  The Hagtorn bulls are gigantic oxen with 
  long, black coats, and they are hardy enough 
  to stay outdoors all year. The cows do not 
  produce as much milk as other cows, but they 
  are as a rule one and a half times the size of 
  other cattle, so they yield more meat. The 
  cows are often kept indoors in the winter, as it 
  facilitates the milking process. The frostboar 
  is larger than a normal snowboar, and has a 
  thicker white coat. They are more aggressive 
  than other swine, but will usually not attack 
  anyone who feeds them. Male frostboars 
  have enormous tusks which they use to gut 
  their enemies if they feel threatened. Wild 
  chickens are very similar to normal chickens, 
  except they all seem to be infested with scabs 
  of some sort. The building east of the main 
  cabin houses Huld Hagtorn and the brothers 
  of Tomus.
  The main cabin itself is the only two-
  story building in the village, and is the 
  home of Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn and his 
  wives. Upon entering, one is first met with 
  the common dining room which resembles 
  around. The villagers all just think that it is a 
  good thing that someone is doing something 
  for the children. 
  Sandra and Lisa Hjelm
  The second and third wives, Sandra and 
  Lisa, are sisters. They have both always been 
  pushed aside in favor of the first wife Siris, 
  who was more charismatic, or the fourth wife, 
  Anna, who is younger and more beautiful. 
  When this occurred with Siris it resulted in 
  both secretly having the children Viola and 
  Dagmar with Hedar, although declaring them 
  to be Torulf’s offspring. Today the sisters 
  are 29 and 27 years old. The sisters have, 
  as a consequence of Anna being prioritized, 
  once more embarked on a love affair with 
  Hedar, and they are both expecting again 
  his children in the coming spring. Torulf is 
  completely unaware that his wives have been 
  unfaithful and believes all the children to be 
  his. Hedar will convince them to bring their 
  children to the High Ritual. 
  Anna Hjelm
  Anna is Torulf ’s new favorite wife, and the 
  old man is very infatuated with her. She is 
  not yet 21, and still looks 17. Her youth 
  makes Torulf feel young, but the seductive 
  Anna is probably more than the old man’s 
  heart can take. 
  Viola and Dagmar Hjelm
  Viola and Dagmar, 7 and 8 years old, are 
  both secret products of the love between 
  the sisters and Hedar, although they are 
  officially Torulf ’s daughters. Viola is 
  Sandra’s and Dagmar is Lisa’s.
  Ida
  Ida is Anna’s second child with Torulf. 
  Despite only being 4 years old, she is 
  already able to help care for her little 
  brother, Ulv.
  Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn’s 
  Homestead
  Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn lives in the 
  northern part of the village with his family. 
  His buildings are the largest and most 
  impressive, and vast pastures filled with 
  grazing livestock can be seen just beyond 
  them. The homestead is surrounded by a 
  Tomus Hagtorn
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  58  |  act 1. time of wrath
  to himself and occasionally bark out a 
  nervous chuckle, often at inappropriate 
  parts of conversations.
  Huld was forced into worshipping the 
  Snow Queen by two of his uncles, Tor and 
  Bodvar. Tor and Bodvar lured Huld to the 
  Snow Queen’s temple in the abandoned 
  copper mines under the pretence of a 
  hunting trip. There, they trapped him in a 
  cavern with a block of black ice hidden in 
  its depths. When they released him in the 
  morning, he hadn’t just joined their ranks, 
  but also had the same empty eyes as Siris, 
  the public face of the Ice Cult in Vretgaard. 
  Not a day goes by without Huld being on 
  the receiving end of taunts and ridicule 
  from his uncles, father, or the servants. 
  Every night he cries himself to sleep over 
  his misfortunes and miserable life. Huld is 
  nineteen years old. 
  Froe Hagtorn
  Of the six brothers, Froe is the leader and 
  Tomus’s right hand. He is relatively calm 
  in comparison to Tomus, and may be the 
  one who best gets along with the player 
  characters. Froe is only a year younger 
  than Tomus.
  Urber, Bjark, and Dager Hagtorn
  Theses three brothers are essentially smaller 
  copies of Tomus, their eldest brother. They 
  are boisterous and blunt, and will belittle 
  those who are weaker and smaller, especially 
  Huld. Above all else, they are loyal to Tomus 
  The sword passed through the royal 
  families, rarely mentioned, and was 
  eventually forgotten. It was not until the 
  sword reappeared in the pages of history 
  in the hands of Grimur Moonfriend, that 
  the legend of the Ruling Blade once more 
  began to spread. Today, the sword belongs 
  to the Hagtorn line, who, generations ago, 
  swore to be its guardians. According to 
  legend, the sword will one day pass to the 
  one that is called the “Guide Shepherd”, 
  the direct descendant of the eternal king 
  Arkan Koraljon.
  Koraljon 
   Mitraka Masterful-quality broadsword 
   +2 CP locked to its use 
   +1 SV to each weapon action with this 
  sword, 
   WA 3, IM -3, PV/BV 11/110, 
   Damage 1d10 (OR 8-10) 
  Huld Hagtorn
  Recently infected by a werewarg bite, 
  mentally weak, and obsessed with Maria 
  Norim. Huld is an ice worshipper.
  Huld Hagtorn is a pale imitation of his 
  father, and is overcome with jealousy and 
  hate for all those around him, even his bride, 
  Miri. Huld despises everyone except Maria 
  Norim, the girl in his hometown who he 
  loves above all else. An unrequited love – an 
  unattainable dream. Slight of build, Huld is 
  a relatively scrawny and anxious nineteen-
  year-old. Huld usually keeps his thoughts 
  brothers, a nineteen-year-old son, and four 
  daughters between the ages of 6 and 13 which 
  still haven’t been married off. Tomus further 
  has three daughters and five sisters who 
  have been married off to various noblemen 
  in Wildland. The only son is, as mentioned, 
  Huld Hagtorn, who unfortunately is not 
  cut from the same cloth as his father. Aside 
  from Sote and his father Greld, twelve thrall 
  women work on the homestead, one of which 
  is currently carrying Tomus’s child. The 
  Hagtorns support themselves on forestry 
  and cattle breeding.
  Tomus has 3 Hagtorn bulls, 12 cows, 36 
  frostboar, and 108 wild chickens. He also 
  owns a quarry and a smithy. Thanks to 
  their noble connections, the Hagtorns had 
  taxation rights during the copper years, and 
  thus became wealthy. If any of the player 
  characters needs money, Tomus could hire 
  someone to work in the forest or the quarry.
  His six brothers are named: Froe, 
  Urber, Bjarke, Tor, Dager, and Bodvar. The 
  first wife is Rilja, followed by her sisters 
  Rennja and Rindalinn. The daughters are 
  Menja, Sara, Ingrid, and Riva. Sote and 
  his father Greld tend to the cattle and feed 
  the frostboar. The thrall women all carry 
  names that reflect their daywork. One of 
  them, Tvagrid, receives special treatment, 
  and is currently pregnant with Tomus’s 
  child. Not to forget Huld, the perpetual 
  loser, disliked by everyone in the household, 
  other than his mother Rilja.
  Koraljon’s Ruling Blade
  The ruling blade was forged by the 
  dwarven king Angor at the end of the Age 
  of the Iron Dragon, for the human king, 
  Arkan Koraljon. This was at a time when 
  men were still a young race, without the 
  great influence over Trudvang that they 
  enjoy today. Koraljon was king of the Hurs, 
  a wandering people, the ancestors of many 
  of those living in northern Trudvang today. 
  The Hurs helped the dwarves in the war 
  against the trolls who had settled in the 
  caves around the Great Iron Tooth at the 
  time, and together these allies defeated the 
  trolls. Arkan was a good man who did not 
  ask for anything in return, and the sword 
  was forged for him in gratitude. Many 
  years have since passed, and the Hurs have 
  long been forgotten by all but the dwarves.
  Huld Hagtorn
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  59
  as a rule, improve with age. Their names 
  follow the pattern of Sweep-Mia, Scour- 
  Katrin, Housemaid-Maja etc.
  Tomus does not sell any produce – any 
  and all food he comes across is distributed 
  within the family – as life is hard in 
  Vretgaard. 
  One of the slave women can make 
  clothes, and Tomus charges double the 
  usual price for his goods.
  Tomus’s 
  household 
  can 
  produce 
  metalwork on commission, and he will then 
  charge a fixed cost per week of work on top 
  of the cost of materials. Tomus Hagtorn 
  himself, even if a Fylkjarl, works as a 
  copper and iron smith. Huld or one of the 
  apprentices will do more basic pieces, but if 
  the player characters have a lot of money 
  and appear serious, Tomus will show them 
  some samples of his own work and suggest 
  as instalment plan. To calculate how many 
  weeks a metalworking project will take, 
  divide the price in silver coins found in 
  the player’s handbook and round up. The 
  final price will then be arbitrarily adjusted 
  by Tomus, rounding up again, so that he 
  can earn as much as possible. Note that, 
  regardless of cost, Tomus will not have 
  the time to complete any detailed work due 
  to the events which are bound to happen, 
  but the player characters obviously do not 
  know that.
  The Village Hall
  It is likely that the player characters first 
  meet the villagers outside of the Village 
  Hall. The building is made entirely out 
  of stone and is located in the middle of 
  the village. With a base that is 30 meters 
  wide, it stretches four meters up, like a 
  square basalt block. The stone building 
  is generously adorned with silver and 
  copper, and it is clear that new decorations 
  are added every year. The building is 
  constructed like one great defensive 
  structure, in case the village were to be 
  attacked. A copper bell hangs outside the 
  door, a symbol to summon the attention of 
  the entire village. In front of the Village 
  Hall there is a well, the water of which is 
  primarily used for laundry or ablution, as 
  clean drinking water can be fetched from 
  the Glimma Lake.
  Sara, Ingrid, and Riva Hagtorn
  Sara, Ingrid, and Riva are Menja’s half-
  sisters. Sara and Ingrid are Rennja’s 
  daughters, and Riva is Rindalinn’s. They 
  are not as strong as Menja, instead being 
  very submissive. Riva is Tomus’s favorite, 
  and she often runs and plays wherever he is. 
  They are 11, 9 and 6 years old, respectively.
  Greld, the Thrall
  Greld is a virile forty-year-old and a bit of 
  a ladies’ man. He is not exactly a looker, 
  but still somehow manages to seduce the 
  ladies around him. To the outside world 
  Greld appears to be a calm, diligent, 
  man, but when the other men are away 
  on travels or hunting, he takes advantage 
  of the opportunity. Not even Rilja could 
  resist his insistent ways, and succumbed 
  to his charms, despite the fact that their 
  nocturnal adventures could cost them both 
  their lives. 
  Sote, the Thrall
  Sote is described earlier in the story. Sote is 
  19 years old. Sote’s mother died soon after 
  his birth.
  Tvagrid, the Thrall Woman
  Tvagrid is responsible for the bathing 
  room and sauna in the homestead. It is 
  rumored that one thing lead to another 
  when she bathed Tomus, and Tvagrid 
  is now pregnant. Tvagrid will later 
  give birth to a boy child who is Tomus 
  Hagtorn’s only real heir, as Huld is not 
  biologically his. Tomus, in his role as 
  the village’ Fylkjarl, has secretly created 
  papers registering himself as the father 
  of his bastard chil, and they secretly plan 
  to wed in the spring. Tvagrid’s unborn 
  son, Haakon, is the only one who, as an 
  adult, can make claims on both Koraljon’s 
  Ruling Blade and the crown of the new 
  Wildland. Tvagrid is only 22 years old 
  and very beautiful. Tvagrid worships the 
  Snow Queen but has not yet come so far as 
  to sacrifice people. 
  The Slave Women
  Other than Tvagrid, eleven other slave 
  women of varying ages work at the 
  homestead. Their names are inspired by 
  their main chore in the household, which, 
  and would not hesitate to die for him or the 
  Hagtorn name. The brothers are 47, 45 and 
  40 years old.
  Tor and Bodvar Hagtorn
  The other two brothers, Tor and Bodvar, 
  are closed off and calculating. They 
  secretly worship the Snow Queen, and are 
  actively involved in sacrificial rites and 
  kidnappings. 
  Rilja Hagtorn
  The first wife, Rilja, is a tough and 
  beautiful woman. Her voice is commanding 
  and, even if women in Vretgaard generally 
  aren’t heard, Rilja is the exception that 
  proves the rule. Even Tomus tends to fold 
  when Rilja objects to something. She is a 
  very strong woman who will never allow 
  herself to be harassed. She is secretly 
  involved with Sote’s father, Greld. Thus, 
  the thrall Greld is Huld’s real father, not 
  Tomus. She is therefore very angry when 
  she sees that Sote has been whipped in 
  Storhavn, and holds a grudge against the 
  player characters who are there as Oktar’s 
  representatives. Rilja is 35 years old and is 
  still very attractive and seductive. 
  Rennja and Rindalinn Hagtorn
  Rennja and Rindalinn are twin sisters, 
  three years younger than Rilja. Tomus 
  is still unable to tell them apart, despite 
  having been married to them since they 
  were 15. They do not have the charisma 
  of their older sister, but Tomus will opt to 
  sleep with them more often as he does not 
  really get along with his first wife.
  Menja Hagtorn
  If any of the player characters is a strong or 
  wealthy man, Tomus will offer to marry his 
  barely thirteen-year-old daughter Menja off 
  to him. Menja is not in the least bit interested 
  in being married to some old gaffer, and if the 
  player character shows any interest in the offer, 
  it will all end in a blow up of epic proportions. 
  Menja, who takes after her mother, Rilja, will 
  get her way, and the men will have to back 
  down. Even if Tomus is a tough man, he would 
  never even think of hitting a woman. Many in 
  the village judge him for this, and his perceived 
  lenience is often the subject of conversations 
  behind his back. 
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  60  |  act 1. time of wrath
  but will not divulge this. She does not 
  condemn anyone for what they have 
  done, nor what they have yet to do. She 
  believes that both good and evil must 
  exist to balance each other out. Maria is 
  entirely neutral, neither good nor evil, and 
  it is the duty of the Child of Light to get 
  her to pick a side. That time has not yet 
  come, and she is aware of it. Maria will 
  eventually fall in love with the Child of 
  Light as they come to spend more time 
  together. She will want to follow the one 
  she loves, wherever he may take her. 
  Maria knows everything that her 
  mother told her about the Black Sun and 
  the Snow Queen, but will still not choose 
  a side at this time. She will never betray 
  her father Hakka or her brothers, instead 
  believing the whole course of events to 
  be a necessary evil. If any of the player 
  characters attempt to coerce her, her love 
  will falter and the darkness will close in 
  around her.
  Maria answers questions honestly, but 
  will never reveal anything that could harm 
  another:
  “I can’t talk about that now”.
  “I can’t help you”.
  “I am sorry”.
  She will very rarely share kisses or loving 
  words. She never gives him her virginity. 
  As Game Master, you must remember 
  this, because Maria will ultimately have to 
  choose between saving the world or saving 
  her own life and love. The Child of Light is 
  the only one who can influence her in either 
  direction.
  Maria speaks with a soft, calming 
  voice, as she stands to greet the visitors. 
  They can immediately tell that she is not 
  human, nor half-blood, but not really an 
  elf either. She is taller than the elves (for 
  those that know of such things) and her 
  features are far more beautiful and noble. 
  Even though she is so modestly dressed, 
  barefoot in a white shift, there is something 
  majestic about her, her movements, her 
  poise, her speech, and her gaze. The group 
  all suddenly feel small, so overwhelmed 
  by her presence that they are at a loss for 
  words. Maria is happy to explain that she is 
  the village priestess and that she has been 
  brought up in the teachings of Gerbanis by 
  Haldur Ouvar. She further explains that 
  she has a special relationship with nature, 
  which she combines with her Gerbanian 
  belief in Stormi.
  Maria immediately senses that one 
  player character is the Child of Light, 
  The facade is broken up by numerous 
  narrow windows which can be opened from 
  within. The premises can be sealed with a 
  thick iron door. In the past, the hall used 
  to contain tables and chairs, but it has now 
  been emptied and therefore appears very 
  vacant. A dim light seeps in from a small 
  stone staircase which leads underground.
  The stone spiral staircase leads deep 
  underground, 
  to 
  the 
  subterranean 
  Gerbanian shrine. Water drips from the 
  ceiling as you descend, and only a few 
  torches light the path. Down in the actual 
  sanctum, it is slightly more illuminated, 
  but not by much. A black altar sits in the 
  middle of the room. Above the altar a 
  gigantic iron ring hangs from two thick 
  chains secured from the ceiling. The hall 
  is massive, and measures a hundred meters 
  in diameter. The ceiling arches six meters 
  above their heads.
  Kneeling by the altar, with her back to 
  the player characters, is the most beautiful 
  creature they have ever seen. She gets to 
  her feet and turns to face them as they 
  arrive, as if she had been expecting them.
  Maria Norim
  Maria is only nineteen, but her gaze speaks 
  of aeons of gathered wisdom and her eyes 
  shine in the light like diamonds. She has 
  long, dark, curly hair, which seems to 
  sway even though there isn’t the slightest 
  breeze in the hall. She is dressed in a thin 
  white shift and wears no jewellery. The 
  moment he first sees her, the Child of 
  Light is immediately smitten with Maria, 
  the Daughter of Fate. It is important that 
  the Game Master presents her in a way 
  that makes all the player characters try to 
  win her favor.
  Maria is an almost perfect incarnation of 
  Norna the Wise. The only thing missing is 
  her heart – Snowsaga, the one thing which 
  would make her complete. Then, Maria 
  would become as powerful and divine as 
  Norna once had been. Maria and Norna are 
  technically the same person, but her fate is 
  unclear, and Maria’s memories of her past 
  life exist only as fragments. This means that 
  Maria has a will of her own, and decides her 
  own fate (and that of the world). Maria’s 
  love for the Child of Light will cause deep 
  feelings of guilt, without her knowing why. 
  Maria Norim
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  61
  Sorva is the head of the family. Remi has 
  three wives, four brothers, and eight 
  sons between the ages of 8 and 25. He 
  also has five daughters. Like the Norim, 
  the Sorva family is heavily involved 
  with the Ice Cult. Family members 
  who haven’t been initiated are closely 
  watched, just as with the Norims. The 
  only ones who are uninitiated are those 
  of Remi’s children who have yet to turn 
  20 – five sons and five daughters, all of 
  whom are to be sacrificed in Ysetur. 
  Remi Sorva
  Remi is a 50-year-old  melancholy mournful 
  Ice Worshipper. He is entirely obsessed 
  with death and chants for the dead at night. 
  Remi is, of course, insane, and has no means 
  of dealing with it. But with the powers of 
  the Black Sun and the Snow Queen, things 
  have started to change. The boy who was 
  buried alive has begun to walk again, and 
  mysterious lights now dance on the burial 
  grounds. Keep in mind, however, that the 
  dead will not rise during this campaign, but 
  the creepy atmosphere in the village will 
  present the presence of the dead in a subtle 
  way, something which a Game Master 
  could choose to use in future campaigns, 
  with real draugr. 
  trying to investigate the report, the boy 
  was found in the root cellar, dead, with 
  dirt covered hands, his eyes gaping wide 
  in fear. Next to him there was a message 
  carved into the dirt floor: “I was buried 
  alive”.
  They say that the little boy who was 
  buried alive still haunts Remi, who has 
  never been the same since.
  Remi has four brothers, Hrat, Bork, 
  Raduk, and Toste. They are all dark 
  haired with slender, sinewy bodies. 
  None of them are particularly tall. 
  Remi has eight sons and five daughters. 
  The three eldest, all of whom are over 
  twenty years old, are Geir, Frosten, and 
  Torlak. His wives are Rimmalina, Frida, 
  and Vanja.
  The Sorva family were thralls who 
  were freed from servitude during the 
  good years. They have in time grown to 
  be strong, even if they do not receive the 
  respect that they deserve. Many openly 
  speak of forcing the Sorvas back into 
  thralldom, but everyone knows that this 
  could not happen without bloodshed. 
  Many Sorva women are now married 
  into the Hjelm and Norim families, and 
  the bond is particularly strong now 
  between the Sorva and the Norim. Remi 
  The Burial Ground 
  Remi Sorva lives with his family in 
  the chapel next to the burial grounds. 
  That may seem spooky, but most of the 
  children are happy to run around playing 
  hide-and-seek amongst the gravestones. 
  The chapel stands just east of the shrine. 
  Behind the chapel lay the burial grounds, 
  with thousands of small, nameless 
  gravestones. A low stone wall runs 
  around the perimeter of the backyard. In 
  the wall there is a copper gate, over which 
  is written “We shall never be forgotten”.
  The house is fairly large with a high 
  ceiling, despite it only being one story. 
  The logs are blackened with tar, and 
  resemble the shrine. 
  The Sorva family were not given an 
  enjoyable task when they were freed 
  from thralldom. The only undertaker 
  in the region had moved away, and no 
  one in the village wished to deal with 
  corpses. The decision was made to 
  release Remi Sorva’s ancestor, Urkan 
  Sorva, from servitude. He would be 
  allowed to start his own family if he 
  promised to shoulder this task. The fall 
  of the Copper Kingdom meant a terrible 
  ordeal for Remi, as he was made to bury 
  the dead in large mass graves or in the 
  cellars of their own homes. Something 
  happened, and Remi was never the 
  same again. Today, he is closed off and 
  taciturn. Remi and his family will often 
  accompany the Norims when they travel 
  to fish, and are usually gone for several 
  weeks. 
  The first few years following the fall 
  of the Copper Kingdom, Remi Sorva had 
  so many bodies to bury that he painted 
  white crosses on the houses where 
  the entire family had died during the 
  winter, with too much snow covering 
  the surroundings. As nobody could (or 
  wanted to) pay for any funerals in the 
  summer, he would move the dead down 
  to the root cellar, remove the ladder, 
  and board up the trap door. Sorva once 
  accidently managed to bury a little boy 
  who was still alive, but who did not 
  show any signs of life. The incident was 
  discovered more than a week later when 
  a neighbor heard the boy’s death cries 
  in the night. The following day, while 
  Remi Sorva
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  62  |  act 1. time of wrath
  even when no longer in human form. Haldur 
  is also controlled by the different phases of 
  the moon, as all werewolves are. When in 
  human form, he always has at least three 
  wolfhounds with him. The wolfhounds 
  resemble normal wolves, the only difference 
  being that the former are far tamer than 
  wolves ever could be. 
  Hakka Norim’s Fishing Cabin
  A bit away from all the other buildings and 
  to the east lays the Norims’ fishing cabin. 
  Half of the cabin is suspended over the 
  water, supported by sturdy pillars. Two 
  large fishing boats and a few canoes are 
  anchored around back. The building is only 
  one story and is made from crude black logs. 
  Fishing nets and thick animal pelts are hung 
  on scattered wooden racks around the cabin. 
  Even various animal and fish heads have 
  been mounted on stakes or hung up around 
  the house. There are always a few Norims 
  standing in the yard, observing any activity 
  in the village. None of the player characters 
  will ever be admitted into the fishing cabin, 
  and sneaking in undetected is impossible. 
  The cabin consists of a few cramped 
  sleeping quarters and a dining room. It 
  may interest the Game Master to know 
  that the Norims have dug tunnels under 
  the building, which open into a labyrinthine 
  tunnel system spanning kilometers. There 
  The Ouvars are evil by blood because 
  of Ouvar the Beheader. The wives Indra, 
  Vifrid, and Viga are three child murderers 
  who Ouvar bailed out of the prison in 
  North Hall. Until the very end they will 
  all appear to be good, simply because they 
  live in Vretgaard. The villagers trust their 
  lawman and the good reputation the family 
  has enjoyed for years. The truth is that 
  even the young children are blackened by 
  their legacy and the evils of the black ice. 
  Haldur Ouvar
  Haldur is a large, loud man in his forties. 
  He is devious, murderous, and calculating. 
  He will never accidentally say too much, 
  nor will he reveal his love for the Snow 
  Queen until the player characters meet 
  him in Ysetur. Haldur is very similar to 
  his ancestor, and during his travels he 
  rapes and murders just for the fun of it. If 
  Haldur sees the opportunity to kill someone 
  without being blamed for it, he will take it 
  – especially if someone he dislikes becomes 
  the scapegoat. Haldur is, alongside Hakka 
  Norim, the unseen leader of the Ice Cult in 
  Vretgaard.
  Haldur is both an Ice Worshipper and a 
  werewarg. He has inherited the affliction from 
  his ancestors who also were werewolves, after 
  Valsinka’s curse on Ouvar the Beheader. He 
  can transform into the creature at will, and 
  retains the ability to use tools and weapons 
  Ouvar Family’s Hird Cabin
  The Ouvar family’s hird cabin is almost 
  as large as the Hagtorn clan’s main cabin, 
  but consists of only one story. Inside 
  there is first a large weapon room which 
  also functions as a combined dining and 
  common room. There are relics to be seen 
  everywhere, testifying to the greatness of 
  the Ouvar clan. There are stables in the 
  yard, which can hold five warhorses and 
  three draught horses. In a little shed next 
  to the stables there are saddles, bridles, and 
  other accessories. There is a small kennel of 
  domesticated wolfhounds behind the stables. 
  Haldur has 32 dogs, which he uses as guard 
  dogs and to pull his dog sleigh in the winter. 
  At least six dogs are needed to pull the 
  sleigh. The brothers each have a sleigh in 
  the winter, and share one large cart in the 
  summer.
  The Ouvars are the hirdmen and 
  executioners 
  of 
  the 
  village. 
  Their 
  judgements are the rule of law in all of 
  northern Wildland, and arguing with a 
  lawman can end up being devastating. 
  The Ouvar family is the smallest in 
  the village, but they certainly do not lack 
  in power. They have been the judges and 
  executioners of the village ever since the 
  days of Ouvar the Beheader. Haldur Ouvar, 
  who is the current executioner, is “fair” and 
  “strong”. None have yet dared question him 
  or his inscrutable wisdom. Haldur and his 
  brothers all function as the hirdmen of the 
  village. Haldur travels several times a year 
  to trade on behalf of the village. He has 
  three wives, three brothers, and three sons 
  between the ages of 1 and 12. Six thrall 
  women help his wives with the household. 
  None of Haldur’s wives have ever been 
  seen doing work of any kind, other than 
  birthing his children. 
  Haldur Ouvar is the current executioner 
  of Vretgaard. He maintains order in the 
  region with the help of his brothers, Alrik, 
  Brynjulv, and Veurd. Haldur’s three wives 
  are Indra, Vifrid, and Viga. His three sons, 
  Anton, Rickhard and Ulrik are all still 
  children at 12, 6 and 1. 
  The Ouvars are armed to their teeth and 
  have an excess of equipment, but will not 
  be willing to sell anything to strangers; the 
  reason being that they do not wish to risk 
  their own weapons being used against them.
  Haldur Ouvar
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  63
  along with Haldur Ouvar, is the founder of 
  the dark faith in Vretgaard. They answer 
  only to the Ice Cult’s leader in Wildland, the 
  lost Fylkjarl Njordung Blueax. 
  The other Norims all resemble Hakka, 
  and the Game Master can use him as the 
  blueprint when creating his sons and 
  daughters. It is not particularly likely that 
  the player characters will meet Linn at this 
  time, but she is nonetheless described here, 
  for the Game Master’s convenience.
  Linn Norim
  Blind, but still appears to see everything 
  anyway,the Norim elf Linn is the very 
  personification of good. She is a total pacifist, 
  and would rather die than to hurt anyone.
  Linn is almost as beautiful as her 
  daughter Maria. She has dark red hair, 
  and her eyes are deep brown, almost black, 
  which accentuates her elven features. Linn 
  is joyful, loving and endearing. She has a 
  calm disposition and her thoughts mostly 
  revolve around her daughter and how she is 
  to save her husband Hakka from completely 
  succumbing to the dark side. Linn has 
  consciously stayed away from the Ice Cult’s 
  secret meetings. Hakka looks down on her 
  for this, and it has caused a strain between 
  the two of them. As time has passed, the 
  situation has made Linn more and more 
  desperate, and now, she does not know what 
  to do without hurting someone she loves.
  Snow Queen, and those who do not will be 
  brought to Ysetur to be sacrificed in the 
  Iron Shaft. 
  Hakka Norim
  Hakka is as slippery and insidious as a 
  snake. Hakka is an Ice Worshipper.
  Hakka Norim is a peculiar man, who, 
  with his wife Linn, lives like a hermit in his 
  hidden cabin. He only meets his children 
  and other wives once a week, or when 
  something important has happened. This 
  half-elf has lived hidden in this way for the 
  last two hundreds years, leaving way longer 
  even than normal elves do, due to his special 
  Norim lineage. People in Vretgaard has 
  practically ignored his existence, always 
  hearing about a mysterious “Norim Old 
  Man”, but never meeting him.
  Hakka has thirty-five children, and 
  seven wives in total. They live like nomads, 
  surviving off fishing or hunting, and avoid 
  contact with others. Hakka will forbid the 
  Child of Light from seeing his daughter 
  Maria, but nothing can get in the way 
  of love, and the Child of Light and the 
  Daughter of Fate will keep meeting up in 
  secret. Hakka has long, steel gray hair, and 
  eyes so dark that they are almost black. He 
  dislikes speaking to those outside the family, 
  and will often choose to stare scornfully 
  at people around him instead of talking to 
  them. Hakka worships the Snow Queen and, 
  are well-hidden entrances out in the forest. 
  The tunnels function as both escape routes 
  and an efficient transport system, as Hakka 
  has had tracks and mining cars brought in 
  from the abandoned copper mines. Seven 
  mercenaries, recruited by Haldur in North 
  Hall, are kept hidden in the catacombs under 
  the Norims’ fishing cabin, awaiting the day 
  when the Ice Cult intends to take over 
  Vretgaard. Even a dozen of Haldur’s thralls, 
  (also secretly smuggled from North Hall), 
  are held captive in the catacombs, under 
  terrible conditions. One of the tunnels leads 
  to Hakka’s secret cabin, where he spends 
  most of his time, together with his favorite 
  wife, Linn – Maria’s mother.
  The Norims are a long-lived and unusual 
  family. They are the youngest family in the 
  village, and it has been less than two hundred 
  years since they first arrived. Even so, their 
  founder, the fishing master Hakka Norim, a 
  descendant of elves, still lives in the village. 
  Although Hakka does display some signs 
  of his age, he still has a vigor most young 
  men lack. Hakka’s women have mostly been 
  thralls he purchased during his travels. Many 
  villagers still see the Norims as foreign, but 
  Hakka’s expert knowledge has made them 
  an important part of the village. The alluring 
  Norims are tall and have dark hair, often 
  kept long and worn in braids of different 
  styles. They dress like nomads, and support 
  themselves by hunting and fishing. The 
  priestess, Maria, is Hakka’s daughter, and is 
  presumably the most exquisite woman in the 
  city. Hakka has seven wives in Vretgaard.
  The Norims sell dried and pickled fish 
  at fair prices. You can also buy clothes and 
  leather goods from them at low cost. The 
  Norims charge less than half the list price 
  on all their goods. Fishing equipment and 
  other work tools are, however, not for sale, 
  no matter the offer. 
  The Norims are secretive and suspicious, 
  particularly of the player characters. 
  The Norims in Vretgaard are not easy 
  to befriend, and many of them have now 
  joined the Ice Cult. The Norims who are 
  not initiated regard their kinsmen with 
  fear, but dare not do anything or speak 
  to anyone about it. Hakka has also made 
  sure that those uninitiated never leave the 
  homestead without an initiated chaperone. 
  Two out of three Norims worship the 
  Hakka Norim
  Linn Norim
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  64  |  act 1. time of wrath
  unfamiliar with forests to stray from the 
  forest paths. It is easy to get lost, and the 
  primeval forest is both old and dense.
  The Channel 
  The stone culvert that is located by the 
  channel is an architectural wonder, and a 
  source of pride for the people of Wildland. 
  The culvert was built to redirect the melt 
  water from the Highwater, through The 
  Black Creek to the Lowwater, thus draining 
  the area around Vretgaard. The bridge is a 
  perfect location for fishing, and the fish are 
  generally larger here than anywhere else. 
  Most common are base bass and leaf pike. 
  The outlet into the Black Creek is full of 
  underwater currents, so swimming there is 
  not recommended. It is, however, possible to 
  swim by the beach near the outlet, which is 
  the nicest sand beach in the area.
  The Black Creek
  The Black Creek, or according to the locals, 
  the “Dead Creek”, is overgrown with reeds. 
  It is no more than 8 meters at its deepest, 
  and yet the lake is as black as a bottomless 
  tarn. The water smells stale. The lakebed 
  consists of mud, which is easy to sink down 
  into (and get stuck in). It is rare to catch 
  any fish here. It is claimed that an ancient 
  gjard fish lives in the creek. 
  The River Bend
  The River Bend is the river that winds 
  its way from the shallowest part of the 
  waterfall to a section of the swamp. It is 
  easiest to traverse this area with a canoe. 
  In certain places, the river is only 20 
  centimeters deep.
  Ouvar’s Cape
  There is a tragic history behind everything 
  that once happened here. Ouvar the 
  Beheader lived out on the cape with his 
  family. One night, his entire family died, 
  trapped inside a burning building, while 
  Ouvar himself was badly burnt. This 
  meant the end of a legend who could have 
  become the king of Wildland. There are 
  still coal pits left in the area, which are used 
  by Ouvar’s descendants when necessary. 
  Ouvar the Beheader is buried with his 
  family on the hill where he carried out his 
  profession – The Executioner’s Mound. 
  to bears and other pests. It is therefore 
  uncommon that anyone travels there. 
  The Glimma Lake
  The source of the Glimma Lake is a 
  subterranean spring, which emerged in 
  connection with the fall of the Copper 
  Kingdom (the very day of Maria Norim’s 
  birth). The water in the lake is always clear 
  and can be drunk as it is, without purification. 
  The villagers have constructed a pump 
  mechanism, made entirely of copper, which 
  carries the clean water to a copper water silo 
  on the beach. The silo, which is located on an 
  enormous block of stone, has a drainage plug 
  at its base, allowing for the whole thing to be 
  filled with clean water. Some copper buckets 
  for filling with water are also found nearby.
  The Darkwoods
  The “Darkwoods” is a general term for 
  the forest which surrounds the Copper 
  Mountains. It primarily consists of pine and 
  spruce, but even leafy trees have cast their 
  roots, mainly around the routes traversing 
  the area. It is not recommended for those 
  Vretgaard’s Surroundings
  The Highwater
  The “Highwater” is the general term for 
  the entire region. The water itself holds 
  an abundance of fish, but is also highly 
  treacherous. There are underwater currents 
  said to have pulled down entire boats. Most 
  who fish the waters tend to stay near the 
  beach, primarily to avoid the stormy waters 
  further out, but also out of a healthy respect 
  for the currents. The Highwater was formed 
  in a deep crevice from the melted snow from 
  the Copper Mountains. The contours of the 
  land itself functions as a natural embankment 
  for the low tide, thus causing the marshes in 
  the region around Vretgaard. 
  The Lowwater
  The Lowwater is located west of Vretgaard 
  and it can either be reached by following 
  the old road, or by canoeing through the 
  Black Creek and pulling the canoe the last 
  stretch. The Lowwater does not have the 
  same abundance of fish as the Highwater. 
  Furthermore, the nearby forests are home 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  65
  in a blood alliance, promising to have each 
  other’s backs, and to prepare for her arrival 
  together. The preparations took all winter, 
  and by summer, everything stood ready.
  Just as with Haldur, Hakka Norim was 
  urged to recruit his family members into the 
  cult. Hakka would then be responsible for 
  the protection of the Ice Cult in the northern 
  Darkwoods, aided by a group of twelve 
  orkhir which Blodughadda had brought 
  to the Blueax Fylkjarl one year earlier, to 
  convince him of the Snow Queen’s power. 
  The Sorva family, with whom the Norims 
  share bloodlines, soon followed. Haldur 
  Ouvar has transported pieces of the black 
  ice to North Hall, where he left them in the 
  care of people of authority. Using money 
  that he had been given by the Blueax clan, 
  he purchased a hird of three hundred men to 
  head to Ysetur, the Ice Cult’s fortress. The 
  soldiers fell, one by one, under the whispers 
  of the dark ice and, before the year’s end, 
  they were all bloodthirsty worshippers. The 
  mercenaries were then sent to locations all 
  over Wildland, to reinforce various cells of 
  Ice worshippers. 
  Fylkjarl 
  Njordung 
  Blueax 
  himself 
  traveled to Wulfr’s lair by the Cliff of Askyr 
  under the false pretence that he wanted to 
  ally with Fylkjarl Raak Wulfr against the 
  Uvail clan. As Njordung traveled by himself, 
  accompanied only by twelve hirdmen 
  and a dog sleigh, the Wulfr Fylkjarl felt 
  unthreatened. Instead of the sleigh being 
  filled with necessities, it contained a block 
  of black ice. Njordung promised Raak 
  everything he might need without further 
  ado, and the feast lasted for thirteen days. 
  When Njordung left for home, the two 
  Fylkjarls were dear friends, and the block of 
  black ice was left at the Cliff of Askyr under 
  the strict supervision of the Wulfr clan. The 
  Ice Cult had ignited in the Wulfr Fylkjarl’s 
  blood, silencing the Word of Stormi. In his 
  heart, from that moment on, only the Snow 
  Queen’s chilling whispers sounded. 
  Today, many of the people of Vretgaard 
  are already initiated into the Ice Cult, and 
  darkness rests over the village, like a shadow:
   Hakka Norim spies on behalf of Haldur 
  and the two of them regularly meet to 
  confer in Hakka’s secret cabin in the 
  woods. Haldur’s son Anton conveys the 
  the village has taken on many forms, and 
  its origins can be traced back to that which 
  happened more than 300 years ago. It was 
  the Time of the Untamed – a time when the 
  Ice Cult had sunk its claws into northern 
  Wildland and the arrival of the Snow Queen 
  was nigh. The village’s dark history has now 
  come back to haunt the settlement. Whispers 
  and dreams have lured them. The descendant 
  of Ouvar hearkens to the moon. The Norims 
  have brought the Ice Cult’s ancient powers 
  back to life. The Sorva family summons the 
  dead. Evil has returned to Vretgaard. 
  The story begins exactly a year ago, 
  just before the first snow. Hakka Norim 
  and his sons were in the Copper mines, 
  looking for abandoned equipment, when 
  they encountered Blodughadda creeping 
  around in the caves. With him, he brought a 
  large block of the black ice and, within a few 
  short days, Hakka and his sons fell under the 
  Snow Queen’s control. With Blodughadda’s 
  help, they brought the ice block to the 
  Black Cave, an unexplored natural cavern, 
  unknown even to the miners. 
  The reason that the cave wasn’t discovered 
  by the miners is because nineteen years ago 
  a Brotbeast ate its way through the wall 
  from the Black Cave. The Brotbeast caused 
  a collapse in one of the lower access tunnels. 
  This all resulted in the Brotbeast falling 
  into hibernation under the debris, and a 
  clearing a path into the mushroom cave. The 
  Brotbeast was blackened by the whispers 
  of the stone brought by Blodughadda, and 
  became a part of the black ice. The beast is 
  now starting to awaken and will arise when 
  Siris performs the high ritual. 
  Hakka and his sons were corrupted by 
  the dark whispers, and only returned home 
  after three days. A month later, Hakka 
  came to learn from one of his spies that 
  the Blueax Fylkjarl, the hirdman Haldur 
  Ouvar, and twelve nightmarish creatures 
  were transporting a large block of black 
  ice to the Blueax’s hunting estate. Alone, 
  Hakka traveled to the hunting estate, 
  explaining that he had something to sell to 
  the Blueax clan. Hakka promised Njordung 
  that he would not be disappointed.
  When Haldur and Njordung saw the 
  Black Cave, they realized that Hakka was 
  an ally and already a zealous follower of 
  the Snow Queen. The three of them joined 
  The Quarry
  It wasn’t long ago that stone was still 
  being excavated at the quarry. The demand 
  has lessened, but the machinery still works, 
  and Fylkjarl Tomus will sometimes engage 
  additional manpower when the demand for 
  gravel increases. For the crusher to work, 
  it has to be powered by 2–3 oxen.
  The Copper Trail
  The 
  Copper 
  Trail 
  has 
  noticeably 
  deteriorated in Vretgaard and around the 
  Darkwoods, primarily because so few people 
  live here. Another cause is that the forest 
  naturally accelerates the process of erosion. 
  The Old Road
  The Old Road may be overgrown, but is 
  still accessible. It is said that following 
  the road westwards will lead to the Royal 
  Outlook, but there are few who know for 
  sure. Fylkjarl Njordung Blueax takes this 
  road to his hunting estate, which is located 
  somewhere near the outlook. Now, with the 
  disappearance of Njordung, the superstitions 
  around the road have only increased. 
  The Old Bridge
  The old bridge has partially collapsed but can 
  still be used. What few people know is that a 
  small forest troll lives under the broken bridge. 
  The forest troll, Brund, is only interested in 
  eating and sleeping, to the extent that he even 
  puts off checking and emptying the various 
  snares he has placed in the woods west of the 
  bridge. Brund knows that there are people 
  living further east and does not appreciate the 
  nocturnal guests he has gotten recently (the 
  Ice Cult’s nocturnal antics).
  The Bear Territory
  An enormous bear (though not a killer 
  bear) has his territory here. He will be 
  the one blamed for the attack on Huld 
  Hagtorn’s group. The bear is unusually 
  intelligent and avoids the people nearby. It 
  only eats berries and is not responsible for 
  what has happened. 
  The Ice Cult in Vretgaard
  There are a number of threads that the player 
  characters have to unravel in Vretgaard 
  in order to survive. Over time, the evil in 
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  66  |  act 1. time of wrath
  to remember the event at all, and only nods 
  along as Haldur Ouvar fills them in on the 
  story. If the characters insist on checking the 
  site of the massacre, Haldur Ouvar will be 
  asked by Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn to guide the 
  PCs there. If anybody thinks about digging up 
  the bodies of the victims, the Fylkjarl can give 
  them shovels and picks to be returned.
  Half of the player characters are forced 
  to stay in Vretgaard to get the cabin into 
  liveable condition.
  The other half go with Haldur to Marsh 
  Mountain where Miri was killed. Huld 
  constantly follows Maria around, and 
  appears almost obsessed with her. 
  Day Three
  The group that remained in Vretgaard 
  notice how a little girl with long black hair 
  watches them. The girl’s eyes feel piercing. 
  Several of the player characters witness 
  this. The girl disappears as soon as anyone 
  tries to approach her. 
  Night Three
  The Child of Light has his second dream:
  You are standing in a green field, 
  working with several other men. You are 
  all wearing shackles around your ankles 
  and handcuffs; you dig deep trenches in 
  the ground, for what purpose, you do 
  not know. Despite their faces seeming 
  unfamiliar, it is as though the workers 
  around you are your friends. Your 
  guards, however, have gaunt and sickly 
  bodies, and stare at you with empty eyes. 
  They all carry either whips or barbed 
  chains in order to keep you working. 
  Your bodies are all covered in small 
  wounds from the barbs, which have torn 
  through your flesh. Suddenly, the sun is 
  darkened by a dense shadow, and you can 
  hear the heavy beating of wings behind 
  you. The smell of decay fills your nostrils. 
  Your muscles tense up instinctively, and 
  you stare at a certain spot on the ground 
  in front of you, as though you have 
  always done it. The beating of wings gets 
  heavier and heavier, and you can hear the 
  creature’s wheezing breath approaching 
  you from behind. The earth shakes, and 
  the man next to you cries out in despair 
  as the creature lands. Terrified, you 
  Events in Vretgaard
  This section describes some interludes to 
  the events in Vretgaard, followed by the 
  timeline that the Game Master must ad 
  here to. 
  Interludes
   The love between the Child of Light and 
  the Daughter of Fate (Maria Norim) will 
  come to grow stronger each and every 
  day. The Game Master can let them 
  meet as often as possible, however it 
  must occur in secret, because her father 
  opposes their relationship, something 
  which may make it all the more exciting. 
   Huld Hagtorn shows the player characters 
  his smithery and promises to make them 
  something. As the love between the player 
  character and Maria grows, Huld becomes 
  more and more hostile. 
   One of the player characters finds the 
  cabin where the little boy was buried 
  alive by Remi Sorva and can be forced to 
  face a draugr. 
   One of the player characters sees mysterious 
  lights coming from the burial grounds. 
  When they get there, the lights are gone, 
  but Remi Sorva is in the yard, staring out 
  into the night, mumbling to himself. 
   One of the player characters gets caught 
  in one of the crude traps in the woods, 
  set by Brund, the forest troll from under 
  the bridge. The crevice in the mountain, 
  which had been concealed by twigs, is 
  three meters deep. Within three days, 
  the troll comes and throws stones at his 
  catch in the pit. When his prey has died, 
  the troll can then climb a rope-ladder 
  down there whenever he wishes to eat. 
   The player character who may have 
  been enticed by the wood nymph in the 
  journey through the Darkwood heads 
  out into the dark of night. Someone 
  with the Hunting Experience discipline 
  of the Wilderness skill (preferably with 
  the Tracker specialty) finds tracks from 
  creatures neither human nor trolls, but 
  something else altogether (orkhir).
  Day One
  The player characters arrive in Vretgaard. 
  They meet most of the villagers. They speak 
  to a shaken Huld Hagtorn who doesn’t appear 
  new orders in writing, ensuring it with a 
  seal, and brings it to Siris, Torulf Hjelm’s 
  wife and the official leader of the Ice cult. 
  Seven soldiers, recruited in North Hall, 
  are kept hidden in the catacombs under the 
  Norim’s fishing cabin, await the day when 
  the Ice Cult intends to take over Vretgaard. 
  A dozen of Haldur’s thralls, who have 
  secretly been brought from North Hall, 
  are held captive in the catacombs. 
   Haldur Ouvar is ”the spider in the web”, 
  and can during his frequent “trading 
  trips” leave Vretgaard without anyone 
  questioning his activities. Haldur is the 
  link to “Ise”, or Njordung Blueax as 
  he is really named. To the cult, Haldur 
  primarily supplies thralls that can be 
  sacrificed to the Snow Queen, without 
  raising suspicions in Vretgaard. 
   Fylkjarl Njordung Blueax is the real 
  leader of the Ice Cult, and is only 
  known as Ise (an ungendered name). 
  The Blueax Fylkjarl has gathered Ice 
  worshippers in the isolated fortress of 
  Ysetur. There are also some followers at 
  Blueax’s hunting estate, which functions 
  as an outpost for the Ice Cult on the way 
  to Ysetur. Ise has a good relationship 
  with Blodughadda, the frost giant who 
  set all this in motion. 
  The player characters can never be sure 
  about whom to trust, and there are spies 
  everywhere. Friends must be separated 
  from foes, and the Cult’s temple at Ysetur 
  must be found before they have grown too 
  strong. Fleeing Vretgaard will not help. 
  The corruption has already begun to spread 
  across the land. If it becomes difficult to 
  motivate the player characters to uncover 
  the truth about the Ice Cult, let one of 
  them to be taken one night, and sacrificed 
  to the Snow Queen. They are, either way, 
  hunted prey in unfamiliar territory. The 
  player characters’ only chance is to quickly 
  win allies in their fight against evil. They 
  are also starting to realize that they have 
  been swept up, like pieces on a chessboard, 
  where their roles have not yet been 
  determined, and the powers who control 
  them are greater than they could ever 
  have imagined. Only by deciphering their 
  dreams they are able to gain insight into 
  their fates. 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  67
  his Situation roll is successful. A minimum of 
  two days under Maria’s care is the only thing 
  to cure the player characters. Anyone who 
  does not submit to care will die from a rare 
  and aggressive form of pneumonia within a 
  month. 
  The illness is the work of the Snow 
  Queen. The Game Master can show the 
  development of the illness by lowering 
  the player characters’ Body Points every 
  other day, to make the player characters 
  grasp the seriousness of the situation. Note 
  that in the case of the Child of Light, and 
  only him, the cold will automatically fade 
  on day nine, even if he never received any 
  treatment. He does, however, lose a lot of 
  time in which his love could have grown.
  Maria never leaves any of those in 
  her care alone, and the Hagtorn’s thrall 
  woman, Tvagrid, takes her place whenever 
  she has to leave. 
  Huld drops by several times during the 
  player characters’ time in Maria’s care, 
  glaring jealously at those convalescing in 
  the hospital beds. Huld mutters something 
  about the player characters not looking 
  particularly ill. He also tries to tell Maria 
  that she shouldn’t have to waste her time 
  on strangers, as Huld could easily ask one 
  of the thrall women to do it. 
  Day Seven
  The player characters who traveled to 
  Marsh Mountain return to Vretgaard, cold 
  and tired. If the player characters brought 
  Miri’s body with them, a ceremony will 
  be held, and her body will be burnt in 
  the temple. Huld does not even glance at 
  his dead wife, his eyes are instead focused 
  on Maria throughout the ceremony. The 
  whole time his face is twisted in some 
  sort of sheepish grin. When Maria leaves, 
  Huld’s expression changes and his eyes 
  take on an empty, dazed appearance. 
  Night Seven
  Full moon. The player characters hear 
  strange sounds, which frighten the horses. 
  Howls can be heard in the rainy night. 
  Huld transforms into a werewarg for the 
  very first time, and can never again revert 
  to his human form. The storm prevents the 
  player characters from being able to track 
  anything. 
  frost has delayed the signs of decay. Her 
  face is crushed beyond recognition by a 
  powerful blow from the front, shattering 
  the cranium. The player characters do, 
  however, recognize her by her clothes and a 
  distinctive birthmark on her neck.
  Hallak and Strang have almost been 
  decapitated by the same brutal force. The 
  blow that hit them has torn their thick chain-
  mail coifs and steel helms asunder. The steel 
  has been torn, not cut or slashed apart.
  What conclusions the player characters 
  can draw from all this is up to the Game 
  Master, but the Healing and Drugs 
  discipline of the Care skill (preferably with 
  the First Aid and Nursing specialty) could 
  be of help. Claw marks on all three of the 
  victims do, however, support Haldur’s 
  theory. At the same time, somebody with 
  the Zoology specialty of the Wilderness 
  skill should be able to eliminate the guilty 
  attacker being a bear, as even a huge killer 
  bear would be unable to cause such injuries. 
  If the player characters contradict Haldur’s 
  theory (that a killer bear slaughtered the 
  procession), he will loudly protest, saying that 
  no outsiders should come and tell him what 
  had happened, as he himself is well-traveled 
  across forests and lands. The villagers of 
  Vretgaard will believe Haldur over the player 
  characters. If the player characters ask him 
  why he was in the area when he found the 
  wounded Huld he will tell them that he was 
  on a purchasing trip to North Hall, something 
  he does a couple of times a year, and that 
  there’s nothing odd about it. In closing, 
  Haldur Ouvar insists that Huld Hagtorn 
  himself testified to it having been a bear.
  Day Five
  The weather worsens drastically. Dark 
  clouds slither across the heavens, bringing 
  a rain that rages for several days. The player 
  characters will return to Vretgaard frozen, 
  cold, and those who do not succeed with a 
  Situation roll with a Situation value of 12 
  (Constitution modifiers apply) end up with 
  a fever and a severe cold. It is important 
  that you as the Game Master conceal all 
  the rolls to ensure that the Child of Light 
  does not suspect anything.
  In fact, the Child of Light will automatically 
  fall sick with the cold, regardless of where he 
  finds himself on day five, and whether or not 
  stand frozen as the creature devours 
  your friend alive. You can hear how its 
  strong jaws crush his bones. The screams 
  finally end in a gurgle and the man falls 
  silent. Blood splatters to the ground as 
  the creature eats, and time and time 
  again, your feet and legs are hit by parts 
  of what once had been your friend. You 
  have to keep yourself in check the whole 
  time, to not gag on the creature’s awful 
  stench, or at the memory of your friend’s 
  gruesome fate. After a long moment, 
  when the creature finally has finished 
  eating, you can feel how it pulls up close 
  to you, possibly planning for yet another 
  meal. The terror is unbearable. Its head 
  snatches up the small pieces of flesh that 
  have landed around you, and you finally 
  exhale the breath you’ve been holding. 
  When the creature finally takes off again, 
  a signal sounds from a horn. It is time to 
  get back to work…
  The dream is about the player characters’ 
  coming imprisonment in Arkland. The 
  point of the dream is that the Child of 
  Light instinctively knows how to avoid 
  being chosen as the thorn beast’s meal. 
  During the nightmare, the Child of 
  Light cries out, filled with dread, and finds 
  it difficult to calm down upon awakening.
  Day Four
  Some of player characters (alternatively the 
  entire group) arrive at Marsh Mountain. 
  Both Haldur Ouvar and possibly Jarund 
  Norim point out that too much time has 
  passed for there to still be any discernible 
  tracks left. A player character who succeeds 
  with an extremely difficult Wilderness 
  Skill roll (preferably with the Hunting 
  Experience discipline and Tracker specialty) 
  modified by -10, does, however, find tracks 
  which rather resemble those of a large wolf. 
  If the player characters express a wish 
  to exhume the bodies, Haldur will strongly 
  oppose such a desecration of the corpses. If 
  the player characters insist that Miri’s body 
  has to be blessed and buried in consecrated 
  ground, Haldur will eventually back down.
  They have to light a fire to thaw the 
  ground enough for them to dig, provided 
  that they brought shovels and picks. Miri’s 
  body is horribly mangled but the ground 
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  68  |  act 1. time of wrath
  her. At lunchtime, Maria seeks out the Child 
  of Light to invite him on a romantic canoe 
  journey traveling from the Highwater to the 
  Lowwater and back. She says that she wishes 
  to get away from everything for a while. As 
  they get the canoe, Hakka stares at them, eyes 
  filled with hate and evil. As they wade from the 
  Riverbend to the Lowwater they are startled 
  by an enormous bear. Instead of being scared, 
  Maria calls out: 
  ”Oh, little Brutus, how you frightened 
  me!” 
  After which she approaches the bear and 
  pets it as though it was a little dog. Then 
  she continues, 
  ”What are you dofing here Dfid 
  somebody scare you” 
  The bear whimpers in response and 
  Maria continues, 
  ”I know, he frightens me too”. 
  After that the bear calmly lumbers 
  away without any further incident. Maria 
  never offers any explanation for the event, 
  and laughs it off as though nothing had 
  happened. If the Child of Light forces an 
  answer out of her she will hiss that ”All 
  is not what is seems in Vretgaard. Poor 
  Brutus has nothing to do with it,” and 
  demands that they return home again.
  If the Child of Light lets Maria keep her 
  secrets, they will continue their romantic 
  journey along the Lowwater, and Maria’s eyes 
  will sparkle in the rays of the sun. However, 
  she will not offer up any kisses, not yet. 
  Day Thirteen
  The first snow falls and a thin layer of ice 
  forms on the smaller lakes.
  Day Fourteen
  Haldur Ouvar and Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn 
  have tracked and slain the killer bear. They 
  happily boast that the danger has passed, 
  dragging the body of the bear behind them.
  In the evening, a feast celebrating the 
  kill is held in the Hagtorn’s cabin. Mead, 
  grilled frost boar, and chicken is served. 
  There is enough for everyone in attendance.
  Night Nine
  Tomus’s brother, Froe, who is standing guard 
  during the night, is lured outside by howling 
  sounds. The player characters are also 
  awakened by the howls. Froe, in full battle 
  gear, ends up in a life-or-death battle with 
  Huld in werewarg form. When the player 
  characters arrive, Froe is on the ground 
  bleeding out, with a large wound across his 
  throat and his right arm completely ripped 
  off. Froe tries to tell them something before 
  he dies, but his wounded throat prevents him.
  A successful Shadow Arts Skill roll 
  (preferably with the Shadowing discipline and 
  the Finding and Spotting specialty) with a 
  -4 modifier will reveal that what he said was 
  “It’s bleeding”. Moments later, Tomus and 
  the other brothers rush out into the yard, and 
  suspicious glances are directed at the player 
  characters. Huld, still locked into werewolf 
  form, is severely injured, and will lay low in the 
  wilderness, licking his wounds for a few days. 
  The Second guard, Tor, actually saw 
  the entire course of events from the very 
  beginning, but “admits” to Tomus that he 
  had abandoned his post as he had “gone to 
  relieve himself”. A successful Shadow Arts 
  Skill roll (preferably with the Shadowing 
  discipline and the Finding and Spotting 
  specialty) by any of the player characters 
  will allow them to hear Tor’s confession to 
  Tomus, who appears to accept the excuse.
  Day Ten
  It stops raining and the sun finally breaks 
  through the clouds. The wind is cold and 
  biting. In solemn order, a pyre is lit over the 
  body of Froe, watched over by the Hagtorn 
  family. Fylkjarl Tomus leads the ceremony, 
  and the Hagtorns clearly indicate that no 
  outsiders are allowed to attend. Tor and 
  Bodvar aggressively block the way for visitors, 
  if any attempt to join the congregation. After 
  the ceremony ends, the Fylkjarl himself, 
  Tomus Hagtorn, together with Haldur Ouvar 
  head out into the forest to find and slay the 
  killer bear. Maria hands over the care of those 
  who are still sick to Tvagrid, the thrall woman 
  who serves the Hagtorn. Those treated by 
  Tvagrid on day ten find that their illness 
  worsens, and all the time under Maria’s care 
  is wasted, as they find themselves back where 
  they started. Tvagrid is an ice worshipper, and 
  the Snow Queen has whispered directly to 
  Day Eight 
  In the morning, Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn 
  discovers that his son Huld has disappeared. 
  Maria rings the bell and the villagers gather 
  by the Village Hall to search for him. The 
  player characters are expected to help, and 
  if they refuse, they be met with suspicion. 
  Huld’s room has been ransacked, and 
  some of his clothes lay, ripped to shreds, on 
  the floor. The furniture has all been toppled, 
  and smashed to bits. The door, reduced to 
  mere splinters, is scattered on the ground 
  outside his home. None of his brothers, who 
  all live in the very same dwelling, claim to 
  have heard anything. The truth is that the 
  brothers used to regularly assault Huld at 
  night, so no one had reacted to his screams 
  or the general ruckus. In the morning, they 
  were forced to explain this to the furious 
  Tomus. The Hagtorn Fylkjarl, who deep 
  down always had known that this was 
  happening, and who had thought to himself 
  that “the boy has to tough it out, so that he 
  becomes a man”. He therefore chose not to 
  pursue the issue any further. The only one 
  who looks pale and noticeably shaken is 
  Haldur, who has realized what happened. 
  Huld has transformed into a werewarg.
  Night Eight
  The werewarg Huld gets into the enclosure 
  where the cows are kept and kills one them, 
  scaring the rest of them, causing them to 
  flee. At his side, he has a pack of wolves, 
  who all see Huld as their leader. The 
  wolves feast on the dead cow.
  Day Nine
  An animal has torn down the barriers of 
  the paddock where Hagtorn’s livestock 
  graze. A cow is found, dead and half 
  devoured, while the rest are roaming freely 
  and appear very frightened. Even the bulls 
  seem shaken. 
  The cows are difficult to herd. It takes 
  the Hagtorns and the Hjelms the entire 
  day. The cows’ panicked movements, along 
  with the rain, has erased any tracks of the 
  predator. The wind has picked up, and 
  those who succeed with a Wilderness Skill 
  roll (preferably with the Nature Knowledge 
  discipline and the Weatherman specialty) 
  can sense that the rain will likely soon shift 
  to snow.
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  69
  that the player characters catch a glimpse of 
  the silver medallion is enough for Hakka to 
  condemn them to death.
  Day Fifteen
  By the morning of the fifteenth day, 
  everything has changed. The player 
  characters now know too much to be allowed 
  to leave Vretgaard alive. The snow lies 30 
  centimeters deep, and winter draws near. 
  The Hagtorns hold a ceremony for Huld, 
  on par with that held for Froe. Outsiders 
  are not invited this time either, but most 
  in the village offer their condolences from 
  afar. At lunchtime, the bell at the Village 
  Hall chimes, and Fylkjarl Tomus calls for a 
  village meeting. Before the meeting starts, 
  Siris Hjelm brings many of the children to 
  the Executioner’s Mound to ride “copper 
  plates” in the snow. It is a kind of game 
  where the children sit on a concave copper 
  plate and ride down the hill. Siris thinks it 
  best that the children get away so that the 
  grownups can discuss the night’s events 
  undisturbed. Tomus Hagtorn is devastated 
  by the death of his son and agrees that the 
  children must be kept out of this. Hedar 
  Hjelm promises to watch over the women. 
  Torulf Hjelm’s four wives, all the Hagtorn 
  and Hjelm children, and the mischievous 
  boys Udd and Ulf join, as does Tomus’s 
  daughter, Menja. All the men carry weapons 
  so that they can protect the women and 
  children from potential predators. 
  If any of the player characters join them, 
  Hedar will think it to be an “exceptionally” 
  good idea. It is, however, unlikely that one 
  of the player characters would choose 
  to guard some children while everyone 
  else discusses what happened. Any player 
  character that accompanies the children 
  will be sacrificed alongside the others in 
  the copper mines, unless it is the Child 
  of Light (which is not particularly likely 
  as the Child of Light is still injured and 
  bedridden under Maria’s care). Those who 
  stay and converse with Tomus will receive 
  a rundown of recent events and it is at this 
  time that the player characters can try to 
  befriend Fylkjarl Tomus. 
  Tomus says that they must now speak 
  seriously. He is devastated over his son’s 
  murder. The arrow resembles nothing he 
  has ever seen before. The player characters, 
  Then she kisses him, a long, deep, kiss. 
  It is critical that this is the first kiss that the 
  Daughter of Fate and the Child of Light share.
  Just as the kiss ends, a menacing growl is 
  heard, “Neeeeeeeeeearrrrrrghh”, emanating 
  from Huld, the werewarg, and the Child of 
  Light sees how the furious werewarg dashes 
  towards them. The Child of Light takes 
  1d10 (OR 9-10) Fear Points. The Child of 
  Light, overpowered, will be attacked by 
  Huld. However, unlike normal werewargs 
  Huld permanently exists in its wolfish form, 
  which means its status is less powerful and 
  he is therefore  unable to pass his affliction 
  along. A combat will start but it is important 
  that Huld does not die at this point (let him 
  be invulnerable) and the player characters 
  are not meant to be the ones to kill him. 
  As this happens, Maria screams, and 
  Huld, frightened (because he still loves 
  her), flees into the forest. Still injured (if 
  the Child of Light hurted him), he leaves a 
  trail of blood behind him. 
  When the rest of the player characters 
  come to the rescue, they are able to track the 
  bleeding werewarg into the woods, while 
  Maria saves the life of her wounded lover. 
  After thirty minutes, the player characters 
  find Huld, in his human form, lying dead in 
  the snow. A wolf sits next to him, whimpering. 
  As the player characters approach, it flees.
  A black-feathered arrow protrudes from 
  Huld’s chest right by his heart. The arrow does 
  not resemble anything the player characters 
  have seen before. Unbeknownst to the player 
  characters, they are being watched by Hakka 
  Norim, the Orkhir who fired the arrow, and 
  the little girl with the long black hair. 
  Around his neck, Huld wears a silver 
  medallion with a strange spiral-shaped 
  symbol. 
  The player characters feel a chill go down 
  their spines as they look at the necklace, 
  remembering that they had seen the symbol 
  before, but unable to place where or on whom 
  (perhaps as a tattoo, or possibly a piece of 
  jewellery). It could be worth it for the Game 
  Master to note that it is the symbol of the Ice 
  Cult, the followers of the Snow Queen during 
  the Time of the Untamed, 300 years ago. A 
  Knowledge skill roll may be required, if the 
  GM wants to. Raak Wulfr has an identical 
  tattoo on his neck and maybe the players 
  characters noticed it in Storhavn. The fact 
  Torulf tells the story about his paternal 
  grandfather, Berth Hjelm, who was mauled 
  and slaughtered by a killer bear, and says 
  that he believes that Huld too has perished. 
  Haldur Ouvar thinks that the killer 
  bear likely stalked Huld and himself to the 
  village. He also announces that the player 
  characters shall be awarded the bear’s hide 
  and meat as a gift for Swordjarl Oktar 
  Grimme. Haldur continues, saying that 
  they should leave for home the following 
  day, before the snow has buried the road, 
  trapping them in Vretgaard.
  The only one unhappy is Maria, the only 
  member of the Norim family to attend the 
  feast. Tears stream down her cheeks as she 
  glares hatefully at Haldur. If the Child of 
  Light tries to comfort her she asks him 
  to meet her alone by the Glimma Lake 
  at midnight. She remains sitting in his 
  embrace for a moment before she departs 
  for home. She turns to him and says: 
  ”Don’t forget. Midnight” 
  Then she leaves. 
  Night Fourteen
  At midnight, the Child of Light and the 
  Daughter of Fate reunite. Maria looks 
  solemn, but still gazes upon him lovingly. 
  Her voice is weak, and tears are not far off 
  as she speaks:
  ”You must leave tomorrow. You are in 
  danger; you are all in danger”. 
  Then she continues:
  ”I can’t tell you anything, but plans 
  that cannot be stopped have been put in 
  motion, and powerful people are out to 
  get you — you, the chosen one”.
  Almost in tears, Maria continues:
  ”Promise me that you will leave 
  tomorrow. Please”. 
  Maria pauses to collect herself and then 
  gazes deep into the Child of Light’s eyes:
  ”I love you, and that is precisely why you 
  have to leave”.
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  70  |  act 1. time of wrath
  him several times before he leaves her. 
  With a lump in her throat she whispers:
  ”When you return I will follow you. 
  Away from my father! Away from this 
  hole! Away from this life! I love only 
  you. Always remember that. Here, I give 
  you my lucky stone to carry with you on 
  your journey. It has blessed me with luck 
  my entire life”. 
  Maria removes her necklace. It is 
  adorned with a small polished green 
  marbled stone. The stone has a small hole 
  drilled into it, through which Maria has 
  threaded a thin leather cord, so that she 
  could wear it around her neck. The Child 
  of Light gets +1 modifier on every skill 
  and favourable situation values as long as 
  he carries the stone. Moreover, the modest 
  piece of jewellery will not attract much 
  attention, which is why the Child of Light 
  is very unlikely to lose the stone. Maria 
  finishes her speech after she has placed the 
  stone around her lover’s neck.
  ”Don’t forget me. Come back and get me 
  after. Promise me that”.
  Night Fifteen
  The journey to the mines is a difficult one, 
  and the snowfall continues throughout the 
  night. By morning, the snow is a meter 
  deep, and Tomus’s sense of direction alone 
  guides them along, despite there being no 
  signs of the perpetrators to follow. Tomus 
  leads the group north along the Copper 
  Trail, towards the Great Iron Mountains, 
  and the biting cold sinks its teeth into the 
  little entourage. 
  The Aftermath of Evil
  Winter had hit with full force during the 
  night. The wind violently tore at their 
  clothes and the company slowly ploughed 
  their way through the snow. Only the 
  wolfhounds appeared unbothered by 
  the force of the weather. The road was 
  covered by snow, which lay a meter 
  deep, and the rays of the morning sun 
  struggled in vain to break through 
  the thick snow fog. The chill had long 
  covered by fresh powder, lead north along 
  the Copper Trail toward the mines. 
  Now, the player character must go and 
  get the others. It is soon discovered that 
  only some of the tracks belong to humans 
  and, to venture a guess, trolls. A player 
  character who succeeds a Wilderness skill 
  roll with the Tracker specialty with a -5 
  modifier to the skill value can, however, 
  discern that the tracks do not belong to 
  either humans or trolls, but something 
  else altogether. It’s worth noting that the 
  tracks resemble human tracks, but at the 
  same time don’t (namely, because they are 
  left by orkhir, which none of the player 
  characters even know exist). In the short 
  period of time it took the player characters 
  to get to the hill and back, the storm winds 
  have started to tear at the trees, and the 
  snow has begun to whirl through the air. 
  The Snow Queen is trying to stop them, 
  using all of her powers. 
  Tomus and Torulf immediately spring 
  into action. The warning bell chimes 
  loudly and almost all the villagers gather 
  once more outside the Village Hall. 
  Together with all the player characters 
  (hopefully), Fylkjarl Tomus gathers all of 
  his brothers, except for Tor and Bodvar 
  (who, strangely enough volunteer to guard 
  the village…), as well as Torulf Hjelm 
  and all of his brothers, for leading them to 
  the mines, where the tracks seem to lead. 
  They travel north, hunting those who had 
  kidnapped their children, not bothered 
  by the gathering storm, which appears to 
  be shaping up to be the worst in living 
  memory. Haldur Ouvar and the Norims 
  stay behind to ”protect” the village. 
  Haldur lends the entourage two sleighs 
  with twelve dogs, to help them move 
  quicker. No one thinks that taking the 
  horses would be a good idea. 
  The Child of Light has been under 
  Maria’s intense care throughout the day. 
  Before evening arrives, his wounds have 
  all healed, as though he had never been 
  injured. It is very likely that Maria has 
  saved his life once again, using the last of 
  her supply of rare plants and herbs. 
  The Child of Light hears the warning 
  bell and makes it just in time to join the 
  entourage heading for the copper mines. 
  Distressed, Maria sees him off and kisses 
  who have traveled far and wide, maybe 
  they know something The Fylkjarl 
  speaks incoherently and repeatedly takes 
  deep swallows from his mug of mead. His 
  speculations continue well into the evening, 
  and very little of what is said is sound, 
  most being pure conjecture. Let, therefore, 
  the player characters themselves try to 
  piece together the events. It will be this 
  story that Tomus later chooses to believe, 
  regardless of whether it is true. The player 
  characters risk believing their own words, 
  for better or worse. Contradictions will 
  only occur if any personal accusations are 
  made, but Haldur Ouvar naturally promises 
  to act if any of their allegations turn out to 
  be true. Tomus is not in his right mind or 
  able to fully grasp the situation and is far 
  too confused to recall the stories of the Ice 
  Cult. Those who remember do not wish to, 
  and those who know, do their best to keep 
  their mouths closed. The entire meeting 
  ends up being mostly a dialogue between 
  the player characters and Fylkjarl Tomus, 
  and this is a good opportunity for the 
  player characters to gather their thoughts. 
  The information is also extremely valuable 
  to the Game Master, who can now learn 
  how much the player characters have really 
  understood. 
  Meanwhile, 
  on 
  the 
  Executioner’s 
  Mound, following Siris’s command, twelve 
  Orkhir had lain in ambush for the children, 
  who did not offer any resistance, as all 
  adults in the group except for Anna Hjelm 
  are Ice Cult worshippers.
  When evening falls and the children’s 
  absence is noticed, one of the player 
  characters is sent to investigate (the GM is 
  encouraged to choose the one with higher 
  Wilderness skill score). The snow has 
  returned, and a storm is on the way. There 
  are signs of a struggle on the Executioner’s 
  Mound, and the place is covered in blood. 
  The only body found nearby is that of Anna 
  Hjelm, Torulf ’s young favourite, who has 
  had her head bashed in repeatedly with a 
  stone found next to the body. There are 
  deep scratch marks on her face (a woman’s 
  nail has broken off in the wounds, and 
  remains there), and her body has been 
  violated (by Hedar Hjelm; Siris clawed at 
  her and then beat her to death with a stone 
  in a rabid frenzy). Tracks in the snow, half 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  71
  it and the healthy tissue is indicated with 
  a clear, sharp, line. However, during this 
  stage, gangrene does not spread to the 
  surrounding areas. When the tissue damage 
  is fully developed, the dead tissues must be 
  removed or amputated. If an amputation 
  is not performed the damage will worsen 
  due to the arrival of putrefactive bacteria. 
  Surrounding healthy tissue will then begin 
  to decay, taking on a disintegrating, moist, 
  appearance, and giving off a pungent odor. 
  Amputation at this late stage does not 
  guarantee that the condition won’t worsen, 
  and it is said that there is nothing in 
  Trudvang that can save a player character 
  in this condition from a painful death. 
  The group marches throughout the 
  first day and night without rest. The 
  following nights they will seek shelter 
  in bivouacs of snow, and during the day, 
  march as long as the sun is in the sky. As 
  they approach the copper mines, both the 
  storm and the snowfall will very suddenly 
  let up, and the player characters will see the 
  snowstorm like a wall behind them. This 
  will ensure that they understand that it is 
  not a natural storm, but something beyond 
  the framework of reality. The storm will 
  completely die down in the very same 
  instant as Siris perishes. 
  The kidnappers have a head start 
  of about six hours. The orkhir had six 
  sleighs pulled by twelve tame wolves. 
  The kidnapped children were tied up 
  in the sleighs, under the supervision of 
  Hedar Hjelm and the women. Siris called 
  upon the Snow Queen’s dark powers, and 
  a snowstorm beyond anything in living 
  memory, sprung up behind them to smite 
  potential pursuers. The journey only 
  takes the kidnappers 48 hours due to the 
  favour of the Snow Queen, and so they 
  reach the copper mines almost two days 
  before the player characters. Early in the 
  journey, Tomus Hagtorn’s daughter Riva 
  fell off one of the sleighs. She attempted 
  to flee but was stopped by two orkhan 
  arrows. As soon as the children are 
  imprisoned in the temple of the black ice, 
  the Orkhir leave the Ice Cult in order to 
  take up the hunt for potential survivors 
  in the snowstorm. With them, they bring 
  all their wolves and sleighs. Fortunately, 
  the player characters never encounter 
  every 24 hours, but this time to see if 
  the situation worsens. Those who are 
  successful remain merely affected by 
  the cold. On the other hand, all who fail 
  a second roll will freeze in the storm, 
  (except for the Child of Light and Tomus 
  Hagtorn who both are immune at the 
  moment). Those who freeze will be 
  forced to immediately attempt yet a third 
  Situation roll, the crucial frostbite roll.
  Those who succeed with the frostbite 
  roll will, within a day, be afflicted with 
  gangrene. The gangrene will affect a body 
  part chosen by the Game Master, and the 
  player character will be forced to amputate 
  the damaged body part within a week or 
  die. (Feet, hands, fingers, toes, ears, and 
  noses are the areas most commonly affected 
  by frostbite). 
  However, those who fail the frostbite 
  roll will collapse, dead, in the snowstorm, 
  their body unable to withstand the cold any 
  longer. This is because they, at this point, 
  would have fully-developed gangrene 
  afflicting several body parts, and would 
  have succumbed to a very high fever.
  It has been assumed that the player 
  characters are dressed in proper clothing, 
  but in case they, for whatever reason, aren’t, 
  see the rules regarding Complications in 
  the Wild in the Game Master’s Guide. 
  If, contrary to expectations, anyone in 
  the group has protected themselves by 
  wearing superb winter clothing made from 
  mastomant fur, they will not suffer any 
  frostbite whatsoever. 
  The same goes for the player character 
  who carries the Stone of Sagas. The 
  Snowsaga stone protects against the Snow 
  Queen’s winter and from the Hrim Body 
  of giants and dragons, but not against cold 
  in general, such as that caused by vitner 
  weavers or natural winter storms. 
  The storm is so relentless that all non-
  player characters from Tomus Hagtorn’s 
  party, other than Fylkjarl Tomus himself, 
  will perish.
  Gangrene (for those with the First Aid 
  and Nursing specialty of the Care skill): 
  While the tissue dies, the victim will 
  experience intense pain. Fully developed 
  gangrene causes complete numbness in 
  the affected area. The dead tissue then 
  turns black and the differentiation between 
  since numbed fingers and toes. Ahead 
  of them, the Great Iron Mountains 
  towered menacingly, casting obscure, 
  dark shadows. The company did not, 
  however, see the little girl who stood, 
  frozen, to the side of a tree in the forest, 
  two black-feathered arrows piercing her 
  body. The dark forest surrounding the 
  road was cloaked in shadows, and from 
  a distance, a flapping raven followed 
  the group, before landing to eat from the 
  corpse…
  The player characters have now headed 
  off to overthrow the Ice Cult. Unbeknownst 
  to them, they are being lured into a trap. 
  The player characters are not meant to 
  reach the copper mines, the snowstorm is 
  meant to rob them of their lives, at least if 
  the Snow Queen gets her way. Meanwhile, 
  in Vretgaard, the cult strikes with full 
  force against all those left behind. Those 
  who were not initiated into the cult are 
  captured and taken westward to Ysetur 
  to be sacrificed. A player character who 
  succeeds with a Wilderness Skill roll (with 
  the Nature Knowledge discipline and the 
  Weatherman specialty) can determine 
  that the storm is unnatural. Regardless 
  of whether the player characters wish to 
  continue, Tomus will brave the storm and 
  do everything in his power to save his 
  children. 
  The journey from Vretgaard to the 
  copper mines is usually one day’s ride 
  or two days by foot; this time the player 
  characters travel for four days through a 
  raging snowstorm:
  Let all the player characters and the 
  Game Master attempt a Situation roll with 
  Situation value 10 (Constitution modifiers 
  apply) every 24-hour period (for four days 
  in total) from the first night when they 
  leave. Those who fail will be severely 
  affected by the cold, whereas those who 
  succeed are deemed to have gotten off easy 
  during the past day and night. The bearer 
  of the Stone of Sagas must not make this 
  roll, since the stone seems warmer and it 
  mystically protects his wearer.
  Henceforth, those who have already 
  been affected by the cold will also have 
  to attempt a Situation roll with Situation 
  value 12 (Constitution modifiers apply) 
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  72  |  act 1. time of wrath
  survive the night. Many had already 
  succumbed to the cold, and the morale 
  amongst the survivors was low. Friends 
  had been left behind to die. The light of 
  hope had long since been extinguished. 
  Suddenly, the storm died off, and they 
  found themselves standing in a quiet, 
  desolate place. They stood at the foot of 
  the Great Iron Mountains, in the middle 
  of an abandoned mining landscape. 
  Behind them, the storm raged on like 
  an unnatural wall, just as furiously as 
  it had for the last four days. Here, it 
  was warmer, and there was only a thin 
  blanket of snow. The company quickly 
  made their way out of the storm, away 
  from the biting chill, happily unaware 
  of the fact that they were not alone 
  here. A strange green glowing light cut 
  threateningly through the darkness in 
  front of them. The light seemed to waft 
  like a fog from one of the abandoned 
  copper mines, out of the main shaft, deep 
  within the earth. Dare they investigate 
  thfis new threat Once agafin, ffear fffiflfled 
  their hearts….
  appears to absorb the blood like a sponge. 
  Unfortunately, the energy emanating from 
  the dark ice has roused the Brotbeast 
  from its slumber. The beast, which was 
  meant to be used as a weapon, has instead 
  become absolutely maniacal, beyond the 
  Snow Queen’s control. When the player 
  characters arrive, it is running amok among 
  both the members of the Ice Cult and the 
  children. Half of the children are already 
  dead when the player characters enter. It is 
  up to the Game Master to decide who else 
  dies in the battle with the Brotbeast. Siris 
  has to survive, though greatly wounded, 
  and Hedar, her son, will lie dead at her feet. 
  The Child of Light must also survive the 
  fight against the Brotbeast. 
  The Copper Mines
  The 
  company 
  trudged, 
  helplessly, 
  through the storm and the meter- deep 
  snow. Darkness had just fallen and they 
  began looking for a good place to set 
  up camp. Maybe none of them would 
  the patrol. The Orkhir patrol will later 
  remain in the Darkwoods but does not 
  cross paths with the player group during 
  the campaign. The player characters are 
  meant to find tracks from them but will 
  not meet any real Orkhir until they are 
  in Ysetur.
  The same night the player characters 
  depart from Vretgaard, the Ice Cult sets 
  fire to the Hagtorn clan’s three cabins, and 
  murders many of the terrified villagers as 
  they run outside in panic. Several of the 
  adults who have yet to become initiated 
  worshippers of the Snow Queen are 
  murdered and maimed. The remaining 
  adults and children in Vretgaard who 
  were uninitiated are captured and brought 
  to Ysetur to be sacrificed in the Iron Shaft. 
  Amongst the dead there are members from 
  all the families in Vretgaard. Vretgaard is 
  now totally under the control of the Ice 
  Cult, and the plan is to make the village 
  into an outpost for followers traveling out 
  of North Hall en route to Ysetur. This 
  occurs even if the player characters stay in 
  Vretgaard, as they in that case are instead 
  taken to Ysetur as prisoners, but they 
  aren’t executed. The player characters 
  will be separated from the other captives 
  as they are brought across, and can, if the 
  Game Master wishes, be saved by the holy 
  warriors of the Tenet of Nid (more on this 
  below). 
  As the player characters struggle 
  through the storm, Siris prepares for 
  the high ritual where she is to sacrifice 
  the innocent children to her dark snow 
  goddess. The Snow Queen has promised 
  her a young body and eternal life as reward 
  for her services. The children are chained 
  to the stalagmites in the enormous hall, 
  where they await being sacrificed. Among 
  the Ice Cult are, aside from Siris, Hedar, 
  Sandra, and Lisa. Udd and Ulf have forced 
  Menja to join them, and they restrain her 
  in a tight grip as the children are sacrificed. 
  The boys hope that Menja will align 
  herself with the cult as well. Siris sacrifices 
  Menrik, Ida, and Ulv first, all of whom are 
  Anna’s children. Siris conducts the high 
  ritual by sacrificing the children of the 
  village one-by-one, beating them to death 
  with a stone, and letting the blood flow out 
  into the temple. The black ice on the floor 
  THE COPPER MINES
  Main Tunnel
  Main Tunnel
  Main Tunnel
  Main Tunnel
  Main 
  Shaft 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  73
  The main shaft consists of an enormous 
  cavern which has been dug into the 
  mountain. The lift mechanism is positioned 
  in the center of the cavern, carrying the 
  ore up to the surface. Piles of red copper 
  ore still lie around the base of the lift. A 
  mine rail runs along the main tunnels for 
  the carts, which transported the ore. Large 
  sections of the rails are still intact, and 
  with the use of a draught animal, the carts 
  could also be moved. 
  The mines are constructed in such a 
  way that along each of the main shafts, 
  operational galleries protrude in both 
  directions every ten meters. In each gallery, 
  there is a one-man shaft which leads down 
  to the so-called lower tunnels. Each shaft 
  has a rope ladder and a lift mechanism, 
  similar to the pulley systems used in 
  wells, to bring the ore up. Every fifteen 
  meters down, there is a gallery which runs 
  perpendicular to the main shaft, traveling 
  as far the miners realistically expected to 
  find ore. In order to prevent cave-ins, the 
  passages where supported by large wooden 
  pillars, but not every miner could afford 
  that.
  The mine workers staked mining claims 
  on a section of tunnel and, as a rule, 
  worked there until they died, either from 
  exhaustion or a cave-in. The miners paid 
  off their debts to the mine management 
  for the mine claim with the ore they found. 
  Thus, the mine workers did not earn any 
  money until they were completely debt-
  free, and many died before paying off what 
  they owed. On the other hand, those who 
  survived would come to earn great sums 
  of money.
  The coal mine was closed thirty full 
  seasons before the fall of the Copper 
  Kingdom. The reason for the closure 
  was, however, not due to a lack of profit, 
  but because of a terrible mining accident. 
  Coal mines are especially vulnerable to 
  what is called “mine gas”. When this 
  gas combines with air it becomes highly 
  explosive when lit, and that is exactly 
  what happened. There had obviously been 
  smaller accidents before, but this one was 
  especially devastating, as 627 miners were 
  buried under the rubble that fateful day. Of 
  all the miners who had entered the mine, 
  only three came out of it alive.
  They mined a hundred meters underground, 
  in the search for copper. At first there was only 
  one large shaft, but within a few years, three 
  had been dug. At the top of the three main 
  shafts, enormous wooden wheels had been 
  attached which powered the lift mechanism, 
  moving it up or down in the shaft. Horses 
  or oxen were used to power the enormous 
  wheels. The ore could be lifted to the surface 
  through the shaft. The pumphouses had 
  similar mechanisms, albeit smaller, which 
  transferred water-filled scoops to a chute. 
  Vital tunnels were protected against collapse 
  by thick wooden beams which supported the 
  roof. 
  The mining operation was time-
  consuming but provided great returns over 
  time when a vein was found. The workers 
  accessed the mines by narrow wooden 
  stairs that ran down the side of the lift, 
  leading down to the main shaft. Three 
  or four main tunnels, leading in opposite 
  directions, usually branch out from the 
  main shaft. The main tunnels are both 
  reinforced and stable, and usually pose no 
  threats of cave-ins.
  Copper was not the only thing 
  mined here, but also coal and sulphur as 
  by-products. The mine was composed 
  of three separate copper mines, a coal 
  mine, and a quarry. Water collected from 
  both rain and the mines was pumped 
  to a reservoir with special devices. The 
  reservoir was drained into the Highwater 
  a few times a year.
  The miners and the quarry workers 
  usually lived in spartanly constructed 
  wooden huts near their worksites. By 
  estimate, over five thousand industrious 
  miners used to live here during the prime 
  years of the Copper Kingdom. None of 
  them remain today, and of the mining 
  community, the only things to survive are 
  the abandoned dwellings.
  The place had originally just been a normal 
  quarry, which grew after the discovery of the 
  copper finds to become one of the largest 
  mines in the Stormlands. As the ore deposits 
  on the surface were exhausted, they began 
  searching further into the depths. The ore 
  which remained on the surface wasn’t good 
  enough for anything other than quarrying. 
  Main 
  Tunnel
  Working Tunnel
  Lower Tunnel
  Lower Tunnel
  Lower Tunnel
  Lower Tunnel
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  74  |  act 1. time of wrath
  clear that the collapse which opened a passage 
  into the cave occurred years ago, as the ice 
  itself is covered with rubble. The only thing 
  that appears untouched by the passage of time 
  is a gigantic pit in the middle of the debris. 
  The hole is fifteen fathoms in diameter, and 
  at least fifty meters deep. Deep scratch marks 
  along the sides of the pit bears witness to the 
  fact that something has clawed its way up from 
  underneath, something huge. Other than that, 
  the place appears to have stood untouched for 
  tens of thousands of years.
  The cave measures two hundred meters 
  in diameter and has a ceiling height of a 
  hundred meters at its highest point. Two 
  enormous tunnels lead out from the cave, 
  one to the right, and another to the left. 
  Getting up out of, or down into the 
  cave, requires a successful Agility skill 
  roll (preferably with the Body Control 
  discipline and the Jumping, Climbing and 
  Balancing specialty). Anyone who fails 
  risks falling and hurting themselves or 
  breaking a leg. The caved-in rock piles will, 
  however, cut the fall short and lessen the 
  injuries, as it never reaches a full vertical 
  drop, inflicting only 1d10 or at worst 1d10 
  (OR 10) damage. The further down the 
  player characters get, the colder it gets.
  The Game Master can choose to place a 
  negative modifier of -3 on all attacks, parries, 
  and agility-based skills on those who walk 
  on the slippery floor inside the cave. 
  If the Game Master wishes, they can make 
  the fog from the spores appear both mystical 
  and poisonous. In reality, it is innocuous, and 
  is just drawn to oxygen. However, if anyone 
  inhales the gas they might start coughing, 
  and overexposure can therefore lead to 
  death by asphyxiation. The Game Master 
  can, if they wish, choose to let one of the 
  player characters contract a strange chronic 
  illness, which means the player character 
  will suffer a persistant cough for the rest 
  of their life. This would be devastating for 
  the player character when they attempt to 
  sneak up on someone. Other symptoms 
  could include pallor, but the Game Master 
  can make most of it up on their own. 
  A player character who succeeds with a 
  Shadow Arts skill roll (preferably with the 
  Shadowing discipline and the Finding and 
  Spotting specialty) modified by -2 can hear the 
  cries of children from the tunnel to the left.
  tumble from the ceiling, making the player 
  characters believe that the tunnel is about to 
  collapse, but it withstands the tremors. Let 
  the player characters gather their wits for a 
  movement before they are suddenly startled 
  once more: somewhere in abyss before them 
  they can hear a bloodcurdling roar and 
  heavy, dragging steps (thankfully, heading 
  in the opposite direction). A hundred meters 
  further down, an earlier collapse has opened 
  a passage to a natural cave. The collapse that 
  caused this occurred nineteen years ago. This 
  is the source of the mysterious green fog. 
  The Illuminated Cave
  The rubble leads down into an illuminated 
  cave. The cave is incredibly cold for being 
  underground. Stalactites, or drip-stones, as 
  black as coal, hang frozen from the ceiling, 
  like memories from a time long gone. 
  Fluorescent light seems to pulse out from 
  spore clouds emitted at regular intervals from 
  the stalagmites on the floor. The stalagmites 
  have been infested by a fungus-like parasite, 
  which secretes a green gas, in which gives off 
  a fluorescent light. The glowing fog moves 
  as though alive, along the cave floor and up 
  towards the surface. The walls, ceiling, and 
  floor are all covered in a pitch-black ice, which, 
  when touched, causes shivers to run down 
  your spine. It is as if the rock itself has been 
  covered in a frosted layer of cold, black ice. It is 
  If the player characters travel to the mines 
  before Siris has brought the children there, 
  the mines will all be empty, and the Brotbeast 
  won’t yet have awoken. They could, however, 
  find the Snow Queen’s black temple, which 
  might give them some insight into what the 
  Ice Cult has been up to. It is easier to find the 
  cave by the fluorescent light at night, rather 
  than during the day, which is something the 
  Game Master should consider. The mining 
  complex covers a vast area, and the Game 
  Master is given a lot of creative freedom to 
  choose specific features of the area. It is up 
  to the Game Master to choose exactly where 
  the operational tunnel is located in the mining 
  complex. By so doing, the Game Master 
  can avoid frustration amongst the player 
  characters in the event that they get lost. 
  The Lower Operational Tunnel
  The green fog shines with a bright, 
  fluorescent light and emits a pungent odor, 
  reminiscent of rotten eggs. The tunnel slopes 
  downward, and only one man can fit through 
  it at a time. In places, you would have to crawl 
  or crouch down to get by. The fog lies thick, 
  along the floor, reaching knee-height. When 
  the player characters have traveled halfway 
  down the passage, they hear a strange 
  rumble, and peculiar quakes rock the tunnel. 
  All the player characters are thrown to the 
  ground by the movement. Stones and gravel 
  1
  2
  2
  1
  3
  4
  to 5
  Side
  5
  4
  to 2
   0 
  250 
  500 m 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  75
  [She screams in desperation and bows 
  her head to the altar during the fight]. 
  ”Damned you are. Fools. You are lost. 
  You can’t hide anywhere. Your fight 
  has been in vain, and it would have 
  been better for all parties if you had 
  perished in the storm as was planned 
  from the beginning. You should never 
  have survived the storm! Oh well, you 
  will soon come to die anyway, very 
  soon…” 
  [She screams, hatefully, at the player 
  characters soon after the fall of the 
  Brotbeast].
  ”Vretgaard has fallen. The families 
  are being brought to the Iron Shaft to 
  be sacrificed to the Snow Queen. There 
  is nothing that can change what will 
  happen...”
  [Scornfully].
  ”All of Wildland will fall, just as 
  Vretgaard already has. The time has 
  come. The wait is over. It is too late to 
  stop us. Ise, our true leader, has prepared 
  for her arrival for years…” 
  [Boastfully].
  ”You will never again see your beloved 
  Maria…”  [Directly aimed at the Child 
  of Light before she dies].
  Siris will try to provoke the player 
  characters into killing her, but will not 
  reveal anything else of worth, even under 
  torture. Siris plans to be a last sacrifice to 
  the Snow Queen. If the player characters 
  kill her, her blood will be absorbed by the 
  black ice and each player character must 
  attempt a Situation roll with Situation 
  Value of 14 (Psyche modifiers apply). 
  Those who fail will gradually come to 
  hear the Snow Queen’s whispers and risk 
  crossing over to the dark side. Keep in 
  mind that even the Brotbeast could be 
  considered a sacrifice.
  If the player characters inspect her body 
  they may find a bloody parchment among 
  her clothing. The parchment reads:
  as his mother Siris, cries over him. Sandra 
  and Lisa are caught in an impossible 
  battle with the Brotbeast, which attacks 
  them as they desperately fight back with 
  their wooden staves. When the player 
  characters get there, the Brotbeast is in 
  the process of swallowing them both alive. 
  The player characters are in such a close 
  proximity that they can hear how their 
  bones are crushed between the mighty 
  jaws. The boys, Udd and Ulf, lay crushed 
  and maimed on the ground, following a 
  desperate attempt to lure the Brotbeast’s 
  attention away from Menja. Menja is, in 
  vain, trying to free some of the children 
  by pounding a rock against the chains. 
  Her left arm ends in a stump, and blood 
  is spurting uncontrollably. Menja is 
  so terrified that she does not seem to 
  understand what is happening, nor that 
  she is about to bleed out. More than half 
  of the children are dead and, if the player 
  characters had taken the right tunnel or 
  have lingered anywhere unnecessarily, the 
  number of casualties will be even greater. 
  Siris sacrificed Anna’s children Menrik, 
  Ida, and Ulv first. As for the rest, it is 
  up to the Game Master to decide which 
  children die.
  Here too, the Game Master can choose 
  to place a negative modifier of -3 on all 
  attacks, parries, and agility-based skills on 
  those who walk on the slippery floor inside 
  the cave. 
  Siris must survive the Brotbeast but is 
  fatally wounded (her ribcage is crushed and 
  she is coughing blood), and her son, Hedar, 
  should lie dead at her feet. 
  Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn will also be 
  fatally wounded during the fight. The 
  Child of Light must survive the battle 
  against the beast. Use all permitted means 
  as Game Master to achieve this. 
  Siris curses the player characters, and 
  even the Snow Queen, who seems unable 
  to save her. She does, however, utter some 
  important things before she dies, drowning 
  in her own blood: 
  ”Why You who promfised me so much. 
  Why dfid you flet my son dfie I have 
  given you my soul. I have given you 
  everything. Answer me! Don’t leave me 
  to die here, alone with the infidels…” 
  The Right Tunnel
  The right tunnel leads deep underground, 
  to a labyrinthine cave system, which 
  splits into uncountable passages. This is 
  where the Brotbeast originally came from, 
  and far more evil and abominable beasts 
  still slumber in the abyss. If the player 
  characters continue down this path, they 
  will all perish. Fortunately, the player 
  characters will hear the desperate cries 
  of children and the roar of the Brotbeast 
  coming from the left tunnel before 
  they travel too far down into the abyss. 
  Hopefully, the player characters will 
  choose to save the children.
  The Left Tunnel
  The left tunnel is very similar to the 
  illuminated cave with the black ice, and the 
  mysterious fungi grows more densely here 
  than in the cave. The tunnel leads in a spiral, 
  deep down to the core of the black ice. The 
  player characters hear the same sounds as in 
  the right tunnel, but here they are closer to 
  its source. The tunnel is a thousand meters 
  long, and the Game Master can use this as a 
  guiding value when calculating the extent of 
  the devastation brought on by the Brotbeast 
  before the player characters make it down.
  The Black Temple
  The left path leads into a cavern even 
  larger than the previous one. The space 
  measures three hundred meters in diamete 
  and the ceiling height is roughly the same. 
  The structures of the two caverns are 
  very similar. The green light is far more 
  intense here, and the cavern is also lit by a 
  circle of oil lamps in the middle of the hall, 
  numbering in the twenties. 
  The children have been chained up 
  to three of the stalagmites inside of the 
  circle of lamps. The shackled children 
  were completely defenseless when the 
  Brotbeast arrived, and several of them 
  have been torn apart. On the ground, near 
  a block of black ice, the bodies of five dead 
  children lay, with a bloody stone resting 
  next to them. Blood that is shed on the 
  black ice seems to be sucked down into 
  the abyss. The followers of the Ice Cult 
  here are, aside from Siris, the leader, there 
  are also Hedar, Sandra and Lisa. The son, 
  Hedar, lays on the ground, bitten in half, 
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  76  |  act 1. time of wrath
  The letter is from Haldur to Siris. In it, 
  Haldur describes his concern regarding 
  Hakka Norim and his daughter, Maria, and 
  how they plan to get rid of their enemies. It 
  is important to note that he mentions that 
  Blodughadda is involved. By “doing the 
  kingdom” Haldur means that he will travel 
  around Wildland, preparing certain things 
  before he heads for Ysetur, via the Hunting 
  Estate. 
  After Siris dies, the player characters 
  must watch over the dying Tomus Hagtorn. 
  Right before he passes, it is as though his 
  eyes fill with an immense understanding 
  and peace. He looks at the Child of Light 
  and says:
  “The shepherd becomes the guard of 
  Koraljon, the sword has always been 
  intended for you, forgive me… my 
  doubt… cough… not until this moment, 
  did I see the truth…”.
  After having given the sword to the Child 
  of Light, Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn dies, the 
  last of his line, (or so everybody thinks, but 
  there will soon be a child born of his name, 
  the son of Tvagrid, the thrall woman) 
  alongside all the Hjelms who came on the 
  expedition. The player characters now face 
  The Return to Vretgaard
  Daylight was the first thing that they saw 
  as they neared the surface. The sun’s rays 
  gently caressed the glittering landscape, 
  and a very welcome warm light thawed 
  their frozen bodies. The events down in 
  the mine already felt foggy and distant, 
  as if their minds wanted to repress what 
  had happened and protect them from the 
  memory. But the nameless terror that they 
  had faced down in the Underworld would 
  forever remain in their darkest dreams. 
  The storm had now settled, and when 
  they saw the devastation along the Copper 
  Trail, none could fathom how anyone 
  could have survived it. The journey back 
  to Vretgaard felt heavy as they sat, heart 
  in throat. Few could forget the words 
  Siris had imparted during her final battle. 
  As they approached Vretgaard, they could 
  see ominous black smoke clouds on the 
  horizon, and they knew that which they 
  feared had come to pass… 
  The journey back to Vretgaard takes the 
  player characters only two days due to the 
  better weather. Just as Siris had predicted, 
  something terrible has happened in the 
  village. Hagtorn’s three cabins and the player 
  characters’ dwelling have all been burnt down 
  to their foundations. For at least two days, the 
  sun has beaten down on the landscape, and the 
  smell of corpses lies in the air. Most of the dead 
  appear to have been gathered and executed 
  in front of the Village Hall, but there are 
  dead bodies everywhere, mangled, maimed, 
  or sullied. The snow has been dyed red with 
  blood. The dead are people that the player 
  characters now know. Several of the bodies 
  have had their flesh removed by something 
  resembling human teeth, and just the thought 
  that cannibals had been in the village make the 
  player characters feel sick.
  Those of the Ice Cult who had been left 
  behind in the village are completely caught off 
  guard by the player characters’ arrival. Only 
  six of Norim’s sons have been left to guard 
  Vretgaard, and they will hide in the fishing 
  cabin when the player characters arrive. If the 
  player characters enter it, the Norims will use 
  a sophisticated device to demolish the entrance 
  to the catacombs. It is impossible to descend 
  into the catacombs after the entrance has been 
  yet another problem. They must take care 
  of the surviving children, as Vretgaard has 
  already been destroyed. The Brotbeast will 
  not cease its attacks until everyone in the 
  room is dead, or the beast itself has been 
  slain. The nonplayer characters will now take 
  an active role in the battle and are also among 
  the first victims the Brotbeast chooses. As 
  Game Master, you should try to keep the 
  casualties among the player characters low. 
  The Brotbeast, which has never encountered 
  ice before, faces great difficulties moving 
  around in the large cavern with its slippery 
  floor. The Game Master can certainly choose 
  to let it slide by one of the player characters 
  uncontrollably. The Brotbeast is heavy and 
  finds it difficult to stop once it has gained 
  some speed. The player characters who try 
  to take advantage of this as a tactical benefit 
  should be rewarded for their innovation. 
  The Game Master can choose to lead the 
  player characters on further adventures and 
  treasure hunts through the copper mines, but 
  keep in mind that this might distract from the 
  real campaign. Otherwise, the copper mines 
  will still be there, and can be revisited at a 
  later date. Moreover, the player characters 
  have now found a link between the horrors 
  of the Underworld and the copper mines in 
  Wildland.
  ”Dear S.
  The time is now come. The first snow has fallen and I can feel Her presence stronger 
  than ever before. The Fimbulwinter is here to stay.
  Only the strangers could upset our plans, and it would be best if they could depart 
  from our company in ignorance. They obviously do not really pose a threat to us, but 
  someone might miss them if they were gone, and we certainly do not need any more 
  inquisitors from Jordek.
  If persuasion doesn’t work, we will have to deal with the strangers together with 
  the other finfffidefls. Coufld we get rfid off aflfl our probflems fin one ffeflfl swoop Wfishffufl 
  thinking, to be sure, but it might work. Instead of taking the thralls from North Hall 
  to the high ritual, we will take the children. The infidels will track us like bloodhounds 
  and perish in the storm that follows. Vretgaard would be left defenseless and we will 
  have won. The Snow Queen will love us. She has also whispered of the children’s 
  innocence and their sacrifice would be the very greatest. Think about it. The only 
  one who bothers me is “you-know-who”. He is keeping something from us, and even 
  from his sons. One moment his daughter seems to be on our side, and in the very next 
  she seems allied to the strangers. He seems to know more than we do, and I saw him, 
  deep in conversation with the frost giant again. Something bigger has been put into 
  motion. I can’t write more in this letter, but we must speak more on this, without you-
  know-who listening.
  Wait for me at the hunting estate after you have performed the high ritual, and I 
  will come once I have done the kingdom. I’ll see you in a few months.
  H.”
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  77
  their lives hang by a thread, and several of 
  them will be dead before they reach Ysetur. 
   While the executions are happening, 
  two Norim sons break into Hakka’s 
  secret cabin, and imprison Linn Norim. 
  Linn is taken by surprise while asleep 
  and is almost beaten to death. The three 
  of them then head on foot to the Cliff of 
  Askyr, to sacrifice her. 
   Linn is kept in iron shackles and has had 
  both of her eyes removed. This is entirely 
  against Hakka Norim’s wishes, and the 
  two sons are now acting in the interest 
  of the Snow Queen. Hakka thinks that his 
  wife has been taken safely to Arkland.
   Alrik and Veurd Ouvar, alongside 
  four Norim sons, leave soon after the 
  executions, heading directly to Ysetur 
  on sleighs pulled by wolfhounds. They 
  transport meat from the slaughtered 
  animals and thralls with them. 
   Haldur Ouvar, his wife Indra, and their 
  youngest son, Anton, leave for Storhavn 
  by way of North Hall. Tvagrid, the 
  thrall woman carrying Hagtorn’s son 
  and heir in her womb, joins them. 
   Haldur’s family and Tvagrid are put on a 
  boat leading to Ejdland. Tvagrid holds real 
  papers stating that her child is a Hagtorn 
  and the son of Fylkjarl Tomus. Haldur does 
  not get the boat since, after accompanying 
  his family in Storhavn, he leaves going 
  inland. Haldur will be in Ysetur before the 
  player characters get there. Haldur often 
  travels in his werewarg form, and the Snow 
  Queen hastens his pace.
   The remaining members of the Ice Cult all 
  head toward the hunting estate, together 
  with the imprisoned children who are 
  kept in chains. They travel by foot. The 
  cult brings with them everything of value 
  that they find in Vretgaard. They have 
  even brought horses with them to carry 
  the gear. Tor and Bodvar Hagtorn lead 
  the group. Sote the thrall, who survived 
  the attack, managed to hide in the cellar 
  of an abandoned house. He has not dared 
  move a muscle ever since. But, if he hears 
  the voice of one of the player characters, 
  he will rush out.
   The forest troll who lives under the 
  bridge has dared venture all the way to 
  the Village Hall and has gnawed on the 
  dead bodies that lie there.
  field are left alive. Thralls and cows alike 
  get their throats slit, mainly by Tvagrid 
  or Haldur. The oxen and frost boars are 
  brought down by Tor and Bodvar, using 
  pikes and spears. The bodies of both 
  animals and thralls are then dismembered 
  and cut into smaller pieces to be brought 
  to Ysetur, the animals as food for the Ice 
  Cult, and the thralls to feed the Orkhir. 
   Remi Sorva has pledged to give the 
  Snow Queen all his children who have 
  yet to turn twenty. The rest of his family 
  are already initiated into the cult, so 
  no force is required to corral the ten 
  children to the execution ground by the 
  Village Hall. Sorva’s children are forced 
  to watch the executions of the adults, as 
  are the children from the other families. 
   The initiated Norims bring their family 
  members who aren’t yet in the cult to the 
  execution ground. The uninitiated are 
  Aina, one of Hakka’s wives, seven youths 
  and children from the ages of ten to 
  seventeen, as well as three daughters and 
  one son (Eldran) over the age of twenty. 
  Following closely behind the family are 
  twelve emaciated thralls who do not appear 
  to have been fed in days. The Norims wait 
  patiently as Alrik Ouvar attempts to sort 
  out the intoxicated mercenary soldiers, 
  following which the executions of the 
  uninitiated can commence. Alrik carries 
  out the executions with his axe in quick 
  succession, and the chopping block is 
  entirely drenched in the blood of those led 
  to their deaths. 
   The only Norim put through a lengthy 
  execution is Eldran who stands proudly, 
  glaring scornfully at the whole spectacle. 
  Eldran loudly condemns their actions and 
  is the only one in all of Vretgaard who 
  dares stand up to the persecutors. To serve 
  as an example, Eldran is mutilated and left 
  to bleed out. Not once does he scream 
  from the pain, and his loathing eyes never 
  leave Alrik, the executioner. Eldran Norim 
  will return from the dead to bring Alrik 
  Ouvar with him to the realm of death. 
   None of the children are killed this 
  night, but their fates are already sealed, 
  as they will be brought to Ysetur to be 
  sacrificed in the Iron Shaft. 
   Ouvar’s thralls are the only ones kept alive 
  despite not being Ice Worshippers, but 
  demolished. The Norim sons will then shadow 
  the player characters to the hunting estate, and 
  later try to send a scout ahead to warn anyone 
  there of the player characters’ approach. 
  The Ice Cult has plundered the city of 
  valuables, weapons, and food. The animals 
  have been slaughtered, and the meat has been 
  taken by the cult. It all began with the Ice 
  Cult torching a few houses and systematically 
  executing villagers not affiliated with the cult. 
  This is what has happened:
   During the night, Blodughadda arrives 
  in Vretgaard with a Jarngarm. Haldur 
  Ouvar and Hakka Norim go to meet 
  him, and the three of them begin to plan 
  the attack. Tasks are assigned, and the 
  other members of the Ice Cult in the 
  village are woken up according to the 
  pre-existing plan, and gather in front of 
  the Village Hall, clad in full armor.
   Hakka 
  Norim 
  secretly 
  speaks 
  to 
  Blodughadda about his daughter Maria. 
  Together they both immediately leave 
  for Ysetur, with Maria Norim as their 
  prisoner, before the attack even begins. 
  In Ysetur, Ise, Blodughadda, and Hakka 
  Norim (albeit reluctantly) agree that 
  Maria must be sacrificed before she has 
  the opportunity to cause any damage.
   The 
  Hagtorns’ 
  three 
  cabins 
  are 
  attacked with full force. Haldur Ouvar 
  and his brothers, and the Hagtorn Ice 
  worshippers, Tor and Bodvar, are among 
  the attackers, as are the seven intoxicated 
  mercenary soldiers who had been living 
  in the catacombs under the Norims’ cabin. 
   The houses are torched and all exits 
  guarded. Those who run outside are 
  knocked down and shackled or killed on the 
  spot if they resist. Adults and any remaining 
  children are led to the Village Hall. The 
  thralls are led behind the buildings, down 
  to where the cows are kept. 
   If, contrary to expectations, any of the 
  player characters or any of the Hjelms 
  had remained in Vretgaard, the same fate 
  will befall their cabins. However, none of 
  the player characters are executed, and 
  they are instead taken captive. 
   The thralls and cows are immediately 
  slaughtered by Haldur, Tor, Bodvar, and 
  Tvagrid the thrall woman. None in the 
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  78  |  act 1. time of wrath
  journey, during which the player characters risk 
  frostbite. The storm only lasts for one day.
  Not only do the Ice Cult have a few days lead 
  on the player characters, but the Snow Queen 
  is also making the journey more comfortable 
  for her loyal subjects. Count on the Ice Cult’s 
  journey taking the same unmodified rate as 
  if it had been bare ground, to twice that. It is 
  therefore unlikely that the player characters 
  catch up with any of the cult members.
  The old road cuts south-west along the 
  outer boundaries of the Darkwoods, and 
  the player characters can see the plains of 
  Rihmfield to their right and the shadowy 
  forest of the Darkwoods to their left.
  The main benefit of the player characters 
  leaving the Darkwoods would be that a lot 
  of wild game can be spotted in Rihmfield. 
  Rihmfield is the hunting grounds of the 
  Hrim Trolls, but the player characters are 
  unaware of this. As Game Master, let them see 
  some mastomants out on the plains, mingling 
  with the large herds of reindeer. The hungry 
  player characters could easily fell one or 
  two reindeer, providing they have ranged 
  weapons. All of them will eat until they are 
  properly full, and this will be a welcome 
  break in the otherwise difficult grind of the 
  journey. The Hrim Trolls will not discover 
  the player characters’ infringement this time, 
  but make sure they realize that this is almost 
  too good to be true.
  Rurik, Meldor and Salak
  Before the player characters have made it 
  to the Hunting Estate, they will run across 
  some disguised knights of the Tenet of 
  Nid, the same three that they encountered 
  in Storhavn. If the player characters 
  recognize the knights from Storhavn, it 
  will only make them more suspicious.
  They meet at a fork in the road, where 
  Hyttsten lays to the east, Vretgaard to the 
  northeast, and the King’s Outlook to the 
  west. The knights are named Rurik, Meldor, 
  and Salak. They had planned to join a group 
  of worshippers along the road in order to 
  infiltrate the Ice Cult from within. The 
  knights are obviously unaware that the player 
  characters aren’t members of the cult, and vice 
  versa. As the player characters journey along 
  the road, the knights pretend to be heading 
  in the same direction. Rurik suggests that the 
  player characters lead the way for the group.
   Tor and Bodvar asked for the directions 
  to the Hunting Estate, and Haldur replied 
  that they should just follow the old road. He 
  continued to say that if they had ever seen a 
  horse, they would recognize the place, after 
  which he chuckled loudly. Haldur appeared 
  to be the leader of the three. The bearer of 
  the Stone of Sagas will inexplicably feel the 
  urge of following these men. 
   After that, some villagers (see above 
  for details) and seven unfamiliar men 
  torched Hagtorn’s three houses, and 
  those who ran out were either captured 
  or beaten to death.
   With dread in his voice, Sote describes 
  how his father, Greld, had his throat cut 
  by Tvagrid; the rest of the thralls met the 
  same fate soon thereafter. The thralls were 
  then butchered alongside the animals, and 
  the meat was placed into large sleighs.
   At the same time, Alrik was executing 
  other villagers by the Village Hall. Only 
  the children were spared. The children, 
  together with some of Ouvar’s thralls, 
  were led westward after the massacre. 
  Toward Unknown Lands
  All the tracks from the perpetrators seem 
  to point west, towards the Hunting Estate. 
  It is extremely important that the player 
  characters meet Sote, and if they choose not 
  to poke around in Vretgaard, they will instead 
  find Sote alongside road. This is important 
  because Sote was in Vretgaard when the Ice 
  Cult attacked, and he has a rough idea of what 
  happened. If they meet Sote by the side of the 
  road, he will have fled from Vretgaard, just 
  prior to the player characters’ arrival. 
  The journey to the Hunting Estate follows 
  the old road. The Game Master can choose 
  to double or even triple the player characters’ 
  traveling time, to simulate the experience of 
  traveling through snow. Horses will not be of 
  any help, as even when riding, they too can 
  only travel at a walking pace.
  Thus, the journey between Vretgaard and 
  the Hunting Estate takes the player characters 
  about 20 days through a winter that continues 
  to get progressively colder. Unbeknownst to 
  them, the player characters are being followed 
  by the six Norims who are tracking them. 
  It is mostly sunny, with clear skies, with only 
  one major snowstorm throughout the entire 
  The Game Master can choose to let 
  the player characters find a thing or two 
  left behind in Vretgaard, as they search for 
  survivors. Particularly, the player characters’ 
  food supply will likely need replenishing. 
  If the player characters choose to clean the 
  animal cadavers left by the ruins of Hagtorn’s 
  cabins, the meat should last for seventy days’ 
  worth of rations. If the player characters 
  rescue Sote, he will be eternally grateful. 
  Sote knows the following:
   Sote managed to hide in the cellar of 
  one of the houses that had already been 
  searched. Someone kicked the door in on 
  the upper floor, and Sote hadn’t dared to 
  move since, not until he heard the player 
  characters’ voices outside.
   Take note that many of the player 
  characters may be suspicious of Sote, 
  thinking him to be a member of the Ice 
  Cult, but that is not the case. Sote is a good 
  person, who does everything in his power 
  to help the player characters get revenge 
  on those who destroyed Vretgaard. Sote 
  would be willing to lead the children south 
  to safety, if he were equipped with money, 
  food, and a sleigh for the children. 
   Sote was out in the yard with the boars, as 
  they had been restless and causing a ruckus 
  throughout the night, when he suddenly 
  heard strange voices. As he looked up he 
  saw Hakka Norim ride off on a huge “wolf” 
  (actually a Jarngarm). The priestess Maria 
  was also on the “wolf”, shackled. Hakka 
  was speaking to a giant who was walking 
  next to the “wolf”. They were not speaking 
  a human tongue.
   Soon after the giant had left Vretgaard with 
  Hakka, Sote heard other voices coming 
  from the homestead. It was Tor and Bodvar 
  Hagtorn who, together with Haldur Ouvar, 
  were planning “something” that was about 
  to happen. Haldur said that more than half 
  of the village were loyal followers to the 
  Snow Queen, whoever that was. 
   The “imbeciles” were to be eradicated on 
  this night, they said. The children were 
  going to be brought westward to the 
  Hunting Estate while they decided what 
  to do with them, and the adults were to 
  be executed in Vretgaard, such were the 
  orders given by someone called “Ise”.
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  79
  of the Untamed in Wildland, something 
  which no Wildlander has chosen to do. 
  These knights are here to act as potential 
  allies for the player characters, helping them 
  in the many combats and difficulties which 
  they are bound to meet. However, if the 
  players are so irrational not to understand 
  this advantage, make the presence of hostile 
  knights be a hassle for them. 
  Jarnrytti—The Hunting 
  Estate
  During his short but intense tenure as 
  Paater, Paater Vjal Avlotsbarn, son of Paater 
  Storgeir Avlotsbarn, built five temples 
  scattered throughout the Stormlands’ barren 
  wilderness. The temples together were 
  known as the “Torch Towers”, and they were 
  erected as outposts for the notoriously hard-
  line conversion campaigns of the Order of the 
  Iron Hand, when the various nations of the 
  Stormlands were to become a unified country 
  called the “East Vammel” kingdom.
  The knights briefly explain that they come 
  from the land of Silvtronder, at the other 
  end of Trudvang. The neighboring country, 
  Fjaal, is preparing an extensive rearmament, 
  and the whole region is on the verge of war. 
  In connection to all this, some copper plates 
  depicting parts of an old prophecy have been 
  found. The prophecy seems to speak of a 
  time uncannily similar to the present day and 
  foretells the end of the world. A part of the 
  prophecy concerned the East, which was why 
  the knights had been sent by the mighty Ovus 
  himself to investigate the situation. The knights 
  need all the allies they can get in their fight 
  against evil. They carry with them parchment 
  rubbings of some of the copper plates:
   They have verses 9, 11, 14, 19, 21, 22, 23 
  and 24 of Norna’s prophecy. 
  The knights do not know anything 
  about the Ice Cult, other than the fact that 
  they sacrifice people. They could, however, 
  tell the player characters about the Time 
  The knights claim to be mercenary 
  soldiers and that they hail from Ejdland. 
  However, they don’t know particularly much 
  about Ejdland, so they only answer yes or no 
  to questions. Otherwise they are extremely 
  quiet. Every time one of the player characters 
  says a single word or a name, they notice how 
  the knights perk up, as if they either suspect 
  something or are extremely curious.
  They are dressed in thick clothes ((PV/BV 
  4/40, Heft 6, MM -2 m. IM -2, immune to the 
  “Hrim body” ability of certain creatures), which 
  give them thorough protection from the cold. 
  It’s clear that they are rich, as all the weapons 
  and equipment they carry are brand new and 
  of the very highest quality. It is impossible to 
  avoid seeing their armor or the heavy weapons 
  which peek out from their sleighs.
  They have brought with them twelve 
  wild hens, who are crowded into small 
  cages. Each day, one hen is “sacrificed” and 
  then eaten by the hungry knights. All to 
  resemble the Ice Cult. 
  Truth be told, the knights look nothing 
  like normal ice worshippers, but it is up to 
  the player characters to figure that out and 
  divulge their true intentions so that the 
  two groups can begin to work together.
  The 
  knights 
  believe 
  the 
  player 
  characters to be cultists and their objective 
  is to attempt to blend in with the player 
  characters’ “worshipping clan” as best they 
  can, and an observant player character 
  can tell that the knights imitate the player 
  characters’ actions and behaviors.
  Before they reach the Hunting Estate, the 
  knights will attempt to murder the player 
  characters in their sleep in order to assume 
  their identities. If the player characters at 
  this point still haven’t figured out what is 
  happening, the knights could shout:
  “By Gave, prepare to meet your dark ice 
  Goddess!”
  “Gave protects us from your dark powers!”
  “In the name of Gave, we shall prevail!”
  If the player characters still do not 
  think it is the right time to explain who 
  they truly are, they will be forced to fight 
  three Knights of the Rowthguard (Rurik, 
  Meldor, and Salak), who are working 
  toward the same goal as the player 
  characters. 
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  80  |  act 1. time of wrath
  The Routines in the Tower
  At night everything is still and quiet in 
  the tower. Most are sleeping, and no one 
  is expecting any visitors. Following the 
  sacrificial rites in the temple at dusk, most 
  of the tower’s inhabitants stay awake for a 
  couple more hours. In the morning, most 
  get up and gather in the temple to begin 
  the sacrifices.
  The only ones standing guard at 
  night are Ulgar’s hirdmen, who tend to 
  the fires, ensuring that they stay lit until 
  morning. They patrol one-by-one,but will 
  immediately alert the others if they see any 
  intruders during the night.
  If anyone in the tower meets the 
  player characters during the day, they 
  will be surprised and ask what the player 
  characters are doing there. They are 
  expecting more cult members and will at 
  first think that the player characters are 
  such. If any of the player characters are 
  carrying visible weapons (in their hands), 
  the residents of the tower immediately 
  Ulvarsfiell — The Hunting 
  Estate Today
  Jarnrytti is today known as “Ulvarsfiell” and 
  belongs to the Blueax clan. Ulvarsfiell is lead 
  and organized by Njordung’s hardened half-
  brother Ulgar, and his two hired henchmen, 
  the Wildbrons, Grumve and Grymvilt, who 
  have both become zealous ice worshippers. 
  When the player characters arrive at the 
  tower, there are also six warriors from 
  Ulgar’s hird, two families, both with a father 
  and mother and two children. There is also 
  a thrall woman in the tower who cooks for 
  those who live there. 
  Only the rooms in use are described 
  below; the remaining areas are either 
  empty or can be used by the Game Master 
  as they see fit. 
  During the day the main gate to the 
  tower is open and unlocked. The little 
  door around back is always locked, as is the 
  balcony door on the second floor. At night, 
  the main gate is also kept locked. 
  One of the Torch Towers loomed 
  over the others. It was the one known 
  as “Jarnrytti”, and it had been built by 
  dwarves. Paater Vjal Avlotsbarn did 
  not spare any expense when he hired 
  the dwarves’ most skilled stonemasons 
  to chisel the mighty Jarnrytti out of a 
  single stone block. Creating Jarnrytti 
  took the dwarves three years, but when 
  it stood completed, it was an impressive 
  outpost in the inhospitable domains of 
  the Great Iron Mountains and the Great 
  Ice Plains. 
  There were never more than twenty 
  Iron Hand riders at the outpost at any 
  given time, but word of these tough men 
  spread quickly throughout the northern 
  regions of Wildland. It was said that for 
  a period, there had not been a single troll 
  within three days march from the tower. 
  Maintaining the outpost and supplying 
  it with both men and equipment was 
  extremely costly. When Vjal Avlotsbarn 
  died, less than ten years after the 
  construction was complete, the outpost 
  was abandoned, save for rare expeditions 
  to see to its maintenance.
  In time, the outpost came to be a 
  haunt for untethered hirdmen and 
  outcasts who lived in Wildland. It was 
  not until Hrungel Blueax, Njordung 
  Blueax’s paternal grandfather, cleared 
  the tower out and upgraded it that it 
  become a well-visited strategic post 
  once more. Hrungel was one of the 
  most famous mastomant-hunters in all 
  of Wildland, and he used the tower as a 
  hunting estate for himself and his men 
  where they spent long periods of time 
  away from their homesteads, hunting 
  mastomants up north. Jarnrytti has been 
  used by the Blueax family for hunting 
  ever since. 
  When Njordung, as self-appointed 
  leader of the Ice Cult, started gathering 
  forces to him, he decided to use Jarnrytti as 
  an outpost, sending some of the cult there 
  to draw up plans and ideas for conquering 
  Wildland. Jarnrytti also functions as a 
  lay-by for all the cult members being called 
  to Ysetur. They gather their strength in 
  Jarnrytti for a day or two before embarking 
  on the last difficult leg of their journey to 
  Ysetur.
  Level 3 
  JARNRYTTI - ULVARSFIELL
  Level 2 
  Level 6 
  Level 5 
  Level 4 
  Level 1 
  Lookout 
      Point
  Basement
  1 
  10 
  14 
  7 
  13 
  12
  11 
  9
  8
  5 
  4 
  2
  3
  6
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  81
  differently depending on how the player 
  characters look and act. Player characters 
  who come in bearing arms, looking 
  threatening, will be attacked right away. 
  As long as Ulgar is physically inside the 
  room with the black ice, the Snow Queen 
  will do everything within her power to 
  help him if he ends up fighting the player 
  characters. (Read more about Ulgar 
  below). If the player characters enter with 
  their weapons sheathed, generally looking 
  bewildered, Ulgar will ask them what they 
  are doing here and where they are from. He 
  will assume that their answer will be that 
  they are Ice Worshippers on their way to 
  Ysetur, and any other answer will cause 
  him to attack.
  Ulgar is Njordung’s half-brother. He is 
  one of the few Ice Worshippers who have 
  been endowed with the Snow Queen’s 
  powers, and as long as he keeps giving 
  her offerings, she will keep helping Ulgar, 
  granting him her blessing and powers, to 
  be used as a Ice Blotpriest. Ulgar is one of 
  the most zealous members of the Ice Cult 
  and, aside from Njordung, he is the one who 
  quantitatively sacrifices the most and the 
  most often to the Snow Queen. He helped 
  his half-brother Njordung to resurrect the 
  Ice Cult and has met Blodughadda several 
  times. Ulgar knows that Blodughadda is 
  preparing an attack on Wildland with his 
  army of orkhir, but he doesn’t know when, 
  or exactly how they plan to conquer the 
  free folk of Wildland. 
  On the ground under the iron ring, where 
  the block of ice is located, there is a concealed 
  trapdoor. A secret passage leads from the 
  2. Guardroom
  The room functions as a guardroom. One 
  of Ulgar’s Wildbrons always stands guard 
  here during the day, with another guard 
  being located at the lookout. At night they 
  both sleep in this room. A landing leads 
  up to two narrow windows which face the 
  front of the tower. 
  4. Bathing room and Latrine
  By the southern wall of the room there are 
  three copper drums with wooden lids. The 
  drums function as toilets and are full of 
  excrement. By the north wall there are two 
  large copper bathtubs. The bathtubs have 
  not been used recently.
  5. Storeroom
  Hunting 
  trophies 
  clutter 
  the 
  entire 
  storeroom. When the tower was being 
  organized to prepare for the Ice Cult, all 
  the skulls and hides that were mounted 
  throughout the tower (aside form those in 
  the trophy room) were removed and put 
  here. Njordung did not dare to throw them 
  out and asked for them to be put away.
  If a player characters are observant and 
  take the time to look, they will find an 
  entire Brotbeast skeleton in the storeroom. 
  Identifying the remains as that of a 
  Brotbeast requires a successful Knowledge 
  skill roll with the Race Knowledge 
  discipline (preferably with the Monster 
  Lore specialty).
  6. The Temple
  The stairs lead down to a typical Gerbanian 
  temple. The room is circular. Wooden 
  benches form a circle around an enormous 
  iron ring that hangs from the ceiling by 
  two chains. A statue depicting Stormi lays, 
  broken, on the floor. The floor under the 
  iron ring is bloody, and a block of black ice, 
  the size of a human head, lays in the middle 
  of the blood. Black frost covers the walls, 
  floor, and ceiling. 
  The Game Master can choose to place a 
  negative modifier of -3 on all attacks, parries, 
  and agility-based skills on those who walk 
  on the slippery floor within the hall. 
  The bodies of three animals have been 
  tossed aside along the west wall, their 
  heads crushed in. Ulgar is inside the room, 
  kneeling by the ice block. Ulgar will react 
  realize that they have unwanted company 
  and alert the others as quickly as possible. 
  During the day, three of Ulgar’s hird are 
  out in the forest, inspecting and emptying 
  their traps.
  If the player characters wait for more 
  than 24 hours to enter the tower, the six 
  Norim sons who have been tracking the 
  player characters will beat them to it and 
  will have time to warn Ulgar. On top of the 
  tower’s current defenses, they have now 
  having gained six archers. Ulgar would 
  also be prepared to destroy any evidence of 
  the Ice Cult if the player characters intrude. 
  The Game Master should think about how 
  long Ulgar waits to destroy the evidence, 
  and in what order he does so. The Norim 
  sons never fight to the death, instead using 
  cowardly and insidious tactics with their 
  arrows. If Jarnrytti falls, they will flee, and 
  at least one of them will attempt to warn 
  Ysetur. 
  If the player characters act right away, 
  the Norim sons will arrive soon after the 
  player characters have finished searching 
  through Jarnrytti. The archers would 
  then lay in ambush outside the tower as 
  the player characters exit. Here too, the 
  Norim sons will avoid fighting to the death, 
  choosing instead to flee. 
  1. Hallway and Trophy Room
  A considerable number of skulls and tusks 
  adorn all the walls of the room. Two 
  enormous tusks hang, forming a cross, on 
  the furthest wall, and above them, a banner 
  with two bearded axes on a blood red 
  background. A worn stone spiral staircase 
  leading upstairs runs along the north-
  eastern wall. A player character with the 
  Nature Knowledge discipline (preferably 
  with the Zoology specialty) can, with a 
  successful Wilderness skill roll, see that 
  most of the skulls belong to different kinds 
  of wolfkin. The enormous cranium of a 
  mastomant covers most of the western wall. 
  The room used to function as a bunker 
  when the Order of the Iron Hand used 
  it. The entrance was easier to defend as 
  they could meet potential attackers as 
  they ascended the staircase one-by-one. 
  Since the Blueax clan started to use it as a 
  hunting estate, the room has functioned as 
  a trophy room. 
  Ulgar
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  82  |  act 1. time of wrath
  the bed hang two rabbits that Ulgar has 
  sacrificed. Their blood has dried on the 
  wall.
  In a little chest which Ulgar keeps under 
  the bed, there are two parchments. One is a 
  map depicting the route to Ysetur (it may 
  be a good idea for the Game Master to draw 
  up a simple map to refer to based on those 
  in the campaign). The other parchment 
  contains a long list of names. Ulgar got 
  the list from Njordung, and roughly half 
  of the names have an ‘x’ before them. The 
  ‘x’ indicates that they aren’t members of 
  the Ice Cult, and that they therefore can be 
  sacrificed. 
  Next to the chest there is a wardrobe 
  containing a winter coat made of mastomant 
  fur. It fits Ulgar, who is large man. The 
  mastomant clothes protect not only against 
  normal cold, but also the against the effect 
  of the so-called “hrim body” that surrounds 
  both the Hrim Trolls and the Hrimtursir. 
  They do, however, weigh twice as much 
  regular clothes (Heft 6, MM -2 m, IM -2), 
  even if they somehow protect like armor, 
  with PV/BV 4/40. 
  [A player character who succeeds with 
  a Shadow Arts skill roll (preferably with 
  the Shadowing discipline and the Finding 
  and Spotting specialty) and who has seen 
  the parchment from Njordung that Ulgar 
  keeps with him, will see that this is penned 
  by the same person.]
  The chest also holds a silver symbol. 
  The symbol is the combined symbol for 
  the powers of the maelstrom. This is also 
  the symbol that the evil powers will gather 
  under when the war begins in earnest later 
  in the campaign. It is the size of a human 
  palm, and has a bracket, allowing for it to 
  be attached to a staff. The symbol is known 
  as  the “Black Sun”, and is the same symbol 
  that Huld wore as a necklace. 
  to their plans. In his dreams, he can vaguely 
  see a hazy image of Maria. He could not 
  recognize her or describe her beyond the 
  fact that she is beautiful and has long black 
  hair. This is the woman from his dreams 
  that he wrote Ulgar about.
  7. The Big Common Room
  A sturdy table of polished black oak covers 
  a large portion of the room. Fourteen chairs 
  made of the same type of wood encircle the 
  oval table. A large throne, made entirely 
  out of stone, stands along the north wall. 
  The back of the throne is decorated with an 
  impressive iron ring, with the inscription 
  “Our faith in Stormi is strong” in Vrok . 
  The room is empty most of the day. 
  It is used as a dining hall, and Ulgar, his 
  Wildbrons, and hird gather here three 
  times a day to consume their meals. This 
  happens at dawn, before they journey to the 
  temple for sacrificial rites; at lunch, before 
  some of the hirdmen leave to inspect and 
  empty their trap; and at dusk, after they 
  have performed their sacrificial ceremony 
  in the temple. However, it is obviously up 
  to the Game Master to decide exactly when 
  there are people in the room.
  8. Kitchen
  The room is filled with iron pots and 
  cookware. The thrall woman Truti is here 
  essentially all day and night. When not 
  cooking, she sleeps on a small rug made of 
  leather by the fireplace. Truti is the only 
  one at the Hunting Estate who is not a 
  member of the Ice Cult. 
  She has very little to tell. Her Vrok is 
  very poor, her Rona being far better, as she 
  originally was a prisoner of war brought 
  here by Ulgar after one of his conquering 
  expeditions out west a few years ago. The 
  only thing she can share is that she was 
  brought here around two months ago, on 
  Ulgar’s command, and has been stationed 
  in the kitchen ever since, cooking for Ulgar 
  and his men.
  9. Dormitory
  The room is Ulgar’s bedroom and reading 
  room. This is where he spends all his time 
  when not in the temple. The room contains 
  a roughly crafted bed filled with straw, 
  a small writing table, and a stool. Above 
  trapdoor to a place roughly a hundred 
  meters away from the hunting estate. The 
  passage ends in a little iron door, which can 
  only be opened from the inside. The door 
  is in the forest, and is extremely difficult to 
  spot if you aren’t aware that it is there. The 
  secret passage has never needed to be used, 
  but it was intended as an escape route. None 
  in the tower know about its existence. A 
  successful Shadow Arts skill roll (preferably 
  with the Shadowing discipline and the 
  Finding and Spotting specialty) is needed to 
  discover the trap door.
  Ulgar possess a parchment with a 
  message on it. The message is from 
  Njordung and it reads:
  Brother and Worshipper. Soon the 
  eternal winter will be here. The 
  giant has given us new hope. Let us 
  not falter now that we have the goal 
  of our dreams within reach. I saw 
  her in my dreams this night. Sharpen 
  your senses; she may be near. The 
  giant speaks of her as a destroyer, as 
  one who wishes to foil our plans. 
  We have bought a strong loyalty 
  from the Arks but keep that secret 
  from your Wildbrons. You know how 
  they hate each other. Our plans will 
  be realized in Ysetur, and I hope we 
  will meet there. It is a beautiful thing 
  to witness, so impenetrable and yet so 
  inviting. When we meet there, I shall 
  tell you the story of how it was built.
  Keep your eyes on the sword 
  Koraljon and its carrier. Let them be 
  sacrificed if you think that they may 
  pose a threat.
  Do not forget! Offer sacrifices 
  every day, or it will cost you! With 
  my very own eyes I have seen our 
  queen rip apart those who have lost 
  the faith. Children or women, none 
  are too unworthy. Sacrifice your 
  own, and those closest to you if you 
  need to. Remember, our dreams are 
  coming true.
  Ise.
  Through 
  the 
  Snow 
  Queen 
  and 
  Blodughadda, Njordung has learnt of the 
  existence of a woman in Wildland who 
  possess a power that could be devastating 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  83
  Towards Ysetur
  Ysetur loomed threateningly over the little 
  company, like a wedge between the Great 
  Iron Mountains’ peaks — a guardian to the 
  North. At first, the tower appeared desolate 
  and abandoned, without any trace of life. 
  The closer the company got to it, however, 
  the stronger their feeling of weariness and 
  disgust became, and they had the constant 
  sense of being watched by unseen eyes. It was 
  as though Ysetur sat upon an awful secret. 
  As if the Gods themselves had forsaken it, 
  and the company were completely alone 
  in exploring its horrors. Despite all their 
  senses and feelings screaming at them to 
  turn around, without rhyme or reason, and 
  against all better judgment, they carried 
  on. With heavy steps, they kept walking 
  towards their goal in the cold winter 
  night… 
  The road to Ysetur passes through 
  the Hrim Trolls’ territory. Most of the 
  Ice Cult’s members who traveled toward 
  Ysetur have not only had to face the 
  emotional discomfort of the area but have 
  also found themselves prey to the infamous 
  Hrim Trolls. When the Hrim Trolls are 
  hungry, they like to find smaller companies 
  of humans to pursue, kill, and later, 
  consume. Signs of the Hrim Trolls’ feasts 
  can be found scattered along the road.
  The 
  player 
  characters 
  journey 
  northwest from the Hunting Estate, and 
  the last leg to Ysetur, takes them about 20 
  days. Take note that up to 40-50 days have 
  now passed since the player characters left 
  Vretgaard, and winter has now hit at full 
  strength. There isn’t the slightest sign 
  even remotely suggesting that summer 
  will ever return. The player characters are 
  very far from home. There is a lot of game 
  by the road, and the player characters will 
  have fully stocked food supplies when they 
  reach Ysetur. Bringing down a mastomant 
  requires both spears and arbalests, which 
  the Tenet of Nid knights have. The main 
  reason why it is so easy to find prey is the 
  large, open, spaces. The herds of reindeer 
  wander freely along the King’s Valley, 
  constantly in search of new pastures. The 
  mastomants provide the player characters 
  with both meat and warm clothing.
  Today, the room holds all the members 
  of the Ice Cult who are resting for a day 
  or two on their way to Ysetur. When the 
  player characters arrive at the Hunting 
  Estate, the room holds the two families 
  with their children. The men from both 
  families will react the same as the tower’s 
  other inhabitants if the player characters 
  come through the door. If they think that 
  the player characters belong to the Ice 
  Cult, they will receive a warm welcome, 
  otherwise they will have to fight for their 
  lives.
  12. Storeroom
  The room functions as a food storage 
  area. The storeroom contains dried meat, 
  turnips, and two barrels of mead. 
  13. Storeroom
  The room functions as a storage area for 
  blankets and rugs.
  14. Lookout Point
  The way to the lookout point at the top 
  of the little tower is by a wide and worn 
  stone staircase. The lookout offers a 
  great panorama and standing atop the 
  small platform makes one quickly realize 
  how strategically the tower is located. To 
  the north lies the Great Iron Mountains, 
  and the tower offers great views of its 
  hills and valleys. To the south-east 
  lies the mysterious Darkwoods, and in 
  the north-west the vast plains stretch 
  as far as the eye can see. Despite this, 
  the tower is well protected, located in a 
  wooded area on a little hill. Any wishing 
  to attack the tower in numbers must 
  prepare themselves well. During the 
  day, Grymvilt the Wildbron is stationed 
  here, to look out for the groups of Ice 
  cult members making their way to the 
  tower.
  3. The Staircase Down
  This room is empty other than a staircase 
  leading down to the basement. The stairs 
  lead to a passageway which ends at a sturdy 
  wooden door, which is locked. (A situation 
  roll with Situation Value of 6 (Strength 
  modifiers apply) is needed to break the 
  door open. The door leads to the back of 
  the tower. 
  Next to the bed is a small birdcage. 
  Two black pigeons are huddled together 
  in the cage; the birds function as 
  messenger pigeons between the Hunting 
  Estate and Ysetur. On top of the cage 
  there is a letter from Ise that has recently 
  arrived. It reads:
  The faithless priestess is now in safety 
  in this ancient fort which houses 
  more secrets than I dared dream of. 
  I now understand why the giant was 
  so adamant about us gathering the 
  troops here. 
  Anyway, the one called Maria 
  is now in safe hands. I am just 
  waiting for the giant’s signal before 
  she is to be sacrificed in the mighty 
  Iron Shaft, the bottomless pit from 
  where a demon once emerged. Soon 
  we will meet on the burning plains 
  as conquerors and kings of a new 
  kingdom!
  Ise.
  10. Dormitory
  This dormitory was once used by the holy 
  warriors of Stormi. The sturdy wooden 
  beds are essentially all that remain of the 
  furnishings from the time when the tower 
  functioned as an outpost for the Order of 
  the Iron Hand. Today, the room houses 
  Ulgar’s six hirdmen. At night, the hirdmen 
  sleep in this room. During the day, half of 
  them are here while the other half are out 
  hunting in the woods. At dawn and dusk, 
  they are all in the temple. 
  The hirdmen only own their weapons 
  and the clothes on their backs, and the 
  room contains nothing else of value.
  11. Training Room
  The room used to function as a training 
  room for the holy warriors who lived in the 
  tower. They used to spend a lot of time in 
  this room, practicing and improving their 
  weaponry skills.
  The stone walls are covered in worm-
  eaten black oak panelling, and in some 
  places the panel has completely fallen 
  off, exposing a cold, hard stone wall. The 
  wood panel is covered in notches and cuts 
  from the weapons training that went on 
  here in the past.
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  84  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Mittland, hired by Roughtongue, and soon 
  they were thoroughly accomplished in the 
  arts of war. But Roughtongue and his men 
  were discovered by the Great Jarl Elivogar 
  Wulfr’s berserkers and had to flee toward 
  the deep shadows of the Darkwoods. They 
  were chased for weeks by Wulfr’s trained 
  wolves, further and further north, until 
  they reached the foot of ’s steep slopes. 
  Roughtongue’s men knew that they had 
  to protect the last surviving male of the 
  Hunndair clan, and therefore informed him 
  that they would face Wulfr’s berserkers 
  and beasts. To give Roughtongue a head 
  start, they would pay with their lives.
  Roughtongue disappeared up into the 
  mountains, and eventually found the ancient 
  fort Ysetur. Legends tell of how he brought 
  the old fort and its secret powers back to 
  life, and how he, for a brief period, ruled 
  over large portions of North Wildland 
  from his mighty throne in Ysetur. Some 
  say that Roughtongue was the one to first 
  invite the black hrimtursir in, and that he 
  became the founding member of the feared 
  Ice Cult, which spread great fear among 
  the population of Wildland. His death was 
  quick and bloody, when the cult’s own 
  members sacrificed their leader’s soul 
  and body to the queen of the ice, and the 
  Hunndair bloodline was forever snuffed out. 
  Ysetur has since been inhabited by dwarves, 
  trolls, and mercenary hirdmen who have 
  taken refuge in the impregnable fort. Most 
  who settled in the fort met a quick, violent 
  death, or disappeared under mysterious 
  circumstances. 
  According 
  to 
  legend, 
  Ysetur rests on the dwelling of the demon 
  Hrangadoorm,to which sacrifices were 
  made to build this immense construction. 
  Ysetur was built by a people long since 
  wiped from history. They made offerings 
  to the great “Ioi”, which had existed in the 
  Great Iron Mountains since the beginning 
  of time, and which belonged to a demonic 
  race which used to live on the edges 
  of chaos and order. In return for their 
  sacrifice, a Dark-Vitner-bound serguront, 
  the demon let the stone masters build a 
  fort which towered above anything built 
  before. It was a dark fort, born from chaos 
  and dark powers, and in its depths a demon 
  was once awoken, a demon who let this 
  impregnable fort be built. 
  of giants, or the offspring of dwarves. Up 
  on windswept mountain peaks, and on 
  hills where skeletal ruins stretch their 
  fingers toward the sky, the stone masters 
  once stood with their hunched backs, 
  heavy hammers in their hands. They built 
  something that neither the dwarves nor 
  giants were ever able to recreate. Any who 
  saw the buildings’ strange, smooth surfaces, 
  and complicated defenses, understood that 
  they had been built by magic and dark 
  sacrificial rites. The forts they constructed 
  far surpassed all handicraft abilities. These 
  unconquerable defensive structures were 
  called the Harnis Gates.
  Protected by the Gods, one fort loomed 
  above the others, the name of which the 
  elves dared not even whisper. It was birthed 
  from dark magic, and its murky past could 
  never be scrubbed clean. The dwarves of the 
  Great Iron Mountains called it “Hildskjalf”, 
  the Impenetrable Fort, but amongst the 
  people of Wildland, it went by the name of 
  “Ysetur”, the Watchtower to the North.
  It is said that Ysetur stood, desolate and 
  abandoned, for many years after the long 
  storm, and that it was first adopted by the 
  Agroths when they came to Wildland to 
  smelt their copper finds. Two strong clans 
  were in an unending feud with each other, 
  and no council in all of Wildland could 
  settle its outcome. 
  The two clans Wulfr and Hunndair 
  both insisted that such great injustices 
  had been committed, that both sides, 
  down to the very last man, had to be 
  obliterated. Wulfr’s strong hirdmen and 
  berserkers had, in their eagerness, been 
  very successful, and had almost succeeded 
  in destroying the Hunndair clan. They had, 
  however, forgotten a boy who was born in 
  secret, when the winter was at its coldest 
  and the white snow crunched under fur 
  clad feet. The boy’s name was kept hidden, 
  suppressed for a long time, and among the 
  small sliver of Hunndair who survived out 
  in the remote wilderness of Wildland, he 
  went by the name of “Roughtongue”.
  As a youth, Roughtongue gathered a 
  small force of able-bodied men from the 
  homesteads that once had supported the 
  Hunndair clan in the fight against the 
  Wulfr. They were, in secret, trained by 
  great sword masters from the plains of 
  To stay warm, the player characters 
  can start a fire using the branches of small 
  bushes that grow here and there. A tree 
  or two stand lonesome out on the plains; 
  enough for a large fire. 
  The player characters still risk frostbite, 
  and the Game Master can choose to apply 
  modifiers according to the weather if the 
  player characters have to attempt a roll:
  Weather Conditions
  1d10 
  Weather conditions
  1-4
  Warming sun, clear weather
  5-6 
  Sunny, cloudy
  7-8 
  Light snow, partially cloudy
  9 
  Heavy snow, roll for frostbite every 
  second day
  10 
  Snow and hail storms, roll for 
  frostbite every day
  During most of the journey the weather 
  is fair, but when the Game Master is about 
  to describe a situation it may be a good idea 
  to have a table to follow.
  Random Encounters
  1d20 
  Random Meetings
  1-11 
  1d10 reindeer grazing
  12-14
  1d10 wild snowboar
  15-16 Reindeer herd of up to three hun-
  dred individuals
  17 
  1d10 wolves on the hunt
  18 
  1d10 Hrim Trolls on the hunt
  19 
  A lone mastomant
  20 
  Mastomant herd of up to a   
  hundred individuals
  It would be preferable if the player 
  characters manage to avoid any direct 
  contact with the Hrim Trolls. The mere 
  presence of the Hrim Trolls, amplified by 
  the various legends surrounding them, 
  should be enough to scare the player 
  characters
  The Legend of Ysetur
  Before humans had seen the light of day, 
  a wave of stone masters veiled in mystery 
  swept forth across Trudvang. They may 
  have been mighty spirits, possibly the sons 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  85
  Blodughadda has planned to use the fort 
  as a base in his conquering expeditions to 
  take over the free nations of the Stormlands. 
  The Ice Worshippers in Ysetur have, as 
  their main task, to prepare the fort and its 
  equipment for the coming host from the 
  Great Ice Plains. Ise (Njordung) and his 
  inner circle of men and worshippers spend 
  all their time sacrificing by the Iron Shaft. 
  The more the followers sacrifice beside the 
  black ice and the Iron Shaft, the greater are 
  the powers they get from the Snow Queen. 
  General Description
   All the rooms that do not have a number 
  are not described and are considered to 
  be completely empty. It is, of course, up 
  to the Game Master to decide how such a 
  room should be used. Inner doors which 
  are not described are always considered 
  to be made of sturdy oak (PV/BV 6/60) 
  and are unlocked (the locks inflicts a 
  modifier of -4 to rolls to unlock them 
  with the Locks & Traps specialty of the 
  Shadow Arts skill roll).
  Iron Shaft functions as a sort of amplifier 
  of her immense powers, and without it, 
  they would have to manage completely on 
  their own. With the Snow Queen’s powers 
  so close at hand, Ysetur will be a virtually 
  impregnable fortress from which the Snow 
  Queen’s armies can conquer Trudvang’s 
  eastern lands. But as of yet, a lot more 
  sacrifices are needed for the Snow Queen 
  to use her full powers again, even within 
  the limited area of Wildland. Njordung 
  sacrifices to his queen every day.
  The player characters’ task is to free 
  Maria Norim from her captivity and try to 
  neutralize the ice worshippers’ frontman 
  in the East, Fylkjarl Njordung, which is 
  nowadays also called “Ise”. This task is a 
  worthy challenge for a group of heroes 
  with varying abilities. But just as they 
  think that they are done, and the cult has 
  been annihilated, a big surprise awaits. 
  Blodughadda arrives with his army of 
  orkhir from the Great Ice Plains, and 
  the player characters find Maria dead, 
  sacrificed beside the Iron Shaft. 
  Ysetur Today
  Ysetur is a mighty fort situated at the 
  very peak of one of the steepest places in 
  the Great Iron Mountains. Its vertical 
  sides reach almost two thousand meters 
  above sea level, and its peak boasts one 
  of Trudvang’s most imposing fortresses. 
  Attempting to seize it with a larger army 
  is doomed to fail, and only a few times have 
  enemies ever managed to breach its walls.
  Today, the Ice Worshippers occupy 
  Ysetur under the leadership of Fylkjarl 
  Njordung. 
  Following 
  Blodughadda’s 
  orders, the cult zealously and bloodily 
  offers sacrifices to the mystical Iron Shaft. 
  The demon that was once brought up from 
  the darkest corners of Blotheim by the 
  Iron Shaft has long been forgotten, but the 
  shaft from which it was called is still filled 
  with strong streams of vitner, making it 
  easier for the Snow Queen to help herself 
  to the sacrifices made there. Because of 
  this, Blodughadda and Njordung have 
  been able to secure access to the Snow 
  Queen’s powers in the coming war. The 
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  86  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Ysetur
  Valsinka – The village 
  Outside the Fort
  After passing the Guardhouse there is a 
  narrow, winding mountain path on a steep 
  incline. The mountain path leads to a little 
  village which has sprung forth in the last five 
  years. The village consists of around twenty 
  one- or two-storey buildings with snow-
  covered copper roofs. The entire village gives 
  a sturdy impression, with large and robust 
  constructions. Everything in the village is 
  extremely well-built, with no expenses spared. 
  The village has been built by the Ice Cult, 
  erected as a monument to the Snow Queen’s 
  honor. The village has been named after the 
  Queen’s true name – Valsinka. 
  Around three hundred Ice Worshippers 
  live in the village, hailing from Vretgaard, 
  North Hall, or from the Blueax’s tribe. 
  There are also around fifty or so slaves 
  in the village who are kept to either be 
  sacrificed or put to work. New arrivals 
  gather at the inn, where they are directed 
  to register themselves, and brand the 
  symbol of the Ice Cult into their left palm. 
  The dwellings are crowded, and the player 
  characters who are allocated a place will be 
  sent to different cabins, sharing rooms with 
  around ten other men and women. Unless 
  otherwise stated, all of the villagers are 
  expected to be devoted Ice Worshippers.
  1. Hakka’s Cabin
  Hakka Norim and the other Norims (around 
  twenty or so) act as enforcers in the village 
  and are in charge of recordkeeping and 
  registration. The Norims patrol the different 
  sections of the village at regular intervals, on 
  the hunt for spies. Among the Norims, both 
  men and women are dressed in the black 
  clothes of nomads and carry both hand axes 
  and bows. The Norims, who equip themselves 
  with all sorts of poisons and drugs, are feared 
  by the other cult members in the town. The 
  uniforms worn by the Norims represent the 
  Ice Cult, and the Black Sun has been branded 
  into their palms. Hakka, as chieftain of the 
  village, lives in the largest cabin. 
  Thick animal hides are strung up along 
  various wooden scaffolds around the house. 
  The heads of animals and humans alike have 
  The Hurik’as and the wolves immediately 
  separate into four groups to embark on the 
  hunt for the intruders, by systematically 
  searching through one section at a time 
  with heavily armed hirdmen stationed by 
  the exits. The wolfkin have been specially 
  trained to track humans. 
  Within sixty minutes of the Hurik’as 
  taking up the hunt, the rest of the guard 
  force will also have been warned that 
  a small force of enemies has infiltrated 
  Ysetur’s exterior/interior perimeter. In 
  addition to that, a larger force of guards 
  will be stationed in the Guardhouse (b) 
  in order to trap the perpetrators on the 
  grounds, so that they can be hunted and 
  killed without the possibility of escape. 
  The greatest risk is the player 
  characters being recognized by the 
  Norims who have met them before, or by 
  anyone else from Vretgaard, which could 
  lead to the alarm being raised. However, 
  a fair amount of time has passed since 
  the player characters were last seen, 
  and an effective disguise would improve 
  their chances of not being discovered. If, 
  however, the player characters for some 
  reason think that they can storm the 
  place by force, the Game Master should 
  try to dissuade them from such a course 
  of action. The player characters are 
  severely outnumbered against superior 
  enemy forces, in a dark, ancient fort 
  foreign to them. During their journey 
  to Ysetur the player characters have 
  been significantly weather-beaten, and 
  their hair and beards are likely unkempt 
  and wild. Their hygiene is far from 
  great, and it has been months since 
  they were last able to bathe properly. 
  If they have stolen clothes from the 
  Ice Worshippers at the Hunting Estate 
  and traded their armor and weaponry, 
  there won’t be many distinguishing 
  features betraying their identities, other 
  than that someone might recognize 
  their faces without being able to place 
  from where. It is completely up to the 
  Gamemaster to determine how well the 
  player characters’ disguises work. It is 
  easy for the player characters to blend 
  in with the masses of Ice Worshippers 
  that have arrived from places other than 
  Vretgaard. 
   External doors which are not described 
  are always considered to be made of iron 
  or copper (PV/BV 7/70) and are locked 
  (the locks have a modifier of -5).
   All the orkhir in the fort or village 
  are considered to be Svorgha, (see the 
  chapter on Orkhir), unless otherwise 
  stated.
   For normal people or Ice Worshippers 
  in the fort use the “Generic Ice Cultist 
  (Peasant)” stats. 
   For most of the hirdmen in or around 
  the fort, use the “Generic Ice Cultist 
  (Warrior)” stats.
  In the Event of Alarm
  The Ice Worshippers do not suspect that 
  anyone would dare to infiltrate the cult 
  or Ysetur itself. However, if the alarm 
  is raised, or someone is murdered in the 
  fort or the village and found by guards 
  or villagers, the reaction will be swift. 
  Within fifteen minutes, a group of twelve 
  Hurik’a scouts (Orkhir) and four warg 
  beasts (usually just basic wolves) will 
  arrive at the place where the perpetrators 
  were last seen. 
  In order for the Hurik’a to quickly 
  be able to discern whence an alarm 
  has been raised, they have distributed 
  special warning horns to the guards 
  which produce different sounds for the 
  Hurik’a’s various designated sections of 
  the fort and its surrounding area. The 
  Hurik’a have no problem determining the 
  origin of a horn sound but have adopted 
  this system to be able to take action even 
  quicker at the first sound of disturbance. 
  In the event of a serious emergency, the 
  guards have been given instructions to 
  blow three short tones on their horns. 
  If the guards only blow one long signal, 
  the Hurik’a will not be summoned, as the 
  guards are only calling attention to the 
  fact that something has occurred, but 
  nothing that requires immediate action. 
  This is how the guards use the horns to 
  acknowledge the changing of the guards 
  or other less important events, but it 
  is still gives a good indication that the 
  routines in the fort run on schedule. If 
  the player characters come across a horn 
  and intend to use this to confuse the other 
  guards, they must be extremely careful.
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  87
  that the disguise is at the very least decent 
  and inventive. The Game Master should 
  require good role-playing of the disguise that 
  the player character has adopted.
  An effective way for the player characters to 
  avoid identification by the Norims is simply to 
  steal the papers from another cult member and 
  forge them. After that the player characters 
  can go to the smithy with their false papers to 
  be branded, something which is a requirement 
  for all cult members who aren’t spies. The only 
  exception is for members who are already of 
  very high rank. The right kind of paper and 
  the right ink (both of which can be found in the 
  inn) are needed in order to successfully forge 
  the papers, as is a successful Care skill roll with 
  the Counterfeiting specialty for those who 
  can’t write, and a Knowledge skill roll with 
  the Read and Write: Vrok specialty for those 
  who can. Furthermore, a player character with 
  the Handler discipline of the Care skill or with 
  the Silvertongue specialty of the Knowledge 
  skill can, using various keywords such as Ise, 
  Blodughadda, or Njordung Blueax, create 
  assigned a task, which varies depending on 
  what the Norim believe they can contribute 
  to the cult. Men are generally put to work 
  at the mill, while women are given the task 
  of sewing uniforms or general daily chores 
  (laundry, cleaning, cooking and so on). Those 
  unfit for work (such as children or the elderly) 
  are led away to be sacrificed. 
  Every time one of the player characters 
  meet a Norim, they risk being identified as 
  spies. Every Norim gets to roll a Situation 
  roll with a Situation Value of 8 (Intelligence 
  modifiers apply) in order to see if they recall 
  the player characters. Hakka Norim will, 
  however, automatically recognize the player 
  characters if he sees them, regardless of if 
  they are in disguise or not. The best way 
  for the player characters to avoid discovery 
  is dressing in disguise. If they cloak their 
  identities, the only way that the Norims 
  will recognize them is through a successful 
  Shadow Arts skill roll (preferably with the 
  Shadowing discipline and the Finding and 
  Spotting specialty) modified by -6, assuming 
  been impaled on stakes or hung from the house 
  itself. Immediately outside the entrance, the 
  body of a man has been strung up between two 
  poles. The man has been flayed and tortured 
  to death, and, to judge by the man’s facial 
  expression, most of it occurred while he was 
  still alive. In order to heighten the ghastliness, 
  the Game Master can choose to make the 
  man an adventurer that the player characters 
  have encountered in another adventure, in a 
  completely different context. A sign hangs 
  around his neck, on which the word “spy” is 
  written in Vrok . There is always a number of 
  Norims in the yard, standing guard, watching 
  over the village, even at night.
  From the early hours of morning until 
  late afternoon, there is a table standing in 
  front of the building, where new arrivals can 
  register. After a new arrival has registered 
  and gotten their papers showing that their ice 
  worshipper status has been approved, they 
  are referred to the smithy to get the Ice Cult’s 
  symbol, the Black Sun, branded onto their 
  left palm. Before they leave, they are also 
  L
  YSETUR
  A: Bridge
  B: Guardhouse
  C: Watchtowers
  D: South Gate
  E: North Gate
  F: Outer Tower
  G: Inner Walls
  H: Western Wing
  I: Arrival Hall
  J: Eastern Wing
  K: Main Building
  L: Bell Tower
  M: Bell Tower
  N: Main Bell Tower
  O: Defensive Towers
  VALSINKA
  1: Hakka’s Cabin 
  2: Hird Cabins
  3: Ouvar’s Cabin 
  4: Slaughterhouse
  5: Smithy 
  6: Sawmill
  7: Seamstress 
  8: Fried Hog Inn
  F
  D
  E
  J
  M
  K
  H
  O
  N
  G
  I
  A
  B
  C
  C
  1 2
  3 45
  6a
  8
  7
  O1
  O2
  O3
  O6
  O4
  O5
  O7
  8
  O9
  O10
  O11
  6
  6b6c
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  88  |  act 1. time of wrath
  wolfhounds. Day and night, the dogs are 
  constantly barking, and at least four of them 
  are always unleashed, standing guard outside 
  the entrance. Both Alrik and Veurd recognize 
  the player characters, regardless of whether 
  they are in disguise or not. The larger adjacent 
  building is the village’s communal stables, as 
  all the riding animals get confiscated. There 
  are currently 42 horses here, each in their own 
  stall. The stables have space for eighty stalls, so 
  the horses the player characters bring become 
  a welcome addition to the Ice Cult. The horses 
  are designated for the army that Blodughadda 
  is leading from the Great Ice Plains, and for 
  Blueax’s elite troops and army leaders. The 
  stables are always guarded by two of Blueax’s 
  hirdmen and a wolfhound. The changing of 
  the guards takes place every four hours.
  4. The Slaughterhouse
  This 
  large 
  building 
  is 
  the 
  village’s 
  slaughterhouse and food supply. It houses 
  three Orkhir (2 Svorgha and an Arukha) 
  whose only duty is to guard the food. The 
  front of the house consists of a small porch 
  which has a foundation made of a large block 
  of black ice. This is where the Orkhir work at 
  butchering and preparing the food, for all the 
  village to see. The members of the Ice cult are 
  rationed their food every 24 hours after Maku 
  the Arukha carefully deducts them from a list. 
  The Orkhir butcher and eat sacrificed humans 
  in public to keep the Ice Worshippers in line. 
  The Orkhir are, by nature, more active at 
  night, which is why the distribution of food 
  occurs at midnight at the earliest. 
  Day and night, four Norims keep watch 
  around the building, taking over for each 
  other every six hours. The Orkhir sleep on 
  the upper floor, while the ground floor and 
  basement function as food storage. The 
  premises are sparingly furnished, and there 
  are few walls other than the load bearing ones. 
  Meat hangs helter-skelter from hooks and 
  chains suspended from the ceiling, following 
  a system only the Orkhir can discern. 
  5. The Smithy
  The smithy in the village is run by six 
  Orkhir who work in shifts around the 
  clock in order to forge weapons for the 
  coming war. All the Orkhir in the smithy 
  speak Vrok with SV 6. As the smithy is 
  always staffed, there is no need for any 
  ones inside are the thrall women responsible 
  for the food. The player characters recognize 
  the thrall women as those who used to work 
  for Haldur Ouvar in Vretgaard. None of the 
  women are devoted Ice Worshippers yet, but 
  their fear is so great that they would rather 
  betray the player characters than help them, 
  all to save their own skins. 
  The three larger cabins all have two floors, 
  and each house hosts twelve hirdmen. The 
  hirdmen each have their own rooms, which 
  are very large. The rooms are all filled with 
  stolen loot or Blueax’s inheritance, which 
  hasn’t yet been brought to the fort. The reason 
  that the hirdmen have been allowed such 
  spacious living quarters is because the cabins 
  are meant to house parts of the Orkhir army 
  when it arrives. Meanwhile Blueax’s hirdmen 
  get to live like kings in the rooms they have 
  been allocated. The hirdmen are glamorously 
  dressed in blue, and all of them bear Njordung’s 
  coat-of-arms and the Black Sun. The hirdmen 
  are terrible guards, preoccupied with thoughts 
  of ale and debauchery with the women who 
  succumb to the pageantry and grandeur 
  surrounding the hird stationed in the village.
  Hakka Norim has long since lost his 
  patience with the hirdmen’s careless attitude, 
  and is seriously considering sacrificing all of 
  them, but hasn’t yet as they outnumber him. 
  He has, however, let their food be seasoned 
  with a rare form of worm which is slowly but 
  surely eating the hirdmen up from the inside. 
  As a result, the hirdmen have now entered 
  into the first stages of symptoms. They have 
  lost weight, lost their appetites, and have 
  moderate chronic abdominal pain. After half 
  a year, when the illness has reached its full 
  power, the worm will have grown to a length 
  of 18 meters inside the host’s body. When the 
  worm outgrows the stomach, it forces its way 
  into the rest of the body and the host will be 
  beyond saving. The victim (the hirdman) will 
  be consumed by the worm from the inside 
  out, if he doesn’t starve first. 
  The hirdmen who live in the village 
  are lazy, tired, and lethargic, but still able 
  to fight, although the penalties that they 
  suffer are calculated in their stats.
  3. Ouvar’s Cabins
  The little house is the dwelling of Alrik and 
  Veurd Ouvar and their new wives. Behind the 
  cabin, there is a small kennel with 26 tame 
  a believable identity of higher status than a 
  simple ice worshipper, in order to avoid the 
  branding (which is reserved only for lower 
  status cultists). If they aren’t branded, the 
  player characters should at least carry some 
  form of symbol which identifies them as 
  members of the Ice Cult, even if they have 
  papers showing them to be important people.
  The branded sun in the hand has to 
  be displayed in order to even gain access 
  to the fort at all. Anyone who refuses the 
  branding will be led away to be sacrificed. 
  A player character with the Counterfeiting 
  specialty of the Care skill can try to forge 
  the brand using the blood from an animal 
  and coal, or something in a similar vein. If 
  the forgery works, it will only last for a day 
  and must then be redone afterwards.
  Hakka shares the big cabin with his wives, 
  sons, and daughters. The Norims live in 
  cramped conditions, just as they have always 
  done, and inside the cabin there is a foul 
  smell. The Norims are the only ones who 
  can enter the cabin without gagging. Aside 
  from the fact that the Norims live here, the 
  smell also stems from several years’ worth of 
  dried fish that have been brought over from 
  Vretgaard. The fish is kept in special drying 
  rooms located on the top floor. 
  A temple to the Snow Queen has been 
  installed in the building’s basement. Carved 
  from the bedrock, a narrow stone staircase 
  which has been there since the house was first 
  built, leads down into the dark. The stench of 
  rotten or burnt flesh seems to stick in the nasal 
  passage of anyone who descends the staircase. 
  A block of the black ice has been placed in the 
  center of the bloody stone floor, which is sticky 
  from all the sacrifices. Hakka has sacrificed 
  32 people in this room since he arrived. The 
  victims’ bloody limbs and extremities are 
  scattered on the basement floor or have been 
  hung outside the house.
  2. The Hird Cabins
  Blueax’s hird occupies four cabins, which are 
  located right by the North gate. These are the 
  men and relatives Njordung brought with 
  him but still does not trust enough to allow 
  into the fort, as he remains unconvinced 
  that they are true Ice Worshippers yet (use 
  “Generic Hirdmen” stats).
  The smaller cabin functions as a dining 
  hall for the hirdmen, and at night the only 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  89
  maybe it is because of Ungor’s little “pet”, 
  which stands, unleashed, by the bar (a 
  bear-sized young thorn beast).
  New arrivals are forced to check in at the 
  inn until they have been allocated a job 
  and a place to live. This is expected to 
  take two days, at most, without raising 
  any real suspicion. When the player 
  characters arrive, they are alone in staying 
  at the inn. The prices are tenfold any others 
  found in Trudvang. Anyone unable to pay is 
  either thrown onto the street or left as a meal 
  for Graath (the thorn beast). 
  A. The Bridge
  The bridge and its two attached guard 
  towers are the first defensive structures 
  on the way to the fort. The bridge, which 
  stretches across a deep chasm, is made 
  entirely of stone, and has thick stone 
  railings which run along either side. 
  Both towers are neglected and abandoned. 
  The Ice Worshippers do not use the towers, 
  trusting instead that the forest trolls in the 
  guardhouse are monitoring who arrives at 
  the fort. The bridge is patrolled around the 
  clock by two hirdmen, who stand on either 
  side of the bridge. The hirdmen work in 
  shifts of four hours each and are replaced 
  by the hirdmen located by the North 
  gate. If anyone approaches the bridge by 
  foot, they will be made to halt, following 
  which one of the hirdmen will alert the 
  Guardhouse (b) by sounding a large horn 
  which emits a roaring sound. Because new 
  Ice Worshippers arrive daily, the sound of 
  that horn has become something that most 
  in the fort have gotten used to, and no one 
  will be summoned, other than a small group 
  of four forest trolls from the Guardhouse 
  there to collect those that wish to go to the 
  fort (see “the Guardhouse” below).
  All rooms in both the towers are 
  empty. The floors inside the towers are 
  made of wood, which has rotten and is 
  very treacherous to walk upon. They will 
  collapse if anything heavier than 50 kg 
  steps upon them. 
  The towers were built later than the 
  fort and, unlike the latter, are not protected 
  by demonic powers. However, the actual 
  bridge which stretches across the chasm is 
  part of the fort. 
  other guards. The Orkhir eat and sleep in 
  the basement, because they think all other 
  areas of the building are too warm.
  6. The Sawmill
  The sawmill is run by Halmat Turek with 
  the help of about sixty other Ice Worshippers 
  to man the saw and create wooden fortified 
  towers. Four powerful Hagtorn bulls are 
  used to power the gigantic saw blade. 
  Draught-horses are used to collect sturdy 
  logs from the lumber stores (6a and 6b). 
  Halmat and his men work at least 16 hours a 
  day, cutting the logs into timber or suitably 
  sized pieces. The finished pieces can later 
  be used to construct towers and bridges in 
  the workshop (6c). The towers and bridges 
  are intended to upgrade the fort and defend 
  Ysetur against future attacks. If the player 
  characters are men and go through the 
  registration process, it is almost certain that 
  they will be assigned to work here.
  7. The Seamstress
  The seamstress, Arita, and her twenty 
  seamstresses sew mantles for the coming 
  war. The Black Sun is on every mantle, in 
  place of a coat-of-arms. They have also sewn 
  many flags and banners which the army is 
  going to use. If any of the player characters 
  are women, there is a very high chance that 
  she will be placed here. The seamstresses 
  live in a two-storeys house which is left 
  unguarded at night.
  8. The Fried Hog Inn
  The Fried Hog Inn is centrally located in 
  the middle of the little village of Valsinka. 
  The Black Sun adorns the door, and gives 
  newcomers a “welcoming” impression. 
  The inn is run by Ungor Aziir and his 
  sister, Riika. Ungor and Riika are both 
  thornroot-eating Arks who accompanied 
  Blodughadda to Valsinka. They are both 
  ice cold to their customers and seem never 
  to have heard of the concept of hospitality. 
  There is always an oppressive atmosphere 
  at the inn, and neither of them make any 
  effort to improve it. Despite both ale and 
  alcohol being available, no one seems 
  to dare raise their voice, even while 
  intoxicated. Maybe it is because of Ungor’s 
  large, bloody, two-handed axe; or Riika’s 
  empty stare and razor-sharp knives, or 
  Level 1 
  THE BRIDGE
  Level 2 
  Level 3 
  Level 4 
  Level 5 
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  90  |  act 1. time of wrath
  sleeping, standing guard, or out in the 
  forest, they like to sit here and eat. There 
  are always at least three forest trolls in the 
  room, standing around, slurping stew from 
  the cauldron. 
  7. Guardroom
  The room was intended to be the main 
  guardroom in the Guardhouse. Today, 
  most of the forest trolls live in this room, 
  and some of them are always on guard, 
  watching through the two arrow loops 
  located on the southwestern wall. In total, 
  there are always ten forest trolls here, 
  sleeping, eating, or standing guard. 
  Attached to the western wall are two 
  large cranks, used to raise and lower the 
  portcullis.
  8. Bedroom
  An unlocked door leads into a square room 
  in which there are two large hides spread on 
  the cold stone floor. The room is occupied 
  by Trukur, who only leaves it, and his 
  warm hides, in exceptional circumstances. A 
  warming fire crackles in the open fireplace 
  along 
  the 
  north-eastern 
  wall, 
  which 
  otherwise is covered, floor to ceiling, in 
  firewood. If anyone enters the room without 
  Trurkur’s permission, he will try to attract 
  the attention of the other forest trolls in 
  Room 7.
  A large key ring, with keys to all the 
  doors in the Guardhouse, hangs from a 
  hook on one of the walls.
  who have ensconced themselves here use the 
  room to store miscellaneous items. Small piles 
  of weapons and armor parts lay evenly spread 
  on the floor. Each pile belongs to a forest troll, 
  and because they can’t fit their loot in the 
  room they live in, they have instead decided 
  to divide the loot and keep it in separate piles. 
  Aside from this equipment, there are also two 
  barrels of beer and a butchered hagtorn bull. 
  The meat from the bull appears to be passably 
  fresh, and entirely edible. 
  4. Hallway
  The stairs which leads upstairs from Room 
  1 end in a long, narrow room with three 
  doors; two on the north-western wall and 
  one along the north-eastern wall.
  5. Guardroom
  The room is empty, and snow blows in 
  through an arrow loop on the southwestern 
  wall. A small snow drift has formed under 
  the arrow loop.
  6. Dining room
  The room was intended to be a guardhouse, 
  but the arrow loop is covered by a large 
  bear hide, and leftover food covers much 
  of the floor. The smell of herbs and spices 
  wafts from a large iron cauldron which 
  hangs, suspended from an iron hook, over 
  the open fireplace along the north-eastern 
  wall. On the stove, a rabbit stew perpetually 
  simmers. The forest trolls use the room 
  as a dining room and, when they aren’t 
  B. The Guardhouse
  The Guardhouse is the fort’s first real 
  defensive structure. Most of the forest trolls 
  that Blodughadda brought with him from 
  the Wildheart forest in Ejdland live here. 
  The trolls are very loyal to Blodughadda 
  but are extremely distrustful of the tower 
  itself and have never dared to get too close. 
  Blodughadda has let the forest trolls have 
  the Guardhouse completely to themselves. 
  The Guardhouse is controlled by Trukur, 
  Blodughadda’s most loyal forest troll and 
  lieutenant. Refer to Wildheart pages 37-39 for 
  the stats of Trukur and of Icicle, his magical 
  Icicle spear. If Trukur has already been killed, 
  the GM may exchange him for another troll 
  lieutenant with similar stats. If the player 
  characters encountered Trukur in Wildheart, 
  but didn’t kill him, it could be a dear reunion. 
  If Wildheart is not available, just use the Small 
  Troll (GM Guide p. 107-108) or the Forest 
  Troll (Jorgi’s Bestiary p.151) but with 24 BP, 
  Fighting 10 and a capital-quality short spear..
  1. Arcade
  The passage is paved with cobblestones and 
  has two portcullises, of which the outer one 
  is always lowered. The grating is raised and 
  lowered from the second floor, Room 7. 
  2. Stair Room
  Two substantial wooden doors, fitted with 
  iron, lead into the room. A door opens up to 
  the arcade, which runs through the fort, and 
  another door leads around to the back of the 
  Guardhouse. Two stone spiral staircases lead 
  up to Room 4. The room is cold and empty. 
  Someone has made a flimsy attempt to shut 
  the cold out by hanging a sheet over the arrow 
  loop which faces the back of the Guardhouse. 
  A wooden door leads to Room 3. 
  A player character who succeeds with a 
  Shadow Arts skill roll (preferably with the 
  Shadowing discipline and the Finding and 
  Spotting specialty) can hear voices from the 
  floor above. The voices come from Room 6, 
  and drift down the spiral staircases made of 
  massive stones.
  3. Storeroom
  The room was intended as a lower guardroom. 
  Through the arrow loop in the southwestern 
  wall, you have a good view of the road, which 
  leads up to the Guardhouse. The forest trolls 
  THE GUARDHOUSE
  Level 2 
  Level 1 
  7 
  4 
  6
  5
  1
  2
  3
  10
  9
  8
  Level 3 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  91
  D. The South Gate
  A sturdy stone bridge stretches across a 
  dark and ominous rift. At the end of the 
  bridge looms the impressive South Gate.
  1. The Passage
  This is the main entrance to the fort. The gate 
  consists of a pair of gigantic double doors (15 
  meters tall, 8 meters wide) made of ironblood 
  iron (PV/BV 13/130). The gate is kept closed 
  but unlocked during the day and is both closed 
  and locked (modifier -8) at night. 
  The passage is 14 meters long before ones 
  reaches the outer courtyard. In the passageway 
  there are four hidden doors. Discovering them 
  requires a successful Shadow Arts Skill roll 
  (preferably with the Shadowing discipline and 
  the Finding and Spotting specialty) modified 
  by -3. Small grooves located at even intervals 
  in the passage are the slots for the portcullises, 
  which can be lowered from Room 5. In this 
  way, the defenders can capture potential 
  intruders. The defenders can then storm the 
  passage from the concealed doors. 
  9. Stair Room
  The room is empty, and two staircases lead 
  up from Room 4. A sturdy iron door (PV/
  BV 7/70) with a strong lock (modifier of -8 
  to rolls to unlock it with the Lock & Traps 
  specialty of the Shadow Art skill) leads out 
  to the defensive wall outside. The door can 
  be forced open with a successful Situation 
  roll with a Situation Value of 6. Up to two 
  persons can work together (+1 modifier if 
  there is a second person) and their combined 
  Strength modifiers apply.
  The door is unlocked during the day and 
  locked at night. 
  10. Defense Structure
  The door from Room 9 leads out to an 
  external defensive wall. A two-meter tall 
  battlement covers three of the sides. Two 
  small watchtowers can be reached using two 
  sets of stairs. During the day, there is always a 
  forest troll in one of the towers, keeping watch 
  for people on the road. If he sees anything, the 
  forest troll will immediately inform Trukur, 
  who is gathering his strength to meet arrivals. 
  The Ice Cult members are disarmed and 
  robbed of everything. Everyone else is led to 
  the dungeons to later be sacrificed.
  C. The Watchtowers
  The watchtowers are small, three-story 
  stone towers spread around the actual fort. 
  Similar to the towers by the bridge, these 
  watchtowers were built long after the fort 
  itself was erected. Most of the towers are 
  in disrepair and left completely unused. 
  However, the two towers indicated on the 
  map are used as outermost watchtowers, 
  due to their prominent position offering a 
  good view of the road leading up to the 
  fort. In each tower, there are always three 
  hirdmen keeping watch, day and night. 
  The first floor is empty, other than a 
  small stone staircase leading up to a round 
  room on the second floor. A heavy stone 
  trap door on the floor of the first floor leads 
  down to a corridor, which connects to the 
  Outer Tower.
  Floors 2 and 3 consist of empty rooms 
  with four reinforced arrow loops. A sturdy 
  iron ladder leads up to the fourth floor, 
  which is a battlement on top of the actual 
  watchtower.
  Roof
  Level 2 
  Level 1 
  Level 3 
  To Outer Tower
  THE WATCHTOWERS
  THE SOUTH GATE
  1 
  2a
  2b
  Level 1 
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  92  |  act 1. time of wrath
  4. Gateroom 
  During the day there are always two hirdmen 
  who manage the heavy grating that can be 
  lowered to prevent intruders from gaining 
  access to the fort. One of the hirdmen also 
  holds the key used to lock and unlock the 
  large gate. The hirdmen have a good view of 
  the area outside of the gate and will not admit 
  anyone they do not recognize, or anyone who 
  does not explicitly state that they are there on 
  the orders of Ise or Njordung.
  In total four stone spiral staircases lead 
  to Floors 2 and 4.
  5 Bedroom and Dining Area
  The two hirdmen who are in Room 4 
  during the day use this room. At night 
  both of them sleep here, where they also 
  have their few possessions. Four large hides 
  lay on the cold floor, and a large pot is set 
  on a stand over a flat brazier filled with live 
  coals. The pot contains a mushroom stew, 
  which the hirdmen eat from.
  6 a, b. Stair Room
  The spiral staircases lead to the fourth floor 
  as well as up to the rampart, which runs 
  above the main gate. A thick stone trap door 
  which has been secured with a beam from 
  the inside, makes it just about impossible 
  to descend the staircase from the rampart 
  unless the beam has been removed. The 
  gangway offers a good vantage point of the 
  entire area south and west of the fort, as well 
  as over the fort’s inner courtyard. The view 
  from up there is indeed an impressive one. 
  the branded symbol of the ice cult on their 
  left palm will immediately be captured and 
  dragged to the dungeons, or straight to the 
  sacrificial altar.
  2 a, b. Stair Room
  Rooms 3a and 3b on the second floor can be 
  accessed through this room. There is also 
  immediate access to the outer courtyard 
  through a door in the eastern wall.
  3 a, b. Defensive Landings
  These rooms function as landings above 
  Room 1. Potential defenders can stand here, 
  relatively unthreatened, and bombard their 
  enemies (located in Room 1) with arrows, 
  stones, and other projectiles. Two spiral 
  staircases lead to the first and third floors. 
  THE SOUTH GATE
  5 
  Level 4 
  6a
  6b
  Level 5 
  Level 3
  4 
  Level 2 
  3a
  3b
  THE NORTH GATE
  E. The North Gate
  The North gate is significantly smaller, 
  but no less used. Many Ice Worshippers 
  enter through the South gate to take part 
  in the daily sacrificial ceremonies inside the 
  fort. There, they are carefully monitored 
  by the hirdmen, and anyone not bearing 
  Level 5 
  Level 4 
  Level 3 
  Level 2
  3b
  3a
  2
  4
  5
  Level 1 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  93
  1. Corridor
  This part of the North Gate is on the same 
  level as the wall which runs from the South 
  gate. In the south part of the corridor, there 
  is a door which leads out to the wall, and 
  on the eastern wall, there are two spiral 
  staircases which lead up to the second 
  floor, as well as down to Room 11 a in the 
  Western wing. 
  2. The Gate
  A hefty wooden gate with sturdy iron 
  bands towers impressively at the end of the 
  embattled bridge, which stretches across a 
  thin, dark, crevice. The gate is newly built, as 
  the old one had broken. The symbol of the 
  Ice Cult covers the gate’s exterior. The gate 
  is kept open during the day but is both closed 
  and locked at night. The passage that leads 
  in through the gate open onto the roof of the 
  Western wing. At the end of the passage, two 
  doors lead to Rooms 3a and 3b. During the 
  day, there are always two hirdmen and one of 
  the Dreadaxyr warriors stationed outside of 
  the gate (see Dreadaxyr stats).
  3 a, b. Stair Room
  Stone spiral staircases lead up to the third 
  floor, Room 4. 
  4. Dormitory and Common Room
  This room houses the hirdmen who are put 
  in charge of guarding the North gate. There 
  are always 8 hirdmen here. These hirdmen 
  relieve the two who stand guard at the gate 
  during the day. All ten men are also involved 
  in the daily routine of admitting the Ice 
  Worshippers into the fort for the sacrifice 
  ceremony. All ten are here at night, and one 
  of them always keeps watch through one of 
  the arrow loops in the western wall.
  The room is filled with hides and pots, 
  and smells of sweat and food. 
  The ten hirdmen are scrupulous and 
  incorruptible. They will not in any way 
  allow themselves to be persuaded and will 
  immediately attack if they think someone is 
  an intruder. The hirdmen also make sure to 
  relieve those who guard the bridge.
  5. Corridor
  Two spiral staircases lead up to Floors 3 
  and 5. An unlocked door in the northern 
  wall leads out to the northern rampart.
  of the path, there is an external door which is 
  kept closed, but not locked, at all times. 
  The room beyond the door is small and 
  cramped. A spiral staircase leads all the 
  way down to the courtyard, and all the way 
  up to the top of the wall.
  F. The Outer Tower 
  The Outer Tower functions as a link 
  between the Watchtowers (C) and the 
  actual fortress. From the parapet of the 
  Outer Tower, you have a good view of the 
  tree-covered slopes to the south, and the 
  road which leads up to the fort. 
  1. Basement
  A small, unlocked, hatch in the floor leads 
  down into a cold, dark passage. The passage 
  continues to the two Watchtowers (see above). 
  The room is dark, and the spiral staircase that 
  leads up to the second floor is old and worn.
  2. Stair Room
  The spiral staircase which leads up from 
  the room continues all the way from the 
  second floor to a hatch in the ceiling, which 
  leads out onto an embattled vantage-point 
  on the roof of the tower (Room 6).
  3. Guardroom
  The Outer Tower is generally empty of both 
  people and furnishing. In Room 3, Njordung 
  has placed two hirdmen on guard to make 
  sure that no unauthorized people gain access 
  to the passage that leads up to Room 1. The 
  hirdmen sleep, eat, and stand guard in the 
  room practically all hours of the day. They 
  seldom leave their posts and, when they do, 
  they always make sure that one of them stays, 
  keeping watch. They will immediately attack 
  if they experience any external threats.
  A narrow path leads up to an exterior iron 
  door, which is kept closed, but not locked, at 
  all times. A small, dark spiral staircase leads 
  down to the third floor and up to the roof of the 
  Outer Tower (room 6). The door opens onto a 
  small passage, which runs between the Outer 
  Tower and the Outer Wall. On the other side 
  To Watch Tower
  THE OUTER TOWER
  Level 5 
  Level 4 
  Level 3 
  Level 2
  Level 1 
  6
  5
  4
  3
  2
  1
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  94  |  act 1. time of wrath
  4. Stair Room
  The Outer Tower is well connected to the 
  Outer Wall (located north of the Outer 
  Tower) and makes up a part of it. Anyone 
  who walks across the rampart reaches a 
  small, dark, room. A spiral staircase leads 
  up to the parapet as well as down to the 
  Outer Courtyard.
  5. Roof
  The spiral staircase from Room 4 leads 
  up to an embattled vantage-point with a 
  spectacular view of the mountain slopes 
  to the south, covered in beautiful fir trees, 
  and the road which leads up to the actual 
  fortress.
  G. The Inner Wall 
  The gate and defensive structures of 
  the Inner Wall are planned to be a place 
  where troops quickly can gather forces 
  and launch an attack if the South Gate 
  were to fall into the hands of enemies. 
  The defensive structures located here 
  are the first parts of the actual fort that 
  one encounters, and it is large enough 
  to house both horses and infantry. The 
  walls are 40 meters in height, 10 meters 
  taller than the main wall. However, this 
  part of the fort is actually located on a 
  20-meter elevation as compared to the 
  Outer Wall, thus the stairs that lead up 
  to the actual gate.
  Level 1: The Inner Wall
  1 a. Staircase
  A long and wide staircase leads up to two 
  huge copper doors. The steps are low and 
  deep, to allow horses to easily walk up to 
  the doors. 
  The doors at the top of the stairs 
  are made of copper and adorned with 
  enormous reliefs of battling warriors on 
  horseback. The doors are kept open during 
  the day, and are closed, but unlocked, at 
  night. 
  1 b. Gateway
  The floor of the room consists of four 
  enormous slabs of granite, which have 
  been skilfully joined together. Two 
  similar doors as those which lead into 
  3 a. Stables
  This large room functions as a stable, which 
  can hold 24 warhorses and their equipment. 
  Each small room is a stall. The room appears 
  to be freshly cleaned but is completely empty. 
  Two spiral staircases by the southern wall 
  lead up to the second floor.
  3 b. Stables
  This large room functions as a stable, 
  which can hold 24 warhorses and their 
  equipment. Each small room is a stall. Ten 
  of the stalls are occupied by big, proud 
  warhorses. Two spiral staircases by the 
  southern wall lead up to the second floor. 
  Two stable hands guard the horses both 
  night and day. They have received strict 
  orders not to admit anyone that they do 
  not recognize. The stable hands will ask 
  potential visitors who they are. Depending 
  on how convincing the answer they receive 
  is (this is up to the Game Master to decide), 
  they will either firmly direct the player 
  characters to Ilvin or attack them with 
  their dung forks.
  the room, also lead out into the Inner 
  Courtyard if the bolt is removed. 
  Two concealed doorways are hidden 
  in the walls of the room. These were 
  built in order to make it possible to easily 
  surprise any enemies who have breached 
  the outer gates. There are platforms for 
  archers on the second floor, as a further 
  defense against intruders (see Rooms 4a 
  and 4b). A successful Shadow Arts skill roll 
  (preferably with the Shadowing discipline 
  and the Finding and Spotting specialty) is 
  required in order to find the hidden doors. 
  The interior doors cannot be opened, as 
  they have been barred from the other side. 
  These doors have PV/BV 6/55.
  The inner doors which lead to the inner 
  courtyard are closed but unlocked during 
  the day and are closed and locked at night. 
  These doors can be opened from the inner 
  courtyard using a latch. 
  2 a, b. Staircase
  A staircase leads up to the second floor, and 
  a door leads out to the inner courtyard.
  THE INNER WALL
  3a
  3b
  1a
  1b
  2a
  2b
  Level 1 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  95
  plans to use when Blodughadda and his 
  army march into Ysetur. The banderols are 
  white, and all bear the symbol of the Ice 
  Cult.
  The door to the room is locked (modifier 
  -4). The door can be forced open with a 
  successful Situation roll with a Situation 
  Value of 10, at most two people can work 
  together (+1 modifier per the second 
  person), the combined Strength modifiers 
  apply.
  11 a, b. Dormitories
  The rooms appear freshly cleaned. Large 
  hides (20 in each room) lie in two big piles 
  in the middle of the floor. Njordung has 
  asked for the rooms to be prepared for the 
  Orkhir, which will be arriving at the fort 
  shortly.
  Spiral staircases along the southern 
  walls lead to Floors 2 and 4.
  The arrow loops in the room have been 
  sealed using wooden wedges, leaving the 
  rooms entirely dark.
  A door in the north wall opens to a spiral 
  staircase, which leads to the Inner Courtyard.
  7. Fodder Storeroom
  An empty room which is meant to function 
  as a tool storage area.
  8. Tool Storeroom
  The room contains a large variety of 
  different tools and objects for maintaining 
  the horses. Two large barrels are filled 
  with horseshoes.
  Level 3: The Inner Wall
  9. Defense Gallery
  Two spiral staircases lead to Floors 2 and 
  4. The eight arrow loops in this rectangular 
  room mean that a defender has a good view 
  of the two doors that lead into the inner 
  courtyard. 
  10 a, b. Banner Storage
  The room is filled to the brim with 
  banderols and banners, which the cult 
  Level 2: The Inner Wall
  4 a, b. Defensive Platforms
  A spiral staircase leads to floors 1 and 3. 
  The room functions as a defense room 
  from which archers can bombard potential 
  attackers who have breached the doors in 
  Room 1b with arrows and other deadly 
  projectiles.
  Doors lead to Room 5 and Room 6, 
  respectively.
  5. Fodder Storeroom
  This is an empty room which is meant to 
  function as a food storage area for the horses 
  on the first floor. Two spiral staircases by 
  the south wall lead to Floors 1 and 3. 
  A door in the north wall opens to a 
  spiral staircase, which leads to the Inner 
  Courtyard.
  6. Fodder Storeroom
  The room is filled to the brim with hay.
  Two spiral staircases by the south wall 
  lead to Floors 1 and 3. 
  Level 2 
  5
  4a
  7
  8
  6
  4a
  Level 3 
  9
  11b
  11a
  10b
  10a
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  96  |  act 1. time of wrath
  The walls are covered in blood, and the 
  carcass of a large deer hangs from an iron 
  hook on the southern wall. The hirdmen 
  are all eager Ice worshippers.
  Level 5: The Inner Wall
  15. Patrol Corridor
  In this part of the fort, this room functions 
  as the link between the walls and the other 
  floors. Two sturdy iron doors lead out to 
  the eastern and western parapets.
  The doors are always open, allowing the 
  hirdmen from Room 14 to patrol.
  Level 6: The Inner Wall
  16. Stair Room
  Two spiral staircases from the fifth floor 
  lead up to a rectangular room at the very 
  top of the tower. The slanted roof makes 
  the room feel cramped and small. A door 
  leads into Room 23.
  17. Stair Room
  Two spiral staircases from the fifth floor 
  lead up to a rectangular room at the very 
  top of the tower. The slanted roof makes 
  13. Saddle room
  The door to the room is made of thick 
  copper and is locked (modifier -3). The 
  door has PV/BV 6/60 but can be forced 
  open with a successful Situation roll with a 
  Situation value of 8, at most two people can 
  work together (+1 modifier per the second 
  person), the combined Strength modifiers 
  apply. The room is full of old saddles, the 
  leather of which has long since dried out, 
  making them unserviceable. Moth-eaten 
  straps and reins hang from rusty iron 
  hooks along the walls.
  14. Guardroom
  The room is illuminated by a large brazier 
  hanging from the ceiling by three thick 
  chains. The door into the room is essentially 
  always open. The floor is covered with 
  thick bearskin rugs, which rest on a layer 
  of straw. Two large barrels of water stand 
  along the northern wall. This is where the 
  five hirdmen who take turns patrolling 
  Room 12 live. At any given time, there are 
  always four guards in the room. At night, 
  they sleep, during the day, they play dice, or 
  entertain themselves with other activities 
  such as push-ups or wrestling. 
  Level 4: The Inner Wall
   Two spiral staircases lead to Floors 3 and 5
  The room has two doors, one leading to the 
  western section of the tower, and one that 
  leads to the eastern section. The room is 
  constantly patrolled by a guard who keeps 
  watch over the gates through the two 
  arrow loops. If there is a conflict, the guard 
  will alert his comrades in Room 14. 
  The guard will not detect anyone 
  approaching the gate at night, as long as 
  the person(s) does not carry a torch or other 
  source of light. In the daytime, there is a 50% 
  chance that the guard will detect someone 
  approaching the gate. If the guard detects 
  someone by the gate, he will shout to them, 
  asking them who they are, and what business 
  they have at the fort. If the guard recognizes 
  the voice of Njordung or one of the other 
  leaders, he will go down to admit them. 
  Otherwise, he will summon the other guards 
  in Room 14, who then go down to the gates.
  12. Sentry Post
  The room is illuminated by a large brazier 
  hanging from the ceiling by three thick 
  chains. 
  Level 4
  13
  14
  12
  15
  Level 4
  Level 5
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  97
  Ilvin,
  My brave servant, gather your 
  men and leave immediately for the 
  old fort, Ysetur. I will send a scout 
  to meet you on the way. So much has 
  occurred since we last met and we are 
  now past the point of no return.
  Your Master, Njordung.
  Aside from the letter, the chest also 
  contains an open bronze helmet. The 
  helmet is a marvel of craftsmanship. On 
  its top is a bear the size of a fist, looking 
  deadly, baring its teeth in a roar. The inside 
  of the helmet is lined with chamois leather 
  and feels very well-made.
  There are also three wooden figurines 
  in the chest (one of which depicts Stormi), 
  three massive iron rings, a set of finery, and 
  a pair of leather gloves.
  There are also two small, dried, stalks of 
  Star Lotus wrapped in a soft velvet cloth, 
  with gold embroidery in elven patterns. A 
  successful Care Skill roll (with the Healing 
  and Drugs discipline and Extracts and 
  Potions specialty) is required to discern that 
  it is Star lotus. The dried stalks are used by 
  the elves for healing purposes. Each stalk 
  heals 4d6 Body Points when consumed. It 
  takes an hour to take effect. Ilvin has kept 
  these stalks for a very long time, as they 
  are a memento of his childhood. The Star 
  Lotus is extremely rare, and very difficult 
  to acquire.
  20. Ilvin’s Room
  This room is illuminated by a large brazier 
  hanging from the ceiling by three thick chains. 
  An arrow loop faces out towards the gate, 
  six floors down. The room contains a bed, a 
  small desk, and a stool. The floor is covered in 
  bearskins, which rest on a layer of straw. 
  The room is home to Ilvin (use “Generic 
  Hird Leader” stats), who Njordung has put 
  in charge of guarding the Inner Wall and 
  making sure that the defense is made ready 
  for the Orkhir, which will soon be arriving at 
  the fort. Ilvin is a hirdman who has worked 
  his way up the ranks in Njordung’s service 
  and is very loyal. Ilvin is, however, one of the 
  very few inhabitants in the fort who has not 
  fallen victim to the Snow Queen’s whispers. 
  He looks upon the Ice Cult’s daily sacrifices 
  with disgust and despises his guards for 
  having fallen victim to this macabre deity. 
  Ilvin is constantly considering whether 
  or not to leave the fort, but does not wish 
  to betray his old master, Njordung. Ilvin 
  spends almost all hours of the day in his 
  room. In the morning and in the evening, 
  he does his rounds, taking a short walk to 
  inspect the area and locks or unlocks the 
  gate depending on the time of day. Around 
  dinner time, he usually goes down to his 
  guards in Room 14 to dine with them. Ilvin 
  carries keys to all the doors in the “Inner 
  Wall”, as well as a key to the small door in 
  the large gate in the Arrival Hall. 
  If anyone, other than a guard, approaches 
  Ilvin, he will quickly come to the conclusion 
  that there are spies in the fort. Ilvin fights 
  for his life and will obviously try to attract 
  the attention of the guards in Rooms 12 
  and 14. If captured, he will soon break 
  down and turn slightly mad. Repeatedly he 
  says things like:
  “All hope is lost…”.
  “You don’t understand. The whole 
  world will be in flames…”.
  “Fools, what do you think that you 
  could do to stop this insanity”.
  the room feel cramped and small. The 
  room is illuminated by two torches located 
  on opposite sides of the door, which leads 
  into Room 18.
  18. Corridor
  A wide corridor, which is illuminated 
  by two large braziers hanging from the 
  ceiling, each suspended by three thick 
  chains.
  19. Ilvin’s Treasure Trove
  The door to this room is locked (modifier 
  -14). The door has PV/BV 8/80, but can 
  be forced open with a successful Situation 
  roll with a Situation value of 2, at most two 
  people can work together (+1 modifier per 
  the second person), the combined Strength 
  modifiers apply.. The room is windowless 
  and dark. The roof slants along the western 
  wall, to the point where it is not possible to 
  stand up straight. There is a large chest in 
  one corner. The chest belongs to Ilvin and 
  holds his most cherished possessions. The 
  chest does not have a lock, which is why he 
  has placed it in the room.
  The chest contains a letter from 
  Njordung. It reads:
  16
  17
  18
  19
  20
  Level 6
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  98  |  act 1. time of wrath
  3 a, b. Storeroom
  There are two benches filled with 
  equipment for horses like saddles, bridles, 
  horse blankets, and other gear in these 
  rooms. During the day, the rooms are 
  empty and quiet, and at night, the men are 
  here taking care of their gear. Two large 
  barrels of mastomant fat stand in one 
  corner. The fat is used to grease 
  the gear. 
  4. Armory
  This room contains five large 
  armor racks, with five complete 
  sets of banded armors with 
  open metal helmets. All the 
  armors are brand new and 
  bear the symbol of the Ice 
  Cult on the breastplates 
  and helmets. Njordung 
  has ordered these suits 
  of armor made for 
  his five elite horsemen 
  and scouts for the coming 
  invasion of Wildland. Treat 
  the armors as Master Quality 
  Banded Armors ( PV/BV 10/100, 
  Heft 8, MM – 3 m, IM -3 Value 390 sc, 
  Weight 23.2 kg). 
  In the event that the player characters 
  use any of this armor, the Game Master 
  should particularly take note of the fact 
  that they bear the Ice Cult’s symbol 
  prominently on both their chest and 
  helmet, something which may have clear 
  consequences later on.
  5. Fodder Storeroom
  The room is filled to the brim with hay 
  and is used to store food for the warhorses 
  which Njordung has ordered to be sent 
  here in preparation for the big attack on 
  Wildland. The horses have not yet arrived 
  at Ysetur.
  Map of the Western Wing 6–10
  6 a. Corridor
  This corridor is illuminated by three sturdy 
  torches that are fixed to the northern wall. 
  Three arrow loops in the southern wall 
  face out towards the outer courtyard. 
  One of the guards from the guard force in 
  room 10 is always standing watch during 
  1 c. Corridor
  This wide corridor leads to 1c of the 
  first floor in the Main Building’s western 
  section. 
  1 d. Corridor
  This corridor leads to an iron door in the 
  north-western wall. The door leads to the 
  North-Western Tower (O 8).
  2. Dormitory
  Five of Njordung’s elite horsemen live in 
  this room. They are all well trained riders 
  and are waiting for more horses to arrive at 
  Ysetur so that they can have something to 
  do. The horsemen spend their days polishing 
  and taking care of their equipment, which is 
  located in Rooms 3a and 3b. The men are all 
  devout ice worshippers and will react like the 
  others in the fort if faced with unexpected 
  visitors. They do not follow a guard roster, 
  and all sleep at night and are awake, working 
  with the gear, during the day.
  The room’s walls are covered in dried 
  blood. On the floor, there are eight large 
  fur rugs that they sleep on.
  H. The Western Wing
  The North Gate leads out onto the roof of 
  the Western Wing. Sturdy stone stairs lead 
  up from the roof of the Western Wing to 
  the western section of the Main Building, 
  next to the north-western tower.
  Map of the Western Wing 1–5
  1 a. Corridor
  The corridor is illuminated by three huge 
  braziers suspended from the ceiling by 
  heavy iron chains.
  1 b. Stables
  The passage is dimly lit by three torches 
  hung along the northern wall. In the 
  passage’s western section, a spiral 
  staircase leads up to Room 8 on the 
  second floor. In the eastern section a 
  spiral staircase leads up to Room 7 on 
  the second floor. Following the passage 
  east leads to the Arrival Hall (Room 2). 
  Large stalls made for warhorses cover 
  the entire southern wall, but the stalls 
  stand empty.
  THE WESTERN WING
  1b
  Level 1 
  1c
  1d
  1a
  3a
  3b
  2
  4
  5
  To Level 1
  Arrival Hall
  Tower 
  O 8
  To Level 1
  Main Building
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  99
  whipping those who are still alive. The man 
  carries a white-hot iron in one hand, with 
  which he burns his victims. During the day, 
  there is also one of the priests from Rooms 
  18 a–h in the Arrival Hall in the room, 
  helping the hirdman to torture his victims.
  The copper doors in the northern wall 
  leads to Room 11 on the second floor in the 
  Main Building. 
  The spiral staircases in the room are 
  littered with junk, as if to block off that 
  which lies above. The staircases lead up to 
  Room 12 on the third floor. 
  10. The Hirdmen’s Dormitory
  The hirdmen who help the priests with the 
  sacrifices to the Snow Queen in Room 11, 
  and patrol Corridor 6a, sleep in this room. 
  In total, 8 hirdmen live here, one of which 
  is always standing guard in the corridor 
  outside, and another one is stationed in 
  Room 11. 
  The room is dimly lit by a large brazier 
  placed in the middle of the room. Fur rugs 
  and spruce twigs cover essentially the 
  entire floor. 
  and animals that have been sacrificed and 
  tortured to death. Four people hang from a 
  large pillar in the middle of the room, all of 
  whom have been tortured and are severely 
  wounded. Only one of them can be spoken 
  with before she dies. Her name is Ylvi, and 
  she says that she was brought here from 
  Storhavn roughly a month ago. Ylvi does 
  not know a lot about what happened, other 
  than the fact that her journey here was 
  long and arduous, led by a man who was 
  called “Ise”. Many died or were sacrificed 
  along the way. She was brought up from 
  the dungeon about a week ago and has been 
  sacrificed bit by bit. Both of Ylvi’s hands 
  have been chopped off. Before she dies, Ylvi 
  looks into the eyes of the Child of Light 
  (providing he is there) and says:
  “It is whispered that you are our only 
  hope now”. 
  Anyone who enters the room takes1d10 
  (OP 8-10) Fear Points. 
  At least one of the hirdmen from Room 10 
  is always in the room. He wanders the room, 
  the day, using an arrow loop as a lookout 
  post. There is a small room concealed 
  behind a hidden door in the western wall 
  (which is not depicted on the map). 
  The room contains two spiral 
  staircases, which run up along 
  the entire North Gate. 
  If someone wished to, 
  they could therefore 
  enter through the 
  North Gate, go 
  down one of the 
  spiral staircases, 
  and 
  proceed 
  into Passage 1a 
  in the Western 
  Wing. 
  6 b. Corridor
  The corridor is dimly lit by 
  one lone torch on the southwestern wall. 
  The door is locked (modifier of  -5 to skill 
  rolls to unlock it) and leads to the North-
  Western Tower (O 8).
  7. Sacrifice Chamber
  The room shows clear signs of a sacrificial 
  ceremony. The bodies of several people 
  and animals are hung, upside down, from 
  sturdy stone pillars – all decapitated. Blood 
  coats the floor, and the walls are covered 
  in strange symbols drawn with blood. All 
  who enter the room and witnesses this 
  strange ritualistic place take 1d10 (OR 10) 
  Fear Points.
  A door in the eastern wall leads to Room 
  6 in the Arrival Hall. A spiral staircase by 
  the door leads up to floor 3. 
  8. Fortified Tower
  This room belongs to the North-Western 
  Tower in the Inner Courtyard (O 5), the 
  only tower to differ from the other fortified 
  towers. This part of the tower is empty. A 
  spiral staircase leads up to floor 3. 
  9. Sacrifice Chamber
  Moans and wails can already be heard 
  outside of the room. Two large copper 
  doors (PV/BV 8/80) in the southern and 
  northern walls are constantly kept locked 
  (modifier -12 to skill rolls for unlocking it).
  This room functions as one of the fort’s 
  sacrificial chambers and is full of people 
  Tower 
  O 8
  To Level 2   
  Arrival Hall
  To Level 2
  Main Building
  Level 2 
  6a
  7
  8
  (Tower O 5 )
  10
  9
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  100  |  act 1. time of wrath
  A lone altar made of ironblood iron 
  stands on spherical feet by the eastern 
  wall. The altar is tall, almost two meters, 
  and covered in demonic patterns and 
  symbols. A successful situation roll with a 
  Situation Value of 3 is needed to move the 
  altar, and maximum four people (+ 1 per 
  person) can work together to achieve this 
  (all the characters’ Strength modifiers 
  apply, and are combined for the roll). 
  Those 
  who 
  enter 
  the 
  room 
  experiences 
  an 
  uncomfortable 
  feeling 
  of being out of place. 
  Time seems to stand 
  still, and the room feels 
  cold and chilly.
  The double doors 
  in the north wall lead 
  into the third floor in 
  the Main Building’s 
  Western Wing.
  12 a. Pillar Room
  All the doors to the room are locked 
  (modifier -6 for unlocking them). The 
  double doors have BV PV/200 and are 
  made of ironblood iron (the rare, hard and 
  heavy alloy, created mixing iron with the 
  blood of a Jarnwurm). 
  In total, there are ten pillars made of 
  reddish black ironblood iron standing on 
  substantial stone foundations. The pillars 
  are covered in symbols and inscriptions. A 
  20-cm thick Mitraka band covers the top of 
  each pillar. The bands are wafer thin and 
  bear magical runes. A successful Vitner 
  Craft skill roll (with the Vitner Shaping 
  discipline and Vitner Runes specialty) 
  allows for the runes to be deciphered. The 
  runes read:
  In blood, a fort is forged.
  In fear, a hope is born.
  In death, a new order is conceived. 
  Chaos shall rule.
  Map of the Western Wing 11–12
  11 a. Corridor
  The passage is dimly lit by a lone torch 
  located in one of the sconces in the 
  southern wall. The door in the western 
  wall hides a small room with two spiral 
  staircases which lead up and run along 
  the entire North Gate. If one wished to, 
  they could enter through the North Gate, 
  go down one of the two spiral staircases, 
  and into Corridor 11a in the Western 
  Wing. 
  11 b. Corridor
  The passage is dark and lacks any light 
  source. The locked door leads to the North-
  Western Tower (O 8).
  11 c. Corridor
  The passage is dark and lacks any light 
  source. A door in the east wall leads to 
  Room 9a in the Arrival Hall. 
  12 b. The High Priest  
  Storeroom
  A hidden door which is very 
  hard to spot, requiring a successful 
  Shadow Arts skill roll (preferably with the 
  Shadowing discipline and the Finding and 
  Spotting specialty) modified by -6, leads into 
  a small room which has not been opened since 
  the days when the fort was first built. The 
  room was used by the High Priest, wherein he 
  kept his “instruments” and ceremonial robes 
  used when the demon was to be summoned. A 
  heavy mantle with silver embroidery (weight 
  6 kg) lies, folded, on the floor, moth-eaten and 
  tattered. Under the mantle there is a thick 
  ironblood iron ring, along with a thin book 
  with a cover made of dragon leather.
  The ring contains the Detect Demon spell 
  (which works like the Detect Undead spell of 
  the Perceiving vitner tablet, but referred to 
  demons). The bearer can, without losing Vitner 
  Points, use the ring once a day. The little book 
  contains level 1 of the Perceiving Vitner tablet. 
  After 6 successful skill rolls for the Vitner Runes 
  specialty in a row, (1 roll per week), the Vitner 
  Weaver will have learnt the tablet, (the Game 
  Master can then allocate Adventure Points so 
  the player character can obtain the tablet). 
  To Level 3
  Arrival Hall
  To Level 3
  Main Building
  Tower 
  O 8
  11a
  11b
  12a
  12b
  11c
  Level 3 
  THE WESTERN WING
  To Level 1
  North Gate
  Tower 
  O 5
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  101
  2. Passage
  The spiral staircases in the passages lead to 
  the second floor. The west passage leads to the 
  Western Wing and the eastern passage leads 
  to the Eastern Wing. The passage straight 
  ahead leads deeper into the fort to Room 1, on 
  the first floor of the Main Building. 
  3 a. Oke’s Room
  The room is used by Oke, a deaf and dumb 
  thrall. He is based here in order to ensure that 
  all the lamps and torches in this part of the 
  fort burn as and when they should. Oke has 
  four watches, three at night and one during 
  the day, in order to refill the braziers or 
  replace the torches that have burnt out. Oke 
  is both deaf and dumb and knows very little 
  about how he came here or why. Someone 
  has, out of pure malice, branded one of Oke’s 
  cheeks with the Ice Cult’s symbol. 
  Oke sleeps on a wolf rug on the floor.
  For representing Oke’ stats use the 
  “Generic Ice Cultist (Peasant)” without the 
  Silvertongue specialty..
  surface of the pillar (written in Ancient 
  Estiatic, to be read with a successful 
  Knowledge Skill roll with the Language 
  discipline and the specialties Foreign Tongue: 
  Estiatic together with Read and Write: 
  Estiatic) modified by -4) tell the story of 
  how the stone masters arrived at the place 
  where Ysetur was to be raised, and how they 
  carefully chose the location. The other type 
  of inscription is written in a magical script 
  carved into large gold plates which are evenly 
  spaced along the whole pillar. The text on 
  these gold plates is written in magical runes 
  and seems to describe how to summon a 
  demon. The inscriptions are worn with 
  age, and it is not possible to learn the 
  incantation by studying the runes. 
  The railing which surrounds 
  the entire installation is covered 
  in winding fire symbols, which 
  depict the moment Hrangadoorm 
  rose up through the Iron Shaft to receive 
  his sacrifices. 
  Large torches hang in pairs in large 
  alcoves along the walls. The torches 
  illuminate the room well, but cast long, dark 
  shadows in the corners. 
  The walls of the room are covered in 
  inscriptions and stone carvings in extremely 
  complicated patterns. Anyone who wishes to 
  climb any of the walls in the room receives +5 
  on their  Agility skill rolls (preferably with 
  the Body Control discipline and Jumping, 
  Climbing and Balancing specialty).
  Four spiral staircases, two along the 
  northern wall and two along the southern, 
  each lead up to the second floor. A massive 
  iron double door hangs off large hinges on 
  the north wall. The door leads to Room 2. 
  It is kept closed but unlocked at all hours of 
  the day. 
  The room is under constant surveillance, 
  as it is the most natural way into the heart 
  of the fort. Four people from the so-called 
  Dreadaxyrs are always on guard. The 
  Dreadaxyrs are Ark warriors who have 
  been put at Njordung’s disposal. They are 
  extremely loyal to Blodughadda but will 
  obey Njordung’s every word. The Game 
  Master gets to personally decide exactly 
  which guards are on duty in the room if/
  when the player characters arrive. The 
  different Dreadaxyrs are described in “the 
  Main Tower”, Rooms 18–19. 
  I. The Arrival Hall
  The Arrival Hall largely consists of a 
  70-meter tall tower. A large balcony on 
  the third floor faces out over the inner 
  courtyard. 
  Level 1: The Arrival Hall
  1. The Demon Hall
  In order to enter the magnificent Arrival Hall, 
  you first have to pass through two enormous 
  iron gates which face the inner courtyard. 
  The gates have PV/BV 15/150, and are 
  always kept locked. At eye-height there is slot, 
  functioning as a large peephole, which can be 
  opened from the inside. Two enormous iron 
  rings hang from the doors’ exteriors. They are 
  used as knockers for the doors, which give off a 
  low rumbling sound from time to time. 
  In the immense double gate, there is also 
  a smaller door, which is kept locked at night, 
  and unlocked but closed during the day. It 
  is possible to unlock the small door open 
  (modifier -8) but not the double gate.
  A wide granite staircase leads up to the 
  actual Arrival Hall. The room is grandiose 
  and astonishing. An immense statue made 
  out of ironblood iron stands upon a massive 
  foundation shaped like tall flames. The 
  statue towers all the way up to the ceiling 
  of the second floor. The balcony, which 
  runs around all sides of the second floor, 
  can be seen from the room. 
  The statue depicts the moment when the 
  demon Hrangadoorm was summoned. The 
  stone masters raised the mighty hall with 
  the installation in its center at the command 
  of the demon itself. The statue of the demon 
  was to be erected as an eternal reminder of 
  its enormous power, and the exact instance 
  when the stone masters called forth the 
  demon from the dark depths of Blotheim. 
  The installation, aside from the enormous 
  statue, also consists of a great pillar with 
  inscriptions, and a sort of railing surrounding 
  everything. The statue is almost twenty 
  meters tall and made of ironblood iron. It 
  usually appears to be black, but in the light of 
  the torches it gleams dark red. The pillar is an 
  identical reproduction of the pillar which the 
  stone masters placed the serguront on before 
  he was to be sacrificed to Hrangadoorm.
  The inscriptions on the pillar are of two 
  types. The symbols which cover the actual 
  THE ARRIVAL HALL
  Level 1 
  To Level 1
  Eastern Wing
  To Level 1
  Western Wing
  2
  4
  3
  1
  To Level 1
  Main Building
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  102  |  act 1. time of wrath
  The book about the fall of the Copper 
  Kingdom contains a lot of information 
  covering the history of Wildland. The 
  Fall of the Copper Kingdom is written 
  in Estiatic, and the Game Master should 
  decide how much of it is translatable or even 
  legible. The book looks old, and well-worn. 
  Emeldur, who is a short, hunched, man 
  around the age of fifty, lived in the town 
  of Vretgaard for many years before he let 
  himself be enchanted by the Snow Queen’s 
  whispers. He is taciturn and thoughtful and 
  is generally fairly unaware of what happens 
  in the fort, other than the daily sacrificial 
  ceremonies. Emeldur is, like many others in 
  the fort, an Ice Worshipper, but is merely a 
  tiny cog in a large machine.
  6. Corridor
  The two spiral staircases made of dense 
  stone from the first floor lead up to a cross-
  shaped walkway. The western passage leads 
  to the second floor of the Western Wing, 
  and the eastern passage to the second floor 
  of the Eastern Wing. The middle path leads 
  north to Room 8 in the Main Building, and, 
  south to a large iron door, which leads into 
  Room 7. The door is closed but unlocked. 
  The spiral staircases lead down the first 
  floor and up to the third floor.
  Level 2: The Arrival Hall
  5. Emeldur’s Bedchamber
  This room is used by Emeldur, Njordung’s 
  notary. He keeps all of his belongings in 
  this room. There is a simple single bed, 
  filled with straw, and two wolf pelts, by 
  the south wall. 
  A long black cloak made of thick leather, 
  with a collar made of white drauglo fur 
  hangs from a hook on the east wall. A pair 
  of sturdy leather boots stands on the floor 
  underneath the cloak. 
  When Emeldur is not in Room 4 on the 
  first floor, annotating his parchments, he 
  is in this room. Emeldur is a deep sleeper 
  who snores very loudly. Anyone who 
  stands outside his door, which is usually 
  kept closed but unlocked, can distinctly 
  hear someone snoring within. 
  In an unlocked chest which is positioned 
  by the bed are the following items: a silver 
  brooch with the Ice Cult’s symbol, a small 
  bronze dagger with silver inlays on the 
  blade, and two thick books. The books’ 
  titles are “The Ring’s Powers” and “The 
  Fall of the Copper Kingdom”. 
  The Ring’s Powers is a book full of 
  Gerbanian invocations (although no holy 
  tablets). 
  3 b. Storeroom
  This room functions as a storeroom for 
  torches and the oil used in the braziers. In 
  total, there are four large oil barrels and 
  about a hundred well-made torches (3-hours 
  burn time) neatly organized in the room.
  4 Registration Room
  The door to the room is locked (modifier 
  -5 to unlock it). The door can be forced 
  open with a successful situation roll with 
  a Situation Value of 11. Up to two persons 
  can work together (+1 modifier if there 
  is a second person) and their combined 
  Strength modifiers apply.
  In the middle of the room there is a large 
  wooden table standing before a wooden 
  throne with beautiful engravings. 
  A large flag depicting two axes, one 
  crossed over the other, hangs on the wall 
  behind the table.
  The room is used as a “registration 
  room” for new arrivals to the fort. One of 
  the higher ups in the village will usually be 
  in charge of registering newly arrived cult 
  members, but a few rare arrivals are of such 
  high status that they are granted entry into 
  the actual fort. These are then received in 
  this room by Njordung’s notary, Emeldur 
  Swine-Neck, and are registered as new 
  members of the Ice Cult and given a silver 
  medallion depicting the Ice Cult’s symbol.
  Behind the wooden throne are two large 
  chests containing numerous parchments, 
  full of the names of those who have arrived 
  at the fort, alongside a little cloth bag 
  containing 22 silver medallions with the 
  Ice Cult’s symbol. 
  The Game Master can of course allow 
  the player characters to recognize a name 
  or two if they take the time to look through 
  all the parchments. The chests are locked 
  (modifier -4 to unlock it) and only Emeldur 
  holds the key. The chests are made of wood 
  and have iron fittings. It is possible to break 
  them open (the lock has PV/BV 2/15) with 
  a sword or similar weapon. Breaking open 
  the chests will damage a weapon’s BV by 
  1d10 (weapon’s PV applies), unless it is a 
  blunt weapon (such as a sledgehammer). 
  During the day, Emeldur is obviously in 
  the room, annotating his parchments. At 
  night, he is in his room on the second floor 
  in the same part of the fort. 
  Level 2 
  To Level 2
  Eastern Wing
  To Level 2
  Western Wing
  6
  8
  5
  To Level 1
  Main Building
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  103
  The chests each contain a set of clothing, a 
  dagger, 1d6 silver coins, and any other object 
  from the Game Master’s guide that the Game 
  Master decides to be appropriate here. 
  11. Foyer
  The room is a foyer to the room that leads 
  to the large balcony. The two double doors 
  in the South wall are made of iron but have 
  large silver inlays in the form of snaking 
  vines with leaves. The double doors are 
  always kept locked (modifier -6 to unlock 
  it) but can be forced open with a successful 
  situation roll with a Situation Value of 4. 
  Up to two persons can work together (+1 
  modifier if there is a second person) and 
  their combined Strength modifiers apply.
  A large black flag is suspended from the 
  ceiling, bearing the Ice Cult’s symbol in 
  white.
  12. Balcony Room
  The walls of the room are completely black 
  and are very similar to the pillars found in 
  Room 9. The walls are covered in signs and 
  symbols from some unknown language. A 
  total of six alcoves house extraordinarily 
  realistic statues of men who all look terrified. 
  The truth is, that the niches were once used 
  as guard alcoves, but, more than 200 years 
  ago, one of the untethered hirdmen who lived 
  in the fort paid a lot of money to let him bring 
  the bodies of six people turned to stone into 
  the fort, and there they had stood ever since. 
  Two large iron doors in the south wall 
  lead out to the balcony where, once a week, 
  Njordung gives a speech in order to rouse 
  his followers. He will then symbolically 
  sacrifice something on the balcony, and let 
  it fall down into the courtyard.
  The doors have PV/BV 4/35 and are 
  always kept locked (modifier -4 to unlock 
  them) but can be forced open with a successful 
  Situation roll with a Situation value of 6. 
  Up to two persons can work together (+1 
  modifier if there is a second person) and their 
  combined Strength modifiers apply.
  The balcony is long and wide and runs 
  along essentially the entire southern wall. It 
  is usually covered in snow, drifts of which 
  have blown up on both the wall and the door. 
  A wide battlement means that Njordung 
  usually has to stand on a barrel in order to 
  be able to make his speech to the masses. 
  strange symbols and signs in a language 
  that has long since disappeared from 
  Trudvang. 
  The passage leads north to Room 14 on 
  the third floor of the Main Building.
  Along the south wall, two large doors 
  made of black iron lead into Room 11. 
  9 b, c. Corridors
  Spiral staircases from the second and fourth 
  floors lead to a corridor which travels West 
  and East. The eastern passage opens directly 
  into the Eastern Wing, while the western 
  passage leads to a door into Room 9a.
  10 to f. Servants’ Quarters
  These rooms are used by some of 
  Njordung’s Dreadaxyrs. The rooms are 
  spartanly furnished, with two beds and two 
  chests. Two Dreadaxyrs live in each room, 
  and it is the men who live here that are in 
  charge of guarding the proper entrance 
  to the actual fort. As there are always 
  four hirdmen watching Room 1, there are 
  never more than 8 Dreadaxyrs in the room. 
  During daytime, they are usually in one 
  of the rooms, playing dice or entertaining 
  themselves in other ways. Some of them 
  even spend the early hours of the day doing 
  weapon drills in Room 9.
  7. Balcony Room
  The room largely consists of a balcony 
  which opens up towards Room 1 on the first 
  floor. From this room, there is a clear view 
  of room 1, and the enormous iron statue 
  down there. Small alcoves in the eastern 
  and western walls are filled with torches 
  illuminating the whole balcony and Room 1.
  8. Emeldur’s Main Storeroom
  This room lies in darkness. By the south 
  wall, there are two hefty wooden chests 
  with copper mountings. The chests 
  are unlocked and contain a number of 
  embalmed human heads. Aside from his 
  loyalty to the Snow Queen, Emeldur is a 
  devout follower of Haminges, and the heads 
  are from the people that he has had killed at 
  a high cost. Anyone who opens the chests is 
  met by an awful stench and a ghastly sight 
  and takes 1d10 Fear Points.
  Level 3: The Arrival Hall
  9 a. Pillar Hall
  Spiral staircases from the second and 
  fourth floors open into a room with a total 
  of 10 pitch-black pillars. The room gives 
  off a mysterious and enigmatic impression. 
  The pillars’ black surfaces are covered in 
  Level 3 
  To Level 3
  Eastern Wing
  To Level 3
  Western Wing
  To Level 3
  Main Building
  9a
  9b
  9c
  10a
  10b
  10c
  10d
  10e
  10f
  11
  12
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  104  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Level 4: The Arrival Hall
  13. Connecting Room
  This room functions as a junction for the 
  tower’s lower and upper floors, as well as 
  connecting the Inner Wall and the actual 
  heart of the fort. A stone staircase leads up 
  to Room 17.
  14. Garbage disposal
  The room is empty, save for two crates with 
  used torches standing in the middle of the 
  room. The torches are essentially unusable, 
  and only short handles remain.
  15. Sacrifice Room
  A terrible stench fills this room which is 
  empty but the partly-decomposed body of 
  a woman, laying in an unnatural position 
  on the floor in the middle of the room. The 
  woman has been decapitated, and her head 
  lays, discarded, in one corner. She was one 
  of the first to be sacrificed in the fort after 
  Njordung’s arrival. No one has bothered to 
  remove the body as the room is not yet in 
  full use.
  16. a to d. Storerooms
  These rooms function as storage areas, 
  and mostly contain copper containers 
  The rooms are spartan, each containing 
  a bed, table, and a couple of bearskins 
  thrown on the floor. In each room, three 
  to four daggers hang from the wall in a 
  leather band. The daggers are used for the 
  sacrificial rituals, and the blades are red 
  with dried blood.
  All the doors bear the symbol of the Ice 
  Cult, painted in blood.
  One of the rooms, (d), holds a bit of 
  the black ice, which the Ice Blotpriest has 
  brought to his room. The ice has caused the 
  temperature in the room to plunge, and a 
  black frost to form on all surfaces. The bit of 
  ice rests inside a small wooden chest, which 
  stands atop the table. The ice is entirely intact, 
  and the only way it would melt would be 
  if it were to be thrown into liquid lava. The 
  Ice Worshipper who resides in the room has 
  become so obsessed with the sacrifices and the 
  Snow Queen’s whispers that he is no longer 
  able to sleep at night. Instead, he sits, hunched 
  over the ice block, listening to the whispers of 
  the Snow Queen. The Ice Worshipper suffers 
  from extreme sleep deprivation but stays 
  awake with help of the Snow Queen’s powers.
  19. Servants’ Quarters
  The rooms consist of small cells, each 
  with a bed and a small stool. The rooms 
  filled with mastomant fat. Anyone who 
  thoroughly goes through 16b properly 
  will find a small map of all the floors in the 
  Eastern Wing. The map was created by 
  Oke so that he could find his way through 
  the fort without difficulty. He dropped the 
  map among the containers when he went 
  to collect mastomant fat, and it has been 
  laying there ever since.
  Level 5: The Arrival Hall
  17. Stair Room
  Two spiral staircases from Floors 4 and 
  6 lead in to a large hall. In the northern 
  end of the hall there is a door, which leads 
  to the fourth floor in the Main Building. A 
  sturdy wooden staircase leads up to Floor 
  6, and a stone staircase leads down to Floor 
  4. Torches illuminate the entire hall.
  18. a to h. The Ice Blotpriests’ Rooms
  This floor houses Njordung’s Ice Blotpriests 
  and their servants. In total, there are eight 
  devout Ice Worshippers, tasked with 
  participating in the sacrifice ceremonies 
  held in different parts of the fort. These 
  rooms are usually empty during the day, as 
  the priests are busy with their tasks. During 
  the night they all sleep in their rooms.
  Level 4 
  To Level 4
  Main Building
  13
  14
  15
  18a
  16a
  16b
  18e
  16c
  16d
  19
  Level 5 
  To Level 5
  Main Building
  17
  18a
  18e
  18b
  18f
  18c
  18g
  18d
  18h
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  105
  wall is covered by tongues of soot, which 
  once were engulfing flames. Nine columns 
  stand in the middle of the room, and even 
  these were partially destroyed by the 
  flames. No one in the fort today knows 
  what events transpired here, but it is clear 
  to see that the blaze happened long ago. 
  Morkhan is usually found sitting, deeply 
  absorbed in magical studies, by the large oak 
  table in between the nine columns. Recently, 
  he has been attempting to learn a new vitner 
  tablet. The parchment from which he is 
  reading the incantation is partially damaged, 
  making the progress slower and more 
  difficult as he attempts to learn the spell. 
  Morkhan will immediately notice if anyone 
  stepping into the room has hostile intentions. 
  He is quick to draw conclusions and will not 
  hesitate to attack if he feels threatened.
  By the southern wall there is a large, 
  stately bed with cotton sheets and real 
  pillows. Next to the bed, there is a large 
  wardrobe filled with beautiful clothes 
  which Morkhan has puchased with the 
  money Njordung has given him. A locked 
  chest (modifier +5 to unlock it), inside the 
  wardrobe contains the following items:
   Morkhan’s collection of spells, written 
  in Vitner runes in scrolls and books, 
  with the following Vitner tablets: Flame 
  Craft (levels 1–4), Witchcraft (levels 
  1–2), Power of Vision (levels 1–3), and 
  Power of Thought (levels 1–3). Other 
  scrolls have higher levels of these tablets, 
  but they are too damaged to be read.; 
   A large coin purse with 20 gold coins, a 
  letter of manumission of the same kind 
  that Gralj has (see below); 
   Two small bottles of the same poison 
  that Gralj also has (see below).
  Learning the first level of a Vitner 
  Tablet by reading Morkhan’s writings 
  takes 6 weeks and requires one successful 
  Vitner Craft Skill roll (together with the 
  Vitner Shaping discipline and the Vitner 
  Runes specialty) per week. The second level 
  takes 10 weeks, and the third level takes 14 
  weeks (6+ 4 per level after the first). When 
  the Vitner Weaver has learned a certain 
  level of the Vitner Tablet, they acquire 
  Adventure Points from the Game Master 
  in order to add it into their collection.
  Level 6: The Arrival Hall
  20. Stair Room
  The sixth level is completely empty. The 
  door (PV/BV 4/40) which leads out to the 
  wall is locked (modifier -5 to unlock it). The 
  door can be forced open with a successful 
  situation roll with a Situation Value of 8. 
  Up to two persons can work together (+1 
  modifier if there is a second person) and 
  their combined Strength modifiers apply.
  Level 7: The Arrival Hall
  21. Morkhan’s Chamber
  The doors to the room are kept locked at 
  all times (modifier -7 to unlock them).The 
  doors are made of wood and have PV/BV 
  4/40 and can be forced open with a successful 
  situation roll with a Situation Value of 5. 
  Up to two persons can work together (+1 
  modifier if there is a second person) and 
  their combined Strength modifiers apply. 
  The room is illuminated by torches 
  hung from the walls and on the pillars.
  The room houses Morkhan, Njordung’s 
  only allied Vitner Weaver, who is immersed 
  in his studies. Morkhan hails from 
  Thoorkaal, a land in the far southwest of 
  Trudvang, and he belongs to the rare Order 
  of the Shadow Snakes. They are an order of 
  Vitner Weavers greatly feared by the kings 
  of the west, known to be assassins and 
  miscreants, who used black magic to attain 
  their goals. They are often contracted at 
  great cost, and their knives are as efficient 
  as their ability to shape vitner.
  Morkhan joined up with Njordung almost 
  a year earlier, after having fled from Majnjord 
  following an unsuccessful mission. Morkhan 
  is on the run, not just from those he had 
  attempted to assassinate, but also from his 
  own people, who had been handsomely paid 
  for the hit. Njordung had immediately seen 
  the power in having Morkhan in the coming 
  war, and primarily plans to attempt to murder 
  the Paater in Vortland using Morkhan’s 
  talents and abilities. Morkhan is not an Ice 
  Worshipper, but has been handsomely paid, 
  whereby his loyalties now lie with Njordung.
  Charred, black wood panelling covers 
  all walls and floors. The rafters speak of 
  a devastating fire which spared few living 
  creatures. A large fireplace in the south 
  are used by the servants, who help the 
  Ice Worshippers in Rooms 18 a–h. Each 
  room houses a servant who waits on 
  their master in the morning and in the 
  evening, before the latter retires to bed. 
  In one of the cells lays the dead body of 
  a 14-year-old boy. The Ice Worshipper 
  mentioned in Room 18 sacrificed this 
  servant to the Snow Queen. None of the 
  other servants have dared to move the 
  boy, who has slowly but steadily started 
  to decompose. 
  All the servants are very frightened by 
  the events unfolding in the fort, but do not 
  dare do anything to alter the situation. 
  They have all fallen victim to the Snow 
  Queen’s whispers but aren’t devoted 
  worshippers yet.
  20
  21
  Level 6 
  Level 7 
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  106  |  act 1. time of wrath
  The powerful grindstones, turned by 
  two Orkhir (one on either side), stand in 
  the middle of the room. The Orkhir in 
  this room arrived at Ysetur roughly three 
  weeks ago, in order to prepare for the 
  arrival of the army. They are essentially 
  always here, day and night. They work 
  during the day and sleep on sheepskins 
  near the grindstones at night.
  These Orkhir will behave very aggressively 
  because Blodughadda and Njordung have 
  issued strict instructions to all in the fort not 
  to visit the Eastern Wing. Only one of the 
  Orkhir speaks Vrok, and he will brandish his 
  weapon and ask any potential visitors why 
  they are there. If the answer is even slightly 
  unclear, he and the others will attack. The 
  only ones they trust are the guards in Room 
  2 and the men of Njordung’s hird who visit 
  the room intermittently in order to check on 
  their progress.
  Large piles of poorly forged and blunt, 
  unsharpened, broadswords lay on the floor 
  around the two grindstones. More than 
  200 sharpened broadswords are stacked 
  along the North wall. The room is dimly 
  lit, with one torch on each wall.
  the door at the end of the corridor is 
  kept closed and locked (modifier -4 to 
  unlock). The door is made out of wood 
  with iron details and has PV/BV 4/40. 
  The door can be forced open with a 
  successful situation roll with Situation 
  Value 8. Up to two persons can work 
  together (+1 modifier if there is a second 
  person) and their combined Strength 
  modifiers apply.
  1. e. Corridor
  This wide passage leads to a door which 
  opens to the Northeast Tower (O 7).
  2. a. Weapon Sharpening Room
  This room is illuminated by two immense 
  braziers, suspended by thick chains from 
  the ceiling. The door leading in to the 
  room is always kept open, and the sounds 
  of the grindstones get more distinct the 
  closer you get.
  There are 6 Orkhir here, who spend 
  the days sharpening swords and axes 
  Blodughadda has had forged in the village 
  outside of Ysetur, in preparation for the 
  coming invasion of Wildland.
  J. Eastern Wing
  Essentially the entire Eastern Wing stands 
  empty, awaiting Blodughadda’s Orkhir, who 
  are to arrive with their army. Any rooms not 
  described are empty. Every night, the entire 
  Eastern Wing and all its floors are patrolled 
  by a small guard force who live and sleep 
  in Room 3. During the day, the sounds of 
  grindstones sharpening weapons (coming 
  from Room 2) echo throughout the 
  first floor.
  Torches line the walls of all 
  larger corridors. 
  Level 1: The Eastern Wing
  1a to e. Corridors
  1. a. Corridor
  This corridor runs from the 
  Arrival Hall into the Eastern 
  Wing. The corridors in the 
  Eastern Wing are both large 
  and wide, so that any potential 
  defenders are able to quickly and 
  easily access the exterior walls and 
  defensive structures of the fort.
  A stone spiral staircase near the 
  beginning of the corridor leads up to floor 2.
  1 b. Corridor
  This wide corridor leads to the Northeast 
  Tower (O 4), part of the Inner Wall’s 
  defensive structure. The door at the end 
  of the corridor is kept closed and locked 
  (modifier -4 to unlock). The door is made 
  of wood and has PV/BV 3/30, but can be 
  forced open with a successful situation roll 
  with Situation Value 8. Up to two persons 
  can work together (+1 modifier if there is a 
  second person) and their combined Strength 
  modifiers apply.
  1. c. Corridor
  This wide passage leads to the Eastern 
  Main building. The large double doors at 
  the end of the corridor are made of iron 
  (PV/BV 10/100), and are kept closed but 
  unlocked. The doors open into 1b in the 
  Main building.
  1. d. Corridor
  This wide passage leads to the Northeast 
  Tower (O 6). As the tower is not in use, 
  To Level 1
  Main Building
  Tower 
  O 7
  Tower 
  O 6
  To Level 1   
  Arrival Hall
  Tower 
  O 4
  THE EASTERN WING
  3
  1c
  Level 1 
  1e
  1d
  1a
  1b
  2a
  2b 2c2d 2e
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  107
  modifier if there is a second person) and 
  their combined Strength modifiers apply.
  4 c. Corridor
  This corridor lies in darkness. 
  A door at the end of the 
  passage leads to the Northeast 
  Tower. A spiral staircase at the 
  end of the passage where 4c and 
  4d meet leads to Floors 1 and 3.
  4 d. Corridor
  Large alcoves, with space for both arbalists 
  and reloaders, are strategically built into the 
  south wall of the passage. Reliefs depicting 
  arbalists cover the alcoves’ side walls.
  The passage lies in darkness and a door 
  at the east end of the corridor leads to the 
  Northeast Tower and is the most natural 
  way to the Outer Defense Tower via the wall.
  5. Armory
  The room is large and full of various pieces 
  of armor. Essentially, every last inch of the 
  floor is covered with armor parts, weapons, 
  furs, and tools such as hatchets, saws, rope, 
  and various types of chests. Everything is 
  carefully kept and organized. However, the 
  question of exactly what there is inside the 
  room is largely up to the Game Master.
  During the day, Bjarnhuld is inside the 
  room, organizing all the equipment so that 
  when the army arrives at the fort, they can 
  quickly be equipped and made ready for 
  departure. When Bjarnhuld is in the room, 
  it is dimly lit by the oil lamp he always 
  keeps with him. The player characters 
  can easily convince Bjarnhuld that they 
  have just taken a wrong turn, or that they 
  belong to the Ice Worshippers who live 
  outside the fort. Bjarnhuld will not do 
  anything, unless it is abundantly clear that 
  the player characters are there as enemies.
  A spiral staircase to the South leads to 
  Floors 1 and 3.
  6. Bjarnhuld’s Room
  This room is furnished with a small bed and 
  a table. This is where Bjarnhuld spends all 
  his time when he is not in Room 5, sorting 
  the equipment that arrives on a daily basis. 
  Bjarnhuld (use Ice Cultist - Peasant stats) 
  is a coward and will attempt to flee if faced 
  with any danger.
  The guard is made up of 8 people in total, 
  3 (one on each floor) of which are always 
  patrolling the wide passages. Exactly 
  where the guards patrol and are stationed 
  is up to the Game Master to decide.
  Level 2: The Eastern Wing
  4a to d. Corridors
  4 a. Corridor
  This passage is dimly lit with torches 
  hanging every ten meters on the Northern 
  wall. To the west there is a door that leads 
  to the Arrival Hall, Floor 2.
  4 b. Corridor
  This passage is dimly lit by a torch which 
  hangs on the south wall. A door at the 
  end of the corridor leads to the Northeast 
  Tower (O 4) by the inner defensive wall. 
  The door at the end of the corridor is kept 
  closed and locked (modifier -5 to unlock). 
  The door is made of wood (PV/BV 3/30), 
  and can be forced open with a successful 
  situation roll with Situation Value 8. Up 
  to two persons can work together (+1 
  The twelve Hurik’a sleep (exceptionally 
  lightly) and eat in the room behind 2a, 
  alongside their wolves, whose task is to 
  seek and destroy any intruders in the area. 
  Twelve bearskins are spread on the ground, 
  alongside other equipment consisting of 
  various frightening tools of torture and 
  weapons. In the innermost corner, there 
  are piles of human bones, gnawed and 
  chewed to bits. This is where the wolves 
  sleep. Nine times out of ten, all of the 
  Hurik’a and wolves will be out patrolling 
  the fort as they sleep very little.
  2. b to e Weapons Storage
  These rooms are filled to the brim with 
  various weapons. Mostly, it is different 
  types of broadswords and battle swords, 
  but some battleaxes and spears can also be 
  found amongst the piles of weapons. All 
  these weapons are meant for the enormous 
  army that is expected to arrive shortly.
  3. Patrolmen’s Room
  This room houses the guards who are 
  tasked with patrolling all the floors of the 
  Eastern Wing. They sleep and eat here. 
  To Level 2
  Main Building
  Tower 
  O 7
  Tower 
  O 6
  Tower 
  O 4
  To Level 2
  Arrival Hall
  6
  5
  4a
  4b
  4c
  4d
  Level 2 
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  108  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Level 1: The Main Building
  1a. Guardroom
  This room is constructed like a guardroom, 
  where the alcoves in the West and East walls 
  function as guard alcoves. Today, Njordung 
  doesn’t station any of his men here, and 
  the alcoves are instead used to illuminate 
  the room with a brazier of burning oil 
  placed in each. In the north wall, there is 
  an impressive double door made of copper. 
  The door is kept closed, but unlocked, at all 
  times. The door leads into Room 2.
  1b and c. Corridors
   1b. Corridor
  This passage leads into the Eastern Wing, 
  Floor 1.
   1c. Corridor
  This passage leads into the Western Wing, 
  Floor 2.
  2. Room
  Six white marble columns support the 
  ceiling. A grand staircase made of black 
  Level 3: The East Wing
  7a. Corridor
  The third floor is completely abandoned 
  and empty. All the spiral staircases lead 
  down to Floors 1 and 2. The doors open to 
  the same places as the corresponding doors 
  on the second floor, just a floor up.
  7b. Corridor
  The large double doors in the north of 
  the passage lead into the third floor of the 
  Main Building.
  K. The Main Building
  The main building is located furthest in, 
  against the immense cliff which towers up 
  behind the fort itself. The lower floors of the 
  Main Building are cut from the mountain’s 
  hard granite, and the upper sections are 
  built directly into the mountain.
  stone leads up to a small platform from 
  which the staircase splits into two 
  smaller staircases, leading up to 
  Room 10 on Floor 2. A door 
  in the East wall opens into 
  room 5a. The door is kept 
  closed, but unlocked, at all 
  times.
  A small door in the west wall 
  leads into room 2. The door is kept 
  closed and locked (modifier -5 to unlock) at 
  all times. The door is made of wood and has 
  PV/BV 3/25 but can be forced open with a 
  successful situation roll with Situation Value 
  10. Up to two persons can work together 
  (+1 modifier if there is a second person) and 
  their combined Strength modifiers apply.
  3. Sacrifice Room
  Eight columns of black stone support the 
  ceiling, which is lower here than in the rest of 
  the fort. The room feels small and cramped, 
  with the ceiling height only being 2 meters. 
  There is a person chained to each column 
  with heavy chains and shackles. They are 
  waiting to be sacrificed in the Iron Shaft 
  by Njordung. The people look tortured and 
  exhausted. Svhaanur has made life hell for 
  them for several days, using tongs and other 
  tools, until Njordung decided that they were 
  to be sacrificed and they were transferred 
  into this room.
  They can all describe how they have 
  seen several men, including Njordung, 
  disappear through a hidden door in the 
  Western wall. The door can be found 
  through a successful Shadow Arts skill roll 
  (preferably with the Shadowing discipline 
  and the Finding and Spotting specialty). If 
  anyone has told the one seeking the door 
  about it, they will get a +5 modifier.
  They have all seen Maria brought 
  through the door but can only verify this if 
  someone describes what she looks like. No 
  one has heard her name. Someone says that 
  it has been more than three days since she 
  was led away, and none have seen her since.
  The hidden door leads to Room 4.
  For description of the prisoners, see 6 
  a–d in the Main Building.
  4. Stair Room
  There is a staircase in this room which leads 
  down to the subterranean parts of Ysetur.
  To Level 3
  Main Building
  Tower O 7
  Tower 
  O 6
  To Level 3   
  Arrival Hall
  Tower 
  O 4
  Level 3 
  7b
  7a
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  109
  6 b, c, d, e Prisoner Cells
  The cells are full of people 
  from 
  all 
  corners 
  of 
  Wildland. Njordung has 
  planned to sacrifice all those 
  kept locked up here in the 
  Iron Shaft, until the Snow 
  Queen’s powers can be fully 
  utilized. The prisoners here 
  are broken, after having 
  been starved and tortured 
  for days, sometimes weeks. 
  Most of the cells also contain 
  the bodies of one or two 
  dead people. The cells hold 
  between five and six people, 
  who are crowded together on 
  four square meters. If the group 
  of player characters has recently 
  lost members, the Game Master can take 
  this opportunity to “refill” the group of 
  adventurers. Keep in mind that these 
  “new” player character should be in poor 
  shape, both emotionally and physically, 
  due to the awful situation in which they 
  find themselves. The cell doors are kept 
  closed and locked (modifier -7 to unlock) 
  at all hours. The doors are made of iron 
  (PV/BV 10/100).
  Some of the cells also hold the children 
  or adults who have been brought to Ysetur 
  from Vretgaard to be sacrificed. If any of 
  the player characters were left behind in 
  Vretgaard when the others left for the 
  copper mines, they will be in one of the 
  cells.
  7. Torture Chamber
  This room is one big torture chamber, 
  filled with tools and devices to inflict pain 
  and suffering on people. A large oven with 
  burning coals along the eastern wall casts 
  a red glow around the room. Two hefty 
  iron doors (PV/BV 10/100) are always 
  kept locked (modifier -5 to unlock). The 
  doors lead to the cells in Rooms 6b and 
  6c. A small slot in the door offers a view of 
  the corridors lined with cell doors. During 
  the day Svhaanur (see Room 5d) is here, as 
  are his executioners, busy torturing their 
  prisoners.
  The room also contains nail mats, iron 
  crosses, thumbscrews, white-hot tongs, 
  blunt instruments, and a torture rack.
  and he keeps them in line much in the same 
  way he lords over his prisoners.
  5d. Svhaanur’s Room
  This small room is furnished with a bed and 
  a wardrobe. A black cape and a black mantle 
  hang in the wardrobe. Svhaanur sleeps here 
  at night, and during the day he is usually in 
  Room 7, or elsewhere in the fort if that is 
  what the Game Master decides.
  Svhaanur carries keys to all of the cells, 
  and to the doors in Rooms 6 and 7.
  6a. Stair Room
  A staircase leads up to Room 5a, and 
  another staircase leads down to Room 
  7. Two thick iron doors (PV/BV 8/80) 
  are kept locked at all times (modifier -7 
  to unlock). The doors lead to the cells in 
  Rooms 6b and 6c. A small slot in the door 
  offers a view of the corridors lined with cell 
  doors. The door can be forced open with 
  a successful situation roll with Situation 
  Value 4. Up to two persons can work 
  together (+1 modifier if there is a second 
  person) and their combined Strength 
  modifiers apply.
  5a. Torture Chamber
  There are several strange tools of torture 
  in the room, such as a chair covered in 
  nails, and a torture rack. There is a person 
  lying on the rack, convulsing in great pain. 
  At all times, at least one of Svhaanur’s 
  executioners and torturers will be in the 
  room. They spend their days and nights 
  here, torturing their victims before they are 
  to be sacrificed in the mighty Iron Shaft.
  5b. Torture Chamber
  The floor of the room is covered in 
  excrement and waste. Three people are 
  nailed to heavy iron crosses on the south 
  wall. Two of them are dead, and the third 
  has mere hours left before his final breath.
  5c. The Executioners’ Room
  The room is furnished with three beds, a 
  small table, and two chairs. It houses the 
  executioners currently in Svhaanur’s service. 
  At night, two of them will sleep here, and 
  during the day, all are occupied with torturing 
  the prisoners kept in the cells.
  The executioners are dirty and barely 
  dressed. They are all Svhaanur’s bastards, 
  THE MAIN BUILDING
  Level 1 
  To Level 1
  Main Building
  To Level 1   
  Underworld
  4
  3
  2
  2
  To Level 1   
  Western Wing
  To Level 1   
  Eastern Wing
  1b
  1c
  1a
  5a
  5c
  5b
  5d
  6a
  6b
  6c
  6b
  6c
  To Level 2
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  110  |  act 1. time of wrath
  and others equipment necessary to build siege 
  engines. Blodughadda’s plan is to bring with 
  him enough tools to build his siege engines on 
  location outside the cities he intends to conquer. 
  However, building siege engines requires a lot 
  of other equipment, which he won’t be able 
  to arrange on location. That is the kind of 
  equipment kept stacked in this room.
  12. Strategy room
  The door to the room (PV/BV 1/5) is 
  kept locked (modifier -7 to unlock). The 
  door can be forced open with a successful 
  situation roll with Situation Value 6. Up 
  to two persons can work together (+1 
  modifier if there is a second person) and 
  their combined Strength modifiers apply.
  The room is dark, but there is an 
  extinguished oil lamp just inside the door. 
  There is a large, square, table made of oak 
  in the middle of the room. On the table are 
  blueprints of various types of siege engines, 
  such as of a small catapult and of a more 
  substantial version; small and more substantial 
  battering rams, as well as a large siege tower. 
  There are also detailed descriptions of how 
  the soldiers should be positioned around the 
  siege engines in order to best benefit from its 
  protection during an attack. 
  their own hands. For far too long have you 
  lived under someone else’s hand, whipped 
  into submission in ways you do not deserve. 
  I have a greater task in mind for you”.
  “Sacrificing is as important as eating, 
  because through the sacrifice, we come 
  closer to each other. Being close to me 
  means more power for you”.
  The Snow Queen whispers sinister and 
  treacherous things, making people believe 
  that they alone are special, chosen, and 
  destined for a great task. If they just do what 
  the Snow Queen says, she will reward them 
  with gifts and treasures, the likes of which 
  most can’t even fathom in their wildest 
  dreams. After the ceremony, all who live in 
  the village are led out of the hall, and the fort 
  itself, under the watchful eyes of the hirdmen. 
  After that, the hall stands empty, with only 
  the ice block on the altar to bear witness that 
  a ceremony had taken place here.
  During the day, Haldur Ouvar’s men (use 
  the stats for Generic Ice Cultists Warriors) are 
  usually in here, practicing weapons training.
  11. Storeroom
  This room is full of barrels and boxes, which 
  in turn are filled with nails, hammers, ropes, 
  Level 2: The Main Building
  8. Hallway
  The door in the Southern wall leads to 
  Room 6 on Floor 2 of the Arrival Hall.
  9. Hall
  A large brazier suspended from the ceiling 
  by three heavy chains casts a dim light 
  throughout the room. The floor of the 
  room is covered in hides. The room is used 
  by Haldur Ouvar’s men, who have lived 
  here since they arrived at Ysetur following 
  the long journey from Vretgaard. Five of 
  Haldur’s men came with him to the fort. At 
  night, they all sleep in this room, and they 
  spend their days doing weapon training in 
  Room 10. Various armor parts and weapons 
  can be found in the room, such as chainmail, 
  axes, short swords, shields, and lots of arrows.
  The door to the room is always kept open.
  10. Sacrifice Room
  The four spiral staircases in the room 
  lead up to the third and fourth floors. A 
  ceremony with sacrifices is held in the room 
  every day. The ceremony is held early in the 
  morning, and everyone who wishes to is 
  welcome to come and listen to the whispers 
  emanating from the black ice block placed 
  on an altar by the north wall. The liturgy is 
  led by Njordung (under the name of “Ise”), 
  or one of the priests from Rooms 18 a–h on 
  the fifth floor of the Arrival Hall. The room 
  is usually full of Ice Worshippers, from 
  those who live both in the village outside 
  the fort and those who live in the fort itself. 
  The room is usually filled beyond capacity. 
  There are always two hirdmen stationed at 
  each entrance and staircase, to ensure that 
  no unauthorized persons decide to explore 
  the fort. Some of Njordung’s Dreadaxyrs 
  are usually also in the room.
  A person will usually be sacrificed in 
  front of the mighty block of black ice, and 
  their blood is sucked up with a magical 
  power. Those who are in the room can hear 
  the Snow Queen’s whispers.
  She whispers things like:
  “You are my chosen one, nobody else, it 
  is YOU that I have faith in”.
  “There are times when men and women 
  like you have to rise up and take things into 
  Level 2 
  To Level 2
  Arrival Hall
  10
  To Level 2   
  Eastern Wing
  To Level 2   
  Western Wing
  11
  12
  13
  8
  9
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  111
  13. Haldur’s room
  Haldur Ouvar has lived in this room since he 
  arrived at the fort and has essentially spent 
  all of his time assisting with 
  the sacrifices at the 
  Iron Shaft. At 
  night, Haldur sleeps on large hides in the 
  middle of the room, and he spends his days 
  by Njordung’s side at the Iron Shaft, or with 
  his men in Room 10, doing weapons training. 
  Haldur Ouvar is described in the chapters 
  titled  “The   Journey to Vretgaard” 
  and ”Ouvar   Family’s Hird Cabin”.
  Level 3: Main Building
  14. Hallway
  The door in the South end of the room 
  leads to Room 9a on the third floor of the 
  Arrival Hall. In general, the third floor is 
  completely empty.
  Level 4: Main Building
  15. Stair Room
  The spiral staircases lead to the fifth floor, 
  as well as to Rooms 4a and 4b on the first 
  floor of the Main Tower.
  16 a to 16e. Corridors
   16 a. Corridor
  The door leads to the first floor of Tower 
  O 8.
   16 b. Corridor
  The door leads to the West Bell Tower.
   16 c. Corridor
  The door to the south leads to Room 13 on 
  the fourth floor of the Arrival Hall.
   16 d. Corridor
  The door leads to the East Bell Tower.
   16 e. Corridor
  The door leads to the first floor of Tower O 7.
  To Level 3
  Arrival Hall
  14
  To Level 3 
  Eastern Wing
  To Level 3
  Western Wing
  Level 3 
  To Level 1
  Western Bell Tower
  To Level 1
  Eastern Bell Tower
  Tower 
  O 8
  16a
  Tower 
  O 7
  15
  16b
  16c
  16d
  Level 4 
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  112  |  act 1. time of wrath
  entire floor will fill with Orkhir leaders and 
  elite hirdmen, who both plan the war and 
  collect information about it.
  There is usually no one in the room, 
  aside from during special occasions. The 
  Game Master can of course choose to 
  let one or two highly placed hirdmen be 
  there, studying the map, when the player 
  characters enter the room. If that is the 
  case, use the same information as for all the 
  other hirdmen. 
  L–M. The Bell Towers
  The Bell Towers were built in order to be 
  able to alert all the fort’s inhabitants in the 
  event of a fire, attack, or other unexpected 
  events requiring the attention of those 
  living in the fort. Floors 4–7 of both bell 
  towers are identical, while Floors 1–3 
  differ slightly between the Eastern and 
  Western towers.
   19. Courtroom
  The walls of the room are covered in 
  black banners and banderols, all of which 
  bear the symbol of the Ice Cult. The flags 
  are suspended from the ceiling, running 
  all the way down to the floor, and in the 
  middle of the room stands a colossal stone 
  table. Fourteen wooden thrones surround 
  the table. An enormous map of Wildland, 
  painted on a large stretch of fabric, hangs on 
  the north wall. Red markings cover all the 
  map’s large cities and forts.
  Njordung will usually hold council 
  with his commanders in this room. They 
  are currently still awaiting orders from 
  Blodughadda, who always has, and always 
  will, have the last say in the plans for how 
  Wildland is to be conquered. The red 
  markings indicate which of the cities and 
  forts they plan to conquer within the year. 
  When the war breaks out in earnest, this 
  Level 5: The Main Building
  17. Spiral Staircase Room
  The spiral staircases lead down to the 
  fourth floor as well as to Rooms 4a and 4b 
  on the first floor of the Main Tower.
  18a to 18e. Corridors
   18 a. Corridor
  The door leads to the second floor of 
  Tower O 8.
   18 b. Corridor
  The door leads to the West Bell Tower.
   18 c. Corridor
  The door leads to Room 17, on the fifth 
  floor of the Arrival Hall.
   18d. Corridor
  The door leads into the East Bell Tower.
   18e. Corridor
  The door leads to the second floor of 
  Tower O 7.
  Level 5 
  To Level 2
  Western Bell Tower
  To Level 2
  Eastern Bell Tower
  Tower 
  O 8
  18a
  19
  Tower 
  O 7
  17
  18
  18b
  18c
  18d
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  113
  1. Bell-Ringer Room
  An enormous shaft stretches from this 
  room all the way up to the sixth floor, 
  where four impressive ironblood iron 
  bells hang from a sturdy ironblood 
  iron beam. Long, thick ropes are 
  suspended from the beam and reach 
  all the way down into this room. The 
  ropes are used to ring the bells, and 
  trigger the deafening noise that, in the 
  time of Hunndair Roughtongue, used 
  to be known as “the Bells of Winter”. 
  The sound struck great fear in the men 
  and women of Wildland, and it was 
  said that when the bells rang loudest, 
  due to unknown sorcerous means, you 
  could hear their chimes all the way 
  over in Storhavn, which is about 1000 
  kms eastwards. In conjunction with 
  Blodughadda’s arrival at the fort at the 
  end of this act, the bells will ring out, 
  deafening and ominous. Those in the fort 
  at the time will feel their bodies vibrate 
  and their ears hurt from the immense 
  volume.
  The spiral staircases on this floor 
  lead all the way up to the fifth floor. 
  2. Lookout
  There are arrow loops and observation 
  ports in all walls of the room, providing 
  the best view possible of the fort and its 
  surrounding area.
  Njordung has commanded his two 
  thralls, Blod and Skarpe (use the stats for 
  Generic Ice Cultists Peasants), to constantly 
  keep watch over the south sections of 
  the fort from this room in either tower, 
  awaiting Blodughadda’s arrival. Blod is 
  stationed in the Eastern Tower, and Skarpe 
  is in the Western Tower. They have both 
  been tasked with ringing the bells at the 
  first sight of the giant and his enormous 
  army on the slopes outside of Ysetur. 
  The two thralls sleep under a small hide 
  by the spiral staircase in a corner of each 
  of the towers. Both are excellent climbers, 
  and when they see Blodughadda, they will 
  not run up the narrow spiral staircase in 
  order to reach Room 1 but will instead 
  climb down the ropes while simultaneously 
  tugging them to make the bells ring 
  out. Blod and Skarpe shout to each other 
  through the arrow loops.
  Level 2 
  Level 3 
  Level 4
  Level 5 
  Level 6 
  Roof   
  THE EASTERN BELL TOWER
  Level 1 
  To Level 5
  Main Building
  To Level 4
  Main Building
  1
  2
  3
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  114  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Both Blod and Skarpe will be friendly 
  and will suck up to most people they 
  meet. They are thralls, and do not know 
  better than to follow their master’s 
  orders. They can’t really fathom that 
  anyone that comes to their towers (even 
  those with drawn and bloody weapons) 
  would have entered the fort without 
  Njordung’s permission. If attacked, they 
  will try to defend themselves or flee. A 
  spiral staircase in the southwest corner 
  leads up to the sixth floor and to the 
  roof.
  3. The Bells
  The enormous bells, which are suspended 
  from an immense ironblood iron beam, are 
  an impressive sight. The bells are red and 
  black, and their surface is smooth and lacks 
  inscriptions or embellishments of any kind. 
  There are four bells in each tower. Anyone 
  positioned here when the bells ring out 
  takes 1d10 Fear Points.
  The spiral staircase leads down to the 
  fifth floor as well as up to a hatch accessing 
  the roof. The hatch is locked but latched 
  from the inside. 
  Level 4
  Level 5 
  Level 6 
  Roof   
  2
  3
  Level 2 
  Level 3 
  THE WESTERN BELL TOWER
  Level 1 
  To Level 5
  Main Building
  To Level 4
  Main Building
  1
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  115
  3. Throne Room
  The walls of the throne room are black 
  and covered in magical runes and various 
  types of symbols. A magnificent ironblood 
  iron throne stands by the north wall. On 
  each side of the throne are six thick stone 
  columns, which support the ceiling. Even 
  the columns are covered in symbols and 
  sigils, which are long since illegible.
  Njordung uses the hall as his private 
  throne room, receiving nobility and other 
  important guests who have recently joined 
  the Ice Cult. Every day, when the sun is at 
  its highest, he will gather his inner circle of 
  men and priests in the hall in order to issue 
  orders on what needs to be done. Other than 
  during these occasions, the hall stands empty. 
  In the middle of the room, a large stain of 
  dried blood reveals that someone has been 
  sacrificed or executed in front of the throne.
  A hidden door in the north wall, just to the 
  right of the throne, opens to a spiral staircase 
  which leads up to floors two and three.
  Two stone staircases, one by the 
  southeast wall and one by the southwest, 
  both lead up to the second floor. 
  The ceiling of the throne room stretches 
  up to that of Floor 3, and from the first 
  floor, two impressive balconies can be seen, 
  which encircle the entire hall. If the Game 
  Master wishes to create some tension 
  N. The Main Tower
  The Main Tower is the real heart of 
  the ancient fort known as Ysetur. The 
  magnificent tower rises almost 100 meters 
  straight up into the air, like a powerful, 
  impressive sentinel against the elements. 
  Level 1: Main Bell Tower
  1. Hall
  A wide hallway leads to a thick set of 
  double doors made out of ironblood iron. 
  Reliefs depicting two impressive bull’s 
  heads adorn each of the doors. 
  “Never forget your purpose” is written 
  in Estiatic above each of the heads.
  The outer double doors lead out onto 
  the roof of the main building. The doors are 
  made of ironblood iron (PV/BV 20/200) and 
  are always kept locked (modifier -8 to unlock).
  Two other smaller, but still very solid, 
  doors (also made of ironblood iron, PV/BV 
  15/150) lead into two guardrooms. One of 
  these rooms is Room 2. During the day, the 
  door that leads into Room 2 is kept closed 
  but unlocked, and at night it is also locked 
  (modifier -8 to unlock). The other door is 
  kept unlocked but closed at all hours.
  2. Surveillance room
  Two of Njordung’s Dreadaxyrs are always 
  in this room. They are tasked with watching 
  over the large throne room, ensuring that 
  no one enters the Main Tower unnoticed. 
  The door leading into Room 3 is always kept 
  open in order to ensure that they have as 
  good a view of the throne room as possible. 
  The room is furnished with two big piles 
  of hides which function as both seating and 
  bedding for the guards. They change shifts 
  once a day, when two new Dreadaxyrs take 
  over. At night, both guards sleep, but due 
  to their war training, they are conditioned 
  to sleep incredibly lightly. It is up to the 
  Game Master to decide how easily roused 
  they are, and exactly how they react in any 
  given situation. The Dreadaxyrs who are 
  in this room will sleep in full battle gear. 
  They will attack anyone not carrying a 
  letter of passage from Njordung (using the 
  name “Ise”), unless they have an extremely 
  good explanation for what they are doing.
  if/when the player characters enter the 
  throne room, they could catch a glimpse of 
  Njordung or someone else watching them 
  from one of the balconies, disappearing 
  into the darkness soon thereafter.
  The throne room is dimly lit by eight 
  torches attached to some of the stone 
  columns.
  An enormous white flag bearing the 
  symbol of the cult is suspended above the 
  throne on the north wall. 
  A door in the eastern wall leads out onto 
  the roof of the eastern section of the main 
  building, while a similar door in the west 
  wall leads out onto the roof of the western 
  section of the main building. Both doors 
  are kept locked (modifier -6 to unlock) at all 
  times. The doors are made of wood and have 
  PV/BV 6/60 but can be forced open with a 
  successful situation roll with a Situation Value 
  of 6. Up to two persons can work together 
  (+1 modifier if there is a second person) and 
  their combined Strength modifiers apply.
  The two spiral staircases by the south 
  wall both lead up to the second floor.
  4 a, b. Stair Room
  Spiral staircases lead all the way up to the 
  sixth floor of this building, as well as down 
  to the fifth and fourth floor of the main 
  building.
  THE MAIN TOWER
  Level 1 
  4a
  4b
  3
  2
  1
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  116  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Level 2: The Main Bell Tower
  5 . Balcony Room
  This room is mainly a balcony, with a 
  view of the throne room, and is one of 
  Njordung’s favorite places to be when he is 
  not busy with his duties by the Iron Shaft. 
  In the southern alcove of the room are 
  three large crystal windows, which flood 
  the room with light during the day. 
  Fifteen stone columns which support 
  the ceiling are situated between the 
  balcony and the exterior walls.
  Whenever Njordung is not in the room, 
  Gralj, his executioner and assassin, will be 
  here, stalking around in the shadows. He 
  will take any opportunity to kill anyone who 
  is uninvited, but if he deems the threat too 
  great for him, he will try to fade into the 
  shadows in order to get away and inform his 
  master. If Gralj is in the room, and a fight 
  or anything else loud occurs in Room 3, he 
  will immediately try to identify potential 
  enemies, and then leave to inform Njordung 
  of the situation.
  Level 3: The Main Bell Tower
  Balcony Room
  Even from the balcony on the third floor, 
  which runs around the entirety of room 
  6, there is a view down to the impressive 
  throne in the throne room. The opening in 
  the floor is far smaller than that found in 
  Room 5, but it still offers a good view of 
  the throne room in its entirety.
  A large double door made of iron with 
  heavy studs is located on the south wall. The 
  doors (PV/BV 5/50) open out to a crenelated 
  platform. The double doors are kept closed 
  and locked (modifier -8 to unlock) and only 
  Gralj and Njordung have the keys. The door 
  can be forced open with a successful Situation 
  roll with a Situation value of 6. Up to two 
  persons can work together (+1 modifier if 
  there is a second person) and their combined 
  Strength modifiers apply.
  Level 4: The Main Bell Tower
  7. Corridor
  A wide corridor runs around the entire 
  floor, in a horseshoe shape. A single door 
  in the middle of the corridor opens into 
  Njordung’s chamber. Two of Njordung’s 
  personal hirdmen, his bodyguards, are 
  constantly stationed outside of the doors. 
  There are torches along the entire length 
  of the corridor, keeping it well lit.
  8. Drawing Room
  This room functions as a sort of drawing 
  room to Njordung’s chamber (Room 9). A 
  large blue flag, showing two axes crossed over 
  each other, is hung between two doors on the 
  north wall. The floor is covered in thick wool 
  carpets woven with hunting patterns. Two 
  of Njordung’s concubines are always in here, 
  waiting to serve their master. A long bench 
  with a washbasin and perfume bottles stands 
  by the east wall. A large water barrel made of 
  copper stands in the northeast corner. 
  When not in Njordung’s bedchamber, 
  the concubines sleep on thick mastomant 
  hides, which are kept by the west wall. 
  A large brazier is suspended from the 
  ceiling by thick chains, washing the room 
  in a dim light.
  Level 2 
  5
  Level 3 
  6
  8
  7
  10
  9
  11
  Level 4 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  117
  Yet another chest stands by the bed. This 
  chest is a lot larger and made of iron (PV/BV 
  10/100). The lock (modifier -8 to unlock) is 
  equipped with a trap, which can be discovered 
  through a successful Shadow Arts Skill roll 
  (preferably with the Shadowing discipline and 
  the Finding and Spotting specialty) modified 
  by -6. Anyone who fails with this roll risks 
  being caught in the trap, which Grajl has set 
  to catch anyone tampering with the lock. 
  Anyone who fails to open the lock will 
  have to succeed with a situation roll with the 
  Situation Value 8 (Dexterity modifiers apply) 
  in order to avoid the needle, which shoots 
  from the lock. The needle will then puncture 
  the person’s hand, potentially injuring them 
  (armor will protect as per usual). Anyone who 
  is pricked by the needle will be affected by 
  Gralj’s poison within 1d10 action rounds and 
  will have to succeed with a situation roll with 
  Situation Value of 5 (Constitution modifiers 
  apply) in order to not end up paralysed in 
  the body part that was punctured. Then the 
  Game Master will roll 1d10 to determine how 
  much of the body part is affected. A 1 indicates 
  paralysis of 10% of the body part, while 10 
  means that the entire body part is paralysed. 
  The paralysis will last for 1d10 days. One of 
  the bottles in the chest on the table contains an 
  antidote to the poison. If the person affected by 
  the poison consumes this antidote within 30 
  minutes, they will regain both the feeling and 
  mobility of the affected area in 1d6 hours. 30 
  minutes after ingesting the poison, the antidote 
  will become ineffective. The needle will hurt a 
  hand but, if someone is hit by a weapon coated 
  with poison, roll 1d10. On a result of 1-3 a 
  vital area (head, stomach or breast) is hit. Now 
  roll for the percentage of paralysis. If more 
  than 60% of a vital area is paralyzed, the victim 
  will succumb and die. The iron chest contains 
  the following items: A clay vessel containing 
  twenty or so severed and dried human fingers; 
  an arming sword coated in the same kind of 
  poison described above, and a letter of passage 
  penned by Njordung. Written in Vrok, the 
  letter reads:
  The carrier of this letter is traveling 
  under the protection and care of the 
  Ice Cult. Injuring or denying them 
  is to injure or deny Ise and the 
  members gathered under the name 
  of the Snow Queen.
  long as the two axes are held together, one 
  axe per hand, each give +2 SV per hand per 
  round.. Each of the axes is wrapped in a 
  piece of red silk. 
  The third chest contains: Njordung’s 
  personal full plate armor of legendary 
  quality (PV/BV 12/120, Heft 8, MM – 3 m, 
  IM -3, Value 650 sc, 22.40 kg) The armor 
  is tailored for Njordung, or for anyone 
  with Strength +2 or +4 and Constitution 
  +2 or +4, who also succeeds with a luck 
  roll (8-10 on a 1d10). The helmet has two 
  bent horns, resembling jaws. The helmet 
  makes the wearer look like a terrifying ioi, 
  not unlike Hrangadoorm. The helmet and 
  armor are both entirely coated in silk and 
  soft mastomant fur on the inside 
  The fourth chest: A frost cloud hits 
  whoever opens the chest, and an icy chill 
  quickly fills the room. A perfectly cut 
  block of the black ice rests neatly inside the 
  chest, on a bed of frozen ice and shredded 
  extremities. The horrific sight gives the 
  player characters 1d10 (OR 9-10) fear 
  points. The inside of the chest is completely 
  covered in frost and black ice crystals. 
  11. Gralj’s room
  The door to the room is kept closed and locked 
  (modifier -10 to unlock) at all times. The door 
  is made of iron (PV/BV 10/100) and is covered 
  in symbols and inscriptions in a long forgotten 
  language. Grajl has laid claim to the room in 
  order to be near his master when Njordung is 
  in his own chambers. Grajl is usually stalking 
  around the second floor in order to watch all 
  those who enter this part of the fort. At all 
  other times, Grajl will be in this room. The 
  Game Master can decide where Grajl is when 
  the player characters enter the fort.
  A low, wooden bed and a bedside table 
  stand along the north wall. A thick wool 
  carpet covers the floor, and a large crystal 
  window faces out towards the east. The room 
  is awash in light during the day, due to this 
  immense window, which runs from floor to 
  ceiling. At night, the room is dimly lit by a 
  single oil lamp which stands upon a low table 
  by the window. Also on the table is a small 
  wooden chest, containing three small glass 
  bottles. Two of the bottles contain poison 
  of the sort described below. Only one of the 
  bottles is an antidote. The poison is concocted 
  by cooking various types of plants.
  9. Njordung’s Bedchamber 
  A large, long, wooden bed filled with thick 
  hides and soft cloths stands against the 
  north wall. This is Njordung’s bedchamber, 
  and it is in this room that he spends a few 
  hours every night, attempting to sleep, 
  plagued by nightmares and visions brought 
  on by the Snow Queen. 
  The floors are covered in the same kind 
  of carpets as those found in Room 8. 
  There is a small oil lamp on a table by 
  the bed. The lamp is extinguished and is 
  only lit when Njordung is in the room 
  and awake. If Njordung is in the room and 
  hears any turmoil or strife outside the door, 
  he will immediately attempt to escape via 
  the trap door next to his bed. 
  10. Njordung’s Treasure Chamber
  The door to the room is kept locked 
  (modifier -10 to unlock). The door is made 
  of iron (PV/BV 10/100). Four large wooden 
  chests with iron detailing are placed on the 
  floor in the middle of the room. The chests 
  are locked and only Njordung himself holds 
  the keys. The Game Master has to decide, 
  depending on what is happening in the 
  fort when the player characters reach the 
  treasure chamber, which of the following 
  things Njordung is keeping with him or 
  using. It is quite likely that if Njordung 
  knows that there are intruders inside the 
  fort, he will take some of these items from 
  the chests in order to ensure that he is as 
  strong as possible in combat. However, keep 
  in mind that Njordung spends as much time 
  as possible sacrificing in order to fulfil his 
  duties to the Snow Queen. It is therefore 
  very likely that he will attempt to eliminate 
  potential intruders using his hird or his 
  Dreadaxyr. He has a great amount of faith 
  and respect for both groups of warriors. 
  The chest have PV/BV 5/50 and the 
  locks (modifier -6).
  The first chest contains: Jewels worth 
  25 gold coins; and 50 gold coins bearing the 
  symbol of the Ice Cult engraved on both sides. 
  The second chest contains: “Broke” 
  and “Stuke”, two sacred battleaxes crafted 
  by dwarven Thuuls with special, unique 
  permanent runes. These battleaxes (one-
  handed heavy weapons) are made out of blue 
  Mitraka, causing 1d10 (OR 8-10) in damage. 
  They have WA 3, IM -3, PV/ BV 9/90. As 
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  118  |  act 1. time of wrath
  Three large oil lanterns are placed on 
  the table.
  No one who currently lives in the fort 
  has noticed the hidden door in the room. 
  The small room beyond the hidden door is 
  completely empty. 
  14. Kitchen
  The room is temporarily being used as a 
  kitchen due to the enormous oven by the 
  southeast wall, which makes it easy to cook 
  for a large number of people. A massive, 
  round oak table is used as a work surface, and 
  is covered in slabs of meat and hard turnips. 
  The carcasses of two roe deers are suspended 
  from one of the walls. A large copper water 
  barrel stands by the western wall. The room 
  is lit by the open fireplace, and a large brazier 
  suspended from the ceiling by thick chains. 
  Level 7: The Main Bell Tower
  15-17. Bedrooms
  All the rooms contain piles of hides, which 
  function as beds. The rooms are used by 
  Njordung’s hirdmen, and there are always 
  at least 2 members of Njordung’s force of 
  bodyguards here, off duty. The hirdmen have 
  removed their armor when in the rooms, 
  and their weapons are hung from hooks on 
  the walls. The guards in the room are not 
  expecting anyone else to enter, other than the 
  other guards who are coming to be relieved. 
  They are relaxed, and if not sleeping, they 
  will be lounging around, in the midst of a 
  discussion, or caught up in a dice game.
  The Njordung’s personal bodyguards 
  are described in Room 7 of the Main 
  Tower. 
  supposed to be using his resources to 
  upgrade the fort and gather his own forces 
  to prepare for an efficient war against the 
  Wildlanders.
  The allied Fylkjarls or their subjects (of 
  whom only Wulfr is mentioned) will join up 
  with the army first when the war starts, in 
  order to be able to attack from two fronts. 
  Raak Wulfr and the Dreadaxyrs will lead 
  the different armies.
  The war machines will first be built 
  when the armies have made it further 
  into Wildland, in order to be able to 
  march quicker towards Storhavn, which is 
  considered to be a strategically important 
  city to conquer. There is a man in 
  Storhavn who is Njordung’s spy. He goes 
  by the name of “Icetongue”. When the war 
  begins for real, he will pass on important 
  information 
  concerning 
  Storhavn’s 
  defenses to Blodughadda. Raak Wulfr has 
  enough war machines to seize Storhavn, 
  after which slaves from the defeated city 
  can build war machines for conquering 
  Hallwind.
  In one of the texts it is evident that 
  Blodughadda is planning to use Morkhan 
  in order to kill the Paater in Vortland.
  They believe that they will face fierce 
  opposition from the holy warriors in 
  Jordek, but the plan is to murder the 
  Bhalgor Fylkjarl (and Gerbanis’ Brycker 
  in Wildland) before the battle in order to 
  break the spirits in an early phase. One 
  of the texts tells of how Blodughadda is 
  scared to go up against the Hrim Trolls 
  in Rihmfield, because he has repeatedly 
  entered their domain without permission. 
  There is, however, a plan for how they 
  intend to win the trust of the Hrim Trolls.
  A small but strong troop of Arks are 
  expected at Ysetur in roughly 20 days. The 
  thorn beasts that they ride will be used as 
  scouts during the coming war. 
  Level 6: The Main Bell Tower
  13. Dining Hall
  This room is used as a dining hall for all 
  who live in the Main Tower. A large oak 
  table, which seats 10, stands in the middle 
  of the room. Tin tankards and plates are left 
  on the table. There are always at least two 
  Dreadaxyrs in the room eating a light meal. 
  Level 5: The Main Bell Tower
  War Room
  This room is large and well-lit during 
  the day, due to the large crystal windows, 
  arranged in pairs on the vast, west and 
  south walls. Eight columns made of 
  massive stones support the ceiling. The 
  columns are arranged in a large circle, in 
  the middle of which stands a massive oak 
  table. Rolled up parchments covered in 
  writing and plans lay upon the table. The 
  parchments contain the basic battleplans 
  to conquer the Stormlands, drawn up by 
  Blodughadda and Njordung. Essentially, 
  these 8 parchments describe how the war 
  is to be won.
  Blodughadda is expected to arrive at the 
  fort with a large army of those known as 
  the “Dark Ones”. 
  Everyone has to await the army 
  before the war can begin for real. Before 
  Blodughadda’s 
  arrival, 
  Njordung 
  is 
  Level 6 
  13
  14
  12
  Level 5 
  Level 7 
  15
  18
  16
  19
  17
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  119
  for the Arks’ assistance in gathering 
  intelligence 
  for 
  the 
  coming 
  war. 
  Blodughadda has promised Um an even 
  bigger pouch of jewels as soon as the war 
  starts in earnest. Um also owns a piece of 
  dried lindwurm brain.
   Briar Uhek
  Briar is the group’s dimwalker. He is often 
  found next to the mighty Um, and he uses 
  the powers of all of his skulls to protect 
  Um and himself in battle. Tall and thin, 
  Briar has a sickly, gaunt face. His long, 
  black, stringy hair reaches down to his 
  waist, and is held together by a number 
  of braids.
  Briar owns the following gruesome 
  Haminges relics: the Horn of a Minokk 
  (Bysente’s Troll Bull), a Skoll’s Jaw, an Elf 
  Skull, a Gray Troll’s Kneecap
   Klarik Yurka
  Klarik is short and lean. He constantly 
  wears an iron mask completely covering 
  his features, as his face was greatly injured 
  in a war many years ago. Klarik bought 
  the mask from Buratja dwarves, and 
  it has a very distinct dwarven design. 
  Klarik fights using a long spear, and has 
  chainmail covering his arms.
   Siiva Dokul
  Siiva is the only other woman in the group. 
  She is Klarik’s sister and has been a part of 
  the company for about a year. Raven black, 
  Siiva’s hair reaches all the way to her knees, 
  and is gathered into a long braid. 
  Siiva’s thievery skills are greater than 
  her fighting abilities. She is flexible and 
  fearless but prefers to stay near one of the 
  great warriors in a battle. 
  If the Game Master chooses to have 
  Siiva be in the Arrival Hall, she will be 
  seated on top of the enormous statue, 
  surveilling the hall.
  Siiva fights using two daggers or a 
  hunting bow.
   Brom Fur
  Brom is short, but exceptionally muscular. 
  He is Um Ba Nek’s left-hand man and is 
  the one who would take over command of 
  the group if Um were to die. Brom is a 
  violent warrior, who likes to use his heavy 
  is willing to sacrifice his life for another 
  Ark. Skul fights with a two-handed iron 
  maul and wears a completely close tin 
  helmet for protection. Skul would fight to 
  the death if necessary.
   Hru Ka
  Hru is a skilled archer who joined up 
  with Um Ba Nek’s company more than 
  two years ago. In battle, he prefers to join 
  Blodughadda’s company, staying close 
  to the viscious giant. Hru has a small, 
  fast, thorn beast, which he has raised 
  and trained, and now controls. Hru’s 
  thorn beast is named “Asöga”. If a violent 
  skirmish breaks out in the fort and Hru is 
  informed of it, he will try to get to Asöga 
  to get a bird’s eye view and be able to 
  attack from a distance. Hru carries a great 
  iron bow with a string made by a giant 
  spider’ silk. Drawing the bow requires 
  Strength +2 or higher. The bow adds +3 
  to all injuries due to the bow’s components 
  (iron +1, spider bowstring +2).
  Asöga is constantly lying in wait on the 
  cliffs above the mighty Main Tower. Asöga 
  will immediately come when summoned 
  by Hru Ka by means of a shrill whistle. 
   Ay Ai
  Ay is a bitter, bloodthirsty young woman, 
  who constantly attempts to make it to the 
  battlefield and the war. Ay uses two short 
  swords and will often change opponents 
  during battle in order to try to discern 
  where the weakest link is. Ay generally 
  likes Hru Ka, and is often trying to impress 
  him. Ay has never entered the passages in 
  the mountain, having kept to the upper 
  levels of the fort since her arrival.
   Um Ba Nek 
  Um is the leader of the Arks in the fort. 
  He is short of stature but incredibly 
  strong. Um wears a white frost bear fur as 
  a cloak, with the head upon his shoulders 
  and head. A number of human skulls 
  hang from a thick leather belt around his 
  midsection. In battle, Um uses a double-
  headed spear, with curved blades at both 
  ends (use broad-bladed spear stats).
  He also carries a leather pouch 
  containing fine jewels, which he has 
  received from Blodughadda in payment 
  18-19. Bedrooms
  These two rooms are used by the 
  Dreadaxyrs currently off duty. Both the 
  rooms contain a pile of hides and wool 
  blankets which are used as beds by the 
  Dreadaxyrs requiring rest after a long and 
  tiring watch. It is up to the Game Master 
  to decide exactly  which and how many 
  Dreadaxyrs are in the room, depending 
  on the choices made earlier. At least one 
  Dreadaxyr should however be in either 
  room. 
  The Dreadaxyrs usually wear their 
  armors at all times, even while sleeping, 
  as they are distinguished warriors facing 
  a coming war. They keep their weapons 
  close at hand, but never drawn while in 
  the room.
  Njordung’s Dreadaxyrs: Njordung’s 
  Dreadaxyrs 
  are 
  a 
  group 
  of 
  hired 
  Arken warriors that Blodughadda has 
  recruited for the coming war against the 
  Stormlands. They are described in slightly 
  greater detail here, as they are very likely 
  to appear as leader characters in the war. 
  If the player characters do not encounter 
  any of them in the fort, the Game Master 
  should make sure to use them during 
  the war somehow. The Dreadaxyrs have 
  spread out throughout the entire fort, 
  and it is up to the Game Master to decide 
  exactly which one, or ones, are in any 
  given place at any given time. It is also up 
  to the Game Master to decide exactly how 
  good the Dreadaxyrs are, but a good rule 
  of thumb is that they should be skillful at 
  least as Njordung’s elite warriors, if not 
  more. They should also be superior in 
  terms of unusual or rare equipment. The 
  idea is for the player characters to avoid 
  the Dreadaxyrs, not to fight them.
  For the sake of simplicity, a generic 
  Dreadaxyr stats are in the NPC list. It is 
  up to the Game Master to elaborate and 
  modify them based on the descriptions 
  below.
   Skul Ek Mak
  Skul Ek Mak was from the beginning a 
  slave who has lived with the Arks since 
  childhood. Due to his large size and wild 
  nature, he was trained in the art of war. 
  Skul obeys the slightest command from 
  any and all of the Arks in the fort, and he 
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  120  |  act 1. time of wrath
  reason that he is allowed to live with 
  the group is because he carries out 
  unpleasant tasks for the others. Mabigon 
  has a strong desire to appear useful to the 
  other Arks and will do the most insane 
  things to prove his worth. He knows that 
  the others laugh at him behind his back 
  but has learned to live with it. Despite 
  lacking strength, he uses an oversized 
  two-handed sword in order to impress 
  the others. 
   Derkh Logra
  Very few Arks have any other trade than 
  warrior. Derkh stands out from the rest 
  because he was captured at a very young 
  age by Bysentian forest workers, and 
  was later sold off as a thrall to a group 
  of Carlonnian vitner weavers. For years, 
  he scrubbed their clothes and sorted 
  through their parchments until the vitner 
  weavers one day realized that Derkh had a 
  natural talent for the spirit of magic. They 
  introduced him to the ways of magic, and 
  he eventually learned a spell or two. But 
  Derkh had his own agenda; he wanted to go 
  home. One dark night he murdered the two 
  vitner weavers before torching their school 
  and disappearing into the darkness. Derkh 
  made his way back to Arkland and learned 
  the power of the sword. Today, they would 
  call him some form of sword wizard. Derkh 
  has taught himself the Flame Craft tablet 
  levels 1-3 and the Power of Vision tablet 
  levels 1-2. Derkh fights with a trident (use 
  Broad-bladed Spear stats).
   Porkia Kul Suur
  Raised near the thornroot caves, Porkia 
  quickly fell under the power of the 
  thornroot and went off marauding in the 
  name of Grauflagh many times. Porkia 
  is a practised warrior who has lived 
  through many battles and skirmishes. 
  He is missing one eye, and has a frightful 
  scar running from his forehead down to 
  the right side of his chest. Among the 
  Dreadaxyrs, he functions as the strategist 
  and tactician, and he is the one behind 
  many of the plans for how Wildland is 
  to be conquered. Porkia is very skilled 
  with weapons but prefers to fight with 
  a scimitar and shield. He has a gleaming 
  open Mitraka helmet. 
   Jiiru Mom
  Jirru appears gaunt and sickly. His skin 
  is pale and covered in red blemishes. His 
  eyes are deeply sunken in his narrow face. 
  Jirru is addicted to the thornroot and its 
  effects. He carries a small bag of thornroot 
  with him at all times. He prefers to stay 
  close to one of the great warriors while 
  in battle, as he is usually far too affected 
  by the more destructive effects of the 
  thornroot to be able to fight. But when 
  he does enter into combat, it is as though 
  he is a crazed and bloodthirsty madman. 
  Jiiru fights with a small shield and a short 
  sword. 
   Arunda Iaih
  Arunda is a thief and a murderer, He 
  prefers to remain hidden in the shadows 
  close to one of the powerfully built Arks. 
  Aside from a thick ponytail that hangs 
  down his back, Arunda’s head is shaved. 
  He has penetrating, dark eyes, which are 
  always surveilling his surroundings. He 
  rarely fights, but when he does, it is with 
  two knives he is exceptionally skilled 
  with. Before joining up with this group 
  of Arks, he was in the service of Arkhund 
  Hvranki, one of the Warsworn in Arkland.
   Jorghi Ev Hekki
  Most of the Arks are extremely addicted 
  to the awful thornroot. Jorghi is actually 
  one of the few who never chews the 
  devastating root, which means that he 
  has an unusually sharp mind for an Ark. 
  Jorghi has studied under Einhink’s slave, 
  Vapir, in order to learn the innermost 
  secrets of the art of the sword. Jorghi is 
  by far the best warrior out of all the Arks 
  in Ysetur. He is fast, flexible, and strong, 
  fighting with his two battleaxes without 
  any inhibition. 
  Jorghi wears chainmail over his chest 
  and stomach and has thick leather straps 
  around his arms to protect himself from 
  stabs and cuts. He keeps his black hair in 
  two knots on the back of his head. 
   Mabigon Culwa
  Mabigon is the scapegoat for the other 
  Arks. The others look down upon him 
  because he does not share either their 
  strength or weapon skills. The sole 
  crossbow during the first wave of battle 
  before drawing his scimitar during close 
  combat. 
  Brom wears a large mastomant fur as a 
  mantle (PV/BV 4/40, Heft 6, MM -2 m. 
  IM -2, immune to the “Hrim body” ability 
  of  certain creatures). 
   Sok Kohu
  Sok is Skul’s master, and it is he who has 
  decided to have Skul trained. There are 
  always two Skoll by Sok’s side, which he has 
  had trained for war. Sok is Um’s oldest cousin, 
  and he has followed Um since childhood. He 
  has named the two Skolls, Rive and Bite. Sok 
  originally had three Skolls when they first 
  arrived, but one of Blodughadda’s “Dragon 
  Wargs” bit one of them to death, for which 
  Sok is very upset and vengeful. Sok has 
  accompanied Um to the Iron Shaft and 
  knows the way there. Sok would be happy 
  to see Blodughadda dead, but will defend the 
  fort, and the other Arks with his life. 
   Jokar Non
  Jokar is not an Ark by race, being born 
  and raised in Wildland. He met Um on 
  one of his journeys, roughly three years 
  ago, and has worked for the powerful 
  leader ever since. Jokar wears nothing 
  aside from a loincloth and a pair of boots 
  made of mastomant fur. A gold plated 
  Hrim Troll tooth hangs from a leather 
  strap around his neck. The tooth is 
  enchanted and makes its bearer immune 
  to cold. Jokar has a large tattoo on his 
  chest, depicting a group of hunters 
  felling a mastomant. 
  Tall and broad-shouldered, Jokar has a 
  completely shaved head. He fights with a 
  battleaxe and a small shield.
   Grord Hrasilk
  Grord’s face and body is covered in large 
  black tattoos, which look like dark flames. 
  He wears a wide belt with a large, round 
  copper buckle. When indoors, Grord only 
  wears a pair of robust boots and leather 
  trousers. Thick leather straps wrap tightly 
  around Grord’s wrists. Two long-bladed 
  sabres (use Broadswords stats) hang 
  across his back at all times. He prefers to 
  fight with two weapons and has a very 
  offensive fighting style.
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  121
  The entire way up through the stairwell, 
  there are small arrow loops and ledges 
  making it possible for arbalists to shower 
  potential enemies with deadly projectiles.
  It is important to note that anyone who 
  enters through a door from the fort itself 
  into the various towers will find themselves 
  in a stairwell and not in a room.
  There is a number of passages and doors 
  inside the fort which lead to the stairwells 
  of the various towers, but aside from these 
  doors, the towers can also be reached via a 
  door at the tower’s lowest point. Tower O 1 
  can, for example, be reached by a door from 
  the outer courtyard, Tower O 4, O6, and O7 
  are all reachable via doors which open from 
  the roof of the Eastern Wing. Towers O5 
  and O8 can be reached by exterior doors 
  which lead to the roof of the Western Wing. 
  Towers O9 and O10 are accessible via doors 
  that link to the outer courtyard. The exact 
  location of these doors is up to the Game 
  Master. The overview map provides a good 
  idea of where there should be space for them. 
  Aside from these two ways into the 
  Defensive Towers, it is also possible to gain 
  access from the fort’s sturdy crenelated walls, 
  which run around most of the fort, aside from 
  the north side. The same goes for the towers 
  which are connected to the Inner Wall (G). 
  All the doors to the towers (unless 
  otherwise stated) are made of iron and have 
  PV/BV 10/100. None of the towers have 
  locks on their doors. 
  The only tower that differs from the 
  rest of the Defensive Towers is Tower O5, 
  which belongs to the Western Wing.
  to when they dine. During the day, there are 
  usually five to six hirdmen here, and one 
  or two at night. Due to the sharply slanted 
  ceiling, the room feels simultaneously 
  cramped but also cosy. Large beams support 
  the ceiling, and the light floods the room 
  from the garret window during the day.
  A narrow spiral staircase leads up to a 
  hatch in the ceiling, which in turn leads 
  out to the little crenelated platform and 
  lookout on top of the immense tower. The 
  hatch is bared but unlocked.
  Level 10: The Main Bell Tower 
  22. Roof
  O. The Defensive Towers 
  In total there are eleven defensive towers in 
  the fort. Their main purpose is to function 
  as lookouts and defensive platforms against 
  an exterior enemy. All of the towers look 
  essentially the same. The tower consists of 
  a stairwell which takes up the entire area, 
  and which snakes its way up to the top of 
  the tower. At the very top of the tower is 
  a crenelated defense post, which can only 
  be reached via a heavy iron hatch in the 
  stairwell. The hatches do not have locks 
  but are fairly heavy. Lifting them requires a 
  successful situation roll with Situation Value 
  6 (Strength modifiers apply), at most two 
  people can work together (+1 modifier per 
  the second person), the combined Strength 
  modifiers apply. Some towers have roofs, 
  while others only have a platform.
  Level 8: The Main Bell Tower
  20 a,b,c,d. Dormitories
  Essentially the entire eight floor of the 
  Main Bell Tower consists of rooms that 
  are allocated to Njordung’s bodyguard. 
  Five people in total live in each room, three 
  of which are always there. The others are 
  away tending to some duty elsewhere in 
  the fort. Each room has a large fireplace in 
  the corner, always lit with warming flames. 
  The hirdmen keep stacks of firewood, 
  covered by large hides to protect them 
  from water, out on the balconies. 
  The rooms are filled with hides, 
  battle gear, cookware, clothes, and other 
  equipment. The hirdmen store all their 
  possessions by their beds, but most of 
  them bring their paltry possessions with 
  them as soon as they leave the room. 
  The hirdmen in the room are some of 
  Njordung’s most loyal men, and many of 
  them belong to the Blueax family in some 
  way, which is evident by the clan crests 
  most of them wear on their mantles and 
  shields. The majority of the men have been 
  in Njordung’s service since childhood and 
  are extremely loyal to their master. All 
  have become eager Ice Worshippers.
  Level 9: The Main Bell Tower
  21. Dining Hall
  A long table with two roughly cut long 
  benches stands in the middle of the room. 
  The table seats ten to twelve people, and it 
  is here the hirdmen from room 20 adjourn 
  Level 8 
  20d
  20a
  20c
  20b
  21
  Level 9 
  Roof   
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  122  |  act 1. time of wrath
  3 and 4. Secret Rooms
  Secret Room 3 is stuffy and musty. No one 
  has been here in a long, long time. The room 
  is completely empty, but its eastern wall is 
  covered in a magic script. Every one with the 
  Vitner Runes specialty will realize that those 
  who called forth the demon have covered 
  the wall with an incantation as a part of the 
  powerful ritual. The runes contain the whole 
  level 2 of the Power of Thought  Vitner tablet 
  (Players Handbook page 117). Unfortunately 
  the engravings containing the other levels 
  are too damaged to be read.
  Secret Room 4 is identical but the long, 
  partly damaged engravings contain instead 
  the whole Level 4 of the Dimvitner tablet 
  (Players Handbook pages 108-109).
  These engravings can be used to learn 
  these specific levels of the relevant 
  vitner tablets, but one must first 
  copy them, in order to study them 
  later on, when there’s enough time. 
  To copy one level of spells one 
  needs materials for writing (scrolls/
  paper and ink, or wooden/wax 
  tablets and knives or pins) and 
  a successful Vitner Craft skill 
  roll with the Vitner Runes 
  specialty must be passed. If 
  this is failed, one realizes 
  that he has wasted time only 
  at half the process.
  To properly copy one 
  level requires 6 hours. 
  One can try to write more 
  quickly, spending only 3 
  hours, but all learning rolls 
  using this copy will suffer a 
  a way, and in such a code, the it would take 
  hundreds, if not thousands, of years to figure 
  out the entire formula, and divide it up into 
  different incantations. A wizard, or anyone 
  with the Vitner Runes specialty of the Vitner 
  Craft skill, will immediately see that the 
  writing on the pillars are incantations, but 
  they are unable to see the connection, nor 
  are they able to discern which spell each text 
  belongs to.
  A larger dais along the south wall, 
  which is roughly a meter tall, leads up to a 
  smaller landing of the same height. There 
  is a thoroughly concealed door in the south 
  wall, by the smaller landing. Discovering 
  the door requires a successful Shadow Arts 
  skill roll (preferably with the Shadowing 
  discipline and the Finding and Spotting 
  specialty) modified by -6.
  A corridor opens up in the 
  south-eastern wall, leading to a 
  small room. Here, too, there is a 
  well-hidden door, the discovery 
  of which requires a successful 
  Shadow Arts skill roll (preferably 
  with the Shadowing discipline  
  and the Finding and Spotting 
  specialty) modified by -4. 
  The door leads to a passage, 
  which, in turn, leads to 
  Room 4. There is yet 
  another hidden door here, 
  to be found with similar 
  roll and leading to Room 3.
  The room is lit by three 
  enormous braziers, which 
  are suspended from the 
  ceiling by thick chains. 
  The Underworld
  The fort of Ysetur hides many secrets, of 
  which the Underworld may be the strangest. 
  This part of the fort was built by the stone 
  masters, in order to call forth the demon 
  who was to help them build the fort. Ever 
  since the Ice Worshippers took over the fort, 
  the Underworld has stood for the evil which 
  is now seeping into the lands of Trudvang. 
  Few are those who dare descend into the 
  Underworld, as there are whispers of 
  horrors so great that even Ice Worshippers 
  are unable to face them. People are sacrificed 
  down here to help the Snow Queen grow in 
  both power and strength.
  Level 1: The Underworld
  Guardroom
  A long, wide, staircase leads down to a 
  small, square room containing eight black 
  iron pillars, four along the west wall and 
  four along the east. The pillars are covered 
  in depictions of slithering snakes and other 
  reptiles with evil features.
  A staircase in the south wall leads down 
  to a thick ironblood iron door (PV/BV 
  10/100). The door is kept locked at all 
  times (modifier -8 to unlock).
  Two of Blodughadda’s Orkhir (Svorgha) 
  guard the room. They will viciously attack 
  anyone they do not recognize right away, 
  unless that individual immediately reports 
  that they are there in Njordung’s service. 
  Depending on whether Njordung currently 
  is down there, the Orkhir will then (in 
  terrible Vrok ) request the message so that 
  they can pass it on to him, or refer them to 
  his bodyguard in the Main Tower. 
  Pillar Hall
  The room was built in order to calibrate 
  exactly where the demon was to be brought 
  forth, and the pillars in the room functioned 
  as a sort of “landing strip” for the enormous 
  amount of energy that was called upon to 
  summon the demon. The place where the 
  demon would appear was a magical node of 
  the purest energy, and it was absolutely crucial 
  that the Iron Shaft was located on precisely 
  the right location. The pillars, which are made 
  out of iron, are tall and majestic, covered in 
  magical runes and symbols. Essentially all 
  known spells cover their surface, but in such 
  To Level 2
  Arrival Hall
  1
  2
  4
  3
  Level 1 
  THE UNDER
  WORLD
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  123
  If a vitner weaver places their hand on the 
  handprint, they will feel an enormous energy 
  being pulled from them, and specific texts on 
  the wall will slowly light up with a magical 
  red glow. If the vitner weaver keeps their 
  hand there, 1d10 (OR 8-10) vitner points will 
  be taken from them temporarily (recovers 
  normally). After about three minutes 
  (assuming the vitner weaver keeps their hand 
  on the handprint) the following text appears 
  on the wall (which requires level 2 of the 
  Vitner Runes specialty to decipher).
  Tamers, from times long gone 
  From darkest place, on starlight come
  A gate, of vitner’s powers they forge,
  With Dragonearth blood, was made 
  a door.
  the power source emits a bolt of lightning, it 
  will automatically hit the vitner weaver (only 
  one randomly chosen person will be affected in 
  the event that there are several vitner weavers 
  in the room) causing 1d10 (OR 10) in damage.
  Level 2: The Underworld
  6. Symbol Room
  Two immense ironblood iron doors open 
  into this room, which has walls covered 
  in symbols and inscriptions. The symbols 
  appear to radiate from a handprint in the 
  middle of the western wall. 
  The doors are unlocked, but extremely 
  heavy, and thus difficult to open, and 
  that task requires at least four people of 
  normal strength.
  – 5 SV modifier.  Spending time in this way 
  should add tension to the players but the 
  GM is encouraged evaluate the possibility of 
  encounters, considering the general health 
  status of the characters. Chance can even be 
  take to recover Fear Points by resting in these 
  rooms, closing the secret doors.
  Learning Level 2 of Power of Thought 
  requires the previous knowledge of Level 
  1, 10 weeks of study and a successful Vitner 
  Craft skills roll (Vitner shaping discipline 
  and Vitner Runes specialty) per week. At 
  the end the Game Master will give enough 
  Adventure Points to buy the level.
  Learning Level 4 of the Dimvitner tablet 
  is similar, but it requires the knowledge of 
  levels 1-3 and 18 weeks of study. 
   Vitner Source
  The room is square, with small alcoves in 
  each wall. A spiral staircase behind a well-
  concealed door in the southern alcove leads 
  down to the second floor. Discovering 
  the concealed door requires a successful 
  Shadow Arts skill roll (preferably with the 
  Shadowing discipline and the Finding and 
  Spotting specialty) modified by -7.
  An iron pillar, roughly a meter and a half 
  in height and a meter wide, stands in the 
  middle of the room. A magic inscription is 
  engraved at the pillar’s top, next to a hole, 
  roughly five centimeters in diameter. Anyone 
  who succeeds a Vitner Craft skill roll with the 
  Vitner Runes specialty can read the magical 
  inscription, “Iour Iákava”. If these words are 
  read aloud, a bright white flame will burst 
  from the hole, burning with an intense white 
  light. The light will extinguish by itself after 
  10 action rounds. As Game Master, you may 
  choose to describe the flame as similar to 
  igniting a welder’s torch at full strength.
  Once upon a time, enormous amounts of 
  pure energy were channelled from this small 
  hole, and those who summoned the demon 
  collected vast amounts of vitner from this 
  little power source. The ability to gather 
  power directly from a vitner source has long 
  since been lost, but a vitner weaver who casts 
  a spell in the room while the flame is alive 
  only needs to subtract half (rounded up) of 
  the required Vitner Points to cast a spell.
  If the source is lit, there is a 25% chance 
  (1–5 on 1d20) that it will send off a lightning 
  bolt if there is a vitner weaver in the room. If 
  Level 2
  9
  10
  6
  7
  8
  11
  12
  13
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  124  |  act 1. time of wrath
  12. Symbol Alcove
  A hidden door leads into this alcove. A 
  successful Shadow Arts Skill roll (preferably 
  with the Shadowing discipline and the 
  Finding and Spotting specialty) modified 
  by -5 is required to find the door. There is a 
  handprint on the alcove’s eastern wall, which 
  works the same way as the one in Room 6. 
  After roughly a minute, anyone who has at 
  least Level 2 of the Vitner Rune specialty can 
  read the following text on the northern wall:
  Up from the shaft he rose,
  Our Lord, Our Master,
  From the depths’ darkest chamber,
  Power we were given.
  Build a fort, a gate, and a stronghold,
  Our creation shall stand forevermore. 
  13. Landing
  A passage leads out to a narrow landing 
  without railings. The bridge (14), which is 
  lit by small bowls of burning oil, is visible 
  from the landing. The bridge looks small, 
  located as it is, more than a hundred meters 
  below the landing. A narrow staircase 
  snakes its way the hundred meters down to 
  the considerably larger landing at 14a. 
  Level 3: The Underworld
  14. Cliff Ledge
  The stairs from the landing above end 
  on a large cliff ledge which is located five 
  meters above the rushing lake, the powerful 
  currents of which result in the water 
  constantly seeking new paths. The rock 
  wall is illuminated by hundreds of small 
  bowls of oil, which burn eagerly. 
  A wide stone bridge leads from the cliff 
  ledge straight onto a fifty-meter tall rocky 
  island at the center of the lake. The bridge, 
  too, is lit by small bowls of burning oil, 
  which are spread along both sides of the 
  bridge. The bridge is held up by sturdy 
  ironblood iron pillars, roughly ten meters 
  above the water’s surface. 
  Two Orkhir (Svorgha) are constantly 
  standing guard in the dark passage on 
  the other side of the bridge. They will 
  immediately attack if they see anyone they 
  do not recognize. In that case, they will 
  first fire off their arrows at anyone seen 
  on the landing, after which they take up 
  carefully constructed after Hrangadoorm 
  had been sent back to Blotheim. 
  Hrangadoorm had inadvertently left 
  one of his most powerful items behind 
  by the edge of the Iron Shaft, something 
  which the stone masters only noticed 
  after his departure. In order to avoid 
  incurring Hrangadoorm’s wrath, they 
  built this secret chamber, in the event 
  that Hrangadoorm would perchance 
  find his own way back to search for that 
  which was his. Despite the fact that there 
  is a large rune engraved on the wall, 
  discovering the hidden door still requires 
  a Shadow Arts Skill roll (preferably 
  with the Shadowing discipline and the 
  Finding and Spotting specialty) modified 
  by -12. Thus far, no one in the history of 
  Ysetur has ever found the door. There is 
  a sturdy altar made out of ironblood iron 
  in the middle of the room, upon which 
  rests Hrangadoorm’s infamous  battle 
  hammer, Dunklihrann. The hammer 
  is made from an unknown black metal 
  and is twice the weight of a normal 
  warhammer. The hammer’s surface is 
  covered in engravings of a complicated 
  pattern of flames. 
   Dunklihrann
   Material: Unknown
   Magical: Yes
   Type: Battle Hammer
   Class: One-handed heavy weapons
   WA: 3; IM: -8; PV/ BV: unknown (it can 
  be damaged only by a divine miracle).
   Damage: 1d10 (OR 8–10) and, if the 
  wielder has at least Strength +2, 
  during open rolls the victim will be 
  dazed and/or knocked down for 1d3 
  action rounds, suffering IM -8 to be 
  added to all other IM.
   Abilities:
   Terrorize: All of the bearer’s enemies 
  who see the hammer will receive 1d10 
  (OR 9–10) fear points. The hammer 
  possesses a list of many other abilities 
  that only Hrangadoorm can access. 
  As soon as anyone touches the hammer 
  (which has lain, untouched, for thousands 
  of years) Hrangadoorm will feel it, and 
  begin to search for his hammer which was 
  lost in ancient times. 
  7. Stone Bridge
  A long stone bridge stretches across a 
  great chasm. A deafening roar can be heard, 
  stemming from a waterfall, which bursts 
  forth with immense amount of rushing water 
  from the western wall. The bridge crosses at 
  the same height as the top of the waterfall. 
  From the bridge, it is possible to see 
  small sources of light from another bridge 
  (number 14) far below, on the eastern side 
  of the gorge. 
  8. Symbol Room
  Behind an unlocked, robust ironblood iron 
  door (PV/BV 10/100) there is a dark, 
  square room with an alcove in the furthest 
  wall. Similar to Room 6, the walls here are 
  also covered in symbols and inscriptions, 
  as well as a handprint. A vitner weaver can 
  choose to place their hand on the handprint, 
  letting the wall absorb 1d10 (OR 8–10) 
  vitner points from them temporarily 
  (normal recovery). After about three 
  minutes (assuming the vitner weaver keeps 
  their hand there) the following magical text 
  appears on the wall (which requires level 2 
  of the Vitner Rune specialty to decipher). 
  The text that is engraved into the wall are 
  the levels 1 and 2 of the Dimvitner tablet.
  See above “Secret Rooms” for rules 
  about how to copy and learn these levels. 
  Level 1 requires 6 weeks of study and Level 
  2 require 10 weeks.
  9. Vitner Source
  The same type of power source as found in 
  room 5.
  10. Channelling Chamber
  There were eight stone masters who first 
  summoned the demon and its powers. 
  Each of their handprints can be found in 
  the alcoves of this room. The handprints 
  functioned as a sort of key to channelling 
  their combined powers to a single person. 
  In the alcove in the north wall, the grand 
  master would stand, receiving the others’ 
  energy. This, in turn, would make him 
  strong enough to be able to summon 
  Hrangadoorm. 
  11. Hrangadoorm’s Hammer
  A well-concealed door hides what may be 
  one of Ysetur’s strangest rooms. It was 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  125
  Today, Njordung is sacrificing an immense 
  number of people, animals, and other 
  creatures in order to make the Snow Queen’s 
  dark powers available to the Ice Worshippers. 
  Every day, roughly a dozen people are 
  sacrificed in the Iron Shaft, and their blood 
  is absorbed by the block of ice, after which 
  their bodies are devoured by the Shaft’s 
  energies. Njordung spends most of his time 
  here. It is obviously up to the Game Master 
  to decide exactly where in the fort Njordung 
  is when the player characters arrive, and 
  where he is upon entering this special room. 
  If the Game Master wants to make things 
  less complicated, they can choose to place 
  Njordung in this room regardless of when 
  the player characters arrive here. Aside from 
  Njordung, there are also always at least two 
  Ice Blotpriest and two Dreadaxyrs in this 
  room who assist with the actual sacrifices. 
  During the day, Haldur Ouvar (see Room 
  13, Floor 2 of the Main Building) is always 
  here as well. The people in this room will 
  mercilessly attack anyone who enters the 
  room that they do not recognize. 
  If the player characters meet Njordung 
  in this room, and if they defeat him, it 
  should all end with him falling into the 
  Iron Shaft, right after he cries out, during 
  his final battle:
  “Fools, you have not accomplished 
  anything. Nothing can stop us now… 
  Before you have even made it out of 
  this fort, the giant will be here with 
  his army. Did you come for Maria… 
  hahaha… fools… She was sacrificed 
  long ago. You’re too laaaaaaaate”.
  The player characters find Maria’s 
  bracelet next to one of the walls. The 
  Child of Light will immediately recognize 
  it. When the Child of Light touches the 
  bracelet he feels something like a jolt run 
  through him and sees a vision of Maria 
  being sacrificed to the Iron Shaft.
  Maria is dead, and the player characters 
  realize that they have come to the fort 
  in vain. Just then, they hear the muffled 
  chimes of the Bell Tower. Blodughadda’s 
  army has been spotted and it is bearing 
  down on the fort.
  The Ice Blotpriest are described in 
  Rooms 18 a–h in the Arrival Hall.
  energies that still linger in the Iron Shaft 
  to this day function as a catalyst and 
  amplifier for all sacrifices to the Snow 
  Queen made in this place. They let the 
  life of their victims slowly ebb from their 
  bodies by the large block of the black 
  ice near the Iron Shaft, so that the Snow 
  Queen can gain the power and strength 
  to free herself from her shackles. When 
  the victim is as good as dead, they are 
  thrown into the Iron Shaft and “caught” 
  by the energies that snake their way up 
  from the endless shaft. Each and every 
  sacrifice made in this room is equivalent 
  to ten sacrifices made anywhere else.
  There is, however, something worrying 
  Njordung and the Ice Blotpriest assisting 
  him. Recently, they have been hearing a low, 
  thunder-like rumble in the depths of the 
  shaft. Njordung will firmly insist that it is 
  the Snow Queen calling out, but deep inside 
  he worries that they, with their sacrifices, are 
  in the process of awaking another ancient 
  power – the demon Hrangadoorm.
  positions on the bridge, so that they only 
  meet potential attackers two-by-two. 
  The walls and ground are covered in 
  a dark frost, all the way from the dark 
  passage where the two Orkhir stand guard 
  and up to halfway along the bridge.
  15. The Iron Shaft
  This room is the heart of Ysetur, where the 
  stone masters once summoned the dreaded 
  demon Hrangadoorm and his powers. The 
  room is entirely made of ironblood iron, and 
  at its center, an endless dark shaft gapes like 
  a sinister black hole. Despite the fact that 
  Hrangadoorm never returned after the fort 
  was erected as he promised to, the fort still 
  bears witness to its hidden powers. 
  The combination of ironblood iron, 
  powerful summoning spells, and the 
  enormous flow of dark vitner which 
  streamed forth from the Iron Shaft when 
  the demon was summoned has created 
  a perfect place for the Ice Worshippers 
  to make sacrifices to their queen. The 
  Level 2
  14
  15
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  126  |  act 1. time of wrath
  route. The thorn beasts have their base 
  at Uvail’s tower, where they are fed the 
  survivors from Uvail’s ranks. The point of 
  seizing Storhavn is to completely cut off 
  Hallwind’s supply line, and to confiscate 
  a fleet large enough to erect a “blockade” 
  along the sea route near the Eagle 
  Cape by Uvail’s tower, (the toll station). 
  Blodughadda has promised Wulfr to hold 
  off on the attack on Uvail until Hallwind 
  has fallen. Only then will all the remaining 
  forces concentrate on erasing Uvail from 
  history.
  Blodughadda himself, alongside the 
  Dreadaxyrs, will bring the remaining 30 
  legions, pushing into Wildland beginning 
  with North Hall, destroying everything 
  in their path. They march directly on 
  Hallwind. Hallwind is besieged, but only 
  half of the attacking army make themselves 
  known, giving the Wildlanders the false 
  hope that they will win. Haldur Ouvar 
  leads the attack force, doing everything he 
  can to wear down Hallwind’s defenses. In 
  one of the final stages, Blodughadda will 
  attack Hallwind with his full army, using 
  both his Orkhir and Hrim Trolls. It will be 
  Hallwind’s final battle, and the beginning 
  of the end for Wildland. 
  The War 
  It should have been summer by now. 
  Mild winds should have caressed sun 
  kissed skin. The farmers should have 
  been working out in the fields, their 
  backs hunched and sunburnt; the children 
  should have been playing childhood 
  games on warm summer evenings. But the 
  land has faded into a slumberous winter 
  hibernation, blanketed under a thick cover 
  of snow. What had at first been beautiful 
  to behold, turned into a wintry nightmare, 
  a 
  “fimbulwinter” 
  without 
  precedent. 
  And as if that was not enough, the fears 
  long spoken of in worried whispers have 
  come to pass. Wildland has been thrown 
  into a difficult and bloody war. Within 
  a year everything, that the country had 
  ever built has been lost. Despite the fact 
  that the player characters themselves 
  have seen the enormous army gathered 
  under the Orkhir banners and have had 
  time to ready both themselves and the 
  Invasion plan
  Blodughadda’s tactic is to try to cut 
  Wildland off from the rest of the world 
  before heading down to Hallwind. Raak 
  Wulfr, who worships the Snow Queen 
  and is Blodughadda’s ally, helps to keep 
  the southern border open. He also has the 
  responsibility of crushing the defense in 
  Storhavn and building a fleet. 
  Blodughadda brings with him 60 legions, 
  each of which consists of a thousand 
  Orkhir from the Great Ice Plains, far more 
  than the player characters had estimated. 
  The player characters are not meant to 
  grasp the extent of the invasion, so that 
  their hopes can remain high until the bitter 
  end, when Hallwind falls. Blodughadda 
  has several possible army leaders who 
  each are in charge of a number of legions. 
  These leaders are made up of some of 
  the Dreadaxyrs and Raak Wulfr. The 
  Dreadaxyrs act as war councillors unless 
  they themselves lead an army. Raak Wulfr, 
  however, refuses to let some Dreadaxyr 
  tell him “how to fight” and has sent his 
  advisor to the Cliff of Askyr to guard Linn, 
  an embarrassing task. It is up to the Game 
  Master to pick the various army leaders, as 
  only Raak Wulfr is preassigned. 
  Five legions remain in Ysetur and 
  five will follow one of the Dreadaxyrs to 
  Vretgaard, where they settle to guard 
  the entire Northern Darkwoods against 
  intruders from the Hunting Estate to the 
  west and Hrefing in the East. This task is 
  far from simple. 
  Raak Wulfr, with 20 legions at his side, 
  forces his way down towards Wolfswood 
  through his own lands. There, the army 
  is splintered once again, and part of the 
  legions march at high speed directly 
  towards Storhavn. A few legions are set to 
  patrol Uvail’s Southern border (Southeast 
  Wildland) and 5 legions guard the front 
  facing Uvail by Wolfswood. Wulfr’s own 
  men join up with the armies by Wolfswood, 
  or remain to guard the southern border on 
  Wulfr’s side (Southwest Wildland). Wulfr 
  attacks Uvail’s tower, and places his own 
  men as border guards, clad in the uniforms 
  of Uvail’s men. Blodughadda has also 
  given him 6 thorn beasts, which aid him 
  by watching over the Icepeak Mountains, 
  in case anyone attempts to invade via that 
  The Escape
  Forlorn and broken-hearted, the player 
  characters are forced to accept that Maria is 
  dead and truly lost. The Child of Light is so 
  devastated that the other player characters 
  have to carry him from the location where 
  Maria was sacrificed. Like hunted prey, 
  they must now flee from the fort which 
  is just starting to wake up. During their 
  escape, they see Blodughadda’s enormous 
  army snaking its way up to the fort like 
  an enormous, black serpent. They see 
  thousands upon thousands of dark warriors 
  lead by Blodughadda. They realize now 
  the scope of the war that will soon rage in 
  Wildland. They must quickly seek shelter, 
  and inform the Fylkjarls of the fate that 
  awaits their lands.
  The ThreaT from The 
  greaT iCe plains
  After the player characters have found the 
  Iron Shaft, gazed down into its deepest 
  horrors, and feel ready to leave Ysetur 
  behind, a new threat surfaces in the north. 
  On the horizon they can, for the very first 
  time, see (and hear) Blodughadda and 
  the enormous army of Dark Ones he has 
  gathered to conquer the Stormlands on 
  their way to Ysetur. The player characters 
  estimate that his terrifying army of Orkhir 
  numbers up to forty thousand.
  The only thing that the player characters 
  can do in this situation is to flee to warn the 
  country and gather all those able-bodied in 
  Wildland. Staying in Ysetur and facing the 
  army alone is an insane idea. 
  The player characters are now thrust 
  into a violent war, whether they want 
  it or not. Blodughadda has journeyed 
  into Wildland with a terrifying army of 
  a people never before witnessed. They 
  are called the “Orkhir”, and are as black 
  as coal, have foggy white eyes, and fight 
  with such a violent frenzy that it surprises 
  even the trolls. They are sprung from 
  the black ice and are the children of a 
  world that lies between Trudvang and 
  Blotheim. The player characters soon 
  run the risk of finding themselves in a 
  world where Wildland is splintered and 
  defeat is imminent. They have to flee with 
  manhunters tight on their heels.
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  127
  A 
  consideration 
  must 
  be 
  made 
  about the existence in Trudvang of 
  battles of a scale so large, that they 
  are unbelievable to have ever happened 
  in the Viking, Saxon and Celtic worlds 
  whose 
  stories 
  inspired 
  Trudvang 
  Chronicles. Nevertheless, it is important 
  to stress that Trudvang is not historical 
  Northern Europe during the Dark 
  Ages. Trudvang is, more than anything 
  else, a mythic setting for epic sagas, 
  therefore realism is a lower priority, as 
  it is any supposed comparison with early 
  medieval warfare.
  Leadership
  This score represent the leader’s leadership 
  and it is the sum of the following stats of 
  the main leader: Intelligence + Charisma 
  + Commander Specialty (of the Care skill) 
  + Battle Experience Discipline (of the 
  Fighting skill). 
  For these last two consider only the 
  relevant levels of the two above-mentioned 
  discipline and specialty, not the total 
  SV bonuses, nor the related skills and 
  specialties and disciplines.  
  The GM may add a bonus for meaningful 
  war advisors or skillful officers but not 
  more than +1 per advisor or +2 per expert 
  advisors, up to a maximum of two or three 
  advisors.
  Battle Value
  Each army has a single statistic called 
  “Battle Value” which is the sum of 
  three types of Battle Modifiers: units, 
  fortifications and other modifiers.
  Units
  Each of the planned battles below will show 
  a list of the units whose Battle Modifiers 
  are included in the Battle Value. Here is 
  presented a more generic list of possible 
  units to act as a generic reference. 
  The GM is encouraged to change these 
  numbers as much as he likes, in order to 
  create special units. For example, if 500 
  Heavy Infantrymen give a +5 Battle 
  Modifiers, 500 Expert Heavy Infantrymen 
  will give +10 Battle modifier. Or if 200 
  normal Berkerkers have a +2 Battle 
  Modifier, 200 heavy-armed bersekers will 
  have a +4 Battle Modifier. 
  Even if a line of possible events is 
  below described, the GM is encouraged to 
  improvise and adapt to the players’ choices 
  and the related consequences, if they 
  differ from what is established. This large 
  campaign is bound to lead to the tragic 
  Wildlanders’ defeat, but the characters’ 
  actions may have significance in the battle 
  for certain towns or regions, keeping them 
  from being conquered by Blodughadda’s 
  dark host, unlike the rest of the country. 
  The final demise of the Wildland to the 
  dark army is sure, but it does not mean that 
  the way to come to such a complete defeat 
  cannot be epic and dramatic, as in a saga or 
  a tragedy of the old times.
  There are several options about how to 
  manage this war. Going blow-by-blow is 
  imposible: large-scale battles are clearly 
  beyond the limits of the combat system, 
  as published in the Game Master’s Guide. 
  One can play single skirmishes or duels, 
  but the large battles cannot be replicated.
  The GM may prefer to keep everything 
  narrative and just tell the outcomes of 
  battles, considering the involved forces, the 
  scripted events and the actions of the player 
  characters. On the other hand, it may be of 
  help to a system for mass warfare, as the 
  one described below. 
  The Battle System
  The following mechanics are not meant 
  for a detailed wargame. This is rather just 
  a simple system which allows a minimum 
  of unpredictability to be exploited by the 
  GM as an inspiration to create war stories. 
  If any calculation does not make sense or 
  if you just need to round up any oddity, 
  please ignore any problematic number, take 
  a straight decision and go on. There’s an 
  epic war story to be told here, not simple 
  accountant work. The story always comes 
  first, and the calculations should be bent to 
  tell the tale.
  Battle Scale
  This system is thought to represent 
  battles of either “Small” scale, with units 
  of hundreds of warriors, and “Large” 
  scale, with units of thousands of men. 
  The description of each battle below will 
  include an indication of the scale used. 
  northernmost 
  villages 
  in 
  Wildland, 
  the savage war hits mercilessly. A wave 
  of dark creatures completely washes 
  down over the north parts of Wildland, 
  shackling the dogged Wildlanders. The 
  hardy Wildlanders who have resisted 
  the whispers of the Snow Queen are 
  ill-equipped and have little chance 
  against the great army of Orkhir, led by 
  Blodughadda. An escalating number flee 
  every day, seeking refuge further south 
  with family and friends.
  As Game Master, you have a lot of 
  options in this chapter. The war will last 
  for an entire year before the free people 
  of Wildland are defeated and shackled. 
  The player characters will eventually have 
  to flee in order to avoid capture by the 
  bloodthirsty Orkhir and their allies. 
  It is important to try to keep the player 
  characters in Wildland until the bitter end, 
  and that they do not manage to flee the 
  country. If they do, the campaign is over, 
  and a different group of adventurers must 
  continue the adventure. 
  In the event that the player characters are 
  considering fleeing instead of attempting 
  to help the Fylkjarls in Wildland during 
  the coming year, the Game Master should 
  try to block all such possibilities by cutting 
  off all routes with events that force them 
  to remain in the country. Seaports can have 
  been conquered by Blodughadda’s armies, 
  the roads are constantly patrolled by 
  manhunters, and the mountain passes are 
  closed off and guarded. Let Wulfr’s howling 
  wolves drive them further north instead of 
  south, so that they stay in Wildland for the 
  coming year. 
  It would be easiest for the Game Master 
  if the player characters decide to help one 
  of the Fylkjarls in the battle for Wildland, 
  as that will give them various tasks to do 
  during the coming year. 
  Fighting The War
  A big part of the war consists of rallying 
  the fierce clans scattered throughout 
  Wildland to stop Blodughadda’s raids in 
  the south. With his army of savage Orkhir, 
  the giant will try to mercilessly raze every 
  village, town, or settlement he encounters 
  on his war path.
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  128  |  act 1. time of wrath
  enough men to patrol them. While, on 
  the other hand, a small but well-fortified 
  castle in an unreachable position can be 
  manned even by a small unit, getting 
  always a pretty high bonus even against 
  large armies.
  All fortifications bonuses are therefore 
  extremely different, and their extents and 
  modifiers must be judged by the GM on a 
  case-by-case basis. A few generic examples 
  of fortification bonuses follow.
  Fortifications
  This system replicates both open battles 
  and sieges, therefore the presence of 
  fortifications must be considered. Their 
  value is expressed in the various battle 
  descriptions below, however one note 
  is due. Unless the GM rules otherwise, 
  the fortification modifiers do not change 
  with changing scale. Large city walls, for 
  example, are a good protection, which you 
  cannot properly exploit if you do not have 
  The numbers of individual per unit 
  is given for both Small and Large Battle 
  scales. This is done in order to avoid 
  incredibly large modifiers for Large Scale 
  number. If you ever need to convert a Large 
  Scale unit to a Small battle, just multiply 
  numbers and Battle Modifier by ten.
  For example, in Large Scale 500 Heavy 
  Cavalrymen give +1 modifier, while in 
  Small Scale the same number of warriors 
  give a +10 modifier.
  HUMAN UNITS BATTLE VALUES
  Human Units
  Small Scale Numbers of warriors
  Large Scale Number of  warriors
  Battle Modifier
  Heavy Cavalry (heavy armours)
  50
  500
  +1
  Heavy Infantry, hirdmen (heavy armours)
  100
  1,000
  +1
  Berserkers (light or no armours)
  100
  1,000
  +1
  Light Cavalry (light armours)
  100
  1,000
  +1
  Light Infantry, hirdmen (light or no armor)
  200
  2,000
  +1
  Hunters, rangers, archers, seamen
  200
  2,000
  +1
  Levy/Reservists/volunteers
  500
  5,000
  +1
  Desperate Citizens
  1000
  10,000
  +1
  War Machines
  5
  50
  +1
  Knarr ships
  5
  50
  +1
  Longship
  1
  10
  +1
  MONSTER UNITS BATTLE VALUES
  Monster Units
  Small Scale Numbers of warriors
  Large Scale Number of  warriors
  Battle Modifier
  Trolls (mixed sizes, or all Gray Trolls)
  100
  1,000
  +1
  Forest Trolls
  200
  2,000
  +1
  Hrim Trolls
  10
  100
  +3
  Orkhir (mixed sizes)
  100
  1,000
  +1
  Hrimtursir
  1
  10
  +5
  Warg Beasts (various sizes)
  100
  1,000
  +1
  Skoll
  50
  500
  +1
  Flying Thorn beasts
  1
  10
  +5
  CONDITIONS AND FORTIFICATIONS
  Condition
  Battle Modifier
  Fortification
  Battle Modifier
  Presence of “Legendary warrior”
  +1 to +3
  Natural feature (steep hill, etc.)
  +5
  Flanking
  +1 to +5
  Wooden palisade around a village
  +5
  Caltrops to stop cavalry
  +1
  Stone city walls
  +10
  Ambush
  -1 to -10
  Fortress
  +10
  Demoralized, hurt, tired, etc…
  -1 to -5
  Fighting in Darkness with most of the army 
  not having Night’s Vision
  -3
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  129
   Murder of or Duel with the enemy 
  leader (change in Leadership score).
   Traps and ambushes (change in Battle 
  Values).
   Leading a unit. In this case play a single 
  round of normal combat against sample 
  enemies and assume that the whole unit 
  behaves as they do, winning or losing 
  (change in battle results).
   Secret mission to demolish a fortification 
  with magic (change in Fortification 
  bonus).
   Provoking a Divine miracle to inspire 
  unit (change in Battle Value).
   Destroying or stealing some unit’s 
  banners or secret weapons or religious 
  relics provoking a loss in morale (penalty 
  to Battle Value).
   Corrupting mercenaries (the enemy 
  loses a unit).
   Etc.. 
  The GM and Players’ imaginations are 
  the only limits of the possible actions to be 
  performed.
  The Return to Storhavn
  The return to Storhavn is tumultuous 
  and it will take not less than 40 days 
  of march through thick forests, frozen 
  plains and ever-present snow. The Game 
  Master is suggested to summarise the 
  trip, highlighting (if he wants to) only 
  the tense moments when the coming 
  threats are foreseen. They may pass 
  through villages and towns but very few 
  people seem to listen to their warnings. 
  The long route from Ysetur possibly 
  led the characters directly to Storhavn 
  without passing through North Hall or 
  Hallwind. This is because the northern 
  snow storms may have constricted their 
  paths to a more southern route through 
  the woods and plain.
  In Storhavn the Swordjarl Oktar 
  Grimme is missing and, just as in all other 
  areas of Wildland, the player characters 
  find that they aren’t believed when they 
  speak of the coming invasion. There may 
  even be some open wounds still festering, 
  waiting for the player characters to tend to 
  Oktar Grimme has been missing for 
  several months (roughly the same amount 
  Even the number of battle rounds is 
  not pre-fixed. The GM may decide that 
  everything is resolved with one round, 
  with one side retreating, or the battle can 
  go on for many rounds.
  Battle Sequence 
  Each Battle Round is played as follows.
   STEP 1: Compare the Battle Values of 
  the two armies. The difference is the 
  “Advantage Bonus” which is applied 
  in Step 2 only to the army with higher 
  Battle Value.
   STEP 2: Each army sums up 1d10 (OR 
  10) + Leadership + Advantage Bonus (if 
  present).
   STEP 3: Compare the results. The 
  Winner’s Battle Value is diminished 
  by 1d10. The Loser’s Battle Value is 
  diminished by 1d10 + the difference by 
  which it lost.
   STEP 4: The GM interprets the results 
  and narrates the consequences. 
   STEP X: Maybe another round If so, 
  go back to STEP 1.
  Remember that this is not a wargame 
  system but just a base for inspiration to tell 
  epic battle stories. The GM is encouraged 
  to 
  introduce 
  pre-established 
  events 
  (ambushes, reinforcements, magic miracles, 
  etc…) in certain rounds to alter the Battle 
  Values in order to bend the results in 
  interesting ways.
  It is also important to know that, 
  even when they are not the generals, the 
  player characters should be the heroes in 
  the saga. Therefore, their actions should 
  be meaningful for the battle results, their 
  failures should be dramatic, and their 
  triumphs should be world-shaking! And 
  even if a pre-established event nullifies 
  their efforts, the whole story should remain 
  memorable for the players. The GM is 
  encouraged to introduce possibilities for 
  player characters’ actions interrupting any 
  of the above-described steps. The actions 
  of the heroes may modify the Battle Values 
  (STEP 1), or the battle results (STEP 2) or 
  the number of losses (STEP 3).
  Here are a few examples of these 
  opportunities and of the consequences that 
  they may have.
  Other Battle Modifiers
  In this category is included any other 
  condition that may modify the Battle 
  Value. Here are just few examples and 
  the GM is encouraged to use creativity 
  when creating and evaluating such 
  bonuses. When a range of modifiers 
  is shown, it will vary according to the 
  percentage of the army affected by the 
  phenomenon. Even bonuses from the 
  leaders’ strategic choices can be used 
  here.
  Diminishing Battle Value
  The Battle Value represents the complete 
  strength of an army including all 
  the factors. When the Battle Value is 
  diminished the damage can be anything: 
  slain units, breached city gates, death 
  of a legendary hero, etc. The GM is 
  encouraged to be creative and take 
  the chance of describing the most 
  emotionally-strong 
  consequences. 
  If 
  recording the exact losses (how many 
  thousand men, etc..) is too much, do be 
  bothered by doing it: register just the 
  new Battle Values and do your best to 
  narrate the story.
  It is completely up to the GM to decide 
  when a Battle Value became too low to keep 
  on fighting. Most armies will retreat when 
  reduced at half or at one-third of their 
  Battle Values, in order to live and fight 
  another day. However, coward generals 
  may order retreats at the first losses, or 
  religious fanatics may fight until the very 
  last man is killed. 
  Also remember that after the battle 
  some armies may recover to fight again 
  in future battles. Not all diminished 
  Battle Value represent deaths of soldiers, 
  since many warriors may have been only 
  lightly damaged, routed, scattered or just 
  retreated.
  Battle Rounds
  Each battle is made of “Battle Rounds”. 
  How long they last is completely up to the 
  GM. They may represent one whole day 
  of furious combat or long months of siege 
  with occasional sorties. Remember that 
  this system is abstract enough to allow 
  the GM to interpret battle results as he 
  wants!
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  130  |  act 1. time of wrath
  to Swordjarl Oktar Grimme. Ylva Vrudnah 
  is the new head of the Grimme homestead, 
  with Rendre at her side as her “assistant” 
  (and lover). Ylva claims that her newborn 
  son, Maug Grimme, is Oktar’s lovechild, 
  and therefore Grimme’s rightful heir. (In 
  reality, Rendre is the father). When the 
  player characters least expect it, they will 
  learn that Rendre has crossed over to the 
  other side, adopted the dark faith, and, in 
  meet the player characters in Vretgaard, 
  which is why their return without him 
  confirms the suspicions of his death. 
  The Friend of Oktar, if still alive, may feel 
  a urge to know about what happened to the 
  old Swordjarl. This may lead to interesting 
  ends, according to the players’ choices. In 
  this sense Rendre Haugskalp is absolutely 
  terrified that the player characters will 
  uncover the truth of what really happened 
  of time that the player characters have 
  been gone). Oktar was last seen leaving 
  his house on horseback. The one thing 
  that is known is that he had received a 
  message before he left that he did not 
  wish to show anyone, and which he took 
  with him when he disappeared. Despite 
  several searches throughout Wildland, 
  he has yet to be found anywhere. Many 
  had thought that he had traveled to 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  131
  “This is what awaits us. Time is 
  running out to arm and prepare the 
  entire land for the greatest fight we’ve 
  ever faced”.
  It is first at this point that some start 
  believing the things that the player 
  characters have been saying. If the player 
  characters also happen to have been to 
  North Hall, chances are high that they have 
  in fact met Dran himself there. 
  The player characters may choose to 
  point out that the army that they saw at 
  Ysetur actually was much larger than 
  twenty thousand strong, which indicates 
  that the forces have split into smaller 
  divisions. Some of these division have not 
  been spot yet, possibly hidden under magic 
  or by the recent, strangely hard winter 
  snow storms. 
  Storhavn is not expecting a direct attack, 
  as Hallwind is en route and obstructs all 
  access to the city. Nevertheless, on the 
  very same day that the bailiff addresses 
  the masses, two thousands Hirdmen and 
  four thousand volunteers led by a score 
  of veteran warriors march to reinforce 
  Hallwind. Chaos reigns in the city. The 
  bailiff stays in Storhavn overnight since he 
  has heard about the characters and wants 
  to speak with them about their knowledge 
  of the enemy’s armies. 
  At midnight that same day, the thing 
  no one ever expected occurs: Storhavn 
  is attacked in waves by one division 
  of Blodughadda’s army which has in 
  secret reached the seaside city, bypassing 
  Hallwind. The enemy attacks Storhavn’ 
  defences by land using mainly Orkhir and 
  by the sea, using Sea Wolves hired by the 
  Wulfr clan.
  Storhavn, which already sent out two 
  thousand of its best soldiers and four 
  thousand volunteers, now stands with a 
  defense made up of reserves, fishermen, 
  farmers and the very few skillful warriors 
  which remained as an escort to Dran 
  Hvitetand. The Grimme clan, led by Ylva 
  Vrudnah, has no strength to lead the 
  defenses (and its leaders are now secretly 
  aligned with the Snow cultists).If the player 
  characters do not have the experience or 
  authority to lead, Dran Hvitetand will act 
  as a general.
  It is up to the Game Master to decide 
  how much time the player characters have 
  in Storhavn before the war breaks out in 
  earnest. When the time is deemed to be 
  right, the Game Master will read:
  “Early one morning, the battle cry 
  of war horns sounds, and a group of 
  Saatigia’s guards and soldiers ride up 
  to the large town square where people 
  have begun to gather. The loud battle 
  call continues to sound, rousing almost 
  the entire city. 
  The bailiff leading the soldiers climbs 
  up onto a platform in the middle of the 
  square, from where he intends to address 
  the people of Storhavn. He waits for 
  an hour, allowing time for as many as 
  possible to gather. His voice resonates, 
  loud and clear, echoing over the masses, 
  as he reads from a parchment that he has 
  brought with him:
  “I am Dran Hvitetand, Bailiff and 
  Voice of the revered Fylkjarl Saatigia. 
  The message I have brought will 
  strike fear and horror in all your 
  hearts: North Hall has fallen and been 
  obliterated! Wildland is at war, all-out 
  war! We await an attack of over 
  twenty thousand enemies. This time 
  we truly battle the forces of darkness; 
  these creatures which now amass 
  against Wildland do not resemble 
  anything ever witnessed outside the 
  realm of nightmares. They fight with 
  a frenzy similar only to that of our 
  own berserkers. We need to quickly 
  gather soldiers to reinforce Hallwind 
  because several enemy scouts have been 
  spotted near Hallwind there. I beg you, 
  inhabitants of Storhavn, leave your 
  homes, grasp your weapons, and fly to 
  war. The battle for Wildland is upon 
  us!”
  The bailiff, Dran Hvitetand (use “Generic 
  Hird Leader” stats)continues, telling the 
  people how he has seen the army himself and 
  been one of the few to survive the battle in 
  North Hall. He holds up an arrow with back 
  feathers (the same kind as that which killed 
  Huld) and explains how he was hit by it:
  an effort to redeem himself, allied himself 
  with his own family (Wulfr). Rendre has 
  taken over the rule of the cell of dark 
  worshippers in Storhavn, and now goes by 
  the name of “Istunga” (a clever character 
  who has heard about the name of Njordung 
  spy from a parchment in Ysetur will 
  identify the similarity with the “Icetongue” 
  name). A confrontation between Istunga/
  Icetongue/Rendre and the friend of Oktar 
  is bound to happen and it is up to the 
  GM to organize it, according to how the 
  events have been developing thus far. Even 
  if badly wounded, Rendre should survive 
  such a confrontation since he has still a role 
  to play in this story. 
   The cell of Ice Cult members in 
  Storhavn consists of twelve people. 
  They view the player characters as 
  the greatest enemy of their growing 
  army and seek an effective way to get 
  rid of them. Possibly by poisoning. 
  The friend of Oktar will attract even 
  more threats, given Rendre’s fears of 
  the character’s revenge. The cell also 
  functions as spies for the dark army 
  when it arrives.
   If any of the player characters managed 
  to get a mistress during their time with 
  Oktar, they will now find themselves 
  with a woman and child to support. The 
  Wildlanders do not like men who shirk 
  their responsibilities.
   Injustices, insults, or other “brutal” 
  events that occurred under Oktar’s 
  protection are now suddenly brought to 
  light. Anything that the player characters 
  are unable to settle in fines, they instead 
  will be forced to pay with sacrifices. 
   On the other hand, player character 
  who have shown themselves to be 
  friendly and honest, and who have 
  taken responsibility for their actions 
  during their earlier visit to Storhavn, 
  will 
  be 
  rewarded. 
  These 
  player 
  characters will find themselves very 
  well liked and will find it easier to 
  recruit soldiers or allies for their battle 
  against the darkness. The impressions 
  that the player characters left behind 
  after their last stay in the city will 
  greatly affect the amount of respect 
  they are shown today. 
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  132  |  act 1. time of wrath
  THE SIEGE OF STORHAVN: SMALL BATTLE SCALE
  best fortress in the region and where 
  most of Wildlander forces are gathering 
  to organize a resistance. Regardless of 
  the player character’s choice, Hvitetand 
  will leave for Hallwind. 
  Raak Wulfr’s army loses two longships 
  and half of its pirates, as well as 500 
  Orkhir and roughly 50 Wulfr berserkers. 
  The defenders of Storhavn fight bravely 
  until the bitter end. The player characters 
  now face essentially three options: to flee 
  to Hallwind, Jordek, or Ailburg. The 
  player characters’ choice should, in order 
  to simplify things for the Game Master, 
  lead to one of these places.
  To Hallwind
  Enormous hordes of a new dark race of 
  people, followed by the Snow Queen’s 
  Wildfolk, have swarmed down from the 
  north, attacking Wildland. For almost 
  an entire year, Saatigia’s gathered forces 
  have held out in the ruins of Hallwind. 
  The Fylkjarl himself, along with his two 
  sons, has fallen to the black feathered 
  arrows. 
  The 
  warrior 
  monastery 
  in Jordek has been drained of holy 
  warriors, and most of them are dead by 
  now. Hallwind had at first proven itself 
  to withstand yet another enemy. But, 
  early one morning, as an overgrown 
  survive, including the player characters. 
  Those who survive are Dran Hvitetand, 
  a cavalry soldier, five infantry soldiers, 
  and the remaining survivors are seamen 
  who managed to escape in their knarr 
  ships. Only two of the knarr ships made 
  it out of the battle unscathed. One of 
  these is Captain Bjarn’s knarr ship, 
  (the very same ship that brought the 
  player characters to Storhavn for the 
  first time), which transports Ylva and 
  the child safely to Ejdland, along with 
  an immense fortune. Unless the player 
  characters have been able to stop him 
  in time, Rendre (or Istunga), will be in 
  Storhavn, waiting for his allies, without 
  actually partaking in the battle himself. 
  As the city has been surrounded, almost 
  the entire civilian population is killed, 
  and all survivors have been taken as 
  slaves to build new war machines. Very 
  few civilians have the courage to attempt 
  to break through enemy lines towards 
  freedom. The player characters and Dran 
  must now decide how they are going to 
  try to escape from the burning city alive, 
  with manhunters and battle wolves hot 
  on their heels. They must also figure out 
  where to flee to – North towards Hallwind 
  and Jordek; or South towards Ailburg 
  and Ailgaard. If asked, Hvitetand will 
  suggest Hallwind, his Saatigia master’s 
  location. He will underline as it is the 
  The siege of Storhavn
  The Game Master can either choose to put 
  the player characters through the entire 
  battle for Storhavn, whereby each Battle 
  Round takes up to 12 hours, or they may 
  choose to simply describe the outcome. 
  Raak Wulfr is not an expert leader but he 
  knows the strengths of the creatures that 
  he leads. He will, somewhat predictably, 
  attack every night following the first 
  onslaught at midnight, under the cover of 
  darkness. This means that the Storhavn’s 
  defenders will suffer a -3 to their Battle 
  Value. The attackers will not be hindered 
  by these light conditions due to the high 
  number of Orkhir and Warg Beasts. 
  If the assault goes badly for the attackers, 
  reinforcements of 2,000 Orkhir (+20 Battle 
  Value in Small scale)will arrive within 24 
  hours, until Storhavn has fallen.
  Storhavn is not meant to hold against 
  the enemy, superior in both equipment 
  and training. The attack on Storhavn is 
  a tactical manoeuver to make it easier to 
  seize Hallwind in the final stages. 
  If the Game Master does not wish to 
  go through the entire battle together 
  with the player characters, they can 
  instead choose to describe the following 
  outcome. 
  Storhavn falls following a fourth 
  attack, with devastating losses. Of the 
  soldiers defending Storhavn, only 80 
   Army 1: Storhavn Defense
   Leader: Dran Hvitetand (Int +2, Commander 3, Battle 
  Experience 3)
   Total Leadership: 8
   Unit Battle Modifiers
   50 Heavy Cavalrymen lead by Dran Hvitetand: +1
   200 Heavy armed hirdmen with chainmail: +2
   100 Berserkers with axes: +1
   400 Lightly armoured Hirdmen with spears and axes: +2
   c.250 old reservists armed with spears: +0.5
   c.500 desperate citizens: +0.5
   c.400 Seamen with axes and bows: +2
   30 Knarr ships prepared for war:  
  +6
   Storhavn city walls: +10
   Total Battle Value: 25  (to be lowered by -3 during the night 
  attack) 
   Army 2: Raak Wulfr’s Army (fealty to Blodughadda)
   Leader: Raak Wulfr (Battle Experience 1)
   Total Leadership: 1
   Unit Battle Modifiers
   2000 Orkhir 
  +20
   300 Warg Beasts (various sizes) 
  +3
   400 Wulfr Berserkers 
  +4
   200 Wulfr hunters with bows 
  +1
   400 lightly-armed Sea Wolves 
  +2
   4 longships with ballistae +4
   10 Knarr ships prepared for war 
  +2
   20 catapults 
  +4
   Total Battle Value: 40
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  133
  THE SIEGE OF HALLWIND: LARGE BATTLE SCALE
  reinforced leather armor (3/30), a hand 
  axe or a hunting spear, and a medium 
  wooden shield. If they are not willing 
  to fight to defend Hallwind, they will be 
  cast out. 
  If, on the other hand, the player 
  characters are in Saatigia’s good graces 
  (maybe due to previous actions, for 
  example during the wedding feast or 
  because of heroic and well-known deeds 
  in defense of Wildland), they may be 
  granted audience with the Fylkjarl 
  Vilgar Saatigia. The only practical 
  difference if so would be that the player 
  characters are given better equipment 
  (chain-mail armours, bearded axes, battle 
  swords and metal-reinforced shields) 
  and each gets a combat-trained (capable 
  level) large horse with hardened leather 
  barding (4/40), unless they already have 
  a more precious mount. If they do not 
  choose to fight for him, it will be seen as 
  a great offense, and the Saatigia clan will 
  cast them out. 
  in the midst of being devoured by war 
  and frost. Most that fled died, haunted 
  and destroyed by the manhunters from 
  Arkland. In a final desperate attempt 
  Hloe, the nephew of the Saatigia 
  Fylkjarl, had gathered his troops and 
  those who had fled from Hallwind on 
  the great plain below the hills of Ulve 
  and Strafe. Alas, the resistance had been 
  powerless and pointless, doomed from 
  the very beginning to fail. Unbearably 
  cold, grievously wounded, hopeless 
  and crestfallen, the Wildlanders had 
  been forced to watch their own people 
  defeated on that day. The only survivors 
  were the few who managed to escape 
  in the early hours of morning. Of those 
  that stayed, none survived…
  If the player characters go to Hallwind, 
  they will be forced into Saatigia’s service. 
  They will be issued equipments with 
  the Saatigia badge on it and, if they 
  lack proper weapons, a suit of metal-
  giant surrounded by frenzied Hrim 
  Trolls stood outside the fort with yet 
  another army, most had lost hope. The 
  cold had washed forth with a frenzy and 
  wrath so overwhelming that all those 
  sick or injured dropped dead on the spot. 
  Only a fraction of Wildland’s gathered 
  forces remained. Like wild and wounded 
  animals, the last brave souls defended 
  Hallwind, without success. Before the 
  sun set that night, the Wildlanders had 
  given up, bloody and splintered. The 
  dark ones had attacked tirelessly, wave 
  after wave, as if they valued death above 
  life itself. Their eyes burned with such 
  hatred that the brave sons and daughters 
  of Wildland knew that the fort would 
  fall, and the land would lay, broken and 
  bare, before the immense threat from the 
  north, led by a wild and bloodthirsty 
  hrimtursir. Terrified and shattered, 
  many fled for their lives. They ran to the 
  South, to the safe harbors which could 
  ferry them away from this land that was 
   Army 1: Hallwind Defense
   Leader: Fylkjarl Vilgar Saatigia (Int +2, Cha +2, Commander 
  4, Battle Experience 3)
   War advisors: +2 Brycker Saul Bhalgor, +1 Fylkjarl 
  Thorbjörn Staark
   Total Leadership: 14
   Unit Battle Modifiers
   500 heavily armed expert Knights of the Iron Hand from 
  Jordek, led by Fylkjarl Saul Bhalgor: +3
   4,000 light spearmen, axemen and bowmen from Jordek: +2
   4,000 Heavy Armed Hirdmen lead by Fylkjarl Vilgar Saatigia: +4
   400 Staark berserkers and 600 wild independent berserkers 
  from all over Wildland led by Fylkjarl Thorbjörn Staark +1
   2,000 light hirdmen from Storhavn armed with spears, axes 
  and bows: +1
   4,000 volunteers from Storhavn, armed to various degrees, 
  led by a core of expert hirdmen: +1
   c.1,000 Hunters and archers from all over Wildland: +0.5
   5,000 desperate civilians (including women and children) 
  from all over Wildland: +0.5
   50 War machines (mainly ballistae and catapults): +1
   Hallwind Fortress, Ulve’s Hill and city walls: +25
   Legend: Fylkjarl Saul Bhalgor the Brycker, religious leader of 
  Wildland +1 
   Total Battle Value:  40 
   Army 2: Haldur Ouvar’s Army (fealty to Blodughadda)
   Leader: Haldur Ouvar (Cha +1, Commander 1, Battle 
  Experience 3)
   War advisors +2: two Dreadxyrs
   Total Leadership: 7
   Unit Battle Modifiers
   20,000 Orkhir (various sizes) 
  +20
   5,000 “volunteer” Wildlanders forced to fight, mixed with 
  crazy cultists: +1
   50 War machines (mainly catapults):+1
   Total Battle Value: 22
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  134  |  act 1. time of wrath
  The First Assault Wave
  The Orkhir catapults storm Hallwind’s 
  walls but the bombardment does not last 
  long. Haldur Ouvar’s bloodthirsty nature 
  forces him to lead a direct assault, climbing 
  the walls by scaling ladders. The player 
  characters see from a distance how the 
  furious Haldur is transformed into his 
  Werewarg shape, revealing his nature, but 
  they have no chance to fight him now since 
  Thorbjörn Staark berserkers are in the 
  front line. Fear and despair are spread but 
  Hallwind is too tough a fortress to fall just 
  at this first, crazy assault.  
  Blodughadda’s army loses the first 
  big battle. All five thousand volunteer 
  Wildlanders that Blodughadda has scraped 
  together on the way (most being deserters 
  from North Hall) fall. 4,000 Orkhir also 
  succumb in the unsuccessful attack while 
  Ouvar manages to escape. In Hallwind, the 
  losses are around 2,000. 
  As a countermove, Fylkjarl Vilgar 
  Saatigia immediately orders an attack on 
  the fleeing enemies. 500 Knights of the 
  Iron Hand (if Bhalgor was murdered, then 
  all the Iron Hand Knights will ride to their 
  deaths), 2,000 light hirdmen and 2,000 
  heavy-armed hirdmen leave Hallwind. 
  The Fylkjarl himself will lead the forces, 
  planning to destroy the enemy’s catapults. 
  In the riot that follows, they succeed in 
  destroying 25 catapults, but their escape 
  route is cut off. That morning, most of those 
  who left Hallwind are killed, including the 
  brave Saatigia Fylkjarl, but they take 6,000 
  Orkhir with them to the grave. The army 
  and some of the mentioned characters may 
  have different fates. However, the rest of the 
  campaign is written with the assumption 
  that at least some of the following episodes 
  happened, and the GM can use them for 
  inspiration to enrich the results of battle 
  rounds.
  It is important to notice that the siege 
  will last for about a year, which may mean 
  many fighting activities happen on the 
  background. To track this long time of 
  battle stresses GM may optionally give 
  about 20-30 AP at some point (maybe after 
  6 months) but oblige the players to spend 
  them only for selected skills which may 
  have been used during the siege (Fighting, 
  Care, etc..). 
  The Assassination attempt
  Two Ice Worshippers infiltrated the 
  Hallwind fortress several months earlier 
  and plan to murder the Brycker Saul 
  Bhalgor by poisoning him before the army 
  attacks. If the player characters are not 
  with Bhalgor, he will, at this point, be 
  killed. However, if they are with Bhalgor, 
  the Game Master must give them a fair 
  chance to save him. The assassins use 
  poisoned crossbow bolts. If Bhalgor is 
  murdered, his mighty knights will be 
  led by one of his officers, however the 
  Wildlander army has lost a symbolic 
  figure of great skill, which will mean also 
  a loss of the +2 advisor bonus to Vilgaar 
  Saatigia’s Leadership score. Furthermore 
  the +1 Battle Value bonus for Saul as a 
  “legend” is also lost. 
  Haldur Ouvar is the leader of the 
  Snow Queen’s forces in the first attack 
  on Hallwind, with two Dreadaxyrs as a 
  war councillors at his side. Blodughadda 
  knows that this army, even if strong and 
  large, is not enough to conquer the well-
  fortified Hallwind. Haldur Ouvar’s division 
  is meant to keep Hallwind forces busy 
  and locked inside the fortress, while the 
  rest of the Snow Queen’s forces wait for 
  an opportunity to strike, well-rested and 
  hidden at some distance from the fortress, 
  or raiding the surrounding lands.
  After six months Blodughadda will send 
  a first wave of reinforcement to be added to 
  Ouvar’s army.
  Later on in the siege, when the 
  conquest of the surrounding lands by the 
  Snow Queen’s forces will be complete, 
  Blodughadda will gather all this army for 
  a final, devastating blow on Hallwind. The 
  Leadership of the army attacking Hallwind 
  will change and new troops will add their 
  Battle Values to the remaining Battle Value 
  of the attacking army.
  The Siege of Hallwind
  The following is just a sample of how the 
  1-year long siege of Hallwind is supposed 
  to go. Consider it just a general guideline 
  to help the GM leading the story towards 
  the inevitable demise of Wildland’s heroes. 
  Things are bound to change, according 
  to the players’ actions and unpredictable 
  die rolls during the Battle Rounds. Off 
  course the exact numbers of lost units will 
  certainly not be like those described below 
  REINFORCEMENTS: ARMY 2
   First wave: To be added during the Second Assault wave
   Unit Battle Modifier
   150 war machines built by slaves in Storhavn: +3
   2,000 fanatic Snow Queen cultists from all over Wildland: +1
   10,000 Orkhir of various sizes: +10
   Second wave: To be added during the Third Assault wave, 
  substituting the leader
   Leader: Blodughadda (Int +1, Cha +4, Commander 4, Battle 
  Experience 4)
   War advisors:  two Dreadxyrs +2
   Total Leadership: 17 (including Blessing of the Snow Queen +2)
   Unit Battle Modifier
   15,000 Orkhir (various sizes): +15
   20 flying Thorn Beasts with Ark riders: +10
   300 Hrim Trolls: +9
   Blodughadda (expert Hrimtursir): +1
   Legend: Blodughadda, the chosen one of the Snow Queen:+3
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  135
  army leaves two legions in Hallwind, before 
  gathering all the forces left in Wildland and 
  setting its sights on Ailburg and Ailgaard, 
  where the Uvail clan fiercerly still resists.
  But the road to Ailburg seem impossible 
  to reach, blocked by the number of enemies. 
  The player characters find themselves fleeing 
  across the flat lands outside Hallwind. Their 
  horses are killed, and suddenly they are 
  faced with only two options: dying with the 
  other Wildlanders; or fleeing, leaving Hloe 
  and his brave warriors behind to die. Savage 
  manhunters quickly take up the hunt for the 
  fleeing player characters.
  To Jordek
  If the Player characters go straight to 
  Jordek before Hallwind or Storhavn, they 
  will be warmly welcome by Fylkjarl Saul 
  Bhalgor, the Brycker of Wildland. Fylkjarl 
  Saul has already gathered his 500 Knights 
  of the Iron Hand, who usually roam 
  Wildland. He has also recruited 4,000 
  warriors who are already making their way 
  to Jordek. Together, they will immediately 
  head to Hallwind in order to defend the 
  most important stronghold in Wildland. 
  Saul is the only person who believes the 
  player characters’ stories about Ysetur 
  from the very beginning. 
  If the player characters wish to follow 
  Fylkjarl Bhalgor and fight for Wildland, 
  he will be overjoyed. Saul will then outfit 
  the player characters with armor and 
  equipment from the Order of the Iron 
  Hand (scale-reinforced chain mail armours, 
  battle swords, bearded axes and anything 
  else the GM want to give), as well giving 
  each a warhorse before letting them ride by 
  his side. The Game Master should observe 
  that both the armor and weapons are of 
  masterful quality. 
  If the players have come directly here 
  without going to Storhavn, they will hear 
  about the fall of the city while in travel to 
  Hallwind with the Brycker. The story then 
  continues as per the “to Hallwind” chapter.
  If the player characters have come to 
  Jordek after the fall of Hallwind the will find 
  the city deserted: the warriors fell with the 
  Fylkjarl Saul in Hallwing, and the inhabitants 
  fled away. Bandits and Blodughadda’s reavers 
  have take possession of the town.
  by Thorbjörn Staark and; 700 other various 
  Saatigia infantry men led by Dran Hvitetand. 
  The one thousand women and children who 
  survived the bombardment of Hallwind are 
  now only protected by the aforementioned, 
  alongside 5,000 other additional soldiers 
  armed to various degrees and of varied 
  levels of morale. Half of those who remain 
  in Hallwind are either wounded or suffer 
  from low morale. Everyone is hungry and 
  exhausted, cold and weak. 
  The Third Assault Wave
  Blodughadda still has 15,000 Orkhir, all of 
  which are now well versed in battle. The 
  Orkhir which remain are bloodthirsty, and 
  the morale in their ranks remains high. 
  Blodughadda continues his siege of Hallwind 
  for another three months. The final assault 
  begins early one morning, with Blodughadda 
  firing off the very last surviving slaves 
  captured in Storhavn, using the catapults 
  that the slaves themselves had been forced to 
  build. It is the anniversary of the first assault 
  wave on Hallwind. By lunchtime his troops 
  attack in full force. Blodughadda himself 
  stands in the frontline, joined by Haldur 
  Ouvar in his werewarg form, twenty thorn 
  beasts and three hundred battle thirsty Hrim 
  Trolls. Behind them is a nightmarish wind 
  and snowstorm, very similar to that which 
  the player characters experienced outside 
  Vretgaard. 
  If the GM likes, a final and dramatic 
  confrontation with Haldur Ouvar can happen 
  during the assault but, even if the characters 
  manage to slay the Werewarg, this day sees 
  Blodughadda’s greatest victory, as only 1,000 
  Orkhir fall. Bhalgor (unless he has already 
  died from poisoning), Dran Hvitetand, and 
  Thorbjörn Staark are all killed right in front 
  of the player characters. The player characters 
  join Hloe (use “Generic Hird Leader” stats) 
  and the last survivors in a desperate escape 
  attempt, which is halted on the plain between 
  the hills of Ulve and Strafe. With unbelievable 
  luck and an ironic twist of fate, the player 
  characters manage to escape right under 
  Blodughadda’s nose, with savage manhunters 
  tight on their heels. No-one else, aside from 
  the player characters, make it out of Hallwind 
  alive. The player characters find themselves 
  hunted like game in a war-ravaged land 
  without anywhere to escape to. Blodughadda’s 
  retreats led by Dran Hvitetand and Saul 
  Bhalgor, and Hallwind’s defense think that 
  they have won. They are horribly mistaken.
  The Second Assault Wave
  With the heroic death of Fylkjarl Vilgar 
  Saatigia The leadership of the fortress is taken 
  directly by Saul Bhalgor (if he still alive), 
  otherwise the new Saatigia Fylkjarl, the 
  young Hloe Saatigia, will take the command 
  of the fortress, with the wise advises of Dran 
  Hvitetand and Fylkjarl Thorbjörn Staark.
  Nine months later, Hallwind’s defenders 
  still find themselves under siege. Smaller 
  escape attempts have all failed. Black feathered 
  arrows and burning fireballs often sail across 
  the vault of the sky towards Hallwind, 
  intended more to destroy morale than to kill. 
  The food supplies ran out a month ago, and 
  many speak of a last desperate escape attempt, 
  of abandoning Hallwind, a plan in which it 
  is everyone for themselves. This morning 
  breaks the same as all others, with a rain of 
  small fireballs which last for several minutes. 
  There aren’t enough arrows or stones left to 
  return the fire, so Hallwind’s defense instead 
  focuses on extinguishing the small fires from 
  the bombing. Suddenly, Hallwind is attacked 
  with a frenzy never before seen. The 150 
  new war machines built by the slaves from 
  Storhavn means that the hail of fireballs is 
  heavier and more intense than ever before, 
  and hundreds of people succumb from the 
  flames or smoke inhalation. The enemies force 
  their way through the outer lines of defense 
  using battering rams and scaling ladders. 
  Blodughadda has added 10,000 Orkhir from 
  his reserves to the attacking force, which is 
  20,000 Orkhir strong this time around, and 
  it also includes 2,000 mad cultists from all 
  over Wildland. Despite the Hallwinders 
  struggling with failing morale, they are 
  able to beat the Orkhir back once more at 
  any assault attempt. The Snow Queen’s 
  army suffers 10,000 losses, but Hallwind 
  also suffers great losses. All members of 
  the Saatigia family, aside from Hloe, lie dead 
  among the masses of bodies scattered around 
  Hallwind. Extremely weakened, Hallwind 
  has suffered yet another 8,000 casualties, 
  through either death or fatal injury. All that 
  remain are 30 Knights of the Iron Hand, 
  led by Saul Bhalgor (unless he has died by 
  poison, if so, none remain); 300 bersekers led 
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  136  |  act 1. time of wrath
  The area between the immense forest and 
  Ailgaard is heavily embattled by smaller 
  clashes and skirmishes between Uvail’s and 
  Wulfr’s hardened warriors. The Game Master 
  should ensure that the player characters meet 
  some of Uvail’s men, who could help them on 
  their journey, as well as letting them come 
  in contact with Wulfr’s warriors. The land 
  is also patrolled by Blodughadda’s specially 
  trained Orkhir manhunters.
  Not far from the Wolfswood’s southwest 
  border (beyond enemy lines) lays Garmahaul, 
  a small but well-guarded homestead, and 
  an estate which Wulfr uses for hunting and 
  capturing wolves and garms in the Wolfswood. 
  Wulfr has had Vret’s youngest son brought 
  here, to the hunting estate, planning to trade 
  the young boy in exchange for Vret’s life if, 
  against all odds, Uvail was able to withstand 
  the enormous army welling forth from Ysetur. 
  Garmahaul consists of three larger 
  buildings, all of which stand side-by-side, and 
  two smaller houses located along the length 
  of one of the big buildings. There is also 
  a scattering of small sheds and enclosures 
  for wolfkin. A sturdy stockade, the lower 
  portions of which are reinforced with stacked 
  stones, runs around the perimeter of the yard. 
  The gateway in the middle of the palisade is 
  made of copper. The Snow Queen’s banners 
  fly proudly from the two blot poles in the 
  middle of the large courtyard. 
  Garmahaul currently houses roughly 10 
  warriors, 2–3 animal trainers, 3–5 tracker/ 
  hunters (for all of the use Generic Ice Cultis 
  – Warrior stats) , 1–2 Wildbrons or one Ark 
  (use Generic Ark Warrior stats) with a thorn 
  beast, 5–8 thralls (Use Generic Ice Cultists-
  Peasant stats), and 3–5 battle-trained wolves 
  or 1 battle-trained garm. Furthermore, 
  various enclosures and cages hold 5–10 
  captured, but yet untamed, wolfkin..
  Task 2
  Destroy the siege engines being built in the 
  small forests north of Ailgaard. Fylkjarl Vret 
  Uvail’s spies claim that the army there is led by 
  a warrior woman who has been seen riding a 
  thorn beast. Vret believes the woman to be the 
  direct link between Blodughadda’s Southern 
  army and the Northern one, and that if the 
  player characters were to kill the thorn beast, 
  it would sever communications between the 
  two, which would be a great victory.
  lead to a group of Vret’s hirdmen coming for 
  them to bring them up to the fort. 
  The two inns in Ailgaard, Sejdtrappe and 
  the Copper Cellar, are cramped and full. A bed 
  costs five times as much as usual. The guests 
  have to crowd together in small dormitories, 
  alongside thieves and wealthy men, all eating 
  the same food. This is, however, a far better 
  alternative to the cold, windswept alleys 
  where, every night, many perish. If the player 
  characters’ ranks are greatly decimated after 
  Ysetur, this would be a good time to add new 
  characters to the group. Many adventurers 
  and fortune-hunters are crowded together in 
  the inn.
  If the player characters have, in some way, 
  insulted Vret or his sons – sullied their name 
  or accused them of something untoward 
  – the Fylkjarl will be highly suspicious of 
  them and accuse them of bringing bad luck 
  to the land. He will demand that they prove 
  their innocence through a very difficult task 
  (see Task 4), and he will hold one of the 
  player characters hostage until the task is 
  completed, or until said character manages to 
  convince him of their innocence. 
  If the player characters have treated Fylkjarl 
  Vret and his sons with respect and deference he 
  will invite them to the Ailburg fort as his guests, 
  albeit somewhat reluctantly. After just a few 
  days, he will demand that the player characters 
  assist him with a few tasks in the war that 
  wages across the entire expanse of Wildland. If 
  the player characters refuse him these tasks, he 
  will react as stated above, as though they had 
  sullied his name or that of his sons.
  Vret will help the player characters with 
  all the equipment needed for their tasks, but, 
  as the country is currently ravaged by war, 
  he has very little to spare. Regular, normal-
  level armor and weapons are easy to procure. 
  Vret can have certain weapons made, such 
  as spears, whips, and mauls, but the process 
  takes a while. There is no armor available 
  with a higher PV/BV than 8/80. 
  Task 1
  Fylkjarl Wulfr has captured 11-years old 
  Vrinje, Vret’s youngest son, and is keeping 
  him captive near the Wolfswood. Fylkjarl 
  Vret wants the player characters to rescue 
  the son and gather intelligence. The player 
  characters have to get through a war-torn 
  land up to the dark, mythical Wolfswood. 
  To Ailburg and Ailgaard
  Old friends or bitter reunions It depends on 
  what relationships with the Uvail clan the 
  PCs have developed earlier in the campaign, 
  during the wedding feast Storhavn. If, 
  for example, they believe the Uvail and 
  not the Wulfr clan to be the villains, the 
  stay in Ailburg and Ailgaard may be quite 
  complicated for them …
  Tired, hungry, and scared, the player 
  characters have been able to make their way 
  to the little town of Ailgaard by following a 
  group of refugees from the north. The town 
  is full of miserable people, all of whom have 
  escaped the fire-ravaged farms and villages 
  in the north. Wails, moans, and cries echo 
  through the narrow alleys, the snow is piled 
  deep, and drifts of it have risen like towers up 
  the timbered walls of the houses. The cold 
  cuts to the bone, and all hope is lost.
  If the player characters made their way 
  directly to Ailgaard, the rumor of Storhavn’s 
  defeat will reach the town within days, telling 
  of how the downfall was bloody and merciless, 
  while news about the siege of Hallwind will 
  come later on.
  The player characters learn that those 
  near and dear to them in Storhavn are all 
  dead, or wildly fleeing a bloodthirsty foe. 
  Ailgaard is the domain of Fylkjarl Vret 
  Uvail, and small groups of warriors force 
  their way through the city, on the hunt for 
  spies or people with stories to tell. They all 
  wear blood-red mantles adorned with the 
  symbol of a black full moon on their back. 
  The hirdmen look harried and exhausted, 
  but the player characters soon learn that 
  Uvail is, in all likelihood, the only Fylkjarl 
  not currently surrounded or captured by 
  Blodughadda’s army. 
  How the player characters are met depends 
  on how they treated Vret Uvail and his sons 
  during the wedding at the beginning of the 
  campaign – whether they spoke ill of them, 
  asked too many questions about things they 
  shouldn’t, or in some other way sullied their 
  names –all affects their reception now. The 
  best-case scenario is if the player characters 
  themselves looks for Fylkjarl Vret in Ailburg, 
  the fort located just above the little township, 
  and introduce themselves as Swordjarl Oktar 
  Grimme’s guests. If the player characters do 
  not seek Fylkjarl Vret Uvail out, rumors of 
  their arrival in the town will sooner or later 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  137
  machine around, targeting Uvail’s lands, 
  and, when Fylkjarl Vret Uvail learns of 
  the enormous armies marching on him, he 
  orders an evacuation.
  He suggests that the player characters 
  join him. The inhabitants of Ailburg and 
  Ailgaard take to the sea by means of a huge 
  fleet. Fylkjarl Vret is still unaware of the 
  blockade that the Wulfr clan has arranged 
  out at sea, using the Sea Wolves of 
  Oungair, as well as many other mercenary 
  ships which wealth or corruption brought 
  to the service of the Snow Queen. When 
  the two fleets meet the Wulfr will prevail 
  due to higher numbers: two thirds of all of 
  Uvail’s ships are sunk, including the one 
  that the player characters are on. If word 
  of the blockade reaches Vret Uvail early on, 
  only a third of the ships will go down, but 
  this would still include the ship holding the 
  player characters. Vret Uvail and his family 
  will survive the crossing regardless and 
  make it to Ejdland unscathed. 
  If the player characters somehow steal 
  a ship and sail off under their own terms, 
  a storm will hit, sinking their ship, forcing 
  them to return, shipwrecked, to the coast 
  of Wildland. 
  Helpless, the player characters now 
  find themselves floating on the wreckage 
  of all the sunken ships drifting towards 
  Wildland’s coastline. Once ashore, they 
  end up hunted by Orkhir, wolves, and 
  thorn beasts. They flee their pursuers, 
  defenseless, and many of those shipwrecked 
  quickly perish. Near the place where the 
  player characters first land on the coast 
  there is a hatchway – a possibility of escape. 
  The Defeat
  Blodughadda’s victory comes sooner than 
  he expected, and the brave Wildlanders 
  have had to bow down to the Snow Queen’s 
  armies. This section will inevitably end 
  with the player characters being hunted 
  like game regardless of whether the player 
  characters have helped any of the Fylkjarls, 
  or if they have simply had to survive by 
  themselves during the last year. Below are 
  two suggested continuations, depending 
  on their previous experiences during the 
  Hallwind’ siege or performing Uvail’s tasks 
  which led them to be shipwrecked..
  frost giant, who had been spotted there. 
  The Fylkjarl will only give the player 
  characters this task if he actually wants to 
  see them killed, because they have betrayed 
  or failed him and his sons in some way.
  The Storhavn that the player characters 
  arrive at is a very different city to the one 
  they visited earlier in the campaign. The 
  city now lies in ruins, smoldering, like 
  a large festering wound, its inhabitants 
  all having been burnt at large blot poles 
  or captured and put to use as thralls for 
  new masters. Most of the houses have 
  been razed to the ground and replaced 
  with huge tents made out of thick hides 
  to house the warriors, including one of 
  enormous proportions for Blodughadda. 
  In the middle of the city, Blodughadda 
  has ordered the building of an enormous 
  throne made out of stone and hides, next 
  to a big tent for him to sleep in. During 
  the day, Blodughadda sits on the throne, 
  issuing orders or deciding the fates of the 
  unfortunate refugees who have been caught, 
  sentencing them either to death or to a life 
  of thralldom. During the night, he sleeps, 
  restlessly, in his enormous tent, guarded 
  by Garme, his “Dragon Warg”, and eight 
  large Orkhir. Assassinating Blodughadda 
  in Storhavn is a task that is doomed to fail. 
  When/if the player characters embark on 
  the long journey up to Storhavn to kill 
  the giant, the Game Master should make 
  it clear that it is practically impossible by 
  giving them a proper look at the city, which 
  is overflowing with soldiers and Orkhir. 
  Considering the great distances and the 
  many journeys that the player characters 
  must undertake, these tasks should keep 
  the player characters busy until Wildland 
  finally falls, and they all are called to a 
  final battle against Blodughadda’s forces, 
  one which leads to them being brutally 
  forced to flee. In order to pass the time, the 
  Game Master may choose to expand with 
  interesting small side quests which further 
  the storyline.
  After a year of strife (either in the service 
  of Fylkjarl Vret Uvail or independently), 
  the player characters will learn that 
  Blodughadda’s 
  rampaging 
  conquering 
  expedition into Wildland is coming to an 
  end, and Hallwind is falling, once and for 
  all. Blodughadda then turns the entire war 
  North of Ailgaard, and a bit further 
  inland, roughly ten days ride in the direction 
  of Storhavn, a small troop is busy building 
  siege engines. They precede those destined to 
  finally eradicate Uvail and his line. There are 
  three groups in total, each of which consists 
  of 15 people (1 leader, 9 warriors, and 5 
  workers), spread out about 1–2 kilometers 
  apart. The workers are busy felling trees and 
  turning them into lumber so that it can be 
  used to build siege engines, while the warriors 
  build the actual machines. One group builds 
  catapults, another builds enormous arbalests, 
  and the third constructs siege towers. Each 
  group has been able to complete one machine 
  and they are just about done with a second 
  one when the player characters show up.
  An Ark named Iljaka is in charge of 
  the construction work, but is also, just as 
  Fylkjarl Vret suspected, the link between the 
  Northern armies and the Southern advance 
  troops. She constantly flies back and forth 
  through the land’s southern and central areas 
  to report the intelligence she has gathered. 
  The Game Master should arrange things 
  so that it is not until a few days after the 
  player characters’ arrival that Illjaka comes 
  to the place where the war machines are 
  being built. She will first fly over the area, 
  staying low and close to the ground, to 
  make sure that nothing is amiss. She will 
  only land when she is sure that all is as 
  it should be. If the Game Master wishes 
  to make the task less risky or wants to 
  adapt it to suit a smaller group of trackers 
  or hunters instead of the whole player 
  character group, the task can be changed 
  to only gathering intelligence about how 
  far the various groups have gotten in their 
  construction of war machines. In that 
  case, their most important task will be to 
  gather information for a week or two while 
  remaining completely undetected.
  Task 3
  To journey to Jordek with a message for 
  the Bhalgor Fylkjarl. Jordek will turn out 
  to be abandoned as everyone has left for 
  Hallwind. The journey should nevertheless 
  be filled with dangers in both directions. 
  Task 4
  To travel to the now-fallen Storhavn and 
  attempt to assassinate Blodughadda, the 
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  138  |  act 1. time of wrath
  you can hear the creature’s desperate cries, 
  wretched over having lost its power over 
  you. When the shrieking fades away, you 
  find yourself in another place. 
  It is light, once more. A smooth female 
  voice speaks to you in a language you do not 
  understand. At first you think it is Maria, 
  but when you see her, you realize that you 
  are mistaken. The woman looks unbearably 
  tortured, her eyes have been removed and 
  her body has been badly beaten. Even 
  though her body has been mangled and 
  abused beyond recognition, her beauty still 
  takes your breath away, and you tremble. 
  Your thoughts return once more to Maria; 
  coufld thfis woman be reflated to her A 
  sfister Mother The woman seems so young, 
  and were it not for her red hair, she would 
  be the splitting image of your beloved. Her 
  pleas continue, still in the same voice, but 
  now you find that you can understand her, 
  “Help me, help me, help me…”.
  Linn’s voice fades, and the Child of 
  Light rouses from his sleep once more 
  with a shiver. The dream warns him of 
  what waits within the Wolfswood, and 
  gives Linn the chance to plead for him to 
  free her. When the Child of Light awakes, 
  he can see how a thick, gray, mist sweeps 
  forth from the depths of the forest towards 
  the place where the player characters 
  are sleeping. He can hear the howl of 
  the wolves that seem to be getting closer 
  with the mist. The full moon gazes down 
  upon him threateningly from the vaulted 
  heavens, following his every move. The 
  Child of Light is unsure of whether he is 
  still dreaming, or if this truly is reality. 
  Time is running out, and he now only 
  has 10 action rounds to wake the other 
  player characters and leave before a diser, 
  a dangerous wraith, begins to materialize. 
  If the player characters run like the 
  wind, the diser will be unable to catch them. 
  However, if the player characters stay put or 
  attempt to gather their things at a leisurely 
  pace, the diser will engulf and attempt to kill 
  them. It is important, as the Game Master, to 
  try to stress the player characters enough that 
  they realize the urgency. Between the Game 
  Master’s words of warning and the Child of 
  Light’s panicked pleas, it should be enough to 
  frighten most player characters into leaving. 
  are exhausted and hungry, they have just 
  left a battlefield and several of them ought 
  to be injured, one of them fairly seriously. 
  The PCs which are still unscathed should 
  subtract 1d10 (OR 10) from their body 
  points to represent the suffering of the siege. 
  Their pursuers are five Orkhir (Svorgha), all 
  of whom are on horseback. 
  If the group survives their only escaping 
  route is by the forest. The following night 
  the Child of Light has his third dream:
  You are standing in an open field by the 
  edge of the Wolfswood. The nightmarish 
  winter is gone, and the sun’s soft rays 
  gently caresses the green peaks. Butterflies 
  flutter between the beautiful flowers of the 
  forest, and birds chirp delicately from the 
  canopies. You take a few joyful skips, like 
  those of a small child, and enter the forest, 
  enchanted by its magnificent beauty. The 
  further in you get, the more awed you are by 
  its beauty. The trees rustle delicately to the 
  lovely melody of the wind in a wonderful 
  murmur that fills you with joy. You reach 
  your arms out and fall to your knees in 
  an attempt to join with the spirit of the 
  forest. Suddenly, all color drains from the 
  world, and around you everything distorts 
  into an ash gray shade. It is as though you 
  have entered  a realm of blight and fog, 
  among the dark shadows of death. The 
  forest contorts before your very eyes. Trees 
  die, flowers and grasses wilt and wither. 
  Birds fall from branches above, dead 
  and colorless. A thick, menacing gray fog 
  slithers along the ground towards you. 
  From the fog, a creature is formed, with 
  the same cold, gray shade as the rest of 
  the world – the evil, twisted image of a 
  human. With a blood curdling shriek, the 
  creature reaches a hand out towards you, 
  a gesture both accusing and filled with 
  overwhelming spiritual pain. Its dead 
  eyes bore right through you. Your life 
  force seems to leave your body, flow to the 
  evil creature, as if it was feeding off you, 
  gnawing at your soul. Paralyzed, unable 
  to move, you can only stand there, waiting 
  for your inevitable death. 
  Suddenly, you feel a warm hand grabbing 
  you, tearing you from your stupor. Your 
  entire life flashes before you in the blink 
  of an eye and somewhere off in the dark 
  The Escape from the Plains 
  of Hallwind
  The player characters have just sought 
  shelter in the outskirts of the north-eastern 
  parts of the Wolfswood. Snow whips across 
  their faces, but the strong winds have kept 
  it from collecting into deep drifts across 
  the landscape. The hunters’ horses are 
  unencumbered as they make their way across 
  the frozen plains. A friend of them, an NPC or 
  one of the player characters (if the GM wants 
  to raise the drama in this scene), falls behind 
  and is roughly fifty meters from the treeline. 
  The other player characters realize this at the 
  same time as they see their pursuers appear 
  around the bend of a windswept hill, roughly 
  fifty meters from their friend. 
  The group must now come to a 
  decision- to stay in the forest and escape 
  their pursuers or help their companion, 
  risking all of their lives. If they stay in 
  the forest they will watch as their friend 
  is attacked and most probably defeated. 
  He gets brutally murdered in cold blood 
  and beheaded. Their friend’s head is 
  then impaled on a spear. After that, the 
  manhunters follow the tracks left by the 
  other player characters, leading toward the 
  forest. Once they reach the treeline, they 
  will turn around and take off at a full gallop, 
  back the way they came. Read the following 
  text aloud for the player characters:
  Bloody hooves trample the frozen ground. 
  One of the dark creatures dismounts from 
  their horse and bends down. It looks to 
  be studying the tracks, which lead into 
  the forest. The creature speaks, says 
  something, but you do not understand 
  what. With one blue-black finger it 
  points into the forest and jerks its head 
  ever so slightly. One of the other hunters, 
  the one holding the spear with your dead 
  friend’s head on it, turns in its saddle. A 
  loud creak breaks the silence. The hunter 
  looks and speaks – a hissing sound. 
  And, just as suddenly as the hunters had 
  appeared, they turn and ride off.
  If the player characters chose to fight 
  their pursuers, you as Game Master should 
  keep in mind that they have been being 
  stalked for many days. The player characters 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  139
  The mist moves with a speed of 8 meters 
  per action round but the diser can move 
  at twice that if it so wishes. If the player 
  characters display their strength and 
  teamwork, the diser will decide that it is 
  not worth attacking them.
  However, in order to fully avoid the diser, the 
  player characters must leave the Wolfswood. 
  The length of this journey depends on how 
  far in they have wandered. The diser does not 
  usually attack powerful creatures or groups, 
  but as the player characters had been asleep, 
  it may have thought that they were easy prey. 
  If any of the player characters falls behind, 
  and the others stop to help them, they will 
  all survive unscathed. However, if the player 
  characters leave anyone behind, then that 
  person will encounter the diser and the other 
  player characters will hear their friend’s 
  screams behind them. 
  The very moment that the player 
  characters pass the tree line and leave the 
  Wolfswood, they are safe from the diser and 
  the werewargs which are also said to dwell 
  in the forest. Give them a moment to gather 
  their wits and reflect upon the experience. 
  The Child of Light may choose to tell the 
  others of his dream. The group may want to 
  double check to make sure that they did not 
  leave anyone behind in the forest.
  That is when the player characters 
  suddenly notice the green grass growing 
  in the middle of the nightmarish winter 
  landscape. In the middle of a plot of grass 
  they find a company of warriors, all fast 
  asleep, and their female captive. The 
  company consists of a Dreadaxyr and four 
  Wulfr guards. This is where the player 
  characters meet Linn. 
  Shipwrecked
  With a bit of luck, the player characters 
  have been able to make it unscathed past the 
  enemy’s line of defense on the beaches. The 
  frigid water almost costs them their lives, 
  something which is made worse when their 
  wet clothes quickly turn to ice in the biting 
  winter wind. The cold becomes their worst 
  enemy. Until they dry up or change their 
  clothes the PCs will suffer -2 to all their 
  actions and considered to be already beyond 
  their basic survivable days, regarding the 
  GM guide, pages 29.  
  None of the Orkhir notice when the player 
  characters flee, and no one pursues them to 
  begin with (the Orkhir will only give chase 
  once they find tracks from them in the snow, 
  giving the player characters a decent head 
  start). The player characters will still have 
  the overwhelming feeling of doom hanging 
  over their heads. Defeat is inevitable, and 
  Wildland is lost to an army which has been 
  both stronger and larger than anyone had 
  ever suspected. Cold and frozen, without 
  armor, dressed in wet clothes, they stand 
  before the raging winter storm, hopeless.
  Torturous questions run through the 
  minds of the player characters:
  Where was Stormi (or Gave) when 
  Blodughadda’s forces invaded Wildland 
  What happened to the adage that good always 
  wins Maybe the Snow Queen really did bear 
  the face of the true God all along Have the 
  player characters themselves also succumbed 
  to the whispers from the black ice
  The player characters aren’t sure of 
  anything anymore. The snow falls, heavier 
  and heavier, and the wind whips across their 
  faces ever harder. The cold is so bitter, biting 
  through their wet clothes, that it is as the 
  concept itself of warmth no longer exists. 
  The player characters valiantly escaped the 
  Orkhir’s arrows and axes for an entire year of 
  strife. And in the end, it would be the bitter 
  cold that would finally do them in. Just like 
  the time when they left Vretgaard in order to 
  save the children, now it seems that there is 
  no rescue, and not the slightest hint of hope. 
  Helpless, the player characters drift off to sleep 
  in the biting cold of the dark winter night.
  While waiting for death, the Child of 
  Light has his third dream:
  You lay, frozen to the ground, your friends 
  scattered around you. The snow has almost 
  completely covered your dead bodies when 
  an enemy patrol arrives. The patrol does 
  not appear to be a normal scouting party, 
  as they have a prisoner with them. The 
  prisoner is someone who appears important 
  to them, so important that they do not even 
  waste the time plundering your corpses. All 
  they do is snicker at your awful fate and 
  carry on. The captive, whose hands and 
  feet are shackled and who is locked into a 
  sarcophagus-shaped iron cage, is, much to 
  your surprise, a woman. 
  At first you think that it is Maria, but 
  quickly realize that you were mistaken. 
  The woman looks unbearably tortured, 
  her eyes have been removed, and her body 
  has been badly beaten. Even though her 
  body has been mangled and abused beyond 
  recognition, her beauty still takes your 
  breath away, and you tremble. You think 
  that you can hear her speaking to you, 
  a plea of some sort, in a language that 
  you do not understand. The woman is so 
  beautiful that you almost come back to life 
  once more, and a loving warmth hits you 
  as she passes you. Her features remind 
  you of Maria. Were it not for the red 
  hair, the mangled prisoner would have 
  been the splitting image of your beloved. 
  Your beloved Maria. Maria, who you’ve 
  missed for so long, who you never got to 
  see again. 
  The warmth doesn’t loosen its grip 
  on you, but rather wakes you from your 
  slumber. It thaws your dead limbs, and you 
  feel life returning to your body. You can 
  move a finger, a hand, a leg. Bit by bit, you 
  feel yourself coming back to life. All around 
  you, your friends are also waking up. The 
  snow melts, the ground frost dissipates and 
  the sun breaks through between the clouds. 
  When you stand, you see the enemy patrol 
  lying motionless on the ground next to the 
  prisoner, dead or asleep. They have let go 
  of the sleigh, which holds her heavy iron 
  coffin. You see that the prisoner has turned 
  to face you. Her pleas continue in the same 
  smooth voice, but now you find that you 
  can understand her, 
  “Help me, help me, help me…”.
  Linn’s voice fades and the Child of Light 
  rouses from sleep once more with a shiver. 
  The dream tells him of what has been, and 
  lets Linn plead for him to free her. The 
  player characters awake at the same time 
  as the Child of Light. For the first time in 
  a very long time they find themselves lying 
  in green grass. The sun shines down upon 
  them from between the clouds and their 
  clothes are dry. That is when the player 
  characters discover a sleeping company 
  with a female prisoner just nearby. The 
  company consists of a Dreadaxyr and four 
  Wulfr guards. This is where the player 
  characters meet Linn.
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  140  |  act 1. time of wrath
  transformation is complete, Linn stands 
  before them, a fully-grown Hrimwurm. As 
  Linn was blinded in her original form, so 
  too is her dragon self. Even in this form, 
  Linn looks fairly harmless. 
  She speaks to the player characters 
  again, using the same sweet voice, which 
  is somewhat jarring, coming from the 
  dragon’s mouth. She says that she can 
  bring eight of them on her back to the 
  gate of the Buratja dwarves’ realm (in 
  a pinch, twelve could fit). The warmth 
  that she herself has created to save the 
  characters from the cold will not last 
  long with Linn in her dragon shape, and 
  she quickly, but kindly, tries to convince 
  the player characters to get onto her. The 
  player characters realize that it is very 
  easy to hold on to the thick fur, which 
  spurs among the scales of the wurm’s back 
  and it also nicely protects against the chill. 
  Linn’s transformed form as a Hrimwurm 
  lack the magical “Hrim Body” power, 
  therefore the players are not harmed by 
  being seated on the dragon’s back.
  When all the player characters who are 
  leaving are seated on her back, they take 
  off into the sky. On the ground beneath 
  them they see how the horde of Orkhir 
  that had been following them rides into 
  the space they just left. If any of the player 
  characters were left behind they will be 
  forced to fight the thirty battle-hardened 
  Orkhir. All the player characters will most 
  likely have chosen to join Linn, other than 
  any who refused. If there were any refusers, 
  Linn can choose to hover above the enemy 
  forces in order to frighten off the Orkhir 
  and pick up with here claws the stubborn 
  player characters who chose to remain. 
  It is important to note that Linn never 
  hurts anyone during her diatribe, not even 
  the Orkhir. However, it does obviously 
  cause a bit of drama. None of the player 
  characters (nor any important Game 
  Master character) should be left behind to 
  die. Linn flies the player characters roughly 
  800 kilometers west- northwest. The 
  player characters’ journey with Linn takes 
  three days, and is divided into three stages. 
  While Linn flies, the player characters do 
  not experience either fatigue or hunger. 
  After each flight, Linn stops so that the 
  player characters can sleep under her fur 
  has repeatedly been denied food and looks 
  emaciated, which is painful to see. Her first 
  request is that they spare the life of her 
  jailors. She says that they have been tricked 
  by evil, and do not know what they have 
  done. Linn does not believe that anyone 
  deserves to die, regardless of what they have 
  done. She does not show the slightest hint 
  of either bitterness or disdain despite what 
  she has been through. She seems to know 
  a lot more than she previously let on, if the 
  player characters had the chance to meet her 
  in Vretgaard. Harried, she explains that the 
  Shepherd (the Child of Light), who she keeps 
  addressing, must find the Stone Flute under 
  the kingdom of the Buratja dwarves. The 
  Stone Flute is the only thing that can rouse 
  Maria from her deathly slumber. 
  Linn, for her part, must immediately 
  travel to Jaarnkihl, but will join the player 
  characters as soon as she can. The player 
  characters will, obviously, not understand 
  any of this, but Linn is a very convincing 
  storyteller. 
  Linn tells them that she is planning to 
  help the player characters get to the gate 
  of the kingdom of the Buratja dwarves. She 
  has very little time to give them clues. Her 
  answer to a lot of questions is: 
  “In the Shepherd’s dreams, the truth 
  dwells – follow your fate, save us all, 
  I only know what I must, you are more 
  important than I”. 
  Alternatively she will answer simply:
  “In time… Do what you must, and we 
  will discuss this in Jaarnkihl”. 
  Then she concludes:
  “Find my daughter and love her, but do 
  not forget, hers is the choice in love and 
  fate, the threads do not fall apart”.
  The player characters will obviously not 
  know whether to trust her. They question 
  whether she is telling the truth, and if they 
  should help her. Meanwhile, Linn adopts 
  a pleading position and whispers a few 
  words quietly to herself. When she is done, 
  the ground quakes, and Linn begins to 
  transform before their very eyes. Once the 
  Linn’s Tale
  The snow is gone, and all that remains is the 
  green grass. A sleigh carrying a prisoner 
  stands in the middle of the grass. The 
  prisoner’s hands and feet are shackled, and the 
  prisoner is also locked into an iron cage with 
  thick bars. Nearby on the ground, another 
  five people lay sprawled, all members of the 
  dark army. The enemies are deep asleep and 
  will only wake up if someone injures them. 
  The Dreadaxyr holds the key, which unlocks 
  the iron cage.
  During her imprisonment, Linn has 
  several times used the Imaginining spell on 
  her jailer (the Dreadaxyr) to make him track 
  the Child of Light and lead her where she 
  wants to go. She has also searched Wildland 
  using the Detect Being spell to localize the 
  Child of Light, as she had seen his real name 
  in a prophecy. Linn’s search has lasted three 
  months, but now she has finally found the 
  Child of Light. Using the Telepathy spell, 
  she has reached out to him in his dreams 
  and, using the Ecstasy spell (“tired” effect) 
  put her captors to sleep allowing the player 
  characters to free her without bloodshed. In 
  order to make the player characters more 
  comfortable, she has also warmed the air 
  (“Warmth” spell) around them, to a distance 
  of 90 meters. 
  Linn is in an extremely weakened state, 
  as she has lost her entire book of spells and 
  is starting to forget some of them. In the 
  past, she could cast all of her spells using 
  just her eyes, without the need for words 
  or other movements. Even just starting 
  to recover has taken several months, now 
  that her eyes have been plucked out and 
  she has been restrained. She casts spells 
  by whispering quietly to herself, a very 
  complicated technique. As she has not been 
  able to study her spellbooks in a long time, 
  her power is somehow enfeebled, although 
  always strong. She has a copy in Jaarnkihl, 
  where she plans to travel to for a different 
  reason; the Iron Elves who live there have a 
  copperplate of Norna’s entire prophecy.
  As mentioned, Linn’s eyes have been 
  removed, so she is blind and has to rely 
  on her hearing and intuition. Due to her 
  long imprisonment, she is withered and, 
  in her current state, very weak. When the 
  player characters finally free her, they will 
  soon notice just how fragile she is. Linn 
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  act 1. time of wrath  |  141
  the player characters’ stay in Jaarnkihl later 
  in the campaign will quadruple in length. 
  During this wasted time that they will spend 
  there, more of the Stormlands will be lost, as 
  both Ejdland and Fynnheim will succumb to 
  the forces of darkness. 
  This concludes Act I - The Time of 
  Wrath in the Snowsaga campaign..
  player characters off (during the day) on the 
  edges of the mire, which holds the gate to 
  the Buratja Kingdom. She then wishes them 
  good luck and promises to return when she 
  is done with her mission, waiting at the same 
  place where she left them. Linn asks to have 
  the Stone of Sagas, as they will need it to 
  find Snowsaga. If she does not get the stone, 
  near a bountiful source of food. As the 
  player characters are so alert during the 
  journey, they will end up soaking in a lot of 
  impressions. It is quite likely that this is the 
  most fun trip they have ever been on. The 
  Game Master can therefore choose to add 
  interesting impressions for them to reflect 
  upon from the journey. Linn drops the 
  aCT i: advenTure poinTs
  Below you will find a list of resources to help the Game Master allocate adventure points:
  Player characters:
  Adventure Points:
  Finished Act I:
  +100
  Were rude to Oktar:
  -10
  Were mean to Huld during the wedding:
  -5
  Made friends in Storhavn:
  +5 to +15
  Made enemies in Storhavn:
  -5 to -15
  Were cruel to Sote:
  -15
  Made friends in Vretgaard:
  +5 to +15
  Solved the murder of Miri:
  +15
  Were rude to Maria:
  -30
  Became enemies with Tomus Hagtorn:
  -10
  Saved most of the children kidnapped by Siris:
  +15
  Left the children to be killed by the brotbeast:
  -30
  Murdered Siris:
  -15
  Found Siris’ letter:
  +5
  Killed the knights of the Tenet of Nid:
  -30
  Found the letter at the Hunting Estate:
  +10
  Set the alarms off in Ysetur:
  -5
  Found the battleplans in Ysetur:
  +15
  Rescued the prisoners in Ysetur:
  +15
  Made the connection that Njordung and Ise are one and the same:
  +5
  Warned the Wildlanders of the war:
  +5 to +15
  Did not bother to warn the Wildlanders of the war:
  -30
  Solved Oktar’s disappearance:
  +15
  Helped as much as they could during the war:
  +50
  Were only out for themselves during the war:
  -50
  Discovered the ship blockade and saved many of the Uvail family:
  +15
  Were rude to Linn:
  -15
  Gameplay:
  Adventure Points:
  How well the player showed their character’s personality:
  -5 to +15
  How well the player showed their character’s profession:
  -5 to +15
  That you as Game Master had fun and the player character respected your rules  
  +5
  The player wasted time arguing about rules instead of playing:
  -15
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  142  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  ACT II
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  143
  During this part of the campaign, the player characters must 
  find their way down to the Buratja kingdom in search of the 
  mystical Stone Flute. This task that Linn has bestowed upon 
  them is not a simple one. After truly terrible hardships, they will 
  hopefully manage to obtain the Stone Flute. 
   TIME OF BETRAYAL 
  Then, the player characters will be 
  betrayed and end up forced into a long 
  imprisonment. This act will not offer 
  any more hope than the great defeat in 
  Wildland did in the previous one. The 
  player characters must still keep their 
  spirits up, as the fate of the world rests 
  upon their shoulders. 
  The road To The 
  BuraTJa kingdom
  As long as anyone can remember, a part 
  of the deep forest has been hidden in a 
  strange mist. It is especially noticeable on 
  cold autumn nights after heavy rains, or 
  in the winter when the rest of the forest is 
  blanketed in thick layers of snow. 
  Linn told the player characters, 
  “Seek the mire in the depth of the forest”. 
  “Find the place known to the trolls 
  as the Dragon Mire. There, somewhere, 
  you will find the entry to the kingdom 
  which once was known as Eldgnist/ 
  Firespark, but today is called Sootfire”. 
  Sootbrand is hidden deep underground. 
  The way the player characters will end up 
  using is nothing more than a vent in the 
  middle of the Darkwoods expelling warm 
  air. The air that wafts up from the forges 
  has thawed the otherwise iced ground in 
  the area, creating a sharp contrast in the 
  middle of the winter landscape. As the 
  ground is constantly thawing in the steam, 
  a mire or swampy marshland has grown in 
  the forest, covering the land above most 
  of the Buratja dwarves’ kingdom. The 
  Act II
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  144  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  The family consists of Sergovei, the leader 
  and thuul, two “older” brothers, Olgorv and 
  Evalnjor, and five other dwarves who, even 
  if mature, are still considered youngsters: 
  Hrukve, Novlija, Skuurdi, Porgij, and Gorka. 
  All of them are blacksmiths, just like their 
  leader Sergovei (use the Generic “Buratja” 
  and “Buratja Thuul” stats)
  Novilja and Skuurdi, have had to retrain 
  themselves as hunters, and now spend 
  their days hunting for the family. Behind 
  Soothome, there is a small subterranean 
  burrow where Olgorv grows the highly 
  nutritious glork mushroom. The glork is 
  a large, black mushroom, reminiscent of a 
  potato. It flourishes in the moist soil and 
  grows large and impressive in the little 
  earth cellar. The entire brotherhood is very 
  suspicious of all strangers. The dwarves are 
  constantly feuding with the forest trolls, but 
  the brotherhood has been able to keep the 
  trolls at bay by building their smithy and 
  house like a small fort. 
  The head of the brotherhood and only thuul 
  is Sergovei, and he is the only one that the 
  player characters speak to, regardless of which 
  dwarf they meet if they come near the house. 
  The dwarves have dug a deep moat, which 
  runs around the smithy, roughly a hundred 
  meters from the house. The bottom of the 
  moat is covered in sharp spears. The only way 
  over the moat is by a wooden bridge, which 
  the dwarves can raise. The bridge is always 
  kept up, and to cross it, you have to summon 
  the attention of the dwarves by yelling loudly. 
  After a few minutes, one of the dwarves will 
  approach the bridge. It is very rare that they 
  let anyone in past the moat, and the player 
  characters themselves will not be granted 
  entry unless they succeed with a Knowledge 
  skill roll with the Language discipline 
  (preferably with the Silver Tongue specialty) 
  modified by -5. The dwarf leader speaks Vrok, 
  albeit with very strong accent, due to a habit of 
  speaking only the dwarven futhark language. 
  Sergovei is very secretive and will not reveal 
  where the gates are nor the location of any 
  other entrances. The truth is that Sergovei 
  will try to neutralize anyone who attempts 
  to descend into the dwarven kingdom. He is 
  scared that the dwarves down in Sootbrand 
  would blame the Burjokkos if strangers were 
  to enter the kingdom. Sergovei will, however, 
  not attempt to slay anyone in open battle. He 
   By the ruins, situated a couple of hours’ 
  march eastward, you can find a game trail 
  which leads to the mire. Vidr is not sure, 
  but he believes that there are Lyktgubbe 
  living out in the swamp. He has himself 
  never dared enter the swamp, but he has 
  seen mystical lights in there. He also 
  claims to have seen the same lights by the 
  forest trolls’ little burrow. 
   Oh yes, the forest trolls live nearby. Vidr 
  has kept away from the trolls, which he 
  has seen disappear off into the swamp a 
  few times. 
   An ancient and cracked paved road leads 
  through the forest and up to the swamp. 
  Two impressive statues stand along the 
  road. The road appears to be old, and 
  Vidr is sure that it must have been built 
  by dwarves very long ago. There is a 
  smaller path, which branches off from 
  the main trail and crosses the paved 
  road. The narrow path also leads to the 
  forest trolls.
   Vidr explains that the water in the 
  western waterfall is delicious. The water 
  in the eastern waterfall on the other 
  hand, does not taste anywhere near as 
  good.
   Vidr also knows that there are dwarves 
  living in the forest and can explain to 
  the player characters how to get to 
  Soothome. However, Vidr does warn 
  them about the dwarves, whom he claims 
  to be very ill-natured and pig-headed. 
  Soothome
  Soothome is located just southwest of 
  the mire. It is a dwarven outpost out of 
  Sootbrand. 
  Soothome is the home and smithy of 
  the Burjokko brotherhood. Since time 
  immemorial, a curse has lain over the 
  Burjokko, and then, fifty-five years ago, the 
  dwarves in Sootbrand had had enough. They 
  blamed the Burjokko for the fact that a small, 
  inconsiderable vein of Mitraka had run dry, 
  causing the gold to stop flowing, and insisted 
  that the family’s curse was one of the reasons 
  that the logi furnaces of Sootbrand did not 
  burn as eagerly as they should. 
  The Burjokko brotherhood was cast out of 
  Sootbrand and have lived near its gates ever 
  since. 
  dwarves’ logi furnaces burn so vigorously 
  and hot that the ground heats up, and all the 
  moisture in the earth is forced to rise. This 
  has come to create a swampy landscape, 
  which lies, bubbling, awash in a mist, even in 
  the middle of winter. Adding to the strange 
  humid landscape are two waterfalls, which 
  flow down along the vertical cliff wall of 
  the mountain, Einvigh. Linn will explain 
  to the player characters which way they 
  should take and how to find it. The road, 
  or, more precisely, the forest trail, leads up 
  to the Hunting Lodges (see below). After 
  that, the player characters need to find one 
  of the entrances to Sootbrand on their own. 
  The Hunting Lodges
  The Hunting Lodges are a group of 
  decrepit timbered cabins which, more 
  than fifty years ago, were used as 
  overnight dwellings for a group of wolfkin 
  hunters. Two of the houses have collapsed 
  completely, with the roofs caved in. The 
  third cabin is in terrible shape, but has 
  been patched up with interwoven branches 
  and animal hides. The cabin is currently 
  used by the fowler Vidr Tranfolli, who is 
  out in the forest, hunting pheasants (use 
  the “Ranger, Beginner” stats in GM Guide 
  page 118). He is, however, rarely by the 
  cabins as they attract both forest trolls 
  and other beasts that dwell in the forest. 
  When the player characters enter the 
  forest, the chance of Vidr being near the 
  cabin is only 20% (1-4 on 1d20). If Vidr 
  is not by the cabin, he will return in five 
  days. 
  It is clear to see that someone has been 
  using the house recently. Firewood has 
  recently been stacked along one of the 
  walls, and an iron pot inside the house still 
  contains the remains of food, and outside, 
  the offal and waste from the pheasants is 
  scattered on the ground.
  Regardless of whether Vidr is in the 
  cabin or if the player characters have to 
  wait for him to return, he will want to head 
  further south. He has been very successful 
  in his hunt and now just wants to return 
  to his family. Vidr will not accompany 
  the player characters into the forest. He 
  knows the following things about this 
  part of the forest:
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  145
  BV 9/90); a masterfully forged large metal-
  reinforced shield (+2 CP locked to the shield, 
  PV/BV 10/100), a suit of Mitraka double 
  chain mail (PV/BV 10/100, Heft 6, MM 
  -2 m, IM -1) which unfortunately fits only 
  someone who is short like a dwarf, and an 
  open metal helmet with a number of jewels 
  set into it (the helmet is worth between 1,000 
  and 2,000 gold coins).
  There are three large charcoal pits 
  behind the house, which the dwarves care 
  for meticulously. During the day, at least two 
  dwarves are there at any given time taking 
  care of the charcoal pits. 
  The Old Road
  The Old Road was built by dwarves a 
  very long time ago. Today, it is essentially 
  unserviceable and overgrown. Following 
  the road south will lead out of the forest, 
  and following it north leads to the swamp. It 
  is worth noting that anyone who manages 
  to keep heading in the same direction will 
  eventually reach the dwarven gate. 
  Halfway to the gate, there are two 
  stonehinjes 
  standing 
  guard. 
  The 
  stonehinjes will only attack if someone 
  attempts to injure or damage them. Around 
  the foundations upon which they stand, 
  there are skeletal remains, primarily of 
  forest trolls.
  The Mire
  The mire mainly consists of moss-covered 
  forest floor, which is very wet. It is actually 
  not really a mire. It is only in a few 
  isolated areas that the floor turns into real 
  swamplands, and that is mainly near the 
  two ponds located in the forest. Near these 
  ponds, you can find blue mud, a sludge that 
  is highly coveted by the forest trolls. 
  There is a 50 % chance (1-10 on 1d20) 
  that there are 1d6 forest trolls gathered 
  near the ponds, collecting blue mud.
  A group of fairies live in the forest, not 
  Lyktgubbe, like Vidr thought. They are, 
  however, very shy, and the Game Master 
  should only ever use them in an emergency 
  (if the player characters do not find any 
  other entrance, they may get help from 
  the fairies, or, if they, against the odds, are 
  about to die in battle with the stonehinjes).
  forest trolls’ lair. If any new visitors are very 
  courteous, friendly, and humble despite the 
  dwarves’ unpleasant attitude, the dwarves 
  will first demand that the forest trolls are 
  taken care of (either killed or run out). After 
  that, they will explain about the Vent. 
  In the house, or the “smithy” as the 
  Burjokkos themselves prefer to call the house 
  in which they live, there are lots of beautifully 
  forged items. Amongst other things, there 
  are two masterfully forged broadswords (+2 
  cp locked to the sword, WA 3, IM -4, PV/
  will instead send Novlija and Skuurdi to kill 
  anyone who mentions going down into the 
  dwarven kingdom. This attack takes place 
  sometimes during the following night. 
  The only thing that would change 
  Sergovei’s mind would be if the player 
  characters promise to help him to, once and 
  for all, kill the forest trolls, or at least run 
  them out of the forest. If they do, he will tell 
  them that it is possible to enter the dwarven 
  kingdom through the ventilation hole which 
  is located just outside the entrance to the 
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  146  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  slumber, placed there by the Buratja 
  dwarves to guard the entrance.
  If anyone in the party knows the 
  futhark writing system (Read and Writing: 
  Futhark specialty of the Knowledge skill), 
  they will be able to read the runes saying 
  the following message.
  made of stone, is covered in an entwined 
  pattern, with cryptic runes adorning the 
  top. The double gate, standing more than 
  20 meters tall, is flanked by two gigantic 
  statues of dwarves with two-handed 
  battleaxes. The statues are actually 
  stonehinjes, who currently are deep in 
  The Dwarven Gate
  The dwarves built an entrance which 
  protects the way down into their 
  kingdom against intruders. The entrance 
  is located in the vertical cliff face of the 
  Einvigh mountain, in the very depths 
  of the swamp. The actual gate, which is 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  147
  eye will notice that there are piles of bones 
  (primarily of forest trolls) in the area. 
  The journey down takes roughly ten 
  minutes for a dwarf climbing at a brisk 
  pace. It will take a human roughly thirty 
  minutes, being far too big and clumsy for 
  the small steps. Player characters with a 
  skill value of 12 or higher in the Agility 
  skill (including the SV bonuses of the 
  Body Control discipline and the Jumping, 
  Climbing, 
  and 
  Balancing 
  specialty) 
  will not have to attempt a skill roll to 
  descend, while those with a lower skill 
  value may need to manage one (SV 10 or 
  11), two (SV 7-9), or three (SV 7 or less) 
  successful rolls, depending on how low is 
  their Agility total SV. Rope can be used 
  as an additional security feature (SV +2), 
  saving lives. The stairs end in The Hall 
  of Chimneys.
  The Lair of the Forest Trolls
  The Forest trolls live in a tribe of 
  roughly 30 individuals, just southeast of 
  the swamp. The tribe is led by the noaj 
  Murkor, a very spiritual and powerful 
  follower of Haminges. Five out of six 
  forest trolls are battle worthy and, just 
  like other forest trolls, they all lack fear, 
  which makes them into violent enemies. 
  The trolls are at their most active at 
  night, when they hunt or gather supplies. 
  At night, the player characters might be 
  forced into a confrontation with up to 
  thirty forest trolls. During the day, the 
  little village is only guarded by five to 
  eight forests trolls. The others are resting 
  or sleeping. The forest trolls will attack 
  regardless of the time of day or the size of 
  the player character group.
  The forest troll’s little community is 
  carved into the earth, like a little cave 
  system, reminiscent of an oversized fox 
  den. There is no map depicting the den, 
  but should the player characters choose 
  to enter it, the Game Master can describe 
  it as a long corridor, ending in a larger 
  burrow. The player characters can find 
  lots of valuables in the den. The Game 
  Master gets to decide exactly what they 
  find, depending on how much help they 
  deem the player characters to need. Some 
  suggestions include the following options.
  slay the intruders. The stonehinjes fight 
  to the death and are armed with two-
  handed axes made of stone.
  It is very likely that the player 
  characters will think that they are 
  supposed to enter through the enormous 
  gate and will spend a lot of time 
  attempting to solve the riddle. What 
  they do not know is that there are two 
  other entrances to the dwarven kingdom. 
  One is the vent in the middle of the troll 
  village. The other is the Exhaust located 
  not far from the gates. Both paths lead to 
  The Hall of Chimneys. 
  The Exhaust
  At night ghostly lights rise from the 
  ground near the Exhaust. Even during the 
  day, there are warm vapors coming from 
  it, but the spectacle is nowhere near as 
  impressive as it is at night. The forest trolls 
  believe that there is an enormous dragon 
  living under the earth and that this is one 
  of its blowholes.
  The Exhaust is located three hundred 
  meters south of the gates. If anyone drops a 
  stone down the Exhaust hole, it will fall for 
  a long time before making impact because 
  the bottom is more than four hundred 
  meters down. 
  The Exhaust is considerably larger 
  than the Vent, but it is almost completely 
  overgrown with moss. The Exhaust 
  has a diameter of around eight meters. 
  Removing rotten branches, moss, and 
  other undergrowth will reveal a narrow, 
  serpentine stone staircase, which spirals 
  down into the dark.
  Around the Exhaust itself there are four 
  stonehinjes, which are completely covered 
  in moss. It is difficult to discern that they 
  are statues, and whoever views them will 
  at first think that they are trees, or just 
  large, moss-covered rocks which have been 
  placed around the hole. If anyone removes 
  the moss it will become very clear that they 
  are actually statues of powerful dwarven 
  warriors of the same kind found by the 
  large gates not far from here. 
  The stonehinjes will mercilessly attack 
  all who attempt to enter through the 
  hole. They will attack as soon as the first 
  person’s foot hits the top step. An observant 
  “Long did I wander; far did I seek. I 
  journeyed through forests and over 
  plains, through valleys and over seas. 
  Gone are the days of youth but hope still 
  remains. Halls of gold await me, as I 
  have always known. The cords which 
  bind us to our blood are strong, but the 
  road is long, hard, and full of murky 
  offshoots. All its secrets are obscured by 
  steaming streams of lava. Resting in the 
  realms of dreams, the Gyrd awaits, so 
  near and yet so far. Crushing eternity 
  becomes my victory parade, marching to 
  the side of Borjorn.”
  The first letter of each sentence forms 
  the word “lightarc” which is the password 
  that grants passage through the gates, 
  something which should be a tough nut 
  to crack for the player characters. If after 
  having translated the text no player 
  think about using the initials, a generous 
  GM may allow the characters to make 
  a situation roll with SV 8 (Intelligence 
  modifiers apply) to come up with the idea. 
  Alternatively, a Knowledge skill roll with 
  the Customs & Law (Dwarves) specialty 
  may help too. 
  “Gyrd” is the mythical kingdom said 
  to be more beautiful than Trilheim itself, 
  which was lost thousands of years ago. 
  According to legend, this kingdom is 
  supposed to be located somewhere in the 
  West, and its halls are made of gold, not 
  stone. 
  In order to pass through the gates, 
  each person must whisper the password, 
  “lightarc” pronounced in the Buratja 
  dwarves’ own special dialect. Success 
  can come from a Knowledge skill roll 
  with the Foreign Tongue (Futhark) or 
  Mother Tongue (Futhark), in both cases 
  modified by -2. The success is automatic 
  for Buratja dwarves. The slightest little 
  mistake in pronunciation could turn out 
  to be catastrophic. When a person has 
  whispered the word by the gate, they 
  will be granted entry into the dwarven 
  kingdom. The gates lead to a long, steep 
  staircase down into the city of Logr in 
  Sootbrand. If anyone pronounces the 
  password incorrectly, or tries to enter 
  using force, the two stonehinjes which 
  guard the gate will attack, attempting to 
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  148  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  out to fish. Even when they pan for gold, or 
  do the washing on the beach, it is all done 
  with guards in full battle gear. 
  None of the Buratja dwarves can swim, 
  and the thought of learning how to would 
  never even cross their minds.
  The Signal Horn
  The Buratja dwarves will not notice that 
  the player characters have arrived unless 
  they sound the signal horn. 
  If any of the player characters blow into the 
  horn, a strong, armoured boat will approach 
  within minutes. Twelve battle-ready Buratja 
  dwarves wait in the boat. One of them sticks 
  the head out of a small hatch, watching 
  the player characters (use the “Generic 
  Zvordorkûm” stats with Buratja changes). 
  Arbalests can be seen through the portholes 
  that run along the sides of the boat. The dwarf 
  who is watching the player characters will 
  first speak in Futhark, but if none of the player 
  characters appear to understand he will switch 
  to a halting Vrok (SV 7). The Game Master 
  can choose to adapt the text below depending 
  on which language the dwarf speaks.
  “I am Smidir Tungyxr, a great warrior 
  of the Buratja sons. You are on our 
  land. Who are you and what are you 
  dofing here”
  If the player characters act threateningly, 
  the boat will drift away again and the 
  player characters will have lost their 
  chance to enter the Buratja Kingdom with 
  the dwarves’ permission. 
  If, on the other hand, the player 
  characters behave respectfully, Smidir will 
  immediately take a liking to them. It has 
  been a very long time since anyone last 
  visited the Buratja dwarves, and most of 
  them are curious about what has been 
  happening up there in the world above 
  them:
  “You are hereby granted entrance to the 
  Buratja Kingdom. But to show your 
  good intentions, we ask that you first 
  leave your weapons and other battle 
  gear behind. If you trust that we will 
  protect you throughout your stay, you 
  will be welcomed as our guests.”
  Control discipline and the Jumping, Climbing 
  and Balancing specialty) modified by -4. 
  There is very little space to move around, and 
  the climb down is anything but pleasant. Hot 
  steam presses up from underneath the whole 
  time. The only efficient protection against the 
  steam is frost boar fat. 
  The Hall of Chimneys
  The hall at the end of the rusted iron 
  staircase is called the “Hall of Chimneys” 
  by the Buratja dwarves. The chimneys 
  are actually thousands of small, rust red 
  pipes sticking out of the floor in various 
  places, and which are then further directed 
  towards the Exhaust. The height of the 
  hall’s ceiling is around 30 meters, as is the 
  height of the part of the staircase that is 
  made out of iron. Iron chains of varying 
  thicknesses span the hall like a spiderweb, 
  as if the actual rock itself is being held 
  together by the chains. Two logi have made 
  the area near the chimneys their home, but 
  they will only attack if provoked.
  A steep, sloping tunnel runs from the 
  Hall of Chimneys and down into the 
  darkness. It takes one day and one night 
  to walk the path, which appears to curl 
  around the Hall of Chimneys somewhat.
  The Subterranean Lake
  After a day and night of walking, a 
  subterranean lake is revealed in front of the 
  player characters. On their side of the water 
  there is a small, moss-covered landing on 
  which is a wooden rack. A small silver 
  signal horn is strapped to it. Ominous 
  black water surrounds the landing. 
  The slightest dim light can be seen from 
  the other side of the lake. 
  The lake is pitch-black and it seems to be 
  bottomless at its center. To make everything 
  worse, its surface is veiled in a thin layer of 
  gray mist, which never seems to dissipate. 
  The lake is six kilometers across, and its 
  guardians are roughly twenty giant snakes 
  of the “lake serpent” variety which survive 
  off of the “delicacies” that live within, a type 
  of bioluminescent fish. 
  The dwarves are fully aware of the 
  dangers that lurk in the water, and always 
  exercise extreme caution when they head 
   There are several lengths of rope in the 
  cave, which, when tied together, form a 
  five hundred meter long rope. The rope 
  pulls up to approximately 120 kg. 
   In the room where the forest trolls keep 
  the blue mud, there are also six cans 
  of processed snowboar fat. Each can 
  contains enough for 1-2 people to cover 
  themselves in.
  The mire has become a holy place for the 
  forest trolls who live nearby, and they will 
  not readily let other creatures enter their 
  grounds. This is also one of the places from 
  which the forest trolls gather the rare blue 
  mud, which they use to paint their bodies.
  The Vent is half covered in moss and 
  does not at first appear to hide anything 
  other than a source of heat. 
  The hole itself is large enough to fit 
  exactly one person. If anyone squeezes 
  their way through, they must succeed with 
  a situation roll with Situation Value 10 
  (Dexterity modifiers apply). Anyone who 
  has covered themselves with frost boar fat, 
  or any other kind of oil or fat, will, however, 
  get through without problems. Bigger 
  characters are either unable to or face great 
  difficulty when attempting to get down 
  through the hole. The steam wafting up is as 
  hot as a sauna, and anyone wishing to crawl 
  down finds that they cannot do so carrying 
  too much gear. Anyone who does enter the 
  hole will also sustain 1d5 in damage from 
  the heat every tenth minute they spend in 
  the hole. However, anyone who has applied 
  the frost boar fat will not be subject to any 
  damage at all during the descent. Anyone 
  who gets more than an 8 in damage must 
  succeed with a situation roll with Situation 
  Value 8 (Psyche modifiers apply) in order to 
  not be compelled to climb up out of the hole. 
  Vapors and gases are constantly seeping 
  from the Vent, which is what causes the 
  forest trolls’noaj to believe that a dragon 
  lives under the ground in the swamp, and 
  that the air vent is the dragon’s airhole. The 
  noaj has decided that the forest trolls should 
  live here in order to absorb and benefit from 
  the powers that the dragon possesses. The 
  other forest trolls clearly agree. 
  The descent to the Hall of Chimneys takes 
  roughly half an hour and requires a successful 
  Agility skill (preferably with the Body 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  149
  contain both chainmail armors and swords, 
  drinking vessels and shields. Most of them 
  are beautified with Mitraka, detailed with 
  silver and gold threads, and bejewelled with 
  gemstones which gleam green and red. 
  Some of the vaults contain black armors 
  that has been handed down for thousands 
  upon thousands of years. Very few of the 
  Buratja dwarves own an ancient suit of 
  black armor, but those who do value it more 
  highly than all other objects and treasures 
  they have. The armor is considered to be 
  some of the first things ever created by the 
  dwarves, in a time when none of them had 
  yet seen the light of the sun. There is also an 
  oath linked to the armor, sworn thousands 
  of years ago. Anyone who owns a suit of 
  the ancient black armor should devote their 
  lives as much to the art of war as they do 
  to the craft of metalwork. When the greater 
  kingdom is threatened, and the great king 
  sends his summons, those with the ancient 
  armor must rise from their dark hollows and 
  step up in service of the kingdom. Then, in 
  utter secrecy, those with a suit of armor 
  will gather, and, with a lot of ceremonious 
  pomp, put on the black war garb. They are 
  made of black Mitraka, a special type of 
  Mitraka obtained using a secret technique, 
  nowdays only known by a few masters in all 
  of Trudvang. 
  The black Mitraka has come to be known 
  as “Zvordorka”, and the armor is known 
  as “Zvordorkûm-maki”, the Armor of the 
  Black Mitraka. Those who don the armor 
  are called the “Zvordorkûm”, the Black 
  Warriors. Most of these fierce Zvordorkûm 
  are expert warriors but otherwise normal 
  dwarves. However, a few Zvordorkûm 
  belong to the legendary Zvorda race, the 
  large dwarves which are told to have troll 
  blood in their veins.
  Some of the Zvordorkûm-maki armors 
  takes an entire day to put on, and small bolts 
  are welded in place to hold it together. These 
  suits protect against both weapons and 
  fire, as they were forged in the second age, 
  primarily as a defense against the flames of 
  the greatly feared iron dragon. Large, black 
  masks called “murgles” cover and protect 
  the warriors’ faces against flames.
  Buratja dwarves are tough and resilient. 
  They persevere in front of the hot ovens 
  for long stretches of time, hammering 
  way out again. Eventually they reach Logr, 
  the largest city in Sootbrand. 
  The most powerful dwarf in Sootbrand 
  is Master Smelter Beldor of the Angor 
  clan. His brother, Dunkillja, is the dwarf 
  who leases the Mitraka mines from the 
  Arks in the Northwest, who, in turn require 
  weapons and armor made of iron. Just as 
  the player characters arrive in Sootbrand, 
  Dunkillja and his dwarven army arrive in 
  Beldor’s kingdom. That is how the player 
  characters, due to the actions of Beldor, 
  Dunkillja, and Istunga, end up in Arkland.
  “Sootbrand” is the name of this Buratja 
  kingdom, and it contains five so-called 
  “smith cities”, of which Logr is the largest, 
  with its three master smiths and seven 
  hundred blacksmiths. 
  Sootbrand is completely separate from 
  other dwarf kingdoms. There are, of 
  course, still some completely forgotten or 
  abandoned tunnels which link it to other 
  kingdoms. The smithies and their flaming 
  kilns are the heart of the Buratja dwarf 
  kingdoms. At the mention of the word 
  “smithy”, most people will think of a small 
  forge and an anvil or two. The Buratja 
  smithies can fit hundreds of furnaces and 
  thousands of anvils, and are the places in 
  which the dwarves have devoted themselves 
  to the great art of metalworking. Many of 
  the furnaces contain a captured logi who, 
  with its heat and flames, serves the dark 
  blacksmiths. A Buratja kingdom is divided 
  into smithies, and each smithy is headed 
  by a master. It is these masters who carry 
  on the ancient traditions, and only those 
  considered worthy are rewarded with the 
  secrets of how to forge the Mitraka.
  The final product, the Mitraka, has 
  great strength and beauty, but it is hard 
  to forge, and the process to do so is long 
  and difficult. The secret techniques are 
  only taught by the masters, and when a 
  master dies, a new master is chosen from 
  the elite that rules over each city. There is 
  a vault at every logi furnace, protected by 
  a thick, round door, completely made out 
  of Mitraka, which is locked using a rune 
  known only by the owner of the forge. No 
  one is admitted to the vault, other than the 
  master and the owner of the logi furnace. 
  They keep all their most precious objects 
  in these subterranean vaults. The vaults 
  If pushed, Smidir would allow for the 
  player characters to bring their armor and 
  weapons to the kingdom, but only if they 
  are carried and kept by the dwarves.
  If the player characters refuse to leave 
  their weapons and other battle gear behind, 
  the boat will drift away again, and leave the 
  player characters on the beach. Smidir wants 
  straight answers, and if the player characters 
  dawdle they risk losing their chance. 
  If the player characters follow Smidir’s 
  instructions they will be allowed aboard 
  the armoured boat. The whole journey 
  across the lake will be nerve wracking, 
  considering the creatures lurking under 
  the water’s surface. An open boat would not 
  stand a chance against the sea serpents. If 
  anyone falls into the water, they will perish. 
  The armoured boat brings the player 
  characters to the opposite shore. At least 
  three times during the journey, the boat is 
  attacked by the sea serpents, but there is no 
  real risk that anything bad happens since 
  the armoured boat protects the passengers. 
  The Far Shore
  The far shore is lit by some torches 
  and, just visible through the dim light, 
  a substantial stone pier on thick pillars 
  stretches out into the water. Some Buratja 
  dwarves are panning for gold near a 
  subterranean waterfall roughly thirty 
  meters from the stone pier. 
  The dwarves who live in the Buratja 
  Kingdom consider the bioluminescent 
  fish to be an exceptional delicacy, and will 
  lay out large nets of silken, silver threads, 
  which are very effective at snaring their 
  catch. The nets are attached to chains, 
  which are then dragged behind large boats. 
  When the player characters have 
  disembarked, Smidir shows them along a 
  narrow passage where tall characters have 
  to duck in order get by. The passage is 
  constructed for dwarves, not humans. The 
  entire time, they are watched by the gold 
  panning dwarves down by the water. 
  Smidir brings the player characters 
  through a sophisticated system of defense 
  corridors, staircases, and thick iron doors. 
  He tells them to stay together, and explains 
  that anyone who loses their way here will 
  face a very difficult time trying to find the 
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  150  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  sooTBrand
  When 
  Saukka 
  the 
  Conqueror 
  had 
  overpowered his feeble father and seized 
  the kingship, he waged a war against both 
  the elves and people of the Stormlands. 
  He punished his enemies with sharpened 
  axes and tempered iron shields at every 
  turn. He made an abundance of mighty 
  things; subdued many a rich homestead 
  in Wildland; captured and conquered the 
  Hrim Trolls with their whips and black 
  tongs. Saukka’s sons were Jorvin, Jutka, 
  and Molov. Many strong warriors gathered 
  under their crimson banners during the 
  war, which lasted as long as Saukka lived. 
  And so it happened that Saukka 
  gathered all his warriors out on the plains, 
  as these dwarves did not fear to fight 
  in the domains of man. The dwarves of 
  Saukka’s doomed family all gathered by 
  the hills north of Wolfswood and set up 
  camp. Saukka mustered all his soldiers, two 
  thousand Zvordorkûmplus ten thousand 
  other dwarves he had summoned from 
  Trilheim’s dark hollows.
  The dwarves stood on one side of the 
  dark forest, and the humans’ armies waited 
  on the other. Late one night, as night once 
  more conquered day, Saukka attacked in 
  full force with his ironclad warriors, and 
  captured Fylkjarl Olvin Segerhuva. He 
  ordered all others to be killed. 
  The armies gathered under Olvin’s 
  banners were beaten to the ground, and 
  Saukka was hailed as the king that he was. 
  At the same time as Saukka was 
  using his axe in the dance of death on 
  the battlefield by the Wolfswood, a tall 
  man, carrying a heavy sword wrapped in 
  a wolf skin, disembarked on the rickety 
  piers in Storhavn. Little did the dwarves 
  know that their victory parade would 
  turn into a stinging defeat, and that the 
  satisfaction in the winds of victory would 
  slowly pull Saukka and his dark warriors 
  to the depths of defeat. The story of how 
  Fylkjarl Njal Hagtorn achieved peace and 
  unity by defeating Saukka is often told in 
  the Skalds’ songs and stories. It is far less 
  common to hear tell of Saukka’s fate, and 
  the dwarves who then were forced back to 
  Sootbrand, filled with hate and bitterness 
  against the human race. Ever since that day, 
  the Buratja dwarves have been gone from 
  their backs arch. The walls in the smithies 
  are crude, chiselled, and unpolished. These 
  people keep all their treasures hidden in the 
  vaults of their smithies, stowed away and 
  hidden forever. These dwarves guard their 
  treasures with the same zeal and brute force 
  as the dragons. 
  The Buratja dwarves are black haired, 
  and their eyes gleam like translucent silver. 
  Their complexion is pale, but they are 
  almost always covered in soot and dirt. They 
  rarely wear clothes, other than a loincloth 
  that they use when working in the smithies. 
  relentlessly at their anvils, in order to shape 
  the mystical Mitraka. 
  Their tunnels and halls are not as ornate 
  or treasure-filled as the Gray dwarves. 
  Their kingdoms do not consist of great 
  halls and armories, and they do not have 
  bejewelled thrones, echoing ballrooms, 
  arrow-straight tunnels, or endless cliff 
  grottos with polished walls. Instead, the 
  Burtaja Kingdoms are centerd around 
  their smithies, which stretch deep into the 
  earth where the lava rivers flow and the 
  Mitraka hides. Their tunnels bend, just as 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  151
  the area. About half of the Zvordorkûm are 
  at least twice as large as normal Buratja 
  dwarves, and with much more threatening 
  appearances. This is possibly the first time 
  for player characters to meet the legendary 
  Dwarfs-Trolls, which should provoke them 
  a sense of mysterious uneasiness.  
  After that, Beldor and other dwarves 
  work with tapping smelted Mitraka along 
  a small copper chute which is suspended 
  from chains half a meter above the platform 
  and connected to the logi furnace. The 
  smelted Mitraka is tapped into a small 
  chest, which can hold a hundred kilos. 
  When the chest is filled, which only 
  takes a minute or two, Master Smelter 
  Beldor closes the mortise using a long pole 
  similar to a lance, with a clay plug at the 
  end. Closing the tap hole fails, and the plug 
  explodes, splattering smelted Mitraka on 
  the player characters and others standing 
  nearby. Those who are hit (let the players 
  roll a luck roll with 1d10 where 1-2 means 
  that the person is hit) will suffer burns 
  inflicting 1d10 damage, representing the 
  splatter. 
  The second attempt at closing it is 
  successful, but it is already too late. The 
  Mitraka has been tainted, and will become 
  mitrakait. 
  The player characters are probably 
  unaware that there is almost 80 kg of pure 
  Mitraka hanging right by them in the 
  chest, Mitraka which is only one step in 
  the refinement process away from going to 
  the smithy. The Buratja dwarves produce 
  500-600 kg of Mitraka every year using 
  this process. The planning stage between 
  each Mitraka tapping is the lion’s share of 
  the work. Three out of four tappings fail 
  for various reasons, even for someone as 
  experienced as Beldor.
  Beldor’s Interrogation 
  Despite Master Smelter Beldor being 
  irritated over the fact that he failed with 
  the tapping, he is able to hide it from 
  the player characters. He laments that 
  Smidir so readily admitted humans into 
  Sootbrand. He questions the player 
  characters’ identities and motives in an 
  interrogation-like fashion. Unlike Smidir, 
  Beldor is fluent in Vrok. In the shadows 
  like the logi furnaces, built in stacks, with 
  several levels. The architecture is unlike 
  anything else known by the inhabitants 
  of the surface. The houses are built on top 
  of each other, and the city grows as one 
  single, immense multi-layered building, as 
  the society gets richer. To the uninitiated, 
  it is essentially impossible to navigate the 
  city, which consists of countless corridors, 
  tunnels, stairs, and rooms which lead 
  deeper and deeper into the city center. In 
  order to prevent Logr from collapsing, the 
  dwarves have stretched enormous chains 
  from the rock walls into the city. At the 
  heart of the city are the 16 logi furnaces, 
  located in Logr. A river of boiling lava, 
  which the dwarves simply call “Zvordo”, 
  runs through the city. 
  The only open route from Logr, other 
  than the one the player characters arrived 
  by, would be to travel by railway, using a 
  vehicle similar to a trolley, or climb the 
  steep staircase which leads to the main 
  gate, a two days journey. A dozen freight 
  cars can be connected to the trolley vehicle. 
  The slaves running the trollies are fifty or 
  so goblins. In turn, the slaves supervize a 
  group of hardened dwarves. Aside from 
  these two ways out of the city there are 
  an endless number of hidden passages and 
  crevices in the rock, and where they lead 
  to is known only to a select number of 
  dwarves.
  Smidir leads the player characters to 
  Master Smelter Beldor in the city by 
  making them climb roughly 50 meters up 
  a chain ladder, which runs along one of the 
  larger logi furnaces. After the climb they 
  can walk along a long ledge until they 
  reach a larger platform, where a group 
  of dwarves is working on burning a hole 
  into the logi furnace. They use a very long 
  metal pipe, which seems to be on fire on one 
  end, and is connected to a silver colored 
  container at the other. There is a rune on 
  the container, which creates oxygen and 
  makes the metal burn as the oxygen is 
  released. As the player characters enter 
  the room, a hole opens in the furnace, and 
  high-pressured smelt spurts from the hole. 
  Aside from Master Smelter Beldor 
  Angor and the six assistant dwarves 
  working on the tapping, there are also 
  twenty Zvordorkûm in full armor guarding 
  the wilderness of the Stormlands. They 
  closed themselves off in the dark hollows 
  of Sootbrand. In a dreamless slumber, they 
  hunted more logis than ever, and their 
  mystical furnaces burnt with a vengeance 
  and vindictiveness. Saukka’s descendants 
  knew that in the burning wombs of the 
  forges lay the final reckoning of Wildland. 
  Today Sootbrand is ruled by Master Smelter 
  Beldor, who belongs to a brotherhood 
  named after Angor, the master who forged 
  Koraljon’s ruling blade once upon a time. 
  Master Smelter Beldor is also the spiritual 
  heir of Saukka the Conqueror, who ruled 
  the same clan, so long before. Beldor 
  Angor is in charge of the daily Mitraka 
  production in Logr, but will travel to the 
  four other smith cities in Sootbrand from 
  time to time. He is a strong, resourceful 
  man who wears an apron made of silver 
  plates with a matching mask and gloves. 
  He dresses this way because the spatter 
  from the smelted Mitraka cuts through 
  most materials as though they were butter. 
  He has to reinforce his protective gear after 
  almost every draught. Silver is especially 
  resistant to Mitraka. 
  The Mitraka melt flows like the cinder, 
  as light as water, and will often splash. It 
  also cuts through other materials as though 
  it was paper. All of this is an unfortunate 
  combination for anyone who taps the 
  smelted Mitraka from the logi furnace.
  Beldor Angor is in charge of the Mitraka 
  production in Sootbrand: a complicated 
  process during which the Mitraka first 
  has to be separated from both the matte 
  and slag through a eutectic reaction. 
  After that, the tapping of the almost pure 
  Mitraka occurs during a state between 
  slag and matte. The state is in constant 
  fluctuation, depending on the temperature, 
  the combination of ore concentrates, and 
  the amount of oxygen that is added to 
  the smelt bath in the logi furnace. The 
  slightest mistake or miscalculation risks 
  causing the Mitraka to curdle and become 
  useless due to impurities, or that the alloy 
  denatures into “mitrakait”, a very brittle 
  form of Mitraka, and the form that humans 
  are usually able to produce.
  Around three thousand dwarves live 
  in Logr. The city is located in a gigantic 
  cavern carved from the rock. The city is, just 
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  152  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  their names from legendary predecessors, of 
  which the characters will learn soon. 
  Early on at the party, Hunrur Dogordin 
  (Vrok  SV 7), will seek the player characters 
  out and tell them that he has heard of their 
  troubles with the Master Smelter, but adds 
  that they should not worry. Hunrur has 
  contacts that he can use to take Koraljon 
  back from Belgor and make them pass 
  the snake-infested lake, if the PCs help 
  him with a problem. He explains that he 
  belongs to one of the ruling brotherhoods 
  in Sootbrand, and that he is currently facing 
  a moral dilemma. He has heard through the 
  grapevine that the player characters are 
  looking for the Stone Flute. If they nod in 
  agreement, he will begin to tell them about 
  his “ancient brother” (the dwarf rough 
  equivalent of an ancestor), Dogordin:
  “Dogordin the master smith had three 
  younger brothers he took as apprentices: 
  Maki, Thorvikun, and Thoor. With the 
  fire’s flames licking his skin, Dogordin 
  forged 
  his 
  brotherhood’s 
  greatest 
  treasure and heirloom – A miner’s 
  mattock nicer than any other, with 
  magical runes engraved into its surface 
  with a power so great that even the 
  hardest rock crumbles under its mighty 
  blows. Dogordin’s deepest desire was, 
  after all, to find the innermost core of the 
  purest Mitraka, which is why he forged 
  the mattock that he named “Sohrsmule”.
  He used Sohrsmule to mine precious 
  metals for forming many beautiful things, 
  but the mattock was also known as a slayer 
  to all who got in its way. So strong were the 
  two runes engraved into its smooth surface 
  that they could crumble mountains, armor, 
  shield, and dragon plating. In Spaarklur’s 
  deepest vaults and tunnels, an ancient 
  beeing awoke, a mighty dragon given the 
  name Unghorvin. For a long time, he 
  spread fear amongst the brotherhood of 
  Buratja dwarves that lived in the warmest 
  smithies of the greater kingdoms. 
  When the master smith Agordo, one of 
  Dogordin’s friends, sought out Dogordin 
  to borrow Sohrsmule in order to kill 
  the ghastly beast, Dogordin swore on 
  his master smithy that none other than 
  Dogordin and his brothers would ever get 
  to feel the power of the mighty mattock. 
  Belgor’s kingdom, and these warriors are 
  certainly not the only ones to be fought in 
  order to get out of Sootbrand. 
  After the sword is given to the dwarves, 
  Beldor continues: 
  “Not only will I keep the blade as a 
  tribute, but I will not allow you to leave 
  my kingdom. The way through the lake 
  is now forbidden to you all until you 
  prove your worth to me. I demand that 
  you go, capture the giant logi that has 
  been sighted near Zvordo, and return 
  with it within a week. If not, I shall 
  throw the cursed Koraljon to the snakes 
  of the lake, and order all my subjects to 
  kill you on sight”.
  Beldor turns to Smidir:
  “Smidir, as punishment for your 
  carelessness, I would strongly advise 
  that you accompany and assist them. If 
  the intruders do not return according to 
  my demands, then neither should you.”
  Smidir leads the player characters away 
  (aside from the one who stays with Beldor 
  as his prisoner). He tells them that there 
  is to be a large feast tonight in honor of 
  a young Buratja dwarf of his brotherhood 
  who is under his tutelage, and who has just 
  been granted the position of rune smith.
  Smidir tells the player characters 
  to forget about the giant logi for the 
  moment and just enjoy the party. There 
  is nothing they could do tonight anyway. 
  He promises to try to help them in their 
  quest. The player characters notice that 
  Smidir appears to be very nervous about 
  undertaking such a task.
  The Dispute between Hunrur 
  and Aldak 
  Smidir will hold a big party, which the player 
  characters are invited to attend. About 
  twenty or so other Buratja dwarves join 
  the party. There are also Hunrur Dogordin 
  and Aldak Agordo, the leaders of two clans 
  competing for the second position of power 
  below the Angor clan (use “Generic Buratja” 
  stats with Care SV 10 and Silvertongue 3). 
  The Dogordin and Agordo brotherhoods got 
  behind Beldor, a human-shaped figure can 
  be glimpsed, but stays well concealed in 
  the darkness. The friend of Oktar (if still 
  alive) will feel a sense of deja-vu looking at 
  the figure, even if the exact identity cannot 
  be identified. Beldor does not explain 
  who it is, even if questioned directly by 
  the player characters. The Game Master 
  should, however, be aware that it is Rendre 
  Haugskalp (now called “Istunga”), who 
  has traveled to Sootbrand to try to get the 
  dwarves to join him in the war against the 
  Wildlanders. 
  When Beldor realizes that they have 
  come to Sootbrand to look for the mythical 
  Stone Flute, he just laughs and tells them 
  to forget about the flute and the old tales 
  about it being here. He also points out that 
  no one but the dwarves would be granted 
  access to the ancient lower portions of the 
  kingdom. 
  He wants the player characters to 
  pay tribute for invading his territory. 
  He will have one of the player characters 
  imprisoned because, as he says: 
  “I see that you have brought the Ruling 
  Blade with you, the mighty sword crafted 
  by Master Smelter Angor, the first of 
  my brotherhood, so many centuries ago 
  The same blade borne by Hagtorn, son 
  of man, when he overthrew Saukka 
  the Conqueror, an ancient brother of 
  my clan, or what you would call an 
  “ancestor”, to use human words. How 
  ironic a twist of fate, that I now should 
  find the blade like a gift from above. The 
  same fate of Saukka shall not befall me. 
  This is a sign... Heh, heh, heh… ”
  The sword has recently been sought by 
  Beldor’s brother’s Arken allies, who would 
  gladly pay for it with gold. Beldor can see 
  the beginning of a new era for Sootbrand. If 
  the player characters refuse to give him the 
  sword, they will all be condemned to death. 
  They have no chance of getting out 
  of here alive. Master Smelter Beldor’s 
  guard consisting of twenty Zvordorkûm, 
  including ten impressive Zvorda warriors, 
  should give the player characters cold feet 
  before they do anything foolish. If the 
  players are about to do anything foolish 
  remind them that they are at the centre of 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  153
  began to duel each other and, when it 
  was over, they both lay dead. Maki had 
  been decapitated, and his spear had been 
  forced through Migil’s heart. Unghorvin 
  the jarnwurm had seen the entire spectacle 
  and found great pleasure in the dwarves’ 
  deadly dance. It was the very last time 
  the Sootheart hammer was seen by any 
  of dwarven blood, and it is said that 
  Unghorvin brought Sootheart back to his 
  horrible hollow deep beneath the kingdom.”
  Hunrur Dogordin explains that the 
  Stone Flute is said to be located in the same 
  chamber as Sootheart, and suggests that 
  maybe now the player characters understand 
  his interest in their intentions to try and 
  find the Stone Flute. Truth be told, he 
  knows the way there, and has the key which 
  could admit them down to the kingdom’s 
  ancient and forgotten parts where the draug 
  is said to dwell. If the player characters 
  swear on their honor to return with his 
  hammer, Hunrur Dogordin promises to help 
  them get there. Everything must obviously 
  happen in the utmost secrecy, without 
  Beldor’s knowledge, and preferably before 
  the player character’s time is up (to catch the 
  giant Logi). Hunrur is sure that if the player 
  characters are able to return the hammer 
  and a lot of other lost objects, then Beldor 
  would soften, and free the captive player 
  character. He also explains that Beldor has 
  a weakness for presents, and that a gift or 
  two would be very likely to change his mind.
  Later during the party, Aldak Agordo 
  will seek the player characters out. He says 
  that he happened to eavesdrop on their 
  conversations with Hunrur Dogordin. He 
  continues to say that the player characters 
  still have not heard the whole truth, but 
  rather a modified version of the truth. He 
  also tells the player characters that Hunrur 
  is in league with Beldor, and will betray 
  them upon their return.
  If they ask which parts were untrue, 
  Aldak can retell the story exactly, with the 
  differences being that Sohrsmule was never 
  lost, and that Maki, Dogordin’s brother, 
  instead stole Sootheart from Agordo when 
  he rejected that which was offered to him 
  for his Dogordin’s death. According to 
  Aldak, other than those details, the rest of 
  the story was true.
  jewels whose beauty was praised through 
  the whole Trudvang. One of Agordo’s 
  younger brothers, Migil, then grasped a 
  hold of his two-handed axe, known far 
  and wide, and was just about to kill 
  Maki, Dogordin’s brother, for demanding 
  the hammer. Agordo calmed Migil down 
  by placing a hand on his shoulder. “It 
  is true that in a moment of weakness, 
  I said that no treasure was too great a 
  price for my friend’s life, and I am well 
  aware that Sohrsmule was your family’s 
  most prized possession, and that you sang 
  its praises remembering old times. But, 
  can I not tempt you with anything in my 
  hfidden vauflt Not even fiff I flet you pfick 
  two thfings” Agordo asked. 
  Maki, not known to be either a weakling 
  or a coward, had not moved an inch from 
  where he stood, despite the fact that Migil 
  had been poised to swing his axe at him. 
  Instead, he repeated his claim as to what 
  payment he considered worthy of his 
  brother’s death and the disappearance of 
  Sohrsmule. “I want that which is most 
  dear to you, and even though I realize 
  that what you offer me from your vault 
  is more than anyone could ask for, I will 
  exert my right to take what I am owed.”
  “Oh well, then take the hammer that 
  I have created with my own two hands 
  and consider it your own,”  Agordo said 
  in a dark tone. “But watch as its smooth 
  surface changes from the shiny glittering 
  Mitraka to the dullest black of coal as you 
  remove it from my warming logi furnace. 
  And so, with that black color, a curse 
  follows, one that I recite here and now.”
  “Anything that you wish to forge with 
  this hammer, which I once called my 
  friend, which I now rename “Sotehjärta” 
  (“Sootheart”), will forevermore have the 
  darkness of coal within it, and the things 
  you forge will grant you great sorrow and 
  despair.” Maki saw how the large hammer 
  changed colors as he took it from the logi 
  furnace, but did not let himself be dissuaded, 
  and instead lifted the hammer and carried 
  it up the endless staircases towards his own 
  family’s smithy and workshop.
  And so it was that Maki headed towards 
  home with Sootheart, but Migil, furious 
  and unable to let go of his anger, caught 
  up with him halfway. The two dwarves 
  Anyone else who did so would be chased 
  and hunted by Dogordin’s brotherhood for 
  all eternity. But Dogordin realized that 
  the beast had to be killed in order to give 
  his friend Agordo some peace in his vassal 
  kingdom. If peace could not be achieved, 
  the supply of Mitraka would peter out, 
  and Dogordin and his brothers would 
  have to replace it with hard iron. Instead 
  of giving to Agordo the mattock so that 
  he could defeat Unghorvin, Dogordin 
  instead offered to accompany him to the 
  deep, endless, shafts to face the draug on 
  one of the many bridges that crossed the 
  enormous lava river known as Logadril.
  Before he left, his youngest brother, 
  Thoor, who was the brotherhood’s Thuul, 
  said that the winds from the eastern 
  tunnels blew alarmingly strongly, and 
  that this likely was a sign that Dogordin 
  should not leave on this slaying mission. 
  Dogordin, who knew Thoor well and 
  often listened to his counsel, hesitated for 
  a long time, but chose not to break his 
  promise to his friend Agordo, and left, 
  promising to be back before the mines 
  closed.
  Agordo, who heard these brave words, 
  swore that if Dogordin and his mattock 
  had not returned before the mines closed, 
  then Maki, Dogordin’s eldest apprentice 
  and brother would get to have anything 
  he wished from Agordo’s treasure, which 
  was known throughout kingdom. 
  Dogordin never returned, and with 
  him the Sohrsmule mattock was lost. 
  As Thoor’s premonition had come true, 
  Maki, his heart broken, stormed furiously 
  into Agordo’s smithy. 
  ”There is nothing in your hidden vault 
  that I would want, nothing that can cure 
  the fact that both Sohrsmule and my 
  brother Dogordin have been swallowed by 
  flames by the Orgor Bridge. But you have 
  one treasure that I want. This treasure 
  is something that you hold dear, and its 
  powers are praised throughout the land. 
  In payment I want the hammer which you 
  use to forge all your beautiful things; the 
  hammer you call Hraku.” 
  This Hraku hammer was as legendary 
  as the Sohrsmule mattock, and the smith 
  using it had the power to shape metal 
  into amazing, precious marvels and 
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  154  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  from Trilheim, arrived to drive the mighty 
  beast from the dwarves’ halls. It was from 
  this raid that the legend of the Stone Flute’s 
  location sprung forth. Bhewolk is believed 
  to have carried this powerful object, which 
  held the ability to awaken the dead. After 
  the gates slammed shut behind Bhewolk, 
  neither he nor his band of warriors were 
  ever seen again. The dwarves assumed that 
  Bhewolk and his following had been killed 
  by the terrifying dragon and that it would 
  be pointless to make any further attempt to 
  drive Unghorvin out. 
  If the bearer of the Stone Flute could 
  not survive, then no one could, according 
  to the dwarves. 
  Bhewolk died sitting on the great throne 
  with a mortal wound from the dragon. 
  Surprised, he watched the steady flow of 
  his own blood run down onto the throne. 
  He was shocked that the Stone Flute had 
  not, in fact, protected him. Little did he 
  know of what had happened. Everyone 
  who had loved him had been lost in a great 
  landslide the same moment that Bhewolk 
  first entered Sparklur’s enchanted halls, 
  and his fate had been sealed, unbeknownst 
  to him.
  Towards Sparklur
  The player characters are led away 
  (assuming that they got along with Hunrur 
  Dogordin) during the early hours of the 
  morning, when most in the kingdom are 
  still asleep. Hunrur and two other brothers 
  of the Dogordin clan are all dressed in 
  pitch-black hoods, which thoroughly hide 
  their faces. He tells the player characters 
  that they must go and get a rope, a long 
  rope – almost two hundred meters. He 
  brings them to a little storeroom where 
  the player characters can gather as much 
  rope as they need. They are also given 
  water and food, as well as a huge number of 
  torches and oil lamps, in order to help them 
  through the underground journey they are 
  about to start. After that, Hunrur and his 
  brothers bring them along the flowing river 
  of lava, and further down into the bedrock. 
  They are brought deeper and deeper into 
  the Underworld. Along narrow, winding 
  staircases, past grand halls, through iron 
  gates, and over seemingly endless ravines. 
  dwarves ever built. The ceiling was held 
  aloft by a forest of pillars, each forged from 
  Mitraka by the master smiths. There were 
  exactly 585 pillars supporting the ceiling, 
  all covered in runes and inscriptions 
  describing the heroes and heroic deeds of 
  the dwarven traditions. Each pillar was 
  raised in honor of one of the 585 clans; a 
  pillar for each tribe, to cover with their own 
  heroes and stories.
  Set into the floor of the great hall, there 
  was a diamond, larger than any witnessed 
  before. The dwarves call it “Borjorn’s sun”, 
  after the dwarves’ creator and god. When 
  the sun’s rays reach the diamond through 
  a long shaft in the rock ceiling, it reflects 
  a light so beautiful that even the hardened 
  dwarves’ eyes water. 
  A staircase made of gold leads up to a 
  throne, the creation of which truly was an 
  amazing feat of craftsmanship. Four statues 
  support a large shield upon which the tall 
  silver throne stands. The backrest of the 
  throne is so tall that it reaches halfway to 
  the ceiling.
  The construction of the great hall is so 
  sophisticated that if someone sat upon the 
  throne and spoke in a powerful voice, they 
  would be heard by even those at the very 
  back of the hall. 
  And that is the history of the hall that 
  Unghorvin the iron dragon took for his own.
  Many other halls were built in Sparklur, 
  but none as impressive as the Sun Hall. 
  The kingdom beneath Sootbrand echoes 
  in its emptiness and has not been used 
  for thousands of years. According to their 
  ancient beliefs, the beautiful kingdom under 
  Sootbrand is not to be recovered until a 
  new Great King of the Buratja arises. A 
  wait that appears to be long. 
  Every time that the dwarves hear of 
  intruders entering the halls, they have 
  called upon their Zvordorkûm and cleared 
  the halls before locking the gates once 
  more. They have not dared to proceed all 
  the way to the Sun Hall in two thousand 
  years, and rumor now has it that the floor 
  of the great hall is covered in a sea of gold 
  treasures and magical objects. The Sun 
  Hall, the hall that Unghorvin claimed as 
  his own after stealing Sootheart. 
  Once, more than 1,200 years ago, a party 
  of dwarves, led by the warrior Bhewolk 
  Aldak says that if the player characters 
  tell him what time they are to descend 
  down into the abandoned parts of the 
  kingdom, he can lay in wait with his men 
  until Hunrur unlocks the gate, and then kill 
  Hunrur and his brothers before they get 
  the chance to warn Beldor.
  The truth is that both Aldak Agordo and 
  Hunrur Dogordin will contact Beldor and 
  betray the player characters. Beldor, for his 
  part, has his own interest in Sootheart, and 
  plans to let one rival defeat the other before 
  stepping in himself to seize Sootbrand with 
  an iron hand.
  Master Smelter Beldor wants to be at the 
  top, without any rivals to the throne, and 
  his sights are not only set on Sootbrand. 
  Beldor wants the Wildlands, too. When 
  Istunga came with his message of Wildland 
  being at war, Beldor immediately realised 
  that the dwarves’ opportunity for revenge 
  had come. Beldor has already had time to 
  summon more than 4,000 Buratja dwarves, 
  700 of which are Zvordorkûm from other 
  Buratja colonies. They are expected to 
  arrive within a month.
  As soon as the player characters return 
  (if they do), Beldor will imprison them for 
  their crime of entering the ancient section 
  of Sootbrand. It is mere subterfuge, but 
  Rendre Haugkalp’s (Icetongue or Istunga) 
  whispers and gleaming coins convince 
  Beldor to send the player characters to 
  Arkland, escorted by his brother Dunkillja, 
  to face a long, bitter captivity. 
  sparklur - The anCienT 
  halls 
  In its glory days, Sparklur, known as 
  “Lovlinjikka” in the dwarven tongue, was 
  one of the few kingdoms that could gather 
  large numbers of Buratja’s sons. Considered 
  to be the mightiest stronghold in the East, 
  and the only great kingdom built by the 
  Buratja race. Far from the winding tunnels, 
  rough-hewn surfaces, and low ceilings that 
  usually signifies the Buratja kingdoms. 
  The Sun Hall, the enormous throne room, 
  was, of all the dwarves’ many caverns 
  and halls, one of the most famous of its 
  time. Few outsiders ever got to step foot 
  inside the great hall, the arched vault of 
  which reached higher than anything the 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  155
  is the Stone Forest. The forest covers an 
  area with a radius of sixty kilometers and 
  there are more than 300 meters up to the 
  cavern ceiling. The walls are covered in 
  billowing tree canopies or impenetrable 
  forest, so naturally rendered that it is 
  almost impossible to see where the forest 
  begins or ends. The player characters will 
  think that the forest stretches on endlessly. 
  Before them stands an ingenious labyrinth, 
  which has taken the life of countless 
  creatures. Some claim that this is the most 
  beautiful and complete creation ever built 
  in Trudvang. Others think that it is a gift 
  from the Gods. Legend states that the 
  forest has stood since time immemorial, 
  and that it was crafted by the dark energies 
  as a mockery of the elves’ lush trees, which 
  billow in the wind. The forest grows 
  and spreads like a normal forest, but 
  unfathomably slowly. The forest is sprung 
  from dread and will, with dread, reign as 
  an important place in the time that comes 
  once the world has fallen. Some say that the 
  forest once stood in one of the kingdoms of 
  Dimhall.
  A sea of variation, the trees stand still 
  and quiet, as dark and dreary as the actual 
  Darkwoods. The dwarves call the forest 
  “Vordian”, the Heart of Dread, while 
  the few humans who have seen it call 
  it “Kehl’Satwald”, The Stone Forest (in 
  Rona). The details are so incredible that 
  even the veins on the leaves are discernible. 
  In many ways, the forest symbolizes a long 
  tradition of stonework and exceptional 
  skills in the art of rock-cutting, and should 
  unquestionably be the most astonishing 
  artwork any of the player characters 
  have ever seen. The tree trunks, leaves, 
  branches, even the grass that stick up 
  between the roots of the trees, seem to be 
  naturally grown from the rock, instead of 
  being carved in it.
  A narrow path leads through the forest 
  to the western wall, a sixty kilometer 
  walk, which requires three days of walking 
  through the thick, stone vegetation.
  The journey through the forest occurs in 
  total darkness, the only source of light being 
  the player characters’ oil lamps or torches. 
  Shivers run down their spines, and they 
  feel lost inside this enormous, silent forest. 
  Sometimes, the dread is so great that the 
  through a desolate kingdom, a realm with 
  architecture and design more beautiful 
  than anything the player characters have 
  seen before (unless they have). They are 
  brought through rooms with walls covered 
  in gold and gemstone mosaic floors. It is 
  a kingdom which has been left essentially 
  untouched since it was built. Pillars, doors, 
  alcoves, balconies, staircases – all seem to 
  have been built with great craftsmanship 
  and a penchant for abundance. In one 
  hall, they see an enormous statue, which 
  appears to be made entirely of Mitraka. 
  Hunrur directs their attention to the statue 
  and tells them that it depicts the first and 
  only king of Sparklur, the Master Smith. 
  Even though the kingdom is seemingly 
  endless, the player characters are still led 
  very carefully and precisely along the wide 
  main corridor. Hunrur explains that the 
  player characters have to keep following 
  the main corridor if they ever want to get 
  back. If they wander off from the main 
  thoroughfare, it would be very likely that 
  they never find their way out again. 
  As the day starts to wane, the group 
  finally reaches an enormous cavern, 
  with walls and ceiling veiled in shadow. 
  Everything is completely still. In front of 
  the player characters there is a forest, silent 
  and motionless. The forest is made entirely 
  of stone.
  Hunrur (or Aldak, if Hunrur is dead) 
  appears to grow very nervous as the group 
  reaches the forest. He keeps pointing away, 
  looking over his shoulder, and his eyes dart 
  around nervously. He seems very frightened, 
  and almost stutters, as he proclaims that the 
  player characters are on their own from now 
  on. He explains that there is an immense 
  gate on the other side of the forest, known 
  among the dwarves as “Lobvoliká”, The 
  Giants’ Gate. It cannot be opened. Hunrur, 
  at least, does not have keys for it, but he 
  explains that there is a grating-covered hole 
  next to the gate, which needs to be reached 
  by climbing. It is supposed to be possible to 
  enter an antechamber to the great throne 
  room known as the Sun Hall by passing 
  through the hole and proceeding down on 
  the other side.
  Sootbrand and Ysetur have both been 
  very impressive and awed the group, 
  but what really takes their breath away 
  At one point, as they are standing on 
  a wide bridge which stretches across a 
  river of lava, Hunrur halts the group. He 
  tells the player characters that this is the 
  bridge upon which his “ancient brother” 
  Dogordin had died, and that the river of 
  lava below them is the mythical Logadril. 
  An observant person can see how the logis 
  play in the lava stream far below.
  The group walks for almost half a day, 
  and they are very tired when they finally 
  find themselves inside a huge hall. Hunrur 
  raises his lantern, and the player characters 
  can see an enormous double gate made of 
  black iron in the far wall. A wide stone 
  staircase leads up to the double gate, and 
  two thick iron pillars adorn the gate on 
  either side. If the player characters have 
  agreed with Aldak Agordo that he is to 
  lay in ambush for Hunrur Dogordin and 
  his brothers, he will be hiding behind the 
  pillars with several of his men. 
  As soon as Hunrur reaches the gate, 
  Aldak and his following of six will attack.
  Hunrur turns to the player character 
  and asks them if they are ready to enter 
  Sparklur. If the answer is affirmative, he 
  will take out a large key from his hood 
  and approach the gate. Hunrur tells the 
  player characters that they should knock 
  on the gate when they wish to come back 
  out – Hunrur and his two brothers will be 
  waiting outside the gate. 
  If the player characters did not enter 
  into an alliance with the Agrodo clan, 
  Hunrur will ask the player characters once 
  more to promise to bring Sootheart from 
  the Sun Hall. Then he opens the door. 
  If, however, the player characters 
  have entered into an alliance with Aldak 
  Agordo, his men will attack Hunrur’s 
  escort with the aim of killing them. It 
  is very likely that Hunrur and his two 
  brothers are killed, especially if the player 
  characters help. Aldak then takes the key 
  from Hunrur and opens the gates for the 
  player characters. First, he will however 
  want them to promise to retrieve Sootheart 
  for the Agordo clan. 
  Regardless of whether it is Aldak or 
  Hunrur that opens the gate to Sparklur, 
  they will join the player characters on 
  their way through the grandiose halls 
  and passages of Sparklur. It is a journey 
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  156  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  to mystically augment their natural low-
  light vision (Player’s Handbook page 23), 
  and they will therefore notice a tiny dot on 
  the far side of the room, which only later 
  on they will discover to be an immense 
  throne.
  In the middle of the ceiling, there is a 
  2000-meter-long shaft that runs up to the 
  surface. The idea, when the hall was first 
  built, was that the sun would shine into the 
  hall through the shaft and hit the enormous 
  hundred 
  meters 
  floor-to-ceiling. 
  The 
  pillars create a seemingly endless number 
  of vaults. The pillars are made of Mitraka, 
  and if the player characters are carrying a 
  light source, they will see the pillars gleam 
  in its glow.
   Even with this glowing effect, the room 
  feels like an engulfing black hole framed 
  by what seems a never ending series of 
  pillars covered in inscriptions and runes. 
  Dwarves will oddly feel the glowing effect 
  Game Master can choose to give 1d10 Fear 
  Points, because of a danger or threat that the 
  player characters are unable to name.
  On the other side of the forest, the 
  player characters reach a double gate made 
  of iron so tall and wide that it is hard to 
  grasp its true size, which is twenty-five 
  meters in width and sixty meters in height. 
  The gate’s enormous doors are covered in 
  an endless stream of runes, patterns, and 
  figures.
  An observant person can see a square, 
  black hole, roughly fifty meters up the wall 
  next to the gate. 
  Climbing the wall is easier than it first 
  appears. There are many steps carved on 
  the walls in certain spots which cannot be 
  seen from below. Furthermore the wall can 
  be scaled using the inscriptions, deeply-
  carved symbols, and figures as grips. Using 
  all these features  adds +8 to the Agility 
  skill value. Reaching the hole will require 
  two successful skill rolls. Each roll lets the 
  person climb 25 meters. Read Falling under 
  “Other types of damage” in the “Damage 
  and Fear” chapter on page 57 in the Game 
  Master’s Guide to learn about injures from 
  falls.
  The hole is 1 meter by 1 meter and the 
  grating covering it can be easily removed. 
  A narrow tunnel leads to the other side of 
  the wall, and a rectangular room, which 
  functions as an antechamber to the Sun 
  Hall. The walls of the room are ornate 
  and decorated with riches. The floor is a 
  mosaic of jewels, depicting a dwarf sitting 
  on a throne. By the furthest wall there is a 
  gate, similar to the one the player characters 
  first entered through. A small but hefty iron 
  door is located next to the gate. The door is 
  unlocked and opens into the Sun Hall.
  The Sun Hall
  The Sun Hall is truly as impressive and 
  fantastic as legends promised. Endless 
  rows of pillars, all with a diameter of 
  almost 5 meters, stand roughly 20 meters 
  apart, giving the impression of continuing 
  on into infinity.
  There are 585 pillars in the room in 
  total, 15 by 39.
  The hall is almost a thousand meters 
  long, four hundred meters wide, and three 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  157
  who looks at it immediately experiences 
  both melancholy and sorrow. 
  Aside from these two prized possessions 
  there is also an abundance of other objects, 
  which the player characters can take with 
  them. For example, the Sohrsmule mattock 
  lost by Dogordin may be there, although 
  his destructive power may be too much to 
  be given to the player characters. In any 
  case, all the objects aside from the Stone 
  Flute will be taken from them by Beldor 
  before they are sent into captivity, and 
  therefore there’s no need to create exact 
  stats for them. 
  Feel free to let the player characters 
  (assuming that they survive) plan what 
  they should bring with them from the 
  great hall. The gates cannot be opened, 
  so they must leave the same way they 
  got in. The more they bring, the richer 
  Beldor will become. The Game Master 
  can certainly make a big deal of all the 
  treasures that they manage to take, 
  and convince them that they now are 
  incredibly rich and carrying lots of 
  magical items in their sacks. Little do 
  they know what is coming – only Beldor 
  does. Under no circumstances should 
  the player characters manage to leave 
  via the enormous shaft in the ceiling. 
  In the worst case scenario, the Game 
  Master must prevent this using a thick 
  iron hatch covered in magical runes that 
  only Unghorvin can open. The player 
  characters have to go back the same way 
  they came. If the player characters choose 
  not to take the main thoroughfare back, 
  they will quickly get lost. If so, give them 
  a chance to find their way back. If they are 
  dumb enough to explore Sparklur on their 
  own, they will soon get lost and lose all 
  hope. The adventure will then end. When 
  they reach the gates to leave Sparklur, they 
  have to knock loudly on the door to make 
  Hunrur (or possibly Aldak) open it. Once 
  on the other side, Hunrur will quickly 
  check whether the player characters have 
  brought the hammer. If they are carrying 
  it, he will ask for it. If Hunrur gets the 
  hammer, his two brothers will take it 
  and bring it with them via another route 
  back to Sootbrand. Hunrur himself will 
  lead the player characters straight into 
  Beldor’s trap.
  The Game Master should not let the 
  player characters enter the Sun Hall 
  unless there is a chance that they can slay 
  Bhewolk. 
  Among all the objects buried in the 
  treasure trove are the items that the player 
  characters are here to find. 
  The Stone Flute hangs like a necklace 
  from a chain around Bhewolk’s neck. The 
  flute is small and unremarkable, shaped 
  like a shell with a hole in it. The flute is 
  no bigger than a coin, an inch or two 
  in diameter, white and brown speckled, 
  but possesses the most fantastic magical 
  properties. No one has ever really been able 
  to figure out how it works, ever since it was 
  first created by the elves, during the Age 
  of Dreams. It seems as though the flute 
  has a life of its own, and it is said to get 
  its powers from a serguront who let itself 
  be turned into a shell. It is unknown how 
  Bhewolk’s ancestors acquired the shell, but 
  it was the family’s most prized possession 
  for generations 
  An unremarkable leather strap is 
  attached to two small silver clasps on the 
  shell, making it possible to wear the flute 
  as a necklace. 
  It is said that the one who carries the 
  flute is invulnerable, as long as the wearer 
  is loved by someone. That same fateful 
  night, 1,200 years ago, when Bhewolk 
  stepped into the dragon’s chamber, his 
  whole family and all his relatives died in an 
  awful earthquake which shocked Trilheim 
  to its core. 
  The flute will rouse Maria from her 
  death sleep in Helgardh. None of the player 
  characters nor anyone that they meet will 
  be able to figure out how the Stone Flute 
  works. The Game Master should make 
  sure that the player characters eventually 
  lose the shell somehow. It is a powerful 
  magical item, which creates and grants life, 
  and the player characters are not meant to 
  keep carrying it after Maria has been saved 
  from the grasp of death.
  Sootheart, or Hraku as it was once 
  called, is a large and heavy hammer. It is 
  completely black, and its surface is covered 
  in a type of dwarven futhark that none 
  of the player characters recognize. The 
  hammer stands atop a pile of jewels near 
  the throne. It seems sinister, and anyone 
  diamond fitted into the floor below. Today, 
  the Darkwoods block all light, and the hall 
  rests in darkness. 
  Unless you are very observant, even 
  looking up at the ceiling right where the 
  shaft is, trying to discern the shaft itself is 
  very difficult.
  The floor is covered in coins of all 
  denominations, currencies, and sizes. It is 
  impossible to even fathom the enormity of 
  the fortune hidden down here. 
  Over on the far side of the hall, the 
  heroes can see the skeleton of a dragon 
  (Unghorvin’s), lying over the treasure next 
  to the immense throne. Here still lies the 
  skeleton of Bhewolk of Trilheim, killed by 
  the dragon who left his remains there, as a 
  mockery to the dwarves.  
  It has now been almost five hundred 
  years since Unghorvin died of old age. 
  The Stone Flute, which still hangs from 
  Bhewolk’s skeleton, lights up the area 
  around the throne and part of the skeleton. 
  The treasure is immense, and it is 
  impossible to describe how many coins 
  of various denominations are to be found 
  inside the hall. Unghorvin has not only 
  gathered the dwarves’ riches, when he 
  was young he also terrorized communities 
  far from the forest. It is entirely up to the 
  Game Master to decide what is found in 
  the sea of treasure, but one thing that is 
  sure is that there are a great number of 
  magical artifacts, items, weapons, suits of 
  armor, shields, and other equipment that 
  would make any adventurer jump for joy. 
  The only limit to the treasure is the Game 
  Master’s imagination, but do not forget 
  that on their return, the dwarves will take 
  from them whatever they bring. Preparing 
  too many objects may therefore not be 
  recommended. 
  Truth is, that Bhewolk died of his wounds, 
  but turned into a draugr set to guard the 
  Stone Flute. He will immediately hear or 
  sense the player characters, despite being so 
  far from the door when they enter. After the 
  player characters have entered the hall and 
  taken in their first impressions, they will 
  be able to see how the skeleton of Bhewolk 
  slowly rises up from his throne. Bhewolk 
  will fight till he is defeated, so the player 
  characters better be properly prepared for a 
  battle with the mighty guardian.
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  158  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  After the first month of travel, the player 
  characters have devolved from people to 
  base creatures, ruled entirely by instincts, 
  not entirely unlike the goblins. Surviving 
  each moment is the only priority, an instinct 
  which will serve them very well during the 
  coming imprisonment in Arkland.
  The long captivity
  The captivity with the Arks becomes 
  one long torture. An entire year elapses 
  with hardships and awful days filled with 
  heavy work. All the previous wounds are 
  healed during the travel to Arkland by the 
  dwarves who do not want to sell unworthy 
  slaves. However, from now onwards, due 
  to the bad life conditions, the recovery 
  of Body Points or the recovery of Fear 
  Points are limited, as described in the time 
  schedule below. 
  Furthermore during the long captivity 
  a couple of times the GM can award 
  “Captivity Adventure Points” which can 
  be spent only for skills related to their 
  captivity. For example the Wild Vrok 
  language specialty of the Knowledge skill, 
  the Handicraft discipline of the Care skill, 
  etc. The GM is the final judge on such 
  matters. Any unspent captivity adventure 
  point will be lost.   
  The Arrival
  The group arrives in Arkland after weeks 
  of being transported underground on the 
  trolley-like-vehicle. Arkland – the bitter 
  and feared kingdom in the Northwest, 
  which sends shivers down the backs of 
  the kings and nobility of the West. The 
  journey ends at the Mitraka caves, and 
  they are quickly brought up to the surface 
  and onwards to Trangkejp to be sold to 
  Thrunkol the slave trader.
  The goblins stops the trolley after it 
  rolls into an enormous arrival hall cut out 
  of the rock.
  The Arrival Hall is located under the 
  Mitraka caves that the Buratja dwarves 
  lease from the Arks.
  The Arks are paid for their part in the 
  trade with both slaves and iron weapons. 
  Twenty or so railroad tracks lead into the 
  corridor from the east, and it is easy to see 
  that this is the last stop. A hundred Buratja 
  Mitraka runs down into the logi furnace, 
  but die out quickly with a gurgling and 
  hiss. Soon thereafter, the smell of burnt 
  flesh assaults the player characters’ senses. 
  The player characters see a hooded human-
  sized figure next to Beldor, who seems 
  to function as some sort of advisor. The 
  Advisor now makes himself known, and 
  points at the player characters. He slides 
  his finger across his throat from left to 
  right, indicating how he wishes for them 
  to die. Beldor just shakes his head and says 
  something, after which they share a good 
  long, loud chuckle, which should make the 
  player characters very concerned about 
  their fate.
  The Journey to Arkland
  The player characters are immediately 
  thrown into slave work onboard a trolley, 
  heading towards Arkland. There are 
  eleven freight cars attached to the trolley, 
  loaded to capacity with weapons, as well 
  as a passenger coach. Beldor’s brother, 
  Dunkillja, Rendre (alternatively Raak 
  Wulfr if Rendre has been previously killed), 
  three Zvordorkûm, and seven Buratja 
  dwarves from Dunkillja’s group all ride 
  inside the passenger coach. The player 
  characters can catch a glimpse of Koraljon, 
  the Ruling Blade, in the hands of Rendre 
  (or Raak) as he steps aboard the passenger 
  coach. If the friend of Oktar is still alive, 
  make tension and frustration run free, as 
  the character sees Rendre everyday, for 
  such a long time, but cannot harm him.
  The player characters work alongside 
  42 goblins on the trolley. The player 
  characters and the goblins are all shackled 
  to the trolley, where they are forced to 
  work while being constantly whipped 
  with an Arkan whip (a twined bundle 
  of chains covered in barbs). The player 
  characters only get food and water every 
  third day and are barely allowed to sleep 
  at all throughout the whole journey to 
  Arkland, which takes about three months. 
  When they arrive the player characters are 
  exhausted, hungry, thirsty, and some are 
  even injured after getting in trouble with 
  the dwarves. The Game Master decides 
  what the player characters have had to 
  endure on the journey.
  BeTrayed
  Regardless of whether the player characters 
  were helped by Hunrur Dogordin or Aldak 
  Agordo, and whether they kept their 
  promises, they will find a large force of 
  Beldor’s soldiers waiting by the exit of 
  the big cavern in which Logr is located. 
  The player characters have been betrayed. 
  Beldor has twenty Zvordorkûm (of both 
  Zvorda and Buratja lineages) and twenty 
  other dwarven warriors with him, along 
  with a large group of smiths and other 
  craftsmen. The player characters have 
  nowhere to run, and must either give up in 
  the face of a quantitatively superior army, 
  or die here in this place.
  The player characters’ arms and feet are 
  shackled, and all their equipment is taken 
  from them other than the Stone Flute, 
  which the dwarves think is completely 
  useless. The dwarves plan to sell the player 
  characters off as slaves to the Arks.
  Dimwalkers and vitner weavers are 
  forced to wear locked collars of a black, 
  unknown type of metal, but which are 
  clearly of ancient dwarven craftmanship. 
  They see how the jailers use small black 
  keys with engraved runes. A sense of 
  inevitable doom and frustration feels the 
  wearers’ hearts. As long as the collars 
  are worn it is impossible to cast spells or 
  invoke the power of the gods, since the 
  collars block the weaerers’ ability to use 
  vitner or divinity points. 
  The Executions
  To ensure that the player characters 
  understand the gravity of the situation, the 
  Game Master can have them witness the 
  executions of Hunrur and Aldak (if both 
  have survived this far), alongside any of 
  their living relatives. The whole Dogordi 
  and Agordo clans are slaughtered now, 
  ending their centuries-old histories ended. 
  The Hraku hammer (and possibly the 
  Sohrsmule mattock) are taken by Beldor, in 
  order to augment the prestige of his own 
  clan.
  Master Smelter Beldor has imprisoned 
  his last rivals in Sootbrand in order to 
  execute them all at the same time, by 
  burning them in a logi furnace. Bone-
  chilling screams fill the air, as the smelted 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  159
  have been taken to Arkland, populated 
  by primitive tribes, a people far more 
  bloodthirsty and cruel than even the gray 
  trolls. A people who have always lived in 
  the darkness, harnessed only by evil. A 
  people who have mastered the taming of 
  the most terrifying beasts, reminiscent of 
  dragons. The Arks are a people that live for 
  nothing but warfare. 
  The player characters’ primary task 
  during the journey is to carry the wooden 
  boxes of goods for the Arks. 
  The cold never lets up, with the constant 
  wind and freezing iron shackles encircling 
  their wrists and ankles. The biting hunger 
  and overwhelming exhaustion wears at 
  their very souls and withered bodies. The 
  situation is intolerable. The Arks drive 
  them hard, whipping or hitting the player 
  characters relentlessly. The shackles soon 
  begin to wear through the skin, and blood 
  trickles from the deep abrasions.
  The journey with the Arks is like 
  something from a nightmare, where the 
  player characters soon lose sense of what is 
  real. They know that they have wandered 
  through Arkland for several days, and the 
  only food or drink they have been given is a 
  sort of soup that the Arks make (thornroot 
  soup). During the long journey, they have 
  been repeatedly humiliated, abused, and 
  tortured by their bloodthirsty jailers. The 
  abuse takes place under the mockery and 
  ridicule of the Buratja dwarves. Despite the 
  rough treatment, the player characters feel 
  numb, deadened, and detached, as though 
  they were lost in a daze – as if they were 
  someplace else. Nothing means anything 
  anymore. Time starts to lose its meaning, 
  life begins to lose its meaning, death begins 
  to lose its meaning. Pain, exhaustion, 
  and fear do not exist anymore, only the 
  emptiness remains. At times, the player 
  characters daydream of better days, when 
  they played together as children: laughing, 
  happy. The days and nights that they 
  spent together with their loved ones recur 
  like painful reflections of the past. Life 
  passes in review before their eyes. Missed 
  opportunities, lost love, suppressed words, 
  all come back to haunt them. All the events 
  that molded their personalities burst forth 
  from their subconscious without warning, 
  without mercy. The warm or painful 
  They find themselves in the mouth of a 
  cave halfway up a mountain, beyond which 
  are plains lined by the Darkwoods. The 
  nightmarish winter has yet to release its 
  grip on the player character’s beloved 
  Trudvang, and the isolated feeling of the 
  caves is quickly exchanged for the bitter 
  winds endlessly whipping at their faces. 
  Halfway down the mountain, the player 
  characters’ group is met by a group of 
  thirty or so Arks. The Arks have been sent 
  by Thrunkol (one of the “Bloodsworn” 
  of Arkland) to meet the Buratja dwarves, 
  and protect the precious cargo they have 
  transported.
  When the player characters meet people 
  for the first time in this new land, there is, 
  however, no doubt where they are. They 
  dwarves and five hundred enslaved goblins 
  are all in the hall, preparing to load or 
  unload the wagons. The player characters 
  see how freight wagons filled with Mitraka, 
  gold, and silver are unloaded, and sent east 
  towards Sootbrand or its vassal countries. 
  There is constant movement in the hall, 
  and it is all very reminiscent of the activity 
  in an anthill.
  The player characters are forced to 
  carry large wooden boxes filled with 
  weapons brought here by Istunga and his 
  bodyguards (three Zvordorkûm of the 
  Zvorda race and seven Buratja warriors). 
  The player characters eventually get 
  to see the light of day after long days 
  underground. At first, the player characters 
  do not know where they have been taken. 
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  160  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  prison garments so that the Arks easily can 
  identify them. The clothes protect from the 
  cold, so none of the prisoners discard them 
  unnecessarily.
  They are kept imprisoned in Thrunkol’s 
  cold, damp caves for three weeks before 
  they are finally brought out onto the 
  courtyard 
  in 
  front 
  of 
  Thranghall. 
  Thranghall – the market place where many 
  slavery transactions go down. The snow 
  dwindles, but an icy wind make the player 
  characters who aren’t wearing their clothes 
  suffer from the cold and feel dispirited in 
  the caves. Even here, the winter has refused 
  to relinquish its grasp on Trudvang, and it 
  takes the player characters’ injuries twice 
  the usual time to heal. There is no sense of 
  time passing in the caves, and the Arks do 
  not feed their slaves at regular intervals. As 
  Game Master, you should purposely distort 
  time for the various player characters 
  so that they, when finally let out into the 
  courtyard, do not agree on how long they 
  have been in the caves. 
  It is one of the other Bloodsworn, Lokir, 
  the greatly feared Ark, currently visiting 
  Thrunkol to purchase slaves, who has come 
  to inspect his potential purchases. Lokir 
  has recently begun to prepare himself for 
  war against Asmundi, one of the Warsworn 
  rulers of Arkland. Together with his half-
  sister Tuva Sothi, Lokir plans to take over 
  Asmundi’s position as Arkland’s premier 
  breeder of thorn beasts. 
  Lokir and his right-hand-man Bobhakk 
  will purchase 70 slaves of varying sizes 
  and quality. The slaves being sold are 
  prisoners of war, primarily Westmarkians 
  from Bysent, but also Mittlanders from 
  Runewiik and Majnjord. Just like these 
  slaves, the player characters will end up 
  under Lokir’s rule, functioning as labor 
  slaves to build fortifications and outposts 
  for a coming war. The truth is that Lokir 
  knows the player characters’ true identities, 
  as he was the one who sent some of his most 
  loyal men to Wildland, in Blodughadda’s 
  service 
  – 
  the 
  so-called 
  Dreadaxyrs. 
  Through Beldor’s Wildlander “advisor” 
  Istunga (Rendre Haugskalp), Lokir made 
  the promise to give the player characters 
  the treatment they deserve. Lokir has also 
  got Koraljon from Malu, who acts as a 
  contact for Istunga/Rendre.  
  stomachs. And we wouldn’t want that, 
  rfight”
  The dwarf points to the player 
  characters and, with a slightly insulted 
  tone, continues, 
  “Slaves have now served purpose. You 
  keep as food or kill. I leave for you, 
  Gorgeous…. Gift from me. He, he, 
  he…” 
  Malu turns back to him, 
  “Oh well, you can take a few sacks of 
  coal, and I will see if I can find some 
  use for them. Our beasts have just eaten, 
  but I think I know exactly where to send 
  them.”
  The dwarf smiles crookedly, 
  “Coal for cowards. You be all too 
  generous, Gorgeous. You also then can 
  keep some goblins too. There you get real 
  workers.”
  Malu replies, 
  “Always a pleasure doing business with 
  you.”
  The dwarf trails off, 
  “As always, Gorgeous, as always…”
  The dwarves leave the player characters 
  and head for home. Istunga personally say 
  farewell to the friend of Oktar (if he still 
  alive) with a grim, cruel smile. The Arks 
  remove any clothes and gear that the 
  player characters potentially still have on, 
  including the Stone of Sagas. Be sure that 
  the player character who usually bears the 
  stone, feels a sense of doom as the magic 
  stone is taken from him. In a moment he 
  realizes that the world is a much colder 
  place than he used to believe. The only 
  thing that they do not take is the Stone 
  Flute, as they deem it to be worthless. 
  Thrunkol waits to sell his new slaves until 
  they look a bit more able-bodied. The player 
  characters are therefore locked up in his 
  caves. Their hair is cut, and they are given 
  memories all distort back into the cold, 
  harsh, reality, a nightmarish suffering. But 
  it does not matter, the player characters do 
  not miss what has been lost – all the angst, 
  all the sorrow, it is all gone, there is nothing 
  left, because nothing means anything. The 
  player characters live only for their next 
  meal, the next bowl of soup that the Arks 
  give them, the next time they get to feel the 
  sweetness of intoxication. 
  What the player characters do not know 
  is that they are already on the path to an 
  addiction to the thornroot. The soup has 
  made them stronger and more physically 
  resilient to the cold winter and the terrible 
  hardships that they are being put through.
  The journey to the slave market in 
  Thangkejp takes five days on steep paths 
  running along treacherous cliffs. Once they 
  reach the city, they are met by tough slave 
  drivers who work for Thrunkol. They are 
  told to set the wood boxes on the ground. 
  By this point, after the tremendous travel, 
  the player characters are so emaciated that 
  their Body Points cannot be recovered at a 
  level higher than “Injured” (-1 modifier).
  An Arken woman in full battle gear receives 
  the dwarves, and tells her men to take the 
  boxes. The beautiful and seductive woman is 
  Malu (use Dreadaxyr stats but with Charisma 
  +4). She works for Thrunkol directly. The 
  transactions are quick, routine, and efficient. 
  Istunga/Rendre and the dwarves sell many 
  items and, among these, the player characters 
  can see Koraljon, which Istunga gives to Malu, 
  whispering words in her ear. The ancient 
  sword has been given as a gift to a specific 
  Arken lord, in order to win his favour.
  After the dwarves receive their payment, 
  Malu looks over their emaciated slaves 
  one-by-one with distaste.
  One of the dwarves steps forward and, 
  in very bad Vrok , says:
  “Find more interesting, more slaves... 
  Heh, heh, heh. Maybe I can offer my 
  own servfices”
  Malu looks even more disgusted as she 
  harshly replies, 
  “Maybe I should throw you to the thorn 
  beasts. But your greasy beard would 
  probably just get stuck inside their 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  161
  helpless, chained to the walls, allowing the 
  rats to gnaw on their open wounds, a truly 
  shocking experience which may even merit 
  a Fear Point roll (up to the Game Master 
  to decide). If any of the player characters 
  make noise at night, Bobhakk will come and 
  introduce them to his torture equipment. 
  The food they are fed is simple and bland. 
  The player characters are not offered any 
  food whatsoever when they are working 
  on a project. However, when they are 
  done they are rewarded with sustenance, 
  primarily thornroot and offal in order to at 
  least keep them alive. At all other times, the 
  slaves live off a diet consisting of melted 
  snow, grass, or tree bark. Not particularly 
  nutritious fare. 
  The player characters are gradually 
  broken down. Some of them get sick, others 
  lose their will to live, and the only thing 
  they hope for is death or that the thornroot 
  will free them for their prison. 
  The Game Master can choose to let 
  some of the player characters flee once 
  or twice, together with a group of other 
  thralls. They are obviously caught, and 
  are punished by Bobhakk’s evil men. The 
  player characters are tossed between hope 
  and despair.
  When the player characters later escape, 
  the only weapons they will be able to grab 
  are heavy hammers.
  The Game Master can choose to use the 
  following course of events to describe their 
  imprisonment.
  The First Week
  The player characters and the other slaves 
  are put in shackles and are divided into 
  groups of ten. They are each given a heavy, 
  bulky sledgehammer to break stones with. 
  Bobhakk’s men teach them how to break 
  big rocks with a single powerful strike, 
  while simultaneously jeering at them. One 
  of the thralls is devoured by Astand the 
  thorn beast in ghastly fashion to serve as 
  an example of what will happen to anyone 
  who attempts to flee or refuses to follow 
  orders. 
  The Second Week
  The player characters are completely 
  unaware of the fact that a group of the 
  slaves have already had time to plan an 
  treatment they are forced to endure. They 
  are aware that it is a drug, and know that 
  it is addictive. And yet, the temptation is 
  always there. Whenever the Arks offer 
  their slaves thornroot, it means that 
  there is hard labor ahead. The thornroot 
  can then be the difference between who 
  lives and who dies. The Arks only want 
  hard-working slaves. Slaves that cannot 
  cope with work are useless, and put aside 
  as meals for Astand. Dread overpowers 
  reason, the thornroot boils the blood, 
  and the way back is lost. Several of the 
  player characters get to try the mythical 
  thornroot, and, if the Game Master wishes, 
  one of them could develop an addiction 
  toward the end of their imprisonment. It 
  is up to the Game Master to roleplay how 
  a potential addiction develops and how 
  difficult the rough road there is. Let the 
  player characters be tricked into thinking 
  that the thornroot is their only hope. Trick 
  and tempt them with its positive effects. 
  Let them, on rare occasions, experience the 
  side effects of the addictive root. Only the 
  player characters’ own smarts should save 
  them, not the Game Master. 
  The group of thralls that the player 
  characters belong to have been put to work 
  building fortifications and watchtowers for 
  Lokir and his half-sister Tuva in the most 
  inaccessible and exposed areas around the 
  stronghold Grapinir. It is heavy, gruelling 
  work, which slowly but relentlessly wears 
  the player characters down, both physically 
  and mentally. Accidents are commonplace 
  at the worksites. An injured slave who is 
  unable to work is a dead slave. A slave who is 
  unable to recuperate from an injury within a 
  week is therefore condemned to death. 
  The thralls are kept shackled with heavy 
  chains, which are fastened to thick fetters 
  around their ankles. The chain also link 
  several of the slaves together, and they 
  must move together in groups of ten. The 
  player characters are divided into different 
  groups so they are no longer together. 
  Avoiding work is very difficult, and trying 
  to escape even more so. They are constantly 
  whipped by the ten men who watch the 
  thralls during the day. At night, they are 
  locked into a dark cave and chained to the 
  wall as if they were animals, with only rats 
  for company. The player characters are 
  The player characters are unceremoniously 
  shackled. The journey to Lokir’s stronghold, 
  Grapinir, takes almost two weeks along 
  narrow paths high in the mountains. Each 
  and every day is a torment and the thin 
  clothes they have been given cause five 
  slaves to perish. The cold is intense and 
  biting. The player characters remember the 
  cold winter in Wildland. From once being 
  so close to their goal, they now instead find 
  themselves imprisoned by a people known 
  to work their slaves to death. 
  Everything 
  seems 
  to 
  have 
  gone 
  according to the giant’s plans. All hurdles 
  that could thwart the Snow Queen’s 
  awakening have been eliminated.
  When they finally reach Grapinir, they 
  become better acquainted with Bobhakk, 
  who will also come to be their tormentor 
  during the coming year (use Generic 
  Dreadxyr stats). Bobhakk is a tall, heavy-
  set slave driver in Lokir’s service. His thorn 
  beast, Astand, stays by his side(use Thorn 
  beast stats with 180 BP). Bobhakk, the chief, 
  is a melancholy Ark who has sought refuge 
  in the dark world of the thornroot. Nothing 
  amuses him anymore, and the torture has 
  just become a way for him to pass the time. 
  Bobhakk loves to torture his victims with 
  white-hot pliers, knives, and barbs, and he 
  does everything short of killing his victims.
  During the coming year, Astand will end 
  up eating several of the thralls that Lokir 
  bought, once the Arks realize that they are 
  good for nothing besides being food for the 
  terrifying thorn beast. Slowly, but surely, 
  the group of thralls shrinks, as the weakest 
  are consumed by the thorn beast. Toward 
  the end of the imprisonment, Astand eats 
  one thrall a day, enthusiastically cheered on 
  by Bobhakk and his men.
  The player characters are also plagued 
  by an inner conflict during their captivity. 
  It is the allure of the thornroot, with its 
  numbing powers and rushing intoxication. 
  Ever since their first taste of the drug 
  on their arrival in Arkland, the player 
  characters will forevermore be haunted 
  by the pull of its tempting rush. The 
  allure will be at its worst during times of 
  great physical exertion, and in times that 
  require more of the psyche than usual. The 
  thornroot is their only solace and release, 
  as they struggle to survive the terrible 
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  162  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  have forgotten to chain them to the wall. 
  They all carry chains around their feet, 
  which means that their movement is down 
  to a fourth of their usual speed. If the player 
  characters who are not fettered attempt to 
  free any of the other prisoners, the guards 
  will notice. If they do not interact with the 
  other prisoners, they can sneak out into 
  the night. Let the player characters be 
  on the run for a couple of days, chased by 
  Bobhakk’s men and Astand the thorn beast, 
  before being captured by a large group of 
  jailors. They are trapped between a steep 
  precipice and the slave hunters. 
  When the player characters return their 
  companion NPC slave is killed in front 
  of them as an example. When everybody 
  thinks that this is enough as a punishment, 
  Lokir will turn to a randomly chosen 
  character ordering the other Arks to block 
  him. The victim gets one eye gouged out 
  by Lokir himself who takes pleasure in 
  inflicting such a pain. The Perception trait 
  is permanently diminished by -1. They will 
  also suffer a -3 to all skill rolls requiring 
  sight for the next six months, until the 
  victim get used to live with just one eye. 
  The GM may allow a monthly situation 
  roll with a Situation value of 7, modified by 
  the (new) Perception trait to diminish the 
  penalty from -3 to -1 and, later on, from 
  -1 to 0.
  At this point the characters’ minds are 
  in a continous state of psychological stress. 
  They will always have at least 11 Fear 
  Points, which mean the “Frightened” level 
  (-1 modifier).
  The Seventeenth Week
  One of the player characters is identified 
  as a strong and rugged individual who 
  is good at fighting. One dark, cold night, 
  they are taken away from the jail caves 
  and will not return until toward the end 
  of the captivity. They may never return. 
  The player character is taken to Einhink’s 
  legendary training halls outside Torngalp 
  to face other champions. By winning a 
  fight they earn money for their master, 
  and get to continue to fight more and more 
  skilled warriors and gladiators. If they lose, 
  the player character will die, missed only 
  by their friends, who are far from there. 
  The Game Master should let the player 
  of prison guards who says that their time 
  here is up. Let the other player characters 
  believe that their friend is about to be killed. 
  The player character has been identified 
  as being a good climber. Lokir and his men 
  have recently been visiting the limestone 
  caves in search of the slogrikk bat to 
  capture in order to try to breed a vicious, 
  bloodthirsty version of the thorn beast. 
  The player character will be brought 
  to the caves and lowered down into the 
  treacherous chasm. However, to catch the 
  bat the player character has to free climb 
  the last part, and thereby risk falling. The 
  Game Master gets to decide how far the 
  player character has to climb and how far 
  they potentially fall. Let this depend on 
  how good a climber the player character 
  is and how resilient they are. The player 
  character should not perish, but falling will 
  mean not having to collect more bats as the 
  character then is deemed incompetent and 
  brought back to the slave caves. Managing 
  to climb down the first time means that 
  the player character has to climb several 
  times and thus risks eventually falling and 
  getting injured. It is easy to collect the bats 
  while they sleep at the bottom of the great 
  chasm.
  If the player character fails the first 
  climb, they will be back in the slave cave 
  within a week. 
  In any case when “Captivity Adventure 
  Points” are distributed, the character can 
  use them also to buy levels in the Jumping, 
  Climbing and Balancing specialty.
  The Seventh Week
  For the very first time, the Arks offer 
  additional thornroot and offal before 
  a project. Most of the slaves suspect 
  something, but still eagerly devour the 
  offering. Just as everyone feared, Bobhakk 
  then announces that they now plan to 
  reinforce Lokir’s fortifications. The slaves 
  have to cut out ten thousand identical stone 
  blocks in the coming ten weeks. Bobhakk 
  promises more feed every week until the 
  work is done.
  The Ninth Week
  Some of the player characters and another 
  slave get the opportunity to escape when 
  they discover one night that the guards 
  escape attempt. Turmoil breaks out, and 
  one of the slaves cracks open the skull of a 
  jailer with a well-aimed whack on the head. 
  Astand remains seated nearby, watching 
  over the player characters. At the slightest 
  sign of an escape attempt, he will attack. If 
  the player characters are dumb enough to 
  attack Astand, 20 more jailors will arrive 
  within a few action rounds. Some of the 
  captives will manage to escape. The player 
  characters are no match for Astand, and 
  they should quickly realize the impossible 
  odds stacked against them. 
  The Third Week
  The player character with the lowest level 
  of the Strength trait is told that they are 
  working too slowly by two jailors. Instead 
  of whipping the player character, the 
  guards advise them to immediately speed 
  up before they are forced to take drastic 
  measures. One of the jailors passes the 
  player character a piece of thornroot and 
  says, 
  “Don’t disappoint us now, or we will 
  have to report you to Bobhakk.”
  The player character gets the rest of the 
  week to improve. The only way to improve 
  their efficiency is a successful situation roll 
  with Situation Value 7 (Strength modifiers 
  apply) or to eat the thornroot. The guards 
  will remember the player character and 
  will keep a close eye on their efforts. If 
  the player character for some reason does 
  not improve their efficiency, they will be 
  reported to Bobhakk, who will not hesitate 
  to make an example out of them. 
  The Fourth Week
  The prisoners who managed to escape 
  in the second week are brought back. In 
  punishment, all the slaves are forced to 
  watch as Astand eats one of the escapees. 
  The others are either whipped or tortured 
  in front of everyone by Bobhakk, before 
  being left, bloody and beaten, in the slave 
  cave.
  The Fifth Week
  One of the player characters who is a 
  good climber is led away in the middle of 
  the night. They are picked up by a group 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  163
  Next to him is a large group of Orkhir and 
  their subservient forest trolls. Blodughadda 
  appears both exhilarated and exalted. He 
  points, using his big hands (eastwards, if 
  anyone with the Geography discipline of 
  the Wilderness skill is there to see it) and 
  laughs loudly. He summons a cart pulled 
  by the forest trolls, from which he pulls a 
  piece of fabric. A pile of weapons, armor, 
  and shields is hidden under the cart. The 
  Arks seem agitated. The player characters 
  are whipped and forced to move, and do not 
  see Blodughadda until later in the evening 
  when he is seated in the big courtyard 
  outside the jail caves, talking to Lokir. On 
  the ground next to them there is a severely 
  beaten Borjornikka dwarf. The dwarf is 
  seriously injured and seems close to death. 
  Unbeknownst to the player characters, the 
  dwarf is actually Grum Druvik, the  warrior 
  who promised to take Blodughadda’s head 
  back to Glitthamn, the dwarven city where 
  the giant was held prisoner. Later during the 
  captivity, Grum will escape with the player 
  characters’ group. Grum is, at first, a Game 
  Master character, but one of the players can 
  choose to adopt Grum as player character in 
  connection with the escape. The player can 
  then choose to recreate Grum as their own 
  player character. 
  Later that night, the player characters 
  are awoken and unceremoniously brought 
  out to the courtyard. They are thrown 
  down by Blodughadda’s feet, next to the 
  mangled dwarf on the frozen ground. They 
  all feel the biting cold of the dreaded Hrim 
  Body quality of the giant. Blodughadda 
  looks down at the player characters, and in 
  terrible Vrok, he bellows, 
  “So we are face-to-face! Little creeps, 
  now you understand how foolish you 
  were to disturb the Snow Queen’s plans 
  in Wildland. Now you have been broken 
  down, 
  animals, 
  starved 
  creatures, 
  doomed to death. Did you believe to 
  ever have been reafl threats agafinst me 
  All enemy BLODUGHADDA crush, 
  put under his foot. Grovelling worm 
  squishes so easily.”
  Blodughadda’s 
  thrunderous 
  laugh 
  echoes between the mountains before he 
  continues, 
  thornroot-eater’s friends will join the fight. 
  The only one who will fight to the death is 
  the thornroot-eater. 
  The Twenty-Eighth Week 
  A rock avalanche in the quarry that the 
  player characters are working in kills two 
  of the prison guards. Some of the player 
  characters are suddenly unguarded. Astand 
  the thorn beast is sitting nearby but has its 
  back turned to the group. For a moment, 
  they have the opportunity to escape by 
  breaking the chains using their heavy 
  sledgehammers. If they wait too long 
  and attempt to free too many they will be 
  caught. 
  Let the player characters who got away 
  be free for a while, wandering around 
  the narrow paths near Arkland’s steep 
  precipices. They will eventually be betrayed 
  or captured again. They are dragged back 
  to Grapinir and thrown in front of Lokir’s 
  throne. One of the captives will be eaten 
  alive. It is up to the Game Master to decide 
  whether this is one of the player characters 
  or another slave who escaped with them. 
  An alternative to the player characters 
  being recaptured (especially if the Game 
  Master wishes for the player characters’ 
  own actions to determine whether or 
  not they are captured) would be if they, 
  through good role playing and applying 
  their skills, manage to stay away. If so the 
  “Captivity” takes a different turn and the 
  player characters who managed to escape 
  must instead try to save their friends. 
  This will take time and require detailed 
  planning. The background information 
  about Arkland may be of use if the Game 
  Master opts for this alternative.
  The Thirty-Second Week
  Any player character who were led away 
  for other tasks earlier in the imprisonment 
  will now return.
  The Thirty-Eighth Week
  The player characters work hard. The hard 
  work and terrible diet gradually break 
  them down. From now onwards they will 
  always have at least 21 Fear Points, which 
  means the “Horrified” level (-3 modifier).
  One day, Blodughadda is suddenly 
  standing outside the caves, talking to Lokir. 
  character first face easy opponents, and 
  then gradually make the opponents more 
  and more difficult to defeat. If the player 
  character survives and remains in captivity 
  as their master’s gladiator, the GM should 
  give him the opportunity to spend captivity 
  adventure points also for the Fighting skill 
  and the related disciplines and specialties.
  The Twentieth Week
  At this point the GM should award the 
  players about 20-30 “captivity adventure 
  points”, depending on how things went 
  thus far. Remember the limitations on 
  spending them on selected skill.
  This week the slaves work on building 
  a simple guard tower. The tower collapses 
  and kills several slaves. At least one of 
  the player characters should be seriously 
  injured in the accident. However, give the 
  player character a chance to attempt to get 
  away somehow. If the player character is 
  so seriously injured that the Arks believe 
  them to be unable to partake in manual 
  labor, Bobhakk will instead get the player 
  character to chew thornroot for the Arks. 
  Bobhakk’s previous thornroot processor, a 
  young blind man named Hrung, has recently 
  died. The player character will inevitably 
  become addicted to the thornroot and risks 
  getting stuck in Arkland forever. After 
  three months, Bobhakk will believe that the 
  thornroot has sunk its claws into the player 
  character and removes their shackles. The 
  player character will now be allowed to 
  offer water to their fellow prisoners when 
  not masticating thornroot. The guards 
  are not all that vigilant about locking the 
  player character up at night either. The 
  player character has become a heavy abuser 
  of the thornroot and only their friends 
  can help them now. Let the other player 
  characters see their drugged-up friend, and 
  attempt to talk some sense into them. They 
  will, however, fail. 
  The Twenty-Second Week
  One of the other slaves who has been 
  consuming too much thornroot recently 
  approaches one of the player characters and 
  steals their food ration. A fight could break 
  out, depending on the player character’s 
  reaction. If the player character or the 
  other player characters start fighting, the 
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  164  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  The Fortieth Week
  A heavy snow falls, covering the entire 
  landscape in a thick blanket of snow. The 
  whole week, the player characters have to 
  shovel snow around Lokir’s fort instead 
  on working on the defensive structures. 
  The player characters see Lokir’s Arks arm 
  themselves, preparing for war. Some of the 
  Dreadaxyrs from Ysetur have joined Lokir’s 
  armies again. The player characters could 
  potentially recognize someone in the group. 
  Throughout the week, more and more 
  warriors arrive at the fort, among them 
  Tuva, Lokir’s half sister, who also brings 
  her dreaded thorn beast.
  Blodughadda has promised to help Lokir 
  crush all his Arken rivals if only Lokir 
  helps the giant and Snow Queen’s forces to 
  seize the mythic, robust city of Majnjord. 
  This is the conquering expedition Lokir is 
  preparing for.
  The Penultimate Week in 
  Captivity
  A snowstorm moves down from the North, 
  heading south. It is the same kind of wild, 
  awful snowstorm that the player characters 
  encountered for the first time on their way 
  to the Copper Mines in Wildland. Most of 
  the Arks stay indoors, and the prisoners are 
  not put to work while the snowstorm rages 
  outside. The caves offer little protection, 
  and the player characters suffer from the 
  cold, on top of the regular hunger and 
  exhaustion. Several of the other slaves die 
  during the storm. 
  The Last Week in Captivity
  This is another chance for the GM to 
  award the players about 20-30 “captivity 
  adventure points” to be spent according to 
  the previously described limitations.
  During this week the Arken army starts 
  marching out, led by Lokir’s half-sister 
  Tuva. Lokir himself waits until the very 
  last moment before he leaves. 
  The player characters estimate that the 
  army consists of 5,000–10,000 men.
  The storm subsides, and the player 
  characters are put to work again outdoors in 
  the cold. New prison guards have been put 
  in charge. All the player characters (including 
  the one who may have been occupied with the 
  thornroot) are now put in one group, along 
  Blodughadda but also relishes scaring the 
  player characters. He was, however, being 
  honest earlier – the player characters’ 
  lives hang in the balance. From now on, 
  the guards will treat the player characters 
  exceptionally badly, and only feed them 
  half rations, if at all. 
  The player characters are led away 
  together with the dwarf and are shackled 
  once more. They can hear how the 
  giant and his horde feast with the Arks 
  throughout the night. It is as if an alliance 
  has just been forged. 
  The Thirty-Ninth Week
  The 
  prisoners’ 
  conditions 
  are 
  now 
  worsened, the punishments are even more 
  frequent, the work is harder and they are 
  given even less food than before. At this 
  point their body points cannot improve at 
  a better level than “Seriously Injured” (-3 
  modifier).
  The player characters are not forgotten. 
  In Jaarnkihl, where Linn is, there is a flurry 
  of activity with the plan for rescuing the 
  player characters and finding the Stone 
  Flute. A small but brave group of elves, 
  led by Juhkalla, is sent to Arkland to free 
  them. This mission fails, and everyone but 
  Juhkalla is killed by the very experienced 
  Arken warriors on the border of Arkland. 
  Juhkalla is captured and brought to Lokir’s 
  fortress, where he is imprisoned with the 
  player characters. The player characters 
  have never seen an elf like this one. It is not 
  just about the strange mixture of Ilmalaini 
  traits (pale, white skin) and Korpikalli 
  traits (long raven hair, and dark eyes) but 
  rather it’s about the nobility that this elf 
  seems to emanate. The elf also looks more 
  “civilized” than normal elves and there’s 
  something about Juhkalla that remind the 
  characters of Maria Norim, although they 
  cannot say what it is.
  Juhkalla tells the player characters about 
  the failed rescue attempt, but still tries to 
  urge them to flee from this field of death. If 
  the player characters are ready, and manage 
  to find a good opportunity, Juhkalla will 
  offer to help them in their escape attempt. 
  Time is short, and despite not knowing 
  what role the player characters are to 
  play, he does realize that it is of utmost 
  importance that they successfully escape.
  “Good to see tramps, now Stormlander 
  and 
  simple 
  wildling 
  kingdoms 
  conquered. Mittland lies open to the 
  Orkhir. Before Blodughadda reaches 
  Majnjord your skins will be removed, 
  your heads chopped, your bodies 
  broken into pieces and the bones 
  thrown away chopped off. That Lokir 
  promised I.”
  Blodughadda turns to Lokir and says, 
  “Make every day the worst they lived. 
  The death they welcome when time is 
  here.”
  Lokir then turns to the player character 
  and says, 
  “The time you have lived here has been 
  one of luxury and abundance. That 
  time is passed. I promise, on the names 
  of my ancestors, that when death comes, 
  you will beg for it. The Snow Queen 
  has asked for your pain, and that she 
  shall have. Bobhakk is really looking 
  forward to your special treatments. The 
  slightest misstep from you and you will 
  be flayed alive, torn limb from limb, 
  crushed and cut to pieces. Whatever 
  is left of your bodies will be ground 
  down and served to the thralls. When 
  you are dead, your souls will burn in an 
  eternal flame in the halls of Blotheim, 
  where you belong. Cursed are you who 
  dare defy the Snow Queen, cursed are 
  you who sullied Arkland with your 
  putrid presence, cursed are you born to 
  Trudvang, infecting everything around 
  you. The bitterness and hatred that I 
  feel for you cannot be conveyed in the 
  language of this world. May you die 
  a painful death after a life of fear and 
  suffering…”
  Lokir spits in each of the player 
  characters’ faces, and storms away.
  Blodughadda’s face lights up and he 
  gleefully rubs his hands together. Lokir’s 
  reaction may seem exaggerated, but the 
  Game Master should remember that the 
  Arks are a people who often use the threat 
  of a cruel and painful death in everyday 
  speech. Lokir mainly wants to impress 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  165
  The Escape and the Hiding 
  Place
  If the player characters’ group manages to 
  defeat Lokir and his men, the elf Juhkalla 
  will very skilfully lead the company out of 
  Arkland and down into the deep shadows 
  of the Darkwoods east of the Great 
  Iron Tooth. The Game Master gets to 
  determine what happens in Arkland and 
  the Darkwoods. Arkland is described in 
  detail in the first part of this book, and the 
  Game Master can use that information to 
  keep the journey interesting. 
  Either way, the player characters are 
  now free after a long imprisonment and, 
  for the first time in a very long time, the 
  sun’s rays break through the heavy cloud 
  cover. They will lose all the Fear points 
  that they got, and they can now recover 
  body points without the limitations they 
  had in captivity.
  Juhkalla tells the player characters that 
  they have to quickly head down into the 
  protective darkness of the Darkwoods. He 
  also tells them that he has a hiding place 
  in the forest, which they must go to in 
  order to collect a specific item. Juhkalla 
  hid the object in the forest before they 
  ventured into Arkland to try to save the 
  player characters. He says that he has been 
  tasked with bringing the player characters 
  to where Maria is now. Juhkalla constantly 
  spurs the player characters on, warning 
  them that time is scarce. 
  How long it takes the player characters 
  to get to the Darkwoods depends on how 
  long the Game Master wants them to 
  stay in Arkland, and how good they are at 
  hiding from Arken slave hunters. After a 
  few days under the protective shelter of the 
  trees, they finally reach Juhkalla’s hiding 
  place. The hiding spot is a little pond in the 
  middle of the forest. The water’s surface 
  is glassy and as reflective as a mirror, and 
  there is not a ripple to be seen. 
  Juhkalla 
  collects 
  some 
  mysterious 
  mushrooms from around the pond and give 
  one to each player to eat. There is only one 
  dose per player character. These strange, 
  elvish mushrooms heal 2d10 (OR 10) Body 
  Points when consumed. If asked what is it, 
  Juhkalla will answer with just a “gift from 
  the Gods, forgotten by most people”.
  consists of Lokir, two Dreadaxyrs, three 
  Arken warriors, and Lokir’s thorn beast, 
  which is chained up to a thick tree trunk. 
  This is a good opportunity (probably the 
  best the group will ever get) to overpower 
  Lokir’s little group. By so doing, they can 
  acquire disguises which they can use to 
  escape Arkland, and, more importantly, get 
  back some of the items and equipment that 
  Lokir confiscated from them when they 
  were captured. 
  It is up to the Game Master to decide 
  which of the player characters’ old items 
  Lokir and his men carry at this point in 
  time, aside from Koraljon the Ruling Blade 
  and the Stone of Sagas (if they have not 
  previously given it to Linn). The player 
  who used to bear the stone (if he still alive) 
  will feel some spark of hope, as he takes 
  back the stone.
  If any dimwalker or vitner weaver 
  received the black dwarven collar, they 
  will also find the small black keys. As their 
  necks are finally freed after a long-year 
  without connections to the cosmic powers, 
  a sense of freedom will invade their hearts, 
  as the ability to use vitner and divinity 
  points is given back to them.
  If the player character bearing the Stone 
  Flute died during the captivity and his 
  companions did not retrieve it, they will find 
  it among Lokir’s things. It is recommended 
  that the player characters get at least some 
  of their possessions back, because the next 
  part of the adventure will require a lot out of 
  them if they are to have any hope of survival. 
  Another idea would be to include some of the 
  items that the player characters found in the 
  Sun Hall, but they have yet to inspect them 
  properly, to discover any secret quality.
  The only people awake when/if the 
  player characters attack are Lokir and (if the 
  GM consider the PCs not too weak) one of 
  the Dreadaxyrs . All others are still asleep 
  in their leather tents. The heavy, cold wind 
  is blowing strongly, so that the other Arks 
  will have difficulties in hearing the combat 
  sounds. Surprise Attacks (GM guide p.48) 
  or Sneak Attacks (Player’s Handbook p.65) 
  may be fundamental in defeating the Arks. 
  Unless the player characters step within 
  the reach of Lokir’s thorn beast (which is 
  leashed with a five-meter long chain), it will 
  not participate in the combat.
  with both the elf Juhkalla and the dwarf 
  Grum Druvik, and are chained together 
  in thick shackles. A terrible, unexpected 
  avalanche of snow causes many jailors to 
  turn their backs to help unearth some of the 
  slave drivers that have been trapped. In the 
  turmoil only one single Ark is left guarding 
  them. He is young and unexperienced (use 
  “Generic Ark” stats but with Shadow Arts 
  SV 4), armed with a hunting spear and a 
  medium shield. A sheathed Krum Sword 
  and the locks’ keys hang from his belt. 
  The guard is also not actively looking at 
  the prisoners, concerned as he is about the 
  avalanche. This unexperienced warrior is 
  in the perfect position to be the victim of a 
  “Surprise Attack” (Game Master’s Guide 
  page 49). If they manage to defeat him the 
  player characters now have the opportunity 
  to escape, as well as to collect his weapons. 
  The avalanche situation is too chaotic for 
  other Arks to hear the young warrior’s voice. 
  If they handle the getaway well (and if they 
  hide the body of the guard under the snow), 
  none of the new guards will notice that the 
  player characters are missing until late in the 
  evening. The hunt for them will not begin 
  until the following morning. If any of the 
  player characters have developed an addiction 
  to thornroot, then the other player characters 
  will have to threaten them with violence to 
  get them to join the escape attempt. These 
  thornroot-eaters may need to be left behind. 
  This time, the player characters manage to 
  get away, albeit malnourished and haggard, 
  mere shadows of their former selves. 
  The Following Day
  The exaltation of running free again make 
  the character somehow recover, at least 
  psychologically. They lose enough Fear 
  points to go back to the “Frigthened” fear 
  level (modifier -1). On the other hand, 
  their healths remain lowered. The player 
  characters are lacking proper equipment 
  and they have been in captivity for a long 
  time; they are worn down, beaten and, 
  more urgently – hunted. 
  By mere chance, or some strange twist 
  of fate, they encounter Lokir’s little band, 
  who have made camp for the night. The 
  player characters discover Lokir and his 
  men early the next morning, when many 
  of them are still fast asleep. The group 
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  166  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  Helgardh is one of the many realms 
  of Dimhall. It is a cold and barren place, 
  built from the bones and skulls of the dead. 
  To enter Helgardh, one must first find 
  Helgrindh, the gate through which one 
  can enter this realm of death. Helgrindh 
  is guarded by Mogunda, whose sword, 
  Nailbite, lets few leave Helgardh alive.
  There are five different ways into 
  Helgardh. All roads pass over a large bridge, 
  each of which is overseen by a guard. The 
  five guards of Helgardh are all siblings, and 
  their names are Modgun, Mogunda, Moga, 
  Mogrand, and Modgil. Taking the road 
  guarded by Mogunda is the easiest, but it is 
  also the one that most limits the freedom of 
  movement once in Helgardh. Mogunda has 
  nine dimensional keys, which means that he 
  only has access to nine out of the thousands 
  of halls of Helgardh. Any who takes this 
  path into Helgardh will never experience its 
  full size, nor will they meet all the horrors it 
  holds. Helgardh does not have any physical 
  logic binding it together, but instead consists 
  of dimensional rips and loopholes, which can 
  be accessed only with the right keys. Certain 
  creatures in Helgardh can travel between all 
  the regions of the realm without keys.
  There is no one who really knows if 
  Helgardh, one of the kingdoms of Dimhall, 
  exists. Some believe that it is a dream formed 
  from the dreams of people, and that it only 
  exists as long as the dreams remain. It is 
  important that the Game Master knows 
  that one of the main themes of Helgardh 
  is ‘infinite’. Anyone who arrives here is 
  “eternally” doomed, or “endlessly” tested. 
  Helgardh expands as the bodies of the dead 
  arrive. The remains of the dead are “stored” 
  here for all eternity and the piles of skulls and 
  bones is always growing. The blood dries, 
  and creates new “ground”, which is used to 
  store these skeletal remains. Helgardh is one 
  huge storage area, built from the material it 
  stores. Most of Helgardh is built from skulls 
  and bones. Aside from phantoms and spirits, 
  Helgardh is also inhabited by chaos creatures 
  that are a unique combination of “Ioi” 
  (demons) and “Dimhla” (half-demon gods). 
  Bodvildur and Mogunda are two such chaos 
  creatures. They live by their own laws, in a 
  realm that only they themselves understand. 
  They call their bloodline “Morghi” and are a 
  sort of cross between gods and demons. 
  to go bring Maria back from death, as 
  only her life means the victory over the 
  Snow Queen. He advise them to look for 
  the “White Dragon” which lies hidden in 
  Helgardh, in order to retrieve Maria. He 
  also tells them that as soon as he has helped 
  the player characters, he will travel to the 
  elves of Jaarnkihl to inform them all that 
  there is hope yet.
  He holds up the pendulum in front of 
  the player characters and explains to them 
  that one of them will be wearing it when 
  they arrive in Helgardh, which is a realm 
  in Dimhall. He then says that, in order to 
  go back in Trudvang, they will only have 
  to hold the pendulum out in front of them 
  and wait for a short while. When they feel 
  tired they should all think of him and soon 
  thereafter they will all be together once 
  again. Juhkalla extends the pendulum in 
  front of them and lets it swing back and 
  forth. The player characters immediately 
  feel very weak and tired. They fall into a 
  light sleep, and are whisked away from the 
  pond and into the realm of the mists.
  When they awake, they find themselves 
  in front of a large iron gate. They are 
  entirely surrounded by a thick fog, and 
  everything is still and silent. The gate 
  is open and leads to the bridge known as 
  “Lifslocke” (see below).
  If the player characters later use the 
  pendulum to leave Helgardh, they will 
  find themselves in a similar place in the 
  forest as the one they are in right now. The 
  main difference is that this place is located 
  further east, only ten days from the elvish 
  city of Jaarnkihl.
  helgardh 
  This might be the part of the Snowsaga 
  campaign that is the key to deciding 
  whether the player characters succeed in 
  their attempt to save Trudvang from a 
  large-scale war. Failing now means that 
  it is very likely that the player characters 
  will also ail in their mission. In this part 
  of the campaign, the player characters 
  must face off with guards and creatures 
  that already live under the shroud of 
  decay and, using guile and cunning, they 
  must attempt to survive their stay in the 
  Kingdom of Death.
  Juhkalla tells the player characters 
  to wait, and not to worry. He finishes by 
  saying that he may be gone for a little 
  while. Juhkalla then quickly undresses and 
  dives into the water, disappearing below 
  the surface, and within seconds, the lake is 
  as calm as it ever was. 
  Hours pass before Juhkalla re-emerges. 
  The player characters will repeatedly 
  wonder where the strange elf has gone. 
  One of the player characters may want 
  to dive down into the pond to try to find 
  Juhkalla. Let them do so, and they will 
  learn that the little lake is 5 meters deep at 
  its deepest point. Juhkalla is nowhere to be 
  found. The water is ice cold.
  Suddenly, the mirrored surface of the 
  pond breaks, and Juhkalla’s head appears 
  above the water. He spits and hisses before 
  swimming towards the water’s edge. In his 
  hand he holds a small iron object. Juhkalla 
  climbs out of the water and gets dressed. If 
  any of the player characters ask him what 
  he was doing in the water for so long or 
  where he had been, he will just shrug his 
  shoulders and state, 
  “Secrets are meant to be kept secret” 
  or something like,“that known to two 
  people is soon known to all”. 
  Juhkalla reveals a small nondescript 
  pendulum made of rough iron. He holds 
  it up in front of the player characters and 
  says:
  “Pendl Helgr is the name of this mighty 
  thing in the Eastern lands. We call it 
  ‘Pendilla Mortaitikka’, and they say 
  that there are only two pieces left in 
  the whole world. It is the pendulum of 
  death, forged from lost energies, and 
  their powers are so mighty that not even 
  the wisest among the Norim Elves know 
  its full potential. With the pendulum’s 
  help, you will be sent into the backwater 
  of time, to a realm that only exists in 
  dreams.”
  The pendulum is actually the so-called 
  “Pendulum of Death”, an artifact that lets 
  anyone who uses it journey in and out of 
  one of Dimhall’s many realms. Juhkalla 
  asks the player characters if they are ready 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  167
  Helgardh is devoid of life force and 
  energy, which also means that a vitner 
  weaver is unable to properly manage 
  the vitner energies for casting spells. In 
  game terms, this means that the cost in 
  vitner points of all spells  is doubled in 
  Helgardh. A vitner weaver who steps into 
  Helgardh will sense that, and the Game 
  Master should make the vitner weaver 
  aware of the fact that things won’t feel 
  right here. The surroundings have been 
  drained of energy and life force, and 
  a vitner weaver will feel weak as soon 
  as they enter Helgardh. The player 
  characters cannot enter Helgardh until 
  they have passed through Helgrindh, 
  which is guarded by Mogunda. 
  The gate in front of the player characters 
  leads to the Lifslocke bridge.
  Many of the encounters that occur in this 
  chapter are with gods and other incredibly 
  powerful creatures, none of which the 
  player characters are meant to fight. If the 
  player characters for some reason decide to 
  battle them, then the Game Master must 
  end their lives in a spectacular fashion.
  Lifslocke
  Lifslocke stretches across Yngerblodd a 
  river of blood, and is the actual portal which 
  links Trudvang to Helgardh at this point. 
  Yngerblodd and Lifslocke are not a part of 
  Helgardh, or Trudvang. They instead exist 
  in a dimension which connects the two 
  worlds. The bridge is almost 60 meters in 
  length, and the river of blood, Yngerblodd, 
  rushes by almost two hundred meters 
  below. The bridge is entirely made of 
  iron and is extremely rusty. Lifslocke also 
  reaches across an enormous chasm, the 
  walls of which seem to be built of human 
  skulls. Mogunda stands at the far end of 
  the bridge, guarding Helgrindh, the gate 
  to Helgardh. 
  Helgrindh
  Wildland’s cold and windswept plains seem 
  very distant at this moment. An emptiness 
  fills the player characters’ senses, and it is 
  as though they are in a daze, a dream, but 
  yet not really. The bridge ends on a little 
  platform built of yellowed human skulls, 
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  168  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  life when they wish to leave Helgardh. Let 
  Mogunda say something along the lines of:
  “yvouv, lifermen, seekears fro laytwurld. 
  Stepp upp to Helgrindhr, atone to Nilbitur 
  wif half liif now, and half liif lat’r.”
  Which roughly means:
  “You who are alive, seekers of the dead 
  world. To step up into Helgrimdh you 
  must give to the Nageilbite sword half 
  of your life now, and half later.” 
  The player characters really only 
  have two options. They must either fight 
  Mogunda, or one of the player characters 
  must let Nailbite absorb half of their Body 
  Points. Mogunda will demand another 
  half when the player character wants to 
  leave Helgardh, which means that the 
  person will die and remain in Helgardh. In 
  alternative Vitner is another form of life for 
  Mogunda, since this energy is so rare in 
  Helgardh. Letting Mogunda draw all of one 
  character’s Vitner Points equals to having 
  given Mogunda half of one’s Body Points.
  Note that Mogunda can be persuaded to 
  take half a life from one individual and half 
  a life from another. In order to succeed with 
  this, the player characters must succeed 
  with a Knowledge Skill roll (preferably 
  with the Language discipline and the Silver 
  Tongue specialty) modified by -7. However, 
  only let the player characters roll one skill 
  roll for the entire group. 
  If the players want to fight, just remind 
  them that this is a Stormlander Death God. 
  If they insist, each round one character 
  will be killed, only to return as a Draugr 
  in Lifdrippur. No roll is needed: only a fool 
  attacks a god.
  If any of the player characters choose 
  to give Nailbite half their Body Points, 
  Mogunda will admit them into Helgardh, 
  by taking the keyring and leading them to 
  the dimensional lock located in the Keyroom 
  behind Halgrindh. There, he will let the player 
  characters select keys. Mogunda will not tell 
  them where the keys lead but explains that it 
  is not possible to turn back until you have a 
  similar key which is located somewhere on 
  the other side. Mogunda has nine keys, each 
  of which lead to different parts of Helgardh.
  As Game Master, when you first read 
  Mogunda’s initial speech to the player 
  characters, do so with a slow, powerful voice. 
  They should sense that they are dealing 
  with a dignified guardian of Helgrindh.
  Helgrindh is the gate to Helgardh, which 
  is guarded by Mogunda and his sword, 
  Nailbite. Mogunda speaks the language 
  of the dead and the PCs can mysteriously 
  understand it. On the wall behind him 
  hangs a large keyring with the dimension 
  keys that Mogunda guards. The keys are 
  made from twined, braided human hair.
  Mogunda speaks slowly and stoically 
  and will deny the player characters entry 
  into Helgardh unless one of them pays with 
  a part of their life. He explains that the 
  person must pay with the other part of their 
  where a tall, narrow iron gate rests upon 
  robust hinges. A creature as tall as the gate 
  stands before it, observing the company 
  with a piercing, vigilant stare. His hand 
  rests on a large sword, and he speaks to 
  them in an unusual language that the player 
  characters, for some reason, understand 
  somewhat.
  “Im, Mogunda. Im Nailbitur. Draugur 
  and keyman. Helgraardhs eyr.”
  What he says is:
  ”I am Mogunda, I am Nailbite. The 
  guard of Draug and the keys. Helgardh’s 
  eyes.”
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  169
  Nifelfang is the dragon that the player 
  characters must defeat, through words or 
  actions, in order to see Maria again. It is, 
  however, not an easy task, as Nifelfang 
  would rather gnaw on their bones than 
  let them take his things. Read more about 
  Nifelfang below.
  In exchange for his help Nifelfang will 
  demand that one of the player characters to 
  swear a oath to follow a command at some 
  point in the future, and that they leave the 
  Stone Flute in Helgardh when they leave. 
  After eliciting these promises from the 
  player characters, Nifelfang will be willing 
  to return Maria’s body from the realm of 
  death. 
  The player characters will likely not 
  get the chance to use the Stone Flute 
  themselves. Only a Vitner Weaver with 
  more than 100 Vitner Points who has 
  studied magic for at least a thousand years 
  has a chance of understanding how to use it. 
  Realistically, none of the player characters 
  will fulfil these qualifications. 
  Nifelfang begins the ritual by having 
  the player characters slice their palms and 
  drip blood on the floor, forming the shape 
  of a circle. During an hour-long séance, 
  Nifelfang speaks the dragon’s ancient 
  language into the silence in a mighty, 
  echoing tone. The player characters do not 
  understand anything that he says, but one 
  chant seems to be repeated again and again. 
  If one of the player characters is a vitner 
  weaver, they will understand that Nifelfang 
  is reciting a powerful incantation.
  After an hour, things start to change 
  in the room. The bone piles in the room 
  begin to move. Within a few moments, 
  hundreds of skeletons have risen from the 
  mounds. Slowly but steadily, the undead 
  move toward the circle of blood, completely 
  unfazed by Nifelfang and the player 
  characters. The skeletons stop by the edge 
  of the circle as if not allowed to enter it, 
  and point, beseechingly, at its center. The 
  hall is filled with the shrill, pained wail of 
  the hundreds of souls that have risen once 
  more. 
  Suddenly, one of the skeletons forces its 
  way into the circle, and hurriedly picks up 
  an invisible object. It then turns to the player 
  characters and screams an unearthly screech, 
  so terrible and blood curling, that is has the 
  Key 1: Lifdrippur
  Behind the door there is a path that leads 
  into infinity and beyond. This is where 
  the doomed denied a place in Helgardh 
  get to wander the path of Lifdrippur for 
  all eternity. When walking Lifdrippur, one 
  encounters 1d5 draugrs every hundred 
  meters (Jorgi’s Bestiary p.55-58 or the 
  “Undead” in GM Guide p.109-110). If the 
  draugrs sense a living creature, they attack 
  immediately. The draugrs’ only chance to 
  get a new verdict is to kill a living creature, 
  who can then take their place.
  There is a key hanging on the wall 
  where the player characters enter. The 
  player characters need the key in order to 
  return to the Keyroom through the door. 
  The path is three meters wide, and the 
  walls, ceiling, and floor are all made of 
  human bones.
  Key 2: Draupihall 
  A long, narrow staircase leads down to a 
  room filled with bones, skulls, and bodies. 
  Four large skulls and bone pillars support 
  the ceiling of a room that is entrenched 
  in darkness. Two red eyes stare at the 
  player characters from the shadows, and a 
  movement in the dark enlightens them to 
  the enormous size of the creature.
  Draupihall is the hall in Helgardh that 
  no light reaches. This is where the dragon 
  Nifelfang lays, sucking the blood out of the 
  bodies of the dead. Nifelfang is an entirely 
  white, undead logiwurm, with red, sick 
  eyes, who has dwelled in Helgardh since 
  the Age of Dreams.
  The room has lain in darkness for 
  thousands of years. Neither Night’s Sight or 
  the special sight of the dwarves work here. 
  Torches and oil lamps only illuminate half as 
  well as usual. It feels as though the darkness 
  is slowly but surely devouring the light. The 
  walls are made of human hair, which has been 
  bleached and is now almost entirely white.
  Anyone who steps off of the staircase 
  takes 1d10 (OR 10) Fear Points when 
  they see that the floor is covered in bloody, 
  dismembered bodies, bones, and skulls.
  The room contains two huge piles of 
  skulls, bones, and other remains. There is 
  a small lake of blood between the mounds 
  that can only be crossed by walking across 
  a narrow strip of remains. 
  Keyroom- The Lockhall
  The lockhall is the enormous room which 
  opens behind Helgrindh. The lockhall is 
  completely empty. All the walls, other than 
  that with the dimensional lock, are made of 
  skulls. The floor is covered with mounds of 
  human nails, and the roof is braided from 
  human hair. The room is dimly lit with a 
  yellowish light.
  The dimensional lock is an entire wall 
  full of keyholes of various kinds. The wall 
  itself is made of iron and is completely 
  brown with rust. Blood trickles from the 
  roof and down onto the walls, after which 
  it is gathers in a trench in the floor. There 
  are more than a thousand keyholes in the 
  wall, but Mogunda knows exactly which 
  nine his keys fit into. The walls of the 
  room are 10 meters tall.
   Keys 1, 2, and 3 fit into keyholes near 
  the roof.
   Keys 4, 5, and 6 fit into keyholes located 
  three meters above the ground.
   Keys 7, 8, and 9 fit into keyholes located 
  at floor level.
  As Mogunda can change his height 
  at will, he has no problem reaching the 
  keyholes that are at the very top of the 
  wall. If Mogunda does not help the player 
  characters to reach these keyholes, they 
  much instead climb the bloody wall, and 
  open the lock themselves. It is possible to 
  climb the wall using Agility skill. Anyone 
  who wants to attempt the climb will have 
  their skill roll modified by -4.
  If the correct key is used in the right lock, 
  the contours of a door will emerge around 
  the key itself. The door is three meters tall 
  and a meter wide. It opens outward, and 
  behind it there is a three meter long passage 
  that ends in another door. This door leads 
  to the place that matches the key. As the 
  wall is covered in locks, roughly the same 
  area can be used for numerous doors. This 
  is because the wall does not follow any laws 
  of physics or physical logic. The wall is a 
  part of Helgardh, and a lot of things lose 
  their logic here, something which, for the 
  Game Master, could be a fun thing to play 
  around with.
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  170  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  Nifelfang is cruel and evil; his malice 
  surpasses most. If the player characters 
  have fought Nifelfang and he survives, 
  they will have made a mighty foe, who 
  allies with Mogunda to leave Helgardh 
  and seek revenge on the player characters. 
  This opens up a new campaign, which 
  the Game Master can choose to use after 
  the Snowsaga campaign. In this current 
  campaign, however, the player characters 
  are not meant to encounter Nifelfang again.
  Nifelfang abhors all living creatures, as 
  they remind him of the Age of Dreams, a 
  time when he himself was alive. Using his 
  guile and cunning, Nifelfang will attempt 
  to trick the player characters into the 
  clutches of death.
  Each time that the player characters 
  demand something of Nifelfang, he will 
  say that every favor requires a promise in 
  return. The promise he wants is that one 
  player character will submit to Nifelfang’s 
  command when he asks for it. What the 
  player characters do not know, is that 
  Nifelfang has more power than what is on 
  show in Draupihall. He will ensure that any 
  player character that does not follow his 
  command within twenty-four hours will be 
  doomed to wander Lifdrippur for eternity.
  As Game Master, you can choose to wait 
  with issuing these commands until later 
  in the campaign, or keep them for future 
  campaigns. What is important is that 
  these commands must be phrased in a way 
  so that they appear cruel and malicious. 
  It is rare that Nifelfang ask for a player 
  character to commit suicide or something 
  in that vein, preferring instead to see them 
  betray their best friend, or go back on a 
  promise to those that trust them blindly. 
  When Nifelfang wants his promise to be 
  honored, he will appear as a young boy 
  with completely white skin and red eyes. 
  No one, other than the player character, can 
  see the boy, and time will halt for everyone 
  else while he is present, apparent only to 
  the player character and Nifelfang.
  Key 3: Draugklyfte
  An awful stench of carcasses and decay 
  overwhelms the player characters. They 
  gaze out over a capacious hall, the end of 
  which can only be imagined. A massive 
  bridge constructed from human rib bones 
  interrupts the battle by commanding that 
  Nifelfang crawl back into the darkness. 
  Nifelfang immediately obeys.
  Bodvildur wants to know what the 
  player characters are doing in Helgardh, 
  and if it was Mogunda who admitted 
  them. If the player characters had forced 
  their way in using violence, Bodvildur will 
  already be aware of that, and demands that 
  one of the player characters pays with their 
  life. If, however, Mogunda let them in, then 
  she will only demand that one of them pay 
  with half their life (half their Body Points) 
  to appease Nifelfang. She then proclaims a 
  prophecy:
  “Those 
  who 
  choose 
  love 
  choose 
  perdition.”
  Bodvildur is clearly alluding to that 
  which occurs at the end of the whole 
  campaign, when the Child of Light and 
  Maria must choose between love and 
  getting away, or death and saving the 
  world.
  If you, as Game Master, wish to amp 
  up the dramatics, and frighten the player 
  characters further, you can choose to have 
  Bodvildur point directly at one of the player 
  characters and say:
  “You and I shall meet again soon, for so 
  my sisters tell me.”
  The idea is for the player character to 
  believe that they are marked for death, and 
  that they soon will perish.
  Nifelfang
  Nifelfang was born during the Age of 
  Dreams. It is one of the mythical Illijnaka 
  “the translucent”, a sort of albino logiwurm, 
  all of which were born without wings, white 
  as snow, with piercing red eyes. After being 
  defeated by the Gods and elves during the 
  Age of Dreams, Nifelfang fled to the only 
  place that never asked any question or 
  demanded any answer – Helgardh. Life 
  gradually left the mighty dragon, but the 
  realm of death rebuilt him once more. 
  Through the blood of the deceased, these 
  constant arrivals to Helgardh, the dragon 
  slowly morphed into a being worthy of this 
  place, a being of death.
  same effect as the death shriek of the Barrow 
  Wight, inflicting 2d10 (OR 9-10) Fear Points 
  on all the characters which are present. All 
  the skeletons outside the circle collapse to 
  the ground; piles of bone and dust – dead and 
  still once more. The skeleton that Nifelfang 
  conjured into the circle sits, squatting and 
  shaking, a picture of tearful sorrow, the only 
  thing missing being tears on its cheekbones. 
  The player characters suspect that the ritual 
  has failed and the Game Master can choose 
  to let them believe that they have done 
  something terrible.
  Then Nifelfang continues the ritual by 
  making the Stone Flute begin to play in the 
  air above the player characters’ heads. The 
  flute floats on its own, as if suspended from 
  an invisible thread. The notes are barely 
  discernible, but the music is so lovely that 
  everyone in the room is put into some sort 
  of trance.
  Gradually, the flesh on the skeleton 
  in the middle of the circle returns, sinew 
  by sinew, muscle by muscle. The player 
  characters are suddenly made aware of 
  secrets of the human anatomy not known 
  even to learned men. A person is built in 
  front of their very eyes, piece by piece, part 
  by part, and that person is Maria. Nifelfang 
  has roused her from her death sleep.
  When the transformation is complete, 
  she opens her eyes. They are mournful, 
  brimming with tears. Maria does not seem 
  to understand who or where she is. Then, 
  when she suddenly catches a glimpse of the 
  Child of Light (if he still alive), her face 
  lights up lovingly. All sorrow disappears, 
  and the Daughter of Fate and the Child of 
  Light are finally reunited. 
  A lot has transpired, and the player 
  characters surely have a lot to discuss with 
  Maria. There is actually nothing left to 
  keep the player characters in Helgardh, but 
  if they wish to, they can continue exploring 
  the other keyhalls. 
  Nifelfang has the key to go back to 
  Mogunda’s lockhall and will give it to 
  the player character who made the oath, 
  reminding that, when time will come, the 
  call must be obeyed. 
  If the player characters end up fighting 
  Nifelfang, and one of them is killed, 
  then Bodvildur, the Queen of Helgardh, 
  will appear in the staircase. Bodvildur 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  171
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  172  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  even, but are, however, covered in brown 
  rust. In the middle of the room, there is a 
  small well that collects all the tears from 
  those who have come to Helgardh for the 
  wrong reason. The key to go back to the 
  lockhall hangs from a rusted nail on a wall 
  on the other side of the room.
  Anyone who drinks from the well can 
  walk out of Helgardh without having to 
  meet Mogunda’s demands of offering up 
  half their life.The tears are salty, and the 
  liquid is cloudy. 
  Every day the collected tears in the well 
  transform into a gold ring with magical 
  abilities. The draugr are currently waiting 
  for the ring to come out of a small hole 
  located in the side of the well. Just as the 
  player characters step into the room, the 
  ring rolls out, but the unexpected visit 
  causes the draugrs all to turn to the player 
  characters.
  As a result, the ring falls out of the 
  hole and rolls across the floor between 
  the draugrs and player characters. The 
  draugrs try to grab the ring, and then 
  they gradually disappear after 1d6 action 
  rounds. If any of the player characters 
  attack during the disappearance, the three 
  draugrs not holding the ring will choose 
  to return to the room and fight. The 
  one with the ring will continue to fade 
  away. When the draugrs disappear, their 
  physical bodies slowly dissipate, until they 
  have completely entered another room 
  elsewhere in Helgardh. The draugrs take 
  damage for each action round it takes them 
  to disappear.
   The ring that was formed from the tears 
  today has the following qualities: The 
  wearer of the ring is up to 25% (1–5 
  on 1d20) immune against Vitner spells 
  which are thrown or used against the 
  ringbearer.
  Key 6: The Field of the Eternal 
  Battle
  The door opens to a small path, that 
  after six meters leads out onto an open 
  field veiled in mist. As soon as the player 
  characters open the door, they are able 
  to hear the sounds of battle. Blades 
  hitting shields, men crying out in pain, 
  wooden planks, held in place by big, black 
  iron nails. A single ray of light makes its 
  way down from a small gap in the wall, 
  illuminating a small fountain in the middle 
  of the chamber. The floor is covered in a 
  thick layer of yellowing fingernails. 
  This is Mogunda’s chamber. Mogunda 
  is rarely here, because he is tasked with 
  standing guard. However, twice a year 
  he comes here to drink from the small 
  fountain. The water in the fountain 
  removes his need to sleep, eat, or drink for 
  another six months. The water is salty and 
  lukewarm. It is not regular water, but the 
  fluid of life, drained from the dead bodies 
  in Draugklyfte. Anyone who drinks of the 
  water will suddenly be very alert and wide 
  awake, and will not need to either drink 
  or eat for two months. The water will 
  make the drinker pale, and their eyes will 
  take on a sickly gleam. Two months later, 
  the drinker needs a successful situation 
  roll with a Situations Value of 6 (Psyche 
  modifiers apply). If the roll fails, the person 
  will have to drink the same liquid within 
  two weeks or lose two levels of the Psyche 
  character trait. 
  In a chest under Mogunda’s bed, there 
  is a dagger which seem to be made of 
  the same material of Nailbite, Mogunda’ 
  sword. This dagger gives +2 in damage 
  and protects the bearer against the undead. 
  The bearer of this weapon now only takes 
  half normal damage (rounded down) from 
  all types of attacks from the undead. For 
  the rest it has the same stats of a normal 
  Seax, although with no PV or BV, since it 
  cannot be broken.
  Key 5: The Well of Tears
  One lonesome drop breaks free from the 
  darkness above. With an echoing “plop” 
  it falls into a well, spreading large ripples 
  across the water. Barely audible, somewhere 
  far away, there is the sound of someone 
  crying. Four deathly pale creatures with 
  empty eyes sit around the well, staring at a 
  small opening in the side of the well. 
  The room is small, only four by four 
  meters. However, the distance to the 
  ceiling is almost thirty meters, and the 
  roof consists of a strong iron grating, with 
  thick, indestructible bars. The walls and 
  floor are all made of iron, and completely 
  spans more than ten fathoms above the 
  hall’s floor. A dim light seeps from the 
  hall’s ceiling, casting long, foggy rays that 
  cut down into the darkness like spears, 
  straight onto an immense pile of corpses in 
  the middle of the hall. A crowd of sickly, 
  pale, red-eyed beinbaiters (Jorgi’s Bestiary 
  p.40-41 or the “Undead” in GM Guide 
  p.109-110) slowly drag the naked human 
  corpses away, gnawing the flesh off the 
  bones. Near the pile of human remains 
  stands an enormous vat of yellow liquid. 
  This is the ghastly Draugklyfte hall. 
  This is where all the bodies are taken, 
  where their skin and flesh is gnawed off by 
  the beinbaiters. The bones are then dipped 
  into the vat containing the corrosive blood 
  of the logiwurm Nifelfang, stripping them 
  entirely of meat and sinew. The bones 
  are then transported through a door to 
  Sorthild, the Sorting Halls. 
  The bridge, which stretches over the 
  seemingly endless hall, is called “The 
  Bridge of the Lost Bones”. The bridge is 
  almost a kilometer long and two meters 
  wide. It has no railings, and leads to a large 
  iron door. The bridge covers Draugklyfte 
  in its entirety, and the height of the drop is 
  sixty meters. The door leads to The Room 
  of the Keys.
  The Room of the Keys
  The room is completely empty and is 
  constructed out of black iron. It is round, 
  with a diameter of six meters. A big iron 
  ring hangs three meters up the wall on the 
  far side of the room; an iron key in the ring. 
  The key leads to Mogunda’s lockhall. 
  There is a trap in the room that will 
  be activated if anyone takes the key 
  ring without speaking the magic word, 
  “hrungurid”, which, in the language of the 
  dead, means “guard”. The trap consists of 
  many sharp iron spears, which shoot from 
  the walls towards to the middle of the 
  room. Anyone standing in the room is hit 
  by 1d5 spears. Each spear is ejected with 
  immense force, and results in 1d10 (OR 
  9-10) damage.
  Key 4: Mogunda’s Chamber
  The door leads to a small chamber, which 
  is sparsely furnished with a bed, table, and 
  chair. The walls are covered in worm-eaten 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  173
  their spirit, because they are lost in some 
  sort of hibernation. If anyone touches 
  them, the spirit, elsewhere in Helgardh, 
  will sense this, and immediately return to 
  the hall. This will take a moment, and the 
  one that “wakes” the wight by touching it 
  or its armor will see how it flinches as the 
  spirit re-enters the empty shell.
  If the barrow wight wakes up, it will 
  try to kill everyone in the room. Only the 
  wight that is touched wakes up, the others 
  remain in their high seats without spirits, 
  but if any of them are touched, they too will 
  awake. 
  The barrow wights in this hall are 
  Bodvildur’s special bodyguards.
  The player characters will most likely 
  die if they wake any of the barrow wights, 
  because the wights are unusually powerful 
  creatures who are in their own element. 
  Try to describe how impressive it is to 
  see these armored creatures sit on their 
  enormous thrones, and how they seem to 
  emanate evil.
  Greedy player characters, or those with 
  sticky fingers, will meet their match in this 
  hall, or even their death, showing others 
  that Helgardh truly is a domain of death. 
  There is no place here for talk or riddles, 
  excuses or attempts at wheedling. The 
  slightest mistake here is a death sentence.
  The key which is required to leave this 
  hall hangs on a small hook on the wall 
  behind one of the thrones.
  Key 8: Ulgridshall- The Endless 
  Hall
  The player characters enter an endless hall, 
  the ceiling of which can’t even be seen, and 
  the walls continue on for all eternity. Every 
  tenth meter in all directions there is a large 
  iron pillar covered in rust. Enormous piles 
  of the clothing, armor, weapons, and other 
  belongings of the dead cover every inch of 
  the infinite floor. This hall is where all the 
  belongings of those that arrive in Helgardh 
  are kept, and all manner of gear, such as 
  weapons, clothing, shields, etc. can be found 
  here. It is entirely up to the Game Master 
  to determine what the player characters 
  find. Do, however, keep in mind that it is 
  exceptionally easy to get lost here simply 
  by stepping away from the wall that the 
  player characters enter through.
  the player characters arrive. If he is not 
  there, the key will be, together with two 
  thick leather bracelets. Anyone who puts 
  on the bracelets increases the Strength 
  character trait by one level. The bracelets 
  are magical, and Skogla used to have them 
  back when he still was a living creature. 
  Now they are the only things he has to 
  remind him of the time before he was 
  punished by the Gods. The bracelets do, 
  however, have one major disadvantage- 
  they will only work if the wearer does not 
  carry or wear any other magical objects. 
  In order to reach the pillar, the 
  player characters must cut through 
  a sea of warriors, who are all fighting 
  for survival. How many there are, and 
  just how mighty these warriors are, is 
  completely up to the Game Master to 
  decide. The one who wears the Stone 
  Flute can walk the whole stretch to the 
  pillar untouched, without so much as 
  needing to fight.
  Key 7: The Hall of the Death 
  Wraiths
  The door swings open easily, despite its 
  considerable weight. Time stands still. A 
  group of armor clad people sit on large 
  thrones in a circular room. Their armor 
  and weapons are all grotesque. They 
  appear to be large, powerful people, but are 
  all seated completely still in their seats of 
  honor. Death feels noticeably close.
  This is the Hall of the Barrow Wights. 
  The room is completely round, with a 
  diameter of 10 meters. Roughly a meter 
  from the wall stands a circle of ten 
  impressive thrones, made of solid iron. 
  Four of them are empty, the rest each holds 
  a barrow wight (Jorgi’s Bestiary p.36-39 or 
  the “Undead” in GM Guide p.109-110). All 
  of the wights in the room wear full suits of 
  black armor. The suits are all different, and 
  richly decorated with symbols and figures. 
  The barrow wights carry either two-
  handed axes or two-handed swords.
  Bodvildur’s barrow wights gather in 
  the hall when they wish to discard their 
  bodies, and let their spirits move freely 
  through Helgardh. The barrow wights 
  here are in a deep slumber because their 
  evil souls have temporarily left them. None 
  of the barrow wights will act without 
  feet in constant motion, and shattering 
  armor. The sixth key leads to the Field 
  of the Eternal Battle. This is where 
  the doomed warriors gather, cursed to 
  wage a battle without end. Each day, 
  thousands upon thousands of warriors 
  come here. They fight to escape the 
  realm of death, and each day one of 
  these soldiers, chosen by the servants 
  of Helgardh, is granted their freedom, 
  brought back to life once more, and 
  released from the clutches of death. The 
  field is filled with warriors, and they 
  fight both individually and in small, 
  temporary groups. The earth is covered 
  in twisted dead bodies. Decapitated 
  heads are sprinkled across the entire 
  field, and the mist shrouds the ground in 
  a ghostly glow. In the middle of the field 
  (roughly one hundred meters from the 
  door that the player characters exit), a 
  gigantic iron pillar looms, disappearing 
  off into the mist. The pillar is covered 
  in rusty iron nails, splattered with blood 
  and excrement. The pillar is 50 meters 
  tall, and Skogla sits at its very top.
  Skogla has the key required to get 
  back to the Lockhall.
  Skogla is a warrior, cursed by the Gods 
  to participate in battle after battle, until 
  the end of time, when even the Gods have 
  died. What he has done to deserve the 
  wrath of the Gods is known to him alone, 
  and he refuses to tell. If anyone climbs 
  up to Skogla, he will offer this person 
  the position of his student and follower. 
  Skogla promises traits that warriors 
  have always dreamt of, invulnerability 
  and a soul devoid of fear. Only the Child 
  of Light is denied the possibility of 
  becoming Skogla’s student. 
  Skogla sits atop the pillar at night. 
  During the day, he wanders through the 
  countries of Trudvang, participating in 
  all the wars that he can. If one of the 
  player characters decides to become his 
  student, they will be doomed to forever 
  face the same fate as Skogla, and they 
  will both be enveloped in mist and 
  disappear. The campaign is ended for 
  such characters and the GM decides 
  about their fate.
  There is a 50% (1-10 on 1d20) chance 
  that Skogla is sitting on the pillar when 
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  174  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  use a magical object, be affected (either 
  positively or negatively) by weaving 
  vitner or invoking the Gods, and will not 
  be able to themselves conjure anything 
  or pray. Simply put, Silgra will make the 
  player character completely lose all forms 
  of vitner, and therefore they aren’t affected 
  by them. It can be a big blow for the player 
  character to be the victim of such a curse, 
  but a skilled Game Master can develop 
  this into a further campaign to follow 
  Snowsaga. Perhaps the player character 
  must travel to the Nars Beaches once 
  more to lift the curse, something that can 
  only happen with Silgra’s permission, for 
  which she would likely want something in 
  return. 
  Soulwell is a small red gemstone, 
  which gives the user the answer to any 
  one question that they ask, whenever the 
  user wishes to use it. The answer should 
  be short and, preferably, poetic. After the 
  player character gets their answer, the 
  stone crumbles to bits. 
  The Return to the Lands of 
  Mortals
  When 
  the 
  player 
  characters 
  have 
  brought Maria back to life, they can 
  choose to continue exploring Helgardh. 
  However, it is far more likely that they 
  use the Pendulum of Death to return to 
  Trudvang. 
  This concludes Act II – The Time of 
  Betrayal of the Snowsaga campaign. .
  Below is a list of resources to help the 
  Game Master allocate adventure points:
  stands by the beach, gazing out over the 
  water.
  The woman is Hliva, and she is the one 
  who receives the spirits of those burnt in 
  the boats. Hliva wears black clothing, and 
  a long, hooded cape as black as coal. The 
  hood hides her face well, and all that can be 
  seen is a pair of bright red lips on a ghostly 
  pale face. Her nails are long, white, and 
  have grown into big spirals.
  If there are any non-human player 
  characters in the group, Hliva will ask what 
  they are doing there, and whether they 
  know that this realm is only for humans.
  Hliva knows everything about all the 
  dead who arrive from the sea, and therefore 
  knows everything about Ask Wulfr and 
  his wife Silgra, whose bodies were set out 
  to sea on a burning boat at the beginning 
  of the campaign, just after the wedding. If 
  any of the player characters mention their 
  name to Hliva, Silgra will immediately hear 
  it (as she now is a part of Hliva). Hliva’s 
  actions now depend on how a certain player 
  character acted earlier in the campaign, 
  when Silgra asked one of the player 
  characters to kill her during Ask’s funeral. 
  If the player character helped to kill Silgra, 
  she will now thank them for it, and reward 
  them with Soulwell (see below).
  If the player character refused to help 
  kill Silgra, she will now, through Hliva, 
  take her revenge for being denied her 
  last request. Hliva will place a curse on 
  the player character, a curse that makes 
  it so that this person never again will be 
  affected by magic or religious powers. This 
  means that the player character can never 
  On the wall next to the door hangs a key 
  that will take the player characters back to 
  the Keyroom.
  If the player characters remain in 
  Ulgridshall for more than five action 
  rounds, they will be discovered by 1d10 
  ”guards”, who immediately demand that the 
  player characters leave all their possessions 
  in the hall, or face their wrath.
  The guards are all large barrow wights 
  of sorts, who patrol the hall (Jorgi’s Bestiary 
  p.36-39 or the “Undead” in GM Guide p.109-
  110). If a battle breaks out between these 
  ”guards” and the player characters, 1d10 new 
  ‘guards’ arrive every tenth action round.
  Key 9: The Naarshores
  Behind the door lays a dark, kilometer-
  long path. The path ends by an endless 
  stone beach, the shores of which stretch 
  off into the mist. The player characters see 
  a vast, cold, and dark sea, which rests, still 
  and calm. Small beams of light, like torches 
  in the night, twinkle on the horizon, and 
  the entire shore is covered in the charred, 
  beached remains of old shipwrecks.
  These are the Naarshores, the cadaver 
  beaches to which the people who have 
  been cremated in a sea burial are sent. 
  Along the shore, and pretty far out into 
  the water, the burnt corpses of ships of 
  various sizes are scattered. Some still 
  have masts, while others are essentially 
  burnt to bits. The spots of light out on 
  the sea are the ships that are still in the 
  divide between Helgardh and Trudvang. 
  The beach is desolate and empty, aside 
  from the burnt ships. A lonesome woman 
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  act 2. time of betrayal  |  175
  aCT ii: advenTure poinTs
  Below is a list of resources to help the Game Master allocate adventure points:
  Player character:
  Adventure Points:
  Finished Act II:
  +100
  Made friends with Vidr by the Hunting Cabins:
  +5
  Pressed Vidr for information using threats by the Hunting Cabins:
  -10
  Helped Sergovei and the other dwarves fight the forest trolls:
  +15
  Murdered Sergovei and the other dwarves:
  -15
  Solved the riddle by the dwarven gates:
  +15
  Found a way down to the Buratja Kingdom:
  +15
  Made friends in Logr:
  +5 to +15
  Made enemies in Logr:
  -5 to -15
  Made their way down to Sparklur:
  +15
  Defeated Unghorvin:
  +30
  Retrieved the Stone Flute:
  +30
  Realized that the Buratja dwarves intended to betray them:
  +10
  Recognized Beldor’s advisor:
  +15
  Were hostile to Brask the troll:
  -5
  Made allies during the captivity:
  +5 to +15
  Became a slave to the torn root:
  -30
  Each time the player character was able to flee the Arks:
  +10
  Were rude to Grum Druvik:
  -15
  Acted spitefully to Juhkalla:
  -15
  Survived a year in captivity:
  +50
  Made it to Helgardh:
  +15
  Roused Maria from her sleep of death:
  +50
  Defeated Nifelfang:
  +30
  Explored all nine keys in Helgardh:
  +30
  Gameplay 
  How well the player showed the player character’s personality:
  -5 to +15
  How well the player showed the player character’s profession:
  -5 to +15
  That you as Game Master had fun and the players respected your rules:
   +5
  The player wasted time arguing about rules instead of playing:
  -15
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  176  |  act 2. time of betrayal
  ACT III
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  act 3. time of the prophecy  |  177
  If the player characters have survived Helgardh and used the 
  pendulum of death to return, they will arrive in a place that in 
  many ways is similar to the one they left before stepping down into 
  the realm of shadows. They find themselves by a small pond in a 
  forest. It is night, and stars twinkle from the velvet sky. 
   TIME OF THE PROPHECY 
  Juhkalla is sitting by the pond looking 
  up at the stars. He watches, as the player 
  characters are gradually released from the 
  mists, and step back into the mortal world.
  Juhkalla welcomes them back. If the 
  player characters have Maria with them, 
  he will look at them and say, 
  “So, the prophecy is true, after all”.
  If Maria is not with them, he will say: 
  “You 
  have 
  failed; 
  our 
  star 
  is 
  extinguished and now, hope is gone”.
  The rest of the adventure presumes 
  that the player characters have Maria with 
  them. If they do not, the Game Master 
  must adjust the adventure from here on 
  out. One suggestion would be to let the 
  Child of Light (if still alive) take on Maria’s 
  role. 
  Juhkalla asks the player characters if 
  they are ready to leave. He then brings 
  them on a fast-paced, tiring journey 
  towards Jaarnkihl. 
  Ever since the player characters 
  decided to follow Juhkalla to the 
  forbidden elf city, he has been leading 
  them on small animal paths, twisting 
  back and forth through the Darkwoods. 
  During the last two days, the paths have 
  been replaced with almost indiscernible 
  tracks, only apparent by the shallowness 
  of the snow. Juhkalla appears to know 
  exactly where he is going, and he always 
  seems to avoid the areas with too much 
  snow, in order to not leave any tracks 
  behind. The Darkwoods offers good cover 
  and its big trees protect against most 
  of the snow, but not the cold. He stops 
  suddenly and asks the others to duck 
  down. Half a minute passes, and then 
  he suddenly chirps like a black grouse. 
  Juhkalla waits a beat, and then repeats 
  the sound. Soon thereafter, ten tall elves 
  step out of the trees just a meter or so 
  away from the player characters. They 
  have been impossible to spot. The player 
  characters are surrounded by elves, all of 
  whom are similar to Juhkalla. 
  The elves are tall, have long raven 
  hair, and dark eyes, and they point their 
  powerful black iron bows at the player 
  characters. Juhkalla says something in 
  an elven dialect that none of the player 
  characters recognize, even if they have 
  the Foreign Tongue Eika specialty, (or 
  have it as their Mother Tongue). He 
  quickly converses with one of the elves, 
  who instead of a bow carries a long, 
  thin broadsword. They exchange a few 
  words, after which Juhkalla tells any 
  player characters brandishing weapons 
  to put them down. The same elf that 
  Juhkalla spoke to then commands the 
  group to move, and the company is 
  quickly marched through the forest. As 
  they walk, Juhkalla speaks to the leader, 
  and he seems worried. He tells the player 
  characters that there are Orkhir in the 
  area. Hopefully, they will be able to get 
  to safety without being discovered. Soon 
  thereafter, the elven leader orders five of 
  the elves to head north, while he urges 
  the others on, trying to make them pick 
  up speed. The journey goes faster and 
  faster, and eventually the entire group, 
  tall elves and player characters alike, are 
  all jogging along. The player characters 
  must roll a successful Situation roll with 
  Situation Value 8 (Strength modifiers 
  apply) in order to cope. If anyone fails, 
  the group must slow down, and risk an 
  encounter with a pack of Orkhir. This 
  is, however, up to the Game Master to 
  determine. The player characters should 
  feel hunted. 
  Roughly half an hour later, three of the 
  elves that were sent away return. They are 
  all bloody and covered in wounds. Their 
  weapons appear to have been thoroughly 
  used, and their quivers are empty. The 
  Act III
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  178  |  act 3. time of the prophecy
  opened their minds but was not able to 
  fill them with her own truths. They did 
  seem to absorb some things, while others 
  were dismissed as swiftly as the wind 
  ruffles the autumn leaves. One thing that 
  they did know, however, was that the 
  price they would have to pay to decipher 
  the prophecy was being cast aside by all 
  other elves. The Norim Elves had been 
  split into two camps: “Falillia”, the “Star 
  Elves, and “Jaarnkillia”, the Iron Elves. 
  The Iron Elves eventually intermingled 
  with other elves in the Darkwoods, and 
  the Norim Elf blood was diluted.
  How Jaarnkihl was created is still 
  veiled in mystery. Nothing has ever been 
  written about the construction of this 
  strange tower, made entirely of iron. 
  According to folklore, it involved both 
  black magic and dark rituals. There are 
  whispers of collaborations with demons 
  and the powers of evil. The elves in 
  Jaarnkihl avoid all contact with the 
  outside world, especially other elves. No 
  strangers are admitted into the iron city. 
  It is well known that the elves in 
  Jaarnkihl have an impressive grasp of the 
  art of astrology. Their entire city is like 
  a great squeaking and creaking machine. 
  Those who have visited the city claim 
  that the technology appears to serve an 
  almost cult-like, or religious purpose. It 
  is almost as if the elves in Jaarnkihl were 
  attempting to reach their Gods using 
  machines. But that is not the case. The 
  iron tower was built to read the stars, and 
  to monitor their movements across the 
  black night sky. The slightest sign that 
  the prophecy was being brought about, 
  and they know to immediately leap into 
  action. 
  The player characters are brought into 
  the elven city, led by the little group of 
  elves who had guided them the last few 
  days. Guards, dressed in black armor with 
  silver details, take over when the player 
  characters reach an enormous set of iron 
  gates in the middle of the city. The gates 
  lead to the tower building itself. They 
  are each allocated a small, south-facing 
  room, and asked to wait. 
  Roughly an hour passes before a 
  beautiful elf woman, who introduces 
  herself as Yllviaan, gathers the player 
  Jaarnkihl
  In the wild heart of the Darkwoods 
  there is a secret place commonly known 
  by its inhabitants as “Jaarnkihl”. It 
  is a small city built by the elves from 
  Valtoris, and it differs greatly from any 
  other elven buildings in all of Trudvang. 
  Architecturally, it is similar to other 
  elven cities in all respects bar one, the 
  large iron tower at its center. Iron, the 
  metal that the elves have abhorred and 
  shunned since time immemorial. The 
  city is home to an unusual community 
  of elves. They are considered renegades, 
  and shunners of traditions. The entire 
  elven world has turned its back on them. 
  There it stands, like a dark wedge against 
  the sky, and no one dares approach it. The 
  elves are traditionally a backward people, 
  firm in their endeavor to preserve their 
  golden age. By preserving and adapting 
  their history, they believe themselves 
  able to get closer to the Gods who once 
  abandoned them. This endeavor holds a 
  dream, a dream to one day be reunited 
  with the Gods and lift their once grand 
  civilization from the ruins once more. And 
  so it has been, ever since “Savenpaha”, the 
  betrayal of the Gods, when the elves were 
  left alone in Trudvang like abandoned 
  children. They fight to keep their 
  traditions strong and alive, to appease 
  the Gods, and show themselves worthy 
  of this mighty alliance. 
  But when a small fraction of Norim 
  Elves turned to Valtoris from the 
  Great Ice Plains after their escape from 
  Valsinka’s purge, they broke an ancient 
  tradition. They went against laws not 
  to be broken, they denounced a custom 
  that had stood since the time when the 
  elves dwelt among the Gods. They built 
  an iron tower. Some claim that they have 
  become worshippers of the black ice. 
  Only they themselves knew the truth. 
  The answer was written in the stars, and 
  the elves built an instrument which could 
  help them decipher and interpret the 
  ancient prophecy. 
  It was Valsinka who had whispered to 
  them; it was she who had tried to lure 
  them into her control. But things did no 
  go as she wanted them to, the whispers 
  did not make it all the way through. She 
  leader asks them something that the player 
  characters do not understand. One of the 
  returned elves speaks a few words, jerks his 
  head, and points at his weapon. The group 
  then slows down, moving at a calmer pace. 
  After a little while Juhkalla explains that 
  the elves had been able to neutralize ten 
  Orkhir that had been hot on their heels for 
  the last few days, but that there appears to 
  be more out there. After roughly two days 
  of relentless marching with only short 
  breaks, the group reaches Jaarnkihl. It is 
  an impressive structure, far overshadowing 
  everything the player characters had ever 
  believed to have known about the elves. In 
  the middle of the forest, among the tree’s 
  tall trunks and sheltering canopies, a city 
  rises, with an iron tower at its core. The 
  city is located on a small hill, and the black 
  tower at its center dominates the cityscape. 
  Being imprisoned by the ferocious Arks 
  who glamorize violence has really taken a 
  toll on the player characters. Those who 
  are not physically or mentally completely 
  wrecked, are either dependant on the awful 
  torn root, or have themselves adopted the 
  dark faith. Helgardh has left deep scars and 
  awful memories deeply imprinted on their 
  souls. Jaarnkihl will offer them some well-
  deserved rest, and time for both mental and 
  physical recreation.
  The campaign has really worn the player 
  characters down in many ways. Those the 
  player characters believed to be friends 
  turned out to be foes, and horrible things 
  have happened to them and those they met 
  on their long journey. That which was 
  myth has become reality, and the prophecy 
  no longer feels all that far off. The winter 
  is approaching its third year, and many are 
  worried. The prophecy speaks of the world 
  ending when the winter reaches the end of 
  its third year.
  In Jaarnkihl, the Child of Light will, 
  for the first time, learn that he is, without 
  any doubt, the chosen one, known in 
  the prophecy as “The Shepherd”. It is 
  in this elven city that many pieces will 
  fall into place, as the player characters 
  come to learn many things. They are told 
  everything about Blodughadda’s string of 
  conquests in the East, the Orkhir’s dreadful 
  background, Valsinka and the Snow 
  Queen’s bloodthirsty Ice Worshippers. 
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  act 3. time of the prophecy  |  179
  The king turns to Maria and says, 
  “The Daughter of Fate, you are now 
  tasked with guiding these brave souls. 
  You wrote the prophecy, so, if anyone 
  knows, it would be you”.
  He then turns to the player characters 
  and introduces himself as Kuopiva, King of 
  the Iron Elves. 
  The king has formed a council of 
  his most trusted advisors, the player 
  characters, Linn, and Maria. During the 
  council, they learn of the Ice Worshippers 
  and their dark past, of Ysetur’s murky 
  history, and how the Stormlands have 
  been virtually conquered by the dark 
  warriors who go by the name of Orkhir. 
  For the very first time, they hear Norna’s 
  prophecy in its entirety, as told by Linn. 
  She tells the player characters about 
  Maria, and how she is the one person 
  who could defeat the Snow Queen. The 
  player characters are also told that they 
  must head to the Great Ice Plains to find 
  Snowsaga, the key that Kirjonti lost in 
  Wildheart. They also learn that if they 
  fail, the world will be swallowed in an 
  eternal winter. 
  The Iron Elves have been able to 
  determine where Snowsaga is using the 
  Stone of Sagas. They explain that there is 
  a kingdom in the northernmost regions 
  of the Great Ice Plains where the black 
  ice reigns. The king says that it will 
  take eight to ten more days to prepare 
  them for the arduous journey up to this 
  kingdom. 
  During the days the player characters 
  wait, they can choose to rest up and prepare 
  for the great challenge of reclaiming 
  Snowsaga. 
  Preparations
  The days leading up to the player 
  characters leaving for the Great Ice Plains 
  to reclaim Snowsaga pass in a blur. The 
  player characters get some well-deserved 
  rest, and any questions they have will 
  be answered as well as possible with the 
  knowledge available. The Iron Elves will 
  be completely occupied with preparing for 
  the player characters’ journey.
  sun. Juhkalla stops in front of a low set 
  of double doors made of iron, guarded 
  by two elves dressed in black cuirasses. 
  Juhkalla says that they are expected, 
  and the doors swing open. Before them 
  lays a semi-circular room, and the player 
  characters realize that they are in the 
  very top of the tall iron tower. Huge 
  windows are fitted into the walls, which 
  are all made entirely of iron. The room 
  is awash in red from the dying light of 
  the sun. An elf, dressed entirely in white, 
  stands in the middle of the room, behind 
  a thick iron plate which seems to be 
  some sort of measuring device or map of 
  the stars. Linn, Maria, and three other 
  elves stand by his side. All are dressed 
  in black. The man in white is Kuopiva 
  Portipaahta, King of the Iron Elves, and 
  Johtaja’s mythical son. As Game Master, 
  it would be a good idea to highlight the 
  contrasts present in the room: a room 
  made entirely of iron, with a huge black 
  iron plate at its center, the red light 
  flooding in, and the entirely white-clad 
  king who stares the player characters 
  down with piercing eyes. 
  The iron gates close behind the player 
  characters, and the man in white speaks up.
  “One of you is known as the Light 
  Bearer, or the Child of Light. Do 
  you know how we elves first came to 
  Trudvang It fis safid that we came wfith 
  the light, which is why you should be 
  especially dear to us, Child of Light.”
  The elf king turns away from the player 
  characters, walks up to one of the big 
  windows, and gazes out. It is silent for a 
  while before he speaks again.
  “Winter reigns out there. A cold chill 
  and icy winds. The Child of Light shall 
  meet the Child of Darkness. This my 
  dreams tell me. So, who are you Child of 
  Lfight You, who hofld our ffate fin your 
  hands”
  He falls quiet again before breaking the 
  silence in a low voice.
  “Who are you You, who hofld our ffate 
  fin your hands”
  characters and explains that the king 
  and Linn will receive them in two days. 
  Yllviaan will meanwhile try to fulfil 
  the player characters wishes whenever 
  possible, but also asks them to stay in this 
  part of the tower building, as it is all too 
  easy to get lost in the passageways.
  The player characters are well taken 
  care of for the two days that pass while 
  they await their meeting with the king 
  and Linn. They get to take steam baths, 
  their clothes are washed and mended, 
  wounds are treated, and their weapons 
  are sharpened and maintained (they 
  gain +1 in damage). As Game Master 
  you should try to “surprise” the player 
  characters as much as possible. For 
  instance, let them go for a steam bath and 
  return to find their weapons sharpened, 
  clothes washed, and their gear mended. 
  They should feel like royalty. For the first 
  time since the wedding in Storhavn, the 
  player characters get to eat their fill, and 
  they are all in high spirits. Their wounds 
  heal at twice their regular pace (2 body 
  points/day modified by Constitution, 
  to a minimum of 2 points). The Game 
  Master should, however, try to maintain 
  the mystery surrounding this mystical 
  elf city in the murky Darkwoods. It could 
  be interesting to let one of the player 
  characters with the Culture Knowledge 
  discipline (Elves) familiarize themselves 
  with some of the kingdom’s history. The 
  kingdom is a paradox to all who know 
  anything about elves. In many ways, they 
  act like normal elves, but everything 
  seems hard and rigid, like the iron tower 
  which looms over the city. 
  The Council
  Late in the evening on the second day 
  after the player characters’ arrival in 
  Jaarnkihl, they are picked up by Juhkalla, 
  who now looks noticeably more formal 
  than the elf they met during their 
  imprisonment. He brings the player 
  characters further up the tower, via steep 
  iron spiral staircases. Outside, large 
  snowflakes fall, slowly making their way 
  to the ground. The day is being devoured 
  by the night, and the sky has been dyed 
  completely red by the last rays of the 
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  180  |  act 3. time of the prophecy
  The king glances up at the night sky and 
  takes a deep breath. He then looks over at 
  the Child of Light and continues, 
  “Who are you, you who hold our fate in 
  your hands Good fluck, my ffrfiends!”
  The king picks up a small silk pouch 
  with patterns of the forest beautifully 
  embroidered in gold. He gives Maria 
  and the player characters each a magic 
  iron ring. Linn explains that the ring 
  will protect them from the worst chill 
  in the Great Ice Plains, but also tells 
  them that they must still wear the 
  mastomant clothes (PV/BV 4/40, Heft 6, 
  MM -2 m. IM -2, immune to the “Hrim 
  Body” ability of certain creatures) in the 
  sleighs to avoid freezing to death. Each 
  sleigh contains complete, full-coverage 
  mastomant clothes for each of the player 
  characters, including Maria. The rings 
  protect against the so-called Farje Wind, 
  and if they were to remove the rings at 
  any point after reaching the Great Ice 
  Plains, they will freeze to death within 
  1d6 action rounds. 
  Aside from the gear that the player 
  characters themselves have chosen, and 
  the mastomant clothes, there are also 
  two weeks’ worth of food rations for each 
  of them. The elves have also included 
  five rations each of the highly unusual 
  special plant known as the “night thistle”. 
  Anyone who eats a ration of the night 
  thistle does not need to eat anything else 
  for three days. Therefore, the rations 
  can replace food for fifteen days for each 
  person. 
  The heroes leave, and the elves and 
  their burning torches gathered around 
  the small hill are engulfed in darkness 
  once more. From afar, they can hear 
  the elves still shouting “receive our 
  reverence” in Elvish. This is the heroes’ 
  last journey before they reach their final 
  destination. 
  Led by Maria, the group will make 
  their way out of the Darkwoods, through 
  the Great Iron Mountains’ steep passes, 
  and out onto the dreaded Great Ice Plains. 
  Within a few weeks, the player characters 
  will find themselves in a howling inferno 
  of snow and freezing winds. When they 
  out of the city. A light snow falls from the 
  starlit, sky. Their path is lined by elves, 
  all of whom carry a burning torch in 
  one hand. The heroes are regarded with 
  cold eyes and expressionless faces. It is 
  impossible to tell whether they have lost 
  faith, or if they simply do not care. One 
  thing that is certain is that many of them 
  probably would have preferred to see 
  their fate rest in the hands of one of their 
  own people, rather than these strangers 
  from the lands of men.
  Maria and the player characters are 
  taken to a small hill just outside the city. 
  This is where the elves have gathered 
  the sleighs and equipment required to 
  travel to the Great Ice Plains. There 
  are enough sleighs to carry the entire 
  group. Each sleigh carries three people 
  and is pulled by four completely white 
  reindeer. Someone explains that these are 
  “ice reindeers”, one of the few creatures 
  that can manage the chilly climate in the 
  Great Ice Plains.
  The king gathers the player characters 
  in front of the reindeer and says “Friends, 
  the Children of Prophecy, hear our voice 
  when you find yourselves in the frozen 
  Great Ice Plains. Feel our solace when 
  the cold wind takes hold. All hope rests 
  with you now, the future is in your hands. 
  With the help of the stars, Maria will 
  lead you to where evil slumbers. Once, 
  a long time ago, our people shackled her 
  there. Her whispers have snaked their 
  way into our hearts and splintered our 
  race. It is in this ultimate action that we 
  find hope of unity. The eye of the storm 
  holds the truth”.
  The player characters will likely not 
  even understand half of what he says, but 
  they will probably realize that all hope for 
  the future rests with them.
  The elves from the city stand around the 
  little hill, holding the torches high above 
  their heads. Someone in the crowd shouts 
  something that the player characters do 
  not understand. Soon thereafter, someone 
  else calls out. The king looks at the player 
  characters and says, 
  “Kovianpha, riihvalia. Yes, so it is, 
  ‘receive our reverence’ as it is said in 
  our ancient tongue”.
  As the days pass, the player characters 
  can spend their time preparing and 
  discussing everything they have been 
  through, and what is yet to come.
  The king will try to accommodate the 
  player characters’ needs for new equipment 
  as well as he can. Most of what the player 
  characters need in terms of normal gear 
  can be found in Jaarnkihl. It is up to the 
  Game Master to decide whether the player 
  characters’ demands are realistic. Gear 
  for ice climbing might be a good idea. On 
  one of the days of preparation, the player 
  characters are sought out by Hallvinphä, 
  the King’s vitner weaver, who offers them 
  Jotunslayer. 
  Jotunslayer
  Jotunslayer 
  can 
  essentially 
  be 
  any 
  conceivable type of weapon. This is 
  entirely up to the Game Master to decide. 
  The important thing is that it is given to 
  someone who really knows how to use 
  it. Jotunslayer could be an axe, a sword, 
  a spear, or any type of close-combat 
  weapon. 
  The elves give the player characters 
  Jotunsalyer because they know that 
  they are journeying up to the Great Ice 
  Plains. The elves have had Jotunsalyer 
  in their possession since the Age of the 
  Queen, and the ancestors of Hallvinphä, 
  the vitner weaver, have been the ones 
  carrying it. 
  Jotunsalyer is magical and causes 
  1d10 (OR 7–10) in damage or 1d10 (OR 
  5–10) against giants. It protects against 
  the so-called Hrim Body quality of the 
  hrimtursirs and Hrim Trolls, but not 
  against any other type of cold. Jotunslayer 
  is big and unwieldy (as it was originally 
  crafted for a giant but has been modified 
  and adjusted to fit a smaller creature) and 
  can therefore only be used to make one 
  weapon action per round, regardless of 
  how many combat points the person has. 
  The Final Journey
  The heroes are awakened in the middle of 
  the eighth night. They are about to head 
  into the unknown and untamed Great Ice 
  Plains, the dark powers and cold nature 
  of which few have ever seen. They are led 
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  act 3. time of the prophecy  |  181
  The Black Ice
  The landscape is veiled in a murky 
  darkness, and the black shadows of the ice 
  mountains stretch across the barren land. 
  Despite the player characters’ rings, the 
  cold will penetrate their souls and bodies 
  so much that they will find it difficult to 
  think clearly. They have no idea where 
  they are, but Maria seems unaffected by 
  the weather, and will resolutely lead the 
  player characters toward their final goal. 
  A sharp line separates the white ice from 
  the black ice, and the player characters 
  realize that they are near their ultimate 
  destination. 
  The black ice crunches like gravel 
  underfoot, and all who step upon its 
  hard surface are filled with a sense of 
  melancholy and dread. The black ice is 
  solid and compact, and snow crystals, as 
  large as copper coins, rest upon the matte 
  surface. Within minutes, the snow crystals 
  cover everyone and everything in the 
  landscape. It is so cold that you could break 
  your beard off after only a few minutes, and 
  the chill stabs like knives in your nose and 
  eyes. Iron items become brittle, and will 
  easily break when used. The wind increases 
  every day of their journey, and eventually 
  hit 45–50 m/s. 
  The BV of all metal objects is halved 
  (and therefore the PV is consequently 
  diminished). The same is also true for 
  Mitraka items. 
  Maria explains that they must be 
  extra wary from now on. They enter 
  a dark realm which is stirring to life. 
  The stars tell that they shall reach 
  two places they cannot avoid. The 
  first of these is Gillnagrindr, which is 
  a two-weeks journey from here. The 
  second is “Järnvida”, also known as the 
  “Blackwood”, a dark forest which they 
  have to pass through to reach their goal.
  Gillnagrindr
  It is said that one of the old Gods loved 
  the giants. His name was Ghroddattur 
  and he was a great warrior, vitner 
  weaver, and bard, but above all he was 
  the God of the frost giants. According 
  to the hrimtursirs’ own myths and 
  legends, he was the one who built 
  the frost as their constant companion. 
  Most creatures that wander up into 
  the Great Ice Plains from Trudvang’s 
  southern regions rarely get further than 
  half-a-day’s march into this fortress of 
  cold. It is so cold up here that not even 
  the mastomants would survive for any 
  longer period of time. The cold never 
  relinquishes its death grip on this lost 
  land, and the biting wind draws tears 
  from anyone who has not burrowed their 
  head down toward their chest. 
  The realm of the black ice lies just 
  beyond the Great Ice Plains. Few living 
  creatures know of it, and in the countries 
  south of the Great Iron Mountains, this 
  land has no name. In the legends of the 
  hrimtursirs, it is known as “Dunroggha”, 
  the Murky Land. It is a black, murky land, 
  never touched by the sun’s warming rays. 
  As long as the player characters wear 
  the mastomant clothes and iron rings, 
  they will not take damage from the cold. 
  However, the cold will be cutting, like 
  sharp blades against their bodies, chilling 
  them to the core, which means that, as 
  long as they are outdoor, the player 
  characters will get -5 SV in everything 
  they do.
  The journey up to the black ice should 
  be as uneventful as the one from Jaarnkihl 
  to the Great Ice Plains. The main difference 
  is that the player characters are no longer 
  enjoying an impressive landscape. Instead, 
  they hide under fur hides, and burrow their 
  heads down toward their chests to get a 
  respite from the bitter cold.
  When they finally reach the Great Ice 
  Plains, they notice that the amount of wild 
  game lessens greatly. Anyone attempting 
  to hunt will get a modifier of -7 on their 
  skill rolls. Very few creatures are able to 
  survive up here. The whole time, Maria 
  will try to avoid contact or confrontations 
  with other creatures. In order to raise 
  the tension, the Game Master can chose 
  to have the player characters flee from 
  a group of hrimtursir. During the first 
  few days in the Great Ice Plains, the 
  Game Master can also choose to let the 
  player characters see enormous herds of 
  mastomants, and an hrim troll or two. The 
  further north they get, the fewer creatures 
  they see. 
  actually reach the Great Ice Plains, each 
  of them must attempt a situation roll 
  with Situation Value 12 (Psyche modifiers 
  apply). If the player character fails the roll, 
  the horror of being in the Great Ice Plains 
  will be too great, and they find themself 
  unable to go on, choosing instead to turn 
  back. It will require a lot of role playing 
  and convincing from the other player 
  characters to stop the player character 
  from turning back home.
  After they have finally reached the Great 
  Ice Plains, the journey to the black ice will 
  take an additional month and a half. What 
  awaits them is something that few people 
  have ever survived.
  The journey out of the Darkwoods 
  and through the passes of the Great Iron 
  Tooth should be characterized by the 
  overwhelming forces of nature, rather 
  than meetings with other creatures. Look 
  at the cover image, and describe how the 
  Great Iron Mountains’ snow-capped peaks 
  seem to rise endlessly. Use descriptive 
  language to paint an image of how they 
  cross wild, rapid streams, and how mighty 
  waterfalls burst forth from the cliff faces. 
  Try to find pictures of nature in books, 
  magazines, or online, which describes the 
  landscape that you, as Game Master, want 
  to create. Let the player characters revel 
  in nature’s enormous power and grandeur. 
  Maria skillfully guides them up to the 
  Great Ice Plains, despite not really being 
  able to explain how she knows the way. 
  She claims to be able to see the answers 
  in the stars. 
  After almost two weeks, they finally 
  reach the Great Ice Plains’ southern border. 
  The greaT iCe plains
  Tall ice mountains, endless horizons, and 
  cold, icy winds which cut into the soul 
  are the first things that meet anyone who 
  dares venture up into this, the darkest 
  of all Trudvang’s regions. the Great Ice 
  Plains is the epitome of hardship and 
  condemnation. The eternal cold and 
  hostile climate means that only the most 
  hardened and resilient creatures can 
  survive here. The Great Ice Plains is the 
  domain of the hrimtursir, and they live in 
  harmony with this wild landscape, with 
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  182  |  act 3. time of the prophecy
  In the northern parts of the room are 
  two enormous thrones made of ice, one on 
  either side of the corridor. A hrimtursir is 
  always seated on the western throne, acting 
  as guard. This is usually Nugghoggo, an 
  aged giant, who is generally an outcast (use 
  Hrimtursir stats with 208 BP). Nugghoggo 
  will often fall asleep at his post, and it is 
  very likely that he will be sleeping on his 
  throne when the player characters enter 
  Gillnagrindr, while the rest of the giants 
  are all in the smaller guardroom eating.
  An enormous iron grate with bars as 
  thick as barrels blocks the northern exit. 
  The space between the bars is so large 
  that anyone can get through with ease, 
  even those of large build. The gate is 
  locked, and the player characters will not 
  be able to open it by themselves. In order to 
  get to the other side, the player characters 
  will have to pass through the iron grate. 
  It will obviously be easier if the player 
  characters attempt to sneak out through 
  Gillnagrindr without waking the sleeping 
  giant or attracting the attention of his 
  friends in the smaller guardroom. In order 
  to raise the tension, the Game Master can 
  choose to have Nugghoggo wake up just 
  as the player characters are sneaking out. 
  They may have to hide behind the pillars 
  in order to avoid detection. Getting into a 
  fight with five fierce hrimtursir this near to 
  the goal is not reccomended. 
  3. Smaller Guardroom
  The other four giants not standing guard 
  are all in the smaller guardroom. A large 
  table is wedged in between four thick ice 
  pillars, which support the roof.
  Järnvida (Blackwood)
  Despite the fact that it really should not 
  be possible for a forest to grow in this 
  northernmost 
  and 
  coldest 
  region 
  of 
  Trudvang, there is a forest up here, so dark 
  and shadowy that the Darkwoods feel light 
  and airy in comparison. It is not the beasts 
  nor the creatures that make the giants avoid 
  these trees; the Darkwoods are actually far 
  scarier in that respect. No, it is the darkness 
  and the black trees and their twisted shapes 
  that make the hrimtursir believe that the 
  forest is haunted by the powers of death. 
  1. The Entrance
  The actual entrance is so large that the 
  player characters have a hard time discerning 
  its true size. On either side of the entrance 
  stands a mighty pillar of black ice. The 
  snow lies in deep drifts around their bases. A 
  passage leads straight into the large building, 
  which appears to be entirely covered in ice 
  and snow. In the snow outside the gate, the 
  footprints of a gigantic creature can be seen. 
  2. Guard Post
  The actual gatehouse only consists of two 
  rooms, one larger and one smaller. If you 
  walk through the entrance, you immediately 
  arrive in the larger guardroom. Ten pillars 
  in total line the eastern and western walls. 
  In the north section of the room there are 
  two staircases, one to the west that leads up 
  to a small look-out post, and another that is 
  also on the western side and leads into the 
  smaller guardroom.
  Gillnagrindr, 
  using 
  his 
  incredible 
  strength. This strange outpost and gate 
  are constructed entirely of iron, stone, 
  and enormous blocks of ice, and is said 
  to be the only way to the Great Ice 
  Plains northernmost regions. 
  To get to the great rift where Snowsaga 
  is kept, the player characters first have to 
  make their way through Gillnagrindr. A 
  task that is not at all easy.
  Gillnagrindr lies embedded in a deep 
  rift between two enormous ice-covered 
  mountains. From time to time, the fortified 
  gate has stood empty and abandoned, 
  but the level of activity has gradually 
  increased since Blodughadda roused the 
  Snow Queen. Endless rows of Orkhir have 
  passed through the enormous iron gates, 
  to ravage and conquer the countries in the 
  East. Today, the gate is guarded by five 
  hrimtursir, all members of Blodughadda’s 
  own tribe. 
  GILLNAGRINDR
  2
  3
  1
  To Look-Out 
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  act 3. time of the prophecy  |  183
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  184  |  act 3. time of the prophecy
  into a deadly winter that requires divine 
  intervention (or a very creative Game 
  Master) to end. 
  During this part of the adventure, the 
  Snow Queen’s powers will make themselves 
  known. She will first try to splinter and 
  weaken the group of adventurers. If this 
  does not work, she will send her servants, 
  the black hrimtursirs Yggadabaden and 
  Hrisuddira, after them.
  The black ice is full of vitner that has 
  not been discharged yet and putting 
  incantations on the landscape and caves 
  will surprise potential vitner weavers. 
  Placing an incantation here will mean that 
  each vitner point spent counts double for 
  the sake of both spellcasting and adding 
  levels of power. However, practising 
  magic here is something like sitting on an 
  untamed horse. The effect is enormous, 
  but the consequences of failure can be 
  devastating. All spell casting rolls with a 
  result of 17-20, whether they are successful 
  or not, force to roll on the Fatal Failures 
  table (Player’s Handbook pages 84-85) 
  using not twice the vitner points which are 
  spent. 
  Here are a few of the whispers that some 
  of the player characters experience while 
  they find themselves down in the big ice 
  crevice.
  To one of the player characters:
  You hear a smooth, whispering voice. At 
  first, it is difficult to tell who it is, or what 
  the voice says. It whispers your name, and 
  you realize that it is your mother. She says: 
  “[name], [name], you have to watch 
  out. You are in grave danger, and I 
  can only tell you this once, there are 
  too many listening. In your company 
  there is a man called [another player 
  character’s name], he is set to betray you. 
  The further down you travel in the ice 
  caves, the more dangerous it gets. You or 
  someone else in your group will only get 
  one chance to kill him. When you reach 
  the place the wolf guards, you will have 
  to try to kill [other player character’s 
  name]. Someone is listening, I must go 
  now. Take care of yourself, my child. 
  Remember, there are those on your side.”
  To another player character:
  the frost giant created while looking for a 
  place to hide Snowsaga. 
  Not far from here, there is another big 
  rift, exposing the destroyed and distorted 
  city far beneath the black ice, which 
  the Orkhir crawled out of. The player 
  characters are not meant to travel to the 
  twisted city because it is overrun with evil 
  Orkhir. If any of the player characters try 
  to use the Hunting Experience discipline 
  of the Wilderness skill, preferably with 
  the Tracker specialty, they will find plenty 
  of tracks, all leading North. If the player 
  characters decide to follow the tracks, 
  they will most likely succumb to the cold, 
  or find the way to the Orkhir’s kingdom, 
  where they would quickly be overpowered 
  and killed.
  The black ice and the Snow Queen are 
  one and the same being. She has dwelled up 
  here in the North since the dawn of time, 
  but her dark powers have never been able 
  to fully flourish. Using her whispers and 
  godlike abilities, she has woken the dead, 
  and called upon ancient powers. However, 
  without the ferocious giant Blodughadda, 
  her dark elemental powers would not 
  have been evoked, nor would her evil have 
  gotten a face. By placing Snowsaga in the 
  heart of the black ice, it slowly thawed a 
  prehistoric evil and darkness, and that 
  which should never be roused now awakes 
  from its slumber to fling Trudvang into an 
  endless winter.
  If the giant had only gotten the love he 
  so needed, or the care he always desired 
  from his own people, the Snow Queen 
  would never have come back to life, and 
  her servants would have remained frozen 
  in the cradle of time. Lost love and newly 
  acquired infatuation are the things that link 
  the Child of Darkness to the Child of Light, 
  and both act by virtue of their passion. 
  Getting down to the black ice and 
  meeting the Snow Queen’s various servants 
  is not an easy task. The player characters 
  will be put through a difficult ordeal and 
  must overcome tough resistance if they try 
  to reclaim Snowsaga and bring it back from 
  the Great Ice Plains. 
  As long as they stay within the black 
  ice, the Snow Queen’s whispers will gnaw 
  at the group’s unity and ability to succeed. 
  If they fail, Trudvang will soon be thrown 
  Stepping under its canopy is like stepping 
  into the night. The trees are gnarled and 
  twisted, and are large enough to conceal a 
  giant. Their bark and needles are black and 
  murky, as if never touched by the sun. The 
  trunks are so close to each other that it is 
  difficult to tell them apart. The branches 
  have woven together over thousands of years 
  to eventually form a compact roof that does 
  not let any light through whatsoever. 
  The trees are actually very tall. Their 
  trunks break through the ice several 
  hundred meters up and it is only the twisted 
  tree tops which make up the actual forest.
  The only pleasant thing about the forest 
  is that it shuts the howling winds out for a 
  while. Maria leads them, resolutely, into the 
  forest, in the hope of quickly being able to 
  traverse this ominous place. All who enter 
  the forest take 1d10 Fear Points. Maria will 
  speak soothingly to them, so that they get 
  -2 on their results about Fear Points. 
  The walk through the forest will take at 
  least five days, assuming that the group sleeps 
  less than usual and walks most of the day. 
  The forest is so dark and impenetrable 
  that few creatures live here. The Jarngarm, 
  however, dwells in the shadows of the trees, 
  chasing what little prey there is. While the 
  player characters are in the forest, they will 
  likely attract the attention of the Jangarm, 
  who will attack in the hope of a feast. If 
  (and how often) they encounter the garm is 
  entirely up to the Game Master. 
  The Crevice
  Three days after the player characters pass 
  through the forest, they will reach their 
  ultimate destination. Despite their rings, the 
  cold grabs a hold of them, body and soul, 
  making it difficult for the player characters 
  to think clearly (-3 on all skills which imply 
  the use of Intelligence). They have no idea 
  where they are, but Maria explains that they 
  are only a few hundred meters from the place 
  she has seen in her dreams. She continues to 
  say that they will have to descend into a deep 
  crevice, and that Snowsaga is to be found 
  somewhere down there. 
  The 
  crevice 
  is 
  the 
  rift 
  where 
  Blodughadda has placed Snowsaga. A small 
  path leads down into the rift, ending in a 
  labyrinth of ice passages and rooms that 
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  act 3. time of the prophecy  |  185
  2. The Crossing
  Blodughadda has placed a group of 
  ten very competent and large Orkhir 
  (Svorgha) at the first big crossing. They 
  stand, gathered in a large circle, around 
  a thick pillar of ice. The pillar is covered 
  in runes and other symbols, all of which 
  are engraved on its surface. The symbols 
  are reminiscent of the inscriptions and 
  signs that Orkhir wear on their bodies. 
  Despite watching the pillar closely, the 
  group is very vigilant, and only someone 
  who succeeds with a Shadow Arts skill roll 
  (preferably with the Shadowing discipline, 
  the Camouflage and Hiding specialty, and 
  all in the rift must succeed with a situation 
  roll with a Situation Value of 8 (Dexterity 
  modifiers apply) in order to not be hit by 
  1d3 big blocks of ice, each causing 1d10 
  (OR 9–10) in damage.
  Map of the Crevice
  1. Ice Stairs
  More than a hundred meters down into the 
  crevice, a roughly cut staircase leads out of 
  the black ice. The ice walls are entirely black 
  and covered in ice crystals. The walls are so 
  cold that anyone who touches them takes 
  1d3 in damage. Armor protects as per usual.
  “[Name], my name is unknown to you 
  mortals, but among the ancient Gods I 
  went by the name “Isian”, the Bringer 
  of Light. A few of us have decided to 
  help you. Some who rest in the depths 
  only wish you harm. Listen closely, my 
  friend, you must turn back. Maria is 
  leading you straight into a trap.”
  To one of the player characters who is a 
  dimwalker:
  “[Name], it is I, your God, [name of the 
  god]. Listen to me, my child. You are in 
  a dangerous land, and this is the last you 
  will hear of me for a while. Do not try 
  to summon me with your invocations, 
  as doing so will cost you your life. That 
  which rests in the depths will try to 
  turn them against you, and the slightest 
  attempt to use the gifts that your faith 
  bestows upon you could cost you your life. 
  Do not fear, my friends will guide you.”
  To one of the player characters:
  “[Name]... fis fit you... I have flooked ffor 
  you in my dreams. Listen to me! Do not let 
  yourself be tricked – removing Snowsaga 
  from this place will mean that you all will 
  have to surrender. The stone’s powers are 
  the only thing that work on this entity. 
  Imagine! You will understand when you 
  see the enchanting light of the stone. The 
  stone is the only thing that can keep the 
  evil at bay. Do not remove it from here. It 
  was not the wild giant that brought the 
  stone here, it was I, a messenger of the 
  Gods. The giant wanted to destroy it… 
  but I knew better. Please… please do not 
  take the stone away from here… if you do, 
  all will be lost.”
  The large rifts are treacherous, and 
  contain both Blodughadda and the Snow 
  Queen’s most loyal guards. The crevice in 
  the ice consists of multiple smaller rifts. 
  Each time the player characters leave the 
  main rift that leads from point 1 to point 6, 
  they risk encountering an avalanche of big 
  blocks of black ice crashing from the steep 
  ice walls. The chance of an avalanche is 1–5 
  on 1d20 each time the player characters 
  leave the main rift. If an avalanche occurs, 
  THE CREVICE
  5
  6
  4
  3
  2
  1
  The Crevice
  In Intersection
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  186  |  act 3. time of the prophecy
  now adopt the role of Grum, or give the 
  player character who plays him clear 
  directions) who rushes at Blodughadda 
  in a wild rage. This should occur just 
  as the Child of Light is in a vulnerable 
  position, exposed and about to take a 
  mortal blow from Blodughadda. Grum 
  Druvik and Blodughadda are both flung 
  off the edge of the plateau, locked in a 
  final embrace. The player characters 
  can see how Grum Druvik meets a cruel 
  fate, as his body is broken from the fall 
  (alternatively, he takes immense damage, 
  but potentially survives if the player 
  who has played Grum is so attached to 
  the character that the player wishes to 
  have the option of continuing to use the 
  character). Blodughadda, who has also 
  fallen, manages to grab onto a small 
  shelf, despite being injured and bloody. 
  The shelf seems slippery and difficult 
  to hold onto to, so he clings on for 
  dear life. The player characters hear as 
  Blodughadda desperately pleads with 
  the Snow Queen for help, for her love, 
  for mercy:
  “My Queen! Help me! Answer me! 
  Don’t leave me!”
  Ice crumbles from the shelf, and 
  Blodughadda’s fingers begin to slip across 
  the smooth surface. 
  “I thought you loved me. I believed your 
  promises. I believed in our love. Please, 
  help me…”
  The 
  shelf 
  suddenly 
  cracks 
  into 
  thousands of tiny shards. Blodughadda 
  falls and screams: 
  “Valsinkaaaaaaaaaa……”
  Blodughadda lands with a thud, and his 
  body slides lifelessly down the razor-sharp 
  ice toward where Snowsaga rests. 
  The only way of getting down is 
  to first climb down the 300-metres 
  precipice, with a -2 modifier on the 
  Agility skill roll. Anyone who falls risks 
  being impaled by one of the razor-sharp 
  stalagmites which line the slope below. 
  After the precipice, the slope requires 
  6. The Heart
  The tunnel ends on a large plateau with 
  a view out over a great cavern, which is 
  almost a hundred meters wide. The large 
  cave is illuminated by a brilliant white 
  glow, coming from a small, unassuming 
  stone, which rests on the black, snow 
  covered floor in the middle of the cave. 
  Getting down to the cavern from the 
  plateau requires climbing down a steep, 
  300 meters precipice, followed by a 
  treacherous and slippery slope lined with 
  stalagmites.
  Before the player characters are able 
  to begin the life-threatening descent, 
  they will hear an ear-piercing scream 
  behind them. It is Blodughadda and his 
  forest trolls who have gathered for a final 
  battle with weapons drawn. Blodughadda 
  brings with him as many forest trolls or 
  wolves as there are people in the player 
  characters’ company, so that they are 
  “evenly matched”. Blodughadda’s troops 
  are both very healthy and of high spirits. 
  The player characters are battered and 
  injured.
  Blodughadda howls with anger as he 
  and his forest trolls rush toward the player 
  characters:
  “My Queen, my Beloved. I shall break 
  the backs of these weak humans. 
  Forgive me, forgive that the great 
  Blodughadda did not find humans 
  earlier. I thought their heads were 
  severed, their bodies crushed, shredded. 
  Now, he of bloody hair shall do that 
  which should have been done, once and 
  for all!” 
  The Child of Light is now no longer 
  protected. He is just as mortal as any 
  other. The Child of Light, who was able 
  to rouse Maria from her slumber of 
  death, must, with his friends, conquer the 
  Child of Darkness – the ferocious giant, 
  Blodughadda.
  The battle against Blodughadda is 
  a tough one. Blodughadda uses all his 
  powers to first attempt to crush the 
  Child of Light. He fights so frantically 
  that he never notices Grum Druvik 
  (assuming that Grum is still a part of 
  the group, the Game Master should 
  the Walking in Shadows specialty, albeit 
  at different times) can get by the group 
  unseen. If the group of Orkhir discover any 
  intruder, they will mercilessly attack and 
  fight to the death.
  3. Blodughadda’s Throne
  Blodughadda has had an immense 
  throne cut from the black ice in the large 
  crevice. The throne is more than 10 
  meters tall, and its backrest is decorated 
  with two enormous mastomant tusks, 
  one on either side of the backboard. 
  Blodughadda sits upon this throne as 
  often as he can, because he can hear 
  the Snow Queen’s words more clearly 
  there than anywhere else. Anyone who 
  sits upon the throne will immediately 
  succumb to the Snow Queen’s whispers 
  and must make a situation roll Situation 
  Value of 8 (Psyche modifiers apply) to not 
  turn into a bloodthirsty Ice Worshipper.
  4. Cave Passage
  The passage leads into the heart of the 
  black ice, the end of Blodughadda’s 
  searching, and the place where he has 
  placed the mythical and mystical stone – 
  Snowsaga. The passage is guarded by one 
  of Blodughadda’s dragon wargs, Gryms 
  (the brother of Rimklove, who was in 
  Wildheart) who will not admit anyone 
  other than Blodughadda himself, or the 
  two black hrimtursir, Yggadabaden and 
  Hrisuddira.
  5. Guard Post
  Blodughadda’s 
  two 
  most 
  steadfast 
  and hardy servants, Yggadabaden and 
  Hrisuddira, guard the depths of the tunnel 
  in the black ice, which forms the symbol of 
  the Ice Cult. Both of them are of the rare 
  black hrimtursir tribe. It is a tribe of frost 
  giants that has lived near the black ice for 
  so long that they have themselves become 
  as black and evil as the ice itself. They only 
  serve one power, and that is the entity of 
  the black ice, the queen, or Valsinka, which 
  is what they call her. The two hrimtursir 
  brothers, Yggadabaden and Hrisuddira, 
  will not let anyone other than Blodughadda 
  into the heart of the black ice. Yggadabaden 
  fights using a large spear, and Hrisuddira 
  uses an enormous warhammer.
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  act 3. time of the prophecy  |  187
  “The Daughter of Fate is dying. She has 
  made her choice. Now, she will see her 
  shepherd be annihilated.”
  The Child of Light feels how Valsinka 
  starts draining his body of energy, He 
  loses 1d10 vitner points and body points 
  every action round. Then, just as all seems 
  lost, a dark giant rises behind Valsinka. 
  It is Blodughadda who has gotten up and 
  now takes his revenge on the Snow Queen 
  because she abandoned him when she 
  didn’t need him anymore.
  Blodughadda howls:
  “I thought Queen loved Blodughadda. 
  I believed promises… but all was lies. 
  Raargh!” 
  Blodughadda knocks Valsinka to 
  the ground so she loses her focus on 
  the Child of Light. Snowsaga tumbles 
  from her hand and comes to rest next 
  to Maria. The player characters must 
  now, together with Blodughadda, stall 
  Valsinka for two action rounds so that 
  Maria has time to fulfil her prophecy. 
  Now that Valsinka is without Snowsaga, 
  they can harm, but not kill, her. Valsinka 
  uses her first action round to vanquish 
  Blodughadda who burns up from the 
  inside until all that remains of him are 
  ashes. Valsinka then uses the Wind Blast 
  spell to keep the player characters at a 
  distance. Hopefully, she does not get the 
  chance to retrieve Snowsaga, because if 
  she does, all is lost. 
  The warmth from Snowsaga lying 
  next to her rouses Maria. She grasps the 
  stone in both hands and, using all of her 
  strength, forces it into her chest. Norna 
  is then completely reborn within Maria’s 
  body. The incarnation is complete. Maria 
  lights up with a blinding bright light 
  that seems to emanate from her eyes and 
  heart. She throws herself at Valsinka. 
  The player characters will, during 
  subsequent rounds, see bright flames 
  of the purest vitner shoot out from the 
  battle. They realize that this is a fight of 
  life and death.
  Without any warning, the darkness 
  suddenly ceases, and Maria is visible 
  again. They are back in the cavern once 
  Valsinka takes a firm grip of Snowsaga 
  and holds it aloft in both hands. The player 
  characters are now almost within reach, 
  and Valsinka continues:
  “Before I end your miserable lives, I ask 
  of you, Maria, my granddaughter, my 
  own flesh and blood – do not sacrifice 
  yourself again. This time choose love. 
  Choose it and I will spare him. Then I 
  will spare your love.
  Turn against me and the consequences 
  will cost you your life, your soul, and 
  your love.”
  Maria stops. Now, she must decide:
  If Maria is no longer a virgin, or if 
  the Child of Light has blinded her with 
  love, she will make a selfish decision, and 
  save herself. If so, then the two lovers 
  will awaken together, as if from a dream, 
  in a place not entirely unlike Helgardh. 
  Trudvang, on the other hand, will struggle 
  to defend itself against the evil of the Snow 
  Queen. This is not really an intended end 
  for the campaign and should be avoided at 
  all costs. This is, however, completely up to 
  the Game Master to determine. 
  In all other scenarios, Maria chooses to 
  sacrifice herself, and save the world. Maria 
  cries out to the Child of Light, 
  “My Love. You are my everything. 
  Never forget that I love you!”
  Then she rushes at Valsinka. The 
  player characters find it very difficult 
  to get nearer to Valsinka, and take 1d6 
  in damage every action rounds from the 
  chaos and ice winds that whirl around 
  her. It takes three action rounds to get 
  to Valsinka and battling her will prove 
  to be disastrous. On this plane, Valsinka 
  is invulnerable. With Snowsaga in hand, 
  nothing can harm her. Describe her 
  physical form as that of a incredibly 
  beautiful female elf whose body seems 
  made of compact granite, which shatters 
  everything that touches her. Neither 
  invoking the Gods nor vitner seems to 
  have any effect whatsoever either.
  Maria is thrown to the ground by a 
  great blow and Valsinka continues as if 
  nothing had happened:
  another Agility skill roll, if one has the 
  right climbing equipment. To make it 
  down the slope without tools will require 
  a successful situation roll with Situation 
  Value of 6 (Dexterity modifiers apply) 
  to avoid slipping and stumbling. Anyone 
  who does slip will slide the entire way 
  down (roughly 150 meters) to the cavern 
  floor, cut themselves on the black ice, and 
  take 1d10 (OR 8–10) in damage.
  When the player characters have 
  made their way down the slope and 
  begin the descent to Snowsaga, the 
  black ice itself begins to quake with 
  hatred. Reality tears, and the player 
  characters are swept into an immense, 
  whirling blackness, where time and 
  space seem to lack any meaning. They 
  are trapped with Valsinka in the black 
  ice. Snowsaga still glows like a beacon, 
  and now seems impossibly far away, in 
  the infinite darkness. A powerful ice 
  wind rages suddenly, hailing against the 
  player characters like needles, trying 
  to keep them away from the light. Only 
  with Maria’s bravery can the player 
  character find the strength to carry on. 
  They are lead hand-in-hand through the 
  darkness towards that source of light. 
  The journey feels more like a dream. 
  At the same time, the player characters 
  can see how an icy blue light materializes 
  next to Snowsaga. The light gathers into 
  a human-like form. It is an elf woman, 
  painfully similar to Maria. Before they have 
  made it the whole way, the light manages 
  to take physical form and the woman, 
  Valsinka, the Snow Queen, begins to speak 
  to them:
  “You have come so far, and yet you have 
  accomplished nothing.
  Sadly, I must inform you that you are 
  too late.
  You have survived defeats, betrayal and 
  captivity during your search. You guide 
  has ventured blindly – wasted his love on 
  a woman who lacks a heart. Now he has 
  led you all to your doom.
  Meanwhile, I have bided my time. 
  Every second I have been preparing 
  myself for this very moment. I, Valsinka, 
  have arisen. The shackles of ice are 
  broken. Doom is upon you!” 
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  188  |  act 3. time of the prophecy
  The world has been saved. The sun rises, 
  and the darkness disappears. The Light has 
  triumphed, and those who survived are 
  now heroes, to be immortalized in songs 
  for all time. 
  Linn looks at the player characters and 
  says, cryptically:
  “The sun rises once more,
  Bright and warming,
  Brought forth from the life of the 
  beloved,
  Snowsaga in safe harbor anew”
  This concludes Act III- The Time of the 
  Prophecy in the Snowsaga campaign. The 
  player characters can now take a long, well-
  deserved rest. 
  Below is a list of resources to help the 
  Game Master allocate adventure points:
  “My Love/ My friend, my time here 
  has past. The world is full of hope once 
  more. Do not mourn, you will find 
  happiness elsewhere. Take the stone with 
  you, I have opened a path for you.”
   Maria points off in one direction and 
  the player characters can see Jaarnkihl like 
  a mirage softly wavering in the wind.
  Maria dies.
  The reflection is a portal that she has 
  opened, which brings the player characters 
  back to Jaarnkihl.
  Valsinka and Norna, reincarnated as 
  Maria, together ascend to the heavens 
  forming a double star, which shines brightly 
  in the sky above. The king shows the player 
  characters the star the following night, and 
  says that now, mother and daughter are 
  reunited once again. The elves sing a song 
  of farewell to all the fallen. Many cry.
  more. Maria is standing with her back 
  to the player characters. Her hair, which 
  previously was entirely raven black, is now 
  pure white. She falls to her knees, before 
  toppling to the side. 
  The 
  player 
  characters 
  see 
  that 
  Snowsaga is clutched in her hands again. 
  But the stone no longer emits its blinding 
  white light. Now it is as black and dark 
  as a forest lake instead. Maria’s chest is 
  completely burnt, with a deep, charred 
  hole where her heart should be. She 
  breathes heavily.
  The Snow Queen is defeated and 
  shackled in a prison from which she can 
  never escape. Maria is dying and is beyond 
  all help. She is pale. In a last burst of effort, 
  she passes Snowsaga to the Child of Light 
  (assuming he is still alive, otherwise she 
  gives it to someone else) and says the 
  following: 
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  act 3. time of the prophecy  |  189
  aCT iii: 
  advenTure poinTs
  Below is a list of resources to help the Game Master allocate adventure points:
  Player character:
  Adventure Points:
  Finished the Act III and the campaign:
  +100
  Made friends in Jaarnkihl:
  +5 to +15
  For each player character that fell victim to the black ice’s whispers:
  -15
  The group did not cooperate with each other or get along:
  -15
  The group stayed united despite the Snow Queen’s whispers:
  +30
  The Child of Light died:
  -30
  Valsinka was defeated:
  +50
  Gameplay 
  How well the player showed the player character’s personality:
  -5 to +15
  How well the player showed the player character’s profession:
  -5 to +15
  That you as Game Master had fun and the players respected your rules:
   +5 
  The players wasted time arguing about rules instead of playing:
  -15
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  190  |  chapter 3. epilogue
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  chapter 3. epilogue  |  191
  Many of the lands of Trudvang have struggled 
  through a tough, merciless winter. Hopefully, 
  the heroes’ deeds have triggered the onset of a 
  warming spring, which thaws the evil and heralds 
  the start of a new age. 
   EPILOGUE 
  Despite these heroic feats, one major task 
  remains: crushing the last of the Snow 
  Queen’s underlings, who have really 
  sunk their claws into the Stormlands. 
  Thus, the war will continue for a while, 
  before passing into memory.
  A short while after the player 
  characters have restored Snowsaga, 
  the Iron Elves will gradually begin to 
  disassemble their iron tower. Someone 
  now tells the player characters the truth 
  about the Iron Elves, and how they built 
  the tower using all their various iron 
  measuring devices to find Snowsaga. 
  The truth was written in the stars, 
  but they were only able to interpret it 
  using very complicated instruments. For 
  part of their history, some had caught a 
  glimpse of the true face of evil, but were 
  never able to explain it to anyone else in 
  Valtoris. The price they had to pay for 
  being the guardians and guides of the 
  Prophecy was that they were cast out and 
  disavowed by their own. Many thought 
  it was dearly bought but, eventually, 
  the side of Good won. Without the Iron 
  Elves, the heroes would never have been 
  able to finish their mission. 
  The player characters have now 
  completed the entire campaign, and new 
  challenges lie before them. Maybe the 
  player characters wish to try finding the 
  answers to questions they didn’t solve 
  earlier. The campaign opened many 
  doors, and some of the mysteries that 
  they encountered are still unresolved:
  What is happening in the Stormlands 
  What is going on with the friends that 
  the player characters made early in 
  the campaign Is the war still being 
  waged at full force If so, who leads the 
  armies How is the post-war rebuilding 
  of Wildland going What interest do 
  the player characters have in returning 
  as lords
  Did 
  Hrangadoorm, 
  the 
  ancient 
  demon, awaken in Ysetur Did any of the 
  player characters steal Hrangadoorm’s 
  ancient weapon Are they now hunted 
  by this primeval shadow demon What 
  happened to the Ice Worshippers Are 
  they gathering their strengths to rise 
  up once more Will the Ice Worshippers 
  come together again as a cult following 
  a lost god, despite the fact that the Snow 
  Queen won’t ever return
  What happens in Arkland after Lokir 
  passes Will his half-sister Tuva take 
  power Is there a new threat of war in 
  the West
  The Snow Queen was an emanation 
  of the Black Sun. However metaphorical 
  that may seem, there is a dreadful truth 
  lurking behind the words. What kind of 
  Entity was it that put such dark forces 
  in motion How could such a force 
  have fit into our world Where would 
  such a place be, in that case Where is 
  Oskopnir, the realm of the Entity
  What happened to Nifelfang Will 
  he demand payment for his services 
  Do the player characters have more 
  unfinished business in Helgardh
  Will Tvagrid’s son, the rightful owner 
  of Koraljon, demand the ruling blade 
  back Might it even be that Tvagrid’s 
  unknown brothers try to reclaim the 
  sword, as they now consider themselves 
  its stewards
  Finally, what happened to all the 
  foes that slipped between the player 
  characters’ fingers Which enemies 
  survived If they were not killed 
  through this campaign, will the likes 
  of Hakka Norim, Haldur Ouvar, and 
  Rendre Haugskalp go on to become the 
  player characters’ archenemies Will 
  these foes haunt them for a long time to 
  come
  Who was the little black-haired girl 
  Was that Valsinka as a child Why did 
  she turn up time and again Was she 
  trying to say something If so, what
  Chapter 3
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  192  |  chapter 3. epilogue
  explain what is hidden behind some of the 
  concealed doors that the player characters 
  did not discover. Let the player characters 
  describe which parts of the campaign that 
  they remember the most, and what they 
  found to be the most fun. Simply put, enliven 
  the memory of Snowsaga to secure its place 
  deep in your heart!
  the beginning of the adventure, and all 
  the events that transpired along the way. 
  Sometimes, this can be the best part of 
  the whole campaign. Talk the adventure 
  through and recall old player characters who 
  may not have survived, or possibly chose 
  another path. As Game Master, you can 
  now choose to show some of the maps and 
  Regardless of whether you choose to 
  continue playing in order to unravel the 
  unsolved mysteries or find answers to 
  the questions that you encountered, it is a 
  good idea to try to digest the campaign’s 
  magnitude and range. Lean back, take a load 
  off, put the Game Master’s screen down, 
  and close the books. Try to remember 
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  CAMPAIGN MATERIALS
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  2  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  Chronology
  The aim of the following chronology is to 
  help the GM to understand the historical 
  background of the campaign. 
  All that regards the Norim Elves is 
  well registered in the archives of the Iron 
  Elves of Jaarnkihl, although it is clear that 
  the PCs will not know these facts when 
  the Snowsaga campaign starts. On the 
  other hand, everything which regards 
  the Wildlanders and, in general terms, all 
  the Stormlanders, cannot be accurately 
  dated. Unfortunately, the Stormlanders 
  do not keep accurate records of the years, 
  but everything is remembered only in 
  reference to certain events or the variable 
  lengths of some rulers’ dominions. Even 
  the range of some important phases, like 
  the “Copper Kingdom”, are difficult to 
  date. This means that it is impossible to 
  find the exact chronological relationship 
  between some early facts of Wildlander 
  history and everything as recorded by 
  the Iron Elves of Jaarnkihl. This messy 
  Snowsaga
   CAMPAIGN MATERIALS 
  situation should also give the GM some 
  insight about the poverty of historical 
  knowledge among the PCs at the beginning 
  of the campaign.
  The following chronologies are also 
  organized in relationship to the start of 
  the campaign (“Year 0” for the sake of this 
  campaign). Everything after is just the 
  supposed course of events, as planned in 
  the campaign. Off course this may be bound 
  to change according to GM and players’ 
  decisions and actions.
  ANCIENT CHRONOLOGY AS RECORDED BY THE IRON ELVES
  Years
  Event
  Millions of years 
  ago
  The Entity appeared in the Void. The Black Sun is born.
  Many millenia ago
  In an age forgotten even by most elves of today, after centuries of wandering exploring the world, the Norim Elves 
  become sedentary. Their civilization flourishes in the kingdom of Palliolanta, thriving for thousands of years.
  3,333 years ago
  Norna the Wise, the queen of the Norim Elves, unexpectedly gave birth to a daughter (Valsinka) due to the Black Sun’s 
  influence. 
  The ”Big Quake”, a powerful earthquake, is felt across all of Trudvang.
  3,300 years ago
  As she grows up, Valsinka’s link to the Black Sun strengthens.
  Norna foresees the coming of the ”Daughter of Fate”. She summons Kirjonti and performs the ritual. Kirjonti runs 
  away with ”Snowsaga”, the heart of Norna.
  Norna writes the prophecy.
  Valsinka kills Norna and cannot assume her complete powers since the Snowsaga is missing.
  Valsinka start hunting Kirjonti.
  3,300 -3,000 years 
  ago
  Valsinka destroys Palliolanta with hordes of Bastjurs. Many Norim elves run southwards in exile, while others are 
  killed or kept prisoners by the Snow Queen under the cursed Black Ice.
  After many wanderings, the now-immortal Kirjonti found refuge in the mystic forest of Wildheart, far from the Snow 
  Queen’s eyes.
  From 3,000 to 300 
  years ago 
  Valsinka’s power increased during the following millennia, although at a slower pace since Snowsaga was missing. 
  2,000 years ago
  Valsinka starts re-awakening the dead Norim Elves and experimenting on their remains within the Black Ice. The first 
  Orkhirs are born.
  Concept and Design
  Theodore Bergqvist and Magnus Malmberg
  Writer
  Luca Cherstich
  Layout and Typesetting
  Magnus Malmberg
  Cover Art
  Paul Bonner
  Interior Art
  Peter Bergting
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  3
  WILDLANDER AND MORE RECENT CHRONOLOGY
  Years
  Event
  Unprecise time pe-
  riods between the 
  fabled ”Age of the 
  Iron Dragon” and 
  300 years ago.
  Unknown people build Ysetur over the Iron Shaft of Hrangadoorm. Wild human tribes wander around Eastern Trud-
  vang. One of these peoples, the Agroths, try to enter the Stormlands. ”Bloedis’Dunn”, the Day of the Red Snow. Grimur 
  Moonfriend of the Agroths defeats the Kremors and Broths but decides to move his people to Wildland. Beginning of 
  the human colonization of Wildland.
  Many years later Haakon Hagtorn (descendant of Grimur) invites the Wildbrons to intermix with the Agroths. The 
  Wildanders are born. On his deathbed Haakon is made King. The line of the Hagtorn kings is born.
  Gerbanian faith becomes to be spread and at some point ”Jarnrytti” is built by Paater Vjal Avlotsbarn in his dream of a 
  “East Vammel” kingdom, only to fall afterwards. Wulfr and Hunndair wars. Roughtongue is in Ysetur.
  350 to 300 years ago
  Copper is started to be mined in Wildland, bearing prosperity along the Copper Trail, but also greed. The Snow Queen 
  in the north awakens, and her whispers are heard by all those whose desires and dreams are focused on the new-found 
  wealth. Some people believe think that the ”Copper Kingdom” started in this time. What is more certain is that the Ice 
  Cult secretly started to take roots.
  The Hagtorn kings (or ”Great Fylkjarls”) ruled while Ouvar the Beheader was their main executioner. Valsinka met 
  Ouvar and conceived a child: birth of Hakka Norim. Ouvar cursed to be a werewarg. Gaul Grimme adopts Hakka. The 
  Norim elves from Jaarnkihl look for Hakka, knowing than in his blood runs the possibility of conceiving the ”Daughter 
  of Fate”, but miss him. As a young fugitive, the ”Last King” or Hakka misses the possibility to become a new hope. 
  Valsinka curses Gaul and his offspring, but he adopts a son in secrecy.
  300 years ago
  The ”Times of the Untamed”. For years the Snow Queen have secretly spread her whispers, converting Wildlanders 
  into her ”Ice Cult”, including many members of the Uvail clan. Some stories say that up to half the Wildlanders vener-
  ate the Snow Queen, forgetting Stormi.
  In the North, Valsinka’s hordes have reached huge numbers. The Orkhir armies are unleashed on the South, with 
  wolfkin, giant and troll allies.
  The Dwarves closed their ancient gates while the Hagtorn Brothers (the Great Fylkjarl Vurmahj Hagtorn and the 
  bearer of the mighty sword Koraljon, Sajgfrund Hagtorn, the Loved One) look for allies. The immortal Norim elf Kir-
  jonti comes out from Wildland to them, using the power of Snowsaga to enfeeble the Snow Queen. The alliance with 
  the Hrim Trolls is bought at a dire price.
  ”Naginolika” (The Last Stand): all the Wildlander Fylkjarls faced the Ice Army on the plains of Eidlunn.. On his death-
  bed, Sajgfrund passed the Ruling Blade to his youngest son, one of only two human survivors of that awful battle. The 
  Snow Queen is defeated but the Hagtorns are impoverished. The Wildlander monarchy ends, as more power is passed 
  to the Fylk-Thing.
  Between 300 and 30 
  years ago
  In about two centuries all the remaining Orkhir are hunted in the forests, disappearing from Wildland. The Ice Cult is 
  exterminated by the Knights of the Iron Hand under the command of the Brycker, a position which starts to be hereditary 
  in the Bhalgor family. Many Gerbanians flock to Jordek, where the faith is strengthened. The memory of the Ice Cult fades.
  Huge copper resources are found again in Wildland. Wealth, trade and colonists augment. This period certainly can be 
  defined as the ”Copper Kingdom”, whose center became Vretgaard, the old capitol of the Hagtorn. Storhavn increases 
  its wealth, as the main port from where copper is exported. Even the Hagtorns, now simple Fylkjarls, regain part of 
  their resources while all the other great families prosper. The Saatigia, in particular, acquire many lands and wealth.
  Ancient memories begin to blur, as people start remembering Ouvar the Beheader as a king of old time.
  About 200 years ago
  Hakka, as an immortal adult, finally comes to Vretgaard, living in the woods and starting a family, outliving all his 
  wives and sons. During the years those in Vretgaard become used to the ”Norim” and the legendary ”Old Norim Man” 
  which nobody sees.
  150 years ago
  After a whole century the Saatigia complete their mighty stronghold: Hallwind.
  30 to 20 years ago
  Intensive mining in the north brought gradual diminishing of the copper resources. The end of the ”Copper Kingdom”. 
  Economic crises and desperation spread among the Wildlanders, as well as robbing and violence. Many families decay. 
  The Hagtorns in particular, now suffer, decaying in their wealth. 
  Some Wildlander start to lose hope in Stormi and memories of the Snow Queen are spread in secret in certain remote 
  places.
  20 to 15 years ago
  Linn, one of the last living pure Norim elves, finally reaches Vretgaard where she finds Hakka, the ”Last King” and 
  marry him. One year later Linn gives birth to Maria Norim.
  The Wulfr and the Uvail start their feud due to economic matters linked with the fall of the Copper Kingdom.
  Great famine in Vretgaard, many families are extinguished and buried in their houses by Remi Sorva.
  The Brotbeast comes into the copper mines and is imprisoned in hibernation under a collapse.
  15 to 10 years ago
  Blodughadda is exiled from his clan, ends up prisoner of the dwarves in Glitthamn. He then escapes and is attracted by 
  the Snow Queen in the North. Blodughadda then starts looking for Snowsaga.
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  4  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  Years
  Event
  10 years ago to now
  The Ice Cult is secretly spreading again in Wildland, now exploiting the desperation following the end of the Copper 
  Kingdom. Old families revive their ancient corruption in secret.
  About 2 to 1 years 
  ago
  Blodughadda finally finds Kirjonti in Wildheart and kill him. Snowsaga is brought to the Snow Queen. 
  Blodughadda sends his agents to awaken the Ice Cultists in Wildland. In Vretgaard Hakka Norim is contacted, as well 
  as Haldur Ouvar. Njordung is corrupted by the Black Ice, becoming ”Ise”. Through him Raak Wulfr is also corrupted. 
  Rendre Haugskalp starts listening to the Snow Queen’s whispers. An Ice Cult cell starts in Storhavn.
  The Black Ice is brought to the mines and the hibernated Brotbeast starts feeling its influence.
  Today
  The marriage in Storhavn. The PCs travel to Vretgaard and then Ysetur. The Fimbulwinter starts. The invasion of 
  Wildland begins. The siege of Hallwind starts while the Uvail resist in Ailburg.
  +1 year
  Fall of both Hallwind and Ailburg. The PCs meet Linn while escaping. They visit Sootbrand and are betrayed and 
  imprisoned. They end up as slaves of the Arks. The Fimbulwinter enters his second year.
  +2 years
  The imprisonment ends. The PCs travel to Hellgardh and then to Jaarnkihl. The Fimbulwinter is about to enter a third 
  year. The final confrontation with the Snow Queen in the Great Ice Plains.
  The ICe CulT
  As the spawn of the Entity or the Black Sun, 
  the Snow Queen is in many ways equivalent 
  to a goddess to her worshippers. She 
  personally takes deep interest and an active 
  role in whispering into people’s ears, feeding 
  from the fears and particular frustrations, in 
  order to turn poor victims into fanatic cultists. 
  This process is eased by the Black Ice blocks, 
  as previously described in the ”Emanation” 
  section of this book (pages 13 and 14). 
   Attracting more worshippers is to the 
  Snow Queen’s interest and therefore quite 
  often she gives special gifts. These must be 
  analyzed by the GM on a case-by-case basis 
  since all gifts are personal and, therefore 
  no specific, generic mechanics can be here 
  proposed. Usually she gives chances to 
  get revenge or to attain social status, love, 
  prestige, glory and wealth. However, in 
  a few, very specific cases sometimes she 
  gives supernatural abilities such as in 
  the following, few examples. The GM is 
  encouraged to create more of them. 
  Permanent or temporary resistance to cold.
  Occasional ability to invoke blizzards 
  and storms.
  Wolves or trolls acting as protectors.
  Training in Shadow Arts or Fighting.
  Training in Vitner Crafting of the 
  Darkhwitalja type (usually the Dimvitner, 
  Witchcraft or Wind Craft tablets).
  Etc.
  In any case, it is worth reminding that 
  all the Snow Queen’s promises are lies, and 
  all her gifts are bound to lead to tragedy. 
  The Snow Queen can give power as much 
  as she can take it back, and promises are 
  fulfilled only as far as the cultists’ actions 
  favour the Snow Queen’s plans.
  All cultists are required to sacrifice in 
  honor of their goddesses on a weekly basis. 
  It does not matter whether they sacrifice 
  animals or humans, as far as they spread 
  blood in the Snow Queen’s name. However, 
  many cultists become so fanatic to kill on 
  even on a daily basis or to perform only 
  human sacrifices. It is totally up to the GM 
  to decide the effects of these sacrifices. 
  The Ice Blopriests
  The clergy of the Ice Cult use mechanics 
  which are similar to those of Stormkelts in 
  many ways, although with some differences. 
  The ”Ice Blotpriest” specialty  of the 
  Faith skill can be mimicked with the 
  mechanics connected to the Stormkelt 
  specialty, including the ability to perform 
  sacrifices and blood gifting.
  Unlike the Stormkelts, the fanatic 
  Ice Blotpriests frequently make human 
  sacrifices. These will give a number of DP 
  equal to half (rounded down) of the victim’s 
  highest stat among Body Points or Divinity 
  Capacity or ¼ of the Vitner Capacity. 
  Ice Blotpriest must make at least 
  one sacrifice (either human or animal) 
  per week. If a week passes without a 
  sacrifice to be made, their Divine Capacity 
  diminishes by 1 DP per day, until they can 
  make a new sacrifice to refill their powers.
  Since they make so many frequent 
  sacrifices Ice Blotpriests end up with a 
  huge number of DP. However, they have 
  two limitations. First of all they cannot 
  host more than three times their Divine 
  Capacity in Divine Points. Secondly, 
  unused DP over their Divine Capacity 
  disappear at the rate of 5 DP per day, 
  instead of the usual rate of 1 DP per day.
  Ice Blotpriests do not use Gerbanian 
  holy tablets but the following vitner 
  tablets to be considered as divine tablets: 
  Dimvitner, Wind Craft and Witchcraft. 
  Furthermore, they have also access to the 
  new Frostcraft tablet, described below.
  New Holy Tablet: Frostcraft
  ”Cold” is an element feared throughout 
  Trudvang as everyone knows that a dire 
  Winter can cause even more deaths than 
  the sword on a battlefield. This tablet 
  gives power to cold phenomena, giving 
  the ability of dealing with frost and ice as 
  elements of power.
  Frostcraft as a Vitner Tablet
  The powers below described are used to 
  represent the blessings of the Snow Queen 
  to her Ice Blotpriests. However, if the GM 
  allows it, the same powers can be used 
  to represent spells of a new ”Frostcraft” 
  vitner tablet. Given how much the peoples 
  of Trudvang fear the cold winters, it is not 
  unsurprising that very few vitner weavers 
  decide to dedicate their skills to mastering 
  frost and ice. Nevertheless, some cold-
  focused vitner traditions exist, therefore 
  the following mechanics can be used.
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  5
  2. Freezing the Blood
  Cost/Modifier: 4/-4
  Type: Lasting
  Duration: 1 hour
  Range: 10 meters
  Invocation time: 2 action rounds
  By pointing the finger the caster may 
  dramatically lower the victim’s inner 
  temperature. As long as the duration lasts 
  the victim suffer a -d1d3 SV on all its 
  rolls. Furthermore the victim must make 
  a Situation Roll against SV 8 (modified 
  by Constitution) to avoid suffering 1d10 
  damage. 
  LEVELS OF POWER: FREEZING THE 
  BLOOD
  Cost
  Effects
  2
  Increase the range by 5 m.
  2
  Decrease the victim’s SV to avoid 
  damage by -1
  3
  Increase the duration by1 hour
  8
  Increase the duration by 1 day
  4
  Increase the power’s effects by 
  making the victim suffering anoth-
  er -1 SV (on top of the rolled 1d3). 
  5
  Increase the damage by one step: 
  1d10 g 1d10 (OR10) g 1d10 (OR 
  9-10) g 1d10 (OR 8-10) g 1d10 
  (OR 8-10) +1
  2. Frost Hand
  Cost/Modifier: 4/-4
  Type: Lasting
  Duration: 4 Action rounds
  Range: Personal
  Invocation time: 1 action round
  One of the caster’s hands assumes a bluish, 
  icy color, becoming as cold as the darkness 
  which exists in some of the icy realms 
  beyond the mist, far from Trudvang and 
  from normal living beings. Those who are 
  touched by the hand suffer 1d10 points of 
  damage, although the caster is immune 
  to this damage. During combat the caster 
  is required to make a successful unarmed 
  attack, in which case the 1d10 damage can 
  be added to the normal 1d5 of unarmed 
  attacks. 
  1. Create Ice
  Cost/Modifier: 2/-2
  Type: Lasting
  Duration: Until the ice is melted 
  (depending on local temperature)
  Range: contact
  Invocation time: 2 action rounds
  The caster may create ice from water, 
  influencing no more than 5 liters of water for 
  the basic effect. The power is not meant to harm 
  creatures but the icy effect may do so in its own 
  way. A creature blocked in the ice suffer 1d3 
  points of damage (not diminished by armors) 
  per action round spent in the ice. A roll against 
  SV 10 (modified by Strength) is required to 
  get free, although the SV is diminished by 1 
  per 10 litres of iced water in addition to those 
  required. To block a 1t-sized creature one needs 
  about 100 litres of water. The GM may judge 
  as much water is needed to block a certain 
  creature, although the victim must off course be 
  submerged in the water, during the invocation.
  An alternative effect is to condensate the 
  moisture present in the air to create an icy, 
  slippery surface. An area of about 5 m2 can be 
  iced in this way, although the GM may restrict 
  or widen this area for moister or drier climates. 
  All those who walk on it are forced to make a 
  -3 Agility skill roll in order not to fall (usually 
  suffering 1d6 damage and requiring the Stand 
  Up maneuver to recover from the situation). 
  In the same way the spell can be used to 
  block doors, chests or coffers. A situation 
  roll against a SV of 10 (modified by the 
  Strength) is required to open a door 
  locked with ice, although the GM may 
  analyse the particular situation to evaluate 
  the SV or suggest other means of opening.
  LEVELS OF POWER: CREATE ICE
  Cost
  Effects
  1
  Increase the range by 5 m (contact 
  is no longer necessary).
  1
  +1 liter to become ice or + 1 m2 of 
  surface to be iced
  5
  +5 liters to become ice or + 5 m2 
  of surface to be iced
  15
  +100 liters to become ice or + 500 
  m2 of surface to be iced
  1
  SV to be freed from ice is dimin-
  ished by -1
  Possible Frostcraft negations often 
  include sudden raising of the temperature 
  happening elsewhere. The formation of 
  ice may lead sudden appearance of fire: for 
  example huge trees may be destroyed by 
  fire in a few seconds, if a large ice storm 
  is summoned by Frostcraft vitner. On the 
  other hand, the protection from cold may 
  lead to direst effects for someone else 
  trying to protect himself from the frost 
  weather.
  Levels of power have these costs for 
  the vitner types: +1 for White Vitner, -1 
  for both Vaagrivitner and Dark Vitner 
  (although not less than 1 per level).
  Frostcraft Powers
  LV
  Frostcraft
  1:
  Cold Skin
  1:
  Create Ice
  2:
  Freezing the blood
  2:
  Frost Hand
  3:
  Ice Burst
  3:
  Lesser Hrim Body
  3:
  Protection from Cold
  4:
  Freezing the Air
  4:
  Greater Protection from Cold
  5:
  Hrim Body
  5:
  Ice Storm
  1. Cold Skin
  Cost/Modifier: 2/-2
  Type: Lasting
  Duration: 1 Hour
  Range: Personal
  Invocation time: 1 minute
  The caster becomes completely immune 
  to all damaging effects of normal (not 
  magical) cold. As  a side effect the skin 
  magically becomes as cold as ice, acquiring 
  a slightly bluish hue.
  LEVELS OF POWER: COLD SKIN
  Cost
  Effects
  1
  Increase the dura-
  tion by 1 hour
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  6  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  3. Protection from cold
  Cost/Modifier: 6/-6
  Type: Lasting
  Duration: 5 minutes
  Range: Contact
  Invocation time: 3 action rounds
  This power create a bluish aura completely 
  protecting the caster or a selected 
  creature from normal cold. Magical cold 
  (for example spells or the breath of a 
  Hrimwurm) is not affected by this power 
  and it inflicts full damage.
  LEVELS OF POWER: PROTECTION 
  FROM COLD
  Cost
  Effects
  1
  Increase the duration by 1 minute
  2
  Increase the range by 5 meters 
  (Contact is no longer necessary)
  3
  Affects an extra being (with the 
  spells basic version)
  6
  Increase the duration by 1 hour
  15
  Increase the duration by 1 day
  4. Freezing the air
  Cost/Modifier: 8/-8
  Type: Preserving
  Duration: 5 hours
  Range: 3 meters
  Invocation time: 3 action rounds
  The caster can lower the temperature 
  by up to 10° C. within a 3-meters radius 
  sphere around a fixed point. The resulting 
  temperature will depend on the current 
  temperature in the area, but they will 
  inflict damage to those inside the area 
  according to the reached temperature. 
  Note that this damage cannot be used for 
  normal cold temperatures, this is just to 
  refer to the magical effects of condensed 
  cold inside the sphere.
  LEVELS OF POWER: ICE BURST
  Cost
  Effects
  2
  Increase the range by 5 meters
  5
  Increase the bursts diameter by 1 
  meter
  5
  Increase the damage by one step: 
  1d10 g 1d10 (OR10) g 1d10 (OR 
  9-10) g 1d10 (OR 8-10) g 1d10 
  (OR 8-10) +1
  5
  Increase the duration by 1 action 
  round so the Ice Bust continue in 
  the coming round.
  3. Lesser Hrim Body
  Cost/Modifier: 6/-6
  Type: Lasting
  Duration: 1 minute
  Range: 1 meter
  Invocation time: 2 action rounds
  The body of the caster acquires a lesser 
  version of the Hrim Body quality, common 
  to many dragons, giants and trolls linked 
  with frost. The caster emanates an 
  unnaturally cold aura which is painful 
  to bear. All those who are within range 
  must make a situation roll with a SV of 10 
  (modified by Psyche) to keep from fleeing 
  and remain inside the range. Each action 
  round the aura inflicts 1 point of damage to 
  those within range. Armor do not protect. 
  Those who wear winter clothes receive 
  only half damage (rounded up) while those 
  wearing mastomant furs do not receive 
  damage at all.
  LEVELS OF POWER: LESSER HRIM 
  BODY
  Cost
  Effects
  1
  Increase the duration by 1 minute
  2
  Reduce the opponent’s SV by -1
  2
  Increase the range by 1 meter 
  (maximum 3 meters)
  3
  Increase the damage +1 (maximum 
  +3).
  10
  Increase the duration by 1 hour
  Armors 
  usually 
  protect 
  from 
  this damage, however in the case of 
  continuous contact (e.g. during a 
  grapple), non-magical armors stop 
  protecting from the second round since 
  the magic cold has been transmitted 
  through it.
  LEVELS OF POWER: FROST HAND
  Cost
  Effects
  1
  Increase the duration by 1 action 
  round.
  3
  Both hands become Frost Hands 
  (with basic damage)
  5
  Increase the damage by one step: 
  1d10 g 1d10 (OR10) g 1d10 (OR 
  9-10) g 1d10 (OR 8-10) g 1d10 
  (OR 8-10) +1
  3. Ice Burst
  Cost/Modifier: 6/-6
  Type: Lasting/Preserving
  Duration: 1 action round
  Range: 10 meters
  Invocation time: 1 action round
  The caster is able to project a violent 
  burst of ice, snow and unnaturally cold-air 
  affecting all those who are in front of him. 
  The effects is a 10m-long cylinder with 
  about 1 m of diameter. All those who are 
  in this area suffer 1d10 damage. Non-
  magical armors do not protect from this 
  damage. 
  A potential victim with the Evade 
  specialty may attempt to avoid the damage, 
  although the skill value is diminished by -1 
  per point of initiative that the character’s 
  own initiative falls behind the current 
  moment.
  Unless augmented with levels of power, 
  the effect disappears when the duration 
  ends. By choosing to extend the duration 
  the caster can also move the burst to a new 
  direction up to 90° different, affecting also 
  those who are caught in the turning of the 
  burst.   
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  7
  5. Ice Storm
  Cost/Modifier: 10/-10
  Type: Instant/Preserving
  Duration: 1 action round
  Range: 20 meters
  Invocation time: 2 action rounds
  A magical ice storm breaks inside a small 
  area pointed by the caster within the 
  range of the power. The area is a circle of 
  2 m of diameter. The ice storm disappears 
  as quickly as it came if the duration is not 
  extended. 
  All those who are inside the affected 
  area suffer 1d10 points of damage. Normal 
  armors do not protect, although magical 
  armors work as usual. A potential victim 
  with the Evade specialty may attempt 
  to avoid the damage jumping out of the 
  affected area, although the skill value is 
  diminished by -1 per point of initiative 
  that the character’s own initiative falls 
  behind the current moment.
  It is difficult to see through the thick 
  storm, therefore all those within the area 
  suffer a -5 SV to all their actions. Also 
  those who try to attack people inside the 
  storm suffer -5 SV due to the low visibility.
  LEVELS OF POWER: ICE STORM
  Cost
  Effects
  2
  Increase the range by 5 meters
  5
  Increase the ice storm’s radius by 
  1 meter
  5
  Increase the damage by one step: 
  1d10 g 1d10 (OR10) g 1d10 (OR 
  9-10) g 1d10 (OR 8-10) g 1d10 
  (OR 8-10) +1
  10
  Increase the duration by 1 action 
  round so that the ice storm contin-
  ues into the coming round
  LEVELS OF POWER: PROTECTION 
  FROM COLD
  Cost
  Effects
  1
  Increase the duration by 1 minute
  2
  Increase the range by 5 meters 
  (Contact is no longer necessary)
  3
  Affects an extra being (with the 
  spell’s basic version)
  3
  +1 points of protections (maxi-
  mum +12).
  6
  Increase the duration by 1 hour
  15
  Increase the duration by 1 day
  5. Hrim Body
  Cost/Modifier: 10/-10
  Type: Lasting
  Duration: 1 hour
  Range: 1 meter
  Invocation time: 2 action rounds
  The body of the caster acquires a kind 
  of Hrim Body quality, somehow similar 
  to what can be seen in dragons, giants 
  and trolls linked with frost. The caster 
  emanates an unnaturally cold aura which 
  is painful to bear. All those who are within 
  range must make a situation roll with a 
  SV of 8 (modified by Psyche) to keep from 
  fleeing and remain inside the range. Each 
  action round the aura inflicts 1 point of 
  damage to those within range. Armors 
  do not protect. Those who wear winter 
  clothes receive only half damage (rounded 
  up) while those wearing mastomant furs 
  do not receive damage at all.
  LEVELS OF POWER: LESSER HRIM 
  BODY
  Cost
  Effects
  2
  Reduce the opponent’s SV by -1
  2
  Increase the range by 1 meter 
  (maximum 3 meters)
  3
  Increase the damage +1 (maximum 
  +4).
  5
  Increase the duration by 1 hour
  FREEZING THE AIR: 
  TEMPERATURES AND DAMAGE.
  Temperature
  Damage in Body Points
  10°
  1d6 +BP per day
  0°
  1 BP per hour
  -10°
  1d6 + 1 BP per hour
  -20°
  1 BP per minute
  -30 °
  1 BP per action round
  -40 °
  1d6 BP per action round
  LEVELS OF POWER: FREEZING THE 
  AIR
  Cost
  Effects
  1
  Increase the duration by 1 hours
  2
  Increase the radius of the sphere by 
  1 meter
  6
  Increase the radius of the sphere by 
  10 meters
  2
  Anchor the spell to an object, 
  which makes the sphere portable 
  with the object as its center
  4
  Decrease the temperature by an-
  other -10° C
  5
  Increase the duration by 1 day
  6
  Change the type of the power to 
  Lasting
  4. Greater protection from cold
  Cost/Modifier: 8/-8
  Type: Lasting
  Duration: 5 minutes
  Range: Contact
  Invocation time: 3 action rounds
  This power create a deep aura completely 
  protecting the caster or a selected 
  creature from normal, non-magical cold. 
  The aura also gives a protection of 5 
  points from Magical cold (for example 
  spells inflicting cold effects or the breath 
  of a Hrimwurm).
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  8  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  resemble metal, in terms of both hardness 
  and appearance. The creature continuously 
  regenerate this substance, as long as it feeds 
  on the required ore. This teeth regeneration 
  is so fast that all teeth are replaced every 
  three months. In practice, this means that 
  every day an old tooth is replaced by a new 
  one, but also each day more ore is required, 
  keeping the Brotbeast in a never-ending cycle 
  of ore-searching and stone-crushing.
  Nobody knows how long a Brotbeasts 
  can live but their number is, fortunately, kept 
  low by both their feeding requirements and 
  their reproduction type. Each Brotbeast is 
  genderless and, once every hundred years, it 
  gives birth to three identical calves through 
  virgin birth. These newborn are immediately 
  abandoned to survive, which is extremely 
  rare, since usually there is usually not enough 
  ore for all the three to get properly nourished, 
  although some dwarves report stories of 
  hungry Brotbeast calves feeding on each 
  other. After giving birth to the three calves, 
  the adult leaves the area looking for food and 
  chewing stone and earth. This is the reason 
  why Brotbeasts are scourges and nightmares 
  for miners of every kind. More than one 
  dwarven community has been destroyed 
  by these beasts, and this is the reason why 
  the dwarves always carefully keep records 
  of Brotbeast sightings to prepare adequate 
  defences. This is unfortunately less true 
  for the human miners, who tend to be less 
  prepared to fight such beasts.
  The Brotbeast is a titanic creature, close to 
  twelve-arms high and twenty-arms long with 
  a thick skin resembling stone. Its four legs 
  end up in mighty hoofs that the beast uses 
  to both crush its enemies as well as stones. 
  Its mouth is filled with an incredible number 
  of hard, shiny and metallic-looking teeth, 
  meant to crush the heaviest rocks. Despise 
  being able to break stone, the Brotbeasts’ 
  teeth are not eternal and many are broken, 
  dropped and lost in the continuous process of 
  stone-chewing, only to be substituted by new 
  ones. The many teeth and the skeleton are 
  made of a special substance that could almost 
  BroTBeasT
  Old Dwarves use to warn the youngsters of 
  their race by murmuring about the unknown 
  horrors which lie hidden in the underground, 
  just awaiting for unlucky miners, blinded 
  by their greed, to dig too deeply into the 
  earth’s womb. One of these nightmares is 
  the so-called ”Brotbeast”, a primitive creature 
  whose origin lies in the mysterious times 
  when Trudvang was young.
  Brotbeasts are enormous monsters living 
  deep in the underground, forever bound to dig 
  titanic tunnels, looking for the nourishments 
  that they long for. In fact, a Brotbeast feeds 
  on the ore that it extracts from the stone 
  crunched by its powerful jaws. Iron, copper 
  or even gold and exotic minerals: it does not 
  matter as far as the stones have ore inside. 
  When the vein extinguishes, the Brotbeast 
  looks for more, continuing digging its infinite 
  tunnels. However, to supplement this diet, 
  the Brotbeast occasionally seeks out living 
  beings, both large and small, in order to get 
  the energy needed to keep on digging and 
  Snowsaga
  NEW MONSTERS
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  9
  used to the ice which fills the chamber. 
  Make it suffer a -3 SV to all rolls since its 
  hoofs do not properly grip on the ice.
  orkhIr
  The ancestors of the Orkhirs were Norim 
  elves who perished in the Black Ice, to be 
  magically re-awakened centuries after, by 
  Valsika’s dark sorcery, or old immortal 
  prisoners, tortured by the Snow Queen and 
  transformed into monsters. Using both the 
  power of the black ice and drops of demonic 
  blood from Blotheim, the old Norim elves 
  were stripped of anything related to their 
  old gods, re-shaping their bodies as well as 
  their souls. They were reborn into this new, 
  evil race which live only to serve their evil 
  mistress, spreading death and destruction. 
  They have been permanently infected by 
  a demonic touch which allows them to live 
  even in the dreaded Great Ice Plains. The 
  Orkhirs are in fact highly resilient and can 
  ignore both pain and cold. Their hard and 
  tough skins bear the black and blue shades 
  of frostbite which permanently marked 
  their bodies, as well as terrifying carvings 
  and tattoos depicting mentions to their 
  cursed past. Their limbs are sinewy, strong 
  and muscular, their mouths are filled with 
  menacing tusks and their yellow eyes can 
  pierce through the darkness.
  When they are met, the Orkhir are usually 
  almost naked, since even the direst cold of 
  Wildland is for them too warm. For the same 
  reason they tend not to wear armors, since 
  they trust the hardness of their skins.
  Their elvish ancestors were skillful 
  forest hunters, but that heritage has been 
  corrupted, making the Orkhirs predators 
  can be crafted with Brotbeast Metal. For 
  example applying Brotbeast metal to a metal-
  reinforced leather armor will not have any 
  sensible effect, while a banded armor will 
  definitively get the benefit. 
  Granite Skin
  A Brotbeast’ skin is so thick to resemble 
  stone. Everytime the creature is hit a 
  weapon of quality less than ”capital” the 
  GM rolls 1d10. On a ”1” the weapon 
  suffers 1d10 (OR 8-10) damage to its BV, 
  to be diminished by PV as usual.
  Hibernation
  Brotbeasts never run away from combats 
  but sometimes they find themselves alone, 
  hungry and feeble in desperate situations. 
  In cases like these the Brotbeast enter an 
  hibernation to slowly regenerate itself. It 
  is up to the GM to establish how long it 
  takes, but at least one year is required. When 
  awakened from this status (e.g. if disturbed by 
  intruders) it will attack on sight. A Brotbeast 
  waking up from hibernation will have only 
  1/3 of its total BP (e.g. 100 BP for a standard 
  300 BP Brotbeast) but if it eats enough, the 
  beast will recover its full BP in a few days.
  Note on the Brotbeast in 
  Snowsaga.
  The beast in the mine can easily kill 
  many characters, therefore it is important 
  to remember some limits which the 
  Brotbeast suffers.
  It has only 100 BP (there he suffers -3 
  SV) since it just woke up from hibernation.
  The Brotbeast is not just torpid after 
  such a long hibernation, but it is also not 
  it is usually in this period that the Brotbeast 
  prefer feeding on meat, often looking for 
  colonies of underground creatures, like trolls 
  and dwarves. 
  In its original, underground habitat 
  the Brotbeast has no natural enemies and 
  therefore they do not know what fear is like. 
  This means that all Brotbeast fight to death, 
  driven by their neverending hunger for both 
  ore and meat. However, the underground 
  may be a hard place to live even for the 
  Brotbeasts, and sometimes these creatures 
  may even dig too deep or be blocked in places 
  where both meat and ore are lacking, and 
  their strength is therefore diminishing. To 
  solve the problem, during their millennia-
  long evolution, the Brotbeasts have developed 
  a hibernation mechanic which help them to 
  slowly recover their forces. They can sleep 
  for years or even centuries, according to some 
  loremasters, effectively becoming hidden 
  threats for unaware miners. In fact, even if 
  nobody knows how long a Brotbeast can 
  remain in hibernation, it is certain that when 
  the creature is disturbed, it tends to wake up 
  violently, immediately looking for victims to 
  slay among the invaders.
  Brotbeast Feats
  Dark Night Sight
  Brotbeasts can see up to 100 meters as 
  if it were bright daylight. Beyond that 
  range the sight gradually decreases to 
  completely disappear at about 300 m.
  Brotbeast Metal
  Dwarven craftsmen know how precious 
  Brotbeast teeth and bones are, since they 
  are as hard as steel, albeit weighing only 
  half as much.
  A single bone or a long dropped tooth 
  can be used to craft a single metal weapon 
  with half its weight an IM modifier 
  bettered by +1.
  To craft a whole armor of Brotbeast metal 
  one needs a large number of bones and teeth, 
  and usually the skeleton of an adult Brotbeast 
  cannot be used for more than two armor 
  sets. These armors are identical to normal 
  metal armors but their heft is diminished 
  by 3. It is worth remembering that to have 
  this effect only armors mostly made of metal 
  BROTBEAST
  Type: quadruped creature BP: 300; Movement: 2 CP per 24 m (Max 48 m). 
  Fear Factor: 1d10 (OR 8-10); Size: 12t, Natural Armor: 4 (tough skin). Damage levels: 1-75 (0) 
  / 76-150 (-1) / 151-225 (-3) / 226-300 (-7)  / > 300 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +10, Strength +10, Intelligence -4.
  Feats: Dark Night Sight, Brotbeast Metal, Granite Skin, Hibernation.
  Weapons: Bite (damage 3d10 OR 8-10 +8), Hoof (damage 3d10 OR 9-10 +8).
  Initiative: -4
  Number of Rounds to spend CP: 4
  Combat points: Free 8 / Bite 14, Hoofs 16.
  Samples of Attacks (each to be spread in 4 rounds):
  (IM -4) Bite SV 11, SV 11, Hoof SV 8, SV 8
  (IM -4) Bite SV 16, SV 6, Hoof SV 11, SV 5
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  10  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  savage warriors tend to overuse their frenzy 
  ability, especially when carrying twisted 
  broadswords which seem too large to be 
  wield by somebody of their size. Hurik’a 
  are often employed as scouts for the Orkhir 
  armies due to their abilities in tracking preys.
  Svorgha
  The bulk of Orkhir armies is composed 
  by Svorgha which, by dimensions and 
  appearances, really look like a cross between 
  a troll and a human, with no resemblance 
  to the original elvish roots of the Orkhir. 
  Svorgha are the original type of Orkhir and, 
  unlike the other two types, Svorghas are fit 
  for many roles, from rank-and-file soldier to 
  high general, from assault infantry troops to 
  nighttime ambushers, from hunting parties 
  to cavalry units (since horses seem to be not 
  scared by them). The following stats are just 
  basic, trying to encompass more than one 
  field of expertise, but the GM is encouraged 
  to personalize them, in case of need.
  Cold Immunity
  The Orkhir ignore damage caused by 
  any kind of cold, natural or even magical, 
  including any ”Hrim Body” effect.
  Controlled frenzy
  Orkhirs are able to enter and exit at will a 
  kind of ”controlled” state of frenzy. When 
  they are in such a status they get +2 SV on 
  each of their melee attacks but also suffer a 
  -2 SV to each of their parries. 
  Arukha
  Among the Orkhirs these are the largest 
  but also the rarest, since there is only one 
  or two Arukha every twenty Orkhirs. Bred 
  to destroy enemies too tough to be defeated 
  by other Orkhirs, the Arukha do not stop for 
  any reason to complete their tasks, even if 
  this means the death of other Orkhirs. The 
  Arukha are treated by their leaders like living 
  war machines, meant to destroy any opponent 
  with their enormous axes and spears.
  Hurik’a
  These are the smallest of the Orkhir kind, 
  rarely reaching 1m in height. These small, 
  who rejoice in tracking and killing any 
  kind of prey. The Orkhir tend to craft 
  and use many different weapons whose 
  aspects is always twisted, recalling 
  dreaded demonic designs. However, it is 
  not unheard for an Orkhir to kill a victim 
  using its own hands, using the scary nails 
  which are so sharp to resemble claws.
  There are basically three types of 
  Orkhir, of three different sizes. The 
  following stats represent basic, standard 
  Orkhir, although the GM is encouraged 
  to personalize them, if need arises to have 
  specific individuals.
  Orkhir feats
  The stats belows refer to the following 
  special feats.
  Night’ Sight
  The Orkhir can see with a weak light 
  source (stars, moonlight, torchlight and 
  so on) as if it were a day.
  Durable
  The Orkhir ignore pain. Damage levels 
  are not recorded for them, since they 
  completely ignore penalties from wounds.
  Arakha
  Svorga
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  11
  ARUKHA
  Type: humanoid BP: 100; Movement: 2 CP per 3 m (Max 30 m).  
  Fear Factor: 1d5; Size: 3t, Natural Armor: 3 (tough skin). 
  Character Traits: Constitution +4, Strength +6, Intelligence -2.
  Feats: Night’ Sight, Durable, Cold Immunity, Controlled Frenzy
  Skills: Agility SV 7, Care SV 2, Entertainment SV 2, Faith SV 1, 
  Knowledge SV 7, Shadow Arts SV 4, Vitner Craft SV 1. 
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 3 (2H Weapons 4), Battle 
  Experience 1 (Fighter 3), Unarmed Fighting 3 
  (Brawling 3).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Tracker 2).
  Weapons: Twisted 2H Axe (WA 3, IM -6, PV/BV 9/90, Dmg 2d10 OR 7-10 
  +6 strength) or Twisted broad-bladed spear (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 7/70, 
  Dmg 2d10 OR 7-10 +6 strength), Claws (Dmg 2d10 OR 10 +6 Strength). 
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) -6 (2H Axe) -5 (Broad-bladed Spear).
  Rounds to spread Combat points: 2
  Other Combat Details: +6 Melee damage (Strength), WA +1 to 2H 
  weapons (2H weapons 4).
  Combat points: Free 11 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 6 (2H Weapons 8) / 
  Unarmed 6 (Brawling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  2H Axe (IM -5) or Spear (IM -4) SV 16, SV 15. 
  (IM +1) Claws or Unarmed Brawl SV 15, SV 14
  HURIK’A
  Type: humanoid BP: 15; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 14 m).
  Fear Factor: 1d10 (OR 8-10), Size: 1/2t, Natural Armor: 3 (tough skin). 
  Character Traits: Dexterity +2, Perception +2.
  Feats: Night’ Sight, Durable, Cold Immunity, Controlled Frenzy
  Skills: Care SV 2, Entertainment SV 2, Faith SV 1, Knowledge SV 7, 
  Vitner Craft SV 1. 
  Agility SV 9 
  Battle maneuver 1 (Evade 3), Body Control 2 
  (Jump, Climbing & Balancing 3).
  Fighting SV 8 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 2, 
  Bows & Slings 2), Battle Experience 1 (Combat 
  Reaction 2, Fighter 2), Unarmed Fighting 1 
  (Brawling 2).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 2, Finding & 
  Spotting 3, Sneak Attack 3, Walking in Shadows 2).
  Wilderness SV 8 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Hunting & Fishing 3, 
  Tracker 3, Wilderness Signs 3).
  Weapons: Twisted Broadsword (WA 3, IM -4, PV/BV 8/80, Dmg 
  1d10 OR 9-10), Hunting Bow (WA 3, IM -2, PV/BV 2/20, range 
  2-30/31-80, Dmg 1d10 OR 10) and arrows, Claws (Dmg 1d5).
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) +4 (Combat Reaction) 
  -4 (sword) -2 (bow).
  Other Combat Details: +6 damage Sneak Attack.
  Combat points: Free 9 / Attacks & Parries 4 / Armed 2 (Right 1H 
  Weapons 4, Bows & Slings 4) / Unarmed 2 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +3) Twisted Broadsword SV 14, SV 5. 
  (IM +7) Claws or Unarmed Brawl SV 14, SV 5
  (IM +7) Evade SV 16
  SVORGHA
  Type: humanoid BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 14 m).
  Fear Factor: 1d10, Size: 1t, Natural Armor: 3 (tough skin). 
  Character Traits: Dexterity +2, Strength +2
  Feats: Night’ Sight, Durable, Cold Immunity, Controlled Frenzy
  Skills: Care SV 5, Entertainment SV 2, Faith SV 1, Knowledge SV 7, 
  Vitner Craft SV 1. 
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle maneuver 1 (Evade 2), Body Control 1, 
  Horsemanship 1 (Riding 3).
  Fighting SV 9 
  Armed Fighting 2 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 2, 
  Bows & Slings 2, Shield Bearer 2), Battle 
  Experience 1 (Combat Reaction 2, Fighter 2), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 2).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 1, Sneak 
  Attack 1, Walking in Shadows 1).
  Wilderness SV 8 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Hunting & Fishing 3, 
  Tracker 3, Wilderness Signs 3), Survival 1 
  (Pathwalker 3).
  Weapons: Twisted Spear (WA 3, IM -3, 4/40, dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2 
  Strength, it can be thrown) or Twisted Broadsword (WA 3, IM -4, 
  PV/BV 8/80, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2 Strength), Longbow (WA 2, IM 
  -3, PV/BV 3/30, range 2-50/51-110, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10) and arrows, 
  medium metal-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 7/70), claws 
  (Dmg 1d10 +2 Strength).
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) +4 (Combat Reaction) 
  -3 (spear) -4 (sword) -2 (shield) -3 (longbow).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Strength), mounted combat 
  costs only 6 CP (Riding 3), no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 2), +2 
  damage Sneak Attack.
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 4 (Right 1H 
  Weapons 4, Bows & Slings 4, Shields 4) / Unarmed 2 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +2) Spear SV 14, SV 10, Shield SV 14. 
  (IM+1) Sword SV 14, SV 10, Shield SV 14. 
  (IM +4) Longbow SV 14, SV 10.
  (IM +7) Claws or Unarmed Brawl SV 14, SV 8.
  (IM +7) Evade SV 12.
  Hurik’a
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  12  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  with wild snowboars, producing wilder, 
  large offspring. Frostboars are more 
  aggressive than other swine but will 
  usually not attack anyone who feeds them.
  Wolfhounds are a breed of large, powerful 
  dogs which are very diffused in the Wildland 
  as both guarding animals and to pull sleighs, 
  especially during the hard winters in the 
  northernmost, frozen lands. In terms of 
  ancestry they are nearer to wolves than 
  most other dogs. Use the normal wolves’ 
  stats for representing wolfhounds, although 
  they are domesticated and obedient to their 
  masters. 
  cattle, so they yield more meat. Hagtorn 
  bulls are breed only in Wildland, although 
  their meat is a delicacy whose quality is 
  praised throughout the Stormlands. The 
  owners of Hagtorn bulls are quite jealous 
  of their animals and, if somebody ever 
  manage to export the breed elsewhere, a 
  certain amount of money could be made. 
  Wildland is also famous also for the 
  “frostboar”, which is larger than a normal 
  snowboar, with a thicker white coat. 
  Unlike the snowboars, most frostboars are 
  not wild but raised in the farms, although 
  when they occasionally run away breed 
  new anImals
  Name
  BP
  Armor
  M per 2 CP (Max 
  Movement)
  CP 
  Free/attacks
  Attacks
  Damage
  Size
  Fear Factor
  Hagtorn Bull
  95
  2
  Land 10 m (20 m)
  8/Horn 18
  Horn SV 14, SV 10
  2d10 
  (OR 
  8-10)
  5t
  1d10
  Frostboar
  65
  2
  Land 4 m (12 m)
  8/Tusk 16
  Tusk SV 14, SV 10
  2d10 (OR 10)
  2t
  1d6
  Legends speak about the mighty cattle 
  that the Hagtorn kings once used to 
  breed. Those wonderful herds are mostly 
  gone, although the Hagtorn and few other 
  Wildlanders families still possess some 
  Hagtorn Bulls. These hardy oxen are 
  gigantic and have long, black coats which 
  allow them to stay outdoors all year. Only 
  the cows are kept indoor, to facilitate the 
  milking, although they produce it in much 
  less quantities than the other breeds. On 
  the other hand the Hagtorn bulls are 
  enormous, and even the cows can be up 
  to one and a half times the size of other 
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  13
  15, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2), medium shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 
  5/50), Metal-reinforced Leather (PV/BV 4/40, Heft 4 reduced to 1 
  due to Ironclad: MM 0 m, IM 0).
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) -5 (Bearded Axe) -3 (Spear) -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Strength), armors up to 
  Heft 2 (Armor Bearer 1), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no shield penalty (Shield 
  Bearer 2), Sneak Attack +2 damage.
  Combat points: Free 9 / Attacks & Parries 4 / Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 6, Shields 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -6) Bearded Axe SV 15, SV 5, Shield SV 13
  (IM -4) Hunting Spear SV 10, SV 10, Shield SV 8, SV 5
  (IM +1) Brawling SV 18
  Beldor, masTer smelTer of The 
  angor Clan
  As both the most skillful mitraka-smith and the most powerful 
  Buratja dwarf in Sootbrand, Beldor is an arrogant leader. The only 
  threats to his power are the leaders of the Dogordin and Agordo 
  clans, although they seem to be busier to fight each other, than to 
  threat the Angor clan’s position. Beldor knows that this situation 
  cannot last, and he has put his own spies to keep an eye on the two 
  enemy factions. The Master Smelter knows very well how to use 
  intimidation, treachery and lies to reach his own objectives. When 
  the player characters arrive in Sootbrand, Beldor knows that things 
  are bound to evolve. He has heard about the characters from the 
  new friends of his brother Dunkilja, the Ice Cultists, and the Master 
  Smelter will do everything in his power to exploit the situation. Like 
  all the Buratja smiths, Beldor prefers to wear less clothes as possible, 
  although he will occasionally display symbols of his authority like 
  golden necklaces or even a crown.
  alrIk, Brynjulv and veurd ouvar
  The other Ouvar brothers are all faithful to their eldest kin, 
  Haldur, to the point of being fanatical. They are all hirdmen and 
  executioners, acting as their brother’ assistants. They do not 
  have the werewarg curse, but they share the same murderous, 
  violent nature of Haldur. Play them as enthusiastic Ice cultists 
  whose sadism is hidden only by decency, only to be openly 
  revealed at the Snow Queen’s command. 
  Like Haldur, these three brothers are also often in company of 
  wolfhounds, to be represented with wolves’ stats.
  ALRIK, BRYNJULV AND VEURD OUVAR 
  Age: various; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 
  (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -2, Strength +2.
  Skills: Care SV 4, Entertainment SV 4, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1.
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 3)
  Fighting SV 8 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  3, Shield Bearer 2), Battle Experience 1 (Armor 
  Bearer 1, Fighter 2), Unarmed Fighting 1 
  (Brawling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Silvertongue 1).
  Shadow Arts SV 6 
  Shadowing 1 (Walking in Shadows 1, Sneak 
  Attack 1).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Tracker 2, Wilderness 
  Signs 2), Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal  
  Friend 3).
  Equipment: Bearded Axe (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 8/80, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10 +2), Hunting Spear (WA 3, IM -3, PV/BV 4/40, range 2-10/11-
  Snowsaga
  NPCS
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  14  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  BHEWOLK, THE ANCIENT DWARVEN DRAUGR
  Age: various; BP: 120; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 8 m) + 3 m for free.
  Character Traits: Psyche +3, Constitution +4, Strength +4.
  Fear Factor: 1d10 (OR 9-10). 
  Skills: Care SV 9, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1, 
  Wilderness SV 10   
  Agility SV 8 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Combat Movement 3, Evade 3, 
  Ironclad 3).
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 3 (Two-handed Weapons 4), 
  Battle Experience 2 (Armor Bearer 3, Combat 
  Reaction 3, Fighter 3), Unarmed 1 (Brawling 3, 
  Wrestling 3).
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge – Dwarves 1, Language 1 
  (Mother Tongue Futhark 3, Reading & Writing: 
  Futhark 3), Race Knowledge 1 (Monster Lore 1).
  Shadow Arts SV 9 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 3, Finding 
  & Spotting 3, Walking in Shadows 1), Thieving 
  1 (Locks &Traps 1).
  Equipment: Masterful-quality Mitraka Two-Handed Axe (WA 2 
  turned to 3, IM -5, PV/BV 12/1200, Dmg 1d10 OR 7-10 +4 Strength, 
  +1 SV, 2 CP locked to this axe), Masterful-quality mitraka Chain Mail 
  armor (PV/BV 8/80, Heft 2 reduced to 0 due to Ironclad, MM0, IM0), 
  Shell (Stone Flute) hanging from a necklace. 
  Initiative: +2 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) -5 (Mitraka 
  2H Axe).
  Other Combat Details: Can clearly see up to 10 m with dim light as if it 
  were under the sun, +4 melee damage (Strength) armors up to Heft 6 (Armor 
  Bearer 3), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), +1 WA with 2H weapons (2H Weapons 4).
  Combat points: Free 12 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 3 (2H Weapons 8), 
  Masterful-quality 2H Axe 2 / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6, Wrestling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these) (SV bonus already calculated):
  (IM -3) 2H Axe SV 17, SV 9, SV 8.
  (IM +8) Brawling SV 15, SV 10.
  (IM +8) Evade SV 15.
  Note: For more information on the Draugr see Jorgi’s Bestiary pages 
  55-58. A summary of the feats is here proposed:
  Feats: Shapeshifter and Life Sacrifice. Bhewolk may shapeshift into a 
  wolf to travel and drink blood to extend is life out of Sparklur. These feats 
  are not meaningful here since Bhewolk is not willing to leave Sparklur.
  Smoke Body. Bhewolk can transform into smoke to heal 10 BP per 
  day. The shifting takes 3 rounds during which Bhewolk cannot defend 
  himself, therefore he will not do it while fighting the characters.
  Night’ Sight. Bhewolk can see even in pitch darkness
  Durable. Tracking Damage levels is worthless, since Bhewolk does not 
  suffer wound modifiers.
  BELDOR, MASTER SMELTER OF THE ANGOR CLAN
  Age: 85; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 8 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +4, Intelligence +2. 
  Skills: Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1, Wilderness SV 6.   
  Agility SV 5 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 1)
  Care SV 10 
  Handicraft 3 (Hard Materials 5, Soft Materials 2); 
  Handler 1 (Commander 2, Sage 4), Tradesman 1.
  Entertainment SV 7 Storytelling 1 (Acting 3, Libel 3).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 2, 
  Shield Bearer 2), Battle Experience 1.
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge – Dwarves 3, Language 1 
  (Bribery 3, Calculate 1, Mother Tongue Futhark 
  3, Foreign Tongue: Vrok 3, Reading & Writing: 
  Futhark 3, Silvertongue 3), Monster Lore 1.
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 3), Thieving 1 
  (Locks &Traps 3).
  Equipment: Mitraka Masterful-quality Battle Hammer (WA 3, IM -3, 
  PV/BV 9/90, Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10, +1 SV, +2 CP locked to this weapon), 
  medium mitraka-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -1, PV/BV 9/90).
  Initiative: -3 (mitraka Battle Hammer) -1 (mitraka-reinforced Shield)
  Other Combat Details: Can clearly see up to 10 m with dim light as if 
  it were under the sun, no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 2).
  Combat points: Free 9 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 4, 
  Shields 4), mitraka battle hammer 2.
  Samples of Attacks (one of these, all SV bonuses calculated): 
  (IM -4) Mitraka Battle Hammer SV 17, Shield SV 13.
  (IM 0) Brawling SV 9.
  (IM 0) Evade SV 8.
  Note: the same stats can be used for Dunkillja (Beldor’s brother), 
  including also similar mitraka weapons (gifts from his brother) but 
  with the following changes in Skills:
  Care SV 8 
  Handicraft 1 (Hard Materials 2, Soft Materials 
  2); Tradesman 1 (Trader 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge – Dwarves 3, Language 1 
  (Bribery 3, Calculate 3, Mother Tongue Futhark 
  3, Foreign Tongue: Vrok 3, Foreign Tongue: 
  Wild Vrok 3, Reading & Writing: Futhark 3, 
  Silvertongue 3).
  Wilderness SV 8 
  Geography 1, Survival 1 (Camper 3, Pathwalker 3, 
  Weathered 3).
  Bhewolk, The anCIenT dwarven 
  draugr
  During life he was a legendary warrior from Trillheim, the 
  Kingdom of Mitraka, but 1,200 years ago he dared to enter 
  Sparklur and met his doom fighting the dragon Unghorvin. 
  Mortally wounded, covered in his own blood Bhewolk died while 
  seated on a throne, with the Stone Flute on his neck, only to raise 
  again as a Draugr. He died on the same day when all his relatives 
  perished in an earthquake in Trillheim, doom having cursed all 
  his family. Bhewolk is now the unwilling guardian of Sparklur, 
  waiting for victims to come and be deprived of their blood.
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  15
  Blodughadda
  The chosen of the Snow Queen, the leader of the mighty army of 
  the Ice Cult, the scourge of Wildland: Blodughadda is all these 
  things and more. So many giants, dwarves, elves and men have 
  made Blodughadda suffer and he has repaid them all, with even 
  greater damage. After so many travels, sufferings and adventures 
  he is ready to make his queen to rule the world. She has been the 
  only one to give to the mighty Blodughadda, what he deserves: 
  glory, power and, most than anything else, unending love…or at 
  least that what Blodughadda believes.
  BLODUGHADDA 
  Type: humanoid BP: 255; Movement: 2 CP per 8 m (Max 64 m). 
  Fear Factor: 1d10 (OR 7-10); Size: 8t, Natural Armor: 6 (tough skin 
  blessed by the Snow Queen). 
  Damage levels: (for 232 BP): 1-64 (0) / 65-128 (-1) / 129-192 (-3) / 
  193-255 (-7)  / > 255 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +4, Strength +8, Intelligence +1.
  Skills: Blodughadda needs to survive until the end of the campaign, 
  therefore give him whatever skill he needs. He certainly has level 4 of 
  Commander specialty of Care and level 4 of the Battle Experience discipline 
  of Fighting. The rest can be created according to specific needs.
  Feats (see Generic Hrimtursir): Fire Weakness, Frenzy, Grip, Horn 
  Throw, Hrim Body.
  Weapons: Unarmed (damage 2d10 OR 8-10 +8), Great Masterful-
  quality Battle Sword (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 10/100, dmg 3d10 OR 
  7-10+8, 2 CP locked to this sword).
  Initiative: -4 (base) -5 (Great Battle Sword).
  Number of Rounds to spend CP: 3
  Combat points: Free 15 / Attacks & Parries 20 / Great Battle Sword 2.
  Samples of Attacks (each to be spread in 3 rounds):
  (IM -9) Great Battle Sword SV 17, SV 10, SV 10.
  (IM -4) Unarmed SV 15, SV 10, SV 10.
  Note: Blodughadda is the chosen of the Snow Queen. The GM is 
  encouraged to give him any skill or maybe even occasional special powers 
  to make him survive. Off course these powers must be cold-related (for 
  example invoking a large storm and cover his own traces while traveling).
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  16  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  CapTaIn Bjarn
  As an experienced, weather-beaten captain, Bjarn disdains 
  anybody who has no experiences with the sea and will be 
  ready to mock and insult any player character who is clearly 
  not comfortable with his knarr and the life on the sea. Bjarn is 
  constantly arrogant, but he is also a skillful sailor and navigator. 
  Bjarn is been serving Oktar Grimme for many years, leading his 
  knarr for the Swordjarl’s many trade travels.
  CAPTAIN BJARN
  Age: 52; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 
  (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +2, Psyche +1.
  Skills: Care SV 8, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 6, 
  Vitner Craft SV 1.   
  Agility SV 7 
  Body Control 1 (Jumping, Climbing & Balancing 
  2, Swimming 3).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  3, Shield Bearer 2), Battle Experience 1 (Armor 
  Bearer 1, Fighter 1), Unarmed Fighting 1 
  (Brawling 2, Wrestling 1).
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge -Stormlander 1, Language 
  1 (Mother Tongue Vrok 3, Read & Write: Vrok 
  2, Foreign Tongue: Rona).
  Wilderness SV 10 
  Geography 1 (Sea Knowledge: Grim Sea 3, Oster 
  Ocean 3), Nature Knowledge 1 (Weatherman 1), 
  Seafarer 2 (Navigation 5, Seaman 4)
  Equipment: Battle Sword (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 9/90, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10), medium Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 5/50).
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) -5 (Battle Sword), -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: armors up to Heft 2 (Armor Bearer 1), no shield 
  penalty (Shield Bearer 2).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 2 / Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 6, Shields 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4, Wrestling 2).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), off-hand modifiers already calculated: 
  (IM -6) Battle Sword SV 15, Shield SV 14.
  (IM -6) Battle Sword SV 8, SV 7, Shield SV 14
  (IM +1) Unarmed Brawl SV 13.
  dragon warg
  When Blodughadda slew Stofeng, the great warg beast, he 
  adopted the puppies which were in the beast’s lair. However, 
  these were not normal wolfkin, since only three days after their 
  birth, the puppies ate a dragon hatchling. This fact completely 
  changed them: they developed scales mixed with dire fur, 
  sharpened senses, elongated fangs and the ability of breathing 
  fire. Of the original litter of five one died young and the white-
  maned Rimklove was met during the Wildheart adventure. 
  Three dragon wargs remain: the gray-furred Tovmane and the 
  black Gryms and Grafte. These dragon wargs are faithful to 
  Blodughadda and would die to protect him. 
  DRAGON WARG
  Type: quadruped BP:72; Movement: 2 CP per 12 m (Max 48 m).
  Fear Factor: 1d10 (OR 9-10); Size: 3t, Natural Armor: 4 
  Damage levels: (for 232 BP): 1-18 (0) / 19-36 (-1) / 37-54 (-3) / 55-72 
  (-7)  / > 72 (Dying).
  Feats: Fast, Dragon Warg Skin, Fire Breath, Jump Attack.
  Weapons: Bite (dmg 2d10 OR 9-10), Claws (dmg 2d10 OR 10), Fire 
  Breath 1d10 (OR 8-10).
  Initiative: 0.
  Number of Rounds to spend CP: 2
  Combat points: Free 12 / Bite 15, Claws 12.
  Samples of Attacks (each to be spread in 2 rounds):
  (IM 0) Bite SV 16, SV 11; Claws SV 12.
  (IM 0) Bite SV 14, SV 13; Claws SV 8, SV 4.
  Feats: Fast. This is already calculated in the movement stats.
  Dragon Warg Skin. The beast is immune to all magical and non-
  magical cold.
  Fire Breath. Two times per day the Dragon Warg can breath a cone of cold.
  Jump Attack. To start a combat (usually only the first round) the beast 
  can jump on his victim getting a bonus claw attack (SV 12) using the 
  hind legs and without spending further CP.
  emeldur swIne-neCk
  As short, hunched, fat, fifty-years old man, Emeldur is far more 
  dangerous than a first look may reveal. He never had the talents or 
  the physique for warrior activities or for working as a metalsmith, 
  therefore he always found himself unaccepted in Vretgaard, his original 
  hometown. His family managed to sent him elsewhere to get an 
  education in Storhavn, coming back to Vretgaard with administration 
  and notary skills. The impoverished Hagtorn lords did not have use 
  for Emeldur, and this fuelled the short man’s frustration.
  However, nobody knows that when he was young, Emeldur met 
  an old man in the forest and he was initiated to the bloody Haminges 
  religion. And when he was out of Vretgaard he also developed 
  murderous habits that fitted well with his secret beliefs. The Snow 
  Queen whispers perfectly worked on Emeldur’s frustrations and 
  degenerations, and he just added a new evil goddess to the dark 
  Haminges pantheon that he worships. In Ysetur he is still the 
  unoffensive, short notary, helping with the administration of the fort. 
  He is just a low-ranking cultist, helping with records. However, a 
  look to the macabre trophies inside his storeroom will reveal the real 
  degree of the darkness which is harbouring inside Emeldur’ soul.
  EMELDUR SWINE-NECK
  Age: 50; BP: 30; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-23 (-3) / 24-30 (-7) / > 30 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution -2, Charisma -1, Intelligence +2, 
  Dexterity +1.
  Skills: Agility SV 6, Entertainment SV 5, Fighting SV 7, Vitner Craft SV 1,
  Wilderness SV 8   
  Care SV 9 
  Handler 1 (Sage 3).
  Faith SV 8 
  Divine Power 1 (Faithful 2, Powerful 2), 
  God Focus 1 (Composed 2, Lighting-quick 
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  17
  Healing Dance. Each Fairy which dance above a wounded person 
  heals 1d3 points of the person.
  Night’ Sight. The fairy see with weak light sources, as it if were 
  day.
  Song of Guidance. Fairies can sing to lead lost travellers closer to 
  an exit or a path. Enemies may be led astray, although they can 
  resist with a situation roll (SV 8 with Psyche modifiers and -1 per 
  additional 5 fairies).
  fIrsT maTe hanse and The oTher 
  seamen
  Hanse obeys any command which is uttered by Bjarn’s mouths 
  and harass the player characters only if Bjarn does so. He is 
  way more silent than his captain, whom he deeply respect.
  The same stats can also be used for he five seamen who assist 
  Hanse with the slave oarsmen.
  FIRST MATE HANSE AND THE OTHER SEAMEN
  Age: 30; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: -
  Skills: Care SV 8, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 6, 
  Vitner Craft SV 1.   
  Agility SV 7 
  Body Control 1 (Jumping, Climbing & Balancing 2,  
  Swimming 3).
  Fighting SV 6 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Bows & Slings 1, Right 1H 
  Light Weapons 1, Shield Bearer 1), Unarmed 
  Fighting 1 (Brawling 1, Wrestling 1).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge -Stormlander 1, Language 
  1 (Mother Tongue Vrok 3).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Geography 1, Nature Knowledge 1, Seafarer 2 
  (Navigation 2, Seaman 3)
  Equipment: Hand Axe (WA 4, IM -3, PV/BV 6/60, Dmg 1d10 OR 10), 
  medium Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 5/50), Longbow (WA 2, IM -3,  
  PV/BV 3/30, range 2-50/51-110, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10) and arrows.
  Initiative: -3 (Hand Axe), -2 (Shield), -3 (Longbow).
  Other Combat Details: no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 1).
  Combat points: Free 6 / Armed 1 (Bows & Slings 2, Right 1H Light 
  Weapons 2, Shields 2) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 2, Wrestling 2).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), off-hand modifiers already 
  calculated: 
  (IM -5) Hand Axe SV 9, Shield SV 8.
  (IM -3) Longbow SV 9
  (IM 0) Unarmed Brawl SV 9.
  fylkjarl raak wulfr
  Raak is a huge, rough veteran who has been leading his clan with 
  an iron fist for more than twenty years. All his forces are focused 
  on fighting the Uvail family. The Wulfr are known for taming 
  wild warg beast and for having been enemies of the Ice Cult in 
  the past due to their deep faith in Gerbanis. However, Raak’s 
  heart has been darkened by the influence of his friend Njordung 
  Invocation 3), Invoke 3 (Noaj 2, Holy Tablets: 
  Power of Men 3, Power of Trolls 2).
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge -Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law 3), Culture Knowledge - Wildfolk 1, 
  (Religion: Haminges 3), Language 1 (Bribery 3, 
  Calculate 3, Mother Tongue Vrok 3, Reading & 
  Writing Vrok 3, Silvertongue 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 2 (Camouflage & Hiding 3, Sneak 
  Attack 3, Walking in Shadows 3), Thievery 1.
  Divine Capacity: 39 Basic SV for Divine Powers: 16.
  Details of divine powers: +5 SV to remain focused, -5 on the Fatal 
  Failure table (God Focus 1, Composed 2), +6 IM on divine powers 
  (Lighting-quick Invocations 3), +2 SV on stealing victims’ spirits (Noaj 2).
  Equipment: Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 10), 
  two dried Haminges relics (a man’s finger and a forest troll’s nose which hang 
  from Emeldur’s neck, hidden among the robes) linked to the two holy tablets 
  and to be hit in case Emeldur received 5+ damage (to be it on 1-2 on 1d20).
  Initiative: +1 (Dexterity), -1 (Dagger). 
  Other Combat Details: +6 Sneak Attack.
  Combat points: Free 7
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM -1) Seax Dagger SV 7.
  (IM +1) Brawling SV 7.
  faIrIes
  These beautiful, tiny creatures resemble miniature girls or 
  children with fragile, dragonfly wings. They are somehow 
  linked to both elves and yggdras, as they all care for the 
  wilderness and the mysteries of the forests. They speak a 
  secret language which resemble birds’ songs and bumblebees’ 
  buzzing. Their main interests are in protecting the forests 
  and healing wounded creatures in need. Many people have a 
  superstitious fear of fairies, although they are rather good in 
  nature. Fairies live in the “mire” nearby Soothome, although 
  the fowler Vidr Tranfolli believes them to be much more 
  dangerous Lyktgubbe. More information on the Fairies can be 
  found in Jorgi’s bestiary p. 72-73.
  FAIRIES
  Type: winged humanoid BP:3-5; Movement: land up to 3 m, flying 
  up to 10.
  Fear Factor: none; Size: 1/3 t. 
  Damage levels: (for 4 BP): 1 (0) / 2 (-1) / 3 (-3) / 4 (-7)  / > 4 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Dexterity +4, Intelligence +2
  Feats: Fairy dance, Fairy dust, Healing Dance, Night’ Sight, Song of 
  Guidance.
  Weapons: one.
  Initiative: +4 (Dex).
  Combat points: -
  Feats: Fairy Dust. Each fairy has 1d3+1 doses of this dust. 
  Throwing it in the air give +1d3+1 SV to all actions for 1d5 hours. 
  Collecting seven doses grants a wish, but only good wishes are 
  fulfilled.
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  18  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  who approached him with a promise of vengeance against the 
  Uvail, but made him touch a piece of the cursed black ice. Now 
  the Wulfr clan is secretly devoted to the Ice Cult and very few 
  people can make sense of the new spiral-like tattoo that Raak 
  displays on this neck. Raak also despises his son Rendre, but is 
  more than willing to exploit their communal link to the Ice Cult. 
  The Wulfr Fylkjarl does not lead his troops with refined strategy, he 
  is more a kind of wild berserker and the Wulfr blindly obey him out 
  of the fear of Raak’s rage. Even if he is getting old, Raak is still a 
  formidable fighter. He likes to cleave enemies with his large sword and 
  does not like wearing heavy armors, preferring to move like a quick 
  wolf in combat. In the battlefields he is often accompanied by trained 
  warg beasts, as in the tradition of the Wulfr clan.
  FYLKJARL RAAK WULLFR
  Age: 54; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) + 3 m.
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Dexterity +2, Strength +2.
  Skills: Care SV 7, Entertainment SV 4, Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 7, 
  Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 8 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Combat Movement 3, 
  Ironclad 1, Evade 3), Horsemanship 1.
  Fighting SV 9 
  Armed Fighting 2 (2H Weapons 3), Battle 
  Experience 1 (Armor Bearer 2, Combat Reaction 3, 
  Fighter 3) Unarmed Fighting 2 (Brawling 3, 
  Wrestling 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Reading & Writing; Vrok 3), 
  Monster Lore 1.
  Wilderness SV 10 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 3), 
  Hunting Experience 2 (Hunting & Fishing 
  2, Tracker 3, Wilderness Signs 3), Nature 
  Knowledge 1 (Animal Friend 3, Zoology 3), 
  Survival 1 (Weathered 3).
  Equipment: “Skoll’s Fang” (Masterful-Quality Two-Handed Sword, 
  WA 2 turned to 3, IM -6, PV/BV 11/110, Damage 1d10 OR 8-10 +4, 
  +2 CP locked to its use), Masterful-Quality Leather Armor (PV/BV 
  3/30, Heft 2 reduced to 1 due to Ironclad: MM 0, IM 0). 
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat 
  Reaction) - 6 (2H Sword).
  Other Combat Details: + 3 m for free (Combat Movement 3), 
  +2 Melee damage (Special Wildbron feature), +2 Melee damage 
  (Strength), Heft -1 (Ironclad 1), armors up to Heft 4 (Armor Bearer 2), 
   +1 WA with 2H weapons (2H Weapons 3).
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 6 /Armed 2 (2H Weapons 6), 
  2H Sword 2 / Unarmed 2 (Brawling 6, Wrestling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +3) Skoll’s Fang SV 14, SV 10.
  (IM +9) Brawling SV 14, SV 10.
  (IM +9) Evade SV 15.
  Note: If the “Stormlands” sourcebook is available, Raak Wulfr can 
  use the berserker abilities. Furthermore Raak is of pure Wildbron 
  blood, a fact which gives him a +2 bonus to melee damage.
  fylkjarl saul Bhalgor, The BryCker of 
  wIldland
  A deep, masculine voice, a shaven head in the Gerbanian style, 
  a martial demeanor and a fierce gaze which seems to pierce 
  your soul. This is Saul Bhalgor, the Brycker of Wildland and 
  a living legend. There are countless stories about how Saul’s 
  eyes are like those of Windinna, blessed with the power of 
  understanding what is hidden in one man’s heart, while Saul’s 
  wrath is like the fury of Tyrd, destroying all the enemies of 
  Stormi. 
  Saul Bhalgor is the leader of his clan, but also the higher 
  Gerbanian authority in Wildland, mastering not less than 
  five hundred expert Knights of the Iron Hand. Saul is not just 
  a skillful dimwalker but also a mighty warrior completely 
  focused on defending Gerbanis among the Wildlanders. 
  The Bhalgor family of Jordek is not just one of the most 
  important Wildlander clans, but also the main supporters 
  of the faith. 
  Saul is a tough man and despises women, as well as he hates 
  the weaklings. Nevertheless, his real hate is focused towards 
  the followers of the Ice Cult. The Brycker has been spotting 
  the clues about the resurgence of this cult, and he is actively 
  preparing his warriors for the worst. Nevertheless, Saul’s 
  preparation is bound to fail. This time the Snow Queen has 
  gathered too many forces in a place too far from Jordek and 
  from Saul Bhalgor’s eyes to be properly spot in advance. When 
  doom will come, be sure that the brycker will sacrifice himself 
  for fighting the evil.
  Raak Wulfr
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  19
  FYLKJARL SAUL BHALGOR, THE BRYCKER OF 
  WILDLAND
  Age: 55; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m, 8 m if in armor) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +4, Psyche +4.
  Skills: Shadow Arts SV 3, Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 3), Horsemanship 
  1 (Riding 3).
  Care SV 8 
  Handler 1 (Commander 3, Sage 2).
  Entertainment SV 8 Storytelling 3 (Acting 3).
  Faith SV 10 
  Divine Power 2 (Faithful 3, Powerful 3), God Focus 
  2 (Composed 3, Lighting-quick Invocation 3,  
  Potent 3), Invoke 3 (Stormkelt 5, Holy Tablets: 
  Influence of Jorn 2, Strength of Stormi 3, 
  Warmth of Sunvei 4, Wisdom of Windinna 4, 
  Wrath of Tyrd 5).
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 4,  
  Shield Bearer 4), Battle Experience 1 (Armor 
  Bearer 5, Combat Reactions 3, Fighter 4), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3).
  Knowledge SV 10 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 3, Lore & Legends: 
  Stormlanders 
  3, 
  Religion: 
  Gerbanis 
  5), 
  Language 1 (Mother Tongue Vrok 4, Reading 
  & Writing; Vrok 4, Silvertongue 2).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 3).
  Divine Capacity: 58 Basic SV for Divine Powers: 23.
  Details of divine powers: +8 SV to remain focused, -8 on the Fatal 
  Failure table (God Focus 2, Composed 3), +6 IM on divine powers 
  (Lighting-quick Invocations 3), targets suffer -6 SV to resist the 
  powers (Potent 3), +10 to bloodgifting rolls (Stormkelt 5).
  Equipment: Capital-quality Battle Sword (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 9/90, 
  Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10. It grants a bonus of +1CP locked to this sword), 
  medium iron-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 7/70), Masterful-
  quality plate armor (PV/BV 11/110 Heft 9 reduced to 6 due to Ironclad: 
  MM-2 m, IM -2), skilled combat-trained large horse (while mounted +4 
  SV to the rider and -4 SV to enemies, +8 SV Kick Attacks).
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) -2 (armor) - 5 
  (Battle Sword) -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), armors up to Heft 10 
  (Armor Bearer 5), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no shield penalty (Shield 
  Bearer 4), mounted combat costs only 6 CP (Riding 3).
  Combat points: Free 11 / Attacks & Parries 8 /Armed 1 (Right 
  1H Heavy Weapons 8, Shields 8), Capital-quality Battle Sword 1 / 
  Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM 0 or -2 with armor) Battle Sword SV 15, SV 14, Shield SV 19
  (IM 0 or -2 with armor) Battle Sword SV 12, SV 10, SV 7, Shield  
  SV 10, SV 9
  (IM +7 or +5 with armor) Brawling SV 16, SV 10.
  fylkjarl ThorBjörn sTaark 
  As the first born of an old, pure-blooded Agroth family, Thorbjörn 
  Staark has always been considered the ideal incarnation of the 
  Wildlander heroic model. Large, powerfully-built, boastful, ready to 
  drink huge amount of ale, as he is ready to wield his axe to face his 
  enemies. He is the man you will always admire, both in a meadhall as 
  well on a battlefield. He always wears long, berserker-style hair and 
  beard, while his charismatic eyes can pierce your heart, if you are his 
  friend, or make you tremble, if you are his enemy.
  The Staark are close allies of the Saatigia, since they were leased the 
  fertile Agmundvida plains, saving them from the economic collapse, 
  following the end of the Copper Kingdom. Thorbjörn is well-aware of 
  this fact and therefore he is always ready to lead his twelve brothers and 
  all his Staark berserkers to support the Saatigia. This will eventually 
  lead to Thorbjörn’s death during the siege of Hallwind, but the huge 
  warrior will face his fate with nothing but pure courage. 
  Saul Bhalgor
  Thorbjörn Staark
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  20  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  Tomus is the rightful bearer of the Ruling Blade and his veins bear 
  the ancient blood of the kings of Wildland. Nevertheless, he is happier 
  to spend time working hard in his smithy in Vretgaard, not wasting 
  too much time complaining about the lost prestige of his family. 
  Nevertheless, Tomus is also consumed by his greed, therefore when 
  he managed to arrange Huld’s marriage with the only daughter of the 
  incredibly rich Swordjarl Oktar Grimme, it looked like a dream finally 
  came true, after all the difficulties that the Hagtorns faced. 
  Tomus is first and foremost a smith and a warrior, but also 
  the last Fylkjarl of the Hagtorn line. He will not realize the 
  conspiracies happening around him until it will be too late. 
  Treat him as a blunt, rough man but also someone whose 
  tragic, dramatic end will give sense to the whole story, basically 
  transmitting the Hagtorn heritage, the Ruling Blade, to the PCs.
  FYLKJARL TOMUS HAGTORN
  Age: 51; BP: 38; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m, 9 m if in armor) 
  Damage levels: 1-10 (0) / 11-20 (-1) / 21-29 (-3) / 30-38 (-7)  / > 38 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +2, Strength +4, Charisma +2, 
  Intelligence -1, Perception -2.
  Skills: Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 4, Vitner Craft 
  SV 1   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 3, Evade 3), 
  Horsemanship 1 (Riding 3).
  Care SV 9 
  Handler 1 (Commander 2), Handicraft 1 (Hard 
  materials 3). 
   
  Fighting SV 9 
  Armed Fighting 2 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  3, Shield Bearer 3), Battle Experience 2 (Armor 
  Bearer 3, Combat Reaction 3, Fighter 3) 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 2).
  FYLKJARL THORBJÖRN STAARK 
  Age: 46; BP: 36; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-27 (-3) / 28-36 (-7) / > 36 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +2, Strength +4.
  Skills: Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 5, Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 8 
  Battle Maneuver 2 (Ironclad 2, Evade 3), 
  Horsemanship 1.
  Care SV 7 
  Handler 1 (Commander 1).
  Entertainment SV 6 Music & Dancing 2 (Singing & Playing 
  Instruments 1).
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 2 (2H Weapons 5), Battle 
  Experience 1 (Armor Bearer 2, Combat Reaction 
  3, Fighter 3) Unarmed Fighting 2 (Brawling 3, 
  Wrestling 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Reading & Writing; Vrok 3).
  Wilderness SV 8 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 3), 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Hunting & Fishing 3, 
  Tracker 3), Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal 
  Friend 2), Survival 1 (Weathered 3).
  Equipment: “Staark’ Song” (Masterful-Quality Two-Handed Axe, 
  WA 2 turned to 4, IM -6, PV/BV 10/100, Damage 1d10 OR 8-10 
  +4 Strength, +2 CP locked to its use), Masterful-Quality Metal-
  Reinforced Leather Armor (PV/BV 5/50, Heft 3 reduced to 1 due to 
  Ironclad: MM 0, IM 0). 
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) - 6 (2H Axe).
  Other Combat Details: +4 Melee damage (Strength), armors up 
  to Heft 4 (Armor Bearer 2), Heft -2 (Ironclad 2), +2 WA with 2H 
  weapons (2H Weapons 5).
  Combat points: Free 11 / Attacks & Parries 6 /Armed 2 (2H Weapons 
  10), 2H Axe 2 / Unarmed 2 (Brawling 6, Wrestling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +3) Staark’ Song SV 16, SV 8, SV 7.
  (IM +7) Brawling SV 15, SV 10.
  (IM +7) Evade SV 16.
  Note: If the “Stormlands” sourcebook is available, Thorbjörn Staark 
  can use the berserker abilities.
  Special: Agroth blood. Thorbjörn Staark can ignore the first 4 points 
  every time he is inflicted Fear Points.
  fylkjarl Tomus hagTorn
  Tomus is a large man with light-coloured hair and beard, a 
  trait typical of the Hagtorns, setting them apart from many 
  Stormlanders. He is a rough man which definitively has both 
  charisma and strength. However, he is also boisterous, brash and 
  somehow blind, unconsciously refusing the failure that his son 
  Huld is. Even if far from being perfect, Fylkjarl Tomus is not 
  a bad man, as demonstrated by the fact that he rarely beats his 
  thralls needlessly, unlike many other Wildlander slave owners. 
  However it is difficult to work with him, since Tomus will never 
  do anything for free, as he feels that making his family to survive 
  is the only purpose of his life. Everything else comes second. 
  Tomus Hagtorn
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  21
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Reading & Writing; Vrok 3).
  Wilderness SV 8 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 3), 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Tracker 2, Wilderness 
  Signs 2), Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal Friend 2), 
  Survival 1 (Weathered 2).
  Equipment: Koraljon, the Ruling Blade (Mitraka Masterful-quality 
  broadsword, WA 3, IM -3, PV/BV 11/110, Damage 1d10 OR 8-10 +4 
  Strength, +2 CP locked to its use, +1 SV to each weapon action with this 
  sword), medium iron-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 7/70), 
  Chain Mail (PV/BV 5/50, Heft 5 reduced to 2 due to Ironclad: MM -1 
  m, IM -1), excellent combat-trained large horse (while mounted +3 SV 
  to the rider and -3 SV to enemies, +6 SV Kick Attacks).
  Initiative: +2 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) -1 (Chain mail 
  armor) - 3 (Koraljon) -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: +4 Melee damage (Strength), Heft -3 (Ironclad 
  3), armors up to Heft 6 (Armor Bearer 3), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no shield 
  penalty (Shield Bearer 3), mounted combat costs only 6 CP (Riding 3).
  Combat points: Free 11 / Attacks & Parries 6 /Armed 2 (Right 
  1H Heavy Weapons 6, Shields 6), Koraljon 2 / Unarmed 1 
  (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), Sword SV bonus already calculated: 
  (IM +3 or +2 with armor) Koraljon SV 17, SV 12, Shield SV 17
  (IM +3 or +2 with armor) Koraljon SV 12, SV 11, SV 7, Shield SV 10, SV 7
  (IM +8 or +7 with armor) Brawling SV 16.
  (IM +8 or +7 with armor) Evade SV 14.
  fylkjarl vIlgar saaTIgIa
  Vilgar is a sixty-years old veteran, always well dressed and 
  surrounded by his numerous family, looking at him with 
  doubtless loyalty. Vilgar has survived many conflicts, having 
  defeated many enemies on both real battlefields and political 
  arenas. He knows how to parry a blade, as well as he knows 
  how to avoid a well-laid intrigue. His experience is huge and 
  leadership is undisputed. 
  The fierce Wildlanders have no king since the fall of the 
  Hagtorns, but the powerful Vilgar Saatigia is the man whose 
  power is nearest to the concept of a monarch. The Saatigia clan 
  is the most powerful entity in Wildland, and for long years they 
  have spent huge resources building a large army and the mighty 
  fortresses of Hallwind. Banners bearing the Saatigia’s crest, the 
  black eagle over a blue shield, can be seen over many important 
  settlements and fortified farms in Wildland. Vilgar is well aware 
  of the important heritage left by his ancestors and he is also 
  resolute in defending the prestige of his family. 
  Strong and charismatic, Vilgar leads his family as a general 
  leads his army. He knows that the past of Wildland was forged 
  under blood and warfare, and he also aware that the country’s 
  future will be no different. Sooner or later war will come, but the 
  Saatigia will be ready. Unfortunately the future seems even darker 
  than Vilgar may foresee, although his courage will not fail when 
  doom will fall over Wildland.
  FYLKJARL VILGAR SAATIGIA
  Age: 60; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m, 8 m if in armor) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +2, Intelligence +2, Psyche +2.
  Skills: Entertainment SV 7, Faith SV 3, Shadow Arts SV 4, Vitner 
  Craft SV 1.
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 3), Horsemanship 1 
  (Riding 3).
  Care SV 10 
  Handler 2 (Commander 4, Sage 3).
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 5, 
  Shield Bearer 4), Battle Experience 3 (Armor 
  Bearer 5, Combat Actions 2, Combat Reactions 4,  
  Fighter 4), Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3).
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs & Law: 
  Stormlands 3, Lore & Legends: Stormlanders 1), 
  Language 1 (Mother Tongue Vrok 3, Reading & 
  Writing; Vrok 2, Silvertongue 3).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Geography 1 (City Knowledge: Hallwind 3, 
  Land Knowledge: Wildland 3).
  Equipment: Masterful-quality Battle Sword (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 10/100, 
  Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10. It grants a bonus of +2 CP locked to this sword), 
  medium iron-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 7/70), Masterful-
  quality plate armor (PV/BV 11/110 Heft 9 reduced to 6 due to Ironclad: 
  MM-2 m, IM -2), skilled combat-trained large horse (while mounted +4 
  SV to the rider and -4 SV to enemies, +8 SV Kick Attacks) with metal-
  reinforced leather barding (4/40).
  Initiative: +3 (Battle Experience) +8 (Combat Reaction) -2 (armor) - 5 
  (Battle Sword) -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), armors up to Heft 10 
  (Armor Bearer 5), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no shield penalty (Shield 
  Bearer 4), mounted combat costs only 6 CP (Riding 3).
  Combat points: Free 13 / Attacks & Parries 8; Other Actions 4 /
  Armed 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 10, Shields 8), Masterful-quality 
  Battle Sword 2 / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +4 or +2 with armor) Battle Sword SV 17, SV 17, Shield SV 14, SV 7
  (IM +4 or +2 with armor) Battle Sword SV 13, SV 11, SV 10, Shield 
  SV 11, SV 10
  (IM +11 or +9 with armor) Brawling SV 15, SV 13.
  Vilgar Saatigia
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  22  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  fylkjarl vreT uvaIl
  Nobody trusts the Uvail. The Agrothian blood rounds pure in 
  their veins but, while in other clans like the Staark it produced 
  renowned heroes, in the Uvail this heritage is reflected in the 
  dark mood which all of them always display. Furthermore, 
  during the Times of the Untamed, so many Uvail men became 
  servants of the darkness, and the stories about their cruelties 
  are known to all the Wildlanders. Fylkjarl Vret is the perfect 
  heir of such a terrible heritage and family history. During the 
  last twenty years he has also waged a terrible conflict with the 
  Wulfr clan, whose reputation is so much better than what the 
  Uvail have. The Wulfr claims that the Uvail should repay an old 
  debt, which Vret off course defines as a lie.
  Vret Uvail is a dark, humorless lord, whose cold eyes always 
  seem to hide so many vicious intentions, since he is always ready 
  to perform even bad deeds to defend his own family. Everyone in 
  Wildland knows it, and therefore they all fear the Uvail. Vret is 
  also the most isolated Fylkjarl in the Fylk-Thing, with not clear, 
  well-established ally but with a constant enemy (Raak Wulfr) 
  and a series of occasional antipathies with all the other Fylkjarls. 
  However, he is also a powerful man and a talentful organizer and 
  administrator. Under his rule Ailgaard flourished and Ailburg is 
  filled with mighty armored knights. However his subjects also 
  know that Vret is a hard ruler, and he repress any crime with swift 
  violence. Fylkjarl Vret Uvail has organized his dominions as one 
  big, well-oiled machine, ready to be defended and fight against 
  any attack. He is a hard man, with whom is difficult to be friend. 
  However, even if politically and militarily isolated, his family 
  will perform quite well during the fight against Blodughadda’s 
  troops and Vret will be the most efficient enemy of the Ice Cult. 
  The Uvail family is bound to be smashed, like all the other great 
  families of Wildland, but its dark-mooded warriors will make the 
  Orkhirs and Ice Cultists pay a high price for their victory.
  FYLKJARL VRET UVAIL
  Age: 46; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m, 9m if in armor)
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -1, Intelligence +2, Psyche +2.
  Skills: Entertainment SV 3, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1, Wilderness 
  SV 7.   
  Agility SV 8 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 3, Evade 3), 
  Horsemanship 2 (Riding 3).
  Care SV 9 
  Handler 3 (Commander 2, Sage 2).
  Fighting SV 8 
  Armed Fighting 3 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  3, Shield Bearer 3), Battle Experience 2 (Armor 
  Bearer 3, Combat Reaction 3, Fighter 3) 
  Unarmed Fighting 1.
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 3), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Reading & Writing; Vrok 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 3).
  Equipment: “Tyrd’s Kiss” (Masterful-Quality Hunting Spear WA 3, IM 
  -3, PV/BV 5/50, range 2-10/11-15, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10, 2 CP locked to it), 
  Capital-quality Battle Sword (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 9/90, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10, 1CP locked to its use), medium iron-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, 
  PV/BV 7/70), Masterful-Quality Double Chainmail armor (PV/BV 9/90, 
  Heft 7 reduced to 4 due to Ironclad: MM -1 m, IM -1), skilled combat-
  trained large horse (while mounted +4 SV to the rider and -4 SV to enemies, 
  +8 SV Kick Attacks) with metal-reinforced leather barding (4/40).
  Initiative: +2 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) -1 (armor) -3 
  (Spear) -5 (Battle Sword) -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: mounted combat costs only 6 CP (Riding 3), 
  Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), armors up to Heft 6 (Armor Bearer 3), No shield 
  penalty (Shield Bearer 3). 
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 6 /Armed 3 (Right 1H 
  Weapons 6, Shields 6), Spear 2, Battle Sword 1 / Unarmed 1.
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +3 or +2 if in armor) Tyrd’s Kiss SV 17, SV 10, Shield SV 16.
  (IM +1 or 0 if in armor) Sword SV 14, SV 12, Shield SV 10, SV 6.
  (IM +8 or +7 if in armor) Brawling SV 17.
  (IM +8 or +7 if in armor) Evade SV 15.
  Special: Agroth blood. Vret Uvail can ignore the first 4 points every time he 
  is inflicted Fear Points.
  galve Blueax
  Younger than Njordung, Galve was never meant to lead the Blueax 
  clan. He spent his youth learning how to trade the mastomant 
  furs and the wulterfish oils that the Blueax harvested, and never 
  showed any attitude towards fighting or leading troops. During 
  the wedding he will just play his role, representing his clan as 
  best as he can. Galve is very concerned about the disappearance of 
  both his brother Njordung and his half-brother Ulgar, but he also 
  knows about the Ice Cult. When Njordung will come back, Galve 
  will lose his power, but maybe his trading affairs in Hrefing will 
  also be improved by the new power brought by the Ice Cult to his 
  clan. Galve accepts his elder brother’s decisions, but only as far as 
  the Ice Cult will not bear his demise.
  Vret Uvail
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  23
  GALVE BLUEAX
  Age: 47; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Dexterity -1, Psyche +2.
  Skills: Agility SV 5, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Fighting SV 6, 
  Vitner Craft SV 1.   
  Care SV 8 
  Handler 1 (Sage 2), Tradesman 2 (Trader 3).
  Entertainment SV 8 Storytelling 1 (Acting 2, Libel 2). 
  Knowledge SV 9 
  Culture Knowledge -Stormlander 1, Language 1 
  (Calculate 3, Mother Tongue Vrok 3, Bribery 3, 
  Reading & Writing: Vrok 3, Silvertongue 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Thievery 1 (Shadow World 3).
  Wilderness SV 8 
  Geography 1, Seafarer 1, Survival 1.
  Equipment: Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  10).
  Initiative: -1 (Dex) -1 (Seax Dagger).
  Combat points: Free 6
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -2) Seax Dagger SV 6
  (IM -1) Brawling SV 6
  generIC npCs
  Generic Ark Warrior 
  Fighting and killing is like a second nature for all the Arks 
  of all ages. These stats represent standard Ark individuals, 
  although the GM is encouraged to personalize them, in case 
  of need. Arks like to go around half-naked or at least bare-
  chested, even in cold climates. They rarely dress more than 
  furs and it is very rare for them to wear armors. Many Arks 
  use traditional bows, axes and spears, but they are happy to 
  steal, buy and use even more complicated weapons, like the 
  occasional crossbows. Many Ark warriors consume Thornroot 
  or spend their time with Thorn Beasts. To sell their services as 
  mercenaries out of Arkland is common for the Arks, although 
  most Ark clans spend time waging war against each other. 
  The typical Arks are not very religious, although the cruel 
  faith of Haminges is the only kind of cult which seems to be 
  spread among these cruel Wildfolk. The Arks seem not to be 
  interested in the cult of the Snow Queen, but they help the Ice 
  Cultists for the respect that they feel for the pure, violent force 
  of Blodughadda, as well as for the rich prices that the Ice Cult 
  is capable to pay.
  ARK WARRIOR
  Age: various; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 12 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -1, Dexterity +2
  Skills: Care SV 4, Entertainment SV 1, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1.   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 2), Body Control 
  2 (Ambidexterity 3, Jumping, Climbing & 
  Balancing 1).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  2, Right 1H Light Weapons 2, Left 1H Light 
  Weapons 2, Two Handed weapons 2, Bows & 
  Slings 2, Shield Bearer 2), Battle Experience 
  1 (Combat Reaction 2, Fighter 2), Unarmed 1 
  (Brawling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge – Wildfolk Ark 1, 
  Language 1 (Mother Tongue Wild Vrok 3), 
  Race Knowledge 1.
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 1, Sneak 
  attack 1, Walking in Shadows 1).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Carve & Butcher 1, 
  Hunting & Fishing 1, Tracker 2, Wilderness 
  Signs 2), Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal friend 
  1), Survival 1.
  Equipment (a few examples): Long Spear (WA 2, IM -5, PV/BV 
  5/100, Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10), Battle Axe (WA 3, IM -4, PV/BV 
  7/70, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2 strength), Hunting Spear (WA 3, 
  IM -3, PV/BV 4/40, range 2-10/11-15, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2 
  strength), Knife (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 10), 
  Krum Sword (WA 4, IM -3, PV/BV 7/70, Dmg 1d10 OR 10 +2 
  strength), medium shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 5/50), Hunting 
  Bow (WA 3, IM -2, PV/BV 2/20, range 2-30/31-80, Dmg 1d10 
  OR 10) and arrows. 
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) +4 (combat reaction) 
  -5 (Long Spear) - 4 (Battle Axe) -3 (Hunting Spear) -1(Knife) -3 (Krum 
  Sword) -2 (Shield) -2 (Hunting Bow).
  Other Combat Details: no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 2), Sneak 
  Attack +2 damage, penalty to shield hand reduced to -7 (Body Control 
  2, Ambidexterity 3).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 4 / Armed 1 (Right 
  1H Heavy Weapons 4, Right 1H Light Weapons 4, Left 1H Light 
  Weapons 4, 2H Weapons 4, Bows & Slings 4, Shields 4) / Unarmed 1 
  (Brawling 4).
  Galve Blueax
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  24  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM +2) Long Spear SV 10, SV 7.
  (IM +1) Battle Axe SV 17, Shield SV 12.
  (IM +2) Hunting Spear SV 10, SV 7, Shield SV 12.
  (IM +3) Krum Sword SV 9, SV 4, Knife SV 8
  (IM +5) Hunting Bow SV 8, SV 8
  (IM +7) Brawling SV 17.
  (IM +7) Evade SV 12
  Generic Buratja Dwarf
  These stats can be used for most dwarves which are met in 
  the mighty Buratja city of Sootbrand, as well as for the exiled 
  Burjokko brothers of Soothome. They represent typical Buratja 
  dwarves, well-versed in craftsmanship, with also some basic 
  training for defend themselves, even if the bulk of defensive duties 
  rest not with these artisans but with the Zvordorkûm. The Buratja 
  dwarves venerate crafting skills as the peaks of what is best in life 
  and worship their forges as if they were gods. 
  Their skins are pale but covered with sooth and dirt, while their 
  eyes are like gems of translucent silver. Their heads are protected by 
  bushy, long black hair, hanging to their bellies. They rarely wear more 
  than just a loincloth, unless when they leave their underground colony 
  and must face the dire winter of Trudvang’ surfaces, something which 
  is very rare. Indeed, most of the Buratja dwarves have never seen the 
  sun, having spent all their lives as ironsmiths in their underground 
  fortresses. The GM is encouraged to personalize these stats to better 
  tune them, in case of buratja dwarves with other, more specific duties. 
  BURATJA DWARF
  Age: various; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 8 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +4. 
  Skills: Agility SV 4, Entertainment SV 6, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1, 
  Wilderness SV 6.   
  Care SV 8 
  Handicraft 3 (Hard Materials 3, Soft Materials 2).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Shield Bearer 1).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge – Dwarves 1, Language 1 
  (Mother Tongue Futhark 3, Reading & Writing: 
  Futhark 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 1, Walking in 
  Shadows 1), Thieving 1 (Locks &Traps 1).
  Equipment: Battle Hammer (WA 3, IM -4, PV/BV 7/70, Dmg 1d10 
  OR 9-10), Crossbow (WA 1/6, IM -5, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  8-10, Range 1-80, 81-160), medium metal-reinforced Shield (WA 2, 
  IM -2, PV/BV 7/70).
  Initiative: -4 (Battle Hammer) -2 (Shield)
  Other Combat Details: Can clearly see up to 10 m with dim light as if 
  it were under the sun, no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 1).
  Combat points: Free 7 / Armed 1 (Shields 2).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -6) Battle Hammer SV 8, Shield SV 9.
  (IM -5) Crossbow SV 8.
   (IM 0) Brawling SV 7.
  Generic Buratja Thuul
  Even among the Buratja dwarves the Thuuls have both a religious 
  and social importance. The following stats represent one of these 
  special dwarves, who is both a skillful craftsman and a dimwalker 
  of the Thuuldom tradition.  
  BURATJA THUUL
  Age: various; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 8 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +4, Psyche +2. 
  Skills: Agility SV 4, Vitner Craft SV 1, Wilderness SV 7   
  Care SV 8 
  Handicraft 3 (Hard Materials 3, Soft Materials 2).
  Entertainment SV 7 Storytelling 1.
  Faith SV 8 
  Divine Power 1 (Faithful 2, Powerful 2), 
  Invoke 2 (Thuul Forging 3, Holy Tablets 
  (Runes): Anvil Shock 3, Borjorn Hand 
  3, Healing Rune 3, Power of Repair 2, 
  Stoneshape 2).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1, Battle Experience 1.
  Knowledge SV 9 
  Culture Knowledge – Dwarves 1 (Religion: 
  Dwarves 3), Language 1 (Mother Tongue 
  Futhark 3, Reading & Writing: Futhark 3), Race 
  Knowledge 1 (Monster Lore 1).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 1, Walking in 
  Shadows 1), Thieving 1 (Locks &Traps 1).
  Divine Capacity: 39 (all inserted in objects) Basic SV for creating 
  sacred objects: 16.
  Details of divine powers: +6 to create items and insert DP (Thuul 
  Forging 3).
  Equipment: Sacred Masterful-quality Maul (WA 2, IM -7, PV/
  BV 11/110, Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10, It grants a bonus of +2 CP locked 
  to this maul, Anvil Shock 3 rune, 3 DP stored), Sacred Amulet 
  (Borjorn Hand 3 rune, DP 12 stored), Sacred Amulet (Healing 
  Rune 3, DP 12 stored), sacred crafting tools (small hammer, Power 
  of Repair 2, DP 8 stored), sacred bronze armband (Stoneshape 2 
  rune, DP 4 stored). 
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) -7 (sacred maul).
  Other Combat Details: Can clearly see up to 10 m with dim light as if 
  it were under the sun.
  Combat points: Free 8 / Armed 1 / Sacred Masterful-quality Maul 2
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM -6) Sacred Masterful Maul SV 11.
  (IM +1) Brawling SV 8
  Generic Dreadaxyr
  The Dreadxyrs are elite Ark warriors which have been 
  hired by Blodughadda to help with the invasion of 
  Wildland. They tend to be stronger and wear more armor 
  than normal Arks. If possible a Dreadxyr venerate warfare 
  even more than normal Arks do. The following stats must 
  be used just as a basic template to show standard Dreadxyr 
  stats. The GM is encouraged to modify these basic stats 
  according to their needs.
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  25
  DREADAXYR
  Age: various; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 12 m, 11 m if in 
  armor) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -1, Strength +2, Dexterity +2
  Skills: Entertainment SV 3, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1.   
  Agility SV 10 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 3, Ironclad 3), Body 
  Control 5 (Ambidexterity 5), Horsemanship 1 
  (Riding 2).
  Care SV 6 
  Handler 1 (Commander 1), Healing & Drugs 1 
  (First Aid & Nursing 1)
  Fighting SV 9 
  Armed Fighting 1 (four different Weapons 
  Specialties 3, Shield Bearer 3), Battle Experience 
  2 (Armor Bearer 2, Combat Reaction 3, Fighter 
  3), Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge – Wildfolk Ark 1, Language 
  1 (Mother Tongue Wild Vrok 3, Foreign Tongue 
  Vrok 2), Race Knowledge 1 (Monster Lore 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 2, Walking in 
  Shadows 2, Sneak Attack 2).
  Wilderness SV 8 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Carve & Butcher 2, Hunting 
  & Fishing 2, Tracker 2, Wilderness Signs 2), Nature 
  Knowledge 1 (Animal friend 3), Survival 1.
  Equipment (a few examples): Maul (WA 2 turned to 3, IM -7, PV/BV 
  10/100, Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10 +2 strength), Battle Axe (WA 3, IM -4, 
  PV/BV 7/70, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2 strength), Hunting Spear (WA 
  3, IM -3, PV/BV 4/40, range 2-10/11-15, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2 
  strength), Krum Sword (WA 4, IM -3, PV/BV 7/70, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  10 +2 strength), medium shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 5/50), Chain 
  mail armor (PV/BV 5/50, Heft 5 reduced to 2 due to Ironclad: MM -1 
  m, IM -1), Longbow (WA 2, IM -3, PV/BV 3/30, range 2-50/51-110, 
  Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10) and arrows. 
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) +6 (combat reaction) 
  -1 (armor) -7 (maul) - 4 (Battle Axe) -3 (Spear) -3 (Krum Sword) -2 
  (Shield) -3 (Longbow).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Strength), armors up to 
  Heft 4 (Armor Bearer 2), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no shield penalty (Shield 
  Bearer 3), Sneak Attack +4 damage, mounted combat costs only 9 CP 
  (Riding 2), no penalty to shield hand (Body Control 5, Ambidexterity 5), 
  +1 WA with 2H weapons (2H Weapons 3).
  Combat points: Free 11 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (Four weapons 
  types each 6, Shields 6) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM +2 or +1 if in armor) Maul SV 14, SV 10.
  (IM +3 or +2 if in armor) Battle Axe SV 14, SV 10, Shield SV 17.
  (IM +4 or +3 if in armor) Hunting Spear SV 16, SV 8, Shield SV 12, SV 5.
  (IM +3 or +2 if in armor) Krum Sword SV 13, SV 11, Krum Sword SV 10, SV 7
  (IM +6 or +5 if in armor) Longbow SV 14, SV 10.
  (IM +9 or +8 if in armor) Brawling SV 12, SV 12.
  (IM +9 or +8 if in armor) Evade SV 17.
  Generic Hird Leader
  These stats may be used for experienced or elite warriors, usually 
  in charge of leading the armies of one of the Wildlander clans. 
  These stats can be used, for example for:
  Ilvin (Snowsaga p.97), the deluded hird leader still serving 
  Njordung in Ysetur, even if he despises the Ice Cult;
  Dran Hvitetand (Snowsaga p.131), the experienced warrior 
  leading the Saatigia armies and which the PCs will meet during 
  their return to Storhavn;
  Hloe Saatigia (Snowsaga p. 46, 133, 135), the young but 
  experienced and well-trained nephew of Vilgar Saatigia, bound 
  to inherit the Saatigia’s leadership (if he survives).
  HIRD LEADER
  Age: various; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m, 9m if in 
  armor) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +2, Intelligence +2
  Skills: Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1, Shadow 
  Arts SV 7, Wilderness SV 8.   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 3), Horsemanship 1  
  (Riding 2)
  Care SV 7 
  Handler 1 (Commander 3)
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 3, 
  Shield Bearer 3, Bows & Sling 2), Battle 
  Experience 3 (Armor Bearer 3, Combat Reaction 2, 
  Fighter 3), Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs & 
  Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother Tongue Vrok 3).
  Equipment: Battle Sword (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 9/90, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10), metal-reinforced medium shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 7/70), 
  Chain mail armor (PV/BV 5/50, Heft 5 reduced to 2 due to Ironclad: 
  MM -1 m, IM -1), Capable combat-trained large horse (while mounted 
  +2 SV to the rider and -2 SV to enemies, +4 SV Kick Attacks) with 
  metal-reinforced leather barding (4/40).
  Initiative: +3 (Battle Experience) +4 (Combat reaction) - 5 (Battle 
  Sword) -2 (Shield) -1 (armor).
  Other Combat Details: armors up to Heft 6 (Armor Bearer 3), Heft -3 
  (Ironclad 3), no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 3), mounted combat costs 
  only 9 CP (Riding 2).
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 6, Shields 6, Bows & Sling 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM 0 or -1 if in armor) Battle Sword SV 14, SV 9, Shield SV 16
  (IM + 7 or +6 if in armor) Brawling SV 12, SV 11
  Generic Hirdmen
  These stats may be used for all basic hirdmen serving the various 
  Wildlander clans. The following stats include basic equipments 
  and medium/high levels of training. The GM is encouraged to 
  personalize these stats, in case he wants to underline differences 
  between different clans. 
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  26  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  HIRDMEN
  Age: various; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Strength +2
  Skills: Care SV 4, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1, 
  Shadow Arts SV 5, Wilderness SV 7.   
  Agility SV 6 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 1)
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  2, Shield Bearer 2, Bows & Sling 2), Battle 
  Experience 1 (Armor Bearer 2, Fighter 2), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3).
  Equipment: Bearded Axe (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 8/80, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10 +2), Hunting Spear (WA 3, IM -3, PV/BV 4/40, range 2-10/11-
  15, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2), medium shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 
  5/50), Leather Armor (PV/BV 2/20, Heft 2 reduced to 1 due to 
  Ironclad: MM0, IM0), Longbow (WA 2, IM -3, PV/BV 3/30, range 
  2-50/51-110, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10) and arrows. 
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) - 5 (Bearded Axe) -3 (Spear) -2 
  (Shield) -3 (Longbow).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Strength), armors up to 
  Heft 4 (Armor Bearer 2), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no shield penalty (Shield 
  Bearer 2).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 4 / Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 4, Shields 4, Bows & Sling 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 
  4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -2) Longbow SV 16
  (IM -6) Bearded Axe SV 10, SV 7, Shield SV 12
  (IM -4) Hunting Spear SV 12, SV 5, Shield SV 7, SV 5
  (IM +1) Brawling SV 13, SV 4
  Note: If these stats are used for the Blueax Hirdmen in the village 
  outside Ysetur, consider them as having suffered 20 points of damage 
  (and therefore suffering a -3 SV) due to the parasites. They cannot 
  improve their health unless the parasites are magically removed.
  Generic Hrimtursir
  The Hrimtursir are legendary giants living in the northernmost 
  parts of Trudvang. It is very rare to meet one and the notice of 
  their presence will spread terror in large areas.  The Hrimtursir 
  display long beards and horns springs from their heads. These 
  giants have no fear of death and most of them are followers of 
  the bloody religion called ”Haminges”, which means that many 
  Hrimtursir ornate their lairs and bodies with the skulls of 
  defeated enemies. These giants are reputed to have a rare kind 
  of white gold in their bellies. This ”Hrim gold” is highly sought 
  since to retrieve, one must slay such a dangerous opponent. 
  Use these stats for all those hrimtursirs in the campaign, like 
  the old Nugghoggo or the black hrimtursirs Yggadabaden and 
  Hrisuddira. More information on the Hrimtursir can be found 
  in Jorgi’s bestiary p. 132-134.
  HRIMTURSIR
  Type: humanoid BP: 208-255; Movement: 2 CP per 8 m (Max 64 m). 
  Fear Factor: 1d10 (OR 7-10); Size: 8t, Natural Armor: 2 (tough skin). 
  Damage levels: (for 232 BP): 1-58 (0) / 59-116 (-1) / 117-174 (-3) / 
  174-232 (-7)  / > 232 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Strength +8
  Feats: Fire Weakness, Frenzy, Grip, Horn Throw, Hrim Body.
  Weapons: Unarmed (damage 2d10 OR 8-10 +8), Great 2H Spear 
  (WA 2, IM -5, PV/BV 7/70, damage 4d10 OR 7-10 +8), Great Battle 
  Hammer (WA 3, IM -4, PV/BV 7/70, dmg 3d10 OR 7-10+8).
  Initiative: -4 (base) -5 (Great Spear) -4 (Great Battle Hammer)
  Number of Rounds to spend CP: 3
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 15.
  Samples of Attacks (each to be spread in 3 rounds):
  (IM -9) Great Spear SV 15, SV 10.
  (IM -8) Great Battle Hammer SV 10, SV 8, SV 7.
  (IM -4) Unarmed SV 15, SV 10.
  Feats: Fire Weakness. The Hrimtursir suffers double damage from 
  any sort of fire
  Frenzy. When reduced to half BP, a frenzy takes possession of the giant 
  who benefits from +4 SV to all attacks, but cannot make any parry.
  Grip. After a successful unarmed attack against a ½t to 3 t sized 
  creature the giant can make one SV roll for free to crush the target. 
  The crushing damage and the SV depend on size of the victim.
  CRUSHING DAMAGE
  Size
  SV
  Crushing Damage
  ½ t
  4
  1d10 (OR 9-10)
  1 t
  6
  1d10 (OR 9-10)
  1.5 t
  7
  1d10 (OR 10)
  2 t
  8
  1d10 (OR 10)
  3 t
  9
  1d10 
  After the crush the victim can be left fallen, suffering between 4d10 (OR 
  10) and 5d10 (OR 10), according to the giant’s height (14 or 15 m).
  Horn Throw. If not using his weapons, a Hrimtursir can sweep his 
  mighty horns, throwing the enemies on the ground. Each victim suffer 
  1d10 from the sweep, plus falling damage (to be considered by the 
  GM according to the circumstances and the rules on GM guide p.57). 
  ”Evade” can be used to avoid this attack. 
  Hrim Body. The body of the giant emanates a unnatural cold in a 
  sphere of about 10 m of diameter. All those who are inside must make 
  a Situation Roll (SV 6, modified by Psyche) in order not to flee from 
  the sphere. Those inside the sphere suffer damage according to how 
  long they stay there: 1st round no damage, 2nd round 1d6, 3rd round 
  2d6, 4th round 3d6, etc. Those in winter clothes halve the damage for 
  the first three rounds. Targets wearing mastomant furs can ignore the 
  Hrim Body effects.
  Generic Ice Blotpriest
  These stats represent the majority of the priests dedicated to 
  the cult of the Snow Queen. At the beginning of the campaign 
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  27
  they can be found in the inner parts of Ysetur and it is very 
  rare to find priests more experienced than the low-level ones 
  here represented. Later on, after the invasion of Wildland, they 
  can be found also elsewhere and it will be also more frequent 
  to meet more experienced priests, which the GM can create 
  powering up the skills below presented by few points.
  ICE BLOTPRIEST
  Age: Various; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m, 9m if in armor) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7) / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +1
  Skills: Care SV 6, Entertainment SV 3, Shadow Arts SV 7, Vitner Craft 
  SV 1, Wilderness SV 7   
  Faith SV 7 
  Divine Power 1 (Faithful 2, Powerful 1), God Focus 1 
  (Composed 2, Lighting-quick Invocation 2, 
  Rigorous 2), Invoke 1 (Ice Blotpriest 3, Holy 
  Tablets: Frostcraft 3, Windcraft 2).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light weapons 2, 
  Shield Bearer 1), Battle Experience 1 (Armor 
  Bearer 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge - Stormlander 1 (Religion: 
  Ice Cult 3), Language 1 (Mother Tongue: Vrok 3, 
  Silvertongue 2).
  Divine Capacity: 31 Basic SV for Divine Powers: 14.
  Details of divine powers: +5 SV to remain focused, -5 on the Fatal 
  Failure table (God Focus 1, Composed 2), +4 IM on divine powers 
  (Lighting-quick Invocations 3), each 2 DP = +1 SV to divine powers 
  to a maximum of 4 DP (Rigorous 2), +6 to bloodgifting rolls (Ice 
  Blotpriest 3).
  Equipment: Short Sword (WA 4, IM -3, PV/BV 7/70, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  10), medium metal-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 7/70), 
  metal-reinforced leather (PV/BV 4/40 Heft 4, MM -1 m, IM -1).
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) – 1 (armor) -3 (Short Sword) -2 
  (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: armors up to Heft 4 (Armor Bearer 2), no 
  shield penalty (Shield Bearer 1).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 4, 
  Shields 2).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM -4 or -5 if in armor) Short Sword SV 13, Shield SV 10.
  (IM +1 or 0 if in armor) Brawling SV 8
  Note: These priests make frequent sacrifices, so their DP when met 
  can be considered to be up to their maximum (93 DP).
  Generic Ice Cultist (Peasant)
  The following stats represent simple peasants, for example in 
  Vretgaard or Storhavn, whose sorrows and frustrations have 
  been exploited by the Snow Queen, brainwashing the poor people, 
  and making them cultists. These cultists have the ”Silvertongue” 
  specialty of Knowledge and higher stats in Shadow Arts than 
  normal peasants due to the habit of telling lies and performing 
  secret activities. With a few changes (e.g. in the Care specialties) 
  they can be used also for common traders, craftsmen, etc. 
  ICE CULTIST (PEASANT)
  Age: various; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: -
  Skills: Agility SV 4, Entertainment SV 5, Fighting SV 6, Vitner Craft 
  SV 1, Wilderness SV 7.   
  Care SV 7 
  Tradesman 1 (Peasant 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Silvertongue 1).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Walking in Shadows 1).
  Equipment: Seax Knife (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  10) or Club (WA 4, IM -2, PV/BV 4/40, Dmg OR 10).
  Initiative: -1 (Seax Knife) -2 (Club).
  Combat points: Free 6
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -1) Seax Knife SV 6.
  (IM -2) Club SV 6.
  (IM 0) Brawling SV 6.
  Generic Ice Cultist (Warrior, Hirdman)
  The following stats represent simple warriors serving 
  the Ice Cult and therefore corrupted by the Snow Queen’s 
  influence. They are normal hirdsmen, reavers, guards and 
  mercenaries which joined the secret cult. These cultists have 
  the ”Silvertongue” specialty of Knowledge and higher stats 
  in Shadow Arts than most other warriors due to the habit of 
  telling lies and performing secret activities. 
  ICE CULTIST (WARRIOR, HIRDMAN)
  Age: various; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Strength +2
  Skills: Care SV 4, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1, 
  Wilderness SV 7.   
  Agility SV 5 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 1)
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 2, 
  Shield Bearer 2, Bows & Sling 2), Battle 
  Experience 1 (Armor Bearer 2, Fighter 1), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Silvertongue 1).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Walking in Shadows 2, Sneak 
  Attack 2).
  Equipment: Bearded Axe (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 8/80, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10 +2), Hunting Spear (WA 3, IM -3, PV/BV 4/40, range 2-10/11-
  15, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2), medium shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 
  5/50), Leather Armor (PV/BV 2/20, Heft 2 reduced to 1 due to 
  Ironclad: MM0, IM0), Longbow (WA 2, IM -3, PV/BV 3/30, range 
  2-50/51-110, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10) and arrows. 
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) - 5 (Bearded Axe) -3 (Spear) -2 
  (Shield) -3 (Longbow).
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  28  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Strength), armors up 
  to Heft 4 (Armor Bearer 2), Heft -1 (Ironclad 1), no shield penalty 
  (Shield Bearer 2), Sneak Attack +4 damage.
  Combat points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 2 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Heavy 
  Weapons 4, Shields 4, Bows & Sling 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -2) Longbow SV 15
  (IM -6) Bearded Axe SV 15, Shield SV 12
  (IM -6) Bearded Axe SV 10, SV 5, Shield SV 8, SV 4
  (IM -4) Hunting Spear SV 9, SV 6, Shield SV 12
  (IM +1) Brawling SV 15
  Generic Njordung’s Elite Warriors 
  (Horsemen, Bodyguards)
  These stats represent hirdmen who have succumbed to 
  the fascination of the Ice Cult and are ready to die for both 
  Njordung/Ise and the Snow Queen. Many of them are chosen as 
  horsemen or as bodyguards for Njordung, in case the GM needs 
  to power up the difficulty of the meeting with the Ice Cult leader.
  NJORDUNG’S ELITE WARRIORS (HORSEMEN, 
  BODYGUARDS) 
  Age: various; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 11 m, 10 m if 
  in armor) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Strength +2, Dexterity +1
  Skills: Care SV 4, Entertainment SV 4, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1, 
  Wilderness SV 7.   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 3), Horsemanship 1 
  (Riding 2)
  Fighting SV 8 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 3, 
  Shield Bearer 3, Bows & Sling 3), Battle 
  Experience 1 (Armor Bearer 2, Fighter 3), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Silvertongue 1).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Walking in Shadows 2, Sneak 
  Attack 2).
  Equipment: Bearded Axe (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 8/80, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10 +2), Hunting Spear (WA 3, IM -3, PV/BV 4/40, range 2-10/11-
  15, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2), medium shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 
  5/50), Chain mail armor (PV/BV 5/50, Heft 5 reduced to 2 due to 
  Ironclad: MM -1 m, IM -1), Longbow (WA 2, IM -3, PV/BV 3/30, 
  range 2-50/51-110, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10) and arrows. 
  Initiative: +1 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) -1 (armor) - 5 
  (Bearded Axe) -3 (Spear) -2 (Shield) -3 (Longbow).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Strength), armors up 
  to Heft 4 (Armor Bearer 2), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no shield penalty 
  (Shield Bearer 2), Sneak Attack +4 damage, mounted combat costs 
  only 9 CP (Riding 2).
  Combat points: Free 9 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 6, Shields 6, Bows & Sling 6) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -1 or -2 if in armor) Longbow SV 12, SV 10.
  (IM -5 or -6 if in armor) Bearded Axe SV 12, SV 10, Shield SV 15.
  (IM -3 or -4 if in armor) Hunting Spear SV 15, SV 7, Shield SV 8, SV 7.
  (IM +2 or +1 if in armor) Brawling SV 11, SV 11.
  Note: The armory of the Western Wing (Snowsaga p. 98) hosts 
  special armors for five elite soldiers which can be worn instead of 
  the chainmail armors. The warriors do not wear the special armors 
  during normal service in the fort, unless the GM rules otherwise.
  Generic Zvordorkûm.
  The “Black Warriors” are the chosen dwarves who are tasked to 
  keep the sacred “Zvordorkûm-maki”. These ancient and legendary 
  Black Mitraka armors include the famous Murgles masks which, 
  according to the old sagas, can protect even from dragon fire. The 
  Zvordorkûm warriors are feared among all the enemies of the 
  dwarves, since they live only to annihilate any threat to dwarven 
  communities. It does not matter whether they are dragons or 
  trolls: the Zvordorkûm will face them with iron will and courage. 
  Many Zvordorkûm are enormous Zvorda, half-troll dwarves, but 
  there are also normal Buratja Zvordorkûm, which are among the 
  few Buratja not accustomed to wander around almost naked. 
  ZVORDORKÛM 
  Age: various; BP: 40; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 6 m, 5m if in 
  armor) + 3 m for free.
  Damage levels: 1-10 (0) / 11-20 (-1) / 21-30 (-3) / 31-40 (-7) / > 40 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -2, Constitution +4, Strength +4. 
  Skills: Care SV 7, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1, 
  Wilderness SV 7   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Combat Movement 3, Evade 3, 
  Ironclad 3).
  Fighting SV 8 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Two-handed Weapons 3), 
  Battle Experience 2 (Armor Bearer 3, Combat 
  Reaction 2, Fighter 3), Unarmed 1 (Brawling 2, 
  Wrestling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge – Dwarves 1, Language 
  1 (Mother Tongue Futhark 3, Reading & 
  Writing: Futhark 3), Race Knowledge 1 
  (Monster Lore 1).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 3, Walking in 
  Shadows 1), Thieving 1 (Locks &Traps 1).
  Equipment: Masterful-quality Maul (WA 2 turned to 3, IM -7, PV/BV 
  11/110, Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10 +4 Strength), Zvordorkûm-maki (Black-
  mitraka legendary banded armor (PV/BV 13/1300, Heft 5 reduced to 2 
  due to Ironclad, MM -1 m, IM -1. The PV is considered to be augmented 
  by +11 against normal fire and magma (up to PV 24), and +7 against magic 
  fire or magma (up to PV 20), like dragon fire. The BV remain the same).  
  Initiative: +2 (Battle Experience) +4 (Combat Reaction) -1 (armor) 
  -7 (maul).
  Other Combat Details: Can clearly see up to 10 m with dim light as if it 
  were under the sun, +4 melee damage (Strength) armors up to Heft 6 (Armor 
  Bearer 3), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), +1 WA with 2H weapons (2H Weapons 3).
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  29
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (2H Weapons 
  6), Masterful-quality Maul 2 / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4, Wrestling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM -1 or -2 if in armor) Maul SV 15, SV 10.
  (IM +6 or +5 if in armor) Brawling SV 13, SV 8.
  (IM +6 or +5 if in armor) Evade SV 14.
  Note:  The above stats refer to Zvorda Zvordorkûm. To make Buratja 
  Zvordorkûm change the following.
  Character Traits: Constitution +4, Strength +2, Dexterity +2.
  Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  BP: 34, Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / 
  > 34 (Dying).
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity)
  Other Combat Details: +2 to melee damage (Strength).
  graaTh, The juvenIle Thorn BeasT
  This is a young, not-yet fully grown Thorn Beast. Nevertheless, 
  even if smaller than usual, it is still an incredibly dangerous 
  creature which spread terrors among those who frequent the Fried 
  Hg Inn in the Valsinka village. The beast is faithful to Ungor Aziir 
  and will listen only to the Ark’s commands.
  GRAATH, THE JUVENILE THORN BEAST 
  Type: winged creature BP: 80; Movement: 
  Land 2 CP per 3 m (Max 18 m), Flying 2 CP per 6 m (Max 36 m).
  Fear Factor: 1d10 (OR 10); Size: 3t, Natural Armor: 3 (tough skin). 
  Damage levels: 1-20 (0) / 21-40 (-1) / 41-60 (-3) / 61-80 (-7)  / > 80 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Dexterity +4, Strength +4
  Feats: Attack from above, Night’ Sight, Terrifying Stench.
  Weapons: Bite (damage 2d10 OR 9-10 +4), Claw (damage 2d10 OR 
  10 +4).
  Initiative: +4
  Number of Rounds to spend CP: 2
  Combat points: Free 7 / Bite 6, Claws 14.
  Samples of Attacks (each to be spread in 2 rounds):
  (IM +4) Bite SV 13, Claw SV 14
  (IM +4) Bite SV 13, Claws SV 7, SV 7.
  Note: See the Thorn Beasts stats (here or in Jorgi’s bestiary p.25-27) 
  but with these changes:
  ”Attack from above” just raises the damage as follows: Bite (2d10 OR 
  8-10+4), Claws (2d10 OR 9-10+4).
  ”Terrifying stench” works at 10 m instead of 50 and those who 
  approach the beast closer than 2 m get 1d10 Fear Points for the stench. 
  gralj
  Nobody knows where Gralj is from. He fluently speaks both Vrok 
  and Rona, although nobody can guess whether he is a Stormlander, 
  Mittlander or a Virann. He is short, with dark hair and dark 
  complexion, but he is also too refined to be a Wildfolk. Gralj is a 
  silent man and a professional assassin. He knows everything about 
  setting traps, ambushes and preparing poisons. He is completely 
  loyal to Njordung for reasons that nobody knows. Gralj despises 
  Morkhan and his vitner-powered killing techniques. Nevertheless, 
  Gralj knows that collaboration is the key to success and therefore 
  he started to share with the vitner weaver the poisons that he 
  creates. Gralj knows how to swiftly kill, but he prefers to do it from 
  the shadows, rather than facing an opponent in a fair duel. If given 
  the possibility, Gralj will run away to take revenge in the future.
  GRALJ
  Age: 39; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 14 m) +5 m.
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Dexterity +4.
  Skills: Entertainment SV 7, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1.   
  Agility SV 10 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Combat Movement 5, Evade 3,  
  Ironclad 3), Body Control 5 (Ambidexterity 5, 
  Jestering 3, Jumping, Climbing & Balancing 3).
  Care SV 7 
  Handicraft 1 (Counterfeiting 2), Healing & 
  Drugs 3 (Extracts & Potions 3).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light weapons 3, 
  Left 1H Light Weapons 3, Crossbow 3), Battle 
  Experience 2 (Armor Bearer 1, Combat Reaction 3, 
  Crossbow Loader 3), Unarmed Fighting 1 
  (Brawling 1).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge - Stormlander 1, Language 1 
  (Bribery 3, Foreign Tongue: Rona 3, Foreign 
  Tongue: Wild Vrok 3, Mother Tongue: Vrok 3, 
  Silvertongue 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 10 Shadowing 2 (Camouflage & Hiding 3, Finding 
  & Spotting 3, Sneak Attack 4, Walking in 
  Shadows 3), Thievery 1 (Disguise 3, Locks & 
  Traps 5, Shadow World 3, Stealing 3).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Tracking 3, Wilderness 
  Signs 3)
  Equipment: 2 Short Swords (WA 4, IM -3, PV/BV 7/70, Dmg 1d10 
  OR 10), Metal-reinforced Leather (PV/BV 4/40, Heft 4 reduced to 1 
  due to Ironclad: MM 0 m, IM 0), Light Crossbow (WA ¼ reduced to 
  WA 1 by Crossbow Loader, IM -5, PB/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10, 
  Range 1-50 m, 51-100 m) .
  Initiative: +4 (Dexterity) +2 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) 
  -3 (Short Sword) -3 (Short Sword) -5 (Light Crossbow).
  Other Combat Details: Crossbow -3 loading time (Crossbow Loader 
  3), armors up to Heft 2 (Armor Bearer 1), Heft -4 (Ironclad 4), +5 m 
  per round for free (Combat Movement 5), Shield-hand penalty reduced 
  to 0 (Body Control 5, Ambidexterity 5), Sneak Attack +8 damage.
  Combat points: Free 9 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 6, Left 
  1H Light Weapons 6, Crossbows 6) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 2).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +6) Short Sword SV 10, SV 6, Short Sword SV 15
  (IM +7) Light Crossbow SV 16
  (IM +12) Brawling SV 12.
  (IM +12) Evade SV 17
  Note: All Gralj’s weapons are coated in the poison described in the 
  main text (see Snowsaga page 105, Gralj’s Room). He often bears 
  with him a range of other poisonous extracts including Black Heather, 
  Breathbaccy, Manetter or others (see GM guide p.90-93).
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  30  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  grum druvIk
  The dwarves of Glitthamn were furious when their giant slave, 
  Blodughadda, managed to escape. They sent a group of expert 
  warriors, lead by Grum Druvik, to find the fugitive Hrimtursir 
  and bring him back in chains…or kill him if enslavement 
  is impossible. However, Grum could not predict how much 
  Blodughadda’s forces augmented, with the flourishing of the 
  Ice Cult and the alliance with the Arks. The player characters 
  will meet Grum in their thirty-eighth week of captivity. The 
  Borjornikka dwarf is a wounded prisoner of Blodughadda, but 
  he will do everything in his power to turn the situation and 
  fight the giant. Maybe the meeting with the player characters 
  would be providential for the Grum, as fate has reserved a 
  role for everybody in this story whose conclusion is yet to be 
  written. 
  GRUM DRUVIK
  Age: 58; BP: 36; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 8 m, 7 m if in armor) 
  + 3 m for free.
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-27 (-3) / 28-36 (-7) / > 36 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +4, Strength +2. 
  Skills: Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1.   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Combat Movement 3, Evade 
  3, Ironclad 3), Body Control 1.
  Care SV 7 
  Handler 1 (Commander 1), Handicraft 1
  Fighting SV 9 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Two-handed Weapons 
  3, Right 1H Weapons 2, Shield Bearer 2), 
  Battle Experience 2 (Armor Bearer 3, Combat 
  Reaction 3, Fighter 3), Unarmed 1 (Brawling 2, 
  Wrestling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge – Dwarves 1, Language 1 
  (Mother Tongue Futhark 3, Reading & Writing: 
  Futhark 3), Race Knowledge 1 (Monster Lore 
  1).
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 2, Finding 
  & Spotting 3, Sneak Attack 1, Walking in 
  Shadows 1), Thieving 1 (Locks &Traps 1).
  Wilderness SV 9 
  Geography 1, Hunting Experience 1 (Tracking 
  1, Wilderness Signs 1), Survival 1 (Pathwalker 
  1, Weathered 1).
  Equipment: “Dragon’s Bite” (Capital-Quality Mitraka Two-Handed 
  Axe, WA 3 turned to 2, IM -5, PV/BV 11/110, Dmg 1d10 OR 7-10 +4 
  Strength, +1 SV, 1 CP locked to this axe), thick clothes in mastomant 
  furs (PV/BV 4/40, Heft 6 reduced to 3 due to Ironclad: MM -1 m. IM 
  -1, immune to the “Hrim body” ability).
  Initiative: +2 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) -1 (armor) 
  -5 (axe).
  Other Combat Details: Can clearly see up to 10 m with dim light as if 
  it were under the sun, +4 melee damage (Strength) armors up to Heft 
  6 (Armor Bearer 3), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), +1 WA with 2H weapons 
  (2H Weapons 3), no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 2), Sneak Attack +2.
  Combat points: Free 11 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (2H 
  Weapons 6, Right 1 H Weapons 4, Shields 4), Capital-quality 2H Axe 
  1 / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4, Wrestling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these, Axe SV bonus already counted):
  (IM +3 or +2 if in armor) 2H Axe SV 16, SV 11.
  (IM +8 or +7 if in armor) Brawling SV 12, SV 10.
  (IM +8 or +7 if in armor) Evade SV 14.
  Note: when the PCs meet Grum, the dwarf has suffered 30 points of 
  damage and he is considered to be ”Critically Injured” (-7) and he has 
  off course no equipment since the Arks robbed him of everything. The 
  stats above represent Grum having found his axe after the fight with 
  Lokir and his men (after the escape) and having got mastomant furs 
  (either from looting Lokir or in Jaarnkihl.
  grumve and grymvIlT, The 
  wIldBrons. 
  These two savage wildbrons have been hired to act as Ulgar’s 
  henchmen. They are tall, strong and merciless, trained to fight 
  with two weapons, in order to deal the maximum, possible 
  damage. However, what started as a normal job became a life 
  obsession for these two warriors. The Snow Queen exploited 
  their murderous nature, transforming them into zealous ice 
  cultists, ready to die for defending Ulgar the Ice Blotpriest. 
  GRUMVE AND GRYMVILT, THE WILDBRONS. 
  Age: 27 and 28; BP: 36; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-27 (-3) / 28-36 (-7) / > 36 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -2, Constitution +2, Strength +2
  Skills: Care SV 4, Entertainment SV 4, Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 7, 
  Vitner Craft SV 1, Wilderness SV 7.   
  Agility SV 10 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 2, Evade 3), Body 
  Control 4 (Ambidexterity 4).
  Fighting SV 9 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  3, Left 1H Light Weapons 3), Battle Experience 
  1 (Armor Bearer 2, Combat Reaction 3, Fighter 
  3), Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Silvertongue 1).
  Equipment: Bearded Axe (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 8/80, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10 +4), Seax Knife (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 10 
  +4), Hardened Leather Armor (PV/BV 3/30, Heft 4 reduced to 1, MM 
  0, IM 0). 
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction 3) - 5 (Bearded 
  Axe) -1 (Seax).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Special Wildbron feature), 
  +2 Melee damage (Strength), armors up to Heft 4 (Armor Bearer 2), 
  Heft -2 (Ironclad 2), shield-hand penalty reduced to -3 (Body Control 
  4, Ambidexterity 4).
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 6, Left 1H Light Weapons 6) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 
  6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM +1) Bearded Axe SV 15, SV 8, Seax Knife SV 13
  (IM +7) Brawling SV 15, SV 8
  (IM +7) Evade SV 18
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  31
  hagTorn BroThers
  Froe, Urber, Bjarke, Tor, Dager, and Bodvar are the brothers 
  of Fylkjarl Tomus and, like him, their interests are all in 
  metalsmithing, warfare and cattle husbandry. They are all large 
  men with light-coloured hairs and beards. The Hagtorn brothers 
  seem all to have been crafted with the same mould, sharing their 
  strong, blunt natures, a love for hard work, but also greed and 
  suspicion towards strangers. This is particularly true about Tor 
  and Bodvar, which became Ice Cultists and led the poor, deluded 
  Huld into their ranks too.
  HAGTORN BROTHERS
  Age: various; BP: 35; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m, 9 m if in armor) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-27 (-3) / 28-36 (-7) / > 36 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +2, Strength +2, Intelligence -1.
  Skills: Entertainment SV 3, Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 6, Vitner 
  Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 3, Evade 3), 
  Horsemanship 1 (Riding 1). 
  Care SV 8 
  Handicraft 1 (Hard materials 3).
  Fighting SV 9 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  2, Shield Bearer 2), Battle Experience 1 (Armor 
  Bearer 3, Fighter 3) Unarmed Fighting 1 
  (Brawling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 
  2), Hunting Experience 1 (Tracker 2), Nature 
  Knowledge 1 (Animal Friend 2), Survival 1 
  (Weathered 2).
  Equipment: Battle Sword (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 9/90, Dmg 1d10 
  OR 9-10 +2 Strength), Hunting Spear (WA 3, IM -3, PV/BV 4/40, 
  range 2-10/11-15, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2), medium iron-reinforced 
  Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 7/70), Chain Mail (PV/BV 5/50, Heft 5 
  reduced to 2 due to Ironclad: MM -1 m, IM -1). 
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) -1 (Chain mail armor) - 5 (Battle 
  Sword) -3 (Spear) -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Strength), Heft -3 (Ironclad 
  3), armors up to Heft 6 (Armor Bearer 3), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no 
  shield penalty (Shield Bearer 2), mounted combat costs only 12 CP 
  (Riding 1).
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 6 /Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 4, Shields 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM -6 or -7 with armor) Battle Sword SV 13, SV 8, Shield SV 13
  (IM -4 or -5 with armor) Hunting Spear SV 11, SV 10, Shield SV 8, SV 5
  (IM +1) Brawling SV 15.
  (IM +1) Evade SV 14
  hakka norIm
  The son of Ouvar and Valsinka, Hakka is nowadays unnaturally 
  older than any other inhabitant of Vretgaard. The Norim blood 
  in his veins can keep him alive for centuries, even beyond the 
  lifespans of normal elves. This Half-Norim elf lives in his cabin 
  in the forest, separated from all the inhabitants of Vretgaard who 
  just refer to him as ”the Norim old man”. It has been so since 
  time immemorial and, odd as it may seem, nobody in Vretgaard 
  has ever questioned anything about the leadership of the Norim 
  family. The Norim are unlike the other citizens of Vretgaard, part 
  of them work as fishermen in Vretgaard but many other live off 
  the forest like nomads and woodmen.
  Hakka is slippery and insidious, well aware of his heritage. Haldur 
  Ouvar is his best ally and Hakka knows also that they have blood 
  relationships. Together the two lead the secret Ice cult in Vretgaard.
  Hakka’s eyes are deeply dark and his long hair are steel gray. He 
  tends to stare scornfully at people around him instead of talking to them. 
  HAKKA NORIM
  Age: more than 300 years; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 14 
  m) + 3 m for free.
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +2, Dexterity +4, Intelligence +2
  Skills: Care SV 7, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 7, Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 10 
  Body Control 2 (Ambidexterity 5, Jumping, 
  Climbing & Balancing 4, Swimming 4), Battle 
  Maneuver 1 (Combat Movement 3, Evade 4).
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 3, 
  Left 1H Light Weapons 3, Bows & Sling 5), 
  Battle Experience 1 (Combat Reaction 4), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge -Stormlander 1 (Religion-
  Ice Cult 3), Language 2 (Mother Tongue Vrok 3, 
  Silvertongue 3).
  Hakka Norim
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  32  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  Shadow Arts SV 10 Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 4, Sneak 
  Attack 4, Walking in Shadows 4).
  Wilderness SV 9 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 3, 
  Orienteering & Cartography 1), Hunting 
  Experience 1 (Carve & Butcher 3, Hunting & 
  Fishing 3, Tracker 3, Wilderness Signs 3), 
  Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal Friend 3), 
  Survival 1 (Camper 3, Pathwalker 3, Terrain 
  Experience: Forest 3, Weathered 3).
  Equipment: two Seax Knives (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 
  OR 10), Hunting Bow (WA 3, IM -2, PV/BV 2/20, range 2-30/31-80, 
  Dmg 1d10 OR 10) and arrows.
  Initiative: +4 (Dexterity)+1 (Battle Experience) +8 (Combat Reaction) 
  -1 (Seax Knife) -1 (Seax Knife) -2 (Hunting Bow).
  Other Combat Details: + 3 m for free (Combat Movement 3), shield-
  hand penalty reduced to -3 (Body Control 2, Ambidexterity 5), Sneak 
  Attack +8 damage.
  Combat points: Free 11 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 
  6, Left 1H Light Weapons 6, Bows & Slings 10), Unarmed 1 
  (Brawling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), off-hand modifiers already calculated: 
  (IM +11) Right Seax Knife SV 10, SV 8, Left Seax Knife SV 14
  (IM +11) Hunting Bow SV 13, SV 8.
  (IM +13) Brawling SV 13, SV 6
  (IM +13) Evade SV 19
  haldur ouvar
  Large, loud and charismatic, Haldur perfectly fits the image 
  of the rightful judge, under the Hagtorn rule. However, he 
  is also violent and perverse, like a perfect reincarnation of his 
  ancestor Ouvar the Beheader, the famous executioner and bailif 
  of the Hagtorn kings, but also secretly a murderer and a raper. 
  Everybody in Vretgaard respects Haldur, but none seems to be 
  aware of his crimes.
  As the judge and lead hirdman of the Hagtorns, Haldur 
  exploits his family past prestige to travel throughout northern 
  Wildland, dispensing justice in villages and farms, as his 
  ancestors used to do during the Kingdom of Copper. However, 
  Ouvar inherited Valsinka’s curse and therefore, like his father 
  before him used to do, he exploits his travels to satisfy the 
  bestial urges of his werewarg nature. A large parts of the 
  ”criminals” executed by Ouvar are just innocent scapegoats for 
  the hirdman’ secret crimes. When the Snow Queen’s whispers 
  started spreading again in Wildland, Haldur Ouvar was ready 
  to listen. His corrupted nature and cursed heritage naturally 
  made him one of the secret leaders of the cult, together with 
  Hakka Norim.
  When in human form there are always at least three 
  wolfhounds following Haldur. Use the wolves’ stats to represent 
  these beasts. Haldur bears a large two-handed axe with runic 
  dragons engraved on its blade. This weapon (”Ouvar’ Justice”) 
  has been used by his ancestors to punish criminals since the 
  time of Ouvar the Beheader.
  HALDUR OUVAR
  Age: 43; BP: 36; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 12 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-27 (-3) / 28-36 (-7) / > 36 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +1, Constitution +2, Strength +2, 
  Dexterity +2.
  Skills: Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 3, Evade 3), 
  Horsemanship 1 (Driving Wagon 1, Riding 3), 
  Care SV SV 7 
  Handler 1 (Commander 1)
  Entertainment SV 7 Storytelling 1 (Libel 3).
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 3, 
  Shield Bearer 3, 2H Weapons 3), Battle Experience 
  3 (Armor Bearer 1, Combat Reaction 3, Fighter 3), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3, Wrestling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 3), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Reading & Writing; Vrok 3, 
  Silvertongue 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 2, Sneak 
  Attack 2, Walking in Shadows 2), Thievery 1 
  (Disguise 1).
  Wilderness SV 8 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 3, 
  Orienteering & Cartography 1), Hunting 
  Experience 1 (Hunting & Fishing 2, Tracker 3, 
  Wilderness Signs 3), Nature Knowledge 1 
  (Animal Friend 3), Survival 1 (Camper 2, 
  Pathwalker 2, Weathered 3).
  Equipment: “Ouvar’s Justice” Capital-Quality Two-Handed Axe 
  (WA 2 turned to 3, IM -6, PV/BV 9/90, Damage 1d10 OR 8-10 +2 
  Strength. It grants a bonus of +1CP locked to this axe), Bearded Axe 
  (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 8/80, Damage 1d10 OR 9-10 +2 Strength), 
  medium iron-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 7/70), Metal-
  reinforced Leather (PV/BV 4/40, Heft 4 reduced to 1 due to Ironclad: 
  MM 0 m, IM 0), normal horse.
  Haldur Ouvar
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  33
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity), +3 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat 
  Reaction) - 6 (2H Axe) -5 (Bearded Axe) -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Strength), Heft -3 
  (Ironclad 3), armors up to Heft 2 (Armor Bearer 1), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), 
  no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 3), +1 WA with 2H weapons (2H Weapons 
  3), Sneak Attack +4 damage, mounted combat costs only 6 CP (Riding 3).
  Combat points: Free 13 / Attacks & Parries 6 /Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 6, Shields 6, 2H Weapons 6), Ouvar’s Justice 1 / 
  Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6, Wrestling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), 2H Axe SV bonus already calculated: 
  (IM +5) 2H Axe SV 16, SV 11
  (IM +4) Bearded Axe SV 15, SV 11, Shield SV 14, SV 5 
  (IM +11) Brawling SV 15, SV 11.
  (IM +11) Evade SV 14
  haldur ouvar (In werewarg shape)
  Ouvar is an odd werewarg, since he inherited the curse from 
  his father and the nature of such a sickness came straightly 
  from the Snow Queen’s magic, not from a ”normal” werewarg 
  bite. This is the reason why the stats below are different from 
  those of other werewargs. Furthermore Haldur can shift into 
  the beastial shape at will, retaining the ability to use tools and 
  weapons. On the other hand Haldur is also deeply affected by 
  the different phases of the moon, which monthly amplify his 
  evil urges during full moons. During the siege of Hallwind the 
  transformed Haldur will wield the famous two-handed axe of his 
  ancestors. This detail will possibly suggest the beast’ identity if 
  the characters will have not understood it by that time.
  HALDUR OUVAR (IN WEREWARG SHAPE)
  Age: 43; BP: 48; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 16 m); Size: 1,5 t.
  Damage levels: 1-12 (0) / 13-24 (-1) / 25-36 (-3) / 37-48 (-7)  / > 48 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +1, Constitution +10, Strength +6, 
  Dexterity +6, Psyche -2, Intelligence -4.
  Skills: as above but: Agility SV 10 (Battle Maneuver 1 – Evade 4), 
  Shadow Arts SV 10 (Shadowing 2 - Camouflage & Hiding 5, Sneak 
  Attack 5, Walking in Shadows 5), Wilderness SV 10 (Hunting 
  Experience 3 - Hunting & Fishing 5, Tracker 5, Wilderness Signs 5).
  Attacks: Bite (WA 1, Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10 +6), Claws (WA 2, Dmg 
  1d10 OR 9-10 +6), “Ouvar’s Justice” Capital-Quality Two-Handed 
  Axe (WA 3, IM -6, PV/BV 9/90, Damage 1d10 OR 8-10 +6 
  Strength).
  Initiative: +6 (Dexterity) +3 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat 
  Reaction) - 6 (2H Axe).
  Other Details: Fear Factor 1d10 (OR 9-10), Natural Armor 2 (Skin), 
  Night Sight, Sneak Attack +10 damage.
  Combat points: Free 13 / Bite 16, Claws 20 / Attacks & Parries 6 
  /Armed 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 6, Shields 6, 2H Weapons 6), 
  Ouvar’s Justice 1 / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6, Wrestling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these).
  (IM +9) 2H Axe SV 16, SV 13
  (IM +15) Bite SV 17, SV 17, Claws SV 11, SV 11.
   (IM +15) Evade SV 19
  hallak & sTrang
  These two men of pure Agroth blood are thralls to the house of 
  Grimme, but also among the finest warriors serving Oktar. Their 
  father lost them in a game of chance when they were children, and 
  Hallak and Strang do not remember much of their past, excepting few 
  scant memories of a lost sister.
  They are always silent, waiting for Oktar’s or Rendre’s 
  orders, and seldom give their opinions to anybody. Their black 
  beards and hair are kept long, framing their broad, dirty faces. 
  They dress in tar-coated bovine leathers, held in place with 
  thick belts. Strang, the older brother, also carries a worn mantle 
  of wolf fur. The two brothers are always bearing their battle 
  axes and bronze-reinforced shields. 
  HALLAK & STRANG
  Age: 22 ad 26; BP: 36; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 12 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-27 (-3) / 28-36 (-7) / > 36 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Strength +4, Dexterity +2, Intelligence -2, 
  Charisma -1.
  Skills: Care SV 4, Entertainment SV 2, Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 
  5,Vitner Craft SV 1, Wilderness SV 7.   
  Agility SV 7 
  Body Control 1 (Ambidexterity 3, Swimming 
  1), Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 3, Ironclad 2), 
  Horsemanship 1.
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 2 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  4, Shield Bearer 3), Battle Experience 1 (Armor 
  Bearer 1, Combat Reaction 3, Fighter 3), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3, Wrestling 2).
  Knowledge SV 10 
  Culture Knowledge -Stormlander 1, Language 
  1 (Mother Tongue Vrok 3).
  Equipment: Bearded Axe (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 8/80, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10 +4 strength), medium metal-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/
  BV 7/70), Hardened Leather Armor (PV/BV 3/30, Heft 3 reduced to 
  1 due to Ironclad: MM0, IM0). 
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity)+1 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) 
  -5 (Bearded Axe) -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: +4 Melee damage (Strength), Heft -2 (Ironclad 
  2), armors up to Heft 2 (Armor Bearer 1), Heft -2 (Ironclad 2), no 
  shield penalty (Shield Bearer 3).
  Combat points: Free 12 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 2 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 8, Shields 6) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6, Wrestling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), off-hand modifiers already calculated: 
  (IM +2) Bearded Axe SV 15, SV 13, Shield SV 18.
  (IM +2) Bearded Axe SV 18, SV 8, Shield SV 12, SV 8.
  (IM +9) Unarmed Brawl SV 15, SV 10.
  (IM +9) Evade SV 14
  Special: Agroth blood. They can ignore the first 4 points every time 
  they are inflicted Fear Points.
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  34  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  huld hagTorn
  ”Frustration” seems to be the key-word when speaking about 
  Huld. He is tall with light-coloured hairs, like all the Hagtorns, 
  but also slight of build and his general behaviors and body 
  posture show the signs of stress and unhappiness. The only son 
  of Fylkjarl Tomus, Huld does like to be part of such  a heritage, 
  feeling to be so different from all his relatives, and especially from 
  his father, the mighty warrior and leader of Vretgaard. Not a day 
  goes by without Huld being on the receiving end of taunts and 
  ridicule from his uncles, father, or the servants. Huld is overcome 
  with jealousy and hate towards all those who surrounds him. All 
  of them, but Maria Norim, the girl that Huld has fallen in love 
  with since he was a child. However, Maria does not seem to share 
  the same feelings, and this situation has just fuelled the darkness 
  inside Huld’ soul. If to this one adds the arranged wedding with 
  Swordjarl Grimme’s daughter, Huld Hagtorn’s unhappiness 
  seems complete. When his two uncles, Tor and Bodvar, forced 
  him into the Snow Queen’s cult, Huld could not help but listening 
  to the dark whispers. 
   
  HULD HAGTORN
  Age: 19; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Psyche -2, Charisma -1.
  Skills: Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 6, Vitner 
  Craft SV 1, Wilderness SV 7.   
  Agility SV 5 
  Horsemanship 1 (Riding 1).
  Care SV 4 
  Handicraft 1 (Hard materials 1). 
   
  Fighting SV 8 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  2, Shield Bearer 1), Unarmed Fighting 1 
  (Brawling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3, Reading & Writing; Vrok 1).
  Equipment: Battle Sword (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 9/90, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  9-10), medium Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 5/50).
  Initiative: -5 (Battle Sword), -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 1), mounted 
  combat costs only 12 CP (Riding 1).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 4, 
  Shields 2)/ Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM -7) Battle Sword SV 13, Shield SV 10.
  (IM 0) Brawling SV 13.
  huld hagTorn (In werewarg shape)
  After the attack by Haldur Ouvar, Huld Hagtorn becomes 
  a werewarg, although this is not the usual warg curse, but 
  something which stemmed from the Snow Queen’s magic 
  applied. The combination of this odd origin with the poor 
  psyche of Huld allowed for important differences from other 
  werewargs, as represented in the stats below. Furthermore, after 
  the transformation, Huld is permanently blocked into the wolfish 
  form. He is also an unusual werewarg since he is not able to 
  transmit the curse to anybody.
  HULD HAGTORN (IN WEREWARG SHAPE)
  Age: 19; BP: 42; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 14 m); Size: 1,5 t.
  Damage levels: 1-11 (0) / 12-22 (-1) / 23-32 (-3) / 33-42 (-7)  / > 42 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +6, Strength +4, Dexterity +4, Psyche 
  -4, Intelligence -4.
  Skills: Agility SV 9, Shadow Arts SV 9, Wilderness SV 9.   
  Attacks: Bite (WA 1, Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10 +4), Claws (WA 2, Dmg 
  1d10 OR 9-10 +4).
  Initiative: +4 (Dexterity)
  Other Details: Fear Factor 1d10 (OR 9-10), Natural Armor 2 (Skin), 
  Night Sight.
  Combat points: Free 10 / Natural Weapons (Bite 14, Claws 18).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these) SV modifiers already calculated:
  (IM +4) Bite SV 14, SV 10, Claws SV 9, SV 9.
  (IM +4) Bite SV 19, SV 5, Claws SV 12, SV 6.
  juhkalla
  As an elf from the secret city of Jaarnkihl, Juhkalla looks like no elf 
  that the characters have ever met. He displays a strange mixture 
  of Ilmalaini traits (pale, white skin) and Korpikalli traits (long 
  raven hair, and dark eyes), coupled with a kind of unnatural kind of 
  nobility which seems to emanate from him. The Norim blood runs 
  into Juhkalla veins, although he is just a Jaarnkillia, an “Iron Elf” (as 
  described in Act III). He has been tasked to save the PCs and will do 
  everything in his power to achieve his goal.
  Note: As an Iron Elf with strong Norim heritage, Juhkalla has 
  powers not described in the above stats, as described in the story 
  Huld Hagtorn
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  35
  (for example the ritual which will lead the PCs to Helgardh). 
  He is not as powerful as the pure-Norim Linn, but the GM is 
  encouraged to help him surviving to perform his tasks in the 
  story, maybe even through the use of previously unknown skills 
  and capabilities. The below-described stats assume that Juhkalla 
  took a spear, bow and mastomant furs from the Arks.
  JUHKALLA
  Age: 100 years; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 16 m, 15 m 
  with mastomant furs) + 3 m for free.
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +2, Dexterity +4, Psyche +2
  Skills: Care SV 7, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 7, Vitner Craft SV 9   
  Agility SV 9 
  Body Control 2 (Ambidexterity 3, Jumping, 
  Climbing & Balancing 3, Swimming 3), Battle 
  Maneuver 1 (Combat Movement 3, Evade 3, 
  Ironclad 3). 
   
  Fighting SV 8 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  3, Right 1H Light Weapons 3, Left 1H Light 
  Weapons 3, Bows & Sling 3), Battle Experience 
  1 (Armor Bearer 3, Combat Reaction 3, Fighter 
  3), Unarmed Fighting 1.
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Elf 1 (Religion-Ice Cult 3), 
  Language 2 (Mother Tongue Eika 3, Foreign 
  Tongue: Eika 3, Reading & Writing: Eika 3, 
  Reading & Writing: Vrok 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 3, Sneak 
  Attack 3, Walking in Shadows 3).
  Wilderness SV 9 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Darkwoods 3, 
  Orienteering & Cartography 3), Hunting 
  Experience 1 (Carve & Butcher 3, Hunting & 
  Fishing 3, Tracker 3, Wilderness Signs 3), 
  Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal Friend 3), 
  Survival 1 (Camper 3, Pathwalker 3, Terrain 
  Experience: Forest 3, Weathered 3).
  Equipment: Hunting Spear (WA 3, IM -3, PV 4/40, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10), 
  Hunting Bow (WA 3, IM -2, PV/BV 2/20, range 2-30/31-80, Dmg 1d10 
  OR 10) and arrows, thick clothes in mastomant furs (PV/BV 4/40, 
  Heft 6 reduced to 3 due to Ironclad: MM -1 m. IM -1, immune to the 
  “Hrim body” ability).
  Initiative: +4 (Dexterity)+1 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) -1 
  (Mastomant Furs) -3 (Spear) -2 (Bow).
  Other Combat Details: + 3 m for free (Combat Movement 3), shield-
  hand penalty reduced to -7 (Body Control 2, Ambidexterity 5), Sneak 
  Attack +6 damage, Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), can wear Heft 6 armors 
  (Armor Bearer 3).
  Combat points: Free 9 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Heavy 
  Weapons 6, Right 1H Light Weapons 6, Left 1H Light Weapons 6, 
  Bows & Slings 6), Unarmed 1.
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +8 or +7 if in mastomant furs) Hunting Spear SV 12, SV 10.
  (IM +9 or +5 if in mastomant furs) Hunting Bow SV 14, SV 8.
  (IM +11 or +10 if in mastomant furs) Brawling SV 16.
  (IM +11 or +10 if in mastomant furs) Evade SV 17
  lInn norIm
  As one of the few, remaining Norim elves of old, Linn is an 
  exceptional creature. She has dark red hair, and deep-brown eyes, 
  accentuating her elven features. She is almost as beautiful as her 
  daughter Mariam but her joyful, loving nature seem to influence 
  everybody who is nearby in an almost unnatural way. She knows 
  a huge range of vitner spells and here knowledge and wisdom 
  are legendary. Nevertheless, she is happy to live submitted as 
  Hakka’s wife: Linn is a calm, pure pacifist who will never hurt 
  anybody. She only waits for her fate to be fulfilled, being aware 
  that the Gods are preparing the way for great things, both good 
  and bad. Linn accepts her destiny, as she has done centuries ago, 
  although it does not mean that she has no concern. In fact, Linn’s 
  thoughts mostly revolve around her daughter and how she is to 
  save her husband Hakka from completely succumbing to the dark 
  side. Hakka despises Linn for not having joined the Ice Cult, but 
  he also cannot get rid of this amazing woman with whom he fell 
  in love so long ago. Nevertheless, as time has passed, the situation 
  has made Linn more and more desperate, and now, she does not 
  know what to do without hurting someone she loves.
  There is no need to prepare stats for Linn. As one of the few 
  surviving Norim elves, she has enormous powers, although not big 
  enough to openly defeat the Snow Queen. During the campaign she 
  will accept to suffer, be imprisoned and be blinded. But later on she will 
  also be freed and will help the characters in the most desperate of the 
  situations. Treat Linn as a ”Deus Ex Machina” in selected moments 
  (as described in the campaign) although without directly fighting all 
  the PCs’ battles. 
  Linn Norim
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  36  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  lokIr soThIm, The Bloodsworn
  Lokir is one of the three Bloodsworn chieftains whose aim is to 
  overthrow the Warsworns’ power in Arkland. He is particularly 
  interested in waging war against Asmundi and, to reach his goal, 
  he has intertwined good relationships with a previously unknown 
  ally: the Ice Cult. Lokir, as a pure-blooded Ark, does not care 
  about any kind of religion, but the Snow Queen’s followers 
  seem to have both the power and the wealth that he is looking 
  for. When the Snow Queen will start the invasion of the whole 
  Trudvang, Lokir will be there, ready to take his share of plunder. 
  He is a man with plans, having fortified Grappnir, his stronghold, 
  and augmented the number of Thorn beasts that his followers 
  command. After the coming of the prisoners Lokir will also have 
  Koraljon, which he uses to wear as a trophy. He does not know 
  the whole history of the blade, but the Ark leader can understand 
  the value of such a sword.
  LOKIR SOTHIM, THE BLOODSWORN 
  Age: 46; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 12 m, 11 m if in 
  mastomant furs) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Strength +2, Dexterity +2, Charisma +2
  Skills: Entertainment SV 6, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1.   
  Agility SV 10 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 3, Ironclad 3), Body 
  Control 5 (Ambidexterity 5), Horsemanship 1 
  (Riding 5).
  Care SV 7 
  Handler 1 (Commander 3), Healing & Drugs 1 
  (First Aid & Nursing 1)
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Weapons 4, Right 
  1H Light Weapons 4, Left 1H Light Weapons 
  4, Shield Bearer 3), Battle Experience 2 (Armor 
  Bearer 3, Combat Reaction 3, Fighter 3), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 4).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge – Wildfolk Ark 1, Language 
  1 (Mother Tongue Wild Vrok 3, Foreign 
  Tongue Vrok 3), Race Knowledge 1 (Monster 
  Lore 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 2, Walking in 
  Shadows 2, Sneak Attack 2).
  Wilderness SV 9 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Carve & Butcher 3, 
  Hunting & Fishing 3, Tracker 3, Wilderness 
  Signs 3), Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal friend 
  3), Survival 1.
  Equipment: Koraljon, the Ruling Blade (Mitraka Masterful-quality 
  broadsword, WA 3, IM -3, PV/BV 11/110, Damage 1d10 OR 8-10 
  +2 Strength, +2 CP locked to its use, +1 SV to each weapon action 
  with this sword), medium iron-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/
  BV 7/70), two Capital-Quality Krum Swords (WA 4, IM -3, PV/BV 
  7/70, Dmg 1d10 OR 10 +2 Strength, +1 CP locked to these swords), 
  Masterful-quality Chain Mail armor (PV/BV 6/60, Heft 4 reduced to 
  1 due to Ironclad: MM 0, IM 0) (or in alternative thick clothes in 
  mastomant furs (PV/BV 4/40, Heft 6 reduced to 3 due to Ironclad: 
  MM -1 m. IM -1, immune to the “Hrim body” ability. It cannot be 
  combined with the armor). 
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) +2 (Battle Experience) +6 (combat reaction) 
  -1 (mastomant furs) -3 (Koraljon) - 2 (Shield) -3 (Spear) -3 (Krum 
  Sword) -3 (Krum Sword).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Strength), armors up to 
  Heft 6 (Armor Bearer 3), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no shield penalty (Shield 
  Bearer 3), Sneak Attack +4 damage, no cost for mounted combat 
  (Riding 5), no penalty to shield hand (Body Control 5, Ambidexterity 
  5).
  Combat points: Free 12 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Weapons 8, Right 1H Light Weapons 8, Left 1H Light Weapons 8, 
  Shield Bearer 6), Koraljon 2, Right Krum Sword 1, Left Krum Sword 
  1/ Unarmed 1 (Brawling 8).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), Koraljon’s SV bonus already 
  calculated: 
  (IM +5 or +4 if in mastomant furs) Koraljon SV 16, SV 15, Shield SV 
  10, SV 8.
  (IM +4 or +3 if in mastomant furs) Right Krum Sword SV 14, SV 14, 
  Left Krum Sword SV 14, SV 14.
  (IM +10 or +9 if in mastomant furs) Brawling SV 15, SV 12.
  (IM +10 or +9 if in mastomant furs) Evade SV 17.
  maku, The slaughTerhouse’s arukha
  An enormous beast, Maku is tasked with guarding and administering 
  the slaughterhouse of the village outside Ysetur. Maku leads two 
  Svorgha Orkhir. The three of them scare the passerbyers by openly 
  consuming the human flesh of recent sacrifices. The Arukha is in 
  charge of distributing food to the cultists. He has been chosen 
  for this takes since he is expert and smarter than other Arukha, 
  although he is bored by this task. Maku would prefer to wander 
  the lands to hunt and fight, consequently his patience is limited 
  and temper is often lost: more than one overly bothering cultist 
  has been devoured by this Orkhir. This is why most people tend 
  to obey to Maku and leave the slaughterhouse as soon as possible. 
  MAKU, THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE’S ARUKHA 
  Type: humanoid BP: 110; Movement: 2 CP per 3 m (Max 30 m). 
  Fear Factor: 1d5; Size: 3t, Natural Armor: 3 (tough skin). 
  Character Traits: Constitution +6, Strength +6.
  Feats: Night’ Sight, Durable, Cold Immunity, Controlled Frenzy
  Skills: Agility SV 7, Care SV 8, Entertainment SV 2, Faith SV 1, 
  Knowledge SV 7, Shadow Arts SV 6, Vitner Craft SV 1. 
  Fighting SV 10 
  Armed Fighting 3 (2H Weapons 4), Battle 
  Experience 3 (Fighter 5), Unarmed Fighting 3 
  (Brawling 3).
  Wilderness SV 8 
  Hunting Experience 2 (Tracker 3).
  Weapons: Twisted 2H Axe (WA 3, IM -6, PV/BV 9/90, Dmg 2d10 
  OR 7-10 +6 strength), Claws (Dmg 2d10 OR 10 +6 Strength). 
  Initiative: +3 (Battle Experience) -6 (2H Axe).
  Rounds to spread Combat points: 2
  Other Combat Details: +6 Melee damage (Strength), WA +1 to 2H 
  weapons (2H weapons 4).
  Combat points: Free 13 / Attacks & Parries 10 / Armed 6 (2H 
  Weapons 8) / Unarmed 6 (Brawling 6).
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  37
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
   (IM -3) 2H Axe SV 16, SV 15, SV 6. 
  (IM +3) Claws or Unarmed Brawl SV 15, SV 14, SV 6.
  marIa norIm
  The word ”Pure Grace” seems to be a perfect fit for Maria 
  Norim. She has long, dark, curly hair and, even though she 
  is always modestly dressed, barefoot in a white shift, there is 
  something majestic about her, her movements, her poise, her 
  speech, and her gaze. Maria speaks with a soft, calming voice. 
  There is something elvish in her nature, although those meet her 
  cannot exactly explain what it is. Even if she is clearly human, 
  Maria bears the noble blood of the Norim elves, whose nature 
  was nearer to the old elvish gods than what every Korpikalli 
  or Ilmalaini today living in Trudvang will ever be. In reality 
  Maria is the perfect incarnation of the divine Norna the Wise, 
  lacking only Snowsaga to make her a complete Norna. 
  Maria is well aware of the Snow Queen cult and the role which 
  her father Hakka has. Nevertheless, shes will never betray her 
  family, neither she will join the Ice cultists. Like her mother, Maria 
  knows that the gods are moving the threads of fate and time will 
  come for proper actions to be performed. Play Maria as somebody 
  with immense charisma and wisdom, a mysterious aura of harmony 
  with the nature and a general disregard for violence. 
  The following stats represent Maria as the young priestess 
  of Vretgaard, but the GM is encouraged to ignore these stats 
  to make Maria survive until the proper time comes or to give 
  her different abilities not listed below. There is something divine 
  inside Maria, after all, and it only awaits to be awaken.
  MARIA NORIM
  Age: 19; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +4, Psyche +4.
  Skills: Agility SV 7, Fighting SV 5, Shadow Arts SV 4, Vitner Craft SV 1.
  Care SV 10 
  Healing & Drugs 1 (Extracts & Potions 3, First 
  Aid & Nursing 5).
  Entertainment SV 7 Storytelling 1 (Acting 2), Music & Dancing 1 
  (Dance 3, Singing & Playing Instruments 3).
  Faith SV 9 
  Divine Power 1 (Faithful 2, Powerful 2), God 
  Focus 1 (Composed 3), Invoke 3 (Stormkelt 3, 
  Holy Tablets: Warmth of Sunvei 3, Wisdom of 
  Windinna 3).
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 3, Lore & Legends: 
  Stormlanders 3, Religion: Gerbanis 3, Religion: 
  Ice Cult 3), Language 1 (Mother Tongue Vrok 3, 
  Reading & Writing; Vrok 3).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal Friend 3, Botany 3).
  Divine Capacity: 40 Basic SV for Divine Powers: 18.
  Details of divine powers: +7 SV to remain focused, -7 on the Fatal 
  Failure table (God Focus 1, Composed 3), +6 to bloodgifting rolls 
  (Stormkelt 3).
  Equipment: Staff (WA 4, IM -3, PV/BV 6/60).
  Initiative: -3 (staff).
  Combat points: Free 5.
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM -3) Staff SV 5.
  (IM 0) Brawling SV 5.
  mIrI grImme
  This 16-years old girl is way more intelligent than most of her 
  friends of here age, and she has a deep knowledge of history and 
  heraldry. She has a stubborn nature, disliking the wedding that 
  her father has planned with the miserable Huld Hagtorn. For the 
  moment she knows that she must obey Oktar, but Miri hopes to 
  find a way out of this situation, even an escape, maybe later on 
  when she will leave Storhavn.
  MIRI GRIMME
  Age: 16; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-23 (-3) / 24-30 (-7)  / > 30 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution -2, Intelligence +2, Psyche +2
  Skills: Agility SV 6, Care SV 4, Entertainment SV 6, Faith SV 1, 
  Fighting SV 3, Shadow Arts SV 3, Vitner Craft SV 1, Wilderness SV 4. 
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs & 
  Law: Stormlands 3, Lore & Legends: Stormlands 3, Religion-Gerbanis 
  3), Learning 1 (Insight: Heraldry 3), Language 1 (Mother Tongue 
  Vrok 4, Read&Write: Vrok 3).
  Equipment: - 
  Initiative: -
  Combat points: Free 3
  Samples of Attacks: (IM 0) Unarmed SV 3
  Maria Norim
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  38  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  morkhan
  As the only Vitner Weaver in service of Njordung, Morkhan is 
  treated with certain respect. He has no interest in the Snow Queen 
  and the Ice Cult, but the lord of Ysetur has handsomely paid him to 
  prepare the murder of the Paater in Vortland. Morkhan was born 
  a Wildfolk in Thoorkaal, in western Trudvang, and he is also a 
  member of the “Order of the Shadow Snakes”: renowned assassins 
  who exploit vitner weaving for performing their dark duties. 
  Few in Ysetur know that Morkhan is on the run after a failed 
  assassination Majnjord, not just from those he had attempted to 
  assassinate, but also from his order of vitner weaving assassins.
  MORKHAN
  Age: 34; BP: 30; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 12 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-23 (-3) / 24-30 (-7)  / > 30 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Intelligence +2, Dexterity +2, Constitution -2
  Skills: Entertainment SV 2, Faith SV 1.   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 3 (Evade 3), Body Control 
  3 (Ambidexterity 3, Jumping, Climbing & 
  Balancing 3).
  Care SV 6 
  Healing & Drugs 1 (Extracts & Potions 1).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light weapons 3, 
  Left 1H Light Weapons 3), Battle Experience 1 
  (Combat Actions 3, Combat Reaction 3, Fighter 3), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1.
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge - Wildfolk 1, Language 1 
  (Foreign Tongue: Rona 3, Foreign Tongue: Vrok 3, 
  Mother Tongue: Wild Vrok 3, Silvertongue 3), 
  Race Knowledge 1.
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 3, Sneak 
  Attack 3, Walking in Shadows 3), Thievery 1 
  (Disguise 3, Locks & Traps 3, Shadow World 2).
  Vitner Craft SV 10 
  Call of Vitner 2 (Darkhwitalja 3, Vitner Habit 2), 
  Vitner Focus 2 (Potency 3), Vitner Shaping 2 
  (Sejding 3, Vyrding 3, Vitner Runes 3, Vitner 
  Tablets: Delusion Vitner 3, Dimvitner 2, Flame 
  Craft 4, Witchcraft 2, Power of Vision 3, Power 
  of Thought 3).  
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Tracking 3)
  Vitner Capacity: 85 Basic SV for Vitner Spells: 18 (Sejding), 18 
  (Vyrding).
  Details of vitner spells: -2 SV to remain focused and -2 fatal failures 
  table (Vitner Focus 2), Dark Vitner (Darkhwitalja, no perfect results, 
  fatal failure table 1d10 OR 8-10) - 1 cost levels (Delusion Vitner, 
  Dimvitner, Flame Craft, Witchcraft), double cost levels (power of 
  vision ), silent casting (Vyrding) requires double time, Sejding 
  require free hands, targets of its spells suffer -6 SV for resisting 
  (Potency 3). 
  Equipment: Krum Sword (WA 4, IM -3, PV/BV 7/70, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  10), Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 10).
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) 
  -3 (Krum Sword) -1 (Seax Dagger).
  Other Combat Details: Shield-hand penalty reduced to -6 (Body 
  Control 3, Ambidexterity 3), Sneak Attack +6 damage.
  Combat points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Other actions 6 / 
  Armed 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 6, Left 1H Light Weapons 6) / 
  Unarmed 1.
  Samples of Attacks (one of these, shield hand penalties already 
  calculated):
  (IM +5) Krum Sword SV 12, SV 7, Seax Dagger SV 10, 6 points for 
  other actions.
  (IM +9) Brawling SV 15, 6 points for other actions.
  (IM +9) Evade SV 16
  Note: if well prepared for a fight Morkhan’s blades will carry the same 
  poison used by Gralj.
  njordung / Ise
  Njordung is the mighty lord of the Blueax clan. He as always 
  been a skillful warrior and a charismatic leader of men. His 
  family owns wide lands, and some of them once belonged to the 
  Hagtorns, before they fell from their power. Even if the main 
  trading routes still favour Storhavn, the Blueax family has a 
  powerful grasp on the trade of mastomant furs from the west 
  and wulterfish meat and oil collected in Hrefing. 
  Nevertheless, Njordung is an ambitious man and, like all his 
  ancestors, he longs for the power that the Blueax never had. The 
  Hagtorn have been kings, the Saatigia are now kings in all but 
  the name, but soon Wildland should see a Blueax king. Njordung 
  would like Hrefing’s wealth to surpass the prosperity of Storhavn. 
  Unfortunately the old holding of the Grimme Swordjarls kept its 
  importance even when copper dried in the Hagtorn mines. The 
  Bluex clan deserves more than what it has, and Njordung himself 
  cannot endure the prosperity of the Grimme Swordjarl or the 
  power of the Saatigia Fylkjarl.
  When Hakka Norim made him seeing a piece of Black Ice, the 
  Snow Queen’s whispers entered proudly into Njordung’s dreams, 
  and the Blueax Fylkjarl realized to be made for a greater destiny, 
  maybe even greater than the kingdom of Wildland. It did not take 
  long for Njordung to secretly become ”Ise”, the unknown leader 
  of the new Ice cult. Njordung invested the mighty resources of 
  his clan for the cult, and even managed to corrupt the Wulfr clan 
  leader with promise of vengeance against the Uvail.
  At the start of the campaign Njordung, alongside some of his 
  brothers and hirdmen, has now been missing for half a year and 
  nobody knows where he is. Fylkjarl Bhalgor has heard stories about 
  the Blueax Fylkjarl hiring men in secret, but the Brycker could not 
  understand the size of the threat which Njordung is preparing.
  In the meanwhile, blessed by the Snow Queen, Njordung has become 
  the leader of Ysetur. Hundreds of new cultists seem to be attracted 
  each month in his stronghold. He has started secret trade with some 
  elements among the Buratja dwarves. The giant Blodughadda has even 
  sent him orkhirs and the Dreadaxyrs, the elite Ark warriors, although 
  Njordung is still uncertain whether to accept or not Blodughadda’s 
  rule. He knows that the giant is the chosen of the Snow Queen, but the 
  goddess is a capricious entity who has already given Njordung all the 
  power that he wanted, and she has promised even more … Soon the 
  whole Wildland will be submitted under his armies … 
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  39
  NJORDUNG / ISE
  Age: 49; BP: 38; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m, 8m if in armor) 
  Damage levels: 1-10 (0) / 11-20 (-1) / 21-29 (-3) / 30-38 (-7) / > 38 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +4, Strength +2, Psyche +2.
  Skills: Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 8, Shadow Arts SV 4, Vitner 
  Craft SV 1.   
  Agility SV 8 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 3, Ironclad 3), Body 
  Control 3 (Ambidexterity 3, Swimming 2), 
  Horsemanship 1 (Riding 1).
  Care SV 8 
  Handler 1 (Commander 3, Sage 1).
  Fighting SV 9 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 3, 
  Left 1H Heavy Weapons 3), Battle Experience 2 
  (Armor Bearer 3, Combat Reactions 3, Fighter 3),  
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge - Stormlander 1 (Religion: 
  Ice Cult: 3), Language 1 (Mother Tongue: Vrok 3,  
  Silvertongue 3).
  Wilderness SV 9 
  Geography 1 (City Knowledge: Hrefing 3, Land 
  Knowledge: Wildland 3), Hunting Experience 1 
  (Tracking 3, Hunting & Fishing 3, Wilderness 
  Signs 3), Seafarer 1.
  Equipment (if he can retrieve his objects): “Broke” and “Stuke”, two 
  sacred dwarven battleaxes in Mitraka (WA 3, IM -3, PV/ BV 9/90, 
  dmg 1d10 OR 8-10 +2 strength. As long as the two axes are held 
  together, each give +2 SV per hand per round), Legendary-quality full 
  plate armor with horned helmet, silks and mastomant furs inside (PV/
  BV 12/120, Heft 8 reduced to 5, MM – 2 m, IM -2).
  Equipment (if the PCs stole his objects): 2 Bearded Axes (WA 3, IM -5, 
  PV/BV 8/80, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10 +2 strength), , Double chain mail 
  (PV/BV 8/80, Heft 8 reduced to 5 due to Ironclad: MM -2 m, IM -2).
  Initiative: +2 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) -2 (armor) -3 
  (Broke) -3 (Stuke) -5 (Bearded Axe) -5 (Bearded Axe).
  Other Combat Details: +2 melee damage (Strength), armors up to 
  Heft 6 (Armor Bearer 3), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), Shield-hand penalty 
  reduced to -6 (Body Control 3, Ambidexterity 3).
  Combat points: Free 11 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 6, Left 1H Heavy Weapons 6) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +2 or 0 if in armor) Broke SV 13, SV 13, Stuke SV 10, SV 10
  (IM -2 or -4 if in armor) Bearded Axe SV 12, SV 12, Bearded Axe SV 11
  (IM +8 r +6 if in armor) Brawling SV 12, SV 12.
  (IM +8 r +6 if in armor) Evade SV 115
  Note: there are two sets of equipments, in case the PCs stole the main 
  weapons from Njordung’s chamber. If the GM thinks Njordung to be 
  too tough a fight, a possibility is to make the PCs meet him while he is 
  without armors, maybe performing sacrifices for her queen.
  norIms
  The other members of the Norim family are all Hakka’ sons and 
  nephews, although not from Linn. They bear some trace of elvish 
  blood in their facial features, although they are all rough and 
  insidious as animal predators or lesser versions of Hakka. All the 
  Norims, even those who work as fishermen in Vretgaard, are well 
  adapted to an isolated life as woodmen and hunters in the forest, 
  meeting other people only when needed. When the Snow Queen’ 
  call came, their blood could not help but answering Valsinka’s 
  commands.
  NORIMS
  Age: various; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 12 m)
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Dexterity +2
  Skills: Care SV 6, Entertainment SV 3, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 2), Body Control 1 
  (Jumping, Climbing & Balancing 3, Swimming 3), 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 3). 
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 2, 
  Bows & Sling 2), Battle Experience 1 (Combat 
  Reaction 2), Unarmed 1 (Brawling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge -Stormlander 1 (Religion-
  Ice Cult 3), Language 1 (Mother Tongue Vrok 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 3, Sneak 
  Attack 3, Walking in Shadows 3).
  Wilderness SV 9 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 3), 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Carve & Butcher 3, 
  Hunting & Fishing 3, Tracker 3, Wilderness 
  Signs 3), Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal 
  Friend 3), Survival 1 (Pathwalker 3, Terrain 
  Experience: Forest 3, Weathered 3).
  Equipment: Seax Knife (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  10), Hunting Bow (WA 3, IM -2, PV/BV 2/20, range 2-30/31-80, 
  Dmg 1d10 OR 10) and arrows.
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity)+1 (Battle Experience) +4 (Combat Reaction) 
  -1 (Seax Knife) -2 (Hunting Bow).
  Other Combat Details: Sneak Attack +6 damage.
  Combat points: Free 8 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 4, Bows 
  & Slings 4), Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +6) Seax Knife SV 13
  (IM +5) Hunting Bow SV 8, SV 5.
  (IM +7) Brawling SV 13
  (IM +7) Evade SV 12
  nymph of The darkwoods
  While traveling from North Hall to Vretgaard the PCs will be 
  targeted by a Nymph of the Darkwoods. She looks like a naked 
  girl with cold dead eyes which tries to remain hidden in the 
  wood. Nymphs are usually dangerous but this one has developed 
  a more innocuous interest towards the PCs, as well as an ability 
  to control the victims with her songs without alluring them with 
  desire, and for reasons other than killing them. More information 
  about the nymphs can be found in Jorgi’s Bestiary p.93-95. For 
  the sake of this campaign there is no need for the nymph’ full 
  stats. The PCs are not meant to harm or kill the nymph, but just 
  to spot her and advance the sense of mystery of the Darkwoods. 
  Just use the following rules.
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  40  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  The nymph will try to control one of the PCs with a subtle, 
  enchanting song. The victim must make a Situation Roll on SV 
  10 (modified by Psyche).  On a failure the victim will be obliged 
  to do a minor task such as gathering food or singing a song 
  for her. When the task is completed, the victim will wake up, 
  just getting glimpses of the nymph running away and laughing, 
  without any real possibility to catch her.
  Successful Shadow Arts skills roll with the Finding & 
  Spotting specialty will make the PCs to spot the nymph, 
  although the creature disappears before they can catch her. Her 
  joyous laughter will be heard in the woods.
  remI sorva
  Remi has grown up understanding that value of his family’s duty 
  as undertakers, which is the only reason why they are not thralls 
  like their ancestors once were. As the Sorva family leader, Remi is 
  so obsessed with death to the point of being insane. He is always 
  singing or even whistling old, traditional funerary dirges while 
  he speaks only about old stories on disers, draugrs and other 
  cursed beings of the mist. The Snow Queen could well exploit 
  Remi’s delusion and the undertaker is nowadays one of the most 
  fervent cultists in Storhavn, like most member of his family.
  The following stats represent Remi as a novice necromancer, 
  since listening to the Snow Queen’s whispers have given him 
  some insight on death, although the undertaker has thus far 
  developed only very basic notions of vitner magic.
  REMI SORVA
  Age: 50; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -1, Psyche +4 (this is the strength of 
  Remi’s insanity!).
  Skills: Agility SV 6, Care SV 6, Faith SV 1, Wilderness SV 7  
  Entertainment SV 5 Music & Dancing 1, Storytelling 1.
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 1), 
  Unarmed 1 (Brawling 1).
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Lore & 
  Legends 3, Religion: Ice Cult 3), Language 1 
  (Mother Tongue Vrok 3, Silvertongue 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 2, Sneak 
  Attack 3, Walking in the Shadows 2)
  Vitner Craft SV 8 
  Call of Vitner 1 (Darkhwitalja 1), Vitner Shaping 
  1 (Galding 2, Vitner Tablets: Dimvitner 2)
  Equipment: Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 10).
  Initiative: -1 (Seax Dagger).
  Other Combat Details: Sneak Attack +6 damage.
  Vitner Capacity: 31 Basic SV for Vitner Spells: 13.
  Details of vitner spells: Dark Vitner (Darkhwitalja, no perfect results, 
  fatal failure table 1d10 OR 8-10), -1 cost levels (Dimvitner), casting 
  requires singing (Galding)
  Combat points: Free 7 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 2) / 
  Unarmed 1 (Brawling 2).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -1) Seax Dagger SV 10
  (IM 0) Brawling SV 10
  rendre haugskalp / IsTunga / 
  ICeTongue
  When Rendre was 16-years old when his father, Fylkjarl Raak 
  Wulfr, exiled and deprived him of both title and name. Swordjarl 
  Oktar Grimme took Rendre as his own son, educating and making 
  him the Grimme clan foremost mouthpiece and messenger.
  Rendre is always dressed in a black bear skin mantle, silver 
  rings and red clothes embroidered with symbols of the Gerbanian 
  faith. Around his neck, he carries a heavy golden chain with a 
  silver and golf medallion bearing the Grimme clan crest: an eagle 
  in front of a pointed mountain peak, enclosed by a wreath. 
  Talentuous and skillful, Rendre always gives impression of high 
  nobility, speaking with a calm and charismatic tone. However, the 
  placid appearances hide a rebellious and ambitious nature, not prone 
  to submit to others’ authority. His soul is secretly torn by inner 
  conflicts, fractured between opposing desires. Rendre loves Oktar 
  Grimme as a father, but the frustration of having lost his place in the 
  Wulfr clan made him an easy prey for the Snow Queen’s whispers. 
  This will lead to Oktar’ demise as Rendre secretly becomes Ylva 
  Vrudnah’s lover and also the leader of the Ice Cult in Storhavn.
  Rendre is an important character which will recur in the 
  campaign more than once. His destiny is not scripted and it will 
  depends on the player characters’ actions and the GM’s decisions.
  Remi Sorva
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  41
  RENDRE HAUGSKALP / ISTUNGA / ICETONGUE
  Age: 33; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 12 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +2, Dexterity +2, Intelligence +2
  Skills: Faith SV 7, Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 8 
  Body Control 2 (Ambidexterity 3, Swimming 2), 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 3, Ironclad 2), 
  Horsemanship 1 (Riding 3).
  Care SV 10 
  Handicraft 1, Handler 1 (Sage 2), Tradesman 1 
  (Trader 4) 
   
  Entertainment SV 7 Storytelling 1 (Acting 3, Libel 3).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 3, 
  Left 1H Light Weapons 3), Battle Experience 1 
  (Armor Bearer 1, Combat Reaction 2).
  Knowledge SV 10 
  Culture Knowledge -Stormlander 1 (Religion-
  Gerbanis 1, Religion-Ice Cult 2), Language 2 
  (Calculate 2, Mother Tongue Vrok 3, Bribery 2, 
  Foreign Tongue: Futhark 2, Reading & Writing: 
  Vrok 2, Silvertongue 4).
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 2, Sneak 
  Attack 3, Walking in Shadows 2), Thievery 1 
  (Disguise 2, Shadow World 2).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Geography 1 (City Knowledge: Storhavn 3, 
  Land Knowledge: Wildland 3), Seafarer 1 
  (Navigation 1).
  Equipment: Arming Sword (WA 3, IM -4, PV/BV 6/60, Dmg 1d10 
  OR 9-10 +2), Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 
  OR 10+2), Hardened Leather Armor (PV/BV 3/30, Heft 3 reduced to 
  1 due to Ironclad: MM0, IM0). 
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) +4 (Combat Reaction) 
  -4 (Arming Sword) -1 (Seax Dagger).
  Other Combat Details: +2 Melee damage (Special Wildbron feature), 
  Heft -2 (Ironclad 2), armors up to Heft 2 (Armor Bearer 1), shield-
  hand penalty reduced to -7 (Body Control 2, Ambidexterity 3), Sneak 
  Attack +6 damage, mounted combat costs only 6 CP (Riding 3).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 6, Left 
  1H Light Weapons 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), off-hand modifiers already calculated: 
  (IM +2) Arming Sword SV 14, Seax Dagger SV 8
  (IM +2) Arming Sword SV 7, SV 7, Seax Dagger SV 8
  (IM +7) Brawling SV 8.
  (IM +7) Evade SV 15
  Note: as the son of Raak Wulfr, Rendre is of pure Wildbron blood, 
  giving him a bonus of +2 to melee damage. He will initially refuse 
  such a heritage, but the bloodthirsty nature of his blood will soon make 
  Rendre to feel its call.
  rurIk, meldor and salak, The Three 
  knIghTs
  On the other side of Trudvang, in Westmark, a relic was 
  found with inscriptions about Norna’s Prophecy. The religious 
  authorities of the Tenet of Nid understood the threat which 
  was preparing in the East. Their prayers gave them insight on 
  this darkness which, after having conquered the Stormlands, 
  could potentially threaten even the west. Consequently three 
  special, brave warriors devoted to the Tenet of Nid were sent to 
  investigate and fight this evil. These three are both Knights of 
  the Rowthguard and ”shadowers” or expert infiltrators.
  Rurik, Meldor and Salak are robust and tall, for Westamarkian 
  standards, and they know how to blend with local population. 
  They have been chosen since this is not their first mission in 
  the Stormlands, although they do not have much experience 
  with Wildland. They can speak Vrok and act as if they are new 
  recruits of the Ice cult from Edjland, one of the few Stormlands 
  where blues eyes and fair hair are so common that they do not 
  look like stranger features. On the other hand, they are obstinate 
  in keeping their multiple braids. Nevertheless, Stormlander hair 
  styles can be so different among the various clans and tribes 
  that this purely Virann style does not betray them.
  Rurik, Meldor, and Salak are all dressed in Stormlander 
  styles, although their weapons, equipment and clothes are 
  all so brand new and of such a high quality that they could 
  not be anything else but very successful, wealthy mercenary 
  hirdmen. They even ride warhorses of such a quality which 
  very few people in the Stormlands have ever seen, excluding 
  jarls and rich men. When the characters meet them, they are 
  wearing expensive mastomant furs, and are therefore ready 
  to face the hardest of winters. However, their masquerade is 
  not perfect. Their knowledge of the Ice Cult is limited, as it is 
  also their knowledge of Edjland, their supposed motherland. 
  Consequently they only answer yes or no to questions, in order 
  not to be discovered. Otherwise they are extremely quiet, more 
  focused in listening and getting information, rather than in 
  revealing anything.
  Rendre Haugskalp
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  42  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  They will arrive in Storhavn at the same time as the character 
  get there, but they will meet them only during the travel to 
  Ysetur. The three knights are supposed to help the characters 
  in their fight against the darkness. However, do not take such 
  alliance for granted. Even if their purposes may be the same, the 
  three knights do not trust strangers and antipathies can develop 
  if among the PCs there is any fanatic Gerbanian.
  RURIK, MELDOR AND SALAK, THE THREE KNIGHTS
  Age: 30; BP: 36; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m, 9 m with 
  mastomant furs) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-27 (-3) / 28-36 (-7) / > 36 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Dexterity +2, Constitution +4.
  Skills: Care SV 4, Entertainment SV 4, Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 8 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 2, Ironclad 3), 
  Horsemanship 3 (Riding 3).
  Faith SV 7 
  Divine Power 1 (Faithful 2, Powerful 1), God Focus 1 
  (Composed 2, Lighting-quick Invocation 2), 
  Invoke 3 (Gavlian 3, Holy Tablets: Knight 3, 
  Grace 1, Voices 1).
  Fighting SV 9 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 3, 
  Shield Bearer 3), Battle Experience 1 (Armor 
  Bearer 3, Fighter 3, Combat Reaction 3), 
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge - Viranns 1 (Religion 
  – Tenet of Nid 3), Culture Knowledge 
  -Stormlander 1, Language 2 (Mother Tongue 
  Rona 3, Foreign Tongue: Vrok 3, Reading & 
  Writing Rona 3, Reading & Writing Vrok 2, 
  Silvertongue 2).
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 3, Sneak 
  Attack 1, Walking in Shadows 3), Thievery 1 
  (Disguise 3, Locks & Traps 2).
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Geography 1 (Orienteering & Cartography 1), 
  Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal Friend 2), Survival 
  1 (Camper 3, Pathwalker 3, Weathered 3).
  Divine Capacity: 31 Basic SV for Divine Powers: 16.
  Details of divine powers: +5 SV to remain focused, -5 on the Fatal 
  Failure table (God Focus 1, Composed 2), +4 IM on divine powers 
  (Lighting-quick Invocations 2), +6 to prayers (Gavlian 3).
  Equipment: Masterful-Quality Battle Axe (WA 3, IM -4, PV/BV 
  8/80, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10, +2 CP locked to this axe), Capital-Quality 
  medium iron-reinforced Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 7/70, +1 CP 
  locked to this shield), thick clothes in mastomant furs (PV/BV 4/40, 
  Heft 6 reduced to 3 due to Ironclad: MM -1 m. IM -1, immune to 
  the “Hrim body” ability), Excellent combat-trained large horse 
  (while mounted +3 SV to the rider and -3 SV to enemies, +6 SV Kick 
  Attacks), 3 doses of Gavespring potion (identical to gavespring, GM 
  Guide page 91). 
  Initiative: +2 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) 
  -4 (Battle Axe) -2 (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), armors up to Heft 6 (Armor 
  Bearer 3), Heft -3 (Ironclad 3), no shield penalty (Shield Bearer 3), Sneak 
  Attack +2 damage, mounted combat costs only 6 CP (Riding 3).
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 6 / Armed 1 (Right 
  1H Heavy Weapons 6, Shields 6), Masterful-Quality Axe 2, Capital-
  Quality Shield 1 / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM +3) Battle Axe SV 13, SV 12, Shield SV 17.
  (IM +3) Battle Axe SV 18, SV 7, Shield SV 10, SV 7.
  (IM +9 or +8 if in armor) Brawling SV 15, SV 8
  (IM +9 or +8 if in armor) Evade SV 13
  sIrIs hjelm
  After so many years spent for the Hjelm family, Siris felt pure 
  frustration when his husband Turulf ignored her for Anna, the 
  younger wife. The Snow Queen exploited such a situation and 
  Siris is now the most active member of the Ice Cult in Vretgaard, 
  waiting for the moment when she will sacrifice Anna and her 
  children for her cult. The mistress has given her a power that 
  Siris has never felt throughout her life and all the local cultists 
  wait for her orders. Siris openly acts as the mother of the whole 
  village, taking care of all the children, a fact which give her the 
  trust of all the villagers. When the right moment will come this 
  trust will suffer  heavy blow, as Siris will exploit it to commit the 
  most heinous acts.
  The following stats represent the fact that Siris mysteriously 
  and secretly received some basic training in witchcraft due to the 
  Snow Queen’s blessing. 
  SIRI HJELM
  Age: 50; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +2, Psyche +2.
  Skills: Agility SV 5, Faith SV 1, Wilderness SV 7   
  Care SV 7 
  Tradesman 1 (Peasant 2).
  Entertainment SV 7 Storytelling 1 (Libel 1).
  Fighting SV 6 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 1).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Religion: 
  Ice Cult 3), Language 2 (Mother Tongue Vrok 
  3, Silvertongue 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 3, Sneak 
  Attack 2, Walking in the Shadows 2)
  Vitner Craft SV 8 
  Call of Vitner 2 (Darkhwitalja 1), Vitner Shaping 
  2 (Vyrding 3, Vitner Tablets: Witchcraft 2, 
  Wind Craft 2)
  Equipment: Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 10).
  Initiative: -1 (Seax Dagger).
  Other Combat Details: Sneak Attack +4 damage.
  Vitner Capacity: 37 Basic SV for Vitner Spells: 16.
  Details of vitner spells: Dark Vitner (Darkhwitalja, no perfect results, 
  fatal failure table 1d10 OR 8-10), -1 cost levels (Witchcraft, Windcraft), 
  Casting requires double time (Vyrding).
  Combat points: Free 6 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 2).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -1) Seax Dagger SV 9
  (IM 0) Brawling SV 6
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  43
  Special: the Snow Queen has mystically granted Siris the ability to 
  invoke the Great Winter Storm and to perform the High Rituals. 
  These effects are described in the text and therefore they do not need 
  to have proper mechanics here.
  soTe, The Thrall
  Sote is a short, slightly-built 19-years old thrall who serves 
  the Hagtorn family. Fylkjarl Tomus trust him as the main 
  messenger of Vretgaard since the young slave is the best horse 
  rider in the village and the Fylkjarl knows Sote will never run 
  away. Sote is respectful towards his master, Tomus, but he is also 
  always careful to deal with free men, since he know how low if 
  the condition of thralls in Wildland. In particular he pities Huld 
  Hagtorn (which Sote also suspects to be his half-brother), but 
  he also knows how dangerous the young, frustrated Hagtorn 
  heir can be, especially toward inferiors like him. Sote knows a 
  lot about his fellow villagers, since not many of them seem to 
  care about the thrall observing them. Maria Norim seems to be 
  the only one who treats Sote respectfully and the young thrall, 
  like many others, is at least partly in love with her.
  SOTE, THE THRALL
  Age: 19; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 14 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Dexterity +4
  Skills: Entertainment SV 4, Faith SV 1, Fighting SV 7, Vitner 
  Craft SV 1   
  Agility SV 8 
  Horsemanship 1 (Driving Wagon 3, Riding 3).
  Care SV 7 
  Tradesman 1 (Peasant 2)
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1, Language 1 
  (Mother Tongue Vrok 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage & Hiding 3, Finding 
  & Spotting 2)
  Wilderness SV 7 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 2, 
  Orienteering & Cartography 2), Nature Knowledge 1 
  (Animal friend 2), Survival 1 (Camper 1, Weathered 
  2).
  Equipment: Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  10), capable-level sprint-trained normal horse owned by Fylkjarl Hagtorn 
  (+40% movement). 
  Initiative: +4 (Dexterity) -1 (Seax Dagger).
  Other Combat Details: mounted combat costs only 6 CP (Riding 3).
  Combat points: Free 7 
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), off-hand modifiers already calculated: 
  (IM +3) Seax Dagger SV 7
  (IM +4) Unarmed Brawl SV 7.
  sTonehInje
  These large humanoids are totally made of stone. Nobody 
  knows how they are kept alive, although the sagas speak about 
  powerful vitner or secret arts of dwarven lore. The Stonehinje 
  can sleep for centuries among the rocks, only to wake up and 
  fight potential threats. They are usually guarding the entry to 
  dwarven colonies. These stats represent the various Stonehinje 
  who guard the ways to Soothome and Soothbrand. For more 
  information on the Stonehinjes see Jorgi’s bestiary p. 98-100.
  STONEHINJE
  Type: humanoid BP: 80-100; Movement: 2 CP per 3 m (Max 18 m). 
  Fear Factor: 1d10; Size: 3t, Natural Armor: 5. 
  Damage levels: (for 90 BP): 1-23 (0) / 24-46 (-1) / 47-68 (-3) / 69-90 
  (-7) / > 90 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Strength +6
  Feats: Immune to Fire and Cold, Metamorph, Night’ Sight.
  Weapons: Unarmed (damage 1d10 OR10 +6), Two-Handed Stone 
  Axe (WA 2, IM -6, PV/BV 9/90, dmg 2d10 OR 7-10+6).
  Initiative: -6 (base) -6 (Stone Axe)
  Number of Rounds to spend CP: 2
  Combat points: Free 10 / Attacks & Parries 14.
  Samples of Attacks (each to be spread in 2 rounds):
  (IM -12) 2H Stone Axe SV 14, SV 10.
  (IM -6) Unarmed SV 13, SV 11.
  Feats: Immune to Fire and Cold. This work with both magic and 
  natural versions.
  Metamorph. The creature can turn into stone and blend with it. Only 
  magical effects may discover it.
  Night’ Sight. The Stonehinje can see without a light source, as if it 
  were a day.
  Sote
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  44  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  svhaanur
  Born in a Wildfolk tribe of the west, Svhaanur does not 
  really look like one of his people, but for his dark skin. He is 
  a tall, thickly-built and fat man. He was enslaved as a child 
  and his cruel master taught him a cruel art. He knew that 
  Svhaanur was not made for the wild life of the forest, although 
  his savage nature and depraved soul would have fueled a 
  passion for the art of the torturer. Svhaanur is nowadays a 
  loathing man whose only interest and talent is to make people 
  suffering. This is the main reason why he came to serve the Ice 
  Cult. He once used to wander Trudvang selling his skills to 
  evil jarls and kings, but with the Snow Queen’s worshippers, 
  Svhaanur just found the level of depravity is was dreaming for. 
  He rules above a squad of other torturers and executioners, 
  which are all his bastards, since Svhaanur is such a degenerate 
  person which is not above raping prisoners, although he 
  enjoys somehow training his sons as copies of himself. When 
  wandering around the depths of Ysetur, the fat man likes to go 
  bare-chested, with some of instruments of sufferings always at 
  his belt. He is not an expert fighter, since he is used to inflict 
  pain on prisoners, but he knows how to exploit his natural 
  strength to kill.
  SVHAANUR
  Age: 55; BP: 36; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 8 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-27 (-3) / 28-36 (-7) / > 36 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -4, Dexterity -2, Strength +4
  Skills: Agility SV 3, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 
  1, Wilderness SV 5   
  Care SV 5 
  Healing & Drugs 1
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 
  2, Two-Handed Weapons 2), Unarmed 1 
  (Brawling 2, Wrestling 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge - Wildfolk 1, Language 1 
  (Mother Tongue: Wild Vrok 3, Foreign Tongue: 
  Vrok 3, Silvertongue 3).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Sneak Attack 3).
  Equipment: Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  10 +4), Maul (WA 2, IM -7, PV/BV 10/100, Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10 +4).
  Initiative: -2 (dexterity) -1 (dagger) -7 (maul).
  Other Combat Details: +4 melee damage (Strength), Sneak Attack 
  +6 damage.
  Combat points: Free 7 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 4, 2H 
  Weapons 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4, Wrestling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM -8) Maul SV 12.
  (IM -3) Seax Dagger SV 12
  (IM -2) Brawling SV 12
  svhaanur’s men
  All the executioners and torturers in Ysetur are Svhaanur’s 
  bastards and resemble him in many ways. They tend to be fat and 
  tall. Their souls are cruel and degenerate, longing only for their 
  victims’ sufferings. They all blindly obey their father, fearing 
  his wrath and cruelty. All of them are usually dirty and barely 
  dressed.
  SVHAANUR’S MEN
  Age: various; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 8 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -2, Dexterity -2, Strength +2
  Skills: Agility SV 3, Entertainment SV 5, Faith SV 1, Vitner Craft SV 
  1, Wilderness SV 2   
  Care SV 4 
  Healing & Drugs 1
  Fighting SV 6 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 2), 
  Unarmed 1.
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge - Wildfolk 1, Language 1 
  (Mother Tongue: Vrok 3, Silvertongue 2).
  Shadow Arts SV 7 
  Shadowing 1 (Sneak Attack 2).
  Equipment: Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 
  10 +2).
  Initiative: -2 (dexterity) -1 (dagger) -7 (maul).
  Other Combat Details: +2 melee damage (Strength), Sneak Attack +4 
  damage.
  Combat points: Free 6 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 4) / 
  Unarmed 1.
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
   (IM -3) Seax Dagger SV 11
  (IM -2) Brawling SV 7
  swordjarl okTar grImme
  Oktar is the swordjarl of Storhavn, the wealthiest man in 
  Wildland and the man that everybody wants to know and 
  befriend. He has a talent for lightening other people’s mood, 
  especially since Oktar is the most generous jarl one can think 
  about. However, the premature life has both given to and 
  taken much from Oktar. The premature death of his beloved 
  wife Madeleine somehow quickened the swordjarl’s aging, 
  well beyond his 50 years. The beauty of Ylva and Lise, his 
  two concubines, is envied by many men but Oktar’s seem only 
  interested in the only thing that he misses: a heir. All his hope is 
  focused on his daughter, Miri, for whom Swordjarl Grimme has 
  arranged a marriage which will likely produce a worthy heir. 
  Oktar also deeply trusts Rendre Haugskalp which he has come 
  to love as a son. 
  Okatr Grimme is always well-dressed in white with clothes 
  embroidered with Gerbanian symbols. He also always wears a 
  medallion with the Grimme Clan’s crest, identical to Rendre’s 
  one, although in the Oktar’s medallion the eagle has a diamond 
  between his talons, to signify his role as clan leader and swordjarl.
  The following stats represent Oktar in this phase of his life: 
  he is old, experienced but he also left active adventuring life long 
  ago, busy as he is in administering his house. He is rarely armed 
  and armored, since he relies on his hirdmen for protection. He 
  nevertheless keeps an old, precious sword, although he has not 
  used it since long ago.
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  45
  Thorn BeasT
  These flying creatures resemble gigantic crosses between reptiles 
  and bats. The first Thorn Beasts were created by the Arks by 
  feeding bats with Thorn Root, however the species then became 
  widespread, and the Thorn Beasts can reproduce even without 
  using bats. The Arks like to raise these beasts and ride them in 
  battle. More information on the Thorn Beasts can be found in 
  Jorgi’s bestiary p. 25-27.
  THORN BEAST
  Type: winged creature BP: 153-188; Movement: land 2 CP per 6m 
  (max 18m), Flying 2 CP per 12 m (Max 36 m).
  Fear Factor: 1d10 (OR 7-10); Size: 6t, Natural Armor: 3. 
  Damage levels: (for 171 BP): 1-43 (0) / 44-86 (-1) / 47-68 (-3) / 87-129 
  (-7)  / > 130 (Dying).
  Feats: Attack from above, Night’ Sight, Terrifying Stench.
  Weapons: Bite (dmg 2d10 OR 8-10 +6), Claws (dmg 2d10 OR 9-10 
  +6).
  Initiative: +4 (base).
  Number of Rounds to spend CP: 3
  Combat points: Free 7 / Bite 6, Claws 14.
  Samples of Attacks (to be spread in 3 rounds):
  (IM +4) Bite SV 12, Claws SV 8, SV 7.
  Feats: Attack from Above. To start this attack the beast must 
  succeed as SV 8 roll. In case of success the OR of the weapon damages 
  is increased by 1 (e.g. 2d10 OR 8-10 becomes 2d10 OR 7-10). Only 
  one attack like this every 6 rounds. Those who face this flyby attack 
  may suffer -3 SV on attacking the beast but can get +2 SV on parries. 
  Night’ Sight. The beast can see with a weak light, as if it were a day.
  Terrifying Stench. A human can feel the beast’ tremendous decaying 
  stench at about 50 m. Those who are closer (5 m) gain 1d10 (OR 9-10) 
  Fear Points (this does not apply to riders, tamers and those who are 
  used to the stench).
  Torulf hjelm
  The head of the Hjelm family is a large, 75-years old man who 
  appears younger than his years. Torulf is robust, read-headed 
  man with a bushy beard, leading a large clan of workmen, all in 
  service of the Hagtorn as woodmen, herders and smiths. With 
  his five brothers, four wives and the eight children, Torulf is 
  a deeply optimistic man, loving his life, despise the hardships 
  through which the Hjelms have been constantly been through. 
  However, Turulf is also a deeply superstitious man, disliking to 
  get near to the abandoned houses. He is well aware of the tragic 
  destiny of the previous owner and those dwellings are the only 
  things which Torulf really fears.
  SWORDJARL OKTAR GRIMME
   Age: 58; BP: 30; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-23 (-3) / 24-30 (-7)  / > 30 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution -2, Charisma +4, Intelligence +2
  Skills: Agility SV 5, Entertainment SV 7, Faith SV 7, Shadow Arts SV 
  6, Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Care SV 10 
  Handicraft 1, Handler 1 (Sage 4, Commander 2), 
  Tradesman 1 (Trader 5) 
   
  Fighting SV 8 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  3, Shield Bearer 2), Battle Experience 1 (Armor Bearer 3, Combat 
  Reaction 3).
  Knowledge SV 10 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 3, Lore & Legends: Stormlands 3, Religion-
  Gerbanis 3), Language 2 (Calculate 4, Mother Tongue Vrok 5, Bribery 
  3, Foreign Tongue: Futhark 3, Foreign Tongue: Rona 3, Reading & 
  Writing; Vrok 3, Silvertongue 5).
  Wilderness SV 10 
  Geography 2 (City Knowledge: Storhavn 5, Land 
  Knowledge: Wildland 5), Seafarer 2 (Navigation 3, Seaman 3).
  Equipment: Capital-quality, old Arming Sword (WA 3, IM -4, PV/BV 
  6/60, Dmg 1d10 OR 9-10. It grants a bonus of +1CP locked to this 
  sword), Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 10), 
  Hardened Leather Armor (PV/BV 3/30, Heft 3 reduced to 1 due to 
  Ironclad: MM0, IM0). 
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) +6 (Combat Reaction) -4 (Arming 
  Sword).
  Other Combat Details: armors up to Heft 6 (Armor Bearer 3), no 
  shield penalty (Shield Bearer 2).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Armed 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 6, 
  Shields 4), Capital-quality Sword 1.
  Samples of Attacks (one of these), off-hand modifiers already calculated: 
  (IM +3) Arming Sword SV 16
  (IM +3) Arming Sword SV 8, SV 8
  Oktar Grimme
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  46  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  TORULF HJELM
  Age: 75; BP: 34; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 6 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-18 (-1) / 19-26 (-3) / 27-34 (-7) / > 34 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Constitution +2, Dexterity -4.
  Skills: Agility SV 5, Entertainment SV 7, Faith SV 1, Shadow Arts SV 
  6, Vitner Craft SV 1   
  Care SV 9 
  Handicraft 1 (Hard Materials 3, Soft Materials 
  1), Tradesman 1 (Peasant 3).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Heavy Weapons 
  3, Shield Bearer 3), Battle Experience 1 (Fighter 
  3), Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 3, Wrestling 
  3).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1 (Customs 
  & Law: Stormlands 1), Language 1 (Mother 
  Tongue Vrok 3).
  Wilderness SV 9 
  Geography 1 (Land Knowledge: Wildland 2), 
  Hunting Experience 1 (Tracker 2, Wilderness 
  Signs 2), Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal Friend 
  2), Survival 1 (Camper 2, Weathered 3).
  Equipment: Bearded Axe (WA 3, IM -5, PV/BV 8/80, Damage 1d10 
  OR 9-10), medium Shield (WA 2, IM -2, PV/BV 5/50).
  Initiative: -4 (Dexterity) +1 (Battle Experience) - 5 (Bearded Axe) -2 
  (Shield).
  Other Combat Details: No shield penalty (Shield Bearer 3).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 6 /Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Heavy Weapons 6, Shields 6) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 6, Wrestling 6).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these): 
  (IM -10) Bearded Axe SV 13, SV 8, Shield SV 14
  (IM -3) Brawling SV 15.
  ulgar Blueax, The ICe BloTprIesT
  As Njordung’s half-brother and close confidant, Ulgar was soon 
  ensorcelled by the Snow Queen’s charms. He became so fanatically 
  devoted that her dark mistress blessed him with her powers, something 
  which is very rare these days. Ulgar is one of the few existing Ice 
  Blotpriests, a class of faithful cultists whose souls are completely 
  enthralled to the Black Ice, and whose number the Snow Queen plans 
  to expand in the future, to act as rulers of the whole Wildland. While 
  Torulf Hjelm
  Ulgar
  waiting for those blessed days, Ulgar keeps control of Ulvarsfiell, a task 
  which he particularly enjoys, as he corrupts the Gerbanian heritage of 
  the old complex once known as Jarnrytti. Every day Ulgar sacrifices to 
  her queen and helps cultists which secretly travel to Ysetur preparing 
  the invasion, although Ulgar does not know the details of Blodughadda’s 
  plans, nevertheless his faith in Ice Cult is unshakable. 
  ULGAR BLUEAX, THE ICE BLOTPRIEST
  Age: 32; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7) / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +1
  Skills: Care SV 7, Entertainment SV 4, Shadow Arts SV 7, Vitner Craft 
  SV 1, Wilderness SV 8   
  Agility SV 5 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 1).
  Faith SV 8 
  Divine Power 2 (Faithful 2, Powerful 2), God 
  Focus 1 (Composed 3, Lighting-quick Invocation 
  3, Rigorous 3), Invoke 2 (Ice Blotpriest 3, Holy 
  Tablets: Dimvitner 1, Frostcraft 3, Wind Craft 
  3).
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Two-handed weapons 3), 
  Battle Experience 1 (Armor Bearer 2), Unarmed 
  Fighting 1.
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge -Stormlander 1 (Religion: 
  Ice Cult 3), Language 1 (Mother Tongue Vrok 
  3, Reading & Writing Vrok 3, Silvertongue 2).
  Divine Capacity: 42 Basic SV for Divine Powers: 16.
  Details of divine powers: +7 SV to remain focused, -7 on the Fatal 
  Failure table (God Focus 1, Composed 3), +6 IM on divine powers 
  (Lighting-quick Invocations 3), each 2 DP = +1 SV to divine powers 
  to a maximum of 6 DP (Rigorous 3), +6 to bloodgifting rolls (Ice 
  Blotpriest 3).
  Equipment: Two-handed Axe (WA 2 turned to 3, IM -6, PV/BV 
  9/90, Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10), furs (PV/BV 2/20 Heft 2 turned to 1, 
  MM 0, IM 0). 
  Initiative: +1 (Battle Experience) - 6 ( two-handed axe).
  Other Combat Details: Heft -1 (Ironclad 1), armors up to Heft 4 
  (Armor Bearer 2), Heft -1 (Ironclad 1), +1 WA with 2H weapons (2H 
  Weapons 3).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Armed 1 (2H Weapons 6) / Unarmed 1
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  chapter 1. campaign materials  |  47
  Samples of Attacks (one of these):
  (IM -5) 2H Axe SV 15.
  (IM +1) Brawling SV 9
  Note: when the PCs him, Ulgar has reached its allowed maximum of 
  stored DP (126 points) due to the high number of sacrifices that he 
  performs. Furthermore if in the temple he will have his two-handed 
  axe nearby, since it is used for killing sacrificial victims.
  ungor & rIIka azIIr
  After having accompanied Blodughadda to Ysetur these two Arks 
  now run the Fried Hog Inn, in the middle of the Valsinka village. Both 
  brother and sister are cold-blooded, merciless, thornroot-addicted 
  Ark warriors and the decision of administering a inn is odd, to say 
  the least. Nevertheless, since all newcomers are directed to the inn 
  before a job is awarded, Ungor and Riika have developed a talent for 
  resolving in advance problems caused by prospective troublemakers. 
  Their yellowish-looking, murderous eyes emanate an intimidating 
  aura which is further enhanced by the presence of Graath, a juvenile 
  Thorn Beast. Entering this inn and seeing such a huge monster 
  may surprise even the most courageous guests. ”Hospitality” is an 
  unknown concept in their inn and, while Ungor always keep a two-
  handed axe ready to be used, Riika’s belt proudly display a couple of 
  razor-sharp knives.
  UNGOR & RIIKA AZIIR
  Age: 29 and 32; BP: 33; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 14 m)
  Damage levels: 1-9 (0) / 10-17 (-1) / 18-25 (-3) / 26-33 (-7) / > 33 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma -2, Constitution +1, Dexterity +4
  Skills: Care SV 7, Entertainment SV 1, Faith SV 1,Vitner Craft SV 1.   
  Agility SV 7 
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 2), Body Control 3 
  (Ambidexterity 3, Jumping, Climbing & 
  Balancing 2). 
  Fighting SV 7 
  Armed Fighting 1 (Right 1H Light Weapons 
  2,Left 1H Light Weapons 2, Two Handed 
  weapons 2), Battle Experience 1 (Combat 
  Reaction 2, Fighter 2), Unarmed 1 (Brawling 2).
  Shadow Arts SV 8 
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 2, Sneak 
  attack 2, Walking in Shadows 2).
  Knowledge SV 7 
  Culture Knowledge – Wildfolk Ark 1, Language 1 
  (Mother Tongue Wild Vrok 3, Foreign Tongue 
  Vrok 2), Race Knowledge 1 (Monster Lore 3).
  Wilderness SV 9 
  Nature Knowledge 1 (Animal friend 3).
  Equipment: Two-Handed Axe (WA 2 turned to 3, IM -6, PV/BV 
  9/90. Dmg 1d10 OR 8-10, Two Knives (each WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 
  5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 10.
  Initiative: +4 (Dexterity)+1 (Battle Experience) +4 (Combat Reaction) 
  -6 (2H Axe) -1 (Knife) -1 (Knife).
  Other Combat Details: Shield-hand penalty reduced to -6 (Body 
  Control 3, Ambidexterity 3), Sneak Attack +4 damage, +1 WA with 
  2H weapons (2H Weapons 3).
  Combat points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 4 / Armed 1 (Right 1H 
  Light Weapons 4, Left 1H Light Weapons 4, 2H weapons 4), Unarmed 
  1 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks (one of these, shield-hand penalties already 
  calculated):
  Ungor: (IM +3) Two-Handed Axe SV 13, SV 4
  Riika: (IM +7) Right Knife SV 13, Left Knife SV 10.
  (IM +9) Brawling SV 12, SV 5
  (IM +9) Evade SV 12
  Note: the two Arks make frequent use of Thornroot. For its effects see 
  GM guide page 92.
  valsInka (weakened)
  As a goddess, Valsinka cannot be harmed by mortals. 
  Nevertheless, in the final scene she loses Snowsaga, coming 
  into a weakened status. She also loses something of her 
  incorporeal nature, becoming more vulnerable to mortal 
  weapons, although she is still far to be easy to kill. The PCs 
  must face her for two rounds, before Maria can reach Snowsaga 
  and complete her transformation into Norna. The number of 
  rounds should be modified by the GM, according to the PCs’ 
  conditions. Valsinka will in theory do the following actions:
  Round 1: Release a magic energy which will burn Blodughadda 
  from inside, killing him. No roll is needed
  Round 2: Use the Wind Blast vitner spell (Player’s guide 
  p.141-142 for details). She can cast it with SV 25 modified by 
  -8 (level of the spell) = SV 17. The GM should spend up to 30 
  points in levels of power, but the GM should consider that the 
  PCs should be able to contrast it somehow.
  In the following rounds the struggle with Maria starts and the 
  PCs could do less. The confrontation between Valsinka and Maria 
  may last a few more rounds. In any case, the GM may like the PCs 
  to have a more active role. No full stats for Valsinka are provided 
  since she is still a kind of divine being, nevertheless when she loses 
  Snowsaga, she is in a weakened status. Therefore, some rules are 
  here proposed to play some combat rounds, if the GM decides so. 
  She can cast any kind of vitner spell with SV 25 (modified by 
  spell modifier). She tends to use the following tablets. Frost Craft 
  (new: see this book), Dimvitner, Wind Craft and Witchcraft. She 
  has an infinite number of Vitner Points and each round spend up 
  to 30 points in levels of power for the spell that she uses. 
  She cannot be killed by mortals but only defeated by Maria. 
  However, Valsinka can be wounded, getting therefore wound 
  modifiers to her rolls. Use the following:
  Damage levels: 1-25 (0) / 26-50 (-1) / 51-75 (-3) / 76-100 (-7) 
  / > 100 (no other effect).
  She can make any skill roll with a SV of 25 for spells and 19 
  for anything else.
  She has 30 free CP and can use a Ice Staff as a weapon (WA 3, 
  IM -3, indestructible, dmg 1d10 OR 10) although she prefers to 
  cast spells.
  She has a basic initiative of +10 (modified by spells, the staff 
  and the damage levels’ modifiers).
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  48  |  chapter 1. campaign materials
  ylva and lIse vrudnah
  The two beautiful concubines of Okatr Grimme host a secret: 
  their affiliation to the Ice Cult. Ylva, in particular, is the oldest 
  and dominant of the two. She will seduce Rendre, completing his 
  affiliation to the Ice Cult, triggering a disastrous series of events.
  YLVA AND LISE VRUDNAH 
  Age: 30 and 31; BP: 32; Movement: 2 CP per 1 m (Max 10 m) 
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7)  / > 32 (Dying).
  Character Traits: Charisma +2
  Skills: Agility SV 5, Care SV 5, Faith SV 1, Fighting SV 5, Shadow 
  Arts SV 7, Vitner Craft SV 1, Wilderness SV 4. 
  Entertainment SV 8 Storytelling 1 (Acting 3, Libel 3), Music & 
  Dancing 1 (Dance 1).
  Knowledge SV 8 
  Culture Knowledge-Stormlander 1, Language 1 
  (Mother Tongue Vrok 3, Silvertongue 3).
  Equipment: Seax Dagger (WA 4, IM -1, PV/BV 5/50, Dmg 1d10 OR 10). 
  Initiative: -1 (Seax Dagger).
  Combat points: Free 5 
  Samples of Attacks: (IM -1) Seax Dagger SV 5.
  CAMPAIGN MATERIALS 
  2
  Chronology 
  2
  The Ice Cult 
  4
  The Ice Blopriests 
  4
  New Holy Tablet: Frostcraft 
  4
  Frostcraft as a Vitner Tablet 
  4
  Frostcraft Powers 
  5
  1. Cold Skin 
  5
  1. Create Ice 
  5
  2. Freezing the Blood 
  5
  3. Ice Burst 
  6
  3. Lesser Hrim Body 
  6
  3. Protection from cold 
  6
  4. Freezing the air 
  6
  4. Greater protection from cold 
  7
  5. Hrim Body 
  7
  5. Ice Storm 
  7
  NEW MONSTERS 
  8
  Brotbeast 
  8
  Brotbeast Feats 
  9
  Orkhir 
  9
  Orkhir feats 
  10
  Arukha 
  10
  Hurik’a 
  10
  Svorgha 
  10
  New Animals 
  12
  NPCS 
  13
  Alrik, Brynjulv and Veurd Ouvar 
  13
  Beldor, Master Smelter of the Angor Clan 
  13
  Bhewolk, the Ancient Dwarven Draugr 
  14
  Blodughadda 
  15
  Captain Bjarn 
  16
  Dragon Warg 
  16
  Emeldur Swine-Neck 
  16
  Fairies 
  17
  First Mate Hanse and the Other Seamen 
  17
  Fylkjarl Raak Wulfr 
  17
  Fylkjarl Saul Bhalgor, the Brycker of Wildland 
  18
  Fylkjarl Thorbjörn Staark  
  19
  Fylkjarl Tomus Hagtorn 
  20
  Fylkjarl Vilgar Saatigia 
  21
  Fylkjarl Vret Uvail 
  22
  Galve Blueax 
  22
  Generic NPCs 
  23
  Generic Ark Warrior  
  23
  Generic Buratja Dwarf 
  24
  Generic Buratja Thuul 
  24
  Generic Dreadaxyr 
  24
  Generic Hird Leader 
  25
  Generic Hirdmen 
  25
  Generic Hrimtursir 
  26
  Generic Ice Blotpriest 
  26
  Generic Ice Cultist (Peasant) 
  27
  Generic Zvordorkûm. 
  28
  Graath, the juvenile Thorn beast 
  29
  Gralj 
  29
  Grum Druvik 
  30
  Grumve and Grymvilt, the Wildbrons.  
  30
  Hagtorn Brothers 
  31
  Hakka Norim 
  31
  Haldur Ouvar 
  32
  Haldur Ouvar (in Werewarg Shape) 
  33
  Hallak & Strang 
  33
  Huld Hagtorn 
  34
  Huld Hagtorn (in Werewarg shape) 
  34
  Juhkalla 
  34
  Linn Norim 
  35
  Lokir Sothim, the Bloodsworn 
  36
  Maku, the Slaughterhouse’s Arukha 
  36
  Maria Norim 
  37
  Miri Grimme 
  37
  Morkhan 
  38
  Njordung / Ise 
  38
  Norims 
  39
  Nymph of the Darkwoods 
  39
  Remi Sorva 
  40
  Rendre Haugskalp / Istunga / Icetongue 
  40
  Rurik, Meldor and Salak, the three knights 
  41
  Siris Hjelm 
  42
  Sote, the Thrall 
  43
  Stonehinje 
  43
  Svhaanur 
  44
  Svhaanur’s Men 
  44
  Swordjarl Oktar Grimme 
  44
  Thorn Beast 
  45
  Torulf Hjelm 
  45
  Ulgar Blueax, the Ice Blotpriest 
  46
  Ungor & Riika Aziir 
  47
  Valsinka (weakened) 
  47
  Ylva and Lise Vrudnah 
  48
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Trudvang Chronicles/Trudvang Chronicles - Snowsaga.pdf