TEXT: Spooky Room Productions
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery
  Issue 1 Dec 2014
  p r i c e
  1
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery
  Issue 1 December 2014
  The Demonboard Issue
  Credits
  Copyright Ripley Stonebrook 2014
  All art, writing, and rules by:
  Ripley Stonebrook Editor and Creator.
  submissions & questions: 
  read carefully
  Send any commetnts rules questions or 
  submissions to 
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com
  Check for updates at:
  lairofswordandsorcery.blogspot.ca
  By sending anything to these addresses 
  you submit to the rules below..
  Any submissions or material sent to the 
  email or website become the property of 
  Ripley Stonebrook.
  You may or may not receive credit for any 
  material sent.
  Any material sent may be used in the Lair 
  of Sword & Sorcery game or websites in 
  any way in any number of reprintings.
  We have an entire game and series of 
  expansions planned and any material you 
  send may already be in the works so if you 
  see something that looks like something 
  you sent in, guess what, we didn’t rip you 
  off.
  What you can & can’t do
  You may not copy anything from these 
  game books, in whole or in part except for 
  review purposes.
  You may not copy any Lair of Sword and 
  Sorcery in any way for any reason.
  You may not post any Lair of Sword and 
  Sorcery material on any blog , website or 
  social media site.
  You may not publish or post any of your 
  own Lair of sword and sorcery material 
  either online on in print.  You may 
  not publish your own rules, your own 
  adventures, or your own source material. 
  You may post pictures of yourselves playing 
  the game and may post pictures of your 
  demonboard and game in action.  You can 
  post pictures of your character but not your 
  characters stats etc.
  If you have something you want the world 
  to see then send it in to the addresses 
  above., or post or comment at the official 
  pages.
  piracy
  If you find another player who is playing 
  with photocopies or scans of the rules, 
  shun them. Refuse to play with them.  It is 
  officially against the rules of Lair of Sword 
  and Sorcery to play with photocopies and 
  scans.  Pirates are terrible people that will 
  ruin the game.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery
  Behold the world of Kartharka! Land of 
  Adventure!
  A continent ruled by the Iron Emperor,  
  His lands stretch from the Valleys of Morning 
  in the great desert wastes of the Southlands 
  to vast sprawl of mountain strongholds in 
  the frozen north. The world groans beneath 
  the might of the Iron Emperors rule. None 
  dare stand before him who controls all in 
  the broken land of Kartharka, where the 
  great turning of the seasons itself have been 
  rent asunder. 
  The mountain Northlands, trapped in 
  endless biting winter, would be doomed 
  without the constant caravans of food 
  from the south, supplied and controlled 
  by the Emperor. For this food the Emperor 
  demands the one thing found only in the 
  Mountainlands.
  Iron! More valuable than gold in the 
  world of Kartharka, precious Iron. Found only 
  in the mines of the North the metal is needed 
  for everything and completely controlled by 
  the brutish and Hard Northmen who mine it. 
  The men of the North, said to be descended 
  from the first men, created by the gods to 
  claw the iron from the ground for their own 
  great machines.
  The gods have abandoned men but 
  the Iron remains and is lusted for by all. 
  Indeed even the currency of the world is 
  the imperial Longshank, thin strips of iron 
  stamped with the Imperial fist.
  The continent of Kartharka is vast, 
  terrible, and dangerous.  All swear ultimate 
  fealty to the emperor but as they say “the 
  emperor is in the south” he cares not 
  about the squabbles between the lords of 
  Kartharka as they war amongst each other.
  “The caravans pass” is the only true law 
  of Kartharka.  Food flows to the north and 
  Iron flows to the south, as long as this law 
  is upheld the Lords may war for what other 
  resources they wish. The world of Kartharka 
  is a land of city states, each lord commands 
  as far as his army can march and no further. 
  With the tides of time some may claim an 
  entire valley, hundreds of miles of coastline, 
  or a single road through the wastelands.
  When the caravans pass North they 
  take the emperors due, Sometimes it is 
  gold, sometimes it is cattle, wood, food, 
  whatever the emperor demands is given 
  without question without fighting. When the 
  Caravans pass south their is only one thing 
  the emperor demands. Slaves.
  Some are taken to build the mighty 
  walls of the empire, to till the fields, to break 
  the rocks. Others enter the black citadels 
  of the Emperor and are never seen outside 
  them again. The empire is built and run 
  on the blood of slaves, but none can stand 
  before the Iron emperor.
  Every few years a story is heard of 
  another Lordling who refuses the South 
  passing caravan. A lordling who has grown 
  strong, has built a mighty fortress, has filled 
  it with hundreds of brutal fighting men.
  None know what truly happens after 
  that but when the caravan passes on south 
  there is not a stone left standing of the 
  fortress and the dead are laid end to end 
  for miles along the great road through what 
  was once the lords land. The roads of a 
  rebels country are paved with the bodies 
  of their dead. So all pay the emperors price 
  whatever it may be, whether it leaves them 
  with nothing but a stone hut and barren 
  fields they all pay, and build again.
  In the wild warring world of Kartharka 
  an adventurer with a strong sword arm may 
  carve out a place for them self.  Fighting 
  in an army, plundering a lordling, hunting 
  down rich outlaws, or searching out the lost 
  treasures of the first men.
  Become one of these Adventurers in the world of Kartharka.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The world
  of Kartharka
  Winterlands
  Autumnlands
  summerlands
  iron throne
  hunzar
   jungles
  the axehead
  hein=goblin
  feistmere
  heindel
  the lost
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  the
  Winterlands
  valley of
  fangs
  the notch
  brytax
  High pass
  garmach
  High pass
   
  zolar
  furstwatch
  valley of
  fangs
  to
   winterlands
  to valley of 
  death
  wulf way
  throm
  stroh-branoch
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The Winterlands
  Beware the mountains!
  All in Kartharka know and fear the 
  Mountains of the great North.
  Source of all Iron and Wealth but locked 
  in an endless Ice Storm against which the 
  Men of the Mountains fight to wrest the 
  precious ore from it’s frozen prison.
  Hot springs dot the land sparsely. Living 
  on top of there are those who keep the roads 
  and passes free for the black caravans of the 
  Emperor.  But the springs are far too few to 
  provide food and shelter to the hordes of 
  Mountain men and tribesmen who work the 
  slopes of these nightmare cliffs.
  Absolutely necessary is the food of the 
  Empire which flows to the North. The people 
  who work the Mountains cluster in great 
  sprawling shanty towns which surround the 
  Imperial Refineries that dot the landscape.  
  But the proud people of the mountains 
  are different from those of the steppes and 
  plains of Kartharka. They do not pay the 
  Southern Price. Their children are free from 
  the slavers wagons.  For they and they alone 
  know the hiding places or Iron, and the ways 
  of dragging it from the ground.  They are the 
  Iron men and they pay no tax. They instead 
  buy food from the caravans with their Iron. 
  A distinction that makes the Iron men a race 
  apart in Kartharka.
  The emperors food allow the Mountain 
  men’s cities to thrive and prosper, they 
  rule themselves, and withing the mountain 
  lands their rule is law.  All the peoples of the 
  mountains bow to Mining law which keeps 
  the food flowing.
  The greatest concentration of Mountain 
  men lie within the valley of Fangs, a ledge 
  carved from the mountains and completely 
  surrounded on all sides by great broken 
  peaks.  This home of the first men is 
  accessible only by two great highways 
  running underground. One in the valleys 
  east, leading to the foothills, through the 
  treacherous autumn lands and to the 
  empire. The second highway leads to the 
  west, to the great Deadlands of the Fang 
  Valleys sister, the Valley of Night.
  Legend says these two valleys were 
  both majestic city states of the gods, whose 
  warring caused the great cataclysm which 
  split the seasons asunder leaving the world 
  of Kartharka the strange and broken place it 
  is today. None travel to or from the Valley of 
  Night. No legends speak of treasure in the 
  Valley and no traveller ever returns from 
  there to speak of what they have seen.
  Rumour and legends of the mountains 
  speak of  a terrible past and lingering evil 
  in the hollows and passages of ancient 
  mines and buried cities. Some say that evil 
  sorcery still lingers in places throughout 
  the mountains, atop towering peaks and in 
  blasted hollows, bubbling to the surface to 
  attack, defile and destroy.
  Ancient legends say; sorcery and vile 
  magic, once the very lifeblood of the world 
  of Kartharka, was gathered and directed 
  like a toy by the gods in the time before 
  the cataclysm. These powerful magics are 
  now gone from the world, along with the 
  terrible creatures which they conjured up. 
  Sorcerers and gods, demons and witches, 
  goblins, trolls, pixies and stonekin, all lost in 
  the flames and storms of the great cataclysm 
  that pushed the great mountains out of the 
  earth.
  Sages and scholars still gather and covet 
  ancient relics said to contain great power in 
  the time before, though they now serve no 
  purpose, lying dormant and useless on their 
  shelves, reminders only of when men could 
  control great power with mystic rituals and 
  powerful words.
  It is said creatures still live deep within 
  the earth, where rivers of sorcery still flow, 
  bubbling up with these foul magics at times, 
  out of mines and caves to wipe settlements 
  of men off the map, or drag miners down 
  into the world beneath Kartharka.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  platinum
  In most of Kartharka the metal known 
  as platinum is only a legend.  Most believe 
  it to exist only in ancient stories.  In the 
  mountains all know that it is real, and it is 
  taken very seriously.  Never found in it’s 
  natural state, no platinum ore has ever been 
  found. It is instead found only in the form 
  of ancient coins or in even rarer cases as 
  jewellery, rings, bracelets and even crowns 
  have been found.
  The empire lusts for platinum like 
  nothing else however, more valuable even 
  than iron no one in all of Kartharka may 
  posses it other than the emperor. 
  It is illegal to possess anywhere in 
  Kartharka and anyone found with it is killed 
  instantly.  However in the mountains it is 
  sometimes found by the Miners.  Mining law 
  dictates it must be immediately taken to an 
  Imperial refinery where it is exchanged for 
  a great reward equal to 20 times it’s weight 
  in gold.  Indeed many know of at least one 
  poor miner who has retired after finding a 
  cache of these coins in their travels.  Indeed 
  some even find enough to pay for passage 
  on the caravan all the way to the imperial 
  city and a life of excess and luxury.
  None no why the emperor demands 
  this tribute but all obey this law.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The World of Kartharka is born
  The game “Lair of Sword and Sorcery” 
  grew from a few key moments from the past 
  year.
  I spent the last few years playing 
  Dungeons and Dragons after a long time 
  away from the game. The group was a mix 
  of newcomers, old timers like me those in 
  between.
  Us old-timers thought it would be fun to 
  play a very old adventure with the new rules, 
  which we did for a while but it just didn’t 
  have the feel we wanted. So I dusted off the 
  old books and ran a group of adventures 
  using  first edition rules. Again it just didn’t 
  do it for us. So I decided I was going to make 
  up my own rule set. 
  So I started,  and planned out a role 
  playing game that didn’t excite me any more 
  than the system I had abandoned.
  So the problem wasn’t the rules, or 
  the pre-made worlds, or the playing group 
  or specific adventure flavour or style I was 
  looking for.  But what was it?
  I thought, I’d get right down to the roots, 
  combing through materials from the late 
  70’s and early 80’s looking for the thing that 
  role playing once had for me and was now 
  gone.
  I was reading anything and everything 
  and just couldn’t find it. And suddenly there 
  it was on Ebay:
  I saw these little guys online, and I 
  remembered everything.
  I remember the day I first got them as a 
  kid. I took those little guys home and pulled 
  out construction paper, tape and pens and 
  made a massive dungeon, but not the way 
  a gamer would now but the way an 8 year 
  old would.  It was massive and sprawled 
  about 2 feet by 2 feet. A maze of full 3D 
  walls sprawling about, with working secret 
  passages and traps scattered everywhere. 
  And roaming through it were these little 
  demons, wizards and snake men. 5 minutes 
  of thought towards some rules, pulled from 
  the Fighting Fantasy game books, and I was 
  hacking through these monsters, trying 
  different paths and playing for hours. All on 
  that board. I sort of knew what role playing 
  games were. I had the basic Dungeons and 
  Dragons red box set and thought it was 
  amazing. A lot of rules though for an 8 year 
  old who didn’t have an older brother or 
  cousin to follow to a game. But there were 
  a lot of awesome pictures and tables full of 
  weapons.
  What I played by myself in those first 
  days wasn’t Dungeons and Dragons, but 
  instead my idea of what Dungeons and 
  Dragons was.  Based on the Dungeons and 
  Dragons scene from E.T., the dungeons 
  and dragons cartoon, and so many movies, 
  like Hawk the Slayer, Conan the Barbarian, 
  Dragonslayer, and He-man, to an eight year 
  old all these things were from the same 
  world and it all fit together. I had D&D 
  colorforms and  toy figures. Whenever I saw 
  something in the world with a dragon or a 
  barbarian I thought it was all D&D.
  It was all one glorious world where the 
  only limit was imagination.
  Well when I got those figures again on 
  Ebay I broke out my construction paper and 
  scissors again. I had more fun cutting and 
  taping that thing together than I’d had in 
  many a night of gaming in the last couple 
  of years.  There were no rules to consider, 
  no game balance in mind, nothing other 
  than having fun and creating something raw 
  from scratch. I had finally found what I was 
  looking for and it all fell into place.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  It’s not the game,
  it’s how you can be
   part of it
  Whether through fate or planning, what 
  these games started out like in the 70’s 
  what they exactly needed to be.  The rules 
  were incredibly basic, with just enough to 
  get you up and going, and you can make 
  the rest up as you go along. Game balance, 
  equal character classes or even fair rewards 
  weren’t even a consideration at the time.
  In going back and rereading all that old 
  material I found that the most important 
  thing were the magazines. For most of us 
  these were the game.
  If people had an idea, they sent it in and 
  people used it or changed it or just made 
  up something of their own based on it.  
  New material came out every single month, 
  use it as is, change it if you want leave it 
  completely out. 
  And people could send in their own 
  things, could add to the great D&D world 
  themselves.  And for the most part if your 
  stuff was cool you could get it in.  Little 
  thought was given to parents groups, 
  consumer demographics, marketing or 
  anything else other than is this cool or not.
  Especially reading the older White 
  Dwarfs, who seemed to have even more 
  freedom than dragon.  Whether it was 
  because they were not TSR and were free 
  to print what they wanted without worrying 
  about it “unbalancing the game” or if it was 
  just their market which was a bit more 
  forgiving of adult themes of violence, 
  sexuality, and horror. 
  These magazines were the game, they 
  were the fans, the letters section alone gave 
  each person a chance to talk about how 
  they want the game to grow and progress, 
  and for others to answer them and for the 
  publisher to answer them back.  In the days 
  before the internet these magazines were 
  the community.
  And back then there was nothing 
  to compare it too. Some material was 
  admittedly crude and rudimentary but with 
  nothing else to compare it to it didn’t matter.
  But we also didn’t feel the need to look 
  wholly to them.  Things would be dragged 
  in from anywhere.  Your characters could be 
  making their way through a dungeon and 
  suddenly be attacked by a giant robot simply 
  because the dungeon master happened to 
  have found this cool toy and wanted to use 
  it in the game.
  There were few “official” materials for 
  the game so people were forced to use what 
  they could find, often with children’s toys.  It 
  was this lack of “official” material that made 
  everything so open and amazing.  Nothing 
  could be called unofficial or unallowed 
  because everything was borrowed from 
  something else.
  All that mattered was that it was 
  amazing and fun.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  the game is called
  “Lair of sword & 
  Sorcery”
  So what does all this mean?
  It means here is a new game from 
  scratch.
  To be published entirely in Magazine 
  format with back issues being reprinted 
  indefinitely.
  With each new issue more of the rules 
  and world of Kartharka will be poured out. 
  Fan submissions are not only welcome, 
  they are required. For the world of Kartharka 
  to grow just pick a place on the map and 
  build. (see the legal stuff at the beginning of 
  the book for submission info)
  Kartharka needs people and places, 
  monsters and treasures to fill it’s borders.  
  Maps, illustrations, stories, races and 
  monsters are all wanted. Don’t feel the need 
  to include rules with your submissions but 
  do so if you like, we need plenty of great 
  new rules too.
  Don’t forget the fun stuff too, pictures, 
  drawings, photos, stories, both fiction and 
  nonfiction, comics and comic strips, It’s your 
  game, your world.
  And we want letters, fan mail, hate mail, 
  send letters of what you’d like to see, or 
  wouldn’t like to see.
  Questions and queries, anything that 
  strikes you, or even things you think people 
  would like to know about; great movies and 
  books, comics or toys that we just have to 
  see, we’ll put it all in.
  Send in 
  For the next few issues all of the 
  material printed will be suitable for both 
  game masters and players but in the future 
  we hope to fork the magazine into two 
  separate titles. One for game masters and 
  one for players. One of the biggest problems 
  with role playing games right now is that 
  all of the great stuff produced for them is 
  for game masters only.  There is nothing 
  available for the players to enjoy with all 
  materials  marked “game master eyes only”. 
  What’s a player to do if they just want to 
  enjoy their own game?
  Well there are plenty of things they 
  could be seeing.
  For example when a monster is 
  published the game master copy of the 
  issue would have the full information and 
  stats but the players version would contain 
  legends and stories about the beast, there 
  has to be at least a few details which all the 
  common fold would know.  
  And how about the world.  There is 
  no need for players to know nothing of 
  the world until it is presented in the game. 
  Legends and stories of the far off provinces 
  of Kartharka.
  Player tactics could also be useful, 
  how to fight in group formations, how to 
  organize your equipment, all of these things 
  are possibilities.
   So go out into the rest of the world, 
  search out fantasy, horror and most 
  importantly sword and sorcery and drag it 
  back to Kartharka kicking and screaming 
  and wedge it into your game anywhere it 
  fits, and let us know how you did it. 
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  What is the Game about?
  Kartharka is not generic Fantasy!
  Lair of Sword and Sorcery is not a 
  “retroclone”, it is not a throwback game, it is 
  not a reworking of a current system, nor is 
  it made to be “compatible” with any current 
  system. It is it’s own creation.
  As a game master (Demon Lord in the 
  language of Kartharka) you can use anything 
  you want from anywhere.  See an adventure 
  you like? Rip out everything you want, make 
  some stats up on the fly and run it is Lair 
  of Sword and Sorcery.  You don’t need a 
  compatibility chart, or special balancing 
  calculations, just make it all up and throw it 
  at the players.  
  Slavish worshipping of Game Balance 
  is the death of creativity, as long as there 
  is trust between the Demon Lord and the 
  players all can have fun no matter what the 
  enemies.  It is this lack of trust which has 
  lead to so much Rule bloat in other systems 
  endlessly adding rules and reprinting edited 
  rulebooks in the quest for perfect balance. 
  As for the Demon Lord, be worthy of 
  that trust.  Let the players make real choices 
  about what happens, if they want to do 
  something then damn well let them try, if 
  they want to steer the world to bow to their 
  whims then good, that is what heroes are 
  meant to do.
  The players and the Demon Lord are 
  both there to create a world, not to heap the 
  characters in treasure and let them always 
  win, or to be so overbearing that they must 
  run from every encounter and are doomed 
  to scrape and save just to make enough to 
  keep their characters fed.
  This game is meant to be played with 
  friends, friends who trust each other and 
  who want to have fun together.
  But enough rambling, What is Lair of 
  Sword and Sorcery, and it’s game world 
  Kartharka all about?
  The rules are meant to be just enough 
  of a framework for everyone to have a good 
  time.  A lot of the time you’ll be making 
  everything up as you go along but there 
  should be just enough of a framework that 
  all can feel that any decisions are at least 
  fair to the spirit of adventure.
  Lair is very much a do it yourself system 
  but fear not, there is nothing out there yet 
  to compare yourself too. Want to make up 
  your own monsters, go ahead, your crudely 
  drawn monster on a piece of construction 
  paper isn’t going to look any worse than 
  ours when we’re playing. Want to make a 
  miniature for that monster? Or for one from 
  the books? Go ahead.
  If you want to cut the head off a tiger 
  and glue to the body of a dinosaur and throw 
  it down on the board don’t worry, there 
  are no official Lair of sword and sorcery 
  miniatures so it’ll look no worse than the 
  players miniatures raided from lego sets or 
  from play sets grabbed at the dollar store.
  What is important is that what you are 
  representing is cool itself. A dinosaur with a 
  tiger head? Awesome can use the stats for 
  a dinosaur or the tiger, or both, or a whole 
  new set.  The players will have to figure out 
  how the heck their going to kill that thing 
  and they’ll have fun doing it, especially 
  when you try to figure out exactly what it’s 
  roar sounds like.
  So the main Tenet is, do it yourself, 
  make it awesome.
  Try to avoid using “real” gaming 
  materials as much as possible, it can be 
  extremely limiting to what you do in the 
  game if you feel locked in to whatever is 
  available. That being said there is a lot of 
  neat stuff out there and if you like it then 
  use it.
  When making your own stuff fight the 
  urge to labour over it for hours, just get it 
  done and on the table. I would way rather 
  play every week with cool new items, rooms, 
  backgrounds and monsters then once a 
  month with perfectly detailed and rendered 
  materials on the board.
  But if you want to spend more time on 
  it then go ahead, it’s a fun part of Lair.
  And if you’re a player that doesn’t mean 
  you can’t have fun too. Your local tavern or 
  temple may need to be visited, and you’ll 
  need a map to play on if a fight breaks out 
  while you’re there. Go ahead and draw 
  one up, the Demon Lord will thank you 
  (hopefully).
  Did your character come from a village 
  outside of town? Make up some maps and 
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The spirit of the game
  names of important folk there.  Is your 
  character descended from some long lost 
  tribe of warriors? Make up their names, 
  their history their background.  Create the 
  world together with your Demon Lord, make 
  up some legends of monsters and some 
  miniatures for them, the Demon lord will 
  probably use them, they will likely have 
  powers you never guessed and have a set 
  of stats way different then you had in mind 
  but hey that’s the fun.
  Or if the Demon Lord has been using 
  squares of cardboard for the lizard men 
  you’ve been warring with then go ahead and 
  make some lizard men figures up.  If you 
  want to play on a cool board then  make it 
  cool yourself, if you start making up lizard 
  man shamans then likely in some form or 
  another they’ll start popping up in the game.
  Remember the Dollar store is your 
  friend, their craft section and toy section 
  have more than you will ever need to make 
  a whole world
  Lair of Sword and Sorcery is at it’s heart 
  a game of Sword and Sorcery (obvious 
  right?)
  This means that for the most part your 
  characters will be men, and for the most part 
  you will be fighting other men (or women 
  you get the idea).
  Monsters are an important part of the 
  game but you must learn to rethink what 
  you think of as monsters in Role playing 
  games.
  Lions, tigers, and bears are all viable 
  monsters and make great enemies for 
  the players.  If the big bad guy at the end 
  has two Orc guards then you’re playing 
  generic fantasy. If he has two tigers and 
  they’re wearing gold masks, and the room 
  is all smoky from the incense burning in 
  that big brazier in the middle, and the bad 
  guy is sitting in a big throne playing a harp 
  that controls the tigers? That’s the world of 
  Kartharka.
  Other easy monsters are things from 
  our world you can’t see at the zoo.  Giant 
  insects are great, who’s to say there aren’t 
  giant foot long wasps somewhere in the 
  amazon?  Or dinosaurs, another great 
  addition, a hidden valley full of elephants is 
  dangerous enough but what if they were full 
  of raptors?
  Sword and sorcery is very similar to 
  a past age of our own world and can be 
  imagined happening here in some long 
  forgotten age.
  But what of Sorcery? Sorcery in Lair 
  very different from Magic in other games.  
  Not everyone is wandering around with 
  magic swords, gulping magic potions and 
  buying and trading magic rings and carpets 
  on every corner.
  Magic is rare and terrible in the world 
  of Kartharka and most that encounter it 
  soon wish they hadn’t.
  A player is not going to find a “+2” magic 
  sword.  They may find a sword that bursts 
  into flames when they touch it burning 
  their arm off, or a terrible amulet lying in a 
  sorcerers tomb that turns them into a flesh 
  less skeleton that wanders the earth stealing 
  children to feed to the crocodile god.
  Sorcery is evil, difficult, risky and full of 
  ways to get yourself killed.
  But it is powerful, powerful beyond any 
  human understanding, and such is it’s lure.
  Sorcery involves long tortuous rituals 
  and terrible rites, promises to foul demons 
  and complicated formulas that must be 
  completed exactly or the sorcerer will die.  
  They do not simply point a finger and say 
  a magic word.  They can do that too but it 
  comes at an awful price.
  What is Lair of Sword and Sorcery? 
  What is the spirit of Kartharka?
  If you can imagine it spray painted on the 
  side of a van, its Kartharka.
  If you can put it on the front of any Heavy 
  Metal album cover it’s Kartharka.
  If you cast it in pewter and glued a marble to 
  it and sold it at a flea market it’s Kartharka.
  If you can draw it proudly on your notebook 
  cover in math class it’s Kartharka.
  If you’d wear it on a patch on your jacket it’s 
  Kartharka.
  Kartharka is metal, steel, gold and 
  iron, Kartharka is mystery, doom and high 
  adventure.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  what is the demonboard
  What is the Demonboard?
  When playing Lair of Sword & Sorcery the 
  Demon Lord will either describe the scene, 
  for example when adventuring in town, 
  and combat is unlikely to occur simply 
  describing the scene and the people they 
  are interacting with will suffice.
  However when there is the chance of 
  Combat the Demongoard will be used.  
  Usually this will be when the characters 
  have entered an enemies Lair.
  The Demon Lord will set up the walls rooms 
  and enemies visible to the players as they 
  appear on the Demonboard. 
  The players will place their figures on 
  the Demonboard and move them about 
  according to their actions.  The rules and 
  the Demonlord will decide whether their 
  actions are successful.
  Without the demonbaord the palcement 
  of the players characters as well as their 
  enemies is difficult to track.
  But it’s not just about the rules, or figure 
  placement, it’s seeing the action unfold, 
  building incredible Lairs and filling them 
  with cool looking contents.
  Kartharka isn’t just about sitting around a 
  table pretending, it’s about moving a handful 
  of figures around the board and happily 
  knocking your enemies over and throwing 
  them to the floor.
  Kartharka is about having something to 
  point at when you scream you curses, 
  about looking at the board and knowing 
  what is around your character, so that the 
  Demonlord can have just as much fun in the 
  battles as the players.  Once the enemies are 
  on the board the DemonLord is free to use 
  them as fiercely as he likes.
  The Demonboard and the basic assumption 
  that all games of Lair of Sword & Sorcery 
  will be played on one is what sets the game 
  apart.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Make a demonboard
  Everything in the game of Lair happens on 
  the Demon board, so to play you’ll need at 
  least one.
  The materials are simple and you’re free to 
  make it as elaborate as you need.
  You will need:
  •	
  Black Bristol board (the usual cheap 
  sheets from the dollar store)
  •	
  Ruler
  •	
  Pencil
  •	
  Cheap brush
  •	
  Some pieces of plastic
  •	
  Erasers (bigger the better)
  •	
  A utility or craft knife 
  •	
  Some craft paints
  •	
  Something to mix paint on (any damn 
  thing)
  •	
  Some decent glue, here I’m using some 
  contact cement from the dollar store, 
  sticks to the erasers real good, and most 
  things if you use it right.
  Read the instructions carefully on 
  whatever glue you use, each is a little 
  different and most won’t work well if you 
  use it wrong.
  1: prep the board
  We’ve got our black sheet of 
  bristol board.
  To make a demon board we 
  need to put a grid of one 
  inch squares on it.
  •	
  First thing, fold it in half 
  one way then the other, 
  right down the middle,  
  You’ll get a sheet with 4 
  quarters on it like this.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Use the ruler to measure out 1 inch 
  increments along each edge of the board.
  Connect the lines. Now you have one 
  quarter of the board done.
  Do the same for each quarter.
  Now you have a full sheet with a 1 inch grid. 
  If you like you can call it done now.
  A 1 inch grid is all that’s absolutely necessary 
  but we can make it look a heck of a lot cooler.
  Fold it in half, then half again so you you 
  only one quarter facing up.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  You can copy this one if you like or make up your own
  2:  paints
  We are going to be using some paint so 
  lets discuss colours.
  Above I have a tan, orange, brown and 
  a light yellowish green (cashmere, orange, 
  burnt umber, and leaf green to be specific)
  This will be for a standard, dirty stone. 
  It’s not the specific colours that matter but 
  how you use them that are important. 
  If you like you can use just one colour, 
  like a light brown, or a grey, or even a yellow, 
  but I like to mix them as I go. 
  You’ll see how later.
  These are just plain old craft paints, 1 to 
  2 bucks a bottle.
  What we’re going to do is use a few 
  simple tricks to make it look like we spent 
  a heck of a   lot of time and a whole lot of 
  effort to paint this thing.
  You can just free hand paint it if you 
  want, just fill in the squares with the colour 
  of your choice and then paint in dark lines 
  along the grid.
  3:  stampers
  The quickest way to fill space with a 
  repeating pattern is with a stamper.
  By making your own stampers you can 
  make a great looking board which is unique 
  and looks amazing.
  What we are looking for is a good 
  repeating stone tile pattern for the floor of 
  our demon board. By making something 
  relatively geometric and square we can 
  make a board which is easy to move our 
  pieces on but still looks like a semi random 
  brick or cobblestone. 
  First we will draw our pattern ahead of 
  time on some notebook paper.  It sometimes 
  take sa few tries to get one I like.
  I start by drawing a square.
  Then I draw a thin border of “bricks” on 
  the inside.  If find this makes it easier to tell 
  the squares apart when it is painted on the 
  board.
  I then break up the middle into irregular 
  rectangle shapes of the actual tiles.
  When I’m done I will be left with this:
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  We want the paint to stick to the squares but 
  not the lines so that the black Bristol board 
  will show through there.
  We do that by cutting away the lines in 
  between the bricks, with the sharp knife.
  Make the cuts at an angle so that you cut 
  away a V shaped groove between each brick.
  When you’re done it will look like this.
  Not bad!
  Next we’ll get out our erasers which will 
  form the body of the stamper.
  To make the stamper we need an eraser that 
  is 1 inch on each side.
  These big erasers are about 2.5 inches by 
  1.25 inches.
  I mark out 1” squares. And cut them out. 
  Next use a regular ball point pen to mark 
  the pattern onto the squares like so:
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Now we’ve got a couple of 
  stampers.  You can use them 
  just like this but I like to make a 
  handle first.
  I don’t mind the messy hands 
  but I don’t like to smear the 
  board with my fingers.
  These L shaped pieces of plastic work great.  
  Originally they are for clamping table 
  clothes to outdoor picnic tables.
  Any flat hunk of plastic will do though.
  Some quick work with the contact cement 
  and we’ve got a stamper.
  I always like to have two different designs so 
  that I can alternate them as I am working so 
  that the pattern doesn’t become to uniform.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Squirt a little bit of each colour of 
  paint onto a tray. Use the ones listed at the 
  beginning of this section.
  Pick one colour and use the brush to 
  paint it onto the stamper,  Use a nice thick 
  sloppy coat.
  Now use the brush to wipe off the 
  excess paint, use it to scoop the paint out of 
  the cracks too.
  Now pick a second colour and slap it on 
  there too, they will mix a bit but don’t worry 
  about getting a uniform colour you want 
  them to be a little mixed in some places 
  and separate in others, don’t get too fussy 
  though you’ve got a lot of stamping to do.
  Your stamper should now look like this.
  Use the grid to align it and press it 
  firmly onto the board.  As you work you will 
  see how much or how little paint you need 
  on the stamper.
  Continue adding different colours, 
  paint it on, take off the excess, and press it 
  down.  Alternate the colours as you go.
  The mixing will make all the colours 
  work together while still being different 
  enough that the board doesn’t have a 
  uniform look.
  Stamp the board in random areas, 
  working on one quarter a time.
  Remember to rotate the stamper so that 
  the designs go in different directions as well 
  as switching from one stamper to the other.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Above is one quarter of the board complete.
  I do one quarter at a time so that the job doesn’t seem so big.
  Unfold the board to show the next quarter and stamp it in the same way.
  Below we see the board done and ready to go.
  Looks pretty awesome, can’t wait to get some stuff on there.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  4: card walls
  In Lair of Sword & Sorcery, our heroes 
  find themselves in all sorts of places. They 
  may travel to the temple of the spider god to 
  keep their priests from sacrificing the local 
  townspeople.
  Or the underground hideout of a local 
  bandit gang.  Or the hidden cove of a band 
  of smugglers, or even be defending the local 
  inn from attacking soldiers.
  All of this action takes place on the 
  demon board. Now sometimes the action 
  may take place in a large open field where 
  there are no obstacles in place and the 
  heroes and villains can move wherever they 
  like but to keep things more interesting and 
  fun, they will more often take place indoors.
  That means walls, doorways, rooms and 
  passages.
  You could just whip out a marker and 
  draw them right on the board but then 
  you would need a new board for every 
  adventure, they don’t take that long to make 
  but I wouldn’t want to make a new one 
  every week.
  So we need something to represent 
  walls, and the easiest way is to make them 
  out of the same materials as the rest of the 
  demon board, Bristol board and paint (and a 
  little tape)
  Below you can see a section of the Lair 
  with card walls, next I’ll show you how to 
  make your own.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  And all ready to go, don’t worry how everything looks like strips now, 
  they will look fine when cut into walls.
  Another view of the demonboard with walls
  The first step to making the card walls is 
  easy. Repeat the steps to make a demon 
  board, You can really rush through this one, 
  you do not need to rotate the design or 
  swap stampers as much, and you don’t need 
  to stamp as randomly as with the board. 
  Just start at one end of a row and work right 
  along it till all the rows are filled. This would 
  look odd on the demon board but works 
  perfectly well on walls.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  No we get out the 
  scissors.
  Cut the board into 
  quarters like this, you 
  will now have 4 big 
  rectangles
  Now cut those rectangles into strips like shown above.  Each strip should have 
  two rows of full squares in the middle and a row of half squares on each side, just 
  like the picture
  When you’re done 
  you’ll have a big pile 
  of strips,
  Well done!
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Now fold them into walls.
  First fold them in half right down the 
  middle with the paint on the outside.
  Next fold up the half square wide  “flaps”.
  When you’re done you will have a lot of 
  strips that look like this.
  Now you should have a lot of long walls that look like this.
  Now tape them all closed like this:
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Now cut them all up! Use the scissors to cut them down to various sizes.
  I use a range of walls measuring from 6 squares to 1 square long.
  Look below to see how many walls you can get out of a single sheet.
  I sheet is more than enough for basic lairs but since they’re so easy to 
  make you can do one up every other week till you’re swimming in them.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  See those square edges at the end?
  They tend to get in the way when you’re 
  laying out walls as they will overlap in 
  the corners. So to save yourself the 
  headache later just get the scissors out 
  and trim them down.
  Like so!
  Now organize the walls with Ziploc baggies.
  Each one is marked with the walls length in 
  squares.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Here we see demon blocks being used to form the walls of a lair.
  5:  demon  blocks
  The cardboard walls are great and look 
  fantastic but some don’t like the way they 
  are so easy to move around accidentally.
  The 
  Demonblocks 
  make 
  a 
  great 
  alternative for walls, they look good, are 
  solid and heavy, and can be stacked to serve 
  as platforms, stood on end to serve as pillars 
  or used to represent altars, tables or other 
  forms of cover.
  They are great Lair building blocks and 
  can be painted to match your demonboard. 
  They are quick, cheap and easy to make.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Here’s what we need to make demon blocks.  Scissors, knife, a big eraser again, wide popsicle 
  sticks, the big ones like tongue depressors, a pen, paper, and some masking tape.
  We use these to make a mold for the Demon blocks so that we can really crank them out quickly.
  6: making  the  mold
  Now draw in the mortar lines between the 
  stones. like you did with the stampers.
  The first part is the mold bottom and it 
  resembles the stampers we have already 
  made.
  The eraser measures 1 inch across and is 2 
  inches tall.
  Cut the big eraser down to this size.
  First draw it on paper till your happy, then 
  copy it over to your eraser.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  When making this one, instead of cutting out mortar lines and leaving the blocks we are going to 
  do the reverse.  We will cut out the blocks and leave the mortar lines intact.
  You can use the knife to dig em out any why way you want but I find the best way is to cut on and 
  angle, on all four sides of the block, when you pull the piece out it will resemble a tiny pyramid.
  You may have to flex it a bit to pull 
  the piece out with your fingers after 
  cutting.
  When you are done you will have 
  something that looks like this.  It 
  will form the base of the mold and 
  make the blocks look like they’re 
  formed from separate stones.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Now put big pieces of tape on each 
  stick, don’t be stingy,
  We’re going to make a little box with 
  the forming part of the mold on the 
  inside.
  Next we need to make the four 
  sides of our forming box.
  These are cut down from the large 
  craft sticks.
  The two long ones are 2 inches long, 
  the two short ones are 1 inch long.
  You can cut them with the knife, 
  remember to use 2 or 3 cuts to cut 
  through a little at a time, cutting 
  deeper with each cut.
  Personally I use the scissors, 
  sometimes it snaps the stick but I‘ve 
  got plenty of them.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Just tape the sticks to the bottom of 
  the mold, add some more tape to the 
  bottom to hold everything together
  Here is a more detailed view.
  Run another strip all the way around 
  the bottom to strengthen everything.
  Now you’ve got a little box with 
  hinged sides.
  This is all you need to make Demon 
  blocks. 
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  To make salt dough.
  Mix:
  1 cup salt
  2 cups of flour
  ¾ cup of water
  Knead it well and it’s ready to use.
  7:  using  the  mold
  Now that you have some dough 
  it’s time to get started.
  First stick a wad of the dough in 
  the box.  You’ll get a feeling for 
  about how much to use after you 
  do a few.
  Now you must decide what material you will 
  be moulding with.
  You can use a plasticine, readily available 
  from the dollar store, but it never dries so 
  doesn’t paint well.
  You can also get a serviceable modelling 
  clay as well which is a bit wet but dries very 
  well.
  Play-doh type clays don’t seem to dry out 
  completely anymore, so I wouldn’t use those.
  What I suggest for Kartharka is Salt Dough.
  Cheap and easy to make, it drys OK if you 
  leave it in a dry warm room for a couple 
  of days and then finish it off in the oven 
  for about 5 to 10 minutes at 300 degrees 
  Fahrenheit.
  The recipe is easy but be sure to read ahead 
  and see what you’re going to be doing 
  before making it as it’s working time is 
  about an hour.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Squash it down a bit so it’s roughly 
  block shaped.
  Flip the sides up and squeeze it into 
  a block.
  If necessary squash a bit of extra 
  dough in after the sides are up to be 
  sure that it is completely full up to the 
  top, flatten it out to make a nice flat 
  squared block.
  Flip the sides down and pull the 
  block out of the mold and you’ll have 
  something that looks like.
  Now repeat using up all of the dough, 
  look to the right to see how many you 
  get  out of a single batch.
  Cut some of them in half before they 
  dry and you’ll have single square 
  blocks.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  One batch gives you quite a few 
  blocks but usually you need at least 
  two batches to have enough to 
  comfortably work with.
  One batch is suitable if you intend to 
  use card walls, with the blocks used as 
  special terrain features.
  8: painting the blocks
  Let the blocks completely dry rock solid before painting, usually this takes a couple of days.  Be 
  warned though, in some houses it seems they never completely harden.
  Also keep in mind that the blocks are somewhat like living things.  Their centers don’t seem to 
  even completely harden so if you put too much weight on them they will squash.  Also when 
  storing them in a bag on the shelf for long periods of time they may deform a bit in the bag.
  You can leave them as is but they look far better painted.
  First things first, Paint em black.  Really slather on the paint and get in all the crevices.  Then wait 
  till the paint is completely dry.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Next we will add the colour to the blocks.  Using a technique called dry brushing.
  That means we will load up a brush with paint, wipe most of it off on a paper towel, and then 
  lightly brush the blocks.  
  I like a nice big flat brush for this, easily 
  found at most dollar stores.
  Colour choice is the same as for the demon 
  board, alternate colours as you paint.
  Instead of mixing them on the stamper them 
  in the middle of your paint palette and then 
  apply it to the brush
  Wipe off the excess on paper towel.
  If you are looking for a more basic paint job you can dry brush the black blocks with grey paint 
  and call it done.
  As always, zip loc bags are our friends.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  A nicely set up Lair using card walls.
  Same Lair, with a demon block altar, and demon block pillars.
  The dinosaur skeletons are great enemies.  The lizard men are soldiers with their heads 
  replaced with toy lizard heads.  The greenery in this underground jungle is crafting moss 
  which you can find in all sorts of colours
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Here demon blocks are used to make a stepped platform. The heroes can attack a villain at the top or 
  hold off their enemies from there.  It also handily gives cover from bows firing across the room
  A better view of some demon block pillars
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Some prefer to use demon blocks for their walls 
  instead of the card ones.
  Now throw all your stuff in a box.
  One of the best parts of Demonboard is how light 
  it is and how little room it takes up,  so its very 
  portable.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Spooky Room Productions
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery
  Issue 2 Jan 2015
  p r i c e
  2
  Lair of
  Sword&
  Sorcery
  CombaT
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery
  Issue 2 January 2015
  The Combat Issue
  creditS
  Copyright Ripley Stonebrook 2015
  All art, writing, and rules by:
  Ripley Stonebrook Editor and Creator.
  SubmiSSionS & queStionS: 
  read carefuLLy
  Send any comments, rules questions or 
  submissions to 
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com
  Check for updates at:
  lairofswordandsorcery.blogspot.ca
  By sending anything to these addresses you 
  submit to the rules below.
  Any submissions or material sent to the email 
  or website become the property of Ripley 
  Stonebrook.
  You may or may not receive credit for any 
  material sent.
  Any material sent may be used in the Lair of 
  Sword & Sorcery game or websites in any way 
  in any number of reprintings.
  We have an entire game and series of 
  expansions planned and any material you 
  send may already be in the works so if you see 
  something that looks like something you sent in, 
  guess what, we didn’t rip you off.
  what you can & can’t do
  You may not copy anything from these game 
  books, in whole or in part except for review 
  purposes.
  You may not copy any Lair of Sword and Sorcery 
  in any way for any reason.
  You may not post any Lair of Sword and Sorcery 
  material on any blog , website or social media 
  site.
  You may not publish or post any of your own 
  Lair of sword and sorcery material either online 
  on in print.  You may not publish your own 
  rules, your own adventures, or your own source 
  material. 
  You may post pictures of yourselves playing 
  the game and may post pictures of your 
  demonboard and game in action.  You can 
  post pictures of your character but not your 
  characters stats etc.
  If you have something you want the world to 
  see then send it in to the addresses above, or 
  post or comment at the official pages.
  piracy
  If you find another player who is playing with 
  photocopies or scans of the rules, shun them. 
  Refuse to play with them.  It is officially against 
  the rules of Lair of Sword and Sorcery to play 
  with photocopies and scans.  Pirates are terrible 
  people that will ruin the game.
  How can I get Involved?
  Join your forces with the powerful creators of the 
  awe inspiring world of Kartharka!
  Well that’s the whole point of the game isn’t it?
  Before you send us all of your fantastic stuff first 
  read the questions and submissions info to the right 
  and then come back.
  All done?
  Okay here are all the great places to send your 
  blood soaked materials.
  websIte:
  You best place to start is the Lair of Sword and 
  Sorcery Site at:
  lairofswordandsorcery.blogpot.ca
  Here you can comment on updates, and respond 
  to questions and polls on the direction of the game 
  and what you would like to see, or not see, in the 
  game.
  There are also regular articles on the sword and 
  sorcery genre, fantasy, the setting of Kartharka, the 
  tone of the game, and designers notes on the game 
  system.
  google+:
  Those who are on Google+ can get their lair 
  updates there by adding:
  Ripley Stonebrook
  We also appreciate +1’s and reposting of content 
  on Google+
  Facebook:
  You can also receive your updates on Facebook 
  at:
  Lair of Sword and Sorcery
  Like and follow Lair on facebook to get updates, 
  and we of course appreciate any reviews and reposts 
  to your own facebook page.
  emaIl:
  Send in any and all submissions, rules, 
  art, questions, stories, comics, pictures of your 
  demonboard, and pictures of your group.
  Or if you are looking for players or demonlords 
  in your area send in your contact email and we’ll put 
  it in the next issue or post it to the site.
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com
  Retailers: If you are interested in carrying the 
  Lair of Sword and Sorcery game then please send an 
  email to:
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com.
  If you would like your local retailer to carry the 
  game then you can urge them to send us an email. 
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  wHat Is laIr oF sword & sorcery?
  Welcome to the second Issue of the 
  Roleplaying game “Lair of Sword & Sorcery” 
  (shortened to “Lair”) and the world of Kartharka 
  in which it is set.
  Issue 1 tackled the main ideas behind the 
  game. That is should be fun, easy, and cheap to 
  play. It also included instructions on how to make 
  your own “Demonboard”, the playing board on 
  which all games of Lair are played.
  With Lair I thought I would be upfront about 
  how the game was meant to be played right off 
  the bat. It is made to be played on a board, on 
  the table, with little walls clearly marked and little 
  figures clearly showing where everyone is. 
  This is because I feel that roleplaying games 
  today (including the big ones) seem to want to 
  pretend that a board is optional, yet the rules and 
  gameplay are obviously based on you absolutely 
  having to play on a board.
  Play a game of modern D&D for 5 minutes 
  without a board and try to see if you can 5 foot 
  step around an enemy without an argument. 
  Can’t be done. 
  So in Lair I did something different. Instead 
  of selling you a playing matt or board I showed 
  you how to make and use one. In Lair you can 
  make the simplest version of the board and a 
  set of walls in an afternoon while watching TV. 
  You can do it with a couple of dollars worth of 
  Materials from a Dollar Store.
  This did make for a somewhat odd first taste 
  of a roleplaying game in issue 1. No rules, no 
  characters, no stats or tables. What’s this game 
  all about?
  Well in this issue you get to find out.
  Everything you need to start playing is here 
  in this booklet.
  Along with rules are Designers Notes on 
  why things are the way they are, and notes on 
  the overall style and feel of the game and what 
  further issues will touch on.
  So Venture on Brave Heroes, stride from the 
  Winterlands to the Summerlands watching your 
  heroes fame grow in the fertile ground of their 
  enemies bodies..
  Questions and Answers
  Question: Why don’t you just publish 
  everything in one book and be done with it?
  Answer: I already did.
  Sitting on my shelves is another game.
  It was a basic roleplaying game, had a generic 
  fantasy setting, made sure to include all the usual 
  fantasy RPG tropes, and included everything for 
  the Gamemaster including treasures, magic items 
  and monsters.
  I finished, looked at it, and realized it was 
  just another piece of garbage to clog up the 
  internet with. It has been done before and will be 
  done many times more. The world doesn’t need 
  another basic RPG retroclone.
  Question: So how is Lair different?
  Answer: Lair is not created for Roleplayers. 
  Lair is created for anyone who loves Fantasy 
  and Sword and Sorcery. It is purely for having 
  fun on a Friday night, not for playing an epic 3 
  year long campaign, where you can’t miss a 
  single week and each session runs until 3 in the 
  morning.
  Question: Why a magazine format?
  Answer: All great roleplaying games are 
  written in magazine format.
  In the 70’s there were many new roleplaying 
  games but the original Dungeons and Dragons 
  rose above the rest to continue on to this day. The 
  reason for this was because of the Magazines. On 
  our side of the ocean there was Dragon Magazine, 
  and on the other, White Dwarf.
  Two magazines run by game companies to 
  promote their product and publish new material.
  The magazines served two purposes, new 
  content for the game every single month, and a 
  way for players of the game to connect with each 
  other in an “official” capacity.
  Generating a magazines worth of content 
  every month would be difficult for any company 
  but luckily they could rely on the fans to send 
  in their own rules, lists, monsters, adventures, 
  stories and art. When your material got printed 
  in Dragon it was official Dungeons & Dragons 
  material.
  Anyone could be part of the game and could 
  add to it and control the way it grew. 
  The letters column alone gave the people a 
  way to connect with the game creators and each 
  other.
  So I thought I would just start with a 
  magazine from the beginning.
  So be a part of the game, make it your 
  own, and send in anything you think would be 
  interesting.
  See the indica to the right for the submission 
  rules and the email address for Submission.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Are you ready to stride the mountains like 
  a hurricane? To smash the heart of the deepest 
  mine, to wring forth the iron from it’s dripping 
  heart?
  To see the villagers tremble with fear and 
  desire when you enter their pitiful town square 
  heaped with the treasure of a thousand dead 
  enemies?
  Good! 
  To play the game of Lair of Sword & Sorcery 
  you will need two things; a Demon Lord to lay 
  out and plan the terrible Lairs you will enter, and 
  a Hero to call your very own.
  A hero to use, and use up. To act out your 
  terrible vengeance on a world that displeases 
  you, to right the wrongs that have been done to 
  you.
  Look to the Hero Record sheet appearing 
  later in the issue. In this issue we will show you 
  how to fill in all these boxes on the sheet to 
  create your hero. In this issue you will also find 
  the combat rules, so that your enemy can finally 
  feel the crushing blow of your axe in his chest.
  A couple of things first before we jump right 
  in.
  Lair is a game of Sword & Sorcery, in a brutal 
  world of feuding empires and squabbling city 
  states.
  It is a world of Men. A world of Humans. The 
  world of Kartharka has men of all statures, types, 
  colours, and philosophies, much like our own. 
  The amount of variation of people on our own 
  planet means that there is more than enough 
  variety in the realm of humans already without 
  having to include “fantasy” races such as Dwarfs 
  and Elfs in the Hero creation process.
  Revel in the variety of the Human condition 
  when creating your character and don’t feel the 
  a H e r o  I s  b o r n !
  (no elFs, dwarFs, or HalF-elFen dragon-rIder/assassIns/
  need to ever fall back on the old tired classic of 
  “I’m an Elf” to make your character interesting.
  There are no “classes”, “jobs”, “careers” or 
  other types of distinctions between heros.
  In the world of Kartharka there are certain 
  things that all heroes can do and they do not 
  require a title or distinction on a character sheet 
  to do it.
  Everyone can fight, worship a god of their 
  choice, hunt for their food, or dig a hole in the 
  ground.
  What makes your hero unique, powerful, 
  lauded or despised, are their actions. And their 
  actions are wholly up to you. 
  In the Lair system Heros all begin on a 
  equal footing, it is the players choices for how 
  they will grow and expand that set them apart.  
  The Lair Veteran system of Hero advancement 
  allows the players to grow their hero in any 
  way they choose, to become a better fighter, to 
  learn the secrets of the sages, to penetrate the 
  inner cloisters of the Wolf-Brothers temple, or to 
  become a spice merchant if they so choose (the 
  travails of a spice merchants life or more perilous 
  than you would guess).
  The Lair system is one of creativity, freedom, 
  speed, and high adventure!
  You can make a character in five minutes 
  and have him thrown into the latest Lair the 
  Heros are penetrating. Playing an advanced game 
  with a group of Heros that have been plundering 
  for years is no problem!  Throw that new Hero in 
  the mix and watch him reach new and dizzying 
  heights in no time!
  Remember, all you Kartharken Blood Reavers; 
  it’s not what’s on the sheet that’s important, it’s 
  what the Hero does with it!
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  l i f e  i n  T h e 
  W i n t e r l a n d s
  Before creating your hero it may help to 
  know a little of the world he lives in (or she, 
  women warriors are welcome!)
  The Winterlands are not a kind or friendly 
  place. Survival is just barely possible through 
  communities struggling together against the 
  mountains.
  The black road of the Emperor winds 
  through the mountains and up to the mining 
  capital of Stroh-Branoch.
  Maintenance of the road is possible 
  only because of the hot springs dotting the 
  mountainside. 
  Each spring is ancient and each has it’s own 
  story of how it was found, dug, or gifted from the 
  gods.
  These hot springs usually spill into an 
  underground cavern filling a large pond and then 
  flowing back out into the ground.
  On top of these caverns a family will build 
  a house, (called a wayhouse) the strong dome 
  shaped structure made of stone common to the 
  winterlands.
  The hot springs heat the home which 
  usually also serve as a way station or inn along 
  the road.
  The families that own these houses are 
  responsible for maintaining the roads for a few 
  miles in either direction.
  They are gifted Iron plows by the emperor, 
  they scrape the snow flat, while a large flat plate 
  is dragged behind to flatten the hard packed 
  snow, with spikes to score and break up any slick 
  ice.
  This keeps the black road throughout the 
  Winterlands open to travel.
  But what do the people eat in the winter 
  wastes?
  The evergreen trees of the winterlands 
  provide hard bitter berries and acorns which the 
  smaller animals eat. 
  Larger snow cats, bears and wolves live off 
  of these and are in turn hunted by the people.
  But the main source of food in the 
  winterlands is the interconnected raising of 
  Matten and the Takket.
  The Matten is a fast growing grass, whose 
  roots are large and bulbous.
  The Matten grows near the underground 
  pools of the hot springs. Indeed it grows so fast 
  that if it is not harvested often it would soon 
  choke the hot spring.
  The roots make a serviceable though 
  tasteless gruel or can be dried to make a gritty 
  flour. (The ubiquitous matten flour, the staple of 
  the winterlands).
  The grasses are inedible to humans but are 
  loved by the winterlands takket.
  The domestic takket of the Winterlands 
  resembles a large wide goat, or a tiny Bison. 
  As tall as a mans waist they are covered with a 
  shaggy coat.
  The takket provides meat, milk, fur, leather 
  and wool for the people of the winterlands. So 
  useful are they that the most ancient stories of 
  the Winterlands are about the gift of the takkets, 
  matten, and hot springs from the gods.
  But their use fullness doesn’t end there. 
  The takkets also supply another useful product, 
  manure.
  The takket manure is spread amongst the 
  matten, causing their meagre bulbs to grow to 
  twice normal size.
  As if doubling their matten supply was not 
  enough the people of the winterlands found 
  another use for the manure. 
  After the manure is used to fertilize the 
  Matten it becomes hard and brittle. The people 
  of the Winterlands use this material as a fuel, 
  burning twice as long and hot as wood. It is easy 
  to carry taking up little room on a persons drag 
  sled.
  Indeed without this fuel many would have 
  froze to death at night when travelling the roads.
  Government and Law
  The government of the Winterlands are not 
  interested in creating laws or upholding them. 
  They care not for the petty squabbling of people 
  amongst themselves. The people should have the 
  strength to protect themselves and their families.
  Instead the Winterlands are governed by 
  a group called “The Targ”. Though it is mostly a 
  hereditary title any may become a Targ if it is 
  agreed by the people. Any Targ may also be called 
  upon by the people to give up their position.
  The Targ are in charge of the precious 
  resources of the Winterlands, food and heat.
  The Targ administrate the maintenance of 
  the large outdoor heaters which any may gather 
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  around. These are scattered throughout any 
  town or village.
  They also control the distribution of the 
  food supplied by the Emperor.
  The emperor trades food for the right to 
  buy the iron ore of the Winterlands. This food 
  is stored by the Targ and distributed to all that 
  need it. 
  Food is available in any number of places 
  throughout any town, village, or roadside 
  wayhouse.
  In a place where any traveller or town can 
  be cut off by a storm at any time, keeping a 
  supply of food in all places possible is important.
  The little food supplied by Matten, Takkets 
  and hunting was able to support the people 
  of the Winterlands before the coming of the 
  Emperor. But with so many flocking to the mines 
  from all over the world and the Winterlands, and 
  so much time being spent on Mining, as well 
  as populations concentrating in the cities, the 
  peoples of the Winterlands would now starve 
  within months if the Emperor were to stop the 
  shipments of food.
  So the Targ are in charge of maintaining 
  a good relationship with the emperor while 
  still keeping the Freedoms which the people of 
  the Winterlands have, the freedom to govern 
  themselves and freedom from the taxes of the 
  Emperor, the northern passing taxes of wood 
  food and gold, and the southern passing tax of 
  slaves.
  This can be a difficult job, keeping the people 
  at least indifferent to the emperors agents.
  The Targ also administrate grievances of 
  Mining Law.
  Any may stake any claim to any mine, cave, 
  or digging that they wish, for as long as they can 
  hold it.
  Taking an others claim if they leave it is 
  considered acceptable so guards are often left. 
  If someone chooses to attack another miner 
  to take a claim then a grievance may be placed 
  before the Targ. Mining law is complex however, 
  with previous claims made by the attackers, or 
  their families previous claims to the same mine, 
  as well as their standing in the community, past 
  grievances they have made, as well as grievances 
  made about them, may all be considered.
  Usually the only law that most people would 
  encounter would be that of the sheriff.
  The sheriffs are in charge of dispensing 
  “road justice”.
  Most are stationed at way houses along the 
  black road and other roads of the winterlands.
  There job is not to capture, punish or 
  incarcerate. Their job is to prevent the often 
  savage retribution which the Winterlanders 
  would dole out to each other for wrongdoing 
  they feel have been done to them.
  If a man kills another man in a brawl, it is 
  likely that the dead mans family would then seek 
  out and kill the murderer. And then the murderer’s 
  family would seek out that family starting a fight 
  leaving dozens dead. This would be considered 
  acceptable to the thinking of a Winterlander.
  And so the sheriffs were created. If a 
  wrongdoing has been done to you or your family 
  you can bring it before the sheriff. The sheriff will 
  then decide if retribution is required, demanding 
  the return of stolen items, or in the case of 
  someone being killed, will seek out and do away 
  with the murderer if they deem them guilty. The 
  sheriffs ruling is absolute and none may seek 
  them out for revenge.
  Attacking a sheriff will cause the entire 
  family to lose status, leaving them unable to avail 
  themselves of the food or heaters of the Targ. 
  They also lose any rights to Mining claims. A 
  revenge attack on a sheriff will be brought up for 
  centuries whenever a mining claim grievance is 
  brought before the Targ.
  The post of Sheriff is an elected one. By 
  the people nearest to the wayhouse they are 
  stationed at. These people will usually bow to 
  the wishes of the actual owner of the wayhouse 
  however.
  tHe targ
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  This issue has the first pull out map of the 
  Lair Roleplaying game.
  The Mining Capital of Stroh-Branoch.
  More information on this city will come in 
  further issues, but included in this issue is a pull 
  out map to stick up on the wall or put out on the 
  table for the players to see.
   The following text is the list of important 
  buildings in the city as well as some more 
  background history of the Winterlands. 
  1: The Imperial Essay office: Ore is sold to 
  the Empire here. All platinum must be sold here 
  immediately after being found. Also in charge 
  of official mining claims, though these are not 
  necessarily enforced by the Targ.
  2: Sawbin Refinery: Winterlanders may sell 
  their Ore here, or have their ore refined for a fee. 
  They also sell Iron, copper and other metals.
  3: Sawbin Suppliers: Winterlanders may buy 
  their Mining tools and other supplies here.
  4: Tyran’s Moneychanger: A place where 
  people may have their money exchanged for 
  larger or smaller denominations, may sell or buy 
  gems or sequins, silver, gold, copper, and iron.
  5: Independent Miners Clan: All non-imperial 
  miners are encouraged to join the Miners Clan. 
  They keep their own records of claims and all 
  Clan members will honour these claims. They also 
  help support aged and injured miners. They may 
  broker ore sales to the Empire, usually getting a 
  better price than a Winterlander would get when 
  selling ore themselves.
  6: Winterlands local Targ (council hall): The 
  local Targ headquarters. The Targ’s duties are 
  explained earlier in this issue. Each Targ hall also 
  has the option of maintaining it’s own security 
  force or even standing army if it so chooses, 
  though this is rare.
  7: Local water spring: a heated water supply 
  for takkets or Winterlanders.
  8: Imperial Stables: Horses are maintained 
  here for the use of imperials only. Imperials may 
  not sell horses to Winterlanders. Horses are not 
  native to the Winterlands.
  9: Lumber mill: Quality Lumber can be 
  bought here.
  Logs, timbers and boards can be found 
  everywhere in Stroh-branoch, remains of past 
  shacks and mine works. These can be used for 
  building shacks and other buildings. For a more 
  permanent structure, or one holding more status, 
  Winterlanders will use quality cut lumber. Heros 
  may choose to build there shack anywhere 
  shacks are shown on the map.
  10: Independent Bronzer: In most worlds 
  this would be a blacksmith, but with the rareness 
  of iron most household materials, tools and 
  weapons are made of bronze.
  All materials are made to order whether 
  they be bronze nails, pots, pickaxes, swords or 
  armour.
  11: Independent Blacksmith: The blacksmith 
  is a revered and honoured profession. Steel items 
  are incredibly expensive but vastly superior to 
  their bronze counterparts. Blacksmithing is a 
  complicated art, and the materials are incredibly 
  expensive. The smith is looked upon as a kind of 
  sorcerer or mythical being.
  12: Imperial Blacksmith: Available only to 
  Imperials.
  13: Imperial workers store: Only available to 
  imperial employees (see next issue for the plight 
  if the miners working at the Imperial mines)
  14: Imperial Miners Barracks: Imperial miners 
  can choose to live in these cramped quarters.
  15: Local Targ stores and residence: Lower 
  Stroh-branoch
  Mining Capital of the winterlands
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ranking Targ and Targ from other towns stay 
  here. These are also the storerooms for Targ food 
  supplies.
  16: Cast off removal: These Winterlanders 
  are in charge of collecting cast off from the large 
  refineries and the at home refining pits. They also 
  keep the streets clear of debris and scrap lumber. 
  Without them the streets would be choked with 
  industrial debris in weeks.
  17: Olne’s original tavern: Food lodging and 
  a good place for travellers to stay. No fighting or 
  lawlessness allowed at Olne’s and their Sheriff is 
  very strict.
  18: Temple of the Wolf Brother: The 
  closest thing to a national government in the 
  Winterlands. Each city, village, and settlement has 
  their own Targ (collectively called the Targ).
  The high temple of the Wolf Brother lies 
  down below in the foothills of the Winterlands. 
  All temples of the Wolf Brother follow the orders 
  of the high priest. Each temple has it’s own arch 
  priest in charge of it’s running and the followers 
  in their area.
  The temple of the Wolf Brother is used for 
  important rites; celebrations, weddings funerals, 
  feast days etc.
  Much of the priests time is spent amongst 
  the people and hospitals or helping the people 
  as required. 
  Priests of the Wolf Brother may choose 
  to patrol the borders as security, work in the 
  hospitals, study ancient texts or travel to other 
  temples.
  All acolytes, when joining the temple, spend 
  their first years travelling from temple to temple, 
  carrying letters, whether for the temple, the targs, 
  or for other winterlanders. These acolytes are the 
  closest thing to a messenger or postal service the 
  Winterlands have. See future issues for more on 
  the lives of the Wolf Brothers priests as well as the 
  role of Wolf Brother in the history of Kartharka.
  19: Imperial Miners Guild: The Free Imperial 
  Miners, skilled, well equipped, and well paid, the 
  Imperial miners are eyed jealously by any miner 
  down on their luck. They work for good wage and 
  live a relatively good life. Unlike an independent 
  miner however they have no chance of “striking 
  it big” when finding the mother lode.
  20: Wayfarers inn or “Wayhouse”: Maintained 
  by the Targ and dotting the roads of the 
  Winterlands. Stockpiled with food supplies for 
  stranded or destitute travellers.
  Each also has a Sheriff, maintaining road law 
  within their jurisdiction.
  21: Wayfarer Inn and Gambling Hall: 
  Gambling is legal in the Winterlands, though 
  some halls are more honest than others. Some 
  act as fronts for criminals, robbers, thieves, con 
  men, smugglers and murderers.
  22: Collapsed Limrust Refinery: Once a 
  refinery rivalling that of the empire. The refinery 
  caught fire and collapsed mysteriously years ago. 
  The entire Limrust family was tragically trapped 
  inside the Refinery at the time of it’s collapse.
  23: Winterlands Sages Hall: This hall is the 
  living quarters for the local Winterlands sages. 
  Each large settlement has it’s own Sages Hall and 
  Tower. All training, work and research takes place 
  in the Sages Towers however.
  24: Winterlands Sages Towers: The entrance 
  is at the base of one tower. This tower contains 
  the working quarters and research rooms of the 
  sages. At the top of this tower is a bridge leading 
  to the second tower. The second tower contains 
  the libraries of the Sages. Scrolls tablets, and 
  books made up of sheets of paper tied between 
  two boards. They make up the knowledge of the 
  Sages.
  It is also rumoured that below this tower 
  are basement vaults, in which are stored ancient 
  relics of history, relics of the lost races which 
  once ruled the first men, broken remains of their 
  mysterious tools, and other items once rumoured 
  to wield great magical powers in the time of 
  sorcery. All of these are useless now but hoarded 
  till a time when they can be understood.
  25: Autumnlands Sages pyramid. A smaller 
  version of the stepped pyramids which the 
  Autumnlands sages occupy in their own land. 
  Sages travelling to the Winterlands from the 
  Autumnlands reside and study here.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  26: Autumnlands Windhall (Council Hall): 
  Ambassadors, diplomats and merchants of the 
  Autumnlands conduct their business in this 
  building.
  27: Autumnland Tavern and Inn: Specialising 
  and catering to Autumnland visitors.
  28: Takket trainers huts and pens: Stroh-
  Branoch does not have hot springs, which 
  anyone raising Takkets usually require, luckily 
  matten grasses are so plentiful they are easily 
  imported into the city. The trainers also supply 
  the Takket fuel to any who need it.
  29: Unsavoury encampment: The cast-off 
  and Ne’er do wells of Stroh-Branoch. A citizen can 
  be of no note at all, a citizen of good standing, a 
  citizen of poor standing, or a cast off.  These cast-
  off may not receive the free food from the Targ, 
  may not join the others at the public heaters and 
  may not make their dwellings in the city. They 
  may also make no mining claims nor stay at any 
  wayhouses. They are branded on their forehead 
  with the mark of the sheriff who cast them out, as 
  well as the mark of the sheriffs jurisdiction.
  Encampment has no sheriffs, no food, and 
  no heaters.
  They may do business in the town if they 
  wish but they will not be treated well, will be 
  overcharged for any goods, and will be turned 
  out of most taverns and gambling halls.
  The unsavoury encampment can be very 
  freeing though. No laws and no rules, no sheriffs 
  and no Targ rulings, they are free to do as they 
  please.
  30: Summerlands Peoples Senate (Council 
  Hall): Ambassadors and diplomats from the 
  Summerlands stay here. Closed to the public the 
  people of the Summerlands do not mingle with 
  the Winterlanders. 
  31: Summerlands Sages: closed to the public, 
  they will sometimes have brief contact with the 
  Winterlands Sages, usually offering trades of 
  information or artefacts only.
  32: Apothecary: The works of the Apothecary 
  are mainly medicinal, though they can create 
  other liquids, such as acids or polishes. 
  33: Imperial Hospital: Available only to 
  Imperials.
  34: Public Hospital: Run primarily by the 
  priests of the Wolf Brother, the winterlands sages, 
  and the apothecaries.
  35: Tindyl’s Wayhouse: The highest quality 
  Inn and Gambling house in Stroh-Branoch. 
  Frequented by the rich and powerful, entrance 
  is allowed only to those of great influence and 
  wealth.
  36: Merchants Plaza: A huge outdoor bazaar, 
  housed beneath a massive and sprawling tent 
  made of cloth, fur and wood. The rule of the Targ 
  demands that all business transactions made 
  with the empire and outsiders must take place 
  outdoors, in the open, in full view of all. The actual 
  transactions that take place here are mostly 
  ceremonial as the goods and monies are often 
  stored elsewhere with the actual bartering taking 
  place beforehand. Nevertheless a ceremonial 
  bartering will still take place in public with the 
  Winterlander of course appearing to harshly 
  fleece the outlander with many protestations 
  from the poor merchant that his children will 
  starve and that the Winterlanders drive a cruel 
  and selfish bargain. The contract is then officially 
  signed and the merchants leave to oversee the 
  transfer of goods.
  37: The abandoned, and rumoured to be 
  haunted, ruins of the Limrust family Homes: 
  Rumours of the Empire destroying the Limrust 
  refinery live strong to this day, though the Targ 
  declared the event officially an accident. 
  None wish to try the Empires patience by 
  exploring these ruins and opening an old and 
  still painful wound.
  38: Limrust family tombs: The Limrust family 
  did not attend the Wolf Brother temple, they 
  instead worshipped the Stone Brother, the god of 
  their ancestors who first came to Stroh-Branoch. 
  Stone Brother is worshipped more commonly 
  upon the steppes of the Winterlands and does 
  not have a central church as the Wolf Brother 
  does. The family were all buried according to the 
  Stone Brother way in family Tombs. Wolf Brother 
  followers cremate their dead and place their 
  ashes with the rest of the community in the great 
  mausoleum of the Wolf Brother.
  39: Winterlands Mercenaries: Fighters for 
  hire. Hired by caravans, miners, or anyone else 
  that has need of a sword. Their honour is based 
  on loyalty to their contract. They will not accept 
  all contracts but once they do they must see it 
  through to the end whether they agree with their 
  employer or not. In Winterland law a mercenary 
  is not responsible for any actions he takes under 
  direct orders from his employer.
  All contracts are documented and tracked at 
  the Mercenaries hall and every one has a goal or 
  time limit.
  Once the contract is up the Mercenary 
  is free to take another contract but may never 
  take one which contradicts a previous contract. 
  For instance; once a mercenary takes a contract 
  to protect a certain mine for 6 months he may 
  not take a contract later to attack that mine. To 
  break this contract or to go against a previous 
  employer will lead to the mercenary becoming an 
  outcast and lose all standing in the winterlands. 
  A mercenary may choose to do a personal 
  job for no fee but will still be expected to lodge 
  this at the hall as an “official” contract for no fee.
  40: Winterlands Chapter of the Masters 
  of Coin: Another group of mercenaries but far 
  farther reaching. Chapter houses of the Coin 
  Brotherhood stretch across the Empire with the 
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Father house located in the Empires Capital city. 
  A secretive group they deal also in Information, 
  and can be contacted to obtain specific pieces 
  of information, or certain hard to find objects. 
  Though their reach is far they do take time 
  to contact their other houses. They do travel 
  quickly however as they are one of the few 
  groups allowed to travel with the black caravan 
  in exchange for protection.
  They are an exclusive group however and 
  few winterlanders belong to the organization.
  41: Current meeting place of the Hand: In 
  a area where  the official law is so vague, and 
  where the unspoken rules mean death if they 
  are broken, any “Criminal” must be careful. A 
  con man would be immediately stabbed in the 
  belly if found out, anyone attempting to break 
  into an average winterlanders home is asking 
  for a sword or mining pick in the skull. In a land 
  where you swing either a sword or a mining pick 
  to earn your living, the weaker must find other 
  ways to make their fortune. The sages are not an 
  option for those not able to read and write and 
  pay for the privilege as well. So often the weaker 
  must make do with being a toiling craftsmen or 
  Merchant. But in a land where most make their 
  own tools, houses, and furniture neither the 
  craftsmen nor the merchant have much business 
  to rely on.
  So some turn to less honest means, 
  smuggling and crooked gambling are the most 
  common sources of income. Theft and murder 
  are also a common source of income for the 
  criminal. These people are called upon to acquire 
  something, or kill someone for those who cannot 
  risk being caught. Those of high standing who 
  need to remain that way. The onus of the crime 
  lies on the thief not the one who hired them. A 
  captured thief will be either killed or outcast and 
  the “law” cares little who paid for the crime. The 
  Sheriff or Targ will ignore any such information 
  from a thief, as false accusations of these kinds 
  can lead to a war of retribution none want.
  The Law of the Winterland is that all must 
  protect their own and a victim of these crimes is 
  considered foolish or weak for allowing this to 
  happen to them.
  Of course all of this requires a complicated 
  chain of contacts and go-to people to operate 
  and this structure is organized through meetings 
  of like minded individuals.
  The Hand controls all of these things and 
  receives a cut of each transaction. Infighting is 
  common however and any leader of the hand 
  is temporary. This is all considered normal to 
  members of the Hand and promotion is not 
  necessarily through assassination, a Hand 
  leader that leads the group to profits, and is 
  able to mislead the Targ and Sheriffs about their 
  activities will continue to lead.
  42: Targ Houses: Houses of the Targ council 
  members.
  43: Ancients House: These are scattered 
  throughout the Winterlands, especially in 
  older settlements. They resemble an ancient 
  Winterlands structure or hall but are made of 
  a single piece of solid stone. With doors and 
  windows and all other normal features also all 
  carved out of solid stone. There are no cracks or 
  openings to the inside . They seem to be solid 
  monuments carved in the shape of a temple or 
  home but with no openings.
  Legend says these are the houses of the 
  “Ancients” the peoples who lived in this land 
  before the cataclysm that destroyed the seasons.
  They serve no purpose and are mostly 
  ignored by the people living around them. Some 
  even build homes against them or on top of them 
  as they would any other stony outcrop.
  44: Another Ancients House
  45: Puking Rock: An amusing rock outcrop 
  from which spews a hot spring.
  46: Ancients Grove: A strange grove of trees 
  alien to the rest of the Winterlands. None travel 
  to this place, supposedly haunted and definitely 
  dangerous, it is roamed by particularly fierce 
  animals.
  47: Wild Takket lair: This hollow is filled by 
  a group of wild takkets, small wiry and vicious 
  compared to the domestic takket. Some will hunt 
  the odd takket here, or capture a few to introduce 
  a specific trait to the domestic takket stock.
  They are mostly left alone as their wild 
  nature makes them far more dangerous than 
  useful. Childhood tales speak of a giant multi- 
  horned takket that roams through this herd at 
  night. The stories say if any come too close to the 
  Herd while the great takket roams they will be 
  impaled on his great horns and flown to the top 
  of the great Fang peaks and dropped upon them.
  48: Imperial Checkpoint: None enter 
  the great Imperial fortress, housing stables 
  warehouses and refineries as well as the local 
  Imperial Overseer.
  49: Local Merchants
  50: Gambling halls which may or may not 
  be crooked.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  stroH-branocH
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Player Name:
  Hero Name:
  Role:
  Rank:
  Demonlord:
  Realm:
  Homeland:
  Demense:
  Strengths & Weaknesses 
  Veteran Skills
   
  Attack
  Body
   
  Poison
  Mind
   
  Defense
  Quickness 
   
  Dodge
   
  Endurance
  Vitality
   
  Suffocation
   
  Followers
  Camaraderie
   
  Morale
   
  Sorcery
  Other World
   
  Sorcery
  Defense
  Armour Worn
  Quickness Bonus
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  Attack
  Body Bonus
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  Endurance
  Starting
  Vitality Bonus
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  Damage
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  Current Fighting Power
  Defense
  Attack
  Endurance
  Damage
  Special Abilities:
  Demense Features:
  Treasure
  Iron:
  Gold:
  Silver:
  Special:
  Gems:
  Sequins:
  Equipment
  Favours
  Rank Bonus
  Defense:
  Attack:
  Endurance:
  Damage:
  Veteran Points:
  Move
  8
  Shield?
  +2
  Hero record sHeet
  Head
  Body
  Arms
  Legs
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Where to start
  The Hero Record sheet on the previous 
  page is what you will use to track your heroes 
  strengths, weakness, history and glory.
  You will want to make a lot of photocopies 
  of this sheet as you’ll be using a lot of them in 
  your games of Lair.
  We’ll skip over the information at the top for 
  now and get right to the heart of the sheet, the 
  part titled “Strengths and Weaknesses”
  There are 6 main attributes that define your 
  Hero. His “Body”, “Mind”, “Quickness”, “Vitality”,, 
  “Camaraderie”, and “Other World”.
  Body: Defines how big and strong your hero 
  is.  His pure physical power.
  Mind: Defines his intellectual faculties, such 
  as learning, planning, solving riddles, reading and 
  writing.
  Quickness: The speed of the hero, whether 
  when running, swinging a sword, dodging a blow, 
  or reacting to something surprising.
  Vitality: The Heroes vital fortitude, the ability 
  to endure long marches, to suffer and heal from 
  injuries, to overcome adversity, to soldier on 
  when all seems lost.
  Camaraderie: The heroes ability to lead and 
  get along with others, whether leading a charge 
  of warriors, haggling with a merchant or being 
  able to tell if someone is not being truthful.
  Other World: The stuff of sorcery, whether 
  trying to enslave a demon, resist a witches spell 
  or to know which shoulder to throw salt over 
  to ward off bad luck, the other world  attribute 
  encompasses all this. 
  Don’t worry about the specific details of how 
  all this works yet, simply use this as a guideline 
  for now.
  An average denizen of Kartharka would 
  have a 0 in each of these Attributes meaning 
  that they are average, neither above or below the 
  normal.
  But you will be living the life of a Hero! 
  Heroes stride the earth taking what they wish, 
  or stand like a wall against the evil that would 
  Create your hero
  (you need someone to do your dirty work)
  imperil their land. They are a cut above,, 
  something special, and so they are given a little 
  something special when you create your Hero.
  You Have 5 “points” to distribute amongst 
  the Attributes you would like to excel in. These 
  are your Heroes “strengths”
  If you wish to be a muscle bound brute 
  towering above all those you survey then you 
  could put all 5 points into “Body”. You do this by 
  writing “+5” in the box to the Right of “Body” (see 
  the example character sheet to see more)
  Or you could choose to have one attribute 
  be +3 and another be +2, or put +1 into 5 different 
  Attributes.
  It is up to you make your Hero your own.
  But Heroes have another thing in common, 
  they always have a weakness. You must now 
  assign weaknesses to those attributes which you 
  have not added any bonus to.
  You have 5 points of “Weakness” to distribute 
  amongst any attributes you have not added a 
  point to.
  For example you could choose to put all 5 
  of your weakness points into “Other World”, to 
  do so write -5 in the box to the right of Other 
  World. Just as with your strengths you may 
  distribute these 5 points however you wish, with 
  -3 to one attribute and -2 to another, or even -1 
  to 5 different attributes. The important thing is 
  that you cannot assign these weaknesses to any 
  attribute you have already added a bonus to.
  Your character is now starting to take shape, 
  he could be a huge lumbering brute of great 
  power but very slow moving, or a little stronger 
  and faster, but a little fearful of sorcery, and have 
  difficulty getting along with others.
  Make your Hero your own and worry not 
  about their weaknesses, revel in them, or enjoy 
  watching them overcome them as they grow and 
  learn.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Player Name:
  Hero Name:
  Role:
  Rank:
  Demonlord:
  Realm:
  Homeland:
  Demense:
  Strengths & Weaknesses 
  Veteran Skills
   
  Attack
  Body
   
  Poison
  Mind
   
  Defense
  Quickness 
   
  Dodge
   
  Endurance
  Vitality
   
  Suffocation
   
  Followers
  Camaraderie
   
  Morale
   
  Sorcery
  Other World
   
  Sorcery
  Defense
  Armour Worn
  Quickness Bonus
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  Attack
  Body Bonus
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  Endurance
  Starting
  Vitality Bonus
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  Damage
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  Current Fighting Power
  Defense
  Attack
  Endurance
  Damage
  Special Abilities:
  Demense Features:
  Treasure
  Iron:
  Gold:
  Silver:
  Special:
  Gems:
  Sequins:
  Equipment
  Favours
  Rank Bonus
  Defense:
  Attack:
  Endurance:
  Damage:
  Veteran Points:
  Move
  8
  Shield?
  +2
  example Hero record sHeet
  +2
  +2
  +1
  -2
  -2
  -1
  Heavy Takket Fur cloak with hood, worn
  Takket fur clothes, worn
  Takket fur mittens, worn
  Sturdy Takket fur foot covers, worn
  Sword, sheathe on belt
  5 spears, quiver on belt
  Weeks supply of Matten Fuel, drag sled
  Weeks supply of Matten rounds, drag sled
  Flint and striker, bag
  50 feet of rope, worn
  50 feet of rope, drag sled
  2 torches, bag
  2 spikes, bag
  Hammer, bag
  Head
  Body
  Arms
  Legs
  leather, chain
  plate
  ✓
  +1
  +2
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +1
  +9
  0
  Karnak Stonethrower
  Hunter
  0
  The Winterlands
  Karthok village
  None
  3
  2
  9
  0
  4
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  equIpment In tHe world oF kartHarka: desIgners notes
  The spirit of Kartharka is not one of endless 
  tables of miscellaneous equipment broken down 
  by price, weight, availability and cost. Your Hero 
  is a full grown man (or woman) who has been 
  making their own way through life for at least 
  a year. They are often travellers and so carry a 
  minimum of equipment. They also will have to 
  hand all the things necessary for survival, and 
  in the Winterlands survival means being well 
  prepared.
  All Heros will have a certain amount of 
  equipment to start. See the next page for a list 
  of what that is.
  As Heros grow in fame and fortune they 
  will want to improve their weaponry, armour 
  and standard of living. These things will all be 
  detailed in the next issue of Lair in the “Veteran” 
  issue.
  Carrying Limits: Notes
  Now lets discuss the Carrying limit of your 
  Hero. And lets be honest about why it exists. 
  In every game there comes a point when two 
  things will happen:  
  1:  The Heros will want to bring every 
  conceivable piece of equipment with them to 
  cover every possible encounter, hundreds of feet 
  of rope, dozens of varying weapons, poles, cages, 
  traps, iron bars, enough food to last them months 
  on the road, digging tools, mining tools, climbing 
  tools etc. etc. 
  2: The heroes will want to bring back from 
  their adventure every single thing which wasn’t 
  nailed down to sell; furniture, rugs, rare silks, 
  urns full of incense, whole stone statues, etc. etc.
  Game masters and designers usually react 
  to these two things with endless rules to limit 
  how much the heroes can carry, things like 
  encumbrance 
  tables, 
  movement 
  modifiers, 
  combat modifiers, and more endless tables of 
  the size, shape and weight of every conceivable 
  item, as well as how much can fit in every bag, 
  box, chest, or backpack.
  The Heroes then respond with hiring 
  porters, pack animals, carts and wagons, creating 
  magical carrying devices and spells, creating 
  teleporting potions and scrolls etc. etc.
  To which the Game master again responds 
  with more lists of tables of prices for porter 
  and pack animals, morale systems for these 
  poor tagalongs to see if they run off with your 
  equipment, sorcerous ways to stymie their 
  magical carrying equipment, and on and on.
  And round and round it goes, creating 
  more rules and spending more game time on 
  this minutia of travel and portage and record 
  keeping on both sides of all the details. Having 
  to calculate the wages of your followers every 
  time you sit down to play is not Kartharka, it’s 
  accounting. 
  See the next page for the Kartharka rules on 
  carrying limits.
  Armour and Weapons: Notes
  The Kartharka concept of combat is very 
  simple. Stab a man in the neck with a sword 
  and he will die. If you stab him in the neck 
  with a dagger he will die too. Or stab him with 
  a sharpened stick, a Glaive-Guisarmse-Voulge, 
  a scimitar, manriki-gusari or even a well placed 
  dart.
  All weapons can kill, what matters is how 
  good is the person holding it. Kartharka is not 
  about calculating the best possible weapon for 
  any given combat depending on terrain, the 
  opponent, his armour, your armour, whether the 
  moon is full, or if the opponent is defending 
  with a certain weapon. This is not Kartharka. 
  Kartharka is when Conan ran on to a battlefield 
  naked, swinging the chain he was shackled with 
  earlier and crushing the skulls of every opponent 
  he came across. So all weapons cause the same 
  damage once they get through an opponents 
  defence.
  Death.
  Armour: Notes
   Many games go on endlessly about armour 
  choices. Endlessly breaking down light, medium, 
  heavy armour, chain, scale, leather, studded, ring, 
  plate, full plate, field plate, helm, full helm, and on 
  and on. Each has it’s own benefits and detractions 
  in these games, some have better defence but 
  limit your speed, or combat ability, or the amount 
  of other equipment you can carry, getting a better 
  defence score always comes at a cost, and why 
  is that?  Honestly I really don’t know. I believe it 
  stems from a mind-set that came about along 
  with the “every weapon is unique in it’s own 
  special way” thinking, and so armour must as 
  well. They look at all the different types of armour 
  used in our world across the ages and think there 
  must be a reason why there are so many different 
  types around the world.  I mean if full field plate 
  was the absolute best armour why didn’t every 
  single warrior since the history of time use it?
  Of course the real answer is based on much 
  more than “which is the best armour”. It is really 
  a case of money, time, culture, technology, and 
  materials. This is what actually controlled armour 
  production and not “what is the best armour”, or 
  “tactical modifiers” or “ease of movement”. No 
  soldier fighting for someone else’s cause would 
  ever trade off defence for “ease of movement”. 
  Do you really thing peasants fighting for their 
  medieval lords chose not to wear plate armour so 
  that they would be better able to manoeuvre on 
  the field?  No! They just could not afford it.
  I could go on even more but what this boils 
  down to is the Kartharka tenet of armour: 
  More armour is better, get more armour!
  The armour list included in this issue lists 
  the most common armour available to Heros of 
  modest means. The veteran issue will contain 
  more obscure and better armour.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Starting Equipment
  You Hero starts with the necessities of Life 
  in the Winterlands. Write the items below in the 
  equipment box on the Hero Record sheet. See the 
  example hero sheet for how things are written.
  •Heavy Takket Fur cloak with hood
  •Takket fur or Takket leather clothes (any cut or 
  style the hero prefers; long and flowing, tight to 
  the body, well made or travel stained. 
  •Takket fur mittens
  •Sturdy Takket fur foot covers.
  •Two weapons from the equipment list, weapons 
  come with sheathes, if a throwing weapon is 
  chosen the hero is equipped with a bandolier of 
  5 of the weapons.
  •4 pieces of armour, of any type, for any part of 
  the body. A shield counts as 1 piece. The armour 
  rules are listed in the next column along with 
  how to record armour.
  •Weeks supply of Matten Fuel for fires
  •Weeks supply of Matten Flour rounds
  •Flint and striker
  •2 large items from the Equipment list (may 
  choose the same thing twice)
  •5 small items from the Equipment list (may 
  choose the same thing multiple times)
  •Large Leather Carry Sack (shoulder bag, may 
  hold up to 20 small items)
  •Drag sled (May carry up to 5 large items as well 
  as 40 small items)
  On the character sheet write where the items are 
  stored, only one coil of rope can be “worn”.
  Carrying Limits
  Lets be honest, what this really means is 
  “How much loot can I drag back to town?” In the 
  world of Kartharka there are three kinds of loot:
  1: Enough treasure for my Hero to pay for a 
  room and food, buy a new weapon, and blow the 
  rest at the tavern, gambling and drinking.
  2: I can buy anything on the equipment list 
  and travel to the next town for even bigger and 
  better things.
  3: Enough loot to retire to a life of luxury in 
  the summerlands.
  Anything else is just more bookkeeping. In 
  a world where Iron is more valuable than gold 
  (and lighter) an steel sword is more valuable 
  as a weapon than as treasure.  Steel weapons 
  and armour are so expensive that most people 
  would rarely see them much less own them. 
  If you stumbled upon this as loot you would 
  likely throw your bronze sword to the ground 
  and leave it behind once you found a steel one, 
  hardly bothering to bring the bronze one back to 
  town to sell it.
  And gold coins, in the form of the Imperial 
  Princep, are rarely found outside of a merchants 
  coffers or a money changers vault. Gold being 
  heavy and relatively useless is used mostly by 
  merchants and money changers as a convenient 
  form of exchange. Iron pieces are far more 
  sought after and are looked at more as a trade 
  good than a form of currency, often being melted 
  down to create something more useful almost 
  immediately after it is acquired.
  equIpment In tHe world oF kartHarka: rules
  The currency of the commoner is the copper 
  piece, being of small value but still useful in a 
  society where bronze is the best metal available 
  to commoners. 
  For merchants dealing in larger amounts of 
  wealth, the Sequin is the usual form of currency. 
  Very small and light, it is a copper coin set with 
  semiprecious stones and stamped with the value 
  of the stones in Iron Pieces.
  This means that treasure encountered in 
  the wild is often either highly portable gems or 
  useful things like steel items. Let them carry as 
  much of the currency as they like. For items like 
  gold candlesticks or useful goods they can carry 
  as much as their large carry sack and drag sled 
  will allow.
  In the third issue of lair more guidelines will 
  be provided to allow the heros to carry more to 
  allow them to travel longer distances. For now 
  assume that the heroes can carry their starting 
  equipment as well as filling their carry sack and 
  drag sled.
  Armour
  The more armour you have the better.
  For beginning heros the armour available is 
  on the armour list in this issue.
  You will see in the starting equipment that 
  you can choose 4 pieces of armour, but what 
  constitutes a piece of armour?
  Armour is broken down into 4 places on a 
  hero, head, body, legs and arms. On each of the 
  places the hero can wear a number of armour 
  items. Indeed in the real world a soldiers armour 
  was made up of many varying layers of different 
  materials.
  A hero may wear one of each of the 
  following layers on each part of the body, cloth, 
  leather, rings, and plate.
  Cloth: A thick woollen garment, a fine silk, or 
  quilted padding.
  Leather: Thick sturdy and resistant to 
  damage. This refers to a flexible leather layer like 
  a jacket, pants or hood.
  Rings: A metal layer of rings, whether it be 
  completely of metal like chain mail, a flexible 
  layer of small interlocked plates like scale mail, 
  or rings sewn to a leather backing like ring mail. 
  This is a semi flexible at least partially metal layer.
  Plate: Solid armour of little flexibility. 
  Whether it be made of one solid piece like a 
  breastplate, or a semi flexible layer like banded 
  armour it is a solid defence against blows.
  Three pieces of armour adds 1 point to your 
  defence. (Round up). 
  Look at the example hero record 
  sheet to see how this armour should be 
  written
  A piece of armour for the legs or arms is 
  considered to be a pair, so one piece of arm 
  armour refers to a pair which is worn.
  But what about the shield?
  The shield is not considered armour, (except 
  for when choosing starting equipment). It has it’s 
  own rules, and modifies the heros attack score 
  instead of defence. (Explained in the combat 
  rules more fully)
   
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Tracking and Spending Money
  Let’s get one thing straight about the world 
  of Kartharka; money is used by rich people. It 
  is used to make trading large amounts of goods 
  between cities and countries easier.  Regular 
  people use copper coins not because it is the 
  smallest unit of currency but because it is a 
  cheap and useful trade good, and using it in coin 
  form means you don’t have to weigh the copper 
  every time you want to make a purchase.
  Are you peasant? Scraping a meagre 
  existence from the land for a few coppers and 
  then using them to buy the nights food? Or are 
  you a hero? Striding the land like a maelstrom, 
  making blood fall like rain on the battlefield, and 
  gold fall like rain in the taverns!
  You’ll notice that coppers aren’t even listed 
  on the character sheet as a hero would not even 
  bother picking it up.
  While we don’t bother tracking those 
  coppers we assume you always have a few in 
  a purse somewhere about your person. A hero 
  can always be assumed to have enough money 
  to survive.  They will always have some Matten 
  flour for food and if they choose to sleep in a 
  chair in any of the wayhouses of the land none 
  would bother to stop them. (Or dare to for that 
  matter).
  Money is for buying a round of drinks at the 
  inn. For buying weeks worth of food for a long 
  journey. For buying rope, armour and weapons. 
  In the frozen wastes of the winterlands few 
  things are easy to make and so all equipment 
  is expensive but with the harshness of the 
  countryside also comes the willingness of the 
  people to share a fire with a fellow traveller and 
  make sure that their fellow townspeople have 
  enough to at least live for another day.
  So when your character enters a bar, don’t 
  ask how much a mug of ale costs, throw a 
  handful of gold on the bar and tell the barman to 
  pour until the money is gone.
  Remember Kartharka isn’t about counting 
  coins, it’s about living like a hero!
  When you find money (or earn it) while 
  adventuring track it in the treasure section.
  money
  Rough
  Gems
  Cut
  Gems
  Copper
  Slips
  Iron
  Bloom
  Silver
  Clank
  Sequin
  Iron
  Longshank
  Imperial 
  Gold
  Princep
  money and treasure In tHe world oF kartHarka 
  10 copper coins equals 1 silver coin
  10 silver coins equals 1 gold coin
  10 gold coins equals 1 iron coin
  10 iron coins equals 1 platinum coin
  There is a place to mark in silver gold and 
  iron coins. Sequins are tracked by total value in 
  iron coins.
  Platinum is tracked in the “Special” section.
  Large gold candlesticks and such would 
  be tracked in the “special” section or under 
  equipment.
  Spending Money
  In the winterlands people fend for 
  themselves(similar to the pioneers in our 
  history). They make their own tools, furniture, 
  houses, clothes, grow their own food, keep their 
  own animals.  People do not buy things.
  Heroes buy things, they travel too much to 
  carry all the tools to make things and don’t have 
  the time to do so even if they did.
  But in a large town like Stroh-Branoch 
  people come from all across the world to make 
  their fortunes.  Being travellers themselves they 
  also have few tools and being miners also little 
  time to build.
  So there are tradespeople in Stroh-Branoch 
  that sell their goods.
  Prices vary greatly, and when a tradesman 
  sees a hero stride in they are definitely going to 
  charge them more. Their prices will be measured 
  in gold, and as much of it as they can get. Return 
  business from a hero is not to be depended on as 
  they often disappear soon after leaving a town.
  Everything on the equipment lists will cost 
  at least a gold coin. If the Heros camaraderies 
  is a negative this will be added to the price (A 
  camaraderie of -1 will meant a minimum of 2 
  gold  coins per item) or if any of the heros close 
  friends has a negative camaraderie.
  If a hero is rude, or in a hurry, or seems rich, 
  the price will also double or triple.
  And they can take the price or leave it.
  Starting money
  Except for the purse of a few coppers 
  mentioned earlier the Hero starts with no money. 
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  weapon lIst
  All weapons are assumed to be made of 
  bronze. Rules for steel weapons will be included 
  in the Veteran issue.
  Axe: Makes a good weapon, and can also 
  be used to chop wood, or slaughter an animal 
  or quarter an animal after hunting. With a 2 foot 
  handle and a solid head with a flat side and a 
  chopping side.  The flat side can be used in 
  combat or to hammer in a stake or nail. The flat 
  side may be replaced with a heavy spice, or the 
  Hero may choose to use the crescent shaped 
  Kartharkan War Axe
  Sword: A sturdy 2 foot bronze blade, good 
  for slashing and stabbing.  A Winterlands blade 
  has a small pommel, large enough to prevent the 
  hand from sliding up the blade but not useful for  
  stopping an enemies blade. They are relatively 
  light however compared to the large pommelled 
  imperial swords.
  Knife or dagger: Winterland knives or 
  daggers have no crosspieces. A knife is easily 
  hidden, can be thrown as a weapon, and is also 
  useful for cutting meat, rope, leather or cloth. 
  The dagger can also be thrown. The dagger is 
  primarily a stabbing weapon and though not 
  as useful for cutting materials is quite good at 
  punching holes in things.
  The 
  Kartharkan 
  Mace: A brutal 
  weapon. It has few uses other than killing. A 
  two foot wooden shaft with a bronze head on 
  each end covered in short spikes and sometimes 
  blades. Made only for killing men it is good at 
  it. While many carry swords for defence in the 
  Winterlands, if someone carries the Kartharkan 
  mace they are advertising the fact that they kill 
  men for profit. In a land where many mercenaries 
  are hired, to protect or attack, this is not seen as 
  necessarily a bad thing but people think twice 
  before menacing someone wielding this weapon.
  The spear: A Kartharkan spear is a useful 
  weapon. It may be used in hand to hand combat 
  to stab or slash or it may be thrown at an enemy 
  or animal as well.  Indeed Most hunters prefer 
  the spear when hunting in the wilds of Kartharka. 
  The wild animals of the winterlands often lie in 
  wait and a bow is of little use when the bearer is 
  pounced upon by a savage mountain cat.
  The Winterlander Composite Bow: 
  Made from stiff hardwoods, takket horn and 
  leather. The Kartharkan Composite bow is a 
  deadly weapon.
  You will notice there is no listing for arrows 
  on the equipment chart. It is assumed that the 
  Hero has “enough” arrows. They don’t break as 
  often as people think and a normal quiver can 
  quite easily accommodate 50 Arrows. Anyone 
  who has carried a quiver of 50 wooden arrows 
  can attest to how light it actually is and how little 
  space the arrows take up.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The world
  of Kartharka
  Winterlands
  Autumnlands
  summerlands
  iron throne
  hunzar
   jungles
  the axehead
  hein=goblin
  feistmere
  heindel
  the lost
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  stroH-branocH
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  the
  Winterlands
  valley of
  fangs
  the notch
  brytax
  High pass
  garmach
  High pass
   
  zolar
  furstwatch
  valley of
  fangs
  to
   winterlands
  to valley of 
  death
  wulf way
  throm
  stroh-branoch
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  armour lIst
  This is a list of Winterlander armour and any metals used 
  are considered to be either copper or bronze. Rules for steel 
  armour will be in the Veteran Issue.
  Head
  Cloth: A quilted takket fur covering is tied to the top of 
  the head.
  Leather: A leather hood covers the full head and neck
  Rings: fine copper rings are woven into chain mail 
  covering the whole head and neck
  Plate: the Kartharkan crown of Bronze, a band surrounds 
  the head, and sometime face, protecting if from solid strikes, 
  it is also often surmounted by flanges to ward off blows from 
  above.
  arms
  Cloth: heavy furs or a quilted square of heavy cloth is 
  tied around the arms.
  Leather: A thin flexible leather sleeve is worn tied to 
  each other about a ring on the chest and back.
  Rings: May either be a fine copper chain mail or bronze 
  rings sewn to a thick leather backing.
  Plate: The basic Kartharkan plate is often made of a 
  hardwood with a thinly hammered sheet of copper covering it. 
  May also be made of a similar style out of bronze. Kartharkan 
  plate normal consists of long strips of wood or bronze held 
  together with a bronze band.  They are often also varnished 
  and lacquered for strength and durability. A well made copper 
  and wood kartharkan banded mail is often as good as it’s 
  counterpart made completely of cast bronze.
  Legs
  The armour of the legs is made in exactly the same way 
  as the arms.
  Body
  Cloth: Multiple layers of quilting or fur are compressed 
  and then stitched tightly together making a very stiff garment 
  shaped like a vest. Pulled over the head and tied on the side.
  Rings: If the hero plans to wear plate then the ring layer 
  will usually be made of a large woven chain mail made of 
  bronze rings. The rings are much larger than the mail of the 
  arms legs or head. If they will not be wearing plate they will 
  usually wear an armour of square bronze scales, held together 
  with copper rings in a tight interlocking pattern. These scales 
  may also be made of a hard wood with a copper sheathing 
  and lacquered. Any of these choices can be worn with the 
  Kartharkan plate.
  Plate: The Kartharkan body plate will either be made of 
  bands of wood and bronze held together like the kartharkan 
  arm or leg plate. 
  It can also take the form of the large wooden chest plate.
  Made of a solid piece of hardwood, sheathed in copper 
  or bronze and lacquered fur and cloth it is a solid defence.
  Extremely large rounded and roomy it has large opening 
  for the head and arms. It absorbs a huge amount of impact 
  without hurting the wearer as a network of straps and a 
  roomy interior keeps it off the body with the weight resting 
  primarily on the hips and shoulders.
  Indeed one feels invincible when wearing these as blows 
  bounce off easily with little impact on the wearer. 
  However the large arm and neck openings give ample 
  target to an experienced warrior. These are greatly favoured 
  by hunters as they are quite useful in protecting against the 
  disembowelling claws of the large mountain predators.
  sHieLd
   The Kartharkan shield is a solid arm shield 2 feet wide 
  and 3 feet tall. Made of wood and sheathed with copper or 
  lacquered cloth.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Large 
  items
  • 
  6 foot pole
  • 
  Shovel
  • 
  Pick
  • 
  Snow axe
  • 
  Snow shoes
  • 
  50 foot rope
  smaLL
  items 
  • 
  Leather straps
  • 
  Flask
  • 
  Wineskin
  • 
  Tarp
  • 
  Dice
  • 
  Candle
  • 
  Torch
  • 
  10 foot rope
  • 
  Parchment
  • 
  Writing sticks
  • 
  Chalk
  • 
  Spikes
  • 
  Hammer
  The List is se per a ted into large and small items. 
  The Heros may also buy any items appearing on the 
  starting list of equipment.
  Just because something is not on the list does not 
  mean the heros cannot buy it. If the Demonlord feels 
  that the item would be available where the heros are 
  then they may buy it.
  Please feel free to send in any suggestions you 
  have for additions to the equipment list.
  equIpment 
  lIst
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Now it’s time to fill in the combat details on the 
  character record sheet.
  FIll In tHe combat boxes
  (wItH a pencIl)
  These examples are from the example hero 
  record sheet. We gave our example Hero a Quickness 
  of +2 so we add that number to the Defence in the 
  Quickness Bonus area.
  Attack
  Body Bonus
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  +2
  +2
  Endurance
  Starting
  Vitality Bonus
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  8
  +1
  +1
  Damage
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  0
  Defense
  Armour Worn
  Quickness Bonus
  Rank Bonus
  Veteran Skills Bonus
  Total
  Head
  Body
  Arms
  Legs
  +1
  +2
  +3
  leather, chain
  plate
  defence:
  The Defence section is where you total 
  all the things which protect you from being 
  injured in combat, your ability to dodge a 
  lethal blow, protective armour and learned 
  skills in combat..
  In the armour worn section list all the 
  pieces of armour worn by the Hero.
  For every 3 pieces of armour you are 
  wearing you get +1 to defence (round up). If 
  you have a bonus for quickness write it in on 
  the quickness bonus line.
  The Rank bonus and Veteran skills 
  bonus are for Veteran characters and will be 
  explained more in the next issue “Veteran Heroes”.
  Tally up all the boxes in the defence section and you will have your total defence.
  endurance:
  A heroes endurance refers to their ability 
  to last in combat before being overcome by 
  their enemy.  It is a combination of physical 
  endurance such as the ability to run, swing 
  a weapon, and block others attacks  without 
  becoming too tired to continue fighting.
  It is also the Heros ability to withstand 
  knocks and bruises, small stabs and slashes 
  and other physical injuries which can incapacitate a fighter without necessarily killing them. Taking a blow 
  to a shield, while still less painful than having your ribs crushed, still hurts. The Heroes ability to ignore and 
  withstand these minor injuries is key to continuing a drawn out fight.
  The starting endurance for all Heroes is 8. A normal man has 4 endurance for comparison.
  This is because Heros also have a great deal of luck on their side, a blow which should have hit misses 
  by an inch and the Hero is safe.
  If the Hero has a vitality bonus write it in the applicable box.
  Rank and veteran bonuses are ignored for now.
  Tally up the total and write it in the total box.
  damage:
  The world of Kartharka is brutal and 
  hard. A single blow from your enemy can 
  easily kill you.  Medicine is crude and any 
  serious injury will soon lead to death even 
  if you are not killed immediately on the 
  battlefield.
  You will want to depend on your ability 
  with your weapon to keep an enemy from 
  getting a blow in, and wear plenty of armour to keep those blows from causing damage when they land.
  Note that the only bonuses to damage are for Rank and veteran skills. The damage caused by your 
  weapon is more than enough to kill most men and animals without adding more bonuses.
  attack:
  The attack section is your heroes 
  fighting ability. It is how hard they can swing 
  a weapon to batter down enemy defences, 
  their skill with a weapon to both attack and 
  parry or block an opponents attack with their 
  weapon.
  If the hero has a body bonus write it in 
  the appropriate section.
  Rank and Veteran bonus is ignored for now.
  Copy the total in the total box.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Now let’s fill in the rest of the sheet.
  PLayer name: Put your name here
  Hero name: This is where you but your 
  Heros name.  Kartharkan names are always great 
  and are followed by a title. Alternately a family 
  name is used which usually refers to their career. 
  The Stonecutters, Hammersmashers, Cragsmen, 
  and Ironmen are all old Stroh-Branoch Mining 
  families for example.
  Your character may be Gunta Stonecutter, or 
  if he has turned to a life of adventure may be called Gunta Bloodreaver or a Caravan guard may be Gunta 
  Roadwarden.
  roLe: This is the heroes job in life, what he tells others he does. It has no effect on their abilities or 
  their combat scores but is purely for Role playing purposes.  For example Gunta Roadwarden’s Role would be 
  “Caravan Guard”. There are many things to do in the winterlands and if in doubt say you are a Miner.
  rank: This will be explained in the Veteran issue but for now you can write in the number 0.
  Your hero like abilities may have protected you in a few scuffles and some dangerous scrapes but you 
  haven’t learned the skills of an accomplished hero yet.
  demonLord: Write the name of the person 
  who is in charge of the game, he will be the guy on 
  the other side of the table saying things like “you are 
  attacked by a tiger...”, or “sadly you were robbed while 
  you slept”.
  reaLm: This is the place where your heroes are 
  now.  Likely it will be the Winterlands. Your Demonlord 
  will let you know where you will be adventuring before 
  you make your Hero.
  HomeLand: This is where your Hero is from.
  Likely it will be the Winterlands but it may not be. You can make up a name for your hometown or 
  village or use one from the maps from Issue 1.
  demense: This is where your Heros make your home. When beginning a new Hero they have no 
  home but are travellers. As they settle in they may choose to acquire a home instead of staying at the local 
  tavern or wayhouse.
  Details for the basics of a Demense will be in the Veteran issue.
  current figHting Power:
  Copy the total numbers from the left side 
  of the character sheet into these boxes. During a 
  scenario the numbers on the left hand side of the 
  sheet will not usually change. But your current 
  fighting power will constantly be going up and 
  down based on fighting and other events.
  If you are using a shield tick the check box in 
  the attack section so you will remember to add +2 
  to your attack rolls.
  move: Simply write a 4 in this box.
  sPeciaL aBiLities: You have none. This section is for Veterans only.
  demense: Features: Detailed in the Veteran issue.
  treasure: you start with no treasure, but this is where you will track any treasure you find.
  Gold silver and Iron are all tracked in number of Coins.  Gems are tracked by their total value in Iron 
  coins. Sequins are tracked by their total value in Iron coins.
  The Special section is where you can note something which is...special.
  equiPment: This is everything your hero carries when embarking on a mission. 
  FIll In tHe rest
  Player Name:
  Hero Name:
  Role:
  Rank:
  Karnak Stonethrower
  Hunter
  0
  Demonlord:
  Realm:
  Homeland:
  Demense:
  The Winterlands
  Karthok village
  None
  Current Fighting Power
  Defense
  Attack
  Endurance
  Damage
  Move
  Shield?
  +2
  ✓
  3
  2
  9
  0
  4
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  dice
  All dice in Lair of sword and sorcery are standard 
  6 sided dice.
  adventure mode
  versus comBat mode
  There are two modes of play in Lair of Sword and 
  Sorcery. One is Adventure mode. Where players 
  are free to move about the Demonboard however 
  they want, and may take any action they choose, 
  with success and failure being controlled by the 
  Demonlord.
  The other Mode of play is the combat mode. This 
  mode kicks in whenever the players are within a lair 
  and an enemy is on the board. Either they players 
  have entered a room with an enemy or the enemy 
  has walked into a room occupied by the players.
  comBat mode
  In combat mode everyone takes turns moving, 
  attacking, or taking other actions.
  In this issue we will focus primarily on the moving 
  and attacking portions of the game. 
  wHo goes first?
  When beginning Combat mode the Demonlord 
  will tell you whether or not the players will make 
  their move first or if the Demonlord will be moving 
  first. This will be determined by the scenario being 
  played and how the enemy was revealed.
  For now we will assume the players get to act first.
  Lets take turns.
  The player to the left of the Demonlord acts first. 
  They move the take all of their actions and then 
  play continues clockwise around the table, like in 
  a board game.
  moving
  Heroes may move up to 4 squares on the 
  Demonboard (their move score), usually to bring 
  them close to an enemy or to retreat from an 
  enemy.
  They may move in any direction they choose on 
  the board including diagonally. They may move 
  through squares occupied by friends but not 
  through squares occupied by enemies.
  doing sometHing
  otHer tHan attacking (sota)
  The player may choose to have their hero try to do 
  something during this time, perhaps pull a lever to 
  open a portcullis, open a door, knock over a table 
  to hide behind etc. The player is considered to have 
  5 seconds of time during their turn. So whatever 
  your hero could do in 5 seconds they can do on 
  their turn. The demonlord may decide it takes more 
  than one turn for an action in which case they may 
  have to wait until their next turn for their action to 
  have an effect.
  time to attack
  If the hero is on a square next to an enemy, whether 
  in front of them, behind them, diagonal to them or 
  to the side the Hero may attack the enemy. In lair of 
  sword and sorcery the figures are not considered 
  to have a “front” or back and are used only to mark 
  the heros place on the board. The hero is able to 
  turn in any direction at any time.
  tHe attack roLL
  To make an attack the hero rolls 2 dice and adds 
  the total to their Current Attack power on their 
  character sheet.
  The enemy then rolls 2 dice and adds the total to 
  their attack score.
  If the Heros score is higher he wins, see “Hero 
  Wins!” for effects.
  If the Heros score is lower he loses, see “Hero loses” 
  for effects.
  If the score is the same then they have a draw, see 
  “A draw” for effects.
  Hero wins!
  The hero has come out on top in the flurry of blows. 
  To see how much he has weakened his enemy the 
  hero rolls 1 die. The hero adds his Current Damage 
  score to the dice roll to get the total damage he 
  has done.
  The enemy then subtracts their Current Defence 
  from this amount of damage as their armour  has 
  absorbed some of the damage or they have dodged 
  some of it.
  If the total damage done is now 0 or less due to the 
  enemies defence than the hero still does 1 point of 
  damage to their enemy.
  sPeciaL ruLe: you aLways do at 
  Least 1 Point of damage in comBat.
  This damage taken off the enemies current 
  endurance. Erase the enemies Current endurance 
  score and write in the new total. 
  This damage is not considered to be a stab in the 
  belly, or a brutal slash to the head, it is considered to 
  be the attack and parry, the punching and kicking, 
  the light slashes and quick stabs to the legs, all of 
  the things which wear your enemy down so that 
  they cannot defend against your killing blow when 
  it comes.
  Now subtract 1 from the heroes current Endurance 
  as well.  All of this attacking is wearing down their 
  fighting ability as well.
  sPeciaL ruLe: wHen attacking you 
  wiLL aLways take at Least 1 Point 
  of damage.
  Hero Loses:
  If the hero loses the enemy gets to score damage 
  on him.  The enemy rolls 1 die and adds their 
  current attack power. You now subtract your 
  defence from this total and deduct the total from 
  your endurance. If the amount of damage is 0 or 
  less because of your defence then you still take 1 
  point of damage.
  The Enemy however, also takes 1 point of endurance 
  damage. Just like the hero the enemy always takes 
  at least 1 point of damage.
  a draw:
  Both the hero and the enemy take 1 point of 
  endurance damage, regardless of current attack or 
  combat
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  combat
  contInued...
  Once the hero has finished his attack and 
  whether it is a win lose or draw, the turn now goes 
  clockwise to the next hero or the demonlord.
  Each hero takes a full turn as described above, 
  moving, taking an action (if they choose), and then 
  combat.
  When it is the Demonlord’s turn they will 
  move all of the enemies, then the enemies will take 
  all their actions and then all of the enemies will 
  attack.
  This is to make it easier on the Demonlord 
  so that they do not have to keep track of who 
  already moved, acted, etc. It also means that they 
  cannot see how well each combat works out before 
  moving on to the next enemy. 
  When the demonlord attacks you use the 
  same rules for combat as the heros, he considers 
  his forces to be the Heroes, and the players heros 
  to be the enemies.
  As you can see from the rules above, combat 
  is brutal in Lair of Sword & Sorcery.
  When you attack, you do not know whether 
  you will be dealing out damage or taking it. Because 
  each battle is tiring, whether you win or lose, you 
  steadily take endurance damage. If the fights are 
  long and drawn out or against multiple enemies, 
  even powerful heroes will soon fall to the sword.
  wHat HaPPens wHen you get to 0 
  endurance?
  The hero or enemy is considered able to 
  defend themselves until they are down to 0 
  Endurance. Any attack on the enemy after they 
  reach 0 endurance, whether successful or not, has 
  a chance of striking a mortal blow.
  When attacking someone with 0 endurance 
  roll for attack etc like any other combat (the 0 
  endurance fighter may get a lucky strike in before 
  dying). Instead of the 0 endurance person taking 
  damage however, they roll 1 dice.
  tHe deatH roLL
  1-3 they have been struck down and are 
  unable to fight for the rest of the battle. Lay their 
  figure down flat to signify this.
  4-6 they have managed to avoid any serious 
  blows through a frantic swinging of their weapon. 
  They continue to move and fight in combat as 
  usual (still at 0 endurance).
  Once the current battle is over, when either 
  the heroes are all dead or fled, or the enemies are 
  all dead or fled, you may check on those who have 
  been dealt a mortal blow.  If they belong to the 
  Demonlord they can be considered dead, either 
  they are dead already or the heros put them to the 
  sword after.  
  If it is a hero they must now roll a dice to 
  determine their fate.
  1 or 2 the hero has died, either immediately or 
  soon after the mortal blow.
  3 or 4 the hero is severeLy injured but 
  will recover with time. Their role in the current 
  scenario is over but if the any of the heroes 
  succeed or at least are able to flee safely, they are 
  able to bring the injured hero back with them to 
  be nursed back to health.
  5 or 6 The hero has been dealt a stunning 
  blow but comes to shortly after. They still have 0 
  endurance but are able to rest and move on like 
  the other heroes.
  resting:
  At any time when there are no enemies on 
  the board the group of heroes can attempt to rest.
  Depending on the scenario they are playing 
  they may be interrupted by an enemy coming in, 
  may be ambushed by the enemy suddenly, or the 
  enemy may escape before they can apprehend 
  them.
  If the Demonlord says that they have 
  successfully rested then they may regain half of any 
  endurance they have lost(round up). No matter how 
  long they rest the amount regained will not go up. 
  The longer you sit in an enemies stronghold, doing 
  nothing, the worse the tension gets, and jangled 
  nerves do nothing for your combat prowess.
  For example a hero has a usual endurance of 
  10. In fighting they have gone down to 2 endurance.
  Resting would allow them to regain 4 of the 8 
  endurance they have lost bringing them up to 6.
  Then if they are able to somehow make 
  it through the next combat without losing any 
  endurance (hiding works), then they would regain 
  2 of the remaining 4 endurance bringing them up 
  to 8.
  If they again are able to rest after hiding 
  through another combat they would regain 1 of 
  their 2 remaining lost endurance points.
  If this coward hides through yet another 
  battle then they would indeed gain the last 
  remaining endurance point bringing them up to 
  full (technically they would get half a point but 
  rounding up brings it to one point).
  At any time during the scenario the heroes 
  can choose to flee back to their homes to lick 
  their wounds.  This will usually mean failure in the 
  scenario, leading to the success of whatever dire 
  scheme which the enemies were attempting. This 
  will often have a negative effect on the lives of the 
  heroes and those of the others living in the area. 
  Sometimes fleeing is the only way to survive to 
  fight another day.
  fLeeing
  To escape the scenario the heroes can simply 
  head toward the entrance which they came in. If 
  they are able to leave the demonboard they are 
  considered safe. If even one hero is able to leave 
  the Demonboard, any struck down or severely 
  injured heroes are considered to have escaped 
  with them. If some one else is struck down or 
  severely injured after this time then they will have 
  to wait for the next fleeing hero to take them out 
  of the Lair (if there is another hero that can flee)
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  figHting witHout weaPons:
  When fighting with any weapon in Lair of 
  Sword & Sorcery you roll one dice for damage.
  Animals and monsters consider their claws 
  or teeth to be weapons and also roll one dice for 
  damage.
  If for some reason you find your hero to be 
  without a weapon of any sort the following rules 
  apply.
  If fighting an opponent with no weapons (a fist 
  to fist fight) then attack and roll damage as normal. 
  If you opponent is wearing armour when you try 
  to punch them you do not roll a dice for damage, 
  you only cause 1 point plus your Current Damage 
  score. Often this will mean that you only cause the 
  minimum 1 point of damage. You will also take the 
  usual 1 point of endurance damage when attacking.
  If the enemy wins the combat the same rules 
  apply when they roll damage as well.
  fist versus weaPon.
  If you are using your fists and your opponent 
  has a weapon the same rules apply for damaging 
  your enemy but you no longer cause the minimum 
  1 point of damage. They are easily able to hold you 
  at bay with their weapon without tiring themselves 
  too much.
  Also when fighting an enemy with your fists 
  the minimum damage you take is 1 plus their 
  damage score.
  moving wHiLe figHting.
  Even if you have been attacked by an enemy 
  in the last turn and are still on a square next to an 
  enemy you may still move away from the enemy 
  the usual 4 squares.  There are no special breaking 
  off from combat rolls and the enemy does not get 
  a special attack just because you moved away from 
  them.  The 4 square movement score assumes that 
  your are moving deliberately and defensively at 
  all times. It also takes into account turning to face 
  enemies or turning to face an enemy and backing 
  away while defending yourself. This is also why 
  the amount of armour you wear has no effect on 
  your movement. Remember Armour is made to be 
  moved in. It is not as heavy as historians would 
  have you believe, and if you are moving slowly and 
  defensively anyway, it will not further hinder your 
  movement in any way.
  missiLe weaPons
  The Kartharkan bow is a vicious weapon 
  capable of penetrating wood and armour.
  A hero with a bow may fire it as their attack 
  during their turn. If they decide to do so place a 
  small marker next to them to show that they are 
  holding a bow instead of a weapon.
  If they are attacked before their next turn they 
  will have to fight using the barehanded rules as a 
  bow is hardly a good weapon to defend yourself 
  with.
  To fire your bow on your turn you first pick a 
  target. The target may be any number of squares 
  away. The target must be visible to your hero. The 
  Hero may fire through a square occupied by a 
  friend but not through a square occupied by an 
  enemy.
  If the target is behind an obstacle like a 
  barricade, half wall, bush, or similar cover count this 
  cover as an additional shield, as per the combat 
  rules (the enemy gets +2 to their roll).
  Roll to attack as you would with a sword or 
  other weapon adding your attack bonus (but not 
  your shield bonus) with the enemy rolling as well 
  to avoid the shot (they use their attack bonus as 
  well as their shield bonus.
  If you hit your target roll for damage as usual 
  but you do not take the usual minimum 1 damage 
  for engaging in combat. Firing a bow if far less 
  tiring then going head to head with a fighting 
  hero.
  If you miss your target then the enemy 
  also does not take the usual minimum 1 point of 
  damage as the arrow did not hit them.
  Throwing knives and axes are savage as well 
  but have a lesser range. All of the rules for bows 
  apply to throwing weapons except:
  You may only throw them up to 3 squares 
  away
  If you do so you do not have to place a 
  marker next to the hero as they have a weapon 
  still in their hand.
  success and faiLure
  Remember that all scenarios the heroes take 
  part in have a punishment for failure and a reward 
  for success. The reward may be the treasure they 
  find after defeating their enemies, or it may be 
  something more intangible like the protection 
  of their village. These intangible rewards have 
  their value as well, a village in debt to a hero for 
  their lives can be very accommodating in future 
  endeavours.
  Failure on the other hand may mean that the 
  enemies simply escape with their treasure, or it 
  may mean that they are successful in leading an 
  army to the heroes’ village to plunder and destroy 
  everyone within it, leaving only a smoking ruin 
  when the heroes return to town.
  Whether the heroes are successful in 
  defeating the scenario or fleeing with their lives, 
  a couple of days back at home will return all of 
  their combat scores to their full amount unless 
  otherwise stated.
  If they have been mortally injured and been 
  dragged back to town by the other heroes they 
  will need to rest there for two weeks before being 
  able to adventure again.
  need a photo for here
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  doIng sometHIng otHer tHan attackIng
  (sota)
  In typical fantasy video games and board games 
  you are usually limited to: attacking, moving, or in 
  really high concept games, pulling a lever or listening 
  to someone else spew out a bunch of text (usually 
  telling you to pull a lever).
  In a tabletop role playing game (yes that’s what 
  we call these things) you sit around a table, the 
  Demonlord throws the board down and you can 
  indeed, move, attack, and if the scenario calls for it, 
  pull a lever.
  But the real fun of role playing games is going 
  off script, doing something completely unexpected. 
  Something the demonlord or scenario writer didn’t 
  think of, something really cool. That’s where these 
  rules come in.
  In other games you may have books full of 
  rules, endless tables for effects and defences versus 
  every possible contingency, and endless errata and 
  corrections for those rules.
  In Kartharka we have one set of rules:
  do sometHing otHer tHan attacking.
  This is further broken down into two modes, 
  doing something while role playing and doing 
  somthing while in combat.
  doing sometHing wHiLe roLePLaying
  In the Lair of Sword & Sorcery game there are 
  two styles of play, the roleplaying mode and combat 
  mode. You are in Roleplaying mode whenever there 
  isn’t an enemy on the table. This is when you can 
  move where you want, pick up/examine things, talk to 
  people, pull on levers, open doors etc.  We don’t need 
  rules for things like that.  The demonlord can decide 
  whether or not you are successful at whatever you try.
  Simply tell the Demonlord what you would like 
  to do. Anything that would be considered “Easy” will 
  be automatically successful.
  If there is any doubt whether or not you would 
  be successful, like lifting something heavy or trying to 
  do something mechanical like fix a door, then the dice 
  will decide. The Demonlord will decide if something is 
  Difficult, or Very Difficult.
  If it is difficult then the hero rolls 2 dice. If the 
  score is 7 or higher then success! 6 or lower is failure.
  The Demonlord may allow them to add an 
  applicable bonus to the dice roll, such as the body 
  bonus for feats of strength.
  If the task is very difficult then the hero must roll 
  a 10 or higher for success.
  If other heroes are close to the hero making 
  the attempt then they may be able to add applicable 
  bonuses to the die roll if the demonlord deems them 
  able to do so, such as many heroes helping to move 
  a boulder.
  doing sometHing wHiLe in comBat
  Combat mode occurs whenever there is an 
  enemy on the board.
  Difficult and very difficult tasks are rolled for in 
  the same way as in Role play mode but easy tasks 
  are no longer automatically successful. Under the 
  pressure of combat easy tasks now require a roll of 4 
  or more to succeed.
  When fighting off an enemy simple things 
  become difficult, even opening a door and 
  running through can be difficult if someone is 
  attacking you.
  tHe sPeciaL sota ruLe.
  The point of the “other than attacking” rule 
  is that you can do something other than attack. 
  It is not meant to be used to cause damage to 
  enemies, especially if the do something roll 
  would be easier than making an attack.
  So something like throwing a boulder at 
  an enemy is an attack, but pushing a boulder in 
  front of a doorway to keep people out is not.
  Swinging on a chandelier into an enemy is 
  an attack, swinging over their head and landing 
  behind them is not.
  deciding difficuLty and effects
  The Demonlord is in charge of deciding 
  how hard things are to do and the effects of 
  these things are.
  Deciding how difficult these special things 
  are is the Demonlord’s job. And his decisions are 
  final. And cannot be questioned.
  Remember that Lair is not like other role 
  playing games, it is meant to be fun quick, and 
  easy on the game master.  The game master 
  (demonlord) will either be running a pre-made 
  scenario or will be running one of their own 
  based on guidelines for doing so. 
  Unlike other games, when in active combat 
  mode, the Demonlord will be trying to kill your 
  heroes, or at least cause as much damage as 
  possible.
  The Demonlord does not get to do “things 
  other than attack” unless specified in the scenario, 
  so he doesn’t have to decide how difficult any of 
  his own tasks are.
  So keep in mind that the Demonlord is not 
  going to be pulling their punches or going easy 
  on you, they are going to be trying just as hard 
  to win as you are.
  So be careful with your heroes, if they are 
  getting weakened it might be a good Idea to cut 
  your losses and run away. Or if it sounds like a 
  particular scenario may be more difficult than 
  usual it may be a good time to pull out one of 
  your backup heros for this one rather than send 
  in your favourite hero who has taken so long to 
  build up.
  a sPeciaL note for tHe demonLord
  When the deciding the difficulty of actions 
  and what their effects are be as fair as possible. 
  Don’t decide that something would be very 
  difficult just so that you can beat the heroes, they 
  will not want to play with you for long.
  Also when deciding the effects of special 
  actions be as fair as possible. 
  Remember your job as Demonlord is to be 
  the referee, not to be another player. Make sure 
  that your scenarios are run fair and clean and if a 
  player comes up with something cool to beat the 
  scenario then let them do it. Your job is not to 
  beat them but to play the scenario fairly.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  So now that you know a little about the spirit 
  of the game of Lair of Sword and Sorcery, that the 
  Demonlord is actively playing against the heroes, you 
  can see why the Demonboard (the playing board) is 
  so necessary.
  Everything is in plain sight, and the combat rules 
  absolutely require the action to happen on a board. 
  With these two things we can return the fun of the 
  game to the Demonlord.
  In the first issue “Demonboard” I showed you 
  how to make your own board.
  Now lets talk about the figures you will need to 
  play.
  There are many options out there for figures.
  You can buy an enormous assortment of gaming 
  “miniatures” at any gaming store. These are small one 
  inch tall models made of plastic or metal, usually with 
  a plastic base.  There are miniatures for every type 
  of human, monster, and animal with every type of 
  weapon and armour. I used them for many years for 
  gaming. I also enjoy painting miniatures which is a 
  whole separate hobby in itself.
  But you know what? They’re expensive, they 
  need to be assembled, and after paying 5 bucks for 
  a miniature you usually felt like you had to paint it 
  before putting it on the table, I mean all the books 
  show people playing with painted miniatures right?
  Then you’ve got to store all those guys, and 
  since they’re painted you can’t just throw them all in 
  a shoebox or the paint will chip off, and since they’re 
  so expensive you don’t want them to break in there 
  or get bent. All this money, time, pressure all before 
  you’ve even bought a game to actually play.
  The worst thing is, when you actually do play, 
  you still never have the right figures that you need 
  during the game and end up using other ones to 
  stand in for them.
  So go that route if you like, I still enjoy painting 
  miniatures and will continue to buy them, but for 
  quick role playing use I’ve gone another route.
  Toys! That’s right. They’re cheap, they’re 
  everywhere, you can throw them all in a box and 
  they won’t get broken, and they’re just cheap toys, 
  they’re not supposed to have an awesome paint  job, 
  they usually come with a half decent paint job as it 
  is anyway.
  Here you see a bucket full of guys I got at Toys 
  R Us for $25
  Look at how many are inside, I’m pretty much set 
  for anything I need for the future.
  Don’t just raid the toy aisle, you may have 
  suitable guys around the house already, to the left 
  you’ll see some great soldiers I got out of an old game 
  of “Siege”. 
  Sometimes though it can be hard to find some 
  old-timey knights or other fantasy fighters, that’s fine 
  too, I’ve got a bag of those little green army men too 
  that I use when I need a boss that stands out. Cut 
  off his gun and glue a toothpick to his hand, instant 
  spearman!
  The important thing is not to have the best 
  looking miniatures or board but to just get the game 
  on the table and actually play. It’s not how good the 
  stuff is, it’s how much you get to use it.
  tHe demon board 
  and FIgures
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  beFore you play
  So now you got your little toy guys. Use them to 
  play a few games first before you decide if you want 
  to put in some extra effort. If you do, then read on.
  Bases:
  After playing for a while you may notice a few of 
  your guys are a little “tippy”, they fall over if you hit 
  the table, or sometimes for no reason at all.
  To fix this just cut out a 1” square of Bristol board 
  like you find at any dollar store and glue it to the 
  bottom.
  That will solve all your problems. If you want 
  to be fancy you can paint the card to match your 
  demonboard. I just grab a few walls from my current 
  dungeon board and cut them into squares. The best 
  glue to use is the classic “contact cement” from the 
  dollar store. Sticks good to all types of plastic as well 
  as Bristol board.
  Painting:
  Sometimes your guys will be a funky colour, like 
  red or blue. Sometimes this is good as it makes it 
  easy to tell your guys from your enemies but if it’s too 
  garish you can paint them.
  There are all sorts of books, tools and speciality 
  paints for painting miniatures, but you know what?
  If you just want the guy to look a little more 
  normal than all blue, and aren’t looking to get some 
  museum quality pieces then painting is easy .
  Primer:
  Most normal paints don’t stick to plastic very 
  well so you’ll need to prime them. Just grab a can of 
  spray primer from any auto supply store and follow 
  the instruction on the back. (read the instructions, 
  please, I don’t want anyone blaming me if you hurt 
  yourself).
  Sometimes these will melt your little guys so test 
  one first before blasting them all.
  If you’re not too worried about paint rubbing off 
  then just grab a bottle of white craft paint and slap it 
  on theire with a dollar store brush.
  Painting:
  Painting can be as fiddly as you want it to be. 
  Best bet to start is to just grab some craft paints 
  at the dollar store, in whatever colour you want the 
  guys to be and paint it on the guy.
  For brushes use whatever is the smallest pointed 
  brush you can find at the dollar store. There is usually 
  a kind call “chinese brush” that are a little better than 
  the others. 
  If you find you really enjoy this kind of thing 
  ask the people at your local gaming store if they can 
  make any suggestions for books, brushes paints etc.
  dice:
  The dice for Lair of Sword and Sorcery are just 
  standard 6 sided dice. You probably have a bunch of 
  these in other board games but if you don’t just head 
  on down to your local dollar store and you should be 
  able to find them in packages of 8 for a dollar.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  lets play a boardgame!
  tHe laIr skIrmIsH game.
  Let’s put all the roleplaying rules aside for a 
  moment and have a little fun playing a boardgame 
  as I present to you the Lair skirmish game.
  In the skirmish game each player is given a 
  small group of warriors.
  They then fight a battle against each other 
  in a simple Lair (any place mapped out on the 
  demonboard is referred to as a “Lair)
  The purpose of the skirmish game is not 
  only to  have fun but to learn the combat rules. 
  In a skirmish game you get to move many men 
  around, get to attack with varying ranks of heroes, 
  as well as defend yourself from your enemies.
  The skirmish game is a great way to learn 
  the rules and tactics of Lair of Sword and Sorcery 
  without sacrificing your precious heroes to do so. 
  How to PLay tHe skirmisH scenario:
  1: setuP tHe Lair.
  Get out your walls and demonboard and 
  setup the walls as they appear on the skirmish 
  map. The map is marked out with block walls 
  but if you prefer the card walls please use them 
  instead. If you do use the card walls the rooms 
  will be a little larger, but it won’t harm anything, 
  just make sure all the doorways and corridors are 
  the same width that they are on the map.
  2: gatHer your forces.
  Every player should copy on a sheet of paper 
  (in pencil) the list of warriors to the right. This will 
  be referred to as your force.
  Now each player grabs some miniatures, 
  little plastic men, or card counters, whichever you 
  prefer to use.
  Decide which ones represent the normal 
  warriors and which ones represent each of your 
  heroes. Different coloured toys help here. Each 
  player should write this on their sheet with the 
  stats.(Something like “silver guys with swords” 
  above the normal warriors, and “guy with axe” 
  above one hero, etc)
  3: PLace your warriors
  The first player chooses one of the player 
  areas on the map and may place all of his forces 
  anywhere in that area.
  The second players chooses one of the areas 
  and does the same
  And so on...
  4: see wHo goes first
   Everyone rolls two dice, (re rolling ties) to 
  see who goes first, play continues in a clockwise 
  direction around the table.
  5: on your turn:
  Your turn will proceed in the order below.
  Move: Move all of your warriors that you 
  wish to move up to their full move (4 spaces).
  Attack: If any of your figures are in a square 
  that is touching a square an enemy is in, they may 
  attack.
  Roll for the combat as per the Lair combat 
  rules and track any damage on your sheet of 
  paper.
  It is tricky to keep track of each of the 
  normal warriors endurance so you can use a die 
  next to them to represent their endurance if you 
  like. Simply adjust the die every time they lose 
  endurance.
  When you are done the combat for all of 
  your warriors then your turn is done. It is now 
  the next players turn.
  6: How to win.
  This skirmish is a simple brawl so the game 
  continues until only one player has warriors still 
  on the table.
  7: sPeciaL ruLes for tHis 
  skirmisH
  In the skirmish game there is no resting. 
  Since there are always enemies on the board.
  No one may “do something other than 
  attacking” (Sota).
  Enjoy!
  Force lIst
  10 x Normal Warriors
  Defense Attack Endurance Damage
        1          0           4               0
  1 x 0 rank Hero
  Defense Attack Endurance Damage
        1          5           8               0
  1 x 0 rank Hero
  Defense Attack Endurance Damage
        5          1           8               0
  1  x 2nd rank Hero
  Defense Attack Endurance Damage
        5          2           10             2
  All warriors are armed with swords and are 
  wearing armour.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Player 1
  Start
  Player 2
  Start
  Player 3
  Start
  Player 4
  Start
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  You will see in the skirmish game that a 
  Demonlord is not needed.  The rules clearly specify 
  what can and cannot be done, and as long as 
  everyone plays by the rules it is fair and fun.
  But in a role playing game the heroes are 
  allowed to do much more than just move and attack. 
  Indeed they can attempt anything they can think of. 
  It is this freedom which makes a role playing game 
  fun and exciting.
  Someone has to decide whether these 
  attempted actions succeed, and just how difficult 
  they will be to succeed at.  
  That is where the Demonlord comes in. The 
  players tell him what they want their heroes to try 
  to do. The Demonlord decides how difficult the 
  action is, and tells them what they need to roll to 
  succeed.
  The player then rolls the die and the Demonlord 
  decides what the effects of either a failure or a 
  success are. They act as a referee to the game to 
  make sure that everything is fair.
  If someone in your group of friends would 
  like to give the job of Demonlord a try, set up the 
  skirmish again but replace the two zero ranking 
  heroes with full hero characters. Generate them 
  tHe skIrmIsH game vs a roleplayIng game
  with the Hero creation rules presented earlier in 
  this issue. 
  Each player will have 10 normal warriors as 
  detailed in the force list and two of these 0 Rank 
  heroes.
  The Demonlord will have 10 normal warriors 
  as detailed in the force list and the two zero Rank 
  heros as detailed in the force list.
  No one will have a 2nd level hero in this 
  example as rules for generating them have not be 
  en discussed yet.
  In this role playing version the players amy 
  have their heros (but not the normal warriors) do 
  “Something other than attack”.
  The Demonlord may only attack and move as 
  in the skirmish game, (The Demonlord may never 
  do “something other than attack” unless specified 
  in the scenario rules. 
  Now although the Demonlord is playing 
  against the players and will still try to defeat them 
  to win the game, he must remember that his job is 
  to be as fair as possible in his calls on how difficult 
  Sota actions are are and what the affects of those 
  Sota actions are.
  Now run through the skirmish again and see 
  how different everything is!
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  By  this point you should have played a 
  version of the skirmish game that allows people 
  to “do something other than attacking. If not, go 
  back and give it a try. This gives you the freedom 
  of a role playing game, the freedom to do whatever 
  you like.
  But a Role playing game is more than just 
  attacking and moving in creative ways.
  What else do you need to have a full Role 
  playing game?
  Usually players expect to increase their power 
  by improving their characters through some sort 
  of reward system. In Lair this is called the Veteran 
  system and is detailed in the next issue.
  Players also expect there to be some sort of 
  “Treasure” as a reward, either as more powerful 
  items or cold hard cash.
  So technically if players were able to increase 
  their power, and were rewarded if they won, you 
  could continue to play the “skirmish” over and over 
  again with the players amassing more loot and 
  power.
  But it wouldn’t be very interesting. As a minor 
  diversion it would pass the time occasionally but 
  going over the same territory again and again 
  would become tedious.
  So let us introduce the idea of the “Scenario”.
  A scenario takes place in a Lair. The Lair is the 
  actual Demonboard layout with various walls and 
  enemies placed on it.
  The scenario is the set of rules which 
  accompany the Lair and dictate success, failure and 
  special features of the lair.
  Every scenario will have at least one of each 
  of the following.
  scenario oBjective: This is what the 
  heroes must do to successfully beat the Lair. It 
  may be told to them before they enter or may be 
  mysterious and only discovered once they are 
  inside.
  PunisHment: This is what happens to the 
  heroes if they fail. Without a punishment for 
  failure there can be no true reward. This may be 
  told to the players before entering or be a mystery.
  reward: What the players will get if they 
  succeed, they may be told what this is before 
  beginning or it may be a surprise.
   
  Note: The punishment may be dying in 
  the attempt of getting the reward, and the reward 
  may be not dying in attempting the Lair.
  sPeciaL feature: This will be something 
  that makes the Lair special and appears in no 
  other Lair. Often it will be the objective of the 
  mission, or it may be the reason the Lair is there in 
  the first place.
  Special Features will always have accompanying 
  rules which set them apart from other Lairs 
  These things set each Lair apart from the 
  others and will keep the game fresh with every 
  scenario.
  These things all combine to give the players 
  the Adventure they need.
  The last thing required for a Role playing game 
  is a Setting and a way to interact with it.
  The Setting is what links the Lairs and 
  scenarios together, and makes the heroes into 
  personalities and not just stats.
  Setting will be discussed in more depth in 
  future issues of Lair of Sword and Sorcery, but you 
  have some details of what this is already. The Lair of 
  Sword & Sorcery game takes place in the world of 
  Kartharka. The heros we create in the earlier part of 
  this issue are assumed to be from the Winterlands 
  area of Kartharka. Heroes adventuring in the 
  Winterlands often make the town of Stoh-Branoch 
  their home. 
  This is where they will make their home, find 
  adventures and go to heal their wounds.
  The setting is the connection between the 
  scenarios, between the adventures, the place where 
  players can act out their hopes and dreams, at least 
  the ones other than attacking their enemies.
  When playing a game of Lair, the beginning of 
  the game is finding an adventure, planning for the 
  trip and the travelling to the lair.
  The middle is the actual scenario which 
  happens on the Demonboard.
  The end, for the players that survive, involves a 
  reward and a return to town to enjoy it. To plan for 
  the future and increase their ranks. 
  expandIng laIr oF sword &  sorcery 
  to a Full role playIng game
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  mIners ambusH: tHe FIrst
   laIr oF sword & sorcery scenarIo
  Miners Ambush is the first Scenario for Lair of 
  Sword & Sorcery. It contains all the things needed 
  for a game of Lair.
  Have the players each create a character using 
  the Hero creation rules earlier in this issue.
  Usually you will use the setting together with 
  the scenario to give a reason for the Heros to be 
  embarking on the scenario but for this mission you 
  can simply read the “Background” section out loud 
  to the players.
  Background: While travelling to the town 
  of Stroh-Branoch the heroes encounter a group of 
  wounded men camped on the side of the road.
  They have been attacked by Robbers who have 
  run off with their hard won metal ore.
  The robbers have left a clear trail in the snow 
  leading into the woods.
  The Heroes decide to help the miners and, 
  taking the least injured with them, set off to find 
  the robbers.
  oBjective: To find the Miners sacks of 
  precious metals and return with them.
  PunisHment: In this scenario the punishment 
  for failure is the lack of any reward, or perhaps 
  death as well.
  sPeciaL features: In this scenario there 
  is a room full of sacks of metal ore. The robbers 
  are loading it onto their wagons in preparation to 
  leave their stronghold.
  There are 30 sacks and the bandits are 
  moving them to a wagon to escape. The heroes will 
  attempt to get as many of the sacks as they can for 
  themselves.
  The sacks are in a large room in the middle 
  of the lair. 
  Each Robber can carry one sack while still 
  moving.
  Each hero can carry one sack while still 
  moving.
  When a robber gets one of the sacks to their 
  “exit” it is loaded on a wagon through a chute in the 
  wall. It cannot be retrieved after that.
  When a hero gets one of the sacks to their 
  entrance the miners will claim it and load it on their 
  wagon. It cannot be retrieved after that.
  The scenario ends when their are no more 
  sacks in the storage room. Whichever side has 
  the most sacks including those held by heroes or 
  robbers wins the scenario..
  reward for success: the heroes will get 
  one gold coin for every sack the miners retrieve.
  scenario set uP
  and generaL ruLes:
  Setup the walls on the Demonboard in the way 
  shown on the map.
  If a hero chooses to leave through their 
  own exit they are out of the game and are now 
  considered “safe”.
  Heroes may not leave out the Robbers exit.
  Heroes may not rest when there are Robbers 
  on the board.
  Small coins or glass beads should be used to 
  represent the “sacks”.
  If Hero or Robber is attacked they will “drop” 
  their sack, in which case it is placed in the square 
  next to them. They cannot pick it up again until 
  their next move and so it is able to be grabbed by 
  someone else moving before them.
  You pick up a sack by moving into a square 
  with a sacks in it and stating that you do so. This is 
  not considered “doing something while attacking” 
  and is always successful.
  All of the heroes and miners start the game in 
  the room next to their own entrance. The Robbers 
  start in the room next to their own entrance.
  Each player is given 3 miners to control. Their 
  stats are listed after the map. Each miner has a 
  sword but no armour. Each player may move and 
  attack with their miners on their own turn.
  The Demonlord of course controls all the 
  Robbers. The number of Robbers the Demonlord 
  controls depends on how many Heros are playing. 
  The actual number is listed with Robbers stats.
  Torches are scattered about on the walls so 
  none need carry sources of light to see.
  tiPs for tHe demonLord
  Remember, your goal as the robbers is to 
  escaped with as many sacks as possible, not to kill 
  the Heroes.
  If you tie your robbers down with fighting, the 
  miners will quickly grab all of the bags.
  .
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Robbers
  Start
  Hero's
  Start
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  mIners Forces
  On the players side are the Heroes, as well as a group of miners.
  The miners each have the same stats listed in the stat block. 
  They are just regular folk though their endurance is a little higher 
  from long days in the mines. Every miner has a sword and no 
  armour. Each player gets 3 miners to control.
  robbers Forces
  The Robbers will have a varying number of men depending on 
  how many heroes they face.
  We will assume that the heroes are newly created (since the 
  veteran rules have not been published yet)
  The Demonlord will have 2 robbers for every hero on the 
  players side, and one robber for every miner.
  All of the Robbers stats are the same and are listed in the block
  Note that they are a little tougher than the miners, that’s why 
  they were able to defeat them before..
  Each robber has a sword and is wearing armour.
  creatIng your own 
  scenarIos.
  You can see from the Sample scenario that 
  creating your own is easy.
  Start with a story objective, like recovering the 
  miners gold.
  Use the objective to make a special feature, 
  here we have sacks of ore with a few simple rules 
  for picking it up and moving,
  Set up the Lair to make accomplishing the 
  Objective interesting, here we have two exits, one 
  for each side, a large room in the middle with the 
  special feature (pile of sacks) and some corridors 
  and rooms between the two, allowing some 
  tactical movement, setting up bottlenecks, creating 
  defendable positions etc.
  Once you have played the scenario you will 
  probably think of more ways to make it more 
  interesting.
  Varying the number and power of the robbers 
  or miners. Adding furniture to the lair like tables, 
  chairs, and cabinets.
  Perhaps the miners have brought along a push 
  cart, maybe the robbers are much fewer in number 
  but have laid some traps for the players.
  Anything is possible.
  The important thing is to have fun.
  When changing the opposing forces power and 
  number try to keep in mind balance and fairness. 
  The heroes can always run if things get too rough 
  though so don’t worry too much.
  Rules for balanced enemy forces will be 
  formally published in the Veteran issue. For now 
  2 normal people equals 1 hero in a fight. The hero 
  would usually win this fight but does have a chance 
  of being killed. 
  Usually in a scenario there would be more than 
  1 combat the heroes would fight, with the heroes 
  fighting a force of enemies basically equal to them 
  each time.
  Hidden rooms: During a scenario the heroes 
  may no know the entire layout of a Lair until they 
  have walked through it.
  In this type of scenario the players can only see 
  the rooms and corridors the heroes have actually 
  entered. The demonboard will start off empty except 
  for the starting room with more rooms and corridors 
  being added to the board as they explore.
  As they enter these rooms they may discover 
  enemies within, who will sometimes be surprised, 
  or sometimes ambush the heroes depending on the 
  scenario.
  During these types of games the heroes may 
  “rest” whenever no enemies are on the board, and 
  are considered to be in “Roleplaying” mode when 
  acting.
  More on all of this will be published in future 
  issues of Lair.
  For now have fun making things up. Use toys 
  on the demonboard to represent anything fun. 
  Have the Heroes fight monsters, explore old houses, 
  delve into caves, solve mysteries. Anything you can 
  imagine.
  Send in any scenarios, ideas, pictures, or rules 
  that you make up as you go and it will be added to 
  the Lair game for all to enjoy.
  Until Next issue, stop planning your games and 
  start playing your games!
  ~Ripley Stonebrook~
  Defense Attack Endurance Damage
        0          0           6              0
  Defense Attack Endurance Damage
        1          1           4               1
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  PRICE
  SPOOKY ROOM PRODUCTIONS
  LAIR OF SWORD
  SORCERY
  ISSUE 3 MAR 2015
  3
  Raise your heroes rank
  demonlord tips for creating and running lairs
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery
  Issue 3 March 2015
  The Combat Issue
  Credits:
  Copyright Ripley Stonebrook 2015
  All art, writing, and rules by:
  Ripley Stonebrook Editor and Creator.
  submissions & questions:
  read carefully
  Send any comments, rules questions or submissions to :
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com
  Check for updates at:
  lairofswordandsorcery.blogspot.ca
  By sending anything to these addresses you submit to the
  rules below.
  Any submissions or material sent to the email or website
  become the property of Ripley Stonebrook.
  You may or may not receive credit for any material sent.
  We do our best to credit but mistakes happen.
  Any material sent may be used in the Lair of Sword &
  Sorcery game or websites in any way in any number of
  reprintings.
  We have an entire game and series of expansions planned
  and any material you send may already be in the works so
  if you see something that looks like something you sent in,
  guess what, we didn’t rip you off.
  What you can & can’t do
  You may not copy anything from these game books, in
  whole or in part except for review purposes.
  You may not copy any Lair of Sword and Sorcery material
  in any way for any reason.
  You may not post any Lair of Sword and Sorcery official
  published material on any blog , website or social media
  site except for review.
  If you have something you want the world to see then send
  it in to the addresses above, or post or comment at the
  official pages.
  Get Involved
  Join your forces with the powerful creators of the awe
  inspiring world of Kartharka!
  Well that’s the whole point of the game isn’t it?
  Before you send us all of your fantastic stuff first read the
  questions and submissions info to the right and then come
  back.
  All done?
  Okay here are all the great places to send your blood
  soaked materials.
  Website:
  You best place to start is the Lair of Sword and Sorcery Site
  at: lairofswordandsorcery.blogpot.ca
  Here you can comment on updates, and respond to
  questions and polls on the direction of the game and what
  you would like to see, or not see, in the game.
  There are also regular articles on the sword and sorcery
  genre, fantasy, the setting of Kartharka, the tone of the
  game, and designers notes on the game system.
  Google :
  Those who are on Google+ can get their lair updates there
  by adding: Ripley Stonebrook
  We also appreciate +1’s and reposting of content on
  Google+
  Facebook:
  You can also receive your updates on Facebook at:
  Lair of Sword and Sorcery
  Like and follow Lair on facebook to get updates, and we of
  course appreciate any reviews and reposts to your own
  facebook page.
  Email:
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com
  Send in any and all submissions, rules, art, questions, stories,
  comics, pictures of your demonboard, and pictures of your
  group.
  Or if you are looking for players or demonlords in your area
  send in your contact email and we’ll put it in the next issue
  or post it to the site.
  Retailers:
  If you are interested in carrying the Lair of Sword and
  Sorcery game then please send an email to:
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com.
  If you would like your local retailer to carry the game then
  you can urge them to send us an email.
  piracy
  If you find another player who is playing with photocopies
  or scans of the rules, shun them. Refuse to play with them.
  It is officially against the rules of Lair of Sword and Sorcery to
  play with photocopies and scans. Pirates are terrible
  people that ruin the game.
  Table of Contents
  Earning VP
  pg 3
  Spending VP
  pg 4
  Veteran Skills
  pg 5
  Crafting
  pg 7
  Fame and Favour
  pg 8
  Demense
  pg 13
  Winterlands Legends pg 15
  Hero Sorcerors
  pg 17
  Followers
  pg 20
  Steel Weapons
  and Armour
  pg 22
  New Combat Rules
  pg 23
  Lair Ranking System
  pg 24
  Enemies
  pg 25
  Running Lairs
  pg 30
  Sorcerous Items
  pg 33
  Places of Interest
  pg 34
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Well here we are, three issues and 5 months
  after it all began and things are still going strong
  and getting stronger.
  Those of you who have been following along
  thank you!
  For those of you joining us, Welcome!
  What I'm creating here is a new role-playing
  game that's not a roleplaying game. Something
  that's fun and easy, that you play at a friends
  house on a Friday night before you go out to do
  something else. Something you play on a Saturday
  morning after the Farmers market, something you
  play on a Sunday because what else are you going
  to do on a sunday?
  Something fun that anyone can play anytime.
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery is quick, fun and easy,
  for the players and the Demon Lord (the one who
  runs the game).
  Games shouldn't take up a significant portion of
  your life, you shouldn't need to dedicate yourself
  to days of preparation work to run a roleplaying
  game or to play one.
  You shouldn't have to spend a fortune to play a
  game. Lair of Sword and Sorcery is a game like we
  used to play, before things got complicatied,.
  Before
  people
  started
  playing
  games
  with
  people they absolutely hated just so that they
  could actually play.
  For those of you new to Rolepaloying I hope
  that this game is the one you've been looking for.
  All those fun stories you hear about role playing
  and hanging out at friends houses tearing through
  a dungeon and beating up dragons and taking
  home piles of treasure, that's this game.
  The game where you spend an hour arguing
  about a rule or whether or not you can use your
  crazy new character build from the newest set of
  rulebooks, that's the other games.
  I like those other games, don't get me wrong,
  but sometimes I just want to sit down, drink a few
  beers and fight some freaking dragons.
  If
  you're
  playing
  Black
  Sabbath
  in
  the
  background it couldn't hurt either.
  And if we finish itn time to go out to the bar
  that's cool too, but if you don't want to go out we
  can attack the next level of that dungeon too.
  Gaming should not be a lifestyle choice that
  you pick instead of other things.
  You should be able to do everything else
  normal people do and still throw down some dice
  on Friday night.
  So welcome all you new Blood Reavers, roll up a
  hero (you'll need the Combat issue, number 2, to
  do that) jump into the middle of whatever Lair
  we're plundering thiss week and carve yourself
  through the enemies to the treasure I've got
  stashed away just for you.
  For those who already know...
  Thanks for sticking with us.
  If
  you
  haven't
  checked
  out
  the
  site
  Lairofswordandsorcery.blogspot.ca in a little while
  you really should. It's been redesigned for what we
  use if for now.
  Along
  with
  news,
  and
  previews
  on
  whats
  coming up there are also some longer articles
  posted on there regularly under the "Articles of
  Interest" section.
  The issue your holding is the long awaited
  Veteran issue, where your heroes can finally
  increase
  their
  rank, becoming
  better
  fighters,
  sorcerors, brigands, mercenaries or merchants if
  they want.
  You will also learn how to settle your hero into
  a home and all of the things that settling in can do
  for you.
  Also some more tips for the Demonlord on
  creating their own scenarios as well as some tips
  on using things other than humans as enemies.
  Now your heroes can be beset by terrible animals
  as well as evil thieves, you can thank me later.
  And yes I did mention Sorcery, the first faltering
  steps of the Sorcery rules will be included in this
  issue, as it is built into the Lair Veteran system.
  Some of the things you may not now how to use
  yet but at least you will get a glimpse at what is
  possible.
  The next issue, the Sorcery issue, will be the
  first
  "forked"
  issue
  with
  one
  version
  being
  published
  for
  players
  and
  the
  other
  for
  DemonLords.
  I'm very excited for that and hope you all are
  too.
  Gone are the days when only the Games Master
  get's to pore over new exciting material, now the
  players get their own books as well.
  Sorcery is so built into the very land
  of
  Kartharka itself that it would spoil the fun to put it
  all in the players books, and it would be unfair to
  only allow the DemonLord access to the Sorcery
  rules.
  So I present to you all the newest issue of Lair
  of Sword and Sorcery, The Veteran issue. I hope
  you all enjoy it, and remember, change what you
  want, add what you want, leave out what your
  want. Make it your own game, and if you let us
  know what your game is like then we'll add it to
  our game, and you can see your additions and
  changes on the website and in futrue issues of the
  Magazine.
  It's your game, I can't tell you how to play it, you
  tell me how to make it.
  ~Ripley Stonebrook
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Your grand and powerful hero already wades
  across fields of enemies in a wash of blood. But
  how can you make him even better? Smashing
  your way through a group of thieves is thrilling
  but what about single handedly cutting down a
  mighty dragon? Taking on entire armies and
  winning, feeling entire kingdoms tremble beneath
  your feet.
  To grow your hero into this incredible Titan we
  have the Lair Veteran System.
  The
  players
  earn
  Veteran
  points
  for
  accomplishing difficult tasks or at least surviving
  dangerous ones which can be spent on gaining
  new Veteran skills.
  You can receive points for surviving battles,
  defeating enemies, succeeding at a scenario, or
  accomplishing other difficult tasks.
  They should also receive Veteran points for
  doing amazing things that make the game more
  fun,
  having
  their
  hero
  attempt
  an
  amazing
  maneuver in the middle of a combat, coming up
  with an amazing plan, or even dressing up like
  their heroes.
  Whether the hero becomes a better fighter,
  more
  powerful
  sorcerer,
  or
  more
  influential
  politicians is up to the player, they may spend their
  points in any way they wish.
  Earning Veteran Points (VP)
  A player gains 1 VP (Veteran Point)
  immediately after any of the
  following things occur:
  •Survive an encounter with a group of Enemies
  of Equal or Greater Rank (calculating the Rank of a
  group is covered later)
  •Survive making a death roll (this is on top of
  “survive an encounter with a group of enemies of
  equal or greater rank”)
  •Beat
  a
  scenario
  (complete
  the
  scenario
  objectives). The Veteran point award will usually
  be printed with the scenario but if it is not they
  should get at least 1 VP
  •Succeed at an impossible task (an impossible
  SOTA roll) which would have caused harm to the
  hero if it failed
  •The player has an impressive Role playing
  moment which impresses the rest of the group
  •Dressing up as your Hero earns you 1 VP. (Leave
  the sharp things at home kids)
  •The Demon Lord is free to also award VP for
  anything which they deem worthy of it
  What you don’t get VP for is looking for trouble.
  If you decide to take on the city guard who
  obviously out power you, and they arrest you but
  don’t kill you, then you don’t get a VP for
  “Surviving and encounter with a group of enemies
  of greater rank”
  If you knew for a fact that the guards would kill
  you and you still chose to attack, that may be a
  different story but a good rule of thumb is:
  If you have nothing to gain by attacking, you
  don’t get a VP.
  It is up to the Demon Lord to make the call
  when the heroes go looking for trouble.
  33 HHeerroo RRuulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Players spend their heroes VP points to buy
  Veteran skills. Each of these skills will either
  increase
  an
  ability
  they
  already
  have
  (like
  increasing their attack) or give them all new skills
  an abilities (like summoning demons).
  •The players can spend their VP to buy skills
  only in between scenarios, never during them
  They must wait until their heroes have finished
  the scenario, are safely back in town, camp, or
  wherever they are making their home at the
  moment.
  Once they are safely home they can rest and
  absorb the lessons they have learned.
  Once
  relaxed and fully healed the player can spend VP
  to either buy new Veteran Skills or increase ones
  they already have.
  They may spend as many VP as they like on as
  many skills as they like. They may even buy a skill
  and increase it to a higher level in the same “rest
  period”.
  You will see on your character sheet that there
  are 3 slots next to each stat.
  These are where you write in the Veteran skills
  you have bought.
  •Each veteran skill has an associated stat. This
  means that a hero may only have a maximum of 3
  skills in any one of their stats
  For example: A hero may only have a 3 Body
  Veteran skills.
  •The hero is also only allowed to buy Veteran
  skills in stats they have no weakness in (a negative
  stat)
  You may find that you already have 3 Veteran
  skills for a stat and would like change one of these
  skills for a different one.
  •You can “discard” any Veteran skill that you
  have. Simply erase it and now you have room for
  a new skill. However you don’t regain any VP
  points for skills that you discard
  Veteran skill costs.
  •To buy a new skill costs 10 VP points
  When you buy a skill you gain the benefits
  listed in that skills description.
  You can also increase a skill
  you already have.
  Skills usually start with some kind of a bonus of
  +1 to do something.
  •To increase the skill to the 2nd rank (+2) costs
  20 VP
  •To increase the skill to 3rd rank costs 30 VP
  And so on.
  Some skills have no specific bonus but simply
  allow the characters to do something new. They
  may or may not be increased. The specific skills
  description will give you all information you need.
  HHeerroo RRuulleess 44
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Here it is, finally. What this issue is all about. As
  heroes
  encounter
  more
  horrible
  and
  terrible
  things, and live to tell about it, they become better
  at
  surviving.
  This
  is
  represented
  by
  earning
  Veteran points. The things they actually learn are
  represented by the Veteran skills.
  They simply spend their Veteran points, which
  represents the entire process of seeking out
  knowledge, diligent practice in their field, careful
  thought, trial and error of the adventuring process
  and all the other things one must do to “learn”.
  Some of the Veteran skills will require the
  heroes to have certain things, like a practice yard,
  a teacher, or supplies. Most of these things will
  require money to buy.
  As we discussed before some skills can be
  increased in power, from a bonus of +1 to a bonus
  of +2 or more. Each of the skills will state how
  high the skill can be increased, and what the hero
  is required to have to buy these increases.
  Demenses (a fancy name for the heroes official
  home), teachers, and other requirements are all
  discussed later in the issue.
  •You will see that some increases can be had in
  more than one stat, for instance an increase to
  movement. They can purchase the increase as a
  Body skill or a Quickness skill. If the hero buys the
  increase to movement as a body skill then they
  cannot take it as a quickness skill as well.
  55 HHeerroo RRuulleess
  Quickness
  •Increase Move: Bonus to Move. +1, 2 and 3
  available to all.
  •Jump: Bonus to Jumps. Allow the hero a bonus
  to any Sota rolls involving jumps. +1 available to
  all. +2 requires a Demense with a Yard.
  •Throwing: Bonus to Throw. Allows a bonus
  when attacking with any thrown weapon. +1 and 2
  requires a demense with a target. Also allows a
  bonus on any Sota rolls that involve throwing.
  •Acrobatics: Bonus to Sota rolls for Acrobatic
  tasks, leaping, grabbing, swinging. Bonus of +1 or
  +2 Requires a demense with a yard.
  Vitality
  •Increase
  Endurance:
  Bonus
  to
  Endurance:
  Requires a Demense with a yard. +1 to +3 available
  to all.
  •Pack Mule: Bonus to Carrying ability, Practice
  carrying heavy loads, and knowledge of weight
  distribution, proper use and maintenance of straps
  and specially crafted bags and carrying racks.
  Requires a demense with the same tools as leather
  crafting. +1 to +3 available. Each bonus allows the
  hero to carry either 1 additional large item or 2
  additional small items.
  Camaraderie
  •Merchant: The hero receives a bonus when
  buying and selling, bartering, or other contracts.
  The bonus applies in the exact same way as a
  camaraderie bonus when buying or selling goods
  and may be used with the heroes camaraderie
  bonus. Bonus of +1 to +3 available to all. Requires
  any demense. A fixed address is necessary for
  bargaining. Leader of Men: bonus to Leadership
  rolls with the heroes followers (More on this later
  in the issue). Bonus of +1 to +3 available to all. The
  hero may increase their merchant bonus only as
  high as their natural Camaraderie bonus.
  •Judgment: Bonus to any sota rolls to determine
  if someone is lying, or hiding information, or being
  deceitful in any way. +1 to +3 available to all.
  •Con Man: Bonus to any sota roll to mislead
  someone or hide information. +1 to +3 available to
  all.
  Body Skills
  •Increase Defense: Bonus to Defense. Only works when the character is armed with a weapon. The
  character masters the ability to defend themselves from attack with weapons. +1 is available to all. +2
  requires a Demense with a training yard. +3 requires a demense with a training yard and a training
  dummy. +4 requires a demense with a training yard, dummy and a suitable teacher.
  •Increase Attack: Bonus to attack. +1 is available to all. +2 requires a Demense with a training yard. +3
  requires a demense with a training yard and a training dummy. +4 requires a demense with a training yard,
  dummy and a suitable teacher.
  •Increase Endurance: Bonus to Endurance. +1 and +2 available to all. +3 requires any demense with a
  yard.
  •Increase Damage: Bonus to Damage but only when the hero is armed with a weapon. +1 is available to
  all. +2 requires a Demense with a training yard. +3 requires a demense with a training yard and a training
  dummy. +4 requires a demense with a training yard, dummy and a suitable teacher
  •Increase Move: Bonus to Move. +1 available to all.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Mind
  •Increase
  Attach:
  Bonus
  to
  Attack
  whether
  armed with a weapon or not. +1 to +3, requires a
  yard and a suitable teacher.
  •Languages: each bonus allows the Hero to
  master an additional language. Each language can
  be purchased for 10 VP. Requires a suitable teacher.
  Requires a writing table
  •Sage Lore: A bonus applicable to any Sota roll
  that
  involves
  knowledge
  of
  History,
  legends,
  natural history or “Science”. Requires a Demnse
  with a suitable library, writing table and access to a
  Sages Hall and the teachers within.
  •Crafting: Each bonus allows the Hero to craft an
  additional material from the list below.
  Wood, stone, pottery, leather, copper, bronze,
  silver, gold, iron, steel.
  Each bonus increases in cost like any other
  Veteran skill. This skill is discussed fully in the
  crafting article that follows.
  •Potioncraft:
  In
  the
  world
  of
  Kartharka,
  Potioncraft covers many things which may be
  considered “Science”, “Chemistry”, or even Sorcery.
  They may brew simple remedies, for headaches or
  infection, stomach upset, warts or other minor
  ailments. They may also create potions which may
  be considered “drugs”, such as sleeping potions,
  poisons, potions of alertness, healing balms to
  ease pain. See more in the Crafting article that
  follows.
  HHeerroo RRuulleess 66
  Otherworld
  The Otherworld skills are all related to the
  knowledge and manipulation of things of the
  Otherworld. The Other side, the spirit world, the
  dark
  places,
  Magic
  and
  sorcery,
  sprits
  and
  creatures, demons and monsters.
  Sorcery
  and
  the
  Otherworld
  are
  the
  very
  backbone and history of the world of Kartharka.
  All of these skills will be discussed fully in the
  Sorcery issue. For now consider these to be
  placeholders for what it to come.
  There will be a very brief discussion on some of
  these later in the issue so that your heroes can
  begin their first few faltering steps on the paths to
  becoming a great Sorcerer, and also to allow
  Demon
  lords
  to
  begin
  introducing
  enemy
  Sorcerers of their own for the heroes to battle.
  •Sorcery
  oSorcery sub group summoning
  oSorcery sub group protection
  oSorcery sub group control
  oSorcery sub group imprisoning
  •Sages Lore
  •Superstition
  •Potioncraft
  •Witchcraft
  •Demonlore
  •Artifact Lore
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Crafting
  in
  Lair
  of
  Sword
  &
  Sorcery
  encompasses many things. It is used not only to
  make things. It is knowledge of the materials, and
  the things they are used to make.
  It is how to how to make things, repair things,
  know the value of things, how to use things, and
  how to destroy things.
  •Each bonus in the crafting skill allows the hero
  to craft another type of material. The choices are
  Wood, stone, pottery, leather, copper, bronze, silver,
  and gold.
  •Before the hero may choose Iron however they
  must have either copper or bronze. Before they
  can choose steel they must have Iron.
  •They may also choose to increase any specific
  crafting skill to a higher bonus.
  For example the hero may choose the “Crafting:
  Wood” allowing them to create wooden items. It
  also allows them a bonus to any sota roll involving
  working with wood. Such as repairing a wooden
  item,
  understanding
  wooden
  machines,
  or
  destroying wooden things like taking down a door,
  or dismantling a fence. The crafting skill also
  allows the hero to make a good guess at the value
  of things made of that material.
  •They may then choose to take another crafting
  skill, for example “Crafting: Pottery”. They would
  then write it in another slot below the “Crafting:
  Wood” skill.
  •Or they may choose to increase a crafting skill
  they already have. Giving them a further bonus in
  Sota rolls involving that material.
  •If the hero has a demense with the proper tools
  and materials then they may create or repair items
  of the material they have the skill for (see the
  article on Demenses for the costs of these things).
  They may only create items they have been
  given the opportunity to study in the past. To
  create something new may require either study of
  it in legends and books, or other applicable Sages
  Lore rolls.
  Crafting Weapons and Armour
  One of the first things your players are going to
  want to do is make their own weapons and
  armour.
  If you consider the massive investment in
  Veteran Points as well as cold hard cash for a
  demense and a forge that is required to do so you
  will see that if they want to go that route they
  should be allowed to. The cost is going to be far
  higher than just buying the things themselves.
  They may even be allowed to make steel
  weapons if they meet all the requirements.
  However they should not be allowed to make
  the mythical master weapons which circulate in
  the world. Those magical weapons or weapons of
  such exquisite workmanship that they rise above
  all others in their family. These things are the
  products of centuries of learning passed down
  from generation to generation and that knowledge
  is jealously guarded by the scant few people in the
  world who hold it.
  Potioncraft
  As stated before, potioncraft is the art of making
  all of the liquid items which civilization needs.
  They may create minor things of limited value
  or efficacy. The “sleeping potion” will not knock a
  person flat on their back, though it may calm them,
  or make them a bit drowsy. Their “healing balms”
  will help a burn heal a little more quickly, or help
  to stave off infection, or take a bit of the pain away.
  But it certainly won’t cure a severe wound or
  regrow a limb.
  Their acids will be more of the cleaning variety,
  removing tarnish or stains but not burning the
  flesh if splashed on an enemy.
  Truly magical potions will be covered in the
  Sorcery issue, but for now players should know
  that they will need at least potioncraft to create
  these things.
  •
  For now the players can use potioncraft
  to make the things that make life a little easier, but
  not potions which will have any combat effect,
  such as causing damage, increasing combat ability,
  or healing endurance.
  77 HHeerroo RRuulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Earning Favours and Fame
  Here’s where we get a little editorial:
  In many games there is an intangible idea of
  “Fame”. As Heroes complete their missions and
  conquer their enemies all the people of the land
  will hear of their exploits, and players may even try
  to trade on this fame to get a bit of special
  treatment from time to time. For the most part the
  Games Masters of other games will have to make
  up their own minds about whether or not these
  attempts
  are
  successful.
  The
  opinion
  of
  the
  common people towards the player’s characters is
  also left up to debate.
  In these games the players may even try to trade
  on this fame to ask for favours from the local
  governments and other people.
  Fame and Favour in Lair
  In
  Lair of Sword
  and
  Sorcery “Fame” and
  “Favours” are very specific things and have their
  own rules associated with them.
  •Each hero has a certain amount of “Fame” and
  “infamy”.
  •Whenever they complete a particularly noble or
  evil
  act
  their
  fame
  or
  infamy
  will
  increase
  respectively.
  •Certain scenarios will also award fame (or
  possibly infamy) to the heroes.
  •Once Fame or infamy is gained it never goes
  away.
  For the Most part a heroes Fame will not have a
  huge impact on the game. Just because a hero is
  famous he will not necessarily get free drinks at
  the bar. Nor will the bartender necessarily refuse
  to serve a hero who is infamous.
  These scores can be used by the demon lord to
  colour the reactions of the local populance, but
  will rarely have any bearing on the outcome of
  any specific roll of the dice or when trying to buy
  or sell.
  It helps the players to envision who their Hero
  is
  and
  to
  remember
  what
  they
  have
  done
  throughout their careers.
  •Fame does, however, affect the hero whenever
  they attempt to cash in a favour.
  Favours are very specific things in Lair which
  the heros earn for completing heroic acts, often as
  a reward for completing a scenario. They can also
  be earned in other ways, sometimes for doing a
  favour for someone else, or even for knowing how
  to keep their mouth shut at the right time.
  Fame and infamy control whether or not a
  favour can be cashed in by the hero, and whether
  or not the
  person
  granting
  the
  favour now
  considers the dept to be “paid”.
  •Depending on the person owing the favour the
  roll might be made using the Fame stat, the infamy
  stat, or a combination of the two.
  HHeerroo RRuulleess 88
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Earning Fame and infamy
  Fame is earned by the heroes for doing a great
  deed to benefit the community, or even a deed
  that benefits a single person if the stories are told
  often enough.
  •Most
  often
  fame
  will
  be
  awarded
  by
  successfully
  completing
  a
  scenario.
  This
  will
  usually be listed under the rewards for success.
  •Fame can also be awarded by the Demonlord
  for any heroic act, especially if people are close by
  to witness it.
  •Usually heroes would gain only 1 fame point at
  a
  time
  but
  may
  possibly
  gain
  more
  for
  a
  particularly challenging or long quest, especially if
  it is in the benefit of the common people.
  •Fame can also be awarded for any particularly
  impressive acts, even if they help no one.
  •Once Fame is gained it never goes away.
  Moving a particularly heavy stone, or beating
  another famous hero in an honorable duel will
  also grant a fame point if the Demon lord allows.
  Conversely the heroes also gain Infamy points.
  These represent the feelings of the population
  about the bad things the heroes have done.
  •Infamy points are earned in that same way but
  for evil acts or acts against the community.
  •They are also sometime awarded for failing in a
  scenario with a noble objective, failing to save the
  world grants infamy of it’s own kind.
  •Heroes
  may
  also
  be
  awarded
  infamy
  for
  publicly embarking on evil quests or quests that
  could harm the community.
  •Once infamy is gained it never goes away.
  As I said before fame and infamy points do not
  come up often in normal play except to colour the
  populances
  reactions
  to
  them,
  except
  when
  dealing with the mechanics of favours.
  •Fame and infamy, when gained, is never lost.
  Having far more of one than the other, however,
  means that the people are willing to overlook
  these slight discrepancies.
  For instance a normally good hero who has
  amassed 50 fame points who sets a criminal friend
  free gains an infamy point, but the overwhelming
  fame means the population will be willing to
  overlook this one transgression. It may even serve
  as an amusing anecdote in popular song and
  legend.
  Earning favours
  •When a hero does something to help someone
  specific or the community as a whole they earn a
  “favour” from that person or community.
  •Favours have a specific person or community
  associated with them. This is the person or group
  who will repay the favour.
  •Heroes will earn them for specific tasks, and
  usually will be told ahead of time that “the
  community will be forever in their debt” or some
  other such thing.
  •They will usually be earned by completing a
  specific scenario.
  •They may also be granted by single person, a
  wealthy merchant, a lord or targ, or even a takket
  farmer running a road house may grant a favour.
  •The most sought after favours are those owed
  by the gods. Doing a great service for the gods
  may be rewarded by a favour, and having a god
  “owing you one” is a good thing to have.
  Gods can be difficult to find when calling the
  favour in, however, though their priests have been
  known to act in their place for these things.
  Favours are not granted only by good and noble
  people and communities. The heroes may find
  dark gods and evil priests owing them a debt.
  •The players should track all favours on their
  Hero Record sheet, who owes them the favour and
  99 HHeerroo RRuulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  In games of Lair of Sword and Sorcery favours
  can be far more valuable that gold, increased
  Veteran skills, magic weapons, or even armies in
  some cases.
  Heroes seeking true power should carefully
  collect favours, cashing them in only when most
  necessary and for greatest reward. They must also
  prove themselves to these people who owe them
  favours by building up their fame (or infamy)
  before attempting to cash them in.
  •To cash in a favour the hero must consider who
  they should petition.
  •If the favour is owed by a person they must
  seek this person out first, or at the least have a
  way to contact them, by messenger, or through
  another go between.
  •If the favour is owed by a community then the
  hero may petition anyone within the community .
  However the power of the people within the
  community varies greatly. If the community of
  Stroh Branoch owes the hero a favour, the Hero
  will be best served to seek out the Targ to repay
  the favour as their resources are far greater than
  the Takket herder who lives down the street. But if
  all they require is a Takket, the Takket herder may
  serve just as well. It may be a waste of a favour but
  if the Hero really needs a Takket right now and
  cannot wait for an audience with the Targ then go
  right ahead.
  •If the favour is owed by a god then the Hero
  will have the best results if they are able to speak
  to the god directly. However this would be a very
  difficult and rare thing to accomplish. Usually the
  hero will have to make do with petitioning the
  temple of the god, or one of his priests if the
  temple is too far off.
  •Once they have found the proper person to
  make their petition to, they must decide what
  exactly to ask for.
  •Keep in
  mind
  the abilities of the person
  granting the favour.
  If they are asked to do
  something that is just inhumanly impossible, or so
  far outside of their moral code as to make it
  impossible for them to consider the favour will
  likely be cancelled.
  Consider the scale of the task performed to
  earn
  the
  favour.
  The
  request should
  not be
  outrageously
  more
  than
  the
  original
  act
  performed to earn it.
  Take into account the fame and infamy of the
  Hero making the petition. A favour may be more
  valuable to a hero with 30 fame than one with 10.
  HHeerroo RRuulleess 1100
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  First off here are the details of the favour roll,
  don’t get scared if it seems complex, it’s all
  explained below in the following sections.
  •First determine
  the
  heroes
  reception
  base
  score, it will be a number between 1 and 10
  •Determine the value of the request, which will
  be a number between 1 and 10
  •Determine the value of the original act which
  earned the favour, again a number between 1 and
  10.
  •Minus the request value from the act value (it
  may be a negative) and apply this to the base
  score.
  •This number will be the favour roll. The player
  must roll 2d6 and if the number is equal to or
  lower than this number the favour is granted.
  •Whether the favour is granted or not the player
  rolls again against the same number to see if the
  debt has been considered paid.
  Reception base score
  First the hero must determine how well he is
  received.
  •If the person they are petitioning is, overall, a
  good one, then the Hero will subtract their infamy
  from their fame, and divide the total by 10
  rounding up. This is their base score.
  •If the person is, overall, an evil one, then the
  hero will subtract their fame from their infamy,
  divide the total by 10 rounding up. This is their
  base score.
  To give a bit of context to just how famous the
  hero is look up their base score on the following
  chart.
  1=Well known in their local town
  2=Known within their local area (throughout the
  valley of fangs for example)
  4=Known throughout the province
  5=Known through the land, for example the
  winterlands
  7=Known throughout the world of Kartharka
  8=All sing the praises of your Hero throughout
  the land
  10=Your legends will be told for generations
  Request value
  Now consider the value of the request versus
  the value of the act that earned the favour.
  This can be hard to value, but the best way is to
  use a number system.
  •Give the value of what is asked a ranking
  between 1 and 10.
  •1 being a trifling request, 10 being along the
  lines of seriously affecting the favour givers
  interests. Take into account the resources of the
  favour giver when considering this value. The
  value of a Takket will be much higher to a miner
  than it would be to a Lord.
  The best way to consider it would be to think of
  1 as something the favour giver would think little
  of giving to a friend. A 10 would be something
  which would seriously affect the future of the
  favour giver.
  A miner may not be able to continue his work
  without a Takket but may feel so indebted to a
  hero that he will give it. This would be a 10.
  For a lord, commanding his armies to attack a
  neighbouring lord may be considered a 10. If it
  goes poorly for him his entire reign may be in risk.
  For the lord however a Takket would be 1.
  Act value
  •Now consider the value of the original act done
  by the hero to the favour giver. This should be
  given a value between 1 and 10. Not the difficulty
  of the act, which may have risked the life of the
  hero or may even have claimed the life of the
  heroes friends, but the actual value to the favour
  giver.
  •1 could be recovering some trinket for the
  favour giver, 10 being saving their life or their
  kingdom from invasion.
  Again consider the value in comparison to what
  the favour giver already had.
  Recovering a statue worth 50 gold pieces would
  be worth far more to priest at the local shrine than
  it would to the local lordling who had treasures
  uncountable.
  1111 HHeerroo RRuulleess
  The petition roll
  •Minus the asking value from the favour value.
  •The final amount may be a negative.
  •Add this number to the fame base score.
  •This final number is the roll the hero must
  match or roll below to receive their favour.
  •If they succeed the favour giver will give them
  what they ask for.
  •If they fail the roll the favour giver will decline,
  considering the request to be too much.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Dept repayment roll
  •Now the hero rolls the dice again trying to match or roll below the same number as during the
  request.
  •If they match or roll below again then the favour giver considers the debt still to be owing, they may
  consider the request too trifling to consider as payment or they may consider their debt so great that they
  will need to repay it again to feel it has been honoured.
  •if he fails again the favour giver will deem the hero too greedy, demanding, or having little scruples in
  blackmailing them in this way, and deems the favour null and void. The hero gets nothing and the favour
  is lost.
  •This failure will also negatively affect their fame/infamy as well by one point. If the favour giver is
  good then they will gain 1 infamy, if the favour giver is evil they will gain 1 fame.
  This is because the favour giver will undoubtedly tell one and all that the Hero is a terrible person for
  making such a demand.
  HHeerroo RRuulleess 112211
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  •Whenever the heroes are not actively traveling,
  the place they call their home is their Demense.
  It may be a clearing in the woods with a crude
  shelter built to protect them from the storms. It
  may be a room at the local inn. They may choose
  to build a home, buy one or rent one.
  In Stroh Branoch there are many choices for the
  heroes.
  They may stay for free in the common room of
  any way house.
  They may rent their own rooms from these
  wayhouses.
  They may, if they earn enough money, rent or
  buy a house of their own.
  They may make a shelter of ice and wood in the
  woods surrounding the city.
  If they have the right tools they may build
  themselves a log cabin or other structure outside
  the city.
  These options are available in most cities and
  villages within the winterlands.
  Stroh Branoch is a special city however.
  Huge numbers of miners come from all over the
  winterlands and the Empire. All of these people
  over the years have built many structures in Stroh
  branoch. Shacks, homes, tool sheds, storage sheds,
  smelters, charcoal huts, refining stations, and other
  larger and smaller structures. Indeed the city itself
  sits atop other older mineworks, some buildings of
  which still stand.
  This means that the entire city is full of half
  built shacks, old lumber, ruined houses and old
  sheds.
  Every
  available
  space
  is
  occupied
  by
  Miners, travelers and workers all looking to make
  their place in the city.
  Heroes travelling to the city are easily able to
  appropriate a somewhat upright shack, and using
  some of lumber which fills every other available
  space, may repair it to make it livable.
  Often people will band together, with five or six
  people living in each shack. They work together to
  keep the shack upright, make improvements, clear
  the roof and doorways of snow, keep the firewood
  pile (always stored indoors) topped up and to
  guard each others possessions.
  The shacks rarely have locks on the doors, they
  are fragile enough that simply tearing boards off
  the side would be easier than breaking down a
  locked door.
  With time however the shack can be built up to
  the sturdiness of a usual dwelling but the effort
  and money required to do so would be the same
  as building a real home.
  Many a group of heroes has started out their
  career in one of these shacks.
  The average shack measures roughly thirty by
  twenty feet. Often they will have other buildings
  butting on to them but if these are abandoned the
  heroes may extend their dwellings into these as
  well.
  Bartering with your neighbors to convince
  them to move is common for those hoping to
  expand their living space.
  More difficult is clearing and keeping any
  outdoor space or yards. Sturdy fences or palisades
  must be built or the neighbors will continue to
  build on the area.
  Few Demenses are strong enough to keep out a
  determined thief unless they are will fortified.
  Usually people make do with making friends with
  their neighbors, sometimes paying them to keep
  an eye on their belongings when they are out of
  town, or asking others to dwell within their home
  while they are gone.
  Some will even marry to have a wife to keep
  their home while they are away.
  For the most part, as long as they carry their
  valuables with them, and keep their tools in a
  heavy and well locked box within their home
  these efforts will be successful.
  As long as the heroes are citizens of good
  standing few will allow thieves to enter and loot
  their homes.
  Costs and features of the Demense
  •Rooms can be rented for 1 Gold coin a month
  from
  a
  wayhouse,
  and
  will
  contain
  enough
  furnishings for the heroes to be healthy and
  rested.
  •A house can be bought for 100 gold coins,
  measuring thirty by thirty feet and having a
  ground floor, an upper floor, and a cellar.
  A house can be built by a hero as well.
  •To build a house the hero must pay 30 gold
  coins for tools and “permits” from the Targ, and
  spend at least a week between each adventure
  building their home. After 8 weeks thus spent they
  will have the basic home described above.
  Amounts paid and time spent will be similar in
  other towns and cities of the Winterlands.
  Making additions to a house is much more
  difficult than adding on to a shack. Permits and
  tools are required for all proper additions.
  •Each addition to a house will cost another 20
  gold pieces for tools and permits. Each addition
  will also take a further 4 weeks of time.
  This may be the addition of another room,
  another level, a yard, or adding a “demense
  feature”.
  •Adding a demense feature to a shack requires
  the same amount of time but costs only 10 gold
  pieces for tools and convincing the neighbours to
  make room.
  1133 HHeerroo RRuulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  As you can see in previous articles in this issue,
  to gain certain veteran skills you will require a
  demense,
  and
  some
  of
  them
  will
  require
  a
  demense with special features.
  •A good guideline for demonlords should be
  that a hero cannot purchase any new veteran
  skills or upgrade the ones that they have without
  having at least some sort of demense to call
  home.
  Without a comfortable bed and adequate living
  conditions it is impossible to improve your skills.
  List of Features
  Yard: A large outdoor area, fenced in.
  Training Yard: An upgrade to the yard, racks for
  training weapons, seats, platforms, and various
  small targets.
  Training Dummy: A specially built dummy for
  weapons training, with various targets, moving
  limbs, limbs that hold weapons and shields.
  Target: Used for archery or throwing weapons,
  also has a large barrier to stop errant shots from
  reaching the neighbors yards.
  Writing Table: Large table with suitable lighting,
  various pens and inks, a writing surface, writing
  materials as well as blotters, sealing wax and
  shelves for storing papers, books, and scrolls.
  Library: A large set of shelves containing books,
  scrolls, and papers, copied from various local
  sages halls. The most common texts on more
  popular subjects or of interest to all. Also includes
  various
  historical,
  scientific
  and
  legendary
  subjects.
  Features required for Crafting
  These are more of a series of guidelines for
  things which would be required for crafting.
  Getting into the specific details of each and every
  tool required is not needed nor possibly wanted.
  Consider
  the
  following
  to
  be
  examples
  or
  suggestions for Crafting.
  Work bench: Needed for crafting wood, leather,
  or metal
  Kiln: Required for pottery
  Forge: Necessary for crafting metal
  Anvil: Required for Iron and steel
  Mixing table: Required for potion craft. Includes
  glassware, mortar and pestle, mixing bowls, bottles,
  and storage for all ingredients.
  Additional Features
  Players should feel free to add anything they
  like to their homes, the Demonlord can make the
  required decisions on specific costs and times to
  build other features but they will likely be similar
  to the ones already listed. Consider this to be a list
  of inspirations to get your players started.
  Shrines to local gods, a kitchen, a map room,
  planning room, treasury with specially reinforced
  walls and door, an equipment room, storage room,
  anything which the heroes can think of can be
  added to the demense.
  Get your players to draw a floorplan of their
  demense. Have them add to it as they add more
  features. Let them be as creative as they wish, it’s
  their home after all. The more they time and
  money they invest in it, the more interesting and
  personal it becomes. The floorplan will come in
  handy if they heroes are ever attacked in their
  home.
  Teachers:
  Some veteran skills will require a teacher. The
  Demonlord should use these opportunities as a
  source for adventure ideas. Teachers should be
  difficult to find, expensive and far away. Finding
  them
  should
  be
  an
  adventure
  in
  and
  of
  themselves, and convincing the teacher to accept
  them as a student should also be an adventure. I
  believe it is in the best interest of the game at this
  point to leave this area completely up to the
  Demonlord, so that they can keep control of their
  own games.
  HHeerroo RRuulleess 114411
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  There are many legends of the ancient times of
  Kartharka, when Sorcery and Magic ruled the land.
  These legends that follow is the lore that has
  been handed down through the ages, the stories
  and fables that the people have told each other
  around the fire since the beginning times.
  None know for sure if these legends be true or
  false. But only a fool would completely disregard
  the warnings of Legend.
  The time of the sorcerers
  Sorcery lies in the very bones of the World of
  Kartharka. Sorcery lies in the history of the world,
  the gods once strode through the lands fighting
  their
  wars
  amongst
  themselves.
  These
  wars
  escalated until finally one of the groups unleashed
  their mightiest magics ever, which sundered the
  seasons separating them amongst the world of
  Karhtarka.
  With the destruction of the seasons also came
  the death
  of Sorcery.
  Ancient magic artifacts
  suddenly dimmed and became useless normal
  objects. All the otherworldly beasts of the world
  were cast forth into the netherworld, unable to
  survive in a world without sorcery.
  But
  legend
  speaks
  of
  pockets
  of
  sorcery
  bubbling still in the wilderness and deep caverns
  of the winterlands. Haunted legends and stories
  still speak of wanderers trapped and dragged off
  by terrible creatures that roam the earth.
  Whispered tales speak of some lone few who
  still wield a spark of sorcery, commanding evil
  spirits and casting terrible magics on the innocent
  people of the world.
  Many believe sorcery to be completely gone
  from the land but the superstitious still fear
  creatures in the night, and avoid the places said to
  be haunted by Sorcerors.
  Some also
  speak of terrible warlords with
  Sorcerors in their hire, sacrificing those they
  conquer
  to
  appease
  the
  dark
  spirits
  those
  Sorcerors command.
  But
  heroes
  know
  better.
  Travelling
  the
  wilderness they have seen strange and unknown
  things. Creatures that disappear into the night
  after creeping close to their night fires, terrible
  attacks on the road by crazed worshippers of dark
  gods, strange chanting and mysterious lights atop
  hills deep in the woods that follow the roads, and
  tales of the Miners, stumbling across strange and
  terrifying things in the dark that they dare not
  speak of.
  The Sages
  The sages of the winterlands (and presumable
  the sages of the other lands as well) try to
  preserve and futher the knowledge of the world,
  science,
  history,
  alchemy
  and
  other
  more
  mysterious realms of knowledge.
  Though they share their knowledge of History
  and science gladly with all (for a price) it is said
  that they also conduct secret experiments in
  hidden libraries beneath their towers. That they
  still practice the arcane arts of Sorcery and magic,
  trying to restore the ancient magic relics rumored
  to lie in the vaults beneath the earth.
  It is said that they search but none say what
  they find.
  Those that travel the roads know that there are
  some that hold arcane secrets, things unknown to
  the rest of the world. The potion merchants and
  soothsayers are said to hold even greater powers
  than
  they reveal.
  For those
  that search, the
  knowledge may be hidden throughout the land,
  perhaps in places that they least expect.
  Magic:
  It is said that in the time of the first men, when
  the gods still walked the earth, that there was
  Magic.
  Magic was wondrous, it could do anything. It
  could move stone, create food and water, even
  control the storms of the sky and the waters of the
  sea.
  At that time great Mages walked the earth,
  mages who could throw fire from their hands or,
  summon storms, control your thoughts, bring the
  dead
  back
  to
  life
  or
  any
  other
  number
  of
  wondrous and magical things through the power
  of their own will and study.
  But they are all gone now, in the great cataclysm
  that
  rocked
  Kartharka
  and
  split
  the
  seasons
  asunder
  magic
  died.
  The
  Mages
  faded
  away
  leaving their great tools to be wondered and
  marveled at as they lie useless now.
  Sorcery:
  Tthere have always been other forces in the
  World of Kartharka. Dark forces.
  It was said in the time before the Mages that
  sorcerers ruled the earth, commanding the spirits
  of the earth, wood, air and fire. But they became
  too powerful and in their greed searched for even
  more power.
  And they found it.
  In the time before the first men the Sorcerers
  fought the gods, with terrible and vengeful spirits,
  powerful and hateful things from the other side,
  from the beyond and from the under.
  These terrible beings, kept only barely in check
  by the dark powers of these sorcerers, tore down
  the fortresses of the gods and a great war was
  fought, between magic and sorcery.
  The gods struggled and were finally able to
  break the sorcerers hold over their dread minions,
  who
  then
  began
  to
  roam
  the
  land
  causing
  destruction and despair.
  1155 WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa
  LEGENDS OF THE WINTERLANDS
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The Dread Pact:
  The gods then forged a great and terrible magic,
  forcing these creatures beneath the earth and
  beyond
  the
  gates
  once
  again.
  Woeful
  and
  tremulous
  pacts
  were made with
  the beings
  though none now remember the details of that
  terrible bargain or what they offered the creatures
  in return.
  Magic in Kartharka now:
  After the great cataclysm it is said that all the
  magic of the land
  was destroyed
  and
  made
  useless. The magical creatures and things either
  withered and died among the lands, or retreated
  to dark, hidden, and protected places in the earth,
  where some magic still remains.
  Whispers
  around
  campfires
  tell
  of
  some
  mysterious figures, who roam the world still.
  Whether they are gods, men, or foul creatures of
  nightmare, no one knows, but legend says they
  still wield the powerful magics of the gods. That
  their mighty staffs still hold some magic left from
  the beginning time.
  Whether they strive in the cause of good, evil or
  their own inscrutable plans is unknown.
  Sorcery in Kartharka:
  Some say the spirits of the earth and air live on
  after
  the
  Dread
  Pact.
  Their
  powers
  greatly
  dwindled now and their actions greatly restricted.
  Sacred groves and hollows are still said to exist in
  the world where some worship in return for the
  boons they can still grant.
  Others whisper more quietly that the Dread folk
  also still exist, exiled to the other side, the
  underworld the beyond, they still wait. Through
  the great and terrible pact it is said there are
  exceptions and loopholes that some can take
  advantage of even in these times.
  These spirits, if called properly, and bargained
  with according to the ancient laws, may be still
  controlled by men for their own uses.
  It is rumored that benevolent spirits in the
  otherworld can also be called up, but who is to say
  that
  these
  are
  not
  evil
  beings
  in
  disguise,
  misleading man once again hoping to undo the
  Dread Pact of the gods and once again roam the
  earth to enslave man.
  Sorcerors, Wizards, Witches:
  All of these are rumoured to haunt the world.
  Sometimes someone in a village has…powers.
  Someone who can act on a persons behalf to
  accomplish and act.
  It may be a healing of a sick child, or to undo a
  disastrous growing season, or to see into the
  future and predict what will be.
  These people are said to have the power not
  only to help, but to harm.
  To cause children or cattle to sicken or die,
  destroy crops, send nightmares or disease, causing
  fires, ill luck and terrible storms.
  Any who meddle with the spirits of the other
  side are suspect, their rites must be hidden, their
  tools and rituals kept from prying eyes.
  But the villagers also know signs of the Other
  Side. Wizards, witches, and sorcerers all must
  traffic with the other side, and any who do must
  protect themselves at all times from the spirits
  they call up as well as the others whose attention
  they attract in their rites.
  They must protect themselves with sigils and
  contracts, dread amulets and magical constructs.
  For if they were to leave themselves unprotected,
  the spirits they deal with would be free to take
  their due payment.
  And so the sorcerers can often be known by
  their strange ways, mystical gestures at certain
  times of day. Secret magic signs, sewn into their
  clothes and bags, strange staffs, wands, rings,
  necklaces and crowns.
  The sorcerer fears not only the dread spirits
  they truck with but the fearful people around them
  as well.
  The truth of Sorcery in Kartharka.
  The true story of Sorcery in Kartharka must wait
  for the Sorcery issue. That issue will be Forked,
  one to be bought by players interested in having
  heroes that search for the Sorcerous arts and the
  other for the Demon lord to explain the how’s,
  whys and history of Sorcery in Kartharka.
  For now I will tell you. Sorcery is rare, powerful,
  and tremendously dangerous.
  WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa 116611
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Heroes who wish to be sorcerers:
  Unlike training in Combat a hero cannot simply
  decide to become a sorcerer.
  A warrior may spend their veteran points (which
  are a representation of how much they have
  learned) when they have amassed enough to
  increase their fighting skills. To actually gain these
  increases, they usually also have to spend time
  training, hire teachers, or build specific areas to
  train in.
  A hero who wishes to become a sorcerer,
  however, cannot simply hire a teacher and buy
  some books on Sorcery.
  They still have to spend their veteran points to
  receive their veteran skills in sorcery but, for them,
  this represents their ignoring their training in
  battle skills to further their interest in the more
  mysterious arts.
  Training and reading the known knowledge of
  the world will not be enough to teach them the
  ways of the sorcerer however. The knowledge of
  their skills and ways are a jealously guarded
  secret. They will keep track of their discoveries
  and knowledge in their own secret codes and
  languages, and usually choose to write down as
  little as possible. Their arts and secrets are traded
  amongst themselves only, usually only through
  secret meetings where they speak with each other,
  choosing to memorize as much of their lore as
  possible to keep the dangerous and valuable
  information to themselves.
  Things do sometimes slip from their grasp.
  When a sorcerer or wizard dies or is killed,
  some
  of
  their
  notes
  and
  belongings
  will
  sometimes be found.
  Sometimes the spirits they have enslaved will
  still be locked within these belongings or trapped
  in the area which the sorcerer has sealed them.
  The Winterland sages also have certain scraps
  of learning and knowledge deep within their
  treasuries. Kept safe from the casual observance
  of those who would misuse it.
  •For the Hero that wishes to become a sorcerer
  this means that they will need to:
  •Find
  another
  sorcerer
  to
  pass
  on
  the
  knowledge of how to summon and command
  spirits.
  •Kill
  another
  sorcerer
  and
  hope
  that
  his
  belongings
  and
  scrolls
  will
  contain
  enough
  knowledge to summon and control a spirit safely.
  •Find one of the legendary tombs or ancient
  residences of a long dead sorcerer and hope that
  it has not been looted of its valuable knowledge
  yet.
  •Search
  through
  the
  ancient
  vaults
  and
  treasuries of the Sages halls in the hopes of
  finding enough information to summon a spirit
  and bend it to their will.
  Usually if a hero is patient enough they will
  come face to face with a sorcerer, whether good or
  evil and begin their path then.
  •Other wise the best route is to inform the
  Demonlord that they wish to begin searching for a
  legendary
  Sorceror
  or
  their
  tomb
  and
  the
  Demonlord will let them know of any rumours or
  legends which they are able to discover.
  They can then set out on their mission to
  discover what they can.
  Whether they find a book or scroll or discover a
  teacher they may choose to study to become a
  sorcerer.
  •The first thing they will learn is to summon a
  very minor spirit.
  The first Veteran skill the Sorceror will
  learn is Summoning
  Veteran skill: Sorcery: subgroup: Summoning.
  •Summoning:, +1 available to any with with a
  sorcery teacher or sorcery book or scroll deemed
  to
  contain
  the
  proper
  information
  by
  the
  Demonlord.
  Information on increasing summoning rank will
  be in the Sorcery issue.
  •The
  writings
  or
  teacher
  will
  give
  enough
  information to summon one specific spirit.
  Whether it is evil or good will depend on how
  the student learned to summon it. An evil sorcerer
  will only be able to teach or write about evil
  spirits.
  “Good” wizards or sorcerers may know of good
  spirits but they are most difficult to call. The
  student will often only be able to summon a minor
  evil spirit to begin.
  •This first spirit may be summoned at any time
  by the sorcerer. They may do this whether they
  are in combat or not. To do so they must do
  nothing but perform the gestures and chants of
  summoning.
  •Once summoned the spirit may remain in the
  world of Kartharka for only about 10 minutes at a
  time. They may not then be summoned again until
  the following day. In Lair game rules this would be
  equivalent to fighting in one combat, leaving once
  the combat is over, or, for 10 minutes of adventure
  mode time which the Demonlord will monitor and
  let theplayer know when the time is up.
  The spirit has some uses but is not very
  powerful.
  •It will be invisible and silent to any but the
  sorcerer. The sorcerer can see and hear the spirit
  perfectly however. These minor spirits will usually
  appear to the sorcerer as a wisp of smoke, a
  glowing spere, a flickering flame or a crackling of
  electricity.
  •Once summoned the spirit may be asked
  questions, or may be commanded to complete
  simple tasks.
  •These sprits are ancient and so will be able to
  1177 HHeerroo RRuulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  successfully answer any question about history or
  sorcery as if they had the veteran skill Lore +2.
  •They must answer any questions truthfully and
  if they do not know the answer, they must state
  that this is the case.
  •They may also perform small tasks for the
  sorcerer.
  •Their substance is similar to that of a ghost,
  they may move through walls, floors or ceiling,
  may fly or float in any direction through any
  material.
  They may only move up to 10 squares
  away from the sorcerer however. This could be
  useful for searching the bottom of a pool, beyond
  a door, or inside a box however.
  •They must follow all orders of the Sorceror for
  the 10 minutes they are in Kartharka.
  •They may also move small any small object
  around carrying it within the distance they are
  allowed to move but they are quite weak. They
  could for example pour a glass of water, open an
  unlocked door, sweep a floor. But they do not have
  the strength to move an object hard or fast
  enough to cause damage. So they may fetch a
  dagger for a sorcerer but may not use it to attack
  someone.
  These simple spirits have little power in our
  world and can come only when summoned and so
  the sorcerer is relatively safe in dealing with them,
  unless they are spotted by others while using
  them in which case a fearful population may
  choose to harm the sorcerer before he casts an
  evil spell upon them.
  More details will come with the Sorcery issue
  but this should be enough to start your hero on
  the path of the treacherous art of Sorcery.
  HHeerroo RRuulleess 1188
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  More equipment and travel:
  Editorial thoughts on travel and distance
  As your heroes adventure they may wish to
  travel farther and farther away from their home
  base.
  It is not necessary to create a large amount of
  charts and tables to handle travel.
  For example the heroes have to travel from
  Stroh Branoch to the village of Throm at the far
  end of the Valley of Fangs.
  Every hero has a drag sled to carry their gear.
  All people living in the winterlands have the
  necessary supplies to travel and survive: fuel for
  fires, skins to make shelters, food to eat. All of
  these things are considered to be bought with the
  “pouchful of coppers” which every hero carries.
  You will notice that none of the maps of
  Kartharka have a scale in miles written on them.
  That is on purpose.
  The
  land
  of Kartharka
  is
  incredibly vast,
  allowing
  enough
  room
  for every conceivable
  environment, lairs, mines, groups of villages, lost
  temples, forgotten tribes and secret cities.
  Games happen in very small places however.
  For example my own campaign takes place in the
  Valley of Fangs high in the Winterlands. The entire
  valley can be crossed from one end to the other in
  a week to two weeks depending on the terrain
  they travel through.
  Travel is very quick on the roads that cross it,
  and very slow in any place where there are no
  roads. This means that you can always have a
  place that is up to two weeks travel away from
  wherever the players are within the Valley. It also
  means hat they can travel between certain places
  extremely quickly if required.
  Sometimes the scenario will have the heroes be
  ambushed on the road, or have them sidetracked
  on another quest in the middle of the one they
  have embarked on.
  But other than these scripted interruptions it is
  best to simply say that travel happens between the
  two destinations. There is no need to roll for
  random encounters to “make things interesting”.
  The scenario itself should be interesting enough
  for the heroes.
  For the most part even dangerous travel need
  not be played out blow by blow. You may tell the
  heroes that they arrive at their destination “after a
  few ambushes by bandits, that they are able to
  easily deal with”. This will give the idea that the
  trip was difficult without having to have the
  heroes actually risk their lives to get to the
  scenario. This also leaves the door open for a
  future scripted scenario about an attack on the
  road, which the heroes have already been warned
  about.
  Certain places will be accessible only on by
  boat, ship, or other means of travel. This may make
  for an interesting scenario taking place on board a
  boat but otherwise you may simply say “you book
  passage on a ship and arrive at the foreign port”.
  Adventure is not about booking tickets and
  packing
  baggage,
  hiring
  horses
  and
  tracking
  rations.
  Unless the heroes wish to travel in style and
  comfort allow them to simply get where they want
  to go.
  Sometimes they will want to go somewhere and
  you have no scenario prepared for that place.
  You have two choices at that point. You can
  either, wrap up play for the day and prepare
  something
  for
  next
  time
  or,
  you
  can
  make
  something up on the fly, perhaps lifting a few
  ideas from another scenario, or just taking another
  scenario and dropping it in to replace the location
  they were travelling to.
  If they are headed to that place for something
  specific don’t forget to add it in to the scenario.
  You wouldn’t want them travelling to a place just
  to find a specific item just to find some random
  treasure.
  It is best to simply discuss with the players how
  they would like to proceed when something isn’t
  prepared ahead of time.
  1199 ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Followers: the little guys that get things
  done
  In the game of Lair of Sword and Sorcery, a lot
  of things are simplified to keep the action moving.
  You don’t need to track a lot of equipment,
  treasure, rations and other things, so pack mules,
  animal
  handlers,
  porters,
  torchbearers,
  camp
  followers etc are not needed.
  Something that will always be needed by those
  who delve deep into dangerous lands is a little
  more muscle. The world of Kartharka is harsh and
  dangerous so having some people come along to
  help is always a good idea.
  There are always a few people around who will
  join the heroes for a bit of adventure. Either
  grizzled
  veterans
  who
  make
  their
  living
  as
  bodyguards or soldiers, or youths hoping to find
  their fortune or a bit of adventure. In a world
  where any day could
  bring a
  fight to your
  doorstep, getting paid to fight is just a sensible
  idea.
  •Heroes may hire as many followers as they like
  to come along with them, if they have the money.
  The amount of available followers will be
  limited
  Most scenarios will have a suggested Party rank.
  This is the total rank of all the heroes and
  followers in the party.
  •If the total rank of the party is less than the
  scenarios suggested rank then they can hire
  followers to come with them.
  •If the total parties rank is greater than the
  suggested party rank then the demonlord will
  have
  instructions
  on
  how
  to
  even
  out
  the
  challenge.
  •If followers are available to the party then the
  lowest ranked hero may hire as many followers as
  the difference between them and the next hero in
  line. That hero may then hire as many followers as
  the difference between them and the next hero
  and so on until the party rank limit is reached.
  For example a 2nd rank hero a 4th rank hero
  and a 5th rank hero embark on a scenario
  suggesting a party rank of 16.
  The 2nd rank hero may take up to two followers
  (the difference between 2 and 4)
  The 4 the level hero may take up to 1 follower
  (the difference between 4 and 5)
  The party may still take 2 more followers if they
  wish, the option is first given to the lowest rank,
  the 2nd, who may choose to take one, which he
  does, the next follower is allowed to the 4th rank
  who declines and the fifth rank hero decides to
  take the last one. Though he could decline
  •A party may always embark on a scenario that
  is higher rated than their party if they so choose.
  Cost of hiring followers
  •To hire a standard man whose stats are all zero
  (except the usual 6 endurance) will cost 1 gold
  coin per week.
  •They will have their own food and camping
  supplies.
  •The will have one weapon each and 3 pieces of
  armour, giving them a defense of 1.
  •The hero may buy them additional weapons
  and armour which they will use during their
  employment which will be returned when their
  contract is completed.
  Usually these people will be hired in groups.
  This means that if one of them dies the heroes
  may not "loot their corpse". The other men in the
  group will either distribute their belongings or
  take them to sell and give the proceeds to the
  dead man’s family.
  At least they will usually tell the heroes that that
  is their plan.
  To hire anyone with better stats than the
  average man is a costly process and will often
  involve
  hiring
  from
  one
  of
  the
  mercenary
  companies found in Stroh Branoch. Costs and
  availability for these are up to the Demonlord or
  may be suggested by the current Scenario.
  Followers.
  What can followers do? What are the rules, and
  who controls them?
  •The player controls his followers in exactly the
  same way as his hero. He may move him, use him
  to attack, may have him carry items, pass items,
  look down hallways etc. Anything that doesn’t
  require a Sota roll.
  •Each player will control their hero and their
  own followers on their turn, moving and attacking
  with them as if they were their own hero.
  •Their follower may not perform any Sota except
  for those the scenario describes.
  •Each follower will work for either one week or
  one scenario for one gold piece, whichever occurs
  first.
  •However, though followers are paid to fight
  they are not without their limits. When travelling
  or in a city they will fight in one combat before
  demanding another gold piece from their owner.
  When in a scenario they will fight in the first
  combat with absolute faithfulness but after that
  each combat is subject to a roll to see if they
  continue fighting. (See next page for the Flee Roll)
  .
  ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess 2200
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Flee roll:
  •When the combat begins (ie when enemies
  appear) before anyone moves each player rolls 1
  die. If the score is 4-6 their followers continue to
  fight.
  •If the score is a 1-3 then they immediately start
  running towards safety (they are under the control
  of the demonlord who will move them away from
  enemies) They will still defend themselves when
  attacked but will continue to run away. Once the
  reach the exit they will never be seen again.
  •This
  flee
  roll
  can
  be
  modified
  by
  the
  camaraderie stat of the hero that owns them,
  adding or subtracting as applicable.
  •Regardless of the modifier, a roll of 6 on the die
  means that they stay and fight. A roll of 1 on the
  die means they run.
  •If the running followers are still on the Demon
  board when the enemies are all removed from the
  board the heroes may attempt to call them back.
  The same flee roll is made as when fighting except
  now
  the
  roll
  is
  modified
  by
  the
  combined
  Camaraderie of the party taking into effect all the
  heroes modifiers. A 1-3 means that they disappear
  never to be seen again (remove them from the
  demonboard) a 4-6 means they return (move the
  followers to a square next to their owner.
  •In
  a
  scenario
  it
  may
  be
  stated
  that
  the
  demonlords minions will need to make flee rolls
  as well under certain conditions.
  2211 ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Steel weapons
  Without descending to talk of weight of Iron
  coins, relatively values of money, cost of craftsmen,
  iron content of Iron ore and iron coins we will use
  the following as a guide.
  To have a steel item made, whether a weapon or
  a piece of armour, it will cost the hero 20 gold
  pieces and 30 iron coins (if using iron ore then
  you will have to determine the relative Iron
  content and it will cost a bit more for the smelting
  of the ore).
  If a steel weapon is ordered from a blacksmith
  by a hero and the blacksmith is up to the task
  (demonlord decides) they may choose to have the
  weapon add a bonus of +1 to attack or +1 to
  damage. Otherwise the bonus will be randomly
  chosen.
  If they are able to find an experienced weapons
  smith then they may make a weapon that is +1 to
  damage and +1 to attack if they are willing to pay
  their higher rates, (50 gold coins). The demonlord
  will have to decide if these highly trained weapon
  smiths are available, or the scenario notes or
  background of the area may mention this.
  There are great weapons masters who can craft
  weapons of even finer workmanship but they are
  extremely rare in the world, rarely ply their craft,
  and command extremely high prices.
  There are no known great weapon smiths in the
  Winterlands but there may be one or two, living in
  out of the way places, unknown to all except other
  great smiths.
  Their workmanship is perfect, and though their
  shape and design be strange and foreign to the
  eyes of modern smiths, their craftsmanship and
  functionality cannot be argued.
  Ones who work steel in the winterlands are
  held in great reverence and awe. They are almost
  high
  priests
  of
  metal,
  living
  mysterious
  and
  solitary lives. Their secrets are held extremely
  closely with the knowledge being passed down
  usually from father to son only.
  Other Weapons still circulate throughout the
  winterlands, however, ancient blades, created by
  great smiths, in a time when iron flowed like water
  from the mountains, in the time of the first men
  when the greatest smiths of all time lived and
  walked still.
  The greatest of these are the “Goblin-Made”
  weapons of the great first time. These sometimes
  still turn up in ancient mines, and forgotten places,
  weapons of indescribable sharpness, lightness and
  strength.
  Steel armour heading
  Steel armour or adequate quality will give a
  bonus of +2 for every 3 pieces instead of a bonus
  of +1.
  Steel armour can only be used for the chain or
  plate layer of armour.
  ccoommbbaatt aanndd ssoottaa rruulleess 2222
  STEEL WEAPONS AND ARMOUR
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Fighting with two weapons
  By giving up the use of a shield, the hero may
  choose to fight with two weapons.
  •Instead of the usual +2 to attack the shield
  gives, the hero using two weapons will have a +1
  to attack and a +1 to damage.
  Large two handed weapons.
  Instead of a shield the hero may use a two
  handed weapon.
  In
  the
  game
  of
  Lair
  it
  is
  often
  highly
  recommended to use a shield. You receive a +2 to
  attack for using a shield and what else would you
  be using your spare hand for anyway?
  •If they do choose to use a two handed weapon
  instead of a sword and shield they will receive a
  +2 to damage instead of the +2 to attack that the
  shield gives them.
  These weapons include 2 handed axes, swords
  and kartharkan maces.
  Long Weapons
  Halberds, 2 handed war spears and hunting
  spears.
  •These are long reach weapons allowing the
  hero to make an attack on a square 2 spaces away,
  instead of only the square bordering the hero.
  •When attacking make a roll in the same way as
  attacking with a missile weapon. If the attacker
  loses the combat their enemy does not get to
  make a damage roll however, and the attacker still
  loses the minimum 1 endurance point.
  •However if an enemy does move into hand to
  hand combat with the wielder of the long weapon
  the wielder will fight as if unarmed.
  •If two people with long weapons are fighting
  each other from a distance of two squares then
  the combat works in the same way as two people
  fighting normally with swords next to each other.
  •If two people armed with long weapons are
  fighting each other from neighbouring squares
  then they both fight as if they were unarmed.
  •Heroes armed with long weapons may attack an
  enemy through a square occupied by someone on
  their own side.
  Negative defense score.
  Tthe amount is added to any damage rolled
  against them in hand to hand fighting or missile
  combat.
  •This does not affect the minimum 1 point of
  endurance damage they receive for being in
  combat. That is still just a 1 as it only represents
  the tiring of the hero.
  For example if they have a -2 defense and an
  enemy successfully attacks them, rolling a 3 for
  damage, the hero takes 5 endurance damage.
  Negative damage score
  A negative score in damage is applied to any
  damage roll the hero makes.
  If a hero has a -2 damage stat, whenever they
  roll damage they subtract 2 from the roll. So if
  they roll a 4 they only cause 2 damage. If they roll
  a 1 then the enemy still takes the minimum 1
  endurance damage for being in combat.
  Missile combat rule addition.
  When rolling to hit for a missile attack with a
  bow or thrown weapon, a tie is considered a miss.
  This was left out of the Combat issue and so is
  now added as an additional rule.
  2233 ccoommbbaatt aanndd ssoottaa rruulleess
  NEW WEAPONS AND RULES FOR COMBAT
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Balanced encounters, hero rank, party rank,
  encounter rank, enemy rank, scenario rank.
  Before we begin I want to point out that there is
  one rule change coming up.
  In the combat issue I stated that a Hero begins
  at Rank 0
  Below we will see that the hero actually starts at
  a different rank than 0 depending on what their
  choices were when creating their hero.
  Hero Rank.
  A heroes rank can be found by:
  •Start with 1
  •Add all bonuses in attack, defense, and damage,
  any endurance above 6 and any move above
  4.(don’t forget the bonus +2 for a shield). Also
  minus any negatives.
  •If they have a special attack that causes 1d6 of
  damage add 1
  •
  If they have a special attack that causes
  2d6 of damage add 4
  •If they have a special attack that causes 3d6 of
  damage add 10
  For example, if a sorcerer controls a demon, add
  the demons rank to the rank of the sorcerer.
  If a sorcerer has an item which can cause a
  special attack, add the bonuses of that attack to
  the sorcerers rank.
  Party rank
  •The party rank of the group can be found by
  adding together the ranks of all the heroes and
  adding 1 for each standard follower.
  Rank of Enemies
  •The rank of any enemy can be determined in
  the same way by the demonlord as determining
  rank for heroes.
  •The rank of any group of enemies can be
  determined in the same way as party rank for the
  heroes.
  In this way you can determine if the party is
  fighting a “group of equal or greater force” for the
  purpose of veteran point awards.
  A balanced encounter.
  When creating your scenarios it may be best to
  consider
  relative
  strengths
  versus
  the
  party
  instead of just writing down how many enemies
  are there.
  For example if you want a group of raiders to
  attack the party of heroes in a specific room and
  you want their rank to be half of the heroes then
  you can write down the rank of 1 raider and in the
  description of the room write “half party rank of
  raiders”.
  That way it will not matter how many heroes are
  in the group you can easily determine how many
  enemies to use and the encounter will always be
  the same “difficulty”.
  For example:
  Add all of the heroes ranks together and you
  will have the parties total rank.
  For an encounter in a scenario you will see that
  there will usually be a type of enemy or creature
  that attacks. Each creature or enemy will have a
  rank.
  The encounter will say what amount of the
  parties rank worth of creatures will attack.
  For example say the total party rank is 12.
  The scenario says that there is an encounter
  with a group of bandits.
  It will give the bandits stats and rank, for this
  example we will say that the bandits rank is 2.
  The scenario will then go on to say something
  like: a balanced encounter, a half power encounter,
  or a quarter power encounter.
  For a half power encounter for example it would
  mean enough bandits to equal half the total
  heores party rank, which in this case would be 6
  So simply divide 6 by the rank of the bandits
  giving you the answer of 3 bandits.
  So 3 bandits will be in the encounter.
  In this way you can always tell if the heroes are
  fighting a group of “equal or greater force” as well
  for the purpose of Veteran points.
  ccoommbbaatt aanndd ssoottaa rruulleess 2244
  THE LAIR RANKING SYSTEM
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Here is the part you’ve all been waiting for.
  Technically most games would put enemies,
  monsters and animal in the territory of the Games
  master only but I don’t think anything is lost by
  the players knowing the following information.
  Listed
  below
  are
  sample
  statistics
  for
  the
  animals, bizarre creatures, and human enemies of
  the Winterlands.
  These are all things which are known to exist by
  most of the people of the Winterlands. Your
  average winterlander would know the comparable
  strength of a winterlands saber cat to a frost bear,
  their lives depend on it.
  Animal Enemies
  Usually animals are used in a scenario to either
  spice things up, in the case of a giant snake in a
  sorcerers
  lair,
  or
  to
  attack
  the
  heroes
  with
  something
  convincing
  while
  travelling
  in
  the
  wilds: an attack by wolves while travelling through
  the woods, for example.
  Or they may serve as the quest goal itself,
  ridding a hidden valley of rampaging dinosaurs to
  loot the lost temple within.
  Animals can be the final enemy of a Lair, like a
  giant spider lurking at the bottom of a mines
  labyrinth of twisting tunnels.
  Lair of sword and sorcery is primarily focused
  on people, and the enemies of the heroes will
  often be men, just like them. Animals and the like
  should be considered more like tools that the
  enemies will use against them, like the sorcerers
  snake.
  Animals
  could
  take
  up
  residence
  in
  the
  forgotten tunnels and lairs that the heroes travel
  to, places where people do not travel to. A place
  beyond mans knowledge may still be the hunting
  grounds of a pack of wolves.
  Known creatures of the wild:
  The following animals are all considered to be
  natural and common in the Winterlands.
  There are many more natural creatures than
  these, but this is a list of the ones that might pose
  a danger to the heroes. Their relative strengths
  and
  weaknesses
  are
  known
  to
  all
  and
  few
  winterlanders would be surprised to see them,
  though they might not be too happy.
  Vulpin (Rats):
  These are the squeaking food supply of the
  larger winterlands creatures. The vulpins breed
  prodigiously and can feed on anything. Larger and
  stronger than the common rat on earth they can
  grow to 2 feet long including the tail. The tail of
  the vulpine is shorter and thicker than that of the
  earth rat and the head is larger, allowing for a
  more fearsome bite.
  The vulpine can be said to be the source of the
  winterland fighting spirit as all younglings learn
  how to kill them quite early in life.
  Luckily
  their
  larger
  size
  keeps
  them
  from
  invading well built homes as easily as our earth
  rats but they are still a scourge of the cities,
  making sleeping outdoors alone in a human
  settlement a dangerous proposition.
  They are relatively easy to deal with singly,
  though their vicious bite will easily draw blood.
  Their heavy size keeps them from jumping too
  high as well as preventing them from climbing
  trees and up furniture.
  Attics, cellars and other forgotten spaces can be
  crawling with these creatures however.
  Though
  they
  will
  attack
  any
  intruder
  that
  stumbles upon them a successful blow will send
  one running.
  If they are encountered in packs however they
  can be quite dangerous.
  Def Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  0
  0
  2
  0
  5
  1/2
  Wolf wings (Bats)
  The flying Vulpins of the winterlands.
  Less
  fragile than our earth bats, they are also heavier
  and stronger. Not as fast a flyer they prefer to wait
  in high places to swoop down on their prey, or
  attack birds in flight.
  They travel in small packs of 10 to 20 though
  they also will fly solo for longer distances if food
  is scarce.
  Once on the ground they tend to be slow
  moving and will find it difficult to take off again,
  although they can if given enough time.
  They will try to take down their prey in the first
  attack, often attacking with as many of their
  number as they can. On the ground they are
  weaker fighters.
  Once they have landed and are in combat they
  will not try to take off again unless they are
  fleeing.
  Their swooping attack can be fearsome and
  surprising but once on the ground are easy to
  dispatch.
  They have two move scores. The first is flying,
  the second for walking.
  When
  the
  wolfwing
  is
  encountered
  it
  will
  usually be either flying or perched somewhere
  high.
  It has 2 attack scores, the first is used when it
  makes its swooping dive attack. The second is
  used after the dive on the ground
  It also has two damage scores, the first for the
  dive attack and the second for after the dive.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  0
  5/0
  2
  +3/0
  8/2
  2
  2255 ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Frost Bear
  The winterlands frost bear is smaller than our
  worlds Polar bear though it’s appearance is similar.
  The Frost bear is 4 feet high at the shoulder and
  walks on all fours, rarely raising up on it’s back
  legs.
  It cannot climb well but runs quite quickly. They
  are wider than earth bears with wide flat heads
  covered in short horns.
  They will attack with claws teeth and headbutts
  and can be extremely dangerous.
  They tend to travel singly though sometimes a
  group of 3 or more are found.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  2
  4
  8
  2
  6
  13
  Boar
  The winterlands boar is large sleek and furred
  with a coarse thick hair. Large hoofs allow it to
  travel across the snow. Long tusks make it a
  fearsome enemy.
  They travel in packs, have no fear of man, and
  attack fast and without warning.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  0
  2
  4
  1
  6
  4
  Takket
  The winterlands domestic Takket.
  4 feet tall, powerfully built, huge hoofs, and ram
  horns. Fast moving, powerful. Usually used for
  food, clothing and, in teams of four, to pull large
  chariot sleds through the winterlands.
  They are domesticated and usually quite calm. If
  attacked or sufficiently spooked they may bolt, if
  they are unable to run then they may attempt to
  defend themselves against their attackers.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  0
  0
  4
  0
  8
  2
  Wild takket
  The wild tacket is smaller, sleaker, and meaner.
  Wiry and stronger than their domestic kin they
  are also likely to bolt when danger appears. If the
  herd is unable to bolt or if they are directly
  attacked
  then
  they will
  definitely attempt
  to
  defend themselves.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  0
  1
  3
  0
  6
  1
  Wild takket bull
  Any herd of wild takket will have a dominant
  bull. Larger, stronger, and more aggressive than the
  rest.
  It will attack any stranger threatening the herd.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  0
  2
  5
  1
  6
  5
  Winterlands vulture
  A large raptor like bird, huge, with a wingspan
  of 6 feet and large powerful talons.
  They can be either solitary flyers or travel in
  groups. Groups will gather wherever a large kill
  lies.
  They will usually wait until the prey is dead but
  if the prey is injured they may swoop in to finish
  the kill.
  The first move score is their flying score, the
  second is for when they have landed. If given
  enough space they can take off again easily.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  0
  2
  5
  1
  10/2
  4
  Reindeer
  The reindeer of the winterlands and the old
  primal deer of our prehistory.
  Massive powerful, towering over men.
  Standing 6 to 7 feet tall at the shoulder, they are
  wid, noble, and powerful beasts. Found deep in the
  woods
  or far on
  the
  steppes, far from
  any
  settlements.
  They are rarely hunted and hold a mythical
  place
  in
  the
  legends
  and
  stories
  of
  the
  Winterlanders.
  Huge
  fast,
  dangerous
  if
  provoked,
  the
  winterlands reindeer is a powerful and dangerous
  beast.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  1
  2
  10
  3
  6
  13
  They may be encountered singly or as a pair.
  ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess 2266
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Winterlander saber cat
  The winterlander saber cat, or mountain cat, is
  not as large or dangerous in combat as the
  winterlander wolf.
  It’s danger lies in its cunning.
  The saber cats coat allows it to hide near
  anywhere in the winterlands, it can manipulate it’s
  fur to expose the various layers of colouring it has.
  It can hide in the snow, the rocks of the mountain,
  or the dark green or brown wood of the forests or
  the black wood of the curse woods.
  Lying in wait, they choose the most opportune
  moment to strike.
  The attack bonus and damage stats have two
  scores, the first to represent this surprise strike,
  the second for further attacks once the prey is
  aware of its presence.
  If the first strike does not take the enemy down
  and the prey is alone, the cat will continue to
  attack. If the prey has any backup the cat will need
  to make a choice whether to continue the attack.
  Make a flee roll for the saber cat.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  0
  8/0
  5
  6/0
  6
  9
  Wolves
  The winterlands wolf is the scourge of the
  mountains.
  Travelling in packs, fearless, they fear no man,
  animal, or creature.
  They will attack any group they outnumber,
  fearlessly striking, running, and attacking again.
  Their tactics and strategy when attacking in
  groups is fearsome.
  Each individual will flee for a short distance
  when
  surrounded
  and
  return
  to
  attack
  an
  individual, in turn surrounding them.
  They
  travel
  in
  packs
  sometimes
  small,
  sometimes large. And may even attack villages and
  towns if food is short, and the winter particularly
  harsh.
  Their bodies are heavier stockier and shorter
  than our earth counterparts, their heads wider and
  their jaws stronger, having a greater number of,
  and larger, teeth than our earth wolves.
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  Rank
  0
  1
  4
  0
  6
  2
  2277 ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Making up your own creatures, rumoured
  creatures and mythical creatures
  Kartharka is a vast land of Mystery and legend.
  In all it’s forgotten valleys, and winding caves, any
  manner of things may creep, crawl or leap.
  Not seen or heard by most in the world these
  things continue to live on as only legend and
  story.
  The
  Heroes
  may
  encounter
  many
  things,
  however, in their wandering of the world. What is
  only a legend in the Winterlands may be a
  common creature in “The lost”, and horrible things
  may be well known to those who live around the
  Feistmere that are unknown to the people of
  Stroh-Branoch.
  What follows is a short list of what may lurk just
  around the next corner of a world where science
  has
  but
  begun,
  and
  where
  communication
  between
  two
  towns
  on
  the
  black
  road
  is
  dangerous enough much less travel to the next
  province.
  Giants
  Not the huge man shaped creatures but giant
  versions of everyday things.
  It is said, that in places where sorcery pools,
  ordinary creatures can grow to enourmous sizes.
  And that these things may be worshipped as gods,
  kept as pets, or controlled as fierce killers.
  Giants
  are
  the
  easiest
  creatures
  for
  the
  Demonlord to create, and the most common
  myths revolve around giant versions of common
  creatures.
  Giant insects, beetles, ants, spiders and
  centipedes.
  Legends tell of these creatures in hidden groves,
  forests, caves, mines or tunnels.
  Stories of these things trickle in from travelers,
  miners, or old men from the outskirts of the
  Winterlands.
  None know just how big they could grow, if they
  do indeed exist. Whether they would attack in
  groups or singly, or indeed what they would look
  like.
  The Demonlord must decide for himself the
  stats of each of these creatures. Some guidelines
  follow this section in the next article
  .
  Giant animals, Rats, bats, ape/gorillas, or
  mountain cats.
  These may live in forgotten valleys or have
  been hand raised from babies, either created by
  sorcery, or bought from traders from faraway
  lands.
  They make suitable pets for powerful enemies,
  or the protectors or ancient or hidden cities or
  tombs.
  Ancient temples may be protected by special
  breeds
  of apes, trained
  to
  leave
  the
  priests
  unmolested but attacking all outsiders.
  Again the actual stats for these creatures will
  need to be decided by the Demonlord as they are
  heard of by the people only in ancient legends
  and stories.
  Giant reptiles‐Dinosaurs, Giant lizards or
  snakes.
  The Winterlands are too cold a place for many
  reptiles to live above ground.
  However,
  myths
  of
  forgotten
  valleys
  and
  mountain strongholds where the air is still warm
  are often discussed by the old men around the
  fires. Memories of the time before the coming of
  the winter perhaps, or they may be true.
  Great sorceries and magics are now pouring
  into
  the
  Winterlands
  from
  below
  the
  earth,
  perhaps enough to be used by a sorcerer or an
  ancient artifact to create a small place of tropical
  heat, where the great reptiles can roam again.
  Or they could be raised by a man, hatched from
  ancient eggs merely waiting for warmth to return
  to life.
  Kept as guards, pets, vicious killers at their
  whim
  or
  even
  revered
  as
  gods
  by
  their
  worshippers.
  The Mammoth
  A giant, violent, mountain of a beast, said to be
  anywhere from 7 to 20 feet tall.
  Stories of Winterlanders tribes controlling vast
  herds of these beasts are heard across the most
  northern parts of the
  Winterlands. Fear of the
  herd destroying all in its path, devastating villages,
  cities, and armies. Whether these are just myths,
  rumors
  spread
  by
  the
  tribes
  to
  make
  the
  Winterlanders fear them, or based in actual fact are
  not known.
  ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess 2288
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Creating Stats for creatures and enemies,
  info for the Demonlord.
  The Demonlord has the power to create their
  own scenarios and enemies for those scenarios.
  Enemies may be normal men, bandits, thieves,
  mercenaries
  or
  whatever
  you
  can
  imagine.
  Tribesmen walk the plains, traveling merchants
  and sages may attack the heros. Strange shadow
  cultists
  worshipping
  dark
  gods,
  anything
  the
  Demonlord can imagine can be made. The hardest
  thing is to come up with an idea.
  The Demonlord need not only create other
  men for the hero to fight, the animals of Kartharka
  are also formidable enemies, a number of them
  are listed in this issue.
  Add to that any of the creatures in legend and
  rumour and the Demonlord has ideas aplenty for
  enemies for their heroes.
  •So step 1 to creating your enemy: Decide what
  it is.
  Now that you know what it is, you must decide
  what it’s stats are.
  •Step 2: determine its stats.
  If find that the best way to measure the enemies
  stats are to compare it to a normal man, not a
  hero, just an average man of the realm.
  Here is the average mans stats:
  Def
  Attk
  End
  Dam
  Move
  0
  0
  6
  0
  4
  •If you want a creature that is equal to a man
  but a little bit stronger, then you can increase their
  attack.
  •If you want them to be large, have a thick hide,
  or perhaps just be difficult to injure, increase their
  defense.
  •If you
  want a
  creature that is large, not
  incredibly dangerous but will take some time to
  kill, like an earth cow, increase its endurance.
  •If it is a creature with very large claws, teeth, or
  some other very dangerous attack, give it a bonus
  to damage.
  •If it moves faster than a man, increase its move
  stat.
  •Also if it is weaker than the average man, or
  smaller, think about either putting a minus in one
  of the stats, lowering the endurance less than 6, or
  making the move less than 4.
  Enemy or Creature rank
  To find out what their rank is simply compare
  their stats versus the common man stats.
  •Start with 1
  •For any bonus over the common man add the
  bonus to their rank
  •For any negative subtract the number from
  their rank.
  •If they are armed with missile weapons or have
  a ranged attack add 1
  •Then you will have the creatures total rank
  •If the total number is a negative then it will be
  considered a fraction of a rank. A negative 3 will
  mean that it is a third of a rank. Three of these
  creatures would be the equivalent of a common
  man.
  If you decide to give a creature some kind of
  special ability over and above the normal combat
  stats then you will have to make a call on what
  that will add to the creatures rank.
  If it is an extra attack then you can simply use
  the stats of the attack, if it is some kind of obscure
  power, like immune to certain attacks, able to
  control others, put people to sleep then some kind
  of a multiplyer would be in order. In most cases it
  would be to multiply their rank by 2, 3, or even 4.
  •You will see in the animal section that some
  creatures have stats with / in them. For example a
  flying move score and a walking move score. For
  these stats I add the two together and divide by 2
  to find a number which I add to the rank. The
  same goes for / used in any of the other stats.
  2299 ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The following rules and guidelines are to help
  the Demonlord in running their own Lairs.
  I had hoped to have a lengthy article in this
  issue with a full rundown of how to create you
  own scenarios and Lairs from top to bottom.
  Unfortunately through playtesting with my own
  group I found that there were still a lot of things
  which needed to be added to the game rules-wise
  to actually run a scenario. I also had some new
  players who were very new to roleplaying in
  general who were most useful in determining just
  what people new to the whole roleplaying (I prefer
  Adventure gaming) thing, would need to know.
  They also were a great help in finding out what
  the inexperienced gamer actually expected out of
  an adventure game.
  When sitting down to play my first instruction
  to myself was that if a rule was not in the previous
  two issues then I couldn’t use it in my game. We
  forget as games masters just how much of these
  games is actually us making up the rules such “on-
  the-fly”. With any game we run actually being an
  amalgamation of every ruleset we’ve ever played.
  Especially when we find that there is something
  not covered by the rules, in our minds we have
  plenty of mechanics from other systems floating
  around and are easily able to latch onto one of
  them to use.
  With this game I wanted something new and
  different. So whenever a something came up that I
  didn’t have a rule for, I had them decide how to
  handle it. It definitely slanted the game in their
  favour using these ad-hoc rules but they were
  there for fun and I was there to learn.
  So I took what they came up with, which told
  me what they actually expected the rules to be,
  actually wrote them all down as they came up (we
  forget to do this so often), and took them back to
  the desk.
  So here they are all shined up and ready to go.
  Actual rules for how to run all the little bits in a
  lair.
  And as for how to create your own scenarios? I
  will be publishing the first Lair of Sword and
  Sorcery
  scenarios
  soon,
  entitled
  “The
  Blind
  Burrower”. Along with all the info on the scenario
  will be included articles on how I created this
  scenario and more tips and rules on creating your
  own. Best of all this one will be a free issue
  available for download from the site. Check out
  lairofswordandsorcery.blogspot.com
  for
  more
  details.
  Sota and the Demonlord
  •The rules of Sota state that the Demonlord and
  his minions may not do SOTA unless specifically
  described in the scenario.
  Sometimes the heroes will do SOTA that will
  clearly be
  more
  effective
  than
  it
  should
  be
  however.
  For example: a simple rope stretched across a
  hallway back and forth several times. It would be a
  simple roll of 7 for a hero to set this rope up. If the
  hero were to try to move through this it would be
  a “simple” sota roll to do so, but the Demonlords
  minions cannot do Sota and so would be stymied
  by this simple rope, unable to make a sota roll to
  get past it.
  Any intelligent human should be able to simply
  cut the rope and walk through, or at the very least
  to slip through the gaps in the rope barrier. But
  this would be considered something other than
  attacking in the game of Lair.
  Why not just give the Demonlord Sota? To allow
  the Demonlord to Sota would give him far too
  much
  power.
  With
  this
  much
  power
  the
  Demonlord would be unable to have as much fun
  with each encounter, trying their best to kill the
  heroes. He would be relegated to the role of mere
  referee again, no longer able to actively try to best
  the heroes. So in Lair this power is traded, the all
  powerful game master gets to be a player of sorts.
  But it is again unfair for the players to do such
  simple
  things
  to
  completely
  thwart
  the
  demonlords minions.
  And so the special SOTA exception exists.
  Sota exception
  •SOTA exception: The Demonlord can undo any
  SOTA the players do by making the same die roll.
  So the ropes that take a 7 on a SOTA roll to set
  up, require a roll of a 7 by one of the Demonlords
  minions
  to
  cut.
  Of
  course
  the
  Demonlords
  Minions do not have the bonuses of the heroes to
  help them, such as Body or mind.
  ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess 3300
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  •A blind lair is any lair which is not laid out in
  its entirety as soon as the heroes begin. Any area
  not in the heroes direct line of sight is not laid on
  the board until the heroes can actually see it.
  •Usually this is when they open a door, or move
  into a new area.
  •When the heroes can see the new area then
  the Demonlord can lay it down on the board, along
  with any enemies that are in the area. The
  scenario map will indicate where all the enemies
  are located along with all the walls, doors, rooms
  and other items.
  •Enemies
  that
  are
  not
  on
  the
  board
  are
  considered
  “not
  to
  exist
  yet”.
  They
  will
  not
  generally hear noise and come investigating, move
  from one area to another out of the sight of the
  players, or “wander” randomly about the lair.
  This may not be realistic but is much easier for
  the Demonlord to track and control. This frees up
  both the Demonlord and the players to have more
  fun.
  Doors
  In all of my playtesting I never really used
  doors. Never got around to making any in all the
  excitement and just kept forgetting to. Until I had a
  scenario
  which
  had
  something
  happen
  when
  someone opened a door. Whoops no doors.
  Luckily Doors are quite easy to make.
  The
  simplest ones
  are
  made
  from
  cutting,
  folding and painting a piece of cardboard.
  Or one can be made from “craft” sticks, the ones
  the size of a tongue depressor work very well.
  Once you have some doors we’ll need rules to
  go with them.
  •Doors will usually be closed when the heroes
  enter the lair unless specifically stated otherwise.
  •Doors
  can
  be
  opened
  by any human
  or
  humanoid during roleplaying without a Sota roll.
  •Opening a door is an easy Sota roll for any
  hero once combat has begun.
  •A demonlord minion can open any unlocked
  door with a simple Sota roll as well
  Another exception, we can’t let minions be
  stymied by a simple closed door.
  •However a Demonlord minion may not open a
  door to an area that is unexplored by the heroes
  and still “blind”.
  We can’t have minions opening new areas and
  exposing the heroes to more enemies than each
  encounter is meant to have.
  Locked, barred and sealed doors
  Lair of sword and sorcery does not have thieves
  as we know them in the classic sense.
  •A locked door has to be unlocked with a key. A
  barred door must be unbarred to be opened.
  Doors cannot be broken down by attacking them
  with your swords and spears.
  If heroes are able to make some sort of
  battering ram or have brought one with them for
  some reason then I leave it to the purview of the
  current Demonlord on whether or not they are
  successful in destroying these doors.
  Surprise
  Shockingly I had no rules for surprise either,
  until it was required, and then…surprise! No rules.
  Here they are, so you don’t have to feel my pain.
  •Unless
  the
  scenario
  specifically
  states
  otherwise, as soon as the enemies are placed, the
  game switches to combat mode. When switching
  to combat mode the first turn is made by the hero
  to the left of the Demonlord with turns continuing
  clockwise around the table. The Demonlord may
  then take their turn.
  •Play then continues to the heroes again in the
  same way.
  •However if the scenario states that the heroes
  are “surprised” when the enemies are placed, the
  Demonlord gets to take their turn first. Then next
  will be the hero to the demonlords left and so on.
  When combat mode ends
  •Combat mode ends as soon as the last enemy
  is removed from the board. Usually this is due to
  an attack. So if a hero dispatches their enemy and
  it is the last one on the board, play switches to
  roleplaying mode with the next turn going to the
  next hero clockwise.
  •If it was the Demonlord then play continues to
  the hero to the left of the demonlord.
  This is a very important rule because there are
  a lot of valuables up for grabs when the last
  enemy is killed. The heroes may have a system set
  up for dividing the spoils but otherwise it is “first
  come first serve”.
  Torches and Light
  •The scenario will say whether or not the lair
  has sufficient light for the heroes to see. If it does
  not then at least one of them must carry a torch.
  While carrying a torch the hero will not have a
  second
  hand
  available
  for
  holding
  another
  weapon or a shield.
  •If heroes are separated in more than one room
  then each “group” of heroes will need a light
  source.
  •Torches also make effective weapons and may
  be thrown like other thrown weapons, or swung
  like a club. They act in exactly the same way as
  any other weapon rolling 1 die for damage.
  •Certain creatures or items may be particularly
  flammable. If this is the case then the scenario will
  say so.
  •Torches do not go out when they are thrown or
  used as a weapon.
  •If dropped in woods or grasses torches will not
  3311 ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  usually cause the neighboring woods or brush to
  catch fire. There may be a slight chance of this
  happening in the short period of time the torch is
  on the ground but it would be deemed too
  inconvenient to have to roll for this every time.
  •IF the heroes wish to set a forest or building
  alight then this is possible and usually a difficult
  Sota roll would be suitable to be successful. If the
  material
  is particularly dry or flammable the
  Demonlord may change this to an easy roll.
  ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess 3322
  Mini Review Hät Miniatures:
  You may notice we have some new additions to
  the Demonboard in this issue.I took the plunge
  and broke my rule of only buying “toys”.And I am
  thrilled. I personally prefer the smaller 25mm scale
  to todays oversized miniatures, although I love my
  “little” green army men” scale as well.
  With Hät minis come about 40 to a box for
  $7.00 and compared to todays prices that is
  fantastic..There is a huge variety available.. $20.00
  in Hät minis more than fills up my box.
  Everyone go out and check these minis out
  online immediately.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Sorcerous items
  In the times before time, in the lands of the First
  Men…
  Great and powerful sorcerers were said to have
  hundreds of spirits at their command. Doing their
  bidding at a whim, building fortresses, temples and
  tombs.
  But each spirit must be summoned, controlled,
  and
  commanded.
  Even
  the greatest sorcerers
  could command only so many spirits at the same
  time.
  These first Sorcerers sought a solution, and
  found that they could imprison foul spirits and
  demons within specially constructed prisons.
  These could be gem, a bottle, a staff, wand, or
  weapon. These prisons were each constructed to
  hold a specific spirit or demon. The prison would
  often be constructed to hold a specific spirit or
  demon.
  A sword for example may imprison a demon of
  fire, keeping it forever aflame while still being safe
  for the wielder to hold.
  But this would require the wielder to control the
  demon within. The prison of the sword may be
  powerful
  enough
  to
  keep
  the
  demon
  from
  harming the wielder but may not be powerful
  enough to force the demon to create it’s flame. Or
  to keep it’s flame out when the sword must be
  sheathed.
  Or it may require the wielder to have the force
  of will to command the demon to throw fire from
  the sword once they have mastered the arts of
  demon control.
  Many sorcerous items also require something
  of the wielder. A sacrifice must be made to
  appease the spirit within or to bind it to a new
  wielder.
  Sometimes the wielder must make a sacrifice of
  themselves or of another. Some will work only at
  specific times, or a certain number of times a day,
  or will only work when soaked in a certain liquid,
  like blood, alcohol, or refined moonlight.
  Some items require constant control, with the
  demon within turning on the wielder the moment
  their attention is turned.
  Sorcerous items can wield great power but are
  dangerous and rare.
  Legends speak of the items wielded by the
  sorcerers of old but none are known to have come
  down
  to
  the
  present
  inhabitants
  of
  the
  Winterlands. The sages speak of old legends and
  possible places where these items may still reside
  but the
  exact location of these places is just as
  lost to the ages as the items themselves.
  Demonlords wishing to add sorcerous items to
  their games may use the guidelines above, but
  remember with every power which they grant
  they will have a drawback they make them as
  dangerous as useful. And without a sorcerer
  powerful enough to command the demons within
  them they can be just as dangerous as the spirits
  trapped within them.
  The best way to include a sorcerous item in
  your games is in the hands of an enemy sorcerer.
  It can add great variety and power to the heroes
  enemies, but once the sorcerer is dead the item
  should be too difficult to control without enlisting
  the aid of a powerful sorcerer themselves.
  For specific examples of Sorcerous items and
  how they are used, look to the forthcoming
  Sorcery issue of Lair of Sword & Sorcery.
  Sorcerouse enemies and monsters.
  Evil sorcerers may have many demons and
  spirits to serve them. Some will have the power to
  appear before the heroes and attack them. They
  may have special abilities, such as breathing fire,
  moving
  through
  walls, enormous
  strength, or
  multiple arms allowing them to attack with many
  weapons at once, or multiple legs allowing them to
  run quickly.
  These Sorcerors may also summon, create, or
  control other bizarre and strange creatures, giant
  snakes, skeletons and zombies, ghosts, skeleton
  dinosaurs, firebreathing panthers, giant lizards,
  insects or anything else the Demonlord can think
  of.
  They may also have sorcerous items which can
  have any power which the Demonlord can think
  of.
  Sorcery is the great mystery of the world of
  Kartharka, never to be understood and always to
  be feared.
  The
  important
  thing
  to
  remember,
  when
  creating your own sorcerers, is to have them
  always keep the heroes guessing.
  Just make sure to consult the balance guides
  earlier
  in
  this
  issue
  to
  keep
  you
  from
  overwhelming your poor heroes.
  3333 ddeemmoonnlloorrdd rruulleess
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The Valley of Fangs is the mining center of the
  world of Kartharka. With most of the people
  residing in the city of Stroh-Branoch. There is
  much to see in the Valley of Fangs and enough
  hidden
  places
  to
  keep
  any
  band
  of
  heroes
  occupied for as long as they need. Below are listed
  some places of interest in the Valley of Fangs.
  The great gate to the Winterlands
  Leading underground the great gate winds from
  the steppes of the Winterlands to the Valley of
  Fangs.
  No torches or sunlight light the tunnel. Massive
  gates block the tunnel at either end. Each of the
  gates can be barred. The gate leading to the
  winterland steppes can be barred from the inside
  of the tunnel. The gate leading from the tunnel to
  the Valley of Fangs is barred from the Valley side.
  The doors were built long ago, legend says in
  the
  time
  of
  the
  first
  men.
  They
  have
  no
  ornamentation. No writing to state who built them.
  Solid slabs of stone which have never been closed
  since they were built so long ago.
  In theory they can be closed and barred but the
  amount of force needed to do so woud be
  astronomical, the great bar alone weighing many
  tons as well as the massive 20 foot tall doors.
  The Gate to the Valley of Death
  Similar gates guard the tunnel leading to the
  Valley of Death. The tunnel and gates are exactly
  the same as those leading to the steppes.
  Stroh-Branoch is the first city on the road
  through the valley of Fangs. Details on this city are
  already given in the Combat issue.
  Gax
  From Stroh-Branoch the black road leads to Gax,
  city of Nowhere.
  While Stroh-Branoch is where all who enter the
  Winterlands aim to go, Gax is the place where they
  will usually end up.
  The great road leads to many settlements in the
  valley of Fangs, but most of the Miners trails, from
  all the southern scarp mines, all lead to and meet
  in Gax.
  The first stop for most miners on their way back
  from
  the mines, Gax gets the worst of the
  excitement and frustration of the Miners.
  Stopping
  for
  fresh
  food,
  trading
  ore
  for
  ridiculously
  overpriced
  goods
  and
  materials,
  gambling, drinking, fighting, all of this is Gax.
  By the time travelers get to the more civilized
  city of Stroh Branoch, with it’s tidy sheriffs and
  diligent Targ, they are mostly all fought out and
  usually all of their ready cash has been left in Gax.
  Gax, while still part of the Winterlands and
  under Winterlander law, has no permanent families
  or residents. Most are employees of traders from
  Stroh Branoch, or are working for the criminal
  syndicates of Stroh Branoch.
  There are no families to claim blood feud, so no
  sheriffs to prevent them, or bear witness of any
  wrongdoing. The Targ feels it is in the best interest
  of the Valley to allow Gax to live outside of their
  protective gaze.
  Gax is a place for undesirables to conduct their
  business, or for normally desirable miners to vent
  their frustrations before arriving in Stroh Branoch.
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  LACES OF INTEREST:
  D
  THE VALLEY OF FANGS
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The great cursewood of Gax: Harrow Load
  A
  great
  cursewood,
  the
  Harrow
  Load,
  lies
  between Gax and the next town on the road,
  Bitwyn.
  Like
  all
  cursewoods
  this
  one
  is
  dense,
  overgrown
  and
  impossible
  to
  Traverse.
  Its
  outskirts are tended by the workers of Bitwyn,
  cutting most of the cursewood used by the people
  of the Valley of Fangs. Cursewood being the only
  Hardwood available to a land of Evergreen pines,
  balsams and firs.
  It is said the heart of every cursewood holds a
  great evil, something that waits and broods for any
  who are foolish enough to brave the heart.
  Bitwyn
  None travel to Bitwyn, none need to.
  The cursewood harvested by the people of
  Bitwyn is brought to Stroh-Branoch and Gax to be
  sold elsewhere.
  Those of Bitwyn bring no ore to Stroh-Branoch,
  no
  trade
  goods,
  no
  Takket.
  They
  sell
  only
  cursewood.
  They buy little however. They sell their goods
  for Imperial Gold coins and take the coins back
  with them.
  The people of Bitwyn do not travel to other
  towns other than for trade, they sometimes take a
  wife, but the Bitwyn women do not often take
  husbands, though it is not completely unheard of.
  They keep to themselves and maintain their
  own section of the great road, their massive carts
  of cursewood dragged by mighty teams of strong
  Takket, indeed, some of the best Takket in the land
  are said to come originally from Bitwyn stock,
  though they no longer sell their herd in the
  Winterlands.
  The Wulfway
  The grand Wulfway begins a half days travel
  from the Gax.
  The Wulfway is a great road, built from massive
  20 foot wide slabs of stone. In places it rises
  hundreds of feet above the land to sink back
  down again almost to ground level. Its mighty
  stones have stood since the first men and will
  stand for all time.
  In places the cracks between the stones would
  make the road impossible to pass, great chasms
  falling hundreds of feet to the valley below. In
  these places sturdy newer wood bridges have
  been erected and are maintained.
  No snows ever stay on the Wulfway, blown off
  by wicked winds, or melted by the heat the stone
  absorbs from the sun, or from some other long
  lost magic, it matters not, the Wulfway is always
  clear.
  Halfway along the Wulfway two of the stones are
  missing.
  Exposed
  beneath
  the stones runs a
  labyrinth
  of tunnels, unadorned
  but
  perfectly
  formed, square tunnels measuring 10 feet wide by
  10 feet high run along
  portions of the Wulfway
  until ending as mysteriously as they began.
  Many large vaults lead off of these tunnels and
  within these has grown a town.
  Waytown
  Not a particularly large town but comfortable.
  It contains a market, temple, sage’s hall, and a
  local Targ presence.
  They ensure the bridges are maintained and
  that what little snow is cleared from the Wulfway.
  They also maintain a series of rope ladders and
  bucket and pulley systems to travel to ground
  level from the Wulfway.
  Due
  to
  its
  safety
  from
  attack,
  from
  the
  tribespeople,
  bandits,
  thieves,
  or
  professional
  criminals many things are stored here where they
  can be kept safe.
  The most precious and dangerous of the Sages
  books and artifacts are kept here.
  Many merchants keep a place here to protect
  their most valuable goods, precious items, and
  hard currency.
  Sheriffs abound here to keep the peace and the
  Targ presence also takes advantage of their right
  to hold a standing “security force”.
  It is rumored that the Targ even keeps a
  stockpile of Platinum here, carefully gathered and
  secretly moved. The Targ deny this of course, and
  have even let the empire search their storerooms
  in Waytown.
  Waytown
  continues
  to
  be
  safe,
  quite,
  and
  relatively prosperous by Winterlands standards.
  Instead
  of
  hunting,
  chopping,
  fighting,
  or
  digging, the Waypeople stay, and watch, and guard.
  Of
  course
  many
  would
  prefer
  to
  live
  in
  Waytown, compared to the harsh life of a miner,
  but the living space is very limited, families pass
  down their rooms from generation to generation.
  Rarely is a new room available to be occupied
  where no possible claim can be made by a
  relative. In this case the Targ will hear the cases of
  any who would take the place. Often a great deal
  of money or goods will be paid for one of these
  places, or in certain cases someone with a very
  strong case for moving in will be given the place.
  Usually their very strong case will be that they
  have a vast sum of money to give to the Targ.
  Waytown is very welcoming to travelers. They
  are friendly, accommodating, and often can help
  with anything someone may need. For a price.
  With the feeling of the rarity of space, comes a
  very pronounced knowledge that all things have
  value, can be traded, bought, or sold.
  But
  underneath
  their
  welcoming,
  friendly
  exterior, the wayfolk are a closed private people.
  They will be friendly, chat, talk, share stories, but
  will not speak of private or personal things.
  They do not invite others to their homes. Do
  not visit outsiders except for business and then
  very briefly.
  Waytown holds its own secrets, known only to
  the families who live there.
  The Wulfway continues on to the end of the
  3355 WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Valley but the Black road forks, with one road
  leading to Throm and the other leading to the
  village of Uundart.
  The Wulfway continues to a blank stone face in
  the cliffs. It would seem that the way, with its
  monolithic size, should lead somewhere equally
  important, but it would appear that it does not.
  Throm
  Throm is a small village, almost surrounded and
  cut off from the low land by its cursewood, the
  Arrowblack. It contains a small community of
  cursewood cutters, takket farmers, and hunters.
  The village is small with the road existing only
  to ship the cursewood back to the rest of the
  winterlands and the few miners working small
  veins nearby in the northernmost scarp.
  Uundart
  The true end of the black road. Serving the
  upper and western sides of the Scarp.
  The largest mines lie to the north and are
  primarily Empire controlled. Many small “family
  holes” lie along the entire eastern face of the
  scarp.
  WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa 3366
  The
  miners
  of
  this
  area
  primarily
  use
  underground tunnels to travel to either the road,
  leading into the valley of fangs from the steppes,
  or to the village of Uundart.
  Imperial
  miners
  causing
  a
  disturbance
  in
  Uundart are strongly discouraged.
  The family
  miners have worked their claims for generations
  and are less likely to fall for the lure of a big city
  when travelling with a valuable load.
  This makes Uundart remarkably quiet for a
  mining town. The miners passing through are
  sullen, quiet, and serious craftsmen.
  These are the true men of the Winterlands, as
  comfortable with a sword as they are with a
  pickaxe.
  Slow to anger over a minor dispute, they will kill
  for vengeance without a thought.
  Serious, hard, men of the Mountains, they see
  and hear much in the dark beneath the world, and
  at night on the steppes. They care little for the
  learning of the sages, the teachings of the Wolf
  Brother or even the authority of the Targ.
  They mine, they hunt, they fight, and they
  survive.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The Winterlands
  Technically the entire northern continent of
  Kartharka is referred to as the Winterlands.
  More accurately this refers primarily to the
  southernmost landmass of the Northern continent.
  The other landmasses of the North all have
  proper names, handed down from legended past.
  Few have travelled to these places, and even fewer
  have returned.
  Some stories and maps exist, though their
  accuracy is highly suspect.
  The very least that is known, however, is their
  names.
  The Winterlands
  The most travelled is the area known as the
  Winterlands, containing among other places the
  Valley of Fangs. Also known as the home of the
  first men.
  Heindel
  Next is Heindel, a barren wasteland marked by a
  single long chain of mountains, with a Valley
  supposedly lying in their center.
  The Axehead
  Full of valleys, forests, and in the north, a
  scattered plain of broken islands. At the far end of
  the Axehead
  lies a
  mighty spire, supposedly
  pushed from the center of the earth in the time of
  the Sorcerers. Said to be the source of all evil, the
  entrance to the underworld from which all sorcery
  once flowed.
  Heingoblyn
  Where the gods were rumored to flee to, along
  with their servants the Goblynfolk, as well as the
  half goblins who bred with the first men.
  The great mountain fortress is rumored to
  house all of these people and the still living
  avatars of the First Men.
  None have even seen the shores of Heingoblyn
  in thousands of years. None truly believe these
  ancient legends but the ancient stories are still
  told.
  The Lost
  Where the descendants of the first men, and
  their Half-goblyn families moved on to, or at least
  those who chose not to flee to Heingoblyn.
  Perhaps at a different time than the god’s exodus,
  the stories aren’t clear.
  Ancient tribes of the Winterlands speak of their
  Ancestors coming originally from the Lost.
  Feistmere
  The Feistmere, water fist of the winterlands, sits
  in the middle of the northern continent. Terrible
  things are said to live in the Feistmere, things
  which keep anyone from attempting to cross it.
  Winterland Coastline
  The entire coast of the Winterlands, in the
  southern portion, consists of high cliffs bordering
  the water, no beaches and no shores. No ships ply
  the coasts of the winterlands for there is nowhere
  to land. The only harbors lie in the far north at the
  top
  of
  the
  axehead
  and
  the
  far
  shores
  of
  Heingoblyn as well as the north shores of the
  Feistmere.
  The trip is too far, the waters too treacherous,
  foul storms, lighting, waterspouts, and enormous
  waves make sailing impossible to the northern
  shores.
  Even if these things were overcome, terrible
  legends of creatures living in the northern seas,
  enormous
  monsters
  devouring
  ships,
  ships
  overcome by armies of aquatic demons, and other
  occult and supernatural things.
  No one sails the northern seas.
  3377 WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa
  W
  INTERLANDS
  PROVINCES
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The black road enters the Winterlands in the
  south,
  stopping
  at
  the
  first
  bastion
  of
  the
  Winterlands.
  Strightmore
  The entrance to the Winterlands, the border of
  the great lands of the North, the interface between
  the Autumnlands and the Winterlands, the first
  Free City of the empire, free from the Southern
  Tax.
  A strange city to the Winterlanders, a strange
  city to the Autumnlanders. An bridge between the
  two worlds, between the Targ and the empire.
  The emperor’s people are allowed to come to
  work the empires mines. They can try to get work
  at a Winterlander mine but it is unlikely that they
  will find any. The Winterlander are not friendly
  with the Empire, the tenuous agreement with the
  empire, trading food for Iron, is always rocky.
  Strightmore is the only city in the Winterlands
  where
  the
  empire
  and
  the
  Winterlander
  do
  business freely. Iron ore is almost completely
  bought and sold in Stroh-Branoch but some of
  those buyers return here to Strightmore to resell
  the ore and iron.
  Winterlander mostly avoid Strightmore, except
  for those who live there. The Targ has a very
  strong presence in the city along with a standing
  security force. It is definitely a border town, where
  all the people of the world can come to partake of
  the Winterlander ore, cursewood, and various
  herbs and plants.
  Autumnlanders also come, some selling their
  goods to the Winterlander who will take them to
  the other cities of the Winterlands. Some travel on,
  those given permission by the Targ, those deemed
  to be safe and not imperial spies or agents. These
  will
  either
  hire
  Winterlander
  mercenaries
  to
  protect their goods throughout the Winterlands, or
  will attempt to stay as close to the black caravan
  as possible as it passes through.
  A
  bustling
  town,
  “metropolitan”
  for
  the
  winterlands.
  Winterlanders
  wishing
  to
  travel
  to
  the
  Autumnlands will usually have to pay a toll to
  enter the Empire. As well as a tax on any goods or
  money they carry.
  It may be as high as 10% but may be as low as
  1%
  It is also possible that the toll will be waived if
  the Empire owes the person a favor.
  The toll itself may be anywhere from 10 to 100
  gold coins. Depending on the fame and favors
  which the hero may have (or infamy).
  Any Winterlander wishing contact with
  the
  Autumnlands or the Empire will have to travel to
  Strightmore
  to find someone to travel on their
  behalf.
  The town itself, and the villagers houses, take up
  little room, most of the area is filled with large low,
  imperial
  buildings, for housing goods, horses,
  carriages and the guards who travel with them.
  Bintz
  The next city is a whistle-stop on the black road.
  Bintz, of no more importance than being halfway
  between Strightmore and High pass
  A typical Winterlander town.
  Highpass,
  Not a large town, but seat of the High Temple of
  the Wolf Brother.
  The center of the Wolf Brother worshippers, it is
  arguably more powerful even than the Targ.
  The Targ is a loose collection of individual Targs,
  all working together but not beholden to each
  other.
  The agree collectively about distribution of food
  with affiliates from all the Targs meeting in Stroh
  Branoch.
  Most towns, cities and villages have a temple
  devoted to the Wolf brother, and the brothers
  travel
  throughout
  the
  Winterlands
  between
  temples. All Wolf Brother acolytes spend their early
  years travelling from temple to temple, carrying
  letters, messages and news. This web of travelling
  brothers keeps the Winterlands connected to each
  other, and the Winterlands connected to the Wolf
  Brothers.
  Each
  Targ
  has
  control
  over only it’s
  own
  territory but most people bow to the wishes of the
  Wolf Brothers.
  They are group of healers and helpers. They
  work in hospitals, help the sick, are skilled in
  masonry, bricklaying and other repairs.
  They also oversee all of the major highlights of
  the Winterlander life, birth, marriage, and death.
  They oversee all the rituals and festivals, big
  and small which occur in the Winterlands.
  From Highpass the black road splits and heads
  both east and west.
  To the east it heads further into the Winterlands
  to Scoom.
  Scoom
  Scoom
  lies
  in
  the
  center
  of
  the
  great
  pasturelands
  of
  the
  Winterlands
  tribes.
  Surrounded on all sides by the plains, which the
  tribes push their great herds across. They enjoy a
  moderately temperate climate for the Winterlands.
  Hot springs abound, leading many in Scoom to
  herding the domestic Takket.
  WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa 3388
  LAND OF THE FIRST MEN,
  THE WINTERLANDS
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Much of the Takket meat, leather and fur of the
  Winterlands is raised in Scoom.
  The lives of the Scoom villagers is rather
  comfortable for the Winterlands. The bountiful hot
  springs make raising Takket a relatively easy life in
  comparison
  to
  those
  settlements
  made
  up
  primarily of Miners.
  The closesness of the High Temple also means
  they enjoy access to the best healers in the
  Winterlands. Not a particularly rich town it boasts
  a large population for Kartharka. Mile, after rolling
  mile of pasturelands dotted with wayhouses and
  Takket herds.
  Occasionally a squabble with the Tribes of the
  Winterlands will cause some tension, but the
  people of Scoom are very slow to anger, even in
  times of great difficulty. Most of these disputes are
  usually ended by the Scoom withdrawing from the
  area which is disputed.
  The pasturelands lead to the mountains to the
  east, and funnel into the Garmach High Pass.
  The Garmach High Pass
  There are other small villages through the pass,
  over the mountains, but they have little dealings
  with the rest of the Winterlands. Not having the
  black
  road
  to
  travel,
  traffic
  between
  villages
  beyond the pass and the rest of the Winterlands is
  difficult at best.
  To the west of High Pass the Road continues on
  into the mountains. It passes close to the foothills
  of the great peaks of Zolar before entering the
  great tunnel to the Valley of fangs.
  Zolar
  Zolar, one of the highest peaks of the Lowlands
  of the Winterlands.
  Few know the passes and roads over and
  through Zolar, but for those that do the western
  plains of the Winterlands are known.
  The plains are populated by the peoples of
  Brytax, the Tree people.
  Brytax
  A massive oak tree, a dead remnant of the time
  before the great winter.
  Towering high into the sky it is now petrified, a
  fossil, a statue, dedicated to a time before the
  winter.
  A mystic people the Brytax do not follow the
  Wolf Brother. The Brytax follow a much older
  religion. One still followed by some of the tribes
  beyond the pass. The Brytax worship ancient
  spirits of Wind, wood, water, and stone. The spirits
  speak to some of their people, the great shamans
  of the Brytax. None outside of the Brytax have met
  these shamans, living in the base of the great tree;
  they live away from all outlanders, those beyond
  the peaks of Zolar. It is said they have great
  powers, over the winds, the air, the stone, beasts
  and even people of the Winterlands.
  The sages have not been permitted to enter the
  Brytax in some time though in the past they have
  had some luck in gathering knowledge from them,
  but all that comes down to the modern day are
  hints and whispers, of the great powers of the
  Brytax.
  The Notch
  In the far north of the Winterlands plains, dug
  from the mountain steppe, and protected from the
  front by the dense cursewood StoneFire it is a
  place of great secrets. Only a few of the tribes in
  the area are allowed access to the Notch by the
  cursewood,
  and
  only
  the
  wisest
  and
  most
  knowledgeable of the tribesmen’s shamans will
  return again after visiting the Notch.
  None know what lies there, apart from those
  that have visited it.
  Furstwatch
  The highest peak of the Winterlands, its foothills
  planted at the head of the Valley of the Dead.
  Some say the gods first came to Kartharka there,
  some that they were born there, some that they
  live there still.
  Legends, treasure, monsters, gods, magic, history,
  everything anyone could ever hope for is said to
  lie on Furstwatch.
  None have ever climbed it, none have seen its
  foothills, none have travelled through the valley of
  the dead, and none know what Furstwatch holds, if
  anything.
  3399 WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa 4400
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  4411 WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  WWoorrlldd ooff KKaarrtthhaarrkkaa 4422
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery adventure game #4
  
  Credits and thanks:
  Stock by Freepik.com
  Wizards on page 6 by Adam Muszkiewicz
  Fighter and Wizard on page 9 by Kreg Mosier
  Wizard on page 10 by Jud Crandall
  PG01
  PurchasePay what you want
  digital copies of LoSS at
  gumroad.com/ripleystonebrook
  Order print copies of LoSS at
  lairofswordandsorcery.blogspot.ca
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery (LoSS)
  Issue 4, October 2015, The Sorcery Issue
  Credits: Copyright Ripley Stonebrook 2015 ©
  All art, writing, and rules by: Ripley Stonebrook 
  Editor and Creator. Published by Spooky Room 
  Productions and Ripley Stonebrook
  How to Join the world of Kartharka
  Website:
  You best place to start is the Lair of 
  Sword and Sorcery Site at:
  lairofswordandsorcery.blogpot.ca
  Here you can comment on updates, 
  and respond to what you would like 
  to see, or not see, in the game.
  Please follow the site to get your 
  regular updates
  Google+:
  Those who are on Google+ can get 
  their lair updates there by adding: 
  +Ripley Stonebrook
  We also appreciate +1’s and reposting 
  of content on Google+
  Facebook:
  Receive your updates on Facebook at:
  Lair of Sword and Sorcery
  Like and follow Lair on facebook 
  to get updates, and we of course 
  appreciate any reviews and reposts to 
  your own facebook page.
  Email: 
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com
  Send in any and all submissions, 
  rules, art, questions, stories, comics, 
  pictures of your demonboard, and 
  pictures of your group.
  Or, if you are looking for players or 
  demonlords in your area, send in your 
  contact email and we’ll put it in the 
  next issue or post it to the site.
  Retailers:
  If you are interested in carrying the 
  Lair of Sword and Sorcery game then 
  please send an email to:
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com.
  If you would like your local retailer 
  to carry the game then you can urge 
  them to send us an email. 
  Submissions & questions: 
  Send any comments, rules questions or submissions to :
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com
  Any submissions or material sent to the email or website 
  become the property of Ripley Stonebrook and Spooky Room 
  Productions.
  Any material sent may be used in the Lair of Sword & Sorcery 
  game or websites in any way. We have an entire game and 
  series of expansions planned and any material you send may 
  already be in the works so if you see something that looks like 
  something you sent in, guess what, we didn’t rip you off.
  The Legend of Sorcery 03
  The Great Abyss 06
  The Rift of Abalon 07
  Demons and the Other World 08
  Sorcery Veteran  Skills 09
  Summoning 10
  Protection 12
  Control 13
  Command 14
  Enslavement 15
  Imprisoning 16
  Spirits &nd Demons 17
  Creating Spirits  18
  Issue 4 and so much to talk about!
  It’s big, it’s bold, and it’s on the 
  cover. The name of the magazine is 
  officially changing to LoSS (short for 
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery, you dig?). 
  Adam Muszkiewicz was the first to 
  call the game LoSS and I thank him 
  for it!
  If you’re reading this as a Pdf then 
  you’ll see that this issue is in full 
  sword swinging colour! If you are 
  reading this as a hardcopy then you 
  are likely looking at the usual black 
  and white printing.  Get to the 
  website immediately to get your 
  own full colour digital copies.
  Also the size of the magazine 
  has changed as well. Moving up to a 
  letter size format was a hard decision 
  but I think you’ll agree that this issue 
  looks great. The comic book size 
  served us well in the past but it’s time 
  to move up to full size. Pricing should 
  stay right about the same for printing 
  and shipping so why not enjoy a 
  bigger, better book.
  LoSS and Roll20
  By the time this is printed my 
  home game will likely be in full swing 
  on Roll20. My precious Demonboard 
  will have to languish in it’s box while 
  we play online but that’s the price 
  you pay. It’s either play online at this 
  point or not at all as my players are 
  all well into the kid having stage of 
  their lives and though we hope to get 
  together face to face every now and 
  then online playing is just the only 
  option now. Do not fret though all of 
  you who still get to play face to face, 
  more Demonboard goodness is still 
  comin at ya.
  This Pdf has Buttons! 
  Yep, you’ll see them scattered 
  about here and there in the pdf. Click 
  them to see what happens. Not to 
  fear, none of the rules or background 
  tales will be in there so you can still 
  happily 
  print 
  this 
  off 
  without 
  missing 
  out on any game.
  Sorcery!
  This is the issue with all the Crazy 
  in it! Demons, ghosts spirits, crazy 
  wands, staffs, fireballs, lightning, all 
  that crazy Sorcery stuff. Sorcery is 
  difficult, dangerous, unpredictable, 
  and weird. And now it’s all in the 
  hands of your reckless heroes and 
  their enemies!
  In this issue you will find:
  The true history of Sorcery in 
  Kartharka. You may or may not want 
  to share this with your players, it’s up 
  to you!
  Veteran rules for your heroes 
  to climb the ranks of Sorcery 
  themselves.
  Rules for Demonlords to create 
  their own spirits, demons, ghosts, and 
  other perilous enemies (or friends) 
  from the Other World.
  The Sorcery issue wraps up the 
  last of the main “rules” for the LoSS 
  game. All those things you need to 
  play the game.
   The next issue will describe how 
  to actually create Stories, Scenarios 
  and Lairs for the Demonlord. 
  It will discuss things like creating 
  ideas and how to make things fun 
  but will also contain the balancing 
  rules for Lair creation. Since 
  the Demonlord is allowed to 
  get in there and mix it up with 
  the players on the board the 
  Demonlord needs some rules to be 
  sure they don’t write Lairs that are 
  too hard (or too easy!)
  Get involved!
  Now that the Sorcery issue is 
  out you will have in your hands the 
  complete LoSS game as it stands 
  now. Now it’s time for you people to 
  get in there and start mixing it up! 
  Create some monsters, create some 
  Lairs, populate a village and stick it 
  on the map! Create some Villains 
  to terrorize the provinces of the 
  Winterlands.
  Create some stuff and send it it. 
  The LoSS community is growing all 
  the time, might as well jump on now 
  before everything get’s grabbed up.
  Me, I’ve still got a whole world to 
  fill, the Hunzar jungles are calling, the 
  far north desolation is hardly empty, 
  and the Black Emperor calls to have 
  his home created!
  Rock on my faithful Blood Reavers! 
  Let’s get this party Rolling!
  ~Ripley
  THE EDITOR SPEAKS
  
  PG02
  the legend of sorcery
  The history of Sorcery is the story of Kartharka itself
  These events are spoken of in no books of 
  legend or fireside stories. Dating back to the 
  birth of the world of Kartharka this ancient 
  history is known to none but the ancient 
  demons that lie far beneath the earth 
  of Kartharka.
  Heroes and sorcerers may 
  glimpse clues and scraps 
  from their dealings with the 
  demons but these will 
  always be shrouded with 
  lies and misleading tales, 
  for the Demons still hate 
  the living things above 
  ground for trapping 
  them beneath the 
  earth.
  In the time before 
  time…
  The world of 
  Kartharka was a 
  place of despair and 
  misery, the landscape 
  a blasted ruin of fire 
  and stone. The skies 
  burn red and black 
  with smoking fires and 
  choking gases.
  Before the time of the 
  gods, Demons ruled the 
  world of Kartharka.
  The demons needed not 
  food, water, sleep or comfort, 
  but being long lived and infernally 
  intelligent they sought ways to relieve 
  the tedious boredom of their world. 
  Usually this was achieved by the constant 
  war which raged across the planet. Armies 
  of demons grew, marched, fought, and were 
  betrayed, over and over again endlessly fighting to 
  take control of the land. 
  But this too became tiresome, and while they were 
  far too covetous of anything another might hold to 
  stop the constant war, some turned to other pastimes 
  to amuse them during their time between battles.
  At first they tried to create great weapons of war, 
  smithing enormous swords, axes, and maces and 
  raising huge piles of stones into fortresses. Their 
  inventive powers failed them soon after that. For 
  demons are not creative creatures.
  It is the Demons immortal lifespan which leads to this 
  lack of creativity
  If  their spirit flies off to crouch in a cave or hole for 
  centuries until it can reform itself,  appearing again as a 
  small foul imp, plotting and scheming as it grows again 
  in power and size. This kind of setback means little to 
  ones who live for all eternity so Demons have never 
  formed the sense of urgency or fear which leads man 
  to create so much in so little time.
  The Bloodlings are born...
  Sometime, during this great eons long war, a 
  remarkable thing happened. 
  A century long battle raged in a valley of fire. Millions 
  of demons fought and were cut down amidst the 
  flames until a great lake of their blood filled the valley. 
  The battle ends with both sided retreating back to their 
  lairs, but the lake remained in the Valley of Fire, 
  boiling and churning as it began to recede.
  Crawling from the mud and blood a new race 
  emerged into the hellscape of Kartharka.
  Crude brutish things, their bodies malformed, these 
  bloodlings crawled to the shore of the lake and looked 
  out upon the world they had been born to.
  They made crude shelters at the shore of the lake, 
  hunting the others that emerged still confused and 
  bleating. For the bloodlings were mortal, needing food, 
  sleep, and shelter. Also, unlike the demons, they lived 
  and died, and procreated on the shores of blood.
  They retained the infernal intelligence of the demons 
  and soon learned to carve stone, mine metal, and 
  create their own weapons, as well as many other 
  things. They created reading and writing, that their 
  children could learn their secrets. They studied the 
  land, the lake, and pondered how they had come to be.
  They then learned the secret of creating life of their 
  own from the lake of blood, now dwindling to smaller 
  pools throughout the valley of fire.
  They created plants to grow and eat, and animals to 
  pull heavy loads and raise great blocks of stone.
  They created a self sustaining society. Though 
  their lives were brutish and short, their science 
  and craftsmanship continued to grow with 
  each generation.
  Their time of freedom was soon to 
  end however.
  The demons had rebuilt their 
  ranks after thousands of years 
  of waiting and, returning 
  Valley of Fire found the 
  Bloodlings.
  The demons, upon 
  seeing something 
  new in the world of 
  Kartharka, desperately 
  fought each other to 
  take control of the 
  bloodlings. Each of 
  the demons fought 
  to claim as many 
  of the bloodlings as 
  they could. Many 
  bloodlings died in 
  that battle, defending 
  themselves against the 
  titan-sized demons. 
  Many died also in the 
  hands of their captors, 
  who did not understand 
  concepts of mortality or 
  weakness.
  There was a time of relative 
  peace in the world of Kartharka 
  afterword as the Demons had 
  something else to occupy their 
  thoughts.
  At first the bloodlings’ mortality alone 
  was enough of a novelty to distract them. 
  They learned what the bloodlings needed to live 
  and how to breed them.
  They demons forced the bloodlings to teach them all 
  their secrets,  along with the secret of creating life.
  The demons made all manner of things then, things 
  that lived and crawled, that grew and flowered, and all 
  these things died in the passing of time.
  Soon the world of Kartharka was a changed place. 
  Great thorny forests were grown to protect the 
  demons’ citadels, rivers and seas populated with terrific 
  creatures to protect from attack on the shores. The 
  demons’ wars became more advanced and were fought 
  by whole armies of bloodlings and other creatures 
  raised for battle.
  The demons learned other things from the bloodlings, 
  governance, leadership, and control. The demons 
  began to arrange themselves in great hierarchies of 
  power and control over the lands of Kartharka.
  All of the creatures, plants and “improvements” 
  were changing the world of Kartharka. No longer a 
  blasted hellscape, it had been remade to make it more 
  conducive to war with the demons’ minions.
  Soon the demons withdrew into their mighty 
  fortresses, planning to change the planet back to it’s 
  original hellish landscape once their enemies were 
  defeated.
  In time they were forced to withdraw into the bowels 
  of the earth, creating a new hellscape there, a place of
  
   fire and stone.
  Someday soon, they thought, the war would be won 
  and they could do away with these armies and retake 
  the world.
  The coming of the gods...
  That is when the “gods” came.
  All of these mortal creatures, all of those lives ending, 
  their life forces trapped,  building up, creating another 
  place, the other side, the Other World.
  And this other world drew something, from a place 
  far, far away.
  The “Gods” of the other side came to the world of 
  Kartharka.
  A strange insect-like race of creatures, their bodies 
  suited to the airless void of the Other Side. 
  The gods came and made their own fortresses in 
  the high places of the world, to keep as much stone 
  and mountain between themselves and the demons’ 
  underworld as they could.
  The demons’ Bloodling soldiers met the gods 
  and many chose to join them in their mountain 
  strongholds.
  The gods were much changed by this time. Shedding 
  their hard shells in the warm world of Kartharka they 
  were a race of tall spindly creatures.
  The Bloodlings called the gods “Goblyns”, meaning 
  “Tall ones” in their language. 
  In the beginning they lived together peacefully.
  The Goblyn kings chose to help the bloodlings, some 
  of them even choosing to breed with the bloodlings to 
  create a race that would be better suited to the world 
  of Kartharka.
  These half-goblyns were  quite strong, dexterous, and 
  well suited to the world of Kartharka. They were skilled 
  at digging, mining, building and smithing.
  The Birth of Man...
  These half-goblyns again bred with the bloodlings, 
  this time creating a new race, which would come to be 
  called Man. 
  Man however was not respected as an equal like the 
  Goblins, Half Goblins, and Bloodlings. The lives of men 
  were much shorter than that of their Father races and 
  it was thought that they could not learn enough in their 
  short lives to be truly useful. Kept as slaves, soldiers, 
  diggers, and farmers they did the menial tasks of the 
  Father races.
  The Demon-Goblyn Wars and Magic...
  During this time the demons had been busy 
  themselves below the earth.
  Their wars still raged on the surface of Kartharka.
   Many of the bloodlings continued to exist as the 
  Demons’ slaves, though they could no longer be 
  trusted to wage war or even  go to the surface. But the 
  demons could still use their evil creativity.
  They wanted a weapon to destroy all the bloodlings 
  above ground as well as the goblyns and half goblyns. 
  The demons did not yet know or possibly care about 
  the creature called man.
  So began the great war of the Demons against the 
  Goblyns and their kin.
  The Demons rose to surface to fight this battle 
  themselves. Endless waves of Demons attacking the 
  fortresses of the Goblyn kings.
  During this war the Goblyns revealed their great 
  powers. They had brought something with them from 
  the other side, a connection to the other world that 
  linked it to the world or Kartharka.
  This would come to be called Magic.
  With this they could hold back the Demons attacks, 
  but not forever. For the Father races, with all their 
  power, were still mortal. While the Demons would die 
  to return again, there were always more to rejoin the 
  battle.
  The Demons were patient and continued the attack, 
  knowing that, someday, the defences would falter, and 
  the world would be theirs.
  The Other World and Sorcery...
  But the demons plans were destroyed once again by 
  something no one could have foreseen.
  The wars had raged for so long that there were far 
  more bloodlings dead and gone to the other side, than 
  demons still on the earth.
  The Demons blood, that had borne the bloodlings, 
  that was their link to the demons, became the 
  bloodlings strength, and the demons weakness.
  All the spirits of these dead bloodlings, in the Other 
  World had come together, and grown in power. From 
  the Other World the bloodlings could now control the 
  demons, cause them pain, injury, or even death. The 
  living bloodlings used this power to push the Demons 
  back below the earth and bring peace, finally, to the 
  world of Kartharka.
  This power, to summon, dispatch, and 
  command Demons, became known as 
  Sorcery.
  The Wrath of the Sorceror 
  Wars
  But with peace comes 
  dissatisfaction, the 
  bloodlings, half-
  goblyns and men 
  all chafed under 
  the ruleof the 
  Goblyns.
  In the 
  times of 
  War the 
  Goblyns 
  had 
  risen 
  to be 
  the 
  leaders of 
  Kartharka, 
  using their 
  magic to 
  defend and 
  protect all the 
  other peoples. 
  But now that the 
  wars had ceased, these 
  peoples felt that this rule 
  PG04
  
  was no longer necessary. That the bloodlings and all 
  their descendents should rule the world 
  of Kartharka, being its rightful 
  inhabitants and not the 
  goblyns who had 
  indeed come to 
  this world 
  from 
  another.
  So began the great wars of Sorcery, led initially 
  by the Bloodlings, then joined by the half-
  goblyns, and their human cattle as well.
  Demons raged across the land once 
  again, and the bloodling connection 
  to the other side was so powerful 
  now that it even interfered with 
  the goblyns magics. War raged 
  across the world with plains of 
  fire sweeping across the land, 
  whole countries wiped out in a 
  single night, Sorcerors walking 
  the land spouting fire from 
  their fingers, and commanding 
  death at a word.
  Man found, with their 
  bloodling heritage, that they 
  could command Demons as 
  well and, indeed, were often 
  better at it than the bloodlings. 
  This turned the tide on the 
  Bloodlings as the humans turned 
  on their former masters, threatening to 
  destroy all the father races of Kartharka.
  The Dread Compact...
  Forced into a unity against men the father races 
  met in the great conclave upon the highest peaks 
  of Kartharka. Together, With the bloodlings using 
  their diabolical intelligence, pure demon blood 
  and knowledge of the demons, the goblyns using 
  the powerful magic of the otherside and the half-
  goblins using earth shakingly powerful machines, 
  was created The Dread Compact.
  The Dread Compact is an agreement, a spell, a 
  machine, a twisting of the laws of the universe, a 
  control of the other side, a contract with reality, all of 
  these things and none of them.
  None know the specifics of the Dread Compact, 
  perhaps not even those creating it but it created the 
  rules of Sorcery as they were to be forever more on 
  Kartharka.
  Whatever it is the Dread Compact exists, both in this 
  world and the other side.
  Its power to control sorcery is not complete, perhaps 
  the bloodlings of the other side could not be persuaded 
  to allow that, but Sorcery was now controlled by 
  laws, restrictions, convoluted requirements and ever 
  changing dictums, depending on the moon, stars, 
  planets, tides, and on and on.
  Discovering these laws was now required to summon 
  demons and their ever changing permutations meant 
  that only the most powerful, dedicated, and patient of 
  Sorcerors could summon a demon, and that the times 
  of sorcerors wielding a thousand demons with the 
  wave of their hand were now but a memory.
  So began the time of Magic which ruled 
  Kartharka for many aeons, before it too died 
  long before the First Men of the Winterlands 
  built their realm. So ends the tale of the time 
  of Sorcery!
  PG05
  Bloodling
  
  The Abyss does lie below the earth of Kartharka.
  A place of smoke and flame, where the wars of the Demons rage 
  on. But they have company now to keep them occupied in their 
  aeons of boredom.
  For the dread compact not only controls the demons but all 
  those who seek to control and speak with them. All those who 
  still carry the blood of the demons in their veins are controlled by 
  the dread compact. This includes man, and more importantly the 
  Sorcerers of men.
  All who dabble with the dread art of Sorcery come under the 
  terms of the Dread Compact. Should they misstep in their rituals, 
  or fail in their control over the powers they summon, they may be 
  taken by the Demons and transported to the Abyss to entertain 
  them for all eternity as their slave.
  Even in death these poor souls are trapped by the Dread 
  compact and must forever remain in the Abyss .
  But where are the Demons now?
  Some legends say The Great Abyss, the underground world of the Demons.
  Some say the Abyss lies somewhere on the Other Side, no longer connected to our world but 
  severed by the Dread Compact.
  Others say the Abyss lies on the other side of the planet, on another great continent unknown to 
  the people of Kartharka.
  Perhaps they are all wrong, or all correct.
  But there are definitely gates, passages, and ways to the Demons World, a place of fire and smoke.
  Long winding underground corridors and passages, some of them great roads leading beneath 
  the earth. It is said that these lead to the Realm of the demons though none who have taken the 
  journey have ever returned.
  Things also come to the surface now and again, some are called, and some find a way of their own 
  accord, finding their own loopholes and exceptions in the great Compact.
  Sometimes something comes through from the Other Side, with dread purpose and 
  incomprehensible goals of it’s own.
  PG06
  Compatible with:
  Dread Compact/Between Devil
  moon highwise bloodsooth
  T
  theabyss
  Dread Pact/flamefall
  
  PG07
  allowable route for the 
  demons according to the 
  compact. 
  So the compact readjusted 
  the contract and acted 
  accordingly, creating the 
  great whirlwinds which 
  now block the route. 
  But the rift grows, 
  changes, expands and 
  contracts. It’s smallest 
  fissures fracturing 
  through what were once 
  safe mineshafts, with 
  other parts of the rift 
  collapsing on itself in great 
  quakes. And every now 
  and then a place is born 
  where the winds have not 
  yet formed, and something 
  can slip through…
  The abyss, a world of fire, 
  smoke, pain and despair.
  But the rift is real. And indeed not 
  bottomless. The rift plunges deep 
  into the earth all the way to the Abyss. 
  Strange winds howl within the rift and 
  some say they are the voices of the 
  Demons calling out from the earth.
  They are actually the voices of titanic 
  hurricanes that spawn along the 
  midpoint of the rift. Horrible winds 
  that would pull a man in half, break 
  wood 
  into 
  splinters 
  and 
  smash 
  anything that remains into the cliff 
  sides of the rift.
  Some ancient legends of the Sages 
  speak of these winds but none have 
  climbed deep enough in centuries to 
  witness them themselves.
  They serve a purpose however. Created 
  by the Dread Compact they prevent 
  the Demons of Kartharka from using 
  the rift to reclaim the world. For the 
  Rift is an exception to the rules. Either 
  formed by random happenstance 
  of tectonic forces, or engineered by 
  the demons themselves, the rift is an 
  places.
  Not a single wide 
  fissure across the whole of 
  the Winterlands, but a multifingered and 
  winding void. In some
  places beginning deep below the mountains, and in some near 
  the highest peaks. When a mine or tunnel breaks into the rift it 
  is often easier to close the tunnel and attempt to rise above it. In 
  some cases a bridge may be attempted.
  The many fingers of the rift interrupt workings all across the 
  Winterlands, seemingly without rhyme or reason, and indeed 
  the great mining essay office of the empire claims that these are 
  not all connected in one great rift as legend says but are simply 
  what the people of the Winterlands refer to whenever they find 
  a deep crevasse that is impassable.
  THE RIFT OF ABALON
  The great rift of Abalon, a mighty fracture leading  deep below 
  the crust. Said by some to be bottomless, by some to lead to the 
  bottom of the world. This great fissure cuts across the mighty 
  mountain ranges of the Winterlands. 
  Mostly below ground it also reaches 
  to the surface in some 
  hidden 
  
  It is not known whether the Other World was created by 
  the Deaths of the Bloodlings or if their deaths created a 
  gateway between Kartharka and another world that has 
  always existed.  No matter what the truth may be, the other 
  side is real.
  This term encompasses all things beyond the natural 
  senses of man and all places 
  unknown to the normal 
  ken of the living.
  It may be an 
  afterlife, another world, or may be a world living a razors 
  edge away from the world of Kartharka.
  Ghosts, demons, magic, gods, all these are of the Other 
  World.
  Demons are kept from entering The Other World by the 
  Dread Compact. 
  Generally Demons have very real, 
  very physical forms. But, should they 
  be killed they, do not “die” as mortal 
  creatures do. Their essence lives on, feeding on 
  something, some energy of the world of Kartharka, 
  be it sorcery, magic, or some other dread thing, until 
  they become strong enough to form again, as a tiny imp no 
  bigger than a man’s finger.
  But during this time they are technically things of the 
  Other World, thought they may not travel there.
  They are akin to ghosts or spirits, but with a dread and 
  malevolent intelligence. They will attempt to stay in the 
  world above ground until they can form again for once they 
  are above ground they may remain until banished, so says 
  the Dread Compact.
  Until they take on physical form again they may only be 
  affected like those other things of the Other World, with 
  Sorcery, magic, or some other force not of this world. 
  Sorcery and Demons in LoSS
  The next several articles will discuss how the player’s 
  heroes and the Demon Lord’s villains can use Veteran Skills 
  to summon and control demons, ghosts, spirits, and other 
  paranormal entities.
  Any hero or villain who summons and controls these 
  things are considered “Sorcerors”, and the laws and rituals, 
  creatures and effects are all referred to as “Sorcery”.
  All spirits, demons and supernatural creatures are sorted 
  by “degree”. A spirits degree is not a specific stat but is more 
  a measurement of their power. It is not directly used by the 
  spirit but is used to calculate how easy they are to summon 
  and then command.
  The articles will refer to a spirits “degree” along with it’s 
  other usual stats, such as combat stats etc, as well as the 
  usual combat rank.
  Spirits
  It is important to point out that the term spirit is 
  used to describe any creature of the Other world 
  even if they do occasionally have physical forms.
  Therefore ghosts, demons, and nature gods are 
  all “spirits”. Even when a demon has a physical 
  form it is still a spirit.
  Demons however are very specific types of 
  spirits. If the rules that follow say “spirit” then it can 
  be said to affect demons as well.
  Any rules that refer to “demons” may not necessarily 
  refer to spirits.
  D
  emons and  the
      Other World
  D
  emons and  the
      Other World
  PG08
  
  The Sorcery system of rules in Lair of Sword and 
  Sorcery (LoSS) is a continuation of the Veteran skills 
  listed in the Veteran issue.
  •  The Sorcery skills may be taken by anyone, like any 
  of the Veteran skills.
  On page 17 of the Veteran issue we see how a hero 
  may begin their path on the road of Sorcery. It speaks 
  of how a hero wishing to become a Sorcerer can gain 
  the first rank of the Summoning skill. It also details 
  how the sorcerer can summon their first spirit. This 
  first spirit is their familiar spirit and is their guide and 
  teacher in the ways of Sorcery. After this spirit is 
  summoned they may learn all the other Sorcery skills 
  from it, or have it teach them how to summon a spirit 
  that can teach them if necessary.
  • 
  This familiar spirit is considered to have a degree 
  of 1 for the purposes of the following rules. In all other 
  ways it continues to have the same powers and effects 
  detailed in the Veteran issue.
  • 
  The sorcery skill now has 6 subgroups (as opposed 
  to the 4 listed in the Veteran issue)
  Summoning
  Protection
  Control
  Command
  Enslavement
  Imprisoning
  As you can see the Sorcery rules for LoSS have grown 
  far more than I had thought during the writing of the 
  Veteran issue. 
  • 
  Each of the subgroup skills must be bought and 
  paid for separately with Veteran points.
  • 
  Each of these Sorcery subgroup skills will take up a 
  slot in the Other World stat and use the Other World 
  stat as a modifier.
  You will note, however that there are only 3 slots 
  available for skills next to the Other world Stat.
  • While there are still slots available in Other World 
  the heroes must add any Sorcery subgroup skills there. 
  • 
  However, once these slots are full, the hero may 
  add further Sorcery subgroup skills to slots on the 
  mind stat.  If they choose to do this then any of these 
  subgroup skills use the Mind stat for their modifying 
  number. Heroes may not palce Sorcery skills in the 
  Mind Slots until the Other World slots are full.
  • 
  If the all of the heroes Mind slots are filled then 
  they may begin placing their Sorcery Subgroup skills 
  in their Camaraderie stat, with these skills using the 
  Camaraderie stat for their modifier. Heroes may not 
  use the Camaraderie slots for Sorcery skills until all of 
  their Mind Slots are full.
  Such are the strange and mysterious ways of Sorcery 
  in Kartharka. 
  The Sorcery skill is skill is an Other World stat skill. 
  In these articles you will also see exactly what the 
  Other World stat really is, and how it can be used, even 
  by those who don’t have the Sorcery Skill
  The Other World Stat:
  • 
  The other world stat is used for modifying rolls in 
  anything involving the Other World. 
  It is used for Sorcery, Magic, dealing with gods, 
  demons, other sorcerors, ghosts, etc.
  It can be thought of as a mental “strength” although 
  not in the way of intelligence, willpower, or other such 
  things. It is the heroes mental “force” on things from 
  the Other World.
  Although useful for fighting things of the Other World 
  it acts like a beacon to those creatures. Those with 
  a high Otherworld stat shine out to these creatures 
  as if they were a bright light in a dark cavern. They 
  will be the ones who attract the attention of these 
  otherworldly forces. 
  If the group of heroes encounters a ghost or demon, 
  it will be invariably drawn to the hero with the highest 
  Other World stat. 
  Other Side Combat:
  Many of the Other World entities the Heroes 
  encounter will have no physical form. Some will be 
  controllable through the rituals and powers of sorcery 
  but others, like ghosts and spirits, will not be bound 
  by these things. The heroes may find other ways to 
  combat these entities but it is possible that they will 
  have no other recourse but to “attack” it.
  Since the entity has no physical form these attacks, 
  though they may be done in the physical world with a 
  physical weapon, will actually be effected on the other 
  side by their Other World Stat.
  • 
  Other world combat may be done using any 
  weapon or even the heroes fists, the physical attack 
  itself will not matter.
  • 
  The hero and the entity roll their dice to attack as 
  normal but the only modifier to the dice roll will be the 
  heroes or entities Other World Stat.
  • 
  Endurance damage and death rolls occur in exactly 
  same way as regular combat except that armour is 
  ignored for the purposes of these combats, as well as 
  any modifiers for weapons, combat skills etc.
  • 
  If the hero should die in this combat, they die as 
  in any other combat, unless the scenario specifies 
  something different.
  • 
  Should the entity “die” they disappear. Whether it 
  will return or not, or whether it is destroyed forever will 
  be specified by the Scenario.
  At the Demonlords discretion the Other Side Stat 
  can be used for other things as well. The heroes could 
  roll against their Other Side Stat to detect a spirit in 
  their midst, or to be warned of an attack by a feeling 
  of dread, or to be filled with a sense of foreboding in a 
  place where great evil has happened in the past.
  In the following articles each of the Sorcery skills will 
  be discussed in detail.
  Sorcery
  Veteran
  SkillS
  PG09
  
  summoning
   
  On page 17 of 
  the Veteran issue, the 
  players and Demonlord are 
  introduced to the Sorcery skill, more 
  specifically the Summoning skill. 
  Details of how to learn the first rank of the 
  summoning skill are given as well as rules for summoning the 
  Sorcerors first “spirit”. Go back and reread that section now as the 
  following rules pick up where they left off…
  As stated in the Veteran issue the first rank of summoning is 
  available to all with the right teachings or writings. 
  This will allow them to summon a 
  weak “spirit”. 
                    In the world of Kartharka 
  these spirits reside in many places. 
  They may be escaped demons 
  from the abyss, still weak and 
  waiting to reform their bodies. 
  Spirits can be long dead 
  ghosts of priests, great 
  sorcerers, or even the 
  ghosts of the first men, 
  trapped in this world by 
  some evil magics, or some 
  sense of purpose.
  Some are the creations of 
  the Demons or the Bloodlings, 
  created in the times before man and 
  the Dread Compact, still remaining long after 
  their creators have moved on from the world.
  Sometimes these spirits grow strong and 
  powerful, they may choose to inhabit and 
  defend a specific place, like a grove or cave, 
  and may come to be worshipped in time 
  by the Tribesmen of the Winterlands, or 
  other groups of darker creatures slinking 
  through the mountains.
  The spirit may 
  not have ever 
  been alive but 
  instead came 
  to the world of 
  Kartharka from 
  the 
  Other World, 
  with intelligence 
  either dread or benevolent, 
  with thoughts and plans inscrutable 
  to Man.
  The hero may know what his spirit is, or he may 
  not. Evil spirits lie about their abilities and history,  good 
  spirits may choose to keep their powers a secret to the heroes lest 
  they be misused.
  The only way a hero can truly know their spirit is through use of 
  the Control skill, once they have learned it.
   A successful control roll will force the spirit to tell him it’s true 
  name and history. (Control is covered later in this book)
  The First Spirit:
  This first spirit, called the familiar spirit, is the most useful one 
  in the Sorcerors arsenal. It does not require a summoning roll to 
  summon, the Sorcerer simply calls it. As stated in the Veteran 
  issue it has it’s uses though it’s powers are limited.
  The first papers or teacher the sorcerer found which allow it 
  to summon the spirit will also mention the skills of protection, 
  control, and imprisoning, though it they not discuss how to use 
  them.
  The sorcerer’s familiar spirit will know these things, however. It 
  will be able to lead the hero in the ways of Sorcery, though it may 
  choose to withhold certain information if it chooses.
  The Summoning Skill rules:
  The summoning skill is built up in ranks like any other skill. Each 
  rank will give a bonus to the hero for the purpose of summoning 
  spirits.
  If the summoning is successful the spirit must appear, the dread 
  compact will snatch the spirit up wherever it may be and drop it 
  before the summoner.
  If the summoner is unsuccessful, either nothing will appear, a 
  spirit of greater power will appear, or a spirit of lower power will 
  appear.
  The Summoning Roll:
  •To see if the summoning is successful use the following 
  formula.
  •Take the degree of the spirit, subtract the Sorcerors Other 
  World stat, and subtract the sorcerors summoning skill.
  •This is the number the Hero must roll above using one die. 
  •If the summoning is successful the spirit appears. However it 
  is not controlled, and the summoner and any one else is not 
  protected unless the hero has successfully used the protection 
  and Control skils. (Covered later in this chapter)
  If the hero fails the summoning:
  •Roll a die.
  •1-4 Nothing appears.
  •5 A spirit of a degree lower than the desired spirit appears. roll 
  a die and minus that number from the desired spirits degree, 
  that is the degree of spirit that will appear. If this is 0 then 
  nothing appears.
  •6 A spirit of a degree higher than the desired spirit appears. 
  Roll a die and add that number to the desired spirits degree. 
  This is the degree of spirit that will appear.
  PG10
  
    How to know what to summon:
  A fledgling sorcerer will have no idea what is available for him to 
  summon, the powers of demons and spirits, their abilities or their 
  weaknesses. 
  To find these things out they must either:
  Convince another Sorcerer to give him information.
  Discover another sorcerer’s writings.
  Force another spirit to give him this information.
  This final choice is the route most common to use, and luckily 
  the hero has a spirit under his control for just this sort of thing.
  However the familiar spirit will not want to give the hero this 
  information. Usually the hero simply asks questions of their 
  familiar and, if the familliar knows the answer, will immediately 
  tell them. However, revealing the names, powers and degrees of 
  its fellow spirits is taboo to spirits.
  To give a sorcerer this information is a betrayal of the other spirit 
  as it gives men more power over them. The other spirits will surely 
  try to take their vengeance on the sorcerers familiar spirit if they 
  ever can.
  Since familiars are rarely trapped in the Abyss the demons 
  are less likely to be able to take their vengeance but demons 
  memories are long and if the familiar is ever forced to enter the 
  abyss or if another demon should ever be freed near them their 
  vengeance will be terrible.
  And so the Sorcerer must force the familiar to give up this 
  information. This is done using the Control skill (Covered Later).
  A good rule of thumb is that a demon will only know the true 
  names of demons one degree above themselves. 
  The mechanics of the summoning ritual:
  What does a hero actually do to summon a spirit?
  The familiar spirit:
  The familiar can be summoned at any time with no ceremony or 
  special incantations. It is bound to the Sorceror and cannot refuse 
  it’s summons. The Sorceror need not roll to summon the spirit 
  after summoning it for the first time.
  To summon a spirit for the first time: 
  The hero will need certain things. The hero must make a suitable 
  offering that will be pleasing to the spirit in question. A simple fire 
  spirit can be summoned using a bonfire, but the most powerful 
  fire demons would require the melting and burning of rare and 
  strong metals, requiring a forge or furnace to reach high enough 
  temperatures. The items consumed in the summoning would 
  usually need to be acquired and may cost an amount of gold to 
  buy or must be sought out by the hero.
  Either the Demonlord will decide what is suitable or the scenario 
  will state the requirements.
  Next, incantations must be made to satisfy the Dread Compact, 
  the specific gestures, motions, and times to summon are 
  constantly changing due to the Compact but the familiar spirit will 
  be able to guide the Sorceror in these things. 
  The Dread Compact always has exceptions to it’s usual rules 
  which are constantly changing.
  For example:
  A spirit that must be summoned in the first moon of spring can 
  be summoned in winter by turning clockwise while chanting, 
  unless the time of day be in the morning in which case a wand 
  of bone inscribed with the true name of the demon must be held 
  above the summoners head.
  The Veteran skill “summoning” is not a knowledge of true names 
  of demons and their powers, but more a growing collection of 
  knowledge concerning exceptions, replacements for offerings, 
  ways to speed up the rituals, as well as the mental fortitude to will 
  a spirit to appear.
  As a Demonlord I would not waste too much time while playing 
  to make up complex rituals for the Sorcerors to act out and special 
  items for them to find. Suffice it to say that the Sorceror will be 
  making strange motions, speaking dread and mysterious words, 
  and shaking or gesturing with bizarre items. The Sorceror is clearly 
  doing something other worldly and everyone who sees it will 
  know this.
  The actual actions of the summoning are not as important to 
  those playing the game as the fact that they see someone doing a 
  summoning and it has some effect.
  Summoning time:
  If a Sorcerer is attempting a summoning but there is no chance 
  of being interrupted then it is not important how long it takes. If 
  the heroes are in combat however the amount 
  of time a summoning requires becomes 
  very important indeed.
  Summoning time can 
  vary greatly for enemy 
  sorcerors as the heroes 
  cannot know how long was 
  spent before they arrived on the 
  summoning.
  For heroes it will take 
  one turn per degree of 
  the spirit being called to 
  attempt a summoning.
  There are ways to speed up 
  a summoning which will 
  be discussed under the 
  control section later.
  PG11
  
  If a summoning is successful, the sorcerer will now 
  have a ghost, spirit or demon in front them, and chances 
  are, it’s not too pleased.
  If the spirit has never been summoned and controlled 
  before (see control below) then the spirit will try to 
  attack the hero that summoned it, and likely any others 
  that are close by.
  To prevent this Sorcerers protect themselves from 
  Other World forces, using magic circles, amulets, charms 
  and incantations.
  Buying ranks of the protection skill is easy for those 
  who have a familiar spirit. These ranks represent 
  learning the ways of protection from their familiar spirit, 
  how to create the charms and amulets as well as the 
  proper invocations to the dread pact and the drawing of 
  protective circles.
  The Protection skill can be used in several ways, as is 
  described below.
  Other Worldly Armour:
  •Each rank of protection gives the sorcerer an armour 
  bonus versus spirits and demons which works in exactly 
  the same way as normal armour in regular combat. 
  •Any attack by a spirit or demon, whether they are in 
  a spirit form or a physical form is modified by sorcerers 
  protection skill. The Sorcerers Other World stat does not 
  add a bonus to this.
  For example: a demon tries to disembowel a sorcerer 
  with its claws. The Demon causes 4 points of 
  damage, but the sorcerer has 2 points of protection 
  so he only takes 2 points of damage. 
  The demon will appear to be attacking the sorcerer 
  through an invisible wall of force.
  •The same is true of attacks by an incorporeal spirit 
  such as a ghost. Their spiritual attacks are lessened in 
  the same way by the Sorcerers protection skill.
  •The drawback of the protection skill is that the sorcerer 
  must wear their amulets, and clothes inscribed with 
  the mighty charms at all times. Once they invoke the 
  protective magics of the Dread Compact they draw 
  the attention of the Compact. Removing their amulets 
  would mean that they have discarded the protection of 
  the Compact and every spirit and demon in the vicinity 
  will be drawn to them by the terms of the Compact to 
  exact their revenge on the Sorcerer.
  Unfortunately for the Sorcerer the common folk of 
  Kartharka have a great fear of Sorcerers and may react 
  to Sorcerers in less than friendly ways. Having a few 
  friends with deadly weapons helps to assuage the fear 
  of the locals however.
  Protection During Summoning:
  •The sorcerer can also use their protection skill to 
  create a protective ward or circle around the area where 
  a spirit is to be summoned. The hope of the Sorcerer 
  is that if they are not strong enough to control the 
  demon (see below) they will at least be protected from 
  its power.
  •The power of the protective circle is measured in 
  degrees exactly the same as in summoning.
  •The hero may create a protective circle of any degree 
  they choose, however the actual power of the circle will 
  vary depending on the apparently random nature of the 
  dread compact as well as the heros protection skill and 
  the other world stat of the hero creating the circle.
  •It takes a full turn per degree of protection to create 
  the circle.
  •The circles true power will not be known until a spirit 
  tries to pass it, when it does, use the following rules to 
  determine the circles power.
  The hero rolls a medium SOTA check, adding any 
  modifiers for their Other World stat.
  If the roll is successful the power of the circle, in 
  degrees, is equal to the heroes other world stat, plus 
  their protection skill plus the score of one die roll.
  If the roll is failed the power of the circle is the 
  characters other world stat plus their protection skill 
  minus the score of one die roll.
  This roll can never bring the actual power of the circle 
  higher than the set goal stated by the hero when 
  creating the circle.
  The circles final power in degrees is the level of spirits 
  it will protect the heroes from. Spirits of that degree 
  or lower may not pass the circle or harm anyone 
  within it in any way.
  •This is also the degree of spirit the circle will entrap. 
  Once a spirit is in the circle it will not be able to leave 
  until the hero dismisses it at which point it will return to 
  wherever it came from. Even if the sorcerer is unable to 
  control the spirit they are still able to control whether 
  it leaves and may be able to extract a bargain from it to 
  allow it to leave. 
  More on this in the control section.
  Using the circle for protection 
  from other spirits:
  The circle will protect the heroes from all otherworldly 
  creatures so creating one and standing inside it will 
  protect them from attacking Other World forces. 
  Creating the circle and determining it’s strength is the 
  same as when summoning a spirit.
  The circle can be drawn in the dirt, on stone with chalk, 
  carved in stone or wood, or any other form the hero 
  wishes.
  PG12
  
  Once you have summoned a spirit, and it is safely 
  behind a protective circle. What do you do next?
  Bargaining:
  The simplest and “safest” (if such a thing exists) way 
  to have a demon do your will is to make a bargain with 
  it. To give it something it wants in return for something 
  within its power.
  Rarely will the hero have anything the demon desires 
  but it may have a task which it cannot do itself or will 
  require a sacrifice by the hero. Demons generally want 
  two things, freedom, or amusement to while away the 
  centuries until the Dread Compact crumbles to dust.
  Once in our world it may ask to be freed from the 
  circle in return for a favour. It will wish to be free in our 
  world now that the summoner has brought it above 
  ground. It will not be able to stay forever, the turnings 
  of the Dread compact will eventually find the exception 
  the summoner has created and erase it banishing the 
  demon once again but it will cause a great deal of 
  destruction and evil before leaving. It will not harm the 
  ones present during the summoning but anyone else 
  would be subject to its evil.
  If the summoner chooses to allow the demon or spirit 
  its freedom it will usually be sure to make it known to 
  everyone exactly who summoned it and released it, 
  earning the hero infamy as if he had perpetrated all the 
  evil acts of the demon himself.
  To some this would seem to be a fair trade.
  Amusement: 
  All demons, if not allowed their freedom, will settle 
  for amusement. A living human can be given to them 
  to take back to the underworld where they will be 
  tormented for some time before finally dying.
  To some this may also be a fair trade.
  Bargaining with spirits other than demons can be a 
  simpler and less dangerous. Their motives however are 
  more mysterious and varied depending on the spirit.
  Some spirits may be well inclined towards man and 
  may offer their help for nothing. However the heroes 
  must be wary. There are many spirits in the land of 
  Kartharka and not all are what they seem. A kindly forest 
  spirit may be revealed to be a demon in disguise at the 
  worst possible moment, or may ask the heroes for an 
  innocent sounding favour only to find that they are 
  doing the work of evil.
  The control Skill is rarely used in these bargaining 
  situations but the Demonlord may choose to allow the 
  heroes a die roll to determine whether or not they are 
  able to get a suitable “deal” from a spirit or demon, and 
  in this case the control skill would be used to modify 
  the roll.
  The heroes should ask the Demonlord if they plan on 
  using this skill in their games before spending veteran 
  points on it.
  OTHER USES:
  In the Enslavement section you will see that the 
  Control skill is used for determining how the sorcerers 
  control range and control limit (see enslavement for 
  more) 
  PG13
  
  If the Sorcerer wishes to skip bargaining with a spirit they may 
  force the spirit to do their bidding.
  •All spirits and demons may be commanded by a Sorcerer 
  with enough power.
  •A hero may use their command skill on any spirit whether it is 
  in a protective circle or not. 
  A circle is highly useful and suggested however, for if the hero 
  fails the demon will immediately attack the hero with all of its 
  power ignoring all other enemies and its own safety until that 
  hero is dead. 
  The Sorcerer can try to control the spirit in two different ways, 
  either commanding it to Answer Questions, or command it to 
  do Perform a Task.
  Answer Question:
  •The hero adds his Other World stat to his Command skill and 
  rolls a die to add to this total.
  •The spirit takes its degree and rolls a die to get its total.
  • If the hero has a higher score the Spirit must answer one 
  question.  If the spirit does not have a specific lore skill then it is 
  assumed that its lore is equal to its Degree.
  To other heroes the controlling sorcerer will appear to be 
  chanting, gesturing, and displaying various amulets and charms 
  to the spirit. If this is occurring during combat then the amount 
  of time the controlling takes is equal to the roll of the demons 
  die roll in turns.
  •If the hero fails the spirit will try to attack the hero as stated 
  before.
  •Every time the hero attempts a control roll against a spirit the 
  spirit gains +1 on the next roll to force it to answer a question or 
  an extra die to enslave it or force it to perform a task.
  The spirit is learning the strengths and weaknesses of the hero 
  and will be more prepared for the next attempt to control it.
  Perform a Task:
  •The Sorcerer may attempt to force the spirit to perform a 
  task.
  •Careful thought must be given to what they are asking the 
  spirit to do. The sorcerer may ask the spirit to do any task that 
  they wish but the spirit will be given permission to act in any 
  way it wishes to perform the task. It will also be allowed to 
  remain in the realm of man long enough to complete its task.
  Demons and spirits do not eat, do not sleep, do not become 
  tired, may sometimes fly or have other abilities so their power 
  to accomplish their tasks can be great. But even they may not 
  be able to complete a task that is ordered. 
  If the commands are being given during combat it is best to 
  keep the command simple such as “kill that sorcerer” or “knock 
  down that door” or other simple things.
  •If the sorcerer says something like “build me a house” with 
  no instructions as to size or where to get the materials the 
  demon may choose to tear down the palace of a king for the 
  stones and build the sorcerer a house so big that it may take 
  a century to complete. Meanwhile the spirit will terrorize the 
  countryside destroying every home for building materials all 
  while technically following the orders of the Sorcerer.
  •If the Sorcerer is clear on what must be accomplished and 
  how, and does not assign a task to a spirit which will take 
  more than a day the spirit will generally comply quickly and 
  accurately to be away from the sorcerer as soon as possible.
  •Once the spirit has completed its task it will return to the 
  sorcerer. At this time the sorcerer may choose to make another 
  control roll to have the spirit complete another task or they 
  may dismiss the spirit sending it back from whence it came.
  •The control roll to force a spirit to complete a task is similar to 
  the one to answer a question except:
  The hero rolls a number of dice equal to his other 
  world stat and his control stat combined. The spirit 
  rolls a number of dice equal to it’s degree (adding an 
  extra die for every previous command from the same 
  sorcerer). The one with the highest total wins.
  The control roll therefore is much more random and 
  dangerous for the sorcerer, and for every attempt 
  whether successful or not the spirit gains an extra die 
  for the next attempt.
  PG14
  
  Enslavement
  The most powerful skill of the Sorcerer is 
  Enslavement. It allows the Sorcerer to summon spirits 
  instantly, command them to do their bidding with 
  needing to make rolls, and control more that one spirit 
  at a time.
  Enslavement:
  The  most powerful of all the sorcerous abilities and 
  the most dangerous to attempt.
  An enslaved spirit or demon is at the sorcerers beck 
  and call.
  A Great Exception is written into the Dread Compact 
  allowing the sorcerer to call up and command the spirit 
  or demon whenever the sorcerer wishes.
  •To enslave a spirit the sorcerer summons the spirit 
  in the normal way, preferably with a protective circle if 
  things don’t go their way.
  •They then must make a successful control roll to 
  control the spirit to give them the ability to command 
  the spirit.
  •The sorcerer must then enslave the spirit.
  •The sorcerer should have an appropriate item in 
  which to imprison the spirit. An item connected to the 
  spirit in some way is required; a tree spirit could be 
  enslaved with a wooden wand or staff, a fire demon 
  with a brazier or a lamp for example.
  •The sorcerer must now make the enslavement roll. It 
  is the same as the control roll but must succeed 3 times 
  in a row. If the sorcerer fails any of their rolls the spirit 
  will immediately be freed from the protective circle 
  and the control of the sorcerer. It will then try to attack 
  the sorcerer and anyone else with them.
  •If the enslavement rolls are all successful the 
  demon is dismissed back from whence it came but will 
  be forever bound to the enslaving item the sorcerer 
  has chosen.
  •If the item is stolen, anyone else attempting to use 
  the item will indeed summon the spirit but it will not be 
  under their control and free to attack the summoner.
  •If the item is destroyed then the link is severed. The 
  spirit will be immediately banished back from whence 
  it came.
  •An enslaved spirit may be summoned at any time, 
  even in combat (takes 1 round), by the sorcerer who 
  enslaved the spirit using the item.
  •When summoned, the spirit can be commanded 
  in any way the sorcerer chooses. They will answer 
  questions (using the usual lore rolls) and act as 
  commanded. 
  •They may not leave the sight of the Sorcerer however 
  and may not move out of “range” of the sorcerer, which 
  is a number of squares equal to the Sorcerers Control 
  skill.•It may not perform SOTA but is able to attack, open 
  doors, move, pick up and move items, untie ropes or 
  any other mundane activity.
  •The Sorcerers can command more than one spirit at 
  a time. The Sorcerers Control skill is the limit of how 
  many total degrees of spirits they can control at once.
  Example: a Sorcerer has a Control skill of 
  5. They can command 1 demon of the 5th 
  degree, or 2 demons of the second degree, or 
  5 demons of the 1st degree.
  PG15
  
  IMPRISONING
  The most powerful of the Sorcerous arts, the 
  imprisoning skill is used to trap a spirit directly in an 
  item.
  An enslaved spirit needs an Item for summoning but 
  the item serves only as a doorway to the Other World.
  With imprisoning the spirit is forever imprisoned in the 
  item itself.
  In the previous chapters we saw that directly 
  summoning and commanding a spirit is gives it more 
  freedom and power than an enslaved spirit has. 
  However an enslaved spirit can be summoned instantly 
  and with no risk.
  The Sorcerer is also limited in the amount of enslaved 
  spirits they can control at a time.
  But the great sorcerers of old were very clever. They 
  found a way of imprisoning a spirit or demon directly 
  in an item.
  This is the most powerful of the sorcerous arts but the 
  most difficult to master and use .
  The concept is a simple one. A spirit is imprisoned 
  within a specially prepared item. Once it is imprisoned 
  it may no longer escape, its prison means it no longer 
  needs to be summoned, protection need not be used 
  and control is no longer necessary. Unfortunately an 
  imprisoned spirit is of little use. It is trapped and unable 
  to use its powers. While this may be a suitable goal 
  if the purpose is to neutralize the spirit it is not very 
  useful to the Sorcerer.
  The power of the Prison lies in its exceptions.
  All imprisoning items are created to “mostly” imprison 
  a spirit, allowing it to escape only in certain ways.
  For example: a prison could be created to trap a fire 
  demon but still allow its fire to  escape.
  This would result in an item which continually pours 
  forth fire and flame.
  Heroes could certainly find a use for such a thing, but it 
  could be dangerous to carry around with you.
  •Usually Exceptions are controlled by a command 
  word which turns the exception on and off.
  For example: an item that normally appears to be a 
  large orb with intricate carvings will, on speaking the 
  command word, begin to pour forth fire. 
  •In combat terms this fire pouring forth would be 
  equivalent to whatever attack the spirit would have 
  made with fire but without going through the trouble of 
  summoning, protection, controlling and enslaving. 
  More refinements can be made to the exceptions as 
  well.
  For example: With our fire orb, the item could be 
  used as a type of grenade, throwing the orb at your 
  enemy as you speak the command word. However this 
  is not too elegant and may result in loss of the orb if 
  the sorcerers enemies are not killed.
  Another exception may be added to the prison, that 
  the bearer of the orb be protected from the fire while 
  forcing it to be directed away from the bearer. Now the 
  item is truly a weapon.
  Or the prison could be a sword. With the hero wielding 
  a powerful flaming sword that burst into flame at 
  command and could shoot fire at anyone it is pointed 
  at.
  This is the true power of the Sorcerer, the abilty to 
  create these powerful and terrible prisons. But they 
  come at a price.  They are quite difficult and dangerous 
  to make. 
  Creating a Prison:
  •The sorcerer must create the item to be used as a 
  prison. It must be made for a specific spirit.
  •At the time of creating it must be decided how many 
  exceptions are being added to the 
  item.
  •The item will be very 
  costly to create, needing 
  many exotic ingredients, 
  jewels, metals and other 
  items to create.
  •The cost will be 
  equivalent to: Number of 
  exceptions x the degree of 
  the spirit x 100 gold coins.
  •Since money can be quite 
  hard to come by in the world 
  of Kartharka the Demonlord 
  could also have the heroes 
  search for the materials 
  themselves. Usually they 
  will have to complete one 
  difficult lair per Exception 
  and Degree of the prison.
  •To create the item the 
  sorcerer rolls a number of 
  dice equal to their Other 
  World stat plus their 
  Imprisoning stat. The 
  Demonlord will then 
  roll a number of dice 
  equal to the number 
  of exceptions plus the 
  Degree of the spirit to be imprisoned.
  •If the sorcerers roll is equal to or higher than the 
  demonlord’s roll then the prison has been successfully 
  created.
  •The spirit to be placed in the prison must already be 
  enslaved to the sorcerer. The sorcerer will summon the 
  enslaved spirit and command it to enter the prison.
  •The sorcerer will then roll to Imprison the spirit.
  The sorcerer rolls a number of dice equal to their Other 
  World stat plus their Imprisoning skill. The spirit rolls a 
  number of dice equal to its degree. If the sorcerer rolls 
  equal to or higher than the spirit 3 times in a row the 
  spirit is successfully imprisoned. If the sorcerer fails in 
  any of his rolls the spirit is no longer enslaved to the 
  sorcerer and may now take it’s revenge on him.
  •An item prison may be used by anyone that knows 
  the control words.
  PG16
  
  SPI RITS
  &DEMONS
  In the game of Lair, all entities of the other world, all supernatural beings, 
  be they ghosts, demons, nature gods, or elemental energies, all of these are 
  referred to as spirits.
  Whether or not they are able to take on a physical form for periods of 
  time they are still referred to as spirits for they exist, at least partially, in the 
  Other World.
  So all demons are sprits, but not all spirits are demons.
  Demons are a very specific race of “spirits” that reside primarily in the 
  great underworld beneath the world of Kartharka called the Abyss, beyond 
  the great rift of Abalon and inaccessible for surface dwellers.
  Although the most commonly referred to spirit in game mechanics is the 
  demon there are many spirits in the world of Karharka. 
  Ranging from simple nature spirits, residing in an ancient tree, to great 
  and powerful “gods” once worshipped by thousands of followers and now 
  forgotten by time in ruins long abandoned by men.
  The source of these other spirits is mysterious and lost in time, perhaps 
  they were once men, or sorcerers, or wizards, or even just a tribal leader 
  that chose to stay in our world instead of moving on to the other side once 
  dead. Perhaps they are the ghosts of great leaders, or they may be another 
  spirit that existed long before the death of those men, who have chosen to 
  pretend to be people to gather worshippers and followers to act on their 
  wishes.
  Some may even truly be “gods”, personifications of a forest, or a force of 
  nature or of an entire nation,  whether their followers or creators still exist is 
  irrelevant to them as they continue on as they always have.
  Many options are open to the Demonlord to create spirits to serve their 
  needs in scenarios and lairs.
  Most of the rules which will follow in this issue will deal with “demons” 
  but simply replace the name with “spirit” and it becomes a force not of 
  the netherworld but of the other world. Using the same stats and rules as 
  a demon it may be a ghost, unnamed force, or a god. Its motives may be 
  good, evil, or neutral and its source of power may be infernal or benevolent 
  as the demonlord wishes.
  So although many of the rules and lists which follow may refer to 
  “demons” feel free to adapt and change anything you wish to add variety 
  and spice to your own games.
  PG17
  
  C
  REATING
  SPIRITS
  There can be any number of spirits, demons, ghosts, 
  gods, or elementals. To try to create a list of every 
  possible one here would be a massive undertaking.
  I think what would be more useful would be a set 
  of guidelines for creating your own spirits, similar to 
  the ones laid out in the Veteran issue for creatures and 
  monsters.
  Spirits have stats, like other creatures. They also 
  have additional powers available only to spirits. They 
  may have a physical form or they may not. They may 
  be able to effect the physical world or they may not.
  All of these things will be discussed in the following 
  sections.
  To create a spirit go through the following steps:
  1. Determine spirit type:
  2. Determine stats:
  3. Assign additional powers:
  4. Assign elemental powers if any:
  5. Assign mortal interaction:
  6. Determine Other World stat:
  7. Determine degree:
  All of these will be discussed, simply work your way 
  through the list and you will have your dread spirit 
  ready to terrorize your heroes.
  Determine Spirit type:
  This is the creative part of the process. Decide if 
  you want your spirit to be a demon, a ghost, some kind 
  of elemental spirit or anything else the imagination 
  can devise. Use this decision when working your way 
  through the next few sections. There is no limitations 
  on any particular type of spirit, a ghost can be as 
  powerful as a demon if the Demon lord chooses.
  Typical choices would be:
  • Demons from below the earth of 
  Kartharka
  • The ghost of a mortal being, be they 
  a man, goblyn, half goblyn or something 
  else. They lived for a time and then they 
  died. On death for whatever reason they 
  did not move on to the other side. They 
  may have existed long ago or have died 
  recently.
  • Elemental spirit of the Wild. There 
  are many spirits which are thought to be 
  embodiments of great forces of nature. Be 
  they the trees, the air, the storms in the 
  sky, or a spirit of a specific forest or circle 
  of stones.
  It is not known truly where these spirits come 
  from or what keeps them where they are found. Most 
  of them have been worshipped for centuries by the 
  various tribes of the Winterlands or elsewhere in 
  Kartharka. They may actually be something else or 
  something from the other side in disguise. At any rate 
  they tend to be mostly an ethereal force with powers 
  over plants, wind, or air, though sometimes they will 
  manifest themselves as a physical creature made of 
  their preferred element.
  Statistics:
  Each spirit will have all the usual stats of a monster 
  or creatures, Defence, Attack, Endurance, Damage, and 
  Move.
  Even if they are never in our physical world or able 
  to affect it, their stats must be determined, even if they 
  are only zeros.
  Like any creature or enemy you can make these 
  stats whatever you want, but the higher the stats the 
  higher their rank will be.
  Assign the spirit stats for 
  defence, attack, endurance, 
  damage, and move. Remember 
  an average man would have 
  zero defence, zero attack, 4 
  endurance, zero damage, 
  and move 4.
  Additional 
  powers:
  •Demons and other 
  spirits are considered 
  to either be carrying 
  spectral ethereal 
  weapons, or to 
  have claws (as 
  in demons) or 
  due to their 
  other world 
  nature are 
  considered to be armed at all times. They will do 
  damage as if they were carrying standard weapons 
  causing 1 dice of damage, unless stated otherwise in 
  another rule.
  As if having all of this is not enough, spirits may have 
  some additional powers.
  Common powers which a spirit may have are:
  Flight: The spirit may fly. They move at their move 
  rate up, down, or in any direction.
  Move Objects: Whether the spirit is ethereal or 
  not, or whether they are able to take on a physical 
  body they may still move objects as if they were a 
  solid creature. It can be assumed that the creature can 
  move objects in the same way as a normal man unless 
  otherwise stated.
  Sound(illusions) or create noises: The spirit may 
  create noises whether they are ethereal or not. Note 
  that spirits would usually not be able to make noise or 
  make themselves understood by mortals unless they 
  have this power. The noises are not necessarily limited 
  to speech but may make any noises or sounds that 
  they like.
  Light(illusions) or create images: In the same way 
  that spirits cannot be heard while they are ethereal 
  they may also not be seen. But if they have this power 
  they may appear to mortals. Note that they do not 
  necessarily have to appear as they actually are, they 
  may change their appearance in any way in the same 
  way as creating noises.
  PG18
  
  Elemental powers:
  •These allow the spirit to control an element or use it 
  for an attack. The power may be given more than once. 
  The first time it is given allows the spirit to “control” 
  that element in a limited way. Fire for example would 
  allow the spirit to start fires on readily combustible 
  materials like an unlit campfire.
  •It also allows the creature to have 1 armour point 
  against that element. Additional slots of the same 
  power can be used to add another armour point 
  against that element.
  •Another slot can be used to allow the spirit to 
  “attack” with that element for 1d6 of damage. For 
  example a spirit could have fiery hands which cause 
  1d6 of damage if they hit a hero.
  •For each extra time it is taken the spirit gets to cause 
  an additional d6 of damage using their element
  •A slot can also be used to allow a spirit to “throw” a 
  ball of the element with a range equal to their move 
  stat. •The elements available are: Fire, Ice, Wind, Electricity, 
  Stone, Water, Wood (dead), Plants (Living).
  Mortal interaction:
  •The word “spirit” refer to the class of otherworldly 
  beings, and not necessary to whether they have a 
  physical form or not.
  •When creating a spirit you must decide if the spirit 
  has a physical form. If it does not, then you must 
  decide how it interacts with the physical world, if it can 
  at all.
  •All spirits begin as an ethereal creature, having no 
  physical substance. They are unable to affect the 
  mortal world, to be seen, heard or felt. They can 
  move through doors, walls, floors, etc. This does not 
  necessarily mean they can “fly” or “float”. To do some 
  they must have the “flight” special power above.
  Spiritual attack:
  •Some spirits, by growing their power, are able to 
  affect the mortal realm without a physical body. These 
  spirits are able to attack mortals using their other world 
  stat as detailed in the Other World section earlier in 
  this book.
  If this is the case with the spirit you are creating then 
  you should give them the “spiritual attack” power.
  •Some spirits will have a physical form, such as most 
  summoned demons. They may not use a “spiritual 
  attack” while in their physical form. If they are able to 
  change from physical back to an ethereal form then 
  they can use spiritual attack when ethereal and regular 
  attacking when in their physical form.
  Demons prefer to remain in mortal form because if 
  they “die” they must start all over again as a spirit with 
  all stats being 0 and begin to build their power again.
  •Some spirits can take on a mortal form only when 
  summoned, many of the “gods” of Kartharka appear 
  in this way. 
  Other world stat: 
  Now decide what the creatures Other world stat will 
  be, keeping in mind that this is the stat which will be 
  used for spiritual attacks if the spirit has that power.
  Rank
  •Determining combat rank for spirits is very similar to 
  the system for mortal creatures.
  •First start with 1. Add the spirits defence, attack, 
  damage, and any endurance over 4. Add any move 
  over 4. Add 5 for every power (and every slot of every 
  power).
  Multiply the spirits other world by 2 and add this to 
  the total.
  This is the final Combat rank.
  Determine the Spirits degree:
  The Spirits degree will vary greatly from spirit to 
  spirit.
  •A good rule of thumb is to divide the spirits Combat 
  Rank by 5. A spirits power varies greatly depending on 
  what powers it has and how many slots of any specific 
  power it has.
  •Published spirits will likely have a degree that varies 
  from the simple, divide by 5 calculation.
  PG19
  
  SpookyRoom Productions Presents:
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery: The Adventure Game
  Issue 4: SORCERY! October 2015
  Price  $4.00
  
  LAIRS!
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery
  a d v e n t u r e  ga m e  #5
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Submissions & questions: 
  Send any comments, rules questions or submissions to :
  spookyroomproductions@gmail.com
  The ediTor SpeakS
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery (LoSS)
  Issue 5, October 2015, The Sorcery Issue
  Credits: Copyright Ripley Stonebrook 2015 ©
  All art, writing, and rules by: Ripley Stonebrook 
  Editor and Creator. Published by Spooky Room 
  PurchasePay what you want
  digital copies of LoSS at
  gumroad.com/ripleystonebrook
  Order print copies of LoSS at
  lairofswordandsorcery.blogspot.ca
  PG01
  Welcome to issue 5: Lairs!
  (The sideways issue)
  As we near the end of another year we also 
  near the end of the 5 core books of LoSS (Lair of 
  Sword & Sorcery)
  Lets take a look at what I’ve done with LoSS 
  and why.
  Issue 1: Demonboard:
   Detailed the making of the all important 
  demonboard on which all the action of the 
  game takes place. Since a battlemat was so 
  inherently important to the proper play of the 
  game it was necessary to dedicate most of an 
  issue to it. But I didn’t want to just send you out 
  to buy a battlemat or even more expensive 3d 
  dungeon materials.
  If the game was to be played by anyone I had 
  to prove that you can make a great looking 3d 
  dungeon yourself with just a few dollars. Not 
  only that but I had to show a way that anyone 
  could do it, not just artists that can create a full 
  3d dungeon out of foam and cardboard already.
  I needed something that was cheap, easy, 
  and not at all time consuming.
  I often say that you can make a perfectly 
  suitable Demonboard in the same amount of 
  time as it takes to watch Conan the Barbarian. 
  I have in fact done that very thing myself a 
  couple of times during the past couple of years.
  I also wanted to include some material for 
  the world of Kartharka. To show people what 
  kind of adventures I wanted to make for LoSS. 
  To show them a world made for exploring, for 
  Adventure. A world created for them to tear 
  around in and either save, or conquer.
  I wanted a world full of wonder, excitement, 
  hidden places and mystery. A world where one 
  week you could play in the snowy peaks of the 
  Winterlands, and another weak in the steaming 
  Hunzar jungles, or ply the coasts of the Islands, 
  or brave the Desserts of the Summerlands.
  Issue 2: Combat:
  In issue 2 we really get started.
  The combat issue finally started presenting 
  some rules. Most important for adventure 
  games is obviously the combat rules. The actual  
  rules needed for 2 people to fight it out.
  Since combat doesn’t happen in a void it also 
  included rules for the basics of moving in lairs, 
  how to set up a scenario for people to fight in 
  and some guidelines for small scale skirmish 
  battles between groups of people.
  It also included the all important SOTA 
  rules. The rules for doing something other than 
  fighting.
  The combat rules were created to make 
  heroes that can easily hold their own against 
  regular folk. But no matter how powerful they 
  become, they can still be taken out by large 
  groups of enemies. But the opposite is true as 
  well. No mater how powerful their enemies 
  are they can still kill them if they have enough 
  manpower.
  And because you need heroes to do that 
  fighting the Hero creation rules are in this issue 
  as well.
  Issue 3: Veteran:
  But combat rules do not a Role playing game 
  create.
  One of the most important things to the 
  way we play role playing games is the idea of 
  advancing our heroes. Of making them better, 
  more powerful, more skilled.
  In the Veteran issue the rules for earning and 
  spending Veteran points are included. To allow 
  the heroes to improve their abilities.
  The issue also includes lots of little things. 
  Heroes homes, more of the world of Kartharka. 
  Animals and monsters of the World of Kartharka 
  as well as guidelines for crafting your own 
  enemies.
  Also included are the first set of guidelines for 
  creating and running Lairs or your own.
  Issue 4: Sorcery: 
  The sorcery issue finally adds the magic 
  which all great fantasy role playing games need.
  Magic items, spirits, ghosts, demons, and how 
  to use them all. Now your heroes can become 
  great Sorcerers, but unfortunately now evil 
  Sorcerers and their minions are at the beck and 
  call of the Demonlord.
  Issue 5: Lairs: 
  This issue finally gives the actual rules and 
  templates for creating your own Lairs.
  But what does all this mean?
  I wanted to create a new Role playing game 
  from scratch. Something fun and easy to play, 
  so anyone can play without a lot of reading or 
  learning.
  I also wanted to create something that 
  was easy to write Lairs for, with some simple 
  guidelines for relatively balanced encounters for 
  the heroes. I wanted adventures that were fun 
  to write, and easy to run. 
  What kind of game is LoSS?
  The Rules
  Well I originally went far away from what 
  people would consider standard role playing 
  systems. But it seems to have looped back to 
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  where games started. A simple combat system, 
  you earn points for completing scenario which you 
  then use to improve your hero.
  More importantly when you want your hero to 
  do something other than attacking, you describe 
  what you are doing and the game master assigns a 
  dice roll to see if it works.
  When writing and releasing the rules I knew 
  that they were going to be a little confusing since 
  they are being released in small pieces.  People 
  couldn’t look at the whole game at once and 
  understand what it was.
  Not only that but the rules system was not 
  set in stone when publishing began. Things 
  have changed over the past year from how I had 
  originally planned them. 
  This means that I could not refer to other 
  unpublished parts of the system when presenting 
  any of the rules. We were still playing around with 
  the game ourselves, adding things trying things 
  and seeing what worked.
  Now with the release of book 5 everything is 
  indeed now locked in stone.
  What’s with the weird release format? 
  And why the original focus on retailers 
  and the sudden switch to pdfs?
  When I started the game I was very Friendly 
  Local Game store oriented. I wanted to only 
  release the game through game stores. But I soon 
  found that contacting them and getting books on 
  the shelves was just too difficult.
  So I began selling hard copies online. But I 
  wanted to avoid the whole pdf thing. I liked my 
  role playing games on paper. Well the fact is 
  shipping is expensive. It’s cheaper for most people 
  to buy the pdf and print it wherever they are if 
  they like it enough to want to use it. I wanted to 
  avoid people putting up the pdfs for download 
  and sharing them around and other nonsense.
  The fact is my opinions have changed over 
  the past year. And mostly it’s due to my getting 
  involved with the online community on Google+.
  If you really want people to play your game 
  you have to just put it out there. The pay what 
  you want pdf system is really the best one there 
  is right now. People can download everything 
  for your game for free and if they like it they can 
  throw a few bucks your way.
  The same thinking goes for everybody 
  publishing things for your game. If they want to 
  put up a website writing their own adventures and 
  rules, heck you should let them. They’re all just 
  sharing the game in their own way and the more 
  people getting involved the better.
  So what can the fans do with the game?
  Whatever you want! Publish your own Lairs 
  online, print your own fanzines, if people are 
  willing to throw a few bucks your way to keep on 
  doing it then feel free to sell it.
  I wouldn’t mind you posting a link back to the 
  LoSS website if you can manage it.
  So go on and have fun with the system, make 
  stuff up, post your own pdfs, post content to your 
  blogs, heck you can even put the LoSS issue pdfs 
  up on your website if you want.
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  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Game balance and the core of 
  LoSS
  In Lair the Demonlord sets up scenarios 
  for the heroes to defeat. Once the scenario 
  is set up the Demonlord is limited in what he 
  can or cannot do but the heroes are free to 
  do what they like.
  The power of Sota is a great one and 
  heroes can use it to great advantage. 
  While the demonlords minions are 
  limited to the actions listed in the scenario 
  and attacking the heroes are free to create 
  traps, create cave ins, start fires, or anything 
  else their minds can devise.
  This is quite a powerful tool.
  In creating lairs and deciding encounters 
  you will see that they are referred to as ½ 
  rank or full rank encounters.
  These are by their nature balanced.
  But what about the large set piece 
  monsters and villains? They will usually be a 
  certain encounter with a very specific rank. A 
  large monster or a powerful fighter.
  In this case look to the heroes combined 
  rank. I would suggest not having any 
  encounters higher than double the parties 
  starting rank. 
  There is a place on the story sheet to 
  write in the Largest encounter rank. If at the 
  beginning of the story the heroes are at less 
  than half of that rank then you will need to 
  supply some henchmen to bring the total 
  up to that amount. Even if henchmen aren’t 
  technically allowed in the story.
  If the heroes can’t afford to pay then the 
  henchmen will agree to work for an equal 
  share of any treasure which may be found.  
  In this special case these special henchmen 
  will not have to roll after their first combat 
  to continue fighting, they will fight on to the 
  end in hopes of striking it rich.
  They are controlled by the players in the 
  usual way.
  Where to start?
  Here we are with the last of the 
  “Core” books for the LoSS (Lair 
  of Sword and Sorcery Adventure 
  game). Lairs!
  LoSS is a special game.
  When writing the game I didn’t 
  start with a combat system, 
  magic system, or even a skill 
  system for resolving character 
  actions.
  I started with the 
  adventures. 
  With deciding what kind of 
  adventures I wanted the players 
  to go on, what they would do 
  during these adventures and, 
  most importantly, how I could 
  write those adventures easily, and 
  how I could run them easily in the 
  future without any prep.
  So in this issue I present to 
  you:
  The Lair templates. 
  They’re quick, fun, and easy to 
  fill out. You can use them to make 
  a one shot encounter on the road, 
  a whole series of interconnected 
  adventures, crazy multilevel 
  tombs crawling with monsters or 
  sorcerers, or whole countries full 
  of villages and mines.
  Everything you need to make a 
  LoSS adventure is on every sheet, 
  and since everything has it’s own 
  place and easy to find, you can 
  pull out an adventure, read it in 5 
  minutes and be completely ready 
  to play. With the Loss template 
  prepping a pre-made Lair for a 
  game can take less time than 
  setting up for a board game.
  The four templates all work 
  together, with two sets of two 
  templates.
   The most often used template 
  set are the Lair templates 
  themselves. The Lair Outline and 
  the Lair Details. With these two 
  sheets you can set up a map of a 
  group of areas along with all the 
  extra things you need to turn it 
  into a playable scenario like area 
  contents and enemies 
  The other set are the Story 
  background and story flowchart.
  These two sheets link a 
  number of Lairs into one long 
  cohesive “story” or campaign.
  The story background givens 
  the Demonlord all the details 
  they need about the story and 
  how the lairs link together.
  The Story flowchart is one 
  of the most important tools. 
  A simple way to create huge 
  overlapping story lines, with 
  one chain of events as the 
  “Main story”, a second course 
  of events as the “Background 
  stories” as well as a number of 
  “miscellaneous” events they may 
  occur at any time and a list of 
  triggered events, things that will 
  only happen if the characters do 
  something or don’t do something.  
  Using the templates: 
  First decide what you want 
  your adventure to be about.
  Then fill in the Story 
  background, the story that this 
  group of adventures tell. You 
  don’t need a lot, just the setup 
  of the adventure. The rest of 
  the story will be in the Lairs 
  themselves.
  Then go to the flowchart, just 
  write in all the things that happen 
  our could happen on the flow 
  chart. Draw in some arrows so 
  that you know which one leads 
  to which.
  Then get out your Lair Lair 
  templates. For each of the events 
  in the flowchart fill out a set of 
  Lair Templates.
  And that’s it. Just fill in all the 
  boxes on the Lair templates and a 
  couple of lines on the background 
  sheets.
  Each of the sections that follow 
  give tips on how to fill in each 
  sheet, as well as a few guidelines 
  on how many enemies to throw 
  in and how to use them.
  Also included at the end of this 
  issue are the sheets for the LOSS 
  Demonlords screen.
  Hopefully these will help those 
  of you that are having a hard time 
  keeping track of everything, I 
  know even I could use a reference 
  a little quicker than flipping 
  through 4 or 5 books. Especially 
  considering the first few issues 
  didn’t even have tables of 
  contents or page numbers. 
  inTroducTionS
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  Lets Jump right in.
  You’ll see on the following pages the blank  
  sheets for Lairs and stories.
  Lets start with the Lairs first as they are the 
  simplest part, the building blocks of the LoSS 
  game.
  Lair ouTLine SheeT
  This information should look a little familiar as 
  I gave some of these guidelines in the Combat 
  issue. Here the same information is used but 
  organized into a form to fill out. There have also 
  been a few things added.
  First lets look at all the boxes.
  Map:
  There is a place on the form the exact size of 
  a Demonboard. Use it to draw in all your areas 
  and mark down where important features and 
  enemies are.
  It is important to mark down exactly where 
  enemies will be when the heroes enter the room 
  so that you can be sure of being fair and not 
  placing them to your own advantage once play 
  has begun.
  Key:
   It is helpful to use symbols on your map and 
  the key is the place where you can mark what all 
  the symbols need.
  Lair: 
  This is where you write the name of the current 
  Lair you are working on. Like “cave of the witch” or 
  “Necromancers tower level 1” This is the name of 
  the actual Lair that the board represents.
  Setting:
  This is the general Location where the Lair is. 
  Usually Lairs are organized by location, such as a 
  nearby village or city, or by province or mountain. 
  For example all the Lairs of the “Temple of the 
  Blind Burrower” take place in the setting of 
  “Throm” the village near all the action.
  Scenario: 
  This is the name of the scenario being played 
  out in the Lair. For example the town of Throm 
  is used in three scenarios in the example story in 
  this book.
  One is “Enter Throm”, the other is “War on 
  Throm”, and the last is “Attack of the Burrower”. 
  They all use the same “Lair” which is the village of 
  Throm, but each scenario has different objectives.
  Remember a Lair combined with 
  objectives, punishments and rewards 
  becomes a scenario
  and scenarios linked together become a “Story”.
  Story:
   This is the story that the Heroes have become 
  embroiled in currently. In the example in this book 
  the story is “Temple of the Blind Burrower”. It has 
  linked scenarios beginning with the heroes arriving 
  in Throm, heading to the woods, entering the 
  temple, and fighting the Burrower. Along the way 
  they may have a war, or or fight the burrower in 
  the town instead.
  All of these things are part of the “Temple of 
  the Blind Burrower” story.
  Active: 
  This is a box where you can write yes or no.
  This helps you to keep track of whether this Lair 
  is part of the main story or not and help you to 
  know whether or not it is important for the heroes 
  to succeed or not to continue the story.
  Background: 
  This is another yes/no box. It lets you know 
  if this is what’s known as a background scenario. 
  They may not be important for completing the 
  main story, they tend to be something else 
  happening within the area so that the heroes can 
  know that their main mission isn’t the only thing 
  going on in the area. It also serves as a welcome 
  alternative to the heroes who may not be 
  interested in the Main story.
  Sometime it can even connect with the main 
  story but this is not necessary.
  Objective:
   This is the thing which the heroes must 
  accomplish in this scenario. If they are able to do 
  so then they receive the reward.
  If they fail or if all the heroes flee the scenario 
  then they will have to suffer the punishment for 
  failure.
  Heroes may never return to a scenario once 
  they have fled. They may return to the area of the 
  Lair but the scenario ends the moment the last 
  hero dies or flees.
  Punishment: 
  This is what the heroes receive for failure. 
  Sometimes it will be obvious to them what the 
  Lair TempLaTeS
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  punishment is. For instance if their objective is to 
  rescue someone before they are killed then the 
  likely punishment for failure will be the death of 
  that person.
  Sometime failure will also be accompanied by 
  infamy. Running out on people who need your 
  help will often lead to those people despising you.
  Reward: 
  The reward may also be obvious to the players 
  or not. For instance the reward for finding the 
  entrance to the next level of a tower within a layer 
  is getting to go to the next level of the Tower. 
  Especially if the Stories main objective is there. 
  Sometimes the reward may be monetary, in 
  that case of a reward by the local townsfolk, or 
  successfully finding a great treasure.
  Usually a reward will also gain the heroes a 
  bit of fame if the results of their adventuring are 
  publicly known. People become famous heroes 
  for taking down a band of outlaws or a dangerous 
  monster.
  The people the heroes are working for will also 
  often owe the heroes a favour once they have 
  saved their lives.
  Special features: 
  This is one of the most important parts of each 
  Lair. Each Lair must have something completely 
  unique to it. This does not mean that you cannot 
  use that feature again at some later date but you 
  would not be able to use it as another Lairs special 
  feature.
  A special feature may be an unusual weapon 
  used by the inhabitants of a Lair. Or a special trap, 
  a pit full of lava, an underground river or anything 
  else you can think of.
  Or it could be a special skill had by the 
  inhabitants or leader of a Lair. 
  The only necessity is that the special feature 
  involve at least 1 new rule, usually only applicable 
  in that one place. In the example Lair “Caverns 
  of the Burrower” you’ll see I have used wobbly 
  pillars as the special feature. The rule is that 
  anyone walking under them has a chance of the 
  ceiling falling in on them. It’s a simple addition 
  but makes that Lair a little bit different than the 
  others. I could have used them 
  again in the Temple Lair but in that 
  case they would not have been the 
  special feature of the Lair since it 
  was already used in the Caverns 
  but it could be added just to spice 
  things up.
  The special feature in the Temple 
  is of course Malaks ritual, which has 
  it’s own rules as well.
  Henchmen available:
  This is where it will state whether 
  or not Henchmen can be gathered 
  up before beginning the Lair. IF they 
  are available it usually means that 
  heroes have time to hire people 
  before beginning. It also means 
  that they are in an area where 
  there are groups of people willing 
  to drop everything and head off to 
  adventure, or at least crack a few 
  skulls for a few gold coins.
  Setup: 
  Most Lairs are set up “Blind” 
  meaning the heroes do not know 
  the contents of the lair. Usually they 
  will start on one edge of the board 
  marked “heroes enter” in a corridor or a room. The 
  Demonlord will place this starting area only and 
  the game begins. New areas are only placed as the 
  heroes can “see” them.
  Sometimes, though, there will be a special 
  setup. For example in the “War on Throm” 
  scenario the adventures start in the middle of the 
  town with the whole town placed on the board.
  Any other special setup instructions can be 
  placed here. Usually this is also where it will say 
  whether the lair has enough light to see or if the 
  heroes must bring their own sources of light.
  This covers the first of the Lair template sheets.
  Lair deTaiLS SheeT
  The second sheet, the Lair details sheet 
  contains the meat of the Lair. What it looks like, 
  what are in the areas, who is there, what they are 
  doing, and everything else that the heroes may 
  encounter.
  Areas:
  This is where all the areas on the map are 
  described. Not a lot of details are required but you 
  can add as much as you like.
  Usually they are marked with a number system 
  like 1, 2, 3 on the map and then each area is 
  described.
  Usually you should write the rooms contents, 
  enemies inside and anything else that may be 
  necessary to know. Look to the example lairs to 
  see how this is done.
  You do not nead to write about all the details 
  of each monster or enemy. This is what you use 
  the force List for. Also if there is a special item in a 
  room it is usually best just to put the items name 
  in the area section and then write the details 
  about that item in the “notes” section so that they 
  can be easily found later.
  Force List: 
  This is where you right in all the combat stats 
  of all the enemies in the Lair. It has places to write 
  in their name, what they are armed with or other 
  equipment, what their combat stats are, and a 
  notes section for any special powers.
  Again if an enemy has a special power you can 
  just write the name of the ability on the force 
  list, and the details about this ability in the Notes 
  section.
  Notes:
   This is where you can track notes on special 
  monsters, abilities, items and areas of the Lair as 
  well as any special rules or features of the Lair. 
  Again look to the example scenarios to see  how 
  this and the other sections are used.
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  Lair:  
   
   
  Scenario: 
   
  story: 
  setting: 
   
   
  Active: 
   
  Background: 
  key:
  objective:
  punishment 
  Reward
  special features
  setup
  Henchmen available
  Lair Outline
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  areas:
  force list 
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  notes 
  Lair details
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  Heres something a little bit special, the story 
  sheets.
  It includes all the background the Demonlords 
  need to put all of the Lairs and scenarios into 
  perspective, so that they can understand how 
  everything fits together.
  It also includes important details which must be 
  known for the Demonlord to run the scenarios for 
  the players.
  STory Background SheeT
  This part is very important but was one of the 
  last sheets added. If you have written the story 
  yourself fairly recently then the flowchart and 
  accompanying Lairs contain more than enough 
  information to run the story. 
  But if your story is to be run 
  by someone else or, if it’s 
  been a while since your wrote 
  it, will be helpful to have 
  a few written paragraphs 
  describing the story and how 
  all the parts work together 
  and lead to each other.
  The lair flowchart 
  described the order things 
  happen in and the lairs 
  describe what happens, 
  but the all import whys, are 
  left out and without a bit of 
  context to pull it all together 
  the whole thing will be a bit 
  of a mess.
  Story:
   This is the name of the 
  Story
  Location:
  This is the general area 
  where the story takes place, 
  be it a village, town, country 
  or valley 
  Highest Encounter rank: 
  This is used to see if the party is up to the 
  challenge and controls how many henchmen are 
  available if and when they become available.
  This will be the rank of the largest group of 
  enemies in the entire story. If the party is not 
  equal to at least half of this then they should be 
  allowed at least enough henchmen to reach this 
  number, whether the scenario allows it or not.
  Hook:
   This is how the heroes get involved in the 
  adventure. Whether it is a as simple as taking a 
  job, having a family member killed, or buying a 
  strange scroll in the bazaar, this is how the story 
  gets started.
  Wander in: 
  If the heroes are randomly travelling the 
  countryside they may stumble across the story as 
  they enter the area. In this section is where you 
  detail what would happen if the heroes stumble 
  upon the story in this way.
  Read aloud text for the heroes:
  Some people don’t approve of read aloud 
  text, but I feel a couple of paragraphs are always 
  welcome. I find that when everyone sits down 
  at the table to play you need a special signal 
  or device to separate the game world from the 
  regular world, a way to transport the heroes to the 
  world of the game.
  I find that a couple of paragraphs of read aloud 
  text is the perfect way to set the tone and mood 
  for the game. It doesn’t need much detail, it just 
  needs to set the scene for the adventure to come.
  Story Background for the Demonlord:
  This will give the bare bones facts of the story 
  to let the Demonlord know what is going on. 
  Especially if there is some information which they 
  need to know that is hidden from the players for 
  much of the game.
  It will help the Demonlord, along with the 
  flowchart, know how to run the game, and what 
  events came before the heroes arrive and how the 
  lairs will be encountered and in what order.
  The best way to understand all this is to flip 
  to the included sample story and read the story 
  sheets there.
  The FLoWcharT
   Now lets talk about the story and 
  linked Lairs and the flowchart sheet
  Let’s go over LoSS lingo 
  again. A lair is an area on the 
  Demon board, if you add 
  objectives rewards and rules 
  to a Lair, then it becomes a 
  scenario.
  If you like scenarios 
  together it becomes a Story.
  Here on the story flowchart 
  sheet you see how a number 
  of Linked Lairs can be 
  organized and strung together 
  into a fairly complex story 
  which is however extremely 
  easy to track. This means 
  that you can pick up a Story 
  written by someone else, 
  read it through quickly and be 
  running the game in no time.
  There is no need to 
  memorize everything or 
  work out all the relationships 
  between the parts of the 
  story as the flowchart tracks 
  everything for you.
  On the night of the game 
  you can simply reread the 
  The STory TempLaTeS
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  story sheet to refresh your memory and then 
  every lair has the pertinent information right 
  within it so there isn’t any need to put in any 
  elaborate preparation. 
  First head to the example flowchart sheet later 
  in this issue and take a look at how it is filled out 
  for the example story.
  Setting: 
  This is the setting
  Active Story:
  This chain is used to track the active story, these 
  series of events usually go roughly in order though 
  they may sidetrack occasionally to the background 
  story, miscellaneous events and triggered events 
  depending on choices the heros make or just 
  through their nosey snooping.
  Background Story:
   It is usually a good idea to have at least one 
  background story occurring in the same setting. 
  It may be partially connected to the main story 
  or completely independent. The heroes may 
  encounter it during investigation into the main 
  story, or perhaps just by wandering about. It helps 
  to keep the characters from getting board or 
  feeling like the only thing they are allowed to do is 
  the main “adventure”
  Miscellaneous:
   These are more like places or events of interest 
  in town. Perhaps something interesting happens 
  in the basement of the local bar, or in that new 
  temple down the street, or the docks. Something 
  that doesn’t have enough complications to warrant 
  a whole story of it’s own but it may be of interest 
  to the players. Not every Lair requires a complex 
  chain of events, it may simply be a nest of Vulpin 
  that need seeing to.
  Triggered: 
  This is an important part of the flow chart. 
  When heroes find a way to move on to the 
  next part of the main adventure, like finding the 
  entrance to the next level of a tower it is pretty 
  obvious what part of the adventure comes next.
  But what if a scenario only occurs if the heroes 
  fail in a certain mission, or only occurs if they 
  enter an area at a certain time, or only occurs if 
  the heroes find a certain magic item, this is where 
  the “triggered” section comes in. This tracks all 
  of the scenarios that only occur at a certain time. 
  Ordinarily the referee of a game would have to 
  have memorized when and how all these things 
  would have occurred but with the chart everything 
  is tracked for them, thus requiring much less prep 
  time than a traditional role playing game.
  Using the story sheet you can decide what you 
  want to happen.
  Use the flowchart to break the story down into 
  small lairs. Large areas can be broken down into 
  separate Lairs. Like a large tower can be broken 
  down into separate levels, or a one large cavern 
  complex can be broken down into series of rooms. 
  Simply write a single Lair in each box. Use 
  arrows like in the example sheet to track which 
  one leads to which.
  Then get our your lair templates and fill out one 
  template for each. 
  And that’s it. Lucky for you the templates do all 
  the heavy lifting and thinking for you. They make 
  sure all of the necessary things are taken care of 
  leaving your free to think of cool enemies for the 
  heroes to fight, or strange and mysterious groves 
  for them to explore.
  You might think that it would take more 
  detailed explanation on how to fill all these charts 
  out properly but really the Loss rules system is 
  built to make all of this easy. The rules are written 
  in a way to make adventuring simple leaving more 
  time for fun. They are written to work with the 
  templates and the adventures all take place in a 
  world made for adventure.
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  Story
  REad Aloud text for the heroes
  location
  highest encounter rank
  Hook
  Wander in
  Story background for  demonlord
  Story background
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  setting:
  active 
  story 
  background
  story
  Misc
  triggered
  active 
  story 
  background
  story
  Misc
  triggered
  active 
  story 
  background
  story
  Misc
  triggered
  active 
  story 
  background
  story
  Misc
  triggered
  active 
  story 
  background
  story
  Misc
  triggered
  active 
  story 
  background
  story
  Misc
  triggered
  active 
  story 
  background
  story
  Misc
  triggered
  Story flowchart
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  Give the heroes choices about where 
  they go….
  When you’re getting started and all the heroes 
  are brand new, it’s hard to know what they want 
  to do. Usually you can have an adventure in the 
  town they are starting in (Usually Stroh-Branoch 
  to start) or have a job opening to an adventure just 
  outside of town.
  They may show little interest in the adventure 
  you have chosen because they didn’t get to decide 
  where they want to go. So pay attention to what 
  they are saying. If it sound like they are more 
  interested in a specific area or doing something 
  else specific, then plan on making that happen. 
  Next week run an adventure in the town they want 
  to go to, or before the adventure starts let them 
  do what they want to do. If this means trying to 
  visit the local Targ leader and trying to kill him 
  then fine, let them. You may have to wing it a bit 
  but they’ll have fun because it’s what they want 
  to do.
  Don’t be afraid to change Lairs that you 
  have.
  Try to download as many as you can, it’s in 
  their nature to be quick to prep so you might 
  as well keep a lot of them on hand. Why make 
  up your own adventures for everywhere in the 
  Winterlands when other people already have.
  Or if someone has made an adventure in Brytax 
  and the heroes want to go to Bitwyn then just 
  relocate the adventure there and change some 
  things to match the local flavour. Just because the 
  adventure occurs in and abandoned mine outside 
  of one town doesn’t mean you can’t move it 
  anywhere else in the Winterlands. 
  Heck even the Blind Burrower can be played 
  anywhere. If the players don’t feel like travelling 
  all the way to Throm then find out what town 
  they would like to go to, change Throm to that 
  town and you’re good to go. Or if it’s a large town, 
  you can always say the event occurS near a small 
  neighbourhood just outside of town. Change 
  things as you go and have fun with it.
  An adventure can happen anywhere but a 
  players plans for their heroes lives can’t. So let 
  them act on their plans and you’ll see how much 
  more they respond to your games.
  How many enemies and how often
  When setting up your own Lairs the hardest 
  thing to decide is how many enemies to put into 
  the Lair, how many rooms should have fighting 
  in them and tough should each combat be. If you 
  look in the example sheets you’ll see that I usually 
  define combats as a “full rank” or “half rank” of 
  enemies.
  A full rank of enemies is a group of enemies 
  who’s combined rank is equal to the combined 
  rank of the group of heroes.
  A group of heroes should be able to beat a “full 
  rank” of enemies without dying.
  But only if they effectively use Sota. They must 
  be creative and use their wits to come up with 
  interesting and tactically advantageous things 
  for their heroes to do.  Because the demonlords 
  enemies are allowed only to attack normally and 
  may only do other actions as described by the 
  scenario, they are limited in what they can do. 
  Don’t be fooled though, their usually complete 
  disregard for their own health will give them a 
  great advantage in combat. And the Demonlord 
  always has more at their disposal.
  After fighting a full rank of enemies however 
  they will usually be quite worn out with very low 
  endurance. Most will have only 1 or 2 endurance 
  points left if not already at 0.
  A half rank of enemies can usually be defeated 
  by a group while losing only about half their 
  endurance. When the combat is over they can rest 
  and be get half of their remaining points back.
  But a few encounters like this will leave them 
  again only at a couple of endurance.
  That’s why it’s a good idea to sprinkle in a few 
  encounters with only 1 or two enemies to give the 
  heroes a chance to recover. However to make this 
  fair (to the Demonlord anyway) there should be 
  a risk or receiving serious damage during these 
  encounters. For instance a single enemy which 
  runs leading them to a trap.
  Depending on what the heroes must 
  accomplish it is useful to use your minions wisely.
  It is a good idea to use full ranks encounters 
  sparingly, usually no more than 1 per Lair, and not 
  in the same Lair as a rank that is above the heroes. 
  You can have another 2 or 3 half rank 
  encounters in the same lair but think about 
  replacing one of these with a 1 or 2 enemy 
  encounter with and edge, like lying in wait for the 
  heroes when they pass.
  Remember that the heroes are also free to 
  flee at any time they choose, The punishment is 
  usually only and infamy loss at most though many 
  innocents may be hurt.
  No adventure should ever be easy.
  Victory should never be certain. In Lair of 
  Sword & Sorcery high adventure is around every 
  corner, but if it was easy everyone would be a rich 
  adventurer. 
  But it’s not easy. Even though our heroes are 
  definitely a cut above the average citizen they 
  aren’t super humans. Every adventure involves a 
  great amount of risk but a great amount of reward 
  as well.
  Not just in jewels and gold but fame and 
  glory. In LoSS a large pile of money can get you 
  whatever you want, but so can I high fame score 
  and a handful of favours. All the great provinces 
  of the Winterlands have money so building an 
  army will take more than money it will take a lot of 
  influence and leadership.
  In Loss the players throw their heroes into the 
  face of danger, the chance of failure is high, but if  
  they are careful they can live to fight another day. 
  In fact protecting your good name can be a lot 
  harder than protecting your hide. Remember to 
  remind them of the possibility of fleeing often.
  So to sum up don’t put too many enemies in 
  the Lairs but if you do, they’re still able to flee. 
  That’s why the game rules make it so easy to get 
  away.
  When and where should Role playing 
  options be…
  Sometimes the heroes will want to do 
  something other than attack the bad guys. It’s 
  shocking I know. During the times when they are 
  not in a Lair there are usually plenty of people to 
  talk to and plenty to do, especially when they are 
  in a town or settlement.
  But in a Lair heroes can get caught up in the 
  hack and slash of adventure. For the most part this 
  is a perfectly suitable plan, like wandering through 
  caverns full of monsters. But when sneaking 
  through an evil temple it is entirely possible that 
  there are other humans there to interact with that 
  may not know that the heroes are there to kill 
  them.
  In these cases and others the heroes may wish 
  to make nice with the inhabitants, try to blend in.
  Or they may try bargaining with the monsters 
  instead of attacking, or other strange tactics. 
  In these cases use your judgement, sure you 
  as the Demonlord are looking to take out a few 
  heroes, but like in cases of adjudicating Sota, you 
  must stay impartial. IF the heroes have a good 
  chance of interacting with the enemies then let 
  them do so, especially if they have something fun 
  in mind. Don’t let them push it too far though, 
  even though the game takes place in a world of 
  magic and demons and other bizarre things, you 
  have to keep a firm foot in reality or it will all just 
  seem silly.
  Not every guard is going to fall for every stupid 
  trick they come up with.
  As long as the heroes are just talking and are 
  not actually trying to get anyone to do anything 
  you can play out these interactions in any way that 
  seems valid but as soon as they try to talk people 
  into doing something they want they should need 
  to make some Sota rolls. If they have come up 
  with a particularly convincing scheme or argument 
  then change a very difficult roll to difficult or even 
  easy. A characters stats can have an effect on 
  TipS For The demonLord
  PG12
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  these, mind and more particularly camaraderie are 
  most important in these encounters.
  Rewards: how much to give, treasure…, 
  fame, infamy, cash, favours
  This is always a difficult one for Adventure 
  gaming. How much treasure should a hero find on 
  an adventure.
  In Lair of Sword and Sorcery money is relatively 
  useful to normal folk. They can use it to buy a nice 
  home, fill it with nice things, and live comfortably 
  for the rest of their lives, protected by guards and 
  iron bars.
  Of course none of this is of interest to a hero. 
  What a hero wants is fame, and glory, and 
  things it brings.
  Treasure and gold can indeed buy steel armour 
  and weapons but that’s about it. Once they have 
  these things gold can buy little more for them.
  Gold is also useful for hiring henchman and 
  other helpers. But this all only supports their one 
  real goal, fame and glory in a world of adventure!
  So feel free to pour treasure onto the heroes. 
  Everything they want to buy is extremely 
  expensive anyway so it’ll be gone soon. And even 
  if it isn’t the dangers of the road can deal with that. 
  Or the heroes may use that gold to hire passage 
  to new and more exciting places full of adventure. 
  They may dream of travelling all the way to the 
  summerlands, to take on the Black Emperor 
  himself. Let them amass the treasure they wish.
  The other thing to remember is that the world 
  of Kartharka is not like ours. Most things are traded 
  on a barter system. Money is not even used by 
  most common folk. A gold candlestick from a 
  temple may technically be worth a fortune but 
  spending it is harder than you’d think. Most of the 
  people the Heroes would be dealing with couldn’t 
  make change for gold piece much less a 5 lb 
  candelabra.
  They may find themselves also being horribly 
  overcharged, heroes are rich people say, and can 
  afford it.
  Also remember that shopping malls don’t exist 
  in Kartharka. If a hero wants a well made steel 
  sword it will be far more difficult to find a weapon 
  smith who has the skill then it was to steal all that 
  gold from the temple of the lizard men. Make 
  spending the gold an adventure in itself and you’ll 
  find that the heroes can amass quite a fortune 
  without the game becoming stale.
  So what should they find in the average 
  lair.
  Well if 5 heroes enter and find 20 gold coins 
  worth of treasure that’s 4 coins each. That means 
  they can pay their henchman for the next Lair, buy 
  a couple of pieces of armour and still have a gold 
  coin to spend lavishly in town buying rounds of 
  drinks and finding all sorts of mischief to get into.
  That means if they find 50 gold coins they have 
  found a fortune, they can afford to hire teachers, 
  build homes, hire servants, get training.
  But then it’s all gone again. 50 gold coins can 
  buy a lot but not forever. Don’t worry about 
  heroes having too much money they business of 
  adventuring itself is an expensive one.
  Try to make them earn their money however. A 
  simple Lair with 2 or 3 half rank encounters may 
  sever up only a handful of coins.
  A grand temple with 3 half encounters, one full 
  encounter, and then an encounter with a terrible 
  creature the heroes should certainly be given a 
  rich reward. Up to 100 gold coins could be had 
  with such a risky adventure, considering they 
  could have turned back at any time.
  Fame is a commodity to be watched 
  even more carefully.
   Even the greatest exploits must have a limited 
  fame award. Look to the fame chart in the 
  Demonlords screen. A fame of 0 is completely 
  unknown to all, a fame of 100 gives a hero the 
  kind of glory that usually only gods and emperors 
  would enjoy.
  Sure the heroes found an ancient hidden 
  temple in the wilds of a great jungle. But if nobody 
  has ever heard of it in the first place and no one 
  saw them do it, then they will hardly to be likely to 
  believe their outlandish tales about defeating the 
  8 armed hippopotamus god of the insect people 
  who lived there even if they do have some strange 
  scrolls and bizarre looking necklaces.
  But if the Sages had sent them to the temple, 
  because it’s insect people had been raising an 
  army to destroy the people of the Winterlands 
  then their reports are far more likely to be 
  believed and spoken of far and wide.
  I would hesitate to give more than 5 points of 
  fame for anything at a time unless it was truly 
  world changing. Remember the world is a small 
  place. Just because your exploits are the talk of 
  every villager in your hometown doesn’t mean 
  they’ve even heard of you two towns over.
  Most adventures would garner a hero only 1 or 2 
  fame at a time.
  Favours
  Favours are another thing that heroes will rack 
  up like gold coins.
  But not to worry, favours can get spent more 
  easily than gold sometimes. Heroes always 
  have so much that they want to do that they are 
  likely to use them right away most of the time, 
  especially when they are low on money, as heros 
  often are.
  Eventually they will start keeping them though 
  and this should make you happy.
  Heroes will save the favours with certain people 
  and places because they have a plan or a goal. And 
  plans are usually fun and interesting. Support your 
  players in their goals.
  And when they are cashed in it’s usually a lot 
  more interesting than simply buying another 
  sword. Also unlike gold and fame they can’t be 
  combined to make one big favour. A multitude of 
  small favours can’t be combined to earn the hero 
  and army. Though with a lot of travel and a lot of 
  favours they could conceivably build and army 
  one man at a time.
  Punishments:
  When failing a scenario is punishment enough, 
  failure is it’s own punishment.
  This is the one that will be most difficult for 
  Demonlords to come up with.
  Most scenarios will include infamy as part of 
  the punishment, but if the heroes care little about 
  fame, or are indeed trying to build their infamy 
  then this will have little impact on them. 
  Sometimes the punishment can be a lack of 
  reward.
  For example if the reward for braving an 
  underground mine in search of a lost cache of 
  platinum is the lost cache of platinum, then 
  failing the lair would be the loss of said platinum. 
  In this case the creative part of the process is 
  determining why, if the heros turn back, they can’t 
  return again, thereby making it a failure.
  Fore example, in our platinum scenario the 
  mine could be prone to tremors, with the tremors 
  increasing in severity, our heroes braving the 
  depths is their last chance to find it before it falls 
  into the earth forever.
  In the case of saving a town or village, the 
  punishment will be the deaths of all the villagers, 
  and the infamy of abandoning them in their time 
  of need.
  Sometimes the punishment for not succeeding 
  will be not being able to continue on. For example 
  the heroes are searching for the entrance to a 
  deeper level of sewers past the one they are 
  adventuring in. Failure would mean that they do 
  not get to continue their adventure to the end.
  There may be other punishments as well but 
  this need not necessarily be true.
  If the only reward for success is moving on with 
  the adventure that this is a perfectly acceptable 
  punishment.
  In the case of infamy I wouldn’t hand out more 
  than 5 infamy at any one time, and even then 
  only for grievous failure. Usually 1 or 2 should be 
  enough to spur most players on.
  Making up special features
  Special features are an important part of Lairs, 
  more importantly they make the game more 
  interesting and more fun. It may seem like it is 
  difficult to come up with wholly new features for 
  each and every Lair you create, but really the Lairs 
  PG13
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  create them themselves.
  Every adventure will have an objective, be 
  placed in a special area, have their own villains, 
  have their own layouts. All of these things lend 
  themselves to special features.
  For instance in the example story, In the 
  caverns of the Blind Burrower, I had placed a few 
  pillars in some of the rooms just to break up the 
  areas, but I knew that there were tremors and that 
  the ceilings were weak so I made up some special 
  rules for the pillars. In this case the special feature 
  presented itself.
  So too in the case of the Malaks ritual, the 
  scenario was all about stopping Malaks ritual, 
  so adding the rules for the ritual were necessary 
  anyway. 
  I needed something to spur the heroes on to 
  complete the burrower scenarios so I came up 
  with the war on Throm, once I knew an attack was 
  going to happen I thought the heroes may try 
  to get help from the villagers. Once I knew that I 
  wrote up some rules for rallying the villagers.
  The special features will usually suggest 
  themselves once your start writing the scenarios.
  So don’t try to sit down and think of cool 
  special features, think up cool and different Lairs 
  and the special features will automatically fill 
  themselves in.
  Making up your own monsters, villains, 
  etc...
  When making up your own villains it can be 
  difficult to know how powerful to make them.
  Keep in mind who they are and compare them 
  to an average man. A few small bonuses will make 
  them extremely powerful compared to regular  
  humans.
  Remember that an enemy is far more likely 
  to have a great number of minions than to be 
  extremely powerful. A warlord will not necessarily 
  be able to kill an entire party of heroes with his 
  bare hands, but he will make his fortress with 
  many chokepoints to force the heroes to fight 
  them one at a time.
  He will also have many well armed and 
  armoured soldiers, who will be disciplined and 
  unlikely to run.
  So enemies need not be extremely powerful to 
  be dangerous.
  Loners may be more powerful, but an enemy 
  with a lot of high stats is difficult to kill but also 
  boring to fight.
  Instead try to give your villains and enemies 
  a special power, ability or weapon. They will be 
  weaker but still far more interesting to fight. 
  Remember that the combat system of LoSS 
  is brutal enough without using overpowered 
  enemies try to keep things interesting instead of 
  difficult.
  Coming up with a story.
  This is the hardest part. The story is the thing 
  that drives the story.
  I usually start with an idea, maybe I get an idea 
  from a movie, a book, or even a comic book.
  The burrower idea was a simple one. Some 
  giant bug living in a temple underground. 
  Everything else that comes after is just working 
  on that. 
  The temple is useless if there isn’t a way to lead 
  the heroes to it, so I came up with Malak, one of 
  the Sages, to lead the heroes to the temple.
  Since he learned about the Arrowblack from 
  the stonecrawlers, they got involved as well, and 
  so the war was added as a driving force for the 
  players.
  The branchlings were invented because I 
  needed something for all those kidnapped 
  villagers to be used for as well as needing a cool 
  monster for the heroes to fight in the Arrowblack, 
  something to justify the cursewoods legends.
  And so on and so on.
  Since there is so little work involved in making 
  things game ready you can pretty much invent 
  anything you want without having to convert it 
  into something that works in game.
  Keep it simple to start, with just single Lairs, and 
  build up to large multilevel lairs. 
  Once you have gotten the hang of making up 
  the main story you can add background stories, 
  miscellaneous and triggered Lairs.
  Remember the most important thing is to have 
  fun, if you’re having fun hopefully the players will 
  too.
  Let the heroes mess with the world in any way 
  that they want.
  There’s a whole lotta Kartharka out there. The 
  players are going to want to see a lot of it. Since 
  only so much material can be published so fast it’s 
  guaranteed they are going to want to go to a place 
  that I haven’t covered in the issues.
  Well in that case you’re just going to have to 
  make it up. There are plenty of hints and clues 
  as to what may be in those places just pick one 
  of them and run with it, or make something up 
  completely yourself.
  Sure your world might not match mine, but 
  after a while it’s not going to look anything like 
  mine anyway, due to the heroes actions.
  Your heroes will want to take down the leaders 
  of Stroh-Branoch and run it them selves, they are 
  gong to want to travel to the summerlands and 
  take on the Black Emperor, they are going to want 
  to build armies.
  You should let them try. I’m not saying make 
  it easy for them to build an army. I’m saying that 
  you shouldn’t deny them an army just because 
  you know they’ll use it to overthrow the Black 
  Emperor. Let them attempt things that will change 
  the world, the world needs to change to make it 
  interesting. 
  Your world will grow and change and become 
  different then my Kartharka and that is how it 
  should be.
  And don’t be scared to mess with the world 
  yourself.
  If you want to have a village of half goblyns 
  next to Stroh-Branoch then do it. It doesn’t matter 
  that they aren’t there in my Kartharka.
  If you want the Black Emperor to travel to the 
  Winterlands then do it. Have him burn Stroh-
  Branoch to the ground if you want. Don’t feel that 
  the background is too precious to mess with.
  If you go too far in destroying the Winterlands, 
  then there is still the Autumnlands and the 
  Summerlands to mess with. Or maybe it’s time 
  for the heroes to retire to hang up their swords, 
  consider it a job well done. And start out afresh, 
  in a whole new version of Kartharka, maybe you’ll 
  give it a different name, or it’ll look different, 
  maybe even have different people and places.
  Make it your own, make it someone else’s, add 
  more magic, less magic, more monsters, more evil 
  lurking in the corners of every house.
  The important thing is that you’re playing and 
  adding and growing.
  There is no right or wrong way to play, no 
  perfectly balanced and fair scenarios.
  There is just the game.
  PG14
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Story
  REad Aloud text for the heroes
  location
  highest encounter rank
  Hook
  Wander in
  Story background for  demonlord
  Temple of the Blind Burrower
  Village of Throm: Begin in the sages tower
  The heroes have accepted a mission from the Sages Tower of Stroh-Bronoch. They are to deliver  a 
  package of documents and small items to the Sages Tower of  Throm. They will be paid 10 gold.
  The heroes happen to wander into Throm on their travels. Whether through a wrong turn 
  in the road or due some other mission has brought them to Throm or its environs. There 
  are mining jobs in the mountains, forestry jobs in the Arrowblack forest or security for shipments.
  Don’t read this part to the heroes.
  The following story is broken up into separate lairs.
  When the heroes first leave Throm, whether to head to the Cursewood or to leave the area entirely, they wll encounter the stonecrawler tribesmen 
  entering town to deliver their ultimatum. Use the Enter the “Meet Stonecrawlers” Lair encounter when the heroes leave town for the first time.
  IF the heroes decide to stay in town to find more information first then consult the “Enter Throm” Lair.
  IF they decide to head into the Arrowblack  use the Enter the “Cursewood”
  If they manage to enter the Temple then use the “Caverns of the Burrower” Lair.
  If they are able to open the great door in the Caverns use the  “Temple of the Blind Burrower” Lair.
  IF the heroes ever decide to turn back or retreat from “Enter the cursewood”, “Caverns of the Burrower”,  then the next day the “Attack on Throm” 
  Lair is triggered, use the instructions in the Attack  on Throm Lair.
  IF the heroes Retreat from the “Temple of the Burrower” Lair then  they will receive the punishment for that lair.
  The Story: Malak the sage has succeeded in penetrating to the center of the Cursewood. There he entered the temple and inside it, the Blind 
  Burrower. The Burrower got inside his head and drove him insane. Under the burrowers powers Malak called up the burrowers minions, the 
  branchlings, to kidnap people from the stonecrawlers and Throm to use in a great sacrifice to bring the Burrower to our world. He is in the process 
  of completing this sacrifice as the heroes enter the cursewood.
  The Stonecrawlers think the kidnapping  was done by the sages or the people of Throm and are declaring war on them if their people are not re-
  turned. IF the heroes cannot prove that the people of Throm were not responsible then a war will occur between the tribes people and the villagers.
  And the heroes will be stuck in the middle, forced to fight with the villagers as the tribes people think that they are “builders” like the townspeople.
  Each Lair will give full details on how to run that section, whatever “secrets” the Demonlord must know are listed in each Lair and shouldn’t take 
  more than a few minutes to read.
  The Demonlord should read the whole story once to know what is happening but will certainly not need to memorize everything. Simply refreshing 
  yourself with each Lair before you run it should be enough.
  To know which Lair leads to which simply consult the story chart which leads the Demonlord through the story.
   The heroes enter Throm finding it 
  deserted. They see some of the villagers peering at them from behind closed doors. They refuse to talk to the heroes 
  and are clearly afraid. The heroes find that the only building not locked up tight is the Sages hall. They enter to 
  find it abandoned. Near the door on a podium  is a scroll clearly written for any who may come into the tower. 
  The scroll reads “To any who may follow, We have woken a great evil in the cursewoods near Throm. One of our 
  number, the SAge Malak, has been living with the Stonecrawler tribe on the far side of the Cursewood, learning 
  their legends, and their stories of the cursewood. He had become obsessed with discovering what lay within. As 
  all know, each cursewood, from which our precious hardwood is gathered is said to have a black heart. A place 
  in it’s tangled centre where great evil, and great power, is said to sleep, waiting for the return of the Sorcerers 
  to the land. We have made a cursory study of our local cursewood, The ArrowBlack and did find that though the 
  outskirts are easy to traverse, full half of the wood, the interior, is so overgrown that none may pass. Making a brief 
  exploration we found the interior to be choked with deadfalls, thorns the size of a mans leg, as well as all number 
  of dangerous and poisonous animals and plants. We received a number of injuries and turned back quickly before 
  our lives were imperilled. But Malak became obsessed. From the Stonecrawlers he began to learn of the secret 
  ways through the Arrow black, secret paths,  mysterious rites which allowed him to pass all the way to the heart 
  of the Arrowblack. What he found there we do not know. The Stonecrawlers came to us in the night. They told us 
  Malak had disappeared into the cursewood some time ago. Thinking he had been killed trying to travel too deep 
  in the black they thought no more of it, dismissing it as another foolish builder being taken by the land they don’t 
  understand. But in the night something had come to their camp. Something that stole their people away with only 
  a whisper. To prove to the stonecrawlers that we were not responsible we have asked them to lead us as far in the 
  Arrowblack as they can, to see what has become of Malak. We go now to enter the Black, to rescue Malak and stop 
  whatever has attacked the Stonecrawler people, likely some animal that has been roused from the cursewood by 
  Malaks exploring.
  30
  Story background
  PG15
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  setting:
  active 
  story 
  background
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  Temple of the Blind Burrower,  the 
  village of Throm
  Sages tower of Throm, Introduction.
  Village of Throm
  Enter the Cursewood
  Caverns of the Burrower
  Temple of the Burrower
  Leaving Throm triggers:
  Meet the Stonecrawlers
  Retreating from a Lair triggers:
  Stonecrawler attack on Throm
  Fail to stop Malak in ritual, Burrower attacks Throm and 
  the stonecrawlers
  Story flowchart
  PG16
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Lair:  
   
   
  Scenario: 
   
  story: 
  setting: 
   
   
  Active: 
   
  Background: 
  key:
  objective:
  punishment 
  Reward
  special features
  setup
  Henchmen available
  Throm
  Throm
  Enter Throm
  Yes
  Lair of the Blind Burrower
  No
  The heroes must decide what to do, whether they will enter the cursewood and search for 
  the sages, or whether they will simply pick up the shipment they were to get and leave. The villagers will attempt to 
  convince the heroes to help them.
  If the heroes decide to leave without helping the villagers they will earn 5 infamy each. 
  This is because the villagers will know that they are “heroes” and will tell any who ask that 
  the heroes came and left without offering any help.
  The reward for this mission is adventure, as well as the chance of earning fame and fortune.
  Rumours: See the next sheet for the rumours the heroes will hear
  None of the Villagers are able or willing to come with the heroes.
  The heroes are standing in the Sages hall. You may setup the Demonboard if you wish with the heroes 
  moving from house to house but it is not necessary to use the board unless the heroes get into a fight 
  with one of the villagers, at which point you can set up the area they are fighting in.
  The heroes can visit any of the buildings and homes but the villagers will speak only through the door. They are all 
  terrified, and have all had family members kidnapped in the night.
  They only know that they disappeared silently and without a struggle.
  Only the wayhouse is unlocked. The bartender will gladly serve the heroes and allow give them supplies in return for 
  staying to protect him. If the heroes choose to stay at the wayhouse overnight the stonecrawler diplomats will meet 
  them at the wayhouse instead of the outskirts of town.
  tree
  Low fence
  Sages Tower
  Home
  Home
  Home
  Home
  Wayhouse
  Home
  Home
  Herd of Takkets
  Bronzer
  Targ Home
  Home
  Miners
  Home
  Lair Outline
  PG17
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  areas:
  force list 
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  notes 
  Rumours: The village is full of rumours. Only some of them will be true of course.
  Each of the villagers will have heard at least one of the rumours below:
  1: The stonecrawlers are sneaking it at night to kidnap villagers for their dark rituals.
  2: The sages have taken the villagers for a sacrifice in the cursewood
  3: Evil monsters have been awoken in the cursewood and are attacking the village
  4: Demons have been summoned by a sorcerer in the cursewood
  5: The Sages have found an enormous pile of treasure in the cursewood, but must trade the souls of the villagers to 
  get it.
  6: A sorcerer is living in the town and is sacrificing the villagers in the cursewood.
  Remember that when the players try to leave town they will encounter the Stonecrawler diplomats.
  The stats above can be used if the heroes decide to start a fight with any of the villagers. or try to have a bit of fun with the Takkets.
        0                     0                      4                    0  
        0                     0                     5                    1  
        0                     0                     4                   0  
  Large Hammer
  Axe
  Takkett
  Bronzer
  Villager
  herd of 6 takkets Move 5
  Very Strong/ Lives in Bronzing shed
  Lives in “Homes”
  Lair details
  PG18
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Lair:  
   
   
  Scenario: 
   
  story: 
  setting: 
   
   
  Active: 
   
  Background: 
  key:
  objective:
  punishment 
  Reward
  special features
  setup
  Henchmen available
  The Cursewood
  Throm
  Enter The Wood
  Yes
  Lair of the Blind Burrower
  No
  Find the kidnapped villagers and stonecrawlers, and lost Sages from the village of Throm
  Turning back from this scenario will lead to the attack on Throm scenario. If they have 
  learned of Malaks ritual then if they turn back it will be completed, triggering the attack 
  of the burrower.
  The chance to continue the adventure by searching the temple of the Blind Burrower.
  Branchlings, the white tree and altar, the door to the temple, fire, pits
  None
  The demonboard is blind. Do not set up areas until the Heroes can “see them. The areas between the 
  trees are too full of dense brush and growth to enter. The cursewood is extremely dark and the heroes 
  must carry torches to see. The paths between glades are framed by great stone arches represented by demonblocks 
  or walls.
  The heroes can hear mysterious rustling in the woods, branches breaking and things moving in the underbrush. 
  Some of these sounds seem to come from large creatures. The torchlight flickers in an evil way off the slimy 
  branches and thorns.
  Enemies on the board are placed on the squares marked with a  letter such as S for shrieker, or V for villager.
  The forest is too dense to move through the areas marked as trees or the forest between glades.
  Special Rules: Fire: If a torch or other fire is dropped or thrown into the woods roll  2 dice.
  If the total is 11 or 12 then a fire is started. Place a marker on that square to represent the fire. But the cursewood is 
  a terrible and mysterious place.  The demonlord rolls a die every turn. 1-3, fire doubles. For every fire marker on the 
  board the demon lord places 1 fire marker in any square  bordering the fire. 4-6 fire dies, the demonlord takes off 
  half of the fire markers on the board. The Demonlord gets to choose which where to place markers or discard mark-
  ers.  Any hero on a fire square loses 1 die of endurance.
  tree
  4
  3
  2
  1
  6
  7
  5
  4a
  5a
  Heroes
  Enter
  V
  V
  V
  V
  S
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  S
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  S
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  S
  PG19
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  areas:
  force list 
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  notes 
            
  1: This glade is empty.
  2: In this glade are half as many trapped villagers as heroes(round up) and one shrieker.
  3: same as glade 2
  4: This glade is empty.  The Path leading off of the board actually ends in a deadfall a few feet in. But this cannot be 
  seen in the gloom. Pit trap, If a hero walks on the square marked “4a” then they have encountered the pit, deep and 
  filled with sharpened branches and covered with bracken. Make an attack roll between the hero and the pit with 
  the pit having a +2  to attack. If the pit wins the combat the hero falls in taking 4 endurance damage. They can easily 
  crawl out after falling in. If the hero wins the combat then they avoid falling in. Once the pit is discovered the heroes 
  can  easily move over it.
  5: In this glad is a great white tree, before it is an elaborately carved white marble altar. Later in this issue you will 
  find a picture of the tree that you can cut out and put on the board. The altar can be represented by demon blocks or 
  anything else at hand. The glade contains as many trapped villagers as heroes as well as one shrieker. If the heroes 
  survive and are able to, they may inspect the carvings on the altar. Their is a picture later in this issue of what the 
  carvings look like. You can show it to the heroes. The pictures illustrate a group of worshippers taking a branch from 
  the tree and using it to strike the door of the temple. It also shows what appears to be a human covered in branches 
  being placed on the altar. These pictures are a hint that if the heroes are able to capture one of the trapped villagers 
  or shriekers and place them on the altar then they will be freed from their curse. IF the heroes actually accomplish 
  this the trapped villager will be a stonecrawler who will be incredibly thankful but also very scared.  They will also 
  explain that Malak has taken up residence within the temple. He is in the midst of a great ritual to call up the very 
  heart of the dark wood, the great evil that lies within it’s centre. Even now his ritual is approaching it’s climax with 
  the sacrifice of many of the kidnapped people of the area. The released stonecrawler will stay with the heroes until 
  they enter the temple at which point they will flee back to their people. They will explain what has happened, that 
  they were kidnapped by the branchlings and not the settlers of Throm. This will avert the war.
  6: Contains a number of trapped villagers equal to the number of heroes and one shrieker.
  7: This area contains the entrance to the temple of the Blind burrower, represented by an arch of demonblocks or 
  whatever may be at hand. The temple sits in the glade covered in vines and branches, except in from of the doors. In 
  front of the doors the heroes can see the fallen branches where the doors have been cut free  by someone recently. 
  The doors are stone and solidly sealed. Nothing the players do will have nay effect. The carvings in the picture show 
  the same images as those on the altar of the white tree which should be a clue to the heroes on what to do. They 
  Trapped villager: These are either from Throm or Stonecrawlers. They have been captured and corrupted by the evil Branchlings of 
  the cursewood. Their bodies have been covered with vines and branches which seem to move them against their will. They will beg the 
  heroes for help or death, even while attacking. The branches and vines which cover them force them to attack, moving their limbs and giving them 
  a form of armour. They have no weapons but the knotty thorny branches are equivalent to a normal weapon. They are damaged and killed in the 
  normal way in combat, and after dying the branches and vines fall away leaving the body dead and withered.
  Shrieker: These are the same as a trapped villager, covered in vines and begging for mercy. They will also occasionally “shriek”. The branches take 
  control of the villagers voice and force it to emit a terrible shriek which summons Branchlings. On a shriekers turn it can choose to shriek instead 
  of attacking. Roll a die for the shriek. 1-2: no branchlings appear, 3-4: 1/2 of heroes rank worth of branchlings appear, 5-6 full rank of branchlings 
  appear. The branchlings will emerge from the space in front of the temple in glade 7. 
  Branchlings: A horrible collection of leaves, vines, bugs and thorns, all disturbingly black and dripping with a tar like slime. They make no sound 
  except for the rustling of trees. They can move through the trees and deep forest parts of the board but not through the stone walls that line the 
  pathways between glades.
        3                     0                      4                   0  
        3                     0                      4                   0 
        0                     0                      2                   0
  horrible branches
  Thorny Claws
  thorny claws
  Trapped Villager Rank:4
  Shrieker Rank:4
  Branchling Rank:1/2
  move 4, see notes below
  move 4, shriek, see notes
  move 5, tree walk, see notes
  must break a branch fro the white tree and strike the door of the temple with it. They may make a medium Lore roll if they have the skill to figure 
  this out. They may also make a difficult skill check on mind to do the same. IF these do not work then they may check the library at the sages hall 
  where they will find the answer. However this will mean a retreat from this lair which will lead to an attack on Throm if a stonecrawler has not 
  been freed yet.
  IF they do not think check the library a the sages hall then one of the villagers will suggest it After the attack on Throm.
  Once they have entered the temple they continue on to the next Lair . Caverns of the Blind Burrower. 
  PG20
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  If the attack on Throm has not happened yet the heroes are acting to prevent it. They are 
  also trying to find the missing villagers, and the missing sages.
  If 
  the heroes are not able to find out what happened to the missing villagers then the attack 
  on Throm will occur.  If they know of the temples evil then they go on to see that it causes no more harm.  If they 
  have learned of Malaks ritual then if they turn back it will be completed, triggering attack of the Burrower
  The heroes will be able to move on to the next scenario to find the source of the missing 
  villagers.
  Pillars: : The caverns  of the burrower are unstable. The roofs are held up 
  with pillars in the middle of  each room. If any of the heroes enter a square 
  bordering the pillar and for every turn they stay there roll a die on the  Demonlords turn. If the roll is a 6 the hero is 
  covered with a pile of stones and rocks from above reducing their endurance by 4.
  The branchlings scuttling throughout the caverns may move on or through these squares due to their light weight 
  and knowledge of the caverns.
  None
  The heroes descend to the caverns and enter the corridor marked, 
  “Heroes Enter”.
  Read Aloud to the players “Entering the great doors you see a corridor leading into darkness. These corridors have 
  been hidden from man for centuries. Rubble, dirt, and shards of broken pottery and tools seem to be laid out in 
  piles and rows for later study. Someone has not only been here but has obviously been studying the area closely. 
  Fain sounds of moving stones echo in the darkness, something stirs within!” - stop reading-
  The first series of round chambers are made of earth walls braced with round stones. The remaining branchlings 
  scuttle amongst the rooms clearing pats in the rubble, obvious cave ins dot the corridors but these have been cleared 
  recently. As the part walks they hear tremors and see dust fall from the ceiling.
  Lair:  
   
   
  Scenario: 
   
  story: 
  setting: 
   
   
  Active: 
   
  Background: 
  key:
  objective:
  punishment 
  Reward
  special features
  setup
  Henchmen available
  Caverns of the Burrower
  Throm
  Burrower
  Yes
  Caverns of the Burrower
  1
  2
  5
  6
  3
  4
  7
  9
  8
  10
  11
  12
  Tunnel
  Under
  Ramp
  Tunnel
  Under
  Ramp
  Heroes
  Enter
  Pillar
  hole
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  B
  T
  Shelves
  Shelves
  Table
  PG21
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  areas:
  force list 
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  notes 
  1: Branchlings equal to half of heroes rank. 
  2:  Branchlings equal to half of heroes rank.
  3: Branchlings equal to half of heroes rank.
  4: Branchlings equal to half of heroes rank. If the heroes defeat the branchlings and decide to search this room care-
  fully they will find a dark hole in the wall. If they look into the hole out will jump a Tarken Wolf, which will attack.
  If they defeat the Tarken they will find it was defending a litter of pups. Only one of which still lives. They may do 
  what they wish with the pup.
  5: Empty of anything but rubble and many broken pots, likely this room was once used as some kind of storeroom.
  6: The rooms floor is covered in rubble but may be moved through. There are two pillars in this room that act in the 
  same way as the other pillars. In the rubble the heroes can see a huge seated figure in a stone Throne (marked with 
  a “T”.  It appears to be the skeleton of a giant human, seven feet tall, covered with dead branches and vines, like the 
  trapped villagers. If the heroes pass the area between the pillars the skeleton will stand, it’s branches falling to the 
  ground. It will then draw a steel broadsword and attack the characters. The giant is subject to the falling rocks in the 
  same way as the heroes. . If the heroes win the combat they will find various crude gold jewellery, totalling 20 gold 
  pieces.
  7: Former lair of the necromancer of the Arrowblack: The furniture can be represented by demon blocks.
  Read aloud “This rooms walls all hold decayed and mouldering shelves, rotted and fallen scrolls and animal skins 
  spill from them across the floor. Rotten and mouldering they form a pile of debris around edges of the room. Spread 
  amongst them are broken urns of foul smelling dusts, powders, and liquids. There appears to have been some 
  digging and sorting done here. A pile of papers and scrolls lie on a clean table near the door. They appear to be of the 
  same age and material as the others on the floor, however they seem to still be intact.” - stop reading-.    The heroes 
  may do what they like for the moment.
  A quick perusal of the scrolls will show that they contain evil and terrible descriptions and rituals. Not much can 
  be determined from them without careful study, as well as access to a sages hall library for reference.  This would 
  take a difficult mind roll by any with these things after a weeks study. Once they have given up their secrets it will 
  be found that most of the pages are incomplete, or are parts of larger works. However reading of them will give the 
  reader  enough information to summon a familiar spirit. It is likely that anything summoned by these dread scrolls 
  would be an evil and vile spirit. But for one who craves the first step on the treacherous road of sorcery this would 
  be a way to begin.
  Tarken wolves are smaller than the usual wild wolves of Kartharka. More along the lines a large dog.
  Giants Sword: A sturdy an ancient sword it’s steel blade is blackened with grease and age. It is free of rust however and still strong 
  and sharp. A steel sword of this quality will give it’s wielder +1 to attack.
        0                     0                      2                   0
        0                     0                      5                   1
        2                     3                      8                  2
        3                     0                      4                   0  
  thorny claws
  sharp teeth and claws
  Steel sword (already added to stats)
  Branchling Rank: 1/2
  Tarken wolf
  Giant
  Dead Trapped Villager Rank:4
  move 5, tree walk, see notes
  Move 6, see notes for description
  move: 3
  move 3
  Rooms 8,9,10, and 11: Each of these rooms have identical contents.  Each room is guarded by things similar to the trapped villagers. But these 
  things, though covered with vines and branches in the same way, are rotting things, with dead soulless eyes. They shamble and stumble with 
  difficulty but with purpose. After the heroes have dealt with the horrible zombie like creatures they may search the room. Each holds a crude altar. 
  upon each of these altars is a strange multifaceted circular stone. There will be four of these in all one on each altar of the 4 rooms. Each of the eyes 
  is made of a beautiful lustrous semiprecious stone. Their large size makes them valuable. Each is worth 20 gold coins.
  12: Show the players the illustration on the following page, or place the Lair Set piece on the board. This great carved monstrosity on the walls is 
  actually a doorway. The “eyes” are hollows, the size and shape of the 4 strange items they found on the altars. Once all of the eyes are in place the 
  great mouth will open revealing a corridor leading deep within the earth.
  PG22
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  Stop Malak’s ritual before he summons the Blind Burrower. If the heroes don’t know about 
  the ritual yet then they are seeking the source of the mysterious  disappearances in Throm and avoid a war with the 
  Stonecrawler tribe.
  The burrower will be wakened leading to the burrower attacks scenario. 
  Defeating the burrower will earn the heroes 5 fame. The villagers of Throm will owe them 
  a favour, the sages will owe them a favour. If the burrower is defeated and the heroes have managed to save any of 
  the stonecrawlers, then the stonecrawlers will owe them a favour.
  Malak’s summoning ritual:  As you will see Malak is in the middle of a ritual 
  to summon the burrower. He will need 8 sacrifices to complete his ritual. However any human killed in the temple 
  will count as a sacrifice, including the heroes and the trapped villagers and shriekers. The heroes will need to either 
  avoid the minions entirely or at  least try to avoid killing them. If any of the minions or heroes are killed the same 
  magical noises that they heard when the first sacrifice was made will occur, giving hem a clue that they should try 
  not to kill anyone. 
  The pillars are solid and normal.
  If Malak is killed and the ritual stopped,  the branchlings will all run off and the trapped villagers will all be freed. At 
  least half of them will  be stonecrawlers.
   None available
  Read aloud “As the heroes walk down the darkened corridor, they hear a voice echoing through the air. Chanting in 
  a terrible and powerful language, it’s power seems to charge the very air around  the heroes as the stalk ever closer.”
  Lair:  
   
   
  Scenario: 
   
  story: 
  setting: 
   
   
  Active: 
   
  Background: 
  key:
  objective:
  punishment 
  Reward
  special features
  setup
  Henchmen available
  Temple of the Burrower
  Throm
  Burrower
  Yes
  Caverns of the Burrower
  1
  S
  2
  3
  7
  6
  4
  5
  1
  Heroes
  Enter
  Pillar
  Tunnel
  Under
  Ramp
  Tunnel
  Under
  Ramp
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  T
  F
  M
  S
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  V
  PG23
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  areas:
  force list 
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  notes 
  I: in front of the heroes is a great iron gat. Locked and barred it is immovable. It has a keyhole 
  through which the heroes ma y look. Looking through they can see “a man in strange robes, chant-
  ing and standing above a villager lying at his feet. As his words reach a crescendo he plungers an ornate dagger into 
  the mans chest. With a scream he dies. But his scream does not, it rises in volume until the entire temple shakes 
  at it’s power. One of the 8 pillars in the room begins to glow with a terrible light” The hey hole is too small to fire an 
  arrow through.
  2: Contains a shrieker (S)  and two trapped villagers (T).
  3: 2 trapped villagers. A pile of rubble blocks the passage, it could be cleared but would take a 6 turns.
  3: :2 trapped villagers
  4: 2 trapped villagers
  5:  2 trapped villagers
  6: This room contains Malak(M), Malak’s Branchling Familiar(F), and a shrieker(S)
  When the heroes enter room 6 Malak will be plunging his dagger into another victim (unless the burrower has 
  already been summoned), if this brings the total sacrifices up to 8 then the burrower is summoned. 
  If the  total has not been reached yet then Malak will have his Branchling Familiar fetch another villager from those 
  chained in area 7 (he has enough villagers here to bring his total up to 8) The familiar can move at full speed when 
  dragging a villager, the villagers seem to have no weight at all the familiar is carrying them.. Once the unconscious 
  villager is  brought to Malak and is in range he may make an automatic attack to sacrifice the villager.
  The shrieker will try to summon branchlings. On a roll of 1-3 on a die the shrieker summons 1 dies worth of branch-
  lings. They appear out of the well in the middle of the room.
  When Malak  makes the final sacrifice the burrower emerges from the well on the following turn. When it appears 
  it will first  eat Malak (taking one turn). It will then go to eat the remaining unconscious villagers in area 7 (eating 2 
  per turn). If  the heroes attack the burrower before it finishes it’s meals, it will turn it’s attention to them. The bur-
  rower is too large to fit through the passageway between 3 and 4. or 2 and 5.
  If the heroes defeat Malak and the Burrower they may search this room. They will find that Malak has burned the 
  scrolls and notes he made pertaining to the burrower, the arrowblack and the ritual. The room is scattered with 
  rare powders, liquids, metals and gems. In total thwy would be worth 30 gold coins if sold in a large city like Stroh 
  Branoch or to the sages.
  The Burrower: A giant centipede like insect with massive strong forelimbs with claw like pincers. Huge, fast, and vicious it is the heart 
  of evil of the Arrowblack. Once worshipped by the people of this area it’s evil intelligence is beyond the understanding of man. It must be destroyed 
  before it kills all the people of Throm and then the Stone crawlers.
  If the heroes leave the temple without defeating the burrower then it will burst it’s way through the top of the temple and start heading for Throm. 
  This will take long enough for the heroes to arrive there first.
        3                     0                      4                   0  
        3                     0                      4                   0
        0                     0                      2                   0
        0                     0                      2                   0
        0                     0                    4                  0
  horrible branches
  Thorny Claws
  thorny claws
  thorny claws
  Dagger
  Trapped Villager Rank:4
  Shrieker Rank:4
  Branchling Rank:1/2
  Branchling familiar rank 1
  Malak Rank 1
  move 4
  move 4, shriek
  move 5,
  move 7
  move 4
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
        3                     3                     10                 2
  Attacks with pincer claws as a weapon
  The Blind Burrower  rank 23
  Move 8
  7: Malak started off with 8 villagers (V). He killed one when the heroes first entered the temple, and another when the heroes entered area 6. he 
  should now have 6 left unless some other circumstances have occurred.
  PG24
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The heroes have failed to prevent the stonecrawlers from  declaring war on Throm. NOw it 
  is their task to either  defend the settlement from the stonecrawlers, or abandon the people of Throm to their fate.
  Abandoning the villagers to their fate will earn the heroes 10 infamy points as survivors 
  will tell all that the heroes abandoned them.
  Successfully  defending the settlement of Throm against the Stonecrawlers will earn each hero 2 
  fame. The town of Throm will also owe the heroes a favour.
  Rally the Defenders.
  None can be hired, they must be Rallied to their own defence.
  The heroes return to Throm just ahead of the Stonecrawler forces. Arriving in town they can see the 
  attackers on the horizon and know they will arrive in mere minutes. They start on the square marked heroes. The 
  Barkeep from the Wayhouse is next to the heroes.
  The heroes must try to convince the villagers to rise up to defend themselves. The heroes have 5 rounds before the 
  Stonecrawlers arrive.
  If the heroes do not think of rallying the townsfolk to their own defence then the barkeep will suggest it to them, 
  joining their cause himself.
  Rallying. A hero must  be at the door of a building to rouse it’s inhabitants. They must  make a difficult camarade-
  rie roll to succeed. IF they succeed roll 1 die to see how many fighters they have rallied for their cause. (each hero 
  controls the fighters they have rallied). Mark the house as Rallied.
  1-2 one fighter, 3-4 two fighters, 5-6 five fighters.
  The Bronzer: The building marked Bronzer is a medium difficulty on camaraderie to rally. One of the fighters ral-
  lied will be the bronzer.
  After 5 turns the Stonecrawlers will begin their attack.
  See Stonecrawler attack on the next page.
  Lair:  
   
   
  Scenario: 
   
  story: 
  setting: 
   
   
  Active: 
   
  Background: 
  key:
  objective:
  punishment 
  Reward
  special features
  setup
  Henchmen available
  Throm
  Throm
  War in Throm
  Yes
  Lair of the Blind Burrower
  No
  tree
  Low fence
  Sages Tower
  Home
  Home
  Home
  Home
  Wayhouse
  Home
  Home
  Herd of Takkets
  Bronzer
  Targ Home
  Home
  Miners
  Home
  Heroes
  T
  PG25
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  areas:
  force list 
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  notes 
  Stonecrawler attack: ON the sixth turn the stonecrawlers attack. They begin with 3 stonecrawler warriors. They may enter the settle-
  ment from any edge of the board. Their main intent will be sacking the town but will fight heroes if necessary.
  Every turn 2 more warriors will enter the settlement, until all the buildings are either sacked or rallied.
  Sacking::A Stonecrawler warrior must be next to a door of a building to “sack” it. Any house the heroes have failed to rally or that has not yet been 
  rallied by the heroes may be sacked. All the inhabitants are killed if the building is “sacked”. Mark it with a “sacked” marker.
  Once all the buildings are either sacked or rallied the Stonecrawlers will continue their attack until either all the heroes are dead or all the 
  stonecrawlers are dead.
  The stonecrawler warriors are a suicide squad caring nothing for their own lives.
  The heroes may escape at any time and take the infamy punishment by leaving the board.
        0                     0                     4                   0  
        0                     0                     5                  0 
        0                     0                     5                    1 
       1                    1                     4                   0 
  Axe
  Large Hammer
  spears
  fighter Rank: 1
  barkeep rank:2
  bronzer Rank: 3
  Stonecrawler Warrior
  Move 4
  Move 4
  Move 4   Lives in Bronzing shed
  Move 4
  PG26
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  The heroes must either kill  the burrower themselves or rally the villagers of Throm to help 
  them Kill the Burrower.
  Abandoning the town will result in the heroes earning 10 infamy points
  Due to the way events shake out the Burrower may attack during  the attack on Throm. In this 
  case the heroes would ear n the heroes 5 fame as well  as being owed a favour by  the sages, the town of Throm and 
  the stonecrawlers. If the war has been averted then they will still earn 5 fame and be owed favours by Throm and the 
  sages.
  Rally the Defenders.
  None can be hired, they must be Rallied to their own defence.
  The heroes return to Throm just ahead of the  Burrower and/or Stonecrawler forces. Arriving in town 
  they can see the attackers on the horizon and know they will arrive in mere minutes. They start on the square 
  marked heroes. The Barkeep from the Wayhouse is next to the heroes (unless he is already dead from a previous 
  war on Throm)
  The heroes must try to convince the villagers to rise up to defend themselves. The heroes have 5 rounds before the 
  burrower/stonecrawlers arrive.
  If the heroes do not think of rallying the townsfolk to their own defence then the barkeep will suggest it to them, 
  joining their cause himself.
  Rallying. A hero must  be at the door of a building to rouse it’s inhabitants. They must  make a difficult camarade-
  rie roll to succeed. IF they succeed roll 1 die to see how many fighters they have rallied for their cause. (each hero 
  controls the fighters they have rallied). Mark the house as Rallied.
  1-2 one fighter, 3-4 two fighters, 5-6 five fighters.
  The Bronzer: The building marked Bronzer is a medium difficulty on camaraderie to rally. One of the fighters ral-
  lied will be the bronzer (Unless he is already killed in a previous war on Throm)
  After 5 turns the Stonecrawlers/Burrower will begin their attack.
  See Stonecrawler attack on the next page.
  Lair:  
   
   
  Scenario: 
   
  story: 
  setting: 
   
   
  Active: 
   
  Background: 
  key:
  objective:
  punishment 
  Reward
  special features
  setup
  Henchmen available
  Throm
  Throm
  Burrower attacks
  Yes
  Lair of the Blind Burrower
  No
  tree
  Low fence
  Sages Tower
  Home
  Home
  Home
  Home
  Wayhouse
  Home
  Home
  Herd of Takkets
  Bronzer
  Targ Home
  Home
  Miners
  Home
  Heroes
  T
  PG27
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  areas:
  force list 
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  def/attk/end/dam name 
  Equip
  notes
  notes 
  Stonecrawler attack: ON the sixth turn the stonecrawlers attack. They begin with 3 stonecrawler warriors. They may enter the settle-
  ment from any edge of the board. Their main intent will be sacking the town but will fight heroes if necessary.
  Every turn 2 more warriors will enter the settlement, until all the buildings are either sacked or rallied.
  Sacking::A Stonecrawler warrior must be next to a door of a building to “sack” it. Any house the heroes have failed to rally or that has not yet been 
  rallied by the heroes may be sacked. All the inhabitants are killed if the building is “sacked”. Mark it with a “sacked” marker.
  Once all the buildings are either sacked or rallied the Stonecrawlers will continue their attack until either all the heroes are dead or all the 
  stonecrawlers are dead.
  The stonecrawler warriors are a suicide squad caring nothing for their own lives.
  The heroes may escape at any time and take the infamy punishment by leaving the board.
  Once a stonecrawler can “see” the burrower they will stop sacking buildings, and attacking villagers or heroes and begin attacking the burrower. No 
  new  stonecrawlers will appear after this.
  IF the burrower is not defeated in this scenario it will move on to attack the Stonecrawler encampment. The shamans of the stonecrawlers will have 
  incantations which will  drive the burrower back to it’s home in the arrowblack.
        0                     0                     4                   0  
        0                     0                     5                  0 
        0                     0                     5                    1 
       1                    1                     4                   0 
  Axe
  Large Hammer
  spears
  fighter Rank: 1
  barkeep rank:2
  bronzer Rank: 3
  Stonecrawler Warrior
  Move 4
  Move 4
  Move 4   Lives in Bronzing shed
  Move 4
  PG28
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  PG30
  demonLord Screen
  Character creation
  •	
  +5 points to stats
  •	
  -5 points distributed to stats
  Starting equipment
  •	
  fur mittens
  •	
  Fur or leather cloak
  •	
  Fur foot covers
  •	
  Two weapons (throwing weapons, 
  bandolier of 5)
  •	
  4 pieces of armour (a shield is 
  considered armour)
  •	
  Weeks supply of matten fuel for 
  fires
  •	
  Weeks supply of Matten flour
  •	
  Flint and Striker
  •	
  2 large items
  •	
  5 small items
  •	
  Large leather carry sack (may hold 
  up to 20 small items)
  •	
  Drag sled may carry up to 5 Large 
  items and 40 small items
  Containers
  •	
  Large leather carry sack (may hold 
  up to 20 small items)
  •	
  Drag sled may carry up to 5 Large 
  items and 40 small items
  Carrying limits: 
  •	
  As much as the Large sack and Drag 
  sled will allow.
  •	
  Characters are considered to “wear” 
  up to:
  •	
  their armour
  •	
  a coil of rope
  •	
  two weapons
  •	
  A bandolier of throwing weapons
  •	
  Ammunition
  •	
  Carry something in each hand
  •	
  The rest is kept on the drag sled.
  Small items
  •	
  Leather straps
  •	
  Flask
  •	
  Wineskin
  •	
  Tarp
  •	
  Dice
  •	
  Candle
  •	
  Torch
  •	
  10 ft of rope
  •	
  Parchment
  •	
  Writing sticks
  •	
  Chalk
  •	
  Spikes
  •	
  Hammer
  Large Items
  •	
  6 foot pole
  •	
  Shovel
  •	
  Pick
  •	
  Snow axe
  •	
  Snow shoes
  •	
  50 ft rope
  Armour areas
  •	
  Head
  •	
  Arms
  •	
  Legs
  •	
  Body
  •	
  Shield
  Armour types
  •	
  Cloth
  •	
  Leather
  •	
  Rings
  •	
  Plate
  Money
  10 coppers=1 silver
  10 silver=1 gold
  10 gold=1 iron
  10 iron=1 platinum
  Weapon list
  •	
  Axe
  •	
  Sword
  •	
  Knife or dagger(thrown)
  •	
  Kartharkan mace
  •	
  Spear
  •	
  Composite bow
  •	
  2 handed sword (+2 to damage)
  •	
  2 handed axe (+2 to damage)
  •	
  2 handed kartharkan mace (+2 to 
  damage)
  •	
  Long weapons: Halberd, war spear, 
  hunting spear
  Move 
  Standard move is 4
  Resting:
  Any time after a combat when there are 
  no enemies on the Demonboard the 
  heroes may rest to recover half their lost 
  endurance (round up)
  Fleeing:
  If at any time a hero leaves the 
  demonboard they have “fled” and may 
  not return. Any Severely injured heroes 
  are considered to have been taken with 
  them.
  Unarmed combat
  •	
  Creatures are considered “armed” 
  with teeth and claws.
  •	
  If two unarmed combatants fight 
  each other conduct combat as 
  normal.
  •	
  If an opponent has armour you 
  cannot cause more damage than 
  the mimimum 1 point of damage.
  •	
  If an opponent has a weapon they 
  roll damage as normal and the 
  unarmed combatant can cause only 
  the minimum 1 endurance damage.
  Sota:
  •	
  Roll 2 dice
  •	
  Add any stat bonuses the 
  Demonlord deems applicable.
  •	
  Easy: 4 or higher
  •	
  Difficult: 7 or higher
  •	
  Very difficult: 10 or higher
  Earning Veteran points
  •	
  Earn 1 vp for:
  •	
  Surviving encounter with a group of 
  enemies of equal or greater Rank.
  •	
  Survive making any death roll
  •	
  Successfully complete a Scenario 
  (at least 1 vp, scenario may state a 
  higher reward)
  •	
  Succeed at Very Hard Sota roll 
  which would have harmed the hero 
  had it failed
  •	
  Impressive Role Playing moment
  Spending VP 
  •	
  Buy a new skill 10VP
  •	
  Improve skill to 2nd rank 20 VP
  •	
  Improve skill to 3rd rank 30 VP
  •	
  Etc
  Fame
  •	
  1=Well known in their local town
  •	
  2=Known withing local area
  •	
  4=Known throughout the province
  •	
  5=Known throughout the land
  •	
  7=Known throughout the world of 
  Kartharka
  •	
  8=All sing songs of your exploits
  •	
  10=Your legends will be told for 
  generations
  Sota exceptions
  •	
  Minions can undo Sota with the 
  same roll
  •	
  Opening doors is an easy sota roll
  •	
  Minions may open unlocked doors 
  as well but not into areas that have 
  not been revealed.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  PG32
  Combat special Rules
  •	
  Long weapons: Attack 2 squares 
  away.
  •	
  When attacking 2 squares away the 
  defender does not get to make a 
  damage roll if they win. Both still 
  take miminum of 1 damage.
  •	
  IF 2 squares away and both have 
  long weapons, combat is normal.
  •	
  Someone with a long weapon may 
  attack through a square with a 
  friend
  •	
  If attacked in square to square 
  combat fight as if unarmed.
  •	
  Defense
  •	
  3 pieces of armour=+1 defense
  •	
  -Defense is added to damage rolled 
  against them but not to miminum 
  damage of 1
  •	
  Attack
  •	
  Shield gives +2 to attack
  •	
  Damage:
  •	
  Negative Damage
  •	
   a –damage score is subtracted 
  from any damage the hero does, 
  still cause the minimum 1 damage
  0 Endurance.
  •	
  Once Endurance reaches 0 any 
  additional damage will force a 
  death roll.
  Death roll
  •	
   1-3 stuck down. Unable to fight for 
  rest of battle. Demonlord minions 
  are dead.
  •	
  Heroes must make a fate roll after 
  battle is finished.
  •	
  4-6 able to avoid blow, continue to 
  fight but still at 0 endurance.
  Fate roll
  •	
  1-2 Hero has died. Sorry
  •	
  3-4 severely injured: the heros 
  role in the current adventure is 
  over, but may play again in further 
  adventures
  •	
  5-6 hero was stunned but able to 
  continue, this counts as a rest.
  Missile combat:
  •	
  Bow: range unlimited
  •	
  Throwing weapon: range 4 squares
  •	
  Roll for combat in the usual way
  •	
  If the shooter wins they cause the 
  usual damage but do not take the 
  usual minimum 1 damage.
  •	
  If the target wins the shooter takes 
  no damage and the target takes 
  no damage, not even the usual 
  mimimum of 1.
  •	
  Ties: same as a miss for the shooter.
  Fame and Favour
  •	
  Cashing in a favour:
  •	
  When rolling to cash in a favour 
  the hero will use the fame stat 
  when dealing with essentially good 
  people, or infamy when dealing 
  with essentially evil people.
  •	
  First determine Reception Base 
  Score
  •	
  If working with fame subtract the 
  heroes infamy from their fame and 
  divide the total by 10
  •	
  Second Determine Request Value
  •	
  Demonlord determines a number 
  between 1-10
  •	
  Third Determine Act value
  •	
  A number between 1 and 10 
  representing the original act which 
  earned the favour.
  •	
  Petition Roll
  •	
  First: Favour value-Request value, 
  •	
  Add this total to reception base
  •	
  This final number is the roll the 
  hero must match or roll below on 2 
  dice to receive what they are asking 
  for.
  •	
  If they fail the request is declined.
  •	
  Repayment roll:
  •	
  Now the hero rolls the dice again 
  trying to match or roll below the 
  score again.
  •	
  If they succeed then the debtor still 
  considers the debt still owing.
  •	
  If they fail and also failed the 
  previous petition roll then their 
  request was too greedy or 
  demanding.
  •	
  The debtor considers the debt 
  null and void and the heroes gain 
  1 infamy (or 1 fame if the debtor is 
  evil).
  Followers:
  •	
  Will be hired by the heroes.
  •	
  In a city or when travelling, after 
  1 combat, followers will demand 
  another gold piece before fighting 
  in another combat.
  •	
  When in a lair they will fight the 
  first combat. After that they are 
  subject to flee rolls even after 
  being paid.
  •	
  When combat begins each 
  player rolls a die add the heroes 
  camaraderie. 
  •	
  On a total of 1-3 that players 
  followers flee. Every turn they 
  will run toward the exit as fast 
  as possible. They will defend 
  themselves if necessary but will 
  run when they can.
  •	
  Always Flee on a die roll of 1, 
  always stay on a die roll of 6
  •	
  If fleeing followers are still on the 
  board after all enemies are gone 
  the hero may make a recall roll
  •	
  Same as flee roll, Instead of 
  heroes camaraderie use parties 
  total camaraderie.
  •	
   1-3 disappear forever
  •	
  4-6 they return, place them next 
  to the hero
  Regular Combat
  •	
  In combat attacker and defender 
  each roll 2 dice and add their attack 
  bonus.
  •	
  Attacker wins:
  •	
  If attacker wins he rolls a die 
  cause 1d6 endurance damage to 
  the enemy adding any damage 
  bonus. Deduct any damage for the 
  defenders defense bonus, but will 
  always be a minimum of 1 
  •	
  The attacker also takes 1 endurance 
  damage.
  •	
  Defender wins
  •	
  If the defender wins they cause 1d6 
  endurance damage to the attacker, 
  adding any damage bonus the 
  defender has and subtracting any 
  defense modifier the attacker has, 
  but will always be a minimum of 1
  •	
  Defender also takes 1 endurance 
  damage.
  •	
  Tie
  •	
  Both attacker and defender take 
  1 endurance damage regardless 
  ignoring damage bonus and 
  defense.
  Determining Rank
  •	
  Start with 1
  •	
  Add bonuses, attack(+2 for 
  shield), defense, damage, and any 
  endurance over 4, and any move 
  over 4.
  •	
  Special attack causing 1d6 add 1
  •	
  Special attack causing 2d6 add 4
  •	
  Special attack causing 3d6 add 10
  •	
  Add the rank of any controlled 
  spirits
  •	
  If they have an item that give a 
  special attack add a bonus as if it 
  was the their attack.
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
  SpookyRoom Productions Presents:
  Lair of Sword & Sorcery: The Adventure Game
  Issue 4: SORCERY! October 2015
  Price
  How to Join the world of Kartharka
  Website:
  You best place to start is the Lair of Sword and Sorcery Site at:
  lairofswordandsorcery.blogpot.ca
  Here you can comment on updates, and respond to what you would 
  like to see, or not see, in the game.
  Please follow the site to get your regular updates
  Google+:
  Those who are on Google+ can get their lair updates there by adding: 
  +Ripley Stonebrook
  ERIK MARTIN (order #8865767)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Lair of Sword & Sorcery (osr)/Lair of Sword & Sorcery Issue 1 Demonboard.pdf