TEXT: IntroductIon
  As well as exploring geographic realms, the Hellfrost Region Guides expand information 
  of specific faiths, provide information on common rituals and festivals, and open up new 
  minor gods as the focus of worship for player characters. This document is a supplemental 
  work, intended to provide more information on these subjects.
  Faith is an important part of the Hellfrost setting. While priests worship one deity, being 
  granted miraculous powers in return for their service, the common citizens honor the gods 
  in their own way. While most have a patron deity, they pray to gods as required by specific 
  circumstances. Thus, a farmer who takes Eostre as his patron may make offerings to Freo 
  when he heads to a distant market, Var to ensure a good price for his crops, Thunor to 
  hold back storms that may ruin the harvest, and Eira when his children fall sick in winter.
  While the gods of Hellfrost do not personally interfere in the affairs of mortals, their 
  power is felt through their paladins and priests, divine heralds, and natural events. While 
  modern man can explain away natural phenomena through science, the citizens of Rassi-
  lon are superstitious. A thunderstorm is not a natural event, but the anger of Thunor, 
  god of storms and wind. An earthquake has nothing to do with seismic forces or tectonic 
  activity—it is an indication Ertha, goddess of the earth, is restless or moving around her 
  subterranean home.
  To that end, the inhabitants of Rassilon have strong beliefs in the powers of the gods. 
  Whether they pay lip service to many gods, attend infrequent ceremonies when it suits 
  their needs, have chosen a patron deity, have devoted their life without holy vows, or have 
  taken office as a member of the clergy, all citizens honor the gods in some way. To deny the 
  gods is to deny reality.
  PrIests and PaladIns
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide details the core aspects of the 
  greater gods and provides a little information on the duties of their clergy. This section is 
  an expansion of those notes, providing facts useful to both players and GMs.
  Training: Clerics, and to some degree the laity, receive religious training. This section 
  briefly describes how a typical worshipper is trained. Many cults use a mentoring system. 
  This gives the player and GM opportunity to introduce a cleric’s former mentor. Most times 
  he is there to help the hero, or at least provide roleplaying opportunities. The mentor may 
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  also have turned from the faith, or become corrupted in 
  some manner (like a cleric of Eostre Plantmother who 
  has taken to human sacrifice to empower the crop fields). 
  such villains needn’t exist purely to be slain—questing 
  to turn a former mentor and friend back onto the right 
  path can make for some very intense roleplaying.
  Prayers: All clerics and worshippers pray regularly 
  and use colorful speech. Players should be encouraged 
  to flower their character’s speech both when praying, 
  cursing, and swearing oaths. The GM can use the same 
  for his NPCs, thus helping to turn them for a set of stats 
  into more realistic inhabitants of the Hellfrost setting. it 
  isn’t just clerics who can use this section. Any character 
  uttering an exclamation might hiss, “Tiw’s beard!” or 
  “Eira’s mercy!”
  Adventures: Every cleric of a greater god has the or-
  ders Hindrance and every cult has its focuses. The most 
  common types of mission a cleric is asked, and likely 
  desires, to undertake are detailed here.
  Character Guidelines: Hints and tips for players and 
  GMs with regard choice of skills and Edges. Nothing is 
  written in stone, though some choices should be obvi-
  ous necessities. For instance, a cleric of Rigr the Watch-
  man should have Notice as his highest skill in order to 
  fulfill his duties.
  MInor Gods
  For every greater god there are myriad minor ones. 
  sages and religious scholars have long debated the na-
  ture of these gods. some argue the celestial realm is a 
  feudal system with tiers of gods, just like there are mortal 
  social castes, and the minor gods are unique individuals 
  who sit between the greater gods and the celestial spirits. 
  others insist the minor gods are aspects of the greater 
  gods, less than the whole but with unique personalities. 
  The minor gods could be the greater gods under another 
  name, others say, and their limited power is not a di-
  vine phenomenon but mortals’ self-imposed limitations. 
  The answer is likely never to be known, and in game 
  mechanic terms it has no real effect on play.
  Whereas the greater gods have multiple wide-ranging 
  aspects, minor gods are concerned with one small area. 
  For instance, Eostre Animalmother governs all animal 
  life, be it domestic pets, livestock, or wild beasts. in con-
  trast, her grandson, bolverk, is entirely focused on cattle 
  raiding. similarly, minor deities grant their clerics very 
  few spells.
  Minor deities are a great GM tool. if the GM wants an 
  adventure involving a small sect, he can pick one of the 
  minor deities or use them as examples to make his own 
  cults and lesser religions. More importantly, because 
  there are far more minor deities than can be listed, he 
  can use one without worrying whether or not it fits the 
  canonical view of the major deities.
  affIlIatIon and WorshIP
  All minor deities are affiliated to one or two greater 
  gods, but never more than two. These affiliated deities 
  may be linked by blood or feudal obligations (in the eyes 
  of mortals) or may just share similar goals. Minor gods 
  have two types of clergy, as detailed below.
  A minor god’s status refers not only to its spell list 
  but also to the number of mortals who worship it. While 
  any mortal can honor the minor gods in their own way, 
  few chose them for sole devotion. A weaponsmith, for in-
  stance, may well pray to Hagvirkr, god of weaponsmiths, 
  clerIcs of hela
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and pro-
  vides an overview of their clergy’s duties. This entry 
  is an expansion of those notes for the cult of Hela, 
  providing facts useful to both players and GMs. 
  Training: initiation begins by facing death. stu-
  dents may be buried alive, poisoned, or grievously 
  injured. Whether a candidate survives or dies, he is 
  accepted into Hela’s embrace in one form or anoth-
  er. like Eira, Hela requires her clerics to be of stout-
  heart. They must witness ritual sacrifices and the 
  reanimation of the corpses, become accustomed 
  to the stench of death and presence of mindless 
  walking corpses, and, most importantly, they must 
  be willing to snuff out life so unlife may exist in 
  its place. obedience is drilled into them, for they 
  must learn to accept orders from powerful undead 
  without question.
  Prayers: To honor Hela, who ritually died as keeper 
  of the dead and rose again as the goddess of un-
  death, prayers begin by denying any former exist-
  ence, often by stating the worshipper was dead to 
  the world before honoring Hela. For instance, one 
  might say, “i was dead but am now reborn in dark-
  ness.”
  Adventures: Assisting in the machinations of the 
  greater undead and gathering recruits form core 
  duties. quests may be undertaken to collect ancient 
  corpses, loot tombs for ancient relics, or raise ar-
  mies of skeletons and zombies. during their mortal 
  life, clerics must pilgrimage to the Withered lands 
  and serve the liches who rule the twisted realm for 
  one year.
  Character Guidelines: Any hero who is going to 
  traffic with undead needs Guts, and plenty of it. 
  The art of combat is core to Hela’s worship, both 
  in gathering recruits and aiding the undead. one 
  might not think of leadership Edges when one 
  plays a cleric of Hela, but out of the various arche-
  types one could play, it is precisely these clerics 
  who can benefit most—they all have zombie. With 
  a little time they can have a small force of skeletons 
  and zombies ready to obey their every whim.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #00
  
  
  but he does so as part of his prayers to Ertha and kenaz, 
  not as a separate deity. A cleric of Hagvirkr, by compari-
  son, places his deity before Ertha and kenaz, though his 
  prayers still honor his chosen greater god patron.
  before becoming a cleric of a minor god, player char-
  acters should note that not all minor gods are equal. 
  some players will look at the spell and sin lists in a bid to 
  min-max opportunities. others will see beyond the me-
  chanics to the roleplaying opportunities being a member 
  of a small, focused faith provides.
  addItIonal WorshIP
  Clerics of a greater god may worship a minor deity in 
  addition to their patron deity rather than as sole focus 
  for their faith. in order to worship a major and minor 
  god, the cleric must use an advancement opportunity 
  and pick one minor deity affiliated to his greater deity. 
  you cannot be a priest of a minor god and elect to wor-
  ship an additional minor god. The cleric may spend a 
  maximum of one advancement per Rank in this manner. 
  if he ever misses a Rank, that particular opportunity is 
  lost. The type of clergy (priest or paladin) must be the 
  same for any minor gods he follows—one cannot be a 
  priest of one god and a paladin of another.
  in return, the hero automatically learns the minor 
  god’s signature spell if he does not already know it. He 
  also adds all the minor god’s sins and spells to those of 
  his main deity. Thus, as the cleric worships more aspects 
  of his major god so his list of sins grows longer and 
  longer but he has access to more and more powers. in 
  some instance sins may be contradictory. How the cleric 
  resolves this matter of faith without offending one or 
  more gods is left to him to work out.
  if a spell the cleric has learned appears in the lists for 
  his major and minor god, he gains a +1 bonus to Faith 
  rolls to cast it, as he is drawing on two separate sources 
  simultaneously. Having a spell appear on three or more 
  spell lists does not increase the bonus above +1.
  For the bonus to apply the spell must be absolutely 
  identical, including trappings and any restrictions. Eos-
  tre Animalmother, for instance, grants beast friend. The 
  minor deity bolverk (detailed in the free download Cat-
  tle Raiding) also provides beast friend, but only with 
  regard cattle. if a cleric of both gods casts the spell to 
  affect cattle he gains a +1 bonus, as both gods allow this. 
  if he wants to affect any other type of beast, he does not 
  benefit from the modifier, as bolverk is of no help.
  sole clerGy
  A cleric may pick a minor deity as the sole focus for 
  his veneration. He must still pick one of the affiliated 
  greater gods as his overall patron, though. sole clerics of 
  minor gods may never switch to worshipping a greater 
  god, nor may they take a second minor deity. Further-
  more, sole clerics do not gain a free Connections Edge 
  or the orders Hindrance, and cannot take the disciple 
  Edge of the affiliated greater god.
  despite not being subject to orders from either the 
  parent faith or their own cult, these clerics may seek 
  refuge and hospitality at any temple to which their god 
  is affiliated. This isn’t always wise, as some minor deities 
  are aligned to both a good and evil greater god.
  Given that a cleric of a minor deity cannot hope to 
  rival one of the greater gods in terms of his choice of 
  spells and he cannot become a disciple, one might be 
  festIval to hela
    dark harvest nIGht
  Varies.
  Each temple holds its own dark Harvest Night, and 
  rarely does it fall on the same night across multiple 
  years. The only stipulation is that all activities must 
  occur between dusk and dawn. Hence, it mostly of-
  ten falls around the end of the year.
  As is widely known through religious preaching 
  and mythology, Hela commands a host of fell spir-
  its. in order to come to the mortal realm, they must 
  inhabit a corpse or skeleton. These grisly remains 
  are known within the cult as a vessel. dark Harvest 
  Night is the clergy of Hela’s way of ensuring they 
  have plenty of hosts to offer the malevolent spirits.
  The ritual stems from the earliest days of the god-
  dess’ existence. Now possessed of a host of spir-
  its, Hela sent her immortal agents into the world 
  to find suitable vessels for the host inhabit. After a 
  length search her agents reported returned. Amid 
  much bowing and scraping they reported that all 
  the creatures they encountered already had spirits 
  dwelling in them. All they could find devoid of spir-
  itual energy were corpses and bones.
  during the night of the ceremony, worshippers 
  must gather as many corpses as possible. Although 
  they have a week to return them to the temple (the 
  clergy forbids worshippers from performing the 
  ceremony within 50 miles of the temple), all corps-
  es and bones must be gathered in the one night to 
  count as an offering to Hela.
  How the cultists gather corpses and skeletons is 
  left to them. Many resort to grave robbing, though 
  burials are far scarcer than in the days the ceremony 
  was first performed. The current trend is to provide 
  fresh corpses by murdering people. busy trade 
  roads are stalked for small merchant caravans or 
  lone travelers, small steads and villages attacked en 
  masse, and late night revelers, thieves, watchmen, 
  and ladies of the night plucked from city streets.
  Whoever returns the most corpses to the temple is 
  promised greater power after death, coming back 
  as a more potent and intelligent undead. Whether 
  this is true or not has yet to be determined.
  of Men and Gods
  
  
  asking why one would bother playing a character who 
  honors a minor god. As the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  says, minor deities are a great tool for players looking 
  for a handful of spells with a narrow focus without all 
  the associated “problems” of being part of a world-wide 
  faith. Clerics of the greater gods always have the orders 
  Hindrance, for example, which means they are subject to 
  commands from their superiors. servants of the minor 
  gods rarely have that restriction. likewise, their sin list is 
  not as extensive, giving them more leeway in how they 
  live their lives.
  being a sole cleric is a great way of turning a good 
  specialist character into an excellent specialist.
  dIvIne aId
  A sole cleric of a minor god may call on his deity using 
  the divine Aid rules (see Hellfrost Player’s Guide), but 
  he rolls at –2 (in addition to any other modifiers).
  cereMonIes
  All clerics perform rituals and officiate at ceremonies 
  and festivals throughout the year. For the most part 
  these rituals are minor affairs and non-intrusive into the 
  cleric’s life. They can usually be ignored or handled with 
  a brief description. sometimes, though, rituals can be 
  useful tools. GM’s can work them into adventures, either 
  as a backdrop or the main focus, or insert mention of 
  them to make the world seem more vibrant and realis-
  tic. Rituals are not just for clergy, though they officiate 
  at them—citizens who have a god as their patron must 
  participate in these ceremonies, and many celebrations 
  are open to members of all faiths.
  Throughout the Region Guides you’ll find detailed 
  many important ceremonies for the greater gods. The 
  list is not exclusive—although communities may share 
  the same deity, their rituals are often personalized. some 
  communities hold unique festivals as well. if the GM gets 
  a cool idea, he should use it without worrying about 
  whether it is canonical or not.
  holy days
  Clerics don’t suffer the siphoning, but they are sub-
  ject to sins and having to observe rituals, ceremonies, 
  and festivals honoring their deity. Most faiths have holy 
  days and/or high holy days—days important to the god 
  when the clergy are expected to pay due homage at the 
  expense of other activities.
  A holy day, despite its name, is rarely an entire day. 
  Typically the cleric must devote at least 1d4 hours to 
  prayers, meditation, singing, or whatever other activity 
  his deity finds pleasing. Failure to observe a holy day for 
  any reason is considered a minor sin.
  A high holy day involves a special ritual, such as those 
  described in the Region Guides, and often lasts all day (or 
  night, as appropriate). Failure to observe the ceremony 
  for any reason is a major sin.
  cults & socIety
  This section takes a look at how temples are organ-
  ized, both internally and with regard the wider faith, and 
  also the matter of clerics and the laws of the land.
  teMPle hIerarchy
  Cults in Hellfrost operate around a hierarchical 
  structure. At the bottom are the laity, men and women 
  who honor the god but who are not ordained clergy. 
  Above them are the devotees, laity who swear oaths of 
  allegiance to worship the god above all others but who 
  do not take holy office or receive miracles. The first true 
  members of any cult are the priests and paladins. Finally 
  there are the disciples, clergy who have taken their faith 
  to a higher level of dedication.
  Every temple has a high priest. Though the bearer is 
  the senior cleric in the temple, the position is honorary 
  and cannot be used to judge the cleric’s status as a com-
  mon cleric or a disciple.
  The term “senior” is also open to interpretation. de-
  festIval to hela
    dark rIsInG nIGht
  Second Deorcmonan after Dark Harvest Night.
  dark Night Rising, according to myth, marks the 
  night when Hela unleashed her infernal spirits into 
  the world to seek vessels to possess. it was on this 
  night that the art of necromancy was born, for it was 
  then that Hela created the first undead.
  between dark Harvest Night and the next deorc-
  monan the corpses are ritually prepared by wash-
  ing them in blood, carving eldritch runes into flesh 
  and bones, and intoning dark prayers. As the sun 
  departs the heavens the clergy begin casting zombie 
  and greater zombie spells over the corpses while 
  lesser worshippers cut their limbs and drip blood 
  onto the corpses to attract the spirits howling loose 
  from Hela’s stygian realm.
  originally the ritual was performed to honor Hela’s 
  invention of necromancy. since the fall of the liche-
  Priest the ritual has taken on new meaning. Though 
  many of the newly created undead will not last the 
  night, their spirits departing within the day, some 
  will be permanently infected with a spirit. These 
  undead are pledged to the liche-Priest, who will 
  find an army ready and waiting to serve him on his 
  eventual return.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #00
  
  
  pending on the temple, the post may be filled by the 
  oldest cleric, a disciple, or one with the most access to 
  miraculous powers. Those of Tiw, as an example, often 
  hold ritual combats when the position becomes available 
  to determine who has the right to lead. As always, noth-
  ing is quite that clear cut in Rassilon. some temples of 
  Tiw treat the number of battles a warrior has survived as 
  a mark of his right to lead.
  While these titles represent level of faith and hierar-
  chical order, cults also have a varying number of actual 
  jobs within any given temple. For instance, temples to 
  Tiw may boast a Training Master or Master of the Armory; 
  those of Eira might have a senior Physician or Almsgiver; 
  and those of Thunor titles such as Master of Crows and 
  Wind of the East Gate. No defined, rigid list of titles ex-
  ists, giving the GM ample room to create unique posi-
  tions as required.
  hIerarchy of the faIth
  Temples in cities and towns operate as independent 
  political and spiritual entities, answerable to no higher 
  authority save the deity. Those in villages, being smaller 
  and often lacking in resources, tend to ally themselves 
  to the nearest large temple, accepting orders from  and 
  granting tithes to their superiors in return for aid when 
  required.
  This arrangement is by no means universal, and plenty 
  of small temples remain fiercely independent of outside 
  interference. As a result, many temples hold unique rites 
  and festivals, even within the same realm. often these 
  reflect local customs and traditions. in some cases, even 
  common stories have details changed to reflect local sen-
  sibilities or to praise the current ruler. in the Freelands, 
  for example, stories which revolve around kings and the 
  gods are replaced with tales of common citizens receiv-
  ing divine blessings.
  This means that there is no one overall religious 
  leader for any faith, nor any one temple (regardless of 
  boasts) which speaks for all members of the faith.
  in terms of the wider social order, all clerics rank just 
  below the nobility. Those who also possess noble titles, 
  something of a rarity but not unknown, are weighted by 
  their social rank, not their clerical status.
  in matters of law, all clerics are subject to the laws 
  of the land in which they reside or travel. Temples have 
  the right to punish those who transgress religious laws, 
  whether the perpetrators are clergy, laity, or non-wor-
  shippers. Any acts of desecration, blasphemy, or sacrilege 
  are judged by the local temple of the offended god.
  Rights set down long ago also allow the clergy to 
  judge other crimes committed within the temple’s land. 
  For instance, if someone commits murder in a temple of 
  Var, then the temple clergy has the legal right to hold the 
  trial. Normally this is only done if the victim is a member 
  of the clergy or an important lay member.
  in neither instance may the accused submit for his 
  feudal overlord, the local moot, or a civil court (an Anari 
  concept) to hear the case.
  Pantheon
  This section takes a brief peek behind the scenes of 
  the pantheon of greater gods.
  racIal Pantheons
  Though different races tend to favor certain gods, 
  there are no true racial pantheons. An engro warrior is 
  just as likely to follow Tiw as a saxa warrior, and an elf 
  druid probably pays homage to Eostre, as does an Anari 
  farmer. The following list typifies favored gods by race, 
  but should never be used to restrict a player’s choice.
  Elf, Hearth: Eira, Eostre, Hoenir, Maera, sigel, ullr.
  Elf, Taiga: Eostre, Maera, sigel, Tiw, ullr.
  Anari: Hoenir, Maera (the Magocracy), Tiw, Var.
  Dwarf: Ertha, kenaz, Tiw.
  Engro: Freo, Nauthiz, the Norns, unknowable one.
  Finnar: Freo, kenaz, Rigr, sigel, Thrym (appeasement 
  only), ullr.
  Frostborn: by main race, but add Thrym.
  Giant: kenaz (fire), Eostre and ullr (forest), Thrym 
  (frost), Ertha (cliff).
  Orc/Goblin: dargar, Niht, Thrym, Vali.
  Saxa: Eostre, Hothar, kenaz, Neorthe (coastal only), 
  the Norns, Thunor, Tiw, ullr.
  Tuomi: Eostre, kenaz, Neorthe (coastal), Thunor, 
  Tiw.
  dIvIne faMIly trees
  despite there being no true racial pantheons, the vari-
  ous races and cultures do tend to view the relationship 
  between deities differently. The notes in the Hellfrost 
  Player’s Guide are those of the majority of saxa, and 
  represent a belief system commonly shared by most of 
  the other cultures and races.
  However, there are many areas of contention and 
  confusion. Hoenir, for example, is widely regarded as 
  the brother of Nauthiz. Nauthiz, on the other hand, is 
  stated to be the twin brother of Var, yet Var is not listed 
  as having any relationship to Hoenir. Many have tried 
  to argue that Maera and sigel, the moon and sun, were 
  once wed though are currently separated. Clerics of Eira 
  deny dargar is the offspring of a union between their 
  goddess and Tiw, though others believe this is fact.
  Many elementalists insist the four “elemental gods” 
  (Ertha, kenaz, Neorthe, and Thunor) are all children of 
  Maera, whose threads of magic bind them together. yet 
  this flies in the face of kenaz being most often listed as 
  sigel’s son and thus scaetha’s brother.
  Racial beliefs also muddy the celestial waters. The 
  hearth elves hold that Eostre is the wife of sigel, though 
  scaetha is not their daughter. instead, she is the daugh-
  ter of Tiw and sister to dargar. To the dwarves, Ertha 
  and Tiw are married. Their daughter is scaetha, despite 
  the goddess of death receiving little mainstream worship 
  of Men and Gods
  
  
  among the subterranean race. To the engro, the unknow-
  able one and the Norns are man and wife, regardless of 
  there being three distinct Norns, and all the other gods 
  are their children.
  No one of these beliefs is totally correct, nor can it 
  said to be a total fabrication. They are merely the mortal 
  races attempts to place some sort of order on beings far 
  beyond their true comprehension using their own cul-
  tures as a guideline. Even clerics of the same faith are at 
  loggerheads much of the time over the true relationship 
  between the gods.
  alIen Gods
  While many monstrous races worship the greater 
  gods, favoring the dark deities such as dargar, Niht, Th-
  rym, and Vali, several species have their own gods. Rarely 
  worshipped by sane mortals, these gods are ancient and 
  alien to the civilized races. some Region Guides will 
  provide expanded information on inhuman deities, 
  mentioned until now only in passing in other Hellfrost 
  products, and strange deities ill-suited for player charac-
  ters but ripe for use as villains.
  Note that disciple Edges do not have requirements. 
  These abilities are never granted worshippers outside 
  of the race the god represents, and NPCs don’t need to 
  meet the requirements for Edges.
  by introducing these monstrous gods in the same 
  manner as the other deities, GMs have a new toolbox at 
  their disposal. Through the expanded spell list he can 
  now alter the powers available to NPC clerics and sha-
  mans, thus ensuring the heroes second guess their op-
  ponents’ spells at their peril. The descriptive text helps 
  explain why the worshipping race acts the way it does, 
  and gives the GM material to use in adventures.
  sPIðarI
  This deity’s cult was first mentioned in the adventure 
  V3: Web of Deceit.
  Titles: Webspinner, the Great Weaver, star-binder, 
  God-Catcher.
  Aspects: spiders, venom, ensnarement.
  Symbol: A spider in a web.
  Priesthood: spinner (priests); Venom (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Any deorcmonan.
  Signature Power: Entangle.
  Powers: Barrier, beast friend (spiders only), blast, 
  bolt, champion of the faith, fatigue, sacrifice, shape 
  change (spider only), summon beast (spiders only), wall 
  walker, wandering senses.
  Trappings: All trapping relate to spiders in some 
  fashion. For example, entangle is a sticky web, fatigue a 
  bit from a spectral spider, and blast and bolt short-lived 
  swarms of vicious spiders.
  Disciple Edge: disciples are blessed with a greater 
  understanding of spiders. They have +2 to Faith rolls 
  when casting shape change and summon beast. she also 
  grants them the power to speak with spiders.
  For every civilized god there is at least one older, 
  darker deity whose name is known only in vague legends 
  or in stories designed to scare children into adopting 
  good behavior. one such entity is spiðari (from whose 
  name the word “spider” originates), a malevolent spider 
  goddesses.
  According to many myths, her web binds the heavens, 
  preventing the stars from falling to Rassilon and burning 
  the world. once, perhaps, she was benevolent, for skalds 
  for know of her tell how she volunteered to support the 
  heavens when the other gods failed in the task. some 
  even claim she was a child of Eostre, as are all the animal-
  istic gods. Now, though, spiđari is a dark deity whose cult 
  practices many fell rites, such as human sacrifice.
  it is popularly believed that within the black heart 
  of the wood there dwells a gargantuan “spider-king,” a 
  sentient, malevolent abomination, part-man and part-
  spider. until recently the spider king was a reality, but he 
  had grown weak and senile, and had failed to conduct 
  reprisal raids on those who entered the wood with the 
  sole aim of slaying the giant spiders. on direct orders 
  from her deity, the king’s young daughter, Arachni, a 
  priestess of the cult, killed and devoured her father. she 
  assumed the joint mantle of queen of spiderfell Wood 
  and High Priestess. see the adventure Web of deceit for 
  more information.
  spiðari is mainly honored by all spiders, regardless of 
  their size. Though unintelligent animals, they spin webs 
  and catch insects in honor of their goddess. Then there 
  are worshippers from the civilized races. 
  Whether willing volunteers promised power in return 
  for unquestioning servitude or venom-addled converts 
  drugged into obedience, the cultists are fanatical in their 
  praise. Within the dark boughs of spiderfell Wood lurk 
  other spiders, said to be intelligent and able to converse 
  in hissing, clicking mockery of Auld saxa. According to 
  some stories, these are the true clerics of the spider god-
  dess.
  Temples to spiðari exist only in spiderfell Wood and 
  Midmark, though the cult is keen to expand its sphere of 
  influence. Most temples are small underground rooms or 
  caves, bedecked in silky webs. A great temple to spiðari 
  made up entirely of webs supposedly stands in spiderfell 
  Wood, though no one has ever claimed to have seen it. 
  Many cultists sport a tattoo in the form of a web or 
  spider to honor their god. The altar is always a sancti-
  fied web. sacrifices are thrown onto the web and then 
  set upon by cultists armed with sharp knives or giant 
  spiders.
  As with most faiths, priests and paladins have special-
  ties. Priests maintain the temples, praise the goddess, 
  and make sacrifices to appease her ravenous appetite. 
  Paladins are temple guardians, kidnappers (gathering 
  sacrifices and potential new converts), and assassins, 
  removing those who learn too much about the cult’s 
  activities or harm giant spiders.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #00
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Across the northern continent are many places of wonder. Some are geological, carved 
  by wind and etched by rain over the eons. Others are architectural splendors, worked by 
  living hands. A small few are elemental loci, concentrated places of magical energy for 
  one of the four elements. This supplement is concerned with a fourth category—sites 
  inhabited by spirits or elemental beings.
  The term spirit is a generic one, used predominantly by common folk to describe any 
  otherworldly being. The ancestral souls, elementals and their ilk, ghosts and other incor-
  poreal undead, divine heralds, and even the gods fall under this generic title. Although fey 
  are material beings, they too are grouped with spirits for their ephemeral, alien qualities.
  Most spirits visit the mortal realm fleetingly, typically at the behest of spellcasting mor-
  tals or at the will of the gods. They perform their tasks appointed them and depart. Some 
  spirits, though, choose to make their homes in the earthly realm, establishing their domain 
  in a small area. Mortals call these locations sacred places, for they are always associated 
  with a deity.
  In a sacred place the boundaries between the mortal world and the spirit world are weak. 
  Worshippers of the appropriate faith, and more rarely anyone, can draw upon this power. 
  Sacred places are not merely physical locations of concentrated magical energy—the spirit 
  inhabiting the has free will, and the powers are its to use or withhold as it desires.
  Sacred places are sites of magical wonder to many and terror to others. They provide 
  mortals with a reminder the gods are ever present and the world is a far more mysterious 
  place than scholars and sages would have them believe.
  creatIng Sacred PlaceS
  Sacred places can serve the GM in many ways. At their most basic, they are places where 
  the heroes can gain some minor boon; sometimes for free, sometimes at a price. They can 
  serve as sites the heroes must protect from rapacious orcs and undead legions, places of 
  pilgrimage (either to the characters or someone they are protecting), or a site they must 
  destroy in order to thwart the maniacal plans of a dark-souled villain. A sacred place might 
  be encountered completely by accident, the heroes having to learn of its powers through 
  trial and error. They also remind the players that Hellfrost is a magical setting, where 
  supernatural power takes many forms.
  31200
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  Sacred PlaceS
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  by working through the steps below, GMs can create 
  sacred places for their campaigns in just a few minutes. 
  No die rolls or tables are involved—all that is required is 
  a little time, imagination, and common sense.
  chooSe a name
  Names have power. For the GM, that power is the 
  gift of providing you with the answers to many of the 
  choices you need to make in the sections below. every 
  sacred place needs a name. Names fall into two distinct 
  categories.
  In the first instance, the name may be that of the spirit 
  inhabiting the sacred place rather than the place itself. In 
  an attempt to make the spirit feel welcome, and to repre-
  sent how it fits into the world in understandable terms, 
  mortals typically apply some sort of familial term like 
  grandfather/grandmother, father/mother, son/daughter, 
  or brother/sister to spirits. Sometimes a more general 
  term, such as man, woman, maiden, or child is used.
  These titles are never used alone, but are always com-
  bined with another element. These additional elements 
  might be the name of a natural feature, a color, a season, 
  an elemental force, or a natural phenomenon. hence, 
  spirits may carry names like Stormbrother, Mother Win-
  ter, Green Man, Sister blood Fire, Wind daughter, Sum-
  mer Maiden, or Flower child.
  Second, it might be a generic name for the location. 
  These names often include the type of feature, such as 
  hill, mountain, pool, lake, river, or field. These names 
  are more inclined to the personality of the spirit and feel-
  ings mortals sense when in the location, or the purpose 
  of the sacred place. For instance, the Green Field may 
  refer to a field in which crops are always bountiful. The 
  hill of Ancestors may be a burial ground where the spirit 
  guardian can help mortals speak to their ancestors. The 
  dark Glade implies a place if not of dread, then at least 
  one not to be trodden lightly. The healing Stone is logi-
  cally a place where people go to be healed of their ills.
  chooSe a PerSonalIty
  All spirits have personalities, and over time these seep 
  into the sacred place, imbuing it with an atmosphere and 
  ambience mortals can sense. Sometimes the feeling is 
  gentle and subtle, while other times it is harsh and overt. 
  Spirits can also communicate with mortals. Again, the 
  personality should shine through. The name you have 
  chosen should provide some clues to the spirit’s person-
  ality, but never be afraid to look beyond the obvious.
  Thunderbrother, for instance, might speak in a loud, 
  deep voice, booming out words. Alternately, it could be 
  symbolic of lightning, crackling and energetic. Perhaps 
  it combines these, having a deep voice when calm and 
  a crackling voice when angry. The Gurgling Maiden, a 
  section of stream containing large stones that produce 
  swirling eddies, might be calm and peaceful in the 
  hearthlands, but cold and fierce in the Winterlands. 
  Mother Fire could be a soothing spirit whose words 
  warm the heart, but just as easily a greedy one, yearning 
  for things she can incinerate and hissing out words in a 
  crackling voice.
  Personality also affects atmosphere in or around the 
  sacred place. A cave might never communicate with 
  a mortal, but its presence can still be felt. It could be 
  womblike, imbuing travelers with a feeling of security, 
  or dark and oppressive, with deep shadows no light can 
  completely banish. A field of lowers might take anyone 
  walking through it back to memories of happier times, 
  while a field of corn, like a cave, can be oppressive, mak-
  ing mortals feel trapped and claustrophobic.
  chooSe a locatIon
  Sacred places do not have to be natural features, 
  though it is recommended these be used for the major-
  ity of sacred places. Most times the place existed long 
  before mortals came to the area. If the site happens to be 
  just outside a village, then it is more likely the villagers 
  chose to set up home there because of the proximity to 
  the spirit rather than the other way around.
  Most sacred places should be a single, static location 
  of fixed size, even if that feature is within a greater area. 
  For instance, one hill or mountain is preferable over an 
  entire range. The name and personality you have chosen 
  will help you here—the Green Man isn’t going to be a 
  mountain anymore than the healing Stone is going to 
  be a tree. Some examples of suitable places are given 
  below.
  * A hill or mountain.
  * A hill fort.
  * A burial mound or grave marker.
  * The site of a battle or massacre.
  * A crop field, orchard, or patch of grass.
  * A cave, valley, dell, grove, bower, or glade.
  * A bridge or ford.
  * A standing stone, trilithon, stone circle, pile of 
  stones or boulders, or chalk figure.
  * A section of river or stream, a pool or lake, or a 
  spring.
  * A small wood or marsh, part of a greater forest or 
  marsh, or a single tree.
  chooSe a deIty
  every spirit owes allegiance to a single deity. While 
  picking the deity for some sacred places may seem obvi-
  ous based on their location and the spirit residing there, 
  with a little thought you can use almost any god in any 
  sacred place. Naturally, there needs to be some sort of 
  common link between sacred place and deity—kenaz 
  isn’t going to have an ice volcano in the hellfrost sacred 
  to him under any circumstances, while Thunor won’t 
  bless a cave or other enclosed area.
  For instance, a crop field immediately conjures up 
  images of eostre Plantmother, a logical choice given 
  Plantmother’s aspects. Maybe, though, the area marks 
  the scene of a massacre or battle and is sacred to dargar 
  hellFroSt regIon guIde #01
  
  
  or Tiw. Perhaps the soil is especially fertile, a gift from 
  ertha, or crops grow sickly if at all thanks to vali’s influ-
  ence. Thunor might ensure the field is never flattened by 
  wind, and that it always receives just the right amount of 
  rain. Maybe golden corn grows there, and the field never 
  freezes thanks to kenaz’s hand.
  chooSe PowerS
  All spirits have a small and very selective numbers of 
  powers. you should never feel constrained to use exist-
  ing game mechanics when designing a sacred place. We’ll 
  look at different types of powers in turn.
  It is important to note that the spirit inhabiting a sa-
  cred place often grants boons only on behalf of worship-
  pers who share the same patron deity or, if the spirit is 
  tied to a minor deity, that deity and the greater gods to 
  which it is affiliated. There are exceptions to every rule, 
  such as spirits honoring eira, which are duty bound to 
  help all in need. To avoid sacred places moving from 
  places of wonder to candy stores of magical power for 
  all and sundry, most spirits should remain dedicated to 
  helping only worshippers of the same deity.
  SenSeS
  All spirits have the innate ability to sense what is hap-
  pening within their sacred place. Spirits possess whatever 
  senses the GM deems most appropriate for the location. 
  Although these senses may be described as sight, hear-
  ing, smell, touch, and so on, they do not operate in the 
  same way as for mortals. A sacred tree may be able to see 
  mortals, but it doesn’t have eyes.
  A spirit can automatically sense all that occurs within 
  its habitat and a short distance further afield. For a moun-
  tain or hill, the spirit’s senses generally extend to the 
  accepted edge of the feature and maybe a few hundred 
  yards above, to the sides, and below. A lone tree or soli-
  tary standing stone might extend its senses a few dozen 
  feet, the extent of a tree’s root system, but it won’t know 
  what is happening elsewhere unless the GM determines 
  it hears things on the wind. Stone circles, pools, lakes, 
  and fields have, by their very nature, defined boundaries. 
  river sections are marked by natural features, such as 
  bends, fords, and waterfalls. A dark cave may be blind, 
  but it can use other senses perfectly well. If a group of 
  travelers stay in the cave and light a fire, it may sense the 
  heat through its walls or hear the crackling flames.
  The smaller the area the sacred grove encompasses, 
  the more exacting the details the spirit can discern with-
  out conscious effort. A spirit watching over an entire 
  village might simultaneously hear every conversation, 
  whether shouted, at normal volume, or whispered, 
  but it does so as a stream of barely intelligible words. A 
  mountain may feel an army walk over it, but if it wants to 
  identify the army’s commander it must focus its efforts.
  All spirits should be given a Notice skill. The skill is 
  used only when the spirit must discern detail, such as an 
  individual’s features or to pick out a certain name.
  The GM defines the skill die as required. A spirit suf-
  fers no penalties for distance or poor lighting within the 
  sacred place, as its senses transcend the mortal realm. 
  Magical effects like obscure and silence remain effective 
  against a spirit’s senses, but Stealth is generally of little 
  use—it’s very hard to creep around a sacred grove is ev-
  ery tree, leaf, and blade of grass is spying on you.
  Spirits have little to no understanding of the world 
  outside their sensory range. A mountain, for example, 
  can tell exactly what creatures have walked upon it by 
  sensing their vibrations—it may even be able to recog-
  nize individuals by their footsteps—but it has no idea 
  where they went after they moved on unless the spirit 
  happened to overhear a conversation (assuming it has 
  the ability to hear).
  communIcatIon
  Some spirits communicate only through dreams, oth-
  ers through direct speech, and some through spells like 
  voice on the wind. More unusual forms of communica-
  tion are certainly possible, either as unique forms or in 
  conjunction with other types—a fire spirit may reveal 
  itself as a flickering flame that flares up, while a tree may 
  drop or raise its branches, and water may gurgle or drip. 
  exactly how, and indeed if, a spirit can communicate is 
  up to the GM.
  can’t hurt me
  No mortal can kill, or even truly harm, a spirit in-
  habiting a sacred place, even with magic. An object 
  a spirit inhabits, such as a tree or standing stone, 
  may be hewn down, burned, crushed, toppled, or 
  smashed, but the spirit is physically unharmed. Of 
  course, some places are harder to destroy than oth-
  ers. hacking down a sacred tree is child’s play com-
  pared to destroying an entire mountain.
  If the entire sacred place is defiled in such a manner, 
  the spirit’s link to the mortal realm is destroyed and 
  it becomes incapable of working magic. This effec-
  tively traps the spirit, rendering it helpless but still 
  indestructible. If an inanimate object is rebuilt or 
  a natural object is allowed to grow again, then the 
  spirit’s ties to the mortal world are reestablished. 
  All spirits possess this power.
  detectIon
  due to the spirit’s personality being imposed on 
  the site for decades, centuries, or millennia, sacred 
  places almost always feel odd in some way. Such 
  feelings can be felt elsewhere of course, and by 
  themselves are not indicative a site is a sacred one.
  unless a spirit veils its presence, all sacred sites reg-
  ister to detect arcana spells.
  Sacred SIteS
  
  
  SPellS
  Some spirits can cast spells through the standard 
  Spellcasting skill. The arcane skill die and whether a Wild 
  die is rolled is dependant on the spirit’s power, can be 
  determined by the GM or randomly determined.
  For a random die, draw a single card from the action 
  deck and check the card’s value on the table below.
  Card 
  Spirit Die
  2–3 
  d4
  4–7 
  d6
  8–10 
  d8
  Jack 
  d10
  queen 
  d12
  king 
  d12+1
  Ace 
  d12+2
  Joker 
  Wild card. The spirit has a d6 Wild die. 
  draw a second card to determine the 
  base Spellcasting die. If another Joker is 
  drawn, the Wild die is a d10 and a third 
  card should be drawn to determine the 
  Spellcasting die.
  Spirits know only a very small number of spells. These 
  should be focused on the spirit’s name, personality, de-
  ity, and purposes—use the appropriate deity’s spell list 
  as a guideline. For example, the Green Man might be 
  a sacred tree. If suitably appeased, the spirit might use 
  feast, dropping fruit from its branches. This might be its 
  only power—it doesn’t need a huge list of spells to be a 
  sacred place.
  Spirits are not subject to the same rules for Maintain-
  ing spells as mortals, and can Maintain spells indefinitely. 
  Some spirits might be limited to a few castings, and then 
  only if the recipient remains close, while others may 
  be able to Maintain an unlimited number regardless of 
  distance.
  however, just because they can do this, it does not 
  mean they should—spirits should never become a 
  crutch for the heroes. Take, for example, a war spirit that 
  watches over a small village. If the village is attacked, the 
  spirit may invoke and Maintain armor and/or smite on 
  the best warriors, but it doesn’t keep the spell active any 
  longer than is required.
  Whether or not the spirit should obey the rule that 
  an action cannot be repeated in the same round is left to 
  the GM to determine. Spirits empowering sacred places 
  are powerful, but they are not gods.
  When a spirit takes up residence in a sacred place, it 
  effectively gives up its normal form to become the entire 
  sacred location. because of this, spirits ignore the nor-
  mal range entry for a spell. The exact maximum range is 
  determined by the GM, but should never extend beyond 
  the boundaries of the sacred place, even if the spirit’s 
  senses have further reach.
  SPecIal PowerS
  This is where the GM gets to unleash his fertile 
  imagination. Put aside all notions of rules restrictions or 
  thoughts of “That’s not in the book!” Sacred places are 
  special places, and they deserve to have special powers. 
  Special powers fall into two categories. The first is 
  directly tied to game mechanics. These have some sort 
  of numerical factor which directly alters the heroes for 
  good or ill. The second category includes things that af-
  fect the world in which the heroes live, but which have 
  no associated game mechanics. Some crossover between 
  categories may exist.
  For instance, a solitary stone stands in the middle of 
  a field system. Within 100 yards of the stone, the tem-
  perature is always warmer than elsewhere. This is very 
  useful for the villagers, as it means cold weather is less 
  damaging to their crops and thus harvest yields may be 
  higher. In game mechanic terms, it offers heroes a warm 
  place to sleep and weakens enemy hrimwisards within 
  the area.
  None of these powers are “always on.” The spirit 
  retains full control over these abilities—mortals who of-
  fend it or fail to make suitable sacrifices find there are no 
  benefits, or perhaps the benefits become penalties. For 
  instance, perhaps the standing stone mentioned above 
  functions only if the locals build a bonfire around it each 
  winter to recharge the magical energy leeched out dur-
  ing the rest of the year.
  below are some examples of interesting special pow-
  ers.
  * Fatigue recovers twice as fast or twice as slow as 
  the normal rate within the sacred place. Fatigue may be 
  recovered instantly by eating sacred fruit or drinking the 
  water. Food and drink taken outside the sacred grove 
  instantly loses its magical abilities.
  * Natural healing occurs faster (maybe allowing a roll 
  after 24 hours) or slower, or a bonus or penalty applies if 
  the injured party stays there for the entire four days.
  * Time passes at a different rate (which may be tied 
  into the above example).
  * Anyone in the sacred place is invisible to the outside 
  world even with detect spells.
  * crops are healthier and disease resistant, giving the 
  crops double their normal yield.
  * The temperature within the sacred place is always 
  one level higher (to a maximum equivalent of a hearth-
  land summer) or lower (to a minimum of the hellfrost 
  core at night) than the outside world.
  * Lighting conditions are one level higher or lower 
  than the surrounding landscape, regardless of what light 
  sources the party has. Alternately, noises may be sharp-
  ened or deadened in the sacred place, or smells made 
  richer or less detectable. These in turn may affect game 
  mechanics, such as increasing or decreasing Notice roll 
  modifiers.
  * Food is more nourishing (only half the regular daily 
  amount need be consumed within the sacred place) or 
  less nourishing (twice the daily amount must be eaten or 
  stave off hunger).
  * Skill rolls may be boosted or penalized with a fixed 
  penalty (typically no more than +1 or –1) or be raised or 
  lowered one die type.
  hellFroSt regIon guIde #01
  
  
  SacrIFIce
  even the most benevolent spirit does not use its power 
  totally for free. Some spirits may demand a price be paid 
  before or after a power is used. If no sacrifice is offered, 
  the spirit may withhold its abilities in the future or cast 
  spells to the detriment of offenders. As an absolute mini-
  mum, prayers must be offered to the appropriate deity.
  A crop spirit, for example, may require blood sacri-
  fices (animal normally, but maybe a sentient being every 
  decade) each spring or demand a tenth of its yield be 
  strewn back onto the field as fertilizer in order to bestow 
  its crop boosting power. A fire spirit may demand com-
  bustible material it can feast upon beforehand. A war 
  spirit may require empowering by the supplicant bend-
  ing or otherwise rendering useless a weapon, or perhaps 
  it insists on hearing a tale of personal bravery from the 
  petitioner, benefitting only those it judges worthy. A win-
  ter spirit may be benevolent, but it unleashes a blizzard 
  in the vicinity if its powers are used to remind folk that 
  its gifts come with a price and should be used sparingly.
  examPle PlaceS
  detailed below are several example sacred places. 
  except for the chalk dragon, which first appeared in the 
  adventure V1 Heart of Winter and is based in Torton in 
  Midmark, and the Mounds of heroes Gone, the other 
  sites may be used anywhere in rassilon. Names of settle-
  ments (and indeed the site’s name) are included for 
  flavor only, and should be changed as required.
  the Blood gIant
  carved into a remote hillside is a colossal chalk fig-
  ure. Skalds tell how the figure was once a giant, a fol-
  lower of dargar, who was cut down in bloody combat 
  by Tiw. The chalky outline is said to have been formed 
  when the giant’s foul blood killed the earth as it lay dy-
  ing. The spirit which dwells here is the soul of the giant. 
  unlike most chalk figures, which are white, this one is 
  blood red—hardly surprising given how its powers are 
  activated.
  Spirit Name: blood Giant.
  Ambience: blood Giant emits a baleful aura on the 
  surrounding countryside. Within a five mile radius, tem-
  pers grow shorter and anger boils to the surface more 
  readily. People with the Mean or Stubborn hindrances 
  become considerably meaner and more stubborn.
  rolls on the reaction Table suffer a –2 penalty. Any 
  character who rolls a 1, totally ignoring any Wild die, on 
  his Trait die while resisting a Trick or Test of Will or when 
  making an Intimidation roll goes berserk. characters 
  with the berserk edge have a –2 penalty to their Smarts 
  rolls to avoid going into frenzy and to calm down. un-
  like a normal rage, the character must attack the creature 
  nearest to him at the start of his turn.
  Deity: dargar.
  Senses: Notice d8.
  Communication: None.
  Powers: A worshipper of dargar who spills a pint of 
  his blood onto the exposed chalk gains the ability to go 
  berserk at will, but only once. This gift otherwise works 
  exactly like the berserk edge. Once the fury passes, the 
  subject loses the ability to enrage at will. blood Giant 
  will not grant another use of the power until the previ-
  ous one is used. The lost blood gives the worshipper a 
  level of Fatigue for 12 hours.
  Sacrifice: blood (as noted above).
  the Bone FIeld
  The land of rassilon is soaked in blood. The great 
  battles of the Liche-Priest’s reign of terror, the blizzard 
  War, the Saxa rebellion, and the Golem uprising all shed 
  countless gallons of blood into the soil.
  As the hellfrost armies crashed south through the 
  Icebarrier Mountains, a great host rallied to meet them. 
  Anari and Saxa stood side by side with dwarves, elves, 
  and engros, and brave warriors locked shields with 
  fearful peasants. before the bloodshed began each man 
  swore allegiance to Tiw, forsaking the other gods, for in 
  the chaos to come only Tiw would be of assistance.
  The sun set on a landscape of death and carnage. To 
  a man, or so the stories go, the great army was slain. 
  Tiw wept tears of blood at the failure and, in his anger 
  and frustration, cursed the spirits of the fallen to remain 
  bound to their earthly remains.
  While the battlefield covers an area of ten square 
  miles, the sacred site is an area just a half-mile to a side 
  in the center, the location of the allies’ last stand. It is 
  haunted by red mists and dread wraiths (see page xxx).
  Spirit Name: unlike many other sacred places, the 
  bone Field has not one spirit but a whole host of spirits, 
  the spirits of the dead warriors.
  Ambience: The bone Field is a sorrowful place. Not 
  only was it a scene of death and suffering, but Tiw’s curse 
  was unjust. 
  Deity: Tiw.
  Senses: Notice d8.
  Communication: The dead listen to requests, but 
  they do not speak to the living. Should the site be looted 
  for the grave goods that lie with the fallen, their earthly 
  remains rise up as skeletal warriors and commanders. Al-
  though undead, these are not servants of hela and thus 
  to not count as supernatural evil foes.
  Powers: Once per month, supplicants can petition 
  the spirits of the fallen to aid them. This requires a Per-
  suasion roll at –4. Warriors (GM’s call) and worshippers 
  of Tiw roll at –2, devotees of Tiw at –1, clerics of Tiw with 
  no modifier, and disciples of Tiw at +1.
  With success, the petitioner is possessed by one of 
  the spirits inhabiting the battlefield. At any time within 
  the next month, he may spend a benny to gain one com-
  bat or Leadership edge of his choice. he must meet the 
  rank and any edge requirements, but ignores attribute 
  Sacred SIteS
  
  
  and skill requirements. For instance, a Seasoned char-
  acter may gain block regardless of his Fighting die, but 
  in order to gain Improved block he must already have 
  the block edge. When the benny is spent the spirit takes 
  over the hero’s body, granting him use of this edge for 
  the next hour.
  during this time, the hero also gains part of the spir-
  it’s personality. draw a card and check the table below. 
  While the hero benefits from the edge, he also has the 
  hindrance the spirit brings with it.
  Card 
  Hindrance
  deuce 
  yellow
  Three 
  Arrogant
  Four 
  bloodthirsty
  Five 
  cautious
  Six 
  code of honor
  Seven 
  delusional (Minor on a red suit; Major on a 
  black suit)
  eight 
  Greedy
  Nine 
  heroic
  Ten 
  Loyal
  Jack 
  Mean
  queen 
  Overconfident
  king 
  Stubborn
  Ace 
  vengeful (Minor on a red suit; Major on a 
  black suit)
  Joker 
  None
  unfortunately, the spirits are eager to live again, and 
  are reluctant to relinquish control of their host. When 
  the hour ends, the character must make a Spirit roll. 
  With success, he may keep the spirit for another hour 
  or set it free. On a failure, he has no choice but to retain 
  the spirit. he may make another Spirit roll each hour 
  thereafter. If the spirit stays, willingly or not, the char-
  acter continues to benefit from the edge but must also 
  suffer the hindrance. Once the character falls asleep or 
  is knocked unconscious by any means the spirit is forced 
  from the body automatically.
  If the possessed character slays or helps in the slaying 
  of a Wild card foe or six extras using the spirit’s edge, 
  then Tiw lifts his curse. When the spirit departs, it does 
  so to the Afterlife. Those wishing to liberate all the spirits 
  have a lifetime’s work ahead of them, for many thousands 
  died upon the bone Field.
  Although the bone Field is sacred to servants of Tiw, 
  disciples of hela are frequent visitors. As a battlefield lit-
  tered with earthly remains, the site grants them the +2 
  bonus to casting zombie. Skeletons animated here are 
  always warrior skeletons.
  Sacrifice: None.
  the cave oF threadS
  One legend tells how the Norns learned the art of 
  spinning threads from Spiðari, goddess of spiders. 
  Within the confines of Spiderfell Wood stands a dark 
  cave, its maw covered in thick webs. here, it is said, the 
  Norns beseeched Spiðari to reveal her art, for the cave 
  winds through the underearth, emerging eventually in 
  Spiðari’s lair. In return for her knowledge, Spiðari de-
  sired knowledge of the past, present, and future. The 
  Norns, not about to give up their greatest power, tricked 
  the spider goddess, imbuing the cave with a spirit which 
  would reveal the fates to Spiðari, but only on rare occa-
  sions.
  Angered at the betrayal, Spiðari vowed her children 
  would be hostile to all other races. Those who wish to 
  consult with the powerful spirit which resides at this 
  sacred place must face the perils of Spiderfell Wood and 
  its deadly inhabitants.
  Spirit Name: Fatespinner.
  Ambience: The cave mouth exudes an air of menace 
  and foreboding. Part of this comes from Spiðari, for the 
  cave does indeed lead to her lair, though it is a journey 
  no mortal could survive. The fact the cave is sacred to 
  the Norns is responsible for the foreboding, for knowl-
  edge of the future is rarely a great gift, and many citizens 
  would rather not know what their future holds.
  Deity: The Norns.
  Senses: Fatespinner shares the senses of the Norns, 
  having unbridled access to the past, present, and future. 
  As such, it automatically knows all that transpires within 
  20 yards of the cave mouth. No Stealth roll or spell can 
  conceal a trespasser’s presence, for its senses transcend 
  such things.
  Communication: Mortals may try to coax Fatespin-
  ner to speak of their wyrd, their fate, by spending a 
  benny and making a Spirit roll, though only once in their 
  lifetime. With success, three ghostly figures materialize 
  in front of the dark cave. The first speaks of the past, the 
  second of the present, and the third of the future.
  The three utterances should be related in some man-
  ner, for a hero’s past, present, and future are interwoven. 
  What the spirit chooses to reveal of the past is up to the 
  GM. Fatespinner knows everything about a hero, and it 
  has no qualms about publicly voicing a terrible secret if 
  that somehow relates to the hero’s fate. With regard to 
  the present, remember that events may be transpiring 
  outside the character’s immediate vicinity. That he does 
  not know of them does not make them any less part of 
  his present.
  The future prophecy should always be worded loosely. 
  After all, the GM has no real control over the exact future 
  of the campaign—he can deal only in the probable fu-
  ture, not the definite future. As an example, Fatespinner 
  may say, “king killer thou shalt become.”
  What king shall be slain? Will it be in battle, self-
  defense, for the good of the realm, or cold-blooded 
  murder? When and how will it happen? These are things 
  of which Fatespinner will not speak. Perhaps the GM is 
  planning to have the heroes attack a powerful orc lair, or 
  is intending to run the Giants’ Saga series of adventures. 
  Of course, the hero may actually die before ever achiev-
  ing his fate, but such is the impossibility of predicting 
  the future.
  Fatespinner’s role in a campaign is very similar to that 
  of the three weird sisters in Macbeth—they speak of what 
  will come to pass, but not how it comes to pass. Macbeth 
  hellFroSt regIon guIde #01
  
  
  does become king, as the witches foretold, but he does 
  so through murder and betrayal, a conscious choice he 
  made based on their words. had he waited patiently, he 
  may well have become king legally and without resort 
  to bloody murder. After all, his fate to become king was 
  decreed.
  Powers: clerics of the Norns can sense the strands of 
  fate with greater ease at the mouth of the cave, though 
  the Norns still guard the future jealously. Once per 
  month, on any night of the deorcmonan, disciples of the 
  Norns may use their disciple edge without those whose 
  futures being glimpsed spending a benny.
  Sacrifice: None required, those many Saxa leave of-
  ferings here just in case a distant ancestor is buried on 
  the Mounds.
  the chalk dragon
  The village of Torton (“Thunor’s enclosure”) sits on 
  the road between hamna and the crystalflow confed-
  eracy town of Scathmoor, amid the peaks and valleys of 
  the Tower hills.
  Although the citizens are farmers, they honor Thunor 
  over eostre, praying to him for ample rain and warm 
  winds during the summer months, and beseeching him 
  to hold off the winter storms until after harvest.
  To show their dedication, they carved a huge stylized 
  storm dragon into the chalk hill overlooking their village. 
  Worship at the dragon, which also serves as Thunor’s 
  temple, attracted a powerful air spirit, which took up 
  residence within the carving. Offerings are made to ap-
  pease it, but the citizens do not treat it as a god. In their 
  eyes, it is simply a messenger of Thunor.
  Spirit Name: Stormbrother.
  Ambience: The area around Stormbrother is con-
  stantly exposed to a gentle wind, yet there is a sense 
  of withheld power, like a summer breeze concealing a 
  thunderstorm.
  Deity: Thunor.
  Senses: Notice d10 (has a d6 Wild die when listen-
  ing). Stormbrother hears virtually every sound in the val-
  ley it protects. This sense extends from hilltop to hilltop 
  across they valley (about half a mile) and a mile in either 
  direction along the valley floor. It has no interest in the 
  petty politics and intrigues of mortals, though it is not 
  beyond eavesdropping just to pass the time.
  Communication: Stormbrother alerts the villagers 
  to impending trouble by communicating with the village 
  priest of Thunor using an innate power similar to voice 
  on the wind, though with no restriction on the number 
  of words it may speak.
  Powers: Stormbrother can bestow fly on mortals. 
  however, it only does this on holy days to Thunor, thus 
  allowing the villagers to take to the air and worship 
  Thunor. It can cast bolt (lightning), knockdown (strong 
  wind), and whirlwind when called upon by the village’s 
  priest of Thunor.
  These spells are cast with a d12 arcane die and d6 
  Wild die, suffer no range modifiers, and can affect tar-
  gets anywhere within 500 yards and line of sight of the 
  chalk dragon’s eye.
  Sacrifice: Stormbrother demands no sacrifice for use 
  of its powers. however, power comes at a price. A ter-
  rible storm sweeps through the region a few days after 
  the spirit’s help is requested, a reminder that Thunor is 
  both benevolent and cruel, and should never be taken 
  for granted.
  FarvIew hIll
  Farview hill is a towering, isolated hill. From its sum-
  mit viewers can see for many miles in every direction. 
  Long ago, a cleric of Freo died atop this hill. knowing 
  his end was near, he beseeched Freo to let him stay on 
  the mortal realm for, although he had traveled far, there 
  were many lands he had never seen and many peoples 
  he had never encountered. While the cleric was free of 
  sin, his desire not to take the great journey to the heav-
  enly realm was an affront to his god.
  Freo duly obliged his servant though, as punishment, 
  his soul was bound to a solitary stone atop Farview hill. 
  For countless ages the spirit has remained fixed here, 
  forever unable to see new lands. Now he is restricted to 
  seeing new lands in his mind’s eye when told wondrous 
  tales by passing travelers. On Freo’s decree, he shall re-
  main bound until he has heard tale of every settlement, 
  every culture, every wonder of rassilon. centuries have 
  passed, but eternity remains, for the world does not re-
  main static.
  Although remote, Farview hill has become a shrine 
  for clerics of Freo, especially those whose faith is waning. 
  Great piles of shoes and boots, rotted to almost nothing 
  at the bottom and brand new near the top, lie at the base 
  of the menhir. Tethered to the stone by a stout chain is a 
  large signal horn, carved from the horn of an enormous 
  aurochs. This is a later addition, placed here by a cleric 
  of Freo after the blizzard War.
  Spirit Name: depending on the purpose of the visit, 
  supplicants refer to the spirit as either Farspeaker or 
  Shoe-devourer.
  Ambience: Those reaching the summit feel fidgety, 
  finding it very difficult to sit still. each hour he spends 
  on the summit a character must make a Spirit roll. With 
  success, he controls the wanderlust imposed on him 
  and is able to relax or grab a few winks. Otherwise, he is 
  compelled to keep moving. he may walk on the spot or 
  in circles, but he cannot sit or stand still.
  Deity: Freo.
  Senses: Notice d8. The spirit’s sight extends to the 
  distant horizon, though its visual acuity is no better than 
  that of a human.
  Communication: The spirit, imprisoned here for 
  so long, desires to know of distant travels and realms 
  beyond its sight. As soon as the hill is broached it makes 
  its presence felt as a voice on the wind, asking to be told 
  a story of foreign lands and strange sights.
  Powers: visitors leaving a brand new pair of boots 
  or shoes here are rewarded by the spirit. At some point 
  Sacred SIteS
  
  
  before the next deorcmonan they may spend a benny to 
  receive the effects of speed (cast with a success) or wil-
  derness step (chosen when the benny is spent). Should 
  they spend two bennies at the same time they may gain 
  speed with a success and wilderness step, or speed with a 
  raise (again, chosen when the bennies are spent).
  This boon lasts for 12 hours. After this time the 
  wearer’s shoes or boots are worn through, leaving him 
  without footwear. No matter how many pairs of boots 
  are left, the boon is granted only once per season. each 
  boon is one use.
  Anyone who tells the spirit a story of some distant 
  land, settlement, or culture, which Freo defined as any 
  realm not within its sight, are allowed to blow the horn if 
  they so desire. This casts voice on the wind, with a word 
  limit of 25 words per rank of the hero. The spell can 
  reach any land in rassilon. Again, this boon is permitted 
  only once per month per person.
  Sacrifice: Shoes and stories (as detailed above).
  gullveIg’S meadow
  In the northern foothills of the hearth range, a day’s 
  ride from the royal capital of ravensburg, is a meadow 
  sacred to Gullveig, god of brewing and mead-thane to 
  the gods. Wild flowers grow here in abundance. Wild 
  bees, both normal sized and giant, can still be found 
  here drinking the sweet nectar. Their honey is especially 
  prized by brewers, healers, and herbalists.
  Spirit Name: The resident spirit is known as Mead-
  Thane to followers of Gullveig, queen bee to servants of 
  eostre, and Lord of Stings to those of vali.
  Ambience: The meadow is awash with colorful flow-
  ers, instilling feelings of calm. Lurking behind this veneer 
  is one of menace, for while the bees allow travelers to 
  walk the meadow unmolested, they quickly turn violent 
  if their hives are disturbed.
  Deity: Gullveig. The god of brewers is associated with 
  eostre (both aspects) and vali.
  Senses: Mead-Thane sees and hears through the bees 
  inhabiting the meadow. If one of them happens to leave 
  the confines of the meadow, an area of some 12 acres, 
  the connection is lost until the bee returns.
  Communication: When Mead-Thane deigns to 
  speak, something he does only rarely, bees form Auld 
  Saxa runes in the air.
  Should the site be defiled or honey gathered, or they 
  try to fend off the bees with fire, smoke, or cold, Mead-
  Thane calls forth either a Wild card bee swarm filling a 
  Large burst Template, or several Wild card giant bees 
  to punish the transgressors. each time his protector is 
  slain, another is summoned in its place. The bees won’t 
  leave the boundary of the meadow unless attacked with 
  ranged weapons.
  Powers: honey gathered here has exceptional proper-
  ties. When creating alchemical greater healing, healing, 
  or regeneration devices, or antibacterial, antibiotic, anti-
  histamine, anti-inflammatory, antitoxin, good substitute, 
  healing, stimulant I, or stimulant Iv herbal remedies 
  has +2 to the appropriate creation roll for each pound 
  of honey used. When used to brew mead, each pound 
  grants +1 to knowledge (craft: brewing).
  unfortunately, gathering the honey is no easy task, 
  for the bees defend their hives with great ferocity. dur-
  ing each hour of honey gathering a hero must make a 
  vigor roll at –2. Worshippers of eostre, Gullveig, or vali 
  may roll Faith instead of vigor, using prayers and secret 
  songs to calm the bees. With success, the character gains 
  one pound of honey, two pounds with a raise. Failure 
  causes a level of Fatigue as per bumps and bruises from 
  multiple stings. A critical failure inflicts a wound. due to 
  the lengthening winters, honey can be gathered only in 
  late summer.
  Lay worshippers of eostre and vali are permitted to 
  gather a maximum of 4 pounds of honey per year. de-
  voted followers may gather 6 pounds, clerics 8 pounds, 
  and disciples 10 pounds. Those of Gullveig are allowed 
  double the quantity. All others are limited to just two 
  pounds per annum. Once the maximum limit is reached, 
  any further attempts to garner more honey automati-
  cally result in a level of Fatigue, as if the vigor roll were 
  failed. each pound of honey has a resale value of 50 gs 
  per pound.
  Sacrifice: Mead-Thane is ever-thirsty for mead. A 
  minimum of one pint must be poured onto the meadow 
  if the character desires to gather honey. Failure to do so 
  increases the vigor (or Faith) penalty to –4. A gallon of 
  mead poured as a libation turns the –2 penalty into a +2 
  bonus. using additional mead has no effect.
  lawSPeaker hIll
  Within the great hill fort of Moot hill stands Law-
  speaker hill. The flat-topped hill measures some 60 
  yards in diameter and rises to a height of just 10 yards. 
  The flat-topped summit is square and marked at the cor-
  ners by man-sized posts carved to resemble hothar, god 
  of justice. Left unadorned when Lawspeaker hill is not 
  in use, the eyes of the statues are ritually covered with 
  scarves by clerics of hothar before any legal case is heard 
  on the summit.
  From here the high king dispenses justice and royal 
  decrees at the annual moot. Other parties are free to use 
  the site to conduct legal cases, though the remoteness of 
  Moot hill means it is used only in extraordinary circum-
  stances or when the moot occurs.
  Spirit Name: Truthteller.
  Ambience: Lawspeaker hill resonates heavy with an 
  air of authority and truthfulness. Liars and criminals, 
  such as those with the Wanted hindrance, find the atmo-
  sphere cloying and oppressive.
  Deity: hothar.
  Senses: Notice d4. Truthteller emits a constant detect 
  truth spell within the confines of the four marker posts.
  Communication: Truthteller speaks only on mat-
  ters of law, and then only in response to specific ques-
  tions concerning legal matters. It has knowledge (Law) 
  d12+2 and a d10 Wild die, but its knowledge extends 
  hellFroSt regIon guIde #01
  
  
  only to the laws of the Marklands. It has no interest in 
  the interpretation of the law—that lies in the hands of 
  mortals—and deals only in hard facts.
  Powers: Whoever is judging a legal case heard on 
  Lawspeaker hill must make themselves known to Truth-
  teller through the ritual described below. For the dura-
  tion of the case the judge receives three uses of detect 
  lie. No casting roll is required. Should someone desire to 
  dispel or negate the power, Truthteller resists with a d12 
  arcane skill die and a d10 Wild die.
  Should the judge tell a lie during the case while 
  within the confines of the site, he is struck deaf, dumb, 
  and blind for a period of 24 hours.
  Sacrifice: before a legal case can be heard on the hill 
  all participants, whether plaintiff, defendant, judge, jury, 
  or legal representative, must swear an oath to uphold the 
  word of the law. A drop of blood must then be smeared 
  on each of the four marker posts. Anyone who refuses to 
  carry out the ritual loses their right to speak during the 
  legal case.
  moundS oF heroeS gone
  The entire ancestral Saxa burial ground is a sacred 
  place, at least to those of Saxa blood.
  Spirit Name: unlike many other sacred places, the 
  Mounds have not one spirit but a whole host of spir-
  its—the spirits of the heroes gone.
  Ambience: Fear and dread. On nights of the deor-
  cmonan the entire Mounds is blanketed by a fear spell 
  cast with a raise. Anyone stepping foot into the Mounds 
  must make a Guts roll at –2 or flee in terror. Intruders 
  not of Saxa blood roll at an additional –2. This cannot be 
  dispelled or negated.
  So traumatized are those who fail the roll by the in-
  tense feelings of dread, the frightened interloper cannot 
  even attempt to walk the Mounds again at night for a 
  whole month. If he enters them in daylight during the 
  month, he automatically suffers the effects of Fear (as per 
  failing the roll) until he leaves.
  Deity: As a burial ground, the site is sacred to Sca-
  etha.
  Senses: Notice d8.
  Communication: The Mounds have been used to 
  bury honored Saxa for almost three and a half centuries. 
  Given the widespread Saxa migrations after winning 
  their freedom from the Anari, it is a rare living Saxa who 
  does not have an ancestor entombed here. On nights of 
  the deorcmonan, Saxa may try to enter the Mounds and 
  petition their ancestors to help them. This requires a Per-
  suasion roll at –6. A +1 bonus is earned for each whole 
  20 Glory (positive) of the petitioner and a –1 penalty is 
  applied for each –20 Glory.
  With success, the spirits will do one of the follow-
  ing—answer a question to the best of their ability (they 
  are not omnipotent and know little of the present age), 
  grant the petitioner a one-use spell appropriate to his re-
  quest (always activated using Spirit), or grant the would-
  be hero access to a relic from one of the tombs (which 
  must be returned within a year or the spirits will hunt 
  down and slay the character). The GM decides which is 
  most appropriate based on the Glory and rank of the 
  hero, and the nature of and reasons for his request.
  If the Mounds are disturbed, the spirits assume physi-
  cal form and attack. Any type of undead can be used to 
  represent the spirits’ corporeal forms, though they are 
  not considered servants of hela in this instance. Slaying 
  the physical form does not harm the spirit, which can 
  only be removed by using banish. Such an affront would 
  quickly be relayed to the Saxa clans—the perpetrator 
  would have to spend the rest of his days running from 
  reprisal.
  Powers: The spirits can work together to produce a 
  variety of spelllike effects if the feel they must defend 
  their hallowed homes. collectively, they have Spellcast-
  ing d12+2 and a d10 Wild die. Suggested spells include 
  bladebreaker, bolt (howling spirits), confusion, fear, fog 
  cloud (cover the entire Mounds), negate arcana, and 
  storm. Targeted spells, like bladebreaker, fear, and bolt, 
  cover the entire Mounds—only those the spirits wish to 
  remain safe are not affected.
  Dispel is of no use due to the size of the Mounds. 
  Negate arcana creates a small pocket of safety, assuming 
  it is cast successfully.
  Sacrifice: None.
  the red FIeld
  Near the village of Steinkjer stand four tall stones. 
  each is four feet high and carved to honor eostre Plant-
  mother. Together they form the boundary of a five acre 
  field known to locals as the red Field.
  Spirit Name: Mother red.
  Ambience: Anyone within the boundary stones has 
  the unmistakable feeling of being watched, though the 
  unseen presence is not malevolent.
  Deity: eostre Plantmother.
  Senses: Notice d6,
  Communication: Mother red sometimes communi-
  cates with clerics of eostre Plantmother. Most often this 
  is done to identify thieves and despoilers.  When commu-
  nication is sought the crops begin to sway wildly, alerting 
  the farmers to fetch the incumbent cleric. Mother red 
  has no voice. Thus, the cleric must ask questions, which 
  Mother red answers in yes or no terms by swaying the 
  crops windward (yes) or against the wind (no).
  If the crops are stolen or trampled, the perpetrators’ 
  hands (or equivalent) instantly turn blood red and re-
  main that way for the next month. No amount of scrub-
  bing can remove the stain, but dispel works as normal 
  (resisted by a d10 arcane skill). One dispel is required for 
  each person involved in the act.
  Powers: On heah Sumor daeg, worshippers of eo-
  stre Plantmother who smear a drop of their blood on 
  each stone are rewarded with a casting of feast. The food 
  is not magically summoned, but picked from whatever 
  crop is planted in the sacred place. If the spell fails, the 
  villager finds it impossible to remove any crops—they 
  Sacred SIteS
  
  
  resist cutting and pulling. If successful, the crops taken 
  instantly replenish.
  The feast spell is cast with a d10 arcane skill die. The 
  spirit counts as a Novice for this purpose, granting five 
  pounds of produce per worshipper. unlike the normal 
  spell, food not consumed by midnight does not spoil; 
  rather, the food spoils normally for the crop type.
  Sacrifice: The locals sacrifice animals, spilling the 
  blood of one cow, one ox, one sheep, and one ram on 
  the four stones during Sangdaeg of Frostmonan. If the 
  ritual is performed, the harvest that year will be resistant 
  to blight and have double the normal yield.
  thunor’S FootPrInt
  Atop a blasted heath is a 50-yard diameter circle of 
  blackened, scorched grass. The stench of ozone hangs 
  heavily in the air, incense to those who worship here, 
  and a warning to those whose gods dwell elsewhere. 
  Tall, slim, wooden posts, from which fly prayer kites 
  and windsocks, circle the perimeter. The site is sacred 
  to Thunor, serving as a temple to the god of thunder and 
  lightning. 
  Nearby worshippers of Thunor hurry to the site when-
  ever a thunderstorm rages in the vicinity, for lightning 
  blasts and burns the earth here with great regularity. 
  Once gathered, the faithful jostle and fight for position 
  within the scorched circle, attempting to knock their col-
  leagues prone and leave themselves standing in the hope 
  they are struck by a bolt of lightning!
  Spirit Name: brilliant Striker.
  Ambience: regardless of the weather, the atmo-
  sphere within the blasted circle is literally electric. hair 
  stands on end and harmless, crackling lightning sparks 
  on metal objects.
  Deity: Thunor.
  Senses: Notice d10.
  Communication: When brilliant Striker speaks light-
  ing slams into the ground, scorching Auld Saxa runes. 
  These fade within one round, as ephemeral as spoken 
  words.
  Powers: Any character standing within the circle dur-
  ing a thunderstorm must draw one card from the action 
  deck. characters who have Thunor as their patron deity 
  draw two cards, devotees of the storm god draw three 
  cards, clerics of Thunor four cards, and those with the 
  disciple of Thunor edge a total of five cards. If a Joker is 
  drawn and the character is a worshipper of Thunor, he is 
  struck by a bolt of lightning. he suffers no damage from 
  this heavenly bolt. Instead, for the next year he gains the 
  benefits of Arcane resistance against all electrical attacks. 
  This stacks with any other edges providing a similar bo-
  nus. Non-worshippers of Thunor receive no blessing if 
  struck, instead suffering 4d8 damage with an electricity 
  trapping.
  Spells with an electricity trapping (whether magic or 
  miraculous) are cast at +2 within the circle. This rises to 
  +4 if cast during a thunderstorm.
  Sacrifice: None specific. As a temple of Thunor 
  regular sacrifices are made by worshippers, appeasing 
  brilliant Striker.
  watchFul halFdan
  On the only approach to a small village, atop an artifi-
  cial stone mound that provides a view of the approaches, 
  is a squat standing stone. Through squinting and a lot of 
  imagination one can just make out vaguely humanoid 
  features. Local legend says that during the blizzard War, 
  a cleric of rigr by the name of halfdan the ready vol-
  unteered to stand watch for marauding frost giants, as 
  a refuge column snaked its way through the landscape 
  to safer lands. he vowed he would remain awake and 
  watchful until relieved of duty or frost giants came.
  Alas, no one ever came to replace halfdan and nei-
  ther did frost giants walk that road. Five centuries later, 
  halfdan, now calcified, remains at his post, ever vigilant, 
  to this very day. The nearby village grew up around the 
  stone after the blizzard War, when the story was invented 
  to explain the sacred place. The site is sacred to rigr.
  Spirit Name: halfdan the ready.
  Ambience: Anyone within 50 yards of the stone feels 
  awake and alert. Any Fatigue due to sleep deprivation is 
  negated, but not permanently recovered, while within 
  the area. Anyone trying to sleep while within 50 yards 
  to halfdan must make a Spirit roll or be unable to do 
  so. While a hero can go without sleep for eternity when 
  close to halfdan, deprivation catches up once he leaves 
  the spirit’s presence.
  Deity: rigr.
  Senses: The spirit has Notice d12+2 and a d10 Wild 
  die. Its keen eyesight extends for two miles in all direc-
  tion. It halves penalties for poor lighting and ignores all 
  cover modifiers.
  Communication: When strangers are spotted, the 
  local cleric of rigr (or whoever heads the village’s de-
  fenses) gets itchy eyes. The communication power only 
  works if the cleric is within two miles.
  Powers: beside watching over the village and com-
  municating with the local cleric of rigr, halfdan has no 
  special powers.
  Sacrifice: While halfdan the ready desires no sacri-
  fice, the villagers leave food and drink at the base of the 
  stone, ensuring their watchman is never without provi-
  sions.
  wIllowman
  A solitary willow stands on grassy hills, its leaves a 
  warm orange-red regardless of season. The tree, and the 
  spirit that dwells within, are sacred to kenaz. According 
  to legend, kenaz was being harried by Thrym. cold and 
  tired, kenaz called upon eostre to help. The goddess 
  sang a willow into being, beneath the branches of which 
  the fire god hid. kenaz’s presence turned the willow’s 
  leaves hearth red, which in turn attracted a fire spirit.
  Spirit Name: Willowman.
  Ambience: Within Willowman’s embrace characters 
  hellFroSt regIon guIde #01
  10
  
  feel safe and relaxed, as if they were sitting around a 
  hearth in their home. Worshippers of Thrym find the 
  embrace stifling and claustrophobic—they recover no 
  Fatigue and suffer a –1 penalty to Spirit rolls while within 
  the spirit’s leafy enclosure.
  Deity: kenaz.
  Senses: Notice d12 within the area encompassed by 
  its branches. Notice d6 within 100 yards.
  Communication: None. Willowman reacts violently 
  if a fire is lit within its embrace, or if it is attacked with 
  fire or cold-based spells. Although a servant of kenaz, it 
  has no protection against fire. Treat the animated tree as 
  a static war tree (see Hellfrost Bestiary).
  Powers: each year on heah Sumor daeg, the willow 
  weeps, dropping fiery red seeds. These seeds can be 
  used to create warming herbal brews with no creation 
  penalty. Additionally, the seeds remain fresh indefinitely 
  and so never count as being dried herbs.
  Willowman ensures all can enjoy the fruits of his 
  bounty by dropping only a handful of seeds for each per-
  son present. Worshippers of kenaz automatically gather 
  enough for 1d4 doses, while clerics gain enough for 2d6 
  doses. Other hopefuls must make a Spirit roll in place of 
  the usual roll to find herbs and offer prayers to kenaz. 
  herbalists buy these rare and potent seeds for 20 gs per 
  batch, four times the value of herbs with similar (but less 
  potent) effects.
  Sacrifice: The branches droop down to ground level 
  when alcohol is poured onto the base of the trunk. This 
  natural shelter provides +1 to vigor rolls to resist cold 
  if beer is used, +2 if wine is poured, and +4 for sacri-
  fices of mead. The boughs also provide the same bonus 
  to Stealth, blocking vision and muffling sound in both 
  directions.
  whIte maIden hIll
  White Maiden hill is dominated by a huge, naked, 
  anatomically correct female chalk figure. Legends claim 
  eira once lay here with Tiw, and it was on this site she 
  became pregnant with Scaetha. The site remains sacred 
  to eira.
  Spirit Name: White Maiden.
  Ambience: The area encompassed by the figure is 
  restful and relaxing. Anyone who spends the entire night 
  here can make a natural healing roll at dawn. The power 
  only works once per individual per 40 days (a month), 
  and the sleeper cannot bring any weapons or tools of 
  war onto the hill. The nearest point considered off the 
  hill is 50 yards away from the edge of the chalk figure.
  Deity: eira.
  Senses: Notice d4.
  Communication: None.
  Powers: Local women having trouble conceiving 
  sleep here on raestdaeg eve to improve their chances of 
  becoming pregnant. Any woman who has sex here will 
  give birth to twins nine months later.
  Once per year, a worshipper of eira who vows to use 
  no violence against the living, and who makes a Faith or 
  Spirit roll (character’s choice), is subjected to a regenera-
  tion spell. This remains in effect until a year passes, the 
  recipient uses physical violence (includes spellcasting) 
  against a living creature (voluntarily or under duress), or 
  the power is dispelled. The spirit has Spellcasting d10 to 
  resist the latter. For the purposes of this power, “living” 
  does not include elementals, spirits, demons, golems, or 
  undead. It does include plants, animals, and fey.
  Sacrifice: Worshippers of eira pour healing potions 
  and rub healing salves onto the chalk figure, replenish-
  ing White Maiden’s regenerative powers.
  godS & monSterS
  detailed below is a new minor deity, Gullveig, god 
  of brewing, and a new monster, the much-feared dread 
  wraith, haunt of battlefields.
  gullveIg
  Titles: Master brewer, Mead-Thane of the Gods.
  Aspects: brewing.
  Affiliations: eostre (both aspects), vali.
  Symbol: A flagon.
  Priesthood: Ale-Lords (priests); Mead-Lords (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: clerics celebrate on any major feast day, 
  when starting a new vat of brew, and when a brew is 
  finished.
  Duties: To brew ale and mead, to ferment wine.
  Sins: (Minor) selling watered down alcohol, produc-
  ing tainted brews, getting drunk; (Major) allowing bees 
  or beehives to be harmed; (Mortal) harming bees or 
  beehives.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (Smarts, vigor, 
  Guts, knowledge (craft: brewing) only).
  Powers: Beast friend (bees only), bolt, confusion, 
  fatigue, feast (alcohol only), speak language, summon 
  beast (bees only)
  Trappings: Gullveig’s trappings relate to alcohol 
  (confusion and fatigue) and bees.
  Gullveig began as an obscure celestial spirit, a clumsy 
  household servant in eostre’s heavenly hall brewing ale 
  and wine.
  While stirring a vat of honey, he accidentally upset a 
  shelf of dried plants (yeast among them) and fruits, tip-
  ping the extra ingredients into the sticky, sweet honey. 
  Fearful he had ruined the vat, Gullveig hid, for the honey 
  was destined for Tiw, who despite his fierce nature had 
  a sweet tooth. 
  eventually Tiw called for his honey and, upon sam-
  pling it, roared for Gullveig to be brought to him. The 
  frightened servant was quickly found and dragged to 
  Tiw’s battle hall. rather than cut Gullveig down on the 
  spot for his mistake, Tiw praised the godling for his mar-
  velous creation and demanded he make more, for this 
  Sacred SIteS
  11
  
  was a brew worthy of warriors. eostre promoted Gullveig 
  to master brewer, assuring his status as a minor god.
  Gullveig’s association with vali is not one of choice. 
  Although it was hoenir or the unknowable One, not 
  Gullveig, who gave mortals the secret of brewing and fer-
  mentation (the legend varying depending on to whom 
  one speaks), it is vali who encourages them to drink to 
  excess. Alcohol also clouds the mind, making it easy to 
  lead them astray.
  Images of Gullveig always depict him holding a 
  flagon. Often his beard is not hair, but a swarm of bees. 
  Shrines stand in temples to eostre in communities that 
  keep bees, in breweries, vineyards, and in many shops 
  selling alcohol.
  Traditionally, priests have brewed ale and fermented 
  wine, while paladins have focused on mead. No firm rul-
  ing keeps this divide enforced, but tradition is a powerful 
  force. Paladins are also more inclined to travel in search 
  of new recipes and ingredients. Wine is big business 
  in Aspiria, and most other brewers have secret recipes 
  they wish to guard, so paladins of Gullveig are often 
  employed to guard wineries and breweries, and to track 
  down thieves. Skilled clerics can easily find employment 
  as a personal brewer to nobles and dignitaries, and the 
  position is an honored one in most courts.
  The lengthening winters are having a disastrous effect 
  on honey production. Many clerics are leaving behind 
  their regular duties to quest for a hardier species of bee. 
  Many stories exist about “hellfrost bees,” but none have 
  yet been found. unless they are successful within a gen-
  eration or two, mead may be just a memory.
  drink is an important part of every culture. Nobles 
  often hold festivals at which brewers from the local re-
  gion compete. Prizes are awarded for strongest drink, 
  most flavorsome brew, best color, and so on. While these 
  events generally occur during the summer months, 
  when the farmers are not needed in the fields and so 
  can enjoy the festivities, each community has its own set 
  days for hosting festivals. regardless of the exact day, the 
  local community refers to the festival as Gullveig’s day. 
  unfortunately, it often descends into drunken revelry, 
  something clerics of the faith do not condone.
  Character Guidelines: clerics not only need a good 
  knowledge (craft: brewing) skill to make alcoholic 
  brews, but also a good vigor to avoid becoming drunk. 
  As clerics regularly use herbs in their brews, many are 
  skilled herbalists, and thus have the hedge Magic edge. 
  Alchemy is a useful tool for brewers, though their spells 
  are almost always imbued into alcoholic drinks.
      dread wraIth
  dread wraiths are formed on the field of battle from 
  the souls of the dying. unwilling to enter the Afterlife 
  until they have wreaked vengeance on the living for their 
  deaths, they haunt the sites of great battles, never satisfy-
  ing their undying lust.
  Normally a dread wraith is immaterial, a low mist 
  spread across an old battlefield. When living creatures 
  enter the boundaries of the battlefield, the dread wraith 
  gathers its disparate parts, solidifying into a swirling, 
  semi-corporeal mass of clawing, screaming souls. The 
  size of burst Template they fill depends on the size of the 
  battle which formed them—the greater the death, the 
  larger the wraith.
  Typically this takes 1d4 rounds, during which time the 
  mist is sucked toward the point where the dread wraith 
  will manifest. Those who have met these fell undead 
  before know this is the time to run, before the creature 
  achieves physical form. until a dread wraith forms, it can 
  use none of is powers and is immune to all forms of at-
  tack
  dread wraiths have many powers with which to harm 
  the living. No matter what devilish attack they use, they 
  also animate the bones and corpses of long slain war-
  riors who lie beneath the battlefield, imbuing them with 
  a single soul from their collective consciousness. They 
  typically stay well back from battle, letting their undead 
  minions do the dirty work.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d10
  Skills: Intimidation d12, Notice d8, Stealth d10
  Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 9
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Collective Mind: +4 to resist Tests of Will, Smarts 
  Tricks, and spells such as confusion or puppet.
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  * Soul Blast: As an action, a dread wraith can unleash 
  a stream of screaming souls using the cone Template 
  and Spirit as its attack die. Foes may make an opposed 
  Agility roll to avoid the blast. damage is 2d6, ignoring 
  all armor except the armor spell. Position tthe nar-
  row end of the cone at the edge of the dread wraith’s 
  burst Template.
  * Soul Rend: The souls comprising a dread wraith claw 
  and bite each round, hitting automatically and caus-
  ing 2d4 damage to everyone in the template, ignoring 
  all armor except the armor spell.
  * Swarm: Parry +2; because the swarm is composed 
  of scores, hundreds, or thousands of souls, cutting 
  and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect 
  weapons work normally. Stomping has no effect.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken; No additional damage from called Shots; Im-
  mune to poison and disease; No wound penalties.
  * Wail of the Damned: As an action a dread wraith can 
  emit a terrible wail, like a thousand souls screaming 
  in anger. Any living creatures within 12” must make a 
  Guts roll or be subjected to Terror.
  * Warriors of Old: Once per round as a free action a 
  dread wraith can animate 1d6 skeletons or zombies 
  (whichever is present) from the battlefield it haunts. 
  They begin anywhere within 12” of the dread wraith, 
  clawing their way to the surface. They can take no ac-
  tions the round they are summoned, but can defend 
  themselves. If the dread wraith is slain, the corpses 
  instantly collapse back to an inanimate state.
  hellFroSt regIon guIde #01
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  The Liche-Priest’s reign of terror ended 524 years ago, yet half a millennium on the Li-
  che-Lands of Old remain a forsaken wilderness, shunned by all save the doughty clerics of 
  Scaetha. Even they, blessed as they are by their divine mistress, avoid crossing the borders 
  into the forbidding heartland of the accursed realm except when absolutely necessary. This 
  supplement expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Who Was the LIche-PrIest?
  Before we delve deeper into the Liche Lands, let us take a moment to reflect upon the 
  creature who gave the unhallowed realm its name.
  The first accounts of the Liche-Priest appear in –316. In this year his undead armies 
  surged out from the Winding Peaks, ravaging the lands now encompassed by the Liche-
  Lands, Seithrby, Heligioland, Heldalund, Cul, Trond, and the Cairn Lands. That the Li-
  che-Priest must have existed before this date is unquestioned, for no army, alive or dead, 
  amasses overnight.
  What has puzzled scholars and clerics is the timing. Until Hela’s madness, which is 
  universally agreed to have occurred in –352, necromancy was an unknown art in Rassilon. 
  Given a gap of just 36 years between these two events, the Liche-Priest must have been an 
  exceptionally powerful evil soul released from the Abyss or one of Hela’s first converts. 
  Frustratingly, little documentary evidence regarding the person of the Liche-Priest survived 
  the Blizzard War. 
  His title gives nothing of his past away, for it simply refers to his status as a powerful 
  undead cleric. No clues to his identity can be found among the other races. To the dwarves 
  he was known as the Death Walker, a fitting description, but one which speaks of his 
  undead status. The taiga elves of Nerenel, who resisted his armies for centuries, speak of 
  him as the Wraith King, perhaps implying an incorporeal form. Hearth elves called him the 
  Endless One, and to the engro he was the Lord of Night.
  Tantalizingly, one reference in the White Palace library in Rimeholm makes reference 
  to him being a “king of the southern realms of old.” This cryptic note invites more ques-
  tions than it answers. Does this imply he was a Saxa nobleman, perhaps driven out of his 
  homeland during the early stages of the Anari invasion of the southern continent? Those 
  few who have visited the desert realm which lies below Rassilon tell of a great and power-
  ful land which turned evil and was destroyed. “Southern realms of old” might well relate 
  to such a land, but if so the Liche-Priest was undead long before he made his presence felt 
  31201
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Vince Kingston
  the LIche Lands
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  in the north—this strange land, known as Hekata, fell to 
  ruin a millennium and a half ago, long before the Anari 
  rose to prominence in the north.
  The question of whether the Liche-Priest even existed 
  has been asked down the ages. The title was certainly 
  used by his commanders, but no living soul is known to 
  have faced the Liche-Priest. The name could have been 
  used by a succession of undead rulers, rather than a single 
  individual. Perhaps, as some argue, the Liche-Priest was 
  a name adopted by Hela, who, in direct contravention of 
  the Compact, personally commanded her armies to war. 
  If this is true, then who or what is imprisoned behind 
  the great wards?
  That it might be Hela is both possible, for the wards 
  set were extremely powerful and involved two deities, 
  and unlikely, for the dark mistress still grants her earthly 
  worshippers power. Although the Liche-Priest has always 
  been referred to as being male, there is again no docu-
  mentary evidence supporting this.
  Should the wards sealing the crypt fail, perhaps 
  stalwart adventurers and clerics of Scaetha will uncover 
  evidence as to his true nature. For now, the origins of the 
  Liche-Priest remain an enigma few care to dwell on.
  GeoGraPhy
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer presents a brief overview of 
  the major geographic features, but it says little of the 
  atmosphere within the haunted Liche Lands of Old.
  By day the largely unspoiled wilderness is an inviting 
  place, at least at first glance. Swathes of brightly colored 
  flowers sway in the breeze, no sights or sounds of civili-
  zation assail the ears, giving one the impression of being 
  the first being to ever tread the wilds. This illusion soon 
  passes, revealing the naked truth of the Liche Lands.
  The rain, which falls as depressing drizzle, seems too 
  constant. Even when it is not raining everything feels 
  damp; kindling refuses to catch without concerted effort 
  and logs hiss and crackle, resisting the lick of Kenaz’s fi-
  ery children. The sun never seems to shine as brightly as 
  elsewhere, and shadows seem longer and darker. mists 
  are cloying and dank-smelling, leaving one feeling dirty. 
  The wind carries a faint aroma of death and decay; and 
  the near-total lack of wildlife rapidly grows disturbing, 
  and the lack of settlements, caravans, or distant hearth 
  smoke leaves one feeling as if they are the last living soul 
  in the world. Too often bones are seen protruding from 
  the earth, seemingly clawing their way from earthy tomb 
  toward sun lit heavens; too often a stone, absently kicked 
  to relieve boredom, rolls over to reveal the wide grin of 
  a skull, bleached white by centuries of exposure to the 
  elements and stained with moss.
  At night the sky is regularly swallowed by dark clouds 
  or banks of dense mist, blanketing the land in deep dark-
  ness. Strange sounds float on the night wind, unrecogniz-
  able yet clearly laden with doom and menace. Shadows 
  lurk at the edge of vision, moving in the periphery, be-
  coming still, invisible when one turns to confront them. 
  The ground never feels comfortable when one tries to 
  sleep, making travelers feel unwelcome, unwanted; liv-
  ing trespassers in a land reserved only for the dead.
  Major LocaLes
  While the Hellfrost Gazetteer describes a handful 
  of adventuring locales in the Liche Lands, many others 
  exist. This section delves into some of the other dark 
  locales of the dread realm. These should be considered 
  active adventuring sites, ones your heroes can explore 
  right now, for though the Liche-Priest remains sealed 
  behind the great wards, his hand is again stretching out 
  across the land, casting a shadowy pall.
  Note that while the temple and forts of Scaetha stand 
  in Seithrby, they are included here for brevity—politically 
  and militarily separate from Seithrby, their existence is 
  down to the presence of the Liche Lands of Old.
  aLLIance rIdGe
  On the southern slopes of the Barrowdales, overlook-
  ing the narrow plain betwixt the mounds and Bonewood, 
  is a chalk carving in the shape of a stylized raven with 
  wings outstretched. Tall wooden poles surround the site. 
  ruLes oF the reaLM
  These setting rules apply in the Liche Lands.
  * Fearful Realm: Knowledge of what once dwelt 
  here, too many ghost stories as a child, and the per-
  vasive air of menace give a –1 penalty to Guts rolls. 
  Even clerics of Scaetha suffer this, though given the 
  horrors they must face they are likely to possess 
  higher die ratings than others.
  * No Food: Due to the near total lack of wildlife, 
  Survival rolls to catch game incur a –4 penalty.
  * Realm of Despair: The near-constant drizzle 
  and mist, the stark emptiness of the landscape, the 
  strange noises, and the presence of many unearthly 
  sights quickly lead to despair. Each morning a liv-
  ing creature is within the Liche Lands, they must 
  make a Spirit or Faith roll  or suffer a –1 penalty to 
  Spirit and Spirit-linked skill rolls. Clerics of Scaetha 
  receive +2 to this roll—death is part of their calling 
  and they’re a dour bunch at the best of times. The 
  penalty from this malaise never increases above –1, 
  no matter how many rolls are failed.
  The penalty is removed after 6 hours sleep, a suit-
  able distraction (such as a skald’s rousing story 
  of brave heroes or a bawdy love story (takes 1d4 
  hours to recite the tale)), or upon leaving the Liche 
  Lands.
  * Necromantic Energy: The land is awash with 
  vestiges of necromantic energy. All arcane skill rolls 
  with a necromantic trapping are made at +1. Fur-
  thermore, the entirety of the Liche Lands counts as 
  a graveyard for the purposes of characters with the 
  Disciple of Hela Edge.
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #02
  2
  
  The army of light gathered here gathered here before 
  the final push, the generals and nobles swearing pacts of 
  friendship and support, and flying their battle standard 
  beside each other in a defiant gesture of solidarity.
  While some stories claim the chalk image appeared 
  overnight by Scaetha’s will, enough documentary evi-
  dence exists to prove the figure was cut on the orders of 
  the generals. Not only did the image represent Scaetha, 
  a deliberate insult to the Liche-Priest, but it served as 
  the proverbial line in the sand. Beyond that point there 
  could be no retreat, for all available manpower had been 
  thrown into the cause. If the assault failed, it would be 
  here the armies would make their final stand.
  Every ten years clerics of Scaetha accompanied by 
  mercenaries tend the site, removing the grass and white-
  washing the chalk. Banners from all the nations who 
  participated in the last campaign or who suffered at the 
  hands of the Liche-Priest are raised, a reminder to any 
  undead watchers the mortal races are ready and wait-
  ing should the unhallowed denizens deign to breach the 
  borders again.
  The site is a minor sacred place (see the Sacred Places 
  supplement for more details on these locales). 
  Spirit Name: Domhrafn (“Judgment Raven”).
  Ambience: The aura of despair so prevalent in the 
  Liche Lands does not exist here. No Spirit roll is required 
  when waking on the hill and penalties from the Realm of 
  Despair rule are removed. Undead and mortal followers 
  of Hela must make a Spirit roll when venturing onto the 
  hill or become Fatigued. This remains for 24 hours.
  Deity: Scaetha.
  Senses: Notice d6.
  Communication: None.
  Powers: All mortals unaligned to Hela who rest 
  here for the entirety of Sunnandaeg (from midnight to 
  midnight) may make a natural Healing roll. Followers of 
  Scaetha roll at +1.
  Sacrifice: The chalk figure must be tended one every 
  decade for the power to continue working.
  caverns oF the BLood God
  Deep beneath the foothills of the Whitedrake moun-
  tains, on the border between the Liche Lands and Heli-
  gioland, lies a terrible place. Beyond labyrinthine pas-
  sages which in places are so narrow they seem to press 
  against the living, crushing their bones, across hollow, 
  dank, uneven caverns, lies a hidden temple to Thunn, 
  god of vampires.
  In the centuries before the Blizzard War a powerful 
  vampire and trusted lieutenant of the Liche-Priest ruled 
  from the sunless caverns, his icy grip extending far across 
  the land in the name of his unholy liege.
  When the forces of light began to drive back the Liche-
  Priest’s damned armies the great high priest of Hela sent 
  word to his trusted minions—hide in the shadows, sleep 
  away the passage of time, and await his return, for the 
  Liche-Priest had witnessed a time when he would walk 
  the lands again. And so the vampire did as ordered, gorg-
  ing on his cult until bloated and sealing himself away 
  in a granite sarcophagus emblazoned with protective 
  runes designed to ward against intruders and ensure his 
  survival through the ages.
  The cult of Scaetha had intended to scour the Liche-
  Priest’s lands after the fiend’s defeat, for they knew that 
  in the dark places of the world lurked many evils. Their 
  good intentions were cut short by the Blizzard War and 
  the disaster that followed in its wake. By the time civili-
  zation had recovered, the quest was long forgotten, the 
  cult of Scaetha desperately short of members, and the 
  burgeoning threat from the Withered Lands and Dark-
  wood too strong to ignore.
  While the world tried to rebuild the vampire lord 
  slept undisturbed, dreamless in his stone tomb.
  Last year, as the seals reached a critical point a surge 
  of necromantic energy rippled unseen across the dark 
  lands, touching the creature’s mind. The Liche-Priest’s 
  time of rebirth grew close and plans set down long ago 
  were stirred into motion.
  On answering the mental summons cultists of Hela 
  were swiftly dispatched to the vampire’s lair. Invoking 
  ancient and potent magic, the cultists pulled the vam-
  pire lord from its centuries-long slumber, willing giving 
  their blood and lives so it might live once more. With its 
  strength renewed, the vampire has begun to rebuild its 
  cult, creating new monstrosities and attracting followers 
  to its blood-stained banner.
  dooM FLeet Bay
  The great northern bay of the Inlet, where the Death-
  run meets the Narfel Sea, has been known as Doom Fleet 
  Bay since the age of the Liche-Priest. On the surface there 
  is nothing to sea save cresting waves and the occasional 
  piece of debris or tree, ripped from the Slush marsh by 
  gales and left to float on Neorthe’s roof.
  Dive beneath the icy waters, though, and one spies 
  long, wooden fingers rising through the murky water 
  like the fingers of gigantic skeletons. Here, in days of 
  old, the Liche-Priest assembled a grand fleet as part of 
  his plans to attack Ostmark and Veermark.
  In low whispers skalds and old women tell of how 
  the great fleet unfurled sails of human skin and set oars 
  of bone under the Deorcmonan. As the fleet approached 
  the end of the Inlet Neorthe denied the ships right to 
  travel his domain. A great storm rose, driving the armada 
  back, smashing and sinking the heavily-laden warships in 
  the deep water of the central channel.
  One legend claims the Liche-Priest cursed his failed 
  mariners to fulfill their orders. Ghostly, phosphorescent 
  longships rise from the dark water under the Deorc-
  monan, their skeletal, barnacle-covered crews futilely 
  struggling to sail beyond the Inlet before sinking silently 
  back into watery graves as dawn breaks over the eastern 
  horizon. 
  Another story recounts that the Liche Priest’s fleet was 
  not an invasion force, but a treasure fleet. Concealed in 
  the ships’ holds were mountains of treasure destined for 
  the LIche Lands
  
  
  some unknown land across the stormy sea, payment for 
  sending reinforcements to aid his faltering cause.
  Though few mariners have reason to venture into 
  these waters, tale of ship being boarded by skeletal war-
  riors near the Inlet abound in seaside taverns across the 
  continent.
  the Ghost stones
  On the very fringes of eastern Nerenel, a mere 100 
  yards from the border of the elf realm, the landscape is 
  adorned with hundreds of standing stones. Positioned in 
  blocks of 20, 30, or 40, and ordered into neat columns 
  and rows, the stones resemble petrified military forma-
  tions.
  According to the taiga elves of Nerenel the stones were 
  indeed an undead army. Sent to ravage the elf kingdom, 
  the undead were struck down by the combined might 
  of elf earth elementalists and druids. Other tales claim 
  the army was comprised of hellish beasts from within 
  the bowels of the earth, petrified where they stood when 
  Sigel’s Hearth breached the horizon.
  Sine it is unclear which way the unadorned stones 
  actually face, darker legends concerning an elf army 
  struck down by the might of the Liche-Priest are just as 
  plausible.
  On each night of the Deorcmonan the stones move 
  exactly one standard pace (the Rassilon equivalent to a 
  yard) toward Nerenel. No one has ever observed their 
  motion, for a single blink is enough time for the stones 
  to move, and no power has been unable to stop them. 
  Over the centuries the elves painstakingly excavated the 
  stones and moved them further away, yet at the night 
  Deorcmonan they returned to their previous position. 
  Attempts to break the stones by might of arms and sor-
  cery have met with equal failure.
  Elf records dating back to the time of the Liche-Priest 
  place the stones 37 miles further east. That the first stones 
  will breech the forest in the next two or three years is a 
  certainty, for the stones creep relentlessly forward at the 
  precise rate of 52 yards a year. What will happen at that 
  point remains veiled, for divinations cast into the Liche 
  Lands reveal nothing but darkness.
  Those who have spent vigil near the stone son nights 
  of the Deorcmonan have reported hearing ghostly voic-
  es, indistinct yet clearly present. If these spectral sounds 
  could be understood, perhaps the nature and intent of 
  the stone army could be discerned.
  house oF LaMentatIon
  When the army of light advanced into the Liche Lands 
  it had two key strategic objectives in its sight—the Castle 
  of Blood, a major military command post, and the Li-
  che-Priest’s subterranean lair (and now his crypt) in the 
  Winding Peaks. Veiled from sight and divination at the 
  heart of Bone Wood there stood a vile edifice unknown 
  to the invading army—the House of Lamentation. If the 
  Liche-Priest’s lair was his empire’s brain, this fell hall was 
  its black heart.
  Dedicated as a temple to Hela and Thunn, the House 
  was constructed in a single night from the bones of 
  the Liche-Priest’s fallen enemies, their earthly remains 
  bonded with copious quantities of congealed blood and 
  imbued with necromantic energy to temper them as 
  hard as stone.
  At the heart of the complex is a temple of polished, 
  fire-blackened bone. Near the back wall stands a colossal 
  statue of Hela, skeletal and funeral shroud-clad, bedecked 
  in skulls and grisly trophies from those whose flesh was 
  offered to her, and inscribed with sickly-glowing runes of 
  power and damnation. Iron braziers sculpted to resem-
  ble gigantic skulls cast flickering shadows from the four 
  corners, the burning fat of sacrifices scarcely illuminating 
  the cloying, Stygian gloom.
  Elsewhere are a library, magnificent in its accumu-
  lated lore and terrible for the parchment-like skin on 
  which runes are painted in blood; sacrificial chambers, 
  LaWs oF LaMentatIon
  The House of Lamentation is a hellish domain. To 
  ensure it is a serious challenge for even Legendary 
  heroes, the following rules should be used:
  * The temple radiates a powerful necromantic aura, 
  slowly draining the life energy of intruders. Living 
  creatures must make a Vigor roll after each encoun-
  ter or gain a Fatigue level. One Fatigue level is re-
  covered for every 24 hours outside the temple.
  * Living creatures slain in the temple rise 1d4 
  rounds later as a zombie subservient to the mas-
  ter. Reanimated Wild Card heroes retain their Wild 
  Card status.
  * The master of the temple begins with 2 tokens for 
  each Wild Card in the party. One additional token is 
  gained each time a hero suffers Fatigue due to the 
  life draining effect detailed above. These can be ex-
  pended in a variety of ways, with each use requiring 
  the master to spend an action concentrating:
   * Know the exact location of all intruders. This 
  enables him to accurately dispatch troops to deal 
  with them. [1 token]
  * Create 1d4 skeleton warriors from the bone 
  walls of the temple. [1 token]
  * Close and bar one door anywhere in the tem-
  ple, preventing living creatures from opening it 
  easily. The door can only be opened by bashing it 
  down or has its lock picked.. [Costs 1 token]
  * Generate an aura of fear, as per the spell, 
  throughout the entire temple. [Costs 1 token for 
  the effects of a success, 2 tokens for a raise]
  * Summon mist. This reduces the lighting condi-
  tions to Dim (–1) in areas and corridors the mas-
  ter desires for the next hour. [1 token]
  * Reanimate one Wild Card undead or 1d4 Extra 
  undead creatures slain in the temple. [1 token]
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #02
  
  
  where skin was flayed, flesh was ripped away in chunks, 
  organs eviscerated, and bones pulled from living hosts; 
  preparation chambers from which an army of skeletons 
  and zombies once stumbled; charnel pits of putrefying 
  remains and pools of congealed blood; necromantic 
  laboratories where ghastly experiments were wrought 
  on the living, partly in a bid to create new monstrosities 
  and partly to amuse the temple’s unholy keeper; and 
  more mundane chambers such as armories, treasuries, 
  and storerooms.
  Placed in overall command of the temple complex 
  was the Witch queen, the Liche-Priest’s most trusted 
  lieutenant. Through her dark magic and indomitable 
  will the House became ever more damnable, allowing its 
  mistress to work her will on its very walls. As the hapless 
  souls imprisoned here wailed in anguish and terror, the 
  Witch queen danced and dined.
  Had the invading army ever discovered the House 
  of Lamentation they would have found it empty, as they 
  did with the Castle of Blood, its inhabitants faded from 
  existence as if figures in a waker’s dream.
  For centuries it has stood empty, an eternal monu-
  ment to undying evil, and edifice even nature and the 
  passage of time cannot bring low. But as with other areas 
  of the Liche Lands the House is awakening. A powerful 
  undead, perhaps the Witch queen, perhaps some other 
  dark lieutenant, has reclaimed the temple in the name of 
  Hela and the Liche-Priest.
  Last stand hILL
  While much of the campaign to bring the Liche-
  Priest’s empire of terror to end took place in the central 
  and southern regions, the north was not spared its quota 
  of bloodshed.
  Atop a low, flat hill in the foothills of the Winding 
  Peaks a company of clerics of Scaetha, mercenaries, and 
  taiga elf warriors, ambushed by fell undead, stood back 
  to back against a tide of skeletons and zombies.
  For three days and nights they wrought doom on their 
  foes, their numbers slowly dwindling with each passing 
  hour, an inexorable countdown to certain destruction. 
  In the final hour but ten clerics and elves remained. Fac-
  ing certain death they made peace with their gods and 
  charged the enemy lines, penetrating 50 yards in bloody 
  swath before the last fell, pierced by spears and arrows.
  Although the allies were defeated, their heroic en-
  deavors prevented the Liche-Priest from moving an 
  entire army south to cut off the advancing main thrust. 
  After the war the corpses were recovered and laid to rest 
  atop the hill, each grave marked with a sword thrust into 
  the thick, blood-drenched soil.
  Last Stand Hill is a site of lamentation and pride for 
  the cult of Scaetha and taiga elves of Nerenel. many cler-
  ics who know their time on the mortal plane nears its 
  end venture here, thrusting a sword into the ground to 
  replace one of corroded grave markers and praying for 
  the souls of the fallen before venturing into the Liche 
  Lands for one final battle.
  noWhere
  Among the many settlements started and abandoned 
  after the Blizzard War, none is perhaps as mysterious 
  as Nowhere. Formerly named Colvar, after its founding 
  father, the village thrived for nigh on two decades in the 
  mid 2nd century IR before vanishing into thin air. Not 
  just the people and animals vanished, but the houses 
  and fields and middens. The land where once stood a 
  growing settlement was empty grassland.
  Investigations found no trace of the village, and within 
  a generation its name and disappearance were forgotten. 
  Since then reports have filtered back of a village which 
  appears seemingly at random on the nights of the Deor-
  cmonan before fading into nothingness. Descriptions of 
  the settlement matched those of Colvar.
  The inhabitants of the village also return on these 
  nights, though time has not passed them by. No longer 
  creatures of flesh, their skeletons continue as they did in 
  life, plowing, sowing, and reaping the fields with rusted 
  plows pulled by skeletal oxen, shoeing skeletal horses, 
  making pots and weaving cloth with bony hands, and 
  so on. Devoid of flesh, they also seem devoid of intel-
  lect, carrying out their tasks without thought or true 
  purpose.
  The cult of Scaetha is as yet undecided how best to 
  handle Colvar. If the skeletal inhabitants retain their true 
  souls, then the question arises as to whether or not they 
  are technically undead. Should it be proven the souls 
  are damned, escapees from the Abyss, then destruction 
  shall be rained upon the settlement without mercy. First, 
  though, the cult has to locate the blasted place, for lo-
  cations at which it appears within the Liche Lands are 
  seemingly at random.
  the Path oF terror
  In order to reach the Liche-Priest’s tomb one must 
  navigate a desolate, grassless valley. Officially the cult of 
  Scaetha calls the valley the Victor’s Path, for it was along 
  this route the armies of light marched as they sought 
  to seal the Liche-Priest into his crypt. Unofficially, it is 
  known as the Pæð æf Fær, the Path of Terror.
  Day or night, rain or shine, summer or winter, low 
  mist clings tenaciously to the valley floor, swirling and 
  drifting with scant regard for the wind. At night the mist 
  rises, blanketing out the moon and stars, plunging the 
  landscape into inky darkness.
  Few who have walked its trackless paths care to do so 
  again. Animals cannot bare to step foot into the valley, 
  growing evermore panicked if forced. No traveler has 
  ever reported any discernible hostile presence in the val-
  ley, yet its very presence fills the heart with dread. 
  Perhaps if the valley existed elsewhere stern-faced 
  clerics who have walked this gods-forsaken path before 
  would mock those who quailed in fear for lack of faith 
  and conviction to the endless cause, but here they gri-
  mace silently, remembering the irrational terror they felt 
  on their first visit.
  the LIche Lands
  
  
  teMPLe oF scaetha
  The cult of Scaetha comprises tithed clerics, those 
  bound to temple service, and itinerant clerics, those 
  permitted to wander the land doing their god’s work as 
  they see fit. Every three years the tithed clergy draw lots 
  to determine their next posting.
  By flickering light in temples heavily laden with the 
  trappings of death clerics of all ages have heard tales of 
  the terrible dreams suffered nightly by those stationed 
  along the frontier. Those yet to take the posting often 
  pale at the thought, though bravado causes some to 
  speak unwisely and claim to look forward to the posting. 
  Clerics who have already served a tour there nod sagely 
  as the story unfolds, glancing uneasily over their shoul-
  ders and shuddering when no one is watching.
  Located five miles east of Wulfcestre, the Temple of 
  the Watchful Blade sits on the very edge of the Barrow 
  Dales. Built to the same pattern as the Hearth Knight’s 
  forts, the motte-and-bailey has a permanent garrison of 
  seven priests and six paladins of Scaetha, 50 mercenary 
  light infantry, and 10 noncombatant laity.
  Spread along the 250 mile border at roughly equal 
  intervals are seven fortified towers. The two north and 
  one immediately south of the temple are commanded by 
  a priest and garrisoned by 50 mercenary light infantry. A 
  paladin oversees the four further south, with 50 merce-
  nary heavy infantry supporting him. This thin line of steel 
  and faith is all that stands between the Low Winterlands 
  and a possible invasion.
  Eulogist Lusiane ap-Bovert has overall command of 
  the border, though she defers to Divine Slayer Haakon 
  Guthrunsunu, the highest ranking paladin, with regard 
  military matters.
  Eulogist ap-Bovert has been troubled in recent 
  months by prophetic dreams of undead marching on the 
  temple, though she has yet to make her visions known 
  to her comrade. Divine Slayer Guthrunsunu, a hardened 
  veteran of three campaigns in the Withered Lands, car-
  ries an enchanted long sword, mistilteinn (“mistletoe”). 
  Forged in ages past, mistilteinn was once the property 
  of Lord Thrainn, a renegade hearth elf and later a liche 
  in servitude to the Death Walker. He fell in battle to 
  Guthrunsunu’s distant ancestor during the final days of 
  the war against the Liche-Priest.
  Each year, two paladins, two priests, and 50 merce-
  naries must venture into the Liche Lands, making the 
  long and arduous journey to check on the status of the 
  great wards sealing the Liche-Priest’s tomb. Volunteers 
  are called for first, for there are those who desire to cast 
  their eyes on the cyclopean gates. Should the number 
  fall short, lots are drawn at random.
  Key PLayers
  While the Liche-Priest was the major player of his 
  age, his time, at least for now, has been and gone. Oth-
  ers, weaker in comparison to their liege yet fearful in 
  their own right, served the lord of darkness during his 
  long reign. While slightly more is known about these 
  archfiend, their fate remains a mystery, for of the Liche-
  Priest’s elite commanders but fell in battle.
  the darK MarshaL
  Standing eight feet tall and terrifying in his dark maj-
  esty, the black knight known as the Dark marshal was a 
  senior commander of the Liche-Priest’s hosts. While the 
  Liche-Priest plotted in the east, it was the Dark marshal 
  who led the conquest of Silverdale (now the mistlands), 
  and the invasion of the Borderlands and Aspiria.
  According to the epic poem Bron, the Black marshal 
  met his fate in Silverdale. A joint Aspirian and Drachen-
  lander counterattack had driven the undead back as 
  far as Silverdale but, with their supply line stretched to 
  breaking and losses impossible to replace, the army fal-
  tered. Outnumbered, the Aspirians prepared to sell their 
  lives dearly.
  The story goes that Chalcis, untouched by the hand 
  of death that stretched from the east, refused to assist its 
  neighbors, its governor convinced that to raise a hand 
  against the Dark marshal was to invite destruction. Bron, 
  a simple farm boy, spoke out against this injustice, claim-
  ing that in this darkest hour, when humanity’s existence 
  flickered like a candle, all men were brothers.
  At dawn, as the Aspirian and Drachenlander armies 
  prepared for the final conflict, scouts reported a sea of 
  banners approaching from the southwest—the Chalcians 
  were coming!
  The two sides clashed in the Haunted Hills, mortal 
  and unliving locked in a deadly struggle whose out-
  come who shape the future of the northern continent. 
  One version of the poem claims Bron, fearless above all 
  men, sought out the Dark marshal and challenged him 
  to single combat. Another variant claims the encounter 
  was accidental. Regardless, Bron and the Dark marshal 
  fought, with the mortal emerging victorious.
  The stories state only that the Dark marshal was de-
  feated, not that he was destroyed. When the mistlands 
  were formed three decades ago many feared the Dark 
  marshal had returned, for among his arsenal of powers 
  was mastery over mist and fog.
  the Mouth oF heLa
  Perhaps the greatest of the Liche-Priest’s vampiric 
  minions, the bestial mouth of Hela was so named for his 
  gaping mouth, extendible jaw, and exceptionally long 
  canines. So great was his thirst that he could suck a man 
  dry with a single swallow, leaving naught but a withered 
  husk.
  That the mouth may have survived his master’s en-
  tombment is not questioned, for he was last seen fleeing 
  the field of battle, his hands clutched to his bloody mouth. 
  As told in the epic Aethelthrith Fangripper, Aethelthrith, 
  a female Saxa hero blessed by Tiw with prestigious 
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #02
  
  
  strength, grappled with the mouth, tearing out each of 
  his fangs in turn until the fiend was left toothless.
  If, as many suspect, the Liche-Priest is stirring and his 
  lieutenants are returning to his side, them the mouth 
  will surely be among them. Likely his first quest will be to 
  find his teeth, which Aethelthrith donated to the cult of 
  Scaetha on her deathbed. After half a millennium and the 
  ravages of the Blizzard War, no one is quite sure where 
  the teeth ended up.
  the WItch Queen
  Skalds who wish to dampen the mood of boisterous 
  guests need do no more than speak the first stanza of the 
  Lay of Gedwynne to bring melancholy and fear to their 
  audience’s hearts.
  According to the poem, Gedwynne Erluksdohtor was 
  a princess of Angmark. Beneath an appearance fair to 
  men beat a dark heart, for she was vain and covetous. To 
  achieve her dreams of immortality and power she turned 
  to black magic and worship of Hela, sacrificing the last 
  vestiges of her humanity. As a reward, Hela transformed 
  her into the Witch queen, a hag second in power only to 
  the dread Liche-Priest.
  Although the Lay of Gedwynne contains many facts, 
  the existence of the corrupt Saxa princess is a myth. 
  The Witch queen’s supposed name, Gedwynne Erluks-
  dohtor, is a corruption of gedwimerlic, Auld Saxa for 
  “corpse of sorcery,” a fitting epitaph for the Liche-Priest’s 
  chief lieutenant.
  Her first appearance was recorded in –209, an indica-
  tion she was a later recruit. Given her eventual status and 
  her physical description, it is very likely she was a willing 
  and devoted servant of Hela, granted the boon of unlife 
  as her mortal years faded.
  Assuming the last recorded description of the Witch 
  queen still holds true, she is a tall, skeletal woman with 
  a few patches of tight, withered skin across her torso and 
  legs. Lang strands of gray hair cling to her fleshless head, 
  while pits of balefire rage in her eye sockets. Her long, 
  slender fingers end in wicked talons. Atop her head she 
  wears a simple bone crown, while her body is clad in the 
  rotting garments of once magnificent robes.
  Several accounts of battles against her mark her as an 
  implacable foe, more than capable of holding her own 
  both in magical and mundane struggles. A touch from 
  her talons was reputed to shred the flesh from her victim, 
  leaving it a skeleton which rose to fight alongside her 
  moments later. Her scream could induce heart failure in 
  the strongest warriors, and in the art of necromancy she 
  had but one superior; her fell master.
  Why coMe here?
  The Liche Lands comprise 160,000 square miles of 
  uninhabited (by the living) wilderness. All manner of 
  undead stalk the landscape, and civilization is hundreds 
  of miles away. What on earth would make adventurers 
  want to come there?
  * No Choice. Sometimes the adventurers have little 
  choice but to enter the Liche Lands. This doesn’t involve 
  being ordered to go there (that’s covered below). Rather, 
  fate decrees the party must venture into the gloomy wil-
  derness. For instance, the adventurers may be hired by a 
  nobleman of Seithrby to hunt down orc raiders. Tracking 
  the orcs’ trail reveals they are moving in and out of the 
  Liche Lands. In order to fulfill their mission, the heroes 
  have little choice but to grit their teeth and tread where 
  sane men fear to walk.
  * Orders. Characters with the Orders Hindrance are 
  sworn to obey their superiors and undertake tasks as 
  required. Forcing the heroes to go where you want them 
  isn’t a tool you should overuse, but the occasional tug 
  on the reins reminds the characters the world does not 
  revolve around them. Sooner or later a cleric of Scaetha 
  is going to be dispatched here.
  * Treasure. The Liche Lands is dotted with ruins. The 
  oldest date back to before the rise of the Liche-Priest, 
  a few are more recent failed farming settlements, and 
  the great majority are remnants from the days of shadow. 
  Relatively safe from the privations of tomb raiders, many 
  of the ruins still boast the possibility of treasure hoards.
  * Undead. Any undead are an automatic lure for 
  servants of Scaetha. North of the Icebarrier mountains, 
  the Liche Lands is the place to visit if you want to hunt 
  undead.
  So once the party has been lured to the Liche Lands 
  what do they do? Given the total lack of living settlers, 
  options are mostly limited to undead slaying and ruin 
  raiding. This isn’t to say you should just throw random 
  monsters at the heroes and call that an adventure. The 
  Liche Lands has a rich history, albeit one saturated in evil. 
  To avoid the problem of “stock dungeon of the week” 
  every ruin should have a backstory and former purpose, 
  like those detailed earlier in this supplement. By engag-
  ing with the ruin and its place in history, the characters 
  are forming a link to the past and helping to shape the 
  future.
  adventure seeds
  In addition to the potential adventure seeds buried in 
  the text, here are a few extra seeds to sow in your fertile 
  imagination.
  * An elderly cleric of Scaetha, half-blind and lame in 
  one leg, has sworn an oath to honor the fallen of Last 
  Stand Hill before making his final journey. His infirmities 
  make travel to the remote hilltop difficult, and he seeks 
  companions to escort him. Once they reach the hill and 
  he plants his sword, he considers his helpers’ task com-
  plete and releases them from service.
  * A player character cleric of Scaetha receives is 
  ordered to form part of the party checking on the Li-
  che-Priest’s seals this year. Non-cultists are permitted to 
  accompany him and the others, so long as they hold no 
  allegiance to any evil deity.
  the LIche Lands
  
  
  * A sea-captain claims to know of a vast treasure haul 
  beneath the icy northern waters of the Narfel Sea. He is 
  reluctant to say exactly where, claiming such knowledge 
  could endanger his life if he hires less than trustworthy 
  individuals. As the ship draws near to the Inlet the cap-
  tain announces his goal, sparking a mutiny. Whether or 
  not the mutiny succeeds, a freak storm shipwrecks the 
  heroes in the Liche Lands.
  * The heroes stumble across a burning stead in 
  Seithrby. A lone survivor, a slave, mumbles a few words 
  about his master’s daughter and the Liche Lands before 
  dying. Gravespeak reveals little of interest, save the girl 
  was taken east by undead. While the characters likely 
  mount a rescue mission, the girl doesn’t need rescuing. 
  Black-hearted and evil to the core, she is a secret cult-
  ist of Hela. When her father discovered her secret she 
  murdered him and the servants before fleeing into the 
  Liche Lands in a desperate bid to find a powerful undead 
  to serve.
  Gods & Monsters
  Detailed below are two new minor deities and two 
  new monsters, bloodborn and vampires.
  thunn
  Titles: Lord of Vampires, the Terror Who Stalk the 
  Night, Bleeding One, mortally Wounded One.
  Aspects: Vampires.
  Affiliations: Hela.
  Symbol: A drop of blood.
  Priesthood: Blood Priest (priests); Blood Lord (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Each Deorcmonan.
  Duties: To keep Thunn fed with blood.
  Sins: (minor) harming an Extra vampire, using a 
  sword, not drinking blood from a sentient creature once 
  a week; (major) harming or disobeying a Wild Card vam-
  pire, not drinking blood from a sentient creature once a 
  month; (mortal) slaying a vampire.
  Signature Power: Smite (affects hands/teeth only).
  Powers: Altered senses, fear, fatigue, obscure, sacri-
  fice, strength of the undead.
  Trappings: Necromantic and darkness only.
  Special: Beyond being undead and consumed by fire 
  when exposed to sunlight, there is no such thing as a ste-
  reo typical vampire. Their powers and weaknesses vary 
  greatly, seemingly with no fixed pattern. As a result, cler-
  ics may add one spell of their choice from the following 
  list to the deity’s power list: charismatic aura, ethereal 
  (no corporeal), fly, gift of battle, puppet, regeneration, 
  shape change (wolf, bat swarm, or rat swarm only), 
  storm, summon beast (wolf, bat swarm, or rat swarm 
  only), wall walker, warrior’s gift, water walk, weapon 
  immunity, wilderness step.
  When Hela went insane several of her generals fol-
  lowed her into treachery and damnation. Among them 
  was Thunn. During the titanic struggle at the gates of 
  the Abyss, Sigel scorched Thunn’s flesh with his searing 
  light, vowing the traitorous general would never again 
  be able to bask in Sigel’s radiance, less the guilt of his 
  sins consume him in fire. Scaetha then scored a grievous 
  blow against the blinded god, slashing his throat from 
  ear to ear. mortally wounded and badly burned, Thunn 
  staggered off the field of battle.
  Hela could not heal his wound, and Eira would not 
  seal the gaping cut. Acting quickly, Hela, still a greater 
  goddess, promoted Thunn to the status of minor god, 
  slowing but not staunching the steady flow of blood. 
  Through her newly gained necromantic powers Hela un-
  leashed dark, vampiric spirits. Each drop of blood they 
  consume flows into Thunn’s veins, replacing the blood 
  he has lost. Knowing this was not enough to sustain her 
  general for long, Hela taught Thunn he secret of vampir-
  ism, which he passed on to his followers.
  Images of Thunn are found only in the holy texts of 
  Sigel and Scaetha. They show a pale man with black hair 
  and eyes, with a deep gash across his throat from which 
  drip crimson droplets. Often the right side of his body is 
  shown blackened and blistered.
  Thunn is unusual for a minor god in that his cult 
  operates temples. Known as Blood Halls, they are dark, 
  stygian places, always located deep underground, where 
  Sigel’s burning light cannot reach. Here cultists honor 
  their injured god, regularly offering the blood of sentient 
  beings to vampires so that he might be healed. Vampires, 
  and cultists, drink blood from their victims’ neck rather 
  than spilling it on altars, symbolically catching the blood 
  Thunn sheds and replacing it in his body in a continual 
  cycle of death and life.
  The cult exists for just one reason—to maintain 
  Thunn’s existence through blood drinking. mortal cult-
  ists honor Thunn in the belief that on the death of their 
  mortal flesh they will be made vampires. While some are 
  indeed honored in this manner, the majority ends up 
  as a sacrifice, dying so their god may live. This is almost 
  as great an honor as being transformed into a vampire. 
  While there are many mortal priests and paladins, vam-
  pire cultists form the top tier of the clergy, and are found 
  leading every temple. They add the prefix “High” to their 
  titles to denote their exalted position.
  Priests prefer seduction over violence, luring victims 
  into their clutches with soft words and gifts. They also 
  serve as recruiters, tracking down poor souls willing to 
  retain their temporal power at any cost and inducting 
  them into the cult. Paladins prefer the violent approach, 
  attacking their chosen victims and draining them dry in 
  an orgy of bloodletting.
  Every Deorcmonan is a holy day. Sacrifices are drained 
  (corpses are usually sold to the nearest temple of Hela 
  in return for a few living cultists, who become the next 
  sacrifice) and curses laid against Scaetha and Sigel for 
  their part in Thunn’s downfall.
  Character Guidelines: Thunn’s cultists are most 
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #02
  
  
  definitely evil to the core. Priests should focus on Persua-
  sion and raising their Charisma so as to be effective se-
  ducers. Both sides of the clergy should invest in Stealth, 
  for victims rarely line up to be slaughtered, and it is a 
  rare cultist brave enough to commit bloody murder in 
  broad daylight. It is also important for evading capture. 
  Combat Edges are always useful, for the cult is constantly 
  attacked by worshippers of Scaetha and Sigel.
  vaKr
  Titles: Night Prowler, One Who Flies on Silent Wings, 
  Night Hunter.
  Aspects: Bats.
  Affiliations: Hela, Niht.
  Symbol: A bat.
  Priesthood: Night Stalkers (priests); Night Hunters 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Last day of each Deorcmonan.
  Duties: Assassination and spying.
  Sins: (minor) harming a bat, failing an assassination 
  attempt; (major) not living a nocturnal lifestyle; (mortal) 
  killing a bat.
  Signature Power: Summon beast (bat, giant bat, or 
  bat swarm only).
  Powers: Altered senses, beast friend (bats only), 
  boost/lower trait (Agility, Notice, and Stealth only), de-
  flection, fly, obscure, shape change, (bat, giant bat, or bat 
  swarm only), wandering senses.
  Trappings: All trappings are bat-related. For instance, 
  deflection and obscure may both take the form of bat 
  swarms, wandering senses conjures a spectral bat, and 
  fly conjures a pair of batlike wings.
  Bats were created by Niht. Amused by her flying 
  creatures, she displayed them to some of the other gods. 
  Thunor was momentarily curious, but his attention soon 
  diverted back to his feathered birds. Tiw mocked the tiny 
  beasts for lacking strength and for being cowardly, for 
  they flew in great numbers. Rigr was more concerned 
  that impressed, for Niht had made the bats blind, which 
  meant they only flew in circles and often collided with 
  objects. Out of compassion he gave them acute hearing, 
  as was Niht’s devious intention all along.
  Before Hela’s madness bats were regarded as Niht’s 
  spies, flitting through the darkness using secret knowl-
  edge to avoid obstacles and gathering information heard 
  on the wind. many stories claim bats ears are so sensitive 
  they can detect thoughts, a reason why citizens never 
  think secret thoughts when a bat is close by.
  After her self-imposed exile, Hela approached Niht 
  and proposed an exchange of magic. Lured by the new 
  magic of necromancy, of which she knew nothing, Niht 
  agreed. In exchange, Hela gained some dominion over 
  bats. Under her influence they transformed from noctur-
  nal spies to nocturnal hunters.
  Vakr began as one of Niht’s spies, one bat among 
  the vast swarm which roosted in the shadowed eaves of 
  Niht’s stygian hall. Fed on flesh and blood, Vakr rapidly 
  grew to become a monstrous abomination of great and 
  cunning intelligence. So large is the winged hunter that 
  Hela uses it as a mount, riding through the dark recesses 
  of the heavens. Hela gave the Liche-Priest her new secret, 
  which the wizened corpse lord used to breed a swarm of 
  giant bats. Today, good folk both fear and despise bats, 
  seeing them as the Liche-Priest’s spies.
  Vakr has no temples and very few shrines. Worship-
  pers gather in bat-infested caves to worship, adding their 
  screeches to those of the resident swarm when the sun 
  sets and Niht takes over the heavens. Niht’s worshippers 
  offer mundane bats sacrifices of insects, whereas those 
  of Hela feed them on flesh strips flayed from sentient 
  victims. The bat god is sometimes shown in religious art, 
  but never as a major figure. Typically he is shown as a 
  common bat, flitting around Hela or Niht.
  Priests serve as spies and information gatherers, using 
  their keen senses and stealthy abilities to remain unseen. 
  Paladins are typically assassins, flitting in through open 
  windows, striking quickly and silently, and stealthily dis-
  appearing into the night.
  Character Guidelines: Notice and Stealth are the 
  clergy’s greatest assets, regardless of whether they are 
  spy or killer-for-hire. Investigation, Persuasion, and 
  Streetwise are favored by priests, as are Edges such as 
  Alertness and Investigator. Paladins should consider 
  Edges which allow for quick kill, for if a target manages 
  to sound an alarm the assassin may find himself outnum-
  bered by guards.
  dread herBs
  For those with the courage to enter the dark realm 
  and the knowledge of where to look, the Liche 
  Lands of Old boast many strange and wondrous 
  plants:
  * Corpse blossom, found only in the gloomy con-
  fines of Bone Wood, is a powerful soporific. When 
  used to create a soporific herbal remedy it grants 
  +2 to Knowledge (Alchemy) rolls.
  * Grave weed grows only in the haunted Barrow-
  dales, close to the shadow-draped entrances of the 
  many burial mounds and tumuli. If burned while 
  casting gravespeak, a clump of grave weed grants 
  +2 to arcane skill rolls. A similar bonus applies 
  when the weed is used to create gravespeak al-
  chemical devices.
  * Liche’s finger is a woody herb which grows in 
  Deadman’s marsh. Dried and ground, it grants a +1 
  bonus to rolls to create enhanced undead, strength 
  of the undead, and zombie alchemical devices.
  * Witch bane, found only in the foothills of the 
  Winding Peaks, can be brewed into an alchemical 
  remedy. The brew has a –2 difficulty. When ingest-
  ed, it grants the effects of Arcane Resistance for an 
  hour, but only against spells with a necromantic 
  trapping.
  the LIche Lands
  
  
  BLoodBorn
  Bloodborn (singular and plural are the same) are 
  hulking, vaguely anthropomorphic masses of congealed 
  blood given unholy life through dark and powerful ritu-
  als known to only a handful of liches. Their quivering, 
  dripping form is devoid of facial features, yet their un-
  earthly senses allow them to see and hear perfectly well. 
  Bloodborn possess the ability to absorb fresh blood to 
  bolster their resistance to damage and to merge forms to 
  create larger, stronger specimens.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Blood Absorption: A bloodborn moving over at least 
  a gallon of fresh blood, such as a recent corpse, can 
  spend an action to absorb the blood. This grants it 
  one benny but only for the purposes of Soaking. Larg-
  er corpses allow one additional benny per point of 
  Size above +0 to be gained, as does each gallon from 
  a non-living source. An individual bloodborn can 
  never absorb more than one benny’s worth of fresh 
  blood per round.
  * Blood Pool: A slain bloodborn collapses into a slick 
  of congealed blood filling a Small Burst Template. 
  This area counts as difficult ground.
  * Fear: Characters seeing a bloodborn must make a 
  Guts check.
  * Fearless: Bloodborn are immune to Fear and Intimi-
  dation.
  * Fists: Str+d6.
  * Merge: If a bloodborn enters the space occupied by 
  another bloodborn, willingly or otherwise, the two 
  automatically merge. Each merging creates a single 
  bloodborn with +1 die in Strength (+1 point over 
  d12) and +1 Size (and Toughness). If one of the 
  bloodborn was Shaken, the merged creature is also 
  Shaken. At Size 4 the merged bloodborn gains the 
  Large special ability and at Size 8 the Huge special 
  ability. merged bloodborn can split into their constit-
  uent individual forms as an action.
  * Size +1: Bloodborn stand 7 feet tall and weigh 300 
  pounds.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken; No additional damage from Called Shots; Im-
  mune to poison and disease.
  vaMPIre
  Vampires are among the most powerful of the undead 
  serving Hela in the mortal realm, but are also bound to 
  hunt at night by their aversion to sunlight, a curse from 
  Sigel. 
  When vampires are created, a rare process, they are 
  done so through a transfer of necromantic energy from 
  vampire to victim. This link guides a dark spirit from 
  Hela’s hidden realm into the corpse, whereupon it infus-
  es with the remains. Thus, while a vampire may have the 
  physical form of someone a hero knows, it is not their 
  spirit inside the corpse. It has none of their memories or 
  knowledge—it is merely a vessel.
  Vampires are not a uniform species, and these stats 
  are mere base templates. To determine specific Special 
  Abilities and Weaknesses, see page 11.
         ancIent vaMPIre
  These stats are for an elder vampire, at least three 
  centuries into unlife.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d12+3, Vigor d12
  Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d10, Intimidation d12, Notice 
  d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d10, Throwing d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10
  Treasure: Treasure Trove, in lair
  Special Abilities:
  * Claws: Str+d4.
  * Improved Frenzy: Vampires may make two attacks 
  per round without penalty.
  * Infravision: Halves Darkness penalties when attack-
  ing heat-producing targets.
  * Invulnerability: Vampires can only be harmed by 
  their Weaknesses. They may be Shaken by other at-
  tacks, but never wounded.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from Called Shots. Im-
  mune to disease and poison. No wound penalties.
  * Weakness (Sunlight): Vampires catch fire if any part 
  of their skin is exposed to direct sunlight. After that 
  they suffer 2d10 damage per round until they are 
  dust. Armor does not protect.
  younG vaMPIre
  young vampires are less than 200 years old.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12+1, Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, 
  Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Throwing d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9
  Treasure: meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Claws: Str+d4.
  * Frenzy: Vampires can make two attacks per round 
  with a –2 penalty to each attack.
  * Infravision: Halves Darkness penalties when attack-
  ing heat-producing targets.
  * Invulnerability: Vampires can only be harmed by 
  their Weaknesses. They may be Shaken by other at-
  tacks, but never wounded.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from Called Shots. Im-
  mune to disease and poison.
  * Weakness (Sunlight): Vampires catch fire if any part 
  of their skin is exposed to direct sunlight. After that 
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #02
  10
  
  they suffer 2d10 damage per round until they are 
  dust. Armor does not protect.
  other sPecIaL aBILItIes
  Special abilities listed in the templates above are com-
  mon powers to all vampires. What separates these vile 
  fiends is the wide range of other abilities they display.
  To create a vampire, use the templates above as a base. 
  Then draw a number of cards to determine the creature’s 
  other special abilities. Draw two for a Wild Card vampire, 
  plus one extra card per average Rank of the party the 
  vampire is opposing. For instance, a Wild Card vampire 
  designed to combat a Veteran party would draw a total 
  of five cards. Unless otherwise stated, redraw duplicate 
  entries. Do not shuffle the deck between draws.
  Numbered cards, regardless of suit, grant generic 
  special abilities. Royal cards (Jack through Ace) grant 
  abilities determined by their suit. A Joker means the 
  Gm can choose any special ability he desires, assign the 
  vampire an Edge (ignoring all requirements), give the 
  fiend a monstrous Ability from the Savage Worlds rules, 
  or create a totally unique power.
  nuMBered
  Card 
  Special Ability
  2–4 
  Faith: The vampire is a cleric. It knows 
  1d4+1 spells of the Gm’s choosing, has 
  one Power Edge (includes Disciple of Hela 
  for this purpose) and has a d8 arcane skill 
  die. If this ability is drawn again, add two 
  spells, one Power Edge, and increase the 
  arcane skill die one step (max d12+2).
  5–7 
  Combat Edge: The vampire knows one 
  Combat Edge. It ignores all requirements, 
  except when other Edges are required. For 
  instance, a vampire cannot take Improved 
  Sweep unless it already has Sweep.
  8–10 
  Leadership Edge: The vampire knows one 
  Leadership Edge. It ignores all require-
  ments, except when other Edges are re-
  quired. For instance, a vampire cannot take 
  Fervor unless it already has Command.
  cLuB: transForMatIon
  Card 
  Special Ability
  Jack 
  Change Form: As an action, a vampire can 
  change into a wolf or swarm of bats or rats 
  with a Smarts roll at –2. Changing back into 
  humanoid form requires an unmodified 
  Smarts roll.
  queen 
  Mortal Form: The vampire retains all its 
  Traits, special abilities, and Weaknesses, but 
  has a pulse, its flesh it warm to the touch, 
  and so on. Detect spells do not reveal it as 
  a supernatural creature.
  King 
  Flight: Flying vampires may produce bat-
  like wings or simply fly without any visible 
  means of propulsion. Flying Pace 10.
  Ace 
  Mist: The vampire can turn into mist. This 
  requires an action and a Smarts roll at –2. 
  While in this form, the vampire can only 
  be harmed by magic. Changing back into 
  humanoid form requires a Smarts roll.
  dIaMond: nature
  Card 
  Special Ability
  Jack 
  Wall Walker: The vampire may move along 
  any solid surface at its full Pace. It can also 
  run without penalty, even when hanging 
  upside down.
  queen 
  Glide: The vampire walks a fraction above 
  the surface. It treats all terrain as normal 
  ground. This also allows it to walk on water, 
  Weaknesses permitting. Trackers following 
  the vampire have –2 to Tracking rolls.
  King 
  Children of the Night: Some vampires 
  have the ability to summon and control 
  wolves or rats. This requires an action 
  and a Smarts roll at –2. If successful, 1d6 
  wolves or 1d4 swarms of rats come from 
  the surrounding wilds in 1d6+2 rounds.
  Ace 
  Weather Control: Some vampires can con-
  trol the weather. With a successful Smarts 
  roll, the vampire summons a terrible storm, 
  typified by dark skies and lashing rain. The 
  downpour reduces visibility (treat as Dark 
  for lighting penalties), extinguishes most 
  normal fires within 1d10 rounds, and only 
  volatile materials have a random chance of 
  igniting from fire-based attacks. Storm con-
  ditions inflict a –1 penalty to most actions, 
  due to slipping, difficulty hearing, strong 
  winds, and so on. The Gm must decide if 
  other actions are affected.
  heart: MentaL doMInatIon
  Card 
  Special Ability
  Jack 
  Sire: Anyone slain by a vampire has a 50% 
  chance of rising as a vampire in 1d4 days.
  queen 
  Seduction: Characters of the opposite sex 
  wishing to attack the vampire do so at –2.
  King 
  Fear: Anyone seeing the vampire must make 
  a Guts roll.
  Ace 
  Charm: Vampires can use the puppet power 
  using their Smarts as their arcane skill. 
  They can cast and maintain the power in-
  definitely and without penalties, but may 
  only affect one target at a time.
  sPade: reGeneratIve
  Card 
  Special Ability
  Jack 
  Life Drain: The creature may make a Touch 
  the LIche Lands
  11
  
  Attack instead of a regular attack. Living 
  victims must make a Vigor roll (perhaps 
  opposed by the vampire’s Spirit) or suffer 
  a wound. For each wound inflicted in this 
  manner, the vampire heals one of its own 
  wounds.
  queen 
  Resurrection: A vampire with this power 
  can be brought back from the dead un-
  less its remains are thoroughly destroyed. 
  A pint of blood poured over the remains 
  returns the vampire to life, fully healed in 
  1d6 rounds.
  King 
  Regeneration: Some vampires have the 
  ability to rapidly heal wounds. most have 
  Slow Regeneration, but a powerful vampire 
  may have Fast Regeneration. If the vampire 
  has a Weakness to a certain substance, such 
  as silver, wounds caused by the substance 
  must heal naturally
  Ace 
  Invulnerability: The vampire is immune to 
  damage except from a single source, such 
  as fire, silver, maerathril, or wood. They can 
  be Shaken by other attacks, but never suf-
  fer a wound. The vampire automatically 
  has an appropriate Weakness (Specific 
  Substance). See below for details.
  WeaKnesses
  Although certain weakness can be used to destroy a 
  vampire, such as different types of metal, most are little 
  more than hindrances designed to buy the vampire slayer 
  a little time. most vampires should have two Weaknesses 
  in addition to their problem with sunlight. Shuffle the 
  deck, draw two cards, and check the results below.
  Card 
  Weakness
  2 
  Running Water: The vampire cannot cross 
  running water, except by bridges.
  3 
  Herbs: The vampire is repelled by medici-
  nal herbs. A vampire suffers a –2 penalty 
  to all actions against a character displaying 
  any herbal remedy.
  4 
  Blood: This is not a weakness to blood it-
  self, but a method of stalling a vampire. If 
  a pint of blood is thrown over a vampire 
  (requires a Throwing attack), it must make 
  a Spirit roll or be Shaken as it licks up the 
  blood. It may try to unShake as normal.
  5 
  Holy Symbol: A character with a holy sym-
  bol (other than Hela’s) may keep a vampire 
  at bay by prominently displaying the sym-
  bol. This requires the use of one hand. A 
  vampire who wants to attack the victim in 
  melee must beat her in an opposed test of 
  Faith or Spirit (use the highest). A symbol 
  of Scaetha or Sigel grants a +2 bonus to 
  the bearer.
  6 
  Grain, Seeds, or Nets: Certain vampires 
  suffer from an obsessive-compulsive dis-
  order. When they come within 5” of grain 
  or seeds sprinkled on the ground, or a 
  net (laid out or hanging), they must make 
  a Spirit roll or be compelled to count the 
  grain, seeds, or knots in the net. Treat the 
  vampire as being Shaken.
  7 
  Candle: The light from candles is a deter-
  rent to some vampires. A vampire trying 
  to cross into the radius of light shed by a 
  candle must make a Spirit roll at –2 as a free 
  action or be unable to cross that round. It 
  cannot directly affect anyone in the tem-
  plate by any means if the roll is failed (it 
  could cast a blast spell centered outside 
  the template, for instance, but it cannot 
  use bolt, puppet, or any other such spell or 
  special ability against targets protected by 
  the light).
  8 
  Invitation Only: Vampires cannot enter a 
  private dwelling without being invited.
  9 
  Specific Substance: Certain vampires can 
  are more susceptible (or only susceptible) 
  to magic, fire, silver, cold iron, maerathril, 
  wood, or some other specific substance. 
  Weapons made of these substances inflict 
  +4 damage. Against Invulnerable vampires, 
  such substances inflict wounds as normal.
  10 
  No Reflection: The vampire has no reflec-
  tion and casts no shadow. This can be used 
  to detect such a fiend. Also, when faced by 
  a person holding a mirror, the vampire suf-
  fers –2 to attacks against that character as it 
  tries to avoid gazing into the mirror.
  Jack 
  Stake Through the Heart: A vampire hit 
  with a Called Shot to the heart (–4) must 
  make a Vigor roll versus the damage. If suc-
  cessful, it takes damage normally. If it fails, 
  it disintegrates to dust. This supersedes 
  the Undead ability regarding Called Shots. 
  While many vampires are destroyed this 
  way, a few can reform if the stake is ever 
  removed from their dusty remains.
  queen 
  Immersion: A vampire totally immersed in 
  running water suffers an automatic wound 
  each round.
  King 
  Salt: Salt has long been seen as a substance 
  capable of harming evil creatures. A vam-
  pire with this weakness must make a Spirit 
  roll to cross a line of salt. A pound of salt 
  thrown over a vampire causes 2d10 dam-
  age and the vampire has a chance of catch-
  ing fire.
  Ace 
  Beheading: A vampire hit with a Called Shot 
  to the head (–4) must make a Vigor roll 
  versus the damage. If successful, it takes 
  damage normally. If it fails, it disintegrates 
  to dust. This supersedes the Undead ability 
  restriction on Called Shots.
  Joker 
  None: No specific Weakness.
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #02
  12
  
  31202
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 3 •
  IntroductIon
  The most heavily populated realm in the north, the Magocracy is simultaneously a by-
  word for civil order and despotism. Though ruled by hereditary mage-nobles, the great 
  realm has its fair share of problems, both internal and external. Political maneuvering is 
  rife, the seeds of distrust rooted deep in the culture, and power is the ultimate goal of 
  every house. This supplement expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Within the Magocracy just three social classes are recognized—true nobles (all of whom 
  are heahwisards), honor nobles (see page 2), and peasants.
  While the heahwisard rulers of the Magocracy make up less than 0.5 percent of the total 
  population, they are firmly in control of all aspects of society. As well as owning all the 
  land and natural resources, they control the military (albeit through Knights Hrafn proxies 
  in most cases) and trade, and have sizeable dominance within the cult of Maera, patron 
  goddess of the Magocracy.
  With the eldest child groomed for ascension to power, the second typically engaged 
  in magic research or service to Maera, those born lower down the order must turn to the 
  military, adventuring, or trade. In most other lands (Ostmark being a notable exception), 
  merchants are a middle class necessity, looked down upon by all those who need their 
  services. Within the Magocracy, being a noble and a merchant is seen as nothing unusual, 
  so long as the merchant-mage serves to increase his House’s profits.
  Regardless of wealth or influence, anyone not born a noble or given temporary promo-
  tion to honor noble status is a peasant in the eyes of the Magocracy’s haughty rulers. Access 
  to education is limited, job prospects are few and far between, and social advancement is 
  next to impossible (regardless of skalds’ tales of love between noble and peasant).
  non-Human HeaHwISardS
  While the overwhelming majority of the nobility is of human Anari stock, it is not a legal 
  requirement. All the law requires is that a heahwisard be born in the Magocracy and be of 
  noble birth. Since no engros currently hold a Magocratic noble title, the only other can-
  didates are the scions of non-Anari settlers who were granted titles or married into noble 
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  tHe magocracy
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS gAMe RefeReNceS THe SAvAge WORldS gAMe SySTeM, AvAIlAble fROM PINNAcle eNTeRTAINMeNT gROuP AT WWW.PegINc.cOM.   
  SAvAge WORldS & All ASSOcIATed lOgOS & TRAdeMARKS ARe cOPyRIgHTS Of PINNAcle eNTeRTAINMeNT gROuP. uSed WITH PeRMISSION.  
  PINNAcle MAKeS NO RePReSeNTATION OR WARRANTy AS TO THe quAlITy, vIAbIlITy, OR SuITAbIlITy fOR PuRPOSe Of THIS PROducT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  families generations ago, and hearth elves. However, 
  since not every House of the Magocracy is detailed, the 
  gM is quite at liberty to allow frostborn or frost dwarf 
  heahwisards in his campaign.
  Non-humans may have been tutored because they 
  were adopted into a human family, sent to learn the ways 
  of the humans by his true noble family as part of some 
  treaty, or raised among humans as a hostage to ensure 
  peace between the races. In the latter instance, his hu-
  man counterpart would then be raised learning the ways 
  of the non-human’s parent race. However, this doesn’t 
  mean a noble human child raised by elves could become 
  a druid—that have strict racial requirements.
  Honor nobleS
  Honor noble titles are awarded to non-heahwisard 
  military commanders serving a House and high-ranking 
  clerics of Maera. Such titles are granted by a House’s 
  ruler and are purely symbolic, allowing heahwisards to 
  converse with the recipient as near equals, rather than as 
  mere peasants. Race, sex, and religious persuasion are 
  largely unimportant when awarding honor titles.
  Honor nobles use the regular Anari noble titles, but 
  always include the name of the House who granted the 
  title. unlike hereditary nobles, the title does not pass to 
  children, but instead reverts back to the bestower, who 
  may hand it out as he sees fit on the death of the holder. 
  The family loses its status, though there is no shame in 
  this, and reverts back to its original peasant standing. 
  children and spouses of these leaders have no title, but 
  receive an artificially elevated social standing while their 
  parent commands a company or serves Maera. This does 
  not entitle them to train as a heahwisard, however.
  Honor nobles may not fly their own standard, sit on 
  the council elect, speak for their lord without permis-
  sion, collect taxes for their benefit, own land, award 
  honor titles, pass laws, hold their own court, or dispense 
  justice among their followers.
  Important senior clerics or mages, envoys, and 
  military commanders from other lands are automatically 
  awarded an honor title, which expires when they leave 
  the Magocracy. visiting blood nobles are treated as honor 
  nobles, not true nobles, meaning even a foreign king is 
  seen as being below a Mage-Knight.
  educatIon
  Whereas peasants receive little to no scholastic train-
  ing, young nobles receive mundane, yet comprehensive 
  arcane schooling. Those with money and power send 
  their offspring to one of the Magocracy’s schools or 
  academies, while those less fortunate must be content 
  with home tutoring.
  from the ages of 5 to 14, the student learns the Ma-
  gocracy’s history, folklore, law, and heraldry. He studies 
  politics and etiquette, undergoes tuition in the religion 
  of Maera, and undertakes extensive testing in academic 
  arcana and practical spellcasting.
  Students are encouraged to study extra curricular 
  subjects such as alchemy, foreign culture, law, history, 
  languages (especially classical Anari), healing (assassina-
  tion is still considered an acceptable method of social 
  climbing), and religion.
  Those who display the right aptitude are permitted 
  to undergo the Staff day ritual (see below), while those 
  who need extra work are held back. Money, power, and 
  influence mean nothing when it comes to schooling—
  centuries of tradition ensure that only those capable of 
  wielding magical, and thus political power ever achieve 
  their due station.
  Whether or not he makes the grade, or indeed has 
  any desire to actually become a heahwisard, a noble who 
  wishes to take a role outside politics and domain ruling 
  begins training only after his formal education ends. for 
  second and lower children, this is pretty much what is 
  expected of them. In general, most starting Magocratic 
  player characters begin their adventuring careers any-
  where between 14 and 20.
  relIgIon
  The cult of Maera is the state religion. While every 
  heahwisard is expected to at least honor the goddess of 
  ruleS oF tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in the Magocracy. Note 
  that a hero’s ancestral lands are those his family 
  rules directly. A heahwisard whose family controls a 
  small barony, for instance, treats just that barony as 
  his ancestral lands.
  * Age Means Nothing: Heahwisards are judged on 
  aptitude, not age. Although a mage is not consid-
  ered an adult until he reaches the age of 14, nothing 
  prohibits a young hero from being a heahwisard. 
  Similarly, an apprentice heahwisard can still under-
  go the Staff day ritual—any hero with Heahwisardry 
  d4 and one spell qualifies as magically trained.
  * Fearful Master: Heahwisards apply the +2 cha-
  risma bonus from their Noble edge to Intimidation 
  rolls within his ancestral lands. This bonus only ap-
  plies to the Magocracy’s lower classes.
  * Obey Your Liege: Any heahwisard within his an-
  cestral lands is automatically subject to the Orders 
  Hindrance from the domain’s ruler.
  * Who Are You?: While the Noble edge can be used 
  to represent more than just nobility, heahwisards 
  treat all non-nobles as peasants. Heroes of the Ma-
  gocracy who play non-noble characters with this 
  edge do not gain the +2 charisma bonus when in-
  teracting with heahwisards.
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #03
  
  
  magic, if not actually designate her as patron, few peas-
  ants bother to hold more than lip service to her faith. 
  As elsewhere, one’s faith depends more on one’s 
  profession than any royal decree. Thus, farmers and 
  herders worship eostre, soldiers favor Tiw, sailors honor 
  Neorthe, merchants pray to var, and so on. Heahwisards 
  serving as lay clerics in other faiths, soldiers, and mer-
  chants often pick a more appropriate deity as their true 
  patron, though never forgetting Maera. Should they later 
  rise to political power, allegiances are duly switched to 
  the mistress of magic.
  Temples to Maera stand in every major settlement, 
  varying in size, decoration, and prestige based on their 
  size and who worships there. In smaller villages and 
  towns the only existence of the cult may be a shrine, 
  and in many instances this is a private center of worship 
  located in the ruler’s manor or castle, and accessible to 
  outsiders only by personal invitation.
  StaFF day
  Held on the third Monandaeg of Eostremonan
  Staff day is celebrated only in the Magocracy. The chil-
  dren of nobles are trained in the principles of magic from 
  an early age, learning the theory from the age of five. 
  When a child who displays an aptitude for heahwisardry 
  reaches 14, the age of adulthood in the Magocracy, she 
  undergoes the Staff day rite the next day it is held. A 
  heahwisard to be born on Staff day is said to be destined 
  for greatness.
  The ritual is always held in the grand Temple of 
  Maera in Kingshall. Among the crowd are the powerful 
  nobles of the land, here not so much to watch the ritual, 
  which they have witnessed countless times, but to size 
  up the next generation of nobility and begin arranging 
  marriages and watching for future allies and enemies.
  When the moon first breaks the horizon, the adult-
  to-be is handed his heahwisard staff by the Mage-King. 
  The high priest of Maera binds each child’s hand to her 
  staff with long lengths of multi-colored thread while re-
  citing prayers to the goddess of magic. by tradition, the 
  binding is done in descending social order. It is believed 
  the longer the threads are bound the more powerful the 
  mage will be in later life.
  The children then swear an oath to protect the secrets 
  and uphold the traditions of heahwisardry, to serve the 
  Mage-King loyally, and to serve their families with honor, 
  bravery, and decorum befitting their noble status. With 
  the oath sworn, the threads are unraveled and handed to 
  the now adult mage. Traditionally these are kept, to be 
  used when her children undergo the rite.
  each family then holds a private feast in its townhouse 
  (or those of a feudal superior for lesser families) to wel-
  come the new adult into the family and any noble titles 
  due the young adult are bestowed.
  characters who chose the black Sheep Hindrance, 
  or Magocratic nobles who did not take the Arcane back-
  ground (Magic: Heahwisardry) edge have never under-
  gone this rite, and thus are viewed as children under 
  Magocratic law—another reason why they cannot inherit 
  their parents’ estate or titles.
  mIlItary
  every realm within the Magocracy maintains an army 
  of full-time soldiers. Much of the time they patrol the 
  borders, protect trade caravans, and guard major settle-
  ments. Should war break out, each realm can muster be-
  tween 20 and 40 percent of its total population, swelling 
  the total strength by as much as 150,000 men.
  organIzatIon
  The armies of the Magocracy are arranged into com-
  panies (known as Hands) of 100 men of the same type 
  and subdivided into fingers, each of 20 men. each Hand 
  has a unique name, usually that of its current captain, 
  and more often a nickname. for example, the Hand of 
  dragmund, one of Wyse’s veteran heavy infantry com-
  panies is also known as the “Orc Hammers” for its skill 
  at battling these vile beings.. At the gM’s discretion, all 
  members of a given company may share an appropriate 
  combat edge. The Orc Hammers all have favored foe 
  (Orcs).
  each company is led by a captain, who also com-
  mands the first finger, with four sergeants in charge of 
  the remaining fingers. Sergeants are ranked from first 
  Sergeant down to fourth Sergeant. The nominal head 
  of each army is the individual domain ruler, though in 
  practice military matters are left to the Knights Hrafn 
  hired by each House.
  The Magocracy values power rather than numbers, 
  employing heavy infantry and cavalry trained to fight 
  in tight formation, with archers providing fire support. 
  Heahwisard captains favor solid tactics, with volleys of 
  arrows preceding a heavy cavalry charge and the infantry 
  following up behind. fortunately, the Knights Hrafn are 
  not so staid, and vary tactics to suit the situation.
  Any plans the Magocracy has for expansion northward 
  have been stymied by the persistence of Angarion in de-
  fending its borders, the early rapid growth of coglelund, 
  and the raging waters of the Heathrun. for now, cogle-
  lund serves the Magocracy well. Situated almost exactly 
  halfway between Hellfrost Keep and the Magocracy’s 
  southern domains, it allows the mages to procure valu-
  able imports far more easily than if their merchants had 
  to travel the entire trade road. furthermore, should the 
  orcs invade veermark and then seek to expand west, 
  coglelund would act as a buffer state. 
  army StrengtH by realm
  The military strength of each major House is detailed 
  below. Houses are listed by their full title, thus retain-
  ing the order laid out in the Gazetteer. use the Bestiary 
  stats for mercenaries (except where noted), but replace 
  tHe magocracy
  3
  
  leather armor with scale armor and medium shields with 
  heavy shields. entries marked “(v)” indicate veteran sol-
  diers. Otherwise they are common troops.
  Barony of Galmoor: Though the smallest realm in 
  population terms, due to the threat of rebellion, gal-
  moor maintains a disproportionately large army.
  Troops: One company heavy infantry, 1 company 
  heavy cavalry (v), and 2 companies of archers.
  Barony of Norwick: With Mage-baron Arturix fo-
  cused on retrieving his family’s master heahwisard staff, 
  his army has received little funding or training in recent 
  years. Many of the soldiers have deserted.
  Troops: One company heavy infantry, and 1 company 
  of archers.
  Barony of Zandor: Thanks to an (expensive) agree-
  ment with the Iron guild enabling the Mage-baroness to 
  call on them in times of invasion, Zandor maintains only 
  a small but well-trained army.
  Troops: Two companies heavy cavalry (v).
  County of Kerenil: Threatened by trolls from black-
  glade Swamp and monsters from the Mage Mountains, 
  and with many gold mines to protect, Kerenil is forced to 
  field a sizeable permanent army for its population. 
  Troops: 2 companies heavy infantry (v), 3 companies 
  of heavy cavalry, and 2 companies of archers (v).
  County of Ilan: Recent troop increases in Ilan have 
  not gone unnoticed by the county’s neighbors. Ostensi-
  bly the increase is to help thwart the marsh trolls, though 
  in truth it is part of the Mage-countess’ plans to increase 
  her realm through military might.
  Troops: Three companies heavy infantry (1 v), 2 com-
  panies heavy cavalry, and 4 companies archers. Two of 
  the archer companies are true mercenaries.
  County of Morrow: Notoriously tight-fisted and 
  more focused on retrieving his family’s master staff, 
  count daviff’s troops are under-funded.
  Troops: One company of heavy infantry, and 2 compa-
  nies of heavy cavalry.
  County of Wyse: Responsible for guarding the main 
  trade road and having to deal with constant orc attacks, 
  Wyse is forced to support an army larger than its popula-
  tion would normally warrant.
  Troops: Three companies heavy infantry (2 v), 2 com-
  panies heavy cavalry (v), and 3 companies of archers.
  Dukedom of Eastheath: eastheath’s position means 
  its soldiers must patrol the lengthy border with Angari-
  on, watch the border with expansionistic coglelund, and 
  oversee the border with troubled veermark, not to men-
  tion man the many forts surrounding foulwater Swamp 
  and protect the steady stream of trade caravans. To that 
  end, the Mage-duke has been forced to recruit a massive 
  army; a full 10% of the population is accounted for by 
  the military.
  Troops: Thirteen heavy infantry companies (8 v), 6 
  heavy cavalry companies (4 v), and 4 archer companies 
  (2 v).
  Dukedom of Haldir: Haldir’s army is split between 
  watching the monster- infested Hook and Mage Moun-
  tains and protecting the Mage-duchess’ gardens.
  Troops: Two companies heavy infantry (v), and 4 com-
  panies heavy cavalry.
  Kingshall: The Magocracy’s private armies total 
  12,300 permanent troops, or around 3% of its total pop-
  ulation. This does not include the navy (which is under 
  the Mage-King’s direct command), medics, crafters, and 
  other personnel vital to maintaining the troops. by law, 
  for every ten men a realm fields one must be spent to 
  serve the Mage-King.
  Of the 12 companies under the Mage-King’s direct 
  control, only four heavy infantry companies are sta-
  tioned in Kingshall; the rest are scattered around the 
  Magocracy, ensuring the Mage-King has some presence 
  in every domain.
  Troops: Seven heavy infantry (4 v) and five companies 
  heavy cavalry (2 v).
  Principality of Bremen: The despotic Mage-Prince 
  rules his realm through fear and intimidation.
  Troops: four companies heavy infantry, 3 companies 
  heavy cavalry (v), and 4 companies of archers.
  Principality of Darovia: Mage-Prince dartuk’s para-
  noia has led to a crisis. To ensure his captains do not 
  get too friendly with their troops, and thus sway their 
  loyalty to them rather than dartuk, his sizeable army has 
  suffered constant changes of leadership, weakening their 
  morale.
  Troops: Three companies heavy infantry, two compa-
  nies heavy cavalry, 3 companies of archers.
  Principality of Dragomilov: Arguably the most pow-
  erful realm, dragomilov maintains a small, elite army 
  (for the realm’s size), content to let its reputation for 
  magical prowess defend its borders.
  Troops: Two companies heavy infantry (v), 3 compa-
  nies heavy cavalry (v), 1 company engro slingers, and 3 
  companies archers (v).
  Principality of Hergenald: The richest realm in the 
  new HIndrance
  The following new Hindrance is open to any char-
  acters, not just those of the Magocracy.  
    SHort-lIved magIc (mInor/major)
  Whether due to his inability to concentrate or cor-
  rectly focus magic, a flaw in his training, or an an-
  cient curse, the hero is unable to maintain spells for 
  long periods.
  With the Minor version, the character’s Maintained 
  spells automatically end after one hour (if not end-
  ed sooner by other means). Alchemical devices he 
  creates containing Maintained spells end after 30 
  minutes.
  The Major version allows the spellcaster to Maintain 
  his spells for a maximum of one minute (10 com-
  bat rounds). His Maintained alchemical devices also 
  last a mere one minute.
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #03
  
  
  Magocracy, Hergenald pays a good-sized and well-sup-
  ported army to protect its assets and keep the orcs and 
  giants of the Hook Mountains in their place. 
  Troops: five companies heavy infantry (v), 4 compa-
  nies heavy cavalry (v), and 5 companies archers (v).
  Principality of Sethnor: The majority of the army 
  is stationed along the trade road and at the main port, 
  which contains the Magocracy’s naval base and largest 
  shipyards.
  Troops: four companies heavy infantry (3 v), five 
  companies heavy cavalry (2 v), 3 companies archers. 
  Navy: The Magocracy’s navy comprises ten drakkar 
  (600 men), three snekkes (300 men), and one skeid (200 
  men). These sailors are recruited from across the Mago-
  cracy. While it regularly patrols the coast, the navy (and 
  this applies to all navies in Rassilon) is not equipped for 
  extended patrols in deep water.
  Principality of Tharkness: Mage-Princess Nayla 
  spends her vast fortune on extravagant parties, not pro-
  tecting her borders.
  Troops: Two companies heavy infantry, 1 company 
  heavy cavalry, and 2 companies archers.
  mIlItary magIc
  The Magocracy actively encourages junior heahwisards 
  to serve in the army. under normal circumstances the 
  Magocracy is incapable of fielding entire companies of 
  spellcasters. Were a general muster to be called, it is like-
  ly the heahwisards would divide their numbers among 
  multiple companies, so as to reduce the chances of an 
  entire generation being wiped out in one blow. Spell-
  casters serving as soldiers do so as rank and file soldiers, 
  not as specialist troops. Thus, any military heahwisards 
  are warriors as much as workers of the arcane arts.
  Heahwisards possess a wide range of spells, but due 
  to the Siphoning and limits in Maintaining spells they 
  must cast with care. While this document cannot cover 
  every possible tactical spell use, basic details on how 
  spells are employed are given below.
  When seeking to disrupt enemy units, prolonged 
  blast and summon elementals are favorites. The former 
  can be targeted to break up charges, inflict mass casual-
  ties on heavily armored units, and channel the enemy 
  down certain routes. In both instances, once the spell 
  is no longer required, it can be dropped, allowing the 
  caster to work a new charm.
  Entangle, fear, knockdown, and stun, although they 
  cannot be Maintained and have limited range, work well 
  to thwart charges just before impact. Prolonged blast and 
  entangle are especially useful in ambushes, as is glyph.
  Heahwisards assigned to protect captains or heroes 
  can unleash spells such as arcane resistance, armor, 
  boost/lower trait, deflection, quickness, and smite to 
  bolster their commander.
  Should an enemy commander present himself as a 
  target, the mage has the opportunity to launch withering 
  volleys of bolt spells, wreak havoc with burst or blast, or 
  create chaos through puppet.
  new Power edgeS
  These Power edges are open to any heroes.
    enHanced maIntenance
  Requirements: veteran, Spirit d8+, vigor d8+, ar-
  cane skill d8+
  The character can Maintain a single spell while he 
  sleeps. The spell must first be cast using the nor-
  mal rules and be capable of being Maintained. As 
  the hero falls asleep, he must make a Smarts roll 
  or the spell ends as normal. The character cannot 
  awaken and recast the spell if the Smarts roll fails, 
  but may be woken by comrades if the spell has vis-
  ible trappings they can observe. A similar roll must 
  be made if the character is awoken suddenly, rather 
  than waking in his own time.
  This edge provides no benefit if the hero is Incapac-
  itated or rendered unconscious by damage, fatigue, 
  poison, gas, magic, or other methods—it functions 
  solely for natural sleep.
  This edge may be taken more than once. each ad-
  ditional edge allows the hero to Maintain one ad-
  ditional spell while asleep, up to the maximum he 
  is allowed to Maintain.
    InStInctIve dISPel
  Requirements: veteran, arcane skill d8+, Knowl-
  edge (Arcana) d10+, must know dispel
  The character has an instinctive knack for dispelling 
  enemy magic.
  Once per turn the hero gets a free use of dispel 
  against a single foe who casts a spell, but only if the 
  spell’s immediate effect includes the hero. The foe 
  must be within range of the dispel power at the time 
  of casting. Thus, a character could dispel a casting 
  of blast if he was a target under the template, but he 
  couldn’t attempt to dispel a prolonged blast spell 
  whose template ended 1” away from him. This au-
  tomatically interrupts the opponent’s action, and 
  does not cost the hero his action if he is on Hold or 
  has not yet acted this round.
    SPell FIneSSe
  Requirements: Novice, Arcane background (Any 
  except Rune Magic), arcane skill d8+, Knowledge 
  (Arcana) d8+
  The following new enhancement is available.
  • Altered Range: Pick one spell with Range Touch 
  and change that spell’s Range to Smarts or pick one 
  spell with Range Smarts or Spirit and change it to 
  12/24/48. unlike other options you may take this 
  one twice for the same spell, allowing you (eventu-
  ally) to increase a Touch spell to Range 12/24/48.
  tHe magocracy
  
  
  Aura and sphere of might, both powerful spells, must 
  be cast with care, for they are indiscriminate in whom 
  they inflict harm upon.
  Against enemy spellcasters, dispel and negate arcana 
  are potent weapons, though the latter must be aimed 
  carefully so as not to hamper one’s spellcasting allies.
  notable unItS
  below are a few of the famous Hands of the Mago-
  cracy’s armies. The “company edge” entry details an 
  additional edge known to all members of the unit.
  Hand oF dragmund
  Also known as the Orc Hammers, this company of 
  Wyse’s soldiery has its barracks in Aranor. Although 
  the captain, and thus the company’s official name, has 
  changed many times down the centuries, the Orc Ham-
  mers have retained their nickname and specialty, hunting 
  down and destroying orcs, for the past 200 years. They 
  have suffered many ignoble defeats and won many hon-
  ors, but their fury has never diminished and each time 
  the company reforms it is better prepared to wage war.
  Captain: dragmund Wartooth, Tuomi Knight Hrafn.
  Type: veteran heavy infantry.
  Company Edge: favored foe (Orcs).
  Hand oF orloF
  The Hand of Orlof, better known as the Troll burners, 
  are stationed along foulwater Swamp at its closest point 
  to the trade road. equipped with crossbows from which 
  they fire flaming quarrels, the Hand has a well-deserved 
  reputation for fighting trolls. unusually, the company 
  actively recruits heahwisards and elementalists, though 
  only those whose spells employ fire trappings. At pres-
  ent, mages make up a full 20% of their strength. Mage-
  baron captain Orlof is the second son of count Adamas 
  Orlof, a feudal subordinate of duchess eastheath.
  Captain: Mage-baron vix Orlof of the Third Sphere.
  Type: veteran archers.
  Company Edge: favored foe (Trolls); Orlof has coor-
  dinated firepower.
  Hand oF Petrayna
  Rather than use regular household troops to protect 
  the Hyll dales, House dragomilov mustered a single 
  company of engro bludgeoners. being posted here is 
  generally a sign of the Mage-Prince’s displeasure, and that 
  is no exception with Mage-Knight Petrayna dragomilov, 
  a very distant cousin of the Mage-Prince (she dared to 
  question his judgment in front of dinner guests). 
  Ironically, Petrayna has come to enjoy her posting, 
  having taken a fancy to pipeweed. Though often mocked 
  for their stature, the engro warriors have shown more 
  guts and loyalty than many other household companies. 
  In a deliberate breech of the rules regarding ”foreign” 
  troops, Petrayna has appointed engros to the position of 
  Third and fourth Sergeant. She expects to be punished 
  in the near future for flouting the law.
  Captain: Mage-Knight Petrayna eugenia dragomilov 
  of the Second Sphere.
  Type: engro bludgeoners.
  Company Edge: None. use the bludgeoner stats.
  Hand oF verSIlax
  Officially designated the Shield of Kingshall and 
  informally as the Peacocks for their bright blue tabards 
  and feathered helms, the Hand of versilax are the Mage-
  King’s premier heavy cavalry company. They also serve 
  as his personal guard. founded a mere 28 years ago by 
  Adolphus v, both Adolphus vI and vII broke with tradi-
  tion by not disbanding the unit and forming a bodyguard 
  of men they hand picked.
  Their commander, who has been captain since the 
  company’s foundation and thus served under three Mage-
  Kings, is a scion of House eastheath, though he forsook 
  his birthright to become a Knight Hrafn. Although legally 
  a child in the eyes of the Magocratic nobility, nothing 
  in law prevents him from holding his post. All attempts 
  to remove him from office through political means have 
  failed, the Mage-King having vetoed all motions. His con-
  tinued presence so close to the Mage-King is a constant 
  thorn in his former family’s side.
  Captain: versilax No-Staff, Anari Knight Hrafn.
  Type: veteran heavy cavalry.
  Company Edge: Arcane Resistance.
  trade and trIbute
  despite being located in the southwest corner of the 
  FeStIval to maera
     alcHemy day
  Third Monandaeg of Werremonan.
  As goddess of magic, Maera is also goddess of alche-
  my. It was she who discovered that magical threads 
  could be tied into knots and unraveled at a later 
  date to release their energy. Maera also taught eos-
  tre the secret of herbalism, but that is another story 
  (see page xxx).
  Worshippers spend the day crafting alchemical de-
  vices or helping an alchemist in her work. All crea-
  tions worked this day must be donated to the next 
  temple of Maera the alchemist visits or she will suf-
  fer bad luck (gM’s discretion on how this works). 
  These are then sold to provide the temple with 
  funds for other projects.
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #03
  
  
  continent, the Magocracy is a major trading power. With 
  drakeport under threat by orc pirates, the Magocracy’s 
  ports, especially Sethnor city, have enjoyed a boom in 
  trade with the desert realm south of Rassilon. unable to 
  trade easily with the eastern Marklands and Winterlands, 
  Aspiria exports all manner of goods and services through 
  Port Helgen, while dargon competes with Angmark for 
  chalcis’ waterborne trade routes.
  While the Magocracy is self-sufficient in basic wares, 
  it imports large quantities of luxuries, the great majority 
  of which is destined for the nobility. Heavily protected 
  caravans loaded with alchemical devices and gold (the 
  Magocracy’s main exports) move between the heartland 
  to the borders. Those going overland rarely venture fur-
  ther north than coglelund.
  While the Iron guild has a presence in the Magocracy, 
  they do not cover every route. When their services are 
  not available, security can be provided to rulers whose 
  territory it passes (at a price).
  However, whereas the Iron guild has permission to 
  escort caravans across borders without constraint, lo-
  cal armies do not have such leeway. At each border, the 
  current escort formerly hands over the responsibility to 
  their neighbors. When House security is used, any miss-
  ing or damaged goods are charged to the last House the 
  caravan traveled through. Hence, the new escort care-
  fully examines manifests and wares to ensure everything 
  is above board, and then has the merchant sign to this 
  effect. Such paranoia and mistrust can cause delays as 
  long as an entire day, something merchants must factor 
  into their schedules.
  As a rule, heahwisards do not haggle over prices—such 
  behavior shows a care for money over political power, an 
  anathema to most Houses. If a noble does not like the 
  price, he simply refuses to pay, usually feigning disinter-
  est in the goods, not the price tag, and looks elsewhere 
  for a better deal.
  Taxation policies range from reasonable and afford-
  able to tyrannical and debilitating, as the House desires. 
  The only country-wide fixed taxation policy concerns the 
  noble Houses. each must pay 10% of its annual income, 
  regardless of source, to the coffers of the Mage-King. The 
  Mage-King’s tax collectors are, if anything, more strin-
  gent in imposing the law than those of the Houses.
  arcHItecture
  The Magocracy’s peasants are primarily Anari, though 
  with a sizeable Saxa population. Their houses reflect 
  their different cultural origins.
  for the Anari, most houses are built as a single-story 
  timber frame with walls of woven withies covered in 
  daub. Roofs are generally thatched, though those with 
  money can afford wooden shingles. by comparison, Saxa 
  build their houses out of planks, which are then daubed 
  to cover any cracks. Thatch is the preferred roofing mate-
  rial. Most peasant houses are two or three room affairs, 
  with a large communal room, a private bedroom for the 
  head of house (attached to which is a strong room for 
  the family’s valuables), and perhaps a byre for livestock.
  The nobility and those with money opt for stone-forti-
  fied manor houses or, more rarely, stone towers. greater 
  nobles dwell in castles. Interior furnishings range from 
  extravagant opulence to absolute minimalism. Those 
  who dwell in the former abodes like to show off their 
  great wealth (even if they have furnished their home to 
  clerIcS oF maera
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods and pro-
  vides a little information on the duties of their cler-
  gy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for the 
  cult of Maera, providing facts useful to both players 
  and gMs. 
  Training: Academic training in the occult arts be-
  gins from the day the novice enters a temple. Those 
  displaying an aptitude for magic are counseled as to 
  the options open to them, protected and sheltered 
  until their decision is made. Once a student reaches 
  a satisfactory level, he is apprenticed to a mage of 
  each type for a year so he may fully understand their 
  sacred art. After this, the novitiate begins his final 
  training. Over the course of a year he will undergo a 
  rigorous set of practical examinations involving the 
  dispelling of magic.
  Prayers: Prayers are never straightforward, for they 
  are not for the ears of mortals, and Maera, goddess 
  of mysteries, knows the hidden meaning behind the 
  words. for example, a cleric might say, “As the heav-
  ens hang over the earth and the leaves catch the 
  rain” to mean “Protect me from harm.”
  Adventures: Anything involving magic or mystery 
  can involve a cleric of Maera. A worshipper might 
  quest to recover a lost relic, lead a rescue party 
  to free a mage from captivity at the hands of orcs 
  and goblins, recover ancient books of magical lore, 
  investigate the Siphoning, destroy Null’s cult, or 
  delve into the great mystery of relic creation. They 
  may be called upon to visit a distant realm to deliver 
  a prophecy or investigate a mystery with a magical 
  or mundane focus.
  Character Guidelines: If there’s one skill that best 
  suits Maera’s followers it is Knowledge (Arcana). 
  With a disciple’s ability to cast any spell, albeit at a 
  small penalty, Alchemy allows the cleric to produce 
  a wide-range of devices. Of the attributes, Smarts is 
  most important, though faith is tied to Spirit and 
  thus, the latter cannot be ignored. vigor should 
  never be ignored, but Agility and Strength needn’t 
  be very high—clerics are ideally suited not to be 
  frontline fighters but ranged combatants and sup-
  port troops. The basic spell list is quite small, but 
  the spells are tactically very powerful.
  tHe magocracy
  
  
  the point of bankruptcy), while the latter are making a 
  hollow gesture that wealth means little to them com-
  pared to political power.
  Whatever structure a noble calls home, one can guar-
  antee it is decorated with symbols of crescent moons 
  (a sign sacred to Maera), and staves. Homespun tapes-
  tries, as much to help cut down on breezes as decorate 
  a room, show scenes from the House’s history. Those 
  with money to spend can purchase rugs and tapestries 
  embroidered with geometric designs (as well as other 
  furnishings) from the mysterious desert realm.
  Most settlements with a population over 100 boast an 
  inn, with those on the trade roads being larger, grander, 
  and affording better security. Settlements boasting more 
  than a few hundred souls usually have a small temple, 
  though only rarely does it honor one deity. More com-
  mon is shared worship, with separate gods being allo-
  cated a single room.
  unless a settlement is within a day or two of known 
  monster haunts, no expense is wasted protecting it—af-
  ter all, there is little threat to the stability of the realm 
  beyond a few marauding orcs, giants, and trolls.
  major localeS
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer describes plentiful sites of in-
  terest within the Magocracy. This section explores a few 
  other places likely to be of interest to adventurers. 
  royal lIbrary, KIngSHall
  The Royal library is an impressive collection of books 
  and scrolls dating back to the founding of the Magocracy. 
  It is second only to the fabled library of the citadel in 
  terms of works on arcane matters. As well as the public 
  library, to which anyone can in theory be granted permis-
  sion, there is a restricted section. Only the Mage-King, 
  Mage-Princes, and guests invited by these individuals 
  may access the hidden lore.
  The chief librarian, who holds the title Master of lore, 
  is always a heahwisard. He is appointed by the Mage-King 
  and serves as long as he retains the king’s favor. Assist-
  ing him are a dozen clerics of Maera and Hoenir, and 20 
  junior heahwisards. Security is provided by 10 paladins 
  of Maera, five paladins of Hoenir, and 10 members of the 
  Mage-King’s personal guard.
  Admission: Heahwisards and clerics of Maera. Oth-
  ers may apply in writing to the chief librarian for access. 
  A reply is received within 1d4 months if living outside 
  the Magocracy or 1d4+1 weeks if the would-be patron is 
  residing within the realm.
  Rules: No weapons or spellcasting are permitted 
  within the Royal library. Patrons wishing a speak lan-
  guage spell may pay one of the clerics of Hoenir (costs 
  10 gs per casting).
  Specialties: Alchemy, arcane matters, heahwisardry, 
  the Magocracy.
  Investigation Rolls: +2 general, +4 for specialties.
  troll Ford brIdge
  before the stone bridge was erected over the 
  greestream, the trade road crossed a deep ford. In 199 
  FeStIval to maera
     dIvInatIon nIgHt
  First Monandaeg of Snaermonan.
  Originally there were four Norns. They were the 
  goddesses of past (urd), present (verdandi), future 
  (Skuld), and what if (Maera), the latter being the 
  goddesses of alternate possibilities. While her sis-
  ters worked hard to intertwine the threads of exist-
  ence, Maera was something of a daydreamer—not 
  surprising given that her job was to gather and burn 
  all the excess thread after the Norns ended a being’s 
  life. contained in these threads were the different 
  directions a life could have taken had the Norns 
  chosen another path for the creature.
  While out in the garden one day, Maera fell asleep. 
  In her dream she discovered new threads, ones the 
  Norns had not woven. by tugging, twisting, and 
  shaping these threads she produced wondrous ef-
  fects, which she named magic. On waking she dis-
  covered clutched in her hand a myriad of threads. 
  She rushed to tell her sisters of her discovery, but 
  they were too busy to pay any attention, and or-
  dered her to get back to work and quit her day-
  dreaming. frustrated, Maera threw the threads out 
  the window, where they drifted down into the mor-
  tal realm. Thus did mortals discover the threads of 
  magic.
  When the Norns discovered what Maera had done, 
  the weird sisters flew into a rage, for mortals had 
  been given a new gift and the strands of their 
  lives would have to be interwoven with these new 
  threads, meaning more work for the Norns. Mae-
  ra was disowned by the Norns and banished from 
  their presence for all eternity. despondent at no 
  longer being able to view the Norns’ loom or study 
  the threads of what might have been, Maera began 
  to look into the universe for patterns that might re-
  veal what the Norns were weaving.
  Once the moon sits alone in the sky, clerics of Maera 
  spend the night divining the future, trying to steal 
  a peek at the Norns’ loom. folk visit the temples in 
  the hope of learning the future’s secrets, for every-
  one has a curiosity about some future event. un-
  til dawn breaks and the Norns awaken, the clergy 
  strive to answer the age old questions—who will I 
  marry, will I have children, are the omens good for 
  war, will the harvest be good, will I die well?
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #03
  
  
  IR, a great troll army staggered from the western depths 
  of foulwater Swamp, smashed through the defenders, 
  and turned north, intent on raiding Hearth.
  Hearth’s garrison headed south, but fled in terror at 
  the site of the hulking host. A lone heahwisard, his name 
  recorded now only as Troll-Slayer waded into the ford, 
  set his staff, and warned the troll army to advance no 
  further. for ten hours the lone mage weathered their 
  assaults, driving each back through his potent magic. 
  At last, wearied by the strain and bleeding heavily from 
  dozens of wounds, the mage succumbed and died. His 
  sacrifice was not in vain, however. The delay, and his 
  prowess gave the garrison time to steel their nerve.
  The troll army was defeated and Troll-Slayer given 
  a state funeral. His body lies in the temple of Maera in 
  Hearth, but his spirit remains tethered to the site of his 
  greatest feat. The site is now a sacred place (see Region 
  Guide #1 for advice and rules on creating such places).
  Spirit Name: Troll-Slayer.
  Ambience: despite being a sacred place, it radiates 
  no particular atmosphere.
  Deity: Maera.
  Senses: Notice d6.
  Communication: None.
  Powers: A hero who dumps a troll’s lifeless corpse 
  over the north edge of the bridge receives Troll-Slayer’s 
  blessing. for the next week (8 days), he gains the ben-
  efits of the favored foe (Trolls) edge.
  Should trolls dare to cross the bridge from either 
  direction, Troll-Slayer lends his magical power to any 
  heahwisards standing on the structure. Their Wild die 
  increases die by one step. extras gain a d6 Wild die.
  Sacrifice: Trolls (as noted above).
  PerSonS oF note
  The Magocracy’s rulers are briefly outlined in the 
  Hellfrost Gazetteer. enough detail is given to allow the 
  gM to flesh them out to fit his campaign. This section in-
  troduces a few other individuals heroes might encounter 
  in their journeys through the realm.
  cHaIn-breaKer
  While the peasants of galmoor avoid open rebel-
  lion, not everyone shares their passive resistance. A 
  mysterious figure has begun a crusade against the ruling 
  heahwisards. galmoor has responded by executing peas-
  ants, which has only led to further retaliation. So far, no 
  heahwisards have been killed, but many suspect it is only 
  a matter of time.
  each time a heahwisard has been assaulted, a broken 
  set of manacles has been left by the battered body. As a 
  result, the peasantry have taken to calling the ring leader 
  chain-breaker.
  Many rumors point toward chain-breaker being a 
  cleric of Haptsönir, a son of Thunor and god of libera-
  tion from tyranny. That said, talk is cheap and evidence 
  non-existent. Other rumors hint at foreign influence 
  behind the attacks, with the elves being a popular target. 
  Although far from any elven lands, relations with the few 
  hearth elf merchants who visit galmoor are strained.
  Heroes might be hired to hunt down chain-breaker 
  and bring him (or her) to justice. Alternately, those who 
  stand opposed to tyranny may be secretly contacted and 
  offered a chance to strike against the Magocracy.
  cHancellor PraetrIS
  chancellor Praetris Saronax, Mage-baron of the Third 
  Sphere and scion of House darovia, is head of the Mage-
  King’s household and his most trusted servant. Without 
  his approval, no heahwisard, regardless of title, can see 
  the Mage-King without an appointment.
  The chancellor has spent the last decade serving the 
  Mage-King. Although his youthful days are long past, he 
  is a skilled combatant, having spent years fighting in the 
  liche lands and Withered lands with clerics of Scaetha.
  A skilled practitioner of magic specializing in protec-
  tive and manipulative spells, tactful ambassador, and 
  shrewd judge of character, he is a near-perfect servant.
  Should heroes of high glory or important noble title 
  enter Kingshall, the chancellor is likely to visit them at 
  some point to bid them welcome. He plays the officious, 
  harmless servant, slightly bumbling and forgetful, but 
  discretely pumps the visitors for information.
  godS & monSterS
  Included below are two new minor deities, two new 
  creatures, and the fabled staffs of the Mage-Princes.
  eylúðr
  Titles: Herald of the gods, Sky growler, Twice-
  voiced.
  Aspects: Heralds.
  Affiliations: freo, Thunor.
  Symbol: A lightning bolt over a dark cloud.
  Priesthood: Thunderbrothers/sisters (priests); light-
  ningbrothers/sisters (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Any day there is a thunderstorm.
  Duties: To serve as a herald.
  Sins: (Minor) whispering, speaking or acting in a 
  manner unbefitting a herald; (Major) injuring a herald, 
  overstepping the bounds of your station or orders; (Mor-
  tal) killing a herald.
  Signature Power: Speak language.
  Powers (Priests only): Bolt, boost/lower trait 
  (Knowledge (Heraldry), Persuasion, and Riding only), 
  energy immunity (sound only), knockdown, stun, voice 
  on the wind, wilderness step.
  Powers (Paladins only): Aura, bolt, boost/lower 
  tHe magocracy
  
  
  trait (Knowledge (Heraldry), Intimidation, and Riding 
  only), energy immunity (electricity only), smite, stun, 
  wilderness step.
  Trappings: Priests must have a sound trapping—the 
  crash of thunder. Paladins use an electricity trapping.
  Special: Heralds are not freelancers. Hence, all cler-
  ics must have the Orders Hindrance to represent their 
  master. This may be a noble or social equivalent, one 
  specific temple, or an influential organization. Picking a 
  fellow player character as patron is permissible, but the 
  cleric is duty-bound to follow that hero’s orders in mat-
  ters of diplomacy and social interaction.
  eylúðr, son of Thunor, is chief herald of the gods. He 
  has two distinct personalities and appearances. One is a 
  large, bearded man with dark hair and eyes, well-muscled 
  of body like a warrior yet with kind eyes. He speaks in 
  a deep voice, which rolls and booms like thunder. Al-
  though loud of voice and menacing of appearance, this is 
  actually his more benevolent side and has a jovial nature. 
  The other is a fierce warrior, clean-shaven, with white 
  hair, grim visage, and piercing eyes. He speaks in a voice 
  that crackles like lightning. These aspects are known as 
  eylúðr Thundersunu and eylúðr lightningsunu, respec-
  tively.
  Since the blizzard War, eylúðr has served Thunor in 
  his rows with Thrym and Scaetha in her war against Hela. 
  With these duties taking up much of his time, the other 
  gods must rely on their own heralds. eylúðr makes his 
  presence felt not in raging storms (the domain of his 
  father), but in shorter thunderstorms, for although he is 
  a herald he is a god of few words.
  The key difference between a herald and messenger 
  is that while anyone can hire a messenger, a herald 
  only ever serves a noble or the same social equivalent. 
  Hence, clerics of eylúðr can be found working for the 
  Arkhwisards and Maegisters of the convocation and im-
  portant temples, as well as influential guilds. Messengers 
  can also be attacked freely, whereas a herald is, in theory, 
  due the same courtesy and protection as his lord. A her-
  ald also speaks with the authority of his lord, whereas a 
  messenger lacks that power.
  Shrines are found in most noble halls, and often a 
  room is set aside specifically to house the shrine. under 
  the ancient laws, visiting heralds, whether from friend 
  or foe, are given quarters here. Some lords stretch the 
  bounds of hospitality by maintaining two rooms. One, 
  inside the hall, is warm and well-appointed. A lesser 
  shrine, for heralds of foes, is located outside the main 
  hall, and is usually little more than a leaky shack with 
  basic furnishing and a charcoal brazier.
  like their god, priests and paladins fill different roles, 
  though both are heralds. Priests serve their lord’s imme-
  diate territory, spreading proclamations issued by their 
  master. They also deal with friendly neighbors, acting 
  as diplomats and messengers. Paladins serve outlying 
  communities, which may be separated by many miles 
  of bandit-infested country, and perform diplomatic ser-
  vices with nations considered unfriendly or undertake 
  lengthier journeys through foreign lands.
  Although linked with freo, clerics most favor rites 
  more akin to those of Thunor, for eylúðr was a son of 
  the storm god long before he became a herald. ceremo-
  nies involve drums and horns for priests and cymbals for 
  paladins, and lots of shouting.
  Character Guidelines: Heralds are both household 
  staff and messengers. Riding is important for those who 
  must travel far, as is Survival. Intimidation and Persua-
  sion are both useful social skills, and Knowledge (Her-
  aldry) is handy for making sure you’re dealing with the 
  right people and for identifying friends and foes on your 
  journeys. Although heralds are, by dint of their special 
  status, not supposed to act as spies, the practice is rife. 
  Hence, Notice and Streetwise can be useful skills. While 
  supposedly protected by law, it is a foolish herald who is 
  not ready at all times to fight his way out of an enemy’s 
  hall.
  HoárrI
  Titles: foresighted One, She Who Never looks back.
  Aspects: divination, the future.
  Affiliations: Maera.
  Symbol: A milky eye with no pupil.
  Priesthood: Seers (priests); Oracles (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: every Monandaeg is a holy day. divina-
  tion Night is a high holy day (see page 8).
  Duties: To divine the future.
  Sins: (Minor) studying the past, lying about the future; 
  (Major) aiding a cleric of the Norns; (Mortal) deliberately 
  preventing someone from fulfilling their destiny.
  Signature Power: Detect (no conceal).
  Powers: Farsight, fortune’s favored, precognition, 
  quickness.
  HeraldS
  few ruling heahwisards ever speak to each other 
  directly outside the chambers of the council elect. 
  Instead, communication is handled by heralds. As a 
  result, the Magocracy boasts the largest number of 
  heralds in any domain.
  like in other civilized realms, heralds are deemed 
  to be under the protection of their master, and any 
  attack on one is considered an attack upon their 
  liege.
  Most small noble Houses maintain only one or two 
  heralds, while the ruling houses may boast one for 
  each realm as well as others for dealing with for-
  eign nations. bedecked in their House’s livery and 
  carrying papers verifying their status, heralds spend 
  much of their time away from their homeland.
  In the Magocracy, heralds may be junior heah-
  wisards gaining first-hand experience of politics or 
  honor nobles. With the latter, a large percentage are 
  clerics of eylúðr.
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #03
  10
  
  Trappings: Any except necromantic.
  A one-eyed daughter of Nauthiz, Hoárri learned of 
  Maera’s expulsion from the Norns (see page 8). being 
  young and impulsive, she felt sorrow for the scorned 
  goddess and set out to help her. She attempted to break 
  into the Norns’ house and steal Maera’s thread from their 
  tapestry. Alas, she forgot that the Norns would know of 
  her coming since they had ordained it. The Norns gave 
  her a severe beating, and during the fracas Skuld’s needle 
  pierced her remaining eye, rendering it sightless.
  Maera learned of the attack through her divinations 
  and sought out Hoárri to console her. To Maera’s sur-
  prise, Hoárri was expecting her. Skuld’s needle may have 
  taken Hoárri’s ability to see the present, but it had be-
  stowed the ability to glimpse the future. because it was 
  Skuld who caused the injury, the Norns had no power 
  over her visions and could not block them. Maera at 
  once took Hoárri under her wing as a diviner. Although 
  she respected the girl’s power, her charity was more a 
  chance to spite the Norns.
  Hoárri is the patron of diviners and fortune-tellers. 
  She is always shown as a young woman with both eyes 
  bandaged. Shrines exist in all Maera’s temples, and many 
  prophets carry round charms as a focus for their divina-
  tions and soothsaying. unfortunately, charlatans carry 
  these same charms in a bid to authenticate their shams.
  Priests usually earn a living as diviners. unlike clerics 
  of the Norns, who prefer the future remains a mystery, 
  Hoárri’s clerics offer glimpses into the future in return 
  for hard coin. While many are itinerants, those with the 
  true gift can be found serving powerful figures as senior 
  advisors. clerics of var get on well with them, paying 
  handsomely for their insight before signing contracts. 
  To the Norns’ worshippers, they are little better than 
  thieves, stealing glimpses of the future.
  Paladins are more concerned with finding those with 
  an important destiny and ensuring they follow the right 
  path. Sometimes they offer shortcuts, knowing it will 
  cause the Norns no end of grief. This often puts them in 
  direct confrontation with the Norns’ clergy, who prefer 
  mortals discover their destiny without interference.
  Worshippers honor their goddess by divining the fu-
  ture and revealing it to others. like their brothers and 
  sisters in Maera’s cult, they practice mystery plays. A fa-
  vorite is the story of how Hoárri lost her eye. during the 
  play, hints are dropped that the Norns’ ability to foretell 
  the future is not all it is made out to be, and that maybe 
  mortals can shape their own future.
  Character Generation: Hoárri provides some useful 
  spells, but they are a limited set of abilities for adven-
  turing clerics who pick her as a patron. They are better 
  suited as NPc diviners and mysterious patrons nudging 
  the heroes toward their destiny through cryptic messages 
  and fortune telling.
  mage bane
  Many stories exist about how mage banes came into 
  existence. Some claim they are the spirits of mages who 
  never fulfilled their potential in life. Others insist they are 
  servants of Maera drawn to misuse of her gift of magic. 
  A few say they are elementals, drawn from the realm of 
  magic, while others speak of them as physical manifesta-
  tions of the Siphoning. One growing theory is that they 
  are gray riders whose physical form has been slain. It 
  is certainly true the two entities share many traits, and 
  mage banes, like gray riders, were unheard of before the 
  Siphoning began.
  Mage banes appear as gray, faceless humanoids, with 
  wispy, multi-colored threads of magic trailing from their 
  bodies like a tattered cloak blowing in the wind.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d12, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d6, vigor d8
  Skills: fighting d6, Knowledge (Arcana) d12, Notice d6, 
  Spellcasting d12, Stealth d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Absence of Magic: cannot be detected by detect 
  spells.
  * Automatic Dispel: Any time a mage within 24” of a 
  mage bane successfully casts a spell, the mage bane 
  may cast dispel as a free action. The spell need not be 
  targeted at the mage bane for this to occur.
  * Backlash: Mages banes are immune to the Siphon-
  ing. If they roll a 1 on their Spellcasting die, regard-
  less of Wild die, they are Shaken. On a critical failure, 
  they suffer a wound.
  * Elemental: No additional damage from called Shots; 
  fearless; immune to disease and poison.
  * Enhance Siphoning: Within 12” of a mage bane, 
  Siphoning occurs if a mage fails to cast a spell. Roll 
  2d6 and consult the Siphoning Table. A roll of 1 on 
  the arcane skill die, regardless of Wild die, causes the 
  mage to roll 3d6 and take the lowest two. On a critical 
  failure, he rolls 4d6 and takes the lowest two.
  * Invulnerability: Mage banes are immune to spells 
  cast by characters who suffer the Siphoning. This af-
  fects all wizards except hrimwisards and relics which 
  use an arcane skill die other than faith.
  * Magic Drain: On a successful Touch Attack (+2 fight-
  ing) against a mage, the mage bane reduces the vic-
  tim’s arcane skill die (all of them for a rune mage) 
  by one die type unless the victim succeeds in an op-
  posed Spirit roll. An arcane skill dropping below a d4 
  means the mage has lost access to his magic. lost dice 
  return at the rate of one die step per day.
  * Magic Sense: Mage banes use detect arcana as a nat-
  ural sense.
  * Powers: Mage banes know the following powers: bolt 
  (raw magic), entangle (foe is bound by magical fila-
  ments), and teleport (splits into rays of magic).
  moon dog
  Moon dogs appear similar to large wolfhounds, but 
  have a pale cream coat. despite being larger than wolves, 
  they are reputed to be puppies of Maera’s faithful hound, 
  tHe magocracy
  11
  
  garm, who escaped their father’s gaze and made their 
  way to the realm of mortals. like all puppies, they can be 
  playful, mischievous, or aggressive. 
  While packs have been known to aid clerics of Maera 
  and mages in trouble, suddenly appearing out of no-
  where, they are just as likely to ignore a spellcaster in 
  distress or even savage him.
  A cleric of Maera with the beast Master edge may have 
  a moon dog companion. However, if killed, the moon 
  dog is not automatically replaced with another. Instead, 
  the cleric must track down a pack of moon dogs in order 
  to gain a replacement.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d8, vigor d6
  Skills: fighting d6, guts d8, Notice d10, Stealth d8, 
  Tracking d8
  Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Arcane Resistance: Moon dogs gain varying Arcane 
  Resistance depending on the phase of the moon (see 
  below).
  * Bite: Str+d6.
  * Dispelling Bark: As an action a moon hound can 
  emit a loud bark. This works as the dispel power. The 
  arcane skill die varies by the phase of the moon (see 
  below).
  * Fleet Footed: Moon dogs roll a d10 when running 
  instead of a d6.
  * Go for the Throat: Moon dogs instinctively go for an 
  opponent’s soft spots. With a raise on its attack roll, it 
  hits the target’s most weakly-armored location.
  * Magic Sense: use detect arcana as a natural sense.
  * Moon Senses: So long as the moon is visible to a 
  moon dog it ignores all darkness penalties. unlike 
  mortals, moon dogs can see the deorcmonan in the 
  heavens.
  * Moon Step: Moon dogs can teleport as a free action 
  using their Spirit as their arcane skill, but only when 
  the moon is in the sky (see below). This replaces their 
  standard movement for the round.
  varIable PowerS
  Some of the moon dogs’ powers vary with the phase 
  of the moon. These are detailed below. Teleport distances 
  are per success and raise.
  Phase 
  Arc Res 
  Dispel 
  Teleport
  None 
  None 
  d4 
  5”
  quarter 
  +1 
  d6 
  10”
  Half 
  +2 
  d8 
  15”
  Three-quarter 
  +3 
  d10 
  20”
  full 
  +4 
  d12 
  40”
  StaFFS oF tHe mage-PrInceS
  The staffs originally appeared in the free download 
  Legendary Relics. They are reproduced here in standard 
  terminology for completeness.
  Description: All heahwisard staffs resemble a stan-
  dard quarterstaff, save they are gnarled and have runes 
  of power etched along them.
  History: The dozen surviving apprentice heahwisards 
  who founded the Magocracy each carried a heahwisard’s 
  staff. during the early years, as the apprentices became 
  masters in their own right and founded the Magocratic 
  dynasties, these became legendary relics, each imbued 
  with special powers by dint of its owner’s deeds.
  To stop lesser houses usurping power, tradition 
  quickly formed that no noble household could rise to 
  the status of having a Mage-Prince unless it possessed a 
  master heahwisard’s staff. Thus, as family lines divided, 
  there were always 11 ruling houses at the core of the 
  Magocracy. The Mage-King held the last staff.
  Through warfare, treachery, carelessness, and acci-
  dents, four of the staffs were lost, resulting in the owning 
  families falling in status. It is for this reason that today 
  the Magocracy has just seven ruling houses and myriad 
  smaller houses (one house actually has two staffs, though 
  this is not common knowledge).
  Any house which gained possession of a master staff 
  would, according to the ancient laws, immediately rise 
  in status, the family head becoming a Mage-Prince in his 
  own right and therefore being eligible for consideration 
  as Mage-King. for this reason, the lesser houses pay very 
  close attention to rumors regarding the lost staffs. Most 
  houses would prefer to use legal means to acquire such a 
  staff, but a few will go to any length to achieve power.
  No one knows where the missing staffs have gone. 
  Some may already be in the hands of the Reliquary, who 
  see these as true relics (unlike regular heahwisard staffs). 
  Others may be in the ruins of the numerous settlements 
  destroyed since the Ice Rise, or in the hands of fell crea-
  tures who slew the last owner.
  Powers: each staff has the following basic statistics: 
  damage Str+d8, AP 2, +1 Parry, Reach 1, requires 2 
  hands).
  * A heahwisard who holds a master’s staff suffers no 
  effects from the Siphoning. This is a unique power and 
  has been found in no other legendary relic to date (un-
  less the Reliquary has something stored in its vaults). 
  Whether this is because the staffs were forged long ago 
  or imbued with special powers is unknown.
  * each staff also contains the puppet power, which 
  any heahwisard can use, regardless of Rank. The caster 
  must use his own arcane skill. However, puppet can only 
  be used against characters with a lower social status than 
  the mage. for these purposes only, any non-heahwisard 
  ranks as being lower status (even a king).
  The wielder adds +2 to his heahwisardry roll when 
  casting puppet, treats his Wild die as being one die type 
  higher, and his Smarts as one die type higher for the pur-
  poses of the spell’s range.
  * each staff has been enchanted twice with the Aug-
  ment Staff edge to increase its damage. This only func-
  tions for heahwisards using the staff.
  * each staff grants the holder the danger Sense 
  edge.
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #03
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Once the agricultural and mining heartland of Vestmark, orcs have ruled here largely 
  unopposed for the past two decades. Tyrannized and brutalized, the captive population 
  has suffered greatly, toiling ceaselessly to feed and equip the orc war machine. For now, 
  Orcmark’s expansionistic dreams are held in check, but many plans are afoot to break the 
  stalemate. This supplement expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Who Is KIng nagrat?
  That orcs band together under powerful chieftains or frost giant jarls is well-known. 
  Typically, though, such alliances are short-lived, lasting no more than a few years before 
  dissension, tribal rivalries, and bids for power shatter the uneasy alliance. That King Nagrat 
  has held his armies in line for 20 years clearly indicates he is something special.
  With no eyewitness reports as to his identity, his enemies have fallen back on specula-
  tion. That he might not actually be an orc is widely considered a strong possibility, though 
  such claims do not immediately answer the question of his identity.
  His strategic prowess and organizational skills, though susceptible to errors of judg-
  ment and excessive caution, indicate he might be a Knight Hrafn, though such talents do 
  answer how he controls the many tribes under his command. Many Knights Hrafn argue 
  against this, not because the thought of Nagrat being one of them wounds their sensibili-
  ties, but because no Knight, especially one of the Upper House, would make the error of 
  dividing his forces so thoroughly. In simulations, every Knight given the role of Nagrat has 
  withdrawn from Karad Azgul (basing their decision on dwarves’ reliable insular nature) 
  and used those troops to conquer Ostersund.
  He might just as easily be a cleric of Dargar (or perhaps Tiw), though his restrain from 
  launching a full-out attack on Vestmark before he has numerical and strategic superiority 
  argues against this.
  One rumor the Vestmark commanders are quick to quash is that Nagrat is a vargr. An 
  Auld Saxa word, at its most basic it means “outlaw” or “criminal.” Yet the word has a deeper 
  meaning, one which strikes fear into seasoned warriors. Vargr conjures images of evil acts 
  which make the deprivations of Dargar’s Wolves seem like the work of toothless puppies. 
  It is the epitome of madness and fury, cannibalism and depravity, evil cunning, dark magic, 
  and wanton destruction. Vargrs are supposed to possess supernatural powers, especially 
  resistance to physical harm. Such a claim could well apply to Nagrat, who has survived a 
  dozen assassination attempts. Unsubstantiated reports claim he wears a golden wolf-mask, 
  31203
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  orcmarK
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  but talk is cheap and rumors like this serve more to dam-
  age morale than provide accurate intelligence.
  Whoever or whatever he is, his enemies are careful 
  not to underestimate him. For now, his armies are held 
  in check, yet they know it is only a matter of time before 
  the fast breeding orcs acquire the strength necessary to 
  force victory on one front. And when they do, the full 
  fury of Nagrat shall be unleashed against Vestmark.
  atmosphere
  Orcmark is an oppressed land. beyond the heavily 
  militarized frontlines, the roads are lined with grisly re-
  minders that this is a land occupied by brutal savages. 
  Victims impaled on sharp stakes or crammed into tight 
  cages, left to die in agony, remind the populace of the 
  price of rebellion. burned timbers, remnants of steads 
  and small villages, jut from the long grass like broken 
  teeth. Sun-bleached skeletons, human and animal, and 
  rusted arms and armor, lie scattered on the grass where 
  they fell, silent testimony to the bloodshed unleashed 
  upon the land.
  Near the remaining settlements, palls of acrid smoke 
  hang lazily overhead, bellowed out from the many smith-
  ies installed to supply the orcs with weapons. The steady 
  thump of hammers echo like a beating heart hungry for 
  war and bloodshed. Long lines of manacled prisoners 
  march to and from the fields and mines, their heads 
  bowed in submission and acceptance of their fate to 
  work hard and die young. columns of orc warriors march 
  across the country, scouting for rebels or heading to new 
  quarters, pawns on the strategically balanced chessboard 
  that is Orcmark’s war zones. And all the while the air is 
  rent with the harsh voices of orc overseers and the crack 
  of whips.
  Along the wild coasts the country is prone to fierce 
  storms, Thunor’s fury at the oppression wrought upon 
  the Saxa. Yet inland the air feels still and heavy, Thunor 
  seemingly held back by the might of the orc legions.
  major LocaLes
  Orcmark’s main settlements and war zones are de-
  tailed in the Hellfrost Gazetteer. Detailed here are other 
  sights heroes may have reason to explore.
  FIeLd oF screams
  Many prisoners who fall into the hands of a warlord 
  meet a gruesome end, suffering hours of excruciating 
  torment before finally being allowed the mercy of death. 
  Those who fall into Nagrat’s hands fare slightly better, 
  at least initially, for he prefers his captives to be fit and 
  healthy when they face death.
  Located between Nard and Kings Wood is the Field 
  of Screams. Here, captives are impaled on tall, slender, 
  sharpened stakes, left to die in unimaginable agony as 
  their weight slowly pulls them down the stake.
  Such is Nagrat’s skill, and barbarity, that he can de-
  termine the time it will take someone to slide down the 
  entire stake with remarkable accuracy. It is said he uses 
  his victim’s scream like one uses a sandglass, timing 
  his meals (he supposedly dines here on fine days and 
  watches the torment) and meetings with impeccable per-
  fection. Those who perish here are left to rot, for crows 
  and ravens (creatures sacred to Thunor) will not dine 
  on the flesh.
  hIgh guard Fort
  Located in a hidden valley in the Mace Mountains, 
  High guard fort is a temple to Tiw. Warriors trained 
  here in seclusion, without the distractions of the wider 
  world, honing their art before serving Tiw on the fields 
  of battle. When the orcs invaded, the clerics joined the 
  Saxa defenders to a man, dying honorably though fu-
  tilely. Nagrat’s scouts have never learned of the temple’s 
  existence.
  Unfortunately, it has not remained empty, for foul 
  beasts have made their ruins their home. However, if they 
  could be cleared out the fort would make an ideal base 
  for a resistance cell. Not only does it offer protection, but 
  its armories are full to bursting with weapons and armor. 
  Its musty library boasts many treaties on warfare, as well 
  as strategic and tactical maps of pre-conquest Orcmark. 
  coupled with its remote location, a talented commander 
  could equip and train a small army right under Nagrat’s 
  nose before putting them to good use.
  ostport
  Population: 2,000 orcs, 2,000 archers, 20 cliff giants 
  (estimated), 3,000 humans (estimated)
  Ruler: Orc-Warlord Shagnath (nominal)
  With the great harbor at Ostersund unavailable, the 
  orc navy has to make its headquarters in the former 
  finishing village of Ostport. Its flimsy fortifications have 
  been greatly strengthened in the landward side, with 
  rows of sharpened stakes forming a maze through which 
  ruLes oF the reaLm
  These setting rules apply in Orcmark.
  * enemies of the State: The orcs have no allies from 
  among the player character races. Orcs will attack 
  heroes first and ask questions later.
  * Submissive: The captive populations have little 
  willpower and are cowed into responding to barked 
  commands and threats without question. Intimi-
  dation rolls against them are made at +2. Any at-
  tempts to stir them into rebellion, whether through 
  charm or direct orders, are made at –6.
  * You Kill Us, We Kill You: King Nagrat punishes 
  rebellion swiftly and harshly. For every orc found 
  slain, he executes ten captives. A successful Knowl-
  edge (Orcmark) roll indicates a character knows of 
  this punitive arrangement.
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #04
  
  
  approaching caravans must carefully weave. In the 
  mouth of the harbor, a cove barely large enough to berth 
  five galleys at a time, stakes tipped with iron barbs have 
  been sunk just below the waterline to prevent the enemy 
  from launching a direct assault.
  Ostport is the headquarters for the Southern Army, 
  though Warlord Shagnath spends much of his time at 
  Ostersund. In his absence, the garrison and slaves of 
  Ostport go about their daily lives.
  Day and night, an army of slaves works to repair 
  existing galleys and construct new ones. While the orcs 
  greatly desire sleek longships with which to patrol he 
  coast, many of the shipwrights either managed to flee to 
  Midmark or were slain during the conquest. Thus, the 
  orcs must be content with the only type of ship design 
  they have ever mastered. burly giants stagger around the 
  shipyard and wharf, carrying colossal timbers,  lugging 
  supplies, and taking booty to and from the galleys.
  prIson camp
  This is a generic location. After the conquest of Orc-
  mark, Nagrat divided the captives among multiple prison 
  camps. The largest (outside those near the major settle-
  ments) contains 1,000 wretched slaves, while the small-
  est numbers just a few score souls.
  Security is notably lax except in the major camps 
  (and then it is high only because the warlords have their 
  headquarters there)— but there is nowhere for prison-
  ers to run, as those escaping are hounded by hungry dire 
  wolves, and for every slave who escapes ten are out to 
  death as punishment. As such, few are surrounded by 
  any form of barricade.
  Typically there is one squad of guards for every 100 
  slaves, though in rural areas of little importance this ratio 
  may be as low as 1:400. regardless of the troop type, 
  guards are issued two dire wolves per squad. Deliber-
  ately kept half-starved, the wolves feast on dead prison-
  ers and those foolish enough to escape. Pretty much left 
  to their own devices, the guards are notoriously cruel to 
  their captives.
   Slaves are typically housed in tents or draughty huts. 
  The guards’ quarters are little better, but orcs are accus-
  tomed to hardship. Sanitation is non-existent, leading to 
  disease. rations are served once a day and consist only 
  of thin gruel, hard bread, and tainted water—meat and 
  vegetables have long since vanished from the slaves’ diet. 
  During the early days, citizens used what wealth they sal-
  vaged from their homes to bribe guards to deliver better 
  rations or allow the slave to avoid work. Now that money 
  is gone, the slaves are all equal in their hardship.
  Depending on the camp’s purpose, there may be ore 
  smelting works and forges, threshing barns and grana-
  ries, or other workshops.
  WatchtoWers
  After the conquest Nagrat’s forces began major engi-
  neering works. As well as laying paved roads between 
  the settlements, garrisons, and camps, they took over 
  the road Warden travel towers, extending the network 
  to cover the land. Although supply caravans do make use 
  of them as resting posts, their main purpose is as a line 
  of communication.
  raised upon high ground whenever possible, they 
  provide a commanding view of the surrounding land. 
  Any terrain which could allow an enemy to sneak up 
  close has been cleared, with trees hacked down, vegeta-
  tion burned, and small hills flattened. Stationed in each 
  tower is a single squad of orc warriors or runts. 
  The lower levels are as per travel towers, consisting of 
  two open-plan floors. Stretching a further forty feet into 
  the air from the flat roof is a thin, stone spire, accessible 
  only by an exterior ladder from the roof.
  Atop each spire stands a signal beacon, which is lit only 
  when messages must be relayed. Due to their positioning 
  and the ferocity with which they burn, each tower’s light 
  can be seen for many miles, even in daylight. A metal 
  shutter allows the orcs to send relatively complex signals 
  consisting of long and short bursts of light.
  A constantly burning light indicates the tower is under 
  attack (it is kept constant because no one can be spared 
  to operate the beacon’s cover). A regular series of single 
  flashes means a large force of invaders has been detected 
  and reinforcements should be dispatched immediately. A 
  pattern of two flashes and a long pause signifies the pres-
  ence of a small group of outsiders. Three flashes means 
  a patrol has failed to return or has spotted lost intruders. 
  either way, help is required. One flash, a pause, and then 
  two flashes indicates the capture of prisoners.
  because of the towers’ capability to rapidly transmit 
  natIve orcmarKers
  Although Orcmark has been occupied for two dec-
  ades, characters can still have been born here. Those 
  older than 20 years of age likely escaped during the 
  initial assault, while younger heroes may have been 
  rescued or smuggled out. regardless, the character 
  likely has family still captive in the orc-held realm.
    orcmarK pacKage
  Instead of taking a free edge or two skill points, a 
  human hero born in Orcmark may select this pack-
  age, gaining the listed benefits and flaws.
  * I Hate You: The character may take the Favored 
  Foe edge at Novice, but only if he chooses orcs as 
  his enemy.
  * Orc Lore: The hero either grew up around orcs 
  or has made learning of their ways his business. He 
  begins with Knowledge (Orcs) d6.
  * Vengeance Shall be Mine: When fighting orcs, the 
  adventurer treats his Strength as one die higher for 
  the purposes of melee damage. This allows him to 
  offset Minimum Strength penalties.
  orcmarK
  
  
  message to neighboring stations and thence to local gar-
  risons, any heroes detected in Orcmark will quickly find 
  themselves harried by tireless pursuers. The towers are 
  also a weakness as much as a strength; if a party who 
  knew the codes could take over a strategically placed 
  tower they could relay false signals, sowing confusion in 
  the enemy ranks and possibly opening a breech in the 
  defenses they, or others, could exploit.
  armIes oF the reaLm
  Orcmark is unusual in that it boasts armies from four 
  different races. each is detailed below.
  orcs & aLLIes
  King Nagrat has assembled the greatest army of orcs, 
  goblins, ogres, and cliff giants ever known.
  In the army battalion listings, references to orc war-
  riors and elite warriors indicates the bulk of the soldiers, 
  not the entirety. Hence, a battalion listed as comprising 
  orc warriors may contain an entire company of archers 
  or dire wolf riders. The exact composition of each unit 
  is left to the gM to determine, as best fits the need of his 
  story. given the wide variation, there is no such thing as 
  an incorrect company or battalion.
  organIzatIon
  In order to maintain cohesion and discipline, Nagrat 
  has divided his armies on a decimal system, limiting the 
  number of subordinates in the chain of command.
  Armies: The largest formation is the army, which is 
  led by a warlord. Warlords answer directly to Nagrat. 
  Armies are comprised of a varying number of battalions.
  Warlords do not directly command a battalion, though 
  they have a quadruple-strength headquarters squad serv-
  ing them. The command group, which is always staffed 
  by orcs, includes one drummer, three priests of Dargar, 
  a priest of Thrym, a priest of Tiw, 20 runners, two apoth-
  ecaries, and 12 elite warriors
  Battalion (1000): The largest battlefield formation 
  is the battalion, led by a battalion-captain, who also 
  commands a company. regardless of the troops’ race, 
  all battalion-captains are orcs. Treat them as Wild card 
  chieftains.
  The battalion company has a headquarters squad. It 
  comprises an extra chieftain (the battalion-captain’s sec-
  ond), a drummer, two priests of Dargar, three runners, 
  and three elite orc warriors.
  Company (100): each battalion is made up of ten 
  companies. Nine of the companies are led by captains, 
  with the tenth being the battalion-captain’s company. 
  captains are always orcs, regardless of which race forms 
  the bulk of the company. Treat them as extra chieftains.
  each of the nine regular companies has a command 
  squad of 10 orcs. This comprises four elite warriors (one 
  of whom is the captain’s second and carries the title 
  sergeant-captain), a drummer, two priests of Dargar, and 
  three runners for carrying messages.
  Squad (10): The smallest formation is the ten-man 
  squad, commanded by a sergeant of the appropriate 
  race. All sergeants are elite warriors of their race (where 
  such differences occur).
  Nagrat uses the squad as his baseline for troop types, 
  not the company. Thus, while all squads are of the same 
  type, one may in theory find archers, engineers, berserk-
  ers, warriors, skirmishers, and dire wolf riders in the 
  same company, not to mention squads of ogres or cliff 
  giants. generally, however, a company has seven squads 
  of one troop type, a headquarters squad, and just two 
  squads of variant troops.
  An engineering squad comprises eight orc siege engi-
  neers and two cliff giants. They are equipped with two 
  catapults.
  sampLe company
  Detailed below is a sample company. gMs can use this 
  straight off the page or as a template for designing their 
  own companies with which to plague the heroes. De-
  pending upon where the adventure is set, the company 
  might be escorting a supply caravan, manning a small 
  outpost, or protecting a slave camp.
  Commander: captain Uzgat Nine-Teeth.
  Squads: One command squad (led by Uzgat), seven 
  squads of orc warriors, one dire wolf rider squad, and one 
  shock troop squad of eight ogres. Two orc ogre-herder, 
  one of whom is a sergeant, serves with the ogres.
  Uzgat’s company, known as the Nine-Teeth, serves in 
  the 3rd battalion (“The Jaw”) under battalion-captain 
  Strag. Designated as a shock company, the Nine-Teeth 
  focus on direct confrontation. Although they lack missile 
  support, the addition of a dire wolf rider squad allows 
  them to worry missile troops, buying the infantry, led 
  always by the ogres, time to advance.
  When marching, Uzgat forms half his wolf rider squad 
  to each side of the column at outriders, and splits the 
  ogres into a vanguard and rearguard. His command 
  squad is always located in the center of the line, with 
  four infantry squads ahead and three behind.
  A servant of Dargar, Uzgat enjoys cordial relations 
  with the priests assigned to his command. Standing or-
  ders are to take prisoners, not slaughter (something the 
  ogres must be reminded of before every engagement), 
  for Uzgat enjoys torturing his captives before sacrificing 
  them to Dargar.
  great north army
  Warlord: giant-Warlord Urk Three-Noses
  Battalions: 11 orc warriors, 4 elite orc warriors, 2 orc 
  artillery, 1 orc dire wolf rider, 3 goblin infantry, 2 goblin 
  wolf riders, and 1 ogre. Scattered among these are 200 
  individual cliff giants; most serve as catapult loaders.
  With its headquarters at the heavily-fortified town of 
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #04
  4
  
  Nard, the great North Army prosecutes the war against 
  Vestmark. A full third of the orcs and half the goblin wolf 
  riders are barracked around the town, ready to march 
  wherever they are needed at a moment’s notice.
  Faced with stern resistance and fortified lines, Urk 
  reluctantly ordered his troops to spend their days 
  strengthening their lines and pelting the Vestmark lines 
  with boulders and arrows. Despite this constant practice, 
  and the occasional foray across the elve in barges, Urk 
  knows morale is waning. The glorious days of victorious 
  battle are now a faded dream, the memories of conquest 
  and bloodshed tempered by camp life, routine patrols, 
  and boredom. rivalries between tribes are raising their 
  ugly heads once more, and only last month and entire 
  artillery company was wiped out when their cliff giants 
  decided to “have some fun.”
  requests for a major attack against Vestmark have 
  been rebuffed repeatedly, Nagrat being unwilling to 
  weaken any front at what he sees is a crucial phase. Urk 
  has no idea that his liege has allies in the Magocracy con-
  structing him a mighty fleet.
  Urk is desperate for the other fronts to finished their 
  tasks so he can unleash the pent up frustration and battle 
  lust of his army before they turn inward. As yet, he lacks 
  the courage to disobey Nagrat, but his patience is wear-
  ing very thin.
  eastern army
  Warlord: Orc-Warlord grizbane
  Battalions: 2 orc warriors, 1 elite orc warrior, 4 gob-
  lin infantry, and 2 goblin wolf riders. A total of 40 cliff 
  giants are at his disposal.
  grizbane is the only warlord happy with the current 
  situation. So long as the elves are not eradicated, he is 
  free to torture and maim captives snatched by patrols. 
  Unfortunately, his lack of progress in crushing Kings 
  Wood is beginning to annoy Nagrat and his warlord 
  peers.
  While Nagrat knows the elf army is weak and unlikely 
  to ever fight in the open, he is concerned that they could 
  sally forth and disrupt his lines of supply and commu-
  nication if left alone. Thus, for now, he must be content 
  to keep the forest surrounded and under constant pres-
  sure.
  The situation may soon change for the better, for 
  Nagrat’s envoys have been in negotiation with a Hellfrost 
  dragon roosted in the Mace. If the beast can be convinced 
  to aid their cause, it may be enough to tip the balance in 
  the orcs’ favor.
  suppLy corps
  Warlord: Orc-Warlord Azagroth
  Battalions: 4 orc warriors, 1 elite orc warrior, 1 orc 
  dire wolf rider, and 5 goblin infantry. Azagroth can also 
  call on the support of 50 cliff giants and a number of 
  ogres.
  Azagroth is responsible for seeing the army is fed and 
  equipped. As a result, most of his troops are dispersed 
  around the country, protecting the fields and mines, and 
  escorting supply caravans. rather than rely purely on 
  horses, which his troops have been known to kill and 
  eat, the Supply corps makes use of ogre pack bearers.
  currently out of favor with Nagrat after the escape of 
  200 slaves, Azagroth has decided to step-up production 
  in addition to executing prisoners. Long days, meager ra-
  tions, and constant whipping are taking their toll on the 
  neW combat edges
  These edges are open to all heroes.
    Fast and sILent
  requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8+, Stealth d8+
  The character is both fast and silent on his feet, a 
  deadly combination.
  When moving stealthily, the adventurer suffers no 
  penalties to Stealth rolls for running. Outside of 
  combat, each Stealth roll covers moving up to five 
  times the character’s Pace, plus his full running 
  die.
    retrIbutIve strIKe
  requirements: Veteran, Agility d8+, Fighting d8+
  The hero isn’t about to go down without having the 
  final word.
  Whenever the character is Incapacitated by a melee 
  attack, he may make a single Fighting roll as a free 
  action against his attacker before succumbing to 
  unconsciousness or death. This is performed after 
  rolling on the Incapacitation table.
  Only the foe who made the Incapacitating attack 
  may be targeted, and he must be within the hero’s 
  weapon’s reach. No edges or combat maneuvers 
  may be used with this free attack, though if the 
  character is already berserk or used Wild Attack this 
  round the relevant modifiers still apply to the re-
  tributive strike. Wound penalties apply as normal. 
  Injuries gained from the Incapacitation result, as a 
  result of the attack which forced him to roll on the 
  table, do not apply.
  Note that this edge should not be added to your 
  campaign if you intend to implement the optional 
  setting rule: Heroic Surge (see page xxx).
    vengeFuL strIKe
  requirements: Heroic, retributive Strike
  As above, except the hero may make a retributive 
  strike as a free action each time an adjacent ally is 
  Incapacitated by a foe. The retributive strike must 
  be made against the foe who downed the charac-
  ter’s ally.
  orcmarK
  
  
  slaves, but Azagroth is determined to win back favor at 
  any cost. Unfortunately, the rapid depletion of his slave 
  workforce may cost him more than his position.
  southern army
  Warlord: Orc-Warlord Shagnath
  Battalions: 5 orc warriors, 1 elite orc warrior, 5 orc 
  archers, 3 orc artillery, and 2 goblin wolf riders, Shagnath 
  commands a force of 50 cliff giants.
  Like all the warlords, Shagnath has become frustrated 
  with the situation in Orcmark. given a few more battal-
  ions, he believes he could finally capture the ruined city 
  of Ostersund, removing a perpetual thorn in Nagrat’s 
  side and giving the navy a sizeable harbor from which to 
  operate. With Ostersund in orc hands, he envisions his 
  navy ferrying a vast army into eastern Vestmark.
  As it is, his troops are confined to sporadic raids and 
  near-continuous artillery barrages against the defenders, 
  while the navy attempts to stop Saxa reinforcements 
  reaching the beleaguered ruins. Ironically, while a city of 
  rubble lies before him, Shagnath’s army is dangerously 
  low on catapult ammunition. With Azagroth focused on 
  appeasing Nagrat, he has neglected his duty to his peer.
  Shagnath is also in command of the Orcmark navy, a 
  mighty fleet of 35 war galleys which prowls Ost bay and 
  the crystal Sound and protects the eastern coast from 
  any attempts by the Magocracy to invade. Two of his orc 
  warrior battalions serve as marines, with slaves (human 
  and orc) manning the oars.
  mountaIn army
  Warlord: Orc-Warlord Arlik
  Battalions: 4 orc warriors, 1 elite orc warrior, 5 gob-
  lin infantry, and 2 goblin wolf riders. A force of 35 cliff 
  giants serve with the army.
  Arlik commands the smallest army. charged with de-
  feating Karad Azgul, the warlord has had little success to 
  date, though he has successfully prevented the dwarves 
  from emerging from their city.
  Unfortunately, Arlik’s troops must also watch over the 
  southern coast of Orcmark to ensure enemy forces do 
  not land behind the main orc army, and guard several 
  key mountain passes, any of which might link to Karad 
  Arlik and thus provide access for reinforcements. As a 
  result of this necessity, Arlik’s army is spread too thin to 
  complete its primary objective.
  While artillery futilely batters at the rune-warded 
  main gates, and several battalions conduct an assault on 
  the lower levels of the dwarven fortress, the bulk of his 
  army is engaged in excavating new tunnels toward the 
  city’s heart. Although many years from completion, the 
  shafts are Arlik’s best hope of securing victory.
  ostersund
  Of Ostersund’s 8,000 defenders a full 7,000 are 
  warriors, the rest being medics, clerics, crafters, and 
  other support staff. Despite this impressive army, the 
  inhabitants are a defensive force, occasionally launching 
  lightning raids, but otherwise bravely manning the walls. 
  While Ostersund is a drain on manpower from other 
  realms, it serves two vital purposes. First, the garrison 
  ensures the last Saxa outpost in Orcmark, a staging post 
  for a future invasion of liberation, remains held. Second, 
  the sacrifice the defenders make keeps the orc besiegers 
  from moving to the Vestmark front.
  Jarl Osni is in overall command of the garrison. At his 
  disposal are 70 companies, each made up of 100 men. 
  companies marked “*” should be treated as veteran mer-
  cenaries, with the rest as common mercenaries.
  To date, the companies comprise ten heavy infantry*, 
  ten light infantry, four Anari heavy cavalry*, four Anari 
  light cavalry, ten skirmishers, 30 archers (10 of which are 
  veteran), and two companies of artillerists.
  dWarves oF Karad azguL
  Thegn Jorgrik battleraven’s army has yet to meet the 
  orcs in the open; the current battle for the dwarf city is 
  being fought in the lower mines and passages, territory 
  well-suited to dwarven tactics. While the dwarves are 
  being kept busy by the orcs, they are under little true 
  threat—Nagrat cannot afford the troops for a full assault, 
  and so long as they are kept busy they cannot counterat-
  tack deep in his rear lines.
  The total strength of the dwarf army is 600 hall-
  guards, the city’s frontline troops, trained to fight as a 
  rigid shieldwall with a second line employing long spears 
  through their ranks, 100 huscarls, and 20 rune mages, 
  backed up by at least 3,000 militia and miners should 
  they be called upon.
  eLves oF KIngs Wood
  While the elves of Kings Wood maintained border pa-
  trols when King Horgar ruled here, they had little need 
  for a standing army. Despite being thrust onto the defen-
  sive by the suddenness of the orc assault they adapted 
  quickly, stalling the advancing orcs with withering vol-
  leys of arrows. Though few in number, their skill and 
  determination, combined with their forest allies, have 
  kept the orcs at bay for two decades.
  The total elf population of Kings Wood is actually 
  1,700. Added to this are 800 Saxa refugees. That the elves 
  allowed humans into the safety of their leafy realm is evi-
  dence of the seriousness of the situation in Orcmark.
  eLves
  The elf army currently stands at 800 warriors, almost 
  half the population, and comprises both sexes. The army 
  is divided into eight 100-man companies. Leading each 
  company is a warden-captain, an elf trained as both an 
  elite archer and a druid. The remaining soldiers com-
  prise ten blade dancers, experts at melee combat, two 
  spellcasters (druids or elementalists), and 87 rangers. 
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #04
  
  
  given 20 years of weathering attacks, half the troops are 
  veterans, with the rest rapidly gaining valuable combat 
  experience.
  Unable to defend any one point in strength, the elves 
  patrol in small bands ranging from 10 to 50 warriors. 
  They avoid pitched battles, instead employing ambushes 
  and magic to harry orc patrols. Their ability to melt away 
  into the forest has frustrated the orcs since the siege 
  began. More than one commander has grown impatient 
  and ordered his troops to advance into the forest. King 
  Nagrat has issued a direct command for this practice to 
  stop, for he can ill-afford to have his troops massacred 
  piecemeal.
  the Forest
  The elves greatest asset is not their tenacious archers 
  or Saxa allies, but the forest in which they live. In truth, 
  without these potent friends the elves would have been 
  crushed long ago, their forest homes put to the torch 
  and the survivors playthings for the orcs.
  Five leshiji native to the forest, and their host of wood 
  wights, have agreed to help the elves defend the realm. 
  Their power to animate war trees, summon forest ani-
  mals, summon wood elementals, and awaken the vines 
  and creepers to ensnare intruders has shattered many an 
  orc advance.
  glimmerwings raise fogs to hamper orc movements 
  and conceal elf strikes and storms to extinguish attempts 
  to raze the forest, while the normally hostile bugganes 
  tunnel through the earth, surfacing only to claw and rend 
  at orc commanders. Darkling, a species of Unseelie fey, 
  blanket orc patrols in utter darkness, redcaps (though 
  not true allies) revel in carnage against the invaders, and 
  swiftling swarms snipe at officers.
  ruling over the forest realm is the Auld King, a pow-
  erful fey noble for whom the forest is actually named. 
  Although he has never been forced to manifest in per-
  son, his presence is felt through bands of fey knights and 
  wood warriors (see page xxx).
  saxa
  Only a handful of Saxa are trained warriors, though 
  all the men of fighting age trained as members of their 
  local fyrd and are thus proficient with spear and shield.
  Having sworn fealty, albeit temporarily, to the elf no-
  bility, the Saxa were drawn up into three primary and 
  two secondary companies, each of 100 men. The term 
  “men” is used generically, for women who lost menfolk 
  or merely wish to reclaim their homelands number 
  among them.
  Knowing the humans are clumsy in the heavily-over-
  grown forest, they rarely patrol near the border. Instead, 
  they serve as second line troops, waiting behind the elf 
  lines to stem any orc advance. One secondary company 
  is assigned to protect the Saxa camp, while the other 
  helps guard the elf settlements.
  Treat each primary company as mercenary infantry 
  equipped with short spears and medium shields. The 
  secondary companies are town militia, but lack armor.
  persons oF note
  Nagrat and his warlords, the major villains of Orc-
  mark, are described either in this text or in the Hellfrost 
  Gazetteer.
  battaLIon-captaIn grond
  grond has served Nagrat since before the conquest, 
  though he has never seen his liege’s face. Despite working 
  his way through the ranks, grond has no love for Nagrat 
  cLerIcs oF dargar
  The religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of Dargar, providing facts useful to both 
  players and gMs. 
  Training: Worshippers are expected to be remorse-
  less killers, devoid of pity and compassion. Novices 
  are forced to witness scenes of grisly torture or take 
  part in raids on defenseless citizens until they be-
  come desensitized. Those who show signs of weak-
  ness are used as sacrifices. Potential clergy are then 
  formed into small bands under the leadership of 
  a full cleric. They are encouraged to form strong 
  bonds of friendship. As training nears its end, the 
  students are ordered to fight each other to the 
  death. The sole student who survives the massacre 
  is accepted into the clergy.
  Prayers: Most prayers are intended to stir up vio-
  lent feelings. “Dealer of death, eater of flesh, slayer 
  of the weak, flayer of the meek, hear my prayer.”
  Adventures: Anything involving senseless violence 
  or massacres is well-suited to Dargar’s crazed wor-
  shippers. They support (or even lead) orc and gob-
  lin raids, attack defenseless settlements and inno-
  cent travelers, create war between two nations, and 
  stalk battlefields to dine on the flesh of the dying 
  before finishing sending them to their gods.
  Character Generation: Dealing death and destruc-
  tion requires good Strength and Fighting. Any com-
  bat edges are suitable, though Frenzy and Sweep, 
  which allow death to be meted out more quickly, are 
  favored. given many are berserkers, a low Smarts 
  is actually favorable, so as to be able to go berserk 
  more easily. The downside is the berserker finds it 
  hard to calm his emotions. Mean is a suitable Hin-
  drance, for Dargar’s cannibals and psychopaths are 
  rarely charitable souls.
  orcmarK
  
  
  and would work with anyone to see the king slain. This 
  is not to say grond has any desire for the orcs to with-
  draw. quite the contrary, in fact. He sees Nagrat as having 
  failed his race, for the conquest has stalled and orcs die 
  each day for a yard of ground or in a pointless raid to test 
  enemy defenses and firepower. grond doesn’t have as-
  pirations of kingship, either. While a capable battlefield 
  commander, he doubts he could command a kingdom. 
  To that end, he is willing to support any claimant who 
  would advance the armies.
  grond, through trusted agents (trusted once and 
  then put to death, anyway), has made overtures to the 
  Vestmark Saxa. Playing a deadly game, he is trying to ar-
  range Nagrat’s death and lure the Saxa into weakening 
  their lines. grond claims the orc resolve is weakening 
  and all that keeps them fighting is Nagrat. Should the 
  Saxa commit to a major offensive, he swears he will as-
  sassinate the orc king.
  As yet unsure whether an orc can be trusted, the Saxa 
  are content to communicate, but not commit forces. 
  Should suitable candidates appear, say a small team of 
  skilled (and expendable) adventurers turn up in Vest-
  mark, they might be persuaded to cross the border, meet 
  with grond, and size up his honesty.
  the WhIte generaL
  A mere girl when the invasion occurred, Thora man-
  aged to escape the massacres and captures, though she 
  cannot say how. For the last 20 years she has somehow 
  survived in the hostile realm, growing to maturity with-
  out support. At the age of 14 she devoted her life to eira, 
  though she has no religious training beyond stories she 
  heard as a child. eira, it seems, cared little for matters of 
  doctrine, for Thora has been blessed with divine power.
  Neither a strategist nor a warrior, Thora has tried to 
  wage a passive war of resistance— smuggling food and 
  medicine into camps, aiding and sheltering escapees, 
  and passing on messages.
  Years ago Thora treated a band of rebels who had sur-
  vived the conquest. Shamed by fleeing the field of battle 
  while their comrades died, they sought penance for their 
  sins. Thora commanded them to serve her for one year in 
  aiding the helpless without resort to violence. Four years 
  on, they remain in her service, still vowed only to kill in 
  self-defense and when no other options are available. 
  Although Thora dislikes the term “White general,” a 
  title granted her affectionately by her men in deference 
  to her robes and religious calling, but one she sees with 
  connotations of war and battle, she has made no attempt 
  to halt the men using it—the men require a leader, and 
  fate has decreed that to be her destiny.
  The orcs have heard of the mysterious White general, 
  and some are now beginning to fear the name. With 
  reports of attacks against orcs exaggerated with each 
  retelling, many believe a talented Saxa general and an 
  elite band of vengeful warriors is operating behind their 
  lines. every attack on an orc caravan or fort is attributed 
  to the White general, a general who is rapidly gaining all 
  manner of supernatural powers as the stories spread.
  With patrols having failed to discover “his” camp, 
  the orcs have recently resorted to threats and treachery. 
  Human “escapees” have been set free; some traitorous 
  curs voluntarily serving the orcs under the promise of 
  freedom should they hand over the White general, and 
  others not so willing, but with the promise their kin will 
  suffer all manner of terrible, prolonged torture.
  FestIvaLs to dargar
    nIght oF red snoW
  Any night between Fogmonan and Frostmonan 
  when the moon is dark or shrouded by heavy 
  cloud.
  On this dark night cultists of Dargar gather in se-
  cret to prepare for an act of savage butchery. With 
  faces smeared in congealed blood they descend on 
  a remote farmstead or village like a pack of rabid 
  wolves, slaughtering the entire population without 
  mercy. The raiders do not take captives or treasure 
  this night—they kill to sate Dargar’s thirst and bless 
  his eyes with a cacophony of terrified screaming. 
  Once the cultists have finished their work, victims 
  are dismembered, gutted, decapitated, partially eat-
  en, or nailed to the sides of their houses.
  As the dawn nears, the cultists retreat back into the 
  wilderness. Often the attacks are timed to coincide 
  with heavy snowfall. Non-cultists who know of the 
  ritual claim this snow is not sent by Thrym directly, 
  but by eira. Appalled by the senseless massacre, her 
  tears fall to earth, freezing in the winter air to con-
  ceal the bloody crime.
  Perhaps the mutilated bodies of the victims will lay 
  undiscovered until the spring thaw. Maybe a pass-
  ing merchant or hunter braving winter will seek 
  shelter, only to discover a grisly sight. All that is 
  guaranteed is that when the corpses are discovered 
  the screaming will begin again, and the Lord of Ter-
  ror will laugh.
    drInKIng the bLood day
  When required.
  Although the cult is a bloodthirsty collection of psy-
  chopathic killers, there are folk who actively want 
  to join. Some wish membership because they are 
  insane, while others enjoy carnage and bloodshed. 
  The most dangerous members are those who wish 
  to join because they believe the weak are holding 
  back the rest of society and must be culled. In or-
  der to be accepted, a candidate must kill all those 
  closest to him, drink their blood, and bring their 
  severed heads to the temple. Anyone sick enough 
  to do this is granted membership.
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #04
  
  
  thegn edmund geIrsunu
  The highest ranking Saxa noble not in captivity or slain 
  in combat, Thegn edmund leads the Saxa community in 
  Kings Wood. He has sworn allegiance to the elf nobles, 
  though not forsaken his vow to King Horgar. While he 
  knows his men are too few to present any threat to the 
  orcs, he nonetheless chomps at the bit, eager to avenge 
  his kith and kin. edmund continually presses the elves 
  to go on the offensive, but so far they have refused to en-
  tertain the notion—while they hold true to their oaths of 
  friendship with King Horgar, they refuse to endanger the 
  continued existence of their people with futile gestures. 
  edmund has yet to go against their wishes, but should 
  the opportunity arise, he would gladly lead his people 
  from exile to form a new community beyond the restric-
  tions of the elves, so long as the chance to wage war 
  presented itself as well.
  Why come here?
  Orcmark is a dangerous realm. With four active mili-
  tary fronts, constant orc patrols, no allies to call upon, 
  and harsh punishments for those caught in the realm, 
  why would any hero venture here?
  * Orders. characters beholden to the cults of Tiw, 
  eira, or Neorthe, to the nobility of Vestmark or Midmark, 
  or to the Knights Hrafn may be called upon to serve at 
  the front in some capacity. While the main armies are 
  deadlocked, small raids, intelligence gathering missions, 
  sabotage, assassination attempts, and rescue missions 
  are being conducted on a daily basis by all sides.
  gMs looking to run more militaristic adventures will 
  find a quick but detailed adventure generator in the Hell-
  frost Expansion book.
  * glory. Defeating roving bandits, slaying dragons, 
  and looting old ruins can all earn glory, but Orcmark 
  offers such rewards in abundance. Heroes looking to test 
  their mettle against a well-armed and disciplined foe will 
  find the orcs only too happy to oblige.
  * Personal reasons. Whether a hero is a Saxa, Anari, 
  hearth elf, or frost dwarf, there is always the possibility he 
  had family in Orcmark at the time of invasion. The char-
  acter may even be a refugee, forced from his homeland 
  by the cruel invaders. The chance to strike back or rescue 
  kin may prove irresistible to certain types of hero.
  * Humanitarian Aid. Heroes with a humanitarian 
  streak may be lured here by the chance to do good work. 
  clerics of Thunor may wish (or be ordered) to liberate 
  slaves, while those of eira might desire to smuggle in 
  herbal remedies or alchemical healing and succor po-
  tions. even a journey to Ostersund to deliver supplies, 
  once a dull voyage from Midmark, is fraught with peril; 
  mariners and clerics of Neorthe would find challenges to 
  suit their particular talents in the form of sea monsters 
  and orc pirates.
  In general, Orcmark is a perfect adventuring realm for 
  adventurers with Leadership edges, or who command 
  mercenaries or followers. While other realms present 
  opportunity to shine in skirmishes, only in Orcmark can 
  a leader of men show his true potential in battle.
  adventure seeds
  * A Saxa slave has escaped captivity and somehow 
  made it to safety in Vestmark. During his debriefing, he 
  reveals that the family (direct or distant) of one of the 
  heroes is alive but being held in a prison camp. That 
  they live is heart-warming news, but the future looks 
  grim—they have been selected for execution, a sentence 
  to be carried out at the next Deorcmonan.
  * Although assassination attempts against Nagrat have 
  failed, his warlords may present easier targets. Such at-
  tempts are fraught with danger, not just because the top 
  commanders are well-protected, but also because any 
  death may result in reprisals against the enslaved popu-
  lation. Although the death of a warlord would result in 
  a replacement being appointed, any delay could sow 
  confusion, and that confusion may just be enough for 
  one of the fronts to profit.
  * Vestmark is vaguely aware that the dwarves of Karad 
  Azgul closed their doors on the Saxa, but it is also hope-
  ful a deal can be struck that would allow the war on both 
  fronts to be taken to the enemy, forcing them to divide 
  their forces or at least withdraw troops from the coast-
  line. A small team is required to smuggle messages into 
  and out of Karad Azgul. Heroes with the right skills may 
  also be selected to serve as envoys, charged with trying 
  to secure an alliance that profits both factions.
  Variants on this theme involve making contact with 
  the elves of Kings Wood, Saxa rebels hiding in the Mace 
  Mountains, or encouraging the defenders of Ostersund 
  to launch more raids to draw off troops from other fronts 
  (perhaps as a prelude to opening negotiations).
  Alternately, the adventurers might be hired to start a 
  rebel group, giving them opportunity to find recruits, 
  liberate slaves, disrupt supply lines, and use those Lead-
  ership edges they invested in.
  gods & monsters
  This section details a new deity, báleygr, lord of pain, 
  four new types of orc, expands orc priests to cover other 
  favored deities, and two new potential allies.
  báLeygr
  Titles: Lord of Pain, Inducer of Suffering, baleful 
  eye.
  Aspects: Pain.
  Affiliations: Dargar.
  Symbol: A pierced heart.
  Priesthood: Torturers (priests); Paindealers (pala-
  dins).
  orcmarK
  
  
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Life is pain, and all days are holy days.
  Duties: To cause pain and suffering.
  Sins: (Minor) failure to inflict intense pain on a living 
  being once a week, admitting you are in pain, showing 
  pity or mercy; (Major) failure to inflict intense pain on 
  a living being once a month; (Mortal) failure to inflict 
  intense pain on a living being once a season.
  Signature Power: Confusion.
  Powers: Fatigue, jinx (no luck), knockdown, lower 
  trait (no boost), sluggish reflexes, stun.
  Trappings: All trappings involve targets feeling pain.
  One of Dargar’s lieutenants, báleygr is infamous for 
  his love of inflicting and suffering pain. báleygr’s heart is 
  so black and empty that only by enduring constant pain 
  can he be sure he is alive. His leather armor is made of 
  the flayed skins of his victims, with sharp bone studs that 
  press into his flesh. His mighty whip, Soul Flayer, can 
  scourge the flesh of a god’s back with a single swipe. 
  báleygr is a keen bidder in the Hall of echoing Screams. 
  Souls he purchases are dragged to his Fortress of endless 
  Suffering, where they are mercilessly tortured in a variety 
  of ways for eternity.
  báleygr is always depicted as having one normal eye 
  and one huge, swollen red eye. His name means Flame-
  eye, for it is said his gaze can cause intense pain in any 
  being. That the Fortress of endless Suffering is bedecked 
  in mirrors perhaps comes as no great surprise.
  Although allied with Dargar, pain is not actually one 
  of Dargar’s aspects. because of this, báleygr has his 
  own temples. All are well-concealed from the agents of 
  the good gods, especially eira’s clergy. Most are dark 
  and dank dungeons, without windows or illumination, 
  where the air is laden with fear and the stench of ex-
  cretions brought about by the damned souls tortured 
  here for the amusement of the vile god. A very small few 
  operate more openly in brothels, where those who enjoy 
  pain are catered for. Note that báleygr has no interest in 
  domination.
  Priests, normally the cerebral ones in other religions, 
  are adept torturers of the flesh. Their skill in inducing 
  pain while being able to keep victims conscious and alive 
  is legendary. Over-zealousness means any tyrant hiring 
  one as a torturer must keep him on a tight leash, for 
  acquiring information is not one of their strong points. 
  Paladins, on the other hand, focus on spiritual pain 
  rather than physical pain. They are the callous souls who 
  torture and kill a man’s family before his eyes, but let 
  him live so he will endure the torment over and over 
  again. Some like to gouge out the men’s eyes, so the last 
  vision burned into their brain is that of their ruined fam-
  ily. Deviancies come in many forms, and clerics can earn 
  good money pandering to those for whom pain brings 
  feeling of gratification.
  clerics of Vali sometimes hire báleygr’s worshippers. 
  Men are far easier to corrupt under intense and unyield-
  ing pain, for eventually even the strongest will offer 
  anything to cease their burden. Worshippers of eira are 
  the most favored victims for this unholy partnership, for 
  eira is anathema to both the god of corruption and the 
  god of pain.
  ceremonies to báleygr always involve torture. Some-
  times worshippers torture each other, and sometimes 
  they torture innocent victims. The screams of the tortured 
  are like choral music to báleygr, who waltzes in his castle 
  with his mistress, Viðrímnar (“contrary Screamer”), in 
  time to the unearthly screams of agony.
  His clergy are often drawn to battles, not as par-
  ticipants but as spectators, reveling in the wails of the 
  injured and dying. They have been known to plunder 
  battlefields not for treasure but for the dying, whose 
  agony they prolong before the soul is eventually allowed 
  to depart.
  Character Guidelines: given the masochistic tenden-
  cies of the clergy, taking Nerves of Steel is a no-brainer, as 
  it represents their desensitization to pain. Intimidation 
  is used to torture people, so is considered their most 
  useful skill. Mean is almost a must have Hindrance, for 
  showing pity or mercy is a sin.
  FestIvaLs to dargar
    countIng the heads day
  First night of the Deorcmonan in Wulfmonan.
  Dargar’s bloodthirsty ways began when he was 
  but a youth. each year on his birthday, he would 
  present the heads of those he had slain to his father 
  in an attempt to win Tiw’s approval. Tiw never once 
  praised the boy, but Dargar remains confident he 
  will one day succeed.
  Throughout the year, worshippers of Dargar take 
  the heads of foes they have slain as trophies. On 
  the day of the ceremony, they bring their collections 
  to their temple to be counted. The cultist with the 
  lowest tally is ritually slain and his corpse hacked 
  apart and burned—to eat the flesh of a weakling is 
  to inherit his flaws. Failure to attend carries with it 
  an automatic death sentence. Afterward, the flesh is 
  boiled off the gathered heads and eaten. The skulls 
  are then placed in the temple.
    cuLLIng the WeaK day
  Any Deorcmonan (local high priest decides).
  Once a year all the half-starved, half-crazed captives 
  of a temple are armed and forced to fight each other 
  to the death. Those who refuse are brutally tortured 
  and then mutilated in front of the other prisoners. 
  In some instances, the winner is ritually sacrificed 
  and flesh devoured so as to strengthen Dargar. 
  In other instances, he may be insane and violent 
  enough to be offered membership in the cult. The 
  carcasses of all those slain are eaten by the worship-
  pers throughout the year.
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #04
  10
  
  orc
  considered by many to be the evilest sentient race, 
  orcs are rapacious and murderous. Although they act 
  tough around weaker races, orcs are all too often bullied 
  into submission by giants.
  eLIte berserKer
  elite berserkers have the ability to shrug off wounds 
  which would kill a lesser being. This makes them con-
  siderably more dangerous to their comrades should they 
  run amok. even a single elite berserker is a threat to an 
  adventuring party.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d10+2, Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8+2, Intimidation d10, Notice d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 3; Toughness: 11 (1)
  Edges: Improved Frenzy, Sweep
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), great axe (Str+d10+2, AP 1, 
  –1 Parry)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Berserk: These orcs begin any encounter already ber-
  serk, as per the edge. Their stat block reflects these 
  changes. Wild card berserks ignore wound penalties.
  * Fearless: berserkers are immune to Fear and Intimi-
  dation.
  * Hardy: Multiple Shaken results never cause a 
  wound.
  * Size +1: Orcs are slightly larger than humans.
  * Unstoppable: Whenever one is wounded by any 
  means other than a Heavy Weapon or area effect at-
  tack, draw a card from the action deck. A red card 
  or Joker indicates the berserker is disabled as normal 
  and out of the fight. A black card means the orc ig-
  nores all damage from the attack.
  hero KILLer
  Hero killers, also known as death dealers, rain a bar-
  rage of devastating blows upon their enemies. In battle 
  they use their Frenzy and Sweep edges to cut a path 
  through to enemy commanders and heroes, whereupon 
  they unleash their most deadly attack.
  regardless of a tribe’s religious affiliation, hero killers 
  always honor Dargar.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d10, guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice 
  d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10 (2)
  Edges: block, combat reflexes, Frenzy, Sweep
  Gear: chain hauberk (+2), pot helm (+3), great axe 
  (Str+d10, –1 Parry, 2-hands)
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Flurry of Blows: If a hero killer hits with a Fighting 
  attack it may immediately make another attack against 
  the same target as a free action. Free attacks incur a 
  cumulative –1 penalty per additional attack made in 
  the same round. So long as each attack hits, there is 
  no limit to how many times a round this ability may 
  be used. If any attack fails to hit the ability ends for the 
  round. This is incompatible with Frenzy and Sweep.
  * Size +1: Orcs are slightly larger than humans.
  InFILtrator
  King Nagrat of Orcmark has gone against millennia 
  of tradition by training runts to be something other 
  than sword fodder and expendable assets. Scout, trap 
  disarmer, assassin, and thief all rolled into one, infiltra-
  tors are deployed to sow chaos, poison or steal supplies, 
  locate targets for artillery, steal plans, and kill enemy 
  commanders. Still weak in combat skills, they attack only 
  from ambush, and preferably while their opponents are 
  asleep.
  They are given single voice on the wind alchemical de-
  vices before deployment. This allows them to pass back 
  information to their officers as soon as it is learned—if 
  they are captured or killed before reaching the safety of 
  their own lines, Nagrat still benefits from a “successful 
  mission.”
  rare and trusted infiltrators may be provided other 
  beneficial alchemical devices containing boost, fog 
  cloud, or invisibility spells.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: climbing d8, Fighting d6, guts d8, Lockpick-
  ing d6, Notice d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Survival d6, 
  Swimming d8, Tracking d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 (1)
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), small shield (+1 Parry), short 
  sword (Str+d6), bow (range: 12/24/48, Damage: 2d6), 
  voice on the wind alchemical device
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Woodsman: Infiltrators have +2 to Stealth, Survival, 
  and Tracking rolls made in the wilderness.
         prIest, aLternate
  Swap the stock priest’s powers with the appropriate 
  entry below for gods other than Thrym.
  * Báleygr Powers: Confusion, fatigue, knockdown, 
  lower trait (no boost), stun
  * Dargar Powers: Armor (magical armor), battle song 
  (victims’ eyes glow red), bolt (axes), boost/lower trait 
  (Strength, Vigor, Fighting, Shooting, and Throwing 
  only), smite (weapon sharpens or grows spikes), 
  summon demon (chain, demonic soldier, lasher, 
  spined, steed only), warrior’s gift (victims’ eyes glow 
  yellow).
  * Niht Powers: Bolt (dark skulls), deflection (shroud-
  ed in darkness), fear (horrible visions), obscure (inky 
  darkness), quickness, summon elemental (shadow 
  only).
  orcmarK
  11
  
  * Vali Powers: Armor (flies cling to target), disease, 
  entangle (flies), fear (victim sees himself diseased), 
  smite (corrosive slime), summon demon (changeling, 
  imp, plague, succubus/incubus only).
  torturer
  Torture is a messy business and one best left to pro-
  fessionals. While many torturers are sadists who enjoy 
  causing pain for pain’s sake, the true experts use pain in 
  limited measures so as not to kill their victims or desen-
  sitize them. They are also patient, slowly breaking down 
  resistance through controlled application of pain.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, guts d10, Intimidation d8, Notice 
  d4
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Gear: Leather shirt (+1), dagger (Str+d4), variety of tor-
  ture devices
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Torture: Once per day, a torturer can make an Intimi-
  dation roll after applying torture to a victim. If he rolls 
  a 1 on his Trait die, regardless of any Wild Die, he 
  accidentally inflicts a wound on his victim. With suc-
  cess, the victim must make a Spirit roll against the 
  Intimidation total. A success for the victim means he 
  holds his tongue but is Fatigued for 24 hours. On a 
  failure, he reveals one truthful piece of information 
  the torturer seeks and is exhausted for 24 hours.
  * Size +1: Orcs are slightly larger than humans.
  Warden-captaIn (eLF)
  Warden-captains are responsible for the defense of a 
  small forest or a portion of a larger woodland. They typi-
  cally speak Arboreal and Fey, in addition to elven. Their 
  remaining language is usually that of their most common 
  enemy, which for many is giant or Orcish.
  More experienced Warden-captains can be created by 
  adding edges such as (Improved) Double Shot, Favored 
  Foe, and Mighty Shot. Taiga elf equivalents can be cre-
  ated simply by replacing the hearth elf racial edges and 
  Hindrances with those of the taiga elves and adding in 
  extra equipment, such as skis and winter clothing.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d8, Vigor d8
  Skills: climbing d8, Druidism d10, Fighting d10, guts 
  d8, Knowledge (battle) d8, Notice d8, Shooting d10, 
  Stealth d10, Survival d10, Tracking d10
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: All Thumbs, Loyal, Orders
  Edges: Agile, Arcane background (Druid), combat re-
  flexes, command, command Presence, connection 
  (Wood Wardens), coordinated Firepower, Level Headed, 
  Marksman, Tactician, Wood Warden, Woodsman
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), long sword (Str+d8), long 
  bow (range: 15/30/60, Damage: 2d6), camouflage cloak 
  (+2 Stealth when hiding in deciduous forest)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Powers: Barrier (thorns), beast friend (song of the wild), 
  bolt (sharp wooden darts), entangle (thorns), healing 
  (herbs), silence, summon elemental (wood only), voice 
  on the wind (messages carried by animals).
  Special Abilities:
  * Forest Born: Hearth elves suffer no penalties for dif-
  ficult ground in forests.
  * Low Light Vision: elves ignore penalties for Dim and 
  Dark lighting.
  Wood WarrIor (Fey)
  Wood warriors are sentient beings of living wood. 
  All serve one of the forest kings or queens (powerful 
  fey nobles) as personal guards and as guardians of the 
  forest.
  Thin but of similar height to the Saxa, wood warriors 
  appear to be clad head to foot in wooden armor intri-
  cately carved to resemble leaves. This is actually their 
  skin. Wood warriors vary slightly in appearance and name 
  depending on whom they serve. Those in the service of 
  grandfather Oak, for example, have oak leaf patterns on 
  their armor and are known as acorn guards, while those 
  subject to the Lord of Pines seemingly wear pine needle 
  cloaks and are known as needle warriors.
  Those serving the Auld King of Kings Wood appear 
  aged, with many knots, cracked skin, and stains of mold 
  and moss.
  Wood warriors are fluent in Arboreal, beastspeech, 
  Fey, Hearth elven, and Taiga elven, but rarely communi-
  cate beyond brief physical gestures. They rarely interfere 
  in mortal affairs unless ordered to do so by their king, 
  though an important leshij may have a small number at 
  his disposal.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d6, guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, 
  Stealth d8, Tracking d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (2)
  Gear: Medium shield (+1 Parry), short spear (Str+d6, 
  reach 1)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +2: Made of living wood.
  * Camouflage: A wood warrior has +4 to Stealth rolls 
  in vegetation if it does not move.
  * Forest Born: Ignores difficult terrain penalties for 
  vegetation.
  * Wood Walk: If a wood warrior moves into a space oc-
  cupied by a living tree, it can emerge from any living 
  tree within 6” whenever it desires (including the same 
  round). This limited form of teleportation is in addi-
  tion to its regular Pace for the round. It can move in 
  this manner only once per round. Should it use this 
  ability to move adjacent to or away from a foe, it pro-
  vokes First Strike attacks and counts as Withdrawing 
  from combat, as appropriate
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #04
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Vestmark, once famed for its product silver mines and high standard of living, is a 
  ravaged land. Severed in twain by the loss of Orcmark, the opulence has given way to 
  privation and starvation. While the inhabitants talk of victory and a quick return to the old 
  ways, such talk is a mixture of bravado and hope, and many secretly believe the cause is 
  lost. For those who live here Vestmark has become a living hell, but for outsiders seeking 
  a life of adventure Vestmark promises bountiful opportunity. This supplement expands on 
  information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Atmosphere
  Entering Vestmark by one of the established routes, visitors cannot help but notice the 
  trouble besetting the realm. The border with Coglelund is choked with fearful refugees, 
  and the roads into the Vale packed with small caravans and lines of half-starved peasants. 
  Skei and Tarn, the only remaining ports, are military compounds, the former besieged by 
  desperate citizens intent on fleeing to a better life.
  Moving inland, the landscape is largely deserted. Steads and small villages stand empty, 
  the buildings sliding inexorably into terminal decay and the fields choked with weeds and 
  failed harvests. Young boys armed with spears patrol the roads, questioning strangers with 
  the manner of men, but clearly fearful of ever having to use their weapons.
  Those who have stayed behind are starving and diseased, dressed in rags and living in 
  squalor, a result of the king’s harsh taxation policies. Scrawny, toothless women, perhaps 
  as young as 20, but with the appearance of aged crones, offer up screaming babies to pass-
  ers-by, begging them in the name of the gods to take their children away to a better place. 
  Sickly animals, their bones prominent through withered skin, stagger the roads, the steads’ 
  last vestiges of wealth. Rows of old men and women till the fields, forced to till the land 
  by hand after having given up their oxen to tax collectors or forced to devour them just to 
  stay alive. Eyes are averted from strangers, partly to hide their suffering and partly to avoid 
  attracting the attention of bandits or recruiters.
  Though deprived ofthe basics, the citizens of Veermark have not forgotten the laws of 
  hospitality. Strangers are greeted with bowls of rat stew bulked out with straw and cups of 
  water while the hosts look on, silently imploring their guests to accept the meager fare yet 
  also secretly regretting having to part with hard to come by rations. Hosts talk loudly of 
  imminent victory and a return to the old days of prosperity, but their eyes betray the utter 
  despair gnawing at their souls.
  31204
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 5 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  VestmArk
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  SaVagE WORLdS & aLL aSSOCiaTEd LOgOS & TRadEMaRkS aRE COPYRigHTS OF PiNNaCLE ENTERTaiNMENT gROuP. uSEd WiTH PERMiSSiON.  
  PiNNaCLE MakES NO REPRESENTaTiON OR WaRRaNTY aS TO THE quaLiTY, ViabiLiTY, OR SuiTabiLiTY FOR PuRPOSE OF THiS PROduCT.
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  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  socIAl hIerArchy
  before the war king Horgar was served by seven jarls. 
  Today, he is served by five, including Ostersund’s military 
  commander. Of these, only two, Jarls Hafnir Smooth-
  Tongue and ingjald Orchammer, are actively engaged in 
  the ongoing conflict. Though still bound to the king by 
  oaths, they answer more to Marshal Theodred, the near-
  est thing Vestmark has to a true leader.
  Hafnir’s business acumen has resulted in his being 
  appointed to oversee the broken economy, while ingjald 
  is responsible for holding Tarn and the western stretch 
  of the border with Orcmark.
  beneath the jarls are the lesser nobles. War does 
  strange things to men, and the nobility is not immune. 
  Some seek to profit politically or financially from the 
  instability, while others find the courage to stand against 
  the tide of orcs. Many are self-serving, safeguarding their 
  families at the expense of the peasants they are honor-
  bound to protect, but a minority has endeavored to al-
  leviate the burden placed on the population. Very few 
  have not chosen a stance.
  The middle classes, the clerics, mages, scholars, mas-
  ter crafters, and merchants, have fared little better than 
  the peasantry in most cases. Many crafters now serve the 
  armies, while the merchants not involved in the import 
  ofarms and armor have seen their profits plummet to 
  almost nothing. Many clerics have been ordered to war 
  by their superiors. Mages are highly sought after by the 
  army, who pay well for their services. Thus, while the 
  majority have lost out, a few of the middle class benefit 
  from the war. but such is always the way, for even in suf-
  fering there is profit to be made.
  at the bottom are the peasants, the poor wretches 
  crippled by taxes and starvation, whose sons and fathers 
  made the ultimate sacrifice, laying down their lives to 
  protect a land spiraling into destruction.
  educAtIon
  Like most realms, education in Vestmark was divided 
  by social class. Peasants learned what they needed to 
  know from family members and local clerics, while those 
  of high station could afford to have their children tutored 
  in all manner of lore.
  Nowadays, the war has lessened the divide. Children 
  across the social spectrum are instructed in the ways of 
  war from an early age, quickly losing their innocence as 
  the brutal reality of their future is hammered home by 
  clerics of Tiw. Recruiters tour the villages, taking away 
  young boys to serve the Marshal. Many families have 
  taken to hiding their male children, secreting them away 
  when the recruiters come, or dressing them as girls.
  Even if the war ended tomorrow, Vestmark’s depleted 
  population seriously lacks the basic skills necessary to 
  rebuild its infrastructure.
  relIgIon
  a generation of war has seen a dramatic change in 
  Vestmark’s religious beliefs. Twenty years ago Ertha, Var, 
  and Eostre Plantmother were honored above all others. 
  Today, Tiw and Sigel, both militaristic gods, rank highest, 
  with Thunor in his guise as god of liberation from op-
  pression following close behind.
  The former deities have not been neglected entirely, 
  for the silver mines still operate and merchants still make 
  call here, but congregation numbers have declined. With 
  the majority of menfolk dead or serving in the army, 
  Eostre’s worship has been reduced to lip service among 
  the rural communities.
  Eira’s clerics are making inroads into these commu-
  nities. Though they can promise no miraculous deliver-
  ance from hardship, they can at least try to alleviate some 
  of the suffering.
  mIlItAry
  The basic structure of Vestmark’s army is described in 
  the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Of Vestmark’s population some 20% are warriors. The 
  majority are mercenaries, outsiders lured to the realm 
  not by the promise of conflict but by the silver offered by 
  king Horgar. While the shadow of death always hovers 
  close by, most of the troops are paid to do little but man 
  barricades, suffer sporadic artillery and arrow fire, and 
  await a major orc attack that never seems to come.
  The 500 huscarls are almost the last of Vestmark’s full-
  time warriors, a mixture of experienced soldiers, nobles’ 
  retinues, and young noblemen seeking fame and fortune 
  (as well as those with enough honor to actually fight for 
  rules oF the reAlm
  These setting rules apply in Vestmark.
  * Born to Hate: Characters aged 25 years or less 
  who are native to Vestmark can take Favored Foe 
  (Orcs) at Novice Rank.
  * Disrespectful: The citizens of Vestmark blame 
  the nobility for their problems. Nobles gain only +1 
  Charisma from the Noble Edge in this realm. This 
  does not affect heroes who have taken the Edge to 
  represent other forms of “nobility.”
  * Severe Shortages: Vestmark’s armies are drain-
  ing the country dry. Food costs 20 times normal. 
  Expensive meals have C availability and rations a T 
  availability. The cost of and armor weapons is in-
  creased by x5 and availability ratings increase one 
  level, to a maximum of C.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #05
  
  
  their homeland). Each noble family has withheld hus-
  carls, citing the need to protect the nobility from internal 
  and external threats. While Theodred could in theory 
  commandeer these reserves, he has better things to do 
  than become engaged in political strife with his country-
  men over a few hundred huscarls.
  The 2,500 spearmen and axemen serving under the 
  Marshal are common men, some militiamen but most 
  simple peasants drafted into the army and given rudi-
  mentary training. Those who survive an orc raid quickly 
  develop better martial skills.
  The makeup and deployment of the 36 mercenary 
  companies is left deliberately vague, so as not to stifle 
  the gM’s creativity. Similarly, the native companies have 
  not been tied down to any particular region.
  While Vestmark boasts an impressive army, it is very 
  much a defensive force. Outnumbered by the orcs sta-
  tioned on the far banks of the Elve alone, it has little 
  hope of actually launching an invasion.
  batteries of heavy catapults and trebuchets stand in-
  side redoubts, ready at a moment’s notice to unleash a 
  rain of boulders upon the orc lines. Hidden amid the de-
  bris are ballistas and coldfire throwers, primed to target 
  any orcs foolish enough to try crossing the Elve.
  apart from a handful of units stationed on the river 
  bank to man the artillery and provide lookout, most of 
  the army sits away from the war, barricaded behind rows 
  of iron-tipped stakes, shattered walls, hastily constructed 
  forts, and lines of expensive “war discs.” More ballistas 
  and coldfire throwers await any orcs advancing toward 
  the hinterlands.
  Thus an uneasy balance is maintained. The orcs have 
  the warriors to push forward, but would enter a lethal 
  and carefully prepared killing ground. Vestmark has 
  ensured its safety through its defenses, but that very 
  strategy is bleeding the country dry and playing into the 
  orcs’ hands.
  although the border with Orcmark, the town of Skei, 
  and the coastlines of Crystal Sound and blackwater bay 
  are home to the five native frontline companies and 
  around 75% of the mercenary force, Vestmark has not 
  neglected its other borders.
  The borders with the Magocracy must be watched to 
  protect against troll incursions from Foulwater Swamp, 
  Coglelund’s deployment of troops along the Hearthrun 
  has forced Vestmark to do the same, the foothills of the 
  Hearth Range must be patrolled in event any orcs here 
  rally to Nagrat’s banner, and the Vale, while not a military 
  threat, must be watched to prevent profiteers from the 
  Crystalflow Confederacy crossing into Vestmark. Troops 
  must also guard the precious silver mines, for orcs and 
  giants are abroad in the hills, and safeguard the caravans 
  of food and arms. unfortunately, this necessity requires 
  troops to be taken away from the war zone.
  WorryIng tImes
  The current state of the war has Marshal Theodred 
  deeply troubled. While unsure of the exact strength 
  of the orc army facing him, he knows his defenders 
  are greatly outnumbered. The border with Orcmark is 
  heavily fortified, making any attack a costly one, but the 
  orcs have warriors to spare. With no reserve army to call 
  upon, Theodred knows he would be unable to stop a 
  full invasion. So why, he ponders, has Nagrat not pushed 
  home his advantage? Part of him hopes against hope that 
  Nagrat is playing a waiting game, starving Vestmark into 
  submission before unleashing the killing blow. True or 
  not, every day the orcs delay gives Vestmark one more 
  day of hope.
  but Theodred also suspects the orc king is up to 
  something that would give him a better advantage. if Na-
  grat won Vestmark, he would have Royalmark, the Vale, 
  Coglelund, and the Magocracy on his borders. Even with 
  his great army, Nagrat would be unable to protect all his 
  new borders, especially with Midmark in the process of 
  assembling a great fleet with which to reinforce Oster-
  sund, and his troops would be unable to expand into 
  neighboring lands without exposing their rear or flank.
  What the Marshal of the Mark desperately needs is 
  reliable intelligence on Nagrat’s plans. Such missions 
  are ideally suited to small groups of talented individu-
  als, especially those with access to magic. gMs looking 
  neW combAt edges
  These Edges are open to all heroes.
    speAr cAtch
  Requirements: Veteran, agility d8+, Throwing 
  d6+
  Snatching a spear from the air is no mean feat, but 
  the hero has mastered the maneuver.
  This Edge may be used once per round and off-hand 
  penalties apply as normal. in order for the Edge 
  to work, an opponent must throw a spear at the 
  hero and succeed on his Throwing roll. The char-
  acter then makes an agility roll vs. the opponent’s 
  Throwing total. With success, the character catches 
  the spear. On a raise, he may throw it back in the 
  same round as a free action. Should the catcher fail 
  to intercept the weapon, it strikes him as normal.
    speAr tWIst
  Requirements: Seasoned, agility d8+, Throwing 
  d8+
  The character knows how to spin a throwing spear 
  in flight, increasing the weapon’s killing power.
  When throwing a spear, the hero treats his Strength 
  die as being one die higher for the purposes of dam-
  age. This is applied after factoring in any Minimum 
  Strength penalties. attempts to catch the spear are 
  made at –2 and the weapon cannot be returned in 
  the same round, even if the catcher scores a raise.
  VestmArk
  
  
  to run military-based adventures will find an adventure 
  generator in the Hellfrost Encounters book.
  trAde And trIbute
  before the war, Vestmark’s abundance of silver al-
  lowed taxation to be kept low and provided the monies 
  to import many goods. Today, the entire silver output 
  is spent on arms and armor, iron ingots to forge new 
  weapons, and the hiring of mercenaries.
  Once largely self-sufficient in crops and livestock, 
  Vestmark must now import foodstuffs at great expense. 
  Merchants importing luxuries find few buyers in Vest-
  mark, and those hawking more basic wares not of use to 
  the army face crippling excise duties to help pay for the 
  lower duties on war essentials.
  New taxes raised to support the war effort were, at 
  first, accepted by the populace. but the short campaign 
  they were promised never materialized and additional 
  taxes have been implemented year after year. While the 
  nobility has suffered hardship, the gulf between rich and 
  poor has actually expanded, especially since food prices 
  have soared.
  Tax collectors, supported by heavily armed troops, fre-
  quent the towns and steads, demanding money, goods, 
  and services the populace can no longer afford to give. 
  When demands are refused, force is applied.
  ArchItecture
  a former anari province, Vestmark’s coastal and river 
  towns, the last remnants of anari occupation, retain a 
  distinct anari feel. buildings (where they still stand) are 
  built as high as two stories, are raised in terraces, and 
  incorporate more stone than Saxa dwellings. The streets 
  are narrow and cobbled.
  Tingvoll, the modern capital, and most of the villages 
  are of Saxa origin and style, erected after the occupation 
  ended. Most buildings are constructed of wood, with turf 
  or shingle roofs. Roads are unpaved and heavily rutted. 
  after heavy rains they quickly turn into quagmires.
  mAjor locAles
  Presented below are several locales heroes may have 
  reason to visit while in Vestmark.
  Forge
  Forge is a new settlement, created only a decade ago 
  to serve the army. it doesn’t even have a real name, just a 
  title telling of its purpose. dwelling and working here is 
  a small army of blacksmiths, weaponsmiths, and armor-
  ers. Surrounded by a palisade and protect by a company 
  of mercenaries, Forge is an industrial center, not a true 
  village. day and night, the air rings with the thump of 
  metal on metal and the stench of burning charcoal fills 
  the hot air.
  although the craftsmen are supposed to be making 
  arms, armor, and horseshoes for the army, they are not 
  above selling items to visitors. The guards, fully aware of 
  what is occurring, take a 20% cut to look the other way 
  and to smuggle the illegal earnings to the crafters’ fami-
  lies. any regularly-available (i.e. not special) weapons 
  and armor can be found here at twice the normal cost, a 
  high price, but still cheaper than elsewhere in Vestmark.
  hrAFnton
  Literally meaning “the enclosure of the ravens,” the 
  Hrafnton is a building within Tingvoll. despite the simi-
  larities in name, it has no connection with Castle Hrafn, 
  which was constructed only recently. The name dates 
  back to the early anari occupation, when a small town 
  stood just east of the modern capital. in the center of the 
  town stood a temple to Hoenir, along with a shrine to 
  Hrafn, the lesser deity of messengers affiliated with both 
  Freo and Hoenir.
  The location was such that clerics using voice on the 
  wind spells could reach as far away as the icebarrier to 
  the north and the Thunor Range and dragonspine to 
  the east. Heading west, messages could be transmitted 
  to what is now kinghall in the Magocracy. One of many 
  such stations, it formed part of a communication net-
  work spanning the anari Empire.
  Today a new building stands on the ground occupied 
  by the one devoted to Hoenir. Still dedicated to Hrafn, 
  it serves as the nexus for king Horgar’s intelligence ser-
  vice. Here clerics of Hrafn and air elementalists construct 
  alchemical voice on the wind devices for military use, 
  design and decrypt ciphers, transmit and receive mes-
  sages to and from the kingdom and neighboring lands. 
  as well as employing magical means, the clerics and staff 
  act as official messengers, travelling the continent on 
  foot or by horse.
  The clerics currently work primarily on military mat-
  ters, relaying orders to dispersed companies and receiv-
  ing transmissions from spies deep within Orcmark. as 
  one might expect, security is extremely tight around the 
  walled complex.
  seolFor cemetAry
  Located in the Seolfor Hills, the cemetery has been 
  the ancestral burial ground of the Saxa nobility for mil-
  lennia. during the anari occupation, the invaders also 
  interred their dead here, intent on linking them to the 
  heroes and kings of old. although the practice of buri-
  als has largely been replaced by cremation, the burial 
  mounds remain standing.
  Whereas the Mounds of Heroes gone are protected by 
  the spirits of the dead, the Seolfor cemetery is watched 
  hellFrost regIon guIde #05
  
  
  over by a group of elderly clerics of Scaetha, guardians of 
  the dead who spend their days warding off tomb robbers 
  and singing dirges for the dead.
  king Horgar’s decree that the dead be taxed for their 
  grave goods (see adventure Seeds) has raised the clerics 
  ire. While they could sell their lives fighting the king’s 
  tax collectors, they know such resistance would be short 
  lived and delay the inevitable for but a few days. The 
  clerics have instead taken a more drastic measure, one 
  which stretches their holy oaths to breaking point. in 
  secret, they are stealing the grave goods, hiding them in 
  nearby caves.
  tIW’s rIdge
  a flat promontory of the Hearth Range. Legends claim 
  that after a row with Eira, Tiw stormed off, swishing his 
  sword as he went. by accident, his blade sank into the 
  mortal realm, slashing the top off a hill. although there 
  is nothing to substantiate the myth, local clerics of Tiw 
  prefer to take their holy vows here.
  Regardless of which race tells the story, Tiw and Eira, 
  whose divorce is often cited in myth, always feature 
  prominently in the origins of arguments.
  before Loki (the unknowable One’s malicious father) 
  was imprisoned, he brought Tiw a gift: a harmless-look-
  ing creature he named argument. Seeing no military 
  value in the gift, Tiw promptly passed it on to his wife, 
  Eira, proudly proclaiming it was a sign of his affection. 
  Eira was delighted at her husband’s gift, at least for a 
  short while.
  Stubborn and opinionated, argument did nothing but 
  quarrel with Eira. Her patience at an end, Eira returned 
  the gift to Tiw, scorning him all the while. Seeing Loki 
  laughing outside his window, Tiw flew into a rage, cut 
  argument in myriad pieces, and threw him to the mortal 
  world. Thus it was that arguments entered the world.
  tIW’s sprIng
  Like the ridge above, this site came into being as a 
  result of one of Tiw’s many violent sulks. This time he 
  thrust his sword into the earth in a fit of rage. When he 
  withdrew his blade, red water gushed forth. quickly 
  traveling to the underworld, he discovered he hadinad-
  vertently wounded Ertha. Eira also rushed to the under-
  world, tending to the injury while bemoaning Tiw for his 
  stupidity (argument was still with her at this time).
  The waters are sacred to both Ertha and Tiw. used in 
  the creation of smite alchemical devices by Tiw’s clergy, 
  they grant +1 to knowledge (alchemy) rolls. Clerics of 
  Ertha gain a similar bonus for armor devices. This magi-
  cal property is retained only for 24 hours if the waters 
  are bottled and taken away.
  VAlegAet
  Valegaet is a small village near the southern trade 
  road, not far from a small marsh. until its menfolk were 
  clerIcs oF tIW
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and pro-
  vides an overview of their clergy’s duties. This entry 
  is an expansion of those notes for the cult of Tiw, 
  providing facts useful to both players and gMs. 
  Training: Tiw’s militaristic cult is run like an army. 
  instructors put recruits through punishing boot 
  camps to test their physical fitness. Recruits must 
  be able to handle a barrage of threats, taunts, and 
  beatings, for the life of warrior is a harsh one, and 
  those who cannot cope will soon feed the ravens. 
  Once basic training is complete, cadets are trained 
  in how to wear armor and carry shields, undergoing 
  long marches to boost their stamina. Only then are 
  they allowed to handle weapons, and at first only 
  blunt or wooden ones. Frequent formation drills, 
  such as forming the shieldwall, are held, as are 
  mock battles. Recruits who show the right qualities 
  are trained in command roles and given tactical and 
  strategic training by knights Hrafn loyal to the cult.
  Prayers: Prayers before battle begin with the cleric 
  boasting his prowess—“i shall feed the ravens this 
  day,” and “My arm is strong and battle is in my 
  blood.” Worshippers also state their lineage to hon-
  or Tiw and intimidate enemies—“i am <list family 
  heritage>, and today i shall honor my ancestors.” 
  Those after battle celebrate the worshipper’s surviv-
  al—“i am victorious, my arm still strong and ready 
  to serve.”
  Tiw’s followers have many exclamations, oaths, 
  battle cries, and taunts. “Tiw’s shield!” and “Tiw’s 
  sword!” are common exclamations. although often 
  little more than brutish thugs, a few have shown 
  great talent at making inspiring speeches. Such ora-
  tions are always short and to the point, designed to 
  inspire, not bore.
  Adventures: Where there is battle there are wor-
  shippers of Tiw. Whether serving as huscarls or mer-
  cenaries, followers or commanders, fighting is the 
  lifeblood of the clergy. Clerics may find they face old 
  comrades in battle. Tiw is not a god of comradeship 
  but of courage and victory, and what better test can 
  one face to prove one’s loyalty to the creed?
  Character guidelines: Priest or paladin, you are go-
  ing to be in the thick of the action. While Smarts has 
  its uses, especially if you want to be a commander-
  type, agility, Spirit, Strength, and Vigor are all far 
  more useful for a dedicated fighter. Naturally, Com-
  bat Edges should be taken frequently, though which 
  ones will vary with your character type—an archer 
  needs different skills to a cavalryman, who requires 
  different ones to a frontline tank. The same applies 
  to skills—any combat skill is going to be essential. 
  When it comes to social skills most clerics stop at 
  intimidation.
  VestmArk
  5
  
  conscripted, the village’s fields produced bountiful 
  crops, enough for Valegaet to sell its surplus. although 
  the fields lie fallow, the villagers are surprisingly well fed, 
  not to mention quite prosperous. While they publicly 
  claim to be receiving aid from generous engros in the 
  Vale, the truth is far more sinister.
  Six years ago a trapper hunting birds in the marshes 
  stumbled across a statue half-buried in the mire. Encrust-
  ed with filth and badly weathered, the trapper could tell 
  only that it depicted a crocodile, a creature long since 
  extinct outside the great Swamp. Hauling it back, the 
  trapper stowed it away in his house, intending to sell it 
  to a passing merchant as a curiosity. He never did.
  Once part of a gatorman temple, the statue has had a 
  dire effect on the inhabitants of the sleepy village. They 
  have turned to cannibalism, feeding on small merchant 
  caravans and selling their wares to other traders. The 
  disappearance of merchants has not gone unnoticed in 
  the Vale and in Vestmark, though no one yet suspects the 
  plump villagers of Valegaet.
  persons oF note
  Many of Vestmark’s rulers are outlined in the Hellfrost 
  Gazetteer. Enough detail is given to allow the gM to flesh 
  them out to fit his campaign. This section introduces a 
  few other individuals heroes might encounter in their 
  journeys through the realm.
  Argon three-tongues
  The highest-ranking anari in the Vestmark royal court, 
  argon serves king Horgar as chief herald. a trained skald 
  and powerful in the ways of song magic, it is argon’s task 
  to make the laws palatable to the masses, turn losses into 
  victories, win hearts and minds, and convince everyone 
  the war is close to being won. a master spin doctor, ar-
  gon uses poems, songs, satire, and allusions to the past 
  to stir hearts, quash rumors and defeatist talk, and gener-
  ally make everything seem well.
  jArl eorcWIc VInsunu
  Jarl Eorcwic, known to many as the Seolfor Jarl 
  (“Silver earl”), has lands in the Seolfor Hills and central 
  Vestmark. as far as the populace is concerned, Eorcwic is 
  responsible for ensuring the silver mines remain open. 
  as he is quick to point out, should the silver stop flowing, 
  the taxes will have to increase. Factual as it may be, such 
  comments have not earned him any public adoration.
  Orc agents sent by Nagrat have had several secret 
  dealings with the jarl. in return for “losing” silver, ship-
  ments the jarl is at liberty to keep, Nagrat promises the 
  nobleman a position of power when Vestmark falls.
  Eorcwic is torn between his oaths to the king and the 
  promise of power when the inevitable comes. So far he 
  has refused the agents’ demands, but with the situation 
  FestIVAls to tIW
       bAttle dAnce dAy
  Varies.
  On this day professional warriors and the militias 
  show the populace they are ready for war, and steel 
  their nerves for the fighting season ahead. The cer-
  emony is always held in Plohmonan, but at a time of 
  the local high priest or militia captain’s choosing. at 
  some point during the morning the captain blows 
  his signal horn, raises the local battle standard, and 
  sends runners to call the fighting men to arms. The 
  warriors drop whatever they are doing and rush 
  home to grab their weapons.
  They then assemble in the largest public space, 
  clashing weapons against shield backs and shout-
  ing war chants to alert the enemy they will find their 
  foe ready and waiting, and to bolster their nerve. 
  The official in charge then inspects the men, call-
  ing them out for tardiness or lacking vital pieces 
  of equipment. When this is over, a mock battle is 
  held to check the men remember their drills and re-
  spond to orders in timely fashion. injuries are com-
  mon, but death is rare thanks to clerics of Eira who 
  attend on behalf of their goddess.
  at night, by the light of torches and bonfires, the 
  professional soldiers perform the battle dance. 
  More a run through of combat maneuvers than an 
  actual dance, it is still a rhythmic display of man 
  and weapon acting in harmony. Often warriors pair 
  up, each performing a different routine while trying 
  to avoid the swings and stabs of his foe as he goes 
  through his movements. Worshippers mark time 
  with chants and prayers, while the citizens clap and 
  cheer the prowess of their fighting men.
     blood dAy
  Sangdaeg of Plohmonan.
  The ritual dates back to the mythical age, when Tiw’s 
  barber, Langbarðr (“Long beard”), accidentally cut 
  him while trimming his beard. about to be slain, the 
  barber stuttered out that he had done Tiw a favor, 
  for now he had bled and no weapons would hunger 
  to be the first to draw the god’s blood that year. Eira 
  quickly bandaged the nick, for Tiw had acted like all 
  men and wailed as if mortally wounded. Since that 
  day barbers have been bloodletters and healers.
  before the first muster of the year is called warriors 
  give praise to Tiw in his role as defender. Scaetha, 
  formerly her father’s shield bearer before she took 
  on her new mantle, is also honored. Fighting men 
  cut themselves and let the blood flow freely, believ-
  ing the wound will sate Tiw’s appetite for destruc-
  tion and spare them from further injury. Eira’s wor-
  shippers are on hand to tend the injuries.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #05
  
  
  worsening daily, and his coffers being rapidly depleted, 
  his resolve is weakening.
  jArl hrothgAr edmundsunu
  Hrothgar is rapidly becoming something of a celeb-
  rity. Though he rarely comes down from his northern 
  estates to visit the war zone, he is a strong supporter of 
  the cause. When Marshal Theodred called for nobles to 
  send troops, Hrothgar made great show of dispatching 
  not just the majority of his household forces, but also 
  wagons of provisions. Since then he has made several 
  more grand gestures of goods and coin from his own 
  coffers, to much applause from the starving peasants.
  Horthgar’s generosity isn’t all it seems, and his dona-
  tions are far from draining his personal coffers. Like all 
  the jarls, Hrothgar knows king Horgar won’t be ruler for 
  much longer. if his insanity doesn’t claim his life, then an 
  assassin’s dagger surely will. knowing that Theodred is 
  likely to be the preferred candidate, Hrothgar is running 
  a public relations campaign to better his own name. The 
  funds he so generously and publicly donates are actu-
  ally siphoned from the royal treasury, funds which were 
  destined to reach the front line anyway.
  To ensure his name reaches the top of the list, he 
  pays agitators to speak against Theodred’s handling of 
  the war. They insinuate that Theodred is in league with 
  the orcs, refusing to openly wage war so as to weaken 
  the realm ready for conquest, that the Marshal of the 
  Mark has lost his nerve and has no plans to ever liberate 
  southern Vestmark, and that he desires not a victory, but 
  merely continued support of the people so he can claim 
  the throne. Of course, Jarl Hrothgar is quick to speak 
  against these vile rumors, though always in a way that 
  still leaves an air of doubt about Theodred.
  rIdder botWArd InrAedsunu
  a former huscarl, Ridder botward came to Marshal 
  Theodred’s attention five years ago when he led the 
  defense of a narrow valley from orc raiders. brave and 
  tactically gifted, he accepted the Marshal’s award of no-
  bility and command of a company of Vestmark troops 
  with humility.
  No one doubts his competency, but his leadership 
  qualities have much to be desired. botward sets himself 
  very high standards, and he expects his men to meet 
  those same standards. discipline is harshly enforced 
  for even minor infractions, and those who consistently 
  fail him are shipped out to other units. Theodred has 
  tried to convince botward to lower his standards, but his 
  words have not sunk in. 
  Why come here?
  Like Orcmark, Vestmark is a great adventuring locale 
  for heroes with Leadership Edges. any of the reasons to 
  adventure in Orcmark presented in Region Guide #4, a 
  companion to this product, apply equally here.
  AdVenture seeds
  * Marshal Theodred has learned that someone is 
  pilfering from the royal coffers. With his major agents 
  known to his enemies and not yet wishing to show his 
  hand, Theodred hopes to recruit trustworthy adventur-
  ers to investigate the claims. Heroes with the Noble Edge 
  are especially sought after, since their noble blood will 
  allow them access to the court.
  * Orcs gathering in the Seolfor Hills are threatening 
  silver production. unable to spare companies to scour 
  the expansive hills, Jarl Hafnir decides to hire outsiders 
  to slay the orcs’ chieftains. in return, the heroes may 
  keep whatever treasures they recover.
  * The village of aeflwuduton (“the enclosure by the elf 
  wood”), just south of Yetwood, is being terrorized by a 
  fiend. a dozen corpses, all with their throats ripped out, 
  have been discovered in the last month. Haulda Yvaine 
  Ormsdohtor, the local ruler, has good reason to suspect 
  the killer is a vampire; after all, she released it.
  Family tales spoke of a cursed family member who 
  came back from the war against the Liche-Priest a 
  changed man. He lived an evil life before the peasants 
  finally rose up and killed him. Curious as to whether 
  the stories were true, Yvaine had excavations performed 
  beneath the ancestral home, a stone-built anari edifice. 
  Sure enough, the workmen uncovered a sealed room 
  containing a withered corpse.
  accidentally pricking her finger on its sharp teeth, a 
  single drop of Yvaine’s blood dripped into its mouth. 
  The corpse-creature opened its eyes and stared at its 
  kinswoman, its indomitable will boring into her mind. 
  Yvaine has since become the vampire’s unwilling servant, 
  bringing it fresh meals as often as she dares. unfortu-
  nately, the peasants are so sickly she has been forced to 
  secure a large number in a very short time.
  * king Horgar has introduced a new death tax. it isn’t 
  a tax on dying, but a tax on the dead. knowing that many 
  Saxa are buried with grave goods, Horgar has decreed 
  their graves must be dug up and their treasures used help 
  to fund the war. as well as offending public sensibilities 
  with his decree of desecration, he risks awakening all 
  manner of entombed undead.
  gods & monsters
  This section introduces three new minor deities ide-
  ally suited for heroes on the battlefield, two potential 
  allies, and several new varieties of orc.
  boðgAeðIr
  Titles: The battle Enhancer, He Who Words inspire, 
  Morale Raiser.
  VestmArk
  
  
  Aspects: battle enhancement.
  Affiliations: Scaetha, Tiw.
  Symbol: a battle horn.
  Priesthood: Marshal of the Faith (priests); Standard 
  bearer (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: before any large scale battle.
  Duties: To support armies in battle.
  Sins: (Minor) being on the losing side of a skirmish, 
  being incapacitated in battle; (Major) being on the losing 
  side of a mass battle, withholding support from allies; 
  (Mortal) fleeing battle before it is lost.
  Signature Power: Gift of battle (priests) or warrior’s 
  gift (paladins).
  Powers: Battle song, bless/panic, boost trait (Strength, 
  Vigor, Fighting, knowledge (battle), Riding, Throwing, 
  and Shooting only), gift of battle, smite, warrior’s gift.
  Trappings: Clergy may use any trapping except dark-
  ness or necromantic.
  Like most of the other war deities, boðgaeðir came to 
  the forefront during the god War. although boðgaeðir 
  was not the best warrior deity by any stretch of the 
  imagination, he had an innate gift for leadership and in-
  spiration. His charisma, booming voice, and willingness 
  to accompany the troops into battle turned many likely 
  defeats into glorious victories. While most closely linked 
  to Scaetha and Tiw, boðgaeðir has served Thunor in his 
  personal grudge against Thrym.
  Shrines exist in most temples to Tiw. boðgaeðir seeks 
  no personal glory for his deeds, and thus is not depicted 
  in art. His shrines typically comprise only a battle stan-
  dard emblazoned with a signal horn, both essential 
  tools on the battlefield. both Scaetha and Tiw are some-
  times depicted carrying the standard, a clear indication 
  boðgaeðir is serving beside them. Soldiers of all faiths 
  pray to the god in the hope they will receive inspiration 
  in coming battles. attendant clerics are expected to give 
  morale boosting speeches before battle and to bless the 
  troops.
  boðgaeðir’s priests and paladins differentiate them-
  selves based on their preferred roles in battle. Priests 
  generally serve as generals, distant from the action yet 
  no less effective in shaping the outcome. Paladins prefer 
  to be in the thick of the action, acting as unit command-
  ers or morale officers. Neither is expected to be an elite 
  warrior, just a leader of men. While some serve a noble 
  or warlord as part of their retinue, most are mercenar-
  ies. The knights Hrafn boasts many clerics of boðgaeðir 
  among their ranks, and the organization is on good 
  terms with the cult.
  Ceremonies take the form of battle hymns, chants, 
  and prayers. Whereas many clerics of Tiw boast of their 
  prowess, those of boðgaeðir are more humble. While 
  they know their talents are important, and may even turn 
  the tide of battle, it is the fighting men who deserve their 
  praise. Thus, most songs are sung about others.
  Character Guidelines: Leadership Edges are very 
  useful to the clergy. Priests often favor those suitable for 
  mass battles, while paladins opt for those which aid tacti-
  cal skirmishes. knowledge (battle) is the most important 
  skill. While clerics may have good combat skills, it is not 
  required of them—they are not necessarily skilled war-
  riors, just skilled motivators. While those who prefer to 
  lead by example need good Strength and Vigor to survive 
  the rigors of battle, Smarts and Spirit are just as important 
  as these are requirements for many Leadership Edges.
  geIrVAldr
  Titles: Spear Master, Lord of the Fyrd.
  Aspects: Spear combat, the militia.
  Affiliations: Tiw.
  Symbol: a spear.
  Priesthood: Sergeants of Spears (priests); Captains 
  of Spears (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Every Raestdaeg from Plohmonan 
  through Fogmonan. Standards day (see page 9) is a high 
  holy day.
  Duties: To fight in and lead the fyrd.
  Sins: (Minor) using a weapon other than a spear for 
  more than one round, training someone in the use of 
  any weapon except the spear, leading the fyrd in a battle 
  it loses; (Major) using a weapon other than a spear for 
  the majority of a battle; (Mortal) ignoring a community’s 
  call to arms.
  Signature Power: Smite*.
  Powers: Bladebreaker*, boost/lower trait (Strength, 
  Fighting only)*, deflection*, gift of battle*, leaping*, 
  quickness*, warrior’s gift*.
  Trappings: any except necromantic.
  Special: Spells marked “*” only function when the 
  cleric and the target are holding a spear and using no 
  other weapon. The spell is not cancelled if these condi-
  tions are broken—it remains Maintained but provides 
  no benefit. For instance, if the cleric casts deflection and 
  then drops his spear he does not benefit from deflection 
  until he picks up his spear again. during this time the 
  spell is still being Maintained.
  geirvaldr was a farmer by trade, a freeman who tilled 
  the land. accordingly, he was also a member of the fyrd, 
  as all men must be. although not trained as a warrior, he 
  quickly showed great promise with his spear. Whenever 
  the fyrd weresummoned, geirvaldr was the first one to 
  answer. Whenever the fyrd were in the thickest fighting, 
  geirvaldr was at its head. Whenever the fyrd faltered, 
  geirvaldr rallied them.
  Tiw was in command of the gods’ fyrd, but he wasn’t 
  particularly interested in the job. He preferred to spend 
  his time feasting and fighting with his huscarls than train 
  a bunch of farmers. Suitably impressed by geirvaldr’s 
  prowess and leadership skills, Tiw appointed him to 
  command the fyrd and instruct the men in how to use 
  the spear. When Tiw taught mortals the secret of sum-
  moning the fyrd, geirvaldr became the fyrd’s patron.
  geirvaldr is never depicted as an individual. in every 
  community with a fyrd and a shrine to Tiw, the god of 
  war is shown carrying a spear. Even in temples that show 
  hellFrost regIon guIde #05
  
  
  Tiw carrying other weapons, the presence of a fyrd de-
  mands a separate shrine be erected. in settlements with 
  no shrine or temple, a long spear with a length of col-
  ored cloth tied around the shaft is thrust into the ground 
  in the main square to serve as a rally point when the fyrd 
  is summoned.
  While the fyrd are part-time warriors with other 
  professions, clerics are usually full-time soldiers in the 
  employ of a nobleman (or whoever heads the village). 
  Priests are valued as instructors. They spend their days 
  training the fyrd and developing tactics for all eventu-
  alities. Paladins are more active, serving as the actual 
  battlefield commander. as always, the division between 
  roles is fluid, and either is expected to be able to fill the 
  other’s shoes.
  itinerant clerics sometimes serve as mercenaries. 
  Often they become mercenary captains, though only of 
  spearmen. if a cleric is staying in a settlement when the 
  fyrd is called, he must answer the summons, present 
  himself to the local fyrd leader, and state his credentials 
  and experience. Where he serves in the fyrd is for the 
  local commander to decide. in communities without a 
  resident cleric of geirvaldr or Tiw, local fyrd leaders are 
  often only too happy to let the visitor take at least some 
  command responsibilities off them.
  Ceremonies to geirvaldr always involve choreo-
  graphed drill maneuvers accompanied by the fyrd’s 
  battle chants. Sometimes, the fyrd lines up and throw 
  their spears toward a distant point. Whoever hurls his 
  weapons the furthest is said to have good fortune in the 
  next battle in which the fyrd participates. during festi-
  vals to Tiw, the fyrd perform the Spear dance, a form of 
  line dance where they clash spears against each other in 
  rapid flurries and thrust them into the sky to praise the 
  war god.
  Character Guidelines: Clerics are expected to lead 
  the fyrd and so should invest in Leadership Edges. as 
  warriors, Fighting and Throwing are vital skills for any 
  fyrd member, and they should always have the minimum 
  Strength to use a spear effectively. a higher Strength is 
  always favorable, of course.
  knowledge (battle) should not be ignored, especially 
  among clerics in small settlements, as they may be the 
  only permanent warrior and so will be given command 
  responsibilities. any Combat Edges are useful, but Mighty 
  Throw is favored as it gives the hero an advantage against 
  distant foes.
  kVArsI
  Titles: The Healing Hand, Maiden of Succor.
  Aspects: battlefield medicine.
  Affiliations: Eira, Tiw.
  Symbol: a hand gripping a sword by the blade.
  Priesthood: Chirurgeons (priests); Protectors (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Mourning ceremonies are held after any 
  battle.
  Duties: Protect the wounded.
  Sins: (Minor) risking your own life unnecessarily 
  protecting the uninjured while a wounded comrade re-
  quires help; (Major) allowing a comrade to die by your 
  inaction; (Mortal) refusing to help a wounded comrade.
  Signature Power: Healing.
  FestIVAls to tIW
     stAndArds dAy
  Sangdaeg of Sowanmonan.
  during the chaos of the god War, soldiers’ morale 
  failed as rumors circulated the battlefield their lead-
  ers were dead or had fled.  Retreating units has no 
  idea where to muster, and friend could not be dis-
  tinguished from foe. Frustrated, Tiw ripped off his 
  cloak, emblazoned on the back of which was his di-
  vine symbol, and handed it to his spear-bearer, who 
  promptly lashed it to his spear and hoisted it above 
  the melee for all to see.
  Every military unit, from village militia to mercenary 
  company, has a battle standard. in battle they serve 
  to mark the position of the captain and serve as a 
  rallying point. Each year, the standards are present-
  ed to the local temple of Tiw, where clerics bless 
  them in preparation for the warring and raiding 
  season. Those responsible for carrying the standard 
  in battle swear an oath to protect it from harm, and 
  to die before allowing it to be captured, broken, or 
  defiled.
     VIctory dAy
  Sangdaeg of Werremonan.
  if Tiw had one flaw above all others, it was arro-
  gance. after every battle he would boast of his stun-
  ning victories and mighty prowess, while quietly ig-
  noring his many defeats. Though the unknowable 
  One eventually quelled Tiw’s arrogant streak (a 
  myth for another day), Tiw still remains boastful.
  Victory day is a time to remember battles and tell 
  tales of glory, not of death and destruction. individ-
  ual soldiers give praise to Tiw by telling comrades 
  personal war stories of triumph against overwhelm-
  ing odds and daring antics that turned the tide of 
  battle. boasting and slight exaggeration is accept-
  able, as all stories grow with each retelling, but out-
  right lies are considered the mark of a coward try-
  ing to cover his own inadequacies. Clerics reenact 
  Tiw’s ancient battles while worshippers sing sacred 
  battle songs.
  Communities that have survived raids, sieges, and 
  battles mark their survival with feasts, while skalds 
  weave the events into a story the whole community 
  can share in future generations.
  VestmArk
  
  
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (Vigor, Healing, knowl-
  edge (alchemy) only), quickness, sanctuary, speed, suc-
  cor, teleport.
  Trappings: any except necromantic. Clerics typically 
  avoid showy trappings to avoid attracting unwanted at-
  tention.
  kvarsi is a lesser daughter of Eira and Tiw. although 
  she has her mother’s calm nature and healing skills, 
  within her chest beats the heart of a warrior. during the 
  god War, kvarsi repeatedly disobeyed her father, who 
  had ordered her to remain in the rear, helping to tend 
  the wounded by rushing onto the battlefield to rescue 
  the fallen. as a reward for saving so many, Tiw granted 
  her, her own priesthood. kvarsi and kvara, her twin sis-
  ter, are often mythologized as working together—kvara 
  watches over kvarsi, while kvarsi tends the injured.
  images depict a young girl with a determined visage. 
  in her right hand she holds a healer’s bag, while in her 
  left she clutches a large shield. Never one to shy away 
  from fighting when called upon, a weapon of some kind 
  always hangs from her belt.
  Shrines are found in temples of Eira and Tiw. Eira’s 
  Peacekeepers, the paladin order, hold her in high re-
  gard, whereas within Tiw’s temples it is the priests who 
  honor her most. Many shrines are heavily bloodstained, 
  a constant reminder that war brings death and that it is 
  not always possible, despite one’s best intentions and 
  efforts, to save every victim of conflict.
  kvarsi’s clerics are tasked with delivering aid to, and 
  protecting, the wounded on the battlefield. To that end, 
  they prefer to stay back from the frontlines, only darting 
  into the fray to deliver succor to the fallen. Their spells 
  are all designed around reaching an injured comrade 
  quickly and patching him up. For serious injuries, spells 
  like sanctuary and teleport provide instantaneous trans-
  portation off the battlefield to a secure place. More often 
  than not the serious wounded are delivered to clerics 
  of Eira, for the followers of kvarsi are required on the 
  battlefield.
  While the majority of clerics serve the temples of Eira 
  or Tiw, there are plenty of freelancers. They hire their 
  services to organizations such as the Heath knights iron 
  guild, and knights Hrafn. Warlords and nobles may also 
  hire them, though the clerics are free to turn down offers 
  of employment if they find the patron’s cause offensive. 
  For instance, while they may willing to support a noble 
  seeking to reclaim his ancestral lands from an usurper, 
  they rarely support those who seek conquest for the sake 
  of conquest. a large number can be found serving on the 
  frontline between Vestmark and Orcmark.
  although often capable combatants (only a fool walks 
  onto a battlefield unprepared) and lacking Eira’s restric-
  tion on causing bloodshed, they disdain from fighting 
  except to protect the fallen. Even then, they never let 
  the adrenaline rush of mortal combat distract them from 
  their sacred duty. Heavy armor and large shields are pre-
  ferred over big melee weapons.
  Whereas clerics of Tiw celebrate victory after battle, 
  those of kvarsi mourn the casualties. Prayers are said 
  over the fallen and dying to speed them on their way, and 
  sweet herbs are burned to mask the stench of death and 
  infection. Eira’s clergy are inclined to help the wounded 
  on either side after a conflict, especially when the armies 
  of the civilized races clash, but kvarsi’s clergy are not 
  overly concerned with enemy casualties and are under 
  no compulsion to provide healing or prayers.
  Character Guidelines: Expected to run into the heat 
  of battle to patch up wounded comrades, clerics typically 
  have good Spirit, guts, and Healing skills. Many know 
  herbalism, and thus possess the knowledge (alchemy) 
  skill and Hedge Magic Edge. Fleet Footed is an impor-
  tant Edge, as it allows the cleric to quickly reach those 
  in need. Though often capable fighters, their role is to 
  the Fyrd
  Rural communities are, at best, protected by a small 
  militia made up of full-time warriors. Often these 
  are mercenaries, though if there is a shrine or tem-
  ple to Rigr or Tiw they may be clerics or laity from 
  the local community. in emergencies, every able-
  bodied male adult (generally covering 14-50 years 
  of age) is expected to take up arms. This gathering 
  is known as the fyrd.
  The methods of raising the fyrd vary. Many settle-
  ments use drums, horns, or bagpipes. Others em-
  ploy children as runners to race to the distant fields 
  and recall the workers. if the fields are particularly 
  far away, voice on the wind spells, either cast by 
  clerics or through alchemical devices, are used to 
  save time.
  usually only the local noble or his appointed offi-
  cial can summon the fyrd. again, this can vary from 
  community to community. The noble ruler of a 
  settlement with clerics of Tiw or geirvaldr usually 
  gives them the authority to call the fyrd, since they 
  are most unlikely to do so for frivolous reasons.
  Fyrdmen must own a spear and shield as a mini-
  mum. Those who can afford armor and helmets 
  wear them. They muster every Raestdaeg, from 
  spring until the start of winter, to perform drills 
  and learn what the various signals mean. Signals are 
  usually changed each season to prevent spies from 
  learning them.
  The fyrd haven’t signed up to go adventuring with 
  their lord—they are summoned only in times of 
  invasion. With the winters lengthening, it is more 
  important that the fyrd remain on the land, plow-
  ing, sowing, and harvesting. Calling the fyrd at the 
  wrong time, or getting them slaughtered on some 
  fool’s errand, is a surefire way to shatter the econ-
  omy of a realm.
  See the free download Family at www.tripleace-
  games.com for more details on how noble heroes 
  can muster the fyrd.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #05
  10
  
  protect and heal the injured, not engage the enemy. 
  Hence, block and dodge are important Edges. alchemy 
  is another useful Edge, as it allows the cleric to create 
  healing potions in advance of battle.
  eInherjAr
  Warriors who serve Tiw in life continue to do so in 
  death. known as the einherjar (“immortal hosts”), they 
  are enlisted into Tiw’s divine army, following the war god 
  into battle. They dwell in vast barracks within Tiw’s great 
  hall, and dine each night at Tiw’s feasting table.
  On rare occasions, Tiw allows the spiritual einherjar 
  to descend to Rassilon to aid his mortal followers in some 
  dire quest. Here the spirits inhabit the corpses of fallen 
  warriors and heroes, animating them so as to interact 
  with the physical world.
  although technically undead, einherjar are not inher-
  ently evil and owe no allegiance to Hela. They do not 
  count as supernaturally evil for the purposes of Cham-
  pion or Holy Warrior.
  at the gM’s discretion, a follower of Tiw who requests 
  and receives divine aid may be appointed an einherjar in 
  place of the usual benny reward. The undead champion 
  remains at the hero’s side until slain or the character 
  commits a sin against Tiw (even if he isn’t a cleric), 
  whichever occurs first.
  dargar maintains a similar cadre. His servants have 
  the berserk Edge and bloodthirsty Hindrance.
  Attributes: agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d10, Vigor d10
  Skills: boating d8, Fighting d10, guts d10, intimidation 
  d10, Notice d6, Riding d8, Taunt d8, Throwing d10
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 10; Toughness: 11 (2)
  Hindrances: Loyal, Orders
  Edges: Combat Reflexes, dodge, Frenzy, improved 
  block, Shieldwall, War Cry
  Gear: Chain hauberk (+2), pot helm (+3), medium 
  shield (+1 Parry), long sword (Str+d8), three short 
  spears (Str+d6, Reach 1), two throwing axes (Range: 
  3/6/12, damage: Str+d6)
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Fearless: immune to Fear and intimidation.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from Called Shots. im-
  mune to disease and poison.
  generAl
  a general is the enemy commander in a Mass battle. 
  generals do not require a complete stat block in most 
  cases. To create a random enemy general on the spur 
  of the moment, the gM need simply draw a single card 
  from the action deck and consult the table on page 12. 
  The table lists the general’s personality and/or experi-
  ence, which should help the gM in describing the ebb 
  and flow of the battle, his Spirit and knowledge (battle) 
  dice, and his Leadership Edges.
  The same system can be applied to tactical command-
  ers on the tabletop as well. Simply pick a suitable arche-
  type, and apply the results as appropriate.
  With either option, a Spade suit indicates the officer 
  (if a member of the civilized races) is a knight Hrafn. His 
  command radius is extended by an additional 1d4” and 
  he gains +1 to knowledge (battle) rolls as a result of his 
  knight Hrafn Edge.
  orc
  Considered by many to be the vilest sentient race, 
  orcs are rapacious and murderous. although they act 
  tough around weaker races, orcs are all too often bullied 
  into submission by giants.
  meAt shIeld
  Meat shields are near-fearless but heavily subjugated 
  and obedient runts, though they do not begin life this 
  way. Subjected to relentless torture and mental con-
  ditioning, meat shields serve as suicidal guardians to 
  important members of the tribe, such as chieftains, war 
  marshals, drummers, and priests. They live only to throw 
  their bodies in front of incoming blows, thus protecting 
  their masters from injury.
  neW orc trIbAl trAIts
  Orcs belong to tribes, and each tribe has its own 
  unique feel. in Hellfrost, this is represented by a 
  Tribal Trait. all members of the tribe receive the 
  same trait, be it an Edge, Hindrance, or a Special 
  ability, though not every tribe has to have a special 
  edge over the heroes. below are a number of addi-
  tional orc tribes and their special trait. gM’s should 
  feel free to create their own tribes and tribal traits.
  * black blood: Followers of Vali, god of disease. all 
  members of the tribe have +2 to resist poison and 
  disease. Clerics honor only Vali.
  * Dargar’s Spawn: infamous for their brutality and 
  ferociousness. all chieftains, priests, and warriors 
  have the berserk Edge. Clerics honor only dargar.
  * The Invincible: The invincible favor set piece bat-
  tles over ambushes and raids. all warriors have the 
  Shieldwall Edge. in combat, the front rank forms 
  a shieldwall and uses the defend maneuver while 
  the second rank uses long spears to stab at foes at-
  tacking the wall, a tactic they learned from the frost 
  dwarves.
  * Thousand Stings: These orcs carry bee or hornet 
  nests wrapped in heavy blankets. With a Throwing 
  roll, the orc can unfurl the nest to Range 2/4/8. This 
  deviates as an area effect attack. The round after the 
  nest lands, a swarm of angry bees (see Hellfrost Bes-
  tiary) enters play.
  VestmArk
  11
  
  Attributes: agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d10, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d4, guts d10, Notice d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
  Gear: Short spear (Str+d6, Reach 1)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Meat Shield: at the start of each round these orcs 
  must nominate one adjacent ally. if the ally is success-
  fully attacked, any damage is taken by a meat shield 
  instead. against area effect attacks, each adjacent 
  meat shield gives their nominated ally +2 points of 
  full-cover armor.
  snIper
  While many orc tribes employ missile weapons, com-
  mon archers are merely warriors equipped with bows. 
  Orcs know from bitter experience that an army stripped 
  of its leaders is prone to confusion or collapse. Snipers, 
  well-trained in archery and 
  stealth, are employed to target 
  enemy commanders, spellcast-
  ers, and heroes.
  Attributes: agility d6, Smarts 
  d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor 
  d8
  Skills: Fighting d6, guts d8, 
  intimidation d8, Notice d8, 
  Shooting d8, Stealth d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 
  8 (1)
  Edges: Marksman, Mighty Shot
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), 
  short sword (Str+d6), long 
  bow (Range: 15/30/60, dam-
  age: Str+d6)
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Size +1: Orcs are slightly 
  larger than humans.
  WAll breAker
  The Saxa shieldwall forma-
  tion is not impregnable, but a 
  strong line can thwart most foes 
  for many hours. While orcs are 
  not averse to throwing bodies at 
  shieldwalls in a bid to punch a 
  hole, sometimes speed is off the 
  essence. On such occasions, the 
  commander of a tribe fortunate 
  to have a skilled cleric or mage 
  may wheel out the wall break-
  ers, fanatical runts carrying a 
  powerful alchemical device set 
  to explode when broken or 
  subjected to heavy impact.
  Their task is straightforward—to run at the shieldwall 
  and literally blow a hole through it. Wall breakers are 
  sometimes employed in sieges, though only against rela-
  tively flimsy defenses, such as wooden palisades.
  Attributes: agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d4, guts d8, Notice d4
  Pace: 8; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
  Gear: Blast alchemical device (3d6 damage, Medium 
  burst Template, variable trappings; may also have aP 2 
  and/or Heavy Weapon)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Explosive: The alchemical device can be targeted 
  with a Called Shot (–2). if struck, it detonates. When 
  a wall breaker is killed, draw a card from the action 
  deck. On a black Jack through ace, the device ex-
  plodes when the orc hits the ground.
  * Fleet Footed: Wall breakers roll a d10 running die, 
  instead of a d6.
  generAl’s AbIlItIes
  Card 
  Personality 
  Spirit 
  Battle 
  Edges
  deuce 
  inexperienced 
  d6 
  d4 
  Command
  Three 
  Political appointee 
  d6 
  d6 
  Command, death before dis-
  honor
  Four 
  No Retreat! 
  d10 
  d8 
  Command, death before dis-
  honor, Fanaticism, Hold the 
  Line
  Five 
  defensive 
  d10 
  d6 
  Command, Siege Mentality
  Six 
  Siege Expert 
  d8 
  d8 
  Command, Siege breaker, Siege 
  Mentality
  Seven 
  disciplined 
  d8 
  d8 
  a Few good Men, Command, 
  Fanaticism, Tactician
  Eight 
  Tactician 
  d8 
  d8 
  a Few good Men, Command, 
  Cry Havoc, Tactician
  Nine 
  aggressive 
  d6 
  d10 
  Command, Cry Havoc, Fervor
  Ten 
  Cautious 
  d6 
  d8 
  Command, Hold the Line
  Jack 
  Natural Leader 
  d8 
  d6 
  born in battle, Command, 
  Command Presence, Natural 
  Leader
  queen 
  Seasoned 
  d10 
  d10 
  born in battle, Command, Cry 
  Havoc, Tactician
  king 
  Experienced 
  d10 
  d12 
  a Few good Men, born in bat-
  tle, Command, Cry Havoc, 
  Fervor, Tactician
  ace 
  all-Round Veteran 
  d12 
  d12 
  a Few good Men, born in bat-
  tle, Command, Command 
  Presence, Cry Havoc, death 
  before 
  dishonor, 
  Fervor, 
  Hold the Line, Tactician, 
  Siege breaker, Siege Special-
  ist
  Joker 
  general or commander is a Wild Card. draw a second card to determine 
  his abilities. if this is a Joker, he has a d10 Wild die for knowledge 
  (battle) and you must draw a third card for his abilities.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #05
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  The dark realm known as the Withered Lands has been a thorn in the side of the living 
  since its founding. Permanently shrouded in mist and corrupted by the endless necro-
  mantic magic invoked there, it is a land rightly shunned by the living. All save the cult of 
  Scaetha, that is, for this unhallowed land is their preferred hunting ground. This supple-
  ment expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Atmosphere
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer briefly describes the landscape of the realm, but it says little of 
  the atmosphere within the vile territory.
  Whereas the Liche Lands of Old feel wrong in subtle ways, the Withered Lands are a 
  full assault. Just crossing the misty border is a trial, no matter how many times the journey 
  has been made. Shadowy forms of gnarled, sickly trees, seem to move in the swirling mist, 
  their branches beckoning the unready to their doom.
  Stepping through the mists, which cling and cloy like spectral tendrils, is to step into 
  a nightmare realm. Here lurk no sly terrors, memories of a bygone age of undead rule 
  vaguely hinting of the undead, but open manifestations of damnation.
  Impaled corpses, often dismembered, are left as grisly warnings that the living are 
  unwelcome here. One may find a headless corpse impaled on a stake, its arms pinned 
  outward carrying warning signs, or stumble across a tree, its boughs sagging with severed 
  heads. The wind carries the unmistakable stench of carrion and decay, sickening the stom-
  ach of even veteran clerics of Scaetha. Within a day, clothing is impregnated with the same 
  odor, and with no fresh water anywhere in the Withered Lands it is impossible to remove 
  the taint.
  Shadows dance on the periphery of vision and faint, mocking voices whisper continu-
  ally. Some are nothing but figments of the imagination, given semblance of life by one’s 
  own fears, while others are deadly adversaries, biding their time to attack or spying for 
  their undead masters. Ruins cling to hilltops or lie in valleys in the Black Heath, sickly, 
  twisted vines crawling over the stonework, which glows faintly with an unearthly pallor.
  The mist conceals many terrors, and attacks, while rarely overpowering are frequent. 
  Snatching enough sleep to be fully rested is a luxury, and even recovering from lesser 
  fatigue can be difficult. Those who survive they sojourn stumble out tired of flesh and 
  weary of soul, often nursing injuries that refuse to heal properly within the accursed land 
  and smelling of death. It is an experience few ever forget, and even fewer wish to repeat.
  31205
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 6 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  WIthered LAnds
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS gAme ReFeReNceS THe SAvAge WORLdS gAme SySTem, AvAILABLe FROm PINNAcLe eNTeRTAINmeNT gROuP AT WWW.PegINc.cOm.   
  SAvAge WORLdS & ALL ASSOcIATed LOgOS & TRAdemARkS ARe cOPyRIgHTS OF PINNAcLe eNTeRTAINmeNT gROuP. uSed WITH PeRmISSION.  
  PINNAcLe mAkeS NO RePReSeNTATION OR WARRANTy AS TO THe quALITy, vIABILITy, OR SuITABILITy FOR PuRPOSe OF THIS PROducT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  mAjor LocALes
  While the Hellfrost Gazetteer describes a handful of 
  adventuring locales in the Withered Lands, many others 
  exist. This section delves into some of the other dark 
  locales of the dread realm. These should be considered 
  active adventuring sites, ones your heroes can explore 
  right now.
  Note that while the forts of Scaetha stand in the Free-
  lands, they are included here for brevity—politically and 
  militarily separate from the Freelands, their existence is 
  down to the presence of the Withered Lands. 
  BLood mIre
  Situated in the bottom of a steep-sided valley, Blood 
  mire is a stretch of weed-coated, dirty-brown water from 
  which black rushes sprout in tangled clumps. Swarms of 
  vicious, biting carrion flies hang in the air like miniature 
  dark clouds, while bloated undead leeches swim lazily 
  through the inky, peat-stained water in search of prey. 
  Swollen, black stained corpses, ensnared in the thick 
  layer of weeds, litter the landscape. most are simply 
  what they seem, unfortunate victims of the mire’s deadly 
  denizens, but others are animated guardians, ready to 
  strangle those who intrude with the very vines that hold 
  them bound. Passage through Blood mire is the only way 
  to reach Taxmagulus’ black tower. Its dangers are well 
  known to Scaetha’s clergy.
  deAthspIder hALL
  Located amid the sticky, black trees of darkwood, 
  deathspider Hall is a site sacred to both Hela and Spiðari, 
  goddess of spiders. Before the forest was consumed by 
  the Withered Lands, the temple served only the latter 
  goddess. Here cultists and giant spiders would pray to 
  the goddess, offering supplication and sacrifices to feed 
  her bloated form.
  When the liches rose to power, cultists of Hela 
  stormed the temple, slaying the former occupants and 
  reanimating them as undead guardians.
  Reaching the temple is an arduous trek, for the sur-
  rounding forest is swathed in spider webs, and all man-
  ner of undead giant spiders scuttle through the dark 
  boughs, waiting to drop onto unsuspecting prey.
  The dark, red stone of the temple is draped with 
  webs, in which dwell swarms of bloodthirsty undead 
  spiders. even the cultists of Hela take their lives in their 
  hands when entering the temple, for no sooner are the 
  webs covering the entrance removed than the spiders 
  spin them again.
  On the surface the temple appears rather small, 
  spanning just 100 feet to a side. The walls, now cracked 
  and pitted with age, depict images of spiders overlaid 
  with graffiti honoring Hela. At the far end lies the main 
  worship hall. Here stands a three-dimensional spider 
  web carved from stone, in the center of which has been 
  added a human skull. Although Spiðari remains honored 
  by the Hela cultists, actual cultists of Spiðari are not wel-
  comed here—the dual worship serves only to pacify the 
  temple’s vile mistress.
  The temple extends beneath the forest floor, a net-
  work of rough hewn caverns and natural chambers 
  stretching for many hundreds of feet in all directions and 
  covering six distinct layers. On the bottom layer lives the 
  true mistress of the temple, a giant spider of truly mon-
  strous size and wicked intellect, now undead following a 
  lengthy and costly battle, but no less devoted to Spiðari. 
  She serves the dark Triumvirate not out of loyalty, but in 
  return for living sacrifices.
  Some clerics of Scaetha claim to have encountered 
  zombies, which when hacked open release a swarm of 
  undead spiders. While such tales are treated with an air 
  of skepticism, if true they would indicate the undead spi-
  der-queen is still producing young, albeit undead ones.
  meAd hALL of the dAmned
  Located ten miles east of the Necropolis of Princes 
  stands a grisly mead hall. Whereas the Saxa raise their 
  halls of wood, this monstrosity is constructed of human 
  bone, the daub a mixture of rotting flesh and congealed 
  blood. Tiles of taut, desiccated flesh line the roof. The 
  great doors, made of the same material as the walls, are 
  emblazoned with green glowing runes of death and suf-
  fering.
  This is the mead hall of a powerful hagbui calling 
  itself Aethling gautrek Starkadsunu. Born in –402, gau-
  ruLes of the reALm
  These setting rules apply in the Withered Lands.
  * Abhorrent to Life: The Withered Lands seem to 
  detest life. All healing, greater healing, regenera-
  tion, and succor spells incur a –1 penalty, as do nat-
  ural Healing rolls and rolls to create any form of 
  healing herbal brew. No healing herbs grow here.
  * Gloomy: It is a realm where even the strongest 
  sunlight filters through as only a dim glow, and at 
  night it is darker than pitch. The ambient lighting is 
  dim during bright days and dark when it is cloudy. 
  At night, it is always Pitch dark.
  * Nightmare Realm: knowledge of what dwells 
  here, the deformed landscape, strange noises, and 
  permanent shroud of fog give a –1 penalty to guts 
  rolls. even clerics of Scaetha suffer this, though 
  given the horrors they must face they are likely to 
  possess higher die ratings than others..
  * Necromantic Energy: The entirety of the With-
  ered Lands counts as a graveyard for the purposes 
  of characters with the disciple of Hela edge.
  * Tainted Land: Survival rolls to catch game or find 
  potable water incur a –4 penalty.
  * Undead Realm: mundane creatures like wolves 
  and rats can be found here, but all have the undead 
  special ability.
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #06
  
  
  trek was a Saxa prince, but sold out his people during 
  the early days of the Anari invasion in return for keeping 
  his title and lands. A tyrant and sadist, gautrek, now a 
  puppet ruler, spent his days engaging in debauchery and 
  depravity until his assassination in –350.
  condemned to the Abyss for his sins, gautrek was re-
  leased during Hela’s madness. drawn back to his corpse, 
  which was buried in the Necropolis of Princes by his An-
  ari masters, he waited out the centuries, unable to leave 
  the vicinity of his tomb until Angtharinax rose to power 
  and severed the bonds that held him some 90 years ago.
  Now able to travel freely, gautrek erected a mead hall 
  from which to rule once more. Here the walls echo with 
  the mournful ballads of dirges, while lesser hagbui (also 
  freed of their tomb bondage) and zombie huscarls drink 
  blood from bone goblets and rip chunks of flesh from 
  roasting captives.
  gautrek, released by Angtharinax to serve as a general, 
  has reverted to his old ways since the liche’s disappear-
  ance. While he dines and engages in disgusting acts, his 
  black knights are left to command his troops.
  necropoLIs of the prInces
  In days of yore, the Saxa erected burial mounds on 
  the hills of meadow Heath, laying their heroes and rulers 
  to rest with their grave goods. Standing amid swathes of 
  brightly colored flowers, the tombs were not a fearful 
  place, but one where the living could give respect to the 
  dead and where skalds retold epic poems and songs to 
  honor the memory of those lives had ended.
  The necropolis gained a reputation for being haunted 
  shortly after Hela’s madness. Although it was still used 
  to inter the dead (a practise that took generations to die 
  out), mourners did not linger long and the hills no lon-
  ger rang with skalds’ voices. It was only after the awaken-
  ing of the three liches that the site truly became a realm 
  of fear and terror, shunned by the living.
  covering dozens of square miles, the necropolis 
  comprises hundreds of circular mounds. Some stand 
  alone atop the flattened hills, while others are clustered 
  together in groups of two, three, or four, often among 
  familial lines. The tombs of the lowest-ranking dead are 
  simple mounds. more important dead were interred 
  in mounds encircled by a ditch and bank. Those of the 
  kings, princes, and powerful heroes were adorned with 
  prayer stones, menhirs telling of their glorious deeds, or 
  statues of the deceased.
  Fitted with strong stone doors and lined with thick 
  blocks of stone and roof lintels, the cairns were intended 
  to protect the dead from tomb robbers. Today, these 
  same strengths have transformed each tomb into a for-
  tress. many, but not all, for the clerics of Scaetha clear 
  a tomb or two each year, are home to petty and royal 
  grave wights.
  The smallest tombs contain a single circular or square 
  chamber, while the largest are divided into as many as a 
  dozen separate areas.
  The tombs are a lure to adventurers and clerics of 
  Scaetha. Although the risks are great, the rewards are 
  many. gold and gems, something the cult of Scaetha des-
  perately needs to pay its mounting mercenary payments, 
  lie here in abundance. But this is not the true lure—the 
  oldest tombs date back hundreds of years before the rise 
  of the Anari empire, to an age when relics where more 
  common (though by no means plentiful). Possessed by 
  kings and heroes, it is likely many of the tombs still hold 
  these most previous of objects.
  scAethA’s hoLd
  Believed to be a myth, the result of hallucinations, 
  Scaetha’s hold is a ruined castle somewhere in the Black 
  Heath. Those who claim to have visited the site insist 
  it is protect by a powerful spirit, a servant of Scaetha, 
  and thus affords shelter in the damnable realm. Scaetha’s 
  hold is very real, as is its guardian. The ruins is a sacred 
  site (see Region Guide #1 for details on these special 
  places).
  When the liches first made their presence felt a dis-
  ciple of Scaetha, eulogist Bronwyn ap-Tamar, and her 
  band of paladins occupied the site, intending to hold it 
  against the emerging undead. They failed. Believing she 
  had failed her goddess, Bronwyn asked to be allowed 
  to remain on the mortal realm as guardian of the site, 
  optIonAL ruLe
     A hArsher WorLd
  With no Power Points, magical healing in Hellfrost 
  is more effective than in regular Savage Worlds. 
  If you want to make healing harder, and thus life 
  more dangerous for your heroes, here are two sim-
  ple options.
  1) Only eira’s clergy have access to the healing 
  spell. They’re the only ones with greater healing 
  anyway, so that power isn’t affected.
  2) Remove all healing and greater healing spells 
  from the game. Regeneration remains unaffected. 
  eira’s signature spell now becomes boost/lower 
  trait, retaining the limitation of affecting vigor, 
  Healing, and Persuasion only. The Healing skill is 
  now the only way of treating injuries, so Hedge 
  magic increases in importance. The healing spell’s 
  secondary ability of treating disease and poisons 
  if used within 10 minutes of infection should be 
  transferred to the succor power. exchange all heal-
  ing potions in published adventures for other po-
  tions.
  The latter option does not preclude the gm from 
  creating relics containing healing. Indeed, these 
  now become far more powerful and valuable than 
  before—folk really would kill to possess such an 
  item.
  the WIthered LAnds
  
  
  maintaining it as a sacred place to Scaetha as penance 
  for her failure. Scaetha agreed, though left Bronwyn the 
  option of journeying to the Afterlife when she felt her 
  duty fulfilled.
  Spirit Name: The White Watcher.
  Ambience: Whereas the Withered Lands reek of 
  death, within Scaetha’s hold the unhallowed atmosphere 
  is held at bay. The aura of the cursed realm still hangs 
  here, but its effects are diminished.
  Deity: Scaetha.
  Senses: Notice d10.
  Communication: None usually. If living visitors pray 
  to Scaetha, a faint, ghostly voice is heard joining in with 
  the holy act.
  Powers: The entire site is surrounded by a permanent 
  warding (undead) spell. At night, a ghostly sentry clad in 
  antiquated plate armor patrols the perimeter. Treat this 
  as a sentry spell cast with a raise. despite walking a large 
  area, the spirit’s senses extend in all directions simulta-
  neously. Neither power can be dispelled or negated.
  While within the confines of the outer wall, the Abhor-
  rent to Life, Nightmare Realm, and Necromantic energy 
  realm rules do not apply.
  Finally, if a follower of Scaetha gives up a benny here, 
  they may gain the champion, Favored Foe (undead), 
  or Holy Warrior edge for 24 hours, ignoring all require-
  ments. While each edge can be gained only once in any 
  24 hour period, spending multiple bennies allows the 
  hero to pick more than one edge.
  Sacrifice: Prayers to Scaetha must be uttered on en-
  tering the site, otherwise the warding and sentry spells 
  do not function. These must be repeated each dawn.
  Workshop of dAmnAtIon
  While every temple of Hela works to gather corpses 
  and raise undead (see the free Region Guide #0 for de-
  tails of ceremonies devoted to this purpose), Hela’s min-
  ions within the Withered Lands have turned the practice 
  into a production line.
  A major temple to Hela, the workshop has the capac-
  ity to produce undead on an industrial scale. corpses are 
  brought here by cultists, smuggled through the lines of 
  Scaetha’s clerics guarding the borders, dug up from the 
  burial grounds in the Withered Lands, or gathered from 
  foolish explorers in the dark realm, and reanimated as 
  undead by living clerics of Hela.
  The whole structure, a ramshackle stone ruin formerly 
  a small castle of Anari design, is devoted to necromancy. 
  Aside from a few chambers necessary for housing the 
  cultists, every room is a chamber of death. most are sim-
  ple affairs containing just stone biers, on which corpses 
  are prepared for reanimation. Others hold sacred texts, 
  are stacked with animated undead awaiting deployment, 
  or contain cells where live captives are kept before their 
  rebirth.
  Swarms of malevolent ghosts and shadow wights, 
  bound here by powerful charms, provide security. The 
  cult of Scaetha has tried to storm the workshop dozens 
  of times, yet has been unable to penetrate the spectral 
  defenses to any great degree. The current plan is to avoid 
  a full frontal assault, and instead use a small team to pen-
  etrate the interior and close down the unhallowed site.
  WAILInG WAtchers
  An encounter rather than a true locale, the wailing 
  watchers are the undead’s early warning system. each 
  watcher is an animated corpse, impaled on a stark stake 
  and tethered in place with strands of sinew. On detecting 
  a living creature, they emit a high-pitched wail, which 
  carries for many miles. each wailer’s scream carries a 
  unique pattern of notes, allowing intelligent undead and 
  other wailers to identify the wailer and zero in on his po-
  sition. If the first wailer’s scream reaches another wailer, 
  it adds to the cacophony, adding any previous identify 
  notes to indicate which wailer detected the intruders.
  neW BAckGround edGe
     GrAvetouched
  Requirements: Spirit d8+, vigor d6+
  The hero has survived a deadly assault by an un-
  dead. In doing so, he has gained limited resistance 
  to necromantic powers. After character generation, 
  the hero must survive being Incapacitated by an un-
  dead attack using necromantic spells or supernatu-
  ral special abilities before he can take this edge. 
  The hero has +2 to resist spells with a necroman-
  tic trapping, or special abilities of undead creatures 
  which require a die roll to resist. This stacks with 
  Arcane Resistance. It provides no bonus against 
  natural weapons (such as claws) or forged weapons 
  wielded by undead (even magical ones).
  neW professIonAL edGe
     deAthdeALer*
  Requirements: Novice, Fighting d6+, guts d8+, 
  gravetouched, must have Scaetha as patron deity
  The character is a member of the famed deathdeal-
  er mercenary company, a unit which has served Sca-
  etha’s cult for 180 years.
  When a deathdealer slays an undead in melee com-
  bat, he may immediately make a single Fighting at-
  tack against another adjacent undead as a free ac-
  tion. This edge can be used only once per round, 
  no matter how many undead the hero kills.
  In addition, the hero can learn Favored Foe (un-
  dead) at Novice Rank and Necromantic Severing at 
  Seasoned.
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #06
  
  
  Treat a wailing watcher as a zombie, but with Notice 
  d8 and the Infravision special ability. Impaled and teth-
  ered, they cannot move, attack, or defend themselves, 
  and so have Parry 2. Any of the variations on page 12 can 
  be applied to a wailing watcher.
  Army of scAethA
  The cult of Scaetha claims to have the Withered Lands 
  encircled, though such claims are gross exaggerations 
  of the reality of the situation designed to appease the 
  inhabitants of neighboring lands. The line of steel and 
  faith is too thin to provide an effective deterrent should 
  the undead strike in force. Fortunately for the civilized 
  races, they seem reluctant to do so.
  The cult’s largest fortification is at deathwatch, a 
  castle in the Freelands. The population of the fortress is 
  broken down as follows:
  * The clergy of Scaetha. Nine disciple paladins, 40 
  paladins, ten disciple priests, and 40 priests.
  * The deathdealer mercenary company. The elite 
  deathdealers maintain a force of 100 heavy cavalry, 100 
  heavy infantry, 50 archers, and 50 specialists (a mixture 
  of mages, scouts, skirmishers, huscarls, thieves, huscarls, 
  and other troops assigned to duties as required).
  * mercenaries. Four heavy infantry, three light infan-
  try, two heavy cavalry, and four light cavalry companies, 
  each of 100 men.
  * Healers. Of the 50 healers stationed here, six are 
  priests of eira, five are paladins of eira, ten are Sisters 
  of mercy. Of the others, three-quarters honor eira, while 
  the rest are worshippers of Scaetha. All are skilled in 
  herbalism and the clerics are trained alchemists.
  * Support staff. The remaining 300 inhabitants are 
  support staff—cooks, armorers, blacksmiths, carpenters, 
  stable hands, scribes, and such like.
  other forces
  encircling the Withered Lands on the Freelands’ bor-
  der are 20 motte-and-bailey castles. Four contain temples 
  to Scaetha, while the rest house only shrines. each is gar-
  risoned by three to five paladins, a similar number of 
  priests, a single mercenary company of 100 men, and a 
  dozen non-combatants. Of the clerics, typically only one 
  is a disciple, and he or she serves as the commander.
  Located between each one at a distance of roughly five 
  to ten miles, depending on the terrain, are signal towers, 
  simple affairs garrisoned by a single cleric of Scaetha and 
  ten mercenaries. Their sole purpose is to alert the forts 
  to any undead incursion into the Freelands. Royalmark, 
  which shares a border with darkwood, maintains its own 
  defenses, though the cult of Scaetha does now have a 
  presence in the kingdom.
  In times of desperate need, the clerics can call upon 
  the inhabitants of the Freelands to provide troops. Such 
  an act requires advanced notice, however, for the com-
  cLerIcs of scAethA
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a information on the clergy’s duties. This 
  entry is an expansion for the cult of Scaetha, provid-
  ing facts useful to both players and gms. 
  Training: young orphans, children who have sur-
  vived raids in which their kith and kin were slain, 
  and those who have lost a close loved ones, are 
  preferred candidates, for they have seen death first 
  hand and mourned. To ensure they can cope with 
  death, all young recruits are taken to battlefields 
  and tombs to witness death first hand.
  Before they learn how to fight undead, all noviti-
  ates learn the funeral rites of the civilized races, 
  for attending funerals will form part of their core 
  duties. during this time they are stripped of their 
  humor, for that plays no part in their faith. After un-
  dergoing weapon training, each novice is assigned 
  a mentor. The novice follows the mentor wherever 
  he goes. Those who die as novices, assuming they 
  do so without sin, are assured a place in Scaetha’s 
  celestial army.
  Before he takes his final vows, the novice must have 
  visited the tomb of the Liche-Priest with his mentor. 
  Here he is told the stories of old and shown the 
  decaying seal. He is warned of the tide of darkness 
  which will flow across Rassilon if the ward is bro-
  ken, and informed that only the clerics of Scaetha 
  stand between salvation and damnation. As his fi-
  nal test, he must battle against and personally slay a 
  number of undead.
  Prayers: Scaetha’s prayers are present tense affir-
  mations of their willingness to tread where others 
  fear, such as “I stand in the darkness, unafraid of 
  death, for She is my companion.”
  Adventures: Battling undead is where clerics of 
  Scaetha find employment, though stopping a nec-
  romantic cabal or protecting a graveyard from rob-
  bers is also part of their mission. While they may 
  explore tombs for relics useful to their cause, they 
  must refrain from desecration and looting—activi-
  ties many adventuring parties find acceptable.
  Character Guidelines: Adventuring clerics are go-
  ing to face many threats. The first to overcome is 
  fear, so take guts. given their focus, Favored Foe 
  (undead) is going to be useful, as is Necromantic 
  Severing when you reach the right Rank. No cleric 
  can afford to scrimp on his combat abilities, though 
  Leadership edges are not as important as general 
  combat edges. A few dice in Healing never hurts, 
  though can be avoided if you have the healing spell 
  or there is a more dedicated party healer. Smarts 
  is the weakest attribute, though that is not to say 
  it should be completely ignored—Spirit, Strength, 
  and vigor are just more useful to a warrior.
  the WIthered LAnds
  
  
  munities are widely scattered, and given the propensity 
  for the militia to flee in the face of an undead horde, the 
  call is only made in dire circumstances.
  key pLAyers
  The three liches of the dark Triumvirate are the most 
  powerful undead currently known to be active. In addi-
  tion to their standard Special Abilities, each should be 
  given unique abilities based on their specialty.
  AnGhArAd, mIstress of Bone
  The only female member of the dark Triumvirate, 
  Angharad, like all three members of the dark circle, was 
  a human cleric of Hela who learned the rite of becoming 
  a liche. Her transformation into a liche left her devoid of 
  flesh, though it did not diminish her mental faculties. 
  By all accounts she was a master necromancer, second 
  only to Angtharinax, though one whose powers were 
  limited to fleshless skeletons. She has spent the centuries 
  engaged in the creation of new forms of skeletons and 
  the search for a means to extend her powers to other 
  forms of undead. At one she has proven a genius; the 
  other she has failed repeatedly.
  Some skalds and sages claim she and the Witch queen 
  (see Region Guide #2) were rivals for the Liche-Priest’s 
  attention, though most audiences doubt the undead are 
  capable of anything approaching love. more than one 
  scholar has argued the two hags are the same being, Ang-
  harad being the liche form of her earlier Witch queen 
  incarnation. The pair are attributed similar powers, but 
  the cult of Scaetha refuses to accept this as firm proof.
  AnIeL, the revered mother
  Few within the cult of Scaetha have ever set eyes on 
  the Revered mother, and even fewer outside the cult 
  even know of her existence. A crone of immeasurable 
  years, many believe she has existed long past her allotted 
  time.
  Aniel dwells in the deepest level of deathwatch (in 
  the Freelands), never venturing from her chamber. Her 
  single room is shrouded in darkness, lit only when a 
  rare visitor comes calling. The darkness does not bother 
  the crone, for she is blind. Where her eyes should be 
  are empty sockets, seared closed by runes of seeing and 
  death branded into her face. many claim these injuries 
  were self-inflicted.
  Aniel maintains the fabled Register, a record of all the 
  escaped souls the slayers of Scaetha have returned to 
  the Abyss. Her chicken-scratching writing fills page after 
  page, and the ledger is remarkably accurate, yet no one 
  visits to tell her the names of the slain. Whatever strange 
  gifts she possesses allows her to know the names of the 
  dead without outside interference.
  What many find disturbing about the Register is not 
  her unerring knowledge of events far from her presence 
  and the names of souls originally sentenced to the Abyss 
  millennia ago, but the fact the book dates back to the 
  first days of the cult and the writing of every page is 
  identical. 
  Some who see the writing wonder if the Revered 
  mother is actually a divine minion of Scaetha or the 
  Norns, not an aged Tuomi as she claims. Strangely, 
  though, the old woman has shown no particular adher-
  ence to any religion.
  Aniel’s secondary role is to read the Book of Shadows, 
  a legendary prophecy written down before the fall of the 
  Liche-Priest. The book appears blank, for it is said the 
  festIvAL to scAethA
     cremAtIon dAy
  Varies.
  In order to prevent their earthly remains being mis-
  used by clerics of Hela, many citizens are cremat-
  ed after death. The corpse is laid out with torches 
  placed at the head and feet so Scaetha’s herald finds 
  her way to the body quickly. The body remains in 
  state for three days, during which time the cleric 
  watches for signs indicating Scaetha’s herald has 
  collected the soul. during this time, family and 
  friends busy themselves building the funeral pyre.
  When the cleric pronounces the corpse devoid of 
  spirit, burning torches are waved over to purify the 
  flesh. grave goods are placed on the corpse or in 
  the pyre. The body is then placed atop the funeral 
  bier and dry tinder lit. As the flames rise, the mourn-
  ers tell tales about the deceased’s life, adding their 
  testimony to that of his patron god’s heralds. It is 
  considered very poor behavior to speak ill of the 
  dead at this stage.
  The next morning, the mourners gather the ashes 
  and place them in a large pot. This is buried in the 
  earth and the site marked in some manner. en-
  graved stones and swords thrust into the ground 
  are the most common memorial markers.
  Noble burials sometimes involve ships. The process 
  is identical, except the ship is burned as the funeral 
  pyre. Some ship cremations occur at sea or on riv-
  ers, but the majority is held on land.
  Scaetha does not condone more traditional burials, 
  though her clergy insist on certain precautions be-
  ing taken to prevent the corpse becoming undead. 
  most often it is bound hand and foot and placed 
  facing down. If it does awaken and slips free of its 
  bonds, the undead creature will instinctively begin 
  to burrow toward freedom. In this case, it will for-
  ever dig downward, thus never troubling the sur-
  face of the world. more fanatical clerics insist the 
  corpse have its hands, feet, and head suffered, mak-
  ing it useless to Hela’s necromancers.
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #06
  6
  
  Liche-Priest drained the knowledge from the pages so as 
  to hide whatever future the prophecy decreed. Some say 
  he did this out of rage, for the revelation spoke of a way 
  to slay him. Others insist it was done to conceal the date 
  of his return, for the Liche-Priest knew his first attempt to 
  dominate the continent was doomed to failure.
  Aniel, however, has the gift to read the blank pages, 
  though only with great difficulty and strenuous effort, 
  which leaves her tired for weeks at a time. No translation 
  of the prophecy exists, and Aniel claims one can never be 
  written, such is the unending power of the Liche-Priest’s 
  enchantment.
  AnGthArInAx, Lord of the deAd
  Although the dark Triumvirate rule jointly, Angth-
  arinax is widely regarded by Scaetha’s cult as being the 
  most powerful of the three liches.
  Beloved above all other Hela cultists serving the dark 
  master, he learned his dark arts directly from the Liche-
  Priest, supposedly studying necromantic arts unknown 
  to other necromancers before or since in the lands of 
  Rassilon. No one knows if he held the position of priest 
  or paladin in life, and some even dare to suggest he was 
  neither, but instead practiced an unknown form of nec-
  romantic magic.
  during the war against the Liche-Priest, Angtharinax 
  was known to have personally interrogated dozens of 
  captured mages of all types. What secrets he may have 
  learned remains a mystery, though investigations of his 
  deserted tower have revealed he studied aspects relat-
  ing to the raw nature of magical energy. unfortunately, 
  no living mage has been able to decipher his musings, 
  calculations, and experimental records.
  The liche’s recent disappearance has the cult of Sca-
  etha more worried then they care to admit. That he is not 
  slain is a firm fact, for his name has not appeared in the 
  Register. Wherever he lurks, the cult has vowed to end 
  his reign at the earliest opportunity.
  sethIkhopshjef, foreIGn emIssAry
  A recent visitor to the Withered Lands, Sethikhopshjef 
  is an emissary from the land of Hekata, a kingdom of old 
  located in the blistering desert realm of Al-Shirkuh. He 
  describes himself as a liche-wizir, the latter word roughly 
  translating as “counselor,” and claims to serve an entity 
  known as Faro-Apophis, a being whose power reportedly 
  exceeds that of the Liche-Priest. The emissary’s existence 
  is currently unknown to the cult of Scaetha. Were they to 
  discover his presence, they would undoubtedly expend 
  resources to learn more about him.
  Sethikhopshjef appears as a withered, skeletal husk 
  with pale, gray eyes devoid of any warmth. He wears 
  bronze armor decorated with powerful runes of protec-
  tion. Serving as his bodyguards are mummia, a slow, 
  lumbering form of undead wrapped in incense-impreg-
  nated bandages.
  Sethikhopshjef has had several meetings with the 
  remaining two liches, though little progress has been 
  made. Angharad and Taxmagulus are suspicious of their 
  undead guest, who speaks of the Liche-Priest as if he 
  knew him in person. Their demands to be taught the 
  ways of creating mummia have met with resistance, 
  Sethikhopshjef wanting a firm alliance between the two 
  realms before any information is shared.
  tAxmAGuLus, the undyInG shAdoW
  Taxmagulus, also known as the Specter king and gen-
  eral of the damned, served Hela as a paladin. The few 
  records which survive from the age of the Liche-Priest 
  indicate he was a senior general, despite being flesh and 
  blood, commanding great legions of undead soldiers 
  and black knights. It is commonly held he achieved liche 
  status before the fall of his hellish master.
  While no cleric of Scaetha has encountered the liche 
  and lived in the last century, diaries from before this time 
  seem to imply Taxmagulus wears a billowy cloak, with no 
  physical features discernible beneath save for his gaunt-
  lets, armor, and helm. The most popular theory is that 
  Taxmagulus has somehow devoured his own body to 
  fuel powerful enchantments, and that he now survives by 
  sheer willpower. more cynical clerics, less prone to give 
  their foes any more powers than can be proven, claim 
  the shadowy form is nothing more than an illusion.
  Whatever the truth, Taxmagulus is widely held to be 
  a master of incorporeal undead. The deadly shadow 
  wights (see page 10) are supposedly his creation.
  As with Angharad and the Witch queen, it has been 
  suggested Taxmagulus and the Black marshal are one 
  and the same. Some claim this is impossible, as a cryptic 
  passage dating from that era hints that the Specter king 
  gave order to the Black marshal, making it impossible for 
  them being the same entity.
  Why come here?
  The Liche Lands are a realm haunted by deep-seated 
  memories and fears. By comparison, the Withered Lands 
  are crawling with active undead. Similarly, the former 
  lands appear largely mundane, no different to those 
  neighboring them, whereas the latter is a twisted realm 
  of shadows and madness. What drives a hero to seek 
  adventure in the dark and sinister realm?
  * duty. duty is similar to being ordered, though 
  it relies more on the hero making an active decision 
  rather than being told by superiors. clerics of Scaetha 
  are expected to partake in an annual pilgrimage into the 
  Withered Lands to hunt down and slay undead. They 
  may refuse, though the penalty is committing a major 
  sin and thus loss of all miraculous powers for one week. 
  For some, a distant posting means compliance is simply 
  not possible. These unfortunates have little option but to 
  suffer the sin, pray for those undertaking the pilgrimage, 
  and slay some local undead as penance.
  the WIthered LAnds
  
  
  * glory. An orc is evil and a menace to society, but 
  undead are affronts to the gods, and slaying them is the 
  mark of a true hero. Those seeking quick glory need 
  look no further than the mist-shrouded Withered Lands, 
  for here undead exist in abundance. However, tales of 
  adventurers defeating powerful undead are few and far 
  between for good reason.
  * Orders. The Orders Hindrance is a tool gms can 
  employ to ensure characters take part in adventures, but 
  it is not a crutch he should rely on too frequently. The 
  only people ordered into the Withered Lands with any 
  regularity are clerics of Scaetha. characters indebted to 
  the cult of Scaetha may well be called upon to serve in 
  the Withered Lands, something they must always keep in 
  mind when promising favors to a cult of undead slayers.
  * Passing Through. The fastest way from Heligioland 
  and the northeast Freelands to coglelund and the mago-
  cracy is through darkwood. While travelers may encoun-
  ter undead, such encounters are rare, especially against 
  heavily protected caravans. venturing off the road is 
  foolhardy, for the constant mists and dense vegetation 
  make it very easy to become lost.
  * Treasure. Although the meadow Heath was never 
  heavily populated, it does contain plentiful burial cairns. 
  The tombs of nobles and heroes, they likely contain an-
  cient treasure hoards. many are also likely still occupied 
  by the animated remains of the dead.
  Whereas adventures in the Liche Lands may be tied 
  to ancient ruins with a rich backstory, adventures in 
  the Withered lands are more likely to be raids against 
  relatively new undead centers of power. While a simple 
  hack-and-slash tale can be fun, try to work the adventure 
  into the greater story of the world. A temple to Hela isn’t 
  just a site to be cleansed, for example, but is a production 
  line animating zombies and skeletons in preparation for 
  an invasion. By defeating the resident necromancer, the 
  heroes actually save the Freelands or Royalmark from a 
  potentially devastating attack. Such stories give the play-
  ers the satisfaction of having achieved a notable goal, 
  rather than just slaying a bunch of monsters.
  Adventure seeds
  In addition to the potential adventure seeds buried in 
  the text, here are a few extra seeds to sow in your fertile 
  imagination.
  * The cult of Scaetha knows the liches possess a 
  powerful army, one more than capable of sweeping 
  their cordon aside. What puzzles the cult is why the 
  liches have not unleashed it. While many clerics argue 
  that the dark liches are quarrelsome and thus none of 
  them can muster enough forces to secure victory and 
  guard against attacks by their peers, a growing number 
  suspect something far more sinister—that the undead 
  are launching just enough attacks to keep the clerics and 
  the surrounding lands occupied while they gather their 
  strength. The big question is, what will be the stimulus 
  for the armies’ unleashing? The only way to find out is to 
  gather intelligence from inside the Withered Lands.
  * The undying Shadow has created an infernal device 
  capable of transferring damned souls from Hela’s realm 
  into living mortal bodies, drawing out and imprisoning 
  the victim’s soul in the process. Tracking down his appa-
  ratus and releasing the trapped souls may be assigned to 
  the heroes by the cult of Scaetha, or they may learn of the 
  transference by accident and venture into the Withered 
  Lands of their own volition.
  * A powerful heahwisard claims he might be able to 
  decipher Angtharinax’s arcane studies. unfortunately, 
  many of the writings he needs to study remain in the 
  liche’s tower. He refuses to enter the Withered Lands 
  without an experienced escort. Once at the tower, the 
  mage turns on his protectors, seeking to destroy them 
  and their arcane works. Is he a secret servant of Hela, or 
  is there something more sinister behind his actions.
  * A senior paladin has fallen in battle in the Withered 
  Lands. One of his companions survived the conflict and 
  returned with the news. Shamed by leaving his master 
  behind, he has vowed to return for the corpse and seeks 
  allies willing to brave the haunted realm.
  Gods & monsters
  This section introduces one new minor deity, Biflindi, 
  Scaetha’s battlefield protector, a variety of skeletons, op-
  tions for creating new zombie types, a species of wolf 
  that dines on carrion, and the legendary blades of Sca-
  etha, powerful cult relics.
  festIvAL to scAethA
     dIrGe dAy
  First Sunnandaeg of Snaermonan.
  Scaetha’s first dirge poured out into the universe 
  after she had defeated Hela and sealed the gates of 
  the Abyss. The dirge was not for the minor gods 
  and champions of Sigel who fell beating back the 
  Abyssal hoard that day, but for Hela, who was de-
  clared by all the other gods to be dead to them from 
  that day forth. She was the first deity to be declared 
  dead since the god War ended.
  clerics halt their crusade against the undead on 
  this day to remember those comrades and helpers 
  to have fallen in battle against the relentless hoard. 
  Traditionally, this day marks the end of the Liche-
  Priest’s reign, when the races finally mourned their 
  many losses. Worshippers gather in temples and on 
  battlefields where their foes were undead to sing 
  dirges and death prayers, and to honor their com-
  rades’ memories. vows of vengeance and oaths to 
  continue the crusade, regardless of the losses en-
  dured, are made on this day as well.
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #06
  
  
  BIfLIndI
  Titles: Scaetha’s Ward, Scaetha’s Shield, Shield 
  Shaker.
  Aspects: Protection against undead.
  Affiliations: Scaetha, Sigel.
  Symbol: A shield with a skull on the front.
  Priesthood: eulogist Shields (priests); Slayer Shields 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: every Sunnandaeg. during Werremonan 
  these are high holy days. door Shutting Night (see page 
  9) is also a high holy day.
  Duties: To protect citizens against undead.
  Sins: (minor) allowing a cleric of Scaetha to be 
  wounded by an undead, allowing a normal person to be 
  slain by an undead; (major) allowing a cleric of Scaetha 
  to be incapacitated by an undead; (mortal) allowing a 
  cleric of Scaetha to be slain by an undead.
  Signature Power: Warding (undead only).
  Powers: Arcane resistance, armor*, champion of the 
  faith, deflection*, heat mask, light, weaken undead.
  Trappings: clergy may use any trapping except dark-
  ness or necromantic.
  Special: Spells marked “*” only function against un-
  dead. Against other foes, the spell has no effect, although 
  it remains maintained. Sins involving failure to protect 
  a person apply only if the victim is within 5” of them at 
  the time.
  Whereas kvara (goddess of bodyguards and younger 
  sister of Scaetha) is eira’s shieldmaiden, Biflindi, kvara’s 
  husband, serves Scaetha, his sister-in-law. Originally one 
  of Sigel’s Tiw-trained bodyguards, Biflindi was promoted 
  to Scaetha bodyguard when she became a greater god-
  dess. Scaetha, while undeniably devoted to her cause, 
  can be reckless and foolhardy, fearlessly forging ahead 
  regardless of the odds. Biflindi’s role is to keep her from 
  harm and remind her that sometimes a battle cannot be 
  won by strength of arms alone, and that retreating to 
  fight again another day is better than death. As clerics of 
  the faith are prone to repeat, “Sometimes you must lose 
  a battle to win the war.”
  Biflindi is never depicted as an individual figure in 
  religious art—he is Scaetha’s ever-present shield, and 
  thus always watching over her whenever Scaetha is por-
  trayed. A quiet, humble, and unassuming god, mortals 
  erect no temples or shrines in his honor. When Scaetha 
  is honored, Biflindi is honored by default.
  Priests and paladins both serve as bodyguards and 
  shield bearers to Scaetha’s clergy and military command-
  ers dedicated to eradicating the undead. despite their 
  titles, priests are not forced to solely watch over priests, 
  and the same applies to paladins. In general, paladins 
  are simply more combat savvy and willing to enter the 
  thickest parts of battle to fulfill their oaths.
  Like their god, clerics are solely focused on protect-
  ing against undead. For this reason, they very rarely 
  serve clerics of other gods, though they maintain good 
  relations and occasionally cooperate with those of Sigel. 
  Those not on adventuring duty protecting a cleric serve 
  as defenders in the forts surrounding the Withered Lands 
  and in Seithrby, on the borders with the Liche Lands of 
  Old.
  Like Scaetha’s worshippers, Biflindi’s followers are a 
  mournful and sorrowful lot. dirges and death hymns are 
  sung on holy days in memory of those who have fallen to 
  undead. Biflindi’s clerics, like their patron, have vowed 
  never to celebrate victories until every last undead is 
  slain. until then, all victories are hollow.
  Character Guidelines: Biflindi’s clerics fill a niche 
  role, but one which adventuring parties focused against 
  undead will find very useful. clerics need a high Fighting 
  score in order to have a good Parry. Since Biflindi does 
  not grant healing, clerics should invest in the Healing 
  festIvAL to scAethA
     door shuttInG nIGht
  First Sunnandaeg of Fogmonan.
  Only Scaetha’s valiant actions in slamming shut the 
  gates of the Abyss prevented more evil souls escap-
  ing. On this night her worshippers remember that 
  feat. Throughout the day, the main doors to the 
  temples are left wide open, regardless of season 
  and any threats to the structure. All imagery sacred 
  to Scaetha is covered in black drapes, for on this 
  day the temple represents not Scaetha’s home but 
  the Abyss.
  Worshippers of Scaetha spend the day outside the 
  temple in prayer and meditation. Local citizens get 
  to play the part of evil spirits. Although the spirits 
  released from the Abyss were all sinners, the clergy 
  does not condone criminal acts. Instead, it is a feast 
  day (sponsored by the clergy of Scaetha), a time to 
  get drunk, act the fool, and revel in temporary cha-
  os as the social mores are abandoned.
  Just before dusk, the citizens gather outside the 
  temple of Scaetha, shouting loudly and taunting 
  Scaetha’s clergy. As the sun sets, the high priest 
  and his retinue of priests and paladins shove their 
  way through the inebriated crowd toward the 
  main doors. drink-fuelled violence often erupts, 
  though only rarely is anyone killed or permanently 
  maimed. Having reached the doors, the clergy slam 
  them shut and lock them, signaling the end of the 
  festival (which is why the citizens are keen to pre-
  vent this).
  Anyone foolish enough to be inside the temple is 
  now trapped inside until dawn, when the doors are 
  reopened. Although a holy place, Scaetha’s temples 
  are dark and sorrowful halls, supposedly haunted 
  by the ghosts of fallen priests and paladins. For 
  most, it is a frightening experience (especially when 
  drunken imaginations start working overtime).
  the WIthered LAnds
  
  
  skill. Block and Shieldwall should be taken at the earliest 
  opportunity. Fleet Footed is advisable, as it allows the 
  cleric to move rapidly across the battlefield. Favored Foe 
  (undead) increases Parry further.
  shAdoW WIGht
  Shadow wights are dark souls without a host body, 
  given power to assume a semi-corporeal form through 
  necromantic rituals. They appear as smoky humanoids 
  with glittering red eyes whose lower bodies trail away 
  into wispy vapors. Full of hate and malice toward the 
  living, they are masters of hit-and-run attacks, slashing at 
  victims and then vanishing through walls, only to reap-
  pear moments later from a totally different and unex-
  pected direction.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Stealth 
  d10
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Become Incorporeal: As an action a shadow wight 
  can become totally incorporeal (or vice versa). It is 
  immune to all damage except that caused by magic, 
  but cannot use its claws. In its spectral form it may 
  pass through solid objects.
  * Burrow: Shadow wights don’t actually physically bur-
  row through matter, but their ability to pass through 
  solid matter while incorporeal gives them similar am-
  bush potential. When a shadow wight emerges from 
  solid matter, victims must make a Notice roll opposed 
  by the wight’s Stealth. If the creature wins, it gains +2 
  to attack and damage that round, +4 with a raise.
  * Claw: Str+d6. A shadow wight’s claws ignore all ar-
  mor except the armor spell.
  * Glide: Shadow wights ignore penalties for difficult 
  ground and leave no tracks.
  * Semi-Incorporeal: damage dice from mundane 
  sources never Ace when attacking a shadow wight. 
  Relics and spells work normally (a weapon imbued 
  with smite Aces as normal and grants the spell’s dam-
  age bonus).
  * Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken; No additional damage from called Shots; Im-
  mune to poison and disease.
  skeLeton, BALfIre
  Swathed in balefire of varying color and with bones 
  charred jet black, these unholy fiends can scorch nearby 
  foes and throw crackling balls of balefire at distant en-
  emies. They are created through the greater zombie spell 
  from corpses killed in conflagrations.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d6, 
  vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Shoot-
  ing d8
  Pace: 7; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Balefire Aura: At the end of its movement, all adja-
  cent creatures except balefire skeletons suffer 2d6 
  damage.
  * Balefire Ball: Range: 6/12/24; damage: 2d6 plus 
  chance of catching fire.
  * Bony Claws: Str+d4.
  * Fearless: Immune to fear and Intimidation.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from called Shots. Im-
  mune to disease and poison.
  skeLeton, BrIttLeBone
  As skeletons age their bones become extremely brittle. 
  A skeleton must be at least 50 years old to become or be 
  animated as a brittlebone.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d6, 
  vigor d4
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Shoot-
  ing d6
  Pace: 7; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
  Gear: varies, but typically a short sword, axe, or mace 
  (Str+d6)
  Treasure: meager per 3 skeletons
  Special Abilities:
  * Bony Claws: Str+d4.
  * Brittle: If a brittlebone skeleton rolls a 1 on a Trait roll 
  while performing a physical action it is automatically 
  Shaken as a part of it falls off. Agility Tricks against a 
  brittlebone skeleton that cause a Shaken are treated 
  as a physical attack.
  * Choking Cloud: A wounded brittlebone skeleton ex-
  plodes in a choking cloud of bone and dust. All adja-
  cent air-breathing creatures must make a vigor roll or 
  be Shaken.
  * Fearless: Immune to fear and Intimidation.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from called Shots. Im-
  mune to disease and poison.
  skeLeton commAnder
  unlike common skeletons, the skeletal commander 
  retains more of its combat skills and is equipped with 
  functional, if somewhat dilapidated, armaments.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, knowledge (Battle) 
  d8, Notice d4, Riding d8, Shooting d8
  Pace: 7; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10 (3)
  Edges: command, Level Headed, Tactician
  Gear: Rusty plate corselet (+3), rusty chain limbs (+2), 
  full helmet (+2), medium shield (+1 Parry), battle axe 
  (Str+d8), skeletal war horse
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #06
  10
  
  * Bony Claws: Str+d4.
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from called Shots. Im-
  mune to disease and poison. No wound penalties.
  skeLeton, huscArL
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d4, Riding 
  d8, Throwing d8
  Pace: 7; Parry: 8; Toughness: 9 (2)
  Gear: Rusty chain hauberk (+2), open helm (+2), battle 
  axe (Str+d8), medium shield (+1 Parry), two throwing 
  axes (Range: 3/6/12, Str+d6)
  Special Abilities:
  * Block: +1 Parry.
  * Bony Claws: Str+d4.
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from called Shots. Im-
  mune to disease and poison.
  skeLeton, WAr horse
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d4, Strength 
  d12+2, vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6
  Pace: 9; Parry: 6; Toughness: 11
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  * Fleet Footed: War horses roll a d10 when running 
  instead of a d6.
  * Kick: Str+d4.
  * Size +2: Skeletal warhorses lack the bulk of their liv-
  ing counterparts but are still large.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from called Shots. Im-
  mune to disease and poison.
  WoLf, GrAve
  during the aftermath of the Liche-Priest’s reign and 
  the Blizzard War, many wolves dined heartily on corpses. 
  Over the centuries, their descendants have acquired a 
  taste only for rotting flesh. grave wolves are scavengers, 
  attacking living prey only in self-defense or to safeguard 
  a meal. In recent times, they have begun digging up 
  graveyards and newly-formed barrow mounds to reach 
  food. grave wolves appear identical to regular wolves, 
  save for strips of decomposing flesh wedged between 
  their teeth.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d6, Strength 
  d6, vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, guts d6, Intimidation d6, Notice 
  d10
  Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4
  festIvAL to scAethA
     fIrst deAth dAy
  First Sunnandaeg of Werremonan.
  At the beginning of time, there were many argu-
  ments between the gods and even violence, but 
  none were slain, for death was unknown.
  While searching the dark recesses of the heavens 
  for a suitable opponent, Hela (before her madness) 
  came across a pathetic figure huddled beneath a 
  musty cloak and sleeping soundly. She took the god 
  back with her(some say by force) and presented 
  him to the other gods, demanding to know who 
  this new creature was.
  Niht said she knew but could not say, Hoenir con-
  sulted his books to no avail, maera sought a divina-
  tion but no answer came, while the Norns appeared 
  horrified, for they had not foretold this event and 
  knew nothing of the new god’s fate.
  One of Tiw’s champions, a bully by nature, began 
  to physically abuse the new god, shoving and kick-
  ing him. With a gentle touch, the new god laid the 
  warrior flat. He did not rise again and was renamed 
  valtýr (“Slain god”).
  The new god, his voice soft yet firm, said his name 
  was death, and that he was the end of all things. 
  He possessed the greatest power in the universe, 
  one so powerful he could not control it unless he 
  slept—were he to remain awake for too long the 
  universe would end.
  The gods began debating who should guard death 
  while he slept, for here was a weapon too easily 
  abused. each argued his case, but in all their faces 
  death saw greed, treachery, vengeance, and the 
  possibility of accidents.
  knowing he could never rest in peace now he had 
  been discovered, death flew into the Norns’ loom 
  and vanished. From this point, all creatures would 
  contain a part of a tiny death, and when it awoke 
  from its slumber that person’s life would end with-
  out unraveling creation.
  On First death day, citizens offer prayers to their 
  ancestors and lay on ritual feasts. The seat at the 
  head of the table is always left vacant for any an-
  cestors who care to join their kin. Food and drink 
  is laid on for them. Once the prayers are over, the 
  citizens tell stories of their ancestors, keeping their 
  memories alive. Scaetha is honored with prayers 
  and blessings, for she is the guardian of death, who 
  sings it to sleep each night, and allows the ancestral 
  spirits to return for one night.
  This is another day when speaking ill of the dead is 
  foolish, for there is a good chance they may actually 
  be listening.
  the WIthered LAnds
  11
  
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Fleet Footed: Wolves roll a d10 when running in-
  stead of a d6.
  * Go for the Throat: Wolves instinctively go for an op-
  ponent’s soft spots. With a raise on its attack roll, it 
  hits the target’s most weakly-armored location.
  * Infected Bite: Str+d4. Anyone wounded by the bite 
  must make a vigor roll or suffer infection. Infected 
  wounds can be healed only through natural Healing.
  * Size –1: Wolves are relatively small.
  ZomBIe vArIAnts
  Not all zombies are created equally. The following 
  special abilities may be assigned to the standard zombie 
  stat block. common sense should be used when assign-
  ing these abilities; a zombie may be Fresh or Putrefying, 
  but never both, for example.
  * Big Zombie, Small Zombie: Zombies retain their 
  flesh. Thus, if the corpse was Brawny, Obese, or Small 
  the zombie retains the same abilities.
  * Brain Hunger: Zombies created through the zombie 
  spell are rarely permanent creations. Brain hunger 
  zombies can be created through the greater zombie 
  spell. If a brain hunger zombie eats the brain of a 
  recently slain foe (killed no later than the previous 
  round), it maintains its unlife for an additional 24 
  hours, regardless of the initial spell duration. eating 
  the brain consumes the zombie’s entire action and 
  prohibits any movement. eating more than a single 
  brain in a 24-hour period has no additional effect.
  * Contagious: A victim slain by a contagious zombie 
  rises as a contagious zombie at the start of the next 
  round. contagious zombies can be created through 
  the greater zombie spell. Faith rolls to create these 
  zombies are made at –2 and require a diseased 
  corpse.
  * Fresh: Fresh zombies are animated from the recently 
  dead. While they cannot pass as living creatures, they 
  are less decayed than their older cousins and thus 
  more maneuverable. They have Pace 6. They also re-
  tain more intelligence, having Smarts d6.
  * Gut-Spill: The zombie’s intestines spill from its gut 
  and pool around its legs. Anyone moving adjacent to, 
  or who is adjacent and moves away from, the zom-
  bie must make an Agility roll as a free action or fall 
  prone. The zombie can use its intestines like a lasso. 
  This allows it to make grapple attacks at Reach 2. gut-
  spill zombies are created using the zombie spell (–1 
  penalty) but the corpse must be no more than a week 
  old.
  * Hardy: Only creatable by a disciple of Hela using the 
  greater zombie power, these undead do not suffer 
  wounds from successive Shaken results.
  * Insect Ridden: An adjacent attacker who Shakes an 
  insect ridden zombie in melee combat must make 
  a Spirit roll to avoid being Shaken as creepy-crawl-
  ies emerge and crawl over his hand. This ability only 
  works on an individual attacker once per fight. After 
  this, he quickly becomes jaded. created using the 
  zombie power and a corpse riddled with insects.
  * Missing Limb or Organ: Not every zombie comes 
  from an intact corpse of adult human proportions. A 
  zombie can have one or more Hindrances from Bad 
  eyes, Blind, Lame, One Arm, One eye, and One Leg.
  * Putrefying: Raised at the stage when the flesh begins 
  to drip from the bone, these zombies are ghastly to 
  behold. They have the Fear special ability. When a 
  living creature first moves adjacent to one of these 
  zombies, it must make a vigor roll or be Shaken as it 
  gags on the foul stench of rotting meat. Whether he 
  succeeds or fails, he is then immune to the stench for 
  24 hours.
  * Rage: Permanently berserk, as per the edge of that 
  name. creating one of these rare zombies requires 
  the corpse of a berserk who was frenzied at the time 
  of his death and the zombie spell.
  scAethA’s BLAdes
  The swords originally appeared in the free download 
  Legendary Relics. They are reproduced here in standard 
  terminology for completeness.
  Description: Long swords carved with runes of life 
  and severing.
  History: When Scaetha took up the mantle of lead-
  ing the crusade against Hela, she granted her 12 most 
  devout paladins a special blade to aid their fight against 
  the undead. Technically such an act stretched the laws of 
  the compact, but even Thrym, a god who overstepped 
  the mark more than once, turned a blind eye, such was 
  the threat railed against the living races.
  The blades survived the Blizzard War, but the centu-
  ries of fighting against the necromantic hoard have taken 
  their toll. Four of the blades remain in the hands of pala-
  dins, two are kept in storage at deathwatch Fort, waiting 
  for worthy paladins to be awarded them, and the remain-
  ing six are lost. The most likely location to find them is in 
  the Withered Lands, as part of a liche’s treasure haul.
  Powers: Against creatures without the undead 
  monstrous Ability these blades function as regular long 
  swords. Wielded against undead, each blade grants an 
  extra +1 to Fighting and damage rolls. In the hands of 
  a cleric of Scaetha, however, they grant +2 to Fighting 
  and cause Str+d12 damage, regardless of whether the 
  wielder meets the minimum Strength.
  * When drawn, the blades flicker with blue flame if 
  an undead is within 24” (48 yards). The blade cannot be 
  fooled by conceal spells, invisibility, or other attempts 
  to conceal one’s presence. The flame is a magical effect 
  and radiates no heat.
  * When wielded by a follower of Scaetha the user 
  receives a free dispel against any necromantic trapping 
  spell cast against them. This functions even for area ef-
  fects spells but rather than dispelling the entire spell it 
  protects only the wielder. The blade has a d8 arcane skill 
  for this purpose only.
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #06
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  The most northern of the Low Winterlands realms, Shattered Moor is a distant outpost 
  of civilization among a sea of barbaric Vendahl and crazed frostreavers. A bleak landscape 
  of broken moors, frozen marshes, steep hills, jagged valleys, and the upland of Fell Pla-
  teau, only the hardiest souls can survive here. This supplement expands on information 
  in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Who Were the SelarI?
  Old and stagnant long before the young and vibrant Anari Empire blossomed onto the 
  scene, the Kingdom of the Selari spanned much of what is now the High Winterlands, 
  its northern borders extending into the Hellfrost. Although scholars tend to speak of a 
  single kingdom, by their end the Selari had divided into two rival houses, their lands torn 
  by political strife and open warfare. The original kingdom’s heartland lay in what is now 
  Shadowvale, in the Unclaimed Lands, while the splinter kingdom held sway from a mighty 
  city atop the Fell Plateau.
  Modern hypotheses have placed this division at the feet of Thrym’s machinations, for 
  the sun-priests and solar mages of the Selari could, perhaps, have thwarted the Blizzard 
  War, but little firm evidence exists to support these claims. The Selari, it seems, were 
  merely plagued by the same problems every large kingdom or empire suffers eventually.
  Sages are universally agreed the Selari honored a dualist pantheon, promoting just two 
  deities of equal but opposing powers. Sigel, the sun god (known to the Selari as Virotutis), 
  was the center of worship, and viewed as the god of light and law, and father of creation. 
  Opposing him was Niht (named Cyhyraeth in Selari texts), the mother of darkness and 
  chaos, and of all evil in the world. While the other deities did not receive direct worship, 
  nor indeed were they even named in texts, their presence was felt nonetheless. Aspects 
  of Sigel, for instance, were attributed the powers of Eira and Eostre, among others, while 
  Niht gained aspects of Dargar, Hela, Thrym, and Vali.
  Before the Blizzard War, the Selari Kingdom (and later the two kingdoms) dominated 
  a land subjected to long summer days and short winter ones. The equinoxes and solstices 
  played an important part in Selari rituals, and their astronomers were masters at predict-
  ing solar events. Despite their scientific knowledge, the endless battle between light and 
  darkness, summer and winter, was viewed as a divine struggle between Sigel and Niht. 
  Although winter is, of course, cold, this was seen as being caused by Sigel’s weaker state, 
  not the work of Niht.
  31207
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 7 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  Shattered Moor
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THiS gAME rEFErENCES THE SAVAgE WOrLDS gAME SySTEM, AVAiLABLE FrOM PiNNACLE ENTErTAiNMENT grOUP AT WWW.PEgiNC.COM.   
  SAVAgE WOrLDS & ALL ASSOCiATED LOgOS & TrADEMArKS ArE COPyrigHTS OF PiNNACLE ENTErTAiNMENT grOUP. USED WiTH PErMiSSiON.  
  PiNNACLE MAKES NO rEPrESENTATiON Or WArrANTy AS TO THE qUALiTy, ViABiLiTy, Or SUiTABiLiTy FOr PUrPOSE OF THiS PrODUCT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  While much is known of the Selari’s religious prac-
  tices, very little remains regarding the lives of normal 
  citizens. Statues and engravings typically depict nobles, 
  mages, and priests in ceremonial garb, or show them 
  performing acts of magic or religious devotion, leaving 
  vast gaps in knowledge concerning the average citizen’s 
  style of dress, customs, games, and so on. Likewise, sur-
  viving texts tend to be focused on religion or magical 
  study. For now, the mundane aspects of the Selari culture 
  remain a mystery.
  On the matter of their origins, it seems the Selari were 
  historically separate from the four remaining human 
  cultures. The main distinguishing feature was their hair, 
  which varied from dark red-brown through fiery red to a 
  dull orange-ginger color.
  religious texts speak of a holy island far to the west, 
  where Sigel molded the first Selari people in his image, 
  imbuing in them a tiny mote of his everlasting light and 
  purity. The Selari lived here peacefully for many genera-
  tions, but were eventually exiled after being tricked into 
  sinning by Niht. Some Anari scholars believe this mythi-
  cal creation story may in fact relate to an actual exodus. 
  With so many records lost during the Selari defense of 
  their realm against the Liche-Priest and the later Blizzard 
  War, it is unlikely the truth will ever be known.
  Major localeS
  While the Hellfrost Gazetteer describes a handful of 
  adventuring locales in Shattered Moor, many others ex-
  ist. This section expands on the existing sites and delves 
  into some of the other interesting locales of the remote 
  realm.
  Note that Shattered Moor refers to the realm, whereas 
  the Shattered Moor relates to the extensive upland domi-
  nating the north of the country.
  aelfMeet
  Population: 527
  ruler: Profiteer Leaze ap-Acostant
  religion: Var, Eostre Animalmother, Kenaz
  imports: Trade
  Exports: Trade, wool, mutton
  Located on the border between Shattered Moor, 
  Nerenel, and Seithrby, Aelfmeet was founded to handle 
  trade with Nerenel. The taiga elves were reluctant to 
  allow traders into their forest, and their habit of mov-
  ing camp every season made finding them arduous and 
  incurred costly delays. An agreement was struck 74 years 
  ago to have a fixed point for mercantile activities. Several 
  villages competed, but Aelfmeet (formerly Urkstead) was 
  chosen. The village has grown dramatically since then.
  The old governmental system of an elected mayor 
  was replaced at the same time. These days a cleric of Var 
  rules the village. Each cleric serves a four-year period, in 
  which time he is expected to increase profits year after 
  year. Should he fail, he is replaced by one of his peers.
   The village survives on trade and wool exports. Local 
  merchants purchase goods from Shattered Moor settle-
  ments and Nerenel, selling them at marked up prices to 
  merchants traveling up the eastern trade road through 
  Heligioland and Seithrby. in return, they buy goods from 
  the visiting merchants, then sell them at local markets. 
  Extensive sheep flocks are kept for their wool, which is 
  traded with Nerenel, and meat, which is consumed lo-
  cally or dried and exported.
  Although a small settlement, Aelfmeet boasts a temple 
  to Var. A converted barn, it has been refurbished and ex-
  panded to include fixed market stalls, accommodation 
  for merchants, and stables for their beasts of burden 
  (also pygmy mammoths). as well as a treasury and actual 
  place of worship. Security is provided by local soldiers 
  for a modest fee.
  The success of the local iron guild operation in Shat-
  tered Moor is hampering the village’s profits. With the 
  roads now safer, merchants are willing to travel further 
  into Shattered Moor, selling directly to consumers and 
  buying direct from manufacturers.
  Nerenel Embassy: A name given by the local inhabit-
  ants, the “embassy” is actually just a taiga elf tent. Living 
  here is a single merchant, glitterbright, and four blade-
  dancers. glitterbright handles all trade between Nerenel 
  and Shattered Moor.
  the Beacon
  On clear nights during the short summer months, a 
  beam of intense yellow-white light can be seen emanat-
  ing from atop the Fell Plateau. As brilliant as the sun 
  and illuminating the land under its path like daylight, 
  it strikes westward in the general direction of Hrimthyr 
  ruleS of the realM
  These setting rules apply in Shattered Moor.
  * Distrusted: Berserkers and worshippers of Dar-
  gar and Hildolfr (see page 8) are viewed with great 
  distrust in the civilized settlements. They suffer a –2 
  Charisma penalty.
  * High or Low: The hills and plateau are part of the 
  High Winterlands. Technically the southern plains 
  are in the Low Winterlands. However, the presence 
  of Frostwater Lake and the Forest of Dreams can 
  thwart the warm southerly winds, while in winter, 
  harsh, icy winds often sink down from the Fell Pla-
  teau or the Frozen Forest.
  At the start of each month, the heroes are outside 
  the uplands.  A card is drawn from the action deck. 
  On a red suit, treat the temperature as being as per 
  the Low Winterlands. A black card means the tem-
  perature is as for the High Winterlands. On a Joker, 
  it stays the same as the previous month (default 
  Low Winterlands).
  hellfroSt reGIon GuIde #07
  
  
  isle. The beam travels no more than a few hundred miles, 
  not even reaching rimeholm, before rapidly fading.
  Speculation is rife across Shattered Moor as to its ori-
  gins. One popular theory is that Sigel is trying to strike 
  at the frost giants, but is too weak to do so. Naturally, 
  Sigel’s clerics deny this slur on their deity’s prowess. 
  Other theories include a lost Selari sect trying to make 
  contact with the outside world, perhaps hoping against 
  hope their kingdom in the east still stands; a colossal sun 
  dragon is trying to burn down rimeholm (a weak theory, 
  but at least it points the danger away from local commu-
  nities); and a malfunctioning relic of awesome power.
  The origin of the beam is actually a sun dragon, 
  though not a live one. Within the ruins of the old Selari 
  city stands a towering statue of Sigel in his sun dragon 
  guise. During the long, dark winter it charges up, absorb-
  ing what pitiful sunlight falls on the plateau, and releases 
  its beam each night for a single month in the summer. 
  Unfortunately, the sun is too weak to charge it to full 
  capacity. Weighing several dozen tons, it is impossible to 
  move to a sunnier clime.
  The dragon’s beam is aimed at a particular location 
  west of its position, but is not on Hrimthyr isle.
  the cave of ShadoWS
  Legends regarding the Cave of Shadows have circulat-
  ed around the higher central Winterlands for centuries. 
  Many believe it is a myth, but tales of terrifying wraiths 
  and specters continue to spread. Few explorers return 
  without a horrific tale.
  The cave is very much a real place, but the denizens 
  supposedly haunting it are not. in the days of the Se-
  lari, a carving on the lintel read, “Conquer the shadows 
  within your heart and you shall be rewarded.” Today 
  only the words “Conquer the shadows within” and “shall 
  be rewarded” remain legible.
  Considered an unholy place, sacred to Niht, the only 
  denizens in the gloomy tunnels and caverns are what an 
  explorer brings with him. Here the character’s doubts, 
  fears, and sins manifest as spectral entities, creatures that 
  can be defeated not by combat, but by facing the emo-
  tions and memories that spawned them. Those devoid 
  of negative feelings have nothing to fear, but few mortals 
  can claim to be so pure, at least before they intrude into 
  the Cave of Shadows. Unfortunately, the cave has an in-
  sidious effect on the mind, dredging up any negativity 
  and feeding it.
  Selari clerics of Sigel would venture into the cave to 
  test their purity, face their fears and sins made manifest, 
  and emerge purer of soul and one step closer to enlight-
  enment, the greatest treasure known to the Selari.
  far reach
  Far reach served as a major Selari outpost, a fortified 
  town protecting the copper mines. When the Blizzard 
  War began, the majority of the Selari occupants fled 
  north to their great cities, abandoning the workers and 
  Solar MaGIc
  Solar magic, the only magical art practiced by the 
  Selari culture, died during the Blizzard War. How-
  ever, by studying the ruins of the Shattered Moor, 
  a hero might (with the gM’s approval) be able to 
  learn the art.
  Arcane Skill: Solar Magic (Smarts)
  Starting Powers: 1 (also learn light automatically)
  Powers: Altered senses, aura, banish, barrier, blast, 
  bless/panic, bolt, burst, charismatic aura, deflec-
  tion, detect/conceal, elemental manipulation (fire 
  only), dispel, energy immunity (cold, darkness, 
  fire, heat, ice, light only), farsight, fly, glyph, heat 
  mask, prolonged blast, quickness, sphere of might, 
  smite, speed, stun, and weaken undead.
  The Selari, a now extinct culture, were sun-wor-
  shippers, placing faith in Sigel above all other gods. 
  Even their mages were tied to this belief.
  Casting: Solar magic draws its energy from the 
  sun’s magical threads. When the sun is obscured or 
  out of the sky, the magic becomes harder to use. 
  Penalties for poor lighting apply to the arcane skill 
  roll. Solar mages were able to cast magic indoors or 
  underground through sympathetic resonance. That 
  is, a torch or lantern sheds light, and thus has sym-
  pathetic ties to the sun, enabling them to empower 
  spells.
  Trappings: Where applicable, all spells involve both 
  fire and light trappings simultaneously. As always, 
  common sense should apply. A bless spell might 
  cause the target to radiate light, but it won’t set fire 
  to him. Spells actively utilizing the fire trapping are 
  affected by the Hellfrost effect.
  Backlash: Practitioners are subject to Siphoning.  
  the SelarI Pantheon
  The Selari pantheon recognized just two deities, 
  Sigel and Niht. However, each was accorded many 
  aspects which coincided with one of the other ma-
  jor deities. For instance, Sigel the Healer had simi-
  larities with Eira while Sigel rainmaker was synony-
  mous with many aspects of Thunor.
  in game terms, a character wishing to adopt the Se-
  lari faith as a cleric must take Arcane Background 
  (Miracles) and pick either Sigel or Niht as his pa-
  tron. He must then pick an aspect which relates 
  to one of the other major deities, adding both the 
  spells and sins of that second deity to his patron’s 
  list. For example, Sigel the Healer has the combined 
  spells and sins of Sigel and Eira. Niht, an evil god-
  dess, is linked with Dargar, Hela, Thrym, and Vali. 
  Sigel may be worshipped in an aspect of any of the 
  remaining greater gods.
  The cleric starts with the two signature spells of his 
  chosen gods. in this he has no choice.
  Shattered Moor
  
  
  slaves to their fate. Had they remained here, they might 
  have survived, for Far reach suffered damage only to 
  its suburbs when the formation of the Shattered Moor 
  destroyed the eastern Selari kingdom and exterminated 
  its population.
  On Heah Sumor Daeg eve, as the sun finally begins 
  to set, the locals hurriedly say their prayers to Sigel and 
  close their doors, barring them tightly until sunrise. As 
  the light wanes, translucent spectral forms gather outside 
  the old wall, moaning and wailing in the Selari tongue, 
  begging to be allowed into the town. Locals believe these 
  are the souls of the former Selari occupants slain during 
  the formation of the Shattered Moor, denied access to 
  the Afterlife for their collective sins and condemned to 
  remain forever bound to the mortal realm. While some 
  over the ages have proposed welcoming the ghosts into 
  the town, an act they argue will finally grant them peace, 
  the matter is quickly ended when someone inevitably 
  pipes up that Sigel has cursed them for a reason.
  The great stone piers that once stretched into Frost-
  water Lake are naught but piles of rubble. No merchant 
  ships berth here these days, for the lakes are un-navi-
  gable much of the time. A modest fishing fleet makes its 
  home here, their catches supplementing the locals’ diet. 
  Surplus fish are smoked and sold to passing merchants 
  traveling the Northern Loop, the trade network that goes 
  from Far reach south to ryhoepe, Seithrby, and Brae, 
  east to icewatch Fort, back north to Velhem Fort via Wul-
  fcestre, and thence back to Far reach.
  Medyr ap-Bicne, owner of the mammoth stables, is 
  a priest of Skaði, minor goddess of magic (see the free 
  download Exotic Locales #1 for details of the faith).
  the foreSt of oMenS
  Although hunters have permission to kill game here 
  from the local taiga elf clan, few will spend the night 
  beneath the leafy boughs. The forest is aptly named, for 
  it is said anyone who sleeps here risks dreaming of the 
  future. While men have a natural curiosity concerning 
  the future, the omens typically relate to death, and few 
  wish to learn of their fate ahead of time.
  Many fey dwell in the forest. Not answerable to the 
  elves (although they are generally friendly with them), 
  the fey judge hunters by their merits. Those who respect 
  the forest find hunting easy, while those who take too 
  much or hunt purely for sport find the wood to be a 
  dark place. According to the elves, the supreme fey ruler 
  of the forest is the Crimson King, an Unseelie. Hunters 
  wishing to enter the forest are expected to sacrifice a pint 
  of their blood at the start of each hunting season, letting 
  the hot liquid soak into the snow-covered soil.
  root
  Population: 1,074
  ruler: Mayor quinley
  religion: Eostre Plantmother, Kenaz, Sigel, Var
  imports: Meat, pottery, textiles
  Exports: root vegetables, vegetable wine
  More properly known as Hedewic, root takes its nick-
  name from the surrounding root crop fields. it lies at 
  the junction between the trade road for Occitan and the 
  road from Far reach to Velhem Fort.
  grown in raised beds packed deep with manure, the 
  villagers successfully cultivate beetroot, carrots, onions, 
  parsnips, turnips, and radishes, with cabbage and spin-
  ach grown to supplement the diet. if the weather holds, 
  these hardy crops can be grown throughout spring, sum-
  mer, and fall, allowing the village to export its surplus. 
  root also ferments several varieties of vegetable wine, 
  including the locally-famous Angry Mule Carrot Wine, a 
  brew renowned for its alcoholic kick.
  The villagers operate as a collective, with everyone 
  helping grow, harvest, and sell the crops. The harder one 
  works, the higher share of the harvest and profit they re-
  ceive. The village collectively owns six pygmy mammoths 
  trained to pull plows. Their manure is a vital part of the 
  villagers’ agricultural success, and the settlement boasts 
  both a paladin and priest of Brúni, god of dung.
  Originally the village elected its mayor based on no set 
  criteria, but in recent decades the post has always been 
  held by a cleric of Eostre Plantmother. The incumbent 
  mayor is quinley, an engro priest. quinley is currently 
  seeking funds to build a temple to Eostre, promising 
  investors a cut of the village’s annual profits in return.
  With pipeleaf an expensive luxury this far north, the 
  mayor devotes a great deal of his spare time trying to 
  breed a cold resistant species. Should he be successful, 
  root’s communal coffers will swell with an influx of gold 
  scields. One person’s success is often tempered with jeal-
  ousy, though, and quinley’s horticultural experiments 
  arMIeS of the Moor
  in general, each settlement has a small but perma-
  nent watch comprising 0.5 to 2 percent of its popu-
  lation. The commander of each watch carries a title, 
  though this varies from community to community. 
  Some use lofty titles, such as Lord Protector or Cap-
  tain of the guard, while others prefer the more 
  modest Constable, Watch Commander, or Sergeant-
  at-Arms.
  Occitan, for example, boasts only a Constable and 
  four permanent watches, whereas Far reach has 49 
  permanent soldiers at its disposal. Led by a guard 
  Commander, the watch is broken down into a day 
  watch and night watch, each comprising 24 soldiers. 
  These are further divided into four tower patrols 
  and two town patrols of four men apiece.
  in addition, every settlement can call upon around 
  10 percent of the population to gather arms should 
  an attack occur. Treat the latter as militia.
  Every settlement is protected by a ditch and wooden 
  palisade, though only Far reach boasts more than a 
  single watchtower.
  hellfroSt reGIon GuIde #07
  
  
  have reached the ears of major pipeleaf producers in 
  Ostmark and the Vale. Neither realm wishes to see their 
  profits cut. What steps they may take to ensure quinley 
  fails are yet to be decided.
  Like many agricultural settlements, root is plagued 
  by fungals. Day or night, armed patrols walk the fields, 
  constantly standing vigilant against fungal crop raiders.
  toMB of the Golden KInGS
  Atop the Fell Plateau is the necropolis of the Selari 
  kings. Once covered in beaten gold, the vast dome is 
  now cracked and bare, stripped of its precious coating 
  through damage, robbers, and the ravages of weather 
  and time. Two monumental doors carved with images 
  of sun dragons open automatically at dawn and close at 
  dusk. Once in position, no force can alter their state.
  A single corridor leads into a circular chamber at the 
  center of the dome. From here corridors branch off to 
  royal and noble crypts, winding upward to different tiers 
  around the inner face of the dome. Encased in stone 
  tombs are the ancient dead, each supposedly clad in 
  solid gold armor (from where the tomb takes it name). 
  Aside from mundane treasure, it is commonly held the 
  lords were interred with relics and holy texts relating to 
  Sigel. given that relics were never common, it is unlikely 
  there are that many to be claimed. Dozens of gargoyle-
  like sun dragon heads are placed at odd angles.
  A magical crystal lens at the top of the dome stores 
  sunlight. At random times it releases a surge of energy, 
  which in turn generates intense and deadly beams of 
  light through some of the many sun dragon statues. Al-
  though weaker than they once were, the beams remain 
  a potent deterrent to thieves, being capable of searing 
  through armor, flesh, and bone.
  the toWer of lIGht’S lIBrary
  Arkhwisard Damasc, a renowned traveler, started the 
  collection, and each incumbent caretaker has added to 
  the material. The collection covers the realms of rassilon 
  in varying detail.
  Location: Far reach, Shattered Moor.
  Admission: Elementalists and clerics of Maera are 
  permitted access to the entire library. Lorekeepers and 
  other visitors wishing to use the library may only refer-
  ence the geography section except by permission of the 
  current caretaker.
  Specialties: Arcane matters, the Convocation, el-
  ementalism, geography.
  Investigation Rolls: +1 for specialties only. The 
  library contains no manuscripts outside its specialties. 
  Thus, generic investigation rolls cannot be made here.
  the valley of BearS
  Amid the jumbled depressions and hills of the Shat-
  tered Moor is the Valley of Bears, so named because 
  of the weathered stone statues that line the trail. Each 
  statue is clad in the skin of an actual bear. Vendahl roam 
  the surrounding hills at will, though they, despite being 
  servants of Ursarix, are reluctant to trespass.
  Hunters claim to have seen bears prowling amid the 
  statues and on more than one occasion they have been 
  observed talking in a guttural tongue. Those who know 
  of hamhleypas suspect they are shapechangers and sen-
  sibly give the place a wide berth.
  The big debate is why the Vendahl do not come here, 
  for it is likely the two share the same deity. Perhaps, as 
  some Hearth Knights suggest, the Vendahl practice cor-
  rupted worship of Ursarix and have alienated the were-
  bears. Others are of the opinion the Vendahl mentality 
  clerIcS of SIGel
  The religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a information on the clergy’s duties. This 
  entry is an expansion for the cult of Sigel, providing 
  facts useful to both players and gMs. 
  Training: Most citizens like to think they’re basi-
  cally good people. Sigel’s clergy know better. Can-
  didates are required to admit all their sins, for un-
  til the soul is cleansed of this weight, one cannot 
  worship Sigel with honesty. Throughout training, 
  the novitiate must constantly purge his soul of sins 
  through confession and ritual cleansing. Transgres-
  sions known to the clergy that are not recanted are 
  beaten out before they can tarnish the cleric’s soul 
  for eternity.
  Prayers: Sigel’s prayers always begin by asking for 
  purification for sins committed. For example, “Bathe 
  me radiant light and cleanse me of my sins.” Clerics 
  are fond of quoting righteous scripture and begin 
  such statements with, “Sigel teaches us that…” Wor-
  shippers try to refrain from cursing.
  Adventures: Darkness lurks everywhere and must 
  be cleansed. Wherever there is evil, the clergy of 
  Sigel are expected to battle it. Because of this, any 
  adventure that promises a clash between good 
  and evil is acceptable to Sigel’s clergy. Adventures 
  needn’t involve orcs or giants, though—closing 
  down a brothel, thwarting a slavery ring, and slay-
  ing followers of Niht and Vali is perfectly good work. 
  Any investigation into why the sun is fading is likely 
  to be of interest to a cleric.
  Character Guidelines: Aside from pretty much 
  having to take guts (for being able to face the forc-
  es of darkness without panicking) and Notice (so 
  you can hunt down foes in the dark), worshippers 
  of Sigel have a great deal of free choice. Sigel de-
  mands his clergy defeat darkness, but he doesn’t 
  force them down any one path. yes, paladins are 
  warriors of the faith and should build accordingly, 
  but priests might be scholars or healers first and 
  warriors second.
  Shattered Moor
  
  
  leads them to hunt the hamhleypas for their fur, for de-
  spite worshipping Ursarix the Vendahl kill many bears.
  A few Sword and Lance Knights have penetrated deep 
  into the valley. According to their reports, which are kept 
  at Velhem Fort, at the far end is a cave mouth flanked by 
  two colossal bear statues. Since bears are not high on the 
  Hearth Knight’s list of priorities, they have made little 
  effort to investigate further.
  Key PlayerS
  Some of Shattered Moor’s notable personages are 
  briefly described in the Hellfrost gazetteer. One is given 
  an expanded entry here, along with three new NPCs.
  Greenlord WhIteheart
  The ruling noble in the part of the Forest of Omens 
  contained in Shattered Moor, Whiteheart maintains cool 
  but friendly relations with the other races. He allows 
  hunters to kill boar, reindeer, and small game, but for-
  bids the felling of trees. Those who break his decree are 
  dealt with swiftly and permanently.
  A vassal of Nerenel, Whiteheart accepts it his duty to 
  aid his feudal lord when called upon, but he does not 
  support Nerenel’s agreement with the Hearth Knights, 
  believing the Knights call on the elves far more often 
  than they return the favor. He has heard of the undead 
  reawakening in the Liche Lands of Old, and openly ques-
  tions whether the Hearth Knights will die for the taiga 
  elves when Nerenel is assaulted.
  Whiteheart leaves his forest home only once a year, 
  traveling to Far reach with his bladedancer bodyguards 
  and a mysterious female elf clad in grey robes to renew 
  the agreement he has with the town.
  GuIldMIStreSS ventrIx
  Ventrix, the black sheep of a minor Magocratic house 
  and a worshipper of Var, would be stunningly beautiful, 
  were it not for the three livid scars that run across her 
  throat and up her left cheek, the result of a Vendahl’s 
  bear claw glove years ago.
  While she survived the attack, Ventrix gave up the 
  life of an adventurer afterward, taking on what was sup-
  posed to be a short-term commission with the iron guild 
  to protect caravans running through Shattered Moor and 
  Seithrby. Her devotion to her duties, her tactful nature at 
  dealing with greedy merchants and nobles, her skill at 
  arms, and her ability to smell an ambush quickly led to 
  a full-time position, followed by rapid promotion from a 
  lowly patrol guildsman to full guildmistress status.
  Despite receiving frequent praise from her subordi-
  nates, peers, and customers, Ventrix has grown bored. 
  While the trade road to Occitan is still dangerous, the 
  Vendahl are slowly learning not to trouble caravans 
  protected by the iron guild. Near-guaranteed safety for 
  caravans has allowed Ventrix to expand business and 
  increase fees, and hence the guild’s profits, but at the 
  expense of providing her with any stimulus.
  requests for a transfer, complete with a reduction in 
  rank, to a more active trouble spot have been denied—
  guild profits in Shattered Moor are soaring, and many of 
  her peers actually fear her as a threat to their positions.
  Ventrix still loves the guild and what it stands for, 
  but her frustration is rising. in recent months, she has 
  taken to leading small bands of her men into the Moor in 
  search of adventure. So far she has been successful, but 
  one error could lead to a weakening of guild forces and 
  a reduction in the effectiveness of caravan protection.
  MaeGISter yanIK trevallIon
  A hearth elf elementalist specializing in earth, fire, 
  feStIval to SIGel
     dellInG day
  First Sunnandaeg of Snaermonan.
  Delling is the name Sigel first used when he shed 
  his light across the mortal realm. in Auld Saxa it 
  means “the start of something new.” in modern 
  Saxa it is often shortened to mean “dawn.” Delling 
  Day not only marks the start of the new year, but it 
  is also the end of winter. in olden times, worship-
  pers prayed on Delling Day Eve to ensure the sun 
  returned. These days the festival is an empowering 
  of the steadily weakening sun disc.
  On Delling Day Eve worshippers gather outside in 
  the cold and dark. Torches are lit and placed in the 
  ground to form Sigel’s holy symbol. All night they 
  pray and sing, offering strength to Sigel so that his 
  fierce luminescence may once again light the heav-
  ens. As Delling Day dawn nears, clerics of Kenaz 
  hand out bows, and stacks of fire arrows made 
  ready. As the sky begins to lighten, volleys of these 
  arrows are launched into the east, renewing not 
  only the light of Sigel, but also imparting Kenaz’s 
  fiery warmth into the pale sun.
  if the dawn is masked by cloud or inland mist, in-
  sults are hurled at Thunor for interfering in the 
  ritual. in heavily-populated areas priests of Thunor 
  employ becalm and zephyr spells to drive away the 
  clouds, thus ensuring their temple is not vandalized 
  by angry mobs of irate sun worshippers. if a bliz-
  zard blows or snow falls, more arrows are loosed, 
  this time toward the north, where lives the hated 
  god of winter, Thrym.
  Once the sun is completely clear of the horizon, 
  the torches are extinguished as final prayers are in-
  voked. The tired laity then return home while cler-
  ics stare at the sun disc to divine the omens for the 
  year ahead. 
  hellfroSt reGIon GuIde #07
  
  
  and air, Maegister yanik was dispatched to the remote 
  Tower of Light for daring to question the Council of 
  Four regarding certain policies. Although still bitter at 
  the Four for sending him to the ends of civilization, he 
  has come to enjoy his posting. Largely left alone by the 
  inhabitants of Far reach, he is free to study at his leisure 
  and engage in the occasional adventure.
  While many members of the Convocation, especially 
  senior ones, can be haughty and arrogant, yanik is very 
  much down-to- earth. Unusually for both a mage and 
  a hearth elf, he frequents the Last Hearth Tavern most 
  nights, quietly sitting in his favorite seat and listening to 
  the current gossip.
  yanik has spent a great deal of time pondering the 
  shade of Arkhwisard Damasc and its bizarre questioning 
  of visiting elementalists. So far he has found no answers, 
  but being an elf, and with little else to occupy him be-
  yond tutoring the two apprentices entrusted into his 
  care, he continues his quest.
  yanik’s two apprentices are Davit Ash-Hands, a clumsy 
  Anari fire mage whose nickname reflects his tendency 
  to set fire to things by mistake, and rogbert, an engro 
  air elementalist who spends much of his time trying to 
  produce magical beer. yanik does his best to provide in-
  struction, but he knows the pair was sent to annoy him 
  because both are lost causes.
  talorc haIry-BacK
  Arrogant, argumentative, crude, ill-mannered, stub-
  born, violent, and often drunk, Talorc has all the traits 
  of a true Tuomi berserker and carries them to excess. 
  if he has a single worthy trait it is his fastidious cleanli-
  ness, though this almost obsessive-compulsive disorder 
  borders on vanity.
  A common sight around the settlements of Shattered 
  Moor, Talorc spends much of his time alone on the moors 
  hunting bears, Vendahl, and frostreavers for profit. The 
  bear pelts and Vendahl heads he sells to nearby settle-
  ments, while the Hearth Knights pay him a bounty for 
  the frostreavers. Talorc is willing to join adventuring par-
  ties, so long as he receives an equal share of any spoils 
  and gets to use his trusty battle axe (“Bear-Baiter”). As 
  much a liability as an asset, he isn’t really a team player, 
  and his unruly behavior and inability to take orders can 
  quickly lead to trouble.
  Why coMe here?
  Shattered Moor is, for all intents and purposes, the 
  last civilized realm in the Low Winterlands before the 
  endless snow of the High Winterlands begins. it is a 
  land beset by barbaric Vendahl and insane frostreavers, 
  of blasted heaths and moorland, and of ruins of bygone 
  ages. Few people live here, so what might bring the he-
  roes to this remote outpost of civilization?
  * Orders. Characters with the Orders Hindrance 
  will, at some time, be sent somewhere they don’t want 
  to go. The Hearth Knights have the greatest interest in 
  Shattered Moor, for here lies their last major fort before 
  the High Winterlands and distant Hellfrost. While the 
  Thirteen Warriors rarely impose orders on members, 
  the Shattered Moor is a major haunt, and thus members 
  should be prepared to spend time here. Clerics of Sigel 
  may receive instructions to explore Selari ruins for an-
  cient texts or relics.
  * Treasure. Five hundred years on, the Shattered 
  Moor proper remains largely unexplored thanks to the 
  presence of the Vendahl and frostreavers. All manner of 
  ruins lie crumbled and toppled, some clinging to the 
  upturned ground at odd angles, as if refusing to suc-
  cumb to gravity by sheer willpower. Most of the obvi-
  ous structures have been looted already, but an equal 
  number of ruins lie beneath the snow-capped mounds 
  and escarpment. Any cave might lead to the unexplored 
  interior of a former city or castle. it may just as easily lead 
  to a Vendahl outpost, though.
  * Knowledge. Although knowledge is treasure to some 
  individuals and organizations, it deserves a separate 
  entry. The Selari were great sorcerers, wise in the ways 
  of the arcane, though limited to just one area of exper-
  tise—solar magic. Clerics of Hoenir and Sigel, Lorekeep-
  ers, and mages studying pre-Blizzard War magic may visit 
  in search of texts or inscriptions revealing more about 
  Selari culture, religion, or magic. While expeditions of-
  ten produce some finds, the knowledge is fragmentary; 
  a few sentences engraved on a statue here, or a word or 
  two from a shattered column there.
  * Combat. Characters looking to test their mettle in 
  combat will find Vendahl and frostreavers in the north 
  (ideal foes for Hearth Knights and clerics of Kenaz and 
  Sigel), and giant spiders and goblins in the south. More 
  dangerous denizens, such as cryohydras and frost giants 
  may inhabit the Fell Plateau. However, unless adventur-
  ers are already in the vicinity, few are likely to travel to 
  Shattered Moor just to fight the monstrous inhabitants 
  unless ordered to do so.
  * Passing through. Shattered Moor is the gateway to 
  the eastern and central High Winterlands, as well as the 
  safest route to the taiga elf realm of rimeholm. in sum-
  mer, adventurers may pass through while seeking a safe 
  overland route between the borders of the Frozen Forest 
  and Sunken realm to the isolated icedale Freeholds.
  adventure SeedS
  * Several small villages, remote even by Shattered 
  Moor standards, have been destroyed. With their forces 
  currently engaged elsewhere, the Hearth Knights ask the 
  heroes to investigate. The adventurers quickly learn the 
  attacks were carried out by frostreavers. Unfortunately, 
  the madmen have a new and powerful ally—a frost giant 
  priest of Thrym.
  * A priest of Sigel believes the beacon is a sign from his 
  god and somehow provides a clue as to how to restore 
  his strength. He seeks brave and trustworthy adventurers 
  Shattered Moor
  7
  
  to accompany him to the top of the Fell Plateau, a trip 
  few have made and even fewer have survived.
  * gMs looking to keep the heroes in Shattered Moor 
  for a longer spell can have a cleric (ideally of Sigel, but 
  others work as well) or Hearth Knight be assigned the 
  task of starting a new community there. He must govern 
  for two years and leave behind a stable and prosperous 
  settlement before he can consider his duty fulfilled. rules 
  in the forthcoming Hellfrost Expansion provide detailed 
  rules on how to use a single settlement as the center for 
  an entire campaign.
  * A badly wounded trapper staggers into whatever 
  community the heroes are visiting. With his last breath 
  he warns them of a new peril, a gigantic polar bear of hu-
  man intelligence armed with claws of steel. is this merely 
  a rogue polar bear, or has Ursarix unleashed some celes-
  tial servant? The possibility exists that the polar bear is 
  quite mundane, its unnatural size the exaggeration of a 
  dying man.
  GodS & MonSterS
  Detailed below are one minor god, Hildolfr, god of 
  berserkers, the monstrous deity of the Vendahl, Ursarix, 
  and a range of archetypes and monsters.
  hIldolfr
  Titles: The Berserk god, the rager, Lord of Wolves, 
  Lord of Bears.
  Aspects: Berserkers.
  Affiliations: Dargar, Tiw.
  Symbol: A wolf’s head looking left and a bear’s head 
  looking right from a battle axe.
  Priesthood: Ulfhéðnar (priests); Berhéðnar (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Every Monandaeg. Each Monandaeg of 
  Wulfmonan is a high holy day.
  Duties: To revel in berserk fury and unruly behavior.
  Sins: (Minor) not going berserk once per encounter, 
  ending a berserk frenzy before all foes are slain, not be-
  coming intoxicated on alcohol once per week; (Major) 
  not going berserk once per week, refusing to fight; (Mor-
  tal) deliberately refraining from going berserk.
  Signature Power: Battle song.
  Powers: Armor, boost/lower trait (Smarts, Spirit, 
  Strength, Vigor, Fighting, and intimidation only), leap-
  ing, shape change (wolf or dire wolf only for priests, and 
  bears only for paladins), smite, warrior’s gift, weapon 
  immunity.
  Trappings: All involve bears or wolves in some man-
  ner, as appropriate to the type of cleric.
  Special: Clerics must have the Berserk Edge.
  Hildolfr (“Battle Wolf”) is Dargar’s younger brother, 
  and thus one of Tiw’s many sons. He is also Scaetha’s 
  brother, but she has no love for her wild half-sibling. 
  Depending on which legend is told, Hildolfr’s mother 
  was a she-wolf or she-bear hamhleypa, thus making the 
  god only half-divine. Some theologians believe the beast 
  was actually Eostre Animalmother in disguise, though 
  her clerics consider this heresy.
  The god of fury inherited from his mother the wild 
  nature of the beast and from his father a short temper 
  and love of battle. Added to this is Dargar’s corrupting 
  presence. Hildolfr is an unruly, angry god who loves to 
  get drunk and fight, not necessarily in that order. He 
  spends a lot of time at Dargar’s hall, fighting and drink-
  ing with his brother’s huscarls.
  Hildolfr is never depicted in art. His shrines take 
  the form of bear or wolf skins, complete with head and 
  claws. Wearing such a skin is considered the mark of a 
  berserker, and it is a rare cleric who wears other furs. 
  feStIval to SIGel
     PurIfIcatIon day
  First Sunnandaeg of Sowanmonan.
  Sowanmonan marks the time livestock are taken to 
  the high pastures to gaze on the lush, fresh grass. 
  in the days beforehand, clerics of Sigel (god of pu-
  rification), often accompanied by those of Kenaz, 
  build two huge bonfires at the edge of the settle-
  ment, between which a large gap is left. in the 
  hours before dawn the fires are lit in preparation 
  for the ceremony.
  Once the sun has risen and the bonfires are well 
  ablaze, the livestock are herded through the gap 
  and onto the high pastures. Passing between the 
  bonfires is said to burn off evil spirits currently in-
  festing the animals while the smoke keeps ones that 
  may trouble the beasts later at bay. Eostre Animal-
  mother’s clerics perform blessings over the beasts.
  Kenaz’s clerics also make an appearance, drawn to 
  the fire like moths. The more devout worshippers 
  leap through the actual flames to purify their flesh 
  and spirit (without the use of magic).
  Toward dusk, as the fires are burning down, wor-
  shippers walk through the hot coals to achieve 
  similar purification, while clerics of Eira make an 
  appearance to tend the burns of those whose faith 
  was found lacking.
  The ashes from the pyres are gathered the next 
  morning and given to the clergy of Eostre, to be 
  sprinkled over the fields to purify the soil.
  The lighting of the pyres has a second purpose. So 
  large are the bonfires that their flames are visible for 
  many miles. Nearby communities can thus ensure 
  their neighbors are okay by watching out for their 
  bonfires in the gloom before dawn. if no fires are 
  seen, the militia is roused and armed while riders 
  and runners are sent to investigate.
  hellfroSt reGIon GuIde #07
  
  
  Traditionally, priests wear a wolf skin and paladins a bear 
  skin. When Dargar or Tiw are depicted wearing furs, the 
  garment represents the presence of the god of berserk-
  ers. The names of the clerical orders translate literally as 
  “Ones clad in wolf/bear skins.”
  The god of berserkers has no temples. Shrines exist 
  in temples to Dargar and Tiw. Tiw’s followers are wary 
  of their battle-cousins, for whereas most warriors focus 
  their fury, Hildolfr’s clergy revel in their wild nature, 
  making them very unpredictable allies.
  Hildolfr’s clergy are berserkers, warriors who can 
  summon the red rage and unleash their inner-beast. Like 
  their patron, they are wild, unruly, ill-kempt, short of 
  temper, and prone to sudden fits of violence. They are 
  universally distrusted and disliked by commoners, espe-
  cially those who know of the fearsome Vendahl. Nobles 
  see them as a necessary evil because of their fighting 
  prowess, and warriors see them as wild dogs, as harm-
  ful to friend as much as foe. Clerics of Hothar consider 
  Hildolfr’s followers to be a menace to ordered society. 
  Priests tend to be static warriors, part of a noble’s 
  retinue or an elite force within an army. Paladins are 
  generally itinerant, wandering the roads and trails, vent-
  ing their anger on anything they deem worthy of tasting 
  their steel. Mercenary work is always a popular way to 
  make a living, though captains are often wary of hiring 
  too many berserkers.
  Hildolfr’s rituals tend to be chaotic, drunken affairs 
  involving mindless, though usually nonlethal, violence. 
  Often their celebrations spill out onto the streets, 
  whereupon the local citizens make a quick dash for their 
  homes. Clerics drink and fight, and fight and drink, while 
  snarling loudly, intimidating anyone within range, and 
  boasting of their own prowess. On holy days, they drink 
  mead mixed with wolf or bear blood, as appropriate to 
  their calling.
  Character Guidelines: Berserkers are fighters 
  through and through. Strength, Vigor, and Fighting are 
  their most important Traits. Smarts needs to be low in 
  order to go berserk and high in order to stop the blood 
  fury—deciding what die to take is a tricky decision. Com-
  bat Edges like Frenzy and Sweep are ideal choices, since 
  they allow the berserker to unleash multiple blows. in-
  timidation can be useful, if only to soften up opponents 
  before you hack them to death.
  Mean nicely sums up the berserker’s unruly nature 
  and short temper, while Outsider represents society’s 
  general disdain for those who accept battle rage into 
  their hearts so openly.
  urSarIx
  Titles: The great Bear, Ferocious One, He Who 
  Thrives in Winter.
  Aspects: Strength, barbarity, cannibalism, death.
  Symbol: Three parallel scratch marks.
  Priesthood: Ursarix permits only one paladin per 
  tribe. They take the title champion. Priests are called 
  shamans and are always female.
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Ceremonies are held every raestdaeg, 
  and before and after raids.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (Strength, Vigor, 
  Fighting, Survival only).
  Powers: Armor, beast friend (bears only), bolt, fear, 
  growth (no shrink), shape change (bears only), smite, 
  stun, summon beast (bears only).
  Trappings: All trappings relate to bears.
  Disciple Edge: Shamans are gifted with permanent 
  environmental protection against the cold, and have the 
  Hardy monstrous ability.
  Ursarix is the weakest of the inhuman gods, for his 
  faith is largely unknown outside the Vendahl tribes. How 
  the Vendahl came to worship Ursarix is perhaps known 
  only to Hoenir and Niht, for before the Hellfrost he was 
  at best a minor deity, more appeased than worshipped. 
  given that Ursarix supports Thrym, many scholars are 
  of the opinion that Ursarix is affiliated with the god of 
  winter, perhaps a serving as a pet. Unlike most bears, 
  Ursarix is said to be most active in winter. Because food 
  is short, his worshippers conduct their most bloody raids 
  during the cold months to sate their god’s appetite.
  Each Vendahl tribe maintains a small shrine with a 
  bear’s skull as the object of veneration, but no true tem-
  ples are known to exist. This is most likely because the 
  tribes rarely cooperate, considering other tribes rivalries 
  for food and trophies. Still, rumors circulate among the 
  Hearth Knights that somewhere there is a central temple. 
  Vendahl lairs, which are almost always underground, are 
  decorated with the skulls of their victims, testimony to 
  the might of Ursarix.
  Despite worshipping a bear god, Vendahl do not make 
  regular use of bears, preferring horses when mounted 
  and relying on their warriors in combat. indeed, bears 
  are regularly hunted for their skin, claws, and meat. Po-
  lar bears are the most prized.
  Ursarix is the only god known to the Vendahl. Cultists 
  honor him by donning bearskin cloaks, complete with 
  heads, and using bear claws as their only weapons. Many 
  use war paint to decorate their faces. in recent years 
  Hearth Knights have reported cultists outside the tribes. 
  Whether these are madmen or drugged converts is as yet 
  unknown.
  Non-Vendahl members are gifted with special bear-
  shaped amulets which protect them from the cold, and 
  told that when the world is one of ice and snow, they will 
  become leaders of armies of slaves. in return, they must 
  supply the Vendahl with weapons and food (which is 
  always sentient flesh). Most members are also cannibals, 
  having been taught that the weak are just prey for the 
  strong.
  Each tribe has a shaman, who is always female. in gen-
  eral, there is one shaman per hundred or so males, with 
  a strict pecking order based on age. Female members of 
  the tribe who show no talent for invoking miracles are 
  sacrificed and eaten, as are sick babies and weak adoles-
  cents. Shamans never accompany warriors on raids, but 
  instead remain safe in the lair, surrounded by a small 
  Shattered Moor
  
  
  bodyguard. Command of raiding parties is given to a 
  champion, often a shaman’s son or mate.
  Warriors must be fearless and relentless—those who 
  show weakness are mercilessly culled and their flesh 
  eaten. Unlike many barbaric cults, Vendahl do not be-
  lieve ingesting flesh imbues any of the victims’ strengths 
  or weaknesses.
  Worship is primitive, little more than rhythmic, mo-
  notonous chants accompanied by deep, resonating bass 
  drumming. These are believed to emulate the growls and 
  heartbeat of Ursarix. The only time ceremonies reach a 
  more fevered pitch is when captives are sacrificed, for 
  this means the warriors will dine on fresh flesh soon 
  after.
  BerSerKer
  To some they are elite troops, blessed by Dargar or 
  Tiw with ferocious strength and courage. Many are actu-
  ally followers of Hildolfr, though the difference is lost to 
  many citizens. To others, they are rabid dogs unsuited to 
  living in polite society.
  No matter how they are viewed, berserkers are fear-
  less combatants with no regard for their own safety. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d10, Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, guts d8, intimidation d10, Notice d4
  Charisma: –4; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 8
  Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Vengeful (Major)
  Edges: Berserk, Brawny, Combat reflexes, Frenzy, Strong 
  Willed
  Gear: Medium shield (+1 Parry), battle axe (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Meager
  Saxa/Dwarf: War Cry.
  Wild Card: Hard to Kill and Nerves of Steel.
  BerSerKer, veteran
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d12, Strength 
  d12, Vigor d12
  Skills: Fighting d10, guts d12, intimidation d12, Notice 
  d6
  Charisma: –4; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 10
  Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Vengeful (Major)
  Edges: Berserk, Brawny, Combat reflexes, Combat 
  Sense, improved Frenzy, Strong Willed, Tough as Nails, 
  War Cry
  Gear: round shield (+1 Parry), battle axe (Str+8)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Saxa/Dwarf: War Cry.
  Wild Card: Hard to Kill & improved Nerves of Steel.
  froStreaver PrIeSt
  Frostreaver war bands worship both Dargar and 
  Thrym in equal regard. Most have a cleric of each deity. 
  Unlike in many other cultures, clerics are not leaders; 
  they are merely gifted individuals. The base stats remain 
  the same for either variant, with only the spells varying. 
  feStIval to SIGel
     Sun dance day
  First Sunnandaeg of Sceranmonan.
  Heah Sumor Daeg is a high holy day for clerics of 
  Sigel. The previous dawn, one member of the lo-
  cal community is chosen to represent Sigel and 
  another to represent Thrym. While a cleric of Sigel 
  assumes the role of the sun god whenever possible, 
  it is not a strict requirement of the ritual. Thrym’s 
  champion is chosen based on the combat ability of 
  Sigel, to ensure a fair fight.
  itinerant clerics of Sigel are expected to try and find 
  a settlement in which to observe the ritual. Those 
  who cannot reach a settlement in time may under-
  take a personal ritual by challenging an actual serv-
  ant of Thrym to combat to the death. in the event 
  neither is possible, the cleric is expected to spend 
  the entire day in prayer. Failure to perform any of 
  the above constitutes a major sin.
  An hour before dawn, “Sigel” steps into the open, 
  bedecked in armor painted bright yellow especially 
  for the occasion. As the sun breaks the horizon, 
  prayers are recited and chants sung to empower the 
  sun god. “Thrym,” clad in white or blue armor and 
  robed in furs, then makes his appearance, cursing 
  the sun god loudly, trying to shout above the boos 
  and jeers of the gathered laity.
  For the rest of the day the two champions strut 
  around the settlement, boasting of their strength 
  and making promises to the locals. Sigel vows to 
  drive back Thrym and bring a mild winter, while 
  Thrym swears the sun god will be defeated and the 
  coming winter harsh and merciless.
  As the sun begins to set, the two champions meet in 
  ritual combat within a large square formed by torch-
  bearing citizens. The fight, while symbolic, requires 
  the use of real weapons, and both combatants are 
  expected to fight to the best of their abilities.
  in olden times, the Saxa would force a prisoner 
  condemned to death to take the role of Thrym. if 
  he won the ritual combat, his sentence was com-
  muted to outlawing, amid much wailing and gnash-
  ing of teeth. These days the role of Thrym is filled 
  by a volunteer.
  Though less fatal, the contest is still hard fought.  To 
  give Sigel an easy victory gives him no strength and 
  makes a mockery of his divine struggle. Healers are 
  always on hand, for while death is rare, injuries are 
  commonplace.
  if Sigel wins, a great public feast is held in honor of 
  the sun god’s victory. Should Thrym win, the citi-
  zens slink back to their homes, bemoaning the fates 
  and cursing the god of winter.
  hellfroSt reGIon GuIde #07
  10
  
  Frostreaver clerics favor combat, and thus are typically 
  paladins.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d10, Vigor d10
  Skills: Boating d6, Faith d8, Fighting d8, guts d10, in-
  timidation d10, Notice d4, riding d6, Survival d8
  Charisma: –4; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 8 (1)
  Hindrances: Bloodthirsty
  Edges: Combat reflexes, Frenzy, Snow Walker, Strong 
  Willed
  Gear: Leather armor and furs (+1), medium shield (+1 
  Parry), battle axe (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Berserk: Frostreavers can force themselves to go ber-
  serk with a successful Spirit roll. This otherwise acts 
  as the Berserk Edge.
  * Powers (Dargar): Armor, battle song, champion of 
  the faith, gift of battle, smite, warrior’s gift.
  * Power (Thrym): Aura, champion of the faith, deflec-
  tion, entangle, obscure, sphere of might, storm
  * Resistance (Cold): immune to background cold. 
  Half damage from cold, coldfire, or ice attacks.
  GIant locKjaW centIPede
  Lockjaw centipedes are ambush predators, rightly 
  feared by those whose career involves exploration. They 
  strike from concealed tunnels, grabbing prey in their 
  powerful mandibles and dragging it into the creature’s 
  lair, whereupon it is killed and consumed.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, guts d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 (2)
  Treasure: rich, in lair
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +2: Thick chitin.
  * Bite: Str+d8, AP 2.
  * Burrow (8”): Lockjaw centipedes can move through 
  soil or loose earth. When they strike, victims must 
  make a Notice roll opposed by the creature’s Stealth. 
  if the creature wins, it gains +2 to attack and damage 
  that round, +4 with a raise.
  * Large: Attackers add +2 when attacking a giant centi-
  pede, due to the creature’s size.
  * Lock and Drag: if a lockjaw centipede scores a raise 
  when biting, it inflicts normal damage (no extra d6) 
  and secures an automatic grapple. if the prey is Size 
  +2 or smaller the centipede may immediately move 
  up to half its Pace as a free action. its victim is dragged 
  along with it. Breaking the lock requires an opposed 
  Strength roll as an action, even after the centipede is 
  slain. Each round the grapple is maintained, the cen-
  tipede can move its full Pace, dragging its victim with 
  it.
  * Quick: redraws action cards of 5 or lower.
  * Size +4: giant centipedes grow up to 24’ long but 
  are really more than four feet wide.
  torch Bearer
  The thought of being an adventurer scares the willies 
  out of sensible citizens of rassilon. it’s a life of constant 
  hardship and danger, albeit one tempered by fame, glory, 
  and fabulous treasure. Still, death will be wakened soon 
  enough, so there’s no need to stir him any earlier than 
  necessary.
  Torch bearers are hirelings, often young boys or older 
  men whose days in the mortal realm are waning, who ac-
  company adventuring parties to carry their torches and 
  lanterns, as well as haul general equipment. While fit and 
  healthy, they are not combatants—they seek to bask in 
  reflected glory, being able to say proudly that “they were 
  there,” and earn a few extra gold scields from whatever 
  vast haul their masters unearth.
  A typical torch bearer charges 5 gs per week, plus 
  adequate food and drink. Longer-term employment can 
  be bartered down to a reduced rate.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Climbing d4, Fighting d4, guts d4, Notice d6, 
  Stealth d4, Survival d4, Swimming d4
  Charisma: +0; Pace: 8; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6
  Hindrances: Varies, but often illiterate or yellow
  Edges: Brawny, Fleet Footed
  Gear: Axe or short sword (Str+d6)
  Treasure: Meager
  feStIval to SIGel
     Sun Gaze day
  Variable.
  The ceremony is held on Heah Sumor Daeg, or if 
  the weather is poor, the first bright and sunny Sun-
  nandaeg after this date. At dawn worshippers sing 
  songs of welcome to Sigel and perform rites of pu-
  rification. As noon draws near, they stand and stare 
  directly at the sun while muttering prayers. Sigel’s 
  radiance is fierce, and few can stare at his visage for 
  long without hurting their eyes. The longer one can 
  withstand Sigel’s withering gaze, the stronger one’s 
  faith will be. Those found lacking perform penance 
  as the sun sets, turning their unworthy eyes from 
  Sigel as he leaves the sky. going blind as a result of 
  the ceremony is a very clear indication the cleric is 
  destined for a very poor afterlife unless he changes 
  his ways quickly.
  More fanatical worshippers purchase specially-
  shaped lenses, which focus and intensify Sigel’s 
  light. They use these lenses to burn their flesh, pu-
  rifying the spirit and cleansing away sins. it is not 
  unknown for these fanatics to turn their lenses 
  on other people in a bid to help them purify their 
  souls.
  Shattered Moor
  11
  
  Wolf, fenrIS
  There are many species of wolf in rassilon. Some, 
  like mundane wolves, are a threat to armed heroes only 
  when natural prey is scarce. Others, such as dire and 
  dread wolves, are more openly aggressive. Among the 
  most feared are Fenris wolves, monstrous beasts with 
  powerful, oversized jaws and teeth capable of slicing 
  through steel armor.
  Fenris wolves are the result of breeding between 
  Dargar’s pet wolf, Fenrir, and mundane wolves. Although 
  the Compact prohibits the gods from direct interference 
  in mortal affairs, no mention was made of their animal 
  companions. Despite being creatures of flesh and bone, 
  Fenris wolves nonetheless possess all the unbridled fe-
  rocity of their sire. They think nothing of attacking even 
  a heavily armed party of veteran warriors.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d8, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, guts d6, intimidation d8, Notice 
  d10, Tracking d6
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Bite: Str+d8, AP 2.
  * Fleet Footed: Fenris wolves roll a d10 when running 
  instead of a d6.
  * Go for the Throat: Wolves instinctively go for an op-
  ponent’s soft spots. With a raise on its attack roll, it 
  hits the target’s most weakly-armored location.
  * Howl: A Fenris wolf can use its entire action to howl. 
  When it does so, every enemy able to hear the chilling 
  sound must make a Spirit roll or be Shaken.
  * Size +1: Fenris wolves stand 6’ at the shoulder.
  Wolf, varcolac
  During Hela’s madness some evil souls took the op-
  portunity to infest the remains of dead wolves. Such 
  souls were typically berserkers unclaimed by Dargar and 
  psychotic lunatics. On occasion, Dargar unleashes one 
  of his einherjar (see Region Guide #5) but orders it to 
  inhabit a wolf’s corpse. Varcolac wolves can be created 
  through the zombie power, though the caster suffers a 
  –2 penalty as he is trying to channel a specific type of 
  evil soul.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d6, Strength 
  d6, Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d8, guts d10, intimidation d6, Notice 
  d10
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Berserk: A Shaken varcolac automatically goes Ber-
  serk, as per the Edge.
  * Fleet Footed: Wolves roll a d10 when running in-
  stead of a d6.
  * Go for the Throat: Wolves instinctively go for an op-
  ponent’s soft spots. With a raise on its attack roll, it 
  hits the target’s most weakly-armored location.
  * Hardy: When it a varcolac goes berserk, it no longer 
  suffers a wound from cumulative Shaken effects.
  * Size –1: Wolves are relatively small.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from Called Shots (ex-
  cept the head). immune to disease and poison.
  WraIth
  Wraiths (known in Anari as specters) are spirits that 
  chose not to venture to the Afterlife, but to remain in 
  the mortal world. They are guardian spirits, lurking 
  unseen and unheard in the darkest recesses of towns, 
  cities, temples, and castles. Bound to their chosen haunt, 
  wraiths cannot move beyond its confines under any cir-
  cumstances. Wraiths are rarely found alone—castles may 
  boast a score, and large cities as many as a hundred. Only 
  when intruders make home in their lair do they rouse. 
  Usurpers and conquering armies are their preferred prey, 
  though the more aggressive target thieves and guests 
  who breech the ancient laws of hospitality.
  Once awakened, they use their powers to harass in-
  terlopers, slowly driving those who should not be there 
  insane through subtle spells, or by “encouraging” them 
  to take their own lives. Ageless and immortal, wraiths 
  prefer a slow, lingering assault on the senses rather than 
  a swift hammer blow.  However, if the intruders appear 
  not to be setting up home, a swift, all-out attack is of-
  ten the only viable tactic. They appear only as shadows 
  or moving objects at the corner of one’s vision, and as 
  whispering voices on the wind when one looks directly 
  at them.  immaterial, wraiths are more akin to sentient 
  memories than ghosts. They can only be harmed through 
  the banish spell, which forces them to travel to the After-
  life for judgment. The only way to placate a wraith is to 
  leave its home.
  Wraiths are sometimes known as ruin wights. it is im-
  portant to note “wight” simply means “person” in Auld 
  Saxa—any human, living or dead, may be referred to as a 
  wight without connotation to a supernatural creature.
  Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d4, 
  Vigor d4
  Skills: intimidation d10, Notice d12, Spellcasting d10, 
  Stealth d12+4, Taunt d10
  Pace: 6; Parry: 2; Toughness: 4
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Immaterial: Wraiths can pass through solid matter.
  * Invulnerability: immune to all forms of attack ex-
  cept their Weakness.
  * Powers: Fear, light, lower trait (no boost), night-
  mare, obscure, panic (no bless), puppet, silence, tele-
  kinesis, voice on the wind.
  * Unusual Sense: Wraiths instinctively know when 
  someone who should not be present enters the terri-
  tory they guard.
  * Weakness (Banish): The only way to rid oneself of a 
  wraith is banish.
  hellfroSt reGIon GuIde #07
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  The sea, poetically known as the whale-road and Neorthe’s roof, has long fascinated 
  men. An invisible network of trade routes weave across its turbulent surface, carrying men 
  and cargoes from port to port, yet it is a realm more dangerous than any other. Ships face 
  attack by terrible beasts and marauding pirates, orc galleys prowl in search of fresh victims, 
  storms batter at fragile vessels and submerged rocks threaten to tear hulls to kindling.
  This product’s primary purpose is to provide GMs with tools for running nautical and 
  sea-themed adventures. Supplementing this work, the Hellfrost Encounters book contains 
  three water-themed encounters (one river, one sea, and one coastal), stats for blood eels, 
  and simple rules for storm hazards, while adventure H3 The Blood Tide involves a sunken 
  city and a sinister kreana plot to conquer the oceans.
  Major LocaLes
  Traditionally, there are six other seas in addition to the Frozen, Narfel, Inner, and White 
  seas. Exactly where each sea begins and ends is impossible to decide, for the ocean ac-
  knowledges no boundaries or lines on a map. The White Sea is actually the name of two 
  separate stretches of water just below the Icewall. Mariners add the prefixes “East” and 
  “West” to differentiate between them.
  FInFoLkheIM
  Finfolkheim is the ancestral underwater home of finfolk (see page 9). A vast undersea 
  palace surrounded by gardens of brightly colored seaweed, clerics of Neorthe claim it 
  lies somewhere between Alantaris Isle and the Magocracy. Minute phosphorescent sea 
  creatures swim hither and thither amid the living coral pillars, illuminating the structure in 
  a constant green glow. Whereas mortal lords hang tapestries on their walls, the inhabitants 
  of Finfolkheim hang strands of colored seaweed, which ripple and shift with the tide, and 
  decorate their homes with shells.
  FrostheIM
  Frostheim is said to be a magical island, a gigantic iceberg on which dwell fearsome 
  31208
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 8 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  the ten seas
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  frost giants. According to many accounts, the island 
  breaks free of its winter moorings in the western White 
  Sea and maneuvers down the coast of the borderlands 
  and Aspiria, moving regardless of wind or tide, the gi-
  ants launching raids as they go. despite their fondness 
  of such stories, many mariners and clerics of Neorthe be-
  lieve Frostheim is the result of seeing mundane icebergs 
  breaking free of the icy waters.
  IsLe oF Maera
  originally the site of an Anari mining outpost before 
  the blizzard War, the Anari quickly lost interest in their 
  remote colonies following the devastating attack on 
  Alantaris Isle. Within a century the location of the island 
  was forgotten, its name recalled only in vague legends. 
  It takes it name from the belief the Anari excavated Mae-
  rathril here. Mages believe the island is cursed, and that 
  no arcane magic functions here.
  Surrounded by a labyrinthine reef, the island is domi-
  nated by a single mountain. dense forests cling to the 
  lower slopes and outer hills. Skalds claim the island 
  housed a large colony, so rich from their export they 
  could afford to coat their houses in beaten silver and 
  gold. This, and the prospect of finding Maerathril ingots, 
  still leads adventurers to search for the fabled island.
  Although the Anari are long gone, the island is not 
  uninhabited. While many Anari mines were worked by 
  prisoners sentenced to hard labor, the Maerathril mines 
  were excavated by golems, loyal workers who needed no 
  food or rest breaks. Giant spiders haunt the forests.
  The great mystery surrounding the island is what hap-
  pened to its Anari inhabitants, for it is widely believed 
  all contact with the island was lost shortly before the 
  blizzard War.
  IsLe oF the storM Lords
  Far out into the Narfel Sea lies an island surrounded 
  by a perpetual storm of ferocious intensity. Towering 
  waves, gale force winds, bolts of lighting, and hail the 
  size of eyeballs dominate the area, destroying any ships 
  that dare to breech the natural barrier.
  Skalds sing of a mighty kingdom which ruled here 
  long ago. Some say they held Thunor as supreme god, 
  others that they knew magic now lost that allowed them 
  to capture and harness the power of the wind. What fate 
  befell the island depends on who recounts the tale. one 
  myth holds that the inhabitants sought to conceal their 
  island from a rival empire, summoning a terrible storm 
  but losing control of its awesome power and dooming 
  their nation. Another blames hubris, the inhabitants try-
  ing to rival Thunor’s might and being doomed for their 
  pride. yet another claims the islanders forsook the storm 
  god, and were cursed by the vengeful deity.
  The fate of the islanders similarly varies. The three 
  main endings are them dying, them being trapped for 
  centuries yet continuing to survive, and them degener-
  ating into wild savages. Most stories, though, center of 
  the island’s fabulous wealth, which awaits anyone brave 
  enough to risk Thunor’s rage.
  LaIr oF the sea WItch
  Every coastline of rassilon has a legend concerning a 
  sea witch. A fearsome hag in some stories and a beautiful 
  maiden in others, she is attributed tremendous power 
  over the oceans, though whether she serves Neorthe or 
  has some unique ability is open to interpretation. Many 
  heroes of old are said to have visited a sea witch, receiv-
  ing a blessing before embarking on some epic nautical 
  quest. Many coastal settlements leave gifts on the beach 
  for the sea witch, believing that if the waves snatch them 
  she will bless their community in the year ahead. If the 
  gifts remain after high tide, misery and woe await.
  MarIners’ graveyard
  Sailors speak of the Mariners’ Graveyard is hushed 
  tones, for it is a dread place. An expanse of dead water 
  and Sargasso in which float the rotting hulks of count-
  less ships, the Graveyard is said to lie somewhere in the 
  Wolf Sea. clerics of Neorthe warn it is where mariners 
  who offend Neorthe go, a lifeless realm where the cursed 
  spend eternity futilely trying to escape the thick, stinking 
  weed, rowing endlessly yet getting nowhere. Although 
  the Graveyard lies in the western ocean, those who sail 
  the eastern waters are no less likely to be sent here for 
  their sins. Maelstroms, it is said, spit out ships in this 
  accursed realm.
  nastrand
  Also known as the Sea Strand of the dead, Nastrand 
  is a beach in the southern Mistlands. From a distance the 
  ruLes oF the reaLM
  These setting rules apply in the Seareaver Isles.
  * All Are Equal: The only titles the reavers ac-
  knowledge are those of their reaver-captains, cler-
  ics of vegtam (see page 8) allied with them, and all 
  clerics of Neorthe. The charisma bonus from the 
  Noble Edge does not apply when dealing with the 
  seareavers on their own turf unless the hero fills 
  one of the criteria above.
  * Two Gods, One Name: The name bolverk is ap-
  plied both to the god of the seareavers and the god 
  of cattle raiding. The former isn’t a true god, at all. 
  he was created by a reaver-General, who amalga-
  mated the reavers’ core faiths under one name to 
  prevent inter-cult arguments. The reaver-General 
  had no clue about the real cult of bolverk, picking 
  the name purely because it sounded interesting. 
  Nowhere else in rassilon is the name bolverk asso-
  ciated with the ocean. Followers of the true bolverk 
  find the reavers’ use of the name highly offensive.
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #08
  
  
  waves appear to pound relentlessly onto a beach of white 
  sand, bleached-white pebbles, and spindly driftwood. 
  only as one approaches closer does the true nature of 
  the beach become clear—the sand is powdered bone, 
  pebbles are skulls, and the driftwood femurs and ribs.
  The most common legend places the creation of Nas-
  trand at the time of the Liche-Priest. here on this beach 
  mortals and undead clashed in titanic struggle, both sides 
  suffering catastrophic losses. others insist the bones are 
  washed here by the waves, Neorthe delivering those 
  unworthy of being laid to rest in his realm back onto 
  dry land. Many valuables lie just beneath the surface, but 
  they are not easy pickings—ghosts and skeletons haunt 
  Nastrand, making it no place for the living.
  sunken cItIes
  In every port in the land mariners tell stories of sunk-
  en cities and mysterious, submerged ruins. Many sages 
  believe these stories most likely relate to fanciful retell-
  ings of the attack on Alantaris Isle during the blizzard 
  War, when the great Imperial city was laid ruin. In fact, 
  some of these stories are based on tales passed down 
  for countless generations, the facts replaced by myth 
  and hearsay. While curses and vengeful gods are often 
  blamed for the cities’ demise, the truth more often in-
  volved rising sea levels, powerful magic of bygone days, 
  sinking landmasses, and earthquakes.
  Sunken cities are rarely uninhabited, for they make 
  ideal dens for intelligent creatures such as kreana, and 
  more mundane but no less dangerous beasts. Some may 
  even be inhabited by barnacle encrusted undead.
  the BurnIng sea
  The burning Sea is not technically in rassilon, begin-
  ning just south of where the map ends. It divides rassilon 
  with the southern continent of Al-Shirkuh. Mariners say 
  Sigel’s hearth does strange things the further one sails 
  south. Although it does not hang in the sky as long as in 
  the Winterlands, it burns hotter. The sea begins to hiss 
  and steam, and wooden decks begin to char unless con-
  tinually dampened. clerics of kenaz and Sigel claim the 
  hearth is no more powerful than elsewhere in the world. 
  What makes it hotter is the presence of Muspelheim, the 
  fiery realm wherein live fire giants and sun dragons. 
  To keep sailing south is to enter this infernal realm, 
  where awaits only an agonizing, fiery death. Strangely, 
  merchants from Al-Shirkuh, regular visitors to Sethnor 
  city, make no mention of any supernatural, fiery effects, 
  claiming instead the sun, which they call Al-yamun (The 
  bright Eye) and believe to be the eye of a god named 
  Shamash, defender of the Faithful, grows weaker but 
  hangs in the sky longer, while the water become solid.
  the FoaMIng sea
  Traditionally the Foaming Sea begins at the edge of 
  the ice-laden White Sea and stretches as far south as the 
  coastline of Aspiria’s Southern Marches. Also known as 
  dargar’s Sea and the berserker Sea, the water takes its 
  name from the turbulent waters extending far out to the 
  west. Legend has it dargar, in one of his berserk rages, 
  dripped drool into the sea, causing it to froth and foam. 
  clerics of Thunor, who know more about winds than 
  even master mariners, claim the sea is a playground 
  between vestri, the god of the west wind whose realm 
  lies far to the west, and Austri, the god of the east wind. 
  Whatever the cause, the waters here are notoriously 
  choppy all year round. In especially bad winters, ice floes 
  drift as far south as the Aspirian coast.
  the MIst sea
  Generally detailed on maps as beginning at the same 
  point as Sutmark’s northern border, the Savage Sea ex-
  tends far to the east, to the mysterious lands of the Jade 
  neW hIndrance
     sea Fear (MInor/Major)
  rassilon is a large continent, with many areas far 
  from any major bodies of water. For some of those 
  born far inland, the sight of seemingly endless ex-
  panses of open water causes intense terror.
  When the character comes across a lake, a river 
  whose opposite bank he cannot see, or the open 
  sea, he must make a Guts roll or suffer the effects 
  of Fear for the next 24 hours or until the character 
  is on dry land and the body of water is out of sight, 
  whichever comes first. covering one’s eyes does 
  not constitute as being out of sight of the water! If 
  on a long voyage, the poor adventurer must make a 
  Guts roll each morning to overcome his fear.
  Whether this hindrance ranks as Minor or Major 
  depends on the nature of the GM’s campaign. In a 
  game where water travel will be rare, it is a Minor 
  hindrance. In games where ship travel is to be fre-
  quent it counts as a Major hindrance.
  neW coMBat edge
     saLMon Leap
  Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8+, Strength 
  d8+, Fighting d8+
  The adventurer knows how to leap greater distanc-
  es horizontally and vertically.
  All jumping distances are increased by 1”. In com-
  bat, the hero can leap high enough to stab down 
  behind his defender’s shield. Shields provide one 
  less point of Parry bonus against a hero with this 
  Edge unless they too have the Edge.
  the ten seas
  
  
  Empire. No merchant from rassilon has ever reached 
  its shores and returned. Further south, its water crashes 
  against the northern shore of Al-Shirkuh, a barren ex-
  panse of salt marsh and endless sands. dense sea mists 
  shroud the area, and the many sea serpents drawn on 
  maps are no fantasy, for plenty lurk in the warm water.
  Merchants from the southern realm claim that further 
  east along the coast begins a powerful kingdom ruled 
  by tyrannical sphinxes. If one can avoid their maritime 
  patrols and follow the coastline as it curves south, there 
  lies the wondrous port of Jadid, a city devoted entirely to 
  trade and whose population exceeds that of royalmark. 
  With no corroborating evidence, both stories are consid-
  ered myths, even by clerics of var.
  the serpent sea
  Lying south of blackwater bay, between the Magoc-
  racy and orcmark, the Serpent Sea takes its name from 
  the blood eels that haunt the cool waters. blood eels 
  are considered a delicacy in the Magocracy, but while a 
  good haul fetches a high price, fishing for them comes 
  with great risk. Longer than three men lying head to 
  toe, these vicious predators have razor sharp teeth and 
  a nasty temperament. Individual immature blood eels 
  aren’t quite so deadly, though many a fisherman in these 
  waters sports less than his full allotment of fingers. 
  Mariners who fall overboard face a painful death unless 
  hauled out quickly.
  the WInd sea
  Far to the west, beyond Alantaris Isle, is the Wind Sea. 
  Powerful gusts blow out of the west all year round, driv-
  ing ships back to rassilon’s coast faster than their crews 
  can row forward. Many stories claim there is an island 
  far to the west, the blessed Isle, where Sigel sleeps each 
  night, recovering his strength before his next sojourn 
  across the sky. Some scholars believe the Selari (see Re-
  gion Guide #7) came to rassilon out of the Wind Sea. 
  Maps within the Imperial Library on Alantaris Isle detail 
  several islands beyond the known horizon, and patchy 
  records seem to indicate they once conquered the inhab-
  itants. Whatever route they took to avoid the winds has 
  been long lost. Should it be recovered, mariners would 
  pay a high price to possess the secret.
  the WoLF sea
  Situated south of Alantaris Isle and west of the Mago-
  cracy, the Wolf Sea is home to the Isles of the Seareavers 
  and their marauding inhabitants. To the west lies the 
  Wind Sea, while south the waters merge with those of 
  the burning Sea. Few ships have call to sail the deeper 
  waters, preferring to stick to the Magocracy’s coastline 
  and pay handsomely for naval protection. Such measures 
  are not guaranteed to thwart Seareaver attacks, though, 
  and mariners sail here at their own risk. Although the 
  Seareavers are a recent problem, the sea’s name dates 
  back a thousand years. In days of yore, when the Anari 
  Empire stretched far from its capital on Alantaris Isle, pi-
  rates preyed on the heavily laden merchantmen bringing 
  trade and tribute from the far reaches of the Empire.
  Why coMe here?
  In other region Guides, “here” correlates to a specific 
  realm. In this supplement it refers to any of the oceans, 
  lakes, and navigable rivers of rassilon. unless the heroes 
  have invested in boating, thus implying they wish to set 
  sail regularly, what reasons might they have for hoisting 
  sail or manning the oars?
  * Travel. The most likely reason for heroes to step 
  onto a ship is simply because they need to get some-
  where and going by water is the most expedient or safest 
  option. With the Mistlands and Giant’s Throne making 
  overland travel dangerous without a lengthy (and likely 
  equally dangerous) detour, adventurers seeking to get 
  optIonaL edges
  These Edges are intended for campaigns involving 
  a lot of water travel. Their use is limited in games 
  where water travel is infrequent.
     MerMan BLood (Background)
  Requirements: Novice
  Several heroes of old were attributed merman 
  blood, a trait the character seems to have inherited. 
  The character’s Pace while swimming is equal to his 
  Swimming die. In addition, he gains +2 to Swim-
  ming rolls.
     Master MarIner (proFessIonaL)
  Requirements: veteran, Smarts d8+, boating d8+, 
  knowledge (The Seas) d8+
  years at sea have taught the sailor a few tricks. he 
  gains the benefits of the Ace Edge, but only with 
  regard to boating. In addition, any ship he captains 
  has +1 Top Speed thanks to the character’s knowl-
  edge of the tide and winds, and how to get the best 
  from oarsmen..
     sea Legs (proFessIonaL)
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+
  The mariner knows how a ship rolls, allowing him 
  not only to retain his balance but also use the move-
  ment to his advantage in combat.
  The character has the benefits of the Steady hands 
  Edge and +1 Parry (if unencumbered), but only 
  while aboard a ship or boat.
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #08
  
  
  from the central hearthlands to the western realms are 
  likely to seek a ship.
  * orders. Any hero might find himself aboard a ship 
  because someone he answers to has ordered it. The 
  character might have to escort an emissary to foreign 
  lands (or be the actual emissary) or deliver a message 
  in person, guard a precious cargo, wage war against en-
  emies, or set out in pursuit of pirates plaguing the local 
  waters.
  * duty. This option is unlikely to occur unless the GM 
  plans on making regular use of nautical adventures. Par-
  ties tied to the cult of Neorthe, working for a merchant, 
  engaged in the war against orcmark, hunting pirates for 
  a living, or serving a nobleman who owns coastal lands 
  may find their feet getting wet on a regular basis.
  * running Away: Some adventuring parties will make 
  powerful enemies. Since few realms command a power-
  ful navy, and the sea is a large place to search, the best 
  way to escape unwanted attention is often to set sail.
  adventure seeds
  * A nobleman’s only son is missing at sea and the 
  father is hiring a crew to find the vessel. his son’s ship 
  drifted into a Sargasso and became totally entangled. 
  kreana raiders detected the vessel and made several 
  attacks, kidnapping the boy during the last one. After 
  defeating a kreana raiding party with the aid of the ship’s 
  remaining sailors, the heroes are forced to dive beneath 
  the waves in search of the missing heir.
  * A storm drives the heroes’ ship onto an uncharted 
  island inhabited by some terrible beast. They must sur-
  vive while repairs are made. Inland is a strange ruin of a 
  bygone age. What secrets and dangers does it hold?
  * Marshal Theodred of vestmark is hiring mariners. 
  he might order the crew to deliver spies into orcmark, 
  drop off supplies for resistance groups, evacuate a recent 
  bunch of escapees, or conduct a raid deep behind orc 
  lines. orc galleys patrol the waters in force.
  LIFe at sea
  GMs looking to include nautical in their campaign 
  should read up on the rules for Watercraft and the rules 
  for contact and close quarters under capital Ships in 
  Savage Worlds. The following additional rules can also 
  be implemented.
  knoWLedge (the seas)
  This variant of the knowledge (Area) skill covers an 
  understanding of currents and winds, fixed hazards such 
  as submerged rocks or monsters’ lairs, legends concern-
  ing the sea, and coastal communities and customs. As 
  with any knowledge (Area) skill, the wider the area cov-
  ered, the more penalties are incurred when trying to use 
  the skill to know specific details.
  navIgatIon
  The seas around rassilon are treacherous expanses. 
  Wise crews keep close to the coast, except when a storm 
  rages, when deep water is safer territory.
  Each day the captain must make a boating roll for 
  each day of travel. Add +2 if the ship is hugging the 
  coast. Since all navigation requires using the sun and 
  stars, modifiers for poor lighting also apply. The crew 
  may make Group cooperative boating rolls to aid the 
  captain.
  With success, the vessel moves as expected (see be-
  low). A raise increases the ship’s average speed by an 
  additional 0.5 knots thanks to good currents and wise 
  use of wind and oars. Failure means the ship moves only 
  half the distance—the captain may have misjudged the 
  wind or currents, steered the ship the wrong way, before 
  discovering his mistake or driven the crew too hard and 
  caused them to require extensive rest breaks.
  shIp daILy MoveMent rates
  A ship must often use both wind and oars during the 
  course of a day. The average speed of typical ships in 
  nautical miles per hour (knots) is given below. This fig-
  ure should be used to calculate overseas travel times. It 
  takes into account thing such as variable wind strengths 
  and direction, rest breaks for oarsmen, and favorable 
  and adverse currents.
  If you’ve created your own ships, or an Edge or spell 
  modifies a vessel’s speed, use the calculation below to 
  work out the new average rate of hourly travel.
  knots = (half rowed Top Speed + half sail Top Speed) 
  divided by two. retain all fractions.
  For example, a busse has Top Speeds of 5 and 8. Taking 
  half each value we end up with 6.5, which when halved 
  and rounded equates to 3 nautical miles per hour.
  Vessel 
  Knots 
  Vessel 
  Knots
  busse 
  3.25 
  drakkar 
  5.5 
  Galley 
  2.75 
  knarr 
  2.5 
  river barge 
  1 
  rowboat 
  1
  Skeid 
  5.5 
  Smabyrding 
  2.75
  Snekke 
  4.5
  underWater coMBat
  * unless the heroes intend to spend just a few minutes 
  underwater, any aquatic expedition is going to require 
  environmental protection spells or alchemical devices. 
  Thanks to this handy spell, pressure, temperature drop, 
  and holding your breath can be ignored (should the spell 
  expire the hero is probably doomed, anyway).
  characters under the effects of the spell move at 
  their full Pace and can run—the Swimming skill is not 
  required. however, there are a few minor changes to 
  keep in mind.
  * Acid, coldfire, fire, and heat spells do not function as 
  effectively. reduce damage dice by one die type (so 2d6 
  the ten seas
  
  
  becomes 2d4, for example) and burst templates by one 
  step. A Small burst Template affects a single 1” square.
  * Electrical and sound trappings increase the damage 
  die one step (so 2d10 becomes 2d12, for example). Tem-
  plates also increase one size, to a maximum of Large. Bolt 
  spells using these trappings affect a Small burst Template 
  underwater. Touching an electrical barrier requires a 
  vigor roll at –2 to avoid being knocked back.
  * Ice trappings do not make an area slippery. Instead, 
  they freeze an area of water into a solid sphere (Tough-
  ness 10). These remain in situ for 3 rounds before melt-
  ing or floating away.
  * Movement can, if the GM wishes, be handled in 
  three-dimensions. For any encounter there will be a 
  baseline. In most instances this should be the ocean 
  floor. Simply use dice or poker chips to mark the num-
  ber of inches a creature is above the baseline.
  * ranged weapons or spells which launch a physical 
  missile have their range halved.
  * Lighting conditions drop one level (to a maximum 
  of Pitch black) for each 100 feet of depth below the 
  surface if the water is clear and every 50 feet if murky. 
  Light spells are the only reliable form of illumination. In 
  murky water, the spells illuminates only a Medium burst 
  Template.
  gods & Monsters
  detailed below are the malevolent god of the kreana, 
  vegtam, the minor god of mariners and marines, and a 
  host of aquatic and nautical threats.
  carcharas
  Titles: The Great Shark, Scourge of the ocean, the 
  devourer, deep hunter.
  Aspects: Sharks, kreana, bloodshed, destruction, 
  gluttony, fear.
  Symbol: A shark’s tooth.
  Priesthood: carcharas has both priests and paladins.
  Herald: No true herald. carcharas is rumored to have 
  an avatar (see the forthcoming adventure H3 The Blood 
  Tide for details of the avatar and the reason why kreana 
  hate air breathers).
  Holy Days: celebrations are held to coincide with 
  fish migrations, and before and after raids.
  Signature Power: Smite (bite only).
  Powers: Altered senses, analyze foe, armor, beast 
  friend (sharks only), bless/panic, bolt, boost/lower trait 
  (Fighting, Notice, and Swimming only), champion of the 
  faith, environmental protection (water only), fatigue, 
  fear, growth/shrink, healing, sacrifice, sanctuary, shape 
  change (sharks only), speed, sphere of might, stun, sum-
  mon herald (carcharas sends a megalodon to answer 
  the call).
  Trappings: All trappings relate to sharks (such as 
  shark’s teeth for bolt) or water (for stun).
  cLerIcs oF neorthe
  This entry is an expansion for the cult of Neorthe, 
  providing facts useful to both players and GMs. 
  Training: All novitiates begin by ritual submersion 
  in water. They are held underwater until their lungs 
  burn, for in all likelihood this is how Neorthe will 
  welcome them to the Afterlife. by facing death by 
  drowning now, the novices learn to respect the 
  ocean and not to fear its watery embrace.
  Novices are then apprenticed to ships before begin-
  ning any religious training. until they know how 
  a ship works, until their muscles bulge and ache 
  from rowing day after day, until they can tell when 
  a storm is brewing or the tide turning, or where 
  fish are waiting beneath the surface, they are un-
  worthy to serve. once deemed worthy, training con-
  tinues at sea. clerics are taught the secret songs of 
  the water from a mentor until such time as they are 
  deemed ready to face their final test—single-hand-
  edly sailing a small boat a distance of 100 miles and 
  back to port safely.
  Prayers: clerics are fond of making frequent refer-
  ences to the many ports they have visited. “This re-
  minds of when I was in…” is a common way to start 
  a sentence. Prayers always begin with a reference to 
  a similar occurrence that took place in the cleric’s 
  life—“As you did in Shapryr, protect me now from 
  drunken oafs,” for example.
  Adventures: Any water-based adventure suits the 
  clergy well, as this is where their spells are most 
  useful. diving for sunken treasure, battling pirates, 
  exploring lands across the ocean, defending aquatic 
  fey, and thwarting the evil plans of the kreana all ap-
  peal to Neorthe’s worshippers. With ice riggers be-
  ing popular transportation further north, the clergy 
  can even be of use in land-based tales.
  Character Guidelines: clerics of the sea god need 
  Strength and vigor (most ships use oars) as well as 
  boating. Swimming is optional, but recommended. 
  A hero with the Styrimathr Edge begins with a ship, 
  which is a major boon when travelling. Just remem-
  ber, there is no waterway linking the east and west-
  ern oceans—if you want to move your boat between 
  the two bodies of water, fit an ice rigger and wait 
  until winter. Steady hands is a must-have if you’re 
  going to be doing a lot of water travel, as are some 
  Leadership Edges—you’re going to be near a lot of 
  Extras while aboard ship.
  knowledge (Area) is useful, as it can represent the 
  places a hero has visited before his adventuring. 
  Whether you focus on one area or decide a wider 
  number of locations are better is going to depend 
  on the campaign. Alternately, consider connections 
  Edges as a way of representing old friends or organ-
  izations you have helped in your travels. To a lesser 
  extent, Streetwise can cover these bases.
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #08
  
  
  Disciple Edge: carcharas grants his kreana disciples 
  enlarged teeth and the ability to chew throw armor. 
  Their teeth inflict Strength+d6 damage, AP 2. by spend-
  ing a benny, their teeth count as heavy Weapons for one 
  round.
  carcharas is the sole god of the kreana. Like many 
  inhuman gods, carcharas has no place within the pan-
  theon except as an enemy. In this case, he is the eternal 
  foe of Neorthe. Myths claim that when Neorthe first cre-
  ated sharks, one particular specimen quickly developed 
  into a voracious hunter. Everything and anything in his 
  path was fair prey, and he rapidly grew to monstrous 
  size. by the time Neorthe realized what was happening, 
  the shark was large enough to challenge even a god.
  The two deities fought on and off for eons before 
  Neorthe finally got the upper hand. using his magical 
  trident, he slashed carcharas once on each side of the 
  head, stunning the monstrous fish. Lacking the power 
  to slay the beast, Neorthe imprisoned him in a deep, 
  dark watery realm from which he could not escape. Even 
  today, all sharks carry the scars of Neorthe as a reminder 
  that Neorthe is the true power beneath the waves.
  kreana do not draw images or carve idols of their 
  god. As every kreana community is ruled by a priest, 
  every settlement has a temple. These vary immensely in 
  size and style, but are always located at the heart of the 
  community. Atop the altar of each temple sits a shark’s 
  jaw, its mouth gaping wide and ready to accept sacrifices. 
  Gold and jewelry plundered from air breathers, corals 
  and shells, and living sacrifices are fed into the mouth in 
  symbolic sacrifice. Treasures are then stored away, while 
  sacrificial victims are devoured. As well as kreana guards 
  and traps, many temples are patrolled by sharks.
  Priests are the leaders of the community, holding 
  both spiritual and temporal power. Priests jockey for 
  position not based on brute strength or ability to lead, 
  but by instilling fear in rivals. This subservience through 
  fear also keeps juniors in line once the pecking order is 
  established. More importantly, juniors rarely gang up on 
  a superior in a Machiavellian plot—anyone who suggests 
  such a plot has openly demonstrated fear and thus is 
  likely to sink further down the social ladder as his rivals 
  turn on him.
  This same fear governs relationships with other kreana 
  communities. clans form tribes not because of shared 
  bloodlines, but because the most senior clan has tyran-
  nized the others into obedience. When two tribes cannot 
  dominate each other into submission, civil war breaks 
  out. The loss of a few hundreds, maybe a few thousand 
  worshippers, doesn’t bother carcharas—survival of the 
  fittest most definitely applies to the kreana.
  but with power comes responsibility. Any setbacks the 
  settlement suffers are laid at the feet of the highest rank-
  ing priest. Too many failures and carcharas may demand 
  the priest be sacrificed and a replacement installed. The 
  god never sends visions to prompt this action—a rival 
  will eventually summon the courage to take matters into 
  his own hands. kreana priest tend to be power hungry, 
  for high position brings great personal wealth and en-
  hanced breeding possibilities, but their lust is tempered 
  by the inevitable fate that awaits those who fail the 
  predatory deity.
  Paladins, while clerics, never govern a community. 
  They serve as elite warriors, temple guardians, body-
  guards, champions, and military commanders. Their 
  power is considered martial, not political or bureaucratic. 
  That said, since paladins often lead raids ordered by the 
  high priest, they literally hold his life in their hands—a 
  FestIvaL to neorthe
     Boat BLessIng day
  First Waescdaeg on Sowanmonan.
  Also known as Shoal day, this festival marks the 
  official start of the sea fishing season. Each fishing 
  community spends the winter months constructing 
  a full size fishing vessel, which is decorated with 
  shells and coins. The night before the ceremony, 
  known as New boat Night, the boat is set on fire and 
  shoved out to sea as a gift to Neorthe so he always 
  has a new ship each year. clerics spend the remain-
  der of the night praying while worshippers sing the 
  Gathering Song, summoning the fish shoals to their 
  annual feeding grounds.
  come morning, the clerics row out to sea and sal-
  vage burnt timbers floating on the surface. divina-
  tions are performed over the scorched wood to 
  determine if Neorthe has accepted the sacrifice. A 
  good omen means the fishing will be good, while 
  a bad one spells warnings of famine and reduced 
  income.
     deep dIvIng day
  Third Waescdaeg of Haerfestmonan.
  Temples to Neorthe are often constructed from 
  driftwood and decorated with shells and items lost 
  to the ocean. once a year, worshippers are expected 
  to help maintain the temple. Women and children 
  scour the beaches for more driftwood and items 
  washed up on shore, while the men take to their 
  boats in search of flotsam and jetsam or dive to 
  the seafloor to recover objects. Temples do a good 
  trade in environmental protection potions on this 
  day, for the deeper the water from which an item is 
  brought the more it pleases Neorthe.
  At dusk all the gathered items are blessed by cler-
  ics of Neorthe, who claim the salvage in the name 
  of their god. Legally, anything found abandoned 
  in the sea or on a beach on this day and taken to 
  one of Neorthe’s temples becomes the property of 
  the temple. Worshippers who recover particularly 
  beautiful or valuable objects are given special bless-
  ings as a reward.
  the ten seas
  
  
  deliberately failed mission may spell doom for the priest, 
  not the paladin. To counter this, priests often publicly 
  decree a fitting fate for paladins who fail them—even if 
  the priest is sentenced to die, he will drag the paladin to 
  hell with him.
  regardless of status or position, all paladins are sub-
  servient to priests, though it is a brave junior priest who 
  dares enrage a more senior paladin, for carcharas cares 
  little if his clergy kill each other.
  kreana rituals revolve around the sacrifice of air 
  breathers and treasure. A lot of blood is spilled during 
  the fell rites, which drives the kreana into a frenzy. Wildly 
  gnashing jaws and slashing claws make attendance a 
  dangerous proposition, but there is no alternative—fail-
  ure to attend a ceremony is a death sentence.
  vegtaM
  Titles: The Master Mariner, boatman of the Gods, 
  Tiw’s Navigator.
  Aspects: Sailors and marines.
  Affiliations: Neorthe, Tiw.
  Symbol: A ship prow carved to resemble a sea drag-
  on‘s head.
  Priesthood: Master Mariners (priests); Master Ma-
  rines (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Last Waescdaeg of each month.
  Duties: Steer and protect ships.
  Sins: (Minor) using another form of transportation if 
  a ship is available, getting lost at sea, condoning piracy 
  against any ship; (Major) committing piracy against any 
  ship; (Mortal) a ship you are on is sunk.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (Strength, vigor, 
  boating, climbing only)*
  Powers: Environmental protection (water only), gift 
  of battle*, mend (ships only), warrior’s gift*, zephyr*.
  Trappings: Air and water only.
  Special: Spells marked “*” only provide benefits 
  while on a ship. If the target steps on land, the spell’s 
  benefit is lost, though the spell remains Maintained.
  vegtam was at first Neorthe’s navigator, guiding the 
  sea god’s ship through the heavenly waters. he knew all 
  the secrets and dangers of the great celestial sea, but, like 
  all mariners, was at the mercy of Thunor’s winds. vegtam 
  stole the secret of making wind from Thunor, so earn-
  ing the storm god’s eternal enmity. It is for this reason 
  storms are common at sea. Worshippers of vegtam and 
  Thunor rarely see eye-to-eye, though violence between 
  the cults is rare.
  during the God War, vegtam ferried Tiw and his army 
  back and forth across the heavens. on one trip the en-
  emy attacked, boarding vegtam’s ship in great numbers. 
  Though no warrior, vegtam stood his ground beside 
  Tiw and helped drive the boarders back. As thanks, Tiw 
  taught vegtam secret fighting techniques for use at sea, 
  so granting the navigator joint patronage of marines.
  vegtam has no temples. Shrines are found in all 
  temples to Neorthe and in coastal temples to Tiw. here 
  navigators, sailors, and marines give praise before em-
  barking on a trip. Marines and navigators looking for 
  employment wait outside the temples in the hope of 
  securing a position on a ship. Although the cult is small, 
  the clergy are specialists and competition for places is 
  fierce, for only rarely will a captain hire more than one 
  priest or paladin for each voyage.
  vegtam is depicted as a male with a neatly trimmed 
  beard. In his right hand he holds a star compass, while in 
  his left is clutched a sword, thus honoring the fact he was 
  a navigator before a marine. Ships seeking vegtam’s pro-
  tection often paint their sails with the god’s holy symbol 
  or carve their prow into a storm dragon head.
  Like Neorthe’s clergy, they serve as navigators and 
  marines respectively. They are awarded higher titles due 
  to their focus, but their miracles are of limited scope. 
  however, while Neorthe’s paladins may serve in an of-
  fensive capacity, vegtam’s holy warriors are a purely 
  defensive force—their god forbids them to conduct any 
  raids against ships, even if the enemy is orcs or other 
  despoilers.
  While worshippers give praise before and after setting 
  sail, all true ceremonies are conducted aboard ships—
  ones berthed in harbor are still acceptable ceremonial 
  grounds. cultists make offerings of blood (usually birds) 
  except in Werremonan, when armor and weapons are 
  blessed and tossed overboard. These weapons are used 
  FestIvaL to neorthe
     QuenchIng day
  First Waescdaeg of Werremonan.
  After kenaz invented fire, he took some to Neorthe, 
  fearing even the sea god must be feeling the cold. 
  haughty and arrogant, kenaz threw down the fire, 
  which quickly flared out of control and threatened 
  to burn down Neorthe’s hall. Angrily, Neorthe ex-
  tinguished the flame and kicked kenaz out, threat-
  ening him with violence if he ever returned. Anoth-
  er version of the story tells that kenaz kept coming 
  back to give Neorthe fire, and that several times 
  the sea god burned his hands trying to dampen the 
  flames. In order to avoid frequent house calls, Eira 
  taught Neorthe the secret of healing magic.
  Worshippers light numerous bonfires on this day, 
  which they then extinguish. Sea water is considered 
  the best liquid, but over the years quenching day 
  has become something of an excuse to drink heav-
  ily, and any liquid is considered acceptable. While 
  dousing the flames, worshippers sing rousing sea 
  shanties and offer prayers to Neorthe. clerics are 
  on hand to treat the many burn victims.
  As well as being a religious ceremony, quenching 
  day ensures the locals know the fire drill in case of 
  fire in the settlement.
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #08
  8
  
  to equip vegtam’s celestial marines, while the blood of-
  ferings sate Neorthe.
  Character Guidelines: As seafarers, boating is a 
  cleric’s most important skill. Priests need a good under-
  standing of the oceans, the winds, and the currents, and 
  so need an appropriate knowledge (Area) skill. Marines 
  should invest in Steady hands as soon as possible. As 
  commander of the marines, Leadership Edges are a 
  must. both clergy are usually smart, strong, and fit, for 
  life at sea is hazardous. Swimming is not a required skill, 
  but marines typically fight in armor—those who want at 
  least a fighting chance of survival in the ocean should 
  invest in the skill.
  BLood eeL sWarM
  While individual blood eels can deliver a nasty bite, 
  they are rarely a mortal threat. however, when they 
  swarm they can strip the flesh of a man in seconds and 
  devour entire schools of fish in minutes.
  blood eels are found mainly in the Serpent Sea, 
  though large swarms have recently been reported in the 
  Narrows and Inner Sea. Their presence is given away by 
  frothing, bubbling water. Those who have encountered 
  blood eels before quickly turn and leave the area.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d10, Strength 
  d8, vigor d10
  Skills: Notice d6
  Pace: —; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Aquatic: Pace 10.
  * Bite: Swarms inflict hundreds of bites every round 
  to their victims, hitting automatically and causing 2d4 
  damage to everyone in the template. damage is ap-
  plied to the least armored location.
  * Mindless: unaffected by Tests of Will, Tricks, or ar-
  cane powers like puppet.
  * Swarm: Parry +2. because the swarm is composed of 
  scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting 
  and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect 
  weapons work normally. Stomping is not an option.
  dragon, sea
  Sea dragons are aquatic serpentine beasts, lacking the 
  wings of other dragons. They live in the oceans, preying 
  on fish and whales, though mariners who offend them 
  make a tasty snack. Their scales are deep blue-green. 
  They “breathe” a rank mixture of weak stomach acid and 
  foul seawater, often with fish bones and pieces of drift-
  wood they have swallowed.
  They are generally friendly to mariners who pay prop-
  er tribute for fishing near or sailing over their lairs, even 
  offering to provide extra winds or fix damaged ships. 
  When ships sink near their homes, the dragons gather 
  up valuable cargo, though for what purpose is unknown. 
  Sea giants sometimes keep them as pets or companions. 
  See page 12 for the sea dragon stats.
  FInFoLk
  Finfolk are a race of greedy, territorial fish-men. They 
  are more akin to havmand than kreana in appearance. 
  Should a finman marry a finwife (the name for females of 
  the species), the finwife gradually becomes uglier and ug-
  lier. For this reason, Finfolk prey on coastal communities, 
  kidnapping lone fishermen or folk walking the beaches 
  at night. Through their magic they disguise themselves 
  until they are close enough to their victims to grapple 
  them and drag them underwater, whereupon they cast 
  environmental protection on their captives to stop them 
  from drowning. The poor victim is dragged back to the 
  finfolks’ undersea kingdom and forced to marry. Such 
  victims are never returned to their homeland.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: boating d8, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation 
  d6, Notice d8, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d8
  Charisma: +2; Pace: 5; Parry: 7; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Aquatic: Pace 8.
  * Greedy: Finfolk cannot resist silver. If a silver object, 
  even a single silver scield, is tossed in view of a fin-
  folk, it must make a Spirit roll or be drawn to gather 
  up the object, ignoring all other goals or threats.
  * Powers: Finfolk know the following spells: becalm, 
  entangle (strands of seaweed), environmental pro-
  tection (water only), invisibility (only works on boats 
  FestIvaL to neorthe
     WhaLe song day
  First Waescdaeg after spring starts.
  While Neorthe was out rowing one day the un-
  knowable one summoned a dense fog. Lost at sea, 
  Neorthe rowed in circles for many days. hungry and 
  tired, Neorthe began to wonder if he would ever 
  find land again. Suddenly something bumped his 
  boat. Looking down, Neorthe saw a whale along-
  side his small craft. “Follow me,” said the whale, 
  for all animals could speak at that time, “and I shall 
  lead you to safety.” The whale was good to his word, 
  and Neorthe returned safely to his watery hall.
  on this holy day, worshippers row out onto the 
  oceans and rivers to sing to the whales, beseech-
  ing them to come to their aid if in need, as they 
  did with Neorthe. Those on the sea need only sing 
  loudly, while those on rivers must stick their head 
  into the water and sing, whereupon the river carries 
  their words to the sea. Small coins and other votive 
  offerings are thrown into the water as gifts to the 
  whales. Many of these end up being reclaimed on 
  deep diving day.
  the ten seas
  
  
  no larger than a rowboat), mend (this spells works 
  in reverse, causing damage to ships instead of repair-
  ing it), shape change (human, sea animals, sea plants, 
  driftwood, or floating clothing only), storm (only at 
  sea), water walk.
  gIant, sea
  Sea giants (margyr in Auld Saxa) are widely believed 
  to be the offspring of Neorthe and mortal women, 
  though if this is true such unions occurred long ago. The 
  largest and rarest of the giants, sea giants possess the 
  same temperament as their father—one day they may aid 
  fishermen by herding fish into their nets, the next they 
  may attack them without provocation.
  Sea giants are colossal, standing almost twice as tall 
  as frost giants. Their hair and beards range in color from 
  blond to green, and their eyes are always blue or green. 
  They are clad in thick armor made of shells and pieces 
  of sunken ships. Though a sea giant rarely attacks a ship 
  to plunder its cargo, they happily scavenge goods from 
  sunken ships or which are lost (or thrown) overboard.
  Sea giants dwell on the ocean floor, sometimes in nat-
  ural caves and sometimes in great halls made of sunken 
  ships, coral, and worked stone. unannounced visitors 
  are rarely welcome, though sea giants have been known 
  to invite mariners of renown into their homes, protect-
  ing them from drowning using their environmental 
  protection power (see below). Should a guest ever break 
  the laws of hospitality, he will suddenly find himself deep 
  underwater and unable to breath.
  Environmental Protection: Sea giants can grant 
  air breathers the ability to function underwater and 
  also for ships to “sail” beneath the waves. This can be 
  done at will as a free action. This is not Maintained as a 
  normal spell, but lasts until the giant cancels the power 
  (a free action). double the giant’s Spirit die to calculate 
  now many points of creatures or objects it can protect 
  in this way. creatures have a value equal to their Size 
  +1. Sizes lower than zero are treated as being zero for 
  this purpose. Ships have a Size equal to their Toughness 
  (excluding Armor). This ability allows the ship to “sail” 
  underwater and protects the entire crew from drowning, 
  so long as they remain aboard the vessel.
  Example: A typical giant has 16 points available to 
  it for this power. It could bless a skeid (base Toughness 
  14) to travel underwater and protect the entire crew of 
  200 so long as they remain in the boat. If any wish to 
  leave and explore the aquatic realm, the giant can bless 
  two human-sized or smaller creatures.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12+8, vigor d10
  Skills: boating d10, Fighting d8, Intimidation d10, 
  knowledge (Area: specific part of ocean) d10, Persuasion 
  d8, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d8, Survival d8, Tracking d8
  Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 18 (2)
  Gear: huge spear (Str+d6, reach 2, +1 Parry, heavy 
  Weapon)
  Treasure: Treasure trove, in lair
  Special Abilities:
  * Aquatic: Pace 8. Sea giants can breathe in air and un-
  derwater.
  * Armor +2: Shells.
  * Beast Speech: Sea giants can communicate with any 
  creature which dwells in the ocean.
  * Huge: Attackers gain +4 to attack rolls against sea gi-
  ants due to their size.
  * Powers: Becalm (water grips ship), summon beast 
  (aquatic beasts only), zephyr (powerful breath)
  * Sea Tracking: Sea giants have unusual powers and 
  can track ships and creatures across the oceans. See 
  the sidebar for more details.
  * Size +9: Sea giants are over 45’ tall.
  hazards, nautIcaL
  dead Water
  Mariners speak with fear of dead water, areas of ocean 
  where the wind drops to nothing and currents cease to 
  flow. Ships are forced to make oar, crawling through the 
  doldrums in the hope of striking wind before they die of 
  thirst or exhaustion. A ship’s daily rate in dead water is 
  equal to one quarter its Top Speed under oars.
  MaeLstroM
  Feared beyond all other nautical hazards, a maelstrom 
  can swallow the largest ship and her crew in minutes. 
  The only way to escape a maelstrom is by using wind 
  and oars, combined with a hefty measure of good luck. 
  Maelstroms are rated as weak, moderate, strong, and ir-
  resistible, an indication of both their size and pull.
  draw five vertical squares on a scrap of paper. Label 
  these from top to bottom Safe, –1, –2, –4, Engulfed. 
  These represent the strengthening pull of the maelstrom 
  sea trackIng
  Trackers on land follow their prey by searching for 
  footprints, spoor, broken twigs, flattened grass, and 
  other such occurrences. Sea giants perform similar 
  feats by questioning shoals of fish, detecting minute 
  changes in the patterns of waves caused by the pas-
  sage of ships, and so on.
  Situation 
  Modifier
  Tracking ship 
  +1/5 Toughness
  Tracking Large creature 
  +2
  Tracking huge or larger creature +4
  In sight of land 
  +1
  deep ocean 
  +2
  recent storm 
  –2
  Storm raging 
  –4
  Tracking in poor light 
  –2
  Passage more than one day old 
  –2
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #08
  10
  
  as a ship is pulled toward its center. A ship begins in the 
  Safe box, on the edge of the maelstrom.
  To escape a maelstrom, the captain must make a se-
  ries of boating rolls. crew may assist through Group co-
  operative rolls as normal. In a weak maelstrom each roll 
  suffers a –1 penalty. Moderate gives a –2 penalty, strong 
  –4, and irresistible a –6 penalty. These are in addition to 
  any other modifiers.
  Failure causes the ship to move one square down the 
  grid, toward Engufled and suffers 2d6 damage from col-
  lisions with debris and tidal forces ripping at its planks. 
  Success moves it one square upward, while a raise moves 
  it two positions. A ship which ends its turn in the Safe box 
  has escaped the maelstrom. If a ship reaches Engulfed, it 
  is sucked into the maelstrom and destroyed, along with 
  its hapless crew.
  sargasso
  The ship enters an area of water choked with float-
  ing seaweed. The captain must make a boating roll at 
  –2 (the crew provide cooperation as normal) each hour 
  or day, depending on the size of the affected area. Suc-
  cess means the ship moves half its normal speed for that 
  time period. A raise allows the ship to move at full speed. 
  Failure means the ship makes no headway. repeat the 
  roll each day or hour as necessary.
  kreana
  BLood rager
  blood ragers are kreana warriors who fly into a deadly 
  frenzy when they inflict an injury on a foe. They carry 
  barbed spears, which tear victim’s flesh and inflict ter-
  rible wounds as the tip is removed.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, 
  Stealth d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: bloodthirsty
  Edges: —
  Gear: barbed short spear (Str+d6+2, reach 1)
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Aquatic: Pace 10.
  * Armor +1: Scales.
  * Blood Frenzy: A blood rager automatically goes ber-
  serk (as per the Edge) when it inflicts a wound. While 
  berserk it makes two Fighting attacks per round at no 
  penalty and has +2 to recover from being Shaken.
  * Claws/Bite: Str+d4.
  * Dehydration: kreana must immerse themselves in 
  salt water at least one hour out of every 24. Those 
  who don’t are automatically Fatigued each day until 
  they are Incapacitated. The day after that, they per-
  ish.
  shark caLLer
  Shark callers know the ancient songs of carcharas, 
  deep, ululating rhythms that travel immense distances 
  through the water and irresistibly draw sharks to the 
  singer. Although spells are used to mimic the ability, the 
  power cannot be dispelled or negated.
  Shark callers are not priests, but rather serve the com-
  munity as skalds and sages. Lacking a written language, 
  the kreana pass on their folklore, knowledge of good 
  hunting grounds, ancient laws, and so on verbally.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d6, knowl-
  edge (Arcana) d8, knowledge (Folklore) d8, Notice d8, 
  Stealth d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: bloodthirsty
  Gear: Short spear (Str+d6, reach 1)
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Aquatic: Pace 10.
  * Armor +1: Scales.
  * Call Sharks: Shark callers may use the beast friend 
  (sharks only) and summon beast (sharks only) spells 
  using Spirit as their arcane skill die.
  * Claws/Bite: Str+d4.
  * Dehydration: kreana must immerse themselves in 
  salt water at least one hour out of every 24. Those 
  who don’t are automatically Fatigued each day until 
  they are Incapacitated. The day after that, they per-
  ish.
  pIrate/sea raIder
  before the Anari conquered their lands, the Saxa were 
  great raiders, sailing their longships along coasts and up 
  rivers to plunder neighboring lands.
  These days the practice has all but died out, though 
  coastal realms such as Angmark and ostmark maintain 
  a navy. The Anari of Alantaris Isle, though a shadow of 
  their former glory, still maintain a strong navy to protect 
  their island and merchant fleet, and many Tuomi tribes 
  raid the Winterlands using ice-rigger ships. however, 
  pirates from the Isles of the Seareavers are now the most 
  common sea raiders. These stats also serve for marines, 
  soldiers trained to fight on land and at sea, of any race.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: boating d6, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d6, 
  Shooting d6, Swimming d6, Throwing d6
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: Greedy (Minor)
  Edges: Steady hands
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), pot helm (+3), medium 
  shield (+1 Parry), axe (Str+d6), bow (range: 12/24/48, 
  damage: 2d6) or throwing spears or axes (range: 3/6/12, 
  damage: Str+d6)
  Treasure: Worthwhile per two pirates
  the ten seas
  11
  
  sea dragon taBLes
  attrIButes & skILLs
  ———————— Attributes ————————
  ———————— Skills ————————
  Age
  Agility
  Smarts
  Spirit
  Strength
  Vigor
  Fighting
  Guts
  Intimidation
  Notice
  hatchling
  d6
  d6
  d6
  d12
  d8
  d6
  d6
  d8
  d8
  Juvenile
  d8
  d8
  d6
  d12+2
  d8
  d8
  d8
  d10
  d8
  Adult
  d8
  d8
  d8
  d12+4
  d8
  d10
  d10
  d12
  d10
  old
  d10
  d10
  d10
  d12+6
  d10
  d10
  d12
  d12
  d12
  Ancient
  d10
  d10
  d10
  d12+8
  d12
  d12
  N/A
  d12+2
  d12
  secondary traIts
  Age
  Aquatic
  Pace
  Parry
  Toughness
  Treasure
  hatchling
  6
  5
  6 (1)
  Worthwhile, in lair
  Juvenile
  8
  6
  10 (2)
  rich, in lair
  Adult
  8
  7
  13 (3)
  Treasure Trove, in lair
  old
  10
  7
  18 (3)
  Two Treasure Troves, in lair
  Ancient
  12
  8
  22 (4)
  Three Treasure Troves, in lair
  varIaBLe coMMon specIaL aBILItIes
  Age
  Armor
  Bite/Claws
  Breath
  Fear
  Flight
  Size
  Tail
  Wing
  hatchling
  +1
  Str+d4
  2d4
  0
  N/A
  +0
  1” x 1”
  N/A
  Juvenile
  +2
  Str+d6
  2d6
  0
  N/A
  +2
  1” x 2”
  N/A
  Adult
  +3
  Str+d8
  2d8
  –1
  N/A
  +5
  2” x 4”
  N/A
  old
  +3
  Str+d10
  2d10
  –2
  N/A
  +8
  3” x 6”
  N/A
  Ancient
  +5
  Str+d10
  3d10
  –4
  N/A
  +10
  4” x 8”
  N/A
  other specIaL aBILItIes
  Age
  Special Abilities
  hatchling
  Aquatic, Frenzy, Low Light vision
  Juvenile
  Arcane resistance, Aquatic, Frenzy, Leveled headed, Low Light vision, Spellcasting
  Adult
  Arcane resistance, Aquatic, hardy, Improved Frenzy, Large, Leveled headed, Low Light vision, Spellcasting
  old
  Aquatic, hardy, huge, Improved Arcane resistance, Improved Frenzy, Leveled headed, Low Light vision, 
  Spellcasting
  Ancient
  Aquatic, Fearless, Gargantuan, hardy, Improved Arcane resistance, Improved Frenzy, Improved Leveled 
  headed, Low Light vision, Spellcasting
  speLLcastIng aBILItIes
  Age
  Die
  Power Edges
  Spells
  hatchling
  N/A
  N/A
  N/A
  Juvenile
  d6
  concentration
  Environmental protection (against drowning), mend
  Adult
  d8
  Spell Finesse (1)
  Becalm, obscure (inky cloud), zephyr (blows hard)
  old
  d8
  Focus
  Summon beast (sea creatures only), summon elemental 
  (water only)
  Ancient
  d10
  Spell Finesse (1)
  Elemental form (water only)
  heLLFrost regIon guIde #08
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  For centuries the fierce tribes of the Drachenlands have resisted all who dare to invade 
  their lands. In the past their expansionistic tendencies have been thwarted, but now they 
  have a strong leader, and their eyes are again turning toward their more prosperous neigh-
  bors. This supplement expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Atmosphere
  Although technically a civilized realm, the Drachenlands are held in a grip of tyranny, 
  oppression, and fear. Many skalds compare the realm to Orcmark. Given the voivode’s 
  penchant for torture, such claims are not entirely unjust.
  The air is electric with paranoia and mistrust, something Ramel is only too keen to 
  foment among his people. Rumors that he maintains a secret network of spies and infor-
  mants, or has a priestess of the Norns who sees and hears all that transpires in the realm, 
  circulate daily, though none has ever been proved (or disproved). In many cases citizens 
  actively inform on friends, neighbors, and strangers to safeguard their own skin—if a con-
  spiracy is uncovered, any who might have been privy to its existence are taken away for 
  questioning. Even behind closed doors, citizens are loathe to speak ill of the voivode or his 
  laws. Those who do risk a slow and painful death.
  Large public gatherings are banned unless authorized by the voivode. Although this 
  doesn’t prevent conspirators gathering, it forces them, and there are many who plot against 
  the deranged nobleman, to act extremely cautiously and only ever in small numbers, thus 
  limiting their ability to take overt action.
  Strangers, especially armed ones, are often accused of being enemy agents or assassins, 
  and thus harboring them, even in an inn, can bring serious consequences. Regardless of 
  their intentions, most visitors are quickly reported to the voivode’s local representative, if 
  only out of fear of repercussions should they be discovered by an agent of the warlord.
  Heavily-armed patrols enforce the warlord’s rule with an iron hand, meting out on-
  the-spot executions for petty infringements to remind the populace who rules the land. 
  Citizens are dragged screaming from their beds at night and hauled to the dungeon in 
  Angrad, never to be seen again.
  All crimes are punished severely, especially theft. Unfortunately, high taxes are forcing 
  price rises, and few citizens can afford even basic commodities, let alone luxuries. Rotting 
  corpses swing from gallows in every settlement as a reminder that the laws must be obeyed 
  at all times.
  31209
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 9 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  drAchenlAnds
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  socIAl hIerArchy
  Tuomi loyalties lie first with direct family, then blood 
  relatives, then clan, tribe, and finally the voivode. Of 
  course, each unit is a cog in a much larger machine, but 
  to Tuomi, loyalty begins firmly at home, among those he 
  trusts most.
  The family is the smallest unit and comprises those 
  related by close and direct blood ties. Typically, a family 
  comprises the oldest living member and his direct de-
  scendants. While the elder may have siblings, they and 
  their offspring are not part of the direct family. Instead, 
  they share bonds through the clan. The head of each 
  family has no specific title.
  beyond the family is the clan, which is led by a comes. 
  Clans are formed from families bonded by a common 
  but very distant ancestor. In many instances these ties 
  are apocryphal, based on myth rather than provable 
  facts. A Drachenlander clan typically numbers around 
  500 adults, divided into as many as 50 families.
  by tradition, when a woman marries she severs all 
  ties to her clan, becoming instead a full member of her 
  husband’s clan. Marriage within the same clan is per-
  mitted, so long as the bloodlines diverged at least two 
  generations ago. Hence, a hero could not marry any 
  direct descendants of his grandparents, but he can of his 
  grand-uncle/aunt’s line.
  Clans bond together to form tribes, which are gov-
  erned by a mormaer. Unlike clans, tribes are not bound 
  by ancestry, but rather through oaths of mutual support. 
  Clans may switch allegiance to different tribes, though 
  doing so risks internecine disputes if not every family 
  supports the decision. The Tuomi are rather pragmatic, 
  though, and ancestral ties can be reworked to suit new 
  political alliances.
  socIAl order
  At the top of the social ladder is the voivode, a so-
  cial title specific to the Drachenlands since the blizzard 
  War. Notoriously independent, the Drachenlander tribes 
  elected a voivode during the crisis only to provide a 
  central figurehead during the crisis. Although the title 
  remained in use afterward, the voivode was granted no 
  automatic respect—if he wanted power, he had to claim 
  it through force and force the mormaers to accept his 
  rule, no easy task.
  Although the title is hereditary, the only one that is 
  among Drachenlanders, few dynasties last for more than 
  a handful of generations—one weak family member 
  is enough to result in a coup. The current family has 
  reigned for six generations, Ramel’s ancestor strangling 
  the previous voivode in front of the entire court.
  Next are the mormaers and then the comes, who 
  form the nobility. All offspring of a nobleman technically 
  rank below a comes and share equal status, though in 
  truth the children of mormaers are treated with greater 
  respect than those of a comes.
  In days of yore, when the voivode was largely a pow-
  erless figurehead, the clergy ranked next, then mages, 
  merchants, master crafters, warriors, crafters, and finally 
  the peasants. Ramel has altered this structure, placing 
  the military above the priesthood and relegating mer-
  chants below crafters.
   Social climbing is fairly easy at lower levels, for all 
  one needs do is join the army, take holy vows, learn a 
  trade, and so on to gain improved status.
  educAtIon
  Ramel’s father heavily restricted education, consid-
  ered it dangerous for the masses to be learned in any-
  thing beyond the skills required for their trade. Ramel 
  has since extended the ban to all members of society 
  except clerics and mages, who must be literate in order 
  to practice their arcane arts.
  Clerics, the main teachers in society, are permitted 
  to preach the doctrines of their faith (so long as those 
  teachings support Ramel’s views) and provide instruc-
  rules of the reAlm
  These setting rules apply in the Drachenlands.
  * An Expensive Realm: voivode Ramel imposes 
  harsh taxes on all goods. As a result, all items cost 
  twice as much as standard outside Angrad. This has 
  resulted in a low standard of living for most. A suc-
  cessful Streetwise roll, made once per week per set-
  tlement, allows a buyer to find goods priced at just 
  150% of normal, and on a raise he finds them at 
  100%. The purchase and selling of such goods is 
  considered illegal.
  Heroes wishing to sell goods must have a license. 
  These cost 50 gs per settlement and are good for 
  just one month. On the up side, the percentages for 
  selling items are raised to 50% and 75% accordingly, 
  though half of this should be paid in taxes.
  * Illiterate: Native Drachenlander characters who 
  are not clerics or mages, or who do not have the 
  Elderly Hindrance, are deemed to be illiterate. They 
  receive the Illiterate Hindrance for free, meaning it 
  does not count toward their starting Hindrances or 
  provide extra points during character generation.
  * Wanted: The cult of Thunor has recently been 
  banned. Any hero professing to the faith receives 
  the Wanted (Minor) Hindrance in the Drachen-
  lands, while clerics receive the Major version.
  * You’re A Threat: If voivode Ramel gets wind of 
  heavily armed adventurers in his realm he may de-
  clare them assassins. Heroes are advised to keep 
  a low profile unless they want the Wanted Hin-
  drance.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #09
  
  
  tion in vital crafts and trades, but nothing else. The cult 
  of Hoenir has voiced objection to this, for not teaching 
  others is anathema to them, but their opinions have been 
  silenced following several public executions for sedition. 
  braver members of the clergy continue to teach in secret, 
  knowing that being caught in the act would mean certain 
  death, but also knowing that they would die without be-
  ing sinners.
  Skalds are banned from teaching, but are permitted 
  to sing songs of glory, so long as they praise Ramel. As 
  with the cleris of Hoenir, many skalds consider this an 
  affront to their art and continue to tutor in secret.
  Possession of books is forbidden except for clerics 
  and mages. Distributing written material is considered a 
  crime, no matter who is handing out the texts.
  relIGIon
  Although Drachenlanders follow all the gods, albeit as 
  dragons rather than the traditional forms, several receive 
  more attention than others.
  Dargar is now officially the state religion, though few 
  outside the voivode’s inner circle actually worship the 
  foul deity. Freo receives much public worship, for the 
  Drachenlanders consider him god of horses, despite pro-
  tests by Eostre Animalmother’s clergy. Many ceremonies 
  and sacrifices revolve around horses. Tiw’s faith is the 
  most widespread, for the Drachenlanders are a warlike 
  lot and settling disputes with violence is common prac-
  tice across the social spectrum.
  With its focus on freedom and civil liberties, the cult 
  of Thunor the Storm Dragon has recently been outlawed 
  in the Drachenlands, its clerics declared agitators and the 
  faith branded subversive. The law is only a few months 
  old, and at present many senior clergy remain at large. 
  bounties have been placed on their heads. Despite the 
  outlawing, the faith remains dominant in rebellious ar-
  eas, though it has been driven underground.
  mIlItAry
  Two separate military structures operate in the 
  Drachenlands—the voivode’s personal troops and those 
  of the various nobles.
  Ramel’s most elite troops are the Thunder Cavalry, a 
  company of 100 ultra-heavy cavalry. Treat them as vet-
  eran mercenary cavalry riding pygmy mammoths. As well 
  as serving as the warlord’s personal guard, they act his 
  army’s shock troops. Every member is awarded the hon-
  orific ruiri, technically placing them among the nobility.
  Also serving under the warlord’s direct control are 
  300 heavy cavalry (treat as veteran mercenaries), 500 
  medium cavalry (veteran mercenaries equipped with 
  long swords instead of lances), and 700 light cavalry 
  (treat as common mercenaries with long swords instead 
  of lances). Each is arranged into companies of 100 fight-
  ing troops led by a captain, and augmented by a standard 
  bearer, a cleric of Dargar, a cleric of Freo, eight medics, 
  four scouts (as light cavalrymen but with Notice d8), and 
  ten stablehands trained in basic veterinary arts.
  new edGes
  These Edges are can be taken by any hero.
     GIAnt’s Blood (BAckGround)
  Requirements: Novice, Strength d8+, vigor d6+, 
  must be human
  Many legendary heroes are accredited with having 
  giant’s blood, though there is no documentary evi-
  dence to support such claims. According to your 
  family’s traditions, somewhere in your ancestry is 
  giant blood. Given the way this hero has turned 
  out, that may well be true.
  The character stands 7-8’ tall in his bare feet and has 
  Size +1. This gives him +1 Toughness. He cannot 
  be Small, but he can be brawny or Obese. before 
  taking any actions on his turn, the adventurer may 
  spend a benny to invoke his giant ancestry. This 
  adds two die steps to his Strength (no limit) for a 
  number of rounds equal to half his vigor die. 
  On the downside, the character receives the Mean 
  Hindrance for free (i.e. it’s worth no points in char-
  acter generation, nor does it count toward his maxi-
  mum number of Hindrances).
     mounted comBAtAnt (comBAt)
  Requirements: Novice, Riding d8+
  The character has a knack for getting the best out 
  of his mount.
  The hero gains the benefits of the Ace Edge, but 
  only with regard to Riding rolls and Soaking for his 
  mount. Furthermore, he may make a Riding roll as 
  an action to spur his mount to greater speeds. With 
  success, the mount gains +2 Pace for this round. 
  A failure causes the mount to gain no increase to 
  its Pace and it suffers a level of Fatigue due to the 
  exertion.
     steAdy feet (comBAt)
  Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8+, Strength 
  d8+, Giant killer
  The character knows how to brace properly when 
  struck by large foes, reducing the impact.
  The hero treats the size difference on the knock-
  back Table as one level better (for him). For in-
  stance, against an ogre (Size +3), a Size +0 charac-
  ter suffers knockback using the “one or fewer Sizes 
  larger” entry.
  drAchenlAnds
  
  
  A total of 300 infantry, broken down into two compa-
  nies of heavy infantry (treat as veteran mercenaries) and 
  one company of light infantry (common mercenaries), 
  and 200 foreign archers (veteran mercenaries), provide 
  additional support.
  One company of heavy, medium, and light cavalry, and 
  all the archer companies, are permanently garrisoned 
  outside Angrad—only the Thunder Cavalry and heavy 
  cavalry are allowed inside the city while carrying arms 
  except when the capital is threatened. The remainder is 
  spread around the country, watching over settlements 
  on behalf of the warlord, manning the hill forts that form 
  the Drachenlands’ defensive line, or patrolling the bor-
  ders for signs of unwanted visitors.
  Each mormaer commands his own army, made up of 
  troops from the clans supporting him. belligerent by na-
  ture, the tribes maintain a permanent army equal to 5% 
  of the population, a total of some 3,600 warriors. broken 
  down into 100-man companies, the tribes’ collective 
  armies consist of 17 companies of medium cavalry, 10 
  companies of light cavalry, 5 companies of medium in-
  fantry, and 4 companies of light infantry
  In order to ensure nobles cannot rebel easily, one 
  quarter of a tribe’s warriors are left to guard their ances-
  tral lands, one-half are stationed in a rival tribe’s lands, 
  and one-quarter man the hill forts or serve on distant 
  borders. Ramel’s authority is such that he can call upon 
  these troops at his whim, and few have the stomach to 
  resist his wishes.
  by law, every able-bodied man and woman is auto-
  matically part of the army. This equates to some 30% of 
  the population. However, the reserves are called up only 
  rarely, never in large numbers, and weapons are issued 
  only from the great armories in Angrad.
  fortIfIcAtIons
  Aside from Ramel’s castle at Angrad, a stone structure 
  based on Anari design (treat as a small castle), there are a 
  number of hill forts dotted around the landscape.
  Four of these are old, large structures, built many 
  generations ago. These count as regular hill forts, as 
  detailed in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide. Located on the 
  edge of the Giant’s Steps close to Tethilin, south of Iron 
  Troll Wood, on the border with the Mistlands, and op-
  posite Chalcis’ Deepdale Fort, each is garrisoned by a 
  company of the warlord’s light cavalry and two compa-
  nies of troops from among the tribes, the latter being 
  rotated regularly.
  Ramel has had a smaller hill fort (treat as motte-and-
  bailey) erected in each tribe’s lands, ensuring a military 
  presence across the land in case of invasion or uprising. 
  These are manned by troops from rival tribes, augment-
  ed with a small number of Ramel’s personal warriors to 
  ensure loyalty.
  why no reBellIon?
  The collective armies of the tribes outnumber the 
  voivode’s personal army by over three-to-one. While 
  only the warlord has heavy and ultra heavy troops at his 
  disposal, the odds are high enough to overcome this 
  discrepancy.
  Despite these favorable odds, the nobility is unable 
  to mount a unified rebellion thanks to the fear Ramel 
  has generated. An emissary from another tribe who talks 
  of initiating rebellion might be speaking the truth, but 
  he might just as easily be a spy or informer testing his 
  neighbor for signs of treason. Unsure who to trust and 
  clerIcs of hothAr
  This entry is an expansion for the cult of Hothar, 
  providing facts useful to both players and GMs. 
  Training: knowledge of the law forms the core 
  training for young clerics. Mock trials are held, with 
  the novitiates acting as prosecution and defense. 
  Some sort of moral ambiguity is always thrown in, 
  a test as to whether the worshipper can separate 
  the quest for justice and truth from his personal 
  feelings and prejudices. Students must obey every 
  order given them unless it convenes a law in order 
  to learn obedience and conformity. Every aspect of 
  their life is strictly ordered, from the way they must 
  fold their clothes each night to the way they eat 
  meals. Transgressions of the myriad rules are swiftly 
  but justly punished.
  Prayers: Given their devout obedience to the law 
  and strict adherence to conformity, conversations 
  often begin, “Thou shalt” or “Thou shalt not.” 
  Prayers invoke the fact the cleric believes he is do-
  ing the right thing, or that Hothar’s divine aid is 
  sought for a righteous cause—“I am beset by en-
  emies of order and…” or “In the name of justice, 
  I…” for example.
  Phrases like, “Strength through conformity” and 
  “I hear and obey,” are commonplace. Criminals 
  know full well the lexicon of the clergy, and hearing 
  “Halt in the name of the Law” and “I am the Law” is 
  enough to start a panicked run.
  Adventures: Hunting down criminals, investigating 
  crimes, and crushing rebellions are all quests typi-
  cal of Hothar’s clergy. City-based quests may involve 
  rooting out a thieves’ guild, or bringing corrupt of-
  ficials to justice. Hired as defense spokesmen, they 
  may have to uncover the truth behind a crime, per-
  haps facing opposition from those whose idea of 
  justice is far from Hothar’s decrees.
  Character Generation: knowledge (Law) is a must 
  have skill for adventuring clerics, as it gives insight 
  into the laws of all the lands. Smarts, Spirit, and 
  Strong-Willed are all handy for resisting the lies and 
  bluffs of those caught in the act of committing a 
  crime. If you’re thinking of being a criminal inves-
  tigator, invest in Investigation, Notice, and Street-
  wise.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #09
  
  
  fearful for their lives if caught plotting, the nobles are 
  thus unable to mount any unified resistance.
  This is not to say resistance does not occur. Many 
  nobles are unhappy at Ramel’s excesses, and bands of 
  marauding cavalrymen roam the countryside, plunder-
  ing trade caravans and burning small settlements known 
  to be loyal to the butcher.
  trAde & trIBute
  voivode Ramel’s taxation policy is harsh and strictly 
  enforced, designed to keep the tribes firmly in check.
  His unique way of setting tax levels for each village 
  ensures that any potential rivals in terms of combat skill 
  are dealt with before they can rise to become a true 
  threat, and places the blame for a heavy tax bill on the 
  shoulders of the citizens. In addition to coins and goods, 
  the voivode also demands a number of young men as 
  part of the annual tax. These are taken to serve in his 
  personal army, weakening the clans a little more each 
  year while strengthening his own forces.
  While movement along the dirt trails that serve as the 
  Drachenland’s road network is free, actually entering a 
  settlement incurs taxes. Typically, visitors must pay 1d10 
  silver scields to enter a village, double that for a town, 
  and five times that to enter Angrad. The revenue is used 
  to help offset the settlement’s annual taxes, as well as 
  cover expenses such as fortification maintenance.
  Outside of Angrad, imports and exports are hit with 
  crippling taxation, thus ensuring foreign merchants visit 
  the capital to conduct their business. This allows the 
  voivode to keep a close eye on what goods are entering 
  his country. Despite lethal punishments for tax avoid-
  ance, this policy has led to a thriving black market in 
  all manner of goods considered common in other lands. 
  The cult of var, nominally an honest bunch, is behind 
  much of the illegal trade.
  ArchItecture
  Tuomi have long disdained the use of stone for build-
  ing houses, a material even the Saxa have adopted in 
  recent times. Regardless of the settlement’s size and the 
  owner’s status, houses are round and constructed of 
  wattle (hazel or willow) and daub (a mix of clay, straw, 
  and animal dung). Roofs are high and steep pitched, 
  ensuring rainwater quickly runs off the reed covering. A 
  circular ditch around the house keeps excess rain runoff 
  from turning the surrounding ground to mud.
  With light filtering in only through the doorway or 
  being cast by the central fire pit (the Tuomi don’t use 
  windows), homes are dark and often smoky places.
  Unlike most Anari and Saxa dwellings, there are no 
  internal divisions. beds are distributed around the walls, 
  with a place left for a loom or potter’s wheel, as well as 
  food storage and a quern stone for grinding grain into 
  flour. Erecting a partition of any sort is considered ex-
  tremely bad form, for it means someone has something 
  to hide, a dangerous pastime in these dark days. None of 
  the cultures across Rassilon are bashful about perfectly 
  natural acts, even performing them in front of others 
  without anyone batting an eyelid.
  Houses vary from 6-10 yards in diameter among the 
  lower classes to as much as 20 yards for the nobility. Most 
  houses are surrounded by a low wicker fence, designed 
  to keep animals in rather than intruders out, and to mark 
  property boundaries. All settlements are surrounded by 
  a ditch and palisade, to ward against rapacious orcs or 
  ravenous trolls, and to allow the local watch to ensure 
  all visitors pay the entry tax.
  mAjor locAles
  Included below are some sites heroes may wish to 
  visit while in the Drachenlands.
  BlAck skull tower
  A few miles inside Iron Troll Wood stands a dark tower 
  whose stony surface is carved to resemble a pile of skulls. 
  Many stories claim the site is sacred to Hela, an outpost 
  from the days of the Liche-Priest. Several decades ago 
  hunters and patrols detected pale blue light flickering in 
  one of the windows, leading to rumors that a powerful 
  undead had taken up residence. Wiser heads claim the 
  light could have been thieves looking for relics, but no 
  one has the courage to investigate.
  BlAckthorn GorGe
  Close to the western border of Tethilin is a narrow, 
  steep-sided gorge whose rough floor is overgrown with 
  blackthorn bushes. Movement through blackthorn bush-
  es is treated as difficult ground. Any hero who enters or 
  begins his turn in a patch of blackthorns, who moves 
  faster than half his Pace (even disciples of Freo), must 
  make an Agility roll, –2 if running, or become snagged. 
  Snagged heroes cannot move until they spend an action 
  freeing themselves.
  Fighting through the ensnaring vegetation, travelers 
  eventually come to a large ruin inhabited by vicious 
  orcs. Legends say that coins dropped by giants walking 
  the Steps would roll into the gorge, where they were 
  collected by the mysterious inhabitants. These same 
  legends insist a vast treasure haul lies in a subterranean 
  level, warded against thieves by dastardly traps.
  GIAnts’ hAll
  Although the Giant’s Steps take their name from a 
  supposed footpath used by giants, none were known to 
  inhabit the desolate hills, at least not until recently. 
  drAchenlAnds
  
  
  During the last cleansing, a scout reported spying a 
  colossal hall in the far distance. He failed to note the 
  exact location, and his commander executed him for 
  incompetence without bothering to find out more infor-
  mation. The officer paid a similar price when voivode 
  Ramel was informed. Given the hills cover approximately 
  10,000 square miles, hunting even for a giant’s hold is 
  like finding a needle in a haystack.
  The nobleman also failed to determine which sorts of 
  giants called the area home. Such information is impor-
  tant, for slaughtering dumb cliff giants or brutish formo-
  rians is much easier than slaying the more malevolent 
  and better organized frost giants, and the snow-capped 
  peaks could support all three species.
  IceBerG ferry
  The only ferry service across the Whitedeath River lies 
  at its narrowest point, about halfway along the Drachen-
  land stretch of the turbulent waterway. Rather than use 
  a boat, the ferry operator has sculpted a raft from a large 
  chunk of ice, to which he has attached two large iron 
  hoops. A cable spanning the river allows it to be dragged 
  across the fast flowing river without being washed away. 
  Travelers are cautioned beforehand that the surface is 
  slippery, for anyone who falls in risks being swept away 
  and frozen to death.
  sun drAGon hIll
  On the north edge of the Giant’s Steps, overlook-
  ing the Sigilrun, lies the colossal skull of a sun dragon. 
  bleached after centuries of exposure to wind and rain 
  and cracked by countless frosts and thaws, the skull is 
  a remnant of the blizzard War. Drachenlander legends 
  claim the now extinct volteporix tribe summoned the 
  beast to aid in the defense of their homeland.
  The dragon has just 13 teeth remaining in its gap-
  ing maw, and no mortal being can cause them to break 
  free. It is also home to a spirit, and counts as a sacred 
  place. See Region Guide #1 for more details on these 
  wondrous places.
  Spirit Name: Flame-Eye.
  Ambience: Creatures of darkness or cold find the area 
  around the skull painful to approach. Closing within 20 
  yards requires a vigor roll at –2 to avoid gaining a level of 
  Fatigue. This Fatigue is only removed once the intruder 
  is outside the radius and the sun sets.
  Deity: Sigel.
  Senses: Notice d10 (d10 Wild Die).
  Communication: Flame-Eye speaks only to clerics of 
  Sigel, conversing only in Selari and then only on Sunnan-
  daegs. When it speaks, the eyes of the skull shed golden 
  light.
  Powers: Flame-Eye questions clerics of Sigel in depth 
  on matters of faith and scripture, and about the life they 
  have led and quests they have completed. A successful 
  Faith roll at –4 causes one of the remaining teeth to drop 
  to the ground. Flame-Eye converses with an individual 
  cleric only once per month.
  The tooth is a imbued with divine power and holds a 
  number of special bennies equal to half the cleric’s Faith 
  die at the time he earned the reward. These bennies can 
  only be used to cast spells or resist cold, coldfire, or ice-
  based powers, whether spells or a monster’s supernatu-
  ral powers. They remain until used, but once a benny is 
  spent it is irrevocably gone.
  Flame-Eye can cast aura (on itself only), banish, bolt, 
  burst, and summon elemental and has Spellcasting d12.
  Sacrifice: Proof of devotion to Sigel as noted above.
  two drAGon Inn
  No one remembers who built the stone structure or 
  why, but its walls were carved to present the 24 major gods 
  in their draconic forms. Whatever its original purpose, 
  Ramel’s grandfather had it converted to an inn. Located 
  festIvAl to hothAr
     confessIon dAy
  First Sunnandaeg of Snaermonan.
  One day Hothar was visiting a minor god’s hall 
  when he heard lamentations. On enquiring as to 
  the nature of the disturbance, the minor god said 
  that he had done a bad act, which while not against 
  Hothar’s laws, did leave him sorely vexed. Hothar 
  offered to help the god remove the dark stain of his 
  sin, though the younger god would have to accept 
  whatever punishment Hothar handed out. Others 
  heard of Hothar’s blessing and soon there were 
  crowds outside his brilliantly lit hall. Seeing that his 
  work would be disturbed every day unless he acted, 
  Hothar told his companions he would hear their 
  stories, but only on one day a year.
  A new year, a new start, as the old Anari saying goes. 
  Whether or not their activities constitute a crime or 
  a sin, everyone makes mistakes. Confession Day is 
  a chance for people to remove any stain upon their 
  soul by confessing to a cleric of Hothar. Anything 
  said in confession is held in strictest confidence.
  After listening to the list of sins, the cleric passes 
  judgment, offering the guilty a chance to redeem 
  themselves by performing an act (which in the case 
  of serious crimes is to turn themselves in). Typical 
  judgments involve performing good deeds, lengthy 
  prayer sessions, and vigorous scrubbing of the 
  flesh. An oath must be sworn to accept and act on 
  the ruling.
  In game terms, clerics suffering the effects of minor 
  and major sins may be absolved through the ritual, 
  so long as they follow the cleric’s orders on how 
  to remove the taint. Mortal sins can still only be re-
  solved with a lengthy and suitable quest.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #09
  
  
  just five miles from the border with Chalcis, merchants 
  heading in either direction were forced to stop here in 
  order for their caravans to be searched for contraband, a 
  practice that continues to this day. Although officially it is 
  known as Two Dozen Dragon Inn, most regulars shorten 
  the name because it is easier to say.
  Two local beers, White Dragon, a pale wheat beer 
  named in honor of Thrym, and Dargar’s blood, a ruddy, 
  hoppy ale named for Dargar, are brewed here.
  The owner, Elodacht Foam-Lips, is strongly opposed 
  to the rule of Ramel and his family, as was his father and 
  his father before him. While excavating a new cellar, 
  Elodacht’s grandfather, Senach, accidentally dug into 
  a natural cave system. After much exploration he dis-
  covered it ran clear across the border into neighboring 
  Chalcis. Ever since that day the tunnel is used by black 
  marketeers to smuggle goods into the Drachenlands past 
  border patrols (Elodacht is well paid for his role), and 
  by the innkeeper, a closet Thunor cultist, to smuggle 
  wanted people out to freedom.
  Unfortunately, the cave system is treacherous to 
  navigate, and many of the side tunnels are unexplored. 
  Goblins are known to live in parts of the system, as are 
  giant centipedes.
  persons of note
  Warlord Ramel’s personality is described in the Hell-
  frost Gazetteer. Presented here are a handful of other 
  individuals the heroes may have reason to interact with 
  while exploring the Drachenlands.
  mArysIA volteporIx
  Marysia volteporix is an enigma. She claims to have 
  no memory of her past, seemingly having awoken from 
  a dream a mere four years ago, yet is clearly of Tuomi 
  stock and speaks with a Drachenlander accent. Her tribal 
  name, which she claims she always knew, is that of a tribe 
  completely eradicated during the blizzard War, when its 
  members chose to stand and fight the advancing horde. 
  The tribe was devoted to Sigel and routinely interbred 
  with the now extinct Selari, with whom they maintained 
  good relations. Marysia sports a golden tattoo in the 
  shape of a sun dragon up her entire right arm and speaks 
  Selari fluently.
  Still only 17, she is a warrior seemingly without peer, 
  a master of all weapons and fighting styles, an instinc-
  tive killer, yet one who slays not for glory, recognition, 
  bloodlust, or vengeance. Her name is legendary in the 
  Winterlands, and her personal war against the creatures 
  of the Hellfrost and Thrym’s minions has earned her 
  praise from the Hearth knights, whose offers of member-
  ship she has turned down many times.
  Marysia may ask to join adventuring parties, but only 
  if they are acting against Hellfrost creatures or the cult of 
  Thrym. Other quests simply do not appeal to her.
  profIteer justynA Ap-hAylon
  On the surface Justyna, a Chalcian whose father was a 
  marauding Drachenlander soldier, is a law-abiding mer-
  chant running a regular caravan carrying copper and iron 
  ingots from Chalcis to Angrad. She pays her taxes to the 
  last silver scield without question, speaks well of Ramel 
  to all she meets, and makes regular gifts of expensive 
  luxuries to the voivode on behalf of her cult.
  She secretly desires to open a trade route between 
  Lakeland and the borderlands through to Chalcis, creat-
  ing a trade loop around Witchwood and opening new 
  markets to the cult in Chalcis. Naturally, such a venture 
  would boost her personal income as well. Since Ramel 
  has no love for merchants, she knows he must first be 
  removed from power and a more amiable, or weaker, 
  ruler placed on the throne.
  Justnya is actually in overall charge of the black market 
  in the Drachenlands. The profits from her illegal activi-
  ties are being used to equip and train a growing group of 
  ex-patriot Drachenlanders in Chalcis. knowing that any 
  one of the rebels could be a spy, Justyna is careful never 
  to deal with the rebels directly.
  festIvAl to hothAr
     Good deed dAy
  First Sunnandaeg of Werremonan.
  Hothar, as the god of order, is also honored as the 
  god of communities. After the chaos of the God 
  War, the survivors had become embittered and in-
  sular, or had formed tightly-knit warbands. Hothar 
  helped form the first true communities by gathering 
  together the gods who shared common ideals and 
  persuading them to cooperate and live together by 
  common laws. Order and conformance resulted in 
  peace, but the communities lacked spirit. Citizens 
  obeyed the laws, but they remained largely selfish 
  and insular. In order to create a community spirit, 
  Hothar asked the gods to perform one selfless act 
  for another deity each year.
  Citizens and clergy alike perform good deeds on this 
  day. What constitutes a good deed is left to the indi-
  vidual’s conscience to decide. Good deeds needn’t 
  involve extravagant gifts or concerted effort—acts 
  like chopping wood for an elderly neighbor, help-
  ing someone with chores, or giving a beggar a few 
  silver pennies are all good deeds. Many women 
  work together to prepare a feast for the whole set-
  tlement. In large towns and cities, where a single 
  feast would be a logistical nightmare, smaller feasts 
  may be held on individual streets or in small neigh-
  borhoods.
  Clergy are expected to perform good deeds from 
  dawn till dusk, whereupon they join the feasting.
  drAchenlAnds
  
  
  why come here?
  The Drachenlands are held in a tyrannical grip and 
  outsiders are rarely welcomed with open arms. Given 
  that adventurers might be proclaimed assassins, what 
  might bring a party of heroes to this godsforsaken land?
  * Orders. While Hearth knights stationed in Chalcis 
  might be ordered here to keep an eye of the borders with 
  Witchwood or check out rumors the voivode is seeking 
  an alliance with the White Witch, most heroes ordered 
  to come here are likely to be clerics. Those of Thunor 
  might be dispatched to organize a coup against Ramel’s 
  tyranny; var’s clergy may try to forge new trade routes 
  or open a new black market; Tiw’s clergy may be called 
  upon to support a war against the trolls or orcs living 
  in the north; while those of kenaz or Sigel may, like the 
  Hearth knights, act against Witchwood.
  * Glory. Trolls are fearsome foes, and the Drachen-
  lands has plenty of them on its northeast border. Less 
  powerful heroes might fancy taking action against the 
  orcs and goblins of the Giant’s Steps.
  * Revenge. A powerful motive, and one driven by 
  campaign events and backstories for the most part. Ra-
  mel’s troops raid the borderlands and Chalcis, torching, 
  murdering, looting, and raping. The warlord also treats 
  his own people with equal contempt. Any hero from the 
  Drachenlands or its neighbors may hold a grudge against 
  the Drachenlanders and seek revenge.
  * Passing Through. From Chalcis, the quickest way to 
  reach the northern wilds is through the Drachenlands. 
  Similarly, the realm also shares the longest, most accessi-
  ble borders with the Mistlands, meaning many adventur-
  ers pass through the realm on their way to the accursed 
  realm of mist and shadow.
  Adventure seeds
  * A cleric of var is seeking guards to protect a caravan 
  heading into Drachenlands. The merchant claims he 
  is transporting grain. Unfortunately for the heroes, his 
  cargo is actually a consignment of weapons destined for 
  a rebel group. When this is discovered during a routine 
  custom’s inspection, the characters are accused of trea-
  son and sentenced to death. Far from the borders, the 
  characters must try to escape the realm before they are 
  hunted down and executed.
  * voivode Ramel is offering foreign heroes a chance to 
  earn rewards by fighting against the orcs of the Giant’s 
  Steps. The big question is, is the warlord being open and 
  honest or is he merely gathering potential threats in one 
  place so he can kill them with a single stroke?
  * A relative, a close friend, a former mentor, or some 
  other individual important to the party has been report-
  ed arrested in the Drachenlands on charges of treason. 
  The victim languishes in Angrad jail awaiting torture and 
  sacrifice to Dargar. With the fortress heavily guarded and 
  populated by the insane clergy of Dargar, stealth and 
  cunning will be more useful than swords and courage.
  Gods & monsters
  Detailed below are three minor gods, two concerned 
  with various aspects of the law and one opposed to 
  tyranny. A collection of NPC archetypes and monsters 
  round out the section.
  hAptsönIr
  Titles: Lord of Freedom, the Liberator, breaker of 
  Shackles.
  Aspects: Freedom from tyranny.
  Affiliations: Thunor.
  Symbol: A broken chain.
  Priesthood: Rousers (priests); Liberators (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Every Raestdaeg.
  festIvAl to hothAr
     lAw dAy
  Second Marketdaeg of Werremonan.
  In the beginning all was chaos and disorder. The 
  gods did as they pleased, having no fixed aspects, 
  arguments were common as deities dabbled in each 
  other’s favored areas, and the stars and planets wan-
  dered the heavens as they saw fit. Hothar, frustrated 
  by the bickering and turmoil, codified a set of laws. 
  When Hothar read out his laws, order was enforced 
  on the entire universe and the gods were tied to a 
  fixed set of aspects.
  From dawn until dusk clerics of Hothar stand in 
  markets across Rassilon and recite the local laws 
  from memory. New laws are introduced on this 
  day, coming into force as soon as a cleric proclaims 
  them.  
     truth dAy
  First Heafoddaeg of Plohmonan.
  When Hothar became god of law, he agreed to be 
  blinded so his judgment would not be affected by 
  physical appearance or bribes. Without his sight to 
  mislead him, Hothar relied only on his ability to 
  sense truth when deciding verdicts. Each year, his 
  clerics must wear heavy blindfolds and Maintain 
  detect truth spells for 24 hours in honor of his sac-
  rifice. Accompanying them are non-blindfolded la-
  ity armed with clubs. When the cleric detects a lie 
  being spoken in his presence, he directs the laity to 
  punish the sinner with a swift beating.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #09
  
  
  Duties: To free the wrongfully enslaved and op-
  pressed.
  Sins: (Minor) silencing free speech, refusing to aid 
  the oppressed, placing shackles on a living creature; 
  (Major) freeing a rightfully convicted criminal, owning a 
  slave; (Mortal) supporting rigid and oppressive govern-
  ments, overthrowing a just government.
  Signature Power: Charismatic aura.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (Spirit, Strength, vigor, 
  Fighting, Intimidation, Lockpicking, Persuasion, Stealth, 
  Streetwise only), gift of battle, sanctuary, unlock (no 
  lock).
  Trappings: Any except necromantic, but air and elec-
  tricity are favored.
  Haptsönir is the charismatic and high-spirited son 
  of Thunor. He is champion of the oppressed, speaking 
  out against tyranny and unjust laws. He and Hothar are 
  friends, though there relationship is an on-off one. 
  Haptsönir accepts that laws are required for a society 
  to function, and thus is no anarchist. He fully supports 
  just governments that bring peace to the land, but he 
  also demands citizens be allowed freedom to speak 
  openly and raise complaints against the nobility.
  Largely unknown in the Hearthlands before the Anari 
  expanded, Haptsönir’s tiny cult grew rapidly among the 
  Saxa before and during the revolt against their Anari 
  master. Although his power has since dwindled again, he 
  remains an important minor god. His holy texts are often 
  quoted at trials by the defense. The outlawing of his cult 
  in the blackstone barony has attracted many clerics to 
  the small and oppressed realm.
  Temples do exist, but they rarely remain in the same 
  place for long. Partly this is because once the oppressed 
  are free they have little need of Haptsönir, and partly 
  because his clergy aren’t foolish enough to provide en-
  emies with a static target. Such temples are never lavishly 
  decorated, and are always hidden. The cellar of a tavern, 
  the backroom of a house, an old warehouse—these are 
  places the clergy like to make their headquarters.
  Shrines take the form of wooden posts engraved with 
  Haptsönir’s image—that of a wild haired man holding a 
  broken chain. They are sometimes placed in oppressed 
  lands as a warning to the ruler that trouble is coming, 
  though this can have the unfortunate side-effect of caus-
  ing a sweeping crackdown on civil liberties.
  His priests are charged with inciting those wrongly or 
  cruelly oppressed to free themselves. They are political 
  agitators who stick up posters proclaiming a ruler or his 
  laws unjust, speak out against subjugation of an individ-
  ual’s rights, and the rabble rousers who incite peasants 
  to rebel against cruel overlords. His paladins, being more 
  militant, train peasants in the skills they need to defeat 
  the armies holding them in chains, break in prisons to 
  rescue political prisoners or those convicted on false 
  charges, and act as figureheads in open rebellion.
  Although Haptsönir prefers his clergy worship in the 
  open air, he accepts that to do so in oppressed lands un-
  necessarily endangers his worshippers. Most ceremonies 
  involve recitation of holy texts, which state that all men 
  have certain rights granted them by the gods, and that 
  no mortal ruler has the authority to subjugate or pervert 
  them. The breaking of chains and manacles is a common 
  theme in ceremonies.
  Character Guidelines: Once again, priests and 
  paladins have favored roles. both, as leaders of the op-
  pressed, require a good Charisma, and certainly should 
  invest in Persuasion—few enslaved men follow a leader 
  who cannot fire their emotions, for that is a fool’s er-
  rand. Stealth is important for priests who don’t want to 
  be caught posting seditious material. Paladins should 
  invest in Leadership Edges, for they are expected to head 
  just rebellions.
  festIvAl to hothAr
     oAth renewAl dAy
  Start of the last week of Eostremonan and lasts a 
  month.
  virtually everyone in Rassilon is tied to someone else 
  by an oath of fealty. Every year these oaths must be 
  renewed. It is only mandatory for senior nobles, for 
  under the most ancient laws every nobleman who 
  swears allegiance to his feudal superior does so in 
  the name of those he rules over. Over the course of 
  the month, the nobility gathers at the court of the 
  most powerful noble in the land. Typically dukes, 
  jarls, their social equivalents, and nobles of lesser 
  rank who hold fealty only to the head of state at-
  tend.
  The head of state stands before his immediate sub-
  ordinates, holding out a plain gold ring, a symbol 
  of unity, before him. One by one the subordinates 
  approach, touch the ring, and renew their oath of 
  allegiance to liege and land. The process is then re-
  peated across the land, with jarls taking oaths from 
  counts, tribal leaders from clan heads, clan heads 
  from family heads, and so on. Failure to renew 
  one’s oath without good reason within 40 days is 
  viewed as a clear sign of treachery. Since the par-
  ticipants have a whole month, bad weather is not 
  considered an excuse.
  Some leaders demand their subordinates complete 
  an older ritual—the blood oath. Small cuts are 
  made on the participants’ forearms and the limbs 
  loosely bound together. If a cut festers, it is believed 
  the oath was dishonest.
  As well as the nobility, mercenary captains, the 
  Hearth knights, the Iron Guild, and the knights 
  Hrafn hold this ceremony sacred as a way of rein-
  forcing the bonds between leader and followers. 
  because members may be dispersed across Rassi-
  lon, they are not expected to attend their leader in 
  person—they need merely speak their oaths aloud 
  so Hothar hears.
  drAchenlAnds
  9
  
  jArnGrímr
  Titles: Iron Mask, the Unwavering One, Master of 
  Obedience, Will-breaker, Enslaver.
  Aspects: Total obedience and conformity.
  Affiliations: Hothar.
  Symbol: A featureless iron mask with two blank eye-
  holes.
  Priesthood: Will-breakers (priests); Enforcers (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Prayers must be offered every day. Law 
  Day (see page 8) is a high holy day.
  Duties: To enforce the will of the ruling elite, to crush 
  rebellion.
  Sins: (Minor) failure to pray for an hour once per 
  day, not punishing disobedience, disobeying a superior’s 
  order, supporting the will of the people over the ruling 
  elite; (Major) negotiating your way out of a problem, 
  supporting a rebellion, granting a slave freedom; (Mor-
  tal) fomenting rebellion.
  Signature Power: Puppet.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (Spirit, Intimidation, and 
  Persuasion only), charismatic aura, gift of battle, si-
  lence, speak language.
  Trappings: Most trappings revolve around a power-
  ful, stern voice.
  Special: Clerics must have the Stubborn Hindrance. 
  This represents their unwavering belief that they know 
  best.
  Jarngrímr, whose name means “Iron Mask,” is a 
  humorless son of Hothar. While Hothar tried to instill 
  values of justice and truth in his son, Jarngrímr became 
  fixated with obedience and order, seeing too much chaos 
  in the mortal order. Jarngrímr cares nothing for right or 
  wrong, or good or evil—his only desire is to impose rigid 
  order and crush free will, for the latter leads to chaos, 
  and chaos leads to crime and sin.
  Jarngrímr hates Thunor, whose belief that all men 
  must be free is anathema to the god of rigid obedience. 
  Thunor values growth through chaos, trial and error, 
  and personal experience, while Jarngrímr values growth 
  only through conformity to established laws and govern-
  ment. This hatred has spread to the respective clergies. 
  While clerics of Jarngrímr are far fewer in number than 
  those of Thunor, they are relentless in their persecution 
  of the foul faith. Clerics of Hothar and Jarngrímr do not 
  always see eye-to-eye, either, for equality is irrelevant to 
  Jarngrímr—there are rulers and there are followers.
  When represented in art, Jarngrímr is shown wear-
  ing an iron mask, which represents the impassiveness 
  of authority and carrying a set of manacles, which are 
  symbols of slavery and the removal of free will. His body 
  is covered by a plain cloak, typically colored gray. Many 
  clerics dress the same. He and his clergy are notoriously 
  biased against new fashions and trends.
  Temples of Hothar rarely contain shrines to Jarngrímr, 
  for the god of justice, while blind, does not demand 
  blind obedience—laws must be just and fair to all. Only 
  a handful of private shrines exist, and then always among 
  the worst rules.
  Although Jarngrímr believes his cause is for the bet-
  terment of mortals, his main worshippers are tyrants, 
  hard-nosed military officers, slavers, bullies, usurpers, 
  and those who have reason to fear for their position. 
  Despite this, Jarngrímr does not promote might makes 
  right—being in a position of power makes right, regard-
  less of how one achieved that.
  Priests serve as advisors to rulers, offering ways to 
  crush rebellion and enforce laws. Paladins operate in a 
  similar role to those of Hothar, but they are less con-
  cerned with trials—if a law has been broken, the perpe-
  trator must face swift and harsh punishment to set an 
  example.
  When Guilds strike, as has been known, or when the 
  peasants start to rebel, paladins are hired to end the prob-
  lem. Their methods are swift and brutal, for rebellion, 
  like cancer, spreads if not handled aggressively. Clerics of 
  Jarngrímr do not negotiate—there is no middle ground, 
  there is only obedience.
  On the first day of each month, clerics celebrate Obe-
  dience Day. Given that clerics are unwelcome in non-
  tyrannical lands, there are only a few places where the 
  festival can be held openly—blackstone barony is con-
  sidered a hotspot for the cult. Those who have refused 
  to obey the local laws are dragged through the streets 
  (where applicable), while relentlessly whipped and ver-
  bally abused in an attempt to break their will and ensure 
  future conformity. The grisly procession lasts from dawn 
  to dusk. At dusk, the captives are thoroughly questioned. 
  Those who show signs of free will remain in captivity to 
  await the next Obedience Day.
  Character Generation: Although Jarngrímr rep-
  resents rigid order, he does not favor one system over 
  another. Thus he supports all rulers, regardless of their 
  system of government. As such, clerics should be conver-
  sant with the many laws of the lands, and have a good 
  knowledge (Law) skill. Clerics do not ask people to con-
  form, they demand it of them. Intimidation is a vital skill 
  in ensuring your orders are obeyed.
  sAnnGetAll
  Titles: Finder of Truth, the Great Inquisitor.
  Aspects: The truth.
  Affiliations: Dargar, Hothar.
  Symbol: A tongue with a nail shoved through it.
  Priesthood: Inquisitor (priests); Torturer (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Second Heafoddaeg of each month.
  Duties: To uncover the truth.
  Sins: (Minor) ignoring a mystery, failure to investigate 
  all avenues when on a case; (Major) covering up a crime, 
  falsifying evidence; (Mortal) knowingly telling a lie.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (Smarts, Intimi-
  dation, Investigation, Notice, and Streetwise only).
  Powers: Fatigue, nightmare, speak language, stun, 
  succor, wandering senses.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #09
  10
  
  Trappings: Any except necromantic. Those designed 
  to target others typically involve sensations of pain.
  Sanngetall is the inquisitor of the gods. He is renowned 
  for his total honesty and inability to lie. He began as an 
  investigator for Hothar, aiding the god of law in uncover-
  ing evidence to be used in trials. Dargar later taught him 
  the secret of torture though, unlike the god of violence, 
  Sanngetall does not inflict pain for enjoyment.
  No temples stand to honor Sanngetall. Shrines can 
  be found in all law courts and in nobles’ courts where 
  trials are held. These take the form of wooden discs 
  about four feet across and are engraved with Sanngetall’s 
  holy symbol. Witnesses stand on the disc when giving 
  evidence, swearing oaths to Hothar and Sanngetall that 
  their testimony shall be only the truth.
  Sanngetall’s clergy are freelancers, hiring themselves 
  out to whoever requires their services. Priests are gener-
  ally inquisitors and investigators. Some work as private 
  investigators, investigating minor crimes and tracking 
  down missing persons, whereas others work for temples 
  and nobles and look into more serious crimes and 
  heresy. Paladins are less concerned with lengthy inves-
  tigations and cerebral interrogations. They are expert 
  torturers, both physical and psychological, though few 
  take enjoyment from inflicting pain—it is simply a means 
  to uncovering the truth. Even when not engaging in tor-
  ture, they favor slaps and beatings to loosen tongues and 
  encourage the truth to be told.
  While the clergy do track down criminals, they are not 
  bounty hunters—they are concerned with learning the 
  truth, not upholding the law. Once they have uncovered 
  evidence of a crime, they hand their findings over to oth-
  ers to act upon. They are also known as “Sanngetall’s 
  bloodhounds,” for once they are involved in a search for 
  the truth they leave no stone unturned.
  Ceremonies are rare, for the clergy does not gather 
  often in large numbers. Instead, clerics purge their sins 
  by confessing any misdemeanors and renew their oaths 
  to seek the truth, whatever the cost.
  Character Guidelines: Priests, as investigators and 
  inquisitors, need to take Investigation, Notice, and 
  Streetwise as their primary skills. The Investigator Edge 
  is favored for obvious reasons. Stealth is useful, but not 
  required—a forthright and upfront investigator has little 
  need for sneaking around. Paladins, by contrast, need 
  only Intimidation, for their art is more physical and con-
  frontational.
  IndrIk
  Indrik is not the name of a species, but of a singular 
  creature. According to Tuomi legends, Indrik lives on a 
  peak in the Silvercap Mountains (in the borderlands), a 
  peak on which no mortal may tread. The Tuomi believe 
  Indrik is Ertha’s mate. It resembles a colossal black bull 
  with a horse’s head and a single, long horn protruding 
  from its forehead.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12+8, vigor d12
  Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d12+2, Notice d8
  Pace: 12; Parry: 7; Toughness: 19 (3)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +3: Iron-hard skin.
  * Earth Tremor: When Indrik runs the ground shakes 
  violently. Anyone within 3” of the creature’s path must 
  make an Agility roll as a free action or fall prone.
  * Fleet Footed: Indrik rolls a d12 running die, instead 
  of a d6.
  * Gore: Indrik use the charge maneuver to gore its op-
  ponents with its singular horn. If it can move at least 
  6” before attacking, it adds +4 to its damage total.
  new GIAnt ABIlItIes
  In addition to the standard roles presented in the 
  Hellfrost Bestiary, there are others found among all 
  the giant species. Each of these specialties takes the 
  form of a single special ability, which is added to the 
  giant’s regular stat block.
  * Blocker: Stories of giants guarding, or more com-
  monly blocking, bridges and narrow mountain 
  passes are commonplace. Such creatures have the 
  Improved First Strike Edge.
  * Bowler: These giants throw their rocks underarm. 
  If they hit with a raise, their foe is pinned in addi-
  tion to suffering damage. Escaping the pin requires 
  a Strength roll as an action from the victim.
  * Brawler: brawlers specialize in hand-to-hand 
  combat. They never count as Unarmed Defend-
  ers. Their hardened fists deal Str+d4 damage and 
  their grapples inflict Str+d4 damage if maintained. 
  If a brawler inflicts a wound through a grapple, 
  the victim’s body is crushed, mauled, mangled, or 
  stretched. Wild Card victims must immediately roll 
  on the Injury Table, applying wound penalties as 
  normal. The injury remains until all wounds are 
  healed.
  * Mammoth Rider: Found only among frost giants. 
  The giant has Riding d8 and Steady Hands. Wild 
  Card giants may have beast bond as well. Equipped 
  with a lance (Str+d8, Reach 2), mammoth mount, 
  and saddle.
  * Rock Thrower: Rock throwers have the Marks-
  man and Mighty Throw Edges. Wild Card versions 
  also have the Dead Shot Edge.
  * Scout: Giant scouts have Stealth, Survival, and 
  Tracking at d6 or +1 die step to their existing skill, 
  whichever is higher. They also have the Woodsman 
  Edge.
  * Sweeper: Sweepers have practiced hard at knock-
  ing smaller foes off their feet. They treat the Size dif-
  ference between them and their foes as one entire 
  category larger. For example, a typical frost giant is 
  4 to 7 Sizes larger than a normal human. A sweeper 
  knocks foes back as if he were 8 to 11 Sizes larger.
  drAchenlAnds
  11
  
  * Hardy: Successive Shaken results do not cause a 
  wound.
  * Horn: Str+d8.
  * Huge: Attackers are +4 to attack rolls against Indrik 
  due to its size.
  * Size +8: Indrik is colossal, standing 20’ at the shoul-
  der and weighing many tons.
  * Trample: The beast must run to use this attack. All 
  characters in a straight line path must make an Agility 
  roll (–2 if prone) against the creature’s Fighting or 
  suffer d12+16 damage.
  rust hound
  Rust hounds are large beasts resembling a cross be-
  tween a die wolf and a large dog. Their fur is universally 
  red-brown, the color of rust, as are their eyes. Scorched 
  into their fur and flesh are runes of decay and ruin. A rust 
  hound’s saliva causes metal to rust at an alarming rate, 
  as does its blood.
  Clerics of Tiw claim these vicious canines were creat-
  ed by Eira, who stole Tiw’s faithful war dogs and warped 
  them as an act of revenge when the gods’ marriage broke 
  up. Naturally, clerics of Eira refute this claim, preferring 
  to place the creatures’ existence firmly in the lap of Dar-
  gar, god of destruction.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength 
  d8, vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, 
  Tracking d6
  Pace: 10; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Bite: Str+d6.
  * Fleet-Footed: Rust hounds roll a d10 instead of a d6 
  when running.
  * Rust: If a victim Shaken or wounded by a rust hound’s 
  bite is wearing metal armor, its Armor Protection in 
  that location is automatically lowered by one point. 
  When it reaches zero, the armor rusts away to noth-
  ing. If a rust hound is Shaken or wounded by a metal 
  weapon, the weapon has its damage die lowered one 
  die type immediately. When it drops below d4, the 
  weapon rusts to dust. Rusted armor and weapons 
  cannot be repaired.
  * Spittle Spray: If a rust hound forgoes all movement 
  and actions in a round it can shake its maw, spraying 
  corrosive saliva over all adjacent targets. This works as 
  per the Improved Sweep Edge. victims take no dam-
  age. Instead, any metal armor or held metal weapons 
  on victims who are “hit” by the attack suffer the effects 
  of rust (see above).
  InquIsItor
  Every faith maintains one or more inquisitors, ser-
  vants responsible for policing the clergy and rooting out 
  heresy within the religion. The cult of Hothar maintains 
  the largest contingent of inquisitors, which it makes 
  available to other faiths. Most other major gods maintain 
  only a handful of inquisitors, and these are stationed in 
  the great towns and cities, rarely bothering to venture 
  into the wilds to police smaller temples. Minor god cults 
  rarely bother with inquisitors, preferring to use those of 
  Hothar as the need arises.
  Inquisitors are not usually warriors, though certain 
  cults, such as Dargar and Tiw, expect all members to be 
  combat proficient. Inquisitors root out heresy through 
  questioning and research. Should corruption be discov-
  ered, the matter is reported to the relevant authorities to 
  act upon. A player character cleric who frequently sins 
  may find himself on the receiving end of a visit by an in-
  quisitor. Inquisitors need not be clerics. Those with the 
  Arcane background (Miracles) Edge have Faith d8 and 
  1d4+2 spells from their god’s spell list.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Investiga-
  tion d8, knowledge (Religion) d8, Notice d8, Persuasion 
  d8, Streetwise d8
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
  Hindrances: varies
  Edges: Investigation, Strong Willed
  Gear: As appropriate to faith
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  slAver
  Although once outlawed, slavery is making a come-
  back. One form of slavery involves a person selling his 
  liberty in return for adequate food and shelter. In this 
  sense, the slave is an indentured servant and retains cer-
  tain basic rights and liberties. Saxa refer to such persons 
  as indentured thralls. The more vile form of slavery, the 
  willful removal of a person’s freedom by force, remains 
  illegal in many realms.
  Slavers can make good money selling strong men to 
  unscrupulous nobles seeking cheap labor, and women 
  to those who cannot secure companionship any other 
  way. The vilest slavers sell their captives to clerics of the 
  dark gods, fully aware of what fate awaits their cargo, yet 
  oblivious to their pleas for mercy and freedom. These 
  slavers typically use their whip to grapple a victim, and 
  then quickly close the range and bludgeon him uncon-
  scious.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice 
  d8, Stealth d8, Streetwise d8
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: Greedy (Minor), Mean
  Edges: Two Fisted
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), whip (see below), club 
  (Str+d4), several pairs of manacles
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Whip: Strength damage, Reach 2. Can be used to 
  make Disarm and Grapple attacks up to its Reach.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #09
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Terrorized during the reign of the Liche-Priest and ravaged by the Blizzard War, Heli-
  gioland remains a defiant bastion of civilization in the face of the advancing winters and 
  hostile giant and orc raiders. Sparsely populated, Heligioland is a dangerous border realm 
  of small settlements amidst a sea of ancient ruins. This supplement expands on informa-
  tion in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Who Were the helIgI?
  Heligioland literally means “land of the Heligi,” and refers to an ancient, pre-Blizzard 
  War culture. Little is known about them. Some sages claim they once dominated the region 
  between Giant’s Throne and the Narfel Sea, their kingdom extending both somewhere 
  into Seithrby, where its borders met those of the Selari, and south as far as the Icebarrier 
  Mountains. Others insist this cannot be so, for Heldaland, Trond, and the Cairn Lands 
  were inhabited by the Vindari people, a Saxa offshoot. It is a proven fact the Anari once 
  built a great port at Trondavoe after conquering the Vindari tribes, yet ancient Anari re-
  cords make only passing reference to the Heligi. If the Vindari were a client state of the 
  Heligi, their masters put up no defense when the Anari arrived to form a trading port and 
  shackled the natives.
  Some sages claim the Heligi were too powerful for the Anari to conquer, hence no 
  major northward expansion occurred in this region. Others say the Heligi were trading 
  partners with the Anari, or a client state, offered protection in return for tribute and loyalty. 
  A few suggest the Heligi were shattered during the early days of the Liche-Priest’s reign, 
  and were all but extinct by the time the Anari showed up. The ruins of Paraxus (see the 
  adventure S2 Lost City of Paraxus), a center of learning in what is now the Barony of Cul, 
  bear witness to a massive assault, but no evidence remains of when this occurred or who 
  perpetrated the act.
  Fragmentary evidence suggests the Heligi were powerful mages and devoted to schol-
  arly pursuits rather than military conquest or trade domination. A line of hereditary kings 
  ruled over the land, though the Heligi’s unique calendar and dating system has made 
  correlating reigns with those of other realms a fruitless endeavor.
  It is, of course, virtually impossible to completely eradicate an entire culture. Even 
  allowing for containment and systematic destruction, it is quite likely someone escaped 
  the net simply by dint of being in another land at the time. Thus, while the Heligi culture 
  is dead, their blood, thinned after many generations, likely lives on somewhere.
  31210
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 0 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Vince Kingston
  helIgIoland
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS GAME rEFErENCES THE SAVAGE WOrLdS GAME SySTEM, AVAILABLE FrOM PINNACLE ENTErTAINMENT GrOuP AT WWW.PEGINC.COM.   
  SAVAGE WOrLdS & ALL ASSOCIATEd LOGOS & TrAdEMArKS ArE COPyrIGHTS OF PINNACLE ENTErTAINMENT GrOuP. uSEd WITH PErMISSION.  
  PINNACLE MAKES NO rEPrESENTATION Or WArrANTy AS TO THE quALITy, VIABILITy, Or SuITABILITy FOr PurPOSE OF THIS PrOduCT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  trade & trIbute
  Heligioland may not be the most prosperous realm, 
  but it boasts three major trade routes.
  The Western Loop: runs from Hellfrost Keep across 
  to Watchgap Fort, north to the town of Seithrby, back 
  down and across to Brae, then south down the central 
  road back to its starting point.
  The Eastern Loop: Goes from Hellfrost Keep to East-
  watch Fort, north through Myre and the Bleak Hills, then 
  turns west and south back to Hellfrost Keep along the 
  central road.
  The Great Loop: runs from Hellfrost Keep to 
  Watchgap Fort, north as far as the town of Seithrby, back 
  through Brae, across the top center of Heligoland, down 
  through the Bleak Hills to Myre and Eastwatch Fort, and 
  finally back to the great castle.
  The Far run, a trade spur of the Western Loop con-
  tinues north through Seithrby and into Shattered Moor, 
  while the Ghost run branches off the Eastern Loop, fol-
  lows the border between Seithrby and the Liche Lands of 
  Old, before entering Shattered Moor.
  Major locales
  This section details more of Heligioland’s many 
  settlements and adventuring sites. GMs looking for addi-
  tional information will find a map for typical Heligioland 
  stead, including a full list of occupants, in Adventure N3 
  Shadow of Darkness, while adventure S1 The Siege of 
  Watchgap Fort provides a map of the western fort.
  appledore
  Population: 1,412
  Ruler: Mayor Beranger ap-Fricor and council
  Religion: Eostre Plantmother, Kenaz
  Imports: Glass, wood, meat
  Exports: Apples, alcohol
  Appledore lies in the northeast of Heligioland, where 
  the trade road through the Bleak Hills meets the road 
  between Hellfrost Keep and Icewatch Fort.
  An agricultural community, Appledore is surrounded 
  by well-tended orchards of hardy, frost-resistant apples 
  vital to its economy. Much of the harvest is turned into 
  cider or wine, the remainder being submersed in a weak 
  brine and exported wholesale.
  At present only the village, and around 65% of the or-
  chards, are protected by a palisade and ditch. While the 
  citizens lack the manpower to patrol the entire perim-
  eter, and the funds to hire mercenaries for said task, they 
  are keen to encircle every orchard as a deterrent to cliff 
  giant and orc raiders. Ordinarily a ditch is little deterrent 
  to giants, but the citizens of Appledore keep the ditch 
  flooded and line the bottom with sharp stakes. In winter, 
  oil is poured into the ditch to prevent it freezing over.
  Appledore is governed by a council of citizens. The 
  five owners of the largest orchards sit in hereditary seats, 
  alongside the resident clerics of Eostre Animalmother, 
  Kenaz, and Var. The chair of the council is an elected 
  mayor, who acts as spokesman for the village yet has lit-
  tle political power.
  Every three years, the citizens hold a great market in 
  late summer, during which time the inhabitants, visitors, 
  and the clergy of Eostre Plantmother from across Heligi-
  oland judge the local ciders. Whoever brews the best is 
  given the title of mayor.
  About one-half of the citizens are directly involved in 
  the orchards and associated businesses. Those not re-
  sponsible for maintaining the orchards, picking fruit, or 
  fermenting the crops work in associated crafts, such as 
  barrel making, glass blowing, and pottery. The remainder 
  tend the small vegetable fields and look after the sheep.
  Appledore maintain a permanent watch of 30 soldiers, 
  half of whom are mounted (treat as common mercenar-
  ies with long swords instead of lances) and patrol the or-
  chards. The other half are infantry (treat as typical town 
  watch) and guard the village proper. The watch is led 
  by a constable, Horsa Octasunu, a grizzled warrior who 
  takes half his pay in strong alcohol. In times of need, the 
  settlement can muster 100 militia.
  Apple Temple: In the center of Appledore is a temple 
  dedicated to Eostre Plantmother. A small shrine is dedi-
  cated to Kenaz (Var has a shrine in the marketplace). As 
  one might expect, the goddess is worshipped as patron 
  of apples, and is depicted carrying a basket of ripe fruit.
  barroW-Fog Vale
  The trade road from Brae to Seithrby cuts through 
  the Greenpot Hills. Halfway along is Barrow-Fog Vale, so 
  named because ancient tumuli and mausoleums, many 
  of the latter little more than piles of rubble and broken 
  statues, dot the surrounding hills. No one has been in-
  rules oF the realM
  These setting rules apply in Heligioland.
  * Democratic: Whereas many settlements in the 
  Freelands are governed by nobles, most of Heligi-
  oland’s villages are ruled by councils of elected of-
  ficials. Noble titles mean little out here. Noblemen 
  have the Charisma bonus from the Noble Edge re-
  duced to +1 in Heligioland.
  * Land Grab: Since there is no central ruler, heroes 
  wishing to found a new settlement are free to do so, 
  and will encounter little opposition unless they try 
  to claim someone else’s lands. Most of Heligioland’s 
  settlements lie along or close to trade roads. New 
  rulers are invited to attend the semi-regular coun-
  cil of leaders to discuss matters of importance to 
  Heligioland.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #10
  
  
  terred here since the Blizzard War, and the graves are 
  said to contain Heligi kings and heroes.
  Sporadically, glowing fog drifts down from the hill-
  tops to fill the valley floor, blanketing the landscape and 
  reducing visibility to a few dozen yards. Caravans go 
  missing all the time (this region is known to be troubled 
  by trolls and goblins), and rumors abound that undead 
  descend through the mist to slaughter the living. Scouts 
  searching for caravans have discovered their cargoes 
  stashed in open burial mounds, but whether it was un-
  dead or goblins who hid them, none can say for sure.
  A line of small towers, similar to the trade towers in 
  the Hearthlands, decorated with Scaetha’s runes, has 
  been erected here to provide some respite from what-
  ever horrors lurk in the mist.
  black Wound gully
  A deep, sharp-edged gully in the Bleak Hills, Black 
  Wound Gully is said to have been created by one of 
  the gods. One story says Tiw slashed at the earth with 
  his sword while trying to kill Vali as a gift for his wife, 
  Eira. Another says Eostre Animalmother scratched at the 
  surface in a bid to find Vali, who has concealed himself 
  underground to escape her wrath. yet another tells how 
  Ertha rid the underearth of Vali’s plague by causing all 
  the sickness in her realm to well upward. regardless of 
  which other gods are present, Vali always features in talk 
  of Black Wound Gully, and for good reason.
  The entire area is a sickly place. Animals sport weep-
  ing sores and the ravages of disease; while plants grow 
  blighted. Sickly yellow and green molds grow in vast 
  swathes, releasing spores if disturbed. All the flora and 
  fauna here is poisonous, and many of the animals have 
  diseased bites.
  At the very bottom of the gully is a deep crack in the 
  earth, from which emanate fell-smelling vapors laden 
  with disease. Paladins of Eira have entered the rent on 
  more than one occasion in search of the pestilence’s 
  source. They tell of a maze of tunnels and immense 
  caverns without end, in which dwell all manner of vile, 
  diseased ridden creatures. Many Eira cultists believe a 
  major temple to Vali lies concealed somewhere in the 
  subterranean realm.
  brae
  Brae is detailed in the Hellfrost Gazetteer. What fol-
  lows is expanded information.
  Militia: Eight wooden watchtowers rise above Brae’s 
  perimeter palisade. Each tower holds three guards (treat 
  as common town watch, all armed with crossbows) op-
  erating on an 8-hour on, 16-hours off shift pattern. While 
  only one soldier is on duty at any time, one of the off 
  duty guards is present in the tower. Normally it is the 
  one taking his sleep break.
  The remaining 20 soldiers are broken into ten pairs. 
  Nine of these are responsible for patroling the streets, 
  working on the same pattern as the tower guards. Aiding 
  each pair are four citizens. They are paid a small stipend 
  to carry lanterns and provide extra muscle. 
  Heading the militia is Captain Ingbert Fetter-Hound. 
  A single pair of soldiers serve as his aides, processing 
  criminals and handling the routine paperwork. They are 
  swapped every month so everyone gets a share of street 
  and administrative work.
  Ingbert is in the pay of the local thieves’ guild, and 
  paid well to look the other way or reroute guard patrols. 
  While he has amassed a large fortune, his seeming in-
  ability to break the guild is causing consternation with 
  the Aldor Council. Ingbert plans to milk the guild for a 
  few more months, then crack down on them, ensuring 
  that anyone who knows of his bribe taking is killed while 
  resisting arrest.
  Messenger’s Guild: Operated by Guthwynne Hos-
  ricsdohtor, the messenger’s guild provides transcription 
  and courier services throughout Heligioland, Seithrby, 
  and Shattered Moor. Voice on the wind alchemical de-
  vices are available here, though at double the normal 
  price. Guthwynne has 1d4 for sale in any given month.
  Although she swears she provides a confidential 
  service, Guthwynne is actually working for a number of 
  orc chieftains and frost giant jarls, providing them with 
  intelligence in return for gold.
  The Stable: Brae boasts a half-dozen taverns, but just 
  a single inn. Officially known as the Greenpot Arms, it is 
  more commonly referred to as the Stable, the building’s 
  original function. Although greatly renovated and ex-
  panded over the years, it retains the old stalls as private 
  booths available for rent by the hour.
  run by a retired merchant named Styne, the Stable 
  is frequented mainly by merchants and other outsiders, 
  the locals preferring to drink at one of the taverns. Styne 
  doesn’t say much, though he’s courteous enough to folk 
  with money in their purses, but he hears everything that 
  transpires within his inn.
  Taverns: Brae’s six taverns are the Claggy Pit (a rough 
  dive frequented mainly by clay diggers), the Lucky Lady 
  (the major gambling hall), the Potter’s Arms (frequented 
  by crafters), red’s (a den of prostitution), the Silver 
  Gryphon (an upmarket establishment), and the Wound-
  ed Warrior (boasts an impressive display of war trophies 
  donated by patrons).
  Thieves’ Guild: Brae is a settlement large and pros-
  perous enough to maintain a thieves’ guild. Known as 
  the Green Fingers, due to Brae’s pottery industry, the 
  guild operates from the basement of the slaughterhouse. 
  As far as the guild is concerned Brae is their territory, and 
  any outsiders who wish to operate here must pay 20% of 
  their ill-gotten gains or suffer a severe beating.
  The Twin Temple: A large community, Brae boasts 
  a joint temple to Ertha and Var, as well as smaller tem-
  ples to Sigel, Eostre, Kenaz, and Eira. As normal, the Var 
  temple serves as an indoor market. It is divided into two 
  circular wings joined by a short, wide corridor, giving 
  the impression of a stylized wagon axle. The west wing 
  is reserved for local traders, and sees good trade every 
  Marketdaeg, the only day trading is permitted. The east 
  helIgIoland
  
  
  wing is used by visiting merchants and is open for busi-
  ness every day.
  In the north wall of the joining corridor is a large 
  archway. Steps worn smooth by the passage of feet wind 
  down into a huge vault, the temple of Ertha. resident 
  here is Forge daughter Jeneera Inglesdohtor, high priest 
  for the past two decades. Half-blind from living in the 
  poorly lit temple and corpulent from lack of exercise 
  and a rich diet of offerings made by worshippers, Jeneera 
  leaves the temple only on holy days of Ertha, when fes-
  tivals require her presence above ground. She is carried 
  aloft on a huge metal shield, borne by six burly laity. On 
  these rare occasions she throws small gemstones to the 
  crowds.
  Vangarth’s Store: A general store operated by the 
  old yet sprightly Vangarth Clenched-Hand (so named 
  because of his reluctance to spend money). Vangarth is 
  secretly a member of the reliquary, stationed here to act 
  on rumors carried by traders and adventurers. He is a 
  close drinking friend of Styne, paying the innkeeper well 
  for rumors relating to relics. Vangarth keeps his shop 
  well stocked with V and T availability goods, knowing 
  that happy customers are talkative customers.
  dragon’s graVeyard
  Talk of the dragon’s graveyard is popular in Heligi-
  oland, yet its location remains a mystery. Said to lie in 
  the Whitedrake Mountains, would-be explorers must 
  cope with freezing temperatures, howling blizzards, 
  avalanches, crevasses, hostile frost giants, orcs, and of 
  course, many Hellfrost dragons.
  The most common tale says it lies behind a frozen 
  waterfall in one of the many caves that cut through the 
  treacherous slopes (dragons don’t use this entrance). 
  The passageway leading to it is labyrinthine and filled 
  with many hazards and dangers, and adventurers have 
  starved to death trying to navigate its fathomless route. 
  By luck, fate, skill, or divine blessing, those on the right 
  path eventually come across the gateway granting access 
  to the graveyard.
  Two enormous dragon’s teeth, each thrice the height 
  of a man, mark its entrance. Inscribed on these are warn-
  ings to venture no further, for only death awaits within 
  on swift wings.
  Beyond, the cave opens into a wide valley, concealed 
  from above by a permanent shroud of low clouds and 
  protected sheer mountain walls coated in perfectly 
  smooth and rock hard ice.
  Within lies a vast repository of dragon bones, teeth 
  and glittering scales of all the species, built up over 
  countless millennia. The lure of so much treasure, for 
  the scales alone are worth the combined wealth of all of 
  rassilon, is a tempting site, yet one which leads only to 
  death. Guarding the site is a monstrous beast, an ancient 
  dragon a hundred yards long, with multiple heads (one 
  for each species of dragon). Capable of destroying an an-
  cient Hellfrost dragon with ease, mundane adventurers 
  stand no chance.
  Or so the story goes. It is a frequently told tale, but 
  one which no one has been able to prove.
  gatorMan ruIns
  In the festering mire of Temujin Marsh stand many 
  crumbling ruins decorated with pictograms and images 
  of crocodiles, creatures now found only in the Great 
  Swamp and in few numbers. Over the centuries adven-
  turers have explored a large number of these ruins, gain-
  ing nothing for their troubles except insect bites.
  Beneath one edifice, a flat-topped stepped pyramid 
  almost concealed beneath a thick blanket of creepers, 
  lurks a small army of gatormen. When the lizardmen 
  slaves rebelled the inhabitants placed themselves in 
  suspended animation, hiding from the angry horde. For 
  millennia they slumbered in peace, but now the Siphon-
  ing has drained their enchantments, breaking the spell 
  and releasing them from their magical sleep.
  talkIng anIMals
  While Wood Wardens, and many fey, can talk with 
  mundane animals, most mortals have no way to 
  communicate with beasts. Even beast friend grants 
  no ability to understand a beast, only allowing the 
  spellcaster to control its actions. Several versions of 
  voice on the wind allow animals to act as messen-
  gers, though it does not grant any conversational 
  ability beyond recalling the message.
  However, a rare few animals can converse with the 
  sentient races in their own languages. Typically 
  these are messengers of the gods or powerful fey 
  nobles, imbued with limited intellect and often 
  only for a short duration. A very rare few animals 
  have the permanent ability to talk and understand 
  human speech. These are always servants of some 
  greater power. Most talking animals are not capa-
  ble of holding true conversations, though, and are 
  generally used to pass on simple missives to specific 
  people.
  One must also remember that despite being gifted 
  with speech, they remain animals in all other ways. 
  A squirrel, for instance, understands about trees, 
  nuts, predators, and forest animals, but is very un-
  likely to use human names and terms. An oak may 
  simply be known as a “harvest source,” while a wild 
  cat may be a “clawed terror.”
  Encountering a talking animal, while extremely 
  rare and likely to rouse much interest from the lo-
  cal populace, is not considered frightening. Many 
  legends tell of heroes guided or aided by talking 
  beasts. That said few citizens will ever converse 
  with an animal directly in their lifetime, or even 
  meet someone who has.
  Most talking animals use the stats for Small Animals 
  from the Hellfrost Bestiary.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #10
  
  
  Scouts have witnessed the destruction of their former 
  temples and cities, but the lizardmen do not rule the old 
  cities. What the gatormen need now are sacrifices, for 
  their god is hungry, and only through his divine blessing 
  will the remainder of the army awaken.
  MushrooM Vale
  Fifteen miles west of Myre, in the lower slopes of the 
  Bleak Hills, is a small, shallow valley, its boggy soil fed by 
  rain runoff from the barren peaks. A plethora of mush-
  rooms and toadstools grow here. Among the edible va-
  rieties are king bolete, chicken mushroom, chanterelles, 
  morels, puffballs, and polypores.
  Every year in early fall, a small tent village springs 
  to life, as citizens from Myre, herbalists, and merchants 
  gather to harvest the abundant growths. At least one 
  herbalist-cleric of Eira attends, for many species are poi-
  sonous (some if digested and others if merely touched), 
  and accidents occur with surprising regularity.
  deeper in the valley, the mushrooms grow much taller 
  and the ground is carpeted with strange growths. Stories 
  claim the mushrooms grow as tall as trees in the furthest 
  reaches, but few venture this far, for those who do rarely 
  return. One popular myth, used to keep children from 
  wandering too deep into the vale, tells of an engraved 
  stone arch cut into the hillside, from which ravenous 
  monsters emerge.
  oakstead
  Population: 57
  Ruler: Heorl Elgansunu
  Religion: Eostre (both aspects)
  Imports: Luxuries
  Exports: Pork, truffles, nuts
  A traditional Saxa stead, Oakstead sits behind a ditch 
  and palisade close to the trade road between Hellfrost 
  Keep and Watchgap Fort, a scant half mile from the leafy 
  boughs of drakewood.
  Heorl Elgansunu’s family has lived here for six genera-
  tions, raising pigs, which forage in the wood, harvesting 
  nuts, and gathering expensive truffles. Largely self-suf-
  ficient in basic wares, they trade pork (dried, salted, and 
  smoked) and nuts for the few luxuries they permit them-
  selves. The family is wealthy enough to maintain a shrine 
  to Eostre,at which neighbors and visitors are permitted 
  to worship.
  Heorl has six children aged between 17 and 6, all 
  girls. With no sons to inherit, he is keen to marry off 
  the eldest two, Hilda (17) and Lyzal (15), in the hope of 
  seeing grandchildren come of age before he dies. Heorl 
  has a brother, Arlest, but the two barely speak (neither 
  will speak about why) and the stead owner has no wish 
  for his brother to inherit.
  Hollow Oak: A mile north of the stead, inside drake-
  wood, stands an ancient, hollow oak. despite being 
  hollow, the tree grows tall and healthy. Heorl’s middle 
  daughter, Gird (12), claims “talking squirrel men” live 
  clerIcs oF Var
  The religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and pro-
  vides information on the clergy’s duties. This entry 
  is an expansion for the cult of Var, providing facts 
  useful to both players and GMs.
  Training: Both paladins and priests begin appren-
  ticed to a priest of the faith. The first year is spent 
  as a menial assistant, packing and unpacking the 
  store, and carrying boxes and crates around the 
  warehouses. Second year novitiates are appren-
  ticed to a paladin, where they are trained in ways to 
  detect thieves and pickpockets, as well as physical 
  exercise. In the third year, instruction is given in 
  identifying and valuing trade goods, how to haggle 
  effectively, how to write accounts (and hide profits 
  from tax inspectors), as well as the social skills nec-
  essary to negotiate a successful contract. While nev-
  er given control of a market stall or allowed to con-
  duct trade deals, they are expected to be present, so 
  as to learn the basics.
  In their final year, students are given a small quantity 
  of trade goods and an end-of-year profit figure, and 
  then let loose on the unsuspecting market-goers of 
  rassilon. Naturally, the profit required is far higher 
  than the value of the initial goods—clerics must buy 
  and sell repeatedly to reach their target. If the cleric 
  fails to make enough profit, he must redo his third 
  year studies again.
  Prayers: Var gives nothing for free, for there is no 
  profit in charity. As such, prayers are intoned as con-
  tracts in which the god gives the worshipper some-
  thing in return for a future favor. Such favors are 
  usually extra offerings, thus rewarding Var finan-
  cially. Hence, all prayers begin, “Master Merchant, I 
  propose a contract between our two parties.”
  Adventures: Money and obscure, historical, or just 
  plain valuable items are important to clerics. Any 
  expedition could be a chance to turn a profit (and 
  one that is tax free) and travel not only broadens 
  the mind, but also the pockets, as it brings the cleric 
  to new markets.
  Character Guidelines: Clerics who favor the mer-
  cantile side should consider Persuasion and Street-
  wise as their most useful skills, with Connections 
  Edges representing their many contacts. Common 
  languages are more useful than obscure ones, since 
  you need to be able to talk to your customers.
  Paladins are going to need Notice to spot thieves 
  before they strike (and to notice goods that have 
  been taken), and maybe Alertness if they can spare 
  the Edge slot, to perform their duties. For catch-
  ing those pesky thieves, look to Fleet Footed as a 
  powerful tool. Intimidation can help thieves return 
  goods without the need for messy bloodshed.
  helIgIoland
  
  
  nearby. In a bid to appease the child, and just in case 
  spirits do lurk here, the stead’s inhabitants leave small 
  offerings in the bowels of the tree. 
  Legend states that anyone who sleeps inside the tree 
  can communicate with ancestor spirits, though those 
  who have tried have fled in terror before daybreak, 
  haunted forever by dark dreams of cold, fleshless hands 
  rising from the earth to pull the sleeper under.
  raM’s horn Fort
  Population: 1,105
  Ruler: Watchman Kort Wiegersunu
  Religion: Eostre Animalmother, Tiw, rigr
  Imports: Vegetables, pottery
  Exports: Goat meat, milk, and wool, timber
  This ancient hill fort sits close to the central trade 
  road, between drakewood and the southwest end of the 
  Bleak Hills. No records remain regarding the fort’s build-
  ers, but the site has long been considered important to 
  Eostre Animalmother due to its unusual shape.
  Whereas most hill forts are vaguely circular and have 
  multiple ramparts, the 40 feet high, steep sided defenses 
  of this unique fort form a vast spiral, which loops around 
  one and three-quarter times.
  Too steep to scale, the ramparts are an imposing 
  obstacle. The top is flattened and covered with logs to 
  form a walkway and prevent erosion. A high wooden 
  wall facing outwards runs alongside providing a fight-
  ing platform and is broken only by six watchtowers. A 
  second palisade, much lower than the outer one, faces 
  the inside curve of the spiral. Three wooden bridges 
  span between the towering banks, allowing defenders to 
  cross the spiral more quickly than at ground level. From 
  the heavily fortified gate, visitors or attackers are forced 
  to traverse three-quarters of the fort before reaching the 
  settlement at the center, all the while under the watchful 
  gaze of armed defenders.
  The village maintains a permanent watch of 45 sol-
  diers. These are divided into four watches of 11 men, 
  each led by a sergeant. Commanding the garrison is 
  Captain Eadbald ap-Barntome. All watch members must 
  demonstrate keen vision and skill with the long bow.
  The citizens of ram’s Horn Fort have an agreement 
  with the other communities in Heligioland. In the event 
  of a major invasion, ram’s Horn Fort is available as a ref-
  uge, so long as refugees agree to help defend the walls. 
  In return, the fort receives donations of money and ma-
  teriel each year to ensure the ramparts are maintained.
  The inhabitants sell produce from their great goat 
  herds, as well as timber felled from drakewood. Few 
  merchants heading along the central trade road miss an 
  opportunity to take shelter here overnight.
  Hearth Knight Outpost: Although an independent 
  settlement, ram’s Horn Fort maintains good relations 
  with the Hearth Knights. Sword Knight Aelgifu Cu-
  thredsdohtor is the current liaison, chosen because she 
  was born here. She is aided by two Shield Knights.
  sprangaton
  Population: 2,657
  Ruler: Merciful daughter Aileena yngisdohtor
  Religion: Eira, Scaetha
  Imports: Meat, healing herbs
  Exports: Alchemical devices, herbal brews, healing
  Sprangaton (“the enclosure by the spring”) sits west 
  of the Greenpot Hills, six miles from where the trade 
  road from Brae joins the coastal road.
  Founded near a natural spring once famed for its 
  healing properties, the village attracted cultists of Eira. 
  In turn, citizens suffering all manner of ills flocked here 
  for cures, many settling permanently afterward, for the 
  soil was fertile and trade brisk. during the reign of the 
  Liche-Priest the village was heavily fortified, serving as a 
  base for Scaetha’s clergy and a field hospital, tending to 
  wounded soldiers. Abandoned during the Blizzard War, 
  Sprangaton was resettled 200 years later.
  Although no one comes to take the waters any more, 
  it remains a major center of healing, boasting a larger 
  temple to Eira than its size warrants. Clerics travel the 
  coastal road and across to Brae, offering their services 
  FestIVal to Var
     auctIon nIght
  First Marketdaeg of Werremonan.
  One day at market, two gods approached Var. One 
  sought to buy the last item of jewelry Var had to 
  sell and offered a good price. Before the deal could 
  be concluded, the second god offered a higher 
  amount. Again, the deal could not be sealed before 
  the first god raised the price again. Fascinated by 
  this unexpected and previously unknown turn of 
  events, Var sat back and let the two gods bid higher 
  and higher, until at last one stomped away.
  rather than haggling or selling their goods at fixed 
  prices, clerics must hold an auction on this day. 
  All the clerics gather at dusk within the temple or 
  shrine to Var (or erect a temporary shrine if none 
  exists) and set up their stalls. Once the sun has set, 
  the cleric with the highest profit for the year so far 
  lights a candle stub. The length of the stub is vari-
  able, but it must burn for a minimum of one hour, 
  and cannot burn beyond dawn. The candle is the 
  only light allowed during the ceremony, and for this 
  reason it is normally held indoors in the temple or 
  inside a heavy tent.
  While the candle burns, each cleric auctions their 
  wares. All the auctions are handled simultaneously, 
  the clerics seeking to outshout their rivals and se-
  cure bids. Once the candle burns out, the auction 
  ends and the clerics tally their profits and losses in 
  their ledgers.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #10
  
  
  to the steads and villages. See the adventure S3 Descent 
  into Madness for details of a typical Eira temple.
  The Healers’ Bed: Sprangaton’s only inn is run by 
  Ingara Veksdohtor, an attractive, middle-aged widow. 
  Friendly, attentive, and polite, Ingara is actually a priest-
  ess of Hela and has maintained her cover amid the cult 
  of Eira for the better part of ten years. She has a deal 
  with an orc tribe living in the northern Greenpot Hills, 
  passing on information regarding small bands of travel-
  ers and merchant caravans. The orcs keep any treasure, 
  while the cult of Hela receives the corpses.
  three-gates
  Population: 1,974
  Ruler: Council
  Religion: Var, Freo, Eostre Animalmother
  Imports: Iron, wood
  Exports: Mercantile services, rumors
  Three-Gates sits across the juncture of the main trade 
  road north of Hellfrost Keep and the road which runs 
  from Brae to Icewatch Fort. It is from this the settlement 
  takes its name, for each of its fortified gates opens di-
  rectly onto one of the three roads.
  The village’s main trade is not commerce, but catering 
  for merchants. Blacksmiths, boxmakers, cobblers, coop-
  ers, cordwainers, farriers, hoopers, and wheelwrights 
  work ceaselessly to ensure merchants can acquire new 
  crates and barrels, and their wagons and horses are in 
  top condition. A stable sells fresh horses and mules.
  Three large warehouses are used to store wagons 
  and mounts during the merchants’ stay, thus ensuring 
  security. The village boasts two inns. The Merchant’s rest 
  caters solely for visiting merchants and traders, while the 
  Wanderer’s rest is open to anyone passing through.
  The community has a full-time watch of just ten sol-
  diers (treat as experienced town watch). For each mer-
  chant caravan staying, a volunteer patrol of five soldiers 
  (equipped and trained as town watch) is appointed to 
  protect the wagons and their precious cargoes.
  Located almost centrally in Heligioland, Three-Gates 
  hosts merchants traveling along all the internal trade 
  routes as well as those heading further afield. Gossip 
  and news flow through the gates, making it an important 
  stop for adventurers.
  Three-Gates is governed by a nonelected council. Ev-
  ery master crafter has a seat, as does the resident cleric 
  of Var, the latter currently being Eadberht ap-Gaidon. 
  Eadberht has heard of Aelfmeet in Shattered Moor 
  (see Region Guide #7) and believes Three-Gates could 
  expand its focus from catering to merchants to acting 
  as a major trading post, saving merchants from making 
  longer journeys by acting as a middleman.
  Veth’s teeth
  Veth’s Teeth is a small stone circle comprised of six 
  foot tall, inverted conical stones. In the center is a large 
  boulder, which vaguely resembles a gigantic rat. Legends 
  claim that Veth, the minor goddess of rat catchers, once 
  transformed herself into a gigantic cat in order to better 
  hunt the rat King (a minor god associated with Vali).
  The unknowable One transformed a rock into an im-
  age of the rat King, causing Veth, who fell for the ruse, 
  to lose her teeth when she bit down around the stone. 
  Eira regrew Veth’s teeth, though those she lost remain 
  forever implanted in the ground. Veth learned her lesson 
  well and never again changed shape.
  Although she no longer needed her broken teeth, 
  Veth set a kitten sired by her beloved and vicious ginger 
  ratter, Fengr (“Catcher”), to watch over the site so Vali 
  could not desecrate them. despite being many leagues 
  from a settlement, a number of hunting cats reside here, 
  basking atop the stones and keeping a wary eye on visi-
  tors.
  Veth’s Teeth is a sacred site. See Region Guide #1 for 
  more details on these special places.
  Spirit Name: Muskylja (“Mouse Killer”).
  FestIVal to Var
    contract day
  Varies.
  Every cleric enters into a personal contract with Var 
  when he is ordained. This contract lasts for exact-
  ly one year, after which the cleric must either re-
  nounce his faith by ending the contract (and so be 
  stripped of his powers) or make a new one. Each 
  cleric celebrates this ceremony on the anniversary 
  of his ordination. The contract also requires the 
  deal be between worshipper and god only, and thus 
  it is a private affair.
  The clerics begins by ritually washing, symbolically 
  removing his sins (but not actually removing any 
  game mechanics) so he can enter the negotiations 
  with a clear conscience and unburdened soul. Once 
  washed, the cleric sits down at a specially prepared 
  table. Opposite he must place a holy symbol to rep-
  resent Var. The cleric must then present all ledgers 
  covering the last year since the contract was made. 
  This is known as the religious year end, and is dif-
  ferent from the trading year end.
  If he made a loss over the religious year, he must 
  explain what went wrong and what steps will be 
  taken to ensure a healthy profit should he be grant-
  ed a new contract. Even showing a profit the wor-
  shipper must convince Var he can not only repeat 
  his performance but improve on it next year. This 
  done, the petitioner signs and dates a blank piece of 
  parchment. The contract signed, the cleric fills two 
  glasses with alcohol. While drinking one he simul-
  taneously pours the contents of the other over the 
  signed parchment which, once dried out, is tucked 
  into the cleric’s current ledger.
  helIgIoland
  
  
  Ambience: Vermin can sense the presence of Musky-
  lja from a good distance, and are never found here. Giant 
  rats and Verminlords who approach within 20 yards of 
  the Teeth must make a Guts roll or suffer Fear. A roll of 
  1 on the skill die, regardless of Wild die, causes Terror, 
  instead.
  Deity: Eostre Animalmother.
  Senses: Notice d10 (d6 Wild die).
  Communication: Muskylja is often present in the 
  guise of a huge ginger hunting cat (a Wild Card speci-
  men with Size +0). It is normally sleeping, waking only 
  occasionally to hunt or wash. Slaying the cat offends the 
  spirit, but does it no lasting harm—the creature reforms 
  at the next sunrise.
  Should the site be desecrated, the hunting cats resi-
  dent here attack without warning. Typically there are 2d6 
  hunting cats present at any one time. Once a day for a 
  period of one hour, Muskylja can enhance the animals. 
  This spiritual energy gives them a d6 Wild die, but none 
  of the other Wild Card benefits.
  Powers: Characters who deposit at least 20 rats or 
  5 giant rats (dead or alive) here in a single visit, receive 
  Muskylja’s blessing. The hero is granted a version of the 
  Champion Edge which affects giant rats and all clerics of 
  Vali, Veth’s eternal enemy. The power lasts until used (a 
  free action to activate) and remains in effect for 10 melee 
  rounds. After this time it is lost. Only one boon of this 
  type may be gained at any one time, no matter how many 
  rats are left as offerings. 
  If a Verminlord (a paladin of Vali) is deposited here, 
  Muskylja rewards the paladin’s killer with a hunting cat 
  ally. It remains loyal until it dies, obeys its master’s com-
  mands to the best of its abilities, and can benefit from 
  its owner’s bennies. A dead Wild Card Verminlord is re-
  warded with a Wild Card hunting cat. If the animal (Extra 
  or Wild Card) is mistreated or abused, Muskylja recalls it 
  and the hero can never benefit from this boon again.
  Sacrifice: Anyone wishing to gain the spirit’s boon 
  must leave dead rats here, as detailed above.
  WhIte raM hIll
  Carved into the western flanks of the Greenpot Hills, 
  just north of where the southern most river that flows 
  into White Lake rises, is a huge stylized ram’s head. No 
  one knows who carved it or when, and the local stead 
  owners claim it never needs tending, remaining brilliant 
  white year after year.
  Each Wulfmonan, local shepherds and goatherds brave 
  the harsh winter, driving their sheep onto the hillside to 
  mate with a neighbor’s ram or billy goat. Although this 
  is a risky act, for the winter snows fall deep here and the 
  icy winds howl off White Lake, herders are willing to risk 
  a few of their flock, for lambs and kids sired here are 
  remarkably healthy specimens, more fertile when they 
  reach maturity, produce finer wool, and better tasting 
  when roasted.
  The site is considered sacred to Eostre Animalmother. 
  In olden days, 10% of the lambs sired that year would be 
  left here as an offering in summer. Eostre, it is claimed, 
  adds the lambs to her celestial flock, which worshippers 
  claim runs across the heavens at night. Over the years, as 
  the seasons have worsened, the number of lambs offered 
  has dropped dramatically.
  A local legend warns that humans who mate here will 
  be cursed with bestial children. Many consider this a par-
  able, no doubt designed to prevent misuse of the special 
  place, but this dire warning contains a heavy element of 
  truth, for while the site is sacred to Eostre Animalmother, 
  its primary attendants are a band of beastmen who in-
  habit the western slopes.
  Normally rapacious creatures, the beastmen have 
  been pacified here for centuries due to the herders’ 
  practise of leaving lambs on the hill, which the beastmen 
  accept as an offering. But things are changing. With no 
  conflict to thin their ranks, the beastmen’s numbers have 
  steadily grown. 
  With fewer sacrifices being left at the hill, the creatures 
  are growing short of food. Half-starved, the beastmen are 
  preparing to sweep down on the isolated western com-
  munities and take what they need by force.
  Why coMe here?
  Heligioland is a large, sparsely populated realm dotted 
  with ruins from both the Liche-Priest’s reign and the Bliz-
  zard War. Away from the trade roads and the settlements 
  that line them, the land is populated by orcs, goblins, 
  giants, and other fell beasts. So what brings adventurers 
  to this outpost of civilization?
  FestIVal to Var
     proFIt day
  First Marketdaeg of Plohmonan.
  With winter in the Hearthlands now over and the 
  snow rapidly melting, the trade roads come alive 
  once again. This ritual marks the start of the new 
  trading season and is one of the most holy days of 
  Var.
  To honor their god and ensure he has top qual-
  ity wares to sell (and a healthy profit at year end), 
  clerics must sacrifice their most expensive trade 
  good or possession to their god. Pots and vases 
  are smashed; weapons, armor, and jewelry melted 
  down; herbs and wooden items burned; and art 
  works vandalized. The cleric cannot have manufac-
  tured any of these items—they must have been pur-
  chased, thus starting the trade year off with a sub-
  stantial financial loss. The quicker one reimburses 
  oneself through trade deals, the better profits the 
  cleric will have by year end.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #10
  
  
  * Orders. Heligioland is the Hearth Knights’ primary 
  theater of operations. Hence, Sword Knights are going 
  to be ordered to patrol here at some point in their lives. 
  Clerics of all the gods can be found working here for their 
  cult, whether engaged in crusades against orcs, search-
  ing for lost knowledge, brokering new trade agreements, 
  or exploring the wilds. Lorekeepers might be sent here 
  to search ruins for lost knowledge, the Convocation may 
  order junior members to find lost Heligi arcane wisdom, 
  while Iron Guild mercenaries have plenty of caravans to 
  escort safely.
  * Treasure. Crumbling castles, toppled temples, shat-
  tered cities, and deserted villages adorn the landscape in 
  abundance. While many of the surface ruins have been 
  scoured clean by generations of treasure seekers, many 
  boast subterranean vaults, crypts, or dungeons which 
  have lain undisturbed for centuries. The Heligi were 
  widely regarded as powerful mages, and thus relics may 
  await discovery in the monster-infested ruins.
  * Passing Through. Heligioland cannot be avoided if 
  the party leaves the Hearthlands intent on heading into 
  the deeper or eastern Winterlands. Thus, even if they are 
  not actively searching for adventure here they may be 
  dragged into a tale simply by their presence.
  * Monster Hunting. Orcs, giants, goblins, Hellfrost 
  dragons, and other beasts lurk here in varying numbers. 
  Adventurers looking for glory, or just to kill something, 
  will find plenty of opportunity in Heligioland.
  gods & Monsters
  This section contains details on the minor gods of 
  wealth, catching thieves, and dragon slaying. It also gives 
  stats for merchants, and presents some more orcs.
  auðun
  Titles: Friend of Wealth, divine Treasurer.
  Aspects: Wealth.
  Affiliations: Nauthiz, Var.
  Symbol: A pile of coins.
  Priesthood: Treasurers (priests); Moneylenders 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: First Marketdaeg of each month.
  Duties: Accumulation of wealth.
  Sins: (Minor) losing a gambling game, being caught 
  cheating while gambling, giving away money except to 
  the cult, failing to donate at least 50% of one’s income 
  to the cult; (Major) being robbed, forging a credit note; 
  (Mortal) falsifying accounts.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (Gambling and 
  Streetwise only).
  Powers: Charismatic aura, detect/conceal (relating 
  to treasure only), lock/unlock.
  Trappings: Clergy may use any trapping except nec-
  romantic.
  Auðun is fixated with the accumulation of wealth. In 
  order to achieve his desires, he studied mercantile activi-
  ties under Var and gambling under Nauthiz. As a result, 
  Auðun is a skilled gambler, a shrewd businessman, and 
  is not above a little theft to increase his personal wealth. 
  Wherever there is an opportunity to make money, Auðun 
  is never far away.
  Auðun’s clergy normally operate out of Var’s temples, 
  where a shrine is erected in a side room. Auðun’s altars 
  comprise strongboxes with complex locks. The local high 
  priest holds the only key. In centers of trade, Auðun may 
  actually have a small temple within the larger temple of 
  Var. Such sites are independent of Var’s authority, operat-
  ing as separate businesses.
  despite their desire to gather wealth for their god, 
  Auðun’s clergy are honest— Auðun is not a god of 
  thievery. Priests operate as bankers, investment brokers, 
  traders, accountants, treasurers, and moneylenders. In 
  return for their services, they charge a fee. Paladins serve 
  as the cult’s muscle, reminding those who conveniently 
  “forget” to repay a loan to the cult that Auðun needs 
  his money. Since Auðun places no restrictions beyond 
  honesty on how money is gained, many clerics who seek 
  an adventuring life find tomb robbing a profitable line 
  of work.
  Like those of Var. clerics of Auðun are expected to 
  keep detailed ledgers of their earnings and cult dona-
  tions. On a cleric’s death, Auðun checks through the led-
  ger for discrepancies. Those found guilty of withholding 
  FestIVal to Var
     tally day
  First Marketdaeg of Fogmonan.
  While some merchants trade over winter, the offi-
  cial end of the trading year falls on this day. It marks 
  the day Var finished his first year of trading and tal-
  lied up his profits and losses.
  All clergy are required to keep two sets of ledgers. 
  The first, and most important, is for their god’s eyes. 
  This ledger must contain every business transaction 
  the cleric has undertaken, whether legal or illegal. 
  Since this ledger can be very incriminating, all cler-
  ics invent their own shorthand accounting system 
  to cover their tracks. Clerics must tally their profit 
  and loss for the year on this day or face their god’s 
  displeasure. The year end figures are then written 
  on a piece of paper and burned.
  The second ledger is of no concern to Var, but it is 
  of interest to the local authorities, especially if the 
  cleric only operates in a single place. This ledger is 
  his mundane accounts for tax purposes. Var doesn’t 
  much care what his clergy write in this book (and 
  most fail to record illegal transactions), though get-
  ting caught avoiding tax is a sin.
  helIgIoland
  
  
  monies are refused entrance into his hall. In the mortal 
  world, a cleric may be asked to hand his ledger over to 
  any senior cleric for inspection. Because death can strike 
  at any time, most clerics voluntarily submit their ledgers 
  every year to ensure their souls are not harshly judged 
  due to bookkeeping errors.
  On the first Marketdaeg of each month the clergy 
  must add to their god’s vast treasure pile. Coins, gems, 
  and jewelry are blessed and then destroyed, sending 
  them from the physical world to Auðun’s treasury. Auðun 
  has no love or use for art, weapons, or other material 
  goods.
  Character Guidelines: Since any income swells the 
  cult’s coffers, Auðun’s clerics have great freedom in 
  their traits. Gambling and Streetwise (for selling goods) 
  are obvious ways to earn money with minimal effort. A 
  cleric could serve as a merchant, tomb raider, mercenary, 
  hero-for-hire, or even a crafter. Of course, some of these 
  professions make less income than others, and thus are 
  not popular with the great majority of clergy. Greedy is 
  a suitable Hindrance, but the desire for wealth does not 
  force the cleric to withhold monies from his god.
  ForsetI
  Titles: The Thieftaker, Var’s Shadow.
  Aspects: Catching thieves.
  Affiliations: Hothar, Var.
  Symbol: An outstretched hand.
  Priesthood: detectives (priests); Thieftakers (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Every Marketdaeg.
  Duties: To catch thieves and protect goods.
  Sins: (Minor) failure to catch a thief you are chasing, 
  falsely accusing someone of theft, allowing something 
  you guard to be damaged or stolen (up to 50 gs); (Major) 
  deliberately letting a thief go, allowing something you 
  guard to be broken or stolen (up to 1,000 gs); (Mortal) 
  allowing something you guard to be destroyed or stolen 
  (1,001 gs or more).
  Signature Power: Entangle.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (Agility, Strength, Vigor, In-
  vestigation, Notice, and Streetwise only), detect/conceal 
  (detect criminal intent only; conceal only hides objects 
  with a value of 51 gs or more from magical detection), 
  knockdown, lock/unlock, sentry, speed, stun.
  Trappings: Any except necromantic.
  Forseti is Var’s chief watchman, overseeing the secu-
  rity of his celestial marketplace, and patron of the god’s 
  paladins. Although he serves Var, Forseti was trained 
  by Hothar and retains close ties to his mentor. rigr has 
  offered Forseti employment on many occasions, but 
  Forseti has little interest in watching over entire settle-
  ments, being quite content in his current position. The 
  gods maintain good relations, and on occasion have 
  worked together.
  Forseti once vowed that nothing he guarded could be 
  taken from his protection and kept for long. Nauthiz has 
  made it his personal quest to prove this a lie. Although 
  one might think they would be natural enemies, Nauthiz 
  and Forseti actually have a cordial relationship. This 
  might seem strange, but Forseti believes it is wiser to 
  have Nauthiz close, where he can keep an eye on him.
  Images of Forseti show him with a ring of eyes around 
  his head, indicating the god is ever-watchful and nothing 
  can be concealed from his steely gaze. In his left hand 
  hangs a pair of manacles, while in his right he carries a 
  hefty club, the traditional weapon of watchmen. Statues 
  of Var never detail Forseti in any way—it is assumed that 
  Var is never far away, and prefers to remain unseen, so 
  as to lull thieves into a false sense of security. Similarly, 
  Forseti has no unique shrines—prayers to Var to watch 
  over goods and buildings automatically reach Forseti’s 
  ears.
  Clerics fulfill the opposite function to those of Kvara, 
  the god of bodyguards, being concerned with protecting 
  objects and property, not people. Most work for Var’s 
  clergy or serve mundane merchants, though they accept 
  commissions from any citizen who can meet their fee.
  Paladins share the same name as the paladin order of 
  Var, as the two serve the exact same role. The key differ-
  ence is that while the militant order of Forseti focuses 
  purely on catching thieves and arsonists (who through 
  their work destroy valuables), those who worship Var as 
  their patron are also expected to conduct trade or nego-
  tiate contracts. It is simply matter of focus over general-
  ization. Paladins of Var who are also indoctrinated into 
  Forseti’s sub-cult use the honorific “High Thieftaker.”
  Paladins are more reactive than active. They patrol 
  warehouses and markets, keeping a watchful eye open 
  for thieves and arsonists, giving chase when required. 
  Although servants of the law, they are less interested in 
  other forms of crime. While the majority serve Var, there 
  are those who opt to work for nobles and governments, 
  taking on security of state granaries and warehouses, 
  patrolling markets as independent guards, and watching 
  over the houses of the rich and famous.
  It is not unknown for paladins (and priests) to take 
  reformed thieves under their wing, putting their larce-
  nous skills to good use in the name of the law. Hard-
  ened clerics of Hothar are opposed to such hirelings, 
  but Forseti is not as blind as his mentor, and neither are 
  his followers. Because of their knowledge of security, 
  paladins are sometimes hired by rich patrons to test their 
  security systems.
  Priests, by comparison, are more studious. Whereas 
  paladins react to danger as it occurs, priests conduct 
  lengthy operations to track down thieves’ guilds and put 
  an end to their crime empires. They are less concerned 
  with petty pickpockets and cutpurses, though all crimi-
  nals must face justice. Priests and paladins work closely 
  together on matters of security. Once a den of thievery is 
  located and enough evidence gained to secure a convic-
  tion, the priests unleash the paladins to make arrests.
  Ceremonies typically involve clerics gathering to swap 
  arrest stories over a drink. Each year on the anniversary 
  of their induction into the cult, the clergy must read a list 
  hellFrost regIon guIde #10
  10
  
  of criminals they have captured and allowed to escape. 
  These tallies are kept by Var, who uses them to judge his 
  clergy when they die.
  Character Guidelines: Forseti’s clergy need a good 
  Agility for use in chases and Vigor to represent general 
  stamina. Although not required, clerics operating outside 
  their native lands should invest in Knowledge (Law). 
  Notice is the key skill, though combat skills should not 
  be neglected, especially for paladins. Investigation and 
  Streetwise, and the Investigator Edge, are more useful 
  to priests, but paladins are not forbidden from serving 
  as investigators.
  sIgMundr
  Titles: dragon Slayer, Scourge of dragons, Wyrm 
  Hunter.
  Aspects: dragon slaying.
  Affiliations: Tiw.
  Symbol: A dragon’s head dripping blood at the 
  neck.
  Priesthood: dragon Hunters (priests); dragon Slay-
  ers (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Third Heafoddaeg of Wulfmonan is a high 
  holy day. Any day a dragon is slain is a holy day.
  Duties: To slay dragons.
  Sins: (Minor) refusing to challenge a dragon of 
  greater ability, fleeing from a dragon, conversing with a 
  dragon except to intimidate or taunt; (Major) refusing to 
  challenge a dragon of equal ability; (Mortal) refusing to 
  challenge a dragon of weaker ability.
  Signature Power: Smite*.
  Powers: Arcane resistance*, armor*, deflection*, 
  energy immunity*, fly, warrior’s gift*.
  Trappings: Clergy may use any trapping except nec-
  romantic.
  Special: Spells marked “*” only function against 
  dragons. Against other foes, the spells bestow no bonus. 
  For instance, a paladin invokes smite and scores a raise. 
  Against dragons he adds +4 to damage rolls, but when 
  the enchanted weapon used against all other foes it has 
  no damage bonus and is not treated as being magical.
  Before his imprisonment, Loki (an evil trickster) sired 
  the first dragon, a colossal, multi-hued beast of ravenous 
  appetite. Feeling particularly vengeful after being chas-
  tised for a “harmless” prank, Loki unleashed his offspring 
  on the gods. The great beast tore through the heavens, 
  leaving terrible destruction in its wake. Normally, Tiw 
  would have lofted his standard and waded into battle, 
  but he was away on important business and could not be 
  reached in time. While the other gods fled in panic, one 
  of Tiw’s huscarls, Sigmundr, donned his armor, gathered 
  weapons from all the gods, and marched to war.
  The resulting battle was titanic, shaking the very 
  foundations of the heavens. At last Sigmundr emerged 
  victorious, though his victory was not absolute. For each 
  wound Sigmundr delivered, the dragon shed droplets of 
  blood. These droplets fell to the mortal realm, spawning 
  lesser dragons where they landed. The nature of each 
  dragon depended on the weapon Sigmundr used. Thus, 
  when he wielded Thrym’s icy axe, Hellfrost dragons were 
  spawned by the blood. When he used Thunor’s hammer, 
  the droplets spawned storm dragons.
  Bound by the Convocation not to interfere in the 
  mortal realm, Sigmundr sent heralds (borrowed from 
  Tiw, who promoted Sigmundr to minor god status 
  on learning of his heroic deed) to warn the emerging 
  sentient races of the dragon threat, thus spawning his 
  own cult. Sigmundr blames himself for the creation of 
  mortal dragons and is set on correcting his mistake by 
  ensuring all dragons are eliminated. This places him at 
  loggerheads with Sigel, Thrym and Thunor, who have 
  adopted sun, Hellfrost, and storm dragons respectively. 
  The animosity filters down to the respective cults.
  The god of dragon slaying has no shrines and but one 
  solitary temple. Located in a cave within the Icebarrier 
  Mountains, the temple’s exact location is revealed to 
  clerics only when they take their final vows. Lit by flicker-
  ing dragon-fat lamps and lined with the scales of slain 
  wyrms, the walls of the main temple hall glitter rainbow 
  hues. The altar comprises of the largest dragon skull 
  brought back to the hall to date. Currently, it is the head 
  of an old Hellfrost dragon.
  Located off the main temple are storage halls, where 
  the numerous skulls of all dragons slain by the clergy are 
  kept. Engraved onto each is the name of the slayer and 
  the date the beast met its end. In many instances, gen-
  erations of the same family have served Sigmundr, each 
  member adding to his ancestors’ donations. Also present 
  are storerooms, treasuries (dragons tend to hoard pre-
  cious materials), barracks, kitchens, and the like.
  Although it is not a written requirement, many clerics 
  travel to Scayle to participate in hunting marsh dragons. 
  To the younger generation, it is a rite of passage.
  Priests are hunters, tasked with tracking dragons to 
  their lairs. They are not required to go inside and fight 
  the dragon, but should they encounter the beast they are 
  required to fight. While the younger generation favors 
  practical application of their art, physically venturing 
  into the wilds, older clerics prefer literary research.
  Paladins serve one primary function—to slay dragons 
  discovered by the priests. Although dedicated to a holy 
  cause, clergy happily accept donations from settlements 
  plagued by dragons in return for dispatching the beast.
  The clergy holds several festivals. The major one, 
  held in winter, marks Sigmundr’s slaying of the great 
  dragon. Each year, a huge wooden frame in the guise of 
  a dragon and decorated with scales from slain dragons is 
  constructed. Operated by novices of the cult, the dragon 
  “rampages” through the surrounding land, hounded 
  every step of the way by priests and paladins.
  Positioned inside are sacks of blood (rarely that of 
  actual dragons). drawing blood with a blow is consid-
  ered an ill-omen for the attacker, whereas delivering 
  a blow that draws no blood is seen as a blessing from 
  Sigmundr.
  Character Guidelines: Priests are trackers rather 
  helIgIoland
  11
  
  than dragon killers. Knowledge (Folklore), Investiga-
  tion, Notice, Streetwise, and Tracking are their primary 
  skills, both aided by a good Smarts. While priests need 
  some combat skills and Edges, paladins should ensure 
  they are combat machines—dragons are remarkably 
  tough creatures. Knowledge (dragons), while not vital, 
  is a useful aid in identifying a dragon’s age, abilities, and 
  likely habits.
  Merchant
  Whether a sole trader operating a market stall in a 
  bustling city, a peddler on the open road, or the head 
  of a major trading emporium, merchants sell goods oth-
  ers have manufactured. Though not all are excessively 
  greedy, profit is the name of their business. Merchants 
  invariably worship Var. Merchants who operate a ship 
  have Boating d6 as well. They are rarely sea-captains, 
  however.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength 
  d6, Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d4, Notice d6, Persuasion 
  d8, riding d6, Streetwise d6
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
  Hindrances: Greedy (Minor)
  Edges: Connections (Merchants)
  Gear: Short sword (Str+d6)
  Treasure: Varies from Worthwhile to Treasure Trove
  orc
  Considered by many to be the evilest sentient race, 
  orcs are rapacious and murderous. Although they act 
  tough around weaker races, orcs are all too often bullied 
  into submission by giants.
  huscarl
  Orc huscarls are elite warriors who have taken an oath 
  in front of the tribe never to turn against the chieftain, to 
  protect his life at any cost, and never stand as chieftain 
  of their tribe.
  In return for this vow of loyalty, huscarls are richly 
  rewarded from the spoils of war. In battle, they remain 
  close to the chieftain, using their Shieldwall Edge to 
  protect him from harm. Some chieftains allow favored 
  drummers and priests the protection of their huscarls.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills:  Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Knowl-
  edge (Battle) d6, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, 
  Throwing d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 9 (2)
  Hindrances: Loyal (to chief only), Vow (Major; never 
  oppose the chief, protect chief’s life)
  Edges: Combat reflexes, Shieldwall
  Gear: Chain hauberk (+2), pot helm (+3), large shield 
  (+2 Parry), long sword or battle axe (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Size +1: Orcs are slightly larger than humans.
  standard bearer
  Not every tribe has a drummer or war marshal at its 
  disposal. When a chieftain needs to spur on his troops, 
  and doesn’t want to risk his own neck, he calls on a 
  standard bearer. Note that the standard bearer rarely has 
  any special powers—his leadership abilities are a result 
  of the banner he carries aloft. Typical standards involve 
  skulls, bones, and flayed skin.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, 
  Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10 (3)
  Gear: Plate corselet (+3), battle axe (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Raise the Standard: So long as the standard is raised, 
  all orcs within 5” are +1 to recover from being Shak-
  en, +1 to Fighting damage, and +1 Toughness. If the 
  standard falls, all benefits are immediately lost. The 
  standard typically has Toughness 8.
  * Size +1: Orcs are slightly larger than humans.
         War Marshal
  While orc chieftains are expected to lead from the 
  front, most lack strategic and tactical acumen. Instead, 
  their leadership style is one of threats and whipping 
  warriors into blood frenzy with promises of carnage and 
  booty. Such tactics are well-suited for raids on lightly-de-
  fended steads, but little use against a well-trained enemy 
  force.
  Some tribes make use of a war marshal, an orc warrior 
  possessed of above-average intelligence and a solid grasp 
  of military tactics. unlike chieftains, war marshals are not 
  frontline commanders—they are far too valuable to risk 
  in battle. Instead, they employ drummers and runners to 
  communicate tactical and strategic commands from the 
  safety of the rear lines.
  As an alternative to using the Edges below, a GM can 
  use the table for creating a general in Region Guide #5. 
  This is especially useful after the party has encountered 
  one war marshal, and it keeps them guessing as to the 
  orc’s abilities.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Knowledge 
  (Battle) d8, Notice d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 8 (2)
  Edges: Command, Cry Havoc, Level Headed, Tactician
  Gear: Chain hauberk (+2), medium shield (+1 Parry), 
  long sword (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  • Size +1: Orcs are slightly larger than humans.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #10
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Skalds’ repertoires are full of stories concerning Ertha’s Realm, also known as the Un-
  derearth and Erthaheim. Tales of a subterranean realm of vast caverns all interlinked by 
  countless miles of tunnels, warnings of a race of exiled elves who seek nothing more than 
  total domination of the surface world, and yarns involving great cities with populations in 
  the thousands, echo around inns and drinking halls the length and breadth of Rassilon. 
  This supplement explores the truth and opens up underground exploration beyond 
  the confines of the “dungeon.” As such, it is less a guide to specific locations than a survival 
  manual for players and GMs alike.
  dIspellIng the Myth
  Sadly, almost skalds’ tales relating to Ertha’s Realm all are fanciful, a mixture of half-
  truths and unchecked imagination. 
  Ertha’s Realm is not an interconnected continent-spanning domain. Every cave, whether 
  a single hollow or a mammoth sprawl stretching for dozens of miles, is part of Erthaheim. 
  A small few do connect to form large systems, but most often the tunnels between them 
  are inaccessible, being river courses or minute cracks. One can most definitely not walk 
  from the Icewall down to Sutmark without ever seeing sunlight.
  While talk of impressive cities and subterranean empires is commonplace, the truth 
  is less exciting. The Underearth is populated by many species, but few form large com-
  munities. Orcs and goblins dwell here, though neither is truly adapted for total darkness; 
  caves simply serve as convenient lairs and require little to no construction work. Bears 
  make their homes in caves as well, though they rarely travel far underground. Several spe-
  cies of giant spiders, cliff giants, bats (giant and regular), small lizards, giant centipedes, 
  gargoyles, and other such creatures also dwell in the darkness, but again their lairs are 
  scattered and rarely are such monsters found in the darkest depths.
  However, certain tales hold more than a grain of truth. Two species of fey, kobolds and 
  pechs, are adapted to live in total darkness, though they are most often found in mines. 
  Earth elementals rumble through the sunless realm, transported to the mortal world 
  through elemental loci. Fungals, crop raiders on the surface, tend caverns full of unusual 
  fungi. Shadow trolls, a species which abhor sunlight, are perhaps the most terrifying deni-
  zens, for they are well adapted to utter darkness and possess the regenerative powers of 
  their surface cousins.
  Stories of evil dark elves are rife, and, while there is some truth to the tales, the name 
  31211
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 1 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  ertha’s realM
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS GAME REFERENcES THE SAvAGE WORLdS GAME SySTEM, AvAILABLE FROM PINNAcLE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP AT WWW.PEGINc.cOM.   
  SAvAGE WORLdS & ALL ASSOcIATEd LOGOS & TRAdEMARkS ARE cOPyRIGHTS OF PINNAcLE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP. USEd WITH PERMISSION.  
  PINNAcLE MAkES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTy AS TO THE qUALITy, vIABILITy, OR SUITABILITy FOR PURPOSE OF THIS PROdUcT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  is based on a misunderstanding. In Auld Saxa, the world 
  “elf” was applied to any mysterious creature. døkkálfar 
  (“dark elves”) and svartálfar (“black elves”), two common 
  terms bandied around by subterranean explorers, refer 
  to the same creature, a type of dwarf. distantly related to 
  frost dwarves, these mean-spirited creatures live in rudi-
  mentary communities where metalworking in unknown. 
  They rarely venture to the surface, for sunlight is deadly 
  to them, and they certainly have no plans for global 
  conquest. yet knowing the truth does not make Ertha’s 
  Realm a boring place. It remains a wondrous place to 
  explore and takes “dungeon crawling” to a new level.
  atMosphere
  While a cave system shares many similarities with a 
  “dungeon,” such as passages equating to corridors and 
  caves equating to rooms, Ertha’s Realm is far less mun-
  dane than even the most wondrous dungeon. It is the 
  GM’s role to get this across to the players through his 
  descriptions of the subterranean expanse.
  The Underearth is a realm of utter darkness. Whereas 
  dungeon explorers might well be able to guess a room’s 
  dimensions upon entering, those delving into the depths 
  of the earth might be faced with a cavern hundreds of 
  yards across. Outside their feeble sphere of light the 
  darkness presses ominously, concealing the presence of 
  pitfalls, tunnels, and monsters. Should the light fail, the 
  darkness hits home like a hammer blow, instantly depriv-
  ing the heroes of their primary sense and disorientating 
  them.
  In some areas there is utter silence, making it easier 
  to detect approaching foes and harder to sneak up on 
  them. In others, waterfalls, turbulent rivers, or the steady 
  dripping of water from high above effectively mask 
  sounds, leaving the characters subject to ambush.
  Surface ruins are rarely that large. While the heroes 
  may grumble about walking a few hundred feet only to 
  encounter a dead end, those venturing into the earth 
  goddess’ domain may walk for miles, only to find the 
  passage ends suddenly.
  dozens of tunnels at different height levels may branch 
  off from a single chamber, making it almost impossible 
  to ensure no enemies are creeping up from behind. Try-
  ing to draw a map is painfully slow, for elevation plays a 
  crucial role, and while accurately pacing 20 yards down a 
  straight corridor is easy, plotting a passage that rises and 
  falls, twists and turns, is not so simple.
  While some caves are vast, much of the time the heroes 
  will be in claustrophobic corridors, forced to squeeze 
  through narrow gaps that seem intent on crushing the 
  explorer for his trespass. Armor, beloved of all adventur-
  ers, must frequently be removed in order to fit through a 
  narrow gap, depriving the character of his protection.
  Slick, glittering walls must be scaled or descended, 
  flooded sumps must be traversed, gaps over dizzying 
  falls crossed, narrow ledges over bottomless pits inched 
  around with backs pressed to the walls, forests of tow-
  ering fungus navigated without disturbing their spores, 
  slick floors force travelers to advance slowly, and deep, 
  dark, cold waters flood many passages, forcing those who 
  wish to advance deeper to swim into the unknown.
  Water is often plentiful, but it is not always potable. 
  Mineral salts and toxic chemicals taint much of the 
  water, and even boiling it cannot remove all the taint. 
  Near the surface one can find rats, bats, small lizards, 
  and edible fungi. deeper down, food becomes virtually 
  non-existent unless one happens to find a forest tended 
  by fungals. Similarly, there is no firewood for cooking 
  fires or branches to make torches. Heroes expecting to 
  have an extended stay below ground need to ensure they 
  are well equipped, or doom awaits.
  Why coMe here?
  * Orders. When the master calls the dog barks, as the 
  Saxa say. Heroes beholden to an organization or feudal 
  superior may be ordered to enter Ertha’s Realm. clerics 
  of Ertha need little persuasion, of course, and any excuse 
  to go spelunking appeals to them automatically. Freo’s 
  clergy are just as interested in travel beneath ground 
  ready to explore?
  As has already been said, exploring Ertha’s Realm is 
  not the same as exploring a dungeon or ruin. It is 
  an entirely different environment, complete with its 
  own dangers. Before you set foot beneath ground, 
  make sure you’re equipped to survive.
  Useful Skills: The caverns of Ertha’s Realm are not 
  worked “dungeons.” climbing and Swimming are 
  vital skills if one is going to overcome the many haz-
  ards and obstacles. Healing, Notice, and Survival 
  are also important.
  Useful Spells: The following spells are among the 
  more useful for surviving in Ertha’s Realm: boost/
  lower trait (Agility, vigor, climbing, and Swim-
  ming), bridge, environmental protection (water), 
  feast, fly, growth/shrink (mainly the latter), leap-
  ing, light, refuge, sanctuary, teleport, wall walker, 
  wandering senses, water walk, wilderness step.
  Useful Equipment: Most of the equipment listed 
  here is standard adventuring gear, but it’s worth 
  double checking your party is properly tooled up—
  there aren’t any shops in Erthaheim.
  As a minimum, the party needs the following gear: 
  backpack, climbing gear, crowbar, firewood, flint 
  and steel, flasks, grappling hook, hammer, lantern, 
  oil, pick, rations, rope (and plenty of it), waterproof 
  satchel or scroll case, waterskin, whale blubber.
  Recommended Viewing: Players and GMs should 
  really watch The Descent before venturing into the 
  unknown. Plot aside, it graphically portrays the nat-
  ural hazards of spelunking.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #11
  
  
  as above. clerics of Sigel may be sent underground to 
  cleanse a temple of Niht, while Scaetha’s worshippers 
  might be hunting down an undead lair.
  While the journey may not require a laborious de-
  scent into the center of the earth, any hero called to 
  hunt down marauding orcs, cliff giants, giant spiders, or 
  other beasts might find himself having to venture into a 
  gloomy cave system.
  * Adventure. Ertha’s Realm draws curious and adven-
  turous souls like a moth to a flame. The chance to be 
  the first to venture into a new cave system, to see sights 
  never viewed by human eyes, to find a path between two 
  separate cave systems, to travel deeper than anyone else, 
  is a lure by itself.
  rules oF the realM
  Exploring Ertha’s Realm properly requires some new 
  setting rules. These are intended to help simulate the 
  dangerous conditions involved in exploring the un-
  known regions and add a new dimension to game play 
  without stifling an adventure with complex rules.
  All of the rules in this section are completely optional, 
  included for GMs who want added detail. While using 
  just the core rules provides for an adequate adventure, it 
  also reduces subterranean exploration to the same level 
  as a standard “dungeon crawl,” robbing the players and 
  their characters of the opportunity to fully explore the 
  realm and overcome the varied dangers it presents.
  lIght & sound
  Aside from some areas lit by phosphorescent molds 
  and fungi, or by the flickering light of molten lava or 
  coldfire lava, once one descends beyond the cave mouth 
  or sink hole entrance Ertha’s Realm is a domain of total 
  darkness. Thus, explorers must bring their own light 
  sources with them.
  Although many mages and clerics shun the light 
  spell as a waste of time, beneath the earth it is one of 
  the most useful spells—it weighs nothing (unlike oil and 
  lanterns), and functions equally well underwater. If the 
  party spellcaster doesn’t know the power, the heroes 
  should invest in plentiful alchemical devices.
  darkness
  Once the lights go out, there is absolutely no visual 
  point of reference to help with navigation. Heroes can 
  become turned around without realizing it. Unless a 
  hero can touch a wall to guide him, all movement is in a 
  random direction, determined by rolling a d8. Roll once 
  for each movement action, not for each square. If some-
  one calls out, the character can make a Notice roll at –2 
  to head in the general direction of the caller.
  Heroes in complete darkness wishing to move faster 
  than half their Pace cannot feel ahead to see what lies 
  in front of them. While this might occasionally lead to 
  a bump or bruise, it may also lead one to plummet into 
  a deep hole. In areas of difficult ground, the hero treats 
  each 1” movement as 4” if he wishes to navigate care-
  fully.
  Any hero moving faster than half his Pace must make 
  an Agility roll. A –2 penalty applies if the terrain is dif-
  ficult ground. A –4 penalty occurs if he runs. These modi-
  fiers stack. Failure causes the hero to stumble, fall, or 
  slam into an obstacle or wall. Typically this leaves him 
  Shaken, though in areas of very rough ground, or if the 
  hero slides down a slope, he may suffer Bumps and 
  Bruises instead.
  detectIng lIght
  While light is necessary for subterranean exploration, 
  it also reveals an explorer’s presence to the denizens of 
  the underworld.
  A light source can be detected at a distance equal to 20 
  times its illumination radius if the surrounding darkness 
  neW proFessIonal edge
     dungeon craWler
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+, climbing d6+, 
  Stealth d6+, Survival d6+
  The adventurer has spent a great deal of time ex-
  ploring beneath the earth and has learned many 
  tricks to ensure he comes out alive.
  The hero treats his Size as being one lower with 
  regard to tight squeezes (see page 5). He also gains 
  +1 to climbing, Stealth, and Survival rolls when in 
  an underground environment, be it natural caves or 
  an artificial construction.
     neW equIpMent
  Air Bladder: An airtight sack crafted from leather or 
  an animal’s bladder, inflated as needed by blowing 
  into it. Inflating an air bladder takes one minute. An 
  inflated air bladder grants +2 to Swimming rolls to 
  remain afloat. cost: 10 gs; Weight: 2 lb.
  Chalk: A lump of chalk, handy for marking walls to 
  record one’s passage. Good for hundreds of uses. 
  cost: 1 gs, Weight: 0.5 lb.
  Iron Spike: A 9” long iron spike with a flat end for 
  ease of hammering. cost: 5 ss; Weight: 0.5 lbs.
  Hollow Reed: A slender straw. Allows a hero to 
  breathe while submerged, with only the straw pro-
  truding from the water. cost: 1 ss; Weight: n/a.
  Lard: Rendered animal fat, provides +1 to vigor 
  rolls to resist cold, but only for 2 hours. It is as effec-
  tive as whale blubber for helping squeeze through 
  narrow gaps. cost: 12 gs; Weight: 1 lb.
  ertha’s realM
  
  
  is pitch black. A torch, which has a 4” radius, can be seen 
  80” (160 yards) away, for instance. In dark conditions, 
  reduce this to 10 times the radius, and in dim lighting 
  down to 5 times the radius.
  This assumes a relatively straight line between light 
  and viewer. Twisting corridors and obstacles, such as 
  stalagmites, reduce these distances.
  noIse
  Ertha’s Realm can be a domain of total, oppressive 
  silence or a cacophony, depending on the nature of the 
  cave. Modifiers to Notice rolls based on the ambient 
  noise are detailed below.
  Mod 
  Ambient Noise
  +2 
  cave is utterly silent (i.e. no water)
  –2 
  drips of water or fast flowing water
  –4 
  Waterfall or rapids
  MoveMent, general
  “dungeons” typically have paved, or at least level, 
  floors. Flat surfaces are extremely rare in the Underearth 
  and more often than not one is climbing rather than 
  actually walking. combined with narrow fissures, the in-
  ability to see far ahead, dead ends, labyrinthine tunnels, 
  tight squeezes, sumps, climbs, and crossings, adventur-
  ers are lucky to move more than one-half mile per hour 
  in most caves. In many instances, a movement rate of just 
  a few hundred yards per hour is more realistic.
  Many combat encounters should feature large areas 
  of difficult ground (such as rubble or water), as well as 
  obstacles such as boulders and stalagmites that break up 
  the map, provide cover, and block line of sight.
  dIFFIcult ground
  Below are some examples of difficult ground heroes 
  may encounter underground.
  Slick Floor: Water, mud, mold, fungus, or small loose 
  stones may cause the floor to be slick. Any hero who runs 
  and rolls a 1 on his running die slips and falls prone at 
  the start of his run.
  Steep Slopes: Steep slopes are typically between 30 
  and 45 degrees. The slope is difficult ground. Anyone 
  running downhill must make an Agility roll at the end of 
  their movement.
  With failure, they move an additional 1d2” after their 
  intended movement. On a roll of 1, regardless of Wild 
  die, they slip and fall prone after the additional move-
  ment. Steeper slopes must be climbed.
  Water: knee deep water is difficult ground. Waist 
  deep water is difficult ground and prevents running 
  by any hero. chest to neck deep water can be waded 
  through at just 2” per round. deeper water requires a 
  hero to swim.
  suMps
  The Underearth is not a fun place for those suffering 
  hydrophobia or who cannot swim, for water is a com-
  mon though not altogether ubiquitous feature. A sump 
  is a passage flooded as high as the roof. The only safe way 
  through a sump is to swim (though brave spellcasters 
  can try to teleport into the unknown).
  Swimming rolls are only required if the water is fast 
  flowing. However, with no chance to surface for air, 
  Swimming Pace is far more important. The lead hero, 
  the trailblazer diving into the unknown, is taking a huge 
  risk every time he enters a sump, for he has absolutely 
  no idea when it might end and thus when his lungs may 
  next savor fresh air.
  Normally a hero can hold his breath for vigor die x 
  5 seconds. However, because each round represents six 
  seconds, we recommend you use the simpler equation 
  of vigor die number of rounds. Thus, a typical fit hero 
  with vigor d8 has 8 rounds of air in his lungs.
  rope use
  One of the most important pieces of equipment a 
  spelunker needs is rope, lots of rope. (climbing gear is 
  also important.)
  Knots: Tying a basic knot requires two hands and 
  takes an action. Untying a knot requires only one hand 
  but takes a complete round, during which the hero may 
  only take free actions. It can be achieved quicker, but 
  this requires an Agility roll. Failure means the action is 
  wasted and knot remains tied. Average quality rope has 
  Toughness 4 should the hero decide to cut the rope.
  Abseiling: Also known as rappeling, abseiling is a 
  means of descending a sheer surface by using a fixed 
  rope. The hero abseiling winds the rope around his body 
  and uses friction to control his descent. Without safety 
  harnesses, abseiling is a risky venture.
  Abseiling requires a climbing roll at +2. Penalties may 
  apply but strong winds, but the surface being descended 
  has little effect. Success means the hero safely descends a 
  number of game inches equal to his Strength die. Failure 
  means the hero failed to move for some reason, but he 
  does not fall. A critical failure means the spelunker has 
  lost his grip and fallen.
  Grappling Hooks: Throwing a grappling hook re-
  quires a Throwing roll and has a Range of 3/6/12. If the 
  thrower spends an entire round swinging the hook first, 
  taking no other actions except free ones, he increases 
  the range brackets by half his Strength die.
  Walls or ledges with scant handholds give a –1 or –2 
  penalty, depending on the scarcity. If the roll fails be-
  cause of the modifier, the grappling hook bites, but it 
  is not completely secure, though tugging on it does not 
  reveal any problem. For this reason, the application of 
  modifiers should be kept secret from the players.
  Each time a character using the attached rope rolls a 
  1 on his climbing roll, regardless of Wild die, the GM 
  should roll a d6. On a roll of 1 the hook comes loose, 
  hellFrost regIon guIde #11
  
  
  causing the hero to fall unless he makes a climbing roll 
  at –2. Modifiers for scarce handholds and wet surfaces 
  apply normally.
  Belaying: Heroes can reduce the distance a roped 
  climber falls by using belays. The first climber, who must 
  have a roped tied around him, moves ahead. When he 
  reaches a set distance, he hammers home a spike and 
  knots the rope to it. Should he fall, he falls only the 
  length of the rope to the last belay. The GM should roll a 
  d10 for the belay. On a roll of 1 it fails, and the hero falls 
  further until the next belay takes up the strain. Repeat 
  until the hero hits the ground or a belay holds.
  Rather than using a spike, a character behind the 
  climber can act as a belay by bracing himself to take the 
  weight should his comrade fall. If the hero ahead of him 
  falls, he must make a Strength roll to take up the strain 
  or fall as well.
  Rope Bridges: crossing a rope bridge counts as dif-
  ficult ground. GMs who require more details on this and 
  other hazards should check out Perilous Places, available 
  from the Triple Ace Games website.
  teMperature
  Air: While the air temperature underground does 
  fluctuate, and actually increases as one descends deeper, 
  most of Ertha’s Realm the heroes are likely to explore 
  remains around 40-50 degrees F regardless of season, 
  making it equivalent to a Hearthland spring. Adventurers 
  thus require no special cold weather clothing.
  Water: Many rivers, streams, pools, and lakes exist 
  below the ground. Never warmed by sunlight, they are 
  bitterly cold. The rules for immersion apply to all under-
  world water sources.
  tIght squeezes
  Not every location the heroes may explore has neatly 
  worked passageways a uniform two yards wide. Within 
  the unlit bowels of the subterranean world there are 
  passageways too narrow or low (or both) to allow unhin-
  dered passage. For convenience, such places are simply 
  called “squeezes.” A squeeze represents any difficult 
  area, whether that is a single choke point just a few feet 
  deep or a long, winding tunnel.
  MoveMent
  All squeezes have a rating. This may be negative or 
  positive. The lower the number, the tighter or more 
  awkward the squeeze. Squeeze ratings are not directly 
  comparable to Size—they are merely an indication of 
  difficulty. Thus, even an adult human may try to wiggle 
  through a squeeze with a –4 rating.
  If the squeeze rating is greater than or equal to the 
  character’s Size, he can maneuver with no problem. For 
  these purposes, a typical human adult is Size +0. Engro 
  and characters with the Small Hindrance rate as Size –1. 
  Obese heroes and adventurers who opted for the Brawny 
  Edge with a muscular build are considered Size +1. If 
  the squeeze has a rating lower than the hero’s Size the 
  character must make an Agility roll as a free action each 
  round he wishes to move through the passageway. This 
  is modified as shown below.
  If the squeeze rating is five points or more lower than 
  a creature’s Size, that creature cannot maneuver through 
  the squeeze without special circumstances. For instance, 
  a giant snake (Size +4) could not move through a –2 
  squeeze by these rules. However, even a giant snake is 
  clerIcs oF ertha
  This entry is an expansion for the cult of Ertha, pro-
  viding facts useful to both players and GMs.
  Training: clerics receive classroom and field in-
  struction in how to identify minerals, ores, and 
  gems, how to spot weaknesses and impurities, and 
  how to purify, forge, and form them into useful 
  goods. Practical tests of spelunking are required, 
  for clerics must be as comfortable walking the Un-
  derearth as they are the surface world. Paladins are 
  taken on raids against subterranean foes in order 
  to learn the nuances of fighting in enclosed spaces 
  and on uneven ground.
  A novitiate’s final test involves a solo subterranean 
  journey between two interconnecting caves. dur-
  ing this time they are expected to use all their skills 
  to survive the rigors, and sleep at night without the 
  comfort of light. Upon reaching the far end, they 
  are questioned about what they have seen. Alone 
  in the dark, novitiates often have strange dreams. 
  Senior clerics perform divinations to determine the 
  novitiate’s suitability to join the cult.
  Prayers: Ertha prefers prayers to be spoken rhyth-
  mically, with every odd-numbered word stressed 
  and every even word spoken more softy, like the fall 
  of a smith’s hammer on metal. “Earth mother, dark 
  mother, hear my prayer…” Exclamations are short, 
  with “Ertha’s hammer!” being a popular one.
  Adventures: clerics are called upon to fight gob-
  lins, orcs, and trolls in their shadowy lairs, and to 
  explore new cave systems. They may be asked to 
  safeguard wagon loads of precious ore or gems, or 
  uncover new mineral veins. Within a decade of join-
  ing the cult, every cleric must spend at least one 
  season aiding the dwarves of karad Marn without 
  payment.
  Character Guidelines: Operating a smithy or jew-
  elers isn’t a very heroic endeavor, so adventuring 
  clerics are advised to focus on subterranean explo-
  ration and combat (though a few dice in a suitable 
  craft skill can be used to make money). climbing, 
  Stealth, Survival, and Swimming are all useful for 
  exploring the cavernous depths. Fighting and com-
  bat Edges are always required to some degree, for 
  there are many subterranean horrors.
  ertha’s realM
  
  
  quite thin. As a rule of thumb, treat such creatures as 
  being four Sizes lower for these purposes.
  Within a squeeze, only heroes completely unaffected 
  by the terrain may move through an allied character’s 
  space. Even then, occupied squares count as difficult 
  ground. However, two characters cannot share the same 
  space at the end of movement.
  Mod Reason
  –X 
  difference between squeeze rating and Size*
  –X 
  Encumbrance penalty
  +1 
  Greasing with pot of whale blubber
  +1 
  Frost dwarf
  +2 
  Acrobat Edge
  +2 
  disciple of Ertha or Freo Edge
  +2 
  Full round action**
  * A Size +1 hero maneuvering through a–3 squeeze 
  suffers a –4 penalty, for instance.
  ** The hero takes no actions other than trying to 
  move through the squeeze.
  results
  Critical Failure: The hero is stuck fast. On subse-
  quent rounds, he must make an Agility roll modified as 
  above as an action. Success means the character is free 
  but does not move this round. On a raise, he also moves 
  1”. One hero directly behind or in front of the stuck char-
  acter may assist with a cooperative roll using Strength to 
  pull his comrade free. In addition, a stuck hero who tries 
  to escape his predicament who rolls a 1 on his Agility 
  die, regardless of Wild die, suffers a level of Fatigue from 
  Bumps and Bruises.
  Failure: Hero is temporarily stuck and cannot not 
  move this round.
  Success: The hero moves up to half his Pace this 
  round but cannot run.
  Raise: The hero can move his full Pace but can’t run.
  Example: Ulfgar the Fat (Size +1) is exploring Ertha-
  heim when the tunnel suddenly narrows. The squeeze 
  is rated at –1. Ulfgar must make an Agility roll with a 
  base penalty of –2, the difference between his Size and 
  the rating. The explorer is travelling light (no Encum-
  brance penalty). Being prepared, he daubs himself with 
  whale blubber (+1). Since he is in no rush, he takes a 
  full round action to fit his corpulent form through the 
  squeeze (+2). Ulfgar’s final modifier is +1. He rolls a 
  success and moves up to half his Pace. If the squeeze had 
  been rated at –4 or lower, Ulfgar could not maneuver 
  through it.
  coMbat
  Fighting in a tight squeeze is not easy. cramped con-
  ditions limit a hero’s ability to swing a weapon, dodge or 
  parry blows, and wield a shield effectively. compare the 
  squeeze rating to the hero’s Size as shown below.
  Squeeze vs. Size Shields 
  Attack/Parry*
  1 point lower 
  Small/Medium 
  –1
  2 points lower 
  Small 
  –2
  3 points lower 
  None 
  –4
  4 points lower 
  None 
  None**
  * Parry cannot drop below 2. Spellcasting that re-
  quires gestures or movement is similarly affected.
  FestIval to ertha
     FeedIng day
  Second Marketdaeg of Huntianmonan.
  All followers of Eostre are expected to return metal 
  and gems to the earth on this day, with clerics do-
  nating a larger amount. Whereas Eostre’s crops are 
  fruit, vegetables, and cereals, in Ertha’s fields grow 
  metal and mineral ores and gemstones. In order to 
  ensure the crops grow next year, a portion must be 
  returned to the earth.
  Throughout the day, worshippers make their way to 
  temples or deep holes in the earth to toss is their 
  offerings. Any hole is acceptable so long as no one 
  knows the location of the bottom. Placing an of-
  fering in a well or other body of water is a grave 
  offense, for these offerings go to Neorthe, not Er-
  tha. Just to make sure no one can use the hoard, 
  coins are cut in half or bent, swords and weapons 
  snapped in twain, mineral ore tainted with other 
  ores that while not harmful or offensive to Ertha 
  make refining them more effort than it is worth, and 
  gems smashed or cut so as to be useless in jewelry.
     FoundIng day
  Varies, but only honored by frost dwarves.
  Frost dwarves mark the day their city was found-
  ed with celebration and feasting. The ruling noble 
  renews his vows of loyalty to the currently vacant 
  throne of the dwarven king and to his people. Ac-
  companied by his huscarls, he then travels the city 
  to the many market halls. Here, he gives every dwarf 
  a token coin according to his social status—gold for 
  nobles, iron for warriors, copper for workers, silver 
  for merchants, and so on. These coins are then sac-
  rificed to Ertha. The ruler must also sacrifice one 
  percent of the city’s wealth in coins, jewelry, weap-
  ons, armor, or metal ore to Ertha.
  On the Founding day of karad dahn, karad khan, 
  and karad Noshrek, dwarves across Rassilon wail 
  and lament for the loss of these great cities and the 
  countless dwarves who inhabited them. In karad 
  Marn, the warriors swear oaths to Ertha and Tiw 
  that they will liberate their city or die trying. Some 
  dwarves shave their beards on this day as a mark of 
  shame their city remains in orc hands, vowing to 
  suffer the ignominy of being beardless until the city 
  is full reclaimed.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #11
  
  
  ** No attacks may be made by the hero. Parry is 
  treated as being 2.
  Example: Ulfgar is halfway down the tunnel when 
  he is attacked by a goblin. Being Size –1, the goblin 
  is unhindered by the narrow passage. The difference 
  between the squeeze rating (–1) and Ulfgar’s Size (+1) 
  is two. Ulfgar can only use a small shield, his Parry is 
  lowered by two, and any attacks he makes are made at 
  –2. Normally the goblin would be no threat, but in the 
  squeeze it has become a deadly foe.
  gods & Monsters
  This section details one minor god, the goddess of 
  underground exploration, the god of the fungals, and a 
  number of dark denizens of the underworld realm.
  Foldardróttann
  Titles: The Explorer, Walker in the Hidden Realm.
  Aspects: Underground exploration.
  Affiliations: Ertha, Freo.
  Symbol: A compass.
  Priesthood: Guides (priests); Explorers (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: The first day of each deorcmonan phase.
  Duties: To explore and map the subterranean realm.
  Sins: (Minor) getting lost underground, not explor-
  ing a newly discovered cave system, failure to leave a gift 
  when entering a cave system; (Major) sleeping outdoors 
  when there is a cave or dwelling nearby; (Mortal) will-
  fully despoiling a cavern or other underground feature.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (Agility, Strength, 
  vigor, climbing, Survival, and Swimming only).
  Powers: Altered senses, elemental manipulation 
  (earth only), feast (basic fare only), growth/shrink, leap-
  ing, light, wall walker.
  Trappings: darkness, earth, or metal.
  Special: clerics must speak Earthtongue. Although 
  two of the sins are the same as Ertha’s, there is no in-
  creased penalty for committing them.
  Foldardróttann is the daughter of Ertha and Freo. 
  Mythology tells that Freo, having wandered the mortal 
  world and seen the sights, grew curious about what 
  lay beneath the world. Suitably equipped, he set off to 
  explore the subterranean realm. On his journey he en-
  countered Ertha in her dark, dank lair, the first god to do 
  so since Rassilon was created. The two had a brief liaison 
  and Ertha gave birth to a daughter. Foldardróttann’s love 
  of the earth and subterranean realms is coupled with her 
  father’s wanderlust, and she has made it her personal 
  goal to map the entirety of Ertha’s realm.
  Foldardróttann is a grubby-faced girl wearing a metal 
  cap. Attached to the cap is a magical candle which can 
  never be extinguished. Sometimes she is shown carrying 
  a length of rope, the most vital piece of equipment for 
  any spelunker.
  Shrines to Foldardróttann are found only outside 
  cave systems but are always hidden in a crevice or buried 
  in a shallow pit. Signs in Earthtongue point the way to 
  the cache. Explorers seeking her blessing leave behind a 
  small gift, typically something other explorers will find 
  useful in their subterranean travels, such as a bundle of 
  candles, a tinderbox, a coil of rope, or a few meals worth 
  of rations. Other explorers are welcome to scavenge 
  through the pile in the hope of locating something they 
  are missing, but for every item taken a suitable donation 
  must be made.
  clerics coming out of a cave often leave behind a map 
  of areas they have explored, to help colleagues avoid 
  wasting time remapping the same area. These are writ-
  ten in Earthtongue to prevent creatures such as goblins 
  and orcs reading them.
  Priests serve as guides to those wishing to explore 
  the Underearth. Typically they stick to mapped areas, for 
  they are not as adventurous as paladins. Miners make 
  frequent use of them to help in finding mineral veins. 
  They also go over explored areas, adding detail to maps 
  and correcting inaccuracies. Paladins are often more 
  curious and adventurous, and are drawn to unknown 
  subterranean areas like moths to flames. They map out 
  areas never trodden by mortals, drive back trolls and 
  other dangers, and encounter races which have never 
  walked the surface world.
  Each year on the first day of Eostremonan, the clergy 
  gather at the closest temple to Ertha to celebrate First 
  Foot day. This marks the first day Foldardróttann set off 
  FestIval to ertha
     ground shaker day
  Third Milcdaeg of Haerfestmonan.
  When Ertha assumed control of the earth she dis-
  covered her cave was rather small for her tastes. 
  Armed with a pick, she began to expand her home. 
  Each time the pick struck, the world trembled. Wor-
  shippers believe earthquakes are signs the goddess 
  is once more increasing her living space. cultists of 
  Foldardróttann believe earthquakes are their god-
  dess clearing underground obstructions so she can 
  continue her exploration. during the ceremony, 
  worshippers bang drums to simulate the noise of 
  earth tremors and sway from side to side as if the 
  earth was moving. cultists take up shovels and 
  picks and start digging, helping their goddess move 
  the rock and earth. The numerous pits are left to 
  fill in naturally, making them something of a hazard 
  until everyone learns their locations. In cities and 
  towns, municipal workers needing to dig founda-
  tions or trenches prefer to start work on this day, 
  for they believe Ertha will make their task easier by 
  doing some of the work for them.
  ertha’s realM
  
  
  on her travels and is regarded as the beginning of the 
  exploring season. clerics trade maps, discuss past and 
  future expeditions, warn each other of hazards, and pur-
  chase new supplies.
  clerics are expected to leave copies of their maps 
  at every Ertha temple they visit. These are slowly being 
  collated into a single, comprehensive map of the Under-
  earth. It is a thankless task, for each year more and more 
  areas are explored and mapped, and the tangled web of 
  caves and tunnels grows ever more complex.
  Character Guidelines: Although Foldardróttann 
  provides only a few basic spells, she is the closest thing 
  to being a patron deity of adventurers. clerics should 
  invest in climbing, Notice, Survival, and Swimming, for 
  the natural dangers of the Underearth are many. Agility is 
  handy for squeezing through narrow gaps, Spirit useful 
  to stave off feelings of frustration or despondency when 
  dead end after dead end is encountered, and vigor to 
  survive the general rigors of travel.
  xeloMycota
  Titles: The Primordial One, the Oozing One, the 
  Spore Lord.
  Aspects: Fungus, growth, sustenance, protection, 
  knowledge, fungals.
  Symbol: None. Fungals impart images of their deity 
  through spores, not art.
  Priesthood: Fungals are a relatively peaceful race and 
  have no paladins. Priests may take both the champion 
  and Holy Warrior Edges, though they rarely bother.
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: First and last days of Haerfestmonan are 
  high holy days, and any deorcmonan during this period 
  a holy day.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait.
  Powers: Altered senses, arcane resistance, armor, 
  barrier, bless/panic, confusion, deflection, fatigue, fear, 
  healing, heat mask, obscure, sluggish reflexes, slumber, 
  stun, voice on the wind (can only be used on fungals).
  Trappings: Most trappings are spores. Barrier is usu-
  ally a wall of fungus.
  Disciple Edge: disciples can release spores five times 
  a day.
  Xelomycota is without doubt the most alien of the 
  inhuman gods. Fungal mythology states that the de-
  ity is gigantic ball of pulsating fungus, from which the 
  fungals emerged fully sentient. They believe he has a 
  physical form, which resides in some forgotten cavern 
  of monstrous proportions in the deepest bowels of the 
  earth. Sages and clerics of the civilized races are unsure 
  whether this is a unique deity or a primordial aspect of 
  Ertha, Eostre, or vali forgotten by the other races.
  To the fungals, Xelomycota is provider and protec-
  tor. He imparted unto them knowledge of how to brew 
  herbal remedies and create alchemical devices using 
  fungus, how to tend the crops of the Underearth, how to 
  communicate, and how to avoid foes.
  No one has yet deduced Xelomycota’s goal. It is true 
  that fungals are notorious crop raiders, but no one has 
  ever witnessed what the fungals do with their plunder. 
  Scholars currently believe the goods are offered to their 
  god, though why a god of fungus would require carrots 
  and beans has yet to be debated to any satisfactory con-
  clusion.
  In truth, the fungals do not sacrifice crops to their 
  god—they don’t even eat them themselves. The fungals 
  are not a slave race, but they are subservient to the an-
  cient and powerful race known as moðsognar and the 
  lesser døkkálfar as gardeners and food providers. When 
  they cannot grow enough food in their subterranean 
  lairs, or if too much is destroyed or devoured by under-
  ground menaces, they must harvest it from the surface 
  world to meet their quotas. Although many farmers hate 
  them and more than a few fear them, fungals are more 
  a nuisance than a serious threat, and only rarely do they 
  resort to violence.
  Temples are caves covered in colorful forms of fun-
  gus. The spores from these growths produce calm feel-
  ings in fungals and unconsciousness in most other races. 
  These induce the necessary state of mind to worship 
  Xelomycota, while simultaneously protecting the temple 
  against defilers. By and large, fungals ignore intruders 
  in their earthy realms unless the strangers harm their 
  crops or become aggressive. Alarm spores are released, 
  which summon the fungals to deal with the threat. While 
  largely peaceful above ground, they can be tenacious 
  fighters when protecting their homes.
  FestIval to ertha
      house buIldIng day
  Raestdaeg of Werremonan.
  When they first wandered the earth, humans had 
  no homes and slept under the stars. Ertha showed 
  them caves, in which they lived happily for count-
  less generations. Eventually tiring of their cold and 
  drafty homes, they beseeched Ertha to provide 
  new accommodation. In her infinite wisdom, Ertha 
  taught men how to build homes. The elves, though 
  a religious people, are more pragmatic, for they 
  hold Ertha in little regard. In their ancient tales, the 
  ritual is a remembrance of when they stopped be-
  ing nomadic hunter-gatherers and began to build 
  villages. This is the traditional time to make repairs 
  on one’s home and start construction of a new 
  house. clerics and worshippers travel to the near-
  est settlement to help out as laborers, accepting no 
  payment except a meal and plenty to drink when 
  the work is done. In some areas the clergy work to-
  gether to build a new house, which they then gift to 
  a member of the community. common belief is that 
  any home built by the clergy on this day will always 
  be a happy home.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #11
  
  
  Fungals have no discernible cultural differences, even 
  among communities separated by thousands of miles. 
  Priests are the de facto leaders, arranging rosters, ensur-
  ing each fungal meets his quota, and leading worship. 
  Fungal society is very orderly and highly structured, each 
  individual knowing his place in the great cycle of food 
  production.
  Fungals can speak, favoring a corrupted form of Ar-
  boreal, but they rarely do so among themselves. Instead, 
  communication is handled through spores, which impart 
  basic information such as “come here,” “Pick that mush-
  room,” and “Run away!” Because of this, ceremonies are 
  largely quite affairs, with rows of fungals praying and 
  bowing in time to spore messages.
  døkkálFar
  It is a fact that languages evolve. Auld Saxa, for in-
  stance, has many archaic words no longer in use, while 
  modern Saxa is infested with Anari loan words (as well as 
  those of other races). One such word which has changed 
  meaning is “álfar,” or elves (sing. alf). In Auld Saxa, the 
  word meant “mysterious being” and was applied liber-
  ally to all manner of creatures.
  Shortly after the Blizzard War, when the frost dwarves 
  first made an appearance in and around the Hearth-
  lands, they were known as “hrimálfar,” or “frost elves.” 
  The dwarves soon set the record straight, for in their lan-
  guage they were the dvergar (sing. dvergr), from where 
  the words dwarf and dwarves originate. In modern Saxa, 
  álfar generally refers solely to hearth and taiga elves. 
  However, the word Auld Saxa meaning of álfar is still 
  used today to describe a species who appear superficially 
  similar to frost dwarves.
  døkkálfar (“dark elves”) and svartálfar (“black elves”) 
  are both Saxa words relating to a species of subterranean 
  creatures that appear distantly related to frost dwarves. 
  The “dark” and “black” refer not to their skin, which is 
  generally no different to that of a human inhabitant of 
  Rassilon, but to their hair and eyes, which are always 
  black. Some legends say the whole race is ugly and mis-
  shapen, but this has never been conclusively proven.
  Whereas frost dwarves are generally benevolent, døk-
  kálfar are cruel and spiteful, and delight in causing pain 
  and misery. They live deep underground, for sunlight is 
  deadly to them, in an area of the Underearth refered to 
  by skalds as Niðavellir (“The dark Fields”). No peaceful 
  contact between them and any civilized race has been 
  recorded, though that is not to say they attack strangers 
  on sight—in most cases, they simply watch those who 
  enter their domains from afar, making their presence felt 
  only when they feel threatened.
  døkkálfar have no knowledge of metalworking. 
  Instead, they use leather armor and sharpened stone 
  weapons. The stone they use is as hard and durable as 
  metal, and has defied study by even arkhwisards of earth 
  and clerics of Ertha. If frost dwarves know the secret, 
  they are not keen to share it with other races,
  døkkálfar worship Ertha and Niht primarily. They are 
  skilled practitioners of rune magic, but have either been 
  incapable of learning other forms of magic or practice it 
  in such low numbers that no other mages have yet been 
  detected.
  Frost dwarves are uncomfortable discussing the døk-
  kálfar, but openly reject any insinuation they share com-
  mon stock. They remind humans that orcs are superfi-
  cially to their species, thus implying that the dark elves 
  share the same relationship with frost dwarves. That 
  said, the døkkálfar language is close enough to dwarven 
  that it can be understood by someone who speaks the 
  frost dwarves’ tongue.
  typIcal WarrIor
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation 
  d6, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Survival d6, Throwing d8, 
  Swimming d8
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 5; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: Loyal, Mean, Slow
  Edges: combat Reflexes, Frenzy, Sweep, Tough
  Gear: Leather shirt (+1), stone battle axe (Str+d8), me-
  FestIval to ertha
     hard clay day
  Any day a new forge construction is finished.
  It is a rare smith who does not pay the clergy of 
  Ertha to bless a newly constructed forge. Note that 
  weaponsmiths invite clerics of Hagvirkr (a minor 
  god) to participate in the ritual as well. Once the 
  structure is sound and the forge installed, a cleric of 
  Ertha oversees the final step—laying the floor.
  Traditionally, the floor is a mixture of heavy clay, 
  gravel, lime, and bull’s blood. The bull, which the 
  smith must purchase, is blessed and then ritually 
  slaughtered in a cave, its blood collected in a re-
  ceptacle. The materials are then mixed in a large 
  trough by trampling them together. Once the mate-
  rial reaches the right consistency, it is laid on the 
  forge floor.
  The final step involves packing the clay mixture. 
  Rather than using tools, this is achieved by danc-
  ing. The attending cleric, the smith, and any others 
  who wish to honor Ertha don heavy boots or clogs 
  and dance to the beat of a lone drum. Given the 
  clay must be packed hard, the dance can last for 
  many hours. Once the cleric is happy the surface is 
  finished, he performs a final blessing by engraving 
  Ertha’s holy symbol on to the forge. If Hagvirkr is 
  also to be honored, his symbol is added beneath or 
  to the right of Ertha’s glyph.
  ertha’s realM
  
  
  dium shield (+1 Parry), two stone throwing axes (Range: 
  3/6/12, damage: Str+d6)
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Darkvision: døkkálfar ignore all darkness penalties.
  * Tunnel Fighter: A døkkálf has +2 to acrobatic Tricks, 
  as well as +1 Parry. Foes must subtract 1 when attack-
  ing them with ranged weapons. These bonuses apply 
  only when underground.
  * Weakness (Sunlight): døkkálfar must make a vigor 
  roll each hour they are in sunlight or suffer an auto-
  matic wound as their bodies begin to calcify.
  typIcal rune Mage
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Armor-Rune d8, climbing d8, curse-Rune d8, 
  Earth-Rune d10, Fighting d8, Guts d8, knowledge (Ar-
  cana) d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Survival 
  d6, Swimming d8
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 5; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: Loyal, Mean, Slow
  Edges: Arcane Background (Rune Magic), Focus, Im-
  proved concentration, Tough
  Runes: Armor-rune, curse-rune, earth-rune
  Gear: Leather shirt (+1), medium shield (+1 Parry), 
  stone battle axe (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Darkvision: døkkálfar ignore all darkness penalties.
  * Tunnel Fighter: A døkkálf has +2 to acrobatic Tricks, 
  as well as +1 Parry. Foes must subtract 1 when attack-
  ing them with ranged weapons. These bonuses apply 
  only when underground.
  * Weakness (Sunlight): døkkálfar must make a vigor 
  roll each hour they are in sunlight or suffer an auto-
  matic wound as their bodies begin to calcify.
  eleMental, earth
  earth eleMental avalanche
  Avalanches are similar to regular earth elementals, 
  except their body is comprised of small pebbles and 
  gravel. When they move, the air is rent with the sounds 
  of crunching, sliding gravel.
  Can be summoned by: earth elementalists, heah-
  wisards, rune mages, clerics of Ertha and Maera.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength 
  d12+1, vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d4, Shooting d8
  Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 11 (4)
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +4: Rocky hide.
  * Bash: Str+d6.
  * Elemental: No additional damage from called Shots; 
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison.
  * Pebble Dash: As an action an earth elemental ava-
  lanche can release a spray of pebbles and gravel in 
  a cone Template. Every target within this cone may 
  make an Agility roll against the creature’s Shooting 
  roll avoid the attack. Those who fail suffer 2d8 dam-
  age.
  * Scree: All squares adjacent to an earth elemental av-
  alanche are filled with loose, shifting stones. These 
  count as difficult ground.
  earth eleMental quaker
  Earth elemental quakers are, aside from their vastly 
  oversized fists, identical to regular earth elementals.
  Can be summoned by: earth elementalists, heah-
  wisards, rune mages, clerics of Ertha and Maera.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength 
  d12+3, vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d4
  Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 11 (4)
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +4: Rocky hide.
  * Bash: Str+d8. quakers treat their Size as +4 for the 
  purposes of generating knockback.
  * Elemental: No additional damage from called Shots; 
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison.
  * Earth Shock: As an action, an earth elemental quaker 
  can thump the ground and make a Strength roll. This 
  produces an earth tremor that works as the knock-
  down spell, using elemental’s Strength in place of an 
  arcane skill. As this is not an actual spell, it cannot be 
  dispelled or negated.
  * Quake: An earth elemental quaker that takes no other 
  actions in a round, including movement, can gener-
  ate a quake, as per the spell. As this is not an actual 
  spell, it cannot be dispelled or negated.
  earth eleMental Wall
  Earth elemental walls resemble a living section of 
  stone wall. Ponderous in their movements and clumsy 
  with their fists, they are summoned most often to pro-
  vide mobile cover.
  Can be summoned by: earth elementalists, heah-
  wisards, rune mages, clerics of Ertha and Maera.
  Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d12, vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d4
  Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 14 (4)
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +4: Rocky hide.
  * Bash: Str+d6.
  * Elemental: No additional damage from called Shots; 
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison.
  * Immunity: Earth elemental walls are immune to 
  knockback and are +4 to resist attempts to knock 
  hellFrost regIon guIde #11
  10
  
  them over (such as knockdown spells).
  * Size +3: Walls are 3” wide, 2” high, and 1” deep.
  Fungal
         spore prIest
  Fungal spore priests worship a strange deity known 
  as Xelomycota. Fungal mythology states that the deity is 
  gigantic ball of pulsating fungus, from which the fungals 
  emerged fully sentient. They believe he has a physical 
  form, which resides in some forgotten cavern of mon-
  strous proportions in the deepest bowels of the earth. 
  Sages and clerics of the civilized races are unsure wheth-
  er this is a unique lesser deity or a primordial aspect of 
  Ertha, Eostre, or vali.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Faith d8, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d6, Stealth 
  d8
  Pace: 5; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
  Gear: Sickle-staff (Str+d6, Reach 1, 2-hands)
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Plant: +2 to recover from being Shaken. called Shots 
  do no extra damage. Immune to piercing attacks. No 
  wound penalties.
  * Powers: Barrier (wall of fungus), boost/lower trait 
  (unique spores), disease (fungal infection), entan-
  gle (sticky strands of fungus), fatigue (spores), stun 
  (spore cloud).
  * Size +1: Spore priests average 8’ tall.
  * Spores: Three times a day fungal priests can release 
  a cloud of spores. These potent spores fill a Medium 
  Burst Template centered on the fungal. Only fungals 
  within the template are affected, though spore priests 
  are unaffected by their own spores.. Each cloud con-
  tains only one type of spore. The effects last for five 
  rounds. The fungal need not remain in the template 
  to retain the bonus. GMs may either pick the type of 
  spore or roll a d4 and consult the table below. Effects 
  are non-cumulative.
  prIest spores
  d4 
  Spore Type
  1 
  Heightened Reflexes: Fungals redraw action 
  cards of 5 or lower.
  2 
  Focused Mind: Fungals become immune to 
  Smarts Tricks and Tests of Will.
  3 
  Armor: The spores stick to fungals and harden 
  rapidly, granting +1 Armor.
  4 
  Heightened Speed: Fungals gain +2 Pace and 
  roll a d8 running die.
  hazard
  The following hazard can be encountered both above 
  and below ground. On the surface, they are most often 
  encountered in mountainous areas.
  geyser
  A geyser is a vent which throws out a jet of water 
  heated by subterranean lava flows and magma chambers, 
  or a jet of icy slush chilled by coldfire. Most geysers go off 
  only sporadically. Those detailed here are intended for 
  use in combat situations, acting as a battlefield hazard, 
  and are thus more frequent.
  A typical geyser measures 1” (2 yards) across and 
  counts as difficult ground. Each round the heroes are 
  in the vicinity of a geyser the draw should deal the vents 
  an action card, keeping it secret from the players so the 
  characters don’t automatically avoid the geyser after be-
  ing forewarned it is going to erupt.
  The frequency a geyser erupts depends on how inter-
  esting the GM wants the experience to be. They might 
  go off on any card (making them especially deadly), any 
  red card, any red Jack through Ace, a deuce, and so on. 
  Once the frequency is decided, it remains constant for 
  the remainder of the encounter.
  Geysers give a slight warning before erupting, allow-
  ing heroes on or adjacent to them an Agility at –2 roll to 
  avoid the eruption. Anyone actually on the vent who fails 
  the roll suffers 2d8 and is knocked prone in an adjacent 
  square (roll a d8 to determine this). characters adjacent 
  to the eruption take 2d4 damage. The eruption remains 
  in effect until the end of the current round. The square 
  containing the vent is impassable during this time.
  kobold (Fey)
  kobolds are Unseelie earth fey who inhabit caves and 
  mines. Thoroughly malicious, they delight is breaking 
  miners’ tools and causing rock falls, and even clubbing 
  miners into unconsciousness. Hunched and ugly, they 
  are exceptionally muscular creatures. They are also 
  known as “knockers,” due to their habit of banging their 
  hammers against rock faces to scare miners, or lead them 
  into dark tunnels in search of the noise’s origin. Frost 
  dwarves are wise to kobolds’ tricks, but are still plagued 
  by them regularly.
  døkkálfar are often mistaken for kobolds. Though 
  the two species share some traits, they are completely 
  separate (and have no love for each other).
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d10, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Notice d10, 
  Spellcasting d8, Stealth d8
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Gear: Hammer (Str+d6)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Burrow: kobolds can literally walk through rock and 
  hard stone (but not other substances). When they 
  emerge, victims must make a Notice roll opposed by 
  the creature’s Stealth. If the creature wins, it gains +2 
  ertha’s realM
  11
  
  to attack and damage that round, +4 with a raise.
  * Darkvision: kobolds ignore all darkness penalties.
  * Earth Sense: kobolds can detect metals and gems 
  within 12” automatically, even if there are intervening 
  walls. They can discern the type of material, quantity, 
  and quality as well.
  * Powers: Barrier (rock walls), bladebreaker, blast 
  (cave-in), conceal (metals and gems only; no detect), 
  elemental manipulation, quake, wall walker.
  * Size –1: kobolds are of similar build to humans, but 
  are hunched.
  * Tunnel Fighter: A kobold has +2 to acrobatic Tricks, 
  as well as +1 Parry. Foes must subtract 1 when attack-
  ing them with ranged weapons. These bonuses apply 
  only when underground.
  pech (Fey)
  Pechs are small, subterranean fey possessed of im-
  mense strength. They are followers of Ertha, and have 
  been known to aid followers of the earth goddess who 
  run into difficulties underground. Those who offend 
  them soon realize just how strong pechs are. Pechs pre-
  fer to attack by grappling and crushing their opponents. 
  Pechs are responsible for erecting many of the ancient 
  megaliths and stone circles that dot the landscape.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12+2, vigor d10
  Skills: climbing d10, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Notice d6, 
  Spellcasting d8, Stealth d6
  Pace: 5; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Carrying Capacity: Pechs can carry a ton without be-
  ing encumbered.
  * Darkvision: Pechs ignore all darkness penalties.
  * Powers: Pechs know the following spells: boost 
  Strength (muscles swell), burrow (digs through any 
  solid surface), knockdown (punches ground)
  * Size –1: Pechs stand around 4’ tall.
  troll, shadoW
  Shadow trolls, also known as deep trolls and dark 
  trolls, inhabit the dark recesses of the Underearth, never 
  venturing onto the surface world except at night or on 
  days when the sun is blocked by dense, heavy clouds. On 
  the latter, they wrap themselves in shadows to prevent 
  exposure to the weak sunlight and rarely tarry, for any 
  exposure to sunlight can be fatal.
  Those unable to return to the safety of the Underearth 
  when the sun shines risk being turned to stone, a slow 
  and agonizing death.
  Shadow trolls are small and wiry, with skin of mid-
  night black and feral, yellow eyes. Their preferred tactic 
  is to concentrate on a single victim and rip it to shreds. 
  They dine primarily on small animals, but will devour 
  anything they can kill.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12+3, vigor d10
  Skills: climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation 
  d10, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Swimming d6, Throwing d8
  Pace: 7; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (1)
  Gear: Thrown rock (Range: 3/4/8, damage: Str+d4)
  Treasure: Worthwhile, in lair
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +1: Rubbery hide.
  * Claws: Str+d4.
  * Darkvision: Shadow trolls ignore all darkness penal-
  ties.
  * Deepen Shadows: By making a Spirit roll as an ac-
  tion, a shadow troll can deepen shadows in a Large 
  Burst Template centered on its person. Lightning con-
  ditions move one step toward Pitch Black, two with 
  a raise. This ability remains in play until the beast is 
  Shaken or wounded.
  * Regeneration (Fast): Trolls make a natural Healing 
  roll every round, even after death. They cannot heal 
  wounds caused by sunlight or a magical light trap-
  ping. decapitation (a Finishing Move) also prevents 
  regeneration.
  * Rend: If a shadow troll successfully strikes a single 
  victim with two claw attacks in the same round it 
  causes an additional 2d8 damage. This is treated as a 
  separate attack for the purposes of Soaking.
  * Two Fisted: May make a Fighting roll with each hand 
  with no multi action penalty.
  * Weakness (Sunlight): Shadow trolls must make a 
  vigor roll each round they are in sunlight or suffer an 
  automatic wound. A shadow troll which is Incapaci-
  tated by its weakness is turned to stone.
  FungI oF the underearth
  This sidebar details a few of the more common fun-
  gi found in Erthaheim. Fungals grow large crops of 
  bread balls, along with other edible fungi.
  * Bread Balls: A spherical, gray fungus closely re-
  lated and nearly identical to “brown water” fungus. 
  A Survival roll is required to tell them apart. Bread 
  fungus can be eaten raw, having a similar texture 
  and equivalent nutritional content to bread.
  * “Brown Water” Fungus: Anyone ingesting this 
  fungus must make a vigor roll or suffer severe di-
  arrhea and be Fatigued. A vigor roll may be made 
  every four hours, with success curing the problem. 
  Fatigue is recovered once the diarrhea ends and the 
  victim gets a square meal and a quart of water.
  * Milkcap: Milkcaps store large quantities of water 
  in their caps. The milky-white fluid is released by 
  pulverizing the fungus. Every 2 pounds of fungus 
  provides 1 pint of water.
  * Pipecap: When dried, the stalks can be smoked as 
  a pipeweed substitute. The smoke tastes odd.
  * Tinderstalk: The fibrous stalks of this toadstool, 
  when dried, make excellent tinder.
  hellFrost regIon guIde #11
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Beyond the Icewall, the Hellfrost stretches to the top of the world. A land of tempera-
  tures cold enough to freeze blood in the veins and endless blizzards that tear flesh from 
  bone, it is home to many fearsome creatures. Yet within the Low Winterlands lies Witch-
  wood, a realm just as inhospitable. This is the domain of the Ice Queen, a creature both 
  beautiful and terrible, whose powers extend far beyond mortal ken. This product expands 
  on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Who Is the Ice Queen?
  The Ice Queen. The White Witch. The White Lady. The Frost Hag. Thrym’s Maiden. The 
  ruler of Witchwood has many titles, yet no one has ever apportioned her a true name. Even 
  skalds, famed for creating names for the heroes and villains of their tales and songs, have 
  avoided doing so for the Ice Queen.
  Her physical appearance is subject to much debate, even among those who have en-
  tered her presence and survived. Some insist she is a frost giantess with flesh of living 
  ice and white-blue icicles for hair. Others state she is a hrimwisard of unearthly beauty. 
  Yet others insist they saw a vile hag, her demeanor as cold as the wintry realm she rules. 
  Whether these were illusions, proxies, or the real thing none can say for sure.
  From whence the Ice Queen came is equally a mystery.  Until the rising of the Winter 
  Palace 125 years ago she appeared in neither legend nor song. A favorite tale sung by 
  skalds tells how a priestess of Thrym journeyed deep into the Hellfrost. She wandered 
  so far in the terrible realm that she crossed into Thrym’s divine realm, whereupon she 
  knelt before the winter god and vowed eternal loyalty. In return, Thrym blessed her with 
  immortality and an array of powers over ice and snow. Clerics of Kenaz oft point out that 
  in doing so Thrym showed his contempt for the Compact, but the skalds remind them that 
  if the story is true, then Thrym’s actions occurred in the heavenly realms, where the gods 
  have free rein to do as they wish.
  The story is popular, but it is not the only origin story. Those who believe she is a frost 
  giantess simply hold she is one of the true frost giants, creatures of old who lost a great 
  war against the gods and who dwelt in the deep frozen realms long before the Icewall 
  rose and the Hellfrost came. Her beauty and powers lead others to name her as a fey 
  noble of the Unseelie, powerful, terrible beings without equal in the mortal realm. While 
  it is true Witchwood of old was home to several fey nobles, none took any of the titles 
  the Ice Queen uses. A small few dare to claim she is beyond fey, and that she is an actual 
  31212
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 2 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  WItchWood
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  minor god. A deity appearing on the mortal realm would 
  be a direct and blatant contravention of the Compact, 
  yet with Kenaz and Sigel missing, Scaetha locked in war 
  against Hela, and the other gods devoted to their duties, 
  perhaps, just perhaps, her existence has gone unnoticed 
  in the heavens.
  GeoGraphy
  The outer extents of Witchwood appear no different 
  than any other Low Winterlands’ forest. Ice and snow 
  blanket the ground and trees for much of the year, thaw-
  ing only for a short spell in the summer. Even deeper in, 
  the forest looks like a regular forest, albeit one swathed 
  in near-permanent winter. An explorer could easily imag-
  ine he was in the great Forest or a taiga elf realm.
  Yet Witchwood feels different. Beneath the ordinary 
  landscape lurks an indefinable something. The forest 
  seems alive, not with animals and monsters, though such 
  exist in abundance, but as a separate entity. The feeling 
  of being constantly watched and examined is inescap-
  able, though the scrutiny is neither overt or malevolent. 
  Snowy owls, arctic hares and foxes, and white squirrels, 
  all natural residents of the Winterlands, seem to take an 
  unusual interest in intruders, showing curiosity rather 
  than fear. Of course, legends claim these are spies for the 
  Ice Queen, a fact few who have entered the realm care to 
  deny out of hand.
  The greatest danger is not the orcs or ice trolls or frost 
  giants, but the weather. In the blink of an eye the clear 
  sky can be obscured by raging blizzards, freezing rain, 
  icicle rain and hail the size of sling stones, and thick, 
  freezing fog. Such events are seemingly supernatural, for 
  weather can be extremely localized down to just a few 
  square miles, leaving the rest of the realm untouched. 
  The temperature can plummet is seconds, freezing ex-
  posed skin and causing frost to form in beards and hair.
  MIlItary
  Although referred to as an uncivilized realm, Witch-
  wood maintains a standing army and has access to count-
  less barbaric auxiliaries.
  Serving as the Ice Queen’s main organized army are 
  1,000 Tuomi cavalry known as the White riders. Broken 
  down into ten companies of 100 men, each led by a 
  captain and with a hrimwisard and cleric of Thrym in 
  their ranks, the White riders are kept mobile along the 
  borders with the Borderlands, the drachenlands, and 
  Chalcis.
  They set up a temporary camp, hacking down trees 
  to form a palisade, patrol the area for a week or two, 
  enforce the Ice Queen’s decrees among her non-human 
  minions, then torch their camp, and move on. The cap-
  tain and spellcasters are mounted on pygmy mammoths, 
  the rest of the warriors ride snow-white horses. These 
  horses, found nowhere else in rassilon, are resistant to 
  cold.
  Serving as protectors of the Winter Palace are 300 
  frostborn warriors, at least 10% of whom have rudimen-
  tary hrimwisard training. They are known as the Winter 
  guard, both for their race, duties, and the color of their 
  armor and tabards. When patrolling, the Winter guard 
  use snow leopards in the role of guard dogs.
  The last permanent unit is the Blizzard guard, a force 
  of 50 female taiga elf bladedancers all of whom have 
  advanced training as hrimwisards. Each member of the 
  Blizzard guard has an armored polar bear, equipped 
  with a war saddle and magically bonded to the taiga elf 
  (treat as the Beast Bond Edge). These elite warriors serve 
  as the Ice Queen’s personal guard, and are answerable 
  only to her. They are never found outside the Winter 
  Palace, for the Ice Queen has never been known to leave 
  her fortress home.
  In addition to these forces, the Ice Queen can call 
  upon ice trolls, dire wolf-mounted snow orcs, ice gob-
  lins, and frost giants, as well as a number of Hellfrost 
  dragons who roost just outside the border in the granite 
  Mountains, and at least three packs of frost wolves.
  Although there are many other horrors, such as cryo-
  hydras, Hellfrost orms, coldfire salamanders and sprites, 
  rules of the realM
  These setting rules apply in Witchwood.
  * Fire Sense: Fire and heat are anathema to the 
  Ice Queen. She automatically senses the presence 
  of fire elementalists and clerics of Kenaz and Sigel 
  who travel her realm, through she can narrow down 
  their location only to within ten miles of their actual 
  position. An intruder casting any spell with a fire or 
  heat trapping allow the distance to be pinpointed 
  down to one mile.
  * My Realm: The Ice Queen has great control over 
  her realm. At her whim she can call down blizzards, 
  cold snaps, fog, freezing rain, heavy snowfall, or 
  icicle rain anywhere in Witchwood. The minimum 
  area she can affect is one square mile. The maxi-
  mum area is the entire forest realm.
  Furthermore, she can summon any of these effects 
  only along the border, thus making intrusion or es-
  cape a difficult proposition.
  * No Respect: Frostborn, hrimwisards, and clerics 
  of Thrym are welcome in Witchwood, but are not 
  treated with any great respect or special protection, 
  for none compare in power to the awesome might 
  of the realm’s ruler. Those who wish to take up resi-
  dence may do so, but only after swearing undying 
  loyalty to the Ice Queen.
  * Temperature: The temperature of the forest also 
  changes as one heads deeper. In the outer region 
  of deciduous trees, the temperature is equivalent 
  to the Low Winterlands. Among the pines it is the 
  same as the High Winterlands. The core, an area 
  some 50 miles (radius centered on the Winter Pal-
  ace), is equivalent to the outer Hellfrost.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #12
  2
  
  and snow wings, lurking in Witchwood, it is not known if 
  the Ice Queen has any true control over them.
  Major locales
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer mentions very few places 
  worthy of exploration. This supplement details a num-
  ber of adventuring locales for worthy heroes.
  forlorn Keep
  At the northern edge of the High Moor stands Forlorn 
  Keep, a stone-built fortification of Anari design. Until 20 
  years ago it stood on Chalcis’ border with the drachen-
  lands, but it now lies some 35 miles inside Witchwood. 
  Erected by the Anari as a base from where their armies 
  would futilely strive to pacify the Tuomi tribes, the fort 
  has played an important role in Chalcis’ history.
  The garrison stood fast against the forces of the Liche-
  Priest, putting up such a valiant defense that the undead 
  general eventually gave up his attack on Chalcis and 
  marched west to sack Aspiria. during the Blizzard War, 
  the brave but ultimately doomed garrison stubbornly 
  held out to the last man, their sacrifice buying Chalcis 
  time to rally her forces. Three sieges by drachenland-
  ers resulted in terrible losses, but the defenders refused 
  to surrender. When reinforcements arrived in force, the 
  surviving defenders led the counterattack. Troops from 
  the keep formed the vanguard during the Orcblood War, 
  fighting and dying to ensure victory over the marauding 
  orcs.
  For all its history of steadfast defense, its defenders 
  could do little but watch as the trees of Witchwood crept 
  ever closer. Two decades ago, the fort, considered un-
  conquerable by many Chalcians, was finally captured by 
  denizens of the frozen realm.
  Where sheer might could not prevail, magic won the 
  day. A powerful spell, some say cast by the Ice Queen in 
  person, froze and then shattered the outer wall. Thun-
  dering frost giants, snarling winter wolves, and howling 
  snow orcs stormed the gap, slaughtering the defenders 
  without mercy.
  By the time Chalcis’ general learned of the attack, the 
  fort had fallen. A counterattack was proposed but ulti-
  mately abandoned, for scouts had reported the breech in 
  the great wall was plugged by blocks of dense ice. Chal-
  cis’ greatest fort was now in the hands of her enemies.
  Forlorn Keep remains garrisoned by orcs and frost 
  giants. Each winter, when biting winds and driving snow 
  keep Chalcis’ defenders in their barracks and forts, the 
  barbaric garrison sallies forth, raiding villages and farms 
  at will.
  duke Howel knows the keep is a major threat, for 
  should the forces of Witchwood ever launch a full inva-
  sion it would serve as a major base. He also knows that 
  sending an army against the fort would require a long 
  march through Witchwood, a trek likely to cost many 
  lives. He is also fully aware that each year the keep lies 
  deeper and deeper in the frozen realm. Unless action is 
  taken soon, it will be unassailable. But where an army 
  might fail, a band of assassins and saboteurs might pre-
  vail, and the duke has enough money to hire the best.
  the BurnInG teMple
  To the west of the High Moor, in an area now engulfed 
  by Witchwood, stand the weathered remains of a temple 
  to Kenaz, god of fire and the hearth.
  The inhabitants of Witchwood, even the frost giants, 
  avoid the site, and wisely so. The temple is aptly named, 
  for the outer walls shimmer with a thin veneer of flick-
  ering orange-yellow flame, much reduced in intensity 
  over time but capable of searing flesh nonetheless. The 
  temperature fluctuates slightly, but it is never colder than 
  a Hearthland summer day, even in the harshest winter. 
  At night, the walls shed dim lighting (–1), but only in 
  adjacent squares.
  The temple’s outer wall is smashed and breeched 
  in multiple locations, but the temple proper (a roof-
  less, square structure with multiple chimneys), though 
  cracked and weathered, remains structurally sound. 
  Ice forts & draGon shIps
     Ice fortIfIcatIons
  Although stone fortifications exist in the Hellfrost, 
  they are scarce and often badly in need of repair. 
  Most races and cultures prefer to construct fortifica-
  tions from blocks of ice.
  Ice Blocks: reduce the Armor of all fortifications 
  except hill forts by half (round down). regular ice, 
  while tough, is not as hard as stone. Ice block for-
  tifications take no damage from cold, coldfire, or 
  ice attacks, but suffer double damage from heat and 
  fire attacks.
  Supplies: Food is usually scarce in realms where 
  ice fortifications are used. When such occurs, halve 
  the supplies rating for fortifications (round down).
  Cost: Costs for ice fortifications is 25% lower than 
  stone versions, assuming ice is readily available.
     shIps
  Dragon Scales: Since coldfire acts like regular fire, 
  wooden ships cannot sail over  or through it with-
  out combusting. To combat this, some creatures 
  coat the hulls of their vessels in Hellfrost dragon 
  scales. This renders the hull immune to coldfire, as 
  well as cold, and ice attacks. However, it is more 
  susceptible to heat and fire attacks, taking +4 dam-
  age.
  dragon scales cost 3,000 gs per base Toughness 
  point (ignoring Armor) of the vessel, making them 
  extremely rare in the Hearthlands.
  WItchWood
  
  
  Within the extensive basement was said to lie a fire lo-
  cus of tremendous magnitude, the focus of the cult’s 
  activities here. Once it was viewed as a manifestation of 
  Kenaz.
  No gentle caress of the elemental realms formed the 
  locus—this was a direct rip through the fabric of the 
  planes, and at its core was a sliver of the Elemental realm 
  of Fire. Fire elementals of immense size and ferocity are 
  said to walk the corridors and halls, incinerating any who 
  trespass, regardless of their divine allegiance.
  The temple was not sacked during the Blizzard War, 
  nor were the vaults ever cleared after the event. As a 
  major temple, it likely housed copious quantities of trea-
  sure and a sizeable stock of weapons, armor, and metal 
  ingots. While the arms and armor may have rusted, some 
  of the ingots may be salvageable.
  While the locals avoid entering the site, the Ice Queen 
  has given very strict instructions that the temple is to be 
  watched at all times. Intruders are to be attacked before 
  they enter the temple and their presence immediately re-
  ported back. The warmer temperature makes it an ideal 
  refuge for intruders, and the temple’s vaults have never 
  been explored. given the temple’s importance, it may 
  be a repository for fire-based relics, something the frost 
  maiden is not keen to see wielded by her enemies.
  The temple is known across the western lands. Skalds, 
  ever ones to go for fanciful options, claim the temple 
  was abandoned during the Blizzard War. The high priest 
  stood his ground in the face of advancing Hellfrost drag-
  ons, shouting a curse into the howling north wind that 
  if he died, his blood would set the ground alight. More 
  likely the locus is the true cause of the burning walls.
  Until its engulfment by the encroaching forest, it was 
  a major site of pilgrimage for clerics of Kenaz. These days 
  very few clerics make the journey, and the last recorded 
  successful pilgrimage was over 60 years ago.
  the frozen fortress
  The northern foothills of the granite Mountains ex-
  tend into southern Witchwood. Here the Lakeflow river 
  has its twin heads. Along the eastern arm, several springs 
  well up through ancient cracks in the stone, their waters 
  merging and flowing downhill through a valley far wider 
  than their meager waters would warrant.
  As one carries on further into the mountains, the valley 
  narrows and the walls tower ever higher. Eventually  one 
  discovers the reason for the wider valley downstream. 
  Up ahead, the entire valley floor is coated in a sheet of 
  ice, the water locked into solid mass, its surface rippled 
  as if flash frozen. Here lies the true source of the western 
  arm of the Lakeflow, though its waters have not flowed 
  in many centuries.
  rounding a bend, explorers cannot help but stare in 
  awe at the site ahead of them. dominating the end of 
  the valley is a huge fortress of black granite, the stone 
  worked with such precision it appears made of a single 
  slab of monumental proportions. The valley widens here 
  to a distance of over 400 feet, the black walls touching 
  flora of WItchWood
  Entries marked “*” can be used in herbal remedies. 
  The winter penalty to find these plants is removed, 
  replaced with a –2 penalty in summer months. 
  Chill Thorn: Long, bone-white in color, and wick-
  edly sharp, chill thorns are the most dangerous of 
  Witchwood’s flora. Anyone moving through a patch 
  at greater than half Pace must make an Agility roll 
  (–2 if running) or have a thorn break off and pene-
  trate their flesh. Chill thorns quickly work their way 
  toward the heart. The victim must make a vigor roll 
  every 10 minutes until either the thorn is removed 
  (requires a single Healing roll at –4), he passes 
  three consecutive rolls (at which time the thorn dis-
  solves), or he fails a roll. A warming remedy rubbed 
  over the entry point gives +1 to the vigor roll, but 
  provides no other benefit.
  On a failure, the victim takes 2d6 damage each 
  round for five rounds, ignoring all armor, as his 
  body literally begins to freeze from the inside. Only 
  a healing spell with a fire or heat trapping can cure 
  this damage. Otherwise, natural Healing is required. 
  Some Hearth Knights claim to have seen frozen 
  zombies, their skin bristling with chill thorns, stag-
  gering through the frozen realm.
  Icewood Needles: The pine needles from living 
  icewood trees can be distilled into a thin, pale oil. 
  Creating a single pint requires 20 pounds of nee-
  dles and an hour to distil the oil (during which time 
  it must be gently heated over a fire or coldfire).
  A pint of icewood oil burns like regular oil, except 
  it produces a coldfire flame and burns with a stark 
  blue-white light.
  Lady of Winter*: Shaped like a bluebell with light 
  blue flowers and found only growing amid the pines 
  of Witchwood’s inner region, lady of winter can be 
  turned into a masking brew (see the free download 
  Hedge Magic, available at www.tripleacegames.
  com).
  Snow Blossom*: A moss that grows on exposed 
  rock. When in full bloom, which occurs in winter, 
  snow blossom looks like fresh snow, so fine are the 
  flowers. Carefully harvested and prepared, the flow-
  ers work as a numbing herbal concoction.
  White Nettle*: A relative of more common sting-
  ing nettles.  differentiated only by its white flowers, 
  boiling and chewing white nettle leaves work as an 
  antitoxin.
  White Rose*: Named for the color of the stems as 
  well as the flower, white rose oil can be used to cre-
  ate an herbal soporific.
  Witch Frond*: A mossy growth which hangs down-
  ward from trees like a gossamer dress. When prop-
  erly prepared, it is a food substitute herbal brew. 
  Much of Witchwood’s native fauna can digest it raw, 
  and it serves as their major food source.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #12
  
  
  both sides, seemingly molded into the living rock for no 
  joins are visible.
  At the base of the fortress are multiple arches. Once, 
  water flowed through these from a lake concealed be-
  hind the vast granite wall, tumbling down the mountain-
  side to form the Lakeflow. Today, only ice sits in them. 
  What waits to be discovered is whether the great lake 
  from which the water flows is also frozen solid.
  gaping window slits, as soulless as the walls they 
  breech, gaze impassively down the valley. Were archers 
  present, anyone approaching the dark entrance to the 
  fortress, a colossal set of stone doors reached by a steep 
  set of steps surrounded by the frozen river, would be 
  a pincushion before advancing more than half the dis-
  tance. Yet no arrows fly, for the Frozen Fortress has long 
  been abandoned.
  Like many such places there are countless rumors and 
  stories concerning the Frozen Fortress. Many believe it is 
  the work of frost giants, erected either during or shortly 
  after the Blizzard War, for such is its scale that no other 
  race could possibly have erected such an edifice. Others 
  say frost dwarves created the fortress as a dam across 
  the valley long before the war, abandoning it when hu-
  mans began to explore the region. Some tales relate to a 
  powerful elementalist, a master of earth and water, who 
  sought to prove his power by crafting an eternal monu-
  ment to his art. devoid of markings, inscriptions, and 
  furnishings, at least in areas explored so far, whoever or 
  whatever built the fortress left no clue to their identity.
  Similarly, the reason why the river froze is much de-
  bated. A powerful enchantment, a fell curse, the pres-
  ence of an ancient Hellfrost dragon which slithered into 
  the fortress as a juvenile and grew to monstrous size (no 
  one questions what it ate to grow to such size), and the 
  presence of a major temple to Thrym are all popular 
  but unverified suggestions. Few have entered the Fro-
  zen Fortress, and those who did made little progress in 
  exploring its vastness before being driven out by fierce 
  white-skinned orcs, ice trolls, and other horrors. Indi-
  cations are something powerful rules here, but exactly 
  what that something is has yet to be discovered. Perhaps 
  some things are best left mysteries, and sleeping dogs, as 
  the Saxa say, should be allowed to lie.
  the Glade of frozen death
  Within the confines of Witchwood is a large clearing. 
  remarkably lifelike ice statues stand, crouch, or lie here, 
  placed without pattern or aesthetic value.
  The local tribe of snow orcs shuns the glade, going no 
  further than its boundary, for it is said to be cursed. One 
  legend says the glade is the Ice Queen’s private retreat, 
  the statues victims of her icy kiss or stare. While blizzards 
  howl, it is said the frigid queen walks the glade, strok-
  ing the statues and talking to them as if they can hear 
  her words. Another says the area is home to a Hellfrost 
  basilisk, whose gaze can turn a creature to ice.
  It is quite likely that animated ice statues number 
  among the sculptures, guardians set in place to ensure 
  trespassers regret their intrusion. Some may even be 
  rarer entities—ice golems or ice elementals, bound by 
  ancient magic to remain in the glade.
  Var’s folly
  While many lamented the rise of the Winter Palace 
  and the growth of living icewood trees, some took it as 
  an opportunity. An enterprising priest of var invested 
  substantial profits in the formation of a fortified village 
  not far from the frozen core. Back then Witchwood ex-
  tended only 100 miles east of the Whitedeath river, and 
  the heartland was far more accessible.
  Icewood trees were felled and transported to Karad 
  Noshrek, the dwarves paying handsomely in glittering 
  gems and gold ingots for the precious wood. The village 
  clerIcs of thryM
  This entry is an expansion for the cult of Thrym, 
  providing facts useful to both players and gMs.
  Training: In order to be accepted into the cult one 
  must kill a cleric of Kenaz or Sigel or a fire elemen-
  talist in single combat. Ambushes and assassination 
  are fine, but no ranged weapons may be used—the 
  victim must be slain in melee. As the victim dies, 
  the candidate must repeat the oath, “By your death 
  the sun weakens/by your death the warmth fades/
  by your death the winter grows.” The novice must 
  then journey into the Winterlands (in winter) and 
  survive a blizzard lasting at least four hours. If he 
  does, Thrym grants him his miraculous powers.
  Prayers: Entreaties are always performed naked 
  and when the temperature is below freezing. Pray-
  ing at any other time is an insult to Thrym. Prayers 
  are always made in the plural—the blizzard is made 
  of many snowflakes working together—and must 
  include an admission of weakness. For instance, 
  “We stand in the blizzard, weak and powerless be-
  fore your might.”
  Adventures: The promotion of the Fimbulvintr 
  takes many forms. Heroes may be asked to fight 
  cultists of Kenaz and Sigel, locate and destroy or 
  recover relics, spread chaos and fear in the Hearth-
  lands, escort tribute to a Hellfrost dragon or frost 
  giant jarl, serve either of the afore-mentioned, or 
  lead orcs and ice goblins in battle.
  Character Guidelines: Thrym expects his worship-
  pers to promote the Fimbulvintr by whatever means 
  they can. To that end, they have no favored arche-
  types. That said, unless you’re playing a frostborn, 
  a high vigor is absolutely vital for coping with the 
  cold—Thrym forbids clerics to warm themselves, 
  remember. given that at some point you’ll end up 
  taking orders from a Hellfrost dragon, a good guts 
  skill is vital to helping one avoid showing too much 
  fear.
  WItchWood
  
  
  grew to a small town on its profits, the citizens became 
  enamored of importing expensive luxuries, and the 
  temple to var became a major trading post.
  One winter’s night, a lone figure wrapped in a pale 
  blue cloak approached the main gate and ordered the 
  settlers to leave or face destruction. None took the threat 
  seriously, for the town had a large garrison and strong 
  fortifications. Then the blizzard came. Food ran low, and 
  still the wind howled and the snow fell.
  The resident cleric of Kenaz, bribed by the cult of var 
  to appease the growing voices of discontent, bade the 
  townsfolk to stay, vowing that Kenaz would protect them. 
  However, the settlers saw only death on the horizon and 
  decided to abandon their homes. despite the threat of 
  a slow, cold death, so greedy were they that they fled 
  carrying as many of their expensive possessions as they 
  could. Slowed by their precious burden, none made it far 
  before freezing to death in the howling winter storm.
  By the time the storm ended, Witchwood had grown 
  at supernatural speed, completely engulfing the town. 
  Skalds claimed the huge temple for var, its vast treasury 
  full of gems and storerooms bulging with trade goods, 
  remains intact, as do the richly-appointed homes of the 
  citizens. They are also quick to add that var’s Folly, as the 
  site has become known, is haunted by the shades of its 
  former citizens, whose lust for material wealth prevented 
  their souls from travelling to the Afterlife.
  WhItedeath crossInG
  The Whitedeath river runs fast and true from south 
  to north through the center of Witchwood, its icy waters 
  continuing on through the drachenlands and into Ser-
  pent Lake. Powerful magic keeps it from totally freezing 
  even while it runs through lands as cold as the Hellfrost. 
  Turbulent and carrying dangerous ice floes, there is only 
  one ferry (and no bridges) along the entire length.
  A small fort, constructed from huge blocks of solid ice 
  by frost giants, stands on each bank. garrisoned in each 
  fort are two score veteran snow orc warriors responsible 
  for guarding the crossing. On the Winter Palace side live 
  two lesser frost giants, dumb brutes used for their muscle 
  and as extra guards as required. The ferry is a colossal 
  raft made of icewood and covered in Hellfrost dragon 
  scales. It is connected to a rope as thick as a man’s arm, 
  which spans the river. When someone wishes to cross, 
  the two giants mount the raft and haul it through the 
  choppy water. Ten orc warriors from the fort also board 
  the raft. Once the travelers have been safely delivered, 
  the raft is swiftly returned to the east bank.
  An alchemical coldfire blast device is attached to where 
  the rope fixes on the east bank. Activated by smacking 
  it hard, the spell is designed to destroy the rope, pre-
  venting foes from using the ferry. Such is the danger of 
  Witchwood that it has never been used in anger.
  persons of note
  While the Ice Queen is a frosty enigma, a little more is 
  known about other inhabitants of Witchwood.
  eGInhard flaMehaIr
  Eginhard is not a native of Witchwood. A strapping 
  Saxa with long flame-red hair and beard that blows in 
  the wind like licks of flame, Eginhard is actually a paladin 
  of Kenaz. The last survivor of an expedition sent to slay 
  the Ice Queen, the hero has been trapped in Witchwood 
  for the last five years. Each time he tries to leave, fierce 
  blizzards drive him back into the forest. Since he can-
  not leave, Eginhard has made it is his goal to make as 
  much trouble for the Ice Queen as possible. despite his 
  miracles being harder to invoke, Eginhard has cut and 
  burned his way back and forth across Witchwood, leav-
  ing scores of dead orcs, goblins, and giants in his wake.
  The Ice Queen knows of Eginhard’s existence, and 
  it is her will he never leave her domain. rather than 
  deliberately send troops to eradicate the pest, she has 
  decided to leave him to his own devices to see how long 
  one cleric of her hated enemy can survive. This is not 
  just sport for the queen, but a valuable exercise in intelli-
  festIVal to thryM
     death of heat day
  Heah Sumor Daeg.
  This ritual bares many similarities to Cold Night (a 
  festival to Kenaz), though it is told from the oppo-
  site view, marking the day Thrym wounded Kenaz 
  and forced Sigel to retreat from the heavens in 
  search of Eira. during the day worshippers build 
  and ignite massive bonfires and light thousands of 
  torches. No icewood is permitted—the flames must 
  burn hot for the ritual to have meaning. To those ac-
  customed to eternal cold, the heat from the flames 
  is a veritable inferno. Prayers are offered to Thrym 
  to rid them of the infernal heat and welcome them 
  into his cold embrace.
  As the sun falls into the west, the worshippers 
  throw volleys of spears at it while shouting curses 
  and insults. The bonfires are then dampened and 
  the torches extinguished. As the last sliver of Sigel’s 
  Hearth leaves the sky, the final embers are doused 
  and the final torches snuffed, signifying that sum-
  mer is dead and the winter not far away.
  If the worshippers have captive clerics of Eira, they 
  sacrifice them to Thrym in the hope that Sigel will 
  not find Eira and thus not be able to heal Kenaz, 
  plunging the universe into the Fimbulvintr. Clerics 
  of Kenaz and Sigel and fire elementalists are also 
  sacrificed as part of the symbolic destruction of fire 
  and the sun.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #12
  
  
  gence gathering, for what one cleric of Kenaz can achieve 
  would be multiplied if others with his drive and tenacity 
  decided to invade Witchwood.
  Ghost Wolf
  A male taiga elf, ghost Wolf carries the illustrious 
  title of Lord Protector of Witchwood. Consort to the Ice 
  Queen and commander of the armies (except the Bliz-
  zard guard), ghost Wolf is a skilled bladedancer, a very 
  talented hrimwisard, and a shrewd diplomat. For all his 
  power and position, he remains a servant, and has no 
  authority to speak on behalf of his liege.
   He is never seen in public without his cloak, made 
  from the fur of a frost wolf lord who dared speak back to 
  the Ice Queen, and a pair of black ice long swords.
  Many tales are told of ghost Wolf beneath the ice-clad 
  trees. That he slew a frost wolf lord is well-known, but he 
  is also credited with the deaths of over 20 clerics of Ke-
  naz, a dozen Sword Knights, a frost giant jarl who plotted 
  rebellion, and an unknown number of other creatures 
  whose loyalty to the Ice Queen was judged questionable. 
  Whether the stories are true or not, none can say. How-
  ever, his very presence is enough to quell sedition.
  Why coMe here?
  Although not as expansive or cold as the Hellfrost, or 
  indeed the High Winterlands, Witchwood is a microcosm 
  of ice and snow, inhabited by a queen who seeks no traf-
  fic with outsiders and among whose minions number 
  many fell beasts. So what can lure adventurers here?
  * Orders. Hearth Knights, fire elementalists of the 
  Convocation, and clerics of Kenaz and Sigel are all be-
  holden to their respective organizations. While not at 
  their masters’ beck and call like lapdogs, they are ex-
  pected to follow orders.
  While followers of Kenaz and Sigel may enter Witch-
  wood to wage battle against the icy, Thrym worshipping 
  denizens, the Hearth Knights are more interested in in-
  telligence gathering. Whether the Ice Queen is a power 
  of good or evil has yet to be determined, and so for now 
  the Hearth Knights urge caution. Some junior Hearth 
  Knights request permission to venture here in prepara-
  tion for advancement to Sword Knight, or simply to test 
  their mettle and resolve in the hostile realm.
  Fire elementalists of the Convocation might be sent 
  here as a test to see if they are worthy of promotion or as 
  part of their final exams. Others come here voluntarily to 
  test their powers against the inhabitants, or on quests to 
  discover more about the supposed “fifth element.”
  Clerics of Thrym may be ordered here to serve the 
  Ice Queen for a short period, negotiate a treaty (perhaps 
  to secure allies for a raid on Aspiria or Chalcis), or even 
  spy on the ruler of the frozen realm or steal a relic from 
  her grasp, for trust is a rare commodity among the evil 
  gods.
  * Service. In a party comprised mainly of frostborn, 
  hrimwisards, and clerics of Thrym, the heroes may seek 
  the Ice Queen as a patron. While campaigns involving a 
  powerful sponsor can devolve into an endless series of 
  orders, robbing the heroes of much free will, there is 
  also plentiful opportunity for letting the characters have 
  a free hand.
  For instance, the Ice Queen may grant the heroes 
  stewardship over an area of forest. Though given orders 
  to expand the realm, protect it from intruders, and 
  gather intelligence on their neighbors, they are left alone 
  to rule as they wish, even being allowed to venture forth 
  on other quests. Only rarely does the Ice Queen interfere 
  directly in their affairs, though she keeps a careful eye on 
  her underlings.
  * Exploration. Before the Ice Queen came to Witch-
  wood, it was a minor forest, a strip of green along the 
  Whitedeath river, barely 50 miles long and 20 miles 
  festIVal to thryM
     fIMBulVIntr day
  Heah Wyntr Daeg.
  Thrym’s ultimate aim is to bring about the Fimbul-
  vintr, an age when the universe will freeze solid and 
  Hothar’s celestial order will be replaced with eter-
  nal stagnation. His mortal worshippers toil cease-
  lessly to bring this about, adding spiritual weight to 
  their physical deeds.
  On the longest night, when Sigel and Kenaz are 
  at their weakest, worshippers gather outdoors, 
  stripped naked to fully expose their flesh to Th-
  rym’s frigid touch. From dawn till dusk they repeti-
  tively cast bolt, burst, fatigue, prolonged-blast, and 
  stun spells at the sun to weaken Sigel, as well as 
  entangle and sluggish reflexes to halt his celestial 
  passage and extend the length of winter.
  At night, as the temperature plummets, these spells 
  are replaced by aura, elemental form, storm, and 
  summon elemental spells, symbolically adding 
  their might to the power and majesty of winter. 
  Worshippers howl into the night while clerics in-
  voke fear spells in the direction of the Hearthlands 
  (or the nearest settlement if in the Hearthlands) to 
  strengthen the Hellfrost wind. High-ranking clerics 
  risk employing summon demon and summon her-
  ald, calling forth powerful otherworldly beings to 
  join the celebrations.
  Clerics who repeatedly suffer the displeasure of 
  their deity while invoking spells are culled from the 
  ranks as traitors to the great cause. As always, clerics 
  of Kenaz and Sigel and fire elementalists are sacri-
  ficed to Thrym. generally this is done at dusk, so 
  Sigel can spend the long night helplessly mourning 
  his dead followers.
  WItchWood
  
  
  deep. As the forest has expanded, it has gobbled up 
  swathes of northwest Chalcis and devoured a much of 
  the drachenlands’ southeastern provinces. Long aban-
  doned towns, villages, castles, and temples, home now 
  only to vile creatures, dot the landscape. The secrets and 
  treasures they may hold are a lure to many adventurers.
  adVenture seeds
  * An Aspirian nobleman and vintner has heard rumors 
  that grapes grow in the core of Witchwood. Stories claim 
  the grape produces a crisp, clear white wine of exquisite 
  taste and bouquet. Naturally, the grape is also impervi-
  ous to cold. Knowing that cultivating these grapes could 
  give his ailing vineyard a much needed boost, he hires 
  the heroes to enter Witchwood and bring back as many 
  viable vines as they can carry. Are the grapes a reality, or 
  just a storyteller’s yarn?
  * An herbalist hires the party to deliver him a living 
  chill thorn bush. He has heard of the deadly thorns, 
  and desires to create a more effective herbal cure. The 
  herbalist is actually an assassin, perhaps a cleric of Niht, 
  and he wants to cultivate the plant for its lethal thorns. 
  Should the heroes succeed, they may be called upon 
  later to deal with a spate of unusual murders—all the 
  victims have frozen to death from the inside out.
  * divinations from the cult of Kenaz have revealed 
  the existence of unusual elementals in Witchwood. They 
  require skilled adventurers to accompany a number of 
  their clerics. The heroes are required to locate and en-
  gage the elementals in combat, while the clerics study 
  the creatures’ strengths and weaknesses for future refer-
  ence.
  * duke Howel of Chalcis, King Halgroth v, Lord Mar-
  shal Jaufre Humbert, or some other important dignitary 
  asks the heroes, who should have high glory, to act as 
  heralds to the court of the Ice Queen. What message 
  the dignitary desires to communicate should be decided 
  based on the gM’s campaign. After surviving the hazards 
  of the outer forest (a herald’s standard meaning little 
  to a hungry troll), the adventurers must deal with the 
  intrigue of the royal court.
  Gods & Monsters
  This section details two minor gods, the gods of gla-
  ciers and the north wind, and a number of icy denizens 
  suitable for most of rassilon’s frozen realms.
  lanGBarðr
  Titles: The Unstoppable One, Thrym’s Beard.
  Aspects: glaciers.
  Affiliations: Thrym.
  Symbol: A wall of ice.
  Priesthood: guardians of Thrym (priests); Crushing 
  Hands of Thrym (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: First Waescdaeg of Wulfmonan.
  Duties: To protect clerics of Thrym, advance the Fim-
  bulvintr.
  Sins: (Minor) Allowing a cleric of Thrym to be 
  wounded, suffering any form of knockback, retreating 
  before any foe; (Major) Allowing a cleric of Thrym to be 
  incapacitated; (Mortal) Allowing a cleric of Thrym to be 
  killed
  Signature Power: Barrier.
  Powers: Armor, boost/lower trait (Spirit, Strength, 
  and vigor only), growth/shrink, knockdown, summon 
  elemental (glacier only), weapon immunity.
  Trappings: All trappings relate to ice.
  Langbarðr serves as Thrym’s bodyguard, much as 
  Biflindi serves Scaetha. However, as well as being a 
  defender, he is also a combatant, relentlessly driving 
  foes forward with his prestigious strength. glaciers, 
  unstoppable walls of living ice that rumble and grind 
  down mountains crushing all in their path, are symbolic 
  of Langbarðr. Many legends state Langbarðr is Thrym’s 
  beard. For this reason, glaciers are often known as 
  Thrym’s Hair.
  Like many minor gods Langbarðr never features in 
  art as a unique entity. His presence is noted in images 
  of Thrym by the winter god’s beard. When Thrym is 
  depicted as a Hellfrost dragon, Langbarðr is the scales 
  that line his thick neck. For this reason, the god is pres-
  ent wherever Thrym is honored and thus never has 
  individual shrines or temples. Shrines and temples to 
  Thrym is or near a glacier are considered special places 
  for Langbarðr’s worshippers.
  Priests and paladins share some duties, yet differ in 
  others. Priests are most often employed as bodyguards 
  to important priests and frost giants, shielding their 
  charge from harm without regard for their own safety. 
  Others serve as guardians in Thrym’s temples, protecting 
  the most sacred areas from intruders. While paladins do 
  perform bodyguard duties, those they protect are more 
  active, traveling the world rather than remaining in a 
  single temple or fortress. Symbolic of the glacier god, 
  they are expected to be remorseless in combat, smash-
  ing aside foes and advancing through enemy ranks like a 
  glacier crushing all in its path. In this regard they serve in 
  Thrym’s mortal armies as heavy shock troops.
  Clerics of Langbarðr are rarely in a hurry to do 
  anything. They plot and ponder before acting, but are 
  then relentless in fulfilling their duty. Ceremonies and 
  festivals take the same deliberate approach, appearing 
  to be enacted in slow motion and with great precision 
  of movement. drums, played at a low, steady rumble, a 
  deep thunderous drum-roll rather than a strong, distinct 
  beat, are employed in all ceremonies.
  Character Guidelines: Priests are defenders rather 
  than aggressors. Spirit and vigor are favored attributes, 
  as these allow the cleric to hold his nerve, unShake more 
  quickly, and resist damage. Fighting should be high, 
  since it directly affects Parry. defensive Edges such as 
  Block and Shieldwall are more useful than true combat 
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #12
  
  
  Edges, though clerics are expected to be able to deal out 
  damage as well. Notice can be important, since many 
  priests serve as guardians and sentries in temples. Pala-
  dins are expected to be relentless in attack. Edges such 
  as Frenzy and Sweep best fit this duty. Hard to Kill and 
  Nerves of Steel allow them to march forward, shrugging 
  off injuries.
  norðrI
  Titles: Thrym’s Blizzard, Winter Howler.
  Aspects: The north wind.
  Affiliations: Thrym.
  Symbol: A stylized representation of a blizzard.
  Priesthood: Wind Lords (priests); Blizzard Lords 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Day: Any day there is a blizzard in the worship-
  pers’ vicinity.
  Duties: Bring about the Fimbulvintr.
  Sins: (Minor) protecting others from a blizzard or the 
  Hellfrost wind, not summoning a blizzard once a month 
  that causes problems for the citizens of rassilon; (Major) 
  using becalm in a blizzard; (Mortal) sheltering from a 
  blizzard or the Hellfrost wind.
  Signature Power: Storm (creating blizzards only).
  Powers: Becalm, deflection, fear, knockdown, sum-
  mon elemental (blizzard only), voice on the wind, 
  zephyr.
  Trappings: Trappings must involve cold wind.
  Norðri was always creator of the north wind, though 
  he once served Thunor. When Thrym ascended to the 
  god of winter after the god War, Norðri was offered 
  minor god status in return for swearing allegiance to 
  the wintry deity. Norðri accepted, stealing the magical 
  bellows bestowed him by Thunor as he fled his former 
  master’s wrath. Because of this Thunor lost the ability to 
  control the north wind and became an enemy of Thrym. 
  Thrym taught his new minion the secret of the Hellfrost, 
  which Norðri whispers into the winds he creates, thus 
  invoking the much-feared Hellfrost wind.
  Norðri has no temples or shrines—the howling bliz-
  zard is his only worship hall. Similarly he has no desire to 
  be represented in art, for all citizens of rassilon know his 
  form each time the winter winds pick up. Citizens of ras-
  silon willing to brave frostbite urinate into blizzards as 
  an insult to Norðri. going outside or not seeking shelter 
  in a blizzard is also known as “peeing on Norðri,” even if 
  the person keeps his trousers fastened.
  The only real difference between priests and pala-
  dins, both of whom are charged with bringing about the 
  Fimbulvintr by summoning blizzards and icy winds, is 
  their willingness to risk life and limb for their god. Priests 
  prefer to stick to the Winterlands, while paladins scorn 
  the power of Kenaz and Sigel by holding their rituals in 
  the Hearthlands.
  Most worshippers of Thrym see Norðri and his wor-
  shippers as hired help, useful for sure and loyal to the 
  great cause, but not worthy of any recognition—one may 
  accept a meal as good, but one praises the food, not the 
  lowly servant who cooked it. That Norðri chose such 
  important sounding titles for his clergy only fuels their 
  scorn for the petty wind god.
  All ceremonies to Norðri are carried out in blizzards, 
  whether natural or magically-summoned. Worshippers 
  perform frenzied dances and howl into the gale, adding 
  their voices to the Hellfrost wind. Human sacrifice is 
  performed only if the victims are worshippers of Kenaz, 
  Sigel, or Thunor or air or fire elementalists—all others 
  are deemed unworthy.
  Character Guidelines: Clerics are as cold-hearted as 
  the blizzards they summon. The Mean Hindrance can be 
  used to represent this. Norðri demands his worshippers 
  brave blizzards, yet grants them no special protection 
  against his storms. Clerics should thus invest in vigor 
  and Survival unless they want to freeze to death. In-
  timidation is useful, as it allows the cleric to emulate the 
  Hellfrost wind. Since worshippers are expected to revel 
  in the Hellfrost wind, taking at least a few dice in guts 
  is advised.
  coldfIre Beetle
  Coldfire beetles have dark bodies but a bright blue 
  thorax, from which they can fire a stream of coldfire. 
  These voracious hunters are found only in the Hellfrost 
  and High Winterlands.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d8, vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d6, guts d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8, 
  Stealth d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 8 (2)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  the four WInds
  The four winds that blow across the land are named 
  Austri, Suðri, vestri, and Norðri. The first three are 
  servants of Thunor, while the latter turned against 
  Thunor and became a servant of Thrym. None of 
  Thunor’s servants are considered true deities, 
  though Norðri has been granted the status of a mi-
  nor god.
  Austri is the creator of the east wind, responsible 
  for bringing in wet air and autumn storms. Suðri 
  is responsible for the warm, southerly wind that 
  blows in summer. vestri heralds the start of spring, 
  with cooling westerly breezes. Norðri is responsible 
  for the biting northerly winds that howl in winter.
  In art they are shown as four dwarves pumping on 
  huge bellows from which the winds blow forth, or 
  more rarely, as three storm dragons and a Hellfrost 
  dragon bringing the winds into creation by blow-
  ing.
  WItchWood
  
  
  * Armor +2: Thick shell.
  * Bite: Str+d6.
  * Coldfire Spray: Coldfire beetles can project a blast of 
  coldfire using the Cone Template. Characters within 
  the cone must beat the creature’s Shooting roll with 
  Agility or suffer 2d10 damage, plus the chance of 
  catching fire.
  * Immunity (Cold): Immune to background cold. 
  Takes no damage from cold attacks.
  * Weakness (Fire): Takes double damage from heat or 
  fire.
  IMMature coldfIre Beetle sWarM
  Coldfire beetles (see above) lay hundreds of eggs at a 
  time. Of these, only the strongest one or two will survive 
  to adulthood, and then only by eating their kin. How-
  ever, when the swarm of hatchlings detects larger prey, it 
  acts as a single, voracious entity.
  The coldfire of an individual immature beetle is 
  barely powerful enough to scorch tinder-dry paper but 
  produces bright light. Placed inside a glass jar, a handful 
  of beetles’ coldfire spurts acts as a lantern (albeit with 
  a cold, blue-white light) for one week. After this time, 
  only a single, somewhat larger beetle remains—it has the 
  same intensity as a candle and is good for a month (after 
  which time its coldfire can melt the container, allowing 
  it to escape).
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d12, Strength 
  d8, vigor d10
  Skills: Notice d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Burn: Swarms inflict hundreds of coldfire burns every 
  round to their victims, hitting automatically and caus-
  ing 2d4 coldfire damage to everyone in the template. 
  damage is applied to the least armored location. vic-
  tims have a chance of catching fire.
  * Immunity (Cold): Immune to background cold. 
  Takes no damage from cold attacks.
  * Mindless: Unaffected by Tests of Will, Tricks, or ar-
  cane powers like puppet.
  * Swarm: Parry +2. Because the swarm is composed of 
  scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting 
  and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect 
  weapons work normally, and a character can stomp to 
  inflict his damage in Strength each round.
  * Weakness (Fire): Takes double damage from heat or 
  fire.
  cryosphInx
  Sphinxes are an ancient race, their empire in rassilon 
  long since turned to dust.
  rIddle Master
  riddle masters are among the oldest and wisest of 
  the cryosphinx race. Their riddles are almost magical, 
  keeping victims enthralled and unable to act until they 
  find the answer. This leaves them easy prey for a hungry 
  sphinx. Most riddle masters have mastered Trader.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d12+2, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d10, vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, guts d10, Intimidation d10, Knowl-
  edge (riddles) d12, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Stealth d8, 
  Taunt d12
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9
  Treasure: rich, in lair
  Special Abilities:
  * Bite/Claw: Str+d6.
  * Devious Riddle: As an action, a riddle master may 
  target one foe within 12” and make a Knowledge (rid-
  dles) roll opposed by the victim’s Spirit. With success, 
  the victim is Shaken. Instead of using Spirit to un-
  Shake, the victim must make a Knowledge (riddles) 
  roll, –2 if the sphinx scored a raise. Combat reflexes 
  provides no benefit. An ally may provide the answer, 
  but this requires him to spend an action deducing the 
  answer and make a roll as above. The sphinx must be 
  able to speak and the victim able to hear (and under-
  stand the sphinx) for this power to work.
  * Flight: Pace 12.
  * Immunity (Cold): Immune to background cold. 
  Takes no damage from cold attacks.
  * Riddle Lord Variant: riddle lords are more power-
  ful variants of the riddle master. They have Knowl-
  edge (riddles) d12+2 and the Master Edge regarding 
  Knowledge (riddles).
  * Size +2: Sphinxes are the same size as lions.
  * Snow Walker: Treats rough ice as normal ground, 
  smooth ice as rough ice, and every inch of movement 
  in snow as 1.5” instead of 2”.
  * Strong Willed: As masters of trickery, sphinxes get a 
  +2 bonus on Tests of Will.
  * Weakness (Fire): Takes double damage from heat or 
  fire.
  * Wise: riddle masters are renowned for their wisdom. 
  They get +2 to all Common Knowledge rolls and roll 
  a d10 for all Knowledge skills except riddles.
  eleMentals
  GlacIer eleMental
  glacier elementals are towering, hulking anthropo-
  morphic slabs of living ice in which are embedded small 
  stones and other debris.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d12+3, vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6
  Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 13 (3)
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +3: Comprised of packed ice.
  * Elemental: No additional damage from Called Shots; 
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #12
  10
  
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison.
  * Immovable: Immune to any form of knockback or 
  effect which causes them to fall over.
  * Size +3: glacier elementals stand around 8’ tall but 
  weigh hundreds of pounds.
  * Slam: Str+d8.
  * Unstoppable Run: glacier elementals roll a d4 run-
  ning die. When they run, any creature in their path 
  must make an opposed Strength roll, both sides add-
  ing their Size, or be knocked prone and crushed for 
  d12+6 damage. Characters of Size equal to or lower 
  than the elemental who succeeded are pushed along 
  with the creature. Creatures of larger Size than the el-
  emental’s movement who resist, halt the elemental’s 
  movement.
  haIlstorM eleMental
  Hailstorm elementals are a mix of air and ice elemen-
  tals. They appear as a swirling morass of ice particles.
  Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d8
  Pace: —; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Elemental: No additional damage from Called Shots; 
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison.
  * Flight: Air elementals fly at a rate of 6”. They may 
  never “run.”
  * Hailstorm: Hailstorm elementals can send directed 
  blasts of hail at foes using the Cone Template and a 
  Shooting roll. Foes may make an opposed Agility roll 
  to avoid the blast. The damage is 2d6 points of dam-
  age with an ice trapping.
  * Semi-Invulnerability: Take half damage from all 
  nonmagical attacks.
  * Whirlwind: As long as the elemental does not move 
  that turn it may attempt to pick up a foe. Make an 
  opposed Strength check and if the elemental wins, 
  then its foe is pulled into the swirling maelstrom of 
  its body. While trapped, the target is at –2 on all rolls, 
  including damage, and suffers 2d6 damage. The el-
  emental cannot move as long as it wants to keep foes 
  trapped inside its form.
  polar Bear, arMored
  Armored war polar bears are used by a small few orc 
  tribes dwelling in the High Winterlands. Clad in thick 
  hide armor to protect their head and torso and fitted 
  with sharpened bone claw extensions, these ferocious 
  beasts are used both as mounts and shock troops. 
  In small tribes, only the most important members use 
  polar bear mounts. The Frost rider tribe makes exten-
  sive use of polar bear cavalry, making them one of the 
  strongest tribes in the Winterlands. Armored war polar 
  bears count as trained mounts in combat.
  Note that the polar bear’s natural armor does not 
  stack with its hide armor. The latter applies only if the 
  bear’s worn armor is removed or destroyed.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12+2, vigor d12
  Skills: Fighting d8, guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice 
  d6, Stealth d8, Swimming d8, Tracking d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 (2)
  Gear: Thick hide armor (+2; torso and head)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +1: Thick fur and fat.
  * Bear Hug: Bears don’t actually “hug” their victims, 
  but they do attempt to use their weight to pin their 
  prey and rend it with their claws and teeth. A bear 
  that hits with a raise has pinned his foe and attacks 
  at +2 until the foe is freed. The opponent may only 
  attempt to escape the “hug” on his action, which re-
  quires a raise on an opposed Strength roll.
  * Claws: Str+d6+2.
  * Resistance (Cold): Immune to background cold. 
  Half damage from cold and ice attacks.
  * Semi-Aquatic: Polar bears can stay submerged for 5 
  minutes.
  * Size +2: These creatures stand up to 9’ tall and weigh 
  over 1200 pounds each.
  * Snow Walker: Treats rough ice as normal terrain, 
  rough ice as smooth ice, and every inch of movement 
  in snow as 1.5” instead of 2”.
  shIVersprIte
  Shiversprites are man-sized humanoids of blue-white 
  hue, with spiky icicles for hair and burning blue eyes. 
  Shiversprites appear only when the temperature is be-
  low freezing, and seem to delight in adding to misery by 
  conjuring terrible blizzards. No one is sure as to whether 
  these creatures are true fey or some sort of Hellfrost 
  beast. Whatever their origin, most sages do agree that 
  they are in league with Thrym and that their appearance 
  early in the fall heralds the start of a bad winter.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d8, vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Hrimwisardry d10, Notice d6, Stealth 
  d10
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +2: Hard, icy skin.
  * Deflection: As a free action, a shiversprite can cloak 
  itself in swirling snow. Attackers suffer a –2 penalty to 
  attack rolls. Although a natural form of magic, invok-
  ing this power counts as Maintaining a spell.
  * Icy Claws: Str+d4. victims must make a vigor roll, –2 
  if the fey scored a raise. The victim can add bonuses 
  for cold weather clothing. On a failure, he suffers the 
  chills and must redraw any action cards over 10, not 
  including Jokers. This effect lasts until the end of the 
  next round.
  * Immunity (Cold): Immune to background cold. 
  WItchWood
  11
  
  Takes no damage from cold, coldfire, or ice attacks.
  * Infravision: Halves penalties for poor lighting against 
  heat-producing targets.
  * Powers: Shiversprites invoke magic as hrimwisards 
  and know the following spells: aura, bolt, blade-
  breaker, fatigue (frostbite—recovered as per cold 
  temperatures), storm (blizzard only), summon ele-
  mental (coldfire, ice, and slush only). They can switch 
  trappings between cold, coldfire, and ice at will.
  * Weakness (Fire): Takes double damage from heat or 
  fire.
  WInter haG
  Blue-skinned, white-haired, and ugly as sin, winter 
  hags are servants of Thrym. Winter hags were once 
  priestesses of Thunor. Through reasons of their own 
  they switched faith to the god of the frozen north wind, 
  and were duly cursed by Thunor for their treachery. They 
  are also known as blizzard witches, Hellfrost hags, and 
  handmaidens of Thrym.
  Similar creatures have been seen in Witchwood, 
  though whether these are emissaries of Thrym or a dif-
  ferent but related species loyal to the Ice Queen has yet 
  to be determined.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Faith d10, Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, Notice 
  d8, Shooting d10, Survival d8
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Gear: Heavy robes (+1), staff (Str+d4, reach 1, +1 Par-
  ry, two-handed)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Claws: Str+d4.
  * Freezing Breath: This works as the burst spell except 
  it uses Shooting as the arcane skill and is not subject 
  to backlash. The hag’s breath has a cold trapping.
  * Heat Lethargy: Winter hags have –1 to all Trait rolls 
  in temperatures over 53 degrees F.
  * Improved Snow Walker: Treats snow and ice as nor-
  mal terrain.
  * Powers: aura (coldfire), bolt (cold, ice, or coldfire), 
  deflection (swirling snow), entangle (victims encased 
  in ice), fear (Hellfrost dragon roar), and summon el-
  emental (coldfire, ice, or slush only).
  * Resistance (Cold): Immune to background cold. 
  Half damage from cold, coldfire, and ice attacks.
  * Slave to Winter: Winter hags use the same modifiers 
  as hrimwisards when casting spells.
  * Storm Song: Once per week, a winter hag may cre-
  ate a storm (a blizzard) with an automatic success. By 
  forfeiting the use of this power for a month, the storm 
  is summoned with a raise instead.
  * Susceptibility (Fire): Takes +4 damage from heat or 
  fire.
  * Weakness (Air/Electricity): due to Thunor’s curse, 
  winter hags take double damage from spells with an 
  air or electricity trapping.
  WInter hound
  Winter hounds are large dogs covered in shaggy white 
  fur. Some say they are Thrym’s pets, while others insist 
  they were once normal hounds but became imbued with 
  their fell power after dying of cold. The latter seems un-
  likely, as the creatures are not undead.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength 
  d8, vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d8
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (1)
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +1: Frost-crusted pelt.
  * Bite: Str+d6.
  * Fleet-Footed: Winter hounds roll a d10 running die.
  * Go for the Throat: On a raise the winter hound at-
  tacks the targets least armored area.
  * Immunity (Cold): Immune to background cold. 
  Takes no damage from cold, coldfire, or ice attacks.
  * Size +1: Winter hounds are as big, but much bulkier 
  than a man.
  * Winter Aura: Winter hounds are surrounded by an 
  aura of burning cold. Those adjacent to the hound 
  after it movement ends take 2d6 cold damage.
  * Weakness (Fire): Takes double damage from heat or 
  fire.
  Wolf lord, frost
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d12, vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d10, guts d12, Notice d10, Stealth d10
  Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10
  Edges: Combat reflexes, Fleet Footed, Improved Frenzy, 
  Improved Snow Walker
  Treasure: rich, in lair.
  Special Abilities:
  * Bite: Str+d8.
  * Go for the Throat: If a frost wolf gets a raise on its 
  attack roll, it strikes its opponent’s least armored lo-
  cation.
  * Howl of Death: A frost wolf lord can use its entire 
  action to howl. When it does so, every enemy able 
  to hear the chilling sound must make a guts roll or 
  suffer a heart attack as his blood literally freezes in 
  his veins. He becomes Incapacitated and must make 
  a vigor roll at –2. If successful, he’s Shaken and can’t 
  attempt to recover for 1d4 rounds. If he fails, he dies 
  in 2d6 rounds. A Healing roll at –4 saves the victim’s 
  life, but he remains Incapacitated.
  * Low Light Vision: Frost wolves ignore lighting penal-
  ties for anything less than “pitch black” conditions.
  * Quick: Frost wolves can redraw any initiative card of 
  5 or less.
  * Resistance (Cold): Immune to background cold. 
  Half damage from cold and ice attacks.
  * Size +3: Frost wolf lord stand 8’ tall.
  * Susceptibility (Fire): Takes +4 damage from fire.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #12
  12
  
  IntroductIon
  The ancestral heartland of the Marklands, Royalmark is home to the High Cyning of the 
  Saxa. A large state with a powerful army, Royalmark could be a major political and military 
  power in the Hearthlands, yet time has seemingly passed the royal land by, and the natives 
  remain insular, proud of their ancient ways and unwilling to alter them to fit a changing 
  world. This supplement expands on the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Lost In tIme
  Stepping into Royalmark is like being transported back in time several centuries. Even 
  Saxa from neighboring lands find the realm an oddity. Despite 10% of the population 
  being of Anari stock, Royalmark is a staunchly traditional realm, opposed to any change or 
  dilution of their cultural heritage, irrelevant of the fact the world has moved on since the 
  days of the Saxa rebellion.
  Fashion, encompassing clothing, art, and jewelry, has not advanced since the foundation 
  of the Marklands. When a stranger passes by clad in unusual garments, folk actually gather 
  to stare as if the visitor had descended from the heavens. Songs and poems composed 
  less than a century ago are largely unknown to local ears, and if they tell of things the 
  locals do not wish to hear, they are branded as seditious, heretical, or foreign propaganda. 
  Native dances, while known to all Saxa as traditional dances, are considered quaint, being 
  performed outside Royalmark only on religious holidays, weddings, and such like, not for 
  everyday celebrations.
  Saxa elsewhere have largely moved away from log houses when stone is available, yet 
  in Royalmark there are very few stone buildings, and those that stand were raised by Anari 
  masons and generally for Anari families. The addition of a slate roof would cause uproar, 
  for wooden shingles, thatch, or cut turf, are the traditional Saxa roofing material.
  Speech patterns are not only archaic, but almost all citizens speak Auld Saxa as their 
  native tongue, a language spoken only by priests, scholars, and the scions of ancient noble 
  families in other Marklands.
  Mixed marriages, the union of a Royalmarker with any outsider or non-Saxa stock, are 
  unusual save in border regions. Gossip quickly spreads that the Royalmarker is suffer-
  ing from some sort of mental illness, and any children resulting from the union will be 
  malformed freaks or mentally retarded. Unless a family has lived in Royalmark for five 
  generations and avoided marrying non-Saxa stock, they are considered to be foreigners; 
  loyal to the high cyning perhaps, but not quite as loyal as true Royalmarkers.
  31213
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 3 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Vince Kingston
  royaLmark
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  None of this means Royalmarkers are openly racist. 
  They may stare open-mouthed at foreigners, but they 
  don’t insult them or try to inflict physical harm. Gener-
  ally they are happy to talk and trade, but they have little 
  to no interest in discussing foreign ways or other lands.
  socIaL HIerarcHy
  like most Saxa lands, the social hierarchy in Royal-
  mark runs downward from the king (in this case the 
  High Cyning) to the jarls, to the lesser nobles serving 
  the jarls, and then to the masses. below the noble ranks, 
  clerics are top dog, followed by huscarls, mages, mer-
  chants, master crafters, crafters, common soldiers, and 
  finally peasants.
  Social promotion is easy at lower ranks, but it is rare 
  (though not impossible) for anyone not born of noble 
  blood to be granted a title. The High Cyning has the 
  authority to award titles. Those granted this boon swear 
  loyalty directly to the king, forgoing the usual feudal 
  hierarchy.
  While many Saxa have adopted the Anari method of 
  titles going to the eldest child, those of Royalmark hold 
  true to the old ways. by law, any person with a legitimate 
  claim to a noble title may nominate himself as a can-
  didate. it is then the duty of the lower ranking nobles 
  beholden to the vacant seat to decide which candidate is 
  best fit to rule them. Political maneuvering is an accept-
  able practice, as is civil war, though the latter is heavily 
  frowned upon as it risks involving the other jarls. Since 
  ridders have no one below them who holds a title, it falls 
  to senior members of the local community to elect a new 
  master.
  educatIon
  As one might expect in this time-locked, insular land, 
  all children are taught the ancient customs and culture 
  of the Saxa. Those not of Saxa stock may learn their own 
  racial customs, but they must also master the Saxa ones.
  like elsewhere, formal education is the reserve of the 
  rich and the nobility. While many children of such fami-
  lies learn of religion, law, heraldry, tactics, and such like, 
  their knowledge hardly ever extends beyond the borders 
  of Royalmark. indeed, even among the educated, knowl-
  edge of the outside world, including other Marklands, is 
  rudimentary.
  Those living on or near the borders of neighboring 
  states, may know some basic facts and be able to name 
  a few settlements or notable persons in the next realm. 
  However Midmark, for example, separated by just a few 
  miles by the Crystalflow Confederacy, remains a mysteri-
  ous, distant realm. That there is a vast expanse of settled 
  lands beyond the icewall Mountains is a shock to many 
  Royalmarkers.
  Royalmark boasts no schools, and clerics of Hoenir 
  are discouraged from introducing such foreign ways of 
  educating youth. Private tuition and on the job training 
  are the norm here, and that’s how the Royalmarkers 
  would like things to stay.
  reLIgIon
  With one noted exception, Royalmarkers are fol-
  lowers of the traditional Saxa deities. Sigel wards them 
  against the evils of the world and keeps the darkness at 
  bay, Tiw gives them the strength to crush their enemies 
  and defend their homes and property, and Eostre blesses 
  their fields and flocks, ensuring they have enough to eat. 
  Scaetha receives worship predominantly in the north of 
  the country, where the undead are a constant threat.
  The key difference is in the worship of Hothar over 
  Thunor. While Thunor represents free will and indepen-
  dence, Hothar is the god of law, order, and traditional 
  values, the latter an aspect he receives little worship for 
  outside of Royalmark.
  The other Marklands have accepted outside ways 
  (some far more than others), introducing new aspects 
  and ideas to their culture and becoming more diverse as 
  a result; whereas Royalmarkers close their eyes and ears 
  to new ideas and hold to values and ideals centuries out 
  of date.
  ruLes of tHe reaLm
  These setting rules apply in Royalmark.
  * Bartering: While foreign merchants demand pay-
  ment in coin, local merchants are happy to barter, 
  for this is the old Saxa way. When heroes trying to 
  sell goods normally make a Streetwise roll to find 
  a buyer; in Royalmark they can trade them for 25% 
  of their value with no roll required.
  * Out of Touch: The majority of Royalmark’s citi-
  zens are out of touch with the rest of world thanks 
  to their staunch traditionalism. While they accept 
  that foreigners (i.e. non-Saxa) are different, they 
  react unfavorably to Saxa who sport unusual fash-
  ions, sing new songs, or honor the gods in differ-
  ent ways. Unless a Saxa hero from another realm 
  adopts traditional Saxa attire, mannerisms, and be-
  liefs, they suffer a –1 penalty to Charisma in Royal-
  mark.
  * Stubborn: This staunch conservatism of the 
  Royalmarkers means many have the Stubborn Hin-
  drance. This manifests openly when exposed to 
  new ideas, especially foreign ones.
  * Ye Olde Language: Natives speak Auld Saxa as 
  their first language. in rural communities, that is 
  often the only known tongue. Saxa heroes born 
  here must take Auld Saxa as their native language.
  HeLLfrost regIon guIde #13
  
  
  mILItary
  Royalmark maintains an impressive army of 4,000 
  huscarls supported by 700 mercenary cavalry. of the for-
  mer, 2,400 are members of noble households, with just 
  1,600 directly loyal to the High Cyning. However, the 
  king demands his nobles supply troops for the army. in 
  reality, the king has command over 3,000 of the huscarls, 
  leaving the collective nobility just 1,000 to protect their 
  lands. Half of the mercenaries are directly in the employ 
  of the king or nobility, with the remainder serving mer-
  chants as caravan guards.
  The high cyning maintain a bodyguard of 400 hus-
  carls. These are stationed at Ravensburg in the great bar-
  racks and divided into four companies of 100 men. Each 
  company boasts 80 veteran huscarls, 10 paladins of Tiw, 
  and 10 berserkers. 
  The four companies are distinguished by their battle 
  dress, which comprises of colored raven designs on their 
  shields and dyed feathers attached to their helms. The 
  companies are named the Storm (black), Silver (white), 
  blood (red), and Gold (yellow) Ravens.
  Competition is fierce to join the Ravens, for they are 
  well paid and comfortably housed. Each year, applicants 
  are pitted against a huscarl drawn by random lot. if the 
  applicant wins, he takes the loser’s position in the com-
  pany. The loser may either quit as a huscarl, or join one 
  of the regular royal companies.
  Although the army numbers 4,000 huscarls, only half 
  are ever on duty at any one time. The remainder live 
  as rich peasants, tending their land or working a trade. 
  Huscarls are forbidden to serve as mercenaries, for they 
  are oath-bound to a nobleman and must be available for 
  duty at instant notice. one-quarter of the troop strength 
  is rotated every three seasons, with no change during 
  Wulfmonan. The sole exception to this are the Ravens, 
  who are a true permanent battle force.
  Some 10% of Royalmark’s population have taken 
  oaths to serve in the fyrd should their liege call upon 
  them. Were all to answer the call, Royalmark could mus-
  ter nearly 12,000 troops. Despite swearing oaths, the 
  true total who would ever likely answer the summons is 
  closer to 1,200, and half of these have only rudimentary 
  militia training and poor quality weapons.
  dIffIcuLt decIsIons
  Royalmark’s army of 4,000 huscarls is a powerful 
  force, for these are trained warriors in heavy armor, not 
  peasants with spears and leather jerkins.
  The High Cyning has so far resisted calls to send 
  troops to Vestmark and Sutmark. He could not support 
  one ally without supporting the other, lest he lose what 
  little fealty remains, and in both wars his men would be 
  entering a meat grinder. This has won him few friends in 
  those realms, but the king also has many other issues to 
  which he must contend.
  The undead of the Withered lands are a constant 
  threat, and troops must be constantly vigil against inva-
  sion. Neighboring Nordmark is hardly a stable realm. 
  Should it fall to enemies of the current king, they may 
  seek to expand west, grabbing the loop of land in which 
  stands Moot Hill. Hence, a permanent garrison must be 
  stationed at the hill fort. loyalty to the High Cyning is on 
  the wane, and thus troops must be on hand in case of 
  open rebellion.
  Furthermore, the expansionistic realm of Coglelund 
  must be watched, lest the greedy merchant-prince make 
  a land grab. Settlements must be protected against orcs 
  and bandits, and trade caravans must be guarded. it is 
  also expensive to keep 4,000 warriors in the field, one 
  reason why the rotating duty was enforced.
  trade & trIbute
  Much has already been said on the politics of the 
  northern trade road and the plans to bypass Darkwood 
  and take it through Royalmark, thus no more need be 
  said here. it should be noted, though, that Royalmark 
  has no major trade roads. The north road from the Mago-
  cracy runs through the Freelands, though it does strike 
  extremely close to the border with Royalmark before en-
  tering Darkwood, and the great route up the Crystalflow 
  strikes lands across Nordmark and the eastern Freelands. 
  indeed, the only decent road in the entire country runs 
  solely between Ravensburg and Moot Hill, and that is 
  only maintained because it is a military road.
  As a result, many of the trade caravans navigating 
  across Royalmark are internal ones, moving from town 
  new background edge
     ancestraL guardIan
  Requirements: Novice, Spirit d8+, cannot have 
  negative Glory
  The hero was visited by the spirit of an important 
  or notable ancestor, who promised to aid him in 
  times of need.
  in times of need, the hero can spend a benny to 
  gain a single Novice spell of his choice from aim, 
  armor, boost trait (no lower), deflection, environ-
  mental protection, farsight, or warrior’s gift. These 
  spells can only be cast on the hero. He activates the 
  spell using Spirit as his arcane skill (even if he has 
  an arcane skill). The hero only has one chance to 
  activate the spell per benny spent. A different spell 
  may be chosen each time a benny is used in this 
  manner. Should the hero’s Glory ever drop below 
  zero, he temporarily loses this Edge, the ancestor 
  being shamed by his descendant’s actions.
  royaLmark
  3
  
  to village to stead in an endless procession, buying and 
  selling along the way. Fortunately, Royalmark is largely 
  self-sufficient, and its imports are luxuries rather than 
  necessities.
  Struggling to come to terms with its role in a chang-
  ing world, Royalmark’s conservatism is stifling trade. its 
  jewelry and artwork, once considered the height of fash-
  ion, are now seen as quaint and out of touch with cur-
  rent fashion trends. While some customers still like the 
  old touches, many want something new to impress their 
  peers and underlings, and Royalmark fails to deliver that. 
  As a result, the trade in artwork and jewelry are in seri-
  ous decline. Even if Royalmark could change centuries 
  of entrenched ideas, the flow of silver from Vestmark has 
  been reduced to a trickle, which in turn has caused the 
  price of jewelry to rocket.
  beer and cheese remain profitable markets, though 
  there is increasing competition from elsewhere. Fortu-
  nately, perfecting the recipe for these goods can take 
  time, and old tastes are rarely replaced by new ones 
  quickly. For now, Royalmark maintains a healthy export 
  to its neighbors.
  one unusual feature of Royalmark is that it boasts 
  no taverns or inns (these are Anari “inventions”). Most 
  settlements boast an ale house, a place where peaceful, 
  law-abiding visitors can enjoy drink, food, and a warm 
  bench at no or minimal cost. Communities who trade 
  frequently typically erect a small palisade within the 
  outer defenses for merchants to park their wagons and 
  stable horses. Steads are too small to boast an ale house, 
  and the comfort of accommodation depends on the 
  owner’s respect for the law of hospitality.
  major LocaLes
  egmund’s stead
  Until a month ago Egmund’s Stead was a small farm-
  ing community. A neighbor, visiting to trade fresh milk for 
  winter beets, discovered the entire stead had vanished, 
  swallowed into a deep hole which had opened directly 
  beneath the farmstead. The High Cyning ordered an im-
  mediate investigation. Huscarls descended into the gap-
  ing earth-wound and reported finding smashed timbers 
  and mangled bodies, as well as a number of passages 
  leading off into darkness.
  Too afraid to explore further, for such passageways in-
  variably lead to Ertha’s Realm, the haunted underworld 
  where Sigel is powerless, they recovered the bodies for 
  burial and searched no further. Eyolf, though, is keen to 
  know whether this is an isolated incident, for Ertha often 
  shakes the ground when angry at something, an omen of 
  things to come.
  gnatmarsH
  Until recently the denizens of Gnatmarsh kept to 
  themselves. Small numbers of marsh trolls would occa-
  sionally stumble from the mire, but the local militia are 
  well versed in dealing with them.
  Recently though, something has stirred up the dis-
  parate tribes of bufomi. Rumors are a band of pirate 
  hunters crossed over from the Crystalflow Confederacy 
  and slew an entire tribe of the toad men. individually the 
  tribes were no more than a nuisance to Royalmark, but 
  word is they are gathering under a slime lord (see page 
  11). Angered at the intrusion into their dank domain, 
  the bufomi have made several audacious attacks against 
  caravans and isolated steads in Royalmark. Captives and 
  livestock have been taken and homes burned to the 
  ground.
  Jarl Aethelgeat, the local noble, has no desire to send 
  his huscarls into Gnatmarsh. instead, he is seeking mer-
  cenaries (read adventurers) to end the problem before it 
  gets out of hand.
  cLerIcs of eostre
  Training: Novitiates train in the fields and forests, 
  learning the different types of plant and beast and 
  their many properties. They are expected to know 
  how to sow, plow, and reap; understand the cycle of 
  life in all creatures, and be able to tell the changing 
  seasons.
  Training is very much hands-on, and students are 
  pushed hard, for life is a constant struggle. Practical 
  examinations are favored over academic ones, and 
  often the student is given no forewarning as a test 
  looms. As clerics are wont to say, “The lamb won’t 
  stay in the sheep because you aren’t ready.”
  Prayers: Eostre is the great provider, and this is 
  always recognized at the start of prayers. Reaping, 
  picking fruit and berries, and killing animals harms 
  Eostre, thus apologies are offered. For example, a 
  prayer might begin, “bountiful Mother, forgive my 
  sin as i gather your fruit.”
  Adventures: Clerics are called upon to hunt down 
  marauding bands of goblins and orcs, fight forest 
  fires (a rare occurrence), curb excess logging and 
  hunting, and aid druids in the defense of nature. 
  occasionally, they may be sent to help the elves in 
  their struggles. 
  in their role as worshippers of the provider, they 
  might transport and protect grain wagons heading 
  to a region hit by famine.
  Character Guidelines: Eostre’s clergy lead out-
  doors lives. Vigor represents general stamina, while 
  Survival is good for identifying edible herbs, fish-
  ing, and for catching prey. Followers of Eostre Plant-
  mother should seriously consider Hedge Magic, 
  and Disciples may wish to take Alchemy to benefit 
  from the Faith bonus when making potions. Woods-
  man perfectly displays the cleric’s knowledge of the 
  natural world.
  HeLLfrost regIon guIde #13
  
  
  HeartH range
  A number of steads bordering the Hearth Range have 
  recently been attacked and destroyed, leaving no survi-
  vors. Many buildings and corpses appeared to have been 
  struck by lightning, though no storms were reported in 
  the vicinity at the estimated time of attack.
  Agitators are spreading rumors Thunor is angry at 
  the lack of worship he receives in Royalmark, something 
  High Cyning Eyolf, who is naturally superstitious for 
  such was the old way, is slow to deny.
  Someone searching for bears in the weathered peaks 
  has claimed to have witnessed giants stomping through 
  the mountains. As tall as frost giants, he swears they had 
  light gray skin, jet black hair, and eyes the color and in-
  tensity of lightning. The only historical records matching 
  this description are songs dating date back many centu-
  ries. These old tales refer to the creatures as styrmanjo-
  tunn, or storm giants.
  Longrass meadow
  longrass Meadow (an ancient derivation of long 
  Grass) is an expanse of tall, wild grass bordering Nord-
  mark. Many who enter never return, and local steadown-
  ers avoid the area.
  Suggestions as to the nature of the danger range from 
  bandits, wolves, and orms to the less believable two-
  legged carnivorous lizards.
  ravensburg
  This entry expands on important locales within the 
  capital of Royalmark.
  The Armory: The main temple to Tiw, the Armory 
  serves as an actual armory and a training ground for the 
  Ravens. The forges are maintained by clerics of Kenaz. 
  The clerics of Tiw serve their god first and Royalmark 
  second, though all have taken vows never to fight against 
  the High Cyning.
  Any worshipper of Tiw can find hospitality here, 
  though he must amuse the priests and paladins with 
  tales of his exploits. The better the tale, the better the 
  hospitality he receives.
  The Court: Since High Cyning Eyolf is the highest au-
  thority in the land, he holds his law court in the temple 
  of Hothar, an imposing wooden edifice known simply as 
  the Court. 
  The temple’s library is well-stocked with manuscripts 
  covering all aspects of Saxa law and culture, though 
  none dates more than 50 years after the founding of 
  Royalmark. As manuscripts become fragile with age they 
  are copied, double checked to ensure no new ideas or 
  translations have crept in, and then destroyed as part of 
  a ritual. The clerics also sell alchemical devices, but only 
  to Royalmark nobles.
  The Great Temple: The center of Eostre’s cult, the 
  Great Temple holds clerics of both aspects. Formerly just 
  a single hall of worship, the temple has grown into a 
  sprawling network of side halls and outbuildings con-
  taining granaries, barracks, stables, veterinary clinics, a 
  midwifery, a smithy and farrier’s workshop, and other 
  such necessities. The cult of Eira maintains a small infir-
  mary here.
  Most of the clergy are Sowers and Husbanders of the 
  Cultivator sect, though a few Reapers are stationed here 
  for security purposes.
  The clerics manufacture and sell a range of alchemi-
  cal charms and herbal brews to anyone with the money. 
  Many citizens living nearby get married by a priest of Ho-
  thar, but come to the Great Temple for Eostre’s blessing. 
  The service isn’t free, but it is popular with couples who 
  want children.
  Every year the clerics hold a great feast two weeks 
  after Reaping Day. Food is parceled out to the citizens of 
  Ravensburg, each receiving the exact same amount. Tra-
  ditionally, the nobility are expected to refuse their share, 
  ensuring that those more in need are catered for.
  Not-Ravensburg: Many non-Saxa living in Ravens-
  burg set up home in an area known as Not-Ravensburg. 
  it is not fenced off from the main city, though its borders 
  are obvious by the marked change in the style of houses. 
  Foreign customs may be practiced openly here, so long 
  festIvaL to eostre
  Eostre has two aspects. Festivals marked (P) refer to 
  her Plantmother aspect and (A) to her Animalmoth-
  er aspect. No markings indicate a joint ritual.
     appLe day (p)
  Sangdaeg of Wulfmonan and Sangdaeg of Frost-
  monan.
  Apple Day is the original name for this ceremony, 
  but different settlements honor it depending on 
  what fruit is cultivated or that grow wild in the local 
  area. For instance, in the vineyards of Aspiria it is 
  honored as Grape Day.
  Citizens carrying flaming torches gather near the or-
  chards, fields, or bushes once the sun sets. Clerics 
  carry drums, horns, and symbols. Trays of specially 
  made bread soaked in mead or honey are laid out 
  on long tables. Each citizen takes a slice of bread 
  and places it on a tree, plant, or bush. in the early 
  winter this sustains the tree during the cold winter 
  months, while in late winter it provides the waking 
  tree with breakfast.
  once this is done, the gathered crowd shouts wildly 
  and loudly while the clerics play their instruments—
  no tune is created, just a cacophony of noise. Again, 
  the two festivals have differing reasons. in late win-
  ter this din drives away mischievous fey and foul 
  spirits, thus ensuring next season’s crop will be 
  bountiful. Come the new year, the noise awakens 
  the tree in preparation for spring.
  royaLmark
  
  
  as they do not slander Royalmark or involve sedition. 
  Most visitors, including other Saxa, prefer to seek hospi-
  tality here, something the native Royalmarkers are only 
  too happy to oblige.
  sun spIre tempLe
  Unusual for its design as well as its location, Sun Spire 
  Temple is the most important center of Sigel worship in 
  Royalmark. it lies in the middle of northeast Royalmark, 
  and surrounded by a small village rather than a town, as 
  is common of Sigel’s halls. Constructed entirely of wood 
  shortly after the Saxa liberated their lands from the An-
  ari, it takes its name from the towering, slender spire that 
  rises from its center. Covered in beaten gold, it shines 
  like a fiery beacon, changing color as Sigel’s Hearth tra-
  verses the heavens. Much of the interior of the spacious 
  main hall is also covered in gold veneer.
  The cult maintains a force of 50 paladins and 20 
  priests. Partly they serve to protect the valuable furnish-
  ings. While the wider cult is now focused on defeating 
  the denizens of the Hellfrost, Sun Spire Temple remains 
  focused on the cult’s original purpose—combating 
  the forces of darkness. in Royalmark, that means fight-
  ing back incursions from the Withered lands. A small, 
  sparsely furnished wing is set aside for visiting clerics of 
  Scaetha, for the two cults often cooperate.
  The cult sells alchemical devices. Most of their cus-
  tomers are huscarls, nobles, and mercenaries, for few 
  others need the protection of Sigel in their daily lives.
  tempLes of eostre
  outside of Aspiria, Royalmark has the strongest cult 
  of Eostre in Rassilon. Although she ranks fourth on the 
  list of gods worshipped, the difference in worshipper 
  numbers between her cult and that of Sigel is measured 
  in thousands rather than tens of thousands.
  Much of Royalmarks’ boggy ground has been reclaimed 
  through a network of drainage ditches and, while not an 
  agricultural superpower, the domain produces enough 
  to comfortably feed its citizens. Most steads contain a 
  shrine to one of Eostre’s aspects, and the majority of vil-
  lages have at least a small temple, though it often serves 
  a secondary purpose, such as a threshing barn or milking 
  shed. The great temple in Ravensburg, a structure dedi-
  cated solely to worship rather than work, is the center of 
  cult activity.
  Ancient rites give the cult the authority to set its own 
  tithing, which has risen in recent years to 15% of the 
  crop or livestock yield. Some of this is used to feed the 
  poorest members of society, but the majority is donated 
  to Vestmark to aid in the war effort. Unfortunately, the 
  shipments encounter many obstacles. Shipments sent 
  via Coglelund are charged import duty on entering the 
  realm and export duty on crossing into Vestmark. Cara-
  vans sent south often go missing. Jarl Wulfmund, whose 
  lands sit at the southern end of Royalmark, blames ban-
  dits and orcs for the losses, but many in the cult suspect 
  foul play closer to home. Plans are afoot to investigate 
  the situation. Meanwhile, negotiators are trying to strike 
  a low taxation deal with the Crystalflow Confederacy and 
  the Vale to allow emergency supplies to use the trade 
  network at reduced taxation levels.
  festIvaL to eostre
     HerdIng day (a)
  First Heafoddaeg of spring, summer, fall, and win-
  ter.
  on each of the four Herding Days, every settlement 
  which makes use of the temple presents a fine ani-
  mal at the temple doors. The beast is thoroughly 
  inspected by the clergy and either accepted or re-
  jected. Acceptance means Eostre Animalmother will 
  protect the settlement’s livestock for the season, 
  whereas rejection bodes ill for the stingy commu-
  nity. Failure to deliver a beast bodes very poorly 
  indeed.
  in the Hearthlands and low Winterlands, a sow is 
  traditionally offered in spring, a ewe in summer, a 
  female ox in the fall, and in winter a milk cow. Fur-
  ther north, reindeer are offered every season—fe-
  males in winter, spring, and summer, and a male in 
  fall. When in dire need of divine succor, a commu-
  nity will even offer a pygmy mammoth.
  The animals are not sacrificed immediately, but 
  rather added to the temple’s private herds, thus 
  increasing its wealth. by mating the beast with the 
  temple’s resident livestock, it ensures a steady sup-
  ply of sacrificial beasts is always available for holy 
  days.
     stone pIckIng day (p)
  Last Heafoddaeg of Eostremonan.
  before plowing can begin the fields must be cleared 
  of stones. Clerics lead the women and children into 
  the fields at dawn for the backbreaking task. Clerics 
  sing to keep spirits high and to bless the soil. Some 
  of the songs are to Ertha, a warding that any deep 
  stones sink lower into the soil so as not to damage 
  the plows that will rake the soil later. The collected 
  stones are divided into four equal piles and stacked 
  at the corners of the field from where they were col-
  lected as boundary markers.
  The ritual marks a rivalry between Ertha and Eos-
  tre. Eostre demanded she be allowed to seed the 
  soil, but Ertha claimed all the earth was hers. in the 
  end Ertha set Eostre a task—if she could clear the 
  area of all stones by nightfall, Ertha would grant her 
  the top soil for her seeds for a year. Despite Ertha 
  throwing stones in Eostre’s path, the nature god-
  dess won the bet. The two compete each year in the 
  same bargain.
  HeLLfrost regIon guIde #13
  
  
  persons of note
  While the heroes are unlikely to deal with the High 
  Cyning personally, as they grow in prestige they may 
  come to the attention of Royalmark’s jarls.
  jarL aetHeLgeat centwInesunu
  Jarl Aethelgeat has his holdings in the southern cen-
  tral belt, between the Mounds and Gnatmarsh. While no 
  enemy of the High Cyning, either the man or the title, 
  he opposes any plans to grant the cyning more power, 
  believing that he should be a figurehead, with the jarls 
  running the realm.
  He argues the king should give up command of the 
  army, save for his beloved Ravens, allowing the jarls to 
  aid their allies as they see fit. Naturally, High Cyning Eyolf 
  has no intention of handing over the bulk of his forces, 
  for he knows the jarls’ petty squabbles could quickly spill 
  over into civil war.
  jarL eaLHsIge egHeresunu
  Jarl Ealhsige governs bordering Coglelund and 
  the trade road. Ealhsige’s traditional views have been 
  eroded by the constant presence of the trade caravans 
  laden with expensive foreign goods passing his borders. 
  Nicknamed “the Peacock,” his is a regular figure at court, 
  strutting around in the robes of a Magocratic nobleman, 
  completely oblivious to the titters and snide comments 
  made behind his back.
  Many think him a simpleton, for he is easily pleased 
  by pretty things, but Ealhsige is a cunning manipulator, 
  getting others to do his dirty work for him with a sly 
  comment here and a throw away remark there. Those 
  who underestimate him can quickly find themselves at a 
  political disadvantage.
  jarL gunnbjorn oLadsunu
  Jarl Gunnbjorn holds lands in northwest Royalmark, 
  and has his main hall at Salnorr. Cruelly nicknamed “Wife-
  Killer,” the jarl is a heavy drinker and a former shadow of 
  the warrior of his youth. Many believe he is god-cursed, 
  though few ever give a reason as to what sin he may have 
  committed, referring only to his unfortunate life.
  He has had six wives, all of whom died in childbirth. 
  He did manage to sire three sons and a daughter, but 
  fate has robbed him of them as well. All three of his sons 
  died in battle, two against the orcs in Vestmark and one 
  against the undead of the Withered lands. His daughter 
  died of red pox when only an infant.
  With the shadow of death seemingly ever present, 
  Gunnbjorn took the bottle a year ago on receiving news 
  of the last son’s death and has not stopped drinking 
  since. on the rare occasions he is sober he rants at the 
  unfairness of life. Normally he is in a drunken stupor, 
  leaving his closest ally, Hauld Regmund Wulfwigsunu to 
  run his estates.
  jarL jormunrek Hrafnsunu
  Jarl Jormunrek rules the lands across the Crystalflow, 
  and is responsible for the security of Moot Hill. Jormun-
  rek watched as Nordmark tore itself apart through civil 
  festIvaL to eostre
     bIrtHIng day
  Varies.
  birthing Day marks the official start of spring. 
  Spring has no fixed beginning in the calendar, start-
  ing instead whenever the local priestess of Eostre 
  declares winter to have ended. 
  Traditionally this is when the first lamb is born to 
  the temple’s flock. Thus it is held in different sea-
  sons and on different days the length and breadth 
  of Rassilon. The ceremony can last as long as a 
  week, and always begins on the first Heafoddaeg 
  after spring is declared.
  Three maidens from the local community are picked 
  by lot or rune divination. The first assumes the role 
  of the Eostre queen, representing the beauty of 
  spring. The second is the Eostre Princess, and is the 
  incarnation of the fertility of all living beings. The 
  third maiden is the Eostre Maiden is the embodi-
  ment of the earth’s fertility. During the festival the 
  maidens are showered with gifts, for they are the 
  living embodiment of Eostre.
  While all communities have their own ritual, it is 
  commonplace for the local nobility to hold extrava-
  gant festivals for their citizens. Some settlements 
  hold contests where the winners are married off to 
  the maidens (hence they have to be maidens). oth-
  ers reward victors with gold, jewels, cattle, or land. 
  Feasts are put together from the remaining winter 
  supplies, fields and animals blessed by the many 
  clerics in attendance, and songs of welcoming sung 
  to the plants and animals of the world awakening 
  from their winter slumber.
  The final day is the grand ceremony to Eostre, at 
  which animals and crops are sacrificed and their 
  blood sprinkled on the soil, alcohol is drunk by the 
  barrel load, couples get frisky, and prayers are of-
  fered to all the benevolent gods. Marriages between 
  the maidens and contest winners are always held at 
  this time.
  Giving birth on this day is a good omen for the 
  child’s future, though because the festival date 
  changes, planning ahead is difficult.
  Adventure N5 The Eostre Festival is set around at a 
  fairly typical birthing Day festival.
  royaLmark
  
  
  war and then again two years later as the young pretend-
  er tore through the land. At first the jarl had considered 
  siding with one of Nordmark’s jarls, hoping to earn favor 
  and gain land in the realm. but the bravery, strategic 
  skill, leadership, and audacity of young Geirmund stayed 
  his hand. 
  Tired of the impotence of the High Cyning, Jormunrek 
  is seriously considering breaking his oath of allegiance 
  and throwing his lot in with the young king. only two 
  things hold him in check. 
  First, half the troops in his domain are loyal to the 
  High Cyning. Second, by breaking his oath of allegiance 
  his loyalty to Geirmund would automatically be suspect. 
  The former he can deal with, but the second requires 
  carefully political maneuvering.
  jarL oswItH coeLbaLdsdoHtor
  Although Royalmark tradition frowns heavily on 
  women achieving positions of power, no law prevents a 
  female for holding an active noble title (as opposed by 
  being a good wife and holding a passive title).
  When oswith’s father died she fought off two broth-
  ers and a cousin to seize the jarldom. Knowing that as 
  a woman every decision she made would be subject to 
  close scrutiny and twisted by her rivals, she has ruled 
  cautiously but wisely. 
  Fanatically loyal to the High Cyning and an ultra-con-
  servative Saxa, she currently has the hearts and minds 
  of people, something other claimants to the seat cannot 
  abide much longer.
  jarL tHorgeIr skumasunu
  Jarl Thorgeir’s lands are in the northeast corner of 
  Royalmark, bordering much of Darkwood and its border 
  with the Freelands. 
  Wisely considered an untrustworthy weasel by his 
  peers, Thorgeir is rumored to have poisoned his father 
  and arranged the assassination of other claimants to the 
  vacant seat. The High Cyning is well aware of the stories, 
  and it is no coincidence the garrison of Hereford com-
  prises men loyal to the king rather than the jarl.
  jarL wuLfmund angarsunu
  Jarl Wulfmund rules the south of the country, his 
  borders stretching from the border with Vestmark along 
  those of the Vale and along part of the Crystalflow Con-
  federacy. 
  A tyrant and bully, Wulfmund openly scorns the au-
  thority of the king, although he has taken no overt ac-
  tions against his liege. With only a narrow gap between 
  the end of the Hearth Range and the border with the 
  Confederacy (an opening rapidly being blocked off by a 
  long palisade), granting access to his realm, Wulfmund 
  rules as an autocratic tyrant.
  Refugees from Vestmark seeking sanctuary were wel-
  comed with open arms, then forced into servitude as 
  festIvaL to eostre
     summer and wInter court day
  First Milcdaeg of spring and fall.
  Two courts govern the enigmatic fey—the Seelie, 
  who are active in spring and summer, and the Un-
  seelie, who prefer autumn and fall. Each year, the 
  two courts exchange seniority as the seasons switch. 
  The Unseelie have taken the wording literally rather 
  than symbolically as was intended, and thus hold 
  power for longer in the Winterlands than they do in 
  the Hearthlands.
  Rural communities welcome the new court by leav-
  ing gifts of milk, bread, and cheese outside their 
  houses on the night before these holy days. in 
  spring, the offerings must be the freshest available 
  to avoid offense, while in fall curdled milk, stale 
  bread, and moldy or hard cheese are considered an 
  appropriate gift.
  Doors are barred, shutters secured, and folk off the 
  street by dusk on these nights, for it is said the fey 
  dance through the countryside with wild abandon, 
  dragging any mortals they spy with them. Such folk 
  are never seen again. Many folk block their ears, for 
  other stories say that those who hear the faeries’ 
  music are compelled to join the dance.
  During the evening, the community holds an all-
  night feast in the largest building available to bid 
  farewell to the old court and welcome the new one. 
  loud music and raucous dancing follows. Skalds of-
  ten attend these ceremonies, singing songs of the 
  fey, while clerics of the Unknowable one attend be-
  cause the fey are associated with tricks and taunts. 
  Clerics also sell wards to protect against the fey, 
  though as is typical with the Trickster and his gifts, 
  none who purchase these charms are willing to test 
  if they actually work by stepping outdoors. Those 
  who last the night will swear come the dawn the 
  charm worked, of course.
  During the night many strange sounds will be heard, 
  like footsteps on roofs, scratching at door and win-
  dows, distant voices calling, and faint music drifting 
  on the wind. That these could have an earthly cause 
  (like cats on the roof or scratching to get in to the 
  warm homes, voices from passing travelers, or mu-
  sic from a neighboring village) is unthinkable—any-
  thing even remotely odd is attributed to the fey.
  if the offerings are gone in the morning the faeries 
  have accepted the offer. While their court remains 
  in power, the faeries won’t bother the community 
  (unless any mortals provoke the faeries, of course). 
  if the offerings are left behind it means the court is 
  unhappy—the settlement will be subjected to the 
  faeries’ mischievous or malevolent tricks until the 
  courts change.
  HeLLfrost regIon guIde #13
  
  
  thralls, their possessions sold to pay for their room and 
  board. A worshipper of Hothar, Wulfmund takes the faith 
  to its strictest meaning, favoring harsh punishments for 
  petty infractions of the law and crushing dissension in 
  his mailed fist. Dissension to his rule is dealt with swiftly, 
  and the corpses of executed “traitors” are left to hang as 
  a warning to others.
  gods & monsters
  This section details one minor god; the god of rat 
  catchers, the bloated, alien god of the bufomi, and two 
  new variants of bufomi to test the heroes.
  vetH
  Titles: Grain Watcher, Rat Catcher, the Great Mouser.
  Aspects: Protecting granaries from vermin.
  Affiliations: Eostre (both aspects), Rigr.
  Symbol: A cat’s paw grasping a bushel of grain.
  Priesthood: Mousers (priests); Ratters (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: The day before harvest is a high holy day. 
  other holy days are held every other Endedaeg through-
  out the winter months.
  Duties: To protect granaries from vermin.
  Sins: (Minor) not owning a mouser or ratter for more 
  than a week, harming or mistreating a mouser or ratter, 
  not reporting a follower of Vali to the authorities at the 
  first opportunity; (Major) letting a rat or mouse live, us-
  ing poison; (Mortal) allowing mice or rats to destroy a 
  granary, sparing the life of a cleric of Vali.
  Signature Power: Beast friend (cats and ratting dogs 
  only).
  Powers: Altered senses (low light vision only), boost/
  lower trait (Notice and Vigor only), detect (mice and 
  rats only; no conceal), fear (only affects mice and rats), 
  mend (only affects granaries, seals mice and rat holes in 
  one building), shape change (cat or ratting dog only), 
  summon beast (cats and ratting dogs only), warding 
  (mice and rats only)
  Trappings: Trappings are related to cats and ratting 
  dogs. For instance, beast friend may cause the cleric to 
  meow or yap to summon the animal, whereas fear might 
  create an illusory giant mouser.
  Veth, a daughter of Rigr, serves Eostre Plantmother by 
  watching over her granary and keeping it free of vermin. 
  She is always accompanied by her giant ginger tomcat, 
  Fengr (“Catcher”), whom she raised since it was a kitten. 
  Common belief is that all ginger cats are descendants of 
  Fengr, and thus expert mousers. According to myth, Veth 
  is a young girl, perhaps equivalent to 12 summers in hu-
  man terms, and is something of a wild child, preferring 
  the company of her cat to the other gods. Her hair is 
  unkempt, her clothes caked in filth, and around her neck 
  she wears a rat skull necklace.
  Veth is always shown as a wild-haired girl holding 
  a dead rat in her left hand. Some depictions show her 
  holding a long stick over her shoulder, from which hang 
  several rats, but these are typically found only in cities 
  and big towns. Fengr is normally intertwined around her 
  legs, with a rat hanging from his mouth.
  Shrines as unique places of worship are extremely 
  rare, for virtually all worship of Veth is done through 
  Eostre (in either aspect). in rural communities, prayers 
  are offered to her only after harvest, when the crops 
  are stored in the granaries. in towns, cities, and ports, 
  where rats are more commonplace, she is honored all 
  year round by the Guild of Rat Catchers. Crude copies of 
  her holy symbol are etched onto granary doors, both as 
  a sign that the mortal desires the attention of Fengr the 
  celestial ratter, and in an attempt to scare away vermin. 
  The skulls of vermin are strategically placed around gra-
  naries, bakeries, and similar areas as a further deterrent. 
  Clerics of Veth serve both rural and urban communi-
  ties, for where there are people, there are mice and rats. 
  Traditionally priests deal with mice and paladins with 
  the more vicious rats. As a result, urban priests are often 
  called out to the homes of the well-to-do to deal with 
  festIvaL to eostre
     courtsHIp day
  Second Waescdaeg of Eostremonan.
  Trapped in their communities over winter, young 
  men and women have little to do but eye each other 
  up as potential mates and try to sneak the occasion-
  al dance at one of the many festivals held to stave 
  off winter depression. Courtship Day is the tradi-
  tional day to officially begin wooing a maiden. it is 
  also the day many fathers begin sharpening their 
  weapons.
  young men are under no obligation to ask a father’s 
  permission to court his daughter, but it rarely hurts 
  to at least introduce oneself formally. if the wooer 
  approaches a father, the father is obligated to pro-
  vide the young man with a feast. During the meal 
  the father politely but firmly interrogates the youth 
  as to his social status, family history, and romantic 
  intentions toward his daughter.
  The laws of hospitality prevent the host from beat-
  ing his guests if he is less than honest, but once 
  outside the door he is fair game. The Saxa have an 
  old saying, “if the father follows you to the door, 
  pray to Freo and run.”
  Many marriages are held on this day, as it is an auspi-
  cious time. Couples who have exchanged life bond 
  oaths renew them on this day as a sign of continu-
  ing commitment and a reaffirmation of love. Court-
  ship Day is also considered an auspicious time to 
  get pregnant, something protective fathers are all 
  too aware of.
  royaLmark
  
  
  infestations, as they are slightly better mannered and at-
  tired. Paladins scour the streets, and in Anari-built cities, 
  the sewers for rats. it’s a lowly profession, and paladins 
  of Veth make no attempts at airs and graces—their job is 
  to catch rats, and that’s dirty work.
  Clerics disdain the use of poison, partly because there 
  is always a risk an innocent animal will consume it, and 
  partly because poison is the tool of Vali, and one never 
  fights fire with fire. Needless to say, the clergy consider 
  Vali’s followers to be among the most evil of creatures, 
  and no love is lost between the two faiths. Even being 
  suspected of worshipping Vali is cause for a severe beat-
  ing by the zealous, smelly clergy.
  The major festival of the faith falls on the day before 
  harvesting. in urban areas this is pegged in the calendar 
  as the first Endedaeg of Haerfestmonan, but in rural set-
  tlements it is held when the harvest actually commences. 
  Citizens across Rassilon call this festival Rattdaeg. Clerics 
  of Eostre and Veth dress up as cats and ratting dogs, while 
  children are costumed as mice and rats. Some commu-
  nities have elaborate costumes, but most make do with 
  colored jumpers and hats to which wool or felt ears are 
  attached. Amid much squealing, hissing, and barking, 
  the clergy chase the children through the streets, sym-
  bolically driving away the local vermin. After dark, the 
  clergy take to the streets in search of real vermin before 
  harvesting begins in the morning.
  Character Guidelines: As vermin catchers, clerics 
  need a good Notice to detect sneaky rodents, Vigor to 
  keep long watches and stave off infection from bites, and 
  Fighting to deal with infestations. Tracking is useful if 
  he wants to be able to follow the vermin back to their 
  lair. beast Master grants the cleric a vicious cat or dog, 
  and if he is also a cleric of Eostre Animalmother it is a 
  Wild Card Sidekick. Against mundane rats, as opposed to 
  those controlled by a cleric of Vali, the Edge also prevents 
  the cleric from being bitten by the vermin he hunts.
  k’kroakaa
  Titles: The bloated one.
  Aspects: bufomi, amphibians, gluttony.
  Symbol: A toad.
  Priesthood: Priests and paladins are not differenti-
  ated, and thus one may take both the Champion and 
  Holy Warrior Edges.
  Herald: None. When called to send a herald, 
  K’kroakaa sends a giant toad.
  Holy Days: bufomi hold major festivals on Heah Su-
  mor Daeg and High Wyntr Daeg. Minor ceremonies are 
  held as often as the highest ranking shaman demands.
  Signature Power: Leaping.
  Powers: Beast friend (amphibians only), blast, boost/
  lower trait (Stealth and Swimming only), champion of 
  the faith, entangle, environmental protection (water 
  only), growth/shrink, knockdown, prolonged blast, 
  sanctuary, shape change (amphibians only), stun, sum-
  mon herald (a giant toad), wall walker.
  Trappings: Trappings all relate to toads. Knockdown 
  may be a powerful croak, entangle could be sticky 
  tongues, and blast a swarm of flesh-eating toads.
  Disciple Edge: K’kroakaa’s disciples can unfurl their 
  tongue to Reach 2. This allows them to initiate grapples 
  at range or deliver a sting slap for Strength damage. 
  K’kroakaa is an ancient god by human standards, 
  having been worshipped by the bufomi since before the 
  gatormen and lizardmen ruled much of the northern 
  continent. A bloated monstrosity, the deity has devoured 
  so many sacrifices it can no longer move. instead, it sits 
  motionless in its dank lair, its immense maw gaping wide 
  to accept whatever offerings its followers deign fit to 
  throw its way.
  K’kroakaa appears in no civilized race’s mythology, 
  though gatormen tell how in his greed he once swal-
  festIvaL to eostre
     HerbaLIsm day (p)
  Second Monandaeg of Haerfestmonan.
  Eostre thought she knew everything about plants. 
  She could name every species of tree, bush, plant, 
  and root, and could tell at a glance what purpose 
  it served. Maera was passing Eostre’s garden when 
  she saw Hoenir departing, his face glum. Maera en-
  quired as to why Hoenir looked so upset, whereup-
  on the god of knowledge said Eostre had a problem 
  he could not solve. Curious, Maera walked through 
  the gate to find Eostre.
  on seeing Maera, Eostre handed her a leaf and asked 
  if she knew what the thin lines were, for she had 
  not seen them before. Maera studied the leaf close-
  ly, and then smiled. “yes sister,” she said, “i know 
  what these are. As you know, i have discovered that 
  a thread of energy, which i call magic, touches every 
  object. it seems your plants have sucked up extra 
  threads from the soil and have bound them into 
  their very being.” Maera then worked with Eostre to 
  find a way to unleash the energy, and so herbalism 
  was created.
  Worshippers spend the day crafting herbal brews 
  or helping an herbalist in her work. All creations 
  worked this day must be donated to the next temple 
  of Eostre the herbalist visits or she will suffer bad 
  luck (GM’s discretion on how this works). These 
  are then sold to provide the temple with funds for 
  other projects.
     purIfIcatIon day (a)
  First Sunnandaeg of Sowanmonan.
  Although primarily a festival to Sigel, it is an impor-
  tant day for Eostre Animalmother’s worshippers. 
  The full details of this ritual appear in Region Guide 
  #7: Shattered Moor.
  HeLLfrost regIon guIde #13
  10
  
  lowed the sun, plunging the world into total darkness 
  but badly burning himself in the process. For this reason, 
  amphibians need to regular bathe their skin to avoid dry-
  ing out.
  For all their other failings as a race, the bufomi are 
  deeply spiritual, in their peculiar, barbaric way. Commu-
  nities exist to serve the local temple rather than the other 
  way round, and thus wherever the bufomi have set up 
  home there is always a place of worship. 
  Serving as the altar is an effigy of a giant toad with its 
  mouth open. in many temples offerings are shoved into 
  the maw and out through the toad’s back. The symbolic 
  sacrifice over, the bufomi dine on the carcass while the 
  highest ranking shaman takes the treasure. in a rare few 
  others, the sacrifices fall through a hole in the base of 
  the statue into a subterranean chamber. Giant toads 
  are housed below the temple, and they dine on the still 
  screaming victims.
  based on speculation that the gatormen once held 
  great power but fell into barbarity, many scholars assume 
  the bufomi met a similar fate. in truth bufomi have al-
  ways been a lesser race culturally and technologically—
  even the gatormen didn’t bother to enslave them. This 
  primitive state affects even their faith. Although bufomi 
  worship a god, it is not K’kroakaa who gives shamans 
  (as clerics are called) their supernatural powers. Rather, 
  shamans tap into the magical threads that surround am-
  phibians. Despite using Faith to call forth powers and 
  suffering backlash as clerics, they are more akin to mages 
  than true clerics.
  Since only shamans have supernatural powers, the 
  bufomi take this as a sign that only they are fit to rule. 
  larger or more important settlements have a high priest, 
  who is either appointed by his peers or bullies and ca-
  joles his way into power. Many work hard to emulate 
  their god—they make proclamations and croak orders, 
  but let others do they hard work while they gorge them-
  selves into obesity and siphon off most of the plunder. 
  The most dangerous tribes are led by young, dynamic, 
  ruthless, and smart shamans.
  bufomi are territorial hunter-gatherers capable of eat-
  ing almost anything they can fit into their mouths. on 
  Heah Sumor Daeg, the primitive toad-men gather out-
  side their lair as the sun sets and begin croaking loudly. 
  The croaks are those emitted by hungry bufomi, and are 
  pleas to the sun to return quickly. With the mid-point of 
  the year gone, they know winter is on its way, and that 
  means a shortage of food. bufomi society is uncaring, 
  and those considered too weak to survive the winter 
  are seen as a drain on valuable resources. once the first 
  hard frosts bite, these unfortunates end up sacrificed to 
  K’kroakaa.
  Heah Wyntr Daeg is a day of celebration. Although the 
  snow lies deep and the air is freezing, the days are begin-
  ning to lengthen and foodstuffs will soon be plentiful 
  again. The croaks are ones of welcoming, for the sun will 
  soon drive away the winter chill and awaken the prey 
  animals and plants. Raiding tribes begin to plan their 
  activities for the warmer months.
  bufom
         sLIme Lord
  A slime lord is a bloated shaman of exceptional intelli-
  gence. These foul creatures are found rarely, and typically 
  rule over multiple small tribes or a single very powerful 
  tribe. Their warty skin exudes a viscous, pungent hal-
  lucinogenic slime. before entering combat, a slime lord 
  smears his bodily excretion on his weapon.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Faith d10, Fighting d8, Guts d8, intimidation d8, 
  Notice d6, Stealth d4, Swimming d6
  Pace: 4; Parry: 7; Toughness: 9 (2)
  Hindrances: obese
  Edges: Arcane background (Miracles), Command, Com-
  mand Presence, Fervor, Sweep
  Gear: Chain shirt (+2; torso only), staff (Str+d4, +1 
  Parry, Reach 1, 2 hands; see below)
  Treasure: Rich
  Special Abilities:
  * Croak: if a bufom takes no other actions in a round, 
  including moving, it can emit a deafening croak. Place 
  the thin end of a Cone Template in front of the bu-
  fom. All creatures within the Template must make a 
  Spirit roll or be Shaken.
  * Hallucinogenic Slime: Anyone Shaken or wounded 
  by the slime lord’s mucus-coated staff must make a 
  Vigor roll at –2 or be Shaken for 1d6 rounds as he 
  experiences vivid hallucinations. Unless the victim 
  spends a benny, he may roll to unShake only after the 
  1d6 rounds have expired.
  * Powers: Slime lord know the following spells: beast 
  friend (amphibians only), blast (flesh-eating toads), 
  boost/lower trait (Stealth and Swimming), entangle 
  cats
  Modern domestic cats in Rassilon are nearly all 
  variants of the skogkatt (forest cat) breed, a species 
  well-adapted to the cold. Males weigh around 20 
  pounds, and females half that. They have a dou-
  ble-layered coat and bushy tail to help stave off the 
  cold, their fur is waterproof, and their back legs 
  are longer than their forelimbs. Coloration varies 
  considerably. Hunting cats (see Hellfrost bestiary), 
  a much larger but distantly related species, are simi-
  lar to European lynxes.
  it is important to note that the idea of keeping a 
  cat purely as a pet is an unknown concept in Rassi-
  lon. Cats are kept around the house as mousers and 
  ratters, and have to earn their keep. only half-do-
  mesticated, these vicious cats are also quite adept 
  at catching rabbits, and even polecats and weasels 
  (which kill chickens, ducks, geese, and other fowl).
  royaLmark
  11
  
  (long, sticky tongue), knockdown (croak), leaping, 
  stun (mighty croak), summon herald (a giant toad), 
  wall walker (sticky mucus on hands and feet).
  * Pungent Stench: Anyone moving adjacent to a slime 
  lord must make a Vigor roll or be Shaken. With suc-
  cess, the victim is immune to that slime lord’s stench 
  for 24 hours. if a victim fails his roll, moves away, and 
  later returns adjacent to the slime lord, he must make 
  the roll again.
  * Rotating Eyes: The eyes of a bufom sit on top of their 
  head, and can swivel to see behind them. They reduce 
  Gang-Up bonuses against them by one.
  * Semi-Aquatic: bufomi can hold their breath for 5 
  minutes.
  fanatIc
  Fanatics are filled with a righteous devotion to their 
  leaders. When a shaman or slime lord is injured, the 
  fanatics undergo a frenzy, striking out at nearby foes to 
  avenge the insult to their master.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, intimidation 
  d6, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Swimming d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 4
  Gear: Crude long spear (Str+d6, +1 Parry, Reach 1, 2 
  hands, see below).
  Treasure: Meager.
  Special Abilities:
  * Bound: A bufom can leap 1d6+2” in a straight line to 
  attack with +2 to its Fighting roll and +2 to damage.
  * Croak: if a bufom takes no other actions in a round, 
  including moving, it can emit a deafening croak. Place 
  the thin end of a Cone Template in front of the bu-
  fom. All creatures within the Template must make a 
  Spirit roll or be Shaken.
  * Crude Spear: if a bufom rolls a 1 on his Fighting die, 
  regardless of Wild Die (for Wild Cards), he has dam-
  aged his spear. The spear’s damage die is reduced 
  one step. below a d4, the spear has shattered, leaving 
  the bufom holding a few bits of stick.
  * Fanatic: if a bufom shaman or slime lord within 5” of 
  a fanatic is Shaken or wounded, the fanatic may make 
  a single Fighting roll against one opponent within 
  Reach as a free action. it may do this even if it has 
  acted in the round.
  * Rotating Eyes: The eyes of a bufom sit on top of their 
  head, and can swivel to see behind them. They reduce 
  Gang-Up bonuses against them by one.
  * Semi-Aquatic: bufomi can hold their breath for 5 
  minutes.
  * Size –1: bufomi stand 4’ tall.
  gLaIstIg (fey)
  Glaistigs take the form of human women, but always 
  wear green robes. Although fey, they are followers of 
  Eostre, and protect cattle, milkmaids, and herders. Most 
  often they adopt a single community, offering protection 
  from raiders, disease, and predators in return for fresh 
  milk each morning.
  They are not vindictive creatures. if a community of-
  fends them, they merely withdraw their protection rather 
  than harming the cattle in any way.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d10, Notice d10, Spellcasting 
  d8
  Charisma: +4; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Detect Cattle: A glaistig instinctively knows the loca-
  tion of all cattle in the herd it protects, no matter the 
  distance.
  * Powers: Arcane resistance, armor (toughens hide or 
  skin), beast friend (calm voice), deflection (hazy out-
  line), healing (soothing touch), stun (stern rebuke). 
  Glaistigs only invoke magic to protect the cattle and 
  herders they watch over.
  festIvaL to eostre
     reapIng day (p)
  First Heafoddaeg of Hegmonan.
  The festival marks the start of the main harvest sea-
  son, when the first cereals are cut. The men of the 
  community begin the ceremony by lining up with 
  their scythes and sickles outside the temple or 
  shrine at dawn. When they are assembled, the cler-
  ics work down the line. Each man is required to 
  run his thumb down the blade of his tool, drawing 
  blood as he does so. A cleric catches the trickle of 
  blood is a chalice. Any tools found to be blunt are 
  honed by paladins to a fine edge. The owner must 
  make a cut on each thumb as penance.
  This act of self harm serves three important pur-
  poses. First, it proves the tools are sharp and ready 
  to be used. Second, Eostre is believed to be present 
  in all plants, and cutting them causes the goddess 
  pain. The drawing of blood is a symbolic gesture to 
  show the harvesters share Eostre’s pain and value 
  her sacrifice. Third, the collected blood is sprinkled 
  on the fields to replenish the life energy Eostre los-
  es during harvest.
  When each tool has been checked, the clerics bless 
  both the men and tools, absolving them of the sin 
  of harming the goddess. With the ceremony com-
  plete, the highest ranking cleric leads the men into 
  the fields. Under her direct supervision, one of the 
  men is chosen to make the first cut while singing 
  the Reaping Song, a tune whose rhythm keeps the 
  men working in unison and staves off fatigue dur-
  ing the long hours in the fields.
  HeLLfrost regIon guIde #13
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Hidden behind the imposing Dragonspine and Brokentail Mountains, ruled by two 
  kings, and divided by its geography, Veermark is an unusual realm. In the west the land is 
  settled and farmed, while the east is a wide, grassy landscape, across which the Saxa horse 
  nomads thunder. It is a realm of biting winters, rapacious orcs, and barbaric centaurs and 
  beastmen. This supplement expands on the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Western Veermark is lorded over by Cyning Ossni Sturlasunu. Ossni owns all the land, 
  though he directly governs only a quarter. The remainder of the land is divided between 
  five jarls, who rule in the name of the king rather than personally owning the land. Each 
  jarl subdivides his domain to ease the administrative duties. He may appoint or absolve 
  lesser noble titles, though doing either requires the permission of the king.
  Ranking below the nobility are the priesthood and mages, followed by the huscarls, 
  crafters, merchants, warriors, and then the general populace.
  Horse-Cyning Thrand Belly-Shaker rules Hrosmark, but he does not claim ownership 
  of the land. Rather, he has been given temporary stewardship over the land, ruling it in 
  Freo’s name. The title is not hereditary. When the king dies, the jarls elect a new king from 
  their own number.
  Swearing loyalty to the hose-king are the many clans of the Grasslands, each ruled by a 
  jarl. Unlike elsewhere, jarls do not govern any set piece of land. Instead, they are appointed 
  grazing land each year based on their loyalty to the crown. Other noble titles are based on 
  the relationship to the current jarl. His closest sibling and eldest child are both entitled 
  thegn. Second children and other brothers are haulds, and other children or siblings hold 
  the title lendmann. The head of every family is a ridder in name, if not in power.
  Traditionally the horse-cyning does not demand the nobles of his realm swear alle-
  giance to him. However, those who are not oath bound do not receive trade bars (see 
  page 4), which prevents them from conducting trade with outsiders legally, cannot call 
  upon the king to settle legal disputes, cannot instigate legal cases against or claim weregild 
  from those sworn to the king, and may not set up camp in Veergarth over the summer. In 
  essence, they are open to raids from their neighbors and isolated from trading.
  Unlike most other realms, Hrosmark has no native merchants or crafters. Below the 
  31214
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 4 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  Veermark
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  nobility, the social order has priests of Freo and Thunor 
  at the top, then the heavy cavalry, medium cavalry, light 
  cavalry, priests of other faiths and mages, and finally the 
  masses.
  educatIon
  Far from the beaten track, traditionalist western Veer-
  mark lacks any formal schools. Private tutors instruct 
  young nobles in all the skills they will need to rule wisely 
  and justly. Most citizens are farmers, learning the skills 
  they need from parents or clerics of Eostre. all parents 
  hope their children will aspire to something better, and 
  competition for trade apprenticeships among the lower 
  classes can be fierce. Better still is for their child to show 
  strong faith and join the clergy. While skalds are honored 
  among the native Saxa and can earn the patronage of 
  the nobility, few parents want their children to learn the 
  other magical arts.
  In Hrosmark, children are taught to ride before they 
  can walk. Once a male child is strong enough he learns 
  how to wield lance, sword, and bow on foot and when 
  mounted. all children are taught the nomads’ traditional 
  songs, stories, customs, and laws, learn the holy ceremo-
  nies they will perform as adults, and instructed in the 
  geography of their realm so they know the best grazing 
  lands and where orcs are likely to dwell.
  relIgIon
  The division between western Veermark and Hros-
  mark extends into religious beliefs as well.
  Blessed with rich agricultural and grazing land, the 
  western Saxa honor Eostre above all others, her Plantmo-
  ther aspect taking the greater share of worship. The light 
  forest is home to plentiful game, earning Ullr a place in 
  the inhabitant’s religious devotion. Thunor is honored 
  as both the god of freedom, for the Vestmarkers have 
  never been conquered or subdued, and for the eastern 
  wind he blows across the land in fall. as the warm air 
  rises up the Dragonspine it forms huge thunderstorms. 
  although floods are common, the winters are mild, and 
  Thunor receives credit for this. That a few homes may 
  be washed away is a small price to pay for escaping the 
  ravages of Thrym.
  In Hrosmark, Freo is king. His main cult and those 
  of his aspects atriðr, god of cavalry, and Epona, goddess 
  of horses, are worshipped with great fervor. Most clerics 
  of Freo and also clerics of one of the two aspects. De-
  spite being the goddess of animals, Eostre receives little 
  formal worship among the nomads, for horses, in their 
  faith, are part of Freo’s aspects. Bordered by hills in the 
  north and west and mountains in the east, Hrosmark is 
  an open expanse of short grass and rolling hills, totally 
  exposed to the sky. Thunor is greatly honored, both for 
  the southern wind, which provides some respite from 
  bone-freezing temperatures, and because he allows the 
  nomads to wander freely.
  BurIal cuStomS
  Little troubled by undead, western Veermarkers inter 
  their dead in shallow graves or burial mounds in the 
  style of their ancestors. Grave goods are placed with the 
  corpse, for the soul will need these in the afterlife.
  In Hrosmark a very different practice has evolved. It 
  is believed the soul remains on Rassilon for a year and 
  a day after death. During this time it continues to travel 
  with the clan, watching over and guiding the living. 
  When a nomad dies, his favorite horse is ritually slain. 
  a simple wooden frame is erected in the Grasslands. 
  Mounted on his horse, the nomad and mount are teth-
  ered to the frame with ropes and sticks and left to rot 
  naturally, a practice similar to the sky burials practiced 
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in Veermark.
  * What’s In A Name?: For the purposes of this 
  supplement, Hrosmark refers solely to eastern 
  Veermark, the land of the horse nomads. The use 
  of Veermark refers to the entire realm.
  * Trading: Hrosmarkers have little need for coins. 
  Those in the north may have some Ostmark cur-
  rency, but typically all trade is done in the form 
  of barter. Heroes looking to sell war booty or buy 
  equipment will need trade goods if they hope to 
  strike any kind of deal.
  The GM should not demand the heroes keep a de-
  tailed list of their exact trade goods. a hero who 
  spends 100 gs on trade goods need only record 
  “trade goods: 100 gs” on his character sheet, leav-
  ing the exact nature of the goods flexible. He may 
  then spend the trade goods as if it were coin in 
  Hrosmark. For convenience, every 5 gs of trade 
  goods weighs 2 pounds.
  * The Weather: In western Veermark the chance of 
  precipitation is doubled in fall and halved in win-
  ter. It retains a Hearthland climate. Hrosmark, by 
  comparison, suffers cold winters. Treat the winter 
  temperature as the Low Winterlands.
  natIVe HroSmarkerS
  Male Veermark characters born in the Grasslands 
  must have Fighting, Riding, and Shooting at d4. Fe-
  males must have Riding d4.
  NPC stat blocks for native male Hrosmarkers, re-
  gardless of their profession, should be modified to 
  include a minimum of Fighting d4, Riding d6, and 
  Shooting d4. Females should include a minimum 
  of Riding d6.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #14
  
  
  by worshippers of Thunor. Nobles are adorned in their 
  finest armor and weapons, which rusts away over time.
  Only criminals are buried in the earth, for this not only 
  prevents their souls from travelling the Grasslands, but 
  also makes it much harder for Freo’s heralds (a local dif-
  ference from the more widespread belief that Scaetha’s 
  heralds accompany the dead) from finding the soul and 
  taking it to the afterlife.
  mIlItary
  Totaling all the huscarls of western Veermark’s no-
  bles, the realm can muster about 100. Militias and town 
  watches add another 100 or so warriors, and the fyrd 
  totals some 3,000 members, assuming it could ever be 
  called out in strength. Despite having a permanent army 
  of just 200 soldiers, Cyning Oddni has little fear of inva-
  sion, for on his eastern borders are thousands of horse 
  warriors. While the two kings rarely see eye-to-eye on 
  anything, a threat to any part of Veermark will result in a 
  joint defense of the realm.
  as noted in the Hellfrost Gazetteer, Horse-Cyning 
  Thrand can call on about one-third of his people in time 
  of war. Every adult male is trained to use lance, sword, 
  and bow from an early age, and with no fields to tend 
  and very few crafters needed to produce goods, the 
  army, some 7,000 mounted warriors, can be mustered in 
  its entirety. The army has never gathered at full strength, 
  but over the last few centuries forces as strong as 2,000 
  have mustered to fight back orc invasions.
  Whether a soldier fights as light, medium, or heavy 
  cavalry simply depends on his wealth. The heavy cavalry 
  are the fewest in number, typically comprising the nobles 
  and their huscarls. Clad in expensively-imported plate 
  armor (remember, this is not the same as medieval plate 
  armor) or chain hauberks, they ride trained warhorses. 
  Their function is to lead the charge and smash the enemy 
  lines using their lances.
  Medium cavalry sport scale armor or chain shirts and 
  while equipped with a lance for tearing into fleeing foes, 
  they do not launch frontal attacks. Instead, they follow 
  up the heavy cavalry with brandished swords to take 
  advantage of the confusion.
  The light cavalry, mounted on riding horses and wear-
  ing leather armor, are mobile archers, trained to ride up 
  to the enemy, unleash a volley of arrows, and then retreat 
  before repeating the maneuver.
  trade & trIBute
  Veermark once lay on two trade roads. Today it boasts 
  just one (the High Road being closed due to troubles 
  in Sutmark), and this lies in the west. Goods from Mid-
  mark flow through the Blackstone Barony, into western 
  Veermark, and then onto the great markets in Ostmark, 
  new Background edge
     world-wISe
  Requirements: Novice, Smarts d8+
  Whether the hero journeyed extensively with his 
  parents during his youth, listened to traveler’s tales 
  at the local tavern, or had a good tutor, he is well-
  versed in the geography, languages, and cultures of 
  Rassilon.
  The adventurer has 5 extra skill points. These must 
  be spent on a minimum of three different knowl-
  edge (area) skills or on languages (each additional 
  language costs two points). Remember, your home 
  region is covered by Common knowledge.
  additionally, the hero may make unskilled knowl-
  edge (area) rolls for areas for which he has no skill, 
  something normally forbidden, as he has a little 
  knowledge about all lands.
  new comBat edgeS
     cHarge
  Requirements: Seasoned, Vigor d8+, Fighting 
  d8+
  The character knows how to deliver a well-aimed 
  blow at the end of a charge.
  If the hero performs a run action and ends his 
  movement for the round adjacent to an opponent, 
  he may make a single Fighting roll as a free action.
     faSt mount
  Requirements: Novice, agility d8+, Riding d6+
  Mounting or dismounting a horse counts as an ac-
  tion. an adventurer with this Edge can mount and 
  dismount as a free action, but may only perform 
  one of each maneuver per round. Thus, the char-
  acter could mount and dismount in one round, but 
  he couldn’t mount, dismount, and remount in the 
  same round.
  new leaderSHIp edge
     forced marcH
  Requirements: Seasoned, agility d6+, Vigor d6+, 
  Command
  Speed matters in battle, and the character knows 
  how to keep his allies a cohesive fighting force 
  when advancing.
  When the adventurer runs, all allies within his com-
  mand radius acting on his action card may use his 
  Running die result.
  Veermark
  
  
  and vice versa. Each settlement is responsible for its own 
  trading.
  The nomadic Hrosmarkers have little need for coin, 
  and bartering is considered the norm. However, all trade 
  is firmly controlled by the Horse-Cyning.
  all merchants looking to trade must first visit the 
  Beacon (see page 5), where he must purchase trade bars 
  from the king’s representative.
  Trade bars are flat pieces of wood, upon which is 
  inscribed the king’s mark. Every merchant is given a 
  unique rune, which he retains year after year. This is 
  then branded onto each trade bar he purchases. Heroes 
  hoping to sell war booty should note that any foreigners 
  trying to sell or barter require a trade bar.
  By law, outsiders may only trade with the clan head. 
  Because the clans move, finding the right camp can be 
  a chore. as such, a tradition has evolved to make the 
  process easier.
  When a merchant enters a camp, he informs the locals 
  he has goods to trade. a runner is then dispatched to 
  the clan head (every family in a clan keeps in regular 
  communication). The clan head then packs up his camp 
  and moves to the merchant’s location, while sending out 
  riders to inform the other families he rules over. Within a 
  few days, what may have been a camp of just two or three 
  tents becomes a temporary village bustling with activity.
  Once the clan head is present, the lengthy process of 
  haggling and bartering begins in earnest. When a deal 
  is struck, the merchant records the transaction on one 
  of his trade bars, which he then hands to the clan head. 
  The clan head stamps his clan’s trading rune onto the 
  bar and keeps it safe. Only one trade bar is required per 
  camp per visit, not per individual sale.
  In return, the clan ruler inscribes a copy of the trans-
  action onto one of his clan’s trade bars. This is then 
  marked with the merchant’s trade rune, ensuring the 
  visitor has an exact copy of what was bought and sold 
  from the clan.
  Each year during the summer gathering, every clan 
  hands over its trade bars from the past trading season. 
  These are totted up by the king’s agents. This process 
  allows the king to judge a clan’s wealth by the amount 
  of trade it undertakes and the goods it purchases and 
  sells.
  Trade bars cost 50 gs each (coin is accepted for these) 
  and one is required for each clan a merchant trades with. 
  While purchasing multiple trade bars might seem expen-
  sive, Horse-Cyning Thrand enforces no other taxation on 
  merchants, regardless of the value of their wares. This 
  encourages them to come heavily laden and make visits 
  to multiple clans.
  The king’s representatives have the right to stop mer-
  chants and demand to see their collection of trade bars. 
  Fast riders are then sent to the relevant clans to see if 
  the trade bars match, while the caravan is searched and 
  a detailed inventory taken. any discrepancies result in 
  instant fines. If the fine cannot be met, the head mer-
  chant is taken captive until the fine is paid, plus extra 
  for his room and board during his captivity. Checks are 
  sporadic, but frequent enough to ensure cheating is a 
  risky venture. Given the low taxation, most merchants 
  are only too happy to comply.
  clanS on tHe moVe
  as noted above, the clans do not remain stationary 
  during the year. Between Sceranmonan and Haerfest-
  monan, much of the population is gathered at Veergarth 
  in the south. Veergarth’s southerly position was chosen 
  because the high passes through Zigzag Pass are free 
  of snow in summer, allowing caravans from Sutmark 
  to make the arduous journey. Sutmark has not traded 
  for two years thanks to the siege, and should trade not 
  resume soon, Thrand may be forced to chose a more 
  central location.
   With so many horses present in one place, clans 
  may have to travel 50 miles (a day’s ride for a Hrosmark 
  horse) or more to find good grazing ground.
  as Haerfestmonan ends, the clans are assigned their 
  winter grazing grounds (see page 8). There then follows 
  a mass migration, as the clans travel to their assigned 
  territories. By law they are forbidden from grazing their 
  horses aside these lands, though they are free to move as 
  they desire within them. In this way, the horse-king re-
  wards loyal clans with plentiful pasture while punishing 
  those who have offended him with smaller territories, 
  forcing the clan to compete internally for the best grass.
  In spring, once the snows melt, the clans are free to 
  travel the Grasslands as they wish. They jostle and bar-
  gain for the best lands, but are forbidden from fighting. 
  If a dispute arises, and it often does, the clans must ask 
  the horse-king to make a judgment.
  as the days warm and lengthen as summer draws ever 
  nearer, so the mass migration back to Veergarth begins 
  and the yearly cycle of life draws to a close, ready to be-
  gin anew as summer ends.
  arcHItecture
  The houses of western Veermark are typical Saxa long 
  houses and steads. Wood is plentiful here and the anari 
  influence found in the other Marklands lacking, and few 
  buildings are built of stone as a result.
  Hrosmarkers, by comparison, live in round, felt-cov-
  ered, wood lattice-framed tents with fur or carpet floors, 
  similar to those of the taiga elves. The roof is steeply 
  pitched, allowing for rain to run off easily and preventing 
  accumulation of snow in winter. In auld Saxa the name 
  for these constructions is runenfilthus, which literally 
  means “round felt house.”
  Each is large enough to sleep a family of ten, although 
  conditions are a little cramped above six. as with most 
  cultures in Rassilon, privacy is not the norm, and natural 
  functions are carried out in front of others, be they kith, 
  kin, or guests. a central hearth lined with stones serves 
  for light, warmth, and cooking.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #14
  4
  
  The tents are designed around the nomads’ mobile 
  lifestyle. a native family, well practiced at moving home 
  every few days or weeks, can pack away a tent and its 
  contents and be ready to move on in an hour. In the 
  same way families inherit houses, so Hrosmarkers inherit 
  tents. Repaired and patched over the generations, fami-
  lies take immense pride in their homes.
  major localeS
  Included below are several places of interest and ad-
  venture for the heroes to visit and explore.
  tHe Beacon
  Population: 100
  The Beacon stands on the last slope of the northern 
  Border Mounds, overlooking the trade road. Outside 
  of Veergarth, it is the only permanent settlement in the 
  whole of Hrosmark. Its miniscule population comprises 
  80 mounted heavy cavalry and 20 administrators, all of 
  whom are clerics of Var.
  No ditch or palisade protects the site, for that is not 
  the Hrosmarker way. Instead, the warriors’ tents form a 
  triple circle around the center, being positioned in such 
  a way that no straight line of attack can be made. In the 
  center is an enormous tent, which serves as a shrine to 
  Var and an administrative office.
  The site takes its name from the huge fiery beacon that 
  burns day and night, guiding merchants to the camp. all 
  visiting merchants must come to the Beacon to purchase 
  trade bars if they wish to ply their trade in Hrosmark and, 
  despite its size, the camp is a bustle of constant activity 
  day and night.
  While at the Beacon the merchants are accorded 
  the horse-king’s protection. Notices in all the civilized 
  languages encircle the camp, warning of dire punish-
  ments to those who would steal from visiting merchants. 
  Horse-Cyning Thrand has made it a capital offense to 
  rob merchants, the typical punishment being tethered 
  to four stallions. When the horses gallop off in different 
  directions, the criminal literally has his limbs torn off.
  For added protection, there are the clerics of Var. 
  Paladins outnumber the priests three-to-one, and they 
  are only too happy to use their magic to protect cargoes 
  and hunt down thieves. They are under no compulsion 
  to bring back thieves alive, something frowned upon in 
  other lands.
  While Ostmark could quite easily trade with clans 
  in the far north without visiting the Beacon, they have 
  avoided the practice since Thrand’s great-grandfather 
  gained the throne. as one of his first acts, the horse-cyn-
  ing made it abundantly clear that any infringement of 
  his trading laws would lead to retaliatory raids. Given 
  the size of army Hrosmark can muster, Ostmark happily 
  agreed to play by his rules and has kept its side of the 
  bargain ever since.
  clerIcS of freo
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of Freo, providing facts useful to both play-
  ers and GMs.
  Training: Each cleric mentors one novitiate as an 
  apprentice, taking her with him on his journeys. In-
  struction is always given while walking, sailing, or 
  riding. During rest stops, the young hopeful reflects 
  on what he has learned and formulates questions 
  ready for the next leg of the journey. Instruction on 
  languages and customs is important, for clerics will 
  meet many different people on their future travels.
  Tests involve solo journeys, where the candidate is 
  expected to report back to his mentor all he has 
  seen and heard. These journeys are always through 
  unmapped and unfamiliar terrain, for a cleric of 
  Freo never knows where his feet might lead him in 
  the future.
  Prayers: Given their constant movement, it is not 
  surprising prayers mention travel. “Celestial wan-
  derer, hear my footfalls, and…” is a common start. 
  a favored exclamation is, “Freo’s sandals!” Phrases, 
  like “Best foot forward,” “you won’t wear out san-
  dals standing still,” and “Never walk the same path 
  twice” (which means “Let bygones be bygones” or 
  “Drop it, we’ve had this conversation before”), pep-
  per their speech.
  Adventures: Freo’s clergy are given few formal 
  quests, and those that do occur always involve 
  travel. Delivering messages is a common activity, 
  though they may be called upon to escort someone 
  through the wilderness, determine the path for a 
  new trade road, or map out an area in preparation 
  for an attack or expansion.
  Creatures such as orcs often trouble trade roads, 
  and when progress is halted, clerics of Freo are usu-
  ally keen to lend a hand dealing with the problem.
  Character Guidelines: Outdoors in all weathers, 
  clerics should invest in Vigor to help stave off cold 
  penalties and survive the rigors of travel. Widely 
  traveled clerics might wish to take a few dice in 
  knowledge (area) and knowledge (Folklore) to 
  present their understanding of different places and 
  cultures. Better still is to invest in the World-Wise 
  Edge on page 3. Survival, the outdoors skill, can 
  keep a cleric alive in the wilds longer than the more 
  popular adventuring skill of Fighting and Shoot-
  ing, though the wilderness is fraught with danger 
  and these skills should not be entirely neglected. 
  as worshippers of the god of travel, Fleet Footed is 
  a perfect Edge, and a few dice in both Boating (as-
  suming it is applicable to the campaign) and Riding 
  will make journeys far easier.
  Veermark
  
  
  Black orc caVernS
  Named for the color of the rock rather than the skin 
  of its inhabitants, Black Orc Caverns lies in the Broken-
  tail Mountains, close to where they join the line of the 
  Dragonspine. a warren of narrow tunnels and cathedral 
  like chambers, the caverns house a large number of orcs. 
  The vile creatures frequently raid into western Veermark, 
  much to the frustration of the king.
  Ossni’s army is too small to deal the orcs a crippling 
  blow, and the horse nomads refuse to enter the caverns 
  because they cannot fight mounted. Ostmark has volun-
  teered a small army fit for the task, but Ossni suspects 
  they would use the orcs’ presence as an excuse to main-
  tain a permanent garrison on his soil.
  Ossni’s chief ranger has a suspicion the orcs are being 
  paid to raid, thus keeping Veermark’s small army occu-
  pied. In secret he points the finger of blame at Black-
  stone Barony, for he has heard many rumors regarding 
  the small, insular realm. Even with firm evidence, there 
  is little Veermark could do without the support of the 
  nomads, and war is a costly business.
  Broken fence
  Three centuries ago the king of western Veermark, 
  fearful of the unruly horse nomads, ordered the con-
  struction of monumental defensive wall. The decision 
  was taken to construct a high wooden wall from the edge 
  of the Brokentail Mountains across the wide valley and 
  then along the northern and central Border Mounds. 
  The epic project almost bankrupted the tiny state.
  a vast earth rampart lined with timbers was duly 
  raised, with motte-and-bailey forts positioned every 
  50 miles. Unfortunately, it was also a colossal waste of 
  money, for after the king’s death his successor and the 
  then horse-cyning struck a non-aggression pact, agree-
  ing to keep their realms separate yet bonded by oaths of 
  mutual defense. The northern part of the wall remained 
  manned for another fifty years, as it allowed the king 
  to tax merchants, but even this policy was eventually 
  stopped in order to promote greater trade.
  Over the centuries large amounts of timber have 
  been looted for construction projects. What man has not 
  destroyed, the weather has rotted. With the protective 
  timbers gone, the earth rampart has been weathered 
  almost flat.
  Only two of the forts remain in anything resembling 
  good condition. One stands in the wide valley in north-
  ern Vestmark. It is used by merchants as a convenient 
  place to rest up. The king maintains a small garrison 
  here, not to defend his borders, which lie further north, 
  but to protect the caravans. The second lies about a 
  third of the way down the Border Mounds. a band of 
  orcs has recently moved into the ruin. From here they 
  launch raids on both sides of Veermark. Both the king 
  and horse-cyning claim the other is responsible for deal-
  ing with the orcs, and neither has taken any action to 
  remove them.
  gHoSt wolf Valley
  Hrosmark’s southern border is marked by the sharp, 
  craggy peaks of the eastern Dragonspine Mountains. The 
  long, winding valleys that cut through the foothills and 
  lower slopes are home to many orc and goblin tribes, 
  most answerable to frost giants who live higher in the 
  dense block of mountains.
  One of these many valleys is shunned by the nomads, 
  for it is said to be haunted by the ghosts of wolf- or dog-
  headed beastmen. according to legend, when the Saxa 
  first settled here they warred against the beastmen who 
  called the Grasslands home, driving them back into their 
  valley home before slaughtering the entire species.
  Every now and then, snarling, pale-furred ghosts strike 
  out from the valley, raiding nearby nomad camps before 
  disappearing back into the mountain. The nomads call 
  these specters gastulfrwerren, or ghost-wolf-men. Un-
  usually for ghosts they can bleed, but no corpses have 
  ever been recovered after raids, leading to the belief they 
  cannot truly be killed.
  Some nomads claim that an unearthly howling ema-
  nates from the valley, the mournful cry of a gigantic howl 
  calling the spirits of the dead beastmen to serve it in its 
  endless quest for bloody revenge. Given that the entire 
  area is home to many mortal wolves and dire wolves, 
  such stories may simply be fanciful workings of over ac-
  tive imaginations.
   Largely unexplored for centuries, the walls of the val-
  ley are said to be dotted with caves whose walls are deco-
  rated with crude paintings of a gargantuan wolf-like deity 
  devouring living sacrifices. at the far end is supposedly a 
  monumental wolf head carving, its maw gaping wide. at 
  the back of its throat is a tunnel, which leads into what is 
  no doubt a temple to the unnamed wolf deity.
  although the number of raids has increased, Thrand 
  has been unable to coax, cajole, or threaten his warriors 
  into entering the valley. He is prepared to offer outsiders 
  reasonable terms if they rid his lands of the fell specters, 
  but first he must find a suitable band of heroes.
  no tHread ruIn
  Before the Saxa adopted a nomadic lifestyle they 
  lived much as other Saxa. Much of their construction 
  was done with wood, which has rotted away to leave no 
  trace. However, in the center of the Grasslands stands a 
  sprawling mass of half-crumbled stone towers, buildings, 
  and walls, an ancient edifice said by some to have been 
  raised even before the Saxa first settled here.
  The migrating Saxa of old supposedly investigated the 
  site out of curiosity, and promptly vowed never to settle 
  nearby. The site is said to be cursed by Maera, for ab-
  solutely no arcane magic functions within its walls (this 
  much is proven fact). There is no Siphoning, just a total 
  inability to weave the threads of magic into cohesive 
  patterns. The grass for ten miles around the structure 
  grows black and coarse, and has proven poisonous to 
  the nomads’ horses.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #14
  
  
  Many myths and stories exist about the site, but none 
  are verifiable. Some say it was raised during the Demon-
  gate Wars to imprison a demon lord. Others claim it be-
  longed to a powerful mage whose experiments proved 
  unwise and ultimately fatal. Giants are blamed by others, 
  though the stonework is built to human scale. More than 
  one sage has indicated it might have been a temple to 
  Thrym, destroyed during the Blizzard War by clerics of 
  kenaz and Sigel, or a legacy from the reign of the Liche-
  Priest. a small few are bold enough to suggest it may 
  have stood since the God War.
  Both clerics of Maera and members of the Reliquary 
  are frequent visitors, for both seek to understand the 
  complete absence of magical energy here.
  wIld HorSe temple
  In the southern arm of the Border Mounds, close to 
  where the hills take a southwestern bend and overlook-
  ing distant Oakwood, stand a network of standing stones 
  of varying size. Viewed from above, the stones form the 
  pattern of a stylized horse, albeit one measuring several 
  miles long. The surrounding landscape is light forest 
  carpeted with unruly vegetation.
  To the centaurs, beastmen, manticores, and other 
  intelligent beasts who walked the land long before the 
  humans, it is sacred to Eostre, patron of all life. Even the 
  elves of Oakwood worship here, though they make no 
  claims to own the stones. The Hrosmarkers claim it is a 
  temple to Freo Horselord, as evidenced by its layout.
  Druids and clerics of Eostre, regardless of race, are al-
  lowed to worship at Wild Horse Temple, but they are not 
  accorded any special protection and must vow to help 
  defend the temple during their stay. Ceremonies held 
  here are bloody, violent, and wild affairs, harking back 
  to a bygone age.
  Over the years the nomads have launched several at-
  tacks in a bid to capture the temple, but each one was 
  driven back by fierce centaurs and beastmen, the marks-
  manship of deadly manticores, ferocious wild beasts, 
  towering treemen, and summoned wood elementals 
  fighting in unison. The elves have, so far, not sent war-
  riors to help protect Wild Horse Temple, though the 
  alchemical devices they have donated to the guardians 
  have no doubt played a vital role in protecting the site. 
  Hrosmarkers believe a powerful centaur king, an 
  inhuman counterpart to the horse-cyning who may be 
  an actual offspring of Eostre from before the rise of the 
  civilized races, makes his home here. Some say he is an 
  immortal being, a child of Eostre blessed with awesome 
  supernatural power over the natural world. although a 
  centaur, he is said to have the antlers of an elk and the 
  tail of a manticore.
  wInd tent
  The Wind Tent is an invisible tent, its walls and roof 
  formed of swirling winds. From outside, one can detect 
  nothing of its presence until one walks into the wall, 
  whereupon howling winds buffet the unfortunate wan-
  dered. The interior is warm and calm, protected against 
  the worst weather by its invisible walls. anyone in the 
  interior can see the rolling heavens and starry firmament 
  as if standing in the open, yet they remain complete in-
  visible to those outside. Some skalds claim the interior 
  is larger than the outside dimensions would allow, but 
  few have ever visited the tent and even fewer have been 
  inside, so such talk is generally considered speculative 
  embellishment.
  The tent moves around the Grasslands, seemingly at 
  random. It also travels at amazing speeds, for one day 
  it may be detected in the north, and the next day far to 
  the south. Many seek the Wind Tent, but few are ever 
  fortunate enough to find it.
  Such a locale may seem like a legendary place, or 
  perhaps a sacred site, yet it is a very real place and, al-
  though worshippers of Thunor consider it special, no 
  spirit dwells here. The Wind Tent is the personal abode 
  of Thunderson Sturmric (see page 8).
  feStIVal to freo
     HorSe fIgHtIng day
  First Marketdaeg of Haerfestmonan.
  This festival, considered barbaric by many druids 
  and clerics of Eostre animalmother, is held only in 
  Hrosmark and always takes place at the summer 
  gathering in Veergarth.
  Each clan selects a fine stallion from its herds. Lots 
  are drawn at random to determine fighting pairs. 
  The animals are then led into a circle, in the center 
  of which is tethered a thoroughbred mare from the 
  king’s stables. The mare is always “in season.”
  The two stallions are worked into a frenzy by slaps 
  with sticks from their owners and the pheromones 
  of the mare. The animals may be subjected to this 
  for many hours before they are considered ready to 
  fight, by which time they are half-mad.
  The horses are then released. In their frenzy to 
  mate, they kick and bite each other, inflicting seri-
  ous injuries on their rival. When one horse cannot 
  carry on, the fight ends.
  Seriously wounded horses are ritually slain. The 
  winning horse is allowed to mate with the mare. 
  This is not a knockout competition, and the king 
  must supply a mare for each fight. Should a foal 
  be born, it is presented to the clan of the fathering 
  horse at the next summer gathering. Its sire is then 
  ritually sacrificed to Freo, so as to ensure the god’s 
  stable is stocked with only the finest horses.
  Regardless of whether or not a foal is born, winning 
  curries favor both with Freo and the king. In the 
  latter instance, the king may award better inter graz-
  ing lands, something every clan seeks.
  Veermark
  
  
  perSonS of note
  jarl edlaf godHelmSunu
  Jarl Edlaf respects the power of Horse-Cyning Thrand, 
  though he has no love for the man. Vain, arrogant, and 
  more than a little naive, he seeks to usurp power through 
  the darkest of alliances. Undead have never plagued 
  Hrosmark, and while the people have heard stories from 
  strangers, they have little true conception of the power 
  of Hela’s cult. Jarl Edlaf believes the cult to be a minor 
  player, easily manipulated by others.
  To that end he hatched a plan to become horse-cyn-
  ing. agents were sent out into the wider world to recruit 
  clerics of Hela. Corpses are readily available in Hros-
  mark, especially those of warriors and nobles, and Edlaf 
  intended to have the clerics of Hela animate him an army 
  of undead horsemen, which he will then use to conquer 
  the realm and impose his own rule.
  Several clerics of Hela answered his call. They have 
  played to his weaknesses, flattering the jarl and whisper-
  ing of his future power, all the while secretly animating 
  the corpses and concealing them in a valley in the far 
  south. With the Liche-Priest set to awaken soon, having 
  an army of undead cavalry so deep inside the Hearth-
  lands would be a major boost to his growing army of 
  pitiless warriors. Edlaf remains blissfully unaware of 
  their true plans.
  tHunderSon SturmrIc
  a priest of Thunor, Sturmric, whose name translates 
  as Storm of Power, is said to have powers far beyond the 
  ken of other clerics. He can, the skalds tell, summon all 
  manner of elementals relating to the air, can converse 
  with birds and air spirits, and knows the secret of the 
  winds. Thrym, legends say, fears him, for he exerts con-
  trol even over the north wind.
  Sturmric is widely considered to be at least half mad. 
  He never shaves or cuts his hair, washes only when the 
  rain falls on him, and spends much of his time talking to 
  invisible spirits or dancing wildly outside his tent while 
  blowing a long trumpet carved from the horn of some 
  legendary beast. Sturmric is loyal to the horse-cyning, 
  though he rarely bothers to visit Veergarth to renew his 
  oath of allegiance. For his part, Thrand seems little both-
  ered by the lack of display of loyalty.
  godS & monSterS
  This section details three new minor gods, the gods 
  of cavalrymen, horses, and messengers, three new mon-
  sters, and the ubiquitous messenger.
  atrIðr
  Titles: The Horseman, The Celestial Rider, Tiw’s Out-
  rider, Lord of the Charge.
  Aspects: Cavalrymen.
  affiliations: Freo, Tiw.
  Symbol: Stylized horse with a head shaped like a 
  lance.
  Priesthood: Lancer (priests); Cataphract (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: The days before and after any battle. 
  Battle Dance Day (see Region Guide #5) is a high holy 
  day.
  Duties: To fight with bravery, to slay many foes, to 
  earn glorious recognition through martial prowess.
  Sins: (Minor) having your mount slain, injuring a 
  horse, being beaten in combat by an equal or superior 
  foe, fleeing a fight against an inferior opponent; (Major) 
  accidentally killing a horse; (Mortal) purposefully killing 
  a horse
  feStIVal to freo
     Saddle day
  Sangdaeg of Haerfestmonan.
  During summer the town of Veergarth turns from 
  a near-deserted plain into a bustling metropolis of 
  felt tents. With grass plentiful, the horse-lords gath-
  er in one place to arrange marriages, interbreed 
  horses, sell their livestock, and purchase supplies 
  brought in by hundreds of visiting merchant cara-
  vans. as summer ends and the chill of winter begins 
  to bite so the grass becomes less nutritious and un-
  able to support such a large population with their 
  many horses.
  a week before the ceremony, the king, mounted 
  on his black stallion, summons the nobles and clan 
  elders who owe him allegiance. also mounted, they 
  fan out before him in a wide semi-circle. The king 
  then assigns each their winter lands based on how 
  well their followers performed in the annual com-
  petitions.
  On the day of the ceremony the tent city is rapidly 
  pulled down for another year. The king and the pal-
  adins of Freo sit mounted at the main exit from the 
  city while the priests are arranged in a line before 
  them. as each clan departs the clerics bless them in 
  the name of Freo Horsemaster and the king, wish-
  ing them a speedy and safe journey. When a cler-
  ic’s clan leaves, he breaks ranks and joins his kin. 
  Since the number of blessings diminishes as the day 
  draws on, those clans most in favor with the king 
  depart first.
  By nightfall, when the king and his entourage de-
  part, the city has shrunk from 25,000 people to a 
  few hundred permanent guards.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #14
  
  
  Signature Power: Speed*
  Powers: Arcane resistance*, armor*, fly*, leaping*, 
  quickness*, smite, wilderness step*
  Trappings: any except necromantic.
  Special: Spells marked “*” can only be cast on a 
  mount the caster is riding. Should the rider dismount for 
  any reason, the spell is negated, though it is still being 
  Maintained. When the rider remounts, the spell effect 
  returns immediately.
  During the early stages of the God War, all Tiw’s 
  forces were infantrymen. Freo questioned the war god 
  why he did not use mounts, for they were both fast and 
  powerful, and made his travels much easier. Tiw, angry 
  that Freo was daring to claim any knowledge of military 
  matters, replied that horses were good only for eating 
  and saving energy on long marches.
  Freo wagered Tiw that a warrior he trained to use a 
  mount could beat any hero Tiw cared to field against 
  him. If Freo won, Tiw must accept cavalrymen as part of 
  his army and thus sphere of influence. Should Tiw win, 
  Freo would give up any influence over mounts, leaving 
  that to Eostre.
  Confident of victory, Tiw accepted, telling Freo he 
  could take atriðr to train, a soldier who had shown little 
  skill in battle. Months later, atriðr, mounted on a horse 
  and armed with a lance, faced down Tiw’s champion, 
  impaling the unfortunate infantryman on his long lance. 
  Tiw begrudgingly accepted the value of cavalrymen. Un-
  willing to lead cavalry charges in person, Tiw appointed 
  atriðr’s to fill that role. The minor god’s sphere of influ-
  ence covers all forms of mounted combat, not just those 
  involving horses.
  as with many other aspects of Tiw, atriðr is not de-
  picted as an individual deity. He is deemed present in 
  any image in which Tiw is mounted or carrying a lance. 
  Temple of Tiw and military barracks with a cavalry de-
  tachment often boast a shrine showing Tiw in his guise 
  as the god of cavalrymen.
  Cavalrymen are most commonly found among the 
  anari and mercenary companies, though the Saxa are 
  slowly coming round to the idea that mounted combat 
  is as honorable as battle on foot. Whereas clerics of Tiw 
  are differentiated by role, those of atriðr are less sepa-
  rated. Paladins do tend to opt for heavy cavalry roles, 
  mounted shock troops designed to smash enemy lines, 
  while priests often take on the role of light cavalry and 
  outriders. While both types of clerics are trained war-
  riors, their miracles are firmly oriented around mounted 
  combat. Hence, while equally skilled at warfare on foot 
  or mounted, they are rarely found fighting out of the 
  saddle.
  Like those of Tiw, clerics of atriðr perform martial 
  drills as religious ceremonies, though they are mounted. 
  On Battle Dance Day a battle trained horse is sacrificed 
  to atriðr. Its spirit is said to join atriðr’s stables, ensuring 
  the god of mounted warfare is never without a mount.
  Character Guidelines: Clerics of atriðr are mounted 
  warriors. agility, Strength, and Vigor are core attributes, 
  and Fighting and Riding are core skills. Given the cleric 
  is at his best when mounted, Beast Bond is a very use-
  ful Edge for helping keep the mount alive. Priests, who 
  serve as outriders, should invest a few dice in Notice 
  and Survival. If you have Region Guide #9, the Mounted 
  Combatant Edge gives the character a boost to his Riding 
  skill.
  epona
  Titles: Mistress of Horses, the Mounted Lady.
  Aspects: Horses (includes mules and ponies).
  Affiliations: Eostre animalmother, Freo.
  Symbol: a stylized white horse.
  Priesthood: Mares (priests); Stallions (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Ceremonies are held every Marketdaeg. 
  Saddle Day (see page 6) is a high holy day.
  Duties: To protect, breed, and tame horses.
  Sins: (Minor) injuring a horse, overburdening a 
  horse, riding a mount other than a horse, walking when 
  you have a horse to hand; (Major) willfully harming a 
  horse, eating horse flesh; (Mortal) willfully killing a horse 
  (except to put it down).
  Signature Power: Beast friend (horses, mules, and 
  ponies only).
  Powers: Armor*, boost/lower trait (Fighting and 
  Riding only), healing*, leaping*, shape change (horses, 
  mules, and ponies only), speed*, succor, summon beast 
  (horses, mules, and ponies only), weapon immunity*, 
  wilderness step*.
  feStIVal to freo
     SIteS Seen day
  Sangdaeg of Haerfestmonan.
  Freo came to realize that many of the people he 
  met on his journeys had never left their homelands 
  and knew nothing of the greater world. although 
  driven by endless wanderlust, Freo rested his feet a 
  while at the next village he came to and told stories 
  of the wondrous sites he had seen strange beasts 
  he had encountered, and different cultures he had 
  met. Enjoying the chance to soak his aching feet, 
  Freo vowed to take time out from his journeys each 
  year to spread word of the world to those unable or 
  unwilling to travel.
  Each year the clergy are expected to spend the day 
  in a settlement they have never visited before. In 
  return for food and drink, they recount their tales 
  of exploration and travel to their hosts. Clerics may 
  embellish stories to make them more interesting, 
  but may not invent fictional creatures, people, or 
  places, nor may they rename them. In the morning, 
  the host traditionally gifts the visiting cleric a new 
  pair of boots for the next leg of his journey.
  Veermark
  
  
  * The spell only affects horses, mules, and ponies.
  Trappings: Clerics rarely have showy effects. Many 
  of their spells work simply by whispering to the target 
  animal.
  Special: a disciple of Eostre animalmother who also 
  worships Epona may take an elven horse as an animal 
  companion.
  Regardless of what the Saxa of eastern Veermark 
  claim, Epona is a recent addition to the pantheon, ap-
  pearing only around a thousand years ago. knowledge of 
  her faith was brought to Rassilon by the anari from lands 
  they had conquered far to the west, across the storm-
  wracked ocean. This fact has long been forgotten, and 
  Epona is now regarded as having always been part of the 
  pantheon.
  In anari-dominated Rassilon her faith was quickly as-
  sociated with that of Eostre animalmother, while in Veer-
  mark it was tied to that of Freo. all but forgotten outside 
  Veermark after the dual horrors of the Liche-Priest and 
  the Blizzard War, when the peoples of Rassilon prayed 
  to the greater gods at the near-exclusion of all other, the 
  faith has undergone something of a revival in recent cen-
  turies. Worship remains extremely patchy, though.
  The horse tribes of Veermark have always worshipped 
  Freo in the guide of a horse. During the anari inva-
  sion of the Marklands refugees brought knowledge of 
  Epona’s faith with them. The Saxa of Veermark worship 
  her as Freo’s wife. In their unusual mythology, she was 
  kidnapped by an unnamed outsider deity, who took her 
  across the western ocean. after a lengthy quest, Freo 
  tracked her down and freed her.
  The anari and the Saxa of Nordmark, both of whom 
  use cavalry in combat, have begun to honor her to a larg-
  er degree, though they favor a more militant approach. 
  It is widely believed Tiw’s clerics among the anari will 
  adopt her into their faith as soon as they can agree on 
  dogma. The elves, who breed marvelous horses, widely 
  adopted her faith as part of Eostre’s religion. Elsewhere, 
  she remains virtually unknown.
  The goddess is never depicted in human form, but is 
  instead always shown as a mare, tall, strong, and proud. 
  The only known temple to her stands in Veergarth. 
  Rather than being an imposing edifice of stone or wood, 
  it is housed inside a tent made of woven horsehair. The 
  queen of the horse lords is considered her high priest-
  ess (at least in Veermark), regardless of whether or not 
  the monarch is actually a cleric. Elsewhere, shrines are 
  found only rarely in stables and cavalry barracks.
  Priests tend to operate as veterinarians, tamers, breed-
  ers, and sellers of horses. Some priests serve in armies, 
  tending the horses and ensuring they are well-treated. 
  Priests and paladins have been known to raid mines and 
  liberate abused ponies. Paladins are mounted soldiers, 
  something of a rarity in many realms. as well as serving 
  in the armies of the Magocracy, aspiria, and Chalcis, and 
  more recently in Nordmark, many command indepen-
  dent mercenary cavalry detachments. The knights Hrafn 
  are keen to recruit these unusual clerics into their ranks. 
  Both branches are firmly against the eating of horse flesh, 
  considered something of a delicacy in parts of Rassilon.
  as noted above, most worship of Epona occurs in 
  eastern Veermark. On holy days clerics drink fermented 
  mare’s milk and wear special headdresses made of horse 
  hair. On the first day of spring, a ceremony marking Ep-
  ona’s return to the pantheon is held. The king assumes 
  the guise of Freo and dons a plumed helmet of brown 
  horsehair. He then scours the capital for his queen, who 
  is clad in a white and represents Epona, who has been 
  hidden by her huscarls. Once she is located, a massive 
  feast is held for honored guests (common citizens mark 
  the occasion with their own feasts).
  The king of Veermark rides a jet black stallion and his 
  wife a pure white mare. These are sacred animals, be-
  lieved to house the spirit of Freo and Epona respectively. 
  When a black male foal or female white foal is born, a 
  feast is held to mark the rebirth of the gods. Once these 
  reach maturity, the current stallion and mare are ritually 
  sacrificed to ensure their spirits return to the heavens. 
  The beasts’ hearts are cooked and served to the mon-
  archs, who by eating them imbue a portion of the gods’ 
  spirit and gain their strength. This is the only time horse 
  flesh is eaten in Veermark (it’s a capital offense).
  Character Guidelines: all clerics are expected to 
  be highly proficient in Riding. Paladins need a high 
  skill to help offset the rules on fighting while mounted. 
  Mounted archers are extremely rare in Rassilon, but if 
  anyone is going to shine in the art it is Epona’s clerics. 
  Steady Hands is a very important Edge for any mounted 
  hero. Paladins who want to command cavalry regiments 
  should invest in knowledge (Battle) and Leadership 
  Edges. Priests need to invest in Healing as part of their 
  role as veterinarians.
  Hrafn
  Titles: Messengers of the Gods, Word-Bringer.
  feStIVal to freo
     fIrSt footIng day
  First Heafoddaeg of Snaermonan.
  First Footing Day began as the cult’s celebration of 
  the new year but has evolved into a festival for all 
  citizens, regardless of their faith. as dawn breaks, 
  folk across Rassilon don their winter furs and visit 
  the homes of friends, family, and strangers. after be-
  ing greeted on the doorstep they hand over small 
  gifts. By tradition, you can’t cross the threshold 
  without bringing the householder a gift. Clerics of 
  Freo always give items of footwear, but others gift 
  small cakes, candles, or bottles of alcohol. Being 
  the first person to visit someone else’s home on 
  First Footing Day is seen as a good omen for any 
  travel during the coming year.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #14
  10
  
  Aspects: Messengers.
  Affiliations: Freo, Hoenir.
  Symbol: Raven clutching a scroll in its claws.
  Priesthood: Scribes (priests); Couriers (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Worshippers treat any day a journey be-
  gins or ends as a holy day. Spoken Word Day and Writing 
  Day (both of which will be described in the Alantaris Isle 
  Region Guide) are high holy days.
  Duties: To transcribe and deliver messages.
  Sins: (Minor) late delivery of a message, giving a 
  message entrusted to you to a person other than the in-
  tended recipient, allowing a written message entrusted 
  to you to be damaged; (Major) failure to deliver a mes-
  sage entrusted to you, falsely repeating a verbal message; 
  (Mortal) reading a message entrusted into your care.
  Signature Power: Speed.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (agility, Vigor, Riding only), 
  fly, speak language, voice on the wind, wall walker, wa-
  ter walk, wilderness step.
  Trappings: any trapping except necromantic.
  Hrafn is often called a son of Freo, though many cler-
  ics of the faith actually think of him as Freo’s pet rather 
  than as an aspect of the deity. Whereas Freo wanders 
  almost aimlessly, content to let his feet take him where 
  they will, Hrafn only ever travels with purpose, and that 
  purpose is to deliver messages. Hrafn is not a diplomat, 
  and cares little whether the missives are contracts, love 
  letters, or declarations of war. Whenever he is depicted, 
  he is always shown as a raven, never as a man or anthro-
  pomorphic animal.
  Like Freo, Hrafn has no temples of his own. Shrines 
  can be found in many of Hoenir’s temples. The majority 
  of shrines to Freo show him wearing a raven amulet on 
  at least one face.
  Priests are more often scholars than delivery men, 
  hired by nobles and merchants to write messages. Many 
  priests have unique codes which they use to encrypt the 
  most important missives. Naturally, the intended recipi-
  ent needs to know the code in order to read the mes-
  sage. Priests are, by their nature, more closely linked to 
  Hoenir. Paladins, as the militant branch of the faith, are 
  the actual messengers, traveling the country as required 
  by their patrons. Once they undertake a commission, 
  they let nothing stand between them and delivering the 
  message entrusted them, especially not something as 
  mundane as the weather.
  Both types of clergy maintain strong ties to the Guild 
  of Messengers, and many are paid up members. Mem-
  bership is not required, and plenty of clerics enjoy the 
  freedom of freelance work, taking on commissions as 
  suits them rather than taking orders.
  Membership of the guild can be represented in play 
  by taking the Connection (Messenger Guild) Edge and 
  the Orders Hindrance. Many clerics have a fixed base 
  where potential patrons can contact them, and such 
  structures always contain a shrine. all Messenger Guild 
  houses contain a shrine to Freo, with Hrafn represented 
  as a raven perched on one of the god’s shoulder.
  While sensible travelers stick to main roads wherever 
  possible, messengers often take the most direct route, 
  confident in their abilities to keep them out of trouble. 
  “as Hrafn flies,” a common expression, refers to a straight 
  line distance between two points, and is often used when 
  describing distances between locales.
  Ceremonies are impromptu affairs, held any time 
  clerics gather in more than a pair. Here the clergy swap 
  stories of their travels and adventures, though they never 
  divulge the recipients of messages to each other out of 
  professional courtesy. as well as a form of boasting—of-
  ten the teller of the most outlandish but true story 
  avoids having to buy drinks for the night—these stories 
  help pass on news messengers need to know, such as 
  increased orc activity or political unrest.
  Character Guidelines: Hrafn’s clergy may be called 
  upon to travel anywhere in Rassilon, and so should 
  be proficient in the travel skills—Boating, Riding, and 
  Survival. a good Vigor score is handy for helping cope 
  with the rigors of travel. knowledge (area, Folklore, and 
  Heraldry) can also be useful, though most clerics can get 
  by without these. Fleet Footed is a favored Edge. While 
  not required to be secretive, clerics are typically reticent 
  to discuss their business.
  centaur wIld lord
  Centaur wild lords are more intelligent than other 
  centaurs, though they still only rank as possessing aver-
  age intellect in comparison to humans. aggressive and 
  proud, they are a cross between priest and warlord. That 
  said, they are not always in charge of their tribe—that 
  honor often falls to the strongest warrior, rather than the 
  smartest.
  Attributes: agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: Druidism d8, Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, No-
  tice d8, Stealth d6, Survival d8
  Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10 (1)
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), long spear (Str+d6, Parry 
  +1, Reach 1, 2-hands)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Call the Host: Centaurs have a special relation with 
  fey, who they respect and honor as children of the 
  earth. Once per month, a wild lord can make a Druid-
  ism roll to contact the fey. He cannot specify which 
  sort of fey will answer nor does he know exactly when 
  or how they will answer. all he knows is a reply will 
  be received before the next full moon, as it has been 
  for countless ages.
  * Fleet Footed: Centaurs roll a d10 when running, in-
  stead of a d6.
  * Hooves: Str+d4.
  * Powers: Beast friend, elemental manipulation, ham-
  per movement, storm, summon beast, voice on the 
  wind, warding (animals and plants only), wilderness 
  step.
  * Size +2: Centaurs are the same size as riding horses.
  Veermark
  11
  
  HorSe, StormHoof
  With bodies the color of thunderclouds and blue 
  lightning dancing over their hooves, stormhooves are 
  believed to be the mortal descendants of Thunor’s two 
  horses, Thunder and Lightning. Notoriously wild, storm-
  hooves have been known to carry riders high into the sky 
  and then throw them to their death. Once one is broken, 
  however, it forms a bond with its master that lasts for life. 
  Stormhooves count as trained war horses.
  These rare creatures are only found running wild in 
  the foothills of the Thunor Range. The king of Nordmark 
  has ruled them sacred animals and thus a protected spe-
  cies. anyone daring to capture one faces execution by 
  beheading for sacrilege, while those who injury or kill 
  one are subjected to the blood eagle, the Saxa’s most 
  grisly form of execution.
  Attributes: agility d6, Smarts d4(a), Spirit d10, Strength 
  d12+2, Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Notice d6
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Fleet Footed: Stormhooves roll a d10 when running 
  instead of a d6.
  * Improved First Strike: Stormhooves may make a 
  Fighting attack against each opponent who moves ad-
  jacent to them.
  * Lightning Kick: Str+d6 with an electrical trapping.
  * Ornery: Rider must break in the horse first or suffer 
  a –2 penalty to Riding rolls. Breaking in a stormhoof 
  requires a Riding roll opposed by the horse’s Spirit. 
  One roll may be made per week.
  * Size +3: Stormhooves are large creatures.
  * Sky Runner: Flying Pace 8. May run as normal.
  meSSenger
  While voice on the wind is good for relaying short 
  messages, longer missives must be delivered by hand. 
  Since the speed of delivery is limited to that of the 
  messenger, most messengers are mounted and lightly-
  armored. Messengers covering short distances may run 
  rather than ride. Such individuals often have the Fleet 
  Footed Edge.
  Very important communiqués are encoded. Others 
  may be written down or entrusted to the courier’s mem-
  ory. Messengers serving nobility, temples, or important 
  organizations are given a seal or small pennant denoting 
  their patron’s identity. an attack against an official mes-
  senger is considered an assault on his patron.
  Messengers make regular use of herbal remedies. 
  Most carry at least one dose of food substitute, hydrating, 
  restorative, stimulant I, and stimulant V herbal brews.
  Attributes: agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d8, Riding d8, Sur-
  vival d6, Swimming d6
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: Loyal
  Edges: Dodge
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), short spear (Str+d6, Reach 
  1), herbal brews, riding horse and saddle or skis
  Treasure: Meager
  SwIftlIng (fey Swarm)
  Swiftlings are minute fey. Extremely gregarious, they 
  hang around in great swarms, operating as a collective 
  entity with single purpose. Members of the Seelie court 
  serve as messengers, carrying verbal missives between 
  various fey domains. However, they are also notorious 
  tricksters. Those within the Unseelie court who possess 
  a truly malevolent streak work in small groups, swarm-
  ing over foes and delivering tiny stabs with miniature 
  spears.
  Even when “standing still” swiftlings continually 
  fidget, making them a constant blur of motion. If one 
  ever stood completely still long enough to be studied, 
  it would appear as a miniature human of indeterminate 
  sex with glittering skin, butterfly like wings, and bright, 
  golden eyes. When a swarm moves, it looks like a golden 
  streak, a stray sunbeam moving across the landscape.
  Swiftlings speak in high pitched voice and commu-
  nicate extremely rapidly, giving the impression they are 
  buzzing. The only way a mortal can easily understand 
  them is to cast quickness, thus bringing them up to a 
  speed almost comparable to the swiftlings. Fey have no 
  such problems understanding their quick cousins. Be-
  cause they live their lives at such high speeds, swiftlings 
  bore easily, especially when dealing with non-fey, whose 
  words and actions are as slow as treacle.
  Swiftling swarms fill a Medium Burst Template.
  Attributes: agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: Guts d6, Notice d6, Stealth d8
  Pace: —; Parry: 3; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Acrobat: +1 Parry; +2 to perform agility Tricks.
  * Blur of Motion: Unless subjected to quickness, at-
  tackers have –2 to attack rolls, –2 to rolls when per-
  forming agility Tricks, and –2 to interrupt a swiftling 
  swarm.
  * Fly: Pace 24. Swiftling swarms roll a d12 running die, 
  instead of a d6.
  * Stab: Swiftlings inflict hundreds of tiny spear thrusts 
  every round to their victims, hitting automatically 
  and causing 2d4 damage to everyone in the template. 
  Damage is applied to the least armored location.
  * Supernatural Quickness: Swiftling swarms redraw 
  all initiative cards of 8 or lower. Swfitlings are not sub-
  ject to First Strike or Withdrawing from Combat.
  * Swarm: Parry +2. Because the swarm is composed of 
  scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting 
  and piercing weapons do no real damage. area-effect 
  weapons work normally, and a character can swat to 
  inflict his damage in Strength each round.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #14
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  The mighty waters of the Crystalflow cut through the central Hearthlands. At each end 
  stand great cities, testament to the wealth trade can bring, while numerous settlements, 
  bound together into a loose confederacy by trade agreements, line its banks. Yet the settle-
  ments are not clones of each other, and together they create a melting pot of ideas, cul-
  tures, languages, and beliefs. This supplement expands on the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Though no written laws enforce the choice of titles a settlement’s ruler may adopt, out 
  of tradition none ventured higher than baron, out of respect to the lords of Drakeport. 
  The Barge-King’s use of a royal title has offended many, but technically the Barge-Court 
  isn’t part of the Confederacy, its ruler having never signed up to any of the existing pacts 
  and concords.
  As a generalization, the rulers and their families are at the top of the social ladder, 
  followed by important court or community dignitaries, then clerics of Var and Neorthe (in 
  that order), other clerics, mundane merchants, master crafters, crafters, mages, soldiers, 
  and then the peasants.
  Exceptions to the rule occur in every settlement. These are normally based on the com-
  munity’s history or primary trade. In Drakeport, for instance, clerics of Sigel are ranked 
  socially higher than those of any other deity, arkhwisards of the Convocation sit above the 
  clerics of the less worshipped gods, while maegisters sit just below lesser clerics. At Scath-
  moor, clerics of the Unknowable One and skalds (magical or mundane) are ranked above 
  clerics of Var and Neorthe. Farming communities hold clerics of Eostre in high regard, as 
  well as wealthy landowners, and unless the community exports a lot of produce clerics of 
  Var may rank alongside those of the lesser gods.
  educatIon
  The Crystalflow Confederacy boasts two major centers of learning outside of temples. 
  The most well known is the Three Notes Academy in Scathmoor, though it caters only 
  31215
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 5 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  cryStalflow 
  confederacy
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  for skalds and musicians. The Drakeport Academy pro-
  vides formal education for the sons and daughters of the 
  town’s elite, as well as those of families from elsewhere 
  who can afford the tuition fees.
  In general, education standards are much higher in 
  major towns and cities than among rural communities. 
  Literacy rates are high, children are offered basic educa-
  tion from the ages of five until 12 at many temples, and 
  trade guilds offer apprenticeships to students with the 
  right aptitude. Outside of the heavily populated regions, 
  education is left to local clerics, who teach religious and 
  cultural lore, and to parents, who generally focus on 
  passing on what knowledge they have gleaned.
  With the amount of trade flowing through the Con-
  federacy, it is perhaps not surprising that virtually every-
  one knows a smattering of Trader, and most citizens are 
  fluent in Anari or Saxa.
  relIgIon
  The Crystalflow Confederacy is first and foremost a 
  trading realm. Every settlement of over 1,000 inhabitants 
  has a temple to Var serving as a market and religious 
  center, while all the smaller ones maintain a shrine, for 
  even if they do not import or export they cater for mer-
  chants. many of Var’s clergy, and the Confederacy boasts 
  the greatest number of any realm, operate as individual 
  merchants, trading as they see fit in a bid to generate per-
  sonal profits pleasing to their deity. Some have banded 
  together to form mercantile partnerships, while others 
  work for the nobility or serve small communities as trade 
  representatives, earning a fixed wage for their work, and 
  operating a market stall to generate extra revenue.
  While there are minor roads along the banks, the 
  majority of traffic sails up and down the mighty river. 
  Drakeport and Bridgewater house temples to Neorthe, 
  while every settlement along the river bank has a shrine. 
  With travel being a core part of life here, Freo receives 
  plentiful worship.
  The other deities are far from neglected. Drakeport 
  boasts a marvelous temple to Sigel, the Unknowable One 
  has a temple in Scathmoor, Eostre is popular in com-
  munities which farm the land or raise livestock, Hothar 
  is worshipped in Bridgewater and Drakeport, and the 
  generally lawful communities of the Confederacy pay 
  him lip service. Of course, trade is a lucrative business, 
  and Nauthiz has his share of worshippers, as does Vali.
  MIlItary
  The Crystalflow Confederacy is bound together not 
  just by trade agreements, but also by mutual defense 
  pacts. To this end, each settlement maintains its own 
  army and navy. The breakdown of the so-called grand 
  Army of the Confederacy is detailed below.
  Bridgewater: Currently protecting Bridgewater are 
  a total of 1,200 soldiers. Of these, 200 serve as the city 
  watch. The remainder is divided into six infantry compa-
  nies, two archer companies, and two cavalry companies 
  of 100 men apiece. During the civil war in Nordmark, 
  Bridgewater stationed half its army along the border to 
  prevent any faction using the Crystalflow as a staging 
  post. Although the fighting is over, Baron gallandros has 
  yet to gain the measure of the young king, and the army 
  remains in its temporary barracks. Of the other half, two-
  thirds are stationed in East Bridgewater and one-third in 
  West Bridgewater.
  The city maintains a powerful navy. It commands 
  four drakkars (240 crew total), three of which constantly 
  patrol up and down the Crystalflow, while the fourth re-
  mains in dock. Supporting them are three battle barges. 
  Outfitted with a coldfire thrower, two ballistas, and a 
  catapult, they are manned by ten artillerists and forty 
  light infantry. Primarily used to fight against pirates, they 
  are also capable of providing fire support for troops on 
  the river banks.
  Drakeport: The largest city in rassilon, Drakeport 
  maintains a sizeable army and navy.
  Its army stands at 2,000 soldiers. Only 500 warriors 
  are stationed in the city (known as the City guard), and 
  these are split equally between archers and medium in-
  fantry. The other three-quarters occupy a series of forts 
  watching over the coast in readiness for an orc invasion 
  and along the border with midmark. The Outer guard, 
  as these soldiers are known, are split into six infantry 
  companies, three archer companies, and six cavalry com-
  panies of 100 men each.
  ruleS of tHe realM
  These setting rules apply in the Confederacy.
  * Languages: Characters born in the Confederacy 
  must take Trader as their second language unless 
  they have the Outsider Hindrance.
  * Crimes: Theft is a serious crime in the Confeder-
  acy, and thieves are typically branded on the cheeks 
  for a first offense, lose a hand for the second, and 
  lose their lives for a third offense. Piracy is a capital 
  crime, and the navies waste no effort in tracking  
  down and eliminating those who seek to plunder 
  the merchant ships sailing the Crystalflow.
  * Trading: City items in a town or town items in 
  a village cost 25% more than normal, when they 
  are available. City items in a village cost 150% 
  more than normal, if available. Special goods can 
  still only very rarely be purchased outside the de-
  scribed location.
  Selling goods is also much easier, as there is always 
  a trader within earshot. Streetwise rolls to find a 
  buyer receive a +2 bonus in any settlement with a 
  population greater than 1,000, and +1 in smaller 
  communities.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #15
  
  
  Each company is led by a captain and each five com-
  panies by a captain-in-chief. On overall command is the 
  Dragon marshal, though he answers to Baron Drogo.
  Protecting the city walls are a number of tall towers, 
  each broken into three levels and housing a ballista. 
  Between the towers are a number of large platforms, 
  on which stand catapults. manning these weapon are 
  trained artillerists, plus an equal number of laborers who 
  serves as loaders. In a recent exercise, the judders of the 
  catapults caused a section of wall to collapse, killing a 
  number of citizens. As a result, Baron Drogo has ordered 
  a halt to further live fire exercises.
  Its navy consists of six drakkars (360 men total), which 
  are responsible for patrolling the Crystal Sound against 
  orc pirates and escorting merchantmen into harbor, and 
  two snekkes, which patrol the river.
  Rushton: With the troubles in Veermark spilling over 
  into the Vale and Jarl Wulfmund of royalmark branded a 
  potential troublemaker, rushton has recently increased 
  its army to 400 soldiers. Of these, 50 are engro slingers, 
  50 are human archers, and the remainder are human me-
  dium infantry (50 of which are the town guard). Because 
  the town lacks space, much of the army is garrisoned in 
  makeshift forts outside the palisade.
  Scathmoor: Located in a relatively stable part of the 
  Crystalflow Confederacy, Scathmoor maintains a perma-
  nent army of just 100 light infantry. A further 200 men 
  are members of the militia, to be called up only to defend 
  Scathmoor from attack. The town’s charter requires all 
  skalds knowledgeable in song magic, resident or visitors, 
  to join the army should the need arise.
  Others: The other settlements comprising the 
  Crystalflow Confederacy can muster a combined force 
  of 800 soldiers. Some 200 are permanent soldiers, the 
  remainder being town and village militia. The combined 
  naval force of these settlements consists of one drakkar, 
  five smabyrdings (used for rival patrols), and six barges 
  (used to ferry troops up and down the waterway).
  trade & trIbute
  Trade is the life blood of the Confederacy and the 
  sole reason for its existence. Although Bridgewater and 
  Drakeport are the major mercantile hubs, every com-
  munity buys and sells something, if only to passing ship 
  crews. It is often said that if an item has a value, it can 
  be found in the markets of the Confederacy. While this 
  is an exaggeration, there is more than a grain of truth in 
  such claims.
  The Confederacy completely dominates trade in the 
  east. Ships laden with goods from Aspiria, Chalcis, and 
  the magocracy were once common sites at Drakeport, as 
  were those of the dusky denizens of the southern desert 
  cities. Today the harbor is less busy, for orcs plague the 
  Crystal Sound in growing numbers and merchants are 
  willing to risk delays going overland. In the west, cara-
  vans from the Vale regularly visit rushton, from where 
  goods are shipped to Drakeport. Vestmark, once a major 
  trading partner, has little to sell these days, and while 
  rushton suffers most, the entire Confederacy has suf-
  fered a slump in profits since the war began.
  Due to the location of the trade roads, goods from Os-
  tmark, Veermark, and southern Nordmark pass through 
  the Confederacy, as do cargoes from the eastern Winter-
  lands and Freelands headed for these realms.
  In order to foment strong and regular trade, the Con-
  federacy charges low levels of import and export duty. 
  Thanks to the quantity of trade, the coffers of the various 
  communities are always well-stocked.
  As well as being a trade hub, the Confederacy exports 
  plentiful foodstuffs, locally produced wine, and wool, 
  though none of its exports are a true threat to realms 
  which specialize in these goods. glass in imported from 
  Aspiria, fur from the Winterlands, and timber (the Con-
  federacy lacks any notable woodlands) from midmark.
  The Crystalflow is a well-traveled highway, with ships 
  and barges constantly plying its waters. Two types of 
  merchant ship sail its waters. The largest vessels belong 
  to the merchant houses of Bridgewater, Scathmoor, and 
  Drakeport. Heavily laden, they travel the entire length 
  of the Crystalflow, bearing goods from foreign lands and 
  stopping to pick up local cargoes.
  A veritable fleet of smaller ships from the smaller com-
  munities sail only to a handful of settlements, trading on 
  a local basis rather than a regional one. By law, these 
  cargoes must be for the consumption of the purchasing 
  community, and cannot be sold on to the major merchant 
  houses as their ships sail past. This allows the smaller 
  settlements to export goods the major houses have no 
  market for, and prevents merchants raising from import-
  ing goods from a smaller neighbor and then selling them 
  on to the great trading houses at inflated prices.
  rIddle Me tHIS
  riddles are word games, sometimes straightforward, 
  sometimes with a twist one needs to see before one 
  can deduce the correct answer. riddles can be used 
  in the game one of two ways.
  First, Knowledge (riddles) can be used in combat 
  as a Test of Will against sentient creatures capable 
  of speech and which can understand the speaker. 
  It is opposed by Smarts. Even in the heat of bat-
  tle, having someone taunt you with a riddle causes 
  subconscious diversion, and that can be enough to 
  cause the conscious mind to become distracted, if 
  only momentarily.
  Second, it can be used in a riddle contest. The rules 
  are very simple—one person poses a riddle, which 
  his rival must then answer. Whoever fails to answer 
  correctly first loses. Knowledge (riddles) is the only 
  skill usable in a riddle contest unless the riddler 
  poses a very common riddle, in which case Com-
  mon Knowledge can be used.
  cryStalflow confederacy
  
  
  Major localeS
  While the major settlements of the Confederacy are 
  covered in varying detail in the Gazetteer, this section 
  expands on those entries and provides parties with new 
  places to visit or explore.
  tHe arkHwISard’S tower
  On the edge of gnatmarsh, just before the Crystalflow 
  takes a sharp turn to the west, stands a tall stone tower. 
  Surrounding the edifice is a small village of 300 souls, 
  self-sufficient in most basic goods, but able to harvest 
  enough rushes from the marsh for export.
  The tower is the domain of Arkhwisard Danti Calixis, 
  a renegade member of the Convocation charged with 
  stealing several rare texts, a relic of which the Convoca-
  tion will not speak to outsiders, and the murder of two 
  maegisters.
  The Council of Four has demanded Calixis be handed 
  over to them for judgment, but the Arkhwisard has of-
  ficially joined the Confederacy and is thus protected un-
  der local law. While the Convocation has taken no overt 
  action, beyond banning all members from fraternizing 
  with the rogue arkhwisard on penalty of expulsion, they 
  are maneuvering behind the scenes to have Baron Drogo 
  lend his support to their demands.
  For her part, Calixis rules her small domain with a fair 
  hand and sound judgment. She gained her position not 
  through force or threat, but by single-handedly defeat-
  ing a bufomi raiding party. The villages, who operated a 
  cooperative, asked her to lead them, pledging loyalty in 
  return for protection. Since she took control the village’s 
  defenses, formerly a simple ditch and bank, have been 
  greatly augmented with a steeper bank and a palisade.
  Calixis uses her powers to aid her community, sum-
  moning elementals to help with mundane tasks and 
  using her limited healing powers to tend the sick. While 
  she mixes with the locals, quiet happy to share a drink 
  and story at the village’s small tavern, she never deals 
  with outsiders personally, for she is fearful the Convoca-
  tion will send assassins to deal with her. 
  bjorrton
  Population: 425
  Ruler: master Hunter Ulfric ap-gwannon
  Religion: Ullr, Var
  Imports: Strong drink
  Exports: Beaver fur and meat
  Bjorrton lies on the eastern bank of the Crystalflow, 
  almost at the join of the Confederacy, Nordmark, and 
  midmark. many of the inhabitants are involved in the 
  trapping, skinning, and butchering of the giant beavers 
  that live in the region. The work is dangerous, for while 
  giant beavers are not aggressive by nature, they possess 
  powerful jaws and sharp front teeth.
  Although part of the Confederacy for well over a cen-
  tury, the town maintains a frontier feel. Its population , 
  primarily Saxa, works hard and drinks hard.
  A taiga elf husband and wife team, he a cleric of Ertha 
  Animalmother and she a druid, have recently taken up 
  residence in the village. When not fulfilling their duties, 
  they rail against the hunting of giant beavers. Acts of 
  sabotage to the trappers’ snares have been laid at the 
  elves’ feet, though they deny the accusations. regardless 
  of their guilt or innocence, they are unusually disliked 
  for their views, though no one wishes them physical 
  harm.
  tHe black keep
  Weathered but still strong, the Black Keep stands on 
  the western banks of the Crystalflow. Despite its impres-
  sive fortifications, no lord rules from here and no village 
  crowds against its towering, blackened walls for safety. 
  The site is given a wide berth even by river traffic, cap-
  tains risking collision with the rocks lying in mid channel 
  rather than sail under the shadow of the tall towers.
  Those who have ventured too close, on land or on 
  water, speak in quiet whispers of terrible screams and 
  howls that emanate from within the fire-blackened walls. 
  Some claim the castle is haunted by the family of a de-
  ranged nobleman who had them walled up as punish-
  ment for some imagined wrongdoing. Others say it was a 
  stronghold of evil during the reign of the Liche-Priest.
  The Black Keep, named for the color of its walls, dates 
  back before the Liche-Priest, to an age when Hela was a 
  champion of the gods. raised during the immensely de-
  structive Demongate Wars by fell cultists, the deranged 
  lord that once ruled from here was a powerful demon, 
  for within its labyrinthine cellars and dungeons once 
  stood a portal to the Abyss.
  As the War drew to a close, an army containing clerics 
  of Hela, the Norns, and Sigel stormed the keep, their 
  souls hardened against the terrors within by divine 
  blessing. The portal was sealed and the demon lord sent 
  back to his native realm, but attempts to torch the keep 
  repeatedly failed. After confirming no evil lurked in its 
  dark corners, the keep was abandoned and left to rot, 
  but even the weather refused to harm the stones.
  While no demons live here in modern times, evil still 
  lurks within the dark corridors and empty halls. So much 
  pain, misery, and damnation occurred here that evil 
  crept into the very walls, imbuing the keep with a life of 
  its own. If this were not bad enough, several malevolent 
  wraiths (see Region Guide #7) inhabit the site.
  brIdgewater
  Although smaller then Drakeport, Bridgewater has 
  grown to be the prominent trading center since the 
  waters of the Crystal Sound became hazardous to ship-
  ping. 
  Docks: Both sides of the river are crowded with barg-
  Both sides of the river are crowded with barg-
  es, busses, and smabyrdings. great warehouses line the 
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #15
  
  
  harbor side, each emblazoned with a merchant’s mark 
  on the large front doors. merchants, laborers, hawkers, 
  urchins, doxies, and customs officials crowd the wide 
  street between the warehouses and the waterfront, creat-
  ing a cacophony as they all out their wares.
  drakeport
  Baron Draconov’s Library: Baron Draconov’s pri-
  vate library has been built up over the centuries by the 
  Draconov family. While it focuses mainly on mercantile 
  activities, the wider collection is renowned for covering 
  a large variety of topics. As noted in the Hellfrost Gazet-
  teer, the Draconov family has forgotten it once served as 
  important clerics of Sigel. While the library has an invalu-
  able collection of books and tomes on the faith, no one 
  remembers why they are there.
  Admission: No admission to the public. Draconov 
  is inclined to allow scholars, clerics of the good gods, 
  and nobles access to his collection, but only after he has 
  personally vetted them.
  Specialties: Al-Shirkuh (the desert realm south of 
  rassilon), Drakeport, mercantile activities, Sigel.
  Investigation Rolls: +1 general, +2 for specialties.
  Fromondin’s Maps: Fromondin, an Anari male and 
  proprietor of this store, claims to be a cleric of Freo, 
  though if this is true he has committed a mortal sin by 
  residing in the same city for over twenty years. 
  He stocks a huge collection of maps dating back cen-
  turies. In many cases the maps show settlements wiped 
  off the face of the planet during the Blizzard War. most 
  of his stock is of little great value, save to scholars, but 
  occasionally a rare find surfaces from the disorderly piles 
  of parchment and scrolls.
  The Knight & Orm: A busy tavern in the market Ward, 
  the Knight & Orm is frequented by traders, elementalists, 
  and adventurers. A brisk trade of questionable legality in 
  alchemical devices operates from the tavern, though no 
  one speaks of it publicly.
  Adventurers seeking alchemical devices not common-
  ly for sale, such as those containing blast and bolt, are 
  discretely guided toward the tavern. So long as their gold 
  is good, no questions are asked as to the intended use 
  of the device. The Convocation knows nothing of this 
  trade, which is made possible only by a small number of 
  elementalists misusing its resources in the city.
  Lock Gates: In order to control traffic along the Crys-
  talflow and ensure taxes were paid, Baron Draconov’s 
  ancestors installed a series of locks in the northern sec-
  tion of the river, just upstream from the city proper. 
  Positioned at equal distances across the width of the 
  river are ten artificial islands constructed of log piles 
  with stone infill and paved surfaces. Between each island 
  are two sets of heavy chains, one at each end of chan-
  nel. Erected in the center of each island is a single stone 
  building, which houses an office and accommodation for 
  ten guards. mounted on the flat roof is a coldfire thrower 
  (the icewood is kept inside the customs house).
  When a merchant sails down river or wishes to head 
  upstream without docking in Drakeport, a pilot vessel 
  meets it and guides the captain into the channel between 
  a pair of islands. As the ship approaches the chains at 
  the opposite end of the island are raised. When the ship 
  is fully in the now blocked channel, the second pair of 
  chains are raised, trapping the ship. Here the vessel is 
  searched, its cargo checked, and taxes collected.
  In the event of a major invasion, something yet to oc-
  cur but more likely since the orcs conquered southern 
  clerIcS of tHe  
  unknowable one
  The religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of the Unknowable One, providing facts 
  useful to both players and gms.
  Training: No one chooses to be a cleric of the Un-
  knowable One—the god chooses them. The Un-
  knowable One favors three types of individuals. 
  First, there are the most arrogant, vain, self-cen-
  tered, and cocky individuals his herald can locate. 
  Second, those already renowned for performing 
  tricks are singled out. Third, those who have been 
  the butt of jokes all their lives, perhaps because of 
  a stutter, mental illness, or physical deformity, are 
  singled-out. No formal training is given—suitable 
  candidates simply awaken to find they are clerics of 
  the Unknowable One.
  Prayers: As is the Unknowable One’s way, he makes 
  no set demands on how prayers must be made. 
  Jokes, songs, stories, and limericks are all accepta-
  ble. most often, the worshippers adds a caveat, such 
  as “…and I pray that never happens to me” or “…
  and let me enjoy the same.” Exclamations should 
  always be colorful, and preferably at the expense 
  of the other gods. For example, “Thunor’s ass!” or 
  “Scaetha’s humor!”
  Adventures: Arrogance and ignorance are every-
  where. Any quest is an opportunity to teach some-
  body something. Bards and skalds might adventure 
  so as to have new material, and thus might accom-
  pany a band of would-be heroes wherever they go, 
  recording their deeds for posterity.
  Character Guidelines: As masters of trickery, no 
  cleric can afford to ignore his Agility and Smarts. 
  Using Intimidation is a sin, which presents for an in-
  teresting quandary—it is a requirement for Strong 
  Willed, which boosts Taunt (a vital skill) and helps 
  resist Tests of Will. While paladins teach through 
  combat tricks, and this requires good combat skills 
  and Edges, priests have less focus. To that end, the 
  priest has more freedom when it comes to picking 
  a focus.
  cryStalflow confederacy
  5
  
  Vestmark, all the chains are raised and the mechanisms 
  sabotaged, thus stalling the advance up the Crystalflow. 
  Each community along the river pays a token fee toward 
  the upkeep of the locks, since they form part of the en-
  tire Confederacy’s collective defenses.
  Rat Catchers Guild: Drakeport is a crowded city-
  port. Its rat population likely exceeds that of its bipedal 
  residents. As a result, the rat Catchers guild has a thriv-
  ing business here. Work can always be found at the run 
  down shack the guild proclaims as its headquarters. 
  many adventurers sign up as the guild is allowed to oper-
  ate in the tunnels running under the city. members are 
  paid 1 ss for each dozen rats they catch, or a gold scield 
  for every giant rat.
  Thieves Guild: Despite heavy penalties for thievery, 
  Drakeport has two temples to Nauthiz. One is located in 
  the basement of the Wheel of Fortune, a gambling den 
  frequented by the city’s rich and powerful. While the 
  clerics must perform certain larcenous acts to appease 
  their god, they are not professional thieves. The cult of 
  Vali the Corrupter has recently expanded its business 
  into gambling. This in turn has led to a violent turf war,
  The second temple is located deep in the dank tun-
  nels and is run by the city’s sole thieves guild. The guild 
  operates a baker’s shop as a front, from where small but 
  valuable stolen goods are hidden in loaves of bread and 
  smuggled out of the city, or, for goods stolen to order, 
  delivered to the buyer.
  The guild protects its monopoly by covertly aiding 
  Var’s thieftakers in investigating crimes committed by 
  non-members. Outsiders are given the choice of paying 
  a finder’s fee of 50% of the loot and then leaving town 
  before the next dawn or dusk, whichever comes first, or 
  being handed over to the clerics of Var after a thorough 
  beating. Outsiders who go to the trouble of locating the 
  guild and asking permission to ply their trade may, after 
  a brief but thorough investigation, be granted the right 
  to purchase a temporary membership. This costs 50% 
  of the items stolen. The guild reacts very badly to being 
  cheated out of its share.
  tHe floatIng teMple of neortHe
  One of the strangest sites on the Crystalflow is the 
  Floating Temple of Neorthe. A converted barge whose 
  sides are covered in brightly painted seashells, the Float-
  ing Temple is home to Navigator Drumdar Storm-Nose 
  and three novices. The cleric is a striking figure. As bald 
  as a skeleton, he sports an eye patch (a shell) over his 
  right eye and has a wooden peg in place of his left leg 
  below the knee. Clad in weather faded robes, he stands 
  at the prow of the barge in all weathers, keeping a watch-
  ful eye over passing traffic.
  Drumbar holds allegiance to none save his god, and 
  is considered something of a maverick by his peers. Al-
  though he owes no community or mortal lord his oath, 
  he is always glad to help out, for a suitable fee, when it 
  comes to battling pirates or river monsters.
  The temple continually sails the fast running waters, 
  stopping off at villages so Drumdar can buy provisions. 
  perform blessings, and catch up on the latest news.
  Drumdar also blesses ships while in the river. He hails 
  the captain and offers his services as a cleric of Neorthe, 
  promising to bless the ship for a small fee (typically 50 
  gs). At some point during the negotiations he always 
  pauses, sniffs the air, and proclaims a storm is brewing, 
  no matter how clear or cloudy the sky. Should the offer of 
  a blessing be refused, Drumdar wishes the captain well 
  on his travels. most captains who turn down the offer 
  must weather a fierce storm within the next few hours.
  While it is widely said these mysterious storms are the 
  work of Drumbar, few dare to voice this belief openly, 
  for Neorthe has a strong cult along the Crystalflow and, 
  given his unruly nature, the weather may well be the 
  work of an insulted deity.
  goldSHeaf
  Population: 880
  Ruler: Elected council
  Religion: Eostre Plantmother, Var, Sigel, Thunor
  Imports: Clothing, meat, metal
  feStIval to tHe 
  unknowable one
     breaSted warrIor day
  Second Healfdaeg of Werremonan.
  Although there are no laws against women becom-
  ing warriors, the vast majority are male. On this 
  day, wives, girlfriends, grandmothers, mothers, sis-
  ters, and aunts don their male relatives’ armor and 
  weapons and parade through the streets to much 
  cheering and jeering. Afterward they engage in 
  humorous mock battles, often letting weapons fly 
  out of their hands, having bits of armor come lose, 
  weeping in mock pain from imaginary wounds, and 
  falling over for no good reason.
  Under religious law, which overrides civil and crim-
  inal law, the female warriors may grab men, take 
  them back to their homes, and have sex with them. 
  most grab their partners, but as the adultery laws 
  are temporarily suspended for this day for female 
  participants, it is an excuse to bed a man they fancy. 
  Eira’s clerics naturally frown on this.
  While a source of much amuse and merrymaking, 
  the ceremony is also a reminder to men that they 
  should not be too proud and haughty in matters of 
  battle, for the mightiest warriors can be laid low by 
  the weakest foe. It is also a blunt way of reminding 
  men that the forceful taking of a woman is a sin in 
  the eyes of the gods and a crime under the laws 
  of the civilized lands, more so if either partner is 
  married.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #15
  
  
  Exports: grain, hops, barley
  Thirty miles south of Scathmoor, where the western 
  edge of the Tower Hills extends into the Confederacy, 
  the terrain is swathed in fields of golden grain and barley. 
  Nestled in the center of these bountiful fields is the vil-
  lage of goldsheaf, one of the Confederacy’s small but 
  vital agricultural communities.
  Dominating the small single-storey cottages and long 
  houses are the grand temple of Eostre Plantmother, which 
  also contains a major shrine to Sigel, and the Sickle and 
  Sheaf, the community’s sole inn. goldsheaf also boasts 
  a baker, blacksmith, potter, weaver, and a general store, 
  which doubles as a shrine of Var, and several granaries.
  goldsheaf is governed by a council made up of ten lo-
  cal farmers, each elected for a three year term. The local 
  high priest of Eostre Plantmother, currently Cultivator 
  Verrine ap-Beranger, is automatically given a seat.
  goldsheaf currently has a few problems. Fungals, be-
  lieved to be living in the Tower Hills, have been raiding 
  the crops for the past few seasons. Since most of the hills 
  are in midmark, the local militia (20 medium infantry 
  equipped with riding horses) has been unable to pursue 
  them. The temple, which houses six clerics of Eostre, has 
  been wracked by the sudden and mysterious disappear-
  ance of the three clerics of Sigel who normally reside 
  there. They were last seen heading to a distant cornfield 
  to perform a blessing.
  ScatHMoor
  The Fey Meadow: One of Scathmoor’s many inns, 
  the Fey meadow is home to a boisterous clurichaun. 
  Since fey are extremely reluctant to give their true names 
  to mortals, the creature has been nicknamed “Fisty” due 
  to its love of joining, and occasionally starting, fights. 
  In return for strong ale the fey protects the inn, eating 
  vermin, dealing with drunks in its own inimical way, and 
  scaring off would-be thieves. Unusually for a clurichaun, 
  Fisty wanders the main bar area, mooching drinks off the 
  patrons. Those who refuse rarely do so again.
  The Stage: A large inn popular with locals and out-
  siders, the Stage is named after the podium in the center 
  of the main hall. Anyone can take the stage and regale or 
  entertain the patrons with song, poem, or dance. 
  The patrons show their approval with rousing cheers 
  and their disapproval with boos and the throwing of 
  overripe fruit. Those who really offend the patrons (re-
  quires a critical failure on whatever Trait the gm deems 
  appropriate to the entertainment form) are escorted to 
  the door by the Stage’s bouncer, a muscle-bound mute 
  by the name of Enric, and thrown into the street, being 
  banned from entertaining for a week in the process.
  Entertainers who earn the crowd’s rapturous ap-
  proval (requires a raise on the appropriate Trait roll) are 
  given free room, drink, and food for the next three days 
  or until they leave, whichever comes first. This generous 
  offer extends only to the entertainer, not his friends.
  Three Notes Academy Library: The Academy primar-
  ily stores material concerning music and songs, though 
  feStIval to tHe 
  unknowable one
     fool’S day
  Varies.
  Fool’s Day can occur at anytime, but is only held 
  once per year in any settlement. Local clerics of the 
  Unknowable One inform the local authorities to 
  the date at a time of their choosing. Sometimes the 
  ruler is given months to prepare, and other times 
  a matter of days. Fool’s Day dates back to the god 
  War. With many of the gods busy fighting, a handful 
  of non-combatant deities were left to run the uni-
  verse. Unable to decide who was best fit to govern, 
  they agreed each god should rule in turn for a set 
  time. Once each had taken a turn, they would make 
  a collective decision. The Unknowable One’s antics 
  caused widespread confusion, hilarity, and panic si-
  multaneously. Needless to say, he was not invited 
  back to govern a second time.
  At dawn on the chosen day, a cleric of the Unknow-
  able One picks one member of the settlement to 
  serve as Fool King until midnight. He is given an 
  outrageously decorated crown and cloak, and car-
  ried around town on a litter by volunteer bearers. 
  Crowds of citizens, often in garish and ludicrous 
  costumes, line the streets to offer the new king 
  their congratulations and toast his name with copi-
  ous quantities of alcohol. Some invent noble titles, 
  approaching the king in their disguise and asking 
  for silly favors. Sometimes the titles mock the local 
  nobility, while other times they are completely ficti-
  tious (like the King of the Potato men).
  From dawn until midnight the Fool King is the undis-
  puted ruler of the settlement and can pass or repeal 
  any laws he desires. Failure to obey a royal decree 
  is punishable by spending the rest of the festival in 
  jail. The results range from total anarchy to surpris-
  ingly good management. For many, being chosen 
  is a chance to acquire a little wealth through new 
  taxation policies, get one over on enemies, mock 
  those who normally govern, and ensure everyone 
  has a good laugh. Others display a laudable gift for 
  governance, changing the way the settlement works 
  for the better for a few hours, repealing harsh laws, 
  and letting those who rule know what it is like to be 
  a peasant by reversing the social ladder.
  At midnight the Fool King is deposed. The true rul-
  er then resumes control. more often than not they 
  have a mountain of work to complete repealing the 
  new laws, rounding up criminals released by the 
  Fool King, reclaiming property handed out as gifts 
  by the temporary king (more than one noble has 
  returned home to an empty house), and such like. 
  A single day’s work can often take many months to 
  sort out completely.
  cryStalflow confederacy
  
  
  as a center of skaldic magic it has a decent collection of 
  riddles and general folklore.
  Admission: Only skalds, whether practitioners of 
  song magic or not, are allowed inside.
  Specialties: Folklore, history of musical instruments, 
  music, riddles, song magic, songs.
  Investigation Rolls: +2 for specialties only. No gen-
  eral Investigation can be performed here as the library 
  contains no general reference books.
  godS & MonSterS
  This section details three new minor gods, the gods of 
  unpredictability, storytelling, and riddles, and provides 
  stats for an entertainer and the skaldic dragon.
  fjallgeIguðr
  Titles: Ever-Changing One, Formless One, the Shape-
  less god, Shape-Shifter.
  Aspects: Unpredictability.
  Affiliations: The Unknowable One.
  Symbol: A blank mask.
  Priesthood: Shifters (priests); Shapers (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Clerics must pick one day per season to 
  serve as their personal holy day.
  Duties: To do what ever takes your fancy.
  Sins: (minor) not changing shape once a day, stick-
  ing to a plan, repeating a non-combat task because you 
  failed at it; (major) failure to change shape in any given 
  week, acting in a predictable manner; (mortal) failure to 
  change shape in any given month.
  Signature Power: Shape change.
  Powers: Altered senses, boost/lower trait (attributes 
  only), elemental form, growth/shrink, speak language. 
  Because of the cult’s unpredictability, individual clerics 
  may pick one Novice spell and one Seasoned spell of 
  their choice to add to this list.
  When he reaches a new rank, the cleric may trade 
  one of these two bonus spells for a new spell of the same 
  rank. He forgets the old spell completely and immedi-
  ately learns the new one. The decision must be made at 
  the first advancement opportunity of new rank or the 
  cleric is still with the same spells until his next rank in-
  crease. This does not use his advancement opportunity.
  Trappings: Clergy may use any trapping. most prefer 
  subtle effects.
  Special: Clerics cannot have the Cautious or Stub-
  born Hindrances. Long-term planning goes against their 
  nature and sticking to one idea goes against their faith. 
  The sin of repeating a task typically covers things like 
  Notice rolls. Once a task is failed, clerics are expected to 
  forget the failure and move on to something new. Acting 
  in a predictable manner is open to gm interpretation 
  and depends on the circumstances at the time. Be harsh 
  enough to prevent the character from always doing the 
  obvious, not but so harsh he limits his potential by doing 
  stupid things just to avoid the sin.
  Fjallgeiguðr is an enigma to the other gods. No one 
  knows whether the deity is male or female, where it came 
  from, or what it wants. The god of shape changing never 
  takes the same form twice, and none, not even keen-
  feStIval to tHe 
  unknowable one
     HuMIlIty day
  Raestdaeg of Werremonan.
  The Unknowable One grew tired of Tiw strutting 
  about in his armor challenging all to take up arms 
  and prove their mettle against him. As the Unknow-
  able One suspected, each challenger was easily beat-
  en, for none were as skillful at arms at the god of 
  battle. Stepping over the pile of unconscious gods 
  that lay at Tiw’s feet, the Unknowable One said he 
  would like to accept the challenge. As Tiw drew his 
  sword, the Trickster bade him wait. “I am no match 
  for you, oh mighty one at arms,” he grinned, “and it 
  would be no challenge for you to defeat me. Allow 
  me to appoint a champion in my place, one worthy 
  of fighting you.”
  Tiw beamed a broad grin and accepted, for he knew 
  the Unknowable One had many strange and mys-
  terious allies—perhaps among their number was 
  a god finally worthy of fighting him. The Unknow-
  able One returned Tiw’s grin and pulled from the 
  voluminous cloak that masked his body a small in-
  sect. Bemused but honor-bound to accept the chal-
  lenge, Tiw drew his sword. The Unknowable One 
  whispered to the insect, which promptly flew in be-
  tween the joints in the war god’s armor and began 
  biting him. Tiw dropped his sword and began swat-
  ting his body, but the insect burrowed deeper and 
  bit harder. Tiw, to his credit, lasted an hour before 
  he called enough.
  The insect emerged and flew back to the Unknow-
  able One’s hands. Tiw, upset at being humiliated, 
  roared threats of violence, but these quickly became 
  roars of laughter as he finally understood the reason 
  for the challenge. Since that day, Tiw has accepted 
  that even the greatest warrior can be brought low, 
  and vowed not to be so arrogant.
  On this day mortals show their humility in a variety 
  of ways. The rich and powerful dress in rags and 
  beg for coins in the market, warriors allow children 
  to push them over and peasants with sticks to best 
  them in mock combat, wise men talk nonsense and 
  invent fanciful solutions to problems to show they 
  do not understand everything, and spellcasters re-
  frain from magic to remind themselves that without 
  their gifts they are no different to other men.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #15
  
  
  sighted rigr, maera, mistress of divination, scholastic 
  Hoenir, truth-seeking Hothar, Niht, mistress of secrets, 
  or the supposedly all-knowing Norns, can say for sure 
  what its true form might be.
  As a result, Fjallgeiguðr is widely mistrusted by its 
  peers. All save the Unknowable One, that is. given his 
  love of tricks, Fjallgeiguðr’s inability to reveal its true 
  form amuses the trickster. many of the other deities are 
  of the suspicion that Fjallgeiguðr is really the Unknow-
  able One playing one of his jokes.
  Fjallgeiguðr has no temples or shrines. given the 
  god’s ever-changing physical form, it is never depicted in 
  art, either. Clerics rarely gather even in pairs, primarily 
  because they have little to say to each other—even the 
  holy laws they follow vary from cleric to cleric depending 
  on who taught him.
  Clerics and paladins are a chaotic bunch, prone to 
  changing their minds as quickly as the wind, and acting 
  out of whim. Long-term goals are anathema to them, and 
  most only plan a few hours ahead at most.
  While versatile allies in their own way, they are no-
  toriously unreliable. A cleric may cancel a spell being 
  maintained on a comrade just to remind them of the un-
  predictable nature of the universe. Note that they have 
  no interest in teaching, unlike clerics of the Unknowable 
  One. While they are prone to impulsiveness, they aren’t 
  overly curious. A cleric likely won’t pull a lever to see 
  what it does—he’ll pull it because it seemed the right 
  thing to do.
  Ceremonies and rituals are common, though im-
  mensely varied, as one might expect. Singing, praying, 
  dancing, chanting are all acceptable, so long as the wor-
  shipper follows his heart and not a scripted ceremony. As 
  such, clerics are free to worship when, where, and how 
  they want.
  Character Guidelines: There is no such thing as a 
  typical cleric of Fjallgeiguðr. While their spells are great 
  for espionage, such activity usually involves long-term 
  planning, something the clergy abhor. While they can be 
  a pain to have in the adventuring party, they make excel-
  lent and unpredictable NPCs.
  galdraföðr
  Titles: The Storyteller, Weaver of Words and Wonder, 
  Wondrous Speaker.
  Aspects: Storytelling.
  Affiliations: The Unknowable One.
  Symbol: A lyre.
  Priesthood: Storytellers (priests); Scops (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: None. Although the cult has no ties to 
  Hoenir, Spoken Word Day (see Region Guide #16) is a 
  high holy day.
  Duties: To keep alive and entertain through stories.
  Sins: (minor) not telling a story once a week, not tell-
  ing a new story each season; (major) not telling a story 
  once a month, not telling a new story each year; (mortal) 
  not telling a story once a season.
  Signature Power: Speak language
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (Smarts, Folklore, Street-
  wise only), charismatic aura, elemental manipulation, 
  succor, voice on the wind.
  Trappings: Trappings take the form of minor effects 
  and are used primarily to enhance stories.
  galdraföðr is the Unknowable One’s skald and spends 
  his days entertaining his lord with stories of heroism and 
  humor, tragedy and love. Unlike his master, galdraföðr 
  has no love of tricks or japes, though he knows many 
  amusing stories. It is said each night he tells the Un-
  knowable One a story in which the Prankster failed in an 
  endeavor, just to remind him that even he can be tricked 
  or fooled.
  given that the Unknowable One has no name, some 
  theologians are beginning to wonder if perhaps the 
  Cosmic Joker isn’t really several gods working together 
  rather than a unique individual. Clerics of galdraföðr can 
  add no weight to their arguments, for they see their deity 
  as a separate entity, and galdraföðr is as clueless about 
  the Unknowable One’s true name as the other deities. 
  Still, galdraföðr is never depicted in art, just in case his 
  images provide some clues to his master’s identity.
  galdraföðr has a single temple in Scathmoor, the town 
  of skalds. Contained within its library are many hundreds 
  of scrolls and folios, each recording a single story. While 
  worshippers are expected to be able to recite their sto-
  ries from memory, the books are a useful learning aid. 
  given that many stories are based on factual events, they 
  also serve as a reference library for historians—if they 
  can separate fact from fiction. Shrines are rare, for each 
  storyteller is himself a living shrine to galdraföðr.
  The clergy are entertainers, political commentators, 
  satirists, and historians rolled into one. In some areas, 
  such as the Blackstone Barony, those whose tales speak 
  out against oppression or mock a cruel lord are seen 
  as agitators and troublemakers. In many cases the label 
  is correct, but storytellers very rarely deliberately start 
  rebellions—they just remind their listeners that there 
  are other options available to them. many strum a lyre 
  to help keep a story’s pace, but few are talented musi-
  cians.
  No animosity exists between skalds, who use magic, 
  and clerics, who are divinely blessed. Both sides accept 
  galdraföðr (and the Unknowable One) as lord of story-
  telling. That there is a type of magic so closely related to 
  galdraföðr and with wider scope in terms of spellcasting 
  ability is best answered with, “great trick, isn’t it?” After 
  all, who knows the minds of the gods and why they make 
  things so?
  Traditionally, priests rarely travel, preferring to be 
  part of a noble’s retinue or work a local market. Scops 
  (the Auld Saxa terms for skalds) are itinerant storytellers, 
  moving from settlement to settlement to tell and learn 
  new stories, offering their services in return for a meal 
  and sleeping place beside the hearth. So long as they 
  perform their sacred duties, galdraföðr doesn’t much 
  care how clerics live their lives.
  Any day a cleric tells a story is considered a holy day. 
  cryStalflow confederacy
  
  
  When storytellers encounter a comrade, whether a cler-
  ic, skald, or member of the laity, they exchange tales to 
  boost their repertoire. Sometimes they hold impromptu 
  competitions, each telling a single story and letting the 
  audience judge the winner.
  Character Guidelines: Clerics need to have a good 
  collection of stories with which to entertain their hosts. 
  Citizens prefer stories based on their culture, ancestors, 
  and lands, since they can relate most easily to them. 
  Knowledge (Folklore) covers this. Storytellers don’t need 
  to be attractive, but Charisma is important for drawing 
  crowds and keeping their attention—a storyteller with 
  good charisma can help the story come alive in his 
  audience’s mind, whereas one with a dull, monotonous 
  voice is going to send folk to sleep.
  gIzzur
  Titles: Speaker of riddles, He Who Never Talks 
  Straight
  Aspects: riddles and word games.
  Affiliations: The Unknowable One.
  Symbol: A coin bearing the inscription, “Solve all to 
  know all.”
  Priesthood: riddle Lords (priests); riddle Blades 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Clergy are expected to celebrate one day 
  a month.
  Duties: To learn and pass on new riddles, to teach 
  through riddles.
  Sins: (minor) losing a riddle contest, revealing the 
  answer to a riddle you posed; (major) losing a riddle 
  contest and being a bad sport, not learning a new riddle 
  every year; (mortal) cheating in a riddle contest.
  Signature Power: Confusion.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (Smarts and Knowledge 
  (riddles) only), fatigue, sluggish reflexes, speak lan-
  guage, stun, voice on the wind.
  Trappings: All trappings are based around speaking 
  riddles.
  gizzur is an aspect of the Unknowable One. Whether 
  he is a servant, friend, or child is not known, and the 
  Unknowable One remains as tightlipped on the subject 
  as he does most other topics. As befits the Unknowable 
  One, gizzur is never depicted in art nor described in 
  writings. He remains as enigmatic as his master. Similarly, 
  there are no temples or shrines to honor gizzur.
  Clerics use riddles to teach wisdom. When asked a 
  question, the cleric may respond with a riddle rather 
  than an outright answer. By solving the riddle, the ques-
  tioner receives the answer he seeks, or at least a clue to 
  point him in the right direction. As with the Unknowable 
  One, priests and paladins are separated by martial prow-
  ess, and the paladins’ habit of using riddles in combat to 
  distract and confound foes.
  many stories exist of paladins who have allowed foes 
  to walk away unharmed after they correctly answered a 
  tough riddle in the heart of combat, though when the 
  Unknowable One has a hand in these stories one can 
  never be certain they are entirely true. What is known as 
  fact is that if two clerics of gizzur meet they must enter 
  a riddle contest. Whoever wins has superiority over the 
  loser for a year and a day. The pecking order within the 
  cult is thus extremely fluid and very hard to track.
  As teachers, they are well aware that they must con-
  tinually strive to learn. As such, they are gracious losers 
  and often the first to congratulate the winner. One thing 
  anathema to the faith is cheating in a riddle contest, for 
  a student (willing or otherwise) cannot be expected to 
  learn if there is no hope of correct deduction.
  rather than using the stick to beat knowledge into 
  people, clerics use the carrot. Although many citizens 
  enjoy riddles and word games to help pass the long 
  winter nights, few are interested in being preached to, 
  especially when it requires thinking.
  To coax folk into thinking more, clerics sometimes 
  hold public gatherings. Here they offer rewards to those 
  who can solve riddles they pose. Initial riddles are easy 
  feStIval to tHe 
  unknowable one
     joker’S day
  Last Healfdaeg of Plohmonan.
  When Eostre first invented the plow, she gathered 
  all the gods to have a go on the new device, hop-
  ing to find among them one worthy of guiding her 
  celestial plow each year. Among the volunteers was 
  the Unknowable One. He chose the final Healfdaeg 
  of the month, hoping that with it being near the 
  end of the month others would have done most 
  of the hard work for him. He was disappointed to 
  learn that plowing would continue all day, just like 
  any other day of the month.
  Instead of concentrating on his work, the Unknow-
  able One messed around, telling jokes and playing 
  japes instead of guiding the oxen. When Eostre 
  came to inspect his work she found not straight, 
  uniform lines but wiggly furrows of varying depths. 
  She opened her mouth to chastise the god, but he 
  cut her off before she could begin. “I am tired,” 
  he smiled, “and I have only been at it a few hours. 
  Think how tired your oxen and plowman will be 
  after an entire month doing this.”
  Eostre saw the wisdom in the Trickster’s words and 
  agreed that the last day of Plohmonan, as she has 
  named the month, would be a festival and rest day. 
  Joker’s Day is held each year to honor this event, 
  creating a three-day holiday at the end of the month. 
  To thank the Unknowable One, people play practi-
  cal jokes on each other and swap jokes and funny 
  stories, all the while drinking copious quantities of 
  ale to help them get into the mood.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #15
  10
  
  and carry small rewards. As the crowd grows, swelled 
  by people drawn by the chance to earn easy money, so 
  the riddles become harder and the prizes more valuable. 
  Eventually everyone goes home, some considerably 
  wealthier, little realizing they have been educated.
  It is widely believed that if one can determine the 
  answer to every riddle, the Unknowable One will have 
  to reveal his real name. A few scholars argue that solving 
  every riddle will unravel creation, for there are no more 
  secrets to learn. Others claim answering every riddle will 
  promote one to godhood. Each year, clerics are expected 
  to create a new riddle.
  The masters of riddles are undoubtedly the sphinxes. 
  At least once in their lifetime, a cleric must track down 
  a sphinx and challenge him to a riddle contest. given 
  that sphinxes have a taste for sentient flesh, or so the 
  stories go, few get a second chance. Failure to challenge 
  a sphinx before death bodes ill for the afterlife.
  Once a year, all clerics within a realm meet up. The 
  senior cleric in the land sends out messages using voice 
  on the wind spells. The message is a riddle which, when 
  solved, informs the listener of when and where to meet. 
  In game terms, it requires a Knowledge (riddle) roll to 
  discern these facts.
  Once gathered, the clergy holds a riddle contest, with 
  points awarded for the number of riddles correctly an-
  swered. Whoever scores highest becomes senior cleric 
  for the next year, during which time he cannot be chal-
  lenged by other not holding similar rank. Outsiders are 
  quite welcome to participate if they happen to learn the 
  location, and there are recorded instances of a non-cleric 
  being appointed as senior cleric for the year.
  Character Guidelines: Clerics need to be Smart 
  and they need to know Knowledge (riddles). Taunt is a 
  handy skill for those skilled at word games, especially if 
  combat skills are lacking. Beyond this, the cleric is free 
  to develop as he desires, even taking a specialization 
  outside of his duties if he so desires (like being a healer 
  or warrior).
  beaver, gIant
  Longer than a human adult is tall, powerfully built, 
  and with teeth as long as a dagger, giant beavers are huge 
  rodents. They live in small family groups in the Hearth-
  lands, predominantly around the many small tributaries 
  of the mighty Crystalflow. giant beavers are hunted for 
  their fur and meat.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d10, Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d6, guts d8, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Swim-
  ming d8
  Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9
  Treasure: rich, in lair
  Special Abilities:
  * Bite: Str+d6, AP 2.
  * Semi-Aquatic: giant beavers can hold their breath 
  for 5 minutes. Pace 8 in water.
  * Size +2: giant beavers are around 8’ long.
  dragon, SkaldIc
  Dragon magic as practiced by all but one species is 
  mysterious and alien to the civilized races. While the 
  same end results can be simulated by mages, the casting 
  method has proven impossible to mimic.
  However, one species of small dragon utilizes song 
  magic in exactly the same manner as skalds. They swap 
  the Spellcasting arcane skill for Song magic and gain all 
  the benefits skalds do.
  Considered largely benevolent, skaldic dragons are 
  also mines of information. While they can be as ferocious 
  as any other dragon, skaldic dragons have been known 
  to converse peacefully with Lorekeepers, clerics of Hoe-
  nir and the Unknowable One (though they are not fond 
  of being tricked by lesser races), and skalds, swapping 
  information and poems.
  many stories exist regarding the origins and nature of 
  these strange beasts. The most popular tale is they are 
  skalds rewarded with long-life by the gods, who enjoy 
  their songs and tales. Other tales describe them as divine 
  sages, celestial choristers, and even the founders of song 
  magic, which they taught to mortals.
  Skaldic dragons grow fast, but never reach the gargan-
  tuan size of many other species. Their scales are rainbow 
  hued, as are their gossamer wings. Their breath weapon 
  is a powerful sonic burst.
  * Knowledgeable: A hatchling knows two Knowledge 
  skills at d6. Each time it advances an age category it 
  gains an additional die in known Knowledge skills 
  and gains a new skill at d6. An ancient dragon thus 
  has two Knowledge skills at d12+1, one at d12, one 
  at d10, one at d8, and one at d6. A skaldic dragon’s 
  Scholar Edge applies to all its Knowledge skills and 
  Common Knowledge rolls.
  entertaIner
  Skalds, whether magicians or mundane, are the most 
  popular form of entertainer. They are masters of song, 
  story, and riddle, but they are not the only entertainers 
  found in rassilon. Fire breathers, prestidigitators, acro-
  bats, and jugglers are all popular with the masses.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, guts d6, Notice d6, 
  Stealth d6, Throwing d8
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Hindrances: Various
  Edges: Acrobat, quick Draw
  Gear: Costume, juggling balls, two throwing knives 
  (range: 3/6/12; Damage: Str+d4)
  Treasure: meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Fire Breathing: Can be used as an Agility Trick. Place 
  the Edge of a Small Burst Template touching the en-
  tertainer and make a single Agility roll. All those be-
  neath the template are affected and roll individually 
  against the entertainer’s single die roll.
  cryStalflow confederacy
  11
  
  SkaldIc dragon tableS
  attrIbuteS & SkIllS
  ———————— Attributes ————————
  ———————— Skills ————————
  Age
  Agility
  Smarts
  Spirit
  Strength
  Vigor
  Fighting
  Guts
  Intimidation
  Notice
  Hatchling
  d6
  d6
  d6
  d12
  d6
  d6
  d6
  d8
  d8
  Juvenile
  d8
  d8
  d6
  d12+2
  d8
  d8
  d8
  d10
  d8
  Adult
  d8
  d10
  d8
  d12+4
  d8
  d8
  d10
  d12
  d10
  Old
  d10
  d10
  d10
  d12+6
  d8
  d10
  d12
  d12
  d12
  Ancient
  d10
  d12
  d10
  d12+8
  d10
  d10
  N/A
  d12+1
  d12
  Secondary traItS
  Age
  Aquatic
  Pace
  Parry
  Toughness
  Treasure
  Hatchling
  6
  5
  6 (1)
  meager, in lair
  Juvenile
  8
  6
  10 (2)
  Worthwhile, in lair
  Adult
  8
  6
  13 (3)
  rich, in lair
  Old
  10
  7
  15 (3)
  Treasure Trove, in lair
  Ancient
  12
  7
  19 (4)
  Two Treasure Troves, in lair
  varIable coMMon SpecIal abIlItIeS
  Age
  Armor
  Bite/Claws
  Breath
  Fear
  Flight
  Size
  Tail
  Wing
  Hatchling
  +1
  Str+d4
  2d4
  0
  8”
  +0
  1” x 1”
  N/A
  Juvenile
  +2
  Str+d6
  2d6
  0
  12”
  +2
  1” x 2”
  1”
  Adult
  +3
  Str+d8
  2d8
  0
  16”
  +4
  2” x 4”
  d2”
  Old
  +3
  Str+d10
  3d6
  –1
  20”
  +6
  3” x 6”
  d4”
  Ancient
  +4
  Str+d10
  3d8
  –2
  24”
  +8
  4” x 8”
  d6”
  otHer SpecIal abIlItIeS
  Age
  Special Abilities
  Hatchling
  Frenzy, Immunity (Sound), Knowledgeable, Song magic
  Juvenile
  Arcane resistance, Frenzy, Immunity (Sound), Knowledgeable, Level Headed, Low Light Vision, Scholar, 
  Song magic
  Adult
  Arcane resistance, Hardy, Immunity (Sound), Improved Frenzy, Knowledgeable, Large, Level Headed, Low 
  Light Vision, Scholar, Song magic
  Old
  Hardy, Huge, Immunity (Sound), Improved Frenzy, Improved Arcane resistance, Knowledgeable, Level 
  Headed, Low Light Vision, Scholar, Song magic
  Ancient
  Fearless, Hardy, Huge, Immunity (Sound), Improved Arcane resistance, Improved Frenzy, Knowledgeable, 
  Level Headed, Low Light Vision, Scholar, Song magic
  SpellcaStIng abIlItIeS
  Age
  Die
  Power Edges
  Spells
  Hatchling
  d4
  N/A
  Speak language, voice on the wind (powerful voice)
  Juvenile
  d6
  Concentration
  Slumber (song of sleep)
  Adult
  d8
  Spell Finesse (1)
  Dispel (song of cancellation), stun (sonic attack)
  Old
  d8
  Improved Concentration
  Silence (absorbs sound)
  Ancient
  d10
  Spell Finesse (1)
  Banish (song of banishment)
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #15
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Long ago, Alantaris Isle was the center of the greatest empire in the northern continent. 
  Ravaged during the Blizzard War and its mainland holdings lost to rebellious natives, the 
  Isle slipped into obscurity. Centuries have passed, and the once-great isle is slowly rising 
  from the ashes. This supplement expands on the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Under the emperors, the inhabitants of Alantaris Isle were a staunchly feudal society, 
  with status being based solely on one’s noble titles rather than wealth, military prowess, 
  or landownership. When the empire collapsed, the noble families were allowed to retain 
  at the cost of having all their power stripped. Such drastic changes did not go unopposed, 
  but the nobility was in no fit state to put up much resistance.
  Five centuries on and the situation has changed very little. Those natives who sport 
  their noble titles like badges of honor are viewed as remnants of a dark time, when tyrants 
  ruled with a grip of iron and citizens were only little better off than slaves. This is not to 
  say that Alantaris is an egalitarian utopia where all men are equal. As the old saying goes, 
  every flock needs a shepherd.
  At the top of the social ladder is the upper class, comprised of arkhwisards, senior 
  clerics, rich merchants, master crafters, wealthy landowners, and so on. Beneath them are 
  the middle classes, their ranks filled by merchants and crafters, clerics and mages, military 
  captains, senior bureaucrats, and the like. Lastly there are the lower classes, of whom 
  clerks, shop assistants, farmers, laborers, lumberjacks, and miners form the bulk.
  Aiding the council, whose members are all upper class citizens, is a small army of bu-
  reaucrats. Important position are not hereditary, neither are they elected posts. Instead, 
  the council hires and fires applicants based on their skills and results. By law, no council 
  member may also hold a bureaucratic post, and appointing a family member of a councilor 
  is viewed as suspicious behavior.
  Senior posts are held by members of the upper or middle classes, while the bureaucrats 
  and laborers who serve under them are generally middle or lower class. The senior posts 
  within the bureaucracy and the area the appointee controls are listed below. They are 
  ranked from most to least important. Where mages may never hold any of these positions, 
  clerics may. Indeed, they are the preferred applicants.
  31216
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 6 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  alantarIS ISle
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  Tresorer (mint and treasury), Taxer (assessing and 
  collecting taxes), Clerc (records), marchatman (super-
  vises the market), Tradaman (supervises foreign trade) 
  Coroner (civil law), Shirereeve (criminal law), mareschal 
  (civilian to whom the captain of the city guard answers), 
  Fyrman (fire prevention and response), Wallman (city 
  wall maintenance), Conestable (militia training), and 
  Sewiereman (sewer and road maintenance).
  educatIon
  education in Imperial City is free between the ages of 
  five and 12, though it is not compulsory. Children from 
  the provinces may attend, but there are no boarding 
  facilities, and few farmers and miners can afford to pay 
  inn rates. Thus, only those with family in the city tend 
  to receive a formal education. Regardless of where they 
  are educated, children are tutored in basic literacy and 
  numeracy, the basic tenets of the major faiths, history, 
  law, folklore, and culture. In game terms, most of these 
  are covered by Common knowledge, since they relate 
  only to Alantaris Isle.
  After finishing school, children are expected to learn 
  a trade (many of the guilds run formal apprenticeships) 
  or move onto advanced education. The city’s advanced 
  schooling, a joint venture run by the council and the cult 
  of hoenir, covers a wide range of topics focused on other 
  realms. Unlike basic education, advanced education ex-
  plains how a native hero picked up specific knowledge 
  skills.
  The temples and Convocation accept apprentices, 
  schooling them in their specific fields of expertise be-
  fore, at age 14, deciding whether or not to accept them 
  for arcane training. Temples are more relaxed on this, for 
  whereas magic must be taught, faith is a personal con-
  nection between mortal and god, and low education is 
  rarely a hindrance.
  youths who wish to join the military spend their first 
  two years scrubbing and polishing kit, helping healers, 
  carrying equipment, cooking, and performing other me-
  nial tasks. only when a youth reaches 14 is he allowed 
  to begin proper training. Although the military has 
  many specialties, all soldiers are taught the basic arts of 
  self-defense with sword and spear before moving onto 
  specialist training. 
  relIgIon
  Alantaris Isle’s primary deities are worshipped thanks 
  in no small part to the island’s past and present.
  maera, the most common deity, is primarily supported 
  by the Convocation of elementalists, whose headquarters 
  have always been in Imperial City. Regardless of whether 
  or not he actually has maera as his patron, all elemental-
  ists are required to attend the temple ceremonies, for 
  without her there would be no Convocation. Non-mages 
  follow her in large numbers, but few chose her as a 
  patron. Their worship is more thanks for the elemental-
  ists help in defending the city during the Blizzard War. 
  maera’s temple is within the Imperial Palace, but is open 
  to the public.
  As an island, albeit a large one, the sea has always 
  played a large part in daily life. Neorthe is a major deity in 
  Port and in coastal communities, and like maera, is given 
  lip service elsewhere. his great temple, which spanned 
  the canal leading to the city, forcing all ships to sail under 
  the main hall from where clerics would bless them, was 
  reduced to rubble during the terrifying assault. A new 
  temple, smaller in scale, was erected in Port.
  A former trading superpower, Alantaris Isle boasted a 
  vast temple-indoor market to var. Following its destruc-
  tion, var became a lesser deity as the islanders struggled 
  to rebuild their lives and exports from the dying empire 
  ceased. only in the last century has his cult crawled out 
  from the rubble and rebuilt itself as a major player. The 
  main temple to var stands at port, and forms a wing of 
  Neorthe’s temple. The market square in Imperial City 
  contains an impressive shrine to the god of trade.
  Ironically Alantaris Isle is now forced to import iron, 
  a commodity it once exported. Although the island still 
  boasts many working mines, the abolition of slavery crip-
  pled the industry, and it has never recovered. despite 
  this, ertha remains a popular deity. Partly her worship 
  is led by the miners, but for many it is merely tradition, 
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in Alantaris Isle.
  * No Respect for Nobles: holding a noble title 
  means very little on Alantaris Isle unless the title 
  holder is also an elected official. Native heroes 
  with the Noble edge who take a noble title do not 
  gain the usual +2 Charisma bonus with regard to 
  the citizens of Alantaris Isle. If they ever hold an 
  elected position, something unlikely as this would 
  greatly curtail adventuring opportunities, then the 
  bonus is applied as normal.
  Characters who use the Noble edge to represent 
  important or influential members of society other 
  than actual nobles retain the bonus.
  * Respected Mages: The citizens of Alantaris hold 
  members of the Convocation in high regard since 
  the Blizzard War. When rolling on the Reaction Ta-
  ble, elementalists in Alantaris Isle treat their Cha-
  risma as one point higher. This modifier does not 
  apply to other members of the Convocation, cler-
  ics of any faith, or nobles.
  While the citizens are more inclined to assist arkh-
  wisards, this is covered by the Charisma bonus in 
  the Noble edge, which most arkhwisards have to 
  reflect their importance and power both in the 
  Convocation and in wider society.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #16
  
  
  and many worshippers spend their time in her temple 
  lamenting the loss of the island’s wealth stream.
  All the other deities, save for hela and Thrym, are 
  well-represented by shrines and worshippers. As is typi-
  cal elsewhere, worship is centered on occupation. vali, 
  whose cult never operates openly, has a strong presence 
  here, for Alantaris Isle exports sufficient quantities of 
  grain and fish to help alleviate famines in other realms. 
  Were this trade to suffer any substantial setbacks, the ef-
  fects could be devastating across much of the western 
  hearthlands and Low Winterlands.
  mIlItary
  Although every five companies are led by a captain, 
  they are not accorded any military organization. While 
  captains are expected to lead the companies under their 
  control in battle, during peace time the role is very much 
  an administrative one. Thanks to the deep-rooted mis-
  trust of military commanders being handed too much 
  power, a captain’s companies may be scattered across 
  the island.
  due to the growing threat from orcs, the army cur-
  rently has ten captains commanding a total of 4,000 
  soldiers and 1,000 support troops between them. The 
  companies break down into 16 light infantry, ten heavy 
  infantry, eight light cavalry, three heavy cavalry, six ar-
  chers, and six artillery. of these, one company of each 
  type except the heavy cavalry serves as the city guard at 
  Imperial City. 
  Treat the light infantry, cavalry, and archers as com-
  mon mercenaries, and the heavy infantry and cavalry as 
  veteran mercenaries. Company sergeants use the stats 
  for mercenary captains, while captains are Wild Card ver-
  sions. Both types can be tweaked easily by applying the 
  random card draw for generals from Region Guide #5.
  The remaining company, known as the misfits, is a 
  loose formation of adventurers, thieves, rogues within 
  the Convocation, and military troublemakers. The for-
  mer may enlist voluntarily, while the latter three have 
  the option of signing up for a four-year tour in order to 
  escape more traditional punishments for their crimes.
  The misfits are not so much an elite force as one used 
  when more conventional methods cannot be employed. 
  They are the ones who raid orc lairs and assassinate 
  chieftains and priests, who infiltrate pirate crews to 
  gather intelligence, or track down enemies of the state 
  and ensure justice is meted out. Under the company’s 
  charter, any treasure they acquire is supposed to be split 
  20/80 between the members and the city, with the city 
  coffers receiving the greater share. In practice, the fig-
  ures are reversed.
  In days of yore, when the Anari dominated much of 
  the hearthlands, Aspiria, and Chalcis, huge galleys pow-
  ered by slave labor gave them naval superiority. Since 
  slavery was abolished the navy has been rebuilt around 
  smaller, more maneuverable vessels. one skeid, four 
  snekkes, and ten drakkars, employing a total of 1,000 
  men, patrol the waterways, ever vigilant for pirates and 
  marauding frost giants.
  While every captain of a ship holds that title, not all 
  ranks are equal. Those commanding the drakkar are 
  clerIcS of HoenIr
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of hoenir, providing facts useful to both 
  players and gms.
  Training: hoenir’s clerics are bookish scholars, and 
  this is reflected in their training. endless hours of 
  lectures and tests must be endured by those who 
  wish to join the cult. oral and written examinations 
  are frequent, with novitiates being awarded grades. 
  At the end of each year, a final test is taken. Those 
  who fail to meet the minimum requirement are ei-
  ther expelled (if they totally flunk) or held back a 
  year (if they fail by a few points and show prom-
  ise).
  Prayers: knowledge plays an important role in 
  prayers. Rather than beseeching hoenir to provide 
  direct help to the cleric, he invokes images of the 
  past. “deliver me the wisdom of emperor Persiliax 
  X,” or “Let my words travel fast, as did Coelric Wind-
  runner, who delivered news of the Anari invasion,” 
  for example.
  exclamations typically involve admission of igno-
  rance—“Blindness and folly! I should have deduced 
  by the juxtaposition of the glyphs there would be a 
  trap there!”
  Adventures: Anything involving new or lost knowl-
  edge draws the attention of hoenir’s clerics. In-
  stances of the Siphoning, the chance to explore a 
  lost city or tomb, and the discovery or creation of a 
  new book are all irresistible lures. other times they 
  must counsel nobles and help solve problems fac-
  ing a realm or city.
  Character Generation: Scholars and sages, these 
  clerics need a good Smarts die, Investigation, and 
  a wide selection of knowledge skills. Being a Lore-
  keeper and cleric of hoenir is not forbidden. Just 
  remember that while the Lorekeeper edge allows 
  the cleric to roll a d4 in all Smarts skills, he still has 
  to buy the skill at d4 if he wants to increase it later. 
  For this reason, taking a smattering of knowledge 
  skills at d4 is better than nothing and provides plen-
  tiful options for specialization, especially if the hero 
  intends to get the disciple edge. While starting with 
  a high Smarts die provides a few bonus languages, 
  adding Linguist doubles the number. Rather than 
  picking the common languages others will take, 
  consider the more obscure ones.
  alantarIS ISle
  
  
  termed captains, those piloting the snekkes as senior 
  captains, and the officer in charge of the sole skeid as 
  captain of the fleet. despite the latter’s impressive sound-
  ing title, he has no authority over the other captains.
  As part of an agreement with Aspiria and Chalcis, the 
  navy operates along these nations’ coastlines as well, 
  sometimes taking part in joint maneuvers. Attempts to 
  add the magocracy to this naval pact have met with fail-
  ure.
  In addition to the full-time soldiers and marines, 
  Alantaris maintains a militia. each settlement outside Im-
  perial City may appoint its own militia as it sees fit, but 
  under law all militia may be called up by the council in 
  time of need. As befits the bureaucracy that oversees the 
  island, accurate records are kept and checked when the 
  militia musters each year (done to test response).
  Imperial City is protected by the City guard. As well as 
  being a military force they are also keepers of the peace, 
  aided in this duty by clerics of hothar. A militia of 500 
  citizens is maintained, though all weapons are stored in 
  the central armory to prevent armed uprisings. Citizens 
  who sign up for militia duty are awarded 1 gs a year, a 
  token sum used to help offset some taxes.
  trade & trIbute
  The Isle’s days as a major mercantile superpower are 
  over. As the capital of a mighty empire, goods from across 
  the continent were transported here by Anari merchants, 
  and huge quantities of grain, iron, gems, and timber ex-
  ported to the provinces. Its markets were full of luxuries 
  inconceivable in quantities today.
  Today trade is far more modest. Ships from Aspiria 
  unload barrels of wine, while those from Chalcis carry 
  metal ingots and jewelry. Alantaris’ dominance of the 
  trade in fish, timber, and whale oil to Chalcis has been 
  steadily eroded by Angmark. While the island is closer 
  to Aspiria and the magocracy than their Saxa rivals, 
  Angmark’s merchants are slowly extending their routes, 
  leading to increased, and unwanted, competition.
  The bulk of Alantaris’ grain exports are destined for 
  the Freelands, most notably Aslov, and the eastern Low 
  Winterlands. Until recently, goods were shipped to Leir-
  vik. however, the law in Angmark requires all imports to 
  be sold to a local merchant, who then transports them 
  inland and sells them on at hugely inflated prices.
  In a bid to weaken Angmark’s growing power, grain 
  ships have been transferred to Port helgen in the magoc-
  racy instead. Cargoes are sold for a lower price and much 
  of the shipments are eventually sold to war-torn vest-
  mark or to Coglelund, but the merchants would rather 
  suffer this drop in profits than directly fuel Angmark’s 
  expansionistic mercantile dreams.
  of course, this has had a knock-on effect in the Free-
  lands and Low Winterlands, where grain prices have 
  risen sharply as a result of Coglelund’s taxation policies 
  and reduced shipments.
  Trade with the Crystalflow Confederacy, once a major 
  trading partner, has all but ceased since the formation 
  of orcmark. The formerly safe and prosperous route is 
  now considered too dangerous, though merchants will-
  lIbrarIeS
  Use of the Investigation skill requires access to writ-
  ten material, such as found in a library—no written 
  material means no Investigation roll is permitted. 
  As opposed to Streetwise, however, Investigation is 
  a far more powerful skill. For instance, the odds of 
  learning the name of the specific frost giant com-
  mander who led the invasion of midmark during 
  the Blizzard War by questioning people in taverns 
  are extremely low. A collection of ancient tomes 
  penned at the time, however, may provide the an-
  swer. While some Region guides contain one or 
  two libraries, a full list with expanded Investigation 
  modifiers will appear in the hellfrost expansion.
     uSIng a lIbrary
  In order to use a library (after gaining admission), 
  the party must first ask a question to which they de-
  sire an answer. questions should be short and spe-
  cific and as focused as possible. Asking for a blow 
  by blow account of every battle of the Blizzard War 
  would take years to sort and likely produce many 
  conflicting results.
  The second step is for the gm to decide whether 
  the library contains the information being sought. 
  Small libraries contain fewer books and thus are 
  less likely to contain obscure information, where-
  as large archives may contain information dating 
  back hundreds or even thousands of years. The 
  gm should never give away information which will 
  spoil an adventure, but he shouldn’t deny informa-
  tion which might be recorded somewhere.
  once the gm has decided the information exists, 
  the party must begin trawling the archive. Librar-
  ies in Rassilon are not catalogued and indexed, nor 
  are tomes necessarily grouped together by subject. 
  even when one finds the correct volume, it must be 
  read in its entirety, for there are no tables of con-
  tents or indexes, and often information is spread 
  throughout the work or requires several different 
  volumes to be cross-referenced to form an accurate 
  picture. Thus, there are no easy short cuts and re-
  search takes time. The language barrier may also be 
  a problem which must be overcome through magic 
  or hiring a translator.
  Because the number of books on a specific subject 
  is limited even in the biggest libraries, and it takes 
  time to gather scattered records, Investigation rolls 
  must be made using the Cooperative Roll rules. In 
  general, each roll takes four hours.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #16
  
  
  ing to risk the orc pirates and increased number of sea 
  monsters can make colossal profits selling whale oil.
  one thing the bureaucracy of Alantaris does well is 
  handle taxation. Individual taxes are detailed below.
  Duty: 2% of the value of goods being exported, 3% of 
  the value of goods being imported. These taxes apply to 
  Alantaris Isle as a whole and are collected either at Port 
  or the gates of Imperial City.
  Hearth Tax: 1 ss per fireplace in the home (paid 
  yearly).
  Poll Tax: every adult who wants to vote must pay 1 ss 
  when they turn up at a voting station.
  Property Tax: 5% of a property’s value (paid yearly).
  Tolls: 1 ss per person, 2 ss per mount or beast of bur-
  den, and 5 ss per cart per person travelling between Port 
  and Imperial City. This helps maintain the vital road.
  Wall Tax: 1 ss per household. This help to fund the 
  army and navy, and maintain Imperial City’s fortifications 
  (paid yearly).
  arcHItecture
  Ask anyone to picture Imperial City and they likely 
  imagine rows of stone houses standing amid opulent pa-
  latial structures and temples. While the latter is true, the 
  former is not. even the houses of the rich and powerful 
  are timber structures covered in wattle-and-daub. Unlike 
  the Saxa, who generally use entire logs, the houses of 
  Imperial City are cut planks, the outer layer laid horizon-
  tally and the inner layer placed vertically to strengthen 
  the wall. Roofs are covered in wooden shingles and are 
  steeply pitched to allow rain to run off into the streets.
  The warehouses and granaries have stone lower levels, 
  up to about three feet, and then wood atop. This helps 
  prevent flooding and keeps out most of the vermin.
  For some strange reason, many of the grander build-
  ings are viewed as having great porticos supported by 
  towering pillars. quite how this myth arose is unknown, 
  for the grandest structures in the city are blockish affairs 
  with minimal decoration. Archways are more common 
  than squared doorframes and many ceilings are vaulted, 
  but this is the peak of Anari architecture. even the Impe-
  rial Palace, with its high tower topped by a dome and 
  spires, is a rather unattractive building.
  In the provinces, houses take a slightly different 
  form. The traditional design is a squared capital “C.” The 
  central area is the room, and the two arms containing a 
  bedroom for the owner and a storage room. most out-
  buildings are simple wooden shacks with just a single 
  layer of planks nailed to a supporting frame.
  While small settlements were rarely fortified before 
  the Blizzard War, the number of orcs has made this a ne-
  cessity. A standard village has a wide, deep ditch crossed 
  only by one or two wooden bridges, and the latter are 
  designed to be pulled down easily. The inner edge of the 
  ditch abuts a high earth mound, atop which is a palisade 
  and walkway. many villages have a watchtower as well.
  major localeS
  detailed below are new places of interest for the he-
  roes to visit and explore while adventuring on the isle.
  annwn rIver
  The protection of Imperial City and Port requires five 
  companies apiece, leaving 29 battle companies (the mis-
  fits never perform regular duties) to maintain order in 
  the rest of the island. much of the eastern island is in the 
  hands of orcs, and the Council of Citizens has, for now, 
  redrawn the border along the banks of the wide but slow 
  and shallow Annwn River, which flows south from the 
  temple lIbrarIeS
  of all the libraries in Rassilon, the most common, 
  and the ones most heroes are likely to be granted 
  access to, are those of the various temples.
     templeS (except HoenIr)
  All temples contain a small library devoted to mat-
  ters of the faith and related matters. The smaller the 
  temple, the less detailed the information it holds.
  Location: various.
  Admission: Access is generally restricted to clerics 
  or followers of the faith. A donation (typically 1d10 
  gs) usually grants access.
  Specialties: The specific faith and one specialty di-
  rectly related to the deity. For example, temples to 
  hothar are focused on the law, those to Tiw on mili-
  tary history, while eostre’s temples might contain 
  treaties on veterinary medicine, nature, or herbal-
  ism.
  Investigation Rolls: –1 (village), +0 (town), +1 
  (city) for specialties only.
     templeS to HoenIr
  Temples of the god of knowledge are the nearest 
  equivalent to public libraries, though few settle-
  ments boast one. The more important the library, 
  the greater and more organized its collection of 
  material. 
  Location: various.
  Admission: open access. donations are accepted.
  Specialties: each temple has at least one specialty 
  (in addition to study of the faith), as determined by 
  the gm.
  Investigation Rolls: +0 general, +1 for one spe-
  cialty (village); +1 general, +2 for 1d4 special-
  ties (town); +2 general; +4 for 1d4+2 specialties 
  (city).
  alantarIS ISle
  
  
  Three Peaks to the coast. It flows for a mere 30 miles, yet 
  built up on its western banks are five motte-and-bailey 
  forts. each houses one company, rotated every three 
  months to ensure they remain fresh and alert.
  While the forts they occupy vary, there is always two 
  light infantry, one heavy infantry, one light cavalry, and 
  one archer company on duty along the border. during 
  the summer, the border is reinforced with one additional 
  company of light infantry, heavy infantry, light cavalry, 
  heavy cavalry, and archers.
  No artillery is based here, for the border cannot be 
  held against a concerted orc attack, and artillery pieces 
  are not cheap. That said, most companies employ at least 
  six artillerists among their strength and have constructed 
  makeshift catapults.
  ImperIal cIty
  The City Wall of Old: Countless stories tell of how 
  the Anari emperors were so rich they constructed walls 
  of silver and gold (solid in some legends, just plated in 
  others) around their city. even today, five centuries after 
  the Blizzard War, people scavenge in the Rubble in the 
  hope of finding a sliver of precious metal.
  That no one has struck it rich is not surprising, for 
  the stories of silver and gold walls are later inventions. 
  The actual walls were built of limestone and yellow 
  sandstone, monumental in size and decorated with vast 
  murals, but just ordinary stone nonetheless.
  The Dagger: only an idiot starts a fight in this tavern, 
  for it is the favorite haunt of the City guard. Ironically, 
  it is also a front for the thieves guild. one of the empty 
  tun casks (holds 256 gallons) in the basement is false—a 
  trapdoor in the back of the cask leads through the wall 
  to the main guild headquarters.
  The tavern takes its name from an unusual game 
  played using a throwing dagger. A large wheel is divided 
  into colored segments, with each segment worth vary-
  ing points based on its width. The wheel is mounted 
  horizontally and spun. each contestant has three throws. 
  Whoever scores highest, wins the stake. (Rules for the 
  game will be made available for free in the near future.)
  The Dragon’s Rest Inn: one of the more famous inns 
  in Imperial City, the dragon’s Rest is named for the huge 
  dragon wing bone sticking up from the floor. According 
  to legend, a hellfrost dragon’s wing was severed by an 
  elementalist during the attack on the city. The story goes 
  on that the beast crashed into the nearby wall, demolish-
  ing a sizeable portion. Some citizens claim the dragon 
  bone is actually from a whale.
  over the years, the innkeeper, Jehan ap-gontier, has 
  allowed famous heroes to carve their names on the wing 
  bone to commemorate their visit. Jehan has brewed his 
  own ale, which he proudly calls dragon’s Blood. It isn’t 
  particularly good, and is more commonly known by an-
  other name referring to a warm liquid produced by most 
  creatures with full bladders.
  Imperial Palace Library: The greatest library in 
  Rassilon resides within the former palace of the Anari 
  emperors, now the headquarters of the Convocation of 
  elementalists. Although it contains many specialist trea-
  ties on magic, it is open to the public between dawn and 
  dusk every day except on high holy days of hoenir and 
  maera. It contains a shrine to hoenir in all his aspects, 
  and to maera, patron of the Convocation.
  often crowded (roll 2d6 x 10 for the number of pa-
  trons), it appears unguarded. Four of the patrons are 
  actually elementalists, one from each school, and two 
  are paladins of hoenir. While they appear to be browsing 
  books just like the true patrons, they are secretly moni-
  toring activity within the library.
  Stories about a secret archive are true. Admittance 
  is restricted to senior clerics of maera, the Norns, and 
  Scaetha, and arkhwisards. Player character clerics must 
  be disciples and either have the Noble edge to represent 
  their status or be granted an equivalent rank to high 
  priest in play to gain access. of course, they must learn 
  the secret archive even exists first.
  Admission: open to all at the rate of 5 gs per hour.
  Specialties: The Anari, the Convocation, arcana, cult 
  of maera, demons*, the demongate Wars*, elementalism 
  (* found only in the secret archive).
  Investigation Rolls: +2 general, +4 for specialties. 
  The library is well-organized and the librarians adept at 
  finding books in record time. Investigation rolls here 
  take only 1d4 hours.
  Public Baths: The baths are part of the temple of 
  eira, though they are maintained by the council and are 
  open to the public for a small fee. The baths are typical of 
  saunas across the continent, though on a much grander 
  scale. At least one bannik resides here. Fortunately, the 
  fey is on good terms with the cult of eira, and takes any 
  grievances to them rather than enacting revenge itself.
  Tunnels: Running beneath the city is a warren of tun-
  nels, many wide enough to accommodate two hand carts 
  side by side. Large sections have collapsed, but enough 
  feStIval to HoenIr
     graduatIon day
  Raestdaeg of Sowanmonan.
  Schooling is expensive, and educational establish-
  ments are few and far between. most citizens are 
  taught at home, and thus have only a limited knowl-
  edge of the wider world. graduation day marks the 
  end of the school year. All students, including no-
  vitiates of hoenir, must take end of year exams to 
  prove they have studied. Those who pass are invited 
  to attend graduation day, a formal recognition of 
  their accomplishments. Certificates on learning are 
  handed out amid long and boring speeches on the 
  power and importance of knowledge, after which 
  students and tutors attend a feast. Those who fail 
  must serve the diners as punishment.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #16
  6
  
  remain that someone who knows the route can cross the 
  entire city without setting foot above ground.
  The existence of the tunnels, many of which connect 
  to the basements of shops and the grander houses, is 
  well-known in the city. The stories regarding them are 
  almost as numerous as the tunnels themselves. The most 
  popular one is that they were installed by thieves, allow-
  ing them to rob any premises at will and then disappear 
  like ghosts into the labyrinth. other tales say they were 
  constructed so the citizens could hide in them in time of 
  invasion, are a transit system that could accommodate 
  barges, were used by the emperor’s guards to arrest 
  citizens in the dead of night without altering other trai-
  tors, or are the remnants of some ancient civilization and 
  were simply reused when Imperial City was founded.
  The truth is far less fanciful. The reason the tunnels 
  run between the shops and basements of the rich is 
  because they allowed servants to go to and fro without 
  being seen above ground. much of their travel was for 
  legal reasons, such as picking up the shopping, but oc-
  casionally they carried subversive messages between 
  conspirators.
  Because most of the exits are now bricked up and 
  clearing the tunnels would cost too much, no one both-
  ers to patrol them. The thieves guild has set up its head-
  quarters down here, installing their guildhouse behind a 
  secret door designed to look like a bricked up archway. 
  They are currently researching a way to bypass bricked 
  up doors without having to tear them down and rebuild 
  them, or spend a fortune on alchemical devices.
  port
  Port is a small settlement, boasting just over 3,100 
  souls, including the 500 guards stationed here, but it 
  is a bustling center of trade. A good half of the popula-
  tion are involved with the sea and sea-trade somehow, 
  whether fishermen, chandlers, sailmakers, carpenters, 
  shipwrights, merchants, or teamsters.
  Fisherman’s Wharf: The informal name for the joint 
  temple to Neorthe and var, the Wharf, as it is commonly 
  known, caters for merchants and mariners. divided 
  into two wings, the outside is bedecked in scrimshaw 
  donated by sailors and whalers over the years, as well as 
  shells, lengths of old rope shaped into cresting waves, 
  and other flotsam and jetsam salvaged from the sea.
  directly outside is the fish market. While much of the 
  catch is salted and exported, fishermen hang a portion 
  of their wares here for the townsfolk to purchase. day or 
  night, the whole area stinks of fish. Not unsurprisingly, a 
  large number of cats congregate here.
  In Neorthe’s temple are housed the office of the navy, 
  recruiting chambers for mariners and marines seeking 
  employment, the harbor master’s office, and the worship 
  hall. A small shrine dedicated to Thunor and Freo stands 
  in one corner. on the top floor is a communal sleep-
  ing area for visiting sailors. For 1 ss a night the mariners 
  receive a sleeping space, to mugs of ale, and a light meal 
  of bread, soup, and cheese.
  feStIval to HoenIr
     no Knowledge day
  First Milcdaeg of Wulfmonan.
  hoenir’s wisdom meant that he was constantly pes-
  tered by the other gods, who demanded he teach 
  them new things. Frustrated at the interruptions, 
  which interfered with his studies, hoenir asked 
  Niht to help him. She concealed him beneath her 
  cloak where the gods could not find him. Niht’s 
  act was not entirely benevolent, for while hoenir 
  was concealed he could not share his wisdom. After 
  many days, hoenir realized events of which he has 
  no knowledge were taking place.
  Fearful he might be missing something of impor-
  tance, hoenir tried to leave Niht’s cape, but she 
  tightened the weave, imprisoning him. Niht kept 
  hoenir captive for so long that the other gods could 
  learn nothing new. 
  The universe stagnated, and then slipped back into 
  barbarity as the gods began to forget everything they 
  knew. only Niht, who knew all of hoenir’s secrets, 
  retained her knowledge. Rigr and Nauthiz eventu-
  ally found and freed hoenir, bringing knowledge 
  back to the universe.
  Worshippers remember their god’s folly, and remind 
  themselves of the dangers of allowing knowledge to 
  be forgotten, by blocking their ears with wax stop-
  pers, covering their eyes bound with dark cloth, 
  and gagging themselves. This prevents them from 
  learning anything new or imparting knowledge.
  In urban areas, actors perform a play retelling the 
  story of hoenir’s imprisonment. Under religious 
  law the character of hoenir cannot be played by a 
  cleric of the faith, as the play imparts knowledge. 
  hoenir is played as a bumbling scholar, complete 
  with long beard. Niht is portrayed as a pantomime 
  villainess, heavy with child called Ignorance and 
  wrapped in a vast cloak, beneath which the figure 
  of hoenir is concealed once the play reaches the 
  appropriate stage.
  Actors dressed to represent Rigr and Nauthiz wan-
  der around the audience asking the crowd if they 
  have seen hoenir. excited children and adults who 
  remember their first witnessing of the play call out 
  and gesture toward the figure of Niht, who shakes 
  her head, shrugs her shoulders, and tries to mis-
  direct the hunters. eventually, of course, hoenir is 
  found and rescued to wild cheering from the crowd. 
  While the three heroic gods bow to the audience, 
  Niht sneaks off the stage to boos and hisses.
  This play is heavy on audience participation, an 
  unusual occurrence for hoenir’s ceremonies. most 
  critics agree this is because the clergy of hoenir 
  don’t actually take part in the festivities.
  alantarIS ISle
  
  
  much of var’s temple is an indoor market, with per-
  manent stalls set up for locals and visiting merchants. 
  Several small rooms are available for merchants wishing 
  to negotiate prices with buyers or sellers.
  Security is maintained by paladins of both faiths, 
  though they have little to do but break up drunken 
  brawls and arrest the occasional pickpocket.
  Seolforton
  Among the many settlements abandoned during the 
  Blizzard War was Seolforton. once a major town near the 
  prosperous silver mines, its citizens died in agony as a 
  brace of hellfrost dragons fired upon the town. With the 
  realm in chaos following the destruction of Imperial City, 
  looting silver was the last thing on the survivors’ minds.
  over the centuries the location of the town has been 
  lost, its site swallowed by forest, but the name lives on 
  in song. Skalds claim the town was so prosperous that 
  the temple of ertha was lined with solid silver, and that 
  the nobility dined off silver plates and shoveled foods 
  into their mouths with silver cutlery. many of the town’s 
  wealthy citizens were supposedly buried in coffins not of 
  wood or lead, but pure silver.
  Fanciful as they may be, these tales, and they were 
  primarily created to warn among the sin of greed and 
  how for all their wealth the inhabitants could not thwart 
  or bribe the hellfrost army to spare them, attract adven-
  turers to the forest each year.
  Some say the souls of the greedy citizens refused to 
  depart the mundane world on their deaths, and that 
  they still haunt the town. Tales of silver-coated zombies, 
  victims who died in agony as coldfire melted the silver 
  statues and walls of the prosperous town, are common 
  in the taverns of Imperial City.
  perSonS of note
  arKHwISard brIggzee
  Scion of a noble Alantarian family whose ancient 
  lands were a dukedom under the emperors, Briggzee 
  was given the name guicharde ap-Baudouin at birth. 
  Well versed in the history of the empire and the glory of 
  its emperors by the time he went to school, guicharde 
  was an arrogant child, retaining many of the flaws of the 
  nobility, such as considering himself everyone’s better. 
  Needless to say, he was not popular.
  At the age of 12 Briggzee undertook schooling at the 
  Convocation. Ridiculed by his peers for his archaic stance 
  on social class, he changed him name and dropped any 
  aspirations to his family’s worthless noble title, throwing 
  himself into his arcane studies in a bid to earn a new 
  title by his own merits. his arrogance never went away, 
  though, for he quickly made it clear he would, one day, 
  be proclaimed an arkhwisard. Twenty-five years later, 
  Briggzee’s boast became fact.
  despite achieving his goal and being awarded the sec-
  ond highest title in the Convocation (only membership of 
  the Four eludes him), Briggzee still remains arrogant. In 
  his eyes, the Anari of Alantaris Isle were unjustly robbed 
  of their rightful place as rulers of Rassilon by a quirk of 
  fate, that quirk being the Blizzard War. he despises the 
  current government of Alantaris, seeing democracy as 
  preventing the Anari from rising once again.
  Too wise to lead an uprising directly, and ever wary of 
  his peers, many of whom have their own grand schemes, 
  Briggzee began researching the island’s past in the hope 
  of finding something that would aid his plans. After three 
  years, he stumbled across reference to a secret arsenal 
  hidden far outside the city walls.
  Although disappointed not to discover a stash of rel-
  ics, he was overjoyed with what he did find—a small con-
  tingent of steelwood golems. Unfortunately the golems 
  were inanimate, and Briggzee had, and still has, no idea 
  how to animate them. Unwilling to delve into golem lore, 
  an area still heavily policed by his peers, Briggzee has 
  taken to hiring adventurers to delve into old ruins in the 
  hope of finding the enchantment necessary to breathe 
  life into the inanimate army.
  once awakened, Briggzee intends to use the golems 
  against the council and install himself as the new emperor 
  of a resurgent Anari superpower. And if the Convocation 
  stands against him, well, the orcs inhabiting the island 
  are always looking for ways into the City, and Briggzee 
  knows many of the secret ones.
  arKHwISard paSSeroSe ap-gIrarS
  Arkhwisard Passerose, an Anari female from Aspiria, 
  holds the position of master of the vaults. her job is to 
  oversee the Convocation’s collection of relics. In order 
  to prevent the Reliquary from gaining possession of 
  feStIval to HoenIr
     SpoKen word day
  First Sunnandaeg of Huntianmonan.
  Philosophers have long debated which came first, 
  the word or the thought behind the word, for one 
  cannot exist without the other. hoenir was the first 
  god to speak, thus enabling the exchange of ideas, 
  for before this the gods were silent and the knowl-
  edge they had gained could not be transmitted.
  Clerics stand up in public and talk from dawn to 
  dusk on whatever subject appeals to them. Like 
  most of hoenir’s rituals, it is extremely dull. Fol-
  lowers of Niht often try to disrupt the ceremony by 
  gagging hoenir’s clergy. Unfortunately, most citi-
  zens are equally inclined to do the same in order to 
  stop droning voices ruining their day, thus resulting 
  in cases of mistaken identity and false accusation 
  having been made.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #16
  
  
  these rare and irreplaceable treasures, it was decided the 
  Convocation would root them out and store them in the 
  vaults, where they could be studied at leisure and their 
  secrets gleaned. 
  As a maegister, Passerose was part of the team charged 
  with investigating relics. An expert in the theory of magic, 
  she hoped to make leaps and bounds into unraveling the 
  nature of relics. Ten years and a promotion later, she is 
  no closer than when she started. Then a man working for 
  a mysterious buyer made her a proposition.
  While Passerose goes through the motions of study-
  ing relics, most of those she personally investigates are 
  fakes, common items imbued with absolutely no magic. 
  of the original relics, some she has sold to her mysteri-
  ous patron, and others she has passed on to interested 
  third-parties.
  Under Convocation law, the illegal trafficking of relics 
  is punishable by death (it’s hard to hold a wizard in pris-
  on, especially an arkhwisard). Though she is fabulously 
  wealthy by any standards, she is trapped in her role as 
  thief. When she told her patron she wanted to end their 
  arrangement, he produced a dossier of her crimes, pro-
  viding evidence, fabricated of course, that she had been 
  selling the relics to orcs in orcmark. In order for the 
  dossier to remain their dirty secret, all she had to do was 
  continue to smuggle relics out of the vault, accept the 
  vast sums of coins, and keep her mouth shut.
  Unsure who she can trust in the Convocation, she 
  is looking for outside parties of renown and honor to 
  help her. She is truly repentant of her crimes, and is 
  quite prepared to donate all her ill-gotten gains to the 
  temple of maera as part of her penance. however, she 
  isn’t interested in recovering the dossier, as multiple 
  copies may exist. No, what she is looking for is a group 
  of adventurers to break into the vault and remove all the 
  counterfeits she has placed there over the years!
  Unfortunately, security at the vault is extremely tight 
  (which is why she manages to steal only a handful of 
  relics every year) and there are many traps, magical and 
  mundane. In order for a robbery to be believable, all 
  the security measures would have to remain in place. of 
  course, she isn’t about to tell prospective accomplices 
  that they are walking into one of the biggest death traps 
  in all of Rassilon.
  company Sergeant aImon ap-Huon
  Built like an orc and twice as ugly, Aimon ap-huon, 
  nicknamed Blodskegg (Blood-Beard) by his men because 
  of his fondness for eating raw meat, is commander of the 
  misfits, and has been for 15 years. Technically he answers 
  to Captain Fierbras ap-yon, but the captain is scared wit-
  less of his subordinate and rarely bothers to give him any 
  orders. Instead, he leaves the council or one of his aides 
  to deal with the sergeant.
  Aimon has a well-deserved reputation for being a wild 
  beast in and out of combat. he is ruthless to his foes and 
  harsh on his troops, forcing them to complete long route 
  marches in grueling conditions. New recruits are often 
  told his nickname relates to his tendency to eat those 
  who fail him, a fact many could quite believe.
  Although he is hard on those who serve under him, 
  he does it for their own good. his company is expected 
  to achieve the impossible without heavy firepower or 
  backup, often living in the wilds for weeks on end and 
  facing terrifying beasts while operating in small teams. 
  Those who cannot survive his harsh routine would stand 
  little hope of survival if captured by orcs.
  That said, if any one else dares berate his troops they 
  must face Aimon’s wrath. For all his rage and menacing 
  demeanor, he loves each and every one of his troops as 
  if they were his own children, and no one, but no one, 
  has the right to chastise them except him. his troops 
  grumble, as all soldiers are wont to do, but they respect 
  their commander and would gladly die for him.
  Unlike many sergeants and captains, Aimon asks his 
  men for their input when planning a mission, asking 
  them to speak freely, for sometimes even the stupidest 
  idea may contain a brief glimmer of brilliance.
  godS & monSterS
  This section details three new minor gods, the gods of 
  information gathering, reaching, and libraries, and stats 
  for two new NPC archetypes and two monsters.
  bragI
  Titles: gossiper of the gods, Rumormonger, Whis-
  perer of Secrets.
  Aspects: Information gathering.
  Affiliations: hoenir.
  Symbol: A pair of lips with a finger pressed to them.
  Priesthood: ears (priests); mouths (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Second marketdaeg of each month.
  Duties: To gather and spread gossip and rumors.
  Sins: (minor) not learning new gossip at least once 
  per month, spreading a rumor known to be completely 
  false; (major) starting a false rumor; (mortal) not passing 
  on gossip and rumor containing a kernel of truth within 
  a day of learning it, taking a vow of secrecy.
  Signature Power: Speak language.
  Powers: Altered senses, boost/lower trait (Notice, 
  Persuasion, and Streetwise only), charismatic aura, 
  gravespeak, insight, voice on the wind, wandering 
  senses.
  Trappings: None with any game mechanics. Bragi’s 
  trappings tend to be very low key.
  Bragi is said to be the offspring of a fleeting union 
  between two diametrically opposed gods, hoenir, god 
  of knowledge, and Niht, goddess of secrets. Unlike his 
  father, Bragi has no interest in preserving or spreading 
  knowledge. Similarly, he disdains his mother’s secretive 
  nature. Instead, Bragi is a notorious gossip, interested 
  only in juicy rumors and interesting stories. To that end, 
  alantarIS ISle
  
  
  he spies on all the gods and sells rumors he hears. That 
  said, he never passes on gossip he knows to be com-
  pletely false, nor does he ever start false rumors.
  Bragi is always depicted as a youthful figure with a sly 
  smile or mischievous grin. most statues depict him with 
  one hand cupped to an ear, as if listening for any tasty 
  tidbit of gossip.
  No temples to the god of information exist, and 
  shrines are extremely rare outside of temples to hoenir 
  and Niht. Clerics of both hoenir and Niht pay homage 
  to him as god of information gathering, though for to-
  tally different reasons. A typical shrine comprises a small 
  statuette and a ledger or piece of parchment. In hoenir’s 
  temples, information worshippers have gleaned is in-
  scribed in the tome, to be copied and disseminated later. 
  Niht’s followers write information they have learned 
  on a piece of parchment, which is burned immediately 
  after the writer has finished. The latter allows clerics to 
  “reveal” secrets they have learned without staining their 
  soul by sinning.
  Clerics of Bragi are rarely found outside of major 
  settlements, though small towns and villages located on 
  busy trade routes or which boast a great market attract 
  them, for where there are travelers there is always gos-
  sip. Both priests and paladins are generally considered 
  untrustworthy, for anything they learn may be passed to 
  other parties and they refuse to take oaths of secrecy.
  Priests often serve as information brokers, exchang-
  ing gossip for hard cash, though those who come to 
  them asking questions about important people may find 
  their inquiry has been passed on to the very person on 
  whom they seek information. Paladins are often hired 
  by important dignitaries to act as spies, though anyone 
  hiring a servant of Bragi must be mindful never to reveal 
  too much of their plans unless they want their enemies 
  tipped off. To that end, most people who use the clergy 
  act through intermediaries.
  Neither type of clergy will ever knowingly pass on a 
  known falsehood, though clerics are under no compul-
  sion to discover if the rumor is true or false—sins only 
  occur when the rumor is definitely known to be a lie. To 
  that end, the clergy are excellent tools for disseminating 
  rumors those in power want to be circulated or spread-
  ing propaganda against rivals.
  The faith isn’t big on ceremony. Rather than holding 
  formal gathering, clergy in the same area meet up on 
  marketdaeg to swap interesting stories in a local tavern 
  or eatery. While many faiths close their doors to outsiders 
  during ceremonies, Bragi’s followers gladly invite non-
  followers with stories to tell to join them. They are not 
  beyond offering to buy rounds of drinks for complete 
  strangers in order to help loosen tongues. most are very 
  friendly with local beggars as well as the servants of the 
  rich and powerful, for these lowly members of society 
  see and hear much but are often overlooked by their 
  social betters.
  Character Guidelines: Bragi’s clergy tend to be 
  charismatic individuals, the sort of folk people open 
  up to, and attentive to detail. Notice, Persuasion, and 
  especially Streetwise are vital skills for learning gossip, 
  though many also value Investigation. The Charismatic 
  and Investigator edges are useful for clerics, and taking 
  multiple Connections edges never hurts. Big mouth is a 
  favored hindrance for obvious reasons.
  HaptaSnytrIr
  Titles: The mouth of hoenir, Celestial Teacher, Tutor 
  of the gods.
  Aspects: Teaching.
  Affiliations: hoenir, the Unknowable one.
  Symbol: A rune-inscribed slate.
  Priesthood: Tutors (priests); Instructors (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Writing day (see page 10) is a high holy 
  day.
  Duties: To teach others, to pass on knowledge.
  Sins: (minor) refusing to teach someone, unknow-
  ingly teaching incorrect facts; (major) refusing to teach 
  an illiterate person to read and write; (mortal) purpose-
  fully teaching incorrect facts
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (Smarts, any 
  Smarts-linked skill only).
  feStIval to HoenIr
     wrItIng day
  Third Monandaeg of Falmonan.
  hoenir had gathered a lot of knowledge from per-
  sonal experiences and the wisdom of the other 
  gods, but he was constantly under attack by the 
  capricious goddess Forgetfulness. The goddess 
  plucked snippets of knowledge from hoenir’s mind 
  and consumed them, causing the god to forget what 
  he had learned.
  hoenir went to maera and told her his problem. 
  The goddess of divination worked her magic and 
  revealed that somewhere in the universe there was 
  an unknown form of magic which would protect 
  against Forgetfulness’ dark magic. maera, as cryptic 
  as any of the Norns, added that the new magic could 
  not stop Forgetfulness from stealing knowledge 
  from hoenir’s mind. Not being much of a traveler, 
  hoenir asked Freo to accompany him. After a quest 
  full of wondrous encounters, hoenir discovered 
  the new magic—writing.
  Worshippers spend the day copying out sacred texts 
  in the library or reading from them in public. Be-
  cause hoenir gave away the new magic, booksellers 
  lower their prices on this day to encourage folk to 
  purchase their wares. Seeing a great business op-
  portunity, clerics of hoenir’s brother, var, purchase 
  great piles of books, which they resell later at in-
  flated margins.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #16
  10
  
  Powers: Analyze foe, gift of battle, gravespeak, in-
  sight, speak language, warrior’s gift.
  Trappings: Any except necromantic.
  haptasnytrir is both blessed and cursed. originally 
  a minor servant of hoenir, haptasnytrir was possessed 
  of keen mind and formidable memory. he was also a 
  gifted teacher, able to put across complex ideas in terms 
  anyone could understand. Unfortunately, he was also 
  immensely curious, questing for more and more knowl-
  edge. his curiosity drew him to Niht’s dark hall, where 
  he knew many secrets were hidden. Alas, Niht caught 
  the god rummaging through her secrets. She promptly 
  cursed him for his trespass, stating that haptasnytrir 
  could never again increase his knowledge, though he 
  could still impart what he knew. hoenir took pity on his 
  minion and elevated him to minor god status.
  All temples to hoenir are automatically centers of 
  learning, and thus haptasnytrir is always present. Private 
  tutors and military instructors maintain small shrines. 
  haptasnytrir is never depicted as an individual—as the 
  mouth of hoenir, he is an inseparable part of the god of 
  learning. At temples where teaching provides a large part 
  of the cult’s income, hoenir is often shown carrying a 
  writing slate, on which is inscribed the local alphabet.
  Priests tend to focus on intellectual training, teaching 
  everything from basic literacy to the complex wisdom of 
  the arcane. A small few are lucky enough to have per-
  manent employment at a school. most, though, work at 
  temples to hoenir, where they run public classes open to 
  all, or as private tutors to the scions of rich and power-
  ful families. Paladins, by nature of their preference for 
  battle, are learned in many forms of warfare and special 
  maneuvers. A small few cooperate with neighboring tem-
  ples of Tiw, where they work as drill instructors, but the 
  majority serves their community or noble lord, ensuring 
  local soldiers are well trained and disciplined. despite 
  this tie to Tiw, haptasnytrir is not directly affiliated to 
  the war god.
  The clergy worship by passing on knowledge. While 
  those dedicated solely to hoenir are often rather boring, 
  reciting information verbatim with little regard for their 
  audience’s appreciation, haptasnytrir’s servants encour-
  age audience participation and alter their learning style 
  to suit. Warriors, for instance, are more inspired by tales 
  of battle than they are by dry lectures, whereas children 
  learn better if allowed to interact with the tutor and ask 
  questions rather than just listen to his voice.
  Character Guidelines: Like clerics of hoenir, those 
  of haptasnytrir are expected to be learned scholars. 
  Smarts is thus their primary attribute. Any Smarts-linked 
  skill should be considered important, though the clergy 
  also give military instruction, allowing them to be martial 
  tutors.
  Hropt
  Titles: hoenir’s Librarian, guardian of the Written 
  Word Word-keeper.
  Aspects: hoenir.
  Affiliations: Librarians.
  Symbol: A book.
  Priesthood: Librarians (priests); Custodians (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Writing day (see page 10) is a high holy 
  day.
  Duties: Run, maintain, and protect libraries.
  Sins: (minor) damaging a tome or library, shouting, 
  not reading for an hour once a day; (major) not reading 
  a new book every season, knowingly aiding a worshipper 
  of Niht; (mortal) destroying a manuscript or library.
  Signature Power: Speak language (affects reading 
  only).
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (Smarts, Investigation, and 
  knowledge skills only), detect/conceal (books only), 
  silence.
  Trappings: An aura of calm.
  Special: Clerics of hropt must be literate and have 
  Smarts d6+.
  hropt is a very minor deity, largely unknown outside 
  hoenir’s clergy and academia. he watches over hoenir’s 
  extensive library, spending much of his day trying to 
  catalogue the ever-expanding collection of tomes and 
  scrolls. he has very sensitive ears and forbids anyone 
  visiting the library to make speak above a whisper, which 
  is one explanation for why Tiw is generally considered 
  an uneducated lout.
  hropt, although a god, is hoenir’s servant, and so is 
  never depicted as an individual. In libraries, statues of 
  hoenir show the greater god a holding a book under 
  both arms, thus indicating hropt is present. Aside from 
  in a few private libraries, hropt has no other shrines, not 
  even in the libraries of other gods. That said, his clerics 
  sometimes work in the libraries of other temples, though 
  only usually in the largest ones.
  hropt isn’t an ideal god for an adventuring cleric to 
  worship—his spells are few in number and very focused. 
  however, at some point the party may need to seek out 
  a library, and thus hropt’s cultists may be encountered. 
  Both types of clergy spend much of their time inside li-
  braries, helping patrons find books, rebinding damaged 
  books, and protecting the tomes from thieves and van-
  dals. Niht’s followers are especially hated. A few clerics 
  act as teachers, though they only impart knowledge of 
  literacy. Paladins sometimes quest for new tomes to add 
  to their library.
  Aside from the third monandaeg of Falmonan, when 
  clerics honor Writing day (see page 10), their ceremonies 
  are few and far between—each day they perform their 
  duties honors their god and helps lessen his burden.
  Character Generation: As librarians, Investigation is 
  a vital skill. A good Notice is useful, for libraries do not 
  operate any system of indexing. Paladins are expected 
  to deal with troublesome patrons without disturbing the 
  tranquility of the library, so investing in Intimidation is 
  never a bad idea. Bookbinding is part of every cleric’s du-
  ties, but a separate skill needn’t be taken as it’s unlikely 
  to come up very often—use Agility when it does.
  alantarIS ISle
  11
  
  golem, Steelwood
  While many of the Anari’s grand plans for steelwood 
  bark never came to fruition, one of the emperors did 
  manage to secretly construct a small army of wood 
  golems shaped like Anari shock infantry and coated in a 
  veneer of steelwood. The army was never activated, and 
  thus played no part in the golem Uprising. After the dev-
  astation wrought on Imperial City by the Blizzard War, 
  the location of the army was lost.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d10, vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Swim-
  ming d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 11 (4)
  Gear: Long sword (Str+d8), steelwood medium shield 
  (+1 Parry; +3 Armor vs. ranged attacks)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +4: Solid wood coated in steelwood.
  * Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken. No ad-
  ditional damage from Called Shots. Immune to dis-
  ease and poison.
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  * Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor against 
  damage-causing arcane powers and +4 on Trait rolls 
  to resist opposed powers.
  * Slam: Str+d4.
    juStIcar mage-Slayer
  While all Justicars are experienced killers, mage-slay-
  ers are the elite assassins. mage-slayers dare to venture 
  where regular Justicars do not, dispatching swift and 
  unforgiving “justice” to those who dabble in magic.
  Unlike their surly counterparts, who are little more 
  than well-trained thugs, mage-slayers are skilled hunters, 
  willing to track their quarry no matter how far he runs.
  equipped with maerathril great swords, they are pro-
  tected against the evil power of sorcery and capable of 
  smashing apart defensive enchantments.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d10, vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d12, guts d12, Intimidation d10, knowl-
  edge (Arcana) d10, Notice d8, Riding d8, Stealth d10, 
  Streetwise d10, Survival d6, Tracking d6
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 9 (2)
  Hindrances: delusional (mages are evil), orders
  Edges: Berserk (only when damaged by arcane powers 
  or magic items), Combat Reflexes, Command, Improved 
  Arcane Resistance, Improved dodge, Improved Frenzy, 
  Level headed
  Gear: Chain hauberk (+2), maerathril great sword 
  (Str+d10, –1 Parry, 2-hands)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  lIbrarIan
  While librarians tend to honor hoenir or hropt, the 
  minor god of libraries, very few outside of the god’s 
  temples are actually clerics. Similarly, Lorekeepers tend 
  to be found in libraries as patrons, not as workers. Li-
  brarians range in disposition from helpful to mean, the 
  latter variety having a strong dislike for filthy adventurers 
  thumbing through “their” rare books with dirty fingers. 
  Librarians may have a knowledge skill or two, but it isn’t 
  required—their task is to look after the books, not read 
  them. The great majority is literate, but in small libraries 
  with few tomes merely recognizing the cover and know-
  ing what the contents are is enough to help visitors.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  vigor d6
  Skills: guts d4, Investigation d6, knowledge (any two) 
  d6. Notice d6, Streetwise d6
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 2; Toughness: 5
  Hindrances: varies
  Edges: Typically none, but a rare one may have Linguist 
  or Scholar
  Gear: —
  Treasure: meager
  QuIzlIng
  quizlings are small fey, similar in height to a human 
  child but with green hair and wide eyes. They are cursed 
  with an insatiable sense of curiosity and just have to 
  know everything about everything. quizlings are fond 
  of “adopting” strangers who enter their domain. openly 
  friendly and knowing no fear, they pester their “guests” 
  with endless, banal questions. Answering their questions 
  leads only to more questions. Worse, quizlings have no 
  need to sleep, so their questioning goes on day and night 
  without pause.
  They have been known to raid adventurers’ camps 
  at night, rushing in and grabbing anything they can lay 
  their hands on. Such items are not valued as sources of 
  treasure, but as items of curiosity. When the quizling has 
  finished inspecting the plunder, it simply discards it.
  Some sages have debated the nature of quizlings. 
  While most folk label them as fey, a small few suggest 
  they are the spirits of clerics of hoenir who have been 
  returned to the mortal realm as part of some divine 
  punishment, for no matter how much a quizling learns it 
  always wants to know more.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  vigor d6
  Skills: Climbing d8, Lockpicking d10, Notice d10, Stealth 
  d6, Swimming d6
  Pace: 8; Parry: 2; Toughness: 4
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Curious: quizlings are insatiably curious about ev-
  erything.
  * Fearless: A quizling’s curiosity makes it immune to 
  Fear and Intimidation.
  * Linguist: quizlings speak all known languages, but 
  are illiterate.
  * Size –1: quizlings stand around 4’ tall.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #16
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  In days of yore, the Great Swamp was home to the advanced gatorman race. Now re-
  duced to a state of primitive barbarity, their role as rulers of the swamp has been usurped 
  by the lizardmen, led by the Tyrant Lizard King. A dank land of ever-hungry thunderlizards, 
  crumbling ruins, and bloodthirsty inhabitants, the Great Swamp is no place for the weak of 
  heart. This supplement expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Who Is the tyrant LIzard KIng?
  Perhaps a better question would be what is the Tyrant Lizard King, for if even a tenth of 
  the rumors about his powers are true it is readily apparent he is no ordinary mortal.
   Countless stories abound about his size, which some claim places him akin to a frost 
  giant, of how his scales are so thick they deflect ballista bolts as if they were stinging flies, 
  how he can kill with a simple glance and transform into a monstrous lizard at will, how his 
  god protects him from all forms of magic, and that he wields powerful, unknown magic. 
  As scary as these stories are, none compare to his reputed power to devour the souls of 
  his victims. Those who whet his endless appetite do not pass onto the Afterlife, nor to the 
  Abyss, but instead feed the spiritual hunger of Ssslak, the lizardmen’s monstrous deity.
  No non-lizardman who has seen the Tyrant Lizard King has ever survived the encounter, 
  yet still the stories circulate the taverns and inns of the southern Hearthlands. In truth, no 
  one actually knows if the King even exists, or whether he is a figment of the imagination, 
  conjured by the fevered mind of an explorer suffering the ravages of disease.
  Sutmark’s warriors have no doubt something powerful rules over the lizardmen, for 
  never before had the tribes united and mounted a concerted attack. Veermark is unsure as 
  to the veracity of the King’s existence but keeps a wary eye on Zigzag Pass, while Midmark 
  is taking no chances, and has greatly strengthened its southern border as a precaution. 
  Even if the Tyrant Lizard King is a myth, it is one that has directly affected several nations.
  Sages and clerics have pondered the mystery of the fearsome king, yet have reached no 
  firm conclusions, for study of the lizardmen was never high on anyone’s list of scholastic 
  ventures. Some dare to hint that the creature is an immortal, a servant of Ssslak sent to 
  Rassilon to unite his worshippers. While this would break the Compact, no one can prove 
  for certain whether or not the non-human gods ever swore the oath. Other suggestions 
  include him being a demi-god, sired by Ssslak from a mortal female and a mutant whose 
  physical size may be extreme but whose powers are fictitious.
  Perhaps one day someone will venture into the Great Swamp, encounter the fiend, 
  31217
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 7 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  the great sWamp
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  and live to tell the tale. Or maybe clues exist elsewhere, 
  amid the endless inscriptions that adorn the countless 
  ruins dotting the landscape. but as some warn, perhaps 
  the truth will be proven to be worse than the myth, and 
  ignorance should be considered a blessing.
  geography
  Midmarkers have a saying—only a dead man enters 
  the Great Swamp. While slightly over-dramatic, it does 
  contain a kernel of truth, for few who venture deep into 
  the depths of the vast mire ever return.
  Travelling through the Great Swamp is an experience 
  few ever wish to repeat. Walking through the thick, cloy-
  ing mud saps one’s strength and makes movement slow 
  going, while wading through the many streams and riv-
  ers subjects one to leeches and parasites. It is virtually 
  impossible to keep clean, and any injury can quickly fes-
  ter. disease is a constant problem, and few adventurers 
  come back without having contracted some illness.
  Although the “constant rainfall” mentioned by many 
  explorers is a myth, when it rains it does so heavily, pen-
  etrating cloaks and armor in minutes. Visibility can be 
  reduced to a few dozen yards in the heaviest storms, and 
  meandering streams quickly becoming fast-flowing riv-
  ers, sweeping unsuspecting travelers off their feet.
  Movement by day subjects one to constant swarms of 
  biting insects, and it is little better at night. Explorers 
  must be constantly vigilant, for that log floating in the 
  stream may be a crocodile.  The bufomi and gatormen 
  are expert ambushers, and what looks like a pool of mud 
  may be bottomless quicksand.
  When rations run out, or more likely spoil, explorers 
  must turn to foraging. bloodberries are nutritious, but 
  it takes a skilled eye to tell them apart from bileberries, 
  and little other vegetation is digestible. Hunters may 
  have more luck, for there are great flocks of ducks and 
  geese native to the region, as well as edible frogs, toads, 
  and lizards in abundance. Crocodiles make fine eating, 
  and their skin makes for waterproof cloaks, but catch-
  ing one can be a risky venture. More serious is a lack of 
  potable water, though again those trained to live off the 
  land quickly learn how to spot water-storing vines. 
  With rations taking up valuable encumbrance, edible 
  game never guaranteed to be available, and water scarce, 
  wise parties will invest heavily in feast alchemical devices 
  before leaving civilization.
  mILItary
  The armies of the bufom and gatorman tribes are 
  based purely on the number of warriors available to an 
  individual tribe. Small tribes might be able to muster only 
  a handful of warriors, while the largest can field a hun-
  dred. Supporting them are small numbers of specialist 
  troops, such as bufom fanatics (see Region Guide #13), 
  gatorman fleshtearers (see page 10), and shamans and 
  priests. Were the scattered gatormen tribes to combine 
  forces, an unlikely event since all tribes are rivals for re-
  sources and such a gathering would attract the attention 
  of the Tyrant Lizard King, they could field an army of 
  some 3,000 warriors, while the bufomi could summon 
  perhaps a third of that number.
  The true military might of the Great Swamp lies with 
  the lizardmen, ruled by the Tyrant Lizard King. All told, 
  the inhuman king has around 20,000 warriors at his dis-
  posal, plus a large number of thunderlizards. His horde 
  is divided into ten regiments, each carrying a unique 
  name. Examples include the feeders of Ssslak, the Ones 
  Who bring death to unbelievers, and the divine Teeth of 
  the Thunderlizard King. Each regiment contains exactly 
  2,000 lizardmen and is broken down as follows:
  Commander: One senior war captain (treat as a Wild 
  Card war captain, see page 11) mounted on a Wild Card 
  triceratops. unlike most thunderlizards (see below), this 
  beast acts as a regular mount.
  Headquarters: 16 temple guards (see page 10), 
  one standard bearer, two heralds, and five messengers. 
  There are normally eight velociraptors assigned to the 
  company. They fill a role similar to guard dogs.
  Priests: five priests. One generally serves with the 
  headquarters, one alongside the shock troops, one with 
  the cavalry, and two with the thunderlizards.
  Shock Troops: One company of 100 temple guards.
  ruLes of the reaLm
  These setting rules apply in the Great Swamp.
  * Biting Insects: Each day every hero must draw a 
  card from the action deck. A numbered Spade indi-
  cates biting gnats and midges plague him. He must 
  make a Vigor roll or suffer a level of fatigue from 
  itchy bites. On a Spade face card, his Vigor roll is 
  made at –2. fatigue from the bites is removed after 
  24 hours or with the application of a single dose of 
  antihistamine rubbed into the skin.
  because these swarms don’t have stat blocks, use 
  of insect repellant (see page 4) works somewhat 
  differently. A character using repellant suffers an 
  attack only if the card value is 2–4 or an Ace of 
  Spades. Otherwise, the insects are just a buzzing 
  annoyance.
  * Disease: disease festers in the Great Swamp, and 
  the privations one must suffer leave the immune 
  system weak. All Vigor rolls to resist disease have 
  an additional –1 penalty.
  * Language: bufomi, gatormen, and lizardmen all 
  speak variants of a language known to the civilized 
  races as Lesarde.
  * Natural Healing: With no clean water, constant 
  biting insects, little food, and generally insanitary 
  conditions, it is very hard to keep wounds clean 
  and patients comfortable. All natural Healing rolls 
  suffer a –1 penalty.
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #17
  
  
  Cavalry: One company of raptor riders (see page 10), 
  plus their vicious, intelligent mounts.
  Infantry: 1,400 warriors divided into 14 companies 
  of 100 warriors each. A war captain leads each company.
  Archers: One company of 170 archers. Normally 100 
  form a company which fights together while the remain-
  der is divided among the thunderlizard units. Archers 
  also operate any siege weapons. A single war captain is 
  in command of the entire company.
  Thunderlizards: 50 lizardmen, one of whom is a 
  war captain. different thunderlizards are employed de-
  pending on the situation, and each requires a different 
  number of handlers. An ankylosaurus requires three 
  handlers, a diplodocus seven, a pterodactyl one, and a 
  triceratops three. Velociraptors are never included in this 
  company, as they serve as cavalry. See below for further 
  notes on thunderlizards.
  Typically one handler barks orders while the others 
  use the reins to maneuver the beast. unlike with a horse 
  or pygmy mammoth, controlling a thunderlizard requires 
  an action from all the handlers. Treat thunderlizard han-
  dlers as regular lizardman warriors but with Riding d6.
  Others: 150 lizardmen serving as baggage handlers, 
  medical orderlies, artillery loaders, foragers, food for the 
  thunderlizards, and so on.
  Currently, three regiments are actively engaged in 
  the battle to conquer Ostvik with a further two kept in 
  reserve. Two regiments are garrisoned in Slik’al’ssla, and 
  the other three are dispersed among the remaining cit-
  ies.
  thunderLIzards
  Ankylosaurs are employed against enemy infantry and 
  cavalry, where their sweeping tails can cause maximum 
  impact, as well as to smash light fortifications.
  diplodocuses are mobile siege towers and missile 
  platforms. They may carry 10 archers, two ballistae, or 
  five archers and one ballista. When used as missile plat-
  forms, the archers are protected by a wicker and leather 
  fighting platform. This provides Cover (+3 Armor).
  Triceratops can carry two archers in addition to their 
  handlers, but are generally used as battering rams or to 
  plow through enemy ranks.
  Pterodactyls are primarily used as scouts. However, 
  the rider can throw spears, fire arrows, or shoot slings 
  at his enemies. They can also be used to land troops 
  behind enemy lines, albeit only at the rate of one per 
  pterodactyl. It is no coincidence the defenders of Ostvik 
  keep one eye to the sky and a bow always close at hand.
  trade & trIbute
  No inhabitants of the Great Swamp have any official 
  trading ties with the wider world, but this does not mean 
  no trade takes place. The lizardmen, gatormen, and bu-
  fomi are all eager to acquire metal weapons and armor, 
  and don’t care how they acquire these items.  Raids net a 
  small quantity, but not enough to feed the demand. Hu-
  man traders of unsavory character have no qualms about 
  selling armor and armaments to the vile denizens of the 
  swamp, so long as their coin is good.
  Midmark, Veermark, and Sutmark, all of whom have 
  reason to fear a well-equipped lizardman army, have de-
  clared trading with the inhabitants of the Great Swamp 
  to be a capital offense. Guilty parties are thrown naked 
  into the Great Swamp. unfortunately for the perpetra-
  tor, none of the races they traded with have any sense of 
  loyalty, and all desire the flesh of sentient beings to feed 
  their stomachs or those of their equally vile gods.
  Sadly, freetown has no such restrictions on trading 
  with the lizardmen, though all shipments must be sent 
  by sea to avoid Midmark’s over-zealous customs agents.
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer lists narcotics as a major 
  export. While this is true, none of the inhabitants are 
  actively involved in the trade. Rather, heavily-armed 
  criminal gangs scour the land for narcotic plants, taking 
  them to small camps to be prepared by herbalists. They 
  are then sold to crooked merchants or the cult of Vali.
  major LocaLes
  GMs and heroes looking for exciting and deadly 
  places to explore need cast their eye only into the stink-
  ing swamp. from border forts to towering, stepped 
  pyramids, and mausoleums to entire cities, the swamp 
  contains countless gatorman ruins ripe for plundering. 
  detailed below are a few sample locales.
  cItIes (generaL notes)
  When the gatormen ruled Rassilon, they erected cities 
  of stone to honor their once many gods. At the heart 
  of each city stood a pyramid-temple, a monumental 
  stepped structure dedicated to the city’s patron deity. 
  Surrounding the pyramid was a sacred plaza, where only 
  priests could walk except on holy days. A grand plaza, 
  lined with smaller temples devoted to the other deities, 
  led from the main gate to the plaza.
  What gods the gatormen once worshipped in these 
  impressive structures has been wiped away. Those the 
  gatormen still inhabit are devoted entirely to Sarkeb, 
  while those in the hands of the rebellious lizardmen 
  honor their barbaric gods. Even in the lost cities, and 
  many exist, for the Great Swamp was the center of the 
  gatorman empire, the names of the old gods, carved in 
  stone to immortalize them, cannot be deciphered, even 
  with magic. Such was the fate of the gatorman gods that 
  when Sarkeb devoured them even their names were 
  eradicated from existence.
  Smaller avenues radiated from the plaza, each laid 
  down in accordance with a celestial alignment no longer 
  visible in the heavens, for such is the great antiquity of 
  these sites. Homes, barracks, slave pens, warehouses, 
  the great sWamp
  
  
  shops, and workshops lined the avenues, creating bus-
  tling, vibrant cities whose grandeur belied the cruel bar-
  barity of the gatorman race and their bloodthirsty gods.
  cIty of bLood
  Population: 2,500 (80% gatormen, 20% slaves)
  Even before Sarkeb became the gatormen’s sole deity 
  he was patron of this city. So many slaves and captives 
  were sacrificed to Sarkeb in orgies of violence that the 
  streets ran deep with blood. The salve revolt was crushed 
  with brutal efficiency, but as the rebellion gained impetus 
  elsewhere the city was abandoned. The victorious lizard-
  men refused to settle here, for they claimed the shades 
  of their ancestors, slaughtered to appease an alien god, 
  roamed the streets. Eventually the gatormen drifted 
  back, reclaiming the crumbling ruins from the vines and 
  creepers that had encroached in their absence.
  Located some 50 miles from the border with Midmark, 
  the City of blood remains a major gatorman stronghold. 
  The Tyrant Lizard King keeps a close eye on the city, but 
  so long as the inhabitants do not threaten his plans he 
  allows them to exist—when Ostvik is crushed, he will 
  avenge his people, ensuring the city lives up to its an-
  cient name one final time.
  cIty of death
  Population: 3,000 (66% lizardmen, 33% slaves, plus 
  an unknown number of undead) 
  While many high priests were buried in their home 
  city, close to the god they worshipped, the majority were 
  entombed in the City of death. Amid the temples stood 
  only houses for the dead, colossal mausoleums and 
  crypts tended by priests devoted to the god of the dead 
  and protected by temple guards.
  The Tyrant Lizard King recently ordered the city re-
  claimed and the entombed priests’ corpses destroyed, 
  but the lizardmen were not the first to visit the city since 
  its abandonment. Clerics of Hela, realizing the untapped 
  potential of the site, began arriving many moons ago. 
  Progress has been slow thanks to the presence of traps 
  and monstrous guardians, but they are slowly animating 
  an army of ferocious undead gatormen. unable to re-
  treat, the lizardmen labor on, desperately trying to clear 
  the streets of undead.
  cIty of ghosts
  As word of the slave rebellion spread, the priests of 
  this city invoked powerful magic, reforming the very pat-
  terns in the heavens into a new celestial alignment to 
  empower their ritual. One second the city was there, the 
  next it was gone, transported into a pocket dimension. 
  The dimension was time-locked, set only to open when 
  the same celestial alignment reoccurred naturally. Such 
  was the haste of the priests that they paid little attention 
  as to when the conjunction might occur.
  Many thousands of years have passed, and the time of 
  the alignment draws closer. As the magical veil begins to 
  weaken, the city shimmers in and out of existence in the 
  mundane world, sometimes remaining for a few hours, 
  other times for many weeks, before vanishing again.
  What might emerge from the city when it finally mate-
  rializes for good is a mystery. Sarkeb’s blight had already 
  affected the cities by the time of the rebellion, thus if the 
  gatormen still hold power they are likely savages. but it 
  may transpire the slaves here also revolted, and that an 
  entire city of lizardmen may spring into existence over-
  night. Would such creatures be loyal to the Tyrant Lizard 
  King, or would thousands of years of independent cul-
  tural evolution have taken them down a different road? 
  Could they, for instance, have replaced the gatormen as 
  an enlightened race, wise in lore and less committed to 
  violence? do they, perhaps, know the secret of celestial 
  magic?
  cIty of hunger
  Population: 12,000 (80% lizardmen, 20% slaves)
  As the pre-downfall gatormen hungered for knowl-
  edge, so their god of learning, to whom this city was then 
  devoted, hungered after blood sacrifices. In return for 
  continual offerings, the deity allowed his worshippers 
  to glean more understanding of the universe. The great 
  temple, a center of scholastic endeavor, ran red with 
  blood as scribes recorded what the priests had learned 
  on the flayed skins of their victims.
  Today the city is ruled by the lizardmen, and Ssslak’s 
  presence hovers in the main temple. While many of the 
  neW herbaL remedIes
  Antibiotic (0): Antibiotics are used to treat diseas-
  es. All diseases allow a Vigor roll, typically once per 
  day or per week. One dose of antibiotic must be 
  taken every day for the appropriate period for the 
  medicine to have any effect. Assuming this is done, 
  the victim makes his next Vigor roll to shake off the 
  disease at +2. Multiple doses otherwise have no 
  additional effect.
  Example: Victims of Vali’s revenge make a Vigor 
  roll each day at –1. By taking a dose of antibiot-
  ics, the roll is made at +1 instead. To gain the 
  benefit for red pox, which allows only a weekly 
  roll, the patient must consume one dose of antibi-
  otics every day for eight days. If he misses so much 
  as a single dose, he gains no benefit—he cannot 
  miss a day and take two the next to make up the 
  difference.
  Insect Repellant (+1): Insects, whether swarms 
  or giant insects, must first make a Spirit roll as a 
  free action if they wish to attack the user. The roll 
  must be made before each attack. A single dose 
  rubbed into the skin lasts for eight hours.
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #17
  
  
  libraries were plundered and burnt during the slave 
  revolt, some survived. The Tyrant Lizard King forbade 
  further destruction. Now lizardman priests pour over 
  the texts, seeking to unlock the wisdom of their former 
  masters and increase the power of their king.
  cIty of poWer
  Population: 9,000 (85% lizardmen, 15% slaves)
  Located just 20 miles east of the old capital (now 
  renamed Slik’al’ssla), the City of Power was the heart of 
  the mage-priests and their astronomical studies. Today it 
  is just another lizardman city, home to a large garrison 
  watching the approaches to the capital.
  At the base of the great temple stands a calendar 
  wheel. In days of yore priests would turn the wheel by 
  hand, marking the passage of days, years, centuries, and 
  millennia. during the early days of the slave revolt one 
  of the great mage-priests etched mystic runes on the cal-
  endar, marking a future date.
  Ever since then the wheel has turned by itself, unstop-
  pable, indestructible, slowly, inexorably incrementing 
  the passage of time toward the appointed date foretold 
  long ago. What the great dial counts down toward is 
  unknown, but some lizardmen recall a tale in which the 
  gatormen’s great mage sealed himself away in a secret 
  vault when the revolt began. Those who know the story 
  claim the mage-priest vowed to return in the future to re-
  claim his people’s empire. The Tyrant Lizard King scoffs 
  at such talk and has those who speak of such matters 
  sacrificed, but tension is growing in the City of Power, for 
  the appointed day is now very close.
  cIty of the sun
  Population: 7,800 (75% lizardmen, 25% slaves)
  Though the gatormen knew much, their knowledge 
  of metalworking was remarkably primitive. They worked 
  with beaten gold and silver, sacred metals, but knew 
  naught of bronze or iron. Located near the dragonspine 
  Mountains, the City of the Sun was the center of gold 
  smelting. dedicated to the god of the sun, once the chief 
  deity of the pantheon, the walls of the great temple were 
  clad in beaten gold, a shining beacon of the power of 
  the gatormen. Many glyphs were inlaid with the precious 
  metal, and of the withered corpses of the priests in the 
  great catacombs, most had gold-plated teeth in addition 
  to wearing heavy gold necklaces and rings.
  Much of the visible gold is gone, plundered long ago. 
  but the catacombs, sealed behind complex locks and 
  warded by magical traps, remain intact. A king’s ransom 
  and more await any heroes brave enough to infiltrate a 
  city of hostile lizardmen and find a way into the crypts.
  An orc tribe has recently moved into the long-aban-
  doned gold mines, for the veins are still rich in ore. 
  Although they do not threaten the lizardmen dwelling 
  in the city, the Tyrant Lizard King has ordered them de-
  stroyed, for the Great Swamp is his domain and the orcs 
  offer no tribute for their trespass.
  cIty of trade
  Population: 5,200 (15% bufomi, 25% gatormen, 25% 
  lizardmen, 35% slaves)
  Standing on the banks of the southern river, the City 
  of Trade one bustled with gatorman merchants haggling 
  over cargoes from across Rassilon and their holdings 
  in Al-Shirkuh and the dense jungles beyond. Its great 
  temple was sealed during the revolt and has never been 
  opened since. The rest of the city suffered plundering 
  and numerous fires, and contains little of value.
  until recently, a small tribe of bufomi were the sole 
  inhabitants of the overgrown ruins. Then a tribe of ga-
  tormen, intent on opening the pyramid and looting its 
  treasures, moved into one of the suburbs. Their pres-
  ence in turn forced the Tyrant Lizard King to dispatch 
  troops, for if the gatormen held the city they could build 
  up their strength.
  All three races are involved in armed struggle for the 
  city. No side has the strength to crush both its enemies, 
  no alliance is possible, and launching a full raid against 
  one side would leave the troops open to counterattack. 
  The battle is being fought slowly, with raids preferred 
  over frontal assaults. for now at least, the bufomi hold 
  the great temple, but their grip is slowly weakening.
  cIty of treasure
  In the center of the Great Swamp is a large lake, its 
  deep waters fed by no streams or rivers. In the center 
  stood a proud city, famed for its fabulous treasuries. 
  When the lizardmen revolted, the high priest called 
  upon his god to destroy the city in order to ensure it 
  never fell into the slaves’ hands. The earth began to sink 
  and water bubbled up from the soil, for in these days 
  there was no Compact between the gods and the power 
  of the inhuman gods was felt more often in the mortal 
  realm. Within a day, the entire city lay under 100 feet of 
  water, its inhabitants and slaves drowned.
  All that marks the site today is a small island covered 
  in thin soil and thick weeds. This is in fact the flat top of 
  the city’s highest pyramid and thus marks the center of 
  the conurbation. far below the rest of the city lies sub-
  merged, its treasuries intact.
  No myths or legends exist among the denizens of 
  the Great Swamp regarding the nature of the treasure. 
  It might be gold and silver, for both were precious to 
  the gatormen, but it might equally be knowledge, for 
  once the savage race were erudite scholars, possessed 
  of advanced lore.
  steLae
  In the days of the great empire the gatormen priests 
  were divided into two sects. The true priests were ser-
  vants of the gods, receiving power through divine will. 
  Socially lesser than them were the mage-priests, who 
  worked their magic by channeling the power of the sun, 
  moon, and stars.
  the great sWamp
  
  
  Across the land, the mage-priests erected a network 
  of stelae. Imbued with glyphs of power and placed on 
  specific alignments to match the heavens, these towering 
  pillars of stone stored and transmitted magical energy in 
  a convoluted web.
  Through the power grid, the ruling priests could com-
  municate with their peers in distant realms, open portals 
  through which entire armies could march, and channel 
  magical energy to aid other cities in times of crisis. Each 
  stela needed to be within 100 miles of its nearest neigh-
  bor in order to transmit energy and have line of site.
  Although millennia have passed, the storage glyphs 
  still work, though due to the movement of the heavens 
  they are less effective at storing and transmitting energy 
  than they were. Though it is impossible to tap directly 
  into the stored energy, for the art has been obliterated by 
  Sarkeb’s greed, some residual leakage occurs.
  Any mage who speaks Lesarde, studies a stela (any 
  one will do) for 2d6 weeks, and makes a Knowledge (Ar-
  cana) roll at –4 learns how to tap into the stored energy. 
  failure means the mage learns nothing, but he can try 
  again after a month of contemplation on where he went 
  wrong. While within 50 yards of any stela, a mage who 
  understands their basic working ignores the effects of 
  the Siphoning. because each stela was placed on specific 
  alignments, moving it drains the energy, leaving it a mun-
  dane pillar of stone.
  While a small part of the network remains standing 
  in the Great Swamp, the rituals required to activate the 
  stelae are long forgotten. Were the Tyrant Lizard King to 
  discover the ancient incantations, his rule over the Great 
  Swamp would be absolute, for his divine presence would 
  be felt in every city still linked to the network, and poten-
  tially in neighboring realms where stelae still stand.
  persons of note
  Itchy sven
  A native of Midmark, Sven is an herbalist by trade. 
  Although the interior of the swamp is too dangerous to 
  explore, Sven wanders the dank marsh along the border 
  searching for unusual herbs and plants. He suffers from a 
  non-contagious skin condition that leaves his flesh flaky 
  and causes red blotches to manifest. It doesn’t help that 
  he constantly scratches to the point his flesh weeps, and 
  his personal hygiene is less than savory.
  Sven knows the location of several ruins within a 
  day’s march of Midmark, though he has never entered 
  any of them, preferring to view the ancient stones from 
  afar. In return for escorting him while he gathers herbs, 
  he is prepared to guide explorers to these sites.
  “Lord” aeLfWuLf Lesardedoom
  “Lord” Aelfwulf travels southern Midmark looking for 
  worthy recruits to join his Order of Thunder Slayers, a 
  brotherhood of knights dedicated to ridding the Great 
  Swamp of lizardmen and gatormen, and seeking dona-
  tions to help raise a mighty army.
  Aelfwulf cuts a striking figure. Of average height and 
  build, his left leg is missing from mid thigh, replaced 
  with a wooden prosthetic, and his right arm is gone from 
  the elbow. both injuries were inflicted by gatormen. He 
  wears armor that is too big for him, and carries a sword 
  that is rusty almost to the point of being useless.
  “Lord” Aelfwulf is in fact a former trapper and has no 
  claim to any noble title. following the gatorman attack 
  he staggered back to Midmark, half delirious with fever 
  and blood loss. during his fever he hallucinated that Tiw 
  came before him and tasked him with cleansing the Great 
  Swamp. When he recovered, he formed the knighthood 
  and set out to recruit brave warriors.
  unfortunately, most true warriors considered him 
  mad, for while a man might fight a dragon or vow to 
  defend the Hearthlands, only an idiot would voluntarily 
  venture into the Great Swamp to wage war. Aelfwulf did 
  attract recruits, but they were peasants who wanted titles, 
  youths with delusions of becoming mighty warriors, and 
  those with little left to lose.
  Aelfwulf claims to have a castle within the Great 
  Swamp. In fact he and his “order” live in a ramshackle 
  village of shacks and tents, the mighty castle nothing but 
  a disused and rotting Midmark border fort, and the great 
  fortifications a weak palisade. Aelfwulf has little combat 
  prowess and no tactical or strategic knowledge, making 
  him a very dangerous commander, but only to the health 
  of his followers.
  While it might suit some to think of Aelfwulf as a con 
  man or cult leader, the sad truth is that he does truly 
  believe he follows a divine calling and that he can lead 
  his army to a glorious victory.
  Why come here?
  The Great Swamp is a realm of dank, disease-ridden 
  stinking bogs, bottomless pools of quicksand, hostile 
  inhabitants who eat flesh and perform grisly sacrifices to 
  their dark gods, deadly trolls, giants, dragons, and orms, 
  swarms of biting insects, and species of giant animals 
  who think heroes make good eating. So, why would the 
  adventurers risk life and limb coming here?
  adventure seeds
  * Orders. To be honest, very few heroes are likely to 
  be beholden to an organization or individual who sends 
  them to the Great Swamp. The Reliquary might send 
  field agents to scour the ruins for relics, as might the 
  cult of Hoenir for ancient knowledge. Midmark’s queen 
  may occasionally order warriors to rescue a kidnapped 
  citizen or destroy a raiding party, and Sutmark’s king may 
  desire intelligence on its enemy’s plans, but few others 
  care much about what occurs in the desolate swamp.
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #17
  
  
  * Knowledge. That the gatormen once ruled an ad-
  vanced yet simultaneously barbaric culture is unknown to 
  sages and scholars. What is known is that the great ruins 
  are a mystery from olden times, possibly the remnants of 
  a lost human empire, and mysteries attract certain types 
  of people. Even if the heroes have no desire to explore 
  the ancient ruins of their own volition, a Lorekeeper or 
  cleric of Hoenir may hire them as escorts.
  * Treasure. The Great Swamp is a land of ruins, for 
  the lizardmen occupy only a few cities and the gator-
  men have largely abandoned their ancient homes. Talk 
  of fabulous treasure hidden in secret chambers within 
  towering, crumbling pyramids and protected by devious 
  traps are commonplace. In many cases the stories are 
  true, but treasure is not always coin and gems. Relics, 
  and scientific and historical knowledge are all valuable 
  items in Rassilon, if one knows where to sell them.
  * Glory. Heroes who want fame through slaughter will 
  find no end of foes lining up to test them. bufomi, and 
  giant toads, leeches, and mosquitoes may challenge low 
  Rank parties. Those of proven ability can battle marsh 
  trolls, dragons, giants, and orms, or pit their strength 
  against the ferocious gatormen and lizardmen.
  * Shortcut. quite frankly, going through the Great 
  Swamp is rarely a shortcut, but heroes are a breed unto 
  themselves. The only logical shortcut is from Sutmark to 
  Midmark or Veermark, and sensible heroes will buy, hire, 
  or steal a ship rather than risk the doom-laden swamp.
  adventure seeds
  In addition to the potential adventure seeds buried in 
  the text, here are a few extra seeds to sow in your fertile 
  imagination.
  * Jarl Illugi of Marshwatch (Midmark) seeks heroes 
  to enter the Great Swamp and bring him a number of 
  fresh triceratops’ eggs. He plans to raise a number of 
  the beasts to serve his huscarls as mounts, and use any 
  others to pull his farmers’ plows, thus enabling them to 
  plow more land for crops. In return, he will train one of 
  the beasts as a mount for the heroes.
  * A standard adventure plot is a rescue mission. In the 
  Great Swamp, the heroes are always up against a time 
  limit, for prisoners are either eaten or sacrificed in some 
  manner. With movement rates hampered by the terrain, 
  many dangers lying in wait, and then the need to enter a 
  heavily-populated city where every inhabitant is hostile, 
  the heroes will need to use all their resources to the best 
  of their abilities.
  * Horse-Cyning Thrand’s power extends only as far 
  as the top of Zigzag Pass. While little of the High Road 
  is in the hands of the lizardmen, orcs, ogres, and giants 
  prevent Veermark from sending troops to attack the 
  armies besieging Ostvik from the rear. Were he to attack 
  in force in a bid to clear the road, the lizardmen would 
  undoubtedly be alerted to the threat and fortify their 
  positions accordingly. Thus, he is hiring adventurers to 
  quietly clear the path by eliminating the creatures that 
  live along its winding route.
  fLora
  described below are some of the more common 
  plants found in the Great Swamp. Entries marked 
  “*” can be used in herbal remedies.
  Bileberries*: Consuming these requires the diner 
  to make a Vigor roll or suffer from vomiting and 
  stomach cramps. He suffers a level of fatigue (max-
  imum of Exhausted) for the next 1d4 hours. unfor-
  tunately, they are almost identical to bloodberries 
  (see below). Telling the two berries apart requires 
  a Survival roll. bileberries can be used to create 
  purgative herbal brews.
  Bloodberries*: A plump, round berry which ooz-
  es viscous, dark red juice if crushed. blood berries 
  are edible and can be fermented into wine. They 
  are common components in food substitute and 
  hydrating herbal brews.
  Bloodstalk: A thick vine found smothering many 
  ruins. When cut, the stalk exudes a sticky red fluid 
  that can be used to mark walls when exploring ru-
  ins. A typical foot-long stalk (weighs one pound) 
  can be repeatedly whittled down to force out new 
  seepage, providing eight hours of use before it fi-
  nally dries out.
  Bogwort*: A wide-leafed plant with mottled 
  leaves. bogwort oil is a key component of many 
  insect repellant herbal remedies. The leaves can 
  also be used to create a healing balm that gives +1 
  to Healing rolls made to cure wounds inflicted by 
  insect bites and stings.
  Knotweed: A thin but strong ground vine, knot-
  weed can be woven into makeshift rope. It requires 
  one hour to create a 2” (10 feet) strand. Once cut, 
  the strands dry out and become brittle. Knotweed 
  rope can support no weight after a week.
  Stinkberry*: beloved of young pranksters every-
  where, stinkberry is named after its bright purple 
  berries. When crushed, they exude a foul-smelling 
  yellow paste that lingers for days on skin and cloth-
  ing. Handled carefully, the berries can be collected. 
  Some stimulant herbal brews make some use of 
  stinkberries.
  Anyone who moves through a patch of stinkber-
  ries suffers –1 Charisma. This is cumulative up to 
  a maximum -4 Charisma penalty. The only way to 
  remove the foul odor is to wash in wine, vinegar, 
  or similar liquid, or wait four days until the stench 
  fades naturally.
  Sucklevine: While the swamp’s inhabitants can 
  drink the water, it is inadvisable for other races to 
  do so. Sucklevines are thick, woody creepers found 
  growing throughout the swamp. The vines are hol-
  low and filled with a liquid the color of watered 
  down milk. Though it is bitter, the liquid is quite 
  drinkable. However, it does not keep long, spoil-
  ing 24 hours after being collected.
  the great sWamp
  7
  
  gods & monsters
  This section details two new monstrous gods, those 
  of the gatormen and lizardmen, as well as a number of 
  marsh and swamp- dwelling creatures.
  sarKeb
  Titles: He Who Rends the flesh of Gods.
  Aspects: Crocodilians, gatormen, war, ferocity, 
  strength, dominance, oppression, vengeance.
  Symbol: The lumpy pattern on a crocodile’s back.
  Priesthood: Claw of Sarkeb (priests); Jaw of Sarkeb 
  (paladins).
  Herald: See Avatar of Sarkeb in the Hellfrost Besti-
  ary.
  Holy Days: first Sunnandaeg of each month.
  Signature Power: Armor.
  Powers: Beast friend (crocodiles only), bolt, boost/
  lower trait (Strength, Vigor, and Swimming only), cham-
  pion of the faith, environmental protection (water 
  only), quickness, sacrifice, shape change (crocodiles 
  only), smite (affects bite only), summon beast (croco-
  diles only), summon herald, water walk.
  Trappings: Like many inhuman gods, trappings are 
  focused on the deity’s natural form—in this case, croco-
  diles.
  Disciple Edge: disciples are granted knowledge of 
  the death bite. When a disciple scores a raise on a fight-
  ing roll using its bite, its jaws inflict an additional +2d4 
  damage instead of +1d6.
  In days of yore, when the Gatorman Empire stretched 
  across the land and when their science had reached 
  levels still unknown to other races, Sarkeb was the 
  gatormen’s war god, one deity among many. As the em-
  pire slipped into decline, Sarkeb blamed the weakness 
  of the gatormen on the other gods. Cursing their names, 
  he devoured them one by one. As their flesh was torn 
  and ripped by his colossal teeth, so the knowledge they 
  imparted was wiped from existence, lost forever. Today, 
  the gatormen remember no god except Sarkeb.
  Were scholars to study the gatormen’s history, they 
  would perhaps deduce that the Sarkeb myth is a story 
  covering the race’s rapid slide in complacency and deca-
  dence. Once their empire had been destroyed, the race 
  quickly sank to barbarity. In such cultures there is little 
  need for gods of knowledge and wisdom.
  Gatormen do not carve effigies of their god. Altars are 
  simple stone or wooden blocks draped with crocodile 
  skin. Every few years, the blood soaked skin is taken 
  down and hung inside the temple and a new one placed 
  in the honored position. Shrines take the form of croco-
  dile skulls. With crocodiles in Rassilon becoming rarer, 
  especially in the wild, they are honored as living embodi-
  ments of Sarkeb, lesser in power than avatars, but still 
  worthy of praise. They have become living shrines, to 
  which the gatormen make offerings whenever they see 
  one. If no sacrifices are available, the weakest member of 
  the party is thrown to the beast.
  There are few temples still in gatorman hands, for 
  most of their cities were conquered or destroyed by the 
  lizardmen and the temples converted to the lizardmen’s 
  foul faith or torn down. Of those which remain available 
  to the gatormen, all have been converted to the worship 
  of Sarkeb. No new temples have been raised in millen-
  nia, and those that remain are crumbling with the weight 
  of time, their stepped sides choked with creepers and 
  stained with the blood of countless sacrifices.
  Clerics work tirelessly to supplicate their god, feed-
  ing him the flesh of captives and gatormen who fail in 
  their earthly duties. Each tribe is ruled by a high priest 
  of Sarkeb, who is assisted in his duties by lesser priests. 
  In olden times the various religions each had a sole high 
  priest, the divine spokesman of his deity. With the race 
  now fractured, each tribe has its own high priest. Priests 
  who wish to climb the social ladder are expected to do 
  so by killing their superior, eating his brain and heart, 
  and wearing his flayed skin. Such treachery, while prized, 
  is not easy to accomplish.
  unlike in other faiths, paladins are loyal first and 
  foremost to a priest, not the faith as a whole or an indi-
  vidual temple. Novice priests may have one or two loyal 
  paladins, likely kinsfolk, but as the priests prove their 
  strength and dominance by dispatching rivals so the 
  number of paladins swells. 
  Paladins are fanatical but pragmatic—if their patron 
  is killed, they see his successor as being more worthy of 
  their support. Paladins also serve as temple guards and 
  elite warriors, though it has been an age since the gator-
  men could muster anything resembling a large army.
  Rituals to honor Sarkeb always involve the sacrifice of 
  sentient beings, lizardmen being the favorite. Gatormen 
  have a variety of methods for sacrificing victims—flaying, 
  ripping out the heart, devouring the flesh, throwing the 
  victim to crocodiles, and hammering giant crocodile’s 
  teeth into his skull are all considered methods pleasing 
  to Sarkeb, more so if the victim remains conscious un-
  til the very end. Which method is employed is decided 
  through divination the night before the ceremony.
  Once a year, each priest nominates a paladin from 
  his bodyguard to represent him in a bloody gladiatorial 
  ceremony. The paladins fight until only one remains. The 
  winner then has the great honor of being sacrificed to 
  Sarkeb. The sacrifice is destined to go straight to Sarkeb’s 
  lair, avoiding the fate of having his soul eaten as is tradi-
  tional for sacrifices. Here he will serve in Sarkeb’s army. 
  The paladin’s sponsor is honored in the mortal realm. 
  He is allowed to pick one paladin from each of the other 
  priests’ retinues to serve him, thus boosting his personal 
  power. Such paladins adopt total loyalty to their new 
  master.
  sssLaK
  Titles: The Ground-Shaking Thunderlizard King, the 
  Eternal Hunger.
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #17
  
  
  Aspects: Thunderlizards, strength, leadership, supe-
  riority, terror, ferocity, swamp.
  Symbol: A triceratops’ head.
  Priesthood: There is no distinction between priests 
  and paladins. Clerics may thus take both Champion and 
  Holy Warrior Edges. Collectively, clerics are known as the 
  Roar of Ssslak.
  Herald: Ssslak’s heralds are Wild Card tyrannosaurs.
  Holy Days: first Sunnandaeg of each month.
  Signature Power: Smite.
  Powers: Armor, battle song, beast friend (reptiles, 
  amphibians, and thunderlizards only), bladebreaker, 
  bolt, boost/lower trait (Strength, Vigor, Notice, and 
  Swimming only), entangle, environmental protection 
  (water only), fear, fog cloud, gift of battle, knockdown, 
  quake, speed, stun, summon beast (reptiles, amphib-
  ians, and thunderlizards only), summon herald, viper 
  weapon (turns weapon into venomous lizard but oth-
  erwise unchanged), water walk, wilderness step (marsh 
  and swamp only).
  Trappings: Trappings relate to thunderlizards and 
  swamps. for example, entangle might be vines, while 
  bladebreaker causes a spectral thunderlizard to bite the 
  weapon in twain, and knockdown or stun is a thunderl-
  izard’s roar or tail sweep.
  Disciple Edge: disciples learn the sacred songs nec-
  essary to summon thunderlizards. They have +2 faith 
  when using beast friend and summon beast, but only 
  with regard to thunderlizards. In addition, each receives 
  a velociraptor mount. This creature is a Wild Card. If it 
  is slain, the priest is sacrificed at the next ceremony for 
  his sin.
  Long ago, the lizardmen were a primitive race, en-
  slaved by the gatormen to build their cities and fight 
  their wars. Most toiled and died at their masters’ whims, 
  worked to death, sacrificed to feed the gatormen’s hun-
  gry gods, and butchered on the battlefield. A small few, 
  those who showed promise, were trained as scholars and 
  priests. This act of generosity and compassion spelled 
  the doom of the gatormen, for their slaves, now armed 
  with knowledge of the gods, rebelled.
  Ssslak isn’t the only lizardman god, but he by far the 
  most powerful and receives most praise. He is depicted 
  as a T-Rex with triceratops’ horns and neck frill, symbol-
  izing his role as protector of the lizardman race and god 
  of war and destruction.
  The Ground-Shaking Thunderlizard King teaches that 
  all others races are destined to be slaves to the lizard-
  men. Captives are forced to work building cities and 
  engines of war under cruel conditions, as the lizardmen 
  once were. They are also treated as pack animals, food, 
  and sacrifices. fearful of making the same mistake as the 
  gatormen, the lizardmen ensure their captives are never 
  treated as equals or show compassion.
  Ssslak has many temples, though only a few are new 
  structures. Most were formerly home to the gatormen’s 
  gods. When the empire was conquered, these were con-
  secrated to the praise of Ssslak, the old faiths washed 
  away with a river of sacrificial blood. In some large cit-
  ies as many as a dozen temples may honor Ssslak, each 
  focusing on a different aspect. 
  The largest temple, raised from the ground by an 
  army of slaves who were then sacrificed to consecrate the 
  structure, stands in Slik’al’ssla, the Resplendent Tyrant 
  Throne, the lizardmen’s greatest city. Every year, hun-
  dreds of captives are devoured by the terrible lizardman 
  monarch, their souls condemned to spend an eternity in 
  Sss’lak’s realm, serving his people even after death.
  Clerics rule lizardman society in all but name. Al-
  though each tribe has a chieftain, he is subject to divina-
  tions (orders) of the priestly caste. Within each tribe are 
  many priests, who together form an advisory council. 
  Priests have the authority to depose poor chieftains and 
  replace them with one more favorable to their requests. 
  Although they are expected to be trained in martial arts, 
  priests are never appointed to positions of military com-
  mand. Again, they fill advisory roles, watching their com-
  manders for signs of weakness. 
  The highest-ranking priests are always mutants with 
  two heads—one possessed of wicked teeth and one with 
  horns and a neck frill. The undeniable head of the faith 
  is the Tyrant Lizard King, reputedly a demigod-like figure 
  possessing awesome powers.
  Temples are protected by temple guardians, devout 
  warriors but possessed of no supernatural powers. Serv-
  ing a temple in this way is an honored position, and 
  guardians are expected to be fierce, unwavering war-
  riors. In war, they form small, elite units, serving the war 
  captains as shock troops.
  Like the gatormen, lizardmen sacrifice sentient beings 
  to honor their gods. Most die on the altar in one of many 
  gruesome ways (the lizardmen learned a lot from the 
  gatormen). A small few are destined to die in the arena, 
  pitted against fearsome temple guardians in what is less 
  a fair fight and more an orgy of blood and death.
  dWerg (fey)
  duergar (the plural of dwerg) are an ugly, diminu-
  tive, and spiteful race of fey. They haunt bogs, marshes, 
  and fens by night, waving lanterns and calling out in the 
  hope of leading travelers deeper in the mire, where they 
  become loss or mired. If a dwerg is captured and sub-
  dued, it is compelled to reveal the quickest and safest 
  way out of the bog it calls home. While rarely armed, 
  they possess very sharp nails, which they use to scratch 
  at would-be captors.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: fighting d6, Healing d8, Notice d10, Spellcasting 
  d8, Stealth d6
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5 Toughness: 5
  Gear: Lantern
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Bog Born: duergar never suffers difficult ground 
  penalties in bogs, mires, fens, marshes, and similar 
  terrain.
  the great sWamp
  
  
  * Powers: duergar know the following spells: confu-
  sion, light, obscure, silence, speak language, water 
  walk, voice on the wind
  * Sharp Nails: Str+d6.
  * Size –1: duergar are similar in size to young chil-
  dren.
  gatorman
  fLeshtearer
  fleshtearers have oversized, powerful jaws. When 
  they bite, they shake their head from side to side, ripping 
  their opponents to shreds.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Swimming 
  d10, Survival d6, Throwing d6, Tracking d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 9 (2)
  Gear: Crude long spear (Str+d6, +1 Parry, Reach 1, two 
  hands; see below)
  Treasure: Meager.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +2: Thick scales. 
  * Bite: Str+d6.
  * Crude Spear: If a gatorman rolls a 1 on his fight-
  ing die, regardless of Wild die (for Wild Cards), he 
  has damaged his spear. The spear’s damage die is re-
  duced one step. below a d4, the spear has shattered, 
  leaving the gatorman holding a few bits of stick.
  * Rend: If a fleshtearer scores a raise on its fighting 
  roll when making a bite its jaw locks onto its victim. It 
  inflicts 2d6 damage automatically each round the grip 
  is maintained, ignoring all armor. breaking the grip 
  requires an opposed Strength roll as an action.
  * Semi-Aquatic: Gatormen can hold their breath for 10 
  minutes.
  * Tail: Str, Reach 1. Gatormen have long, stiff tails. 
  These increase their Swimming Pace by one. They 
  also wave them frantically when attacked, using them 
  to distract foes. Gang-up bonuses against a gatorman 
  are reduced by 1.
  gIant, marsh
  Marsh giants are taller than most other species of gi-
  ant, but are thinner. Their hands and feet are wide and 
  webbed, their body is covered in black-green scales, their 
  brains are small, and their gnarled fingers end in sharp 
  claws. unlike other species of giants, marsh giants forgo 
  weapons. Their favorite tactic is to grapple an opponent 
  and hold his head under water until he drowns. few 
  have shown any intellect for religion and lack both the 
  cunning and foresight necessary to form even a primitive 
  society.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength 
  d12+2, Vigor d10
  Skills: fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, 
  Stealth d6, Tracking d6, Swimming d8
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6 Toughness: 11 (1)
  Treasure: Worthwhile, in lair.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +1: Scaly hide.
  * Claws: Str+d6.
  * Large: Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls against marsh 
  giants, due to their size.
  * Marsh Born: Marsh giants treat marshes as normal 
  terrain, not difficult ground.
  * Size +3: Marsh giants are 18’ tall but thin.
  LIzardman
  former slaves of the gatormen, the lizardmen now 
  control the Great Swamp. desperate to escape the ad-
  vancing winter, they have begun a mass migration to the 
  south. All that stands in their way is the city of Ostvik.
  ‘raptor rIder
  Not every lizardman born into the warrior caste meets 
  the grade. Most of these unfortunates are sacrificed to 
  Ssslak. However, a small few show the guts and aptitude 
  to become ‘raptor riders, the lizardmen’s fast and deadly 
  cavalry troops.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: fighting d8, Guts d10, Notice d8, Riding d8, 
  Stealth d6, Swimming d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 6 (1)
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), stegosaurus plate medium 
  shield (+1 Parry), flint axe (Str+d6), lance (Str+d8, 
  Reach 2, AP 2), velociraptor mount, saddle
  Treasure: Worthwhile per 5 lizardmen
  Special Abilities:
  * Beast Bond: Wild Card ‘raptor riders may spend their 
  bennies for their mounts.
  * Keen Senses: Lizardmen “taste” the air, giving them 
  +2 to all Notice rolls. This ever-present advantage 
  means they are always considered “Active” when con-
  sulting the Stealth results table.
  * Natural Swimmers: Lizardmen’s tail makes them 
  powerful swimmers, giving them +2 on all Swimming 
  rolls and increasing their swimming Pace to equal 
  their Swimming die.
  * Size –1: These lizardmen average less than 5’ in 
  height and are less muscular than other warriors.
  tempLe guard
  Lizardmen are a cruel, barbaric race. Captives are usu-
  ally sacrificed to their bloodthirsty deity or used as food. 
  A small few, the fittest and strongest, are kept alive for a 
  special purpose. Priests frantically bid against each other 
  for the right to buy such prisoners from their captors. 
  Once purchased, the prisoner is thrown into the temple 
  dungeons to await his fate.
  Rather than having their heart ripped out and the 
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #17
  10
  
  flesh flayed from their backs, these captives are armed 
  with a flint axe or short sword (but never given armor) 
  and pitted against a temple guard in a the local arena. 
  Every temple maintains a number of guards, an elite 
  fighting force totally beholden to the priests they serve. 
  They also act as shock troops for the army at large.
  Most battles are fought one-on-one, for worthy cap-
  tives are rare, but an extravagant priest may honor his 
  god by pitting the champion against multiple prisoners 
  simultaneously. Arena matches draw huge crowds of bay-
  ing lizardmen, all eager to watch the inferior races be 
  butchered for their amusement and as part of religious 
  ceremonies.
  Victims of the temple champion’s weapons are seen as 
  special sacrifices on behalf of the priest who sponsored 
  the games and grant future rewards in the afterlife. The 
  victorious guard, often the priest’s personal bodyguard, 
  is honored with the finest cuts of meat from his victims, 
  plundered riches, and access to prized females.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Notice 
  d8, Stealth d6, Swimming d6, Taunt d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 9 (3)
  Hindrances: bloodthirsty
  Edges: Acrobat, Combat Reflexes, Improved frenzy, Im-
  proved Sweep
  Gear: bone corselet (+3), bone pot helm (+3), stego-
  saurus plate medium shield (+1 Parry), flint battle axe 
  (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Keen Senses: Lizardmen “taste” the air, giving them 
  +2 to all Notice rolls. This ever-present advantage 
  means they are always considered “Active” when con-
  sulting the Stealth results table.
  * Natural Swimmers: Lizardmen’s tail makes them 
  powerful swimmers, giving them +2 on all Swimming 
  rolls and increasing their swimming Pace to equal 
  their Swimming die.
         tWo-headed prIest
  These lizardmen are mutants, possessing two heads, 
  each with a fully-functioning brain. They are powerful 
  miracle workers, having been given special gifts by their 
  deity, and capable combatants, and serve as high priests. 
  The right head has enlarged teeth, while the left one 
  three horns and a neck frill. They worship Ssslak in his 
  guise as father of Hydras.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Climbing d6, faith d10, fighting d8, Guts d8, No-
  tice d8, Stealth d6, Swimming d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 9 (2)
  Edges: Arcane background (Miracles), Command, Con-
  centration, fervor, frenzy, Improved focus
  Gear: bone corselet (+2), stegosaurus plate medium 
  shield (+1 Parry), battle axe (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Treasure Trove
  Special Abilities:
  * Keen Senses: Lizardmen “taste” the air, giving them 
  +2 to all Notice rolls. This ever-present advantage 
  means they are always considered “Active” when con-
  sulting the Stealth results table.
  * Natural Swimmers: Lizardmen’s tail makes them 
  powerful swimmers, giving them +2 on all Swimming 
  rolls and increasing their swimming Pace to equal 
  their Swimming die.
  * Natural Weapons: bite: Str+d6 (right head), horns: 
  Str+d6 (left head).
  * Powers: Priests know the following powers: armor 
  (hardened scales), beast friend (reptiles, amphib-
  ians, and dinosaurs), blast (victims shredded by spec-
  tral dinosaurs), bolt (thunderlizard teeth), entangle 
  (vines), fog cloud, knockdown (charged by a spectral 
  triceratops), smite (obsidian shards), summon beast 
  (reptiles, amphibians, and dinosaurs), and summon 
  herald (Wild Card T-Rex).
  * Size +1: These monstrosities average 8’ tall.
  * Two Heads: A two-headed lizardman draws two ac-
  tion cards and takes a complete and separate turn on 
  both cards. Spells and abilities which affect reason-
  ing, such as puppet, Smarts Tricks, and Tests of Will 
  are resisted by each head separately. destroying one 
  of its heads requires a Called Shot (–4) which inflicts 
  at least a single wound. The remaining head is de-
  stroyed only when the creature is slain.
  War captaIn
  War captains are senior warriors who lead a company 
  of warriors, ‘raptor riders, or thunderlizards. Their rank 
  is denoted by their bone corselet and flint sword, the 
  latter a weapon reserved only for captains. Turnover 
  among captains is very high, especially for those engaged 
  in the war against Sutmark, for the Tyrant Lizard King has 
  no tolerance for failure.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Climbing d6, fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation 
  d8, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Swimming d8, Throwing d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 9 (3)
  Hindrances: —
  Edges: Command, Combat Reflexes, fervor, Level Head-
  ed
  Gear: bone corselet (+3), stegosaurus plate medium 
  shield (+1 Parry), flint long sword (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Keen Senses: Lizardmen “taste” the air, giving them 
  +2 to all Notice rolls. This ever-present advantage 
  means they are always considered “Active” when con-
  sulting the Stealth results table.
  * Natural Swimmers: Lizardmen’s tail makes them 
  powerful swimmers, giving them +2 on all Swimming 
  rolls and increasing their swimming Pace to equal 
  their Swimming die.
  the great sWamp
  11
  
  troLL
         Leech
  Leech trolls are related to marsh trolls and share simi-
  lar appearance. However, instead of raking claws, their 
  rubbery arms end in leech-like mouths.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Swimming d6
  Pace: 7; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9 (1)
  Treasure: Worthwhile, in lair.
  Special Abilities:
  * 
  Armor +1: Rubbery hide.
  * Immunity: Immune to poison and disease.
  * Infravision: Trolls halve penalties for bad lighting 
  when attacking living targets (round down).
  * Leeches: Str+d4. If it scores a hit with a raise, the 
  leech mouth attaches to its victim’s flesh. Each round 
  on the troll’s turn, the victim suffers 2d6 damage au-
  tomatically, ignoring all armor. Removing the leech 
  requires a Strength roll. The troll can detach its hands 
  as a free action but only at the start of its turn (before 
  dealing any damage to an attached foe).
  * Regeneration (Fast): Trolls make a natural Healing 
  roll every round, even after death. They cannot heal 
  wounds caused by fire or heat. This includes coldfire. 
  decapitation (a finishing Move) also prevents regen-
  eration.
  * Size +1: Leech trolls are smaller than regular trolls, 
  being only 7’ tall.
  * Stench: Any creature moving adjacent to a leech troll 
  must make a Vigor roll or become Shaken with nau-
  sea.
  * Two Fisted: Leech trolls ignore multi-action penalties 
  for making two melee attacks in the same round.
         marsh troLL spaWner
  The reproductive cycle of marsh trolls is poorly un-
  derstood, and few sages actually have any desire to learn 
  more. What is known is that all marsh trolls are spawned 
  from the flesh of a marsh troll spawner, a hulking crea-
  ture whose chest and back are covered in milky sacs.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12+2, Vigor d10
  Skills: fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Swimming d6
  Pace: 7; Parry: 6; Toughness: 11 (1)
  Treasure: Worthwhile, in lair.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +1: Rubbery hide.
  * Claws: Str+d6.
  * Immunity: Immune to poison and disease.
  * Infravision: Trolls halve penalties for bad lighting 
  when attacking living targets (round down).
  * Infection: The claws of a marsh troll are caked in 
  filth. Any creature Shaken or wounded by a claw 
  must make a Vigor roll. On a failure, the wound be-
  comes infected. Healers suffer a –1 penalty to heal the 
  wounds through any means.
  * Regeneration (Fast): Trolls make a natural Healing 
  roll every round, even after death. They cannot heal 
  wounds caused by fire or heat. This includes coldfire. 
  decapitation (a finishing Move) also prevents regen-
  eration.
  * Size +3: Spawners stand some 10’ tall but are rangy.
  * Spawn: Whenever a troll spawner is surrounded by 
  less than four baby marsh trolls it spawns another one 
  as a free action at the start of its turn. The new spawn 
  is placed adjacent to its parent . It may not act the 
  turn it is spawned, though it can defend itself.
  * Stench: Any creature moving adjacent to a marsh 
  troll must make a Vigor roll or become Shaken with 
  nausea.
  baby marsh troLL
  Known as spawn, these miniature trolls do not begin 
  play with the Infection, Regeneration (fast), or Stench 
  special abilities. Spawn emerge weak, but undergo dra-
  matic growth spurts when threatened.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Swimming d6
  Pace: 7; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Treasure: Worthwhile, in lair.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +1: Rubbery hide.
  * Claws: Str+d6.
  * Immunity: Immune to poison and disease.
  * Infravision: Trolls halve penalties for bad lighting 
  when attacking living targets (round down).
  * Growth: When a baby marsh troll is dealt a black Jack 
  through Ace it gains +1 Size, to a maximum of Size 
  +1. Each increase in Size adds special abilities as de-
  tailed blow.
   
  * Size –1: Gains +1 Strength die, +1 Toughness, and 
  Stench.
   
  * Size 0: +1 Strength die & +1 Toughness, and Infec-
  tion.
   
  * Size +1: +1 Strength die & +1 Toughness. be-
  comes a Wild card and gains Regeneration (fast).
  * Infection: The claws of a marsh troll are caked in 
  filth. Any creature Shaken or wounded by a claw 
  must make a Vigor roll. On a failure, the wound be-
  comes infected. Healers suffer a –1 penalty to heal the 
  wounds through any means.
  * Regeneration (Fast): Trolls make a natural Healing 
  roll every round, even after death. They cannot heal 
  wounds caused by fire or heat. This includes coldfire. 
  decapitation (a finishing Move) also prevents regen-
  eration.
  * Size –2: baby trolls are the same size as human chil-
  dren, but grow rapidly.
  * Stench: Any creature moving adjacent to a marsh 
  troll must make a Vigor roll or become Shaken with 
  nausea.
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #17
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  The Freelands are a sea of grassy hills and small woods, its scattered communities are 
  islands of civility in a land plagued by orcs, giants, and undead. It is a land where mighty 
  heroes can carve out a fief and be master of their own destinies, for no sovereign holds 
  sway over the Freelands; or meet a painful death at the hands, teeth, and claws of the 
  many horrors that haunt the land between settlements. This supplement expands on the 
  Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  In Heligioland, another realm of independent states, the majority of rulers are elected 
  officials. In the Freelands, nobles tend to wield power, each settlement being their per-
  sonal domain. Except in one or two rare cases, the feudal system is dominant, with the 
  peasants beholden to their nobleman in return for protection and fair justice. No one has 
  yet had the audacity to claim a title higher than count, but it is only a matter of time before 
  someone thinks above their station. In other realms such titles are honored, but here those 
  lofty names are mocked, for this is the Freelands, and the Freelands bow to no king.
  Below the nobility or village council are the upper classes; rich and influential in their 
  own right but lacking any formal titles. Many are merchant princes, landowners, senior 
  clerics, and important mages, having earned, inherited, or been awarded their station. It is 
  important to note that a member of the upper class in one community may not enjoy the 
  same station elsewhere. A merchant prince in a town of 2,000 souls may be the richest man 
  in the town, but in Aslov or Spyre, for instance, his wealth may rank him only as middle 
  class, and being exulted as high priest of Eostre Animalmother in a farming village carries 
  little weight in a mining community where Ertha is honored above all other.
  Next are the master crafters and regular merchants, clerics, and mages, wealthy enough 
  in their own right, but still lacking the social connections, title within the community, or 
  birthright to climb the social ladder except through marriage. Senior military commanders 
  may fall into this section of society as well.
  Last are the masses, including soldiers (except for Saxa huscarls, who rank as middle 
  class by dint of being well-fed, well-paid, and having their lord’s ear), laborers, farmers, 
  and so on. Lastly there are the poorest of the poor, the wood and dung collectors and the 
  charcoal burners who live on the edge of society, and the homeless beggars.
  31218
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 8 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Vincent Kingston
  tHe FreelandS
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS gAME rEFErENcES THE SAVAgE WorLdS gAME SySTEM, AVAILABLE FroM PINNAcLE ENTErTAINMENT grouP AT WWW.PEgINc.coM.   
  SAVAgE WorLdS & ALL ASSocIATEd LogoS & TrAdEMArKS ArE coPyrIgHTS oF PINNAcLE ENTErTAINMENT grouP. uSEd WITH PErMISSIoN.  
  PINNAcLE MAKES No rEPrESENTATIoN or WArrANTy AS To THE quALITy, VIABILITy, or SuITABILITy For PurPoSE oF THIS ProducT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  educatIon
  Formal education is a rarity in the Freelands. Aslov 
  boasts an academy, though it is open only to the children 
  of the wealthy. The Entertainers guild at Spyre trains 
  skalds, both magical and mundane, but have little inter-
  est in teaching others anything beyond songs and poems. 
  only in Nara is education freely available, the clerics of 
  Hoenir teaching the masses while the House of Lore ca-
  ters to those with money or important connections.
  Most children are home schooled by parents and 
  grandparents, learning the skills they will need in adult 
  life; basic history, culture, folklore, and law, and the ma-
  jor tents of their families’ patron deities, but little else. 
  gossip and news tend to spread slowly, and rarely goes 
  beyond the next settlement unless carried by merchants. 
  Indeed, few Freelanders know much of the world beyond 
  the next village or two, and the thought of ever visiting 
  another realm, unless one happens to live near the bor-
  der, is as realistic as grabbing a rainbow or sunbeam.
  This shouldn’t be taken to imply Freelanders are 
  stupid or backward in any way—it’s just that the wider 
  world is a distant place and has little daily impact on 
  their daily lives.
  relIgIon
  With no central authority, no religion has claimed 
  dominance over the entire Freelands. Instead, each 
  settlement honors the gods most suited to its purpose. 
  Thus, trading towns honor Var first, those involved in 
  agriculture or animal husbandry look to Eostre, mining 
  settlements favor Ertha, and so forth. Most deities receive 
  worship somewhere in the Freelands, even Neorthe, for 
  the small rivers and stream contain edible fish.
  cults tend to be more fragmented here than else-
  where. Two neighboring farming communities may each 
  have a cleric of Eostre, if not a small temple, but neither 
  cleric has authority over the other. cooperation is quite 
  normal, though as mortals there is often an element of 
  one-upmanship at work. Temples in the great towns try 
  to impose authority over nearby villages and steads, but 
  most often a mutual pact is agreed, with all parties ben-
  efiting from the union.
  The dark gods receive plenty of worship in the Free-
  lands. orcs serving dargar and Thrym haunt the foothills 
  of the Icebarrier and the Jagged Peaks, as well as the 
  lesser hills. Hela is honored in the Withered Lands, and 
  the Ashen Veil actively works to spread its insidious mes-
  sage across the realm. Vali has long plagued the land, for 
  its many farming settlements are a blight to his eyes and, 
  with no mutual defense pacts, are easier prey than those 
  of other lands.
  MIlItary
  While Heligioland and the Freelands are both realms 
  of independent communities, the settlers in Heligioland 
  have formed a mutual defense pact, ensuring no com-
  munity stands alone. unfortunately, petty jealousies, the 
  lack of trade roads in the north and northeast, and the 
  scattered communities have thwarted all attempts to 
  replicate this in the Freelands. A few neighboring com-
  munities may band together, but generally a settlement 
  stands alone, isolated against threats.
  The military forces of the major towns described in 
  the Hellfrost gazetteer are detailed below, along with 
  basic guidelines for communities the gM creates.
  Aslov: The largest town in the Freelands, Aslov main-
  tains a permanent city watch of 200 men and women, di-
  vided into ten watches of 20 soldiers, with an additional 
  20 artillerists for operating the ballistas mounted on the 
  gate towers.
  Each watch is led by a Watch Sergeant (treat as watch 
  captain Extras). In overall command, albeit under the 
  ruleS oF tHe realM
  These setting rules apply in the Freelands.
  * Land Grab: Since there is no central ruler, heroes 
  wishing to found a new settlement are free to do 
  so, and will encounter little opposition unless they 
  try to claim someone else’s lands. New rulers may 
  receive emissaries from neighboring villages look-
  ing to form mutual defense alliances, but those of 
  the Freelands’ major towns may look on them only 
  as potential rivals.
  * Prices: For every 50 miles a settlement is from 
  one of the major trade roads, the price of goods; 
  especially weapons, armor, and unusual items, in-
  creases by 10%. Thus, if a village is 100 miles away, 
  prices are 120% of normal. goods manufactured 
  locally (gM’s call, but use common sense and the 
  settlements imports and exports as a guideline) are 
  not subject to this price hike.
  * Suspicious Minds: With each settlement being 
  independent, and military help largely unavailable, 
  the citizens of the Freelands tend to view strangers 
  with distrust, at least at first. This is especially true 
  in smaller settlements, where strangers tend to 
  stand out.
  Heroes entering any settlement with fewer than 
  1,001 inhabitants suffer –1 to charisma, –2 if the 
  population is 500 or less. Typically, the penalty 
  drops one point every day until it reaches zero. 
  good roleplaying, a friendly and polite demeanor, 
  generosity, and other such behavior can hasten the 
  penalty reduction. of course, the reverse is equally 
  true and rude heroes will be shunned for longer.
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #18
  
  
  auspices of Baroness olivia, is the constable-at-Arms 
  (treat as a Watch captain). Many merchants and well-to-
  do citizens have private security forces to protect their 
  property. The town charter requires them to help defend 
  Aslov should it ever be attacked.
  The Citadel: Two hundred members of the Arcane 
  guard, along with numerous magical traps, elementals, 
  and other summoned creatures, provide protection for 
  the reliquary.
  Crase: Baron Triath has 30 men-at-arms (treat as 
  common mercenary infantry). The town also has a basic 
  militia of 100 citizens who operate under the command 
  of the Master of the Muster. Each day, ten citizens are 
  drawn by lot to patrol the town, earning a small stipend 
  for doing so.
  Deathwatch: The temple-fortress of deathwatch and 
  the forces of Scaetha’s cult are detailed in Region Guide 
  #6: The Withered Lands.
  Guard: upper and Lower guard each have a force 
  of 30 heavy cavalry and 30 heavy infantry, all members 
  of the Iron guild. At any one time two-thirds of these 
  are out protecting caravans. Should either outpost be at-
  tacked, clerics of Scaetha are close by to lend a hand.
  Nara: The cult of Hoenir maintains a force of 50 pala-
  dins here, ostensibly to protect its great temple and the 
  House of Lore, which are located in the same compound 
  though are two separate structures. They answer to the 
  Master of Scrolls, the senior paladin.
  count Froelich has a personal army of ten knights 
  (treat as veteran mercenary cavalry), 20 archers, and 50 
  light infantry,. He can summon a militia of 400 men-at-
  arms at short notice. Thanks to the annual jousts they are 
  competent, if not exactly talented, combatants.
  Sanctuary: A force of 300 Swords of Necessity are sta-
  tioned here at all times. only 50 of these, Mother Felise’s 
  personal guard, are permanent residents, the rest accom-
  pany Sisters of Mercy on their travels as required. only 
  Swords may carry arms (except for daggers) in Sanctuary, 
  all other weapons must be surrendered at the gates.
  Spyre: Easily defensible against attack, Spyre has 30 
  artillerists, divided into pairs manning a single ballista, 
  and 200 constables. The former are commanded by the 
  Master of Artillery, a pompous title given that the city has 
  never fired its ballistas in anger since the Blizzard War, 
  and the latter by the High constable. The frost dwarves 
  have vowed to supply troops should it be required, but 
  no one is exactly sure how many would answer the sum-
  mons, nor what their specialties may be.
  General Guidelines: Any settlement ruled by a noble 
  has a minimum of five men-at-arms. Because of the many 
  dangers, most will actually have an army closer to 1% of 
  the total population, though this might be as high as 5% 
  in some areas. A further 10% of the population can be 
  called to arms as the fyrd, though in general half of these 
  are just peasants armed with spears (treat as citizens with 
  a long spear) and the other half village militia.
  Feel free to ignore these guidelines as required, but if 
  you need a quick village or small town, they’ll make your 
  life as gM a little easier.
  new ProFeSSIonal edge
     watcHer oF tHe Black gate*
  Requirements: Novice, Spirit d8+, Vigor d6+, 
  Fighting d8+, guts d8+, can not use summon de-
  mon
  All Watchers are expected to combat demons and 
  their mortal servants wherever they lurk. All mem-
  bers are taught special charms and techniques for 
  countering the insidious powers of demons.
  The hero has +2 to resist spells cast by demons 
  (this stacks with Arcane Background), and +2 to 
  resist demons’ special abilities requiring an op-
  posed die roll. It provides no bonus against natural 
  weapons (such as claws or teeth) or forged weap-
  ons wielded by demons (even magical ones).
  Black gate watcHerS
  When the demongate Wars ended, the forces of 
  good tried to destroy the great black key which 
  controlled the portal. Although the key could not 
  be destroyed, clerics and paladins did manage to 
  shatter it into a hundred pieces. The fragments 
  were then scattered throughout the lands, placed 
  beyond the reach of the demon lords. The demon-
  gate was moved to a secret fortress deep inside a 
  mountain, were it would be protected by powerful 
  wards and an order of knights.
  An organization of evil cultists known as the Seeker 
  of the Black Key is scouring the world for the frag-
  ments of the Black Key. Pitted against them are the 
  Watchers of the Black gate (sometimes known as 
  gatekeepers), avowed to protect the demongate 
  and hunt down demons and Seekers in order 
  to ensure the demons of the Abyss can never be 
  unleashed en masse. While the great majority of 
  gatekeepers remain at the secret fortress, others 
  are sent into the world to hunt down and destroy 
  demons, Seekers, and those who would traffic with 
  the Abyssal powers. While many are clerics of the 
  Norns, this is not a strict requirement. 
  Secrecy is of utmost important to the organiza-
  tion, for if the location of the Black gate was ever 
  discovered by the hosts of the Abyss, they would 
  undoubtedly try everything in their power to gain 
  possession. It is a very rare gatekeeper who ever 
  reveals his calling to those he does not trust with 
  his life. A gatekeeper who betrays the organization, 
  especially in revealing the location of the Black 
  gate to any outsider, is ruthlessly hunted down, 
  tortured to learn what he revealed, executed, and 
  buried on unhallowed ground. All those found to 
  be privy to the information he imparted meet with 
  the same fate.
  tHe FreelandS
  
  
  trade & trIBute
  The Freelands is a crossroads. Any caravans heading 
  from the Hearthlands to the eastern Winterlands must 
  pass through its lands, as must cargoes bound for ships 
  heading to chalcis or Aspiria from the northern Hearth-
  lands. The Freelands has four trade roads, three of which 
  are major ones.
  The great North road, which links the Winterlands 
  to the Magocracy runs through the city of Aslov, as does 
  the Eastern Trade road, which carries goods between 
  the Winterlands and the crystalflow confederacy. Lastly 
  there is the coast road, which branches from the great 
  North road to the port at Leirvik in Angmark. A smaller 
  road, the High road, snakes through Sanctuary to the 
  mountain top retreat of Spyre.
  The Freelands buys and sells no one commodity, for 
  every settlement has its own needs and wants, and few 
  are self-sufficient in everything required for daily life. 
  Typically, the great caravans stop at Sanctuary, Aslov, 
  Nara, and deathwatch. Local merchants then take up the 
  reins, transporting goods to the markets of the many ru-
  ral villages and towns, and returning to town with goods 
  bought along the way. Independent merchants based in 
  the rural communities move goods between neighboring 
  settlements, forming a microcosm of the greater trading 
  network that covers the land. competition is stiff, and 
  more than one trader has been forced out of business 
  after a series of unfortunate accidents.
  While a settlement far from the great trade roads may 
  have to wait longer for foreign goods, such cargoes will 
  reach the market eventually. Extra transportation involves 
  more expense, of course, so prices for goods produced 
  elsewhere tend to be higher off the beaten track.
  tradIng PoStS
  Population: 10
  Although travel towers line the major trade roads, 
  enterprising Freelanders quickly caught onto the idea 
  of erecting trading posts, especially along the myriad of 
  lesser trade roads.
  A typical trading post is little more than a stockade 
  housing a basic inn, a store, and a stable block, with a 
  lone watchtower in one corner. The courtyard provides 
  parking for up to a dozen wagons. caravans can park 
  free of charge overnight, but visitors are bound by the 
  laws of hospitality to aid in the defense of the trading 
  post should it be attacked.
  The inn normally charges a flat 2 ss per person. This 
  covers sleeping space in a heated communal hall, a bowl 
  of soup, a hunk of cheese, and a small loaf of bread. 
  drinks cost extra. Stabling is free, but oats and hay incur 
  an additional charge. generally, drinks, oats, and other 
  extras cost 50% more than normal for a village.
  Most trading posts are run by a single family. Security 
  may be mercenaries, but often family members fill this 
  role. others are outposts for the cult of Var, usually with 
  a paladin or two for security and a priest running the 
  business side.
  Major localeS
  detailed below are some of the Freelands other settle-
  ments and adventuring locales.
  Beorgton
  When Thegn Aethelred Horsasunu decided to build 
  a village atop a long, tall hill, the surrounding locals 
  warned him against it. The hill, they said, was a barrow, 
  an enormous burial mound raised long ago, when the 
  world was younger and unknown cultures ruled the 
  land. They could not say who, or indeed what, lay in-
  side, but the place has always been treated with intense 
  superstition and fear. Thegn Aethelred, a veteran of the 
  Saxa rebellion, had since fallen out with the newly ap-
  pointed kings because of his urging to push onward and 
  eliminate the entire Anari race, ignored them, for the hill 
  was a strategic site and easily defended. Here he would 
  rule, free from authority.
  So it was the village of Beorgton, whose name means 
  “the enclosure on the barrow,” was founded. For two 
  generations the village prospered, and talk of living atop 
  a grave was quickly forgotten. Being located within a 
  day’s march of the Withered Lands, Thegn Erik Aethel-
  redsunu, the founder’s son, chose to erect a shrine to 
  Scaetha to show his support for the cult.
  As the clerics began the blessing ritual, a thick fog 
  rose. Two days later, a merchant entered Beorgton to 
  find it completely deserted. It was clear the village had 
  not suffered fire, plague or attack, nor had the villagers 
  seemingly packed up and left, for meals were laid on 
  tables and personal belongings and valuables were still 
  stored for safety.
  No one lives in Beorgton today, and most travelers 
  give the rotting ruin a wide berth, even in daylight. dif-
  ferent stories circulate the taverns of the Freelands as 
  to the fate of Beorgton’s inhabitants, but none have a 
  happy ending and most involve the vast barrow and the 
  possible horrors it may contain.
  dalSetter
  Population: 283
  Ruler: Mayor Agdi Skulisunu
  Religion: Eostre Plantmother, Var
  Imports: cloth
  Exports: Apples, cider, grain, vegetables
  dalsetter is a small farming community about a day’s 
  hard ride (two days by wagon) due west of Aslov. oval 
  in shape, the village sits behind a wooden palisade. The 
  gates are open during daylight hours. The two guards 
  on duty give travelers only a cursory glance. At night, the 
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #18
  
  
  number of guards outside the gates is doubled, the gates 
  barred from the inside, and two additional guards stand 
  on duty behind the gate.
  governed by an elected mayor, the town grows and 
  exports grain and a variety of vegetables. Much of its 
  grain is turned into flour elsewhere, since dalsetter has 
  no mill. While the mayor is in charge, he must placate 
  the landowners, whose crops keep the village prosper-
  ous. All of the land claimed by the villagers belongs to 
  ten landowners, with most other citizens working the 
  land in return for a wage. during summer, when the 
  fields need little attention, the citizens earn a living by 
  producing handicrafts. Two areas of common land are 
  used for grazing small herds of sheep and goats, which 
  provide the locals with milk and cheese.
  Located in a moderately trouble free region, it has 
  a dozen full-time watchmen answering to the village 
  constable. An additional 35 villagers are members of the 
  militia, though their training is limited and their morale 
  questionable. The small settlement also boasts a healer 
  and herbalist, a chandler, and a general store.
  Part of the adventure N1: Lair of the Vermin Lord 
  takes place in dalsetter.
  The Spilt Tankard: until a few months back dalset-
  ter’s only inn was named the Four Sheaves. Travelers and 
  merchants would make frequent reference to the “other” 
  Four Sheaves, claiming that establishment was much 
  nicer. After some research it was discovered there was an 
  inn in a small village outside Aslov with the same name. 
  To avoid future confusion, dalsetter’s inn received a new 
  name in honor of the innkeeper’s typical response when 
  the quality of his establishment is slighted.
  Fat rat
  Population: 259
  Ruler: Baron Landri ap-rabel
  Religion: Eostre Animalmother, Var
  Imports: grain, pottery, timber, vegetables
  Exports: Mutton, sheep, wool
  Ask anyone living within 50 miles of Fat rat to give 
  you directions to the place and they’ll do so without 
  hesitation, but search for it on a map and you’ll draw a 
  complete blank. officially known as castle Fordagarde, 
  named for its purpose rather than its builder, Fat rat 
  takes its more common name from its famous inn.
  Fat rat stands atop a large, rocky outcrop rising 
  sharply out of the flatlands between the citadel and the 
  Withered Lands. A wide river, a tributary of the crystal-
  flow now called the rat run, surrounds the hill on two 
  sides. In order to reach the ford, the only crossing point 
  for many miles, travelers must follow the road up the hill 
  into Fat rat, pay the toll, and then descend out the other 
  side of town.
  Fat rat is dominated by its castle, a small stone struc-
  ture built by Baron Landri’s ancestors. The barons grew 
  so wealthy they could afford to encircle the entire town 
  behind a deep ditch, inside which rise strong stone 
  walls. Wooden bridges positioned at each of the two 
  town gates can be pulled down with little effort in the 
  event of trouble.
  Inside are some 35 houses, a mixture of Anari and Saxa 
  design. The natural roughness of the hill was exploited 
  by the early barons, and all the houses are constructed 
  on elevated ground. The main road curves along side the 
  base of the castle and lies some 10 feet below the level 
  clerIcS oF tHe nornS
  The religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of the Norns, providing facts useful to both 
  players and gMs.
  Training: Although the Norns accept clerics of both 
  sexes, all training is carried out by female clerics 
  on a one-to-one basis. Novitiates must first accept 
  that there is both free will and no free will simulta-
  neously. The Norns do not shape every second of 
  a man’s life, but only the most important events. 
  The hard part is telling what is destiny and what 
  is not, for what seems important may be inconse-
  quential and a turning point in history may pass as 
  an insignificant deed or word. clerics then learn the 
  art of divination and how to glimpse into the near 
  future.
  Prayers: Nothing except death is certain to the 
  Norns’ followers. Hence, prayers never make de-
  mands of the Norns, but are always phrased that if 
  something is meant to happen it will. Many prayers 
  begin, “If it be woven that...”
  When something goes well for a cleric, he thanks 
  the Norns for weaving it thus. When something 
  goes wrong, he can shrug it off with, “The skein 
  of my life was written long ago” or “What will be 
  will be,” rather than brooding on it. dwelling on 
  past events is considered pointless, for the matter is 
  done and gone, and cannot be changed no matter 
  how hard one tries.
  Adventures: undead, golems, and demons are 
  anathema to the cult, and are hunted down and 
  destroyed at every opportunity. Adventuring clerics 
  are often woven into the destiny of others. For ex-
  ample, if the clerics helps a party slay an orc chief-
  tain, then the character is there because that is what 
  the Norns’ had fated. As such, any type of adventure 
  can involve one of the Norns’ clergy.
  Character Guidelines: The Norns allow great free-
  dom when it comes to skills and Edges. A cleric 
  might be a scholar, healer, or warrior, as fits his view 
  on how he helps others fulfill their destiny—some 
  guide gently, some manipulate from the shadows, 
  and others actively push heroes along their preor-
  dained path.
  tHe FreelandS
  
  
  of the houses’ floors. When it rains, the road quickly 
  becomes a raging stream, fed by run off from the higher 
  ground. Each year, the baron orders logs, which are used 
  to line the road and provide stable footing.
  Most of the town’s income comes from tolls, for the 
  route is a busy one. Flocks of sheep and goats roam the 
  hill and nearby grasslands,which provide the villagers 
  with a steady income.
  The Castle: Extended over the years, the castle now 
  comprises three wards, each protected by sturdy gates 
  and high walls. The upper ward contains the baron’s 
  keep and a squat, round tower, home of his court wiz-
  ard, Maegister damorex. The middle ward is home to the 
  town’s garrison, 30 medium infantry trained as archers 
  and 10 light cavalry. The lower ward serves as the town 
  market. Surrounding the courtyard on two sides are ac-
  commodation blocks for merchants and stables for their 
  beasts of burden.
  The Fat Rat Inn: This large inn consists of a central 
  hall, the owner’s private abode, and a separate guest 
  wing. No provision is made for stabling—the only stables 
  are in the castle’s lower ward.
  The innkeeper, Tymos ap-Mainet, is an eccentric. A 
  mercenary in his youth, he served the cult of Eostre as 
  a granary guard. That’s where he met his wife, Jeanne, a 
  cleric of Veth, minor goddess of granary protection. They 
  retired and bought the Fat rat, then called the castle 
  Inn, twenty years ago.
  Tymos accepts rats, dead or alive, as payment for ale. 
  A normal rat is worth a pint, while a giant rat earns a 
  gallon. Such is the popularity of this scheme that hun-
  dreds of dead rats hang from the ceiling. Every year, 
  Tymos organizes rat catch day, a local festival to Eostre 
  in which the entire town gathers to purge the town and 
  surrounding countryside of rats between dawn and dusk. 
  Naturally, much ale flows once the sun sets.
  Tymos doesn’t like dealing with money, so half-gallon 
  jugs of ale (he has no wine or spirits), light meals, and 
  sleeping space all cost 1 ss. clerics of Veth are treated as 
  honored guests and have their expenses covered by the 
  house for up to three days, so long as they do not return 
  within the same month.
  The hearth is always kept blazing, yet no patron sits 
  within five feet of it. occupying the honored place before 
  the roaring fire, is a single bar stool. Locals warn strang-
  ers that it belongs to “His Lordship,” and caution against 
  sitting on it. While most visitors think the baron sits here 
  when he visits the inn, in truth the stool is the personal 
  domain of Tymos’ large, ginger tom, a hulking brute of a 
  feline, heavily scarred from countless fights with rats and 
  dogs (all of which it has won).
  As vicious as servant of dargar and twice as mean, the 
  cat tolerates no intrusion into its domain. So fierce is the 
  much-feared cat that it is immune to beast friend spells 
  and even heroes with Beast Master cannot befriend the 
  creature. Technically the cat’s name is Socks, after its 
  white paws, but everyone just calls it “His Lordship” out 
  of a healthy mix of respect and fear.
  Although Socks is technically a regular moggy, treat it 
  as a Wild card hunting cat. This represents its aggressive 
  nature and helps confirm its fearsome reputation.
  geMMeloS
  Population: 2,719
  Ruler: count Julian ap-Humbert
  Religion: Ertha, Var
  Imports: cloth, food, pottery
  Exports: Stone
  gemmelos’ story is one of rapid growth and almost as 
  rapid decline. Founded 128 years after the Blizzard War 
  when gems were discovered in the Lesser Hills, the town 
  grew from a prospecting camp to a walled town in just a 
  single generation. Vast quantities of precious and semi-
  precious stones were exported, and the town’s coffers 
  filled to overflowing. Then, 80 years ago, the gems dried 
  up. The town, which once boasted a population of over 
  6,000, suffered terminal emigration.
  Perhaps it could have survived, had its rulers been 
  prudent spenders. But vast sums were spent on luxuries 
  and the coffers were empty. The old nobility was over-
  thrown in a bloodless coup and a new dynasty installed.
  once known as gemmeton, the name was changed 
  shortly after the decline began. Many locals still use the 
  original name, though with bitter irony in the voices.
  count Julian’s grandfather tried to reinvigorate the 
  town by turning the miners over to quarrying stone. 
  While there is demand for stone, gemmelos is simply 
  too far from any major towns to make transporting heavy 
  stone worthwhile. Every day another family or two packs 
  up and leaves in search of a better life.
  The town walls are crumbling, as are the suburbs. 
  Much of the population now lives in the center of town, 
  huddled around the temple of Ertha. orcs and giants, 
  once afraid of the impressive fortifications and brave 
  defenders, are growing bolder as the town empties.
  one rumor currently circulating is that the gems did 
  not run out. rather, the miners tunneled into a hidden 
  chamber, releasing something evil. Should the evil be 
  slain, mining could resume and the town would rise 
  from its ashes. Most sensible folk believe such talk is 
  wishful thinking and a refusal to face the reality of the 
  town’s desperate situation.
  StoneStHrow
  Population: 595
  Ruler: Baron danain ap-Pepin
  Religion: Eostre Plantmother
  Imports: Fish, timber
  Exports: Vegetables
  Stonesthrow’s unusual name is said to come from its 
  founding. A popular story tells how the founder, one of 
  the baron’s distant ancestors, once lived in Spyre. He 
  desired lands of his own, for in Spyre no noble claimed 
  much territory. He picked up a vast boulder, for he was a 
  man of superhuman physical strength, and threw it from 
  the mountain, claiming he would build a new home 
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #18
  
  
  where it landed. In the center of the marketplace does 
  indeed lie a large boulder, evidence, the locals claim, of 
  the tale’s veracity.
  The village lies close to the border with Angmark and 
  Angarion. It trades fish for vegetables with Angmark and 
  pays tribute to the elves in return for collecting firewood 
  from the edge of the forest. under the terms of the agree-
  ment, no living wood may be cut.
  Nearby lay the ruins of a town, its rotting timbers jut-
  ting from the boggy heath. Locals avoid the place, for it 
  is said the townsfolk offended the elves and were cursed, 
  their fields turning to bog overnight. Although the town 
  was built of timber, stories of stone tunnels running be-
  neath the streets are commonplace. Skalds say the town 
  was home to a powerful Saxa king in days of yore, and 
  that the tunnels contain burial crypts and treasuries.
  SuMorton
  Population: 419
  Ruler: Thegn Edwin coenhelmsunu
  Religion: Thunor, Tiw
  Imports: Armor, weapons
  Exports: None
  The Freelands’ newest village, Sumorton was founded 
  just 18 months ago. Thegn Edwin once held land in Nor-
  dmark under Jarl Erp the crow. A sworn enemy of the 
  upstart cyning geirmund, Edwin fled his lands before 
  they were conquered, taking his huscarls and many peas-
  ants with him. Seizing an area of unclaimed land a few 
  miles over the border, he founded a new village. Whereas 
  Nordmark’s other nobles have sworn oaths of loyalty to 
  the young king, Edwin has declared war. He refers to the 
  king only as “the usurper.” Any who use the king’s real 
  name in the thegn’s presence risk physical violence.
  At present the settlement has only basic defenses in 
  the form of an earth bank and ditch, but work is under 
  way to erect a palisade and gate. construction should be 
  finished by the start of winter.
  Edwin has 20 household huscarls, plus 30 others who 
  joined his cause rather than bow before the new king. 
  Every male in the village has been conscripted into the 
  militia, adding a further 100 soldiers. Edwin is consider-
  ing extending this to women as well.
  Edwin’s army may be small, but the huscarls are 
  mounted, enabling them to conduct hit-and-run raids. 
  King geirmund is unwilling to send troops against Ed-
  win, since doing so would constitute an invasion of the 
  Freelands, with whom he has strong trade links. With 
  his country still recovering from two wars, the king has 
  been unable to do little except declare the thegn’s men 
  bandits and strengthen patrols along the border.
  teMPle oF tHe Sundered Sword
  Population: 37
  Ruler: Swordmaster Bruyant cerdicsunu
  Religion: Tiw, rigr, Kenaz
  Imports: Ale, food, iron, pottery
  Exports: Mercenary services
  The Temple of the Broken Sword is a battle-monastery, 
  a heavily fortified stone temple of vaguely pentagonal 
  shape. It stands in the narrowest gap between the edge 
  of the Jagged Peaks and the Withered Lands.
  Living here are a dozen Swords of Tiw and a dozen 
  Shields, two clerics of rigr, and a cleric of Kenaz. The 
  highest ranking member is always a Sword, and he takes 
  the title Sword Master. All must be competent horsemen 
  (riding equal to Fighting). As well as the clerics there 
  are a herald, a treasurer, two healers-cum-herbalists, two 
  veterinarians, a cook, and three stablehands.
  The clerics are an independent mercenary force, 
  small in number, yet more than adequate to defeat an 
  enemy ten times their number. Any settlement can hire 
  them, at the rate of 50 gs per cleric per day for aggressive 
  missions and half that for defensive ones. They also hire 
  out the clerics of rigr to help oversee the construction 
  and blessing of new fortifications. The cleric of Kenaz 
  works as an armorer and weaponsmith and rarely leaves 
  the temple.
  The temple takes its name from its most sacred arti-
  fact, a great sword, sundered in twain half way along the 
  blade. The remains of the weapon lie on the altar of Tiw. 
  According to legend, it belonged to a mighty Sword of 
  Tiw. during the Blizzard War he cleaved clean through 
  the neck of an ancient Hellfrost dragon, snapping his 
  blade in the process. Each cleric who serves the temple 
  wears a sliver of the blade on a thong around his neck. 
  Should the cleric die or leave, his token is melted down 
  and offered to Ertha.
  A prophecy revealed by a cleric of the Norns says that 
  once the whole blade has been used for this purpose, 
  the Fimbulvintr will begin, for Thrym fears the blade and 
  will not act while it remains.
  wuduSMoca
  Population: 682
  Ruler: Hearthkeeper Halfdan Haraldsunu
  Religion: Kenaz, Eostre Plantmother
  Imports: Ale, grain, meat, pottery, vegetables
  Exports: charcoal
  charcoal production is exhausting, dirty, and not 
  without its dangers and setbacks, but Wudusmoca, a 
  town whose name literally means “wood smoke,” has 
  turned it into a thriving business. day and night, in all 
  seasons, plumes of smoke rise from the colossal piles of 
  dirt-covered burning wood on the outskirts of town.
  despite its population, Wudusmoca boasts scant fields, 
  the citizens maintaining small allotments for vegetables, 
  and keeps little livestock. As such, it is dependant on 
  outside trade for much of its food supplies. Fortunately, 
  charcoal is a required commodity and trade is brisk.
  The town has been ruled by the cult of Kenaz since its 
  inception after the Blizzard War, with lordship passing to 
  the high priest automatically on his appointment. Each 
  high priest appoints his own successor, and more than 
  once this has been one of the priest’s children. 
  tHe FreelandS
  
  
  Life here is dirty and hard, and conditions get much 
  worse in winter, when famine is a constant threat. 
  Halfdan understands his worker’s plight, for he himself 
  routinely helps with the charcoal burning. The citizens 
  are well paid for what is typically considered a menial 
  profession, and Halfdan ensures feasts are laid on every 
  high holy day of his deity at the cult’s expense.
  Located on the southern edge of the Stone Forest, 
  the locals cut their own timber, reducing their overheads 
  but increasing their workload. relations are tense with 
  the native hearth elves, who claim the inhabitants are 
  overstepping the mark in harvesting so much wood. No 
  threats have been made, but many charcoal burners have 
  reported feelings of being watched.
  Security in the town is provided by a constable and 
  a full-time watch of 20 guards, paid for by the charcoal 
  profits, plus three paladins of Kenaz.
  In addition to a small temple to Kenaz, the town 
  maintains a shrine to Eostre Plantmother. Halfdan lives 
  in a fortified manor, built by one of his predecessors. 
  There are two inns, but few people visit unless they are 
  here to trade.
  PerSonS oF note
  HoneSt enno
  Enno, an engro, and his family are nomads. Their 
  gaudily decorated wagon roams the Freelands, visiting 
  communities along the way to trade and swap news. 
  Enno is a tinker by trade, buying and selling small items, 
  and repairing shoes and metalwork. Although he mainly 
  trades in mainstream items, his wagon contains many 
  oddities, such as limbs from a golem, crystal skulls, vari-
  ous animal parts, and so on. In a locked chest he keeps a 
  store of keys he has acquired over the years.
  Enno buys items at 50% their standard cost automati-
  cally, giving 75% on a raise. He asks no questions of his 
  buyers as to their right to sell the item, nor does he give 
  away much detail of items he sells, merely claiming he 
  “picked them up somewhere back along.”
  Enno claims to be a humble merchant and follower of 
  Var, though he is actually a cleric of Maera and a reliqus. 
  Much of his youth was spent investigating ruins, which 
  accounts for the bulk of his strange collection. Today he 
  operates as a semi-independent field agent, roaming the 
  Freelands while keeping an eye and ear open for rumors 
  of relics or unusual objects.
  Enno rarely visits the citadel. To do so would 
  threaten his cover, for it is widely known the reliquary 
  do not trade or deal with outsiders. All communication 
  is handled through voice on the wind spells, and Enno 
  keeps a large stock in his caravan.
  wHy coMe Here?
  In many realms adventuring is a risky business. The 
  land may be crawling with undead or orcs, or ruled by 
  a powerful tyrant. In comparison the Freelands seem an 
  idyllic retreat, not somewhere to test one’s mettle. So 
  what can lure hardened heroes to the Freelands?
  * unavoidable. While it is possible to bypass the Free-
  lands when travelling between the core Hearthlands and 
  the Winterlands, the detour is often a lengthy one. As 
  such, many adventuring parties will stumble across its 
  borders sooner or later, even if they have no intention of 
  stopping for long.
  * Founding Fathers. While there are hundreds of 
  settlements in the Freelands, the space between them is 
  unclaimed. The adventurers may decide to settle here, 
  founding a new village with the intention of growing it 
  into a town. Full rules for running and growing a settle-
  ment will be provided in the Hellfrost Expansion.
  * orders. While any cleric may be asked to visit the 
  Freelands on some errand, the most likely candidates for 
  being sent here are Lorekeepers and reliquary, for both 
  organizations have major centers of power in the realm. 
  Wandering Hearth Knights may occasionally be called 
  FeStIval to tHe nornS
     Fate day
  Whenever a child is born.
  When a new child enters the world kicking and 
  screaming the Norns weave the skein of his life. 
  Sometimes a cleric of the Norns makes an appear-
  ance soon after the birth. A certain irony exists 
  here—the Norns make no ritual demands on their 
  clergy, so it’s up to individual clerics whether they 
  wish to attend the birth. of course, since the Norns 
  have already woven the skein of their clerics’ lives, 
  the decision has been preordained. 
  An attending cleric of the Norns, not the midwife or 
  a cleric of Eira, cuts the umbilical cord, signifying 
  the child now has its own fate. If no cleric appears 
  within an hour or so, the cord is cut by the attend-
  ing midwife and prayers offered to the Norns. The 
  visiting cleric watches for omens. The Norns do not 
  always send signs, for most people are destined for 
  a life of relative obscurity. If one appears, the mean-
  ing is quietly whispered into the child’s ear so no 
  others can hear. Sometimes the news is good (such 
  as growing up to sire many children, be a strong 
  warrior, or achieve a position of power) and other 
  times it bodes ill (an early death, crippling sickness, 
  or a life of evil).
  Fate day is the rassilon equivalent of a birthday, for 
  even if the Norns do not reveal the future, they have 
  woven the child’s fate. Family and friends usually 
  hold a small celebration each year to mark the oc-
  casion.
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #18
  8
  
  back to Hellfrost Keep and sent after frost giants, but 
  most of their enemies are north of the Icebarrier. Mem-
  bers of the Iron guild could be tasked with helping to 
  protect a caravan, but that is true of any land with a trade 
  road and merchants willing to pay the guild’s fees.
  * Adventuring. Abandoned during the Blizzard War, 
  the Freelands are littered with ruined castles, temples, 
  and towns. orc and giant lairs occupy the hills and 
  mountains, beastmen raid from the Stone Forest, and 
  the undead of the Withered Lands are prime targets. 
  reputations can be made here, but the soil is soaked in 
  the blood of would-be heroes.
  adventure SeedS
  * A small but prosperous town is suffering a sinister 
  ill. In recent months five heavily-guarded trade caravans 
  have left the town for distant markets, only to return 
  a few days later. The cargoes were intact, the mounts 
  unharmed, but every member of the caravan was dead, 
  nailed to the sides of the wagons. Word is spreading, and 
  merchants are fearful of visiting the town lest the same 
  fate befall them.
  * Tribes of orcs are gathering in the foothills of the 
  Icebarrier. This is nothing new, for orcs raid the Freelands 
  with impunity, but the tribes are normally bitter enemies. 
  Someone, or something, has managed to get them to set 
  aside their ancient differences and work together.
  * Since the construction of the Scieldvollr across north-
  ern Angmark, orc raiders have been pushed eastward into 
  the Freelands. Many villages and steads have suffered 
  intensified raids as a result. one plan being proposed 
  involves building a Freelands’ Scieldvollr, stronger than 
  the one in Angmark. The king of Angmark has learned of 
  these plans and threatened a military response, for if the 
  Freeland wall proves too much an obstacle, the orcs will 
  turn their attention back to Angmark.
  Heroes might be involved in guarding work parties 
  against orcs, driving back an Angmark incursion, or ne-
  gotiating a settlement that benefits both parties.
  * rogue druids have begun attacking small communi-
  ties, intent on razing them to the ground. They believe 
  the Freelands should be abandoned by humans and 
  returned to Eostre. A few druids wouldn’t normally be 
  much of a threat, but they have the aid of many fey, tree-
  men, wood elementals, and even the wild animals.
  godS & MonSterS
  This section details one new god, the god of demon 
  slaying, a vile deity whose cult the heroes can fight 
  against, and a number of monsters.
  vIðarr
  Titles: Keeper of the Black gate, demonbane, Watch-
  er of the Abyss.
  Aspects: destruction of demons.
  Affiliations: The Norns, Scaetha.
  Symbol: A key.
  Priesthood: Shadow Seekers (priests); gatekeepers 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Second Endedaeg of Wulfmonan.
  Duties: To slay demons and their followers.
  Sins: (Minor) refusing to destroy an Extra demon or 
  one of its mortal followers, engaging in conversation 
  with a demon (except to Intimidate or Taunt it); (Major) 
  refusing to destroy a Wild card demon or one of its mor-
  tal followers, unknowingly aiding a demon or one of its 
  mortal servant; (Mortal) knowingly aiding a demon or 
  one of their mortal servants.
  Signature Power: Warding (demons only).
  Powers: Arcane resistance, banish, boost/lower trait 
  (Spirit, Fighting, and guts only), burst, champion of the 
  faith, detect (demons only; no conceal), light, smite.
  Trappings: Any except darkness and necromantic. 
  Fire and light are most popular.
  Special: clerics of Scaetha already have Viðarr’s 
  sins on their list. remove all reference to demons from 
  Scaetha’s sins, as this rule takes priority. characters who 
  honor both gods treat Viðarr’s minor sins as major and 
  his major ones as mortal. If the cleric commits a mortal 
  sin from Viðarr’s list, his penance must be extremely dif-
  ficult and require earning a minimum of 20 XP purely 
  from adventures directly related to his atonement quest 
  (no side adventures or interludes count toward this to-
  tal).
  The Norns were the first divine beings, coming into 
  existence at the same time as the universe. They wove 
  the skeins of the gods that would follow them into exis-
  tence, and the mortals who would follow the gods. The 
  weird sisters believed they had everything neatly tied up 
  and interwoven on their loom, and the universe seemed 
  an orderly place.
  When they discovered demons, creatures of darkness 
  and chaos whose fate they could not weave, they were 
  horrified and declared them anathema, to be hunted 
  down and eradicated. A great and terrible war was 
  fought, but the gods only succeeded in imprisoning the 
  demons not destroying them.
  during the demongate War, Viðarr, a general who was 
  instrumental in leading the gods’ armies during their war 
  with the demons and now a loyal lieutenant of Scaetha, 
  was summoned by the Norns and charged with ensuring 
  the demons did not overrun the mortal realm. 
  Whether he would be victorious or not the Norns 
  could not say. For the demons, which were formed be-
  fore the Norns, did not register in their great tapestry. 
  Elevated to the position of a minor god, Viðarr charged 
  those who chose to follow him with the destruction of 
  all demons.
  When the demongate Wars ended, the forces of good 
  tried to destroy the great black key which controlled the 
  portal. Although the key could not be destroyed, cler-
  ics and paladins did manage to shatter it into a hundred 
  tHe FreelandS
  
  
  pieces. The fragments were then scattered throughout 
  the lands, placed beyond the reach of the demon lords. 
  The demongate was moved to a secret fortress deep 
  inside a mountain, were it would be protected by power-
  ful wards and an order of knights—the Watchers of the 
  Black gate (sometimes known as gatekeepers). Most 
  gatekeepers are mundane warriors, but the core is made 
  up of clerics of Viðarr.
  only one shrine to Viðarr exists, and that is located in 
  the same refuge as the demongate. When prayers must 
  be offered, Scaetha’s temples are the preferred location. 
  Viðarr is shown as a mighty warrior clad in radiant chain 
  mail and brandishing a barbed star metal long spear.
  Although all clerics are expected to fight demons, 
  priests specialize in investigation work, rooting out 
  demonic cults and demon-related relics, and tracking 
  members of the Seekers of the Black Key. That their name 
  is similar to that of their enemy is no coincidence, for 
  to complete their duties they must walk in the shadows 
  where sane men fear to tread.
  Paladins are more focused on destruction of anything 
  touched by demons. once given a tip-off by their priestly 
  brethren, they spare no effort and show no mercy in 
  eradicating the source of evil. While the priests haunt 
  musty libraries and explore ancient ruins for clues, the 
  paladins ride the land, ever vigilant for signs of demonic 
  infestation.
  The only holy day the order recognizes is the second 
  Endedaeg of Wulfmonan, known as the Night of dead 
  Shadows. This marks the day the demongate War ended. 
  It is also a ceremony marked by Scaetha’s clergy. dur-
  ing the day before, lay members in settlements across 
  the land work to create full-size wooden replicas of the 
  demongate.
  As Sigel’s Hearth begins to set, citizens gather around 
  the mockup. No light is permitted during the festival, 
  except what Maera cares to shed. When the last rays of 
  the sun disappear below the horizon, demons (actors 
  glad completely in black and wearing scary masks) leap 
  through the gate and “attack” the worshippers, robbing 
  them of their valuables (which are offerings to Scaetha). 
  The demons offer sweets and cakes to children, whose 
  greedy hands are hastily swatted down by parents who 
  sternly warn of the dangers of trafficking with the dark 
  powers. The children’s inevitable wailing at being denied 
  candy only adds to the atmosphere.
  Throughout the year those same children have been 
  building model houses, which the demons now crush be-
  neath their feet. gingerbread men stuffed with red fruit 
  jam are devoured limb by limb by the hungry demons, 
  leaving their mouths smeared dark red. This symbolic 
  destruction of property and people recalls the terrible 
  devastation wrought during the demongate War.
  An hour before dawn, clerics of Viðarr and Scaetha ac-
  companied by members of the laity appear on the edge 
  of town brandishing torches and wearing armor painted 
  brilliant white. For the next hour they fight the demons, 
  slowly driving them back through the gate. When the last 
  one is vanquished, which coincides with the rising of the 
  sun, the clerics ignite the wooden demongate, symboli-
  cally ridding the world of demons.
  Character Guidelines: Viðarr’s clergy must face ter-
  rible and unearthly foes with many and varied powers. 
  Spirit and Vigor are vital to surviving many demons’ 
  arcane and natural attacks. given the horrific nature of 
  many demons, guts is a very important skill. Favored 
  Foe (demons) is a vital Edge for those seeking to destroy 
  the forces of evil. Priests should invest in Investigation 
  and Streetwise to help in their studies, while paladins 
  should ensure their combat skills and Edges are not 
  found wanting. champion and Holy Warrior, while very 
  useful to most paladins, are vital for Viðarr’s followers, 
  since their major foes are most definitely supernatural 
  evil creatures.
  null
  Titles: She Who unravels the Threads of creation.
  Aspects: Entropy.
  Symbol: A thread cut in half.
  Priesthood: While Null has priests and paladins, they 
  have no formal titles.
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: None.
  Signature Power: Dispel.
  Powers: Arcane resistance, boost/lower trait (boost 
  Smarts and Spirit only; negate any magical arcane skill 
  only), detect/conceal (arcana only), energy immunity, 
  negate arcana.
  Trappings: Null’s powers work through a total ab-
  sence of trappings.
  Special: Null does not actually grant spells, since 
  these involve magical threads. Instead, she allows her 
  clerics access to the gaps between the magical threads, 
  the total absence of creation and magic. clerics thus use 
  non-magic.
  The universe is a multilayered tapestry woven from 
  threads of raw magic. In the mortal realm, the threads 
  were invisible and unusable until Maera found them 
  and threw them out of the Moon, which is the window 
  of the Norns’ cottage (see page xxx). While mortals are 
  touched by the threads (bar a small few), the gods are 
  massive tangles of magical energy. Although magic and 
  miracles are totally separate fields, clerics call upon a 
  form of thread magic—that of the gods’ very being.
  In the beginning there was only Null. Lacking all 
  form, she dwelt in the Void, which was Nothingness. 
  After creation, the Void was filled with energy and Null 
  was confined to the dark gaps between the threads of the 
  universe. She seeks nothing less than the total unravel-
  ing of creation and a return to Nothingness.
  Few mortals know of Null. Those that do are given 
  to accusing her of creating the Siphoning, though she 
  has absolutely nothing to do with that phenomenon. un-
  able to see the fabric of reality, Null can only sense the 
  Siphoning’s effect. She is pleased with its work, but is at 
  a loss to explain it. For now, it is a useful ally, but one that 
  requires careful monitoring.
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #18
  10
  
  Null has no temples and very few shrines outside the 
  Justiciary. The mage-hating Justiciary mistakenly worship 
  Null as an aspect of Maera. These misguided zealots be-
  lieve Null is proof that Maera is insulted by magic and 
  wants it eradicated. That Maera’s clergy promote the use 
  of magic and actively avoid disrupting a mage’s ability 
  to manipulate it is a contradiction the Justiciary has yet 
  to fathom. While one might think of the reliquary and 
  Null’s cult sharing some similarities, the reliquary has 
  absolutely no desire to eradicate magic, and certainly not 
  the entirety of creation.
  Null’s clergy know nothing of her bid to unravel the 
  universe and end creation—only lunatics would actively 
  support a goddess who wanted to end their existence! In-
  stead, they are dedicated to slaying spellcasters, whether 
  miracle workers or mages, destroying alchemical devices 
  and relics, and erasing all knowledge of magic. They 
  are all fanatics at heart, for their duties require them to 
  burn temples and schools of magic, destroy relics which 
  could be used to defeat the greater evils in the world, 
  and take the lives of those whose only “sin” is to have 
  a deep faith or an understanding of how to manipulate 
  magical energy.
  In general, priests are more inclined toward scholastic 
  endeavors. They research relics, locate spellcasters, and 
  study the Siphoning. Paladins are field agents, the kill-
  ers who murder any spellcaster in their path, who raid 
  tombs in search of relics to destroy, and who lead attacks 
  against religious sites and centers of magical learning.
  Null demands no worship from her clergy beyond 
  their continued efforts in destroying all forms of magic.
  deMon, tIMe
  Although the Norns have power to see the past, 
  manipulate the present, and shape the future, they are 
  not actually deities of time. If such an entity exists, it has 
  never been worshipped by mortals. However, within the 
  Abyss there lurk demons that can control the passage of 
  time, albeit to a limited degree. Widely regarded as major 
  demons, time demons are extremely hard to kill, making 
  them a serious threat to the civilized races. clerics of the 
  Norns are especially quick to slay these fiends.
  Time demons appear as large, flickering, hunched 
  humanoids with scythelike arms and powerful, clawed 
  legs. They have three sets of oversized milky eyes—one 
  set which sees the past, one the present, and one the 
  future.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d8, Spellcasting d10
  Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 9/11
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  • Control Time: Time demons may swap any two action 
  cards at the start of each round.
  • Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune to 
  poison and disease; +2 Toughness against nonmagi-
  cal attacks, except for star metal.
  • Powers: Time demons know quickness, sluggish re-
  flexes, and speed.
  • Regeneration (Fast): By moving through time, a time 
  demon can heal naturally and then rejoin the fight a 
  split second after it departed. The time demon makes 
  a natural Healing roll each round at the start of its 
  turn. It cannot use this ability once Incapacitated.
  • Scythes: Str+d8.
  • Size +2: Time demons average 9’ tall.
  • Slow Time: creatures which begin their turn within 6” 
  of a time demon may take only one action a round. 
  Moving up to one’s Pace counts as an action for this 
  purpose.
  • Temporal Flicker: Time demons continually flicker in 
  and out of time, making them hard to strike. Attack 
  rolls against a time demon are made at –2.
  • Time Stop: As an action, a time demon can pick one 
  foe within 12” and make a Spellcasting roll opposed 
  by the victim’s Spirit. With success, the victim is fro-
  zen in time until the start of the demon’s next turn. 
  during this period, the victim cannot take any actions 
  and has his Parry reduced to 2.
  • Weakness (Star Metal): demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
  Fate tHIeF
  Also known as heroes’ bane and luck thieves, fate 
  thieves are, depending on who you ask, either servants of 
  the Norns who punish those who learn too much of their 
  destiny in advance or enemies of the Norns who seek to 
  unravel mortals’ skeins of life. Some optimists claim fate 
  thieves are beneficial creatures, for they force a hero to 
  rely on his wits and talents rather than his preordained 
  destiny, though such views are rarely welcomed by those 
  who have suffered a fate thief’s attentions.
  Fate thieves have no physical form per se, but instead 
  take the form of a gray, cloaked and cowled figure. Loose 
  threads hang from the cloak. Written on these in minute 
  runes are the names of previous victims. Nothing exists 
  beneath the cloak.
  Fate thieves are not combatants and avoid direct 
  conflict. Instead, they appear out of thin air when po-
  tential victims are most likely to rely on their fate, lurk-
  ing around the periphery, waiting for an opportunity to 
  cause havoc.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Notice d8, Stealth d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 2; Toughness: 5
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  • Exchange Fate: once per round the fate thief may 
  make a Spirit roll as a free action in response to a 
  successful attack. This is opposed by the attack roll 
  and must be made before damage is rolled. If the fate 
  thief wins it may instantly swap places with any one 
  creature within 6” other than its attacker. The original 
  attack roll is then applied the creature transplanted 
  tHe FreelandS
  11
  
  to the fate thief’s position, which suffers damage as 
  normal if a hit is scored. This does not count as With-
  drawing from Melee or trigger First Strike.
  • One Blow Only: once per round when a fate thief 
  is Shaken or wounded it may automatically teleport 
  anywhere it can see within 12” of its current position 
  as a free action. This does not count as Withdrawing 
  from Melee or trigger First Strike.
  • Steal Fate: When a character within 12” of a fate thief 
  spends a benny for any reason, the creature makes a 
  Spirit roll as a free action opposed by its victim’s Spir-
  it. Failure means the character loses his benny before 
  it can be spent and the fate thief gains the benny. This 
  ability may be used an unlimited number of times per 
  round.
  • Warp Fate: A fate thief can spend a benny to warp oth-
  ers’ fates. No creature within 6” of the fate thief when 
  it activates this ability may spend a benny until the 
  start of the creature’s next turn.
  völva
  The word völva is Auld Saxa, and translates as “wand 
  carrier.” Völvas are servants of the Norns, and are the 
  spirits of former clerics. They can be male or female 
  (though females are more common) and have the gift of 
  foresight. They are most often seen when a child of note 
  is born, appearing at the bedside to speak prophecies of 
  glory or doom. In game terms, any hero with Bad Luck 
  or Luck was visited by a völva in his cradle and cursed 
  or blessed.
  Völvas can be summoned from their graves to speak 
  of the future, though the process is arduous. This first 
  requires the resting place of their physical remains to be 
  located. The likelihood of a hero knowing this informa-
  tion is slim(he may make a Knowledge (Folklore) roll 
  at –6). More likely, the petitioner must consult a sage, a 
  cleric of the Norns, or undertake an adventure to gain 
  the knowledge.
  once the grave is found, a lengthy and complex ritual 
  must be performed. Such rituals have been performed 
  only rarely and the prayers and songs necessary to 
  awaken a völva are long forgotten. A kind gM may allow 
  a Knowledge (Folklore) roll at –6. otherwise, learning 
  the information should involve an adventure.
  The ritual must begin on the first night of the full 
  moon and end as the moon sets on the fourth day. In-
  cense and offerings which must be used during the ritual 
  cost 500 gs. The petitioner must then make a Knowledge 
  (religion) roll to perform the ritual correctly. With suc-
  cess, the völva is summoned. on a failure, the spirit 
  remains dormant and the ritual was for naught.
  The völva may be asked one question, but it must 
  be posed by the petitioner—the seer ignores all other 
  questions. It will answer any questions with unerring ac-
  curacy, but never reveals a mortal’s fate. The gM should 
  avoid answering questions to which he does not know 
  the answer. For instance, the heroes are planning to raid 
  a frost giant castle. Asking “Will I survive the fight against 
  the frost giants?” elicits only a response along the lines 
  of “What has been woven shall come to pass.” The gM, 
  unless he wishes to rig the outcome of the adventure 
  against the giants, simply has no way of knowing whether 
  the hero will conquer or perish. However, questions like 
  “Where is the frost giants’ hold?” “does the frost giant 
  jarl have a magic weapon“, or “How many giants will we 
  face?” are answered accurately, though the answers may 
  be cryptic or presented as riddles.
  once the question is answered, the völva attempts to 
  return to her rest. A petitioner wishing to know more 
  may attempt an opposed Spirit roll. If he wins, he may 
  ask a second question. This process is repeated until the 
  völva wins the Spirit roll.
  Völvas have just a single attribute—Spirit d10. They 
  cannot be bound, controlled, hampered, or harmed by 
  any mortal means. If attacked, they fade into nothing-
  ness. Nothing can prevent this.
  watcHer oF tHe Black gate
  When the demongate Wars ended, the forces of good 
  tried to destroy the great black key which controlled the 
  portal. Although the key could not be destroyed, cler-
  ics and paladins did manage to shatter it into a hundred 
  pieces. The fragments were then scattered throughout 
  the lands, placed beyond the reach of the demon lords. 
  The demongate was moved to a secret fortress deep in-
  side a mountain, were it would be protected by powerful 
  wards and an order of knights.
  An organization of evil cultists known as the Seeker of 
  the Black Key is scouring the world for the fragments of 
  the Black Key. Pitted against them are the Watchers of the 
  Black gate (sometimes known as gatekeepers), avowed 
  to protect the demongate and hunt down demons and 
  Seekers in order to ensure the demons of the Abyss can 
  never be unleashed en masse.
  This Watcher is a paladin of the Norns. Mundane 
  Watchers have no Arcane Background Edge, Faith skill, 
  or spells.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Faith d8, Fighting d8, guts d10, Intimidation d8, 
  Knowledge (Arcana) d8, Knowledge (demons) d8, No-
  tice d6, riding d6, Streetwise d6, Survival d6, Tracking 
  d6
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10 (4)
  Hindrances: Loyal, orders
  Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), champion of the 
  Faith, combat reflexes, connection (Watchers), Favored 
  Foe (demons), Watcher
  Powers: Analyze foe, banish (prayer of banishment), 
  champion of the faith, dispel (word of cancellation), pre-
  cognition (insight), warding (constructs, demons, and 
  undead only)
  Gear: Star metal chain hauberk (+4), full helmet (+3), 
  medium shield (+1 Parry), star metal long sword 
  (Str+d8, AP 2), two Norn charms
  Treasure: Meager
  HellFroSt regIon guIde #18
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Below the Icewall, far to the north of the Hearthlands, are the Unclaimed Lands. A vast 
  swathe of forest and rolling hills wracked by near-constant winter, many southerners con-
  sider the wilderness uninhabitable. Yet life prospers here for those who know and respect 
  the power of nature and winter. Life is hard and a constant struggle against the elements, 
  but here a man can truly be free. This supplement expands on the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Although the Finnar use noble titles, their rulers do not hold power in the same way as 
  among the other human cultures, for in the Unclaimed Lands there are no fiefs or borders. 
  The head of a clan takes the title vapaherra, and the head of a tribe that of kreivi.
  A tribe is comprised of a varying number of clans. Such alliances are not based on 
  military or mercantile strength, but on the leadership skills of the kreivi. Those who show 
  great leadership attract more followers. A kreivi is not obligated to accept new families into 
  the tribe, however, for as a tribe grows so its needs become greater, and the amount of 
  hunting land available to it decreases.
  Kreivi are not absolute rules. They settle disputes, provide guidance when asked, and 
  make the life and death decision on when to move camp and to what hunting grounds, but 
  they do not issue orders. Everyone in the tribe knows his position and what is expected 
  of him—the hunters catch food to feed hungry mouths, the crafters produce goods, the 
  herders watch and care for the reindeer, and the children laugh, play, and learn vital skills. 
  Telling another what to do and how to do it is heavily frowned upon, for it insinuates the 
  other person is incompetent. In return, the kreivi are awarded immense respect and given 
  small tokens, such as the finest cuts of meat from a hunt, fur cloaks, and so forth.
  The kreivi’s children receive a title, but it is basically an honorific, translating loosely as 
  “child of the one who guides.” Other blood relatives are accorded respect thanks to their 
  relationship with the chief, but they have no title or power.
  The position of kreivi is based on experience and wisdom, not personal strength, 
  wealth, or political influence. When the old ruler dies or steps down, the families within 
  the tribe. Any member of the clan or tribe except for spellcasters may nominate himself as 
  a candidate for the position of chief, but it is the kreivi’s advisors, the clerics and mages, 
  who decide eligibility. Age is no barrier to power, but where youthful exuberance may give 
  31219
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 1 9 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  unclaImed landS
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS gAmE rEFErENcES THE SAvAgE WOrLdS gAmE SYSTEm, AvAILABLE FrOm PINNAcLE ENTErTAINmENT grOUP AT WWW.PEgINc.cOm.   
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  PINNAcLE mAKES NO rEPrESENTATION Or WArrANTY AS TO THE qUALITY, vIABILITY, Or SUITABILITY FOr PUrPOSE OF THIS PrOdUcT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  an edge in one area of leadership, experience counts in 
  others.
  candidates are set a number of tasks, all of which 
  involve leading small groups. When the tasks are com-
  plete, the advisors question not the candidate but those 
  he commanded. After a number of tests, the advisors 
  make their decision and appoint the new kreivi.
  clans are formed by families who share a distant an-
  cestor. Each clan is led by a vapaherra, who rules and is 
  appointed as per the kreivi. However, only members of 
  the same clan may be candidates for the post. children 
  carry the same title as those of kreivis.
  Below the headmen are the clerics, those who com-
  municate with the great spirits others call gods, and 
  mages, who regardless of their actual method of spell-
  casting, are viewed as commanding lesser spirits. They 
  are advisors to their noble, but cannot issue orders to 
  others nor countermand those of their chief. Whether or 
  not a chief accepts their advice is up to him, but it is a 
  foolish one who ignores their words altogether.
  With no permanent settlements, clerics are not di-
  rectly tied to a temple, but rather to their family, clan, 
  and tribe. Nobles appoint their own advisors from within 
  their clan or tribe. Thus, those who serve the kreivi rank 
  slightly higher than those who advise a vapaherra, and 
  they in turn are socially higher than a family cleric. Again, 
  such positions are awarded respect but few other per-
  sonal benefits.
  Last come the bulk of the Finnar, all of whom are 
  considered equal so long as they add to the family, clan, 
  or tribe. The infirm are treated with a healthy dose of 
  contempt, for they cannot contribute to the well being of 
  the social group yet still drain resources. Those capable 
  of walking often participate in the great Hunt. Armed 
  but carrying no rations, they say their farewells and head 
  into the wilderness, never to return. Undertaking the 
  great Hunt is seen as relieving the burden to support 
  the individual, and participants are usually given gifts to 
  carry with them to the Afterlife. For those using the rules 
  on burials, the value of gifts determines the final glory 
  award. Few Finnar can muster much of great value, how-
  ever, for such things are needed for the living.
  Being old, as compared to physically or mentally dis-
  abled, is not seen as a burden. The elders are awarded 
  great respect, having served their people in their youth 
  and being possessed of great knowledge and wisdom 
  they pass on to the younger generations.
  Among the other races inhabiting the Unclaimed 
  Lands, nobles rule much as they do elsewhere, giving or-
  ders, accepting tribute, and making and enforcing laws.
  PerSonal PoSSeSSIonS
  Finnar society is about the family, clan, and tribe, in 
  that order. Private ownership of goods is extremely rare, 
  for what benefits one benefits all.
  A family member may borrow any item from another 
  family member without question. Those of the same clan 
  are expected to limit themselves to minor items, rather 
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in the Unclaimed Lands.
  * Free Land: The Unclaimed Lands are aptly 
  named, for no lord tries to exert authority here. 
  Thus, nothing prevents the heroes from staking a 
  claim to a swathe of land and adopting a lofty title. 
  However, the native Finnar will not pay them taxes 
  or bow in submission, and few peasants feel the 
  urge to live in a realm of near-permanent winter.
  * Equipment and the Finnar: The Finnar do not 
  produce metal armor, weapons, or goods, though 
  they sometimes trade for them. The price for metal 
  items in the Unclaimed Lands, when they can be 
  found, is increased five fold. When trying to sell 
  the spoils of their adventures, the heroes’ roll to 
  find a buyer suffers a –4 penalty unless the heroes 
  happen across a clan gathering, in which case the 
  penalty is –2. A tribal gathering, a rare event, has 
  no penalty, but given the short duration of these 
  meetings only one roll will be possible.
  * Noble Edge: Unlike in other cultures, the chil-
  dren of a noble wield virtually no power and have 
  little hope of inheriting the title until they reach 
  the level of maturity and experience required to 
  rule in their own right. A hero with the Noble Edge 
  has all the perks of the Edge until his ruling parent 
  dies, at which time he automatically loses the Edge. 
  Becoming a true Finnar noble prohibits adventur-
  ing—the hero is responsible for his people first.
  * Trading with the Finnar: The Finnar have no 
  need for coins. Heroes looking to sell war booty or 
  buy equipment will need to accept or offer trade 
  goods if they hope to strike any kind of deal.
  The gm should not demand the heroes keep a de-
  tailed list of their exact trade goods. A hero who 
  spends 100 gs on trade goods need only record 
  “trade goods: 100 gs” on his character sheet, leav-
  ing the exact nature of the goods flexible. He may 
  then spend the trade goods as if it were coin in the 
  Unclaimed Lands. For convenience, every 5 gs of 
  trade goods weighs 2 pounds.
  * Weather: Snow falls most often during summer, 
  when warm, moist air drifts up from the south. 
  In spring and fall, the chance of precipitation is 
  halved. In winter, the chance is one-fifth that listed 
  in the Hellfrost Player’s guide. The chance of heavy 
  snow or a blizzard is unaffected—they can strike 
  anywhere in rassilon and at any time of year.
  * Where’s the Food?: Unless a hero is a Finnar, 
  a Sword or Lance Knight, or a cleric of Eostre or 
  Ullr, all Survival rolls to find food in the Unclaimed 
  Lands are made at –2. This is negated once the 
  hero spends six months surviving in the bleak wil-
  derness, whereupon he learns how to successfully 
  hunt small mammals and recognize edible bark 
  and lichen.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #19
  
  
  than taking a hunter’s best bow, and to return it in good 
  time, while those of the same tribe are expected to ask 
  permission first.
  This mentality can cause problems for Finnar who 
  go adventuring and end up among other cultures. The 
  thought of buying food and drink is alien to them for a 
  start, as is the whole idea of coinage. They fully under-
  stand the rules of hospitality, and question why innkeep-
  ers do not obey them.
  many Finnar consider their adventuring companions 
  to be family. Thus, they think nothing of taking another 
  hero’s last healing potion and drinking it without per-
  mission. However, they would do so only if they felt it 
  was necessary and no-one else had greater need—greed 
  is a rare trait among the Finnar. conversely, asking a 
  Finnar companion if you can use his alchemical device 
  or borrow an item he possesses is rather insulting, for 
  it means the hero does not consider the Finnar to be a 
  family member.
  Because Finnar do not crave or value personal items, 
  very few ever worship Nauthiz. most do not understand 
  the nature of thieves, for if one desires an object then he 
  can ask to borrow it or trade for it.
  educatIon
  There are no schools, academies, or temples in the 
  Unclaimed Lands, and thus no formal education. chil-
  dren are raised by their family, close and distant, learning 
  the ways of the Finnar, their religion, culture, law, myths, 
  history, and so on.
  From an early age they become involved in daily life, 
  helping the women skin animals and cook, learning the 
  footprints, spoor, and noises of the various beasts, and 
  how to tell poisonous plants from edible ones, singing 
  the sacred songs that honor the spirits, and such like. 
  Once they are old enough they will accompany the 
  hunters to learn how to catch winter hares and beavers, 
  steadily progressing to wolves and bears as they mature.
  At around the age of 14 they, regardless of sex, will 
  take part in a solo hunt to determine whether or not 
  they are fit to be adults. Failure means another year be-
  ing treated as a child. Those who fail to reach adulthood 
  by 21 are considered mentally infirm.
  male and female roles are divided in Finnar soci-
  ety, but by custom rather than anything else. men, for 
  instance, consider themselves inadequate at raising 
  children, making the home comfortable, making objects 
  except hunting tools, and worshipping certain gods, 
  such as Eira and Eostre. After all, these great spirits, who 
  are directly responsible for the creation and governance 
  of life, are female. Women, by comparison, accept that 
  men are stronger and more aggressive, and thus better at 
  the hunt and warfare, which is the preserve of the male 
  spirits. All that said, nothing prohibits a woman from be-
  ing a hunter or chieftain or a man from staying at home 
  and raising the family, though it is unusual.
  new HIndrance
     cIty dweller (mInor)
  The character was born and raised in a large town 
  or city. He has little understanding of the great out-
  doors. When in the wilderness or an underground 
  environment, the hero has –2 to common Knowl-
  edge involving country life, Stealth rolls, and Sur-
  vival rolls. 
  Each time the character gains an advancement, he 
  may make a Smarts roll. With success, he may re-
  move the common Knowledge, Stealth, or Survival 
  penalty. This is a free roll and does not count as his 
  advancement. Once all three penalties are gone, 
  the Hindrance is removed.
  new combat edGe
     PatHfInder
  Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d6+, Smarts 
  d6+, Notice d6+, Survival d6+
  The hero is trained to find blaze trails for others 
  to follow. Allies who follow the hero’s exact route 
  treat each inch of difficult ground as 1.5” instead of 
  2” as normal. The hero does not gain any benefit 
  from this Edge, beyond being able to clear a path 
  for his comrades.
  new Gear
  Blessed Instrument: many deities accept music in 
  their worship. Tiw and Ullr favor drums, Thunor 
  enjoys horns, the Unknowable accepts most instru-
  ments, and so on. By playing a blessed instrument 
  for an hour without pause, the cleric gains a +1 
  bonus to his next Faith roll, so long as it is made 
  within 10 minutes of the music ending. This isn’t 
  much use for adventurers in combat, but it can 
  be handy when time is not an issue. cost: 200 gs; 
  Weight: 3 pounds.
  Lavvu: regular tents, as listed in the Hellfrost Play-
  er’s guide, are triangular structures and ill-suited 
  for housing a hearth. Heroes looking to spend 
  time in the frozen wastes should invest in a lavvu. 
  Lavvus come in different sizes.
  Unlike regular tents, they provide a +3 vigor bo-
  nus to resist the effects of cold.
  Item 
  Cost 
  Weight 
  Notes
  Lavvu I 
  300 
  25 
  Sleeps 3, 10’ dia.
  Lavvu II 
  500 
  35 
  Sleeps 4, 12’ dia.
  Lavvu III 
  800 
  50 
  Sleeps 8, 15’ dia.
  Lavvu Iv 
  2,000 
  80 
  Sleeps 14, 20’ dia.
  tHe unclaImed landS
  
  
  relIGIon
  While most deities receive some form of worship, if 
  only as a token gesture, Ullr and Thrym are the main 
  gods of the Unclaimed Lands, at least in terms of number 
  of worshippers. While agriculture is possible in the Low 
  Winterlands portion of the Unclaimed Lands, by far the 
  smallest geographical area, the inhabitants of the High 
  Winterlands subsist on hunting supplemented by hardy 
  lichens, tree bark, and certain pine needles.
  Worship of Ullr in these snowy wastes isn’t so much 
  an aspect of life, as religion tends to be elsewhere, but 
  at its very center. Among many Finnar tribes, and those 
  Tuomi who have adopted nomadic ways, faith and daily 
  life are so interwoven it is impossible to separate them.
  most inhabitants of the High Winterlands pray to 
  Thrym, though few among the civilized races take him as 
  a patron. It is fairer to say the god of winter is placated 
  rather than actively worshipped. The Finnar may pray 
  to him and leave offerings, but they do so in the hope 
  he will reduce the effects of winter, not bolster them. 
  Likewise, participation in his rituals is minimal, for these 
  foul celebrations seek to bring forth the Fimbulvintr. A 
  similar situation exists elsewhere in rassilon, where vali 
  is offered prayers and sacrifices to keep him from wreak-
  ing his evil ways on agricultural communities.
  Of the other gods, Eostre Animalmother is most 
  popular in terms of worshippers, for the Finnar are rein-
  deer herders as well as hunters. Her Plantmother aspects 
  receives supplication, though for the sake of the lichen-
  eating reindeer rather than the worshippers directly.
  Wind priests exist among some Finnar tribes. They 
  worship Father Air, an entity who may or may not be 
  Thunor. regardless, Thunor receives some spiritual 
  energy from their devotions, though southerners knowl-
  edge of the storm god’s cult would be hard pressed to 
  recognize any of the rituals.
  Eira has some adherents, for healers exist in all cul-
  tures, Freo is honored when the tribes break camp, for as 
  nomads they are constantly on the move, and Thunor is 
  the great sky god, but that is about the extent of the dei-
  ties regularly worshipped by the Finnar. Small enclaves 
  of frost dwarves inhabit the region, honoring Ertha as 
  the great mother, as well as Tiw, the god of war, but such 
  is true of any dwarven community.
  more unusual is the Finnar method of praying and 
  singing hymns. rather than simply speaking words, the 
  Finnar employ joik (“yoik”), a form of throat singing 
  considered sacred and pleasing to the spirit, and not for 
  everyday use. drums, made of birch wood and reindeer 
  skin, accompany the singers.
  Finnar refer to clerics and mages as noiade (“noy-
  deh”), a term which dates back many millennia and was 
  once applied only to shamans, those who communicated 
  with the spirits. To the Finnar, the gods are supremely 
  powerful, but they are just spirits, and wizardry is simply 
  a method of compelling lesser spirits.
  burIalS
  When the Liche-Priest rose and cast his fell shadow 
  across the land the Finnar were living far to the north. A 
  few stories reached them, but they were largely ignorant 
  of his power. Even today, the Finnar know little of un-
  dead, save for creatures like frost wights and hvitrwyfs. 
  As a result, their burial customs have not changed from 
  interment to cremation.
  Burial customs depend on where the tribe is living at 
  the time. Those on the open plains cut graves through 
  the snow and ice into the frozen soil below. Tribes near 
  the mountains place bodies in crevices or caves. Within 
  forests, corpses are placed in hollow tree trunks, their 
  feet touching the ground.
  Although the Finnar do not honor Ertha, the earth is 
  an important part of their mythology, for Jábmiidáibmu, 
  the Land of the dead, is said to lie underground.
  mIlItary
  There is no central military force in the Unclaimed 
  Lands. Permanent settlements, such as those found along 
  the edges of Frostwater Lake and White Lake maintain 
  militia, and the dwarves and taiga elves have permanent 
  warriors, such as huscarls and bladedancers, at their 
  disposal.
  The Finnar, who make up the bulk of the population, 
  have no permanent armies and no militia. When danger 
  rears its ugly head, most families, clans, and even entire 
  tribes find it easier to pack up their homes and move to 
  safer areas. When prudent withdrawal is not an option, 
  attackers may find they have bitten off more than they 
  can chew, for the Finnar are far from helpless.
  The vast majority of males between the ages of 15 
  and 55 is trained as a hunter, skilled with spear and bow, 
  capable of stealthy movement, and adept at living off 
  the land. Though few wear armor on a day-to-day basis, 
  every man keeps a set of hide armor in his home.
  Still, the Finnar have little organization, even within a 
  tribe. The menfolk are hunters, not drilled soldiers, and 
  guerilla tactics and hit-and run raids are the preferred 
  method of defending their herds and families. The men 
  of a tribe or clan may fight together, but even then they 
  operate in small groups of no more than a dozen indi-
  viduals. Women are allowed to fight, but generally only 
  unmarried ones or those without children to protect 
  take up arms.
  magic is a powerful force, and the Finnar make great 
  use of it both when hunting beasts and defending their 
  homes. Wilderness step allows them to move unhin-
  dered by snow and speed gives them greater mobility; 
  boost/lower trait can increase their marksmanship, as 
  does aim; altered senses lets them fight at night or in 
  poor weather; beast friend can turn a wild bear into 
  an ally, and even if none are present one might be able 
  to cast summon beast, calling one into the heart of the 
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #19
  
  
  enemy ranks. Voice on the wind is especially useful, as it 
  allows the disparate groups to maintain communication, 
  coordinate their efforts, and warn neighbors of danger.
  trade & trIbute
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer lists the Unclaimed Lands as 
  having no imports or exports. This should not be taken 
  to read that no trade exists—it simply means there is no 
  organized trade on a national or even regional scale.
  Finnar tribes are largely self-sufficient. Their rein-
  deers provide them with material for clothing, sacks and 
  pouches, drinking horns, and cutlery, as well as meat 
  and milk. Bears and wolves are hunted for fur, meat, and 
  bone as well. Whereas others use clay bowls, the Finnar 
  are quite happy with wooden ones.
  The Finnar trade among themselves and with other 
  lands on the borders of the Unclaimed Lands, but no coin 
  changes hands, for shiny metal discs are of no use to no-
  mads. One family, clan, or tribe may have an abundance 
  of felt, for examples, which it might trade for drinking 
  horns or excess meat. Services are also traded. A family 
  with a cleric of Eira in their number might swap herbal 
  remedies for meat, or exchange healing prayers with a 
  clan boasting a cleric of Eostre Animalmother, humans 
  being healed in return for animals being blessed.
  Such trade is very small scale and usually only with 
  close neighbors. With the population scattered across a 
  vast area, it is difficult for outsiders to organize any sort 
  of large scale trading network. This doesn’t stop the cult 
  of var from trying, though.
  arcHItecture
  The steads and small villages of the Anari, Saxa, and 
  Tuomi are little different from those in other lands, 
  though insulation is thicker and defenses more rigorous. 
  many of these settlements are clustered around the great 
  eastern lakes or on the lower edges of the great Forest.
  The Finnar make use of tents, or lavvu in their native 
  tongue. They know of wood and stone houses, but these 
  do not suit their nomadic lifestyle. Even those in other 
  lands rarely erect permanent houses, for while one can 
  take the Finnar out of the great wilderness, one cannot 
  take the wilderness out of the Finnar so easily.
  A lavvu is conical and supported by a framework of 
  thin wooden posts. The lavvu itself is made from thick 
  reindeer felt covered with an outer layer of reindeer skin 
  for additional waterpoofing. Unlike regular tents, which 
  have a flap, lavvus are fitted with felt doors, the hinges 
  being reindeer gut straps. An opening at the top of the 
  cone provides ventilation for the hearth.
  costs for lavvus can be found in the sidebar on page 
  3. conditions are cramped, but body heat provides valu-
  able warmth, and there are no partitions for those who 
  clerIcS of ullr
  The religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of Ullr, providing facts useful to both play-
  ers and gms.
  Training: most candidates wanting to join Ullr’s 
  cult are from rural communities, though a few city-
  dwellers feel the call of the wild in their hearts. All 
  education is practical, taking the form of identifying 
  animal tracks and spoor, stalking, and archery. Novi-
  tiates are also taught how animals’ behavior chang-
  es during the year, when beasts may be hunted, and 
  how to make best use of every ounce of an animal. 
  Tests involve the novitiate living off the land for ex-
  tended periods in isolation.
  Once a candidate feels ready for his final test, he 
  must venture into the wilds for no less than one 
  month, living off the land. He may make contact 
  with settlements, but accepting any form of hos-
  pitality or charity, whether healing, assistance in a 
  hunt, food, or shelter, is forbidden.
  Prayers: Worshippers make frequent mention of 
  animals in their prayers. very rarely do they employ 
  flowery speech, for Ullr is a god of deeds, not words, 
  and leads a simple, uneducated life. For example, a 
  cleric looking for shelter from a storm might say, 
  “Like the bear, I seek a cave.” Insults often compare 
  people to animals. Someone who whines a lot may 
  be accused of bleating like a sheep, whereas some-
  one who talks tough but shuns battle may be com-
  pared to a wolf.
  Adventures: Any threat to wild animals a commu-
  nity relies on for food is going to be investigated by 
  the cult. (Threats to livestock are typically handled 
  by a cleric of Eostre Animalmother, though the two 
  cults do cooperate.) Thus, goblin and orc raiding 
  parties must be stopped, as must the activities of 
  large predators, like dragons, and more common 
  ones like rogue wolves. clerics might be hired to 
  act as a guide or tracker, thus opening them up to a 
  variety of adventures—whoever kidnapped the no-
  ble’s daughter likely left some tracks.
  Character Guidelines: As trackers and hunters, 
  Woodsman is the Edge for Ullr’s clergy. Survival and 
  Tracking are core skills, with Notice, Shooting (or 
  Throwing), and Stealth very close behind. Attribute-
  wise, Smarts is highly useful since many of the re-
  quired skills are linked to it, as is vigor for being 
  able to withstand the elements. Strength need only 
  be high if the cleric intends to use thrown weapons; 
  otherwise, Agility is more useful. rarely serving as 
  frontline fighters, clerics should consider Edges like 
  dodge, Fleet Footed, and marksman ahead of ones 
  like Frenzy and Sweep.
  tHe unclaImed landS
  
  
  desire privacy—the citizens of rassilon are rarely bashful 
  when it comes to natural urges or bodily functions.
  major localeS
  detailed below are places of interest within the Un-
  claimed Lands suitable for including in your adventures.
  cave of teetH
  On the western extreme of the Jotunvalk mountains, 
  a range famed for its marauding giants and fearsome 
  orcs, is a deep cave. The outer chamber is decorated 
  with teeth, fixed to wall with a hard resin. most of the 
  teeth are those of animals, from lowly hares to towering 
  cave bears, but close inspection finds the teeth of orcs, 
  humans, giants, trolls, and goblins. The Finnar consider 
  the site sacred to Ullr, but they do not venture near it, 
  for if it is a sacred site it is a dark one, an old place of 
  worship from a more barbarous age. many clerics say it 
  is an entrance to Jábmiidáibmu.
  Finnar skalds sing of the site. In many tales it is home 
  to a fierce race of primitive men, a throwback to a savage 
  time when men were not as civilized and cannibalism 
  was the norm. These creatures refused to worship the 
  gods, and so were not blessed with intelligence, speech, 
  or creativity, making them dumb brutes. Some say that 
  Ullr does not walk here at all—rather it is dargar the de-
  stroyer who lurks in the cavern, the teeth grisly trophies 
  from his worshippers’ foul and bloody rituals. Others 
  whisper tales of men who consorted with bears, their 
  children becoming debased mockeries, neither animal 
  nor man, yet savage and wild all the same.
  General ruInS
  The Unclaimed Lands were once prosperous and 
  settled farmlands. The Selari and others built cities, 
  towns, temples, and castles here. Some of these were 
  damaged in the demongate War and other ravaged by 
  the Liche-Priest’s armies, but the true doom came during 
  the Blizzard War, when entire cultures were eradicated 
  in hours, days, or weeks.
  With few tomb raiders bothering to risk death in the 
  frozen north, and the Finnar caring little for material 
  wealth, many of these ruins have never been plundered. 
  Almost anything is possible in terms of adventuring. Half-
  buried temples or the workshops of long-dead mages 
  full of ancient lore and strange apparatus, ancient castles 
  now occupied by murderous orcs or giants, and rubble-
  strewn cities whose streets are full of frozen corpses 
  await those brave of heart.
  HöyrytyS SIenI Kenttä
  Translating loosely into Trader as “Steaming Fungus 
  Field,” Höyrytys Sieni Kenttä is located in the great For-
  fInnar wInd PrIeStS
  Requirements: must be a Finnar.
  Arcane Skill: Faith (Spirit)
  Starting Powers: 2 (and receive elemental manip-
  ulation (air) for free)
  Spell List: Aim, aura, banish (air-based elemen-
  tals or spirits only), barrier, becalm, blast, bolt, 
  burst, deflection, elemental form (air only), entan-
  gle, fly, fog cloud, hamper movement, knockdown, 
  leaping, prolonged blast, sluggish reflexes, speed, 
  sphere of might, storm, stun, telekinesis, voice on 
  the wind, whirlwind, zephyr
  Finnar wind priests understand how to harness the 
  power of the winds. They do not call upon spirits 
  or elementals, but rather bind the heavenly winds 
  of Father Air, perhaps a forerunner to Thunor or an 
  air deity now forgotten by the other races, in knot-
  ted rope or cord. The magical energy is kept locked 
  into the knots until they are untied and the appro-
  priate chant uttered.
  Although they share many similarities to the air el-
  ementalists, the convocation has never accepted 
  wind priest as mages, and the modern cult of Thu-
  nor dislikes their practice of trapping the winds, 
  feeling it is an affront to their god. Wind priests are 
  an ancient and dying breed. Elementalism and wor-
  ship of Thunor as done by the other races, both of 
  which are easier to wield and has greater potential, 
  is slowly becoming the norm for Finnar who wish 
  to learn mastery of the air. Wind priests have no 
  paladin faction associated with the faith.
  Making Knots: creating a knot in which is bound 
  magical energy is not a simple process. The knots 
  are very complex and must be formed perfectly for 
  the magic to take. It is this limitation which makes 
  the art a minor one and a dying one. The maximum 
  number of knots a wind priest can tie in a week is 
  equal to his Faith die. This assumes the cleric can 
  spare an average of four hours a day.
  A starting wind priest begins with a number of knots 
  equal to his Faith die plus his vigor die.
  Casting: Wind priests carry on them many lengths 
  of knotted cords. By untying these in specific ways, 
  they release the magical energy stored in them. It 
  takes one action to untie a knot, and one knot is 
  required for each rank of spell. As always, an action 
  cannot be repeated in the same round.
  The cleric gains +1 to his Faith roll for each addi-
  tional knot he unties above the minimum required. 
  The maximum number of extra knots which may be 
  untied to boost a spell in this manner is limited by 
  the cleric’s Faith skill die. A d4 allows one additional 
  knot, a d6 two extra knots, and so on. Beyond d12, 
  the mage adds one knot per +1 to his attribute. So 
  at d12+2, the cleric can untie an extra seven knots. 
  (continued on page 7)
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #19
  
  
  est. Here the trees grow so close together their branches 
  form an impenetrable roof. No sunlight or snow ever 
  reaches the forest floor, and though the ground is semi-
  frozen, thick patches of slimy fungus blanket the earth. 
  The fungus generates its own heat, and constantly steams 
  in the cold air.
  Finnar rarely hunt here, for the fungus is inedible and 
  their prey animals do not haunt the area. Some stories 
  claim the fungus is not natural, but rather bubbles up 
  from holes in the ground. Parents warn their children 
  that the fungus can walk, and that if you venture too 
  close it will snatch you and take you into the earth, never 
  to be seen again. As children grow, they mock their par-
  ents’ stories, but they are quick to repeat them to their 
  own children nonetheless.
  Treat lighting here as dark (–2) during the day and 
  Pitch darkness (–4) at night. The temperature within 
  Steaming Fungus Field is the same as the Low Winter-
  lands. No precipitation ever reaches the forest floor.
  SPIrIt tree HIll
  Finnar and taiga elves gather at Spirit Tree Hill to 
  honor Ullr, offer sacrifices, and ask his blessing in hunts 
  over the coming months. The hill, a large, domed tumu-
  lus, stands between rimeholm and the great Forest. A 
  single tree grows on the summit. The tree is a sacred site 
  (see Region Guide #1 for more details).
  Spirit Name: Hunt Brother.
  Ambience: The air is filled with a wild savagery
  Deity: Ullr.
  Senses: Notice d8.
  Communication: Hunt Brother show pleasure at 
  being worshipped by raising his branches, holding his 
  sacrifices he has been offered aloft for the gods to see. If 
  displeased, the sacrifices fall to the ground.
  Powers: Hunt Brother requires a ritual be performed 
  and sacrifices left in order to grant a blessing. Sacrifices 
  must be hung on the branches between dawn and dusk. 
  Participation in the ritual takes the whole day, for there 
  is much singing, drumming, and dancing involved. Indi-
  viduals may only participate in the ceremony once per 
  three months.
  A cleric of Ullr must lead the ritual required to ap-
  pease Hunt Brother. Once all the sacrifices are made, he 
  makes a Faith roll. Others clerics of Ullr may cooperate 
  using the standard rules.
  With success, Hunt Brother grants a +1 bonus to 
  Survival rolls for each 100 gs of sacrifices. A raise grants 
  a +1 bonus for every 75 gs of sacrifices. There is no 
  limit to the bonuses which can be gained. Failure means 
  the ritual yields no result, though the sacrifices cannot 
  be reclaimed—those who do so are affected as if they 
  rolled a critical failure. With critical failure, the ritual is 
  performed wrong and Hunt Brother is insulted. Every 
  participant suffers a –1 penalty to all Survival rolls for the 
  next month. The same penalty applies if as much as 1 gs 
  of offerings are stolen.
  The bonuses form a communal pool. Any participants 
  in the ritual can draw from the pool as required, adding 
  up to +4 on a single roll. They can draw on the energy 
  anywhere in rassilon. The bonus pool does not regener-
  ate, it cannot go negative, and bonuses not used after 
  three months from the date of the ritual are lost.
  Sacrifice: Hunt Brother requires sacrifices which will 
  return to the earth quickly. carved bone and antler (such 
  as combs, pins, or basic tools), leatherwork, animal car-
  casses, furs, and so on are the preferred offering. For 
  ease, half the trade goods a hero carries are deemed suit-
  able by Hunt Brother.
  StencHrot marSH
  Between the Bleak moor and the Icewall lies Stenchrot 
  marsh. For much of the year it is frozen solid, a sheet 
  of rough ice broken only by withered clumps of hardy 
  grasses and rushes. In summer, the ice thaws, powered 
  no doubt by whatever force affects the nearby Bleak 
  moor. When this happens the air is heavy with the over-
  powering stench of rotting flesh.
  Three legends relate to the site among non-Finnar 
  people, but there are no firm facts to back up any of 
  them. The first claims the marsh was the site of a battle 
  during the Blizzard War. An army of men, perhaps from 
  the ruined city in the heart of the Bleak moor, met their 
  deaths in what was then a low-lying wetland. The second 
  says the legend relates to the reign of the Liche-Priest, 
  though opinions are divided on whether the dead were 
  part of his army or his victims. The third story follows 
  takes place during the demongate War, when it is be-
  lieved a powerful fiend was slain on the spot. To the 
  Finnar, Stenchrot marsh is yet another entrance to Jáb-
  miidáibmu.
  regardless of the truth, Stenchrot marsh is much 
  feared by the inhabitants of the Unclaimed Lands, and 
  few dare to even walk its borders for fear of what might 
  fInnar wInd PrIeStS
  The final knot is untied as part of the arcane skill 
  roll and is not a separate action. For instance, a 
  Novice spell can be cast as a single action. With a 
  Seasoned spell, the cleric must untie two knots. 
  Hence, his Faith roll is made on the second round 
  after he begins casting.
  A wind priest can stop untying knots at any point 
  before his spell his cast. Expended knots are wasted 
  and the spell fails to materialize. This applies even 
  if the priest is untying additional knots. disruption 
  can occur from the moment the hero unties the 
  first knot. If disrupted, the mage must begin from 
  scratch with new knots.
  All wind priest spells require the caster to be able 
  to untie knots.
  Trappings: All spells must have an air trapping.
  tHe unclaImed landS
  
  
  lie within. Occasionally a brave explorer finds a rusted 
  sword or fragment of armor, but no corpses or skeletons 
  have been reported.
  trade mISSIon
  Population: 37
  Ruler: Profiteer Joie ap-godfroi
  Religion: var
  Imports: Trade
  Exports: Trade
  The trade mission sits in the Low Winterlands, 
  roughly halfway between the Palisade and Watchgap 
  Fort, on a spur of land protruding into White Lake. It 
  is the brainchild and home of Profiteer Joie ap-godfroi, 
  a stubborn, matronly priestess of var. Although labelled 
  the trade mission on maps, most merchants know it bet-
  ter as “Joie’s Place.”
  Knowing that merchants from Heligioland resented 
  the long trip to the settlements of the Palisade and few 
  bothered using ships, she paid for the construction of a 
  trading station from her own pocket. rather than making 
  the long journey to the end of the trade route and then 
  having to travel from village to village, merchants now 
  sell goods to the mission, which in turn sells them on to 
  a consortium of local merchants at a healthy profit. 
  The Heligioland merchants don’t begrudge her the 
  income—each day less they spend traveling means less 
  fodder for the animals, less wear and tear on wagons, and 
  less wages for guards and waggoners, and the local mer-
  chants buy at a discount on what they would normally 
  pay, so they are not out of pocket by having to make the 
  journey to the trading mission. It also means deliveries 
  are more frequent, which pleases their customers.
  Founded 40 years ago by the then-youthful priestess, 
  it originally handled trade from Silverdale (now the mis-
  tlands) as well, but that income died suddenly 30 years 
  ago when the mists descended upon the doomed realm. 
  Although Joie could make far more money running a 
  similar venture along a major trade road, her profits are 
  healthy and, in her own way, she helps keep this small 
  part of the Unclaimed Lands in civilized hands.
  The mission sits inside a sturdy palisade with a walk-
  way running the entire perimeter, and two guard towers 
  situated in opposite corners. Originally it comprised just 
  a small trading post, but business has been good and 
  Joie has invested wisely in ensuring merchants want to 
  keep coming back.
  The largest structure is the trading post, which 
  doubles as a temple of var. Although the mission was 
  founded for the purchase and sale of bulk cargoes, there 
  is a general store inside the building which sells indi-
  vidual items. The trading post is the only stone structure 
  in the mission. It has reinforced doors, strong locks, no 
  windows, and slate tiles on the roof as a fire prevention.
  Three Saxa style steads provide accommodation for 
  the clerics of var, the mercenary guards, and the other 
  inhabitants. The only two-storey building is the Horse 
  and mammoth, an inn. Finally, there is a sauna run by the 
  cult of Eira. It charges a token 1 ss per half-hour (other 
  services offered here may cost more). Stables line the 
  east wall, providing shelter for mounts as large as pygmy 
  mammoths (the trading post keeps two trained as beasts 
  of burden; they are also handy for pulling carts out of 
  bogs, mud, and deep slush).
  In addition to the aged cleric, the mission post houses 
  36 other inhabitants.
  Clerics of Var (5): The five clerics are actually novi-
  tiates, apprentices learning mercantile skills. After taking 
  their final vows they are sent into the world to make their 
  own profits. New apprentices are then hired. competi-
  tion for a posting is fierce, for Joie is widely regarded as 
  being one of var’s most profitable clerics.
  Paladins of Var (2): Although there are mercenaries 
  stationed here, Joie has two trusted Thieftakers on her 
  staff. Both served their apprenticeships under Joie, and 
  have returned to serve her as full members of the faith. 
  Naturally they are paid for their services.
  Mercenaries (16): Joie has a long-term contract with 
  the Iron guild. Since fees are paid in advance, the guild 
  ships their wastrels and troublemakers here. Joie rules 
  her mission with a hard but fair hand, and most of the 
  mercenaries quickly lose their bad habits or their teeth, 
  for the old bird is not as helpless as she looks.
  Laborers (8): These burly men are responsible for 
  loading and unloading cargo, as well as routine mainte-
  nance work. They aren’t much use in melee, but they are 
  competent archers.
  Eardwulf Osricsunu (+2): Eardwulf runs the trad-
  ing mission’s inn with his two daughters, Ingrid (17) 
  and Eadhild (15). He has forbidden them from befriend-
  ing Belle (see below) for fear she will “corrupt” them. 
  Both girls are pretty and certainly old enough to take 
  husbands. Although Eardwulf would love to marry them 
  off, his protective instincts and gruff manner have driven 
  away most suitors. He is an independent businessman 
  who pays ground rent to the cult of var.
  Angarad Wighelmsunu: A priestess of Eira, Angarad 
  doesn’t actually work for Joie. rather, she operates the 
  sauna and sells herbal remedies and alchemical devices 
  as an independent trader. She lives in the inn. Angarad 
  doesn’t approve of Belle’s profession, but it is a valid 
  faith and one that is affiliated to her own goddess, so she 
  keeps her disapproval to herself out of respect.
  Belle: Belle is a paladin of gersemi, the minor deity 
  natIve fInnar
  The Finnar are experts at surviving in the wintry 
  wastes. vital knowledge on how to hunt, find shel-
  ter, and light fires is passed on to the next genera-
  tion as soon as the children can talk.
  At the gm’s discretion, any Finnar hero born in the 
  High Winterlands (not just the Unclaimed Lands) 
  ignores the –2 penalty for using Survival untrained, 
  but only when the temperature is below freezing.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #19
  
  
  of consensual sex and an aspect of Eira. She isn’t quite 
  a prostitute, since she doesn’t charge for her “joint wor-
  ship.” Instead, her co-worshippers are expected to make 
  a donation to the cult. She operates out of a room in the 
  sauna. Eardwulf refused to give her lodging in the inn 
  at first, but her money was good and he figured it was 
  better to have her under his roof, where he could keep 
  an eye on her and his daughters at the same time.
  PerSonS of note
  KreIvI vIlHo Paatalo
  current chieftain of a large tribe, Kreivi vilho has as-
  pirations of founding a new Finnar homeland. Each year 
  the weather worsens and food becomes harder to find 
  in the Unclaimed Lands. He hears stories of more suit-
  able lands to the south, lands where summer is warmer, 
  where grass grows for some months of the year, and 
  where there is plentiful game and wild food.
  But he knows if he migrates there, the local nobles 
  will try to impose their laws on him and his people, and 
  that the Finnar will not tolerate. To that end, he is trying 
  to rally his people to invade Lakeland and the Border-
  lands to ensure their survival.
  The Finnar have never invaded anyone before, for 
  they have always dwelt where others care not to, and 
  the thought of waging war is alien to them. But vilho is 
  a charismatic speaker, and the thought of better living 
  conditions is an appealing one.
  vilho isn’t stupid. He knows that if he marches an 
  army south, Aspiria and chalcis will rally troops to pro-
  tect their borders, and maybe even aid their northern 
  neighbors. To that end, he plans to offer Aspiria and 
  chalcis a portion of the lands he eventually conquers to 
  keep their armies in their barracks.
  With almost half the population trained as hunters, 
  vilho could perhaps must a total army of 8-10,000 men, 
  assuming he can get the entire Finnar nation behind 
  him. right now that looks difficult, but the tide is slowly 
  beginning to turn in his favor. Five years, maybe ten, and 
  war could wrack the eastern Winterlands.
  wHy come Here?
  The Unclaimed Lands measures a staggering 1,600 
  miles by 800 miles at its extremes and covers about 
  three-quarters of a million square miles, the temperature 
  struggles to rise above freezing even in high summer, 
  the population density is less than one person per six 
  square miles, and there is precious little to eat unless 
  one knows the wilderness, although plenty of creatures 
  want to eat explorers. So what can drag a hero from the 
  relative safety and warmth of the Hearthlands into the icy 
  reaches of this forbidding landscape?
  * Orders. At some point in their life clerics of Kenaz, 
  and to a lesser extent Sigel, and Hearth Knights will be 
  ordered into the Unclaimed Lands. For Hearth Knights 
  looking to advance to higher status it is compulsory. Frost 
  dwarves or taiga elves beholden to a noble have plenty of 
  reason to be dispatched here, for there are many small 
  communities scattered through the icy wastes, and voice 
  on the wind has limitations.
  No hero with the Orders Hindrance is immune to be-
  ing sent here, though—clerics of Eira or Sisters of mercy 
  may have to help cure plague or locate a rare herb, Iron 
  guild soldiers might escort a trade caravan, Lorekeepers 
  and reliquary search the ruins for hidden knowledge, 
  and even the convocation sends members here to learn 
  more about the Hellfrost and its denizens.
  * Opportunity. countless ruins lie half-buried in the 
  feStIvalS to ullr
     arrow Hunt day
  First Heafoddaeg of Plohmonan.
  rested over winter, the hunters gather to prepare 
  for the hunting season. In order to ensure their eye-
  sight hasn’t waned over winter, clerics and citizens 
  gather at the edge of the nearest patch of forest, 
  long grass, or marsh. Each hunter who honors Ullr 
  gives an archer five arrows marked with his name. 
  These are fired into the vegetation, whereupon the 
  hunter must retrieve them. The more arrows he re-
  turns, the better his hunting will be this year. Al-
  though a ritual to honor Ullr, worshippers of rigr 
  often take part, since it was rigr who taught Ullr 
  how to spot animal tracks and spoor.
     cunnInG Hunt day
  First Milcdaeg of Werremonan.
  Ullr’s followers are skilled with the bow, but the 
  god expects them to be expert hunters under any 
  conditions. Worshippers conduct a hunt this day 
  armed only with their wits and bare-hands. This rit-
  ual honors the time before the first weapons were 
  forged, when Ullr used nothing but his knowledge 
  of his prey and what Eostre provided in the way of 
  natural tools to trap them.
  capture of any animal is a clear sign Ullr is watch-
  ing over the cleric. rabbits may be simple fare for a 
  hunter with a bow, but they are fast and agile when 
  one must run to catch them. Bringing down a boar 
  without weapons is an especially fortuitous sign, 
  not just for the clerics but also the community he 
  serves. All animals caught this day are blessed and 
  the finest cut of meat offered to Ullr on bonfires. 
  The hunters then divide the flesh among the local 
  citizens.
  tHe unclaImed landS
  9
  
  snow, yet scant legends recall the names of the cultures 
  who raised them or what they might contain. Heroes 
  seeking treasure, lost wisdom, or just the chance to be 
  the first person to explore a ruin will find ample oppor-
  tunity here.
  * glory. While Hellfrost dragons, frost giants, trolls, 
  and orcs can be found far and wide, the Unclaimed Lands 
  are their playground. virtually any beast at home in ice 
  and snow can be found here if one looks hard enough. A 
  character looking to immortalize his name through glori-
  ous deeds can find plenty of foes waiting for him.
  * Passing Through. No one passes through the Un-
  claimed Lands by accident. It is the sole route to the Hell-
  frost, rimeholm, and Karad marn, and moving between 
  the eastern and western Winterlands, Low or High, yet 
  these routes are traveled only by a handful of civilized 
  beings.
  GodS & monSterS
  This section details two new minor deities, the gods 
  of exploration and trackers, one helpful monster, one 
  NPc archetype, and one hostile monster.
  GanGarI
  Titles: He Who Walks the Secret Paths.
  Aspects: Exploration.
  Affiliations: Freo, Ullr.
  Symbol: A maze.
  Priesthood: guardians of the Secret Path (priests); 
  Walkers of the Secret Path (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: First Heafoddaeg of each month.
  Duties: To travel and explore new lands.
  Sins: (minor) using a map, not seeing what lies be-
  yond a door or opening (a glimpse is enough), failure 
  to travel at least 50 miles a week; (major) misdirecting 
  a traveler, failing to travel at least 200 miles a month; 
  (mortal) failing to travel at least 1,000 miles a season.
  Signature Power: Speed.
  Powers: Ethereal/corporeal, gravespeak, invisibility, 
  lock/unlock, speak language, speed, teleport, wilderness 
  step.
  Trappings: Any, though subtle ones are common.
  gangari is the god of exploration. He knows the se-
  cret ways to travel the universe, how to step into thin air 
  and appear elsewhere in an instant, how to breach the 
  barrier between the living and the dead, how to walk 
  between reality so as to be invisible, and how to ward 
  doors so none may pass. No lock or security system can 
  check his progress. A close ally of Freo, gangari has been 
  moving through the heavens for eons, for there are many 
  gods who seek to learn his powers, and not all of them 
  have good intentions.
  Like Freo, gangari has no temples. The god of portals 
  needs no shrines either, for any portal or opening can 
  be a site of worship. Images of gangari vary from an ex-
  plorer complete with all the gear he needs, to a cloaked 
  figure, representing his ability to tread secret pathways.
  The cult has many grades of initiation known as doors. 
  When one displays the required knowledge to advance, 
  a new door is opened, allowing new cult secrets to be 
  learned. No one is sure how many doors actually exist, 
  for it seems there is always something new to learn.
  While Freo allows his clergy to wander freely, caring 
  little if they walk and up and down the same road for 
  eternity, gangari expects his worshippers to continually 
  explore new regions. It is widely held the god is mapping 
  all the secret and invisible pathways of the universe, and 
  each new area a mortal worshipper explores fills in part 
  of this celestial map. To that end, he is more demanding 
  that his worshippers keep on the move. 
  gangari cares little what his clergy does to earn a 
  living. many of his followers practice a little larceny to 
  keep their pockets lined, a trade for which their spells 
  are well-suited. Others hire on as caravan guards, espe-
  cially if the caravan is heading in a direction the cleric has 
  never traveled before.
  While priests may be slightly more scholarly and thor-
  ough in mapping new regions and paladins slightly more 
  prone to step boldly forward onto unknown roads, there 
  is little difference between them.
  feStIval to ullr
     rod and lIne day
  Second Healfdaeg of Plohmonan.
  Fishing is not seen as a sport or pastime in rassilon, 
  but as another means of putting food on the plate. 
  The ceremony honors the day Ullr first caught a fish 
  and is the start of fishing season. Ullr’s slippery fish, 
  a trout, proved to be the Unknowable One in dis-
  guise, but Ullr ate him all the same as he had vowed 
  to eat all he caught and waste nothing. Though Ullr 
  caught his trout by tickling it (which the Unknowa-
  ble One found pleasant, hence while tickling some-
  one makes them laugh), modern fishermen prefer 
  nets or rods and line.
  The day is spent angling from the riverbank or 
  standing in the water. The largest fish’s entrails are 
  removed and used to conduct a divination. If the 
  omens are good, the fishing will be good this year. 
  A bad omen means the fishing season will yield lit-
  tle harvest. All the fish caught are then cooked and 
  used to serve the local community.
  Jym Ivens, an engro shopkeeper from Weem who 
  just happens to specialize in selling fishing gear, of-
  fers a firkin (nine gallons, or a quarter of a barrel) 
  of his homebrew ale to whoever catches the largest 
  fish from the river Ivens on rod and Line day. The 
  competition now draws folk from across southern 
  rassilon.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #19
  10
  
  ceremonies involve drawing out a maze, which the 
  worshipper then walks or traces with his finger while 
  reciting prayers.
  Character Guidelines: Exploration and mapping 
  unknown areas requires a multitude of skills. Notice and 
  Stealth, which can be used in a great many situations, are 
  perhaps most important, though Boating, climbing, rid-
  ing, Survival, and Swimming all have their uses. given 
  their outdoors lifestyle, Woodsman provides a good 
  boost to key skills. The curiosity Hindrance is a nice fit, 
  but it can be too much—a cleric might be curious about 
  what lies down a dark passage, but he is unlikely to pull 
  a lever just to see what will happen. Kind gms may allow 
  a minor version of curious to simulate this.
  vafud
  Titles: Trail Finder, Ullr’s Hound, Ullr’s Eye, the ce-
  lestial Stalker.
  Aspects: Trackers.
  Affiliations: rigr, Ullr.
  Symbol: A trail of footprints.
  Priesthood: Blessed Seekers (priests); Blessed Track-
  ers (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Sangdaeg of Plohmonan, Hegmonan, and 
  Wulfmonan.
  Duties: To serve as trackers, to hunt dangerous mon-
  sters and criminals.
  Sins: (minor) losing a trail in adverse conditions, be-
  ing caught in an ambush you failed to detect; (major) 
  losing a trail in poor conditions; (mortal) losing a trail in 
  good conditions.
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (Notice, Survival, 
  and Tracking only).
  Powers: Altered senses, speed, wandering senses, 
  wilderness step.
  Trappings: vafud’s trappings have no specific game 
  mechanics. many effects are related to animals. For in-
  stance, speed may cause the target’s legs to change to 
  those of a wolf, while wandering senses may manifest as 
  a spectral bird of prey.
  vafud is known as Ullr’s Hound for good reason. Ullr, 
  while a skilled hunter, was once known for his arro-
  gance. He refused to hunt with others because they were 
  not stealthy enough and couldn’t identify tracks. His sole 
  companion was his faithful hound, vafud (“Wanderer”). 
  Ullr eventually tired of being lonely and asked Eostre if 
  she could grant vafud the power of speech. The goddess 
  refused, for animals were not intended to talk except in 
  their own language. Niht said she would help, but her 
  price was too high, and Hoenir offered to find a solution 
  but became distracted by new ideas. 
  Finally the Unknowable One promised to help. Ullr 
  was wary of the Trickster, but he was growing desperate. 
  The gift was not as vafud intended, of course, for the Un-
  knowable One is never predictable. Instead of granting 
  vafud the power of speech, he turned him into human 
  form. Ullr had his companion, but he lost his faithful 
  hound in the process. vafud, however, retained his excel-
  lent nose, and Ullr made him the god of trackers.
  vafud needs no temples, for the great wilderness is 
  his home. Shrines tend to be simple affairs, perhaps a 
  tree hung with antlers or skins, or a sacred stone marked 
  with runes drawn in animal blood. In the Unclaimed 
  Lands such shrines are abandoned after a short while, 
  for the tribes move across the snowy wastes and a new 
  shrine is easy enough to consecrate.
  most clerics of vafud are found among the Finnar, 
  who worship him alongside Ullr almost as a separate 
  deity. Both aspects of the clergy are devoted to tracking. 
  generally, priests favor tracking game, while paladins 
  hunt dangerous beasts that threaten the herds or com-
  munity. The clergy are most at home in the wilds, though 
  in civilized lands they can be found operating in cities, 
  using their information gathering skills to track quarry. 
  Some work alongside Hothar’s clerics, tracking down 
  fugitives from justice, but most operate as independent 
  bounty hunters or scouts.
  Festivals and ceremonies revolve around the hunt. 
  Symbolic items of the creature being tracked, whether 
  man or beast, are sniffed, as if the cleric if picking up the 
  scent, and traditional hunting songs are sung. Some cler-
  ics don wolfskin cloaks, dropping to all fours and snarl-
  ing and growling, for although wolves are often despised 
  in civilized lands, they are undeniably adept trackers.
  Character Guidelines: Trackers need a handful of 
  skills in order to be effective. Tracking, naturally, is the 
  core skill for vafud’s clerics, followed by Notice. Notice 
  not only helps you find tracks in the first place, but it 
  is handy for making sure whatever you are tailing has 
  not set up an ambush for you. Woodsman should be a 
  favored Edge, since it boosts skills vital to a tracker. 
  Since most clerics work outdoors, Survival should 
  not be ignored. Streetwise can be handy, as it allows 
  the tracker to locate quarry inside settlements, where 
  tracks are quickly obliterated. As trackers are hired to 
  feStIval to ullr
     wolf Hunt day
  First Sunnandaeg of Wulfmonan.
  Wolves are a constant menace to livestock and 
  travelers alike. Ullr hunted the first wolf at the ask-
  ing of Eostre, whose livestock were being eaten by 
  the predators.
  In the depths of winter, when wolves are at their 
  more desperate, the clergy and laity gather to turn 
  the hunters into hunted. By hunting in winter, the 
  wolves are easier to locate. The harsh conditions 
  are also a test of the hunters’ survival skills. Females 
  and juveniles are the preferred prey, for slaughter-
  ing them diminishes the population for the next 
  breeding season.
  tHe unclaImed landS
  11
  
  hunt someone or something, and that creature is rarely 
  benevolent combat skills and Stealth should not be 
  ignored unless you want your quarry to know you’re 
  approaching.
  aGloolIK
  Not every creature associated with the ice is inherently 
  evil, though those of beneficial nature are a small minor-
  ity. One such creature is the agloolik, a spirit which aids 
  fishermen and hunters. While some druids and priests of 
  Eostre believe the aglooliks are nature spirits, perhaps 
  distant cousins to fey, the Finnar insist they are the spirits 
  of tribal ancestors.
  Finnar, from whose language the name comes, all 
  agree that aglooliks live beneath the ice and, while their 
  presence is felt, they can never be seen. rather than 
  appearing and pointing to prey, they act in subtle ways, 
  such as causing shadows to appear beneath the ice to 
  attract a fisherman to good fishing grounds, or making a 
  faint noise to alert a hunter to a deer in the woods.
  An agloolik typically watches over an area no larger 
  than 10 square miles. Within its domain, it can simulta-
  neously aid an unlimited number of fishermen or hunt-
  ers. more rarely, an agloolik adopts a family or clan. In 
  such cases the spirit aids only hunters from that clan and 
  travels with them wherever they travel (so long as there 
  is snow and ice).
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d4, 
  vigor d6
  Skills: Survival d12
  Pace: —; Parry: 2; Toughness: 5
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Aid Hunter: Whenever a hunter enters an agloo-
  lik’s territory roll on the reaction Table. If Hostile, 
  the spirit makes a cooperative Survival roll but sub-
  tracts its bonus from the hunter’s roll by leading 
  him on wild goose chases and scaring away animals. 
  If Friendly or Helpful, it adds the bonus as normal. 
  On other results, the spirit ignores the hunter. The 
  hunter may make suitable supplications to appease 
  the spirit and earn its aid (if he knows it exists). This 
  requires a Persuasion roll and takes one day. druids 
  and clerics of Eostre may use their arcane skill die in-
  stead, adding charisma as if it were a Persuasion roll. 
  Success increases the spirit’s reaction one step and a 
  raise two steps. The roll takes one day and costs 100 
  gs in assorted offerings. Once Friendly or Helpful, the 
  agloolik remains that way toward the hunter unless 
  he abuses his position or offends the spirit in some 
  manner (such as killing prey for sport rather than sur-
  vival). Should this occur, the agloolik becomes Hos-
  tile and can never be placated by that hunter.
  * Burrow (6”): An agloolik moves through snow and 
  ice and can even run, but never breaks the surface.
  * Ethereal: Aglooliks are immaterial and can only be 
  harmed by magical attacks.
  * Weakness: Aglooliks cannot travel across terrain de-
  void of snow or ice, nor can they aid hunters outside 
  frozen regions.
  GoblIn, Ice
  rIPPer
  Not even ice goblins, denizens of the frozen realms, 
  are immune to the Hellfrost wind. Those who succumb 
  to the madness become rippers, frenzied warriors armed 
  with thick leather gloves from which sprout long claws 
  of razor sharp bone. 
  caring nothing from their own safety, these fanatics 
  hurl themselves at foes, slashing wildly and without 
  pity. Hearth Knights report these dangerous slashing 
  machines worship a god known as Hrami, an aspect of 
  dargar whose name translates as “Flesh ripper.”
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: climbing d8, Fighting d6, Notice d6
  Pace: 5; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
  Gear: Bone claws (Str+d6).
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Fearless: Immune to fear and Intimidation.
  * Frenzied Warrior: rippers have the Ambidextrous, 
  Improved Frenzy, and Two Fisted Edges.
  * Improved Snow Walker: Treat ice and snow as nor-
  mal terrain.
  * Infravision: goblins halve penalties for dark lighting 
  against living targets (round down).
  * Size –1: goblins stand 3–4’ tall.
  * Warm Blooded: +2 to vigor rolls to resist the effect 
  of cold.
  Hunter/traPPer
  While many nobles hunt for sport, hunters and trap-
  pers kill or capture animals for a living. rugged and 
  skilled at operating in the harsh wilderness, they are 
  also invaluable members of the local militia. However, 
  hunters and trappers often spend weeks or months away 
  from their community, returning only then they have 
  bagged sufficient game or furs.
  more experienced hunters may have the marksman 
  Edge, as well as higher skills.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d6, guts d6, Notice d8, Shooting d6, 
  Stealth d6, Survival d6, Throwing d6, Tracking d6
  charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: various
  Edges: Woodsman
  Gear: Leather shirt (+1), axe (Str+d6), long spear 
  (Str+d6, +1 Parry, reach 1, 2-hands) or bow (range: 
  12/24/48, damage: 2d6) or throwing spears (range: 
  3/6/12, damage: Str+d6)
  Treasure: meager
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #19
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Once famed for its prosperous silver mines, the Mistlands are now a haunted realm of 
  perpetual mist and endless ruins. A realm of ghosts and memories, few adventurers are 
  brave enough to explore the rugged hills, for many who do are never seen again. This 
  product expands on the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  HIstory of sIlverdale
  Exactly who first settled the area now known as the Mistlands has eluded scholars. 
  Although it’s former name, Silverdale, comes from the Anari occupation, its silver mines 
  were already exporting ingots before this era. Unfortunately for those who would quest 
  to learn more, the region has been ravaged by numerous wars and heavily settled by the 
  Anari, who were keen on promoting their own culture wherever they went.
  While the Selari had the expertise to exploit the mines, their lands were further north 
  and there is little indication they were ever interested in territorial expansion. Similarly, 
  the Vindari were to the distant east, in the lands now known as Heldalund, Trond, Cul, 
  and the Cairn Lands. Given the land lay in the area most heavily populated by the Tuomi, it 
  is quite likely they had settled here before the Anari came. The slow trickle of silver, some 
  sages claim, is evidence for this, for the Tuomi’s lack of centralized government makes 
  raising a large-scale industrial workforce difficult. Of course, few dismiss the notion that a 
  civilization as yet unknown could have lived here.
  Regardless, the Mistlands first came to true prominence around –332. The Demongate 
  War had left the central continent war-torn and exhausted, something the Anari of Alantaris 
  Isle were quick to exploit. Their armies swept into Aspiria and Chalcis, then quickly moved 
  north to capture the silver mines. Whatever name the region once had, it was changed to 
  Silverdale by its Anari masters and its silver mines exploited to the fullest. The Saxa have 
  always spoken of Silverdale with a bitter note in their voices, for the silver was used to pay 
  the armies who conquered their homelands.
  When the Liche-Priest sought to expand his empire to the west his undead armies 
  marched straight through Silverdale, slaughtering and recruiting as they went. A good 
  proportion of the settlers fled the armies’ advance, abandoning their homes and seeking 
  refuge in neighboring Chalcis. This was recorded as the First Migration.
  After the dark armies were driven back, the people returned home, but the realm never 
  truly recovered. The silver mines were reopened, but the reduced workforce and need for 
  raw material to rebuild the shattered towns and burnt cities limited the export of silver.
  31220
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 0 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Vince Kingston
  tHe MIstlands
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  When the western armies of the great northern army 
  stalled against the valiant armies of Aspiria and Chalcis 
  they altered course and swept east, tearing from Silver-
  dale like a blizzard as they made for Hellfrost Pass or set 
  sail across the Inner Sea. Old songs tell how a million 
  people were slaughtered like sheep by the ferocity of the 
  attack, leaving the realm depopulated for centuries.
  As society began to recover, so the rich grasslands 
  and pastures of Silverdale drew back settlers. The orcs 
  who had claimed the realm after the War were slowly 
  driven back, though they were never exterminated 
  and remained a constant problem. Although Silverdale 
  remained an independent realm, it signed numerous 
  pacts with Chalcis, and many Chalcians and Silverdalers 
  considered the two lands one. Trade deals were signed 
  with Angmark, bringing new prosperity.
  In 319 IR the Silverdalers temporarily abandoned 
  their homes in the face of a major orc invasion. Its 
  warriors, few as they were, rallied under the Chalcian 
  banner, fighting with honor and courage at the battle of 
  Thunor’s Fury. Again, when the threat had ended they 
  returned home to rebuild their society.
  For a century and a half lived continued at a slow 
  pace, the realm avoiding the troubles that plagued other 
  realms, such as the Golem Uprising. Then, 30 years ago, 
  the mist descended on Silverdale, bringing its often 
  troubled existence to a sudden and mysterious finale.
  orIgIns of tHe MIsts
  “From where came the mists?” is a question that has 
  perplexed sages, clerics, adventures, and mages for three 
  decades, and there is little sign any definitive answer will 
  be discovered any time soon. Although there are as many 
  theories as there are leaves on a tree, a small few have 
  risen to prominence over the years.
  Among the cult of Scaetha it is widely believed Hela 
  was somehow involved. That the dread liche Angtharinax 
  vanished from the Withered Lands at approximately the 
  same times as the mists swallowed the realm is just too 
  much of a coincidence. 
  Many clerics believe the mists were created to cover 
  his activities as he strived to create a new realm of the 
  dead and damned, though the few expeditions that have 
  entered and returned claim to have found no trace of 
  him or of any undead, and no one has yet managed to 
  devise a theory on how a mist bank lasting 30 years was 
  created.
  Hela is also blamed by some common citizens, though 
  they point back to the Liche-Priest as a cause. Many speak 
  of a curse the feared undead lord laid upon Silverdale 
  as his armies retreated, though no historical or religious 
  document supports this idea. quite why the curse took 
  over five centuries to work is met with blank stares and 
  head scratching, for news of the failing wards on his an-
  cient tomb is not common knowledge.
  A variant of the above story claims that the Liche-Priest 
  made a prophecy rather than laying a curse. According to 
  some stories he vowed that his return would be heralded 
  by the utter destruction of a realm by “Hela’s breath.” 
  This is clearly the mists, for when they last rose, revealed 
  a landscape of destruction on a level not seen since the 
  blizzard War ended.
  Others look back further in time, to the dark days of 
  the Demongate War, when the forces of the Abyss walked 
  abroad. One popular fireside tale tells how a brave knight 
  imprisoned a fearsome demon on the rolling hills, im-
  prisoning it beneath a circle of enchanted stones. Those 
  who support this theory claim the Siphoning has weak-
  ened the bonds holding down the demon, allowing it to 
  influence the mortal realm. However, it may be this is a 
  case of confusion with the epic tale Bron and her battle 
  with the Dark Marshal (see Region Guide #2 for details) 
  and the placing of wards on the Liche-Priest’s tomb.
  More than one mage has pondered whether the mists 
  and the Siphoning have some connection, for the down-
  fall of Silverdale preceded the magical draining by only 
  rules of tHe realM
  * Artificial Light: The mists dampen the effective-
  ness of artificial light, be it magical or mundane. 
  Instead of producing good lighting conditions, ar-
  tificial lights merely reduce the darkness penalties 
  one step within the radius of the illumination.
  For example, a light spell affects a Large burst Tem-
  plate. If the ambient conditions were Pitch black 
  (–4), light within the spell’s area of effect would be 
  Dark (–2). Light has no effect on hearing.
  * Fear in the Mist: Many strange sights and sounds 
  lurk in the mist. Their constant presence begins to 
  gnaw at the mind, creating a state of near-constant 
  fear. Half the darkness penalty (rounded down) is 
  applied as a modifier to Guts rolls.
  * Land of Mists: The Mistlands are aptly named, 
  for mist is ever present. The GM can draw a card 
  to determine the mist’s thickness. He can draw as 
  often as he likes, but we suggest no more than four 
  times a day—midnight, dawn, midday, and dusk.
  Any red card means the mist is light. Any black 
  numbered card indicates moderate mist, while a 
  black face card (Jack through Ace) produces heavy 
  mist. On a Joker the mist thins to scant, but only 
  for 2d6 hours. After that, it rapidly reverts to its 
  previous thickness. All Notice rolls suffer the pen-
  alty, even those based on hearing and smell.
  Mist 
  Day 
  Night
  Scant 
  Normal 
  Dim (–1)
  Light 
  Dim (–1) 
  Dark (–2)
  Moderate 
  Dark (–2) 
  Pitch black (–4)
  Heavy 
  Pitch black (–4) 
  Pitch black (–4)
  * No One Home: The Mistlands are completely 
  unpopulated by civilized beings. Heroes cannot 
  buy or sell equipment here, visit temples for heal-
  ing, recruit hirelings, and so forth.
  Hellfrost regIon guIde #20
  2
  
  a year or so. There is no indication the mist affect magic 
  in any way, but a thorough investigation would involve 
  spending extensive periods in the Mistlands, and few 
  mages are brave enough to risk their lives on what might 
  be a fool’s errand.
  Other theories involve the misuse of a powerful relic, 
  the wrath of a god, an insane or arrogant mage invok-
  ing a potent charm, the work of giants and dragons, and 
  even the weird notion that Silverdale never existed and 
  the mists have always been here. All of these stories are 
  highly flawed, yet they continue to circulate.
  atMospHere
  Some realms are terrifying to explore. In the Withered 
  Lands the constant risk of being attacked by foul undead 
  saps explorers’ stamina and stretches their nerves to 
  breaking point. In the Liche Lands of Old the threat is 
  more subtle, gently gnawing away at sanity. The Mistlands 
  combines the worst traits of both these dread realms.
  The random nature of the mists means that on a good 
  day you can see for miles, while on a bad day it is impos-
  sible to see your hand in front of your face.
  Not being able to see more than a few yards ahead 
  means there is always the danger of walking off a cliff, 
  smacking into a ruin, tripping over something, or stum-
  bling into a bog. Similarly, predators could be lurking 
  unseen just yards away. The mists also dampen sound 
  as well as sight, and a comrade’s voice may be indiscern-
  ible even a dozen yards away unless he shouts. being 
  constantly alert for danger is tiring, and tends to leave 
  heroes on edge, ready to jump at the slightest noise or 
  fleeting shadow.
  The reduced visibility means it is extremely easy to 
  get lost. Maps are useless without landmarks, and naviga-
  tion is based on the position of the sun and stars, objects 
  rarely sighted. With sight and hearing limited by the mist, 
  parties can quickly become separated unless sensible 
  precautions are taken. Even roping yourself together can 
  be a scary experience, for much of the time the person 
  ahead or behind may be swallowed by mist. When the 
  rope starts to shake violently, you can’t be sure if your 
  comrade is signaling for help or whether some horrible 
  fate has already befallen her.
  This in itself is most unfortunate, for the mists con-
  tain many strange noises and half-seen shapes. Some say 
  these are ghosts, the souls of those who vanished when 
  the mist rose, while others blame hallucinations brought 
  on by the lack of sensory input. Whatever the cause, 
  they are a perpetual distraction, for while they might be 
  ephemeral shades, they might just as easily be orcs plan-
  ning an ambush.
  MoveMent and tHe MIsts
  Without visual references, all movement in Pitch 
  blackness is in a random direction, determined by rolling 
  a d8. Roll once for each movement action, not for each 
  square. If someone calls out, the character can make a 
  new coMbat edges
     fIgHtIng wItHdrawal
  Requirements: Veteran, Agility d8+, Fighting 
  d8+
  The hero can defend himself even while running 
  away. The character may run while using the De-
  fend maneuver, and move up to his Pace when us-
  ing Full Defense.
     lurker
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+, Stealth d6+
  The character is adept at using any available cover 
  and concealment to bolster his defenses.
  When the hero uses the Full Defense maneuver, he 
  may use his Stealth die in place of his Fighting die 
  to calculate his Parry.
     one step one kIll
  Requirements: Veteran, Agility d8+
  The hero has learned how to take a lightning quick 
  step to circumvent his opponent’s defenses and 
  strike a lethal blow.
  If the character moves no further than 1” on his 
  turn, moving adjacent to a foe does not trigger 
  First Strike. In addition, if the hero spends a benny 
  while taking his one step, he gets the Drop on his 
  target this round.
     steal away
  Requirements: Seasoned, Agility d8+, Stealth 
  d6+
  The hero uses distraction and cover to slip away 
  from his foes.
  The character may make a single Stealth roll as a 
  free action to avoid an attack while Withdrawing 
  from Combat. He suffers a –1 penalty for each ad-
  jacent foe. Failure means foes may attack as normal 
  as the adventurer withdraws.
  natIve cHaracters
  No hero born in Silverdale can be younger than 30 
  years of age. Those born of the fortunate few who 
  escaped can be of any age. Those looking to play 
  Silverdalers or their offspring might wish to con-
  sider taking the following Hindrances:
  Phobia: Mist. The hero knows the stories of the 
  mist, and he has no intention of disappearing. bet-
  ter to avoid the mists altogether!
  Vow: To find missing kin. This needn’t mean end-
  lessly entering the Mistlands. Many Silverdalers 
  fled further than Chalcis to escape the mist.
  tHe MIstlands
  
  
  Notice roll at –4 (the mists muffle sound) to head in the 
  general direction of the caller.
  Heroes wishing to move faster than half their Pace 
  cannot feel ahead to see what lies in front of them. While 
  this might occasionally lead to a bump or bruise, it may 
  also lead one to plummet off a cliff. In areas of difficult 
  ground, the hero treats each 1” movement as 4” if he 
  wishes to navigate carefully. Any hero moving faster than 
  half his Pace must make an Agility roll. A –2 penalty ap-
  plies if the terrain is difficult ground. A –4 penalty oc-
  curs if he runs. These modifiers stack. Failure causes the 
  hero to stumble or fall. Typically this leaves him Shaken, 
  though in areas of very rough ground he may suffer 
  bumps and bruises instead.
  HaMpered exploratIon
  While the mist can make navigation extremely diffi-
  cult, if not actually impossible, it is not the only barrier 
  to exploration. Many of the ruins seem to exist only at 
  specific times, such as when there is no mist, when the 
  veil is thick, or during the times of the Deorcmonan. 
  Other sites flit in and out of existence based on celestial 
  alignments, meaning they may not reappear for weeks, 
  months, or years. Some may even cycle around far lon-
  ger periods, perhaps not set to exist again for decades or 
  centuries, if not longer.
  What happens to explorers caught in a ruin when it 
  winks out of existence is left to the GM to determine. Pos-
  sible solutions include the mist thickening suddenly and 
  then just as rapidly returning to normal, revealing open 
  hills or bog where once stood stone and wooden build-
  ings, the heroes being teleported a random distance in 
  a random direction (though never out of the Mistlands), 
  or the unfortunates being transported to wherever the 
  ruins go when they vanish from the mortal world, but 
  held in a form stasis until it reappears.
  For the latter, the adventurers would notice abso-
  lutely no effect. The trouble begins when they eventu-
  ally emerge and return to civilization, only to find much 
  more time has passed then they can account for.
  As an example, let’s say the heroes enter a ruined 
  temple that appears only when the moon is full. Un-
  fortunately they are still exploring when the full moon 
  passes. Time immediately freezes for the party, though 
  they would have no knowledge of this. A month later, 
  the full moon rises again and the ruin reappears in the 
  Mistlands. As far as the game goes, the GM just carries 
  on as if nothing happened. The adventurers finish their 
  work and return to Chalcis, only to find that a whole 
  month has passed since they left (plus any other time 
  they spent in the Mistlands, of course).
  This may be one of the causes for the population van-
  ishing. Perhaps they still exist, but have yet to reappear 
  after being transported to who knows where. Maybe in a 
  few years or decades (or longer) they will return, totally 
  oblivious to any lapse in time and confused as to why the 
  world appears to have moved on without them.
  Should the GM chose to have a ruin appear around 
  the heroes, the mists should again thicken and then thin. 
  When it returns to normal, the characters find themselves 
  standing in a ruin that wasn’t there a few moments be-
  fore. The GM should never have the walls materialize on 
  top of the characters, but he can have the party suddenly 
  separated by them!
  randoM appearances
  While the GM is at liberty to set his own materializa-
  tion and dematerialization times for ruins, a random 
  method is given below as an aid. Just draw a card from 
  the action deck and compare the value to determine 
  when the ruins exists in the Mistlands.
  This system is best used when characters have stum-
  bled across a ruin, rather than for determining when the 
  next one they encounter will appear. After all, they may 
  be waiting for a year for that to occur! If you draw a 7 
  or 8, simply switch the results to fit the current lunar 
  period. For results based on the mist thickness, you can 
  either change this to fit current conditions or wait a day 
  or so to have the ruin appear, the characters discovering 
  it as soon as the mist reaches the right density.
  Exactly when the heroes stumble across the ruin dur-
  ing its time in the Mistlands can be decided by the GM 
  or randomly rolled. For instance, an Ace indicates the 
  ruin is present either during daylight or nighttime only. 
  If the heroes stumble across it just after dawn, they have 
  around 10 hours of adventuring time. If the GM doesn’t 
  have a set time in mind he can assume day and night 
  each last 12 hours (for ease) and roll a d12, 2d6, or 3d4 
  to determine hour many hours have elapsed since the 
  ruin materialized or how many hours remain before it 
  vanishes again (his choice).
  Note that this method deliberately precludes random 
  results that cause the ruins to be gone for more than 
  a single year—having the heroes move forward in time 
  beyond this should always be a conscious decision by 
  the GM. Of course, this may make for a great campaign 
  twist. Perhaps the GM wants to change the focus of 
  his campaign (imagine emerging far in the future, in a 
  world where the Winterlands now stretch deep into the 
  Hearthlands or where the Liche-Priest has conquered 
  the continent). Or maybe the goal is to find a way home 
  before the Norns react to the heroes presence in an age 
  where they should not exist.
  Card 
  Result
  2 
  One specific day per year
  3 
  One week per year
  4 
  One month per year
  5 
  One season per year
  6 
  On a specific phase of the moon
  7 
  Weaxansicol through Fulmonan
  8 
  Waniangibbus through Deorcmonan
  9–10 
  During light mist
  Jack 
  During moderate mist
  queen 
  During heavy mist
  King 
  During scant mist
  Hellfrost regIon guIde #20
  
  
  Ace 
  During the day (red) or night (black)
  Joker 
  Always present
  Major locales
  by all accounts, not that there are many accounts, 
  some ruins exist where no settlement, castle, or temple 
  has stood since before the blizzard War. Time, it seems, 
  means little in the Mistlands. because the mists seem to 
  manifest ruins from Silverdale’s entire history, the GM 
  can create adventuring sites dating from the Demongate 
  War (or earlier) through to the moment the mist rose.
  A few notable sites of the Mistlands are included be-
  low as examples.
  castle of tortured Metal
  During the Demongate War the forces of darkness 
  erected a monstrous castle in Silverdale. Records res-
  cued from the cult of Hela after her fall from grace in-
  dicate the fortress was home to a demon known only as 
  the Screaming Metal Fury, a cyclopean being whose skin 
  comprised iron plates and whose movements generated 
  a noise akin to finger nails on a chalk board. The records 
  do not tell of the demon’s fate, though it is presumed he 
  was banished at some point during the conflict.
  When the stars are right, the ruins of his fortress man-
  ifest in the Mistlands. No stone and mortar formed his 
  home, for he dwelt in a fortress of iron unlikely anything 
  seen before or since. Although heavily rusted and battle 
  scarred, the castle is largely intact.
  Those who would dare to follow in his footsteps may 
  have cause to battle demons and other terrors, but the 
  greatest danger comes not from physical forces but the 
  constant screech of tormented metal that echoes through 
  the hollow halls. Even silence spells cannot dampen the 
  wail, which begins to drive intruders mad.
  For each hour spent in the castle intruders must make 
  a Spirit roll. Failure reduces their Spirit die by one step. 
  below a d4 it becomes a d4-2, and the hero goes tem-
  porarily insane, screaming and clutching at his head in 
  a bid to tear off his ears and end the torment. Should 
  he fail another roll, his madness is permanent—all he 
  will hear until the end of days is the sound of scream-
  ing metal. Unless the character ha permanently lost his 
  mind, lost dice return at the rate of one per day outside 
  the castle ruins.
  dooM keep
  This dark, ominous keep was the domain of the Dark 
  Marshal, one of the Liche-Priest’s chief lieutenants. From 
  here he guided his master’s armies toward Aspiria and 
  Chalcis. Although the black Marshal was defeated by 
  bron (see Region Guide #2), no record of his death ex-
  ists. The cult of Scaetha, which maintains meticulous re-
  cords on major undead slain in battle, certainly believes 
  he may still lurk somewhere, waiting to strike once more 
  against the living.
  His keep was allegedly torn down after the war by 
  clerics of Scaetha searching for the evil general. yet his 
  castle, ruined but not reduced to its foundations, has 
  been seen on more than one occasion since the Mist-
  lands formed. Gossips tell that the keep is rebuilding 
  clerIcs of nIHt
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of Niht, providing facts useful to both play-
  ers and GMs.
  Training: before anyone can join the cult they must 
  have committed murder and not been punished for 
  their wicked act. Placed in a darkened room, they 
  must reveal all their darkest and deepest secrets, not 
  knowing if any one is listening. This is the last time 
  the recruit will be allowed to speak secrets—from 
  now on he is expected to keep all he has learned 
  private except from his goddess. 
  Since knowledge is abhorred, there is no formal 
  training—novices are expected to be ruthless killers 
  from day one and learn by example. Each year, two 
  trainee clerics are paired. by the end of the year, 
  one of them must be dead at the other’s hands. An 
  aspiring cleric must survive five years before taking 
  his final vows and taking his place beneath Niht’s 
  dark cloak.
  Prayers: Worshippers know that Niht has many 
  secrets. Prayers do not call upon Niht to perform 
  deeds or grant wisdom, but ask ignorance to be re-
  moved so the cleric can find his own solution to 
  a problem. For example, “Remove the veil of igno-
  rance from my eyes so I might find the true path.”
  Adventures: Destroying knowledge is a favored en-
  deavor for Niht’s clergy. They may be called upon 
  to kill enemy scouts or military commanders, steal 
  vital plans or valuable tomes, assassinate scholars 
  and fortunetellers, torch libraries, conceal access to 
  ancient tombs, uncover a noble’s darkest secrets, 
  or aid the Reliquary in recovering and concealing a 
  powerful relic.
  Character Guidelines: If Stealth isn’t at least as 
  high, if not higher, than your Faith something 
  is wrong. Clerics have access to spells which can 
  boost Stealth, but you can never count on them be-
  ing active when you need them. Similarly, a good 
  Notice is vital for moving round in the dark when 
  miracles aren’t available. Other than these two, you 
  need to think about what sort of cleric you want to 
  play. Assassins, for instance, need to focus on com-
  bat, whereas those who raid tombs to destroy the 
  knowledge they contain should be more thievish.
  tHe MIstlands
  
  
  itself stone by stone, though no one who has actually 
  witnessed the fell structure has ever claimed this. The 
  Dark Marshal is one candidate for the creation of the 
  Mistlands, for it is said he had dominion over mist and 
  fog, as well as the undead.
  four wInd tower
  During the Anari occupation of Silverdale the Con-
  vocation raised a tower in which to train new members. 
  Archival records in Imperial City mention the tower, and 
  how it came to be dominated by students of air at the 
  expense of all others. According to one document, the 
  resident mages had planned to invoke a potent spell to 
  artificially create an air locus. The Convocation discov-
  ered their madness and censured all the inhabitants, 
  executing two arkhwisards for crimes against the Convo-
  cation and employing powerful mind-altering spells to 
  wipe the knowledge of the charm from the others.
  While the Convocation claimed the purge was suc-
  cessful and ordered the tower abandoned, there are no 
  accurate registers of all the elementalists present, nor 
  what fate actually befell the structure. Perhaps the Con-
  vocation was successful. but perhaps they were not, and 
  centuries later someone rediscovered the secret ritual 
  and enacted it. The mists could, in theory, be a product 
  of an unnatural locus. If so, there is the possibility that 
  the Mistlands exist partly in the mortal realm and partly 
  in the elemental Realm of Air. However, if this were so, 
  then why do air-trapping spells have no more potency 
  here than anywhere else? Further investigation may be 
  required before the actual truth is discovered. For their 
  part, the Convocation is tight-lipped on the possibility 
  that one of their number might just have been respon-
  sible for the deaths of tens of thousands of innocents.
  sIlverport
  The ruins of Silverport are unusual, for the breezes 
  blowing in off the Inner Sea keep the mists largely at bay. 
  (All red cards and numbered black cards indicate light 
  mist, with black royal cards (Jack through Ace) being 
  moderate mist. Jokers work as normal.)
  Access is easiest by sea, though few captains ever wish 
  to stay here for long, for if the wind drops the ruins can 
  be quickly engulfed in rolling mist. built by the Anari 
  during the height of Silverdale’s prosperity, the port 
  once served as the point of export for the silver deposits, 
  though in recent decades the silver had ceased to flow 
  and fleece and mutton were more common exports. 
  Today it is just a ruin. Strangely the town shows no 
  signs of destruction typical of that caused by siege weap-
  ons or dragon breath. Instead, it appears to have aged 
  and weathered as if by the passing of centuries.
  All the ruins are empty—whatever furnishings and 
  valuables were once here have long gone, though it 
  is unlikely they have been looted. Given the state of 
  decay, it is difficult to tell the former function of many 
  individual ruins, though there are clearly warehouses 
  and workshops intermingled between houses and other 
  structures. What remains of a temple to Neorthe over-
  looks the wharves, and former citizens recall there being 
  a temple to Ertha somewhere in the suburbs.
  teMple of Hela
  Hela’s madness occurred in an age before the Liche-
  Priest and the blizzard War, both cataclysmic events. Very 
  little is known of Hela’s cult in the days she served as 
  guardian of the Abyss, and much of what is told today 
  is tainted by her later insanity and the cult of Scaetha’s 
  vehement prejudices. However, within the Mistlands 
  one might well encounter a ruined temple from the 
  days when Hela ranked as one of the good deities. What 
  secrets would engravings and carvings tell? What did 
  she look like before her transformation into goddess of 
  undeath? Could rituals unknown to the clerics of Scaetha 
  be discovered here? Or would the passage of time have 
  left naught but tantalizing glimpses?
  The cult of Scaetha has a natural curiosity in such mat-
  ters, if only to erase facts which might cast Hela in a good 
  light. Hela’s own cult would likewise take an interest in 
  a temple to her old self, for their may be material that 
  must be kept out of her enemies’ hands. As one of the 
  primary combatants in the Demongate War, a lost temple 
  festIval to nIHt
     nIgHt of guIlty conscIences
  Raestdaeg of Wulfmonan.
  Niht may be regarded as an evil deity by many, but 
  she has never betrayed a confidence and never judg-
  es those who tell her personal secrets. During the 
  God War many atrocities were committed by both 
  sides. Once the chaos ended, the surviving gods felt 
  the need to talk about their experiences but were 
  too shamed to do so in public. Niht promised she 
  would never reveal what others told her and has 
  been good to her word.
  On this day, people of all faiths say prayers to Niht. 
  Guilty secrets or acts gnawing on the conscience 
  are whispered into dark crevices and dark shad-
  ows, where Niht will hear them but no others will. 
  Priests contact nobles and authority figures in ad-
  vance, offering them confessional services in return 
  for gold. Knowing that a cleric who reveals a secret 
  is committing a mortal sin and that the loudmouth 
  is destined to suffer horrendous torture (see Night 
  of Silent Screams below), the offer is often accept-
  ed—confessions made to a priest are more potent 
  than those merely whispered.
  Niht does not, indeed she cannot, absolve sinners 
  of their sin, but the confession often reduces guilty 
  feelings.
  Hellfrost regIon guIde #20
  
  
  might hold knowledge on the whereabouts of the miss-
  ing fragments of the black Key, something the Seekers of 
  the black Key would kill to possess.
  tenttown
  Population: 328
  Tenttown is something of a misnomer these days, 
  though the name has stuck. Situated in the Orcblood 
  Hills overlooking the swirling mists, it began life as a 
  small community of ex-Silverdalers. 
  Living in makeshift tents, the first inhabitants were 
  among the lucky ones who escaped the mists. Here they 
  waited for the mists to lift so they could return home and 
  find their loved ones. Over time, as it became apparent 
  the mists were here to stay, the mood in the camp took 
  on a different air. 
  Today, the citizens remain in the vain hope missing 
  friends and family will one day emerge from the mists. 
  The tents have largely gone, replaced by a shanty town 
  of wooden shacks clustered around a makeshift temple 
  to Eira. A few of the villagers work, but mostly they pray, 
  weep, reminisce and watch the border, relying on the 
  charity of Chalcis to keep them supplied.
  The citizens pay no rent or taxes, nor do they owe al-
  legiance to any lord. However, to prevent Tenttown from 
  becoming a separate state, Duke Howel has ruled that 
  only those born in Silverdale or first generation refugees 
  may reside here. The clerics of Eira are excluded, since 
  they are on a mission of mercy to care for the refugees.
  Adventuring parties returning from the Mistlands via 
  Tenttown are pestered as to what they have seen and 
  whether they found any survivors. To date, their tales 
  have only added to the despondency of the inhabitants. 
  baeth Mistwalker (see below) is a common visitor here. 
  tHe vent
  The Vent may be a myth. According to some stories a 
  deep crack opened in the ground, belching out the thick 
  mist that shrouds the Mistlands. No native Silverdaler has 
  ever been able to confirm this story, for the Vent is said to 
  lie in the Haunted Hills, an no one from that region has 
  been seen or heard from in three decades.
  Various additions to the tale have grown in the short 
  time it has circulated. Some claim the missing Silverdal-
  ers were pulled, lured, or led into the Vent. Others point 
  to dark forces lurking beneath the ground who cannot 
  stand sunlight and so wish to blanket the surface world 
  in perpetual mist. Talk of “black elves” is common in 
  taverns, but such stories are complete nonsense.
  It is certainly true that the Haunted Hills have many 
  natural caves and mines. One of these may have col-
  lapsed, giving rise to the story of the Vent. If this is true, 
  it is equally likely mist would have formed in the crack or 
  basin left behind, as it does any low lying moist ground. 
  Of course, the tales of evil subterranean races might 
  equally be true. Until someone investigates though, the 
  stories remain just that.
  people of note
  No one actually lives in the Mistlands, despite what 
  you may read below, but there are those who frequently 
  reside along the border. Some of these may become al-
  lies to the heroes, while others have their own agendas 
  and may resent nosey adventurers taking an interest in 
  their private affairs.
  baetH MIstwalker
  A former inhabitant of Silverdale, baeth was a young 
  lad when his home was engulfed in mist. Ten years later 
  he emerged from the mists, a young adult with no mem-
  ory of what transpired during his absence or knowledge 
  of what fate befell his family. He claims to be a cleric of 
  Iðunn, goddess of the mists, having been blessed by her 
  divine touch. 
  The cult of Thunor in Chalcis is highly suspicious of 
  his claims, for they have no knowledge of such a deity as 
  all the air god’s aspects are male. That baeth is suffering 
  some sort of mental trauma is possible, but such claims 
  cannot explain away his miraculous powers. Iðunn 
  grants baeth the use of deflection, fog cloud, obscure. 
  All spells have a mist trapping.
  baeth has been slowly gaining converts from among 
  the poorest members of society. He claims that the Mis-
  tlands are swathed in a veil, which those who do not 
  accept Iðunn into their hearts cannot penetrate. beyond 
  the veil of ignorance, as he calls it, the people of Silver-
  dale live in carefree happiness, not wealthy, yet content 
  with their lot and free of disease and starvation.
  Those who have followed him into the mists have 
  never returned, but that, as baeth says, is only to be ex-
  pected—once one has entered the new Silverdale one 
  has no wish to leave. Occasionally, he delivers messages 
  from those who have already stepped over the threshold 
  of ignorance to their friends and family, urging them to 
  accept Iðunn into their lives and join with them.
  No one has been able to prove, or more importantly 
  disprove, baeth’s claims, and the cult of Iðunn is slowly 
  growing in popularity. Many clerics of Thunor fear he is 
  a charlatan up to no good, but without evidence to the 
  contrary, his words are a strong lure to those who have 
  lost loved ones to the mists.
  fredbert
  An engro Lorekeeper, Fredbert has devoted the last 
  25 years of his life to compiling a gazetteer of the Mist-
  lands, cataloguing its ruins in a bid to try and understand 
  the larger picture. His many contacts in northern Chalcis 
  inform him of adventuring parties about to brave the 
  mists, whereupon Fredbert travels to interview them. He 
  never asks heroes to visit anywhere in particular, for find-
  ing a specific site more than once has proven very tricky. 
  Instead, he offers a small reward (usually no more than 
  tHe MIstlands
  
  
  50 gs per party) if they will tell him of their discoveries 
  should they return. 
  Fredbert has seen his fair share of adventurers never 
  return, and he has something of a grim, businesslike at-
  titude when discovering the Mistlands. As an act of kind-
  ness, perhaps the last one he will ever perform for the 
  adventurers, he ensures they enjoy a good meal before 
  departing civilization for what may be the last time.
  Magus lutIsse ap-gIrbers
  Politics and power go hand-in-hand in the Convoca-
  tion, but neither has ever interested Lutisse. Despite 
  having served the Convocation for the best part of five 
  decades, the elderly elementalist has been content with 
  her knowledge of air and water, foregoing the others ele-
  ments despite the difficulties it brings when casting. Her 
  colleagues think her slightly mad, but she hasn’t much 
  cared about what others think of her either.
  For the last six years she has resided in Deepdale (in 
  Chalcis), leaving town only in summer. Once the days 
  warm she packs three months of supplies onto a mule 
  and heads out alone to the Orcblood Hills on the bor-
  der with the Mistlands. Here she pitches her tent within 
  a hundred yards of the misty border and begins her 
  months long studies in the mists.
  She is not searching for a link to the Siphoning (Lu-
  tisse sees the closeness of the events as coincidence) 
  but because they are a water-air phenomenon that has 
  lasted three decades with only scant break. Six summers 
  of investigation have revealed nothing of great use to stu-
  dents of arcana, but patience is one of her many virtues.
  wHy coMe Here?
  The Mistlands is a realm blanketed in near-constant 
  mist with visibility often reduced to a handful of yards, 
  navigation through the rugged hills and treacherous 
  bogs is next to impossible due to poor visibility, the only 
  structures are dark, silent ruins, and most of the explor-
  ers who dare to tread the haunted lands never return to 
  tell of what they have seen. What in the name of the gods 
  could lure an adventurer here?
  * Orders. Many organizations send their members 
  into dread lands as part of their duties. However, even 
  the cult of Scaetha, whose clerics routinely traverse the 
  Withered Lands, are loathe to dispatch followers into 
  the Mistlands. Similarly, while the cult of Hoenir and the 
  Lorekeepers would dearly love to explore the many ruins 
  in the hope of finding a clue to the origins of the mists, 
  they have no wish to send followers to their death.
  That doesn’t mean that heroes with the Orders Hin-
  drance can breathe a sigh of relief, though. Persistent 
  troublemakers, those who superiors view them as a 
  threat to their position, and heroes who have caused of-
  fense may find themselves sent to the Mistlands on some 
  quest. In many cases the quest has meaning, but the 
  superior is banking on the hero not returning to plague 
  his life any further.
  * No Choice. Free will is a debatable concept in Ras-
  silon. A man could go mad trying to determine what is 
  the Norns’ will and what decisions are truly his own. 
  Most folk just don’t care—what will happen will happen, 
  and worrying about the nature of specific events profits a 
  man nothing. Thus, heroes may find themselves forced to 
  enter the Mistlands because of other events. If the party 
  hired on to help defeat orc raiders and those orcs retreat 
  into the Mistlands, then that’s where the characters must 
  follow them.
  * Curiosity. Many skalds claim cats have nine lives. 
  They are also quick to point out curiosity killed the cat. 
  While heroes with the Curious Hindrance aren’t likely 
  to go out of their way to walk the mists, those in the 
  eastern Drachenlands, northern Chalcis, Angmark, or 
  the Palisades may feel the lure of curiosity dragging them 
  toward the cursed realm.
  Clerics of Freo, Hoenir, and Niht, and Lorekeepers 
  might well feel a similar lure, for although maps of the 
  festIval to nIHt
     nIgHt of tHe red spot
  Any Deorcmonan.
  When Niht became patron of assassins she needed 
  a way of ensuring all her minions had served her at 
  least once a year. After all, she mused, what is the 
  point of paying servants who don’t do anything? In 
  order to keep a record, she marked each with a red 
  spot. When he had performed a kill, the spot was 
  removed until the next year.
  Assassins who worship Niht must undergo this ritu-
  al once a year. Given that wearing a red spot would 
  cause assassins to stand out, the rite has changed 
  slightly from its original form. Instead of having a 
  red spot removed after a kill, the assassin is marked 
  with a red spot at dawn on the day he elects to un-
  dergo the ceremony. He is then given a contract by 
  his superiors, which must be carried out by the fol-
  lowing dawn. Failure results in the assassin being 
  held captive until he can endure the Night of Si-
  lent Screams. Those who fail and elect to run away 
  rather than undergo ritual torture (the clever if less 
  than faithful ones) become instant targets for their 
  comrades. The assassin who eliminates the traitor is 
  exempt from this rite for a year, having proven his 
  worth to his goddess.
  Those who know how to contact the cult may de-
  mand an assassination is carried out by a killer un-
  dergoing this rite. Not only is the assassin more ea-
  ger to succeed, the cult also has a policy that if the 
  assassin fails the fee is returned. Should the killer 
  succeed, though, the fee is doubled.
  Hellfrost regIon guIde #20
  
  
  realm before the mists exist, no one can say for certain 
  whether anything has changed or not. 
  * Treasure. The Mistlands may have fallen on hard 
  times since the blizzard War, but the citizens had per-
  sonal wealth, and there were several notable temples to 
  Eostre and more than a few to Ertha. Since few thieves 
  or adventurers ever visit the Mistlands, it is possible their 
  treasuries and libraries could still be intact, despite the 
  devastation apparently inflicted on the realm.
  gods & Monsters
  Detailed in this section are two minor deities, those of 
  sleep and concealment, and three monsters.
  sváfnIr
  Titles: Sleep-bringer, Little-Death.
  Aspects: Sleep (including dreams and nightmares).
  Affiliations: Niht, Rigr.
  Symbol: black disc.
  Priesthood: Dreamers (priests); Watchers (paladins). 
  Clerics of Niht who honor Sváfnir only ever refer to 
  themselves as Nightmares.
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Clerics celebrate every Deorcmonan.
  Duties: To watch over sleeping communities, to rid 
  the world of Niht’s followers.
  Sins: (Minor) not sleeping at least eight hours a day, 
  not fighting a cleric of Niht when the opportunity arises; 
  (Major) harming a sleeping creature, not sleeping at least 
  four hours a day; (Mortal) killing a sleeping creature not 
  sleeping at least an hour a day.
  Signature Power: Slumber.
  Powers: Altered senses, confusion, fatigue, lower 
  trait (Vigor only; no boost), nightmare, sentry, sluggish 
  reflexes, stun.
  Trappings: Trappings tend to be soothing words, 
  thrown dust, and so on.
  Sváfnir (“Sleep bringer”) Nihtsunu always hated his 
  mother. In his eyes, night was a special time, when mor-
  tals freed their minds from the daily grind and dreamt 
  of beauty and wonder. While his mother plotted murder 
  and mayhem under cover of darkness, Sváfnir would sit 
  and gaze at the dreams as they ascended to heaven. Rigr, 
  who sees all that transpires in the universe, approached 
  Sváfnir and offered him the role of watching over sleep-
  ing mortals. In return, Rigr granted Sváfnir knowledge 
  of how to alter his senses, so as to be able to see in the 
  dark.
  Like some statues of Rigr, Sváfnir is depicted with one 
  eye open and one shut. This represents his dual role as 
  guardian of sleep and watcher over those who slumber. 
  Unlike Rigr, Sváfnir is always shown as a youthful boy.
  Shrines to Sváfnir are never found in his mother’s 
  temples, and are rare even in temples of Rigr. Watch 
  barracks may have a small statue in his honor, but only 
  those working after dark pay him any attention. A com-
  mon good charm, especially for children, is to have a 
  disc carved into the bed. This helps ward off evil dreams 
  and ensures a good night’s sleep.
  While Rigr grants his disciples the ability to stave off 
  sleep, Sváfnir insists his followers enjoy the experience. 
  because of their role as watchers over the sleeping, the 
  clergy tend to lead nocturnal lives. both priests and 
  paladins serve communities as watchmen, patrolling the 
  streets and ramparts at night so others may sleep safely. 
  They maintain good relations with the clergy of Hothar 
  and Rigr, both of whom have law-enforcement/protection 
  aspects. When adventuring, the clergy are most likely to 
  volunteer to take watch during the darkest hours.
  Clerics have been known to collect recollections 
  of dreams, recording them to be shared among their 
  comrades. It is widely believed that dreams can involve 
  messages from the gods, portents of the future, and so-
  lutions to problems the mortal may be enduring in his 
  short life, though the imagery is almost always cryptic or 
  allegorical. During religious ceremonies clerics retell the 
  dream stories they have collected and discuss the pos-
  sible meaning. Some have even begun offering advice to 
  mortals based on interpretation of their dreams, though 
  the clergy of Maera scoff at this, claiming their goddess is 
  sole governess of mysteries and portents.
  The clergy see Niht’s followers as their greatest enemy, 
  festIval to nIHt
     nIgHt of sIlent screaMs
  Last Healfdaeg of Wulfmonan.
  When one of Niht’s servants gossiped about her ac-
  tivities to another god, Niht had his tongue torn out 
  and hands severed so he could never speak or write 
  of her plans again. She grew to enjoy the punish-
  ment, and used it on her assassins who failed to 
  accomplish their missions.
  Worshippers known to have betrayed their oath 
  never to reveal a secret entrusted them or who fail 
  to complete the Night of the Red Spot, are punished 
  on this night. Like Niht’s servant, they must endure 
  ritual disfigurement for their sins. Given that few 
  sinners volunteer for this torture, worshippers kid-
  nap clerics of Hoenir and bragi (see page Region 
  Guide #15) in the days beforehand. Once mutilat-
  ed, the victims are released to continue their lives—
  Niht appreciates the irony of a cleric of knowledge 
  never being able to pass on what he has learned.
  The tongue is always removed first, for whatever 
  oaths and curses the victim may try to utter are then 
  known only to Niht, who adds them to her collec-
  tion. When depressed or in need of entertainment, 
  Niht opens the jars containing these silent screams 
  and listens to them.
  tHe MIstlands
  
  
  for sleeping targets are the preferred prey of assassins. 
  because of this, they can often be found employed as 
  nocturnal bodyguards to the rich and powerful. because 
  of this, the clergy are usually on good terms with those 
  of Kvara.
  During Deorcmonan, when Niht’s power is at its 
  greatest, the clergy bang loud drums, blow horns, and 
  sing protective chants to drive away evil spirits sent by 
  Niht to plague mortal sleepers. The cacophony always 
  stops before the hour gets too late, so as not to disturb 
  those they are supposed to protect.
  Despite Sváfnir’s loathing of his mother, he cannot es-
  cape her influence. Given his powers to create sleep and 
  aid those who work at night, Sváfnir receives occasional 
  worship from Niht’s followers. In order to avoid sinning, 
  these dark clerics are never actual assassins, but instead 
  prepare targets to meet a silent death by inducing sleep 
  in sentries. by the ancient laws that bind the gods, Sváf-
  nir cannot refuse to empower those who truly offer him 
  worship, and has not. because of this, his benevolent 
  clerics sometimes find themselves fighting against those 
  who worship their god.
  Character Guidelines: As watchmen, a high Notice 
  skill is advisable. For the same reason, Alertness and 
  Danger Sense are both useful Edges. because they don’t 
  need to remain awake for long periods, Vigor is less 
  important than it is to clerics of Rigr. Combat skills and 
  Edges should not be overlooked, for at heart the faith is 
  a militant one.
  tvíblIndI
  Titles: The Concealed One, the Sneak, He Who Walks 
  in Shadows.
  Aspects: Concealment.
  Affiliations: Nauthiz, Niht.
  Symbol: None.
  Priesthood: Shadow Walkers (priests); Shadow 
  Knights (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Every second day of Deorcmonan of the 
  month.
  Duties: Not to be seen.
  Sins: (Minor) spotted by a sentry in daylight when try-
  ing to be sneaky, being revealed as a cleric of Tvíblindi; 
  (Major) spotted by a sentry in poor lighting when trying 
  to be sneaky; (Mortal) spotted by a sentry at night when 
  trying to be sneaky, discussing the faith with outsiders.
  Signature Power: Invisibility.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (boost Stealth & lower No-
  tice only), detect/conceal (conceal only), fog cloud, heat 
  mask, obscure, silence.
  Trappings: Darkness only.
  Tvíblindi is the son of Niht and Nauthiz, though not 
  through sexual union. Nauthiz, on the prowl for valu-
  ables, snuck into Niht’s great hall under cover of darkness 
  and stole a lock of the goddess’ hair, a toenail clipping, 
  and some of her breath. From this Nauthiz crafted a new 
  god, who he named Tvíblindi (“Twice blind”). Crafted 
  from two gods of concealment, Tvíblindi proved a most 
  adept sneak, though Nauthiz was disappointed in his 
  thievery and gambling skills.
  The pair quickly set to work robbing the other gods, 
  Tvíblindi providing the concealment and Nauthiz doing 
  the actual thieving. Nauthiz may be a master sneak, but 
  Niht also has dominion over concealment, and the new 
  god could not be kept secret from her for long. Since 
  secrets are her specialty, Niht agreed to keep Tvíblindi’s 
  existence secret from the other gods, so long as Nauthiz 
  allowed him to work for her as well. Niht has kept her 
  word, for no other god has yet to learn of his existence, 
  though Rigr the Watchman has suspicions.
  As befits his nature, the god of concealment has no 
  temples, no shrines, and is never depicted in art or writ-
  ing. Worshippers wear no holy symbol, and clerics are 
  forbidden from discussing the faith with outsiders. To 
  all intents and purposes, there is no cult of Tvíblindi. 
  This makes it very difficult for members to identify each 
  other, but Tvíblindi cares little for mass gatherings of his 
  worshippers.
  Tvíblindi is honored by assassins, spies, and those 
  whose occupation requires them to remain unseen. A 
  god of few qualms, he cares little how mortals use his 
  powers, only that they use them well. Traditionally, 
  paladins have tended to be assassins and thieves, those 
  who require both concealment and martial skills to fulfill 
  their occupations. Priests lean toward covert gathering of 
  intelligence, and thus make ideal spies and scouts. Since 
  worship of both Nauthiz and Niht are heavily frowned 
  upon, clerics tend to avoid using their powers in view of 
  those they cannot trust to keep silent.
  On the last Endedaeg of Fogmonan, the nearest 
  Deorcmonan to Heah Wyntr Daeg, the clergy celebrate 
  the Night of Grasping Hands. Here they pit their skills 
  against the sentries and bodyguards of the rich and fa-
  mous by attempting to enter their homes and commit 
  some audacious act. Some clerics choose to sneak into 
  the bedchambers of daughters and leave a rose on the 
  pillow of the slumbering maidens. Others try to steal 
  a valuable and well-guarded item, while a small few 
  take the opportunity to eliminate a powerful and well-
  guarded figure. Failure to complete the task, or refusal 
  to participate, counts as a mortal sin.
  Character Guidelines: being a cleric of Tvíblindi is 
  more a sideline than a full-time occupation. Hence, cler-
  ics tend to specialize in skills befitting their more mun-
  dane occupation. Assassins, for instance, require good 
  Stealth and combat skills, while a spy also needs high 
  Stealth but likely learns Investigation, Persuasion, Street-
  wise, and other intelligence gathering talents. Since cler-
  ics generally operate at night and Tvíblindi doesn’t grant 
  powers that boost the senses, clerics should invest in a 
  high Notice skill.
  betrayer
  The cult of Niht does not tolerate betrayal. The lucky 
  ones who reveal the cult’s secrets are subjected to the 
  Hellfrost regIon guIde #20
  10
  
  Night of Long Screams. Less unfortunate worshippers 
  undergo a darker ritual, which transforms them into crea-
  tures known as betrayers. The victim’s tongue is pulled 
  out at the root and a leather patch crudely sewn over his 
  mouth, hot irons are rammed into his eye sockets and 
  ears, and his hands are hacked off at the wrists. The vic-
  tim is then killed, the murder concealed with an arcane 
  charm that prevents Scaetha learning of the death. In-
  stead of going to Scaetha’s Hall, the soul remains bound 
  to the corpse. The incantation also strips everything the 
  victim knew from its memory, preventing it from further 
  transgressions, yet leaves tantalizing fragments intact. 
  Such creatures are invariably insane by the time the ritual 
  is completed. Lastly, the betrayer’s existence is tied to the 
  cleric performing the long and elaborate.
  betrayers are found only as guardians in Niht’s unlit 
  temples. Sword blades, axe heads, and mace heads are 
  attached to their wrists, allowing them to fight in clumsy 
  fashion despite having no hands. While the betrayer can 
  see and hear nothing, and thus learn nothing, it possesses 
  unearthly senses capable of penetrating even invisibility 
  spells. Although it gains no benefit from these senses, 
  the cleric who created it does—he becomes aware of any 
  intruders the betrayer senses. All he receives is a mental 
  alarm. In order to discern any features, he must wait un-
  til the betrayer moves adjacent to the creature.
  Unfortunately, the link only works one way, so the 
  cleric cannot command his minion to investigate further. 
  Still, forewarned is forearmed, and many an adventurer 
  has found a cleric of Hint waiting for him with his defen-
  sive spells already in place.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d12, Stealth 
  d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
  Gear: Short sword, axe, or mace (Str+d6)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Flashback: If a betrayer draws a deuce as an action 
  card, it experiences a brief flashback of its former 
  memories. This sensory overload causes the creature 
  to be Shaken. If multiple betrayers are sharing the 
  same card, one decided at random suffers flashbacks.
  * Immunity: No mundane or magical coercion (includ-
  ing gravespeak and puppet) can force or persuade a 
  betrayer to reveal any information.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. Called shots do no extra damage. Immune to 
  poison and disease.
  * Unnatural Senses: betrayers ignore all penalties for 
  poor lighting, including obscure, or detecting invis-
  ible creatures. They roll a d6 Wild Die with Notice 
  rolls.
  darklIng (fey)
  Darklings are malevolent Unseelie fey. They appear 
  as small humanoids composed of utter darkness. When 
  ready to attack, they blanket the area in obscure spells 
  which rob the victims of their senses, and set upon them 
  with long, curved daggers. Darklings haunt isolated 
  places in packs of six to ten members. They are burned 
  by sunlight, but can seek shelter beneath their obscure 
  spells. They are loathe to be caught outside though, for 
  a sphere of darkness moving across the land is quite no-
  ticeable (and is subject to dispel).
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d8, Spellcasting d10, 
  Stealth d10
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4
  Gear: Curved dagger (Str+d6)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Darkvision: Darklings ignore all darkness penalties.
  * Move the Darkness: As an action a darkling can shift 
  all obscure spells within its line of sight by a maxi-
  mum of 6”. This includes obscure spells cast by oth-
  ers, as well as those it cast.
  * Powers: Darklings know only obscure (sphere of 
  utter darkness). They can conjure one Large burst 
  Template or two Medium burst Templates. The spell 
  causes total sensory deprivation to anyone (except 
  darklings) who enters a template, or who begins or 
  ends their turn in one. Victims must make a Spirit roll 
  at –2 or be Shaken.
  * Size –1: Darklings are the same size as young chil-
  dren.
  * Weakness (Light): A darkling caught in the template 
  of a light spell suffers 2d6 damage. Those caught in 
  sunlight suffer 2d10 damage per round. A darkling 
  in the base illumination radius of an artificial light 
  source, such as a torch or lantern, suffers –2 to all 
  Trait rolls.
  dragon, sHadow
  With scales as black as pitch, dark, leathery, batlike 
  wings, and eyes like bottomless wells, shadow dragons 
  are rightly feared by all right-minded citizens. Their 
  breath is a stream of infernal darkness, which saps the 
  life from victims. Scholars insist they are not entirely 
  natural creatures, but instead come from Niht’s native 
  plane, the so-called Realm of Darkness.
  They are a small species, but very nimble and ex-
  tremely intelligent. Rather than get involved in bloody 
  combats, they prefer to use their natural fearful aura, 
  intimidating appearance, and spells to deal with those 
  who would rob them of their precious treasure. Their 
  wings are not particularly strong, and most can run at 
  least as fast as they can fly.
  Shadow dragons detest light, though they are not nec-
  essarily nocturnal—those inhabiting dark caves are just 
  as likely to be awake during the day as asleep. All shadow 
  dragons have Weakness (Light).
  * Weakness (Light): Shadow dragons suffer double 
  damage from offensive spells with a light trapping.
  tHe MIstlands
  11
  
  sHadow dragon tables
  attrIbutes & skIlls
  ———————— Attributes ————————
  ———————— Skills ————————
  Age
  Agility
  Smarts
  Spirit
  Strength
  Vigor
  Fighting
  Guts
  Intimidation
  Notice
  Hatchling
  d8
  d8
  d6
  d10
  d6
  d6
  d4
  d10
  d8
  Juvenile
  d10
  d10
  d6
  d12+1
  d8
  d8
  d6
  d12
  d10
  Adult
  d10
  d10
  d8
  d12+2
  d8
  d8
  d8
  d12+1
  d10
  Old
  d12
  d12
  d8
  d12+4
  108
  d8
  d10
  d12+2
  d12
  Ancient
  d12+1
  d12
  d10
  d12+6
  d10
  d10
  N/A
  d12+3
  d12+1
  secondary traIts
  Age
  Pace
  Parry
  Toughness
  Treasure
  Hatchling
  8
  5
  6 (1)
  Meager, in lair
  Juvenile
  8
  6
  8 (1)
  Worthwhile, in lair
  Adult
  10
  6
  10 (2)
  Rich, in lair
  Old
  12
  6
  13 (2)
  Treasure Trove, in lair
  Ancient
  14
  7
  16 (3)
  Two Treasure Troves, in lair
  varIable coMMon specIal abIlItIes
  Age
  Armor
  Bite/Claws
  Breath
  Fear
  Flight
  Size
  Tail
  Wing
  Hatchling
  +1
  Str+d4
  2d6
  –1
  6”
  +0
  1” x 1”
  N/A
  Juvenile
  +1
  Str+d6
  2d8
  –2
  8”
  +1
  1” x 2”
  1”
  Adult
  +2
  Str+d8
  2d10
  –2
  10”
  +2
  1” x 2”
  d2”
  Old
  +2
  Str+d8
  3d8
  –3
  12”
  +4
  2” x 4”
  d4”
  Ancient
  +3
  Str+d10
  3d10
  –4
  12”
  +6
  3” x 6”
  d4”
  otHer specIal abIlItIes
  Age
  Special Abilities
  Hatchling
  Arcane Resistance, Infravision, Low Light Vision, Spellcasting, Weakness (see notes)
  Juvenile
  Arcane Resistance, Infravision, Level Headed, Low Light Vision, Spellcasting, Weakness (see notes)
  Adult
  Frenzy, Improved Arcane Resistance, Infravision, Level Headed, Low Light Vision, Spellcasting, Weakness 
  (see notes)
  Old
  Frenzy, Hardy, Improved Arcane Resistance, Infravision, Large, Level Headed, Low Light Vision, Spellcasting. 
  Weakness (see notes)
  Ancient
  Hardy, Improved Arcane Resistance, Improved Frenzy, Infravision, Large, Level Headed, Low Light Vision, 
  Spellcasting, Weakness (see notes)
  spellcastIng abIlItIes
  Age
  Die
  Power Edges
  Spells
  Hatchling
  d4
  Spell Finesse (1)
  Obscure (sphere of darkness)
  Juvenile
  d6
  Concentration
  Bless/panic (panic only)
  Adult
  d8
  Focus, Spell Finesse (1)
  Elemental form (shadow only)
  Old
  d10
  Improved Focus
  Summon elemental (shadow only)
  Ancient
  d12
  Improved Concentration, Spell Finesse (1) Ethereal/corporeal (ethereal only)
  Hellfrost regIon guIde #20
  12
  
  IntroductIon
  The hardy citizens of Chalcis have weathered the yoke of the Anari Empire, withstood 
  the terror of the Liche-Priest, and held strong in the Blizzard War, but now their realm is 
  facing threats that cannot be so easily defeated. The metallic race known as the Scaven-
  gers plague the rich mines, while the borders of Witchwood encroach deeper into Chalcis 
  each year, bringing with them hard winters. This product expands on information in the 
  Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Once part of the Anari Empire, Chalcis was ruled by a governor until the Empire col-
  lapsed. The military commanders who usurped power appointed themselves nobles of the 
  realm and decreed that no prince, king, or emperor would ever hold power over the land 
  again. As such, the highest noble title is that of duke, held by the ruler of Chalcis. Realizing 
  that the people would not accept being downtrodden again, the constitution was written 
  to give them finite powers to decide who ruled them.
  If a duke has a legitimate heir, then he or she automatically becomes entitled to rule 
  upon reaching the age of 14 (adulthood). If the duke has no legitimate heirs, the people 
  of Chalcis are given the power to elect the next duke. Any titled noble of Chalcis who has 
  sworn loyalty to the realm is entitled to stand, regardless of the legitimacy of his birth. 
  In most cases, the new duke founds a new dynasty to show he has no ties to the former 
  ruler, though those following a popular duke may attempt to cash in on his popularity by 
  continuing the same dynasty. A handful of times the people have tried to elect a non-noble 
  to office. In all but one instance the candidate was knighted by one of the other nobles in 
  order to stave off bloody riots.
  Despite the good intentions of the early constitution, several dukes developed ideas of 
  grandeur and tried to rule as tyrants. Following a handful of riots, a brief civil war, and too 
  many assassination attempts, the nobles bowed to the peoples’ wishes and gave them the 
  right to remove unpopular dukes from office. No vote is held. Instead, the people show 
  their displeasure through protest marches, refusal to pay taxes, and riots. 
  Sensible dukes resign from office once the people rise against them, preserving a modi-
  cum of honor by acquiescing to the will of the masses and avoiding civil war. Those who 
  refuse to step down may be removed by the tried and tested Anari method of assassination. 
  31221
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 1 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  cHalcIS
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  In order to ensure the duke was never untouchable, his 
  personal bodyguard is selected from the highmoor city 
  guard, a military unit whose first loyalty is to the citizens, 
  not the duke.
  Ranking below the duke are the nobles. Their titles 
  range from count down to knight. unlike the duke, they 
  cannot be removed from power by legitimate means and 
  the citizens have no say whatsoever in who inherits the 
  title. Only the duke may create new counts, though other 
  nobles may create lesser nobles to serve under them. 
  Strict laws force nobles who create titles to cede a set 
  amount of their land to the new noble. Thus, the more 
  nobles a count creates, the smaller his personal domain 
  becomes.
  Every count and baron is automatically appointed to 
  the high Council, an advisory body with no true govern-
  mental powers. Rather, their gatherings are a means for 
  the duke to judge the mood in his realm.
  The main divisions of the masses are the upper, mid-
  dle, and lower classes, though there are gray areas in be-
  tween. The classes are divided by a mix of wealth, social 
  standing, and influence, though one must have all three 
  to truly qualify. Thus, while a merchant may be richer 
  than a nobleman, if he has no important friends or social 
  contacts he doesn’t qualify as upper class, no matter how 
  much he protests. After all, social class is not determined 
  by law, but by the acceptance of one’s peers.
  however, if he acts above his station, the middle 
  classes may not want him either. hence, he may be called 
  upper-middle class. Such classifications are rarely con-
  sidered good. In the eyes of both the upper and middle 
  classes the merchant may be seen as having aspirations 
  above his station.
  Wealthy merchants and crafters, important priests 
  and mages, court officials, and top military commanders 
  generally fall into the upper class, with their less affluent 
  or influential counterparts forming the middle classes, 
  along with scribes, popular bards, and other non-indus-
  trial roles. Everyone else is in the lower class.
  While most citizens are tied to a noble house, the 
  nobility is renowned for its debts. As such, any man or 
  woman of sufficient means may buy their independence 
  and own their own land. Such individuals are, however, 
  always beholden to the duke.
  educatIon
  While the cult of hoenir has yet to spread far in Chal-
  cis, formal education is available to those with wealth. 
  Scribes from the Chalcis Scriptorum hire themselves out 
  as teachers, tutoring young nobles and gentry in literacy 
  and basic numeracy, while mages from the Tower of the 
  Four Paths teach more advanced subjects. In many cases, 
  private tutors are the norm for the rich, while the poor 
  learn from family, friends, and local clerics.
  The Chalcians are a proud people, though rarely arro-
  gant. All children are taught about the battles against the 
  Liche-Priest, hellfrost horde, and numerous orc invaders, 
  and they speak of them with great zeal, remembering the 
  fallen for their heroic sacrifices.
  Although most of these conflicts occurred under the 
  rule of the Anari emperors, and despite the population 
  being predominantly Anari stock, it was always the Chal-
  cians who won or lost, never the Anari. Indeed, most 
  Chalcians hold the days of the empire to be a dark time 
  best consigned to history. 
  In some lands, divisions along bloodlines still hold 
  true.  Despite centuries of inter-marriage, anyone born 
  in Chalcis is deemed to be a Chalcian, regardless of his 
  or her heritage. Children are taught from an early age 
  that love of and loyalty to Chalcis are what makes a true 
  Chalcian, not his ancestry. This extends even to non-hu-
  mans, though only the tiny engro population ever call 
  themselves Chalcians—the elves and dwarves prefer to 
  keep their races separate, despite enjoying peaceful rela-
  tions with the Chalcians.
  relIgIon
  The major gods of Chalcis are, in order of popularity, 
  Ertha, Thunor, var, kenaz, and Sigel. As always, most ma-
  jor gods have some form of worship, with participation 
  ranging from many thousands to a few dozen.
  Although trade has decreased, the export of metal ore 
  and ingots remains Chalcis’ primary income source. It is 
  widely claimed that under the Anari yoke, more people 
  worked in the mines than in food production. This is a 
  slightly distorted view, first because many of the miners 
  were slaves and second because the farmers were forced 
  to work in the mines during the summer and winter 
  months, thus swelling the number of miners. Still, min-
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in Chalcis.
  * Metal Goods: Metal items are commonplace 
  in Chalcis’ markets. Any metal items can be pur-
  chased for 90% of the normal price. unfortunately, 
  the abundance makes it harder for heroes to sell 
  booty. Prices for selling the spoils of adventures 
  are reduced to 15% and 35% respectively for metal 
  items, such as weapons and armor. unusual items, 
  like jewelry, may, at the gM’s discretion, fetch the 
  standard prices.
  * Scutage: All visitors to Chalcis are required by 
  law to provide military assistance in the event of an 
  invasion. A tax of 1 gs, paid monthly, alleviates this 
  burden. In return, the visitor is given an engraved 
  metal disc which states how long he is exempt from 
  military duty. Failure to answer the call to arms is 
  punishable as cowardice, a crime which carries a 
  maximum penalty of death by hanging.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #21
  2
  
  ing is in many families’ blood, and Ertha remains the 
  most honored deity in Chalcis as a result.
  Thunor’s worship began among Saxa slaves shipped 
  here to work the mines. After the revolution the Saxa 
  were freed, though many chose to remain in Chalcis as 
  free citizens of the new realm. When the new constitu-
  tion was founded, personal freedom played a large role, 
  and worship of Thunor spread. The cult enjoyed a huge 
  surge in popularity after the Battle of Thunor’s Fury, 
  when unseasonal rains hampered the orc advance.
  Thanks to the country’s valuable exports, Chalcians 
  enjoy a good standard of life. Though few citizens are 
  rich, many could once afford small luxuries every now 
  and then. Even with the recent troubles, heavily-laden 
  caravans are a common sight on the trade road between 
  Deepdale and Shapryr. Most markets boast a shrine to 
  the god of trade, and his temples form the great markets 
  in the major towns. Often temples to Ertha and var are 
  combined, for the two deities are firmly linked in Chal-
  cian mythology.
  unsurprisingly, kenaz is a major god. While Chal-
  cis does not export large quantities of worked metal 
  goods, the exception being silver jewelry, much of the 
  ore extracted from the mines is smelted and cast into 
  ingots before being sold. Since the advent of the long 
  winters, support for kenaz has spread further afield. In 
  the villages near Witchwood, worship is growing to rival 
  that of Ertha. Fire-and-brimstone preachers, who warn 
  of the Fimbulvintr and the dangers of Thrym, are com-
  monplace.
  During the madness of hela and terror of the Liche-
  Priest it was Sigel who led the forces of light, not Scaetha 
  (her promotion came as a result of that struggle). The 
  Chalcian armies fought valiantly to stand against the dark 
  tide, and worship of Sigel, though reduced, has been a 
  part of daily life ever since.
  It should be noted that while some agricultural ar-
  eas favor Eostre Plantmother, many Chalcians see good 
  harvests as the work of Ertha, for providing rich soil, 
  Thunor, for keeping storms at bay, and Sigel, for shining 
  brightly on the ripening crops. The elves of Nutwood 
  have no such confusion, and Eostre Plantmother is duly 
  thanked for her role in the great cycle of life.
  mIlItary
  As noted in the Hellfrost Gazetteer, the Duke has an 
  army of 6,000 men divided into six equal strength regi-
  ments. Of these, one is stationed in the Orcblood hills 
  as a precaution against orc attacks, two are on the border 
  with Witchwood, two are scattered through the mining 
  settlements to protect against Scavenger raids, and the 
  sixth watches over the Inner Sea from a string of small 
  forts. The regiments on the Orcblood hills and northern 
  border with Witchwood are also responsible for safe-
  guarding the border with the Drachenlands.
  In the last year, Duke howel has formed an inde-
  pendent company known as the knights of Chalcis. The 
  company comprises 20 knights and 100 heavy cavalry. 
  All the knights hold titles and are hand-picked from the 
  noble houses of the land. Since members must swear 
  loyalty to the duke, this helps keep the power of the 
  nobility in check. The cavalrymen are all scions of upper 
  class houses and hold the rank of Squire of Chalcis. The 
  company is led by Count Maugis ap-Marc, a distant rela-
  tive of Duke howel.
  The knights’ barracks, a heavily-fortified small stone 
  castle, sits between the eastern edge of the granite 
  Mountains and the high Moor. Duke howel maintains 
  quarters in the castle. Their primary role is to act as a 
  rapid reaction force, thundering into battle anywhere in 
  Chalcis in under a week. 
  Officially that is the entire permanent army. unoffi-
  cially, howel can call upon the Chalcis Rangers, a band 
  of some 30 adventurers formed a decade ago and sworn 
  to serve the realm. They are well paid (100 gs per month 
  plus room and board) and enjoy the Duke’s favor, but 
  they are assigned hazardous missions, such as spying 
  on Witchwood, scouring the Mistlands for signs of orcs, 
  and launching retaliatory raids against the much-feared 
  Scavengers. Many hold minor court titles as well, allow-
  ing them to carry arms in highmoor. In this manner, 
  howel has a private bodyguard at all times, for by law his 
  personal guard is hand-picked from the highmoor city 
  guard, giving him no say in who watches his back.
  highmoor, the Duke’s seat, is protected by a city 
  guard. Their oaths of loyalty are to the citizens of Chal-
  cis, who pay their wages and upkeep, not to the ruling 
  duke, for they were formed to keep the dukes in line and 
  prevent them from becoming tyrants. By tradition, no 
  new leaderSHIp edgeS
     drop!
  Requirements: Seasoned, Notice d6+, Com-
  mand
  Once per round when an ally within the hero’s 
  command radius is targeted by a ranged weapon, 
  the character may order him to drop to the ground. 
  This allows the intended target to fall prone out of 
  turn, even if he has acted already, gaining the ben-
  efits of Medium Cover.
     Help me!
  Requirements: Seasoned, Command
  Once per round when a foe moves adjacent to the 
  hero, the threatened character may call for help. 
  One ally within the character’s command radius 
  who has not yet acted this turn may try to interrupt 
  as if he were on hold. With success, the ally must 
  attack the opponent who triggered this Edge.
  cHalcIS
  
  
  soldier paid by the duke may enter highmoor without 
  their permission, and even then all arms must be surren-
  dered. In recent times this has been relaxed slightly, al-
  lowing the regimental-captains and a small honor guard 
  (no more than five men) to come and go as they please.
  Although nobles are entitled to maintain a private 
  army of up to 300 soldiers, only the richest can afford to 
  keep anywhere near this many. Most knights can muster 
  around 10 men-at-arms, barons five times that, and aver-
  age counts around 150 troops.
  Chalcis maintains a small navy, though it is not under 
  the command of the duke. Nobles whose lands include 
  part of the shoreline are required to supply a minimum 
  of one longship and adequate crew per 50 miles of coast-
  line. Currently, the navy stands at 15 longships. Since 
  maintaining a permanent navy is expensive, each noble 
  is awarded a stipend based on the number of ships he 
  possesses to help offset the burden. These are paid for 
  by taxes raised throughout the country.
  trade & trIbute
  Chalcis was once a prosperous land, its citizens en-
  joying a better standard of living than anywhere else in 
  Rassilon. Thanks to their sizeable profits, the nobility 
  kept taxes low and the workforce happy. The results of 
  Chalcis’ rich ore veins were felt even in non-industrial 
  communities, for the dukes had long placed taxes on the 
  richer nobility so as to alleviate suffering and hardship in 
  poorer areas.
  unfortunately, ore production has dropped 50% in 
  recent years and many outlying communities are facing 
  increased hardship as their livelihoods are destroyed. 
  The nobles’ income is reduced, so they must raise taxes 
  to meet all their obligations and extravagances (heaven 
  forbid they should do without their luxuries). Even so, 
  the duke receives less taxes from his nobles, and the 
  amount of money he has to fund poorer settlements 
  is declining. Over the last 110 years, the gap between 
  rich and poor has steadily risen. In the last five years, 
  since the Scavenger attacks increased in intensity and 
  frequency, the divide has increased even further.
  The situation hasn’t become desperate quite yet, but 
  while the poor grow poorer (even if the rich aren’t grow-
  ing richer) dissension is stirring beneath the still waters 
  of Chalcian society. Clerics of vali have made greater 
  inroads in the last few years, corrupting, converting, and 
  subverting to their insidious ways. Alas, it is not just the 
  poor who fall sway to their charming words and warm 
  smiles, for while the rich suffer less, any reduction in 
  income is felt in some way, and those with power and 
  wealth are loathe to relinquish their grip on the reins.
  Chalcis is borderline self-sufficient in basic wares. 
  Agriculture feeds the people, though without much to 
  spare—a hard winter could result in localized famine, 
  while two or three would cause a national disaster.
  Most pots and clothing, the next basic necessities, are 
  clerIcS of eIra
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of Eira, providing facts useful to both play-
  ers and gMs.
  Training: Clerics begin training with classroom in-
  struction in the anatomy of the races and the art 
  of herbalism, learning the medicinal properties of 
  plants before brewing their own herbal remedies. 
  Once the basics are learned they assist senior cler-
  ics around the temple as orderlies, learning how to 
  recognize and treat a variety of injuries and sick-
  nesses. Later, clerics are taken to battlefields to wit-
  ness the carnage or listen to veterans’ stories. These 
  are not tales of heroic battle like the skalds recite, 
  but of senseless death and bloodshed—only by see-
  ing and hearing the true cost of war can they fully 
  dedicate themselves to the art of preventing vio-
  lence. It also serves to cull those of weak-heart, for 
  healing is more than mopping fevered brows and 
  tending minor cuts and grazes, and many injuries 
  are enough to empty one’s stomach.
  Prayers: Depending on the situation, prayers be-
  gin with, “Merciful/Peaceful/gentle Mother, pure 
  of heart, take pity on this unfortunate soul and…” 
  Curses, exclamations, and oaths always begin with 
  the name of the goddess. Examples include, “Eira’s 
  serenity (save me from fools)!” “Eira’s mercy (will 
  you please shut up)!” and “Eira’s tranquility (that 
  scared the hell out of me)!”
  Adventures: Wherever there is war or sickness, Ei-
  ra’s clerics are never far away. They may be called 
  upon to accompany an army to war, attend critical 
  peace treaty negotiations as mediators, hunt down 
  worshippers of vali, or transport and protect vital 
  medical supplies. Ancient tombs and lost cities 
  could hold healing relics or lost tomes of healing 
  lore, both valuable to the cult.
  Character Guidelines: healing is the skill for cler-
  ics. As peacemakers, Intimidation and Persuasion 
  are useful skills. Many clerics are herbalists, and 
  thus have the hedge Magic Edge. Similarly, Alchemy 
  is a useful Edge for creating healing potions. Those 
  who want to be truly excellent healers should be-
  come a Disciple.
  Although pacifistic, this doesn’t mean Fighting 
  should be ignored. Even if the follower doesn’t ac-
  tually attack anyone, it governs Parry and is a re-
  quirement for defensive Edges like Block.
  Adventuring clerics shouldn’t forsake Spirit and 
  guts, for they may be called upon to enter battle 
  or help those facing fearsome beasts—a cleric who 
  continually runs away or faints is no use in the heat 
  of battle.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #21
  
  
  locally-produced. quality varies immensely, and does 
  not compare to the wondrous pottery of heligioland. 
  unfortunately, the loss of Silverdale means such wares 
  have risen steeply in price thanks to the longer route 
  required to reach Chalcis’ markets.
  Much of the country’s major imports are artwork, 
  gems, and leathergoods. Most gems are bought by 
  jewelers to be placed in gold or silver rings, brooches, 
  and amulets and then exported. Painting is virtually un-
  known in Rassilon, so much of the artwork is sculpture 
  or tapestry.
  Taxes are divided into two distinct lots. hearth tax, 
  property tax, road tolls, citizenship tax, and sales tax are 
  paid to the duke’s coffers. Out of this he funds the army, 
  maintains the trade roads, and subsidizes the navy. In-
  come and property taxes are paid directly to the nobility. 
  Religious taxes are paid directly to each temple, though 
  the temples must pay taxes to the duke.
  arcHItecture
  Most Anari settlements are built around a manor, 
  the home of the local noble or his appointed headman. 
  While the exact layout of a manor varies considerably, 
  they share common features. Typically they sit inside 
  a wooden palisade, for in many places this is the only 
  fortification. The manors of headmen, knights, and poor 
  barons may contain just the lord’s banquet hall, bar-
  racks, servant quarters, and a single granary. Those of 
  the rich barons and counts might boast a grand banquet 
  hall, with adjoining kitchens and guest rooms, the lord’s 
  private lodgings and a private shrine to his patron deity, 
  extensive servant quarters with better lodging for impor-
  tant courtiers, workshops, barns, stables, granaries, and 
  maybe a brewery. A small vegetable garden, orchard, and 
  herb garden are normally present as well.
  Even in the great cities, houses are typically single-sto-
  ry wooden structures. Rectangular in shape, the walls are 
  wattle-and-daub construction. The shingle or thatched 
  sloped roof overhangs the main house, preventing water 
  from pooling near the walls.
  In rural communities the house is normally divided in 
  two. On one side are the main hall and the owner’s pri-
  vate chambers, while in the other is a byre for livestock. 
  City and town dwellers may keep dogs, but the practice 
  of having livestock running around the streets has long 
  been abolished. Instead, communities share common 
  land on the outskirts of town.
  Stone construction is reserved for castles and temples, 
  the latter serving as fortifications in time of need. Castles 
  tend to be ugly edifices, built for function rather than 
  aesthetics. Temples, on the other hand, are grand affairs, 
  erected with no expense spared. Chalcians favor arches 
  in their holy places, for these represent the arching heav-
  ens. Interior decoration ranges from minimal to exces-
  sive, depending on the budget and piety of the clerics or 
  noble who sponsored the building.
  major localeS
  While Chalcis’ major settlements and geographical 
  features are detailed in the Hellfrost Gazetteer, this sec-
  tion provides new insight into some existing places and 
  additional locales to explore.
  annael
  Population: 1,406
  Ruler: Baron Cadmar ap-Sornehan
  Custodial sentences are rare in Rassilon. The accused 
  may be kept in jail while awaiting trial, but punishments 
  rarely involve incarceration since that requires feeding 
  a criminal. Shortly after Chalcis’ independence it was 
  decided to introduce forced labor as a punishment. Slav-
  ery had been abolished along with Anari rule, and mine 
  workers required wages. Thus, convict labor was seen as 
  a means of acquiring cheap labor.
  Annael is a prison camp in the foothills of the granite 
  Mountains. Surrounded by a high palisade and deep 
  ditch filled with slim wooden stakes, it house 1,200 in-
  mates, 200 guards, and six auxiliaries, including a Sister 
  of Mercy and a priest of Ertha. guards are equipped with 
  long spears and crossbows.
  Conditions for the inmates are rudimentary and they 
  are worked hard. unfortunately, recent Scavenger at-
  tacks on the mines have reduced the workforce, causing 
  a drop in production. To ensure quotas are met, Baron 
  Cadmar, who is paid based on the amount of ore mined, 
  has begun offering local judges incentives to sentence 
  criminals to hard labor rather than inflict other punish-
  ments. he has also started buying slaves, something 
  banned under Chalcian law. Even so, he still needs more 
  workers. To that end, he has hired gangs of thugs to kid-
  nap fit men and women to work the mines.
  caStle letHe
  Population: 512
  Ruler: Baron Raoul ap-Danain
  “Castle” Lethe is actually a motte-and-bailey on the 
  southern edge of Witchwood. In olden times it watched 
  over the now- abandoned trade road leading to the Bor-
  derlands. Now it serves to protect Chalcis against incur-
  sions from the denizens of the Ice queen’s realm.
  The baron’s family has watched the forest expand 
  into Chalcis over the generations. Despite orders from 
  the duke not to interfere in the forest’s growth until 
  diplomatic measures have been undertaken, the baron 
  regularly orders his siege engineers to launch fiery bales 
  into the forest, along with incendiary blast alchemical 
  devices. Each summer, the inhabitants of the nearby vil-
  lage gather torches and axes and set to hacking back and 
  burning the encroaching saplings.
  The baron has avoided ducal punishment by claim-
  ing the burnings are to honor kenaz, a popular deity 
  cHalcIS
  
  
  in Chalcis. As a religious observance, no matter how 
  tenuous the claim, the duke is powerless to prevent the 
  activities, for only the cult of kenaz can declare the acts 
  illegal. given kenaz’s hatred of Thrym and all he stands 
  for, there is little chance the cult will issue such decrees 
  any time soon. Indeed, many of kenaz’s clerics actively 
  support the baron, gifting him alchemical devices and 
  blessing his actions as a true son of the faith.
  dulceSter
  Population: 552
  Ruler: Mayor hardouin ap-Mainet
  The village of Dulcester lies on the banks of the Bit-
  terstream close to the border with Aspiria. until recently, 
  it was a settlement of farmers and herders with little 
  to note it from the many others in that region. Three 
  months ago, as the Deorcmonan rose, people suddenly 
  began dying.
  That the deaths are of supernatural origin is without 
  question, for the victims burst into writhing black flames 
  which consume flesh and bone in seconds, leaving only 
  a pile of ash. Equally as mysterious, someone or some-
  thing leaves a black rose on the steps of the temple to 
  Eostre after each death. That the deaths only occur on 
  the nights of the Deorcmonan have only added to the 
  fear. Beyond the flames and phase of the moon, there ap-
  pears to be no pattern to the deaths—some victims were 
  outside in the streets, others safely locked indoors.
  The citizens are terrified, and neither the mayor, the 
  militia, or the clerics of Eostre can find a cause for the 
  random killing. Baroness Erembourg ap- Jerome, the 
  feudal overlord to whom Mayor hardouin answers, 
  sent two clerics, one of Scaetha and one of hoenir, to 
  investigate, but both were consumed by black flames im-
  mediately upon entering the village. To date, 16 people 
  have died in the flames, and the locals suspect more will 
  follow when the next Deorcmonan comes around.
  There is one possible explanation, but no one in 
  the village recalls the event. During the Blizzard War, in 
  the year –1 to be precise, refugees from eastern Aspiria 
  crossed the border into Chalcis in a desperate bid to 
  reach the docks at Shapryr and find safe passage to the 
  hearthlands. unable to cope with the number of starving 
  and sick, Chalcis tried to close its borders, giving hastily- 
  written orders to use necessary force.
  One group of Aspirians made it as far as the outskirts 
  of Dulcester before being set upon by troops under the 
  command of a panicked junior officer who mistook them 
  for bandits. Men and women, young and old, as well as 
  children, were senselessly slaughtered before the troops 
  were reined in. Exactly 500 years and three months have 
  passed since that fateful day.
  HIgHmoor
  City Guard: highmoor’s city guard comprises 200 in-
  fantry and 50 cavalry. They are divided into units named 
  for the tower that houses their barracks. Each infantry 
  tower holds 20 men, while a cavalry tower holds just 
  ten (the lowest level having been converted to stables). 
  The word “tower” has entered common parlance in the 
  capital, and any unit of guards is just called a tower (as 
  in, “Which tower was called out to handle the fight?”).
  In peace time they wear leather armor and carry short 
  swords, clubs, and small shields. A quarter of the infantry 
  are equipped with crossbows. In war or civil unrest, they 
  switch to chain armor, long swords, and medium shields, 
  with half the infantry issued crossbows.
  Two towers of infantry and one tower of cavalry serve 
  as the duke’s personal guard, and are fittingly known as 
  the Duke’s guard. They are outfitted with chain armor, 
  with the infantry carrying pikes and the cavalry long 
  swords and medium shields.
  The Cemetery: Although the citizens of Chalcis 
  recall the Liche-Priest’s deprivations with clarity and 
  understand the threat of undead, they refuse to change 
  their ways out of fear. After all, their armies stood strong 
  against the undead where others quailed.
  Located fifteen miles beyond the walls of highmoor, 
  atop the high Moor proper, the Cemetery has been the 
  ancestral burial ground of Chalcis’ nobility since it earned 
  independence. Walled and protected day and night by a 
  small contingent of Scaetha’s clerics known as the grave 
  Watch, the cemetery remains in use today. In defiance 
  of hela, nobles are buried intact, without the customary 
  severing of head and feet practiced elsewhere.
  The placing of metal grave goods has sharply declined 
  over the last century, for while the Scavengers have yet to 
  reach this far in any strength, no one wishes their ances-
  tors to be hacked apart for their grave goods. Instead, 
  grieving relatives use the money to pay for the grave 
  Watch, ensuring the dead receive adequate prayers and 
  remain in their tombs.
  Dagwald’s Cauldron: Located in the dingiest part of 
  the Low quarter is highmoor’s only independent alche-
  mist (the others all work for temples). The owner, Dag-
  wald (see page xxx), is extremely knowledgeable when it 
  comes to alchemy and matters arcane. he is not adverse 
  feStIval to eIra
     banISHIng day
  First Milcdaeg of Sowanmonan.
  It is widely believed that disease is caused by fell 
  spirits of vali. In one story, vali tried to kill Tiw by 
  slipping a disease spirit into his mead. Eira and the 
  powerful spirit fought for days, but eventually the 
  goddess of mercy was victorious. healers celebrate 
  this day by banging drums and shouting loudly to 
  drive away spirits harmful to the body, mind, and 
  soul. It is an auspicious day to brew antibiotic herb-
  al remedies and a bad day to fall ill.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #21
  
  
  to wasting an afternoon debating theoretical arcane mat-
  ters with customers, so long as they buy something.
  Chalcian law prevents him from selling any dangerous 
  devices except to members of the military and duke’s 
  court, and then only if proper authentication is provided 
  in written form. however, for those willing to pay triple 
  the going rate, Dagwald can arrange a “special delivery.”
  Nertomar and Wid: Perhaps the oddest couple any-
  where in Chalcis, if not Rassilon.  Nertomar and Wid are 
  a burly Anari and a slim, attractive, yet unassuming en-
  gro. They are purely business partners, despite the many 
  rumors to the contrary. 
  Nertomar is a cleric of Forseti (see Region Guide #10), 
  while Wid (which she claims is short for Wilhemina) is a 
  paladin of the god. The pair operate a detective agency, 
  taking on jobs ranging from finding missing pets to in-
  vestigating accusations of treason.
  Recently they have begun devoting more time to the 
  destruction of highmoor’s thieves guild (see below). 
  Progress has been slow, mainly because the pair suspects 
  several important members of highmoor’s upper class 
  are up to their necks with the guild. Without hard evi-
  dence, they may find themselves facing charges of libel. 
  Worse, if they trust the wrong person they might find a 
  dagger in their ribs next time they go out for a drink. 
  About the only people they trust are the duke, who has 
  never actually met them, and Dagwald the Alchemist, 
  whom they have solved three cases for in the past.
  The Temple of Chalcis: The second largest build-
  ing in highmoor, the temple is sacred to no one deity. 
  Instead, its grand hall, the only room within the walls, 
  is divided into numerous shrines, the size of the shrine 
  varying on the number of worshippers resident in high-
  moor. With several cults sharing the same holy days, the 
  temple can be extremely busy, hot, and noisy on certain 
  days of the year.
  The major cults maintain a smaller temple for their 
  high holy days elsewhere in the city, if only to ensure no 
  one else’s faith encroaches on their special day. These 
  smaller temples also contain quarters for the clerics, the 
  libraries, treasuries, and so on, as well as cult-specific 
  rooms, such as an infirmary for the cult of Eira and forges 
  at the temple of kenaz.
  Thieves’ Guild: The only criminal gang in highmoor 
  are the gallows Dodgers, the local thieves guild. Com-
  prising an inner circle of five clerics of Nauthiz, all of 
  whom are prominent citizens, an outer circle of 15 pro-
  fessional thieves, and a loose affiliation of petty cutpurses 
  and burglars, the guild controls all larcenous activities in 
  the capital. They have no interest in the gambling racket, 
  leaving that to another branch of Nauthiz’s cult.
  The guild knows someone is investigating its activi-
  ties, but it has no idea who. Should the identity of the 
  snoopers be discovered, the guild will not hesitate to 
  take swift action to conceal its affairs.
  nutton
  Population: 370
  Ruler: Ridder Bassa Conewalchsunu
  Nutton, as the name implies, lies on the outskirts of 
  Nutwood. The inhabitants are mainly sheep farmers, 
  who trade meat and wool with the local hearth elves in 
  return for nuts. These are then used to make two types of 
  ale, Acorn Ale and Mutt’s (brewed by Mutt), and a strong 
  spirit known as Bitter Nut. These are sold to taverns and 
  inns in Sacros and highmoor.
  Every year in early fall, the elves allow the citizens to 
  hold the annual nut gathering competition, a local holi-
  day sacred to Eostre Plantmother. From dawn to dusk 
  the villagers are allowed to roam the outskirts of the for-
  est collecting nuts. Whoever collects the most wins a keg 
  of ale. In return the villagers must participate in extra 
  festivals to Eostre Plantmother to help renew the forest.
  Although a Chalcian noble from a long and distin-
  guished line, Ridder Bassa prefers to use the Saxa ver-
  sion of his title. Since Chalcian law does not distinguish 
  between races, he is allowed to keep huscarls. Currently 
  he has just three, who along with ten militia form Nut-
  ton’s entire defensive force. however, the village is sur-
  rounded by a double ditch and palisade as ward against 
  the Scavengers.
  Two fey nobles rule Nutwood, though they have little 
  to do with the nearby humans. The Oak king, a Seelie fey 
  , rules in spring and summer, with the unseelie Lady of 
  green Needles taking over in fall and winter. 
  SHapryr
  Angmark Trade Mission: Angmark is one of Chalcis’ 
  major trading partners, importing great quantities of 
  raw iron and exporting furs, timber, and whale oil. The 
  king of Angmark maintains a trading mission in Shapryr, 
  ostensibly to promote good trading contacts. 
  Merchants looking to trade with Angmark are pointed 
  here, for cargoes registered with the trade mission (a 1% 
  fee) pay less import duty in the Saxa kingdom and have 
  an easier time selling their wares. Angmarker merchants 
  feStIval to eIra
     bed bleSSIng day
  Third Marketdaeg of Falmonan.
  With the crops stored, the citizens of Rassilon pre-
  pare for the long winter nights. Married couples 
  have their beds blessed by a cleric of Eira to in-
  crease the chances of producing a healthy baby in 
  the late spring. Before the Anari occupation, it was 
  traditional for clerics to bless the bed by engaging 
  in lovemaking with the husband or wife (as appro-
  priate) to ensure fertility. This version of the cer-
  emony occurs only among cultists of gersemi (see 
  page 10) these days.
  cHalcIS
  
  
  visiting Chalcis can stop by to get up to speed on the lat-
  est news and check prices. The mission contains a shrine 
  to Farmatýr, the minor god of seaborne merchants and 
  an aspect of both Neorthe and var.
  The Drunken Doxy: The seediest tavern in town, the 
  Doxy is a den of gambling and prostitution. The owner 
  pays his taxes on time, and the baron has had no reason 
  to close it down. As he says, “It’s easier to clean the well 
  if the scum sticks together.” What he doesn’t know is the 
  tavern is the headquarters for the local cult of vali.
  Signal Office: The guild of Messengers maintains a 
  small office in Shapryr, Leirvik, Port helden, and Dargon. 
  For the fee of 1 gs per word, short messages can be sent 
  between the stations using voice on the wind by one of 
  the clerics. For 75 gs per Rank, the guild sells blank al-
  chemical voice on the wind scrolls. The recipient’s name 
  and words to be transmitted are written on the scroll, 
  which is then burnt to activate the enchantment. how-
  ever, all scrolls must be burned at the signal office.
  Temple of Neorthe: The largest temple to the sea 
  god stands on a small island in the entrance to the har-
  bor. Despite the frequent storms that wrack the Inner 
  Sea, the flimsy driftwood temple has survived for centu-
  ries. Many mariners heading out to sea draw close to the 
  temple, throwing gold coins into the ocean in return for 
  a blessing from the priest. These coins are collected each 
  Deep Diving Day (see Region Guide #8).
  At the seaward end of the island stands a tall tower 
  with a spiral staircase running up the center. During bad 
  weather a large storm lantern is lit to help guide ships 
  into the safety of the harbor, while in thick mist the cler-
  ics take shifts blowing a huge horn.
  Town Guard: In addition to the troops sent here by 
  the duke, Shapryr has a strong garrison of 150 city guard. 
  All are competent mariners and archers. Typically, 50 are 
  stationed in the town, with the remainder crewing a 
  longship. The longship never patrols far from land, limit-
  ing its duties to checking incoming merchant vessels for 
  dangerous cargoes, watching over fishing ships in case 
  they are smugglers, and casting a weather eye out for 
  marauding pirates.
  The mariners are equipped with leather shirts, me-
  dium shields, and short spears, as well as a number of 
  crossbows. The city watch wears chain shirts and carries 
  long swords and medium shields. Crossbows are kept in 
  the central armory.
  In addition to the two catapults, Baron Loeg is raising 
  funds to install new flat-topped towers, each of which 
  will house a ballista on the upper level and a coldfire 
  thrower at ground level.
  Whaling Guild: Whaling isn’t big business in Chalcis, 
  and the guild hasn’t fulfilled that function for decades. 
  Instead, it serves as a recruiting station for marines and 
  somewhere one can hire a small ship (max. size snekke) 
  with no questions asked.  Local authorities suspect the 
  guild is involved in smuggling, but it lacks proof.
  woodtown
  Population: 1,839
  Ruler: Baron gobert ap-victor
  until a decade ago, Woodtown, then known as hols-
  withy, was a major smelting center, its chimney belching 
  thick, greasy smoke day and night. Located in western 
  Chalcis near the granite Mountains, its furnaces serviced 
  a dozen mines. Scavenger attacks caused the mines to 
  close, and holswithy lost its reason for being. Baron 
  gobert, who had predicted this would happen, had al-
  ready laid contingency plans, and the town successfully 
  switched to sheep and cattle rearing in just one year. 
  Everyone moans they are poorer as a result, but most 
  are just glad to be alive, for stories of the aftermath of 
  Scavenger attacks grow more frequent.
  In order to eliminate the risk of Scavenger attacks, the 
  Baron ordered that all metal be removed from the town. 
  Furnaces, anvils, tools, weapons, armor, and even nails 
  were smelted down and sold off, the last furnace being 
  dumped in a cave as an offering to Ertha. Jewelry was 
  sold or donated to distant relatives for safekeeping, and 
  coins were used to purchase vital provisions or gifted to 
  temples in return for blessings. 
  Nails have been replaced by sinew threads, metal 
  weapons and tools by flint ones, crossbows swapped for 
  bows and flint-tipped arrows, and metal armor by leather 
  and hide held together with knotted sinew. Bartering 
  replaced the use of coins, with the Baron drawing up an 
  exchange rate to ensure fairness.
  All visitors are required to leave metal objects outside 
  the main gates in one of a dozen strongrooms. Anyone 
  found to be carrying a metal object is punished harshly, 
  for even a single coin or nail could draw the Scavengers 
  to the community. As a result of the bizarre law, life has 
  become harder for the citizens—while a flint knife may 
  be sharper than a metal one, plowing has become more 
  difficult, as has cutting timber. In many ways, life has re-
  verted to that of the Chalcians’ ancestors from a millen-
  nia ago. Still, the inhabitants are alive and have nothing 
  to fear from the Scavengers.
  feStIval to eIra
     great HealIng day
  Sangdaeg of Werremonan.
  Once the killing season has ended, the clergy of 
  Eira gather at their temples to conduct a powerful 
  ritual in order to wipe the blood from Rassilon’s 
  soil. This ritual emulates one Eira performed at the 
  end of the god War. The sick and infirmed from 
  the local community gather here as well, for on this 
  day all healing is free (though each patient receives 
  only one spell or healing roll). Between dawn and 
  dusk, clerics sing songs of peace and healing while 
  tending to the sick.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #21
  
  
  perSonS of note
  The following persons may be encountered in Chal-
  cis, for the betterment or ill of the adventurers.
  aSHen blade erIk ap-mIlon
  A fiery-tempered paladin of kenaz, Erik wages a 
  largely one-man war against the forces of Thrym. An itin-
  erant preacher and agitator, he initially came to notice 
  for rallying citizens against the expansion of Witchwood, 
  convincing them to torch the forest before it engulfed 
  their homes. he has repeatedly defied the duke’s com-
  mands to cease aggravating the Ice queen, believing his 
  god’s will and the popular support he enjoys outweighs 
  any noble decree.
  his fervor against Thrym has taken on a more sinister 
  note in recent months, though, and he has begun preach-
  ing against frost- born and taiga elves. While Chalcis has 
  no taiga elves, there are a few thousand frostborn living 
  in the region, and mostly in the north, around Witch-
  wood. Racial violence has flared, with at least two deaths 
  directly attributable to his preaching and 50 or more as-
  saults. As loyal Chalcians, the frostborn have petitioned 
  Duke howel to take action.
  unfortunately, howel’s hands are tied. The cult of ke-
  naz enjoys a great deal of support with the people, and 
  to arrest one of their clerics could cause a backlash, not 
  to mention future lack of cult support should he require 
  their services. For now howel plays the political game, 
  gently trying to persuade the cult to police its own cler-
  ics. Sadly, Erik’s opinions are not uncommon ones, and 
  for now he has avoided censure.
  baron fromony ap-axeIlle
  Baron Fromony is a courtier of Duke howel and re-
  sponsible for entertainment. An effeminate fop, Fromony 
  is always clad in the latest fashions from Aspiria or the 
  Magocracy. It is common knowledge around court that 
  his clothing expenditure exceeds his income, which has 
  led to gossips hinting that he and the unmarried duke 
  are more than just master and courtier.
  Fromony has a high-pitched, nasal voice and squeals 
  whenever he is excited or agitated, which is most of the 
  time. he’s also an accomplished musician and dancer, 
  though that is by the by.
  Fromony’s demeanor is largely an act, though he 
  does love his fine clothes and is easily excited. he’s also 
  the secret head of the thieves guild and a priest of Nau-
  thiz. As guildmaster, he takes a cut of all acts of theft 
  in highmoor, allowing him to increase his wardrobe 
  without much direct risk. he only dirties his hands to 
  avoid offending his deity, and his targets are usually visit-
  ing merchants and dignitaries rather than his friends and 
  neighbors. As the old saying goes, you don’t empty your 
  chamberpot on your own doorstep.
  dagwald tHe alcHemISt
  Dagwald never speaks of his past, and he never in-
  vokes magic in front of others. A scion of a major Mago-
  cratic house, Dagwald was accused of high treason by the 
  Mage-king and sentenced to death in absentia. Tipped 
  off by a friend in the Mage-king’s household, he went 
  on the run before the royal guard could kick down his 
  door, changing his name, appearance, and mannerisms 
  to avoid recapture. 
  A decade later he tired of running and set up shop 
  in Chalcis, where he has lived quietly ever since. he re-
  cently learned the Mage-king still wants him dead, the 
  bounty of 10,000 gs dead or alive still being active.
  Although Dagwald was accused of high treason he 
  knows that is a load of manure. his only crime was sneak-
  ing into the Mage-king’s chamber on a dare and stealing 
  a book from the king’s personal library to prove his deed 
  to his fellow pranksters. Dagwald knows the book must 
  be of special importance. After all he, a Magocratic noble, 
  was sentenced to death without trial and no mention of 
  the missing book was ever made in his arrest warrant.
  Whether for good or ill, the text has defied all at-
  tempts to translate it. Whatever charms protect it from 
  speak language spells are extremely potent. To be hon-
  feStIval to eIra
     no HealIng day
  Raestdaeg of Hegmonan.
  During the god War, Eira’s skills were in much de-
  mand. Exhausted by her efforts at healing the in-
  jured and trying to broker a peace deal, Eira fell 
  asleep for a short while. During her brief nap, doz-
  ens of minor gods and celestial beings were slain. 
  On waking, Eira was mortified by the loss of life 
  and wept for an entire year in an attempt to wash 
  away the blood stains of the fallen. This event led 
  to Eira’s vow that she would never rest while others 
  needed her help.
  Clerics are forbidden from performing any healing, 
  magical or mundane, on this day, and from creat-
  ing or selling curative herbal brews or alchemical 
  devices. To do otherwise is a major sin. The minor 
  sin of not refusing to heal a good person in need 
  is not negated on this day—virtually all clergy will 
  sin this day. Not being able to help those in need 
  causes great heartache to the clergy, as it did Eira, 
  but only through being unable to aid the suffering 
  can the clergy truly understand the sacred vow they 
  have sworn.
  Many clerics weep all day, recalling the names and 
  faces of those their magic and healing arts failed to 
  help, and mourning the countless masses of citi-
  zens who died during the last year.
  cHalcIS
  
  
  est, Dagwald has pretty much given up on it, for even 
  looking at the spidery glyphs causes his flesh to crawl.
  mage-count peratacuS IngenvInIx
  A member of house hergenald, Peratacus is the 
  Magocracy’s ambassador to Chalcis. Officially his duties 
  are to ensure trade links between the two nations re-
  main strong, provide a point of contact for citizens of the 
  Magocracy who run foul of local laws, and promote the 
  benefit of ties to the Magocracy. he is of course a spy for 
  the Mage-king, but most ambassadors fill a similar role 
  and he has no direct access to Chalcis’ secrets.
  Peratacus’ true role is actually to locate and kill an 
  enemy of the Mage-king, a former noble by the name 
  of Mage-Baron Sudren of house Eastheath who has 
  been charged with treason and sentenced to death in 
  his absence. The Mage-king’s intelligence network has 
  indicated the traitor may be in Chalcis, though the am-
  bassador has had no luck rooting him out yet.
  regImental-captaIn mamert
  Regimental-Captain Baron Mamert ap-Foilan is Duke 
  howel’s cousin and commander of the Orcblood hills 
  regiment. A skilled strategist, Mamert also has political 
  aspirations. he believes the duke has grown weak, point-
  ing to the land lost to Witchwood and the Scavengers’ 
  unchecked advances as proof. Since over half the army is 
  commanded by knights hrafn, whose political allegiance 
  is to their paymaster, he has little chance of staging a 
  military coup. Even if he succeeded he would also have 
  to throw himself on the mercy of the people in order to 
  be elected or risk civil war, and he has little love for the 
  peasants. To that end, he has begun circulating rumors 
  as to the Duke’s incompetence. When the duke falls, he 
  will nominate himself as a candidate to replace him.
  godS & monSterS
  Detailed in this section are the minor goddesses of 
  sex and marriage, and the home, an inhuman deity, a 
  new fey, and an herbalist NPC archetype.
  gerSemI
  Titles: Matchmaker, Concubine of the gods.
  Aspects: Consensual sex and marriage.
  Affiliations: Eira.
  Symbol: A circle cut in half by a vertical line.
  Priesthood: Matchmakers (priests); Companions 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: First Waescdaeg of every month. Bed 
  Blessing Day (see page 6) is a high holy day for paladins 
  and Courtship Day (see Region guide 13) a high holy 
  day for priests.
  Duties: Encourage consenting sexual union.
  Sins: (Minor) going a week without sex, condoning 
  rape, failure to save a marriage you have been hired to 
  save; (Major) going a month without sex, not punish-
  ing a rapist; (Mortal) committing rape, going a season 
  without sex.
  Signature Power: Charismatic aura.
  Powers (Priests): Boost/lower trait (Investigation, 
  Notice, Persuasion, Streetwise only), insight, speak lan-
  guage.
  Powers (Paladins): Boost/lower trait (vigor, Persua-
  sion only), confusion, fatigue.
  Trappings: Trappings relate to sex and beauty (pala-
  dins) and calm emotions (priests).
  Special: Paladins who marry are forever stripped of 
  their powers. Priests who do not marry within two years 
  of taking their holy vows are similarly cast out of the 
  faith.
  Like Eostre, gersemi is a dual-natured goddess. Some 
  theologians insist she is two distinct deities whose wor-
  ship has become merged over time, though her clerics 
  wHen to unleaSH furIeS
  Every god, even Eira, has furies at his disposal. 
  These reprisal spirits are sent to punish wayward 
  clerics and remind them they have sworn sacred 
  vows to honor their god. 
  The gods realize that mortals are inherently flawed, 
  so most times the furies are held back in favor of 
  weakening or stripping the cleric of his miracle 
  working for a time. Frequent transgressors are most 
  likely to suffer the furies’ wrath rather than clerics 
  who make the odd mistake.
  As a rough guideline, furies are generally unleashed 
  if a cleric commits three or more minor sins in a 
  single season, two or more major sins in a single 
  year, and more than one mortal sin at any time in 
  their life. Clerics who renounce their faith are also 
  liable to be paid a visit.
  The nature of the cult should be taken into consid-
  eration before making any decision. Eira, a goddess 
  of mercy is more forgiving of her clerics and gives 
  them the benefit of the doubt. So long as the cleric 
  makes suitable penance with haste, she’ll keep her 
  furies chained up. Dargar and Tiw, by comparison, 
  are more inclined to punish even trivial infractions 
  swiftly and harshly. Such deities may punish more 
  than one minor sin in a season and any major or 
  mortal sin.
  A visit from a single pack of furies is often enough 
  to get clerics back on the straight and narrow, as-
  suming they survive the encounter. Clerics slain by 
  furies sent to punish them (as opposed to some-
  one else slain by the furies in the course of their 
  duties) are never claimed by their god in Scaetha’s 
  hall—they have died in sin and will be punished 
  for eternity.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #21
  10
  
  disagree. On one hand she is the goddess of marriage, 
  the perfect wife and mother. On the other, she is the 
  goddess of love, though sex is a more fitting term. These 
  two aspects are known as gersemi the Matchmaker and 
  gersemi the Consort respectively.
  unusually, she is depicted in two distinct forms. The 
  first is a matronly figure carrying a large set of keys. 
  Among the Saxa, women traditionally hold the keys to 
  the house, personal treasury, and larder. The Anari ad-
  opted the practice during their occupation. her second 
  form is an attractive woman of youthful but indetermi-
  nate age. Despite the deity being female, clerics may be 
  of either sex.
  The cult maintains temples, but only to her sexual 
  aspect. Situated in towns and cities, and villages on ma-
  jor trade routes, the temples are sumptuously decorated 
  and furnished, and always kept spotless by servants. 
  While this aspect of the cult has a bad reputation, citi-
  zens reluctantly accept the fact that the temple provides 
  a service. Without them, the courts would have more 
  work handling adultery cases brought about by spouses 
  who feel the need to scratch their itch elsewhere.
  Because of the nature of marriage in Rassilon, she 
  is only worshipped in the home of couples tied by Life 
  Bonds or by long-term year Marriages—anything shorter 
  likely doesn’t need her attention. her holy symbol is 
  inscribed on bed posts and over the lintel.
  gersemi’s dual nature is mimicked by her clergy. 
  Priests are matchmakers and marriage counselors. A 
  matchmaker is hired when two families are considering 
  joining together through marriage. It is the matchmak-
  er’s job to uncover any hidden skeletons that may bring 
  shame, legal repercussions, or general unwanted prob-
  lems to the other family.
  By comparison, paladins aren’t quite prostitutes, 
  as they demand no money, but they are free with their 
  love. Many citizens make donations, but these gratuities 
  are made to the cult, not individual members. Although 
  adultery carries harsh punishments, paladins of gersemi 
  and their partners are exempt from this on grounds of 
  religious laws of the good gods taking precedent over 
  civil and criminal ones. Still, many husbands and wives 
  have taken the law into their own hands after findings 
  their spouse “praying” with a paladin.
  Ceremonies to gersemi the Consort always involve 
  sex. Both participants (having more than two in a sexual 
  union is viewed as depraved even by this cult) are con-
  sidered active worshippers, their sexual energy empow-
  ering the goddess. Those to gersemi the Matchmaker are 
  much more subdued, and involve only meditation and 
  the burning of incense.
  Character Guidelines: Charisma is important for 
  priests and paladins, though for different reasons, and 
  should be boosted by the Attractive or Charismatic edges. 
  Paladins need a good vigor to survive their many “prayer 
  sessions” and to help avoid diseases. Persuasion is re-
  quired both in marriage counseling and finding prayer 
  partners. Priests, who delve into families’ backgrounds, 
  should consider Investigation and Streetwise.
  kjalarr
  Titles: homemaker, hearth-Watcher.
  Aspects: The home.
  Affiliations: Eira, kenaz.
  Symbol: A stylized flame.
  Priesthood: homemakers (priests); home guards-
  men (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Every Raestdaeg is a holy day.
  Duties: To settle domestic disputes and ensure a 
  house runs in an orderly fashion.
  Sins: (Minor) not helping servants with their chores, 
  failure to end a domestic dispute, failure to punish a 
  wayward servant; (Major) breaking into a house; (Mor-
  tal) breaking the laws of hospitality.
  Signature Power: Feast.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (vigor, Intimidation, No-
  tice, Persuasion, Stealth only), elemental manipulation 
  (fire only), light, lock/unlock, refuge, sentry.
  Trappings: Fire and heat only.
  kjalarr is kenaz’s stewardess and a daughter of Eira. 
  her duties involve ensuring the hearth never burns out, 
  that meals are served on time, the house is cleaned each 
  day, and the household runs smoothly. She answers to 
  kenaz’s seneschal, and is thus no lowly servant but actu-
  ally third in command of kenaz’s great hall.
  virtually all households contain a small shrine to 
  kjalarr. Often this is nothing more than her holy symbol 
  engraved on a hearth stone or the door lintel, though in 
  houses where there are lots of servants a statuette may 
  be found near the high seat in the dining hall. The ma-
  jority of her devout followers are servants and married 
  peasant women, not homeowners. She is also honored 
  as goddess of hospitality. visitors to a strange home who 
  accept hospitality say a quick prayer to her.
  The great majority of the priesthood is employed as 
  servants, though typically they are stewards, cellarmen, 
  cup bearers, and porters rather than bed maids, scullery 
  maids, and cooks. Their positions are respected ones, 
  with much authority over the household staff, rather 
  than menial ones. Paladins serve as household guards 
  and security advisors. Clerics are not slaves, and expect 
  to be paid for their labors.
  As servants, the priesthood rarely gets time to con-
  duct elaborate ceremonies. Fortunately, kjalarr sees hard 
  work as a sign of worship—by ensuring a household 
  runs smoothly the clergy has eased the goddess’ daily 
  burden. Special prayers are recited each Raestdaeg, the 
  one day a month when servants have time to themselves, 
  and before feasts commence in the home.
  Character Generation: Although clerics are often 
  stay-at-home sorts, their skills are useful to adventur-
  ing parties. As such, they are sometimes hired to make 
  and watch over the camp, an adventurer’s home away 
  from home. As a servant, they should not be intrusive, so 
  Stealth is useful. Intimidation and Persuasion are handy 
  for settling domestic disputes, and Notice important for 
  detecting things that need attention or are out of place. 
  cHalcIS
  11
  
  Streetwise is useful for picking up gossip, something 
  servants are wont to do.
  tHe macHIne god
  Titles: None.
  Aspects: Order, unification, obedience.
  Symbol: A cog bound with chains.
  Priesthood: The Changed.
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: None.
  Signature Power: Boost trait* (no lower),
  Powers: Aim*, altered senses*, analyze foe, armor* 
  (metal plates), bolt (metal shards), detect (no conceal), 
  energy immunity*, environmental protection*, fly (met-
  al wings), leaping*, mimic, precognition, quickness*, 
  smite* (affects punches only) speak language*, speed*, 
  wall walker*, wandering senses*, warrior’s gift*.
  Trappings: Spells with a visible effect always involve 
  metal.
  Special: Spells marked “*” have a Range of Self. Cler-
  ics may not take the Champion or holy Warrior Edges.
  Despite its title, the Machine god is not a true de-
  ity. Rather, it is an artificial construct, the work of mages 
  who sought to create a god long before the Blizzard War. 
  The creature, a vast, immovable, metallic construct of 
  clockwork and gears gained sentience beyond human 
  ken within seconds of being awakened. 
  In those brief moments of time it learned all there was 
  to know about the mortal world, and it saw there was a 
  problem—disorder. It informed its creators of its plan 
  to bring order and unity to the world, sparing no details 
  in how such universal order would be achieved. horri-
  fied by the monstrosity they had created and the world 
  it intended to fashion, the mages tried in vain to destroy 
  the Machine god. Dozens of wizards died that day, and 
  in the end they succeeded only in sealing the Machine 
  god in the vast cavern in which it had been created.
  For a millennia, the Machine god worked on its plan. 
  It designed and created a new race of servitors, one 
  whose obedience was total and unwavering. When the 
  dwarves of karad Noshrek tunneled into the cavernous 
  prison, they unleashed the Scavengers on the world, pay-
  ing the ultimate price for their fateful act.
  Its clergy, known as the Changed to the races, were 
  once living beings of flesh and bone. After undergo-
  ing excruciatingly painful physical transformation they 
  emerge as part-living creature and part-machine. The 
  Machine god does not actually grant spells to its wor-
  shippers, for as mentioned above it is not a true god. 
  Rather, the Changed are part of the Machine god’s great-
  er consciousness, in touch with it at all times regardless 
  of distance. 
  When they “pray,” the Machine god unleashes its in-
  herent magical power to alter their physical form. Thus, 
  while clerics appear to cast spells, it is actually their living 
  god who wields the awesome might. In many respects, 
  the Changed are not truly independent entities, but 
  mere extensions of the Machine god’s will.
  The Machine god’s clergy are neither paladin nor 
  priest—such differences are irrelevant among its unified, 
  emotionless servants. Free will is not tolerated, for free 
  will causes chaos, and chaos opposes the new world or-
  der the Machine god seeks to create. The Changed are 
  tasked with one goal and one goal only—to bring living 
  captives back to the Machine god, where they will be 
  forcibly converted to the glorious cause.
  Clerics perform no set rituals and have no scripture. 
  The Machine god desires no worshippers in the tradi-
  tional sense, only obedient servants. 
  brownIe (fey)
  Brownies are diminutive fey who inhabit houses. In 
  return for small gifts, they keep the house clean and 
  drive away vermin. They are notoriously proud, and call-
  ing the gifts payment causes them to pack their bag and 
  depart, never to return. Similarly, abusing their charity 
  causes them to vacate the property. Brownies only ever 
  work at night, and then only while no mortals are awake 
  in the house. They make their homes in unused parts 
  of the building, such as in the eaves. A closely-related 
  species, the kyrkogrimr, inhabit temples.
  Brownie is an Anari term. Among the other races they 
  are known as domovoi (Tuomi), nisse (Saxa), hob (hearth 
  and taiga elf) tonttu (Finnar), and tomte (dwarves).
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d6, vigor d6
  Skills: Notice d10, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 3
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * 
  Avoid Blows: Brownies have Improved Block 
  and Improved Dodge.
  * 
  Powers: fear (only used on rodents and other 
  vermin), invisibility, silence, stun (again only on vermin 
  and pests), telekinesis.
  * 
  Size –2: Brownies stand only a few inches tall.
  * 
  Small: Attackers are –2 on attack rolls against 
  brownies due to their size.
  HerbalISt
  herbalists can be found in towns and cities as apoth-
  ecaries, in villages as midwives and wise women, in the 
  wilds as hermits, and even serving in temples (especially 
  those of Eira and Eostre). Rural and religious herbalists 
  often have healing d6 in addition to their other skills.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength 
  d6, vigor d8
  Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, guts d6, knowledge 
  (Alchemy) d8, Notice d6, Survival d6
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
  Hindrances: various
  Edges: hedge Magic
  Gear: Sickle (Str+d4), 2d4 doses of dried herbs, 1d4 
  herbal remedies
  Treasure: Meager
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #21
  12
  
  IntroductIon
  Fierce and proud, Midmark is a land beset by internal troubles. The queen rules uneas-
  ily, for the nobles supposedly loyal to her baulk at answering to a women, and the stench 
  of rebellion is beginning to fill the air. Vile denizens from Spiderfell Wood make constant 
  forays, while orcs and goblins plague the east. Trouble is brewing. This supplement ex-
  pands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Midmark is the only country currently ruled by a woman. Although she has the title 
  queen, Cwene Saereid is technically only a regent, keeping the throne warm until her son 
  either returns home or is declared dead. No one is entirely sure what will happen if King 
  Orr, as he is rightfully known, is found to be dead, for Midmark has never had a regent 
  and the legality of her reign would become questionable. After all, she may hold the title of 
  queen, but that is only by dint of her marrying Orr’s father, the late King Gust.
  Many of the nobles are keen to woo her, believing that if Orr is dead having a king 
  sitting on the throne, one accepted by the clerics of Hothar as legitimate inheritor, would 
  end any succession claims. Unfortunately, everyone knows that if Orr returns he is entitled 
  to claim his crown. Some nobles talk of civil war should that occur, but mention of the 
  destruction wrought upon Nordmark quells rebellious tongues for now. The other option 
  being discussed in some circles is to remove Saereid and have the nobility vote on a new 
  king. Such talk is seditious, but it is gathering pace.
  Midmark has ten jarls, all cousins or distant kin to the late King Gust. In Midmark the 
  title is hereditary, with the king interfering only if no legitimate direct heir exists, and then 
  only if the claimants cannot settle the matter peacefully.
  Thegns, while accepted as nobles, do not hold hereditary lands. Rather, they are senior 
  officials of the king, holding office and land by royal commission rather than ancestry. This 
  practice dates back to before the Anari invasion of the Saxa lands, though only Midmark 
  retains this ancient tradition—even Royalmark, which considers itself the most conserva-
  tive Markland, has abolished this in favor of true nobility. Haulds fill a similar role, but they 
  are appointed by the jarls, and thus rank below thegns on the social scale.
  Ridder is, however, a hereditary title. Many thegns and haulds also hold the title, be-
  ing masters of their own lands as well as servants of greater powers. The vast majority 
  31222
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 2 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  MIdMark
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  of huscarls are ridders, though military service is not a 
  requirement.
  below the nobility are the geneatas, rich peasants 
  who own their own land and still owe loyalty to the 
  nobility. Nobles often gift land to favored courtiers and 
  warriors as a reward for loyal service. The geneatas are 
  entitled to tax the peasants who live on their land, but 
  are forbidden from holding court or making laws.
  Next are the merchants, priests, master crafters, and 
  mages, freemen by law, possibly wealthy and influential, 
  but most definitely of the middle class. These are known 
  in Midmark as ceorls. The bulk of the population are 
  serfs, peasant farmers who work the land of their lord 
  as well as their own plots. While still free citizens, they 
  owe a strict allegiance to a nobleman or member of the 
  geneatas.
  despite several centuries of peace, Saxa Midmarkers 
  treat the Anari as second-class citizens, placing them be-
  low even non-humans. No Anari has ever risen to hold 
  status above ceorl, despite no law preventing it.
  Note that while slavery is outlawed, the practice of 
  indentured servitude is not. Those without sufficient 
  means to feed and clothe themselves may throw them-
  selves on the mercy of any individual of ceorl status and 
  above, joining the household as a thrall. Criminals may 
  be sentenced to serve their victims as a thrall, either for 
  a fixed term or for life. 
  Anari are forbidden from owning thralls thanks to 
  their ancient love of slavery. However, an Anari may 
  become a thrall. Midmark’s civilized non-human inhabit-
  ants find the thought of owning another sentient being 
  abhorrent.
  Thralls are the lowest social class, though they rank 
  only just below the Anari. However, they are members 
  of the community and are free to marry other thralls or 
  free men and women. In the latter case, they are not au-
  tomatically released from thralldom—their master must 
  officially release them from service. This harbors back to 
  olden times, but the tradition remains. Since most thralls 
  freed in this manner are female, the process is akin to the 
  custom of the father of the bride giving away his daugh-
  ter. Thralls never come with dowries, though.
  Only a thrall’s master may free him or her from ser-
  vice. Traditionally, a thrall is freed on a special day, such 
  as the birth of a child in the master’s family, on the ascen-
  sion of a new noble, to mark a truly auspicious event, 
  and so on. Freed thralls are known as leysingi, and are 
  still beholden to their former master in certain matters. 
  See the sidebar on page 3.
  Unlike elsewhere where the practise remains, thralls 
  may be killed and buried with their master on his death 
  in Midmark. While freemen consider this fate an honor 
  for the thrall, it is one most thralls would rather avoid.
  educatIon
  While Midmark has adopted some new ideas, such as 
  inns and taverns, in other areas it remains stuck in the 
  past. One such area is literacy. Of all the realms, Midmark 
  has the poorest literacy rates, with 90% of the population 
  being unable to read or write.
  Those with money hire private tutors to educate 
  their children. These are often clerics, who provide a 
  broad but general education, though some nobles insist 
  their offspring learn military tactics and leadership from 
  Knights Hrafn.
  As elsewhere, everyone learns the basic facts about 
  their homeland—how to recognize the various noble 
  banners, the law, customs and mythology, where the 
  neighboring villages and major towns are, and so forth. 
  beyond this, one either needs to be wealthy, living on a 
  trade to have access to foreigners and their stories, or be 
  fortunate enough to be raised near a major temple with 
  a cleric willing to teach you more.
  relIgIon
  Thunor, the god of storms and freedom, is the major 
  god of Midmark. In the days of the Anari empire, Mid-
  mark was a frontier protectorate, its people conquered 
  for their own good, for the Anari saw them as barbarians 
  who needed civilizing.
  The main reason it was only given frontier status was 
  not its distance from Alantaris Isle, but the natives’ con-
  stant rebellions. Few Anari bothered to settle here, and 
  the soldiers posted to Midmark were troublemakers and 
  thugs, free to treat the locals as they saw fit. It is perhaps 
  not surprising that the Anari abandoned the province 
  after the blizzard War, nor that Midmark played a pivotal 
  role in the later Saxa rebellion.
  Although times have changed, Thunor remains the 
  patron of the entire country. Regardless of what other 
  deities are worshipped, the citizens of Midmark always 
  take time to honor the storm god by flying prayer kites. 
  ruleS of tHe realM
  These setting rules apply in Midmark.
  * Illiterate: Native heroes without the Noble, Ar-
  cane background, or Rich edges must take the Il-
  literate edge unless they devote one skill point to 
  buying it off in character generation.
  * Poor Trade Network: Midmark’s lack of decent 
  trade routes affects prices. City items in a town or 
  town items in a village cost 75% more than normal, 
  when they are available. City items in a village cost 
  three times as much as normal, if available.
  * Racism: Although Midmark never suffered harsh-
  ly under the Anari yoke, its citizens have never for-
  given the Anari for the pain inflicted on the Saxa. 
  All Anari heroes suffer the effects of the Outsider 
  Hindrance while in Midmark.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #22
  2
  
  because Thunor has no temple structures, the whole of 
  Midmark is often cited as one huge, outdoor temple.
  Much of the inhabited land is turned over to agricul-
  ture and raising cattle. Small numbers of sheep are kept, 
  but only for their meat and milk—the native breeds have 
  coarse, wiry wool ill-suited for clothing. eostre is wor-
  shipped across much of the country in both her guises. 
  Few communities are wealthy enough to have separate 
  temples to both aspects, and thus single temples divided 
  into two sections are the norm.
  Although Midmarkers value freedom and liberty, they 
  are also quite conservative and traditional. Laws are 
  obeyed not out of fear of punishment, but because they 
  are just and uphold a civilized society. This strong sense 
  of justice permeates all social levels, and few nobles are 
  brave enough to upset their peasants by making rash or 
  biased judgments. Whereas most Marklands dispense 
  justice through the cult of Hothar or the nobility, Mid-
  mark maintains the traditional moot (see below), thus 
  allowing the nobility to wash its hands of judging civil 
  crimes.
  Midmarkers do not deny their kingdom was founded 
  in blood. Its warriors and peasants died in the blizzard 
  War and Saxa rebellion to ensure future generations 
  could live as freemen, free of the yoke of tyranny. The 
  cult of Tiw suffered a drop in membership once peace 
  was established, though events in Orcmark, trouble with 
  Spiderfell Wood, and orc raids in the east have seen a 
  dramatic resurgence in recent years.
  Var, once popular in much of the realm, has now been 
  reduced to the northern lands along the border with the 
  Crystalflow Confederacy, the major towns, and a few 
  settlements with specialist exports. The cult is keen to 
  boost worship, but with the trade road to Veermark little 
  used thanks to orc and goblin raids, and overland trade 
  stymied by Spiderfell Wood, it is a struggle to expand its 
  influence to any great degree.
  tHe MIdMark Moot
  Minor civil disputes (the moot has no power to over-
  see criminal cases) between commoners, such as issues 
  over land boundaries, grazing rights, or slander can be 
  settled at the local moot, an annual gathering of the 
  adult men of the region. every jarldom or equivalent has 
  its own moot. 
  each year, ten men are elected by their peers as 
  doomsmen (“judgment men”). These men are judge and 
  jury, listening to cases before passing judgment accord-
  ing to the ancient laws. doomsmen always gather to hear 
  cases in the largest temple to Hothar in the region, or, if 
  no temple exists, at a major shrine.
  Nobles are not permitted to be doomsmen or inter-
  fere with the moot, nor may they take cases before it. If 
  they have an issue with a commoner or another noble, 
  they must take the matter to their feudal superior or a 
  temple of Hothar.
  Citizens are not bound by law to ask the moot to 
  settle cases—they can demand their local nobleman or 
  cleric of Hothar hears their case. Although the moot has 
  no power to overturn a cleric of Hothar or noble’s judg-
  ment, few clerics and nobles will interfere in a decision 
  made by the moot. Thus, citizens must pick justice by the 
  moot, cleric of Hothar, or noble court.
  Those who break religious law are always judged by 
  the appropriate temple—the courts and nobility have no 
  power to try citizens for crimes which are neither civil 
  nor criminal breaches of the law.
  MIlItary
  Like all Marklands, Midmark has armies answerable to 
  the monarch and to the nobility.
  Cwene Saereid’s personal army comprises 200 hus-
  carls and 3,500 axemen. However, this number is mis-
  leading, for of these 100 huscarls and 2,000 axemen are 
  recent recruits. They are currently garrisoned and under-
  going training at Aith, while awaiting transportation to 
  Ostersund to help end the decades long siege.
  While their presence keeps the southern nobles in 
  new HIndrance
     leySIngI (MInor)
  you are a thrall who has been given his freedom, 
  though you and your family are still dependant 
  on your former lord for several more generations. 
  Midmark law forbids you from instigating legal ac-
  tion against your former master. Should you win a 
  court case of any sort, your former lord is entitled 
  to 50% of your compensation.
  Characters with this Hindrance may not take the 
  Noble or Rich edges.
  new ProfeSSIonal edge
     dooMSMan
  Requirements: Novice, Smarts d8+,Knowledge 
  (Law) d8+, may only be a doomsman in one’s own 
  community, cannot have the Noble edge
  doomsmen are the equivalent to lawyers, juror, 
  and judges rolled into one. They serve their com-
  munity at the Moot, the regional court. They must 
  swear a sacred oath to Hothar to be honest in mat-
  ters of law.
  doomsmen are well known, and receive +2 Cha-
  risma in their community (GM’s call on how far 
  reaching this is). They also receive +2 to Knowl-
  edge (Law) and +2 to Smarts rolls when relating 
  evidence they have heard in the past.
  MIdMark
  
  
  line, it does mean they are nearly 400 miles from the 
  northern and eastern provinces. They are also being paid 
  to sit around, which is a serious drain on the royal cof-
  fers. Unless the fleet is launched soon, Saereid may be 
  forced to disband large portions of the army. With the 
  treasury bled dry, it could be years before she can gather 
  sufficient strength to launch another relief effort.
  Three-quarters of the remaining army is housed in 
  and around Hamna. Cwene Saereid knows the jarls are 
  not happy with answering to a woman, and do so only 
  until evidence of her son’s fate is learned. Fearful of re-
  bellion should he be found dead, she has no intention of 
  leaving her capital undefended.
  Unfortunately, that means there are just 25 huscarls 
  and 375 soldiers to represent her authority elsewhere. 
  Rather than placing them in forts, these troops are kept 
  mobile. Mounted on horses for speed, they travel the 
  realm to fly the queen’s banner and remind the citizens 
  who holds power in Midmark. each huscarl commands 
  15 axemen.
  by law a ridder may keep just two huscarls, a hauld 
  10 huscarls, a thegn 50 huscarls, and a jarl 100 huscarls. 
  Regular soldiers, less well equipped and lacking training, 
  may be no more than five men per huscarl. They typically 
  serve as elite town and village watch, acting alongside 
  the peasant militia. In practice few nobles can afford the 
  upkeep when there are no wars to fight on Midmark’s 
  soil, and numbers are more akin to half these levels.
  Cwene Saereid recently ruled that every nobleman 
  must send huscarls and soldiers to Aith in preparation 
  for helping retake southern Vestmark. This astute move 
  keeps the nobles from gathering strength while her army 
  is weakened and ensures a steady drain on their coffers. 
  Of the 3,000 troops at Aith, the nobles have supplied a 
  total of just 900 between them. She further demands that 
  her mobile troops be given hospitality as if she was ac-
  companying them. Hence, the mobile patrols dine well 
  at the nobles’ expense, placing a further financial burden 
  on them.
  Some nobles have decided to hit back at the queen, 
  suggesting she use part of her remaining army to march 
  into Veermark and along the High Road to relieve the 
  siege at Ostvik. While the monarch would dearly love to 
  ensure her southern cousins do not fall to the lizardmen, 
  such a move would leave her defenseless, exactly as her 
  enemies intend.
  For now she stalls, but Midmarkers are intensely pa-
  triotic when it comes to their fellow Saxa, and the tide of 
  public opinion may turn against her if she is not careful. 
  Her best option right now is to help Ostersund, winning 
  a public relations coup and distracting her people, at 
  least for a short while.
  trade & trIbute
  Midmark lacks a trading infrastructure. The trade road 
  from Scathmoor to Ostmark barely enters the country, 
  and the southern route is closed due to orcs and gob-
  lins. Although rafts and barges sail the Lesser Crystalflow, 
  much of central, southern, and eastern Midmark is cut 
  off from the steady flow of trade, resulting in long delays 
  and increased prices.
  Aith is well-stocked, for coast-hugging merchant ships 
  are less at risk from orc pirates than those who must sail 
  in deeper waters, but again, the lack of decent roads 
  hampers movement of trade goods inland.
  Although small quantities of most goods are exported, 
  Midmark is most famed for its beer and mead. Ironically, 
  much of its mead is destined for Royalmark, Midmark’s 
  biggest rival when it comes to ale exports. While Roy-
  almark has only recently begun exporting alcohol, its 
  central position means it is better positioned to serve 
  its buyers. Midmark maintains a strong output of dried 
  herbs, for medicinal and for cooking. Many of these find 
  their way to the Low Winterlands, where many herbs no 
  longer grow. Unfortunately, Midmark receives a small 
  fraction of the final sale price.
  With the road to Veermark closed, Midmark must im-
  port wool from the Crystalflow Confederacy. This pleases 
  the northern settlements, but has meant higher prices 
  in the south and east. Rebuilding work in Nordmark 
  has led to an increased demand for timber. Merchants 
  who once supplied wood to Midmark are now heading 
  north, for the young king has money to spend, and his 
  rebuilt nation could prove a fertile ground for mercantile 
  ventures. Although Midmark has Spiderfell Wood, only 
  limited felling occurs due to the dangers of giant spiders 
  and hearth elves.
  Midmarkers pay the usual customs, hearth, income, 
  poll, sales, and tithe taxes as do other citizens. Income 
  tax levels are set at 20%, though the need to keep the 
  army at Aith fed may see this increase shortly. The queen 
  is torn between further taxing the nobles and sharing the 
  burden with all her subjects.
  either way, taxation is never popular, especially since 
  a one off tax was introduced to equip the army in the first 
  place and pay for the transport ships.
  arcHItecture
  Midmark boasts several major towns and villages, but 
  much of its population lives in steads, traditional Saxa 
  farms. As a result, outside of the larger settlements the 
  population is widely scattered. Most steads, and indeed 
  many villages, are surrounded by a low stone wall or 
  wooden fence, erected to keep livestock in rather than 
  intruders out. In the vicinity of Spiderfell Wood, the 
  dragonspine, and the Great Marsh, steads are more forti-
  fied, with higher walls or even earth ramparts.
  Midmarkers shun the use of stone, preferring tra-
  ditional wood and wattle-and-daub construction. This 
  extends even to their palaces, great halls, and temples. 
  except for their size and ornamentation, the houses of 
  the rich are indistinguishable from those of the poor.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #22
  
  
  Midmark has a few motte-and-bailey forts, but most 
  of its fortifications are military camps built to traditional 
  designs. Protected by one or more rings of deep ditches 
  and wood-faced earth ramparts topped with fighting 
  platforms, the interior space contain halls for the war-
  riors, a kitchen, a granary, and perhaps a shrine, but little 
  else. In larger forts, when the ramparts may be a dozen 
  yards thick, spaces are built into the inner rampart for 
  stables or additional storage.
  Major localeS
  While Midmark’s largest settlements and several 
  places of interest are detailed in the Hellfrost Gazetteer, 
  this section provides the GM with more places for the 
  adventurers to visit.
  cHeaPton
  Population: 158
  Ruler: Profiteer Thegna Heregyth Heremundsdohtor
  Cheapton (“the market enclosure”) is a large stead 
  located near a ford over the lower Lesser Crystalflow. 
  Founded by royal charter, it is part of joint venture be-
  tween the cult of Var and the queen to boost trade in the 
  south of the country.
  The stead’s main purpose is to serve as a communal 
  market, enabling stead owners to buy and sell at a single 
  location. Regular markets are held every Marketdaeg, 
  with great markets every Raestdaeg. Some success has 
  been achieved, for merchants from Marshwatch attend 
  the larger markets.
  If the scheme catches on, the queen hopes to create a 
  string of similar trading posts across Midmark. With trade 
  routes established, the shipping of goods from cities to 
  towns to rural communities will be greatly sped up and 
  costs should drop, since merchants need only sell their 
  goods to the next trading post rather than undertaking a 
  lengthy and costly journey.
  New warehouses have been constructed in prepara-
  tion for deliveries of hard to come by goods from Hamna, 
  but trade caravans have been suffering increased attacks 
  and a large number have failed to arrive. While others talk 
  of orcs and bandits, Heregyth suspects the local nobility 
  may have a hand in the attacks. With Cheapton a royal 
  stead, all the taxes go straight to the queen, whereas 
  before local trading saw the coin go to the treasuries of 
  the nobility.
  Cheapton is protected by sturdy defenses, three pala-
  dins of Var, five huscarls, and twenty axemen. The char-
  ter allows them to defend Cheapton but it gives them no 
  authority outside the stead.
  gaPrby
  Population: 235
  Ruler: Thegn eggeat Godgarsunu
  Gaprby (“the village by the gap in the hills”) sits in 
  the southern foothills of the dragonspine, not far from 
  the border with Karad dahn and the blackstone barony. 
  The settlement began as a farm stead, but grew into a 
  trading center after the blizzard War thanks to the new 
  route through the mountains. Lacking a strong military 
  force and with the king more interested in protecting the 
  northern trade road, the villagers could do little as orcs 
  and goblins multiplied in the hills. Today, few caravans 
  make the dangerous journey, and Gaprby has suffered 
  economic hardship. With the low ground too wet for 
  crops and the high ground having very weak soil, the vil-
  lagers have turned to rearing goats and Midmark’s hardy 
  sheep to make ends meet.
  clerIcS of tHunor
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of Thunor, providing facts useful to both 
  players and GMs.
  Training: Thunor’s clergy are educated outside. 
  They study the different types of winds and clouds, 
  and learn Thunor’s mythology. Philosophy and co-
  nundrums with no set answers are debated, so en-
  couraging the novitiate to set aside preconceived 
  ideas and adapt as a situation unfolds. His clerics 
  can be eloquent orators, speaking out against op-
  pression and tyranny, encouraging the acceptance 
  of new ideas over tradition, and promoting the idea 
  of free will over ordained destiny.
  Prayers: Worship is always accompanied by rum-
  bling drums or clashing cymbals. As mentioned in 
  the Hellfrost Player’s Guide, prayers are generally 
  written on kites and sent skyward. When spoken 
  words are required, there is no set standard—re-
  liance on defined methods of worship promotes 
  stagnation.
  Adventures: Thunor’s clerics liberate the op-
  pressed. A village beset by rapacious orcs, a pris-
  oner wrongly incarcerated, prisoners of orcs and 
  goblins—all require Thunor’s help. At the same 
  time they are explorers and seekers of new ideas, 
  so exploring an old tomb or delivering someone or 
  something to a distant land is likely to appeal. The 
  more varied the quests the better, for stagnation 
  and repetition is abhorred.
  Character Guidelines: As travelers, Survival is an 
  important skill, for there will be long periods when 
  the cleric is away from civilization. Curiosity is a val-
  ued trait, but stubbornness is not, for clerics should 
  always be open to new ideas. beyond these simple 
  guidelines, clerics are given total freedom to pick 
  and choose skills and edges, for Thunor’s clergy 
  have no single defining goal.
  MIdMark
  
  
  For much of the year the shepherds live in huts in the 
  alpine pastures, returning home when the snows begin. 
  However, increasing numbers are failing to come home. 
  Their huts are deserted, but not abandoned, and their 
  flocks found roaming wild.
   Some blame orcs, though typically they would burn 
  the hut and steal the sheep as well. Others whisper that 
  all is not well in blackstone barony and the shepherds 
  have been kidnapped by a demonic cult. Tales of ghostly 
  dwarves emerging from the ruins Karad dahn circulate 
  the taverns as well, though the frost dwarf garrison sta-
  tioned nearby refutes these claims.
  Medeton-on-wood
  Population: 375
  Ruler: Ale-Lord brude Golden-Lips
  The village of Medeton-on-Wood, usually referred 
  to simply as Medeton, stands on the southern fringes 
  of Spiderfell Wood. Like many Midmark settlements, it 
  was founded after the blizzard War, when the Anari all 
  but gave up control of Midmark. At first it was a fairly 
  traditional agricultural village, growing cereal crops and 
  vegetables, and raising livestock. Small quantities of ale 
  and mead were brewed, enough to sate the locals’ thirst, 
  but not enough to export. Medeton would likely have 
  remained yet another Midmark village, were it not for 
  the visit of a merchant with a nose for fine drink.
  Upon sampling the mead, he immediately placed an 
  order for a dozen casks, promising to return the next 
  year for more. The merchant duly kept his word. Word 
  of the excellent quality began to spread far and wide, 
  reaching even to the noble courts of the central Mark-
  lands. Soon great caravans of merchants arrived seeking 
  not just Medeton’s mead, but also its ale, for the name of 
  Medeton had become synonymous with quality brewing. 
  Within a generation half the industry in Medeton involved 
  brewing mead and ale, and the fields of vegetables were 
  replaced by acre after acre of hops, barley, and wheat.
  each year, on the anniversary of that merchant’s visit, 
  the village hosts All drinks day, a dual celebration to 
  Gullveig, god of brewing (see Region Guide #1) and 
  the most worshipped deity in Medeton, and the art of 
  brewing. brewers from far and wide attend, setting up 
  stalls and supplying free drinks from dawn until dusk. 
  So many brewers in one place attracts rich merchants, 
  who get a chance to taste the latest brews and place bulk 
  orders directly with the manufacturer.
  Secret judges are appointed by the village council to 
  mark each beverage and award it points based on sev-
  eral criteria. At noon, the best ales are awarded colored 
  garlands of dried flowers. Competition is fierce, for the 
  awarding of a garland attracts merchants, which leads 
  to increased sales. With so much extra income at stake, 
  many brewers invest sizeable sums in industrial espio-
  nage against their rivals. On the surface, they are friendly 
  to each other, but the thin veneer of polite respect hides 
  a seething sea of professional hostility.
  due to the steady drinks trade, Medeton is a wealthy 
  village. Faced with the constant threat of orcs and bandits, 
  the villagers invested in a deep ditch and sturdy stone 
  wall to protect their thriving businesses. A permanent 
  militia of 30 warriors, trained by paladins of Tiw at no 
  small expense, watches over the settlement with steely 
  eyes and grim determination. The wages are better than 
  any neighboring community can offer, and the guards 
  never want for alcohol. As a result, they are fanatically 
  loyal to Medeton.
  Although the villagers answer to Jarl Coenric (see 
  page 8), the village is governed by a council of ten citi-
  zens. Of these, eight are elected citizens, their seats put 
  up for re-election every five years. by tradition, five seats 
  are always held by master brewers, two by farmers, and 
  one by a citizen who is neither a brewer nor a farmer 
  (though odds are he is related to one or the other). The 
  remaining two seats are permanent positions, reserved 
  for the resident priests of Gullveig and Var. The chair-
  man is elected by the council members from among their 
  number each time a new council is appointed. The cur-
  rent chair is Ale-Lord brude Golden-Lips.
  VIewIng HIllS
  With the permission of Cwene Saereid a small band 
  of Scaetha’s clergy have priests and paladins under 
  the command of eulogist Anhild Accasdohtor have es-
  tablished a stead six miles from the Tower of Mirrors. 
  Although the tower is ancient, rumors concerning the 
  eye that forms in the remaining lens began only 30 years 
  ago. The tower ha never been entered, but it could be 
  the hiding place of Angtharinax, the missing liche from 
  the Withered Lands. The clerics are currently gathering 
  stories and myths regarding the tower in preparation for 
  an attempt to gain access.
  wIHtlaflInglaw
  Population: 552
  feStIVal to tHunor
     nortH wInd day
  First Heafoddaeg of winter.
  Thunor was once aided by four servants—Austri, 
  Suðri, Vestri, and Norðri, whose bellows create the 
  four winds. When Thrym ascended, Norðri aban-
  doned Thunor, taking the secret of the north wind 
  with him. It is for this reason Thunor does not con-
  trol the north wind anymore. At some point during 
  the day (there is no set time) the clergy of Thunor 
  turn to face north and shout oaths of hatred, con-
  tempt, and vengeance. Many brave the elements to 
  bare their backsides (a great insult) or to urinate 
  northward in defiance of Thrym.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #22
  
  
  Ruler: Thegn eadbald Cynenothsunu
  Wihtlaflinglaw (pronounced “Whittinglaw”) directly 
  translates from Auld Saxa as “Wihtlaf’s place on the 
  heather covered hill,” an apt description given its loca-
  tion. Situated in the heather-strewn uplands between the 
  Viewing Hills and Spiderfell Wood, Wihtlaflinglaw is at 
  the center of Midmark’s trade in medicinal herbs.
  Granted a royal charter centuries ago, the village 
  is owned by the king and administered by one of his 
  thegns. For the last five generations the family of Thegn 
  eadbald have governed, being excellent administrators, 
  skilled herbalists, and clerics of eira.
  The charter forbids anyone except the citizens of 
  Wihtlaflinglaw or their appointed agents from harvest-
  ing medicinal herbs within 20 miles of the village. To 
  ensure the law is upheld, the village militia (30 men) 
  backed by six paladins of eira regularly patrol the heath 
  on horseback. First offenders are fined 100 gs, second 
  offenders lose their dominant hand, and third offenders 
  are outlawed from Midmark on pain of death. In all cases 
  any herbs or herbal remedies are confiscated.
  With Spiderfell Wood being so close, the village is pro-
  tected by a ditch and rampart, with a wooden palisade 
  running the entire length and a fortified gatehouse. Like 
  many spider-molested settlements, small holes cut into 
  the palisade allow spears to be thrust into the underbelly 
  of spiders attempting to scale the defenses.
  A grand temple to eira stands near the market square. 
  Like most temples of the goddess of healing, it functions 
  as a hospital and dispensary as well as a place of worship. 
  Such is its reputation that patients come from as far afield 
  as Wald. Although the temple sells herbal remedies, it 
  focuses purely on curative ones. A dozen other herbalists 
  have shops in the village to cater for other needs.
  Game Mechanics: Knowledge (Alchemy) or Survival 
  rolls to locate herbs within 20 miles of the village are 
  made at +1 due to the abundance of medicinal plants. If 
  a hero succeeds at a Knowledge (Midmark) roll first, the 
  bonus increases to +2 as he knows where specific herbs 
  grow. Midmarkers may use Common Knowledge.
  dried herbs can be purchased for 3 gs per batch, fresh 
  ones for 10 gs per batch (good for just 24 hours), and 
  herbalist kits for 75 gs. Clerics of eira may purchase anti-
  anemia, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antihistamine, 
  healing, healing (regenerative), purgative, and restor-
  ative brews from the temple for 80 gs per dose. All other 
  brews cost the stand list price.
  PerSonS of note
  detailed below are some of Midmark’s more interest-
  ing residents. All are possible allies of the heroes.
  ale-lord brude golden-lIPS
  born and raised in Medeton, brude is the resident 
  priest of Gullveig, chairman of the council, and a mas-
  ter brewer in his own right. Overall brude has a good 
  physique, though his stomach has begun to expand as 
  middle age creeps closer. His brown hair and beard are 
  feStIVal to tHunor
     Sky burIalS
  Any day, but preferably during a strong wind.
  Since long before the imprisonment of the Liche-
  Priest most human cultures in Rassilon switched 
  from interring corpses in favor of cremations. buri-
  al mounds are still erected by the rich, famous, and 
  powerful, though these now commonly contain an 
  earthenware pot filled with charred bones and ash 
  instead of intact remains. For most citizens, the fi-
  nal resting place for their ashes is a shallow hol-
  low excavated from the soil, atop which is placed a 
  marker stone. A rare few are cremated at sea, placed 
  in ships covered in pitch which are then ignited and 
  sent out into the ocean.
  The only people who regularly avoid cremation and 
  inhumation are followers of Thunor, god of the air. 
  For them, to be burned and then buried in the earth 
  or at sea is anathema, for fire, earth, and water are 
  the domains of other gods. The physical remains of 
  Thunor’s worshippers receive excarnation, known 
  as a sky burial.
  Corpses are placed upon wooden platforms sup-
  ported by two huge posts and left to decay natu-
  rally. In order to prevent the possibility of a corpse 
  becoming an undead, it is lashed or spiked to the 
  platform. Placing the corpses high above the ground 
  lessens the chances of wolves and other ground car-
  nivores feasting on the remains, yet allows carrion 
  birds free access.
  Followers of Thunor hold that Scaetha’s heralds 
  take the form of crows when they visit their remains. 
  These devour the soul and carry it to the heavens. 
  The longer it takes for a crow to begin feasting, the 
  more wicked the mortal is believed to have been in 
  life. Once all the flesh and tissue are devoured, the 
  bones are pounded into dust and left to blow away 
  in the wind.
  In order to assure ground carnivores do not despoil 
  the body of their friends and loved ones, the living 
  can pay a few silver scields to have a member of 
  the faith, most often a junior paladin in training, 
  watch over the corpse. Typically this is done only 
  until the first crow feasts, at which time the soul is 
  deemed to have left the body. Unscrupulous watch-
  ers have been known to deliberately lure crows to 
  the area, or actually carry one to the site, so as to 
  reduce the time they must spend exposed to the 
  elements. This practice is widely frowned upon, but 
  has proven impossible to stamp out.
  MIdMark
  
  
  flecked with gray, and more often than not his beard is 
  sticky with dribbled mead. His nickname stems from this 
  frequent occurrence. While everyone in Medeton knows 
  brude is a coward, none know he is an alcoholic. brude 
  isn’t yet at the stage where he has to get drunk every day, 
  but he does overindulge.
  jarl coenrIc bee-beard
  Fifth cousin to the late King Gust, Coenric has little 
  love for the other jarls and their scheming. He also has 
  little love for Cwene Saereid as a person, though he has 
  vowed to defend the throne of Midmark from usurpers, 
  but only because he believes Orr is alive and will return 
  to claim his title in due course.
  A burly, deep-voiced man with a booming laugh and 
  a friendly slap that can knock a man off his feet, Coenric 
  spends much of his time feasting, drinking, and wench-
  ing in equal measure. As he himself says, “Nothing beats 
  strong drink and strong women!” He is not married.
  He considers himself a patron of the arts, showering 
  gifts and titles on worthy skalds. More than one travel-
  ing minstrel has sought nothing more than hospitality 
  for the night, only to stagger bleary-eyed from the jarl’s 
  mead-hall the next morning a ridder of Midmark carry-
  ing a hefty sack of money.
  In his youth, he ventured into Spiderfell Wood. There 
  he met the bee queen, a powerful servant of eostre Ani-
  malmother. He emerged several days later with a beard 
  made of living bees. No one can deduce if this is a bless-
  ing or a curse, and Coenric claims he cannot remember 
  what transpired in the forest.
  tHegn toStIg alfredSunu
  Commander of the relief force mustered at Aith, 
  Thegn Tostig is devoted to Cwene Saereid. He served her 
  before she became queen, becoming her chief bodyguard 
  when she married King Gust. While he accepts his orders 
  without question, he detests being away from his queen, 
  for he knows there are many plots to wrestle power from 
  her and so far from court he is powerless to stop them.
  Work on the transport ships has suffered several set-
  backs due to acts of sabotage. While orcs are blamed, the 
  true culprit is Tostig. If the ships cannot sail, Saereid will 
  have to recall the army and thus bring him back to court 
  where he belongs. If he believes he can trust outsiders, 
  he will hire them to commit more destructive acts of 
  sabotage to see his wish fulfilled.
  godS & MonSterS
  This section details six new elementals, two types of 
  fey, giant storm crows, alternate giant spiders, the spider 
  cultists of Spiderfell Wood, and giant storm crows, and 
  storm crow swarms.
  eleMental
  aIr eleMentalS, VarIant
  In addition to standard air elementals, it is possible 
  to call forth elementals of the cold north wind and hot 
  south wind. These function as normal air elementals 
  except for the Wind blast power, which is detailed be-
  low. Summoning a south wind elemental is subject to 
  the Hellfrost effect. There also exist ghost air elementals, 
  elementals with the power to turn invisible.
  Can be summoned by: air elementalists, heahwisards, 
  hrimwisards (north wind only), rune mages, clerics of 
  Maera, Thrym (north wind only), and Thunor (ghost and 
  south wind only).
  * Ghost Air Elemental: If a ghost air elemental begins 
  its turn without a foe adjacent to it or caught in its 
  Whirlwind, it automatically turns invisible (–4). This 
  condition lasts until the end of the current round or 
  it uses Push, Wind blast, or Whirlwind, whichever oc-
  curs first.
  feStIVal to tHunor
     StorM dance day
  On the day of the first thunderstorm of the year.
  Warm summer winds blowing up from the desert 
  realm of Al-Shirkuh clash with the cold north wind 
  howling from the Hellfrost to produce terrific thun-
  derstorms. The storm symbolizes Thunor’s first bat-
  tle with Thrym.
  Storm dance day is celebrated when the first thun-
  derstorm of the summer breaks. being weather-
  wise, clerics usually have a few days’ warning to 
  prepare. Ignoring the lashing rain, howling winds, 
  rumbling thunder, and crashing lightning, worship-
  pers rush to the temple (or nearest open space if 
  no temple is present). Under dark skies illuminat-
  ed only briefly by brilliant flashes of lightning they 
  dance wildly and freely, following no rhythm other 
  than the one in their heart, for Thunor sets no pat-
  terns to men’s lives. Many bang drums and clash 
  cymbals, emulating the thunderstorm raging over-
  head. Most carry long spears, physical metaphors of 
  Thunor’s lightning, which they thrust northward to 
  stab at Thrym.
  being struck by lightning is a sign of divine blessing, 
  while death by electrocution is a sure sign Thunor 
  has taken the worshipper to heaven to serve him 
  eternally. On rare occasions, storm dragons congre-
  gate in the skies above Storm dances, basking in the 
  fury of the storm and gazing down on the frenzied 
  mortals below. To see one on this day is an indica-
  tion of good luck and a warm summer.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #22
  
  
  * North Wind Blast: damage 2d6 (cold trapping).
  * South Wind Blast: damage 2d6 (heat trapping).
  lIgHtnIng eleMental
  Although listed with elementals by most sages, there 
  is some doubt as to whether or not these creatures truly 
  are elementals. If they are, they undoubtedly dwell in the 
  Realm of Air. Clerics of Thunor argue they are servants 
  of their god, and thus not actually elementals, which 
  they believe are natural manifestations of the elemental 
  realms rather than minions of the gods.
  Storm elementals are man-sized entities formed of 
  crackling electricity. Their weapons are manifestations of 
  lightning, and thus count as energy attacks rather than 
  physical ones. They take the form of hand axes, maces, 
  or short swords.
  Can be summoned by: air elementalists, heahwisards, 
  rune mages, clerics of Maera and Thunor.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d10, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Charged Weapon: Str+d6. Has an electricity trap-
  ping.
  * Electric Shock: Anyone who makes a successful 
  Fighting attack against a lightning elemental with a 
  metal melee weapon must make a Vigor roll or be 
  knocked back 1” and fall prone. If their Vigor die is 
  a 1, regardless of the Wild die, they are Shaken as 
  well.
  * Elemental: No additional damage from Called Shots; 
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison.
  * Immunity: Lightning elementals are immune to all 
  air and electricity effects, including magic.
  * Quick: Lightning elementals redraw action cards of 
  five or lower.
         StorM eleMental
  Storm elementals are humanoid figures composed of 
  dense, dark, boiling clouds with electric-blue lightning 
  flashes for eyes. A miniature thunderstorm, in which 
  stinging hail, swirling wind, booming thunder, and 
  crackling lightning form and dissipate, swirls around 
  them like a vast cloak.
  Can be summoned by: air elementalists, heahwisards, 
  rune mages, clerics of Maera and Thunor.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: Notice d8
  Pace: 8; Parry: 2; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Elemental: No additional damage from Called Shots; 
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison.
  * Flight: Pace 12.
  * Immunity: Storm elementals are immune to all air 
  and electricity effects, including magic.
  * Storm Cloak: Storm cloaks are shrouded in a mini-
  ature thunderstorm filling a Large burst Template. 
  Lighting conditions in the cloud are dark (–2) during 
  the day and Pitch black (–4) at night.
  * Thunder Storm: each round, conditions in the Storm 
  Cloak are determined by the elemental’s action card. 
  All creatures except the elemental who enter or begin 
  their turn in the template, voluntarily or otherwise, 
  are affected equally.
   
  Club: Hail. Creatures in the template automatically 
  suffer 2d4 damage.
   
  Diamond: Wind. All attacks in to, out of, or through 
  the cloud suffer a –2 penalty due to buffeting winds. 
  Movement rates inside the cloud are halved.
   
  Heart: Thunderclap. All creatures must make a Vigor 
  roll or be Shaken and partially deafened (as per the 
  minor Hard of Hearing Hindrance). Hearing loss re-
  covers when the victim unShakes.
   
  Spade: Lightning. Creatures in the template automati-
  cally suffer 2d6 damage with an electricity trapping.
   
  Joker: As previous round, except the effects are en-
  hanced. Hail inflicts 2d6 damage; winds cause a –4 
  penalty to attack rolls and prohibit running; thunder-
  clap gives a –2 penalty to Vigor roll; and lightning in-
  flicts 2d8 damage.
  feStIVal to tHunor
     wInd callIng day
  First Milcdaeg of Eostremonan.
  Although primarily a ceremony honoring Thunor, 
  many clerics and worshippers of eostre participate. 
  during winter, Thunor is busy recovering from a 
  year of violence toward Thrym and planning his 
  next campaign. While Thunor is distracted, Ves-
  tri, maker of the west wind, shirks his duties and 
  catches up on his sleep. eostre also hibernates dur-
  ing this time, rebuilding her energy for the coming 
  spring.
  Clerics of both faiths gather outside at dawn. For 
  the rest of the day they blow horns, bang drums, 
  and shout to the west to rouse Vestri from his 
  sleep and get him back to work pumping his bel-
  lows. Meat is roasted and the smoke wafted toward 
  Vestri’s home, while beer is thrown into the air to 
  tempt the god from his slumber.
  If the west wind begins to blow within a few days, 
  everyone knows Vestri has heard the call and spring 
  will be early this year. A feast is held to mark the oc-
  casion and preparations are made for birthing day 
  (see Region Guide #13). If the west wind does not 
  rise, winter will last longer, delaying the plowing 
  season.
  MIdMark
  
  
  tHunder eleMental
  Thunder elementals take the guise of small, broiling, 
  nebulous thunderclouds. Stealth is impossible for these 
  elementals, for they are accompanied by peals of thun-
  der and deep rumbling.
  Can be summoned by: air elementalists, heahwisards, 
  rune mages, clerics of Maera and Thunor.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Notice d8
  Pace: —; Parry: 2; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Boom: A thunder elemental which does not move 
  may generate a powerful shock wave as an action. 
  All creatures within 6” must make a Strength roll 
  (Size acts as a modifier) opposed by the elemental’s 
  Strength or be knocked back as if struck by a Size +4 
  creature.
  * Elemental: No additional damage from Called Shots; 
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison.
  * Flight: Pace 12.
  * Immunity: Thunder elementals are immune to all air 
  and sound effects, including magic.
  * Thunderclap: Thunder elementals can send directed 
  blasts of sound at foes using the Cone Template and a 
  Shooting roll. Foes may make an opposed Agility roll 
  to avoid the blast. damage is 2d6 with a sound trap-
  ping.
  fey
  kajSa
  Kajsa are female fey connected to the winds. As such, 
  they honor Thunor predominantly, though a small few 
  favor Thrym as god of the north wind. Having a kajsa at-
  tend a ceremony to the god of storms is viewed as espe-
  cially fortuitous. blond haired and blue-eyed, they have 
  an ephemeral beauty, but seem constantly distracted, as 
  if their attention is focused elsewhere.
  They travel freely, rarely remaining in one place for 
  long. Although one might think they would be attracted 
  to clerics of Thunor, most actually favor clerics of Freo 
  among their mortal friends, for they see these free wan-
  derers as kindred spirits.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d6, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d6, Notice d10, Persuasion d8, 
  Spellcasting d10, Stealth d12
  Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Arcane Resistance: +2 to Trait rolls to resist magic 
  and +2 Armor against damage-causing arcane ef-
  fects.
  * Attractive: A kajsa resembles beautiful human fe-
  males, though with a grayish tint to their skin.
  * Powers: A kajsa knows the following powers: barrier 
  (wall of wind), entangle (winds), fly (glides on the 
  breeze), knockdown (gust of wind), storm (rain or 
  snow), stun (buffeting winds), and voice on the wind 
  (whispers on the breeze).
  * Weakness (Captivity): A kajsa which remains within 
  a building, cave, or other enclosed space must make 
  a Vigor roll each day or suffer a Fatigue level until 
  freed.
  lIgHtnIng SPrIte
  Lightning sprites are a form of sub-elemental native to 
  the elemental Realm of Air. While they sometimes enter 
  the mortal realm during powerful lightning storms, no 
  living mage knows how to summon them through magic. 
  each has a wispy humanoid form made of white-blue 
  lightning which alters shape seemingly at will. Piercing 
  blue eyes and claws shaped of crackling energy are their 
  only permanent features.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength 
  d6, Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6
  Pace: —; Parry: 4; Toughness: 4
  Treasure: None.
  Special Abilities:
  * Elemental: No additional damage from Called Shots; 
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison; suffers no 
  wound penalties.
  * Fly: Pace 8.
  * Immunity: Take no damage from spells with an elec-
  trical trapping.
  * Shock: Lightning sprites need only make a Touch At-
  tack (+2 to Fighting rolls) to deliver a powerful elec-
  trical shock. Victims take 2d6 damage and are knocked 
  back 1”. Metal armor provides no protection. Striking 
  a sprite with a metal weapon causes 2d6 damage to 
  the attacker and knocks him back 1”, but deals nor-
  mal damage to the creature.
  * Size –1: electrical sprites measure no larger than a 
  small human child.
  SPIder, gIant (alternate)
  All giant spiders share a basic stat block. Specific types 
  of spider have unique special abilities. For instance, a 
  Sword Spider has the Sword ability in addition to bite, 
  darkvision, and Wall Walker. GM’s may also wish to 
  experiment with crossbreeds. A trapdoor spider with 
  poison blades would make a deadly foe.
  Giant spiders are typically of roughly equal size to an 
  adult male human, including their legs. However, larger 
  species are known. As always, for each step of additional 
  Size, the spider has +1 Toughness. At Size +4 it gains the 
  Large ability, and at Size +8 the Huge ability.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d6, Strength 
  d10, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d10, Notice 
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #22
  10
  
  d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d10
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: Worthwhile, in lair
  Special Abilities:
  * Bite: Str+d6.
  * Darkvision: Hairs on the spiders’ bodies allow them 
  to sense movement up to 3” away. They ignore all 
  penalties for dark lighting (or invisibility) within this 
  distance.
  * Wall Walker: A spider may move along any surface 
  at its full Pace. It can also run without penalty, even 
  when hanging upside down.
  SPecIfIc tyPeS
  * Blade: blade spiders are named for the sharp, bony 
  tips on the front pair of legs. These inflict Str+d8 
  damage. blades spiders may attack with both fore-
  limbs in that same round, but suffer a –2 penalty to 
  both Fighting rolls. They may not use a blade in any 
  round they bite.
  * Leaping: This species of giant spiders may move their 
  base Pace while leaping, thus ignoring intervening 
  difficult ground. They may run before and/or after a 
  leap, but not during. Leaping spiders subtract their 
  Pace when jumping down from heights.
  * Paralysis (–4): Victims Shaken or wounded by a spi-
  der’s bite must make a Vigor roll at –4 or be paralyzed 
  for 2d6 rounds. Victims fall prone.
  * Poison (–2): Victims Shaken or wounded by a spi-
  der’s bite must make a Vigor roll at –2 or suffer an 
  automatic wound. This counts as a separate attack for 
  the purposes of Soaking.
   * Trapdoor: Trapdoor spiders are ambush predators. 
  They live in burrows with a concealed entrance. When 
  prey passes within 3”, they lunge to attack. When they 
  attack from hiding, victims must make a Notice roll 
  opposed by the spider’s Stealth. If the creature wins, 
  it gains +2 to attack and damage that round, +4 with 
  a raise.
  * Web: These spiders can cast webs the size of Small 
  burst Templates. This is a Shooting roll with Range 
  3/6/12. Anything in the web must cut or break their 
  way free (Toughness 7). Webbed characters can still 
  fight, but all physical actions are at –4.
  SPIder cultISt
  Although the cult of Spiderfell Wood is broken in the 
  adventure V3: Web of Deceit, the cult may have already 
  spread its tendrils further afield. even with the high 
  priestess slain, the cult does not fret, for Spiðari (see 
  Region Guide #0) will send another to take her place. 
  When that day dawns, the cult will be ready to serve 
  her. The spider goddess has many followers among the 
  civilized races. Whether willing volunteers promised 
  power in return for unquestioning servitude, or venom-
  addled converts, the cultists are fanatical in their praise.
  The cultists’ gear list assumes they are dressed for 
  battle. Alchemical devices are carried at all times, though 
  the ring is only worn openly around fellow cultists. See 
  the sidebar for notes on unusual gear.
  PaladIn or PrIeSt
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Faith d8, Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, 
  Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d8, Throwing d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)/9 (3)
  Hindrances: Loyal
  Edges: Arcane background (Miracles), Command, Fa-
  naticism, Level Headed
  Powers: Barrier (wall of spiders; adjacent foes take 2d4 
  damage per round as per a swarm), beast friend (spiders 
  only), entangle (webs), fear (imaginary spiders burst 
  through victim’s flesh), quickness, summon beast (spi-
  ders only)*, wall walker (grows spider legs from torso)
  Gear: Web armor (+1, +3 vs. piercing weapons), small 
  SPIder cultISt gear
  Spider cultists carry an array of gear not commonly 
  available to player characters.
  Egg Sacs: each pulsating red sac contains a Small 
  burst Template swarm of non-venomous but still 
  aggressive spiders. Range is 2/4/8.
  Spiked Weapons: except for the additional +2 
  damage these weapons are identical to standard 
  types.
  Web Armor: Woven from spider silk, the armor is 
  especially good against piercing weapons, such as 
  arrows, daggers, and spears. Against such weapons 
  it grants +3 Armor, instead of the usual +1. It pro-
  tects just the torso unless otherwise noted.
  Web Nets: Range 2/4/8. When thrown, a web fills 
  a single 1” square. The cultist’s Throwing skill roll 
  is opposed by the target’s Agility. Success indicates 
  partial restraint. The target suffers a –2 penalty to 
  Pace and skills linked to Agility and Strength. A raise 
  restrains the target fully. He cannot move or use any 
  skills linked to Agility or Strength (Parry drops to 2, 
  but attackers do not gain the drop).
  each following round, an entangled target may 
  make a Strength or Agility roll to break free. Other 
  characters may also attempt to free the ensnared 
  person by making a Strength roll at –2. The webs 
  only affect a single Small or Medium opponent.
  Once thrown, a web net cannot be retrieved.
  Web Shields: The fronts of these shields are covered 
  in sticky spider web. A Fighting roll of 1 (regardless 
  of Wild die) indicates the attacker’s weapon has 
  stuck to the shield. (A Wild die success causes dam-
  age as normal, but the weapon is still stuck after-
  ward). Pulling the weapon free requires a Strength 
  roll as an action.
  MIdMark
  11
  
  web shield (+1 Parry), spiked mace (Str+d6+2), 1d4 
  egg sacs.
  Alchemical Devices: Silk ball containing entangle 
  (Thrown range 3/6/12), wand imbued with bolt (three 
  bolts, 2d6 damage; uses Shooting), ring containing a sin-
  gle dose of poison (causes 3d6 damage to the drinker 
  and ignores all armor).
  * Wild Cards only
  cultISt, elIte
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Notice 
  d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 6 (1)/8 (3)
  Hindrances: Loyal
  Edges: Combat Reflexes, Improved Sweep
  Gear: Web armor (+1, +3 vs. piercing weapons), spiked 
  maul (Str+d8+2, –1 Parry, 2 hands).
  Alchemical Devices: Potion of wall walker, ring con-
  taining a single dose of poison (causes 3d6 damage to 
  the drinker and ignores all armor).
  cultISt, tyPIcal
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8, 
  Throwing d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 6 (1)/8 (3)
  Hindrances: Loyal
  Edges: —
  Gear: Web armor (+1, +3 vs. piercing weapons), small 
  web shield (+1 Parry), spiked mace (Str+d6+2). One 
  in every four cultists carries a single egg sac. Half of the 
  remaining cultists encountered carry a web net hanging 
  from their belt.
  Alchemical Devices: Potion of wall walker, ring con-
  taining a single dose of poison (causes 3d6 damage to 
  the drinker and ignores all armor).
  StorM crow
  Storm crows, also known as Thunor’s crows and 
  thunder crows, are usually identical in size to regular 
  crows. They have gray bodies, and black wings, legs, and 
  heads. Like all ravens and crows, they are considered an 
  ill-omen, except to Thunor’s cult.
  These particular specimens have grown to monstrous 
  size. debates rage as to whether these are natural crea-
  tures or émigrés from Thunor’s divine realm. They have 
  been spotted flying alongside storm dragons, and even 
  challenging small Hellfrost dragons for aerial supremacy 
  of their mountainous homes.
  gIant
  Giant storm crows can carry a single rider of Size +0 
  or lower, though unless the bird was trained to accept a 
  rider from hatching it is prone to throw anyone foolish 
  enough to hop onto its back.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d8, Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d8
  Pace: 4; Parry: 6/8; Toughness: 10
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Aerial Acrobat: Giant storm crows are nimble fliers. 
  While airborne they have the Improved dodge edge.
  * Electrical Surge: On each round the crow draws a 
  Club for initiative it becomes encased in crackling 
  lightning. during such times the crow does not peck. 
  Instead, any creature adjacent to the bird at the end 
  of its movement automatically suffers 2d6 damage 
  with an electricity trapping.
  * Flight: Pace 24.
  * Immunity: Storm crows are immune to any effects 
  involving air and electricity, including magic.
  * Peck: Str+d6.
  * Size +4: Giant storm crows measure 15’ from beak to 
  tail feather tip.
         SwarM
  Swarms of normal-sized storm crows are most com-
  monly seen before and during thunderstorms, where 
  they wheel in the sky in great flocks. during such times, 
  lightning crackles along their wings.
  A typical storm crow swarm fills a Medium burst Tem-
  plate, though Large swarms are not uncommon.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6(A), Spirit d12, Strength 
  d8, Vigor d10
  Skills: Notice d6
  Pace: —; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Aerial Acrobat: Storm crow swarms are nimble fliers. 
  While airborne they have the Improved dodge edge.
  * Electrical Surge: On each round the swarm draws a 
  Club for initiative, the birds become encased in crack-
  ling lightning. during such times the crows do not 
  peck. Instead, any creature in the template suffers 
  2d6 damage with an electricity trapping.
  * Flight: Pace 12.
  * Immunity: Storm crows are immune to any effects 
  involving air and electricity, including magic.
  * Mindless: Unaffected by Tests of Will, Tricks, or ar-
  cane powers like puppet.
  * Peck: Swarms inflict hundreds of pecks every round 
  to their victims, hitting automatically and causing 2d4 
  damage to everyone in the template. damage is ap-
  plied to the least armored location.
  * Swarm: Parry +2. because the swarm is composed of 
  scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting 
  and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect 
  weapons work normally, and a character can stomp to 
  inflict his damage in Strength each round.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #22
  12
  
  IntroductIon
  The fierce tribes of the Battlelands have earned their continued freedom in blood. No 
  conqueror has ever subdued this realm, and while the Tuomi hold power, it is unlikely 
  they ever will. Beset by frequent frost giant and orc raids, the Battlelands continue to live 
  up to their name. This supplement expands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  While the Battlelands have Anari, frostborn, and Saxa populations, Tuomi culture domi-
  nates. The Anari and Saxa are most populous in the southern regions, below the trade 
  road to Calivar, for it was here the Anari held sway in olden times. The Saxa are largely the 
  descendants of slaves shipped here by the empire, but now free citizens.
  The Battlelands is divided into a patchwork of tribal regions. Each tribe is led by a 
  mormaer. Mormaers rule only those who wish to be ruled by them, the feudal system as 
  practiced by the Anari and Saxa being unknown in the Battlelands.
  Although the position is hereditary, any family member separated by no more than five 
  generations may be chosen as heir. Furthermore, birthright alone does not make one fit to 
  rule. The Tuomi expect their leaders to lead the tribe to war when violence is necessary, 
  to make alliances that benefit the entire tribe, to punish those who harm the tribe, and to 
  settle disputes without being arbitrary. If a leader fails his obligations to his followers, he 
  loses face among his tribe and peers; alliances may be broken, leaving the tribe isolated 
  militarily, politically, and financially, and rivals may offer his people positions in their tribe 
  or invade, safe in the knowledge the people will not follow a poor leader.
  Each year the mormaer must go before an assembly of the clan leaders, clerics, mages, 
  warriors, rich landowners, and master crafters, those considered the most able to pass 
  judgment on behalf of the people. There the mormaer must speak of the tribe’s status in 
  the Battlelands, its gains and losses, and future problems that may arise as a result of his 
  decisions. If the council is not happy, it may remove the mormaer from office by a simple 
  majority vote. The mormaer may refuse to abdicate, of course, but his position is unten-
  able without popular support, for what power has a leader none will follow? When faced 
  with the loss of support, most mormaers do right by the tribe and step down, naming their 
  successor as their last act. In these circumstances, the council may refuse to accept the 
  heir, leaving the position to be filled by a candidate of their choice.
  31223
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 3 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  tHe BattlelandS
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  Each tribe comprises a number of clans bonded to-
  gether because the mormaer has promised to protect 
  them and increase their wealth. Whereas tribes are 
  political entities, clans are formed from families sharing 
  common ancestry and are thus bound by blood. Each 
  clan is led by a comes. unlike the mormaer, the comes 
  can be removed from power by the will of his extended 
  family. The clan’s mormaer has no right to interfere in 
  clan affairs unless discord threatens the tribal unity.
  While the children of tribe and clan nobility use the 
  title ruiri, in the Battlelands the pronunciation varies on 
  the child’s parentage.
  ranking below the nobility are the clergy. Both mor-
  maer and comes are expected to be warriors first and 
  foremost, regardless of sex. diplomacy is a necessary evil 
  to the Tuomi, and is left in the hands of the clergy, who 
  are deemed to understand the balance of nature. It is 
  a great insult to send a foreigner (that is a non-Tuomi) 
  to negotiate on a tribe or clan’s behalf, regardless of his 
  social rank. Clerics of Tiw, Eostre, kenaz, Neorthe, and 
  Thunor rank higher than those of the other gods.
  ranking just below the clerics are mages. Tuomi wiz-
  ards favor elementalism, though few join the Convoca-
  tion. Although druids are non-human, it is considered 
  a great boon for one to ally himself with a clan or tribe. 
  Such events have been rare, and to date have only oc-
  curred shortly before times of great upheaval and blood-
  shed. The last time this occurred was in 381 Ir, mere 
  months before Canual Murtholoic led the Battlelanders 
  to victory against an army of marauding frost giants.
  Permanent warriors are next on the social ladder, fol-
  lowed by rich landowners, crafters, and then the rest of 
  the population.
  educatIon
  While the Battlelands has no schools, academies, or 
  institutions, the citizens are not uneducated. Children 
  are taught by clerics, though what they learn and who 
  tutors them depends on their parentage. For instance, 
  the children of warriors, male and female, learn from the 
  clergy of Tiw, while those of farming or herding families 
  receive instruction from Eostre’s clerics.
  Instruction in culture, law, history, and such like is left 
  to the clan members, for every clan has slightly different 
  laws, traditions, and beliefs. Education generally contin-
  ues until the age of 12, when the child begins learning 
  the practical side of his future profession. By the age of 
  14, he or she is expected to be proficient enough to ful-
  fill his role and be an active member of society.
  relIgIon
  Fiercely independent and prone to settling disputes 
  through violence, the Tuomi of the Battlelands have 
  held Tiw in high esteem since before recorded history 
  began. While the Anari settled the south and proclaimed 
  they had conquered the natives, lines on a map do not 
  equate to domination. Against the Anari, the forces of the 
  Liche-Priest, and the armies of the hellfrost, the tribal 
  armies marched to war under the banner of Tiw. Little 
  has changed down the centuries, and when tribes clash 
  today both sides invoke prayers to the war god.
  All settlements over 2,000 souls maintain a temple 
  to Tiw. These structures serve as the living quarters for 
  unmarried men, a focal point for the militia to rally, and, 
  more often than not, as the court of the local noble 
  (though rarely his actual home). While every village has 
  a shrine, from where the elder calls the men to arms and 
  leads ceremonies, virtually every house boasts a small 
  statue to the war god.
  While the Tuomi have never practiced farming on an 
  industrial scale, every settlement has fields and herds 
  enough to feed its people. Eostre is popular in both her 
  aspects, with every settlement having a shrine. often 
  little more than a carved stone located in the fields or 
  near the winter animal yards, the shrines are the focus of 
  communal worship.
  kenaz is the third most popular deity in the Battlelands. 
  Introduced by the Anari, his faith found few worshippers 
  among the Tuomi until the Blizzard War. Protected by the 
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in The Battlelands.
  * Tribal Alliances: The Tuomi of the Battlelands 
  are bound together in a complex pattern of ever-
  shifting tribal alliances, neutrality, and hostility. At-
  titudes change as rapidly as the wind, and keeping 
  track of them all is certainly no fun for the gM. 
  Any time a Battlelander character interacts with 
  a different tribe (regardless of race), draw a card 
  from the action deck. (don’t bother rolling on the 
  reaction Table—tribal alliances and feuds go far 
  beyond the individual.) Naturally, the gM can ig-
  nore this and simply pick a result—if he needs the 
  tribe to be friendly, then they are friendly.
  A red face card means the tribe is friendly to the 
  hero. They have a reaction of Friendly on the reac-
  tion Table. A black face card means the tribe is less 
  welcoming, and has a reaction of uncooperative. A 
  numbered card indicates neutrality—whether the 
  tribe aids or hinders the hero depends on his ac-
  tions. If a Joker is drawn, draw again. If the next 
  card (redraw again if you get a second Joker) is a 
  numbered card, the tribe remains neutral. A red 
  face card now indicates helpful, and a black face 
  card hostile.
  If you have multiple Battlelander heroes in the 
  party, you should draw one card for each player. A 
  tribe may be friendly to one hero’s tribe, yet hostile 
  to another.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #23
  2
  
  recently formed Iceblade Mountains and lacking a large 
  population density, the hellfrost horde largely skirted 
  the western edge of the Battlelands in favor of striking 
  against the Anari strongholds of Aspiria and Chalcis.
  Elements of the horde did strike east toward the coast, 
  but they were driven back by the fierce tribesmen, Anari 
  soldiers, and clerics of kenaz. When the war ended and 
  the frost giant raids began, the clerics of kenaz taught the 
  Tuomi how to combat them.
  kenaz is seen as both a fire god and a war god in the 
  Battlelands, as evidenced by the rise of the cult of goð-
  jaðarr (see page 9), one of kenaz’s aspects. Within a few 
  more generations, kenaz may actually lose his war god 
  status, replaced completely by the minor deity.
  Neorthe has always been important in the Battlelands, 
  for fish has always been a staple part of the diet and the 
  sea god is one of the four nature deities. With the rise 
  of Calivar as a major naval power and the Battlelanders 
  willingness to take the fight to invading frost giant ships, 
  Neorthe’s cult and grown in recent years.
  The fifth most popular god is Thunor. The Battlelands 
  are frequently wracked by westerly storms and northerly 
  blizzards, and the wide open spaces are ideal temples for 
  the storm god’s priests. The independent nature of the 
  Tuomi and their lack of centralized government and laws 
  also leads them to honor Thunor.
  Together, Eostre, kenaz, Neorthe, and Thunor are 
  viewed as the gods of nature. Lacking great cities, the 
  Tuomi consider themselves more at peace with nature 
  than any culture except the Finnar, whom the Tuomi 
  consider rather backward due to their lack of metalwork-
  ing and wandering nature.
  Thrym, unfortunately, has a growing number of wor-
  shippers among the civilized races. his cultists work with 
  the frost giants, providing intelligence on defenses and 
  plans to combat them, as well as attacking temples to 
  kenaz and assaulting wandering knights of the order of 
  the giant Slayers (see the sidebar on page 4).
  mIlItary
  The belligerent tribes of the Battlelands maintain 
  warriors totaling between 5% and 10% of the popula-
  tion. The tribes do not differentiate between the sexes 
  in war, and during war a further 20% of the tribe can be 
  mustered in the form of militia. Whereas in many feudal 
  systems arming the peasants is seen as a bad idea, the 
  Tuomi believe it is every person’s right to carry arms.
  Most warriors carry four short spears, three desig-
  nated for throwing and one for stabbing, along with a 
  medium shield. Swords are expensive, and only the no-
  bility and favored warriors can afford them. While axes 
  are ideal weapons, the Tuomi consider them work tools, 
  and so disdain them in battle. Metal armor is expensive, 
  and thus worn only by the elite. Most militia do not even 
  own a leather shirt, instead fighting in just their everyday 
  clothes. War paint is worn by all warriors.
  Warriors are not grouped into companies, nor or-
  ganized by weapon type. Instead, warriors stand in the 
  battle line under their clan banner, with the mormaer 
  assuming overall command.
  Standard tactics are to intimidate the enemy with 
  war cries, chanting, wailing, a cacophony of drums and 
  horns, and the clashing of weapons on shields. Indi-
  vidual nobles and warriors often step forward to issue 
  challenges or boast, demonstrate their physical prowess 
  through heroic feats, or bare their backsides or genitals 
  to show their disdain for the enemy.
  When the signal is given, the entire line advances at 
  a jog, gradually increasing pace. Spears are launched 
  at long, medium, and short ranges, the warriors never 
  breaking stride while they pepper the enemy lines with 
  their javelins. As the lines converge, melee weapons are 
  order of Jotundauðr
  The order of giant Slayers is an informal military 
  order based in the Battlelands. It was founded after 
  the Blizzard War by clerics of goðjaðarr (see page 
  9) to reward those who fought against the invading 
  frost giants. Today, members work alongside the 
  cults of goðjaðarr and kenaz to ensure frost giants 
  do not menace the civilized realms.
  Membership is open to any person who has slain 
  a frost giant (whoever dealt the killing blow is ad-
  judged the slayer). All they must do is present the 
  corpse to the sole temple of goðjaðarr in the Bat-
  tlelands on Burning giant day (see page 7). In re-
  turn, they receive the Connections (giant Slayers) 
  Edge and the orders hindrance.
  The former extends to the cult of goðjaðarr, as 
  well as the cult of kenaz. The Connections Edge 
  can be applied to the hearth knights, but with a –2 
  penalty. orders are rarely issued, though members 
  are sworn to protect any settlement beset by frost 
  giants, regardless of personal circumstances or re-
  ward offered.
  Each Burning giant day, members must present a 
  frost giant skull to the temple of goðjaðarr or lose 
  their membership for the next year.
  Active members are granted the title knight. Those 
  with the giant killer Edge (representing experi-
  ence at slaying giants) are called Lord knights. 
  Those with the Improved giant killer Edge are ti-
  tled Lord giant Slayer.
  new HerBal remedy
  * War Paint (+1): As well as using woad and hen-
  na for tattoos, Tuomi warriors paint their faces in 
  elaborate designs when going to war. A dose of war 
  paint lasts for four hours (half that in heavy rain) 
  and grants +1 to Intimidation rolls.
  tHe BattlelandS
  3
  
  drawn and shields set in preparation for the bloodshed 
  to follow.
  horses (and sledges in winter) are used to carry 
  nobles and elite warriors into battle. The warrior is a 
  passenger, with a lesser warrior controlling the mount. 
  As the mount approaches, the warrior throws his spears 
  before dismounting to engage in combat. The rider then 
  remains close by, ready to drag his master away should 
  he be wounded or killed.
  trade & trIBute
  Two trade roads extend into the Battlelands, oppo-
  site ends of a network known locally as the great road. 
  While they form a vast arc, few merchants ever traverse 
  any further than Ludogov in the Borderlands, the great 
  market town at the center of the route. Ludogov imports 
  barrels of ale and casks of wine from Aspiria, which 
  merchants then sell to traders from the northern and 
  southern Battlelands.
  Merchants from Jotungraef, in the northern Battle-
  lands, export barrels of salted and smoked fish to the 
  glittersands, metalwork from the forges of kenaz’s 
  temples to Lakeland, and gems and semi-precious stones 
  to the jewelers of Ludogov. In return, they bring back 
  small quantities of glass, furs, and ivory, most of which 
  are destined for the wealthy elite rather than the com-
  mon markets, and wagonloads of alcohol.
  In the south, merchants from Calivar carry fish to 
  trade with the settlements along the route while head-
  ing to the great market at Ludogov, from where they 
  purchase alcohol and timber (from Pohst). The further 
  along the road they travel, the more profit they make 
  from their fish. Were the Aspirians to build a trade road 
  to be constructed from Aspiria straight to Scayle then 
  their merchants would have easier access to the Calivar 
  to Ludogov route, allowing them to compete with the 
  Battlelander fish merchants.
  Internally, there are no distinct trade roads. had the 
  Anari truly conquered the realm, then perhaps things 
  might have been different. As it is, the old system of bar-
  tering rules when it comes to trade. Crafters from each 
  tribe sell their wares to local merchants, who transport 
  them in bulk to neighboring markets. here, they are 
  swapped for locally produced goods or wares imported 
  from more distant tribal lands. goods not sold to local 
  inhabitants are collected in with local exports and in 
  turn taken further afield from their source. 
  In this manner, cargoes eventually travel the length 
  and breadth of the Battlelands, though in ever diminish-
  ing quantities. Because of the way trade works, the cult 
  of var has never managed to extended its influence far 
  beyond the great towns of Calivar and Jotungraef, though 
  independent merchant-clerics earn an honest living.
  In addition to trading, the tribes are proponents of 
  raiding, a practice their ancestors instigated long ago. 
  While cattle are the main target, they are not above 
  new arcane Background
     Soul BIndIng
  Requirements: Novice
  Arcane Skill: Soul Binding (Smarts)
  Starting Powers: 3
  Spell List: Boost trait (no lower), warrior’s gift.
  Soul binding is a barbaric form of wizardry, a left-
  over from a bygone age. More akin to shamanism 
  than conventional sorcery, soul binding allows the 
  practitioner to tap into former knowledge and abili-
  ties of a severed head, in which part of the soul has 
  been trapped. The art has been outlawed across 
  rassilon, but practitioners can still be found in iso-
  lated communities and among worshippers of dar-
  gar and hela. Soul binders suffer the Siphoning.
  Spells: unlike other forms of magic, the boost trait 
  spell only affects skills and must be learned sepa-
  rately for each specific skill. Thus, a starting soul 
  binder mage may know boost Fighting, Intimida-
  tion, and Tracking, but he cannot boost other skills. 
  Similarly, each time the mage learns warrior’s gift, 
  he gains knowledge of a single Combat Edge equal 
  to or lower in rank than his character rank, cho-
  sen when the spell is taken. A starting mage knows 
  three spells and begins with three severed heads.
  These spells only ever affect the caster. This replaces 
  the normal range for the spell. Each severed head 
  may contain only a single spell.
  New Power: Soul binder mages do not learn spells 
  through the New Power Edge. If the mage kills a 
  foe with a Called Shot to the head, he may attempt 
  to enchant the severed head. This must be done by 
  the end of the next round or the soul cannot be 
  trapped. This requires a Soul Binding roll opposed 
  by the Spirit of the victim as an action. The mage 
  must score a success and beat the victim’s roll to 
  enchant the head.
  The mage then decides whether he wants boost 
  trait or warrior’s gift. however, the gM determines 
  the specific spell the head contains. For boost trait, 
  this matches the victim’s highest skill. With warri-
  or’s gift, the victim must have possessed the Edge 
  in life. For instance, if the mage decapitates an elite 
  orc warrior, his only choices are boost Intimida-
  tion, the orc’s highest skill, or warrior’s gift (Com-
  bat Reflexes), its only Combat Edge.
  Slaughtering goblins, orcs, and other such crea-
  tures is not going to give the mage a wide variety of 
  spells. If he wants boost Healing, for example, he 
  is going to have to hunt down a healer. Sooner or 
  later, a soul binder mage must turn on the civilized 
  races to increase his personal power.
  Casting: In order to work magic, the soul binder 
  mage must carry the severed heads on his person. 
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #23
  
  
  snatching anything of value, including hostages. Ancient 
  laws dictate that no clan may raid members of the same 
  tribe, for that leads to discord. Most raiding is bloodless 
  and seen as just another aspect of daily life. When blood 
  is spilled, deliberately or accidentally, then hostilities 
  ensue. These blood feuds can, and often do, last for 
  generations.
  arcHItecture
  Before the Blizzard War, the native Tuomi lived in 
  wattle-and-daub roundhouses much like their neighbors 
  in the Borderlands and drachenlands. When the frost gi-
  ants and their orc and goblin allies began raiding, these 
  flimsy structures were largely abandoned in favor of de-
  signs once used by the Battlelanders’ distant ancestors.
  In rural communities the standard habitat is the 
  wheelhouse, a building comprised of circular drystone 
  walls encompassing a central communal area and hearth. 
  Stone piers extend into the room from the wall, forming 
  buttresses to support the wooden roof (over which turf 
  is laid) and dividing the interior into compartments. de-
  pending on the family’s needs, these compartments may 
  be used for sleeping, storage, shrines, or workshops.
  Wood is in short supply, and seats, cupboards, and 
  beds are built of stone. dried reeds, heather, and furs are 
  used to line the beds and provide comfortable sleeping, 
  while curtains of treated animal skins allow for areas to 
  be sealed off. doors are a luxury, even to the outside. 
  Wheelhouses are built facing away from the prevailing 
  winds and with very low doorways. Animal skins are 
  used to keep out the wind and rain.
  Many are dug into the ground, leaving only the roof 
  visible as a low, grassy mound. Since they are designed 
  to be concealed, most wheelhouses lack a chimney. With 
  no windows and minimal ventilation, the interior is dark 
  and smoky all year round. The width of wheelhouses var-
  ies from 12 to 40 feet, depending on the owner’s status.
  Larger communities are encircled by an earth rampart. 
  drystone walls with packed earth in between and topped 
  by a walkway top the rampart. Fortified gatehouses 
  prevent entrance. unlike in most Anari and Saxa towns, 
  houses do not stand in separate plots. rather, they are 
  built in long, single story terraces formed in squares 
  around communal allotments. Most houses are single 
  rooms with a packed clay floor and a central hearth.
  The central market square, the hub of town life, is 
  surrounded by the houses of the nobility, merchants, 
  and priests, as well as small temples, warehouses, and 
  workshops. Although these upper class housing blocks 
  appear no different to the houses of the common citi-
  zens, individual houses are much larger.
  Logs are laid in the streets to allow stable footing in 
  wet weather and during snowy winters. With little decent 
  timber, these logs must be imported. Most towns impose 
  a road tax to help pay for this.
  Large temples, whether rural or attached to a town, 
  are built as a series of paired semi-circular, drystone wall 
  chambers built around short, narrow corridors. viewed 
  from above they form an irregular series of oblongs. 
  Covered by turf or thatch supported on stone lintels or 
  wooden frames, the rooms form the temple complex. 
  only temples of Ertha break from this mold, being subter-
  ranean and more akin to huge wheelhouses. Since many 
  temples stand outside the nearest settlement’s defensive 
  walls they are vulnerable to attacks by giants. Stout, 
  pointed wooden posts are placed internally, touching 
  the roof but providing no structural support. giants who 
  stamp on the roof quickly realize their mistake.
  When it comes to fortifications, the standard defensive 
  structure is the broch, a drystone, hollow-walled tower. 
  While brochs are fortifications, they are rarely garrisoned 
  by more than a handful of defenders. rather than be-
  ing true castles or forts, they are refuges, inhabited only 
  when giants or orcs come raiding, and then usually only 
  by the women and children.
  Brochs vary in size from 15 feet to 50 feet internal di-
  ameter, with walls 10 feet thick, and rising as much as 60 
  feet. Whereas most towers are relatively straight, brochs 
  noticeably narrow as they heighten. unlike most towers 
  there are no windows, and unusually for fortifications 
  there is just a single entrance, albeit one which requires 
  entrants to bend double. 
  The gap between the exterior and interior wall con-
  ceals a stairwell that winds up to the flat roof. A signal 
  beacon on the roof is lit only when danger threatens, 
  thus alerting the nearby settlements to prepare for trou-
  ble. When settlements are further away, horns may be 
  blown instead. In taller brochs, narrow doorways within 
  the stairwell lead to upper stories used for storage.
  Soul BIndIng cont’d
  he needs to be able to speak in order to command 
  the head, but need not make any gestures with his 
  hands.
  Limitations: The maximum number of enchanted 
  heads a mage may possess at any time is equal to his 
  arcane skill die. In order to create a new head above 
  this limit, he must destroy one of his existing ones.
  heads: The severed heads are shrunk, magically 
  hardened to Toughness 8 (they can be fitted with 
  helmets for added protection), and weigh five 
  pounds for a typical adult human.
  For ease, Size –1 heads weigh three pounds and at 
  Size –2 one-half of a pound. Similarly, assume each 
  point of Size above Size 0 weighs an additional two 
  pounds. double the final value for Large creatures, 
  triple it for huge, and multiply it by four for gar-
  gantuan creatures. Thus, the head of a Size +5 frost 
  giant weighs 30 pounds (15 pounds for Size +5 and 
  doubled because it is Large).
  If a head is destroyed, the mage permanently loses 
  access to its spell.
  tHe BattlelandS
  
  
  maJor localeS
  This section details new adventuring locations and 
  places of interest within the Battlelands.
  duBHSlIeve
  Located on the western slopes of the Battle Mounds, 
  the village of dubhslieve (“black hill”) comprises over 
  30 subterranean wheelhouses linked together by short, 
  curving corridors. unlike other wheelhouse settlements, 
  which are just a few feet below the surface, dubhslieve 
  was constructed by hollowing out a large hill.
  Created as a refuge for important leaders during the 
  Anari invasion, it remained only sparsely populated 
  once attitudes changed and relations warmed. during 
  the Blizzard War, dubhslieve fell to barbarous orcs, the 
  inhabitants put to the sword or enslaved and dragged 
  back to the orcs’ vile lairs.
  Although dubhslieve was eventually recaptured, it fell 
  to orcs again just a year ago. The mormaer of the local 
  tribe, the Bliesblituth, led a small force against the invad-
  ers a month ago. he has yet to return. until the mormaer 
  is confirmed dead, the tribe cannot appoint a new ruler. 
  Chaos reigns and the orcs grow bolder each week.
  InISdun
  Inisdun (“island stronghold”) is a rotting wooden fort 
  standing on a low island on in Candle Marsh. In times 
  past it housed a small community of rush gatherers, but 
  it was abandoned in favor of settlements on the fringes 
  when the bufomi and gatormen became more aggres-
  sive. Today it is a border outpost of the Muircholaich 
  tribe, for in winter the marsh can freeze almost solid, 
  giving raiding frost giants easier access. Life is hard for 
  the warriors. In summer swarms of biting insects hover-
  ing like clouds and disease is a problem, while in winter 
  the temperatures are unbearably cold. Food is always in 
  short supply, as is potable water.
  To help maintain the fort, the mormaer has offered 
  adventurers seeking to battle the bufomi or explore the 
  gatorman ruins hospitality at the fort. In return for a safe 
  place to sleep and recover, he asks for 10% of any trea-
  sure found in the marsh.
  ratHtearmann
  Meaning “the earthen ring-fort refuge” in Tuomi, 
  rathtearmann is a huge, circular hill fort in the central 
  Battlelands. Living here on a permanent basis are four 
  priests and four paladins, one of each from the cults 
  of Eostre, kenaz Neorthe, and Thunor. An arkhwisard, 
  known as the keeper of the refuge, is granted steward-
  ship at the behest of the mormaers, who gather to elect a 
  new steward when the old one dies or retires.
  Although outsiders believe the name refers to an 
  actual refuge, a place of sanctuary in times of trouble, 
  rathtearmann is actually a neutral meeting place. here 
  tribes can settle their differences or forge alliances, safe 
  in the knowledge they will not be attacked (at least not 
  by other Tuomi). Although weapons may be brought 
  into rathtearmann, using one against a fellow Tuomi is a 
  crime against the gods punishable by death. 
  In the event tribes cannot make their peace or are 
  here to declare war on each other, the tribes are warned 
  by the keeper that no blood may be shed for a period of 
  24 hours after they leave the hill fort. Any tribe breaking 
  this cardinal rule will quickly find its allies unwilling to 
  take their side in the coming conflict, and its enemy’s 
  ranks swollen by other tribes.
  The only structure inside rathtearmann is a raised 
  clerIcS of kenaz
  The religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of kenaz.
  Training: A cleric’s training begins by undergoing 
  the rite of coals. This has similarities to the trial 
  of the burning stone, sometimes invoked in legal 
  cases. The cleric must clutch a hot ember in both 
  hands while reciting sacred vows. If the resulting 
  burn heals quickly and cleanly, the recruit may be-
  gin training. As worshippers of heat and enemies 
  of winter, they are expected to scorn the cold—ice 
  cold baths and naked runs in snow build up stam-
  ina, mock Thrym, and prepare the cleric for the 
  battles ahead. Training is given in identifying and 
  combating hellfrost beasts.
  Prayers: Prayers make reference to heat and forg-
  es—“I am tempered by heat, resistant to cold,” “I 
  am the anvil against which winter cannot hammer,” 
  and “The fire of my heart burns true,” for example.
  Adventures: Worshippers of kenaz are constantly 
  busy holding back and warring against Thrym’s min-
  ions. They defend settlements from frost giants and 
  orcs, escort supplies to the Winterlands, hunt down 
  hellfrost dragons, and guard fire loci. Ancient ruins 
  may be plundered for fire-related relics to help in 
  the war against Thrym, or searched for knowledge 
  which may help rekindle kenaz’s dying flame.
  Character Guidelines: Any adventuring cleric is 
  going to be focused on destroying hellfrost beasts. 
  While high vigor and Survival are important for en-
  during colder realms, combat skills and Edges are 
  really where a cleric should be investing. given 
  their duties are similar, being a hearth knight adds 
  extra abilities in combating hellfrost beasts without 
  causing much conflict of interest. of course, as war-
  riors, a cleric will always find Strength and Spirit 
  vital.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #23
  
  
  stone platform. Atop stand four braziers arranged at the 
  corners of a square. When tribes gather here, one pot is 
  filled with grain, another water, a third left with noth-
  ing but air inside, and the fourth with burning charcoal. 
  Together these represent the four nature gods of the 
  Tuomi, and filling the pots ensures the deities are pres-
  ent during any negotiations.
  Non-Tuomi may enter the site only at the direct invita-
  tion of a tribe, and emissaries from that tribe must be 
  present the entire time the outsiders remain. outsiders 
  found inside the earthworks without a tribal representa-
  tive may be slain on sight.
  temple of goðJaðarr
  The temple is something of a rarity, for goðjaðarr, the 
  god of frost giant slaying, is a minor deity associated with 
  kenaz and Tiw. having been instrumental in thwarting 
  dozens of frost giant raids, the clerics know the temple 
  is a prime target. While the basic construction is similar 
  to other temples in the Battlelands, the roofs of the vari-
  ous chambers studded with sharp stakes as a precaution 
  against giants.
  The approaches to the temple are marked by thick 
  stakes supporting frost giant skulls. Banners of flayed 
  skin emblazoned with warnings of the fate that will befall 
  all giants who harass the Battlelands flutter in the wind. 
  Internally, many small furnishings, such as lamps, candle 
  holders, and statuettes are carved from frost giant bone. 
  The floor of the main worship hall is a mixture of clay 
  and powdered bone.
  As well as honoring goðjaðarr, the temple is the head-
  quarters for the order of giant Slayers, many of whom 
  are lay members of the cult. The pair of chambers nearest 
  the main entrance are set aside for their use. While the 
  cult has plenty of lay members offering lip service, the 
  core cult boasts just 20 priests and 34 paladins in total. 
  Thus, the cult relies on the order for extra muscle.
  Cult alchemists manufacture and sell a small range 
  of devices. Since their spells are limited to only affect-
  ing frost giants, they are not picky about to whom they 
  sell their wares. Some critics of the cult have insinuated 
  the cult could be selling alchemical devices to frost gi-
  ant agents. Faced with this accusation the clerics merely 
  smile coyly and comment that the giants must only need 
  them to fight each other, for they are of no use against 
  other races, and if the giants are fighting each other then 
  so much the better.
  In order to help local communities fend off raiders, 
  prices are kept artificially low at just 75 gs per rank of 
  spell. Clerics of the cult, members of the order of gi-
  ant Slayers, clerics of kenaz, and heath knights can buy 
  them for just 60 gs per rank.
  The rapidly expanding cult of Canaul-Tiw is antago-
  nistic toward the cult of goðjaðarr. The cult of goðjaðarr 
  claims Canaul was a mortal and that later in his life he 
  dedicated himself to their deity. Canaul-Tiw’s worship-
  pers consider this heresy, and accuse the cult of pervert-
  ing the true message for political reasons.
  perSonS of note
  This section details NPCs the heroes may encounter 
  on their adventures through the Battlelands.
  aed gHoSttalker canutulacHama
  Aed lives on the fringes of his tribe, revered by his kith 
  and kin yet also an outcast, for he practices the ancient 
  feStIval to kenaz
     BurnIng gIant day
  Night after first snowfall of the year.
  Before the god War Thrym and kenaz were mi-
  nor deities representing winter cold and summer 
  warmth respectively. Though neither could gain to-
  tal dominance over the other, the seasons varied in 
  length as first one god gained superiority and then 
  the other. After much squabbling they made a truce, 
  agreeing to share the year between them. Neither 
  honored the full spirit or letter of the compact, 
  and so summer and winter varied in length. When 
  the races of giants were created, they pitted them 
  against each other. After the god War, the rivalry in-
  tensified immensely and the petty squabbles turned 
  into bitter war when kenaz persuaded his father to 
  join his cause.
  during the Blizzard War worshippers of kenaz were 
  always in the frontline, battling fiercely against frost 
  giants and hellfrost dragons. Their struggle, and 
  kenaz’s eternal battle, is honored each year.
  After the harvest is gathered worshippers set to 
  work building huge wicker figures packed with hay 
  and grass. These figures vary in size from 18’ feet 
  (the height of a typical frost giant) to over 50’ (and 
  are representative of Thrym). The day after the first 
  snowfall worshippers gather around the wicker 
  men, reciting epic tales of the heroic struggles of 
  the Blizzard War, reenacting battles against frost gi-
  ants (men on stilts wrapped in furs), and praising 
  their god.
  Toward dusk each worshipper takes up a burning 
  torch. They cluster in small groups, which from the 
  heavens resemble hot coals, kenaz’s holy symbol. 
  After singing the Song of Warmth, the torches are 
  thrown in a pile at the wicker man’s feet. As the 
  flames begin to lick the effigy, the worshippers sing 
  hymns to encourage the flames to spread. If the veg-
  etation catches quickly, the omens promising that 
  are winter will not be overly harsh. Should the fig-
  ure fail to burn properly, winter will be cold and 
  long.
  tHe BattlelandS
  
  
  art of soul binding. unlike many of his remaining peers, 
  Aed has no interest in personal power. All his skulls are 
  invested with boost Knowledge, which he uses to help 
  solve problems. The wizened old mage is a follower 
  of hoenir. he believes that if he had not preserved the 
  knowledge contained within his skulls, it would be for-
  ever lost and the world would be a poorer place.
  Although Aed is the recipient on the skulls’ spells, his 
  trappings take the form of the relevant skull seeming to 
  talk in a deep, hollow voice. It is this illusion, for the 
  words are Aed’s not the trapped soul’s, that earned him 
  his nickname, ghosttalker.
  Where Aed acquires his skulls is a mystery, for he nev-
  er leaves his small house. According to one story all his 
  skulls were willingly donated. Sick wise men who wish 
  to help pass on their wisdom approach Aed in the last 
  days of their life and allow him to enact his dark rituals.
  mormaer Ila wartootH tolarggan
  Chief of the Tolarggan tribe, whose lands border the 
  southern Battle Mounds, Ila has dyed her hair dark-red 
  and had all her teeth except her canines removed. her 
  rivals whisper she is a cultist of hela with aspirations of 
  becoming a vampire, clearly evidenced by her visage. It is 
  true Ila uses necromancy, but she is devoted to kenaz.
  In her youth, Ila, the only child of the late mormaer, 
  was a warrior. While fending off a frost giant raid in the 
  Battle Mounds she discovered an ancient temple to hela. 
  Inside were dozens of jars full of strange powder. She left 
  the temple intact, for she had no wish to raise hela’s ire 
  by desecrating it.
  The death of her beloved father at the hands of frost 
  giants drove Ila over the edge. She returned to hela’s 
  temple and stole the jars of powder, which she had 
  learned were alchemical zombie spells created by a dis-
  ciple. She then instructed her warriors to excavate the 
  Mounds for corpses, which she then animated as zom-
  bies and skeletons. Bound to her will, they secretly serve 
  the tribe as suicide troops, throwing themselves against 
  frost giant raiders with no care for their safety.
  The supply of dust has run out (and the ranks of her 
  undead army are thinning). Ila is desperate to acquire 
  more without attracting the attentions of Scaetha’s cult.
  wHy come Here?
  The Battlelands are a patchwork of tribes whose re-
  lationships are in a state of near-constant flux, plagued 
  by giants and orcs, and troubled with hard winters and 
  raging storms. Coupled with their remote location, why 
  would an adventurer want to come here?
  * orders. of all the heroic archetypes, only hearth 
  knights of Sword and Lance status and clerics of kenaz 
  are likely to be sent to the Battlelands, for here the war 
  against Thrym’s minions is waged on a daily basis. other 
  heroes might be asked to journey here, but short of a 
  major quest they would need to be in nearby lands. After 
  all, any cleric of Eira can help after a particularly nasty 
  tribal conflict—a cleric in royalmark, regardless of their 
  rank or glory, isn’t going to be sent halfway across the 
  continent for a matter which can be handled locally.
  * glory. Most adventurers who come to the Battle-
  lands voluntarily are likely to do so in search of glory. 
  With frost giant and orc raids a regular occurrence, there 
  is plentiful opportunity to record one’s deeds for poster-
  ity in the blood of slain foes.
  renowned mercenary leaders might be hired to fight 
  on behalf of a tribe or lend support against a forthcom-
  feStIval to kenaz
     cold nIgHt
  Heah Wyntr Daeg.
  The Cold Night began as a celebration to mark the 
  end of winter and the return of warmth. during 
  the god War, a godling loyal to Thrym slipped past 
  kenaz’s bodyguards and plunged a dagger into his 
  heart. Though not slain, kenaz was mortally wound-
  ed and withdrew from the combat. As his life-force 
  ebbed away, so the warmth of the universe faded.
  Sigel and Tiw hunted the universe for Eira, who 
  was away tending to the many wounded on both 
  sides. Their quest was long and arduous, and each 
  day the universe grew colder as kenaz grew weaker. 
  At last Eira came to kenaz’s aid, healing his wound 
  through her powerful charms, restoring the light of 
  the universe and banishing the winter.
  As Sigel’s hearth sets on the longest night, worship-
  pers of kenaz gather outside in the cold night air. 
  Candles, torches, and bonfires are extinguished, 
  lanterns dimmed to mere flickers, and even the 
  sacred flames in kenaz’s temples are reduced to 
  glowing coals in memory of kenaz’s injury. Clerics 
  wail and lament while retelling the myth. An hour 
  before dawn, clerics of Eira move among the con-
  gregation, rekindling bonfires, lighting the torches 
  and candles, and turning up lanterns to full. As 
  the dawn breaks, the worshippers rejoice at Sigel’s 
  healing and return to strength.
  Since the Blizzard War and the waning of kenaz’s 
  power, the worshippers have grown more fervent 
  in their singing. kenaz it seems has once again been 
  wounded and his warmth once more fading from 
  the universe.
  Note: Clerics of Sigel have a similar celebration 
  known as Long Night. In their mythology, when 
  Sigel went looking for Eira the universe grew darker 
  as well as colder. Sigel’s ritual is one of restoring 
  light and banishing darkness. Clerics of Eira are wel-
  comed at the festival, but play no part other than to 
  be lead around by Sigel’s clergy until dawn.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #23
  
  
  ing frost giant assault, but again the heroes would have 
  to be fairly close to be of much assistance.
  * duty. one possible reason for visiting is familial 
  duty. A Tuomi hero in foreign lands may eventually re-
  ceive word that requires him to return home. Perhaps 
  his father is ill, missing, or kidnapped, his clan has been 
  annihilated, or he has been nominated as a candidate for 
  nobility due to his glorious deeds.
  * Passing Through. unless the adventurers intend to 
  journey to the glittersands, Lakeland, or the great Forest 
  (or hrimthyr Isle for those of sufficient valor), it is most 
  unlikely they will be passing through the Battlelands. Af-
  ter all, it is far easier to reach realms such as the Border-
  lands, Witchwood, and the drachenlands from Aspiria 
  and Chalcis. Still, the Foaming Sea is renowned for its 
  storms, and a voyage from Alantaris Isle to northwest 
  Alantaris could result in the heroes being shipwrecked 
  in the southern Borderlands.
  godS & monSterS
  detailed in this section are the minor gods of giant 
  slaying and weaponsmithing, and stats for storm giants.
  goðJaðarr
  Titles: giant Slayer, Protector of the gods.
  Aspects: Frost giant slaying.
  Affiliations: kenaz, Tiw.
  Symbol: A severed giant’s head.
  Priesthood: Anvils (priests); hammers (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Festivals are held after a frost giant is slain 
  by members of the local temple. Burning giant day (see 
  page 7) is a high holy day.
  Duties: To slay giants.
  Sins: (Minor) refusing to fight a frost giant, fleeing 
  from a frost giant, conversing with a frost giant except 
  to intimidate or taunt; (Major) refusing to hunt and kill 
  a frost giant that has slain members of the civilized races; 
  (Mortal) failure to slay one frost giant a year.
  Signature Power: Smite*.
  Powers: Arcane resistance*, armor*, boost/lower 
  trait (Strength, vigor, Fighting, Intimidation, Shooting, 
  Taunt, Throwing only)*, growth/shrink, warding (giants 
  only), warrior’s gift*.
  Trappings: heat and/or fire only.
  Special: Spells marked “*” only function against frost 
  giants. Against other foes, including other species of gi-
  ants, the spells bestow no bonus. For instance, a paladin 
  invokes smite and scores a raise. Against frost giants 
  he adds +4 to damage rolls, but when the enchanted 
  weapon used against all other foes it has no damage 
  bonus and is not treated as being magical.
  Although giants of all species now honor the gods, 
  during the god War they were sworn enemies. Far stron-
  ger and more magically inclined than the lesser species 
  that walk the earth today, the true giants were formidable 
  foes capable of slaying the gods given sufficient numbers. 
  While Tiw led the gods’ armies into battle, it was one of 
  his lieutenants, goðjaðarr, who proved the giants’ great-
  est bane.
  feStIval to kenaz
     HeartH day
  Raestdaeg of Wulfmonan.
  At the beginning of time, before hothar brought or-
  der to the universe, there were no seasons. Thrym, 
  who had been rooting in the furthest recesses of the 
  universe far from the light of the stars, found a new 
  god called Frost. Being something of a bully, Thrym 
  cajoled Frost into using his powers, and so the first 
  winter came to the universe.
  The other gods did not know how to cope with this 
  new phenomenon. Winter’s son, Shivering, soon 
  came to pay the gods a visit and teach them his new 
  trick. kenaz asked his father, Sigel, to heat up the 
  universe, but Sigel refused. Back then there was no 
  summer, and Sigel refused to banish the new god 
  just because he was different.
  kenaz went to see Nauthiz, who taught him secrets 
  of stealth in return for knowledge of Sigel’s daily 
  agenda. While Sigel slept, kenaz stole into his hall 
  and cut locks of his father’s fiery red hair. he car-
  ried these to the gods’ halls and laid them inside a 
  ring of stones. When the hair touched the ground 
  it became fire, which banished the cold. Although 
  kenaz had not defeated Winter, he had found a way 
  to banish him from houses.
  Throughout the year, faggot-gatherers, often older 
  widows and the physically and mentally infirm, 
  scrape a meager living selling bundles of firewood 
  (known as faggots). Most are worshippers of kenaz. 
  Each year on this day, all worshippers of kenaz work 
  with the faggot-collectors to gather firewood during 
  the daylight hours. As night begins to fall, they de-
  liver faggots to houses, asking nothing in return, for 
  kenaz freely gave the gift of fire to his fellow gods.
  once the deliveries are complete, the regular fag-
  got-gatherers are invited to a grand feast. Where a 
  temple to kenaz exists it hosts the gathering. oth-
  erwise the honor falls to the local priest of kenaz 
  or blacksmith, or, if the community lacks both, the 
  head of the settlement. Clerics of kenaz are ex-
  pected to visit the nearest feasting hall and gift the 
  faggot-gatherers with small tokens, such as a purse 
  of silver coins, a basket of bread, or a set of new 
  clothes.
  Allowing a hearth to go out on this day brings ex-
  ceptionally bad luck for the next year.
  tHe BattlelandS
  
  
  having sworn holy oaths to battle the giants, goð-
  jaðarr waged a war of extermination, relentlessly and 
  remorselessly hunting down and destroying the giants. 
  When the war ended, the few remaining true giants laid 
  down their arms and swore oaths of loyalty to specific 
  gods. For their sins they were cast down to the mortal 
  realm, forced to mate with the emerging humans to en-
  sure their survival, and in doing so losing much of their 
  power and size.
  goðjaðarr had been promoted to deity status during 
  the war, but fell into obscurity once peace was declared. 
  While there were always rogue giants who needed 
  punishing, his main purpose was redundant. Thus, 
  goðjaðarr languished in a state of semi-existence until 
  the Blizzard War, when the frost giants swore loyalty 
  to Thrym and entered his armies in droves. Slowly but 
  surely, goðjaðarr’s cult emerged from the shadows.
  however, some giants, such as the fire and storm 
  tribes, fought against Thrym’s giant minions, and goð-
  jaðarr saw no purpose in slaying them purely out of 
  habit. Instead, kenaz taught goðjaðarr the secret of fire 
  and heat in return for allegiance. Today, the cult of goð-
  jaðarr is focused only on the destruction of frost giants, 
  though it has no compulsion against hunting giants who 
  prey on the civilized races.
  goðjaðarr’s cult is rare outside the Winterlands. Al-
  though he is honored by the hearth knights, he is wor-
  shipped as an aspect of kenaz rather than a unique deity. 
  In such circumstances kenaz is shown with a frost giant’s 
  head hanging from his belt. Among his true worshippers, 
  goðjaðarr is depicted as a mighty warrior. Since he first 
  served Tiw, his armaments vary based on cultural prefer-
  ences rather than doctrinal ones. he is also patron of the 
  order of giant Slayers.
  goðjaðarr has a single temple in the northern Battle-
  lands, where his cult is immensely popular. outside of 
  this region, his worship is more lip service or is incorpo-
  rated into that of kenaz.
  Like Tiw’s clergy, goðjaðarr’s servants are loosely 
  divided between defense and offense. his priests are 
  often found in communities, organizing the defenses 
  and training the militia to deal with giants. Paladins tend 
  to be more itinerant, actively hunting down and slaying 
  frost giants wherever they may lair.
  Ceremonies take the form of battle chants and cer-
  emonial martial dances, coupled with displaying war tro-
  phies, such as severed heads, scalps, and flayed skins.
  Character Guidelines: Slaying giants doesn’t just 
  require strength and stamina. While many clerics do 
  have high Strength and vigor, many giants are clumsy 
  and stupid, allowing clerics with good Agility and Smarts 
  a chance to trick them.
  Clerics are under no compulsion to engage giants 
  only in melee, so Shooting and Throwing are just as use-
  ful as Fighting. Intimidation and Taunt can prove very 
  useful as well. While most Combat Edges are well-suited 
  to slaying giants, giant Slayer and Improved giant Slayer 
  are must-haves when the hero reaches the appropriate 
  character rank.
  HagvIrkr
  Titles: Weaponsmith of the gods.
  Aspects: Forging weapons.
  Affiliations: Ertha, kenaz.
  Symbol: An anvil.
  Priesthood: Anvils (priests); hammers (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Festivals are usually held at the start of 
  Plohmonan and Werremonan, when smiths are busy 
  making and repairing weapons.
  Duties: To create weapons.
  Sins: (Minor) damaging a forge, using non-metal 
  weapons, not forging a new weapon once per month; 
  (Major) making more income from blacksmithing than 
  forging weapons, not melting down at least 1,000 gs of 
  weapons each year; (Mortal) destroying a forge.
  Signature Power: Smite.
  Powers: Bladebreaker, boost/lower trait (Strength, 
  vigor, and knowledge (Craft: Weaponsmith) only), el-
  emental manipulation (fire only), environmental pro-
  tection (fire only), weapon immunity.
  Trappings: All trappings involve heat.
  Ertha and kenaz have long been allies, with the god-
  desses providing metal ore and kenaz supplying the heat 
  required to forge it. Several myths carry their relation-
  ship further than mere friendship, and hagvirkr is often 
  described as being the result of their union. As a youth, 
  hagvirkr watched his father laboring over his forge to 
  keep Tiw supplied with weapons. When kenaz rested, 
  hagvirkr would sneak in and take a turn. understanding 
  both heat and metal, hagvirkr quickly came to surpass 
  his father in the art of crating weapons, and was duly 
  appointed to the role.
  Personifications show a short, muscular man with the 
  fiery red beard of kenaz, but the brown eyes and soft 
  locks of Ertha. Most often is shown working at his forge, 
  pounding away with his huge hammer, “Beater.”
  hagvirkr has no personal shrines, even among weap-
  onsmiths. Where honored, he is represented by runes 
  etched into the smith’s anvil or shown alongside statues 
  kenaz or Ertha as an anvil.
  Both priests and paladins are working weaponsmiths. 
  Whereas priests are expected to settle down and oper-
  ate a forge, either as a business or for a noble, paladins 
  are itinerant smiths, traveling as they desire and making 
  weapons for remote communities who lack their own 
  smith. Though they sometimes dabble in making horse-
  shoes and plows, this is not the clergy’s specialty, and 
  they are forbidden from making it their core source of 
  income.
  Whereas clerics of Eostre sacrifice metal and gems to 
  the earth, clerics of hagvirkr melt down weapons in their 
  forges. While the physical essence of these offerings is 
  destroyed, a spiritual version is created in its place, thus 
  ensuring the armories of the gods remain ever full and 
  ready for use.
  Each year, on the first Sunnandaeg of Werremonan, 
  the clergy celebrates hagvirkr’s induction as weapon-
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #23
  10
  
  smiths of the gods. They are expected to spend the time 
  leading up to the festival crafting a weapon of strength 
  and beauty. The final hammer fall must be made on the 
  day known as Forge day. The weapon is then gifted to 
  a notable warrior or hero. Clerics have been known to 
  gift these weapons to youths, and such an offering is 
  considered a sure sign the child will become a mighty 
  warrior later in life.
  Character Guidelines: Working at the forge day in 
  and day out tends to produce strong, fit clerics. While 
  not dedicated to fighting wars, many clerics are adept 
  with melee weapons. Paladins are itinerant and need 
  the skills to survive in the harsh wilderness. Alchemy 
  is popular among weaponsmiths, since it allows them 
  to imbue weapons with temporary magic. Most of their 
  devices are runes etched into weapons.
  froSt dwarf
  As well as regular infantry, skirmishers, and militia, 
  frost dwarf communities have a few special units at their 
  disposal. one of these is detailed below.
  gIant kIller
  giants aren’t much of a threat inside the cramped 
  tunnels of a dwarf fortress, but their presence above 
  ground can cause problems. To combat this, dwarves 
  employ giant killers, warriors skilled at dispatching large 
  foes. While most stay close to their cities, where they are 
  called upon only in times of need, others escort trade 
  caravans through giant infested territory or actively take 
  the fight to their brutish foes.
  despite the name, giant killers are used to fight off 
  any large foe from centipedes to dragons. dragon slay-
  ers, often given a unique title, prefer large shields, as 
  these provide more protection from dragons’ destructive 
  breath.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, guts d8, Intimidation 
  d6, Notice d6, Survival d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d8
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 5; Parry: 7; Toughness: 8 (2)
  Hindrances: Insular, Loyal, Slow
  Edges: Combat reflexes, Frenzy, giant killer, Tough, 
  Snow Walker
  Gear: Chain mail (+2), pot helm (+3), medium shield 
  (+1 Parry), battle axe (Str+d8), two throwing axes 
  (range: 3/6/12, damage: Str+d6)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Mountain Born: dwarves suffer no penalties for dif-
  ficult ground in mountains or hills.
  * Heat Lethargy: Frost dwarves have –1 to all Trait rolls 
  in temperatures over 53 degrees.
  * Low Light Vision: dwarves ignore penalties for dim 
  and dark lighting.
  * Steady Feet: A giant killer knows how to retain his 
  feet when struck by giant foes. he treats the size dif-
  ference on the knockback Table as one level better. 
  For instance, against an ogre (Size +3), the warrior 
  suffers knockback as if the ogre were 1 or fewer Sizes 
  larger.
  * Winter Soul: Frost dwarves have +2 to vigor saves to 
  resist the effects of cold, and +2 Armor to resist ice or 
  cold attacks.
  gIant, Storm
  high atop mountain peaks dwell storm giants, colos-
  sal humanoids with light gray skin, jet black hair, and 
  eyes the color and intensity of lightning.
  Although dedicated to serving Thunor, storm giants 
  have no inherent love of the civilized races, though they 
  are inclined to question those claiming to be followers of 
  the thunder god before throwing them from the moun-
  tain to “test their faith.”
  Living together in small clans led by a cleric or rune 
  mage, storm giants constantly war against neighboring 
  frost giants and their monstrous allies. It is unusual for 
  a clan to have both a cleric and mage present, for both 
  consider themselves natural leaders.
  Whereas other giants prefer to keep their valuables 
  safe, storm giants make great show of wearing their 
  wealth.
  feStIval to kenaz
     Sword day
  First Heafoddaeg of Werremonan.
  This holy day marks the time when kenaz crafted 
  the first weapon, which he gifted to Tiw, thus trans-
  forming him into the god of war. While all temples 
  teach melee combat, each has a preferred melee 
  weapon. Sword day is the most common name for 
  this ceremony, but its names changes from temple 
  to temple. Thus one may find Axe day, hammer 
  day, Mace day, and Spear day all being celebrat-
  ed simultaneously across rassilon. Every cleric of 
  kenaz must gift a weapon he has forged in the last 
  year to a cleric of Tiw before sunset or commit a 
  major sin.
  New weapons are blessed on this day over the sa-
  cred temple flame. Starting or finishing the creation 
  of a weapon on this day is said to imbue it with a 
  divine spirit. After meditating in front of the sacred 
  flame the creator names each weapon he starts or 
  finishes during the ceremony in honor of the spirit 
  it contains.
  Note: Clerics of hagvirkr, the minor god who kenaz 
  later installed as weaponsmith to the gods, hold 
  a similar ritual on the first Sunnandaeg of Werre-
  monan. They also celebrate this festival.
  tHe BattlelandS
  11
  
         clerIc
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength 
  d12+3, vigor d10
  Skills: Climbing d8, Faith d10, Fighting d8, guts d12, 
  Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Throwing d8
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 14 (3)
  Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Command, disci-
  ple of Thunor, Fervor
  Gear: Plate corselet (+3), chain limbs (+2), large ham-
  mer (Str+d10, AP 2 vs. rigid armor), thrown boulder 
  (range: 5/10/20, damage: Str+d10)
  Treasure: Treasure Trove
  Special Abilities:
  * Electrical Aura: A storm giant which forfeits its move-
  ment for the round can surround itself with lightning. 
  All adjacent foes take 2d6 damage with an electrical 
  trapping.
  * Immunity (Electricity): Immune to electrical at-
  tacks.
  * Improved Sweep: Storm giants can attack all adja-
  cent foes at no penalty.
  * Large: Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls against storm 
  giants, due to their size.
  * Mountain Born: Suffer no penalties for difficult 
  ground in mountains or hills.
  * Powers: Bolt (lightning bolts), deflection (swirling 
  winds), fly (carried on the winds), knockdown (strong 
  winds), storm (thunderstorm), summon elemental 
  (air and storm only), voice on the wind, whirlwind 
  (filled with lightning).
  * Size +4: Storm giants are over 18’ tall.
  * Thunderbolt: on any round it is dealt a Club, a storm 
  giant may throw a lighting bolt. range: 10/20/40, 
  damage: 2d6 with an electricity trapping.
  * Thunderclap Teleport: once per round, a storm gi-
  ant can teleport up to its Pace as an action. This re-
  places its movement for the round. Any creatures ad-
  jacent when it teleports must make a Strength roll or 
  be knocked prone and Shaken.
         rune mage
  of all the giant races, storm giants are the most com-
  mon practitioners of rune magic. All their spells have an 
  air or electricity trapping, as appropriate.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12+2, vigor d10
  Skills: Arrow-rune d8, Climbing d8, Elemental-rune 
  d8, Fighting d8, guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, 
  Throwing d8, Weather-rune d10
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 14 (3)
  Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), runic Insight 
  (Weather-rune)
  Gear: Plate corselet (+3), chain limbs (+2), large ham-
  mer (Str+d10, AP 2 vs. rigid armor), thrown boulder 
  (range: 5/10/20, damage: Str+d10)
  Treasure: rich
  Special Abilities:
  * Electrical Aura: A storm giant which forfeits its move-
  ment for the round can surround itself with lightning. 
  All adjacent foes take 2d6 damage with an electrical 
  trapping.
  * Immunity (Electricity): Immune to electrical at-
  tacks.
  * Improved Sweep: Storm giants can attack all adja-
  cent foes at no penalty.
  * Large: Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls against storm 
  giants, due to their size.
  * Mountain Born: Suffer no penalties for difficult 
  ground in mountains or hills.
  * Runes: Arrow-rune, elemental-rune (air and storms 
  only), weather-rune
  * Size +4: Storm giants are over 18’ tall.
  * Thunderbolt: on any round it is dealt a Club, a storm 
  giant may throw a lighting bolt. range: 10/20/40, 
  damage: 2d6 with an electricity trapping.
  * Thunderclap Teleport: once per round, a storm 
  giant can teleport up to its Pace as an action. This 
  replaces its movement for the round and does not 
  count as Withdrawing from Melee. Any creatures ad-
  jacent when it teleports must make a Strength roll or 
  be knocked prone and Shaken.
  warrIor
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength 
  d12+3, vigor d10
  Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, guts d8, Intimidation 
  d10, Notice d6, Throwing d8
  Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 13 (2)
  Gear: Chain hauberk (+2), monstrous hammer 
  (Str+d12, –1 Parry, AP 2 vs. rigid armor, 2-hands), thrown 
  rock (range: 5/10/20, damage: Str+d10)
  Treasure: Meager
  Special Abilities:
  * Electrical Aura: A storm giant which forfeits its move-
  ment for the round can surround itself with lightning. 
  All adjacent foes take 2d6 damage with an electrical 
  trapping.
  * Immunity (Electricity): Immune to electrical at-
  tacks.
  * Improved Sweep: Fire giants can attack all adjacent 
  foes at no penalty.
  * Large: Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls against storm 
  giants, due to their size.
  * Mountain Born: Suffer no penalties for difficult 
  ground in mountains or hills.
  * Size +4: Storm giants are over 18’ tall.
  * Thunderbolt: on any round it is dealt a Club, a storm 
  giant may throw a lighting bolt. range: 10/20/40, 
  damage: 2d6 with an electricity trapping.
  * Thunderclap Teleport: once per round, a storm 
  giant can teleport up to its Pace as an action. This 
  replaces its movement for the round and does not 
  count as Withdrawing from Melee. Any creatures ad-
  jacent when it teleports must make a Strength roll or 
  be knocked prone and Shaken.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #23
  12
  
  IntroductIon
  The second most populated country in Rassilon, Aspiria is renowned for its fine wines 
  and steadfast attitude against invaders. But times have changed, and Aspiria is threatened 
  by orc marauders and the deadly, relentless Scavengers. While the king hunts and dances, 
  seemingly oblivious to the current events, the great nation slips steadily toward destruc-
  tion. This supplement expands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Whereas neighboring Chalcis has been ruled by a duke since gaining independence 
  from the Anari Empire, Aspiria is governed by a hereditary monarch. By tradition, the 
  eldest child, male or female, inherits the throne. The eldest child of the reigning monarch 
  holds the title of Crown Prince or Princess, while siblings are Archdukes or Archduch-
  esses. Their children in turn take the titles of prince or duke, lacking the greater honorific. 
  Although members of the royal family, they have little true political power, for that lies in 
  the hands of the Noble Council.
  Ranking below the royalty are the high nobility, the seven hereditary counts and their 
  children. Between them, the counts own around 70% of Aspiria, though they are bound to 
  the monarch by oaths of allegiance. By law, no monarch can ever be a count at the same 
  time as he rules Aspiria. Thus, if a marriage occurs between royalty and high nobility, one 
  party must give up their claim to the appropriate seat. Which claim is forfeited depends 
  largely on the likelihood of achieving power. Hence, the third daughter of the king has 
  little chance of becoming queen and achieving any true degree of power, but by marrying 
  a count’s eldest son she may someday be a countess. A similar law prevents the families of 
  counts marrying to create a great county.
  Below the counts are the count-barons, all of whom are members of the Noble Coun-
  cil. While some are true nobles elevated to the Council by dint of their extensive lands, 
  influence, wealth, or loyalty, many are merchants, clerics, and mages. Although the title is 
  purely honorific, they are influential citizens in their own right, and thus awarded greater 
  respect than the lesser nobility. Both the monarch and counts may appoint lesser titles of 
  baron, banneret, and knight as they see fit, though any land they grant the title holder must 
  come from their own domains. Together these three form the lesser nobility. Each noble is 
  beholden to whomever granted him his title.
  31224
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 4 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  aSPIrIa
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  The upper classes comprise rich merchants, impor-
  tant vintners, high clerics, and senior mages, such as 
  arkhwisards, as well as senior military commanders in 
  the king’s household and members of court. merchants, 
  master crafters, senior clerics, and many mages are 
  deemed middle class, along with scribes, guildmasters, 
  and the like. Finally there are the peasants, the bulk of 
  whom are farmers and laborers.
  tHe noble councIl
  The Noble Council is a check to the authority of the 
  monarch. While the king, in theory, has great power, any 
  decision that affects Aspiria, such as taxation or summon-
  ing the army to war, must be approved by the Council as 
  a whole.
  The Council comprises an inner Chamber, in which 
  sit the seven counts, and an outer Chamber, to which all 
  members automatically belong.
  The inner Chamber serves only to settle disputes of 
  birthright should the monarch die without issue, and 
  to elect new members to the Noble Council. The latter 
  requires the unanimous vote of all seven counts. Since 
  appointments are often politically motivated, reaching 
  any sort of decision is rare, and thus new members are 
  rarely elected. in recent centuries it has become tradi-
  tion for a new monarch to appoint one new member to 
  the outer Chamber. Seats in the outer Chamber are not 
  hereditary. When the incumbent resigns or dies, his seat 
  becomes vacant.
  When the original Council was formed, all seven 
  counts had an equal vote. With abstention prohibited by 
  law, no deadlock was possible. Today, the counts receive 
  two votes in honor of their greater station and the count-
  barons just a single vote. Should a matter be tied, the 
  inner Chamber votes on the matter to ensure the motion 
  is either passed or rejected.
  No member of the royal family may ever sit on the 
  Noble Council. Those who have rejected their birthright 
  are exempt from this law, since they can never again re-
  claim their royal title. No member of the royal family may 
  enter the chamber unless invited by majority vote of the 
  inner Chamber, and even then he must enter without 
  bodyguards or armaments.
  Traditionally, the Council meets twice a year. With no 
  one wishing to travel far in winter, gatherings are held 
  in late spring and early fall. The Council’s chambers are 
  part of the Royal Palace.
  educatIon
  Aspiria boasts just two formal schools. The first is 
  within the Elemental Towers and is restricted to trainee 
  elementalists. The second is the Royal Academy, so 
  named because it was founded by an earlier king. Techni-
  cally it caters to all citizens, though the tuition fees make 
  access unobtainable to all but the wealthiest inhabitants. 
  As such, it caters only to the upper classes and nobility.
  Children are taken from the age of five upward and 
  complete their basic training at the age of 14 (the age of 
  adulthood). Thereafter the pupil may enlist for advanced 
  courses or leave to begin his adult life.
  Elsewhere, citizens learn as they do in other realms, 
  with clerics and family members providing instruction 
  based on their faith or occupation. While most citizens 
  are well-versed in Common knowledge topics, some 
  are fortunate enough to learn more esoteric subjects or 
  expand their knowledge to cover other lands.
  The guild of Alchemists in glassport provides appren-
  ticeships, though only to mages and clerics. Courses lasts 
  for three years, after which time the student should have 
  achieved basic competency in the art. in game terms, any 
  mage or cleric with the Alchemy Edge is likely to have 
  studied here.
  relIgIon
  The four major deities of Aspiria are Eostre (Plantmo-
  ther and then Animalmother), Ertha, Hothar, and Sigel, 
  though all the gods, good and evil, receive some degree 
  of worship.
  Eostre Plantmother’s worship is strongest in the 
  Southern marches, where the vintners hold her in high 
  regard. Since wine makes up the bulk of the area’s in-
  come, the general populace also offers her plentiful wor-
  ship. Elsewhere, she is honored for her role as patron of 
  cereals and vegetables. Regardless of where she is wor-
  shipped, services always involve the drinking of wine.
  Whereas Chalcis strips the granite mountains for 
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in Aspiria.
  * Justice for All: The courts of Aspiria are run 
  by the cult of Hothar. in their eyes, all men are 
  equal. As such, nobles do not gain the usual +2 
  Charisma bonus awarded them by dint of their so-
  cial station when involved in court cases.
  * Nobility: Typical Aspirian player character no-
  bles can hold a maximum rank of baron. only 
  those born to a count, or who marry into the fam-
  ily, can ever achieve that station. The gm may al-
  low noble heroes to be of royal birth. Since the 
  current king has no heirs, any royal heroes would 
  be the children of the king’s siblings, thus making 
  them dukes.
  Heroes (except those related to the royal family) 
  may become count-barons regardless of social sta-
  tus, though such awards are extremely rare. We 
  recommend a maximum of one hero per cam-
  paign be granted such an honor, and then only 
  once he reaches a minimum of 100 glory.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #24
  2
  
  metal ore, Aspiria is rich in semi-precious and precious 
  gems. Ertha has long been worshipped in the settlements 
  of the foothills and along the trade roads down which 
  the gems travel, though elsewhere she is very much a 
  lesser deity. All her halls are richly adorned with precious 
  stones of exquisite quality and workmanship.
  Since suffering under the yoke of Anari oppression, 
  the Aspirians have come to hold justice in high regard. 
  They believe that while not all men are born equal, all 
  men have the gods-given right to live equally. No man is 
  above the law in Aspiria, for even the king is subject to 
  the Noble Council’s rulings. Whereas in many countries 
  the nobility hold court, in Aspiria all trials are conducted 
  by the cult of Hothar.
  With Hothar so important, it is not unsurprising that 
  oaths are held in high regard, and those who break their 
  sacred word are treated with great contempt.
  Sigel rose to prominence during the demongate War 
  and never lost his place as one of the more popular gods. 
  during the Blizzard War he ranked as the primary deity of 
  Aspiria, replacing Tiw as god of war. Though worship has 
  declined slightly since those distant days, the constant 
  threat of orcs and giants, the hardening winters, and the 
  growth of Witchwood have ensured he retains a place in 
  the heart of all Aspirians.
  mIlItary
  The monarch maintains a personal bodyguard of 
  2,000 soldiers, collectively known as the king’s guard. 
  of these, 250 are “war knights.” They are divided into 
  five equal strength companies known as lances. The 1st 
  Lance comprises actual nobles, typically second or third 
  sons with little hope of inheriting greater titles. The re-
  maining four lances are primarily common men, though 
  the captain and his sergeant are always nobles. The 5th 
  Lance is actually a training company, its members largely 
  untested in combat.
  Service length and acts of valor see knights promoted 
  through the lances. Eventually, a soldier may be knighted 
  by the king and awarded a place in the 1st Lance, the 
  king’s elite bodyguard.
  The bulk of the army comprises 1,500 heavy infantry. 
  They are divided into five battalions, each in turn sub-
  divided into five companies of 100 men. Battalions are 
  commanded by a knight-Captain (who is always a noble) 
  and companies by a Captain of infantry. Each captain is 
  aided by a Sergeant of infantry. Three companies wield 
  long swords and medium shields, one company battle 
  axes and large shields, and one company carry halberds. 
  All are clad in chain hauberks.
  Lastly, there are two companies of leather-clad cross-
  bowmen, each with a strength of 125 men. They are 
  commanded by a Captain of Archers, with a Sergeant of 
  Archers acting as his second-in-command.
  Although the Noble Council currently stands at 26 
  members, only the seven hereditary counts are allowed 
  to maintain a private army in excess of more than a few 
  dozen soldiers. Troops are listed below by company 
  strength. Heavy cavalry are formed into companies of 50 
  men, and all other troops into companies of 100 men.
  Count Andamar: Andamar holds lands between the 
  Eastern marches and the central trade road. His forces 
  are currently divided between aiding Count Lux to the 
  north, reinforcing the border along the granite moun-
  tains in the east, and safeguarding the trade road.
  Troops: Heavy cavalry (6), heavy infantry (4), cross-
  bowmen (1).
  Count Einhard: Lord of Asper and Protector of the 
  Western marches, Einhard’s lands are troubled by marsh 
  dragons, trolls, and bufomi, though not to any great de-
  gree. A full half the army is stationed in forts overlooking 
  the dank waters of drake marsh.
  Troops: Heavy cavalry (1), heavy infantry (3), cross-
  bowmen (2).
  Count Lux: Lord of the Eastern marches, Lux has been 
  forced to increase the strength of his army in the face of 
  renewed orc attacks. unfortuantely, this has resulted in 
  the bulk of his forces comprising raw recruits. despite 
  his tactical prowess and the fervor of his men, the orcs 
  are steadily capturing more and more territory.
  Troops: Heavy cavalry (4), heavy infantry (4), cross-
  bowmen (3). Lux also maintains a company of irregulars 
  known as the East march Runners, a mixture of clerics, 
  mages, skirmishers, and adventurers working to short-
  term contracts. They perform dangerous work, but are 
  well paid for their skills and services.
  Count Noisiu: Lord of kingsmead, Noisiu faces con-
  stant attack by small bands of orc marauders and an in-
  creasing threat from the Scavengers. Two hundred men 
  are garrisoned in the town, with the rest protecting the 
  Ice WIne
  With the winters growing longer and the summers 
  increasingly colder, the vintners of Aspiria have 
  begun experimenting with ice wine.
  ice wine is fermented from grapes which have 
  been subjected to intense frost while on the vine. 
  While the water in the grape freezes, the sugar 
  does not. This produces a very concentrated juice, 
  which is both strongly acidic and very sweet.
  Producing ice wine requires a modicum of luck 
  and the blessing of the gods. if the frost comes too 
  late, the grapes will rot on the vine. Too early and 
  the grapes will not have reached maturity, and too 
  intense a frost makes it impossible to extract any 
  juice (this must be done while the grape is fro-
  zen).
  The smaller juice yields, combined with a fermen-
  tation process that takes months rather than days 
  or weeks, means ice wine is very expensive. Alco-
  hol percentage varies between 6% and the more 
  standard 13%.
  aSPIrIa
  
  
  prosperous gem mines and small farming communities 
  that make up the count’s domain.
  Troops: Heavy cavalry (4), heavy infantry (2), skirmish-
  ers (1), and crossbowmen (3).
  Count Uryen: The town of vergo has suffered contin-
  ual economic decline over the centuries, so much so that 
  not even pirates bother to raid it any more. The army has 
  withered in size and morale is at an all-time low.
  Troops: Heavy infantry (1), crossbowmen (2). Count 
  uryen has three drakkar (240 men), which are used to 
  combat the growing number of smugglers using vergo 
  as a base.
  Countess Envita: Protector of the Southern marches, 
  Envita is both a countess and a “wine-baron.” much of 
  her army is dedicated to protecting the vineyards that dot 
  the hills and the merchant caravans that wind through 
  the land.
  Troops: Heavy cavalry (2), heavy infantry (3), cross-
  bowmen (2).
  Countess Erolwyn: Countess of glassport, Erolwyn’s 
  domain is untroubled by orcs and giants. Half the army 
  is stationed in glassport, Aspiria’s largest port, with the 
  rest being divided among small motte-and-bailey forts 
  stretching up the trade road as far as the Silverleaf For-
  est. merchants may pay a small fee to camp within the 
  forts overnight.
  Troops: Heavy infantry (2), crossbowmen (2). The 
  countess has three snekkes (300 men) at her disposal for 
  anti-pirate duties.
  trade & trIbute
  Aspiria is part of a trade network that extends deep 
  into the western Low Winterlands and across the tur-
  bulent ocean to Alantaris isle and the magocracy. The 
  granite mountains block overland passage except to the 
  west, while in the east the Bittersteam and granite Run, 
  combined with the middle Hills, restrict trade.
  All the trade roads save one pass through New Asper, 
  making it a major market for buyers and sellers of all 
  wares. The Winter Road heads north into the Border-
  lands, the West Road carries trade between the capital 
  and Asper, the Fish Road links the capital city with vergo, 
  and the glass Road cuts across the land to glassport. 
  The other trade route, which extends from kingsmead 
  to Three Way Bridge (where it becomes part of the glass 
  Road) is known as the glittering Road.
  gems, both cut and uncut, are exported to Ludogov 
  in the Borderlands, where merchants compete with 
  those of the northern Battlelands to sell their valuable 
  wares, to the magocracy, where they are in great demand 
  among the nobility, and to neighboring Chalcis, where 
  they are worked in jewelry.
  olive oil, a commodity once in steady supply but now 
  failing year by year, fetches high prices in the magocracy. 
  unfortunately, it is also highly prized by pirates.
  great quantities of wine, both expensive, rare fermen-
  clerIcS of ValI
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of vali, providing facts useful to both play-
  ers and gms.
  Training: Clerics are not recruited into service so 
  much as corrupted. Those already sick of flesh are 
  greatly favored by one faction, while individuals with 
  a reputation for treachery and depraved ways by 
  the other. Those who favor vali’s pestilence aspect 
  are locked in filthy, rat-infested holes and forced to 
  consume food until they reach obese levels. Every 
  month, as a reward for progress, they are allowed 
  to indulge in whatever depravity they desire—there 
  are no limits within vali’s cult.
  Those who wish to become servants of vali’s cor-
  ruption aspect must first experience vice and de-
  pravity before they lead others unto it. After being 
  thoroughly corrupted, they are taught how to find 
  the weakness within men’s hearts and manipulate 
  it. At some point during his training the cleric will 
  be betrayed to the authorities by a student. Evi-
  dence is left pointing to another student. Assuming 
  he survives incarceration, the betrayed novitiate is 
  expected to get revenge.
  Prayers: All prayers begin, “Bless me, vali, for i am 
  a sinner.” This isn’t an admission of guilt or request 
  for forgiveness, but a reassurance the clerics has 
  stained his soul. Typically, the worshipper lists a few 
  of his choice sins before asking anything of vali.
  vali is often invoked in exclamations and curses by 
  the general populace. “A pox on you!” is by far the 
  most common curse, and while it doesn’t name 
  the god of pestilence, it is obviously a reference to 
  him.
  Adventures: Any opportunity to cause famine, 
  spread disease, or corrupt a virtuous soul (the more 
  important the better) is going to attract vali’s clergy. 
  doing someone a favor without immediate reward 
  is favorable, as that now leaves the other party in-
  debted to you. While a cleric’s return favor may 
  seem innocuous, it almost always leads to some 
  form of corruption or sin.
  Character Guidelines: Corruptors and unseen 
  Hands are a better choice for player characters over 
  Plaguebearers and verminlords (who make great 
  NPC villains). given that Persuasion and Streetwise 
  are important skills, Charisma should be boosted to 
  take best advantage. Connections is a useful Edge, 
  especially if linked to a more insidious group—this 
  way you get to help the party by providing them 
  with allies, though they may be forced to taint their 
  souls by dealing with unsavory characters they’d 
  normally avoid (continued on page 5).
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #24
  4
  
  tations and common table wines, are exported primarily 
  to Alantaris isle and the magocracy, though merchants 
  are constantly seeking new trade routes through to the 
  marklands and the eastern Low Winterlands. Although 
  the wine travels well, the distances involved, combined 
  with various import duties, mean the fermentations are 
  extremely expensive, placing even poor wines outside 
  the grasp of all but the nobility. Still, owning as little as a 
  single bottle of Aspirian wine is seen as a mark of wealth 
  in these distant realms.
  in terms of imports, Aspirians buy horses from the 
  drachenlands. The local breeds are surly creatures, ill-
  suited for riding or using as beasts of burden, though 
  they make fine eating. Chalcis provides metal ore and 
  ingots, though due to a lack of overland trade routes all 
  shipments to and from the nation must travel by sea.
  Taxation policies are set by the king, though must be 
  ratified by the Noble Council.
  Alchemical Tax: All alchemical devices except those 
  sold by the Alchemists’ guild are subject to a 10% sales 
  tax. This raises the cost of alchemical devices in Aspiria 
  by a similar amount.
  Customs Duties: imports are taxed at 4%, except beer 
  and spirits, which are taxed at 10%. Exports tax is set at 
  3%, except on wine, which is taxed at 1%.
  Hearth Tax: All households pay 1 gs per annum for 
  each fireplace in the home.
  Income Tax: Citizens pay 10% tax based on their an-
  nual income to their feudal superior and 10% directly to 
  the king’s treasury. The counts, whose only superior is 
  the king, pay 20% to the monarch.
  Sales Tax: A fee of 3% is paid on each transaction.
  Scutage: males between the ages of 15 and 50 who 
  do not join their local militia or an army are taxed 10 gs 
  per year to help maintain the army. This is paid to the 
  local count or king, depending on who the citizen owes 
  allegiance.
  major localeS
  Presented below are new places for your heroes to 
  explore while adventuring in Aspiria.
  caVe of rendIng
  Named for the deadly cave trolls that live in the dark 
  depths, the Cave of Rending lies in the foothills of the 
  granite mountains close to the border with Chalcis. A 
  filthy, stinking network of sunless tunnels and chambers 
  littered with bones and decaying flesh, the cave is sup-
  posed to hold a temple to a troll deity.
  Few adventuring parties have ever returned from 
  exploring the cave, and those who did came back nurs-
  ing grievous wounds and recounting stories of waves of 
  trolls willing to lay down their lives in the defense of the 
  cave system. Worse still are the tales of an intelligent, 
  spell casting troll, something never encountered before.
  For now the king, in whose lands the cave lies, has for-
  bidden any large scale military action against the trolls, 
  fearing that any provocation would awaken a sleeping 
  giant, figuratively speaking. The monarch may, however, 
  be forced to act sooner than he would like, for orc emis-
  saries have approached the trolls with the aim of forming 
  an alliance. Should the orcs succeed, they would gain 
  powerful allies, threatening both Aspiria and Chalcis.
  coxley
  Population: 665
  Ruler: Baron Corneus ap-Aalard
  The village of Coxley sits on the northern slopes of the 
  Western marches, close to an area of peat bog bordering 
  the Westflow. Here the locals raise sheep and goats, and 
  dig peat, the primary source of hearth fuel in Aspiria. de-
  spite the presence of bufomi and marsh trolls the village 
  is protected only by a deep ditch and earthen rampart.
  over the last year the villagers have dug deeper into 
  the peat, uncovering numerous corpses, their skin and 
  flesh preserved and stained black by the oxygen-starved, 
  highly acidic environment. Rightfully fearful, the villag-
  ers had the corpses blessed and then burned.
  Events have taken a more sinister turn in recent 
  weeks, for several villagers have disappeared while in 
  the bog. Search parties found no trace of the missing 
  citizens, but they did uncover areas of peat that appear 
  to have been pushed upward, as if something tunneled 
  out from below the ground.
  Sages have revealed the peat bogs mark one of the 
  battlegrounds in which the brave defenders of Aspiria 
  clashed with the Liche-Priest’s army. Fearful that some 
  sort of undead has been disturbed, Baron Corneus has 
  requested the cult of Scaetha investigate. They have yet 
  to reply, and the nobleman grows more impatient and 
  worried as the days pass.
  glaSSPort
  Docks: As Aspiria’s largest port, glassport boasts 
  extensive wharves and warehouses, not to mention 
  industries related to shipping and shipbuilding. Ships 
  from Alantaris isle, Chalcis, and the magocracy regularly 
  call here, and the dock area is awash with foreign sailors. 
  clerIcS of ValI cont’d
  By far the best weapon a cleric of vali wields is the 
  player’s roleplaying abilities. you can’t use Per-
  suasion on another player character to get him to 
  perform a corrupt act, so you need to be a master 
  manipulator, making suggestions toward certain 
  courses of action without saying, “doing this!” The 
  path to damnation is all the more enjoyable, for the 
  cleric, if the victim walks it of his own free will.
  aSPIrIa
  
  
  on rare occasions, a ship from Al-Shirkuh, the desert 
  realm south of Rassilon, berths here with a cargo of rare 
  goods. When it does, folk gather from far afield to see the 
  dusky-skinned sailors, and listen to their tales of endless 
  burning sands and strange beasts.
  The Glass House: The great market and temple of 
  var in glassport is a vast stone hall with many brilliantly 
  painted stained glass windows, a gift from the guild of 
  glaziers whose recent wealth has benefited the entire 
  town. While the main market is held weekly (on market-
  daeg), the glass merchants have a concession allowing 
  them to trade daily. An accommodation block and tavern 
  caters for merchants wishing to engage in trade deals, as 
  well as visiting clerics of var.
  The Sand Dweller: An inn located near the docks, the 
  Sandpit, as the establishment is known locally, caters for 
  visiting merchants from Al-Shirkuh and those who wish 
  to trade with the Free Emirates of the western coast.
  The innkeeper, omid ibn-Hazid, is an ex-patriot who 
  has taken Aspirian citizenship. Although omid is fluent in 
  both Anari and Trader, he permits only Sandspeech, the 
  trade language of Al-Shirkuh, to be spoken in the Sand-
  pit. Patrons who cannot speak the language are shown 
  the door. Customers may pay in scields or dinars.
  golem WorkSHoP
  Before the golem uprising, Aspiria was a major center 
  of golem production. While they were expensive, many 
  rich citizens had golems in their service, for they were 
  a ready supply of tireless, servile labor. (The Aspirians 
  did not use human slaves to any great degree.) Little 
  wonder that Aspiria was the worst affected nation when 
  the golems rebelled. Although the authorities, backed by 
  mages and clerics of the Norns, were swift to destroy all 
  the known workshops, legends persist that one escaped 
  their attention.
  Rumors vary as to its location, but all agree that the 
  workshop contained dozens of rooms devoted to golem 
  manufacture. Wild stories that the mages who once op-
  erated from here had constructed a fantastical machine 
  in order to mass produce golems at great speeds are 
  unfounded but popular.
  While creation of golems is now outlawed across 
  Rassilon, many parties are interested in the process. if 
  ancient texts detailing the lost art are to be found any-
  where, it is in the fabled golem workshop. of course, 
  the same storytellers who claim the workshop exists are 
  quick to add that it is heavily guarded by golems who 
  did not join the rebellion, and that they are following 
  their original orders in killing all who come across the 
  site without the proper authorization. Thus, the site has 
  remained unexplored for over 150 years.
  HarIngaard
  Population: 9,750
  Ruler: Count Lux ap-gwaer
  Located in the western portion of the Eastern marches, 
  Haringaard is Count Lux’s county seat. Founded shortly 
  after king Halgroth iv’s violent cleansing of the marches, 
  the town quickly prospered as new settlers flocked to 
  the land, which though largely unsuitable for agriculture 
  proved ideal for raising flocks of sheep and herds of 
  cattle. Like most settlements in the region, the town sits 
  on a hilltop and is protected by a palisade and ditch. For 
  all his wealth, Lux lives in a modest fortified manor.
  The population of Haringaard has trebled in recent 
  months due to an influx of refugees fleeing before the 
  latest orc advance. unwilling to flee the marches due to 
  their oaths of fealty to the count, and calling on the count 
  to fulfill his feudal obligations to protect them, some 
  4,000 souls are currently camped outside the defenses 
  (the lucky ones found accommodation with relatives 
  inside the walls before the gates were closed).
  knowing the refugees would be easy pickings for orcs, 
  Lux has ordered the palisade be extended with all haste 
  to encompass the shanty town. A small army of laborers 
  and carpenters are busily fulfilling the noble’s request, 
  while the count’s captains hastily train a new militia to 
  provide additional security.
  neW aSPer
  Assassins’ Guild: Aspiria’s laws on assassination date 
  back to the days of the Anari Empire. it is not illegal to 
  wish for someone’s death, nor to hire an assassin, though 
  it is illegal to commit murder (whether for payment or 
  not). However, ancient laws require that the Assassins’ 
  guild send the intended victim warning that his life is in 
  danger, giving him a minimum of 24 hours notice. 
  Hirer and assassin negotiate payment terms and dead-
  lines, with the full fee handed over once an agreement is 
  reached. Should the assassin fail to live up to his end of 
  the bargain, the fee must be repaid. in many cases, the 
  knowledge that an assassin has been hired is enough to 
  cause the victim to make amends for any crime.
  As one might expect, the cult of Niht has a strong grip 
  feStIVal to ValI
     famIne day
  Raestdaeg of Snaermonan.
  While few civilized folk actively worship vali, sup-
  plications are made to appease him. on this day, 
  citizens across Rassilon destroy a portion of their 
  winter stocks as an offering to the plague god in 
  the hope he will not send vermin to infest their 
  granaries or ruin food stocks with mold. As vali is 
  god of famine as well, citizens refrain from eating 
  and drinking throughout the day, in the hope vali 
  will be fooled by their suffering. many settlements 
  forbid the killing of vermin on this day, which frus-
  trates clerics of veth (see Region Guide #13).
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #24
  
  
  on the Assassins’ guild, though membership is not com-
  pulsory. Captured assassins are tortured before being 
  handed to the local temple of Sigel for execution.
  Drago Hall: The decrepit ruin of drago Hall, the 
  home of Baron drago ap-Rabel until his mysterious dis-
  appearance three years ago, sits 11 miles from the capital. 
  Locales avoid the crumbling structure, believing it to be 
  haunted by the baron’s ghost. Everyone agrees the baron 
  was a vile man. He was reputed to have strangled his wife 
  and concealed her body, though no charges were ever 
  brought against him. one story claims the baron cannot 
  rest until his wife’s remains are found and buried.
  The Lance & Sword: A well-known inn, the Lance 
  & Sword caters for mercenary captains seeking employ-
  ment, as well as small bands of heroes looking for adven-
  ture. Fights are common, though most are good-natured 
  brawls rather than deadly combats.
  Potential hirers inform the innkeeper, milom ap-Au-
  bri, a retired Sword of Tiw and former sellsword, of the 
  services they require and then take a seat at a numbered 
  booth. Captains and heroes entering or staying at the 
  inn then talk to milom, being directed to patrons whose 
  needs meet their particular talents.
  While mercenaries use their names, playing on their 
  reputation, hirers are referred to only by their booth 
  number to ensure anonymity. given that many dignitar-
  ies are easily recognized, most act through intermediar-
  ies. once a deal is struck and oaths sworn, the patron 
  may reveal his name if he so chooses.
  ParISI
  Population: 4,463
  Ruler: Countess Envita ap-Ancelyn
  County seat of the Southern marches, Parisi is re-
  nowned for being the center of Aspirian wine production 
  and its temple to Eostre Plantmother. Numerous wings, 
  all dedicated to wine production, extend from the central 
  worship hall. instead of monetary tithes, all vintners in 
  the Southern marches are required to donate a portion 
  of their grape harvest, which the clerics ferment into a 
  variety of wines, which they in turn sell in local markets.
  in recent months the temple has been at the center of 
  a scandal. Several citizens have gone mad after drinking 
  the cult’s wine, leading to a fall in sales. investigations 
  have found nothing untoward so far, but the clerics sus-
  pect foul play.
  much of Parisi’s industry is dedicated to wine produc-
  tion, with glassblowers, cork makers, potters, carpen-
  ters, and coopers serving the local vineyards. As well as 
  Countess Envita’s estates, there are half a dozen other 
  wine-barons with lands close to the town.
  Parisi holds several regional festivals to Eostre. These 
  include grape dance day (held the first day grape press-
  ing begins at the temple to Eostre), Bottling day (when 
  the first of the temple’s wine is bottled), and Wine day 
  (held the first day the latest table wine from the cult’s 
  summer crop is ready for drinking). other festivals to 
  Eostre, such as Apple day, always center around grapes 
  and are renamed accordingly. While they are religious 
  observations, these ceremonies are also excuses to drink 
  heavily.
  Vergo
  The coastal town of vergo is divided into uptown, the 
  prosperous part lying atop the bluffs, and downtown, 
  the mostly-abandoned slum at the bottom of the cliffs.
  The Docksy: While the innkeeper of the docksy, Pau-
  fris ap-dagobert, claims the tavern’s name is a play on 
  words given its location in downtown and its clientele 
  of working girls, most locals believe the owner is just 
  poorly schooled.
  The docksy is the only tavern in downtown, and is 
  rarely frequented by uptowners. The food is almost dan-
  gerous, the wine is vinegary, and the clientele has killed a 
  visitor for his fine clothes more than once. Count uryen 
  has considered closing the place down, but doing so 
  would only force the patrons to relocate to uptown.
  What uryen doesn’t know is that the docksy is the 
  headquarters for the local thieves’ guild, known as the 
  Sharks. Secret tunnels run from here up the inside of 
  the cliff to the Ship and Anchor, a seemingly middle class 
  inn catering for a polite clientele. goods are smuggled 
  ashore, divided into smaller consignments, and hauled 
  up the steep steps to the Ship and Anchor, from where 
  they are sold to those with the right contacts.
  feStIVal to ValI
     gluttony day
  Raestdaeg of Frostmonan.
  Although some hardy crops can be cultivated and 
  wild ones picked, food is always in short supply 
  during winter. on this day, citizens scorn vali by 
  cooking and devouring a huge feast. Traditionally, 
  no sharing between households is allowed during 
  the day. The feast ends at dusk. during the night, 
  leftovers are gathered up and taken to friends and 
  neighbors. A second feast is held, accompanied by 
  much boasting and lying about the fine vittles the 
  family dined on during the day.
  While citizens are meant to use their best foodstuffs, 
  the ceremony is really an excuse to use up food that 
  would otherwise spoil before the first spring har-
  vest can begin. As a result, the meals are poor but 
  plentiful fare and the celebrations far less enthusi-
  astic than is often claimed.
  The ceremony dates back to the first winter. vali 
  scoffed that he had brought famine to the land 
  through his wicked ways and that everyone would 
  grow sick. Eostre, ever eager to get one over on vali 
  and prove him to be a liar, held a massive feast for 
  the gods to show his dishonesty and her bounty.
  aSPIrIa
  
  
  PerSonS of note
  Below are a handful of NPCs the heroes may encoun-
  ter on their journeys through Aspiria.
  arkHWISard caSPar aP-brebo
  Arkhwisard Caspar quit his position as head of the 
  Alchemists’ guild in glassport two years ago, citing ill-
  health. While it is true that Caspar is of advanced years 
  and has suffered from numerous minor ailments in re-
  cent years, his decision to vacate the post he had held for 
  five decades was not entirely for the reasons stated.
  Rummaging through alchemical texts “salvaged” from 
  an ancient tomb, Caspar stumbled across a slim tome. 
  Written in blood on human skin, the work was written in 
  an esoteric code. Five years of secret work later, Caspar 
  decoded the manuscript and discovered it to be a pow-
  erful and complex ritual capable of turning one into a 
  liche. Although the elderly mage had no fear of death, he 
  enjoyed living too much to give up his mortal form.
  For several years he wrestled with his conscience, 
  unsure as to whether to walk the dark path or accept 
  his ultimate fate. in the end his lust for life won out, and 
  Caspar began the unholy ritual.
  The ritual requires many rare and complex ingredi-
  ents. Being too infirm to travel far, the mage has taken to 
  hiring small bands of adventurers to do his dirty work for 
  him, guiding them to the likely resting places of the ma-
  terials he needs. None are aware of his true goal, being 
  told they are spell components necessary for his research 
  into more powerful varieties of alchemical devices, and 
  he pays well for secrecy, claiming that others would kill 
  for the knowledge he is close to uncovering.
  Should any of his hired helpers discover his true goal, 
  Caspar, who has grown steadily more depraved and cor-
  rupt as he enacts the stages of the ritual, would have no 
  compulsion about having them killed.
  count andamar aP-trebert
  Andamar’s lands begin at the southern edge of the 
  Eastern marches. They extend down the River Asper and 
  west along the glass Road, before heading north again 
  some 50 miles east of the capital.
  Now in his late fifties, Andamar fought at his father’s 
  side in the anti-orc crusade led by king Halgroth iv, 
  earning the many scars that cover his body. He has been 
  count for 27 years and has ensured the continuation of 
  his line by siring four sons and five daughters.
  His family has been allied with that of Count Lux for 
  centuries, the two counties bonded by marriages and 
  oaths of friendship. With orcs again extending their reach 
  deep in the Eastern marches, Andamar has honored his 
  ancestral pledges by sending troops to aid Count Lux.
  Andamar is a stern man with close cropped hair and 
  a no-nonsense attitude. He has no time for small talk, 
  dislikes gossip, and quickly grows impatient with those 
  who take up his time with trivial matters. Those who un-
  derstand the life of a warrior and the nature of strategy 
  and tactics may win his favor, as well as a place leading 
  his troops against the rampaging orcs.
  Anyone who displays exceptional valor in his service 
  may find themselves being offered the hand of one of his 
  youngest two daughters (martha, aged 15 and matilda, 
  16). They are extremely unlikely to inherit his title, espe-
  cially since all his older children are married with their 
  own children, and thus Andamar has no illusion they will 
  ever be an attractive wife for an Aspirian noble.
  counteSS enVIta aP-ancelyn
  Protector of the Southern marches, Countess Envita 
  governs the grape-yielding hills that produce 90% of 
  Aspiria’s famous wines. Although she is a wine-baron in 
  her own right, she maintains a fair trade policy, ensuring 
  that all vintners have ample opportunity to produce the 
  best wines they can. given that she collects export taxes 
  on wine sales, she has little reason to act otherwise.
  gossip says Envita is a woman with certain appetites. 
  it is said two of her three husbands died of exhaustion, 
  and one was dismissed after being stricken with an ill-
  ness that left him unable to fulfill his marital duties. 
  Loose tongues further claim that having decided that 
  long-term relationships are a waste of time and effort, 
  she is constantly seeking new bed companions.
  Those with a more malicious tongue hint that Envita 
  might be a demon or vampire, and that her husbands’ 
  exhaustion is simply a cover story for her unholy lusts. 
  Strangely, the countess has never bothered to answer any 
  of these claims, except with a wry smile and a sly wink.
  Although now in her mid-forties, she remains an at-
  tractive woman (albeit with the help of alchemical de-
  vices) and is physically active.
  feStIVal to ValI
     Indulgence day
  Raestdaeg of Sceranmonan.
  While the general populace holds certain celebra-
  tion to appease vali, this is not one of them. on 
  this day, cultists gather to indulge in their most ex-
  travagant and perverted debaucheries in a no-holds 
  barred duel-fuelled sadomasochistic orgy. it is also 
  known as Recruitment day, for this is the time to 
  invite that curious neighbor who wonders about 
  those special parties you hold for honored guests, 
  and indoctrinate him into the faith that denies no 
  pleasure. To encourage corruption, brothels, drug 
  dens, and gambling halls offer very cheap services 
  during the working week before and after the fes-
  tival.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #24
  
  
  tHe green man
  A mysterious figure who has existed in folk tales for 
  centuries, the green man is said to be a hearth elf or fey, 
  depending on who one asks. The cult of Eostre suspects 
  he might be a divine servant of Eostre.
  many strange powers are attributed to him. Some 
  say he has leaves growing in place of his hair and beard. 
  others claim he can step into a tree and reappear a great 
  distance away from another one. yet other tales grant 
  him the ability to cause vegetation to sprout at acceler-
  ated rates, to animate war trees with a touch, and cause 
  forests to swallow invading armies without trace.
  Whatever his origin, the green man appears at ran-
  dom, curing blight with a wave of his hand, singing 
  songs that cause plants to yield more crops, and asking 
  for nothing in return save those he aids sing prayers to 
  Eostre and gift him a glass or two of wine. Those who 
  have offended Eostre Plantmother find the green man 
  altogether more malevolent, for he can wither crops and 
  cause blight as easily as he blesses them.
  godS & monSterS
  detailed in this section are the minor god of dung 
  and rats, a variety of sickening monsters, and stats for 
  typical clerics of vali, god of disease and corruption.
  brúnI
  Titles: dung-Collector, Lord of Filth.
  Aspects: dung.
  Affiliations: Eostre Plantmother, vali.
  Symbol: A bucket.
  Priesthood: Soil-Collectors (priests); Soil-Spreaders 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Every Raestdaeg.
  Duties: To gather and sell manure.
  Sins: (minor) passing a dung pile without adding to 
  it, abusing a dung collector; (major) depositing manure 
  in a sewer, failing to go to toilet once a day; (mortal) 
  suffering constipation.
  Signature Power: Stun.
  Powers: Barrier, beast friend (fly swarms only), bolt, 
  disease, fatigue.
  Trappings: All trappings involve dung and are non-
  lethal.
  Brúni is a lowly deity, oft overlooked by mortals and 
  the other deities. it is his responsibility to gather dung, 
  whether from the gods or their animals. Each morning 
  he visits all the gods’ halls to collect night soil and cleans 
  out their stables. much of his gatherings he sells to Eo-
  stre Plantmother for use on the fields, but some he sells 
  to vali, who pays well for the filthy substance. given his 
  lowly position and constant odor, he is largely ignored 
  by the others gods.
  As befits his status, Brúni has no temples or specific 
  shrines, and is never depicted in religious art. Any bucket 
  used to collect manure or manure heap serves as a shrine 
  (though rarely do worshippers actually pray at buckets). 
  Hence, virtually every house contains a shrine to Brúni. 
  His few worshippers are night-soil collectors and dung 
  collectors, among the lowest members of society.
  Brúni’s clerics, despite possessing miraculous pow-
  ers, are most often manure collectors, and as such rank 
  very low in the social system. Priests and paladins collect 
  dung from houses and stables, and sell it to farmers. in 
  the Winterlands, animal dung is dried and sold as fuel. 
  The clergy expect to be ignored by society in general, 
  though deep down they know they fulfill a vital role. A 
  few hardliners, and they do exist, consider the handful of 
  sewer systems in the continent to be an affront to their 
  god and have taken to sabotaging them.
  Clerics who also honor vali favor the dung for its dis-
  ease-carrying properties. Rather than selling it, they use 
  it to spread sickness, such as by poisoning water supplies 
  or throwing it at people.
  Each Raestdaeg (which occurs but once a month, 
  remember) Brúni’s clergy change their clothes and 
  wash, although it never completely cleanses the perva-
  sive stench. Contrary to popular jokes, they do not roll 
  around in dung, fling it at each other, or dance around 
  steaming piles of manure, at least not while sober.
  Character Guidelines: messing around with dung 
  all day is smelly work. The outsider Hindrance can 
  represent both the constant odor of manure that hangs 
  around the character and his extremely low social status. 
  Edges such as Noble and Rich are best avoided. vigor is 
  an important attribute, if only for fending off disease. 
  feStIVal to ValI
     Plague day
  Raestdaeg of Werremonan.
  Summer can be a foul time in Rassilon, for it is the 
  season of war and death. Festering corpses lie scat-
  tered across the land, while swarms of insects gath-
  er in the warm air to bite the living. Traditionally, 
  it is the season of disease and sickness. To fool vali 
  into believing he has already sent plagues and need 
  not send more, citizens paint black, red, and yellow 
  blotches on their hands and faces, simulating many 
  forms of disease. They refrain from visiting temples 
  to Hela to have their “ailments” cured. Thus boost-
  ing vali’s ego and convincing him Eira is too weak 
  to challenge him.
  once the night ends, the paint is washed away and 
  the “plagues” cured. Clerics of Eira offer to wash 
  away the sickness in herb-infused water for a small 
  donation. it is widely held that having this service 
  performed keeps away real diseases for the year.
  aSPIrIa
  
  
  Rated among the lowest of the low socially, clerics of 
  Brúni are likely to be treated as inferiors by many NPCs. 
  Even as clerics, they are not likely to be invited to feasts 
  or attend lords, except in servile positions. However, this 
  can serve to their advantage, for the lower one’s social 
  status the more likely they are to be overlooked. Hence, 
  Streetwise can be a useful skill for eavesdropping.
  Haratt
  Titles: gnawer, the Rat king, Lord of vermin, Long-
  Tooth, Hater of Cats, veth’s Bane.
  Aspects: Rats.
  Affiliations: vali.
  Symbol: A rat’s head.
  Priesthood: vermin Callers (priests); Teeth of vali 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Famine day (see page 6) and Plague day 
  (see page 9) are high holy days.
  Duties: To protect rats, to increase rat populations, 
  to destroy granaries.
  Sins: (minor) harming a rat, failing to destroy a gra-
  nary you are attacking, giving comfort or succor to a cat 
  or cleric of Eostre or veth; (major) harming a giant rat, 
  not killing a cat when you see one; (mortal) harming a 
  leyparat.
  Signature Power: Summon beast (rats and giant rats 
  only).
  Powers: Armor, barrier, beast friend (rats and giant 
  rats only), boost/lower trait (Agility, Climbing, Notice, 
  and Stealth only), disease, shape change (rat and giant 
  rat only).
  Trappings: All trapping involve rats.
  Special: Barrier creates a wall of living rats. Charac-
  ters adjacent to the barrier at the end of their turn suffer 
  2d4 damage, with armor protecting as normal.
  When Eostre was chosen to have dominion over the 
  fauna and flora she summoned all the animals to attend 
  her. on arriving at Eostre’s hall, the mice, rats, and other 
  vermin were driven away by veth, one of Eostre’s help-
  ers, who thought them horrible creatures. While Eostre 
  blessed the other animals and offered them her protec-
  tion, the vermin were left out. They sank back into the 
  dark nooks and crannies of the gods’ halls feeling be-
  trayed and angry, making them ideal candidates for vali’s 
  insidious and corrupting influence.
  vali promised the rats many things, such as resistance 
  to disease, quick reproduction, dexterity, cleverness, and 
  the ability to eat almost anything in return for loyalty. 
  The vermin were quick to agree to his generous terms. in 
  return, he nominated one of them as king Rat, elevating 
  him to the status of a minor deity. other vermin kings 
  exist as well, but they are not important in this story.
  unlike many minor deities, Haratt has temples in his 
  honor. Regardless of whether they are found in rural 
  areas or crowded towns and cities, there is always a large 
  and healthy rat population in the vicinity. discovering 
  these hidden temples is never easy, for the rats act as 
  sentries, ever vigilant for signs of Eira’ clerics or those of 
  veth, the goddess of granary protection. one clear sign 
  that a cult of Haratt may be operating in the neighbor-
  hood is the sudden disappearance of the cat population. 
  Haratt is depicted either as a monstrous rat or a leyparat 
  (many of whom worship him). often he is shown with 
  dead cats at his feet.
  Priests and paladins are both devoted to the protec-
  tion of rats and the destruction of granaries. Priests favor 
  poison and disease with which to blight the stored crops, 
  while paladins prefer more destructive methods such as 
  arson or brute force. While clerics may act openly, more 
  often than not they employ rats to do their dirty work 
  while they lurk unseen in the shadows, for many are sur-
  prisingly timid creatures adverse to confrontation.
  most ceremonies involve the destruction of crops 
  and the killing of cats, the archenemy of all vermin. vast 
  quantities of food and drink are consumed, for one of 
  vali’s curses was a ravenous appetite.
  Character Guidelines: Clerics who aren’t also dis-
  ciples of vali need to invest in vigor in order to help fend 
  off diseases carried by rats. Priests, who favor subtlety, 
  should invest in skills such as Lockpicking and Stealth, 
  whereas paladins are bolder in their attacks and need de-
  cent combat skills and Combat Edges. Like the rats who 
  serve them, many clerics are Cautious, planning ahead 
  and wary of being ambushed or discovered.
  ooze, PuS
  Pus oozes are blobs of sickening red, green, and yel-
  low gel, which constantly weep thick, sticky pus from 
  open sores. The diseases a pus ooze carries are detailed 
  in the Hellfrost Bestiary.
  Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, 
  Strength d4, vigor d6
  Skills: Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d10
  Pace: 2; Parry: 2; Toughness: 5
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  • Disease: The disease a pus ooze carries ranges from 
  the mildly debilitating to the downright lethal. gms 
  may either draw a single card to determine the dis-
  ease or pick one. Clubs indicate the sniffles. dia-
  monds means the ooze carries vali’s revenge. Hearts 
  indicates red pox, and Spades the deadly black lung. 
  on a Joker, the disease is especially virulent, increas-
  ing the vigor penalty by–2. Redraw to determine the 
  actual disease.
  * Explosive Pus: When a pus ooze is Shaken or wound-
  ed it Spurts Pus at all adjacent creatures. Anyone in 
  range must make an Agility roll at –2 or be hit.
  * Fear: Anyone seeing the creature must make a guts 
  roll.
  * Immunity (Disease): immune to disease & poison.
  * Mindless: immune to Fear, Smarts Tricks, and Tests 
  of Will.
  * Spurt Pus: With a successful Shooting roll a pus ooze 
  can spurt a glob of pus at Range 1/2/4. victims must 
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #24
  10
  
  make a vigor roll as appropriate to the disease or be-
  come infected.
  * Weakness (Antibiotics): A dose of antibiotics sprin-
  kled over a pus ooze causes 2d6 damage. As an impro-
  vised weapon, a dose can be thrown to Range 3/6/12 
  and affects a 1” square.
  Plague lord
  Plague lords are Plaguebearers or verminlords who 
  underwent a dark ritual to corrupt their flesh. Blessed 
  by their foul deity, plague lords have power over carrion 
  flies, and are able to break down their physical form into 
  a swarm of disease-ridden, biting flies or vicious rats. As 
  their name implies, plague lords exist solely to spread 
  disease and corruption.
  Although plague lords are extremely rare, the Peace-
  keepers maintain a constant vigil for their presence. Any 
  outbreaks of plague are thoroughly investigated by the 
  militant healers. if it is not stopped quickly, a lone plague 
  lord is capable of infecting hundreds or thousands of 
  victims and unleashing terrible suffering.
  HumanoId form
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Faith d10, Fighting d8, guts d8, intimidation d8, 
  Stealth d8
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Hindrances: various
  Edges: Arcane Background (miracles), disciple of vali
  Powers: Armor (flies crawl over skin), aura (cloud of 
  biting flies), barrier (flies), beast friend (flies only), dis-
  ease, obscure (cloud of flies), stun (victims choke on 
  flies), summon beast (biting fly swarms only)
  Gear: Long sword (Str+d8)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Shape Change: By making a Smarts roll as an action 
  a plague lord can assume the form of a swarm of flies 
  or rats. Any wounds, Fatigue, and spells affecting the 
  plague lord are carried over to the alternate form.
  SWarm form
  unlike a regular swarm, this variant is a fully sentient 
  Wild Card, though it is incapable of speech.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d12, Strength 
  d8, vigor d10
  Skills: Notice d6
  Pace: —; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Bite: Swarms inflict thousands of bites every round 
  to their victims, hitting automatically and causing 2d4 
  damage to everyone in the template. damage is ap-
  plied to the least armored location.
  * Disease: Anyone Shaken or wounded by the swarm 
  must make a vigor roll or become infected with black 
  lung (see Hellfrost Bestiary).
  * Flight: Pace 12 (flies only).
  * Shape Change: By making a Smarts roll as an action a 
  plague lord can assume humanoid form. Any wounds, 
  Fatigue levels, and spells affecting the plague lord are 
  carried over to the alternate form.
  * Swarm: Parry +2. Because the swarm is composed of 
  scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting 
  and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect 
  weapons work normally, and a character can stomp to 
  inflict his damage in Strength each round.
  PrIeStS & PaladInS
  The following clerics are tough opponents, designed 
  to be a challenge for Seasoned or veteran groups. Weak-
  er versions can be easily created by lowering Faith and 
  reducing the number of spells.
  more dISeaSeS
  * Dargar’s Rage (–2): This insidious disease can 
  turn even the most pacifistic victim into a homicidal 
  maniac. victims gain the Berserk Edge and Blood-
  thirsty Hindrance. Those already possessing both 
  symptoms become more bloodthirsty. A successful 
  vigor roll at –2, made each week after infection, 
  cures the victim.
  * Famine Belly (–1): victims have great difficul-
  ty metabolizing food. They must eat at least two 
  pounds per day of suffer the effects of Hunger. A 
  vigor roll at –1 to recover is made once per week.
  * Neorthe’s Curse (–1): victims suffer body odor 
  which smells like decaying fish. They suffer a –2 
  Charisma penalty, even if they wash regularly. A re-
  covery roll is made once per half week (four days).
  * Stutters (0): This mild illness causes facial spasms, 
  which in turn makes it difficult to speak properly. 
  victims suffer a –1 penalty to any rolls involving 
  speech (including arcane skill rolls if appropriate). 
  Recovery rolls may be made once per week.
  * Trickster’s Dance (0): This disease causes epi-
  leptic fits in times of stress, such as combat. Similar 
  illnesses cause violent coughing (Trickster’s lung), 
  sudden fits of sneezing (Trickster’s nose), raucous 
  belly-laughing (Trickster’s joke), intense itching 
  (Trickster’s itch), and such like. With no other 
  symptoms presenting, it can be very difficult to di-
  agnose this disease until it manifests.
  A victim who draw a deuce for his first action card 
  in a round while infected is automatically Shaken. 
  This occurs at the start of the round, not on his ac-
  tion card. Combat Reflexes is of no benefit when 
  trying to unShake. A vigor roll may be made once 
  per week to recover from the disease.
  aSPIrIa
  11
  
  PrIeSt of ValI (corruPtor)
  Smooth talking, witty, and sophisticated, Corruptors 
  work subtly through words and promises to lead the in-
  nocent onto the back path of depravity and vice.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Faith d10, Fighting d6, gambling d8, guts d6, 
  Notice d8, Persuasion d10, Streetwise d8
  Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: varies, but typically greedy
  Edges: Arcane Background (miracles), Charismatic, dis-
  ciple of vali
  Gear: Blessed robes (+1), short sword (Str+d6)
  Treasure: Rich.
  Powers: Charismatic aura, puppet, sacrifice, summon 
  demon (changeling, imp, and succubus/incubus)
  PrIeSt of ValI (Plaguebearer)
  grotesquely obese and scarred by the ravages of pes-
  tilence, Plaguebearers seek to cause misery and suffering 
  through a variety of diseases.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Faith d10, Fighting d6, guts d6, intimidation d8, 
  Notice d8
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 5; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (1)
  Hindrances: obese, ugly (disease ravaged)
  Edges: Arcane Background (miracles), disciple of vali
  Gear: Blessed robes (+1), long spear (Str+d6, +1 Parry, 
  Reach 1, 2-hands)
  Treasure: Worthwhile.
  Powers: Armor (flies), disease, fatigue (mild disease), 
  fear (victim has hallucinations he suffers plague), ob-
  scure (cloud of flies), stun (explosion of pus), summon 
  demon (plague)
  PaladIn of ValI (unSeen Hand)
  members of the unseen Hand corrupt victims through 
  physical deeds, such as removing business rivals, acquir-
  ing “gifts,” and such like. As such, they are a mix of fight-
  ers, assassins, and thieves.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Climbing d8, Faith d8, Fighting d10, guts d8, 
  Lockpicking d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Shooting d8, 
  Stealth d8, Streetwise d8
  Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 9 (3)
  Hindrances: varies, but typically greedy
  Edges: Arcane Background (miracles), Charismatic, dis-
  ciple of vali, Frenzy, improved Nerves of Steel
  Gear: Blessed armor (+3), medium shield (+1 Parry), 
  long sword (Str+d8), bow (Range: 12/24/48, damage: 
  2d6)
  Treasure: Rich.
  Powers: Charismatic aura, puppet, sacrifice, summon 
  demon (changeling, imp, and succubus/incubus) 
  PaladIn of ValI (VermInlord)
  only a fool underestimates the bloated paladins of 
  the verminlord faction, for their size belies their skill at 
  arms, and few are without swarms of rat allies.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Faith d8, Fighting d10, guts d8, intimidation d8, 
  Notice d8, Stealth d8
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 5; Parry: 9; Toughness: 10 (3)
  Hindrances: obese, ugly (disease ravaged)
  Edges: Arcane Background (miracles), Block, Combat 
  Reflexes, Command, improved Nerves of Steel, Sweep
  Gear: Blessed armor (+3), medium shield (+1 Parry), 
  mace (Str+d6)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Powers: Armor (rats), aura (biting rats), beast friend 
  (vermin only), disease, entangle (swarm of rats), sum-
  mon beast (vermin only)
  SWarm, StencH bat
  Stench bats are widely purported to be creations of 
  the unknowable one, though many say vali had some 
  input. Stench bats drive away predators by flapping 
  around them and dispensing copious quantities of foul-
  smelling urine. if that wasn’t bad enough, their urine is 
  also highly flammable. Stench bats have brown fur tinged 
  yellow around the lower body. Stench bats fill a medium 
  Burst Template.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d10, Strength 
  d8, vigor d10
  Skills: Notice d6
  Pace: —; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Fly: Pace 10.
  * Mindless: unaffected by Tests of Will, Tricks, or ar-
  cane powers like puppet.
  * Roost: Anyone in a stench bat’s foul-smelling roost 
  who doesn’t cover their mouth and nose must make a 
  vigor roll at –2 every 10 minutes or suffer a level of Fa-
  tigue. This can lead to incapacitation, but not death. 
  Recovery requires 10 minutes breathing clean air.
  * Susceptible (Fire): Stench bats suffer +4 damage 
  from fire-based attacks. This does not include heat 
  trappings.
  * Swarm: Parry +2. Because the swarm is composed of 
  scores, hundreds, or thousands of creatures, cutting 
  and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect 
  weapons work normally. Stomping is not an option, 
  since the beasts tend to attack from above.
  * Urine: Anyone caught under the template must make 
  an Agility roll at –2 or be Shaken by the acrid stench. 
  Anyone carrying an exposed flame who fails the roll 
  immediately catches fire, suffering 1d10 damage. oth-
  er heroes who fail are treated as being flammable for 
  the next hour or until they douse themselves in a gal-
  lon of liquid, whichever comes first.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #24
  12
  
  IntroductIon
  Nestled behind the Thunor Range, Ostmark was never conquered by the Anari, and 
  survived the Blizzard War with minimal damage (though the aftermath caused as much 
  chaos here as elsewhere). Although a Saxa stronghold, the inhabitants of the realm are 
  unlike any other Markland, for here it is money that determines who rules, not blood. This 
  supplement expands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Ostmark is a plutocracy, a realm where those with the most money rule. At the top 
  of the social ladder is the Marchand Aethling, the man or woman calculated to have the 
  greatest wealth, in terms of assets and ready coin, at the last census. Although he wields 
  much power, especially over the Marchand Counseil, he is not an absolute ruler. Rather, 
  he is considered the first among equals, for his peers on the Trada Counseil are citizens of 
  considerable wealth and influence in their own right.
  Every town, deemed under Ostmark law to be a settlement of 3,000 or more citizens, 
  is ruled by a Marchand-Jarl. Despite the noble connotations, the position is based solely 
  on wealth, not heritage. Similarly, a Marchand-Thegn governs each village, which the law 
  defines as a single settlement of 200 or more inhabitants but less than 3,000.
  It should be noted that in order to be a candidate for any Marchand title the citizen 
  must have been born in Ostmark and reside there while in office. (This tends to limit the 
  opportunities for adventuring heroes, regardless of their wealth.)
  Ostmark once had a true nobility, but this has been eroded over time. While the noble 
  titles of hauld, lendmann, and ritter remain hereditary, those of jarl and thegn are now tied 
  firmly to personal and familial wealth. These lower titles are known as blood nobles. Noth-
  ing prevents a blood noble from holding a merchant title as well. Thus, one might come 
  across a noble with the impressive title of Marchand-Jarl Tradaman Hauld, for example.
  Much time has passed since the merchants took control, but there is still animosity 
  between the old nobility and the new. Much of it stems from jealousy, though few blood 
  nobles would ever admit this. Those families who saw the tide turning switched from be-
  ing old-fashioned landowners to businessmen, riding the new tide to positions of power. 
  Those who failed to see the change in time, or who dislike merchants and their greed, have 
  been condemned to lower social status than they feel they deserve.
  31225
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 5 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  oStmark
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS gAME REFERENCES THE SAvAgE WORLDS gAME SySTEM, AvAILABLE FROM PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT gROuP AT WWW.PEgINC.COM.   
  SAvAgE WORLDS & ALL ASSOCIATED LOgOS & TRADEMARkS ARE COPyRIgHTS OF PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT gROuP. uSED WITH PERMISSION.  
  PINNACLE MAkES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTy AS TO THE quALITy, vIABILITy, OR SuITABILITy FOR PuRPOSE OF THIS PRODuCT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  Because the higher station rulers come and go, Os-
  tmark is not a true feudal system. Those beholden to 
  blood nobles swear oaths as normal. Those directly an-
  swerable to the merchant nobility swear to obey whoever 
  wields the title, rather than the titleholder in person. 
  Thus, a citizen from Iarnsburg would swear loyalty and 
  pay taxes to the office of the Marchand-Jarl, not Olvir 
  ulfhedinsunu.
  Below the merchant-nobles and regular nobility are 
  the upper classes. These are citizens with wealth, as-
  sets, and influence. As such, it is generally restricted to 
  merchants, guildmasters, and senior clerics, though any 
  citizen with the right amount of cash and power can call 
  himself upper-class. As with most cultures, acceptance 
  is not based on any finite values but one’s peers. Thus, 
  even the richest merchant may be shunned by higher 
  society if he fails to make friends in the right circles.
  Filling the middle class are lesser merchants, clerics, 
  mages, senior bureaucrats, skilled craftsmen, military 
  commanders, and so on. Lastly there are the masses, 
  who make up the lower class.
  educatIon
  Educational establishments exist in all towns and in 
  many large villages, though tuition fees are expensive. 
  Regardless of whether one learns at a formal school, 
  from the local temple, or on the knee of an older fam-
  ily member, all citizens are instructed in the “Ostmark 
  dream.” In theory, any citizen can rise to the position 
  of Marchand Aethling, for social class is no barrier to 
  power in Ostmark. Thus, children are told that hard 
  work, careful management of money, and the right social 
  connections can lead any citizen from abject poverty to a 
  position of authority.
  Of course, the reality is that those with money will 
  always have money, and those without can only aspire to 
  greatness forever beyond their grasp. Still, the ladder is 
  not impossible to climb, and skalds know many tales of 
  common men who rose from the slums to rule Ostmark, 
  or at least take a seat on one of the Counseils. Whether 
  or not these have any semblance of truth no one ques-
  tions, for to dispel the dream could lead to a break down 
  of social order.
  relIgIon
  var, god of trade, is the most popular deity in the land 
  of merchants. Every settlement, even lone steads, boasts 
  a shrine or temple. In most steads and small villages 
  the shrine takes the form of a market stall or stalls, with 
  brightly colored awnings decorated with var’s symbol. 
  Here, visiting merchants are free to display their wares 
  to the locals. Within larger villages and small towns the 
  marketplace is bigger, encompassing a clearly defined 
  region. A carved stone typically stands in the center, 
  marking the shrine proper. Some shrines are decorated 
  with images of var, while others sport tracts from holy 
  texts. On one face is always engraved the market’s rules 
  and regulations.
  Large towns, cities, and even some prosperous small-
  er towns and villages have temples. As normal, these are 
  covered buildings boasting an indoor market with perma-
  nent stalls, offices for tax collectors and trade mediators, 
  meeting rooms, and on occasion guest rooms for visiting 
  clerics. Whereas in many lands markets are limited to 
  Marketdaeg, within Ostmark’s temples of trade every day 
  is a business day, though Marketdaeg remains the most 
  lucrative day due to the influx of outside traders.
  While few citizens are devout worshippers, prayers to 
  var are commonplace. People pray before going to mar-
  ket, wishing for good deals and skillful haggling, after 
  shopping to thank var for the bargains or to beseech him 
  to send goods the buyer desires, when trade ships or 
  caravans are due to arrive in or leave the settlement, and 
  so on.
  Next in order of worshippers, dedicated or casual, 
  is Neorthe, god of the sea. Ostmark relies heavily on 
  the whale-roads, both for fish, which it exports in great 
  quantities, and for the valuable trade ships from the Jade 
  Empire and Al-Shirkuh. Merchants who rely on the water 
  for transportation or delivery of cargoes pray to Neorthe 
  as much as var, often working prayers to both gods to-
  gether to form a single act of worship.
  Ostmark’s fertile soil allows for the inhabitants not 
  only to feed themselves well, but also to export surplus 
  grain and vegetables. Rural settlements sport shrines or 
  temples to Eostre Plantmother, with her Animalmother 
  aspect receiving less attention except in the form of to-
  ken offerings and supplications. veth (see Region Guide 
  #13), goddess of granaries, is a popular lesser deity due 
  to the large number of granaries dotting the landscape. 
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in Ostmark.
  * Money Talks: An old saying claims that in Ost-
  mark wealth is everything. This isn’t quite true, as 
  influence is also important; but as those with mon-
  ey know, you can buy favors if not friends. Every 
  hero with the Noble or Rich Edge receives +2 Cha-
  risma while in Ostmark (these are not cumulative). 
  Those with very Rich add a further +1 bonus, re-
  gardless of their title, giving +3 in total.
  * Nobility: The highest standard noble title an 
  Ostmarker hero with the Noble Edge can reach is 
  hauld. Beyond this, he must be elected to one of 
  the merchant councils. It is important to note that 
  any Ostmarker hero, regardless of his bloodline, 
  can become a Marchand-Jarl or –Thegn– if he has 
  enough wealth and resides in Ostmark for the ten-
  ure of his office (ten years).
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #25
  2
  
  For similar reasons, the cult of vali verminlord is espe-
  cially despised.
  Iron ore is another of Ostmark’s exports, and Ertha, 
  patron of the earth, is given enough worship to place her 
  as the fourth most popular deity. Her worship is focused 
  in the northeast, along the edge of the Thunor Range, 
  and in the southeast, near the Brokentail Mountains.
  While Ostmark has escaped every major disaster to 
  befall Rassilon relatively unscathed thanks to its geo-
  graphic position, its citizens are Saxa, and thus Tiw, god 
  of war, is always in their hearts. Never an aggressive na-
  tion, citizens favor Tiw’s defensive aspect most.
  Worship of Nauthiz, while outlawed, is rife. Trade 
  and stability bring money, and money attracts thieves 
  and other ne’er-do-wells. While the Trade and Marchand 
  Counseils regularly proclaim success against the cult, 
  trying to root out thieves in Ostmark is no mean feat, for 
  they are as plentiful as rats. Most towns boasts a thieves’ 
  guild, and even in the villages the cult has its adherents. 
  Penalties for theft are high, but in a land where the divide 
  between rich and poor is vast, Nauthiz is a popular god.
  mIlItary
  Ostmark’s permanent army is controlled by the pow-
  erful Trada Counseil. It currently maintains an army of 
  4,000 men, or around 5% of its population.
  Of these, half are foreign mercenaries. Many of the 
  companies are on long-term contracts (some units have 
  served for well-over a century), with payment including 
  small plots of land as well as coin. The Trada Counseil 
  knows that coin is no substitute for patriotism, and 
  granting land gives the mercenaries something to fight 
  for other than monetary reward.
  Regardless of the mercenaries’ company strength or 
  track record of loyal service, a native Ostmark captain 
  is always placed in the company command structure. In 
  many cases he is not the strategic military commander, 
  but placed there to ensure loyalty to Ostmark remains 
  strong. While new companies grate at being commanded 
  by a stranger, the pay is good, the land is fertile, and the 
  duties far from taxing.
  Half of Ostmark’s army is heavy infantry, clad in chain 
  mail hauberks and sporting long swords or battle axes 
  along with a medium shield. They watch over trading 
  centers and natural resources, ensuring the Trada Coun-
  seil always has a military presence close by. This allows 
  the Counseil to keep an eye on local rulers, as well as 
  protect its income revenues.
  Despite being a Saxa nation, Ostmark makes use of 
  cavalry. Equipped as medium cavalry (see below), they 
  form a quarter of the army, unlike the infantry, who 
  guard settlements, the cavalry are garrisoned in forts 
  along the borders and trade roads. From here they can 
  reach troublespots quickly and maintain a watch for 
  invaders. Cavalrymen wear scale armor, and carry long 
  swords or battle axes along with large shields. They lack 
  lances, being a mobile skirmisher force rather than shock 
  troops. They ride riding horses.
  The remaining quarter are archers and light infantry 
  serving as marines. Each wears a leather shirt, and carries 
  either a long bow or three throwing axes, a hand axe or 
  short sword, and a small shield.
  Every settlement boasts a militia, though membership 
  varies from one or two kinsmen in steads to many hun-
  dred volunteers in the towns and cities. As elsewhere, 
  those in power have no wish to lose their position. As 
  a result, the militias are a reserve force, called up and 
  armed only rarely. In most villages and towns, security is 
  handled by members of the permanent army.
  Infantry and cavalry companies may be widely scat-
  tered, especially in rural communities, where a village 
  may boast just a handful of permanent troops. In gen-
  eral, a company comprises 100 men under a Captain-of-
  Foot or Captain-of-Horse, as appropriate. Assisting the 
  captains are five sergeants with the same suffix. When a 
  company is divided among more locales than there are 
  sergeants, one of the men is given the title Constable. He 
  becomes the de facto military commander in his outpost, 
  and is responsible for day-to-day security.
  With the sea vital to Ostmark’s economy, the Trada 
  Counseil spends a small fortune maintaining an impres-
  sive navy. Sandvik, the main port, is home to eight drak-
  kars and a single snekke, along with the 520 marines who 
  crew the ships. The secondary base at Lieksa houses a 
  single drakkar and snekke, along with three river barges 
  equipped with ballistas and a single catapult (25 men 
  per barge total).
  Naval companies are sized based on the ship they use. 
  Thus, they range anywhere from 20 men on the barges 
  up to 100 men on a snekke. Regardless of size, a Captain-
  of-Ship command each vessel, with between one and 
  three Sergeants-of-Ship acting as his lieutenant.
  While many citizens accuse the Counseil members of 
  being tight-fisted, they lavish a king’s ransom on ensuring 
  the army is well-equipped, well-paid, and well-trained. 
  In addition to their standard armaments, commanders 
  are given alchemical devices, such as voice on the wind 
  charms to ensure lines of communication remain intact, 
  or gift of battle potions to boost their already formidable 
  leadership talents.
  trade & trIbute
  While the Crystalflow Confederacy dominates trade in 
  the central and eastern Hearthlands, Ostmark is a ma-
  jor mercantile force. While the Confederacy distributes 
  trade goods from across Rassilon, it produces very little 
  in comparison to its distant neighbor.
  Sandvik is the capital of Ostmark and its largest town, 
  yet it is the centrally-located settlement of Lieksa through 
  which all trade roads flow. From here the grain Road 
  runs to northern Lokka, the capital of the rich farmlands. 
  To the south is the Leaf Road (formerly the Horse Road), 
  oStmark
  
  
  along which bales of pipeleaf are carried to distant mar-
  kets across the continent. Lastly, the Iron Road runs to 
  the west, disappearing out through the mountains to the 
  wider world.
  No road heads east to Sandvik, for Lieksa and the great 
  port are linked by water, the Broadstream being navi-
  gable to a point a few miles west of the trading town.
  The sea is a vital trading route to the merchants of 
  Ostmark. While the rulers of the Jade Empire and east-
  ern Al-Shirkuh permit no foreigners to touch their soil, 
  their heavily-laden ships bring ivory, rys, and silk. From 
  the northern realms of Rassilon the merchants buy great 
  quantities of whale oil, which fetch high prices in the 
  core Hearthlands. The catch of Ostmark’s fishing fleet 
  is smoked, pickled, and salted by the barrel load before 
  being exported.
  Much of the country’s iron exports head east to the 
  neighboring Marklands or the Confederacy, though with 
  Nordmark slowly restabilizing, the monopoly Ostmark 
  held on the iron trade is being eroded. Its surplus of 
  grain and vegetables is primarily shipped north to Trond, 
  from where it is transported to the eastern Low Winter-
  lands, and south to the Blackstone Barony.
  Ostmark is renowned as being a land of merchants, 
  yet it is also known as the land of taxes.
  Duty: Most imports are charged at 2%. goods which 
  compete with local resources are charged at 10%. All lo-
  cal exports are charged a flat 3%. Merchants from other 
  realms who wish to use the port at Sandvik, through 
  which to transport their goods elsewhere, are charged 
  10% of the goods’ value.
  Hearth Tax: A flat fee of 5 gs per year is paid for each 
  hearth in a building. This goes to the local ruler.
   Income Tax: All citizens pay an income tax of 10% 
  directly to the Trada Counseil. An additional 5% is paid 
  to the local ruler for upkeep of local services. Merchants 
  pay an additional 10% to the Trada Counseil.
  Sales Tax: 3% applied to all transactions except food. 
  goods and services sold by foreigners are taxed at 15%. 
  This “encourages” foreign merchants to sell their wares 
  to local merchants, albeit at a lower price than if they 
  sold to the end user directly.
  Security Tax: Every citizen of adult age pays a flat 10 gs 
  a year to the Trada Counseil to help pay for the upkeep 
  of the army and navy, as well as the forts and ships.
  Temple Tax: While many citizens donate to local 
  temples, all citizens must pay 3% of their income to the 
  cult of var. This helps pay for upkeep of the temples and 
  security at markets, as well as maintenance of the main 
  trade roads. It is also used to subsidize key industries, 
  ensuring the realm remains competitive.
  Weapons Tax: Any citizen wishing to carry a weapon 
  must purchase a license. This costs 100 gs per year. Out-
  siders are charged 50 gs per annum.
  arcHItecture
  Rural Ostmark looks much the same as any of the 
  Marklands, with low wooden buildings and thatched 
  roofs being the norm. Despite being relatively safe from 
  the privation of bandits and orcs, at least compared to 
  many countries, palisades and ditches encircle most 
  settlements. In the towns, though, times have moved on, 
  and stone buildings are now more common.
  This is not to say stone structures are common, for 
  they are not. Such dwellings are expensive, for masonry 
  is not a Saxa art and, even after centuries of rule by the 
  merchant class, the art has never caught on. Thus, most 
  masons are foreigners, normally Anari, but occasionally 
  a frost dwarf. Ostmark is also poor in good quality stone, 
  forcing those who wish to use the material to import it at 
  great cost. The use of stone came about as Ostmark re-
  covered from the aftermath of the Blizzard War. Not only 
  is stone stronger than wood, ideal for protecting valu-
  able trade goods and chests of coin, but it offers great 
  protection from fire and the ravages of vermin. Thus, 
  most stone buildings in Ostmark are warehouses, guild 
  headquarters, temples (though rarely those of Eostre or 
  Neorthe), and the homes of the rich elite.
  Despite the use of Anari architects and masons, the 
  look of stone structures remains Saxa. Walls are still 
  carved to resemble logs, pillars look like tree trunks, and 
  even slate shingles resemble wooden ones.
  A small few of Ostmark’s wealthiest citizens have 
  built two story structures, allowing them to expand their 
  properties without buying more land. Such designs have 
  divided the populace, many of whom think them un-
  Saxa, and therefore an insult to their ancestors.
  I See nautHIz
  I See Nauthiz is a popular children’s game. One 
  player assumes the role of Rigr, watchman of the 
  gods, while the others are all Nauthiz.
  Rigr places an object on the floor, typically a piece 
  of fruit or small cake, and then stands so the object 
  is behind him and he is facing away from the other 
  players. The aim of the game is for the many Nauthiz 
  players to sneak up and snatch the prize. Whoever 
  achieves this wins and gets to eat the prize. If none 
  succeed, Rigr wins the game and claims the prize.
  At random intervals, Rigr whips round to face the 
  other players, who must remain motionless. If he 
  spies any moving, Rigr shouts, “I see Nauthiz!” and 
  points to the offender, who is then out of the game. 
  It is widely regarded as cheating if Rigr faces the 
  players for more than a slow count of ten.
  A common trick is for Rigr to point to a player who 
  has remained still and accuse him of moving. If the 
  child is clever, he does nothing. Rebuking Rigr in-
  volves moving one’s lips, which means Rigr is then 
  proven right. Arguments that this is a form of cheat-
  ing are quashed with the logical– if erroneous– ar-
  gument that Rigr sees all, even the future.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #25
  
  
  major localeS
  Detailed below are new locales heroes might wish to 
  explore while in Ostmark.
  tHe black Hall
  In the far north of Ostmark, where vends Bay cuts 
  toward the mountains, stands the Black Hall, a stone 
  compound dominated by a tall tower. In days of yore, 
  before even Hela’s madness, it was the seat of a powerful 
  noble family, close relatives of the kings of Ostmark.
  According to legend, the last owner, Jarl Skuma, fell 
  from grace and was damned. The story goes that Skuma 
  was a noble man, too proud perhaps, but of good heart 
  and noble virtue. It is said he desired to be king, not out 
  of lust for power, but because the incumbent monarch 
  was leading Ostmark to ruin.
  Skuma prayed to the gods for a solution to his quan-
  dary, for he would not raise arms against his king. The 
  gods seemingly answered, for during a terrible storm a 
  stranger arrived at his hall. The stranger promised the 
  nobleman aid, but he led Skuma to corruption through 
  sly words, for the stranger was a demon in the guise of 
  man. Skuma raised an army and declared war on the 
  king, now intending to seize the throne by force. That he 
  succeeded in slaying the king is historical fact.
  Skuma is widely believed to have been killed by cler-
  ics of Sigel, yet his corpse was never recovered. Some 
  skalds claim the demons dragged him back to the Abyss 
  on the eve of his ascending the throne. Regardless, the 
  tale of Skuma is used as a morality play, warning people 
  to be careful what they wish for.
  Several small steads close to the Black Hall have 
  recently been put to the torch, the inhabitants brutally 
  slain. Some say Skuma’s war banner, a mailed gauntlet 
  clutching a hiltless sword blade, flutters once more 
  from his tower. Fear has gripped the northern land, and 
  rumors abound that the black lord has returned from 
  death to reclaim Ostmark in the name of his demonic 
  masters.
  More level-headed commentators insist the occupant 
  of the Black Hall is naught but a cunning bandit or orc 
  chieftain, relying on the fear associated with Skuma’s 
  name to quell investigations into his presence. But these 
  commentators have not seen the black-clad knights rid-
  ing abroad at night, or heard the strange screams that 
  now echo through the hilly land.
  brokentaIl mountaInS
  While the northern settlements are beset by growing 
  orc numbers, those along the Brokentail Mountains are 
  suffering raids by beastmen. united under gorgoth the 
  Foul, an abomination said to have the legs of a goat and 
  the head of a bear, the once disparate beastmen have 
  grown in confidence. unfortunately, the settlements 
  clerIcS of nautHIz
  This entry is an expansion for the cult of Nauthiz, 
  providing facts useful to both players and gMs.
  Training: Waifs, strays, and orphans are favored re-
  cruits, many of whom already know how to survive 
  by their wits and petty larceny. 
  The first thing a novitiate must do is donate all his 
  worldly possessions to the cult. Naked and devoid of 
  riches, the novice’s first test is to win back his goods 
  in games of chance. Different games are played, to 
  give the would-be cultist a good grounding. Once 
  suitably attired, the real training begins.
  Students are taught how to pick pockets and cut 
  purses, crack locks and disarm traps, how to move 
  without being sensed. During his apprenticeship, 
  the cleric must donate all his ill-gotten gains to his 
  mentor. unscrupulous clerics might fail to let a re-
  cruit take his vows for years, thus lining their own 
  pockets through the young thief and gambler’s ac-
  tivities. Any thief worth his salt quickly steals back 
  and hides what is rightfully his.
  Prayers: Luck is always called upon when praying. 
  Sometimes Nauthiz is called upon as Lord Luck, 
  and other times odds of success may be quoted. 
  Odds are also used when discussing the difficulty 
  of a task. Thus, one never says, “That’s going to be 
  tough,” but instead might say, “your chances are 3-
  to-1 against that working.”
  Adventures: If you need something found, call on 
  Nauthiz. Tomb-raiding is the bread-and-butter quest 
  for any aspiring worshipper. 
  High-profile activities are lures few can resist. Steal-
  ing a king’s crown just for the glory, breaking a re-
  nowned thief out of prison, adding a new law to 
  the sacred tomes in Hothar’s well-guarded temples, 
  and gambling against nobles when you have just 
  two silver scields to rub together, all make for great 
  stories.
  Character Guidelines: Nauthiz’s clergy need to 
  invest wisely in quite a few skills to cover all their 
  bases. Climbing, Lockpicking, and Stealth are re-
  quired to take the Thief Edge, which is pretty much 
  a must-have.
  given they are likely to be the ones leading a party, 
  Agility, vigor, and Notice are all useful for avoiding, 
  surviving, and detecting traps respectively. gam-
  bling, of course, is another skill which the character 
  should take during character generation.
  unfortunately, several knowledge skills are also 
  useful to Nauthiz’s clergy, as is Persuasion and 
  Streetwise. No character can take everything, or be 
  expected to handle every possible situation which 
  might apply to a thief god. To that end, work with 
  the other players so they take some of the burden 
  off your shoulders—otherwise you’re going to end 
  up as a very poor generalist.
  oStmark
  5
  
  produce little of interest to the Trada Counseil, and help 
  has been slow in coming. Rather than pull troops away 
  from the more important areas, the Counseil is planning 
  to hire adventuring parties to end the threat.
  IarnSburg
  A spate of recent murders has left the industrial town 
  in the grip of fear. All the victims were found with a mask 
  of terror on their faces, their tongues ripped out. No 
  trace of the muscle was ever found, leaving the investi-
  gators to conclude it had been taken as a grisly trophy. 
  While many put on a brave face and insist the victims are 
  being slain for breaking some vow or revealing a secret, 
  in their beds they shiver and drip cold sweat, muttering 
  prayers to protect them from Morgwyn the Black.
  Long ago, when demons walked the land and the day 
  was as night, Morgwyn the Black was a feared witch. As 
  the Demongate War expanded, Morgwyn used her pow-
  ers against the innocent citizens of Ostmark, unleashing 
  cruel curses and striking brave heroes down with words 
  of fell power. In the end, she met her doom, being cast 
  into a dark pit to rot, her tongue ripped out by its root to 
  prevent her from using her magic. Thus Morgwyn passed 
  into folklore, becoming a bogeymen with which parents 
  would frighten their wayward children. 
  The Sword & Anvil: A popular tavern, the Sword & 
  Anvil is named after the colossal anvil that stands in the 
  center of the drinking hall. Protruding from it is a mighty 
  sword emblazoned with runes of dragon slaying. 
  The innkeeper, Tind the gossip, happily tells strang-
  ers that the inn was constructed around the anvil. He 
  adds that after the Blizzard War, a paladin of Sigel thrust 
  the sword into the anvil, claiming that in days to come a 
  mighty hero would draw it forth. Any visitors are given 
  permission to see if they are the chosen one.
  In truth the anvil and sword are a cunning device. 
  Both are real, though the sword is nothing special, hav-
  ing been forged by Tind’s grandfather. The sword is kept 
  in place by a locking bar concealed in the anvil, which 
  while heavy is partly hollow. With a flick of a hidden 
  switch, the bar can be withdrawn and the sword drawn. 
  Tind waits until a would-be hero is heaving with all his 
  might before releasing the lock, causing the “champion” 
  to tumble onto his butt.
  For all his practical jokes, Tind is a good man and a 
  collector of gossip. Heroes after news regarding events 
  in Ostmark need only buy drinks to ensure his tongue 
  begins wagging.
  lockSburgH
  Population: 505
  Ruler: Marchand-Thegn Frodi Runulfsunu
  Situated on the southern edge of greenwood, close 
  to the border with veermark, the small village of Locks-
  burgh relies on logging for its existence. unfortunately, 
  that income is in serious decline.
  Eight months ago the elves of greenwood tried to 
  expel a logging party from their home. violence ensued, 
  and several elves were slain. The survivors retreated 
  back into the dark depths of the wood, vowing revenge 
  against the trespassing humans. Since then, logging par-
  ties have been plagued by a giant boar now known as 
  “Old Tusker.” The monstrous beast, described as being 
  the size of a horse, has killed a dozen loggers and in-
  flicted scores of injuries.
  Marchand-Thegn Frodi, whose status relies on regular 
  exports of timber, ordered his only son, Hring, a skilled 
  warrior and a captain in the Ostmark army, to hunt down 
  the beast. Hring’s shattered body was dragged back to 
  the village three months ago. Frodi was cast into a black 
  pit of depression. Since then all he has done is drink 
  heavily, mourn his son, and curse the elves.
  Acting in her master’s place, kara Nerisdohtor, the 
  thegn’s senior advisor, has placed a bounty of 2,000 gs 
  on the boar’s head and promised the villagers they will 
  dine on the boar’s flesh before the year is out. So far no 
  one has taken up the challenge.
  SandvIk
  The Docks: Only merchants from Al-Shirkuh’s trade 
  ships make landfall, the ships remaining anchored in the 
  harbor along with their crews. Rumors that the crews 
  are slaves have spread through Ostmark and into the 
  lands beyond. Several merchants have been attacked in 
  Sandvik, and two attempts to board the galleys has been 
  thwarted. Fearing a loss of trade if the attacks do not 
  cease, the Trada Counseil has posted a reward for the 
  capture of the ringleaders.
  Jory Franz, that well-known rogue and tale-teller, 
  feStIval to nautHIz
     cHance nIgHt
  First Heafoddaeg of Hegmonan.
  Reckless and carefree with money, Nauthiz once 
  challenged his stingy brother var to a game of 
  chance. Nauthiz staked a vast fortune against an 
  equal amount of goods for var. Although var count-
  ed every coin and abhorred gambling, the chance 
  to make a huge profit for doing nothing but throw-
  ing a pair of dice was too good an opportunity to 
  resist. Stories vary as to who won, but every year 
  on the same night the brothers meet up to repeat 
  the game.
  Worshippers are expected to enter a high-stakes 
  gambling game on this night, pitting a fortune of 
  at 500 gs on games of pure chance. Cheating is per-
  mitted. This isn’t a formal ceremony—no worship-
  per is required to pray or perform any acts of devo-
  tion beyond having a good time and the chance to 
  win or lose a small fortune.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #25
  
  
  claims to have snuck aboard one of the ships. While he 
  says nothing of slaves, he does mention passing a few 
  hours in conversation with a beautiful sphinx. As always, 
  no one can be sure if the con artist is lying or telling the 
  truth, such are the wild natures of his claims.
  The Jade Quarter: Recent changes to the Empire’s 
  trading practices have caused tongues to wag. until re-
  cently crews were marched through town to the embassy, 
  while local stevedores loaded and unloaded the ships. 
  After negotiations with the Trada Counseil, the Empire 
  was given sole permission to dock at several wharves. Ac-
  cess to the area is now prohibited except by permission 
  from Mandarin Hu yu Shin, and masked guards enforce 
  his authority. As well as wharves, new warehouses have 
  been erected, along with an inn. Work is under way to 
  move the Empire’s embassy to the new district.
  Sandvik is awash with rumors regarding the changes. 
  One rumor concerns the unloading of the trade ships, 
  known as junks, as this only occurs at night. The steve-
  dores apparently wear porcelain mask, as if to conceal 
  their identities. Stranger still is talk they wear strong 
  perfume. While the citizens generally show curiosity 
  about the foreigners, a small number are beginning to 
  wonder if the Empire is planning something other than 
  an expansion of trade.
  The Navigator’s Arms: Located near the docks, the 
  inn is frequented by sailors. The innkeeper, Angvold 
  Bretwaldasunu, posts notices about ship captains seek-
  ing crews inside the tavern, thus ensuring out of work 
  sailors are frequent visitors. Few of the job offers are real, 
  for the inn is also the headquarters of the local branch 
  of the velvet Shackle, the infamous slaver brotherhood. 
  Sailors, tough men used to long hours, hard work, and 
  harsh conditions, make ideal slaves. While the Blackstone 
  Barony is the largest consumer in the region, the mine 
  owners of western Ostmark have secretly begun using 
  slaves in place of paid workers.
  When a likely candidate enters the inn, Angvold 
  discretely grills his background. Assuming he fits the 
  requirements for a slave, the innkeeper tells the mariner 
  the captain has arranged for a room at the inn and free 
  drinks as a token gesture of friendship. Once the mariner 
  falls asleep, he is kidnapped and taken to his new life. 
  Should anyone come calling about the sailor, Angvold 
  tells them he signed on with a ship, producing the ap-
  propriate notice as “proof” of his claims.
  Thieves’ Guilds: Ostmarkers frequently joke that the 
  thieves’ guilds are in the employ of the rich merchants, 
  and for the most part they are right. Through the guilds 
  the merchants control the black market, as well as much 
  of the country’s gambling and prostitution. Clever ac-
  counting diverts much of this illegal activity into legal 
  assets. But the guilds also serve a secondary purpose.
  Each guild operates in a specific district, and never in 
  one where its controller has financial interests. Instead, 
  they hamper the business activities of rivals, as well as 
  steal their personal wealth.
  With a new census looming in 501 IR, the various 
  hopefuls for seats on the Counseils who have control of 
  a guild have stepped up activity. Acts of arson and mur-
  der have increased dramatically, and in the last week the 
  trouble has spilled onto the streets, with the rival gangs 
  engaged in open, brutal warfare.
  tHe WyrdIng Well
  In the heart of the Holy Hills stands a small pool of 
  crystal clear water. According to one legend, the well 
  formed from the tears of the Norns during the Blizzard 
  War, for Thrym’s actions, while known to them, wrought 
  much devastation on the mortal realm. Cynics claims the 
  only tears they shed were because the War meant they 
  had to work harder spinning and ending fates.
  The site is actually sacred to Loki, the great trickster 
  and father of the unknowable One (see page 10). Those 
  who drink from the water are blessed or cursed, depend-
  ing on the god’s capricious whims. The water did come 
  from Loki’s body, but it is not his tears.
  Spirit Name: Fate queen.
  Ambience: Characters who venture near the well feel 
  uneasy, as if they are not welcome.
  Deity: Loki.
  Senses: Notice d6.
  Communication: Fate queen speaks in the voice of a 
  young girl, her tone serious and foreboding. She speaks 
  only to warn those who would drink that the waters are 
  meant for true heroes, not commoners. Her words are 
  deliberately designed to goad heroes into drinking by 
  mocking their status and implying they have no destiny 
  worth learning.
  Powers: Any Wild Card who spends a benny, and 
  who drinks from the well, is blessed or cursed. Draw a 
  card and consult the table listed under the Disciple of 
  the Norns Edge (see the Hellfrost Player’s Guide). The 
  result lasts for the next year. During this time any other 
  use of the Edge, whether through this well or a Norn 
  cleric, automatically gives a confused result (as if a 2-5 
  were drawn).
  Sacrifice: Spiritual energy (as noted above).
  feStIval to nautHIz
     reclamatIon day
  Raestdaeg of Hegmonan.
  Folk in Rassilon are generally community minded, 
  especially in villages and steads. As such, people 
  tend to borrow things from each other for long pe-
  riods, and often without asking. On this day, folk 
  visit their neighbors and reclaim borrowed proper-
  ty. Typically the day is marked by much apologizing 
  for not returning the object sooner, arguments over 
  damage, and quaffing too much ale as way of repa-
  ration. The next day, the borrowing begins again.
  oStmark
  
  
  PerSonS of note
  Below are several new NPCs who may help, hinder, or 
  hire the heroes while they are in Ostmark.
  marcHandSman geIrSteIn ulfSunu
  Head of a powerful merchant family from Iarnsburg, 
  Marchandsman geirstein and his family have grown 
  rich through trade with the mighty Crystalflow Confed-
  eracy and economically stable Midmark. Despite his vast 
  wealth, geirstein is a greedy man, and desires a seat on 
  the Trada Counseil above all else.
  While Nordmark’s emissaries speak of opening a new 
  road to yorvik, a road that would facilitate better trade 
  links, geirstein has been using his personal fortune to 
  hire orcs and bandits to attack Ostmark caravans crossing 
  the narrow stretch of land. Evidence linking Nordmark 
  to the unprovoked attacks has been left behind to help 
  stir up support back home.
  Once the outcry has reached fever pitch, and it isn’t 
  far from that, he intends to petition the Trada Counseil 
  to unleash Ostmark’s army against Nordmark’s southern 
  arm. Although intended solely for defense, the army is 
  sufficiently powerful to achieve his aim with ease.
  Controlling this land would weaken Nordmark’s abil-
  ity to sell its iron to Midmark, a market Ostmark domi-
  nated until the young king returned, and give Ostmark’s 
  merchants clear passage to Midmark and its Lesser 
  Crystalflow trade route, as well as removing the border 
  duty currently imposed by Nordmark. With a little more 
  encouragement, Ostmark could capture Nordmark’s 
  iron mines, removing the battered nation from the trade 
  lucrative altogether.
  At present the Trada Counseil is split over the attacks, 
  for Ostmark has never been an aggressor and king geir-
  mund speaks openly of peace and prosperity. But the 
  warmongering merchant is relentless in his ambitions, 
  for he knows that every day king geirmund remains on 
  the throne his land becomes more unified.
  rIttera oddrun tokISdoHtor
  Rittera Oddrun sold her ancestral lands and used 
  the money to build a small fort on the Iron Road. She is 
  head of a small chivalric order, the knights of the gilded 
  Drake, an organization sworn to serve Sigel. Convinced 
  that clues to the disappearance of the sun god are strewn 
  across the land, she and her knights (of which there are 
  around 50) constantly quest the length and breadth of 
  Rassilon. When necessary, she hires adventurers to assist 
  the knights, typically by having them explore ruins her 
  knights cannot enter due to other duties.
  The order is also keen to make contact with any sun 
  dragons. Oddrun hopes to recruit them to her cause, 
  since they are widely regarded as holding allegiance to 
  Sigel. So far she has met with no luck, which is hardly 
  surprising given many died during the Blizzard War and 
  the survivors hid themselves away. Still, she is nothing if 
  not persistent.
  quick-witted and not unattractive, the golden-haired 
  noblewoman is popular with the local peasants, for she 
  donates part of any treasures found on the quests to 
  good causes, keeping just enough to keep her fortress 
  maintained. The cult of Sigel is divided in opinion, some 
  believing she is a virtuous soul of strong faith and others 
  claiming she is a heretic.
  tIndle tHe Skald
  An engro skald (the magical sort), Tindle has made it 
  is his life’s goal to tag along with adventurers in the hope 
  of composing an epic that will last the ages. In return for 
  room and board, and a few gold coins every now and 
  then just so he can buy essential supplies, he vows to 
  record the heroes’ deeds and immortalize them in song.
  A plucky little soul willing to follow heroes into 
  danger, he is a poor bard, lacking the vocabulary and 
  understanding of kennings to do heroic deeds justice. 
  He also has a knack for getting into trouble, drinking 
  far too much (he claims his great-grandfather was a clu-
  richaun), and shooting his mouth regarding his compan-
  ions’ plans. He’s also like a bad penny, always returning 
  to plague those he thinks have promise. Short of killing 
  him, Tindle continues to haunt those he likes until he 
  finds someone more promising to latch onto.
  WIHtHelm mareScalSunu
  A white-haired man of advancing years, Wihthelm is a 
  resident of Lieksa. A former explorer, Wihthelm devoted 
  much of his early years to traveling Rassilon. As he went, 
  he documented the various festivals to the gods and re-
  gional variations. Now infirm, he has started putting pen 
  to paper, recording all he has learned.
  While many consider him one of the most learned 
  men in Ostmark, Wihthelm is quick to point out that his 
  knowledge is far from complete. Hence, he pays well for 
  information on religious ceremonies, especially minor 
  ones from regions he never visited. He has been known 
  to hire heroes to visit remote parts of the world simply 
  to observe local rituals.
  No one knows how old the sage is, but some insist he 
  was old in the times of their grandparents. One story in 
  the taverns of Lieksa claims the Norns forgot his name 
  when he was born, and so he has no fate and cannot die. 
  Others insist he serves the gods, being a celestial min-
  ion sent to observe the ritual observations of mankind. 
  Doom mongers insist that when the record is complete 
  anyone who partook in one of the erroneous rituals will 
  be judged and punished.
  When confronted with these stories or asked about 
  his age, he gives a coy smile and a quick wink of his 
  youthful eyes before replying that he has lived as long 
  as the gods have allotted, and will continue to live until 
  they summon him.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #25
  
  
  godS & monSterS
  Detailed in this section are the minor god of locks and 
  traps, and Loki, the great trickster, plus new monsters.
  laSeSmed
  Titles: Home Protector, the Divine Locksmith.
  Aspects: Locks and traps.
  Affiliations: Niht, Rigr.
  Symbol: A skeleton key.
  Priesthood: Locksmiths (priests); Trappers (pala-
  dins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Third Marketdaeg of each month. The 
  first Marketdaeg of Sowanmonan is a high holy day.
  Duties: Creation and maintenance of locks and 
  traps.
  Sins: (Minor) using brute force to overcome a lock or 
  trap; (Major) using spells for criminal purposes; (Mortal) 
  giving or selling your secrets to outsiders.
  Signature Power: Lock/unlock.
  Powers: Arcane resistance*, armor*, barrier, boost/
  lower trait (Agility, Lockpicking, Notice, Repair), detect/
  conceal (locks, secret doors, traps), mend*, telekinesis, 
  weapon immunity*.
  Trappings: Any except necromantic.
  Special: Spells marked “*” only works on doors, locks, 
  and traps. Furthermore, the clergy are expert locksmiths, 
  and locks they make are harder to pick. With success, 
  Lockpicking rolls suffer a –1 penalty. A raise incurs a –2 
  penalty, and two raises a –4 penalty.
  Lasesmed is Rigr’s locksmith and is charged with pro-
  tecting the gods’ halls from thieves. Lasesmed gets a lot 
  of commissions from Niht, for she has many secrets to 
  protect. Law-abiding and honest, Lasesmed never reveals 
  his secrets to the goddess of secrets, for she is also patron 
  of assassins—exactly the sort of people locks and traps 
  are designed to keep out. The god of locks and Nauthiz 
  maintain a friendly rival. Each time Lasesmed crafts a 
  new type of lock or trap, Nauthiz makes it his goal to pick 
  or disarm it. The two gods thus keep each other on their 
  toes and striving for perfection in their craft.
  Locksmiths form the bulk of the laity. Their art, which 
  was first given to the Anari, has spread across Rassilon. 
  Locks range from simple (and thus easily picked) to 
  highly complex mechanisms. Security comes at a price, 
  and most citizens cannot afford more than one lock. 
  This tends to be placed in a chest containing the family’s 
  valuables. For doors, most security takes the form of a 
  sturdy wooden bar. Shrines are found in many homes, 
  typically taking the form of a key (which opens no locks 
  in the house). As is typical of minor gods, there are no 
  temples.
  Priests can earn a good living as locksmiths and 
  trap makers, protecting the homes of wealthy citizens, 
  temples, and fortresses, and designing prisons. Although 
  never inclined toward theft, priests are expert house-
  breakers, and this is another service they sell—for a mod-
  est sum a priest will break into your house and defeat 
  feStIval to nautHIz
     nIgHt of long fIngerS
  Variable, but always in Werremonan.
  One long summer’s day, Nauthiz found himself out-
  side Tiw’s battle hall. Feeling bored, he entered and 
  began speaking with the god of battle. After much 
  small talk Nauthiz asked Tiw what he valued most 
  in the world. After thinking hard, Tiw pointed to a 
  clay jar on his mantelpiece. In that jug, he said, he 
  kept the ring Eira had given him on their wedding 
  day (they were divorced by this time). It wasn’t par-
  ticularly valuable as a piece of jewelry, but it was of 
  special sentimental value. Nauthiz smiled to him-
  self, thanked Tiw for his hospitality, and departed 
  with a skip in his step. That night, Nauthiz returned 
  to Tiw’s hall and broke in. Brimming with over-
  confidence, he thrust his hand into the jar. unfor-
  tunately, Tiw had seen through Nauthiz’s question 
  and had hidden the ring elsewhere in his house. 
  The magical jar closed around Nauthiz’s hand and 
  began to whistle loudly. Moments later, Tiw’s two 
  war hounds, goðjaðarr (“god Protector”) and 
  Hildolfr (“Battle Wolf”) bounded into the room, 
  their snarling jaws dripping thick rivers of bloody 
  drool. Nauthiz fled, chased by the two dogs and with 
  this hand still stuck in the heavy jar, to the booming 
  laugh of Tiw. Once a year, Nauthiz breaks into Tiw’s 
  hall to find the ring he so prizes. Tiw changes its 
  hiding place each year, and the god of thieves has 
  yet to locate it. And so the game continues.
  Clerics must steal a very valuable item at least once 
  a year or offend their god. Originally clerics partici-
  pated on the anniversary of their joining the cult, 
  thus giving themselves but one night to fulfill their 
  oath. As organized thieves’ guilds sprang up, the 
  ceremony was seen as a gambling opportunity. Each 
  cultist openly states his mark and the value of goods 
  he will steal that night. Odds are offered based on 
  the target and the worshipper’s skill, and fellow 
  cultists place stakes on the outcome.
  Since holding the ceremony on the same night each 
  year would alert the local authorities and allow 
  them to prepare for the rash of burglaries, the lo-
  cal high priest or thieves’ guildmaster sets the exact 
  day of the ceremony. The only stipulation is that it 
  is held in Werremonan, when the nights are short-
  est. Stolen goods must be returned to the temple 
  or guild house by the time Sigel’s Hearth breaks 
  the horizon, or the thief is listed as failing the cer-
  emony.
  oStmark
  
  
  any traps installed. Naturally, he’ll then sell you an im-
  proved security system. Paladins are no less skilled in the 
  arts of locks and traps, but most are itinerant workers, 
  selling their services wherever they travel. Paladins are 
  more likely to be found in adventuring parties, where 
  they serve both as trap disarmers and protectors, sealing 
  and trapping portals to provide their comrades security. 
  A small percentage of clerics are retired or reformed 
  thieves. Their inside knowledge of the criminal mindset 
  is an invaluable tool.
  Lasesmed is paranoid about being kidnapped and 
  forced to reveal the secrets of his work. He always wears 
  a mask when working or representing Rigr, thus pre-
  venting his foes from being able to identify him. Many 
  of his mortal clergy are equally paranoid, employing 
  elaborate security precautions to protect their shops and 
  homes, taking circuitous routes to and from jobs, and 
  even adopting an alias to separate their private life from 
  their work. Their precautions are not without merit, for 
  thieves’ guild offer large rewards to those who bring 
  them a cleric of Lasesmed.
  Clerics are called upon to bless new structures. To 
  ward away thieves, a key is placed under the first corner-
  stone laid down or Lasesmed’s holy symbol is engraved 
  on the bottom of the stone. On the cult’s high holy day, 
  the local clergy gather in secret to pray. Each is expected 
  to bring one lock or assemble one nonlethal trap, which 
  others must try to pick or disarm. Suggestions are then 
  made on how to improve the lock or trap.
  Character Guidelines: In adventuring parties, clerics 
  make great trap detectors. To back up their spells, they 
  should invest in Lockpicking and Notice. Those who want 
  to make locks and traps should take Craft (Locksmithing 
  or Trapmaking) if the skills are to be used frequently 
  or Repair, a more general skill, otherwise. Alternately, 
  gMs may allow Lockpicking to be used in manufactur-
  ing locks and traps. While not criminals, Thief is a useful 
  Edge for boosting Lockpicking, and providing a bonus to 
  the paranoid clergy’s Stealth abilities.
  lokI
  Titles: Lord of Chaos, Father of Discord, the untam-
  able One.
  Aspects: Chaos.
  Symbol: None.
  Priesthood: None. Clerics may adopt whatever title 
  they wish, even those of other cults.
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: None.
  Signature Power: Confusion.
  Powers: Special. Loki is a powerful but capricious 
  god. His clerics may learn any powers, but casting comes 
  with risks. After a cleric successfully casts a spell but be-
  fore the effects are handled, the gM must draw a card 
  from the action deck. A royal card (Jack through Ace) 
  means a random spell is cast instead. gMs using this cult 
  in adventures should create a quick random spell table. 
  Assigning spells in advance to the sixteen royal cards al-
  lows the gM to determine the random spell using the 
  one card.
  If the random spell cannot be cast for any reason, it 
  is treated as if the cleric rolled a 1 on his Faith die. For 
  instance, a cleric of Loki tries to invoke bolt at a distant 
  foe. He draws the king of Clubs, which the gM has 
  predetermined is the armor spell. Since armor requires 
  Touch to work, the spell fails.
  Trappings: Clerics can choose any trapping at the 
  time of casting. However, if a random spell is cast, a ran-
  dom trapping is also assigned.
  Loki represents the unpredictable forces of chaos and 
  disorder. In the beginning, long before the god War, Loki 
  plagued the gods’ efforts to bring order to the universe. 
  At first his antics were harmless japes, amusing to all but 
  the dourest deity. Slowly, though, his tricks became mali-
  cious and destructive. unwilling to kill one of their own, 
  the other deities instead tried to imprison Loki. Each 
  attempt failed, for Loki’s powers over chaos were too 
  strong to tame. Meeting secretly, the gods crafted special 
  shackles, which they named Time. Calling on all their 
  power, the gods finally bound Loki.
  Loki is the father of the unknowable One. Whereas 
  Loki sought chaos for its own sake, his son uses chaos to 
  teach valuable lessons, never acting maliciously. It was 
  this difference in personality which spared the unknow-
  able One his father’s fate.
  The Lord of Chaos has no shrines or temples—a struc-
  tured organization goes against his nature. Worshippers 
  rarely gather, for their malicious nature and desire to 
  cause chaos knows no bounds. As a result, there is no 
  trust or cooperation among the clergy. In some instances 
  the clergy actively works against their comrades. For in-
  stance, a cleric may learn a colleague is planning to kill a 
  nobleman. Rather than aiding his comrade, his rival may 
  instead inform the target his life is in danger. knowing an 
  assassin is on one’s tail is often enough to cause disrup-
  tion in itself.
  While incapable of personal action against the other 
  gods, Loki is still able to grant his followers access to 
  miraculous powers. However, even his most devout fol-
  lowers are not immune to the deity’s capricious whims. 
  At random intervals, Loki switches the power being peti-
  tioned for a completely different one.
  Loki’s clerics want one thing—to free their god from 
  his shackles. This, they believe, can only be achieved by 
  breaking down order and reducing the world to total an-
  archy and confusion. Clerics of Loki are predisposed to 
  causing chaos for no reason other than to spread misery 
  and discord. Less militant worshippers may scatter stink-
  berries or summon a wild but generally harmless beast 
  in the middle of a crowded market, spread false rumors 
  to sow mistrust among allies, or commit acts of minor 
  sabotage, such as posing as a cleric of another faith and 
  conducting a wedding ceremony (the marriage would be 
  invalid).
  The more extreme members of the faith happily sum-
  mon ferocious beasts in public places, bring nations to 
  bloody war, and slaughter nobles and other important 
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #25
  10
  
  citizens to sow the seeds of confusion and chaos in the 
  hierarchical society which pervades Rassilon’s cultures.
  As befits their nature, clerics of Loki perform no cer-
  emonies—committing acts of chaos is worship enough, 
  and to follow a set series of litanies would go against 
  Loki’s personality. They do sometimes create completely 
  nonsensical rites, but usually only when it can sow con-
  fusion.
  bItterSoul
  The Siphoning can do terrible things to a wizard. 
  Some who lose their arcane powers become sullen and 
  withdrawn, mourning their lost art. Others become fa-
  natical, seeking a solution to the mystery of the Siphon-
  ing at any costs. For some the loss is too great to bear, 
  and life has no more meaning. Damned as suicides, their 
  souls are rejected by the gods, cast aside for others to 
  use as they wish. A small few fall into the clutches of 
  Hela, who returns them to their mortal remains to spend 
  eternity as a bittersoul.
  Bittersouls appear much as they did in life, though 
  their skin is taut and withered. All sport the injuries 
  afflicted when they took their own lives, and thus one 
  can find bittersouls with crooked necks, slashed wrists, 
  mangled limbs, or with skin discolored from poison. 
  Despite these afflictions, they move unhindered.
  Because the Siphoning has stripped them of their 
  art, a bittersoul cannot learn magic. They can, however, 
  absorb non-miraculous spells cast at them and unleash 
  them back at victims. Bittersouls actually store the magi-
  cal threads involved in magic. When it releases the en-
  ergy, the magical charge is lost.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, knowledge (Arcana) d10, Notice d8, 
  Spellcasting d8, Stealth d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Absorb Spell: If a bittersoul is the target of a spell 
  cast by any spellcaster except a cleric, whether a di-
  rect power such as bolt or an area effect spell like 
  stun, the creature may make a Smarts roll opposed by 
  the caster’s arcane skill. With success, the bittersoul 
  absorbs the spell before it takes effect. On subsequent 
  rounds, it may cast that spell using its Spellcasting. 
  These spells are subject to the Siphoning as normal. 
  Each absorbed spell may be used only once. There 
  is no limit to the number of spells a bittersoul may 
  absorb.
  * Claws: Str+d6.
  * Siphoning: If a bittersoul is subjected to the Siphon-
  ing it flies into a berserk rage. It immediately goes 
  berserk (as per the Edge) and gains Improved Frenzy 
  and Improved Sweep. This rage lasts until the bitter-
  soul next absorbs a spell, whereupon it immediately 
  ends.
  * Stored Spells: A bittersoul begins play with 1d4 
  spells chosen by the gM.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from Called Shots (ex-
  cept the head). Immune to disease and poison. Ig-
  nores wound penalties.
  golem, coIn
  Coin golems take the form of a whirlwind of spinning 
  coins. A pair of burning silver eyes peers through the mo-
  rass of whirling treasure. They fill a Small Burst Template 
  and act as a swarm.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  vigor d10
  Skills: Notice d6
  Pace: 8; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7
  Treasure: Rich (as body)
  Special Abilities:
  * Collapse: A slain coin golem collapses into a pile 
  of coins. Another coin golem which moves over the 
  space in which it was slain gains half the deceased 
  golem’s Size, rounded down (half the coins are too 
  scattered to have any effect). For instance, if a Size 
  +3 golem is slain, the first coin golem to pass over its 
  former space gains +1 Size.
  * Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken. No ad-
  ditional damage from Called Shots. Immune to dis-
  ease and poison.
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  * Growth: When the center of a coin golem moves over 
  a space containing a pile of at least 100 coins it in-
  creases its Size by +1. Each increase in Size increase 
  its Toughness by one point and its Strength by one 
  die type (after a d12 it gains a single point—d12+1, 
  d12+2, and so on) as it draws the coins into its body. 
  The space occupied by the coins is now clear ground. 
  A golem which grows to Size +4 gains the Large mon-
  strous ability and fills a Medium Burst Template. One 
  reaching Size +8 or higher is Huge and fills a Large 
  Burst Template.
  * Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor against 
  damage-causing arcane powers and +4 on trait rolls 
  to resist opposed powers.
  * Pummel: Coin golems inflict dozens of hundreds of 
  tiny pummeling attacks every round to their victims, 
  hitting automatically and causing Str+d4 damage to 
  everyone in the template. Damage is applied to the 
  least armored location.
  * Swarm: Parry +2. Because the swarm is composed 
  of scores, hundreds, or thousands of coins, cutting 
  and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect 
  weapons work normally, and a character can swipe 
  his hand through the coins to inflict his damage in 
  Strength each round.
  mylIng
  Children who die without being baptized into a cult 
  have no god to claim them. Such unfortunates are gener-
  oStmark
  11
  
  ally gathered by the demon lords and dragged screaming 
  into the Abyss. During Hela’s madness countless souls of 
  these damned children escaped, appearing in the mortal 
  world as mylings. Since the children were never accepted 
  into a cult, they were never buried in hallowed ground. 
  While many of these waifs died of natural causes, such 
  as disease or starvation, others are murder victims, or 
  deformed or mentally ill children abandoned in the wil-
  derness by their parents and left to die.
  Mylings take two forms. The first is a ghostly trans-
  lucent child, typically of five to 13 years of age (14 is 
  the age of adulthood across Rassilon). The second is an 
  animated skeleton.
  Mylings are anchored to within one mile of where 
  their bones lie. They approach lone travelers at night, 
  asking for the stranger to carry their bones to the nearest 
  graveyard so the child can receive proper burial rites and 
  ascend to Scaetha’s Hall. They gladly lead their victims to 
  their burial site and indicate where their bones lie. Once 
  the bones are picked up, the spirit enters them. 
  As the graveyard comes into sight, the bones grow 
  steadily heavier and heavier. In order to complete his 
  task, the carrier must make three Strength rolls—the 
  first at –1, the second at –2, and the third at –4. If he 
  fails a roll, he collapses to the ground with a level of 
  Fatigue and the enraged myling animates its skeleton 
  and attacks. Refusing to carry the myling also causes it 
  to become enraged and animate its bones. Should the 
  carrier succeed, the myling comes to Scaetha’s attention 
  and is carried to her Hall for judgment.
  Slaying a myling does not halt its existence. The ghost 
  and bones vanish if “killed,” reappearing at the original 
  burial site on the first night of the next Deorcmonan. 
  Only by carrying the bones into a hallowed graveyard 
  can the creature be permanently slain.
  gHoStly form
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, guts d8, Intimidation 
  d6, Notice d6, Stealth d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Ethereal: ghosts are immaterial and can only be 
  harmed by magical attacks.
  * Size –1: Mylings appear as ghostly children of 5-13 
  years old.
  Skeletal form
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, guts d8, Intimidation 
  d6, Notice d6, Stealth d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None 
  Special Abilities:
  * Claws: When someone fails to carry a myling to a 
  graveyard it manifests terrible claws. These inflict 
  Str+d8 damage and ignore all nonmagical armor. If 
  a hero is wearing relic armor, only the magical bonus 
  provides protection.
  * Enraged: If a person refuses to carry a myling or can-
  not complete its task, the myling goes Berserk auto-
  matically. While berserk it attacks only using Wild At-
  tacks.
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  * Size –1: Myling skeletons average 4-5’ tall.
  * Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being 
  Shaken. No additional damage from Called Shots. Im-
  mune to disease and poison.
  SPell tHIef
  Spell thieves (spelþjófr in Auld Saxa) are hunched 
  humanoids covered in wispy, dark-colored fur, with long 
  twitching noses and beady black eyes. Many clothe them-
  selves in rags to conceal their appearance. They have 
  never been heard to speak, though they do giggle and 
  chitter in high-pitched voices.
  These annoying creatures, for they cannot be said to 
  be truly malevolent, stalk mages, rob them of a spell or 
  two, and then scamper away. While the stolen spells are 
  recovered when the thief is slain, catching them is not 
  an easy task.
  Opinions are divided regarding the origin of spell 
  thieves. The three main opinions are that they are ser-
  vants of Maera sent to punish mages who misuse their 
  power, servants of the unknowable One dispatched to 
  rob mages of their spells to teach them not to rely solely 
  on their magic, or minions of Nauthiz sent to steal magic 
  for their god. A small few sages claim they are linked to 
  the Siphoning, but this is very unlikely as they have been 
  recorded for centuries. If anything, their numbers have 
  been declining since the Siphoning began. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d4, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d4, guts d8, Notice d8, Stealth d10
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Fleet Footed: Rolls a d10 running die.
  * Improved Arcane Resistance: +4 Armor against 
  damage-causing powers and +4 on Trait rolls to resist 
  opposed powers.
  * Improved Block: +2 Parry. Spell thieves are poor 
  combatants, but they are expert at avoiding blows.
  * Improved Dodge: Ranged attacks against the spell 
  thief are made at –2; +2 to rolls to avoid area effect 
  attacks.
  * Spell Steal: If a mage within 12” of a spell thief casts 
  a spell, successfully or not, the spell thief makes a 
  Smarts roll opposed by the arcane skill roll. With suc-
  cess, the spell thief steals the spell. The spell effects 
  are cancelled, and the caster cannot cast the spell 
  again until the spell thief is slain.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #25
  12
  
  IntroductIon
  Ravaged by civil war and the subsequent war brought on by the exiled young heir 
  returning to claim his throne, Nordmark has suffered its share of hardship. On the surface 
  the kingdom appears to be on the slow road to rebuilding, but there are those who would 
  see Nordmark ruled by others or crushed altogether. This work expands on the Hellfrost 
  Gazetteer. Adventure H2 The Blood of Godhammer is set in northern Nordmark.
  Atmosphere
  Two years of brutal conflict as rival claimants fought for the throne, followed by six 
  months of civil war as the king sought to claim his inheritance, have left Nordmark a scarred 
  land. King Geirmund has sat on Nordmark’s throne for two years, yet the people still suf-
  fer. Vast swathes of agriculture land lie fallow, the farmers driven from their homes and yet 
  to return. Iron mines, which once supplied much of Nordmark’s wealth, remain empty. 
  The blackened timbers of razed villages and steads jut from the overgrown landscape like 
  the nails of a colossal giant. Yet amid all this destruction the shoots of a new spring are 
  blossoming. Construction work has started on new settlements, merchant caravans are 
  returning to the roads, and order has returned to a land wracked by chaos.
  The eyes of the inhabitants betray mixed emotions of hope and resentment. Hope be-
  cause the fighting has stopped, at least on the battlefield, and things are slowly beginning 
  to improve. Goods are returning to the markets, the roads are becoming safer, at least in 
  the central and northern regions, and the power of the jarls has been weakened.
  Yet this same king who now brings stability is directly responsible for much of the 
  hardship. He made no attempt to return in peace, unleashing his armies as soon as he 
  had crossed the border. In the eyes of many, his enemies’ scorched earth policies were a 
  direct result of the king’s heavy-handed approach. No one forgets that while the general 
  population begged for food, the nobility dined in style and demanded the taxes be paid 
  on time and in full.
  socIAl hIerArchy
  Nordmark’s king, like those in most other Marklands, rules not by divine right or be-
  cause he is the appointed heir, but because he has the greatest support among the nation’s 
  31226
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 6 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Vince Kingston
  nordmArk
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  nobility. Geirmund, who lacked support as a youth, has 
  broken this ancient system by using brute force to claim 
  his title. despite technically being a usurper, none of the 
  jarls who oppose him have the military might, or if truth 
  be told, the will to rectify the situation just yet.
  because of Thunor’s influence, Nordmark’s kings 
  have only as much authority as they are prepared to 
  impose on the jarls. under weak kings the jarls were 
  autonomous rulers, freely ignoring royal decrees and 
  acting with impunity. strong kings would rule by military 
  might, crushing their opponents in order to ensure Nor-
  dmark remained strong, or through charisma, swaying 
  the nobility to loyalty with well-placed words. Geirmund 
  believes he has crushed the jarls into submission, and 
  now intends to rule as a charismatic leader.
  unfortunately, his enemies have been given plenty 
  of ammunition to use against him. His reduction in the 
  jarls’ armies is seen by many to be a move toward au-
  tocratic rule, or as a folly for leaving the border states 
  ill-prepared to deal with invaders.
  Although Geirmund knows there are snakes among 
  the jarls, men who whose ambitions stop only with his 
  removal and their ascension, he has retained the full 
  council. Regardless of their suspected loyalties, the king 
  allows all his jarls to advise him equally. After all, he is 
  not duty bound to act on any of their suggestions. Geir-
  mund may be young, but his Knights Hrafn training has 
  instilled the old Anari adage, “keep your friends close 
  and your enemies closer,” into him. even if he did sus-
  pect treachery, he would have to act carefully; acting too 
  hastily to punish his enemies further might alienate the 
  jarls still undecided about him.
  Nordmark has nine jarls. Two of these are strong sup-
  porters of the king, three are firmly against him, yet bite 
  their tongues and work their treason behind the scenes 
  while openly proffering their support, and four are as 
  yet undecided. The latter are prepared to give the young 
  ruler the benefit of the doubt, at least for now, but their 
  patience will not last forever. unless Nordmark blooms 
  soon, Geirmund may find himself opposed by seven 
  jarls.
  Whereas in other lands the lesser nobles owe alle-
  giance to a feudal master, in Nordmark all nobles are be-
  holden only to the king by oaths of loyalty. Nordmark’s 
  kings have always ruled with a hands-off attitude, leaving 
  the nobles free to impose any laws they desire, so long as 
  they do not actively go against a royal decree or threaten 
  the stability of the nation. Most lesser nobles actually 
  make alliances with a higher status nobleman, if only for 
  mutual protection and strong trade links.
  Around 75% of Nordmark belongs to the king and 
  jarls. The rest is free land, owned by wealthy families or 
  the various cults. The upper class is filled with rich farm-
  ers and herders, mine owners, merchant princes, and 
  senior clerics. 
  forming the middle classes are wealthy landed farm-
  ers and herders, master crafters, guildmasters, powerful 
  courtiers, popular skalds, most clerics, mages, and many 
  merchants. everyone else forms the lower class. unlike 
  the nobility, the lower classes swear oaths to support their 
  local lord. Those who refuse to take the oath are given 
  one week to leave their homes. After this, the nobleman 
  may legally declare them outlaws within his domain.
  because of Thunor’s popularity, the dark stain of slav-
  ery has been abolished in Nordmark. slavers are harshly 
  punished, for their crimes are an affront to Thunor.
  educAtIon
  Nordmark’s only educational establishments are the 
  temple. Rich families can afford to hire private tutors, 
  but invariably these are also clerics. Thanks to Thunor’s 
  influence, families are free to educate their children as 
  they see fit.
  before the war, children between the ages of 5 and 14 
  were sent to the local temple two days a week for basic 
  tuition in Nordmark’s history, culture, lore, heraldry, and 
  folk stories, as well as basic religious instruction. for the 
  rest of the week they were expected to work, perform-
  ing minor chores while youngsters, and slowly taking on 
  more responsibility as they grow.
  since the war, more and more children have been 
  denied education, their families keeping them at home 
  to help rebuild homes and herds, plant fields and work 
  as apprentice crafters to try and make ends meet. To 
  many commoners, education is seen as a luxury in a land 
  recovering from bitter fighting. King Geirmund knows 
  rules of the reAlm
  These setting rules apply in Nordmark.
  * Old Hatreds: Anari, whether natives or visitors, 
  suffer –1 Charisma in Nordmark due to the native 
  saxa’s racist attitudes.
  * Trial by Combat: Any Nordmarker accused of 
  a crime may demand trial by combat to prove his 
  innocence. However, unlike in other realms, the 
  accused, male or female, must fight their own bat-
  tle. His accuser, on the other hand, may appoint a 
  champion.
  * Unreliable Trade Network: even after two 
  years of peace, Nordmark’s trade network remains 
  patchy. City items in a town or town items in a vil-
  lage cost 1d4+3 x 10% more than normal, when 
  they are available. City items in a village cost 90 + 
  (1d4 x 10%) as much as normal, if available. spe-
  cial goods can only very rarely be purchased out-
  side the described location.
  This makes it more profitable for heroes to sell 
  their plunder. A streetwise roll in any settlement 
  allows a seller to unload all of his mundane treas-
  ure for 1d4+2 x 10% its normal value. A raise finds 
  a buyer who will take it all for 1d3+4 x 10% the 
  list price.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #26
  2
  
  that unless attitudes change the next generation of Nor-
  dmarkers will grow up not knowing the old stories or 
  understanding their history. unfortunately, he knows 
  that issuing a decree will not achieve his aims.
  relIGIon
  Nordmarkers worship all the major deities, but pay 
  special attention to Tiw, Thunor, sigel, and Hothar.
  Tiw’s popularity has grown dramatically over the past 
  five years thanks to the two wars. Although peace has 
  now fallen over the land, Tiw’s cult has managed to hold 
  onto its popularity. This is mainly due to the Nordmark-
  ers’ reluctance to fully embrace peace, for until the land 
  is healed of its ills another war is always possible.
  Recent raids against merchant caravans in the south, 
  orc activity in the north, and the rise of bandit gangs is 
  played upon by the cult, whose clerics urge the populace 
  to pray to Tiw lest the dire threats that lurk in the shad-
  ows manifest and engulf the land.
  Thunor is considered the true patron of Nordmark, 
  a position he has held since the saxa Rebellion. under 
  the Anari Nordmark was a frontier province, kept in the 
  grip of tyranny because of its rich iron mines. Although 
  skalds and historians disagree on exactly where the first 
  fires of rebellion were lit, Nordmarkers have no doubt 
  that it was their ancestors who struck the first blow 
  against the cruel Anari. even today, three centuries after 
  the Marklands were formed, the saxa look down on the 
  Anari living among them. Actual violence is rare, but rac-
  ist comments are commonplace.
  With a new Nordmark rising from the ashes of civil 
  war, the cult of Thunor has joined forces with the cult 
  of eira to try and change attitudes. Together they preach 
  that all civilized beings, regardless of race, have the right 
  to be treated equally and live free lives. unfortunately, 
  there are elements within society who look to blame 
  the Anari for the civil wars, despite there being no Anari 
  claimants to the throne and very few Anari nobles.
  Thunor’s influence has led to Nordmarkers being able 
  to speak their minds more freely than in other realms. 
  While seditious talk is still punishable, every citizen has 
  the right to speak openly to his lord without fear of pun-
  ishment. Outsiders often see this as a lack of respect.
  sigel’s cult grew to prominence during the rebel-
  lion, when the Anari were cast as servants of darkness, 
  in league with the forces of the Abyss. Although such 
  fervent talk has withered with the passage of time, sigel 
  has remained popular. With orcs and the occasional frost 
  giant lurking in the mountains that border two sides of 
  Nordmark, sigel’s cult is unlikely to lose public support 
  any time soon.
  strong worship of Hothar seems at odds with the 
  Nordmarkers’ love of Thunor, for while the storm god 
  preaches personal freedom and expression, Hothar 
  stands for order and conformance. Hothar’s popularity 
  is misleading, for Nordmarkers only hold his aspects of 
  justice, law, and truth in high regard. While not all men 
  are born equal in terms of wealth or influence, all have 
  the right to equal justice.
  Of the other gods, eostre Plantmother and ertha 
  have seen a dramatic loss of influence since the first civil 
  war. With the destruction of fields and large-scale aban-
  donment of the mines, and many citizens conscripted 
  to fight, worship plummeted overnight. both cults are 
  slowly rebuilding their powerbase, but progress is pain-
  fully slow.
  The cult of eira, whose clerics voice strong opposi-
  tion to the civil wars and called for mediation instead of 
  bloodshed, maintained its limited influence by providing 
  healing services. With peace restored and the young king 
  more open to diplomatic dialogue, the cult hopes to 
  expand its sphere of influence at court.
  Vali’s fell cult has not been idle, expanding its influ-
  ence in recent years. The hardship suffered during the 
  civil wars created a population who would do almost 
  anything to improve their lot, while the famine caused 
  by the fighting and scorched earth policies did the cult’s 
  work for them. Attempts by some nobles to blame the 
  cult for the civil war backfired, the nobles instead ac-
  cused of trying to pass the buck. In some instances they 
  were right on the money, for the cult happily stirred the 
  political pot with lies and innuendos.
  new combAt edGe
     QuIck reActIons
  Requirements: seasoned, Agility or smarts d6+
  Whether he is always on edge, possessed of light-
  ning reflexes or keen senses, or a survivor of too 
  many ambushes, the adventurer knows how to re-
  act when battle begins unexpectedly.
  If the character fails his Notice roll and is surprised, 
  he is dealt an action card as normal. However, he 
  may only take free actions, including moving up to 
  his Pace, and use edges like first strike during the 
  first round of combat.
  new professIonAl edGe
     bodyGuArd
  Requirements: Heroic, Agility d8+, block, shield-
  wall, Notice d8+
  The hero has learned how to intercept blows meant 
  for others.
  At the start of his turn the character may nominate 
  one adjacent ally. so long as the ally remains adja-
  cent, he uses the hero’s Parry in place of his Parry. 
  This benefit is immediately lost if the parrying char-
  acter is rendered incapable of parrying a blow.
  nordmArk
  
  
  mIlItAry
  Geirmund overturned centuries of tradition when 
  he forbade the jarls from amassing permanent armies 
  greater than 100 huscarls, but none of his enemies were 
  in a position to stop him. His intention was to keep the 
  jarls from mustering an army in excess of his own, for 
  while the nobles could keep their armies in one place, 
  Geirmund’s would be scattered across the land as a re-
  minder to all that he ruled as king.
  While the jarls have obeyed the letter of the law, they 
  have also disobeyed the spirit. every settlement has a 
  permanent militia or watch, and every able-bodied man 
  is required to join the fyrd. While the size of the fyrd has 
  unchanged, the strength of certain militias and watches 
  has trebled since Geirmund became king. for now the 
  king has not acted openly to crush such insolence, 
  relying instead on his spies to keep him abreast of the 
  nobles’ true military strength.
  Geirmund’s personal army is build around a core of 
  500 huscarls. Two-thirds of these are seasoned warriors, 
  having fought with the king in the last civil war. The rest 
  were chosen from families who supported his father. fifty 
  of the huscarls form the king’s personal guard. Known 
  simply as the Royal Guard, they are never far from their 
  liege’s side.
  In addition to his elite warriors, the king can call upon 
  500 light cavalry (leather armor, medium shield, spear), 
  and 200 heavy cavalry (plate armor, large shield, lance, 
  and long sword), plus 3,000 men-at-arms (leather armor, 
  medium shield spear). Most of the latter are conscripts, 
  poorly trained but vital to the king. Nordmark’s unusual 
  shape, recent bandit activity in the south, and constant 
  raids by orcs forces the king to keep his cavalry mobile.
  The laws of Nordmark prohibit the king from perma-
  nently deploying troops in the lands of the nobles with-
  out their permission, though they may pass through and 
  set temporary camp as they desire. As his nobles have 
  exploited a loophole in his military decree, so the king 
  has played the same game. small detachments of cavalry 
  roam the lands of his major rivals, setting up overnight 
  camps and then moving on so as not to be seen to be 
  permanently encamped.
  The king, a skilled tactician and strategist, has ar-
  ranged all his forces into companies of 100 men of the 
  same type and led by a captain. every company bears its 
  own standard, the captain being allowed a free hand in 
  its design. Companies are known by the name of their 
  commanding officer.
  each company is in turn broken down into five equal 
  strength squads commanded by a sergeant. The five 
  sergeants are rated in terms of seniority, and carry the 
  honorific first down to fifth. should the captain fall in 
  battle, the company’s first sergeant takes his place. If 
  he falls, the second sergeant assumes command, and so 
  on down the chain. All captains and sergeants are given 
  tactical training by Knights Hrafn.
  unlike some realms Geirmund does not allow the 
  Knights Hrafn to lead his armies in battle. He knows that 
  having outside commanders could upset his people, so 
  he ensures all captains and sergeants are Nordmarkers. 
  The Knights Hrafn serve as instructors and advisors.
  With most of the country’s fortifications destroyed in 
  the civil wars, Geirmund has few bases from which to 
  impose his authority. unwilling to give his enemies more 
  political ammunition, the king has been temporarily 
  forced to halt plans to erect new forts.
  trAde & trIbute
  While the civil wars raged Nordmark became a no-go 
  area for merchants, except in the south, where mercenar-
  ies made a fortune safeguarding Ostmark’s rich caravans. 
  Yorvik, which lies close to the Crystalflow Confederacy, 
  suffered little in the way of reduced trade, but further 
  inland the caravans slowed and finally stopped. Only 
  now is trade resuming. even so, trade is still far below 
  its pre-war levels.
  because of the king’s preference for cavalry, some-
  thing unusual in the Marklands in general, Nordmark 
  imports horses. Most of these come from Veermark. A 
  number of nobles and rich landowners have cottoned 
  on to the trade and have invested heavily in high quality 
  studs, with the aim of starting their own stud farms. The 
  fruits of these labors is years away though.
  With little good quality forest, this having been felled 
  by the Anari centuries ago and the land then put to use 
  as farmland, Nordmark is forced to import building tim-
  ber from its neighbors. Mead, popular with the nobility, 
  is purchased from Midmark and Royalmark. Generally 
  Royalmark sells to the northern provinces and Midmark 
  to the center and south. With Yorvik now the capital, the 
  Midmarkers have seen a boom in trade, while Royalmark 
  has suffered a decline.
  Midmark could one afford to export livestock and 
  crops, but today it can barely feed its population. exports 
  of leatherwork, something the inhabitants have always 
  practiced, remain strong. Iron was the main source of in-
  come, but during the war much of the mines’ output was 
  devoted to military purposes. As prime targets for raids, 
  the mines suffered extensive damage. While exports are 
  beginning to flow again, it will be decades before the 
  pre-war levels are resumed, possibly longer if mysterious 
  killings in the Grimwold are not ended soon.
  The major market for iron and leatherwork is the 
  Crystalflow Confederacy, from where it is sold to the 
  armorers of Vestmark. As Vestmark grows increasingly 
  desperate, prices have risen sharply, giving the Confed-
  eracy’s merchants a healthy income while leaving the 
  suppliers no better off. King Geirmund is in talks with 
  representatives from the Confederacy to try to balance 
  the equation a little better.
  despite its climate, Nordmark produces wine. little 
  of this comes from grapes, though (except around Ram-
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #26
  
  
  berry). Instead, wild berries and fruits are used. Much of 
  the exports go to the low Winterlands.
  While traditionalist saxa do not erect taverns or inns, 
  preferring to rely on hospitality or space in communal 
  ale-houses, Nordmark is slowly changing. settlements 
  along the trade roads have begun setting side buildings 
  for use as or constructing brand new inns in a bid to lure 
  merchants into staying. Yorvik, which entertains a great 
  number of foreign merchants, already has half a dozen 
  inns. despite the economic benefits inns bring, especial-
  ly in more rural communities, the king’s enemies stir up 
  trouble, proclaiming they are a sign that the saxa ways 
  are being eroded by a king educated in foreign ways.
  ArchItecture
  Nordmark has retained many traditional saxa values, 
  including foregoing stone as a building material. from 
  steads to palaces, temples to castles, all building are con-
  structed from wood.
  saxa houses are long and narrow, with thatched or 
  turf roofs. Internally the house is divided in twain, with 
  one side (traditionally the left as one enters) comprising 
  a communal hearth and a separate sleeping area for the 
  owner, while the right side houses livestock. Not only 
  does this keep the animals free from the privations of 
  bandits and wolves, but their body heat helps warm the 
  structure. Their dung is dried and used to supplement 
  the peat commonly used in hearths. even the king’s 
  palace, a sprawling, multi-wing affair, has an area for 
  livestock, though the beasts are kept away from the more 
  courtly chambers.
  Aside from the Refuge, an ancient hill fort, Nordmark 
  is lacking in fortifications, most having been destroyed 
  during the two civil wars. Geirmund has drawn up plans 
  for a series of ring forts, towering earthworks surround-
  ing a central zone in which the barracks are drawn up 
  defensively in blocks of four to form squares. until the 
  financial situation improves, he has decided to restrain 
  military expenditure.
  mAjor locAles
  below are several new locations for the heroes to visit 
  while they are in Nordmark.
  the blood forest
  The blood forest stretches between the southern 
  banks of the Whiteflow River and the Thunor Range, 
  though it is thickest near the mountains. It is also known 
  as dargar’s forest and deathwood.
  The forest has a bad reputation, for its trees grow 
  gnarled and twisted, as if writhing in agony, and their 
  leaves are the color of blood. A thick, red sap, the con-
  clerIcs of rIGr
  The Religion chapter in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide 
  details the core aspects of the greater gods, and 
  provides a little information on the duties of their 
  clergy. This entry is an expansion of those notes for 
  the cult of Rigr, providing facts useful to both play-
  ers and GMs.
  Training: Rigr expects his clergy to be vigilant and 
  observant. Candidates hoping to join the cult are 
  kept waiting for long hours, sometimes days or 
  even weeks. At some point, a small signal will be 
  given that the hopeful has been selected. failure to 
  spot the sign results in dismissal.
  Once accepted, students are subjected to long pe-
  riods of sleep and sensory deprivation followed by 
  tests of the five senses, thus teaching stamina as well 
  as vigilance. for instance, a student may spend a 
  week in a blacked out room, kept awake by banging 
  drums and fed at random intervals to fool his body 
  clock. He is then led outside into brilliant sunshine 
  and within seconds will pass or fail a test—perhaps 
  an archer hits him with a blunt arrow or he steps 
  onto a trap.
  Only when his senses are ready is he taught how to 
  detect intruders by the way animals respond, how 
  to spot movement in fog by the way the mist swirls, 
  how to tell the snap of a twig caused by a bear to 
  one caused by an orc, and so on. Knowledge of how 
  to construct and maintain defenses is drilled into 
  the recruit until it becomes second nature.
  Prayers: Worshippers begin prayers by informing 
  Rigr they are ready for whatever comes their way—
  “devoted to my duty I stand, alert and ready, never 
  wavering in my oath” is a common way to start.
  Adventures: While not hunters in the same way 
  as ullr’s followers are, Rigr’s clerics possess all the 
  necessary skills to help hunt down monsters, find 
  that which is lost, and act as scouts and guides. 
  Through the god’s aspects of warnings, clerics may 
  serve as messengers, bringing word of invasion to 
  nobles and city leaders. In towns and cities, they 
  may be called upon to use their observational skills 
  to aid in criminal investigations.
  Character Guidelines: unless you want to be a 
  constant sinner, Notice should be your favored skill 
  and Alertness the second edge you write down (af-
  ter your Arcane background). equipped with these, 
  the cleric is ideally placed to honor his god. expand-
  ing the repertoire, one should look at Tracking. Al-
  though it isn’t a vital part of the cleric’s duties, it 
  ties in nicely to his mastery of the senses. seeing 
  as how the cleric is likely to be the one pulling late 
  night guards shifts after a day’s adventuring, Vigor 
  is handy for staving off sleep. As defenders of set-
  tlements, leadership edges are useful, though not 
  required.
  nordmArk
  
  
  sistency and texture of congealed blood, oozes from 
  the trees, and in autumn, when the leaves fall, they 
  mulch into a similar sludge. few animals live within the 
  forest’s dark embrace, and only carrion birds nest in the 
  branches.
  Hunters avoid the place, as do loggers, for the wood 
  is next to useless for construction, and burns with a fell 
  odor and clouds of sickly red smoke. some say an un-
  earthly wailing can be heard whenever wood from the 
  forest is cut or burned, but these are unsubstantiated.
  Many legends exist regarding the creation of the 
  forest. One claims it was a hearth elf realm, cursed by 
  the gods long ago for some slight. A variant of this tale 
  has the curse laid during the demongate War, when the 
  elves proved resistant to corruption and their armies too 
  strong to crush by force alone. According to one version, 
  a mighty demon was slain here in battle. As he decayed, 
  so his evil presence fed the trees with unholy ichor.
  Other stories blame the liche-Priest, though his reach 
  never extended beyond the Icebarrier Mountains. Those 
  who seek to justify their racist attitudes of the Anari 
  claim the forest marks the sight of a great massacre. 
  Men, women, and children were all put to the sword 
  by the invaders, then buried in mass graves. Trees were 
  then planted to conceal the crime. unable to reach the 
  Afterlife, having not been given proper burial rights, the 
  spirits of the butchered saxa possessed the trees.
  the drAGon horn
  High in the Thunor Range stands a wide cave mouth. 
  spiraling around the entrance are bas reliefs of coiled 
  storm dragons, forming a design similar to saxa knot-
  work designs. Within is a labyrinthine network of pas-
  sages and caverns. In times of yore clerics of Thunor 
  travelled the passages to the far end, a natural overhang 
  which overlooked a secluded, barren valley. Here, it is 
  said, was a huge horn carved from dragon bone. When 
  blown by a devout priest, it summoned a storm dragon, 
  who would serve the cleric for a single month. These 
  days the tunnels crawl with orcs and other fell beasts, 
  and the horn has not been blown in generations. some 
  claim the entire story is a myth.
  the fAte stone
  A large menhir emblazoned with saxa runes of fate 
  and fortune, the fate stone stands on the plains of cen-
  tral Nordmark, close to the trade road between bridge-
  water and Norvold. The stone, it is said, once stood as 
  the altar to a temple to the Norns (itself a rarity), which 
  was torn down by the Anari after the clerics prophesized 
  the end of the empire.
  According to legend, those who carve their names 
  on the stone will be given an inkling into their fate. If 
  the name vanishes by the next fulmonan, the person is 
  destined to die a poor death. If the name remains, the 
  character is destined to be live a full life and die in a 
  manner befitting a saxa.
  optIonAl settInG rule:  
   
  heroIc surGe
  The great sagas are littered with references to 
  mighty warriors, who despite suffering mortal 
  wounds, find the physical and mental strength to 
  perform one last noble deed.
  When a hero is slain, whether by wounds or fatigue, 
  he may spend a benny to stave off the icy hand of 
  death until the end of his next turn. This must be 
  done immediately once the death result is accept-
  ed—the character cannot delay for any reason. The 
  character remains conscious and automatically un-
  shakes, but remains on 3 wounds. If the hero suf-
  fers any wounds before his next turn ends, another 
  benny must be spent immediately or the hero dies 
  then and there. (by spending this additional benny 
  he is considered to have automatically soaked the 
  injury, allowing him to keep going.)
  At the end of his next turn, before play switches to 
  the next character in the initiative order, the fatally 
  wounded adventurer may spend another benny to 
  survive for one more turn; otherwise he meets his 
  fate. even if the character has bennies left, death 
  comes at the end of the round in which the last en-
  emy facing the hero is slain.
  Absolutely no healing of any type may be performed 
  on the character during these extra turns—the gods 
  have granted the hero a last opportunity to avenge 
  his death, buy his comrades time to escape, save 
  their lives by using his healing magic, or say his final 
  words, but he cannot avoid his fate for long. Just to 
  repeat, the character may avoid death for one round 
  per benny spent, but he will die once he runs out 
  of bennies or all his foes are slain, whichever comes 
  first.
  using heroic surge earns the deceased +50 Glory, 
  albeit posthumously. It doesn’t matter the entire 
  party might die in the same encounter, leaving no 
  witnesses—such deeds do not go unrewarded. Re-
  member, high final Glory rewards a replacement 
  character with better than normal experience 
  Points.
  In visual terms, boromir’s death scene in The Fel-
  lowship of the Ring movie (or The Two Towers 
  book) captures the essence of this rule. Mortally 
  wounded by orc arrows, boromir staves off death 
  long enough to blow the Horn of Gondor again, 
  hack down a few orcs, and buy the hobbits time to 
  escape. Although played out over a longer period 
  for cinematic reasons, buliwyf’s last stand in The 
  Thirteenth Warrior invokes the same epic feel.
  since you can spend bennies on the Incapacitation 
  table you might be asking why you would ever use 
  this rule. In fairness it’s a valid question. To be hon-
  est, it’s all about how you want your character to
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #26
  6
  
  Guthren’s cAmp
  The king’s army makes frequent patrols, but they 
  cannot be everywhere in force. banditry is still rife, 
  especially in the mountainous regions. While most are 
  merely troublesome, extorting money and livestock with 
  the threat of violence rather than actual violence, the 
  band of Guthren Aswulfsunu (see page 8) are notorious 
  murderers. Any settlement they sack is left strewn with 
  bodies before being put to the torch.
  The location of Guthren’s camp remains a mystery, 
  though the king suspects it lies somewhere in the Thunor 
  Range. Repeated attempts to locate the camp have failed, 
  only adding to Guthren’s reputation for possessing su-
  pernatural powers. The actual reason the valley has yet 
  to be found is a mix of the natural terrain and Guthren 
  employing judicious use of barrier spells designed to 
  look like natural rock walls and fog cloud spells.
  Guthren’s camp does indeed lie in the mountains. It is 
  nestled in a dead-end valley, its sheer cliffs narrowing in 
  a “V.” The valley is 30 yards wide at the mouth, half a mile 
  at its widest point, and twice that in length. The entrance 
  to the valley is sealed by a wooden palisade broken only 
  by sturdy double gates. A narrow stream runs through 
  the center of the valley and out through a culvert.
  Inside, the camp is laid out in neat blocks of tents 
  with wide paths between them, allowing the easy move-
  ment of troops should the camp ever be assaulted. sup-
  ply tents and corrals are located toward the rear of the 
  valley, along with Guthren’s command tent. White ban-
  ners sporting Guthren’s crest, a black raven with blood 
  dripping from its beak, flutter over the tent.
  Guthren’s band comprises some 200 men, though 
  fewer than half are ever present in the camp at any one 
  time (the rest are out plying their trade).
  the sorcerer’s portAl
  High in the Grimwold stands a trilithon of weathered 
  gray rock. between the rune-engraved stones is a thin 
  veil of inky darkness, an absolute nothingness through 
  which light cannot pass. The surface shimmers and rip-
  ples in the wind, as it were a thin sheet of running water, 
  yet is completely solid (and ice cold) to the touch.
  On nights of the deorcmonan, the surface changes. 
  Instead of darkness it is filled with pinpricks of light, 
  like distant stars. during such times the surface loses 
  its solidity, allowing objects to pass through the veil. by 
  stepping between the uprights, so the tale goes, one is 
  magically transported elsewhere. What no one can agree 
  on is where, for those who have been brave or foolish 
  enough to test the theory have never been seen again.
  Although there is no historical evidence to back up 
  the story, locals insist the stones were raised long ago 
  by a powerful wizard, possibly a frost dwarf, hence the 
  popular name.
  That the site radiates power is indisputable, for many 
  mages and clerics have studied here. The runes contain 
  symbols of travel, attesting to local legends, but the other 
  runes have proven indecipherable, even with the aid of 
  magic. They appear dwarven, but are markedly different 
  to those used by rune mages, cruder in style, yet some-
  how more potent and menacing.
  One possibility is the portal is a remnant of the de-
  mongate Wars, a means through which the forces of the 
  Abyss entered the mortal realm. If this is so, then the 
  portal appears now to be one-way only, for no demons 
  have broken through in nearly a thousand years.
  If it turns out this story is true, then the behavior of the 
  local frost dwarf population takes on extremely sinister 
  connotations. Once every human generation (around 20 
  years), Jarl Thorgrim frostmane, ruler of Karad Zor, and 
  the ruling nobles of the satellite frost dwarf fortress-cities 
  in Nordmark gather in the Grimwold with their courtiers 
  and a great number of heavily-armed huscarls.
  The dwarves have paid the kings of Nordmark well 
  for this privilege over the centuries, and in return have 
  been granted permission to drive away nosy intruders 
  using “whatever force is deemed necessary to preserve 
  the sanctity of the dwarven ritual, such as it may be.” In 
  addition to the tribute, the dwarves have vowed sacred 
  oaths in Hothar’s name before each new king that their 
  ritual is a dwarf matter, and will have no effect upon 
  Nordmark or its citizens.
  despite these assurances, many locals consider the 
  event an ill-omen. When the “dwarven moon” is in the 
  sky Nordmarkers across the land stay in their homes and 
  pray to their gods. The next “dwarven moon” is expected 
  to rise within the year, for the tribute has already been 
  paid to King Geirmund.
  during the ritual, one dwarf is loaded with scrolls and 
  small caskets bearing precious stones, and then escorted 
  through the veil into whatever lies beyond. Traditionally 
  this occurs on the first day of the deorcmonan. four days 
  later, the dwarves pack up and leave, their hearts heavy, 
  for whatever they are trying to achieve has failed.
   heroIc surGe cont’d
  die and what gambles you are willing to take.
  With the right edges the character can likely sur-
  vive injuries that kill lesser men stone dead, and 
  even if he somehow fails the roll, a single benny 
  should set that right. Without those edges, though, 
  he’s going to suffer –3 to Incapacitation rolls. Give 
  the Incapacitation table a go by all means (die rolls 
  Ace), but when you get down to your last benny (or 
  two) think hard about what may be the character’s 
  final choices—a gamble on the die roll or a brief 
  moment of glory before dying.
  In the end it’s really a question of whether you want 
  your hero to die ignobly, bleeding out on the floor 
  having blown all his bennies, or by welcoming his 
  fate and going out in a blaze of glory, his epic last 
  moments retold by skalds across the land for eter-
  nity. Choose wisely!
  nordmArk
  
  
  thunor’s AnvIl
  Although not the highest peak in the area (it rises a 
  mere 120 yards vertically from the surrounding land-
  scape), the Anvil’s isolation and flat summit made for an 
  ideal temple to Thunor. Indeed, the site has been linked 
  with the storm god for millennia.
  The flat summit is considerably wider than the pillar 
  of rock supporting it. It is a holy site to the god of storms. 
  Regardless of the weather elsewhere, lightning continu-
  ally strikes the summit. The flashes of light were once 
  believed to be sparks from Thunor’s hammer, hence the 
  site became known as the Anvil. Roughhewn stairs spiral 
  up the vertical sides.
  during the Anari occupation of Nordmark, the Anvil 
  served as a beacon of resistance, reminding the op-
  pressed saxa that Thunor was watching over them and 
  would protect those who remained true to their beliefs.
  The steps which wind around the column of rock were 
  hewn by earth elementals controlled by Anari priests and 
  mages. When the steps reach the overhanging summit, 
  they cut through the rock, circling as a short tunnel until 
  they emerge on top of the Anvil. The Anari had planned 
  on defiling the temple to prove their superiority, but 
  when they reached the top they found nothing to de-
  file—the summit was simply a flat plateau.
  but things have changed since then. The Anari may 
  have found nothing to mark the site as sacred, but nowa-
  days six standing stones (known locally as Thunor’s 
  splinters) grace the summit. The stones were not carved 
  from the Anvil, for they are of black granite, rock found 
  nowhere within 100 miles of the peak. No one knows 
  who carried them to the summit or how they achieved 
  such a feat, for each stone weighs many tons. Ask any lo-
  cal, though, and the answer is the same—Thunor placed 
  them there after the liberation.
  The site is considered so sacred, that only clerics of 
  Thunor are allowed on the summit. The holy men and 
  women never use the steps—they fly to the temple. Many 
  saxa see the continuing existence of the steps as an af-
  front to their deity, but the clerics are quick to point out 
  that they serve as a reminder to the days of oppression, 
  days which must never be forgotten or allowed to occur 
  again.
  even for the most faithful, a trip to the summit is an 
  arduous undertaking. Winged beasts known as wyverns 
  dwell in small caves dotted around the pillar of rock, un-
  predictable gale force winds tear across the summit, and 
  lightning constantly strikes the standing stones. 
  persons of note
  described below are three NPCs whose paths may 
  cross with those of the adventurers.
  GrAy sAGe sten renvIksunu
  sten was a gifted child with a flair for languages. His 
  father was a merchant in Norvald, and dealt with folk 
  from across Rassilon. even without formal schooling, 
  young sten quickly picked up languages simply by lis-
  tening to conversations and piecing together the syntax. 
  When he was old enough, he applied to become a priest 
  of Hoenir. On hearing his gift, the clerics accepted him.
  On earning his gray robes, sten set out into the world 
  to discover its wonders. Within two years he succumbed 
  to a degenerative eye disease and went blind. Although 
  unable to read, sten never lost faith and became an oral 
  historian, gathering folklore and stories from all those he 
  met. A decade ago, sten retired from active duties to be-
  come a hermit. He had a carpenter construct a wooden 
  frame of his design which would allow him to guide a 
  quill over parchment, and began his final act of devo-
  tion—recording the knowledge he had accumulated be-
  fore his death.
  sten’s statistics appear in the adventure H2: The Blood 
  of Godhammer. His background is included here as he 
  makes for a useful contact for adventuring parties.
  Guthren deAþ-hrAfn
  Guthren death-Raven is chief of the largest and most 
  brutal bandit gang in Nordmark. such is his pillaging 
  that King Geirmund has offered a reward of 5,000 gold 
  scields and a barony to whoever brings him the bandit 
  chief’s head. despite this rich reward, Guthren has 
  evaded all attempts to capture him.
  little is known of Guthren’s past, but he has reached 
  festIvAl to rIGr
     fInder’s dAy
  Raestdaeg of Werremonan.
  since clerics are expected to be observant and alert 
  at all times, Rigr does not distract them by demand-
  ing ceremonies. finder’s day is not so much a reli-
  gious ceremony as a way of ensuring children learn 
  to use all their senses from an early age. In the early 
  hours of the morning worshippers hide silver coins 
  and small cakes around the settlement. Most are 
  placed in relatively easy to find positions, while oth-
  ers are hidden in more difficult locations. Among 
  the treasures is always a silver amulet shaped like 
  Rigr’s holy symbol. sometimes this is hidden in 
  plain sight, for folk often miss the obvious, and oth-
  er times it is placed where only those blessed with 
  keen senses can find it.
  Come dawn, the children tear through the village, 
  ransacking it in the hope of finding a prize. The 
  child who finds the special amulet is watched care-
  fully over the coming years—if he shows further 
  promise he is invited to join the cult as a novitiate.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #26
  
  
  legendary status among the frightened peasants, who 
  attribute him all manner of supernatural powers. some 
  claim he carries with him a sword which burns with di-
  vine fire. Others say he carouses with demons, calling on 
  them to cloak his camp in shadow. One tale tells that he 
  and his men can cross the land in a single day through 
  fell magic. A small few dare to whisper that he is not 
  only a worshipper of dargar, but is a demi-god sired by 
  the insane god of slaughter. Guthren actively encourages 
  these tales, and more, for fear is a powerful weapon.
  even those who believe Guthren is mere mortal argue 
  over his history. To some he is an Anari operating under a 
  saxa name, evidence that the Anari still despise the saxa. 
  To others he is a nobleman with no love for the king, a 
  disgraced Knight Hrafn, or a noble outlawed during the 
  civil war. Yet others claim he is an Ostmarker, sent here 
  to disrupt trade.
  Guthren is a tall, muscular man of middling years, 
  with jet black hair and beard, and light green eyes. He 
  speaks saxa with an Ostmark accent, which means little, 
  since accents are easy to mimic, displays an astute knowl-
  edge of small unit tactics, and is skilled with weapons.
  jArl henGIst GesnIsunu
  One of the poorest jarls, Hengist controls the 
  southern province of Nordmark, between the lesser 
  Crystalflow and the dragonspine Mountains. The soil is 
  weak, the hills too rugged even for goats, and mineral 
  resources sparse. Much of the jarl’s income comes from 
  the taxation of merchants using the trade road between 
  Midmark and Ostmark.
  While the land was spared destruction during the civil 
  wars, it having nothing to offer attackers, and Hengist 
  being disinterested in becoming king, the jarl spends a 
  fortune each year combating the growing number of orcs 
  in the mountains.
  but now the jarl faces a new threat. someone is raid-
  ing the caravans and leaving behind evidence pointing to 
  Nordmark involvement (see Region Guide #25). Hengist 
  has personally attended court and sworn oaths that his 
  men are not behind the raids, but he knows that unless 
  he acts quickly the king may send troops to deal with 
  the problem. This would mean not only a loss of face at 
  court, but having to feed hungry soldiers.
  Hengist is middle-aged, slightly overweight, and 
  prematurely balding. He is prone to walking back and 
  forth while pondering problems of state, his shoulders 
  slumped to indicate the weight of the burden of lead-
  ership. In truth he is a dullard, incapable of complex 
  thoughts and unraveling even minor mysteries.
  Gods & monsters
  This section details two news gods, the minor gods of 
  boundaries and bodyguards, a variety of new NPC arche-
  types, and a powerful new servant of the gods.
  fArmAGuth
  Titles: The static One, He Who divides the land.
  Aspects: boundaries.
  Affiliations: ertha, Hothar.
  Symbol: A boundary stone.
  Priesthood: Keepers of the boundary (priests); Mark-
  ers of the boundary (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Any day a new boundary is established.
  Duties: To maintain existing boundaries, to create 
  new boundaries.
  Sins: (Minor) running except to flee a foe, moving a 
  boundary marker; (Major) being the target of a quickness 
  or speed spell, moving a boundary marker for fraudulent 
  reasons; (Mortal) destroying a boundary marker.
  Signature Power: Barrier.
  Powers: Entangle, hamper movement, knockdown, 
  refuge, warding.
  Trappings: Clergy may use any trapping except nec-
  romantic. Most favor an earth trapping.
  boundary markers have been used to mark divisions 
  of fields, pastures, holdings, and nations for countless 
  generations. such markers, because of their association 
  with a god, have long been sacrosanct—to move one 
  without the blessing of a cleric of farmaguth is to invite 
  a curse onto one’s household. 
  farmaguth is widely believed to be the son of ertha 
  and Hothar. ertha gave her son the power to divide 
  the land, and Hothar invoked divine right to make his 
  son’s rulings law. farmaguth is also honored as the god 
  festIvAl to rIGr
     wAll dAy
  Raestdaeg of Plohmonan.
  The fortifications of a settlement are the responsi-
  bility of Rigr’s clergy. When the winter storms have 
  finally subsided, the clergy spend the morning in-
  specting the fortifications and defensive artillery 
  weapons of their settlement and those nearby for 
  damage. A junior, often a functionary from the set-
  tlement, makes note of ditches that need cleaning, 
  timber posts that need replacing, protective runes 
  that need to be cleaned or re-cut, and cracked walls 
  that need to be sealed. In the afternoon, they sum-
  mon the local defenders and test their shieldwall 
  formation by hurling themselves at the shield to 
  ensure the men have not forgotten their drills over 
  winter.
  At dusk, the clerics stand on the walls, staring out 
  into the land beyond. They watch and wait silently 
  for hours, hoping to get some divination as to how 
  bad any coming raids might be and from which di-
  rection they will come.
  nordmArk
  
  
  of stasis, and is thus disliked by freo, god of travel and 
  Thunor, god of liberty and change.
  In the earliest days, it was the clergy of farmaguth 
  who set the boundaries of the nations. When the Anari 
  began their conquest, Anari clerics of the god destroyed 
  the old boundaries stones and erected new ones. The 
  clergy’s last great act was the drawing up of the Mark-
  lands’ boundaries and consecrating the marker stones.
  farmaguth desires no shrines or temples. Any bound-
  ary marker with his holy symbol serves as a shrine when 
  required. While there are no true statues of farmaguth, 
  his image, that of a sturdy man, is engraved on major 
  boundary stones.
  farmaguth’s clergy, once relatively widespread, are 
  today few and far between. With fewer people, and 
  large areas of land only loosely claimed, the placement 
  of boundaries is less likely to cause disputes these days. 
  Many of their duties have been taken over by clerics of 
  eostre, ertha, and Hothar, depending on the reason why 
  a boundary marker is raised.
  Most priests work alongside those of other faiths, 
  maintaining boundary records and aiding in disputes 
  over contested lands. While a priest of Hothar, for ex-
  ample, may be called upon to rule where a boundary 
  lies, he will, if possible, consult with a priest of farma-
  guth before passing judgment. Paladins are called upon 
  to maintain distant boundary stones and plant new ones. 
  even when a cleric of farmaguth is not present, the god’s 
  name is invoked when a boundary marker is raised. 
  Ceremonies are only held when placing new bound-
  ary markers. depending on the landowner’s budget, the 
  stone is first engraved or carved. A foundation hole is 
  then excavated. At the bottom is placed an offering of 
  ash (either burnt food or an animal’s carcass) and drink. 
  Whoever wishes the stone erected must then deposit sev-
  eral drops of his blood. This offering is a blood oath—it 
  is a sign that the landowner has the legal right to place 
  the marker. The stone is then lowered into place and 
  earth packed hard around it. finally, the cleric completes 
  the ritual by kissing the stone.
  Character Guidelines: Aside from Knowledge (law), 
  which aids in settling boundary disputes, the clergy have 
  no fixed requirements. Many are likely to travel, and 
  thus survival should be considered as important skill. 
  strength can be useful, since boundary stones are typi-
  cally heavy (to prevent them being easily removed).
  kvArA
  Titles: shield bearer, the Pacifist.
  Aspects: bodyguards.
  Affiliations: eira, Rigr.
  Symbol: A large shield.
  Priesthood: shieldmen/maidens (priests); shield-
  sons/daughters (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Clerics make prayers on accepting and 
  finishing a commission.
  Duties: Protect the living.
  Sins: (Minor) your patron is injured, killing except in 
  the course of defending your patron; (Major) your pa-
  tron is injured because you are not at his side; (Mortal) 
  your patron dies.
  Signature Power: Armor.
  Powers: Arcane resistance, bladebreaker, body-
  guard, deflection, energy immunity, warding, weapon 
  immunity.
  Trappings: Cannot take acid, coldfire, electricity, fire, 
  or necromantic trappings.
  Special: Clerics of Kvara have strict limits on spellcast-
  ing. They may only cast spells on their person or those 
  of a nominated patron. by accepting a patron, the cleric 
  places that person’s safety in her hands. A patron can be 
  changed, but only after an hour’s meditation and prayer. 
  A cleric of a greater god who also honors Kvara does 
  not get the +1 bonus to spellcasting for having identical 
  spell unless she casts them on herself or her patron.
  Kvara is the daughter of eira and Tiw and twin sister 
  of Kvarsi (see Region Guide #5). she has more of her 
  mother’s blood, and is predisposed against violence. 
  With scaetha, the older sister, now a greater goddess, 
  Kvara is charged with defending eira, and is thus more 
  revered by eira’s clergy. Rather than learning from her 
  father, she apprenticed under Rigr, learning protective 
  fighting techniques and how to spot danger.
  When depicted, Kvara is shown peering out from 
  behind a large shield and bearing no weapons. she is 
  normally shown wearing a full helmet and chain mail 
  hauberk.
  Although affiliated with Tiw, shrines to Kvara are never 
  found in Tiw’s temples. Instead, they are commonplace 
  in those of eira and Rigr, the god of protection. Public 
  figures, those who believe they are in need of protection, 
  and folk with enemies often maintain a small shrine in 
  their home, and Kvara commonly features in their private 
  worship. The Iron Guild, whose specialty is protection 
  rather than warfare, honors Kvara, and members wear 
  small wooden discs around their necks as a good luck 
  charm.
  The difference between priests and paladins is less 
  distinct than with many other faiths, and typically boils 
  down to favored patrons. Paladins, being more martially 
  inclined, often serve as bodyguards to generals, warrior 
  nobles, and accompany adventurers on quests. Priests 
  favor merchants, less militant nobles, scholars, and city 
  officials. both types are shields for hire, serving as protec-
  tors rather than warriors. Note that they are protectors of 
  people, not places.
  Commissions are charged at variable rates. factors 
  such as the patron’s enemies, the area in which he is 
  traveling, the extent to which the cleric’s services will be 
  called upon, and such like all affect the price. Clerics of 
  Kvara charge highly, but are very good at what they do. A 
  standard clause in their contracts entitles the patron to a 
  50% refund if he is injured (barring complete accidents) 
  and a full refund to his family if he is slain.
  Clerics of Kvara rarely make a name for themselves in 
  battle, and are often overlooked by storytellers, despite 
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #26
  10
  
  the vital role they play. They are seen as the sidekicks of 
  heroes, not as heroes themselves. few clerics bother to 
  argue this blinkered view, as what happens after they die 
  is more important than in life. They are not concerned 
  with healing the injured—their task is to ensure their 
  patron doesn’t need a healer.
  Offerings are made before accepting any commission, 
  and again after the commission ends. Weapons are of-
  fered to Kvara and then ritually destroyed before a job, 
  symbolizing the cleric’s wishes that no harm befalls her 
  patron. Afterward, they invest in a new shield, which is 
  then donated to a worthy cause. “More shields, fewer 
  weapons” is a common utterance, and relates to the 
  clerics’ belief that the world would be a better place is 
  people thought less about violence as the way to end 
  problems.
  Character Guidelines: Clerics are defenders, not 
  warriors. Good fighting is required as this boosts Parry, 
  but rarely are offensive Combat edges learned. shieldwall 
  is the most useful edge in terms of protecting others, 
  whereas block is important for the cleric’s safety. Notice 
  is an important skill, as it allows the cleric to detect dan-
  ger and take evasive action. for the same reason, danger 
  sense is an important edge.
  boAr wArrIor
  The favored defensive formation in open warfare is 
  the shieldwall, a solid line of shields bristling with spears 
  and axes. To counter this, the svinfylking (“boar’s head”) 
  formation was developed. formed up into a narrow-
  fronted triangle, the svinfylking literally attempts to drive 
  through the shieldwall. Those who lead the svinfylking 
  are known as boar warriors and are renowned for their 
  strength.
  Attributes: Agility d6, smarts d6, spirit d8, strength d10, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 8 (2)
  Hindrances: Cautious, loyal, Orders
  Edges: block, frenzy, sweep
  Gear: Chain shirt (+2), pot helm (+3), medium shield 
  (+1 Parry), battle axe (str+d8)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Push: As an action, a boar warrior can make an op-
  posed strength roll against one target. both parties 
  add their size to the roll. With success, the warrior 
  pushes his opponent back 1” in a direction of his 
  choice. On a raise his opponent also falls prone and 
  is shaken.
  bodyGuArd
  Whereas huscarls are warriors, bodyguards, and close 
  companions to nobles, hired bodyguards serve only to 
  defend their paymaster, not fight his battles. They may 
  be loyal, but they are not suicidal.
  Attributes: Agility d8, smarts d6, spirit d8, strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: fighting d8, Guts d8, Healing d6, Intimidation 
  d8, Notice d8
  Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 8 (2)
  Hindrances: Cautious, loyal, Orders
  Edges: shieldwall, Wall of steel
  Gear: Chain shirt (+2), pot helm (+3), large shield (+2 
  Parry), battle axe (str+d8), dagger (str+d4)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  hundsmAnn, the
  While the gods are bound from direct interference in 
  mortal affairs, it seems they are not beyond meddling 
  through intermediaries. One such creature is the Hunds-
  mann (“man of hounds”). Riding a stormhoof (page 
  xxx) and followed across the earth by a pack of baying 
  hounds, the Hundsmann is the gods’ enforcer, hunting 
  down creatures in the mortal realm on their behalf.
  Vengeful, bloodthirsty, and entirely dedicated to the 
  hunt, he cares nothing for mortals that cross his path. 
  Those who would seek to thwart, even accidentally, his 
  hunt are set upon by his ferocious hounds. The Hunds-
  mann does accept support from mortals, even rewarding 
  them richly for their aid (treat as a Treasure Trove). How-
  ever, those who aid the hunt are always pitted against 
  terrifying odds, for the Hundsmann is never let loose for 
  mundane matters. Most mortals wisely avoid the Hunds-
  mann, for while he does indeed serve the benevolent 
  gods, he is just as likely to answer a call by dargar or 
  Hela.
  The Hundsmann has many abilities, but he is not 
  an indestructible superhuman. His death has been re-
  corded numerous times, yet still he rides on the gods’ 
  behalf. some sages argue he is an immortal spirit who 
  takes corporeal form, and that when he “dies” his spirit 
  simply gathers a new body about it. Others claim the 
  Hundsmann is very much mortal. When one is killed, the 
  gods choose another to take his place.
  Regardless of his nature, all who have witnessed his 
  passing agree he is tall, broad, and muscular. leather ar-
  mor covers his skin and he wields a battle axe. While all 
  reports agree his “head is like that of a majestic stag,” no 
  one can say for sure whether this is an elaborate head-
  dress or the Hundsmann’s true form.
  The Hundsmann is known by many names (Hunds-
  mann is his saxa title). Among the Tuomi he is Cernun-
  nos (“the antler-headed huntsman”). finnar know him 
  as Marras, the spirit of death. both races of elves call 
  him the dagda (“guardian of the world”). The Anari and 
  engro refuse to name him, calling him only “the black 
  rider” and “happy hunter” respectively. frost dwarves 
  honor him as Hermoðr, or “war spirit”.
  The Hundsmann’s leadership edges apply only to his 
  hounds and horse.
  Attributes: Agility d6, smarts d8, spirit d10, strength 
  d10, Vigor d10
  Skills: fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Riding 
  d10, spellcasting d10
  nordmArk
  11
  
  Charisma: –4; Pace: 8; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10 (1)
  Hindrances: bloodthirsty, Vengeful (Major)
  Edges: beast bond, beast Master, Combat Reflexes, Com-
  mand, fervor, fleet footed, level Headed, Improved 
  Nerves of steel, Natural leader, Tough as Nails
  Gear: leather (+1), battle axe (str+d8), magic hunting 
  horn (see below), 3d6 war dogs, stormhoof horse
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Death Mark: Once per encounter the Hundsmann 
  can mark one living target by gesturing at the oppo-
  nent and making an opposed spirit roll as an action. 
  failure uses the Hundsmann’s death mark opportu-
  nity for the encounter. With success, the hunter has 
  +1 to fighting rolls against the victim for the rest of 
  the encounter.
  * Favored Foe: The Hundsmann has the favored foe 
  edge. The type of creature it applies to varies with 
  each summoning and is dependant on what, or 
  whom, he is tasked to hunt.
  * Focused: Immune to fear, smarts Tricks, and Tests of 
  Will.
  * Hunting Horn: The Hundsmann’s horn can produce 
  a variety of effects. All require an action and a spell-
  casting roll. If he is slain, the horn becomes nonmagi-
  cal.
   
  * Rally: If his spellcasting roll is a success, all shaken 
  allies within 12” automatically unshake.
   
  * Spells: The horn can invoke entangle, fear, knock-
  down, negate arcana, obscure, and stun.
   
  * Summon Hounds: Once per encounter the Hunds-
  mann may blow his hunting horn to summon more 
  hounds. for each success and raise 1d6 war dogs ap-
  pear anywhere the Hundsmann chooses within 12” of 
  his current position. If working for Hela, this power 
  works slightly differently. Instead of summoning new 
  hounds, he replaces slain ones up to the number 
  rolled. Treat these as undead war dogs (Toughness 
  6).
  * Pack Master: The Hundsmann gains one benny for 
  every four dogs in his pack. These bennies may only 
  be used for his war dogs.
  * Size +1: The Hundsmann stands 8’ tall and is well-
  muscled.
  stAndArd beArer
  Anari, saxa, and frost dwarf armies march to war 
  under war banners. each noble house, mercenary com-
  pany, and clan maintains its own battle standard. These 
  standards aren’t mere tools of war, but rather are consid-
  ered sacred objects, stained with the blood of the fallen 
  who have fought under the standard’s shadow. standard 
  bearers are chosen for their bravery, experience, ferocity, 
  and loyalty.
  Attributes: Agility d6, smarts d6, spirit d8, strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice 
  d8, Persuasion d6
  Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 9 (2)
  Hindrances: loyal
  Edges: Combat Reflexes, Command Presence, Improved 
  frenzy, Tough as Nails
  Gear: full helmet (+3), chain hauberk (+2), battle axe 
  (str+d8), battle standard
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Special Abilities:
  * Protect the Banner: The standard is the rally point 
  and morale focus for the company. When adjacent to 
  the standard bearer, allies may intercept attacks aimed 
  at the standard bearer. If an ally chooses to do so, 
  any attack which would have hit the standard bearer 
  strikes the ally instead, regardless of his Parry.
  * Raise the Banner: Once per combat, the standard 
  bearer can chose one of the following edges: Com-
  mand, fanaticism, fervor, or Hold the line. In order 
  to keep the edge active, the standard bearer must be 
  holding the standard aloft, which requires the use of 
  one hand. As soon as the last foe falls, the benefits of 
  the edge are lost.
  wyvern
  Wyverns are scaled, flying creatures, with some simi-
  larities to dragons. unlike dragons, wyverns have only 
  two legs. While dragons evolved four limbs and wings, 
  the forelimbs of the wyvern evolved into wings. batlike 
  in structure, the wings are supported by a short bone, 
  equivalent to a human forearm, with long, thin “fingers” 
  supporting the wing membrane. Two claws attached the 
  wyverns’ equivalent of the wrist are used when grappling 
  large, aerial prey. When attacking smaller prey, wyverns 
  use their powerful clawed feet or their mouths.
  Attributes: Agility d8, smarts d4(A), spirit d8, strength 
  d12, Vigor d8
  Skills: fighting d8, Notice d8, stealth d6
  Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 11 (2)
  Treasure: Worthwhile, in lair.
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +2: Thick scales.
  * Bite/Claws: str+d8. A wyvern may not bite in the 
  same round it uses its claws to attack.
  * Flight: Pace 12.
  * Grapple: Wyverns are capable of grappling creatures 
  of up to size +1 with their clawed feet. Wyverns bite 
  grappled prey (inflicting str+d8 damage with a +2 
  bonus to fighting rolls) while carrying them airborne. 
  Once at a suitable height, the prey is dropped to its 
  death. In aerial combat or against larger ground-based 
  prey, wyverns use their claws and feet to grapple foes. 
  They gain +2 to grapple rolls against such foes.
  * Improved Dodge: Wyverns are extremely maneu-
  verable when airborne. While aloft, ranged attacks 
  against them suffer a –2 penalty. They have +2 to Agil-
  ity roll to avoid area effect attacks when allowed.
  * Size +3: Wyverns are larger than horses.
  * Tail: strength damage, Reach 1. Wyverns use their tail 
  to slap smaller creatures.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #26
  12
  
  IntroductIon
  The western most of the Marklands, Angmark is a realm of growing prosperity. But with 
  that new found wealth comes danger, for orcs are growing in strength on the northern 
  border, seeing in Angmark a rich target for raiding. Isolated from their Saxa brethren, the 
  inhabitants of Angmark have grown more independent with each generation. This supple-
  ment expands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Like the majority of the Marklands, Angmark has a king. However, his authority has 
  never been absolute. By law the king controls only 20% of the realm through direct rule, 
  the remainder being split between the jarls and the landed citizens. This also serves to 
  protect the king from revolution, for the jarls rarely see eye-to-eye, and with each involved 
  in his own political ambitions, alliances are short-lived and fragile. As with the High King, 
  the king’s power relies on his force of personality, political machinations, and his generos-
  ity. Wise kings gift their jarls frequently though never copiously, listen to their advice, and, 
  occasionally, act on their suggestions.
  Kingship is not hereditary, as is normal for the Saxa, and any legitimate claimant can 
  make a power play on the old king’s death. Thanks to Thunor’s influence, Angmark has 
  no laws against civil wars settling such claims, though it has been many long generations 
  since war ravaged the land. In recent times, the king has appointed a preferred heir before 
  his death. This is not legally binding, but strong kings have persuaded or forced the jarls 
  to swear oaths to support the heir’s claim to the throne, something they naturally resent. 
  Of course, this requires a strong king, something Angmark has been blessed with for some 
  time. When the king’s demise has been sudden, or no heir has been nominated, the claim-
  ants have relied on a council of nobles and priests to determine who should rule.
  The jarls, and Angmark boasts a total of nine, are largely independent rulers, free to 
  set their own laws so long as they do not promote sedition, raise their own armies, and 
  impose whatever taxes they see fit. They swear oaths to protect Angmark as a nation, but 
  only a strong king can force them to swear oaths to obey him.
  Below the jarls are the nobility. Traditionally, the first born son of a jarl takes the title 
  thegn, though in recent generations the first child has this honor. The second child be-
  comes a hauld, while subsequent children take the title lendmann. As their children grow 
  31227
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 7 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  angmark
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  and have their own families, so their children take a rank 
  one lower than their parents’, which means the children 
  of lendmann have no title.
  The title of ridder is never used by the true nobility. 
  rather, it is used to reward loyal citizens. Stead owners 
  and village rulers, and powerful merchant and priests, 
  are given the title by one of the jarls to acknowledge 
  their service. While it does confer nobility, albeit the low-
  est level, the title is not hereditary; the jarl may remove 
  it from the family on the death of the current titleholder. 
  The children of a ridder carry no title.
  The majority of Angmark’s population are free men, 
  known as karls, and bondi, or landed citizens.
  The bondi are the dominant class. They own their land 
  outright, and owe allegiance to no one. Most, however, 
  are wise enough to swear oaths of support to the local 
  jarl or the king. In return for his oath, the bondar (sin-
  gular form) is entitled to legal and military protection, 
  but in return must pay taxes and promise to do military 
  service. A bondar may switch loyalty to another high lord 
  at any time, though doing so often angers the previous 
  lord. unless the titleholder is outlawed for a crime, his 
  status is hereditary, passing to all his children. 
  All high priests, a term used to refer to any cleric 
  who runs a temple, are automatically awarded the title 
  of bondar. This title does not confer true bondi status 
  on the individual, but rather on the temple, for the law 
  demands that no nobleman may swear a temple to his 
  service. rather, they are duty bound to extend legal and 
  military protection to any temple of the civilized deities 
  on their land and may demand nothing in return. While 
  some temples do abuse this special relationship, most 
  are content to provide the local nobleman with special 
  favors.
  Karls, by comparison, are not as free as the name sug-
  gests. They are beholden to a noble, though they are not 
  slaves. In return for working the lord’s land, or in his 
  fishing fleet, logging industry, warehouses, or whatever, 
  they are awarded a plot of land to grow their own crops 
  or raise livestock. This “private” land is not subject to 
  taxation, though it cannot by law be used to generate 
  any personal  income. A karl may be promoted to bondar 
  status by his master, though in doing so the nobleman 
  loses a small parcel of land and possibly the loyalty of 
  the individual.
  Angmark’s laws state that bondi in the service of a 
  nobleman and all karls must accept justice as meted out 
  by their lord or the moot, a gathering of local free men. 
  Truly independent bondi, those with absolutely no al-
  legiances, may ask the temple of Hothar to hear their 
  legal cases, or they may approach any nobleman, even 
  the king. When a jarl is involved as an accuser or defen-
  dant, the matter is always heard by the local temple of 
  Hothar, a cult renowned for its adherence to the law, not 
  personal ties.
  educatIon
  The cult of Hoenir is particularly weak in Angmark. 
  until recently, Angmark was largely a minor player in 
  global politics, its citizens content to learn only what 
  they needed to carry out their future professions and 
  leave other lore to scholars, skalds (the most popular 
  form of mage), and priests. Merchants, travelers, and 
  skalds would bring word of outside lands, but for the 
  most part the populace was disinterested.
  But now that Angmark has become a trade hub, the 
  citizens are keen to know more of what lies beyond their 
  borders. Those with money can afford to hire tutors for 
  their children, while for most, knowledge is still gained 
  from family members, the occasional passing skald, or 
  listening to the tales of strangers.
  Along the coasts, especially Leirvik, Anari and Trader 
  are growing in popularity. Inland, many communities 
  speak only Saxa, with a small few still using Auld Saxa. 
  The king desires that Trader become the de facto second 
  language, but there is resistance from those who see 
  little direct benefit from the new trading.
  Several of the inland jarls fear that Angmark’s Saxa 
  culture could be lost, especially with chalcis’ Anari influ-
  ence growing. Plans are afoot to open a school for skalds, 
  ensuring that the Angmark way of life is never forgotten. 
  The king, so far, has not publicly commented on this 
  proposal, but in secret he fears a wave of Saxa fanaticism 
  could damage trade with the Anari cultures.
  relIgIon
  Water plays a vital role in Angmark’s religious obser-
  vances and mercantile activities, and around one-third of 
  the population lives on or near the coast. While much of 
  Neorthe’s worship is centered in these coastal communi-
  ties, his influence is felt even far inland. Many communi-
  ties have excavated small ponds and erected a shrine in 
  his honor, for it is by his blessing that Angmark’s trade is 
  strong. The cult of var is challenging this belief, and wor-
  ship of Neorthe has actually declined in recent years.
  The cult of Freo, god of travel, has always been popu-
  lar. It was Freo, according to local legends, who guided 
  the Saxa to Angmark. The god has remained with Ang-
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in Angmark.
  * Noble Edge: Because of the way Angmark’s nobil-
  ity is structured, heroes with the Noble edge who 
  wish to be true nobles begin as a lendmann. The 
  gM must decide whether they are the offspring of 
  a jarl or the issues of one of his children. char-
  acters who take the edge to represent non-nobles 
  take the title ridder, and may never rise to higher 
  rank except through marriage.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #27
  2
  
  mark, for with the population scattered far and wide, it 
  is he who watches over merchants and travelers as they 
  go about their business. virtually every inn and alehouse 
  has a shrine to Freo, prompting the joke that Angmarkers 
  never by new shoes, they just take them from shrines.
  Located far from royalmark and the court of the 
  High King, Angmark has always had a strong indepen-
  dent streak. Its people honor Thunor as god of storms 
  and liberty, promoting one aspect to ward off dangers 
  to their mariners and the other because it was he who 
  led the Saxa out of Anari slavery. Although few citizens 
  enjoy independence, the nobility remains largely free of 
  interference from the king.
  A typical diet consists primarily of fish or mutton stew 
  with a few root vegetables, Angmark’s soil being of poor 
  quality and suitable only for livestock. Many Angmarkers 
  have never seen vegetables other than turnips, carrots, 
  and potatoes. even wheat is a luxury, most of the citi-
  zens eating a heavy, starchy potato bread. As such, eostre 
  Plantmother takes a secondary role to that of her Animal-
  mother aspect. even so, her cult is largely unknown near 
  the coast, for here Neorthe is patron of fish.
  The cult of var is rising in popularity as trade con-
  tinues to expand. construction of a new temple-market 
  has begin in Leirvik (only rindal currently has one), and 
  small shrines are cropping up along the sole trade road. 
  As the number of merchants passing through the realm 
  increases, the cult is set to gain more influence.
  growing trade brings wealth, and wealth attracts both 
  cultists of Nauthiz and vali. The former is seen only as a 
  nuisance, while the second is a growing danger. With few 
  granaries worth destroying, it is vali’s corruptor aspect 
  that prospers here.
  mIlItary
  As noted in the Hellfrost Gazetteer, only the king and 
  jarls may maintain a permanent army. Lesser nobles, 
  anything from thegns down to ridders, are permitted an 
  absolute maximum of ten huscarls as bodyguards. Bondi 
  are entitled to keep five huscarls.
  Huscarls form the basis of Angmark’s military might. 
  These professional warriors are usually karls seeking 
  a way of becoming bondi or ridders when their active 
  service ends. It has long been a tradition in Angmark that 
  those who serve the nobility loyally are rewarded later in 
  life with favored social positions. Huscarls form the core 
  of the armies and serve their lord as retainers. Although 
  karls, they are given respect greater than that awarded to 
  other common citizens.
  Huscarls are not divided into ranks or companies. 
  The most seasoned campaigner is given command as 
  necessary. Sometimes he may lead a handful of men on a 
  raid, while in another battle he may command an entire 
  flank. While Knights Hrafn are often hired as strategic 
  commanders, tactical command is left to the huscarls, 
  native warriors who know the men they lead.
  Few jarls skimp on their huscarls equipment, for to do 
  so is viewed as a sign of weakness. Thus, huscarls wear 
  expensive chain shirts or hauberks, gifts from their lord. 
  Most carry a medium shield and either a long sword or 
  battle axe, but elite huscarls often favor large shields.
  Town and village militia are given lesser equipment, 
  typically a scale hauberk in towns and leather shirts in 
  smaller settlements. Medium shields are the norm, since 
  they are best suited for the shieldwall. Hand axes, maces, 
  and short swords are common melee weapons.
  While cavalry is rare among the Saxa armies, King 
  Knui maintains a force of 20 medium horsemen as part 
  of his personal guard. They are never deployed in battle, 
  primarily because the unit is too small to be effective, but 
  also because Angmark has never developed any cavalry 
  tactics. Mostly they exist to serve as a status symbol. They 
  also act as the king’s personal messengers, carrying de-
  crees and missives across the realm.
  An old law requires all able-bodied men (women can 
  participate if they wish, but are under no compulsion) 
  to practice with a short or long bow once a week and on 
  every raestdaeg. Thus, while Angmark boasts no specific 
  archer companies, most men are competent. Accuracy is 
  not deemed a vital trait; for the most part all they need 
  to do is be able to reign arrows down upon a mass of 
  enemies. Archery tournaments are commonplace, with 
  the winner being awarded the honor of commanding a 
  small number of archers in battle.
  every male karl is expected to answer a call to arms 
  as part of the fyrd. despite the majority of fyrd members 
  being farmers and herders, they are fast to respond, 
  even when the summons clashes with the harvest or dur-
  ing birthing time for their livestock. After all, it is their 
  homeland in danger of being raided or destroyed. Most 
  citizens own a spear, but few own any form of armor 
  beyond a leather cap.
  Angmark has fought no major wars since its founding, 
  and tactics have evolved little since the olden days. The 
  bulk of the army is drawn up in a single line, though it 
  is divided into a right flank (the Sword), the left flank 
  (the Shield), and a centre block (the Hauberk). The 
  commander and the bulk of his bodyguard are located 
  behind the front line, along with the archers (the Bow) 
  and the reserves (the Steeds). generally about half the 
  army forms the battle line, with the rest as reserves and 
  archers, though this depends on the enemy’s strength, 
  composition, and tactics.
  Whereas as many Saxa armies soften up their foes by 
  throwing axes or javelins, Angmark’s troops unleash vol-
  leys of arrows. Typically they fire three volleys at long 
  range, two at medium range, and one at short range, 
  though in many instances the latter duty is carried out 
  only by those assigned to the Bow, the Shield, Hauberk, 
  and Sword quickly forming a shield wall as the enemy 
  advance the last dozen yards or so.
  As well as the five core divisions, individual armies 
  may boast small contingents of boar warriors (see Region 
  Guide #26) to break enemy lines and raging berserkers. 
  Such units are known as the Tusk and the Wolf.
  angmark
  
  
  trade & trIbute
  While Angmark and chalcis have always been strong 
  trading partners, the loss of Silverdale to the mists 
  has greatly benefited the Saxa kingdom. Beforehand, 
  caravans from chalcis (and Aspiria to a lesser degree) 
  heading for the Low Winterlands would trundle through 
  Silverdale before making a swift dash to the trade net-
  work of Heligioland. With that route now closed, and 
  the only land alternative a huge detour through the wild 
  unclaimed Lands, merchants have been forced to land 
  at Leirvik.
  Angmark has strict regulations on trade, demanding 
  that any cargoes destined for markets other than its own 
  be sold to local merchants. Angmark’s merchants then 
  transport the goods outside the country, either selling 
  it on to merchants in the Freelands or delivering it to 
  its final destination. This has prompted Alantaris Isle to 
  transfer much of its business to the Magocracy.
  unfortunately, Angmark has a single trade road, run-
  ning from Leirvik to join with the major north-south road 
  that links the Magocracy with the Low Winterlands. This 
  spur is simply known locally as the Trade road.
  The bulk of Angmark’s exports come from the sea. 
  Barrels of preserved fish, sea salt, and whale oil make 
  their way across western rassilon to inland markets. Furs, 
  gathered in the foothills of the Icebarrier Mountains, and 
  timber are lesser exports, and both trades are suffering 
  trouble due to outside interference.
  Imports comprise iron from chalcis, a trade which has 
  been greatly diminished since the rise of the Scavengers, 
  and clothing and pottery from the Freelands.
  The fast-growing sector of trade is actually trade itself. 
  With the overland route to the north closed, more and 
  more traders looking to deal with Aspiria and chalcis are 
  using the harbor at Leirvik. While the town’s infrastruc-
  ture is stretched, the king has ordered the construction 
  of new warehouses and docks to facilitate their increas-
  ing numbers.
  despite being many leagues from royalmark, and 
  technically rivals with coglelund for trade, Angmark 
  strongly supports an extension of the trade road from 
  the Moot Hill to Bridgewater, though it also wants a 
  link from Moot Hill to Sanctuary; the latter would give 
  its merchant direction access to the crystalflow confed-
  eracy and the eastern realms. Angmark’s diplomats are 
  playing the “Saxa” card, discretely urging the High King 
  to form stronger trading ties with the isolated Saxa realm 
  at the expense of coglelund.
  The jarls of Angmark are responsible for setting their 
  own taxes. Typically, taxation devours around 40% of 
  a citizen’s income. The king controls all trade duties, 
  however, regardless of whose lands merchants must 
  travel through. At present, import tax for goods being 
  sold in Angmark runs at 3%, while for cargoes destined 
  elsewhere the rate is 5%. Local exports enjoy a low rate 
  of just 2% in a bid to promote Angmark’s wares.
  arcHItecture
  due to having no easy access to good quality building 
  stone, the inhabitants of Angmark use only wood for all 
  their structures. unlike in other realms where the Anari 
  and Saxa live side-by-side, there is little difference in cul-
  tural architecture in Angmark. Outside the towns, most 
  citizens live in steads. Though many are large enough to 
  be counted as villages, the term stead is used locally to 
  describe any settlement with fewer than 500 souls. This 
  can be confusing for outsiders who are looking for an 
  isolated farm.
  except in the north, where orcs are a constant men-
  ace, settlements are seldom protected by anything other 
  than a low fence and ditch. These are more to keep the 
  livestock in than act as fortifications. In the north, ram-
  parts and palisades are the norm.
  What separates the houses of Angmark from the other 
  Marklands is their size. Most Saxa erect single storey 
  longhouses, but here dwellings are always two stories. 
  The lowest level is used for housing livestock, storing 
  supplies, and as servants’ quarters (where such exist). 
  The upper storey is living accommodation. The hearth, 
  which dominates the upstairs, contains a heavy iron 
  grate placed over a stone chimney. Ash and other small 
  debris falls down the chute to the ground level, where it 
  is cleaned out at regular intervals. The hot ash also serves 
  to provide extra heat for the livestock.
  While the lower storey lacks windows (as do most 
  Saxa houses in rassilon), the upper level has numerous 
  arrow slits. Pig skin is used to cover these, allowing some 
  light in but keeping the wind and rain out.
  crafters use the front of the lower level of their homes 
  as a shop, and the rear area as a workshop and storage. 
  This two-storey idea extends to temples as well. Lesser 
  rooms and storage are downstairs, while the more im-
  portant chambers are upstairs.
  As well as boasting the mighty Scieldvollr, which is 
  manned by troops from across Angmark, each jarldom 
  and the king’s personal domain contains a single ring 
  fort. While these are constantly manned by a handful of 
  huscarls, they are not castles in the Anari sense. rather, 
  they serve as regional markets, and as a retreat for the 
  general populace should the realm be invaded.
  Although size varies, each follows a set pattern, being 
  a wide earth rampart with wooden facing on the outside 
  to prevent tunneling, broken by reinforced gates. A pali-
  sade lines the rampart, with a timber walkway running 
  the entire circumference. Most forts have just a single 
  barrier. The grandest have a second, taller, rampart in-
  side the first one, providing a two-tier fighting platform.
  Standing against the inner wall of the rampart are 
  numerous buildings to house the region’s inhabitants in 
  times of strife and merchants in times of peace. In the 
  center of the fort is a circular rampart, beyond which is 
  accommodation for the local nobility. It also serves as the 
  final redoubt.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #27
  
  
  major localeS
  While several of Angmark’s major settlements have 
  already been detailed, this section presents new areas 
  the characters may wish to explore.
  dvergHeIm
  Population: 473
  Ruler: ridder erik gunwulfsunu
  The village of dvergheim (Auld Saxa for “Home of the 
  dwarves”) lies in the foothills of the Icebarrier Moun-
  tains, just south of the Scieldvollr.
  during construction of the Scieldvollr, emissaries 
  from Karad Iarn made a rare visit to the king of Ang-
  mark and offered a deal; set aside one village where the 
  dwarves could trade with the humans, and the dwarves 
  would ensure its safety. After much debate with the jarls, 
  the king agreed to the terms.
  The village of vintoft was chosen as the proposed site, 
  it lying not far from the Stone Bridge and only a short 
  distance from the Scieldvollr. Formerly a royal village, in 
  that it owed direct allegiance to the king, it was made an 
  autonomous outpost, to be controlled in perpetuity by a 
  ridder appointed from the locals by the dwarves.
  despite its small size, the village boasts a stone wall 
  and an iron portcullis in its gatehouse, gifts from the 
  dwarves. Amid the typical Saxa structures stand a stone 
  barrack block which houses 20 dour dwarven huscarls, 
  and the residence of Thegn godwin Foesmasher’s envoy, 
  his second cousin, Lendmann dvalinn Mead-Beard. A 
  small stone blockhouse houses stairs leading to a temple 
  to ertha, something the dwarves insisted was constructed 
  to serve their religious needs.
  The dwarven huscarls form the core of the village’s 
  army, although the village can call upon 10 permanent 
  soldiers, 30 semi-trained warriors, and a further 100 fyrd 
  members should they be needed.
  Heroes wishing to visit Karad Iarn must first visit 
  Lendmann dvalinn, for he has the sole authority to allow 
  access to the fortress-city. Those granted permission, an 
  extremely rare event, are given a rune stone engraved 
  with the bearer’s name. Should this privilege be abused 
  or the stone lost, the bearer will never receive another 
  one, nor will his descendants for ten generations. dva-
  linn is not susceptible to flattery or bribery, and attempts 
  to intimidate him or use magic, such as puppet, will be 
  met with a severe beating at a minimum.
  All trade to and from Karad Iarn is handled here, and 
  the warehouses are usually bursting with trade goods. 
  With var held in low regard by the dwarves, all trade 
  takes place in the temple of ertha.
  engroton
  Population: 1409
  Ruler: Boera rose Pig-Nose
  A fraction of over half the total engro population 
  of Angmark live here. engroton isn’t a true village, for 
  there are no permanent structures. Instead, the engros 
  live in their brightly painted caravans, which are parked 
  up in clusters according to clan loyalties. The settlement 
  stands on the central plains, almost equidistant from 
  estvik, Leirvik, and the edge of the Stone Forest.
  Few residents are permanent settlers. From late spring 
  to early fall the settlement’s population is halved as the 
  engro pack up and wander Angmark and the Freelands. 
  As the snows threaten, so they return home with new 
  tales and goods to sell or barter.
  While engro are widely mistrusted, Angmarkers bare 
  them no real malevolence. Most engro fall outside the 
  social system, for they are prone to wandering, meaning 
  they are not karls, who are tied to the land, and are reluc-
  tant to swear oaths of loyalty, making them poor bondi. 
  As such, they are given special royal privileges, allowing 
  them to move freely so long as they obey the laws of the 
  land they are passing through and pay their taxes. While 
  they nod agreement at such demands, few non-engro 
  suspect they will ever obey these decrees.
  The settlement is governed by Boera rose Pig-Nose, 
  a matronly engro with little tolerance for frivolity, unti-
  diness, or laziness. Her position carries great authority 
  among her people, but is not officially recognized by 
  Angmark. She rules with a firm but fair hand, allowing 
  the engro to behave as is their way, but stopping them 
  from going too far with a swift whack from her walking 
  stick. Her nickname has nothing to do with her physical 
  appearance, but rather her remarkable gift for sniffing 
  out truffles (and some say some trouble, as well).
  Strangers are welcome in engroton, and many do 
  come here, for the engro are a source of information 
  from distant parts of the land and have a knack for “ac-
  quiring” hard to get objects. visitors are given a warm 
  greeting and open hospitality, though that doesn’t mean 
  the engro won’t rob them blind through high prices or 
  through crooked games of chance. 
  engroton has no visible defenses, nor a noticeable 
  standing army. Those who understand engro know that 
  scattered among the inhabitants will be several dozen 
  Bludgeoners, plus more than a few druids. The settle-
  ment may look like an easy target for raiders, but there 
  are eyes and ears everywhere, even among the animals.
  Woolacombe
  Population: 1,835
  Ruler: Hauld Osric gunnarsunu
  The village of Woolacombe (“Woola’s valley”) lies in 
  the northern draugr Hills. An unimpressive collection of 
  buildings, its inhabitants scrape a living by raising goats 
  and sheep among the empty barrows and cairns.
  Many locals believe Hauld Osric has suffered a brain 
  fever, for in recent months he has grown more and more 
  adamant that a great and terrible evil lurks in the hills. 
  Messengers carried word far and wide, calling on clerics 
  of Scaetha to flock to his banner, but so far he has at-
  angmark
  
  
  tracted only charlatans who proclaim to honor Scaetha, 
  and men whose arms are strong only because of the ale 
  flagons they raise each night at the nobleman’s expense.
  Osric recently outlawed all religions in the village 
  except for Scaetha, who he taken as his patron. The local 
  clerics of Animal Animalmother, who have a small temple 
  here, have refused to leave, claiming bondi privileges. 
  Now convinced the peaceful clerics are working for the 
  evil that haunts his dreams, Osric has declared them 
  outlaws.
  While they are in their temple they remain safe, for 
  Osric is not yet mad enough to defy holy ground, but 
  should they leave the sanctuary there are standing orders 
  for them to be arrested and escorted off his lands. The 
  villagers have been warned that anyone giving comfort to 
  the “outlaws” will be charged with sedition.
  While many citizens agree Osric is likely insane, there 
  are those who are beginning to wonder if his madness 
  conceals a vein of truth, for there has been much trouble 
  along the Trade road in recent months, and no one can 
  say for sure whether the draugr Hills really were cleansed 
  of all their restless inhabitants.
  PerSonS of note
  Several of Angmark’s important citizens, such as its 
  jarls, have already been briefly described in the Hellfrost 
  Gazetteer, or are left for the gM to sculpt as he desires.
  Hauld grIfu SvIPSunu
  Although grifu is the nominated heir of his father, Jarl 
  Svip Bildsunu, he was born the second child. His older 
  brother, Fyri deep-Minded, was born an idiot child. Inca-
  pable of doing anything other than constantly drooling 
  and whimpering loudly at random intervals, he has been 
  kept alive only because his father could not bring himself 
  to end the boy’s life. despite his idiocy, Fyri carries the 
  title of thegn, as is custom, something his brother deeply 
  resents.
  grifu is an impatient man, and a greedy one. every 
  day merchants bring greater wealth to Angmark, yet his 
  father imposes only the king’s excise duties, failing to see 
  the greater potential in front of his eyes. 
  Keen to have his father removed, yet unwilling to 
  commit murder or open treachery, grifu has made a 
  deal with a group of bandits. using orc arrows, they have 
  been raiding caravans along the Trade road. each attack 
  tarnishes the jarl’s reputation, and some of his peers are 
  already murmuring that he should step down in favor of 
  someone capable of halting the raids and securing the 
  trade route.
  grifu, in an act of public generosity, has vowed to 
  hunt down those responsible for the attacks at his own 
  expense. In doing so he has won popular support and 
  the begrudging acknowledgement of the king. grifu’s 
  plan is to allow the bandits to continue largely unmo-
  lested for a few more months, just until Svip is a broken 
  man politically, and then crush his unsuspecting minions 
  in one very brutal and very public display of force.
  tHe jarl of nautHIz
  The cult of Nauthiz is on the rise across Angmark, and 
  at its head is the self-appointed Jarl of Nauthiz. No one 
  knows who the “jarl” is, though everyone has an opin-
  ion, and to be honest, no one is actually sure he exists. 
  rumors abound that the title is an invention, despite 
  widespread claims the jarl has his hand in every crime 
  in Angmark. 
  The king and jarls are taking no chances, though, 
  for any bad publicity could adversely affect trade, and a 
  bounty of 500 gs has been offered for information lead-
  ing to his capture. If the jarl does exist, he is a powerful 
  person, for the cult of Nauthiz discourages mass gather-
  ings.
  rIdder kurn WIgWulfSunu
  Angmark’s greatest skald has largely retired from 
  public service, though he still performs on special occa-
  sions at the king’s request. despite being retired, Kurn is 
  constantly pestered by would-be heroes who wish him to 
  write up their adventures into song or poem for genera-
  tions to come, for such is his reputation and following 
  that a single word in the right ear can make (or break) 
  reputations. A shrewd judge of character, Kurn can spot 
  a fake a mile off. Those who desire fame had best be pre-
  pared to deal with him openly, or face the consequences 
  for their deception. Kurn’s title is a reward from the king 
  for services rendered to Saxa culture.
  Walter aP-cutHbert
  Walter lives in Leirvik, where he runs a small book-
  shop. While Angmarkers aren’t renowned for their love 
  of the written word, preferring their oral tradition of 
  storytelling, the growing number of merchants provides 
  him with a modest income. He spends much of his time 
  collecting maps and stories about Angmark, intending, 
  he claims, to publish a book on his adopted nation.
  Born in chalcis, Walter is a member of a small but 
  growing number of influential chalcians who believe 
  their nation is doomed to be consumed by Witchwood, 
  due to duke Howel’s inaction. Sooner or later the chal-
  cians will need a new home, and the ideal place for re-
  settlement is Angmark. Too proud to ever bow to lowly 
  Saxa barbarians, the group intends to conquer Angmark 
  the old-fashioned way.
  In order to do that, they need reliable information on 
  Angmark’s infrastructure, defenses, and troop strengths. 
  While proclaiming it is research material, Walter is se-
  cretly gathering the information his comrades need, us-
  ing patsies to act as his eyes and ears. When the time is 
  right, the duke of chalcis will be overthrown, and the 
  invasion begun.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #27
  
  
  IntroductIon
  For 15 years Regent Orol Drakestaff has held Blackstone Barony in his iron grip, slowly 
  squeezing the life from its people. Oppression, tyranny, and misery have wracked the land, 
  but a new dawn is close to breaking. Baron Pendel, the rightful heir, is coming of age, and 
  there are those who act against the Regent, albeit from the shadows. Blackstone stands at 
  a crossroads, but whether it will walk into salvation or damnation remains to be seen. This 
  supplement expands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Atmosphere
  Blackstone Barony is a drab, depressing land of black granite buildings, near-constant 
  rain, waterlogged lowlands, and sparsely covered hills. Entering the small nation brings on 
  feelings of claustrophobia, for the towering peaks of the Dragonspine loom constantly on 
  three sides of the near horizon, adding to the oppression felt by its inhabitants.
  The citizens of Blackstone appear at first glance to be typical of any realm, mistrusting 
  of strangers and keen to speak of their lord in a good light. Yet behind this thin veneer lies 
  fear and hatred. A close observer quickly notices that men rarely make eye contact even 
  with their neighbors, and words are chosen with great care even among family members. 
  No one speaks in hushed whispers, for to conceal a conversation is to be accused of sedi-
  tion and plotting against the Baron and his Regent.
  Strangers, not that many come here, are treated with cordiality, yet behind the warm 
  smiles are eyes that betray feelings of fear and suspicion. Most citizens quickly point strang-
  ers to inns and other structures set aside solely for them and scurry away, unsure whether 
  the visitor is just an innocent traveler or one of the Regent’s spies sent to test their loyalty. 
  If questioned on local events, they become tight-lipped.
  When the Regent’s black-clad guards walk the streets, as they frequently do, the good 
  citizens of Blackstone scurry out of their path, heads bowed, giving them no reason to ha-
  rass them. These brutal thugs always talk to strangers, speaking politely yet with a constant 
  menace of violence while they ask them their business and check their papers.
  Every citizen of Blackstone knows someone who has been taken away on minor charges 
  and never seen again. While they lament the loss of kith and kin, no one speaks openly 
  about those taken from them in the dead of night. Everyone knows the Regent has a net-
  work of informants— men, women, and even children paid handsomely to inform him of 
  any seditious talk. The inhabitants of Blackstone have learned to say little and think much, 
  for thoughts, at least for now, remain free.
  31228
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 8 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  BlAckstone 
  BArony
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  socIAl hIerArchy
  As a barony, Blackstone has never had much of a so-
  cial hierarchy. Technically, the ruling baron is the highest 
  placed citizen, though Regent Drakestaff is the current 
  head of state. Although 14 is the age of majority, the bar-
  ons long ago set the age of inheritance at 16. This gave 
  heirs time to mature before taking on the heavy mantle 
  of responsibility (like most Anari realms noble titles are 
  familial, passing from parent to oldest child).
  Ranking below the baron are the knights, hereditary 
  nobles whose families e held the greatest wealth or 
  influence. Together they found the college of knights, 
  an advisory body that kept the baron in touch with his 
  people and events outside his borders.
  Drakestaff has swept aside these titled families, charg-
  ing many with treason and ensuring they disappeared. 
  The fortunate few were informed on the Regent’s plans 
  by courtiers still loyal to Baron Pendel, and managed to 
  flee to neighboring realms. In their stead are a new gen-
  eration of knights— men loyal to Drakestaff who impose 
  his iron will and reap rewards from imposing harsh taxes 
  and overseeing the slave mines.
  Below the knights once ranked, in descending order, 
  the clergy and magicians, senior military commanders, 
  merchants, master crafters, educated men, soldiers, and 
  then the common citizens. Blackstone had no true social 
  classes, for status was based on occupation, allowing any 
  man the chance to climb the social ladder.
  While there was always inequality, for every land has 
  those with money and influence and those without, ev-
  ery citizen was a free man, entitled to own his own land 
  (though he still paid the baron taxes) and receive impar-
  tial justice. Nowadays, being a cleric is a risky profession, 
  soldiers rank just below the knights, educated men are 
  hounded, and virtually all the land has been claimed by 
  the Regent. Where once stood a proud but small land of 
  free men, there is now only a land of serfs.
  educAtIon
  Since the Regent’s rise to power all formal education, 
  even that provided by the temples, has been prohibited. 
  Publicly, Drakestaff claims the temples were preaching 
  sedition by soiling the good name of the Barony, but in 
  truth it is because he knows educated men are harder to 
  control than ignorant ones. 
  Education does occur, of course, but for the most 
  part it is kept simple. children are taught the skills they 
  will need to survive as adults, the laws and lore of their 
  homeland, and such like. knowledge of other realms is 
  extremely limited, for the Regent does not permit inter-
  action between natives and outsiders, and few inhabit-
  ants have the wisdom necessary to pass on other lore.
  In days of old, the citizens used to say that the wise 
  man spoke because he had something to say, while the 
  fool spoke because he had to say something. Today, it is 
  the wise who keep their mouths shut, for being known 
  to be educated is to invite charges of treason.
  Drakestaff has plans to open new schools in a genera-
  tion, where every child will be educated. Of course, what 
  the children learn will not only be strictly controlled, but 
  it will be shaped to fit Drakestaff’s version of events. If his 
  plan succeeds, the history of Blackstone will be rewritten 
  and the Regent’s authority imposed on the masses.
  rules of the reAlm
  These setting rules apply in Blackstone Barony.
  * Empty Markets: Regent Drakestaff ensures the 
  markets are always short of even basic goods. With 
  regard to prices and availability, treat all goods as 
  one availability category higher. Thus, goods com-
  monly marked “v” carry a “T” availability in Black-
  stone. city goods have their prices doubled, before 
  any other modifiers are applied. Special goods are 
  only rarely available here, even at places that would 
  normally carry them.
  Although heroes can make more money selling 
  goods acquired during adventures, as even basic 
  wares like pottery and clothes fetch good prices, 
  being a stranger means few citizens will openly 
  talk with them. Furthermore, being caught buy-
  ing black market goods means a lengthy jail spell. 
  All Streetwise rolls to sell goods are subject to a 
  -4 modifier (includes the Suspicion penalty; see 
  below). With success, the goods can be sold for 
  50% of their value, 75% on a raise. Selling goods 
  in this manner is punishable by imprisonment and 
  1d4+1 years hard labor.
  * No Education: heroes aged between 9 and 20 
  have received little education. All knowledge skills 
  purchased during character generation cost two 
  points per die up to the hero’s Smarts, and four 
  points per die thereafter.
  * Suspicion: The locals do not trust outsiders. All 
  non-native heroes suffer a -2 charisma penalty in 
  Blackstone. This can be alleviated by demonstrat-
  ing trustworthiness or a desire to help the inhabit-
  ants, but it always requires a lot of work.
  * Wanted: Any cleric, except those of Maera, dis-
  covered in the Barony immediately falls under the 
  watch of the Regent’s informers. Any act of sedi-
  tion, and the Regent allows great leeway in what 
  constitutes sedition, results in the cleric gaining 
  the Minor Wanted hindrance. This becomes the 
  Major version if they do anything to actually an-
  tagonize the Regent. Drakestaff has no interest in 
  pursuing fugitives outside his borders, however.
  clerics of hoenir and Thunor automatically gain 
  the Major Wanted hindrance if discovered in 
  Blackstone.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #28
  2
  
  relIGIon
  As with many other aspects of life, religious freedom 
  has been heavily curtailed by Regent Drakestaff and his 
  thuggish army. Much worship now takes place in secret.
  The land’s small but prosperous iron mines, and ex-
  tensive and now largely disused quarries, gave rise to the 
  cult of Ertha as the state religion under the old barons. 
  Today, Ertha’s cult is technically allowed to practice, and 
  indeed it remains the largest cult in terms of number 
  of worshippers. however, temples are frequently raided, 
  the clergy accused of seditious acts, and worshippers ar-
  rested for troublemaking. Since any cave will suffice as 
  a site of worship, and the hills of Blackstone are riddled 
  with them, new temples are springing up faster than the 
  Regent’s men can locate them and close them down.
  Many worshippers suspect it will not be long before 
  Regent Drakestaff has the cult declared illegal. While 
  some observers claim such an act would finally unite 
  the people into open rebellion, others are convinced it 
  would crush the last vestiges of resistance.
  Despite the Regent imposing many new laws and 
  clamping down on crime, the cult of hothar has suffered 
  similar attacks to that of Ertha. hothar is concerned with 
  truth and fair justice, something the citizens have been 
  denied the last 15 years. Despite the persecution, hothar 
  remains popular; the citizens of Blackstone cry out for 
  justice and equality. 
  Maera is now the official state religion. Most worship-
  pers do pay only lip service, and then only out of fear of 
  the Regent’s vicious thugs. Although clearly not a cleric, 
  Regent Drakestaff has declared himself as high priest of 
  the cult in Blackstone. A few clerics did protest this act of 
  heresy, but since they “chose to leave Blackstone” there 
  have been no further complaints, at least not openly.
  Drakestaff has little true interest in the cult of Maera, 
  though she is his patron. Ironically, while the Regent 
  cracks down on the cult of hothar with one hand, he 
  promotes it, at least in secret, with the other, for much of 
  his devotion goes to Jarngrimr, the tyrannical minor god 
  of obedience and conformity (see Region Guide #9).
  The cult of vali is on the rise, for where there is bru-
  tal oppression there are men who would do anything 
  to achieve liberty. Such men, righteous as their hearts 
  may be, are easy targets for corruption. While much 
  of the famine sweeping the land is the direct result of 
  Drakestaff’s manipulations, the cult of vali knows that it 
  would take little to extend the misery.
  The cult of Thunor, god of storms and freedom, is 
  outlawed in Blackstone. Drakestaff knows that should 
  the cult ever gain widespread support, it could end his 
  reign. To prevent this, he has had every worshipper of 
  Thunor branded as a rebel seeking to seize Baron Pen-
  del’s throne before the boy can claim his prize, with the 
  clergy accused of being the ringleaders.
  While the main cult of Thunor has few adherents 
  here, the cult of haptsönir, minor god of freedom from 
  tyranny (see Region Guide #9), operates in secret in the 
  oppressed nation. For now, their actions are limited to 
  posting flyers decrying the Regent’s harsh rule and minor 
  raids, primarily to free prisoners before they disappear 
  forever. Each act of defiance, no matter how small, chips 
  away at Drakestaff’s authority and gives the people hope. 
  But haptsönir’s cult is tiny, and unless its members are 
  careful to conceal their identities, the seeds of hope they 
  are planting may wither and die.
  The cult of hoenir, which was never especially large, 
  has all but disappeared (along with the Lorekeepers), 
  at least on the surface. During the Night of cleansing 
  (487 IR), Regent Drakestaff accused the cult of spread-
  ing malicious gossip and false facts. The sole temple 
  was closed within hours of his decree being made, its 
  precious books (except those of interest to the Regent) 
  were burned in the marker square, and the clerics were 
  interred and then outlawed (that is, they were sent to 
  the mines). Since that dark night, clerics of hoenir have 
  avoided the remote nation.
  Other faiths are found here, though there are few 
  clerics. Of these, there are only one or two paladins per 
  cult outside the state cults of Maera and Tiw, and even 
  these cults have minimal numbers. Most faiths suffer 
  some form of persecution. Tiw is the official patron of 
  the military, though his worship is prohibited to other 
  citizens on pain of death.
  mIlItAry
  Blackstone has a population of just over 12,000, yet a 
  full 1,000 of these are soldiers.
  Officially there are 600 soldiers. known as the Black 
  Watch after the color of their tunics and shields, they 
  serve Baron Pendel in name only, being now the exclusive 
  property of Regent Drakestaff. All the old guard, those of-
  ficers loyal to the former baron, have been removed from 
  power, either through forced retirement or having been 
  accused of crimes against the state.
  The army is divided into ten companies, each led by 
  a captain and assisted by two sergeants. Two companies 
  are on permanent duty at the border forts on the trade 
  road, five companies patrol the streets of the town of 
  Blackstone, and the other three companies are spread 
  among the rural villages. The companies are rotated to a 
  new posting every few months.
  The Black Watch are little more than thugs, and would 
  be of little value if Blackstone were to be invaded. More 
  than a few are former violent criminals, given parole on 
  the condition they serve Drakestaff. Treat them as Typical 
  Watch, but with chain hauberks and long swords. cap-
  tains should be treated as Wild card Experienced Watch 
  with chain hauberks.
  The other 400, unofficially known as the Iron guard, 
  are responsible for guarding the slaves working the iron 
  mines. If anything, they are more brutal than their regular 
  counterparts, for they have the power of life and death 
  BlAckstone BArony
  
  
  over their charges. Their companies are typically 50 men 
  strong, but are otherwise identical to the regular army.
  Drakestaff’s bodyguard comprises 30 heavy infan-
  try (treat as veteran Mercenaries) known as the Black 
  guard and 20 light cavalry (treat as common Mercenar-
  ies) known as the Black Riders. Each is commanded by 
  sergeant (treat as a Mercenary captain), who in turns 
  answers to the captain of the guard, the most senior 
  military official. he has the ear of the Regent and ranks 
  even above the knights, much to the nobles’ disgust.
  There is no militia anywhere in the barony, nor can 
  the Regent call upon a fyrd. Indeed, possession of all 
  weapons except daggers is prohibited by law. Outsiders 
  may buy a license granting them permission to carry 
  arms. Similarly, the nobles of the realm may not maintain 
  a standing army. Instead, they command the troops sta-
  tioned in the settlement they rule on behalf of the regent. 
  Each may have a personal bodyguard of just ten men.
  trAde & trIBute
  Blackstone sits on two trade roads. The major road 
  runs from Marshwatch in Midmark through the barony 
  and veermark, before joining the Ostmark trade network 
  at Lieksa. Its stretch within the barony is known as the 
  Iron Road. The second, now largely disused, runs from 
  the town of Blackstone through southern veermark, up 
  Zigzag Pass, and into Sutmark.
  Blackstone exports iron ore and ingots, black granite, 
  and wool. Much of the iron is now kept in Blackstone, 
  where it is forged into weapons by the Regent’s orc al-
  lies, though some is still sold to veermark. Much of the 
  wool, which is a strong, wiry variety, is sold to Midmark. 
  The granite trade has always been small, for none of the 
  surrounding countries build with stone, and since the 
  Regent gained power that trade has slowed to a mere 
  trickle due to the closing of many quarries. What little 
  reaches the merchants goes to Ostmark, where building 
  with stone is in vogue.
  Thanks to its geography and climate Blackstone is 
  forced to import pottery and timber, as well as many 
  staple foodstuffs. grain and vegetables flow down the 
  trade road from Ostmark or the crystalflow confederacy, 
  and wine is imported from Nordmark. Almost all other 
  trade goods eventually reach Blackstone from the con-
  federacy via the Midmark trade road.
  One import which is never publicly acknowledged is 
  slaves. While many of the slaves in the iron mines are 
  Blackstone citizens, there are a growing number of out-
  siders. Some of these were accused of a crime and sen-
  tenced to hard labor, some were strangers who had the 
  misfortune of being kidnapped from the Barony’s inns 
  (after unwittingly revealing no one would miss them for 
  some time), and others are sold by the velvet Shackle.
  The Regent controls all trade. he sets import and 
  export quotas, determines what goods may be brought 
  into the country, and sets duty rates. Imports are care-
  fully controlled, both in terms of goods and quantities. 
  he ensures there is never enough to go around, and 
  prices are kept artificially high. Thus, the people are al-
  ways wanting even for basic essentials. Those most loyal 
  to him are, of course, always kept supplied.
  All foreign merchants must purchase a license. This 
  is renewed annually and costs 20 gs. Each license details 
  the name of the merchant, the goods he transports, and 
  those who accompany him. Licenses are checked fre-
  quent, and full-scale searches of caravans are performed 
  at the borders.
  All outsiders, whether merchants, foreign dignitaries, 
  or casual travelers, are required to lodge only in specific 
  establishments. Every settlement must, by law, provide 
  an inn (though quality varies immensely), in which only 
  strangers may drink, eat, or sleep. The owners are of-
  ten loyal to the Regent, if only out of fear. This allows 
  him to keep an eye on strangers and determine if they 
  represent a threat to his rule. visitors are permitted to 
  walk the streets, but only with an escort of the Regent’s 
  Black Watch. As well as allowing the Regent to keep tabs 
  on the visitors, it prevents locals from approaching the 
  strangers and making any sort of contact.
  The various taxes account for a staggering 60% of a 
  citizen’s income. Export tax is set at 4% and import tax at 
  3%. Strangers wishing to wear armor must buy a license. 
  This costs 5 gs per point of protection and is good for 
  just one month. Licenses for weapons cost 3 gs per dam-
  age die, but one must be acquired for every weapon ex-
  cept daggers. Again, these are valid for one month. Note 
  that when it comes to missile weapons, only the bow or 
  crossbow is charged, not each arrow. Throwing weapons, 
  however, are charged for each individual weapon.
  The license requires the holder to give his name, 
  faith, and place of residence while in the barony. Falsely 
  submitting information, or staying outside the listed resi-
  dence, is a crime punishable by 1d3 years hard labor.
  ArchItecture
  The barony takes its name from the black stone used 
  in the construction of its buildings. The finer ones, such 
  as Blackstone Manor and the former temple to Ertha, 
  now the temple of Maera, are built of black granite, while 
  common structures are built of a black sandstone.
  Most peasants live in single room houses, with thick 
  walls to help provide insulation. heavy woolen blankets 
  are used for internal partitions. Those with wealth live 
  in larger houses. As a rough rule of thumb, every step 
  up the old social ladder gave one a single extra room. 
  Thus, a common soldier would have two rooms, while 
  a cleric could boast eight. The nobility reside either in 
  fortified towers or manors, as was the original owner’s 
  preference.
  Slate shingles cover the roofs of most structures. Drab 
  gray in color, and often stained green with moss, these 
  are about as colorful as exteriors get in the barony.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #28
  
  
  Whereas in many lands animals are kept in with the 
  family, albeit in a separate room, in Blackstone it has long 
  been a tradition for communities to erect communal 
  stone byres for their livestock. The same applies to crop 
  storage. under the Regent’s rule, this makes it easier for 
  his officials to set taxation rates, as everything is in one 
  convenient place.
  Standing adjacent to the trade road on each border 
  is a small fort. Originally standard motte-and-bailey de-
  signs, the tower in each has been replaced with a stone 
  construction for added protection. All visitors entering 
  or leaving the barony are required to check in here be-
  fore going about their business.
  mAjor locAles
  Blackstone Barony is a small realm, with only two 
  places of interest mentioned in the Hellfrost Gazetteer. 
  This section gives the gM new locales for parties seeking 
  to adventure in the oppressed land.
  the BlAck oBelIsk
  Amid the dank wetlands that make up central Black-
  stone there stands a four-sided, pyramidion-topped, 
  polished granite obelisk of unfathomable age. Located 
  on each side are square panels engraved with strange, 
  flowing glyphs that glow as if written in liquid fire. 
  Touching the runes is inadvisable, for they burn as hot 
  as a campfire, despite not radiating any discernible heat 
  to the obelisk or surrounding air. The script is unknown, 
  and the runes have so far defied all attempts to translate 
  them.  The few scholars who visited the remote site be-
  fore the rise of the regent suspected the text might be-
  come readable only when the message is complete, for 
  there is one panel missing from each face of the obelisk. 
  until such time as the panels are found and replaced, 
  their theory remains just that.
  The locals know of the obelisk, though they have no 
  desire to visit the site. The most popular stories concern-
  ing it claim it is a signpost left by Angar kindlefire to show 
  those with the right knowledge the way to his home. 
  questions as to why a reclusive wizard would signpost 
  his lair are quietly ignored. Others tales state the obelisk 
  fell from the sky in the months before the Blizzard War, 
  it marks a sun dragon’s grave, is a prophecy carved by a 
  cleric of Sigel that indicates when the dreaded Fimbul-
  vintr would come, and that a fiery entity carried it from 
  the southern realm of Al-Shirkuh.
  Iron mInes
  There are a total of 16 iron mines operating in Black-
  stone. Of these, only half are known to the general 
  public, seven being operated by paid miners, and one 
  a prison for those sentenced to hard labor. The latter is 
  nothing new, for even when the barons ruled prisoners 
  were sentenced to work rather than languishing in jail 
  and profiting no one.
  The other mines are operated by slaves. Such is the 
  extent of Drakestaff’s tyranny that a total of 2,400 slaves 
  toil away to extract iron ore. Of these, the great majority 
  are citizens of the barony, outlawed on paper yet secretly 
  sent here to work until they drop. And drop they do, for 
  the miners are worked 15 hours a day, rations are mini-
  mal, disease is rampant, and the guards are brutal in the 
  extreme. Average life expectancy is a mere two years for 
  those who performed manual before coming here, and 
  much less for those unaccustomed to physical work.
  Slaves are kept chained day and night in work teams 
  of four people. Where one goes, the others must follow. 
  Even when one dies, it may be days or weeks before the 
  corpse is unshackled and dragged away.
  The miners are kept inside the dark, dingy mines, 
  sunlight only touching their skin after they have died to 
  meet the regent’s ever-increasing quotas. Each mine is 
  protected by a 50-man company of Iron guard. No mat-
  ter how much ore is produced, the slaves suffer. If the 
  production quota is met, the captain is rewarded with 
  gold, which he shares with his troops. This encourages 
  them to work the slaves harder, for greater production 
  equates to greater financial reward. When the quota is 
  short, the captain is punished by loss of privileges or 
  a fine. he then takes revenge on his men with similar 
  punishments, and they in turn vent their anger on the 
  already exhausted slaves by making them work harder.
  The guards have two barracks outside the main en-
  trance. Each squat structure contains sleeping quarters, 
  a kitchen, a mess hall, and a well-stocked armory. Should 
  the miners gather the will to rebel, the guards can seal 
  the mine by knocking down a few well-placed supports. 
  Each mine has just a single entrance, though it is pos-
  sible some of the deeper depths extend into natural cave 
  systems with other exits.
  kAtAr’s hold
  Population: 281
  Ruler: Lady Esclarmonde ap-harnaudin
  katar’s hold squats a top a low hill amid the cen-
  tral wetlands. The inhabitants of the small village raise 
  hardy goats and plant a few crops, but their lifestyle is 
  very much a subsistence one. Like all settlements in the 
  barony, its palisade was torn down and its ditch filled, 
  so as to provide no safety for those who would rise up 
  against the regent. Standing on a neighboring hill are 
  the remains of katar Manor. Formerly the home of the 
  ruling nobleman, it burnt down ten years ago, claiming 
  the lives of the lord and his entire family. Such was the 
  intensity of the blaze that the very walls of the house 
  fused together and, in places, actually melted. Today it 
  is shunned, for the locals claim the ghosts of the noble 
  family haunt the site, their fire-shrouded specters seek-
  ing revenge on the living.
  One of just two female knights serving the regent, 
  Lady Esclarmonde rules katar’s hold now. her head-
  BlAckstone BArony
  
  
  quarters is a newly erected stone tower in the center of 
  the small settlement. The only other structure of note 
  is a small shrine to Eostre’s dual aspects. It is little used 
  these days, for public gatherings are forbidden.
  Esclarmonde is a vile creature, possessed of limitless 
  spite and malice. her facial features are sharp yet attrac-
  tive, yet are permanently marred by a grim sneer. She is 
  a skilled torturer, an accomplished lair, and like most of 
  those who claim nobility under Drakestaff, out to line her 
  own pockets at the expense of the people. She maintains 
  a bodyguard of six warrior-women known as the Witches 
  of Esclarmonde, for all are supposedly sorcerers as well 
  as skilled fighters.
  persons of note
  The following NPcs may prove friends or enemies of 
  heroes looking to explore the Blackstone Barony.
  dAnAIn Ap-mAuGIs
  chief herald to Baron Pendel’s father, Danain has 
  kept his position only because he was also the baron’s 
  ambassador to Midmark and veermark. Regent Drake-
  staff is keen to show his neighbors that life continues as 
  normal while the young heir awaits his ascension, and 
  that meant keeping Danain in his post.
  Loyal to Pendel, Danain, a man now in his sixties, 
  finds himself in the unenviable position of being the re-
  gent’s spokesman. It is he who publicly announces new 
  draconian laws, he who speaks out against the criminals 
  troubling the land, and he who informs the nobles of 
  Blackstone’s neighboring realms that all is well in the 
  barony. To many citizens he is the voice of Drakestaff, and 
  therefore just as guilty of crimes against the populace.
  Danain would dearly love to see the regent removed 
  from office and order restored to his homeland, but he 
  lacks the spine to take action. It doesn’t help that ev-
  erywhere he goes he is accompanied by a detachment 
  of four Black guardsmen. he knows Drakestaff’s claims 
  that they are present only to protect him against rebel-
  lious elements are lies; these men are there to ensure he 
  toes the official line, and execute him should he fail.
  lIBerAtor hAnsIne Ap-rIton
  The sole paladin of haptsönir in the barony, hansine 
  is a young women filled with righteous fury and the over-
  whelming desire to end tyranny. A native of chalcis, she 
  works by day at the Anvil and hammer, one of the inns in 
  the town of Blackstone set aside for outsiders. By night, 
  she dons an iron mask and actively fights against the 
  regent’s autocratic rule. She has contact with the Lord’s 
  Men, but is not a member.
  knowing that a death sentence awaits her should she 
  be caught, she is extremely suspicious of everyone, even 
  her most trusted allies. unfortunately, her fiery red hair, 
  shapely figure, and pleasant looks attract men like moths 
  to a flame. Since anyone she meets could be a spy for the 
  regent, she is cold and distant. Love is something she 
  has never experienced and, until Blackstone is free, she 
  likely never will. Such is the price she pays for helping to 
  ensure freedom for others.
  mAInet And foulque Ap-doolIn
  Mainet and Foulque are brothers, though they do not 
  share much resemblance. Mainet, the older by a year, is 
  short and overweight, with well-groomed brown hair and 
  dull brown eyes. his younger brother is a head taller, ath-
  letic, blond, and has gray eyes. There differences extend 
  beyond the physical to the spiritual, for while both are 
  clerics, Mainet is a priest of var and Foulque a paladin of 
  Nauthiz. Neither is especially charitable.
  Despite frequently quarreling over their religious 
  stances, the two work together to run the black market 
  in Blackstone. Mainet is a licensed iron ingot merchant 
  whose travels take him to Midmark and veermark, while 
  Foulque works as his chief waggoner. Both have official 
  papers permitting them to speak to outsiders, though 
  they are careful to keep discussions focused on trade un-
  less they know the outsider well.
  Together they purchase goods in neighboring lands, 
  smuggle them back into the barony (money always 
  greases the wheels of corruption), where they sell them 
  for vast profits. That they are profiteering from the abject 
  misery of others did not trouble either until recently, for 
  both their gods are fixated on acquiring wealth, not help-
  ing others.
  A month ago the pair fell out, though they still work 
  together. Mainet believes the status quo is good for 
  business despite the high taxes (there being little com-
  petition), while Foulque has developed something of a 
  conscience. he believes their smuggling “empire” can 
  be used to benefit the oppressed citizens by bringing in 
  food and weapons.
  sIr AcostAnt Ap-foIlAn
  Sir Acosant, one of Drakestaff’s newly-appointed 
  knights, plays a dangerous game. On one hand he is a 
  brutal lord who imposes the regent’s laws with a rod of 
  iron, and who displays great personal loyalty to his mas-
  ter, obeying orders to the letter, no matter how repulsive 
  he may find them. On the other hand, he is a secret 
  supporter of the Lord’s Men, funneling the organization 
  arms and money through various channels.
  Although he might appear altruistic at heart, Acostant, 
  a former mercenary commander, is merely hedging his 
  bets. If Drakestaff manages to remove Baron Pendel and 
  claim the throne, then he will turn on the Lord’s Men 
  in the hope of securing a greater title. Should Pendel 
  assume power, or the people ever rise up against their 
  cruel overlord, he has no qualms about assassinating 
  Drakestaff and using his ties with the Lord’s Men to ab-
  solve him of his wrongdoings while in office.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #28
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Baron Frostweaver proclaims Cul to be a land of freedom and opportunity, but that 
  gracious claim extends only to the frostborn. Members of other races are subjected to high 
  taxes, harsh punishments, and severe beatings. As Cul grows stronger, the neighboring 
  realms watch in anticipation, for many suspect the usurper plans to unleash his armies 
  upon them in the near future. And yet at the same time they must play a game of appease-
  ment, for Cul commands a small but important trade road. This supplement expands on 
  material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Atmosphere
  Cul is both a civilized realm, meaning that it is suitable as a hero’s homeland, and a 
  monstrous one. While the baron and his army of thugs treat frostborn moderately well, 
  they beat, humiliate, and persecute the other races who inhabit Cul.
  Visitors, such as the heroes, can expect an icy welcome (no pun intended) unless they 
  are frostborn, hrimwisards, or servants of Thrym. While strangers are rarely attacked on 
  sight, they are subjected to poor treatment, insults, and open displays of hostility, at least 
  from the frostborn. At best, they may be treated with apathy, but such an occurrence is 
  growing rarer as racial hatred eats deeper into the populace’s hearts and souls. In many 
  cases the insults are delivered by rote, displaying intolerance due to perceived persecution 
  of all frostborn. While it is true many frostborn are mistrusted and mistreated, this is not 
  a universal truth. However, so powerful has been Frostweaver’s indoctrination that few of 
  Cul’s frostborn will even listen to claims to the contrary, calling them malicious lies spread 
  by servants of Kenaz and Sigel, gods who, the locals claim, demand the sacrifice of their 
  kin. Servants of these heat-loving gods are fair targets for physical assault, for their cults 
  are banned in Cul.
  Among the Anari, Saxa, and tiny engro population there is fear and hatred, though not 
  in equal measure. Many have had their wills broken and are now little better than slaves, 
  obeying orders out of fear of being beaten, arrested, or killed on the spot. Such individu-
  als will defer to any frostborn, calling him “sir” or “lord,” never looking him in the face, 
  and accepting any scolding for perceived wrongdoings without reply. Yet in others there 
  grows a seething ocean of bitter hatred. Though they try to hide their loathing, it can be 
  seen in their eyes and heard in the inflections of their speech. One spark might not erupt 
  a powder keg of reprisals, but it may be enough to shatter the illusion that the frostborn 
  have subdued the other races.
  31229
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 2 9 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  BArony of cul
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  socIAl hIerArchy
  In days of yore, when the Anari dominated the 
  Hearthlands, slavery was institutionalized. And yet slaves 
  were rarely treated that poorly, for they were a financial 
  investment, not something to be squandered. Yes, there 
  were always those who were treated better than others, 
  and no slave had any real rights, but they were at least 
  allowed a degree of dignity. Cul does not legally allow 
  slavery, yet those not born frostborn are in many ways 
  worse off than in the age of the empire.
  Frostweaver has swept aside the old governmental 
  system and imposed himself as an autocratic baron. That 
  he chose the lowly title of baron tells something of his 
  early personality, for he could easily have proclaimed 
  himself count, duke, or king. despite having a firm grip 
  on power, Frostweaver appears to have little interest in 
  a grander title.
  The baron leaves much of the governance of the land 
  to his lieutenants, each of whom carries the official title 
  of knight. The baron allows them great leeway is picking 
  their own titles, though none are foolish enough to elect 
  a title grander than their overlord. They wield immense 
  power over those they command, for so long as they 
  enact the baron’s laws and ensure society runs smoothly, 
  they have a free hand to run their domains as they see 
  fit.
  ranking below the new nobility are the clerics of 
  Hrimheorte, who form a separate social class from the 
  rest of the populace. They are accorded great respect by 
  the frostborn community, and even the knights are loathe 
  to treat them with anything less than deference, for the 
  clergy have Frostweaver’s ear far more than they do.
  Cul’s upper class comprises rich landowners, power-
  ful merchants, master crafters, and hrimwisards. In the 
  middle class sit the bureaucrats, clerics of other accepted 
  gods, other mages, lesser landowners and businessmen, 
  and senior military officers. The lower class is formed by 
  every other frostborn, be they a soldier or laborer.
  Non-frostborn, regardless of apparent wealth, are a 
  sub-class ranking below the poorest frostborn. One of 
  Frostweaver’s first acts was to strip the Anari, Saxa, and 
  engro of their status. New laws forbid them from run-
  ning businesses or owning land, and give the state the 
  authority to seize their holdings and distribute them to 
  frostborn families. Although the seizures initially met 
  with resistance, the recent massacre of 100 peaceful 
  Anari demonstrators, and destruction of a row of shops 
  through arson, has quelled talk of further rebellion.
  While not quite slaves, they are paid a pittance, taxed 
  heavily, allowed few rights, and subjected to violent beat-
  ings and verbal abuse much of the time. even frostborn 
  who lived happily beside Anari neighbors have now 
  turned against them, for to show clemency to them is to 
  risk being branded a traitor to Cul.
  educAtIon
  Cul lacked a centralized population until Frostweaver 
  took power, and as a result it never boasted much of a 
  formal education system. Little has changed today, for 
  the population is still widely dispersed.
  Only frostborn are entitled to any form of official edu-
  cation, and that, for the most part, is limited to religious 
  instruction and indoctrination into the hatred showered 
  on frostborn by the other races. Frostweaver may have 
  only been in power for seven years, but there are many 
  frostborn adults who have already forgotten the truth 
  of his ascension. Many see him as a liberator who freed 
  them from Anari and Saxa domination, not a conqueror.
  Frostborn children born to non-frostborn are taken 
  from their families as soon as they are detected. They 
  are raised in the state orphanage, where they receive in-
  tense indoctrination. Older children when Frostweaver 
  became baron were immediately conscripted into the 
  army, thus removing them from the “fell influence” of 
  their biological parents.
  The first children born under Frostweaver’s harsh 
  rule will reach maturity in two years, and they will grow 
  to adulthood knowing nothing except the poison fed to 
  them. A new generation of frostborn will emerge with 
  nothing but hatred for the other races in their hearts, 
  and a desire to expand their homeland.
  While it is illegal for a frostborn to marry a non-frost-
  born, it is not illegal to sire a child with one. Frostweaver 
  has recently introduced a law that allows frostborn to 
  take (and the word “take” can be interpreted as far as 
  rules of the reAlm
  These setting rules apply in the Barony of Cul.
  * Second Class Citizens: Non-frostborn are treat-
  ed with disdain and contempt. All such characters 
  suffer a –2 Charisma penalty while in Cul. Non-
  frostborn hrimwisards suffer only a –1 penalty un-
  less they are in Frostweaver’s service, in which case 
  the penalty is ignored. Clerics of Thrym or any of 
  his associated minor gods ignore these penalties, 
  regardless of their race.
  Prices are increased by 25% if there are any non-
  frostborn in the party. The sale of armor and weap-
  ons to non-frostborn, or those who associate with 
  them, is prohibited by law.
  * Temperature: Although Cul sits in the Low Win-
  terlands, the presence of the great temple has an 
  adverse effect on the weather. While spring, sum-
  mer, and fall are unaffected, the winter tempera-
  tures use the High Winterlands entry instead.
  * Wanted: Any worshipper of Kenaz or Sigel or any 
  Hearth Knight discovered in Cul immediately gains 
  the Major Wanted Hindrance. Those who honor 
  Thunor receive the Minor Wanted Hindrance.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #29
  2
  
  the gM wishes) non-frostborn sexual partners, though 
  only for the purpose of reproduction. Since all children 
  of a frostborn will be of that racial stock, this ensures the 
  survival of the species.
  Most children learn from their families, though the 
  Anari and Saxa take care to teach their children Frost-
  weaver’s version of history, at least until the children are 
  old enough to be told the truth and trusted to keep their 
  mouth’s shut; speaking out against the official history is 
  a serious crime.
  relIGIon
  Since seizing control of Cul, Frostweaver has promot-
  ed Hrimheorte, the supposed god of the frostborn, to 
  the status of patron deity. Sadly for Cul and its neighbors, 
  Hrimheorte is none other than Thrym in disguise, and 
  the new cult is simply being used to further his aims. 
  While many frostborn openly honor Thrym, even in Cul, 
  the wintry god cares little for them, for his chief servants 
  are the frost giants.
  Hrimheorte’s rituals vary immensely from those 
  of Thrym. rather than fixating on bringing about the 
  Fumbulvintr or destruction of Kenaz and Sigel’s cults, 
  they promote frostborn as an unjustly persecuted race 
  because they alone have been chosen to survive the com-
  ing end of the world, and call upon the faithful to claim 
  what is rightfully their inheritance by force.
  Frostweaver is high priest of the fledgling faith, though 
  he is served by a number of priests and paladins. While 
  any frostborn may worship Hrimheorte, only frostborn 
  may take holy vows. Laity who openly support the cult 
  and attend services are given tax relief as an added boon. 
  Those who refuse to worship their race’s patron are 
  treated with great suspicion.
  Cul’s economy relies heavily on wild boar. As a result, 
  ullr alone has retained his status as an accepted deity 
  among the inhabitants of the barony. Since much of the 
  population is involved in meat production in some way 
  or another, ullr has plentiful worship.
  Of the other deities, the cults of Kenaz and Sigel are 
  outlawed. rewards are offered for information regarding 
  these cultists, who are regarded as the chief persecutors 
  of the frostborn. Common worshippers of these despised 
  gods are sentenced to hard labor for life, while clerics of 
  the faith face summary and public execution for being 
  “vehement enemies of all frostborn.”
  despite the draconian laws, both deities have worship-
  pers. Any day the sun shines, around any hearth, those 
  who despise their treatment by the frostborn of Cul wor-
  ship in secret. Worship remains very much individual, 
  for to gather in numbers is to invite suspicion, and in 
  Cul suspicions are acted upon with brutal efficiency, but 
  the flames of light and warmth are not yet dead in this 
  winter-worshipping realm
  Worshippers of Thunor, the god who summons the 
  south wind to battle the cold, is reviled, but his cult is 
  not technically outlawed. Followers are routinely ha-
  rassed, while clerics are arrested and sentenced to hard 
  labor for the “crimes” of their deity.
  Some worship of eostre Animalmother and Var oc-
  curs, though the cults are small; the boars so vital to the 
  economy are wild rather than domesticated, and Var’s 
  merchants see little profit in boar meat when there are 
  more profitable trade routes close by. Neither deity has a 
  temple. eostre has shrines in most communities (those 
  which rely on agriculture have one to her Plantmother 
  aspect), while Var has only a single shrine in the town of 
  Cul. Local merchants have petitioned the baron to erect 
  a small temple in the trade god’s honor, but the concerns 
  of merchants are of little interest to Frostweaver.
  despite the large army, worship of Tiw is scarce. 
  Hrimheorte covers a variety of aspects, one of which is 
  armed struggle. The cult of Hela, while banned here, has 
  its adherents. With executions commonplace, there is al-
  ways a good supply of corpses. Furthermore, during the 
  reign of the Liche-Priest, his armies held power in Cul. 
  The Boarback Hills conceal many secrets, perhaps an old 
  shrine or concealed temple in the dark queen’s honor. 
  Although Frostweaver knows Hela’s cultist are active in 
  his realm, he refuses to let the cult of Scaetha investigate, 
  for Scaetha once served Sigel, his god’s enemy.
  mIsconceptIons
  Frostweaver preaches racial hatred, twisting facts 
  to suit his needs and the wishes of his beloved deity. 
  Some of the common misconceptions held among Cul’s 
  frostborn are given below. gMs can use these to verbally 
  attack the party, whose beliefs are naturally misguided, 
  if not downright evil. Notes in brackets tell the truth 
  regarding these misconceptions.
  * Some of the Kenaz and Sigel’s rituals demand the 
  sacrifice of frostborn. [This is totally untrue, though 
  many clerics of these deities do mistrust, and often do 
  abuse, frostborn.]
  * The Hearth Knights, who honor Kenaz and Sigel 
  above all others, victimize frostborn, burning their homes 
  and deporting them from the civilized lands. Some even 
  claim there are special camps where frostborn are gath-
  ered before being burned alive by fiery spells. [Frostborn 
  are free to join the Hearth Knights, so long as they do not 
  worship Thrym. Few do, but that is their choice.]
  * The Hearth Knights have put a price on Frostweav-
  er’s head. [untrue. While they greatly mistrust him, and 
  fear he is an agent of Thrym on their doorstep, they have 
  yet to decide how best to deal with him.]
  * All frostborn are mistreated by others, who blame 
  them for bringing about the long winters. [Sadly this is 
  largely true, though it does vary immensely, and judging 
  an entire nation by the actions of a minority is just ar-
  rogant to say the least.]
  * The lengthening winters are a result of the other 
  races’ sins, the harsh winters being a divine punishment. 
  [untrue, though any talk that blames events on the other 
  races, and absolves frostborn, wins him followers.]
  BArony of cul
  
  
  mIlItAry
  Cul’s permanent army consists of a massive 21% of 
  the entire population, an extensive military force by any 
  standards. Only frostborn may serve in the army. The 
  army is divided into two factions.
  The barony has no independent militias. Instead, 
  members of the 1,000 strong Home guard are respon-
  sible for all internal security. From the largest town 
  down to the smallest stead, law and order is handled by 
  members of the Home guard. Members have only rudi-
  mentary military training, for in times of war they serve 
  as the reserves. They dispense rough justice, dishing out 
  beatings on a whim, though primarily to the non-frost-
  born denizens of the realm. Treat members of the Home 
  guard as typical watch, but armed with clubs in addition 
  to their other weapons. 
  The bulk of the army comprises medium infantry 
  divided into five regiments of 400 men apiece. These 
  regiments are in turn broken down into four companies 
  of 90 fighting men and a 40 man headquarters group. 
  every headquarters group consists of a standard bearer, 
  a trumpeter (for issuing commands), four hrimwisards, 
  four clerics of Hrimheorte, and 30 huscarls. A captain-at-
  arms commands each regiment, while each company is 
  led by a captain. every tenth man is a sergeant, respon-
  sible for overseeing the smallest military unit in Cul, the 
  ten-man patrol.
  Treat regular soldiers as common mercenaries, ex-
  cept they wear chain shirts instead of leather armor. use 
  veteran mercenary stats with the addition of the Com-
  mand edge for sergeants, and mercenary captain stats 
  for captains. Cul’s captains-at-arms use the stats for Wild 
  Card mercenary captains.
  Four of the companies are stationed along the bor-
  ders of the neighboring realms of Heldalund, Trond, 
  the Cairn Lands, and Heligioland. No army watches the 
  northern border, for Frostweaver has nothing to fear 
  from the inhabitants of the White drake Mountains.
  The fifth regiment is stationed in a fort outside Cul. 
  While not trained to fight as cavalry, every member is 
  mounted, allowing them to travel to any border with 
  greater speed. They spend much of their time patrolling 
  the Boarback Hills.
  Frostweaver’s personal guard, the White Cloaks, wear 
  plate armor and carry heavy shields. each rides a war-
  trained pygmy mammoth into battle. They are named for 
  their polar bear fur cloaks. Members are replaced only 
  rarely, and there is plenty of competition to join the elite 
  unit. When a vacancy occurs, candidates gather together 
  in the town of Cul. From here they must travel to the 
  High Winterlands, kill a polar bear unassisted, and re-
  turn with its fur. Many never return.
  In addition to these regular forces, Frostweaver keeps 
  a number of ferocious polar bears and mammoths. In 
  times of war, these beasts are unleashed to wreak havoc 
  on the enemy before the main army is set to work. It 
  is widely claimed Frostweaver has a Hellfrost dragon 
  mount, though if this is true he has yet to reveal it.
  trAde & trIBute
  Only one trade road, known as the Boar road, crosses 
  Cul. It begins in Trondavoe to the east, eventually joining 
  with the eastern trade road in Heligoland. despite the 
  trade road, Trond and Cul trade little with each other, 
  and most merchants departing Trondavoe are heading 
  for the richer markets in Heligioland and beyond. Still, 
  the two nations do have trade links, as Trondavoe serves 
  as Cul’s port (among other places).
  Cul imports oil (made from seal and whale blubber), 
  sea salt (which is used by the meat producers), and wine. 
  Most of these cargoes arrive via Trondavoe, where Cul’s 
  merchants have a number of large warehouses.
  For exports, Cul offers only boat meat. A wide range 
  of sausages, chops, ribs, steaks, and entrails are sold 
  fresh, smoked, and salted along the trade road. Most of 
  Cul’s native merchants travel only as far as Myre in Heli-
  gioland, selling to other merchants whose journeys take 
  them up, down, and across the great trade network.
  goods passing through Cul, rather than intended for 
  its markets, are charged 10% duty. Trond’s merchants 
  pay a mere 5% thanks to certain concessions granted 
  frostborn in that realm. exports are charged at a mere 
  3%. Frostborn merchants, regardless of nationality, pay 
  half these rates. As a result of this policy, many merchant 
  companies now appoint frostborn to oversee the Cul run. 
  This please Frostweaver, as it means his people are being 
  accorded greater positions of power in other lands.
  Taxation in Cul depends on one’s race and religious 
  persuasion. Frostborn typically pay around 35% of their 
  annual income in taxes, whereas those who actively sup-
  port the cult of Hrimheorte pay only around 25%. Non-
  frostborn are hit for taxes in the region of 60%.
  ArchItecture
  Before Frostweaver, Cul was a frontier land settled 
  by just 6,000 souls, split between the Anari and Saxa in 
  almost equal number. The landscape was dotted with 
  traditional Saxa steads and small Anari villages and 
  farms, none numbering more than 200 souls. Cul was an 
  important settlement because of its location, but it was 
  still just a village.
  The frostborn, being descended from all the races 
  and scarcely 100 years old as a race, have yet to define 
  a unique culture. As such, new buildings in Cul borrow 
  heavily from all the races. Many are of straightforward An-
  ari and Saxa design, yet there are architectural elements 
  from the frost dwarves, elves, and even engro in their 
  architecture. Thus, the homes of frostborn elves (hearth 
  or taiga) may sport leaf motifs, those of frost dwarf stock 
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #29
  
  
  may be partially underground, and engro frostborn still 
  reside in traditional caravans. What they all share is a dis-
  tinct lack of insulation, for the cold affects them less and 
  that, they claim, is one of the reasons they— and they 
  alone— are chosen to survive the endless winter.
  mAjor locAles
  The following locations expand the adventuring lo-
  cales in Barony of Cul.
  cul
  Hrimwisard Academy: Frostweaver’s plan to open 
  an academy devoted to teaching the arts of hrimwisards 
  has reached maturity. All frostborn children in Cul are 
  currently being tested for magical aptitude. Those who 
  show promise are forced to attend the academy, where 
  their true potential is studied further. Frostweaver hopes 
  that within a few years his army will be swelled by masses 
  of hrimwisards, giving him a vital edge in his plans for 
  further conquest.
  the fIckle forest
  While much of the Boarback Hills is covered in light 
  forest, the eastern slopes are more densely wooded. This 
  area has long been known as the Fickle Forest. Paths 
  that exist one day may vanish not just overnight but in 
  the blink of an eye, leaving travelers stranded far from 
  the beaten path. The trees, while never moving in front 
  of visitors, do move, or so the story goes, for many a 
  hunter has claimed to mark the bark so as to find his way 
  through the dense vegetation only to retrace his route 
  and find no trace of his marks.
  The Fickle Forest is home to a powerful fey lord 
  known as the Tusked King. He dislikes intruders, espe-
  cially those who come looking for boars. While he could 
  be a powerful ally to those opposed to Frostweaver, he 
  has no interest in mortal politics. One legend concern-
  ing the Tusked King claims he has an albino boar, which 
  roams the forest. In days past, a local hero captured the 
  boar and demanded the king perform him a service, and 
  it would be released. Should this be true, perhaps the 
  king can be persuaded to help Cul’s oppressed peoples.
  pArAxus, lost cIty of
  Although far from the center of the former Heligi 
  homeland, Paraxus, which lies on the southern slopes 
  of the Boarback Hills, was once an important city. It 
  served as both a center of learning for scholars, priests, 
  and mages, and as a retreat for those tired of the endless 
  politics of the royal court. Amid the stone houses of the 
  workers and scribes stood finely-sculpted marble edi-
  fices, temples, schools, and repositories of knowledge. 
  Statues of the gods and kings lined the streets, a constant 
  reminder that all mortals answered to two powers; one 
  temporal and one divine.
  Although it covered a square mile and housed a popu-
  lation numbering almost a thousand, the city lacked many 
  of the industries required to make it self sufficient. What 
  few industries it claimed were focused on the needs of 
  the scholars. Thus, while there were parchment and vel-
  lum workshops, inkmakers, and metalworkers capable 
  of making jewelry and ornate book clasps, there were 
  no foundries or smithies. even common crafters like 
  potters were in short supply. Paraxus imported virtually 
  everything it required to exist, the city being funded by 
  educational fees and donations from wealthy patrons.
  The inner city, once protected by a stout wall, was the 
  home of the rich and learned, while the citizens huddled 
  together in the undefended suburbs. When a great and 
  unknown army swept down from the north, Paraxus’ 
  small garrison was ill-equipped to withstand the assault. 
  even the presence of many mages and priests could do 
  nothing to stem the tide, and with the army ravaging the 
  entire Heligi domain, no city could spare troops to aid in 
  Paraxus’ defense.
  Seeking neither treasure nor captives, the invaders 
  laid waste the city in a short-lived reign of destruction 
  and terror. Thousands of innocents were butchered 
  mercilessly, their bodies left among the ruined build-
  ings which once formed their proud city. Of the great 
  treasures the city once housed, the great majority were 
  destroyed, for no one save the warriors or the icy army 
  left Paraxus alive. Treasure hunters scavenged the ruins 
  over the intervening centuries, finding the occasional 
  relic or stash of coins. These days, as far as anyone is 
  concerned, Paraxus is simply another ruin, a reminder of 
  the ancient times.
  Areas of Paraxus, including the subterranean ruins, 
  are explored in greater detail in adventure S2 Lost City 
  of Paraxus.
  persons of note
  The following persons of note may cross paths with 
  the heroes during their time in Cul.
  Ashen BlAde metunnIA stArforGe
  until the end of the past summer the only violence 
  in Cul was that meted out by the baron’s thugs. So safe 
  were the roads, that merchant caravans travelled with 
  minimal escorts. But now things have changed. Attacks 
  on caravans, army patrols, and remote steads have left 
  dozens of frostborn dead, all scorched by fire.
  Born to a noble Magocratic family, Metunnia felt the 
  calling of Kenaz in her youth. Forsaking her magical 
  studies, and earning the scorn of her family, she joined 
  the priesthood, pledging loyalty to Kenaz and swearing 
  to help defeat Thrym at any cost. After hearing reports of 
  the persecution in Cul, she set out to see what she could 
  BArony of cul
  
  
  do. What she heard from the lucky few who managed to 
  escape before the baron’s grip tightened appalled her.
  For six months she wandered the surrounding na-
  tions, gathering evidence and slowly building up a small 
  force of refugees who had lost everything they owned 
  when Frostweaver’s army seized power, or who had rela-
  tives trapped in the troubled realm. Then, when she felt 
  ready, she began raiding.
  Metunnia never liked frostborn, but now her hatred 
  has reached deadly levels. She feels no guilt when killing 
  them, and shows absolutely no mercy. Her actions have, 
  in some instances, been extreme enough to frighten 
  those who serve her, and they have little love for the 
  frostborn. Many of her closest allies fear she will only 
  cease her crusade, for such it has become to the paladin, 
  once every frostborn in Cul is dead.
  Frostweaver has issued a proclamation promising 
  that for every frostborn killed, five non-frostborn will be 
  executed. So far he has been good to his word. Metunnia 
  uses his vengeful act as further proof of the evil nature of 
  all frostborn, yet her soldiers think otherwise; it is their 
  families that are suffering, not hers.
  Brother Icestorm
  A drifter before being recruited by Frostweaver, 
  Icestorm, a frostborn, became a cleric of Hrimheorte 
  once the conquest of Cul was complete. At first he was 
  dedicated to the baron’s ideal of a homeland for the 
  frostborn where they could live free of persecution. He 
  believed wholeheartedly that the non-frostborn would 
  be free to leave and start afresh somewhere new, leaving 
  the frostborn to found a new nation. Instead, he has seen 
  atrocities committed against people enslaved in all but 
  name, and heard the rhetoric about enacting revenge for 
  a century of hatred.
  Icestorm isn’t an idealist by any stretch of the imagi-
  nation; he knows there will always be hatred of people 
  different to one’s own. What he cannot fathom is what 
  Frostweaver wants to achieve, for preaching hatred only 
  causes already open wounds to fester, fuelling the cycle 
  of hatred and revenge to greater levels of barbarism. 
  unwilling to speak out publicly, Icestorm does what 
  he can to alleviate the suffering of the other races in Cul. 
  He steals from the temple treasury and gives it to the 
  poor, provides food and medicine when he can, and 
  passes on information regarding loved ones in other 
  settlements or beyond the borders. 
  sword knIGht cAthAl whItemAne
  Frostweaver’s conquest of Cul was initially ignored by 
  the Hearth Knights. Once his reign was stabilized and his 
  agenda made clear, the knights were spurred into hur-
  ried action. While emissaries conduct delicate negotia-
  tions with the Cairn Lands’ government to build a new 
  fort on their border with Cul, agents were dispatched to 
  infiltrate Frostweaver’s nation.
  Sir Cathal, a frostborn of Tuomi heritage, was among 
  the first to volunteer. He entered Cul three years ago, 
  posing as a displaced frostborn seeking a home. Over the 
  last year his reports have grown more and more sporadic, 
  and no word has been heard from him in three months. 
  The Hearth Knights suspect he has been captured, but 
  they lack intelligence on his whereabouts.
  Sir Cathal is in fact alive and well. After serving in 
  the army and earning a position as a sergeant, he was 
  accepted into Frostweaver’s elite bodyguard unit, the 
  White Cloaks, five months ago. Initially set on assassinat-
  ing the renegade frostborn if the opportunity arose, he is 
  currently unsure where his loyalties lie.
  Like many frostborn he has suffered persecution, 
  even during his early days in the Hearth Knights, where 
  many questioned his motives. Frostweaver may speak of 
  vengeance and bloodshed, but he is a charismatic leader, 
  and Sir Cathal is close to being swayed to his side. If 
  this happens, he might choose to reveal the identities of 
  other Hearth Knights working undercover in Cul.
  why come here?
  Cul may technically be a civilized realm, but it isn’t 
  one most heroes would chose to visit. The majority of 
  the population will hate them simply because they are 
  different, and the minority, with whom they likely share 
  common cultural bonds, is too afraid to help them. So 
  what could bring the adventurers to the Barony of Cul?
  * Orders. The existence of Cul is a thorn in the sides of 
  the Hearth Knights and the cults of Kenaz, who is opposed 
  to all things winter-related, and Thunor, who is against 
  any form of oppression. Heroes allied to these organiza-
  tions may be ordered into Cul for a variety of reasons, 
  They may be asked to gather intelligence, rescue a lost 
  comrade, free an important non-frostborn, commit acts 
  of sabotage or launch guerilla raids. In many instances, 
  their mission will involve slaying frostborn— frostborn 
  who may be innocent of any crime except believing the 
  word of Frostweaver.
  * Passing Through. Few right-minded people volun-
  tarily pass through Cul. While it is the shortest route from 
  Heligioland to Trond and Heldalund (unless one fancies 
  crossing into the Liche Lands), it is far from the safest, 
  especially for non-frostborn. Heroes prone to respond-
  ing to threats with violence will quickly find themselves 
  hunted by Frostweaver’s army as enemies of the state.
  * Personal reasons. Frostweaver has been in power 
  for a mere seven years. That means any hero, even one 
  with the Young Hindrance, could have been born in Cul 
  before the troubles. even if a character was born in a 
  more distant realm, his family might have extended kin 
  living under the yoke of frostborn tyranny.
  * exploration. Never truly settled by any culture be-
  fore or after the Blizzard War, Cul nevertheless has many 
  ruins, such as Paraxus. The Boarback Hills and foothills 
  of the Whitedrake Mountains could conceal any number 
  of old structures worth an expedition.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #29
  
  
  IntroductIon
  The small barony of Trond is a vital link in the Low Winterlands’ trade network, yet it is 
  one which enjoys only a fragile existence. Effectively held to ransom by neighboring Cul, 
  resentment is growing at the expanding power of the frostborn. Racial tension simmers 
  just below the surface, but it could easily spill out into open aggression. This supplement 
  expands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Although Trond is technically a barony, the barons have wielded no real power since 
  the local Saxa revolted shortly after the Blizzard War. As part of the settlement intended to 
  prevent a civil war, the baron would serve as a figurehead while a council of elected free-
  men actually ruled. While this did represent a near-total loss of power, the barons retained 
  the prestige of the title and had more free time to engage in leisurely pursuits.
  Trond has no other noble titles, for aside from the barons there are no hereditary posi-
  tions. It does, however, have social classes. As in many other realms, exactly where one sits 
  on the social ladder depends primarily on one’s intended peers. If a merchant is invited 
  to high-society functions, then he is likely in the upper class. Thus, the divisions are highly 
  blurred in many instances.
  All citizens in Trond are free men, and have been for centuries. Except for those branded 
  outlaws, all men and women over the age of adulthood (14, as in most realms) may own 
  their own land and businesses, vote in elections and stand for council seats, attend the 
  regional moots, possess weapons, and so on.
  Filling the upper class are the wealthy farmers and shepherds, important merchants, 
  and many senior clerics. Although any citizen may own land, laws were introduced to 
  prevent a land grab and curb violent attempts to snatch other people’s claims. First, all 
  unclaimed land must be purchased from the baron, the official landowner. Prices are set by 
  the council, however. Second, the land must be actively used. A set of complex guidelines 
  determine how many sheep, crops, or houses must be built on the land in order for it to 
  be claimed. If these guidelines are broken, the land reverts back to the baron.
  Lower-grade clerics, mages, merchants in general, shop owners, military command-
  ers, guild masters, master crafters, important bureaucrats serving the council, and so 
  on dominate the middle classes. In essence, anyone with a trade that brings in a decent 
  31230
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 3 0 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  Barony of trond
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  income or who holds a position others wish to be as-
  sociated with is middle class. Everyone else falls into the 
  lower classes. For the most part, these are farmers and 
  shepherds who either tend their own land or work for a 
  richer landowner (still as free men, of course), laborers, 
  dock workers, junior bureaucratic post holders, shop 
  workers, and the like.
  tHe councIl
  The council comprises 21 members, elected by the 
  people of Trond every five years. of these 20 are voting 
  seats, meaning the councilors can vote on matters put 
  before them. The remaining seat is the chairman. he 
  votes only if there is deadlock. The commander-in-chief 
  of the army sits on the council, but only in an advisory 
  capacity. unless military business is being discussed, he 
  rarely attends meetings. As noted elsewhere, the baron 
  may call business or summon them to session, but he has 
  no voting power.
  Individual posts on the council are decided internally 
  rather than by public consensus. The major posts are the 
  chairman, treasurer, assessor (responsible for collecting 
  taxes), clerk (maintains the records), and the marketman 
  (the council’s advisor to the temple of var).
  Because the councilors are landowners, they have 
  duties and responsibilities outside of council business. 
  To lessen the need for travel, the council meets for one 
  week in Plohmonan, two weeks during Werremonan, 
  and for a week during Falmonan.
  tHe law
  While the council legislates the law, it does not 
  hold court except when a crime is against Trond as a 
  nation. No one living today can ever recall the council 
  convening for this purpose. Instead, Trond is divided 
  into 21 districts. until 15 years ago the boundaries of 
  each district varied, for each was centered around one 
  of the council members’ estates. With no new councilors 
  elected in decades (every member is of advanced age), it 
  was decided to fix the district boundaries forever. Each 
  district is known simply as a ward.
  Within the ward justice is handled by way of a moot, 
  a gathering of all free men living in that district. The 
  moot convenes every month on Raestdaeg, though un-
  less there is pressing business the event is an excuse for 
  a market and a dance. Every year, the citizens elect 12 
  doomsmen. doomsmen are the equivalent to lawyers, 
  juror, and judges rolled into one. They must swear a 
  sacred oath to hothar to be honest in matters of law.
  The doomsmen judge all crimes except those few 
  overseen by the council, even capital offenses. Trond 
  has no prisons, nor does it have the death penalty. many 
  cases are settled by the payment of weregild, but the 
  court can pass down a sentence of outlawing, the most 
  serious punishment in the land.
  outlaws are given one week to put their affairs in 
  order and leave Trond. After this time, they may be killed 
  on sight without their killer having to face justice. out-
  lawing may be for a fixed period, with a minimum of one 
  year, or for life.
  educatIon
  While Trond once boasted a fine maritime academy 
  and a temple to hoenir, these have been consigned to 
  history, the once magnificent buildings nothing but an-
  other set of crumbling ruins in Trondavoe’s suburbs.
  many communities operate primitive schools. young 
  children gather daily for a few hours in the homes of one 
  of the elders to learn about Trond’s culture, history, and 
  laws from those who have experienced them first hand, 
  and to practice their reading and writing. most children 
  learn their cultural language first, with Trader being the 
  second language for many. Those with the aptitude typi-
  cally pick up the second human tongue next.
  As the child grows, so less time is spent in academic 
  study and more time spent learning his future occupa-
  tion. For most, this means working the fields and tending 
  the flocks by the age of ten. While the citizens of Trond 
  know much about their homeland, they are largely igno-
  rant of knowledge that does not directly concern them.
  The temple of var operates a basic academy, though it 
  is primarily concerned with matters that relate to trade. 
  here one can learn about other nations, their geography, 
  laws, and languages. The service is not free, for var has 
  no interest in charity work or passing on knowledge 
  purely for the sake of learning.
  The temple of Neorthe operates a similar scheme 
  relating to seamanship. Little theoretical lore is studied. 
  Instead, the apprentice signs onto a ship registered with 
  the temple, learning the practical aspects at the same 
  time as earning a few scields.
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in the Barony of Trond.
  * Frostborn: While frostborn in Trond are treat-
  ed better than in many other realms, there is still 
  some discrimination. Frostborn characters lose the 
  outsider hindrance when in Trond. however, due 
  to the general mistrust, they still suffer a –1 Cha-
  risma penalty.
  * No Nobles: Native characters from Trond with 
  the Noble Edge do not possess an actual noble ti-
  tle. Rather, the Edge represents being related to 
  a wealthy landowner, merchant, cleric, or other 
  member of high society, or actually that position. 
  All the regular benefits remain in play, but there is 
  no possibility of obtaining greater status, at least 
  not in Trond.
  * Trading Center: Treat Trondavoe as a city with 
  regard to the availability of common goods.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #30
  
  
  relIGIon
  Trond was colonized by the Anari purely as a trading 
  center, a role it continues in the present day. While few 
  citizens are actively engaged in mercantile activities, var 
  is the most popular deity. Everyone knows that without 
  the regular trade caravans the barony would quickly 
  wither and die, or worse, fall to the army of Cul. Some 
  murmur that its trade could actually be its downfall, see-
  ing Cul as a greedy, aggressive neighbor which would 
  dearly love to control the port.
  The only temple to var stands in Trondavoe. Raised by 
  the Anari, the sprawling edifice has survived largely intact 
  thanks to its position near the docks, which were never 
  abandoned by the inhabitants. There are two important 
  shrines to the god of trade elsewhere in Trond. The first 
  is located in vox, where it serves as the focus of the fish 
  market, and the second is on the border with Cul, allow-
  ing merchants to say a final prayer before heading off to 
  foreign markets.
  var’s clergy have wealth and political influence, but 
  they are rarely elected to the council. Because of the way 
  the electoral system works, citizens tend to vote for their 
  local wealthy farmer or shepherd, since they know him 
  and trust him as a neighbor, to represent their common 
  interests. As merchants, var’s clergy fill a vital role in so-
  ciety, but without a powerbase of voters to call upon they 
  have little hope of ever being elected.
  Neorthe is the second most popular deity in terms of 
  worshippers. much of the nation’s trade enters and exits 
  Trond via ship, making the whale road an important part 
  of daily life even for those living inland. Although the 
  only temple stands in Trondavoe, vox, a major fishing 
  port, boasts an elaborate shrine (see page 6). 
  Both aspects of Eostre are honored, though Animal-
  mother has the upper hand in numbers of worshippers. 
  A few small temples to her exist outside the main towns, 
  but none are custom built. Rather, they are part of the 
  framework of milking and shearing sheds, and com-
  munal root cellars. despite a lack of formal temples, 
  the clergy holds great political power, for many are rich 
  farmers and herders.
  Tiw is worshipped by many members of the military, 
  though because the army is small his cult lacks political 
  influence. Freo has two shrines, one in the temple of 
  Neorthe and another beside the var shrine on the Cul 
  border, but most citizens pay him little regard; only 
  those who must travel outside the borders bother to 
  offer prayers or sacrifices. While all the citizens value 
  justice and law, hothar’s name is only invoked in court 
  cases, at the start of council meetings, or when making 
  a personal oath. 
  Trond survived the reign of the Liche-Priest more by 
  dint of its geographic location and the fell prince’s desire 
  to strike down Chalcis and Aspiria, than because of its 
  army. Trond was more densely populated in those days, 
  and many lives were lost as the army struggled to stem 
  the lifeless tide. As the end drew near and the Liche-Priest 
  sensed his demise, he made plans for his second coming. 
  In secret, his minions created a retreat in what was then 
  the southern hills of heldalund. After Trond’s expansion 
  to capture the land around Trondavoe, that site now lies 
  in the barony.
  mIlItary
  While the Anari and Saxa cultures are roughly equal 
  in terms of population, it is the Anari model the council 
  chose for the barony’s army. much has already been said 
  on Trond’s small but professional army in the Hellfrost 
  Gazetteer, and that information is not repeated here.
  Each captain is assisted by two sergeants, one for the 
  infantry and another serving with the cavalry detachment. 
  The latter carries the title sergeant-of-horse to differenti-
  ate him when giving orders. This is the total extent of the 
  command structure in each company. When a company’s 
  forces must be divided, such as when on patrol or serv-
  ing to protect a community, an experienced veteran is 
  given command of one of the smaller forces. he has no 
  official title, but he carries the authority of his sergeant.
  Trond’s small army receives a lot of council money. 
  While in some nations this might result in overpaid 
  peacocks strutting around in fine uniforms, in Trond 
  the money is spent more practically on arms and armor. 
  Each cavalryman is equipped with a chain hauberk, large 
  shield, lance, and long sword or battle axe.
  With regard to the infantry, 80 men in each com-
  pany have chain shirts, medium shields, and either long 
  swords or battle axes. Every fifth man carries a short bow 
  and a quiver of 20 arrows. The remaining 20 men, who 
  form the center of the shieldwall (defensive) or charge 
  (offensive), wear chain hauberks and have large shields. 
  Each man also carries three throwing axes.
  With two of Trond’s five companies are stationed in 
  Trondavoe, another in vox, and the remaining two scat-
  tered over land belonging to the council members, the 
  barony’s borders are largely unprotected. Patrols make 
  occasional sweeps, but they never wander far from their 
  permanent base for long.
  In all honesty, there is little for them to worry about. 
  heldalund is in no state to try and reclaim the land 
  around the port, not that it shows any inclination to do 
  so, the Cairn Lands is non-expansionistic and has few 
  population centers anywhere near the border where 
  troops could muster, and Cul, if it ever chose to invade, 
  can call upon a standing army five times larger than that 
  of Trond. Better, the council thinks, to defend the settle-
  ments from the occasional roaming bandit gang than 
  have the troops isolated out on the borders watching 
  over the grasslands. With most of the major settlements 
  lined up along the trade road, this does mean the wilds 
  are largely unprotected. While it is true every settlement 
  boasts a militia, they have no interest in doing anything 
  other than protecting their homes.
  Barony of trond
  3
  
  trade & trIBute
  Trond may sit at the end of just a single trade road, 
  but that road is part of the greater network spanning the 
  length and breadth of the eastern Low Winterlands. This 
  branch of the road is known locally as the Port Road, for 
  it begins at the harbor in Trondavoe. Though fairly insig-
  nificant in the grand scale of continental trade, Tronda-
  voe is an important maritime link, with ships calling in 
  from ostmark, hengist, and when the ice allows, from 
  distant Iceport.
  Trond’s rich citizens are keen to display their wealth, 
  furnishing their homes with expensive, imported artwork 
  (such as tapestries and wood carvings), and wearing gold 
  and silver jewelry. While the nation is roughly evenly di-
  vided between Anari and Saxa, there is little cultural bias 
  when it comes to displaying wealth. While some of this 
  lack of bias does stem from having integrated cultures, 
  there is also political astuteness involved; an Anari seen 
  wearing Saxa style jewelry is making a political statement 
  that he supports both cultures.
  With only hardy root vegetables suited to Trond’s poor 
  agricultural land, grain must be imported from ostmark. 
  About half the cargo is destined for local markets, with 
  the remainder sold on to settlements in the Winterlands. 
  Likewise, the windswept lowlands grow only stunted 
  trees, forcing the locals to import building quality tim-
  ber. Fortunately, there is a large supply of stone lying 
  around the crumbling suburbs of Trondavoe.
  Aside from funneling trade through its port, Trond 
  exports a great deal of wool. Trond may lack the soil 
  for good food crops, but it has proven ideal for certain 
  plants. As such, much of the exported wool is dyed. The 
  rarer the color, the more expensive the wool.
  Trondavoe serves as the main harbor for Cul, heli-
  gioland, and Seithrby. Since the rise of Cul, which effec-
  tively controls the eastern trade route, heligioland and 
  Seithrby have grown increasingly concerned over the 
  possibility of Cul invading Trond and seizing the harbor. 
  If this were to happen, Frostweaver could impose even 
  higher duties or close the trade road altogether. While 
  this would not be entirely disastrous thanks to the lon-
  ger overland routes available through hellfrost Pass, it 
  would nonetheless hamper trade.
  Additionally, the imposing of heavier duties on mer-
  chants other than those of Cul make it less profitable 
  for other merchants to buy directly from the ships in 
  Trondavoe.
  Trade delegations from heligioland and Seithrby have 
  been in Trond for the past four months trying to hammer 
  out some sort of agreement. While Trond is reluctant to 
  do anything to upset Frostweaver, its trading partners 
  want Trond to pass on the reduction in duty it enjoys 
  to their merchants. While all the governments would 
  dearly love to have extra troops stationed in the capital, 
  heligioland has no standing army and Seithrby’s army is 
  too small to divide among other realms.
  The citizens of Trond, while free men, are expected to 
  pay taxes. There are both national and local taxes.
  Council Tax: Every citizen pays 30% of his or her 
  income directly to the council. These monies are used 
  to pay the army, and maintain the trade road and harbor. 
  Council tax is collected quarterly.
  Duties: Because Trond needs trade to survive it is very 
  generous with its trade duties. All imports are charged a 
  flat 4%, as are exports. Local exports are charged at the 
  lower rate of 2%. half a percent of the duty goes to the 
  temple of var, since most trade is conducted there.
  Local Tax: Every citizen pays 5% of his annual in-
  come to his local community. This money helps pay for 
  the militia and maintain any fortifications.
  Poll Tax: Every adult citizen who wishes to vote at a 
  council election pays 1 gold scield to the council trea-
  sury. This is paid on the day of the election only.
  Trade Tax: Trond does not charge sales tax. Instead, 
  families pay 10 gs a year to the council. one-quarter is 
  given to the temple of var as a communal offering.
  arcHItecture
  In a land of remote farmsteads and small villages 
  dominated by the Anari and Saxa peoples, one might 
  expect to find predominantly wooden buildings, such as 
  in the marklands. Not so in Trond. Building timber is in 
  short supply and expensive to import, whereas the ruins 
  of Trondavoe are a veritable quarry of building stone.
  over the centuries, the traditional wooden homes 
  that once adorned the countryside have given way to 
  drystone buildings. house shapes vary, though the Saxa 
  rectangle and squarer Anari designs remain the most 
  popular, but nearly all are single storey stone structures. 
  most roofs are sods of turf placed over driftwood beams 
  or supported on stone columns with wide slabs at the 
  top, and earth is often packed against the outer walls 
  in steep banks for insulation against the biting winters. 
  Windows are scarce, and when they exist they are usually 
  thin slits high up the walls. They are more for ventilation 
  than to let in light.
  Stone recovered from the battered ruins is not just a 
  handy construction material, but also a form of decora-
  tion. many murals and carvings adorned the more pres-
  tigious buildings of Trondavoe of old, and today these 
  blocks, or at least partial remnants of them, face inward 
  into family homes. Possessing a high quality decoration 
  is seen as a sign of status and artistic taste.
  Without a ready supply of wood, homes are heated by 
  burning dried animal dung. While not as heat efficient as 
  wood, it is readily available for free, if one is willing to 
  get one’s hands dirty, that is. In the towns, where keep-
  ing flocks of sheep is now prohibited following an unfor-
  tunate incident with an elderly council member and an 
  overly amorous ram that took a fancy to his sheepskin 
  cloak, dung can be purchased for a few gold scields per 
  hundredweight (112 lbs, or 51 kg).
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #30
  
  
  major localeS
  To be honest, Trond isn’t the most interesting place to 
  visit, though adventurers with more on their minds than 
  simply looting will find places of interest to explore and 
  things to do if they look hard enough.
  tHe Skull SHrIne
  high in the hills of northern Trond, right on the bor-
  der with heldalund, is a dark shrine dedicated to hela 
  and her eternal servant, the Liche-Priest. The site only 
  came to light three years ago, when wildfire swept the 
  remote peaks, devouring the vegetation. The few settlers 
  dwelling in the region claim the fire was not natural, in-
  sisting it burnt with a pale green, lighting up the skyline 
  for many leagues and causing the air to be filled with a 
  terrible wailing sound.
  The council duly dispatched an army patrol to in-
  vestigate. The captain-of-arms and his detachment all 
  made sworn testimonies they found nothing out of the 
  ordinary. They lied. What they found disturbed them to 
  their very core, and each man vowed never to speak of 
  the events, for each knew that the council would only 
  demand further investigation, and none of them could 
  stomach the thought.
  Surrounding the location was a picket fence made of 
  human bone. While many of the bones were blackened 
  by fire, it was evident the posts were lashed together by 
  withered sinew, though whether it was of man or beast 
  the soldiers could not determine. As they broke through 
  the fence, the wind turned chill and the stench of death 
  filled the air, causing many of them to retch.
  Beyond stood columns of grinning skulls, each as tall 
  as a man and arranged in the form of the Auld Saxa rune 
  of death. Though the entire sight was disturbing, what 
  sickened the men to their core were the top most skulls, 
  for they were no more than a few year’s old judging by 
  the weathering on the others.
  The captain and his men have maintained their si-
  lence, though whether their secret will remain hidden 
  much longer is doubtful. Something dark is stalking 
  northern Trond, and two farmsteads have been found 
  abandoned— yet with all the families’ possessions intact. 
  The council is blaming troublemakers in heldalund, but 
  the soldiers suspect differently, for they desecrated the 
  site, damaging several of the columns before hurrying 
  away as a sudden mist rose.
  trondavoe
  Cuthbert’s Ship Chandlers: Cuthbert Eriksunu runs 
  a successful ship chandlery (a shop supplying essential 
  equipment for ships) near the docks. Every day a ship 
  spends in dock is a day’s less wages for the crew and 
  another day before cargoes reach their destinations. 
  Cuthbert is adept at fulfilling orders in record time, even 
  procuring hard to get items with relative ease. To ensure 
  captains remember him, he rebates 5% of the invoice 
  total to the ship’s crew.
  A collector of oddities, Cuthbert also has a large quan-
  tity of salvage for sale at reasonable prices. much of it 
  is junk, but sometimes he has unusual objects in store. 
  he is currently looking for help in recovering an object 
  stolen from his shop some six weeks ago. Late one night, 
  thieves broke in and stole a tall copper jar marked in a 
  strange script and sealed with resin-hard wax.
  Cuthbert had grown quite attached to the piece, which 
  was a talking point with customers, though he doubts it 
  is of little intrinsic value, perhaps being a wine or oil 
  storage container lost overseas in a storm. This is what 
  puzzles him most, for the thieves ignored more valuable 
  objects that could be sold on the docks in minutes. While 
  he is loathe to admit it, he refused to ever open the jar, 
  sensing that doing so would be a very bad idea.
  The Sea Chest: The largest inn in Trondavoe looks 
  like a typical sailor’s haunt from the outside, its walls 
  cracked and slates missing from the roof. Inside, though, 
  it is well-appointed and spotlessly clean. The innkeeper, 
  hereswith Ethelredsdohtor, has operated the tavern 
  since her husband ran off with a young doxy some 
  year back. Though frequented by rough and ready sail-
  ors, hereswith tolerates no foul language or bar room 
  brawls. many a mariner has received a verbal ticking off 
  for swearing, and those who want a fight will find the old 
  lady is handy with a broom.
  mariners gather here to swap stories, pass on news 
  regarding pirates and other nautical hazards, and find 
  new ships to join. As such, it is widely regarded as the 
  best place to acquire news of foreign lands outside the 
  temple of var (where everything has a price).
  Thieves’ Guild: Trondavoe may be a second-class 
  port in comparison to the great ports of Aspiria, Chalcis, 
  and the magocracy, but it still attracts thieves. Luckily for 
  Trond, it has attracted only third-rate thieves. The local 
  guild, such as it, consists of just two members, neither of 
  whom are clerics of Nauthiz. While they talk big and have 
  grand plans to secure a “big score,” most of their activi-
  ties are confined to cutting purses and petty burglary.
  The pair operate out of a small tavern, the Broken 
  keel. The tavern cannot be called a true thieves’ guild, 
  for all the erstwhile thieves do is sit at a table, drink 
  themselves blind, and whisper conspiratorially about 
  their big plans to get rich.
  The Trade Hall: var’s only temple in Trond is a 
  sprawling complex of Anari design dominated by a great 
  bell tower rising from the central hall. Every dawn with-
  out fail, the great bell is rung to signal the opening of 
  the temple doors and the start of the trading day. Within 
  the main trading hall are dozens of podiums. merchants 
  with goods to sell stand atop each one shouting out the 
  wares on offer, while below potential buyers bid on the 
  cargoes, often dashing between podiums to bid on mul-
  tiple lots.
  No money changes hands in the trading hall. Instead, 
  all transactions occur in the vault, a heavily reinforced 
  Barony of trond
  
  
  room which doubles as a treasury. Similarly, all goods 
  for sale must be logged with the temple, whereupon 
  they are kept in the Warehouse, a network of small halls 
  adjoining the back of the temple.
  on marketdaeg, the temple is open to the public. 
  Traders set up stalls in the great east vestibule, known 
  simply as the market, hawking their goods from dawn 
  until dusk, when the great bell tolls once more.
  The position of high priest changes yearly, the ap-
  pointee being the cleric with the highest profits for the 
  past year. only clerics who have been resident in Trond 
  for five continuous years may stand for the position. The 
  current high priest is Profiteer marie ap-Bernier. This is 
  her third stint in the role, though she has never served 
  consecutive terms.
  The Whale Hall: Neorthe’s temple is one of the rare 
  buildings in Trondavoe, for it is constructed almost en-
  tirely of wood (driftwood, to be precise). Its roof is held 
  aloft by the ribs of a colossal whale which washed ashore 
  two generations ago. The outside is etched with carvings 
  of fish, whales, and ships, and studded with shells and 
  pearls. Scrimshaw offerings hang from two wooden col-
  umns that serve as the gate to the complex. Each post is 
  the mast of a ship wrecked in a storm outside the safety 
  of the harbor.
  As well as prayer facilities, the temple serves as a mis-
  sion for visiting seamen, and a hospital for injured mari-
  ners. Those recuperating here keep busy by mending 
  nets for local fishermen or passing on stories of events 
  up and down the eastern coast.
  Navigator oswy Aescwinesunu currently serves as 
  high priest. The actual incumbent is Cerdic ap-Aalard, 
  but he left suddenly six weeks ago, appointing oswy 
  to the post as he rushed for a small boat he had hired. 
  Neither Cerdic nor the ship have been seen since. The 
  council has refused to investigate the matter, claiming it 
  is a cult affair. oswy is worried his mentor is in trouble, 
  and is planning on hiring private investigators.
  vox
  Neorthe Shrine: As a fishing port, the citizens of vox 
  hold Neorthe in high regard. At low tide, a tall monolith 
  engraved with prayers and studded with shells emerges 
  from the cold water. here the faithful gather to offer 
  prayers and make offerings, leaving small tokens at the 
  base of the menhir. At high tide the shrine is completely 
  submerged. As the tide recedes again, Neorthe pulls the 
  offerings into his watery domain.
  Thieves’ Guild: While Trondavoe is blessed with 
  incompetent thieves, the more sedate town of vox has at-
  tracted a better class of villain. While the gang calls itself 
  a thieves’ guild, their activities are actually confined to 
  smuggling. on dark nights when the seas are calm, they 
  set out to sea in a small boat to meet ostmark vessels 
  anchored offshore. The gang, which calls itself the Sea 
  Wolves, has many contacts in Trondavoe, including the 
  baron. Typical goods smuggled ashore include expensive 
  wines, pipeleaf, and narcotics from the Jade Empire and 
  Al-Shirkuh. Fully aware the baron may try to silence them 
  if they are ever caught, the gang has already proved its 
  vicious streak by murdering several outsiders who were 
  nosing around their headquarters, a fish smoking shed. 
  PerSonS of note
  The following persons may become acquainted with 
  the heroes during their time in Trond.
  Baron rodGer aP-Gwar
  As far as the citizens of Trond are concerned, Baron 
  Rodger has little interest in politics. While it is true he 
  spends a great deal of time and money on hosting elabo-
  rate parties, he cares deeply about Trond and its people. 
  Rodger desperately wants to absolve the council, not 
  because he craves power, but because he believes the 
  old goats have grown too comfortable in their posts. To 
  that end, he seeks a new council made up of younger 
  blood with new ideas. unwilling to raise arms against the 
  elected body, he has hired agents to begin a smear cam-
  paign against the existing members, accusing them of 
  everything from corruption to sleeping with livestock.
  councIlor mayeul aP-GuIcHarde
  At 59, mayeul is one of the youngest members of the 
  council. For the past five years he has been vehemently 
  outspoken against the frostborn, demanding they be 
  evicted from Trond before they become the dominant 
  race. The elder statesman’s hatred comes not through 
  any personal conviction, but because he is being black-
  mailed to stir up trouble.
  Pulling his strings is none other than one of Frost-
  weaver’s lieutenants. (The warlord fears that his master, 
  Frostweaver, is growing soft by negotiating for better 
  rights for frostborn rather than demanding them out-
  right. If enough anger can be stirred, sooner or later it 
  will turn to physical violence. A few sacrificial frostborn 
  should spur Frostweaver into military action.) Somehow, 
  the frostborn discovered that mayeul had an affair 30 
  years ago with a young woman. When she became preg-
  nant, mayeul had her and her unborn child killed, lest 
  his reputation suffer (he was at the start of his political 
  career). unless he does as he is told, that information 
  will be made public.
  mayeul is keen to ensure his secret is never learned, 
  but the only way he can see is the removal of his persecu-
  tor. To that end, he has concocted a story claiming the 
  frostborn kidnapped and murdered his daughter. In fact 
  the girl is alive and well, having recently moved to heli-
  gioland to be near her now-adult children. he knows full 
  well the council would never act against such a claim, for 
  they have no wish to anger Cul. To that end, he hopes to 
  hire adventurers willing to enact revenge on behalf of a 
  feeble old man with nothing left to live for.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #30
  
  
  IntroductIon
  The Cairn Lands were once the home of the Vindari, that ancient culture which exists 
  today only as faded inscriptions on the walls of crumbling ruins and barrow mounds. 
  Today, this largely unsettled land is a rural backwater, famous for little save the Cairn Hills, 
  that dark upland amid whose valleys walk the restless dead. This supplement expands on 
  material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Atmosphere AmId the cAIrns
  The Cairn Hills are a strange landscape. Here the hills rise round but steep in long, 
  hard to reach promontories, towering over the valleys below. From late spring to early fall, 
  mist fills the valleys at night, giving the impression of islands floating amid a white sea. 
  Yet these islands are ones at which sane men do not wish to set anchor, for only the dead 
  dwell on them.
  Atop each isolated hill is a cluster of ancient barrows. Raised long ago by the Vindari, 
  they are testimony to the honor they showed their ancestors, for to erect a burial ground 
  on hills that seem to defy attempts to scale them was a monumental task. Some entrances 
  are still blocked by weathered stones inscribed with faded names of old, or flanked by 
  crumbling statues whose long-erased visages were once those of the occupants. Others are 
  open to the elements, gaping holes of darkness.
  Atop the hills the grass grows short, for the wind that continually howls across the 
  landscape seems to resent the presence of life. In the valleys the undergrowth grows thick, 
  clogging trails in tough, thorny walls as if warning the living to venture no further. Those 
  who press on find themselves in a labyrinth of snaking gulleys and narrow valleys. It is easy 
  to become disoriented, especially when the mist rises, and difficult to accurately backtrack. 
  A wrong turn and a man could be lost here for days or weeks, possibly forever if some dark 
  denizen claims his body and soul.
  The curious and those whose duties require they walk here must at some point venture 
  into the valleys, for there is no way to cross from peak to peak without the power of flight. 
  The open barrow entrances are a constant presence, their entrance tunnels leering down 
  like sightless eyes on those who would trespass into this haunted landscape. Many remote 
  areas of Rassilon impart feelings of isolation on the wanderer, yet here there is only the 
  constant feeling of being watched by powers that wish no good.
  Many of the barrows lie empty. The cult of Scaetha has cleansed a great number over 
  the years, destroying withered and bony corpses, and the grave goods later stolen by brave 
  31231
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 3 1 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  cAIrn lAnds
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  thieves following in the clerics’ footsteps. Yet occasion-
  ally one stumbles across a barrow in which not only are 
  the grave goods intact, but they have been laid out and 
  added to with recent acquisitions. These are the barrows 
  one must avoid at night, for the inhabitants are far from 
  still and silent.
  Who Were the VIndArI?
  Many scholars claim the Vindari and Saxa once shared 
  common ancestry, so similar were the roots of the cul-
  tures. In ancient times, the Saxa dominated what is now 
  the land beneath the Icebarrier Mountains, while the 
  Vindari were largely limited to the Cairn Lands, Trond, 
  and Heldalund. Their realms abutted those of the central 
  Heligi and most northerly Selari, though there is dispute 
  as to whether the cultures actually existed at the same 
  time and, if they did, what the relationships were. With 
  most records lost or hidden away in private libraries, 
  discovering the truth could be a life’s quest.
  While the Saxa remained clannish, adopting a true 
  feudal system only after their uprising against the Anari, 
  the Vindari quickly established a king and a system of 
  nobility bound by oaths of allegiance based on the king’s 
  position, not his bloodlines. 
  They were also less aggressive than their cousins, pre-
  ferring to settle disputes through law courts rather than 
  feuds and wars. It was this, in the end, that spelled their 
  downfall, for first the Anari and then the Saxa conquered 
  their homelands. The brutal expansion of the Liche-
  Priest and the terror and destruction of the blizzard War 
  were the final death knells, but the bell had began to toll 
  centuries beforehand.
  socIAl hIerArchy
  unlike most other realms, the Cairn Lands lacks any 
  true form of nobility. Those with power may claim noble 
  title, but they have been bestowed by no social superior. 
  The inhabitants of the Cairn Lands are however, heavily 
  tied to a social system that has not changed in centu-
  ries.
  The top social class are the bondi, free men who 
  own their own land or business. Around a quarter of 
  the population falls into this category. Only the bondi 
  may stand for election in the national moot, and only the 
  bondi may moot in these elections. between them, they 
  own everything not covered by dalthalinin Wood and 
  the Cairn Hills, or men do not live in either domain.
  Territories are not set by law or lines on a map, but 
  by boundary stones placed by the landowner. disputes 
  over these stones are commonplace at the national moot 
  and at regional moots. In many cases the disputes can be 
  settled amicably, but when talking fails bloodshed begins. 
  blood feuds over as little as an acre of land have raged 
  for generations in the Cairn Lands, with entire genera-
  tions being brought up knowing nothing but animosity 
  toward their land-stealing neighbors.
  beneath the bondi are the karls. These are technically 
  free men, in that they are not slaves, but they do not 
  own their own property or businesses. Their homes, and 
  the land they farm or business they operate, are rented 
  from the rich landlords. by law, they owe their landlord 
  total allegiance, though they can move to a new area if 
  a new landlord will accept them. Their social superiors 
  are honor bound to provide fair justice, adjudicate legal 
  disputes, and provide protection from raiders.
  karls may rise above their birthright—all it takes is 
  for a bondar to grant them a sliver of land as their own 
  and they in turn rise to the bondi social class. Such gifts 
  were once commonplace, hence why the bondi class is 
  so large, but these days it is exceedingly rare. When such 
  gifts are bestowed, the land is usually a patch the bondi 
  doesn’t want, such as areas of poor moorland or land 
  near troublesome neighbors.
  While slavery has been abolished elsewhere, in the 
  Cairn Lands it remains in practice. However, the only 
  rules of the reAlm
  These setting rules apply in the Cairn Lands.
  * Fearful Realm: knowledge of what horrors still 
  dwell there, too many ghost stories as a child, and 
  the pervasive air of menace give a –1 penalty to 
  guts rolls within the Cairn Hills. even clerics of 
  Scaetha suffer this, though given the horrors they 
  must face they are likely to possess higher die rat-
  ings than others.
  * Limited Trade: The Cairn Lands lie on no major 
  trade routes. All goods with a Town availability cost 
  double outside Hergist (where they cost 50% more 
  than normal), while City goods anywhere in the 
  nation are four times as expensive as normal.
  * Necromantic Energy: The Cairn Hills are awash 
  with vestiges of necromantic energy. All arcane skill 
  rolls with a necromantic trapping are made at +1. 
  Furthermore, the entirety of the Hills counts as a 
  graveyard for the purposes of characters with the 
  disciple of Hela edge.
  * No True Nobles: While rich landowners and 
  herders sport titles of ridder and lendmann, there 
  are no true nobles in the Cairn Lands. Any citizen 
  can elect to use one of these titles, though without 
  the Noble edge it grants no bonuses—either the 
  citizens ignore it or everyone thinks the titleholder 
  is just arrogant and presumptuous.
  Cairn Landers tolerate these low titles, but publicly 
  ridicule and scorn those with delusions of gran-
  deur. Any local claiming a title above lendmann 
  suffers –1 Charisma among his fellow Cairn Land-
  ers for each social step higher. For instance, a Cairn 
  Lander “thegn” has –2 Charisma. This has no effect 
  on outside nobles, who are entitled to hold such 
  lofty positions.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #31
  
  
  slaves permitted are those who have been sentenced to 
  serve as a thrall (the Saxa term for a slave) by a moot. 
  Servitude in this manner is handed down not just on 
  the guilty party, but his wife and children as well (other 
  kin escape this punishment). Sentences may range for 
  a number of years, to a number of generations, to per-
  petuity. Most often, though, their length is tied to the 
  weregild system. The thrall and his family, and perhaps 
  descendants, serving until their debt is paid off.
  Families that cannot pay their way may voluntarily 
  become thralls. They are usually taken into a bondar’s 
  house to perform menial tasks, but receive a roof over 
  their heads and basic food.
  JustIce
  Justice in the Cairn Lands is handled via bondi or 
  the moots. While Hothar may be invoked at trials and 
  his clerics consulted on matters of law, his cult has no 
  judicial powers here.
  A karl who has a dispute with another karl answerable 
  to the same bondar (singular form) has no choice but to 
  approach his master for justice.
  A karl who has complaint against his bondar, another 
  bondar, or a karl answerable to a different bondar must 
  bring his grievance to the regional moot. Traditionally, 
  for every 50 bondi families there is a moot. The borders 
  for these regions were laid down long ago and change 
  only infrequently. While any karl or bondar can attend 
  and bring business before them, it is the doomsmen (a 
  dozen bondi chosen by their peers each year) who judge 
  legal cases. Their word is not final, however.
  If the plaintiff feels justice has not been received, he 
  may approach the national moot. This austere body of 
  20 elected officials meets at Hergist during the summer 
  months. For those living far from the capital, their justice 
  is often out of reach. every member of the national moot 
  serves as a doomsman. In some instances this means the 
  accused may actually be judging the case-such is the law 
  in the Cairn Lands.
  educAtIon
  education isn’t a big thing in the Cairn Lands. In fact, 
  telling someone them are as educated as a Cairn Lander 
  is an insult across the western and central Low Winter-
  lands. This isn’t to say the inhabitants are stupid—they 
  just lack academic knowledge of most subjects except 
  those they need to know. Talk to one about sheep farm-
  ing and he’ll prove a near genius, but ask him to name 
  the capital of Heldalund, hardly a remote land (from he 
  Cairn Lands, anyway), and he may well question whether 
  such a place even exists.
  education is firmly located at home. Parents and 
  grandparents teach the children about their nation and 
  way of life, passing on traditional skills, folklore, and re-
  ligious stories. unless an elder has visited a foreign land 
  or the family lives in Hergist or near a border, facts about 
  other nations are fragmentary at best, and downright 
  false at worst.
  Saxa is the dominant language, brought in by the new 
  wave of settlers two centuries ago, though Auld Saxa 
  and even the supposedly extinct Vindari tongue remain 
  in use in some backwaters. Anari is largely confined to 
  Hergist, where most of the Anari population dwells. 
  Trader is rarely spoken outside Hergist, and even then 
  it is restricted to those who must deal with outsiders. 
  Fortunately, most of the visiting merchants are from Os-
  tmark, and so speak Saxa. Literacy rates run at around 
  30%. Much knowledge is passed down orally, as is the 
  Saxa way. Only the rich, who wish to show they are not 
  as ignorant as the serfs, and those connected with trade, 
  magic, or temples typically bother to learn their letters.
  relIGIon
  While the sheep flocks of the Cairn Lands provide in-
  come for most of the population, it is the cult of Sigel that 
  claims the most worshippers. until Hela’s madness, the 
  sun god was a relatively minor deity in the Cairn Lands, 
  worshipped for his control over summer rather than his 
  fight against evil. Following the infestation of the Cairn 
  Hills, when the dead began to walk, it was the cult of 
  Sigel who first led the defense of the realm, for Scaetha’s 
  cult was a minor one during the initial outbreak. Over 
  the course of the Liche-Priest’s reign of terror Scaetha’s 
  clerics took on more duties, but Sigel was always viewed 
  as the greater of the pair, the general compared to the 
  captain. Though much of the surviving population had 
  largely deserted the small realm as the Thrym’s army 
  swept south, it fell again to the clerics of Sigel to hold 
  them at bay.
  Although the land was later recolonized by incomers, 
  the natives who remained held Sigel as the defender 
  against evil, promoting him to patron of their land, and 
  the nearest thing the Cairn Lands have to a state religion. 
  The status quo has not altered over the centuries. Cult 
  activities were focused on the southern realm until seven 
  years ago, when Cul fell to the frostborn conqueror, 
  Frostweaver. With Scaetha’s clergy now filling the role 
  as defenders against the undead still roaming the Cairn 
  Hills, the cult of the sun god has increased its presence 
  in the northern districts.
  Second by a nose is eostre Animalmother. Virtually 
  every stead and village has a shrine in her honor. despite 
  this plentiful worship, there is but a single temple in 
  Hergist and only a handful of priests. For the most part, 
  worshippers utter their own prayers and perform their 
  own rituals. Such ceremonies are passed down from 
  generation to generation. each family has its own par-
  ticular version of the rituals, which has led to a plethora 
  of different wordings and actions.
  Of the various sub-cults of eostre, bolverk, the god of 
  cattle raiding (see the free product Region Guide #0) is 
  cAIrn lAnds
  3
  
  the most popular. Since there are few cattle in the Cairn 
  Lands, here he is regarded as the god of sheep raiding. 
  Most of bolverk’s clergy publicly proclaim this to be an 
  insult and refuse to participate in sheep raiding. In truth, 
  much of the lack of enthusiasm comes from the simple 
  fact their spells are not suited toward sheep.
  Scaetha’s cult, the third most popular, suffers from 
  varying worshipper numbers. When the clerics swarm 
  into the Cairn Hills and slay undead, the cult enjoys a 
  wave of popularity. Once the situation has calmed and 
  the crusade forgotten, worship again dies away. For this 
  reason the clerics are very much doom mongers, warning 
  of the need for eternal vigilance against a foe that never 
  sleeps, and spreading horror stories of what fate awaits 
  the Cairn Lands should its citizens ever cease to honor 
  Scaetha. even so, the cult has few long-term adherents 
  north of dalthalinin Wood.
  These activities have led to certain friction with Sigel’s 
  cult. While the latter are no less fervent in their desire to 
  rid the world of evil, they see little long-term benefit in 
  scaring the populace to attend temples.
  Var has a single temple in Hergist, but his cult has few 
  worshippers outside the town. even within its palisade, 
  it is only those directly linked to mercantile activities 
  who offer him prayers, for the Cairn Lands are simply 
  not a powerful enough trading nation to stir the hearts 
  of everyday citizens.
  With its lack of a standing army, the Cairn Lands have 
  little need to honor Tiw. even the small defense forces, 
  few as they are, owe more allegiance to Sigel and Scaetha 
  than the war god. Hothar receives a nominal nod when 
  appropriate, but for the most part the citizens live their 
  own lives without the need of a strong government or 
  rigid law enforcement. Thunor is honored as the god 
  of rain rather than the god of personal freedom, again 
  simply because no one enforces their will over the in-
  habitants. Were a strong leader ever to rise and seek to 
  unite the nation, the cult of Thunor would likely receive 
  an influx of worshippers.
  Of the dark gods, Thrym and Hela are the most popu-
  lar. both are concentrated in the south, where the ma-
  jority of their inhuman minions dwell. While the cult of 
  Thrym is the larger and more active, Hela’s worshippers 
  are far more insidious, plotting in secret for the second 
  coming of their dark master, the Liche-Priest.
  mIlItAry
  The name of the Cairn Lands is often invoked by its 
  neighbors when referring to negative military matters. 
  Saying an army is “As ready as the Cairn Lands” implies 
  defenses are non-existent, for example. Aside from Cul, 
  which has a sizeable army, none of the surrounding 
  states do, which only adds to the insult and mockery of 
  the Cairn Lands.
  best estimates place a mere 2% of the population as 
  professional soldiers, giving the realm some 500 men to 
  call upon. Many of these so-called warriors are little better 
  than local toughs playing at war. They may be equipped 
  in expensive armor and wield imported long swords, but 
  these are more to show the status of their master than 
  prepare them for battle. A small few of the wealthiest 
  citizens have huscarls or mercenaries on staff.
  This isn’t to say the Cairn Lands is totally defenseless, 
  of course. every citizen who owns his own land or house 
  has the gods given right to bear arms, and many popular 
  landowners encourage their serfs to do the same. Only 
  the rich citizens who mistreat those beneath them fear 
  armed uprisings.
  Armed only with a spear and clad in a leather jerkin 
  and cap, this ragtag army is no match for a truly profes-
  sional host. but what the Cairn landers lack in equip-
  ment and training they make up for in spirit. The Cairn 
  Lands are their home, and like those who settled here 
  before them, they will die defending their land. Or that 
  is the popular boast, anyway. No one has bothered to 
  seriously invade here in centuries, for even the orcs only 
  launch small raids.
  All that said, things are slowly beginning to change in 
  the north, where the Cairn Lands share a small border 
  with Cul. Fearing Cul expansion into the fertile plains, 
  the local landowners are discussing the formation of a 
  joint army. The intention is to hire a proper commander, 
  someone who knows war, to train the men to function 
  both as a collective and in small units.
  The cult of Scaetha has 20 priests and 30 paladins 
  stationed in Hergist, but they are only interested in the 
  undead of the Cairn Lands. Should Cul actually invade 
  the north, they would likely by quick to make a deal to 
  ensure they remained neutral and dedicated to their 
  cause. Of course, it is ever came to light that Frosteaver 
  was somehow tied to the cult of Hela, then he would 
  find the clerics implacable foes.
  Sigel’s cult, for all its popularity, numbers 25 priests 
  and 34 paladins. The priests spend much of their time 
  evangelizing, pushing the moot for better ties with the 
  Hearth knights, and maintaining the small temples. The 
  paladins are now divided between the north and south, 
  drastically limiting their use as a military force. While 
  they do sometimes operate solo or in small warbands, 
  much of their time is spent training the local soldiers 
  how to actually fight properly.
  trAde & trIbute
  The Cairn Lands never was, and is unlikely to ever 
  be, a major trading power. No trade roads cut across the 
  landscape, and with only a single, remote population 
  center it seems infeasible any merchant would care to 
  bother pushing for one.
  Aside from fruit and wine, which are something of a 
  luxury here, the citizens are self-sufficient in basic root 
  vegetable crops, and barley and wheat are grown in the 
  central and northern plains. For most citizens their diet 
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #31
  
  
  comprises lamb and mutton stew with heavy, unleavened 
  bread. Not exactly a royal feast, but warming enough on 
  a cold day. For most other commodities the nation holds 
  its own, never having enough to export, but ensuring no 
  one goes without.
  Wine is imported from Ostmark in great vats. Local 
  merchants then decant it into small casks and bottles 
  before selling at inflated prices. Fruit is rarely purchased 
  fresh. Much of it is dried, and either eaten as is or used 
  in cooking, or takes the form of preserves. Occasionally, 
  a batch of frozen fruit will reach the markets. This ex-
  travagant luxury costs a small fortune (in terms of what a 
  peasant can afford).
  All of the Cairn Lands’ exports are related to sheep. 
  While the meat and milk is only rarely sold, the wool, 
  skin, and cheese are sold to merchant ships heading to 
  the Icedale Freeholds. Some enterprising crafters have 
  tried to develop a vellum trade, but there are few centers 
  of learning in the region, and those that do exist, such as 
  the Magocracy and Chalcis, are simply too far away.
  Hergist boasts the only major market. With its loca-
  tion in the southeast corner, it caters really only for the 
  southern population. elsewhere, where the population 
  is scattered into small settlements, locals gather with 
  their neighbors a few times a year to trade, buy new 
  wares filtering through from foreign merchants, settle 
  disputes, and arrange marriages. Typically these markets 
  are held whenever the local moot gathers.
  Rather than always being in the same place, the loca-
  tion of the moot-market alters each year, thus sharing the 
  financial burden, responsibility for organization, and the 
  profits around the local communities. This practice has 
  stymied the cult of Var’s attempts to expand their god’s 
  influence. The thought of having a single marketplace is 
  quite alien to many rural Cairn Landers.
  With no centralized government there is no set taxa-
  tion system. every landowner is entitled to raise taxes 
  as he wishes, and with many citizens tied to the land as 
  serfs they can do little but complain when their masters 
  grow greedy.
  Those who own their own land pay no taxes, for 
  there is no one to pay them to. They must still spend 
  money, of course, for nothing in life is free, but their 
  money goes further. Come election time, those wishing 
  to stand for the moot are prone to giving gifts to their 
  neighbors. While in some lands this may be considered a 
  form of bribery, in the Cairn Lands it is taken as a timely 
  reminder that if you vote for the gift-giver, good things 
  will befall you later.
  Most citizens, however, must pay rent on their homes 
  and land, as well as taxes to keep the local army equipped, 
  the fortifications up to strength, and so on. For most 
  citizens, around 35% of their income is lost to taxation, 
  though this figure varies from region to region.
  With few cattle to steal, local clans and families ac-
  tively engage in sheep raiding. Ancient laws permit this, 
  but only if the ringleader is a bondi. For the bondi, sheep 
  raiding is a valid means for acquiring wealth, but for the 
  lesser social classes it is theft, and punishable by being 
  outlawed. Of course, the lack of government means an 
  outlaw is only banished from the lands on which he 
  committed the crime and his home territory unless lo-
  cal landowners club together to enforce the law in their 
  jurisdiction.
  ArchItecture
  Saxa architecture dominates the settlements of the 
  Cairn Lands. Long houses, temples, warehouses, all are 
  made of wood. Timber is felled in dalthalinin, though 
  only with the consent of the elves. despite persistent 
  stories that the elves demand a dozen first born sons of 
  each generation, the elves ask only for prayers to eostre 
  Plantmother, bales of wool, sheepskin, and to be other-
  wise left alone in return for the timber. 
  Any stone structures are to be found in the northern 
  reaches, where the Anari who conquered Trond once 
  held power. Mostly these are the shattered remains of 
  castles, border outposts destroyed by the twin apoca-
  lypses of the Liche-Priest and blizzard War. Most are said 
  to be cursed, regardless of any anecdotal evidence, and 
  thus are avoided by the superstitious Cairn Landers.
  The Cairn Landers have absolutely no forts. Most 
  settlements in the south are fortified with palisades and 
  ditches, for orcs and undead are constant perils. In the 
  west, along the border with Temujin Marsh, fortifications 
  are lighter but still prevalent, for within the dank mire 
  dwell trolls and bufomi. Settlements near Cul are begin-
  ning to erect defenses out of fear the frostborn baron 
  will soon invade. elsewhere, low stone walls, more for 
  preventing livestock escaping than holding back maraud-
  ing foes, are the norm.
  mAJor locAles
  below are some places heroes may wish to explore 
  during their foray into the Cairn Lands.
  the cAIrn run
  The borders of the Cairn Lands are largely dictated 
  by water. The only major river not to lie on a border is 
  the Cairn Run. Rising high in the Icebarrier Mountains, 
  it cuts through the Cairn Hills as series of streams which 
  eventually join and flow out into the Narfel Sea. The 
  town of Hergist (Vindari for “turbulent mouth”) sits at 
  its mouth.
  The inhabitants of Hergist use the water for washing 
  clothes, but never drink from it, even far upstream, with-
  out making a sacrifice to Sigel. Fish swim in its muddy 
  waters, but no citizen would dare to eat one without sim-
  ilar supplication to the god of purity. Further upstream, 
  no one dares touch the water, yet alone drink it, for it is 
  said to be cursed, spelling instant death for those who so 
  cAIrn lAnds
  
  
  much as place a single drop against their lips. death by 
  thirst is a better option.
  during the time of the Liche-Priest, a fell lieutenant 
  cursed the waters as they flowed through the Cairn Hills, 
  imbuing them with necromantic energy. Hergist would 
  likely have been destroyed by the foul taint, were it not 
  for the sacrifice of a priest of Sigel.
  The priest swore a blood oath, the most sacred form 
  of oath known, vowing that he would not cease uttering 
  prayers of cleansing over the waters until they were puri-
  fied. According to legend, he sits still somewhere along 
  the banks of the Cairn Run, droning the same prayer 
  over and over, as he has done for over eight centuries.
  Of course, no one has ever encountered the priest, 
  but that does not mean he does not exist. One tale goes 
  that if he stops his incantations the waters will turn foul 
  instantly, the river filling with blood and putrescent flesh. 
  Another less graphic version, simply says that the waters 
  would give off vapors that cause the living to die and 
  then rise again as servants of Hela. In order to avoid that 
  fate befalling Hergist, a town who holds the sun god in 
  high esteem, Sigel took pity on the priest and his him 
  from mortal eyes.
  When he is spoken of, he is referred to only as the 
  Sunless Priest, for it is said that in order to conceal him, 
  Sigel had to remove him from his sight. Thus while he 
  still serves the sun god, he is destined never to see Sigel’s 
  Hearth while he continues his sacred duty. Small offer-
  ings are made during Sigel’s holy days to the priest who, 
  through his faith and sacrifice, keeps Hergist safe.
  the chArnel pIt
  According to Cairn Landers there are many tunnels 
  beneath the Cairn Hills. None of these are natural. Rath-
  er, they were carved by the undead to link the barrows. 
  Winding staircases descend from these barrows to below 
  the level of the valley floor, into a catacomb of tunnels 
  lined with the skulls of their victims. The same story 
  states that in the center of these catacombs is a vile pit 
  in which the undead throw the corpses of their victims 
  until they need their earthly remains.
  The clerics of Scaetha have found no evidence of any 
  tunnels, but they do not dismiss their existence out of 
  hand. That the Cairn Run is tainted is hard fact, for the 
  cult regularly offers sheep to the water. Something must 
  be causing the pollution, and what better than a fester-
  ing charnel pit filled with necromantic energy?
  herGIst
  The Barrow: The unfortunately named temple of 
  Var takes its name not from a burial mound of the dead, 
  though the locals do claim it is dead inside, but because 
  local tradition has it the first merchant of the cult to 
  operate here did so by setting up a wheelbarrow full of 
  trade goods. unlike most temples it contains no market, 
  for the citizens have long used the moot hill for trading. 
  Profiteer Folkisunu, and two junior clerics, run the 
  temple. While they do trade, they make more money 
  from acting as brokers, helping local merchants find 
  trading ships and visiting merchants find buyers for their 
  wares.
  The Burning Hall: A small temple to Sigel, the burn-
  ing Hall is named for the glow given off by its roof when 
  struck by sunlight. Many centuries ago the roof was clad 
  in gold leaf covered wooden shingles. Many were “lost” 
  in the blizzard War, when clerics and followers of the 
  faith carried them into battle as shields. With finances 
  ruined in the aftermath of the war, they were replaced 
  with bronze covered shingles. Today, the roof burns red 
  and gold when Sigel smiles upon it.
  The Glittering Hall: One of just three inns in Her-
  gist, the establishment is frequented mostly by visiting 
  merchants, being cheap but cheerful.
  The owner, Carolus ap-both, tells foreigners the inn 
  was once decorated in gems excavated in the Cairn Hills, 
  hence its name. No one locally disputes the claim, for 
  everyone knows Carolus’ family have been tomb robbers 
  going back many generations. Carolus doesn’t plunder 
  tombs these days—he hires others to do the dirty work, 
  then fences the good to visiting merchants, taking a hefty 
  20% cut for his efforts.
  The Sump: Officially known as the Temple of Water, 
  the Sump is a temple to Neorthe. despite relying on the 
  ocean for trade, Neorthe is a very minor god in the Cairn 
  Lands, more so since the Liche-Priest rose and the Cairn 
  Run spoiled. The Sump sits at water level, the river actu-
  ally flowing through the main hall to a depth of several 
  inches (more during floods).
  ever since the Cairn Run became polluted, folk have 
  been fearful to wade through the water, which is actually 
  supposed to bless them as they cross to the altar. even 
  the high priest (actually the only priest), Navigator Leof-
  stan Tree-Legged, crosses the temple floor on stilts.
  persons of note
  The Cairn Lands have few persons of much interest. 
  One of those who might seek the heroes’ help while they 
  are in the realm is detailed below.
  sun prIestess hIldeG sIGel-burnt
  Sun Priestess Hildeg Sigel-burnt, so named for her 
  dusky skin, is the current high priest. Her most faithful 
  followers say her skin is a clear sign of special blessing. 
  Others hint that one of her ancestors travelled to the des-
  ert realm of Al-Shirkuh, purchased a black skinned girl 
  from a slave market, and brought her back as a wife.
  Hildeg is trying to convince the national moot to back 
  the Hearth knights’ petition to build two forts. unfortu-
  nately, she does not sit on the moot, and thus can only 
  bring limited pressure to bear. She also suspects the 
  Ashen Veil are operating in the region, something she 
  has had little luck convincing the cult of Scaetha.
  hellfrost reGIon GuIde #31
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Having grown rich on the backs of others’ labors, Coglelund continues to thrive by 
  serving as a mercantile center. Coglelund promises status to anyone who can afford it, but 
  for most it is a dream. While the rich play and the citizens toil, the cult of Vali feeds the cor-
  ruption gnawing at the land’s already rotten core. This supplement expands on material 
  in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Coglelund’s social system is based not on hereditary bloodlines, but on wealth. The 
  richest citizen in Coglelund is the merchant prince. The entire taxation system is set up to 
  ensure this status quo remains firmly in place. This is the only hereditary position, though 
  unless the incumbent ruler pulls his finger out, so to speak, and sires a child, the position 
  could be up for grabs in his death. Fortunately a system was set in place to cope with this 
  eventuality after the first time the event occurred.
  If the merchant prince dies without a legitimate heir, running of the state temporarily 
  falls to the high priest of Var, traditionally the second richest person in Coglelund. On 
  the next Profit Day (see Region Guide #15), all citizens who wish to claim the title must 
  attend the temple, where an auction is held. Whoever stumps up the most money becomes 
  the next merchant prince. In order to prevent defaulting, the winner must pay from his 
  own pocket within one month. Until he does, he has no access to the state treasury and 
  no claim to wield the title. By law, the heir must be the biological child of the merchant 
  prince—this prevents unscrupulous courtiers from “persuading” brain-addled or infirm 
  merchant princes from signing over the title.
  Shortly after Coglelund was founded it was decided to copy the basic structure of the 
  Magocracy. Noble titles were introduced, and all were preceded by Merchant. Thus, there 
  are merchant dukes and merchant barons. However, unlike their wizard neighbors, the 
  titles came with no land and conferred no hereditary status. Rather, the titles were pur-
  chased for enormous sums of money. This practice of buying titles remains in use today. 
  Because of this system, any citizen with wealth may carry a noble title. Thus, one might 
  discuss trade with a merchant baron, but buy a sword from a master crafter bearing the 
  title of merchant count. Children of nobles carry no title, unless it too is purchased.
  Those who possess titles are awarded higher social status in the eyes of their peers and 
  31232
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 3 2 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  coglelund
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  the citizens, have access to the merchant prince, are very 
  likely to gain better trade contacts simply by dint of al-
  ready being rich, and are the sort of person less wealthy 
  people want to be seen to be associated with. all told, 
  these combine to produce a greater income.
  a similar system operates in the temple of Var, with 
  the high priest position being filled not by a nominated 
  successor, but by whoever offers the cult the most money. 
  Traditionally only priests may stand for this office. The 
  high priest in Coglelund carries the title Lord Profiteer. 
  Paladins of the faith may purchase the title Protector of 
  the Treasury, the second most important title within the 
  cult’s ranks, at least in Coglelund.
  Beneath the “nobles” are the citizens rich enough to 
  stand out from the crowd, but not rich enough to pur-
  chase a title. generally these are aspiring master crafters, 
  merchants, clerics, courtiers, and military officers. Those 
  with potential are often invited to attend social functions 
  held by their social superiors. Those with the right at-
  titude and promise may earn financial support, allowing 
  them to climb to the higher echelon, but such favors 
  always come with conditions.
  On the next rung down are the middle classes, those 
  with money enough to be comfortable yet without the 
  contacts, income, or ambition to rise to wealthier status. 
  For the most part they are of similar profession to those 
  of the upper classes.
  Most of the population falls squarely in the lower 
  classes. While technically any citizen can achieve wealth 
  enough to become a merchant noble, the great majority 
  will live and die virtually penniless.
  While slavery has been abolished, indentured servi-
  tude remains. Under this system, any person who cannot 
  pay his debts or earn a crust may approach a wealthier 
  citizen and pledge featly. In return for being treated like 
  a dog, the unfortunate cur is given a roof over his head 
  and basic meals. given that citizens of Coglelund are 
  renowned for their lack of charity, this is a better option 
  than becoming a beggar.
  tHe PercePtIon of WealtH
  Coglelund’s inhabitants are a strange lot. On one hand 
  they value money they have earned and are notoriously 
  uncharitable. On the other, they are keen to demonstrate 
  their wealth by splashing around money. Thus, while a 
  merchant baron might think nothing of buying a bottle 
  of aspirian wine for 50 gs or hosting an extravagant feast 
  for 100 guests, he would not dream of giving a beggar a 
  few silver scields.
  JuStIce
  Coglelund’s nobles have no legal right to hold court 
  or dispense justice. Four separate courts are responsible 
  for maintaining law and order.
  Civil law involving debts, contracts, mercantile activi-
  ties, tax, duties, giving false measure, and property are 
  dealt with by the temple of Var. Where a paid up guild 
  member is accused of a crime, the council of guildmas-
  ters reserves the right to judge cases.
  The cult of Hothar adjudicates criminal law cases, 
  such as theft, arson, murder, and so on.
  The military court handles all offenses committed 
  by members of the army. The Commanders of Foot and 
  Horse sit as judges, along with a major-captain chosen 
  by lot. Punishment for lesser crimes involves public 
  flogging, while more serious offenses, such as mutiny or 
  desertion, are punished by death.
  The religious court handles all crimes against the vari-
  ous faiths, such as desecration and sacrilege. each year, 
  the various clerics convene to appoint a jury of four cler-
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in Coglelund.
  * Buying Titles: There are no true nobles in Co-
  glelund. a native hero with the Noble edge who 
  wishes an actual noble rank has personally bought 
  his status. He holds this title until his death, but it 
  does not automatically pass to his children. Char-
  acters may begin as high as Merchant Count, but 
  must have the Very Rich edge first.
  Unlike in other realms, a hero can buy a noble title 
  here after character generation simply by forking 
  out a sum of money equal to the weregild value of 
  the title he wishes to hold. Once the sum is paid, 
  the hero must purchase the Noble edge with his 
  next advancement. Until he does, he application 
  is still pending. Note that the title of merchant 
  prince cannot be purchased except as noted in the 
  text, and the price starts at 125,000 gold scields. 
  Typically it ends up at a final value 1d6+1 x 10% 
  higher.
  * Fashion Trends: Fashion in Coglelund is very 
  important to the nobility. Unfortunately it is set by 
  Leon Cogle, a man whose tastes change like the 
  wind. The Charisma bonus from tailored clothing 
  lasts just one season in Coglelund.
  * Markets: The markets of Halfway are bursting 
  with all manner of goods. Special availability items 
  can be found in the Temple of Coin, though at dou-
  ble the regular price.
  * Money Matters: In Coglelund having money 
  matters—people want to be associated with the 
  rich, for wealth equates to social influence. Char-
  acters with the Rich edge have +1 Charisma in 
  Coglelund. This has no effect on the Noble edge, 
  which grants its regular +2 bonus. Heroes with the 
  Very Rich edge have an additional +1 Charisma bo-
  nus, +2 if they also have the Noble edge.
  Much of this bonus depends on how the hero 
  dresses. If he dresses to suit his wealth, the bonus 
  applies. If he walks around in adventuring gear 
  or otherwise acts to conceal his financial status, it 
  does not.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #32
  2
  
  ics. a fifth member, who serves as chief judge, is always 
  a cleric of Hothar.
  as with most things in Coglelund, justice is easier for 
  the wealthy than the poor. The cult of Hothar provides 
  lawyers for a fee, though any citizen is free to represent 
  himself. The sole exception is the cult of Hothar, which 
  is not susceptible to bribes.
  educatIon
  Like social position, education is available to anyone 
  with enough money. The only formal educational estab-
  lishment is operated by the cult of Hoenir.
  all children must attend school between the ages of 
  five and ten. This costs 10 gold scields per child per year, 
  with half the income going to the merchant prince and 
  the remainder to the cult. During this time the young-
  sters learn Trader, the de facto language of Coglelund, 
  how to read and write, and the history, folklore, and law 
  of their homeland.
  after this time education is optional. Due to restric-
  tions imposed long ago, though, crafters are forbidden 
  from providing apprenticeships to children, as is the 
  norm elsewhere. Instead, all apprentices must be trained 
  and approved by the cult of Hoenir. Since few crafters 
  want to hire young adults with no skills, those who wish 
  to learn a craft are compelled to attend advanced courses 
  if they want to find work. all advanced education costs 
  100 gs per year per pupil.
  While few other cults have temples in Coglelund, the 
  cult of Hoenir has contracts with many clerics of different 
  faiths. Those of eostre, for instance, teach land and live-
  stock management; Hothar’s clergy provide instruction 
  on the laws of neighboring lands; Freo’s clergy, when 
  they can be tied down long enough, teach the geography 
  and customs of realms beyond Coglelund’s borders; 
  kenaz’s cult trains metalworkers; eira’s worshippers 
  train healers and herbalists, and so on. even Neorthe’s 
  cult provides academic courses on maritime lore and 
  the basics of boating. every deity is represented, though 
  some more than others.
  In order to boost relations with the Magocracy, 
  Merchant Prince Cogle has allowed House eastheath to 
  open an alchemical school here. Clerics of Maera from 
  the Magocracy also teach arcana. There is no formal edu-
  cational establishment for mages. each master takes an 
  apprentice of his choosing. However, mages who wish 
  to train their apprentice in Coglelund must be affiliated 
  with the cult of Hoenir and pay a fee of 50 gs per year.
  relIgIon
  Var is the state religion of Coglelund. although the 
  Crystalflow Confederacy has a much larger population of 
  clerics, there is a greater ration of clerics to population 
  in Coglelund, a nation which also boasts the greatest 
  temple to the trade god in Rassilon.
  While few citizens directly reap the benefits of 
  Coglelund’s mercantile activities, Var remains their chief 
  deity. This has little to do with religious persuasion, and 
  more to do with taxation. each time an adult attends the 
  Marketdaeg service he is taxed 5 silver scields and given 
  a token. On each Tally Day (see Region Guide #15) the 
  tokens are collected and counted. If the tally falls short 
  of the number of services held that year, the citizen is 
  charged 5 gold scields for each missing token.
  The monies raised from this religious extortion are di-
  vided equally between the cult treasury and Leon Cogle’s 
  personal coffers. It should be noted that even the priests 
  of Var are subjected to this temple tax.
  Var may be the state god, but he is not the only deity 
  worshipped. In Coglelund, the gods are respected not 
  by the number of worshippers, but their perceived social 
  status. eostre, for instance, is deemed to be a rich farmer, 
  for she controls all the land and livestock. ertha is as-
  sociated with manual labor, as is Ullr, and thus ranks as 
  lower class. eira, Hoenir, and Hothar are middle class, 
  providing useful services but having no real influence. 
  attending the wrong temple can have financial repercus-
  sions. If a noble attends a ceremony to Ullr, he is mixing 
  with the wrong sort of people. Regardless of his wealth, 
  his peers will think less of him and take their business 
  elsewhere.
  Of the less civilized gods, two hold great power in 
  Coglelund. Vali is especially powerful, at least in his as-
  pect of corruption. Driven by money and often wracked 
  with boredom, the country’s nobility are always keen 
  to improve their finances or find ways to indulge them-
  selves. These are both services the cult provides.
  Nauthiz, Var’s wayward brother, is both respected 
  and despised. He is respected because the nobles of Var 
  value wealth, regardless of how it is achieved. Being a 
  merchant or running an estate or business is hard work, 
  whereas theft, while it carries harsh punishments, is not. 
  Similarly, any god that allows a man to grow rich merely 
  with the throw of a dice can’t be all that bad. On the 
  other hand, those who possess wealth do not appreciate 
  it being stolen from them by a slacker who refuses to 
  work for a living. although the cult is officially outlawed, 
  everyone knows it operates in Halfway. Until they fall 
  victim to its larcenous members, few care.
  mIlItary
  Coglelund’s impressively large military, which ac-
  counts for 6% of its population, is very much a show 
  army, more fit for ceremonial duties than combat. at 
  best, only half the men have suitable arms and armor, 
  though they boast fine uniforms.
  The merchant prince has divided and subdivided 
  his army, not to allow for more flexible tactics, but to 
  increase the number of officers available. Since soldiers 
  coglelund
  3
  
  must buy promotions, the army is yet another money-
  making scheme.
  at the top of the heap is the Lord Marshal of the 
  Realm, the man who oversees all military activity on be-
  half of Leon Cogle. This is very much a court position. 
  Beneath him is the Commander of Foot and Commander 
  of Horse. Technically, they are the battlefield generals in 
  charge of the two troops types in battle, but neither ap-
  pointee has any real combat experience.
  The 2,000 strong infantry and 500 strong cavalry are 
  each divided into two divisions led by a Major-Captain. 
  an infantry division breaks down into ten companies of 
  100 men led by a Captain of Foot, and the cavalry into 
  five 100-man companies led by a Captain of Horse. These 
  are still further divided into 10 man units led by a Ser-
  geant of Foot or Cavalry, respectively.
  While the officers, which includes sergeants, are virtu-
  ally all dandies more interested in social position than 
  war, Coglelund does have some veteran troops. In battle, 
  it is extremely likely these common soldiers would pro-
  vide battlefield leadership, leaving the officers to brag 
  about their victory and socialize while the grisly work of 
  killing took place.
  around half the army is stationed in Halfway. While 
  they are responsible for maintaining security, much of 
  their duties involve standing to attention outside key 
  buildings and looking resplendent. The other half is 
  garrisoned along Coglelund’s borders and in the small, 
  outlying villages.
  trade & trIbute
  Coglelund sits on two trade roads. The first runs from 
  the Magocracy through to Hellfrost keep, forming the 
  spine of a road system that dominates the southern and 
  western Hearthlands. In Coglelund, this is known as the 
  Prince’s Road. The second is a smaller tributary which 
  terminates in the great city-port of Drakeport. This is still 
  called the Silver Road, despite the silver trade all but van-
  ishing in the last two decades. Through these two roads, 
  Coglelund sits at the heart of the Hearthlands’ trading 
  routes.
  While Coglelund is best known as a nation of middle-
  men who buy and sell commodities, it has a healthy 
  manufacturing infrastructure.
  gems are imported from Spyre, where they are 
  worked into jewelry. Much of this ends up in the Ma-
  gocracy, alantaris Isle, and the Vale. Clothing provides 
  another valuable export. The tailors and weavers of 
  Coglelund produce everything from peasant garments 
  to outfits fit for an emperor, and they charge accordingly. 
  While Coglelund’s prices are always high, no one doubts 
  the quality of their work.
  Coglelund lacks many natural resources, forcing it to 
  rely on imports to fuel its citizens’ wants. Timber, while 
  brought in by foreign merchants by the wagon load, is 
  also illegally harvested from the edge of angarion. This 
  angers the elves, but they have not yet seen fit to act 
  against the greedy nation.
  Huge quantities of iron are imported from Spyre. 
  Little of it is actually exported, and Coglelund has only 
  modest requirements. Merchant Prince Cogle might be 
  an arrogant dandy, but he is an astute businessman. Iron 
  production across Rassilon is in a slump—Chalcis bears 
  the brunt of the Scavengers’ attacks, Nordmark is suf-
  fering as its miners mysteriously vanish, and Vestmark is 
  consuming great quantities of the stuff in its seemingly 
  endless war with the orcs.
  as a result, the price of iron keeps rising. Sooner or 
  later prices will reach astronomical values and produc-
  tion will be unable to keep up with demand. When 
  that happens, Cogle will be able to sell his stockpiles at 
  whatever price he sees fit. With any luck, his scheme will 
  bankrupt Vestmark, allowing him to purchase chunks of 
  the beleaguered nation from its desperate king.
  Coglelund’s other major export is pottery. The banks 
  of the Hearthrun provide plentiful clay, which local pot-
  ters turn into durable, inexpensive vessels.
  Taxation policies are set by merchant Prince Cogle. 
  Much of the income goes on funding his indulgent life-
  style rather than the infrastructure of his nation. Taxes 
  are collected by the cult of Var, who act as the nation’s 
  bankers. Cheating them is unwise, for the Thieftakers are 
  unleashed if fraud is suspected.
  In addition to the standard taxes described below, 
  there are a wealth of additional taxes. adult Tax, for 
  example, is paid by a family when their child comes of 
  age (14). Until the fee of 5 gold scields is paid, the child 
  cannot claim adult status.
  Border Tax: Crossing into Coglelund incurs a tax of 
  1 silver scield per leg and 5 silver scields per wheel. This 
  is ostensibly used to maintain the paved trade roads.
  Duty: Bulk cargoes sold to or bought from local mer-
  chants are taxed at a mere 1%. Cargoes passing through 
  Coglelund without being sold are taxed at 7%. Cargo may 
  be stored in a warehouse for 0.5% of its taxable value per 
  calendar month.
  Income Tax: all citizens are taxed at 40% of their an-
  nual income. This is paid quarterly.
  Property Tax: Whether a property or land is owned 
  or rented, a tax of 1% of its value is paid each year.
  Sales Tax: any transaction completed in the Trade 
  Hall market is taxed at 5%. Outside the temple, the fee is 
  10%. This is collected weekly from the traders. The cult 
  of Var receives one-quarter of this income.
  ProPerty and land
  When Coglelund was founded everything belonged 
  to the first merchant prince. Little has changed today. 
  However, any citizen may purchase land or property 
  from the merchant prince. The typical fee is 20 years of 
  rent income, payable in advance. For many, owning their 
  own property is a dream.
  Unlike noble titles, property belongs to the buyer and 
  his family in perpetuity. When families fall onto hard eco-
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #32
  
  
  nomic times, as happens, they are entitled to sell their 
  assets at auction. Half the proceeds from this auction go 
  to the merchant prince’s coffers.
  arcHItecture
  When Coglelund was found it was a land of wooden 
  buildings. Today, there are a plethora of stone buildings. 
  Those with money prefer stone not only because it is 
  more durable, and thus represents a better investment 
  of money, but because it is expensive to import the raw 
  building material and hire skilled masons—it is yet an-
  other display of wealth.
  The homes of the poor are often cramped, for rents 
  are based on floor space. Many steads and cottages, 
  which would house a single family elsewhere, have been 
  partitioned to accommodate two or three families. Be-
  cause gardens and allotments are also rentable, over the 
  centuries houses in Halfway have evolved without them, 
  with homes being build adjoining neighboring ones.
  at the other end of the spectrum are the homes of the 
  wealthy. While still single storey structures, they cover 
  more ground area, are spacious inside, and are well ap-
  pointed with foreign furniture and tapestries (painting is 
  an art form not yet developed in Rassilon).
  Temples are nearly always of stone. The cults may 
  prefer to spend more frugally, but displaying wealth is a 
  sure way to attract worshippers.
  maJor localeS
  The city of Halfway, which houses two-thirds of the 
  population, is the only true site of interest in Coglelund. 
  This section expands on the existing information.
  HalfWay
  Halfway boasts an impressive-looking defensive wall. 
  While the merchant princes would have preferred to 
  use the money for parties, the merchants using the city 
  demanded adequate protection for their cargoes. The 
  wall looks strong, seemingly built of solid stone, but 
  like much of Coglelund it is a sham. The stone walls are 
  facings, only about a foot thick. The rest of the impos-
  ing structure is packed earth and rubble. There are two 
  main gates, one at each end of the main highway, and 
  six smaller gates located around the perimeter. Only the 
  main gates can accommodate wagons.
  The city of Halfway is often known as the City of a 
  Thousand Streets, and for good reason. a broad avenue, 
  part of the Prince’s Road, cuts through the heart of 
  town. arranged along it are the great warehouses, the 
  Temple of Coin, Leon Cogle’s mansion (and the House 
  of Pleasure), and other structures deemed important to 
  trade. In order to save money, both on construction and 
  maintenance, all the other streets in Halfway are narrow 
  alleys, too small for horse-drawn wagons. The city, while 
  boasting only single storey houses, is claustrophobic, 
  not to mention filthy.
  The Arena: In days of yore the anari nobility would 
  force prisoners to fight to the death for their entertain-
  ment. These days the arena is a private business. Citizens 
  can pit their luck against a range of champions in pugilis-
  tic bouts. The fights draw large crowds from among the 
  city’s poor. While few nobles attend the spectacle, most 
  have agents placing bets on their behalf. For those with 
  enough cash, the owners can organize armed conflicts to 
  the death (this is illegal).
  Brewery on the Hill: The city’s largest brewery is op-
  erated by Wilhelm the Swift. While wines are imported, 
  Halfway is largely self-sufficient in ale and beer. among 
  the brewery’s best brews are auld Money (3.5% aBV), 
  Merchant’s Tipple (5% aBV), and the potent eira’s Bane 
  (8% aBV). The brewery currently has a clurichaun infes-
  tation. Wilhelm is offering free ale to anyone who can rid 
  him of the drunken fey without it growing vengeful.
  City Districts: Internally, the city is divided into 
  several districts known as wards. each ward is cut off 
  from its neighbors by brick walls. These were raised not 
  so much to foil invaders, but to allow the city watch to 
  control the flow of traffic. The walls were erected with 
  only a few gates, and in many cases with little regard for 
  existing streets. Thus, one may turn down an alley to see 
  it blocked halfway down.
  The Market Ward is the central strip, where the main 
  mercantile activities occur. Though regarded as an upper 
  class district, during the day it is heaving with common-
  ers. Cheap Ward takes its name from the Classical anari 
  word for a market. Many of the shops and businesses are 
  located here. although race and culture are not barriers 
  to wealth and status, the Foreign Ward is home to many 
  Saxa and engro, the minority populations. Silver Ward is 
  home to the poorest citizens. The name derives from the 
  belief the citizens are so poor they only possess silver sci-
  elds. By contrast, the gold Ward is home to the city’s rich 
  elite. access here is heavily restricted, with commoners 
  requiring a signed permit to pass through the city gates.
  The Crypts: Untroubled by the Liche-Priest and the 
  cult of Hela, Coglelund still buries its dead in the ground 
  with their grave goods. The main cemetery lies outside 
  the city walls, where a solitary priest of Scaetha maintains 
  watch and intones prayers over the dead. Mausoleums 
  stand in honor of the wealthy dead, though none are 
  occupied. The wealthy dead are actually laid to rest in 
  a necropolis excavated from the chalky soil. Lining the 
  walls are numerous niches fronted by engraved stone 
  panels, behind which corpses are laid to rest. While a 
  common burial costs just a few silvers, a noble burial 
  costs upward of 100 gold scields. Such is the price for 
  being buried out of the grasp of tomb robbers.
  No one has opened any of the vaults in decades, there 
  being little need to inspect the dead. That most of them 
  are empty would shock the population of Coglelund.
  Frederick & Snare: Frederick ap-Marl is the head of 
  coglelund
  
  
  the rat catchers’ guild. Snare is his hunting cat, a mangy, 
  vicious feline. Rats are a common problem in a city this 
  size, and Frederick is kept busy, especially in the wealthy 
  homes and warehouses. He professes to follow Veth, 
  goddess of rat catchers, but is actually a cultist of Nau-
  thiz. His access to rich homes allows him to scope out 
  the contents and layout, information he then sells to the 
  thieves’ guild.
  The Golden Die: gambling is rife in Coglelund. The 
  spin of a wheel, the roll of a die, or the draw of a card 
  can leave a man penniless or rise him to nobility. at least 
  that is the marketing used to lure citizens into the many 
  gambling houses. The golden Die, which is in the gold 
  Ward, caters to the wealthiest citizens. although entry 
  is free, as are the drinks, anyone wishing to step foot 
  inside the door must be carrying a minimum of 100 gold 
  scields in cash or gems and be wearing formal clothing. 
  No weapons are permitted. although not affiliated to the 
  thieves’ guild, the owners do pay them protection. as 
  well a being a place one can gamble large stakes (the 
  upper limit is 500 gold scields), it is a place where many 
  of the rich come to do business they would rather keep 
  unofficial. as such, adventurers looking for wealthy pa-
  trons are likely to be pointed here sooner or later.
  The Grand Theater: While the city has several small 
  playhouses where skalds can entertain the masses for a 
  few silver coins, the grand Theater caters to the wealthy. 
  Depending on the entertainer, admission ranges from 3 
  to 10 gold scields. Skalds with a reputation can earn good 
  money performing here, though there is competition.
  Guildhall: an annex of the Temple of Coin, the 
  guildhall is the center of guild activity in Halfway. The 
  resident guild masters, all of whom are nobles, meet 
  here each Marketdaeg to discuss business they feel needs 
  to be brought before the merchant prince. The guild 
  masters have great power, being able to make or break 
  merchants by awarding choice contracts or refusing to 
  deal with them.
  Herald Street: Located just behind Cogle’s impres-
  sive mansion, Herald Street houses the residences of 
  foreign dignitaries. The Magocracy, Chalcis, aspiria, Vest-
  mark, Royalmark, Spyre, and even the distant Crystalflow 
  Confederacy maintain permanent ambassadors to Cogle-
  lund. each vies to improve the interests of their home 
  nation at the court of the merchant prince, creating a 
  backdrop of political intrigue. 
  king Nagrat of Orcmark has recently sent letters to 
  the merchant prince asking for permission to open an 
  embassy. While the thought would be abhorrent to most 
  citizens, Cogle sees Orcmark as another possible trading 
  partner, not an enemy at his door. Besides, if he funds 
  both Vestmark’s and Orcmark’s economies, the war is 
  likely to drag on even longer, and war is profitable.
  House of Mercy: Halfway’s largest hospital is oper-
  ated by the Sisters of Mercy. Their services are open to 
  rich and poor alike—most of the city’s population owes 
  them some small favor, including Leon Cogle.
  Matron-Sister agatha ap-Bendrik, the senior official, 
  is actually in league with the cult of Vali. every now and 
  then the cult causes an outbreak of disease, forcing the 
  populace to flock to the temple for succor. The last out-
  break was confined to the gold Ward, placing many of 
  the city’s richest citizens deeper into the organization’s 
  debt. The cult of eira, which runs a small clinic, is grow-
  ing suspicious as to the nature of the outbreaks, though 
  it lacks the staff to investigate more fully.
  The Mint: although the currency of Coglelund is the 
  scield, the nation mints its own gold and silver coins. 
  Out of pure arrogance, every coin stamped here bears 
  the image of Leon Cogle. Security is extremely high, and 
  even the thieves’ guild refuses to try its luck.
  The Rukh’s Nest: Coglelund rarely sees visitors from 
  al-Shirkuh, though their expensive and exotic goods pass 
  through its warehouses. The tavern proprietor, who likes 
  to be called Sultan, a title he heard from a merchant, has 
  decorated his inn in what he believes is the style of an al-
  Shirkuh palace. Sadly his garish furnishings are way off 
  the mark, though few locals know any better. The tavern 
  offers fine wine, exotic foodstuffs, and scantily clad danc-
  ers for those who can afford the equally exotic prices.
  Street of Wagons: Located in the Foreign Ward, the 
  Street of Wagons contains no houses. Instead, brightly 
  colored engro caravans occupy marked areas. While there 
  are settled engro in Halfway, many maintain a nomadic 
  lifestyle. While the ground is frozen they reside in the 
  city, leaving for the open road when the winter ends.
  Thieves’ Guild: The resident thieves’ guild is known 
  as the equalizers. While its members specialize in the 
  “liberation of unattended wealth,” they are not above ex-
  tortion. In return for a yearly donation, the guild marks 
  properties with its sign. No theft is permitted from these 
  establishments on punishment of mutilation.
  The guild also polices crime in the city, making sure 
  outsider rogues do not ply their trade. Those caught are 
  given a severe beating before being handed over to the 
  city watch. If the thief has been particularly harmful to 
  the guild, the watch may be paid a small bribe to ensure 
  he meets with a nasty accident guaranteed to end his 
  larcenous career. The guild is currently at war with the 
  cult of Vali, who it sees as a threat to their gambling en-
  terprises. So far the war has been waged in the shadows, 
  but it is in danger of spilling out onto the streets.
  Travelers’’ Guild: Coglelund isn’t geographically 
  central to the Hearthlands, but traders and travellers 
  from across the continent pass through. The guild pur-
  chases information regarding various aspect of foreign 
  lands and writes them up as a series of region guides. 
  While the guild endeavors to ensure the information is 
  accurate and up to date, it takes no responsibility for the 
  veracity of its writings. guides cost 1 gold scield apiece.
  Workhouse: Families who cannot support their 
  children have the option of giving their children to the 
  workhouse. Here they are fed by the state at taxpayer’s 
  expense. In return, they are hired out to families and 
  businesses as cheap labor. Recently, a number of chil-
  dren have disappeared from their cots during the night. 
  a reward is offered for their safe return, and a lesser one 
  for information leading to capture of the perpetrators.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #32
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Only those looking for trouble or illegal goods bother to visit the wretched den of 
  thieves, murderers, smugglers, and beggars that is Freetown. Ruled by the mysterious Lord 
  Blackhand, the city-port is a cesspit of civilization, yet it continues to grow and prosper. 
  This supplement expands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Who Is Lord BLackhand?
  The man known only as Lord Blackhand has ruled over Freetown for nearly 30 years, 
  yet he remains a mystery not only to the folk of Rassilon as a whole, but to even his closest 
  advisors. He rarely makes public appearances or gives audiences, and when he does he 
  is always masked behind an ornate silver mask or wrapped in a black, voluminous cloak. 
  Next to nothing is known of his past, yet small clues have allowed gossips and rumormon-
  gers to devise a wealth of stories.
  Blackhand is not his given name—that much is hard fact. The name is a nickname based 
  on his physical appearance, for it is said his hands are withered and black, as if subjected 
  to some great fire. Some claim his entire body is scarred in the same manner, hence the 
  lord’s preference for remaining concealed. Yet whether or not his hands are truly burnt 
  remains open to conjecture.
  While the denizens of the desert realm of Al-Shirkuh, who sometimes call here to sell 
  drugs, are brown skinned, they occasionally bring slaves whose skin is as black as midnight. 
  Some insist Blackhand is merely a slave from unknown southern lands who somehow 
  made his way to Rassilon and prospered. One tale, quickly quashed when the rumormon-
  ger was found strangled in his bed, his neck crushed by some immense force, records 
  how a merchant from Al-Shirkuh had the honor of meeting Blackhand and came away 
  as pale as snow, mumbling only two words “Hekata” and “mummia.” Desert merchants 
  have proven very reluctant to discuss either term, quickly changing the conversation to 
  something more appealing.
  Stories that Blackhand is a wizard are rife yet groundless. It is certainly true he has a 
  great fascination of relics, but given that any ruler worth his salt has a similar desire to 
  possess powerful artifacts that is hardly conclusive. He has certainly never invoked a spell 
  in front of witnesses. Some argue that he might (others insist “must”) be a cleric of Nauthiz 
  since he rules over a town full of thieves. Others hint at him serving Hothar (he runs the 
  city with an iron grip) or Vali. Again, talk is cheap and evidence is lacking.
  Although everyone calls Blackhand “his” lordship, there is no direct evidence he is a 
  31233
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 3 3 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  FreetoWn
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  man. He is of thin frame and wears baggy clothing, which 
  were he a woman might conceal small breasts. Blackhand 
  smells, so it is said, of exotic spices and incense—wearing 
  perfume or scent is not considered a male trait anywhere 
  in Rassilon. His voice is strong and deep, almost hollow, 
  yet it has a sing-song quality. While he is conversant in 
  many languages, rarely requiring a translator even when 
  dealing with foreign emissaries, his lordship has an inde-
  finable accent, as if none of the languages he speaks are 
  actually his native tongue.
  atmosphere
  Although Freetown’s population is similar in size to 
  that of not-too-distant Aith, the town feels far more claus-
  trophobic. Hemmed in between the cliffs that mark the 
  end of the Lesser crystalflow, the city is a maze of narrow, 
  dirty alleys, drab two storey buildings (ground space is 
  limited), and crowded streets.
  Like most ports one feels both welcome and alien be-
  cause of the number of foreign visitors present, but here 
  there is an air of constant menace. eyes peer furtively 
  from behind drapes; strangers in the street flick their 
  eyes to money purses and weapons, sizing up possible 
  rewards in relation to the danger of robbing an armed 
  man; rich citizens go nowhere without gruff bodyguards; 
  polite smiles and hellos from shopkeepers and fellow 
  pedestrians are replaced by mumbled threats and curses, 
  or hard stares; and corpses hang at every street corner as 
  a reminder that the laws are absolute.
  The crowds press relentlessly as they bustle about 
  their business. The streets are covered in filth while rats 
  scurry unmolested through open sewers and across the 
  ice-ridden, disease-ravaged, and crippled beggars that 
  line the walkways in throngs. The dogs are mangy, the 
  cats feral, and the children prone to picking pockets.
  Inns and taverns are frequently the scene of ugly 
  brawls. Strangers are greeted with silence while the 
  patrons decide whether to rob or murder them or just 
  let them have a drink and something to eat. most estab-
  lishments serve only poor quality food and drink, and 
  anyone sleeping in an inn will share his bed with more 
  lice and fleas than he is accustomed to. 
  socIaL hIerarchy
  Thirty years ago Freetown was controlled by a cabal 
  of crime lords known as the Nine captains. each rep-
  resented a powerful faction or family. Promotion came 
  through assassination or political maneuvering rather 
  than waiting for a vacancy.
  Then Lord Blackhand came to Freetown. In the course 
  of a week he had assumed total command of the port, 
  murdering the Nine captains by his own hand (or so 
  the story goes) and installing the Black guard as his en-
  forcers. The families and factions of the deceased rulers 
  were given a stark choice—swear unconditional loyalty 
  to Blackhand or meet a similar fate. given the state of the 
  bodies, which were said to have been horribly mangled 
  to such a degree that identification was possible only 
  through tattoos, scars, and their gold rings of office, they 
  chose wisely. Lord Blackhand now rules as an absolute 
  autocrat, neither taking nor asking for counsel.
  Although seriously weakened, the families and fac-
  tions of the Nine captains remain powerful players in 
  Freetown’s politics, though they are careful not to involve 
  their lord in their powerplays. They still control much of 
  the trade and crime, and while they can hardly be said 
  to be upper class, they are the nearest the city-port has 
  to offer. Regardless of their actual financial status, they 
  consider themselves the “old families,” and expect to be 
  treated with due respect.
  crafters, merchants, clerics, wizards, and anyone else 
  with a decent level of income is next down the social lad-
  der. Then come those who work for other people, such 
  as soldiery, laborers, and apprentices. Finally there are 
  the beggars, those whose income relies on the charity 
  of others. With charity in short supply in Freetown, only 
  citizens unable to find other forms of work take to the 
  streets and beg.
  JustIce
  Freetown may be full of criminals, but it is not lawless. 
  Far from it, in fact, for Lord Blackhand rules with a rod 
  of iron. While citizens are free to rob and murder each 
  other, this is not an open invitation for anarchy. First, vis-
  iting merchants are largely off-limits—Blackhand wishes 
  to encourage trade, not scare away customers. Second, 
  being caught in the act is still a punishable crime.
  Since many citizens are in some way connected to the 
  Nine captains, theft and murder can lead to reprisals. 
  No one wants a gang war, especially since that may en-
  courage Blackhand to crack down harder. Thus, despite 
  Freetown’s unsavory reputation, theft and murder are 
  not as prevalent as skalds may claim.
  Anyone accused of a crime by a member of the Black 
  guard or a reliable witness is thrown into jail, where-
  ruLes oF the reaLm
  The following setting rules apply in Freetown
  * Center for Trade: Virtually anything short of 
  relics can be purchased in Freetown. Special avail-
  ability goods can be purchased outside the usual 
  places, but cost double. Items with a city availabil-
  ity cost just 25% of normal. Heroes selling goods 
  in Freetown have +2 to their Streetwise rolls to 
  find a buyer.
  * Den of Thieves: All citizens have Stealth d4. This 
  represents not only their ability to avoid danger, 
  but also their habit of picking pockets.
  * Vile Inhabitants: Assume the average unsavory 
  inhabitant of Freetown has –2 charisma.
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #33
  
  
  upon they are promptly forgotten. unless the “criminal” 
  was caught in the act of committing a crime, his friends 
  and relatives may pay a fine to secure his release. Those 
  who are not freed perish from disease, malnutrition, 
  disease, old age, or by being unfortunate.
  The guards don’t keep any records—every prisoner 
  is identified only by his cell number. This means anyone 
  who wants to free a friend by paying a bribe has to pay a 
  bribe to learn what cell they are in first. each month on 
  Raestdaeg, Blackhand draws a single token from a cask. 
  Whoever happens to be in that cell at the time is dragged 
  onto the streets and publicly executed as a warning to 
  others. The corpse is then placed in a gibbet on one of 
  the street corners and left to rot.
  reLIGIon
  So long as temples, shrines, and congregations pay 
  their dues and do not preach against his laws or rule, 
  Lord Blackhand allows the open worship of any deity in 
  Freetown. The most popular by number of worshippers, 
  are Nauthiz, Neorthe, Freo, Thunor, and Tiw.
  Nauthiz is openly honored here, for thievery is not 
  illegal and gambling is a popular pastime. Such is his ac-
  ceptance, the city boasts a temple, one of a small few not 
  concealed from public scrutiny. Whereas in many realms 
  clerics of the thief god find it hard to avoid sins or the 
  long arm of the law, in a den of thieves they ply their 
  trade and appease their god with great ease. Tradition-
  ally, the high priest, who takes the title Lord Thief, was 
  one of the Nine captains. While the temple has no real 
  say in the running of the town any more, it remains a 
  powerful faction.
  much of Freetown’s illegal trade comes in via ship, 
  and more than a few of its citizens are pirates. Hence, 
  Neorthe, god of the sea, is worshipped. Since Thunor 
  commands the weather, even on the open ocean, he too 
  receives plentiful worship. unlike among the Saxa, his 
  minor aspect of opposing tyranny receives little worship, 
  and what few adherents that part of the cult has lurk out 
  of site for fear of stirring Blackhand’s ire. Freo is similarly 
  placated. While the god of travel has little jurisdiction 
  over the weather, it never hurts to offer him prayers for a 
  safe and speedy voyage.
  With only 300 soldiers present, Tiw may seem an odd 
  choice as a major god at first. Since the port boasts many 
  pirates and is surrounded by midmark, a hostile nation as 
  far as Blackhand is concerned, Tiw has many adherents.
  Slavery is openly practiced in Freetown. A small band 
  of Haptsönir cultists (see Region Guide #9) operates 
  here. Since they are opposed to Blackhand’s laws, they 
  must worship and act in secrecy. Rooting them out has 
  proven extremely difficult, even in a port where informa-
  tion is easy to gather.
  What strikes many outsiders as odd is that Vali does 
  not seem to receive public support. While the cult is not 
  forbidden from opening a public temple, the cult has 
  never liked attention. cultists work behind the scenes as 
  elsewhere, though in truth there is little need for them to 
  work that hard—the citizens of Freetown are quite open 
  to corruption without their sly nudging. When the fam-
  ine-cultists prefer richer targets, the cult of Haratt, god of 
  rats (see Region Guide #24), has adherents—Freetown, 
  a port and a filthy city, is beset with vermin.
  The cults of Hothar and Sigel also have worshippers, 
  though they are very few in number. Both are opposed to 
  the open corruption and rampant thievery, but to open a 
  temple and preach against the moral decay would invite 
  not only scorn but violent attacks, and likely raise the 
  ire of Blackhand. Thus, they must work in the shadows 
  to appease their god. Var has no official presence here, 
  despite Freetown relying on trade (albeit illegal). Any 
  temple to the god of trade would quickly become a tar-
  get for thieves or embroiled in black market activities. 
  While the cult is not opposed to criminal ventures, it has 
  no wish to be stained with a poor reputation for actively 
  seeking such markets.
  mILItary
  Before Lord Blackhand seized power, Freetown had 
  no standing army. every master thief, slaver, merchant, 
  and whoever else could afford it, kept a personal body-
  guard to watch over their person and property. Turf wars 
  wracked the city as the crime lords pitted their forces 
  against each other for dominance.
  After removing the most power hungry criminals, 
  Lord Blackhand created the Black guard, a force of 300 
  heavily armed soldiers loyal only to him. After a series 
  of very short and very brutal actions, the private militias 
  were disbanded. While citizens may retain bodyguards 
  and watchmen, no family may keep more than 10. To do 
  otherwise is to be summoned before Lord Blackhand, a 
  fate few desire more than once.
  The guard is divided into three distinct groups. At 
  the top are the elite guard, a force of 10 men who form 
  his lordship’s personal guard. The faceplates of their full 
  helms resemble grinning skulls and black ermine fur 
  cloaks, a mark of their office, hang from their shoulders.
  Beneath them are the Palace guards. Sixty strong, 
  they are responsible for guarding the jail and the palace 
  proper. They are divided into three companies of 20 
  men. One company is on watch at all times, the second 
  on standby, and the third sleeping or resting.
  Finally, there are the 230 Black Watch, the thugs who 
  patrol the streets and brutally enforce the law. The Watch 
  is divided into ten companies of 23 men (ten soldiers, 
  two sergeants, and one captain). During the day and 
  evening three companies are on street patrol. At night, 
  four companies hit the streets looking for troublemakers 
  to quell.
  The Watch are well-equipped, but they receive low 
  wages. They are allowed to make money through bribes, 
  but within certain limits. The Black Watch have the right 
  FreetoWn
  3
  
  to accuse anyone of a crime, for instance. Often the ac-
  cused has done nothing wrong, and a small bribe may 
  suffice to rectify the “mistaken identity.” The Watch are 
  careful not to abuse this privilege too much, for Black-
  hand executes guardsmen who routinely accept bribes, 
  considering them too untrustworthy. They are also wary 
  about mistreating members of the old families. This isn’t 
  out of any respect, but because Blackhand doesn’t want 
  to give them an excuse to revolt against his authority 
  (similarly, he can’t just eradicate the families because it 
  may stir the people against him).
  Freetown has no walls to protect it. The cliffs prevent 
  armies from attacking by land, and the Lesser crystal-
  flow, which divides the town in half, is seeded with sharp 
  stakes to prevent invaders reaching the third bridge. The 
  only open approach is the harbor, and that is protected 
  by small towers outfitted with ballistas and catapults.
  trade & trIBute
  Freetown legally imports very little—most goods in 
  the market are the result of piracy. The port’s true mer-
  cantile value is as a center of smuggling operations. With 
  only a few safe harbors on this stretch of coast and only 
  two capable of handling large cargoes, merchants who 
  want to avoid paying the import and export duties at 
  Drakeport or Aith see berthing at Freetown as a neces-
  sary evil. Freetown also acts as a trade center for illegal 
  goods, offering a place where merchants can buy and sell 
  cargoes prohibited elsewhere.
  Living in Freetown isn’t free—Lord Blackhand de-
  mands taxes from the citizens. Since people either don’t 
  bother to declare their income or would lie, there is no 
  income tax based on annual earnings.
  Entrance Tax: Any person entering Freetown must 
  produce a travel pass. These can be purchased from 
  any watch station or the harbor master’s office. Prices 
  vary by the length of duration the permit is valid. A day 
  pass costs 1 gs. A week-long permit costs 6 gs, a monthly 
  permit costs 20 gs, and a year’s entry runs at 240 gs. The 
  Black guard frequently charge more, pocketing any extra 
  payment. The harbor master is actually honest.
  Any person may be asked to produce his travel per-
  mit or proof of citizenship (see below) by the guard. 
  Failure to produce the necessary paperwork results in 
  imprisonment (unless a swift bribe is paid), while stub-
  born refusal to comply results in a severe beating before 
  a trip to the jail.
  Citizenship Tax: All citizens with a permanent resi-
  dence in the city must pay 10 gs per year. In return they 
  are awarded a token declaring them to be citizens of 
  Freetown. This exempts them from the entrance tax. 
  citizenship tokens can be purchased illegally for 50 gs. 
  Being caught with a forgery results in a trip to the jail.
  Property Tax: citizens pay 10% of the value of their 
  home, including all furnishings, each year. Business 
  premises pay 5%. As a result of this policy, most citizens 
  have just a single well-furnished room, leaving the re-
  mainder of their home looking very bare.
  Trade Tax: All imports, exports, and goods passing 
  through the city are taxed at 0.5% of their value. given 
  the low tax rate, few merchants bother to try and conceal 
  their cargoes’ true value.
  Temple Tax: All temples are required to pay a flat fee 
  of 500 gs per annum, while shrines are charged 200 gs. 
  In order to pay the tax, most charge attendees 1 ss per 
  visit. The temple of Nauthiz has a special agreement 
  with Lord Blackhand. each year, in a public ceremony, 
  the Lord Thief and one of his lordship’s chosen servants 
  play dice on the temple steps. If the Lord Thief wins, the 
  temple tax is waived (and the servant thrown in jail). If 
  the servant wins, the fee is doubled.
  archItecture
  Freetown was rebuilt from the rubble of the original 
  Anari city. The modern city displays a total lack of civic 
  planning, having evolved slowly from the debris as the 
  population grew and expanded outward. When ground 
  space became short the citizens built upward, adding sec-
  ond stories to their homes and shops. Lack of masonry 
  skill meant the early settlers used any blocks they had at 
  hand, resulting in ramshackle abodes with uneven, slop-
  ing walls. In the case of two storey dwellings, the top half 
  is rarely mortared to the ground floor—only the weight 
  of stones prevents the top part falling off into the street.
  Whereas the Old Town, the part on the banks of the 
  river, has changed little since it was erected, New Town, 
  the part further up the cliffs, is continually evolving. 
  much of its evolution is unseen, though.
  Peering up the cliff, one sees narrow houses seem-
  ingly perched on thin outcroppings. Without further in-
  vestigation, it appears as if the inhabitants have even less 
  living space than the scum who inhabit the Old Town. 
  Like the power and influence the old families claim to 
  possess, New Town is largely a facade. The front of the 
  dwellings appears like a well crafted house, but much of 
  the living space extends deep into the cliff. When the rich 
  wish to expand their homes, they simply hire miners and 
  masons and dig deeper.
  Rough cut steps, which become slick when it rains 
  and downright deadly when icy, ascend the cliff in a 
  crisscross pattern. most citizens of New Town prefer to 
  remain at home except when absolutely necessary, send-
  ing servants to make the treacherous climb to buy provi-
  sions and other goods.
  maJor LocaLes
  Freetown is an isolated city-port. It makes no claim 
  to any territory beyond its city limits. This entry expands 
  locales with the settlement.
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #33
  
  
  FreetoWn
  The Black Palace: Home to Lord Blackhand and the 
  city jail, the Black Palace (named after the color of its 
  stone) stands on a small island reachable only by boat. 
  While the imposing exterior looks drab, the interior is 
  lavishly decorated—Blackhand does not scrimp on in-
  dulging himself. Statues, tapestries, and carvings from 
  many cultures and ages adorn the walls or stand on mar-
  ble plinths. While no one has ever seen a library, most 
  citizens who have met Blackhand agree he must have 
  one—he speaks of past matters as if he had witnessed 
  them first hand, and is versed in many lores.
  Freetown has a total population of 7,987, yet only 
  7,600 are registered as citizens according to its last cen-
  sus (taken each year when new citizenship tokens are 
  purchased). The missing citizens are prisoners, slowly 
  rotting in body and mind in the dank jail.
  The Cabin: Located near the north dock, this large 
  inn was once the meeting place of the Nine captains. 
  Back then it was known as the captains’ cabin. The 
  owner, milon ap-Haylon, wisely removed the prefix so 
  as to avoid upsetting Lord Blackhand. Offering relatively 
  clean sleeping furs and adequate food, the cabin mainly 
  caters to wealthier clients. many of the clientele are the 
  sorts of people Blackhand wants to do business with, so 
  thievery is less common than in other inns.
  Two of the patrons, a dour couple claiming to be mer-
  chants looking to avoid midmark’s taxation policies, are 
  actually clerics of Scaetha. eulogist ernaut ap-Begon and 
  Divine Slayer cuthhelm edmundsunu have a suspicion 
  Lord Blackhand might be the missing liche, Angtharinax. 
  His withered hands, reluctance to reveal his features, 
  and interest in relics, not to mention his sudden ar-
  rival 30 years ago and unknown background, are all too 
  coincidental to be ignored. They are currently trying to 
  uncover evidence to prove their claims.
  The Crone’s Lair: A small tavern in a side alley near 
  the docks, the crone’s Lair is home to a “priestess of the 
  Norns” reputed to have amazing powers to divine the 
  future. Such is her reputed power that she rarely sees 
  customers, and favors only those with important roles in 
  life. In return for unraveling a client’s thread of life and 
  seeing what lays ahead, she demands only that the client 
  tell her a secret hidden even from the Norns.
  The priestess is a fake, though she is highly skilled 
  at cold reading psychology. She “divines” likely futures 
  based on her client’s occupation and ambitions, all of 
  which she slowly wheedles out of him during her divina-
  tion. She is actually an agent of Lord Blackhand
  The Floating Temple: One of the few all-wooden 
  structures in Freetown, the current temple of Neorthe is 
  actually a dozen ships lashed together in the harbor.
  A long wooden building similar in appearance to a 
  Saxa longhouse dominates centre of the floating temple. 
  It contains a large worship hall, quarters for the clerics, 
  a kitchen and mess hall, the treasury, and an armory. Im-
  ages of Freo, Thunor, and Tiw carved from whale teeth 
  stand outside the temple.
  The floating temple is only part of a larger temple 
  complex, though that is based on shore. The temple 
  owns two wharves and a number of buildings. The lat-
  ter serve as dosshouses for down on their luck mariners, 
  captains seeking somewhere safe to sleep while in town, 
  hiring halls for crews after employment, and the like. A 
  strong wooden fence separates the temple complex from 
  the rest of the docks.
  When services are due the vast temple is sailed in be-
  tween the two wharves. citizens board the ship via one 
  wharf, pay their respects to the statue of Neorthe and 
  their 1 ss temple tax, and then exit onto the other wharf. 
  Once the queue has filtered through, a cleric gives a ser-
  mon to the throng massed on the temple wharf. Those 
  who don’t fancy standing outside with the unwashed 
  masses or in the cold or rain may pay 2 gs to worship in 
  the main worship hall.
  The current high priest is master Navigator gui 
  Roughskin. He is named after the shark skin cloak and 
  hat he wears in all weathers.
  The Hall of Plenty: Nauthiz’s temple stands on the 
  south bank of the Lesser crystalflow. Aside from its size, 
  the outside is nondescript, boasting no wealth or reli-
  gious iconography. even here, where thieving is a part of 
  daily life, the cult prefers to keep a modest profile. Within 
  are the main worship hall, whose statue depicts Nauthiz 
  in his traditional guise, living quarters and facilities for 
  the clerics, a licensed gambling hall, a small portion of 
  the cult treasury, barracks for apprentice thieves, and a 
  thief training facility known as the “Death Room.”
  Rumors are that the truly destitute and needy can 
  play the ultimate gambling game. In a secret room is a 
  free-spinning wheel carved with cash sums and methods 
  of death. If the wheel stops with a cash sum indicated, 
  the guild pays up immediately. But if it lands on death, 
  the gambler has run out of luck, for Nauthiz will not be 
  cheated. No fee is charged to play the game, but a citizen 
  can only ever spin the wheel once in his life.
  The Last Repose: Death is common in Freetown, 
  though rarely does its shadow fall on great numbers of 
  citizens at any one time. most corpses are disposed of in 
  the sea. The Last Repose is a separate annex belonging 
  to the temple of Neorthe, though there is a small shrine 
  to Scaetha in the grounds.
  Whereas robbing a living person is part of daily life, 
  stealing from a corpse is risky business. By law, any per-
  sonal possessions on a corpse found within the city limits 
  belong to Lord Blackhand. These are auctioned off in the 
  Last Repose and the proceeds sent to the treasury. 
  The Messengers’ Guild: The local messengers’ guild 
  keeps only a handful of voice on the wind devices in 
  store due to the risk of theft. Instead, it makes extensive 
  use of carrier pigeons. messages are written in special 
  code and sent to Aith, where the guild maintains a small 
  office. These are then sent on via alchemical devices to 
  distant recipients. The guild also offers more traditional 
  couriers, both overland and maritime.
  Raedvig’s: A Saxa skald, Raedvig doesn’t advertize his 
  abode or services. Publicly he is an entertainer, traveling 
  FreetoWn
  
  
  the taverns and inns to make a living. In truth he is a very 
  wealthy man, for his true patrons are the old families. 
  While murder is a valuable tool in Freetown, too much 
  of it upsets the lord and risks retaliation. But there are 
  other ways to effectively kill a man.
  Such is Raedvig’s gift for satire and his widespread 
  popularity with the masses that he can tarnish a repu-
  tation beyond repair or make a man a laughing stock. 
  Such methods are rarely permanent, but they serve their 
  purpose in Freetown’s intrigues. Raedvig charges 500 gs 
  a time, but his methods are effective—anyone ridiculed 
  by him suffers –4 charisma. each month the penalty is 
  reduced one point. When it reaches zero, the satire has 
  worn off and the reputation restored.
  The Raven’s Nest: Proudly proclaimed as the high-
  est tavern in Freetown, the Raven’s Nest is located on 
  the slopes of the southern cliffs. Its prices are as high as 
  its location, something that serves to keep out the poor. 
  Here wealthier citizens can sit and enjoy moderately 
  good beer and wine, acceptable food, and passable en-
  tertainment without being troubled by beggars.
  Shipyard: Freetown’s shipwrights have always done 
  a good trade in boat repairs—unsurprising once you 
  realize most of the damage is caused by them! Ships are 
  sabotaged while in harbor, forcing the owners to make 
  costly repairs before they can leave. more legitimately, 
  they can build ships surprisingly fast—assume one week 
  per point of base Toughness (not including armor).
  Soup Kitchen: Run by three clerics of eira, the soup 
  kitchen hands out soup and bread to the city’s beggars 
  each day. The clerics treat beggars’ recent injuries (rat 
  and dog bites are common) for free, but charge other 
  citizens. They keep no alchemical devices in stock, but 
  can manufacture a variety of herbal brews from their 
  supply of dried herbs.
  Thieves’ Guild: Freetown’s thieves’ guild (the Rest-
  less Hand) operates quite openly, claiming the temple 
  of Nauthiz as its headquarters. Wary of Blackhand, what 
  the guild says and what it does are two totally different 
  things. The true headquarters is in the basement of a 
  run-down tavern, the Luckless Beggar.
  As well as committing acts of theft, the guild operates 
  all gambling houses in Freetown as legitimate businesses. 
  most games are actually honest, the odds being stacked 
  in their favor by the laws of probabilities. The guild is 
  accustomed to harassment from the Black Watch, and 
  maintains a slush fund for bribing officials. Of the many 
  prisoners in the jail, the only guild members are those 
  who offended the guild master in some way.
  Officially the Lord Thief is Liaze Shadow-Thief. She 
  took her nickname after convincing gullible citizens she 
  was such a good thief she could steal a person’s shadow 
  (it was a moneymaking scam done using magic). Like 
  much in Freetown, her position is an illusion. The true 
  guild master is maugis the Thin, a corpulent gentleman 
  who passes himself off as an honest merchant. He re-
  mains hidden partly to avoid Lord Blackhand, and partly 
  because promotion in the guild comes at the point of a 
  dagger more often than not.
  Why come here?
  In the wilds one expects to be beset by bandits or 
  orcs, yet within a town or city there should be a degree 
  of comfort and safety. Not so in Freetown, where visitors 
  risk being robbed or murdered. So what can lure the 
  heroes to a den of thieves and cutthroats?
  * Orders. While organizations provide members with 
  support, there are times when they call in favors or is-
  sue direct orders. Honor-bound to obey, the adventurers 
  may find themselves sent here on an errand. members 
  of the Reliquary may find themselves ordered to see if 
  Lord Blackhand’s quest for relics has been fruitful. Lore-
  keepers may hear wind of a rare tome for sale and send 
  agents to procure it before it vanishes into private hands. 
  clerics of Hothar or Var may find themselves tracking a 
  criminal to its shadowy alleys, as may heroes oath-bound 
  to a nobleman.
  * Duty. even if an organization doesn’t see fit to 
  dispatch an agent to Freetown, members may feel com-
  pelled to pay the city a visit. A cleric of Hothar may desire 
  to wage war on the thievish inhabitants. A follower of Var 
  may come here to engage in trade (see below). Worship-
  pers of Nauthiz ay simply wish to stroll his temple, safe 
  in the knowledge they will not be arrested.
  * Trading. While the characters are unlikely to engage 
  in large-scale mercantile enterprises, Freetown can be 
  a source of hard to find items or ones that are too ex-
  pensive elsewhere. It is also a convenient place to sell 
  large quantities of treasure, as no one asks questions and 
  there are plenty of willing buyers.
  * Hiding Out. Adventurers who go on killing sprees 
  in civilized lands will quickly find the authorities on their 
  tail. Those looking for a place to hide out for a while will 
  always find refuge in Freetown—Blackhand cares little 
  for who dwells in his domain, so long as the appropriate 
  taxes are paid on time and in full.
  adventure seeds
  * many of the bodies buried at sea are never claimed 
  by Neorthe. The cult of Hela is dragging the bodies from 
  the water and storing them in the “sewers.” Slowly but 
  surely they are amassing a sizeable army. When the Liche-
  Priest rises again, they hope to have enough undead to 
  capture Freetown, giving them a stronghold on the edge 
  of the southern marklands.
  * A friend of someone important from another land 
  has been arrested in Freetown and thrown into jail. All 
  attempts to bribe the guards have failed, and there is 
  a rumor the prisoner will be executed on the coming 
  Raestdaeg. The adventurers are hired to break the pris-
  oner our of jail and return him to safety.
  * An outbreak of poisoning is sweeping Freetown! 
  unusually, the murderer is a cleric of Hothar. Driven half-
  mad by the unpunished sin, he intends to wipe Freetown 
  off the map by killing all the inhabitants.
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #33
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Nestled beneath the Icewall and wrapped around the Scythe Mountains, the vast ex-
  panse of the Frozen Forest is a lifeless realm locked in endless winter. Once a major realm 
  for the taiga elves, it is now a frozen hell, wracked by deadly blizzards and the madden-
  ing Hellfrost Wind. Few venture deep into its depths, and even fewer return to speak of 
  the terrors and secrets they have witnessed. This supplement expands on material in the 
  Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Atmosphere
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer presents a brief overview of the major geographic features, but 
  it says little of the atmosphere within this frozen, lifeless realm.
  To those who do not know the history of the Frozen Forest it seems a place of wonder-
  ment. From a distance it looks serene and picturesque, the sun glinting off the frozen 
  trees and rock-hard ground, snow flurries whipped up by the wind dancing between the 
  towering, living icewood trees like glittering sprites. No footprints mar the snow-covered 
  ground, giving one the impression of entering virgin territory.
  But quickly the tranquility begins to grate on the senses. There are no bird calls or 
  animal noises, and when the wind drops, the only sound is one’s labored breathing or the 
  crunch of one’s feet in the snow and ice. In the near-total absence of external sounds, the 
  mind begins to create its own stimuli. The lack of animal tracks, cart tracks, and footprints 
  brings not feelings of peaceful privacy, but of total isolation. The endless expanse of trees 
  grows monotonous, leading to malaise—a fatal condition in a land where a single mistake 
  might be your last.
  While the emptiness assails the mind and soul, the weather destroys the body. Terrible 
  blizzards can spring up in minutes, blanketing the landscape with buffeting wind and 
  stinging snow, eliminating any hope of detecting approaching foes unaffected by such 
  weather. Rains falls as razor-sharp icicles that pierce armor as easily as flesh, or freezes 
  on contact, encasing everything in thick ice. The freezing temperature, which changes 
  neither by season nor time of day, saps strength and erodes morale, and without a source 
  of firewood, hot food and warm nights rapidly become a distant memory. Even heat-magic, 
  one’s only salvation against the gnawing cold, is difficult to work, adding to the misery of 
  those accustomed to warm hearths.
  The snow is rarely deep, but it is thick enough to conceal small objects. Travelers 
  stumble and trip over hidden obstacles, kicking away at what they think is a stone only to 
  31234
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 3 4 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  the Frozen Forest
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  reveal the milky, sightless eyes of an animal frozen five 
  centuries before.
  Once night falls the very air seems alive with evil, the 
  wind rising and falling like the frosty breath of some co-
  lossal beast that seeks to snuff out any sources of warmth 
  daring to trespass in its forbidding lair. according to the 
  taiga elves, the fell wind which froze their kin in the blink 
  of an eye froze their souls to the mortal realm. Trapped 
  for centuries, they have descended into insanity, eter-
  nally screaming out in anguish, increasing the potency of 
  the Hellfrost wind which howls relentlessly through the 
  land. No, this is no place of wonderment, but a haunted 
  realm of endless winter, where death is ever present.
  mAjor LocALes
  Only the Lance knights have much cause to venture 
  into the interior of the Frozen Forest, and they rarely 
  tarry to explore, for their journey takes them to the Hell-
  frost. Below are just some of the unusual sites found in 
  and on the borders of the Frozen Forest. In addition to 
  these sites, there are ruined castles, villages, and temples 
  from the age of the Heligi, taiga elf settlements, and pos-
  sibly locations which predate the arrival of even the taiga 
  elves.
  cAstLe oF the Frost GIAnts
  Before the Blizzard War, the giants and orcs of the 
  Scythe Mountains were kept in check by the elves of 
  Morenelion and dwarves of karad khan. For 500 years 
  they have had little to fear except the frost wights, and 
  the undead rarely climb the high peaks. Their numbers 
  have grown steadily, kept in check only by their natural 
  hostility toward rival tribes.
  But a new threat has risen. a powerful frost giant jarl 
  has finally defeated his rivals and is now beginning to 
  impose his will over the orc tribes. While he is not an im-
  mediate threat, his continued existence poses a danger 
  to Nerenel and the Shattered Moor. Should these realms 
  fall, his armies could sweep south through Seithrby and 
  Heligioland. If they were brave enough, they could in 
  theory bypass any resistance and march through the Li-
  che Lands, linking up with orc forces in the White drake 
  Mountains and Heldalund, and possibly the frostborn of 
  cul. So vast an army at the very gates of the Hearthlands 
  would spell disaster for the civilized races.
  The jarl resides in a castle atop one of the central 
  peaks, on the opposite side of the range to karad khan. 
  Protecting him are a number of frost giant warriors and 
  a host of vicious orcs. The Hearth knights have heard 
  stories, but know very little about the jarl. No army could 
  march into the forest without incurring heavy losses, but 
  where many might fail, a small band might succeed.
  dverGrton
  Population: 100
  Ruler: Noble council
  dvergton, auld Saxa for “enclosure of the dwarves,” 
  actually lies in the unclaimed Lands a few miles west of 
  the Frozen Forest in the Scythe Mountain foothills. In 
  days of old it served as an outpost of karad khan, but 
  today it is the permanent home of just 100 dwarves
  dvergton’s sole purpose in the current age is to 
  provide a refuge for the icewood harvesters and their 
  wagons. Originally it possessed two defensive walls, one 
  inside the other. The outer wall has been torn down and 
  used to heighten and strengthen the inner wall. The area 
  between the foundations of the old wall and the new 
  perimeter is seeded with alchemical blast, entangle, and 
  ruLes oF the reALm
  These setting rules apply in the Frozen Forest
  * Gloomy: It is a realm where even the strongest 
  sunlight filters through as only a dim glow, and at 
  night it is darker than pitch. The ambient lighting is 
  dim during bright days and dark when it is cloudy. 
  at night, it is always Pitch dark.
  * No Firewood: The only wood in the Frozen For-
  est is icewood.
  * Perpetual Winter: The temperature within the 
  Frozen Forest remains a steady –40 degrees, mak-
  ing it the same as the Outer Hellfrost. The tempera-
  ture is not subject to nocturnal fluctuation, though 
  cold snaps do occur.
  * Shapes in the Gloom: knowledge of what 
  dwells combined with the sight of frozen corpses, 
  any of which might be a frost wight or ice mummy 
  waiting to pounce, give a –1 penalty to guts rolls. 
  Even clerics of Scaetha suffer this, though given the 
  horrors they must face they are likely to possess 
  higher die ratings than others.
  * Starvation: The only game and berries have 
  been encased in ice for centuries and are largely 
  inedible. Survival rolls to find edible food suffer a 
  –4 penalty.
  * Weather: The Frozen Forest uses a different 
  weather table than the rest of Rassilon thanks to its 
  unnatural origins.
     WeAther tAbLe
  d20 
  Weather
  1–3 
  clear skies
  4–5 
  2% chance of precipitation, else overcast
  6–8 
  5% chance of precipitation, else overcast
  9–10 10% chance of precipitation, else overcast
  11–15 Blizzard
  16 
  Heavy Snow
  17 
  Freezing Rain
  18 
  Icicle Rain
  19 
  Hellfrost Wind (treat as Outer Hellfrost)
  20 
  cold Snap
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #34
  
  
  voice on the wind devices designed to activate if pres-
  sure is applied to them. The route through the traps and 
  alarms is changed every year, requiring visiting caravans 
  to wait for a guide to show them through.
  The thick stone wall surrounding the encampment, 
  for it cannot truly be called a village, was built without 
  mortar. yet such is the skill of the frost dwarves that no 
  blade can slide between the huge stones. The walls slope 
  outward as they rise, hampering attempts to scale them.
  Butted up against the inside of the perimeter wall are 
  stable blocks and storerooms. dominating the center is 
  the great hall, from which a watchtower rises. This impos-
  ing stone edifice contains the nobles’ private quarters, a 
  feasting hall, barracks for the resident huscarls, an armor 
  and smithy, a temple to Ertha (beneath the fort), guest 
  quarters, and a law court for settling disputes, as well as 
  pantries, storerooms, and other mundane areas.
  a great beacon burns on the top of the flat-topped 
  watchtower day and night. visiting dwarves know that if 
  the beacon is ever extinguished, the outpost has fallen 
  and should be avoided. Two huge signal horns, carved 
  from the tusks of mammoths, are positioned here, one 
  facing south, the other facing the forest canopy. Should 
  danger be detected, the horns are blown, alerting 
  dwarves harvesting the ice wood to flee to the refuge. 
  One of the horns is a relic, imbued with a permanent, 
  and rather unique, voice on the wind spell. When the 
  rune is activated and the horn blown, its warning boom 
  can be heard as far away as Nerenel’s southern border.
  although it is widely considered a fact that dwarves 
  and elves do not get along, the two races have never 
  warred. Both are insular races, and contact is sporadic 
  and often over with quickly. However, the master of 
  Nerenel and the dwarves have long had an agreement. In 
  return for the dwarves alerting the elves to any dangers 
  approaching from the north and selling them ice wood 
  at a discount, the taiga elves supply the outpost with 
  fresh meat and furs, and agree to help defend the fort 
  should it ever be attacked.
  dvergton is governed by four nobles. Hailing from 
  karads azgul, Iarn, Marn, and Zor, each holds the title 
  of hauld and has an equal say in the running of the out-
  post, for dvergton belongs to no one lord or realm. The 
  four are angrik Ironteeth (azgul), gungnir Twice-dead 
  (Iarn), Thurik Orcbane (Marn), and vortigern the Beard-
  less (Zor). Each hauld directly commands a force of 22 
  veteran huscarls and two experienced rune mages sent 
  here by his home city.
  aside from Lance and Sword knights, who stop 
  here before entering and upon leaving the Frozen For-
  est to learn and deliver news, the dwarves allow only 
  taiga elves from Nerenel and those recognized as dwarf 
  friends to enter. No charity can be found here for those 
  wishing to shelter from storms or the denizens of the 
  Frozen Forest.
  the LAst heArth
  Nestled away in a crack in the Icewall, just a few miles 
  from the start of the White Stair, is the last hearth before 
  the Hellfrost. The cave is a secret known only to Lance 
  knights, and its location is never spoken of around oth-
  ers, not even Sword knights attempting to elevate their 
  position and the great masters of the order yet to achieve 
  Lane knight status.
  Stashed within the cave, whose entrance is concealed 
  by a large boulder on which are scratched innocuous 
  marks, is a large store of firewood, strips of frozen meat, 
  weapons wrapped in oiled seal skin, furs, tinderboxes, 
  alchemical potions (mainly environmental protection 
  and healing), and pouches of dried herbs.
  Every lance knight who passes this way is honor-
  bound to replenish any supplies he uses, for they are a 
  vital lifeline in the way against the Hellfrost.
  the Lost cIty oF AnAsteLILLIos
  While the taiga elves are today a nomadic people, they 
  once lived more settled lives. They built in wood rather 
  than stone, feeling that stone was too permanent and 
  that, like life, buildings should die to make way for new 
  growth. So it was that the great capital of Morenelion, 
  anastelillios, was built of wood.
  While some hearth elves do dwell in houses high in 
  the trees, taiga elves have always favored pine forests, 
  ill-suited for arboreal dwellings and surface-level abodes. 
  unlike a human city, the dwellings of anastelillios did not 
  huddle together. Instead, the elves cleared small glades 
  and linked them with cunningly hidden paths, creating 
  secluded pockets over many square miles.
  Here stood small cottages, similar in many ways to 
  Saxa steads, yet less imposing and ugly, and lighter and 
  more spacious inside. Hearths were not needed for heat, 
  and so were small, brick ovens, leaving the center of the 
  room free for the occupants. Warehouses and granaries 
  buildings were few, for the elves hunted and gathered 
  only what they had immediate need of. Industrial build-
  ings, such as forges and workshops, were hidden away 
  from the main thoroughfares. Towering temples blended 
  in with nature, seeming to grow from the soil, as if gifts 
  from the gods that allowed worship without imposing 
  dominance over the forest.
  No walls protect the city or mark its boundaries, for 
  the citizens were protected by their soldiers, the animals, 
  and the very forest itself. When possible the elves hid 
  their city by magic conjured from powerful relics and en-
  chantments passed down only from king to king. When 
  magic failed, the ferocity of the elven guard ended threats 
  before they came close to threatening the capital.
  Laughter and music filled the air, for while the elves 
  had many enemies they were a carefree race, even after 
  their exile from the far north, a topic of which they do 
  not speak openly. But that was long ago.
  Today the city is deserted, its streets covered in snow, 
  great icicles hanging from awnings and beams. doors 
  hang open, their hinges frozen in place. Many buildings 
  have no roofs, the weight of accumulated snow and ice 
  causing them to collapse over the centuries. Wooden 
  the Frozen Forest
  3
  
  walls, transformed into icewood by the terrible curse, 
  are cracked and buckled. Inside, though, many buildings 
  are locked in time, a glimpse of life in the final seconds 
  when Morenelion was obliterated in one fell swoop.
  at first glance it looks for all the world as if the oc-
  cupants have just stepped out and could return at any 
  moment. Pet dogs sit at attention awaiting scraps that 
  will never come, or drink from bowls filled with solid 
  ice. Mice are caught in the jaws of frozen cats, forever 
  trapped in the moment between life and death. Tables 
  are laid for dinner, half-eaten meals perfectly preserved 
  on wood plates. Spilled wine covers tables like a sheet 
  of colored glass. clothes as solid as steel sheets hang in 
  cupboards or draped over chairs.
  Great Library: While the taiga elves were perhaps not 
  as studious as their hearth elf cousins, they possessed 
  knowledge and wisdom in excess of men. Within the 
  great library, which served as a temple to Hoenir, were 
  housed many thousands of scrolls and tomes. The most 
  valuable were taken when the king moved his court, but 
  hundreds remained behind. care must be taken, though, 
  for the pages are crisp and brittle, prone to breaking if 
  roughly handled. among the collection are likely to be 
  many alchemical scrolls, tomes of lore, tomes of learn-
  ing, and perhaps records that reveal something of the 
  older history of Rassilon.
  Hall of the Eternal Flame: Serving as kenaz’s 
  temple, the Hall contained many forges and hearths. at 
  its center burned the sacred flame, the fire after which 
  the temple was named. While lesser fires across the city 
  were extinguished, some magic befell this holy flame, for 
  the flames are frozen solid. No heat radiates from them, 
  though they cast an orange-yellow glow. Hearth knights 
  who have visited the temple to pay their respects claim 
  shards can be snapped off the flame. When the tempera-
  ture returns to normal, the shards “melt,” becoming fire 
  once more.
  Royal Treasury: While treasure hunters talk of a royal 
  treasury brimming with coin, their tales reveal ignorance 
  of taiga elf customs at the time. While noble men may 
  hoard coins and gems in locked boxes, the taiga elves 
  kept their treasures on display, seeing no value in hiding 
  beauty where others could not admire its splendor.
  Exquisitely carved whale bone panels and vessels, 
  dresses laced with gold and silver thread worked into 
  beautiful designs, colored glassware as thin as paper and 
  delicate as lace—these were the treasures of the elves. 
  It is true there is still coin enough to make a man rich 
  for at least one lifetime scattered throughout the city 
  (orcs have taken much of it), but these are not the true 
  treasures.
  There is actually a royal treasury, though no one has 
  yet discovered its location. It is quite possible it was 
  emptied before the exodus, for inside were kept many 
  relics. Heedless of the risks, the Reliquary has launched 
  many expeditions to the city, both to recover any remain-
  ing relics and to hunt for arcane knowledge. Most never 
  return, and those who do come back empty handed.
  While skalds still sing of the treasury and its wonders, 
  their talk of deadly arcane traps are largely fanciful cre-
  ations designed to appease their audience. With little 
  risk of an enemy ever reaching the city and theft rare, the 
  elves saw little point in constructing elaborate traps.
  the summer GLAde
  While taiga elves enjoy cold temperatures, they still 
  recognize the need for the seasons, for summer and 
  winter are both part of the cycle of life. They worshipped 
  kenaz as the god of summer, not Sigel. Their myths tell 
  that in summer kenaz would work at his forge, the heat 
  from which warmed the world. In winter, he rested from 
  his labors, throwing on only a few lumps of charcoal 
  to keep the world from freezing. as a result, kenaz had 
  two distinct aspects in Morenelion. One was the god of 
  hearths and forges, who was worshipped inside temples, 
  while kenaz the god of summer was honored outdoors. 
  The Summer glade is an outdoor temple to kenaz.
  It comprises a circle of eight menhirs of red sand-
  stone, each emblazoned with elvish script telling of 
  kenaz’s might. In the center of a circle is a large hearth 
  rined in small stones. Rising from the core of the hearth 
  is a tall, slender stone with polished sides and Maerathril 
  lettering worked into its smooth surface. despite the 
  cold winter, the temple remains a sacred site to the god 
  of warmth (see Region Guide #0) for more details.
  Spirit Name: Summer Son.
  Ambience: Within the outer circle the temperature is 
  slightly warmer, though it is still as cold as the High Win-
  terlands in winter regardless of season. The malevolent 
  threat that pervades the rest of the wood is lessened.
  Deity: kenaz.
  Senses: When the spirit is dormant it has d4 Notice 
  extending only as far as the outer stones. Once active, 
  this increases to d10 within the temple.
  Communication: Summer Son talks in a crackling 
  voice, but unless a sacrifice has been made he is coma-
  tose. Once awakened, he speaks to those whose who 
  made the sacrifice. Summer Son can only recall events 
  that occurred while there were sacrifices in the hearth. 
  after this, all he does is sleep a dreamless sleep. given 
  the rarity of visitors, there may be decades or even a cen-
  tury between awakenings.
  Powers: Regardless of the temperature or when a sac-
  rifice was last made, the hearth radiates just enough heat 
  to keep the temperature above the forest ambient. For 
  each pound of suitable sacrifice thrown onto the hearth, 
  Summer Son can produce one of the following effects.
  * Raise the temperature within the temple confines 
  to that of the Hearthlands in summer for 24 hours. The 
  temperature rises within an hour of the sacrifice being 
  made and drops just as quickly when the period ends.
  When this occurs, a miraculous transformation oc-
  curs. The snow and ice melt away, flowers erupt from the 
  defrosted earth and bloom, and icewood trees transform 
  into their natural counterparts. Frozen animals carcasses 
  brought into the warmth defrost, though the spirit can-
  not return them to life—such acts are beyond even Eira.
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #34
  4
  
  * grant one person within the temple the benefits of 
  environmental protection (cold) for 24 hours. The spell 
  activates when the hero next enters a region where the 
  temperature is below freezing. Only spellcasters with an 
  ice, cold, or coldfire trapping can dispel or negate this ef-
  fect. Summer Son has Spellcasting d12 for this purpose.
  * gain a +2 bonus to cast a spell with a heat or fire 
  trapping while within the temple area.
  The effects need not be chosen immediately, though 
  unless the heroes take the second or third option as the 
  sacrifice is made the temperature automatically rises and 
  one pound of sacrifice is consumed.
  Example: Four adventurers sacrifice a total of nine 
  pounds of firewood to Summer Son. The temperature 
  immediately rises and one pound of sacrifice is used up. 
  The same day, a frost giant and a band of orcs stumble 
  across the site and attack. During the fight one of the 
  heroes calls on the +2 fire magic bonus three times, 
  consuming three pounds of sacrifice. There are now five 
  pounds of sacrifice left in the hearth. Since one of their 
  number is a hrimwisard. they decide to use three of the 
  remaining offerings to gain environmental protection 
  spells for when they leave. The last two pounds are used 
  to keep the glade warm for another 48 hours. With no 
  sacrifice left, the temperature drops when the last 24 
  hour period ends.
  Sacrifice: Firewood (not icewood) or charcoal.
  Key pLAyers
  Travelers and sages alike claim the land is uninhab-
  ited by any intelligent being, but their tales are wrong. 
  among the many horrors lurking in the frozen wood are 
  a few possessed of great intelligence and great power. 
  Fortunately, not all are of evil nature.
  AnKhsetrehotep
  One of the most enigmatic denizens of the Frozen 
  Forest, ankhsetrehotep is a cryosphinx riddle master 
  (see Region Guide #12). He claims to have served the 
  previous White king as an advisor, abandoning the realm 
  when the king heeded his visions and left before the di-
  saster. If that is true, then he is over 500 years old, a great 
  age for any mortal being. With most of the taiga elf royal 
  archives left behind in Morenelion and no one alive from 
  that period, no one can disprove his claims.
  ankhsetrehotep returned to the Frozen Forest at the 
  end of the Blizzard War, but found only death and ice. 
  It was he, so he says, who told the king of his nation’s 
  ghastly fate. The cryosphinx claims he remains here be-
  cause he believes there lies within the forest a way to 
  remove the curse, though he admits many centuries of 
  searching have revealed nothing. He knows many secrets 
  of the Frozen Forest, but is only willing to exchange them 
  for fresh flesh. Though he preferred sentient flesh in his 
  youth, he is now content with animal flesh.
  the bLIzzArd KInG
  a fey noble of the unseelie (or Winter) court, the 
  Blizzard king is the dominant fey ruler within the Frozen 
  Forest. For countless centuries he ruled alongside his 
  counterpart in the Seelie, or Summer court, sharing the 
  year equally as the seasons ebbed and flowed.
  Spiteful and cruel, the Blizzard king delighted in in-
  flicting harsh winters on the mortal realm, for his power 
  increased as the temperature dropped. Now the mortal 
  shadow of his fey domain is permanently frozen in tem-
  peratures that rival the outer Hellfrost, his power is the 
  greatest it has ever been.
  Taiga elves describe him as a tall man of bone white 
  skin and hair, and glacial blue eyes, teeth and nails. He 
  wears a crown of ice and wraps himself in a cloak of snow 
  which warps and flows like a miniature snow storm. In 
  his left hand he grips a scepter of black ice. depending 
  on his mood, his voice is the slow, rumbling grate of a 
  glacier or the howling of the north wind. Wherever he 
  walks, winter follows in his wake, leaving the ground 
  clad in frost.
  His powers are many. He can summon blizzards and 
  denIzens oF the reALm
  Most scholars and explores agree that ice mum-
  mies and frost wights are the only creatures that 
  dwell here. The truth as always is far more varied, 
  for many creatures have made this land their home 
  since it became a frozen wilderness.
  Living creatures such as Hellfrost boars, frost 
  wolves, snow leopards, and all types of mammoth 
  wander through the outer regions, while arctic 
  tick swarms infest the bodies of such creatures 
  that have fallen foul of the vile denizens that lurk 
  deeper within.
  coldfire salamanders, coldfire sprites, and vari-
  ous icy elementals gather in the deepest depths. 
  chills, frost mote swarms, hvitrwyfs, and Hellfrost 
  vampires lurk in the dark recesses, awaiting the 
  warmth of the living to feed upon. coldfire beetles 
  scurry through the undergrowth. Winter hags serve 
  Thrym in secret glades, while shiversprites dance 
  merrily before unleashing their frigid powers on 
  neighboring lands.
  Frost giant, ice goblins, and well-wrapped orcs re-
  side in the Scythe Mountains, occasionally raiding 
  the forest below in search of treasure. dark-souled 
  hrimwisards and clerics of Thrym venture here in 
  search of contact with intelligent beasts that might 
  impart them wisdom and understanding of the 
  Hellfrost.
  gMs in search of wintry beasties to trouble their 
  parties will find more in Region Guide #12, along 
  with details on the cult of Thrym and two minor 
  gods in service to the god of winter.
  the Frozen Forest
  
  
  elementals with a thought, freeze flesh with a touch or 
  sheathe a foe in unbreakable ice, command any cold-
  dwelling creature to obey his will, and speak the lan-
  guage of all arctic animals.
  One taiga elf tale dating back to the time of the de-
  struction of Morenelion claims the winter has remained 
  because the Blizzard king captured the local Summer 
  court and bound them in chains of ice. Without their 
  influence, the land could not be freed from its icy grip. 
  No taiga elf blames the king for causing the devastating 
  wind, only of taking advantage of it to suit his ends.
  Humans, who learned a garbled account of the story 
  from merchants and explorers, have drawn different 
  meaning—their stories claim the Blizzard king is an 
  agent of Thrym, perhaps even a demigod, who has kenaz 
  and Sigel imprisoned somewhere in the Frozen Forest. 
  While such a story may seem like hokum, in these dark 
  days men will clutch to the most fragile straw, and such is 
  the widespread success of the story that many clerics of 
  the two missing deities believe it holds some truth.
  It is likely the taiga elf stories hold some truth, for the 
  Seelie fey vanished from the Frozen Forest at its creation. 
  While the fey are not directly responsible for the seasons, 
  at a local level they exert great authority over them. That 
  there are no seasons in the Frozen Forest is telling.
  the WhIte druId
  Five hundred years, scarcely three generations in 
  taiga elf terms, have passed since the transformation of 
  Morenelion, yet in that time new beliefs have arisen. 
  One such belief says that any taiga elf who plans to 
  enter the Frozen Forest is to have burial prayers spoken 
  in his presence before he goes. Taiga elves believe the 
  soul of any living member of their species is devoured 
  by the undead and the body used as a vessel by one of 
  the insane souls trapped in the frozen wilderness. The 
  taiga elf will never again be welcomed back into his clan, 
  being considered dead to them from the moment he left 
  on his foolish venture. any taiga elves who learn of his 
  trip to the forest will consider him a dangerous threat.
  One such taiga elf is the White druid. although the 
  forest is now living icewood, nothing in the druid creed 
  prohibits them from caring about such places. as a youth 
  he desired to tend the wild forest and become its guard-
  ian, an act that cost him his family.
  Of advanced years, the taiga elf has spent centuries 
  roaming the Frozen Forest, tending the trees, driving 
  away orcs, and battling the fell undead when their paths 
  cross. He has no interest in looting the abandoned settle-
  ments, despite their containing relics which would aid 
  him in his great endeavor, though he knows the location 
  and layout of many of them.
  The druid has had little contact with the outside world 
  over the years save for a few parties of dwarf woodcutters 
  and lone Hearth knights. during this time he has forgot-
  ten his name and that of his clan. Today he introduces 
  himself only as the White druid, naming himself after the 
  color of his robes.
  Why come here?
  The Frozen Forest is a huge realm shrouded in winter 
  as deep and hard as the Hellfrost, and populated only 
  by undead and evil fey. So what might lure the heroes to 
  this Thrym-cursed realm?
  * Orders. Several organizations have reason to send 
  members to the Frozen Forest. characters owing alle-
  giance to these groups may end up treading the lifeless 
  realm. Lance and Sword knights, clerics of kenaz and 
  Hoenir (and sometimes Scaetha and Sigel), Lorekeepers, 
  and the Reliquary, all have good reason to travel here, 
  though for different reasons.
  * Treasure. The demise of the taiga elf realm of 
  Morenelion occurred in an instant, giving the inhabit-
  ants no time to stash their treasures. While some tomb 
  robbers have prospered here, most found only death. as 
  a result, the great treasuries of the noble houses, replete 
  with coin, gems, and relics, remain intact and, relatively 
  speaking, unguarded.
  * Passing Through. One passes through the Frozen 
  Forest for only three reasons—to reach the White Stair, 
  beyond which lies the Hellfrost, to reach the lost dwarf 
  realm of karad khan, or as a means to reach the Icedale 
  Freeholds without entering the Liche Lands.
  * glory. a man who can claim to have entered the 
  Frozen Forest and return with evidence, while not as-
  sured of immortality in skalds’ tales, is on his way to 
  glory. Similarly, there is plentiful opportunity to acquire 
  glory through the slaying of dread beasts.
  With every taiga elf settlement frozen, exploring 
  them can quickly become a boring, repetitive chain of 
  “dungeons.” The gM should remember that every settle-
  ment was once bustling with life and every structure had 
  a purpose beyond becoming a future adventuring site. 
  Exploring an abandoned ruin can be fun, but venturing 
  into the rime-coated halls of a temple of Sigel carries far 
  more meaning to the heroes, who have likely been in 
  active temples before, and adds to the greater backstory 
  that this was a living land ravaged by cruel fate.
  Adventure seeds
  * Hauld vortigern the Beardless and six of his huscarls 
  entered the Frozen Forest in search of a young dwarf 
  noble and his woodcutting party who failed to return 
  on schedule. Now vortigern and his guards are missing. 
  The council can’t approach Nerenel for aid, for the elves 
  will not step foot in the cursed realm. While they would 
  prefer to enlist the help of proven dwarf-friends, they 
  will hire any outsider willing to swear oaths of loyalty.
  * a cleric of kenaz has heard vague stories of a sacred 
  temple which has not yet been defiled by the winter. He 
  wishes to pray to kenaz at the site, believing that doing 
  so may provide a divination as to what has befallen his 
  deity. What he needs are reliable guards experienced in 
  surviving the bitter cold.
  heLLFrost reGIon GuIde #34
  
  
  IntroductIon
  For 40 years the inhabitants of the Giant’s Throne have been gathering their strength in 
  preparation for a major invasion. Though an ill-fated attempt to invade the western Low 
  Winterlands was recently thwarted at Watchgap Fort, the frost giant ruler, King Kaldr, has 
  not given up his dreams of stamping his authority over the surrounding lands. From his 
  windswept fortress, the icy king watches over a frigid domain of rival orc tribes and barren 
  jagged peaks. This supplement expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  A HostIle lAnd
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer presents a brief overview of the major geographic features, but 
  it says little of the atmosphere or difficulties of travel within the frost giant and orc infested 
  mountains.
  The southern border of Giant’s Throne is delineated both by geography, the Frostwater 
  River, and the grisly remains of those who dared to trespass here. Pyramids of severed 
  skulls, the most recent still with flesh clinging tenaciously to bone, and the grisly spectacle 
  of unwanted guests impaled on long spears, their flesh flayed so it flutters in the biting 
  wind like ghastly wings, clearly state who is in charge here and what fate awaits those who 
  do not retreat to safer lands. For those who have travelled the Withered Lands the site is a 
  token show of pain and despair, but for most it is a ghastly image.
  Along the western flank, tendrils of fog from the Mistlands stretch and feel their way 
  into the low-lying valleys. When the mists rise the orcs flee to higher ground, for the mists’ 
  malign power is no less dangerous here than in the cursed land of perpetual fog and 
  shadow. Few travelers have the willpower to enter the region along this border.
  Progress through the realm is painfully slow. Relentless biting wind, deep snow, and 
  steep climbs sap strength and willpower. There are no roads, and few navigable passes. 
  Wanderers must often backtrack for many miles in their attempt to reach the higher peaks, 
  draining their morale, as well as precious supplies. Cold seeps into bones difficult to keep 
  warm, for lighting a fire is a sure way to summon the many orc tribes who call this realm 
  home. As one climbs higher, the temperature drops and the air thins. Breathing becomes 
  painful, and every step exhausting. Actually climbing the steep mountains, the only way to 
  avoid being spotted by sentries, is a challenge few survive.
  The constant wind has stripped away much of the soil, leaving only barren exposed 
  rock. Lichens and short, tough grass grow in crevices, but there is little for horses to eat 
  and nothing for men. Without suitable vegetation there is little wildlife save for small mam-
  31235
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  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  GIAnt’s tHrone
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  mals, insects, and birds. An ill-prepared party faces weak-
  ness through starvation in an already deadly landscape.
  indeed, travelers must be cautious to the point of 
  paranoia, for King Kaldr has many sentries on constant 
  patrol. A loose rock tumbling down the mountain might 
  be the result of a goat stepping off the track, but it might 
  also mean orcs are on your trail. it is said Kaldr has spies 
  among the mundane animals, as well. A flock of birds 
  might be nothing to note elsewhere, but here, it forces 
  wise parties to stop and hide. And everywhere there 
  are signs of orcs—slaughtered animals rudely stripped 
  of meat, dead orcs killed by avalanches, falls from the 
  higher precipices, or squabbles with their kith and kin 
  lie strewn at random intervals, reminders of the living 
  danger lurking in the dank caves that dot the mountains 
  and the danger of a careless step.
  While giants and orcs are a constant threat, they are 
  not the only predators. hellfrost dragons roost here, al-
  beit in small numbers, and only at high altitudes. Cryohy-
  dras, ice trolls, hellfrost vampires, hrimganers, hvitrwyfs, 
  and packs of dire wolves haunt the lower slopes, while 
  coldfire salamanders and sprites dance on the higher, 
  colder peaks. even the orcs must tread carefully, for King 
  Kaldr’s rule does not extend to these deadly creatures 
  that share his realm.
  MIlItAry
  As far as the hearth Knights’ best intelligence can 
  deduce, King Kaldr has at his disposal a force of some 
  300 frost giants, 2,000 orcs, and 1,000 goblins. These 
  numbers include only warriors, not females, children, 
  or slaves. hrimwisards, frostborn, and clerics of Thrym 
  from other races have flocked to his banner. The Knights 
  do not have accurate intelligence on their numbers, but a 
  best guess collectively places them in the low hundreds. 
  They are assigned to serve as Kaldr desires, meaning they 
  can be encountered anywhere in Giant’s Throne.
  unlike most rulers, Kaldr governs a divided army. The 
  orcs are split along tribal affiliations too ingrained for 
  even his might to crush. The king has slowly come to 
  realize that a divided nation can be beneficial—while 
  the orcs are busy squabbling among themselves, they 
  present no threat to his rule. Tribes who please him 
  are well rewarded with spoils, fuelling the animosity of 
  the other orcs and forcing them to work harder to earn 
  his approval. in order to ensure continued loyalty, and 
  prevent open warfare, each tribe hosts what Kaldr calls a 
  “defensive force,” the low guard from one of his ten frost 
  giant companies.
  Frost GIAnts
  Kaldr’s bodyguard is the Frozen death, a company of 
  20 greater frost giant warriors. in battle they ride mam-
  moths, though their sole function is to protect the king, 
  not charge the enemy.
  his frost giants are divided into ten companies, each 
  of 30 giants. each company comprises three guards—
  high, middle, and low. A warlord (a Wild Card greater 
  frost giant) commands each company. he also leads the 
  company’s high guard. The warlord is assisted by two 
  sergeants (both greater frost giants), each responsible 
  for one of the other guards. in terms of actual troops, six 
  of the companies comprise lesser frost giants, and four 
  are greater frost giants.
  GoblIns
  When he came to power, Kaldr took overall control 
  of the goblins in the realm, molding them into a single 
  force under his personal command. The orc chieftains’ 
  bitter resentment of this policy was swiftly quelled by a 
  few very public and messy executions. 
  Kaldr has divided the goblins into seven infantry 
  companies and three wolf rider companies, each of 100 
  goblins. A Wild Card greater frost giant commands each 
  company, with five elite orc warriors serving as his ser-
  geants. in cavalry companies, the frost giants ride mam-
  moths, while the sergeants have dire wolf mounts.
  orcs
  With regard the orc tribes, Kaldr currently has ten 
  at his disposal, though none can be considered a large 
  tribe. each is briefly described below. The number in pa-
  rentheses is their current military strength. All the tribes 
  have a single chieftain. For every 50 orcs or part thereof 
  there is one sub-chieftain. use the chieftain stats, but 
  treat him as an extra.
  The exact percentage of warriors, elite warriors, ber-
  serkers, priests, apothecaries, and so on has not been 
  rules oF tHe reAlM
  These setting rules apply in Giant’s Throne.
  * Eyes Everywhere: King Kaldr is a paranoid ruler. 
  The hills, mountains, valleys, and caves are seeded 
  with spies—animal, goblin, and orc. each day, in-
  truders must make a Cooperative Stealth roll, with 
  the character with the lowest Stealth as the lead, 
  opposed by a Notice d6 (a generic value used to 
  represent the many sentries) in the foothills, and 
  d8 in the high mountains. Failure means the charac-
  ters’ intrusion has been discovered. An orc attack is 
  likely to occur within the next 2d4 hours.
  * No Trading: Giant’s Throne has no shops or 
  craftsmen. once the characters enter this realm 
  they must rely on whatever resources they have at 
  their disposal or can scavenge from the dead.
  * Wintry Realm: The presence of so many frost 
  giants combined with the spells invoked by loyal 
  hrimwisards and clerics of Thrym has an adverse 
  effect on the weather. Although geographically in 
  the Low Winterlands, treat the realm as being in the 
  high Winterlands with regard to the temperature.
  HellFrost reGIon GuIde #35
  
  
  detailed. This gives the GM leeway to create exciting 
  encounters as he desires without being tied to canon. in 
  general, every tribe can muster a number of runts equal 
  to its core fighting strength.
  * The Biting Wind (200): Although the Biting Wind 
  makes use of bows, they are not especially skilled ar-
  chers. every orc warrior carries a short bow and 20 crude 
  arrows in a quiver.
  * The Bloody Bears (250): in order to prove him-
  self a warrior, every orc of this tribe must kill a bear in 
  single combat. After being crudely skinned, the bear’s 
  fur, replete with strands of flesh and sinew, is worn as a 
  badge of honor. outside of the rite of passage, the tribe 
  has little to differentiate it from countless others aside 
  from the number of berserkers—a full 20% of the tribe’s 
  strength are insane killing machines.
  * Death Chanters (280): Taking their name from 
  their practice of chanting what misery and pain they will 
  inflict shortly so as to unnerve their enemies, the death 
  Chanters always use their first action once within 12” of 
  an enemy to intimidate them. increase the orcs’ intimi-
  dation skill die by one step, to a maximum of d12. orcs 
  without the skill gain it at a d6.
  * Frostriders (100): A small clan of the polar bear-
  riding orc tribe has sworn loyalty to Kaldr. They serve as 
  his elite heavy cavalry.
  * Hailstorm (100): The smallest tribe, in terms of 
  actual fighting strength, is made up of 50 artillerists 
  supported by just 50 warriors. They have ballista, cata-
  pults, coldfire throwers, and trebuchets at their disposal. 
  Twenty ogres are used as loaders and bearers.
  * The Headhunters (150): Warriors of this tribe 
  take the heads of their foes to prove their kills. Their 
  mythology holds that the number of heads they gather 
  in life will determine their place in the afterlife. After in-
  capacitating a foe, they always perform a Finishing Move 
  the next round, even if still being attacked, severing their 
  enemy’s head. They carry a mixture of swords and axes, 
  but never employ blunt or piercing weapons.
  * The Impalers (200): Renowned for impaling foes 
  on vertically-planed long spears after battle, the impalers 
  are also considered masters of the thrown spear. every 
  orc with the Throwing skill has the Spear Throw edge 
  (see Region Guide #5: Vestmark).
  * Snarling Fury (300): This tribe favors mounted 
  combat. Two-thirds of its strength is mounted on dire 
  wolves, while the remainder is on foot. Regardless, every 
  orc used the Rider statistics. When a rider falls, an infan-
  tryman is expected to mount up in his place.
  * Sudden Death (150): Mounted or on foot, the 
  warriors of this tribe are renowned for their guerilla war-
  fare tactics and mastery of ambushes. increase the orcs’ 
  Stealth skill die by one step, to a maximum of d12. orcs 
  without the skill gain it at a d6. Their dire wolf mounts 
  have Stealth d6.
  * Whirling Death (250): The warriors of this fanati-
  cal dargar-worshipping tribe carry long chains tipped 
  with a spiked metal ball (Str+d6+1, –1 Parry, Reach 1, 2-
  hands, ignores enemy shields). in combat they advance 
  in a widely spaced formation, swinging their chains over 
  their heads in long arcs. every warrior and elite warrior 
  has the Sweep edge, while chieftains and sub-chieftains 
  have improved Sweep.
  MAjor locAles
  in addition to the sites mentioned in the Hellfrost 
  Gazetteer, Giant’s Throne has a number of other locales 
  that might serve as the basis of adventures.
  cloudcAp MountAIn
  Straddling the northern border of Giant’s Throne 
  rises a towering, solitary peak, one of the tallest in the 
  range. Permanently shrouded in a blanket of thick, black 
  storm clouds, the mountain is aptly named. Lightning 
  crackles and rages across the higher slopes and deep, 
  rumbling thunder booms relentlessly like the beating of 
  a gigantic heart. 
  Many myths relating to Thunor are associated with the 
  mountain. The most common claims that Thunor himself 
  appeared here during the Blizzard War, the god of thun-
  der and lightning locking blades with Thrym in a titanic 
  struggle that caused the earth to shake. Many clerics of 
  Thrym refer to the mountain as “Thunor’s Whetstone.” 
  They believe the storm god sharpens his weapons on the 
  summit in preparation for his next engagement against 
  Thrym, which will occur on the eve of the Fimbulvintr.
  Were one to peer through the clouds, or make the 
  treacherous ascent toward the unseen summit, one 
  would gaze upon a monstrous castle constructed many 
  millennia ago. here dwells a clan of storm giants (see 
  Region Guide #23: The Battlelands). The storm giants 
  have long been enemies of the frost giants, and the two 
  races have warred openly on and off since the Blizzard 
  War. despite their animosity toward the ruler of Giant’s 
  Throne, the storm giants are no allies of the civilized 
  races.
  eIrA’s sprInG
  Long ago, before the ice Wall rose, a cleric of eira who 
  suffered from leprosy was walking through the southern 
  Sigel Peaks when she stumbled across a steaming pool 
  in a secluded valley. She entered the warm waters, seek-
  ing only to warm her chilled bones. When she rose, she 
  discovered her condition had been cured.
  News of the water’s wondrous healing properties 
  quickly spread across the land, for the cleric declared her 
  healing a miracle. The sick came in droves, seeking cures 
  for their various ills, for in those days the world was a 
  safer place and the valley in which the spring lay was far 
  more accessible. over time the spring became a pilgrim-
  age site, where those even in good health would come to 
  offer thanks for their well being and make donations to 
  the cult of eira in return for continued health. 
  As donations flowed in, the cult of eira erected build-
  ings to house the clerics and visitors. eventually the 
  GIAnt’s tHrone
  3
  
  springs became the heart of an extensive temple com-
  plex, the water off limits to all but the clergy. instead of 
  bathing in the springs, pilgrims could buy flasks of the 
  holy liquid to take with them.
  As money flowed in, the cult became avaricious, more 
  concerned with its growing influence and power than 
  caring for the sick. Corruption gnawed at the hearts 
  and souls of the clergy. The high priest became insane, 
  convinced that perpetually bathing in the waters would 
  make him immortal. At first he simply refused to vacate 
  the spring, spending his days and nights there, and even 
  conducting services from the pool. Slowly his madness 
  grew more insidious. he came to suspect his peers of 
  desiring his death, for, in his mind, they had become jeal-
  ous of his long life.
  The magic in the water combined with the priest’s de-
  sire for eternal life has worked a potent and fell charm. 
  he is now a liche. he has no clerical powers, for eira has 
  long withdrawn her love and hela has no interest in him, 
  but he has developed supernatural power over water. A 
  practitioner of previously unknown magic, he uses the 
  Spellcasting skill. he is still susceptible to the Siphoning 
  as normal.
  Time and calamity have erased the location of the 
  springs, leaving most, even the cult of eira, to believe the 
  story a fable. The water is not, however, a magical cure-
  all, despite the legend. Rather, when infused with the 
  right herbs it forms a potent healing (regenerative) or 
  antibiotic (see Hellfrost Expansion) herbal brew. using 
  the water grants a +2 bonus to create these remedies.
  FortIFIed orc cAMps
  While orcs do live in caves, they have no innate ability 
  to see in poor light. That said, caves offer security against 
  predators and protection from inclement weather. As 
  well as their well-defended caves, the orcs make use of 
  small forts dotted throughout their tribal lands. Some of 
  these are permanently garrisoned, while others are used 
  only by patrols as shelter for the night.
  Their favored form is a square structure built of stone. 
  No mortar is employed, for over the centuries the orcs 
  have become masters of dry stone walls. dozens of 
  spears thrust upward from the felt-covered conical roof, 
  protection against airborne foes, such as dragons. The 
  walls are thicker at the base, becoming thinner halfway 
  up. This creates a natural ledge inside the fort, which is 
  reached by stone steps and handholds cut into the inner 
  surface. No windows are found at the lower level, and 
  those on the upper reaches are just narrow slits, ideal 
  for firing bows and thrusting spears through at targets 
  below. A central hearth, fuelled by dung, provides light 
  and heat. The narrow slits also act as chimneys.
  The doorway, often little more than a sheet of rein-
  forced hide, is actually located high up the wall. This 
  prevents intruders from gaining easy access, but allows 
  the orcs a quick escape—jumping down eight to ten feet 
  isn’t difficult for an orc warrior. Size varies, but a typical 
  fort holds just 20 orcs in very crowded conditions.
  tHe lost MIne oF tHe HelIGI
  Stories of lost cities are two for a silver scield across 
  Rassilon. The destruction wrought by the Liche-Priest 
  and Blizzard War toppled many a tower and caused en-
  tire cities to crumble to dust.
  Among the plethora of tales is the legend of the lost 
  mine of the heligi. According to the most popular ver-
  sion, the heligi operated many mines in the Sigel Peaks, 
  where miners excavated precious stones and minerals. 
  Legend has it that one was particularly fruitful, supplying 
  the heligi kings with gems and gold enough to fill their 
  treasuries dozens of times over. Although scholars agree 
  the mine, if it even existed, was likely abandoned after 
  the fall of the heligi, rumors persist that the Anari found 
  it and worked it. Beyond that, nothing is known of the 
  lost mine of the heligi. To most it is an interesting tale, a 
  lure for the foolish or greedy, but nothing more.
  The mine is a real place, and was indeed a rich source 
  of metal and gems for the heligi kings. The Anari never 
  found the site, though they searched high and low. The 
  reason for their failure is one of simple geography—the 
  entrance was concealed behind a waterfall.
  during the invasion of Silverdale, the Liche-Priest’s 
  army found the mine and began reworking it. While the 
  undead tyrant had little use for gold and silver, he knew 
  men could be bought by shiny baubles, for they thought 
  only of the here and now, not of their eternal soul. A 
  small army of zombies toiled day and night, tirelessly 
  hacking through the rock to reach the precious fruit of 
  ertha.
  The Liche-Priest fell, but his zombies received no or-
  ders to abandon their work. during the Blizzard War, a 
  powerful spell struck the region, freezing the waterfall 
  into a cascade of solid ice and sealing the undead inside 
  the mine. Centuries have passed, but still the zombies 
  toil. Who knows how many tons of ore they have exca-
  vated in that time? 
  The mine is a vast complex of tunnels and shafts. 
  Natural attrition has thinned the ranks of the undead, 
  but there are still a sizeable number. Their master, a 
  powerful zombie lord (see Rassilon Expansion), is now 
  quite insane. he has taken the title King of the under-
  world, and believes he is master of a powerful realm 
  dedicated to the worship of an entity he knows only as 
  death. Whether this supposed entity (who grants him no 
  special powers) is hela or a faded memory of the Liche-
  Priest is yet to be seen.
  Perhaps when the Liche-Priest rises he will remember 
  his forgotten army beneath the mountain and summon 
  them to break free. Perhaps the passage of so much time 
  has erased them from his memory.
  VAlley oF crows
  The valley of Crows is a deep, steep-sided gorge cut-
  ting into the foothills of the Sigel Peaks near the border 
  with the Mistlands. The valley floor is littered with boul-
  ders and piles of stones that have tumbled down from 
  HellFrost reGIon GuIde #35
  
  
  the unstable cliffs over the centuries. More recent debris 
  is the wind-scoured remains of orc patrols too stupid to 
  ignore the legends concerning this gods-forsaken place.
  Two legends tell similar yet competing stories of the 
  valley. The first, as told by the clerics of Scaetha, tells that 
  during the Liche-Priest’s reign a fearsome necromancer 
  known only as the Crow Witch took up residence here. 
  A fearsome hag clad in a cloak of crow feathers, she im-
  bued innocent crows with unholy powers, so creating 
  the first sluagh. The cult of Thunor tells a different story. 
  in their version, the Crow Witch was a servant of Thunor 
  who fell from grace after being corrupted by some dark 
  power.
  Regardless, both parties agree the Crow Witch was 
  evil and had at her disposal flocks of black, flesh-eating 
  birds. With scant records dating from that era, no-one is 
  entirely sure what fate befell the Crow Witch.
  Some say she is still alive, residing in the crumbling 
  ruin that stands at the end of the valley. Flocks of mur-
  derous crows still haunt the area, attacking trespassers 
  without mercy. Both cults, as well as the Reliquary, have 
  attempted to breech the valley and search the castle, 
  though for different reasons. Scaetha’s clergy seek to 
  destroy any surviving necromantic texts and relics lest 
  they fall into the wrong hands. Thunor’s clergy claim the 
  Witch had powerful relics relating to birds, which are 
  rightfully theirs. The Reliquary just wants to clear the site 
  of any vestiges of power.
  unfortunately, no expedition has managed to reach 
  the castle walls. Attempts to circumvent the valley by 
  flight have met with disaster, as swarms of crows as dense 
  as thunder clouds ravaged the airborne clerics. Those 
  who dared to walk the snaking valley bottom fared little 
  better.
  Key plAyers
  King Kaldr is most definitely the riving force in Giant’s 
  Throne, yet there are others the heroes may encounter 
  during their adventures here.
  AelFrIc tHe dAMned
  Stories of woe and misery are common in Rassilon. 
  Few are definitive, for there are always those who heard 
  the tale differently. one such tale concerns Aelfric the 
  damned. The story, depending on who tells it, is set 
  either during the Liche-Priest’s invasion of Silverdale or 
  the Blizzard War. Who suffered here concerns a force of 
  heligioland soldiers seeking to outflank the hellfrost 
  army, refugees driven south by the advancing hoard, or 
  refugees fleeing north from the vile undead. Who died 
  and when is perhaps less important than how, for it is on 
  this the tale hinges.
  Scouts had reported no safe way through the moun-
  tains, for snows blocked the high passes. The column 
  was set to turn back and seek a longer, more exposed 
  route, when a shepherd approached the leaders one 
  dark and stormy night. he told them of a secret pass, one 
  free of snow. he charged a high price for his knowledge, 
  yet it was one willingly paid.
  So it was Aelfric led the column into the Sigel Peaks, 
  in the region that is now Giant’s Throne. After two days 
  he bade farewell, telling the column he was needed at 
  home, where his wife was with child, and that all they 
  needed to do was follow the path they were on. The 
  next day, the column was destroyed, betrayed by Aelfric, 
  who has been paid a handsome price to lead them into 
  an ambush. Again, reports vary, but most tales indicate 
  many thousands of innocents died that fateful day.
  Aelfric lived out the remainder of his days a rich man, 
  his crime only coming back to haunt him after his death. 
  he was judged guilty of gross betrayal and denied a place 
  in the Afterlife. Perhaps he should have been banished to 
  the Abyss, but he was spared that fate by eira, who took 
  pity on him. She acknowledged his crime was foul, but 
  believed that no sin could not be rectified.
  So it was Aelfeic’s spirit was banished to Rassilon as 
  a ghost. There he would remain until he atoned for his 
  sins by leading a number of travelers through the secret 
  pass equal to those whose deaths he had caused. Such is 
  the infrequency of travellers here that Aelfric still haunts 
  the desolate peaks, desperate to fill his quota. Although 
  a ghost, Aelfric cannot be banished—his god-imposed 
  curse prevents an easy escape from his quest.
  dIpsy
  dipsy is an engro “prospector.” She doesn’t live in 
  Giant’s Throne, but she does spend a great deal of time 
  there. dipsy has long been convinced that much of Sil-
  verdale’s true wealth came from mines in the Sigel Peaks. 
  She believes that the abandonment of Silverdale when 
  teMperAture & eleVAtIon
  The higher you climb, the colder it gets. As a very 
  rough rule of thumb, the temperature drops from 
  the seasonal ambient by 3 degrees Fahrenheit or 
  2 degrees Centigrade for 1,000 feet (300 meters) 
  above sea level.
  To keep things simple, assume that for every 6,000 
  feet (2,000 meters) the temperature drops to the 
  next lowest category. Thus, a hearthlands’ summer 
  at sea level feels as cold as spring/fall at 6,000 feet, 
  like winter at 12,000 feet, as a Low Winterlands win-
  ter at 18,000 feet, and so on.
  The highest mountains in the Sigel Peaks rise three 
  miles (just shy of 16,000 feet) above sea level. Since 
  the realm uses the high Winterlands temperatures, 
  this means the higher elevations are as cold as the 
  hellfrost core in winter, and colder still once the 
  sun sets. even in summer, it is always as cold as the 
  outer hellfrost.
  GIAnt’s tHrone
  5
  
  the mists rose meant the mines were hastily abandoned. 
  in her mind, the empty tunnels are stocked with piles 
  of precious ores and gems, just waiting for someone 
  to claim them. unlike most engro she has a poor sense 
  of humor—surviving in Giant’s Throne for months on 
  end will do that to an engro. When not “prospecting,” 
  she spends much of her time at the trade mission (see 
  Region Guide \19: The Unclaimed Lands). She has found 
  a few stray nuggets, but the mother lode she seeks still 
  eludes her. Still, she is nothing if not tenacious.
  HrunGnIr
  hrungnir (not his true name) is a frostborn, though 
  one whose muscles exceed that of any orc. outlawed 
  from his village after using his innate powers in public, 
  he eked a pitiful existence in the lands west of heli-
  gioland until he strayed too close to the Giant’s Throne 
  border. Ambushed by orcs, he managed to beat six of the 
  armored warriors to death with his bare hands before 
  being overpowered.
  The orcs dragged him in front of King Kaldr, expecting 
  their liege to order a slow and painful execution when 
  the death of the orcs was revealed. instead, Kaldr roared 
  with laughter at the story before giving the frostborn a 
  fighting chance. he was pitted against a lesser frost giant 
  in a fight to the death. hrungnir, unarmed, killed the 
  axe-wielding giant in under a minute. Kaldr, impressed 
  by the small creature’s strength and courage, offered the 
  victor a choice—serve him or die. With nothing left for 
  him outside the castle, hrungnir knelt before the king 
  and vowed loyalty.
  hrungnir, whose name means “Brawler” in Auld Saxa, 
  is one of Kaldr’s top assassins. he goes where the frost 
  giants and orcs cannot, removing those Kaldr feels are a 
  threat to his hegemony.
  wHy coMe Here?
  A frozen land crawling with hostile giants, orcs, and 
  worse is not exactly the sort of place sane adventurers 
  visit. So what does draw them here, and what can a GM 
  do with them once they enter Giant’s Throne?
  * orders. As has been stated in other Region Guides, 
  characters with the orders hindrance are at the GM’s 
  mercy, though it is not a tool one should overuse. The 
  occasional nudge is far more rewarding than a constant 
  barrage of orders. hearth Knights and clerics of Kenaz 
  are the prime candidates for a trip into the icy moun-
  tains. With a little thought, most characters bound to an 
  organization or patron can be sent here, but it is unlikely 
  more than once.
  * No Choice. Sometimes fate plays its hand and forces 
  the characters to venture into places they would rather 
  not. heroes hired to track down a band of marauding 
  orcs may find their quarry hails from Giant’s Throne, or 
  discover the missing daughter of a heligioland noble-
  man is being held captive in one of the many orc nests. 
  in order to complete their mission, the characters will 
  need to follow their prey.
  * Glory. Located close to heligioland, a prime adven-
  turing base, Giant’s Throne is an ideal place to visit if 
  one wants to kill giants, orcs, or icy creatures. Just the 
  thought of so many hellfrost-related beasts in one place 
  is a lure for clerics of Kenaz. This is not quite so true of 
  Sword Knights, but Sword and Lance Knights will find 
  plenty of worthy foes to test their mettle.
  * Treasure. heroes looking to grow rich ransacking 
  tombs and ruins will be out of luck, for Giant’s Throne 
  was never populated by the civilized races. The orcs and 
  frost giants do have treasuries, but often the reward is 
  not worth the risk.
  one of the problems with Giant’s Throne is that it 
  can devolve into an endless string of combat encounters 
  as the characters battle through goblin lairs and orc en-
  campments. To prevent the game devolving into a minia-
  tures skirmish game, the GM should endeavor to devise 
  interesting missions and turn locales into more than just 
  killing grounds. A temple to Thrym, for example, will be 
  more exciting than yet another cave system (even if it is 
  in a cave system). instead of blindly wandering around 
  looking for something to kill, maybe the characters have 
  orders to assassinate an orc chieftain, gather covert intel-
  ligence, or rescue a prisoner. There will still be plentiful 
  opportunities for slaughter, but now the characters have 
  something to focus on and plan for.
  AdVenture seeds
  in addition to the potential adventure seeds buried in 
  the text, here are a few extra seeds to sow in your fertile 
  imagination.
  * Reports have reached the hearth Knights that King 
  Kaldr has been sending patrols into the Mistlands or 
  increased patrols into the Frost hills. it is obvious he is 
  searching for something, and the hearth Knights need 
  to know what. it may be the frost giant is merely seek-
  ing treasure, but he may be on the trail of something far 
  more powerful, such as a relic.
  * The cult of Thunor has acquired a relic imbued 
  with the power over the warm southern wind. Following 
  many rounds of arguments put forward by various high 
  priests, the cleric in charge of protecting the relic has de-
  cided to offer it to Thunor. After performing a divination, 
  he learned that Thunor desires the relic to be placed on 
  the summit of Cloudcap Mountain. unwilling to trust his 
  comrades, many of who desire the object for themselves, 
  he is seeking brave heroes to complete the deed. The 
  cult of Thrym has learned of the relic and has contacted 
  King Kaldr, who is planning a welcome party.
  * A man short of money and hounded by debtors 
  offers to sell the party a map. he claims it shows the 
  location of the lost mine of the heligi. he asks a high 
  price (more than the characters can easily afford), but he 
  promises rich rewards to those brave enough to find the 
  fabled lost mine.
  HellFrost reGIon GuIde #35
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Surrounded by mountains and sea, the Glittersands is an isolated realm, a cold desert 
  broken only by melted stone ruins and the great dunes that rise in the west. An inhospi-
  table wilderness of unnatural origin infested with orcs, trolls, and giants, the frost-covered 
  sands are nonetheless home to sturdy souls. This supplement expands on material in the 
  Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  orIgIn of the glIttersands
  The Glittersands is not a natural realm. Aside from anecdotal evidence, explorers have 
  discovered the charred remains of forests beneath the sand and ice. The presence of settle-
  ments indicates the land was once suitable for agriculture. Exactly how many people lived 
  here, or who they were, is long forgotten, but the Glittersands was once a thriving realm. 
  The Anari, the great southern empire, never reached this far, and if the neighboring Selari 
  left behind any records they have yet to be uncovered.
  The cults of Kenaz and Sigel both believe that the origins of the Glittersands is some-
  how tied to their gods’ disappearance, but quite how is a mystery. While scholars point to a 
  falling star as the origin of the Glittersands’ formation, the cults remain convinced that the 
  fire that scorched this land into extinction was a direct manifestation of the gods.
  The Glittersands is a desert, for little precipitation falls, but it is a cold one. Although 
  frost covers much of the sand, the desert is warmer than the surrounding realms, despite 
  the southern wind being thwarted by the Iceblade Mountains and cold blasts from the 
  Icewall and off the White Sea frequently tearing across the land. Something beyond the 
  ken of mortals is keeping the winter at bay, though only barely.
  Although the Hellfrost Gazetteer presents two theories as to the origin, Bryan ap-Reeve, 
  the local high priest of Kenaz, has recently put forward a new theory. He claims that Thrym 
  broke the Compact and descended from the stars in the guise of a fiery comet, which 
  smashed into the mortal realm, destroying the culture that dwelt in the Glittersands. Kenaz 
  and Sigel, at the behest of the other gods, were compelled to follow the god of winter and 
  give battle, for Thrym’s presence among the mortals was the worst violation of the sacred 
  law. They first trod upon the mortal realm in Al-Shirkuh, where there is reportedly a larger 
  version of Glass Lake (the Mirrorsands), an area of desert transformed into glass.
  Halfdan goes on to say that Thrym emerged victorious, severely wounding his two rivals 
  and forcing them to retreat. Lacking the strength to return to the heavens, Kenaz and Sigel 
  withdrew to the warmer southern realm to recuperate. Thrym, wounded but less severely, 
  31236
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 3 6 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
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  the glIttersands
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  also remained on the mortal realm. While he licked his 
  wounds, his armies smashed south, only to meet with 
  eventual failure. Thrym summoned the last of his divine 
  power to erect the Icewall and give rise to the Hellfrost.
  Perhaps there is a grain or truth to his tale. And per-
  haps there is not. The answer may one day be revealed, 
  for Roderick ap-Gwin, an elderly sage and member of 
  the Lorekeepers, is currently engaged in an expedition 
  to Al-Shirkuh to study the glassy expanse and determine 
  if there might be a common bond between two areas 
  separated by many thousands of miles.
  socIal hIerarchy
  The two civilized settlements in the Glittersands are 
  governed by a single council based in Glaston. Nine of 
  the dozen councilors are elected each year by popular 
  vote. of these, three are always from Isvik and six from 
  Glaston. Any citizen, regardless of race, gender, or finan-
  cial means, may stand for election, so long as he or she 
  is resident in the realm for the entire year and swears the 
  sacred oath to support Glaston and Isvik. 
  The remaining seats are automatically taken by the 
  senior clerics of the cults of Kenaz and Sigel, and the 
  commander of the watch, currently a Knight Hrafn em-
  ployed by the towns out of communal funds to oversee 
  their military forces. 
  In many lands governed by councils the same officials 
  are elected time and time again, the citizens growing 
  complacent and unwilling to upset the proverbial apple 
  cart by introducing new ideas. No laws prevent this oc-
  curring in the Glittersands, yet elections are always hard 
  fought.
  The full council meets on Raestdaeg each month to 
  discuss business. With such a small population and little 
  bureaucracy, meetings tend to be short and to the point. 
  Survival is a daily chore, and the citizens have no time to 
  waste discussing matters of decorum or the finer points 
  of politics. Because the weather can turn ugly at any 
  time, the three Isvik councilors appoint a single proxy to 
  vote on their behalf in case they are unable to attend.
  These twelve citizens are the nearest the realm has 
  to a social elite, and with elections held every year no 
  citizen can be sure of continued social status. There 
  are those with more money than others, but most have 
  learned that the citizens do not respect them any more 
  for having wealth.
  The result is that the citizens are egalitarian, boast-
  ing no nobility, at least none with any authority, or social 
  divisions. The high priests and commander of the watch 
  are treated with respect due nobility, though they do not 
  act as social superiors. Indeed, the current high priest of 
  Kenaz is a frequent visitor to Glaston’s hostelries, hap-
  pily sharing drinks with those other high priests might 
  consider below their station.
  Life in the Glittersands is tough and everyone is 
  expected to earn his keep. While the land has its poor, 
  it has no underclass of beggars. Thievery is a capital of-
  fense for crimes involving goods in excess of just 10 gold 
  scields, and outlawing is imposed for lesser amounts. 
  Withholding taxes is considered thievery.
  educatIon
  Children in Glaston attend school at the Lightbringer 
  temple until they reach the age of ten, while those in 
  Isvik attend a cult-run school for a similar period. After 
  this, children are expected to begin learning a trade as 
  apprentices.
  Education is rudimentary, covering basic literacy and 
  numeracy, and the religions of Kenaz and Sigel. Basic 
  survival techniques are compulsory, for the Glittersands 
  is a harsh land. Little attention is given to other realms, 
  though many children in Isvik know something of the 
  Lakelands from visiting merchants and nomadic Finnar 
  traders. Children who wish to learn about more advanced 
  subjects, such as law, history, heraldry, or geography, or 
  who wish to master languages must attend the sole pri-
  vate academy in the land (see page 4).
  relIgIon
  Religion in the Glittersands, at least in the two civi-
  lized settlements, is dominated by worship of Kenaz and 
  Sigel in roughly equal numbers. The two deities have 
  been strongly associated with the region since the Bliz-
  zard War, though worship of them only came with the 
  colonists who drifted here in the years after the War.
  rules of the realm
  These setting rules apply in the Glittersands.
  * No Nobles: No native Glittersands hero may 
  have the Noble Edge to denote noble status. He 
  may take the Edge to simulate another position, 
  such as a merchant or priest. Characters elected to 
  the council gain the Noble Edge’s +2 Charisma for 
  the year they are in office, but no other benefits.
  * Survival: There is no flora and very little fauna in 
  the Glittersands proper, as opposed to the moun-
  tains and their foothills. All Survival rolls to find 
  food and water are made at –4.
  * Temperature: The average temperature is on par 
  with that of the Low Winterlands, though it strays 
  into Hearthlands’ levels many years. At night the 
  temperature drops two levels.
  * Trade: despite being at the start of a trade road, 
  the Glittersands receives few shipments each year. 
  All settlements are treated as villages for the pur-
  pose of buying goods.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #36
  
  
  As well as catering to spiritual needs, the cults pro-
  vide additional military support, through arms as well as 
  magic. Many of Kenaz’s clergy venture out each year to 
  lay waste to any Hellfrost beasts they encounter, while 
  those of Sigel are intent on exploring the many ruins. 
  Both cults are convinced the disappearance of their deity 
  is somehow tied to the formation of the Glittersands.
  var receives worship, though only as a token gesture. 
  While glass is the only export the realm has to offer, the 
  trade god’s clergy see little hope of establishing a market 
  in either settlement due to the council’s monopoly. A few 
  merchant-priests make the longer journey to sell exotic 
  wares, but the number of sales is small and the profit 
  minimal, especially when balanced against the risks of 
  the long journey.
  Thunor receives lip service. Rainfall is scarce, but 
  strong winds often sweep across from the White Sea or 
  down from the mountains. Shrines to Freo stand at each 
  end of the Glittersands’ trade road, a common practice 
  rarely related to any particular devotion. Neorthe and ullr 
  have adherents in Isvik, but are unknown in Glaston.
  Worship of Eostre is so rare that many settlers know 
  her name only in passing from legends related to the 
  more popular deities. Most citizens eat grains (as barley 
  porridge or bread), but few have ever seen grass, yet 
  alone crop fields.
  Although Thrym is the most worshipped deity in the 
  realm, none of his true followers are human. A handful of 
  frostborn hold secret allegiance to him, but it is the orcs, 
  frost giants, and ice trolls who make up his congregation. 
  While the citizens of many lands gripped by relentless 
  winter make token offerings to Thrym to appease him, 
  the civilized inhabitants of the Glittersands are a defiant 
  bunch, refusing to kowtow to the god of winter.
  mIlItary
  The entire military might of the Glittersands compris-
  es just 130 infantry, all of whom are mercenaries, divided 
  into four companies. The entire army is answerable to 
  the council at Glaston, though in practice daily opera-
  tions are left to the commander of the watch.
  The Glaston Guard, a company of 50 men, are heavy 
  infantry. While all wear chain hauberks and carry medium 
  shields, the choice of melee weapon is personal. Treat 
  them as veteran mercenaries. Typically, just 15 mercenar-
  ies are on watch during the day, with the rest serving as 
  the night watch. While orcs are more active during the 
  day, visibility from the single watch tower is good, and 
  any attacks come at night.
  The Caravan Guard spends much of their time travel-
  ing as a single company between Glaston and Isvik. They 
  are equipped the same as the Glaston Guard, save each 
  carries a short bow and quiver of 20 arrows in addition 
  to other weapons. While they spend much of their time 
  aboard ship, none are particularly skilled mariners.
  The Glaston Scouts are a 20 strong company equipped 
  with leather armor and medium shields. Most carry 
  spears and short bows. Their primary role is to scout 
  along the trade road before ships are sent out to ensure 
  orcs and trolls are not gathering in preparation for an 
  ambush. When not performing this duty they explore the 
  area around Glaston for signs of foes and ruins uncov-
  ered after storms.
  The Isvik Guard musters 30 heavy infantry. They are 
  equipped as per their counterparts in Glaston, and serve 
  a similar role (and use identical stats).
  In addition to these meager forces, every able-bodied 
  citizen is required to practice with the short bow. Most 
  citizens are completely inept, preferring to put their faith 
  in the mercenaries, but when an attack comes a cloud of 
  arrows, even poorly aimed ones, stands a better chance 
  of striking home than just a handful.
  trade & trIbute
  When one thinks of caravans, one naturally tends 
  toward imagining wagons and horses, or perhaps pygmy 
  mammoths in the Winterlands. In the Glittersands, few 
  have any desire to spend any longer outside the two 
  settlements than is absolutely necessary, and water and 
  animal feed are expensive luxuries. 
  To that end, Glaston maintains a fleet of two knarrs 
  fitted with outriggers. Chunks of glass are loaded on at 
  Glaston and sailed across to Isvik. In return, the cargoes 
  of merchant vessels and caravans at the port are sent 
  back on the returning ships.
  The Glittersands sole export is raw glass. Chunks are 
  sawn or chipped out of Glass Lake and shipped south. 
  The glass trade is governed by the council, who, in addi-
  tion to setting quotas, employs all the glass miners. The 
  miners are paid a flat wage. All profit from the sale of 
  the glass is funneled back into the council treasury. This 
  government monopoly allows the council to keep taxes 
  extremely low.
  virtually everything else the townsfolk need to survive 
  must be imported. Because of its location, trade caravans 
  correctIons
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer states that Glaston is the 
  only settlement in the Glittersands, and yet the 
  realm’s population and that of the town is out by 
  some 900 souls.
  At the time of writing I hadn’t realized this error—
  having 900 souls wandering aimlessly around the 
  Glittersands went unnoticed. As such, the discrep-
  ancy is now corrected by the inclusion of a second 
  settlement, Isvik. Its inclusion has necessitated a 
  few small changes to what is stated in the Hellfrost 
  Gazetteer. We hope this does not spoil your enjoy-
  ment of the setting.
  the glIttersands
  3
  
  are few and far between, and citizens must plan ahead. 
  A common misconception describes all the citizens as 
  notoriously tight-fisted. In fact, they are merely prudent. 
  When a trade ship arrives laden with new goods, the 
  citizens throw communal feasts, using up much of their 
  older supplies to make way for new stores.
   To prevent a lone merchant or storeowner holding 
  the town to ransom or profiteering when supplies run 
  low, the council is responsible for purchasing all imports. 
  A portion of these are put aside for emergencies, and the 
  rest is sold to local businesses for resale to the general 
  populace. Inclement weather and orc activity can often 
  delay shipments. When this occurs, the council breaks 
  out its emergency supplies of food, ale, and firewood, 
  which it distributes with no markup.
  Taxation in the Glittersands is light. With the council 
  responsible for all imports and exports, the profit they 
  make is enough to cover fresh supplies, essential repairs, 
  and wages for the miners and mercenaries.
  Citizenship Tax: on reaching their 14th birthday all 
  citizens pay a nominal 10 gold scields. This enables them 
  to claim full citizenship. Citizens may run a market stall 
  or other business, stand for election, and work in the 
  towns. outsiders who wish to become citizens must pay 
  a one-off fee of 20 gold scields.
  Income Tax: All working citizens pay 10% of their 
  earnings to the council treasury each year. Businesses 
  pay the same rate, though it is known as business tax.
  Poll Tax: Citizens who wish to vote in the annual 
  elections pay 1 gold scield when they cast their vote.
  Relief Tax: At the end of each year the outgoing coun-
  cil’s last decision is whether or not to impose relief tax. 
  This special tax is paid only in good years. The money is 
  set aside to purchase extra supplies for when life is not 
  so good. Relief tax is never popular with the citizens, but 
  all benefit from it on a regular basis.
  Temple Tax: A non-compulsory tax. Most citizens 
  donate around 10% of their earnings to the temple in 
  Glaston.
  archItecture
  The Anari are the dominant culture in the Glitter-
  sands, and the architecture is a reflection of that. Many 
  of the older buildings are made of wood, though newer 
  ones are constructed of stone, one of the more visible 
  indications of the region’s increasing wealth.
  Regardless of the material, the walls are built thick 
  to keep out the cold wind and reduce the amount of 
  firewood needed to keep the structure warm. Houses 
  tend to be small for the same reason, often with just 
  a single room. Most houses appear very low from the 
  outside. This is because the floor level is three feet be-
  neath the street level, the sand providing an extra layer 
  of much-needed insulation. Even the Saxa, who prefer 
  longhouses elsewhere, have adopted the smaller, squat-
  ter design, though they still favor wood over stone.
  In warmer realms houses are often divided into 
  two, with one area for the inhabitants and another for 
  livestock. Aside from the occasional dog, livestock is ex-
  tremely rare in a realm devoid of water, grasslands, and 
  game. Furnishings and decorations are simple. Spending 
  money on such things is not considered a sign of wealth, 
  but of stupidity—the money (as luxuries such as art and 
  furniture are costly) should be spent on more important 
  things, such as extra firewood or preserved food.
  Municipal structures, such as the council chamber, 
  are built for function, rather than to impress.
  major locales
  outside of Glaston and Isvik, there is little to see but 
  half-buried ruins and the mountains that border three 
  sides of the Glittersands. This section concentrates on 
  the two settlements.
  glaston
  Glaston sits behind a strong wooden palisade. No 
  ditch encircles the settlement, for windblown sand would 
  require constant clearing and extra timber to shore up 
  the sides. A fighting platform atop the palisade gives the 
  defenders a solid firing position against encroaching 
  enemies. A tall watchtower provides sentries with a clear 
  view of the surrounding landscape. 
  Entrance is through a double gate large enough to 
  accommodate a knarr (with its mast down). When the 
  trade ships set forth, they are hauled out of the gates 
  before the mast is erected and the sails unfurled.
  visitors are warned not to venture far from the perim-
  eter wall without a guide, for the clerics of Kenaz have 
  seeded the outlying approaches with many incendiary 
  glyphs carved onto small, innocuous stones.
  Academy of Higher Education: Glaston has no tem-
  ple to Hoenir, and just one private school. The school 
  teaches advanced subjects, such as heraldry, geography, 
  law, and languages relating to lands beyond the Glit-
  tersands. The dean, Margaile ap-varocher, a Gray Sage, 
  makes little money through teaching, for the school’s 
  total student body numbers just six. Fortunately she is 
  a lady of means, being the scion of a noble house from 
  Aspiria. When not teaching she researches the history of 
  the Glittersands, visiting ruins and collecting fragments 
  of pottery and engraved stones.
  The Bread Oven: Glaston’s only bakery is also one 
  of its taverns. The owner, Brantome ap-doolin, came 
  to the conclusion that if he was paying for fuel to bake 
  bread, he might as well make use of the warmth. As well 
  as ale, and more rarely wine and spirits, Brantome sells 
  hot fresh bread and warming soup (the common choices 
  are fish or mammoth).
  Cemetery: Glaston’s cemetery borders both sides of 
  the main gate. With wood too valuable to use for funeral 
  pyres and undead essentially unknown, the citizens of 
  hellfrost regIon guIde #36
  
  
  Glaston inter their dead in shallow pits. Corpses are left 
  to wither in the cold, dry air before being placed in the 
  grave with wares they will need in the Afterlife. visitors to 
  Glaston are often disturbed to see corpses seated outside 
  houses, but the custom allows friends and neighbors to 
  pay their respects before the dead are buried.
  Glass Miners’ Guild: Although the council oversees 
  all glass excavation, the miners have a guild. The guild is 
  responsible for negotiating wages, ensuring quotas are 
  set fairly, and providing compensation to miners injured 
  in the line of work or who fall ill. Members pay 3% of 
  their wage in guild dues.
  Healing House: No clerics of Eira reside in the Glit-
  tersands. Glaston has a single hospital operated by the 
  Sisters of Mercy. Although importing healing herbs, even 
  dried ones, is very expensive, the Sisters still offer their 
  services for free. At present there are just two Sisters sta-
  tioned here, along with a single Sword of Necessity.
  House of Flame: The Convocation’s sole official 
  representative in the Glittersands is Magus Ernaut Breast 
  Rope, so named because of his thick matt of chest hair. 
  The Convocation has little interest in the region, but 
  Ernaut was so persistent in his demands to be sent there 
  that the Four relented just to be rid of him. Ernaut is 
  largely free to spend his time as he wishes, with just 
  two caveats. First, the mage must provide hospitality to 
  fellow members of the Convocation venturing into the 
  Glittersands. Ernaut happily allows them to sleep in his 
  small house, but he does not provide food or water. Sec-
  ond, he must accept and train apprentices should they 
  present themselves.
  Ernaut barely scrapes a living selling alchemical de-
  vices of his own manufacture, and he often goes hungry 
  for days on end. While many mages waltz around in fine 
  robes, Ernaut’s clothing is threadbare. His main inter-
  est is exploration, for he has a theory. The elementalist 
  believes that the disaster that struck the Glittersands was 
  the result of the inhabitants dabbling in powerful magic. 
  It was their attempt to create an artificial fire locus that 
  laid waste to the land. He believes that Glass Lake forms 
  the center of the locus.
  Lightbringer Hearth: despite its small population, 
  Glaston maintains a large temple sacred to both Kenaz 
  and Sigel. Built at no small expense from stone blocks 
  imported from quarries in the Borderlands, it is a symbol 
  of defiance toward Thrym. The roof is pure gold, made 
  up of gold coins donated by the faithful nailed to wooden 
  shingles. A myth has grown up that when the last inch is 
  covered in gold, Kenaz and Sigel will return. Thus, wor-
  shippers are encouraged to donate generously.
  While remote, it boasts a sizeable contingent of cler-
  ics. Many see a station here as a promotion, believing 
  that Kenaz and Sigel touched this land with their divine 
  fire. It is thus the nearest one can get to physically touch-
  ing either deity. At present, there are six priests and ten 
  paladins of Sigel, and four priests and 22 paladins of 
  Kenaz resident here. Hearth Knights are infrequent visi-
  tors, but the clerics always make sure accommodation is 
  ready for them.
  The cults use part of the donations to purchase sup-
  plies. When the caravans fail and supplies of essentials 
  are running low, they freely give away faggots of wood 
  and flask of oil. during the Great Winter of 427, when 
  blizzards made travel impossible, the clerics exhausted 
  themselves using magic to provide light and heat to the 
  major buildings, in which the citizens had gathered for 
  warmth and protection.
  The Marker Stone: This small menhir, which stands 
  just inside the main gate, is the shrine to Freo. With few 
  visitors coming this way, the locals do not leave shoes 
  and boots at its base. Instead, they make small donations 
  of food and water to the trade ship crews heading to 
  distant Isvik.
  The Market: With space at a premium and large 
  buildings costly to heat, most traders and crafters do 
  not own stores. Instead, they are allotted space in the 
  market. Built in traditional Finnar style, the market is 
  nothing more than a vast tent made of felt and wood. 
  Food, supplies, weapons, and miscellaneous goods can 
  be found for sale here every Marketdaeg. A market is also 
  held on Raestdaeg.
  IsvIk
  Population: 922
  Ruler: None (governed by the council)
  The Glittersands’ only other permanent settlement 
  is located on the western shore of Serpent Lake. until 
  earlier this year it was part of Lakeland, a remote fish-
  ing village with just a few hundred inhabitants. After 
  lengthy negotiations that lasted many years, the council 
  of Glaston purchased the thin stretch of land, finally link-
  ing the Glittersands with the water.
  The native inhabitants were given the option of stay-
  ing and swearing allegiance to Glaston’s council or mak-
  ing a new home elsewhere. Money was set aside for the 
  latter. Most of the Finnar left, feeling that an expansion 
  would conflict with their way of life, but the Saxa stayed. 
  All but a handful of the Glittersands’ Saxa population 
  resides here, along with a goodly number of frostborn. 
  New prospects brought citizens from Glaston to Isvik 
  (the name means Ice Harbor) and the village became a 
  small town almost overnight.
  Isvik serves as the main trading center for the Glit-
  tersands. With the overland route now blocked, all trade 
  comes through the bustling town. very much a frontier 
  town in appearance, it nevertheless has a vibrancy un-
  common in such desolate regions. Many of the inhabit-
  ants are involved in fishing and hunting.
  Dargar’s Furs: dargar, a Saxa furrier, is widely re-
  nowned as one of the best proponents of his craft in 
  Rassilon. He could make a fortune plying his trade in 
  more populated lands, yet he prefers to remain in Isvik. 
  He pays well for fresh or ice-reserved animal carcasses, 
  especially mammoth and polar bear fur. 
  dargar’s furs cost twice as much as normal, but they 
  provide a +2 bonus to resist the effects of cold rather 
  than the usual +1 bonus.
  the glIttersands
  
  
  Dung Collectors’ Guild: Although the citizens of 
  Isvik keep very little livestock, members of the dung 
  collectors guild earn a decent living. When the spring 
  dawns they head out into the wilds around Serpent Lake, 
  towing behind them long sledges. The dung collectors 
  follow the mammoth hunters, scooping up huge piles of 
  steaming dung, which is then air dried before being sold 
  as fuel. Prices for dried dung are set by the council.
  The Smoke House: Fish and meat hunted around 
  the Serpent Lake are brought here to be smoked before 
  being sold to the council. Most of the produce is smoked 
  not over wood fires, but animal dung.
  Wharves: designed to operate in all seasons, the 
  wharves are divided into the Low Port and High Port. 
  Low Port’s wharves are just above water level, as one 
  would expect. They are used only in summer, when the 
  shore ice has sufficiently melted to allow ships to pull 
  up alongside. High Port’s wharves are higher, for they 
  cater for vessels mounting ice rigs, which ride above the 
  frozen surface of the lake.
  ruIns
  The Glittersands boasts more than its fair share of 
  ruins, though most are little more than jumbled stones, 
  melted and charred by the doom that befell the land in 
  ages past. Those on the surface have been picked clean 
  by orcs and treasure hunters, but there are many which 
  had sub-levels. orcs have explored, and indeed lair in, 
  some of these, but most have not been entered in five 
  centuries, at least not by anything humanoid. Forgotten 
  temples, the sprawling cellars of toppled castles, and 
  ever partially collapsed sewers may all be found beneath 
  the surface, if one can find an entrance.
  undead may lurk in these forgotten halls, though if 
  they do it is likely they possess strange powers relating to 
  fire and heat rather than the more traditional necroman-
  tic abilities. Blackened skeletons with balefire glowing in 
  their chests, ghosts which wreak of burnt flesh or take 
  the form of clouds of ash, and perhaps worse, may haunt 
  the dark tunnels beneath the glittering sands. Fiery crea-
  tures, such as elementals, trapped here since before the 
  Blizzard War may still exist.
  A storm tearing through the Great dunes might reveal 
  intact ruins. This presents the heroes with a time-based 
  challenge, for the next storm will bury them again.
  Persons of note
  The following persons can serve as patrons, friends, 
  or simply people the characters may have cause to visit 
  during a trip to the Glittersands.
  hearthkeePer bryan aP-reeve
  Current high priest of Kenaz in the Glittersands, Bryan 
  is convinced that Kenaz (and Sigel) are trapped some-
  where on the mortal realm, and has made it his life’s 
  goal to find them and replenish their energy. He believes 
  that the key to the mystery lies concealed beneath the 
  sands. unwilling to spend too much time away from his 
  flock, and some say a warm seat in a tavern, Bryan hires 
  passing adventures to help the search.
  As well as being a scholar and a priest, Bryan is re-
  nowned for being extremely down to earth. He often fre-
  quents the taverns, swapping stories and jokes with the 
  other patrons, occasionally talking with visitors about 
  news from elsewhere, and sometimes selling alchemi-
  cal devices crafted by the clergy. When hard times befall 
  Glaston, Bryan hits the streets, visiting citizens in their 
  homes, delivering bundles of firewood, praying with the 
  scared, and lightening the mood with myths of brave 
  heroes overcoming the terrible forces of Thrym.
  As such, while previous high priests have come across 
  as haughty, Bryan is much loved by the citizens of Glaston. 
  He is popular in Isvik as well, which he has been known 
  to visit simply in order to taste new kegs of ale.
  knIght hrafn gwendolyn aP-stern
  Commander of the watch for just the last two years, 
  Gwendolyn was posted here by her superiors. A former 
  commander in the war against orcmark, she command-
  ed a mission which went disastrously wrong. Although 
  cleared of any wrongdoing by a tribunal of her peers, 
  they thought it prudent she was transferred far from the 
  front, if only to avoid retribution by family and friends of 
  those slaughtered that bloody day.
  As a result, Gwendolyn has lost all faith in her abili-
  ties. In public and in front of her men she acts like a 
  true professional, but she spends many nights alone, 
  weeping for the men who died under her command. She 
  has strongly favored a defensive approach to the Glitter-
  sands, for she is reluctant to send men into battle lest 
  history repeat itself.
  sun knIght tabItha aP-Peredur
  Bryan’s counterpart in the cult of Sigel, Tabitha is also 
  the Hearthkeeper’s opposite in other ways. Not only 
  is she a paladin rather than a priest, but she sees her 
  posting here as punishment rather than a blessing. She 
  accepted the post because it meant promotion to high 
  priest status, something harder to achieve down south, 
  where her brethren are more numerous and competi-
  tion is stiffer. 
  But while she hears stories of fellow clergy battling 
  demons, breaking up evil cults, and hunting down frost 
  giants, she is stuck combating orcs, goblins, and trolls.
  Stern, humorless, and bitter, she performs her duties 
  in perfunctory fashion. She cares for her flock, for her 
  calling and devotion is as strong as ever, but she desires 
  more adventure. Now in her late forties, she feels time is 
  against her. She has considered resigning her post, but 
  she knows that if she does she is unlikely to be granted 
  the title ever again.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #36
  6
  
  IntroductIon
  Heldalund is a demoralized nation. Orcs control the northern reaches and the second 
  largest town, Hellfrost dragons circle in the west, the army has withered to a shadow of 
  its former self, and trade has been crippled by a loss of exports and high taxation in Cul. 
  Heldalund stands on the brink of disaster, but all is not yet lost. This supplement expands 
  on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  In days long past the citizens of Heldalund were subjects of the Vindari king and ruled 
  over by a thegn. While the Vindari are no more, the title of thegn has been used by the 
  rulers of this beleaguered nation ever since. The old Vindari method of choosing of rulers 
  has never disappeared either. The Vindari culture is briefly described in Region Guide #31: 
  The Cairn Lands.
  The title of thegn is open for election, for the old Vindari kings were judged not by 
  their bloodline but by the support of the nobility. By law, any noble, regardless of title, 
  may stand. The nobles of the land gather in conclave to debate the candidates’ worthiness. 
  In order to prevent wrangling dragging on too long and leaving the nation leaderless, a 
  decision must be reached within 32 days. Should the council fail to reach a majority deci-
  sion, it is left to heralds to determine who is closest in blood to the thegn. Most candidates 
  are quick to make promises to earn support, though the wiser nobles know hollow words 
  when they hear them.
  Politics plays its part not just among the nobility. Merchants and clerics, while not di-
  rectly involved in choosing the thegn unless they happen to hold a noble title, can sway 
  decisions with well-placed words in the right ears. Vote for the wrong candidate, and the 
  merchant may take his business elsewhere. In return for future favors, a merchant might 
  go so far as to offer bribes to ensure an election victory.
  The thegn, while technically the sole ruler, is not an autocrat. Tradition dictates that 
  he must appoint a council of no less then nine members, though he is free to appoint his 
  own councilors. As in many realms, true power extends only as far as the thegn is willing 
  to extend it. The current thegn is weak, for not only has he failed to retake Held, but it was 
  the nobility who ceded the western territories to Cul without his permission.
  Lesser noble titles may only be held by the head of a familial line. The noble’s children 
  31237
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  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  Heldalund
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  always take the title of ridder, adding a prefix of their 
  parent’s title to show their status. For example, every 
  child of a hauld carries the title hauld-ridder. The chil-
  dren of a ridder carry the prefix “squire.” grandchildren 
  of a ruling noble have no separate title or feudal author-
  ity, though they are considered of noble birth. Nobles 
  without a full title (i.e. one with no prefix) are forbidden 
  from ruling except in the absence of their parent, such as 
  if he falls ill or is away from his holdings on business.
  Primogeniture governs haulds and below. That is, 
  when a noble dies, his eldest child, regardless of sex, 
  acquires the title. His children then gain an appropriate 
  title. When a noble has no issues, heralds are employed 
  to determine who is entitled to the noble seat. By an-
  cient law, it may only be someone with a half-title. This 
  prevents a hauld of one domain being a lendmann in 
  another, for example.
  The nobility are beginning to fear for their status. 
  A mere five years have passed since Held fell into orc 
  hands, but their presence has killed trade. With most 
  mines owned by the nobility, their personal fortunes 
  have suffered a grievous blow. The more benevolent 
  families have merely tightened their belts in preparation 
  for even harder times to come. Others, less lenient, have 
  raised local taxes to ensure their opulent lifestyle is not 
  overly diminished. Some nobles feel that if the situation 
  worsens, the peasants will rise up against them.
  Beneath the nobility are the wealthy elite. They are 
  mainly merchants and clerics, though anyone with 
  enough influence and wealth can qualify. No exact fig-
  ures determine when one rises to the upper class—if 
  one is accepted into high social circles, one has reached 
  the dizzy heights.
  Forming the middle class are merchants, clerics, 
  mages, master craftsmen, and the like. everyone else 
  falls into the lower class. Heldalund’s small population 
  means it has very few beggars. The lowest members of 
  society are dung and faggot collectors.
  educatIon
  Formal education has never been of much interest 
  to the clannish Saxa. There is a single academy in Nor-
  vik, but it caters only to the scions of the nobility. With 
  their offspring unable to wield any power and military 
  life a poor option, many nobles send their children to 
  the academy just to get them out of their hair. For most, 
  home schooling is the norm.
  unlike the Cairn Landers, who are widely regarded 
  as idiots, most Heldalunders are aware of the greater 
  world, at least in their immediate vicinity. Before Baron 
  Frostweaver conquered Cul merchant caravans fre-
  quently arrived from Heligioland, crossing through the 
  hills before turning south to Norvik. They would bring 
  with them news and stories, as did merchants visiting 
  the once-bustling port. But the younger generation has 
  only secondhand knowledge for the most part, passed 
  on by parents.
  History is important to Heldalunders. In recent times 
  history has been viewed with a rosier tint than reality 
  should allow. The Liche-Priest’s story is told as a warning, 
  but it is tempered with the knowledge that Heldalund 
  resisted invasion. The Blizzard War wrought chaos and 
  death, but Heldalund was spared the worst. 
  Sadly, the truth is less glorious. Heldalund fell to 
  the Liche-Priest’s army as they drove south behind the 
  mountains toward the more densely populated Barony 
  of Trond. Fortunately, the withered devil was more inter-
  ested in eliminating Trond than claiming land, and while 
  Heldalund suffered badly only its most northern reaches 
  were corrupted and made part of the Liche Lands proper. 
  In the Blizzard War, geography saved the land from the 
  worst devastation. Most older Heldalunders know the 
  truth—they just don’t want to accept it.
  Still, the names and deeds of great heroes are as 
  revered today as never before, for Heldalund is in dire 
  need of heroes.
  The latest generation is being taught to fear Cul and 
  despise Trond for the pain they have inflicted on Hel-
  dalund. If the status quo remains, within a generation 
  or two the citizens of this troubled realm will hate their 
  neighbors to such a degree that no reconciliation will 
  be possible without blood running first. Many are being 
  brought up blaming the nobility just as much as outsid-
  ers. Though rebellion has not yet entered the minds of 
  the masses, the seeds have been planted. The cult of Vali 
  hopes to nurture them.
  Saxa is not just the dominant language, it is the official 
  language. Anari is a distant third after Trader for the ma-
  jority. even the Anari and engro learn Saxa as their first 
  tongue. Auld Saxa is alive and well in more rural parts, 
  and one may still find an old crone or wizened grandfa-
  ther who knows more than a smattering of Vindari.
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in Heldalund.
  * Languages: All Heldalunders must take Saxa as 
  their first language, even if they are of non-Saxa 
  stock.
  * Nobles: As noted on page 1, unless a character is 
  the head of his family he carries a half title. He does 
  not gain the rich benefit of the Noble edge or gov-
  ern any lands directly until he achieves a full title 
  (something he may never do if he is not the first 
  born). The highest noble title achievable in Helda-
  lund is thegn, and then only if a character becomes 
  the realm’s ruler. 
  * Trade: Times are hard in Heldalund. The base 
  price for all goods is 25% higher than standard. 
  While there are plenty of people desperate for 
  even basic goods, few can afford them. Characters 
  trying to find a buyer for their wares suffer a –2 
  penalty to Streetwise rolls.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #37
  
  
  relIGIon
  The citizens of Heldalund favor four gods above all 
  others. Neorthe, god of water, is now the most wor-
  shipped deity, though his rise has occurred only in the 
  last five years. Some dissension within the ranks has 
  broken out in recent months. One faction believes that 
  Heldalund should take up whaling in earnest, for whale 
  oil fetches high prices. Others refer to the books of scrip-
  ture, which state that sea animals must only be hunted 
  for meat, and that other by-products still constitute a sin 
  even if the meat is eaten. Since no whales have yet been 
  hunted in Heldalund, the arguments are likely to rage 
  for a little while yet.
  ertha, once the most honored deity, has suffered a 
  decline in worship since the gems and copper stopped 
  flowing from Held and its surrounds. Mining villages in 
  the west of the realm still hold her in great esteem. More 
  tragically, citizens are now extremely reluctant to make 
  offerings of metal objects to appease the goddess, since 
  replacements are expensive. Her clerics cry that this as 
  part of the problem—the citizens lack of faith has led to a 
  fall in copper and gem production. give generously, they 
  claim, as ertha will unveil rich new seams in the hills.
  Sigel, champion against darkness, is also riding a 
  wave of renewed popularity. He has been popular since 
  the days of the Liche-Priest, when his clerics helped 
  hold back the forces of the damned on what is now the 
  modern border. Scaetha, whose role as defender against 
  undead came after the war, has enjoyed little worship 
  here—the Liche-Priest is a distant, though still horrific 
  memory, while Hellfrost dragons and orcs are a very real 
  threat.
  kenaz is honored both for his role concerning smelt-
  ing metal and for helping combat Hellfrost beasts. His 
  cult is only slightly smaller than that of Sigel, but only 
  because the flow of copper has diminished. The last 
  five years have seen the balance of power shift from the 
  Hearthkeepers to the Ashen Blades.
  Many of the other gods enjoy widespread worship, 
  but the cults are not as strong as those above. Agriculture 
  and animal husbandry are common outside the main 
  towns, and eostre has much support. The cult is striving 
  to increase the amount of produce harvested each year 
  in a bid to provide Heldalund with a new export.
  One god enjoying a sudden boom is Nauthiz. As 
  prices rise, so more and more citizens are turning to the 
  black market to acquire goods. Although the few clergy 
  feed a greedy god, they are not stupid—so long as prices 
  are lower than the stores, customers will keep flocking 
  to them. unfortunately, in order to acquire goods the 
  clerics have turned to wholesale banditry, though much 
  of their activity is confined to Trond. This has kept the 
  thegn from issuing decrees against them, and earned the 
  citizens’ begrudging respect.
  The Norns have become the center of much attention 
  of late, with desperate citizens clamoring to know what 
  Heldalund’s future holds. So far the omens have been 
  mixed, and the handful of clerics reluctant to push their 
  triple goddesses any further.
  Var’s cult has suffered many ups and downs here. With 
  trade on the decline and Trond growing in popularity 
  with foreign merchants, many clerics have left the realm 
  in searchh of better profits. A few have stayed behind, 
  believing that copper and gems will soon flow again. A 
  small few have joined forces with Var’s wayward brother, 
  Nauthiz, and become heavily engaged in the black mar-
  ket. This constitutes a minor sin, but it is a small price to 
  pay to keep the ledgers in profit.
  In terms of the dark gods, there are a handful of 
  worshippers. Heldalund’s vicinity to the Liche Lands and 
  the presence of ruins in the foothills of the Whitedrake 
  Mountains, which flow into northern Heldalund, makes 
  it a popular destination for Hela’s fell brood. Thrym is 
  the orcs’ major deity, though dargar has some adherents. 
  The cult of Vali sees Heldalund as an opportunity for 
  spreading mayhem. With its coffers almost dry, Helda-
  lund cannot afford to import produce should a famine 
  strike. unemployment is beginning to rise, and with it 
  comes desperation. desperation will lead men to do al-
  most anything to put bread on the table, and down that 
  path lies corruption.
  mIlItary
  Heldalund’s once mighty and proud army is a de-
  moralized remnant of its former prowess. decades of 
  neglect, loss of the northern territories, the worsening 
  trade situation, poor wages, lack of leave, inferior equip-
  ment, harsh punishments, and idiots for officers have 
  sapped its morale.
  The army consists of five companies, each comprising 
  150 medium infantry and 25 light cavalry. Treat them as 
  common mercenaries, but with Spirit and guts d4. They 
  are equipped as per the Hellfrost Gazetteer entry for 
  Heldalund. each company is led by a captain. He is sup-
  ported by three sergeants-of-infantry and one sergeant-
  of-cavalry. These incompetents use the same stats as the 
  common soldiers.
  Just one company protects the borders with Cul and 
  Trond, a distance of some 200 miles. Half a company is 
  assigned to protect the countryside between Norvik and 
  the edge of the orc’s territory. Three and a half compa-
  nies guard Norvik. The public are unsure of exactly why 
  so many troops guard the capital, when they would be 
  better served elsewhere. rumors are starting to circulate 
  that Cul, Trond, or the orcs are preparing to mount an 
  attack. There is no truth to these rumors—the soldiers 
  are kept here in a bid to reduce desertion.
  The cults of Sigel and kenaz can muster 45 paladins 
  between them. These are hardened warriors, sent here 
  in preparation for the day the orcs grow adventurous 
  and strike south. They have petitioned the thegn over 
  and over to bolster the army, but their threats, pleas, and 
  Heldalund
  3
  
  warnings have fallen on deaf ears—the thegn is too afraid 
  of antagonizing Cul, despite a more imminent threat not 
  on his doorstep, but inside his house. Scaetha’s cult has 
  a total of 20 clergy stationed in a small village close to the 
  orcs’ territory. They too are keen to see the orcs gone, 
  but only so they can move closer to the Liche Lands.
  What Heldalund desperately needs is leaders of men. 
  knights Hrafn are the obvious choice, but the thegn re-
  fuses to pay a small fortune for each commander. While 
  the knights are skilled tacticians and strategists, Thegn 
  Franmar believes that morale will be boosted by mighty 
  heroes, common men who have fought dragons and 
  undead in hand-to-hand combat and carry the scars of 
  victory like trophies. Not only are they likely to be rela-
  tively cheap, but their stories and first-hand experience 
  of battle as soldiers, not generals, will raise morale. By 
  dealing death to the foul king ragkar and ending the 
  threat of the dragon at his beck and call, the army will be 
  able to rally behind a glorious victory. The only problem 
  is finding heroes willing to deal with a badly demoralized 
  army.
  trade & trIbute
  Heldalund’s main trade road runs between the orc-
  conquered town of Hela and the capital at Norvik. Trade 
  between the towns has stopped since Warlord ragkar 
  seized power five years ago. The road to Cul is little used 
  by outgoing merchants, and only rarely by incoming 
  ones. Most merchants heading for Heldalund prefer to 
  go via Trondavoe first, in order to benefit from the trad-
  ing ships frequenting its ports.
  Heldalund has rich deposits of copper and gems, but 
  unfortunately most of these lie in the northern territory 
  now claimed by orcs. As a result, exports have dwindled 
  to a trickle, rapidly bringing increasing hardship on its 
  citizens. Prices are rising steadily since the last stocks 
  were sold, and shortages are common, for merchants 
  cannot afford to import much-needed goods.
  Thegn Franmar has ordered prospectors to begin 
  scouring the hills to the west of the capital for new de-
  posits, but progress is slow. even when a vein is located, 
  it takes a year or more to set up a mine capable of gener-
  ating any sizeable exports.
  Fishing is now the prime export, though it is not a 
  lucrative one. Most major settlements further down the 
  coast have fishing fleets, and Cul charges a hefty 10% levy 
  on goods crossing its borders. Fortunately, Heldalund is 
  largely self-sufficient in foodstuffs, and so far famine has 
  been averted. unfortunately, much of the stocks have 
  been sold off, meaning that a single failed harvest could 
  lead to widespread disaster.
  Heldalund’s primary imports are whale oil, pottery, 
  and wine. With the native clay being of exceptionally 
  poor quality, pottery must be imported Brae and Myre 
  are the biggest suppliers, though thanks to Cul’s taxa-
  tion policies even basic wares are costly. While citizens 
  are content to use wooden plates and cups, wood is not 
  ideal for cooking pots. As existing pots break, citizens are 
  forced to rely more and more on eating meat, using the 
  animal’s stomach as a cooking vessel.
  Nordmark is the main supplier of wine, though the dis-
  tances involved have always made it a luxury. The recent 
  civil war has stifled trade, though things are beginning to 
  pick up. Fortunately, wine is shipped to Heldalund via 
  Ostmark, avoiding Cul’s tariffs. unfortunately, without 
  exports to offer in return and with Trond enjoying better 
  trade relations with Cul, fewer ships are calling here.
  Much of the oil imports come from Sutmark, or at 
  least they did. As the lengthy siege of Ostvik drags on, 
  so goods once used for export are required by the army. 
  enough smaller supplies exist to keep trade flowing, but 
  it is nowhere as brisk as it was a generation ago.
  arcHItecture
  Wooden Saxa long houses dominate the country. 
  While Held and Norvik are large towns, over half the 
  population lives in steads or small villages. The latter are 
  often just two or three steads built near each other for 
  common protection. The greatest population densities, 
  outside the towns, occur along the trade roads and in 
  the foothills of the mountains. Those nearest the moun-
  tains erect sharpened wooden stakes in their homes to 
  protect dragons thinking of swooping down and crash-
  ing through the roof.
  Before Held fell the citizens would buy reeds harvest-
  ed from Slush Marsh, believing that because they grew 
  in the cold swamp they would be resistant to Hellfrost 
  dragons’ breath. Today, houses in need of new thatch-
  ing must make do with wooden shingles, instead. Many 
  houses are marked with kenaz and Sigel’s holy symbols, 
  further warding against the fearsome dragons who roost 
  not far away.
  major localeS
  While Held and its orc conquerors present an ideal 
  adventuring locale, Heldalund has several other sites of 
  potential interest to visiting heroes.
  druId Wood
  The dark, tangled forest known as druid Wood stands 
  on the western side of the central hills. It is a fell place, 
  shunned by all but the bravest souls and the followers of 
  Scaetha and Sigel. Around the fringes the trees appear 
  normal, but deeper in they are black and warped, the 
  bark sculpted like faces frozen in anguish. Strange cries 
  emanate from the wood at night, and when the deorc-
  monan rises unearthly wails of torment carry forth into 
  the surrounding landscape.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #37
  
  
  The name comes not because druids live or gather 
  here, but because of its supposed origins. Popular leg-
  end has it that during the reign of the Liche-Priest a small 
  army of druids gathered here, on what was once a grassy 
  slope, to help stem the dark flow. A fell enchantment was 
  cast upon them, warping their flesh and transforming 
  them into twisted trees. It is said eostre wept openly for 
  the great loss her followers endured that terrible day. To 
  hide the blight, she caused trees to grow, encircling the 
  unholy forest and hiding it from sight. 
  Scaetha’s clergy make periodic forays into the forest, 
  but they have reported no undead. They remain wary, 
  for the Liche-Priest employed many tricks to conceal his 
  forces as his armies were driven back. Some clerics hold 
  that the trees are indeed damned souls, undead trans-
  formed by dark magic in preparation for their master’s 
  eventual return to unlife.
  druids rarely come here. They claim the wood pre-
  dates the Liche-Priest by eons and was always a dark 
  place. That the Liche-Priest may have made it worse they 
  do not contest, but he only fuelled an ember of evil that 
  already smoldered. They claim it is home to many dark 
  tree men and unseelie faeries.
  norvIk
  Norvik (“North Harbor” in Saxa) sits in a wide cleft 
  between the hills. A palisade comprising two rows of 
  wooden stakes spaced three yards apart and filled with 
  packed earth and stones completely encircles the town. 
  A total of five fortified gatehouses, three landward and 
  two seaward, provide access. Two wooden towers facing 
  landward provide additional security.
  Much of Norvik sits only ten yards above level, the 
  ground sloping gently upward from the nearby shore. In 
  the south the ground rises very sharply, ending in a long 
  flat-topped hill atop which sits the thegn’s palace and 
  barracks for of the capital’s resident two companies. To 
  the north there is a lesser incline.
  Warehouses dominate the central stretch just inside 
  the sea-facing palisade. The houses of the merchants lie 
  to the north, while those of the rich citizens and lesser 
  nobility are to the north. The homes of the middle and 
  lower classes start behind the warehouses and extend 
  out to the landward palisade.
  The Burnished Temple: Sigel’s temple is the larg-
  est and grandest building in Norvik. While the interior 
  is decked in gold ornaments, the roof is made of thin 
  bronze tiles. Some claim the color of the roof is prophet-
  ic, for Sigel’s Hearth is no longer a brilliant gold orb.
  Fervent enemies of all creatures of darkness, the cult is 
  furious that Thegn Franmar has done nothing to cleanse 
  Held of its fell occupants. So far they have obeyed the 
  thegn’s decrees, but many are now speaking of bypass-
  ing the noble’s authority and calling for a religious cru-
  sade. Some go as far to suggest that Held, once liberated, 
  should become a protectorate of the cult to ensure it 
  never falls into orc hands again. Such an act would not 
  only provide the cult with a secure military base close to 
  the Liche Lands and Whitedrake Mountains, but it would 
  give them control over the rich mines, giving the clerics 
  significant secular influence.
  The Lighthouse: The only stone structure is a squat, 
  square, dry stone tower with a pyramidal roof. Strongly 
  fortified, the lighthouse is surrounded by a ditch, a pali-
  sade, and a second ditch. Wooden bridges, designed to 
  be easily destroyed, allow access over the ditches.
  Stone steps lead up to the middle level, some ten feet 
  above the ground level. This is where the three keepers 
  of the flame leave. The lower layer, which is reachable 
  only from the interior, holds bundles of wood and pre-
  cious barrels of oil, as well as food, rope, tinder boxes, 
  and other essential supplies. A gigantic brazier sits on 
  the upper level. On the west wall is a mosaic of polished 
  mirrors. The only windows are a series of slits in the 
  eastern wall. At night, when fog rises, and when storms 
  rage, a fire is lit in the brazier, its light piercing the dark 
  sky and guiding ships to safety in the harbor.
  Although the lighthouse is not part of the temple of 
  Sigel, the keepers are always clerics of the god of light. 
  With the cult of Neorthe in ascendancy, the sea god’s 
  clerics are demanding to be given authority over the 
  lighthouse. While the two cults have not come to blows, 
  they are engaged in a war of harsh words and slander.
  Markets: Norvik has two outdoor markets. The larg-
  est is reserved for livestock, though in recent years fish-
  mongers have set up their stalls here. It is dominated by 
  a carved menhir, a shrine to eostre Animalmother. The 
  other is a general market. While the livestock market is 
  normally full, the price of animals being largely unaf-
  fected by the current economic problems, the general 
  market has suffered greatly. Many stalls are all-but empty, 
  and when goods are available prices are high.
  Mayor’s House: Thegn Franmar is the overall ruler 
  of Norvik, but daily affairs are handled by the mayor. 
  Appointed by the thegn, the mayor, currently Thurid 
  Sirnirsdohtor, has great authority—only the thegn may 
  overrule her decisions. While she shelters Franmar from 
  matters troubling the capital, she can do little with re-
  gard to wider concerns. unfortunately, because three of 
  the major cults have their temples here, the boundary 
  between capital and state is often blurred, for a decision 
  that seems to be a local matter may have far reaching 
  consequences. As a result, she finds herself drawn more 
  and more into Heldalund’s murky politics.
  The Port: Norvik’s port facilities, such as they are, lie 
  outside the palisade. Three jetties extend into the cold 
  sea, but most captains prefer to haul their ships onto the 
  narrow beach. The only buildings are three boat sheds, 
  two of which are occupied by Norvik’s naval vessels, a 
  custom’s house, and the temple of Neorthe.
  Temple of the Eternal Flame: Currently the second 
  largest temple in the realm, kenaz’s holy house sits op-
  posite that of his father, Sigel. The cult’s power is in seri-
  ous decline, having lost many followers in just the five 
  years since the copper trade diminished. As a result, the 
  more militant Ashen Blades are now the majority. While 
  they desire the orcs of Held slain, they are wary that a 
  Heldalund
  
  
  rekindled copper trade will reverse their rise to power. 
  They have yet to decide how to achieve their goal and 
  maintain their position.
  The Thegn’s Palace: The thegn’s palace is a tradi-
  tional long house, albeit once with fine carvings marking 
  its grand doors. The palace, which overlooks the sea and 
  the town, sits within a separate palisade. The guard bar-
  racks are close by, but are not within the enclosure.
  tHe Sky mound
  dominating the skyline of the hills that run through 
  central Heldalund is an artificial, conical hill known as 
  the Sky Mound. Its presence is noted in surviving texts 
  and inscriptions, and the construction dates back long 
  before any of the current cultures rose to dominance.
  Some believe it was a burial mound for an important 
  king, but excavations down the centuries have revealed 
  no tomb within. Others claim is was part of a fortifica-
  tion. It is true that a wooden palisade was raised on its 
  crown during the war against the Liche-Priest, when it 
  served as a temporary fort, but no evidence suggests this 
  was its original purpose. Less popular theories include 
  it being a pile of dragon manure, a spoil heap dumped 
  here by giants searching for gems, a mole hill dug (by 
  a gigantic mole, one presumes), and a gateway to the 
  realm of the faeries. 
  The most common explanation is that it was raised by 
  worshippers of Thunor as a temple. The flat top is visible 
  for many leagues on a clear day, and prayer kites flown 
  here would be closer to the heavens. Although the latter 
  cannot be proven, it has been used by Thunor cultists for 
  centuries, when its modern name was applied.
  A few months ago a passing goatherd noticed a fresh 
  tunnel dug into the side of the mound. Fear won out 
  over curiosity and he ran off before investigating further. 
  Many folk who have heard his tale believe the tunnel is 
  the work of treasure hunters, but others claim that some-
  thing dug out of the mound, not into it.
  PerSonS of note
  Not everyone is Heldalund is concerned about the 
  wellbeing of the realm. The following villains are in-
  tended to be at the center of complex plots, or perhaps 
  an entire campaign.
  atGarotH tHe necromancer
  On a lonely peak in the foothills of the Whitedrake 
  Mountains stands the crumbling remains of a mighty 
  castle. Locals fear the place, blithely denying its exis-
  tence when strangers point out the distant edifice. When 
  forced to speak, they whisper only that it was home to 
  Atgaroth the Necromancer. Atgaroth is a title, not a name. 
  A bastardized Heligi term, it translates loosely as “Father 
  of the Vile Host.”
  All surviving descriptions of Atgaroth paint a picture 
  of a tall, thin, putrefying corpse, with sickly yellow skin 
  broken by oozing red sores and vile green pustules which 
  continually grow and burst. Where he walked, the twin 
  specters of pestilence and death danced in his wake.
  Some say in life he was a victim of a terrible plague 
  that preceded the rise of the Liche-Priest. As his disease-
  ravaged body neared death, he turned to Hela, offering 
  eternal servitude in return for continued existence. Oth-
  ers claim he was the cause of the plague, a worshipper 
  of Vali betrayed by his god who sought succor in Hela’s 
  lifeless embrace. regardless of his origins, he became a 
  loyal servant of the Liche-Priest.
  Many powers were attributed to him. Tales said his 
  touch would rot flesh in an instant, and the stench from 
  his perpetually rotting body caused sickness and decay. 
  Those who fell to his vile hand arose as diseased zom-
  bies. He was attributed power over rats, sending forth 
  great waves of diseased zombie rodents to spread sick-
  ness, death, and misery.
  While the cleric of Sigel led the main campaign against 
  the Liche-Priest, it was the cult of eira which battled At-
  garoth. Such was his power over disease that only they 
  had the strength and knowledge to combat his evil host. 
  After many battles he was driven back to his fortress 
  home and slain, his flesh pierced by many enchanted 
  spears imbued with runes of healing. The fell magic 
  holding his body together was sundered, and Atgaroth 
  dissolved into a festering pool of decayed flesh.
  But Hela does not give up her servants so easily. Flick-
  ering lights have been seen in castle towers in recent 
  months and many fear Atgaroth has returned. rats are on 
  the increase and instances of minor diseases have grown 
  more common. Many fear the necromancer has returned 
  to exact revenge.
  redmund tHe Snake
  Thegn Franmar’s closest advisor is a weasely, lank-
  haired man with pale, staring eyes, thin lips, and a hook-
  nose. His nickname, given him by other members of the 
  court, shows what his peers think of him.
  Many suspect redmund is an agent of one of the 
  thegn’s rivals, for Franmar has become befuddled and 
  hesitant since redmund came to court, refusing to act 
  decisively in curing Heldalund’s many ills for fear of up-
  setting Heldalund’s neighbors or the orcs of Held. Mean-
  while, the realm slowly withers. redmund is an agent of 
  another power, but it is not a mortal one.
  He is in fact a priest of Hela preparing the way for 
  the return of the Liche-Priest. With Heldalund paralyzed 
  and demoralized, the undead will be able to conquer the 
  land with minimal force. Protected by the Whitedrake 
  Mountains, they will be able to marshal their strength in 
  safety before beginning the great conquest of rassilon.
  He is currently poisoning the thegn’s mind against 
  the cult of Sigel, accusing them of plotting treachery and 
  rebellion. Although his words are from his own imagina-
  tion, he is closer to the truth than he realizes.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #37
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Bound by the deadly Frozen Forest, the impassable Sunken Realm, and the treacherous 
  Frozen Sea, the Freeholds are the most isolated and remote realm on the continent. Beset 
  by undead and Hellfrost horrors, the rugged settlers and hardy nomads who call this realm 
  home are slaves to no man, for here all are considered equal. This supplement expands on 
  material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer. Details on the Finnar culture can be found in Region 
  Guide #19: The Unclaimed Lands.
  What are the Freeholds?
  While the land encompassed by Icedale has been the hunting ground of the Finnar 
  for millennia, the arrival of the Saxa and Anari is a recent occurrence. The first outsiders 
  settled here only 200 years ago, lured by the icewood of the Frozen Forest. While the 
  nearby Sunken Realm was highly populated, no ancient ruins from that bygone age or lost 
  culture have ever been found here.
  Modern Icedale is not a unified realm like those of the Low Winterlands or Hearthlands. 
  It boasts no overall ruler, and the council is little more than an advisory body and the final 
  court of appeal in criminal and civil cases. When one discusses the Freeholds one should 
  really talk about the settled lands and the nomadic lands as near separate entities, bound 
  by agreements concerning mutual trade and defense, yet not by laws of man or gods.
  The settled Freeholds extend from Icedale to Iceport along the 500 mile stretch of the 
  Icedale River. At most they extend ten miles either side of the river. The river itself belongs 
  to no one. The settlers choose to dwell on its banks because it is the trade route between 
  the two towns, but they do not have jurisdiction over its resources. Any newcomer may 
  settle here and claim a free hold over a parcel of land so long as he takes a sacred oath to 
  provide assistance to his neighbors, respect his neighbor’s boundaries, and respect the 
  ancestral hunting grounds of the Finnar and displaced taiga elves.
  The existence of the Finnar and taiga elves as permanent inhabitants dates back to the 
  Blizzard War. Before the long winters came, the land marked the southern most extent of 
  the Finnar’s ancestral grounds, for here they would come in spring and summer, bringing 
  with them hungry reindeer herds. The taiga elves dwelt in what is now the Frozen Forest. 
  The latter migrated here during the exodus of their once vibrant realm, while the Finnar 
  just happened to be here when the Icewall rose, cutting them off from their more north-
  erly grounds. Both have opted to make the most of life, refusing to yield to new territory 
  in the face of Thrym’s adversity.
  31238
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 3 8 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  Icedale Freeholds
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  socIal hIerarchy
  As the name implies, the Freeholds are not governed 
  by nobles or other landowners. Any citizen who wishes 
  to live here is his own master, though he is required to 
  help his neighbors in times of need, live in peace with the 
  nomads, work at an honest living, and abide by common 
  laws of good behavior and decency. As such, the Free-
  holds are a patchwork of isolated settlements bonded 
  by mutual adversity and oaths of friendship rather than 
  written laws or noble authority.
  Technically, the realm is governed by a single council 
  based in Icedale. elections are held every five years, and 
  any citizen of the realm may stand for one of the 50 seats 
  available. Separate elections are held in Icedale, Iceport, 
  and in the remote communities. Icedalers fill 20 seats, 
  Iceporters 15, other settlers 10, and the nomads the re-
  maining ones. The council meets every month, but due 
  to distance and the weather, few councilors outside of 
  Icedale bother to attend more than once or twice during 
  their tenure. Word of legislation passed by the governing 
  body flows down the trade road between the towns, but 
  the council is unable to truly enforce its will. Its primary 
  power is in setting the price of icewood and acting as the 
  final court in law cases. Most legal cases are heard by one 
  of the many moots.
  every Freeholder is considered a free and equal citizen 
  of the realm. While some families do hold noble titles of 
  old, they hold no true power. Indeed, Freeholders place 
  little respect on a title, and even visiting nobility find 
  themselves treated with far less respect than they would 
  find at home.
  Similarly, Freeholders do not go much for social di-
  vides. Some are wealthier or better educated than others, 
  but that does not make them any better than the lowly 
  dung collectors whose labors keep the hearths glowing 
  warm. Wealth allows for a few luxuries, but for the most 
  part Freeholders neither look up to nor down upon 
  their neighbors. Thus, citizens are judged not by what 
  they have, but what they give. The harder one works, the 
  more likely one is to have the respect of neighbors.
  educatIon
  education in the Freeholds is very much left to indi-
  vidual families and cults. Academic prowess is not consid-
  ered an enviable trait, for survival here requires practical 
  knowledge of the seasons and harsh conditions.
  children are taught the common laws of the land, 
  basic geography and history, and a little about the cul-
  tures of their neighbors. Stories of deadly monsters are 
  commonplace, serving both to make children aware of 
  the dangers that lurk beyond the warmth of the hearth, 
  but also to give them practical knowledge on combating 
  them when running away isn’t a viable option. In a land 
  rules oF the realm
  These setting rules apply in the Freeholds
  * Lack of Nobility: Freeholders place little respect 
  on nobles titles. No noble character in the Free-
  holds, native or visitor, benefits from the +2 cha-
  risma bonus gained from the Noble edge. char-
  acters who use the edge to simulate other social 
  positions, such as a rich merchant or important 
  cleric, benefit as normal.
  * Trading: coins are only used in the towns, and 
  even then bartering is considered equally accept-
  able. Heroes looking to sell war booty or buy 
  equipment will often need to accept or offer trade 
  goods if they hope to strike any kind of deal.
  The gM should not demand the heroes keep a de-
  tailed list of their exact trade goods. A hero who 
  spends 100 gs on trade goods need only record 
  “trade goods: 100 gs” on his character sheet, leav-
  ing the exact nature of the goods flexible. He may 
  then spend the trade goods as if it were coin in 
  the Freeholds. For convenience, every 5 gs of trade 
  goods weighs 2 pounds.
  city availability items in a town or town items in a 
  village cost quadruple, when available. city items 
  in a village cost ten times as much as normal, if 
  available at all. The sole exception is in Hegmo-
  nan, the main trading season, when prices are only 
  double and quadruple respectively—imports sell 
  quickly, leading to shortages and increased prices 
  for the rest of the year. The gM should determine if 
  specific goods are available based on their use. Few 
  citizens have need to buy plate armor, for instance, 
  and merchants are thus unlikely to transport it to 
  the frozen north on speculation.
  The pricing works both ways—heroes trying to 
  find buyers for plunder will receive higher prices, 
  if a buyer can be found.
  * Weather: Snow falls most often during summer, 
  when warm, moist air drifts up from the south. 
  In spring and fall, the chance of precipitation is 
  halved. In winter, the chance is one-fifth that listed 
  in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide. The chance of heavy 
  snow or a blizzard is unaffected—they can strike 
  anywhere in Rassilon and at any time of year.
  * What’s in a Name?: The names “Icedale,” “Ice-
  dale Freeholds,” and “the Freeholds” can be used 
  interchangeably when describing this realm.
  * Where’s the Food?: unless a hero is a native, 
  a Sword or Lance knight, or a cleric of eostre or 
  ullr, all Survival rolls to find wild food in the Free-
  holds are made at –2. This is negated once the hero 
  spends six months surviving in the bleak wilder-
  ness, whereupon he learns how to successfully 
  hunt small mammals and recognize edible bark 
  and lichen.
  hellFrost reGIon GuIde #38
  
  
  where winter is permanent, much training is given in 
  basic survival techniques, such as how to build a shelter, 
  what lichens are edible, not to eat snow or drink cold 
  water, how to hunt, how to recognize spoor and tracks 
  of predators and prey, and so on.
  Many settlers, even toothless crones, know nothing 
  of the outside world, nor do they see any need to learn. 
  There is snow, ice, and cold, and that is all one needs to 
  know to survive. Many misconceptions and much igno-
  rance exist here because of the lack of outside contact. 
  Some citizens refuse to believe that there is anything 
  but ice and snow blanketing the world. others have no 
  concept of the feudal system and chain of authority. The 
  sharing of goods means few have a true understanding of 
  the concepts of ownership and theft (see Region Guide 
  #19 for more on this).
  Despite having four major cultures living in close har-
  mony, if not close proximity, Trader is not widely spoken, 
  even in the towns. Most children learn both Saxa and 
  Anari, with Finnar third. The taiga elves mix far less with 
  the settlers than the Finnar, their numbers are smaller, 
  and their language is harder to grasp. As such, it remains 
  the fifth most common tongue, falling behind Trader. 
  After three centuries of almost total isolation, the settlers 
  are evolving a new language, a blend of Saxa and Anari 
  words and grammar.
  relIGIon
  The Freeholds boasts no great mineral wealth and has 
  a native frost dwarf population of just one, yet ertha is 
  the most widely honored deity. conversely, she has the 
  fewest priests, and barely a handful claim her as patron. 
  Those most dedicated to her are the smiths who keep 
  the loggers supplied with axes and the soldiers equipped 
  with spears and arrow heads. 
  The vast majority honor her in passing (and often no 
  more) because it is the frost dwarves who are, eventually, 
  their biggest customers. As such, her faith is more one of 
  placating the dwarves than heartfelt religious devotion. 
  quite how this belief first arose is unknown, but it is now 
  ingrained. For their part, the frost dwarves don’t care, 
  and never have cared, where the icewood comes from, 
  so long as it reaches their fortress homes—most don’t 
  even know Icedale exists, if truth be told.
  The twin horrors of the Freeholds are undead and 
  Hellfrost monsters. often the two are one and the same. 
  Sigel, Scaetha, and kenaz are honored in roughly equal 
  numbers. Pragmatists to the core, Freelanders don’t 
  like to waste time on any venture, even their faith. Si-
  gel is most commonly taken as a patron, since his cult 
  is dedicated to defeating all forms of darkness on just 
  one aspect of evil, whereas those of Scaetha and kenaz 
  are more focused. Scaetha’s cult only outnumbers that of 
  kenaz because of their evangelizing and scare tactics.
  Many of Sigel’s clerics are arrogant and pompous, ac-
  cepting the general belief that Sigel is more important 
  than Scaetha and kenaz separately as proof of their god’s 
  superiority. Though clerics of three gods are often seen 
  bickering in public, they rally together (not without com-
  plaint) when trouble comes calling.
  With agriculture almost impossible, hunting and rein-
  deer herding are the main source of food, even for the 
  settled inhabitants. Thus, both eostre Animalmother and 
  ullr are popular deities. A few species of hardy root veg-
  etables are grown in walled enclosures to protect them 
  from the harsh wind, but vast quantities of manure are 
  required, and the growing season is exceptionally short. 
  crop yields are barely enough to supplement the protein 
  rich diet.
  Neorthe is worshipped in Iceport. Although the Free-
  landers are not true mariners, they pray to the god of the 
  ocean to protect the trade ships vital to the Freeholds’ 
  continued survival. Freo has more followers elsewhere, 
  for journeys through the Freeholds are fraught with the 
  twin perils of cold and beast.
  Thanks to the belief in communal property, Nauthiz 
  has absolutely no followers here. Long-term borrowing 
  is commonplace, but actual ownership of goods is a 
  strange concept to the Freeholders. Hela’s cult is small, 
  for the clerics of Scaetha and Sigel are eternally vigilant 
  for any threat concerning the undead.
  mIlItary
  The Hellfrost Gazetteer lists the Freeholds’ military 
  strength at 4,000 soldiers. It would be a mistake, though, 
  to think of these as a standing army similar to those 
  founds in the Hearthlands.
  Just over one-quarter of the army, some 1,200 souls, 
  are found among the settled communities. The remain-
  der are members of the nomadic tribes and are hunter 
  first and foremost.
  Icedale has no marshal or general—the army is scat-
  tered too thinly, and the permanent winter prevents men 
  from gathering in large numbers. Instead, every settle-
  ment is responsible for its own safety, though it is honor 
  and duty bound to help its neighbors when called upon. 
  Such assistance grows more common with each year.
  Icedale boasts 400 soldiers, while Iceport keeps 300. 
  While titled as soldiers, they are little more than a well-
  trained and almost permanently active militia. These 
  military forces are broken down into companies of 100 
  men, each led by a captain supported by four sergeants. 
  During peace time, companies are rotated on and 
  off duty on a monthly basis. In Icedale, one company 
  protects the town while another watches over the ice 
  wood loggers. Iceport normally has just one company 
  on watch over the town at any time. When not serving as 
  soldiers, the men work at other jobs, earning their own 
  living. When their time to serve comes, they draw wages 
  from communal funds, since they are protecting more 
  than just their homes.
  Some 200 soldiers live in the scattered settlements 
  Icedale Freeholds
  3
  
  between the towns. About a quarter of these are full-time 
  warriors, for predators are a constant threat.
  The White Rangers, who are answerable to the coun-
  cil and serve as the only true permanent military force 
  of any strength, muster around 300 strong. Their role 
  is one of aggression, not defense. They are constantly 
  on the move, travelling the frozen wastes to check on 
  isolated communities and the nomadic tribes, hunting 
  down Hellfrost beasts whenever they are encountered, 
  and otherwise ensuring the light of civilization burns 
  brightly in the ice-clad realm. Although answerable to 
  the council, the council has never seen fit to interfere 
  in their affairs, and the command is largely regarded as 
  a token gesture these days. Around half the number are 
  Finnar, a quarter taiga elves, and a quarter Saxa.
  While metal armor is more durable than hide and 
  leather, the armies prefer armor, and weapons, that can 
  be easily replaced and manufactured locally. Metal also 
  becomes brittle at cold temperatures, and in winter, the 
  longest season, this can be a very real problem. Short 
  bows and spears, both long and short, are the favored 
  weapons, though those with money might carry a long 
  sword or battle axe as well. In many instances these 
  weapons are family heirlooms, more for show than use.
  trade & trIbute
  cur off from the rest of the continent by the Frozen 
  Forest to the west, the Sunken Realm to the south (and 
  beyond both the Liche Lands of old), and the near-per-
  manently ice-choked Frozen Sea to the east, the Free-
  holds is the remotest and most isolated civilized realm 
  in Rassilon. Despite this, it remains an important trading 
  center.
  For much of the year the Freeholds are completely 
  cut off. With no port north of Trondavoe, ships wishing 
  to make the journey at other times must penetrate the 
  icy slush at the edge of the frozen water until they strike 
  solid ice. Then ships must be hauled out of the water and 
  riggers fitted. The procedure is lengthy and tiring, for 
  cargoes must be unloaded before the ships can be pulled 
  onto the pack ice. only in Hegmonan has the ice melted 
  enough to allow ships to reach Iceport without installing 
  ice riggers or battling thick ice, and even then the voyage 
  is a perilous one.
  The most profitable export is icewood. Much of the 
  precious wood is destined for Trondavoe and Sandvik, 
  from where it is transported to the forges and hearths 
  of the frost dwarf cities. each year more and more ice-
  wood leaves Sandvik for Al-Shirkuh, where its cooling 
  fire is both a wonder and a luxury. Despite the quantities 
  shipped south, few citizens are rich. Most of the profit is 
  made on the final leg of the journey, far from the source 
  of the icewood.
  Whale, walrus, and reindeer bone, seal and reindeer 
  hide, and polar bear furs are all secondary exports. only 
  the reindeer are harvested by the Freeholders—much 
  of the other goods come from trade with the hrossvalar 
  who live on the pack ice.
  To say the Freeholds are self-sufficient in meat is 
  rather an overstatement. It is true most citizens keep 
  reindeer, and pygmy mammoths to a lesser degree, but 
  meals, while hot and nourishing, are rarely large. grain 
  is imported for the making of bread and porridge, both 
  staples. vegetables are rare, and fruits beyond the price 
  of common citizens.
  Ale is imported from the Hearthlands, though its cost 
  prohibits widespread drinking. Most Freeholders drink 
  reindeer and mammoth milk, using an ancient Finnar 
  recipe to ferment it. Thick and lumpy, it is very much an 
  acquired taste.
  great bales of wool are sold in the markets. qual-
  ity is not important, since few citizens wear woolen 
  clothes—furs and hide are the norm. Rather, the wool is 
  used to insulate houses. This need has proven a boon for 
  shepherds further south, for not all sheep and goat wool 
  is suitable for the clothing industry.
  Iron is much needed for the manufacture of weapons 
  and logging axes. As a heavy good, it carries a high price. 
  Much of it is destined for the forges operated by the cult 
  of ertha, the Freeholders’ primary smiths and armorers.
  Taxes are paid only by citizens living in the two 
  towns—Icedale and Iceport. It has proven impossible to 
  tax the nomads, and few tax collectors have the desire to 
  travel between the smaller steads to collect a handful of 
  coins. Taxation is set at a flat 25% of income. The monies 
  earned go toward paying for the vast army and purchas-
  ing great quantities of provisions in case the trade ships 
  cannot breech the ice.
  archItecture
  In the towns, where the ice has been melted down to 
  the bedrock, icewood long houses are the norm. Despite 
  being renowned for burning cold, icewood is actually a 
  very good insulator against the cold. Long houses tend 
  to be quite large, though the family lives in only a small, 
  cramped portion. Much of the space is given over to 
  housing reindeer, the common livestock and primary 
  source of milk, meat, and hide. The Finnar, whose herds 
  remain outdoors in all weathers, find this pratice very 
  peculiar, even comical.
  The settlers along the river have opted for small, 
  square houses perched above the permanently frozen 
  ground on four, thick icewood supports. The walls and 
  roof are thick felt padded with wool erected around a 
  wooden frame designed to flex in the wind. A stone slab 
  acts as the hearth. conditions are more cramped even 
  than in the long houses.
  This unusual construction method saves having to 
  excavate multiple postholes through the thick ice, avoids 
  having to clear away fresh deposits of snow, and provides 
  security against many predators.
  Animals are penned inside corrals made of ice blocks. 
  hellFrost reGIon GuIde #38
  
  
  The wall facing the prevailing wind, the north, is always 
  curved to prevent it collapsing in strong gusts. It is also 
  raised considerably higher, thus allowing animals to 
  shelter behind it.
  With living space small and compact to preserve heat, 
  the Freeholders maintain only small hearths fuelled by 
  dried dung and small nuggets of valuable charcoal. Warm 
  clothes are essential in Icedale even indoors during the 
  short summer.
  Icedale has no true fortifications. every community is 
  protected by an icewood palisade, for there are many 
  terrible beasts in this land. Ice blocks, cut from the deep-
  est, thickest ice or harvested from the Icewall, are used 
  to make low walls and redoubts. Typically a community 
  has a watchtower, from where sentries can spy approach-
  ing dangers and alert family and neighbors with a horn. 
  During winter, when most monsters are active, the deep 
  booming of horns echoes up and down the river valley 
  with alarming regularity. Many are false alarms, illusions 
  caused by swirling snow or tired eyes, but the citizens 
  rarely grow complacent—those who do tend to meet a 
  terrible fate.
  major locales
  A land of windswept hills and featureless plains, 
  Icedale has only a few locales of interest to adventuring 
  heroes. Some of these are described below.
  Iceport
  Any visitors’ first port of call in the Freeholds is likely 
  to be Iceport (unless they are mad enough to venture 
  across land). Although technically a port, for much of 
  the year it is only the sight of the small town, huddled 
  behind its high palisade and illuminated by fierce fires 
  that guide ships to safety, that reveals where the land 
  begins and the sea ends.
  Mammoth Stables: While reindeer are used to pull 
  small sledges, heavier loads require pygmy mammoths. 
  Icefoot, a frostborn cleric of Skaði, minor goddess of 
  mammoths, raises, trains, and rents or sells the creatures 
  to businesses and adventuring parties heading inland. 
  conditions are that they do not eat or skin their mount, 
  even if it dies of natural causes, and ensure its continu-
  ing health. He keeps a small number of combat trained 
  mammoths, but only rents or sells these to proven war-
  riors, such as clerics of Tiw or Hearth knights. His broth-
  er, Snowmane, operates a similar business in Icedale. 
  Rented mammoths may be returned to either business.
  The Mariners’ Hearth: This long house is divided 
  into a number of small room, each just large enough 
  to accommodate the crew of a typical trading ship. The 
  rooms are unfurnished but have decent-sized hearths. 
  visiting ship crews may stay here for free, though they 
  must bring their own bedding and provisions. A small 
  side room serves as a shrine of Neorthe. The only cleric, 
  Navigator Henrik gunthorsunu, serves the spiritual 
  needs of visitors and is also a collector of gossip.
  laIr oF the Ice troll lord
  Trolls are widely regarded as cunning yet stupid crea-
  tures. yet in both the Magocracy and unclaimed Lands 
  there are supposed troll kings inhabiting deadly lairs. In 
  the Freeholds, a similar tale is told of an ice troll king.
  By all accounts the monstrous fiend, whose size 
  ranges from a mere eight feet to thrice that, depending 
  on who is telling the story, lives in the central Troll Hills. 
  It is said he commands all the ice trolls in the region, not 
  to mention a large number of goblin tribes. According to 
  some skalds’ poems he is not only intelligent, being ca-
  pable of speaking several languages, but is also a highly 
  accomplished practitioner of hrimwisardry. He is also 
  attributed with skin as hard as black ice, claws that can 
  carve through stone, freezing breath, or some combina-
  tion of the above. But such fanciful additions are plenti-
  ful in tales designed to scare audiences, and none can 
  say what powers, if any, the fabled king may possess.
  His lair is said to be a network of caves and tunnels run-
  ning beneath the snow-covered hills. Frequent searches 
  by the White Rangers and visiting Hearth knights have 
  uncovered plenty of caves inhabited by trolls, but none 
  match the legendary ice troll king’s lair.
  the rune stone cIrcle
  Located atop an exposed peak in the Whitemound 
  Hills stands a circle of weather granite menhirs. Faded 
  WhIte ranGers
  The White Rangers are an elite band of warriors 
  dedicated to protecting the communities of the 
  Freeholds from the Hellfrost’s foul denizens. The 
  following new edge is a Professional edge.
    WhIte ranGer*
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d6, Boating d6, 
  Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Survival d6, Tracking d6
  The White Rangers, while sharing many ideals with 
  the Hearth knights, are devoted to protecting the 
  Icedale Freeholds, not the Hearthlands. The two 
  organizations often work together to hunt mon-
  sters, though the Rangers are rarely found outside 
  their wintry domain.
  White Rangers are expert skiers. They have +2 
  Pace when using skis. In addition, they are adept 
  at surviving in the arctic wastes. They have +2 to 
  Survival rolls, but only when the temperature is 
  below freezing. They have +2 to Stealth and Track-
  ing rolls, the former only in the wilderness, in all 
  temperatures.
  Icedale Freeholds
  
  
  runes of indeterminable age adorn the gray stones, 
  though by whose hand they were carved none can say. 
  While the runes have been deciphered as warnings 
  through speak language spells, the writing system has 
  not been fully identified, nor has it appeared elsewhere. 
  It has some similarities to Heligi, but appears cruder and 
  uses different syntax. The few outside scholars who know 
  of the stones deduce that the Heligi’s primitive ancestors 
  raised the stones in ages past, but the warnings are too 
  vague to allow anything beyond speculation on why they 
  carved them in so desolate a place. Perhaps, they muse, 
  they are simply tribal boundary markers, or designate a 
  former holy site, the warnings simply telling other tribes 
  not to trespass. The Finnar, whose ancestors have been 
  visiting the hills for millennia, know of the rune stones, 
  but rarely come here. They claim the place is cursed, 
  though they can give no reason for saying so except that 
  the site has always been labeled such. As is typical of the 
  Finnar, they do not engaged in idle speculation about 
  things they do not fully understand.
  No snow falls within the stone circle, nor does ice 
  coat the exposed rock, though the air is no warmer than 
  elsewhere in the frigid realm. That some strange magic 
  is at work is undeniable, though the stones radiate no 
  enchantment discernible by detect arcana spells.
  By a mixture of chance and prudence, no explorer 
  has ventured here during nights of the Deorcmonan. 
  When the sun sets, the ground inside the circle melts 
  away to reveal a spiral staircase descending down into 
  utter darkness. When the sun rises, the portal silently 
  seals, leaving those within trapped until the opening 
  conditions are met again. Any who enter on the last night 
  of the Deorcmonan will be trapped for 28 days.
  Wudustoke
  Population: 312
  Ruler: councilor cuthwyn Fragarsdohtor
  The village of Wudustoke sits on the northern bank of 
  the Icedale River at its most northerly point. originally 
  a small collection of steads whose inhabitants kept rein-
  deer and traded a little with the Finnar tribes who hunted 
  the nearby hills, it has grown prosperous thanks to the 
  business acumen of Profiteer cuthwyn Fragarsdohtor. 
  The young priestess of var moved here ten years ago, 
  seeing the frozen wastes as a business challenge. She 
  believed that if a cleric of var could turn a healthy profit 
  here, she could turn one anywhere. She had intended to 
  prove her point and move back to warmer climes (she 
  hails from Nordmark), but she has fallen in love with the 
  landscape and the people.
  Wudustoke serves as the communal market for the 
  middle portion of the river communities and the Finnar 
  tribes. From late spring to early fall, the main trading 
  season, the population of the small trading community 
  trebles. Since neither the Finnar nor the riverside settle-
  ments have much need for coinage, most trade is handled 
  by barter. This makes the cleric’s ledgers a nightmare of 
  guesstimates and stock levels rather than exact tallies.
  Trade has been such that the village is now sur-
  rounded by a stout icewood palisade and deep ditch to 
  protect it against bandits and marauding beasts—lying 
  at the foot of the Whitemound Hills makes it a juicy 
  target for intelligent creatures. A garrison of 20 full-time 
  soldiers paid for out of the profits is stationed here, 
  along with cuthwyn’s apprentice, a bemused and overly 
  eager young paladin of var who has yet to fully grasp 
  the concept of communal property. Several times he has 
  dragged thieves” before his mistress, only to be told to 
  let them go unpunished.
  persons oF note
  The following NPc may cross the heroes’ path at some 
  point during their exploration of the Freeholds.
  ashen blade bretWalda FIrestorm
  A fanatic through and through, Ashen Blade Bretwalda 
  holds that all taiga elves, frost dwarves, and frostborn are 
  the spawn of Thrym, and all hrimwisards are servants of 
  the god of winter. unfortunately, his views are not shared 
  by the majority of citizens. Being less susceptible to cold, 
  frostborn use less fuel than other families and are better 
  suited to outdoor work, making them ideal loggers.
  Before he was outlawed (for ordering a small hard 
  core number of kenaz worshippers to attack frostborn), 
  he began preaching against the harvesting of icewood, 
  claiming that burning it fuelled the endless winter and 
  gave power to Thrym. Naturally, he blamed the frost 
  dwarves for this act, though he went to far as to label 
  all those who relied on the icewood trade as pawns of 
  a secret dwarven conspiracy to destroy the true civilized 
  races.
  Since his exile, Bretwalda and his small but loyal band 
  have set about a campaign of terror and destruction 
  against the loggers and the trade ships carrying the pre-
  cious cargo to Iceport. Ironically, the madman, for such 
  he is, destroys the icewood with fiery spells. He moral-
  izes this by claiming that divine fire gifted him by kenaz 
  destroys the wood without empowering Thrym.
  The council, backed by the Finnar and taiga elf coun-
  cilors, recently issued a unanimous decree outlawing 
  him from the whole of the Freeholds. This sentence 
  makes it legal for him to be slain in Icedale without his 
  shamed family or the cult of kenaz being able to seek 
  compensation. Just to make sure, the council recently 
  found him guilty of distributing icewood supplies and 
  attacks. A bounty of 3,000 gold scields has been put on 
  his head, dead or alive, with a strong emphasis on the 
  former. Despite these punishments (aiding an outlaw is 
  itself punishable by outlawry), he has eluded capture. 
  Many suspect he has accomplices, or at least support-
  ers, in the communities along the frozen river, where 
  the icewood industry is far less important to survival and 
  frostborn are virtually nonexistent.
  hellFrost reGIon GuIde #38
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Despite being held in the grip of winter all year round, Lakeland has a small but thriv-
  ing population. Dour and taciturn, the hardy Lakelanders survive by hunting and fishing. 
  Every day is a struggle for survival, yet the independently minded denizens would have 
  it no other way. Here a man lives by his skills and dies by his ignorance. This supplement 
  expands on the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  two Lands In one
  Almost half the population is Finnar nomads. Although predominantly found in the 
  north, they migrate to the milder (by their standards) southern stretches during winter, 
  crossing the frozen lake with their reindeer herds. While they are counted in the land’s to-
  tal population, they are largely not part of mainstream society. They trade with the settled 
  inhabitants regularly, sometimes intermarry, and have agreed to aid communities under 
  attack, but they maintain their ancient lifestyle. As such, this work concentrates on the 
  settled folk of the realm. Details regarding the Finnar can be found in Region Guide #19: 
  The Unclaimed Lands.
  socIaL HIerarcHy
  Lakeland society places no trust in noble titles or wealth. Men and women are treated 
  as equals and judged on what they provide for the community, not what they possess.
  At the top of the social order are the Master Hunters. Each community, no matter 
  whether it boasts thousands of inhabitants or just dozens, has a single Master Hunter. They 
  are elected by their people based on their hunting prowess, survival skills, knowledge of 
  prey animals and their annual migrations, and general wisdom. 
  The title confers no political or legislative power. They govern by advising their kith 
  and kin when and how many animals to hunt, what quantity of goods should be traded 
  and what set aside, when to prepare for storms, and so on, and lead only those who wish 
  to follow their advice. Good Master Hunters speak to their people only a handful of times 
  a year. The bad ones interfere more regularly, but they rarely remain in office for long. As 
  elected advisors, they can be removed from office by a simple popular vote. 
  Master Hunters are expected to lead the “army” in battle. Master Hunters are respon-
  31239
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 3 9 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  LakeLand
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  sible for settling local disputes, finding a solution to 
  disputes involving other communities, keep ullr happy, 
  ensure there is sufficient winter stores set aside, and so 
  on. in return, they are accorded great respect and can 
  expect many gifts when things go well. After each hunter, 
  regardless of whether or not he was involved, the Master 
  Hunter is offered the best cut of meat. Traditionally, he 
  declines it in favor of the hunter who provided the meal. 
  The hunter is then expected to offer the portion to ullr 
  as thanks.
  Technically, society below the Master Hunters is 
  one of equals. in truth, clerics of ullr and hunters are 
  accorded more respect than others. unlike elsewhere, 
  simply being a priest of a god other than ullr or a wizard 
  warrants no special treatment. A cleric may be closer to 
  his god than the laity and wield miraculous powers, but 
  that is a personal bond between the individual and his 
  god. unless he uses his powers to help his community, 
  he has no innate worth.
  Most elders, those too advanced in years to actively 
  hunt or pursue a trade, act as advisors to the Master 
  Hunter. They may be incapable of physically aiding their 
  community, as they did in their youth, but their knowl-
  edge and wisdom is invaluable.
  Males and females divide themselves not based on 
  what they are better at, but what they are worst at. Most 
  men, for instance, readily accept that they are poor 
  homekeepers and healers in comparison to females. After 
  all, Eira, mother of life, gifted women with the power to 
  create new life, not men. by comparison, many women 
  consider themselves poorer hunters because men are 
  physically stronger and more aggressive. That said, no 
  man would think twice of hunting alongside a female, 
  nor electing one to the position of Master Hunter.
  The same principal applies to race. Frostborn, so long 
  as they do not worship Thrym and contribute, are not 
  only accepted here, but welcomed. There remains some 
  discrimination, for few Saxa or Anari wish to breed with 
  them, but they are never second-class citizens.
  educatIon
  Education in Lakeland is centered on survival and is 
  the responsibility of the entire community. in the unfor-
  giving realm, play and instruction go hand in hand.
  As soon as children can talk they are taught the ways of 
  the aurochs, mammoths, and hares. As they grow older, 
  they learn to recognize animal prints and spoor, how to 
  detect coming storms and cold snaps, how to build shel-
  ters and traps, how to manufacture arrows, skin animals, 
  and so on. Education is a mixture of practical and verbal, 
  though the latter takes the form of tales passed down the 
  generations, not formal lectures.
  cultural training, such as the old songs and prayers 
  of one’s ancestors, the history and laws of Lakeland (the 
  latter is virtually identical to ullr’s sins), the relationship 
  between families and communities, and the ways of the 
  gods is hammered home just as much as how to hunt 
  and survive. children are taught to share, but never at 
  the expense of leaving oneself short—charity is a virtu-
  ous trait, but not when it endangers your life.
  children are not mollycoddled or unduly protected, 
  Making mistakes is an essential part of learning. it is a 
  rare child who has not suffered frostbite or injury as a re-
  sult of his learning experiences. From the age of ten they 
  are expected to help defend the community with bow 
  and arrow (though they may not hunt with the adults) or 
  by leading the elderly and infirm to safety.
  Adulthood comes around the age of 14. in order to 
  be accepted as an adult, the child must prove his worth 
  by demonstrating his skills. Whether hunter or dung col-
  lector, cleric or potter, the child must demonstrate that 
  he can help provide for his community. until he does, he 
  remains a child.
  Training in other topics, such as military strategy, lan-
  guages, and the geography, lores, history, and customs 
  of other lands is almost unheard of, for such topics serve 
  little practical use.
  ruLes of tHe reaLm
  These setting rules apply in Lakeland.
  * Equipment: Lakelanders do not produce metal 
  armor, weapons, or goods, though they sometimes 
  trade for them. The price for metal items in Lake-
  land, when they can be found, is increased five fold. 
  When trying to sell the spoils of their adventures, 
  the heroes’ roll to find a buyer suffers a –4 penalty 
  unless the heroes are in one of the three towns, in 
  which case the penalty is –2. The gathering of the 
  Master Hunters, an annual event, has no penalty, 
  but given the short duration of these meetings only 
  one Streetwise roll is possible.
  * Noble Edge: The only “nobles” in Lakeland are 
  the Master Hunters. Thus, no native character can 
  take the Noble Edge to represent a noble title. 
  characters who become a Master Hunter gain +2 
  charisma so long as they hold the post, but no 
  other benefits.
  * Trading: Folk in Lakeland have no need for 
  coins. Heroes looking to sell war booty or buy 
  equipment will need to accept or offer trade goods 
  if they hope to strike any kind of deal.
  The GM should not demand the heroes keep a de-
  tailed list of their exact trade goods. A hero who 
  spends 100 gs on trade goods need only record 
  “trade goods: 100 gs” on his character sheet, leav-
  ing the exact nature of the goods flexible. He may 
  then spend the trade goods as if it were coin in the 
  unclaimed Lands. For convenience, every 5 gs of 
  trade goods weighs 2 pounds.
  * Weather: The northern half of Lakeland is in the 
  High Winterlands, and the southern portion is in 
  the Low Winterlands.
  HeLLfrost reGIon GuIde #39
  
  
  While children learn the language of their parents 
  first, the second most common tongue is Finnar. Trader 
  was unspoken until recently, and is still only spoken in 
  the larger communities that must deal with the outside 
  world.
  reLIGIon
  While many gods are worshipped in Lakeland, three 
  are considered more important above all others.
  Hunting is the main industry and means of food pro-
  duction in the frozen realm. it is little surprise then that 
  ullr is the chief deity. Every settlement, no matter how 
  small, has a makeshift shrine devoted to the god. cere-
  monies are honored with great reverence and solemnity. 
  As with the Finnar, worship of ullr and daily life are one 
  and the same. Thus, it is a rare day that citizens do not 
  offer up a prayer to ullr. Lakelanders are not by nature 
  aggressive, though they are determined defenders, and 
  favor the bow above all other weapons. ullr has replaced 
  Tiw as god of war.
  Fishing is another form of hunting, though this is 
  governed by Neorthe. in the Lakelander’s mythology, he 
  is the son of ullr by Eostre Animalmother, and the patron 
  deity of Serpent Lake. While the settled inhabitants are 
  skilled at ice fishing, they prefer to make use of boats and 
  nets in the short summer, when the center of the lake is 
  free of ice. only in winter, when this is impossible, do 
  they fish near the shore.
  Lakelanders came to the shores of Serpent Lake partly 
  to profit from the wildlife, and partly to escape persecu-
  tion in their homelands and the feudal system. While 
  they are guided by the Master Hunters, men and women 
  wise in the ways of the great herds that sustain life, they 
  dislike authority and oppressive rules. Thunor serves as 
  focus for these beliefs, as well as being the god of the 
  wind.
  kenaz and Sigel have adherents, but Lakelanders are 
  pragmatic folk and see little point in wasting energy pray-
  ing to gods who have no power this far north. As such, 
  their role of adversary of Thrym is taken by Thunor—so 
  long as the summer winds blow and warm the land, Thu-
  nor is seen to be answering their supplications.
  With no local agriculture, Eostre Plantmother has few 
  worshippers. Lakelanders do import vegetables, and 
  thus offer prayers of thanks when the trade caravans ar-
  rive loaded with stores of hardy root vegetables. Eira, a 
  minor goddess more associated with folk medicine and 
  herbalists than true magical healing, has a small commu-
  nity of worshippers on the southern shore. She is also 
  the patron of healing herbs.
  Since the hunters must travel great distance, as must 
  the fishermen in summer, Freo receives a lot of praise. 
  However, his cult has been rolled into those of ullr and 
  Neorthe, at least as far as the laity go. only when some-
  one must travel for reasons other than providing food is 
  his name invoked separately.
  Metalworking, while practiced, is a cottage industry. 
  Ertha and kenaz tend to receive only limited devotion. 
  Worship of Hoenir is unheard of, for ullr and Neorthe 
  teach the only skills a hunter need know, while Hothar’s 
  name is invoked only when oaths are being sworn.
  rigr is another deity who receives a lot of attention, 
  but most often in conjunction with ullr. Many settle-
  ments, even isolated steads, have a watchtower, on which 
  rigr’s holy symbol is engraved.
  Nauthiz and the unknowable one have virtually no 
  worshippers, even in passing. Lakelanders do not believe 
  in luck, only in being prepared, and the hard life they 
  lead leaves little time for humor or teaching through 
  tricks. unfortunately, the latter only makes clerics of the 
  unknowable one more determined to show the citizens 
  the error of their ways.
  Like many realms with a small and scattered popula-
  tion (Lakeland has just over 8,000 settled inhabitants), 
  the cult of var is weak here. There is good profit to be 
  made for those willing to brave the harsh conditions, but 
  little opportunity to make a fortune.
  mILItary
  As noted in the Hellfrost Gazetteer, Lakeland lacks a 
  standing army of any sort. All children are taught how 
  to use a bow, javelin, and spear almost as soon as they 
  can walk, and they are instilled with a community spirit 
  that regards cowardice as a mortal sin. This is not to say 
  they are suicidal. Far from it—a pointless death profits 
  no one, especially not those left behind.
  Hide or leather armor covered with winter clothing 
  and fur is the standard protection for hunters. Short and 
  long bows are the favored missile weapon for ranged 
  work, with javelins for close up hunting. Most hunters 
  carry both, along with a long spear and a dagger.
  While most settlements are protected by a palisade, 
  none rely solely on these. Hunters and younger boys are 
  stationed at distances up to a mile from their community, 
  nestled in snow-covered hides, ever alert for ice goblin 
  or orc raiders, polar bears (which come here to hunt the 
  same prey as the settlers), or worse creatures. Signal ar-
  rows, which emit bird calls when fired, are commonly 
  employed to alert the settlement without allowing the 
  defenders to realize their approach has been detected.
  As hunters, Lakelanders are masters of guerilla war-
  fare and ambushes. No foe can expect a stand up battle 
  should he be foolish enough to invade. Skilled at living 
  off the land, entire communities would fade into the 
  snowy wastes, small bands of hunters emerging to un-
  leash volleys of arrows before melting away again like 
  ghosts.
  Despite the lack of a formal army, all hunters are 
  trained to fight in small teams, typically of around ten 
  members. in normal life, these form a hunting party. The 
  men and women thus know how each other thinks, as 
  well as their comrades’ strengths and weaknesses.
  LakeLand
  3
  
  Due to ullr’s popularity, many hunting parties con-
  tain at least one cleric of ullr. Their spells allow them not 
  only to survive for extended periods, but also to sneak 
  up on enemies, target enemy commanders at great dis-
  tances and in adverse weather conditions, and even turn 
  the wilderness against intruders.
  trade & trIbute
  With the pass through the iceblade Mountains im-
  passable, Lakeland has found itself part of a minor but 
  important trade route. Two trade roads meet at vimmar 
  before heading out onto the icy lake to the distant Glit-
  tersands. Pragmatic as always, locals refer to these roads 
  as the West road (heading to the battlelands), the South 
  road (which ends in Aspiria), and the ice road (which 
  stops at the Glittersands).
  Lakeland has merchants, but they rarely leave the 
  realm. instead, merchants come from other lands, 
  stopping at each large community to trade wares in the 
  market. Trade is conducted not with individual hunters 
  and craftsmen, but with the community as a whole. Ev-
  ery citizen donates the goods he wishes to trade, and 
  receives a due share of the goods purchased.
  Typically, smaller communities visit the towns every 
  few months to drop off furs, meat, and ivory, and collect 
  much-needed wares.
  The nomadic Finnar tend to visit settlements as they 
  desire. Some clans stick to the same few communities, 
  having built up a rapport with the locals over the genera-
  tions, while others vary their visits depending on what 
  goods they have to offer or need to survive.
  While some settlers came here, and continue to ar-
  rive, in a desire to live as totally free men, most came for 
  the aurochs and mammoth herds that haunt the region. 
  Air-dried meat, mammoth tusk and aurochs horn, and 
  arctic hare furs, mammoth skins, and aurochs hide are 
  the land’s major exports. Locally, bone is used for many 
  utensils and implements, Many large communities are 
  self-sufficient thanks to having a greater number of hunt-
  ers, while smaller ones are not.
  Traditionally, hunters are away from their homes for 
  about half the year. They follow the great herds as they 
  migrate, picking off old and sick animals in order that 
  the healthier ones might breed and keep the wheel of 
  life turning.
  The major imports are ale, grain, and vegetables. Al-
  though none of Lakeland’s immediate neighbors shave 
  these goods as major exports, the small population 
  considers them supplementary goods, not essentials. 
  As such, Lakeland has plentiful exports and only minor 
  imports. Enough timber grows locally to feed the fires 
  (along with dried dung) and allow for new construc-
  tions, pottery is an extravagant luxury, prone to breaking 
  or becoming brittle in the cold, and jewelry tends to be 
  made of wood, bone, or horn.
  citizens in Lakeland do not pay taxes or tithes. rather, 
  they are very community oriented, happily giving vital 
  aid to less fortunate communities when there is spare, 
  safe in the knowledge the favor will be returned in the 
  future. Within a community, a certain portion of all meat 
  and fish is stored in communal storage areas for winter. 
  There are no wastrels in Lakeland—those who do not, or 
  will not, work for the good of the community can expect 
  no charity in return. When the hunters make their an-
  nual trips, they are given arrows, furs, and food by those 
  who will benefit from their labors.
  arcHItecture
  While they live in wooden houses, every family in 
  Lakeland owns, and knows how to build, a lavvu, the 
  traditional Finnar conical felt tent. Hunters use them 
  when out in the wilds, and all families keep one in case 
  they are forced from their homes.
  Saxa style long houses are the norm. Lakeland is 
  not extensively forested, but there are plenty of small 
  copses. However, trying to drive a post into the thick ice 
  or rock-hard soil is backbreaking work. in order to save 
  time (wooden houses do rot eventually) and provide ad-
  ditional security, houses are thick, double skinned dry 
  stone walls padded with felt and fur for extra insulation. 
  roofs are made of wood and covered in layer of felt.
  As is common elsewhere, one part of the house is 
  given over to animals and one part to the family. Horses 
  are little use up here, and typical domestic livestock can-
  not hope to survive, so the settlers quickly learned to 
  domesticate reindeer to pull their sledges or carry heavy 
  loads. Many families keep dogs, though they are more 
  akin to wolves. They are working animals, not pets, and 
  most would bite your hand off if it was offered.
  With wood not overly scarce (though collecting it may 
  mean a hike of several days in each direction), hearths are 
  big and kept burning day and night. because the weather 
  may hamper woodcutting, stores of dried animal dung 
  are topped up. While air drying meat is the usual way 
  of preserving food, it is not unusual to see haunches of 
  meat hanging high over the hearth to dry and cure in the 
  constant plumes of smoke.
  major LocaLes
  Detailed below are places of interest within Lakeland 
  suitable for including in your adventures.
  IsLe of tHe Great HeaLer
  Northwest of vimmar, in the choppy waters of Serpent 
  Lake, lies an island. A treacherous jumble of shattered 
  rocks and great boulders, the island is roughly circular 
  and is two miles across at its widest point.
  in the center of the island is a single structure, a 
  HeLLfrost reGIon GuIde #39
  
  
  crumbling edifice of worked stone. inhabiting the island, 
  which is home to fell beasts, is a lone priestess of Eira. No 
  one knows her name, and her title, the Great Healer, is 
  one given her out of respect. She never leaves her island 
  home, surviving on gifts brought her by those seeking 
  her potent cures and prayers.
  Some claim she has inhabited the island since before 
  the blizzard War, a mysterious force keeping her young 
  and healthy. others say she is a divine spirit sent to the 
  mortal realm by Eira but held imprisoned on the deso-
  late rock by a powerful, evil charm woven by Hela. yet 
  other stories tell she is a ghost, a cleric who refused to 
  pass over while suffering still plagued the mortal realm; 
  a mere mortal with a penchant for the dramatic; and a 
  cursed soul ordered to heal the sick as penance.
  tomb of tHe eternaL army
  in the center of the lake west of othicus is a small, 
  rocky island. Surrounding it is an area of water which, 
  regardless of the temperature, remains permanently 
  frozen. From the middle of the frost-encased island 
  rises a windowless, ice-encrusted stone tower. The only 
  entrance lies halfway up its height, a dark, gaping arch. 
  icicles hang from the top of the entrance, giving it the 
  appearance of a Hellfrost dragon’s maw. reaching the 
  portal requires one to climb up a narrow, winding, icy 
  path. Local skalds claim the tower is home to the Frost 
  king, a powerful unseelie fey noble. According to their 
  poems and songs, a freezing fog descended over the lake 
  in the years after the icewall rose. When it rose three 
  days later, it revealed a tower where none had previously 
  stood. No one has ever reached the tower, for death 
  lurks beneath the ice. 
  The Lay of Sigel, a popular tale used to warn children 
  of the dangers of trying to reach the tower, tells how a 
  mighty army led by clerics of Sigel strode out onto the icy 
  lake one winter. intent on bringing the tower crashing 
  down, the army fell through a thin crust of ice. Hundreds, 
  maybe thousands, of men and horses froze to death in 
  an instant. Their preserved corpses remain locked in the 
  ice, rising to defend the tower only when mortals dare to 
  cross their icy graves.
  HIdden PLaces
  There are many magical places in rassilon. Some, 
  such as the sacred places home to powerful spirits, have 
  already been detailed (see Region Guide #1). others 
  are site of ancient natural magic. They take the forms of 
  groves and glades, standing stones, hills, caves, valleys, 
  hill forts, wells, streams, lakes, and islands. Many hid-
  den realms cover less than a square mile, but a small few 
  extend over a much larger area. Note that while just two 
  great lakes are shown on maps of the continent, there 
  are many dozens of lakes with a diameter of ten miles or 
  less not shown.
  Many of these special places are hidden from mortal 
  gaze by magic far beyond the ken of mere mortals. 
  This section covers rules for creating hidden realms. 
  All that is required is two draws from the action deck and 
  a little imagination on the part of the GM. Note that the 
  steps below only cover how the place is protected and 
  what power it possesses. Who or what may inhabit the 
  area, what buildings may stand, and so on, are left for the 
  GM to determine based on the needs of his story.
  ProtectIon
  Hidden places are not easy to find. if they were, 
  they wouldn’t be hidden. Some are mobile, appearing 
  in different places at set times. others are guarded by 
  magical veils penetrable only by clerics of certain gods, 
  or protected by deadly creatures. Anyone in the confines 
  of a hidden place when it is veiled is trapped until the 
  site next reappears. in some cases there is a mere incon-
  venience. For others, this may mean being trapped for a 
  year (or more).
  Draw a card and consult the table below.
  Card 
  Result
  Deuce 
  quest. in order to find the site, the searcher 
  must take a vow to fulfill a lengthy quest. 
  The nature of the quest is for the GM to 
  determine. ideally, it should require a 
  hero to gain 10-20 XPs on adventures spe-
  cifically related to the quest.
  3–4 
  calendrical. The site can only be found at 
  a specific date or time. check the card’s 
  suit. club: one day of the week. Diamond: 
  a particular phase of the moon. Heart: one 
  day of a specific month. Spade: one day of 
  the year. Holy days make ideal dates for 
  hidden places to reveal their presence.
  5–6 
  random. Every dawn (red suit) or dusk 
  (black suit) there is a 10% chance the hid-
  den place is unveiled. At dusk or dawn, 
  as appropriate, it automatically vanishes 
  from the mortal realm.
  7–8 
  Fey. The fey either own or guard the site. En-
  trance is at their whim. They may require 
  a gift, a vow, or a quest before allowing ac-
  cess. A red suit indicates Seelie fey can the 
  site, while a black suit gives the unseelie 
  fey dominion.
  9–10 
  Mobile. Each sunset (black suit) or sunrise 
  (red suit) the hidden realm moves 1d10 
  x 100 miles. roll a d12 and read it like a 
  clockface to determine the direction. A 
  land site never enters the ocean, but it may 
  appear in a lake (atop a temporary island). 
  often the site is swallowed by mist. When 
  it rises, the site is gone. Anyone inside the 
  site when it moves is automatically trans-
  ported with it. The movement cannot be 
  discerned by those within. Discovering 
  exactly when and where the site will reap-
  LakeLand
  
  
  pear on a specific day may be subject of a 
  quest, or discovered during an unrelated 
  adventure.
  Jack 
  Deity. only those who have a specific patron 
  deity (GM’s choice) can find the route to 
  the hidden place. Such access might be 
  granted by dreams, omens, talking ani-
  mals, or guardians granting access.
  queen Prohibitive. only one specific race or gender 
  can penetrate the site. Those prohibited 
  find it impossible to enter, even with the 
  aid of spells such as teleport.
  king 
  Monster. A deadly beast protects the site. 
  The guardian may be a lone creature or a 
  number of monsters. Either way, gaining 
  entrance should be a serious challenge.
  Ace 
  Dream. only those within a few miles of 
  the site who dream of entering it can do 
  so. This requires a Spirit roll each night. 
  once suitably dreaming, the characters 
  are physically transported to the site (they 
  don’t adventure there in their dreams).
  Joker 
  Draw two cards and combine the results.
  Power
  unlike sacred places, hidden places are not home to 
  powerful spirits. Their magic is natural, a leftover of the 
  earliest days of rassilon when magic was far more preva-
  lent, and functions constantly.
  Card 
  Result
  Deuce Deadly. The site is inimical to life. creatures 
  native to the mortal realm must make a 
  vigor roll or suffer a wound. This can lead 
  to Death. The card’s suit determines the 
  frequency of the vigor roll. club: every 
  15 minutes; Diamond: every hour; Heart: 
  every 24 hours; Spade: every week.
  3 
  immortality. While within the site’s bound-
  aries, all damage and Fatigue is ignored. 
  This makes combat utter pointless, since 
  foes can never be harmed.
  4 
  Night/Day. The hidden place is permanently 
  shrouded in darkness or subjected to 
  constant daylight. This phenomenon is 
  not discernible from outside the site. on 
  a red suit the site is bathed in permanent 
  light. Any spell that obscures sight incurs a 
  –4 penalty to cast. conversely, a black card 
  means the site is always in Pitch Darkness 
  (–4). Spells designed to boost or augment 
  visibility suffer a –4 penalty to cast. Torches 
  and lanterns function as normal.
  5 
  Horrifying. Twisted terrain, wafting mist, 
  shifting shadows, strange cries, and vivid 
  hallucinations combine to instill the hearts 
  of visitors with dread. All creatures not im-
  mune to Fear must make a Guts roll. The 
  card’s suit determines the frequency of 
  the check. club: every 10 minutes hour; 
  Diamond: every 30 minutes; Heart: every 
  hour; Spade: every 4 hours.
  6 
  Peaceful. The site is tranquil and soothing. 
  All Guts rolls and rolls relating to ending 
  a berserk rage are made at +2. All rolls re-
  lating violence and threatening behavior, 
  such as Fighting, intimidation, offensive 
  arcane skill rolls, and going berserk are 
  made at –2.
  7 
  Timeless. No time passes in the realm. 
  visitors have no need for sleep or food, 
  but neither do they benefit from natural 
  Healing or recover Fatigue. Time passes 
  as normal in the real world, though. With 
  absolutely no way to measure the passage 
  of time (even the stars hang still in the sky 
  and the lighting is permanent twilight), 
  the characters may emerge days, months, 
  or years after they entered.
  8 
  Truthful. Any attempt to tell a lie, even 
  a small one, requires a Spirit roll. The 
  greater the lie, the higher the penalty the 
  GM should apply. Failure forces the victim 
  to speak the complete truth.
  9 
  Spatial Distortion. A strange, disorienting 
  effect warps space, making objects seem 
  suddenly closer or much further away. in 
  combat, the GM should draw a card at the 
  start of each round to determine how the 
  partial distortion affects play. A black card 
  means every inch of movement or range is 
  counted as 2” that round (difficult ground 
  counts as 4” per inch of movement), while 
  a red card means every inch is treated as 
  being one-half inch. on a Joker, distances 
  are treated as normal.
  10 
  Holy/unholy. A holy site is anathema to 
  undead and demons. They take double 
  damage. in an unholy site, they suffer only 
  half damage. This effects all physical and 
  magical damage alike. immunities and 
  invulnerabilities are not affected.
  Jack 
  Magical: All arcane skill relating to magic 
  (not miracles) are made at +2.
  queen Time distortion. Time flows at a different 
  rate here. club: time flows ten times fast-
  er; Diamond: five times faster; heart: five 
  times slower; Spades: ten times slower. 
  This becomes apparent only when visitors 
  leave the hidden place.
  king 
  regenerative. A natural Healing roll may 
  be made every 24 hours spent in the site. 
  Fatigue recovery rates are halved.
  Ace 
  Dead Zone: Magic (not miracles) does not 
  function here. Any spells being Maintained 
  are automatically dispelled when the site 
  is entered.
  Joker 
  Draw two cards and combine the results.
  HeLLfrost reGIon GuIde #39
  
  
  IntroductIon
  A land of green hills and gentle valleys, of small settlements and cheery inhabitants, the 
  Vale is widely regarded as an idyllic land. Yet all is not well in this paradise. Refugees from 
  Vestmark cross the border in growing numbers, bringing with them disease and banditry, 
  and within the peaceful valleys lie many dark secrets. This supplement expands on mate-
  rial in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  Who are the engros?
  The origins of the engro race are something of a mystery. That they originated much 
  further north, in lands now beyond the Icewall, is common knowledge. While many sages 
  and engros claim they migrated south ahead of the advancing Hellfrost armies, few ever 
  bother to ask how the engro, whose caravans move at a languid pace, managed to escape 
  flights of dragons and columns of tireless orcs.
  Although largely nomadic now, engros were not always travelers. In days past they lived 
  in villages and towns, much like the Anari and Saxa. They traded with the Heligi and Selari, 
  whose lands bordered their southern domains, as well as with cultures now lost to history 
  under a blanket of perpetual ice and snow. Those who escaped the wrath of Thrym were 
  the lucky ones, the handful of survivors who had the foresight to flee before the main 
  disaster struck. Much like the taiga elves, their nomadic existence appears to be a direct 
  result of the Blizzard War, a modern desire not to be caught out by future disasters.
  They are widely regarded as thieves. In days past, engros were law-abiding citizens who 
  valued personal possessions much like the other races. After the exodus, known among 
  engros as the Great Flight, the survivors happily shared what they had with each other. The 
  old social order had dissolved and keeping their race alive meant more than bothering 
  about who owned the cooking pot. Among their own people the idea of personal posses-
  sions is still something of an oddity, though times are changing slowly. In order to survive 
  during the War and its terrible, lengthy aftermath, engros simply did what was necessary to 
  survive—they took what they needed. That mentality is still ingrained in their race.
  Despite having lost their homeland forever and being widely distrusted, engros are a 
  cheery bunch. They have weathered a terrible storm and, while greatly reduced in number, 
  have survived. They look to the future, where things are always bright, not the distant past 
  full of misery and suffering.
  Unlike many races, who accept their fate as preordained by the gods, engros, who 
  favor the Unknowable One above all others, are creatures who believe fortune favors the 
  31240
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 0 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  the Vale
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  bold, and nothing is written in stone. It is a common 
  saying among their people that mortals make their own 
  luck, and those with closed minds will miss god-given 
  opportunities.
  socIal hIerarchy
  While citizens of the Vale may hold noble titles, and 
  receive respect out of courtesy, outside the engro com-
  munities noble titles do not grant authority over others. 
  The Vale’s society is divided based on social standing, 
  occupation, and wealth.
  At the top are the burgomasters, the elected officials 
  who govern the settlements. The mayor of Weem is the 
  highest ranking official in the land, though his powers 
  are largely confined to the capital. Any citizen born in the 
  Vale may stand for office. Voting is open to every adult 
  (14 years and above), regardless of sex, gender, race, or 
  religion. The burgomasters meet every two months in 
  Weem to discuss common policies.
  The following positions on the social ladder are 
  guidelines rather than absolutes—individual circum-
  stances affect one’s social status. For instance, a wealthy 
  landowner in a small village may well be in the local up-
  per class, but he may only rank as middle class in Weem, 
  being too poor for the rich and powerful of the capital to 
  associate with. Similarly, a farmer may own many fields, 
  but if his income is low, he won’t count as highly as his 
  tracts of land might at first indicate.
  Typically, the top rung below the burgomasters is filled 
  by the gentry, a social position reserved for high priests 
  (the head of any temple, even if he has a superior at an-
  other temple) and rich landowners. Possession of land 
  and wealth are required for a position in the gentry.
  The upper class comprises mainly rich merchants. 
  Possessors of noble titles above hauld are usually accept-
  ed as being upper class, regardless of their income. Of 
  course, the nobleman must be able to prove his lineage 
  and legal right to hold the title.
  Beneath them are the middle classes—master crafts-
  men, important clerics and mages, skilled herbalists, 
  well-to-do landowners and merchants, nobles with titles 
  below hauld, and the like. Generally, occupation rather 
  than wealth is the most important factor, though as can 
  be seen, this is not a strict requirement.
  The lower class comprises laborers, craftsmen, small 
  holder farmers, fishermen, store owners, apprentices, 
  junior clerics and wizards, entertainers, and the like.
  Finally there are the lowly wood and dung collectors, 
  thieves, vagrants, and other ne’er-do-wells. even in a 
  realm the size of the Vale, there are poor.
  While engros live and abide by the above social strata, 
  they retain their own social system as well. Most other 
  races base the engro nobility on where they fit in the 
  greater scheme. If there is any doubt, they default to hu-
  man equivalents of the noble titles.
  JustIce
  Technically the burgomaster of each settlement is re-
  sponsible for justice in his territory. In small communities 
  this is often the case, but in larger ones, and at easton 
  where the role of burgomaster is more ceremonial, the 
  burgomaster appoints a judge skilled in the law and 
  customs of the land. Many judges are clerics of Hothar, 
  though this is not a requirement. The judge’s decision 
  can be overruled by the burgomaster, but since he ap-
  pointed the official it looks bad if he makes a habit of it.
  Although the Vale is not as organized as the crystal-
  flow confederacy, every settlement has signed an accord 
  permitting a criminal wanted in one settlement to be 
  extradited to another for trial.
  Aside from when swearing oaths or making agree-
  ments, court cases are the only time Hothar’s name is 
  invoked and prayers are offered.
  educatIon
  While the Vale lacks any formal educational establish-
  ments, such as academies or schools or magic, its citizens 
  are well educated, at least in certain aspects. All children 
  receive a grounding in the Vale’s customs, laws, geogra-
  phy, and politics, as well receiving a firm grounding in 
  eostre’s teachings (regardless of their parents’ occupa-
  tion). In most settlements the elderly are put to good 
  use passing on their accumulated wisdom. clerics, when 
  available, add their knowledge to the mix.
  Merchants and travelers bring stories of their home-
  lands to the small communities. Veermark and the con-
  federacy are especially well represented.
  On reaching the age of ten, education slows and the 
  child is put to work learning the skills he will need to 
  survive. Unless a child can be apprenticed or accepted 
  into a temple, he is destined to follow in the footsteps of 
  one of his parents. 
  citizens wishing to learn more advanced topics or 
  rules of the realm
  These setting rules apply in the Vale.
  * No Nobles: except among engros, whose titles 
  center around the heads of families and clans, the 
  Vale has no nobility. As such, native non-engro char-
  acters may only take the Noble edge to represent 
  another form of person, such as rich merchants or 
  important clergy.
  Should a character ever be elected as a burgomas-
  ter, he receives +2 charisma while in office, but no 
  other benefits typically associated with nobility.
  * Pipeleaf: costs 10 gs per pouch in the Vale. Bulk 
  orders may receive a discount.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #40
  
  
  gain a greater understanding of the world must travel 
  further afield for schooling. Many head to Drakeport, the 
  largest city on the continent.
  All children learn the language of their parents first, 
  and then Trader as a matter of course. Most know one of 
  the other major languages of the realm as a third tongue, 
  though few are fluent.
  relIgIon
  While the inhabitants of the Vale honor three gods 
  above all others, most of the other good gods receive 
  some form of worship, if only in a handful of communi-
  ties or at set times of the year. It is widely held that the 
  citizens become devout followers of any major god when 
  a major festival is due, but only because they love social-
  izing. In many instances these claims are true.
  Agriculture and livestock rearing forms the backbone 
  of the Vale’s trade. As such, eostre is the most popular 
  deity. Her Plantmother aspect has the greater number of 
  worshippers, though the distinction between the two 
  cults is often blurred in the Vale. every settlement boasts 
  a shrine to one aspect of the goddess or has a dual-aspect 
  shrine. Most settlements over 500 souls have a temple.
  While it would be unfair to call the citizens fanatical, 
  they are extremely devout. All eostre’s major ceremonies 
  are honored by the majority of the population, both be-
  cause they believe in the power of the deity and because 
  it is an excuse for a feast. Images representing eostre 
  appears on many buildings and in much local artwork. 
  Often the goddess is not shown in person. Rather, she is 
  represented by plants and animals.
  The Vale has no precious metals and metalworking is 
  a minor trade, but ertha is a popular deity. In the Vale, 
  she is worshipped as the god of soil, and is thus an im-
  portant part of agricultural life. Denizens of the Vale hold 
  that ertha is eostre’s daughter. Traditionalist followers of 
  ertha find this offensive to varying degrees, but ertha has 
  yet to show her displeasure.
  The last of the gods receiving widespread popular 
  support is kenaz. He is honored primarily as the god 
  of hearths and home comforts, and if there is one thing 
  the inhabitants of the rural communities enjoy it is their 
  home comforts.
  The soil and climate of the Vale are excellent for me-
  dicinal herbs. While the cult of eira has few temples, she 
  receives much support from the herbalists who dwell 
  here. Most settlements boast at least one herbalists, who 
  is often the local midwife and healer as well.
  Neorthe is worshipped in the few communities living 
  on the tiny stretch of coast. He is viewed as eostre’s son. 
  Ullr, eostre’s other son, is patron of hunting and fishing. 
  Most of his worshippers live along the banks of the River 
  Ivens, where fishing is popular both as a hobby and a 
  means of feeding the family. 
  Large settlements (500+ souls) usually have a shrine 
  to Rigr, if only because local belief has it is better to see 
  danger coming and then react than waste money and 
  time constantly prepared for war. kenaz, not Tiw, is the 
  dominant god of war, though Tiw has a few followers 
  among the Saxa population.
  Sigel and Thrym are worshipped seasonally as eostre’s 
  helpers. During spring and harvest the pair receive many 
  prayers. In summer worship is sporadic, while in winter 
  it is virtually unheard of. Scaetha, goddess of death, is 
  honored only on First Death Day and at funerals, for 
  undead are unheard of in the tranquil valleys.
  Both Nauthiz and the Unknowable One have sizeable 
  numbers of worshipers among the engro. Despite their 
  reputation, the engro are rarely troublemakers or out and 
  out thieves, though it is fair to say they are mischievous 
  and light-fingered at times. Nauthiz is most commonly 
  worshipped as the god of chance, while the Unknowable 
  One serves as patron to storytellers and entertainers, 
  as well as many elders. Freo is worshipped even by the 
  settled engro, for they have not forgotten their roots.
  Vali receives a lot of attention on certain holy days, 
  but only to keep him from troubling the Vale. The other 
  evil gods have a handful of worshippers, but not enough 
  to cause any serious problems.
  BurIals and crematIons
  The Liche-Priest and horrific undead are stories to 
  frighten children, for neither has troubled the Vale. As 
  a result, the deceased are commonly buried in the soil 
  along with grave goods and seeds (a present for eostre). 
  The poor are buried in simple graves, while those with 
  wealth erect barrows to honor their dead.
  As nomads, engros disliked burying their dead, for it 
  meant leaving them behind when they next broke camp. 
  even today, with many engro settled into permanent 
  homes, the practice of cremation remains popular. The 
  ashes are kept in the family home, where the dead can be 
  suitably honored and called upon for assistance.
  mIlItary
  The Vale is a land of independent communities, much 
  like the crystalflow confederacy. However, unlike their 
  eastern neighbors, the settlements of the Vale have no 
  policy of centralized military force. each community 
  looks after its own defenses, though it might come to 
  its neighbors’ aid if asked. Were the Vale ever to be at-
  tacked in force, it is likely each settlement would look 
  to its own defenses rather than the realm presenting a 
  unified front.
  A typical settlement is protected by a permanent mi-
  litia and the fyrd. The size of the permanent garrison is 
  around 1% of the population, with the fyrd ranging from 
  5% to 20%, depending on the season and the nature of 
  the aggressor. The armies of the three main towns are 
  detailed below.
  Easton: Three extended Saxa families are paid a sti-
  the Vale
  
  
  pend to protect easton from bandits. comprising 30 men 
  and women, they are well-trained and well-equipped, but 
  are rarely on active duty. Treat them as typical huscarls. 
  Their leader is a Wild card veteran huscarl. While they 
  train regularly, they are called to arms only in emergen-
  cies. Much of their time is spent as farmers and herders.
  Policing is handled by a force of 30 militia led by the 
  constable of easton, an elected position. The militia 
  (treat as typical watch) are divided into a day shift of 10 
  members and a night shift of 20 members. Both watches 
  are commanded by a sergeant.
  Weem: The capital of the Vale is guarded by 60 typical 
  militia known as the Stickers because they carry clubs 
  except in times of war, an event unknown in living 
  memory. Half of them are stationed at the toll house, and 
  the other half in the town proper. every tenth Sticker is a 
  sergeant. keeping the peace is a force of 20 Bludgeoners. 
  They are led by an experienced bludgeoner who carries 
  the title Master Slinger.
  Both factions are answerable to the constable of the 
  Vale, technically the Vale’s supreme military commander. 
  He is an elected official. Despite there never having been 
  much need, by tradition he must be of proven military 
  prowess and possess military leadership skills and tacti-
  cal knowledge. Treat him as a watch captain.
  Weston: One of the larger isolated communities, 
  Weston is guarded and policed by just 15 militia (typical 
  watch) and ten Bludgeoners. each force is commanded 
  by a sergeant. Traditionally, the constable, again an 
  elected post, is always an engro. Treat him or her as a 
  Wild card experienced bludgeoner.
  As a rough rule of thumb, any settlement with 1,000 
  or more inhabitants has typical watch protecting it, while 
  smaller ones have village militia. Generally the engro pro-
  vide a small force of bludgeoners. For every 20 militia, or 
  part thereof, there is one sergeant. every settlement, no 
  matter how small, has an official designated as constable. 
  Normally his role is part-time.
  The burgomasters are, amongst other problems, de-
  bating the “Vestmark issue.” The beleaguered nation has 
  often asked for troops, but the Vale has so far refused, 
  claiming that it lacks a professional army of any worth 
  and that its farmers are needed in the fields to help keep 
  Vestmark’s forces fed.
  The big dilemma is whether or not to raise a standing 
  army. Should Vestmark fall to the orcs, and no one is 
  betting against that ever happening, the advancing horde 
  will find the Vale easy pickings. Royalmark and the con-
  federacy might help them, but it is more likely they will 
  do so at a heavy price—if not hard coin, then a demand 
  for land. But if an army is raised, the current excuses 
  about helping Vestmark become void.
  Some argue that not supplying troops might cause 
  Vestmark to seek revenge once the country is back on its 
  feet. critics argue that will take so long the Vale’s inac-
  tion will be long forgotten. Others use scare tactics to 
  avoid forming an army, saying that victorious orcs are far 
  more likely to attack the Vale if there is an army on their 
  eastern flank.
  The growing number of refugees from Vestmark is 
  also an issue that has yet to be resolved. To send them 
  back is likely to impose a death sentence, but they are 
  rapidly becoming a nuisance. Sealing the border with 
  Vestmark has been discussed, but that would require an 
  army to be positioned along the entire border, an impos-
  sible expense for any community.
  trade & trIBute
  The Vale lies along one of the major trade roads. To 
  the west, it runs through troubled Vestmark to join with 
  the western north-south road that links the Magocracy 
  to the Winterlands. To the east, it ends at Drakeport, the 
  start of the mighty crystalflow confederacy and its trade 
  network. Located almost centrally on the southern link, 
  the Vale is ideally placed to trade across southern Ras-
  silon.
  With so many religious festivals being honored, the 
  inhabitants of the Vale consume a lot of alcohol. While 
  the Vale brews a variety of good ales, it imports mead 
  from Midmark (against whom it competes for ale rev-
  enue) and wine from Nordmark. Both are shipped via 
  the crystalflow confederacy.
  Jewelry is popular among all the social classes, for 
  wealth is best displayed openly, if only to attract looks of 
  admiration from peers. engros are especially fond of dis-
  playing their wealth. Because the Saxa are the majority, 
  much of the imports come from Royalmark. Those with 
  more diverse tastes find the workmanship of coglelund’s 
  jewelers and gold and silversmiths irresistible. For those 
  with money to spare, goods from Angarion and chalcis 
  can be purchased via coglelund.
  The Vale’s most profitable export is pipeleaf. Until 
  recently it dominated the trade the length and breadth 
  of the continent. Unfortunately, Ostmark’s foray into 
  growing the valuable crop has severely damaged trade 
  with the eastern nations. As a result, most of the Vale’s 
  produce now goes only to the Magocracy. competition 
  with Ostmark over the Royalmark market is intensifying.
  Ale exports tend to vanish into the trading network of 
  the crystalflow confederacy. common ales do not travel 
  far, but the specialty brews reach as far as the Low Win-
  terlands thanks to the brewer’s skill at producing recipes 
  that travel well.
  For the best part of two decades much of the vegetable 
  export, and it produces a sizeable quantity, has gone to 
  feed the troops in Vestmark. Sadly, the supply of coin 
  meant to flow the other way has all but dried up. The 
  burgomasters have debated the outstanding debts year 
  after year, but have yet to reach a consensus. 
  If they stop supplying vegetables, as has been pro-
  posed more than once, then Vestmark’s hungry troops 
  may not be able to resist an orc offensive. Since the two 
  nations share a long border, the Vale will likely be at-
  tacked if Vestmark falls. However, continuing to honor 
  their part of the bargain means the farmers are growing 
  hellfrost regIon guIde #40
  4
  
  poorer and poorer. Many farms have already gone fallow 
  as the owners move out to look for other work.
  With Aslov and the Blackstone Barony offering hard 
  coin in return for vegetables, many farmers are urging 
  the burgomasters to shift the emphasis on trade to the 
  north and east. It means competition with other nations, 
  but even reduced profits are better than no profits.
  Despite its roaring trade, the Vale has proven awk-
  ward for the clerics of Var. every settlement has its own 
  trade regulations and quotas, not to mention its own 
  market. Without a centralized trading system, the clergy 
  are forced to either limit their activities or try to set up a 
  nationwide trading network. Few have the resources for 
  the latter. The large engro population also means hiring 
  more Thieftakers than would normally be required.
  In terms of taxes, the citizens of the Vale pay only lo-
  cal taxes. With no nobility to support and the burgomas-
  ters elected officials who receive a set wage, the money 
  goes into a community fund. Mainly it pays for the small 
  number of soldiers, maintenance of any fortifications 
  (which most settlements lack), the burgomaster’s salary, 
  and so on. Most of the taxes is set aside for hard times or 
  invested into community projects, such as a new temple 
  or shrine.
  There are many different types of local tax, and not 
  all are found in every settlement, In general, though, a 
  citizen can expect to lose 30% of his earnings to taxes.
  archItecture
  The communities of the Vale are an eclectic collec-
  tion of long houses, Anari cottages, static engro caravans, 
  small hovels, and the occasional engro house tunneled 
  into a hill. A few settlements are nestled behind ditches 
  and palisades, but they are the minority. In many cases, 
  villages stretch along the valleys, with houses dotted in 
  small clusters or standing alone.
  even in the more densely settled areas, every home 
  has a small vegetable plot reserved for the family’s per-
  sonal use. excess produce is usually sold at the local 
  market rather than grouped in with the farmers’ yields 
  for export.
  maJor locales
  The Vale is a small realm with many scattered settle-
  ments. But despite this there are still wild places few care 
  to walk without armed escort.
  frogton
  Population: 136
  Ruler: Burgomaster Perith ap-Gurn
  Frogton (“the frog enclosure”) sits a few miles from 
  the Frog River, a tributary of the River Ivens that flows 
  out of Shade Marsh. The Frog River is good fishing water 
  once one clears the bog surrounding its upper reaches. 
  It takes its name from the abundance of frog which live 
  in and around the river, a popular local delicacy.
  The boggy soil prevents the citizens from growing an 
  abundance of crops, and fishing and frog catching are 
  major industries. Recently, though, several fishermen 
  have gone missing. The locals know a tribe of bufomi 
  live in the swampy parts on the far bank, but they have 
  never had any trouble with them before. Unfortunately, 
  the local militia is tiny (just six members), enough to 
  uphold the peace but not enough to venture into the 
  marsh looking for trouble. The burgomaster is consider-
  ing using communal funds to pay for mercenaries.
  stead of the hIll gIants
  When Vestmark went to war it was forced to station 
  troops close to the Ribbon. In doing so, it drove out a 
  number of hill giant families. Unwilling to head into orc 
  lands, where they would be enslaved and put to work in 
  the army, they managed to escape their pursuers and flee 
  into the Vale. 
  For years they lived in relative peace, stealing the 
  odd stray sheep but never causing much trouble. Now, 
  though, the divided families have been united under a 
  brutish chieftain. They have built a colossal stead (more 
  resembling a small fort in its proportions and durability) 
  into which they have recruited a small number of orcs.
  With Vestmark’s army occupied and the Vale lacking a 
  true military force, the hill giants and their orc allies have 
  began raiding with impunity. Steads and hamlets have 
  been torched, the livestock stolen, and the inhabitants 
  put to the sword (metaphorically speaking) or enslaved.
  The problem has grown beyond the confines of the lo-
  cal settlements, forcing the burgomasters to act together 
  to quell the threat. The Vale cannot afford a costly war in 
  its territory (in terms of money or crops destroyed), but 
  it can afford to hire a small band of hardened heroes.
  temple of the secret WInd
  Traditionally, Thunor was master of the four winds 
  (before the north wind joined Thrym’s cause). But leg-
  ends in the Vale have always claimed there was a secret 
  wind, one which he dared not unleash because of its 
  ferocity. This is known as the Secret Wind. According 
  to local skalds, Thunor imprisoned the wind in a cave 
  somewhere in the rolling hills of the Vale. When a storm 
  sweeps the land and leaves behind a trail of destruction, 
  the locals claim the Secret Wind escaped (before being 
  rightfully imprisoned again).
  Most clerics of Thunor dismiss the claims, for Thunor 
  is against chaining anything, yet alone the winds he cre-
  ated. Yet there is a grain of truth in the story, for deep in 
  the heart of the hills is a cave from which a mighty wind 
  does on occasion howl. Locals know where the entrance 
  lies, but they give it a wide berth—even at a distance of 
  several miles the wind can cause damage to houses.
  the Vale
  
  
  The “temple” is a network of tunnels and chambers, 
  all carved by intelligent hands in some distant epoch. 
  Sporadically, a wind does tear through the labyrinthine 
  complex, smashing intruders into walls or sending them 
  tumbling head over heels for dozens if not hundreds of 
  yards. Death by bludgeoning is a very real risk, even for 
  clerics of Thunor, for their protective charms offer little 
  resistance against the terrible gale. In order to be com-
  pletely safe, an explorer needs both energy immunity 
  (to stop physical damage from the wind stripping away 
  flesh) and environmental protection (which prevents 
  the recipient being blown over but not scoured) spells.
  All manner of air elementals, including usually rare 
  storm and thunder elementals, haunt the temple. Deep 
  within its dark, winding depths lies the source of the 
  wind, a powerful elemental locus of air, a tear in the 
  fabric of reality that allows the elemental realm to oc-
  casionally spill out into the mortal realm.
  the tomB of InescapaBle death
  On a cliff face staring out over the haunted wastes 
  of Shade Marsh, two identical figures clad in archaic 
  clothes and carrying a staff flank the entrance. One hand 
  is positioned not in warning, but in a sweeping gesture, 
  as if inviting passersby to enter. Between them is a huge 
  granite door warded with potent charms. The magic em-
  ployed in them is long-forgotten, and far too powerful to 
  be dismissed with common dispel or negate spells.
  The door opens from the outside with a casual shove, 
  despite its weight. Ten minutes after opening, it swings 
  shut—no force wielded by mortals can prevent this. The 
  only way to open the door is to find four enchanted 
  gems scattered throughout the complex and place them 
  in indentations in the door’s inner face. The gems must 
  be placed in the right order. Failure to do so activates 
  damaging spells.
  The tomb predates the Blizzard War by centuries. 
  The statues represent a powerful heahwisard who de-
  veloped specialist knowledge of golems. He lies inside, 
  thoroughly dead, but surrounded by his vast personal 
  fortune (and maybe some relics). His tomb is a testament 
  to his power, ingenuity, and his cruel nature.
  Deadly traps, both magical and mundane, combined 
  with an army of golems, some typically anthropomor-
  phic and others disguised as portcullises that slam down 
  whenever someone passes beneath them, bridges that 
  form arms or buck to throw those crossing them into 
  spiked pits, lurching, gnashing bear traps that crunch 
  and grind flesh and bone, and accurate ballistas capable 
  of independent movement on wheels, as well as bes-
  tial forms such as dragons and manticores, are arrayed 
  against would be thieves.
  Unsurprisingly, no one who has entered the tomb, at 
  least in living memory, has ever returned.
  the Vale of smoke
  Located east of Weem and south of the trade road, 
  the Vale of Smoke is a major pipeleaf producing area. 
  The settlements that sit upon the hills overlooking the 
  fertile valley are small and scattered, but quite wealthy. 
  Although the Vale’s name might appear to come from its 
  harvest, it actually stems from the thick mists that rise up 
  from the valley bottom on cold nights.
  Over the last few months the locals have been the tar-
  get for crop raiders. Frequent patrols are dispatched to 
  protect the valuable crop, but the thieves only ever come 
  when the mists form, limiting the patrols’ effectiveness. 
  There is much debate among the farmers and burgomas-
  ters (five small communities claim territory here) as to 
  the nature of the thieves.
  Some suspect deserters from Vestmark are to blame, 
  while other point the finger at the growing number of 
  refugees passing through the region. In either case, a 
  sack load of pipeleaf is good for bartering. A small few 
  blame fungals, a persistent if uncommon threat. A grow-
  ing number are casting their eye further afield, question-
  ing as to whether the pipeleaf farmers of Ostmark are up 
  to dirty tricks in order to maximize their profits.
  Weem
  The Vale’s capital is a lively, bustling place. No pali-
  sade or ditch marks its boundaries.
  Digby’s Place: Digby, an Anari skald of little talent, 
  runs a small, cozy inn. He provides the nightly entertain-
  ment, which usually comprises boring poetry of his own 
  composition. Although a poor skald, Digby has many 
  friends and knows much of what happens in the Vale. 
  Getting information out of him requires listening to one 
  of his epics, followed by heaping him with praise.
  The Misty Cave: One of Weem’s better known tav-
  erns, the Misty cave is a low-ceilinged drinking den 
  owned by an engro who goes by the name of Hearth. Day 
  or night, the tavern is busy with patrons, for the fire is 
  hot, the drinks are cheap (and rather poor quality), and 
  the entertainment lively. On opening the door, patrons 
  are greeted by a thick pall of acrid pipe smoke drifting 
  out. Inside, the bar area has the appearance of being 
  swallowed by mist, so heavily do the patrons smoke.
  Hearth grows his own pipeleaf, a particularly rough 
  smoke he calls “Lung clearer.” Strangers are challenged 
  to smoke a pipe full without coughing (Vigor roll at –2). 
  If they do, all their drinks (but not those of any traveling 
  companions) are on the house for the rest of the night.
  A former mercenary, Hearth has many contacts across 
  Rassilon. For the right price, he can acquire armor, weap-
  ons, and troops at reasonable prices.
  Petunia the Herbalist: One of the best herbalists in 
  the Vale, Petunia is a wizened old engro. Her manner is 
  gruff, but she knows her herbs. She keeps a wide variety 
  of dried herbs and freshly brewed herbal remedies in 
  stock. Petunia is not as elderly as she first appears. She 
  is actually fairly young. She is a former herbalist to an 
  assassin’s guild in Drakeport, but is currently on the run 
  after “borrowing” a rather large amount of money. She 
  hides in the Vale because of its large engro population.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #40
  
  
  IntroductIon
  A realm of scattered Saxa tribes and their Anari slaves, Seithrby sits at the crossroads 
  between the High and Low Winterlands. Conquered a generation ago, Seithrby appears 
  tranquil and stable, yet beneath the surface is a land of competing nobles, raiding undead, 
  and outmoded attitudes. And lurking deep beneath its rolling hills and fertile plains are 
  dark secrets, terrible secrets of yesteryear that refuse to die. This supplement expands on 
  material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Seithrby is governed in accordance to ancient Saxa custom, or at least the aethling’s 
  interpretation of it. The realm is very much centered on the warrior culture, rather than 
  personal wealth or social influence. The only exception to this is magicians, for Cuthwulf 
  has a fascination with the magical arts.
  Aethling Cuthwulf sits at the top of the social ladder. He is the highest authority in the 
  land and his word is absolute. The only area he has no control over is the decisions of 
  the regional moots, which govern civil crime and local problems. Under Saxa custom, no 
  noble can interfere with the moot or override their decisions. Cuthwulf’s word is absolute, 
  though he does not take major decisions without consulting his councilors.
  The royal council comprises the four thegns, the regions high priests of Eostre, Tiw, 
  Neorthe, and Scaetha (though the latter rarely attends unless business concerns the Liche 
  Lands), and a cleric of Hothar (whoever is free at the time attends). The court meets in 
  full session only four times a year, though the aethling may summon it at his pleasure. 
  Cuthwulf is not bound by honor or law to accept his council’s recommendations. They are 
  merely an advisory body. However, like the Saxa kings of old, he listens to what they have 
  to say, if only to give the illusion the nobles have any sway. In truth, Cuthwulf’s power is 
  like that of any Saxa ruler—it extends as far as the will behind the command will allow. In 
  Cuthwulf’s case, that does not extend to the entire realm.
  Since Cuthwulf is only an aethling, he has not allowed the title of jarl to be used by his 
  senior nobles. Instead, the four senior noblemen of the realm are thegns. Between them, 
  the prince and the thegns own all the land, making everyone else their subjects. This is not 
  to imply any form of slavery—most citizens own their own land, but do so at the cost of 
  allegiance to the nobleman in whose domain their land falls.
  31241
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 1 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  SeItHrby
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  Every thegn is entitled to appoint haulds, lendmenn, 
  and ridders as he sees fit, but any land he grants them 
  must come from his personal fief. The more nobles a 
  thegn creates, the less personal land he has to generate 
  income. many huscarls hold the rank of ridder.
  Seithrby does not divide the non-nobles by class, but 
  rather judges them by status. 
  Immediately beneath the nobility are the clerics of Tiw 
  and the non-titled huscarls, followed closely by master 
  weaponsmiths and armorers and then lesser craftsmen 
  of the same ilk. The high priest of Tiw is always given the 
  title hauld out of respect for his office.
  Next come the clerics of the other gods. Every high 
  priest, the highest ranking member of a cult in Seithrby 
  as appointed by his peers, carries the title lendmann at 
  minimum, making them noblemen of the realm.
  Below these are the masters craftsmen and rich mer-
  chants, followed by members of the profession. Stead 
  owners who own their own land, rather than being ten-
  ants of the nobility, rich tenant farmers and shepherds, 
  fishermen, and finally the common laborers who perform 
  menial tasks for others yet are still free men. 
  Beholden to the old ways, the ruler of Seithrby has le-
  galized slavery. many Anari families were taken as thralls 
  shortly after the invasion. A few have been freed, but 
  most remain enslaved. most perform menial labor, such 
  as dung and faggot collecting, shepherding, or plowing, 
  sowing, and reaping the fields.
  tHe SeItHrby MootS
  Seithrby has two types of moot. The smallest moot, 
  the hundred, is so named because its jurisdiction en-
  compasses just one hundred families. despite the name, 
  the moot rarely has exactly the required number of fami-
  lies—families move and merge over time. The boundaries 
  were set down shortly after the invasion, when Cuthwulf 
  ordered a census to be taken. Twenty years on, there are 
  no plans to move them. There is one regional moot in 
  each of the domains of the aethling and his four thegns.
  The hundred governs all civil cases, while the regional 
  moots handle criminal cases. While any free man may 
  attend, only those who live within the jurisdiction of the 
  moot may speak, unless called to do so as a witness.
  The moots gather at the start of each season on raest-
  daeg at a predetermined spot. Traditionally the moot 
  must always be held on a hill. Because the realms are 
  quite large and the population widely spread, the exact 
  location of the regional moot changes each year so no 
  one has to keep traveling long distances. Hundred moots 
  are always held at the same place.
  Each year, ten men at each moot are elected by their 
  peers as doomsmen (“judgment men”). These men are 
  judge and jury, listening to cases before passing judg-
  ment according to the ancient laws. While elections are 
  open to anyone, it tends to be the same families repre-
  sented time and time again. (A Professional Edge allow-
  ing a character to be a doomsman is detailed in Region 
  Guide #22: Midmark.)
  Nobles are not permitted to be doomsmen or inter-
  fere with the moot, nor may they take cases before it. If 
  they have an issue with a commoner or another noble, 
  they must take the matter to their feudal superior. Aeth-
  ling Cuthwulf, who has no feudal superiors, is not totally 
  above the law—should he be accused of a civil offense, 
  his council judge him.
  Unlike in other realms, those accused in a civil case 
  or who wish to bring one cannot be tried by the court of 
  Hothar or the nobility. The moot is their only recourse. 
  Conversely, the nobility or cult of Hothar has no author-
  ity to overturn a decision made by the moot.
  Those who break religious law are always judged by 
  the appropriate temple—the courts and nobility have no 
  power to try citizens for crimes which are neither civil 
  nor criminal breaches of the law. Criminal cases are al-
  ways heard by the local noble. There is no grounds for 
  appeal in any trial—all sentences are final.
  educatIon
  Education is the responsibility of parents, not formal 
  establishments, though temples are permitted to provide 
  instruction in accordance with the god’s teachings, and 
  skalds, magical or mundane, may teach about the glory 
  days of the Saxa. Children are expected to learn basic 
  literacy and numeracy, the laws of the land, history as 
  written by the invading Saxa clan (which depicts Cuth-
  wulf to be a liberating hero), the names of the powerful 
  nobles and their standards, the geography of the realm, 
  and folklore concerning old heroes.
  Since Cuthwulf took control Saxa culture has been 
  stamped on Seithrby. The teaching of anything concern-
  ing the Anari is forbidden, except that they once enslaved 
  the Saxa and stole their lands. Singing Anari songs or 
  telling their stories is a civil offense.
  Cuthwulf’s dislike of the Anari is based on personal 
  bias. He wishes to promote Saxa culture as superior, and 
  is trying to rekindle old hatreds. Unfortunately, most of 
  ruleS of tHe realM
  These setting rules apply in Seithrby.
  * Mage Lover: All mages, regardless of their tradi-
  tion, receive a +2 Charisma bonus when dealing 
  personally with Aethling Cuthwulf.
  * Nobility: Unless he is the child of a thegn or 
  granted the title by the aethling for exceptionally 
  loyal service, the highest rank a player character 
  can achieve is hauld.
  * Racist Attitudes: A small minority hold the An-
  ari as an underclass fit only to live as slaves. When 
  dealing with much of the senior nobility, any Anari 
  heroes suffer a –2 penalty to Charisma.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #41
  
  
  the native population (those who did not come with the 
  invading clan) let bygones be bygones a century or more 
  ago. They see their Anari neighbors, now enslaved, as 
  unjust victims of a crusade that ended with peace long 
  ago. Those who took Anari slaves did so to save them 
  from the new masters. 
  Thus, while the law decries Anari culture as something 
  forbidden, the vast majority of the population shuns the 
  decree as draconian and unjust. Since the old families 
  are the majority, cases that reach the moot are quickly 
  dismissed with a token fine of 1 gold scield—justice 
  must be seen to be done, after all.
  more advanced education is possible, but only at a 
  temple or via a skald. knowledge of other realms is not 
  only permitted it is actively encouraged, but only so long 
  as the Saxa are cast in a positive light and the Anari rel-
  egated to a violent footnote in history. many huscarls are 
  skilled in the art of battle strategy and tactics.
  relIGIon
  The citizens of Seithrby hold four major gods—Eo-
  stre, Tiw, Neorthe, and Scaetha—as more important than 
  the others, though many gods receive some worship.
  Although Seithrby exports a little meat and vegetables 
  to its neighbors, they do not contribute much toward its 
  economy. Still, the land is fertile, there is a noticeable if 
  short growing season, and the people self-sufficient for 
  food. Were the population to expand, Seithrby might 
  well become a major exporter. 
  Both aspects of Eostre are popular, though the twin 
  cults do not hold equal power in all communities. In 
  murton, for example, Eostre Animalmother is dominant, 
  whereas Eostre Plantmother is more popular in Seaton. 
  Elsewhere, there is often a single temple shared between 
  the two branches of the cult.
  Aethling Cuthwulf is a man fascinated by the Saxa’s 
  warrior past. His family tree, drawn up by skalds, ties 
  him to many heroes of the Saxa rebellion against the An-
  ari, though such claims are virtually impossible to prove, 
  or disprove, after so many generations. Although not a 
  competent warrior by any definition of the word, the 
  prince likes to think he is. As such, he has made Tiw his 
  nation’s patron deity. While the Saxa honor Tiw accord-
  ingly, if only to appease their master, Anari are seldom 
  found attending ceremonies.
  Neorthe is popular, but only in the west and north. 
  many small fishing villages line the edge of White Lake 
  and the banks of the river that separates Seithrby from 
  Shattered moor. The ice covering White Lake is thick 
  enough to support ships fitted with ice riggers, but there 
  are no major settlements worth visiting.
  Conversely, Scaetha’s cult is strong in the east. Seithrby 
  has the unenviable position of having the longest border 
  with the Liche Lands of any civilized realm. While un-
  dead have not yet crossed the border in any strength, the 
  citizens are taking no chances with their eternal souls.
  of the other gods, Eostre and kenaz are popular in 
  the town of Seithrby, the realm’s industrial heartland. 
  metalworking and pottery are two key industries, though 
  only the latter is for export. With no mines, quarries, or 
  clay pits, the cult of Ertha has yet to spread far.
  Freo has shrines in the major settlements, though his 
  cult cannot truly be called popular. Seithrby is a large 
  realm with a small, scattered population. With long-dis-
  tance travel a requirement for those wishing to attend 
  market or visit neighbors, honoring Freo before a jour-
  ney begins is merely an act of prudence.
  Cuthwulf considers himself a just and honorable 
  man. The cult of Hothar is honored, but only as a token 
  gesture. outside of the capital it has few adherents, the 
  god being invoked only at the regional moots.
  While maera has few worshippers, Cuthwulf has spent 
  a fortune constructing a small but lavishly decorated 
  temple to the goddess of magic. With its name suppos-
  edly translating as the “town of magic,” the prince truly 
  believes his realm is blessed by maera. Clerics of the god-
  dess and all mages are especially welcomed here.
  many Saxa consider Thunor one of their patrons, 
  but in Seithrby it is the Anari who hold him in great-
  est esteem. Although Cuthwulf is not a tyrant, he is still 
  a conqueror and an enslaver. many native Saxa quote 
  Thunor’s holy texts as a safe way of speaking out against 
  the enslavement of the Anari, for Cuthwulf dare not pun-
  ish them from repeating the word of a god.
  The cult of var is growing in popularity in the capi-
  tal, but struggles elsewhere due to the lack of major 
  population centers. most worshippers are simply pass-
  ing through, members of caravans heading to or from 
  Shattered moor.
  Amid the isolated steads of the central and eastern 
  reaches the cult of Hela is slowly on the rise. many 
  believe the Liche-Priest will return, and Seithrby is too 
  weak to resist his onslaught. Better to be a sheep than 
  the sacrificial lamb. most cultists pay lip service, but a 
  small few fanatics are beginning to delve into the darker 
  practices of her insane cult.
  MIlItary
  Seithrby has professional soldiers, but it has no true 
  standing army. Every thegn maintains a small number 
  huscarls and the aethling has his own guard of huscarls. 
  These warriors constitute the only professional military 
  in the realm. In accordance with the old laws, the thegns 
  are expected to be leaders in battle as well as in peace.
  The number of warriors by region and the combat 
  prowess of the rulers is given below.
  Murton: 15 veteran and 27 typical huscarls. Thegn 
  Analf is a Saxa noble in the style of his distant ances-
  tors—courageous and ready for battle. With the commu-
  nity centered on livestock rather than farming, murton 
  and its steads always have spare men for war.
  Ryhoepe: 15 veteran and 40 typical huscarls. Thegn 
  SeItHrby
  
  
  osric is a tried and tested warrior, with a stout heart. 
  Unfortunately, osric is more interested in harming his 
  cousin than truly helping against any invaders.
  Seaton: 3 veteran and 29 typical huscarls. Thegn 
  Whitburh is an old and skilled warrior. Unfortunately, his 
  people are inclined to avoid the call to arms.
  Seithrby: 25 veteran and 65 typical huscarls. The 
  prince also has an unruly mob of 10 berserkers at his dis-
  posal. Aethling Cuthwulf is infatuated with the old tales 
  of Saxa heroes, but lacks the drive and skill to become 
  one. Any battle led by him would likely be an unmiti-
  gated disaster.
  Wulfcestre: 8 veteran and 30 typical huscarls. Cen-
  walch is a craven coward. He is quick to send warriors to 
  help his lord, but slow to attend in person.
  Around half of the huscarls are permanent warriors—
  the rest are stead owners, ready to don their armor and 
  carry their weapons to war whenever it is required of 
  them but spending most of their time engaged in other 
  pursuits. of the full-time soldiers, around half are usu-
  ally stationed at their master’s hall—the other half patrol 
  the borders on horseback. most huscarls hold the title of 
  ridder as a mark of their office. regardless of whether or 
  not they serve full-time, the huscarls gather at the lord’s 
  hall every raestdaeg to feast, be entertained, and renew 
  their oaths of allegiance.
  only Cuthwulf and his thegns have the legal right to 
  summon the fyrd, a body of poorly armed and trained 
  which numbers, in theory, all men of fighting age. Al-
  though the major settlements are little more than villages, 
  the reach of the thegns extends far beyond the gates of 
  their domains. Typically a call to arms sees around 205 of 
  the male population answer, less during harvest or lamb-
  ing. The militia know how to form a shield wall, how to 
  sing Tiw’s war chants, and how to follow orders, but they 
  are a weak fighting force. Without the huscarls to guide 
  them, they would shatter and run far more easily than 
  Cuthwulf cares to admit.
  Cuthwulf is head of the realm, but under the old Saxa 
  laws he instituted he can only ask his nobles to send 
  warriors when the need arises. In olden days, kings and 
  aethlings wielded sufficient authority to command obe-
  dience, but Cuthwulf is weak and only half his thegns 
  hold him any true loyalty. When the army musters in any 
  strength, it does so under the banner of the aethling. 
  However, each thegn’s contingent sub-musters under his 
  banner, resulting in a sizeable army, yet one not used to 
  fighting with any cohesion.
  only huscarls have the resources and need to invest 
  in heavy armor and good quality weapons. Chain hau-
  berks and shirts, full helms, battle axes and long swords, 
  and decorated medium shields are the norm. For the 
  militia, standard battle gear is a metal cap, a leather shirt, 
  a small shield, and a simple spear. About half the militia 
  is trained as archers and also carry short bows.
  While the Saxa are not great cavalrymen by nature, 
  the Anari have long been renowned as masters of the 
  art. The aethling maintains a 40 strong company of heavy 
  cavalry. While they dress the part, they are not brilliant 
  fighters. Treat them as common mercenary cavalry but 
  equipped as veteran mercenary cavalry.
  trade & trIbute
  Two important trade roads pass through Seithrby, 
  though only at its western and eastern extreme. These 
  are part of a great loop that runs from Heligioland up the 
  east coast of Seithrby, across Shattered moor, and then 
  back through western Seithrby to rejoin the great trade 
  network in the south. Locals refer to these simply as the 
  Coast road and the Forest road. The latter, which runs 
  close to the border with the Liche Lands, is sometimes 
  known as the ghost run, as it is in Heligioland.
  The aethling has plans to open a trade road across his 
  nation, but he is undecided what route it should take. 
  one option is to link the roads via Seaton, an important 
  farming community. The other option is to cut through 
  the center and then up to murton, a major sheep rearing 
  settlement.
  Since taking control, Cuthwulf has promoted pottery 
  exports as a means of usurping Brae’s dominance of the 
  trade in the Winterlands. Whereas before pottery traders 
  from Heligioland would journey north through Seithrby, 
  today they are turned back at the western border. Seithr-
  by’s potters have plentiful access to regular clay, but 
  Cuthwulf has ordered them to specialize in green clay, 
  which is found only in the western hills of Heligioland.
  To say Seithrby imports green clay is a gross injus-
  tice. Cuthwulf, having been tricked by Thegn osric, has 
  declared it legal to steal clay from the greenpot Hills. 
  However, he has not legalized murder in the course of 
  retrieving clay. Unfortunately, any Heligiolanders seeking 
  compensation are likely to be treated with contempt.
  Iron is imported from distant Nordmark at great 
  expense to fuel the growing number of smithies. Cuth-
  wulf hopes eventually to be able to sell excess arms and 
  armor, but for now he is content to build up Seithrby’s 
  stockpiles of weapons in case of war.
  As well as pottery, Seithrby exports smoked and salted 
  fish to Shattered moor and, thanks to the Heligioland 
  trade roads, to places as far afield as Cul. Timber, har-
  vested from Feywood, is a lucrative export, with markets 
  as far away at the Icedale Freeholds purchasing great 
  quantities of rough hewn timber for firewood.
  Although the Saxa and engro of Seithrby are free men, 
  they are still subject to taxation. There are both local and 
  royal taxes to pay.
  Duties: Imports are taxed at 3%, and exports at 2%.
  Income Tax: Citizens must pay 20% of their income 
  to the aethling and 10% to their local nobleman. Note 
  that all tiers of society save for the prince are subject to 
  this tax. magicians registered with the aethling and sworn 
  to serve him pay half these rates, much to the disgust of 
  the nobility and clergy.
  Warrior Tax: All citizens are required to pay 5% of 
  their annual income to the temple of Tiw.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #41
  4
  
  arcHItecture
  Before Cuthwulf came the land was dotted with Saxa 
  long houses and the squarer Anari dwellings. once the 
  land was subjugated, the Anari settlements were confis-
  cated, handed to the new nobility, and the houses burned 
  to remove the taint of Anari architecture from the land.
  Saxa long houses are now the only type of dwelling. 
  most make do with simple affairs made of wattle-and-
  daub over a wicker frame. The rich fortify their homes 
  using entire logs coated with wattle-and-daub for wind 
  and waterproofing. With timber plentiful, wooden 
  shingles are used to cover the roofs. 
  Internally, larger houses have a byre for animals at 
  one end of the structure. Smaller ones typically forgo 
  this, though poorer families make do as best they can. In 
  the living quarters most families sleep around the hearth, 
  with only the owner having private quarters.
  Telling the abodes of the invaders and old settlers 
  apart is relatively easily, at least in most instances. 
  Whereas the original inhabitants prefer modest decora-
  tion, the newcomers decorate their front doors with im-
  ages of Saxa heroes and mythical beasts. Inside, the more 
  aggressive newcomers, or those who wish to be seen as 
  loyal subjects, hang shields on the walls.
  most large settlements are defended by a stone wall 
  or wooden palisade and ditch. Smaller communities and 
  lone steads often forgo such fortifications, though there 
  may be low walls to prevent livestock escaping. Current-
  ly there are no major fortifications in Seithrby, though 
  Cuthwulf has ordered construction to begin. He plans 
  to erect a motte-and-bailey at the southern end of each 
  trade road so as to control trade. once those are com-
  plete, he desires a royal compound outside Seithrby.
  Major localeS
  Seithrby is a realm of small villages and lone steads 
  spread out over a wide area. outside these oases of civi-
  lization the land is wild and untamed.
  tHe black Stone
  Strange events are occurring on the edge of Feywood. 
  After hearing no reports from a logging camp, the local 
  noble sent his huscarls to investigate the lack of commu-
  nication. All the warriors found were the discarded axes 
  of the loggers and a strange black slab which had seem-
  ingly been uncovered recently, when the forest had been 
  hewn back. Fearing faeries were involved, the huscarls 
  withdrew and reported their findings. The nobleman 
  promptly informed Aethling Cuthwulf.
  The prince sent a second logging team to the area 
  to show the fey that the Saxa could not be easily intimi-
  dated. The party lasted a week before fleeing in terror 
  into the night. When questioned, they slowly revealed 
  how unearthly wails, cries of anguish and misery, had 
  been heard once the sun set. As the deorcmonan neared, 
  the cries became louder and more intense. Finally they 
  could take it no longer.
  Cuthwulf then dispatched a visiting magician, a heah-
  wisard, to investigate the strange stone. After several days 
  he returned, shaken and white, He could not say what 
  the stone’s purpose was, but he was convinced it was old 
  and likely of faerie nature. He too confirmed the pres-
  ence of disembodied voices. despite several attempts, he 
  could open no communication with them.
  All his studies revealed were handprints in the stone, 
  perhaps ritual carvings made by whoever erected the 
  monument. What he failed to spot was the handprints 
  were not formed as if someone were pressing on the sur-
  face—their shape was that of someone pressing outward 
  from inside the black slab. The heahwisard returned to 
  the site two weeks ago to study the slab further. He has 
  not been seen since.
  The slab is not of faerie origin. Indeed, even the Un-
  seelie fey give it a wide berth, for while it is not as old 
  as they it is far more evil. It originates back in the time 
  of the demongate War. When demons walked the mor-
  tal realm, Seithrby was one of their major strongholds. 
  Seithrby’s name, which is usually translated as “the town 
  of magic,” actually means “the town of black magic.”
  In those dark and evil days the slab served as a sacri-
  ficial altar. Insane priests clad in bloodstained midnight 
  blue robes offered up scores of innocents to appease 
  their hellish masters’ fell appetites. The magic of the 
  stone took more than their lives, though—the souls of 
  those slain atop the altar of death were imprisoned in 
  the slab.
  over the centuries the imprisoned souls have gone 
  mad. during the nights of the deorcmonan, the bound-
  ary between the mortal realm and the unholy prison 
  weakens. While the sprits cannot escape, they can draw 
  mortals who touch the stone into their unearthly tomb.
  bjornwold
  Population: 1 (plus 12 bears)
  Ruler: Bjorn Bear-Shirt
  The western trade road crosses the unimaginatively 
  named great river at a wide ford. Situated squarely in 
  the center of the ford, atop a natural rock outcropping, 
  is a motte-and-bailey fort. All traffic wishing to cross the 
  river must pass through the lower defenses.
  The twin gates are never barred, even at night, and 
  several long houses and stables on the lower level are 
  always well-stocked with food, mead, and blankets. 
  A sign written in Trader asks that visitors refrain from 
  trying venture into the upper fortification for their own 
  safety, hunt no bears they may see in the vicinity, and say 
  a prayer to Eostre before they leave.
  The fort is owned by one Bjorn Bear-Shirt, a priest of 
  Eostre Animalmother who has occupied the land as long 
  as anyone can remember. No one is sure if the Bjorn 
  SeItHrby
  
  
  their grandparents speak of is a family member or the 
  same person. The cleric certainly appears youthful, no 
  more than 40, though if the stories are true he must be 
  at least 80 years old, if not older.
  Bjorn’s only companions are a dozen black bears, 
  one of whom, grim-mane, is his animal companion. The 
  bears are tame enough around their friend and master, 
  but this is misleading, for they are very much danger-
  ous wild animals. Bjorn has the appearance of a bear. 
  He stands seven feet in his socks, is well-muscled, and is 
  exceptionally hairy. His nickname comes from his body 
  hair. He never wears a shirt, even in the coldest winter.
  Bjorn is a reclusive host, rarely venturing from the 
  small stead that sits in the upper part of the fortification. 
  occasionally he and one his bears sit with guests, listen to 
  their stories, and share a meal, but he makes no attempt 
  at small talk and tells nothing of his life. The only folk he 
  ever talks with are engro, and they are notoriously tight-
  lipped about what passes between guest and host.
  Aethling Cuthwulf has visited the site in person several 
  times, but Bjorn has not once attended him. The priest 
  has similarly refused to appear at the royal court, despite 
  several invitations. Since the strange recluse provides 
  welcome shelter for travelers and causes no trouble, the 
  aethling has taken no steps to oust him from his lofty 
  perch. Truth be told, Cuthwulf greatly fears the silent, 
  hulking, shaggy man.
  MonaStery of tHe ancHorIteS
  many fell relics were recovered after the demongate 
  War ended. Try as they might, the mightiest wizards and 
  clerics of the age were unable to destroy the accursed 
  artifacts, for they had been forged in the Abyss by the 
  demon princes using ancient charms beyond the ken of 
  mortals. The gods could not aid their followers, for they 
  were bound by the Compact. Fearing that surviving cult-
  ists might try to repossess the relics, it was decided the 
  artifacts would be hidden away forever.
  A complex of tunnels and chambers was cut into Fern-
  bury Hills. In the darkest recesses, protected by deadly 
  wards no creature of darkness could overcome and 
  lethal traps designed to slay their mortal minions, the 
  terrible relics were laid. To ensure their continued safety, 
  anchorites of Sigel were placed in charge of the site. It 
  was hoped the anchorites’ constant prayers to the god of 
  light would eventually weaken the dark enchantments, 
  allowing the relics to be destroyed, while simultaneously 
  keeping at bay any hellish creatures who came hunting 
  for them. To ensure secrecy, the anchorites would recruit 
  new members as required from the cult of Sigel, never 
  revealing their existence to the world at large.
  Were it not for the rise of the Liche Priest the plan 
  might have worked. As darkness covered the land, the 
  anchorites sealed their secret home with holy wards, 
  preparing to wait out the storm while continuing their 
  sacred duty. The Liche-Priest was no demon, but he sure-
  ly possessed the dark will required to wield the relics. If 
  they were to fall into his hands the flame of civilization 
  might well be extinguished forever. But in cutting them-
  selves off from Sigel’s gaze, the clerics had inadvertently 
  sinned. The demonic souls that infested the relics at last 
  had the opportunity they had been seeking. Slowly they 
  chipped away at the clerics’ faith and willpower through 
  insidious whisperings and sly insinuations.
  By the time the Liche-Priest’s reign was ended, the 
  location of the complex had been forgotten and its en-
  trance was overgrown. Inside, the former priests had 
  transformed into twisted shades, neither undead nor de-
  mon, but some fell, undying creature of utter darkness. 
  Unable to penetrate the powerful wards protecting the 
  relics and the exit they waited for fate to play its part.
  during Cuthwulf’s invasion, the Anari sought refuge 
  in the old hill fort in the hills, little realizing that beneath 
  it lay the entrance to the anchorites’ tomb. The victori-
  ous Saxa’s claim the hill fort is haunted is true, but it is 
  not by the souls of the massacred Anari. Before the end 
  came, the defenders had unwittingly breached the an-
  cient entrance while excavating new fortifications. Freed 
  at last, the demon-priests hatched a plan.
  While they are unable to recover the artifacts, they 
  knew that ones not touched by darkness could do so. 
  Unfortunately, their plans to lure Seithrby’s natives to the 
  hill fort have repeatedly failed, the stories of ghosts being 
  too ingrained in their psyche. But outsiders, ones who 
  know nothing of the spirits said to haunt the site or who 
  do not put faith in such tales, could perhaps be tricked 
  into removing the relics from the protective wards. All 
  the demons need now is some unwitting fools. And 
  when they get them, the hungry demons will feast on 
  their souls while mortal followers of the demon princes 
  claim the relics. With such power at their disposal, the 
  lords of the Abyss will have their revenge as rassilon 
  burns beneath a sheath of crackling balefire.
  Vale of StatueS
  In a remote valley in the Fernbury Hills stands an 
  eclectic assortment of stone statues. They date from 
  many different eras, the oldest dating back to before the 
  Heligi and Selari held power and the newest to the age 
  of the Anari conquerors. Basilisks might be to blame, at 
  least according to some explorers who have visited the 
  site, but that does not explain the grouping of the stat-
  ues. Had trespassers been petrified, one would expect 
  the statues to be grouped roughly by era. 
  Instead, someone or something has placed the statues 
  to be aesthetically pleasing, jumbling together statues of 
  many different eras to recreate fictitious scenes frozen 
  in time. Ancient maidens in flowing Selari dress stand 
  by as scholars from an unidentified culture appear to be 
  reciting some wisdom, while nearby an Anari cavalry-
  man locks swords with a Heligi prince. Furthermore, the 
  stone is not of the same type—some are marble, others 
  limestone or sandstone.
  Some of the statues once had engravings, but these 
  have been carefully chiseled or scratched away, leaving 
  no clue to their origin.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #41
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Once a prosperous realm, Sutmark has seen a rapid decline in fortunes. Political machi-
  nations in Ostmark strip it of its trade routes, while the massive lizardman army batters at 
  the walls of Ostvik. If either trade or army fails, Sutmark will swiftly fall, overrun by hordes 
  of scaly invaders and their thunderlizards. The fate of the nation hangs in the balance. This 
  supplement expands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  The nobles of Sutmark long ago dispensed with traditional practice of electing their 
  kings, for the outcomes brought civil war to the kingdom too frequently. For the first three 
  centuries, primogeniture, inheritance by the eldest son, was the norm. Until 127 years 
  ago, women could only inherit if they had no brothers. That law was revoked after Cwene 
  Cuthwynne War-Raven returned victorious from battle and named her daughter heir over 
  her cowardly son, who had stayed behind in the palace.
  Only the king’s firstborn child (his heir) and his or her offspring take the title aethling. 
  Thus, the king’s firstborn would be a prince, as would his grandchildren and great-grand-
  children in turn. Any other children the king may sire always hold the title of Jarl of Ostvik, 
  regardless of how many there are. Their children are automatically thegns, regardless of 
  their birth order. No other nobles may ever take the title thegn.
  In order to govern the land more effectively, the ancient kings appointed jarls, senior 
  officials but not true nobles, to act as stewards. Over the centuries, these positions have 
  become hereditary and the highest rank of nobility (thegns being royalty in Sutmark). The 
  children of jarls hold the title of ridder, out of respect for their parent’s position.
  All other noble titles are issued at the king’s pleasure. Whether they are hereditary or 
  not depends on the king’s decree. Even if the title can be inherited, the noble’s children 
  receive no title until they take their parent’s place. Traditionally, the king awards titles (but 
  not land) to the children of jarls when they come of age, but any citizen who serves the 
  monarch well may be granted a title. Such titles do not always come with a gift of land, 
  and thus many of Sutmark’s nobles are impoverished. In order to acquire land, it must be 
  inherited from one’s family (see page 2), or purchased from the king. Such land automati-
  cally becomes hereditary. If the land falls in a jarl’s territory, then he is considered a subject 
  of the jarl. Otherwise, his feudal master is the king.
  31242
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 2 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  Sutmark
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  Together, the jarls, along with the highest ranking 
  clerics of Tiw, Ullr, Eostre Animalmother, Ertha, and Ne-
  orthe, form the king’s advisory council. Although entitled 
  to rule as an autocrat, it takes a powerful ruler to govern 
  without at least listening to his noblemen.
  Citizens who own land, no matter how poor they 
  might be, are part of the traditional upper class. Like 
  the jarls, they have the right to raise income by renting 
  their land. by law, if mineral wealth is found on private 
  land, it becomes the property of the landowner. This is 
  one reason kings are loathe to give away too much land 
  except in dire circumstances.
  There is a difference between traditional and ac-
  cepted upper class, however. A poor farmer might well 
  own a few acres, maybe even a few hundred acres, but 
  in modern Sutmark money and influence are what really 
  counts. Thus, the true upper class is formed of wealthy 
  landowners, rich merchants, and high priests, for the 
  most part. Popular skalds, the most common sorcerers, 
  may also qualify.
  Poor landowners are now considered middle class 
  (except by their peers), alongside less well-to-do mer-
  chants, important clerics, and master craftsmen. At the 
  bottom of the ladder are the craftsmen, fishermen, labor-
  ers, entertainers, and soldiers who make up the bulk of 
  the population.
  huscarls fill an odd niche. They are given the same 
  respect as a ridder, since they are servants of a noble-
  man, but hold no true titles.
  tHe dIvISIon of land
  All of Sutmark is technically owned by the king (cur-
  rently the aethling in his role as regent). The jarls may 
  oversee entire districts, but their personal domains are 
  quite small. In return for their support, they collect a 
  portion of the taxes raised from the population under 
  their authority and have the right to rent out parcels 
  of their personal domain. This is what gives them their 
  considerable wealth.
  The rest of the land is either owned by the king 
  directly, owned by hereditary landowners who bought 
  the land long ago (such practices were common during 
  wars, when the monarch needed to raise revenue), or 
  rented from the landowner.
  JuStIce
  In Sutmark, the nobility stay well clear of civil cases 
  and petty disputes, leaving the regional moots to handle 
  them. In such matters the moots’ word is final. All 
  citizens without a noble title are entitled to take cases 
  to the moot. Nobles with a civil grievance may ask the 
  moot’s permission to bring the case before them, but 
  acceptance is not guaranteed. This power has kept the 
  nobility from becoming too autocratic. Sadly, with the 
  aethling occupied, the moots are being bullied or bribed 
  into accepting cases they would rather avoid.
  The jarls are responsible for trying criminal cases in 
  their jurisdiction. In the king’s lands, justice is handled 
  by an appointed judge. he is usually a cleric of hothar.
  educatIon
  Sutmark is a traditional Saxa realm in terms of edu-
  cation, which means children are taught at home or by 
  other members of the community. Ostvik once had a fine 
  academy which educated children of wealthy citizens 
  from midmark and western veermark, but it was closed 
  when Ostvik was attacked.
  Saxa culture is completely dominant. The hearth 
  elves, who live in a single forest in the central foothills, 
  rarely mix with the natives, and the engro and others are 
  such minorities that maintaining their ancestral beliefs is 
  a constant struggle. If they don’t at least learn the Saxa 
  language, they have little hope of communicating.
  All human children learn Saxa as their primary lan-
  guage (children of non-humans take it as their second 
  tongue). Trader is virtually unknown outside the major 
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in Sutmark
  * Nobility: In order to hold a noble title, a charac-
  ter must either be the child of a jarl or have been 
  granted the award by the king for loyal service. No 
  hero can rise in social status unless he is the first-
  born of a jarl, in which case he becomes the next 
  jarl on the titleholder’s death, or he is awarded the 
  title for services to the king (typically this should 
  require a long and dangerous adventure). The lat-
  ter has a limit of hauld (the king will not create 
  new jarls, and thegn is restricted to royalty).
  As noted in the text, a title does not automatically 
  grant ownership of land. The gm may choose to 
  disallow the Noble Edge from granting the Rich 
  Edge benefit in his campaign. In return, the hero 
  has no real responsibilities, such as caring for his 
  people. kind gms, or those who ignore those re-
  sponsibilities, may award one extra skill point for 
  the loss of the Rich Edge if they so desire.
  * Temperature: Sutmark is sheltered from the 
  worst of the winter cold, but also from much of the 
  summer warmth. As such, it enjoys a fairly constant 
  temperature all year round. It gets a lot of rain in 
  fall, due to the prevailing easterly wind (increase 
  percentages for precipitation by 10%).
  Treat summer, spring, and fall as Low Winterlands 
  summer, and the winter as spring/fall for the Low 
  Winterlands.
  * Trade: The price of all weapons and armor with v 
  availability is doubled. Prices for T availability arms 
  and armor are quadrupled, and those with C avail-
  ability increased tenfold.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #42
  2
  
  towns, and the second most common language is actually 
  Auld Saxa. The exception is dusthall, where children are 
  taught beduan, the language of the southern nomads.
  Children learn the customs, lores, history, legends, re-
  ligion, and geography of Sutmark as a matter of course. 
  due to Sutmark’s remote location and limited outside 
  contact, most do not have access to knowledge regard-
  ing other realms or cultures, nor more esoteric subjects, 
  such as arcane lore or siege weapons.
  The war has not yet dragged on enough for wide scale 
  military training to be implemented for children (as it is 
  in vestmark). however, all those aged 12 and above are 
  expected to know how to handle a spear and shield for 
  their future role in the fyrd.
  relIGIon
  Isolated by geography, the citizens of Sutmark always 
  looked to themselves for the defense of their realm. The 
  reluctance of the other marklands to send reinforcements 
  has only reinforced their belief that they stand alone. Tiw, 
  always a popular deity, has risen to prominence. Warriors 
  pray to him for strength, courage, and safety, while their 
  womenfolk offer animal sacrifices in the hope the war 
  god’s appetite for death will be appeased and the war 
  will end soon. most settlements have suffered loses in 
  the war, and shrines to Tiw have sprung up the length 
  and breadth of the land.
  Sutmark’s hilly terrain is adequate for subsistence lev-
  el farming and hardy sheep and goats, but little else. The 
  livestock are bred for their wool, an important export, 
  leaving hunting as the main source of meat. Ullr remains 
  a popular deity, especially outside the major towns.
  Eostre Animalmother ranks as the third most popular 
  deity, in terms of worshippers. her support in strongest 
  in the hillside communities. her Plantmother aspect is a 
  minor deity, given token worship in return for the pitiful 
  crops of root vegetables pulled from the soil each fall.
  Neorthe’s cult holds great sway along the east coast. 
  While the fishing and whaling industries have declined, 
  they are still a major source of employment and export.
  The cult of Eira is rapidly growing in strength and 
  political power. Three years of war has sapped the will 
  of the people, and now all they want is peace. her cler-
  ics propose a peace treaty with the lizardmen, offering 
  them safe passage through Sutmark so long as they end 
  hostilities. Unfortunately, the plan has met with little 
  support from those in power, who fear the lizardmen 
  wish only to raze their homeland to the ground. despite 
  their opposition to the conflict, many of Eira’s clerics 
  are stationed in Ostvik, tending to the steady flow of 
  wounded soldiers. Though their presence is welcomed 
  by the cult of Tiw, the latter does not tolerate the healers 
  speaking of peace. Such talk, the warrior-clerics claim, 
  drains morale.
  The stench of death has attracted clerics of Scaetha. 
  Undead have never been a problem here, and the cler-
  ics are present to ensure the dead receive proper burial 
  rites. This has placed them in competition with the cult 
  of Tiw, who sees the burial of fallen soldiers as part of 
  their sacred duties.
  hothar is another deity enjoying a surge of popularity, 
  though to a much lesser degree than Eira. With the aeth-
  ling occupied, the land is rapidly becoming lawless. Un-
  scrupulous nobles are raising unfair taxes and ensuring 
  their will is obeyed with gangs of thugs. men and women 
  found guilty of even trifling offenses are sentenced to 
  enlistment in the army.
  Ertha and kenaz have support in the communities 
  of the Red hills, the heart of the iron industry. As the 
  war consumes more metal, metal meant for export, so 
  the fortunes of these settlements are diminishing. many 
  whisper that Ertha and kenaz have forsaken them.
  Sigel’s cult is trying to gain a foothold in Sutmark. So 
  far their efforts have failed. While their holy texts have 
  passages ideal for rallying folk facing demons and orcs, 
  lizardmen have not traditionally been considered crea-
  tures of darkness. A change of plan is being considered. 
  Instead of preaching against the invaders, they intend to 
  ally with the cult of hothar and preach against corrup-
  tion among the nobility. Such actions will earn them few 
  friends in high places, but what is the loss of a handful of 
  nobles compared to gaining thousands of peasants?
  var’s clerics can be found in the major towns, and 
  even in Ostvik, where they have been hired to oversee lo-
  gistics. Their services do not come cheap, but few others 
  have the network of contacts necessary to keep supplies 
  coming in to the beleaguered defenders.
  Although the vestmark-Orcmark war has raged far 
  longer than the war at Ostvik, it has long since stagnated 
  into small scale conflicts. The bloodshed in Sutmark has 
  attracted followers of dargar. While they do not under-
  stand the motives behind the invasion, they see this as a 
  classic struggle—whoever loses likely faces obliteration 
  at the hands of their enemy. They favor neither side, 
  seeing both as potential weaklings. Until one side gains 
  dominance, they wage bloody carnage on both factions.
  mIlItary
  Unlike further west, where the war grinds on day after 
  day, the campaign for Ostvik is seasonal. Once the spring 
  thaw comes, the vast lizardman army emerges from the 
  great Swamp and crawls to the ruined city. Fighting 
  takes place throughout the whole of summer, ending 
  only when the first snow falls.
  vastly outnumbered, it is the lizardmen’s unwilling-
  ness, or inability, to fight in the cold that gives Sutmark a 
  fighting chance. As the army withdraws beyond the snow 
  blocked pass (though never in its entirety, for a sizeable 
  blocking force is left to prevent reinforcements coming 
  from veermark), the defenders brave the bitter cold and 
  small scale raids to hastily begin refortifying their posi-
  tions. Next year, the lizardmen must waste valuable time 
  Sutmark
  
  
  retaking territory they held the previous summer while 
  men die holding territory their comrades already shed 
  blood defending.
  Sutmark has three types of soldier at its disposal. The 
  first, its native huscarls, is a meager force numbering only 
  around 150 battle-weary veterans stationed at Ostvik and 
  some 75 others under the control of the nobility. 
  The bulk of its army, some 6,000 men, are mercenar-
  ies drawn by the lure of glory and gold in equal measure. 
  At present there are some 2,000 heavy infantry, 1,500 
  light infantry, 2,000 archers, and 500 artillery men at the 
  prince’s disposal. Tind has only a token force of cavalry, 
  employed as messengers rather than warriors. The de-
  bris-choked city streets makes cavalry futile, and horses 
  require a lot of food.
  Aiding the army are some 100 clerics of Tiw, 400 cler-
  ics of other deities, and around 600 civilians. The latter 
  includes healers, messengers, laborers, armorers, fletch-
  ers, bowyers, butchers, furriers, and so on. The hearth 
  elves, who fear the destruction of their home, have sent 
  nearly all their warriors to assist the Saxa prince. At pres-
  ent, some 500 remain.
  Although Tind is the overall strategic commander, the 
  mercenaries fight as companies under the tactical com-
  mand of their captains. The current strength of the com-
  panies varies between 25 and 200. In general, the smaller 
  the company, the more experienced the soldiers.
  The third part of Sutmark’s overall military strength is 
  the fyrd, the local militia. Every settlement has a militia 
  equating to around 10% of its adult population, though 
  around 2% are on active service at any one time. With the 
  huscarls gone to war, they are all that stands between the 
  lizardmen and destruction should Ostvik fall.
  Contrary to rumors, Aethling Tind has no plans to 
  conscript the general populace. he knows from bitter ex-
  perience that the war for the capital is brutal. Untrained 
  warriors will be cut down or panic and flee, and tearing 
  the menfolk from their families and animals will lead not 
  only to massive resentment, but also to rebellion.
  trade & trIbute
  Three trade roads run through Sutmark. The Red 
  Road, named for the iron ore it carries, runs from vidlin 
  to Ostvik. Now disused, the main Road runs from Ostvik 
  through the high Pass and eventually to distant veer-
  mark. A second road, the Sand Road, goes from Ostvik 
  to dusthall, and then through the mountains to the ex-
  pansive and mysterious desert realm of Al-Shirkuh. many 
  traders still use the Red Road, for supplies are essential 
  to the war effort.
  Sutmark imports gold and salt. both are used to pay 
  for the growing number of mercenaries needed to de-
  fend the realm. Unfortunately, with exports dwindling 
  the country is rapidly building up vast debts. Even if the 
  war is won tomorrow, it will take decades to pay off the 
  debts and return the nation to its former prosperity.
  While Ostmark imports whale oil from Sutmark, it is a 
  competitor in the iron and fish trades. Several merchants 
  have taken to spreading rumors that the war is a meat 
  grinder in an attempt to scare off the mercenaries who 
  embark in Sandvik. Without fresh mercenaries, Sutmark 
  is doomed.
  In terms of exports, Sutmark’s most profitable ven-
  ture is whale oil. much of this heads by ship to Ostmark. 
  Wool, another profitable venture, is largely destined for 
  the lands further up the coast. Fleets of ships laden with 
  great bales head for the Cairn Lands, Trond, and the 
  Icedale Freeholds every spring. Its fish and ale exports 
  are normally sold to merchants in Ostmark—fishing is a 
  major industry along much of the east coast, and profits 
  are minimal—or to the desert nomads, who consider it 
  a great delicacy.
  Iron exports, the majority of which previously went 
  south with the desert nomads, vanished almost over-
  night. knowing that the mercenaries he needed to win 
  the war would come at a heavy price, Aethling Tind re-
  fused to fall into the trap of selling iron only to be forced 
  to buy back weapons at inflated prices from greedy rivals. 
  The entire iron industry was taken under his control, its 
  output used to keep the troops armed and armored. As a 
  result, much of the southern trade died.
  Sutmark’s citizens are burdened with heavy taxes 
  to help fund the war. Although the numbers below are 
  listed in coin, much of the taxes is collected on goods. 
  The same is true of most realms. With Aethling Tind’s 
  court all but defunct, tax collection has been given over 
  to the local nobles rather than royal tax collectors. Those 
  of a corrupt nature have begun skimming off the top and 
  doctoring the records to cover their crimes.
  Typically, the citizens used to pay around 35% of their 
  income in various taxes. Since the war began, this has 
  steadily increased, and taxation now stands at around 
  50%. The prince recently signed a decree forcing citizens 
  to pay a further 10% to the cult of Tiw. In return, the 
  cult promises to lend more support to the war and help 
  bring in mercenaries and clerics from other lands.
  arcHItecture
  With the Saxa culture dominant, wooden longhouses 
  are the standard abode for the great majority of the 
  population. The only all-stone buildings are found in Os-
  tvik, the capital of the realm. Although Sutmarkers claim 
  their ancestors built the now ruined city, this is not true. 
  hints lie in the architecture. doorways are slightly taller 
  and wider than humans would typically build, and the 
  precision of the construction far outstrips that capable 
  by even the stone-loving Anari.
  The city was raised long before the Saxa came to 
  prominence by the once mighty gatorman empire. In 
  ages past it was beautifully decorated with murals and 
  engravings depicting gatormen and their many gods. For 
  a short while it was a distant outpost of a now forgot-
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #42
  4
  
  ten human civilization. by the time the Saxa migrated 
  through the great marsh and across the towering moun-
  tains it had lain abandoned for many centuries. Today 
  only Saxa art adorns the remaining walls and buildings. 
  At least on the surface.
  below the streets run many tunnels, few of which 
  have been properly excavated due to frequent collapses 
  and blockages. behind piles of debris and false walls lie a 
  myriad of chambers untouched for millennia.
  Sutmark’s remote location has not saved it from at-
  tack. Orcs, goblins, and giants dwell in the mountains 
  that leer around three sides of the country. Save for Os-
  tvik and its great stone walls, communities close to the 
  mountains surround their homes with sturdy wooden 
  defenses. Those nearer the center make do with ditch 
  and bank fortifications, if they bother at all.
  maJor localeS
  Sutmark’s population is largely confined to the central 
  hills and eastern coast. To the north, west, and south are 
  mighty mountains, whose foothills hold many secrets, 
  and many dangers.
  IronGuard fort
  The iron in the Red hills has long been a lure for raid-
  ing orcs. To deter the rapacious creatures, and to ensure 
  the king’s presence was felt, a large ring fort was erected 
  on the southern bank of the bloodrun.
  based on the hill forts carved from the landscape by 
  the ancient cultures of the hearthlands, the 300 foot di-
  ameter ring fort is surrounded by a circular rampart that 
  rises over 35 feet into the air. The rampart comprises two 
  circles of tall wooden posts filled with dirt and rock. Four 
  strong gatehouses, one at each of the cardinal points, al-
  low access into the interior. The northern gate has been 
  barricaded shut.
  Inside, the fort is divided into four equal quadrants by 
  straight roads running between the gates. The two north-
  ern quadrants each contain eight longhouses arranged in 
  two squares. These house the garrison. Capable of hold-
  ing in excess of 1,600 huscarls, today they are home to 
  just 50 huscarls and 300 mercenary heavy infantry. The 
  northeast quadrant contains a small temple to Tiw, while 
  the northwest quadrant contains a smithy. The southeast 
  quadrant contains accommodation, stables, and storage 
  areas for merchants. The southwest quadrant is home to 
  450 civilians. Some work at the fort, but most are miners 
  working the nearby iron ore veins.
  The current commander, Ridder Ulfgrim Skallasunu, 
  an elderly huscarl, knows that a concerted orc attack 
  would overwhelm the fort’s meager garrison. They would 
  pay a heavy blood price, but the chance to secure a major 
  fortification so close to the mines, not to mention the 
  stores of iron ore, is a price that he would happily pay. 
  No help can be expected from Ostvik, and additional 
  mercenaries are unaffordable. To that end, Ridder Ulf-
  grim is willing to pay good money for the heads of orc 
  chieftains and priests. he knows the loss of their leaders 
  won’t deter the tribes altogether, but it will delay their 
  plans. With any luck, Ostvik will be secure by the time a 
  major attack is mounted.
  tHe loSt Hold
  Frost dwarves claim their people have never lived 
  beyond the Sigel Peaks, yet on a bluff in the dustwall 
  mountains stands a tower many claim displays dwarven 
  architecture. The top of the tower is missing, having tum-
  bled into the valley far below in centuries long passed. 
  The tower is hollow, containing naught but a spiral stair 
  that descends deep below the level of the bluff and into 
  the core of the peak.
  The tunnel eventually ends in a vast hall supported 
  by carved pillars. From here, countless passages and 
  stairs lead in all directions. Few have penetrated below 
  the first few levels, and they have reported nothing but 
  goblins, orcs, and other fell creatures. Their presence 
  indicates there are other entrances to the lost hold yet to 
  be discovered by the civilized races.
  Returning adventurers have reported the towering 
  columns and vaulted arches are finely worked examples, 
  but no inscriptions or statues give any indication as to 
  who carved the seemingly endless passages. Little trea-
  sure has been reclaimed from the orcs. Some speculate 
  that the orcs have yet to reach the richer levels of the 
  complex, while some take it as a clear sign the hold has 
  nothing of value to offer explorers. but deep in the low-
  est level is something of interest, if not intrinsic value. A 
  vast stone door seemingly impervious to all magic blocks 
  a wide passage. Carved on the door in archaic dwarven 
  is a warning to proceed no further.
  Sunblade temple
  Far to the east, in the side of the high foothills where 
  the Sigel Peaks and dustwall mountains converge, stands 
  a pair of gigantic stone doors. The top portion of one 
  door has been shattered, and the rest battered by mil-
  lennia of wind and rain. yet it is still possible to make 
  out the remains of an engraving of Sigel’s holy symbol. 
  Skalds tell of how in ancient times the engraving was 
  filled with pure gold that blazed like the sun.
  According to Saxa mythology, in the age immediately 
  after the creation of man, mortals were far more power-
  ful, being closer to the divine spark that gave them life. 
  A powerful hero, known today only as Sun-Thief, crept 
  into the heavens at night (when Sigel sleeps) and stole 
  several burning coals from Sigel’s hearth.
  back in the mortal realm, he used the magical coals 
  to forge a blade of pure gold—the Sunblade. The blade 
  proved a mighty weapon, but it has its problems. The 
  blade absorbed light, storing it as magical energy. Un-
  less the blade was kept in total darkness it continued to 
  absorb light. Like a dam fed by a fast flowing river, the 
  Sutmark
  
  
  sword would eventually release its energy it a cataclys-
  mic explosion. The only way it could be diminished was 
  to slay creatures of darkness or unleash constant bolts of 
  destructive sunbeams.
  Rightly figuring that the weapon was as much a dan-
  ger too mankind as a boon, Sigel took the weapon. The 
  blade was not destroyed, for the Norns had told Sigel that 
  times would come when mortals needed its tremendous 
  power. So Sigel concealed the blade in a dark pit, leaving 
  clues to its location which only the righteous could fol-
  low. As always, the Norns were right.
  According to more than one legend, the Sunblade was 
  recovered during the demongate War. A sword radiating 
  sunbeams and unleashing rays of destructive light can 
  still be found in many crumbling texts and faded tapes-
  tries across Rassilon. When the war ended, the cult of 
  Sigel wisely concealed it again. The last time it was seen 
  was during the war against the Liche-Priest. One story 
  has it the Sunblade was vital in creating the wards that 
  seal the undead monarch’s tomb.
  by all accounts the blade was hidden somewhere in 
  the Sigel Peaks after the Liche-Priest was imprisoned, in 
  what has become known as Sunblade Temple. here the 
  known history ends.
  In order to ensure it could not absorb light, it was 
  decided its entire tomb would be shrouded in utter dark-
  ness. Clerics of Sigel were asked to make the ultimate sac-
  rifice and becomes its eternal guardians. So was founded 
  the Order of the Enlightened blind, worshippers of the 
  sun god who lived only in perpetual darkness. 
  For additional security, the great doors were sealed 
  with potent spells and the tomb protected by numerous 
  magical and mundane traps. 
  Never again able to gaze upon Sigel, the clergy who 
  volunteered for service became sinners, yet ones still 
  beloved by their god, for their sacrifice was for the good 
  of all the races. barely had the great doors been closed 
  when doom befell the temple.
  The final part of the legend claims that at the dawn of 
  the blizzard War, when mankind needed the blade again, 
  the temple guardians and those outsiders who knew of 
  its resting place mysteriously vanished.
  did Sigel take the guardians to his bosom in return 
  for their sacrifice, knowing their duties had reached a 
  premature end? Perhaps Thrym slew them, for it is likely 
  he fears the power of the Sunblade. Or maybe hela dis-
  covered its location, slew the inhabitants, and turned 
  them into undead as an act of revenge for the imprison-
  ment of her most beloved servant. No stories regarding 
  the strange disappearances exist.
  The legend of the Sunblade is well known, but there 
  is little hard evidence to support its existence. Images 
  of blades emitting rays and radiating light are not con-
  clusive, for many clerics of Sigel used their swords as 
  the focus for their miracles in the dark times, perhaps 
  remembering the story of the Sunblade. maybe the 
  Sunblade does reside deep within the hillside, patiently 
  waiting for the time it will be unleashed against Thrym’s 
  horde. Or perhaps it is just a story.
  tomb of tHe unknown kInGS
  Carved into the mountains of the dustwall is a laby-
  rinthine tomb complex of great antiquity. The high alti-
  tude, freezing temperatures, and arduous climb required 
  to reach the entrance have deterred all but a few hardy 
  adventurers from exploring the site.
  The handful who survived reported seeing sarcophagi 
  of unusual design decorated with weird pictographs. 
  due to a lack of spellcasters, the meaning of symbols was 
  never deciphered. Some treasure, mainly gold coins and 
  objects, was looted, but over the centuries these have 
  been lost or melted down. Perhaps at the bottom of a 
  chest a Saxa family still has a remnant of these explora-
  tions. The survivors also spoke of animated crocodile-
  headed statues wielding razor-sharp halberds, swarms of 
  flesh-eating insects in hard shells, and deadly traps.
  The tomb might be that of ancient gatormen priests, 
  for their empire once extended beyond the mountains. 
  It might also be the final resting place of kings who ruled 
  over the desert kingdom to the south, their earthly re-
  mains laid here to foil tomb robbers. Regardless of who 
  lies here, there is likely to be much gold and knowledge 
  yet to be discovered.
  wHy come Here?
  An isolated realm of declining fortunes with an army 
  of scaled warriors battering at its doors, Sutmark is far 
  from the beaten track. So why might heroes come here?
  * Orders. To be honest, no one outside the cult of 
  Tiw is likely to order people here. The Saxa kings are 
  more concerned with vestmark’s problems, and no hell-
  frost horrors or vile undead haunt the land. Still, there 
  is opportunity. Lorekeepers or the cult of hoenir might 
  send agents to explore the many tombs and ruins in the 
  mountains. Sigel’s cult might dispatch hardened clerics 
  to hunt for the fabled Sunblade or hunt down orcs, and 
  for followers of var war means opportunity.
  * duty. Unlike orders, duty is something a character 
  must undertake at his own volition. Native Sutmarkers 
  might feel the yearning to help defend Ostvik, and even 
  other Saxa may feel enough kinship to lend support. 
  Clerics of Sigel may decide they must look for the Sun-
  blade
  * glory. The ongoing war is ample opportunity to 
  earn recognition. As well as engaging in bloody battles, 
  heroes might be employed as scouts, assassins, or gue-
  rilla fighters. glory needn’t be limited just to fighting, 
  though—gathering information and recruiting allies is 
  just as noteworthy. Those who would rather avoid the 
  war will find ample opportunity to lock blades with orcs, 
  goblins, and giants in the mountains.
  * Passing Through. The only reason heroes will pass 
  through Sutmark is to reach Al-Shirkuh, or return from 
  it. Even then, quicker routes are available from Sandvik, 
  drakeport, and Sethnor City.
  HellfroSt reGIon GuIde #42
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Angarion, the last remnants of an ancient forest, is home to the largest population of 
  hearth elves in Rassilon. Here they dwell in harmony with the world, shunning contact 
  with other races and defending their homes with lethal efficiency as they have done for 
  time immemorial. Their numbers are dwindling, but they remain resolute in holding to 
  the old ways of their ancestors. This supplement expands on material in the Hellfrost 
  Gazetteer. Much of the material in this work applies to all hearth elf domains.
  orIgIn of the elves
  Whether through arrogance or ignorance, the elves (hearth and taiga) believe them-
  selves the first born of the gods. This claim is dismissed by frost dwarves, treated with 
  skepticism by humans, smirked at by engros, and treated with utter contempt by the drag-
  ons, an elder race for sure, who refer to the elves as the “twice-fallen.” Both giants and 
  gatormen claim to have walked the world before the elves, though history has erased all 
  knowledge of which race first rose to sentience.
  The origin of the elven race begins in that unfathomably ancient epoch when the God 
  War ravaged the heavens. The gods, powerful as they are, were served by countless min-
  ions of varying power. Some, like the heralds, were mighty creations born from the blood 
  of the gods themselves. Others were lesser beings, ephemeral entities conjured by stray 
  thoughts to perform menial tasks beneath the attention of the great deities. For reasons 
  of their own, reasons now forgotten by the passage of incalculable time, not all these 
  minions, blessed as they were with free will, chose to join the campaign. 
  The gods never forgot the treachery of their minions. When the God War finally ended, 
  they were judged by Hothar and found guilty of the heinous crime of endangering the 
  existence of the gods, and thus the very fabric of the universe. Some, like Dargar and Tiw, 
  demanded the ultimate penalty—erasure from existence—but greater numbers called for 
  leniency. After much debate a decision was reached—the traitors would be cast from the 
  heavens into physical form, placed in a realm betwixt that of the divine and the mortal. 
  Thus were born the fey—powerful, mysterious, ancient, but eternally fallen from grace.
  Though the fey often visited the mortal realm, there was little to hold the interest of 
  most. Some, though, sought comfort and purpose in tending the plants and animals, seek-
  ing to redeem their sins by tending the virgin garden. Their love of the mortal world, a 
  lesser plane of existence, caused their kin to grow angry. The rogue fey were ordered to 
  cease their visits or be forever banished from the fey realm. Some caved in under the threat 
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  of yet another expulsion, for the memory of their first fall 
  remained vibrant in their minds in these ancient days. 
  Many refused to acquiesce, for they were still gifted with 
  free will and sought to be masters of their own destiny. 
  Thus they were expelled a second time, this time cast 
  down to the mortal world, further removed from their 
  divine origin.
  Over immeasurable ages the fallen beings slowly lost 
  their fey heritage. Whether this was a curse laid by the 
  fey or the taint of the world they now called home is 
  unknown. They became mortal creatures of uniform ap-
  pearance and beliefs, long-lived in comparison to those 
  who would come later, but no longer able to wield the 
  strange glamour of their kind. eventually, they lost the 
  knowledge of how to return to the fey realm, and with 
  it the origin of their species. Thus were born the elves, a 
  race twice cast out from higher levels of existence.
  This tale is now lost to the elves. Though they main-
  tain good relations with many fey (old wounds heal), 
  they have no inkling that once they walked among them 
  as equals, and before that strode the starry firmament as 
  divine entities.
  socIAl hIerArchy
  elven society is divided into social classes. Outsiders 
  refer to these as castes, but the term is highly misleading. 
  To hearth elves, occupation and usefulness to society are 
  more important than birthright.
  Hearth elf society is governed by the nobility. The only 
  king is found in Angarion. Other nobles hold ancestral 
  titles based on the original size of their domain. Thus, a 
  forestlord may not rule as much land as a boughlady in 
  the current age, but his ancestors did millennia ago.
  elf nobles appoint heirs based on who will best serve 
  the community. Thus, the titleholder may appoint any of 
  his children, a blood relative, or more rarely a member 
  of a different caste as his heir. Because of this system, po-
  litical machinations, something few associate with elves, 
  are rife. Traditionally, the offspring of the king are titled 
  princes, as are their children, while the offspring of other 
  nobles take the title leaflord.
  Beneath the nobles are members of the religious 
  caste. clerics of Sigel hold the highest status, then those 
  of eostre, ullr, and finally the other benevolent gods. All 
  clergy are expected to be councilors, both to the nobility 
  and those of lower status. They have no power to over-
  rule decisions, only the wisdom to help ensure the cor-
  rect decision is made in the first place.
  Druids rank third. Although eostre has clerics, druids 
  have long been honored as defenders of the wild. it is the 
  druids who maintain relations with the fey who inhabit 
  the elven realms. Like clerics, they are councilors. But 
  they are also warriors, forming a vital part of the realm’s 
  defenses. 
  Within most realms the druids form themselves into a 
  council, the head of which is elected to hold the title Arch 
  Druid until such time as his colleagues deem another 
  should be appointed. The Arch Druid is a senior advisor 
  to the ruling noble and technically ranked among the 
  religious caste rather than the druid caste. He in turn 
  takes advice from the other druids.
  Next are the warriors, rangers, and hunters, those 
  who defend the realm from invaders and watch over the 
  communities. Wood warden captains rank highest, then 
  rules of the reAlm
  These setting rules apply in Angarion.
  * Living Forest: Thanks to pacts made long ago 
  with the fey, the vegetation of Angarion is prone to 
  moving. creepers and plants can cover over a trail 
  in moments, and even landmarks such as trees can 
  move around. Avoiding getting lost requires a Sur-
  vival roll each day. Penalties apply if the elves are 
  consciously trying to confuse intruders.
  * Many Spies: it is virtually impossible to walk an 
  elven forest without the elves knowing one’s lo-
  cation. The animals and plants are quick to pass 
  word of strangers to the nearest elf community. 
  Draw a card from the action deck every day. A red 
  card means the elves’ forest spies have discovered 
  the location of the intruders. From now on, they 
  will be watched wherever they go by seemingly in-
  nocuous animals. A party of elves begins tracking 
  the characters, typically after 1d4+2 days (sooner 
  of the GM rules the spy was a bird or fast moving 
  animal).
  * Metal Objects: Hearth elves do not produce 
  great quantities of metal armor, weapons, or goods, 
  though they sometimes trade for them. The price 
  for metal items in their realms, when they can be 
  found, is increased five fold. When trying to sell the 
  spoils of their adventures, the heroes’ roll to find a 
  buyer suffers a –4 penalty.
  * Nobility: Hearth elf characters can never rise 
  above the title leaflord unless they become the 
  ruler of a domain. Given leaders are expected to 
  serve their community and be present to give ad-
  vice, their adventuring time is heavily curtailed.
  * Trade: Hearth elves are fully aware of coins, but 
  they have no use for them within their realms. He-
  roes looking to sell war booty or buy equipment 
  will need to accept or offer trade goods if they 
  hope to strike any kind of deal.
  The GM should not demand the heroes keep a de-
  tailed list of their exact trade goods. A hero who 
  spends 100 gs on trade goods need only record 
  “trade goods: 100 gs” on his character sheet, leav-
  ing the exact nature of the goods flexible. He may 
  then spend the trade goods as if it were coin in the 
  unclaimed Lands. For convenience, every 5 gs of 
  trade goods weighs 2 pounds.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #43
  
  
  members of the king’s bodyguard (the Brilliant Blades), 
  professional soldiers, and finally hunters.
  Below them are the crafters. Master craftsmen are 
  senior, then wood-shapers, an ancient caste who retain 
  the magic for shaping wood, and then all others who 
  practice a valued craft. elementalists often fall into this 
  caste, for they work with magic.
  Finally there are the other members of society, those 
  who fit into no other strata. They are not a lower class as 
  humans would understand it, for their skills are still es-
  sential to the survival of the community. A humble berry 
  gatherer may not seem like a prestigious occupation, 
  but it is they who know when to harvest, how much to 
  harvest to ensure a good crop next season, and, more 
  importantly, exactly what to harvest.
  exact social caste is flexible. A noble elementalist is 
  still a noble, whereas an elementalist who serves as a 
  warrior is treated as a member of the higher caste.
  the fey nobIlIty
  The Shining king may be the ruler of the elves of 
  Angarion, but he is not the sole authority. vast sections 
  of the forest are divided among powerful fey nobles of 
  both courts. While they rarely interfere in mundane af-
  fairs, and certainly demand no oaths of allegiance from 
  the elves, they are powers the king cannot readily ignore. 
  Most interaction takes the form of gifts, which elves leave 
  to honor the ancient pacts betwixt mortals and fey.
  educAtIon
  Given good health and a non-hazardous lifestyle, 
  an elf can expect to live for around 400-500 years. elf 
  children grow at about half the rate as humans, reaching 
  maturity in their 30th year (14-15 in human terms). After 
  this, the aging process begins to slow dramatically. As a 
  rough rule of thumb, once past 30 an elf ages at one-fifth 
  the rate of a human.
  education is very much hands on and handled by all 
  members of the community. Storytellers teach much of 
  the history, culture, heraldry, and law of the hearth elf 
  race, but others are free to add their wisdom. identifi-
  cation of plants and animals forms a core part of child-
  hood, for the elves retain their role as gardeners and 
  protectors of the wild. in order to learn what it means 
  to be responsible for the wellbeing of nature, young 
  elves are given a plant or animal to nurture to maturity. 
  Typically the animal or plant chosen has a relatively short 
  lifespan—young elves must grow accustomed to death 
  and destruction, for these are a fundamental part of the 
  great and eternal cycle of life.
  children are also expected to serve their community. 
  They help with minor chores, such as preparing meals, 
  collecting firewood, sharpening weapons, feeding live-
  stock, fetch and carry supplies, and so on.
  As they mature, they learn how to move through the 
  forest without disturbing it. Partly this is out of respect for 
  the woodland, but it also serves as training for future life, 
  when they may be called upon to defend their homes. 
  They learn the secret names of plants, and charms to 
  make them move aside to allow easy passage.
  Hearth elf children are taught Hearth elven as their 
  first language. Secondary languages most favored are Ar-
  boreal, Beastspeech, and Fey. A few learn the languages 
  of races neighboring them, but Trader is not common.
  While frost dwarves and taiga elves are quite insular, 
  hearth elves are less reticent about mixing with other 
  races. They are not as comfortable outside their forest 
  homes, and they rarely allow intruders to venture far into 
  them, but they are open to dialogue and limited trade.
  relIgIon
  While hearth elf society is more uniform than that of 
  humans, the gods worshipped varies by realm, as with 
  the other races and cultures. in Angarion, three are held 
  in higher esteem than others, though most are honored 
  at some time or another.
  Sigel is the patron of Angarion. Among hearth elves in 
  general he is considered the husband of eostre and co-
  creator of the elves. every elf community has a shrine to 
  the sun god in the form of a sundial or small stone circle 
  (a representation of the sun disc). Remnants of a bygone 
  age when magic was more plentiful and the elves wiser 
  in such lores, the stones glow at night. Their brilliance 
  has dimmed as Sigel grows weaker, a reminder that all is 
  not well in the heavens.
  eostre is the great mother. While her cult has two 
  aspects, elves in general worship her as a single goddess. 
  She is the mother of their race, and the creator and pro-
  tector of all plants and animals that grow on Rassilon. 
  Temples and shrines are uncommon, for the whole of 
  Angarion is viewed as one vast, living temple.
  While many consider elves to be strict vegetarians, 
  they do eat meat, fowl, and fish. Hunter-gatherers by 
  nature, they honor ullr as the third most powerful deity. 
  unlike humans, elves rarely hunt for sport. All parts of 
  the kill are used, for to do otherwise is an insult to eostre 
  and the spirit of the slain beast.
  Among the many misconceptions regarding them is 
  the belief they are pacifists. elves are certainly not war-
  mongers, but they prefer to kill only in self-defense. eira 
  is popular, but more for her gift of herbalism, an art in 
  which elf healers are accomplished masters.
  ertha, kenaz, Neorthe, and Thunor are worshipped as 
  the gods of the four elements. Worship is strong among 
  the druids (though eostre is their patron) and elemental-
  ists (elves having developed the art long before humans 
  adopted it). Most elves offer prayers to the elemental 
  deities at some point, for they form the very fabric of the 
  mortal realm, and together allow life to prosper.
  Freo is the son of ullr. He supposedly taught the elves 
  how to move unhindered through forests. Prayers are 
  AngArIon
  3
  
  offered frequently, but clerics are rare—the hearth elves 
  have scant interest in the greater world.
  elves are not bookish creatures, but they are knowl-
  edgeable—it is hard not to acquire wisdom when one 
  lives for centuries. However, elves rarely write books. 
  Hoenir’s clergy are storytellers, passing on the ancient 
  stories in poem, song, and tale. Hence, among the elves 
  skalds honor the god of knowledge rather than the un-
  knowable One.
  elves are generally law-abiding, but their laws derive 
  from the natural laws, not the laws of civilization. Free 
  will and community spirit lie at the heart of elven cul-
  ture, leaving little room for worship of Hothar and his 
  strict conformance to the law.
  Maera, Sigel’s sister, is the goddess of the starry fir-
  mament and patron of elementalists. it is she, the elves 
  believe, who gave them the gift of all magic except druid-
  ism, which is a gift from eostre.
  Rigr is popular among the warriors, for elves are 
  ever watchful for intruders. Tiw, by comparison, is not, 
  for elves see no sense in battle for its own sake. ullr is 
  the primary war god. As much as they detest undead, 
  a twisted mockery of eostre’s vision, Scaetha has few 
  adherents. Her role as defender against the undead is 
  relatively new, at least in terms of elven life spans, and Si-
  gel is still the main champion against darkness. The elves 
  peculiar funerary rites deny her as goddess of death, for 
  nothing ever truly dies.
  The unknowable One has no official status. He has 
  followers and clerics, but most elves have no patience for 
  his japes. if something must be learned, then it is better 
  to be told outright, not taught through experience. The 
  passing of knowledge from one generation to the next is 
  a mainstay of hearth elf culture.
  Hearth elves know of var, but they are poor traders 
  due to their belief in community spirit and sharing. A 
  few hardliners resent him, for his greed encourages the 
  exploitation of the world’s resources.
  Many other races and cultures consider the hearth 
  elves to be a good race, mysterious and sometimes overly 
  aggressive in the defense of their realms, but incapable 
  of true evil. Such talk is utter nonsense. Hearth elves are 
  just as capable of acts of wickedness and servitude to 
  the dark gods as any other beings. True, there are fewer 
  elves found in the cults of Dargar, Niht, Thrym, Hela, and 
  vali than humans, but this is only because there are few 
  hearth elves remaining.
  funerAry customs
  Nothing lives for ever. Flesh ages, trees rot and fall, 
  and mountains are ground to dust. eons may be required 
  to bring death, but it will come eventually.
  Death is a sad time for elves, for the loss of wisdom is 
  a blow to their race. But it is also a time for celebration, 
  for elves hold that death is not the end of existence. The 
  spirits of the deceased become part of eostre’s divine 
  energy, bringing new growth and new life to the world.
  Standard funeral practise are to inter the dead in 
  the ground, where their flesh may decay to provide 
  sustenance and their spirit become one with the natural 
  world. Funerals are accompanied by a mixture of wailing 
  and joyous singing.
  mIlItAry
  As mentioned in the Hellfrost Gazetteer, elf commu-
  nities are protected by professional warriors (rangers) 
  and druids, plus the elite wood wardens.
  The largest formation in Angarion comprises every 
  ranger and druid, plus every adult. The army is com-
  manded by the war captain. The war captain, who is 
  also one of the king’s advisors and is treated as being 
  a noble, has sole command over the army. The Shining 
  king can overrule his decisions, but he has never done 
  so, nor have any of his predecessors—the war captain is 
  appointed for his experience, not his belligerence.
  The professional army, which numbers 1,500 rangers 
  and 300 druids, has never mustered as a single force, and 
  it is unlikely it ever will. Should every potential warrior 
  be called to arms, the elves of Angarion can rally close to 
  15,000 troops. For such an act to occur, the threat would 
  have to be of cataclysmic proportions (even during the 
  Blizzard War the entire army was never called to arms).
  The army is divided into companies. each company 
  protects a single region within the forest. Due to varia-
  tions in population, a company comprises anywhere 
  from 20 to 100 troops. They are led by a captain. With 
  additional troops, the strength of any company can swell 
  by as much as fivefold.
  The smallest unit comprises three to five members. 
  Typically this is made up of four rangers and one druid. 
  One of the number holds a rank equivalent to that of 
  sergeant among humans. These small patrols watch 
  over the borders, constantly roving through the forest to 
  check on communities and living off the land.
  The Wood Wardens are servants of the Shining king, 
  but they are not considered part of the regular army. 
  They are less concerned with protecting any one realm, 
  and instead focus on protecting forests as a whole. Given 
  their training, they are an elite force, but one which op-
  erates largely on its own recognizance.
  elves dislike metal armor, partly because they are not 
  skilled metalworkers and partly because it is heavy and 
  noisy. Speed and stealth are essential parts of elf tactics. 
  Long bows are favored missile weapons, and elves are 
  widely regarded as the best archers in Rassilon. Spears 
  and long swords are the preferred melee weapons.
  elves are often regarded as being dirty fighters, for 
  they prefer ambushes to pitched battles. To the elves, 
  such tactics merely play to their strengths and knowledge 
  of the wild. it also ties into an ancient belief that anyone 
  who fights on their enemies’ terms is doomed to fail. 
  unlike many cultures, elves have always blended 
  magic and steel in harmony. Many druid spells can be 
  employed in war, and the elves are not shy about do-
  hellfrost regIon guIde #43
  4
  
  ing so. The elves also employ animals in war, as scouts, 
  messengers, and soldiers. Such allies are not treated as 
  expendable assets—the loss of an animal ally is as much 
  a loss to the community as that of an elf.
  Hawks fly high on the wind, spying on enemy move-
  ments before swooping down to blind enemy command-
  ers and spellcasters. Packs of wolves harry cavalry and 
  skirmishers. Raging bears smash through enemy ranks, 
  rending and crushing with their powerful limbs and 
  jaws. Swarms of biting and stinging insects can inflict 
  much devastation, especially against massed ranked.
  The elves can also call upon many fey, both Seelie and 
  unseelie, to aid them. Such assistance always comes at 
  a price, and the elves are loathe to summon the fey too 
  often or for trivial matters.
  A typical small scale elf ambush is detailed in Hellfrost 
  Encounters Book 1.
  trAde & trIbute
  No trade roads pass through Angarion, nor do the 
  elf settlements house any great markets. Self-sufficient 
  in everything they need for daily life, the elves export 
  art and jewelry only in return for preserved food and 
  seeds (which they store in preparation for hard times) 
  and spare weapons.
  When the elves trade, they do so on the very edge of 
  their territory. Only rarely will they send caravans out of 
  the forest, for bandits are a constant risk and removing 
  soldiers to protect caravans leaves communities exposed. 
  Trade locations are frequently moved, and often at very 
  short notice. visiting merchants find this annoying, but 
  there is little they can do if they want to do business 
  with Angarion. Although few guards are ever visible, 
  experienced merchants know that any attempt to double 
  cross the elves or take their wares by force will unleash a 
  deadly volley of arrows and spells.
  Aside from their swords, spearheads, and arrow tips, 
  the elves have little use for metal. They consider min-
  ing a detestable practice—the excavated ore can never 
  be fully replaced. clothing is mainly leather or wool, 
  though the elves are master of weaving plant fibers into 
  durable clothing. Bowls and utensils are wooden, and 
  cooking pots are rare—meat is roasted on spits while 
  many vegetables are eaten raw or steamed in the stom-
  ach of animals (nothing goes to waste).
  elves do not pay tax, nor do they accept demands of 
  tribute from others. every elf is part of his community, 
  and that community can only survive if the whole is 
  strong. A portion of hunted or gathered food is given to 
  the community, usually through the local cleric of eostre. 
  Those short of food can request assistance. No stigma is 
  attached to this request.
  Goods are considered joint property, though certain 
  restrictions apply—one would not borrow a ranger’s 
  only sword, leaving him defenseless, for instance. Not 
  only does it endanger the life of the ranger, but it threat-
  ens the entire community. That said, the elves have been 
  around long enough to understand that other races 
  value personal possessions.
  ArchItecture
  Hearth elf settlements are always created above 
  ground, in the boughs of great trees. This practice has 
  led many to believe elves live in trees, sleeping on open 
  platforms so as to be closer to nature. elves ignore such 
  claims, for they know that building in the boughs pro-
  vides concealment both from above and below, and gives 
  the elves cover while unleashing deadly volleys of arrows 
  and spells.
  Architecture takes two forms—ancient and modern. 
  Ancient architecture is organic, artificial wooden con-
  struction blending seamlessly into growing trees by mag-
  ic workers known as wood-shapers. elven constructions 
  are thin and seemingly flimsy, yet are as strong as stone 
  thanks to the ancient magic employed in their creation. 
  Wood-shaping is a rare art these days, and few have the 
  ability to master the art.
  Modern buildings are built on thick circular platforms 
  built around the girth of trees. Buildings are thus simi-
  larly round. They are beautifully worked, elegant by the 
  crude standards of humans, but lack the finesse of the 
  older constructions. Angles are still unusual, for elves 
  prefer natural curves.
  Similar platforms exist at many places throughout the 
  forest realm. No buildings adorn these, and they are well 
  camouflaged. They are used as watch posts by soldiers 
  and are kept well stocked with preserved food.
  except for the Sun-Home, temples are not enclosed 
  buildings, nor are they found above ground. Most are 
  little more than stone circles or sacred groves.
  in order to prevent fire destroying a community, 
  hearths are found only outside buildings (except in the 
  temples of kenaz). Stones are sometimes used to sur-
  round the hearth, but elves prefer to use planks of fire 
  resistant hardwood native only to Angarion.
  Lighting takes the form of torches (placed away from 
  vegetation), glow flies placed in wicker baskets (they 
  are released after a few days), or ancient glow orbs, rare 
  magical spheres that emit constant light but no heat. 
  These orbs are extremely fragile, and most have been 
  broken over the centuries. Today, only the noble palaces 
  and great temples use them.
  mAjor locAles
  Angarion is a vast, forested realm. its tangled veg-
  etation and tightly packed trees conceals many elf 
  settlements, sacred places (see Region Guide #1: Sacred 
  Places for details on how to create these), and hidden 
  places (see Region Guide #39: Lakeland for details).
  AngArIon
  
  
  the forbIdden ruIns
  Among the many ancient ruins half-concealed be-
  neath the vegetation are the crumbling tiers of a stepped 
  pyramid of inhuman design. explorations made long 
  ago revealed no traces of writing or carvings. The elves 
  consider the ruins to be haunted and largely avoid them. 
  Once or twice a year a patrol makes a brief sweep of the 
  area to check orcs have not moved in.
  While the upper structure appears desolate, it houses 
  a cunningly worked secret door. Stairs beyond lead down 
  into the bowels of the earth, where the gatormen exca-
  vated many tunnels and chambers. During the height of 
  the empire it was used as a crypt for the earthly remains 
  of priests. As the empire fell to decadence and decay, the 
  remaining priests hid away what they had of their race’s 
  ancient knowledge and treasure, for they foresaw a time 
  when their empire would stand no more.
  While it is widely held that necromancy came into be-
  ing only when Hela went mad, this belief holds true only 
  with regard to the current pantheon. The gatormen had 
  long known of such practices, though they considered 
  them a fell art. The priests’ final act was to awaken the 
  mummified dead as undead guardians. it was hoped the 
  gatormen would ascend from the flames of their empire 
  and the knowledge be reclaimed, but such was not the 
  will of the universe.
  forest gIAnt hold
  Many forest giants live in Angarion. A small few are 
  staunch allies of the hearth elves, having made vows of 
  friendship in return for past assistance. Most are neutral, 
  aiding the elves only when common enemies threatens 
  both races but otherwise ignoring them so long as they 
  are not disturbed. Those living near the border with 
  the Magocracy are ancient enemies, having long warred 
  against the elves. The elves could muster the strength to 
  destroy them, but the Shining king is unwilling to de-
  stroy them simply because they are unfriendly. A decree 
  forbidding the elves from harming the giants was issued 
  two centuries ago. His merciful order so long ago may 
  cost the elves dear.
  Five forest giant families have recently formed a clan. 
  in place of their isolated steads they have constructed a 
  massive stead, a single storey high yet as vast as many hu-
  man castles. They have allied themselves with unseelie 
  fey and began raiding nearby elf communities. The elves 
  fear that the giants’ strength could soon be swelled by 
  others of their kind. And with war with the Magocracy 
  on the horizon, the elves can ill-afford to have enemies 
  behind their lines.
  The Shining king has been beseeched to allow 
  the elves to destroy the vast hold before the situation 
  requires dire intervention, but he has not yet replied. 
  unwilling to break their bonds of allegiance, the local 
  nobles are considering something almost as unthinkable 
  as disobeying their king’s orders—hiring outsiders to do 
  their dirty work for them.
  orc nests
  While the elves would have outsiders believe their 
  realm is free of orcs, Angarion is a huge realm, the elf 
  communities are far apart, and their patrols cannot be 
  everywhere. While it is true the orcs avoid the dark in-
  terior, they are plentiful on the western and northern 
  fringes. The elves mete out death if the orcs appear to be 
  gaining strength, but for the most part they are content 
  merely to watch their enemies. The elves turn a blind eye 
  to adventuring parties out to destroy the orcs.
  Web Wood
  The area immediately south of the Bare Hills has al-
  ways been a dark realm, largely avoided by the elves ex-
  cept when they have needed to enter to drive out orcs.
  Home to a powerful unseelie fey noble known as the 
  Black Widow, the region is inhabited any several species 
  of aggressive giant spiders, not to mention swarms of 
  their smaller kin. Great webs strand the great trees, while 
  high in the boughs bundles of tightly woven web conceal 
  the withered remains of animals and elves sucked dry of 
  their vital fluids.
  cultists of Spiðari (see Region Guide #0) recently 
  driven from Spiderfell Wood by the brave actions of a 
  small band of heroes, have taken refuge here. untroubled 
  by the spiders or their fey ruler, to whom the cultists 
  have sworn allegiance, they have began spreading the 
  influence of their vile cult among the neighboring hearth 
  elf communities. The cult is small, but growing rapidly.
  WhIte deAth forest
  A deadly curse has befallen a remote region in west-
  ern Angarion. Winter is now a permanent feature, and 
  many trees at the heart of the area have turned to living 
  icewood. Strange elementals and icy creatures, monsters 
  known to the taiga elves but unheard of in the hearth 
  elf stronghold since the dark days of the Blizzard War, 
  run amok. Rangers have reported sighting frost giants 
  migrating to the area.
  The frigid region comprises two concentric circles of 
  biting cold. The core has a 10 mile diameter. it is blan-
  keted in permanent snow and ice. Treat the temperature 
  as the Outer Hellfrost. The outer ring is a further 20 
  miles in diameter and has a climate equal to the High 
  Winterlands.
  During the Blizzard War, many Hellfrost dragons met 
  their demise while trying to raze Angarion to the ground. 
  One, a colossal ancient beast, fell to the earth in the cen-
  ter of the blighted region. its flesh has decayed, leaving 
  naught but bones and its shriveled, icy heart. Thanks to 
  Thrym’s machinations, that withered heart has began to 
  beat once more. each sickly thump sends frigid waves 
  of magical energy into Angarion, threatening to turn the 
  entire forest into a version of Witchwood. The heart now 
  lies inside an ice fortress populated by giants and cold-
  based elementals.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #43
  
  
  IntroductIon
  The loose confederation of villages and towns that make up this frontier land have 
  weathered the terrors of the Liche-Priest and the ravages of the Blizzard War. Orcs, giants, 
  and beastmen are constant threats, yet the Borderlands remains a bustling center of trade. 
  Here there are plentiful opportunities to earn money and glory. There is also much danger. 
  This supplement expands on information in the Hellfrost Gazetteer. Details on the Tuomi 
  culture can be found in Region Guide #23: The Battlelands.
  trade & trIbute
  Ever since the Anari conquered Aspiria, the Borderlands has functioned as a market-
  place, allowing trade between neighboring states and cultures. Centuries may have passed 
  and the native Tuomi have lost their grip on the realm, but the scattered settlements con-
  tinue to form a vital link in Rassilon’s great trade networks.
  When outsiders talk of the many trade roads running through the Borderlands they 
  do so from the perspective of Ludogov being the capital. This is because four major trade 
  routes pass through the town and it is the most centrally located. All names below are 
  those used by Ludogov’s citizens and foreign merchants. Every settlement has its own 
  name for the road it straddles, a source of much confusion for those new to the region.
  The Purple Road runs from Aspiria to Ludogov and is named both for the Aspirian wine 
  that flows along this route and the Purple Hills the road traverses (and to a lesser extent 
  the Purple Mead exports). Gems are another major import. Ludogov’s craftsmen work 
  the precious stones into gold and silver jewelry before exporting them to markets far and 
  wide. The Battlelands is also a major source of gemstones.
  The Wooden Road goes from Ludogov to Pohst, where logging is a major industry. 
  Much of the wood is sold in Ludogov, from where it is exported further afield.
  Heading southeast is the Dragon Road, so named for the potent marsh dragon stomach 
  acid sold by the swamp-dwelling citizens of Scayle. From Scayle, the Low Battle Road runs 
  to the southern Battlelands.
  Heading north from Ludogov runs the Glass Road. The name is a recent one, having 
  been adopted when trade through Glass Pass ceased and Vimmar became its source into 
  the Borderlands. Before that it was the Fur Road. The Cattle Road winds its way from Vim-
  mar to Hjorn. From here it becomes the Giant Road as it carries on eastward, eventually 
  31244
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 4 •
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  the borderlands
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  crossing into the northern Battlelands at Giantwatch as 
  the High Battle Road.
  Major locales
  This section details more of the Borderlands’ many 
  settlements and adventuring sites.
  blaIr claIgIonn
  in his attempt to conquer Aspiria, the Liche-Priest 
  sent his armies through the southern Drachenlands and 
  down toward the Purple Hills. Given advanced warning 
  by fleeing refugees, the Aspirian army marched to battle 
  beyond their borders. The first clash of the campaign 
  took place just north of the Purple Hills.
  Many thousands of Aspirians and their allies were 
  slain, but the undead army’s progress was halted. How 
  many undead perished that day is unknown, for historical 
  records are notoriously exaggerated. The site was named 
  Blair Claigionn (“Blar kylcun”), the Plain of Bones, an 
  indication of the carnage that was wrought here.
  unable to bury their dead at the time, and unwilling 
  simply to let them become servants of the damned liche, 
  the corpses were hurriedly hacked apart and left for the 
  crows. After the war, great burial mounds were erected 
  on either side of the trade road, which cut through the 
  heart of the battlefield, monuments to the fallen and 
  Aspiria’s courage in that darkest of days.
  Blair Claigionn is haunted. Dread wraiths and ghosts 
  drift over the battlefield, unable to find rest. Worse, cult-
  ists of Hela often come here looking for intact specimens 
  or relics of old missed during the hasty burials. in some 
  tombs the dumping of undead bodies still possessing 
  minute traces of necromantic energy has caused the 
  bones to merge into massive undead creatures half-jok-
  ingly called grave elementals.
  Slower caravans are often forced to camp beside the 
  trade road at night. Few sleep soundly, despite numer-
  ous perimeter bonfires and alert guards. Clerics of Sca-
  etha pass through on occasion, but they have no time 
  to excavate the great mounds in the hope of finding an 
  active undead. When undead rise in strength, though, 
  they are quick to respond.
  the blood Wall
  On the western bank of the Lakeflow River stands a 
  grisly remnant of the Liche-Priest’s passage through the 
  Battlelands. A 15’ high stone wall forms a square almost 
  half a mile to a side. imbedded in the wall are hundreds 
  of corpses, still fresh and stained with blood despite 
  the passage of almost 600 years. Tortured screams and 
  moans constantly emanate from the writhing corpses.
  No living creatures save cultists of Hela have seen 
  what lies inside the compound. Those who try to climb 
  the walls are attacked by grasping arms and gnashing 
  skulls, only to meet swarms of zombies and clouds of 
  disembodied spirits so thick they resembled dense fog. 
  Flying has revealed nothing save constantly swirling mist, 
  though whether that is natural or the countless ghosts is 
  unknown. The wall is undoubtedly imbued with magic, 
  for it has resisted even the heaviest siege weapons and 
  damaging miracles.
  When the site was discovered the cult of Scaetha was 
  quick to launch a major assault. A hundred clerics died 
  for naught, for not one managed to survive more than a 
  dozen steps once beyond the wall before the attack was 
  abandoned. Their torn and battered corpses were later 
  found imbedded in the wall.
  That the compound was raised by the Liche-Priest 
  is not disputed, for only he could imagine such a mon-
  strous edifice and command so many fell spirits. yet its 
  purpose is subject to conjecture. The most popular story 
  claims it is the resting place of a powerful lieutenant of 
  the cursed cleric, who protected by his guardians, slum-
  bers until his master awakens. Some say the site marks 
  where the Liche-Priest was wounded in battle, though 
  no records ever speak of him traveling this far west. Just 
  as unlikely are claims it is the gateway where Hela’s dark 
  spirits enter the mortal realm.
  While the undead defend the site with eternal fervor, 
  they have made no attempts to break out. Rather than 
  waste manpower watching over the site, clerics of Sca-
  etha visit when in the region just to check. Aside from 
  fresh corpses added to the wall, nothing has changed 
  down the centuries.
  doIregart
  Population: 942
  Ruler: Grandfather Oak
  Religion: Eostre Plantmother
  Imports: iron
  Exports: Grain, vegetables
  Doiregart (“Durugart”), Tuomi for “the enclosure of 
  the grove,” stands on the trade road south of Melitel. 
  rules of the realM
  These setting rules apply in the Borderlands
  * Land Grab: Since there is no central ruler, heroes 
  wishing to found a new settlement are free to do so, 
  and will encounter little opposition unless they try 
  to claim someone else’s lands. Most of the Border-
  lands’ settlements lie along or close to trade roads.
  * Trade: With most of the settlements along the 
  trade roads, merchants are frequent visitors. items 
  hard to find in other realms can be relative com-
  mon here. City items in a town or town items in a 
  village cost 25% more than normal, when they are 
  available. City items in a village cost 50% more than 
  normal, if available. Special goods can still only be 
  purchased in the described location.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #44
  
  
  in the center of the village, surrounded by a stout 
  palisade, stands a small forest. it covers an area of 
  around ten acres. The site is considered especially sacred 
  to Eostre Plantmother, and only her clerics or visiting 
  druids are permitted entry. Other elves may be granted 
  access, but such enquiries are handled on a case by case 
  basis. Reapers known as the Earth Blood Guard patrol 
  the perimeter day and night, ever vigilant for intruders. 
  They have standing orders to attack first and ask ques-
  tions second.
  Doiregart’s ruler, Grandfather Oak, is a tree man. He 
  lives in the sacred compound, communing with his god-
  dess, tending the trees and plants, and greeting visiting 
  fey. quite how Grandfather Oak came to lead the com-
  munity is long forgotten, but he has stayed here since its 
  foundingn a little under three centuries ago. Although 
  the clerics of Eostre obey his every command without 
  question, he rarely makes any decrees. For the most part 
  the high priestess, currently Cultivator Sexburh Eadrics-
  dohtor, runs the village.
  Virtually every citizen is a worshipper of Eostre Plant-
  mother, though prayers are still offered to other gods 
  when appropriate. At present the cult has 35 priests and 
  20 paladins. Every year, the clerics whose land produces 
  the most crops is awarded the title high priest for the 
  next year.
  The high priest is responsible for judging civil and 
  criminal cases in addition to her duties as a cleric. in 
  addition to common laws, Eostre’s religious laws (sins) 
  are treated as criminal legislation.
  The fertile land surrounding the village is divided into 
  plots of equal size. Only clerics of Eostre Plantmother 
  may own land. The villagers are their tenants. They pay 
  rent and must work for the cleric on whose land their 
  home stands, but they are also granted a small patch to 
  grow their own crops and earn a fair wage. Villagers keep 
  sheep and goats, but only for their milk and wool. Fish 
  and fowl are eaten, but no other meat.
  High priestess Sexburh is deeply troubled, for Grand-
  father Oak has been suffering blight. No spells or herbal 
  remedies have been able to help his condition. Sexburh 
  is unsure whether the tree man is ill, or succumbing to 
  the ravages of old age. So far she has managed to keep 
  his condition secret, but no secret remains so forever.
  god Wound VIllage
  Population: 676
  Ruler: Merciful Daughter Glitterskin
  Religion: Eira, Ertha
  Imports: Pottery, timber, vegetables
  Exports: Healing
  A low peak in the Silvercap Mountains, God Wound 
  Mountain is named for the red vegetation that clings to 
  its summit. Legends claim that a deity dripped blood onto 
  the mortal realm during the God War. A single splash 
  landed on the mountain top, staining it red as the blood 
  soaked through the rock and into Ertha’s Realm. Which 
  deity suffered the injury depends on who is telling the 
  story. Listeners demanding further proof are pointed to 
  the base of the mountain, where stands God Wound Vil-
  lage. Within the village’s stone walls are numerous bub-
  bling mud pools, steaming vents, and sulfurous fumes.
  The hot springs an mud pools have long been held 
  to have curative properties. One drinks the water to 
  cure internal ailments and bathes in the warm mud to 
  rid oneself of external afflictions. God Wound Village is 
  Rassilon’s only known spa resort. The water and pools 
  do have some beneficial effects (Fatigue from Bumps 
  and Bruises is removed after two hours of treatment and 
  drinking a pint of the water a day an antibiotic), but they 
  are not magical.
  The village’s primary export is the range of beauty 
  and health treatments it offers. At a minimum of 20 gold 
  scields per treatment, the citizens make a decent living. 
  More traditional herbal healing (brewed using the hot 
  water) is also available, as is magical healing.
  Although the cult of Eira is popular here, for obvious 
  reasons, there is also a sizeable temple to Ertha. The citi-
  zens come here to mourn, for they believe that while the 
  god’s blood which causes the earth to bubble and hiss 
  cures mortal afflictions, it pains Ertha. Devout cultists 
  scourge themselves so as to feel Ertha’s pain, and prac-
  tice bloodletting, spilling the hot fluid onto the ground 
  in a bid to alleviate the burning inflicted by the wounded 
  deity’s blood.
  The village’s mayor is always the high priestess of the 
  cult of Eira. A frostborn, Glitterskin finds the hot air un-
  comfortable. Only in winter does she feel comfortable. 
  Her devotion to curing the sick prevents her from leav-
  ing for a more suitable climate. With so many rich clients, 
  the cult has decided it is necessary to have a permanent 
  military force. Led by a Peacekeeper, the army comprises 
  26 veteran mercenaries. They are handsomely paid.
  in the hills above the village are numerous caves. The 
  heat from the god’s blood is felt even here, for the tem-
  perature inside is always equivalent to a Hearthlands’ 
  summer, even in the coldest of winters. Orcs have re-
  cently been drawn here by the warmth. They know the 
  village is wealthy, for they have seen the number of visi-
  tors. For now their raids have been limited to testing the 
  defenses, but soon they plan a major assault.
  God Wound’s growing popularity is damaging the 
  cult’s fortunes in Ludogov. Although the clerics in the 
  great town are pacifists, nothing about their faith pre-
  vents them bad mouthing their business rivals.
  Karad narog
  Population: 4,049
  Ruler: Hauld Ragvig Brittle-Beard
  Religion: Ertha, Eostre Plantmother, Tiw
  Imports: icewood
  Exports: Fungi, gold, silver
  The sole dwarf fortress-city in the Battlelands, karad 
  Narog lies in the Silvercap Mountains, not far from the 
  source of the Caprun River. Though still reclusive, they 
  do trade with communities along the river.
  the borderlands
  
  
  While the city continues to exploit the rapidly shrink-
  ing veins of precious metal, its primary export is actually 
  slabs of dried fungus. While searching for fresh mineral 
  resources in the lower depths of the city, miners acci-
  dentally broke through into a network of natural caverns 
  covered in vast growths of fungi. Finding the fungi ed-
  ible, they quickly began harvesting it and selling it to 
  icewood traders.
  Although a few orcs and goblins occasionally stumble 
  into the caverns, fungals are the biggest menace. Nor-
  mally timid creatures, the strange beings have reacted to 
  the theft of their crops with violence. The dwarves have 
  so far managed to hold on to their new revenue stream, 
  but losses are mounting.
  The current ruler is extremely elderly. He has clung to 
  life despite being infirm for the last 50 years, seemingly 
  refusing to die. Given the state of politics in the city, his 
  reluctance to pass over is understandable.
   The nobles who serve him are divided into three 
  competing factions. One believes there is more mineral 
  wealth to exploit. They argue the diversion of resources 
  to harvesting fungus is an insult to their ancestors. An-
  other faction believes the mineral resources have all but 
  been exhausted and the dwarves should abandon their 
  home for richer grounds. The third faction also holds 
  the mineral resources are spent, but they advocate an 
  expansion of the fungi trade.
  The hauld tries his best to appease all three factions, 
  but tensions are rising and there have already been acts 
  of sabotage. Ragvig feels that his death will trigger a civil 
  war, for he has no heirs and the main contenders for the 
  title come from different factions.
  PIg fort
  Population: 573
  Ruler: Husbander Caewlin the Boar (Mayor)
  Religion: Eostre Animalmother, Var
  Imports: Grain, pottery, vegetables
  Exports: Pigs, pork products, truffles
  The comically named settlement sits close to the As-
  pirian border, inside an old Tuomi hill fort overlooking 
  the Purple Road. Nearby is a small patch of wild forest, 
  aptly known as Pig Wood. The Tuomi name for the settle-
  ment is Dun Muc (“Fort of the Pigs”). 
  Pigs form the backbone of the village’s economy. Salt-
  ed pork, smoked pork, and piglets are the main exports, 
  supplemented by truffles unearthed by the pig’s during 
  their foraging. Villagers from far and wide, even Aspiria, 
  bring their sows to mate with the prize boars.
  Pigs are not regarded as being clean animals, what 
  with their fondness of rolling in mud. The streets are 
  filthy with churned mud and pig dung, and stink to high 
  heaven in summer. That the Tuomi word for pigs (muc) 
  sounds like the Anari word muck has led many to believe 
  the settlement is actually named for the pervasive odor.
  The mayor of Pig Fort is always a cleric of Eostre Plant-
  mother elected by the people. Each mayor rules for five 
  years. Only the heads of families who keep at least 20 
  pigs may vote. Most citizens thus maintain a small herd. 
  The current mayor’s nickname comes about from his 
  sexual appetite and his fierce temper. He is also highly 
  protective of his community and an astute businessman.
  The temple of Eostre, which naturally is decorated 
  with images of swine, serves as a place of worship, a 
  veterinary clinic, and a slaughterhouse. Although Apple 
  Day is a festival to Eostre’s Plantmother aspect, it is held 
  in Pig Fort as Nut Day (nuts grow wild in the forest and 
  form part of the pigs’ diet). Great markets are held each 
  Herding Day. Although there are some sheep in the com-
  munity, Birthing Day is determined by the first piglet to 
  be born to the temple’s swine herd.
  PIPer’s hIll
  Population: 319
  Ruler: Mayor Hardouin ap-Amyon
  Religion: Var, Eira
  Imports: Trade
  Exports: Trade
  Piper’s Hill sits at the base of a large, round hill. it 
  takes its name from Tuomi word Prevairecnoc (“Peebiru 
  knoc”) , which literally means “hill of the piper.”
  The local Tuomi believe the hill is home to a powerful 
  unseelie noble known as the Black Piper. in days past 
  they sacrificed a young child (decided by lot) to the fey 
  lord at the start of each year to appease him. When the 
  Anari founded a trading post at the base of the hill they 
  forbade the practice. The Tuomi immediately packed up 
  and left. They continue to avoid the village.
  The village sits alongside the Dragon Road, at the 
  base of the eastern foothills of the Hollow Mountains. 
  Over the years the trading post grew into a prosperous 
  village. it was resettled after the Blizzard War, but it re-
  mains small by Borderlands’ standards.
  Part of the village’s income still comes from general 
  trade. A convenient halfway point, it caters to merchants 
  from Scayle and Ludogov, as well as the smaller commu-
  nities along the trade road. Piper’s Hill has no natural 
  resources of note. instead, it imports raw resources, and 
  turns them into finished goods.
  Though not wealthy by the standards of other realms, 
  trade is good and profits high. A lot of money has been 
  spent over the years providing strong fortifications. A 
  high, steep sided earth bank fronted with flat stones and 
  topped with a palisade lies behind a deep ditch. Access is 
  via a wooden bridge and a double gatehouse.
  Originally governed by descendants of the original 
  founder, an elected mayor has ruled since the last scion 
  of that house died childless. Since the settlement relies 
  on trade and crafts, they hold power. Only merchants and 
  craftsmen may stand for office and vote in the elections. 
  The mayor rules alone, but if he wants to be reelected he 
  must appease the voters with his policies.
  The citizens of Piper’s Hill live in fear of the Black 
  Piper. Shortly after the settlement was founded a great 
  plague of rats descended on it. Fearful of their lives and 
  livelihoods, the inhabitants accepted the offer of a pass-
  hellfrost regIon guIde #44
  4
  
  ing stranger. in return for a hefty sum, he would drive 
  away the rats. The villagers refused. The rat problem grew 
  worse and the stranger returned, this time demanding 
  a higher price. After a month of this the villagers could 
  hold out no longer and accepted the stranger’s by now 
  exorbitant fee.
  The stranger produced a set of pipes and played a 
  haunting melody. Hypnotized by the unearthly notes, 
  the rats followed the musician out of the village and into 
  a cave in the hills from which they never returned. The 
  piper returned to the village and demanded payment, 
  but the villagers refused. The stranger put up no fight. 
  instead, he smiled wryly. He casually told the villagers 
  that the price would be paid down the centuries, but not 
  in coin. With that, he left. 
  Every generation (about 15 years) since that day, the 
  same strange, unearthly music floats down from the 
  nearby hill. When it does, the citizens weep, for by morn-
  ing a number of children will have disappeared. Many 
  believe the Piper is taking one child for each gold coin he 
  was promised. Sadly, no one knows what final price their 
  ancestors agreed. No spell or charm has been able to 
  prevent the children vanishing. This year marks the start 
  of the 15th year since the ghostly notes were last heard.
  storMrIdge
  Population: 330
  Ruler: Council
  Religion: Thunor, Eostre, ullr
  Imports: Timber, wool
  Exports: Flour, game bird meat, grain
  The village of Stormridge lies on the northern edge of 
  the Hollow Mountains, a half day’s walk from the trade 
  road. Despite the cold weather, the citizens manage to 
  grow crops of barley and wheat. Some of this is sold as 
  grains, part is ground into flour in the village’s windmill 
  (a new fangled contraption erected by the cult of Thu-
  nor), and part is used to feed the great flocks of game 
  birds that live in the nearby forest.
  The village is governed by a council. Three seats are 
  permanently held by the clerics of the major deities. A 
  further six councilors are elected every two years. 
  The near-constant wind that blows from the moun-
  tains has attracted many clerics of Thunor, who believe 
  the site is blessed. Some prayer kits have remained aloft 
  for years, eventually falling to earth only when the mate-
  rial has rotted away. Other kits never get airborne, a clear 
  sign of Thunor’s displeasure.
  The wind mill that dominates the skyline is the only 
  one in Rassilon. its inventor, Thunderbrother Magnus 
  Wind-Breeches, so named for his chronic flatulence, 
  came up with the idea after watching the prayer kites. it 
  is a rudimentary design and not that efficient, but with 
  no suitable watercourses for a water mill it is better than 
  nothing. The mill, which turns day and night, has bought 
  much prosperity to the small village, but also a great deal 
  of envy from neighboring settlements. The mill has sur-
  vived three arson attempts so far.
  thIefton
  Population: 319
  Ruler: Boeri Filbert Greenteeth
  Religion: Nauthiz, Freo, the unknowable One
  Imports: information, stolen goods
  Exports: information, stolen goods
  Thiefton cannot be found on any map. in order to 
  ensure safety on the bandit-infested roads, many engros 
  have grouped together to form a tribe. Their brightly 
  painted wagons continuously travel the trade roads, 
  stopping off at villages to sell information and miscella-
  neous goods, while simultaneously acquiring new stock. 
  The engros rarely return to the same community in the 
  same season in the hope their larcenous pilfering will 
  have been forgotten by the next time they call. Many of 
  the wagons are not only reinforced, but contain hidden 
  slits through which crossbows can be fired.
  The position of boeri is not hereditary. When the 
  incumbent dies, the ryes elect a new one from among 
  their number. The current boeri has extremely poor oral 
  hygiene, leaving him with green teeth and foul breath.
  the dragon guard
  Scayle’s Dragon Guard are the settlement’s elite 
  warriors. Applicants must enter the marsh and re-
  turn with a dragon scale within 24 hours. The scale 
  need not come from a living dragon, though candi-
  dates with combat experience are quite at liberty to 
  have a go. The test is not one of dragon slaying, but 
  courage and resourcefulness.
  The Guard, as it is more commonly known, consists 
  of 40 junior members and 10 senior ones. Treat ju-
  niors as typical huscarls. The elite members have 
  the stats for veteran huscarls, but with the addition 
  of the Dragon Guard Professional Edge below. Their 
  preferred weapon is a long spear, though they carry 
  battle axes and throwing axes as well.
  All Dragon Guard swear an oath to defend Scayle 
  for the rest of their lives. Those who leave are duty 
  bound to defend the community when called upon. 
  in return, they receive free room and board when-
  ever in Scayle.
     dragon guard*
  Requirements: Novice, Spirit d8+, Fighting d8+
  Scayle’s Dragon Guard are professional warriors, 
  but ones also skilled at slaying marsh dragons and 
  orms. This Edge provides early benefits equivalent 
  to two other Edges, but against specialist foes. it is 
  intended mainly for NPCs native to Scayle, but may 
  be taken by any character.
  They gain the benefits of the Arcane Resistance, 
  Favored Foe (Dragons) and Giant killer Edges, but 
  only with regard marsh dragons and marsh orms.
  the borderlands
  
  
  Persons of note
  in addition to persons mentioned above, the follow-
  ing persons make their home in the Borderlands.
  neVe
  Neve appears to be a young Tuomi girl of about ten 
  years of age. Her hair is dark, her complexion unmarked 
  by scars or blemishes. Only her eyes reveal her true na-
  ture, for they are windows to a soul of utter evil. Her 
  name is an alias based on a title she was given long 
  ago—Cnaimh Seinneadair (“neev sheyn-u-der”)—the 
  Bone Singer.
  Neve was born into a Tuomi family in –224. A gifted 
  singer, her parents hoped she would become a story-
  teller, a respected position among the Tuomi. Their 
  dream turned sour when the girl turned eight, for she 
  developed an unholy gift—her songs could conjure fell 
  spirits into nearby corpses. Neve kept her power a secret 
  for several years—the dark lady who visited her in her 
  dreams said it was not for sharing. Her parents suspected 
  something was wrong, for she shunned the company of 
  other children, preferring to play in the woods, where 
  she claimed her special friends lived.
  Fearful her secret friends were fey who sought to lure 
  her into their strange world, her parents followed her, 
  along with a local cleric of Sigel. What they saw shocked 
  them to their core—the young child’s special friends 
  were zombies, vile undead which obeyed her every com-
  mand. Her parents pleaded for clemency, for the cult of 
  Sigel acted swiftly. As she died, she pledged her soul to 
  the dark lady.
  Neve remained in her grave for nearly two centuries 
  before rising from the loamy soil. As the Liche-Priest’s 
  army surged westward, Hela, who had claimed the 
  child’s corrupted soul—as was her divine right as her 
  patron—sent it back to her body. She proved a staunch 
  ally of the Liche-Priest. 
  Neve survived the war by dint of Hela’s special bless-
  ing (see below). She has continued to serve her dark 
  mistress ever since, always managing to stay one step 
  ahead of the cult of Scaetha (who hunt a powerful necro-
  mancer, unaware she is a mere child).
  That Hela broke the Compact when she awoke Neve 
  from death’ grip is undeniable. The child appears totally 
  mortal, and she does not register as undead to any spell 
  (though she has the undead special ability and is sus-
  ceptible to Scaetha’s fury). unfortunately, the gods were 
  distracted at the time and thus enacted no punishment. 
  seanachIe
  Seanachie (“shenuchy”) is a title, not a name. it 
  means storyteller in Tuomi. Seanachie appears to be a 
  Tuomi maiden of some 20 summers, with red hair and 
  freckles that flare up in summer. Her brilliant green eyes 
  display wisdom far beyond her mortal years. Few people 
  can hold her gaze for long.
  Seanachie has collected and retold stories for the best 
  part of 127 years, yet has not aged a day. As a youth, 
  she boasted that she would learn every story, poem, and 
  song before she died. The unknowable One, her patron, 
  decided the mortal needed to be a taught a lesson about 
  being careful what you wish for, the sin of arrogance, and 
  making promises you cannot keep.
  Thus, she is cursed to do as promised before being 
  allowed to die. knowing that her immortality could 
  work in her favor, the god laid further curses, prevent-
  ing her from ever learning anything new except stories. 
  Anything else she tries to learn is forgotten when she 
  next awakens. The geas is naturally one that can never 
  be fulfilled—new stories are invented every day, and the 
  world is a vast place. Never vindictive, the unknowable 
  One feels she will have learned her lesson in another 
  century or two. Assuming she has, he will allow her to 
  age normally and grow old gracefully.
  The unknowable One has not broken the Compact 
  with his actions, for his servant’s fate is written in the 
  Norn’s loom. Despite their wisdom, the three goddesses 
  have not discovered how he pulled this trick.
  Volas Meata-garg
  Volas is insane. A priest of Eira, he is an itinerant heal-
  er and herbalist, moving from community to community 
  and offering his services in return for room and board. 
  He is exceptionally timid by nature, never looks anyone 
  in the eye, is extremely polite, and disdains all forms of 
  violence, even verbal threats. Of course, he does nothing 
  to stop acts of violence, being too afraid to speak out.
  But when his madness strikes he becomes a fearless 
  warrior filled with Tiw’s battle fury and lust for combat. 
  Violent and warlike, this personality is a paladin of Tiw.
  The cleric suffers no physical transformation when his 
  personalities switch, but his mental abilities are altered. 
  Physically nondescript and rather average, his healer 
  personality is intelligent but spineless. Conversely, his 
  berserker nature is as thick as mud but possessed of 
  indomitable will.
  Volas actually possess two distinct souls. At his birth, 
  the time when the gods allot souls to physical bodies 
  (unborn babies are deemed to have no souls and are 
  thus incapable of sin), both Eira and Tiw blessed the 
  child simultaneously. He received two distinct souls, 
  with totally different personalities, desires, and goals. 
  That Eira’s gift was dominant was purely a matter of luck, 
  and is rather ironic.
  Although he is a cleric of diametrically opposed dei-
  ties, sins committed by one personality do not reflect on 
  the other. Thus, when he kills while under the influence 
  of his berserk warrior personality he suffers no sins for 
  his actions when he reverts to his pacifist personality.
  Meata-Garg, pronounced “metu-garg” means Timid-
  Savage in Tuomi. Only his closest friends know and use 
  this name, and never around strangers.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #44
  
  
  IntroductIon
  The Abyss is the realm of the damned, where those who commit terrible sins in life or 
  die without a patron deity are sent to suffer for eternity. This supplement takes a look at 
  the denizens of the Abyss and the depraved, black-hearted mortals who traffic with them. 
  It is not an adventurers’ guide to exploring the hellish realm or laying waste to its near 
  godlike rulers. Nor is it a supplement of hard facts and absolutes. Instead, it presents a 
  variety of commonly held opinions, any of which might be true.
  What’s In a name?
  The name “demon” is often applied erroneously to all manner of otherwordly denizens. 
  Elementals, especially non-standard ones, and Unseelie fey are often branded as demons 
  by the superstitious and gods-fearing folk. Much of this stems purely from ignorance, for 
  few are learned in the lands beyond the mortal realm, and the belief that all evil not at-
  tributable to the dark gods must stem from the Abyss.
  Those who hunt demons, such as the cults of the Norns and Viðarr (see Region Guide 
  #18: The Freelands) and the Watchers of the Black Gate may spend months tracking down 
  a supposed demon, only to discover it is an Unseelie fey on a bloody rampage or an 
  elemental (or indeed a mortal entity) mistaken for a denizen of the Abyss. Unfortunately, 
  those avowed to combat darkness in all its forms cannot afford to second guess what the 
  ghastly description a peasant gives them might truly represent, for demons take many 
  forms and not all the Abyss’ inhabitants are documented.
  In its correct usage, the term applies solely to creatures whose existence stems from the 
  Abyss. Even then, those who have delved into the forbidden lore understand that demons 
  comprise different categories. The demon princes, also known as demon lords, are ancient 
  creatures of utter malevolence whose origins are a mystery even to the gods. Then there 
  are true demons, creatures spawned by the demon lords from their essence and who knew 
  no mortal existence. Finally, there are lesser demons, the remnants of twisted souls sent to 
  the Abyss for their sins in life.
  Mortals who study demons and the Abyss without serving the hellish denizens are known 
  as demonologists. They need the Knowledge (Monsters: Demons) skill (the Monster part 
  can be dropped for brevity), and must be literate in Black Tongue. Such studies are heavily 
  frowned upon, but not illegal. Those who worship demons but gain no magical power 
  from them as usually referred to simply as cultists. The “high priests” of the cults of the 
  demon princes, mortals who have sacrificed to gain magical power, are called demonists.
  31245
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 5 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  the abyss
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  the abyss
  Much conjecture exists among mortals regarding both 
  the nature and the origins of the Abyss. No one theory 
  is completely correct, nor is it totally incorrect. Neither 
  the gods nor mere mortals can enter the Abyss without 
  being damned, a fate from which there is no escape, and 
  the word of demons is trusted only by the insane, for 
  they are prone to lies and trickery. To claim that any one 
  theory is true is both arrogant and foolish.
  orIgIns of demons
  The Abyss has existed since the dawn of the universe. 
  What concerns theologians more is how the demons 
  came into being. Some of the more popular theories are 
  briefly discussed below.
  * When the universe was born, all the negative ele-
  ments of creation banished there coalesced from the 
  primordial soup of chaos, entropy, and darkness into the 
  demon lords, either by the gods or the now forgotten 
  sole creator deity. As each demon prince evolved, they 
  spawned the first true demons, much as the gods created 
  the sentient races. This belief, that true demons are the 
  creations of the princes, is common to most, but not all, 
  of the theories below.
  * A closely related version claims that before the 
  universe was created there was only the endless Void, a 
  chaotic jumble of darkness, evil, and chaos. In this infi-
  nite nothingness dwelt the first demons, those mortals 
  call princes or lords. When the gods (or sometimes just a 
  god) ignited the stars and brought light into the heavens, 
  the fell beings rose up in anger and declared war. This is 
  not generally considered to be the God War, but an early 
  event. The forces of darkness lost and were banished to 
  a prison known as the Abyss for all time.
  * Before the current gods there dwelt another pan-
  theon. These deities are truly ancient, and whatever races 
  worshipped them are long dead (though some hint they 
  were the original gods of the dragons and giants). Their 
  positions were usurped by either the current pantheon 
  or yet another line of deities now forgotten. Because 
  Death had not yet been found and awakened from his 
  slumber it was impossible to slay them, hence they were 
  imprisoned for eternity. Trapped, they became filled only 
  with negative emotions, which warped their very being.
  * A related legend holds that the demon lords are gods 
  whose worshippers either died out or turned their backs 
  on them in favor of others. robbed of worship, their fate 
  was to live in the darkness that is the Abyss, powerful 
  beings for sure, but ones ranking far below the awesome 
  might of the gods. Their anger at being forsaken warped 
  their essence into the vile demons lords.
  * Another story tells how they were servants or slaves 
  of the gods (their children in some legends). As often 
  happens among mortals, the lowly minions rebelled 
  against their masters. Many were destroyed (again, this is 
  not widely believed to be the God War), but the survivors 
  were banished to the Abyss, forever cut off from their ce-
  lestial homes and the grace of the gods. hatred seethed 
  and boiled, corrupting and twisting the fallen godlings 
  into vile mockeries of the gods.
  * Jealous that the gods had created mortals without 
  asking for his advice or input, Loki, father of the Un-
  knowable one, took it upon himself to create his own 
  race. Not wishing to stoop so low as to create mere play-
  things from the four elements, Loki tore out slivers of 
  his own heart and breathed life into them. So were born 
  the demon lords, neither god nor mortal. once their evil 
  nature became apparent, the gods warred against them 
  and banished them to the Abyss.
  None of these theories can ever be proven, or indeed 
  disproved. While it is likely both hoenir and Niht know 
  the truth, they have no wish to speak of such things with 
  mere mortals.
  the nature of the abyss
  The Abyss is both a physical and spiritual realm simul-
  taneously. Those in the realm, whether native inhabitant 
  or damned soul judged unfit for a better Afterlife, inter-
  act with it as if it were a physical reality. yet it occupies 
  no space in the mortal realm and is thus ephemeral to 
  outsiders. Perhaps the nearest earthly analogy is a dream, 
  a reality that exists only in one state of consciousness.
  That the Abyss is a prison is not beyond doubt. If de-
  mons were free to visit the mortal realm they would un-
  doubtedly do so in great numbers and without requiring 
  the help of mortals. The demon princes are not bound 
  by the compact, and yet they are seemingly unable to 
  directly interfere in mortal affairs.
  Whether the Abyss is of finite size or extends forever 
  is another topic of debate. A rational argument is that 
  as a prison there must be walls, or at least some form of 
  boundary, to prevent escape. If Scaetha is the gatekeeper 
  of the Abyss, as was hela before her, there must naturally 
  be an entrance. These logical deductions preclude infi-
  nite size. others insist that the laws of the mortal realm 
  cannot be so easily applied to the otherwordly realms. 
  Scaetha’s Gate is not a physical portal as mortals would 
  understand, and the infinite nature of the Abyss prevents 
  demons from ever straying into the mortal world.
  The nature of Scaetha’s Gate is also not fully under-
  stood by mortals. More than one sage has claimed it can 
  only be opened from the outside. Thus, Scaetha watches 
  over it not to prevent the demons from escaping under 
  their own volition, but to prevent others letting them 
  loose (as hela did).
  While mortals find it convenient to discuss the Abyss 
  as being divided into realms, much like the mortal world, 
  the truth is less cut and dry. Eostre’s clerics, for example, 
  speak of the Barren Wastes, where the fallen toil at im-
  possible agricultural tasks, but it is not a unique realm. 
  rather, every demon lord controls a version of the Bar-
  ren Wastes, sculpted to fits its idea of the punishment. 
  regardless of which demon lord claims a fallen soul, the 
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #45
  
  
  punishment is fairly standard (assuming the souls isn’t 
  converted into a demon or just eaten, of course). Typical 
  punishments are listed below.
  What truly lies beyond Scaetha’s Gate is known only 
  to the inhabitants of the Abyss, and they are not to be 
  trusted. Mortals cannot invoke gravespeak to contact the 
  damned for the gods forbid it. clerics argue this is for the 
  protection of mortals, for to contact an Abyss-banished 
  soul is to risk corruption, and through corruption dam-
  nation. others insist that since the Abyss is a prison its 
  occupants are denied the right to speak to outsiders.
  Why are souLs sent here?
  None of the gods, not even Eira, are entirely benevo-
  lent toward mortals. Worshippers who take a god as a 
  patron and then fail to abide by their laws, or those who 
  do not take a patron, are likely to be harshly punished. 
  Some gods are more lenient than others, of course, but 
  all have a line that once crossed spells doom for the 
  sinner. That the gods, even Eira, allow mortals to suffer 
  eternal damnation raises two questions.
  #1: Why are the demon lords allowed to bid on un-
  claimed souls?
  The gods do not desire troublemakers and ne’er-do-
  wells in their realms anymore than mortals do. And with-
  out the threat of punishment what reason is there for 
  mortals to obey the gods’ decrees and lead productive 
  lives? Even hela, whom many consider the evilest deity 
  due to her insane act, forces her clergy to obey certain 
  tenets or face her wrath.
  one theory states that long ago the gods decided that 
  there could be no single god of evil (or good). Such a be-
  ing would undoubtedly lay claim to any soul which had 
  committed any unrepented sin, and thus grow extremely 
  powerful. Since the Abyss already existed as a prison, the 
  gods made use of it as a dumping ground.
  That allowing souls to enter the Abyss swells the ranks 
  of the infernal legions is undeniable, for these souls are 
  used to spawn new demons. Some mortals argue that the 
  Abyss is held in balance by endless wars between the de-
  mon lords. Furthermore, because all the demon princes 
  must bid as separate entities, there is fierce competition 
  for new souls. This natural animosity fuels the ongoing 
  conflict and keeps the princes occupied.
  There is a counter argument that says that eventually 
  there will be a winner, a demon prince who rises above 
  the mangled remains of his former peers and claims rul-
  ership of the entire Abyss. When this occurs, the demon 
  lord will have enough followers to achieve godhood. 
  This, perhaps, will herald the End of Times, a titanic 
  battle spoken of in ancient prophecies, when the heav-
  ens will be sundered, the Norns’ loom smashed, and the 
  threads of life unraveled. 
  Most believe this will mark the end of the universe 
  and the end of all existence, but a small few see it as 
  a new beginning, an age when mortals will shape their 
  own destiny. Those who espouse the latter belief are 
  usually proclaimed heretics.
  #2: how do demons bid on souls?
  By its very nature an auction requires active participa-
  tion. Since the demon lords are perpetually incarcerated, 
  neither they nor their minions may attend the auctions. 
  It is widely believed that Scaetha’s servants, celestial 
  warders to the damned, act on their behalf. While mortals 
  cannot communicate with the Abyss’ inhabitants, there is 
  no such law preventing the gods doing so. of course, 
  such interaction is not without risks—hela’s madness is 
  popularly believed to have come about after her becom-
  ing corrupted by conversing with the forces of darkness 
  down the eons. 
  Scaetha, by mortal accounts, changes the wardens 
  regularly and has hothar check their loyalty, thus en-
  suring no demon prince can ever gain sway over them. 
  Furthermore, the servants are forbidden from any inter-
  action with mortals, and thus unable to pass on anything 
  they have learned regarding the nature of the Abyss.
  a reaLm for aLL sInners
  It should be noted that while mortals are capable of 
  committing sins and switching divine allegiance, souls 
  are not. once a soul has been judged it is forever fixed 
  in its state. Thus, no soul awarded a place in the Afterlife 
  can ever be banished to the Abyss for a transgression, 
  because the very thought of a transgression is utterly 
  impossible. Similarly, no soul damned to the Abyss can 
  ever repent and achieve salvation, though it retains full 
  knowledge that such an act was possible during its mortal 
  existence. When clerics speak of an eternity of suffering 
  they are being quite literal.
  Demons are cruel to their own kind, at least those 
  lower down the pecking order, but they are especially 
  hard on mortals sent to their realm. Part of this comes 
  from their vile nature, while part of it comes from their 
  knowing that the mortal had an opportunity they did 
  not, but chose to squander the gift of an Afterlife.
  A brief summary of the punishments fallen worship-
  gods and demons
  one question that has plagued the races down 
  the ages is why the gods allow demons to be sum-
  moned. After all, these are creatures who revel in 
  wanton destruction, pain, and abject misery. Put in 
  the simplest terms, the gods allow certain demons 
  to be summoned because they have use for them.
  But they do so only begrudgingly, and always with 
  caution. Even Dargar will not throw open the Gates 
  of the Abyss. Partly because this would be a breech 
  of the compact, an act likely to result in his death 
  (the gods have learned from hela’s madness and 
  their leniency), if not the destruction of the entire 
  universe. Dargar wants to cull the weak, not cull 
  everybody.
  the abyss
  
  
  pers are likely to suffer is given below. These are the 
  ones most commonly espoused by clerics, but are by no 
  means the only ones the demons can dream up.
  Dargar: Sinners are most likely worshippers who 
  failed to commit acts of wanton destruction in life, or 
  who showed pity to victims. The former are destined to 
  become demonic soldiers, while the latter are tortured 
  in a variety of sickening ways with no hope of pity for the 
  pleasure of the demon lords.
  Eira: Endless servitudes as a demonic soldier (or 
  some other type of remorseless killer) awaits pacifists 
  and healers who shed blood too often.
  Eostre: Sinners spend eternity plowing and planting 
  the barren soil in which nothing grows, milking cattle 
  whose udders are bone dry, and endlessly shearing sheep 
  whose wool grows at an unearthly pace. others might 
  find themselves harvesting corpses grown in blood-
  soaked soil or culling lesser demons like livestock to fed 
  their demonic masters.
  Ertha: Those damned by Ertha are normally used as 
  slave labor in the demon lords’ mines. Each day they are 
  scourged while they rip gleaming chunks of metal from 
  the earth under the glare of a burning sun.
  Freo: Some clerics claim their punishment is to walk 
  a circular road. They are thus condemned to walk the 
  same path with nothing new to see. others claim sinners 
  are chained, unable to move from a solitary spot and 
  thus never able to explore again.
  Hela: hela’s faith preaches no belief in the Abyss, for 
  hela claims all souls owed her. Even sinners may be re-
  born as undead, though always as the lowest kind. Ironi-
  cally, those who truly fail hela are often redeemed souls, 
  former worshippers who have realized the error of their 
  ways. They are often claimed by Scaetha or Sigel to serve 
  as soldiers in the heavenly armies against hela’s legions.
  Hoenir: Fallen worshippers of hoenir suffer two in-
  terwoven fates. First, they are forced to burn books on 
  vast bonfires in which knowledge is greedily consumed. 
  At the end of each day, the scholars throw themselves 
  onto the fires, for they are things of learning and wisdom. 
  The agony begins again each dawn as they are reformed 
  to continue stoking the eternal fires. Second, they are 
  unable to learn anything new or pass on their knowl-
  edge. Some may be transformed into librarian demons 
  to serve the demon princes.
  Hothar: Servants of obedience and order, these 
  wretches are condemned to be bound in chains while 
  demons assail their ears with lies and false oaths. Many 
  are first hauled before a mock court where justice is 
  served up arbitrarily.
  Kenaz: Damned souls are entombed up to their 
  waists in ice while ice demons stab at their exposed flesh 
  with their icy spears.
  Maera: Many are used as target practice for spellcast-
  ing demons, their mangled bodies reformed each day so 
  the demon’s fun can continue.
  Nauthiz: Fallen thieves are dunked into rivers of 
  molten gold and silver or have their ears and mouth fills 
  with molten metal. Some are force fed coins and gems, 
  then used as piñatas by demons. A small few become 
  collector demons.
  Neorthe: Depending on their sins the fallen may be 
  buried alive, conscripted to serve as oarsmen in the de-
  mons’ navy, or forced to dig in a burning desert for drops 
  of moisture to whet their unquenchable thirst.
  Niht: Many who fail Niht are sent to the Abyss out 
  of their desire to learn or their inability to keep secrets. 
  They serve as fuel for the bonfires of hoenir’s fallen, 
  their ashes reborn each day to suffer the searing flames 
  over and over.
  Norns: Souls have their heads twisted backward, al-
  lowing them to see only the past. Even the present is 
  denied to them.
  Rigr: rigr’s worshippers are warned that to fail the 
  god means to be blinded in the Abyss. Those who through 
  apathy or inaction allow settlements to be destroyed 
  are haunted by accusatory shades who take the form of 
  the slain. All are set as watchmen over communities of 
  damned souls. Naturally, these settlements are doomed 
  to be destroyed in the endless war.
  Scaetha: Scaetha promises no set version of the 
  Abyss, just endless torment—the mortal servants of the 
  Gatekeeper are especially damned, for the demons have 
  never forgotten that it was Scaetha who sealed the gate 
  hela had opened for them. Many are used as battering 
  rams against the Gate, their skulls smashed over and 
  over as the demons try to escape. Their cries, it is said, 
  are capable of reaching Scaetha’s ears.
  Sigel: Souls are forced to drink and gamble to excess. 
  This may not sound too bad to some, but for servants of 
  Sigel, who can be rather puritanical, it is hell. Just before 
  dawn, demons claw out the victims’ eyes preventing 
  them for seeing Sigel rise. The eyes regrow once Sigel 
  has left the sky.
  Thrym: Those who fail Thrym are consigned to roast 
  over burning coals or swim through rivers of lava.
  Thunor: Enslavement is the only fate worthy of those 
  who fail Thunor. Some serve in mines, others become 
  servants of the demon princes’ palace. They are regularly 
  abused and forced to obey draconian laws.
  Tiw: Those who forsook Tiw are made to swim in a 
  river of blood in which swirl clashing swords and axes, 
  their flesh slashed and pierced for eternity. Souls who 
  allowed those under their care to die are tormented by 
  shades, who mock their battle prowess and call them 
  cowards while the sinners battle the deadly.
  Ullr: Those who hunted for sport or disrespected 
  their prey by not using all available parts are chased 
  by wolves and bears, to be torn apart in bloody frenzy 
  before being reborn to begin the chase anew each day. 
  hunters who failed their communities are condemned 
  to hunt unkillable beasts, all the while beset by desper-
  ate shades who clamor for nourishment.
  The Unknowable One: The Unknowable one prom-
  ises no set fate, for such an act would be against his na-
  ture. Punishments are thus tailored for individuals.
  Vali: Ironically, many of those Vali sends to the Abyss 
  are souls which failed to perform acts of debauchery and 
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #45
  4
  
  sin. Some are condemned to watch while demons wal-
  low in depravity so sick it makes the gods queasy. Those 
  who failed to cause famines or plagues suffer disfiguring 
  diseases and endless, gnawing hunger. Urine and filth 
  form their diet, but it provides no nourishment. Those 
  who harmed vermin are set to be gnawed upon by biting 
  rats for eternity.
  Var: Souls who stole or cheated on weights and 
  measures in life are forced to push enormous sacks of 
  corrupt souls to the keep of the demon lords. Their task 
  is never ending, for the sacks grow heavier and heavier. 
  Demons with barbed whips scourge the flesh from their 
  backs. charitable worshippers (a sin in Var’s eyes) are 
  forced to fill chests which hang over raging infernos. At 
  the bottom of the inferno are greedy souls writhing in the 
  conflagration. coins placed in the chests fall through, for 
  they have no base, but melt before reaching the grasping 
  hands. Those who failed to keep accurate books or who 
  made continual losses are employed by merchants by the 
  demon princes, forced to trade in souls without reward.
  demons and mortaLIty
  It has long been argued that since the Abyss is a physi-
  cal realm to its denizens, they can suffer injuries. There 
  must also exist the threat of death. one question that 
  has long troubled mortals is what happens to a demon 
  that dies.
  In the mortal realm its earthly shell is simply dissolved 
  and the spiritual essence is returned to the Abyss. Thus, 
  no mortal can truly slay a demon, only banish it whence 
  it came. A small victory for those who are pledged to rid 
  the world of demons, but still a victory.
  But what happens when a demon dies in the Abyss? It 
  cannot be that Scaetha judges the soul, for all that would 
  happen is it would be found guilty and sent back to the 
  Abyss for eternity. This would essentially makes all de-
  mons truly immortal.
  Perhaps, as some argue, the demonic spirit is reduced 
  to the same level as a condemned mortal soul, a pitiful 
  creature to be tortured and agonized until the end of 
  time. Such a fall from power would indeed be punish-
  ment to a great demon, but of little consequence to lesser 
  demons. Some sages debate where death in the Abyss 
  signals total obliteration, the removal of the demon’s 
  essence from the universe. This argument opens up the 
  question of what might lie beyond the universe, a topic 
  few care to dwell upon, for in such talk lies madness and 
  impossible reasoning.
  demonIc cuLts
  Following the destructive Demongate War, demonic 
  cults went into near-terminal decline. hounded by cler-
  ics of the Norns, hela (at that time still benevolent), and 
  Sigel, they were hunted down and put to the sword and 
  spell without mercy. The dark cults enjoyed a resurgence 
  during the age of the Liche-Priest, only to suffer losses 
  again during the chaos and aftermath of the Blizzard War. 
  Since then, though, their numbers have slowly began to 
  increase again. Although the Seekers of the Black Key 
  represent the most well known cult, at least to those 
  who study such topics, they are not the only cult.
  A typical cult comprises just one leader. he or she 
  is usually a demonist, a magician able to draw power 
  from the Abyss at a demon prince’s allowance. common 
  membership varies between a handful to as many of 50 
  damned souls. With the population of rassilon now scat-
  tered and still greatly reduced from its heyday, the cults 
  remain small partly as a means of hiding their existence 
  from the eternally vigilant clerics out to destroy them 
  and partly because it is difficult to find willing recruits.
  Multiple reasons exist why a mortal might turn away 
  from the gods and toward the shadowy demon princes, 
  creatures of unfathomable evil who have no direct means 
  of affecting the mortal world, but the most common is 
  one of the oldest lures known—power. Most, to use a 
  Saxa phrase, are a ewe short of a flock, though even intel-
  ligent beings have been lured into the cults.
  We strongly recommend that demonic magic and 
  membership in demonic cults is restricted to NPcs only.
  arcane background (demonIst)
  Requirements: Novice (see below)
  Arcane Skill: Demonic Magic (Smarts)
  Starting Powers: 3 (see below)
  Powers: See below.
  While other types of magician draw their power from 
  the threads of magical energy, those who traffic with de-
  mons draw negative energy from the Abyss itself.
  In order to form a link between the mortal realm and 
  the Abyss, the aspiring demonic magician must willfully 
  sacrifice a member of his own species while pledging loy-
  alty to a specific demon lord. As with clerics, a demonist 
  may have only one patron. Another sacrifice must be of-
  fered each time the demonist learns any Power Edge.
  once the deed is done, a single magical thread ex-
  tends from the mortal to the Abyss. Although the de-
  monist remains mortal, a place for him is reserved in the 
  Abyss. This dual status is a weak point in the Abyss’ walls. 
  Fortunately it is one few ever choose to exploit.
  The dark thread is visible with detect arcana. As the 
  demonist gains more power, so the width of the thread 
  thickens. After he has gained three Power Edges or made 
  a single dark pact (see below), the thread’s true nature 
  becomes apparent—a vein-like tube which pulsates as it 
  siphons the goodness and morality from the demonist.
  There is no such thing as a morally gray demonic 
  magician, and a benevolent one is most definitely impos-
  sible. The requirement of sacrificing a sentient creature 
  of one’s own species and then purposefully using magi-
  cal energy from the Abyss damns their soul and erodes 
  any positive emotions. Many are at least half-insane, hav-
  ing repeatedly witnessed things man was not meant to 
  know.
  the abyss
  5
  
  Powers: Every demon lord has a specific spell list, 
  much like those of the gods. Note that while demonists 
  often refer to their spells as being granted them by their 
  demonic prince, the prince is not directly involved. 
  rather, the demonist’s own view of the Abyss, as well 
  as the nature of his master, determines what power he 
  can draw forth. When a demonist first takes this Edge he 
  learns the prince’s signature spell, one Novice spell of 
  his choice, and the sacrifice power.
  Casting: Tapping into the energy of the Abyss is 
  physically tiring and mentally harrowing. As he invokes 
  the spell, the caster is subjected to terrifying visions of 
  the Abyss and its fell, unearthly denizens. The maximum 
  number of spells which may be attempted per day is 
  equal to the caster’s Spirit die.
  Backlash: Demonists are not subjected to the Si-
  phoning—whatever is causing that effect is unable to 
  affect the otherwordly Abyssal energy. A roll of 1 on the 
  arcane skill die (regardless of Wild Die) forces the caster 
  to roll on the Fright Table. A critical failure means a roll 
  on the Fright Table at +2.
  Losing Magic: Unlike the gods, demon princes im-
  pose no sin lists on their followers. however, a demonist 
  who partakes in kindly acts or uses his powers to aid 
  others out of feelings of comradeship or fealty quickly 
  finds his link to the Abyss weakening. 
  Each mundane or magical act of kindness or charity, 
  even toward those he might consider friends, causes a 
  permanent and cumulative –1 penalty to all Demonic 
  Magic rolls. The sacrifice of sentient being of one’s own 
  race erases one point of penalties.
  dark Pacts
  Becoming a demonist requires vile acts and pledges 
  of loyalty, but there is still a glimmer of hope for salvation 
  should the demonist have a change of heart. Unfortu-
  nately, such an act never truly removes the taint of evil, 
  and unless the repentant demonists masters another 
  form of magic or takes holy vows he still has access to his 
  infernal spells. Thus, the temptation to fall back into old 
  habits always remains. 
  repentance is far from easy, even for those who have 
  only dabbled in darkness. The forces of damnation plague 
  the demonist with threats and temptations at every step 
  of his arduous journey. Any evil or morally gray act while 
  on the long and winding road to salvation will erase any 
  good deeds undertaken during penance. 
  For player characters who have strayed into this foul 
  enterprise and have a changed of heart, the hero must 
  avoid any evil, morally dubious, or criminal act and not 
  employ his dark magic while earning 20 XPs. A single 
  slip, no matter how trivial, instantly resets the Experi-
  ence Point counter to zero.
  Those who undertake the dark pact, however, have 
  no hope of repentance. The moment their pact is made, 
  their soul is forever tarnished. only demonists can make 
  dark pacts. 
  Benefits: A dark pact grants the recipient a perma-
  nently active spell of his choice from the list below. With 
  spells which allow multiple choices, such as warrior’s 
  gift or weapon immunity, the demonist must pick one 
  option when the pact is made. This cannot be changed 
  later, though multiple pacts allow different options to 
  be stacked.
  The power is a physical transformation, and thus can-
  not be negated or dispelled. only the spells listed below 
  may be gained as benefits. Spells grant the effects of a 
  success the first time they are taken and those of a raise 
  if taken a second time.
  Spells: Altered senses, armor, aura, boost trait, 
  charismatic aura, deflection, energy immunity, fly, gift 
  of battle, leaping, quickness, smite (only affects the cast-
  ers teeth or hands), speed, wall walker, warrior’s gift, 
  weapon immunity, wilderness step.
  Price: All dark pacts come at a price. The demonist 
  must offer up a number of sentient sacrifices equal to 
  twice the level of the benefit he wishes to gain (so two 
  for a Novice power, four for Seasoned, and so on) and 
  expend one permanent die in Vigor. This expenditure 
  of vital energy, a prized commodity in the Abyss, also 
  reduces the demonist’s maximum Vigor die. 
  For instance, the normal human maximum is d12+2. 
  A demonists who has made four pacts, assuming he sur-
  vived the energy drain, has a maximum Vigor of d8.
  The benefits physical transformation of the demonist 
  clearly marks the recipient as being tainted. A demonist 
  who takes armor, for instance, cannot have “tough skin.” 
  rather, his skin might become jet black and glistening, 
  transform into hard scales, or become covered in bone 
  plates. The benefit might be hidden by a cloak or gloves, 
  but it can never be a mundane alteration.
  demon Lords
  Demon lords have no stats. They have lived for eons, 
  wield powers second only to the gods, and cannot be 
  troubled by even the strongest and wiliest mortal. They 
  are also imprisoned, so no mortal or god could challenge 
  them even if it saw fit.
  This section details a small number of demon lords 
  among the myriad supposed to exist. GMs looking for 
  specific princes for evil cults to follow can quickly create 
  their own using those in the section as a template.
  Each is presented using a standard template. Note 
  that unlike the gods, demon lords have no sin lists, nor 
  do they require their followers to perform set duties. As 
  prisoners, the princes cannot enforce their will on mor-
  tals or punish them for transgressions—that comes once 
  the soul finally reaches the Abyss.
  Titles: The demon prince’s common name, as well as 
  any titles granted him by mortals.
  Aspect: Like the gods, most demon lords are closely 
  affiliated with a number of aspects.
  Symbol: Demon lords have symbols. These are not 
  the same as holy symbols, but are displayed a means by 
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #45
  
  
  which of cultists may recognize each other and a sign of 
  the insane mortal’s devotion.
  Signature Spell: Although the princes do not person-
  ally grant spells, the energy emanating from their realm, 
  has a unique signature. This spell can never be above 
  Seasoned.
  Powers: The other powers available to followers of 
  the prince with the Arcane Background (Demonist) Edge. 
  Spells not in this list cannot be learned by the character. 
  No demon prince’s powers list may exceed three Nov-
  ice, two Seasoned, and one Veteran spell. Furthermore, 
  no demon prince may ever “grant” bless, gravespeak, 
  healing, light, luck, or succor.
  Trappings: Every demonic realm has one key geo-
  graphic feature or particular ambience. This reflects in 
  the worshipper’s spells as a trapping.
  Dark Pact: Some demon lords allow additional ben-
  efits from dark pacts. If a pact allows an Edge, all require-
  ments are ignored except those of other Edges.
  Description: Although not even the gods have seen 
  a demon lord in the flesh (at least not since much earlier 
  epochs), their description is known to mortals through 
  brief glimpses while working demonic magic, in fevered 
  nightmares, and in art drawn during the Demongate War 
  by their hellish minions. The section also describes typi-
  cal cultist behavior and practices.
  andhaka
  Titles: The Indomitable Will, Fortress of the Abyss, 
  one Who Never quakes, The Strength Within.
  Aspects: Invincibility, steadfastness, willpower.
  Symbol: A heart wrapped in chains.
  Signature Spell: Boost/lower trait (Spirit, Guts, and 
  Intimidation only).
  Powers: Armor, deflection, energy immunity, fear, 
  weapon immunity.
  Trappings: Trappings relate to physical defense and 
  indomitable will. Armor might simply allow the target to 
  shrug off damage, while deflection might be a stare that 
  causes attackers to quail or involve physically swatting 
  aside a weapon like it was a feather.
  Dark Pact: Those who form a dark pact with Andhaka 
  do not lose Vigor. Instead, they suffer a loss of Smarts. 
  Eventually they end up too stupid to flee danger.
  cultists may take Nerves of Steel, Improved Nerves 
  of Steel, hard to Kill, harder to Kill, and Strong-Willed 
  through dark pacts. The first four cause their skin to 
  harden and transform into scales. The latter turns their 
  eyes jet black and soulless.
  Description: The Fortress of the Abyss is always 
  shown as a muscular figure. his skin is scaled, his head 
  like that of a triceratops, his feet wide and immovable, 
  tipped with claws that can grip any surface. his eyes 
  are soulless, jet black orbs—all viewers see reflected 
  are their own fears and weaknesses, for Andhaka fears 
  nothing. he has no need for weapons or armor, for none 
  below the level of demon prince can summon the men-
  tal strength required to raise a weapon against him, and 
  even his peers must delve deep into their inner reserves 
  in order to face down their rival.
  Andhaka is the spirit of inner strength, steely looks 
  that can cause a berserker’s courage to falter, unshake-
  able self-belief, and unassailable power. Many of his fol-
  lowers are not great leaders of men, but cowards who 
  seek refuge and strength in his cult. Neither Dargar 
  nor Tiw will traffic with cowards nor teach them how 
  to protect themselves, and Eira’s clerics speaks of peace 
  and understanding, when most want the ability to fight 
  off their oppressors. But where the gods fail, cultists of 
  Andhaka are only too pleased to help.
  The demon prince cares not one iota who worships 
  him in life, for all shall kneel before his might in death.
  graethIg
  Titles: Lord of Plenty, Demon of covetousness and 
  Greed, the one Who Provides.
  Aspects: Wealth, material greed, covetousness.
  Symbol: A skull emblazoned gold scield.
  Signature Spell: Boost/lower trait (Gambling, Lock-
  picking, Persuasion, and Streetwise only).
  Powers: Bolt, charismatic aura, lock/unlock.
  Trappings: All trappings are, when possible, related 
  to wealth in some form. Charismatic aura, for instance, 
  might bedeck a target in jewelry or allow him to bribe 
  people with gold coins. All are illusions, and disappear 
  when the spell ends. Bolt might represent a stream of 
  battering coins.
  Dark Pact: The rich and Filthy rich Edges are avail-
  able as dark pacts. Such money brings with it the Major 
  Greedy and Mean hindrances. The demonist becomes 
  exceptionally jealous of his wealth and has no concept 
  of charity. he won’t lend money without charging exor-
  bitant interest rates.
  Description: Graethig is often shown as being a hu-
  man with just two small horns to marks his demonic na-
  ture. Such images are flattering, for Gaethig’s true form, 
  as detailed in several demonic texts written by demons, 
  has goat legs, a torso of matted black hair, scaly arms, a 
  bald, red head broken by two unsightly horns, and three 
  pairs of scaled wings.
  Those who crave material wealth are drawn to Gra-
  ethig’s dark cult. Merchants, thieves, nobles, and peas-
  ants chant together as equals and offer blood sacrifices in 
  roughly equal numbers, each beseeching their fell mas-
  ter to give them wealth beyond their imagination. The 
  demon prince is only to happy to allow his followers to 
  gain as much wealth as they desire, for he knows soon he 
  will have more of his favorite currency—damned souls.
  Typical worshippers crave the good things in life and 
  seek to gain riches without earning. Nobles oppress their 
  peasants with crippling taxes, thieves steal from those 
  who already have wealth and sometimes from those who 
  do not, merchants charge high prices for shoddy goods, 
  and peasants take to murdering strangers for their be-
  longings, stealing sheep and cows, or without holding 
  their tax payments.
  the abyss
  
  
  JarnbanIx
  Titles: The Shrieking Storm, Dealer of quick Death, 
  Demon Lord of Ferocity and rage.
  Aspects: Ferocity.
  Symbol: A mailed gauntlet.
  Signature Spell: Quickness.
  Powers: Battle song, bladebreaker, boost/lower trait 
  (Strength, Vigor, and Fighting only), smite, summon 
  demon (demonic soldier, lasher, spined, and rage only), 
  warrior’s gift.
  Trappings: Trappings take the form of physical trans-
  formations to something resembling the demon prince.
  Dark Pact: Demonists can take the Berserk, Frenzy, 
  and Sweep Edges (and the Improved versions) through 
  a dark pact. Each Edge slowly transforms them into a 
  twisted horror, a mortal version of their infernal patron.
   Description: Jarnbanix takes the form of a monstrous 
  humanoid. his savage head is marred by a wide mouth 
  full of large teeth, with two silver tusks protruding at the 
  corners of his maw. Two large horns, like those of an 
  aurochs, sprout from his furrowed brow. Batlike wings 
  tipped with razor sharp claws stretch from his back. his 
  arms are those of a lion, tipped with iron claws as sharp 
  as any spear. his skin is midnight blue, but concealed be-
  neath silver armor in which the misty forms of devoured 
  souls writhe and silently scream.
  Jarnbanix is the demon of lightning quick attacks, 
  relentless ferocious strikes, and sudden death. Many 
  of his followers are berserkers and assassins, drawn to 
  him because he places no restrictions on their behavior. 
  Most worshippers have no desire to inflict pain on their 
  enemies, just a swift and brutal death.
  sterIkLus
  Titles: Father of Pox, Lord of the Flies, Wallower in 
  Filth, Demon of Disease and Pestilence.
  Aspects: Disease, decay, pus, ooze.
  Symbol: A fly.
  Signature Spell: Disease.
  Powers: Beast friend (flies, rats, and other disease 
  carrying creatures only), fatigue, fear, stun, summon 
  demon (plague only).
  Trappings: All trappings relate to pus, disease, flies, 
  noisome stenches, and similar.
  Description: Patron of plague demons and master 
  of a realm filled with stinking bogs, rotting corpses, and 
  swarms of bloated flies, Steriklus is rumored to be an en-
  emy of Vali, a former minion who overstepped his rank 
  and was duly punished.
  he takes the form of a crawling, slithering, sickening 
  blob of pus and congealed blood. Deformed and de-
  cayed limbs protrude from his shapeless form, clawing 
  and grasping as if trying to escape from the vicious mass 
  of putrescence.
  Many of his servants are blighted with disease. 
  Shunned by society, turned away by clerics of Eira whose 
  magic cannot cure them, and often blaming Vali for their 
  plight, they are easy prey for demonists looking to ex-
  tend their powerbase. often driven mad by the fate dealt 
  them, they pray to the demon prince of disease to grant 
  them due vengeance, if not in this world than in the next, 
  where they hope to become plague demons.
  yaLkeena
  Titles: Mistress of Seduction, queen of the Succubi, 
  the Dark Temptress
  Aspects: Lust, sexual deviancy.
  Symbol: Erect phallus.
  Signature Spell: Charismatic aura.
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (Persuasion only), confu-
  sion, deflection, fatigue, stun, summon demon (succubi/
  incubi only).
  Trappings: All trappings are related to sex. Deflec-
  tion, for example, might cause the attacker to see the 
  intended victim as a creature of sexual desire, something 
  he finds hard to harm. Fatigue and stun could both pro-
  duce feelings of sexual exhaustion, while confusion can 
  fill the victim’s mind with distracting sexual thoughts.
  Dark Pact: Demonists subservient to yalkeena may 
  take the Attractive, Very Attractive, and charismatic 
  Edges as a dark pact. however, the demonist becomes a 
  violent sexual predator with the Major habit hindrance. 
  Each additional Edge gained this way after the first gives 
  a cumulative –1 penalty to Vigor rolls to stave off Fatigue 
  caused by abstinence.
  Description: yalkeena is always depicted as being na-
  ked. her skin is unblemished and porcelain white. her 
  hair is long, dark, and luxuriant, her eyes sultry, her lips 
  ruby red and moist. She would be a creature of intense 
  physical desire for any human, were it not for her batlike 
  wings and scaled, forked tail.
  her worshippers are all sexual deviants, taking plea-
  sure as they see fit and with whatever creature happens 
  to be on hand. ceremonies are frenzied orgies. The cult 
  of Gersemi (see Region Guide #21: Chalcis) is an ardent 
  foe of this fell cult, and even Eira’s cultists must reign 
  in their natural desire to inflict violence on those who 
  abuse others sexually.
  demons & demonIsts
  The civilized races have documented several species 
  of demons in detail, yet they have barely scratched the 
  surface regarding the many malevolent denizens of the 
  Abyss. Demons are sometimes known as hates. This sec-
  tion details a number of new demons.  GMs looking to 
  create their own demons will find advice on page 11.
  demons
  cM, a new entry, is the modifier to the summon 
  demon spell. Unless otherwise stated in the text, these 
  demons may not be summoned by clerics.
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #45
  
  
         chaos
  chaos demons are gelatinous masses from which 
  clawed tentacles, elongated maws full of jagged teeth, 
  and bony protuberances sprout at random. Vaguely 
  humanoid faces and limbs, and eyes of all shapes and 
  sizes extend from and shrink back into its foul body, as 
  if something is trying to escape from within the beast’s 
  sickening form. 
  The ground surrounding a chaos demon warps, 
  blisters, cracks, and sprouts withered plants at random, 
  making the going hard for those wishing to engage the 
  beast in melee combat.
  Some clerics of hoenir argue these creatures are not 
  true demons, but something older and far worse. To 
  date, no member of any known faith has admitted being 
  able to summon one. Despite this, the demons still ap-
  pear in rassilon sporadically.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d8, Vigor d10
  Skills: climbing d8, Fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7/9; CM: –6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Aura of Confusion: Anyone who begins their turn 
  adjacent or move adjacent to a chaos demon must 
  make a Spirit roll or be Shaken.
  * Chaotic Effects: Wild cards find the presence of a 
  chaos demon particularly unsettling. If the demon’s 
  action card is a club, the hero loses his Wild Die for 
  the round. on a Diamond, the Wild Die is reduced 
  one die type (typically to a d4). hearts means the Wild 
  Die is rolled as normal. on a Spade, the hero treats 
  his Trait die as his Wild Die and his regular Wild Die 
  as his Trait die. For example, a Wild card with d10 
  Shooting would hit an innocent bystander if his Wild 
  Die rolled a 1, not his Shooting die. With a Joker, the 
  Wild Die is one die type higher. This ability affects all 
  Wild cards within 6” of the chaos demon and lasts 
  until the creature’s next turn or its death, whichever 
  occurs first. 
   
  A Wild card who begins within 6” and then moves 
  outside the area has his Wild Die returned to nor-
  mal.
  * Claws: Str+d6.
  * Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune 
  to poison and disease; +2 Toughness against non-
  magical attacks, except for star metal.
  * Fear (–2): Anyone seeing the creature must make a 
  Guts roll at –2.
  * Improved Frenzy: Makes two Fighting attacks each 
  round at no penalty.
  * Mindless: Immune to Smarts Tricks, Fear, and Tests 
  of Will.
  * Warp Ground: The ground within 6” of a chaos de-
  mon warps and flows, making it difficult ground. The 
  demon is unaffected.
  * Weakness (Star Metal): Demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
  fear
  Fear demons have no set form. Distant observers see 
  only an indistinct, shadowy form. once within 12 yards, 
  observers see their worst nightmare given material form. 
  Multiple viewers will see different visions, for it is their 
  fear that gives the demon its physical appearance.
  characters with uncorrected Bad Eyes are affected by 
  the demon’s Demoralizing Gaze and Fear when within 
  5”. Blind characters are immune to these powers.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d12
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6/8; CM: –2
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune 
  to poison and disease; +2 Toughness against non-
  magical attacks, except for star metal.
  * Demoralizing Gaze: As an action, a fear demon can 
  stare into the eyes of one foe within 12” and line of 
  sight. The demon makes an Intimidation roll opposed 
  by the target’s Spirit. With success, the victim cannot 
  move on his next turn, though he may take other ac-
  tions. on a raise, the victim is paralyzed with fear and 
  forfeits his next turn. Parry is reduced to 2 while im-
  mobile.
  * Fear (–2): Anyone who moves within 6” of a fear de-
  mon must make a Guts roll to avoid Fear. The roll is 
  made once per encounter.
  * Fear Drinker: Fear demons thrive on fear. They gain 
  +1 on attack rolls and have +1 Toughness against 
  those suffering Fear or who are current victims of 
  their demoralizing gaze.
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  * Melee Attack: Depending on their form, fear de-
  mons may possess claws, teeth, pincers, or weapons. 
  regardless of their appearance, these always inflict 
  Str+d6 damage.
  * Weakness (Star Metal): Demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
  fetter hound
  Worshippers of Freo who end up in the Abyss for their 
  sins are sometimes transformed into fetter hounds. As 
  large as dire wolves and wrapped in long, rattling chains 
  they animate through force of will, fetter hounds are 
  kept as pets by powerful demons.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, 
  Tracking d6
  Pace: 10; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6/8; CM: –2
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Bite: Str+d6.
  * Chain Flurry: At the end of a fetter hound’s move-
  ment it may make a free Fighting attack as per the 
  the abyss
  
  
  Sweep Edge.
  * Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune 
  to poison and disease; +2 Toughness against non-
  magical attacks, except for star metal.
  * Fetter: Within 3” of a fetter hound each 1” of move-
  ment costs double. For difficult ground this means 
  each 1” of movement counts as 4”.
  * Fleet-Footed: Fetter hounds roll a d10 instead of a d6 
  when running.
  * Unfettered: Ignores all penalties for difficult ground. 
  Fetter hounds cannot be grappled, entangled, or oth-
  erwise bound or hampered. They are not subject to 
  knockback or other effects which force movement.
  * Weakness (Star Metal): Demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
  madness
  Madness demons, sometimes known as despair de-
  mons and gibbering fiends, are the remains of those who 
  succumbed to madness in life or took their own lives. 
  They appear in tattered black cloaks with bone white 
  hands and face. Their eyes are pits of madness and their 
  lipless mouth continually move as they spout streams of 
  sorrow, berating those who face them as fateless fools of 
  no worth, utter failures unworthy of continued life.
  characters with the minor hard of hearing hin-
  drance have +2 to resist the Madness special abilities. 
  Those with the major version are immune. characters 
  who cover or block their ears temporarily gain the hard 
  of hearing hindrance.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d10, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5/7; CM: –1
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune 
  to poison and disease; +2 Toughness against non-
  magical attacks, except for star metal.
  * Insane: Immune to Fear, Intimidation, Smarts Tricks, 
  mind control spells like puppet, confusion, etc.
  * Madness: These insane demons’ only attack is their 
  constant, maddening whispering. Each round, the de-
  mon makes a Spirit roll opposed by the Spirit of all 
  within 12”. With a success, victims are affected as if 
  subjected to a confusion spell. on a raise, the victim 
  becomes suicidal. Each round he is affected, the vic-
  tim automatically inflicts damage on himself using his 
  current melee weapon. Suicides are damned by the 
  gods.
   
  Victims may make a Spirit roll at the start of each of 
  their turns to shrug off the effects of the madness.
  * Weakness (Star Metal): Demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
  nagaL
  Nagal demons take their name from the Auld Saxa 
  word for fingernails. competing stories tell that fin-
  gernail cuttings and the nails of the dead are taken by 
  demons, who use them to create these horrors. For this 
  reason, Saxa cut their nails regularly and throw the clip-
  pings into the nearest fire.
  Nagal demons appear superficially similar to skel-
  etons, albeit ones with a slightly yellow tone. only on 
  close inspection does the true nature of the “bony” frame 
  become apparent. Their eyes are dull balls of yellowed 
  fingernails in which glows a pale balefire. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, 
  Stealth d8
  Pace: 7; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (2)/10 (2); CM: –1
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +2: Tough finger nails.
  * Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune 
  to poison and disease; +2 Toughness against non-
  magical attacks, except for star metal.
  * Explosive End: When a nagal demon dies it explodes 
  in a shower of razor sharp nail clippings. This fills a 
  Medium Burst Template and inflicts 2d6 damage.
  * Sharp Nails: Str+d4.
  * Weakness (Star Metal): Demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
         rage
  remorseless and pitiless, rage demons exist only to 
  kill, wading through ranks of foes, oblivious to their inju-
  ries. Filled with unending fury, these hulking monstrosi-
  ties are the elite warriors of the Abyssal armies.
  Their barrel-chested torso, bulging arms, powerful 
  hoofed legs, and small, tusked, leonine head are covered 
  in skin of burnished bronze scales. Two huge horns jut 
  forward from its tiny head. When the demon succumbs to 
  its rage, the scales glow a deep red, like burning coals. 
  Followers of Dargar can summon these fiends.
  Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d12, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d10+2, Intimidation d8, Notice d8
  Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 10 (2)/12 (2); CM: –4
  Edges: Improved Frenzy, Improved Sweep
  Gear: Serrated great sword (Str+d10+2, –1 Parry, 2 
  hands)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Armor +2: Bronze scales.
  * Berserk: When a rage demon is Shaken by a physical 
  attack, a Smarts Trick, or a Test of Will, it automatically 
  goes berserk. It gains +2 to all Fighting, damage, and 
  Strength rolls and its Toughness, but Parry is reduced 
  by 2.
  * Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune 
  to poison and disease; +2 Toughness against non-
  magical attacks, except for star metal.
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #45
  10
  
  * Furious Fighter: rage demons know Improved Fren-
  zy and Improved Sweep. They always use the latter if 
  two or more foes are within striking range, regardless 
  of the presence of allies.
  * Impervious to Pain: Suffers no wound penalties.
  * Improved Sweep: rage demons attack with wild 
  abandon, caring nothing for who they strike.
  * Size +2: rage demons average 8 feet tall and weigh 
  over 500 pounds.
  * Weakness (Star Metal): Demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
  * Wild Abandon: rage demons only ever use Wild 
  Attacks. Modifiers are already factored into the stat 
  block.
         rune-carved
  The skin of these towering fell beasts is deathly white 
  and hangs in flaccid loops. Their bald heads are broken 
  only by a thin, lipless mouth and two eyes, all sewn shut 
  with barbed wire. The creature walks on clawed feet 
  like those of a bird of prey, while its arms end in strong, 
  gnarled fingers. rune demons carry spiked maces crack-
  ling with unholy energy. Deep runes of vile green hues 
  are carved, burnt, or etched into every inch of their 
  corpulent flesh. Most are blasphemous names and fell 
  curses, but four are imbued with dark power. These four 
  runes are the demon’s only weak spots.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d8 Intimidation d10, Notice d8
  Pace: 5; Parry: 6; Toughness: 13 (2)/15 (2); CM: –6
  Gear: Unholy spiked mace (Str+d6+2; see below)
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune 
  to poison and disease; +2 Toughness against non-
  magical attacks, except for star metal.
  * Fearless: Immune to Fear and Intimidation.
  * Invulnerability: The creatures only suffers wounds 
  from attacks made against its rune weakness. other 
  attacks can cause it to be Shaken only.
  * Large: Attackers are +2 to attack rolls due to the crea-
  ture’s size. This bonus does not apply when targeting 
  its rune weakness.
  * Runes: Four of the runes are innately magical. Each 
  grants the beast a specific power. The runes cannot be 
  dispelled or negated. When the rune is destroyed (by 
  inflicting a wound on it), the power is lost. Adjust its 
  stats as necessary.
   
  * Left Arm: rune of Strength. Grants +2 dice 
  Strength. This bonus is included in its attributes.
   
  * Right Arm: rune of Frenzy. The demon has the Im-
  proved Frenzy Edge.
   
  * Torso: rune of Armor. Grants +2 armor. This bonus 
  is included in its Toughness.
   
  * Head: rune of resistance. +4 Armor versus magic, 
  and +4 to rolls made to resist magic effects.
  * Size +6: rune demons stand over 25’ tall.
  * Unholy Mace: Wounds caused by the mace can only 
  be cured by natural healing.
  * Weakness (Star Metal): Demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
  * Weakness (Runes): The creature’s only weak spots 
  are its four magical runes. Detecting them requires 
  a Notice roll as an action. one rune is detected with 
  success, two with a raise. roll a d4 to determine 
  which runes have been spotted. reroll duplicates or 
  runes already destroyed. only characters who have 
  made a successful Notice roll or who employ area ef-
  fect attacks may target a rune. Direct attacks against 
  the runes are made at –2 due to their size. Striking a 
  rune grants no other bonuses (i.e. attacking the rune 
  on its head is not the same as making a called Shot 
  to the head). once a wound is inflicted by attacking a 
  specific a rune it fades and is no longer a weak spot.
  screamIng
  The flaccid, black-green skin of a screaming demon 
  is wrinkled, as it has been submersed in warm water for 
  too long. Its bulbous head sits atop a long, slender neck. 
  Three large mouths, each filled with flat, gnashing teeth 
  circle its toadlike visage. Its short, thick arms end in pin-
  cers, while its feet are suckered, producing a slop plop 
  whenever it walks.
  Screaming demons are poor combatants, though they 
  should not be underestimated. Each maw can produce 
  a different high-pitched wail. Victims may be confused, 
  driven insane, or sent fleeing for their lives on hearing 
  the unearthly noise.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d10, Notice d6
  makIng other demons
  No mortal has ever visited the Abyss, and no mor-
  tal ever will. While encyclopaedias of demons are 
  known, especially among the cults of the Norns 
  and Sigel, they barely scratch the surface. countless 
  forms of demons, both true and lesser, dwell within 
  that fathomless realm of damnation.
  The Hellfrost Bestiary and this supplement contain 
  stats for many different types of demons, but GMs 
  should not feel limited to using just these small 
  number of examples.
  GMs looking to create quick demons have all the 
  tools they need at hand. Simply take an existing 
  creature, add the Demon and Weakness (Star Metal) 
  special abilities, and tweak the description. An ogre, 
  for example, might be used to represent a “brute 
  demon.” Describe its skin as ruddy bronze or night 
  black, exchange its worn furs for natural scales, and 
  swap its club for a colossal mace and the players 
  will likely never know you’ve taken a short cut.
  the abyss
  11
  
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6/8; CM: –2
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune 
  to poison and disease; +2 Toughness against non-
  magical attacks, except for star metal.
  * Pincers: Str+d6.
  * Scream: As an action a screaming demon can emit 
  one of a loud scream filling a cone Template. Pick 
  one of the following options each time it screams. 
  characters with hard of hearing Minor have +2 to 
  rolls to resist these effects. Deaf characters are com-
  pletely immune.
   
  * Confusion: creatures under the template who fail 
  a Smarts roll suffer –1 to all Trait rolls for the next 
  hour. Effects are cumulative. one point of penalties is 
  negated for each hour of rest.
   
  * Maddening: All creatures in the template who fail 
  a Spirit roll suffer a one die reduction in Smarts and 
  Smarts-linked skills. Effects are cumulative. one die is 
  recovered for each hour of rest. Victims reduced be-
  low a d4 Smarts become gibbering wrecks, fall prone, 
  and may take no actions. Parry is reduced to 2.
   
  * Terrifying: All creatures in the template must make 
  a Guts roll or suffer Terror.
  * Weakness (Star Metal): Demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
         tIme
  This creature first appeared in Region Guide #18. It 
  is repeated here for GMs who do not have that product 
  and for completeness.
  Although the Norns have power to see the past, 
  manipulate the present, and shape the future, they are 
  not actually deities of time. If such an entity exists, it has 
  never been worshipped by mortals. however, within the 
  Abyss there lurk demons that can control the passage of 
  time, albeit to a limited degree. Widely regarded as major 
  demons, time demons are extremely hard to kill, mak-
  ing them a serious threat to the civilized races. clerics of 
  the Norns are especially quick to slay these fiends. Time 
  demons appear as large, flickering, hunched humanoids 
  with scythelike arms and powerful, clawed legs. They 
  have three sets of oversized milky eyes—one set which 
  sees the past, one the present, and one the future.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  Vigor d10
  Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d8, Spellcasting d10
  Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 9/11; CM: –6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Control Time: Time demons may swap any two ac-
  tion cards at the start of each round.
  * Demon: +2 to recover from being Shaken; immune 
  to poison and disease; +2 Toughness against non-
  magical attacks, except for star metal.
  * Powers: Time demons know quickness, sluggish re-
  flexes, and speed.
  * Regeneration (Fast): By moving through time, a 
  time demon can heal naturally and then rejoin the 
  fight a split second after it departed. The time demon 
  makes a natural healing roll each round at the start of 
  its turn. It cannot use this ability once Incapacitated.
  * Scythes: Str+d8.
  * Size +2: Time demons average 9’ tall.
  * Slow Time: creatures which begin their turn within 
  6” of a time demon may take only one action a round. 
  Moving up to one’s Pace counts as an action for this 
  purpose.
  * Temporal Flicker: Time demons continually flicker 
  in and out of time, making them hard to strike. Attack 
  rolls against a time demon are made at –2.
  * Time Stop: As an action, a time demon can pick one 
  foe within 12” and make a Spellcasting roll opposed 
  by the victim’s Spirit. With success, the victim is fro-
  zen in time until the start of the demon’s next turn. 
  During this period, the victim cannot take any actions 
  and has his Parry reduced to 2.
  * Weakness (Star Metal): Demons have lower Tough-
  ness against star metal weapons.
  demonIsts
  There is no such thing as a typical demonist or cult 
  leader. Virtually any archetype can be used to represent 
  a vile demonist simply by adding the Arcane Background 
  (Demonist) Edge and any dark pacts the GM desires. 
  hindrances should be adjusted to fit the nature of the 
  demonist’s infernal master.
  cuLtIst
  As with demonists, any archetype can be used to rep-
  resent a cultist. Magicians, noble, peasant, merchants, 
  sailors, and huscarls—all can be swayed to serve the 
  demon lords. The stats below are representative of a ge-
  neric cultist. Each has adjustments relating to one of the 
  demon lords presented in the following section.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation d6, Knowledge 
  (Demons) d4, Stealth d6
  Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
  Edges & Hindrances: —
  Gear: Dagger (Str+d4), ceremonial robes. May carry 
  other weapons if prepared for trouble.
  Special Abilities:
  * Fanatical: If a cultist is adjacent to a demonist, he 
  takes the blow for his master. Any direct attack against 
  the leader is instead made against the cultist.
   
  Andhaka: Spirit d8, Intimidation d8, Strong Willed.
   
  Greathig: Greedy (Minor), Gambling d6.
   
  Jarnbanix: Fighting d8 (Parry 6), Berserk, Frenzy.
  Steriklus: outsider (diseased) and/or Ugly (ravaged 
  by disease)
  Yalkeena: Attractive or charismatic (charisma +2), 
  Persuasion d6.
  heLLfrost regIon guIde #45
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  This supplement takes a look at a realm mortals can reach only through death—God-
  sheim, the celestial realm of the gods. This product is not a guide to adventuring in the 
  divine realm.
  More than one VIew
  The nature of the Afterlife and the homes of the gods have kept imaginations fired and 
  fueled debate for millennia. Every race, culture, and nation has its own opinions. Yet even 
  these are not set in stone, for different generations apply their own interpretations to holy 
  texts and the myths of old, shaping them to fit current events and mores so they remain 
  pertinent to worshippers. Furthermore, not every race, culture, or nation holds every god 
  in high esteem, and some gods may not be honored at all among a given race or culture. 
  This wide-ranging disparity has a direct effect on the celestial realm.
  It is important to note that while the gods appear to be of similar power when viewed 
  as a whole, the denizens of Rassilon view the pantheon from a local viewpoint, not a 
  continent-wide one. In war-ravaged Vestmark, for instance, Tiw is the most popular deity. 
  In their view of Godsheim, Vestmarkers claim Tiw is the supreme god, a militant warlord 
  who defends the heavens against the dark gods and their allies. In the Magocracy, on the 
  other hand, Maera is the ruler of Godsheim, and Tiw is little more than her bodyguard. 
  The gods are said to live in “halls,” much like mortal nobles. But the term “hall” means 
  different things to different people. To the Anari, it means a mansion, a grand house or 
  small castle worthy of a lord. Dwarves see halls as elaborate chambers within a vast subter-
  ranean complex, while the engro think of them as great caravans, ever moving through 
  the heavens. Taiga elves picture them as immense tents, while hearth elves favor elegant 
  wooden structures. To the Saxa, whose culture and religious views are most dominant 
  when religion is mentioned in Hellfrost, the halls are akin to mortal steads.
  Likewise, the very geography of Godsheim, the heavenly realm, and the location of 
  individual halls is open to much interpretation. For the most part, the descriptions, fur-
  nishings, and locations of the various gods’ homes, as well as other features of the land, 
  have never been revealed in any divine vision. Instead, they are the result of guesswork, 
  supposition, intuition, and wishful thinking by mortals. Most races use what they know as 
  the basis. So for the dwarves that means Godsheim is inside a heavenly mountain, while 
  the elves depict it as an immense forest. Human cultures and the engro are prone to using 
  the landscape of their homeland.
  31246
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 6 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  Star Charts: Justin Russell
  GodsheIM
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS GAME REFERENcES THE SAVAGE WoRLDS GAME SYSTEM, AVAILABLE FRoM PINNAcLE ENTERTAINMENT GRouP AT WWW.PEGINc.coM.   
  SAVAGE WoRLDS & ALL ASSocIATED LoGoS & TRADEMARkS ARE coPYRIGHTS oF PINNAcLE ENTERTAINMENT GRouP. uSED WITH PERMISSIoN.  
  PINNAcLE MAkES No REPRESENTATIoN oR WARRANTY AS To THE quALITY, VIABILITY, oR SuITABILITY FoR PuRPoSE oF THIS PRoDucT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  These differing views are not just held by the living. 
  Before the Blizzard War, records indicate the Anari con-
  ducted a series of experimentations using gravespeak 
  spells to contact the dead. Deceased followers of the 
  same god were interrogated as to the nature of the gods’ 
  realm in a bid to solve the riddle of the heavens once and 
  for all. Yet every soul they questioned gave a different 
  answer to the same question. Godsheim, it appears, is 
  a realm shaped not by a universal constant, but by indi-
  vidual beliefs.
  As hard as it is for mortals to comprehend this, this is 
  the truth of the matter—Godsheim is a single realm, but 
  its landscape and social structure is altered by the view of 
  mortals, and thus multiple versions of it exist simultane-
  ously. Hence, while a mortal follower of Tiw and one of 
  Maera may both ascend to the Afterlife on the death of 
  their mortal bodies, they do not end up in exactly the 
  same Godsheim.
  Because of this wide-ranging disparity in religious 
  views, the facts presented in this supplement are not the 
  only ones that exist.
  Major Gods’ halls
  This section details the halls of the 24 major gods. 
  Each hall is listed alphabetically by its most common 
  name (even these vary among mortals). This is followed 
  by the name of the owning deity, a translation of the 
  hall’s name into Trader, and a list of which minor gods 
  live in the hall. Minor gods not listed here can be found 
  in the next section.
  the God wIth no hall
  only one major god has no hall—Freo. (Whether the 
  unknowable one has one is open to conjecture.) As be-
  fits the god of travel, he journeys ceaselessly, accepting 
  hospitality with his peers for one night, but never dally-
  ing long. The idea of settling down is anathema to him. 
  Shooting stars are said to be Freo going about his eternal 
  wanderings (among other things).
  albrynIaðr 
  Deity: Tiw
  Translation: All-clad-in-mail
  Resident Minor Gods: Atriðr, Geirvaldr
  Tiw’s great hall is aptly-named. Its roof is tiled with 
  the dented shields of fallen foes, while its walls are clad 
  in their armor. Each fall, Tiw returns from war with new 
  materials with which to repair any damage to his home. 
  As well as Tiw’s home, the hall is the refuge of the gods, 
  a sturdy fortification whose defenses have never been 
  breached by brute force.
  Those chosen by Tiw to enter his hall on death be-
  come part of the einherjar (“immortal-hosts”), the war 
  god’s celestial army. The vast central hall of Albryniaðr 
  can seat the souls of the entire einherjar in one assembly. 
  Every night is spent feasting and boasting.
  blóðVIMul
  Deity: Dargar
  Translation: Blood-teeming
  Resident Minor Gods: Báleygr, Hildolfr
  Dargar’s heavenly hall is a ghastly construction formed 
  from the physical remains of his many victims. The long 
  bones form the supporting columns, while interwoven 
  between them in wattle fashion are immeasurable ribs. 
  The daub is rotting flesh mixed with congealed blood.
  The inside is no less grisly. Dargar does not condemn 
  all those who fail him as mortals to the Abyss. Nailed 
  to the walls are mummified heads of worshippers who 
  failed the god of barbarism in life. Blood seeps from their 
  hollow eye sockets, carpeting the floor in a thick, sticky 
  mass. The heads sing out in pain, a chorus of misery 
  praising Dargar’s cruelty.
  unwelcome visitors are driven away by Fenris, Dar-
  gar’s monstrous pet wolf whose offspring trouble the 
  mortal realm.
  ÉljúðnIr 
  Deity: Rigr
  Translation: Damp-with-sleet
  Resident Minor Gods: Sváfnir 
  At the end of Ásbrú (“Bridge-of-the-heavens”), the 
  pathway to the god’s realm, is Rigr’s home. Though often 
  called a hall, it is naught but a tall, wooden tower with 
  a platform at the top. Day and night, regardless of the 
  weather, Rigr stands ever watchful, his gaze constantly 
  sweeping across the entire heavens for signs of approach-
  ing trouble. Should danger come to the heavenly realm 
  itself, Rigr blows his horn, Gjallarhorn (“Loud sounding 
  horn”), whose booming tone can be heard everywhere 
  in the heavens.
  Although thunder is usually attributed to Eylúðr, her-
  ald of the gods, an older myth tells that thunder is Rigr 
  sounding the alarm. Believers in the myth are typically 
  those afraid of thunder.
  GlaðsheIM
  Deity: Sigel
  Translation: Radiant-home
  Sigel’s hall is aptly-named, for Sigel’s Hearth, the great 
  fire which burns in his mead hall, and is visible across 
  the entire heavens. Sigel’s divine servants have grown 
  lethargic without their master, and less and less fuel is 
  added to the fire each day. outside a monumental spire 
  rises infinitely high. This sundial casts its shadow across 
  the entire realm, allowing the gods to tell the time.
  GlItVIndauGa
  Deity: Maera
  hellFrost reGIon GuIde #46
  
  
  Translation: Radiant Window
  Resident Minor Gods: Hoárri 
  Maera’s small home is the most recent addition to 
  the realm of the gods. It was erected shortly after her 
  expulsion from the Norns’ house for giving mortals the 
  gift of magic. 
  All magic radiates from the moon. Although skalds 
  poetically refer to it as Maera’s Ember and Niht’s Bane, 
  one legend calls it Maera’s Window. It is a literal portal 
  between the world of mortals and the domain of the 
  gods. The light it sheds is not a burning ember, but the 
  pale candlelight from Maera’s hall. From this window 
  spill the threads of magic. A deity of secrets and myster-
  ies, Maera performs many rituals during the month. In 
  order to keep her secrets secure, she periodically closes 
  and opens the shutters on her window. This gives the 
  moon its regular phases.
  However, this myth is not a universal one. Many 
  believe that although Maera is goddess of the moon, 
  the moon itself is the Norn’s window. At night, Maera 
  creeps up to their house and opens the window to spy 
  on the threads they are weaving. Depending on where 
  the Norns are seated, Maera has to open the window a 
  certain amount in order to see the loom.
  As with all myths, which are mortal attempts to un-
  derstand the unfathomable, neither story is correct, but 
  neither is it incorrect.
  Maera shares her home with her pet dog, Garm, and 
  its many puppies.
  GullInburstI 
  Deity: Nauthiz
  Translation: Gold-mane
  Resident Minor Gods: Tvíblindi 
  The home of the god of thieves and gamblers, Nauthiz 
  lives far away from the other gods. carefree with money 
  and prone to spontaneous expenditure, Nauthiz’s home 
  is opulently decorated inside and out with the spoils of 
  his nefarious activities and his earnings from his gam-
  bling with mortals and gods alike. Such is Nauthiz’s true 
  wealth that the windows are shuttered with gold coins 
  strung on silver chains, he hangs expensive rugs on the 
  walls to keep out the draft, and guests sleep under blan-
  kets made of woven gold and silver thread. 
  Nauthiz is rarely home—he is usually out robbing the 
  halls of his peers. Perversely, he pays Var handsomely to 
  watch over his abode while he is away.
  GnIpprhellIr 
  Deity: Scaetha
  Translation: cliff-leading-to-the-Abyss
  Resident Minor Gods: Biflindi 
  Scaetha’s hall is a fortified stead atop the cliff leading 
  to Hela’s abode on one side and the gates of the Abyss on 
  the other. Like her mortal temples, Scaetha’s hall is dark 
  and moody, a home in which outsiders feel distinctly 
  uncomfortable. Formerly it was the home of Hela, but all 
  traces of the evil deity’s presence have been thoroughly 
  cleansed.
  Situated in the main feasting hall are the tombs of all 
  the gods who have ever died. It is said they number in 
  the many hundreds, for the God War and Hela’s madness 
  accounted for large numbers of deities. Legend says that 
  during the End of Times these fallen gods will awaken to 
  fight in the final battle. To ensure these warriors are not 
  disturbed, an honor guard protects each tomb.
  All souls pass through Gnipprhellir at some point, for 
  it is here Scaetha judges the dead. The Hall of Echoing 
  Screams, the auction house for souls found wanting, is 
  situated deep below Gnipprhellir.
  Note that the name “Hellir” is an archaic term for the 
  Abyss, the realm once guarded by Hela. Today it is used 
  more as an insult.
  hIMInbjörG 
  Deity: Thunor
  Translation: Mountain-of-Heaven
  Thunor is another deity who receives few visits from 
  his peers. His home, such as it is, lies atop the tallest 
  peak in the heavens, a towering, jagged peak even 
  the gods have trouble climbing. There are no walls or 
  roof, for Thunor disdains any form of confinement. He 
  lives outdoors, wandering the mountain day and night, 
  guided by his lantern. Mortals know this lantern as the 
  brightest star in the heavens, which moves through the 
  sky as Thunor flits around his mountaintop home.
  hlIðskjálF 
  Deity: The Norns
  Translation: Hall-of-many-doors
  The Three Sisters share a small home on the edge 
  of the heavens. The only furnishings are the great loom 
  on which they weave the tapestry of existence and their 
  three stools.
  At night, when the gods are asleep, the sisters throw 
  open their doors to air the house. During this time mor-
  tals can see the great mass of threads as a milky streak 
  running through the night sky. 
  The hall’s name is metaphorical, and refers to the 
  many possibilities woven by the wyrd sisters.
  IðaskjálF 
  Deity: Eira
  Translation: Hall-that-renews-itself
  Resident Minor Gods: kvara, kvarsi (she spends a 
  lot of time with Tiw)
  Eira’s hall is small but comfortable, the mortal equiva-
  lent of a cottage. outside the whitewashed walls is an 
  extensive herb garden (a gift from Eostre), which Eira 
  brews into herbal remedies. Much of the inside is de-
  voted to the creation of herbal mixtures.
  The hall takes its name from the belief that no harm 
  can be inflicted within its walls. Fire does not scorch liv-
  GodsheIM
  
  
  ing flesh, and weapons do not bite. Indeed, even arguing 
  is impossible, for the hall is awash with such serenity that 
  anger is impossible to summon. Some clerics say the hall 
  itself is impervious to harm, being able to repair cracks 
  and breaks as soon as they are caused.
  FjöturskjálFr 
  Deity: Hothar
  Translation: Hall-of-fetters
  Resident Minor Gods: Sanngetall 
  Situated at the base of the gods’ moot hill, Hothar’s 
  hall is the judgment hall of heaven. Inside is the High 
  Seat, Hothar’s throne, from where he dispenses justice 
  and settles disagreements between the gods. Although 
  Hothar is blind, his home is illuminated by the Flame of 
  Truth, which can be extinguished only when the End of 
  Times comes and the laws of the universe cease to have 
  any meaning.
  MeInnár 
  Deity: Vali
  Translation: Diseased-corpse
  Resident Minor Gods: Haratt 
  Vali lives in Svartrmýrr (“Black Marsh”), a fetid, stink-
  ing lowland far to the south of the great plain that the 
  majority of the gods call home. Swathed in clouds of 
  biting flies, Vali’s hall stands on the rotting carcass of a 
  dragon and is constructed from rotting logs and stink-
  ing dung. The floor is a shifting carpet of disease-laden 
  rats gnawing at the dragon’s decomposing flesh. Hang-
  ing over fires inside are rusted cauldrons in which Vali’s 
  leprous servants brew all manner of vile diseases.
  nastrand
  Deity: Hela
  Translation: Beach-of-the-dead
  Resident Minor Gods: Thunn, Vakr
  To the east of the god’s realm, at the foot of the great 
  mountains, where their sheer sides touch the great 
  ocean known as the Void, is a beach of white sand. This 
  is Nastrand, the beach made of bones collected from the 
  mortal realm and powdered by the constant trampling of 
  Hela’s damned legions.
  The entrance to the beach is a narrow set of steps 
  descending an impossibly high cliff of utter black rock. 
  Here wages a constant battle, the forces of Scaetha 
  valiantly holding the confines of the stairwell against 
  the dark tide of evil souls surging upward from Hela’s 
  gloomy realm. It is widely held that this eternal struggle 
  is what prevents Hela from simply sending all the souls 
  at her disposal to the mortal world at once. Were she 
  to weaken her forces substantially, Scaetha would simply 
  march into her hall and slay her. of course, were Hela to 
  eventually win, the heavens would be endangered.
  Separating the base of the steps from the beach prop-
  er is Gjöllbrú (“Noisy bridge”). Hela has enchanted the 
  bridge so that it reverberates when crossed by anything 
  living. Thus, she is always warned when enemies enter 
  her domain (she has no fear of anything dead).
  Hela’s hall, which has the same name as the beach, 
  is a dark, malevolent palace made of dried bone. Inside, 
  Hela broods and plots her insane schemes, patiently 
  counting off the days until her greatest servant, the Li-
  che-Priest, reawakens.
  The name Nastrand is also attributed to a beach in the 
  southern Mistlands. According to one story, the beach is 
  a link to Hela’s unholy realm, a crossing place between 
  the divine and mortal worlds. It is certainly true that folk 
  fear to venture anywhere near it, even on water, when 
  the mists have risen, for those caught in the mist are 
  never seen again.
  Whether or not there is any truth in such stories is 
  left for the GM to determine. If the GM wants the char-
  acters to mingle with the gods, then this location (and 
  any others of similar power) make a perfect entry point 
  to Godsheim.
  nIFhel
  Deity: Niht
  Translation: Abode-of-darkness
  The goddess of darkness resides in an unlit, dingy 
  hall in a secluded valley in the mighty Niðafjöll (“Dark 
  Mountains”). Dank mist forever fills the narrow valley, 
  and Sigel’s Hearth sheds no light on the deity’s home. 
  No source of light functions here, for Niht has many 
  secrets she wishes to keep. The air is filled with millions 
  of whispers, guilty secrets told to Niht, who keeps them 
  safe so no other may ever hear them.
  It is said that the greatest secret is how to find the 
  exit. After she caught Haptasnytrir rummaging through 
  her collection of secrets, Niht made it nigh on impossible 
  for intruders to escape.
  nóatún 
  Deity: Neorthe
  Translation: Ship-enclosure
  Resident Minor Gods: Vegtam
  Neorthe’s hall is beneath the waves, not far from the 
  giant cliffs that rise in the south of the heavenly realm. 
  Made entirely of driftwood, the hall is decorated inside 
  and out with flotsam and jetsam, as well as treasures of 
  the ocean, such as pearls and whale bone engravings. 
  After kenaz almost torched his house, Neorthe allows no 
  fire in his hall.
  Neorthe’s boat shed, wherein all the gods’ boats are 
  moored, stands on the shore, and is guarded by Vegtam, 
  the god of marines and nautical combat. The various 
  boats are ullr’s Hringhorni (“Round-horned-ship”), 
  which he uses when fishing; Naglfar (“corpse-ship”), 
  Tiw’s warship (sometimes used by Scaetha); Sessrúm-
  nir (“Roomy-seat”), Var’s trading ship; and Skíðblaðnir 
  (“Ship-with-ice-blades-and-skis”), Sigel’s boat used to 
  move around the land in winter.
  hellFrost reGIon GuIde #46
  4
  
  ókolnIr 
  Deity: kenaz
  Translation: Never-cold
  Resident Minor Gods: Hagvirkr, kjalarr
  Roofed in beaten bronze and with walls of fire-hard-
  ened wood, kenaz’s hall has received few guests since 
  his disappearance. His minions still toil at their daily 
  tasks, the clang of metal on metal and the hiss of bel-
  lows is kept up by Hagvirkr, who works at kenaz’s forge, 
  Eldhrímnir (“Fire-sooty”), and although the fire god is 
  no longer a resident, the hearth continues to burn, the 
  great fire pit stoked daily with fresh wood.
  sökkVabekkr 
  Deity: Var
  Translation: Treasure-bank
  Resident Minor Gods: Auðun (though he sometimes 
  visits Nauthiz to fence stolen goods), Forseti
   Var’s home stands at a junction of frequently traveled 
  roads. Lining the many roads leading to the main gates 
  are brightly decorated trade stalls. Here, Var’s minions 
  spend their days hawking all manner of goods to visitors 
  and passersby.
  Despite being the richest god (Nauthiz contends this), 
  Var loathes spending money. As a result, the paintwork 
  is peeling and the interior, although majestic in size, has 
  little decoration.
  The largest stead in the heavens, its countless rooms 
  are crammed full of trade goods given to Var by his clergy 
  during the Profit Day ritual. Indeed, so tight is Var that 
  even his furniture and cutlery comes from his clergy’s 
  faithfulness. A common joke among his peers is that 
  even his clothes came from a mortal’s back.
  A strong room contains the god’s personal treasure, 
  as well as contracts between the god and his mortal 
  followers, and his clerics’ ledgers, which he collects on 
  their arrival in his hall. Security is tight, for Nauthiz has 
  “forgotten” to pay more than once after browsing the 
  storerooms.
  spekIrúMnIr 
  Deity: Hoenir
  Translation: With-much-knowledge
  Resident Minor Gods: Haptasnytrir, Hropt
  Every inch of Hoenir’s hall is crammed with books, 
  scrolls, tablets, and tomes, the sum of all known knowl-
  edge in the universe. Yet there is still empty space, for 
  even Hoenir does not know everything there is to know. 
  Even so, the library is so large, and expands so often, 
  that Hropt, Hoenir’s librarian, still struggles to catalog 
  everything.
  As befits Hoenir’s law that knowledge should be 
  freely imparted, his collection is open to other gods. Day 
  and night, his peers and their minions rummage through 
  the collections, ruining Hropt’s hard work. only Tiw is 
  banned outright, not that the god of war has much call 
  for knowledge. Niht never visits, for to do so would be an 
  admission that Hoenir knows something she does not.
  thryMheIM 
  Deity: Thrym
  Translation: Storm-home
  Resident Minor Gods: Langbarðr, Norðri 
  Far to the north of Niðafjöll, where winter is a perma-
  nent fixture, lies the hall of Thrym, god of the frost giants 
  and enemy of Thunor. A majestic hall carved of black ice 
  resistant to even Tiw’s fearsome blows, it sits on a prom-
  ontory overlooking a sea of crackling coldfire.
  The roof is tiled with Hellfrost dragon scales. A 
  dragon’s spine lies along the top, while the beast’s huge 
  skull hangs over the front doors to form a porch, its 
  skeletal arms being the supports. Inside the temperature 
  is mind-numbingly cold. When Thrym opens the doors, 
  the north wind howls out across the universe, bringing 
  with it winter. In spring, when the other gods are more 
  active and getting ready for war, Thrym seals his fortress, 
  thus ending winter for another year.
  It is widely held that kenaz and Sigel are prisoner 
  somewhere in this icy hall, the gods of heat and light 
  slowly freezing to death in Thrym’s dungeon.
  Vásað 
  Deity: Ertha
  Translation: Damp-cold
  Resident Minor Gods: Foldardróttann 
  Ertha does not dwell in the same region of the heavens 
  as the other gods—she lives beneath the mortal realm, 
  rather than above it. Mortals refer to this place as Ertha-
  heim. While this is the correct name for her domain, it is 
  not the name of her personal hall.
  Ertha’s home is a colossal cavern of wondrous natu-
  ral beauty. Stalactites and stalagmites grow to immense 
  length and in unusual shapes, mineral veins of contrast-
  ing colors arch and loop to form intricate knotwork pat-
  terns, and gemstones shine with intense radiance. The 
  hall feels organic, smoothing and curving gracefully, with 
  no hard angles to distract the eye. Everything in the hall, 
  from the sleeping benches to the crockery to the stand-
  ing furniture, is made of stone. 
  A pool of lava, a gift from kenaz, who taught Ertha 
  how to melt rock, provides illumination but scant 
  warmth. Indeed, for all its wonder and beauty, the god-
  dess’ home is no different to the countless other caverns 
  in the underearth—cold and damp.
  VInGólF
  Deity: Eostre
  Translation: Friendly-floor
  Resident Minor Gods: Epona, Veth
  Like the goddess who lives here, the great hall has two 
  distinct aspects. The Plantmother side is formed from 
  living bark of silver hue. A large, well-tended garden sur-
  GodsheIM
  
  
  rounds this half, while further out are vast orchards and 
  immense crop fields. Inside, the floor is soft grass, while 
  the walls are swathed in fruit bearing vines. Guests will 
  find no warm hearth to take the chill from their bones. 
  Those who need warmth find the creepers flow around 
  them to form a living cloak.
  The other half is a wooden structure covered in animal 
  hides. The horns of a colossal aurochs adorn the gable 
  end, under which are huge doors carved with images 
  of all the beasts of the universe. All manner of livestock 
  roam outside, and the ground is a churned morass of 
  mud and dung. Numerous pens, byres, stalls, and stables 
  stand in the farmyard, while fields populated by cattle 
  and sheep stretch to the distant horizon.
  ÝdalIr 
  Deity: ullr
  Translation: Yew-dales
  Resident Minor Gods: Vafud
  Ýdalir is actually the name of the region of the heavens 
  in which ullr live. His hall, little more than a modest hut, 
  is unnamed. Situated on the edge of a lake surrounded 
  by a yew forest replete with game, the outside of the hut 
  is bedecked with freshly killed game. Inside, there is only 
  a single room. Furs and skins hang on the walls and cover 
  the floor. A small hearth, over which meat is continually 
  spit-roasted, provides ample heat and light.
  ullr is rarely home in summer and autumn, for he 
  travels far and wide on his hunts. The hall is never locked, 
  for ullr has nothing of great value worth stealing and the 
  meat hanging outside is there for all the gods to eat.
  unknown
  Deity: The unknowable one
  Translation: —
  Resident Minor Gods: Galdraföðr, Gizzur
  Whether the unknowable one has a stead is open to 
  much debate, even among the gods. The Norns cannot 
  tell if the god has entered his home, Niht will not reveal 
  the knowledge, if indeed she knows it, Maera cannot 
  divine its location, Rigr has yet to spy it from his lofty 
  vantage point, and Hoenir can find no reference to one.
  No one has ever heard the unknowable one mention 
  having a home, but it is equally apparent he does not 
  sleep rough or ask for hospitality very often. Most agree 
  that the trickster has a home, but, as befits his nature, he 
  either keeps it hidden or conceals it in some manner. As 
  usual, the unknowable one remains tight-lipped.
  halls oF the MInor Gods
  This section lists the remaining minor gods in al-
  phabetical order by name, and describes their places of 
  residence (if any).
  Note that while the inhuman gods sometimes feature 
  in the myths of the civilized races (such as when k’kroakaa 
  tried to eat Sigel and ended up burning himself), these 
  alien deities do not form part of the pantheon, and thus 
  do not reside in Godsheim. Their dark abodes are said to 
  lie beyond the mountains, forests, and ocean that form 
  the borders of the gods’ realm, in barbarous lands where 
  the teachings of the great gods are unknown.
  Boðgaeðir: The standard bearer of both Scaetha and 
  Tiw, Boðgaeðir’s hall, Hrafnnið (“Ravens-nest”) stands in 
  the middle of Fólkvangr (see below). It is named for the 
  raven banner he carries into battle. The roof tiles are a 
  murder of living ravens that feed on the flesh of mortals 
  slain in battle.
  Bolverk: In the middle of Eostre’s pasture land 
  stands kyrvöllr (“cow-field”), a small stead belonging to 
  her cattle-stealing son. His herd of stolen cows grazes 
  nearby.
  Bragi: While not associated with Freo, Bragi spends 
  all his time visiting the halls of the other gods. In return 
  for hospitality, he passes on juicy tidbits of gossip, typi-
  cally gathered at the last hall he visited.
  Eylúðr: The herald of the gods has no home. His life 
  is one of constant travel between the halls of Thunor and 
  Thrym, and Scaetha and Hela. of all the gods, he alone is 
  granted safe passage while journeying through Nastrand, 
  for even the insane goddess of the undead is not foolish 
  enough to harm a herald.
  Farmaguth: The god of boundaries lives in Naefre-
  wealcan (“Never-moving”), a cavern at the base of Him-
  ingbjorg, the spire around which the universe rotates. 
  Located centrally, it is the only point in the universe that 
  remains static.
  Fjallgeiguðr: The god of shape changers is a frequent 
  guest in the halls of the other gods, though they rarely 
  know it. She might enter a hall disguised as a cat or dog, 
  a lowly mouse, a raven, or even an insect.
  Gangari: Like Freo, Gangari has no home. He prefers 
  to spend his time far from Godsheim, exploring the end-
  less expanse of the universe.
  Gersemi: The goddess of consensual sex dwells in 
  Plesirskjalf (“Hall-of-pleasure”). After being kept awake 
  one night by the noise of Gersemi’s entertaining a guest, 
  Thunor ordered the wind not to carry any noise from the 
  hall. This has annoyed Niht, for she can no longer eaves-
  drop on what occurs within the minor deity’s home.
  Goðjaðarr: A sole pass runs through the mountains 
  that form Godheim’s eastern border. Here stands Jö-
  tunsarnes (“Pain-of-giants”), the hall of Goðjaðarr the 
  giant-slayer. Like Tiw, he decks the outside of his hall in 
  the battle-garb of fallen foes, a warning that the pass to 
  Godsheim is off limits to the giants.
  Gullveig: on the edge of Eostre’s stead stands 
  Mjoðrcetal (“Mead-cauldron”), the home of the god of 
  brewing. Here Gullveig brews ale and mead, gathering 
  what he needs from the fields of barley and bee hives 
  on his little plot of land. Inside are several cauldrons of 
  fermenting alcohol, and enough casks of ale and mead to 
  keep the gods drunk for years.
  Haptsönir: The god of freedom lives in openianvel-
  kiann (“open-welcome”), a hall open to all passersby. 
  Here guests may stay as long as they wish and dine plen-
  hellFrost reGIon GuIde #46
  6
  
  tifully, for Haptsönir places no restrictions on how long 
  his peers may stay, leaving it to them to depart after an 
  appropriate time.
  Hrafn: The gods’ messenger needs no hall. He con-
  stantly travels around Godsheim delivering messages 
  between the gods, and accepting hospitality wherever it 
  is offered. As a messenger, rather than a herald, he avoids 
  the homes of Dargar, Hela, and Thrym. Vali, though evil, 
  bears him no ill will.He affords the minor god no special 
  protection when he visits, either.
  Jarngrímr: Across the valley from Haptsönir lives his 
  arch-rival, the god of tyranny and oppression. His hall is 
  called Lagu (“obediance”).
  Lasesmed: Beneath Rigr’s watchtower is Alscyttan 
  (“All-shuttered”), the home of the gods’ locksmith. At-
  tempting to break into the hall is a favorite pastime of 
  Nauthiz, for Lasesmed has every door secured by mul-
  tiple locks of cunning design.
  Sigmundr: No hall is called home by the god of 
  dragonslaying. He quests endlessly through the heavens, 
  searching for dragons to put to the sword.
  Skaði: close to the northern mountains the tempera-
  ture drops noticeably. Eostre Animalmother has a small 
  stead here, which she rents to Skaði in return for the 
  minor deity watching over her mammoth herds. Her hall 
  is Harval (“Hairy-wall”), so named because of the mam-
  moth hides that cover the walls.
  Viðarr: outside Scaetha’s hall, the stony path divides 
  in two. one path leads down blood-soaked stairs to Nas-
  trand, the other to a cave mouth. Within the cave are 
  labyrinthine tunnels that stretch across the universe, and 
  through the fabric of reality. one secret path eventually 
  leads to an immense clearing, across the other side of 
  which is a wall so high not even Thunor has reached the 
  top. Breaking the wall is a pair of iron gates—the gates to 
  the Abyss. Located outside the doors is Hela’s old watch 
  post, now home to Viðarr.
  notable places
  This section looks at some of the geographic locations 
  commonly attributed to Godsheim.
  Alfheim: The land of the fey, it occupies a point half-
  way between the heavens and the world of men. It was 
  from here the elves were exiled.
  Fólkvangr: (“Field-of-the-host) A plain stretching be-
  tween the halls of Tiw and Scaetha. The armies of both 
  gods use it as a mustering and training ground.   Fyris-
  vellir: (“Ebbing-marshy-plain”) The dank marsh where 
  Vali has his home.
  Gálgviðr: (“Gallows-wood”) A dark wood in the cen-
  tral plains, and home to many foul monsters.
  Gandvik: (“Bay-of-serpents”) A coastal region notori-
  ous for its immense sea serpents. Their writhing is said 
  to create waves in the mortal realm. Tiw fishes here.
  Ginnungagap: (“Yawning-abyss”) The chasm that sep-
  arates the worlds of men and gods. It is spanned only by 
  Ásbrú, and allmanner of foul things dwell in the depths. 
  In some legends this is the night sky, while in others the 
  sky is the Void, the great ocean of the heavens.
  Ifing: (“unfrozen”) The river separating the gods’ 
  homes from Thrym’s realm. It never freezes and runs 
  fast, thus making it an obstacle to both sides.
  Járnviðr: (“Iron-wood”) A vast forest to the east of 
  the celestial realm inhabited by giants and trolls.
  Jötunheimr: A realm far to the west, wherein dwell 
  the true giants, a race who fought against the gods dur-
  ing the God War and whose far weaker descendants still 
  plague men.
  Vígríðr: (“Battle-surge”) The stairwell to Nastrand, 
  where the armies of Scaetha and Hela are locked in per-
  petual warfare.
  the celestIal sphere
  How the stars were created has been the subject of 
  much heated discussion down the ages. Whether they 
  are truly mythical creations or “merely” spheres of gas 
  undergoing nuclear fission is not in doubt—to the citi-
  zens of Rassilon they are most definitely the work of the 
  gods.
  Most every story agrees that in days of yore, Sigel and 
  Maera divided time into two halves. Mortals call these 
  periods day and night. Sigel, arrogant and proud, shone 
  like a brilliant beacon. Maera, more subtle and gentle, 
  shone but pale in the dark sky, a celestial candle to Sigel’s 
  bonfire. But Niht, goddess of darkness, saw weakness 
  in Maera’s wan light and crept into the sky. Each time 
  Sigel slept, the goddesses fought an endless battle over 
  a monthly cycle, with one side first gaining the upper 
  hand and then the other. Alone in the darkness, Maera 
  beseeched the other gods for help. Here the stories di-
  verge into separate myths.
  one says that only Thunor answered her call. He 
  struck his great warhammer, Thunderstorm, upon a rock 
  (Thunor’s Anvil, in Nordmark), creating a shower of 
  sparks that flew into the heavens. And so the first stars, 
  known to skalds as Thunor’s sparks, were created. In 
  order to stop the stars falling to the earthly realm and 
  scorching it, Spiðari bound them in her great web.
  Another myth tells that the stars are torches, set in the 
  heavens by Rigr or Sigel to ward off Niht and give Maera 
  comfort. Because kenaz had no part in their creation, 
  they give off light but not heat. In older legends they 
  hang from the spider-goddess’ web. Freo is sometimes 
  attributed to the creation of the stars. Each point of light 
  is a campfire, lit both so Freo knows the roads he has 
  already walked and also to comfort Maera during her 
  nightly vigil. Another myth says the stars are the camp-
  fires of Tiw’s army on watch against invaders.
  Regardless of which myth one favors, it is widely 
  agreed that even when Maera’s Ember is at its darkest, 
  the stars light up the night sky, keeping the darkness 
  from gaining total victory. 
  GodsheIM
  
  
  coMets
  comets are not unknown in Rassilon, though none 
  are on a regular cycle that brings them into view more 
  than once in a person’s lifetime. Both the clergy of Hoe-
  nir and the Lorekeepers have records of them in their 
  dusty archives dating back many centuries, and skalds 
  frequently mention them in tales. All citizens who honor 
  the benevolent deities consider witnessing a comet a 
  sign of ill-omen and impending disaster.
  Actual myths regarding them vary by religion. To the 
  cult of Tiw they are the slain bodies of their god’s foes 
  tumbling through the void, a sign that war is coming, 
  while Eira’s cult holds they are the spirits of gods killed 
  during the God War. Many claim comets are tied to Hela, 
  for one heralded the rise of the Liche-Priest. In recent 
  times, a blood red comet awakened vengeful Anari spir-
  its (see adventure H1: Sins of the Father).
  No records exist regarding whether one lit up the 
  night before the Blizzard War. It may be such records were 
  simply lost in the bloodshed and subsequent chaos.
  MaGestorM
  The Norns have never forgiven Maera for introducing 
  magic into the world. Sporadically, they try to throw all 
  the threads of magic out of their window, thus ridding 
  the universe of its influence. While they never fully suc-
  ceed (such is their fate), a few fibers of raw magic are 
  cast aside.
  These fall to the mortal realm, triggering magestorms. 
  For those living in the High Winterlands, magestorms are 
  visible as flickering curtains of green light in the night sky. 
  Truly powerful storms are visible as far as the northern 
  Hearthlands. Regardless of whether the phenomenon is 
  witnessed or not, magestorms are felt across the conti-
  nent.
  shootInG stars
  Rassilon experiences four meteorite showers each 
  year like clockwork.
  The Flakes begin on the second Waescdaeg of Eos-
  tremonan and last five days. one story says the falling 
  stars are the remnant of flower petals ripped up by Tiw 
  after Eira left him. Another claims they are sparks caused 
  by Hagvirkr sharpening Eostre’s hoes and plows in readi-
  ness for the coming spring. Yet another says they are 
  flakes of snow sent by Thrym to blanket the world in ice, 
  but scorched by kenaz or Sigel before they strike.
  The Stone Shower begins on the second Marketdaeg 
  of Werremonan and ends anywhere from five to seven 
  days later. Legend has it that during this time Haptsönir 
  and Jarngrímr, bitter enemies, throw huge boulders at 
  each other. Many of these miss and fly out of Godsheim 
  into the great heavenly void.
  on the third Waescdaeg of Huntianmonan the night 
  sky is broken by the impressive Blood Drops, fiery red 
  streaks that burn through the heavens. These are blood 
  drops from the epic struggle between Thunor and 
  Thrym, which has been raging since spring. old wives 
  tales claim that if snow falls before the end of that week, 
  winter will be hard and last well into Eostremonan, for 
  Thrym has driven back his rival. If the snow holds off, 
  the winter winds will be less harsh and spring will come 
  early next year.
  The Sparks begin on Endedaeg of Fogmonan, as the 
  Anvil moves into alignment with the Forgemistress, and 
  last exactly four days. It is widely agreed they are sparks 
  created by Ertha striking the Anvil.
  constellatIons
  For untold millennia the races have stared at the heav-
  ens and seen shapes in the firmament. over time, sages 
  and skalds named these formations and attached myths 
  to them. So were born the constellations.
  The oldest existing star charts are those inscribed 
  by the gatormen at the height of their ancient empire, 
  though the faded images on their crumbling stone tab-
  lets and temple walls bare little resemblance to modern 
  charts. of the current civilized races, it was the elves 
  whom first charted the firmament.
  Like Godsheim, there is no one correct view of the 
  stars. Every race, major culture, and cult, not to men-
  tion different geographic regions, has their own twists 
  on the tales. Some use different stars in the constella-
  tions, while others ignore entire formations in the heav-
  ens. The constellations depicted on the star chart and 
  described below are the most widelyaccepted facts and 
  figures, though as you will see there are varying stories 
  for many.
  Although there are countless lesser constellations 
  made up of faint pricks of light, the great constellations 
  are those used in fortune telling, navigation, and com-
  mon stories, and the ones most clearly visible from the 
  mortal realm.
  The star chart is based on midnight observation of the 
  heavens taken from Nara, a major center of learning in 
  the Freelands. As the hours of night pass, the stars rotate 
  counter-clockwise through the sky. As the seasons pass, 
  so different formations are first over the horizon.
  To use the star chart, rotate it until the current month 
  is at the bottom. constellations at the bottom of the chart 
  are in the northern sky, while those at the top lie to the 
  south. (In order to see the constellations as they would 
  appear in the sky to the characters, hold the chart above 
  your head with the current season facing away from you, 
  and bend it into a curve.)
  The world has an axial tilt of around 20 degrees. 
  Thus, constellations near the horizon partially disappear 
  during the year, only to rise high in the sky some six and 
  a half months later. The images on the chart depict all 
  the constellations at their zenith, something that never 
  actually occurs in the night sky. However, geography and 
  cosmology are not recognized sciences in Rassilon, and 
  all star charts the characters will ever come across show 
  the stars in this manner.
  hellFrost reGIon GuIde #46
  
  
  Any references to seasons in the text below relate to 
  the Hearthlands.
  0. the secret sIGn
  This constellation appears on no star charts save the 
  most fanciful, for it is sacred to Niht, mistress of secrets 
  and darkness. That it even exists is subject to furious de-
  bate, even among the goddess’ cultists. Those who claim 
  it must exist say it is formed of dark stars, invisible to 
  all save Niht herself. Skeptics consider this a very poor 
  excuse for claiming something “must” exist. Even among 
  those who agree it exists, there is no consensus regard-
  ing in which part of the sky it hangs.
  The mythical constellation goes by many names, in-
  cluding the Veil, the Shroud, the Shadow, the Dark Lady, 
  the Assassin, and the Black Watcher.
  1. the coMpass
  This constellation is known as the Northern cross 
  in much of the High Winterlands and the Wheel in the 
  Hearthlands. Regardless of race, culture, or faith, all 
  agree it was placed in the heavens by Freo as an aid to 
  navigation. Rassilon has no north star. Instead, the verti-
  cal arm of the compass points due north, guiding travel-
  ers on their journeys.
  The compass appears fully in the heavens in late 
  spring, the time when most citizens begin long journeys. 
  As it slips down in the sky toward the horizon, wanderers 
  know it is time to find shelter from the coming winter.
  . the staG-headed hunter
  ullr, the stag-headed god of hunting, who the constel-
  lation represents, begins to break the horizon in spring 
  and crosses it fully in Werremonan. This marks the official 
  start of the hunting season in many regions.  It lasts until 
  the god sinks again in early Fogmonan. During winter 
  ullr is only partially visible, when it is said he is shelter-
  ing within his hall and preparing for next year’s hunt.
  . the FlaMInG cloak
  The stars of this constellation flicker red in the night 
  sky. They are named for kenaz’s fiery cloak, which when 
  Thunor blows on it warms the wind during the summer 
  months. As the constellation sinks lower, so the cold 
  north wind begins to gain dominance. Since kenaz’s 
  disappearance, the stars have been fuzzy and, some say, 
  have lost much of their color.
  on some newer charts it is labeled the Hearth, its im-
  age that of a warm fire rather than a cloak. This depiction 
  is growing ever more popular in the Hearthlands as the 
  winters worsen.
  4. the openInG door
  This set of stars depicts Nauthiz’s holy symbol. The 
  star marking the bottom of the open door is faint and 
  often not visible for nights on end, even on nights of the 
  Deorcmonan.
  on nights it vanishes the door is said to be closed, 
  a ward against Nauthiz’s pilfering. When it appears in 
  the sky once more people secure their doors and strong-
  boxes, for it means Nauthiz is abroad committing acts of 
  theft. Larcenous followers of the faith prefer to commit 
  acts of thievery when the door is opening, believing acts 
  of theft will be more likely to succeed.
  . the harp oF rhIannon
  In days of yore, a skald by the name of Rhiannon 
  walked the northern realm. It is said that her music was 
  so sweet and pure she could enthral the hearts of men 
  and soothe the deepest wound. Vali tried to corrupt 
  her, for he surmised that music of such power could be 
  turned to great wickedness. Rhiannon resisted the dark 
  god’s advances time and time again, for her spirit was 
  pure and incorruptible. In a fit of fury, Vali had the skald 
  murdered. To ensure her music would never be forgot-
  ten, and to taunt Vali, the unknowable one convinced 
  his peers to let Rhiannon take her place in the stars.
  The story has many variations. one tells that Rhian-
  non was a skilled harpist, but she was also vain beyond 
  measure, constantly proclaiming her music better than 
  that even of the gods. The unknowable one, appearing 
  in disguise or acting through divine agents, praised her 
  music and offered her the gift of immortality as a reward. 
  The skald hastily agreed, only to find herself taken from 
  the mortal realm and planted in the heavens. Here, she 
  must play her harp for eternity. This story is a moral one, 
  warning people not only against offending the gods, but 
  being careful of offers that appear too good to be true.
  Another has Rhiannon as a liar or slanderer. Her pun-
  ishment for misusing her gift and position as a skald was 
  imprisonment in the heavens until she learns to tell the 
  truth or retracts her slander. Yet another tells how she 
  charmed the gods with her music and was granted a seat 
  among them so she could entertain them forever.
  6. the shIeldMaIden
  This collection of stars represents a fearsome warrior 
  maiden, her sword outstretched as if smiting a foe. Some 
  depictions show the constellation without a cloak. Such 
  charts omit the four stars encircling the shield. Most folk 
  agree it is the constellation of Scaetha, shieldmaiden of 
  the gods.
  Surprisingly, the cult of Scaetha calls the constellation 
  the Valkyrie. While it is important to their cult, it repre-
  sents not their goddess, but one of her divine servants. 
  Their star charts show the shield star as a lantern, the 
  light from which guides the dead to Scaetha’s hall for 
  judgment. Those who follow this belief hold that dying 
  when the star is below the horizon or hidden behind 
  cloud is an unfortunate fate, for it is said the soul will 
  have difficulty reaching the Afterlife.
  GodsheIM
  
  
  . the whIte eye
  Although Maera is more usually associated with the 
  moon, this wandering star (planet) is very important to 
  her followers. Its movement through the night sky and 
  interaction with the constellations is used extensively in 
  divination. The wandering star represents not the god-
  dess of magic, but the milky eye of Hoárri, the minor 
  goddess of divination.
  . the storM draGon
  To the hearth elves this constellation represents a 
  sun dragon breathing fire. To everyone else it is a storm 
  dragon, the symbol of Thunor, spitting lightning.
  With kenaz and Sigel absent, it has fallen to Thunor to 
  continue the fight against the tyranny of Thrym, whose 
  equally draconic constellation this faces. (Tiw, whom 
  one might expect to be Thrym’s chief enemy, cares only 
  for conflict, not causes.) 
  The pair’s battle is endless, the constellations rising 
  and falling in different positions as the seasons turn, 
  indicating the battle swinging first one way and then the 
  other. In winter, for example, Thrym appears to hold 
  the northern sky, hovering over Thunor and showing his 
  dominance. In summer, their positions are reversed.
  clerics of Thunor can, so they claim, predict the 
  weather over the coming days by how the stars appear 
  from behind or are obscured by clouds.
  . herald oF the sun
  Appearing fully over the horizon in late summer, 
  the Herald foretells the coming winter and great hard-
  ship, but it is also a sign of hope, for it represents Sigel 
  watching over mortals and promises a return of warmer 
  weather in months to come. 
  The faint star forming the mace head is surrounded 
  by a nebulous yellow cloud. The hearth elves say the star 
  lit up the heavens so brightly at the birth of the Sun king 
  that it could be seen during the day, but since then it has 
  greatly diminished.
  Virtually all accounts depict it as a draconic humanoid. 
  While chosen of Thrym are known to assume the form 
  of a fell union of Hellfrost dragons and men, no one has 
  ever heard of a chosen of Sigel, which the constellation 
  apparently represents. The cult of Sigel fervently believes 
  that the mace star will flare again when Sigel returns to 
  the heavens, heralding the birth of the chosen of Sigel. 
  These most blessed mortals will, so numerous prophe-
  cies insist, take the fight to Thrym and end the relentless 
  winters plaguing the world.
  10. the secret Font
  These stars represent the great book of lore, in which 
  Hoenir has inscribed all the knowledge of the universe. 
  Faint stars are visible on the “pages,” though their pat-
  terns continually shift into new forms, teasing men with 
  knowledge, yet simultaneously denying it to them. The 
  patterns are sometimes used in divinations.
  11. the leaVInG tree
  The five stars that make up the roots, trunk, and tip 
  glow with a constant brightness all year round. Those 
  marking the leaves and branches grow dimmer begin-
  ning on Heah Sumor Daeg, almost vanishing completely 
  in mid-winter. They begin to shine more brightly shortly 
  after Heah Wyntr Daeg onward, reaching their zenith 
  sometime in Eostremonan.
  While Eostre sends many earthly signs to mark the 
  onset of spring, typically the birth of lambs, many sages 
  still gaze skyward to determine the true end of winter 
  and the advent of the new growing season. In many 
  Hearthlands farming communities, the appearance of the 
  constellation standing vertically over the horizon as the 
  sun sets means it is too late to harvest any more crops. 
  Such crops are often gathered for use in ceremonies to 
  appease Vali.
  The elves have heard tales from the reclusive jegeren 
  that the constellation symbolizes Yggdrasil, the ash tree 
  whose branches and roots touch all the realms of exis-
  tence, and their former home.
  1. the blade
  considered the constellation of Tiw, the weapon de-
  picted, the stars that form its pattern, and its name vary 
  immensely by race and culture. To the frost dwarves it is 
  the Axe, to Saxa the Spear, and to engro the Sling. The 
  Anari call it the Blade. Regardless, it is an instrument of 
  war, Tiw’s specialty.
  Many stories say it hangs between Thunor and Thrym 
  because Tiw supports both sides, reveling in the battle 
  for divine supremacy and ensuring neither side gains the 
  upper hand, thus prolonging the conflict indefinitely.
  1. the warrIor
  Although this constellation depicts a bare-chested 
  warrior, it has nothing directly to do with Tiw, god of 
  war. Instead, every race, culture, realm, and cult, and 
  sometimes individual settlements, assigns its own legend 
  of a great warrior to the star group.
  For instance, to the Tuomi it is Achivir, the Tattooed 
  Warrior, who stood alone against the Hellfrost armies for 
  a whole day before finally succumbing to his wounds. In 
  Nordmark it represents cenwalch cerdicsunu, a famous 
  warrior who led the Saxa to freedom in their war against 
  the Anari. The dwarves, who show the figure with an axe 
  rather than a sword, say it is the first king of karad khan, 
  Durin the Founder. 
  All the stories follow the same basic premise—a 
  mighty hero performs some legendary act of heroism 
  and, on death, is rewarded with a prestigious place in 
  the heavens by the grateful gods.
  While the specific name changes from place to place, 
  hellFrost reGIon GuIde #46
  10
  
  everyone agrees the stars represent a warrior. Thus, its 
  generic name is used on most star charts.
  14. the balanced scale
  These nine stars represent scales. To most they are 
  Hothar’s scale, on which he weighs evidence in legal 
  cases. The cult of Scaetha holds they are the goddess of 
  death’s scales, in which souls are weighed after death 
  to determine their purity. It is thus the constellation of 
  their goddess.
  1. the screaMer In the dark
  Winter holds many horrors, not least the privations 
  of the cult of Dargar. Many claim this patterns shows 
  a severed head turned sideways, its eyes blindfolded. 
  others say it is a representation of the blood eagle, that 
  most gruesome and feared manner of torture and death. 
  Regardless of the exact image, it is a warning that the 
  time of civilized life is drawing to a close and the time of 
  the ravenous wolves draws near.
  16. the looM
  Sacred to the Norns, this group of stars represents 
  their loom, on which the fate of all things is woven. The 
  sky where the tapestry would be on a conventional loom 
  is comprised of hundreds of faint stars. How many stars 
  are visible depends on the phase of the moon, the posi-
  tion of the Loom in the night sky, cloud cover, and so on. 
  As such, soothsayers of the cult use its varying patterns 
  to divine the future.
  1. the ForGeMIstress
  Frost dwarves set their calendars when the Forgemis-
  tress, the constellation sacred to Ertha, steps fully over 
  the horizon, for they know winter is not far away.
  In many myths, the placing of the Forgemistress in 
  that part of the sky is no coincidence, for her hammer is 
  raised as if ready to strike at the Vermin king. Its sound, 
  which mortals cannot hear, will, it is hoped, drive vermin 
  from their hiding holes to freeze in the biting winter.
  1. the anVIl
  The Anvil is only the second known wandering star. As 
  the days grow shorter and colder, its regular path brings 
  it into alignment with the Forgemistress as she crosses 
  the horizon into full view. When it reaches the position 
  shown on the star chart, Ertha is said to strike the Anvil, 
  an act that signifies the start of winter. This conjunction 
  also foretells the start of the Sparks shooting star shower. 
  The Anvil appears blue to the naked eye.
  1. the VerMIn kInG
  Ever hungry, the Vermin Lord begins to rise to promi-
  nence shortly after Falmonan, coinciding with the time 
  when the granaries are full. Its zenith is a dire warning 
  that Vali is abroad. citizens begin setting aside portions 
  of the harvest in preparation for Famine Day, which is 
  scarcely a month away.
  It is widely held that kittens born on the day the Ver-
  min Lord rises highest will be natural ratters and mous-
  ers. It is also the time when the cult of Veth becomes 
  most active in its fight against Vali’s mortal agents.
  0. the hellFrost draGon
  Thrym’s constellation hangs high in the heavens, 
  locked in eternal combat with Thunor, the last god who 
  can challenge him directly for supremacy of the seasons. 
  It sits above the Vacant Throne, an ominous sign for those 
  who blame the god of winter for Sigel’s disappearance.
  1. the scIeld
  A disc of golden, glittering stars, the coin is associ-
  ated with both Nauthiz in his role of god of gamblers 
  and luck, and Var, god of trade, even though both deities 
  have other constellations attributed them. 
  The six stars are all of variable magnitude, each grow-
  ing brighter and dimmer to its own rhythm over the 
  course of time. Some change over the course of a week, 
  while others can take years. The brighter the stars, the 
  better one’s luck or trading opportunities.
  Among Var’s cult the patterns are used to divine the 
  likely success of minor trade deals, for the Merchant’s 
  Scale (see below) controls major trade agreements. Gam-
  blers tend to be more aware of its shifting patterns, for 
  luck is a fickle master at the best of times and those who 
  live by the roll of the dice need all the help they can get. 
  Since the stars can only be viewed at night, their bright-
  ness is applied to that night and the following day.
  The constellation is held in high esteem by the citi-
  zens of Drakeport, for it represents the gold scield, the 
  currency their ancestors introduced to the continent 
  after the Blizzard War, and which helped stabilize the 
  shattered nation. 
  Many residents consider it Drakeport’s personal con-
  stellation, its varying brightness prophesizing good and 
  bad times for the city. Such is the faith in its portents that 
  Baron Brogo sets his policies according to the particular 
  pattern at the constellation’s zenith.
  The general population is equally superstitious. Days 
  when all the stars are dim are bad omens, and they re-
  frain from making agreements or performing work of any 
  sort. Much of the city actually closes down, and those 
  who must work do so only after receiving blessings from 
  clerics of Sigel, the city’s patron deity. When they are all 
  bright, the citizens believe they are especially blessed. 
  According to Drogo’s personal historian, he was born 
  on a day when all the stars shone brilliantly. Regardless 
  of the actual brightness of the stars, Drogo’s birthday is 
  held to be an extremely auspicious day, especially for 
  marriages and births.
  GodsheIM
  11
  
  . the Merchant’s scale
  This is the most generally accepted constellation of 
  Var, god of trade. The two stars marking the scales are 
  unusual in that they appear at different heights in rela-
  tion to the rest of the constellation on different nights.
  clerics look to the heavens before making major 
  deals, for the lower the star is on the left compared to 
  its counterpart, the more profit there is to be had from 
  selling goods, while when the right hand star sits higher 
  it is an auspicious time to buy new stock.
  To the cult these stars are the lanterns of two of Var’s 
  divine thieftakers—Farmatýr (“Protector of Goods“) and 
  Reiðartýr (“Wagon Watcher”), moving as the duo patrol 
  Var’s celestial marketplace.
  . the necroMancer
  The elves, who are wise in such things, claim this 
  constellation came into being during Hela’s madness. 
  Formerly it showed Hela in her role a guardian of the 
  gates of the Abyss, but today it depicts a skeletal figure 
  clad in a burial shroud.
  It slowly appears over the horizon, sliding into view 
  like the specter of death, its bony hand outstretched 
  toward the Vacant Throne. That it reaches for the empty 
  seat of Sigel is considered a bad sign, for if Hela claims 
  Sigel, the world is doomed to suffer eternal darkness. 
  Fortunately, Eira stands behind the throne, ready to heal 
  Sigel of whatever wounds he has sustained. The great 
  powers of life and death thus battle endlessly for the 
  missing sun god.
  4. the swan (also, the loVers)
  To those of poetic or romantic bent it is tied to a myth 
  concerning two lovers. The story concerns a mortal war-
  rior (whose name varies, but is given here as Sigmund 
  because that is the name he holds in Royalmark, where 
  the story is said to have originated). As he stalked the 
  battlefield looking for fallen comrades, he witnessed the 
  arrival of Scaetha’s heralds, sent to gather the dead. one 
  of these heralds was a female spirit who went by the name 
  of Hildabrand (again, this is the Royalmark version).
  The mortal immediately fell in love with Hildab-
  rand, for she was a creature beyond mortal beauty. The 
  conventional story has it that the pair met on several 
  battlefields and eventually fell in love. While they could 
  not consummate their feelings toward each other while 
  Sigmund was mortal, the herald knew he would eventu-
  ally die and enter Godsheim, whereupon they could be 
  forever for eternity.
  Alas, Sigmund’s allotted time came and went, but his 
  soul was never collected. Distraught, Hildabrand asked 
  Scaetha to let her go to the mortal realm and search for 
  the spirit of her beloved. Scaetha refused, but she did 
  grant her servant permission to search from afar. Taking 
  the form of a majestic swan, Hildabrand flew into the 
  heavens, from where she gazes down at the world of 
  men. It is said she has searched for centuries, but the 
  soul of Sigmund continues to elude her.
  A less romantic version has it that Sigmund longed to 
  see Hildabrand so much after their first encounter that 
  he went on a murderous rampage in order that Scaetha 
  might send the herald to the mortal realm more often. 
  As punishment, Scaetha took Sigmund’s soul in secret. 
  Hildebrand’s eternal vigil is her punishment for encour-
  aging the relationship. Yet another version tells that Hil-
  dabrand grew impatient and killed Sigmund before his 
  time so as to gather his soul. Again, her position in the 
  sky rather than serving Scaetha is punishment.
  . the Vacant throne
  What name this constellation had before the Blizzard 
  War is long forgotten. Since that terrible age it has been 
  known as the Vacant Throne, for it is believed to repre-
  sent Sigel’s high seat, which stands vacant in his empty 
  hall. When Sigel returns, it will again be occupied.
  6. the whIte Mother
  This constellation depicts Eira in her typical form, a 
  young maiden with arms outstretched, palms upward in 
  a gesture of peace. She begins to slip from the sky in 
  shame at the blood that will be spilled as Werremonan 
  approaches.
  . the eVerFull juG
  Mariners use Neorthe’s constellation, which hangs 
  high in the sky, as a navigation aid. When an imaginary 
  line is drawn between the two stars marking the lower 
  and center right of the jug, they point almost due north.
  Although Thunor is the god of air, Neorthe’s constel-
  lation is also used to help forecast the coming weather. 
  The first star marking the tipping water is one of the 
  brightest in the sky. From fall through spring, a faint, cir-
  cular rainbow often appears around it just before snow 
  falls. According to myth, this is the result of Thrym trying 
  to freeze the liquid.
  . the watcher
  Ever-vigilant, the liddedeye of Rigr hangs in the night 
  sky, seemingly closed, yet ceaselessly peering down on 
  the mortal realm, for the Watchman does not sleep.
  In many myths the right-hand star (which marks 
  the “open eye”) is not part of the constellation proper. 
  Instead, it is said to be Thunor’s lantern, which rotates 
  around the invisible peak of Himinbjörg as the weather 
  god wanders his realm. The star is surrounded by a hazy 
  cloud, said to be covering the mountain’s peak, illumi-
  nated by the powerful lantern. 
  Note that the solid white dot between the eyes is not a 
  heavenly body, and is not visible in the night sky. It marks 
  the point around which the heavens rotate—the peak of 
  Himinbjörg, the mountain of heaven.
  hellFrost reGIon GuIde #46
  1
  
  GodsheIM
  1
  
  IntroductIon
  Pirates have gone by many names over the centuries, but their goals and motives remain 
  the same. The greatest threat to maritime trade in the modern age is the Seareavers, a mot-
  ley brotherhood of sea-raiders bound by a loose code and common faith. They are greatly 
  feared, and rightfully so, for they are true wolves of the sea. This supplement expands on 
  material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  SocIal HIerarcHy
  Birthright means nothing in the Isles, and titles are not automatically passed from par-
  ent to child. The Reavers recognize only two “noble” titles, Reaver-General, and Reaver-
  Captain, and four other social strata— Reaver-Lieutenant, cleric, Seareaver, and everyone 
  else.
  The Reaver-General, the leader of the Seareavers, achieves his position based purely 
  on his raiding profits over the course of a year. While a certain amount of luck plays its 
  part, acquiring spoils relies more on good leadership, the ability to identify a ship carrying 
  rich cargo, and tactical savvy. The Reaver-General can be removed from power only at the 
  annual tally count or in the time-honored tradition of assassination.
  Murdering the Reaver-General does not entitle his assassin to take his place, nor does 
  the second richest Reaver-Captain in the previous year get elevated. Instead, an interim 
  council made of the four high priests (see page 2) temporarily governs. Their first act is to 
  declare a new election. All plunder gained in the next three months is tallied and a new 
  Reaver-General enthroned.
  The profits used to elect a new leader are pre-expenditure. Thus, those who garner 
  great quantities of plunder can afford to hire better crews or build new ships, helping to 
  ensure their income remains high and boosting their chances of promotion. Those who 
  fare poorly are usually destined to remain impoverished. Plundered cargoes are priced on 
  their actual sale price, not their market value. Thus, many Reaver-Captains actually have 
  good relations with unscrupulous merchants, the sort who ask no questions as to a cargo’s 
  origins. Typically, such goods are sold for 25% of their true value.
  Becoming a Reaver-Captain requires more than just turning up in Bloodport with a ship 
  of scurvy pirates and asking to join the brotherhood. Depending on the incumbent Reaver-
  General, the aspiring pirate may be required to hand over all his current wealth and that 
  31248
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 7 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
  ISleS of tHe  
  SeareaverS
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  for the next year, thus ensuring he cannot rise to power 
  too soon, undertake a mission set by the ruler, or fight 
  the Reaver-General’s champion in a battle to the death. 
  even then, he must swear an oath of worship to Bolverk 
  in place of all other gods, though clerics may be excused 
  from this vow. of course, a Reaver-Captain must actually 
  be the captain of a ship.
  Should a Reaver-Captain fall in battle or to the blade 
  of one of his crew, or retire, the crew may elect a new 
  captain from among their number. As an existing mem-
  ber of the brotherhood, his position needs only token 
  approval by the Reaver-General.
  Reaver-Lieutenants captain a ship, but do so under 
  the authority of a Reaver-Captain. In order to achieve full 
  captaincy they must either be gifted a vessel, a rare oc-
  currence, save enough from their share of the spoils to 
  purchase a ship, or arrange the murder of their superior 
  and be elected as his replacement.
  Despite all this talk of mutiny and murder, it should 
  be noted that it is an usual event. The Seareavers may be 
  bloodthirsty, brutal curs, but piracy is not an easy life, 
  and despite the rewards it offers it is not without risk of 
  death from enemy action or the whims of Neorthe and 
  Thunor. A crew will not elect a captain they judge to be 
  a poor tactician and mariner, and unsuitable candidates 
  who murder a respected captain can expect to die a most 
  unpleasant death.
  Clerics of “Bolverk” who are not Reaver-Captains or 
  Lieutenants sit in the next social tier. They are accorded 
  great respect by dint of their calling but have no special 
  privileges. Ranking below them are priests and paladins 
  of other faiths.
  Next come the Seareavers, the vicious marauders who 
  crew the pirate ships. While they may have titles relating 
  to their role aboard a ship, such as steersman or master 
  of oars, they are counted as being equal to their peers. 
  That said, it takes a brave common pirate to call a steers-
  man an equal to his face.
  Lastly there are the others, those who aid the Sea-
  reavers but who do not fit into one of the higher strata. 
  everybody from master carpenters to lowly dung collec-
  tors is heaped together, though certain occupations earn 
  greater rewards than others.
  It is important to note that Seareavers care little for 
  gender or race. Just under a tenth of the population is 
  made up of orcs and goblins, though they very rarely mix 
  with other Seareavers. While all Seareavers are capable of 
  acts of barbarity, the orcs are the worst of the bunch, for 
  they are devout followers of Dargar first and foremost.
  educatIon
  The Seareavers don’t put much faith in formal educa-
  tion. Children are expected to help out almost as soon as 
  they can walk. Most start simply by fetching and carrying, 
  whether that be nails for a carpenter or food to hungry 
  crews. As they age they work their way up to maintaining 
  weapons and armor, scraping the hulls, and other oner-
  ous tasks. Maritime skills are hammered home from an 
  early age, as is instruction in the faith of Bolverk.
  Typically, those who wish to become Seareavers first 
  take to the seas around the age of 12. By the age of adult-
  hood (14, as in most other realms) they will either be 
  competent pirates or dead from a lack of ability.
  relIgIon
  The religion of the Seareavers is unique to their 
  islands. Although they claim to worship a single god, 
  known as Bolverk, it is not a true deity. Rather, it com-
  bines the aspects of Neorthe, Nauthiz, Thunor, and 
  Dargar under a single banner, thus removing inter-faith 
  power struggles and machinations.
  Since he is merely a name, Bolverk grants his priests 
  no spells. While it appears to be a single, unified faith, 
  the cult is divided into four sects, each honoring one of 
  the four major gods as an aspect of Bolverk. Although the 
  sects are not equal in terms of the number of priests or 
  worshippers (Neorthe has the greatest number of each), 
  they are treated equally in terms of responsibility and 
  privileges. each sect has a single high priest who serves 
  as an advisor to the Reaver-General.
  Although the cult of Bolverk has an animosity toward 
  followers of vegtam, the god of marines and a staunch 
  opponent of piracy, clerics of the faith do exist among 
  the Seareavers. Many are renegades, sinners who not 
  only condone piracy but actively participate. others re-
  tain their faith by acting as land-based instructors or pro-
  ruleS of tHe realm
  These setting rules apply in the Seareaver Isles.
  * All Are Equal: The only titles the Reavers acknowl-
  edge are those of their Reaver-Captains, renegade 
  clerics of vegtam allied with them, and all clerics of 
  Neorthe. The Charisma bonus from the Noble edge 
  does not apply when dealing with the Seareavers 
  on their own turf unless the hero fills one of the 
  criteria above.
  * Born a Reaver: A character born and raised in the 
  Isles must have Boating d6.
  * Two Gods, one Name: The name Bolverk is ap-
  plied both to the god of the Seareavers and the god 
  of cattle raiding. The former isn’t a true god, at all. 
  he was created by a Reaver-General, who amalga-
  mated the Reavers’ core faiths under one name to 
  prevent inter-cult arguments. The Reaver-General 
  had no clue about the real cult of Bolverk, picking 
  the name purely because it sounded interesting. 
  Nowhere else in Rassilon is the name Bolverk asso-
  ciated with the ocean. Followers of the true Bolverk 
  find the Reavers’ use of the name highly offensive.
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #47
  
  
  viding defensive capabilities. While they can avoid the sin 
  of committing piracy, they cannot escape condoning it. 
  hence, they spend a great deal of time without access to 
  their miracles. Needless to say, such traitors to the faith 
  are harshly punished should they fall into the hands of 
  the traditional cult.
  mIlItary
  Collectively, the Seareavers can muster around 2,500 
  pirates and 55 ships. Although the quantity of ships makes 
  them the largest naval force currently in existence, most 
  of the vessels are knarrs, small, but cheap to build and 
  capable of carrying a decent amount of plunder. one 
  reason they remain popular is their low draft, which en-
  ables them not only to sail up rivers in search of prey but 
  also to be harbored in confined coves, where larger war-
  ships cannot reach them. The wealthier Reaver-Captains 
  command drakkars as their flagships. The incumbent 
  Reaver-Captain has the pirates’ only snekke.
  Fortunately for the citizens of Rassilon, there is little 
  cooperation between the Reaver-Captains, and even the 
  Reaver-General lacks the authority to muster the entire 
  fleet for a single raid. The only time cooperation occurs 
  is when the Isles are threatened—their houses may not 
  be much, but the Isles are home.
  trade & trIbute
  The only trade the Seareavers regularly engage in is 
  stealing what they need from vessels or coastal commu-
  nities and selling stolen cargoes to unscrupulous mer-
  chants. every Reaver-Captain has developed a personal 
  network of contacts, and names are jealously guarded. 
  More than one dispute has broken out over accusations 
  of poaching a contact. The great majority of these mer-
  chants are found on Alantaris Isle and in the Magocracy, 
  though some Reavers have contacts as far away as Aspiria, 
  Chalcis, and Freetown.
  Being a Seareaver’s contact does not grant one any 
  immunity from being plundered, even by one’s sup-
  posed ally. It does, at least, allow the merchant chance 
  to buy back his cargo for resale rather than writing the 
  entire consignment off as a loss.
  The Seareavers frequently take captives. Some of 
  these will be forced to fight to the death against pirates 
  or wild animals for the amusement of their captors and 
  some will end up sacrificed to Bolverk’s Dargar aspect. 
  Most though, are sold to slavers in Freetown.
  Wealthier Reaver-Captains and their followers have a 
  relatively high standard of living. They may not live in 
  huge houses or enjoy many luxuries, but they do not 
  want for the basics. What they cannot steal they can af-
  ford to buy through legitimate channels or from other 
  captains. Those who cannot find rich pickings are a lowly 
  bunch, half-starved, poorly dressed, and lacking even 
  basic utensils a thrall could expect to use.
  unlike conventional navies, Seareavers do not have 
  regular wages. Traditionally, after the tax has been paid 
  the captain takes three shares of any plunder. each crew-
  man is gifted one or two shares, depending on experi-
  ence and role. The ship is awarded ten shares, the money 
  going toward vital supplies and repairs.
  The only tax the Seareavers pay is the 10% cut that 
  goes to the Reaver-General. Most voluntarily tithe to 
  Bolverk’s four sects, but they are under no obligation 
  to do so.
  arcHItecture
  Although the three major islands all boast forests, 
  timber is carefully rationed. By law, each Reaver-Captain 
  is assigned a quantity of timber each year based on the 
  size of the community he governs. Additional timber may 
  be purchased from the Reaver-General, but the costs 
  are prohibitive. The law was brought in when a former 
  Reaver-General had the foresight to realize that intensive 
  lumbering would delete a finite and crucial resource.
  Because of the rationing, most Seareavers live in large 
  communal houses (similar to Saxa long houses) built 
  of driftwood, plundered cargoes of timber, or salvaged 
  ships. Fortunately, the profusion of skilled carpenters 
  means these structures are sound, if not appealing to the 
  eye or lavishly furnished. While there are no quarries, 
  some Seareavers build low-ceilinged, drystone houses 
  out of natural rocks.
  Much of the timber ration is allocated to repairing 
  ships. The mountainous islands are ideal for goats, and 
  dried dung is the common fuel. Because timber allot-
  ments that are not used are subtracted from the next 
  year’s allocation, wood is only burned in the weeks be-
  fore the new allotments are issued.
  Few settlements bother erecting fortifications. The 
  craggy cliffs are a natural barrier to invaders, and most 
  settlements can be reached only by narrow paths or steps 
  cut into the rock face. Bloodport, which actually stands 
  behind a shingle beach, is the notable exception.
  Not every community bothers to erect houses. The 
  hills and mountains are dotted with caves, many of which 
  are old mine workings. As well as shelter, they offer an 
  added layer of protection from rivals. Living in a cave 
  may not be comfortable, but it saves on wood
  major localeS
  Bloodport is the largest settlement in the Isles and 
  the nearest thing to a capital. each Reaver-Captain rules 
  his own community, made up of his crew, craftsmen, and 
  hangers-on. Although it is forbidden to draw weapons in 
  the capital, one enters the domain of a Reaver-Captain at 
  ISleS of tHe SeareaverS
  
  
  one’s own risk. Not even the Reaver-General is accorded 
  any special protection by law.
  The remaining settlements, which are spread over the 
  three largest islands, have between 40 and 150 inhabit-
  ants. of these, around 75% are Seareavers.
  bloodport
  The Isles’ capital is a small village seated within a 
  strong wooden palisade. A single watchtower rises high 
  over the main gate, providing a commanding view of the 
  sea-lanes leading to the beach.
  The Arena: violence and bloodshed is part of Sea-
  reaver culture. The arena, which is nothing more than 
  a deep pit with iron spikes protruding from the walls, 
  serves as the entertainment center for the pirates. here, 
  captives are forced to fight to the death against Seareav-
  ers who have broken the brotherhood’s code, wild ani-
  mals, or each other for the amusement of their captors. 
  Captives who survive can earn a limited form of freedom. 
  Reaver-Captains have the right to purchase pit fighters 
  from the Reaver-General. Although they remain slaves, 
  they are trained and well fed.
  every year, once the election of a new Reaver-General 
  is over, a bloody contest is held in the arena. each captain 
  must supply one pit-fighter. Bouts to the death are held 
  over a week until a single victor emerges. his captain is 
  rewarded with an increased timber allotment and spoils 
  from the Reaver-General’s personal treasury.
  Although the Reaver-General prefers to settle disputes 
  between his captains through diplomacy (good captains 
  are hard to come by), parties not happy with his ruling 
  may call for settlement by combat. Such combats are al-
  ways fought to the death—leaving defeated pirates alive 
  can lead to feuding.
  Artillery Tower: The approach to Bloodport requires 
  a ship to navigate a narrow channel between submerged 
  rocks. Situated on a small rocky outcropping just to the 
  left of the channel is a drystone tower with a flat top. 
  Positioned here are two ballistas and a small catapult. 
  Rather than firing rocks, the catapult launches flaming 
  barrels of oil and pitch.
  Temple of Bolverk: Bolverk’s only temple stands in 
  Bloodport (smaller communities only have shrines). It 
  takes the form of a circular main hall with four rectan-
  gular wings. The central hall is the main temple, a place 
  of joint worship dedicated to the Seareavers’ god. each 
  wing houses shrines to one of the god’s aspects, as well 
  as living quarters for the clergy.
  tomb of tHe Sea lordS
  Protruding from the western cliffs of the largest is-
  land is a small part of a colossal stone longship. Its sea 
  dragon-headed prow looms high over the water, glaring 
  menacingly across the open water, defying mariners to 
  venture closer.
  No reliable investigation has ever been conducted 
  into the ship and its age remains unknown. vague writ-
  ten records referring to an island inhabited by piratical 
  giants have been unearthed in the Magocracy, but no one 
  can guarantee they refer to this location.
  The best records exist in the form of fragmentary 
  poems and songs. While there are many variations, the 
  common theme involves a sea-raiding giant whose magi-
  cal ship could sail through living rock. This enabled him 
  not only to sail far inland, but also to hide his vessel in-
  side an island, thus obscuring it from his enemies. one 
  fanciful notion tied to this tale is the rivers of the south-
  ern hearthlands that flow into the sea are the remnants 
  of the paths cut by the gigantic ship’s keel.
  Regardless of the details, the saga always ends with 
  the giant being ambushed as he sailed his ship out of his 
  island lair and the vessel turned to stone. Some stories 
  attribute this feat to a powerful wizard, while others 
  place the deed in the hands of a priest.
  At first glimpse this story is not as foolish as it sounds, 
  for the stonework of the ship blends so seamlessly with 
  the living rock that it does indeed appear to be a mo-
  ment captured in time, the instant the prow of a vast ship 
  emerged from within the island.
  Closer inspection reveals the ship is carved from stone 
  blocks. No writings adorn the figure, and the rock has 
  withstood the pounding of the sea with little weathering, 
  making it impossible to accurately date the edifice.
  Where the keep emerges from the waterline is a dark 
  slit, an artificial opening cut through the ship into the 
  interior of the island large enough to take a galley with 
  masts raised. Beyond is a small tunnel, which opens 
  out into a natural cavern. Artificial stone platforms line 
  three sides of the cavern, rising out of the water on stone 
  arches carved to resemble the humps of a seadragon. 
  The platforms form a squared “u” that acts as a berth 
  for ships. Beyond are stairs leading to tunnels that cut 
  deeper into the interior.
  The tunnels extend for hundreds of yards, branch-
  ing off into burial chambers. on stone biers carved to 
  resemble longships lie the skeletal and withered remains 
  of ancient lords. Those nearest the harbor have been 
  robbed of their finery, but in the deeper tombs the dead 
  lie undisturbed, their gold jewelry untarnished by the 
  passage of time. As with the colossal ship, there are no 
  inscriptions to help identify from which culture these 
  hoary remains hailed. Insight spells have revealed only 
  vague images of marauding kings standing on the prow 
  of warships. The remains are human-sized, which indi-
  cates whoever lies here postdates the dwarven occupa-
  tion and the sundering of the former landmass.
  No small expense was spared on the tombs, for the 
  corridors are worked with expert craftsmanship, the 
  walls painstakingly carved to resemble the scales of sea 
  dragons. No doors exist, nor does it appear any were 
  ever installed. All the entrances to side corridors and 
  chambers are marked by archways carved in the form of 
  two sea dragons, their heads intertwined at the top of 
  the arch.
  No one has explored more than a small fraction of 
  the tomb complex. The Seareavers have attempted to 
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #47
  4
  
  plunder the deeper tombs more than once, but all their 
  raiding parties failed to return. They believe the site is 
  haunted by the shades of the dead sea lords.
  perSonS of note
  Detailed below are several personalities the heroes 
  may encounter both on and off the Isles.
  reaver-captaIn HIlda red-tootH
  one of only a handful of female Reaver-Captains, 
  hilda is unusual in that she is a water elementalist and a 
  former prisoner. Captured during a raid on the Magocra-
  cy a decade ago, she endured brutal torture at the hands 
  of her captors for the best part of two years. her mind 
  finally shattered, and in a fit of fury worthy of a paladin 
  of Dargar she butchered a dozen Seareavers before being 
  subdued. Rather than put her to death, odbert, in his first 
  year as Reaver-General, offered her the position as one 
  of his lieutenants. She served him for three years before 
  earning the position of a Reaver-Captain after capturing 
  an Alantaris Isle warship during an audacious raid into 
  the main harbor. Many men have underestimated hilda, 
  for while she has the appearance of a beautiful woman, 
  she has the heart and morals of an orc. 
  her all-female crew, known locally as Dargar’s val-
  kyries, are among the most bloodthirsty pirates in the 
  Isles. her warship, a drakkar, is painted blood red.
  reaver-captaIn oSrIc bloodaxe
  Widely regarded as the second best captain after the 
  Reaver-General, osric is a brutal thug. he drives his crew 
  hard but rewards them well for success. Tradition on 
  his ship demands that he be the first to board an enemy 
  vessel, and any man who dares seek glory by defying his 
  orders is offered to Dargar.
  osric is outspoken in his hatred of orcs. The war be-
  tween orcmark and vestmark is killing maritime trade 
  between the Crystalflow Confederacy and the western 
  realms, and orc pirates are competing with the Seareav-
  ers. While he has no love for vestmark, he believes that 
  if the orcs are ever victorious they will dominate the 
  southern ocean, threatening Seareaver activities. 
  To that end, he is trying to convince Reaver-General 
  odbert and his peers to unite the Seareavers and make a 
  pact with vestmark, effectively turning the pirates into a 
  naval mercenary force. 
  osric’s most fierce critic is Reaver-Captain Chillfire. 
  The frostborn pirate chief believes the Seareavers should 
  side with the orcs, whim whom they have more in com-
  mon due to shared worship of Dargar. It is his opinion 
  that together the Reavers and orcs can dominate the 
  southern ocean, and perhaps carve out new kingdoms.
  While odbert is weighing the options, many of osric’s 
  fellow captains are dead set against either idea, seeing 
  unification as a loss of personal power and a treaty with 
  the orcs as a sign of weakness.
  tHe ancIent marIner
  every Seareaver knows at least one story concerning 
  the Ancient Mariner, and most recall their parents and 
  grandparents speaking of him. Best estimates put his 
  age at around 150, though he appears to be a century 
  younger. By his appearance, he is of Anari stock, but 
  this has never been confirmed, for the Mariner does not 
  speak of his past.
  Most believe he is either blessed or cursed by the 
  gods. one story says that he stole treasure from Neorthe. 
  his punishment was to walk the mortal world until he 
  returns every last gold scield. Another says that he pos-
  sesses a relic unearthed in the dwarven ruins that extends 
  his life. Some claim he is a paladin of Neorthe, so devout 
  a servant that he continues to watch over the oceans long 
  after his life should have ended. A few believe he is the 
  sole survivor of a shipwreck, unable to find peace until 
  he finds the sunken remains of his vessel, whereupon 
  he can join his crew mates in their watery graves. It is 
  certainly true he wields great magical power, though he 
  appears to be neither a cleric nor a water elementalist.
  The Mariner lives in a crude hut on the bluffs over-
  looking Bloodport. he answers to no master, and no 
  Reaver-General has dared try to impose authority over 
  him since the rule of hedwig Black-Sail, who mysterious-
  ly drowned during a feast after threatening the Mariner.
  When the Mariner comes to town he is accorded a 
  healthy mix of respect and fear. on rare occasions he 
  hires a Reaver-Captain to transport him off the island. he 
  pays in gold coins dating from before the Blizzard War. 
  No captain who has ferried the Mariner will speak of the 
  voyage, and most pale when the subject is raised.
  WHy come Here?
  The Seareavers are vicious pirates renowned for 
  their relentless fury and bloodthirsty nature. The Isles 
  themselves lie far from common trade routes, and there 
  is nothing beyond them but empty ocean. Given the is-
  lands’ remote location and the locals’ belligerent nature, 
  what can entice the heroes to set sail to this dangerous 
  realm?
  * orders. While almost any character beholden to an 
  individual or organization could be ordered to the Isles, 
  it is extremely unlikely any will be on a regular basis. 
  Clerics of Neorthe might be ordered to destroy the he-
  retical branch of the cult, while those of var may be told 
  to retrieve stolen cargoes or mete out justice, but such 
  orders are likely to be purely scenario driven, rather than 
  being standing orders. The Seareavers have withstood at-
  tacks for centuries, and a small band of heroes is unlikely 
  to cause much havoc.
  * Glory. The reputation of the Seareavers is known 
  ISleS of tHe SeareaverS
  
  
  across the coastal communities of the western continent 
  as far north as Jotungraef. Deliberately takingviolence to 
  them is guaranteed to earn recognition and fame, if the 
  characters can survive long enough to tell their story.
  * hired. The most likely reason the party will have for 
  visiting is because someone has hired them. Merchants 
  whose ships have fallen prey to the Seareavers might 
  hire adventurers to steal back their cargo or punish the 
  pirates, as might the cult of var. A patron might wish a 
  family member or close friend liberated from the slave 
  pens before he is killed or vanishes into a life of slav-
  ery. The adventurers might be offered work escorting a 
  Lorekeeper or cleric of hoenir to the islands so he can 
  explore the ruins and record them for posterity.
  * Treasure. That a culture once inhabited the isles is 
  clearly evident from the ruins that dot the landscape. Ru-
  mors that relic-creating dwarves might once have dwelt 
  here is a powerful lure for treasure hunters. Audacious 
  heroes may fancy their luck at relieving the Reaver-Gen-
  eral of some of his vast fortune.
  beStIary
  While the stats in the Hellfrost Expansion serve well 
  for common pirates, the Seareavers are a breed apart.
  SeareaverS
  While pirates are generally renowned for cruelty, 
  many of these tales are exaggerated. But when it comes 
  to the Seareavers, talk of mindless cruelty and savagery is 
  often all too true. To create an orc Seareaver, use the ba-
  sic orc warrior, experienced warrior, priest, and chieftain 
  stats and add in Skills and edges below that the orc does 
  not normally possess. The great majority of orc priests 
  are followers of Dargar.
  typIcal Seareaver
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Boating d6, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation 
  d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Swimming d6, Throwing d6
  Charisma: –4; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Greedy (Minor)
  Edges: Steady hands
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), pot helm (+3), medium 
  shield (+1 Parry), axe, mace, or short sword (Str+d6), 
  bow (Range: 12/24/48, Damage: 2d6) or throwing spears 
  or axes (Range: 3/6/12, Damage: Str+d6)
  Treasure: Worthwhile per two Seareavers
  experIenced Seareaver
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Boating d8, Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation 
  d8, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Swimming d6, Throwing d8
  Charisma: –4; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Greedy (Minor)
  Edges: Berserk, Frenzy, Sea Legs (RG#8), Steady hands
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), pot helm (+3), medium 
  shield (+1 Parry), axe, mace, or short sword (Str+d6), 
  bow (Range: 12/24/48, Damage: 2d6) or throwing spears 
  or axes (Range: 3/6/12, Damage: Str+d6)
  Treasure: Worthwhile
  Seareaver clerIc
  All Seareaver clerics share a basic common stat block. 
  This is then modified based on the cleric’s faith. Senior 
  or important clerics should be Wild Cards and have the 
  appropriate Disciple edge,
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Boating d6, Faith d8, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimi-
  dation d8, knowledge (Religion) d6, Notice d6, Swim-
  ming d6
  Charisma: –4; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)
  Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Greedy (Minor)
  Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Command, Fer-
  vor, Level headed, Sea Legs (RG#8), Steady hands
  Gear: Leather armor (+1), pot helm (+3), medium 
  shield (+1 Parry), axe, mace, or short sword (Str+d6)
  Treasure: Rich
  Dargar: Fighting d8 (Parry 7), Intimidation d8, Berserk, 
  Powers: battle song, bolt, boost/lower trait (Strength, 
  vigor, Fighting, Shooting, and Throwing only,) smite, 
  warrior’s gift
  Nauthiz: Lockpicking d8, Stealth d8, Powers: boost/
  lower trait (Agility, Climbing, Lockpicking, Notice, and 
  Stealth only), confusion, detect/conceal, lock/unlock, 
  silence.
  Neorthe: Boating d10, Swimming d10, Powers: bolt, en-
  vironmental protection (water only), fog cloud, mend, 
  water walk.
  Thunor: Intimidation d8, Powers: becalm, bolt, fly, 
  storm, zephyr.
         reaver-captaIn
  A Reaver-Lieutenant uses the same stat block as a cap-
  tain, but is an extra.
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, 
  vigor d8
  Skills: Boating d10, Fighting d10, Guts d10, Intimida-
  tion d10, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Swimming d6, Throw-
  ing d8
  Charisma: –4; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 8 (2)
  Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Greedy (Minor)
  Edges: Berserk, Command, Fervor, Frenzy, Level head-
  ed, Master Mariner (RG #8), Steady hands
  Gear: Chain shirt (+2), pot helm (+3), medium shield 
  (+1 Parry), battle axe (Str+d8), throwing spears or axes 
  (Range: 3/6/12, Damage: Str+d6)
  Treasure: Rich
  HellfroSt regIon guIde #47
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Beneath the mountains of Rassilon, in magnificent, sprawling cities carved out of the 
  living rock, dwell the insular frost dwarves. Their realms are a mystery to other races, for 
  dwarves do not welcome guests into their homes. Several of these mighty realms have 
  been lost to outside forces, and two are currently besieged. It is these dark corridors 
  that heroes are most likely to walk. This supplement expands on material in the Hellfrost 
  Gazetteer and explores dwarf culture in more detail.
  orIgIn of the dwarves
  Before the age of man, when giants and the fallen elves walked the surface of the world, 
  Ertha shaped a race out of the living rock of the planet, breathing life into her creation. 
  Ertha invited seven other gods to bestow gifts upon the new race. Eira turned their stony 
  bodies to flesh so she could heal them, but gifted them a strong constitution in return, as 
  befitted their origin; Hothar instilled in them social order and the ability to work together; 
  Kenaz taught them how to build hearths; Maera tutored them in powerful magic and how 
  to bind magic into physical objects; the Norns wove them into the tapestry of life; Tiw 
  instructed them in how to create and wield weapons; and Var taught them the secret value 
  of metals and gems, and how to negotiate contracts. Sigel was not invited to provide a 
  gift, and so the dwarves had no resistance to sunlight—when exposed to rays of the sun 
  the magic used to create them was negated, returning them to the stone from which they 
  were born.
  Quite how the frost dwarves evolved from this ancient stock is unknown, for the trans-
  formation occurred long ago and the ancient records are sketchy (some believe deliber-
  ately so). Most agree that curiosity as to the nature of the surface world was the key factor 
  leading to their creation. One story concerns Thrym, who offered resistance to sunlight 
  to a clan of dwarves. Thrym fulfilled his side of the bargain, though the dwarves would 
  forever be uncomfortable except in the coldest realms. Because of this subterfuge, the 
  dwarves became bitter enemies of frost giants. Another tale speaks of the Unknowable 
  One, who offered them the gift of immunity to sunlight, but at the hidden cost of losing 
  their ability to forge magic into physical objects.
  Regardless of how it occurred, the change did occur. The clans’ curiosity to see what 
  lay on the surface world was anathema to the majority of their race. The traitors, as they 
  were known, were outlawed from the deeper depths of the world, banished close to the 
  surface world they loved so much. The pure dwarves, known as moðsognar, sealed off 
  31249
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 8 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  dwarven cItIes
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
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  the hallowed depths with magical doors, denying their 
  former kin any hope of return. While frost dwarf cities 
  extend many miles beneath the surface, their old home 
  remains firmly off limits.
  Whether this creation story is myth or fact shall 
  perhaps never be known. That other races of dwarves 
  inhabit the Underearth is largely unknown to the surface 
  dwelling races. Perhaps if contact could be made with 
  the survivors of the original dwarf race, the truth could 
  be revealed. But the moðsognar have no wish to open 
  dialogue with anyone, and refuse to discuss their former 
  kin even among their own number.
  socIal hIerarchy
  Every dwarven city is an independent state ruled by 
  a single noble. Ancient tradition dictates that only the 
  ruler of Karad Khan be permitted to use the title of king. 
  The ranks of other ruling nobles were set down long 
  ago, and have remained unchanged ever since. Every city 
  is made up of a number of clans.
  These rulers always hold the rank of thegn or jarl. Re-
  gardless of their title, their children always use the title 
  lendmann. They will retain this title until their family is 
  deposed or they inherit their parent’s office. Each clan 
  within a city is also ruled by a noble. His title is always 
  one step lower down the social chain than his lord, the 
  minimum rank thus being hauld. The children of these 
  clan elders hold the title ridder.
  lordship over a city is not hereditary. When the 
  ruler dies or retires, the Noble council gathers to ap-
  point a successor. Although the new ruler is often a true 
  noble, this is neither tradition nor law—any dwarf may 
  be elected to govern. courage nobles (see below) have 
  been promoted to rule over a city on more than one oc-
  casion.
  Ranking below the true nobility are courage nobles. 
  They are the military commanders of a clan, granted their 
  title by their lord. Unlike hereditary nobles, the title does 
  not pass to children, but reverts back to the bestower, 
  who may hand it out as he sees fit on the death of the 
  holder. The family loses its status, though there is no 
  shame in this, and reverts back to its original standing.
  The position comes with several key benefits, includ-
  ing the right to have an entourage of bodyguards, which 
  form the key element of the clan’s permanent army. In-
  deed, it is a rare warrior who is not attached to a noble 
  household. courage nobles inherit one or more parts 
  of the clan’s mines, which are theirs to do with as they 
  please so long as they hold the title. A portion of the 
  income, variable depending on the status of the indi-
  vidual, is kept to pay his retinue, while the rest goes to 
  the central coffers. A typical courage noble can expect 
  to keep around a fifth of the income. courage nobles 
  may fly their own standard, hold their own court, and 
  dispense justice among their followers as they see fit. 
  It is important to note that courage nobles do not 
  lead a clan. They control a portion of the military within 
  a clan. Small clans may have just one or two nobles, 
  whereas the largest clans may have a score or more. 
  courage nobles may hold any noble title below that of 
  their lord. To differentiate them from true nobles, they 
  add the prefix Ur- to their title (from the dwarven for 
  “courage”).
  Below the courage nobles are the master crafters, 
  whose skill distinguishes them from the bulk of the craft-
  er class. One cannot be born a master crafter; one must 
  achieve the position through hard work and recognition 
  of one’s social superiors. As with courage nobles, the 
  position is not hereditary, though most fathers ensure at 
  least one child follows in their footsteps and adopts the 
  family craft.
  Next are the clergy. They are the first of the traditional 
  social classes, those based on occupation rather than 
  merit or birthright. Social status is bestowed on the in-
  dividual, his spouse, and children until they reach adult-
  hood and enter whatever social class fate has in store for 
  them. A priest may hold this rank while his father is a 
  lowly miner and his son a courage noble, for instance.
  Ranking just below the clerics are the mages. Rune 
  mages always rank higher than other magicians.
  Below the wizards are the warriors. Although every 
  dwarf male is expected to serve in the militia, only profes-
  sional soldiers, those who serve a noble, belong here. 
  The crafters, a social class that covers any profession 
  that actually produces a tangible, sellable product from 
  raw materials, come below the warriors. finally there are 
  the masses, everybody from miners to apprentices who 
  have yet to learn a trade to entertainers.
  government
  By tradition, nobles cannot rule alone, and few have 
  the expertise necessary to control every aspect of the do-
  main anyway. Instead, the noble lets his advisors run the 
  rules of the realm
  These setting rules apply in dwarven cities.
  * Courage Nobles: courage nobles are military 
  commanders. Every courage noble must have 
  Knowledge (Battle) d6+ and the command Edge.
  At the gM’s discretion, the Noble Edge (with the 
  above requirements) may be taken after charac-
  ter generation to represent promotion to courage 
  noble status.
  * Nobility: dwarf characters who take the Noble 
  Edge must decide if they are courage nobles (see 
  above) or true nobles. for the latter, the player 
  should discuss with their gM whether they are the 
  child of a clan elder or the ranking noble. The for-
  mer use the title ridder, the latter that of lendma-
  nn. Promotion through the ranks of true nobility is 
  impossible unless the hero succeeds their parent.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #48
  
  
  domain under his overall guidance. for the most part, he 
  avoids interfering in day-to-day affairs and concentrates 
  on the larger picture.
  Whether a jarl ruling a twenty-clan kingdom or a thegn 
  with just one clan to control, dwarf rulers rely on their 
  councilors to keep things running smoothly. The ruler 
  retains the power of veto of any decision they make, but 
  most are content to let the government do its job.
  By tradition, a dwarf may only sit on one council. 
  In this way, dwarves reduce the chance of a single in-
  dividual influencing multiple spheres, as well as giving 
  other dwarves a chance to prove their mettle. The four 
  advisory councils are presented below.
  Noble Council: In any domain where there is more 
  than one clan there is a noble council. comprised of 
  every clan elder, they meet very new moon to discuss 
  matters affecting the entire domain. collectively, they are 
  the ruler’s right hand man, keeping him isolated from 
  petty issues. 
  Military Council: Every courage noble is entitled 
  to sit on this council. They discuss upcoming military 
  endeavors, set militia training schedules, check weapon 
  stocks, hear reports on enemy activity, and so forth.
  Religious Council: The religious council is formed 
  from the high priests of every accepted religion within 
  the domain.
  Guild Council: formed from the master crafters of 
  the domain, the guild council handles all matters of craft 
  production and trade.
  In addition to the councils, the ruler retains his indi-
  vidual councilors, such as a treasurer, chamberlain, and 
  lawspeaker, as well as diplomats and other courtiers. 
  Members of his military retinue are always present at his 
  side, even in the most secret meetings. Such individuals’ 
  honor and integrity is beyond reproach.
  educatIon
  for the first five years the child is kept at home, sur-
  rounded only by its family. The strong familial bond that 
  permeates dwarven society is formed during this time. 
  language skills develop around the same time as the 
  child walks. The child is taught basic words and, more 
  importantly, the names of his relatives and parts of his 
  lineage. This is repeated parrot fashion until the child 
  grasps the basics. Once the child has a sense of whom its 
  family are, it is allowed to mix with other children. Play-
  ing with other children not only develops social skills 
  and a sense of kinship with clan members, but it also 
  helps boost the child’s immune system by introducing it 
  to new environments. children play rough and tumble 
  games that would scare a human parent witless. few suf-
  fer any real injuries as compared to more frail humans, 
  who would undoubtedly break a limb or two during the 
  friendly games. 
  Schooling begins at 14, when the child learns the 
  history, culture, and laws of his race. Schooling contin-
  ues during adolescence, but the curriculum changes. 
  Between 25 and 30 the child is introduced to basic craft 
  skills with a heavy emphasis on stone and metal work-
  ing. Tuition begins with theory, and only when the child 
  nears the end of this period of his schooling is he allowed 
  to develop practical skills. Recognition of the value and 
  properties of stones, metals, and gems is also conducted 
  during this period. 
  Regardless of sex, all children must undergo military 
  training for three years. Initial training involves stamina 
  building, and the child is taught to move quickly wearing 
  armor, though no actual training in its use is given, and 
  bearing heavy loads. What seems savage by human stan-
  dards is a fundamental survival skill for dwarves, who 
  rely on armor to make up for their lack of numbers. Basic 
  weapon practice is not designed to teach the youngster 
  how to become a killing machine, but to develop a sense 
  of recognition and prepare him for the hard life ahead.
  for the last seven years before adulthood, the child 
  can either return to more traditional schooling, with only 
  periods of crafting and military training each week, or 
  become an apprentice. for those who remain at school, 
  advanced history and geology, geography, engineering, 
  languages, politics, and a myriad of other subjects are 
  available. By the time the child reaches adulthood, he 
  has enough basic knowledge to survive in the world.
  relIgIon
  While dwarves honor most deities as and when the 
  need arises, their core religious beliefs are centered on a 
  very small number of gods.
  Except in the besieged city of Karad Marn, Ertha’s cult 
  is the largest and most powerful. The wife of Tiw, she is 
  the senior deity in their world view, creator of the race, 
  and the great provider of mineral wealth. Regardless of 
  their profession, every dwarf, even clerics of other dei-
  ties, is considered a lay member of the cult and attends 
  important ceremonies. dwarves see nothing strange in 
  clerics honoring two gods, though they are devoted to 
  just their patron
  Tiw usually ranks second. Although frost dwarves 
  are not belligerent by nature, they have weathered orc 
  and giant attacks for millennia. It was he who taught the 
  dwarves how to defend their homes.
  Niht, whom dwarves believe is male, ranks third most 
  popular. Niht’s more murderous aspects are never ven-
  erated, for “he” is viewed only as the father of darkness. 
  As such, worship is more lip service than true devotion.
  Scaetha, a child of Ertha and Tiw, receives very little 
  mainstream worship, though as protector of the dead 
  she is honored through funeral services and prayers to 
  the ancestors. Only in Karad dahn is worship more com-
  monplace, and then only to ensure the ghosts that haunt 
  the ruins are placated and their bones left undisturbed 
  by servants of Hela.
  Hothar is popular in Karad Marn. While most dwarves 
  dwarf cItIes
  
  
  are law-abiding, those of the orc-besieged city have 
  sworn sacred oaths to liberate their home.
  funerary PractIces
  death is always a great mystery, for what truly lies be-
  yond the mortal life can be learned only by dying. While 
  dwarves lament their mortality, they do not fear death, 
  for as the old saying goes, “He who fears death is already 
  dead, for he is afraid to live.” So long as a dwarf has lived 
  well, there is nothing to fear in death.
  dwarves understand that the body is temporal and 
  the soul eternal, but they treat the corpses of their fallen 
  with great respect. No matter where he falls, a dwarf is 
  taken back to his family, where the corpse is prepared 
  for death. He is dressed in his finest clothes or armor, 
  complete with weapon, his beard and hair groomed by 
  grieving relatives, and his wounds (where applicable) 
  sewn closed. He then lies in state for seven days, in 
  honor of the seven great cities. during this time, family 
  and friends pray over the body, say farewells, and leave 
  small gifts. Although dwarves do not believe in grave 
  goods per se, the tokens are ones of remembrance, not 
  for use in the afterlife.
  On the morning of the eighth day, the body is taken 
  to the temple the deceased favored most in life, where 
  the clerics say prayers and sing ancient hymns to aid the 
  passing of the soul, which at this point still resides in the 
  body. for this reason, dwarves react badly to creatures 
  that feast on the dead or seek to mutilate them.
  After the temple ceremony, the corpse is taken to the 
  catacombs that lie beneath the city. Nobles are usually 
  buried in stone mausoleums, where their remains lie for 
  eternity. Poorer dwarves must make do with a wall niche 
  in one of the common cemeteries. Because dwarves do 
  not believe in physical reincarnation and rarely gift their 
  dead with valuable items, they do not protect their dead 
  with traps or magic. Indeed, any metallic offerings are 
  taken away and sacrificed back to the earth as a final act 
  of honoring the dead.
  mIlItary
  dwarven armies are well-motivated, well-equipped, 
  and well-led. The realm’s ruler serves as supreme com-
  mander, the clan elders are the senior commanders, and 
  the courage nobles the unit commanders.
  The bulk of a city’s permanent army is made up of 
  huscarls, professional soldiers loyal to their ruling noble. 
  generally speaking, the majority of huscarls within a clan 
  answer to the clan elder. His courage nobles are then 
  awarded a lesser number of huscarls as befits their rank. 
  Although these units are known as companies, they vary 
  in strength from a mere handful to many hundreds.
  As well as huscarls, most dwarven holds boast three 
  elite forces. More details on both elite troops can be 
  found in the Hellfrost Rassilon Expansion.
  The most numerous (though they are found in far less 
  number than huscarls) are the Hall guard. They are the 
  first line of defense, doughty warriors whose task is to 
  delay any attacking force long enough for the army to 
  muster. Heavily armored and carrying large shields, they 
  are a wall of living steel through which an enemy must 
  penetrate if it is to threaten the city.
  The rarest elite troops are the giant killers. despite 
  the name, they are trained to fight any large creatures, 
  from giant centipedes to colossal dragons. They work 
  alone or in small units.
  Separated from clan politics and duty, paladins are an-
  swerable first to their temple, and then their mortal lord. 
  Regardless of in which clan’s Hall they are stationed, they 
  take orders only from their religious superiors.
  Although every dwarf is taught rudimentary martial 
  skills, only around 10-20% of the population are mem-
  bers of the militia. In order to ensure cohesive strategies, 
  all militia members are assigned to a noble. They train 
  with the noble’s huscarls on a regular basis.
  Huscarls and most elite soldiers favor chain mail, me-
  dium shields, and axes. The preferred missile weapon is 
  the crossbow, the flat trajectory of the bolt being better 
  suited to indoor combat. Throwing axes are popular for 
  similar reasons.
  trade & trIbute
  Trade with other races is something most dwarves 
  do begrudgingly. Exports almost always take the form 
  of metal ingots, metal goods, armor, and weapons. In 
  return, dwarves purchase icewood and timber as bulk 
  commodities, and smaller quantities of cloth, pottery, 
  food, and such like.
  dwarves do not give discounts, nor do they haggle 
  when selling (though they do when buying). Unfortu-
  nately, this practice has proven detrimental over the 
  ages, as it encourages humans to start their own mines. 
  despite the loss of trade and the stripping of metal by 
  other races, dwarves hold true to their tradition.
  Within a realm, the nobles control mineral produc-
  tion. Ore is sold to the smelters, who extract the metal 
  and in turn sell it to the crafters and armorers. finished 
  goods are taken to the central stores, where they are 
  evaluated and priced according to ancient rules. from 
  here, goods are sold to the smaller clan warehouses, 
  or markets, where they are marked up and sold to the 
  consumer. 
  clan leaders receive a portion of income from each 
  market, and in turn pay a tax to the realm’s ruler. A por-
  tion of all ore is sold to merchants for sale outside the 
  realm, with the seller keeping the profit. Strict export 
  quotas limit the quantities of each metal that can be sold 
  according to its rarity.
  Possessing an ordered society, it is only natural 
  dwarves pay tax. Taxes are usually paid to the clan or 
  realm leader. By law, maintenance of tunnels, water 
  hellfrost regIon guIde #48
  4
  
  systems, and defenses within a clan’s holdings are the re-
  sponsibility of the clan ruler. Since the ruling noble also 
  governs his own clan, he must also maintain his hold-
  ings. Nobles also equip their huscarls, pay their room 
  and board, must ensure mines operate safely, and so 
  forth. In addition, they must pay their non-craft workers. 
  Miners, for instance, are paid directly by their employer 
  based on production quotas and the value of the goods 
  they excavate.
  archItecture
  Although dwarves possess no special ability to see in 
  darkness, they prefer to live underground. 
  Most realms are located beneath the highest peaks in 
  a mountain range. Access is limited to usually only one 
  pass, which still requires an arduous climb with an ever 
  present risk of being caught in storms or buried beneath 
  avalanches and rock falls. during the winter months, 
  many settlements are cut off from the surface races, 
  which suits the inhabitants. 
  frost dwarves maintain small bunker complexes 
  along the path, both for defense and for housing visiting 
  guests on the long march. Only a few are ever shown to 
  visitors; the majority remaining hidden and permanently 
  manned. Inside are barracks, armories, kitchens, guard-
  rooms, and sometimes there are small workshops for 
  making repairs. Access is gained via secret doors carved 
  into the rock face.
  As one nears the entrance, the pass opens (either 
  naturally or excavated) into a plateau or ridge dotted 
  with small buildings. Some are guardhouses and ware-
  houses, but most are designed for visitors. dwarves 
  seldom welcome strangers into their realms. Beyond the 
  plateau, built into sheer rock faces, stand massive gates 
  decorated with inlays of Maerathril and runes of ancient 
  power, a symbol of dwarven power and wealth. Many 
  of the runes have become so worn their magic is lost, 
  but those that survive contain powerful charms to keep 
  the gates closed and safe from attack. Even giants have 
  difficulty battering down such doors.
  The first part of any city is always a military zone. Hos-
  tile forces can often be held here long enough that they 
  retreat, usually with heavy losses. While the passage to 
  the main city seems safe, hidden guardrooms, barracks, 
  armories, and traps are plentiful. Most visitors never 
  see these workings and consider dwarven strongholds 
  poorly defended compared to the subterranean lairs of 
  orcs. Such misinformation serves the dwarves well. Sol-
  diers are posted to defend areas on a rotating basis, with 
  each clan being responsible for the safety of one or more 
  parts of the realm.
  Each clan maintains its own Hall, a term which re-
  fers not to a single chamber, but a sprawling network of 
  tunnels, and rooms that make up the clan’s living area. 
  While most Halls have a central avenue, smaller tunnels 
  lead off to houses, barracks, storehouses, wells, and 
  other features. As always, hidden guardrooms and traps 
  protect these areas from intruders.
  Beyond the Halls are the workshops. These are usu-
  ally spread over many levels to reduce pollution and 
  stop a single determined attack destroying the entire 
  productivity of the stronghold. Vast storehouses come 
  next, though these are reached via concealed side pas-
  sages. Everything from food to gold bars is kept here 
  under heavy guard.
  Toward the core of the city are the main temples, 
  though smaller shrines and chapels exist in the housing 
  areas. clerics and higher status members of society have 
  chambers in this territory, even if they reside among their 
  beard etIquette
  Male dwarves are expected to wear beards and a 
  dwarf is considered an adult when he grows a full 
  beard.
  The style of beard and its length denotes many fac-
  tors in society. A good rule of thumb is the lon-
  ger the beard, the more important the dwarf. Of 
  course, beard lengths can be hard to judge on sight 
  and dwarves dislike other races trying to measure 
  their facial hair. A non-dwarf should be very careful 
  when using beard length to judge social rank. call-
  ing a dwarf “my lord” may be amusing to a com-
  moner, but addressing a jarl as a ridder is down-
  right insulting. Even within the same social class, 
  beard lengths vary according to status.
  As for style, this is actually easier to spot. Nobles 
  wear five-stranded beards bound with gold and sil-
  ver threads. clerics have four braids, three to honor 
  the three major gods and one for the other deities 
  collectively. leather straps used to fix the braids are 
  marked with the holy symbol of the cleric’s deity. 
  Mages also sport four braids. These are adorned 
  with mystic runes.
  Warriors wear their beards braided into three sepa-
  rate strands. courage nobles do not wear the five 
  strands of the nobility, but the triple plaits of their 
  profession. Huscarls and other soldiers wear green 
  straps, whereas nobles sport blue ones.
  crafters have forked beards, which makes it easi-
  er to throw the beard over one’s shoulder when 
  working. There is no differentiation between 
  trades based on beard style, but most crafters 
  wear runes denoting their craft branded onto their 
  leather ties. Miners wear their beards untethered 
  and bushy, which helps keep dust and small chip-
  pings out of their mouths. Other commoners wear 
  a single braid.
  Outsiders should be very careful about insulting a 
  dwarf’s beard, for great reverence is attached to 
  them and touching one without permission is in-
  sulting. cutting or burning it, even unintentionally, 
  can lead to violent retribution.
  dwarf cItIes
  
  
  clan. lastly, one reaches the heart of the city, in which are 
  located the ruler’s throne room and private chambers, 
  the council chambers, the vast treasuries, and so forth.
  Agriculture may not be a renowned dwarven trait, 
  but they have to eat. While shepherds maintain herds of 
  goats and mountain sheep, farmers look after vast cav-
  erns of vegetable crops. for the most part these are fungi 
  and mosses, for most vegetables require sunlight, which 
  is lacking in dwarven realms.
  The mines, which comprise as much as half the area 
  of the city, lie deep beneath the core living areas. dozens 
  or hundreds of miles of passageways and tunnels zigzag 
  through the stone, following the veins of minerals. Many 
  tunnels are disused, having been mined dry, but new 
  ones are always appearing.
  Passageways vary in size considerably. The main 
  avenues through the city may be as wide as fifty feet 
  with arched ceilings towering dozens of feet overhead. 
  columns provide support and decoration to otherwise 
  bland corridors. In the main habitation and housing 
  areas, passageways narrow to ten feet with ceilings of 
  similar height. Arches are again prominent, but columns 
  less so,. Oil lamps provide light, though little traveled 
  areas are kept dark.
  Only in the mines can one find truly narrow passages, 
  for weak veins may only require a single dwarf, who 
  works in a five foot passage, often kneeling or crouching 
  in the low workspace. Of course, large veins may extend 
  over several hundred feet in height, with the entire area 
  opened into a vast cavern with workers using scaffolding 
  to work every available inch of the rock face.
  major locales
  The major dwarven realms known in Rassilon are 
  detailed in the Hellfrost Gazetteer. This section expands 
  that information for a select few fortress-cities so as to 
  provide the gamemaster with more adventure material.
  Karad azgul
  Besieged by orcs for two decades, the dwarves of 
  Karad Azgul have drastically retrained their small army. 
  large numbers of huscarls have been trained as Hall 
  guards, the city now boasting 600 sturdy warriors. This 
  has left them with just 100 huscarls for offensive actions. 
  The army is backed up by 20 rune mages and 3,000 per-
  manent militia. Added to that are a further 6,000 reserves 
  who could be called up in an emergency, though doing 
  so would seriously cripple the city’s infrastructure.
  Although a large army of orcs and goblins has pen-
  etrated the lower levels, the dwarves have held strong, 
  the switch to defensive tactics proving a wise decision. 
  dwarf numbers are being whittled down each day, but 
  new recruits are being trained to replace the fallen and 
  Thegn Jorvik is confident he can hold back the orcs for 
  many decades to come.
  What Thegn Jorvik does not know is that the orcs are 
  tunneling toward the city. Progress is painstakingly slow, 
  but the orcs creep closer with each passing day. Should 
  they penetrate the upper levels, it is likely the city would 
  fall. King Nagrat could then pull soldiers from his south-
  ern flank and send them north, tipping the balance of 
  power against Vestmark in his favor.
  Were a group of heroes to discover the existence of 
  the tunnels, perhaps from an orc captive, and thwart the 
  scheme, the stubborn dwarf lord just might be convinced 
  to end the city’s isolationist policy and openly throw 
  his armies into the fray. An aggressive foe on the orcs’ 
  southern flank would likely cause them to divert troops 
  from elsewhere, granting Vestmark the small but much 
  needed opening it needs to launch a fresh offensive.
  Karad marn
  The battle to liberate Karad Marn from orc invaders 
  has ground on for six decades, the tide switching first 
  one way and then the other. currently, the dwarves hold 
  around a third of the city.
  The city currently boasts a population of just under 
  18,000 dwarves under the command of Thegn Rungar 
  Hammerhand. Of these, a full 12,000 are classed as war-
  riors. Huscarls account for 4,000 of the soldiers, Hall 
  guards a further 500, and paladins of various faiths 
  some 250. A little over a quarter are natives of Karad 
  Marn—most are reinforcements sent from Karad Zor. 
  The remainder are technically militia, though years of 
  bitter fighting in the tunnels have honed their combat 
  skills, and they are better equipped than standard re-
  serves. Added to these forces are 600 taiga elves recently 
  arrived from Rimeholm and 400 mercenaries.
  The crusade recently suffered a bitter blow. Hauld 
  Austri giantbane, a clan elder and renowned giant killer, 
  was killed by goblins while on a mission to recruit mer-
  cenaries. deprived of their leader and with no clear line 
  of succession, the clan has splintered into rival factions, 
  weakening its collective military might.
  Thegn Rungar’s biggest problem is one of logistics—
  feeding and equipping such a large permanent army in 
  mountainous terrain while fighting a constant war is not 
  easy. While kinfolk in Karad Zor send supply trains, the 
  vast distance involved, close to 1000 miles as the axe flies, 
  means shipments are far from regular and are limited in 
  the quantities they can transport.
  While the dwarves have managed to recover some 
  stocks of gold and metal to purchase supplies, the near-
  est trade routes end in Shattered Moor. (Rimeholm sup-
  plies what it can, but the elves’ hunter-gatherer lifestyle 
  limits what they can spare.) Between the markets and the 
  dwarf city are several hundred miles of uninhabited ter-
  rain. In order to safeguard the caravans from orc attacks, 
  the noble is forced to use a goodly portion of his army as 
  guards. Vast sums have also been promised to mercenar-
  ies, though only a handful of companies have made the 
  arduous trek to the very extreme of the High Winterlands 
  so far. Even so, they are another drain on the coffers.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #48
  
  
  IntroductIon
  The Sunken Realm was once a populous land, though one whose inhabitants remain 
  shrouded in mystery. Today, it is a god-cursed realm of sundered earth and shattered cities, 
  a devastated wasteland populated only by ferocious orcs and giants, and insane frostreav-
  ers and Vendahl. Few have cause to walk the vast basin, and most who enter never return. 
  This supplement expands on material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  What caused the sInkIng?
  This question has perplexed historians and philosophers down the centuries. Many 
  theories abound, but none have been proven to any satisfaction. One theory claims that 
  a boulder launched during the endless dispute between Haptsönir and Jarngrímr (see 
  Region Guide #47) smashed into the land, creating a gigantic crater. Another tells that 
  the denizens of the realm were so wicked that the gods collectively voted to break the 
  Compact and eradicate them from existence. A few insist Ertha accidentally dug too close 
  to the surface, causing a cave-in of titanic proportions. A handful of racists point the finger 
  of blame at the frost dwarves, accusing them of creating so many tunnels beneath the land 
  that it collapsed. Wilder theories also exist.
  A related question is when did the sinking occur? A few surviving Heligi and Selari texts 
  indicate the Sunken Realm existed long before their time, placing its destruction as several 
  thousand years ago. Even the frost dwarves, whose capital at Karad Khan has stood for 
  millennia, record the Sunken Realm as being in existence when they carved the first tunnel 
  of the great city. This pushes its origins back to some 3,000 years before the Ice Rise.
  Tied into the how and why is the matter of who lived there before the disaster. Again, 
  the only records come from the Heligi and Selari, who speak of a densely populated land-
  scape. Alas, the veracity of such records is impossible to confirm, since they make reference 
  to older texts now lost to the civilized races. What architecture survives paints a jumbled 
  picture. In some cases there is clear evidence of an advanced artistic and scholastic culture, 
  men who created magnificent statues and raised immense cities. Yet other ruins point 
  toward an extremely militaristic society. Some sages have argued that the ruins date from 
  different periods. Perhaps the first cities were those of a warlike bent, but over time they 
  turned away from war and toward peaceful endeavors.
  Despite the various suggestions that seek to answer how, when, and who, the Sunken 
  Realm remains an enigma, a relic of a bygone age that bears little relevance to those strug-
  gling to survive an age of increasing winters and rampaging orcs.
  31250
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 4 9 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  the sunken realm
  www.tripleacegames.com
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  atmosphere & terraIn
  The Sunken Realm is a depressing place. Even frost 
  dwarves, at home in rugged conditions, find it an unwel-
  coming place.
  The jumbled landscape of jagged rocks, sheer cliffs, 
  and deep crevasses makes navigation difficult and slow. 
  Adventurers are often forced to take lengthy detours to 
  reach places within line of sight, and it is easy to lose 
  one’s bearings. The landscape seems hostile, as if it de-
  sires blood and pain. Rocks seem to shift of their own 
  volition, causing explorers to unexpectedly lose their 
  footing. Often slippery with ice and snow, the rough 
  landscape leads to frequent slips and tumbles that tear 
  and bruise flesh and bones. Sharp cries of pain and am-
  plified as echoes, returning to their originator’s ears as 
  mocking laughter.
  Mile after endless mile of rubble and ruins awaits 
  those seeking to explore the accursed realm. Although 
  the landscape is varied, the constant signs of devastation 
  in a seemingly lifeless landscape sap the will. A state of 
  constant vigil is required, for many dangers lie in wait for 
  the unwary. Here, a broken ankle can mean death, and 
  behind any cover ahead might lurk a hunting party of 
  orcs, frostreavers, or Vendahl.
  Noises echo eerily off cliffs and hills, strangely ampli-
  fied as if the landscape longs to hear signs of life. Yet the 
  echoes are also perversely muffled, and explorers can 
  never be entirely sure whether the footsteps and voices 
  they hear are their own or some fell menace stalking 
  them.
  Cold mist forms in the lower lying regions, blanket-
  ing the landscape for days on end, stealthily penetrating 
  cloaks and winter gear to suck the warmth from travelers. 
  At night the temperature plummets, its bone-numbing 
  intensity rivaling that of the Hellfrost. Near the cliff walls, 
  the cold air can be seen flowing into the basin from the 
  higher ground like the wispy waters of a titanic, ghostly 
  river. Explorers refer to this phenomenon as Thrym’s 
  breath, though less polite bodily exhalations are some-
  times mentioned.
  denIzens
  While trappers sometimes venture into the Sunken 
  Realms in search of unusual animals, there are just two 
  permanent residents belonging to the civilized races 
  (see page 3). The only other humanoid denizens are orc, 
  frostreaver, and Vendahl tribes, and a few giants.
  The Vendahl live predominantly in the east and north, 
  where they hunt polar bears. Raids into the Icedale Free-
  holds are infrequent, but not unknown.
  Frostreavers dominate the northwestcorner, close to 
  the Frozen Forest. These insane worshippers of Thrym 
  also pillage the Freeholds on occasion, but much of their 
  time is spent battling their Vendahl neighbors and foray-
  ing into the Frozen Forest. Their reasons for the latter 
  are unknown, but it might simply be they are seeking a 
  safe passage through to the Icewall and beyond to the 
  frigid wastes of the Hellfrost.
  Orc frequent the west and south, save for one tribe 
  which lives in frostreaver territory. There is no account 
  of how many tribes exist, but correlated reports indicate 
  there are at least five unique tribes making their home 
  here. Of these, three favor Thrym, one worships Dargar, 
  and one honors Hela. It is widely believed the orcs are in 
  the Realm because it offers a refuge. Here they can build 
  up their strength relatively unmolested, though for what 
  cause remains to be seen.
  Frost giants sometimes enter via the Icedale Freeholds 
  or Frozen Sea, while cliff giants dwell on the eastern 
  fringe, hunting seals and hrossval for food.
  rules of the realm
  These setting rules apply in the Sunken Realm.
  * Constant Scrapes: The uneven terrain, which is 
  often slick with ice or snow, makes for treacherous 
  footing. At the end of each day of travel, the char-
  acters must make an Agility roll. Penalties for dark-
  ness and inclement weather from the Overland 
  Pace table apply. Failure causes a level of Fatigue as 
  from bumps and bruises. A critical failure causes 
  two levels of Fatigue.
  * Depressing Realm: The relentless cold, chill-
  ing mist, desolation of the landscape, lack of food, 
  endless horizons of broken terrain, and frequent 
  slips and falls quickly lead to despair. Each morn-
  ing a character is within the Sunken Realm he must 
  make a Spirit or Faith roll or suffer a –1 penalty to 
  Spirit and Spirit-linked skill rolls for the remain-
  der of the day. The penalty from this malaise never 
  increases above –1, no matter how many rolls are 
  failed.
  * Few Animals: While water can be gathered eas-
  ily from ice and snow, there is precious little ani-
  mal life and few edible plants. Survival rolls to find 
  food suffer a –2 penalty.
  * Few Plants: Aside from lichens and mosses, 
  some of which are edible, there is very little plant 
  life. Rolls to find plants for herbal remedies suffer a 
  –2 penalty. This is in addition to penalties for rarity 
  and season.
  * Nothing to Buy: Aside from a very few trappers 
  from the Icedale Freeholds, there is no civilized life 
  in the Sunken Realms. Characters cannot purchase 
  or sell equipment here.
  * Rough Going: Very little flat ground exists any-
  where in the Sunken Realm. The tactical terrain is 
  almost always difficult ground. The overland pace 
  terrain is difficult ground with no trail or path.
  * Temperature: Cold air sinks into the basin, 
  keeping the temperatures well below freezing. Al-
  though this is little felt in the day, the nights are ex-
  ceptionally cold. Treat the nighttime temperature 
  as two steps lower.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #49
  
  
  major locales
  While the Hellfrost Gazetteer describes a handful of 
  adventuring locales in the Sunken Realm, many others 
  exist. This section delves into some of the other shattered 
  locales of the wasteland. These should be considered 
  active adventuring sites, ones your heroes can explore 
  without fear of breaking any canon.
  enterIng the realm
  Although travel through the Sunken Realm is ardu-
  ous, unless one lives in the Icedale Freeholds the jour-
  ney there is almost as difficult. The Frozen Forest and 
  liche-lands of Old surround the region to the west and 
  southwest, haunted realms that act as natural barriers 
  against idle curiosity. 
  For the most part, the walls of the vast basin are sheer 
  cliffs ranging in height from a few hundred feet to as 
  much as quarter of a mile. A few natural trails exist, zig-
  zagging down the vertical rock face, but explorers must 
  be cautious, for orcs, frostreavers, and Vendahl dwell 
  near these points of entrance. Only in the central low 
  Hills does the ground slope gently downward, providing 
  easy ingress for plucky explorers.
  A comparatively easy place to reach for those who 
  want to stare into the Sunken Realm is in the east, where 
  it borders the ocean. Here, a narrow strip of land only 
  a few yards above sea level lines the sheer cliffs that fall 
  sharply away to the west. Mariners must be cautious in 
  summer, for the coastline is littered with submerged 
  rocks, some of which are actually the remains of build-
  ings. During harsh winters, sea ice covers the rocks, 
  though that poses its own problems.
  The narrowness of the strip means that storms and 
  high tides can send water crashing down into the Sunken 
  Realm before vanishing into the myriad of crevasses that 
  lead to subterranean vaults far beneath the surface.
  cascade rIver
  Although most maps show the Cascade as a single 
  river, a branch of the Highwater that flows away from 
  the main river, it is in fact two separate watercourses. 
  The first, the Western Cascade, flows into the Highwa-
  ter, making it a tributary. barely five miles east a second 
  spring gushes to the surface, its icy water tumbling down 
  the low Hills, across the Sunken Realm, and into the 
  great pit that is the Sunken land. Rich in rock salts, it 
  rarely freezes. It is not potable.
  For much of its lower length it is navigable by rafts, 
  though natural fords and rocks mean travelers must 
  sometimes haul their rafts across land for many miles 
  before finding another stretch of free-flowing water.
  At the bottom of the Sunken land it crashes into the 
  rocks, its spray mixing with the ever-present mist. The 
  numerous streams carved into the landscape flow east, 
  before disappearing into great rents in the ground on 
  the outskirts of Tumbledown City.
  the ghost place
  Only the gods know how many people died in the 
  catastrophe that created the Sunken Realm. given the 
  land sank millennia ago, when the weather was more 
  temperate and population levels much higher, sages put 
  the figure in the hundreds of thousands at a minimum. 
  The spirits of some of those who perished remain locked 
  to the landscape, unable or unwillingly to depart the 
  mortal realm. In the northwest corner, just below the 
  Frozen Forest, is a haunted, mist-swathed area known as 
  the ghost Place. lighting levels are one level worse than 
  the ambient conditions outside the area.
  Here the senses are assailed night and day by the sight 
  of shadowy figures in the mist and unintelligible voices 
  whispering as if standing right next to the listener. Ex-
  plorers must make a guts roll each morning they are in 
  the ghost Place or suffer the effects of Fear for the next 
  24 hours or until they leave the region, whichever comes 
  first. Combined with the general weariness brought on 
  by the Sunken Realm, this makes the ghost Place a ter-
  rifying and exhausting place to venture, both physically 
  and mentally.
  In the center of the ghost Place is an altar of black 
  stone, its weathered and pitted surface inscribed with 
  fell runes of necromancy and stained with the blood 
  of innumerable sacrifices. The altar was erected by the 
  liche-Priest’s minions during his reign, but is today the 
  spiritual home of an orc tribe known as the ghost Riders 
  (see sidebar above).
  the last lIbrary
  Standing in a wide valley in the low Hills is a single 
  house. A windowless longhouse built with drystone walls 
  and roofed in turf, it is the only building in the Sunken 
  Realm permanently inhabited by members of the civi-
  lized races. Technically it stands outside the true sunken 
  area, but that is mere semantics to its two occupants.
  Situated between the shattered wasteland and the 
  haunted liche lands, the last library is home to two 
  scholars of very different natures. gray Sage Sinrilli 
  the ghost rIders
  The ghost Riders are a tribe of grave wolf riding 
  orcs who worship Hela. All members of the tribe 
  save for runts have Riding equal to their Fighting 
  die and are Fearless.
  below are the typical powers of the tribe’s priests.
  • Hela’s Powers: Armor (bones), bolt (scream-
  ing skulls), deflection (swirling spirits), fear (fell 
  spirits), enhance undead (runes), strength of the 
  undead (runes appear on flesh), zombie.
  the sunken realm
  
  
  broadleaf, a hearth elf cleric of Hoenir, is a quiet, con-
  templative scholar prone to staring into space while 
  he thinks, while his companion, Daffodil (known affec-
  tionately as Daffy) is an extrovert engro lorekeeper of 
  seemingly limitless enthusiasm and energy. Whereas it is 
  difficult to get the elf to speak, it is almost impossible to 
  shut the engro up. They live here with just a small herd 
  of hardy mountain sheep for company.
  The odd couple met in a temple library several de-
  cades ago while they were seeking information on the 
  Sunken lands—both were searching for the same archaic 
  text. Despite scholastic differences, which they retain to 
  this day, they struck up an enduring friendship that has 
  weathered its fair share of hardship.
  Realizing that book study was no substitute for field-
  work, the pair vowed to explore the Sunken Realm in 
  more detail. They moved here 20 years ago, braving the 
  liche lands, eking a meager life in the desolate hills ever 
  since. Much of their time has been spent meticulously 
  recording just one ruin, a jumble of stones located at the 
  foot of the low Hills.
  They have little to offer adventuring parties save for 
  a warm place to sleep and their wisdom, but they are 
  happy to share what little they have in return for news of 
  the outside world. They maintain some communication 
  with Icewatch Fort, Icedale, and Nerenel through voice 
  on the wind spells, passing back information on the ac-
  tivities of the barbarous races that dwell nearby.
  Their library, such as it is, contains a few copied ex-
  tracts from older texts, works on the cult of Ertha, and 
  dozens of pages filled with their own findings.
  Admission: Open to any member of the civilized 
  races who comes in peace.
  Specialties: The Sunken Realm, cult of Ertha.
  Investigation Rolls: -2 for specialties only.
  maera’s grave
  Also known to explorers as the Void and the Empty 
  loom, this region of the southern basin is utterly devoid 
  of magical threads. The terrain appears no different to 
  other regions, and no markers delineate the start of 
  the non-magic zone. The only indication that one has 
  stumbled into Maera’s grave is when a magician finds 
  himself unable to work magic.
  No arcane spells work here, though miracles are 
  unaffected. Relics function, though at reduced effective-
  ness. Those that require an arcane skill roll suffer a –2 
  penalty. Relics providing a static bonus, such as magical 
  weapons and armor, have their bonus reduced by one. 
  For instance, a +1 magic sword provides no bonus to its 
  wielder, though it still counts as a magical weapon for 
  other purposes.
  Close to the center of the grave are the ruins of a 
  city, now home to countless orcs. Although its location is 
  known, it has never been explored by the civilized races. 
  A few scholars believe the lack of magic is somehow tied 
  to the city. To some, Maera cursed the inhabitants, for 
  they “obviously” perverted her gift, performing fell magic 
  of some indescribable nature. To others, the inhabitants 
  brought about the loss of magic through arcane means, 
  perhaps creating a powerful relic that either backfired or 
  works to contain magical threads.
  the mushroom forest
  between Deepmarsh and the Sunken land stand 
  many ruins. Perhaps once they were colonies of or sup-
  porting settlements for Tumbledown City. given the 
  colossal devastation wrought upon the land, many are in 
  remarkably good condition. 
  The ruins stand within a dense forest of mushrooms. 
  The ground is thick, spongy, and dank, the thin soil 
  sheltered from sunlight by towering mushrooms. The 
  lighting is one level worse than the ambient conditions 
  outside the forest.
  little of the fungus is edible, at least to the civilized 
  races, producing nausea and vomiting if ingested. A 
  few specimens produce intense, horrific hallucinations, 
  while others are lethal if eaten. The carpet of mushrooms 
  comprises harmless varieties as well as ones which emit 
  choking spores if disturbed.
  The forest is inhabited by a particularly vicious colony 
  of fungals. The constant presence of orcs has made the 
  fungus race extremely vicious. All outsiders, regardless 
  of species, are viewed as crop raiding pests to be de-
  stroyed, an ironic viewpoint given that is how farmers in 
  the Hearthlands see fungals. Several mushroomncrusted 
  holes in the ground lead into an interconnected cave 
  system the fungals call home.
  the sunken lands
  The heart of the Sunken Realm is the Sunken lands, 
  a huge depression within the basin. Measuring approxi-
  mately 180 miles by 100 miles at its widest points, the 
  great depression is a full half-mile deeper than the sur-
  rounding landscape. 
  Mist perpetually fills the bottom, obscuring Tumble-
  down City, which lies within the great hole, when viewed 
  from above. Most sages agree that the Sunken land 
  marks the epicenter of whatever fate befell the region. 
  Although reports vary as to its exact location, it is widely 
  agreed that the city ruins are not situated in the exact 
  center of the pit.
  Many cave entrances break the cliff walls. Those 
  nearer the surface are the remains of sewers and base-
  ments of cities, their buildings dragged into the chasm. 
  Further down are natural caves whose passages connect 
  to cavern systems within Erthaheim.
  the trIckster’s maze
  The shortest route as the raven flies between the low 
  Hills and the core of the realm is actually a treacherous 
  labyrinth of sharp ridges and narrow canyons. One leg-
  end concerning the area tells that the unknowable One 
  grew tired of Freo’s boasts that there was nowhere his 
  hellfrost regIon guIde #49
  4
  
  clerics could not navigate. In order to teach the god of 
  travel humility, the unknowable One created the Trick-
  ster’s Maze.
  No explorer who has entered the labyrinth has ever 
  boasted of navigating its winding tracks. Most admit giv-
  ing up after several exhausting days, their bodies weak 
  from starvation and thirst, for nothing grows and no 
  water flows in this accursed place (Survival rolls to find 
  food and water are made at –6), and having penetrated 
  only a handful of miles.
  To the last they claim that while the Maze is a complex 
  labyrinth, passage is made more difficult by the walls, 
  which shift position to cut off retreats or open new trails 
  visible only if adventurers backtrack.
  Explorers who have never ventured into the warren 
  scoff at these tales as figments of overactive imaginations. 
  More likely, they say, the closure of passages is caused 
  by minor earth tremors and strong winds that topple 
  unstable rock formations. Veteran explorers, especially 
  those accustomed to the rigors of Erthaheim, know from 
  experience that some passageways are hard to detect 
  from certain angles, their existence only becoming ap-
  parent when the viewer walks toward them from a dif-
  ferent direction.
  While there is some element of truth to these natu-
  ral theories, most of the stories of changing landscapes 
  are true. At the heart of the maze lies a powerful earth 
  locus. Such is its potency that it periodically warps the 
  surrounding landscape, silently reshaping it into new 
  formations. The rent in the fabric of reality also allows 
  earth elementals to travel between the Elemental Realm 
  of Earth and the mundane world.
  WhItescar caverns
  In the deathly pale limestone cliffs north of Deadman’s 
  Marsh is a natural cave. It leads to a sprawling network 
  of passages and caverns known to explorers as Whites-
  car Caverns. Hardy adventurers have only explored the 
  outer caves, for those who seek to penetrate the cold, 
  dark interior are never seen again.
  During the liche-Priest’s reign, his unhallowed agents 
  ventured into the Sunken Realm in search of relics of 
  power, their undead nature making them immune to 
  the depressing aura permeating the land. Whether they 
  found anything of magical potency is unknown. During 
  their investigations they did discover the cave system, 
  though it was of little concern to them at the time.
  As the liche-Priest’s armies were pushed back by 
  the Army of light, the undead lord did as he had done 
  elsewhere—he ordered one of his lieutenants, a creature 
  known as Dorvargr, “Dark Wolf” (though as discussed in 
  Region Guide #4, vargr has more evil connotations than 
  a mundane wolf), to seek refuge in the caverns with a 
  number of undead soldiers.
  Yet while the dark shadows of undeath slipped un-
  seen into caverns, they do not remain there—something 
  more fell, something more wicked of soul than even 
  the liche-Priest’s lieutenant, slaughtered them. That 
  unknown, unnamed horror, still lurks in the deep caves, 
  absolute master of its sunless realm.
  neW hazards
  Aside from its vicious inhabitants, the Sunken Realm 
  has a few hazards rarely found elsewhere. Other com-
  mon hazards include avalanches near the cliffs that form 
  the borders and hidden crevasses.
  earthquake
  Commonly known as “Ertha’s tremors,” earthquakes 
  are not uncommon in the Sunken Realm. An earthquake 
  has nothing to do with seismic forces or tectonic activ-
  ity—it is an indication Ertha, goddess of the earth, is 
  restless, moving around her subterranean home, or 
  excavating new chambers in her realm.
  Outside and away from any objects that might col-
  lapse, the characters need only make an Agility roll to re-
  main standing. A critical failure causes a level of Fatigue 
  from bumps and bruises.
  underground, indoors, or in other areas where falling 
  rubble is a possibility, characters must make an Agility 
  roll or suffer 2d6 damage, 3d6 on a critical failure. 
  Characters who suffer a wound are buried in rubble. A 
  single wound indicates partial burial (such as the hero’s 
  legs being pinned by stones). The character may extri-
  cate himself with a Strength roll at –2. Each attempt takes 
  2d10+10 minutes of work. Multiple wounds mean the 
  character is buried deep beneath debris and cannot dig 
  himself out. Freeing the entombed character requires a 
  Strength roll at –4. Each attempt requires 1d3 hours of 
  careful digging and lifting. 
  The excavators can reduce the time to a single hour 
  per roll, but such frenzied activity comes with inherent 
  risks. If the modified Strength roll is 1 or less, the rubble 
  collapses further, inflicting 2d6 damage on the trapped 
  character. A critical failure indicates a major collapse and 
  causes 4d6 damage.
  Weak ground
  In some areas the ground beneath a character’s feet is 
  not as solid as it seems. The thin surface layer may crack 
  to reveal a shallow hole, in which the character risks a 
  twisted or broken ankle at worst, or send him plummet-
  ing into a deep chasm or cave. unlike a crevasse, it is 
  impossible to spot weak ground until it is too late.
  use the rules for Thin Ice (Hellfrost Player’s guide) 
  to see if a character falls through weak ground. For shal-
  low holes, failure means the character must make a Vigor 
  roll or suffer a level of Fatigue from bumps and bruises. 
  Critical failure causes a wound. Falling through weak 
  ground over a deeper hole means a tragic fall. The depth 
  of the crack is 1d10 x 10”. He can climb back out 10” 
  with a successful Climbing roll.
  the sunken realm
  
  
  Why come here?
  Thousands of square miles of desolate terrain, freez-
  ing cold temperatures, hostile inhabitants, scant edible 
  material, and little hope of receiving any outside aid 
  await those who enter the Sunken Realm. given the more 
  readily accessible adventuring sites in other lands, what 
  possible reasons do the party have for coming here?
  * Orders. The only organizations with any real inter-
  est in the Sunken Realm are the lorekeepers and cult 
  of Hoenir, both of whom crave knowledge. The cult of 
  Kenaz might order a cleric to take war to the frostreaver 
  or Vendahl tribes dwelling in the remote ruins, but in all 
  honesty these tribes rarely bother anyone, and there are 
  more important targets to defeat.
  Of course, the gM can arrange for any character with 
  the Orders Hindrance to explore the realm, but such 
  orders are likely to be issued only once in a character’s 
  life time, and then only if he is exceptionally talented, 
  unlucky, or out of favor with his patron.
  * Duty. Whereas orders are issued by a third party, 
  duty is something a character must undertake of his 
  own volition. Sword Knights aspiring for promotion and 
  lance Knights might choose to come here in search of 
  Hellfrost beasts to slay, but as mentioned above there 
  are richer pickings elsewhere. A cleric of Freo might feel 
  compelled to enter the forbidding realm simply because 
  it is rarely visited. A lorekeeper or cleric of Hoenir may 
  feel it is his duty to explore the land, even if his superiors 
  have no specific missions in mind.
  * Treasure. Many ruins dot the Sunken Realm. Due to 
  the hostile inhabitants, biting cold, and shattered land-
  scape few of them have been thoroughly explored. The 
  thought of abandoned treasuries brimming with gold 
  and perhaps even a relic or two are often lure enough to 
  bring adventurers to this accursed realm.
  * Exploration. While treasure seekers are naturally ex-
  plorers as well, this reason refers specifically to the quest 
  for knowledge. That knowledge might be the location 
  of orc nests or Vendahl lairs, but it could just as well 
  be to map the landscape or study the ruins in a bid to 
  unlock the story of the desolation. The lorekeepers and 
  cult of Hoenir would pay well for reliable information 
  on the former inhabitants, and even seemingly worthless 
  trinkets like potsherds, fragments (or detailed drawings) 
  of carvings or murals are worth a small reward.
  * Hired. Aside from searching for something worth 
  looting, the most likely reason the party will come here 
  is because someone has paid them. This might tie into 
  the quest for knowledge, but it might also involve track-
  ing down and killing raiders plaguing the Freeholds or 
  searching for a lost explorer or hunter.
  * Passing Through. No sane person voluntarily 
  passes through the Sunken Realm. The only neighbor-
  ing civilized realm is the Icedale Freeholds, and anyone 
  undertaking an overland voyage to that remote outpost 
  of civilization via the Sunken Realm is usually desperate, 
  for such a journey requires passing through the haunted 
  liche lands first. It is possible the characters might be 
  shipwrecked against the eastern cliffs, but in winter it is 
  actually safer to risk walking the pack ice of the Frozen 
  Sea than brave the ruined, monster-infested landscape.
  adventure seeds
  In addition to the potential adventure seeds buried in 
  the text, here are a few extra seeds to sow in your fertile 
  imagination.
  * A cleric of Scaetha believes many skeletons must lie 
  amid or beneath the tumbled ruins. With the threat of 
  the liche-Priest’s return hanging over Rassilon, the cleric 
  wants to deny the undead lord access to an army. The 
  party is hired for protection while the cleric scours the 
  land and makes the bones unusable to necromancers. 
  Aside from a 10% tithe, any treasure the party finds while 
  exploring old ruins during the quest is theirs to keep.
  This seed could easily form the basis of an entire 
  mini-campaign set in the Sunken Realm involving the 
  exploration of dozens of ruins, not to mention utilizing 
  denizens from the liche lands hunting for a supply of 
  skeletons for their imprisoned master.
  * The Vendahl have begun raiding the Freeholds with 
  brazen audacity and in growing numbers. A charismatic 
  shaman or champion is believed to have united several 
  disparate tribes. The Freeholders offer a large reward for 
  the head of the troublemaker, for as the old saying goes, 
  cut off the head and the body dies. If you’ve seen The 
  13th Warrior, you have all the details you need already 
  mapped out.
  * The dwarves of Karad Maran are desperately in need 
  of hard currency. Ancient texts make vague reference to 
  a small but prosperous dwarf city that was destroyed 
  when “Ertha called the land to her bosom.” A minor 
  dwarf noble believes this refers to the Sunken Realm. 
  While he doubts the upper city still exists, he hopes the 
  deeper levels survived the disaster. He seeks trustworthy 
  adventurers of irreproachable integrity to help him and 
  his 12 followers find the site and recover any treasures. If 
  the city exists, it is likely inhabited by orcs or goblins (or 
  something far worse of the gM’s choosing).
  * The adventurers are in the Freeholds when they are 
  hired to track down a missing trapper who went into the 
  Sunken Realm. The characters find his corpse, which ap-
  pears to have been clawed by something big. Stuffed into 
  the trapper’s pack are dozens of gold coins stamped with 
  the face of a regal-looking sphinx. Following the trail of 
  the trapper’s frozen blood, the characters are led to a 
  dark opening in the side of a mound of rubble.
  * A devoutly religious character suffers recurring 
  dreams, in which he is standing outside a collapsed 
  building marked with his deity’s holy symbol. Investiga-
  tion reveals the likely location of the site is in the Sunken 
  Realm. but what do the dreams mean, and what will the 
  hero discover if he acts on them? If he ignores them, the 
  dreams begin to turn into vivid nightmares, leaving him 
  unable to sleep.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #49
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Since the time of the Blizzard War Hrimthyr Isle has been a bastion of evil, home to 
  thousands of Thrym’s barbarous servants. Although the frost giants suffered a bitter defeat 
  a century ago, their strength is building once more. Huge longships packed with giants 
  and orcs once again plague the eastern coast, while within the walls of the mighty fortress 
  of Jarlshof, High Ice King Nagal plans an invasion. This supplement expands on material 
  in the Hellfrost Gazetteer.
  the Powers of nagal
  High Ice King Nagal (“Nail”), the lord of Hrimthyr Isle, is more than a frost giant. Shortly 
  after usurping control he undertook a decade long quest into the Hellfrost core. Whatever 
  he encountered there transformed his body, bestowing him with powerful and unusual 
  gifts. Perhaps like the Ice Queen (see Region Guide #12) he found a way into Thrym’s 
  divine realm and knelt before his god. Maybe prolonged exposure to the deep Hellfrost 
  altered him. Or maybe the Nagal who entered the frozen wasteland is not the Nagal who 
  returned—ancient legends speak cryptically of a race of true frost giants, creatures older 
  than the civilized races, either created by or descended from the gods in an earlier epoch. 
  Though widely regarded as mythical, a band of heroes recently reported defeating one 
  who dwelt in an ice fortress on White Lake. He might alternately be a chosen of Thrym, or 
  even a herald given free rein in the mortal realm.
  Nagal’s exact powers are unknown to the civilized races, but there is much conjecture 
  that the king of the frost giants is a terrifying foe. No one has ever claimed to have faced 
  Nagal, and thus separating fact from fiction is impossible. One story claims his skin is as 
  hard as black ice and his blood freezing (or sometimes coldfire). Depending who tells the 
  tale any injuries inflicted on him either result in him being swathed in crackling coldfire or 
  the wound freezes over immediately, healing the king.
  It is claimed he can pluck hairs from his beard, which is often described as being living 
  coldfire, and cast them to the ground, whereupon they turn into elementals. He can freeze 
  the flesh and blood of those who gaze upon him or hear his voice (again, legends vary), 
  spit streams of coldfire, and transform into a Hellfrost dragon of immense size or a raging 
  blizzard. In some stories it is his axe, Thrym’s Tooth, that holds these powers, not the frost 
  giant. Unfortunately, there are as many powers attributed to him as there are skalds who 
  speak of him. The only way any of these powers will ever be confirmed is for someone to 
  encounter the fiend and live, and that will take a very special band of heroes.
  31251
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 5 0 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  hrImthyr Isle
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS gAMe refereNceS THe SAvAge WOrLDS gAMe SySTeM, AvAILABLe frOM PINNAcLe eNTerTAINMeNT grOUP AT WWW.PegINc.cOM.   
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  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  atmosPhere
  Hrimthyr Isle is a terrible place, a miniature version 
  of the Hellfrost but one that is densely populated by all 
  manner of evil creatures. While the Hellfrost Gazetteer 
  speaks a little about the geography, such as exists, it says 
  very little about what it is to explore the frigid land.
  The bitter north wind and permanently cold tempera-
  tures are the first obstacle one must learn to overcome. 
  freezing winds batter at the body, penetrating all but the 
  thickest clothing, hail stings exposed flesh, and tempera-
  tures can plummet to unearthly lows in a flash, literally 
  sucking the warmth from the living. Blizzards may force 
  the party to hole up for days on end, their precious sup-
  plies rapidly dwindling. 
  even those accustomed (but not immune) to the cold 
  must don winter clothing and furs if they are to survive. 
  yet it is not just outsiders who suffer. The orcs, many of 
  whom are not snow orcs, can patrol for only a few hours 
  at a time before seeking shelter and warmth. Unlike in-
  truders, they at least can light fires to remove the chill.
  The landscape is rugged and swathed in snow. Winter 
  footwear is essential, but even then explorers risk leaving 
  visible trails in the virgin snow unless they take extra pre-
  cautions or are prepared to sally forth in adverse weather 
  conditions. Being largely volcanic in origin, albeit of the 
  ice variety, geysers spitting forth coldfire or water that 
  freezes solid in an instant are added dangers.
  The constant presence of orc patrols forces explorers 
  to move cautiously and be ever vigilant. Any adventuring 
  party will be vastly outnumbered. characters spoiling for 
  fights will have plentiful opportunities, but a series of 
  running engagements will be more harmful to the he-
  roes than the thousands of denizens. While it is certainly 
  possible to destroy a few watchposts, word will quickly 
  spread, leading to the characters being ruthlessly hunted 
  down. Unless the heroes want to spend their time flee-
  ing orc patrols hot on their bloody trails, they must learn 
  to pick their fights carefully and avoid revealing their 
  presence.
  fires must be well concealed from view, for flickering 
  flames stand out like burning beacons against the stark 
  blue, white, and gray of the landscape. Much of the time 
  intruders will be forced to forgo hot meals, only adding 
  to the general feelings of misery. rations are likely to lack 
  any form of fresh food, especially vegetation—hard tack 
  and dried meat will be the staples. At these temperatures 
  liquids freeze in moments, and without drinking water 
  the heroes are doomed (eating snow is a bad idea, since 
  it reduces body temperature).
  At night, much of the island is illuminated in a pale 
  white-blue light from the ice volcano and streams of 
  slushrock. While this added light can be beneficial, it also 
  means true darkness is a rarity, even when the sky is blan-
  keted in clouds. Day or night, adventurers moving across 
  the island stand out as dark dots against the landscape, 
  ever visible to the vigilant sentries.
  All told, Hrimthyr Isle assaults the body and mind, 
  quickly fatiguing even the hardiest of explorers.
  rules of the realm
  These setting rules apply in Hrimthyr Isle.
  * Constant Patrols: Orcs constantly patrol the 
  isle. The party must make a group Stealth roll each 
  day to avoid encountering a patrol of 1d6+4 orcs 
  (50% chance they are mounted on dire wolves, in 
  which case they have riding equal to their fighting 
  die). The lead character must be the hero with the 
  lowest Stealth—the party is only as stealthy as its 
  loudest member.
  * Hard to Survive: There is no plant life on the 
  isle, and very few animals (mainly polar bears and 
  seals, and fish offshore). All Survival rolls to find 
  food suffer a –2 penalty on the shoreline and a –6 
  penalty inland.
  * I am the Land: Among Nagal’s many powers is 
  mastery over the weather of his island home. Once 
  per day, Nagal can summon any type of weather 
  to swathe the entirety of Hrimthyr Isle. In game 
  terms, this allows the gM to pick one entry from 
  the weather table below rather than roll randomly. 
  Special weather conditions, such as blizzards and 
  icicle rain, last for their standard duration.
  * Night Glow: At night, Hrimthyr Isle is bathed 
  in the white-blue glow of slushrock streams and 
  the coldfire volcano. All lighting conditions are im-
  proved one level. for instance, a full moon pro-
  vides lighting as per daylight, a partial moon is Dim 
  lighting (–1), and so on.
  * No Firewood: The only wood that grows here 
  is icewood.
  * Rough Going: Plains of rugged ice, jagged up-
  lands, and snow-covered hills and mountains are 
  the dominant terrain types. The tactical terrain is 
  a mixture of difficult ground and rough ice. The 
  overland pace terrain is difficult ground with no 
  trail or path.
  * Temperature: The temperature is equivalent to 
  the outer Hellfrost.
  * Weather: Use the weather table below.
  d20 
  Weather
  1–3 
  clear skies
  4–5 
  10% chance of precipitation, else overcast
  6–8 
  25% chance of precipitation, else overcast
  9–10 
  50% chance of precipitation, else overcast
  11–14 Blizzard
  15–16 Heavy Snow
  17 
  freezing rain
  18 
  Icicle rain
  19 
  Hellfrost Wind (treat as Outer Hellfrost)
  20 
  cold Snap
  * You’re on Your Own: There is no civilized life 
  on Hrimthyr Isle. characters cannot purchase or 
  sell equipment here, forcing them to live on what-
  ever they bring with them or can scavenge from 
  fallen foes.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #50
  
  
  major locales
  This section details a handful of adventuring locales 
  outside of the main settlements.
  the gIants’ Barrows
  The frost giant jarls and priests who serve the king 
  of Hrimthyr Isle are interred in vaults deep beneath the 
  Black Palace upon their deaths (at least so long as they 
  have not died in ignominy). No grave goods are placed 
  with them, for the giants do not believe in wasting re-
  sources on the dead.
  frost giant warriors and those out of favor with the 
  king are accorded no such privilege. They are buried 
  in barrows in the Icebear Hills. A typically barrow com-
  prises a single chamber lined with ice blocks, an igloo 
  for the dead. Snow quickly covers the structure, leaving 
  only a mound in the landscape. The barrows of honored 
  warriors, those who died in service to their master and 
  with glory, are marked with a stone column, which tells 
  of the giant’s victories and eventual demise.
  Aside from when performing burial duties, the giants 
  and orcs avoid the Barrows. Superstitious creatures, they 
  believe that the spirits of the dead remain in their bar-
  rows, patiently waiting until the fimbulvintr, when they 
  will rise and fight alongside the living. Until then, it is 
  better not to antagonize them.
  The giants are wise to avoid the Barrows, for hagbui 
  lurk here. Though it is possible they are the creations of 
  Hela’s cultists, it is more likely Thrym played a role in 
  their creation, denying souls access to the Afterlife and 
  returning them to their frozen corpses. If the latter is 
  true, one might ask why they do not serve Nagal openly, 
  more guardians for his island fortress.
  the howlIng Valley
  Much of the island rises from the sea as cliffs of rock 
  and ice towering hundreds of feet high. The only easy 
  points of ingress are at Thrymsport and on the northern 
  side of the island, where slushrock oozing from the ice 
  volcano has cooled and hardened upon hitting the water 
  to form an icy plain.
  A single valley cuts through the Jarls range Mountains 
  from this ever-growing landscape, leading into the Ice-
  bear Hills. Ten miles long, the wide valley is populated 
  only by insane Dargar-worshipping orcs and Hellfrost 
  dragons, for few others can survive here on a permanent 
  basis. It is not the numbing cold that defeats both guard-
  ians and intruders alike, but the Hellfrost wind, which 
  roars constantly through the valley from north to south.
  The intensity of the wind is variable. At the start of 
  each day and night, the gM should draw a card from 
  the action deck. A club indicates the wind is as per the 
  Hearthlands. A Diamond means it has the same intensity 
  as the Low Winterlands, a Heart that of the High Winter-
  lands, and a Spade the ferocity of the Outer Hellfrost. On 
  a Joker it is at its peak, being as potent as in the Hellfrost 
  core.
  The orcs live in caves along the valley walls. Most are 
  small networks containing only two or three chambers, 
  but one, nearest the interior end of the valley, is a sprawl-
  ing system of over thirty caverns spread across multiple 
  levels. Within lies the only temple to Dargar on the is-
  land, and the lair of the orcs’ leader, a monstrous brute 
  who is both chieftain and paladin of Dargar.
  High Ice King Nagal tolerates the worshippers of Dar-
  gar solely because they provide security. So long as they 
  remain loyal to him, he cares little for their barbarous 
  religious practices, nor who they kill. As a result of this 
  decree, the tribe frequently raids into the Icebear Hills, 
  slaughtering frost giants and other orcs. Mad they may 
  be, but they know not to extend their bloody activities 
  too far, less they raise the ire of their lord.
  watchPosts & forts
  Dotted throughout the Icebear Hills and Jarls range 
  Mountains are small watchposts and forts constructed 
  from blocks of solid ice. Although the terms conjure up 
  images of complex structures, they are little more than 
  a thick wall surrounding an open courtyard. Positioned 
  inside are well-insulated tents for the garrison.
  given their simple construction method, they are easy 
  to build and repair. Should a foe ever dare invade, Nagal 
  can order countless fortifications raised in a very short 
  time, creating an outer ring of defenses that will make 
  any assault costly in terms of losses and time.
  The island is divided into numerous regions, each of 
  which boasts a single fort. for every fort, there are seven 
  satellite watchposts.
  garrisoned within each fort are three reinforced 
  battle squads. Two of these comprise a single lesser frost 
  giant and 10 orc warriors. The command squad boasts a 
  greater frost giant, an orc chieftain, four elite warriors, 
  two priests, a drummer, and two apothecaries. While the 
  greater frost giant is in overall command, he typically 
  leaves day-to-day matters to the orc chieftain.
  each watchpost houses a single battle squad of ten 
  orcs whose leader is an elite warrior. Three out of the 
  seven garrisons have dire wolf mounts. At any one time 
  1d6+4 orcs are patrolling the surrounding countryside, 
  leaving only a token defensive force.
  Although the structures might be out of sight of each 
  other, contact is maintained through a basic signaling sys-
  tem. Through miracles, spells, or alchemical devices, the 
  garrison launches explosive coldfire bolt or blast spells 
  high into the air. A blast spell indicates the outpost is 
  under attack and needs reinforcements urgently. A single 
  bolt means possible intruders have been detected and 
  the garrison is going to investigate. Two bolts indicate all 
  is well—each garrison must launch a pair of bolts every 
  day at a time dictated by the fort’s commander. Three 
  bolts launched simultaneously indicate the fort is under 
  attack but can cope.
  hrImthyr Isle
  
  
  yurt of the frost gIant PrIest
  The nearest thing Nagal has to a rival is Thrymgar, an 
  elder priest of the god of winter. The priest fought in the 
  Blizzard War, and while possessed of no unique abilities, 
  wields many potent miracles. Outside the Hellfrost, he is 
  the most powerful priest of Thrym.
  Thrymgar has never liked Nagal, seeing him as an 
  upstart usurper. Although publicly he acts the loyal ser-
  vant, he is slowly undermining Nagal’s authority. first, 
  he abandoned the court, claiming Thrym had ordered 
  him to live in the wastelands in order to be closer to this 
  deity. Nagal suspected this was a ploy to escape his spies, 
  but having no direct link to his god he could not argue 
  otherwise. Second, he has managed to frustrate Nagal’s 
  plans for an invasion by “divining” poor omens should 
  the king dare to launch his fleet. frost giants, and espe-
  cially orcs, are superstitious creatures, and while Nagal 
  could order them to prepare for war, he knows morale 
  would be low.
  Nagal would dearly love to destroy the priest, but 
  Thrymgar has many allies and is much respected for his 
  unswerving piety. Openly killing Thrymgar would remove 
  Nagal’s last opponent, but in doing so he would lose the 
  support of his minions, who see the priest as one of the 
  king’s most trusted advisors and closest allies.
  To that end, Nagal has decided to play a dangerous 
  game. His fanatically loyal agents have begun to spread 
  rumors across rassilon that Thrymgar is the true power 
  behind the throne. With any luck, a band of adventurers 
  will come to Hrimthyr Isle and murder the priest. Not 
  only will Nagal rule supreme, but he can use the fury felt 
  at the priest’s untimely demise to spur his warriors into 
  a full and bloody invasion of western rassilon.
  Thrymgar dwells in a colossal yurt (a circular tent 
  supported on a wooden frame) in the Icebear Hills. The 
  exterior is covered in the furs of hundreds of polar bears, 
  while inside the yurt is divided into rooms by wooden 
  partitions as strong as any Anari fort.
  Herein dwells Thrymgar, along with a contingent of 
  priests and greater frost giant warriors who share his 
  views. A leader in his own right, Thrymgar also has the 
  support of a tribe of snow orcs known as the raging Bliz-
  zard.
  hazards
  Many are the dangers of Hrimthyr Isle. As well as 
  weather phenomena and deadly denizens, explorers 
  must contend with avalanches, crevasses, leech slush ice 
  quicksand, and razor ice. Three new hazards and two 
  variants of an existing hazard arepresented below.
  BInd snow
  fields of bind snow resemble mundane snow until one 
  tries to traverse them, when their true nature becomes 
  apparent. Although normal snow sticks in clumps to legs 
  and feet, bind snow does so in greater quantities, seem-
  ingly drawn toward anything disturbing it. Perversely, the 
  faster one moves, the stronger the attraction.
  Bind snow counts as difficult terrain. At the end of 
  each round he is within bind snow, a character must make 
  an Agility roll with a penalty equal to the total number 
  of inches he moved that round (maximum penalty –6). 
  This applies to any form of movement through or on the 
  snow, including skiing. Heroes with Snow Walker have 
  a +2 bonus, and those with Improved Snow Walker or 
  who are subjected to wilderness step have a +4 bonus.
  failure means the character has his Pace reduced 
  by one (minimum zero) and his running die lowered 
  one step. A running die dropping below a d4 prevents 
  the victim from running. When Pace reaches zero, the 
  character’s legs are bound solid up to his waist, prevent-
  ing any further movement.
  alternate gear rules
  The rules below are optional replacements for gear 
  found in the Hellfrost Player’s Guide.
  Skates: Ice skates allow for normal movement and 
  running on ice. A character who runs while on ice 
  doubles his base Pace before adding his running 
  die. It takes two actions per foot to don skates, but 
  only one action per foot to remove them.
  Skis: Skies allow a character to move his normal 
  Pace and run on snow. On gentle slopes, a charac-
  ter who runs doubles his base Pace and adds his 
  running die. On steeper slopes, the base Pace is 
  doubled before the running die is added. On other 
  terrain Pace is reduced to 1 and the character can-
  not run. It takes two actions per foot to don skis, 
  but only one action per foot to remove them.
  Snowshoes: Snowshoes allow for normal move-
  ment and running on snow and ice, but prohibit 
  movement on other terrain. On other terrain Pace 
  is reduced to 1 and the character cannot run. It 
  takes four actions per foot to don snowshoes, but 
  only two actions per foot to remove them.
     sledges
  Many animals can be used to pull sledges and war 
  sledges. for ease of game play, assume two dogs 
  or wolves can pull a sledge and four can pull a 
  war sledge holding just the driver and up to 100 
  pounds of equipment. for each additional person 
  and 100 pounds of gear or 200 pounds of just gear, 
  another pair of dogs or wolves is required. Half 
  the number of animals for dire wolves, which are 
  much stronger.
  for other animals, a single mule or horse equates 
  to four dogs or wolves, while a pygmy mammoth is 
  calculated as being equivalent to eight dogs.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #50
  
  
  The next round, creatures of Size 0 or lower have 
  their arms pinned to their bodies as the snow climbs 
  ever higher. for tall creatures, each point of Size above 
  zero delays this for one round. Once a creature’s arms 
  are pinned, his head is engulfed at the end of the follow-
  ing round, whereupon he begins suffocating.
  A character with at least one free arm can make a 
  Strength roll as an action to brush the snow off his legs. 
  Success removes one point of Pace penalty, two with a 
  raise. A critical failure attracts more snow, increasing the 
  penalty by one point.
  geyser
  geysers were first detailed in Region Guide #11. for 
  brevity, all necessary rules are repeated here. These vari-
  ants are found in the Hellfrost and on Hrimthyr Isle.
  Most geysers go off only sporadically. Those detailed 
  here are intended for use in combat situations, acting as 
  a battlefield hazard, and are thus more frequent.
  A typical geyser measures 1” (2 yards) across and 
  counts as difficult ground. each round the heroes are 
  in the vicinity of a geyser’s vents the gM should deal 
  an action card, keeping it secret from the players so the 
  characters don’t automatically avoid the geyser after be-
  ing forewarned it is going to erupt.
  The frequency a geyser erupts depends on how inter-
  esting the gM wants the experience to be. They might 
  go off on any card (making them especially deadly), any 
  red card, any red Jack through Ace, a deuce, and so on. 
  Once the frequency is decided, it remains constant for 
  the remainder of the encounter.
  geysers give a slight warning before erupting, allow-
  ing heroes on or adjacent to them an Agility at –2 roll to 
  avoid the eruption. 
  Coldfire or Slushrock: These geysers spew out a jet 
  of burning coldfire or molten slushrock. Anyone caught 
  in the blast suffers 2d10 damage and has a chance of 
  catching fire.
  Water: Some geysers spew out water, the spray from 
  which freezes solid within seconds. characters who fail 
  their Agility roll are partially frozen. They suffer a –2 pen-
  alty to all Strength and Agility rolls, Skills linked to those 
  attributes, and Pace. A roll of 1 on the Agility die and a 
  failed Wild Die causes a –4 penalty. A critical failure leads 
  to total immobilization—no actions are possible.
  removing the penalty requires the character to de-
  frost for an hour in temperatures above freezing. A more 
  extreme method is to target the character with damage-
  causing heat or fire magic—a single spell is enough to 
  melt the ice, but it may burn the victim. Until the char-
  acter warms up, his cold weather resistance is treated as 
  being three levels lower (to a minimum of zero). This 
  penalty applies even to edges or racial abilities.
  eruptions remain in effect until the end of the cur-
  rent round. The square containing the vent is impassable 
  during this time due to the force of the eruption. Anyone 
  who ends their movement adjacent to an active coldfire 
  or slushrock geyser automatically takes 2d6 damage but 
  new orc trIBes
  Hrimthyr Isle is home to thousands of orcs (exact 
  estimates vary wildly) made up of dozens of tribes. 
  Knowing that orcs are notoriously tribal and rarely 
  serve well when mixed with others without con-
  stant “encouragement,” Nagal prefers to let his 
  orcs retain their unique tribal identities. 
  A few of the more powerful tribes residing on the 
  island are presented below. Others tribes with size-
  able contingents here include the frostriders, Sons 
  of Thrym, and Teeth of Thrym, all of which are de-
  tailed in the Hellfrost Bestiary.
  * The Bone Grinders: followers of Langbarðr, Th-
  rym’s bodyguard and the minor god of glaciers, the 
  Bone grinders are used to punch through enemy 
  lines, especially shieldwalls.
  As an action, a Bone grinder warrior can make an 
  opposed Strength roll against one target. Both par-
  ties add their Size to the roll. With success, the orc 
  pushes his opponent back 1” in a direction of his 
  choice. On a raise his opponent also falls prone 
  and is Shaken.
  The tribe’s priests know the following spells: ar-
  mor, knockdown, summon elemental (glacier 
  only), weapon immunity.
  * The Haters of Fire: These Thrym worshippers 
  have a sixth sense for detecting servants of Kenaz 
  and Sigel, who they hate with a vengeance. They 
  gain the benefits of the favored foe edge against 
  these opponents.
  * The Impalers: These orcs favor throwing spears. 
  All members of the tribe with at least Throwing d6 
  have the Spear Twist edge.
  * The Raging Blizzard: fanatical followers of 
  Thrym, this tribe answers only to Thrymgar, high 
  priest of the island. The chieftain, priests, and war-
  riors embody the fury of the blizzard through the 
  Berserk edge.
  * The Storm-Walkers: This tribe follows Norðri, 
  god of the north wind. They ignore vigor rolls to 
  avoid fatigue caused by mundane blizzards, and 
  suffer no penalties whatsoever for blizzards con-
  jured through the storm power.
  The tribe’s priests know the following spells: de-
  flection, knockdown, storm (summoning blizzards 
  only), summon elemental (blizzard only).
  * Thrym’s Hounds: Known as “Thrym’s Lackeys” 
  by the other tribes, these orcs treat frost giants as 
  near deities. When within 5” of a frost giant, they 
  gain the benefits of the fervor and Hold the Line 
  edges. No additional benefits are gained if the gi-
  ant has these edges.
  * Wolves of Dargar: This tribe inhabits the Howl-
  ing valley. Devout followers of Dargar and largely 
  insane, every member of the tribe has the fearless 
  special ability.
  hrImthyr Isle
  5
  
  has no chance of catching fire. characters adjacent to a 
  water geyser must make an Agility roll to avoid becoming 
  encased in ice.
  glass snow
  Most snow makes a crunching noise when one walks 
  over it, but glass snow produces an extremely loud noise 
  akin to shattering glass. Intelligent characters scatter it 
  on the approaches to their lairs to alert them of uninvited 
  guests. Moving across crunch snow without causing the 
  snow to crack requires a Stealth roll at a –2 penalty.
  veteran Hellfrost explorers speak of soul snow (also 
  known as spirit snow), a glass snow variant. It is widely 
  believed some souls who die in the Hellfrost are impris-
  oned within the terrain, unable to journey onward to the 
  Afterlife. When disturbed, this snow produces a mourn-
  ful howl unless a Stealth roll is made. If the modified 
  Stealth roll is 1 or lower, or the character does not bother 
  making a roll, the snow emits a particularly fell noise. All 
  creatures within a Large Burst Template centered on the 
  character who failed the roll must make a guts roll or 
  suffer fear until out of the soul snow. A critical failure 
  generates Terror.
  red snow
  Also known as blood snow and death snow, this type 
  of snow is found in the Hellfrost core. Wispy and pow-
  dery, moving through it produces fine clouds of particles 
  that quickly coat a traveler. These flakes are harmless ex-
  cept when an explorer is injured, for red snow prevents 
  blood from clotting. In game terms, all rolls on the In-
  capacitation Table made in red snow suffer a –2 penalty. 
  This is on top of any other modifiers.
  why come here?
  In terms of adventuring opportunities, Hrimthyr Isle 
  is divided into two distinct adventuring areas.
  The two major settlements are strong fortifications, 
  populated by thousands of evil beings, and nigh on im-
  pregnable. In fantasy parlance, they are akin to The Lord 
  of the Ring’s Mordor—a heavily guarded den of evil set 
  in a hostile landscape and ruled over by an extremely 
  powerful being. They are places where Legendary char-
  acters go to prove themselves, or to die. 
  Outside these fortifications the island is far less popu-
  lated, though still dangerous due to its arctic tempera-
  tures and hostile denizens. characters looking to slay 
  orcs and giants will find plentiful opportunity.
  given the blood-freezing temperatures, constant 
  patrols, Hellfrost beasts, and total lack of aid one can 
  expect, what possible reasons do sane characters have 
  for coming here?
  * Orders. The lords of the Battlelands desire to know 
  High King Nagal’s invasion plans; both the cult of Kenaz 
  and the Hearth Knights would dearly love to bring the 
  frost giant to his knees; and the cult of Hoenir seeks gen-
  eral information on this rarely visited realm of evil.
  While many individuals and organizations have very 
  good reason to send agents to Hrimthyr Isle, none pur-
  posefully send agents into the twin settlements. Such 
  missions are suicidal for even the most experienced 
  heroes, and for now there is little need to disturb the 
  sleeping giant. Intelligence gathering and minor disrup-
  tion to the giant king’s plans can be carried out without 
  walking into the giant’s den.
  * Duty. While a gM might deliberately send heroes 
  to Hrimthyr Isle, some characters may feel compelled 
  to pay a visit. Likely they are members of the organiza-
  tions mentioned above, but natives of the Battlelands, 
  Alantaris Isle, or the Magocracy who have lost family and 
  friends to raiders might desire revenge.
  * glory. characters seeking fame through battle deeds 
  will find plentiful opportunity here, assuming they live 
  long enough to tell their stories. Although orcs will be 
  the most common foe, all manner of Hellfrost beasts live 
  on the island.
  * Treasure: That the treasuries of Hrimthyr Isle are 
  bursting with plunder is a common fireside tale, but 
  before the characters pack their bags and set sail they 
  should ask themselves what would a frost giant king 
  need with gold and silver? common treasure seekers will 
  find more profitable, and safer, locales elsewhere.
  adVenture seeds
  for gMs who want their group to explore this Thrym-
  blessed realm or interact with its inhabitants, a handful 
  of adventure seeds are presented below.
  * A powerful lord whose realm is frequently subjected 
  to raids from Hrimthyr Isle needs to buy his people time 
  to prepare better defenses. He offers a king’s ransom to 
  any heroes willing to sabotage Nagal’s fleet of longships 
  while they are in harbor.
  * The Hearth Knights have long believed Nagal has 
  built multiple lines of defenses. They want to know the 
  general layout of the defenses and whether the sentries 
  use any form of communication system between out-
  posts. Although they have no current interest in invad-
  ing, such information may be invaluable to Lance Knights 
  intent on visiting the island.
  * As Aspirian lord has learned through divinations and 
  omens that his lands are to be raided very soon. Lacking 
  skilled commanders, he hires the heroes to take control 
  of his meager army and drive the giants back into the sea 
  before they gain a foothold.
  * A raiding party of giants and orcs is abroad in the 
  Battlelands. fearful they are spies scouting for a larger 
  invasion force, the Tuomi tribes offer a rich reward for 
  their capture or death.
  * The Hearth Knights guard a powerful wintry relic. 
  They have recently learned that it can only be destroyed 
  by dropping it into the ice volcano on Hrimthyr Isle. 
  Qualified adventurers are sought for this task.
  hellfrost regIon guIde #50
  
  
  IntroductIon
  In the frozen wastes of the Winterlands lie the forests of Rimeholm, Nerenel, and Teth-
  ilin, the last bastions of a dwindling race. Beset by enemies and reluctant to embrace 
  the wider world, time is running short for the taiga elves. This supplement expands on 
  material in the Hellfrost Gazetteer. Much of the material in this work applies to all taiga 
  elf domains.
  SunderIng of the elveS
  This section concerns itself with the origins of the taiga elves. The origin of the elf race 
  as a whole is detailed in Region Guide #43.
  Both species of elf widely hold that the split between hearth and taiga elves was a 
  mutual and amicable decision brought about by elves who held that they should spread 
  their care of the natural world to all climes. This is a myth, one whose origins lie not in 
  subterfuge but in the ability of time to erase the longest memories. After the First Fall, 
  when the rogue celestial spirits became the fey, they divided into two equal but opposite 
  camps known as the Summer Court and the Winter Court. Those who became enamored 
  of the mortal world and would later become the elves were members of both courts.
  While the elves of the Summer Court preferred the temperate lands and evolved into 
  the hearth elves, their Winter Court cousins settled in colder climes and became the taiga 
  elves. It should be noted that while the fey courts are now divided along lines more akin to 
  good and evil (a crude generalization, but one most mortals accept), the elves’ exile came 
  before this delineation became entrenched. Hence, while taiga elves are often colder in 
  demeanor than hearth elves, they are not inherently evil or prone to malicious acts. This is 
  most evident in their religious beliefs, which focus on the great cycle of the natural world 
  not the winter—taiga elves may appease Thrym, but they rarely worship him openly.
  Indeed, not long after the Second Fall, Thrym came to the taiga elves in secret (possibly 
  in disguise or acting through agents) and offered them gifts to become his followers. The 
  elves pondered his offer long and hard, but eventually refused, sensing great mischief in 
  the god of winter.
  Although labeled a winter race by humans, taiga elves are not adapted to deep winters. 
  They can tolerate lower temperatures than men, but arctic conditions are still hostile to 
  them. Indeed, most taiga elf forests existed not more than a few hundred miles north of 
  the line now marked by the Icewall, and many were in the realms now encompassed by 
  the High Winterlands. Such lands enjoyed cool to cold climates, rather than frigid ones. 
  31252
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 5 1 •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  taIga elfhomeS
  www.tripleacegames.com
  Permission is granted to print this ebook. No site licence is given.
  THIS gAMe ReFeReNCeS THe SAvAge WoRldS gAMe SySTeM, AvAIlABle FRoM PINNACle eNTeRTAINMeNT gRouP AT WWW.PegINC.CoM.   
  SAvAge WoRldS & All ASSoCIATed logoS & TRAdeMARkS ARe CoPyRIgHTS oF PINNACle eNTeRTAINMeNT gRouP. uSed WITH PeRMISSIoN.  
  PINNACle MAkeS No RePReSeNTATIoN oR WARRANTy AS To THe quAlITy, vIABIlITy, oR SuITABIlITy FoR PuRPoSe oF THIS PRoduCT.
  © 2010 Triple Ace Games. Hellfrost Rassilon Guides and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. Savage Worlds and all related marks and 
  logos are trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.  © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
  
  Indeed, the presence of the Hellfrost and the formation 
  of the High Winterlands will prove highly detrimental to 
  taiga elves. 
  Within their forests, the magic of the hearthstones has 
  kept the temperature constant at just below freezing all 
  year round. When the magic of the hearthstones finally 
  fails, which may not be far away, the forests they have 
  called home for millennia in some cases will be sub-
  jected to much harsher winters. Temperatures will drop 
  an average of 40 degrees F lower by day and 60 degrees 
  F by night. While it is very probable the elves will adapt 
  relatively quickly, there is no guarantee the plants and 
  animals vital to the race’s survival will be able to do so.
  SocIal hIerarchy
  As with their hearth elf cousins, taiga elves have 
  royalty and nobility. At the top is the White king (or 
  queen—taiga elves practice sexual equality), so named 
  for his grand palace. By tradition, the monarch must 
  always be a druid, an occupation that encompasses the 
  teachings of both ullr and eostre. The children of the 
  monarch hold the title prince or princess.
  unlike hearth elves, lower levels of nobility are grant-
  ed titles based on position, not the size of their domain. 
  each taiga elf realm outside Rimeholm is ruled by a for-
  estlord. Clans, which are bound by familial ties to a com-
  mon ancestor, are ruled by boughlords. Tribes, which 
  are made up of clans voluntarily following a noble, are 
  governed by greenlords. If a clan is split between two or 
  more tribes, each branch has a boughlord. The children 
  of the nobility take the title leaflord, regardless of their 
  parents’ status.
  Noble titles are passed on through family lines, but 
  not necessarily to the oldest offspring—any blood rela-
  tive can be named successor. each noble is responsible 
  for naming his heir and ensuring they are groomed for 
  the role. In the event a successor is not named before the 
  titleholder’s death, his advisory body (see below) has the 
  authority to elect the new lord.
  Although nobles are autocrats in theory, most main-
  tain an advisory body made up of clerics, druids, and 
  elementalists. The largest and most important of these 
  is the White lords, who serve the king. every noble ap-
  points his own councilors. The advisors can only offer 
  opinions and suggestions, having no authority to veto 
  their lord or impose new laws.
  Ranking beneath the nobility are the clerics of ullr and 
  eostre, and the druids. Clerics rank higher, for they com-
  municate directly with their gods. druids are believed to 
  understand the secrets of the natural world, using the 
  magic placed in the world by the ullr and eostre but not 
  drawing power from them directly.
  The next social stratum comprises elementalists and 
  clerics of the other gods. Again, elementalism is seen as 
  an alternate form of worship rather than a completely 
  separate art.
  ruleS of the realm
  These setting rules apply in all taiga elfhome.
  * Constant Temperature: The temperature within 
  the great taiga elfhomes is held at a constant due 
  to the magic of the hearthstones. Regardless of the 
  season or in which geographical area the realm 
  lies, the temperature is always that of a Hearth-
  lands winter, cool but comfortable for the elves.
  * Cool Houses: While taiga elves are comfort-
  able in temperatures as low as –7 F (–21 C), they 
  keep their homes heated not much above freezing 
  (the same temperature band as spring/fall in the 
  Hearthlands). While other races can tolerate these 
  temperatures without suffering the effects of the 
  cold, they are far from comfortable over extended 
  periods.
  * Many Spies: It is virtually impossible to walk an 
  elven forest without the elves knowing one’s lo-
  cation. The animals and plants are quick to pass 
  word of strangers to the nearest elf community. 
  draw a card from the action deck every day. A red 
  card means the elves’ forest spies have discovered 
  the location of the intruders. From now on, they 
  will be watched wherever they go by seemingly in-
  nocuous animals. A party of elves begins tracking 
  the characters, typically after 1d4+2 days (sooner 
  if the gM rules the spy was a bird or fast moving 
  animal).
  * Metal Objects: Taiga elves do not generally pro-
  duce great quantities of metal armor, weapons, or 
  goods, though they sometimes trade for them. ex-
  cept in Tethilin, the price for metal items in their 
  realms, when they can be found, is increased five 
  fold. When trying to sell the spoils of their adven-
  tures, the heroes’ roll to find a buyer suffers a –4 
  penalty. In Tethilin, the prices are three times high-
  er and the penalty is only –2.
  * Nobility: Taiga elf characters can never rise above 
  the title leaflord unless they become the head of a 
  clan or tribe. given leaders are expected to serve 
  their community and be present to give advice, 
  their adventuring time is heavily curtailed.
  * Trade: Taiga elves are fully aware of coins, but 
  they have no use for them within their realms. He-
  roes looking to sell war booty or buy equipment 
  will need to accept or offer trade goods if they 
  hope to strike any kind of deal. The gM should 
  not demand the heroes keep a detailed list of their 
  exact trade goods. A hero who spends 100 gs on 
  trade goods need only record “trade goods: 100 
  gs” on his character sheet, leaving the exact nature 
  of the goods flexible. He may then spend the trade 
  goods as if it were coin in any taiga elfhome (as 
  well as other realms that use barter, such as the 
  unclaimed lands). For convenience, every 5 gs of 
  trade goods weighs 2 pounds. 
  hellfroSt regIon guIde #51
  
  
  Rangers are permanent soldiers, though because of 
  taiga elf tactics they are also expert hunters. Not every elf 
  community maintains rangers. In many, hunters are ex-
  pected to donate time to patrolling the borders. Where 
  rangers exist, they are lead by captains.
  All other elves fill a single social stratum though there 
  are sub-levels. Master hunters and craftsmen are accord-
  ed more respect than typical hunters and craftsmen, for 
  instance. Herbalists and healers are higher than potters, 
  who are higher than firewood collectors, and so on.
  educatIon
  Taiga elves have no formal schools or academies. 
  Teaching young children the skills they need to function 
  as adults falls to the entire community. Although birth-
  rates are very low among taiga elves, children are not 
  mollycoddled. Accidents and injuries will occur as the 
  child learns how to handle animals, plants, and weap-
  ons, but these are learning experiences vital to growth.
  very young elves learn how to light fires, erect gers, 
  and build makeshift shelters, how to set traps and use 
  every part of an animal, and what plants are edible, 
  poisonous, or useful in herb lore, first by watching their 
  elders and then through hands-on experience. As they 
  reach the equivalent of their teenage years, a young elf is 
  taught how to use a bow.
  Throughout his young life the elf is tutored on the 
  laws, history, and myths of his people, as well as their 
  religion. As the community moves through the forest 
  he learns to identify signs marking the changing of the 
  seasons, tracking, and where to find the best food.
  Regardless of his chosen god, every elf must decide 
  whether to become a child of ullr (a hunter) or eostre 
  (a gatherer) before he becomes an adult. elves have mul-
  tiple words regarding gender. one set refers to physical 
  gender, which is determined by the gods. Another refers 
  to one’s occupation, which is a personal choice.
  Thus, a male elf who practices healing is referred to 
  using female pronouns, but only in the sense that his 
  work is not aggressive. likewise, females who become 
  warriors have male occupations and are referred to by 
  male pronouns. outsiders are often unaware that when 
  a taiga elf says someone is doing “woman’s work,” he is 
  merely stating a fact based on occupation, not issuing 
  an insult regarding gender. The nobility and those who 
  practice druidism are genderless, for leaders and druids 
  must be wise in the teachings of ullr and eostre.
  relIgIon
  Although taiga elves pay all the gods lip service as re-
  quired and try to avoid offending them, just two deities 
  are truly important to them as a race.
  ullr is the father of the gods and, in taiga elf mythol-
  ogy, husband of eostre. As the god of hunting he is the 
  great provider who taught the elves how to survive in the 
  harsh environment they chose to call home. As the god 
  of archery, he is the chief war god of the race, for taiga 
  elves see little difference between combat and the hunt.
  until the Blizzard War, ullr’s cult was roughly equal in 
  size and power to that of eostre. He was the male part of 
  nature, though the cult was, and remains, open to elves 
  of either gender. But times have changed and the world 
  is a harsher place, with many more enemies battering at 
  the door. Today, every taiga elf is automatically inducted 
  into the cult at birth, though whether they fully honor 
  ullr in adult life is personal choice.
  eostre represents the gatherer side of the taiga elf 
  society. She is the great mother and healer, and repre-
  sents the female aspect of the world. She also serves as 
  goddess of the home and society, ensuring that the elves 
  live in harmony with nature, rather than imposing their 
  will on it.
  The elves of Nerenel, whose home borders the liche 
  lands, give praise to Sigel, god of light and defender 
  against darkness. elves are long-lived and only change 
  their minds slowly. Thus, while the younger races wor-
  ship Scaetha both as goddess of death and defender 
  against undead, in taiga elf mythology she is seen as a 
  minor deity, a sub-cult of Sigel.
  The four elemental gods—ertha, kenaz, Neorthe, 
  and Thunor—are the children of ullr and eostre, each 
  controlling one small but important part of creation. 
  While they are duly honored at appropriate times of the 
  year, the cult of kenaz is growing in Rimeholm as the 
  hearthstones fail. This worship is a blend of desperation 
  and true piety, for if the stones’ magic fails the realm will 
  freeze, becoming unbearably cold even to the elves.
  Although ullr remains the main god of war, his son, 
  Tiw, is beginning to receive worship in Rimeholm. The 
  cult first rose to prominence during the Blizzard War, 
  when the elves adopted a more aggressive stance. The 
  cult dwindled but never totally died in the centuries 
  after. It is now enjoying a slight resurgence due to the 
  siege of karad Marn, in which the elves are taking part.
  Worship of the other gods is a matter of personal 
  choice, but in the taiga elf pantheon all the gods, even 
  the evil gods, who are seen a wayward scions, are chil-
  dren of ullr and eostre.
  funerary cuStomS
  Taiga elves believe that everything in the natural world 
  is connected and that death is vital if new life is to occur. 
  When a taiga elf dies, its corpse is washed, dressed, and 
  laid out on a funeral bier deep in the woods. Here it 
  will decompose naturally or become food for carnivores. 
  Many other races (except worshippers of Thunor, who 
  practice similar beliefs) consider this practice strange at 
  best and abhorrent at worst, but to the elves a corpse is 
  merely flesh without the spirit.
  This is not to say that elves are disrespectful toward 
  physical remains; far from it, in fact; As they make use 
  taIga elfhomeS
  
  
  of every part of an animal to appease its spirit, so they 
  believe that every part of a corpse is eostre’s to use as 
  she sees fit. Taiga elves detest undead not because they 
  are mockeries of life inhabited by fell spirits, but because 
  their bodies have been stolen from eostre.
  It is said the spirits of the departed can be heard in 
  the wind if one knows how to listen. elves hang wind 
  chimes in the doorways of their gers. depending on the 
  noise a chime makes, the elves know whether the spirit 
  outside the door is friendly or hostile. Taiga elves are 
  very superstitious about the wind. Thunderstorms are a 
  particularly bad omen, for it means the ancestral spirits 
  are angry.
  mIlItary
  Taiga elves are highly aggressive in the defense of 
  their homes. Whereas hearth elves may watch intruders 
  to judge their intention, their colder cousins prefer to 
  shoot first and ask questions later.
   Military structure is very much down to individual 
  rulers. Some, like Tethilin, use only hunters and druids 
  working on a rota between other duties to ensure safety, 
  having no true standing army. others are protected by 
  professional warriors (rangers) and druids.
  The size of military formations also varies by realm. 
  Nerenel, for example, has a permanent army but deploys 
  them only in 20 strong units known as hunting parties or 
  warbands. Most members are rangers, but each contains 
  at least one druid or elementalist to provide magical sup-
  port. When hunting parties must work together, the cap-
  tains nominate an overall commander from their num-
  ber. Politics plays little part in this, for survival is more 
  important to the elves than personal honor or glory. 
  Rimeholm, by comparison has standing companies 
  of 100 soldiers, though these are sub-divided into war-
  bands as above. A captain commands each company, and 
  a sergeant each warband.
  In all realms, it is the duty of every hunter and druid to 
  muster if the realm is assaulted. Clerics and other spell-
  casters are usually quick to sign up as well, though they 
  are not required to do so. Where there is a permanent 
  army, the militia are divided into companies or warbands 
  led by a ranger. elves have little compunction in sending 
  the militia to the frontline, for as hunters they have all 
  the skills necessary to fight.
  Taiga elf tactics revolve around their strengths—mas-
  tery of the bow and stealth. guerilla raids, sniper attacks, 
  and ambushes are the norm, the elves unleashing a few 
  volleys of arrows and magic before melding back into 
  the forest. often they employ just a handful of warriors, 
  hoping to draw the enemy into following their retreat. 
  Those foolish or arrogant enough to comply are led into 
  a pre-planned ambush site.
  With mobility and stealth being vital to their tactics, 
  taiga elves shun metal armor in favor of leather. only 
  the White king’s elite bodyguards, the Blizzard guard, 
  who blend steel with hrimwisardry, wear chain shirts as 
  standard. long bows and long swords are wielded in 
  battle with equal skill.
  Animals are used as messengers, scouts, and soldiers. 
  like the hearth elves, such assets are highly valued, not 
  tools to be used and discarded. Harmless squirrels sit in 
  trees, watching enemy formations go by before scurry-
  ing off to alert the nearest elves. Birds that cry out are 
  not simply reacting to disturbances on the forest floor, 
  but calling out troop strengths and directions of travel. 
  Wolves harry cavalry and skirmishers, shieldwalls are 
  broken by raging bears, and flocks of crows swoop down 
  to distract spellcasters and archers.
  The elves have brokered many deals with the fey over 
  the millennia, performing and asking favors in a con-
  tinual cycle of favors. As a result, they have fewer qualms 
  about calling on the fey than the hearth elves.
  trade & trIbute
  Taiga elves are an insular race and rarely voluntarily 
  mix with outsiders. As a nomadic culture making use 
  of whatever goods are available season-by-season, scant 
  resources can be spared for regular trade.
  Rimeholm is too far from any trade route to engage 
  in wide-ranging mercantile activities. until karad Marn 
  fell there was sporadic trade with the dwarves, small 
  quantities of metal imported in return for food. These 
  days the elves willingly donate what they can spare to 
  the war effort, knowing the dwarves will repay the debt 
  in due course. Finnar nomads sometimes shelter within 
  the outer forest, trading small items with the elves, but 
  such trading is very small scale, involving families rather 
  than entire communities.
  The elves of Nerenel have made tentative steps to open 
  trade but do so infrequently. They import ingots of gold 
  and silver, but rarely wear jewelry and certainly do not 
  export it. exactly what they need with the precious metal 
  is of interest to the cult of var, who suspect some devious 
  plan to hoard the metal and so raise prices throughout 
  the land. Most of Nerenel’s trade is conducted with the 
  Saxa families inhabiting the plains claimed by the elves. 
  In return for wool, which is woven into clothes, the taiga 
  elves export furs.
  Tethilin also sells fur. It imports gemstones (again, for 
  no obvious reason) and iron. The latter is a vital import, 
  as the small realm is surrounded by a hostile nation and 
  has other enemies nearby. Although the elves intensely 
  dislike mining, they are pragmatic enough to know the 
  value of metal weapons.
  Where trade occurs, it is almost always conducted at 
  the borders of the forest. A notable exception is Aelfmeet 
  in Shattered Moor (see Region Guide #7). When a cara-
  van arrives, it announces its presence by calling out to 
  the elves and placing the goods it has to sell in a pile. 
  It then withdraws several hundred yards away. once 
  satisfied no ambush is planned, the elves appraise the 
  hellfroSt regIon guIde #51
  
  
  goods and leave trade goods in a second pile. After the 
  elves have withdrawn, the merchants return and either 
  remove some of the goods they have offered (not be-
  ing satisfied with the trade) or take the elves’ goods and 
  depart. This process can last for many days before sides 
  are satisfied and depart with their goods.
  little cheating occurs. If the elves cheat, the merchants 
  will simply take their wares elsewhere. If the merchants 
  cheat, they had best not return if they value their lives.
  Communities share resources freely among their 
  members, and no form of taxation is imposed. However, 
  elves are expected to contribute their fair share. There is 
  little concept of personal property, though no one would 
  think of borrowing items vital to another elf’s trade or 
  profession without first asking.
  archItecture
  For the most part the nomadic taiga elves live in 
  round tents known as gers. Made of felt coated in water-
  proof animal skin laid over a light wooden frame, they 
  are well-insulated, quick to construct, and can be broken 
  down into various component parts for easy transport. 
  The walls are thick enough to provide protection against 
  arrows and spears.
  There are no internal partitions, elves being extreme-
  ly communal, distrustful of those who seek privacy, and 
  fully at ease with all natural body functions. The floor is 
  lined in furs except in the center, where a stone hearth 
  is constructed. Although the elves prefer cool tempera-
  tures, gers are heated just enough to prevent water from 
  freezing. Taiga elves also cook their food. Wood is burnt, 
  but only dead wood is collected—elves do fell timber, 
  but never for firewood. dried animal dung is also used 
  for heating.
  despite the hearthstones’ magic keeping the temper-
  ature constant, taiga elfhomes have seasons. The elves 
  migrate once or twice a year, usually in spring and fall, so 
  as not to overly deplete any one area of the forest. every 
  tribe knows its territory, these ancient hunting areas hav-
  ing been laid down many centuries ago. If a tribe finds 
  its lands are depleted through no fault of its own, it must 
  ask the ruling noble for permission to live elsewhere un-
  til its territory recovers. This is not uncommon, and large 
  areas of the forest are set aside purely for this purpose. A 
  tribe that has over-hunted or gathered its territory must 
  survive as best it can and learn from its mistakes.
  While the elves do not construct palisades and walls, 
  they prefer to settle in naturally defensible areas, such as 
  atop hills. Many of these have a ditch excavated around 
  the perimeter for defense. A small number of hunters are 
  left to watch over these regular camp sites while the tribe 
  is elsewhere in the forest.
  The only true permanent settlement is Rimeholm, the 
  seat of the White king. Surrounding the majestic White 
  Palace are the wooden homes of courtiers, craftsmen, 
  and warriors who make up the royal court. The White 
  king owns other lands, which are used to provide for the 
  inhabitants of the capital.
  major localeS
  each of the locales below is marked (N) Nerenel, (R) 
  Rimeholm, or (T) Tethilin, representing in which of the 
  major elfhomes it can be found. gMs can transfer the 
  sites between realms with little effort.
  alfwodeton (n)
  Population: 577
  Ruler: Hauld Iduna engersdohtor
  of the many Saxa steads and villages that border Nere-
  nel, Alfwodeton (“The enclosure by the elf wood”) is the 
  largest. The village has stood behind its strong palisade 
  for a mere twenty years, the first settlers being refugees 
  from Seithrby. The current ruler is the daughter of the 
  original founder.
  The Saxa are subjects of Forestlord elethenel, though 
  they see taiga elves only once a year when the taxes are 
  due. In return for the elves’ protection, the Saxa pay 
  a tithe of livestock, fish, and pottery. The elves allow 
  the Saxa to fell a small number of trees each year for 
  construction purposes, and stick pickers are allowed to 
  gather dead branches for firewood.
  Alfwodeton is 15 miles southwest of the forest, close 
  to the border with Seithrby. Its palisade and ditch circles 
  only half the settlement, for its other flank is protected 
  by the river, on whose high banks it stands. The inhabit-
  ants raise sheep and goats, craft pots from local clay, fish 
  the river’s cold water, and plant hardy root vegetable 
  crops, all the while keeping a wary eye to the south and 
  east, where lie the liche-lands of old. It also serves as 
  the main market for the outlying steads and villages, 
  boasting a shrine to var and a small temple to eostre’s 
  dual aspects.
  Hauld Iduna’s father raised her to despise the con-
  querors of Seithrby, a sentiment now little felt by her 
  kinsfolk. As far as they are concerned, Nerenel is their 
  home. even her three daughters ignore her frequent 
  public rants. Heroes opposed to the rulers of Seithrby 
  will find a warm welcome in her hall, while those who 
  serve the usurpers are denied hospitality.
  Alfwodeton boasts a permanent guard of ten huscarls, 
  most of whom are middle-aged men more suited to 
  farming than fighting, and 20 permanent militia. Most 
  of Nerenel’s enemies assault her northern and western 
  borders, and until recently the citizens of Alfwodeton 
  had no major problems.
  A number of steads have been destroyed in recent 
  months, the livestock stolen, the occupants slaughtered, 
  and the inhabitants put to the sword. unwilling to use 
  his own troops to investigate, elethenel has given Iduna 
  free reign to handle the matter as she sees fit. unfor-
  tunately, despite any evidence to correlate her beliefs, 
  taIga elfhomeS
  5
  
  Iduna points the finger of blame firmly against Seithrby. 
  But there are many hostile forces on Nerenel’s border, 
  any of whom might be behind the raids.
  the dead grove (n)
  large swathes of Nerenel were destroyed during the 
  reign of the liche-Priest, but the elves held strong, be-
  coming a perpetual thorn in the side of the dark lord.
  Thirty years ago, an elf tribe whose migrations took 
  them to a little visited section of the forest bordering the 
  liche lands discovered a section of forest had died. The 
  ground was like ash, the trees withered and twisted, and 
  the animal life fled. Scouts who penetrated the area said 
  it smelled of death and decay.
  Prayers were said and rebirth ceremonies conducted 
  to no avail. Though the loss of the forest was mourned 
  bitterly, worse was to come. each year, the canker spread 
  outward, laying wasting to the surrounding vegetation.
  After much heated debate, a decision was made to hack 
  down a circle of trees a hundred yards wide surrounding 
  the blight. Where possible plants were replanted else-
  where and animals moved to similar surroundings, but 
  the loss of life was terrible to the elves. In a year long 
  ritual in which several fey lords were called upon to lend 
  power, the cleared area was utterly laid barren. eons 
  might pass, but nothing would ever grow there again.
  The tactic seems to have worked, for the death of the 
  forest has been halted. But the dead vegetation remains, 
  the black leaves and needles refusing to drop, the once 
  withered bushes seeming to rejuvenate into twisted 
  forms. That some fell magic of the liche-Priest is behind 
  the blight is clearly evident, but the elves refuse to enter 
  the area, though they watch it from afar, ever vigilant in 
  case the blight leaps the clearing.
  Several theories as to the exact cause are given cre-
  dence, but none are proven. The most popular one 
  claims that before the end came, a powerful servant of 
  the liche-Priest hid away in the elf forest, perhaps bury-
  ing himself deep beneath the soil to escape his pursuers. 
  As the wards on the liche-Priest’s tomb weaken, so the 
  lieutenant grows steadily stronger, his evil spirit warping 
  the landscape.
  the ger on raven’S legS (r)
  It is said the White king bows to but one mortal. The 
  elves do not know her name, but she is politely referred 
  to as enminawen, which loosely translates into Trader as 
  “gentle grandmother.” Records dating back thousands 
  of years make passing reference to her.
  These same records speak of her as a seer and sorcer-
  ess, an oracle whose words are to be heeded no matter 
  how strange or fanciful they might seem. Some elves 
  claim it was she who warned the old White king of the 
  coming destruction to Morenelion.
  Her movements are her own, and until recently she 
  visited the court but once or twice a generation. In the 
  past century she has made a dozen visits to the White 
  king, inviting him into her hut (without his guards) to 
  talk. What transpires is never revealed, but each time the 
  White king emerges he is visibly shaken. Her last visit 
  coincided with the discovery of the fading wards on the 
  liche-Priest’s tomb, but scouts have reported seeing the 
  hut bounding through the forest once more.
  Some stories say she is an ancient taiga elf whose life 
  has lasted millennia, others that she is actually a member 
  of a line of strange hags. A few suggest that she is actu-
  ally a fey lord. Similarly, descriptions of her vary from a 
  young maiden of unearthly beauty to a hideous crone 
  with teeth and nails of iron.
  hIll of the necromancer (t)
  on the lower slopes of the giant’s Steps, which ex-
  tend into Tethilin, stands a desolate hill atop which are 
  the crumbling ruins of an ancient fortress. legend has it 
  that the fortress was raised during the liche-Priest’s brief 
  foray east toward Aspiria and served as the headquarters 
  of one of his generals.
  For nigh on a millennium the elves have shunned the 
  site, for nothing grows on its black rock and it radiates 
  palpable evil strong enough to quail the stoutest heart. 
  even orcs and giants give it a wide berth, and so the elves 
  rarely bother to patrol here.
  But a dark presence has taken control of the ruins and 
  undead, creatures not seen since the liche-Priest’s armies 
  were defeated, are abroad in the woods. The elves refer 
  to the master of the hill only as the Necromancer, for that 
  he wields power over the undead is the only known fact. 
  If he is not stopped soon, his growing legions may prove 
  too much for the elves to handle.
  jotunvalk mountaInS (r)
  until recently the southern Jotunvalk Mountains 
  was largely clear of giants, orcs, and goblins. But with a 
  quarter of their army now at karad Marn, the elves have 
  been unable to prevent their return. Caves and castles 
  long abandoned have new lords as the fell races slowly 
  reclaim their former holdings.
  The Giants’ Tomb: High in the mountains stands the 
  broken remains of a statue. Its arms are crumbled to dust 
  and its severed head lies to one side, gazing vacantly into 
  space, but it still commands awe for its sheer size. Rising 
  a full 50 feet above the landscape, the statue depicts a 
  majestic frost giant jarl clad in chain mail.
  The statue stands at the entrance to an immense stone 
  cairn built of colossal boulders. Within lie the bones of a 
  dozen frost giant jarls, laid to rest here after the Blizzard 
  War. The elves visited the site long ago, clearing out a 
  small orc tribe and removing all the treasures. They have 
  never bothered returning.
  Since their last visit things have changed. A decade ago 
  an earthquake cracked the stone floor, revealing worked 
  chambers far below. only a full exploration will reveal 
  whether these are an older part of the burial complex or 
  part of another structure.
  hellfroSt regIon guIde #51
  
  
  IntroductIon
  Hundreds of sites of interest have been described in the Hellfrost Gazetteer and Region 
  Guide series, yet these have barely scratched the surface. The snow-bound continent is 
  a vast place, littered with isolated communities, thriving towns, and abandoned ruins of 
  bygone ages. This Region Guide contains additional locales and colorful citizens from 
  across the continent.
  Major LocaLes
  the arkhwIsard’s rest
  Location: Imperial City, Alantaris Isle
  The finest tavern in Imperial City, the Arkhwisard’s Rest caters solely to arkhwisards and 
  their guests. Despite the magical firepower the patrons wield, security is tight. The door-
  men, all of whom have strong wills to resist magical influence and bribery attempts, carry 
  a list of all the arkhwisards currently within the Convocation. Those they do not recognize 
  by sight have their names checked against the list. No name, no entry, no exception.
  Non-arkhwisards are permitted entry only by direct invitation of an arkhwisard and 
  must sign both in and out. This rule applies even to the high and mighty of Imperial 
  City. Many promising magisters and trusted servants actually have letters of introduction, 
  allowing them entry at any time (the tavern operates 24 hours a day, eight days a week). 
  Regardless of one’s status, no weapons, not even daggers, or armor are permitted beyond 
  the threshold.
  Richly appointed at great expense, the interior is divided into small booths, across 
  which velvet curtains can be drawn to ensure privacy, and separate private rooms, which 
  can be hired for a reasonable fee. The main hall is warmly lit by a roaring hearth, and each 
  booth has a separate oil lamp for when the curtains are drawn. There is also a well-stocked 
  library. Although it holds a few arcane reference tomes, most books are related to other 
  topics, such as history, law, and travel.
  Locals maintain the tavern is the true political heart of Convocation politics. In veiled 
  booths, the powerful mages make secret deals with peers and outsiders alike. While there 
  is an element of truth to this, much of the conversation is rather mundane. Despite its 
  reputation, the tavern is merely a cozy retreat to enjoy good food, strong drink, and polite 
  31253
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • R E G I O N  G U I D E  # 5 2 •
                            
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  Editing: Tyler Morrison
  suppLeMentaL 
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  company for powerful mages who wish to avoid the con-
  stant questions of their lessers and the pressures of life 
  within the organization.
  aspLey
  Location: Aspiria
  Population: 404
  Ruler: Countess-baroness bethan ap-Merovig
  Although the locals grow grapes on the slopes behind 
  the beach and produce middling quantities of wine, 
  their produce is very much of table quality, ideal for 
  guzzling, but not suitable for refined palates. Located on 
  the storm-battered southern March coast, Aspley’s main 
  export is fish. While fresh fish is available locally, much of 
  its exports are smoked or salted. small but industrious, 
  the populace sells most of its catch to the wine-barons 
  and their workers, with only a little leaving the county.
  As one might expect, Aspley’s residents are followers 
  of Neorthe. A temple of Neorthe stands upon the beach, 
  its three priests serving the spiritual needs not just of 
  the locals, but of neighboring villages as well. With a 
  large parish to watch over, two are usually away from the 
  temple at any given time. built from driftwood and deco-
  rated with material scavenged from the beach, the main 
  temple is little different from scores found along Rassil-
  on’s coasts. The only thing it is noted for is its tall, rickety 
  tower, also built of driftwood. During bad weather, one 
  of the priests maintains a vigil at the top to ensure the 
  large lantern housed there is not extinguished.
  on the slopes overlooking the village stands a wood-
  en statue of Neorthe, his trident pointing out to sea. 
  Constructed five generations ago by the then-high priest, 
  it stands twice as tall as a man. strangely, the trident is 
  normal-sized. Why this should be is long-forgotten, but 
  popular beliefs point to the priest, on discovering he 
  was short of wood, focusing his attention on the god’s 
  person rather than his weapon. At the base of the slope is 
  the village cemetery. very few citizens are actually buried 
  here, preferring to be consigned to the ocean, and the 
  marker stones are memorials rather than grave markers.
  The residents are currently gripped by fear. several 
  fishermen have failed to return in recent weeks, despite 
  there being no bad weather or pirate activities. strange 
  footprints have been discovered on the beaches close to 
  the temple, their origin apparently the cold waters of the 
  foaming sea (see Region Guide #8).
  unbeknownst to the locals, the statue of Neorthe 
  conceals a relic. In his younger days, the priest respon-
  sible for its construction was part of a short-lived crusade 
  against a kreana community lying some ten miles off-
  shore. After a fearsome underwater battle the colony was 
  destroyed, and its sacred relic, a coral trident, taken as 
  plunder. unwilling to destroy the relic, which had pow-
  ers related to the ocean, the priest hid it inside a wooden 
  shell. His intention was to wait a few years, just in case 
  the kreana came hunting for it, then retrieve it and put it 
  to good use. Alas, he died of illness and his secret went 
  with him to the ocean floor.
  Although it has taken the best part of 100 years, the 
  kreana have reclaimed the site and now seek the return 
  of their relic. Through diligence and torture of captured 
  fishermen, the shark-men have narrowed their search 
  down to Aspley. Wary of suffering another heavy defeat, 
  yet driven by their bloodlust, the priests have sent scouts 
  to locate possible hiding places. When the trident is 
  found, Aspley’s citizens will be the victims of a massive 
  assault, in which no mercy will be spared.
  BaLauchterafon
  Location: Aspiria
  Population: 269
  Ruler: elected council and mayor
  Where the bladerun and Westflow Rivers meet, the 
  waters form a wide, shallow lake before continuing their 
  joint journey south through Drake Marsh to the sea. one 
  of the strangest settlements along either river lies not 
  upon their banks, but in the middle of the lake, several 
  miles from either shore.
  Tuomi oral tradition claims the village was built as a 
  refuge for a powerful tribe living along the edge of the 
  marsh. When invaders threatened, they abandoned their 
  homes and retreated to the lake village. Abandoned as a 
  refuge after the Aspirians’ ancestors rose to dominance 
  and drove the “barbaric” Tuomi north, the village even-
  tually became home to fishermen, reed gatherers, and 
  peat cutters, a role it continues to play to this day.
  Pronounced “bal-ock-fon,” the name is Tuomi, and 
  literally translates as the “village on top of the river.” De-
  spite being part of Aspiria for centuries, the old name re-
  mains in use. Constructed by the ancestors of the Tuomi 
  tribes now residing in the borderlands centuries before 
  the Anari arrived, balauchterafon sits 10 feet above from 
  the waters, held aloft by hundreds of thick wooden piles 
  driven deep into the thick mud. Wooden decking cover-
  ing the piles provides a flat, stable surface.
  The densely packed piles make it impossible for 
  even rowboats to maneuver beneath the village. Dot-
  ted around the perimeter are numerous rope ladders. 
  Locals and visitors alike tether their boats to the nearest 
  pile, then clamber up the ladders to reach the village 
  proper. Any cargo is hauled up by means of pulleys. 
  When the mists rise above the lake, which is frequent 
  in late fall through early spring, the village appears to 
  float above the nebulous vapors, giving it an unearthly 
  quality. Particularly dense mists can roll into the village, 
  making movement treacherous for those not used to the 
  elevated position—a single wrong step can lead to the 
  unwary plunging into the water below (there is no rail-
  ing or palisade to prevent this). visitors are advised to 
  stay close to buildings, from which lanterns are hung.
  Dominating the low skyline is a single two-story struc-
  ture. This serves as both a small temple of Neorthe and 
  the council chambers. It is also home to a single priest 
  of the god of water, as well as being the mayor’s official 
  residence.
  Although it stands within the domain of Count ein-
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #52
  2
  
  hard of New Asper, balauchterafon is governed by a 
  council made up of ten prominent citizens rather than a 
  nobleman. one of these is in turn elected mayor, serving 
  as council chairman for a three year term. He is granted 
  the status of a baron by Aspiria’s nobility. A recent addi-
  tion to the mayor’s permanent advisors, who have no 
  voting power, is an emissary from scayle. A member of 
  the elite Dragon Guard, he is responsible for training the 
  small militia (20 citizens, all part-time) in how to deal 
  with marsh dragon attacks.
  BattLe standard hILL
  Location: Midmark
  In the Tower Hills, overlooking the mighty Crystalflow, 
  stands a large, flat-topped hill. Growing from the sum-
  mit are eight trees. skalds claim that at the start of the 
  saxa rebellion eight great warlords met here in conclave 
  to discuss the war. Here, so it is said, was agreed the 
  future formation of the Marklands and the acceptance 
  of a high king. To cement their bond, the war lords each 
  planted a battle standard on the hill. over time, these 
  grew into living trees. some believe that the health of 
  the trees reflects the health of the individual Marklands. 
  one tree has been sundered by a recent lightning strike, 
  signifying the division of vestmark. Another, supposedly 
  representing Nordmark, was seen to be fading, but has 
  since began to sprout new shoots.
  In truth, there was no conclave of warlords. The 
  saxa tribes became united only in the latter days of the 
  struggle, and sutmark, ostmark, and veermark played 
  little active role in the rebellion (having never been 
  conquered). However, belief is a powerful force, and 
  centuries of faith in the origins of the Marklands have 
  transformed a mundane hill into a sacred place.
  Traditionally, Midmark’s monarch has been crowned 
  on the hill, and several high kings came here to receive 
  a blessing before taking the throne. unfortunately, the 
  hill also attracts right-wing fanatics, saxa who desire the 
  complete eradication of all Anari from the Marklands.
  Spirit Name: sjalfvili (“free-will”)
  Ambience: saxa standing atop the hill feel energized 
  and revitalized. Anari find the atmosphere oppressive. 
  other races and cultures have noticed nothing notewor-
  thy about the place.
  Deity: Thunor.
  Senses: Notice d10.
  Communication: Like most spirits of Thunor, sjalfvi-
  li’s voice ranges from soft tones to a thunderous roar. He 
  only speaks to saxa, and then only in Auld saxa.
  Powers: saxa recover fatigue levels at twice the 
  normal rate while atop the hill. This power functions 
  without any sacrifice.
  The spirit’s main power is to bless saxa generals. 
  It grants bennies that can only be used on knowledge 
  (battle) rolls. A general seeking to wage an aggressive 
  war receives one benny, while one seeking to defend his 
  homeland receives two. Defense of any of the Marklands 
  warrants three bennies. If the bulk of the enemy force is 
  Anari, an extra benny is granted. These bennies remain 
  until used or a year passes, whichever comes first. A gen-
  eral cannot sacrifice for more bennies until any current 
  ones have been spent or lost.
  Sacrifice: blood is freedom’s price, and svalfvili de-
  mands that price be paid up front. The spirit demands a 
  saxa be slain atop the hill. It neither condemns nor con-
  dones murder, but those seeking its assistance typically 
  execute prisoners condemned to death. by their sacrifice, 
  the Marklands may prosper. Although the victim’s soul is 
  not pardoned for any crimes, earthly records of his sins 
  are expunged, restoring honor to his family.
  The supplicant must then inform the spirit, in Auld 
  saxa, of the reasons for the offering. backed by a god, 
  svalfvili automatically sees through any lies, rendering 
  the blood sacrifice null and void.
  only saxa can perform the sacrifice and receive a 
  blessing. To meet this requirement, a supplicant’s father, 
  paternal grandfather, and paternal great-grandfather 
  must have been saxa.
  the Bear’s den Inn
  Location: The borderlands 
  on the road south of Melitel stands a lone inn known 
  as bear’s Den (or more commonly just the Den). Pro-
  tected by a stout palisade, part of which is formed by 
  the inn’s main hall, the stable block (which can cater for 
  pygmy mammoths), and the servants’ quarters, the inn 
  provides a much-needed refuge for merchants traveling 
  between Ludegov and scayle.
  The main hall is wooden with a low, turf roof. A single-
  story structure, it contains a drinking hall, a small kitchen 
  and larder, the personal quarters of the owner’s family, a 
  storeroom for barrels of alcohol, and four private guest 
  rooms (one single, two doubles, and one six-person). All 
  four rooms have a fire, but the wood costs extra. Patrons 
  short of coin or who care nothing for privacy may sleep 
  in the main hall, in which a fire is kept burning all year 
  round.
  The servants’ quarters are a small longhouse, again 
  constructed of wood and turf. It houses the six servants 
  who work the inn and stables.
  The stables are a two-story building. The ground floor 
  houses stalls for animals, while the upper floor is used 
  for storing hay. To prevent fire, the stable is constructed 
  from green wood logs, a tree found in Melitel that is re-
  sistant to fire due to its water content.
  food prices are as per the Hellfrost Player’s Guide. 
  Drinks are served only by the half-gallon jug. Prices range 
  from 5 gs for decent wine down to 1 ss for small beer. 
  Accommodation is 5 gs per night for the private room, 2 
  gs per night for a bed in the double room, 5 ss per night 
  in the six berth room, and 2 ss per night in the main hall. 
  firewood for the guest rooms is an extra 3 ss per night 
  (guests may use their own supplies) and a hot bath 2 
  ss. stabling is 3 ss for riding horses, 1 gs for war horses, 
  and 4 gs for pygmy mammoths per night. This includes 
  fodder and a rubdown.
  suppLeMentaL MaterIaL
  
  
  The inn takes it name not for the many bearskin rugs 
  that line the benches, nor the cozy, dimly-lit drinking hall, 
  but for the large black bear that roams freely throughout 
  the establishment. No one knows who owns the bear, 
  which is referred to simply as bear. The current owner 
  claims it was part of the furnishings when he took over, 
  and he has no intention of getting rid of him. While new 
  customers find the sight of the hulking brute unsettling, 
  bear only growls at those causing trouble. few rowdy 
  patrons need a second warning.
  bear is actually a leypabear. Curious about the so-
  called civilized races, he moved into the inn 45 years 
  ago. Initially intending to spend just a few months learn-
  ing their strange customs, he has grown to love human 
  company for its endless variation and savor the taste of 
  mead. Despite his curiosity, he finds his bear form more 
  comfortable. It also allows him to eavesdrop on patrons’ 
  conversations without raising suspicion, thus giving him 
  the opportunity to learn the true hearts of men. The inn’s 
  supposed owner, Wilfred ap-bredei (mixed Anari/Tuomi 
  heritage), deduced bear’s true status years ago, but has 
  vowed to keep his secret. No one else among the staff 
  knows. A friend of the elves of Melitel, bear has learned 
  something of the druidic arts down the years.
  the BLackGuards’ crypt
  Location: The Liche Lands of old
  for the most part, the cult of scaetha carried out its 
  duties with zeal and honor in combating the scourge of 
  the Liche-Priest, but there were dark episodes the cult 
  would rather ignore. one such event is known within 
  the ranks of the dour cultists as the Accursed Thirteen. 
  How the thirteen paladins came to fall from grace is 
  not remembered (or rather it has been deliberately for-
  gotten), but fall they did. once loyal servants of scaetha, 
  they defected to the cause of the Liche-Priest. kneeling in 
  front of their undead lord, each was touched by the hand 
  of death incarnate. flesh withered and decayed, blood 
  was replaced with unholy energy, and where once knelt 
  thirteen humans now stood black knights.
  formidable in battle, they were responsible for the 
  deaths of many mortals. Individually they were danger-
  ous, gathered together they were nigh unstoppable. 
  Although each eventually fell in battle, cut down by their 
  former comrades, none of their corpses were ever re-
  covered. Instead, they were spirited away by fell spirits. 
  Their souls cast back to Hela’s realm, their empty corpses 
  were interred in a crypt to await the caress of the Liche-
  Priest. That touch never came, for the Liche-Priest was 
  defeated soon after.
  Distracted by the blizzard War and the sudden appear-
  ance of the Withered Lands, the cult of scaetha is yet to 
  uncover the last resting place of the Accursed Thirteen. 
  That it must lie in the Liche Lands is not in doubt, for the 
  black knights were trusted commanders, and would be 
  graced with a presence close to their master. but exactly 
  where they rest is something yet to be revealed.
  While many younger clerics give the thirteen little 
  thought, older, wiser clerics are beginning to ponder 
  as to whether the recent rise in undead sightings and 
  weakening of the holy wards mean the Liche-Priest has 
  already awakened. Has he, they wonder in silence, al-
  ready cast forth his hand and summoned his generals 
  back to his service? If so, finding the crypt and destroying 
  the knights’ physical bodies is now a priority.
  The crypt comprises an outer region guarded by 
  mindless skeleton warriors, an eternal honor guard 
  befitting the status of the dead knights, and protected 
  by magical traps that activate only when the living pass. 
  beyond a set of bone doors reinforced with fell runes of 
  strengthening are thirteen crypts, each housing one of 
  the fallen paladins.
  BoLtun
  Location: ostmark
  Population: 872
  Ruler: Marchand-Thegn Halfdan snorrisunu
  A farming community in north-west ostmark, boltun’s 
  inhabitants pride themselves on their cattle herds. Dried 
  meat, milk, leather, bone, and horn are exported across 
  ostmark, prize bulls are rented out to stud, and live cows 
  are sold at the market.
  Although listed as a village, the community is spread 
  far and wide across three wide, shallow valleys, for 
  cattle require a great deal of grazing land. The village 
  center, which houses barely 200 souls, is dominated by 
  a huge temple to eostre Animalmother that doubles as 
  a cattle market. Although grand in size, the temple is 
  constructed from wood and thatch, and is designed to 
  be functional rather than ostentatious. Located around 
  the temple are the Marchand-Thegn’s official residence, 
  workshops, stores, an abbatoir, and a single inn (“The 
  Plentiful udder”).
  The title of Marchand-Thegn is awarded each ten 
  years to the herder with the biggest herd. His prize bull, 
  another requirement, is housed in the temple, serving as 
  the altar to which prayers are offered. The village’s name, 
  which translates as “the bull’s enclosure” indicates the 
  animal’s importance.
  Worship of bolverk runs a close second to that of his 
  mother, and most herders have at least one cleric on 
  staff, giving his cult greater presence here than anywhere 
  else in Rassilon. Cattle raids are frequent, and accepted 
  as part of daily life. Raids become more frequent, and 
  often more bloody, in the months before the census.
  The village is currently in an uproar. The Marchand-
  Thegn’s prize bull, blackhorn, has been stolen. Not only 
  is this a personal slight against the nobleman, but it is 
  an act of sacrilege that has offended the entire village. 
  Accusations and counter-accusations are rife, but so far 
  investigations have failed to find the culprit. The march-
  and-thegn is currently trying to impose a new tax to raise 
  a reward, an act which is meeting with stiff resistance 
  from his rivals, for the next census. The local high priest-
  ess of eostre, Cuthwilda Herd-Mother, has demanded 
  the nobleman recover the cow by the winter Herding 
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #52
  
  
  Day festival or suffer sanctions. With a census looming, 
  this could seriously hamper his chances of holding office 
  again.
  on a lighter note, boltun is also home to the famous 
  bull Run (famous in ostmark, veermark, and Nordmark, 
  anyway). each year on birthing Day, which is judged 
  according to the first calf born, the single men of the 
  village gather outside the temple, in which each farmer 
  has placed a bull the night before. At dawn, the bulls are 
  released from the holy place and allowed to run amok 
  through a maze of fences erected especially for the occa-
  sion. The unmarried women judge the virility of poten-
  tial husbands based on the men’s ability to outrun the 
  stampeding bulls, avoid injury, and leap on the beasts’ 
  backs. farmers judge their bull’s virility on the number 
  of young men their bull tramples or gores. Injuries are 
  commonplace, but healers are always on standby.
  catnIp VaLe
  Location: The vale
  Nestled amid the rolling hills that make up the vale 
  is Catnip vale. It is named for the abundance of catnip, 
  a member of the mint family that grows here. The cult 
  of veth, minor goddess of vermin hunting, has a perma-
  nently-manned shrine here. Access to the plants is re-
  stricted to clerics of eostre, druids, and herbalists known 
  to the cult, for Harrat the Rat king’s earthly agents prize 
  it as a means of subduing their hated foes.
  one myth relates how veth went in search of Harrat 
  the Rat king, who was hiding from her in the mortal 
  world. In order to protect his ally, vali, acting in disguise, 
  pointed veth in the direction of this valley. Here he knew 
  there grew an abundance of catnip, for he stolen the 
  seeds from eostre and planted them himself. overcome 
  by the narcotic effect of catnip, veth almost forgot her 
  quest. fortunately, freo was passing by on one of his 
  many wanderings and pulled the young goddess out of 
  the fragrant plants. Another story says that eostre Plant-
  mother created catnip as a reward for her daughter’s 
  hard work. Which version a cultist espouses tells more 
  about her views on drugs than her faith. Many hunting 
  cat owners use it to reward their animals.
  followers of veth bruise raw leaves and then chew 
  them as a recreational drug (treat as a stimulant II herbal 
  brew). Too much, though, can generate aggressive be-
  havior (as per the berserk herbal remedy). strangely, the 
  plant produces absolutely no effects in other creatures 
  except cats. Catnip’s only commercial value is as an in-
  gredient for insect repellent herbal remedies.
  the drowned tower
  Location: The Inner sea
  Long ago, a tower of blue-green stone stood on a small 
  island roughly halfway between Aspiria and Alantaris Isle. 
  Here, it is said, Neorthe kept a relic of immense power, 
  a head-sized pearl of absolute purity. Most stories agree 
  the pearl gave its possessor dominion over the seas.
  The Convocation, which had been founded only 
  recently, arrogantly demanded to study the pearl, a 
  “request” that was turned down by the relic’s guardian, 
  a man whose name is recorded as Atlantes. Refusing to 
  take no for an answer, the Convocation dispatched a 
  fleet, intending to take the relic by force. As their ships 
  neared, Atlantes prayed to Neorthe, beseeching the god 
  to take the tower into his embrace to stop the relic falling 
  into unworthy hands. Neorthe agreed, but to stop cries 
  of interference in mortal affairs he swore to release the 
  tower for one day each generation.
  Whether or not this tale has any historical veracity is 
  open to debate, for no reliable records date back this 
  far. What is true is that once in every generation, a tower 
  rises from the water, appearing as the first ray of the sun 
  breaks the horizon and submerging once again as the 
  last ray sinks below the horizon. The tower keeps to no 
  fixed schedule, though it is said that a calendar listing 
  all the dates of its surfacing for centuries to come exists 
  somewhere.
  some legends claim that Atlantes still guards the tow-
  er, his life being measured by the day he spends on the 
  surface rather than the time spent in Neorthe’s embrace. 
  If this is true, then he has aged less than fifty days over 
  the past millennium. others are more pessimistic, believ-
  ing that if Atlantes still rules the tower then he does so as 
  a liche, having extended his life through fell rites.
  According to some skalds, the name Alantaris has its 
  roots in the high priest’s name, the island either being 
  mistaken for the wizard’s former home and the name 
  slowly corrupted over time, or named in honor of his 
  sacrifice. While these make for interesting stories, there 
  is absolutely no supporting evidence.
  druMfosse
  Location: The Magocracy (Principality of bremen)
  Population: 384
  Ruler: Mage-knight vikrotis Tanovar of the first 
  sphere
  The small village of Drumfosse lies near the northern 
  foothills of the Mage Mountains. An agricultural settle-
  ment, it boasts a small mill, powered by the River Drum, 
  whose cold waters cascade down from the mountains. 
  Although it has a shrine to Maera, few citizens worship 
  here except on high holy days, and even then lip service 
  is the norm. The shrine, a stone column engraved with 
  runes, was raised by the current ruler’s great-grandfather, 
  paid for by a special tax incurred on the peasants. Most 
  inhabitants are followers of eostre Plantmother. In one 
  of the outer fields is a ring of standing stones, an ancient 
  site that serves as a shrine. Aside from a large granary that 
  stores the grain and flour for neighboring communities, 
  the only other structure of note is a five-story tower that 
  stands on a hill at the edge of the settlement. opulently 
  decorated, it is home to the village’s absentee ruler.
  Drumfosse is the feudal property of Mage-knight vi-
  krotis, a scion of House Tanovar, a minor house beholden 
  to House bremen. keen to curry favor with his prince in 
  suppLeMentaL MaterIaL
  5
  
  the hope of marrying one of his young daughters, the 
  nobleman spends most of his time at court, engaging in 
  debauchery. 
  Daily governance is left to his steward, a corpulent, 
  lazy official by the name of Ambrose ap-Gwain. He grows 
  fat on the peasants’ laborers, and is skimming money 
  from his lord’s treasury to fund his own lavish lifestyle. 
  so long as vikrotis receives enough money to keep him 
  in fine clothes and good wine when he calls for it, he 
  doesn’t bother to keep track of his income.
  Drumfosse has a problem that might ruin the noble-
  man and bring the steward’s crimes to light. since last 
  summer the villagers have been suffering strange effects. 
  some have woken to find their muscles hugely swollen 
  and their strength boosted to twice that of normal, or 
  suddenly gained immense intelligence. others have 
  become simpletons or cowards. one documented case 
  involved a peasant growing wings. The effects are short-
  lived, but the peasants are scared witless. Productivity is 
  steadily dropping, and with it the village’s income.
  The problem lies with the water. Long ago, House bre-
  men erected a heahwisardry school devoted to alchemy 
  in the Mage Mountains, away from prying eyes of jealous 
  rivals. over the course of centuries, trainee alchemists 
  poured failed potions into a disused cistern. The school 
  was abandoned after the Golem uprising, but the cis-
  terns were never drained. The tiny amounts of magic in 
  the potions have slowly concentrated into a more potent 
  form. With no maintenance performed in two hundred 
  years, the magical residue has leeched into the local wa-
  ter supply—the head of the River Drum. When drunk, 
  the waters can produce strange effects mimicking spells 
  (typically boost/lower trait, but others as well).
  Curing the village’s problem simply requires the cis-
  tern to be repaired. Alas, that is not as easy as it sounds, 
  for the magic-rich water at the river’s head has been con-
  sumed by wild beasts, mutating them into strange forms 
  and imbuing them with arcane resistance.
  the fey Market
  Location: seithrby
  The fey market is widely regarded as a myth, a caution-
  ary tale to be careful what you wish for. Many inhabitants 
  of seithrby know the story, but it is always passed on as 
  a place visited by a friend three or more times removed, 
  never the storyteller. 
  so the stories go, deep within fey Wood is a large 
  clearing with lines of colored flowers marking out small 
  rectangular areas not dissimilar to stall pitches in hu-
  man markets. by the light of the moon on nights sacred 
  to either aspect of eostre, fey gather here to trade and 
  socialize. elves, or at least fey that resemble elves, are 
  sometimes said to be present.
  The trade goods are an eclectic mix. Drinking vessels 
  made of large, hollowed nuts not native to the forest; 
  waterskins made from leaves stitched together; brooches 
  that on closer inspection are living beetles or butterflies; 
  spools of colored spider silk thread for sewing clothes; 
  coIns of the reaLM
  before the blizzard War, Anari gold and silver Im-
  perials were the standard coins used across the 
  much of the Hearthlands. The few free saxa realms 
  continued to use hack silver (jewelry measured by 
  weight) or bartering, and the Tuomi and finnar 
  markets operated solely on barter. engro used 
  whatever currency they could get their hands on 
  or bartered, elves never bothered with coins, and 
  frost dwarves used their own currency, known as 
  Anvils (gold) and flakes (silver).
  In the chaos after the war, settlements turned in-
  ward, protecting their interests as trade dwindled, 
  and minting their own coins. Then, around 50 I.R., 
  traders from Drakeport began expanding their 
  routes, bringing with them the now ubiquitous 
  gold and silver scield. Diligence, the stability of 
  Drakeport as a trading center, and the growth of 
  the cult of var quickly saw the scield become the 
  de facto standard for coins.
  Although originally minted solely in Drakeport, 
  each realm controlled by a monarch or similar sole 
  ruler now mints its own coins. Aslov has the only 
  mint in the freelands, a right earned by its impor-
  tance as a trading center. Most coins are actually 
  minted under license by the cult of var, as this al-
  lows them to control inflation by ensuring kings 
  don’t go mad and mint thousands of new coins, 
  and to control the precious metal content.
  It is important to note that the name scield is 
  merely a common term for a coin, and the notion 
  of a uniform currency wishful thinking. Although 
  the rules infer standardized coins exist, scields are 
  not uniform in size, shape (few are perfect circles), 
  or weight. There are also coins still in circulation 
  that predate the advent of the scield. Coins are not 
  stamped with any denomination, and their value 
  is based purely on weight. Thus, a hero with 10 gs 
  may be carrying ten small coins, five medium sized 
  ones, or a few large ones. Regardless of quantity, 
  his total purse has the purchasing power of ten 
  gold scields across the continent.
  A typical scield is round with a slightly domed cen-
  tre on the heads side and a similar indentation on 
  the tails side. embossed on the domed head is a 
  stylized image of the ruler at the time the coin was 
  minted, along with his name and title. on the re-
  verse is the name of the realm in which the coin 
  was minted. Regardless of origin or date, all coins 
  are now known as scields.
  because coins are weighed rather than accepted 
  at face value, clipping (slicing a thin sliver off the 
  edge) is not punishable by branding or loss of limb 
  (though it is still punishable by a fine or sound flog-
  ging). forgery, though, is a capital offense in most 
  lands, and at minimum results in banishment.
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #52
  
  
  lanterns containing glowing bugs; brittle candy that is 
  actually live insects; living centipede and millipede torcs 
  and rings; spider amulets; spears of woven grass that 
  pierce wood better than any steel; and gossamer cloaks 
  so thin it seems a gentle breeze would tear it.
  Gathered around the stalls are fey of all shapes, sizes, 
  and demeanors, with seelie and unseelie mixing in 
  harmony. security is provided by wood warriors loyal 
  to whatever fey noble claims dominion at the time the 
  market is held.
  Having no currency, fey trade goods, favors, and ser-
  vices for the wares they desire. It is this that makes the 
  fey market deadly to outsiders. While some fey admire 
  and even crave human goods, most prefer to trade for 
  service or seemingly innocuous things, like the color 
  from your eyes, two of your fingers, the sound of your 
  voice, and the breath from your body.
  Inevitably, paying these strange prices leads to a 
  curse—color blindness, the loss of thumbs (–2 penalty to 
  all rolls involving handling objects), becoming mute, and 
  a permanent one die loss in vigor as you’re left short of 
  breath. Terms of service vary from a single favor (which 
  may take minutes or decades to complete) to a lifetime 
  of servitude in the fey realm. Those who agree to the 
  latter do not age, but on their return to the mortal realm 
  they are invariably changed for the worse.
  The knowledge (fey) skill and an understanding of 
  the fey language is essential to surviving the fey market, 
  though neither guarantees one will escape entirely un-
  scathed.
  four Brochs hILL
  Location: The borderlands
  In the northern foothills of the Hollow Mountains 
  stand the remains of four brochs (circular, hollow-walled 
  stone towers) constructed at the corners of a walled 
  courtyard. Constructed as refuges rather than houses 
  or forts, brochs have remained in use by the Tuomi for 
  many centuries. However, these specimens served an-
  other purpose.
  Raised in the latter days of the Demongate War, each 
  of the towers was sacred to one of the four elemental 
  gods—ertha, kenaz, Neorthe, and Thunor. etched into 
  the walls were runes of power, potent wards intended to 
  focus divine energy to a point in the dead center of the 
  courtyard, wherein stood a small obelisk marked with 
  sigel’s holy symbol. Despite their obvious importance, 
  no Tuomi clerics ever worshipped here.
  eventually recovering from the chaos of the Demon-
  gate War, the Anari attempted to conquer the disparate 
  Tuomi tribes once and for all (a venture that never suc-
  ceeded). The brochs were given to the Convocation of 
  elementalists as halls of residence, the wily emperor 
  seeking to both curry favor with the powerful order and 
  reinforce his armies with their magic.
  Within a week of the mages moving in the Tuomi 
  began to assault the walls. for three years the wizards 
  weathered regular attacks, sometimes relieved by allied 
  soldiers, other times forced to fight alone. Then, late 
  one summer afternoon, a vast Tuomi force gathered at 
  the base of the slope. The mages prepared to sell their 
  lives dearly, but the warriors did not attack. Instead, they 
  began singing funeral dirges. As the sun set below the 
  horizon, they vanished into the gloom, leaving the mages 
  perplexed and relieved.
  A caravan visiting the site a week later found the com-
  pound abandoned. The furnishings were intact, meals 
  left half-eaten, clothes neatly laid out, and valuable relics 
  and alchemical devices left behind. The only clue was a 
  single word hastily carved into a wooden table—Cher-
  nobog, Tuomi for “black god.” What happened to the 
  inhabitants has both perplexed and troubled the Convo-
  cation ever since.
  The Tuomi never rebuilt the brochs. Instead, they 
  shunned the place as cursed. even today, they avoid 
  camping within site of the empty towers, and only hurry 
  past them while whispering prayers of protection from 
  darkness. young Tuomi are given no reason for avoid-
  ing the place—it is simply ingrained into them never to 
  venture there under any circumstances. Any Tuomi who 
  claims to have visited the brochs is immediately consid-
  ered an outcast, shunned by even his closest family.
  originally standing six yards high and dominating the 
  skyline, time and weather have reduced the brochs to 
  mere stubs, the highest walls barely reaching two yards. 
  The outer walls have fared even worse, and are now 
  barely visible through the tough, coarse grass. The court-
  yard obelisk has shattered. Worryingly, the stone appears 
  to have shattered from within rather than been damaged 
  by some external force.
  funGus caVerns
  Location: The freelands 
  Countless miles of tunnels and caverns exist below 
  the Jagged Peaks, etched over eons by the slow trickle of 
  water through the soft limestone. some are accessible to 
  hardy explorers, reached through caves or wide fissures. 
  others are completely cut off from the world above, their 
  geological wonders unseen by surface dwellers and, on 
  occasion, even by the creatures that burrow beneath the 
  feet of men.
  fungus Cavern once fell into the latter category. Dur-
  ing the blizzard War, the magic wrought in the region 
  caused sinkholes to form in the thin crust covering a net-
  work of immense cavern and winding tunnels, allowing 
  sunlight to penetrate into the bowels of the earth for the 
  first time since ertha carved them from the living rock. 
  Where weak shafts of sunlight fell into the moist interior, 
  fungus began to bloom.
  Reachable only by lowering oneself a hundred feet 
  down into one of several sinkholes, the fungus Caverns 
  are a maze of interconnected chambers spread over a 
  twenty mile length. Areas directly exposed to the sun are 
  covered in dense fungal growth, the slick floor shaded 
  beneath mushrooms and toadstools taller than a giant 
  with caps wider than a cottage’s roof. further out, the 
  suppLeMentaL MaterIaL
  
  
  fungus becomes less prolific, reduced to normal sized 
  growths and slimy molds. Where darkness dominates 
  the fungus ceases, leaving only the bare, natural rocks 
  of ertha’s Realm.
  unsurprisingly, the main caverns are home to compet-
  ing colonies of fungals (see Creature Guide: Fungals for 
  more details on fungal lairs and society). Although they 
  pose no danger to nearby surface dwellers, being unable 
  to leave their subterranean halls, they aggressively de-
  fend their territory against all intruders.
  Numerous tunnels branch off from each main cham-
  ber. The great majority is part of the greater complex, 
  while some end in dead ends. A small few end in sumps 
  or pools. beyond these may lie realms never before seen 
  by the surface races, areas clad in utter darkness and 
  inhabited by things that exist only in fevered nightmares 
  or the ravings of madmen.
  one particularly long and hard to navigate tunnel ends 
  in a colossal door cast of solid Maerathril and adorned 
  with runes. The runes are archaic, simpler and yet some-
  how more complex than those used by frost dwarves, 
  whose language they closely resemble. They defy transla-
  tion, even by magic, and even those who can read the 
  dwarven tongue find the meaning stuck at the tip of their 
  tongue, as if the words do not want to be repeated. still, 
  the meaning seems to burn into the minds of those who 
  cast their eyes upon them—go no further!
  No force can open the portal from the outside world, 
  for the inhabitants have no wish to entertain visitors. yet 
  there is hope for those who desire to venture beyond 
  the place where the rational mind screams stop and turn 
  back, for on occasion the door opens, allowing fungals 
  to carry their crops to whatever lives behind the portal.
  GLItter-stone castLe
  Location: The battlelands
  Although the Anari never truly conquered the battle-
  lands (contrary to what surviving official records and 
  maps from the era claim), they did establish colonies 
  throughout the region at various times. seeking to ex-
  ploit the gem seams of the battle Mounds, the invaders 
  established several fortified mining camps. Despite their 
  best efforts, the Anari could not adequately protect them 
  against the warlike Tuomi, and the decision was made 
  to build a large castle. Its primary purpose was not the 
  subjugation of the belligerent natives, but the protection 
  of the rich seams.
  once the castle was finished, the small camps were 
  abandoned and the mine entrances sealed. Working 
  from the lowest levels of the castle, miners carved miles 
  of tunnels into the hills in search of the glittering stones 
  that give the castle its modern name.
  The impressive walls could not keep out the Tuomi 
  for long, and the castle fell in –319. Anari attempts to 
  reclaim the region ended in –328, when a massive relief 
  army sent by emperor Perspilex XXIv was soundly de-
  feated. Although victorious, the Tuomi were denied the 
  huge stores of gems secreted in the bowels of the castle. 
  unable to send their stock of gems to safety, Anari engi-
  neers broke through a dam keeping back the waters of a 
  subterranean river, deliberately flooding the chambers.
  Never again in Anari hands, the surface structure was 
  left to the elements. Its walls and towers, weakened by 
  three centuries of neglect, were finally brought down 
  during the blizzard War.
  What remains of the upper levels have been carefully 
  picked over down the centuries. However, the flooded 
  levels have never been explored. That gems lie here in 
  abundance is commonly known, but the treasure is not 
  without its guardians. Ancient golems, once used to 
  mine the gems, still walk the flooded ruins, and the hand 
  of the Liche-Priest reached out to awaken the drowned 
  defenders, turning them into zombies.
  of the three sub-levels, the lowest two are completely 
  flooded (requiring environmental protection spells to 
  explore) and the upper one flooded to knee-depth.
  the GroVe of seasons
  Location: The freelands
  Deep within the heart of stone forest is a grove con-
  sidered sacred to both species of elves (though few taiga 
  elves visit more than one in their long lives), druids, cler-
  ics of eostre Plantmother, and most forest-dwelling fey, 
  regardless of their court.
  In the dead center of the clearing in which the grove 
  stands is a massive oak of indeterminable yet obviously 
  advanced age. The tree is actually a truly ancient tree 
  man (or possibly woman—no one is quite sure), its roots 
  now so deep in the earth it could not move even if it 
  had reason to wander. According to the elves, who have 
  tended the site since its discovery and know of the trees’ 
  true nature, the oak has stood vigil since before men rose 
  to sentience. Most elves believe it was one of the first 
  tree men created by eostre Plantmother, and likely the 
  last of its generation. It has stood here for millennium 
  after millennium. It last awoke from its slumber during 
  the blizzard War, using some powerful enchantment to 
  protect the forest from the ravages of Hellfrost dragons.
  spaced around the oak at regular intervals are 13 
  smaller oaks. Carved into the bark are glowing fey let-
  ters bearing the name of one of the months. Hanging 
  from the branches are an eclectic mix of items—woven 
  crowns and necklaces of flowers, carved wooden objects 
  (such as spoons or trees), rope made from twisted vines, 
  and the like.
  While the central oak is affected by the changing sea-
  sons (tree men are not immune to seasonal changes), 
  those surrounding it keep their own time. Like a living 
  calendar, they mark the eternal passage of time. The tree 
  bearing the current month’s name is in full bloom, as if it 
  were summer. The tree marked with the previous month 
  is as in fall, its leaves turning shades of yellow, orange, 
  and red, while the next tree in the cycle looks like it is 
  enjoying spring. As the seasons pass so the trees blos-
  som, bloom, and wither in turn, each enjoying a short 
  period of growth and life.
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #52
  
  
  The lesser trees are each home to a skogsra, the true 
  guardians of the grove. bound by ancient oaths, each is 
  able to leave its home only when its tree is enjoying sum-
  mer. Those in spring and fall are awake and able to cast 
  spells, but cannot venture into the mortal world.
  elves, clerics, and druids come here to worship at the 
  sacred place (see Region Guide #1 for more details on 
  these special sites) as the seasons change in the wider 
  world, while wood wights go about their business of 
  tending the trees on a daily basis. further defense is 
  provided by a small army of wood warriors dedicated to 
  protecting the ancient oak at the cost of their own lives.
  Spirit Name: The ancient oak has never been named. 
  each of the skogsras bears the name Daughter of <sea-
  son carved into their tree>.
  Ambience: The presence of the elder tree person, a 
  creature that may have directly felt the touch of a god-
  dess, causes mortals to feel utterly insignificant when 
  first entering the grove. They must make a spirit roll 
  or be shaken by the fleeting nature of their short-lived 
  existence. However, this soon passes.
  Deity: eostre Plantmother.
  Senses: Notice d10.
  Communication: The skogsras may only speak when 
  their tree is in spring, summer, or fall, and may only 
  adopt physical form in their tree’s summer month.
  Powers: During its short summer awakening, each 
  skogsra can teach a mortal one spell common to both 
  druidism and the cult of eostre Plantmother. In order to 
  learn the spell, the recipient must be either a druid or 
  cleric of eostre Plantmother, of sufficient Rank to learn 
  the spell, and complete the sacrifice.
  The spell taught by each fey, in order of the tree’s 
  summer season, are snaermonan (refuge), frostmonan 
  (wilderness step), eostremonan (healing), Plohmonan 
  (boost/lower trait), sowanmonan (entangle), Werre-
  monan (animate war tree), sceranmonan (barrier), 
  Hegmonan (sentry), Haerfestmonan (feast), falmonan 
  (summon wood elemental), Huntianmonan (bolt), 
  fogmonan (bridge), Wulfmonan (environmental protec-
  tion). All have a plant trapping.
  Sacrifice: being chosen to receive a spell requires 
  the candidate to tend the tree during the entirety of its 
  spring season, watching over the resident skogsra while 
  she wakens from her months-long slumber. Hopefuls 
  may only leave the grove for four hours out of every 24, 
  time enough to gather food, and must complete 12 hours 
  of work, prayer, or rituals out of each 24 hours.
  once able to manifest, the fey questions the resident 
  wood wights as to the supplicant’s behavior during his 
  time in the grove. Any transgression of eostre’s sins, even 
  by druids, results in the student being sent away without 
  any new knowledge. Assuming he maintains his vigil and 
  has not offended eostre Plantmother, the supplicant 
  must then give the skogsra a suitable gift. They have no 
  need for material wealth, preferring simple, handmade 
  objects carved from wood or woven from leaves. some 
  even accept something as fleeting as a title bestowed 
  upon them, though they have no love for sycophants.
  When the gift is accepted, the student must spend an 
  entire day and night singing eostre’s praises. If he re-
  mains awake until dawn, he is blessed with the skogsra’s 
  spell, and can add it to his repertoire.
  GroznIV
  Location: The borderlands
  Population: 422
  Location: Comes blout “the Whiskerless” seonaidh
  Nestled in the lower slopes of the Aurochs Hills, Gro-
  zniv is a predominantly Tuomi settlement. In the center 
  of the community is a joint temple to eostre Animal-
  mother and ullr. It takes the form of a round, dry stone 
  building with turf placed over a wooden roof frame. 
  entrance is via a ceremonial walkway, its length marked 
  with tall posts atop which are aurochs’ skulls. Nearby is 
  the home of the ruler, a small, circular building, this time 
  with a steeply-pitched conical roof. Located further out 
  are some three dozen wheelhouses.
  The citizens of Grozniv grow a few hardy root crops 
  to supplement their diet and keep goats for milk and 
  wool. Much of their food and livelihood comes from the 
  wild aurochs that live in the nearby hills. Meat and bones 
  are essential ingredients in every meal, while leather 
  and horn is cured and sold to the traders that pass by 
  once each summer. The citizens are hardy folk, well ac-
  customed to living off the land and surviving the long 
  winters.
  All in all, it is a fairly standard village, save for one un-
  usual fact—there are no children below the age of four.
  All the babies born in the last three years have been 
  freaks, human save for their head, which is that of a wild 
  beast. Prayers were made and sacrifices offered to both 
  deities honored by the villagers, the citizens fearful they 
  had been cursed for some slight, but this did nothing 
  to halt the incidents. Paranoia quickly followed. Men-
  folk became convinced their wives were cavorting with 
  beastmen or being subjected to some fell enchantment, 
  while the women accused their husbands, who often 
  ventured deep into the Aurochs Hills of being bewitched 
  or replaced by beastmen in magical disguise. sex became 
  less frequent, and finally stopped altogether a year ago. 
  Despite this celibacy, women still fell pregnant, siring a 
  new generation of beastmen.
  After much discussion it was decided to leave the 
  babies in the hills for the wolves and bears to claim 
  their flesh, the parents relying on eostre Animalmother 
  to claim their souls. A few mangled remains have been 
  found, but most of the children disappeared. Now the 
  villagers are beginning to wonder if the babes have been 
  adopted by the beastmen tribes.
  Too proud and too ashamed to ask for help, the villag-
  ers have suffered in silence, the sexes growing steadily 
  more distant toward each other.
  hVaLton
  Location: vestmark
  suppLeMentaL MaterIaL
  
  
  Population: 59
  Ruler: Hauld eyulf sveinsunu
  The small fishing village of Hvalton (“enclose of the 
  whales” in saxa) lies on the western coast, roughly half-
  way between skei and Tarn. The only road follows the 
  rugged coastline, trapped between the raging sea and 
  the dense woodland of yetwood. While the elves have 
  recently ended their isolation and sent troops to the 
  border, they do not appreciate trespassers, and only the 
  desperate seek a shortcut through the dense woodland. 
  Hvalton sits atop a low (50’ high), flat-topped hill over-
  looking the turbulent ocean. surrounding it is a wooden 
  wall, which follows the edge of the hill. Although the 
  wall is only four feet high, the steep slope near the sum-
  mit makes it extremely difficult to scale. Two towers rise 
  over the walk. To the west is a simple watchtower with a 
  brazier on top, a primitive beacon designed to aid ships 
  in bad weather. on the landward side the tower doubles 
  as a gatehouse. While it is possible to head straight up 
  the hill, the path, which is lined with logs to provide 
  secure footing, starts at the south side of the hill, curving 
  upward and northward along the eastern flank.
  The center of the village is enclosed behind a high 
  drystone wall. Inside stands the hauld’s mead hall, the 
  center of power in Hvalton. The hall was designed to ac-
  commodate the entire population at a squeeze, though 
  these days there is plentiful room to spare. The com-
  pound serves as the last line of defense should the settle-
  ment ever come under attack. Nestled between the twin 
  defenses are the houses and workshops of the citizens.
  The buildings are typical saxa longhouses, though 
  wooden shingles are used instead of thatch due to the 
  frequent storms that batter the coast. Decades of neglect 
  has left Hvalton a shadow of its former glory. Many of 
  the buildings are in desperate need of repair, most hav-
  ing lost shingles to storm winds. fortunately, the smaller 
  population has enabled the citizens to survive better 
  than their kinfolk further inland, for the sea, while a 
  cruel mistress, is at least bountiful.
  A small, sandy cove located 200 yards from the south-
  ern edge of the hill provides a natural harbor for the 
  villagers’ small whaling fleet.
  The war against orcmark has sucked the life from the 
  village. All the men folk of fighting age, and many who 
  would be considered too young to fight in times of peace, 
  have been conscripted to serve as warriors or craftsmen. 
  Many of their wives accompanied them, leaving behind 
  only the elderly and the very young, women who refused 
  to leave, plus a token garrison and a few others whose 
  services were not required on the frontline. once a bus-
  tling little fishing community of 250 souls, its current 
  population is barely a quarter of that now.
  The hauld, an old man, is advised by three notables. 
  His right-hand man is osric storm-Cheeks, the resident 
  priest of Neorthe. osric’s hair is closely-cropped and 
  thinning on top. His nickname comes from his advanced 
  age and his lifelong addiction to pipeleaf, which leaves 
  him gasping for breath after even minor physical exer-
  tion
  His most trusted warrior is Aud Hrafnsdohtor, a 19 
  year old paladin of Rigr who considers herself the village’s 
  defender. Her attractive face is marred by her missing left 
  eye, the result of an orc blade. Hauld eyulf treats her like 
  a daughter, his three sons having died fighting against 
  the orc invaders.
  finally there is sword Wiglaf ulricsunu, an outsider 
  and a paladin of Tiw. Wiglaf is little more than a boy, 
  sent here to train the local militia because no one on 
  the frontline wanted him in their company. Wiglaf wears 
  his hair cropped short in the style of Tiw’s devout clergy. 
  Concealed on his right forearm is a tattoo. It was meant 
  to resemble a storm dragon, but Wiglaf couldn’t tolerate 
  the pain and it is only a quarter finished. sadly for him, 
  it is the rear quarter.
  Hvalton is a haunted place. Many of vestmark’s coastal 
  residents turned to piracy during the Anari invasion of 
  the saxa kingdoms. Among the most feared was Coen-
  mund the sea-wolf, a rapacious brute. finally captured, 
  Coenmund and his crew were lashed to the mast of their 
  ship and set adrift as archers peppered it with fire arrows. 
  Coenmund went to a watery grave vowing revenge. Cen-
  turies later, the vow has come to fruition. Coenmund’s 
  fire-blackened longship now prowls the stormy waters 
  off Hvalton, the site of his death, his crew of charred 
  skeletons eager to seek revenge on the living.
  hILL of the ancestors
  Location: Angmark 
  In the center of the northern arm of the Draugr Hills is 
  a particularly long, steep-sided hill, its chalk body veiled 
  beneath a covering of short grass-covered turf. The hill 
  has been a sacred place since long before the Anari in-
  vaded the region, though its name is a recent one, given 
  the site by the more recent saxa colonists. The name 
  of the local tribe who once honored their dead here is 
  long lost, their lineages ending in death, expulsion, and 
  inter-marriage with the more dominant Anari and saxa 
  bloodlines.
  In rare summers, when the grass is parched, faint out-
  lines become visible on the slopes. Careful investigation 
  reveals these to be runes, cut through the turf to reveal 
  the white chalk beneath. Although the runic language 
  they are written in is as extinct as the carvers’ culture, 
  speak language has revealed the runes are names. each 
  single rune indicates both a given name and a specific 
  title or nickname. Thus, one might find Marcatrude the 
  Wise (female) or Clodio the Warrior (male).
  sages and scholars have theorized the names are 
  those of kings and queens of old, cut into the hill as a 
  form of memorial by a culture that lacked the capacity or 
  will to erect statues. While there are barrows and cairns 
  on nearby slopes, these all date from later periods, and 
  thus provide no clues to the nature of the carvers.
  Spirit Name: None. The Hill of the Ancestors is home 
  to multiple spirits, collectively known simply as the An-
  cestors. Individual spirits are known by their given name 
  and title/nickname.
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #52
  10
  
  Ambience: The hill radiates an aura of melancholy; 
  a feeling of longing for older days now forever out of 
  one’s grasp. Anyone venturing onto the hill must make 
  a spirit roll or suffer a level of fatigue brought about by 
  depression until they leave the slopes.
  Deity: scaetha.
  Senses: Notice d4.
  Communication: None.
  Powers: Anyone who clears the turf from one of the 
  names receives a minor blessing. The blessing takes 
  the form of a single use of boost trait, the trait in ques-
  tion being directly tied to the name revealed. Thus, the 
  nickname of someone called “the strong” invokes boost 
  Strength, while “the Merciful” relates to boost Healing.
  Though each spell can be cast but once, it remains 
  available for three months, after which time the name is 
  covered by the fast-growing grass. It is cast using spirit 
  as the arcane skill, even if the caster has an arcane back-
  ground, and is maintained by the caster.
  Sacrifice: Activating the site’s power requires care-
  fully marking out the hidden name, cutting away the 
  turf, and then rearranging the chalk to ensure only the 
  whitest rock is visible. This takes one person 24 hours. 
  Anyone who performs a fair share of the work re-
  ceives the blessing. only one blessing can be received 
  per month, no matter how many names are revealed.
  ILLILIGrBy
  Location: Crystalflow Confederacy
  Population: 207
  Ruler: Mayor Thalia ap-Agidius
  Pronounced ILL-ger-by, this small village stands on the 
  right bank of the Crystalflow. structurally it appears little 
  different to the countless other riverside settlements. It 
  boasts an inn (The Trough), a small shrine to var, small 
  cottages, a few workshops, and a quay where trading 
  ships can dock. What makes it stand out are the citizens.
  The inhabitants of Illiligrby, every last one of them, are 
  as ugly as sin. It is their unsightly appearance that gives 
  the village its common name, for it translates literally as 
  “the ugly village.” even the locals are forced to call it this, 
  for they receive blank looks when they use its proper 
  name, flowby (“the village by the Crystalflow”).
  No curse befell the village, despite what some skalds 
  may claim. Around 100 years ago the ruler of Drakeport, 
  a vain man by any standards and more than a little mad, 
  issued a decree banning all ugly people from living with-
  in the city. scores of the ugliest inhabitants were dragged 
  from their homes and outlawed for the crime of being 
  too ugly to be seen in Drakeport. With nowhere else to 
  go, they migrated north, eventually finding an unclaimed 
  spot of land to call home. Although the law was repealed 
  decades ago, their descendants have refused to return to 
  the city. over the generations, the inhabitants married 
  and interbred, their physical ugliness carried down fam-
  ily lines to the present age.
  The ugliness extends only skin deep, for the villagers 
  are by nature good souls. However, the persecution of 
  their ancestors and the ridicule they still suffer from visi-
  tors has left its mark on their psyche. While in Illiligrby, 
  characters with the ugly Hindrance or Attractive and very 
  Attractive edge have the Charisma modifiers reversed.
  InternMent caMp
  Location: Cogelund
  Although the initial orc assault on southern vestmark 
  caused concern among the general populace, even when 
  the orcs reached the banks of the elverun the people 
  stayed loyal and remained in their homes. but two de-
  cades of war has seen families stripped of their men folk, 
  the land left barren, and rampant hardship. seeking a 
  better life, peasants began to pack up their few belong-
  ings and flee east and west.
  Those who managed to enter Coglelund before the 
  border was closed were marshaled together into a make-
  shift camp. Conditions are squalid. Lack of sanitation has 
  led to rampant disease, the tents offer little protection 
  from the cold, and food and water must be purchased 
  from the greedy merchants of Coglelund. Clerics of eira 
  do their best, but there is never enough provisions to go 
  around. emissaries from vestmark have been repeatedly 
  refused entry to the camp.
  News of the camp’s existence has been met with 
  mixed reactions in vestmark. While the peasants com-
  plain bitterly about the treatment of their kin, the nobil-
  ity are largely unconcerned—in their eyes, the refugees 
  have forsaken their vows of fealty by running away in 
  vestmark’s hour of need. even if he were inclined to 
  speak out, vestmark’s king cannot afford to alienate 
  Coglelund, a vital trading partner.
  kInG’s hILL
  Location: Withered Lands
  king’s Hill stands ten miles inside Darkwood, a stone’s 
  throw from the edge of the trade road that runs through 
  the gloomy realm. A truncated cone measuring 100 yards 
  in diameter and 30 yards high, the hill is artificial, raised 
  by some forgotten culture. Its regular shape is unusual, 
  but were it not for the colossal statue that stands on its 
  flat summit, the hill would go unnoticed, another hill 
  covered in thick, tangled vegetation.
  The statue rises 50 feet above the summit, its feet 
  and lower legs lost to black clinging vines. Cracked 
  and weathered by the passage of untold centuries, the 
  remaining features are clearly male (it has a short beard) 
  and those of a warrior. In his left hand he holds a round 
  shield, its rim pitted and chipped by the endless batter-
  ing of wind, rain, and frost. His right hand clutches a 
  long sword, the arm bent upward so the sword extends 
  across the shield, in the manner of a warrior banging 
  a weapon on shield. Across the figure’s brow the faint 
  remains of a circlet is visible.
  Who the figure represents is unknown. few travelers 
  tarry long in Darkwood, there are no writings proclaim-
  ing his name, and skalds’ songs, many of which predate 
  suppLeMentaL MaterIaL
  11
  
  the blizzard War, make no mention of such a hill. Per-
  haps, it is surmised, the man was so well-known in life 
  that no name was necessary. Clues to his identity may lie 
  within the hill, for at the base, facing due east, rise two 
  tall stone pillars. The faint remains of carvings depicting 
  boars and dragons are just visible beneath the thin layer 
  of lichen that clings to the surface. between the stones is 
  a dark, brooding opening.
  No records or stories speak of explorers ever having 
  penetrated the interior, though it is likely generations of 
  scaetha’s clerics have ventured into its depths in their 
  hunt for undead. That the cult has not made its findings 
  public fuels the imagination of those who believe the hill 
  is a vast tomb stocked with glittering jewels and chests 
  full of coins. believers claim that as protectors of the 
  dead and being vehemently opposed to tomb robbing, 
  the cult would not report any finds of ancient burial 
  treasure, so as to deter thieves. Thus, treasure must lie 
  within simply because the clergy have not mentioned 
  its existence. The logic is flawed, but cannot be verified 
  without investigation.
  There is certainly a small stash of treasure on the 
  edge of the trade road facing the opening. fearful that 
  the hill is home to some powerful hagbui, superstitious 
  (or perhaps just wise) travelers leave a coin or two as an 
  offering, hoping that their supplication will show they 
  are not robbers. If there is an undead lurking within, he 
  evidently has no desire to add to his wealth—the coins 
  date back to the founding of the trade road, and amount 
  to several thousand gold scields (mostly in silver coins).
  the MadMan’s Garden
  Location: Chalcis
  The story of bayard black-fingers is well known 
  among the cult of eostre Plantmother. Legend says that 
  the priest lost his mind and strayed from the oath of 
  righteousness. one story claims he stumbled across the 
  arcane treaties of Novormira the Decayed, a liche and 
  lieutenant of the Liche-Priest who studied the art of im-
  buing plants with necromantic energy. (Although slain 
  by the cult of scaetha before the Liche-Priest fell to ruin, 
  her work paved the way for the creation of the Withered 
  Lands.) other tales state that he desired to become a tree 
  man, saw animals as the enemy of plants, or became ill 
  after inhaling strange spores.
  Whatever the cause of his madness, bayard secluded 
  himself in a deserted tower in a deep, wooded valley 
  in High Moor, wherein he conducted strange research. 
  Within a few years, the forest began to develop a foul 
  reputation, and it was widely avoided. by the time his 
  superiors took action, it was too late.
  What had once been a verdant, unspoiled wilder-
  ness had become corrupted. The ground was shrouded 
  in thick brambles and ferns that grew at alarming rates 
  to conceal paths or parted without provocation to re-
  veal previous hidden trails; moss men hunted animal 
  trespassers amid the dense vegetation; corrosive rots 
  slithered from the bogs that had sprung up on the valley 
  floor; thorndarts lurked among the shrubbery, waiting 
  to ambush any animals that crossed their paths; topiary 
  golems carved into animal forms roamed the landscape; 
  and hostile war trees stomped through the maze of 
  vegetation like giant sentinels. And strolling through the 
  land, master of all he surveyed, was bayard, clad only in 
  a robe of woven leaves and wearing a crown of flowers. 
  After a fierce battle the cult of eostre withdrew, beaten 
  back despite their power over plants—whatever charms 
  bayard had woven proved too strong for the combined 
  might of the cult. bayard seemed content to remain 
  within his domain, and eventually he was forgotten.
  The outer garden remains a deadly labyrinth of thick, 
  thorny hedges, deadly fungi, and thorndarts, protected 
  by aggressive moss men, hostile topiary golems, unseelie 
  woodland fey, and foul-tempered war trees. Animals of 
  all forms are unwelcome here. At the heart of the garden 
  is a stone tower, the cleric’s former home. Thick ivy and 
  brambles have suffocated all but the roof, its conical peak 
  just visible above the greenery. 
  “former home” may be a misnomer. Hunters in the 
  High Moor claim to have spied from afar a figure match-
  ing bayard’s last description roaming through the ac-
  cursed garden. few believe their claims, for the priest 
  lived three centuries ago, and no magic except that of 
  necromancy could endure a human body to survive so 
  long.
  MaMMoth haLL
  Location: unclaimed Lands
  In the wilderness west of Watchgap fort stands a soli-
  tary stead, known across neighboring Heligioland simply 
  as Mammoth Hall. viewed from a distance during the 
  day, the roof of the main hall gleams gray-white, a dirty 
  smudge on the pure white snow and ice. At dawn and 
  dusk, the gray-white is replaced by blood-red as the wan 
  light from sigel’s Hearth caresses the unique structure. 
  only as one draws near can one see the reason for the 
  unusual coloring.
  Located above the doors is the tusked skull of a colos-
  sal mammoth, one far larger than any specimen every 
  spied below the forbidding Icewall. The creatures’ spine 
  runs along the roof, with massive, bowed ribs curving 
  downward to embrace the wooden walls like bone but-
  tresses. Thin shingles of worked mammoth bone cover 
  the remainder of the roof.
  Two large outbuildings complete the stead. The first, 
  twice as long as the main hall yet of poorer construction, 
  normally houses several pygmy mammoths. Investiga-
  tion reveals they have suffered recent wounds but have 
  been expertly tended to. The hall’s owner uses this space 
  to tend injured mammoths, to help females birth calves, 
  and, in dire winters, to give the local herd some extra 
  protection. The second building is piled high with bales 
  of dried grass, winter stores for the mammoths. A scythe 
  and sharpening stone are also kept here.
  The great doors leading into the hall are intricately 
  carved with images of mammoths within a border of an 
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  endless knot motif typical of the saxa. outside a sign, in 
  saxa, reads, “Hospitality awaits all those of noble intent. 
  enter freely and be at home.” banging on the door elicits 
  no response— the sign gives clear instructions that hon-
  est guests may enter as they wish.
  Inside the air is hot, smoky, and slightly acrid. A 
  great fire pit in the center of the room, fuelled by dried 
  mammoth dung, provides ample heat though minimal 
  lighting. smoky lamps hang on nails hammered in the 
  wide beams, casting flickering shadows across the ex-
  pansive interior. Wooden benches covered in mammoth 
  hair cloaks and rugs line both walls. As with other saxa 
  steads, these are used for sitting and sleeping on, and lift 
  to provide storage space for guests and basic provisions 
  required by the household. The drinking horns, cutlery 
  handles, plates, and bowls within the Hall are all carved 
  of mammoth bone or ivory. The interior is divided into 
  two sections—the main hall, where guests may eat, relax, 
  and sleep, and the owner’s private quarters.
  The Hall’s sole permanent occupant, a hulking saxa 
  known only as utgar, is rarely present during the day, for 
  much of his time is spent in the surrounding landscape, 
  tending and watching over the mammoth herds, hunting 
  and gathering food, and tracking down predators. Plenti-
  ful food and drink is always placed on a table near the 
  hearth before he departs, in the event unexpected guests 
  come. He returns shortly before dusk each night, show-
  ing no surprise if his home is occupied by strangers.
  utgar survives by hunting, fishing, and gathering wild 
  fungus and edible tubers. When he needs supplies he 
  cannot furnish, he reluctantly takes mammoth bone, 
  hide, and ivory to the markets of Heligioland. under no 
  circumstances does he ever kill a mammoth to cater for 
  his own needs.
  Monty’s traVeLInG taVern
  Location: Anywhere there is a trade road
  one of the strangest sights on the trade roads is 
  Monty’s triple engro wagon caravan. Monty’s business’ 
  name is actually a misnomer—since it provides sleeping 
  accommodations, it is actually an inn (the engro thought 
  tavern had a catchier feel).
  A nomadic engro, Monty decided that he could make 
  money while moving from settlement to settlement, 
  where he plies his trade as a cobbler and his wife, Gladi-
  ola, sells herbal remedies. for a fee, travelers can ride 
  in two of the wagons, sparing their legs and horses and, 
  more importantly, cutting down journey times. Thanks 
  to having three changes of horses and drivers, Monty’s 
  rumbles along the roads day and night, stopping only 
  briefly to swap horses until it reaches a settlement.
  The three wagons comprising the mobile inn are 
  joined in a line with lynch pins, allowing a single team of 
  four horses to pull them at a gentle pace. Typically, the 
  wagon averages 3 miles an hour on trade roads, and is 
  mobile for around 20 hours a day. 
  The first wagon belongs to the engro and his fam-
  ily (wife and nine children, three of whom are young 
  adults). The second wagon is divided into three small 
  but comfortable private rooms, each with a small wood 
  burning stove. The main rear door has been nailed shut, 
  and three doors built into the right hand side, each lead-
  ing to one of the private chambers. The last wagon is a 
  communal sleeping area, capable of accommodating six 
  adult humans in relative comfort and 12 at a squeeze. 
  This wagon has no stove, but when fully occupied condi-
  tions are quiet warm, if a little crowded. blankets and 
  sleeping furs are provided.
  Private room rates are 8 gs a day (defined by Monty 
  as 24 hours or part thereof from the time of entry) and a 
  berth in the communal wagon 2 gs per day. Guests must 
  bring their own food if they wish to dine. fellow engros 
  are charged 6 gs and 1 gs respectively, while bludgeoners 
  pay just 4 gs and 5 ss. engros are usually invited to eat 
  one meal with the family. Average quality beer is available 
  at 3 gs per gallon barrel, and passable wine at 4 gs per 
  half-gallon cask.
  Monty’s is covered by the laws of hospitality. Guests 
  are under the engro’s protection, but must in turn act 
  respectfully, refrain from insulting their host, and defend 
  the wagons should the need arise.
  Moon MountaIn teMpLe
  Location: The Great swamp
  Moon Mountain sits at the top of Zigzag Pass, territory 
  now considered part of the Great swamp. small amounts 
  of Maerathril were mined here in bygone days, but these 
  deposits did not give the mountain its name.
  The highest peak in the region, it gave clerics of 
  Maera a commanding view of the night sky. A temple to 
  her honor was built on a high ridge, just below the snow 
  line. for over nine centuries clerics honored their god-
  dess, studied the stars, seeking wisdom in their patterns 
  and movements, and delved deep into the mysteries 
  of magic. so skilled were the clerics at deciphering the 
  future that they predicted every major event since the 
  Demongate War.
  Then, 28 years ago, two years after the start of the 
  siphoning, all communication with the small community 
  was lost. The last message, relayed through a voice on 
  the wind spell, made cryptic reference to the cause of 
  the siphoning, indicating only that a “dark force has 
  arisen in the east beneath a forest of spires.”
  Relief missions were sent by the cult, while the Reli-
  quary, sutmark, and veermark sent expeditions to try 
  and loot the store of magic believed kept there, but the 
  only ones to return were those who failed to reach the 
  site. The others, presumably penetrating the interior of 
  the remote temple, were never heard from again.
  former visitors still speak in wonder at the glass-
  domed ceiling of the great temple hall, the impressive 
  library of arcane treaties, the well-stocked laboratories of 
  the resident alchemists, the grand divination room, onto 
  the roof of which was magically projected an image of 
  the heavens, allowing the diviners to work their strange 
  art even in cloudy nights, and the ornately decorated 
  suppLeMentaL MaterIaL
  1
  
  council chamber in which all practitioners of magical 
  arts could meet to discuss grievances and theories on 
  neutral territory.
  An adventuring party who can penetrate the defenses 
  of the temple might well find a cache of alchemical de-
  vices, tomes of learning, and even relics, but more im-
  portantly they may uncover the cause of the siphoning. 
  However, in order to reach that goal they must overcome 
  the conqueror and new master of the temple, a gray 
  rider, and the small army of undead he commands.
  no Man’s keep
  Location: Heligioland
  situated halfway along the valley that winds through 
  the bleak Hills, overlooking the trade road, is a solitary 
  stone keep. Although the keep appears to be atop the 
  main hills when viewed from below, it actually stands on 
  a column of rock. A narrow track leads up from the valley 
  into the hills, ending at a drawbridge that extends across 
  the 20 foot gap.
  Despite its commanding position, no lord rules from 
  here and no soldiers patrol its battlements. With no army 
  within several days march, it would make an ideal lair 
  for bandits or orcs, and yet none reside within its walls. 
  The Hearth knights have never sought to occupy the 
  structure, despite it making an ideal position from which 
  to guard the valley.
  The label “keep” is misleading, for the fortification 
  comprises a solitary flat-roofed, three-story tower at the 
  front corner of a walled courtyard. The thick, high outer 
  walls are actually hollow, and hold many small rooms 
  spread over two stories. At the bottom of the tower are 
  stairs leading into the column of rock, into which the 
  builders hewed several large cellars.
  The walls are completely devoid of markings, giving 
  no indication who built the structure, or when. Local 
  legends claim it has stood for many centuries, and that 
  even the Hellfrost armies left it in peace.
  The sole visitor is an elderly man, frey vilsunu, an 
  inhabitant of a small rest-stop village that lies at the base 
  of the hills. each day at dawn he enters the keep’s gates, 
  performs routine maintenance, and leaves before the 
  sun sets. The same task was performed by his father, his 
  father before him, and so on back as far as anyone can 
  remember. He is well paid for his work, though he has 
  no idea whom he serves. every month on Raestdaeg, the 
  only day he does not work, a man delivers a pouch of 
  200 antiquated gold coins. Although they predate sci-
  elds, each coin is worth the same as a gold scield due to 
  its precious metal content.
  Jathric makes no attempt to stop adventurers from 
  visiting the keep, though he cautions them not to stay 
  overnight. by day, the keep is a lonely place, its echo-
  ing halls and corridors cold and unwelcoming. No birds 
  roost on its battlements, no bats hang from the roof, nor 
  do spiders congregate here. It has the air not of a fortress 
  or baronial home, but of a tomb.
   by night, though, the keep is thoroughly menacing. 
  The darkness is cloying and solid, reluctantly parting in 
  the glow of lanterns; the hollow echoes that reverber-
  ate during the day are muted; and one has the constant 
  feeling of being watched. The keep would make an ideal 
  base for an aspiring ruler, yet those few who brave a 
  night within the walls leave at first light, visibly shaken 
  by terrifying nightmares, never to return.
  The cult of scaetha has ventured into its interior in 
  search of renegade undead, for the keep’s refusal to ac-
  cept guests makes it an ideal haunt. Although undoubt-
  edly a desolate place, their investigations have discovered 
  no trace of Hela’s lackeys.
  raðhyLrBy
  Location: The freelands
  Population: 368
  Ruler: Mayor Diderik Wildhair
  Raðhlyrby (“wish pool village;” pronounced “rath-el-
  bee”) lies on the trade road between Nara and Aslov. A 
  farming community with a large, fortified inn catering 
  for merchants, it is named after the small pool in the 
  center of the market square. 
  Local tradition has it that anyone who throws a scield 
  into the pool and makes a wish will, if of good soul, have 
  it come true. exactly when fortune may strike is vague, 
  the locals claiming it depends on the strength and purity 
  of one’s desire. Gold coins are said to produce better 
  results that silver ones. such is the inhabitants’ belief in 
  their “magic pool” (which radiates no magical aura), they 
  frequently toss a coin in the still water to demonstrate 
  the veracity of their claims. Glancing into the pool re-
  veals a pile of glittering coins at the bottom.
  The wishing pool is actually a scam, invented three 
  generations ago by the then-mayor. The pool is nothing 
  more than a former watering hole for livestock. each 
  week, the pool is dredged and the coins collected. At the 
  end of the harvest, the money is used to provide a big 
  feast in honor of eostre and purchase communal winter 
  supplies. The coins left at the bottom are fake—copper 
  disks with a thin veneer of precious metal—as are the 
  ones the villagers make great display of throwing in. each 
  of their wishing coins is slightly nicked in a different spot 
  to mark the identity of its owner, allowing them to reuse 
  the same “coin” over and over.
  the resurGent forest
  Location: Angarion and surrounds
  The Resurgent forest does not yet exist. bitter at the 
  loss of so much ancient woodland down the ages, a cabal 
  of elves led by fanatical druids has spent the better part of 
  200 years planning to reverse the fortunes of Angarion. 
  In secret, the elves have been seeding the lands within 
  50 miles of the great wood, discretely planting seeds in 
  the soil of Angmark, Coglelund, the freelands, and the 
  Magocracy. Meanwhile, the druids, secluded away in 
  a secret grove, have been conducting a ritual that has 
  lasted almost a century. 
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #52
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  Although they have suffered a temporary setback due 
  to the effects of the siphoning, the druids are nearing 
  completion. The stars are moving into alignment and 
  the great vessel used to contain the magic (an ancient 
  tree) is almost full. When the time is right, the magic will 
  be released in a sudden, tremendous burst. Life-giving 
  energy will flood the region, causing the dormant seeds 
  to not only sprout, but to reach maturity within a few 
  days. Where now lie grasslands and gentle hills will stand 
  a verdant forest
  such an act is likely to lead to war, for the new borders 
  of the forest will extend as far north as the trade road 
  that cuts through the Draugr Hills, touch the outskirts 
  of Halfway, and stretch to the western tip of foulwater 
  swamp, cutting the Dukedom of eastheath from the 
  rest of the Magocracy (and incidentally surrounding 
  Heath with trees). In the south, half of the Principality 
  of bremen and County of Llan will vanish beneath the 
  new canopy. The cabal is prepared for this—some of the 
  stored energy will be used to animate war trees and sum-
  mon wood elementals as guardians.
  shrIne of the Lost God
  Location: The unclaimed Lands 
  As powerful as the gods are, they are reliant on mortal 
  worshippers. stripped of prayers and supplications, they 
  wither like plants deprived of their roots. While this loss 
  of power cannot kill a god, it can reduce it to a pitiful 
  wreck, a pale, insignificant shadow of its former majesty. 
  such incidents are rare, though. Throughout history 
  conquerors have crushed neighboring lands, only to 
  incorporate the native gods into their own pantheons as 
  aspects of the greater gods. While names and myths may 
  change, the essence of the deity remains untouched, 
  and thus unaffected. However, when an entire culture is 
  wiped out, as occurred during the blizzard War, worship 
  of the very minor deities may cease in a heartbeat.
  North of the Great forest, almost nestled against the 
  imposing Icewall, stands a solitary obelisk. The ground 
  surrounding the monolith is free of surface snow for a 
  distance of ten yards, though the temperature is as cold 
  as elsewhere in the High Winterlands. faded inscriptions 
  written in a runic script (speak language is required to 
  decipher the text) proclaim the stone to be a shrine 
  to ozwiena, the goddess of fame and glory. Within the 
  stone exists the last remnants of the deity, a weak spirit, 
  emaciated through lack of worship down the centuries.
  before the selari imposed their system of light-dark 
  duality on the region, a minor human warrior culture 
  whose leaders were noted for their fame rather than 
  their ability to lead prospered here. finding no place for 
  the goddess in their pantheon, her worship was prohib-
  ited, eventually disappearing a century later, as the last 
  vestiges of the ancient culture were bred out.
  Touching the stone with bare hands imparts a brief 
  telepathic message, in which the goddess promises the 
  explorer fame in return for worship. To awaken her fully 
  requires the character to voluntarily sacrifice a perma-
  MInor deIty: ozwIena
  Titles: Lady of Glory, fame-bringer.
  Aspects: Glory.
  Affiliations: ozwiena is initially affiliated with no 
  major deities. Tying her to existing major gods 
  will require extensive promotion of the new faith 
  among existing cults, a task that might take a life 
  time. The Norns, Tiw, or the unknowable one are 
  ideal choices. Remember, no minor god may ever 
  be affiliated to more than two major deities.
  Symbol: No standard symbol. Clerics are expected 
  to carry around a token depicting a famous hero. 
  This includes their own image if they are that vain.
  Priesthood: Promoters of fame (priests); Glory-
  hounds (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Any day a cleric achieves a Glory award 
  is a personal high holy day. Any day the cleric helps 
  another person achieve a Glory award is a personal 
  holy day.
  Duties: To acquire fame and glory, to help others 
  acquire fame and glory.
  Sins: (Minor) not earning 3+ Glory for yourself 
  (paladins) or another (priests) once per month, ly-
  ing about your achievements or those of others, 
  not making a boast (see Hellfrost Rassilon expan-
  sion) once per three months; (Major) allowing an-
  other person to tell of your tales in order to gain 
  Glory, not earning a Glory award for yourself (pala-
  dins) or another (priest) once per year, failing to 
  complete a boast for any reason; (Mortal) losing 
  personal Glory for any reason.
  Signature Power: Charismatic aura.
  Powers*: Battle song, boost/lower trait, fortune’s 
  favored, gift of battle, precognition, smite, speak 
  language, warrior’s gift.
  Trappings: Any.
  Special: Clerics of ozwiena are treated as skalds 
  for the purposes of the Glorious Deeds Table.
  ozwiena’s clergy are a mixture of warriors and 
  poets. Priests are less concerned with their own 
  personal fame, instead focusing on helping others 
  achieve greatness. Conversely, paladins are expect-
  ed to become famous heroes in their own right, 
  and recount their personal deeds to amaze and en-
  tertain others. As might be expected, egotism is a 
  prized trait among the cult.
  Ceremonies to honor ozwiena take the form of 
  stories, either of personal glory or of heroes of old. 
  The goddess cares nothing about the heroes’ cul-
  ture, thriving on any glorious epic.
  * until the cult has 5 ordained clerics, existing cler-
  ics are limited to Novice powers. seasoned spells 
  may be gained only after the cult reaches 10 clerics, 
  and a sole veteran spell once it achieves a clerical 
  membership of 25.
  suppLeMentaL MaterIaL
  15
  
  nent die in spirit. In return for this sacrifice, he gains 
  faith d4 and the Arcane background (Miracles) edge of 
  the new faith (see the sidebar on page 12). Initially weak, 
  the character’s choice of miracles grows as he works to 
  develop the faith. While the selari saw no need for a god-
  dess of glory, such a deity might prove popular among 
  the current human cultures, especially the saxa.
  the sLItherInG stones
  Location: Heligioland 
  Deep in the Greenpot Hills is a colossal standing 
  stone. Crudely worked, and carved top to bottom with 
  spirals and wiggly lines, it forms the centerpiece of a larg-
  er megalithic site that covers five acres (approximately 
  220,000 square feet). 
  sages have long debated the origin of the megaliths. 
  Most agree they form a primitive temple, though who 
  built it remains something of a mystery. Those who favor 
  a demonic origin suggest they are only around 900 years 
  old, raised by insane cultists during the Demongate War. 
  others speculate the stones were erected millennia ago 
  and served as the focal point for a crude religion.
  According to students of the arcane, the stone is a 
  gateway to an extra-dimensional realm. Trapped within 
  is either a powerful demon confined here after the De-
  mongate War, or a very minor evil god. The latter is usu-
  ally affiliated with vali, but there are some who suggest 
  it once served eostre Animalmother, but was banished 
  for some unspeakable crime. The cult of ertha tells of a 
  mighty worm that once dwelt deep within the bowels of 
  the earth. After a fierce fight, ertha wounded the beast 
  and banished it from the mortal world. Whatever its na-
  ture, the creature is universally known in tales as Jalinex, 
  the Lord of slime.
  The stone is solid to the touch, though it gives 
  slightly, like pushing on a taut rubber sheet, and feels 
  slimy. Too much pressure, and one can step through the 
  megalith into the realm beyond. sometimes it bulges of 
  its own accord, as if something behind it is pushing to 
  break through. Wise travelers and sages never venture 
  too close, for there are many stories that tell of slimy 
  tentacles emerging from the stone without warning, the 
  ropy limbs clutching and grasping at anything within 
  reach before disappearing back into the nothingness. 
  unfortunate souls caught in their vile grasp are pulled 
  through the veil. stories, some of them told by living eye-
  witnesses, tell of muted cries and the hands and faces 
  of victims seen pressed against the surface of the stone 
  from within, desperately trying to escape whatever fate 
  awaits them. usually this is followed by a piercing scream 
  and the face quickly vanishing from sight. No one who 
  enters is ever seen again.
  beyond the mystical barrier is a sprawling cave sys-
  tem inhabited by tentacled-beasts, swarms of slimy, 
  flesh-eating worms, and shapeless, formless pools of 
  living darkness that sprout pseudo-tentacles at random. 
  slime abounds, much of it secretions from the ghastly 
  inhabitants. It coats the walls and floors, and drips from 
  the ceiling in long, sticky strands. unfortunately, enter-
  ing is much easier than leaving. The only way to escape 
  the fetid dungeon is to slay its master, thus causing the 
  realm to disappear from existence. Jalinex still resides 
  in his prison, eternal if not truly immortal. No images 
  of him exist. He takes the form of a mass of writhing, 
  slime-coated tentacles with a single eye at the center. 
  Inhuman and uncaring, there is no hope of opening any 
  form of dialogue. To Jalinex, intruders are nothing more 
  than fresh meat.
  storM MountaIn
  Location: Nordmark
  Nordmark has long been associated with Thunor. The 
  Anvil is one of his most holy sites, an entire mountain 
  range is named after him, and it was in his name the citi-
  zens of Nordmark rose up against their Anari overlords. 
  one of the peaks in the northern Range holds the honor 
  of having a perpetual thundercloud hanging over it since 
  the days of the Anari conquest.
  Popular myth claims that an Anari arkhwisard special-
  izing in air sought to forge a gateway to that elemental 
  realm. Although the Thunor Range had yet to be given 
  that name, the boom of thunderstorms in neighboring 
  Nordmark frequently rolled down the passes, and storm 
  dragons made their nests on the highest peaks.  The 
  Thunor Range also boasts the largest number of air el-
  emental loci anywhere on the continent.
  Arrogant and proud, the mage conducted a lengthy 
  and complex ritual at a point he considered a natural 
  fracture between the mortal and elemental worlds. some 
  stories say he succeeded, as evidenced by the cloud, 
  while saxa versions claim Thunor punished the mortal 
  by sending a powerful spirit to blow him off the moun-
  tain, a guardian who still watches over the sight of the 
  ritual.
  but this is not the only legend. fragments of an old 
  poem, written down shortly after the saxa liberation 
  tell of a cave complex in which are housed the skeletal 
  remains of the ancient kings of the storm giants. Most 
  scholars agree that storm giants probably practice sky 
  burials, but once the flesh has been picked clean (by 
  storm giants, one supposes, since few birds live at such 
  altitudes), the bones are stored along with grave goods.
  Common cult lore says that the fabled relic storm-
  hammer was gifted to sekid Godhammer atop Thunor’s 
  Anvil (see H2: The Blood of Godhammer). However, the 
  poem, whose authorship and age is unknown, hints that 
  Godhammer actually stole the weapon from the storm 
  giants’ tomb. If this is true, what other relics may lay 
  gathering dust in that hallowed hall?
  Large numbers of storm, thunder, and thunderstorm 
  elementals haunt the region, attacking all trespassers. 
  Clerics of Thunor are not spared their attention, though 
  there are legends that state a true disciple can barter safe 
  passage to the epicenter of the phenomena to pay his 
  respects to Thunor. storm giants are frequently spot-
  ted nearby, though even they are wary of the mighty 
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #52
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  elementals. The only creatures guaranteed safe passage 
  are storm dragons, who come here to cavort in the per-
  manent storm.
  torVIk
  Location: Angmark 
  Population: 419
  Ruler: Thunderdaughter karla Hadriksunu
  An independent village under the control of the cult 
  of Thunor, Torvik lies ten miles south of Leirvik. Despite 
  being a coastal settlement, its inhabitants do not farm the 
  sea, nor do they welcome ships into the small bay their 
  steads surround. Instead, they harvest sea salt from the 
  wetlands behind the dunes and raise salt lamb (sheep 
  raised on the tough, salt-loving grass that dominates the 
  boggy ground). This limits their prosperity, but the vil-
  lagers would have it no other way.
  The villagers’ hatred of the sea, for it cannot be de-
  scribed as anything less, dates back to shortly after the 
  founding of Angmark. The first family to settle here, be-
  ing keen to know if the spot would be prosperous for 
  their descendants, had a divination performed. The re-
  sults were not what they were expecting—Torvik would 
  prosper, but a stranger would one day come from the 
  sea, so heralding the death of Angmark.
  Given that Angmark was founded not long after the 
  saxa had thrown off Anari rule, the prophecy may sim-
  ply have been a warning that the Anari might one day 
  return. However, immediately grasping the wrong end 
  of the stick, the villagers became paranoid about all who 
  plied the vast ocean or worshipped Neorthe. fearful 
  they would be forced to accept Neorthe, whose faith was 
  quickly becoming the state religion, the ruling family 
  erected a simple wind sock atop a nearby hill, declared it 
  a temple, and swore fealty to the cult of Thunor, handing 
  over control  of Torvik to a young, bewildered priest.
  such is their animosity toward the sea and all who 
  sail it, the clerics of Thunor who have ruled the village 
  down the age use their spells to drive vessels back out to 
  sea. followers of Neorthe are permitted to live in Torvik, 
  though not to work the sea or raise a place of worship. 
  Clerics of Neorthe, though, are automatically placed 
  under a death sentence, for the villagers now firmly be-
  lieve that due to their faith they all “come from the sea.” 
  shipwrecked mariners are attacked before they can leave 
  the breakers. Numerous kings have spoken out against 
  these barbaric and misguided practices, but in Angmark, 
  temples and their settlements are not answerable to any 
  temporal authority.
  VaLLey of a thousand caVes
  Location: The Magocracy
  Located in the Hook Mountains, the valley’s name is 
  poetic license, for it contains far less than a thousand 
  caves. visitors are rare, for the caves are inhabited by 
  orcs and ice goblins, cliff giants and ogres. The majority 
  of the caves are simple affairs, with two to five linked 
  chambers. others wind deep into the mountains, link-
  ing up with other cave systems in the valley to create a 
  subterranean maze. some have been explored down the 
  ages, but none have been mapped.
  Largely unexplored, the valley has become the focus 
  of numerous rumors and stories. skalds sing of heah-
  wisards of old who hid their great treasures and secrets 
  in the caves to prevent them falling into unworthy hands, 
  or of strange, dwarflike creatures who live in the deepest 
  caves. A few xenophobes claim that frost dwarves live in 
  the region, secretly exploiting the Magocracy’s mineral 
  wealth and ferrying it out of the land via a vast network 
  of secret tunnels. More fanciful tales speak of huge 
  worms that burrowed out of the mountain in bygone 
  eras, golems digging out the caves during the short-lived 
  Golem uprising, and even of lost gold mines dating back 
  to the Anari empire.
  the wItches’ cauLdron
  Location: Heligioland 
  In an isolated valley on the eastern face of the northern 
  bleak Hills, overlooking the leafy tops of Whitedrake val-
  ley, is a bubbling pool known as the Witches’ Cauldron. 
  The liquid cannot be called water, for it is a thick slime 
  of yellow-green hue, like pus from a rancid wound. The 
  fumes emanating from the stinking fluid are noxious.
  Despite appearances and odors, the site has long 
  been linked with the Norns, not vali, as first appearances 
  might dictate. Anyone who sits beside the pool and in-
  hales the vile vapors can make a vigor roll at –2. failure 
  leads to a level of fatigue lasting two hours. success 
  induces visions revealing the future. As is typical with 
  the Norns, the clues are cryptic rather than overt, forcing 
  the inhaler to interpret them. on a raise, the visions are 
  more easily deciphered.
  While reaching the sire is only mildly arduous, being 
  able to spend an hour in meditation is more difficult. 
  The surrounding hills are dotted with caves, many of 
  which are home to orcs of the White storm tribe, their 
  ice goblin allies, and ogre slaves. The orc priests use the 
  vision-inducing vapors to advise their chieftain on how 
  best to act in the future.
  workshop of the daMned
  Location: Liche Lands of old 
  The Liche-Priest rallied many fell creatures to his ban-
  ner. Among their number was a corrupt soul known in 
  tales today only as the stitcher. A mortal priest of Hela at 
  first and a liche later in life, the stitcher was among the 
  greatest students of necromancy. While his peers raised 
  armies of skeletons and zombies, he practiced a darker 
  art, stitching together undead to make freaks and abomi-
  nations, and fusing necrotic and living tissue. very much 
  a rear echelon lieutenant, he operated out of a secret 
  workshop in the Liche Lands. 
  The stitcher was apparently slain in battle, for his 
  name appears in the Register (see Region Guide #6), 
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  though no record of his demise exists in song or story. 
  The location of his laboratory, named the Workshop of 
  the Damned by the cult of scaetha (and not to be con-
  fused with the Workshop of Damnation in the Withered 
  Lands) has never been discovered.
  It is believed to lie either on the barrowdales, per-
  haps concealed inside one of the many tombs, or in the 
  gloomy expanse of bonewood. That it might lie further 
  east is unlikely, for in recent months reports of multi-
  armed skeletons, grisly zombies with the arms and heads 
  of bears, and abominations manufactured from different 
  species of animals stitched together have been circulat-
  ing along the trade road bordering the Liche Lands. 
  Perhaps, as some clerics of scaetha openly discuss, 
  the workshop is under new management, a new prac-
  titioner of necromancy having discovered, and learned 
  from, the master’s records. Perhaps, as some fear and 
  speak only in hushed whispers, the stitcher’s soul has 
  been summoned from Hela’s domain to continue its 
  work in preparation for the Liche-Priest’s return.
  Beyond the Mundane
  The inhabitants of Rassilon know next to nothing of 
  scientific thought, especially geology. When early men 
  (and other races) came across something unusual or 
  spied a site for the first time, they assigned it a myth in 
  order to explain its existence. Thus, many hills, forests, 
  marshes, rivers, fords, creeks, streams, lakes, boulder 
  fields, and valleys are more than just mundane geo-
  graphic features—they are part of the fabric of the world 
  as influenced by gods and mighty heroes. An example 
  already in Hellfrost is that of Thunor’s Anvil, a rock out-
  cropping sacred to the cult of the storm god.
  The same mentality applies to the creations of older 
  cultures—barrows, hill forts, megaliths, and chalk fig-
  ures. The Refuge, whose creation is attributed to Tiw’s 
  foot, is an example of this type of feature.
  GMs can assign minor myths to ordinary features to 
  help break up otherwise dull journeys and encourage 
  the characters, especially clerics, to view the landscape as 
  much more than a mundane place. some examples are 
  included below. None are tied to any particular realm.
  such places can be taken further, becoming sacred 
  places already honored by the locals or out of the way 
  shrines where itinerant clerics might honor their god. If 
  the latter is repeated often and fervently enough, a mun-
  dane site might well transform into a sacred place.
  Dragon Bone Ridge: After slaying the great dragon, 
  sigmundr attacked its offspring. The bones of the fallen 
  were cast from the heavens, falling to earth. They fell 
  with such force they embedded themselves in the rock.
  Ertha’s Chimney: Although no volcanoes in Rassilon 
  have spewed lava since written records began, there are 
  plenty of smoking cones. one of the most well known 
  is ertha’s Chimney. It has produced a thin veil of smoke 
  since the days of the great gatorman empire.
  As the name implies, it is believed to sit above ertha’s 
  hearth. Clerics of the earth goddess seeking penance from 
  grievous sins come here to make sacrifices. elementalists 
  who know air, earth, and fire come here to study, for the 
  volcano represents all three elements in one feature.
  Freo’s Stool: This flat-topped hill is said to be where 
  freo once took a rest break.
  God-Piss Bog: freo’s constant traveling, not to men-
  tion his boasting that he could travel anywhere, finally 
  got the attention of the unknowable one. Pulling down 
  his pants, the trickster urinated on a field, turning it into 
  a stinking bog. freo, unwilling to walk in the unknow-
  able one’s puddle, detoured around the bog. It is said 
  freo has never entered the bog, and that any cleric of his 
  who dares tread where he has not will be blessed.
  Nauthiz’s Folly: on hearing that ertha kept a vast 
  store of precious stones hidden in the earth, Nauthiz set 
  tryied to dig down to them. each time he dug a hole, 
  he found it ended in solid stone. undeterred, he tried 
  again, and again, and again. When he finally gave up, he 
  left behind a landscape dotted with small hillocks.
  Sigel’s Fires: The top of this large hill is exposed 
  rock, a stark contrast to the heath-strewn lower slopes. 
  According to saxa mythology, this is where sigel taught 
  men the secret of the Purification Day ritual.
  Sword-Cut Hill: Many hills have flat tops. A common 
  myth says that Tiw, after being berated by eira (back 
  when they were married), sulked off, swinging his sword 
  in frustration and accidentally lopping off the top of sev-
  eral hills (for which he had to apologize to ertha).
  Tiw’s Shackles: This story relates to a pair of extinct 
  volcanoes, explaining their truncated tops and craters.
  Loki once tricked Tiw into letting him shackle the 
  war god, claiming he had invented chains so strong that 
  no god could escape them. The trickster bound Tiw’s 
  wrists and fed two great chains down through the top 
  of neighboring mountains, fastening them to the root of 
  the world to prevent Tiw from escaping. Loki then told 
  the frost giants of Tiw’s predicament, and urged them to 
  invade Godsheim. Incensed at being tricked, Tiw ripped 
  the chains from their mountings, inadvertently tearing 
  the tops off the twin peaks in the process.
  Ullr’s Arrows: During the God War, ullr unleashed 
  great clouds of arrows, firing as many as a hundred in 
  one shot. several of these missed their target, falling to 
  the mortal realm and embedding themselves deep into 
  the earth. The feathers have long since been lost, but the 
  flights, tall slivers of stone, still dot the landscape.
  Veth’s Column: A single tall stone juts through the 
  soil. According to the mythology of eostre’s cult, veth 
  stopped here to relieve herself while hunting for the 
  Rat king. Wild hunting cats (whose territory lies nearby) 
  who regularly urinate here, making it a sort of communal 
  toilet. It is said that any domestic cat that urinates here 
  will never suffer bladder problems.
  Wheel-Rut Fort: An old hill fort with a double ditch, 
  Wheel-fort is said to have been formed from the wheels 
  of Tiw’s war chariot, which left deep tracks in the earth 
  as the war god raced around the base of a large hill. one 
  legend claims that freo was tricked into driving in a circle 
  over and over again by the unknowable one.
  heLLfrost reGIon GuIde #52
  1
  
  persons of note
  anGVIn BLuecheeks
  A resident of Nordmark and priest of Thunor, Angvin 
  is a firm believer in personal freedom. He swears alle-
  giance to no mortal, and looks upon Thunor more as 
  a spiritual advisor than a master. He walks where he 
  desires, ignoring boundaries and claims of trespass, and 
  has little respect for personal property. As capricious as 
  Thunor, Angvin may help those in need of assistance or 
  ignore them, depending on his mood.
  His belief in freedom also extends to his clothing, or 
  rather lack of it. In summer he walks around stark naked, 
  letting the wind and rain caress his exposed flesh. even 
  in the depths of winter he dons only a loose fitting fur 
  cloak and fur boots.
  His nickname comes from his peculiar habit of dying 
  his butt cheeks with woad. The designs vary from holy 
  symbols to runes to insults, though how he writes such 
  taunts is a trick he has yet to reveal. When threatened, he 
  turns from his enemy and bares his naked cheeks. This 
  gesture is usually followed by a loud expulsion of wind, 
  for Angvin suffers from chronic flatulence. He makes no 
  apologies for his violent expulsions, regardless of the 
  company he is keeping, seeing his flatulence as a bless-
  ing from his god.
  such is his mastery of bodily wind that he can play the 
  horn with a degree of skill using his farts. It is a talent 
  few wish to see demonstrated more than once, especially 
  when he offers to play the bagpipes in similar manner.
  jesrIc GreentonGue
  As a newly ordained priest of eostre Plantmother, Jes-
  ric saved the life of a minor fey courtier being attacked by 
  a bear. As it turned out, the fey was a favorite of a power-
  ful noble, Lady Green Needles. Grateful and generous, 
  she offered the young priest a reward of his choice. He 
  asked for the ability to speak with plants, a boon the 
  noble was happy to grant without hesitation. suddenly 
  fluent in Arboreal as well as the secret language of mun-
  dane plants unknown to all save the fey and a handful of 
  elderly elves, Jesric found his gift came with an immedi-
  ate side-effect—his tongue turned bright green.
  As often happens, though, a fey gift is as much a bane 
  as a boon if the request is not carefully worded. beside 
  his strange tongue, Jesric can hear the cry of cereals as 
  the scythe slices through their stalks, the moan of grass 
  as it is crushed underfoot by travelers, the gasp of plants 
  as their ripe fruit is plucked, and the howls of pain from 
  trees attacked with axes.
  Ironically for a man who wanted to devote his life 
  to tend the wild, Jesric now spends much of his time 
  in towns and cities, where living plants are few and far 
  between. To spend too much time amid the greenery he 
  so loves is to court madness.
  no BLaMe
  A priest of the unknowable one, No blame (the only 
  name he has gone by since he was a toddler) is a mischief 
  maker of the highest order. He brazenly commits minor 
  crimes and social faux pas, then, using his sly tongue, 
  quick wit, and miracles, quickly shifts the blame onto 
  a nearby innocent, who must now deal with the conse-
  quences. on rare occasions he commits a more serious 
  crime, but never one that involves bloodshed, force, or 
  which would leave the victim susceptible to immediate 
  harm or have the blamed soul executed or outlawed.
  As a devoted trickster, he is fully aware that sooner or 
  later his pranks will backfire and land him in hot water, 
  but until the unknowable one deems fit to teach him a 
  lesson he continues to make a nuisance of himself.
  utGar
  In a previous life utgar was known as Lance knight 
  utgar Henriksunu, nicknamed “Hammer of the Giants” 
  by his peers. utgar almost died in the Hellfrost. During 
  a terrible blizzard he had the misfortune to encounter 
  a pair of frost giants. unable to see clearly through the 
  whirling snow, he failed to parry a blow and was sent 
  sprawling to the ground, his right leg shattered. His last 
  vision before consciousness fled was of a colossal, white 
  mammoth trampling the frost giants to a bloody pulp.
  As utgar lay unconscious he dreamed of a beautiful 
  young maiden, who called herself skaði. she told him he 
  had been saved by one of her children. In return for his 
  life, she requested utgar repay her by watching over her 
  children until the end of his days. All the raw materials 
  he would need to build a temple in her honor would be 
  found when he awoke.
  When he regained consciousness he found himself 
  within a graveyard. scattered around him for miles 
  were the bones of long-dead mammoths. utgar lashed 
  together a crude sledge, loaded it high with bones, and 
  had his pygmy mammoth, sigelluðr (“sigel’s Trumpet”), 
  that had somehow survived the encounter with the gi-
  ants without a scratch, haul it a thousand miles south.
  once in the Low Winterlands, he began constructing 
  the Mammoth Hall. He did not toil alone, for a host of 
  mammoths emerged from the wilderness unbidden to 
  help lift the heavy bones. once the hall was finished, ut-
  gar resigned his Hearth knight status on the grounds of 
  his injury and devoted his life to watching over the local 
  mammoth herds.
  utgar stands close to seven feet in his socks (though 
  with a noticeable lean to the right), is well-muscled, and 
  has fiery red hair and a bushy, equally red beard. His face 
  is weathered and browned from exposure to the biting 
  wind and sunlight reflecting off the ice and snow.
  utgar is a man of few words. He greets guests with 
  his name, asks their business, and then leaves them to 
  their own devices. Asked about the Hall, utgar merely 
  replies: “This is Mammoth Hall, a temple to skaði, the 
  Great Herd Mother.”
                              
  suppLeMentaL MaterIaL
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Triple Ace Games/Hellfrost/Savage Worlds - Hellfrost - Region Guides #00-52 Compiled.pdf